NOVPUB"Do you hear any strange sounds?"
Vierno asked with a certain conviction in his eyes, as if he knew something.
But Ludger shook his head.
“No. Nothing like that.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Your thoughts are fascinating, Professor Vierno, but I’m afraid they don’t apply to me. Still, the idea of someone without limits in talent or thought... that’s a curious notion. Do you know more about it?”
“I only read about it in old texts, so I’m not entirely sure. I just remember hearing about such people when I was young.”
“If an elf like you says that, then for humans, it must be practically a legend.”
At Ludger’s lightly teasing tone, Vierno chuckled.
“Perhaps it is.”
Figures. What was I expecting?
Vierno let go of his curiosity.
A small part of him had wondered—what if this man before him was one of those fabled mages without limits? But, of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.
A normal human could never endure that and remain sane.
Humans wouldn’t understand.
Their lives barely touched a hundred years, and though they tried to record history, only about seventy percent of what truly happened ever made it to the page.
The rest was ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) forgotten.
But elves were different.
With lifespans more than ten times longer, they were living histories, observers of time.
Even though there were few of them left, and they had suffered greatly during the human empire’s conquest wars just fifty years ago—
They still remembered everything.
There are beings in this world far beyond human comprehension.
Great spirits born of nature.
Superior races, more advanced than mankind.
Monsters and demons that vanished beyond the Shadow Barrier in the Spine of Giants.
And finally, the ones who look down upon this world—
The gods.
That’s why a human without limits would soon break.
Their vessel was too small to contain the attention of such higher beings.
Talented humans might have a slightly larger vessel, but in the end, they would only last a little longer.
But Ludger Cherish seemed fine. I’ve never sensed anything strange about him—and even now, nothing. He’s not the kind I feared he might be.
It was a bit disappointing, but also a relief.
He genuinely liked this human teacher.
As he let the thought fade, Ludger spoke up with a question.
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
“Yes? Please, go ahead.”
“You mentioned that those without limits sometimes hear voices. From beings outside.”
“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. Though it might just be an old rumor.”
“If that’s true, is there something... beyond that?”
Beyond that?
Vierno stroked his chin, searching his memory.
Then he shook his head.
“No. As far as I know, it stops at hearing voices.”
“I see.”
“There might not be anything beyond that. A normal person couldn’t endure even that much.”
“What if they did endure it? What do you think would happen?”
“Hm. I’ve never heard of such a case. But if someone did survive it, then maybe... there’s a next step. Like a worsening of symptoms.”
Vierno raised a finger.
“If they start by hearing voices, then next... perhaps they see something.”
“See?”
“Yes. But this is pure speculation. There’s no way anyone could withstand that. If there was, they’d be mad by now. A brilliant mage, maybe, but a lunatic all the same. If you’re constantly seeing things you don’t want to see—who wouldn’t lose their mind?”
That wouldn’t just break a human. It’d break anyone.
Even the long-lived races, the elves so close to nature, would struggle to bear it.
“And this is really just a what-if, but if there is something after that...”
“What would it be?”
“If you can hear the voices, and then you can see... well, the next step seems obvious.”
Vierno spoke casually, like it was nothing.
“You’d make contact.”
And then he added quietly:
“With a god.”
* * *
Vierno left to give his statement about the incident.
The time he’d spent thanking Ludger had been carved out of his already full schedule.
Ludger watched him walk away for a while before moving.
Contact with a god, huh.
Vierno’s theory was fascinating.
No—Ludger was honestly impressed.
—Because it was all true.
As expected from an elf who’d lived so long. He had taken scraps of old stories and narrowed down the truth.
But there’s no need to confirm that for him. Some things are better left unknown.
His condition wasn’t something he could casually share.
That’s why he had to suppress it—force it down with his own mana.
But this wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
Joanna Lovett. Or rather, First Order of Black Dawn—Esmeralda. What should I do about her?
While talking with Vierno, Ludger had thought it over.
Should he quietly tip off the authorities about who was really behind the fire spirit attack?
If he did, he could eliminate a major threat—the First Order.
But that could backfire, badly.
If Esmeralda was exposed, Ludger would be the first to fall under suspicion.
She had stayed inactive until now, and the very first time she moved, she got caught? That would raise red flags in Black Dawn.
They’d start investigating, and that would be a disaster.
And if I’m not careful, this could blow back on me even harder.
There was no doubt Joanna Lovett was Esmeralda.
But she was a spirit tamer who controlled a highest-tier fire spirit.
That kind of power rivaled a 6th-circle mage. And her spirit was different—even more dangerous than others of its kind.
She wouldn’t be easy to capture with a standard force.
If she’s to be taken down, the Headmaster would need to act personally. But if that happens, it’ll be impossible to keep the truth hidden.
For now, all Ludger had gained was the knowledge of Esmeralda’s identity.
He still had no clear answer on what to do with her.
Maybe I should just leave it for now.
That was the only option.
Esmeralda must have realized Ludger was the one who stopped the fire spirit at the end.
But she wouldn’t confront him. She wasn’t stupid. And Ludger had chosen his moment carefully.
He made up his mind.
I can’t touch her yet.
If she were exposed now, right after this attack, Black Dawn would suspect they had a traitor.
Ludger was doing this for his own safety—if he moved against her now and got caught, it would all be for nothing.
He had to wait and watch.
Next time she moves—when she slips, even just a little...
Then he’d use Seorn’s power to quietly unmask her.
And remove this thorn in his side.
So I’ll wait.
Patience was one of his greatest strengths.
* * *
The next morning.
The fire spirit terrorist attack dominated the front page of the newspaper.
[Terrorist Attack on Banquet Hall! Who Is the Real Culprit?]
The bold, black headline immediately drew the eye.
I sat at an outdoor table at a quiet café, flipping through the paper.
Well, after all that chaos, it’d be strange if it wasn’t front page news.
The city of Rederbelk expressed regret over the incident and vowed to find the culprit, no matter what.
But Ludger didn’t believe they’d do much.
If Black Dawn could be caught that easily, they’d have been taken down long ago.
And now the rumors are flying, all kinds of conspiracy theories about who’s behind it.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
The prevailing theory was that the attack had been carried out by the Liberation Army—some were even calling it the work of a deranged terrorist.
Given that most of the victims were high-ranking members of society, it was no surprise that people leaned toward blaming the Liberation Army.
The Liberation Army must be fuming—getting blamed for something they didn’t even do.
Ludger couldn’t help but feel a touch of grim satisfaction.
He hated the Liberation Army.
If he had to put it plainly, he didn't just dislike them—he despised them.
It’s because of those bastards that I’m dealing with all of this right now.
Even now, just remembering it made his jaw tighten.
If they hadn’t attacked the magitech train he was on, he wouldn’t have had to expose his face. He wouldn’t have been forced into Seorn Academy under an alias.
But what could he do? It had already happened.
All he could do now was make the best of what he’d been given.
Flap.
The next page of the newspaper featured a small article announcing heightened security for the upcoming Kunst Auction.
And at the center of the event?
None other than Ivan Luk, executive director of the Luk Corporation.
Naturally, Ludger remembered that arrogant brat from the banquet—the one who tried to pick a fight.
So he’s in charge of this auction.
Ivan would no doubt try to use this event to clean up his public image after his embarrassment at the banquet.
He’d want to go big—draw a crowd, make a spectacle of the opening ceremony, beef up security.
Reclaim some standing with his father by proving his worth as a director of Luk Corp.
A faint smile touched Ludger’s lips.
This might be fun to watch.
If the auction went smoothly, Ivan might just manage to clean up his mess.
—If it went smoothly.
What Ivan didn’t know was that the man he’d insulted at the banquet was going to be attending the auction... in secret.
With that thought, Ludger folded the newspaper.
His guest had arrived.
“You’re here.”
“Aren’t you a teacher? Is it really okay for you to be out and about this early in the morning?”
Across the table, Violetta gave him a slightly annoyed look.
Ludger rose from his seat.
“You seem a little cranky this morning.”
“Anyone would be if they were summoned at the crack of dawn to be someone’s tour guide.”
“Pretty bold complaint from someone who clearly spent a lot of time on makeup.”
“Makeup is armor, you know. It takes time to suit up properly.”
“So that’s what that was.”
Violetta’s outfit was noticeably different from the last time they met.
Gone was the formal black dress with its ominous elegance. Today she wore something far more practical—close to adventurer or mercenary wear.
Tall leather boots, a corset cinched tightly at the waist, and a wide-brimmed hat shading her face.
With her burns fully healed, the black veil that once hid her face was gone.
“Looks like something an adventurer would wear.”
“This is just the most practical thing when you’re running around all day. Come on, let’s go. You need to see how things have changed.”
“Lead the way.”
Ludger had come out to Rederbelk early this morning for one reason only:
To see the transformation of the slums.
Violetta looked like she could barely contain her excitement. She was practically glowing—completely different from her barbed attitude on their first meeting.
Now, she seemed more like a girl bursting to show off something she was proud of.
“Look. This street has been completely redone.”
“...Well now.”
The filthy, reeking back alleys he had seen before were nowhere to be found.
The slum, which even the city of Rederbelk had given up on, had been cleaned and restored—by its own residents.
Of course, it wasn’t done for free.
“Just like you said, I released the funds. We hired the locals—those who used to waste their days doing nothing.”
They’d cleaned, renovated, cleared debris. Torn down old, crumbling buildings and started constructing new ones.
It required a tremendous amount of money and manpower.
But this place was overflowing with idle labor no one else wanted to hire.
“Over 80% of our budget went into this.”
The vast fortune Ludger had looted from Belvotte Rixon’s private vault—along with the mountain of money seized from the Red Society—
He’d poured all of it into this slum, as a form of charity.
And it was working.
The once-dying neighborhood was slowly springing back to life.
“Just like you said—we’re going to turn this street into an artists’ quarter.”
The old, dark, suffocating slum was gone.
Carpenters were busy tearing down what was left of the old buildings, erecting new ones in their place.
Children who once hawked newspapers for a living now ran through the streets, laughing.
“This way—this is the new clothing shop we just opened.”
Violetta brought Ludger to a shop with large glass windows, showcasing displays inside.
Inside, women who had once been part of the Women of the Black Rose were bustling around, carrying fabric and working at sewing tables.
But behind the scenes, out of sight, numerous steam-powered machines were no doubt churning through cloth.
“For now, we’re focused on producing as many clothes as possible with the machines. Basic, affordable wear. But once we’ve built up enough, we’re going to launch a luxury brand.”
“You’re confident? You’ll be up against companies with deep roots—not just in this city, but across the Empire.”
“I’ve always dreamed of this moment.”
Violetta smiled with fierce conviction.
“No matter how deep a tree’s roots go—if it’s rotted inside, all it takes is one strong wind to bring it down.”
“A strong mindset.”
“Want to take a look inside?”
“No need. I imagine you’ve got more places to check.”
“In that case, I’ll show you somewhere else.”
So far, Ludger had only seen one clothing shop.
But the transformation of this district was far from over.
