Chapter 125 — You Can’t Miss the Highlights
1
At the Caesar family mansion, Labeth greeted his two sons with a warm, gentle smile.
Not only had they successfully completed their mission, but they had also managed to achieve much more than expected.
They had returned from enemy territory without any serious injuries—except for Manus, ironically, who had sustained the worst injury.
The soldiers of Caesar kept their mouths shut, silently accepting the welcome.
If any clueless fool dared to shout, “The second prince was really badly injured!” they were ready to jump in and silence them at all costs.
— It was a secret worth risking their lives to protect.
“Well done, all of you. The troops may rest and recover from the journey. I will arrange rewards, so take today to relax.”
“Thank you, sir!”
The captains responded in loud, clear voices.
Though their expressions were serious, they couldn’t hide their delight at the mention of rewards, as their cheeks lifted in barely restrained smiles.
Labeth, amused by their enthusiasm, waved them off with a light gesture.
With crisp salutes, the soldiers withdrew.
As they departed, they chanted their customary slogan:
[Glory to Caesar, forever and ever—!]
Their resolute cry was more than just a battle cry. It was a sacred ritual, a way to reinforce the Caesar spirit in their hearts.
It instilled pride in them as members of a great family.
With their spirits renewed, the soldiers marched away with confident steps.
Now, it was time for the real report, something only the princes were privy to.
Labeth clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face his two sons.
With a soft but firm voice, he said, “Come with me.”
“—Yes.”
Their voices overlapped as the two brothers followed their father.
“I heard the count tried to make a move.”
“That’s correct. He sent his ‘cleaners.’”
“Hmm…”
Labeth gazed thoughtfully at the desk in front of him.
Sending Tyrannis instead of Invidea had been the right choice.
Had it been Invidea, who had a knack for digging into matters, the investigation would have dragged on for days at the count’s estate.
But Tyrannis—he knew how to wield the family’s power wisely.
His temperament had been better suited for this particular incident.
The Dire Order.
‘There are more layers to this than I thought.’
The head of the Caesar family pondered the events to come.
The world, which had been quiet, was beginning to stir.
It’s always the bigger fish, the sizable miscreants, that disturb the still waters.
Though he hadn’t dug deep, Labeth could feel it. It made him uneasy.
Did the Emperor foresee this?
A letter had arrived that morning.
“You both did well. Manus, stay. Tyrannis, you may leave for now.”
“—Understood.”
With a graceful step, Tyrannis stood and left, his departure as elegant as his arrival.
Now the room was back to its original state, with Manus sitting in the exact same spot as before.
In perfect symmetry, a golden parchment fluttered into the room—the Emperor’s message for Caesar.
Labeth caught the parchment effortlessly, and after reading the Emperor’s words, he turned to Manus with a subtle smile.
“Congratulations. You passed the Emperor’s test.”
“—Does that mean the Dire Order works for the Emperor?”
“No, I doubt it. He’s likely using various trials as part of his greater scheme. Count Acre… he may not survive his trial.”
“Then we’ll need to figure out what the Emperor truly wants.”
“Yes.”
In the original story, the Emperor had always remained a passive observer.
Since Manus hadn’t seen the true ending, there was still much he didn’t know about the Emperor’s motives.
It was frustrating, but this, too, was something he would have to navigate.
Manus nodded to himself.
His conclusion was simple: grow stronger, and think more strategically.
No matter what happened, he would need to fortify his surroundings to respond effectively.
“I’ll continue with what I need to do.”
“And Caesar will not sit idly by either. Become stronger. We’ll speak again at dinner.”
Indeed, their duchy had been far too peaceful.
The Caesar family was said to be descended from conquerors.
It seemed the time had come for their blood to shine once more.
A terrifying aura emanated from Labeth, so overwhelming that even the formidable Manus found it hard to breathe.
The wrath of a Grand Archmage who had ruled over an era, and would continue to do so, was palpable.
The dragon, who had been content to bask in the leisurely flow of life, had awakened.
Those who had incurred its wrath would not escape unscathed.
『My dear friend, I apologize.
I lacked foresight, putting your sons in danger.
In my uncertainty, I keep testing and pruning.
But I promise you this—
On the day when the stars begin to shine brightly,
I will reward your family and your children with the highest honors.
I will grant them a place that shines brighter than anywhere else on this continent,
so please, do not hold anger in your heart.
My dear old friend, I recalled the days when we all shared drinks together.
Once all this is over, let’s enjoy a leisurely drink again.
Until then, I will work tirelessly for the future of the continent.
Please, remain my friend until that time.
Your imperfect friend.』
2
As Manus stepped outside, he was met by two unexpected figures.
His older brother Tyrannis and his older sister Invidea.
Both of them were staring at him with peculiar looks in their eyes.
Was there something they wanted to say?
With a curious expression, Manus approached them.
Those two weren’t exactly on the best terms these days, given their rivalry.
If they had both shown up like this, they must have something important to discuss.
“What’s going on with the two of you?”
“You—. You really don’t want to become the head of the family, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Haa… Fine. I’ll believe you then.”
Click, click, click—.
With wide strides, Invidea walked off into the distance.
Tyrannis, narrowing his eyes as he watched his sister leave, turned back to Manus and asked again.
“It seems like the world won’t leave you alone, though. Are you really going to stick to what you said?”
“Whatever the world says is none of my concern.”
“So… you’re finally speaking comfortably now, huh? Getting cocky, aren’t you?”
Perhaps it was because Manus had suddenly started speaking casually, but a rare flash of surprise crossed Tyrannis’ face.
But Manus remained unfazed, his tone neutral.
“If we act all stiff around each other, people are going to think something’s wrong. I’m not interested in titles or positions, so you can handle that yourselves.”
Manus brushed past Tyrannis.
After taking a few more steps, he added one last thing.
“If I have my way, I’ll live quietly in some corner of the duchy. As long as no one bothers me.”
“…Do whatever you want.”
The crease in Tyrannis’ brow smoothed out.
Whether he truly believed Manus or felt a brief moment of relief, it was hard to say.
At the very least, it seemed there would be no unnecessary arguments for the time being.
‘And then there’s the matter of that magic… I’ll need to look into it.’
There was much to investigate.
For now, it seemed Manus would have to resume the magic studies he had put aside.
[Intervention has begun.]
[The fate of the world twists strongly.]
Manus dismissed the message and continued walking.
He hadn’t seen Albion in a week, and the thought of his adorable face came to mind.
Even as Manus, his love for animals hadn’t changed.
Maybe the original Manus had liked animals, too.
In the distance, Way appeared, walking Albion.
The little creature sniffed the air, then suddenly whipped its head in Manus’ direction.
“Oh my.”
[Grrraaar—!]
With a noise that sounded strangely like a cat’s meow, Albion leapt through the air toward Manus.
Clearly, the little creature had missed him, as it launched its now-larger body straight into Manus’ arms.
Feeling the familiar nuzzle against his chest, Manus smiled as he gently stroked Albion’s head.
Way, watching the scene, let out a small sigh of admiration.
It was a picture-perfect moment.
The kind of scene his mother would have loved to see.
Thinking about all the effort she had poured into restoring moments like this…
‘Well, in the end, things turned out well.’
With graceful steps, Way approached.
“Shall we rest a little? You must be exhausted from the mission.”
“What day is it today?”
“It’s April 17th.”
“Then I have somewhere I need to be.”
“—Pardon?”
A look of confusion crossed Way’s face.
After setting Albion down, Manus spoke in a firm tone.
“I need to go see Father.”
“But it’s quite early in the day…”
“I don’t care. I want to go now.”
“…Understood, young master.”
It was just around the time when breakfast preparations would begin.
Leaving without eating might disappoint his father, but there was no stopping him now.
After all, no parent can win against their child.
Perhaps Manus had just remembered something urgent.
Resigned, Way nodded to herself and followed behind.
April 17th.
Today was the final match for selecting the next Student Council President.
3
The Mythos Academy was buzzing with excitement.
Today was the day of a very important event.
It was the election day for the Student Council President.
Specifically, for the first-year students—the ones who would lead for the next four years.
While the general atmosphere was chaotic, the area where the candidates were waiting was filled with a tense silence.
In the stillness, two figures sat with their eyes closed, focusing.
They were the two women who had advanced to the final round.
Kael and Anais were preparing for their last battle.
Hoo…
The occasional sound of deep breathing only heightened the tense atmosphere.
Both women shared the same thought as they focused.
‘Will Senior Manus come today?’
They had fought through fierce battles to reach this final test.
If they could just surpass the other, they would be crowned the strongest of their year.
Kael and Anais had both fought incredibly hard to face each other in this moment.
Coincidentally, they were both motivated by the same force.
Manus.
That mysterious man had led them into a world far removed from the ordinary.
And he had given them both powerful motivation to push themselves harder.
For today, if nothing else, they hoped he would be there to witness their match.
[The final duel will now commence. Candidates, please make your way to the arena.]
The magically amplified voice echoed through the halls.
The passionate Anais.
The composed Kael.
Both women opened their eyes simultaneously.
They glanced at each other and shared a wry smile.
Anais spoke first.
“—No holding back.”
“Of course.”
They exchanged grins before walking in opposite directions toward their respective entrances.
This mysterious waiting room was enchanted to transport them to opposite ends of the arena.
Starting from the same place, they walked different paths, only to face each other in the end.
Their magic prowess would be tested in front of everyone.
Waaaaaaaah—!
Perhaps because today was such a well-known event, many families and organizations had gathered to watch the match.
“Are the two of you ready?”
“—Yes.”
Kael and Anais awakened the mana that had lain dormant within them.
They had worked hard to surpass each other.
They had climbed higher, honed their magic.
More than anyone else, they had devoted themselves to their studies, seeking advice from various mentors.
Not only that, but their battle experience had been refined through countless duels.
Both of them now stood at a level of skill rarely seen in history.
“—Ah.”
Both Kael and Anais let out soft gasps as they glanced around.
Though it was quite a distance away, they could see it clearly.
How could they not recognize him?
That striking face, with eyes as brilliant as jewels.
In a sea of different hair colors, those pitch-black locks stood out.
As they looked at Manus, who was smiling gently at them, matching smiles spread across their faces.
‘You can’t miss the highlight of the show.’
At the same moment Manus thought this, the two girls, fired up with energy, ignited their mana.
With the referee’s booming announcement, a legendary rivalry match began—one that would be talked about for years to come.
–TL Notes–
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