Chapter 145 — Malice Always Stirs

1

The week’s League had come to an end.

Kael had left to handle an external mission, naturally putting a halt to their tower exploration.

However, the second and third years, led by Manus, continued their tower raids.

They planned to take down the guardian together, but for now, everyone was focused on maximizing their individual abilities.

It was the perfect time to farm Panzers.

“Guillermo, you’re pretty lucky.”

“What do you mean?”

It was break time.

After taking down the surrounding Demons, they sat on the steps, casually chatting.

Nia looked at Manus with an odd expression as she noticed the strange pile of papers he had brought.

“You don’t have Manus in your League. Our team is in chaos because of him.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Santo Leo lost. I was there too.”

Santo Leo.

Guillermo was well aware of that great family.

It was the Buckley family’s target and the dominant force in the North.

Santo Leo, a member of that family, was the top of the third-year Eagles class.

And that Santo Leo lost to Manus?

That didn’t make any sense.

Guillermo lifted his gaze to look at Manus, who was calmly sitting nearby.

“Is that true?”

“If we had fought head-on, I would have lost.”

“…”

What mage goes toe-to-toe with a warrior?

Guillermo frowned as he studied Manus.

Even he wouldn’t be able to withstand a direct hit from Santo Leo.

It was said that Santo Leo had reached the level of an Aura Expert.

‘And yet, he fought Santo Leo and won?’

“I’m just glad I’m on the same side as that monster.”

“Phew—.”

Guillermo didn’t respond, merely letting out a sigh and nodding.

He should have realized it sooner—.

He wasn’t the only one getting stronger.

He wasn’t the only one who could climb higher.

He had thought he had grown, but there were still those who had climbed even higher.

At this rate… wouldn’t it be like he was just on a casual visit?

‘But I must not be hasty.’

With a resolute expression, he calmed his mind.

If he let impatience consume him, he would fall before getting very far.

As long as he climbed steadily at his own pace, he would eventually stand at the same height.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but think of his sister back home.

What had she been doing since their conflict with Manus?

What kind of training had she undergone, and how had she grown so strong?

‘I guess I’ll find out naturally. And then…’

Would she be able to find the light again?

Before reaching the garden, the Ziggurat had been a dark labyrinth.

Could his sister, who was in the Buckley family, find her way back to the light, just as they had when they entered the garden?

What method would that guy Manus use to bring her out of the darkness?

“Let’s head out.”

“Yeah, we still haven’t found your artifact yet, Manus. Let’s get it and then head down.”

Guillermo rose without a word.

He had one task.

Destroy Demons, bring down their masks, and absorb the power they held.

‘…Trace, was it?’

[Interference is starting.]

[The future direction of a character is being determined.]

A strange message suddenly appeared before Manus’s eyes.

What kind of interference could it be?

It seemed like just breathing caused interference, sending the story and the world into disarray.

Phew—.

Manus let out a long, thin sigh.

That’s why he needed to grow stronger, and why he couldn’t let anyone defeat him.

Every passing second felt too precious.

2

Saturday morning.

The students of Mythos Academy could spend their weekends freely using teleportation devices.

Some returned to their families, others went sightseeing, and some attended to special matters…

Because of this, the dorms were usually quiet on weekends.

At this time, when the academy was calm, the maids who managed the academy were at their busiest.

Under Aden’s efficient command, they moved quickly and precisely.

Although it was a rule that maids shouldn’t form personal relationships, who could follow such a rule in a place where so many people interacted?

“Miss Siren.”

“Oh, Assistant.”

It was strictly forbidden for maids to form relationships with students, professors, or assistants at the academy.

However, no one criticized them for having personal connections.

After all, having a good rapport with assistants or professors often meant fewer unfair situations for the maids.

In life, it was impossible not to form relationships.

Just as conversation naturally flows when two or more people gather, the academy’s maids lived within a web of various connections.

Siren.

She didn’t like Manus.

She remembered well what had happened to Veronica, the previous Head Maid, because of him.

“Could we have a quick word?”

“Yes, but please make it brief. Many rooms are empty, and I need to clean them.”

“Of course.”

Assistant Chesthip.

He had shown excellent results in elemental studies.

Particularly, his performance in one-on-one combat had earned him a spot under Professor Kaiser.

But Siren knew an open secret.

A bitter and all too real truth.

Assistants were never the top students.

After all, when they returned to their families, they would have access to better environments and knowledge, so why would they choose to be an assistant?

Chesthip was a prime example of this.

‘This person comes from a fallen family, if I recall—.’

Of course, many assistants had gone on to become professors or had moved on to better opportunities.

Professors at the academy were treated as quasi-nobles and received excellent treatment on the continent.

Siren was careful not to touch on any sore spots.

Academy assistants held a status far above that of the maids.

She walked as cautiously as possible.

The two headed to a secluded area where no one would come by.

“Siren. Do you know Manus?”

“Oh… Yes, I know the young master.”

“I saw him use magic recently, and… it was strange.”

“Strange? How do you mean?”

Siren’s eyes gleamed.

Caesar Manus.

The son of a ruthless duke with no weaknesses.

The atrocities he committed were beyond the pale.

She had spent a year watching helplessly as he ran rampant.

It was ridiculous to think his reputation had changed just because he started wearing a different mask.

Everyone knows that people don’t truly change.

But now they were saying his reputation had turned around just because he’d put on a new face?

“He cast a 3rd-Class spell, but its power was at a 4th-Class level… doesn’t that seem odd?”

“…Even if it isn’t odd, it can be made to seem that way.”

“Hmm, well, we need solid proof for that.”

Siren nodded.

Manus.

If he weren’t a Caesar, he would have been kicked out long ago.

There were quite a few maids who were unhappy with the unfair treatment they received because of him.

When the oppressed explode, they usually change history.

The time had come to bring down the tyrant.

Chesthip handed her a basket.

It was a lunch basket from which a delicious aroma wafted.

“Here, take this. Share it with your friends.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“And this… you can throw this away.”

He handed her a small basket, from which she could hear something rattling inside—a small vial, it seemed.

Siren was quick-witted and immediately understood what it was.

The puzzle pieces clicked into place.

She had a clear idea of how to use these.

A quiet smile spread across her face.

A pure, innocent smile, yet filled with writhing malice.

“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it. Then—.”

Siren bowed her head and quickly left.

Malice was slowly gathering to break down the iron fortress.

Chesthip smiled quietly.

It wouldn’t be enough just to tarnish Caesar’s reputation.

To win back Professor Kaiser’s favor, he would need something more.

His only hope was to lean on Professor Kaiser’s knowledge.

He could never forgive anyone trying to take away his meal ticket.

3

When the weekend came, Manus spent his days training in a place where he could practice all day long.

While magic was important, he believed that a strong mind and a solid body were the foundation.

As he lifted the barbell weighing several dozen kilograms, his thighs trembled with strain.

Too much weight would hinder growth, so he opted for the painful method.

Training for long hours until he was drenched in sweat.

Thanks to that, he had developed a robust physique he could never have achieved back on Earth.

“Phew—.”

As he wiped the sweat off with a towel and took a short break, a message suddenly popped up in front of him.

It meant something was happening that he wasn’t aware of—.

[DLC Story is starting.]

[S7: The Gathering of Malice]

[Reward: Learn all skills registered in the skill slot]

‘…Really?’

Even as he read it, he couldn’t quite believe it.

All three skills?

There was no reason not to do it.

The only unsettling part was that he had no idea what it was about or what the goal would be.

Would he have to figure it out entirely on his own?

Just from the title, it sounded ominous.

‘Usually, stories like this revolve around me.’

A common thread in DLC stories.

They always revolved around Manus.

In other words, this malice was likely directed at him.

He let out a deep sigh.

What sins had Manus committed in those 16 years, and how many people had he wronged?

The thought alone gave him a headache.

But what could he do?

It was a burden he now had to bear.

‘I’m in for a rough time.’

Sixteen years.

A long time and plenty of opportunities to do wrong.

But with the many years ahead, he would have time to set things right.

A child’s mistakes are usually not that significant.

Had he committed crimes as heinous as those of a juvenile delinquent?

Or had he done things even worse?

Now, those things were starting to come to the surface.

‘Even so.’

Even so, he had to move forward.

He already knew that he would face countless criticisms and malice.

As a Caesar and as someone who sought to save this world, there was only one thing to do.

To keep moving forward, even if he had to carry all the burdens.

To reach the end that was never seen in the original story.

And to prepare for when this life would become fully his own.

Even if that end turned out to be tragic, he had to keep going.

“Though, I have to admit, the reward is tempting.”

For the first time in a while, his male instincts surfaced.

There isn’t a single person in the world who would turn down a reward given for free.

He knew what they say.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Manus’s lips curled into a quiet smile.

–TL Notes–
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