-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Libre looked around and raised a forefinger to his lips.
"Shh! Don't make a loud noise, Davian. Isn't it amazing? I told you I was right. The twelve traces of the Archmage actually existed! The order is important. That's why no one has been able to find them properly. I've already found three by doing as I told you! In our family's expedition team."
Libre's face was beaming with pride.
Davian couldn't hide his embarrassment.
Professor Sirims said they were planning to leave to find them in earnest during the summer vacation next month.
In his 3rd playthrough, he only found out about this hidden item when he was a 5th grader.
He started exploring then, and there were no competitors until the end of his 3rd playthrough.
'This playthrough is different.'
Davian looked at Libre, who was very excited.
'It's because of that guy.'
A person who shouldn't be here right now if things were normal.
Libre Specula.
A person who had been killed by the Gray Witch in the Northern Ice Zone and had never appeared near Davian until the 3rd playthrough.
According to Sirims, the head of the Department of Magic, his brain is a natural, unrivaled genius.
He is second to none when it comes to information gathering and analysis.
The youngest of the Specula family, which owns the best intelligence agency on the continent.
'I should have just let him die.'
There's no use regretting it now.
And even if he went back to that time, he would make the same choice.
How many rewards did he get from finding and defeating the Gray Witch himself?
'Should I kill him now?'
That won't work either.
The Specula family's exploration is already underway according to the order Libre gave them.
Even if Libre disappears now, nothing will change.
Libre was still excitedly chattering away, unaware that his life was hanging in the balance depending on Davian's decision.
Suddenly, Professor Sirims' words about Libre came to mind.
'...He'll have to start thinking about his position in the family soon.'
The youngest of the Specula family.
His position in the family.
"Hey, Libre."
"Yeah?"
"You said you wanted to do a joint project with me, right?"
"A joint project? Ah! You mean us working together to catch all the spies?"
"Yeah, that."
"I did. Why? Did another spy show up?"
"Not spies."
If Davian can't form an alliance with Libre here, he'll have to turn the Specula family and Libre into enemies.
Libre doesn't matter much, but turning the Specula family into enemies is a dangerous choice.
However, he can't give up on the five-star hidden item as it is.
"It's about that. The 12 traces of the Archmage."
"Yeah?"
"Who's leading that expedition?"
"My brother."
"Which brother, idiot."
Libre has three brothers and one sister.
"It was my second brother at first, but after finding the third trace, it changed to my first brother."
"Why would it change?"
"Huh? Because my first brother is better..."
"No. Because it's important. Because it's such an important expedition that the eldest son has to step in."
"...Well, that's true too."
"You're the one who found this out alone, Libre."
"......"
Libre knew what Davian was talking about.
He may seem naive on the outside, but he's a genius information analyst.
He collects and analyzes information from all over the continent, so there's no way he wouldn't know what's going on in his own family.
"Isn't it? No one was interested. Everyone even ignored you. But you were the only one who dug into it until the end. The twelve traces of the Archmage."
"...I found out. Why this isn't just a legend. But why no one has been able to find it until now. What you have to do to find it. What the order of the 12 traces is. I found it all out..."
Libre's expression, which had been excited just a moment ago, quickly turned gloomy.
He was even muttering to himself now.
"I... I found it all out..."
Davian looked at Libre.
It's the same for everyone.
The genius magic girl of the duke's family, Latia.
Bonita, the immovable first place in the Department of Swordsmanship.
Libre, the genius information analyst.
They're all just seventeen-year-old academy freshmen.
"Libre."
"Huh?"
Libre, who had been bowing his head and muttering to himself, looked up at Davian.
"It's your accomplishment. You're the only one who solved something that no one has been able to solve for six hundred years. Are you going to let your older brother take it from you like this?"
"But..."
"Let's find it ourselves."
"What?"
"Those 12 traces or whatever. Let's find them first."
Libre's head dropped again.
"...It's not like I haven't thought about it. But it's no use. It's too late now. You have to find the traces in order. The trace in front is the key to the next trace."
"We can just secretly steal the traces we've collected so far. Well, if that doesn't work, we can just take them by force. After all, your older brother took your accomplishment in the first place."
Libre raised his head again and blinked at Davian.
"Let's find them. The 12 traces. And let's get that reward that no one has been able to get yet."
"...Davian."
Davian's confident eyes came into Libre's sight.
'Davian. If it's Davian...'
Libre turned his head and looked at his friends, who were quietly listening to their conversation.
'And if Latia and Bonita are with us...'
Libre's head spun quickly.
'It's not impossible!'
If these friends are with him, he might be able to go on a quest to find the twelve traces of the Archmage himself.
'...After all, I'm the one who found out about it in the first place! If it wasn't for me, my older brother would still be subjugating monsters!'
A spark of hope began to ignite.
Perhaps an achievement that will go down in history.
Then his position in the family might change.
He remembered the past, when he had lived without any presence, always looking at the heels of his older brothers and sisters, let alone competing for the succession.
'I'm also a direct descendant of the Specula family. I can't just keep looking at my older brothers' and sisters' heels forever.'
But one question arose.
"Davian."
"Why?"
"But why? Why are you going so far to help me? We're friends, but..."
Accurate point.
They're friends, but they're definitely not close enough to take such a risk for Libre.
Just for fun?
Libre knows very well that academy life alone is too hectic for that.
Davian answered without hesitation.
"The final reward that you can get after finding all twelve traces. That reward that makes you like Fabien Hendrix, the Archmage. I'll take that."
Libre chuckled.
That's what I thought.
'So you had ulterior motives, Davian.'
But.
That's why it was a more satisfying answer.
"Davian."
"Why."
"I would have been disappointed in you if you had said something like, 'Because we're friends.' Even though your ulterior motives are so obvious."
"So, you don't like it?"
"No! I love it! I'm so satisfied! Your honest answer! Your dark intentions! I like them all! Okay, you can have it, Davian. Whatever the reward is, you can have it all. I don't need it. I just need to prove that my analysis was correct. With my own hands, not my older brother's."
This time, Latia asked.
"Davian. Do you really think there's something like that? Let's say there are twelve traces, like Libre said. Well, he said he's already found three of them. But if you find them all, you can become an Archmage? Do you believe such a ridiculous legend?"
Libre answered instead.
"Huh? Latia. Have you forgotten? Who are you stacking magic power twice as fast thanks to?"
Davian looked at Latia.
"What do we have to lose?"
"Lose? How much time will be taken away, and how many dangerous things will happen in the meantime?"
"That's all a stepping stone for growth."
"I knew it."
Latia nods.
"A stepping stone for growth, my ass. It's the same as when we went to find that Stone of Enlightenment. Davian, you have a hunch, right? That you're sure Libre is right."
"Well... you could say that."
Davian thought about the event rewards.
'How can I give up on a five-star hidden item as a reward?'
"Then I'll go too."
Libre was surprised and asked back.
"Latia, you too?"
"Yeah. Seeing this weirdo stepping up like this, there must be something. Listening to you two talk, it's clear that Davian is seducing you, Libre."
Davian said firmly.
"Latia. I don't mind you coming along, but I made it clear. The final reward is mine."
"Let's just go first. Maybe that reward isn't just for one person?"
This time, Bonita joined in.
"That's right. I felt it too. Davian is openly seducing Libre right now."
Libre's face lit up.
"I don't care that Davian is seducing me. In fact, an aimless journey is more dangerous. So Bonita, you're coming with us too, right? You said we'd always go together if we were going to find something."
"Yeah. I'm going too. It's a bit unsettling that the legendary reward is about becoming an Archmage. Who knows? Maybe there's something that will help with swordsmanship too."
Bellum started to step up too.
"What? Latia and Bonita too? This is going to be so much fun! Okay! I'm going too!"
Libre tilted his head.
"Bellum, you don't really have to go..."
"Shut up! Libre."
"Okay."
Nubes and Luna also readily promised to accompany them.
Thus, the seven-member expedition team was formed.
Libre put his hands together and looked back at his friends.
"Awesome. So awesome. Thank you, everyone. The day has finally come for me to prove my theory with my own hands! The family won't treat me like a child anymore."
Bellum fussed.
"Hey, with this many people, shouldn't we decide on a name for the expedition team too? An expedition to find the twelve traces of the Archmage. Isn't that cool? What should we name the expedition team?"
While everyone was thinking of plausible expedition team names.
Libre opened his mouth.
"Libre Expedition Team?"
"Crazy. Are you the leader of the expedition?"
"That's not it, but... I'm the one who found out about it!"
"Never mind, let's go with something other than a name."
"Hmm..."
Latia said quietly.
"Gray Bear Expedition Team?"
"Gray Bear?"
Latia tapped the mark on her left chest.
"The freshman symbol is a gray bear. This is an expedition team made by freshmen. If our expedition produces truly meaningful results, people will know just by the name of this expedition team. They'll know that we've accomplished something like this even though we're only freshmen."
"Oh? That's not bad?"
"I agree too."
"Yeah! Who at Elton Academy would form an expedition team and go on an adventure as freshmen? Everyone else is too busy keeping up with classes."
Nubes smiled brightly.
"I'm always in favor of Latia's opinion."
Bellum poked Nubes' arm with his finger and rubbed it.
"Oh, what's this? Are you now openly revealing your intentions towards Latia, Bulk?"
"No... I mean. It's just that Latia has a clear-cut personality no matter what she does."
"Not because she's pretty?"
"No, that's not it! ...She's pretty, though."
"Is Latia the only one who's clear-cut? What about everyone else? Huh? We're all elites since we've been admitted here. I was famous for being so clear-cut in my hometown."
"You have a breakable personality."
Bellum jumped up and put him in a headlock.
"What? You big muscular oaf!"
"It hurts!"
"Stop faking! Bulk! Look at your size! How could this hurt!"
"Ow! Stop it! It hurts!"
Comments
Post a Comment