Chapter 16…..
“Ugh…”
A strange ceiling.
Lillian woke up on a hard bed, groaning as pain throbbed through her head.
“Where is this…?”
“You’re awake?”
Slowly raising her upper body, she glanced around and then froze when her eyes met those of the woman sitting across from her on another bed. She tilted her head blankly.
“…Leona Everrock?”
“You… know me?”
Recognizing the familiar face immediately, Lillian’s eyes sparkled as she spoke in an excited voice, ignoring the other woman’s puzzled blinking.
“Of course I do! The pride of the Academy, a once-in-a-century prodigy!”
Leona Everrock.
The pride of the Imperial Royal Academy.
In recent years, anyone who had studied at the Academy would know who she was. It was already shocking enough that she, as a woman, had entered the Academy’s Knight Department, but the feats she accomplished afterward were nothing short of groundbreaking.
“You’re the one who, as a cadet, defeated a professor from the Imperial Guard in a mock duel! Who wouldn’t know you? You’re famous not only in the Knight Department but also among us in the Magic Department! But… why are you here instead of in the Capital…?”
Chattering away happily at meeting a celebrity in such a distant land, Lillian suddenly realized the uncomfortable gaze aimed at her. She paused awkwardly.
“Oh, right! This is our first meeting, and I got carried away. I’m Lillian—Lillian Ashford. I wasn’t nearly as incredible as you, but I was technically your senior by two years at the Academy.”
With a proud smile, she puffed out her chest. Even if she couldn’t compare to Leona, who had made a name for herself across all departments, being an Academy graduate was something to be proud of.
The Academy, which gathered the most talented individuals across the continent, was not only notoriously difficult to enter but even harder to graduate from, given its brutal curriculum.
“…I’ve been in the Ather Duchy for about a month and a half now. The request came right before graduation. The Ducal House was looking for a top-performing graduating student to serve the young lord.”
Leona, who had been giving Lillian a rather unenthusiastic look, finally sighed softly and answered. Judging from how things were unfolding, they would likely be serving Eric together, and she couldn’t stay cold toward her forever.
Still, she couldn’t forget how this woman had looked expectant when searching for the young lords, only to faint in shock the moment she met Eric in person. That had left a bad taste.
But then again, it wasn’t every day that a high-level mage from the Academy—talent rarely found even in the Capital—would pack up and travel all the way to the harsh North. That was something to acknowledge.
The young lord did say… not to mind people having a bad first impression of him.
“Wow, really? Me too! After graduating, I was working in the Tower as a researcher, but then I saw the announcement that the Ather Duchy was looking for a battle mage to assist the young lords! I had joined the Tower due to circumstances, but my dream has always been to fight as a battle mage. So when I saw the posting, I applied right away! But then…”
Excitedly rambling with a bright expression, Lillian’s voice trailed off as she remembered what had just happened at the training ground. Her shoulders drooped.
Her last memory before fainting.
If that wasn’t a dream, then she would now have to serve as the assistant mage to Eric Ather—the infamous delinquent young lord—for the duration of her contract.
“Um, Leona… which young lord are you serving…?”
Creak—
“Young lord, did the conversation go well?”
“Ah, nothing serious. Just some personal details and a request to look after me… Oh! You’re awake.”
Just as Lillian was about to carefully ask Leona, the door opened. She flinched as someone entered. Watching Leona rise and briefly converse with the man, Lillian froze stiff when he turned toward her with a faint smirk.
“E-E-Erik…”
“This is the young lord, Lillian.”
“Ah! I-I’m sorry!”
Lillian stammered, pointing nervously at him, only for Leona to quickly lower her hand, her earlier resolution to stay composed faltering again.
“It’s fine, don’t worry. You just fainted and woke up—it’s natural to be disoriented.”
Eric shook his head gently as if to say there was no need to be so stiff, then sat down on the bed Leona had vacated and faced Lillian.
“Lillian Ashford.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
He called her name softly, and Lillian, stiff with tension, nodded hastily.
Eric Ather.
The disgrace of the Ather Ducal House.
The infamous delinquent whose reputation had spread beyond the North to the entire Empire.
Despite being the son of the legendary current Duke and having royal blood, he had been born without a single blessing from the goddess.
As the Duke’s legitimate heir, he neglected his duties, instead wasting his days in the streets, harassing women under the protection of his family’s name.
And now…
My employer.
According to the Tower’s posting, the minimum contract period was three years.
Rustle—
Whether she liked it or not, she would be working under him for three years. She studied him carefully as he flipped through the papers in his hands with surprising seriousness.
“Graduate of the Academy. Specialty: fire magic. Graduation grades were average, but your entrance exam results showed magical power beyond even active Imperial Court Mages. Is that correct?”
After reading through the personnel file given to him by the steward, Eric spoke quietly to confirm.
Lillian was well-known among players of Protect Humanity as a rare high-firepower mage available to recruit early.
Still, much of the Academy information in her file was new to him—it was about three years ahead of the game’s timeline.
“I’m confident in my magic! The professors and even the Tower Lord praised me!”
Eyes shining, she leaned forward eagerly. Eric chuckled, setting the papers aside.
He already knew how to win her trust and loyalty—he had done it many times in the game.
Though she possessed firepower on par with the Imperial Court Mages, she had graduated with only average marks due to her “glass cannon” problem.
Her dream of becoming a battle mage had been stifled, leaving her stuck in research positions.
But if he could grant her that dream, she would follow him wholeheartedly.
“Good. I happen to be in need of firepower. This works out nicely.”
Now then…
How best to make her wish come true?
He didn’t need to think long.
Coincidentally, he really did need a mage soon.
Right, they said there was an avalanche in the Nivossus Mountains recently, didn’t they?
Just a few hours ago, some knights had been talking about it in the training grounds. At first, he had dismissed it as a ruined vacation plan. But the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
After all, while he knew of Mount Nivossus, he had never heard of a Nivossus Mountain Range—even though he prided himself on knowing everything about the game.
And… wasn’t there a record in the game of several mountains in the North disappearing overnight? Around this exact time, too.
A mountain range that, three years later, would be reduced to a single surviving peak.
And a great disaster where multiple mountains vanished overnight.
There had to be a connection.
Meaning, this avalanche might not be ordinary.
And if something powerful enough to erase mountains was behind it, he could already guess who it might be. Narrowing it down by timeline, only a couple of candidates remained.
If left alone, entire mountains will vanish. But if I stop it, the achievement will far surpass wiping out sewer-dwelling Ratmen and their leader.
The Duke would choose his successor in three years.
To sway the elders’ support away from Allen before then, he needed to take risks and earn major accomplishments.
And with no knights or soldiers at his disposal except for Leona, he couldn’t afford to waste time.
“Have you ever fought monsters?”
“M-Monsters? Back at the Academy, maybe a little…”
Lillian fidgeted with her fingers nervously.
He hadn’t expected much. With her frail constitution and limited experience, she probably hadn’t fought many monsters outside controlled training.
But that was fine—better, in fact. Her lack of experience meant even small gestures would leave a strong impression.
“Monsters? Did you discover something hiding again?” Leona asked suspiciously.
“Well, you could say it’s similar.”
Eric shrugged, glossing over her doubts.
He had a good idea of who might be behind this, but unlike the Ratmen incident, it would be suspicious if a so-called street-roaming delinquent knew too much about distant mountains.
“Let’s see. You’ve just arrived, so it would be tough to set out right away. We’ll leave next week. Will that work for you?”
“You—you’ll let me join the battle? Of course! I mean, I’d be ready today if you asked!”
Her eyes lit up, and she nodded furiously. She might not understand the full situation, but she could tell a monster subjugation was coming soon.
“Good. Then next week it is. Until then, rest and get used to the estate. You’ll be living here for a while anyway. Oh, do you know where your room is?”
Watching her respond so eagerly, Eric smiled in satisfaction.
She was easy to read.
“Leona, guide her.”
“Yes, young lord.”
As Eric left the room, entrusting her to Leona, Lillian blinked in surprise.
I heard he was supposed to be such a notorious scoundrel.
But contrary to rumor, he had been quite calm and even kind.
…Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to give him a chance?
When she had first encountered Eric at the training ground, she had thought he was the worst. But now, a faint smile tugged at her lips.
