I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes - Chapter 43: My Troubled Brother, My Troubled Friend (2)

“Harashin. Unless they all decide to commit suicide one day, we Lebringers will inevitably clash with them at some point. When that happens, who do you think will have the advantage between Harashin and us?”

It must be Harashin.

They know about swordsmanship, and the Lebringers don’t know about assassination.

“…I don’t understand the point of the question.”

I turned my head, pretending I didn’t want to be involved in this conversation as much as possible.

“Leaving aside which side has a stronger force, obviously Harashin would have the advantage. Why? Because they have free access to swordsmanship, but assassination is taboo among us. That’s why we need you.”

“Do you plan to groom me… as a tool to counter Harashin?”

“If you know both your opponent and yourself, you can win a hundred battles out of a hundred. The most effective way to remove poison is with poison. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We’re trying to put our ancestors’ reiterated teachings into practice.”

“If I were to go astray after learning the art of assassination, what would you-…”

Redar extended his right fist, showing the artifact ring that had summoned us here once again.

“I assume you know that our family has a deep history. So we have quite a few treasures, among them is a ring called a ‘Promise Keeper.’ Do you know what the effect of this ring is?

It’s a legendary artifact, the Promise Keeper. I’m not familiar with it from the game, but the gaming community addicts talk about it frequently, so I know the effect.

It must have been Absolute Promise.

“Absolute Promise.”

“Absolute… Promise?”

I asked again, pretending not to know.

“Yes. This ring is one of a pair. If two people each wear this ring on their left ring finger and make a promise related to each other, that promise must be kept. No, it is kept. They become unable to break the promise.”

Redar extended his right pinky finger.

“Making a promise with the pinky, right? If you wear the Promise Keeper and promise me that you will never go astray, that you will always stand against Harashin from the side of light as a black knight, would you?”

Then extended his left ring finger.

“Then now, I promise to protect you no matter what happens. How about it? It’s an attractive proposition, isn’t it? You are entering into an equal contract with the eldest son of Lebringer family, even the one who is noted as the next successor.”

It was indeed an attractive proposal.

Nine out of ten would accept it.

Nine ninety-nine out of a thousand.

Nine ninety-nine out of a hundred.

But I was the actual exception to the rule.

How can I step out of the quest line, when I haven’t even progressed through half the story, let alone seen all the endings of the game?

‘Would I ruin my character growth?’

Even ruining my character growth would be somewhat lucky.

What if I failed the quest, leading directly to a bad end?

‘By the way, what happens if you fail the quest for real?’

It wouldn’t end with a bad ending screen, and then the credits roll as the world is destroyed, would it?

‘Surely not.’

Yeah.

No matter how heartless this world is, it can’t be that heartless.

But just in case, no matter what happens, quests must always be cleared.

Even for that sake, I had to stay in Arienne and the Academy, which are currently the main stages of the quest.

And most of all, if I go to The Great Mana Field, I wouldn’t be able to see Drin, Adryn and Mizu anymore, right?

“How about it?”

So-

“Well… I really appreciate the offer, but I respectfully decline.”

I took a while pretending to think and delivered the answer that had been decided from the start.

“Why?”

“Why, you ask-”

I dropped my voice suggestively, stalled for a moment, and then answered.

“It’s, It’s because I’m scared!”

“What?”

Redar, who was focusing on me, wondering what kind of answer I would give, looked flabbergasted.

“Th, The Great Mana Field…! I really appreciate your high opinion of me, but I’m not adventurous enough to willingly put myself at risk there.”

Hahaha.

I laughed cowardly and scratched the back of my head.

“Above all, I’m looking forward to my life at the Academy and Arienne- So, I really appreciate your offer, but I must respectfully decline.”

Redar watched me for a while, then, he wore a gentle smile.

“Ceylon.”

With a gentle smile, Redar’s atmosphere changed dramatically.

As if his previous flimsy appearance had been an illusion, only the strange sense of dissonance emitted by his four eyes was directed at me.

“Actually, I’m not really interested in your abilities.”

“Yes…? What does that-”

I trailed off, shrinking back in feigned fear at Redar’s sudden change in atmosphere.

“Is it you? The one who introduced your friends to my sister, Drin today.”

As if he already knew the answer, Redar continued without waiting for my response.

“The reason why I want to keep you by my side is because you’re my sister’s friend. Ceylon, let me put it in simpler terms.”

Redar moved a step closer.

Following his signal to be frightened, I stepped back even more.

“You’re an important friend to my sister. I don’t want to harm my sister’s important friend. So, accept my offer.”

This seemed to be Redar’s true intention.

The whole thing about being the counterforce to Harashin was nothing more than an excuse.

Looking back on it, I think Redar was originally this kind of guy.

[Damn it, Redar. Where did this guy go? I entrusted him with the noble’s escort.]

[We can’t control that guy unless we tie him down with a promise.]

[He said he sees a ray of light, and off he went.]

[Light~ Where are you going~]

He wasn’t the kind of guy who would sacrifice himself to prepare for the threats of the indefinite world.

Right now, this guy was the guy who threw everything away and stuck to The Great Mana Field because he wanted to watch some light.

Such a guy had come from The Great Mana Field to Arienne, throwing everything away.

To celebrate the entrance of our Miss Drin to the academy.

[He’s not being controlled? What are you talking about? When I asked him to help with the quest, he helped me a lot, right?]

[If you’re a friend of Drin’s or have the title of Lebringer’s benefactor, it’s natural.]

[As warm-blooded to my people as he is… But that’s why he’s a more annoying guy…]

If there was something he prioritized more than himself, it wasn’t a threat from the indefinite world.

Family. Little sister. Drin Lebringer.

A series of actions shown by Redar awakened my poor memory and completed a certain recognition of the character Redar in my mind.

“He’s a nice guy.”

The reason Redar tried to put a leash on me, who had the talent of an assassin, instead of killing me, was not because he was tempted by my talent.

“I’ll explain it well to Drin.”

That’s because he didn’t want to make Drin sad.

At this moment.

I had the same thought as this guy.

No matter what, I didn’t want to mess with this guy.

If this good brother, though useless, gets hurt, it’s clear that our Miss Drin would be sad.

“You might feel this situation is unfair, but there’s something you should know for sure. Ceylon. I could have just killed you. But I didn’t. Because I respect you, my sister’s friend. So, you owe me a life. It’s time for you to repay that debt. Ceylon. I’ll offer you again. Let’s go to The Great Mana Field.”

Just in time, Redar spread an insane — no, desirable logic that could smoothly solve this situation without anyone complaining.

“Debt of life… I guess I have no choice but to repay it. Isn’t it?”

***

“Haha, Ceylon. Now you’re talking-…Huh?”

The expression of Redar, who was trying to wear a satisfying smile, froze in an awkward shape.

The ray of light surrounding Ceylon in front of him began to flicker unnaturally.

“Sir Redar?”

As Ceylon called Redar, a layer of light around him increased.

“I have reasons that I must stay in Arienne.”

Another layer added there.

“But now, someone tries to drag me out of Arienne — to The Great Mana Field — no matter what.”

And another layer added there.

While Redar was at a loss for words at the absurd sight, Ceylon effortlessly continued to speak.

“What’s the easiest way to handle that unpleasant situation? Yes, you know the solution. Neatly, eliminate the target. But, I won’t do that. Why!?”

He extended his hand with a raised index finger in front of his face with an exaggerated motion and playful smile.

“Because that person is my dear friend’s, dear brother. So, I choose to take a detour, accepting the inconvenience.”

The light ray, which had increased to seven layers, changed.

Not only the layers of light rays changed.

The form of the light ray also changed.

There was no room for doubt.

Its form matched with the form of the assassination technique owned by the direct successors and masters of Harashin, which Redar had seen directly in The Great Mana Field.

No.

No, it wasn’t.

Upon closer examination, it was subtly different.

It was too perfect for the assassination technique used by the direct line of Harashin- what should I say.

Yes.

It was too perfect.

It was the original form.

Compared to that, the assassination techniques of Harashin’s direct line assassins were mere knockoffs.

The ultimate goal that Harashin’s assassins, who are currently just knockoffs, want to achieve.

That was it.

It’s beautiful.

Redar unknowingly held such admiration.

If he had been an assassin, he would have gained a great insight just by seeing that light ray.

It was a shock unobtainable from any other light ray.

“Redar? I propose. From now on, we become ‘friends’ that are second to none. Trust each other completely, and do not betray each other. Let’s see, yes. Maybe a relationship like the chef and guide of The Great Mana Field that you suggested, teacher and student?”

The owner of such a light ray smiled mischievously and playfully.

“As a token of friendship, let’s see- Oh! That ring of possession that you promised would be perfect. You and your family would treasure it, but I believe you would gladly give it up for our friendship. It’s only fair-”

The will to argue within Redar raised its head.

That moment.

Two cracks in Ceylon’s face opened.

The golden pupils of the sharp eyes, like those of a snake, hidden in Ceylon’s eyes, revealed themselves.

“You owe one life to me, don’t you? Isn’t it?”

At the same time, his light rays, which had already reached seven layers, added one more layer, reaching eight layers.

Grimly, Redar closed his eyes.

Afraid that his light ray would increase one more layer, which is an absurd occurrence.

Ceylon looked at him with clear eyes, just like the previous Redar.

Redar, like the previously slit-eyed Ceylon, closed his eyes and trembled as he spoke.

“You, just who are-…!”

What the hell are you.

It wasn’t something he said expecting to get an answer.

But a moment later.

Redar heard Ceylon’s answer.

Whisper.

“…!”

A creepy whisper, accompanied by a disgusting breath, was transmitted near Redar’s left ear.

Startled, as he stepped back and opened his eyes, Redar saw Ceylon, who had whispered into his ear a moment ago.

‘It’s a secret.’

Ceylon, who had whispered so, was back to his aloof and vacant self, holding out his hand with the index finger raised towards his face.