Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 203: Jaeger (3)

The “girl’s” true identity was Aselle. Because of his pretty appearance from a distance, he was mistaken for a girl. As soon as his telekinesis was released, a downpour consisting of beastmen began.

“Keuuuuuck!”

“Help, please!”

Screams and crashing sounds echoed continuously. They were impaled on luggage carts, on the city walls, or on the spears held by soldiers, becoming either wounded or killed instantly. People caught in the bizarre rain scattered in confusion. Aselle’s face turned pale as he belatedly sensed their fall.

“Hieek! Slow Zone!”

Aselle urgently cast the spell. A hemisphere-shaped barrier made of mana spread widely in the nearby area. The falling speed of beastmen within the range was drastically slowed down. Those who had not yet touched the ground cheered in relief.

“I-I’m alive!”

“You bastards. As soon as I come down… Keuk!”

Of course, that was just about it. Thud! A spear thrown by the tiger guard captain pierced through the chest of the relieved Weredeer. The blood that gushed out burst forth slowly as well. The guard captain, who grabbed a new spear, shouted loudly enough to shake the city.

“This is our chance! Kill all of Jaeger’s minions aiming for the city!”

“Ahhhh!”

The soldiers cheered and followed suit. They began throwing spear blades or shooting arrows at Jaeger’s minions who were falling slowly through the air, serving as easy targets for soldiers and mercenaries.

“Kraaagh! St-stop shooting!”

“I surrender, I surrender!”

The beastmen begged for mercy, but the hands of the Rundalian defense force did not stop. The rain of blood fell slowly. Ronan, watching the grotesque massacre unfold, chuckled dryly.

“I’ve never seen such a bizarre slaughter before.”

“Yeah. Me neither.”

It seemed like there was quite a buildup. Marya nodded in agreement. Anyway, Ronan and his companions couldn’t just stand by and watch.

The deep, booming roar of the bellowing caribou echoed sporadically. Ronan and Marya each eliminated three, while Adeshan eliminated five.

It took about five minutes for all the beastmen to reach the ground. Most of them lost their lives during the descent. Those who barely survived were either captured as prisoners or executed on the spot.

When the Slow Zone magic was lifted, the droplets of blood lingering in the air poured down simultaneously. Shoosh— the red downpour signaled the end of the incident. Ronan wiped away the blood seeping into his eyes and asked Marya.

“So, what exactly happened here?”

“Uhh… I stopped by the iron mine to secure available supplies, and suddenly those beastmen attacked. Do you know anything about them?”

“More or less. Or rather, it’s more accurate to say I want to know about them.”

Marya raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar sound. Ronan briefly explained the situation with Jaeger and the precarious situation in the north. Marya’s face crumpled upon hearing Sekreet’s recommendation for withdrawal.

“Withdrawal is a bit tricky… it would be too damaging if we pull out now. It would disrupt our operations severely. Maybe hiring additional mercenaries would help?”

“I’m not sure. The size of the rebel forces seems larger than expected.”

Ronan grimaced. If Sekreet’s explanation was true, then leading the Upper Carabel through the current northern territories was like a naked beauty entering a back alley full of criminals. They might be able to withstand it for a while, but eventually, they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

‘Unless things get resolved very quickly.’

Ronan muttered to himself, stroking his chin. Carabel’s toppling was something he didn’t want either. It was an organization that would eventually become a pillar of the imperial economy, and Marya was his friend.

As they were brainstorming solutions, Aselle’s floating body suddenly appeared above them. It seemed he had confirmed that the massacre had ended. Ronan greeted him casually.

“Hey, Aselle.”

“Oh, hi Ronan. Marya and even the Student Council President… what are you doing here?”

“That’s what I want to ask you, dude. Why are you here?”

“Um, well… I mean…”

Aselle hesitated and avoided eye contact without giving an answer. Ronan casually raised one hand. Startled, Aselle stepped back and exclaimed,

“That’s right! I-I came to train. Yeah!”

“Train?”

“Th-the witch said it’s better to train in a cold environment where snow falls to become proficient in ice magic. But it’s summer now… and there’s only the north where it snows…”

Aselle’s explanation continued. In short, he came here to practice ice magic, which was lacking compared to his telekinesis.

Aselle, who had gradually made his way up north, had arrived in Rundalian just an hour ago and, hearing the commotion, went to see what was happening. The voice of the witch came from Virja inside his outer coat.

【It is the truth!】

From the large backpack and her tone, it didn’t seem like he was lying. It was just another coincidence in life. Ronan, who muttered to himself in his mind, lightly pulled one of Aselle’s cheeks.

“But still, dude, if you were going to the North, you should have told me in advance. It would have been nice to come along.”

“I-I’m sorry… It was something I decided on long after the break…”

“There’s no need to apologize for that. Thanks to you, everyone is safe and sound. You did well.”

Ronan removed his hand from Aselle’s cheek and ruffled his hair gently. He couldn’t help but think how things would have turned out if he hadn’t brought this kid along from Nimberton.

A striving genius. And with a kind heart, too. Despite being painfully shy at times, it was not even a flaw anymore. Except in one area. Chuckling softly, Marya approached and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Right. Thanks to our cutie, we survived. How do I repay this favor?”

“Oh…! Um, favor, you say. You don’t have to, Marya.”

Their appearance resembled that of a younger brother and sister who had a special relationship. It was fine to be close, but aiming for something more wasn’t exactly desirable for Aselle.

‘You dimwit.’

It seemed like he could repay the favor for what he had been given. As Marya hugged him tightly, Ronan called out to Aselle.

“Aselle. Come with me for a moment.”

“Huh? Where are we going?”

“Don’t be noisy. Come here.”

Ronan, forcibly dragging Aselle along, walked away. They arrived at the back of a luggage cart, where Ronan finally stopped and stood still. Sensing an instinctive unease, Aselle stumbled as he asked.

“Ro-Ronan. What’s going on?”

“Aselle. Listen carefully. As far as I’m concerned, now is your chance.”

“Ch-Chance…?”

“Being cute alone has its limits. If you really want to get along well, you have to confront it as a man. And as far as I can see, now is the time.”

Ronan said as he patted Aselle’s shoulder. Aselle, not understanding the meaning, shook his head from side to side.

“I-I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“You idiot. It’s about Marya. You like her, don’t you?”

“Wha…!”

Taking a deep breath, Aselle froze in place. His ears, visible beyond his hair, were turning redder by the moment. Glancing briefly outside the carriage, Ronan continued.

“If you really want to get with Marya, from now on, you have to show your rational charm. Being satisfied and relieved in the current relationship will only lead you to hell. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Hel… Hell?”

“Alright, let me give you an example. A really dreadful one. You finish your classes as usual and head to the club, but you notice that the door, which should be closed, is slightly ajar. Instinctively, you glance through the crack in the door. But damn, inside, Marya and Braum are kissing. And not just any kiss, a damn intense one where they’re practically examining each other’s teeth with their tongues.”

“Wh-What…?!”

“Use your imagination, Aselle. You can’t look away from that hellish sight and just keep staring. The two of them, unaware of your presence, continue their actions. They’ll probably move on to ear sucking, neck kissing, and more. And their hands will slowly move lower… Oh, fuck, this is messed up.”

Ronan, who was describing a desperate future, spat on the ground. It was disgusting to be followed by the ugly Braum. Aselle, who was pale, asked with a trembling voice.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

“Wh-why are you saying such things?”

Even though it was a simple assumption, Aselle’s heart was already in tatters. Without realizing it, substituting Ronan for Braum as Marya’s partner had a more devastating effect on his mind. Judging by Marya’s behavior so far, it was a plausible story.

“Aselle, would you be okay with it if Marya became someone else’s woman?”

“Well… that’s something for Marya to decide…”

“Of course, but I’m asking for your opinion now. Should I give you another example to wake up?”

“No, no! Please don’t!”

Aselle shook his head vigorously. The conversation from earlier seemed to have shocked him greatly. Uttering words to himself, he mumbled quietly.

“…I don’t want that. Never, I don’t want it.”

“Alright, Aselle. That’s it. Now I’ll tell you what you need to do.”

Ronan, who put his arm around Aselle again, whispered something. Aselle’s face lit up. Shortly after finishing their conversation, they headed towards the front of the carriage. Far away, Marya and Adeshan were having a conversation.

“How far did you go? Tell me honestly, Unnie.”

“H-how far…? We haven’t done anything yet.”

“Hmm, judging by the way you look at each other, you must have kissed at least once. Just try trusting him once.”

“Well, that’s…”

Marya’s shoulders were bouncing with excitement for some reason. Adeshan, bowing her head as if guilty of a crime, was clearly troubled. Ronan shrugged his shoulders at the incomprehensible words.

‘What’s so exciting?’

Women also seemed to have their own entertainment. Ronan, who had been observing, tapped Aselle’s back again. Walking confidently, he stopped in front of Marya.

“Ma-Ma-Maraya!”

“Yeah?”

Marya and Adesan turned their heads simultaneously. Asellel’s face was already flushed, almost blending with the color of his hair.

He really wanted to run away, but he couldn’t because Ronan had his hand on his shoulder from behind. Stepping forward determinedly, he stopped in front of Marya.

“What’s wrong, cutie?”

“Y-you said we needed more mercenaries, right?”

“Yeah, I did. Why?”

“Well… so… um.”

Marya giggled mischievously. Somehow Aselle seemed different from usual. He stood there, unable to articulate anything important, repeatedly taking deep breaths.

‘No. I’ve come this far.’

At the moment when he was about to turn around and leave, the story Ronan had told earlier flashed through his mind. The club, the partially open door. Marya being with someone else. The despairing situation where just imagining it felt like shortening his lifespan. Finally, Aselle stopped his deep breathing and opened his eyes, closing his mouth.

“…I’ll protect you. Can I accompany you to your destination?”

“Sure.”

Ronan, who had been watching, clenched his fists. Although it was as small as an ant’s voice, it was clearly audible. Moreover, he didn’t stutter, which was reminiscent of the exhilaration he felt when he cut Darman’s throat. Marya, who was blinking in place, smiled subtly.

“Oh~ Is our cutie going to protect me? Why the sudden change?”

“Haha, I can train anywhere in the North… I want to! Well, it might not be perfect, but…”

“No, it’s more than enough. I feel really reassured. Isn’t this great?”

Marya suddenly interrupted the conversation, grabbing Aselle’s cheeks with both hands. His small face turned as red as his hair. Ronan and Adeshan, who were watching the scene together, spoke up.

“I hope you do better this time. Right?”

“Yeah, I hope so. They really suit each other.”

“Anyway, I wish those two would stop being oblivious and start dating already. It’s annoyingly frustrating.”

“Yeah… that’s right.”

Adeshan, who was looking at Ronan’s side profile, sighed deeply. She seemed to understand why people drink when they’re frustrated.

Ronan, who had gone through a lot, perked up. Now he was wondering what to do and how to do it. He needed to eliminate the leadership of the Jaeger’s group before reaching Hyran, but he couldn’t think of a way.

Just barging in would make them all run away, and assassination was impossible without knowing their whereabouts.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, he noticed a group of prisoners kneeling with chains around their knees. They were Jaeger’s subordinates who had been captured. They groaned in pain from their fall and lamented their fate.

“Damn it… Master Jaeger will kill us. I can’t believe I failed again…”

“You should think about surviving here first. If you hold out a little longer, your comrades will come for you.”

“Well, maybe not. Most of the headquarters personnel are already deployed.”

Ronan raised an eyebrow. Judging by their conversation, the headquarters didn’t seem too far away. Suddenly, a flash of insight passed through Ronan’s mind. He couldn’t help but snap his fingers.

“Sunbae, I’ve got a good idea.”

“Hmm?”

“A way to infiltrate their headquarters. But Sunbae’s role is the most crucial.”

“My role? What is it?”

Ronan briefly explained the plan he had devised. Indeed, it was a method that could not be attempted unless it were her. Adeshan’s eyes widened.

“Taking control of their minds and guiding them to the headquarters? While they’re held prisoner?”

“Yes. There’s no other way to infiltrate with this level of certainty.”

“Yes, that’s true, but as you know, my skills are not yet good enough to control people…”

Adeshan muttered with uncertainty in his voice. Although she had succeeded for the first time last night, it was nothing more than luck due to various coincidences.

However, she couldn’t express her doubts. The girl who had gone through impossible situations with Ronan so far had seen countless impossible things become reality. Like Aselle just now. After taking a deep breath, she nodded.

“No, let’s do it.”

“Alright. Let’s start right away.”

Ronan first sought the consent of the Weretiger guard captain. It was an inhumane question whether they could experiment on a few prisoners. Having witnessed the performance of Ronan’s group, he agreed readily.

“As long as it can repay the favor. Just make sure nothing goes wrong.”

“That’s refreshing to hear.”

Ronan shook hands with the captain. Somehow, this tiger seemed stronger than Jaeger. Now they only needed to select a prisoner to guide them to the headquarters. Adeshan said.

“Who should we choose?”

“Hmm. It would be easier if it’s someone with a certain level of status.”

The higher the reputation in the organization, the easier it would be to infiltrate. However, it was doubtful whether these grumbling fools would accept such a fact. He wondered if they should try pulling out a fingernail or two. Suddenly, the Werewolf, who was kneeling in the front, shouted in a booming voice.

“Curse you, inferior and filthy humans! The North belongs to the Werewolves! Even if the white chief Umkano dies, I will tear your throats out!”

His thunderous voice attracted everyone’s attention. Ronan and Adeshan looked at each other simultaneously. Turning back to the Werewolf, Ronan grinned.

“It’s decided.”

[TL/N: wtf that… Ronan being like that one single friend who gives everyone else relationship advice ;-;]

[Translator – Peptobismol]

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