The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 235

After that, about 20 more minutes passed.

After Sein Vinoche left, saying she had work to do,

Stella Vinoche saw Shin Hayul off.

“The sudden change of schedule and even a duel with my mother. It was all too sudden, wasn’t it? I’m sorry.”

“It was certainly a bit bewildering, but it wasn’t bad.”

Shin Hayul smiled as if he had found it quite interesting.

“I even learned something new from this duel.”

Stella was impressed.

For a swordsman, enlightenment occurs when they become aware of their own shortcomings.

To have gained enlightenment from this duel meant that Shin Hayul thought of himself as lacking.

‘Even though he’s reached such a level at the young age of 27, such humility…’

It was a glimpse into his progressive desires and good character.

‘He’s so cool.’

Was humility, without any hint of servility or deception, this cool?

That’s what she thought.

“More importantly, when will the temporary instructor’s certificate be issued?”

“Ah, the instructor’s certificate will be issued tomorrow.”

“Hmm. So, does that mean I can go to the school starting the day after tomorrow?”

“You can enter the premises starting tomorrow. Of course, since you won’t have an instructor’s certificate to guarantee your status, I’ll have to accompany you.”

Shin Hayul pondered for a moment.

“If possible, I’d like to check out the facilities tomorrow…”

Shin Hayul’s goal was to detect Ignis within the school.

It would be beneficial to start the investigation as soon as possible.

‘Since it’s the first day, it would be better if someone could guide me.’

If possible, he wanted to tour the school with Stella’s guidance tomorrow.

However.

‘I want to avoid causing any more trouble.’

From the temporary instructor’s certificate to everything else, he had already been quite indebted.

He had already caused enough trouble, so causing more was a bit much.

Guiding someone through the facilities was something that required considerable attention and time.

“Hmm. No, I’ll get the instructor’s certificate tomorrow and officially enter the day after tomorrow.”

Let’s just give up on some of the greed.

It’s only a one-day difference anyway.

It’s not that big of a difference.

Shin Hayul made up his mind.

“If you’re saying that out of consideration for me, you don’t have to worry about it!”

As if reading Shin Hayul’s thoughts, Stella carefully spoke up.

“Guiding you through the facilities isn’t that difficult. Whether you come tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, someone will need to guide you through the facilities at first.”

“I do need a guide. But there’s no need for you to do it.”

The day after tomorrow, when he officially enters, a guide will be assigned to him.

So, there’s no need for Stella to go to the trouble.

“You must have your own schedule. There’s no need to adjust it for me.”

It was a statement filled with consideration.

Because he was playing the role of Ruan Palatia, it came out rather dry and blunt.

“That means…”

As expected, Stella’s expression hardened. It was a somewhat irritated expression.

“You don’t particularly want my guidance. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Why would it mean that?”

“You’re saying I should mind my own business. That’s the only way it sounds.”

A slightly sulky expression.

The very slightly protruding lips seemed to be saying, ‘I’m sulking right now.’

“That’s not what I meant. You must have your own training, so there’s no reason to waste your precious time on me.”

“Ah, that’s okay. Tomorrow is a day with more indoor classes than practical training. There’s not much difference whether I attend or not.”

“Indoor classes are also important classes.”

“It’s okay. I get perfect scores anyway.”

Stella smiled brightly.

For some reason, Shin Hayul’s figure overlapped with hers in the background.

If Ji Sunchan were here right now, he might have muttered, ‘Shin Hayul doppelganger… double the annoyance…’

“So, you don’t have to feel burdened.”

Stella stuck out her tongue slightly and smiled cutely.

“Honestly, rather than listening to content I already know, I’d rather take a walk while guiding Ruan-nim. I hope you’ll allow me to guide you.”

“…I see.”

When she put it that way, it wasn’t polite to refuse any further.

“Then, I’ll gratefully accept that favor.”

Shin Hayul smiled faintly and expressed his gratitude.

“You’re welcome.”

Stella also smiled brightly.

A very relaxed smile.

‘Got it!’

Of course, the relaxed demeanor was only on the surface.

Inside, she was cheering wildly.

She almost missed a good opportunity for a ridiculous reason. Somehow, she managed to resolve it well.

‘My quick thinking. I praise myself.’

Stella smiled bashfully, praising herself.

She was already looking forward to tomorrow.

“Sorry to interrupt the good atmosphere.”

At that moment, two women appeared from behind.

“Lillian-nim.”

“I was thinking of just leaving since it felt like I was being played by Sein, but no matter how much I thought about it, it didn’t seem polite to leave without saying hello.”

Lillian Steart stood before Shin Hayul with a friendly voice and expression.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lillian Steart.”

Then, she extended her right hand.

“Ah, you do know about the Steart family, right?”

A playful voice and gaze.

It was a clear attempt to soften the atmosphere that could have become somewhat stiff.

“Is there anyone in France who doesn’t know the Steart family?”

Shin Hayul took her right hand, riding the gentle current that Lillian had created.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Ruan Palatia, a wandering knight of no particular note.”

“Oh my. A wandering knight of no particular note? Then does that mean Sein had a hard time against a wandering knight of no particular note?”

“Sein-nim was very considerate.”

“Huh?”

Lillian widened her eyes in exaggerated surprise.

“Oh my goodness. Is the examiner, who is supposed to assess the subject’s qualifications, slacking off? That’s a big problem. I need to take some action.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

Shin Hayul was genuinely flustered.

He had never imagined that he would be caught on such a detail.

Seeing Shin Hayul’s expression, Lillian smiled as if she found it amusing.

“Oh, come on. It’s just a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously? Are you the same swordsman who was pressuring Sein earlier?”

“…You have a mischievous side, unlike what you seem.”

He actually knew, but pretended not to. Lillian Steart was usually as cold as ice, but she showed a surprisingly mischievous side to those she was close to, which was information Ruan shouldn’t know.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I apologize if I made you feel bad.”

“I didn’t feel bad.”

“That’s a relief.”

Lillian smiled again.

If Adela had a little more maturity, she would have a smile just like that.

“Ah, and this is my daughter, Adela.”

Lillian stepped back and brought Adela, who had been standing behind her, forward.

“Adela, say hello.”

“…I’m Adela Steart.”

“I’m Ruan Palatia.”

Adela bowed her head, and Shin Hayul bowed his head in response.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. They say you’re a genius of the century.”

“…That’s not true.”

Adela’s expression wavered very slightly.

To hear the words ‘genius of the century’ from a true genius. It felt strange.

It also sounded somewhat sarcastic.

‘Of course, that wasn’t the intention…’

Anyway, it wasn’t a very good feeling.

‘This is not the time to be thinking like this. Control your expression. We’re meeting for the first time. We’re strangers…’

Adela began to act through self-hypnosis.

“Of course. It’s not just because she’s my daughter. Our Adela is a genius among geniuses.”

“Oh, Mom…!”

Adela cried out quietly, looking embarrassed.

To hear such words in front of a true genius was more embarrassing than ever.

“Ah, of course, not as much as you, who has the skills to be recognized by Sein at the young age of 27.”

“That… that’s not true.”

Shin Hayul replied with an expression that said he didn’t know what to say.

Lillian chuckled as if she found Shin Hayul’s expression cute.

“Oh, come on. If you keep reacting like that, I’ll have no choice but to tease you.”

Her eyes were filled with goodwill.

‘Just being a genius swordsman of the century was enough to make him worth befriending. With this personality and character, it goes without saying.’

He was the type of person who was definitely worth befriending.

“Adela, what do you think? You’re like your mother, so your taste in men must be similar.”

“…What do you mean, what do I think?”

“What else? What do you think of him as a husband material?”

“Huh?”

The one who reacted to Lillian’s words was surprisingly not Adela, but Stella.

Stella, who had been quietly observing the situation, shouted ‘Huh?’ in utter surprise.

“Oh my? Why are you surprised, Stella? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

Lillian’s smile deepened.

She looked like she was finding the situation very amusing.

“No. It’s not that…”

“It’s not that?”

“So, that is…”

“What is it? When Sein said something earlier, you just shouted that it wasn’t like that. Was that a smokescreen?”

“That’s, well, what I mean is…”

Stella looked around, not knowing what to do.

Lillian laughed again, finding Stella’s reaction cute.

“Oh, really. Aren’t you both too cute? Should I say you’re innocent? Or pure? You’re so pure that I feel sorry for teasing you.”

Lillian patted Stella’s shoulder a couple of times.

“Don’t worry. It was a joke.”

“…A joke?”

“Yes. Our Adela already has someone lined up. Don’t you know?”

“Ah! The Shin of the Obelisk Academy…”

“Mom!”

Before Shin Hayul could even say the syllable ‘Ha’, Adela shouted loudly.

“Oh my, why are you shouting all of a sudden? When you were little, you used to sing about marrying Hayul…”

“Aaaah!”

Adela covered Lillian’s mouth with a flushed face.

“Oh, this girl. Why are you like this? If you’re this embarrassed from the start, what will you do later…? Ugh.”

Adela desperately covered Lillian’s mouth.

“Okay, I won’t. I won’t, so take your hand off, you brat.”

Lillian laughed with a very amused expression.

* * *

After that, Lillian-nim left with a satisfied expression.

‘Well, I have something to talk about with Sein, so I’ll go first.’

Both Sein-nim and Lillian-nim. They’re working hard even past 11 PM.

They say successful people have their reasons for being successful, I guess.

Anyway, after Lillian-nim left, the three of us began to prepare to go home.

“Then, both of you, please go home safely.”

No, should I say that two of us were preparing to go home?

This test was held at Stella’s family’s main residence.

Stella just had to go upstairs, and that was her going home.

Therefore, only me and Adela were preparing to go home.

“Okay. I’ll be there by 1 PM tomorrow. See you then.”

“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”

Stella smiled brightly at me and then turned her gaze to Adela, who was sitting next to me.

“Please take care of her until she gets to her accommodation.”

“Yes.”

Stella had a rather dissatisfied expression.

It seemed she was dissatisfied that Adela, who was a guest, was taking me home.

Entrusting a guest to a guest.

Even if I were the host, I would feel a bit uneasy.

“I’m asking one last time, but are you sure you don’t need a separate car?”

“Yes. It’s really okay. It’s on the way anyway. It’s a waste to move two cars.”

Adela replied nonchalantly with her usual expressionless face.

“Well, you don’t have any other intentions, do you?”

“Other intentions?”

“You know, that thing.”

“…?”

Adela tilted her head.

She had an expression that said she didn’t know what I was talking about.

She didn’t even have a clue.

“Never mind then.”

Seeing Adela’s reaction, Stella smiled faintly as if relieved.

“Anyway, I’ll really be going now.”

Adela said goodbye appropriately with an expression that said, ‘I can’t understand this person.’

“Yes. Please go home safely.”

With that, the final farewell ended, and the car started as the window closed.

About two minutes passed.

Just as the car began to drive in earnest,

“The security of this car is perfect. It’s the car my mother uses when she has private conversations.”

Adela said, letting out a big sigh as if she was exhausted.

She rubbed both of her cheeks with her hands.

It looked like she was giving herself a facial massage.

It seemed that maintaining an expressionless face all the time was quite difficult.

“The driver can’t hear us either. You can speak comfortably.”

Adela, with a much more relaxed expression, turned her gaze to me.

It was a similar feeling to usual, but with a subtly coercive feeling.

It was as if her eyes were saying, ‘Don’t you have something to say to me? You must have a lot to say?’

Rather than answering Adela, I first used magic to check the back seat.

I was checking if there were any surveillance cameras or listening devices inside.

‘It’s clean.’

As Adela had stated, the back seat was very clean.

At this point, it seemed safe to talk comfortably.

“Whether it’s good luck or bad luck, I never thought we’d meet like this.”

“Yes. I was surprised too.”

I never imagined that I would get involved with Adela like this.

It was still quite strange, even after thinking about it again.

“Let’s start by setting up a new way to meet.”

“Yes.”

As our relationship had changed, we couldn’t exchange information in the same way as before. Now that we had met face-to-face, the way we met had to change.

“Until the next regular meeting, let’s meet at the bar. Fortunately, when you come to the bar, Adela, you wear makeup that makes you look so mature that I can’t recognize you… I had a feeling, and it was you. I’ll approach you with the same feeling.”

The detailed meeting method would be decided later.

For now, we decided on the next meeting method.

“Hmm. It’s a natural method, but… won’t we be suspected?”

“It’s okay. As long as Sein Vinoche is involved, they won’t think that this whole thing is manipulated. As long as we don’t do anything strange, we won’t get caught.”

This meeting was not a coincidence but an inevitability.

We had met after going through two bridges. There was almost no room to suspect the relationship between me and Adela.

‘Anyway, we’ve naturally met face-to-face. It’ll be much easier to exchange information.’

After thinking about it carefully, this meeting wasn’t a bad happening.

“That’s a relief. I was worried about what would happen if something went wrong…”

Adela let out a sigh of relief.

“No, more than that, if you had told me in advance, I wouldn’t have been so flustered. Why didn’t you tell me that you were working as a knight?”

“Uh… didn’t I tell you?”

“No. You didn’t.”

I thought about it for a moment.

I had told her almost everything, but I hadn’t mentioned that I was working as a knight?

“And what is a mana core? And what about that skill? To be able to compete with Sein-nim, of all people. How…”

Adela began to fire questions like a storm, with an expression that said she was curious about everything in the world.

“Calm down. Calm down and let’s talk one by one.”

It seemed like it was going to be a long conversation.

“First of all, a mana core isn’t exactly incompatible with a mana circle… what’s incompatible with a mana core is…”

I slowly began to explain.