191st Chapter. The Moment of Reception (2)

At Gerard’s sudden request, Mirona tilted her head in confusion.

For some unknown reason, Gerard’s attitude changed abruptly the moment he laid eyes on Lyman.

It was rare for Gerard, the most powerful figure in the Empire, to appear shocked as if he had seen something astonishing.

Could it be that Lyman had caused some kind of accident right in front of him?

Perhaps there was some major incident in his duchy that led him to go into hiding.

Given its enormity, Gerard might have recognized it merely from its outward appearance.

‘Is that why he tried to wear a mask?’

Of course, I couldn’t keep speculating in such an ominous direction.

However, it was generally a bad sign when a figure of Gerard’s stature became that excited upon seeing someone else.

Maybe that was why Lyman wore a mask in the first place.

“Is it okay if we just take a moment?”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter how long it takes.”

Upon hearing those words, Mirona gazed quietly at the Lyman standing behind her.

It seemed he was trying to give her a hint, as Lyman sighed.

“Then we’ll go have a quick talk.”

“Lord Gerard. He’s still a student, so please don’t scold him too harshly.”

“Hahaha… It’s not that, so please rest assured.”

In response to the princess’s misunderstanding, Gerard smiled and exited with Lyman.

They headed to the roof of the Academy’s royal residence.

Feeling relieved that no one was tailing them on their way, they could finally have some time alone.

Lyman leaned against the railing and sighed.

He then removed his mask, and Gerard couldn’t help but smile wryly at the sight.

“I see you’ve really been alive, brother.”

“….”

“I searched for you for quite a long time.”

It had been 30 years.

Even after such a long time, Lyman stood there, still gazing only at the Academy’s scenery.

He coldly refused to even meet the eyes of a companion he had finally reunited with.

But Gerard felt nothing but joy despite that.

He was overwhelmed with emotion.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He was simply grateful that his brother was alive.

The mistakes he made in the past still lingered in Gerard’s mind.

If he hadn’t lost his mind that day… If he hadn’t made that mistake, then Saint Maria would never have passed away.

Gerard still believed everything was his fault.

The death of the previous saint, the ensuing wrath of Spirit King Shaikar, and the fact that his brother felt lost and left them behind.

“Nothing has changed from that time.”

“….”

“Except for your hair color.”

Lyman’s appearance hadn’t aged a bit, even after 30 years.

At first, it seemed odd that he hadn’t aged a day, but Gerard quickly accepted it.

In fact, back when they were companions, he had sensed that his brother was an extraordinary being.

It was just a puzzling mystery as to what kind he was. Even back then, it seemed like his brother aged more slowly than the rest of them.

“I won’t pry into what you’ve been up to all this time… It’s possible meeting me here was unexpected for you as well.”

When someone departs, there’s usually a reason behind it.

In Lyman’s case, it seemed he initially withdrew from human society out of disillusionment.

He had feared that a desire for revenge against the saint would lead him to become an enemy.

Yet instead of becoming an enemy, there was no news of him at all.

It could be that he had retreated for reasons other than an aversion to human society.

“Indeed, you’re an immortal being.”

“….”

“You must have lived for a long time. From your perspective, witnessing the birth and death of others and the rise and fall of various factions, I’m nothing but a speck of dust.”

Gerard had prepared himself for that. He had to consider the possibility of being forgotten in his brother’s memories.

But he didn’t long for Lyman for no reason.

“But! There’s one thing I absolutely wanted to convey.”

“….”

-I’m sorry.

Gerard spoke with all the emotions he had built up over the past 30 years.

-I truly apologize for that time.

-I was blind to the situation.

-I did not know my place.

-Because of me, Saint Maria passed away.

-As a butterfly effect, it caused a rift between other races.

Once a mistake is made, it can never be undone.

It left an indelible scar on one whom he had respected greatly.

He could endure any punishment.

However, before that, he wished to speak to the person directly.

“I’m truly sorry, brother.”

Even if he couldn’t be forgiven, it didn’t matter.

The chance to say this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity granted by the heavens.

Even if both his legs crumbled, this moment was worth fighting for.

“I don’t know if this will ease your feelings towards me… but I truly hope you can learn to trust humanity again.”

“….”

Lyman remained silent, staring at the scenery.

What kind of expression did he make upon hearing my words? Worry almost overwhelmed Gerard, but he waited for a response.

No matter how his brother reacted, he could accept it.

Gerard could still despise humanity despite his own treatment.

Just as he was wavering in his heart… finally, an answer came.

“Don’t overdo it. It makes me look foolish.”

“….”

“But you’ve really grown a lot. You even have two daughters now.”

Lyman had seen many students after enrolling.

Among them, seeing a comrade’s daughter was both moving and somewhat surreal.

The clumsy Gerard had grown to be a duke and a father. Although he couldn’t congratulate him directly at this moment, he could offer indirect support instead.

“So that unique friend Jenny was dating, it turns out to be you, brother.”

He had heard that someone was teaching Jenny swordsmanship outside of classes and training.

That person was certainly more skilled than Jenny, but the fact that they were a fellow student raised concerns about hurting Jenny’s pride.

Yet Jenny had expressed gratitude towards that friend instead.

She wasn’t ridiculed but taught by a true master.

Just like the Gerard of the past.

“I also wanted to say something.”

“….”

“You have a good daughter.”

It was a compliment he hadn’t heard in a long time.

Some emotion that had lain dormant within Gerard for 30 years seemed to bloom.

It made him smile to realize that even at his age, there was still something left of him.

However, the praise was followed by a heavy sentiment.

“Just don’t blind yourself to me too much.”

One sentence from Lyman severed the joy he felt. Gerard felt a pang of disappointment, but it was hard to argue against it.

He couldn’t fathom how many years Lyman had endured living without aging. Following such a brother would only result in Gerard aging before he could catch up.

Moreover, Gerard had heard stories of those who overly trusted their mentors and fell into ruin.

“I know. There was that incident when Aligieri’s vice-principal caused a major accident and was dismissed. Naturally, I won’t end up like that.”

“….”

Despite expressing his strong resolve, Lyman still spoke very little. He wouldn’t even look this way.

“Still, it’s been 30 years since we last saw each other. How about we have a drink to celebrate?”

He proposed with genuine intent, but he was also prepared for rejection.

Gerard waited nervously for Lyman’s answer.

“Gerard, can you endure whatever sound you hear from here on out?”

“Excuse me?”

Instead of an answer, Lyman responded with another question.

It didn’t matter what answer he received, but he was puzzled about what it meant.

“What do you mean…?”

He found Lyman’s behavior a bit strange since earlier.

It wasn’t merely because he turned his head to enjoy the view. It seemed like he had a reason for not meeting Gerard’s gaze.

So it felt off. After all, the one who had made a mistake was Gerard, so why was Lyman avoiding eye contact?

As if he had something to hide.

“By the way, brother, where’s the wolf that used to accompany you? I thought Saint Maria entrusted it to you.”

It seemed that the relationship between the previous saint and Lyman was quite special.

That wolf had been left to him by the saint before her death, and Lyman must have cherished it dearly.

But now, where had it disappeared to?

Not just the color of his hair, but the surroundings seemed to have changed into a lonely expanse.

It looked as if only a blue lake remained in a completely white world.

“It’s dead.”

He had almost hoped otherwise.

The confirmation of his ominous premonition brought shocking news.

But…

“I killed it.”

“What?”

An even more shocking statement followed.

He was saying he killed a being that should have been regarded as a manifestation of the saint?

Gerard carefully asked why that was the case.

Then an unbearable truth was revealed.

“That thing killed your wife.”

Why was he joking so suddenly?

Has he really changed after 30 years and found humor in lies?

Gerard’s mind became filled with anguish and hopelessness.

He had continued to dissect the corpse of Lycanthrope, the criminal who took his wife’s life.

With the help of Tailly, who was managing the White Magic Tower, they found unusual mana patterns.

Last year, during the Nine-Tailed Fox Incident, it had been said that an unknown demon had dismembered King Talema. The results matched with that creature.

But the issue was who that monster was. How could he possibly find that unknown entity?

That problem had been haunting him until now. However, an uneasy feeling crept over him from Lyman’s recent statement.

An unidentified demon.

Could it be that the entity was someone he knew?

Bam!—

In that moment, a violet flash blindsided him.

In the spot where the light flared from the railing, an unknown demon stood.

For the first time, that demon turned its gaze away from the scenery and focused on Gerard.

“You’ve got an opportunity to share the truth now. For both you and me.”

Lyman explained everything to reassure his former companion.

From the moment of his birth… to the purpose he needed to fulfill moving forward.

And even about the identity of Saint Maria, a secret that no one knew.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A cluster of stars floated around the crescent moon.

The stars and the moon always illuminated Aligieri and the Purgatory Volcano respectively.

Whenever Gerard saw that sparkling view, a smiling face would come to his mind.

The stars continued to twinkle. As if suggesting that laughter could solve everything.

“Laughter, my foot.”

What solves anything just by smiling?

Did he think a world could be created without the need for guards and everything else by simply chatting merrily?

He had heard such nonsense since childhood, but he could no longer relate to it.

‘Just thinking about the process of my birth sounds ridiculous.’

His mother, known as the Great Sage, actually harbored one secret.

She wasn’t human.

It wouldn’t be possible for Lyman, born from her womb, to be human either.

Was that how it was resolved with a smile as his mother had hoped?

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it became.

‘Laughing is insanity.’

Having just shared all the truths with Gerard, Lyman stood alone beneath the hill, gazing at the village.

The village was filled with a festive atmosphere, but Gerard couldn’t feel the same.

How could he be normal knowing that his beloved wife was killed by someone she admired?

But the opportunity was only now.

Time was drawing near.

The day ‘she’ would die upon her fifth reincarnation.

“Please, survive at least.”

Despite being a foolish mother, her final wish had been passed down to her.

He was merely meant to protect that flame from going out.

“What does it mean for you to survive?”

At that moment, Radon Crawler emerged from between the trees.

He showed up with surprising confidence, which caught Lyman off guard. He had always displayed a demeanor of fear and avoidance up until now.

However, since they were no longer hiding secrets from each other, Lyman could feel his heart lighten.

“You’re finally coming out openly?”

“Well, what else? Should I just spend my life hiding behind you and letting everyone call me a madman?”

“Do as you like. As long as you don’t get caught.”

That said, it didn’t mean Lyman wasn’t scared.

Until they created a happy ending, he could be seen as a ticking time bomb.

Radon had brought another person along to prevent that.

“It’s been a while, you damned scoundrel.”

As the wind blew, someone emerged from the shade of the trees.

Spirit King Shaikar looked at Lyman with a glare he hadn’t given in 30 years.

Surviving as an Academy Scammer.

 

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