Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

Chapter 77: The Moving Operation (1)

He wanted to ignore it, but it wasn’t a topic he could dismiss. As Ronan was about to turn and go inside the building, Adeshan, who had stepped away from the wall, grabbed his sleeve.

“Just wait a moment.”

“Huh? What’s up?”

“Take this.”

Adeshan extended the overcoat she had been holding. The neatly tailored garment looked as pristine as if it had never been worn. Ronan’s eyes widened as he accepted the coat.

“Oh, this is mine.”

“Thanks to you, I survived that time.”

“It’s nothing. I’m glad it came in handy.”

During the midterm evaluation, Adeshan borrowed the overcoat from Ronan. He immediately put on the coat. It felt like he was wearing brand new clothes, and he felt good. Adeshan spoke up.

“How does it feel?”

“What do you mean?”

“Doesn’t it feel a bit different?”

Ronan raised an eyebrow. Now that he thinks about it, the fit did seem slightly altered. He soon realized that the lining had become slightly thicker.

“Did you put something inside?”

“Yeah. I had some leftover materials, so I reinforced it with strong leather. It should be able to withstand light cuts or minor injuries.”

“Wow, you can do that too?”

“Well, I am the daughter of a tailor, after all. Take a look at the inner pocket.”

Ronan lifted the front of the coat. Inside the pocket, his name was elegantly embroidered in cursive. Adeshan smiled warmly.

“I engraved it for you. You seem like the type to lose your clothes often.”

“Thank you. You didn’t have to go to such lengths.”

Ronan grinned happily. He was quite pleased with the modified overcoat. Despite not knowing the specifics of the alterations, it didn’t feel much heavier.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Adeshan looked at Ronan with a proud glint in her eyes. Her genuine happiness was a pleasant sight. After a brief pause, she spoke up.

“Um… Can I ask you something?”

“Of course. Right now, I could even tell you the number of freckles on my buttocks.”

“N-no, that’s not necessary… I mean, about what happened yesterday. It’s about that beautiful 3rd year mage.”

“Ophelia? What about her?”

“…You understood right away who I was talking about just because I said beautiful mage. I didn’t even say her name.”

“Uh, yes?”

“Oh, I mean… It’s not a big deal. I was just curious about something.”

Adeshan’s tone, which had subtly become anxious, didn’t carry the usual sharpness. Ronan tilted his head.

“What’s going on? Are you two…friends?”

“Yeah, We’re friends. I mean, something like that. It’s just… um… Do you have a similar relationship with her like the two of us?”

For a moment, Ronan was at a loss for words. He hadn’t been able to grasp the intent behind Adeshan’s stuttering questions from the beginning. She continued with a voice mixed with anxiety.

“Why aren’t you saying anything…?”

“Oh, I was just thinking for a moment. Ophelia… Well, if you really want to compare, she’s different from you, Sunbae.”

“Huh?”

At that moment, Adeshan froze as if she had come face to face with a Medusa. Her thick eyelashes trembled like a forest, and Ronan touched her chin gently.

“Well…”

“Because you are much more special.”

“Sp-special?”

“Well, of course. We’re going to stick together till the end.”

Adeshan’s eyes widened. She seemed to have her own pride. It was clear that she felt uneasy now that Ophelia, who appeared so strong, was being treated like a peer.

She still had a long way to go to become Grand Generals, and Ronan couldn’t afford to let her doubt herself. Boosting her confidence was the right move.

“Don’t worry about it. I said I’d help you along the way. Until we both make it.”

“So… you mean I’m more important than Sunbae Ophelia?”

“At least to me.”

Ronan stared into Adeshan’s eyes as he spoke. She, who had been faltering like a broken doll, lowered her head. Her cheeks turned red as if they had been scorched by a flame, and a voice seemed to crawl out from within her disheveled hair.

“…I’m relieved.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“It’s nothing. I should get going for today. Yeah, there are things the professor asked me to do.”

“But today is Sunday.”

“Oh, there’s something else she asked me to do. Then I’ll be off—!”

Suddenly, Adeshan turned her back and started walking away. Her legs were long, so her strides were incredibly fast. Ronan watched her receding figure and shook his head.

“The professor can be quite demanding.”

She could have given her a break on weekends. Ronan muttered to himself as he headed to the club building. The clouds that had lingered overnight had now dispersed, leaving a bright blue sky.

***

***

“I’m here.”

The door to the club building opened, revealing an unusual sight.

Shullifen was circling the room like a condor with anxiety, muttering incomprehensible words. At a table in the far corner, Aselle was huddled, trembling.

“Hi-hihihi…”

Aselle, covering his face with a hefty book, peeked out with only his eyes, observing Shullifen’s behavior. Ronan, seeing this bizarre scene, furrowed his brow.

“What are you doing there?”

“R-Ronan!”

Aselle, locking eyes with Ronan, rushed over. It seemed that he had been studying here, and Shullifen had suddenly appeared. He whispered as if it were a secret.

“Why is he here?”

“Oh, he’s our new member now. Didn’t I tell you?”

“What the hell…?”

Aselle’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. At that moment, Shullifen, who had been wandering, came to a stop. Without turning his head, he spoke.

“Ronan. Why did you come so late?”

“What are you doing here in the first place?”

“I came because I have urgent news. We need to move Iril’s belongings as soon as possible. We should do it today.”

“If you don’t want to get beaten up, you better have a valid reason.”

Ronan was taken aback. They had just finalized the moving date at the end of the month the day before yesterday. Shullifen continued without turning his head.

“Early in the morning, we received a report. Another village has been destroyed. It’s called Kakapura, located to the west, in the mountains.”

“What are you talking about? A village was destroyed?”

“Yeah. Frenzied monsters launched an attack. These creatures were beyond the capabilities of the guards, so the Imperial Army had to intervene to contain the situation.”

“Tell me more about it…”

Ronan’s face hardened. Nimbuten, where his sister lived, was also located near the Roma Mountains in the west. It was reported that the incident had occurred yesterday evening, while he was absent.

Monsters that were usually docile or inhabited other areas had started rampaging. The problem was widespread, and the response had been slow due to the large area affected.

“I dispatched a mercenary unit to Nimbuten last night. They might be newly formed recruits, but it’s better than nothing.”

“What’s going on with you? You look damn impressive.”

Shullifen’s news left Ronan in disbelief. He knew that Nimbuten was quite far from the other affected areas, but he couldn’t let his guard down. Therefore, it was the right decision to quickly send a guarding force to bring Iril back to safety.

“Of course, the urgency remains the same. We received reports of a wyvern sighting in the skies over Marbas this morning.”

“Damn, a wyvern?”

Ronan twisted his lips. Wyverns were among the most dangerous monsters, not being able to breathe fire or use magic, but they had venom and sharp fangs, and most importantly, they could fly in the sky.

On a map spread out on a corkboard, Shullifen approached and began pointing to the villages near the Roma Mountains with the tip of his blade.

“Currently, except for the major city of Marbas, there isn’t a proper defense system in place to counter the monster attacks. Although the incidents are quite far from Nimbuten, we can’t be too complacent. Therefore, it’s the right decision to promptly send a guarding force to bring Iril here.”

The map detailed the route for the move, areas to be cautious of, and more. Ronan’s mind raced as he considered the plan. It seemed rational and left no room for criticism. Convinced that there was no time to waste, Ronan placed his hand on Aselle’s shoulder.

“Aselle, get your things.”

“Huh?”

“We have an urgent club activity.”

It appeared that there wouldn’t be any time for a break. Ronan quickly took out paper and a pen, writing two notes. He handed one to Cita, who was dozing off by the window.

“…Beah?”

“Give it to Varen. You know where to find him, right?”

It was a draft of a club activity plan. Cita, who had been awakened from its sleep, nodded. The other note he left on the table right by the door.

There was no time to gather the other club members. The three of them, fully prepared, left Philleon. About thirty minutes later, two ghost horses were released beyond the western gate of the Academy.

***

The three of them crossed the Roma Mountains before the sun set. It was hard to believe that they were now traveling on the same path that had taken Aselle and Ronan four days in the past. The speed of the ghost horse on the well-paved road was beyond imagination.

Of course, the rental fee had also exceeded their imagination, but since it would be covered by Philleon Academy, they didn’t need to worry about it. They stopped only after reaching Marbas. Shullifen spoke calmly.

“It was a good idea to rent Ghost Horses, Ronan.”

“I’ve ridden them before, and they’re damn fast.”

“Ugh… Uuuh…”

Aselle, still clinging to Ronan’s waist, was barely holding back his vomit. Ronan removed his sweat-drenched goggles and continued speaking.

“Anyway, you should head to Nimbuten first and lead the escort unit. We’ll follow the regular horses.”

“Isn’t it better if we go together?”

“There’s something on my mind. If you mess with my sister, I’ll kill you, so be careful.”

“Mess? What do you mean? Do you think I’m doing all this just because I have feelings for her? That’s amusing. Listen well, Ronan. I am acting based on the noble spirit of Gracia…”

“Alright, enough talk. Go now. We don’t have time.”

Ronan cut him off. Normally, Shullifen would have argued and made a fuss, but given the situation, he obediently turned his horse around.

Ronan couldn’t help but feel exasperated by the fact that such a simpleton was the youngest son of the prestigious Gracia family. He said with a hint of pity,

“Does this idiot really think he won’t get caught?”

“Well, um…”

“He’s already making a spectacle, a blatant display of affection to make sure she notices him. There’s no one in this world who wouldn’t realize when someone likes them.”

Aselle stared at Ronan in disbelief, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. The two of them stood in Marbas’ marketplace, waiting for a rented horse. Ronan, glancing around, muttered,

“I wonder if Wyverns have really appeared.”

The atmosphere in the city had become ominous. The number of people on the streets had significantly decreased, and the remaining pedestrians frequently glanced at the sky.

Imperial soldiers sent from Philleon Academy were patrolling everywhere, each of them carrying a crossbow on their back. Ronan sighed, thinking about the impending encounter with Wyverns.

‘Geez, they aren’t exactly a pleasant opponent.’

Memories of his past life, where he had tirelessly pursued a Wyvern, resurfaced. Ronan fervently hoped that Wyverns were not among the rampaging monsters.

“Let’s get going.”

Ronan and Aselle mounted a rented horse and left Marbas immediately. Ronan rode at a moderate pace, stopping frequently. And it didn’t end there. After the eighth stop, Ronan turned to Aselle and said,

“Aselle, lift me.”

“uh,Okay. Invisible Hand.”

Aselle chanted a spell, and Ronan’s body gently rose into the air. He could see rivers, forests, and villages scattered below. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, Ronan asked to be lowered. He landed back in the saddle, just as he was before.

“Ronan, what’s bothering you? This happened so suddenly, and I can’t quite grasp the situation…”

“It seems to be related to Nebula Clazier.”

“What?”

Ronan answered calmly. The sudden outbreak of monsters bothered him. All the creatures they had encountered before, like the stone giants or the ogres in the Baydian Mountains, had something to do with Nebula Clazier. Aselle’s face turned pale as he muttered,

“Nebula Clazier… Are you talking about the organization that destroyed the temple and made sarante like that…”

“Yeah. Those damn bastards.”

Ronan had been requesting Aselle to levitate him repeatedly to detect any traces of the sparkling mana, which was their characteristic. It was a precautionary measure as they gradually approached Nimbuten.

They were nearing Nimbuten when they saw a crowd of people gathered up ahead. A group of Imperial soldiers with spears and shields had blocked the road and one of them shouted,

“Halt! Halt!”

“What’s going on?”

The soldier’s expression was far from good, and it seemed that something had happened. He pointed with his finger beyond the blocked road and said,

“Swordmaster Zaifa and her direct subordinates are conducting an operation nearby. Please wait here until it’s over or take another route.”