Chapter 311

Capítulo 311

The proclamation of the truce between Lortel and the Decullan family spread across the empire like wildfire. Citizens who had been enduring the grueling burden of post-war inflation cheered in relief, and market prices, which had skyrocketed to extreme heights, began a steady decline based entirely on these breaking rumors.

…Even so, the conflict had not reached a definitive conclusion.

• The armistice negotiations will commence under the mediation of Her Majesty.

In truth, far too little time had gone by for either of the two massive merchant powers to claim absolute victory. That is, unless one side had thrown every resource into utterly obliterating the other. Nevertheless, both houses accepted the imperial intervention because neither desired further casualties or losses.

And so, as the winter season drew near, the fires of war dissipated alongside the shedding autumn leaves. A harsh, freezing winter was approaching, yet no one trembled with dread. They understood that even this biting cold would feel gentler than the volatile winds of war.

Naturally, not everyone was looking forward to the harmony expected to follow the armistice.

“……Hey.”

Parun knit his brows slightly as he looked at Aster, who didn’t even blink at the call. How many times had this happened already? They met regularly, even during the week, to plan the academy’s establishment, but at some point, the masked punk’s usual chatter had completely dried up. The timing made the cause obvious: the truce. Whatever the underlying reason, Parun had no intention of coddling him.

Snap!

“?”

“Wake up. You’ve been far more spacing out than usual lately.”

“Ah, right. My bad.”

Aster snapped back to reality at the sound of Parun’s fingers clicking and brushed aside the hair that had fallen over his eyes.

“Want some ice water?”

“That sounds perfect.”

Splash!

Aster blinked as a sudden deluge of water drenched him from above. So this was how it was going to be…

“Are you looking for a fight?”

“I can see the fire in your eyes. I get that the Decullan truce has you on edge, but obsessing over things beyond your control is a terrible mindset. It lacks efficiency.”

“……Tch.”

Aster clenched and unclenched his fist to steady his breathing, then let out a sigh and nodded.

‘Yeah, I’ve been way too distracted.’

It couldn’t be helped; he couldn’t stop worrying. They had bought precious time through the Lortel-Decullan conflict, but the board would shift once the truce was finalized. The second black-and-white slums had an elder from Muspellun keeping watch, but… that wasn’t the only concern.

With that thought, Aster used his mana to dry himself off and combed his hair back once more. Parun was right: it was best to set Decullan aside for now. There were other matters requiring his full attention.

And what exactly was that?

The academy.

“You weren’t listening from the start, so let’s begin again. In your current state, you’d just get bogged down by details anyway, so I’ll keep it brief.”

“A prudent choice.”

In any case, the reason Parun had summoned Aster today was straightforward.

“We secured authorization for the academy’s creation. Both mandatory documents passed with unanimous approval. For the record, I am stepping in as the president, and Professor Pelina will serve as the vice president.”

“Professor Pelina actually agreed to it?”

“Yes, I informed you of this just a short while ago. Have you already forgotten?”

Aster offered an awkward grin. Normally, he would be pumping his fist and preaching about righteousness, but he had been a bit out of it lately, so he let it slide.

However.

“You laid everything out clearly to Professor Pelina, right? You know… Decullan, the Second Prince, Salvatium, all of that.”

“I explained it.”

“And she’s still onboard?”

“She isn’t the type to back away from a little thrill. Though, there is a catch… Well, it’s better if she explains it to you directly later on. It’s something you need to be aware of regardless.”

“A catch?”

Aster tilted his head, and Parun nodded in confirmation.

“Inquire about it yourself. It feels awkward for me to explain.”

“Hmm.”

What could it possibly be? But the curiosity was fleeting. Just as Parun noted, they would hear it from Professor Pelina soon enough. A more pressing matter took priority.

“What about the academy’s name?”

“Does a name genuinely matter all that much?”

“Of course it does.”

Just look at the Assembly of 72. How cool does that sound?

“Babel.”

“……Babel? Like the pub?”

“Exactly. It’s an ancient term translating to ‘Radiant Light of Intellect.’ There wasn’t a superior option, so I selected something neutral for the official registry.”

“Hm…… Radiant light of intellect.”

It sounded somewhat grand… and yet somewhat ordinary.

“So, if we construct a spire, will it become the Tower of Babel?”

“A spire owned by the Bel Academy.”

“Huh?”

Tch, Tower of Babel sounded bizarre. Think about it. It sounded sort of like… a spire constructed out of Babel fish or something.

“We can alter it down the line, so stop fretting over minor details.”

“No, that’s not minor…”

“It is minor.”

“Ugh.”

Aster couldn’t argue against Parun’s unyielding tone. Lately, he had been so distracted that he was already halfway defeated, no matter the topic.

Aster steadfastly held onto the secret of an undefeated record: “Don’t engage in battles, or only pick the ones you are guaranteed to win.”

In any event.

As the academic discussion wound down, Parun spoke up again.

“I intend to conclude my professorship after next year. Pelina and I have reached an agreement on the matter.”

“Next year…?”

“Yes. I need to see my current students through to graduation.”

The fact that Parun cared so deeply for his pupils was unexpectedly touching. He always appeared so detached and abrupt; perhaps, beneath it all, he possessed a warm heart.

Next year, though…

“Are you certain you’ll be alright? Considering Decullan, perhaps doing it right now…”

“I see.”

Aster nodded, accepting the choice without pushing further. It wasn’t long before Parun broke the silence once more.

“And?”

“Then……”

“Don’t pile on too much stress. Things will remain stable for a while. Sometimes you carry yourself as though you bear the sole responsibility of fixing everything. That drive can be useful on occasion, but it’s a dangerous habit.”

“Hmm.”

For some reason, a pang struck Aster’s chest. Hearing those words from Parun, of all people… felt like an enlightened reformer casting light upon a wretched soul.

Because of that.

“Right now, I think I’m actually grateful.”

“……I could have easily done without the gratitude.”

Even as he muttered the words, a faint chuckle escaped Parun’s lips.

Then, cautiously.

“If you’re still feeling restless, how about we grab a drink…?”

“Ah, about that…”

Aster offered an uncomfortable smile. Why not? After all, he was still technically a student. The legal drinking age within the empire stood at eighteen, making it a terrible idea even under a disguise. Unless he had an official guardian present.

“And besides, I already have plans. Next time, definitely next time.”

With those parting words, Aster exited the estate.

And that very evening.

Glug-glug-

Parun drained his glass in solitude.

The destination for which I had turned down Parun’s drinking invitation was none other than the sophomore student cafeteria.

What plans, indeed.

“Evelin, happy birthday. It’s nothing extravagant, but… here.”

“A scarf?”

“You looked freezing last winter.”

“Thank you so much!”

Chenbi presented Evelin with a hand-knitted scarf for her special day.

As for Damian……

“I will grant you a quarter of the floor space. I don’t truly want to, but I’ve come to understand the meaning of justice.”

“……Ah, right. I’m practically weeping tears of gratitude. But that spire… you do realize I’m the one earning the funds to build it, right?”

“I wouldn’t know, but if you don’t want it, don’t take it! Personally, I think it’s fantastic!”

“No, I’ll take it. Obviously I will.”

My spire was being torn to shreds. Broken down… into tiny pieces.

“Aster-kun, what about you? Did you prepare a gift?”

Ah, naturally I did. What was it again?

“Check this out.”

I balled up my right fist, placed my left hand beside it, and twisted it as though cranking a lever. Then, I slowly extended my middle finger…

Crack!

“……Gah!”

I groaned in agony, clutching my middle finger, which was now bent at a sharp ninety-degree angle to the right starting from the second knuckle.

Hold on, it was supposed to be a trick…

“Aster, that went way too far.”

“Comrades shouldn’t inflict harm. Let me fix that for you.”

Ugh, right. You’re a true friend, Damian.

Snap!

“Eek!”

“Damian-kun, let’s see that one more time.”

“Evelin, you really know how to enjoy yourself, don’t you?”

Dammit… If they kept repeating these jokes, I wouldn’t have a single intact finger left.

Regardless, the agonizing cracking ordeal only ceased once I handed over my actual present. So, what was the gift?

“This is…”

“Cash.”

“Money?”

“Precisely. I racked my brain trying to figure out what you’d appreciate most, and it turned out to be money. What do you think? Pretty great, right?”

I couldn’t specify the exact sum, but I had stuffed an immense amount into it.

‘A scarf… is nice, but wealth reigns supreme. It’s far superior to some imaginary utopian spire.’

I offered a smug grin.

“Ugh. Honestly… thank you.”

Evelin smiled back at me as though she felt incredibly sorry for me. Her eyes were filled with unadulterated pity, which made absolutely no sense to me. Why? What was with that expression?

In any case, the lively birthday celebration with a delighted Evelin eventually drew to a close.

Time moved simultaneously fast and slow, slow and yet fast. Adhering to Parun’s counsel, I pushed Decullan out of my thoughts and focused entirely on the temporary peace Lord Muspellun had granted me.

Of course, I didn’t merely spend my days idling away in academic life. I slipped away to Rapiter every now and then to receive instruction from the senior librarian Teheman and reflected upon the imagery of the Celestial Origin Art. Nor did I neglect the research required to formalize the circle theory.

As the days rolled into weeks, numerous things shifted, and right in the middle of the break, a sudden realization hit me.

It occurred on a snowy midnight. In the dead of night, while the Jenion Academy turned stark white beneath the tumbling snowflakes.

I understood it. The concept I had woven into the Celestial Origin Art. Was it truly a mere coincidence?

Just then, a visitor arrived.

Knock, knock.

“Aster-kun.”

“……?”

It was Evelin, paying a visit to my quarters in the middle of the night. She had sprinted so frantically that she was breathless, with untamed hair still dusted with fresh snow.

“Hey, student! Snucking in at this hour…!”

An irritated shout echoed faintly from the distant dormitory warden, but Evelin questioned me with a trembling voice.

“Why… aren’t you… picking up…?”

“I was practicing my breathing exercises. What’s wrong…?”

I observed Evelin with intense curiosity. After all, we weren’t in the habit of holding private discussions via the communication orb. Unless she had been hitting the bottle again…

As that suspicion drifted through my mind.

“A message came from Lucifer down in the Second Black-and-White Slums. He mentioned you weren’t responding, so he reached out to me.”

Lucifer? Why would Lucifer…?

“What did he say?”

Hearing my question, Evelin cast a wary glance around the space, as if terrified of potential eavesdroppers, and then lowered her voice to a whisper.

Evelin delivered the news.

“The patriarch Decullan… is currently inside the Second Mixed Black-White Slums.”

……Before the words could fully leave her mouth, I was already hurtling through the midnight sky above Hazen.