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Davian's eyes shone sharply as he looked at the autobiography and map.
'The quality of information is different from the 3rd playthrough.'
The event on the notification window was the same as back then.
Collecting all 12 traces to acquire a hidden item.
But the quality of information obtained then and now was vastly different.
'You have no idea how many months I spent every weekend trying to find one trace back then. I even gave up my entire vacation. Even then, I couldn't find half of them after a whole year.'
But this time it's different.
If the map and autobiography shown by the head of the Shillems Magic Department are accurate, he will be able to find the relics without wasting time and discover the artifacts right away.
Moreover, he's already found a few of the relics before.
'Maybe I can get my hands on a five-star rarity item sooner than I thought?'
While Davian was examining the map and autobiography, the head of the Shillems Magic Department disappeared somewhere and returned with a crystal ball that emitted a strange light.
The large crystal ball, which had to be held with both hands, had a green tint.
"Put both your hands on it, Davian Nohn."
"What is this?"
"The crystal ball of truth and lies."
"Why did you suddenly bring this out?"
"If you put both hands on this crystal ball and lie, the light of the crystal ball will turn red. There is something I must verify before I hand over the path to finding the legacy of the Archmage to you."
At that moment, goosebumps spread across Davian's neck.
He felt all the hairs on his body stand on end.
'This old man is...'
Davian took his eyes off the crystal ball and looked into Professor Shillems' eyes.
Those endlessly deep eyes nestled between the old, wrinkled lines.
Pupils that were looking at him calmly without any agitation.
"I don't know what kind of test this is, but it would have been simpler if you had done this first and then told me about the Archmage's legacy or relic."
"It could have been."
"But you went out of your way to tell me everything first. And you're only telling me now that there's something you need to verify, after bringing me down to this secret study located deep within..."
"...You're quick on the uptake, Davian Nohn."
Saaa.
The surrounding air sank heavily.
The feeling that this study space itself was dominated by the head of the Shillems Magic Department.
'Shit. I'm going to die here if I screw up.'
The instinctive fear of death engulfed Davian's entire body.
Even if he had been accumulating mana throughout his four playthroughs, even if he had double-majored, even if he had learned swordsmanship for a few months.
He could never stand up to the old man in front of him.
The spiritual pillar of all the magicians of the Arcancia Kingdom.
One of only two 9-star mages on the continent.
A living legend.
Shillems Andrian.
He is now exuding killing intent towards Davian.
'If I die like this, wouldn't it be too absurd?'
He didn't know why the crazy old man was suddenly acting like this.
The important thing is that he has to find a way to get out of this situation.
"Did you lure me all the way here to kill me?"
"That's not it."
"That's what it looks like to me, though."
"You know better than anyone that there's no need to lure you all the way here just to kill you."
That's true.
"Then why are you doing this now?"
"I told you, there's something I need to verify with you. I just need to check whether you are the seed of a hero worth making stronger, or the seed of evil that must be cut off before it grows bigger."
"If I'm the seed of a hero, you'll help me grow further by finding that Archmage's trace, and if I'm the seed of evil, you'll kill me here before I get stronger, is that what you're saying?"
"That's right."
'This crazy old man. You think I'm going to die here in vain?'
Davian called out to Glacie in his mind.
It was uncertain whether the current Glacie could stand up to the head of the Shillems Magic Department, but she would be able to buy him some time anyway.
'What? Why isn't she coming out? She said she'd appear when I need her. If not now, when will she appear?'
It was then.
"Davian!"
A familiar voice.
A small spirit wearing blue clothes appeared next to Davian's face.
An ice spirit hovering in the air, flapping its small wings and scattering snowflakes around its body.
"Glacie, you've come."
As soon as she appeared, Glacie, sensing the unusual atmosphere and energy, turned to look at Professor Shillems.
"What? Why is that old human acting like that? He looks like he's going to kill you right now?"
"Yeah. He says he's going to test me on something, and if he doesn't like the result, he might try to kill me."
The ice spirit Glacie looked straight at the head of the Shillems Magic Department.
A cold voice, completely different from when she treated Davian, flowed out.
"Hey, you. Old human. I don't know what you're trying to do, but if you touch Davian, you'll die by my hand."
Shillems also calmly looked back at Glacie.
"Lady Glacie. This is something that Lady Glacie is also involved in. This boy whom Lady Glacie has chosen. He has tremendous potential. Perhaps the greatest potential in the history of the continent. That is why I must verify something with this boy."
Professor Shillems did not back down at all, despite Glacie's warning.
"So, if Lady Glacie is going to interfere, I might have to dare to engage in battle with Lady Glacie today."
"What? This presumptuous old human!"
A dense chill rushed out from Glacie's body.
A chill that seemed as if it would freeze the entire space.
But Professor Shillems continued to speak without regard.
Rather, it was Davian who was dying from the chill that Glacie was emitting.
"Although I respect Lady Glacie, I know that I can still handle Lady Glacie in her current state. Of course, I would have to give up this old man's life to do so."
Glacie turned to look at Davian.
"Davian, can I just kill him right now? I don't care if he's a threat to you or not anymore."
While Davian was hesitating, Professor Shillems opened his mouth.
"It's just a test. This boy whom Lady Glacie has chosen. I too would like to contribute greatly to this boy's power. But I must verify something beforehand."
Davian felt as if his body would be crushed and killed between Shillems' energy and Glacie's chill.
'They're both amazing, really.'
Davian opened his mouth with difficulty.
It was difficult to even move his lips without using the accumulated power.
"So, what exactly is that verification?"
"It's simple. Whether he is someone who will be swallowed by evil, or someone who will harm good people for his own benefit. And whether he is someone who will betray our homeland of Arcancia. I just need to verify these three things."
Professor Shillems, who had been looking at Davian, turned his gaze to Glacie.
"Lady Glacie. Wouldn't Lady Glacie also like to verify? Whether this boy whom you have directly chosen is a righteous person like King Erium Arcancia, the first king."
"...What, that's what it was? Tell me that sooner, old human."
The chill that Glacie had been emitting gradually disappeared.
"You're saying that Davian, whom I chose, might not be a righteous person? And you're saying you're going to test that?"
"Yes, that's right."
"There's no way my eyes could be wrong, right? Old human."
"Humans are not perfect beings like spirits, are they? So please understand that this old man has some nagging worries and wants to verify a few things with Davian."
Glacie looked at Davian.
"Davian, what do you think?"
Even if he ran away while Glacie bought time, he would not be able to graduate from Elton Academy normally with the head of the Shillems Magic Department as an enemy.
'I should take that question or whatever it is for now. It's not too late to fight or run away after that.'
"Alright. I will agree to the test."
Hwaa.
The surroundings seemed to brighten for a moment, and then the small Glacie, who had been floating in the air, transformed into a human size.
Tap, tap.
Glacie slowly approached Professor Shillems.
She spoke in a low, cold voice into his ear.
"But you know, I'm only allowing the test. No matter what the results of the human test are, the fact that I chose Davian will not change. Do you understand what that means?"
"I too only hope that a fight with Lady Glacie will not occur. The same goes for killing this boy. He is one of my most cherished disciples, after all."
"You better hope the test results come out the way you want them to. Or else you'll die by my hand. Old human. I'm not interested in the standards of good and evil that you humans have set."
Glacie slowly walked back and stood next to Davian.
"Don't worry and do it, Davian. If that old man tries to harm you, I won't let him off the hook first."
What would happen if Glacie and Shillems fought here?
Half of Elton Academy would be destroyed.
No, would it disappear altogether?
Then what about graduation?
While having these strange thoughts, Davian put both hands on the crystal ball.
"Alright. Now you just have to answer three questions honestly. First, can you swear that you will not be swallowed by evil under any circumstances?"
There was no need to hesitate.
If he answered 'no', Shillems would try to kill Davian regardless of the color change of the crystal ball.
So he should say 'yes' for now.
If the color of the crystal ball changes, he'll leave the aftermath to Glacie.
"Yes."
The two people and one spirit watched the crystal ball with a bit of tension.
A situation where some tremendous event might occur depending on the color of the crystal ball.
"..."
Fortunately, the color of the crystal ball did not change.
"Second, can you swear that you will not harm good people for your own private gain?"
"Yes."
This time too, the color of the crystal ball did not change.
Perhaps it was only natural.
Davian had no intention of becoming a villain, nor of taking private gain.
Davian's goal was simply to graduate from the academy.
"Third, can you swear that you will devote your loyalty to your homeland of Arcancia under any circumstances?"
This time, even Davian found it difficult to answer right away.
'Homeland of Arcancia...'
To Davian, this Arcancia Kingdom was nothing more or less than a game background.
He opened his eyes to find himself in a carriage, and that place was Elton City of the Arcancia Kingdom.
"...At least I won't betray Arcancia."
He had no intention of devoting his loyalty.
But since he had never served in the first place, there was nothing to betray.
In a way, it was a shallow, cunning answer.
For now, the crystal ball seemed to have accepted it, as only a faint green light flowed out.
'The crystal ball passed, but will this answer be accepted by Professor Shillems too...?'
After a while.
A hearty burst of laughter erupted from Professor Shillems' mouth.
"Hahaha. Good. Good. Very good. Davian Nohn. You are indeed a boy with the makings of a hero who will save Arcancia from this crisis."
Davian, who was expecting this shallow trick to fail and was nervous about what to say next, looked at Professor Shillems with a bewildered expression.
Shillems Andrian was still laughing heartily.
"All citizens of Arcancia swear loyalty to the kingdom before they turn 10. That current determination not to betray that oath is enough. Hahaha."
'That's what it was?'
Davian had possessed two months before the current point in time, so he had never taken such an oath.
'Anyway, that's good.'
Fortunately, the battle between Glacie and Shillems did not occur.
Instead, Glacie pointed a stiff finger at Professor Shillems' face and warned him.
"You better watch yourself from now on. Old human."
Professor Shillems bowed deeply and said.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Lady Glacie. Please consider it merely the insignificant nagging worries of an old man and forgive me generously."
"Well, I don't really want to get involved in human affairs either, so I'll just let it go this time. But you. If you ever exude that kind of energy towards Davian again, I'll come right away and put holes in your neck and heart, you hear?"
"That will never happen again. Lady Glacie."
Davian, while thinking strange things like how half of Elton Academy would be blown away if Glacie and Shillems fought here - no, would it disappear altogether? - then what about graduation?, put his hands on the crystal ball.
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