Genius Wizard Hides His Sword Skills [EN]: Chapter 57

57. Ego (2)

Once again, the freshmen gathered in the Great Hall. Alois was, as always, standing on the platform.

“Everyone, I hope you had a good rest during the vacation. Let’s do our best again next semester.”

As he waved his hand, the students lined up and rushed out of the hall. It was the Magic Tower’s first vacation.

“Hey, what are you going to do during the vacation?”

“I’m going home to get some rest!”

“I’m going back to my family and researching magic all day long.”

“I decided to go buy magic tools with my mom this time!”

The students smiled, each with different plans. However, one person seemed a little gloomy.

“R-Really, do I have to go too?”

The voice belonged to Drew. He was afraid of going to the Ego region.

“Wouldn’t it be fun to go together?”

“Umm…”

“You might get stronger there.”

“Really?”

“Like learning the skills of other races, or finding elixirs [magical potions].”

“Oho…”

Drew gradually became more curious.

“If you don’t go, I’ll be the only one who gets stronger and comes back. What a shame.”

“Huh?”

He was already halfway convinced. It was time to drive the final nail in the coffin.

“Oh, right. They say there are a lot of foods that are hard to find on the continent there. There are even fruits that only come from the Ego region. They say they’re so delicious.”

Drew’s eyes widened rapidly.

“Really?”

“If not now, you might never get to try them.”

“Let’s go! When are we leaving?”

In the end, he fell for my temptation.

[You’ve completely grasped his personality.]

‘There’s nothing to grasp. He’s such a glutton.’

As I watched him with satisfaction, he asked again.

“Then is Admun going with us too?”

“No. Admun has something else to do.”

I had originally thought about taking him with us as well.

‘It would be better for him to spend time with Anghel right now.’

Developing his stealth skills would be more helpful. As I was passing through the Magic Tower lobby and heading outside.

“Are you two going back to your hometowns?”

Professor Andrei’s voice reached us. Before we knew it, he had come up beside us.

“Yes. We’re going in the same direction, so we’re planning to go together.”

Of course, there was no need to tell him that we were going to the Ego region, so I just nodded.

“Do you have any thoughts of staying at the Magic Tower a little longer? Ahem. Help me with my research during the vacation. I’ll help you with your research too.”

Instead of Drew, who was hesitating to answer.

“I’m sorry.”

I stepped in and drew the line. The vacation was only two months long. In the meantime, I had to go to the Ego region and go to the Xylo Mountains with Anghel.

‘Sorry, but I don’t have time to waste at the Magic Tower.’

In the end, the old professor’s bitter smile followed.

“I see…”

Andrei had advanced his research several times during the semester with the ideas I had presented.

‘I guess it was helpful.’

There was no need to recall the contents of the magic books I had seen in the Delema Library. I just had to recall the magic I had experienced in my past life and tell him roughly, and Andrei would gain enlightenment on his own.

After a few such incidents, he became so anxious about me.

“Instead, if I can come back a little earlier, I’ll help you.”

“Really?”

The corners of his mouth, which had been drooping, rose again.

“Yes. I have a lot to do, but if I can come early.”

“Thank you! I’ll be waiting. Drew, have a good vacation too!”

Andrei headed back to the teleportation orb. His white hair shook excitedly.

“Drew, let’s go.”

“Okay!”

It was time to return to Delema after a long time.

* * *

“It’s been a while.”

Southeastern part of the continent. A place where most people would be careful about their actions. It was the territory of Delema.

Before I knew it, McDuff was next to me instead of Drew. Drew had to go to the Gibson family, so we had parted ways while taking the portal.

[That rascal. He ran into the wrong person.]

Instead, I was walking with McDuff, whom I had met at the portal management office here.

“McDuff.”

“Huh, uh?”

The guy flinched when I put my hand on his shoulder.

“How’s your research going?”

“Ah, research? Yeah… I think I can finish it by next semester.”

At the end of the next semester, we had to present the results of our research. The professors would judge the difficulty of the research and give performance points.

“What kind of research did you do?”

“I’m more comfortable with fire attribute. I’m researching fire attribute magic… What about you?”

McDuff was looking at the ground, completely intimidated.

“I’m doing attribute combination. I’m going to study water and lightning more deeply.”

“I see.”

I had already discovered Thundercloud, but that was just a work by a scholar named Kane Gurf. I was trying to add my own color to it.

‘I have to finish it by next semester.’

However, the difficulty itself was too high, so I was racking my brains quite a bit.

“…Did you get a lot of performance points?”

“I have 15 points. Thanks to the points the Magic Tower Lord gave me directly back then. What about you?”

“Um, not as much as you, but I have 5 points now.”

McDuff was one of the top students among the Magic Tower freshmen. He was second to none when it came to talent for magic.

‘Only 5 points now.’

That guy only got 5 points in a semester.

‘The Magic Tower Lord gave me a huge score.’

I could feel how big the 10 points I had received during the Central Council terror were.

“McDuff!”

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the entrance of the Delema family. A woman rushed out from between the ramparts, which were as wide as a fortress.

“Mom!”

She hugged McDuff right away. It was Helena.

[Ugh, those dagger eyes.]

Of course, she didn’t hide her fierce gaze towards me.

“Why are you hanging out with someone like that? You’ll get worse if you’re next to a cursed kid.”

“Ah, ah…”

If it had been the old McDuff, he would have made a fuss, telling Helena to punish me.

“No. Ian is always number one in the Magic Tower and the most popular. Everyone wants to be friends with him.”

For some reason, the guy was defending me.

[Seeing him take care of you in front of his mother, he’s definitely got his act together.]

‘I know. I didn’t know he would think of me this much.’

Of course, his words didn’t seem to be good news for Helena.

“What are you talking about! Let’s go in quickly!”

Her face turned red for no reason, and she hurriedly led McDuff away.

“Tch!”

Of course, she didn’t forget to glare at me.

“Young Master!”

A woman brushed past Helena and approached. It was the nanny, Sophia, who had come to greet me.

‘Ah, I forgot.’

Her bright smile reminded me of a nightmare.

[She must have prepared a huge feast again.]

The pain of the old food torture was coming back to me.

* * *

“Haa…”

The dishes on the table were full. There wasn’t a single piece of food left on them. They had all gone into my stomach.

“Young Master! Shall I bring you more?”

“No!”

I had only eaten it out of consideration for the nanny, whom I had met after a long time.

‘Hoo. I can’t eat anymore.’

Titania seemed to understand my feelings and stopped the nanny with her hand.

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re doing well in the Magic Tower.”

“Yes. Well, it wasn’t much different from the academy.”

“That’s great. Still, it must not be easy to do research. Take a good rest even during the vacation.”

She comforted me with a gentle smile. But I couldn’t stay here.

“I have a place to go during the vacation.”

“Where?”

“I’m going to do some research with Drew at his house. We decided to do joint research.”

We had already decided to tell each other’s families that.

“Oh, that friend I saw before? He looked very reliable. Have you become closer?”

“Yes. It’s not that far from here anyway, and I thought it would be good to do research together.”

“Yes. That’s a good idea. There’s nothing that brings more synergy than being with a friend who you get along with. When are you planning to go?”

“I’m going to stay for just a week.”

It wasn’t Titania who was surprised by that, but the nanny.

“This is not the time! I need to serve you one more meal! Please sit here for a moment. I’ll bring you dessert right away!”

The nanny ran to the kitchen in a hurry…….

* * *

[Your cheeks are getting chubby.]

Oberon was observing my face as if it was fun. It was the result of being tormented by the nanny for a week.

‘Haa. I want to get out of here quickly now.’

Today’s breakfast was the last. It was time to go meet Drew.

“Young Master. Here are some homemade cookies!”

The nanny packed me a bundle to the very end. Titania could only smile at the sight.

“Uh, yeah. Thank you. I’ll take it and share it with Drew.”

“Yes. Please do!”

“Mom. I’ll be back.”

“Okay. You’re busy even during the vacation. Don’t cause any trouble when you go, and don’t show off that you’re from Delema. Of course, I know you’ll do well on your own.”

That was one of the things I liked about Titania. Even though she was from Delema, she never looked down on others.

“Of course!”

After bowing, I headed straight to the portal management office.

The city where I was supposed to meet Drew, Aital. It was the closest area to Ego that could be reached through the portal.

“Have a safe trip!”

I was guided by the portal manager to the place I was going. When I opened my eyes, Drew, who had arrived first, was waving his hand.

“You’re here early?”

“I just got here myself.”

Together, we left the portal management office in Aital.

“Hoo. This is my first time coming to the far east.”

Drew was looking around with a nervous voice. Aital was a small city not far from the Delema territory.

The weather was mostly clear, and the surrounding area was full of natural resources.

“But why are there so few people?”

However, the number of residents was as small as in Apate.

“It seems like everyone is avoiding it because it’s near the Ego region.”

“Oh, I see.”

It was an ideal condition to live in, but the fact that other races lived nearby kept people away.

“But there will be quite a few adventurers or mercenaries.”

Instead, it was a must-visit city for those who wanted to visit the Ego region. Therefore, most of the people walking around Aital were either wearing robes or carrying swords at their waists.

“Let’s get a place to stay first.”

“Okay. Shall we go there?”

It wasn’t difficult to choose a place to stay. There was only one inn that caught our eye among the ones nearby.

“Let’s do that.”

We opened the rather large door and entered. Like the inn in Apate, the first floor was operated as a restaurant.

“Welcome!”

A middle-aged woman greeted us with a bright smile.

“Two rooms, please.”

“Oh, my. Please wait a moment!”

She took out the keys from under the counter.

“Young masters. How long are you planning to stay?”

“I’m not sure about the period. I’ll pay the cost later for the days I stayed.”

“Hmm… Okay.”

The owner had a somewhat reluctant expression.

“But you’re not going to Ego, are you?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Many of the guests who went there didn’t come back. I get the fee in advance from those who go to Ego.”

At her words, the restaurant suddenly became noisy.

“Hey, owner! They look like kids, would they go to Ego?”

“Puhah! What a joke!”

“If they go like that, it’s like they’re going to commit suicide!”

Those who were drinking with their food. Those who looked like adventurers burst out laughing.

Instead of answering, I rummaged through my pocket.

Clang!

A gold coin placed on the table.

“A month’s fee. Is this enough?”

Not only the owner, but everyone in the restaurant was just gaping.