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Since I fell asleep, nothing much happened.

Luna said she had some sparring sessions with a few kids who were asking her to, and Yui told me that she was styled in all sorts of hairstyles by the girls.

It seems that wherever you go, girls can’t resist cute things.

After class, it’s free time.

We agreed beforehand that there would only be one class a day.

So we lounged around the lodging until evening, and when dinner time came, we stepped out briefly from the Academy.

I had a reason to stop by the blacksmith.

“Hey, Uncle~”

I rang the bell as I opened the door and called out the familiar title.

The uncle, resting his chin on his hand and reading a newspaper, turned his gaze towards us.

“If you came to ask me to make some weird stuff like a cat headband again, you can just leave.”

“What’s wrong with a cat headband?”

All men’s dreams and hopes are contained in that little item.

Whoever made the cat headband and tail should receive a Nobel Prize.

“Then what strange thing are you planning to ask me to make this time…?”

“When did I ever ask you to make something strange?”

Has this uncle hit menopause?

He’s a man but doesn’t think anything of a cat headband?

“Hey, uncle hoxy…?”

“I like women, so drop that kind of expression.”

Thank goodness.

If the uncle were gay, I would have considered switching blacksmiths to protect my rear.

“Anyway, the reason I came today is to ask you to repair some tools.”

I took out all the broken magic tools I used this afternoon from my inventory.

“What on earth did you use these for that all the things you made recently are completely smashed?”

“Where else would I use magic tools? I use them for magic!”

“Then how are non-disposable tools smashed after just one use?”

I didn’t break them.

The professor broke them.

“This one seems too difficult to fix; how about just making a new one?”

“If that’s easier for you, then go ahead.”

Then I randomly pulled out the scales of a Sea Serpent from my inventory.

The scales fell in a clatter.

“And make 52 thin plates with these. The size should be 66mm wide and 88mm long.”

“Can’t you ask for something normal for once…?”

What’s the standard for normal?

Another term for normal is just another kind of normal, not abnormal.

“…There’s nobody in the world who wouldn’t use such good materials to make armor other than you.”

“How big do you think a Sea Serpent is? What’s the big deal about a few scales?”

We had a high contribution during the Sea Serpent raid, so we could bring back a better reward.

One of those precious materials was the Sea Serpent’s scales.

“Anyway, I’ll be counting on you~”

“Sigh…”

I picked up the fallen scales and placed them one by one into the uncle’s hands.

“By the way, kid, isn’t it about time you changed your weapon?”

“All of a sudden?”

“That weapon was made when you were a D-Rank, right? And you’re B-Rank now; isn’t it time for an upgrade?”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

I’ve actually thought about it once in a while.

The weapon I currently use isn’t that old or weak enough to require a change.

The problem is…

“It’s too light.”

The weapon was made to match the strength I had when it was built, and these days, I don’t even hold it with both hands when I use it.

So I guess it doesn’t matter that I keep using it, but there’s no need to stick with a weak weapon when I can create something stronger.

“Still, I don’t have any decent materials.”

Even though I have plenty of Sea Serpent scales, it wouldn’t be enough to make a greatsword from those thin things.

It may seem plentiful, but when melted down, they don’t yield much material.

‘If I ever get the chance to see the World Tree, should I break a few branches for some materials?’

Things that come from the World Tree are all precious materials in any world.

“True.”

“More importantly, please make what I mentioned just now well.”

“Alright, come back later.”

“Yep.”

With that, I left the blacksmith.

Now I headed toward the Academy to have dinner.

On the way back to the Academy…

“Mr. Luke.”

Suddenly, Yui stopped and tugged at my sleeve.

“What? Is there something fun?”

“No… not that, but that person over there.”

Yui pointed with her tiny hand toward a man dressed in a robe, looking around the crowd.

“Doesn’t that guy seem suspicious?”

“Yeah, totally suspicious.”

I praised Yui as I patted her on the head.

Usually, those who wear robes like that are mostly the shadowy figures.

They’re either scheming something or holding a key role as a supporting character.

It’s always one or the other.

‘Honestly, I don’t get why no one is paying attention to that guy in a robe who’s so openly standing out in the crowd.’

Perhaps due to the nature of this medieval era, there’s a guy blatantly wearing a robe in the midst of the crowd, and nobody cares.

In modern times, he would be treated as a cosplayer.

Anyway, this smells like trouble.

My brain tells me that if I follow him, something interesting will happen.

“Slurp…”

My mouth watered.

So I openly followed the suspicious Robeman.

After all, with so many people around, it wasn’t even sneaky.

The Robeman was certainly suspicious from the start, and the longer I followed, the more my suspicion turned into certainty.

Whenever there was a fork in the road, he looked around before turning, pressed the hood of his robe down tight, and when the crowds started to thin out, he’d panic and blend in.

After twisting directions several times and rummaging through some cramped alleys, the Robeman finally entered a building.

The building was located in a secluded alley where no one went, and it only had one entrance that went downward.

“Mr. Luke? What event is this?”

“Hmm… I can’t recall clearly. It’s probably a Behemoth or something.”

“Is that all you know?”

“Yep.”

If I had known this would happen, I should have noted it on a calendar after I possessed this body.

“I don’t know. What does it matter?”

Could an S-Rank monster really pop out?

We entered the building the Robeman had gone into.

Ideally, it would be better to blow up the whole building, but I had to figure out what was going on first.

If it’s a Behemoth, it might actually be better to head in.

“ᛒᛖᚺᛖᛗᛟᛏᚺ ᚲᛟᛗᛖ ᛟᚾ.”

As I descended the stairs, I heard a cryptic voice from across the door.

When I opened the door, there was the earlier Robeman, sitting in front of a geometric magic circle, his hands clasped and praying.

The magic circle was red, but the light illuminating it was purple, which made it look suspicious from the get-go.

And the Robeman was so focused that he didn’t even notice us entering.

I quietly walked up behind him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

Startled, the Robeman cut off his incantation and turned to stare at me.

I grinned and greeted him.

“Hi?”

*

He must have been on guard, thinking nobody knew he was here.

Although no one probably knew he was inside.

But who the heck is this guy in front of me?

“Why are you silent? You were just mumbling some spells a moment ago. Hey? Do you not speak Korean? Should I do it in English? Hello?”

And there were not just one but three of us.

“…When did you attach yourselves? You must have been really on guard.”

“Was that a guard? I thought it was an invitation to follow you.”

That was a lie. Well, considering I couldn’t sense their presence, there’s no way he would casually divulge that kind of skill.

The Robeman thought.

That’s why he drew a dagger from his pocket and got ready to defend himself.

Years of preparing for this plan went to waste as he couldn’t let unknown punks ruin everything.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Arthur!”

“…?”

“I see. Arthur. You’ll make a fine offering.”

“Stop! We’re allies! Cease your attack!”

What? Allies? Does he think I’m a fool? Who would believe someone they didn’t even know?

“How would I believe that?”

“Hey! We are the supporting forces sent by the great one! Dare you doubt him!”

“That’s not it…!”

“Well then, let’s stop with the long talk and just tell us how we can assist you.”

Could I really trust them? Even if I had doubts, if they were sent by the great one, then doubting them would be a sin.

“If you were truly sent by him, tell me what this magic circle is for!”

If he knew that, there would be no room for suspicion.

“We were sent by the great one to help with the Behemoth summoning ritual!”

In an instant, a smile spread across Robeman’s face.

‘Of course! The great one must be guiding me!’

Indeed, such extraordinary insight!

To send supporting forces even to some no-name demons was awe-inspiring.

He felt an overwhelming sense of reverence.

What he must do is prepare the base for when the great one descends to this humble place.

The first step of that preparation was to annihilate the current top country, the Empire.

The elves would be handled by other demons or dark lords, and the beastmen wouldn’t come to help since they’ve suffered a lot at the hands of humans.

“Then you’ll keep watch while I complete and activate this magic circle.”

“For how long?”

“About 30 minutes from now.”

“Can’t you do it any faster?”

“I understand you’re eager, but it can’t be done faster than this.”

If there was another demon who could understand this magic circle, it would be another story, but they didn’t seem to fit that bill.

“Then we’ll keep watch outside, and call us when you’re done.”

“Sure. If anyone comes, take care of them.”

Then the man and the two women who had come down the stairs went outside.

He focused on hastening the incantation.

Kneeling once more at the front of the magic circle, he chanted the runes.

With each step of the incantation, the candles in front of the magic circle began lighting up one by one, and as the spell completed, his internal magical power began being absorbed.

Thus, after 30 minutes passed.

Just as the Robeman was drained of every last bit of magical power, the incantation was completed.

“Phew… Hahaha!!”

As the incantation finished, the overwhelming sense of achievement made the Robeman forget his own situation and laughed heartily. The sense of accomplishment was so intense that it seemed unbelievable from his scrawny body.

“Is it done?”

At Robeman’s cheerful laughter, the one outside came back in.

“Yeah. I’d like to thank you for your help.”

“Then die.”

Right after that, Robeman’s vision fell to the floor.

 

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