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During this time, Ian Volkanov had been staying at the Blue Moon Pavilion.
His vassals were taking care of the miscellaneous tasks, so he didn't need to worry about them, and important matters like the tournament could be handled from the pavilion.
'If I return to the mansion, I'll inevitably run into Leticia.'
Shulkin had mentioned that she was crying and refusing to eat.
Returning in such a situation would only lead to a series of awkward encounters.
'I could console her if I was idle and had nothing to do.'
But he didn't have that luxury.
From the moment he resolved to deal with Leviathan, his rest was over.
It might seem cold-hearted, but Ian had no time to spare for Leticia right now.
He was too busy just thinking about how to deal with Leviathan.
'First, assuming that Ariel becomes Leviathan's host… I need to take away the women around my sister. Reina should be taken care of.'
There was only one left.
A fallen noble but a future archmage, Bianca Matip.
'Of course, there's still Seliana Dias.'
Ian decided not to consider them.
According to Eri, the relationship between Celia and Ariel hasn't been good lately.
From what he had seen, their relationship didn't look very good either.
'To be precise, it was Celia who was distancing herself from Ariel.'
Anyway, excluding Celia, the remaining one was Dias. Ian didn't want to deal with him.
'I have no interest in getting close to a man. Let him be.'
If Dias had been a crucial character, Ian might have had to win his favor reluctantly.
But Dias was not that important.
'He was just following Reina into Ariel's party as a childhood friend.'
He might have the talent to become a future Mercenary King, but who cared.
For now, he was just a commoner captivated by beautiful women.
Ian wasn't the only one who thought this way.
Even Ariel only saw Dias as a friend of tactical value, nothing more.
That was why he decided to focus solely on Bianca.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of Ian's fingers tapping on the desk echoed.
'Bianca Matip.'
A noble from the southern part of the Empire, from a family known for their knowledge of black magic.
The Matip family, having used black magic, often associated with demons, to sweep away demonic creatures, had gained enormous fame.
Unfortunately, her parents and key family members had become demonic beings, leading to their downfall and loss of all their fame.
'It's no exaggeration to say her life was ruined after her family fell.'
Since she had always focused on training to develop black magic, especially necromancy, she had no real friends. And now she was labeled a traitor.
'Even when the Matip family was intact, discrimination against black magicians was still there. That atmosphere only intensified.'
Don't trust black magicians. They'll betray you anyway. How can the child of demons be alive? She should be executed immediately.
Bianca had lived hearing such words countless times.
'Of course, she started learning ordinary magic after giving up black magic.'
Her parents' betrayal was not something that could be easily washed away.
In the end, Celia was the only person left in the 1st Platoon of the second year who was close to her.
'But they weren't really on good terms either.'
They were rivals over Ariel's favor.
Even if they belonged to the same party, they couldn't be friendly.
There are such relationships, aren't there? Hanging out together but feeling awkward when left alone.
'How have you been?' 'Good, you?' and then falling silent.
That was exactly how it was between Celia and Bianca.
The unfortunate part was that Celia, as a daughter of a duke, had many followers.
But Bianca had none.
'Ultimately, she's alone. That's for sure.'
She's isolated. That was Ian's new problem.
To build rapport, he needed a reason to approach her.
She had always bristled at anyone other than Ariel, and her hatred for nobles was at its peak.
How could he separate her from Ariel?
Ian had agonized endlessly over the problem. He had come up with various plans and run simulations, but the conclusion was always the same.
'This can't be resolved at Ark. I have to make sure Bianca and Ariel grow apart before the end of the break.'
He had to finish the situation before the break ended.
It wouldn't be easy, but fortunately, there was a perfect opportunity.
'According to the original story, during the break, Ariel would go on a trip to Brookers, the former territory of the Matip family, with her friends.'
Bianca, who always longed for the warmth of a family, envied the cadets who returned to their families during the break.
Noticing this, Ariel decided to accompany her to Brookers, and that's when the event would happen.
Remembering the original story made Ian frown automatically.
It was the first point where the difficulty of Heroic Academy skyrocketed exponentially.
'Unlike the previous conflicts with demons and Ark's students, the enemies would increase from this point onwards.'
They would face opponents not easily defined by simple concepts of good and evil, but those driven by conflicting ideologies.
'The main enemies in the Brookers event are the resistance.'
These were groups of oppressed commoners preparing to strike at the Empire.
Now was the time they would start their full-fledged operations.
Would those who opposed the Empire be friendly to Ariel?
Perhaps if she were a hero of commoner origin, but as a count's daughter, Ariel would be seen as another target for their animosity.
That's why…
[Emergency quest 'City of Disaster, Brookers' has occurred!]
[Stop those who threaten Ariel's life!]
A quest to protect Ariel had appeared.
The question was how to get there.
'Just going there would be suspicious.'
If he followed Ariel despite their strained relationship, it might raise her suspicions.
She might even decide to go elsewhere just to avoid the discomfort of his presence.
'I need a way to get near Brookers without arousing Ariel's suspicion.'
He was contemplating this problem when…
Thud! Thud!
A large eagle was knocking its head against the window.
'What is this?'
It seemed wild at first, but upon closer inspection, it was well-maintained, indicating it was a trained bird.
As if confirming Ian's thoughts, when he opened the window, the eagle dropped the paper it was carrying in its beak and flew away.
The paper read:
[I've heard reports of barbarian attacks. First, accept the Empire's deepest apologies. We will do our utmost to help restore the damages suffered by your people, and we will not forget the role you played as the Count of the Border. Here's a small gift to help you feel better.]
It was an elegant letter with the royal emblem, and inside was a small ticket.
[This ticket allows you to travel to Celon Beach in the east. It has a built-in teleportation spell, so tearing it will take you there immediately. Enjoy your time; we will ensure you have no disturbances.]
[Bedon Arcana]
'A ticket to Celon Beach… quite a gift.'
A letter from Bedon Arcana and a ticket to Celon Beach.
A wonderful gift indeed.
After all the hardship, nothing could be better than spending a holiday at the beach.
But Ian was pleased for a different reason.
'Celon Beach is close to Brookers, where Ariel is headed, isn't it? It's less than 3 kilometers away, if I'm not mistaken?'
It was the moment when all his worries were resolved.
***
Everyone has a bucket list at some point.
For instance, someone might want to try a high-end course meal costing around 500,000 won per person.
Or perhaps they'd dream of watching their favorite football team crush their rivals in a spectacular match.
Ian, too, had a bucket list.
Given his intense and challenging life, his wish was modest yet heartfelt.
'Going to the beach. Of course, it has to be deserted so the sound of the waves isn't disturbed. Setting up a parasol and a chair, sipping a cola while enjoying the view.'
Some might think such a wish was trivial, but… it was truly his wish.
Having lived his entire life in the mountains, even if there was a nearby sea, he never had the luxury to visit it.
In the end, he never fulfilled his wish and ended up being possessed. But thanks to that, his wish was finally coming true.
Shhhhh!
"This is nice."
He closed his eyes gently, feeling the sound of the waves and the cool breeze.
He was the only person on this vast beach.
To ensure Ian's perfect relaxation, Bedon had restricted access to Celon Beach, allowing him to enjoy his leisure time.
'And the others aren't here either.'
Eri had mentioned she had some matters to attend to at her family, and Igor also said he needed some rest and would be out of contact for a while.
'Lia also said she was going back to her family to spend time with them.'
It was a holiday, after all. They deserved some rest too.
Although this was also a rest and a trip, knowing how this journey would change in the future…
Bringing his comrades was not an option.
'When you think about it, there's no need to feel guilty. We can come back together later, right?'
He could consider this as preliminary reconnaissance for future trips.
After justifying it to himself, Ian took a sip of the drink beside him.
He really relaxed thoroughly.
He soaked up the sea breeze, enjoyed the leisure, and occasionally built sandcastles with Neltalion and took walks along the beach.
As night fell…
Ian left Celon Beach and headed towards the Brookers territory.
Pushing through the underbrush, the state of Brookers was far from good.
'This is bad.'
– Ian… something feels off. It's dirty and unpleasant….
The streets were completely devoid of any signs of life.
The stench was overwhelming, and the ground was covered with disgusting, slimy substances.
It was during his cautious exploration of the gloomy forests and the eerie atmosphere that it happened.
Whoosh!
A powerful surge of mana began to envelop the space.
The mana orb that exploded in mid-air wrapped around all of Brookers. It was as if a prison had been formed.
Thud.
When Ian realized he too was trapped in Brookers, he smirked.
'It has begun.'
This was the start of the City of Disaster event.
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