246 Episode
“Advisor, could you please step aside for a moment?”
Nelson made the request, but the Templar did not move.
How could the Templar easily forgive and forget after being ambushed by a student and rolling on the ground?
As the Templar spoke of honor and began to argue with Nelson, Ray interjected again.
“If you don’t back down appropriately, what do you plan to do? Even if it was a misunderstanding, the High Templar deployed a sacred barrier to threaten the student…”
Ray looked around.
The maintenance time for the sacred barrier was almost over, and like melting snow, light particles were falling from the sacred barrier.
“This issue can certainly be contested if we press it, but do you really think we can suppress and override this with the authority of the church?”
Dragging this out will be troublesome for both sides; let it go.
With Ray’s statement, the Templar flared up, but Nelson stepped in again, promising proper follow-up measures.
Though the Templar was furious, Ray’s argument that Anthonyus had been the initial cause of the incident was fundamentally correct, and Nelson’s attitude was far from ordinary, so the Templar eventually backed off.
Meanwhile, as Johanna’s sniffling subsided, Ray casually threw out a line.
“Hey, done crying?”
Johanna nervously struck Ray’s back.
Of course, due to the recoil of Overdrive, her wrist twisted, causing Johanna to instead scream in pain after hitting Ray’s back.
“Aaauugh!”
“Hey, stay still, stay still. Stop crying already. Is it puberty again? Why do you cry so easily?”
As Ray chuckled and said this, Johanna gave him a sulky look.
Worried about Johanna, Ray recklessly broke through the boundary without thinking.
But once inside, he found Ray perfectly fine, welcoming Johanna.
At first, Johanna felt relieved, but now she felt wronged.
She belatedly felt embarrassed because it seemed like she alone had made a fuss.
After patting the fuming Johanna’s back once, Ray sat her down on the ground.
“Thank you for worrying, but sit here for a bit. Don’t force yourself to get up.”
After advising Johanna this way, Ray approached Nelson, who had sent the Templar outside the barrier.
Seeing Ray, Nelson spoke first.
“I apologize for my late response. It was my oversight. However, severe punishment for Student 301 is unavoidable.”
“She’s under the Emperor’s watchful eye. Compromise at an appropriate level. Even if I don’t say it, pressure will come from above… but wasn’t the High Templar the one who started it?”
Nelson silently stared at Ray.
Johanna’s disciplinary matter was not something Nelson should deeply involve himself in.
If Ray’s words were true, his superiors would naturally put pressure on the disciplinary committee.
Nelson opened his mouth with a tired face.
“How long do you intend to stay at Izhise? This place requires discipline. It’s problematic to disrupt things too much. Your presence is creating discord among the students.”
“I won’t be here long, so don’t worry.”
Ray sighed deeply.
Ray had entered Izhise out of concern for Johanna and Delun.
To help them adapt well to this place and lend a hand if needed, he enrolled as a student.
There was also the reason that the time they could see each other was running short…
However, at this point, Ray’s presence was psychologically unsettling Johanna.
This situation annoyed Ray greatly, so he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Nelson looked at Ray and spoke.
“His Majesty instructed us to treat you like any other student. We’ve received no imperial decree permitting your indulgence. This isn’t a playground. Respect Izhise.”
“…”
“Challenge the authority of Izhise no more. If you continue to act this way, bring a new imperial order.”
Nelson was qualified to say such things.
After graduating from Izhise, he achieved numerous significant accomplishments in operations linked with the Imperial Intelligence Bureau. When the accumulated strain on his body reached a dangerous level, he retired and became an instructor at Izhise.
Nelson’s life was strongly connected to Izhise, which is why he couldn’t keep tolerating Ray’s repeated disruptions.
However, Ray scoffed.
“You’re getting ahead of yourself.”
Ray took something out from his pocket and threw it.
Nelson caught what Ray threw and examined it.
Although seeing it for the first time in reality, Nelson easily identified the object.
It was the Imperial Guardian Medal.
Nelson frowned slightly while standing still, prompting Ray to express irritation.
“Do you think I’m doing this because I enjoy bickering with kids?”
Ray struggled to control his anger.
Everyone—this one and that one—all the same… No, it wasn’t just that.
The mere situation he found himself in felt absurd, and that made him angry.
“I already have enough headaches. Stop acting arrogant. Authority? Who are you to talk to me about authority? The only person who can make me kneel using authority is His Majesty the Emperor. If you want to keep acting up, go fetch an imperial order.”
Indeed, those were valid words.
Still standing quietly, Ray snapped his fingers at Nelson.
“What are you doing? Throw it back.”
Nelson accurately followed Ray’s command.
When Nelson threw the medal back, Ray caught it and put it away.
Nelson briefly greeted Ray.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Summarized on the Imperial Guardian Medal were Ray’s achievements.
Since there wasn’t enough space on the medal to inscribe detailed descriptions, only the battles he participated in were noted. But even that was enough to infer the enormity of Ray’s accomplishments.
Standing before Nelson was someone who possessed an inviolable authority second only to the Emperor and was also a guardian of the Empire. He was someone entitled to be rude.
Nelson didn’t kneel. Because Ray didn’t want him to.
Ray passed by Nelson with a still-irritated expression and added a comment.
“And seriously, let us use the baths. What good does the habit of cramming kids into a narrow bath serve?”
“Huh…”
The bad habit Ray mentioned had existed since Nelson’s time.
Grade 3 students cannot use the large bathhouse. It was indeed a rather useless custom.
Because it was so old, if anyone tried to abolish it immediately, Grade 2 students would surely protest. But what could be done?
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Yes, thank you, Instructor. Then I’ll take Johanna to the infirmary and return immediately.”
Ray didn’t bother adding unnecessary remarks about not speaking freely to Nelson.
Nelson wasn’t someone who required such remarks, and even if he went around bragging, Ray no longer cared much.
“Johanna, try to stand up.”
Ray carried Johanna on his back.
*
Penalties, months of restriction, prohibition of outings, forced additional training, etc.
Johanna received a large number of punishments due to the incident of kicking the Templar with her knee.
However, considering she attacked an advisor, receiving only minor penalties was quite lenient.
On the weekend, Ray went out, leaving Johanna behind due to her restriction from going out.
Muttering, Johanna promised Ray that he’d buy her a gift.
Walking toward the center of the Imperial Capital after exiting the main gate, Ray stretched.
Behind him followed Delun, Jusephin, and Aaron.
They had somehow become a group while living at Izhise.
“Ah… Shall we eat first?”
Agreeing with Ray’s suggestion, the four of them ordered food after finding a restaurant in the Imperial Capital.
Not long after the food arrived and everyone began eating, Ray stopped chewing his meat and ordered something extra.
Aaron, who had been eating without much thought, noticed when the waiter brought a bottle upon Ray’s order and coughed.
“Keh… Hey, is that alcohol?”
“Yeah, it’s alcohol.”
Ray held up the bottle.
It was similar to what would be classified as brandy in Ray’s previous life. As Ray opened the bottle, Aaron panicked and tried to stop him.
“Hey, we aren’t allowed to drink alcohol…!”
Alcohol consumption was entirely forbidden for Grade 3 students outside.
It wasn’t exactly a bad habit but was clearly stated in the Izhise regulations.
By the time students reached Grade 2, the rules regarding drinking were somewhat relaxed, but for Grade 3 students, getting caught drinking outside could lead to serious trouble.
Nevertheless, Ray raised his glass regardless of whether Aaron and Jusephin were shocked or not.
“You guys can’t drink, but I can.”
Saying such unreasonable words, Ray created ice in mid-air and dropped it into the glass.
The clear sound ringing around caused Aaron to momentarily lose focus.
“Hey, you, that’s magic…”
“It’s an artifact, an artifact.”
Clunk, clunk, clunk. After filling his glass with alcohol, Ray drank it all at once.
Aaron signaled Jusephin to try to dissuade Ray, but Jusephin glanced at Ray and lowered her head again.
This meal was paid for by Ray.
If she upset Ray and couldn’t get free meals anymore, Jusephin would have to send money to her parents to maintain her dignity and would end up starving during outings.
Ultimately, having compromised with reality, Jusephin decided to quietly continue eating.
Thus, only Aaron was left fidgeting, but then the shop door opened, and Izhise students wearing blue insignias entered.
Sebas and Harvey, Grade 2 students, approached the Grade 3 students they spotted with initial friendliness.
“Hey, you’re eating here…?”
The smell of alcohol lingered.
Harvey sniffed a few times before finally spotting the bottle on the table.
“…Alcohol? Are you guys really drunk right now…!!”
“Damn it.”
Letting out a fluent curse, Ray gestured to Sebas and Harvey.
“Hey, don’t ruin the taste of the alcohol. Just come and sit down.”
Though it wouldn’t be strange for an immediate shout to erupt from such ridiculous words,
Ray intentionally escalated the momentum to silence others.
A formidable aura akin to pressing down on space descended centered around Ray.
Once the surroundings quieted down, Ray pushed the chair with his foot and repeatedly gestured.
“C’mon, seniors, come and sit down.”
“…”
“…”
Recalling the Royal Guard, Sebas and Harvey unconsciously sat down.
Ray placed glasses in front of them, poured alcohol himself, and acted arrogantly.
“Here… You seniors should consider yourselves lucky. Not many people have tasted alcohol poured by me, yeah? So receive it respectfully with both hands.”
“…”
“…”
Sebas and Harvey clearly realized that either Ray’s mind was completely gone or he was thoroughly drunk.
The atmosphere grew tense, but Ray continued drinking and spoke his mind regardless.
“I entered to check if there are any bad habits here at Izhise, if there’s discrimination against kids, and if the students are being taught properly… Shit…”
The curses Ray spat carried worry and irritation.
Ray kept pinching the bridge of his nose.
Despite continuously striving to prepare for what would happen after his death, Ray deliberately avoided facing emotional issues.
Because confronting them wouldn’t solve anything.
But seeing Johanna’s recent behavior…
“Just frustrating.”
“There’s nothing that can be done…”
Confessing beforehand that death was near would only prolong the wandering of those close to him. Therefore, Ray still believed his choice was not wrong.
“There’s nothing that can be done…”
Sebas looked at Ray, who was acting arrogantly, with a bitter expression.
Then Ray slammed his glass onto the table and glared.
“What are you looking at, kid? You’re able to lounge around like this in broad daylight thanks to me. These bastards don’t know gratitude…”
To counterargue, Aaron and Jusephin found their current position entirely uncomfortable.
Sebas and Harvey sipped their drinks, curious to see how far Ray would go.
After sighing deeply and finishing the entire bottle, Ray paid the bill and left the shop.
“Ah… Where to for the second round?”
“Hey, sober up…!”
What second round talk is this in broad daylight? Aaron tapped Ray’s back, urging him to snap out of it.
If Ray kept this up, Aaron would have no choice but to flee from him.
Although Ray didn’t like the idea of sobering up, he began purifying the impurities in his body by circulating mana.
“Phew…”
While Ray sighed for the umpteenth time, his vision suddenly changed.
“…?”
Ray lifted his head and looked around.
Aaron, Jusephin, Delun, and Sebas and Harvey were still nearby, and the streets remained peaceful. Nothing had changed.
Yet Ray felt dizzy.
Because the detoxification ability had activated uncontrollably.
The detoxification ability was analyzing everything within Ray’s perception and forcibly injecting excessive information into his mind.
‘What is this?’
This hadn’t happened since he was very young.
After his biological parents passed away, Ray had perfectly controlled the detoxification ability.
‘Why now?’
Struggling to calm the disorienting detoxification ability, Ray pondered the cause of the current situation.
‘Something stimulated the ability I possess…’
More precisely, ‘resonated’ would be the correct term.
Something possessing a similar ability to Ray’s had approached him, causing their abilities to unexpectedly resonate.
Having judged the situation thus, Ray rotated his Core and Circle simultaneously and looked at the students.
“Hey, you guys. Don’t scatter aimlessly. Stay here and wait. If anything happens, return to Izhise.”
It was a unilateral announcement.
Though unilateral, the students couldn’t refute it due to Ray’s eerily shining eyes.
Ray moved towards the direction where something had stimulated his ability.
Defection (6)
