The Wise Man's Grandson Volume 1 Chapter 4

 Chapter 4 The true identity of the mastermind is…

In the conference room of the royal castle were King Diseum, Director of the Military Bureau Dominic, and Director of the Security Bureau Denis Willa.

The Military Bureau was a department responsible for defending against external enemies, monsters, and invasions from other countries, while the Security Bureau had the role of domestic security and pacification, essentially acting as the police force.

Diseum was conveying the information he had received from Shin to Dominic and Denis.

"Impossible! Are you saying that the demon might have been artificially created?"

"Mm, that's what Shin, who fought directly against it, thinks. Considering the circumstances leading up to it, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched."

"And… monsters as well?"

"This… could lead to a grave situation."

"That’s something we can’t allow to happen! Dominic, Denis, the Military and Security Bureaus will cooperate and thoroughly investigate this matter! Don’t overlook a single detail!"

"Understood!!"

After Diseum left the conference room, Dominic and Denis remained behind.

"If we investigate around Kurt von Ritzburg, we should find something. We’ll expose his evil deeds!"

"Right. We’ll spare no effort in our cooperation."

Both of them were filled with intense anger at the invisible malice behind it all.

◇

The day after the explanation of the research club, our club finally began its activities. There were already existing research clubs that had been active for a while, but ours was newly established, so today marked the start. After all...

"I know it’s a bit late to ask, but what exactly does a research club do?"

"Really asking that now… Well, there’s nothing particularly fixed. Generally, it’s for studying things that weren’t covered in class or things you want to learn more about. You get together with others who have the same goals after school to do research."

"I see. So, what exactly is our 'Ultimate Magic Research Club' going to research?"

"Who knows? We just decided on the name on a whim. We didn’t really think about what we’d be researching."

"On a whim…?"

"Is that really good enough?" I glanced at Lin, who had proposed the name…

"I said it on a whim. I don’t regret it."

"So, we haven’t decided anything, then..."

"I’m sure Walford-kun will master all kinds of magic. I’d like to help with that and master it myself."

"…Then I guess it’s decided. Let’s all master magic together."

"That works."

The goal was a bit vague, but I guess having fun together after school was part of the enjoyment.

When we arrived at the research room, the two who had joined yesterday were already there.

"Ah! Good work!"

"Good work."

"Good work. Uh, Mark-kun and Olivia-san, right? Let’s head into the research room first."

The research room was equipped with sufficient facilities, though not as impressive as the S-class classrooms.

"Alright, let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Shin Wolford, the leader of the 'Ultimate Magic Research Club,' even though I didn’t really plan on it. Nice to meet you."

When I said that, Mark and Olivia were left speechless. Why?

"‘Ultimate Magic Research Club’...?"

"That’s what it’s called?"

Is that the issue!? You didn’t even realize when you came in!?

"…Well, whatever. Now, could you two introduce yourselves?"

"Y-Yes! I'm Mark Bean! My family runs a blacksmith shop. Have you heard of 'Bean Forge'?"

"Ah, 'Bean Forge'? Isn’t that a famous place?"

"You know about it, Tony?"

"I told you, my family has a knightly lineage. The weapons from Bean Forge are known for their sharpness, and I’ve always admired them."

That’s so surprising. It doesn’t fit his playboy vibe at all.

"Thank you. If you ever need anything, feel free to ask. I’ll give you a discount!"

"Really? That’s wonderful!"

I just saw an unexpected side of Tony. Then, it was Olivia’s turn.

"Um, I’m Olivia Stone. I’ve known Mark since we were kids. My family runs a diner called 'Stone Oven,' and I learned magic to help out with the shop."

"Stone Oven!? That’s an incredibly famous place! Their stone oven gratin is the best!"

Alice said, recalling something, drooling a little.

"I celebrated passing the academy entrance exams at 'Stone Oven.' It was soooo delicious!"

"That’s so enviable! My family couldn’t even get a reservation."

"Ah, um, if you want, you can all come visit. I’ll treat you."

"Really! That’s awesome, Shin-kun! You’ve found a great asset!"

"Don’t praise me like that!"

I had no idea that both of them were from famous shops. I didn’t know anything about those places.

Mark has brown hair and black eyes, and since he’s the son of a blacksmith, he looks pretty sturdy. His speech and attitude give off a sports club vibe.

Olivia has black hair and blue eyes, and she’s a beautiful type.

"Mark, since you’re the son of a blacksmith, can you make anything?"

"Huh? Ah, a little… but it’s nothing impressive!"

"Hey, Mark. This club only has first-year students, so let’s stop using honorifics, okay?"

"Yeah, that’s right, Olivia!"

"Eh, but…"

"But there is a prince and the granddaughter of a hero, right?"

"Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. Shin calls me by my first name."

"No, Your Highness… that’s just Shin."

Because it’s Aug, after all.

"Well, Aug’s case is a bit different. But for me, my grandparents are famous, that’s all. I’m just an ordinary person, like all of you."

"…An ordinary person?"

"Was that a mishearing?"

"Well, Shin will be a famous person by next week, anyway."

Everyone’s so harsh! I’m not nobility, so I’m just an ordinary person, right? And Aug just said something.

"Aug, what’s this about next week?"

"Hm? Oh, well, after we return, you’ll probably get a notice, but Shin’s award ceremony will be held early next week. With that, Shin will join the ranks of famous people."

"I see… so it’s been decided..."

"Don’t worry. I told you yesterday, I won’t let politics interfere. My father will make an official announcement at the ceremony. But, well, it’s inevitable that your name will get out there. You’re already becoming well-known."

"I see…"

I guess I won’t be able to walk around freely anymore... Wait!

"I’ll just disguise myself or disappear!"

I suddenly shouted. Huh? Why are all the eyes on me?

"You understand disguises, but what do you mean by disappearing?"

"Huh? Just like I said. If I disappear like this, no one will notice me!"

I used my optical camouflage magic, and everyone was left speechless again. This too...

"Eh? Shin-kun? Where are you?"

"No way… he suddenly disappeared…"

"W-What’s going on!? What is this!?"

"Hey, no need to be so shocked…"

As I deactivated the optical camouflage magic, I was bombarded with questions from everyone.

"Shin! What was that? I couldn’t see you at all!"

"That’s strange. It’s not like you hid, but you disappeared completely."

"You didn’t move, right? How did you do that?"

"Wait a minute! You’re leaving Mark and Olivia hanging!"

When I turned to look at them, both of them were stunned.

"Calling His Highness ‘you’…"

"Is Walford-kun going to be honored?"

They were a little off-track!

"Let’s try to pull things together. This has gotten all messy."

"That’s your fault."

"Shut up! Hold on, um, I was asking if Mark could make anything, and we were talking about stopping the honorifics, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then, let’s start by dropping the honorifics. We’re the same age, after all."

"His Highness and Walford-kun are a different matter! Also, when I help at the forge, I’m at the bottom of the totem pole, so this way of speaking is normal for me!"

"I also usually use honorifics when helping at the shop… But I think I could manage without them for everyone except His Highness and Walford-kun. Though, it’s not something I can do right away."

It’s the same as with Aug...

"You seem like you want to say something?"

"Not really… Ha, well, let’s just leave it at that. I won’t force you."

"I’m sorry."

"Sorry."

"You don’t need to apologize every time. So? Can Mark make anything?"

"Well, as I mentioned earlier, I’m the lowest in rank, so I’ve just barely managed to make a knife recently."

"I see, I was hoping to get a new weapon if you could make something."

"No, no! Walford-kun’s sword is the one that cut a demon, right? There’s no way something could replace that sword!"

Hmm? Oh, right, I never mentioned this.

"That sword’s actually just a regular iron sword with magic added to it. It’s thin and light, so it doesn’t have great durability."

"Eh? A regular sword?"

"Yep."

I pulled out the vibration sword from my spatial storage and showed it to Mark.

"This is the sword that cut a demon…"

"Can you take a good look at it?"

Mark began examining the vibration sword from various angles.

"...I can’t believe it... This sword really cut a demon?"

"Yep."

"This sword... It’s thin and light, and yeah, it’s easy to swing. But that’s about it. If you cut something hard, it’ll break in no time."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, Your Highness, would you like to try it?"

He handed it to Aug.

...It’s normal for Aug, huh...

"This... Yeah, it really does seem like it would break easily."

"I told you, it has magic added. Try channeling mana through it."

"Ah! What’s this? The blade is vibrating slightly?"

"Now, try cutting this. You don’t need to apply much force."

I pulled out a log from spatial storage.

Why do I have a log with me? Was I planning to use it for something?

While I was trying to recall why I had the log, Aug’s surprised voice reached me.

"Wh-What is this!?"

The vibration sword cut through the log like butter. Everyone’s eyes widened at the sight, and the log was cleanly sliced in half.

"What in the world...?"

"This is the vibration sword. When you apply super high-frequency vibrations to the blade, it can cut through things like this."

I explained while taking the vibration sword back.

"The blade itself is better when it’s thin. I also wanted to modify the handle a bit since it’s fragile and easy to break, but I also wanted spare ones."

I put the vibration sword back in spatial storage. Mark, who had been thinking for a moment, spoke up.

"...If it’s just thin blades you want, I can forge those. After that, I’d have to consult with Walford-kun, though."

"Really!? That’s great! I’ve been relying on word of mouth until now, so I couldn’t make any fine adjustments. This helps a lot!"

"No problem, this is nothing."

This is lucky. Now I can try out different things.

"Still, you’ve made something like this."

"That’s amazing! I thought I was good with magic reinforcement, but after seeing this..."

"You’ll be able to do it too eventually, Yuri. If you want, you could ask Grandma to teach you?"

"Eh!? Really!? Yay, I’m so happy!"

It’s the first time I’ve seen Yuri so excited. She really respects her grandma.

"But I already gave the knife version of this to Uncle Dis, and Chris-nee-chan, and Zeke-niichan."

"...I’ve never seen it."

"Oh, maybe they kept it a secret?"

"Come to think of it, a few years ago, Ziegfried was bragging about getting a new weapon. No matter how much I asked, he wouldn’t show it to me..."

Ziegfried? Who is that... person with such a cool name?

"Shin-kun, do you know Ziegfried-sama!?"

"I don't know who Ziegfried-sama is, but if you're talking about the King's Guard Zieg, I know him. The silver-haired guy."

"That's him! The magic-using guy—no, the one all the girls in the royal capital admire, Ziegfried Marquez-sama!"

"That guy is definitely admirable..."

"I've always wanted to talk to him at least once."

"There was a fan club at the middle school."

Alice spoke passionately, and Maria, Lynn, and Yuri all agreed.

"Eh... He's just a flashy guy, though?"

"Also, it seems like he knows Christina-sama too."

Who’s Christina-sama?

"I know Zieg's guard, Christina-neesan."

"Christina Hayden. She’s so beautiful with her sword skills that she was chosen as a royal guard at such a young age. Many boys admire her mysterious beauty."

Thor, Julius, and Mark nodded vigorously.

"Mysterious? She’s just unsociable..."

My acquaintances seem to be quite popular.

It’s a weird feeling, like being praised for my older brother and sister. But the reality is nothing like this... meeting them might lead to disappointment.

"Anyway, Shin, how did you disappear earlier?"

"Yeah, Shin-kun, what was that?"

"Oh, optical camouflage?"

"Optical... what?"

"Optical camouflage. Do you know what the human eye is actually seeing?"

"What do you mean... It’s just objects, right?"

"Why can you see objects?"

"Why? I don’t know..."

"The human eye sees light that has been reflected."

"Reflected?"

"Yeah, so if an object doesn’t reflect light, you can’t see it. Glass is like that, right? The clearer the glass, the less impurities there are, and the more transparent it looks."

"That’s true..."

"Since you’re seeing reflected light, if you distort the way that light is reflected..."

"Ah! Shin-kun is disappearing!"

"I’m not disappearing. I’m using magic to manipulate the light around me. So the light reflecting off the surrounding scenery is bent around me, and the people in front of me see it as if I’ve disappeared. I didn’t actually become invisible."

As I explained while deactivating the optical camouflage, I could see the question marks floating above everyone’s heads.

"...Sicily, did you understand?"

"No..."

"I still don’t get it!"

"I don’t understand, but this is amazing magic."

"I knew it..."

"You really don’t know magic, do you?"

Everyone chimed in...

"This is the 'Ultimate Magic Research Society,' right? How can you be so surprised by something like this?"

"This is too ultimate right off the bat!"

"This is amazing. The ultimate concealment magic."

"No, it’s not ultimate since it doesn’t cancel out sound or block magical power."

"Still, it’s enough. I’d rather keep this magic from spreading too much."

Org says we shouldn’t spread this magic around.

"Why?"

"With this, you could easily assassinate someone, steal classified documents, eavesdrop, follow people... It has too many criminal uses."

"If we go by that logic, you can't use any magic. It all depends on the person’s morality, right?"

"That’s true... but this magic is too tempting..."

"It’s fine, Your Highness! From the way you explained it, no one really understood anyway!"

"...That’s true."

"Did my explanation make it unclear?"

"No... I just didn’t understand it at all."

I tried explaining it with the concept of light reflection, but maybe they don’t even have that concept.

"Well... I guess it’s hard to understand."

"This is going to be one of those things where we watch Shin develop ultimate magic."

"No, it’s not! I just want to learn from Walford-kun!"

"This is what His Majesty was talking about at the entrance ceremony. He said that Shin-kun will break the fixed concepts of magic."

"Though, I think you’re breaking them a bit too much..."

"I’m giving up, Thor."

"I’m glad I joined this research society. It looks like I’ll stay in S-class forever."

"I want to learn enhancement magic..."

"Well, everything in moderation."

Some people seem exasperated, others motivated. I guess it’s fine as the first activity of the research society.

By the way, what about those two?

"No chant, huh..."

"As expected of S-class..."

I keep saying it, but they’re off a little bit!

◇

The district where the noble houses are lined up.

This area, with many large houses, has few pedestrians, and the quiet streets continue on.

In a quiet corner of the city stood the Ritzburg Mansion, where Ort Rikkerman, an investigator from the Security Bureau, had come to conduct an interrogation of the Ritzburg family head.

In the mansion's parlor, Ort and Russell were seated across from each other.

"How is your wife?" Ort asked.

"Ah... she’s bedridden due to the stress. After all, her son became a demon, and to make matters worse, he was killed. I, too, wish I could lie down if I could," Russell replied.

"...I can imagine how difficult it must be."

"No need to worry about me. It is our fault that Kurt ended up this way."

"About that... was your son always of an arrogant nature?"

"Don’t be ridiculous!!"

Russell raised his voice in irritation, then quickly realized his outburst and apologized.

"S-sorry... I got carried away."

"It’s fine, it’s understandable. But if I may ask again, was your son always of an arrogant nature?"

"No... As you know, our kingdom places the people first. The nobles exist for the sake of the people, and the royalty exist for the entire kingdom, nobles included. The people are the nation’s treasure, and they must be protected above all else. I’ve been teaching Kurt this since he was young. While his pride was high, he should have understood that the people were to be protected."

"Until now, there have been no such behaviors?" Ort asked.

"...I don’t watch Kurt all the time, so I can’t say for sure... I might be able to ask my wife or the servants, but..."

"We’ll check with them later. So, what about his recent behavior?"

"This was the first time."

"I see..."

The reports from the High Magic Academy were completely different, but they matched the reports from the Middle Academy.

At the High Magic Academy, Kurt was considered a "fool with an arrogant attitude," while at the Middle Academy, he was seen as "a noble with high pride but a sense of duty toward the people."

The contrast between the two was striking. It was as though they were talking about two completely different people. At the Middle Academy, he was the model of a royal noble, but at the High Magic Academy...

"An Imperial noble..." Ort muttered.

"What?"

"Well, it seems that Kurt was a noble who adhered to the ideals of the kingdom during his time at the Middle Academy, but after entering the High Magic Academy..."

"...He became like an Imperial noble?"

"That was just the impression I got."

"...It’s true that Imperial nobles view the people as objects to exploit, and they even claim that those who are not nobles aren’t human."

The noble systems of the Blue Sphere Empire and the Kingdom of Arlsheid were completely different. In Arlsheid, the nobility existed to protect the people, and they believed that their prosperity depended on the welfare of the common folk. This was the core of the noble reform that Duke Desium had spoken about to Merlin. After generations of reform, this mindset took root, and it resulted in an improved quality of life for the people, increased productivity, and ultimately, greater tax revenue, which led to the prosperity of the territories and the kingdom.

In contrast, the Blue Sphere Empire operated on the belief that commoners existed solely for the benefit of the nobility. The common people were burdened with heavy taxes, productivity was low, and their living standards were far below those of the kingdom.

In Arlsheid, children under the age of fifteen were guaranteed an education, and literacy rates were high, with people skilled in arithmetic. However, in the Empire, only the children of nobles or wealthy merchants attended school, and commoners rarely had access to education. Those born into poverty had no way to escape their status because they were never taught how to.

Commoners were seen as existing solely to serve the nobility and bring them profit. Kurt’s words clearly reflected the mentality of an Imperial noble.

"Could it be... that he was brainwashed by someone from the Empire?"

"Brainwashed by the Empire!?"

"Lord Ritzburg, don’t you find this strange? Until recently, your son was a typical noble who thought of the people first, but one day, he suddenly claimed that nobles should be above commoners and that he couldn’t tolerate being treated the same as them. Doesn’t that seem odd?"

"That’s why my wife and I are so confused..."

"Has your son had any contact with someone from the Empire, or someone with ties to the Empire?"

"...Now that you mention it..."

"Was there such a person?"

"There was a teacher at the Middle Academy. He was from the Empire and wore an eye patch on both eyes. He was said to be a skilled magic user, and there were rumors that he had caused some trouble in the Empire before coming to the kingdom."

"Did your son have contact with this teacher?"

"Yes, Kurt participated in the study group that this teacher held. When he was preparing for the High Magic Academy, he even took private lessons from him for a while."

"An Imperial-born teacher..." Ort thought.

It sounded suspicious. Anyone would think so.

Ort decided to speak to the servants as well.

"Mr. Strom? He’s a good person. We heard he was from the Empire, so I thought he might have a strong sense of discrimination against commoners, but he treated all of us servants equally."

The servants’ testimonies were mostly consistent.

Was this enough to clear his name? Ort wasn’t sure, but the teacher had started teaching at the Middle Academy a year ago, and it was during this time that Kurt had transformed into a demon.

A year ago.

The timing matched with recent developments, and it was troubling that the teacher had been the one Kurt had been under tutelage with.

There was no hard evidence, but the situation itself seemed suspicious.

"And even on the day young master became like that, Mr. Strom came by."

"When was that?" Ort asked.

"That was... in the morning, I believe."

So it was before Kurt had transformed into a demon. Moreover, after Strom had visited, Kurt had left his room.

There was no solid proof, but the situation seemed highly suspicious.

Ort decided to visit the Middle Academy that Kurt had attended, which was still under Mr. Strom's instruction. He took a young officer from the security team with him, just to be cautious.

The academy was an extravagant building, as it was attended by nobles and wealthy merchants. Inside, Ort found Oliver Strom.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Strom."

"Ah, no problem at all. Would you like some tea?"

"No, that’s alright."

Orto observed Strome carefully. Despite his eyes being covered by an eye patch, there was not the slightest hesitation in his movements. He was probably using sensory magic, but Orto couldn’t tell what he was doing at all.

It became clear that simply observing wouldn’t yield any answers, so Orto decided to ask him a question.

“I’ve heard that you’re from the Empire, Strome. I apologize for the impertinent question, but would you mind telling me how you came to our country?”

“Why I came to the kingdom, you ask? Well, it’s a rather embarrassing story... I was born into an aristocratic family in the Empire...”

The word "Empire" made Orto's body tense for a moment.

“I lost in a succession battle at my family’s estate... and had to flee for my life from relatives who sought to kill me. As a result, I couldn’t stay in the Empire anymore. I sought asylum in the kingdom. I also sustained this injury to my eyes during that attack...”

“I see... I’m sorry for asking such a personal question.”

“No, that’s part of your job, isn’t it? Please don’t worry about it.”

The exchange was polite, but there was no guarantee that Strome’s story was true. How much of it was fact, and how much was fabrication? Orto pressed on with his questioning.

“By the way, I’ve heard that you’ve been encouraging talented students at this academy to join a research group, and you’ve been nurturing quite a few outstanding mages. What’s the reason for that? Given that your original country was the enemy, is this some sort of revenge against the Empire?”

“I understand why you’d think that. However, that was never my intention. The reason is far simpler.”

“And what would that be?”

“I’m originally from the Empire, and now I’m a new teacher here. There’s been quite a bit of resistance against me. To earn my place at this academy, I needed tangible achievements.”

“So, this research group was your way of achieving that?”

“Exactly. Thanks to that, the children who joined my group have all improved their magical skills. Some of them even passed the entrance exams for the Advanced Magic Academy, which helped me establish my position here.”

This was not for some noble or lofty cause, but a natural action for self-preservation. There didn’t appear to be anything wrong with what he was saying. Orto looked at his face, but the eye patch made it difficult to read his expression. He suppressed the urge to click his tongue and continued.

“However, this incident must be disappointing for you.”

“Indeed. Kurt was one of my students, the one I taught who passed the Advanced Magic Academy entrance exam. I never imagined something like this would happen to him...”

“So, it’s because of the damage this does to your reputation?”

At this, Strome’s demeanor shifted slightly, and he reacted with irritation.

“That’s not what I’m saying at all! Kurt was my beloved student, do you understand!? I’m grieving because something like this has happened to him!”

“My apologies, that was an inappropriate comment.”

“It’s fine, as long as you understand…”

Strome seemed to calm down almost immediately, his previous agitation fading. Was that a genuine response, or was he acting? If that was the case...

“Strome, may I ask a favor of you?”

“What is it?”

“There’s something I’d like you to check about the body of the young man who turned into a demon.”

“You’d like me to examine the body?”

“Yes, we’re currently gathering specialists from various places to investigate, but from what I’ve heard, you’re a highly skilled mage. I’d like to hear your opinion as well.”

“I’m afraid I’m not comfortable with examining the body of a student…”

“I understand, but please, we need your help. This is something that could benefit humanity.”

“…Sigh, very well. I’ll come.”

“Thank you. Would you have time right now?”

“Now, of all times… But yes, I’m free. There’s no research group today.”

“Thank you. In that case, let’s go.”

Orto signaled to a young officer, and they both stood up.

“I look forward to hearing your valuable opinion.”

“Don’t expect too much from me.”

As they spoke, they made their way toward the guard station.

Orto arrived at the guard station with Strome and headed straight for the training ground.

“I’m sorry for forcing you to come, Strome.”

“You’re saying that now? It’s fine.”

With that, they entered the training ground.

“Where is this?”

“This is the Guard’s training ground. I thought it would be a good place to conduct the examination.”

“Here, of all places?”

“Yes.”

Orto gave a signal, and knights, soldiers, and mages appeared, surrounding the training ground.

“They’ll be observing your examination.”

“My examination? Why?”

“Oi, Orto. I got called by one of the young officers, but what’s going on here?”

As they left Strome’s research room, Orto had signaled to a young officer to assemble the military personnel. A mage in a disheveled robe approached Orto, questioning him.

The individuals who appeared were the former head of the Military Affairs Bureau and the current commander of the Magic Corps, Rupe＝Olguran, and the head of the Military Affairs Bureau, Dominic.

"I'll explain now, Lord Rupe," said Orto, turning to Strom.

"Why am I being treated like this, Orto? Is it because I’m a former Imperial noble that I deserve this treatment?" Strom asked.

"It’s not because of that, Professor Strom. Your testimony was actually quite impressive. If it were just the testimony, there would be no reason to doubt it. But you made one mistake," Orto replied.

"A mistake?"

"Yes. Dominic, who was it that turned into a demon?"

"It was Kurt＝Von＝Ritzburg, right? What about it?"

"That's correct. Everyone here knows that," Orto said.

"What's the problem with that?"

"Everyone here knows, but no one else should know about it," Orto stated.

"...Oh?"

"The Emperor, upon hearing the story from Wolford, immediately imposed a gag order. No one is allowed to speak the name of the person who became a demon. There are several perplexing points about this incident, and to prevent the family of the one who became a demon from being treated unfairly, the gag order was placed. Before meeting you, I visited the Ritzburg mansion, and it was eerily quiet. Given the people's natural fear of demons, if it were known that Kurt＝Von＝Ritzburg had become one, there would be a rush of people to the mansion. The gag order is working," Orto explained.

The knights and mages surrounding them noticed this and began eyeing Strom warily, preparing themselves.

"The only story circulating in the capital is that 'a demon appeared at the Advanced Magic Academy, and the grandson of a hero, Shin＝Wolford, happened to be there and defeated the demon.' People know that a demon appeared, but they don’t know who turned into one. The only ones who know are the military, the guards, a few people from the Academy, and those directly involved. So, Professor, how did you know that Kurt＝Von＝Ritzburg turned into a demon? I must punish you for leaking that information," Orto demanded.

Strom suddenly burst into loud laughter.

"Ahahaha! I didn’t think a gag order had been placed!" he exclaimed. "I thought everyone knew who turned into the demon since the whole capital has been in an uproar. So, it’s only Wolford they’re making a fuss about, huh?"

"That’s right. People are excited about the new hero. And since he’s the grandson of an already recognized hero, it’s no surprise the commotion is so large. Besides, while a demon appeared, there was no real harm done. It’s only natural that people are more focused on the hero than the demon’s identity."

"I see, so everyone’s more interested in the hero than the demon," Strom mused, before suddenly beginning to channel magic.

"Don’t underestimate me!" Rupe shouted, launching a fire arrow spell without chanting. The fire arrow appeared to hit Strom but was blocked by a magical barrier.

"Tch! You blocked it. Who the hell are you?!" Rupe shouted.

"Heh, I have no obligation to answer that," Strom replied coolly, before casting an explosion spell that destroyed part of the training ground’s wall. He began floating and attempted to fly away through the hole he created.

"Don’t let him escape! If he gets away, there will be more victims!" Dominic ordered.

At his command, the military began launching spells and arrows, but all were blocked by Strom’s magical barrier.

"Well, it looks like the experiment here is over. I’ll be taking my leave now," Strom said casually.

"Experiment...?! You used Kurt as an experiment? A young boy with a future ahead of him? You used him for your selfish purposes?!" Orto shouted in anger.

"That’s right. I’m afraid he was unlucky to catch my eye," Strom replied coldly.

"Unlucky? Do you have any idea how much his family is suffering because of this?!" Orto yelled.

"Orto! Stop!" Dominic shouted, as he tackled Orto from the side, sending both of them rolling away. A magic spell whizzed past them and exploded against the training ground's wall.

"Oh? You avoided it?" Strom said nonchalantly, as everyone began to surround him, unsure of how to subdue him.

Just then, a young voice cried out.

"What is this?!"

Everyone turned to see… Shin Wolford.

◇

The scene then shifted back in time to just after the research session had ended. Some students were walking home, others taking the shared carriage, and since the capital was vast, those who couldn’t go directly home returned to the dormitories provided by the Academy.

None of the S-class classmates live in the dorms, so everyone leaves the academy together.

"Hey Mark, is it okay if we come over to your house now?"

"Huh? To my place?"

"Yeah. About the weapon replacement you mentioned earlier, I want to check what can and can't be done."

"Ah, sure. Should we go now?"

"Yeah. Sicily, Maria, is it okay if we stop by Mark’s place?"

"Sure."

"I'm fine with it too. I'd like to see Mark's store."

"Can I come too?" Tony, unusually, voiced his desire to join.

"Are you still interested in Bean Workshop?"

"Yeah, I’m not swinging swords around right now, but I still get excited when I see a sword."

"Didn't you hate becoming a knight?"

"It’s not knights or swordsmen I hate, it’s the officer training academy for knights."

"Ah, I see… it’s the gender ratio issue…"

"That place was hell for me."

Tony often hung out with girls after enrolling, so it’s no surprise that the lack of girls there was tough for him. Today, what was rare was that he wasn't going home with a girl, which made Bean Workshop even more attractive.

"Then, I’ll go too."

"Your Highness!"

"With my two guards and Shin here, there’s no real danger."

"It’s not about that…"

"Besides, Father often visits Shin's house too."

"His Majesty…"

With a rather suspicious remark, Org decided to follow them.

"This is quite a group now."

"It’s fine. It’s fun to stroll around the city together like this."

"Yeah, it’s fun."

So, with Mark, Olivia, me, Sicily, Maria, Tony, Org, Thorne, and Julius, we headed toward Mark’s house. As we started walking, we split into groups: the men, the women, and Org. The girls were chatting excitedly and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"So, Wolford-kun, what kind of sword are you thinking about?"

"Well, a thin blade is a given, but the problem is that it’s easy to break. I want it to be easily replaceable, but if I have too many, it’ll cost a lot…"

"Wouldn’t you, as the grandson of the Sage, have no trouble with money?"

"I only get an allowance. Since I don’t earn it myself, I can’t spend much."

"Huh, that’s surprisingly responsible."

"Surprisingly?…"

What kind of look are they giving me?

"But if you're as strong as Shin, you could hunt monsters and get a part-time job."

"A monster hunting part-time job?"

"Huh? You didn’t know? The Monster Hunter Association doesn’t hire full-time employees. Anyone who shows their record of monster slaying can earn a reward."

"Is that so…"

"Seems like you’re a bit out of touch with how things work. Everyone else knows about it like it’s the most natural thing."

I had heard that monster slaying could earn money, but I thought you had to register or something. It’s that simple?

While we were talking, Mark, who had been thinking for a while, made a suggestion.

"Wolford-kun, how about making thin swords with integrated handles in large quantities using a mold? That way, you don’t need to process the handle, and using a mold would reduce the cost."

"Yeah, I thought about that, but with the handle integrated, the vibration is the issue…"

"Oh, right. You use the vibration of the blade, don’t you?"

"Exactly, you can’t hold it properly."

What should I do? While I was consulting with Mark, Tony made a suggestion.

"Then, why not make it so the blade can be easily swapped out?"

"That’s it!!"

I shouted a bit too loudly, and everyone turned to look at us.

"What’s going on?"

"No, I just thought of a new weapon idea from Tony’s suggestion."

"A new weapon…?"

"Yeah, the blade can be thin and fragile. The key is being able to swap it out easily, which would cut down the cost."

"Now, the question is how we’ll make the blade easy to replace."

"I’d prefer it if it could be swapped with just one touch…"

"That would add development costs, though."

"Normally, when attaching the blade to the handle, you make sure it’s secure so it doesn’t wobble, but since this weapon is based on vibration, as long as it doesn’t fall off, I think it could be simple to attach."

"That’s it!!"

I’m really glad Tony was with us today. With this, we’ve got a clear direction for the new vibration sword. I’m looking forward to developing it.

"…Well, this isn’t really a problem."

Org said that, seeming to have become my personal supervisor without me realizing.

"Let’s go to the workshop quickly! I’ve got so many ideas I want to try, I can’t stop!"

"Yeah, let’s go."

"Hey Shin, while you guys are at the workshop, is it okay if we stay with Olivia?"

"I’d like to talk more with Olivia."

"Ugh… please be gentle with me…"

Olivia looked completely worn out from being bombarded with questions by Sicily and Maria.

"Sure. It might be boring at the workshop anyway, so I thought I’d let you stay there."

So, the men and Org’s group headed to the workshop, and the women went to Olivia’s store. They hurried towards their respective destinations, passing by a building on a large property.

"What building is that?"

"Oh, that’s the guard station. The building over there is the training ground, and the guard station is in the back."

"Ah, I see…"

BOOM!!

The wall of the training ground exploded.

"Kyaa!!"

The women screamed at the sound.

"W-what was that?!"

"Your Highness!"

The two guards quickly stepped forward to shield Org.

"What happened? Was there an accident at the training ground?"

"No, the training ground’s wall should have a magical barrier, just like the academy’s training rooms…"

"So, they must have used magic with enough force to break through that barrier…"

This feels bad. Just then, an enormous amount of magical energy surged from inside the training ground.

"This is bad! Everyone, get away from this building!!"

I was trying to move everyone away when the wall behind me exploded.

"Ugh! What the heck is this?!"

I was glad I had put up a magical barrier with how dangerous the magic inside seemed. I yelled out without thinking, but there was no damage.

When I peeked inside the broken wall, I saw a knight, soldiers, a magician, and guards surrounding someone.

"Oh!? What’s going on here!?"

It felt like something very ominous. They had way too much force to be surrounding just one person. The massive magical energy… Who is that? As I looked at the person being surrounded…

"An eye patch on both eyes…"

That’s exactly the characteristic the middle school academy’s teacher, as Org and the others had mentioned.

"Org, is that…?"

"Yeah, there’s no doubt. That’s the suspicious middle school academy teacher, Oliver Strom, we mentioned before."

"Oh? Well, well, if it isn’t Prince August and Shin Wolford."

He knows who I am? It’s possible he knows my name, but I don’t think my face is recognized by anyone outside the neighborhood. Besides, isn’t he supposed to be blind?

"Run, Prince August! He’s the true culprit behind the demon incident!!"

The true culprit behind the demon incident? If that’s the case…

"You're the one who was controlling Kurt?"

"That’s right. He was such a good puppet, dancing exactly as I wanted."

"I see…"

This guy… he’s the one who manipulated Kurt and caused all that chaos!

"Oh? Don’t you also hold a grudge against me?"

"Yeah, I can’t forgive you. Because of you, Kurt… and his family, do you know what they’ve been through?!"

This guy… I absolutely can’t forgive him!

As I approached Strom, I increased my magical power.

"The experiment here is over, and I’d like to excuse myself, you know…"

"I can’t just leave you be. You’ll cause more trouble if I do. Stay put and get arrested quietly!"

With that, I drew my vibration sword and fired a flame arrow.

"Oh, this is bad."

Strom said as he put up a magical barrier.

BOOM!!

The flame arrow hit the magical barrier and exploded. But it seems like the barrier didn’t break.

"This is dangerous… If the barrier had been any thinner, it would’ve pierced through."

He said that, then turned to look at me.

"Ha…"

You think I’ll just stay in the same spot?

From the sheer magnitude of his magic, I predicted the flame arrow would be blocked, so after releasing it, I quickly moved behind Strom.

I swung my vibration sword horizontally.

"Ugh!"

Strom, sensing the magic or perhaps just acting on instinct, quickly moved away, dodging the blade of my vibration sword.

"That’s dangerous. That sword is a magical tool, isn’t it?"

"Maybe."

I didn’t answer Strom’s question and charged straight at him.

"Just as I thought, you're dangerous."

Saying that, Strom cast a spell without chanting. I dodged it with a sideways leap. There was an explosion behind me, but I didn’t mind, swinging my vibration sword again.

"Ugh! That sword is troublesome."

This time, he jumped back, avoiding the vibration sword.

"You're a mage, right? Physical attacks are harder to defend against than magic!"

I stomped my foot on the ground. Stone spears shot up from the earth, aimed straight at Strom.

"Oh, wow, this is impressive."

Strom jumped into the air.

"You’ll be defenseless there!"

I fired a wide flame spell at him while he was still in the air. There’s no way he’d be able to avoid this, even if he twisted his body.

"What!?"

As expected, Strom was surprised. He quickly summoned a magical barrier, but the activation was weak. This time, the damage should’ve gone through.

The flames engulfed Strom, and I expected him to fall from the sky… but that didn’t happen.

"Floating in the air? I think that’s a bit unfair."

Strom was floating in the air. Levitation magic? There’s no way he could use something like that… But he was really floating. This guy is unbelievable.

"Phew, that was a bit too close. My robe got singed."

"You didn’t take any damage, though?"

"No, no, I did take some damage. But as expected from the grandson of a hero, you’re as capable as they say, being able to take down a demon."

"Yeah, sure… but wait!!"

I activated the jet boots I had prepared in advance and flew straight at Strom.

"What!?"

"Take this!!"

I swung my vibration sword again. This time, the tip of the blade just grazed Strom’s face. Damn it, it was only a graze!

"Ugh!!"

Thinking the attack had missed, Strom dramatically recoiled.

"Take this! One more time!"

Taking advantage of the opening, I created a blade of wind.

Countless wind blades flew at Strom, slicing into his body one after another. The wind blades left cuts on his robe and even his eye patch.

"Don’t… get cocky!!"

"Whoa!"

Suddenly, Strom released a surge of magical energy, and the pressure sent me off balance while I was still in the air. I quickly activated my jet boots to stabilize and land safely.

Strom, still floating, kept his magic release active while "staring" at me.

The vibration sword and wind blades must have cut his eye patch, because the torn eye patch fell off his face, revealing his eye.

And that eye…

"Red… eyes…?"

Strom’s eyes, wide open, were a bright red as he looked at me.

The released magical power was ominous, clearly bearing the traits of a monster.

"You’ve done it now, Wolford. I had hoped to leave without revealing my true identity, but I guess that’s not going to happen."

"You're kidding… right? A demon with its sanity fully intact?"

Can that even be possible? Even demons who have lost their sanity have nearly destroyed entire nations in the past. What would happen if one kept their consciousness intact…?

"Since you're maintaining your sanity, I guess you're not just rampaging around aimlessly."

"Heh, if I only used my power chaotically, I'd be quickly exterminated, wouldn't I? I wouldn’t do something so foolish. However, once it’s clear that I’ve become a demon, they’d come after me to eliminate me. That’s why I wanted to keep my true identity hidden."

"So, you’re not going to harm humans, then?"

"Heh, ha ha ha ha!!!"

Strom began laughing loudly at my words.

"What are you expecting? Humans are nothing to me! I don't care about them in the slightest!"

"What…!?"

"Since I've become like this, humans have become nothing more than tools to use, deceive, or kill! I don’t care anymore!!"

He’s insane. This guy is truly a demon. A being that is an enemy to humanity. I have to finish him off right here!

"RAAAH!!"

I let out a roar and lunged at him.

"Again with this?"

Strom tried to intercept with magic, but I activated my jet boots to halt my movement abruptly, then shot backward, creating some distance from Strom.

"W-what?"

Strom gave me a puzzled look as if he’d been tricked, but my spell was already complete.

"Take this!!!"

"What!?"

I gathered sunlight from above and concentrated it into a heat ray, firing it straight down at Strom. Strom, who had been about to cast his own magic at me, was hit directly by the light coming from above.

"GUAAAH!!!"

Strom screamed as the magic struck him, and then…

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

A massive explosion erupted, and the surrounding area was covered in dust and smoke.

When the dust cleared, there was no sign of Strom.

"Did… did it get him?"

That’s definitely the “not really” flag! I wanted to shout this at the guard who muttered those words, but I first looked around cautiously.

I scanned the surroundings, but Strom was nowhere to be seen.

I also searched for any signs of magic, but I couldn’t detect any ominous magical power.

…Did I really get him?

"Wo… woahhh!! Incredible!! You defeated a demon! And not just any demon, but one who maintained its sanity!!"

One of the guards shouted.

And then…

"Woaaaaaaaaah!!!"

The guards and soldiers around us started cheering loudly.

"Incredible! You really are amazing, Wolford-kun!"

"As expected from the grandson of the great sage!"

"Thank you! Truly, thank you!"

I was caught up in a crowd of guards and soldiers, listening to their praises.

"Shin-kun!"

Sicily came running through the crowd.

"Shin-kun! Are you okay!?"

"I’m fine, I’m fine!"

As Sicily started patting me all over like before, the people around us looked at me with warm, approving gazes before slowly stepping back.

Then, a knight with a dignified air and a roguish-looking wizard approached me…

And knelt.

Huh!? What!? Why are these important-looking people kneeling!?

"We’ve been remiss, Your Highness August."

When I turned around, I saw Aug.

Ah, it’s you.

"What’s this? You didn’t run away this time?"

"Yeah, it was someone I recognized, but I never would have guessed he was a demon. When I found out he was a demon… I was more surprised than I was scared."

"Even so, it’s dangerous, Your Highness. Why are you even here?"

"Oh, I was just walking through the city with some friends after leaving the academy."

"Please be more mindful of your position."

"With my two bodyguards and Shin here, it’s fine, right?"

"It’s not that simple…"

"Stop being so rigid, Dominic. Like His Highness said, he has two bodyguards, and Shin is here too. You saw, right? Just now? He defeated the demon himself!"

The roguish-looking wizard who had knelt before Aug spoke to the knight.

They look important… but who are they?

"Defeated…? I see…"

"What’s wrong? You look so down. Is it because you had to take a human life, even if it was a demon?"

"No… it’s not that…"

"Then hold your head up high. Thanks to you, we survived facing a demon. I’ll say it again, thank you, Wolford-kun."

The wizard thanked me, and the knight also bowed his head.

"I didn’t do anything special. It’s just that there were people who suffered because of him… I just wanted to take personal revenge."

"Even so, it’s undeniable that we were saved. Thank you."

"That’s right. Thank you."

"Still, you really are as strong as the rumors say. No wonder you’re Merlin-sama’s grandson."

"And your sword skills are amazing too. Just like Michelle-sama said."

"You know Michelle-sama?"

"Ah, sorry, I should’ve introduced myself first. I’m Dominic Gastor, the new commander of the knight brigade, succeeding Michelle-sama. I’ve heard a lot about you from him. You’re a boy who can use incredible magic, and you’re talented in martial arts too. He said it’s a joy to train with you. he’s very excited about your future."

"I see."

He’s Michelle-sama’s successor? I didn’t expect that. But why is Michelle-sama spreading this information around…?

"I am Luper = Orgran, the leader of the Magic Corps."

The slightly mischievous man was the head of the Magic Corps. With people like Zeke, it seems the Magic Corps is full of characters like this?

"I heard from Zeke as well. He said you're the one who uses unusual magic. That last one... what was that? A huge beam of heat came down from the sky, did you see that?"

Everyone looked at the spot where the magic had been cast.

"The heat was so intense that part of the ground became glass. Just how much heat was it?"

Everyone fell silent as they observed.

"What did you do, Walford-kun?"

"What do you mean? I just focused sunlight into a heat ray and shot it down."

"Sunlight? How did it become that powerful?"

Oh, they don't know about this, do they?

"Sunlight isn't just one kind of light, you know. Among all the types of light, I focused on the heat-emitting ones," I explained.

"...Sorry, I still don’t get it."

"Don't worry, Orgran, none of us here understand it. I heard even the Sage couldn’t understand some of the magic he does. His brain is just a bit... odd," one of the others said.

"That's a bit harsh, isn't it!?"

As we joked, I couldn’t shake off a slight sense of discomfort.

The magic I had cast was a superheated heat ray, essentially a beam of sorts. Its power had turned part of the ground into glass. There's no way someone like Strom could have survived that.

But... did a heat ray really cause that explosion?

"Anyway, this makes it the second Demon I’ve taken down. Should I get a first-class medal?"

"This is unprecedented, and since a first-class medal is the highest, there’s nothing higher we can award."

"Taking down one of those things is already a huge threat, but two? Could it be the difference in talent?"

"No, that’s not it."

"Well, either way, this will definitely give us more prestige at the upcoming awards ceremony. It's going to make even more of a splash."

"Seriously..."

Though a bit uneasy, I found my attention shifting to the upcoming awards ceremony, and I stopped thinking about what was bothering me.

◇

In an alleyway far from the guards' station, a man lay there, covered in wounds.

"Tch... ha ha... ha ha... He got me... Shin = Walford-kun, you really did it..."

It was Strom, who had been hit by Shin's superheated ray of light. The moment he was struck, he sensed that continued exposure to such magic could cause his body to disintegrate. So, in a split second, he cast an explosion spell and threw himself into the blast, using the explosion to deceive everyone and successfully escape.

He pretended as if the blast from Shin’s magic had torn him apart.

Having successfully distanced himself from the guards' station, Strom set up a magic barrier to block his magical energy from being detected. While recovering, he waited for the situation to cool down.

"I never imagined I'd be injured this badly... He's a dangerous one. I must ensure he can't interfere with my plans. I'll prepare a foolproof strategy."

Once his body had recovered, Strom deactivated the magic barrier and set up a new one to confuse anyone trying to recognize him. He then ascended into the sky.

"Heh, well, at least I’ve gathered some good data. Now, watch as my plan unfolds. Heh heh heh, ahahaha!!"

With that, Strom disappeared from the royal capital.