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As always, the week passed by busily.
Davian devoted all his time outside of classes to sword practice.
He practiced various swordsmanship techniques by wielding the sword himself, and on some days, he would just lean against the training ground wall, blankly watching the other students' swordsmanship.
He didn't forget to spar with Nubes and Bellum whenever he had the chance.
Bonita didn't show up at the training ground much after work hours, perhaps because it was a period when she was focusing more on her magic training.
One unusual thing was that Kinesis, the professor who taught telekinesis magic, called Davian to his office three times after school.
But when he called him in, he would only have brief, trivial conversations about things like Davian's future aspirations.
After about 10 minutes of talking, he would ask Davian to pick up an object from a distance, and then send him back, regardless of whether he succeeded or failed.
The third time he was called in, Davian succeeded in picking up a book on the opposite wall of the office.
But he didn't receive any praise.
For some reason, Professor Kinesis looked disappointed.
'Does he not like that I succeeded? Then why does he keep calling me in to make me do this?'
It felt like he had a more satisfied expression when Davian failed to lift the object and broke it.
Davian thought Kinesis was a very unique but bland professor.
But for some reason, he didn't feel like the time he was taking away from him, even though he was the oldest professor in the academy, was a complete waste.
Saturday.
The southern outskirts of Elton City.
"It's a shame Bonita and Latia couldn't come with us. Isn't that right, Bellum?"
Bellum replied to Luna's words.
"No, it's okay. We already have the male and female representatives of the students here. It's enough to brag to my uncle. Oh, and we have our big guy Nubes too. If you didn't know, he looks like a great swordsman, right? Hahaha."
Nubes, whose muscles had grown even larger from focusing on external force training, replied.
"I always say this, but if you're going to introduce me like that, just leave me out, Bellum."
Bellum approached Nubes and playfully hit his thick arm.
"Are you sulking? Our big guy? But you seem to have gotten even bigger."
"My muscles have grown bigger because I've been focusing on external force training. I'm still growing taller too."
"You're going to become the biggest guy on the continent at this rate."
"Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"Hahaha. Think about it yourself."
Davian, Luna, Nubes, and Bellum.
And three escorts including Mons.
The seven of them were walking towards the merchant group led by Bellum's uncle.
Only Nubes didn't bring a separate escort.
Luna asked.
"Hey, Nubes. Did you send your escort back after entering the academy?"
"No, I came alone."
"Alone? All the way here without an escort?"
"We don't have many servants at home. My parents lent the land to the servants who were there and let them go."
"Really? I've heard that some families are like that. Then who does the housework?"
"There are some servants who stayed until the end, but we don't have the luxury of taking one out just because I'm entering the academy."
"I see. Nubes' parents must be good people."
"Everyone in our territory likes our parents."
"That's great, but... I can't imagine not having servants at home."
"I said there are a few."
As they left the city border, a wide field appeared.
In the distance, they could see a fairly large merchant group staying.
Yellow flags were hung on tents and carriages everywhere.
Bellum stretched out his hand and pointed to the merchant group.
"There it is. The yellow flag has our family's crest on it."
"The scale of the merchant group is bigger than I thought."
"Well, it's the second or third largest merchant group on the continent."
"I didn't know you were the daughter of such a great family."
Luna, who was listening to Bellum and Davian's conversation, was startled.
"You don't know? The Amandria Merchant Group? Davian, you seem to know a lot, but you also seem to know nothing. It's amazing."
It was only natural.
It had already been over ten years since he was possessed here, but he had spent most of his time inside the academy.
He knew what was going to happen in the future, but he was bound to be more ignorant of the world than others.
Nubes, who also knew the merchant group, chimed in from the side.
"It's the only large merchant group run by a noble family, the Amandria Merchant Group."
A man on horseback rode towards them from the merchant group, as if he had noticed Davian's group.
A face that resembled Bellum, but with stronger lines.
A large build.
A large two-handed longsword at his waist.
Just by looking at the way he was riding, you could tell he was a properly trained swordsman.
"Uncle!"
"Bellum! How have you been?"
"I'm fine, Uncle."
"Are these the friends you said you would introduce me to?"
"Yes! They're my best friends. This is the male representative, Davian Naone. This is the female representative, Luna Fueri. This is Nubes Arbo from the same swordsmanship department as me."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Wilson Amandria. Bellum's uncle. The male and female representatives, you have really great friends. And the friend named Nubes looks reliable just by looking at him."
"Nubes is the biggest freshman, Uncle."
"Yes, hahaha. Let's go. I prepared a wild boar barbecue because you guys were coming."
After exchanging greetings, Wilson Amandria and Davian's group headed towards the merchant group's camp.
As Wilson said, a large wild boar was being roasted whole in the center of the merchant group.
A fire lit with fire attribute magic was burning under the boar skewered on a long tree.
A fairly stable flame.
Davian, who noticed the magic flame, opened his mouth.
"It seems like there's a magician in the merchant group."
Bellum replied.
"Of course. We're carrying expensive goods and traveling long distances, so you never know what might happen."
"The flame is too stable."
"What does that mean? I don't know much about magic..."
"It means there's a magician who's too skilled. Excessively so."
Bellum slapped Davian on the back.
"Hahaha. I thought you were going to say something else. Davian, are you looking down on our merchant group right now? Our Amandria Merchant Group uses magicians from the Magic Tower as escorts. And only those with confirmed identities. And it's not just magicians. What about the swordsmen? Most of them are from the knight order from the capital."
Listening to Bellum's story, Davian looked around and saw people exuding a strong aura stationed everywhere.
From swordsmen wearing full-body steel armor to people wearing clothes that anyone could tell were magicians.
'I have to find the spy among these people.'
Davian looked around carefully.
But he still had no way of identifying the spy.
"Wilson, how many people are there in the merchant group in total?"
"Oh, you seem to be very interested in the merchant group. Davian, was it?"
"Yes."
"There are a total of 50 people in this merchant group."
"50 people? That's more than I thought."
"Haha. It's not too big and not too small, just the right size."
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Wilson."
There were about twenty people visible.
'They must have set up guards too. The merchant group is large, so the people must be scattered here and there.'
A lavish dinner began, so grand that it was hard to believe it had been prepared outdoors.
The merchant group's exclusive chef sliced the meat of the whole-roasted pig from the outside, making it easy to eat.
It didn't smell like pork at all, as it had been roasted with plenty of expensive spices.
In addition, the various salads and fruits were as fresh as if they had just been picked.
All thanks to the ice attribute magic of the accompanying magician.
"Uncle! Tell me about the world. I've only been in school for a month, but I'm already bored to death."
"Haha, Bellum. You, who didn't even stay home for half the time, went to the academy, so I guess that's understandable."
"I know, right? Ugh. How am I supposed to go for seven years like this?"
"There are vacations, and you have such good friends. So, what kind of story should I tell you? Ah! This might not be an interesting story, but about the Marino Empire of the Manum Continent..."
"What about the Marino Empire?"
"It seems that their imperialism will spread beyond the Manum Continent."
"What? Even after devouring that big continent?"
"Yes. There are rumors that they are pouring huge research funds into building large-scale warships."
Luna asked in surprise.
"What? Then, will we go to war with them?"
"Hahaha. Don't worry, Luna. Even if the other countries on the continent don't, if they want to touch our Alcancia Kingdom, they'll have to bring their entire military force over here."
"Ah... that's a relief."
"No matter how much they've grown their body like a whale, they can't dare to touch our Alcancia."
This time Davian asked.
"Is the size of the Marino Empire that big?"
"Of course. The Manum Continent is much larger than the Pax Continent where our Alcancia is located. All the countries on that Manum Continent are now vassals of the Marino Empire. The reason why they keep making vassals without unifying them into one country like us is because the Manum Continent is too big."
"But they still can't invade our Alcancia?"
"Of course not. To do so, they would have to be prepared to give up everything they have achieved so far."
Wilson had already said three times that the Marino Empire couldn't touch Alcancia.
But he never said that Alcancia would win.
"...It seems difficult for us to win?"
"What?"
"If there's a war, I mean. The Marino Empire would be stronger, right?"
Wilson stared at Davian silently.
"...Both sides would suffer irreparable wounds."
Davian also did not avoid Wilson's gaze.
'He's saying Alcancia will lose.'
The last of his 3rd life, where he was stabbed to death by a demon's dagger, was the first semester of 6th grade.
If he were to clear the demon invasion quest, which was the last of his 3rd life, there would be about a year and a half left until graduation from the academy.
'I hope there won't be any wars or anything like that in the meantime.'
Davian's goal is only to graduate from the academy.
But without him even knowing it, the world he was looking at was getting wider compared to his previous lives.
'That's that. Anyway, let's start with the event in front of me.'
"Mons."
"Yes, young master."
"Are you done eating?"
"I finished eating a while ago."
"Then let's go for a walk. I'm feeling a bit full."
As they moved away from the center of the merchant group, Mons asked.
"Is something wrong? Young master."
"Is it obvious?"
"Of course. Even if others don't, I know. You kept looking around."
"There's a spy here."
"A spy?"
"Yeah. The northern ice region spy case was caught recently. I'm going to try to find the spy hiding here too."
"Is it a spy sent from the same place?"
"I don't know either."
And so Davian and Mons went around the outskirts of the merchant group's camp.
Just as they were about to return without any gain.
Mons grabbed Davian and hid behind a tree.
"Young master. Over there."
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