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Finally arriving in front of the academy’s main hall, Gilbert could truly feel that he had returned. Although the time he had been away was only a week, the journey back had been quite rough, making him feel oddly nostalgic.

It was a return trip that made him deeply realize the truth behind the saying, “Leaving home means hardship.” Jokingly, the royal road of fantasy is said to be encounters with thieves or monsters, but the frequency was far beyond what Gilbert had imagined.

It reminded him of playing Tactical Combat on the highest difficulty level. Every time he tried to camp in a suitable spot, a group of thieves would pop out as if by appointment, making it impossible to get a proper night’s sleep.

Of course, camping alone made it impossible to sleep comfortably, but there was a slight problem with the fact that every time he set up a perimeter alarm, it would trip.

Naturally, this was stressful for Gilbert, whose goal was to at least get some light sleep. Dealing with invaders who were after his life often led to unwanted bloodshed.

If he hadn’t obtained Lionheart and Nemea, he might have gone berserk on the way back, unable to contain his frustration.

Gilbert celebrated his safe return and stepped into the main hall. His mind was filled with the thought of quickly settling matters with Professor Horizon and securing some rest.

But perhaps because his appearance was a mess?

Gilbert forced a bitter smile at the gazes directed at him. Objectively, it was only natural for people to stare at the delinquent who had been missing for a week, now appearing in a disheveled state.

Especially the reddish stains on his sleeves, which looked like bloodstains to anyone who saw them, combined with his notorious reputation, made him dread what rumors might spread.

Even if he tried to cover black ink with more black ink, a person’s reputation could only get worse. Even if Gilbert’s reputation was already at rock bottom, rumors of him randomly cutting people down would be problematic.

If some strange information accidentally reached the Count of Lithuania…

Gilbert felt a chill run down his spine.

Although Gilbert had been given a final chance by the Count of Lithuania, his father, it was more like a suspended sentence. If he caused any trouble during that period, it was only natural that he would face immediate consequences.

He tried to take the murmurs around him in stride. The gaze of Lily, glaring at him from afar, was hard to ignore, but his relationship with her was already beyond repair.

Not wanting to get tangled up and embarrassed, Gilbert quickly headed to Professor Horizon’s lab.

*Knock knock!*

“Professor, it’s Gilbert.”

“Hoho. Finally back, are you? Come in.”

Knocking on the door, Gilbert was greeted by the kind voice he hadn’t heard in a week, granting him entry.

Gilbert opened the lab door and stepped inside. As he entered, the musty smell of old documents, which he had smelled once before, welcomed him.

“Cadet Gilbert, is it? Well, you look a mess. Did you achieve anything?”

Professor Horizon’s sharp eyes met Gilbert’s ruby-like eyes. His eyes seemed filled with a strange longing.

“Here it is.”

Gilbert pulled out the journal he had taken from Terodamas’s hidden residence from his magic item pouch. Professor Horizon, handed the thick, magically treated parchment, trembled with excitement at Gilbert’s confirmation.

“How did you find the journal?”

“I found the hidden residence of the Lion King Terodamas. While gathering information in the Obitus Territory, I discovered his hidden residence.”

“A hidden residence?”

“Following the songs passed down by bards, I found a bookstore in the Obitus Territory that dealt with ancient texts. There was a journal describing the Lion King’s final moments.”

This was essentially explaining the game’s information-gathering route.

Players who received the quest from Professor Horizon would head to the Obitus Territory, where they would hear the bards’ songs.

Like most bard songs, they were filled with metaphors and allusions, making it hard to pinpoint the exact location. However, entering a bookstore that sold ancient texts in the area would reveal a journal vaguely describing the location among the least popular books piled in the farthest corner.

After that, it was a matter of endless grinding to find a similar terrain and, by referencing the Lion King’s biography, finally entering Terodamas’s hidden residence to obtain Lionheart.

Of course, Gilbert, who knew all the details, could have gone straight to the location, but he followed all the steps to avoid arousing Professor Horizon’s suspicions.

On the other hand, he was somewhat anxious about whether he could really obtain Lionheart like in Tactical Combat, so visiting the bookstore also played a part.

Professor Horizon quietly looked down at the journal, then glanced at Gilbert.

He had never expected that the hidden residence of the Lion King, which even he, after years of research, had failed to find, would be discovered by a mere cadet in just a week.

He had only intended to punish the cheeky new cadet who had contradicted him, but it had turned into a significant gain.

Professor Horizon nodded in great satisfaction.

“Cadet Gilbert.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Although I haven’t yet verified the authenticity of the journal, I know it’s not a fake. Age gives one the power to discern such things.”

“Is that so?”

“You don’t have to believe it.”

Taking a deep breath, Professor Horizon continued, looking at the still calm Gilbert.

“Anyway, this bet is a complete defeat for this old professor. So, your expulsion is off the table, and I’ll grant you one wish as promised. Hoho.”

Gilbert cheered inwardly, seeing the quest completion notification. Originally, obtaining Lionheart was the entire sub-quest, but Professor Horizon’s unexpected declaration had enhanced the reward.

With the power of the Great Sage, he could obtain almost anything, so Gilbert pondered what he needed most at the moment.

The best option would be an item that could increase his Mana Ability Stat, but having recently consumed the Dragon’s Fruit, it was too much too soon.

It could disrupt his stabilizing mana array, and such items could be obtained anytime.

It would be more helpful to request an item that only his power could obtain…

At that moment, something flashed through Gilbert’s mind.

“Professor, you said I could ask for anything, right?”

“It must be within my power. So, have you decided what you want?”

“I would like the prototype of the artificial spirit currently under research.”

“The prototype of the artificial spirit?”

Professor Horizon’s eyes narrowed. He had expected Gilbert to ask for a reward or a potion to increase his mana, but this was far beyond his expectations.

But for Gilbert, this was a golden opportunity. He already planned to hand over the best colossal mech to the protagonist, so he needed to secure his own colossal mech.

Especially since the artificial spirit, the core of the colossal mech, wasn’t something you could buy with money.

Even the artificial spirits in the Lithuania Territory were a generation behind. Being war machines, the demand for colossal mechs was determined by national institutions.

Most of the latest colossal mechs were prioritized for defending the capital, so seizing such opportunities was crucial.

Moreover, the prototype artificial spirit at this point was something even Gilbert had never obtained.

As the main story progressed, it was exported and ended up with a late-game boss, showcasing its might.

But if he could obtain it now with the help of the Great Sage Horizon, it would halve the boss’s strength while boosting his own.

After a moment of contemplation, Professor Horizon’s eyes sparkled as he asked.

“Good. I’ve pledged in the name of the Great Sage, so I’ll grant you that. As far as I know, the latest colossal mechs are about to be produced, and there’s talk of scrapping some.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

Gilbert wanted to shout with joy at this rare opportunity but held back because of Professor Horizon’s presence.

“By the way, may I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“When you were at the residence, was there anything else besides this journal?”

“I didn’t have the time to examine it in detail. Investigating the place within a limited schedule was challenging.”

Gilbert knew what Professor Horizon was after but played dumb. Getting involved unnecessarily would only cause him trouble.

With a mix of longing and regret, Professor Horizon sighed deeply and returned to his usual kind expression.

“Alright. Then, just submit a report on that residence.”

“Understood. I’ll take my leave now.”

Gilbert bowed and left the lab. Although there was an unexpected penalty, he felt proud of having gained something even greater.

He wanted to go back, take a shower, and lie down in bed, but he decided to endure a bit longer. Even with Professor Horizon’s permission, missing a week of lectures wasn’t good.

He wanted to change his clothes, but there was no time.

Gilbert sighed at his messy attire and headed towards the colossal mech operation classroom.

 

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