LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 95 - You Like Flan, Don’t You?
Chapter 95 – You Like Flan, Don’t You?
Ella, the female knight who once led the four siblings in the Knight Department, was sitting leaning against a nameless ruin.
“Hmph.”
A low sneer from above. Ella slowly lifted her head.
A strange hair color that mixed white and gold.
It was neatly braided and tied up, revealing her pale neck seductively.
Also, the goat emblem on her cloak.
Ella knew that it was the symbol of ‘Witch’.
“You’ve been wandering around a lot. This is the south. You know?”
“You are… Ugh…”
A headache rang and information was injected.
Without her will, she realized that the woman in front of her, who could be called the incarnation of the Grand Witch, was the ‘Witch of Envy’.
The Witch of Envy spoke leisurely.
“You killed everyone you met… Twenty? Thirty? Hehehe, it’s not good to be so conspicuous.”
“…”
Ella was silent for a moment and opened her lips.
“The reason.”
“Huh?”
“The reason why you gave me power…”
“Pfft. No, no. I’m the one who asks questions.”
The witch lowered her posture a little. Her gray eyes met Ella’s closed eyes.
“How was it? The power I gave you?”
“Power…”
Ella retraced what had happened.
She had encountered thirty adventurers without a destination, but Ella had never lost.
This was thanks to the power she received from the Witch.
“Strong. Very strong.”
That was the only way to express it.
The witch’s lips curved slightly.
“I’m glad you liked it. Then, can you take revenge now?”
“…”
Ella bit her lower lip.
Flan.
How to explain that absurd guy.
She could list one by one the impressions related to that mage, but in the end, the words that Ella uttered were too simple.
“…I’m not sure.”
The witch’s eyes sharpened.
“I have this power for sure. But, Flan was in a different dimension. An insurmountable wall. That’s how it felt.”
“Hmm~”
The witch tilted her head.
‘That’s how it is.’
She found Ella’s reaction unfamiliar.
She had never seen such a reaction after giving power to a human.
Humans always had the same reactions.
They either rejoiced and ran wild with the sudden power, or failed to overcome it and went berserk and got eaten… It was just that kind of amusement, but this was the first time.
‘It wasn’t a small power either.’
But, even with that power, she still feels a wall.
‘…Interesting. No, should I say envy?’
Even though she received the power of the Witch of Envy, Ella was still bound by the existence of Flan.
From that point, the Witch of Envy felt half envy and half interest toward Flan.
“Ella.”
“Why.”
“I’ll give you more power. I’ll curse you. Then, can you take revenge?”
Ella lifted her head quickly.
“Curse…?”
The unique power of Witches.
Curse.
A power that selfishly consumes the happiness and vitality of others and takes it for one’s own benefit.
“Yes. Of course, it’s not for free. You have to bring me something from Verkel.”
“Something…”
“Yes. Something. You don’t need to know what it is. Don’t be curious either.”
Ella made a quick decision.
If she could meet Flan again and find the answer to that day, if she could take revenge on the celestial who looked down on her like a worm…
She could do anything for a simple errand.
“Give me power. Hurry.”
“I’m not done talking yet. Ella.”
The witch stepped hard on Ella’s back of the hand.
“…!”
At the same time, a violent pain swept through Ella’s body. Her head turned pitch black, and her consciousness faded away.
“Kuh…. Huk….”
She eventually spat out blood.
In Ella’s ear, clenched her chest, the voice of the jealous witch, colder than ever, pierced through.
“If you fail, I’ll erase your existence completely.”
Ella nodded obediently.
She was already as good as dead once before.
“Good. What you just received is the ‘Curse of Absorption’.”
“Uh….”
Ella took a deep breath.
She clenched and unclenched her fist, focusing on sensing the changes in her body.
It felt like she was born as a completely different being.
Every bit of energy in her body was clear and light.
“From now on, if you kill someone, it will be absorbed as your own power.”
“Completely…. my power…?”
“The hunting competition is going on in Verkel right now, right? Flan will be there too.”
“Yeah.”
“Verkel is covered with thick fog at night. In other words, even the reporters can’t know what’s going on inside.”
Ella’s body shuddered.
She began to vaguely understand what the jealous witch was trying to say.
“How about it, Ella. Isn’t this a feast for you?”
Ella clenched her fist tightly.
“Revenge, and mission….”
And she finally opened her eyes.
They were the same gray as the jealous witch’s.
“I’ll definitely complete it.”
◈
The stage of the hunting competition, ‘Verkel’.
The distance from the academy to this place was considerable.
It was a very common sense thing.
It was impossible to build a cradle of learning near Verkel, where the demons were rampant.
Therefore, the representatives of the hunting competition usually traveled by train.
“I hope you have good results in the hunting competition!”
And at the train station of ‘Zerun’, a city not far from Verkel.
The earl’s guards saluted the knight trainees.
The representative trainee of the Celestial Blessing Knight Order.
Janet brushed her rose-like red hair behind her ears and smiled back.
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
“Yes!”
The representatives had just received a meal from the earl of Zerun. As such, the hunting festival was a matter of interest for many people regardless of the region.
Zerun was just a stop for a meal.
The knight trainees got back on the train one by one.
The VIP-only room prepared for them was very luxurious.
Bed, sofa, drinks, reading materials…. It was practically a whole carriage that was a moving hotel.
The seat opposite Janet was assigned to Yvonne.
With a desk between them, Yvonne bowed her head and greeted her first.
“I hope you have a good trip to Verkel.”
“There’s no need to hope for that. It’s only four hours.”
“Four hours….”
Yvonne tilted her head slightly.
“Come to think of it, I was curious. Why do we have to change trains three times at a fixed time?”
The VIP-only train they were riding would go to Verkel on its own.
In other words, there was no need to change trains, but Yvonne was curious about the reason for the transfer.
“To avoid danger. Well…. It’s natural that you, a freshman, don’t know this.”
Janet answered calmly and lifted the sword and handkerchief on the desk.
The miracle that cost 30,000 gold coins. The miraculous sword, Surtr, was as good as new.
As she checked the state of the sword, a smile naturally appeared on Janet’s lips.
She was shocked when she missed it at the auction, but thanks to someone who sold it secondhand, she was relieved.
No, she was very happy.
“Big danger…?”
“Yeah. Demons and stuff. If you’re unlucky, demons.”
Yvonne immediately looked around the room.
Of course, the representatives of the magic department were nowhere to be seen.
The knight’s eyes widened.
“You didn’t tell the magic department?”
“There’s no obligation to do that. In the first place, changing trains three times is a way that only people who know it know. Isn’t this also a skill?”
Yvonne still looked unconvinced.
Janet wiped the sword and added.
“That’s how the hunting competition is, Yvonne. Don’t you know why so many people are crazy about it?”
“I’d like to hear your thoughts, senior.”
“First of all, the representatives face real demons, not illusions.”
No one among humans would not welcome the extermination of demons.
Therefore, the status and popularity of the hunting competition was rising every year.
It was a pain to say twice that the residents of Verkel were very supportive.
From their point of view, it was like ‘demon cleaning’ was done in their residence every year.
“And secondly, you must have written a pledge too. And with your own hand.”
“…I have written it.”
─I, the representative, fully acknowledge the risks of the hunting competition. Moreover, I take full responsibility for any unforeseen accidents that may occur.
“That’s right. The point is to stake your life and fight. That’s enough to make the spectators go wild.”
“Hmm…”
“Yvonne. Now answer me. What are some ways to eliminate other teams without directly engaging in combat?”
“…”
Yvonne understood what Janet was saying.
“…That sounds rather ruthless.”
“Pfft.”
Janet couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing Yvonne push her ideals and justice too hard, she thought she was still immature and naive.
She had been like that too, once.
Eventually, Yvonne would change as she gained more experience.
“Well? Who can blame us for being ruthless?”
Janet shrugged.
“We didn’t do anything against the rules. It’s just that the magic department was too incompetent. Oh, there’s a saying for that, right? If you have a bad head, your body suffers.”
Janet kept polishing her sword.
She didn’t even look at Yvonne as she continued.
“The seniors also learned the tricks by being on the receiving end. The magic department just stepped into the main stage. What can they do? They have to learn the tricks by being on the receiving end too.”
“…”
“Besides, it’s not all bad. If we defeat all the monsters, that will also count as points. Right?”
Hoo─
She blew on the polished blade. Surtr’s blade shone like a prism.
“Still, I’m surprised. Yvonne.”
“What is it?”
“Why didn’t you jump off the train if you were so worried? …I thought you might do something like that. You like Flan, don’t you?”
Yvonne turned her head away.
She liked Flan, that was not a lie.
She liked him as a teacher.
Creak─
Just then, the train started to move, and the conversation between the two knights was cut off. Janet also threw her gaze out the window.
Yvonne closed her eyes quietly, and started to draw something on the dark canvas of her mind.
The scenes of training with Flan.
The strange power, the movement, she recalled them diligently in her head.
She sank deeper and deeper into her thoughts.
In her imagination, she unleashed a brilliant swordplay.
And that sword, at some point, took the shape of a mysterious magic circle that even she didn’t know.
“I don’t doubt her, I just don’t worry.”
The knight muttered quietly.
◈
I sit in the private room of the train, checking my belongings.
A clock imbued with Surtr’s element, a top hat that helps with calculations, a cloak that increases durability… I modified the items I acquired from the auction house to suit my taste.
They are not for me, of course, but to prevent the representatives from being swept away by unfortunate accidents.
Armor and other defensive gear that are familiar to the knights are too flimsy for the magicians, so I had to fix them myself.
“Tsk…”
I bit my tongue. I’m not their parent, why do I have to take care of these kids…
I’ll teach them properly and make sure to use them well.
As I was thinking that.
Knock knock─
“Who is it?”
Instead of an answer, the door swung open.
Soon, the jasmine scent filled the private room.
I didn’t need to look to know it was Trixie.
“I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Why did you do that?”
She spoke curtly and sat down across from me.
“What did I do?”
“The handkerchief.”
Tap, tap, tap, she tapped the table with her well-manicured nails.
“Why didn’t you give it to Mr. Guidance?”
“I did.”
“Liar.”
Why is she so serious about something so trivial?
As soon as I thought that, Trixie added.
“Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t compare your scent to the handkerchief. I was just curious if you kept your promise to me…”
“I told you already. I gave it to him.”
“If you didn’t, I wouldn’t let this go so easily… Huh?”
Trixie stopped mid-sentence and twitched her eyebrows. Then she licked her lips and asked.
“You gave it to him?”
“Yes.”
“…Really?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
There was a brief silence in the private room.
“Heh…”
Then, at some point, Trixie’s mouth curled up, but she soon coughed.
She glared at me and licked her lips again.
“Then change your perfume. It annoys me.”
I grabbed her hand, whether she liked it or not.
This watch had a lot of elemental power in it, and I was worried that it might hurt Trixie’s circuits.
It would be bad if my assistant broke down.
“…!”
Trixie’s eyes widened a beat late.
I calculated that this watch suited her best.
It would help her flame become even bluer.
The contact was brief.
I wrapped the watch around her wrist and let go of her hand.
I didn’t like touching others either.
“Always wear this watch.”
“You, again…!”
Trixie quickly brought her hand to her chest.
She blushed and widened her eyes, looking back and forth between my hand and me.
But she didn’t have a chance to question me.
The door opened again and Becky and Louis came in.
Trixie glared at Becky.
Specifically at Becky.
“What are you doing here?”
“Out of the blue? I’m a magic student in the first year of Merhen Academy…”
“Shut up.”
“Okay.”
Trixie muttered something dissatisfied, and spat out two words.
“…I’ll tell everything to Mr. Guidance. Be prepared for the backlash.”
With that, Trixie left, and Becky and Louis blinked and sat across from me.
“What’s going on, Flan… What happened between you two?”
“Never mind. You two take one each.”
I handed them each a piece of equipment. A pointed hat for Becky, and a cloak for Louis.
They were already expensive items at the auction, and my magic added to their value.
“Fl, fl, Flan gave me… this…?”
Becky teared up, feeling it.
“Don’t make a fuss.”
“Ah, uh, ugh! Sniff…!”
Becky pulled the hat down to her chin.
She acted to make me laugh, and it worked.
Louis seemed touched too.
He put on the cloak with a neat design, and his mouth opened slightly.
“Both of you, get out now.”
I sent Becky and Louis out and checked the many train routes.
As always, I had a lot to do.
“Train routes to avoid the beasts”
The data that Maiev wrote for me.
It said ‘avoid the beasts’ pompously, but Maiev only listed the routes that had a high chance of encountering them.
If I followed the opposite, I could find the routes that avoided them.
It wasn’t hard, and it was very safe.
“But I don’t need to do that.”
I chose only the dangerous routes.
No, actually, it was wrong to say they were dangerous.
“I chose only the interesting routes.”
I nodded quietly, looking out the window.