Chapter 25 - Volume 2 (2/2)
“Eeh? Really? The College really accepted you?”
“… I knew it.”
Kunette seemed to nod as if she had thought of a lead, but the voice was so small that it was drowned out by Reisha’s shout.
“Wow! So you really are my Sunbaenim now.”
“That’s a talk for another time, but what I want to say is that this invoice is about the cost for using this lodge right?”
Isaac took out another smoke as he continued his words.
“But what I find unfair is that I wasn’t the only one who used this lodge. As you are well aware, both of you took care of your meals and sleep in this lodge, right? What I want to say is that you two should also be liable to pay for…. You guys!”
All they needed was an opening to escape, and Isaac’s search for the matches to light his cigarette was the perfect opportunity. By the time Isaac raised his head, both Reisha and Kunette had disappeared.
As Isaac lit his cigarette to ease the emptiness inside him, Kunette came over to Isaac with a pot of honey in each hand.
After a brief hesitation, Kunette made a deep breath as if she had made a big decision.
“I’ll give you one pot.”
“Man, you’re making me cry.”
Isaac said sarcastically. It seemed Kunette was impressed at herself for giving away not just one spoon, but an entire pot away to someone else, and she began eating the honey from one of the pots. Isaac’s complicated head seemed to ease when he watched Kunette, whose simple mind only needed honey to be satisfied.
“I guess there’s no point in thinking through this now. Since when did I worry about my future?”
Just as Kunette only needs honey, Isaac only needs the Choyu leaves. If someone wants to use him, he will act out their will. But one thing was certain. He will not be thrown away once he had fulfilled his use.
The graduation ceremony of the College processed quietly. In fact, they didn’t really have a ceremony in the first place. All graduates had a private meeting with the Headmaster to receive their certificate and the emblem with some words of wisdom from the Headmaster himself.
Isaac was the last in line. All of the students who exited the Headmaster’s room glared at Isaac when they pa.s.sed him, but they all shook their head as they disappeared into the distance.
“You survived well.”
“I know. I didn’t think you would give the College as a present for fulfilling my duties so well. I’m just asking this but is it possible to drop out now?”
Corduroy looked at Isaac for a brief moment.
“It is impossible for a student of the College to drop out. If you truly wish it, however, I can use my power as the Headmaster to allow it.”
“I’m fine. I don’t want to die the moment I step foot in Gabelin.”
If the condition from the first day still holds, Isaac’s records within the Campus would be removed if he were to drop out. That meant he was denying the rights of his n.o.bility. The Rondart Family would react first if that happened and would a.s.sa.s.sinate him in any way possible to quell inheritance issue.
“Hm, I guess you still want to live at this point.”
“I’m just curious. Curious as to why you brought me into the College.”
“We had no choice because of the rules.”
“Sure, that lady Rivelia sure is innocent enough to believe those words, right?”
“…”
They looked at each other in silence, their stares entangling in the air between them. The brief staring contest was ended by Corduroy, who turned his head away first.
“Ha. You really are a funny one. Take it.”
Corduroy handed a small piece of cloth to Isaac.
“This is the emblem representing your graduation from the College. You must always have it above your left chest in plain sight.”
The circular piece of cloth had five stars at the top and the place that should have had the symbol representing which subject he mastered was empty. It seemed it was processed with magic and the moment Isaac placed it on his clothes it melded in seamlessly.
“Oh! That’s pretty cool.”
While Isaac was busy touching the area Corduroy handed a piece of paper within an invisible case.
“This is your certificate of appointment. You are to go to where the doc.u.ment tells you within the due date and perform your duties.”
“Let’s see. Administrator of the New Port City? What job is this?”
“One of the offices managing the cities. With this position, you only need to report to the mayor.”
“Heh? Are you sure you want to give me such a powerful role?”
“You have no idea what New Port City is, do you?”
“Do I have to?”
“Let’s just say your brother Kainen personally selected this city for you.”
“Well, that’s a brief and menacing way to put it.”
If Kainen picked the place, there was no way it was a peaceful one. Most likely it was a city so overrun with problems that even government officials would struggle to even survive in that place.
“So are you really not going to tell me?”
“Do you have a question?”
Isaac smirked at Corduroy’s blatant evasion of his question.
“Fine. I’ll figure it out myself.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Isaac left the Headmaster’s room with the doc.u.ment in hand. There wasn’t anyone in the corridor since he was the last to enter. He felt both free and troubled at the same time.
Just when he turned around the corner, Rivelia showed herself.
“Hm, you don’t seem so happy.”
“Where have you been appointed to?”
“Me? They’re making me the Administrator of the New Port City.”
“… I see.”
Isaac was curious as to Rivelia’s behaviour. She was nodding with a troubled look.
“Your mood seems awfully different from yesterday.”
Rivelia looked back at Isaac with a complicated look in her eyes and sighed.
“Don’t worry about it. Oh, and about the invoice I gave you, you can forget about it. I think I was going too far. You will need that money when you go to New Port City so hire some mercenaries with it if you can.”
“What? I don’t have to pay?”
“Yes. I’ll look over that matter. Is there a problem?”
“Rather than a problem…”
Isaac’s sentence faltered as he looked weirdly at Rivelia. The look in his eyes clearly gave away that he was confused as to why she was doing this. Remembering the events of yesterday would be the perfect time for her arrogance to show as she could finally enjoy her hard-fought victory. He even came to one conclusion, considering if it was that emotional time of the month for her, but that thought was quickly disregarded, as it wasn’t his business to think about.
Isaac shrugged and told Rivelia as he walked past her.
“You won’t be seeing me around anymore so take care.”
Rivelia couldn’t even make a reply as she looked back at Isaac with a complicated look.
She remembered what happened last night.
On her way back from visiting Isaac. She was satisfied with seeing Isaac’s face crumble. She didn’t want to admit it, but she couldn’t deny the fact that he helped her in achieving her meteoric rise to becoming a Master, and so she was going to pay him back for that debt.
Using her power as the daughter of Duke Pendleton, she should be able to make this plan go through without interference from Count Milros. Since the Rondart Family is a va.s.sal to the Pendleton Family, sending Isaac to one of the villages as an administrator within her province was entirely possible. Giving Isaac the job he had craved and letting him live out his life in peace was the best gift she could give to him.
She had already contacted her family and found a suitable place for Isaac to live in. She may have taken 20000 Giga from him, but if she explained to him on what situation he’s in and told him of how she diverted Kainen’s plan as she hands out her appointment, she should at least be able to hear a word of thanks from him.
But the best part of this is that Isaac will be her subordinate and she will have the right to bully him whenever she had the chance as his superior.
“Who is it?!”
The faint smile and the light footsteps she had as she headed back to her dormitory were stopped in a moment. She quickly turned around with a stiff look and looked at the shadow at the corner of the building.
“Pleasure to be of acquaintance.”
“Identify yourself.”
The middle-aged man who came out from the shadow was someone she had never seen before. She couldn’t tell if he was smiling or emotionless. The man bowed respectfully and spoke to her.
“I have come from the Central.”
Rivelia frowned at the man’s words.
“Central? How could the Central be in the College?”
“That is cla.s.sified.”
The man’s reply quickly ruined Rivelia’s mood, and she glared back at him. She was considering that he may be someone pretending to be from Central, but only an agent of the Central would have the courage to face against a Master in the open.
“What does the Central want with me? I thought I clearly stated my rejection in joining you?”
The Central may be an organisation with unquestionable authority, but Rivelia had many problems with how the Central performed their missions. She wasn’t going to join an organisation that was so abusive and secretive to fulfill its goal. She had already denied their offer to have her join them.
“We are here to give you the message to stop altering Isaac’s transfer destination.”
Rivelia frowned again at his words.
“I never knew the Central had the sick habit of stalking and spying on a lady’s letter.”
“We simply received word from the Duke’s family.”
“Does that mean my father is involved in this?”
“That is cla.s.sified.”
“My father should hold no relation to the Central.”
“That is cla.s.sified.”
“Why is the Central so interested in him?”
“That is cla.s.sified.”
Rivelia was starting to get irritated by the man, whose emotionless words repeated like that of a parrot.
“If I were to refuse?”
“You cannot refuse.”
“That sounds like a threat to me.”
“This is an order from Duke Pendleton.”
“My father? Impossible!”
“Why would we lie when you can find out about it tomorrow?”
“…”
“I will be heading off now. Ah, in addition. If you were to tell Isaac that the Central is monitoring him, or give him a hint in any way possible, the Central will have no choice but to eliminate Isaac, regrettably. This… is a threat.”
“How dare you!”
Just when Rivelia reacted to his words, the middle-aged man’s image faltered like smoke then disappeared.
“What?”
Rivelia quickly looked around but there was nothing she could feel with her senses. Rivelia believed she saw a reason as to why the Central was so confident to face against a Master, having the ability to disappear from a Master’s senses at a moment’s notice.
“Che!”
Rivelia gripped tightly at her sword.
Was she overconfident of her abilities due to her recent rise to becoming a Master? Was this the reason that Headmaster Corduroy said that Isaac wouldn’t get his wish even if it weren’t for Kainen?
“Fine. I’ll find out the reason myself.”
She originally had no intention of joining the Central, but last night’s incident had changed her mind. If her father was involved in this, this must be of great importance. She felt sorry for Isaac, but she wanted to know the true face of the Central that could even force her father to move in their favor and prevent her from helping Isaac.
Rivelia was in deep thought as Isaac disappeared into the distance when a man appeared in the corridor. It was the same middle-aged man she saw last night.
“I will say this now. If you join the Central, you will not receive the protection your Family once provided for you. You cannot borrow or use any of its benefits and authority.”
“That is of little concern to me. But I’m really curious as to why the Central is so interested in Isaac.”
“You will know once you join the Central.”
“If this incident was just a plan to make me join the Central, I swear that I will never forgive all those who were involved in this.”
Rivelia warned her aggressor. In terms of manpower, Masters are great. The Central would perform the most heinous acts imaginable to make them join their side. But the middle-aged man still seemed indifferent and bowed as he made his reply.
“You will know once you join the Central.”
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