Chapter 172 – Hunting the Lion of the Jungle

1

[By the name of Labeth Caesar, head of the Caesar family, I command you.
As a member of the Caesar lineage, participate in the battlefield, bring forth glory, and raise our honor.
Answer the call, and as a conqueror, plant our banner on enemy soil.]

A summons.

The letter sent by the head of the family hinted at war.

It seemed that negotiations with the Acre family had not gone well.

Or, perhaps, negotiation was never even an option for his father to begin with.

Manus read the letter and nodded.

The Chairman was staring at him with a grim expression.

The discussion with the family head had already been concluded.

Granting attendance exceptions for evaluations and exams due to personal circumstances involving the family or territory was not difficult.

But the idea of a young student heading into battle was, in itself, an enormous risk.

“Please be careful, I beg of you.”

“I will return safely.”

“Even though it’s said to be a small-scale war, Count Acre’s domain is home to formidable warriors.”

Manus nodded.

His firm resolve didn’t waver, even though he was about to step into a battlefield where lives would be taken and lost.

He believed he was mentally prepared to face whatever horrors awaited him there.

But the Chairman, watching him, couldn’t shake his concern.

No matter how exceptional Manus was, he was still human.

Humans had limits—mana could run dry, stamina could be exhausted, and fear could consume him.

A stray attack could kill him, or he could be surrounded by countless enemies and die in the chaos of battle.

Why should a territorial war be any different?

“I understand. I’ll say my goodbyes to my friends before I leave.”

“…Alright. I’ll grant Aden a special leave as well. She will accompany you.”

Manus left the Chairman’s office and stood before Aden.

She unfolded the letter he had handed her and lightly bit her lip.

It looked like she had something to say, but couldn’t quite bring herself to speak.

Without waiting for her, Manus broke the silence.

“Go prepare. I’ll go say goodbye to my comrades.”

“…Understood.”

“We will return safely.”

Aden gave a small nod.

War.

For those without a home or nation, there was no protection.

For Manus to continue enjoying the prosperous life he had now, war was an inevitable necessity.

It was a fight that had started abroad.

And the price had to be paid accordingly.

To Aden, her new home was too precious.

She was ready to devote herself entirely to it, more than anything else.

Once again, she was prepared to dedicate herself to protect her young master.

2

Instead of going to the clubroom, Manus headed to the student council room.

The student council was where the Academy’s top talents gathered.

It was a place most regular students found intimidating to approach, as it was filled with those handpicked by the Student Council President.

But to Manus, it evoked no particular feelings.

In fact, it was the place where he could see the most of his comrades.

Rumors were circulating that this semester’s midterms would be on a much larger scale than usual.

The key figures responsible for preparing that event were all part of the student council.

So, seeking out the student council room instead of the clubroom wasn’t a bad choice.

“Huh? What brings you here?”

“I came to share some news. I figured everyone would be here.”

The first person he ran into was Alano.

She looked up at Manus, her face full of curiosity.

With his ever calm expression, it was hard to tell what Manus was thinking unless you asked him directly.

Staying true to his usual demeanor, Manus spoke calmly.

Since the matter was too important for Alano alone, Nia and Anais should hear it too.

“Are Anais, Senior Nia, and Kael here?”

“Yeah, they’re working over there. Should I call them over?”

“It won’t take long. Sorry to disturb you.”

Alano smiled softly.

As she turned around, she suddenly realized how much more relaxed Manus had become.

If he had come all the way here, it must be something urgent, right?

“Just wait a moment.”

Alano hurried off, and Manus’s gaze naturally drifted toward the student council room’s interior.

A bulletin board covered with various schedules.

Announcements from professors. Papers detailing the supplies needed for classes. Textbooks scattered about carelessly…

The room was packed with things that stirred up nostalgia.

Manus could feel the eyes of student council members passing by, stealing glances at him.

What was so interesting?

They’d stare at him for a while, and when their eyes met his, they’d quickly turn their heads away, like a puppy caught doing something wrong.

He used to do the same whenever he saw cool or attractive seniors back in the day.

‘I wonder how they’ll react when they hear about the war.’

They’d probably just end up worrying again.

After all, there was a vast difference between a territorial war and the squabbles within the Academy.

Before long, Anais, Nia, Kael, and Alano had all gathered.

Nia, who already knew about the situation, had a gloomy expression on her face.

Her puppy-like, glistening eyes dampened Manus’s mood a little.

“Senior, did you call for us?”

“It’s the first time you’ve come to the student council room.”

“I have something important to share.”

Everyone’s attention was now focused on Manus’s lips.

Meanwhile, Nia let out a small sigh, already anticipating what kind of news he was about to share.

“You’ll have to climb the Tower without me until midterms.”

“Is it a summons from your family?”

“Yes. I’ll be joining the territorial war.”

At the mention of a territorial war, everyone’s faces stiffened.

It might be a small-scale conflict.

The problem was that the level of the battles there was on a completely different scale compared to the Academy.

“You’ll be stationed in the rear, right?”

“Yes, you’ll be in the back since you’re a mage, right?”

Manus nodded.

The truth was, whether he’d actually remain in the rear or be sent on reconnaissance was still up in the air.

He kept that part to himself and reassured them that he’d be safe.

A small consideration on his part. He didn’t want them to focus solely on him or waste energy worrying about something unnecessary.

“Don’t worry. There are people in my family far more skilled than I am.”

“I know we can’t stop you, but… please don’t get hurt.”

“That’s right. You can’t get hurt. We still have things we need to do together.”

Manus nodded.

If he dragged out the conversation, the farewell would only become harder, so he quickly turned to leave.

But not before throwing in one last remark.

“I haven’t forgotten our mission. So make sure you all keep growing stronger.”

“Yes, we’ll keep climbing the Tower.”

“Alano. Senior Nia. I’m counting on you to look after the others.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got this.”

Nia nodded as she spoke.

He’s already getting involved in important affairs for his family.

Yet, he handled it so calmly and matter-of-factly, like a real adult.

How strange.

Did age really have nothing to do with becoming an adult?

If that was the case, she wanted to become an adult too.

At the very least, she didn’t want to be a burden to Manus.

With Alano and her around, they could protect their comrades, even without Manus.

She was confident she could fill the void left in his absence.

“See you before midterms.”

“Yes. Please be careful!”

With everyone seeing him off, Manus began walking away.

He quickly packed his belongings and stepped outside, where Aden was already waiting with her things packed as well.

She was carrying a Boston bag, which likely contained battle gear and various tools.

Manus confirmed that she was ready and spoke.

“My father wouldn’t send me into a dangerous battlefield.”

“I’m worried that you might choose to go somewhere dangerous on your own.”

“That won’t happen, so don’t worry.”

Aden nodded lightly.

Then, she disappeared into the shadows.

If the two of them were seen leaving the Academy together, it would only fuel rumors.

Manus began walking toward the Caesar territory.

As he walked, he heard the sound of someone running up behind him.

It was a woman with blue hair fluttering in the wind.

She had run so frantically that her neat bobbed hair now looked like a lion’s mane.

“Huff, huff, Senior! I came to give this to you.”

She stretched out her hand and offered Manus a small necklace.

It appeared to be an artifact imbued with mana.

Manus, puzzled by when she had even made such a thing, took the necklace from her.

Before checking the item’s information, he decided to listen to what Kael had to say first.

In countless stories, giving someone an item before they went off to war often turned out to be a bad omen.

There was a reason that trope became a meme, after all.

With a faint smile, Manus looked at Kael.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a talisman. White gave it to me as a gift, but I want you to have it, Senior.”

“I’ll use it and make sure to return it to you.”

“Please… make sure you come back safely.”

Manus nodded.

It was really time to go now.

As he examined the necklace, the item description began to float before his eyes.

[Necklace of Blessing]
[Blocks five fatal attacks]
[Disappears after all uses are consumed]

It was a very useful necklace.

And it wasn’t an item that had existed in the game.

Manus put the necklace around his neck.

Kael watched with a wide smile.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“Yes. Please be careful.”

Kael waved her hand.

Manus waved back slightly and headed toward the teleportation device.

[She’s very dedicated.]

‘Hearing that I’m going to war must have scared her.’

Yes, he was on his way to the battlefield.

Kael had lived outside the Academy for a long time and had experienced many situations akin to war.

Knowing her past, Manus could naturally understand her actions.

From the shadows, Aden teasingly spoke up.

[From where I stand, it seems she has feelings for you, young master. I would support her if it’s Kael we’re talking about.]

“Stop with the nonsense.”

With a chuckle, Aden fell silent as they made their way toward the family estate.

A battlefield… He wondered if he’d be able to endure it.

As the scene before him shifted, Manus arrived at the place where crimson flags flapped in the wind.

The scent of home filled his senses, unmistakably.

Someone, recognizing Manus as he emerged from the magic circle, approached him briskly.

Though Manus couldn’t recall the face, it seemed the person knew him well.

“Young Master Manus, you’ve arrived safely.”

“And who might you be?”

“My name is Furr, from the Tower of Magic. Feel free to call me whatever you like. I’ve prepared a carriage for you.”

Following Furr’s guidance, Manus headed to where his family awaited him.

The capital of the duchy felt different than usual.

It was likely due to the fierce aura emanating from those preparing for war.

“Acre’s forces have marched this way. It’s a somewhat unexpected move.”

The reason for that was obvious.

–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading

Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt