The Academy’s Barbarian Chapter 253

Chapter 57 Tail after tail (1)

One.

Southern part of the Leuven Empire.

A man walked out of the training grounds of Count Deorg Castle. The man who had just finished his swordsmanship training muttered with a somewhat disapproving look on his face.

“As expected, there are limits to doing it alone.”

Istan El Deorg.

One of the five swords of the empire and the monarch who rules this castle. He pursed his lips, remembering the wall blocking his path.

“If we could stick together again… … .”

I think I can get over the wall.

Istan sighed softly and remembered the person who helped him escape from the ash syndrome that he had been suffering from for a long time.

A genius with talent so crazy that he defeated Istan at the age of seventeen. It was Arsene Academy’s Ulan Bator.

‘I should go and ask for something.’

Suddenly, that thought even occurred to me.

At the time, I was worrying until the sweat drops flowing down my heated body cooled down. Suddenly a sound interrupted his thoughts.

Rustle!

The sound of leaves shaking.

Along with a deliberately created presence, a familiar voice knocked on my ear.

“Your Excellency the Count.”

One of Istan’s henchmen.

This is an information source that he personally cultivated. A moment later, the henchman appeared as silently as smoke, knelt down and bowed his head respectfully.

“This is a report from the Raven Brigade.”

The Crow Brigade is a unit made up of pagans who were abandoned by the Desert Cult and had nowhere to go. It is an intelligence organization created by Istan over a dozen years.

Meanwhile, Istan’s eyes flashed fiercely at the report that followed. As far as he knew, the Crow Brigade currently had only one mission.

‘Sirpi Ludrik.’

One of the successor candidates for the Desert Church who secretly entered Arsene Academy while hiding his identity.

Istan, who discovered her identity, guaranteed Sirpi’s safety and obtained information from the imperial nobles who had looked after her.

Demuel Ron Dermore.

Commonly known as the Earl of Dermore.

In response, Istan sent the Crow Brigade to find evidence of contact between Demuel and the pagans. And the report had just arrived.

“Did you secure the physical evidence properly?”

“Yes, I am here.”

After answering politely, the confidant took out a crystal ball from his pocket and handed it to him. It was a video recording device mainly used by the Crow Brigade.

Wooooow!

Afterwards, when magical power was injected, the video recorded in the crystal ball was played. It was a video of Count Dermore meeting someone and having a conversation.

“That guy… … .”

The opponent is a wizard wearing a gray robe.

He handed something to Count Dermore and then disappeared. And the video recorded in the crystal ball ended there.

After a while, when the crystal ball lost its light, Istan turned his attention back to his henchman.

“Is this all there is in the video?”

“That’s right. However, there were additional reports from crows regarding the content of the video.”

“What is it about?”

“It is said that they have tracked down and identified the wizard who came into contact with the target. but… … .”

A henchman who speaks with a dark complexion.

He quickly shook his head.

“They say he wasn’t a pagan.”

Istan’s eyebrows twitched.

Was it really a waste of money?

No, that can’t be true. If I had failed the mission, I wouldn’t have bothered to report it. And as expected, the henchman continued talking again.

“He was an Abyss worshiper.”

“… … what?”

Istan asked blankly.

This is because I was surprised by an unexpected presence. Meanwhile, the confidant, who knew this fact in advance, continued his report in a steady voice.

“We have also secured solid evidence.”

After a while, what he took out was someone’s head.

It was the head of the wizard who met Count Dermore in the video recorded in the crystal sphere.

“Also, a mark symbolizing an Abyss worshiper was found on its body. “We are keeping the evidence in question.”

Truly solid physical evidence.

Meanwhile, Istan laughed. It was because I couldn’t easily believe the current situation.

“From pagans to abyss worshipers… … .”

Demuel Ron Dermore.

What on earth is this guy doing?

All kinds of questions swirled around like a whirlpool in a situation that I could not understand at all.

‘It is certain that it is a serious crime.’

The mere act of conniving with a heretic to get Sirpi Ludric into the Academy is a serious crime.

But is there also a connection with Abyss worshipers? It was a crime to the extent that one thought it would not be enough to immediately confiscate the title and destroy the clan.

‘but… … .’

I couldn’t report this right away.

This is because the Count of Dermore was one of the people who made significant contributions at the time when the next emperor, Chartrand, was inciting a rebellion.

According to rumors, it would not be strange to be called Chartrand’s closest associate.

‘If you hastily report Count Dermore in this situation, there is a possibility that you will end up in a difficult situation.’

Of course, Istan had solid evidence, but he could not be sure that Chartrand would take his side.

Also, although it is a blasphemous rumor, there was also information that Chartrand’s behavior was strange recently.

‘How do I do it?’

Even though we have secured clear evidence, we must not move hastily. So, as I was thinking about what to do next, my confidant spoke to me again.

“And, separate from the Raven Brigade’s mission, I have one more thing to report to you.”

With a somewhat stern expression.

The henchman reported in a whisper.

“… … “The desert has been in an unusual state lately.”

The swarm of demonic beasts visibly increased rapidly.

And the heretics scattered throughout the desert are gathering in one place.

What was concerning here was that the place where the pagans gathered was not the base of the desert cult, but the center of the desert.

“What was in the center of the desert?”

“There is nothing. They say that a long time ago, there was a huge oasis, but now it has dried up and there is no trace of it.”

Pagans gathering in a place where there is nothing.

Even the swarm of demonic beasts was much larger than usual.

Istan’s eyes became as cold as ice as he heard news from the desert that he had not heard in a long time.

“It’s definitely suspicious.”

“Yes, if you will lend me the Crow Brigade, I will dig up more information.”

“good night. “I allow it.”

Now that we have found physical evidence of Count Dermore’s contact with the Abyss Cultist, there is no longer a need to assign surveillance personnel to him.

Also, even if we got evidence of a connection with a heretic, we couldn’t immediately file a complaint. Therefore, Istan allowed the use of the Crow Brigade.

“I accept your orders.”

The henchman, who bowed his head solemnly, disappeared along with the sound of rustling leaves, just as he had when he first appeared.

“… … .”

Istan, who was alone, had complicated feelings.

But the worries did not last long.

Because I came up with a way to solve the Count of Dermore’s scheme and the reason why the heretics are currently acting suspiciously.

“I guess we should meet again.”

The cool eyes gazed intently at the northwest sky. Where Sirpi Rudrik is. That was the direction of Arsene Academy.

2.

A season that changes as time passes.

When we left for the school trip, autumn had just begun, but autumn was nowhere to be found where Ulan and his group were currently located.

“Whoa.”

Hazy breath came out of Noah’s mouth.

Noah closed the half-open window in response to the chilling cold. Afterwards, I leaned against the inner wall of the carriage and thought about my journey so far.

‘It’s already been more than fifteen days.’

After parting ways with Laurea in Murca.

Ulan and his party arrived at Flute in the Kingdom of Endrak riding the carriage that Noah had rescued.

After completing the report on the incident, he set off on his way back to Arsene Academy with support from Plum Academy.

‘It was good up to this point.’

The problem was next.

Due to the aftermath of a large-scale attack by demonic beasts, the road to the academy disappeared. So I had no choice but to take a detour.

‘Originally, it was a distance that could have been reached within a week, but it took more than 15 days.’

As a result, arrival was later than scheduled.

If there had been a horse-powered train, it wouldn’t have been delayed this much, but unfortunately, the train was completely destroyed and turned into scrap metal.

Noah sighed silently.

‘The good news was… … .’

The moment they entered the Duchy of Arpen, Delia’s hometown, they received royal support.

Thanks to this, the party stayed in the castle for two days and relieved their fatigue. We also received support with a carriage and escort troops heading to the academy.

Around the time I was finishing my thoughts.

“Princess.”

“We have arrived at the campsite.”

Soldiers’ voices were heard from the coach seat.

With the reason that it is difficult to continue moving because the sun has completely set. Upon hearing their report, Ulan and his party got off the carriage and headed toward the barracks.

“You can stay here today.”

“Then please rest comfortably.”

The inside of the barracks was larger than expected.

Also, the space was divided into two. This may have been taken into consideration so that men and women could rest separately.

As the soldiers left the barracks after saluting, Ibella and Perticia jumped into the soft blanket as if they had been waiting.

“Ha, it’s comfortable.”

“I think I can finally live a life.”

Perhaps because I sat on a hard chair all day and moved around, I was particularly happy with the blanket today.

A little while later, after finishing a small meal.

The group gathered in one place and had stories that they couldn’t share in the carriage. Then, something suddenly caught Ibella’s attention.

“what? That… … .”

The scenery outside the barracks.

I could see something whitish through the pitch-black darkness of the night. After a while, she realized what it was and opened her eyes wide.

“what? Is it really snowing now?”

“oh! It’s true! cool.”

As he said, heavy snow was blowing around the campsite. The group looked amazed because there was still more than a month left until it snowed.

Except for one thing, Delia.

“The area around here is quite high, so snow tends to come earlier than other places.”

It was a familiar sight to her, having grown up in Arpen, a famous mountain kingdom. That’s why Delia added an explanation in a casual tone.

“Perhaps, if we had come 15 days late, there would have been so much snow that we would have had to take a detour to take a different route?”

“I’m glad it’s not too late.”

Ulan muttered in relief.

If that were the case, with a bit of exaggeration, we would have been able to arrive at Arsene Academy around the start of winter vacation.

As I was quietly looking at the snowy landscape, Ulan kissed his lips again.

“Anyway, is it already November?”

It was even the Saturday of the last week.

It was early October when I left the academy for a school trip, so almost two months have passed if I count it generously.

“When I get back, the final exams will start.”

“huh? no. “It won’t start right away, right?”

“that’s right. According to the academic calendar, the exam period starts 15 days from now.”

Ibella and Delia shook their heads.

However, just because there was still time left, I couldn’t be reassured. Because 15 days was not enough time.

Above all, Ulan and his group returned much later than other students, so they were at a disadvantage in many ways when it came to taking the exam.

“That means… … .”

“I’m sure I’ll fail this time too, right?”

Eyes shining in gold and turquoise.

Delia and Ibella looked at Ulan without any consideration. Ulan, who realized the meaning of their gaze, immediately denied their predictions.

“I do not know yet.”

“The only ones who don’t know are probably Ulan.”

“I want to take Ulan’s side, too, but I think what he said is right this time.”

The two girls had always blindly supported Ulan, but this time was different. This is because she knew the reality of Ulan very well.

“More than that, what if I fail again this time?”

“that’s right. “You said you were going to the desert.”

The next goal of the warrior group is to follow the clues Noah mentioned and head to the southern desert.

However, it took quite some time, so I decided to move once the winter vacation started. But for this to happen, Ulan must avoid failing.

On the other hand, contrary to the party’s concerns, Ulan responded that it was no big deal.

“It’s a simple thing. “If you don’t get a failing grade, all problems will be solved.”

“Actually, that’s the best thing… … .”

“It’s close to impossible at the moment.”

During the first semester final exam, the group sighed as they remembered Ulan’s miserable performance.

‘Of course, it’s not like there’s no way.’

If it doesn’t work out, you can sneak away like you did to Delia during summer vacation.

My duty as a student is important, but preventing the abyss is even more important.

Meanwhile, perhaps aware of the group’s concerns, Ulan burned his resolve alone.

“I will definitely pass this time.”

It is a determination hot enough to melt the cold snow. Of course, no one believed this.

Some time after that.

The night at the campsite was coming to an end quickly.

Eventually, as morning dawned, the snow that had been falling all night had already stopped. Since there was not much piled up on the floor, the soldiers hastened to prepare for departure.

“Then let’s move.”

Starting with the soldier’s report, the carriage carrying Ulan and his party once again rushed to their destination.

How long has it been like that?

When the sun, which had peeked its head out from beyond the horizon, was rising in the middle of the sky, the voices of soldiers were heard from the coach seat.

“Princess.”

“I can see my destination.”

A report I heard as soon as I crossed the hill.

Ibella and Perticia muttered in unison at the sight that soon unfolded outside the window.

“It’s nice to see you after such a long time.”

“that’s right. “Really.”

“I think the same.”

Ulan also nodded.

A building visible down the hill in the distance. It was Arsene Academy that I saw again after two months.

fantasy,