248th Episode
Ray and Anthonyus continued their conversation.
Ray explained that his judgment and actions would not harm Anthonyus’s sister.
Even if it went against the Order’s interests, prioritizing the stability of the world would help the Sacred Maiden, and Ray assured that he would continue doing so in the future.
Anthonyus nodded slightly to Ray, though for now.
It was merely a verbal promise, and the trust built through today’s dialogue was embarrassingly thin. But both Ray and Anthonyus knew that rash words could complicate the situation, so they chose to let things pass amicably for the moment.
As the brief conversation neared its end, Ray and Anthonyus suddenly fell silent and turned their heads toward the alley entrance.
A Knight wearing pauldrons engraved with the Prizzran Clan emblem was approaching. It was Shay.
Upon spotting Ray, Shay paused briefly before greeting him lightly.
“Ray, it’s been a while.”
“Hello, Sir Shay. What brings you here?”
“I had something to deliver to you… I saw you leaping across rooftops and decided to follow. But who is this gentleman?”
“Oh, well…”
Ray introduced Shay to Anthonyus and vice versa.
Shay exchanged formal greetings with Anthonyus but looked somewhat uneasy as he asked Ray,
“I heard there was a minor issue between you and Mr. Anthonyus at Izhise…”
“It all stemmed from my misunderstanding,” Anthonyus interjected on Ray’s behalf. “The responsibility lies entirely with me.”
After hearing Anthonyus’s response, Shay alternated his gaze between Ray and Anthonyus before asking another question.
“Why are we in this alley…?”
“I sensed an entity with an unclear nature and pursued it here. I lost it here. Mr. Anthonyus happened to be here for the same reason, and we met. It’s not much of an event, but I plan to report it to the instructors just in case.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
Shay’s expression seemed peculiarly stiff.
Ray noticed the emotion in Shay’s face and spoke again.
“You’re not thinking that I was having some secret meeting with Mr. Anthonyus, are you? I’ve been causing quite a commotion by leaping around buildings.”
“Surely not.”
Shay and Ray shared a laugh.
However, Ray didn’t fully believe Shay’s response. If others saw Ray interacting with high-ranking figures from the South or the Order, they might suspect he was trying to switch sides or probe intentions, which Ray himself acknowledged.
Shay was unaware that Ray’s lifespan was limited or that he needed the Dragon Heart from the royal family.
Thus, it was only natural for such thoughts to arise.
Ray decided he would need to be cautious about his conduct when interacting with high-ranking figures from the South or the Order. For now, he parted ways with Anthonyus.
As they stepped out of the alley onto the main road, Ray asked Shay,
“What’s this item you mentioned you wanted to deliver?”
“I’ve come to deliver a letter from Duke Prizzran.”
“A letter from Duke Prizzran to me?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Though respectful in tone, Shay handed over the letter casually due to the prying eyes of onlookers.
Ray tucked the letter into his coat and, while walking back to where he’d left the other students, asked again,
“Is that all?”
“Yes, that’s all. And… if my behavior earlier seemed rude…”
“Not at all, don’t worry about it. I received the letter. Oh, if you have time, could you escort me until I return to Azis?”
“Yes, if you wish.”
“Ah, also, could you tell Sir Ernst that I spotted someone suspicious in the Imperial Capital?”
“Could you explain it in more detail?”
“It wasn’t magic, but rather a strange power akin to divine authority. I chased them but lost them.”
“Is it a Devil Worshipper?”
“It wasn’t exactly demonic power, but it’s still concerning. I can’t say for sure if they’re an enemy, but it was definitely suspicious.”
“Understood, I’ll relay it to Duke Prizzran.”
“Thanks.”
“No, it’s nothing. Then, I shall take my leave.”
Shay naturally distanced himself from Ray and walked away.
Later, after returning the students who had accompanied him outside to Izhise, Ray ventured back out onto the streets and bought a gift for Johanna.
Having completed all his errands outside, Ray returned to his dormitory room and retrieved the letter supposedly sent by Ernst from within his coat.
“Hmm, let’s see…”
Tearing open the envelope, Ray read the first sentence on the letter paper and was surprised.
Honestly, Ray had expected something along the lines of ‘You piece of crap’ in the opening line.
Contrary to Ray’s expectations, Ernst had written a plain greeting instead.
“Indeed, the Empire’s Swordmaster…”
It seemed one must possess such patience to reach the level of a Swordmaster.
Previously, Ray had sent a casual inquiry to Ernst asking if he could pretend to be a disguised instructor and relax while mingling with the students.
While Ray doubted Ernst would agree to such a request, the latter had granted permission in the letter, allowing Ray to impersonate an instructor or any other identity he desired.
The relevant text was written in bold letters, indicating Ernst had pressed down hard while writing.
Separately, however, Ernst warned that if Ray caused another incident or complaints from other instructors piled up, he would simply drag Ray out.
“Ahh, why would I want to cause trouble?”
While muttering such insincere words, Ray finished reading the letter.
Near the end, the letter contained quite important news.
*
Izhise strives to prepare students for most conceivable combat scenarios.
Although the Empire and the Elves haven’t directly conflicted in recent centuries, Izhise students were still expected to be prepared for battles against Elves.
The Anti-Sniper Training course was designed for this purpose.
In the early stages, students merely watched others shoot arrows and applauded enthusiastically, but later, they were thrown into jungle-like environments where they had to evade sniper attacks from all directions and capture the snipers themselves.
Anyway, third-level students were scheduled to begin their Anti-Sniper Training today.
This course was conducted with the assistance of Elves who either worked as mercenaries contracted by Izhise or were personally invited by the royal family.
Naturally, all these Elves were renowned sharpshooters, individuals even nobles rarely encountered.
Excited, the students couldn’t hide their awe as they stared at the Elves.
Many Elves were exceptionally beautiful, contributing to the students’ fascination.
Even Ray hadn’t seen adult Elves walking on two legs in a long time, so he stood there staring intently.
Johanna tapped his back irritably.
“What are you staring at?”
“At the Elf advisors.”
“The advisor looks upset. Stop staring.”
“But why are you targeting me and leaving the others alone? Look, Delun is staring too.”
“Ah, stop looking!”
“So what? I’ll keep looking.”
Despite saying that, Ray reluctantly shifted his gaze elsewhere at Johanna’s persistent request.
A brief introduction followed, during which one human male instructor appeared among the Elf advisors, holding a bow.
After scanning the man from head to toe and confirming he was human, Ray turned to Aaron and asked,
“Who’s that instructor?”
“…He’s from the Axper family.”
Just then, the man introduced himself.
“I’m Andrew Axper. Nice to meet you.”
Even after learning that Andrew was from the Axper family, Ray still looked puzzled and asked Aaron again.
“He uses a bow, right? Is he famous?”
“Well, um…”
Aaron hesitated, unsure if Ray genuinely didn’t know or was teasing him. Nevertheless, he answered,
“You don’t know the Axper family? They’re the descendants of Casillas, the imperial war hero from 600 years ago. The family is renowned across the Empire for their unparalleled archery skills.”
“Oh, oh, right, right.”
Ray vaguely recalled hearing about them before.
Axper. A noble family said to carry the bloodline of Casillas.
Considering Ulte Gardi descended directly from Casillas, the Axpers were…
“Imitators, it seems.”
“Huh?”
Aaron frowned, wondering what nonsense Ray was spouting now.
Regardless, Ray kept observing Andrew Axper quietly.
The Axper family likely inherited blood close to Casillas’, probably from a sibling line.
If Andrew resembled Ulte physically… but no, that wasn’t the case.
Even with a common ancestor, six hundred years was a long time; it was unlikely their descendants would look identical.
Still, the Axper family was considered one of the prominent families in the Empire, renowned for their archery skills comparable to those of the Elves, making them a highly influential clan.
As Ray silently observed Andrew, Eldru, who was explaining the curriculum, glanced at him.
All the other students were captivated by the Elves’ mysterious beauty, but Ray was the only one fixated on Andrew, making it noticeable.
Curious, Andrew approached Ray and asked,
“Student number three hundred twenty-nine, do you have anything to say to me?”
“Uh…”
Caught off guard by Andrew’s question, Ray momentarily stammered.
Though many retorts came to mind, Ray decided against voicing them. He couldn’t just provoke the instructor by calling his family imitators or suggesting swords suited him better than bows.
“I’ve always been interested in the Axper family’s archery. It’s an honor to receive direct instruction from you.”
Ray formally praised Andrew and bowed respectfully.
Andrew raised an eyebrow, visibly pleased, and nodded approvingly.
Once the curriculum explanation concluded, the elite Elven sharpshooters began their combat demonstration.
The Elves moved swiftly and stealthily, almost soundlessly, while firing arrows.
That alone was intimidating, but the arrows they shot pierced solid alloy targets with thunderous impacts, bending and breaking them.
Each time an arrow shattered a target, the students watching flinched noticeably.
They realized they’d suffer catastrophic losses if caught unprepared against such skilled sharpshooters.
While the Elves wouldn’t reveal all their techniques during Izhise training—many were treated as top secrets—experiencing even part of their methods would help the students adapt better in real combat situations.
As soon as the Elves finished their demonstration, the first Anti-Sniper Training session ended.
With some free time before the next class, Ray took a leisurely stroll around the Izhise square.
The weather was such that snowfall wouldn’t be surprising soon.
Thinking about buying casual clothes or other items for Johanna, who couldn’t go out, Ray turned his head to the side.
Almost simultaneously, a voice emerged from seemingly empty air.
“Are you the human the Emperor spoke of?”
“Ah, so you’re the Elf who said you’d come find me.”
“…”
As the faint breaths in the air carried a tense undertone, Ray smirked.
“Why? Did you think I’d say something good about you, oh mighty Elf? How much suffering did I endure because of your negligence and abandonment of your own kind?”
Part Two: Invitation
