I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game - Chapter 22:

Phillip resisted with all his might.

If he were to remain trapped on this secluded island, it would undoubtedly spell his doom, just as the dragon had warned.

The thought of how long it might take to master the Moonlight Sword was beyond his imagination.

“Please, just hear me out! It will only take a moment!”

Dragon Privia narrowed her eyes.

“You think you can persuade me?”

“I’m not trying to persuade you, I’m trying to make you understand. This situation is not beneficial for either of us. Can you spare a moment to listen to my story?”

“… You’re an odd one.”

The sight of him fearing a mere few years of isolation rather than fighting an unbeatable enemy touched Privia’s heart.

After releasing her spell, she gently placed Phillip back on the ground.

“I’ll grant you just one sentence. If you can’t sway me with that, there will be no more opportunities.”

Phillip’s mind raced at this momentous decision.

‘Why is all of this happening?’

He was relieved to be alive, but this turn of events was entirely unforeseen. Had he known that mastering the “Moonlight Sword” would draw the dragon’s attention, Phillip might have chosen to abandon the idea without hesitation.

‘I need to provide her with some information. Even if I disclose something, it should be strategic and prevent the dragon from imprisoning me.’

Countless thoughts flickered through his mind, but no definite answer emerged.

‘I have no choice.’

Phillip came to a realization – he couldn’t completely avoid the risk.

With his resolve in place, he cautiously spoke.

“First, I have one question. Can you detect when someone is lying?”

“Will a dragon be deceived by a human? You’re asking something unnecessary.”

Philip arched his neck before speaking.

“Let me simplify it for you. Without me, you die, and the world falls into chaos.”

Privia scoffed. “You think you can lie in front of me… really?”

Surprised, she observed Philip. Although he was facing a dragon, he remained surprisingly calm, not displaying any hostility.

For dragons, beings with higher intelligence, detecting human lies was a piece of cake. They could read not only the physiological responses but also sense the essence of one’s soul. Privia concluded that Philip was telling the truth.

His eyes showed anything but warmth.

There was no trace of awe or fear; only annoyance, irritation, and a hint of pity were visible.

‘Pity? You dare to pity me? How dare a human!’

It almost felt as if he truly knew Privia’s future. She gave up on trying to provoke Philip and fell into deep thought.

Dragons, as long as they didn’t attempt deceit, were the most articulate creatures in the world.

They possessed keen intellect and sharp reasoning, and except for being hostile towards demons, they were generally not aggressive towards other intelligent beings. In the original work, they were treated just like ordinary NPCs with whom no interaction was possible, and they only had pre-set lines.

Unless someone intruded upon their lair or attacked them first, they had no intentions of doing anything else.

‘But how could I be involved like this after mastering the Moonlight Sword?’

It was truly an unimaginable connection.

Philip suddenly felt overwhelmed with everything.

Less than a year had passed, and already all sorts of variables were popping up to torment him.

Soon, irritation and anger surged within him.

“Let me ask you just one thing. You mentioned that I will die, but how will it happen?”

Privia’s question left Phillip sighing in response, and he fell deep in thought.

“The world is coming to an end, and you expect me to live as if everything is fine? Well, you’ll die somehow. Actually, there’s no evidence. I don’t even have the confidence to convince you. I’d rather you just leave me alone. So, what are you going to do now?”

“….”

Privia, often referred to as the Dragon Sage, was a being who had accumulated millennia of profound insights. Although limited in accessing her full wisdom while inhabiting a human body, anyone observing Phillip now would likely come to a similar conclusion.

‘He’s insane.’

Privia could sense an eerie madness in Phillip’s eyes, making him unpredictable and potentially even more dangerous than any lunatic she had encountered before.

In the distant past, she had encountered eyes like that.

‘In the past, the great swordsmen all had eyes like his. He’s no exception.’

“Do as you wish.”

After considering it, Privia decided to ease off. There was no need to instill more wariness or hostility in the inheritor of the Moonlight Sword. Besides, humanity had already endured madness for countless years.

“I have already released the women you brought with you. I’ll open a portal that leads to their location. Just wait patiently.”

Without uttering a single spell, she waved her hand casually, and a shimmering blue portal appeared before Phillip.

‘She suddenly turned kind.’

“Thank you.”

Phillip expressed gratitude with a wry smile and proceeded to pass through the portal. As he reached the entrance of the dungeon, he found Janice and Cheryl lying unconscious in the reed field.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging ordeal.”

Mental exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Recent events had significantly shaken his mind, and he was acutely aware of it.

“Uhh…”

Janice and Cheryl lay in each other’s embrace, while drifting off to sleep. The sight of dungeon grime and dried tears on their lovely faces was rather poignant.

Their relationship was bound to change once they woke up.

Janice had shown Cheryl various vulnerable sides of herself, leaving her somewhat apprehensive about how she might perceive her. In turn, Cheryl might find it challenging to treat Janice with complete ease.

Perhaps, they could even become friends.

With that thought, Philip couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Suddenly, he felt a longing for Lua.

* * *

Philip, Cheryl, and Janice were quickly rescued by a team dispatched from the academy, and they returned within an hour.

Janice seemed to have undergone quite an emotional shock, as she expressed a desire to take a few days of rest at the Morrela family estate, and surprisingly suggested that Cheryl accompany her.

Two professors from the Magic Department were sent to investigate the dungeon they had entered.

While the professors would try to extract as much information as possible, Philip knew well that there was nothing more to explore in that dungeon.

‘After all, it’s an instant dungeon.’

The Dark Slime would have completely dissipated, and the Vampire would have turned to ashes due to the Dragon Privia’s Draconic Flame Magic skill. There was nothing left to discover.

Meanwhile, Philip applied for leave and secluded himself in his mansion.

Now, no one would disturb him during the weekend.

He had made up his mind to spend this precious weekend with Lua.

For about two days, he just wanted to relax without any worries.

As he approached Lua’s room, he felt resolute. He had been somewhat upset since he hadn’t spent quality time with Lua for almost ten days.

Upon opening the door and entering, he saw Lua lying on the bed, looking like a princess in her elegant attire.

“… Lua?”

“Yes, I’m sleeping,”

When Phillip asked cautiously with a hint of reservation in his tone, he received a curt response.

‘Good, at least she didn’t completely lose her temper,’ he thought, relieved that the situation wasn’t as precarious as he had feared. It was better than pretending to be asleep when he stormed in.

“You’re really sleeping? I was actually going to suggest a forest picnic for the weekend, but if you’re asleep, I guess we’ll have to let that idea go.”

Phillip remarked nonchalantly.

In response, Lua sat up with a sudden burst of energy.

“Really?”

“Why would I lie to you?”

“But… You’re busy, Instructor. You don’t need to go out of your way for me…”

For a brief moment, Lua’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, only to dim with a tinge of sadness.

Phillip smiled softly and shook his head reassuringly. “It’s not like that. Let’s plan it properly. We can leave at sunrise and be back by sunset. And if you want, we can even spend a night in the forest. Ever tried fishing before?”

It finally dawned on Lua that Phillip meant every word he said, and her face lit up with joy.

While fancy houses and delicious food were great, they couldn’t compare to the wonders of nature that she had been accustomed to her whole life.

“Are we really going?”

“Yes.”

“Really, really?”

“Yes, really.”

With absolute certainty from Phillip, Lua couldn’t contain her excitement, jumped out of bed, and approached him with a grateful bow.

“Thank you!”

“If I had known you’d be this happy, I would have taken you out sooner.”

Phillip felt a tinge of regret, but he knew he couldn’t change the past. The past month had been hectic, leaving him with no spare time for such plans.

After instructing the maids to prepare a lunchbox, he returned to his room, sighing softly.

‘… Sigh.’

When Phillip grasped the handle of the Sword, which had been dormant, he heard a faint yawn emanating from it.

‘Yaaawn… Welcome back, master.’

“Except for the two near-death experiences, I returned safely.”

‘Really? You almost died? Wow, did you venture into some kind of Dragon Lair?’

“It wasn’t a Dragon Lair, but I did encounter a dragon. Her name was Privia, a dragon involved in the founding of the Academy.”

‘Well, even so, Neria isn’t foolish enough to believe such things. From being with you all this time, I’ve come to realize that you see Neria as a fool. If you keep saying things like that, no matter how handsome you are, I might not be able to stand it!’

“No, I’m serious. Just hear me out.”

As Philip recounted the events that occurred during his practice, Neria was filled with astonishment.

‘How unlucky can you get? You stumbled upon a vampire in the dungeon by chance?’

“It happened unexpectedly.”

‘Still, meeting a dragon is hard to fathom. Those lazy creatures saved your life despite their regrets?’

“I assure you, it’s true.”

Philip lay on the bed, engaging in an animated conversation with Neria.

‘Regardless, from now on, you must always have Neria by your side. If it were Neria, she wouldn’t have withered like that feeble sword.’

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Listening to her cheerful voice, Philip felt a sense of comfort, slowly closed his eyes, and breathed steadily.

Soon, sleep enveloped him.

For at least a few days, he decided not to dwell on the future, and find solace in the present.

‘Goodnight, master.’

“Yeah, you too, rest well.”

… Neria had been peacefully sleeping until her master woke up.

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