Income [3]

Chapter 14

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Episode 4 - Income [3]

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"Ugh…"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be on land soon, just hold on a little longer, yeah, sis."

"D-don't talk… you embarrass me, idiot. You're not my brother, you're a monster."

I laughed as I gently patted Ashly on the back, who could barely stand up.

"Calm down, just think of pretty things. Flowers, little birds, a world without boats…"

"If you keep talking I swear I'll throw you in the water."

"Huh? How aggressive, could it be that the dizziness made you forget that you can't swim?"

Ashly looked at me with a murderous expression.

"Shut up."

Her threat would have been more effective if she wasn't pale as a ghost and staggering like a drunk.

After a while, she finally stopped vomiting.

"Look, the boat rocked… oops, watch your stomach!"

"....."

Ashly subtly moved her foot, trying to trip me, but at that very moment…

Flap!

The ship shook even harder.

"Ugh…"

My dear sister ran off to vomit again.

"Divine punishment?"

I muttered with a mocking smile.

As I walked across the deck, I came across Juliana and Alexis.

They were both standing, staring at the horizon.

Beyond where we could see, the water was darkening in an eerie way.

"Legend has it that the Black Dragon lives in these waters."

"What are you saying? It's just a story."

"No, really. That's why the waters in that area are black."

Juliana and Alexis debated, but my thoughts were going in another direction.

'A legend, huh?'

The Black Dragon of Ragnarök…

One of the Seven Evils of the Great Evil Antares' army.

Melancholy and the Black Dragon conquered large human territories.

The former troubled the home of the fairies.

The latter, the oceans, turning them into a prison for humanity.

Beyond the empires, at the edge of the known world, were the Abyss Lands.

A place without life.

And the Black Dragon of Ragnarök ruled the oceans.

"What memories…"

So.

Alexis murmured wistfully.

"And what do you think, Lucius?"

I glanced at them briefly.

They both waited for my answer, ready for another discussion.

"It's just a legend."

Alexis sighed in disappointment.

"I thought you were on my side…"

"That's because the Black Dragon is just a story."

Juliana smirked at my answer.

"Fine, you win. I give up, Miss 'believe everything'."

"Hey, that's an insult. Insulting a noble is a crime."

Alexis laughed.

"Ho, ho, we're not in your empire's territory. We're in the Hero Sanctuary."

"Ugh…"

Juliana crossed her arms, unable to refute.

The silence didn't last long.

But…

"Ugh..."

A pitiful moan was heard behind me.

"Ugh… I don't want any more… I want to go down right now…"

"..."

I went blank as I saw Ashly crawling around as if she had been drinking alcohol all night.

Alexis looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Is that thing really a Sephir?"

"I used to believe it, but after seeing it like this… I have my doubts."

"I hear everything, you bastards…" Ashly stammered weakly.

Juliana approached curiously.

"Does a ship really affect you that much?"

"Yes… I want solid ground… I want to hug the ground…"

Juliana put a hand on her chin, thoughtful.

"What if there's another mission at sea? Are you going to survive?"

Ashly trembled as if she had heard her death sentence.

"No… not that… I'd rather fight a dragon…"

"So she'd rather die incinerated than go back to a ship."

"Shut up now…"

I laughed mercilessly.

"A Sephir vomiting on a ship… Zzz, how disappointing."

"..."

Alexis looked at me with an expression somewhere between surprised and amused, but Ashly didn't even react.

"Shut up, you bastard…"

She covered her face with her hands, as if she wanted to disappear from the world.

Okay, I think that's enough for now.

"Anyway, we're here."

***

Andrius looked at the first-year students and announced:

"I will be teaching the first-year knight studies class."

The cavalry students were bewildered.

"Some of you, knights, will be in my class."

Andrius laughed at their reactions, especially Lucius's.

"For those of you who aspire high, I can assure you that my class is where you want to be."

"Yes, sir!"

"Got it, Professor Andrius!"

The cavalry students responded enthusiastically.

Seeing their reaction, Andrius seemed pleased.

"As for the rest of you, make sure to listen to your respective teachers."

With that, he left his position to a professor.

"I am Ardiene Babette, professor of summoning for first-year students."

With a warm smile, she introduced herself while adjusting her glasses.

"Ardiene Babette? I don't recognize that name".

Ashly frowned.

Despite being an instructor at the Sanctuary of Heroes, Ardiene's name was unfamiliar to her.

"Ardiene Babette is famous in the central region."

Alexis explained the details to Ashly.

"What's her specialty?"

"Something related to spirits, I believe."

"Spirits?"

Ashly's surprise was evident.

Summoning comprised two main areas:

Contractual summoning, to form contracts with spirits.

And soul summoning, to summon a soul.

"It's a rare ability, even among elites."

Soul summoning was a natural talent, one that only Liam and Sophia had mastered.

"Shall we go to the entrance ceremony?"

Ardiene asked with a gentle smile.

But the students had concerns.

"Professor, is there a place where we can change?"

"I can't attend the ceremony looking like this!"

The normally obedient students were now voicing their discontent.

They were all of aristocratic origin.

While Andrius, with his reputation as the Knight of the Winter Domain, commanded respect, Ardiene, however, faced immediate rejection.

"W-well, we have a schedule to follow…"

They talked about her.

"My family would never allow me to take such a risk!"

"We must make a strong first impression at the Sanctuary of Heroes! This is unacceptable!"

And other students complained even more harshly.

"I will file a formal complaint through my family!"

"Calm down."

Ardiene, with her kind demeanor, couldn't intervene and could only shrink back at the students' protests.

The students, excited by her arrival, became even more vocal.

"I think I should intervene."

Lucius smiled while Ashly frowned.

"I don't think that's necessary."

"Why not?"

Lucius was confused.

Then...

"You brats! How dare you speak to a professor like that? Who do you think you are? How dare first-year students challenge a professor like this!"

Words filled with fury came from Ardiene's mouth as she lifted her head.

The calm atmosphere from moments ago was replaced by an intense aura.

The students, who had just been raising their voices, were left bewildered.

A panicked student hurriedly shouted.

"You may be a professor, but I won't tolerate such disrespect..."

It was a challenge, and Ardiene didn't tolerate it.

"Come here. Can't you read the situation?"

The students gasped in shock and fear.

"W-What's happening?"

"Why is she doing that? She's crazy."

"Someone, do something!"

Ardiene grabbed the student by the neck with a terrifying smile.

The student was bigger than the others, but Ardiene showed no signs of struggling as she lifted him into the air.

Instead, a golden energy emanated from her.

"Wait… that's… Aura."

"Is she dual-classed?"

Fear took hold of the students.

The student in Ardiene's grasp turned pale.

Ardiene threw the student into the lake.

"H-Help..."

The student floundered in the water.

Then Ardiene turned to the crowd of students.

"If anyone dares to challenge me again, I swear I won't let it."

Even before Ardiene finished speaking, her demeanor changed.

She sighed.

"You'll be in serious trouble!"

This time, she sighed and waved gently, adopting a warmer attitude.

Something that left many both confused and terrified.

Then, she exhaled a golden aura once more.

Ardiene rescued the drowning student.

He floated from the water back onto the boat.

The students watched in awe.

A summoning professor… who uses Aura-infused magic!

"Just as I suspected."

Ashly turned.

"You knew about her abilities?"

Surprised, Ashly heard Lucius's murmur and asked hurriedly.

"It's the influence of the spirit. The soul she summons alters her personality."

Lucius said, and Ashly's eyes widened.

"Soul summoning? I've only heard about it in legends!"

Ashly burst into admiration at this rare ability among summoners.

Professor Andrius's earlier advice to listen carefully now made sense.

"I truly apologize! The spirits I've contracted have bad tempers!"

Embarrassed, Ardiene returned to her usual self and apologized, though the students remained unmoved.

They quickly realized that, despite Ardiene's lack of reputation, they were no match for her.

Meanwhile, Ardiene, with a broad smile, exclaimed.

"Anyway, everyone! Let's go to the entrance ceremony!"

"Yes, sir..."

The students responded weakly, exchanging uncertain glances.

After what had been demonstrated...

No one said anything this time, and instead, they feared Ardiene.

"Ha, how interesting."

On the other hand, Lucius smiled at Ardiene's demonstration and personality shift.

Of course, he knew why.