Chapter 80
“What…?”
Vincente, unusually surprised, echoed back.
“Are you serious about that?”
“I am.”
It sounded like a spur-of-the-moment decision, but there was a clear reason.
‘The organization that collects Aethernum has formed close ties even with the Emperor.’
It would be better to eliminate, in advance, any presence that might threaten Jack and the children later. And the situation was going more favorably than in the original story.
‘Because I have an inert Aethernum.’
In the original, Vincente anonymously leaks information about Aethernum to Cloan after Cloan became a duke—he wanted Cloan to collect Aethernum on his behalf.
At the same time, Vincente handed the organization the inert Aethernum he possessed to gain their trust, then revealed that Cloan was collecting Aethernum.
He planned to take advantage of the clash between Cloan and the organization—while both sides were weakened—to seize their Aethernum.
But contrary to his expectations, Cloan succeeded in destroying the organization without major injury and came into possession of the organization’s cursed Aethernum and the inert Aethernum.
In the end, Vincente tried to kill Cloan to take them back but failed and was killed by Cloan.
Cloan then sealed away four of the Aethernums—everything except one last Aethernum he never found.
Destroying the organization turned into an opportunity for Cloan and allowed him to successfully take revenge on the Emperor.
Afterward, he recovered Len, killed Ciela, and the original story moved fully onto the romance track.
‘Cloan found two Aethernums himself, so I should be able to find them too.’
After all, hadn’t I obtained the Aethernum from the Chloris troupe?
If so, the next Aethernum we needed to find in this order was already decided. Before hunting for the cursed Aethernum, we should first find the other Aethernums Cloan had previously discovered.
I met Vincente’s eyes.
I parted my lips.
“I’ll help you find the cursed Aethernum and lift your curse. It won’t be easy, but I can do it. You’re not still doubting me, are you?”
Vincente was silent for a long moment, then nodded.
“All right. I’ll trust you.”
I gave a small, satisfied smile, hardened my expression, and said,
“But first we need to get the other Aethernum. It’s dangerous if it falls into their hands.”
“The other Aethernum?”
Since we now knew the Aethernum in the Chloris troupe was the Healing Aethernum, I could say exactly which Aethernum we should search for next.
“The ‘Hallucination Aethernum’ lodged in the heart of the King of the Monsters.”
“The King of the Monsters….”
Vincente frowned at my words.
“The King of the Monsters lives in the mist; he’s hard to find. What a pain.”
Because, as I’d said, we found the Healing Aethernum in the Chloris troupe, Vincente accepted my plan without suspicion.
I nodded.
As he said, the King of the Monsters usually hides within the fog, so even locating him is difficult.
However, there was one time each year when he revealed himself.
“Rishan Week.”
“Huh?”
“Rishan Week is coming up soon. The King of the Monsters will surely appear then.”
That’s how Cloan found the King of the Monsters in the original story.
“Though it’s unclear exactly where he’ll show up….”
Cloan discovered the King of the Monsters in Saint Gorge, but that happened only after Cloan was already an adult. There was no guarantee the King would appear there this year.
“You seem to have a place in mind.”
Reading my thoughts, Vincente said, and I nodded.
“Saint Gorge.”
“Well, that’s one of the monsters’ main habitats. It wouldn’t be strange if he appeared there.”
“But it’s not certain.”
“I have a place in mind too—the Monster Forest.”
“The Monster Forest…?”
“That place is another region where monsters frequently appear. Those two places are the most likely.”
I rubbed my chin. Two candidates. It was highly probable the King would appear in one of those two locations.
After thinking it through, I opened my mouth.
“Then Vincente, you go to the Gorge. I’ll go to the Forest.”
Vincente snorted and said,
“Isn’t it more likely you’ll end up getting caught?”
It was a blow to my pride, but he had a point, so I couldn’t exactly argue.
But I had a plan.
“I’m not planning to fight the King of the Monsters. If he appears, I’ll pull out the ring—then you can show up.”
The tracking magic he had placed on me was still active. Of course I planned to break it eventually, but for now it was convenient to use him.
Maybe he hadn’t expected that—Vincente looked at me with admiring eyes.
“You must find the Hallucination Aethernum before the person who cursed you. If the Hallucination Aethernum falls into the organization’s hands, even if you find the curser later, you’ll be at a disadvantage. Also, you must be careful not to have your name discovered. And you mustn’t get cursed again.”
“……”
My words made Vincente’s expression odd, then a dark smile spread across his face.
“Yes, that’s right. When I get my name back, I’ll make that bastard die as painfully as possible.”
Like a predator eyeing its prey, Vincente licked his lips. Given his looks, the motion felt dangerously provocative. But knowing his true nature, I just felt a chill down my spine.
He turned to look at me with that expression.
“By the way, I’m really curious. What are you, that you know all these things—like a god?”
He leaned in close and studied me.
I looked straight at his face and answered casually.
“What else. I’m the orphanage director.”
“Pfft. Hahaha. Right. You’re the orphanage director. Of course I should have known.”
Fortunately he didn’t push further; Vincente let out a light laugh.
I glanced at the time. Evening was nearly upon us. If I didn’t leave soon, Hoyun might become suspicious.
“Cut the joking. Tell me the final step.”
“Oh, right. Right.”
As if he’d forgotten, Vincente nodded, then suddenly grabbed my hand.
Startled, I tried to pull my hand away, but then stopped resisting as a sensation overtook me.
“Do you feel it?”
“……What is this?”
It was like iron being pulled to a magnet—at the point where Vincente’s hand touched, a strong force seemed to gather.
“Your mana.”
“…….”
“Releasing mana is simple. Think of the incantation, concentrate mana in your hand, and then exhale it out.”
“……That’s hard.”
“That was the easiest way I could explain it. The rest you’ll have to figure out yourself. Oh, and a word of advice: don’t practice inside the building unless you want your precious children to be turned into roasted meat.”
“Vincente.”
I scowled at his excessive comment. He made a small laugh and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly we were back in the director’s office.
“See you at Rishan Week.”
Then Vincente vanished.
Left alone, I lowered my hand and tried to focus mana in the center of my palm like Vincente had shown.
According to him, my body was filled with mana, so I didn’t need to feel the flow necessarily.
‘The feeling of gathering…’
I tried to recall that sensation and concentrate, but it wasn’t easy.
‘But still, there’s potential.’
After a few more attempts, energy drained from me and I collapsed face-first onto the desk.
I then opened the locked drawer. Inside was an unpolished, shimmering green Aethernum.
‘If I gather all the Aethernum, maybe I could take down the Emperor.’
In truth, the organization was the Emperor’s greatest source of power. If that organization fell, the Emperor’s strength would be greatly diminished.
‘Then Jack wouldn’t have to hide anymore, and the children wouldn’t be scattered.’
Actually, Vincente’s curse being lifted was only an additional benefit. My true goal was simply for the children to be safe and live happily without threats.
‘They’ll probably feel lonely when they become independent.’
It’s inevitable that grown children will leave to find their own lives.
Thinking about that made loneliness wash over me. But after a moment I slapped my own cheek.
‘Don’t brood over the distant future already.’
I had to focus on the present.
I looked up and out the window. The golden moon occupied the center of the sky.
‘Come to think of it, Jack’s tournament is coming up.’
That was when Jack would be admitted to the palace.
He chose to participate, so I accepted, but I couldn’t help worrying.
‘But he’s entering under the name of the Creiman Dukes, so nobody will meddle rashly.’
That would be equivalent to attacking the Creiman family.
Also, according to Lenard, students from the Royal Academy would participate, and Lenard and I would be there too, so I didn’t expect anything to happen.
‘Still, I’ll be extra careful.’
I resolved.
And so another night passed.
