Chapter 60
Ellen did not particularly ask me to keep her identity a secret. Whether she thought it would be okay if others found out now that she had revealed it to me, or if she just believed that I wasn’t the type of person to babble about it elsewhere, I did not know.
Of course, if Ellen’s true identity were revealed, it would create a major uproar in the Temple. Since I certainly did not want that to happen, I had no intention of spreading the word.
However, it seemed Ellen felt a bit better now. Perhaps she found comfort in knowing there was finally someone who truly understood how she felt.
It was the next day...
—Mic test, mic test. Greetings, dear citizens of the imperial capital.
—In the midst of your busy travels, I have stopped here to suggest a fine item to you all.
—Everyone, look at this! It is carved out of wood, with an iron core inserted in the middle. Yes, in professional terms, we call it a ‘top’.
—And this is no ordinary top—it’s a magical top.
—I will now demonstrate to everyone a piece of magic, right before your eyes.
I was currently on a magical train headed towards the Aligar district. The subway peddlers who had been sent out by the Rotary Club were appearing on every train. They seemed to have gotten quite used to the gig, and they had remarkable skills for marketing and selling even the most trivial items on the trains.
I also saw parents traveling with their children who only bought something just because of their child’s eagerness.
I was informed that the income that came from this operation was quite satisfactory. However, I doubted that this business could last long. After all, the magical trains were a public space, and the peddlers were using it at their own convenience. Moreover, although none of the passengers said anything explicitly, quite a few seemed annoyed by them.
The main objective of this plan was to create an alternate revenue stream so as to eliminate the club’s dependency on the Thieves’ Guild. Of course, Vertus had also made a proposal that we take over the Thieves’ Guild altogether. That proposal, however, was still on hold.
“Hey.”
“Oh... yes?”
“Who gave you permission to do business here?”
One of the passengers, who had apparently lost his patience, finally confronted the subway peddler.
It was a tense moment. I had warned Loyar to be vigilant about this and to prevent any brawls from happening. A fight must not break out.
The man approaching the street vendor looked quite fierce and intimidating.
“Didn’t I warn you that if I caught you selling stuff on this train line again, I’d teach you a lesson?”
As I listened to their conversation, however, it seemed the context was not what I thought it to be.
“Well, actually... we were the ones who set up our shop here first...”
“What are you talking about? We said we’d do it, and that this is our spot!”
What exactly was happening?
“Ah, yes. I will get off at the next station...”
“Don’t let me catch you again, got it?”
I felt like I was beginning to understand the situation.
The smell of honey had drawn a swarm of flies.
“You bloody unscrupulous swine. This business we’re doing may be slightly shady, but there’s still a system to it and you ought to respect it!”
“... Wh-what?”
It wasn’t the street vendor who had spoken up; I had stood up and made that statement.
“What... Who are you? Some little brat...”
I approached the man with a fierce appearance. The passengers looked dumbfounded. The situation had gone beyond hostile to downright bizarre.
After all, a passenger had suddenly become agitated, and was confronting another person who seemed like a thug.
“Hey, punk, listen. If you’re the new guy in this business, you should just quietly do business in a corner somewhere, and not just barge in like you own the place. If you’re going to copy someone else’s business idea, don’t you think the least you can do is get tips or advice from your seniors who have more experience than you? Show some respect and stop messing with someone’s bread and butter before I do something about it.”
“This... this little... What are you saying...? Who are you?”
“Who am I? I’m the fucking guardian of justice, a student from the Temple’s Royal Class, you bastard.”
Being a student from the Temple’s Royal Class meant that you were recognized as someone with special status immediately after you enrolled, no matter if you entered as a commoner. So messing with them could have serious consequences.
The subway peddler from the club finally seemed to realize who I was, and his eyes widened in recognition.
Even though we were not previously acquainted, he seemed to remember that there was a club member who had enrolled in the Temple.
“Temple student or not, you’re still a brat with no human decency whatsoever”
Not only did the thug not believe me that I was a Temple student, but it seemed he had now grasped the situation and looked ready to “educate” me properly.
He raised his right hand and tried to slap me in the face.
Whoosh!
With a slight backward tilt of my head, I dodged his swing.
“Oh look at this guy. Aren’t you old enough to know better?”
I was strong.
Stronger than the old thug in front of me.
“You dare to try to hit a minor?!”
Thwack!
“Ugh!”
I struck his shin hard. While it wasn’t enough to break it, the blow was strong enough to send him crumbling to his knees.
“I may be considered an underachiever in the Temple, but I’m not weak when we’re out here, you bastard!”
Even if you were in last place amongst national-level athletes, at the end of the day, you were still considered a national-level athlete.
So I was essentially sparring with national-level athletes on a daily basis. And when I lacked the skills, I fought with barbarism.
Now, I was able to easily beat those who fought with barbarism using my own skill.
This was the practical result of enduring Ellen’s harsh training.
All the passengers on board initially tensed up when they saw the thug picking a fight with the subway peddler.
Then they seemed confused at my sudden entrance, with me yelling and cussing, and now, they were in disbelief when they saw the thug struck to the ground by a young kid.
The training I’d undergone certainly improved my stamina, strength, and reflexes. With the added assistance of my supernatural abilities, I could easily take down a clumsy thug. Moreover, since the thug was caught off-guard, it wasn’t surprising that he would collapse from a single blow.
Fighting with an adult was not something to be done recklessly, so all I did was throw him off the train at the next station.
“Argh!”
“Hey, old man, consider yourself lucky today. If it was someone else, you would’ve ended up dead in a dumpster by now. Got it?”
His eyes bulged. Clearly, he was shocked as the realization that he had gotten thrown out of the train by a kid hit him.
The passengers were staring at me as if I were some kind of monster.
I let out a sigh.
I never intended to get involved in such a situation, but seeing that jerk ruin the club’s business in front of me made me roll my eyes.
I thought I was only temperamental at the Temple, but it seemed like the newfound confidence that came from my newly-acquired abilities was turning me into a more obnoxious person.
The club member was standing there and looking at me, utterly stunned.
“Tell your boss I’ll stop by later.”
“Uh, um... o-okay, will do.”
‘Damn jerks. Who do they think they are, trying to snatch away someone else’s living like that?’
I was still seething with anger and wore a scowl, which caused the people around me to cautiously avoid me.
***
After getting off at the station, I changed into the other set of clothes I had prepared and used Sarkegar’s ring to alter my appearance. No one seemed to be following me this time, but I knew I had to make a habit of disguising myself and shaking off any tails. Not only was my demonic identity an issue, but being known as a former Rotary Club member was problematic as well.
The commotion I had just caused on the subway was acceptable.
The only real danger was the two individuals who knew about my association with the Rotary Club, as they were both keeping their eyes on me.
After all, why would I worry about becoming infamous outside the Temple when I was already notorious for causing a ruckus inside? I may as well live like I had nothing to lose.
I wound my way through various places and alleyways on the way towards the Aligar marketplace. The area, also known as the “land of unscrupulous merchants,” was still teeming with a suffocating number of hustlers running their schemes. There were numerous standoffs between sellers who were trying to overcharge their clients, who were in turn trying to avoid being ripped off.
When I entered Eleris’ shop, I saw her sitting quietly, in a similar pose as the one she’d been in the first time I’d seen her. Just like the last time, there were still no customers.
“Eleris.”
“Hm? How did you know my...”
Eleris, who was using an alias, was naturally startled when a stranger suddenly addressed her by her real name.
“It’s me.”
“Your Highness?”
She must have wondered how a stranger knew her name, but when she realized it was me, she quickly stood up from behind the counter. She came over, locked the shop door, and peered outside cautiously.
“Oh dear. It’s dangerous for you to come here on your own, Your Highness,” Eleris said, almost scolding me.
I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. “I was careful enough. It’s okay.”
I hadn’t taken a direct route by train, but had taken a detour by transferring train lines, and even changed my clothes. If someone still managed to tail me after all that, I would actually consider generously rewarding them.
Eleris, still seeming uneasy, rapidly chanted something like a spell before slowly nodding her head.
“Yes, it seems safe now.”
She smiled brightly, as if finally relieved.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness. Have you been well?”
“Uh... some things have happened.”
Eleris suggested we talk in a more relaxing place, and pulled me by the hand to lead me upstairs.
I didn’t know why, but the cool feeling of a vampire’s hand felt reassuring.
***
“Oh...”
After listening to all my stories, Eleris, who was already pale, turned even paler.
“I’m not sure if I should say it’s typical of you, Your Highness... In some ways, it seems you’ve even managed to outdo your past self.”
Apparently, my outrageous actions were quite a shock to her, even considering how much of a total douchebag of a mangnani I’d been before.
I couldn’t blame her, as not only had I not stuck to the original plan of keeping a low profile, but I’d ended up beating up some other students and also had a duel with a senior. As a result, my name had spread among the upper-classmen.
Hmm. A Demon Prince infiltrating the Royal Class and becoming a star there...
It was truly an absurd situation.
“But I didn’t just beat anyone up for no reason; they started the fight.”
Eleris sighed. “What are we going to do about this temperament of yours?”
She continued to sigh deeply as if she was at her wit’s end when it came to dealing with me.
“Hey, but I haven’t used this even once yet.”
I pulled out the relic Eleris had given me, the Flame of Fire, from my pocket and showed it to her.
“Well, that’s good news, at least...”
While I was curious about what would happen if I used it, there had yet to be an emergency dire enough to use it.
Eleris asked me if I was hungry, then rummaged around a bit and brought me some food.
“What? You’ve got food here?”
“Yes, I stocked up on some frozen meals just in case you might come by.”
‘Ah. How thoughtful of her.’
Eleris warmed up the frozen pasta with magic and handed it to me. While it wasn’t incredibly tasty, the fact that Eleris had prepared it made it more satisfying than anything else.
As I wolfed down the pasta, Eleris watched me with a faint smile.
“I never imagined that you would develop supernatural powers.”
“Right? That’s what I said as well. I never even intended it to happen.”
Eleris seemed truly amazed that I had awakened a supernatural power. I tried to explain my superpower to her in detail, but since it was quite peculiar, there was a lot to explain.
“It... it seems like a very powerful power you have... but... um...”
“Yeah, I know.”
The mechanics of my ability, where I had to brainwash myself in order to make my thoughts into reality, appeared somewhat bizarre to Eleris.
Not to mention, I currently had a total of 2280 achievement points. I had used 20 points on the Revise function during the duel, and I’d gotten 600 points as a reward for winning the duel, plus an additional 500 points after Ellen revealed her secret to me.
With that, I could acquire a new talent. I was not allowed to have more than one supernatural power, so I was wondering what to choose for my next talent.
Objectively speaking, although the pace of my growth was slow, the things I was doing were quite extraordinary.
To awaken two talents after being enrolled in the Temple’s high school program for less than a semester was unheard of. People might envy me for having infinite aptitude, but at least they wouldn’t be skeptical about the talents I was able to acquire.
I was contemplating whether to choose a combat-related talent or a magic-related talent next.
Talking about the Temple with Eleris kind of made me feel like a son meticulously reporting to his mom everything that had happened while he’d been away in boarding school. Eleris’s expression helped to cement that feeling, especially when she sighed deeply in reaction to the fights I’d been getting into.
“That’s pretty much what I’ve been up to. How about you? Any news lately?”
“Hmm... There have been some happenings here and there.”
It seemed that Eleris had run into her share of events while watching over this shop as well.
“First of all, visiting like this is definitely dangerous.”
“I’m aware of that.”
That was why I’d taken an intricate detour in order to shake off any tails.
Eleris shook her head. “No, that’s not what I mean.”
“Your Highness, this place has been identified as the location where you were last spotted.”
“Oh... really?”
It wasn’t clear whether Vertus or Charlotte had discovered this, but their followers had discovered that I had been there. I guess it was inevitable since a young kid wandering around this area trying to sell scrolls was unusual so most merchants thought I was a scam and probably remembered my face as a result.
My plan the first time I’d come to this marketplace was to earn some money and then go into hiding. Meeting Eleris had been pure coincidence.
“Have these agents been here as well?”
“Yes. They didn’t seem to suspect me, but since this was the only place where they found any clues, they’re keeping an eye on this shop.”
It turned out that Aligar marketplace was the only place where I had been seen. Therefore, those looking for me were monitoring this place.
It wasn’t just the ones tailing me that was the problem. The Aligar marketplace itself was already under surveillance. This was why Eleris said it was dangerous for me to come here.
“And, I’ve also heard the rumor...”
“What is it?”
“That, you stole a Fireball scroll from a shop... I heard that it was from Mr. Borton’s scroll shop, and they seemed to have gathered some specific evidence from there. It appears to be the scroll I had purchased from you, Your Highness.”
‘Ah. I think I know who she’s talking about.’
“It wasn’t stolen; that guy gave it to me.”
“Oh? Is that so? Well, Mr. Borton was furious, claiming someone had stolen his Fireball scroll...”
“That guy was such an asshole to me.”
Eleris didn’t seem to understand what I was talking about.
“Wait, so everyone thinks I’m going around selling some fake demonic scrolls that look somewhat convincing?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what that guy said to me while all the others were telling me to shove off?”
“What did he say?” Eleris asked as she tilted her head curiously.
“He said he would pay me to draw up an exact copy of the scroll. The way he mocked me was so aggravating, but he genuinely seemed to think it was a good business idea, and so he gave me one of his scrolls to copy. And that’s how I got the Fireball scroll.”
After listening to my explanation, Eleris furrowed her brow.
“... I never thought he was such a bad person. Lying about it being stolen, too...”
Eleris shook her head in genuine disappointment. Then again, it seemed almost no one in this marketplace was truly generous, so what was there to be disappointed about?
“Tricking someone into purchasing a fake scroll when they believed it to be real could lead to them dying. How could he even think of doing such a thing...?”
Magic scrolls were expensive. Although I was still not quite sure how adventurers made a living, a party of adventurers that didn’t have a mage in their squad mostly bought scrolls for use in emergency situations. However, if such a scroll didn’t work when it was most needed, the whole team could end up dead.
That was why this Mr. Borton guy was the scumbag of scumbags in this pit that was already overflowing with immoral traders.
Eleris laughed and looked at me.
“You did well, Your Highness. People like that need a dose of their own medicine.”
“I mean, he was so excited that he just handed it over to me himself.”
Blinded by greed, the guy hadn’t even managed to see a step ahead and had just handed the Fireball scroll over to me. It was pitiful when one’s greed didn’t correlate with their intelligence. Scams should be reserved for the ones who were street-smart. A fool like him wouldn’t even be able to pull off a simple scam like that due to his own stupidity.
Anyway, I fully understood Eleris’s point that this place was dangerous for me, since it was the last place I’d been spotted.
“Ah, dang it. I planned to stay here during the school break.”
“Isn’t the Temple a much more comfortable place to stay in?”
Eleris seemed puzzled as to why I would want to stay here, especially since I had the ring, and thus had no worry about being exposed.
“But you’re here.”
“Ah... is that so? Thank you, Your Highness,” Eleris said with a nod and a smile.
“I’ve checked and confirmed that there’s no one watching this place right now. I believe it should be fine for you to stay for a few days, as you planned.”
Forget the title of swordmaster or supernatural powers; nothing could beat magic. Magic was indeed the most convenient thing in this world.
While I planned to stay with Eleris for a while, I wasn’t just going to fool around for the entirety of the break.
“By the way, about the Rotary Club... Earlier, it seemed like there was some kind of power struggle going on. Do you know anything about it?”
“Is that so? Loyar doesn’t have the habit of informing us about the internal affairs of the organization unless it’s something very serious.”
After all, the organization hadn’t been created deliberately, but had coincidentally come into existence on the streets. That was why Loyar, despite being in charge of the financial aspect of things, did not seem open when it came to discussing the organization’s operations.
“It seems about time for us to have a gathering and talk things out,” Eleris suggested.
There was no regular meeting in place, so when she mentioned having a get-together, I nodded in agreement.
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