excel三国杀

Chapter 201: Teacher (5)

I didn\'t think I could cover up everything... but how did she find out?

"What are you talking about?"

"The demon appearance incident that happened last year on Elt Island."

Is this about the hunting evaluation?

"It was when they dug deep into the ground in the center of Elt Island and found a mana trail. Mana trails disappear quickly when they come into contact with air, but those buried in the ground remain for a long time."

That wasn’t a lie.

"They collected and stored those mana trails, and compared them with the mana trails collected from you during the academy exam. The result is as you can imagine."

I wanted to deny it, but [Psychological Insight] was telling me that what Aria was saying now was the truth.

So, indisputable proof has been out since last year?

...I was convinced.

The underground of Elt Island.

I defeated Kaya the Ravenous and killed Elphelt the Evanescent. Immediately after, the giant\'s body disappeared, and the place where its body had been was restored to its original state.

Thus, the mana trail left from fighting Kaya the Ravenous had to be buried in the soil immediately.

Since I was in the situation of fleeing with Lisetta Lionheart, I couldn\'t take care of the aftermath.

In the end, it turned out that Aria Lilias had known for quite some time that I was the Nameless Hero.

So, she thought this was a good opportunity and called me.

Teaching him 7-star magic gave her the perfect excuse to approach him in a friendly manner.

Aria stopped talking to gauge my reaction and stared at me intently for a moment.

What should I say?

I organized my cluttered thoughts.

Despite there being evidence that I was the Nameless Hero, the truth hadn\'t surfaced yet. It meant someone had deliberately hidden the evidence.

It wasn\'t hard to guess that the person was Aria Lilias.

Naturally, this raised a question.

Why…?

…Why did she protect me?

Perhaps taking my silence as affirmation, Aria blinked slowly and while placing her hand on the flat box on the desk, stared intently into my eyes.

She looked very calm and composed.

"I didn\'t expect you to own up to it, but don\'t worry."

Aria said in a calm tone.

"I\'m on your side."

My side?

"Crucial evidence was concealed. The only things left to the public were clues that lead nowhere, even after pondering who the Nameless Hero might be."

"That\'s illegal…"

"If you\'re going to say something pointless, it\'s best if you shut your trap."

I said that out of concern.

Brave, to say the least, especially against the Imperial Knights.

I let out a small sigh. It seemed that a long conversation with Aria was necessary.

"...Come forth, Hilde."

I extended my left arm forward. The 8-star familiar contract circle engraved on my wrist emitted a faint blue light.

Above it, ice mana formed into the shape of a small white dragon.

It was Frost Dragon Hilde.

[Master?]

Hilde landed on my shoulder and showed a troubled look as she looked at me and Aria. It was because I had willingly revealed my own identity.

Frost Dragon Hilde. A mythical magic beast said to be handled by the primordial ice sovereign. It was one of my greatest strengths and proof of the fact that I was the Nameless Hero.

"It seems this serves as an answer."

Aria\'s eyes widened for a moment before returning to normal. So, she could be surprised as well.

"Who else is there, besides you, who knows who I am?"

"Yo Headmistress... no, your Headmistress."

Aria changed the topic calmly.

"There might be others who suspect you, but as far as I know, it\'s just the two of us. And your Headmistress is on your side as well."

To compare the mana trail collected from Elt Island with mine, the academy\'s assistance would have been necessary. Especially to collect my mana trail.

Therefore, if Elena Woodline, the Headmistress who led Märchen Academy, was involved, there was no need for further explanation.

"Why are both of you on my side?"

"An archwizard who fights demons and protects humans. A mighty being with enough power to easily topple empires. And the expectation that he knows things unknown to me. I see more than enough reasons to choose a side, and Elena has similar thoughts."

The Nameless Hero defeated The Floating Island and gained fame worldwide.

Thus, there would have been many who considered the pros and cons regarding the Nameless Hero and acted accordingly.

Aria was one of them.

"Isaac, you..."

Aria tilted her head.

"...If you\'re so powerful, why pretend? The way you practiced [Icebolt] looked completely genuine to me."

I hesitated.

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, Aria had almost no screen time, so there was no way to truly know her character.

So, I gathered my thoughts and came to a conclusion.

Let\'s not reveal everything.

Her assertion of being on my side was sincere, but I needed to ascertain if she could be fully trusted before proceeding.

After all, people could change at any time, and revealing all my secrets willingly was akin to handing over my weaknesses to them.

"I can\'t tell you that yet. Hilde, go back in."

[Understood, Master.]

Hilde transformed back into a form of mana and dissipated like smoke.

The familiar contract circle that was shone on my wrist vanished.

"...If it\'s difficult to answer, it\'s alright for now."

I was relieved by her understanding demeanor.

Aria opened the flat box on the desk. Inside was an old book.

She lightly waved her finger, lifting the book from the box with telekinesis. The book floated towards me.

The book opened mid-air. Its considerably worn pages were adorned with grotesque creature illustrations and inscriptions in an unintelligible language.

"What is this?"

"An ancient text about demons from history."

Is this a book about ancient demons? I had never seen such a thing in the game.

The pages flipped with telekinesis. An illustration depicted what I assumed to be a demon I knew. This... clearly resembled The Floating Island.

"Do you know what kind of creatures are referred to as demons?"

I only understood them as “demons” because that was what they were called in the game system and by everyone else.

Of course, there was an academic distinction.

"Demonic creatures capable of using the dark element. A higher class of Monsters."

Monsters, lacking a magic circuit within their bodies, could not use magic and were no different from beasts that only harmed humans.

This was different from magic beasts. Magic beasts referred to non-humans capable of using magic, and except for a few evil ones, they were generally not hostile to humans.

Occasionally, a unique monster that utilized dark magic appeared, such creatures were classified as demons. The level of danger was significantly different from other demonic creatures, and without exception, they were hostile to humans.

"Then, are you aware that these demons can reach a realm beyond that of an archwizard?"

"Pardon?"

"No, it\'s not just the demons. Whether it be demons, heavenly beings, fairies, or perhaps even humans... the closer to the realm of gods, the more they have in common."

"...And what is that?"

The last page of the ancient text opened.

Looking at the illustration on that page, I narrowed my eyes instinctively frowning.

A demon that looked as though it was wearing a long dress at the bottom.

That was also a part of her body.

That part was embedded with many eyes, looking grotesque and abhorrent.

As seen in the Trial of Frost, was an illustration depicting the Evil God Nephid.

"The ability to manifest transcendent power and the presence of many eyes possessing mysterious powers."

Aria pointed to her own eyes.

Following the Evil God, what came to mind was the truth seen in the Trial of Sandstone.

When the Evil God brought about the end, the unknown creature that emerged in South Korea also had many eyes.

The question was… how did Aria come to know such information, where did it come from, and why was she bringing it up to me?

Magic towers tended to be closed off when it came to knowledge and information, as they represented a competitive edge. Thus, it wouldn’t be strange for Aria to possess knowledge and information known only to her.

However, I didn’t expect it to be related to demons.

"The eyes seemed to be a matter of appearance, but what about transcendent power?"

"Literal transcendent abilities. Creating sophisticated life forms, altering the soul of a creature, creating another sun and moon, intervening in other worlds."

I had already guessed as much.

I only praised it as remarkable, deliberately avoiding bringing up anything specific.

After all, it was something I held dear.

Dorothy…

Dorothy avoided her predetermined death and embraced a future she was not meant to have.

She had already demonstrated abilities far beyond the realm of humans, observing and intervening in other worldlines.

It was as if she was acquiring transcendent abilities, like my minion, the Primordial Beast of Ice - Daikan, who broke down the boundaries between life and death.

A genius predicted to reach the realm of an archwizard within ten years. Such predictions were merely made by ordinary humans.

But Dorothy was more than that.

What made her so special was probably...

The fairy of the stars.

Star Fairy, Stella.

In the events of Semester 2 Year 2 「Fairy War」, Stella never showed herself. No player of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ knew what she looked like.

She was merely a plot device.

She granted Dorothy the power of starlight. That power must have been what was elevating Dorothy to higher realms.

“The information I mentioned earlier was gathered by sending out wizards from Hegel Magic Tower to collect data, obtain ancient texts, and study legends. This has been happening long before I became the tower master."

Is it information gleaned over a long period?

It was strange indeed. Why did such a person have no significant role in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱?

“So, I\'m asking."

She crossed her arms on the desk and stared intently at me.

It was time for the main question.

“Have you, by any chance, been granted power by a being with many eyes?"

This is...

…What is she talking about?

“I wanted to ask if a transcendent being had chosen you."

How would I know how many eyes the being that transmigrated me into this world and gave me the \'“status window\'” had?

However, it was clear that the background of my transmigration was related to Higgs, a game company in South Korea.

The system window UI I saw was exactly the same as the one in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.

It was highly likely that they were the ones who had sent me here in the first place. Yet, their true identity remained unknown.

"...If, as you say, I had received power from such a being, what would you do?"

"I would like to make a trade."

Aria pointed back and forth between herself and me with her finger.

"I will provide you with the information you need and help your endeavors. In exchange, you will provide knowledge I cannot discover. I am a wizard, a scholar in pursuit of truth, a navigator sailing the sea of knowledge. To someone like me, you are a blessing of knowledge bestowed by a god, a treasure more desirable than sudden wealth."

Even if one were to read every book in this world, they couldn\'t find the knowledge I possess.

For example, how could a resident of this world discover that Pizza Hut\'s Ribsteak Pizza was delicious?

How could they learn of the existence of the game company, Higgs and the high-quality masterpiece ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, a game considered ahead of its time?

Not to mention the fact that the game was set in this world.

We looked at each other in silence. Eventually, she closed her eyes, sighed deeply, and leaned back in her chair.

"My disciple has arrived."

Professor Fernando had come.

"I need to meet with Luce Eltania as well, so we must end our conversation here. I hope you will consider my offer carefully. And, if you come to trust me, I hope you will share your purpose with me."

I nodded.

"Then... take care on your way."

Aria\'s eyes seemed to be looking at something beyond me.

I thought to myself.

Aria Lilias. She did not beat around the bush with her statement, “I\'m on your side.” and her intentions were clear. [Psychological Insight] confirmed that her words were sincere.

It would be wise to keep an eye on her for the time being. She seemed worthy of favorable consideration.

"Yes. Thank you for everything. I look forward to seeing you again, Teacher."

I addressed her as “Teacher” in the end.

After all, she had provided me with valuable guidance.

I bowed and said my farewells before leaving the room.

“Humph.

"To think I\'d live to hear \'Teacher\' from an Archwizard."

It seemed absurd enough to be amusing.

Following Isaac, Luce Eltania entered for her individual meeting.

Luce looked around. A neutral spell, [Sound Obstruction], was deployed in the office. It was a spell often used for soundproofing.

"I have an important question, so listen well."

Aria, with a serious expression, posed her first question.

"Did you two... do it last night?"

Aria\'s eyes sparkled.

Luce displayed a look of disgust on her /genesisforsaken