All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 60

◈ Chapter 60

Many Gains – 2

“Y-You’re amazing, Ian Saint.”

“It’s nothing. Ah, since I’ve come this far, I was thinking of quickly visiting the Tower. Is that alright with you?”

“I don’t mind, but you won’t be able to enter the Tower during the Wave, will you?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The Tower’s doors will be locked.”

“I see. Still, I’ve come all this way, so I’d like to see it at least once.”

Together with Aut, who seemed worried, Ian continued walking.

After several battles and as the sunset approached, they were able to reach the vicinity of the Tower.

As Aut had said, the massive doors in front of the Tower were firmly shut.

‘Does it block new entries during the Wave?’

That wasn’t all.

High-level magic spells, which even the Magic Tower couldn’t use, were being cast and activated countless times.

‘If I use the Sword of the World?’

In other words, he could enter whenever he wanted.

Ian stared intently at the door before abruptly turning his head.

Aut, who was holding Mya, met his gaze and spoke earnestly.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, please tell me. I’ll do anything.”

In response, Ian shrugged.

“I’ll be heading back now. Please pray for me before I go.”

He had a promise with Graegin, and he had also agreed to send Aut out.

He didn’t feel the need to break those promises to enter the Tower right now.

‘It’s better to undergo Rebirth and come back next time. It’s not like the Tower is going anywhere.’

After finishing his investigation of the Tower, he crossed the First Barrier.

As they continued to move, and late at night, Ian and Aut began to set up camp in a suitable location.

“It tastes bitter.”

Aut muttered after only taking a few sips of the soup Ian had made.

What had happened today must have been quite heartbreaking.

“The lives of those who don’t know what lies ahead are so tragic.”

Emily, Shula.

They had sacrificed themselves to save him, only to die at the hands of the person who saved him.

“The future is unknown to anyone, but…”

Ian chuckled upon hearing his muttering.

‘That’s right. Who knows what the dice will roll?’

“What to believe, what to do… I really don’t know.”

Aut, who was leaning against the wall and crouching, buried his face between his legs.

His long ears drooped powerlessly, as if he was utterly dejected.

As Mya rubbed against him to comfort him, Ian spoke.

“Someone who came here with me once said, ‘Don’t trust anyone in the Forgotten City.'”

“Don’t trust anyone, huh…”

He muttered in a gloomy tone before letting out a deep sigh.

“It’s a very sad thing to say to a priest…”

The next day, Ian immediately moved on.

He passed through the Second Barrier without much difficulty.

By the time he arrived near the gates of the final Third Barrier, it was the scheduled return date.

Of course, he could have moved faster.

However, that would have required him to carry Aut, preventing him from praying and gaining Holy Power.

Since he wasn’t going to be late for his meeting with Graegin, there was no reason to give up the opportunity to gain the power of the moon.

“Ian Saint.”

Aut spoke as they approached the gates.

“Yes?”

“You said, didn’t you? That you shouldn’t trust anyone in the Forgotten City.”

“Yes. Well, I just heard that story, too.”

While coming here, he had met not only Dimensional monsters and Guardians but also quite a few people.

Most of them were just trying to survive in the Wave, and they were the kind of people who would take from others.

“But you were different.”

“I killed and stole from a lot of guys I met along the way, though.”

“They were just attacking you.”

“I guess so.”

As Ian replied nonchalantly, Aut gave a faint smile.

“You said not to trust anyone in the Forgotten City, but… I trusted you, Saint. And you rewarded that trust.”

Aut gave Ian a bright smile.

“Thank you. I’m so sorry that I have nothing to give in return for this gratitude.”

“The Moon Church’s relic will do.”

If possible, he wanted something good.

“A relic? Are you perhaps thinking of joining the Moon Church?”

When he asked with sparkling eyes, Ian flatly refused.

“I don’t intend to receive baptism from one place. The sun is good, and the moon is good, but there’s no need to choose just one.”

“Ah… I, I see…”

It was a shame, but what could he do if Ian didn’t want to?

Aut fidgeted with his fingers and drooped his ears.

“Then I’ll bring you the relic. Where should I go?”

“At Fredon Academy, just grab anyone and say you’ve come to see Ian Brandon.”

Surely there would be someone who didn’t know the Heroic Champion.

As Ian explained simply, Aut’s eyes sparkled.

“Ah, that’s right. You’re from Fredon Academy. You’re really amazing.”

“What is it?”

“You look quite young, but to think you’re an instructor… You’re really amazing.”

“I’m a student.”

“Ah. I see… Huh?”

He tilted his head, and Ian showed him his student ID.

“I’m Ian Brandon, the representative of Intermediate Class B at Fredon Academy.”

As Ian replied, his mouth fell open.

“Oh my gosh. A, a student… Ugh. I think our church might need to change its policy a bit…”

“Policy?”

“Ah, yes. I heard from my master, the head priest of the main church, that there was talk within the church last year about forming a partnership with Fredon Academy.”

“Oh… really?”

“Yes. Some said there’s already the Sun Church there, and there are only humans, and there are those who aren’t friendly to the Moon Church, so there’s no need to bother.”

But if there was a human student as strong as Ian and so friendly to the church, it wouldn’t be bad to form a partnership.

As he muttered, Ian approached him.

“Please do so.”

‘If things go well, I might be able to receive the energy of the sun and the moon at the same time from next semester.’

Aut was surprised by his reaction.

In the Forgotten City, Ian had been indifferent no matter what happened or what he obtained.

But to see him like this.

It seemed that this matter was important to him.

Thinking that this was an opportunity to repay his kindness, Aut smiled brightly.

“I will definitely tell my master when I return.”

“Good. Now, let’s go out.”

The soldiers outside were horrified to see Ian and Aut coming out unscathed during the Wave.

Regardless, Ian headed straight to Count Paladad’s office.

After returning the map there and exchanging the equipment he had obtained in the Forgotten City, he received quite a bit of money.

“That’s a lot.”

The amount he received was a whopping 50,000 gold.

As Aut marveled at the amount, Ian handed over all the slips.

“Don’t feel burdened and keep it. It’s a token of my appreciation.”

“Ah, no, you don’t have to do this.”

“No, no.”

When he adamantly refused, Ian forcibly stuffed the slips into his pocket.

“Please think of it as a donation and please, please build a Moon Temple at the academy…”

‘I’ve given this much money to a church that claims to be poor, so it must be a burden, right?’

Money didn’t mean much to Ian.

If he wanted to earn it, he could earn it anytime, so what was the point?

He had kept the useful artifacts and relics separately, so it was better to use the money like this.

However, Aut, who had no choice but to place great importance on money, was deeply moved.

“Ummm… W-Well, if you insist.”

He was ashamed to receive so much money after being helped.

But he needed the money.

With this money, he could greatly help the orphanage run by the church.

A smile naturally appeared on his face as he thought about how happy the children at the orphanage would be.

“Thank you. Then I…”

“If you use the gate, let’s go together. I have to go too.”

“No. The gate is over there…”

The gate fee was expensive.

The Moon Church did not have a partnership with the Magic Tower, so they had no choice but to pay the gate fee in full.

He was going to return by wagon because the cost was so exorbitant, but he hesitated with a reddened face.

“I’ll pay for the gate fee.”

“No! How can I accept even that cost…”

“Please think of it as a donation.”

Aut was once again very apologetic, but in the end, he accepted Ian’s words of donation.

Since there was no gate to the Moon Church’s main church, Ian watched him go to the nearest territory before picking up his bag.

He had handed over quite a bit to Count Paladad, but there were still quite a few artifacts and relics in his bag.

Half of them were obtained in the Forgotten City.

The other half were plundered from those who had attacked him.

They were much better than the ones he had handed over, so there was no problem.

“It was a rewarding exploration.”

Acquisition of numerous artifacts and relics.

Achievement of 3rd Circle [a measure of magical power and skill].

He had also done some investigation into the Dimensional Door of the Forgotten City.

On top of that, a Moon Temple might be built at the academy.

He had gained a lot considering he had only been here for a few days.

“Mya~ Mya~.”

Ian was even more pleased as Kirke and Mya congratulated him.

“Hey. Aren’t you going?”

“Ah.”

As the magician in front of the gate asked, Ian held out his student ID.

“Let’s go to Fredon Academy.”

* * *

After returning to the academy via the gate, Ian headed to the lodging in front of the academy.

Graegin was talking to someone on the first floor of a small inn.

“I’m back.”

“Oh? Just a moment.”

As Ian sat down, Graegin finished his conversation with the man in front of him.

As he left, Ian went to sit in front of Graegin and asked.

“Who is it?”

“Someone from the Archaeological Society. Some additional information regarding the Moon Church… Huh?”

Graegin stared at Ian intently.

“Did you rise in Circle? I can feel your magic power strongly.”

“3rd Circle.”

“Wow… What did you do?”

Ian, who had been proven to have no talent, had risen to the 3rd Circle in just a few days.

At this rate, even he or Haroon, who possessed top-tier talent, wouldn’t be able to do it.

“I extracted magic power while beating up Guardians.”

“You’re really amazing.”

“And I got these too.”

Ian showed him his bag.

Graegin was pleased to see the artifacts and relics filling the inside.

“You must have had a hard time… I heard the Guardians of the Forgotten City are incredibly strong?”

Ian must be the only person in the world who can extract magic power from Guardians.

To do something that even the Magic Tower can’t do.

He’s still unconventional.

“As I’ve said many times, I’m much stronger than you guys think. Guardians are nothing.”

As Ian said as if it were natural, Graegin chuckled and began to appraise the relics and artifacts.

After appraising them for a while, he finished sorting them and said.

“If you add up all the relics and artifacts, it’ll come out to about 50,000 gold.”

“That’s more than I thought. You don’t need the magic power stones?”

The magic power stones were excluded from the items he appraised.

As Ian asked, Graegin lightly waved his hand.

“You use them. You’ll need them when you raise your Circle.”

“I can raise my Circle by catching Guardians in the Forgotten City.”

There are plenty of Guardians and defense facilities there.

Wouldn’t he just have to beat up anything and extort magic power?

‘Let’s figure out how they’re made when we go during winter vacation.’

“Anyway, what about what I asked you to do?”

“Oh. You know Baradis County, right?”

Leila Baradis.

Helid’s friend whom Ian, Haroon, and Graegin had met.

The family of the girl whose Circle was destroyed by Hastings was there.

“There’s a Moon Temple not far from there. I heard there’s a problem there.”

“What problem?”

“An adventurer who seduced a nun from the Moon Temple tricked her and ran away with the temple’s treasures.”

After thinking for a moment after hearing those words, Ian said.

“He’s a guy who should be killed right away. Did you figure out where he is?”

“Yeah.”

The person who came earlier came to tell him that.

Graegin showed him a map from the Archaeological Society and pointed to one place.

“He’s said to have entered the Curtid Ruins.”