novelraw Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Noel Hertzel.
In his past life, he had been one of the mages who represented the great mage house of Hertzel.
Hertzel was a grand and storied noble house, rivaling Beilhart in prestige. Naturally, it was overflowing with talented individuals born of noble blood.
Among them, the one who had distinguished himself from childhood was none other than the Noel standing before him now.
'He was around the same age as me.'
They had never actually crossed paths, but the man was so well-known that Feyr had come across his portrait a handful of times.
He also remembered that Noel had frequently been compared to Kail Beilhart, given that they were the same age. Being direct heirs of their respective great houses, it was a natural sort of rivalry.
But Noel had always been rated higher than Kail. On occasion, the two houses would hold an exchange, and at every friendly sparring match, Noel would effortlessly put Kail down.
He was the one who had given Kail a crippling inferiority complex.
'But what does any of that matter right now.'
‘What matters more is that he's appeared in front of me.’
Feyr regarded Noel with a sidelong glance. The boy was rigid with tension.
'For someone like him to have come hunting the Titanoboa, his house must have sent him with something worthwhile.'
There was a reason people called them walking golden goblins.
Mages were walking treasure troves to begin with. Ever-prepared by nature, they always carried all manner of rare valuables on their person.
Even if not an Artifact, something would turn up.
Feyr cleared his throat.
"Hand over anything you've gained here… no. Wait."
Feyr stopped mid-sentence and shook his head.
Then he met Noel's eyes and spoke.
"We cannot simply overlook the fact that you've trespassed through Beilhart's territory. Hand over everything you possess and leave, and I will let you off this once."
At Feyr's words, Noel's lips stirred.
Hand over everything he had.
He thought it was far too harsh a demand, no matter how one looked at it.
But he couldn't bring himself to voice his objection.
Because he didn't know what might happen if he did.
"……Will you truly let us go if we do?"
Noel, who had been silently worrying at his lip, met Feyr's gaze as he spoke.
Feyr simply gave a slow nod with hollow, empty eyes.
"Understood."
At last, Noel began retrieving the items from inside his robes one by one.
However, contrary to what I'd expected, there wasn't much among them that I'd find useful.
If there was anything at all……
'That spellbook over there, perhaps.'
Ordinarily, I wouldn't spare a spellbook so much as a glance. But recently, alongside the Mana Ring, a single Circle had been inscribed upon my heart.
I wasn't certain, but if the Circle was functional, then learning magic ought to be possible as well.
And if I was going to learn magic, nothing would suit me better than a Hertzel spellbook.
'For now, I'll take it all and sort out what's useful later.'
Just as Feyr was thinking that.
"That is everything."
Noel raised both hands as he spoke.
Feyr did not let his guard down until the very end, scrutinizing Noel closely through Serpent Sense.
There was no sign that he was lying.
Feyr issued a final warning.
"Good. That should be enough to make you think twice."
Noel gave a slow nod.
Watching that, Feyr quietly closed his eyes.
However.
"That said, there is no guarantee you won't let your mouth run loose."
Feyr closed the distance to Noel in an instant and seized him by the shoulder.
The gap between them vanished in a heartbeat. A startled Noel went wide-eyed.
But Feyr's words unsettled him even more than that.
And that unease swiftly became reality.
Crack—
An ominous sound from his shoulder, followed by a surge of excruciating pain.
"Aaaargh!"
The sensation of his shoulder bone folding inward.
The pain radiating along his nerves paralyzed his entire body.
It was one of the common torture methods that used Mana to torment the joints.
Of course, there was no way a greenhorn like Noel had ever experienced anything like this.
Noel trembled violently from the immense pain and crumpled to the ground.
Feyr looked down at him and spoke.
"You'd do well to keep your mouth shut. Next time, I will take your life."
Noel shook his head frantically, as though entranced.
Pain beyond imagination clouded rational judgment.
And so he could only swear.
"I, I will never speak of this to anyone. I swear on my honor……!"
Whether that honor carried any real weight, Feyr wasn't sure—but he knew well how great the fear that pain could bring.
So he scattered the Mana he had injected into Noel's shoulder, and took a step back.
Then simply watched in silence.
Realizing what Feyr's gaze meant, Noel immediately helped Rondo and Beli to their feet and began to leave.
As the Hertzel group grew smaller in the distance, Feyr undid the robe he had wrapped around himself and tucked the spoils into his chest.
Watching the sun beginning to sink languidly beyond the horizon, Feyr murmured quietly.
"……Time to head down."
***
The sun was setting and the evening glow had begun to spread.
About one hour remained until the end of the exam.
Half of the Trainees had found their tokens, and the other half were still searching.
And in the midst of all that.
'Found it!'
Beheli, having found his token, shuddered as though he had discovered buried treasure.
It was merely a token, but for the sake of survival, it was no different from a precious rare.
Beheli tucked the token into his pocket as quietly as he could.
He had to conceal from the other Trainees that he had found it.
'Fighting. Avoid it.'
By nature, Beheli was on the aggressive side—but right now, it was best to avoid unnecessary conflict.
There was no point wasting stamina needlessly.
He had already burned through too much, dodging traps and taking down Magical Beasts.
If other Trainees were to rush him now, he wouldn't be able to handle it.
But.
"Hey! You stinking bastard!"
The world never goes the way you plan.
Beheli turned toward the source of the voice.
Kal and his crew.
Those guys again.
Beheli ground his teeth and glared at them.
And at that look, Kal scowled and shouted.
"You got a death wish, you foreign-tribe bastard?!"
A vein rose on Beheli's forehead. His clenched fists trembled, and his teeth ground together.
Even so, Beheli swallowed his rage.
He couldn't afford to get dragged into their provocation like this. If he let himself get caught up in it, he'd be dancing right in their palms.
There was no one to mediate this time, no one to come to his aid.
He was completely alone.
"Stop it."
Beheli exhaled slowly.
But the group only mocked him.
"Pfft! He says stop it!"
"Heh heh! Don't tell me you're scared?"
"He's scared! Bwahahaha!"
The anger he had barely managed to swallow began to boil up once more.
Even so, Beheli stubbornly bit it back.
Kal snickered like a brat and stepped closer. Then he whispered.
"I feel sorry for the mother who bore a son like you."
Kal had crossed the line.
Beheli immediately drove his fist toward Kal's stomach.
But.
Whack!
Kal blocked the punch as if he had already seen it coming.
His punch blocked, Beheli was thrown off.
How?
At that moment.
"Predictable idiot. Boys! Beat him down!"
With Kal's shout, the group rushed at Beheli all at once.
Outnumbered, Beheli was helpless against them once again.
He was subdued even faster than last time.
The training had raised everyone's overall stamina.
After kicking at him for a while, Kal began rifling through Beheli's pockets.
He pulled out the token, looked it over, and sneered.
"Found it for us, did you? We'll be taking this."
"That's mine!"
"So what. It's mine now."
"What are you——!"
Thud!
"Ugh!"
Kal drove his fist into Beheli's solar plexus.
Beheli collapsed face-first to the ground and reached out his hand, but Kal just smirked.
And then he began to stomp on that outstretched hand. He ground down the last of his hope under his heel.
"That's just the way it is. So much to say about it."
Kal spat on the fallen Beheli and turned his back.
"Alright. Boys, let's go."
Kal led his crew away, but Beheli could do nothing but glare at their retreating backs.
"I'll kill you……! I will definitely, kill you……!"
He just kept grinding those words between bloodshot eyes.
And like that, once they had fully disappeared, Beheli was left alone.
How much time had passed.
"……."
The sky was slowly filling with darkness.
At this rate, it was a disqualification.
Beheli closed his eyes in resignation.
If he was disqualified anyway, the instructors would come deal with him on their own.
Just as he was surrendering to it all.
A set of footsteps reached Beheli's ears.
Thud. Thud.
"The exam. Is it over already."
Beheli opened his eyes and lifted his head toward the owner of those footsteps.
A composed air. The figure of someone carrying a sword.
For a moment, he thought it was a Beilhart swordsman.
But it was a familiar face.
"……You."
Feyr.
The only Trainee who had ever helped him.
He was looking down at him.
"Why do you look such a mess again?"
Feyr asked, gazing down at Beheli.
Beheli only frowned.
"……Mind. Your own business."
Feyr let out a short scoff and asked again.
"Did you get beaten?"
At that, Beheli flinched.
It seemed he had hit the mark.
Just as Beheli was about to argue otherwise, Feyr tossed something at him.
"This is……?"
He caught it—it was a token.
"Take it."
Beheli stared blankly at Feyr for a moment.
Out of nowhere, he throws him a token?
And one that was as good as a lifeline at that?
Beyond bewilderment, he was nearly furious.
Beheli threw the token back at Feyr.
This was nothing but reckless bravado.
The reckless bravado of a young beast with nothing but wounded pride.
Feyr let out a sigh and picked the token back up.
And then.
Thud!
"Ugh?!"
Without warning, Feyr struck Beheli across the cheek with his fist.
Beheli was knocked clean onto his back.
Feyr climbed on top of him and rained punches down without mercy.
"W, wait——!"
Beheli had no time to say anything as Feyr's one-sided beating continued.
At last, after taking several more blows, Beheli's swollen-faced form dropped his hands—and Feyr stopped as well.
Then he asked.
"Why did you block?"
"……What?"
"You're going to die anyway. Why did you block."
Beheli went silent.
He seemed to have a great deal on his mind, but no words ready to put outside.
At that, Feyr let out a quiet sigh.
"Then live while getting stepped on like that."
"What……?"
"Just live like a fool. As though dying a dog's death is only natural."
Under Feyr's gaze—like that of someone looking at a corpse—Beheli found his mind going blank without realizing it.
'Get stepped on and die a dog's death?'
Die in a pathetic, miserable way.
Not even on the soil of his homeland, but in a strange foreign land.
No, he couldn't do that. He must not.
If he died here, who would avenge the people of his tribe who had died in vain?
Snapping back to his senses, Beheli raised his head.
"No. The place. I am meant to die. Is not here."
"Then take the token. Survive and achieve what you set out to do."
Feyr pressed the token into Beheli's right fist.
Beheli stared at it as though entranced, then squeezed his hand shut.
Watching that, Feyr opened his mouth.
"What is your goal? What is the ambition you must fulfill?"
At Feyr's question, Beheli clenched his empty left hand tight and cried out.
"Survive. Survive and take revenge. I will take revenge, no matter what!"
The fire rekindled in Beheli's eyes.
He was going to take it either way—why make it so difficult.
Still.
'At least there's no chance of him breaking down after this.'
Emotions born from rage, like the desire for revenge, make for good fuel.
How could they not.
It was the same for me, after all.
In any case, there is nothing that should go wrong now.
'Please let it pass without incident.'
‘For the sake of my own goals as well.’
Just as Feyr was thinking of his own purpose.
Beheli made a sound.
But that wasn't all.
Both knees on the ground, head lowered, fists folded together and extended forward.
Others might not have known, but Feyr recognized what that gesture meant.
"Thank you. I will not. Forget."
A gesture of gratitude.
It was the way of his tribe to pay respect to a benefactor.
The first time he had ever seen Beheli be this formal.
Feyr gave a faint smile and held out his fist.
"If you're grateful, survive to the end."
Beheli bumped his fist against it.
"Of course. I. Will. Not. Die."
At those words, Feyr smiled faintly once more.
You can't die even if you wanted to.
'Because I'll keep you alive no matter what.'
There's no losing a useful long-term piece right from the start.
Especially one as valuable as him.
Just then, Beheli asked out of nowhere.
"By the way. What will you do?"
"What?"
"The token."
"Ah, don't worry about it."
Beheli's concerned question.
It was like watching a large guard dog worrying over its master.
Feyr lightly waved him off, telling him not to fret.
"I have a plan."
Beheli couldn't hide his puzzlement.
But Feyr didn't bother to explain further.
Some things were more fun when seen in person.
"It's almost time for the exam to end. Let's head back."
"Got it."
Feyr helped Beheli up and descended the mountain.
The minor injuries from various scrapes and what he'd taken from the others were considerable, but……
'The injuries on his face are the worst of it.
Before long, the two had come down to the mountain's entrance.
At the entrance stood Zak and the instructors. By the atmosphere of things, it seemed that if they had been just a little later, an elimination order would have been issued.
"Cutting it close, are we. Trash. Present your tokens."
At Zak's words, Beheli was the first to submit his token.
Seeing Beheli's token, Zak looked at Feyr with a more than slightly disappointed expression.
And for good reason—the token Beheli had brought was the very last one, the fiftieth.
Zak turned to Feyr, his expression souring.
"I'm disappointed in you. Was surviving all this time nothing but luck after all?"
At Zak's words, Feyr gave a grin.
"My, Instructor, you really are impatient."
"What?"
At the impudent remark, Zak narrowed his eyes.
No matter how much regard one might hold for someone, there were lines that had to be kept.
Just as Zak was about to rebuke Feyr's attitude.
Feyr reached into what he'd been carrying—a balloon-shaped sack—and lifted it up.
And spoke.
While tearing the sack open.
"My token is"
Riipp-
"right here."
Sshhhk!
The sack split open, and a flood of tokens came pouring out all at once.