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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Huh, you snatched the contract by force… That was a dangerous move.”
“I couldn’t just leave it as it was.”
“You did well. If someone incapable of resisting had formed the contract, it would have been a disaster.”
I doubted that pathetic thing even had the power to do that.
Even now, it was trying to swat away Merlin’s hand with its tentacles, but it was so weak it could barely even shake it.
It started chattering again.
This was the problem.
It was needlessly noisy.
I wanted to finish this inspection quickly, go back, and try to decipher this noisy thing, but I didn’t know how long they were going to drag this out. Should I at least be grateful that Principal Merlin was ignoring its resistance and continuing the examination?
As I waited for the results, lost in my thoughts, Principal Merlin removed his hand from the book and spoke to me with a subtle expression.
“I’m not sure. The knowledge contained within this grimoire is unknown. The mana patterns are completely new. It’s different from other grimoires… The only thing that’s certain is that it contains magic that negatively affects the mind.”
Was he talking about the hypnotic beam it shoots from its eyeball?
“This type of grimoire can easily lead to disaster, so handle it with care. Well, I’m reassured that it’s in your hands… but your mana is so low that you’ll have difficulty utilizing it anyway.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m not insulting you. I’m saying that it’s fortunate that such a dangerous object is bound to you. Please don’t take it to heart. I pride myself on having seen countless grimoires, but this is a first for me… The unknown is the most frightening thing, isn’t it?”
Was it because it was a new type?
Well, even I, who had seen multiple endings in the game as a mage, had never seen this grimoire before, so it was natural that people in this world wouldn’t recognize it. I would have preferred a grimoire that synergizes well with my skills, but…
The grimoires I was familiar with wouldn’t appear for at least another year, so obtaining one at this point was still fortunate. A single grimoire costs about the same as a lump of mithril.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“If anything unusual happens, come find me.”
What can you do about it if you don’t want to go?
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Take care.”
I grabbed the doorknob and turned it. The brown hallway was revealed as the old hinges creaked.
There weren’t many people around.
It was natural since the first semester had ended, and summer break had begun.
Those who were returning home had already left, and those who remained were preparing for the next semester. It was time for me to get busy.
In the game, summer break was the time to catch up on side quests and grind for experience.
If possible, I wanted to find a way to lift the curse on Karina. The general flow of events seemed to be similar to the game, so whether Karina was healthy or not would significantly affect future events.
Healing magic, capable of restoring even a dying person to full health, was a game-changer.
“Give it up. Even if I don’t take you, she’ll come looking for you.”
Ugh, my head.
I lightly slapped the book to silence it.
“Be quiet. You’re giving me a headache. If you keep this up, I might accidentally lose you.”
“If I accidentally lose you, Milia, who’s always following me around, will pick you up. I’ll pretend not to notice for 24 hours.”
“Behave yourself. Got it?”
Of course, even if it kept quiet, it didn’t mean Milia wouldn’t take it…
I swallowed my words and headed towards Yeomyeong-gwan.
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I lit a candle in the dark study and immersed myself in Rue. As I was reading, I heard footsteps and a familiar husky voice.
“What are you doing up so late?”
“Reading.”
“Really?”
Her brown skin peeked through her loose shirt, gleaming seductively in the candlelight.
Renny, who had changed into a light shirt, walked over with her usual swagger and plopped down on the chair next to me.
I looked away from her and back at Rue.
“What are you reading so intently?”
“A grimoire.”
“Ah, the one Milia was walking on a leash… Is it safe?”
“It seems fine.”
“That’s good. Or should I say, congratulations? It’s incredibly difficult to form a contract with a grimoire.”
“But my mana is so low I can only use simple spells.”
“It’s better than nothing. Your mana will increase as you use it. It’s better to have it than not.”
Renny stretched as she spoke, leaning forward on the table. Her ample bosom pressed against her thin shirt. She was slender overall, but as I looked at her, she was definitely a game character, with curves in all the right places.
“Ugh… I’m so tired…”
“You’ve been working hard.”
“If you know that, then pick up some of the slack. Yawn…”
“Sorry. I’ll take over the dawn watch, so get some sleep.”
“No, you have something to do tomorrow, right?”
“I’m used to all-nighters.”
In the early days on the deserted island, I worked more during the cooler evenings and nights than under the scorching sun. The biggest reason, though, was that I couldn’t sleep during those lonely nights on the island…
“No, just take over in the morning. At least I get more time to sleep during the day. Sigh, I need to find someone to take over my escort duties…”
If the strongest knight protecting Karina were to collapse, the wolves would descend upon her.
They would use the excuse of increasing her security detail to interfere in every aspect of her life.
Even if Karina was the Saint, she didn’t wield absolute power. The imperial family and the Kalon Church leadership might also try to exert their influence.
For now, the continent was in turmoil, so they hadn’t made any moves… but it was best to be cautious.
I couldn’t trust the imperial family, especially that troll of an emperor. No matter which route you took in the game, they were always a pain in the ass.
They were useful to exploit for rewards, though…
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Protecting Lady Karina is my mission. It’s something I have to do to the best of my ability.”
Renny’s voice was serious.
It was only natural.
She had been betrayed and was dying when a young Karina saved her. Therefore, Renny would never betray Karina, no matter what.
That was the foundation of my boldness.
As long as I had a last resort, I could afford to be a little reckless.
“What good will it do if you collapse? There’ll be no one to protect her.”
“You’re here.”
“You’re the shield, and I’m the sword. No matter how hard I try, I can’t block better than a shield.”
“…Aren’t you flattering me too much? I’m just an escort knight.”
Renny’s cheeks were flushed in the moonlight.
Did I say something too embarrassing?
“Well…”
“You’re always saying such embarrassing things. Stop flirting with the ladies.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Wow, you’re clueless. If you were aware, they wouldn’t be flocking to you like that. You might really get swept off your feet one day.”
“…I guess I should start wearing armor from now on.”
Renny chuckled at my words and stood up. It seemed like she was about to head back.
I quietly closed Rue.
I could read the rest tomorrow.
Perhaps because it had been tormented by Milia before coming to the study, the tentacled book was quiet. It was a relief that it wasn’t interfering with my reading, but… I still couldn’t understand it.
I roughly understood how to use it, but it felt vague.
Maybe it was because my mana was low, or maybe it just didn’t synergize well with me.
“Ugh, I’m going to head back. I have a lot to do, and those annoying people are… never mind. Get some sleep after you’re done reading.”
“Go ahead.”
I watched Renny leave the study and tucked Rue under my arm.
As Renny said, I had things to do tomorrow, so it was time to sleep.
I ignored Rue’s grumbling and headed to my room.
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[were back!]
Wrong chapter?
Fixed
Thanks for the chapter!