Chapter 252

Chapter 252 – How Should I Deal with Him?

My discussion with the principal senior had finally come to an end.

Because the new term had been delayed, I immediately tracked down Evelyn once the brief welcoming assembly concluded, and the two of us sat down to talk.

We met up at an isolated bench located within the second-year sector.

“……So, what would you say to seeking assistance from the Third Princess?”

The moment the words left my mouth, a slight frown creased Evelyn’s face.

“Are you out of your mind?”

Her pushback was far sharper than I had anticipated.

I tilted my head in confusion.

“What makes you say that?”

“What makes me say that? Seriously, this magic tower business…… Do you honestly believe it makes any sense to approach the Third Princess just to secure a permit on school property?”

Why wouldn’t it? What was the problem?

“I was under the impression that classmates typically lend each other a hand.”

“There are limits to that kind of logic…….”

Evelyn’s voice faded. She glared at me out of the corner of her eye, and—realizing that common sense wasn’t going to register with me—she completely shifted her approach before even fully explaining her point.

“Besides, weren’t you determined to keep the empire completely out of your business?”

She was clearly remembering how vehemently I had rejected any involvement from the imperial family when we were brainstorming solutions for the food crisis in the Second Black-White Slums.

“But this scenario is a bit different. Think about it. What would happen if the empire gained a foothold in the Second Black-White Slums? Naturally, crooked bureaucrats would swarm the place and transform it into a center for money laundering. Am I wrong?”

“Well…….”

“The Black-White Slums have always been a massive blind spot. The authorities simply ignore it because it’s far too chaotic to manage. But what about the current state of the Second Black-White Slums?”

To the imperial court, it must look like a perfectly prepared feast waiting to be devoured.

“The situation with the tower is completely different, though.”

……“How is it any different?”

I puffed out my chest proudly and made my declaration.

“Because they have to deal with me.”

“…….”

Evelyn’s expression turned utterly frozen.

It was the look of a person wondering where such empty bravado was coming from, but from my perspective, that skeptical look was practically hilarious.

‘My actual capabilities aren’t normal by any means…… though it’s not like I can just lay it all out for her.’

As I smacked my lips in mild disappointment, Evelyn released a heavy breath and rolled her eyes—seemingly accepting that she could never alter my stubborn mind.

“Fine. Then how do you actually plan on introducing yourself to the Third Princess?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s assume, Aster, that we actually go through with targeting the Third Princess. Surely you don’t think it’s going to be as simple as walking up and saying, ‘Greetings Third Princess, I am Aster. Let’s be companions. Furthermore, I require a favor……’ do you?”

“Who do you take me for?”

Naturally, I didn’t think that.

Would an approach like that even have a prayer?

Just a bit earlier, when I had strolled past the classroom for the M2 class where the Third Princess was stationed, I had picked up on several hidden presences lurking in the vicinity.

‘If I hadn’t already ascended, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed them.’

They were undoubtedly her personal protectors. If I tried to approach her in the naive manner Evelyn described, I’d likely wake up with a blade resting against my neck that very night.

“In that case, let’s hear the plan. If your strategy actually holds water, I’ll give you a hand.”

What was up with this girl today, though?

“Why am I the one who has to lay out a plan? You should be offering one.”

“……?”

“Did you forget? You’ve already been designated as the magic tower’s primary strategist, financial backer, and subordinate…….”

“Subordinate?”

“No, not a subordinate—a treasured companion, akin to cherry blossoms catching the glow of a setting sun.”

I couldn’t help but feel impressed by how rapidly my mind adapted, though Evelyn’s expression remained entirely unimpressed regardless.

“Good grief. Magic tower this, magic tower that…… Fine, let’s ignore all that nonsense about being a strategist or a financial backer. Just keep one critical fact in mind.”

“What’s that?”

“We are completely broke.”

“……Wait, what?”

“We have zero regular cash flow, and every single coin we manage to gather is already being poured straight into the Black-White Slums. Do you truly believe we have spare capital just sitting around to purchase property?”

“…… shreds of truth.”

Her point was entirely valid, forcing me to snap my mouth shut.

‘That’s right. We have no funds.’

How on earth had that slipped my mind?

“First things first, find a way to pull together funds for the property…… Actually, scratch that. If you somehow get your hands on that kind of money, just buy the land directly. We can just incorporate it into the Second Black-White Slums.”

My eyes blinked in surprise at this sudden, unexpected hurdle, but Evelyn merely delivered one parting thought before walking away.

“And honestly, why even bother purchasing property? If you just say the word, Aster, the dean would gladly grant you an excellent location right inside the Second Black-White Slums.”

There was a depressing explanation for why that wouldn’t work.

I chose to keep it to myself.

As I watched Evelyn walk further away, I called out to her in a pathetic voice.

“Hey…… If I manage to secure the property, you’re still going to assist me, right?”

“…….”

Evelyn paused mid-stride and glared back at me.

“Right? You’ll help?”

In response to my desperate pleading, she simply swayed her head from side to side in exasperation before continuing on her way.

“Secure the land first, then we’ll talk.”

Magic Tower Development Project: Total team members, plus one.

Now, only a single obstacle remained.

‘Property.’

Wait, did she say you need capital to acquire property?

What an incredibly naive perspective.

I had shared that exact same mindset not too long ago, but perhaps my worldview had expanded since then.

As it turned out, there were plenty of methods to obtain real estate without spending a solitary coin.

‘Honestly, who actually uses money to buy property these days?’

The real problem was the specific approach required……

It was precisely at that moment, while I was buried deep in my own thoughts.

“Hey pal, what are you up to?”

“……?”

A sudden, freezing presence caused me to jump, and I spun around instantly.

“……Damian?”

What in the world? How had he managed to approach me so silently?

Even if I was completely distracted by my reflections, there was absolutely no way someone of his caliber should have been able to catch me off guard like that.

Completely unable to mask my bewilderment, I stared blankly at him, but Damian merely parted his lips with an entirely clueless expression.

“Evelyn mentioned that you were off somewhere planning another ridiculous stunt. She told me to track you down and make sure you got something to eat.”

“……Ah, right. Let’s do that.”

Had this guy managed to grow in areas beyond just his physical height?

Once I finished eating with Damian, I made my way to the new dormitory room I had been assigned and collapsed straight onto the mattress.

Even as I lay there, my brain kept working overtime trying to figure out how to lock down the necessary property.

To put it plainly: how to acquire land without parting with a single cent.

A few potential approaches existed.

‘Option number one.’

The most direct path: receive an official grant of territory.

However, that completely lacked any practical reality.

The various territories of the empire were already entirely occupied, and unless I managed to transform into an legendary military savior overnight, being granted a fief was an absolute pipe dream.

What a waste. Reheim senior was one matter, but why on earth did Myseln senior choose to decline a territorial grant……

‘Option number two.’

Lease a piece of property from a landed aristocrat.

Granted, the vast majority of noble houses lease out their properties strictly for profit, but such arrangements are entirely dependent on the proprietor’s personal whims.

Which meant that obtaining a rent-free agreement wasn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility.

The core issue, however……

‘In the vision of the future I caught a glimpse of back in Baharmut, it seemed like I managed to obtain territory from the Blandoga Family through this exact method.’

There was no possible way I possessed any funds during that timeline.

Yet something about that memory felt incredibly unsettling.

The only entity I could have possibly borrowed from was Blandoga, and if that were truly the path forward, I wouldn’t be sitting here stressing myself out over this in the first place.

Regardless, those initial two paths were highly undesirable—putting practical feasibility aside—because legal property rights always came weighed down with heavy obligations.

‘In all honesty, the third path is far and away the least complicated.’

So, what exactly did the third path entail?

Simply occupy and utilize territory that sat completely outside the jurisdiction of both the imperial family and the noble factions.

The singular drawback: an entirely different set of complications would inevitably arise.

‘The magic tower would immediately be designated as a target for absolute eradication.’

Illegally occupying imperial territory could easily be classified as an act of open rebellion, whereas seizing land belonging to a local lord would guarantee immediate military conflict.

This wasn’t comparable to the situation with the Black-White Slums.

‘The Slums were originally a recognized governmental district that gradually slipped out of state management once it deteriorated into a ghetto.’

To look at it accurately, the rightful proprietors had abandoned their claim first—it wasn’t a case where a criminal syndicate had aggressively forced them out.

“Man, what a mess, what should I do……”

I bounced up from the mattress and began pacing back and forth across the floorboards.

As I moved around, my gaze drifted over to the unoccupied bed positioned directly across from mine.

Despite the fact that room allocations had been entirely completed, the mattress opposite me remained completely empty—a direct result of the principal senior’s personal interventions.

—I have arranged for your living quarters to be a single room.

—……For what reason?

—Out of consideration for the students.

He wasn’t showing consideration for my well-being, but rather protecting whichever unfortunate student had been destined to be my bunkmate.

Oh, and as a side note, my roommate from the previous year, Pola, had by pure chance ended up being assigned as Chenbi’s new roommate.

‘Stay safe out there, Pola.’

With that silent prayer drifting through my mind, I offered a mental goodbye to my previous roommate and dived straight back into my deep reflections.

Truth be told, one specific strategy had already presented itself.

What exactly was it?

“……Grand Duchess Lamburk.”

Yes, that particular individual.

The young woman hailing from the Great Forest.

The principal senior’s incredibly arrogant pupil—the unhinged girl who had boldly proclaimed during our very first interaction that she intended to utterly dismantle a renowned magic lineage.

Earlier today, the principal senior had delivered that incredibly sharp, direct caution: ‘Do not even dream of breathing the same air as the Third Princess.’ Immediately following that, he had passed along a specific message from the Grand Duchess of Lamburk……

—My pupil insists that the previous proposition remains valid.

—…….

—I am fully aware of what his goals are, so I would honestly prefer not to pass this along, but he pleaded so desperately that I am merely delivering the words. Speaking strictly for myself, however, I strongly advise you to completely disregard it.

Even so, completely wiping out a distinguished magic lineage was an incredibly massive undertaking.

‘If she provides assistance, I’m bound to receive some sort of compensation from the fallout, right?’

Whether it took the form of property or something else. Property. Property.

Furthermore, there was a crucial detail I hadn’t fully grasped back when she originally made her pitch: there was precisely one specific magic lineage that she would consider an absolute thorn in her side.

‘The house that operates out of the duchy…… I can’t seem to recall the actual surname.’

They weren’t even particularly prominent when compared to the truly massive noble houses.

They had lost possession of their ancestral grimoire centuries ago, and had barely managed to preserve their noble status using the alternative secret methodologies they had engineered since that loss.

The real issue, though……

“I absolutely despise the idea.”

She didn’t come across as just standard-issue crazy. Getting entangled with someone like her was a surefire recipe for massive headaches.

Which left the option of Lortel……

‘Better skip that one as well.’

Even considering her status as my closest partner, involving her felt like exposing too many of the magic tower’s darker secrets.

“Darn it. Am I right back where I started?”

The specific criteria required for the tower’s future location weren’t actually all that strict.

1. Completely isolated from any local communities. (Just in case an all-out conflict erupts with the Decullan Family down the road.)

2. An ideal geographic layout protected by mountains at the rear and facing a flowing river. (An entirely personal whim of mine.)

And yet, discovering a piece of land that checked those boxes—or even managing to acquire property at all—seemed completely out of reach right now…… What a pain.

“For the time being, I’ll put this issue on the back burner.”

Whether it meant sweet-talking the Third Princess or pursuing some other avenue, the absolute highest priority was securing the land itself.

The first term of our second year was going to be plenty long anyway.

And this certainly wasn’t a dilemma I could resolve with a mere snap of my fingers.

So, what was the most pressing issue right this second?

“…….”

I reluctantly brought forward the singular subject I had been intentionally blocking out with all these mental distractions.

During the welcoming assembly, Professor Jeira—who, completely unchanged from my first year, remained the faculty member in charge of M3 Class—had delivered a specific piece of news to the assembled student body.

—One particular student was unable to attend today’s events due to unavoidable personal matters.

That wasn’t exactly an uncommon scenario.

Even with the academy administration delaying the start of term by an entire week, vacant desks could be seen scattered across every single lecture hall.

So why did the professor feel the need to explicitly announce it?

It was entirely due to the specific identity of the individual who would be transferring into our classroom starting tomorrow.

—A new arrival transferring from a different institution, who will now be integrated into Jenion Academy. I am certain you are all already familiar with the name.

……Sallier von Decullan.

The calculating monster who had slaughtered my closest allies using forbidden sorcery during my previous incarnation……

‘The Young Patriarch of the Decullan clan.’

He would be stepping foot onto the academy grounds tomorrow morning.

So, how exactly am I supposed to handle him?

……An incredibly deep, torturous riddle.