It was a mountain with a dense forest. A deep rumbling echoed through the air, and the wind rustled the leaves as it passed. The chirping of insects filled the quiet.
I looked around.
No one was there. I wondered when I had ever come to a place like this alone.
It was unfamiliar, a place I’d never seen before. I hadn’t encountered this location in the original novel either.
The sky was dark. Strangely, violet clouds drifted across the inky blackness. I continued forward, gazing at the strange sky.
A path cut straight through the forest, as if beckoning me forward.
I felt compelled to follow it. My breath grew heavy. Despite my weak body, I shouldn’t have been this tired from walking such a short distance.
My body felt strangely heavy. I continued climbing the mountain, my breath coming in ragged gasps. From time to time, black lightning streaked across the sky, striking the mountain.
But no fire erupted.
Finally, I reached the summit.
A woman stood there. Her long, black hair, tinged with violet, cascaded down her back as she gazed at the sky. She didn’t seem to notice my approach, so I cautiously examined her face.
I wondered if I knew her.
Her eyes, fixed on the sky, held a smoldering intensity, while her face was etched with sorrow. The face of someone who had lost their purpose in life, simply existing from one day to the next.
Yet, she was undeniably beautiful.
I flinched at the sight of her face and started to back away.
Just then, a bolt of violet lightning struck nearby.
Crash!
Simultaneously, she grabbed my wrist. Her eyes, no longer smoldering, now blazed with molten fire.
Her pupils, narrowed into vertical slits, fixed on me as she spoke, her voice raspy,
“You are not ready to wield my power.”
I winced at her grating tone.
Before I could respond, the ground beneath me gave way, and I plunged into darkness. The last thing I saw was her expressionless face staring down at me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
My eyes snapped open.
The familiar ceiling of my room came into view. I was drenched in sweat.
“A strange dream…”
I didn’t know what it meant, but it certainly wasn’t a pleasant one. I got out of bed and went to my desk.
A cup of coffee sat there, likely prepared by Petra. I sipped the steaming coffee, trying to make sense of things.
Life had been surprisingly peaceful.
I had expected Ruberic to approach me sooner, but for some reason, he hadn’t. I had been preparing for his arrival, but…
“Has it already been a month?”
I only had 234 days left. There were elixirs nearby I could consume, but they weren’t within my reach yet.
I needed to reach the advanced level first. So I had simply been enjoying my time at the academy. It was… pleasant, attending classes after so long.
Or perhaps I should say I enjoyed the curriculum? Thanks to the Genius trait, I could focus on applying the professors’ general theories in new ways.
For example…
Whoosh
I could divide a 1st Rank Fireball spell into smaller fragments, shaping them like arrowheads and imbuing them with lightning to stun opponents.
Deconstruction and fusion. Discovering new methods was surprisingly engaging.
And then there was Professor Akdin’s practical combat training. I could keep up with Agnes’s swordsmanship even without using lifespan, as I could now move at a beginner level.
While I focused on refining my magic, she had already reached the 3rd Rank. Her Icicle Field had grown larger, and the ice itself had become denser, more resilient.
A talent others would call monstrous, or genius. But Agnes didn’t seem satisfied.
Despite wielding Lenox’s beloved sword, Jeolyeong, and benefiting from its power, she seemed displeased with being only at the lower 3rd Rank.
I wondered what the other students would say if they knew her concerns.
“Young Master, the Duke has sent a letter.”
“Leave it there. I’ll read it later.”
Petra bowed and placed the letter on the table. Her short, braided hair fell around her shoulders.
It struck me again how unusual her hair color was. Black hair was rare here.
Anyway…
After Petra left, I got out of bed. A letter from my father? What could he possibly want?
Puzzled, I picked up the letter. It was sealed with the family crest, used for official ducal correspondence. I carefully broke the seal and read the letter.
A single sentence was written inside.
『The contract is terminated.』
I knew what that short sentence meant, and I immediately threw the letter aside. It fluttered to the floor.
“Damn it!”
The contract was already terminated? It had only been a month since I entered the academy. What was I supposed to do now?
I glared at the discarded letter, recalling the condition the Duke had set for my enrollment.
‘To make the name Deron, not Philasia, known within Iliad Academy.’
He had initially opposed my attending the academy, but after much persuasion, he had finally agreed, on the condition that he would only hear reports about Deron, not about a Philasia.
To ensure this, the Duke had declared he would provide no support under the Philasia name once I was settled at the academy.
He was a man of efficiency and profit, of dignity and honor. The Duke was a man of his word. Everyone in the Empire knew that.
“This is troublesome.”
I scratched my head. Losing the support of the Philasia family meant not only losing their backing but also the steady supply of elixirs. I had some personal funds, but they weren’t enough to sustain regular elixir purchases.
In other words, I now had to rely entirely on myself to extend my lifespan.
I had 234 days left. I needed to find a way to acquire more elixirs within that timeframe.
The Duke had promised that while I would no longer receive the family’s support, my name would remain unchanged. That meant I was still Deron Philasia.
Places I could access using the Philasia name…
There was one place that came to mind.
“But I really don’t want to go there…”
The place where the protagonist, in a fit of rage, had sneaked in and rescued the fifth heroine in the original story. A dark market where slaves, elixirs, and relics were traded.
The Masked Auction, held in the back alleys. But relying solely on the Philasia name to enter such a dangerous place was risky. It was, after all, the back alleys… Going in blind was a bad idea.
I had no choice. I grabbed the doorknob and headed out. Petra followed closely behind.
“Where are you going?”
“To meet someone.”
I told her not to follow. Petra looked disappointed but nodded in understanding.
It was a method I really didn’t want to use, but…
I was taking the Saintess with me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Adele was enjoying a delicious meal, a rare treat. The food provided by the church was good, but it was still… church food.
It couldn’t compare to the cuisine of the marketplace or the nobility. Her hair shimmered faintly with each bite.
It was a unique trait of hers. With the Cardinal’s help, she had concealed her naturally golden hair and eyes, hallmarks of the Saintess, but she couldn’t hide the faint shimmer of her divine power when she was happy.
Fortunately, it was barely noticeable, and the only ones who knew about this trait were the Cardinal and the Pope.
As Adele savored her meal, a commotion erupted around her. A strange aura filled the air. She instinctively turned around.
A refined aura enveloped her surroundings, causing the people around her to step back. Silence fell over the room.
Adele put down her food and stood up. Only a few people could command such a presence.
And only one person she knew could silence a crowd and make them back away so effortlessly.
“Deron Philasia.”
“Don’t address me so casually.”
His black eyes glinted. Adele involuntarily flinched and took a step back.
“W-What are you doing here?”
If she had been openly presenting herself as the Saintess, such a question wouldn’t have been a problem. But right now, she was a commoner, her true identity hidden by a necklace.
The Saintess, hiding under the alias of Adele to live a normal life at the academy.
Deron stared at her wide-eyed surprise, then spoke,
“I’ve come to fetch you.”
“Fetch me? Why?”
“There’s somewhere we need to go.”
Adele seethed inwardly at his arrogant presumption that she would simply follow him. She might be disguised as a commoner, but she was still a student of Iliad Academy.
And with the backing of the church, she had no obligation to listen to Deron…
“Saintess.”
Adele’s eyes widened. Saintess? How did Deron know?
“H-How…?”
“I’ll tell you if you come with me.”
The corners of Deron’s lips curled into a slight smirk.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Wait, in that dream that was the black dragon named something something. I honestly don’t remember the name. So, he’s slowly gaining the black dragon’s power? Well, given how overpowered the demon lord is, he’s going to need as much power as he can get his hands on.