I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind – Chapter 397

At first glance, the contents looked like a mutual non-aggression pact.

But the reality was completely different.

While the Lucid family couldn’t lay a finger on a demon belonging to the 2nd Legion.

‘They can torment us.’

–A demon belonging to the 2nd Legion cannot kill a person of the Lucid family.

It meant that as long as they didn’t kill, they could do whatever they wanted.

Gouge out their eyes, cut off their limbs to make them crippled, drag them around like dogs.

As long as their life wasn’t in danger, it didn’t matter. Even if they did more than that.

‘Why on earth did they accept such a proposal?’

Suddenly, Duke Luke’s oath before the Emperor came to mind.

–If we have to retreat even one more time, the grave of the Lucid family will be this very land.

‘Don’t tell me… they accepted this kind of deal because they were afraid of death?’

Was Dad afraid of death after all?

No, that couldn’t be. Duke Luke was the kind of person who considered dying on the battlefield an honor.

Lowell had watched him more closely than anyone. That’s why she could be certain.

‘If so, there must be some trump card hidden in this contract…’

A trump card that could nullify this ridiculous contract and wipe out the 2nd Legion Commander and his subordinate demons.

Lowell carefully scanned the contract. Only at the very end did she find the clause.

–However, ‘Rodelin de Lucid’ is excluded from this contract.

“…?”

Lowell blinked. She thought she must have misread it.

But no matter how many times she read it, even after rubbing her eyes countless times, the sentence remained the same.

Lowell, who had not been recognized as a lion, had no authority to ask questions.

Nevertheless, she opened her mouth. She couldn’t possibly not ask.

“Delin… is an exception?”

No one answered. Rather, they were busy clearing their throats and avoiding her gaze.

The clause excluding the youngest from this contract. From the perspective of someone who didn’t know, they would think it was a good thing.

It meant Rodelin could resist the attacks of the 2nd Legion’s demons.

But Lowell could tell. This was not a clause to protect Rodelin.

Rather, it was the ‘opposite’.

“You’re… pinning your hopes on Delin?”

There are two ways to nullify a contract with a demon.

To violate the conditions of the contract specified in the document, and to kill the one who proposed the contract.

From the Lucid family’s perspective, they couldn’t violate the former condition even if they tried. The clause ‘cannot attack’ bestowed a binding force.

If you decided to attack, your body would stiffen, and if you launched an attack that was beyond your perception, your body would move on its own and block it.

That was the terror of a contract with a demon, and the power of the contract document.

If so, the only method left for the Lucid family was ‘to kill the one who proposed the contract’.

The one who proposed this contract was…

“The 2nd Legion Commander.”

The 2nd Legion Commander, Astaroth.

His name, written at the end of the contract, was burning black.

That’s right. The clause excluding Rodelin from this contract. The true meaning of this clause was.

“You’re telling Delin to kill the Legion Commander and nullify the contract…”

The vassals released deep sighs. That’s right. They knew it well.

That it was an impossible task.

Duke Luke was a warrior, but he wasn’t so foolish as to not be able to think of this.

Then why did he make such a ridiculous contract?

“…”

After thinking for a long time, there was only one answer.

He had surrendered. He had knelt before the Legion Commander and begged for his life.

That’s right. There was no such thing as a trump card.

He had made a humiliating contract to survive, and the best he could come up with was a counterattack through Rodelin.

‘The Legion Commander would have sneered and added the clause Dad proposed.’

Because no matter how much Rodelin grew, she wouldn’t be able to defeat him, the Legion Commander.

Why? The face of the soundly sleeping Rodelin came to mind.

Thud-.

Lowell climbed onto the table. The vassals stared blankly at her.

It was absurd. They didn’t know what she was trying to do, but for a nobleman’s daughter to climb on a table.

It was not a matter that would end with just a scolding. They were contemplating what punishment to mete out when.

Tadak-!

Lowell suddenly started running.

The long table that symbolized the family’s prestige and authority. She began to run on top of it.

The target was, of course.

Duke Luke at the opposite end.

Flying documents, tumbling maps, overturning candlesticks.

The vassals who realized Lowell’s intention reached out to catch her. But.

Sssst-!

“!”

No one could catch Lowell.

The people here had at least reached the 5-star level. In contrast, Lowell’s level was a mere 3-star.

‘Even if they were careless and used minimal force…!’

‘She dodged as if she knew the hand was coming. She even dodged an attack from behind!’

Lowell, who had dodged the vassals’ hands once more by contorting her body strangely.

Soon, she reached the final line of defense. Lucia and Lucas.

“Lowell! Stop!”

“Eek!”

Lucia reached out her hand. Lucas practically threw his body to block Lowell.

But.

Sssst-!

They couldn’t stop Lowell. She jumped slightly to avoid Lucas, parried one of Lucia’s hands, and twisted her body to slip past the other.

“!”

“What kind of nonsense is this…!”

Whether the people around were surprised or not was not in Lowell’s view. What filled her mind as she ran was.

‘Sister, faster! Run faster!’

Rodelin’s voice, who had been happy every time she carried her on her back.

‘I-it’s a couple doll.’

The sight of her shyly giving her a handmade plush doll.

‘I like you the most in the world, sister!’

Rodelin’s bright smiling face.

It was filled with the image of her beloved younger sister.

And yet to make such a child, a six-year-old child who knew nothing, sacrifice her life for the family.

“You son of a biiiitch!”

By the time she came to her senses, she was already throwing a punch at Duke Luke’s face.

A punch flying straight toward his face.

Whiff!

But Lowell’s punch cut through the air.

Duke Luke had dodged. With only the minimal movement of tilting his head slightly to the side.

At the same time, Duke Luke threw a punch.

Pow!

“!”

Duke Luke’s eyes widened slightly. Lowell had blocked the punch by crossing her hands.

At the same time, she absorbed the impact by rolling backward, and then put all her strength into her legs.

Lowell threw herself forward. She intended to headbutt him and then beat Duke Luke while he’s on the floor.

Crash!

In an instant, Lowell’s flying body fell onto the table. People had pinned her body down.

Both arms and legs were instantly restrained. When her torso was also pinned down, Lowell could no longer move.

Blood even trickled down from her chin, which had been hit hard on the table, as if it had been torn.

Duke Luke, looking down at her from right in front.

Lowell did not avoid his gaze. She looked him straight in the eye, her pupils raised.

Was it her imagination that his eyes seemed to be smiling?

Duke Luke, who had been crossing his arms, straightened up and said.

“I’ll praise you. To have this kind of strength without proper training… you are indeed my child.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit! How can a son of a bitch like you be a father!”

“This is not a suitable place for a meeting. Everyone, let’s move.”

The vassals took their hands off Lowell’s body.

Lowell rushed at him again, but this time she couldn’t escape the hands of Lucia and Lucas.

“Lucas.”

“Yes, father.”

“Give Lowell the lion cloak.”

“Yes? Ah… I understand!”

“I look forward to your future exploits.”

And so Duke Luke and the vassals left the conference room.

It was a long time after that before Lucia and Lucas let Lowell go.

“Fu….”

“To utter such profanity. Do you want the lion cloak taken away again?”

“Take the damn cloak if you want to! No, what in the world happened while I was asleep?”

“I don’t know the details either. After you fainted, father had a private conversation with the Legion Commander. And what he brought back was this contract.”

Lowell clutched her head. It was full of things she couldn’t understand.

The Legion Commander who offered a contract in that advantageous situation, and her father who agreed to the deal.

And pinning such an impossible hope on Rodelin.

She couldn’t understand anything.

“I was surprised at first too… but I agree with father’s choice. The only way to survive was to make a contract.”

“Ha! What about the pride of a lion? When did you stop bragging that dying on the battlefield was the greatest honor?”

“The situation is different! That’s when it’s a normal war. This is a Legion Commander! If we hadn’t accepted this proposal, the Empire would have been half destroyed!”

“Still, this isn’t right! If the fact that we made a contract with a demon becomes known, the Empire will be the first to come for our necks!”

“So we have to find a way to prevent that! Today’s meeting was about that, but you caused a disturbance and delayed the time! When every moment is urgent!”

“There’s no need to find such a way! Because I’m going to write a letter of accusation right now! ‘The cowardly lion who saved his life by kneeling, perhaps in the past too?’ How about it? The title is killer, right?”

“You’re completely insane! I should lock you in solitary confinement. You’ll come to your senses after about a year!”

“Just kill me! That’s more certain, isn’t it!”

“How can you say that…!”

Lucas and Lowell grabbed each other by the collar without anyone starting first.

A situation right before they started fighting. Someone shoved their face between the two.

It was Lucia.

“Lucas, calm down and bring the cloak.”

“Sister….”

“Why? You want to fight with me too? You want to get knocked out again like last time?”

“…That wasn’t a fight back then, it was one-sided violence.”

“Hmph~ Sounds like you’re saying you can win if you fight? I welcome it. Should we do it now?”

“Where was the cloak that was tailored to Lowell’s height… I had them made by year…”

Lucas left the conference room as if running away. Lucia chuckled and looked at Lowell.

“Lowell, you calm down too.”

“Do you think so too, sister? That Delin has to live a life to kill the Legion Commander!”

“I said calm down.”

Lucia pressed down firmly on Lowell’s jaw.

After a few minutes, Lowell’s rough breathing subsided, and the blood flowing from her chin soon stopped.

“I don’t really know what dad is thinking either. But one thing is for sure. If we hadn’t made a deal here… many people would have died.”

If the northern defensive line is breached, the central, western, and eastern parts will collapse in an instant.

Until the human allied forces gather. No, even after they gather, countless people would have died at the hands of the Legion Commander.

“We’re not the only ones with families. Other people also have… precious families. Don’t you think father thought of that too?”

That’s right. She wasn’t the only one with a family.

Other people would have had precious people like Delin.

If they were safe just by the Lucid family’s surrender, she could endure this much humiliation as many times as she needed.

“Well, the clause about Delin being an exception… I was a bit shocked by that too.”

“That’s what I’m saying! At least it should have been me!”

“…”

“How can you put such a big burden on those small shoulders… what in the world, what in the world were you thinking…”

Lowell sobbed in Lucia’s arms.

Because this was the only thing a weak person like her could do.

---

Swaaaaaa-.

The weather in the north is always crappy.

As if to prove that, it rained heavily.

A rain that poured as if it would submerge the world in water.

A girl stood in that rain. Holding a luxurious cloak with a lion crest embroidered on it.

That’s right. The being standing blankly in the rain.

The new lion of the Lucid family, Lowell.

She had received the cloak she had been waiting for and waiting for, but she wasn’t happy at all.

“…”

She didn’t know if what was flowing from her eyes was rainwater or tears.

As she said before, there are two ways to nullify this contract.

For the other side to break the clause by killing a member of the Lucid family.

‘To kill the 2nd Legion Commander, Astaroth.’

In reality, it was an impossible task. The being called a Legion Commander was something that could only be killed when the human allied forces gathered.

There was no way Rodelin could win.

But.

“I can do it.”

As she said before, it’s an impossible task. The only difference between Lowell and Rodelin was their age.

Moreover, since Lowell was bound by the contract, she couldn’t attack a demon belonging to the 2nd Legion. It meant her conditions were worse than Rodelin’s.

Nevertheless, Lowell decided to kill the Legion Commander.

Because if she ran away because it was impossible, her beloved younger sister would have to take on this task instead.

“First, I have to get stronger.”

A downpour as if the sky had collapsed.

In the midst of it, Lowell drew her sword.

The Lucid family’s swordsmanship.

She really hated the family that had pushed the burden onto Rodelin, but she had to admit what she had to admit.

‘The strongest swordsmanship recognized by the world. I can’t give this up because of pride.’

If it was to save Rodelin, that damn pride. She could throw it away a thousand times, no, ten thousand times.

The person who would teach her the Lucid family’s swordsmanship. There was no need to look far.

“Pleche, teach me swordsmanship.”

A being who was allowed to learn the Lucid family’s swordsmanship in recognition of his achievements.

He had lost one arm, but there was no problem in teaching.

“It’s impossible. Not for me, but for you.”

“Still, help me. I’ll accept any harsh training.”

“It seems you’re misunderstanding something…”

Pleche approached and bowed his head.

A distance so close that their faces could touch. Pleche looked straight into Lowell’s eyes.

Was it because of the cold rain? The eyes looking at her were unusually cold.

“Just because you receive the lion cloak doesn’t mean you’re a lion. It’s just the starting point.”

“…”

“If you’re a real lion, then make me submit. Act like a lion. Well, it’s impossible for a weak little runt like you.”

Lowell knew what Pleche was saying.

To kill the Legion Commander. He was asking if she had that much ‘resolve’.

Lowell’s age was fifteen. An age that was far too late to start swordsmanship.

If Lowell at this age aimed for the 9-star level, she would have to give up everything other than swordsmanship.

Family relationships, play, rest, and daily life.

She had to give up everything to catch up and surpass others.

Yes, she had to give up everything.

The one and only.

Even her ‘friend’.

“Pleche.”

“Why?”

“Teach me swordsmanship.”

It’s not a request. This is.

“An order.”

Lowell’s eyes burned.

So much so that the cold rain subsided a little.

“Well… then I have no choice.”

In the cold rain.

In the midst of it, Pleche knelt on one knee and prostrated himself.

“Knight Pleche, I accept the lion’s command.”

Lowell looked up at the sky.

‘My beloved younger sister, don’t you worry about a thing.’

‘Before you grow up, before you face the Legion Commander.’

“I will end this fight.”

–TL Notes–
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