How the Shadow of the Marquis Lives

Chapter 45

“… … .”

Allen opened his eyes.

The soft feel of a futon. An unfamiliar ceiling that comes in as soon as you open your eyes.

He pulled back the blanket and raised his upper body.

“Allen!”

“Oh.”

Altima, who had been guarding the side of the bed, jumped into Allen’s arms.

Allen let out a sigh of relief when he saw her in his arms with his head bowed wide.

“… … here is?”

“Infirmary at school.”

“okay… … .”

all right

For once, I was happy about that fact. Himself as well as Altima.

Allen studied her in silence for a moment. Looks smaller than usual.

“sorry.”

“what?”

“Cheongryuok, I wrote it at will. I promised to return you to the way you were.”

Because of that, I used up a lot of my hard-earned strength.

You can tell just by looking at Altima now.

Even though Altima lost her powers, she still looked like she was about 10 years old.

But now I have to hit well to be at the level of a 5-6 year old. That means you’ve lost more power.

Altima shook her head as she buried her face in the blanket at Alen who was apologetic.

“You said it at first. If you are in a dangerous situation, you can use it without hesitation.”

“… … Because it wasn’t dangerous.”

It was not something that was unavoidable.

If he had chosen to run away, he would not have had to expend so much energy.

Yes, it was a choice. One’s own choice, not force majeure.

At that moment, he prioritized his personal vengeance over his promise to Altima.

The result is this.

Worse still, if this situation happened again, he was likely to act the same way.

Because the wounds in my heart were not something I could control.

‘… … I have to be strong.’

So that I can tear them to pieces with my own hands, without relying on Altima’s power.

Strong heat wrapped around the head.

Taking care not to show it outwardly, he quietly stroked Altima’s head.

Altima purred like a lazy cat basking in the sun.

In the middle of that, Allen asked as if he had suddenly remembered.

“Come to think of it, what happened to Professor Derek?”

“The professor has no wounds.”

“uh?”

However, the answer came from the side, not the Altima.

A man with a teapot appeared as he pulled back the curtains near the entrance.

A dark-haired student in a uniform sharpened like a knife.

“draft?”

He poured two cups of tea on the platform next to the bed. Squeeze. Along with the sound of dripping tea, fragrant incense filled the infirmary.

Allen, who had been watching Xian’s side profile, suddenly looked down at his arms.

There, he could see Altima still hugging him.

“Altima, are you okay?”

“joy.”

Altima pouted her lips and turned her head away.

It was bizarre. Altima never showed herself in front of others.

It was the first time I had seen it since signing a contract with her that she did not enter the imprint and remained manifest even though there were other people.

“Your name must be Altima. Is it a fire spirit?”

Xian asks while handing over a teacup.

Allen scratched his cheek and replied.

“Ugh. That’s right, it’s a fire spirit.”

“It’s not like an ordinary fire spirit.”

“It’s a bit special.”

Allen responded by looking at Cyan and Altima alternately with curious eyes.

What kind of wind is blowing? Altima would appear in front of others.

Xian asked only that far and put his mouth on the teacup as if he was not interested.

It’s the same as usual.

Seeing Xian like that, Allen also took a sip of tea.

His eyes widened slightly.

‘it’s good.’

Doesn’t it taste much better than the tea served by the ladies-in-waiting at the mansion?

It was unexpected. What kind of marquise’s son is so good at driving a car?

The time of tea time followed for a very short time.

There was no conversation between the two during that time. I’m just quietly enjoying the afterglow of the tea.

After a while, Allen spoke first.

“Sian, thank you.”

“What do you mean?”

“For coming to help. I don’t know what would have happened if it wasn’t for you.”

“A monster like that would have been enough to escape.”

“… … There was a reason I couldn’t run away.”

Allen talking quietly while staring at the floor of the infirmary.

Xian stared at him like that, then spoke with a sigh.

“… … I’m going to see Professor Derek from now on, what are you going to do?”

“A professor?”

Allen asked, raising his head. Come to think of it, I was asking about Professor Derek.

He had so many things he wanted to ask Professor Derek.

“I’ll go. Where is the professor now?”

I carefully pushed the Altima beside Allen and got off the bed.

I buttoned up the shirt that had been pulled off and put on the uniform coat hanging from the chair.

On the other hand, Xian answered while facing her, as if he was having a snowball fight with Altima, who was glaring at him.

“watch.”

“huh? watch?”

“Professor Derek came to his senses and went to the guard and turned himself in.”

Allen’s hand, which had been buttoning his wrist, stopped abruptly.

Xian even spoke to him.

“I went to jail yesterday for conducting an unauthorized experiment in an underground sewer.”

* * *

cold stone floor. Professor Derek lay helpless there, handcuffed.

I lost everything.

Your thesis will be reviewed from one to ten, and if there is even the slightest questionable part, no, even if there is no problem, it will be caught and discarded.

You will be kicked out of the academic society, your professor qualifications will be disqualified, and of course you will be fired from Everwhale.

There’s no way an academy that teaches children can use criminals as professors.

The opportunity to return to the academic society, to return to the professorship, will never come again.

To him, who had spent his entire life studying and researching, it was tantamount to a death sentence.

“Professor Derek. It’s Jung.”

“Yu, Instructor Jung?”

At that time, Professor Derek stood up as he saw the woman who had come looking for him.

why is she here His eyes trembled at the thought, but he turned his head away and avoided his gaze.

I couldn’t bear to see you.

“What the hell happened?”

“… … Hey, you’re the one I told the guards. Even though I was conducting a dangerous experiment underground, it failed in the middle and the monsters ran out of control.”

In fact, the real runaway was himself, who had been eaten by the red stone, but he did not tell the guards about that fact.

Because I was thinking of confiding in Allen first.

“If Allen hadn’t stopped it… … Something big must have happened.”

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Jung looked at Professor Derek, who spoke in a self-deprecating tone.

It was visible in her eyes.

Professor Derek wasn’t lying, but he didn’t say everything either.

She has seen countless people throughout her life and was even in the Guardian Castle, the most elite unit of the Fairy Palace.

It was not difficult to see through the intentions of Professor Derek, who devoted his entire life to research.

“So you thought of surrendering. I could have asked Allen to look after it or asked for negotiations.”

“hahahaha… … Yes. That, that must be the behavior of people who live sensibly. But it was too much for me.”

“Don’t you regret it? Professor now… … .”

“Wow, I wasn’t the type to behave well and get through world affairs. Ever since I… … No, no. It’s because I brought it on from one to ten in the first place.”

Stupid Derek. Derek is dull and inconsiderate. Stupid Derek who always sees only losses.

I never thought of changing it… … Still, this was himself.

There was even more guilt in him.

setting the city on fire. The fire at that time was set by Professor Derek. I was trying to blame it on Allen.

If all his intentions had worked, Allen would have been expelled without guilt.

However, it was Allen who saved him.

If Allen hadn’t saved him from being eaten by the red stone, demonic beasts would have attacked the city, causing great damage. If that had happened, he wouldn’t have been able to really breathe.

So he surrendered as soon as he woke up from fainting.

I didn’t have the confidence to carry that heavy burden and live the world calmly.

“this… … We will return it.”

He pulled off the tie he was wearing. A necktie studded with silver leaf-shaped pins.

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Jung blinked once.

“That’s something I gave to the professor. need to return… … .”

“It is too much for me.”

I know. The fact that she had given him a tie was just a courtesy favor that had nothing to do with affection.

But even that was too much for a guy like himself.

Derek’s firm attitude made Jung unable to refuse.

she was given a tie

“I will come again.”

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Jung let out a small sigh and stood up.

Professor Derek lowered his head to avoid her gaze.

After taking a glance at the professor, she climbed the stairs.

Originally, I came to ask about Allen. I was wondering if I could get any information about the Altima.

But I couldn’t ask him now.

“ha… … .”

Coming out of the guard building, she sighed heavily.

It’s gone. still.

I promised myself that I would do anything to find my hometown. That’s why I came out of the Guardian Castle and entered Everwhale.

“Instructor Jung?”

As she left the guard and was about to return to the academy, she bumped into two students.

Allen Kruger and Sian Agrid, who were just thinking about it.

Two human spirits. The protagonist who solved this case.

At the city level, there was already talk of awarding awards. A major incident was prevented.

After seeing the two, Jung stiffened up for a moment and smiled naturally.

“It’s been a while, you two. Um, I’d like to have a tea time once in a while, but I’m a bit busy right now.”

“Ah, we have something to do. Let’s have tea later.”

“is it so. Then later.”

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Jung kindly touched Allen’s shoulder and passed him by.

okay. Let’s not retreat beyond this. Don’t forget your purpose.

With that thought, she left the guards and the two of them behind.

‘Silain. It sticks well.’

「Kya!」

Throwing a word of request to Silane, who was attached to Allen’s shoulder.

* * *

Professor Derek was confined in a narrow prison with no sunlight.

He looked very sad with his head down, but no one looked at him with pity.

at least here.

“Ah, student Allen… … Xi’an students… … .”

Allen moved closer to the grate. Conversely, Xian moved away and leaned his back against the wall behind him.

He doesn’t know how Allen came to pursue Professor Derek. For now, I intend to listen to Allen’s interrogation.

“Professor Derek. Where did you get the bloodstone?”

“Tongue, if it’s bloodstone, you mean that red stone?”

“okay.”

Allen’s eyes looking down at him were cold. Unlike the one that always smiled, it was hardened and no longer used honorifics.

Professor Derek couldn’t blame Allen for that.

It was all his own fault.

“Yeah, that was just picked up.”

“when. where.”

“About 17 years ago, that… … There is a town called Felon… … .”

Professor Derek seemed to have no intention of hiding it, so he explained the story smoothly.

How Allen got the red stone he called bloodstone.

What did you get it for and how did you use it?

‘It looks like that bloodstone or something made Professor Derek a warlock.’

Xian calmly organized the new information coming in from behind.

There were a lot of things that I already knew or guessed from hearing from the head family, but there was also information that I could hear from time to time.

One of them is the place where Professor Derek picked up the bloodstone.

‘Pellon Village in the Kraha Territory.’

It would be difficult to find clues even after 17 years have passed, but it would be good to remember it for now.

While listening to Professor Derek’s confession, Xi’an spoke up.

“The Goblin King back then was also yours.”

“No, that’s right. Sorry, Xi’an student. All, just kill the student or really had no intention of doing so. I want to do something that nicely rescues a student in danger… … .”

“You talk a lot.”

Xian cut off his words like a knife. He had no intention of hearing such an excuse.

“Your intentions don’t matter. What matters is the action and the result.”

Whatever the intentions were, even if they were perfectly good, it didn’t matter.

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Just because the purpose is good, not everything can be tolerated.

In fact, he endangered several students, including himself.

That was the only truth.

“I’m sorry!”

puck!

Allen mercilessly kicked Professor Derek, who was banging his head on the ground.

Professor Derek sighed and flew backwards.

Allen let out a thin breath.

“I believe in what you say. I didn’t even know about the devil, and I was just taken advantage of. but.”

However, even if it was about the bloodstone, it was the professor’s own intention to do evil to Allen and Xian.

“Be careful not to be seen by me again. I don’t know if I’ll really kill you next time.”

With that, Allen left the prison behind.

Following behind, Xian glanced back.

Drowning on the ground, Professor Derek was trembling.

After catching a glimpse of it, Xian left the guard building.

He asked Allen, who had come up first.

“Is this enough?”

“huh. I’ve heard all the information about bloodstone, and I’m not interested anymore unless you’re a warlock.”

“You’ve been nice. It’s the perfect prize to get stabbed in the back of the head.”

“hahahaha… … I hear a lot from my father… … .”

Beriam, who had trapped Xian, became a half-corpse and was imprisoned in the family. At least, he put his life on the line not for mercy, but for the purpose of extracting information.

On the other hand, to forgive with one kick, he is a good person.

Of course, the size of the crimes committed by Beriam and Professor Derek were different.

“Anyway, Xian is not surprised. About the black magician.”

“No, I am surprised.”

“hahahahaha, is that a surprised look?”

I didn’t bother to say that I already knew.

「Boo.」

Altima, who seemed to have manifested before she knew it, glared at Xian with her cheeks puffed up next to Allen.

Is he jealous that he made Allen laugh?

flea.

“uh?”

But then, Altima looked at Allen’s shoulder and opened her eyes wide.