Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Chapter 13 - Calculations Must Be Thorough
Vernel Marquis.
Age: 27.
A graduate of the 525th class of Veritas Academy.
Granted the title ’Utter Disaster’.
Residence: a semi-basement apartment in the slums of Escolleia (the previous tenant fled after only a week because they couldn’t endure it).
Assets currently owned: 72 gold coins.
-72 gold coins.
"WHEN THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO PAY ME BACK, YOU BASTARD?!"
Two large, burly men were trashing the house, accompanied by a comparatively smaller but vicious-looking man.
Meanwhile, one man knelt helplessly on the floor, trembling as he watched their rampage.
The frail man wearing oversized glasses rubbed his hands together anxiously.
"P-Please... just give me a little more time. It’s an experiment that has to be viewed over the long term, so the results are taking a little longer than expec—"
"How much longer is ’long term’? I already gave you a whole year! Didn’t you say you’d produce meaningful results within a year?"
"I-I said it was possible... b-but collecting monster corpses is difficult, and I..."
"Ah."
The loan shark waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off.
"I don’t need excuses. Can what you’ve got right now be turned into money or not?"
"T-That... it probably can’t be sold yet... There are still too many variables..."
"Sigh..."
The man looking down at Vernel was a loan shark.
He lent money at outrageous interest rates to people who couldn’t even qualify for bank loans.
Their true goal was to seize everything before their victims finished their research.
"I really stepped in a pile of shit this time."
He shut his eyes tightly.
At this rate, it looked like he would never recover the money he had lent to Vernel Marquis.
The loan shark dragged a battered chair toward himself, sat down, and lit a cigar.
"Fine. I’ll give you a little more time to repay your debt."
"R-Really?"
"On one condition."
"You abandon the research you’re working on."
"...What?"
The loan shark exhaled a long stream of cigar smoke.
"I heard you were quite the genius during your first year at the Academy. I checked your records—you weren’t just first in your class. You ranked first in your entire graduating class."
"Ah, yes. Back then, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I just did things casually... and somehow ended up taking first place..."
Casually.
There wasn’t another person alive who could describe graduating at the top of the entire class as ’doing it casually’.
"So let’s work on something else. Just casually do something different and produce results. I’ve got several research projects from other losers who owe me money. I’ll hand them over to you. Finish them, bring me the results, and your debt disappears. What do you say?"
"Umm... couldn’t I work on those alongside my own research? If it’s only that much, then—"
Thunk!
A dagger flew through the air and embedded itself in the floor directly in front of his crotch.
"Eek!"
"I try being nice, and suddenly you think you can push your luck. You know, thanks to all those damn humanitarian laws these days, organs sell for a fortune. How much were they paying again?"
"If he stays barely alive afterward, selling them should cover all the interest."
"Well? Sell your organs, and you can keep working on your experiment. You don’t want that, do you?"
"N-No... I’d rather not..."
"Then give up your research and work on mine."
"I’d rather not do that either..."
Bam!
The loan shark’s kick slammed into Vernel’s ribs.
"You think this is some kind of joke, you little shit?! You don’t want this, you don’t want that? Then just die! Worthless bastard!"
"Urgh! Ugh! Gah!"
Vernel curled into a ball as the beating continued.
Unable to make even the slightest sound, he screamed inwardly.
Someone... someone please save me!
His prayers, wishing for a single rose to bloom from the filthy gutter, had never once been answered.
"That’s enough."
But today was different.
The fists and kicks suddenly stopped.
The thugs and the loan shark turned toward the broken doorway through which they had entered.
Vernel also raised his head to look.
"Sorry to interrupt what seems to be such a pleasant gathering... but I’d appreciate it if you’d stop."
The ray of salvation Vernel had longed for so desperately.
Its color...was gray.
Ah...
Vernel fell into despair.
He didn’t know the man.
And there was no reason for a complete stranger to save him.
The loan shark, who had been beating him without restraint, brushed back his hair and licked his lips.
"You look like some young noble from somewhere, but now isn’t the time to stick your nose into other people’s business."
"I’m afraid I’ll have to interfere."
The gray-haired man pointed a finger at Vernel.
"I’ve got business with that man."
***
By the time Ferda entered the semi-basement, the beating was already well underway.
Watching the man who would soon become his subordinate getting beaten like a dog that had bitten its owner, Ferda thought,
What perfect timing.
He had arrived at the exact moment when the man would be desperate for a ray of salvation.
"That’s enough."
With those words, Ferda stopped the loan shark’s assault.
Vernel was immediately forgotten as the loan shark looked Ferda up and down with a crooked posture.
"You’re not like the studious brats around Escolleia... You’re an outsider?"
"That’s right. I came from another land."
"Did that bastard borrow money from you too?"
"No."
"Then wait your turn. I got here first. I’ll finish dealing with him before you have your chat."
"How considerate."
"What if I settle his debt instead?"
A brief silence followed.
The loan shark wore a conflicted expression before speaking.
"Seventy-two gold coins including the interest. Can you pay that?"
"Of course."
"Then just hand over the money."
Seventy-two gold coins.
Now that Ferda had become the lord of Castle Valdrova, it wasn’t an amount worth worrying about.
It was money he could toss away as casually as throwing someone a piece of grilled ribs.
But Ferda didn’t immediately accept the offer.
His blue eyes shifted toward Vernel, who remained curled up on the ground, covered in blood.
Looking at him, Ferda made another proposal.
"How about this?"
"You assaulted him and destroyed his property, so let’s deduct those damages and settle everything for fifty gold coins. What do you say?"
The loan shark let out a dry laugh.
"Ha! Are you insane? Everything we broke isn’t even worth three gold coins!"
"Really?"
"Then take forty-nine instead."
"I’m practically giving you that man for only twenty gold coins."
"Have you lost your mind? Just because we roughened him up a little, you expect me to throw away twenty gold coins?"
"So the negotiations have broken down?"
"Negotiations? This is outright extortion!"
"Then the negotiations are over."
Ferda raised a finger.
"In that case..."
"You’ll receive exactly what you gave him before we settle the debt."
"Luri."
Luri, who had been standing quietly behind him, stepped forward.
"Return them to precisely the same condition."
"..."
"Don’t worry."
"I’ll still keep my promise afterward."
"Sigh... Understood."
The maid with silver side-tail hair walked forward expressionlessly.
"What? A little brat?"
"A noble dragging a kid through a slum like this? Is he an idiot?"
The thugs sneered lewdly.
Unlike those uncultured brutes, however, the loan shark immediately realized something.
That little girl was not a little girl at all.
At that moment, she released a fraction of the power she had been concealing.
Her silver eyes gleamed brilliantly.
BEEEEEE—!
A shrill ringing exploded simultaneously inside all of their ears.
"Urgh!"
"Gah?!"
"W-What is this?!"
The thugs and the loan shark panicked.
But something even more terrifying happened.
"Ugh... ugh..."
"M-My body...!"
They couldn’t move.
No matter how hard they struggled, all they could manage was trembling.
Their bodies felt as though they had turned into solid stone.
Luri glanced at them before walking toward the nearest thug.
"I’ll start with you."
She pointed a finger at him.
At that instant, the space surrounding the thug distorted like a mirage.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
A barrage of violent impacts erupted.
The thug collapsed.
"Urgh... ugh..."
His entire body was covered in bruises, blood streamed from his nose, and he groaned on the floor.
He had suffered exactly as much as Vernel had.
What the hell was that?!
The remaining thug and the loan shark broke into cold sweats.
Nothing like this made sense in their world.
Luri turned her gaze toward the second thug.
"You’re next."
"W-Wait...?"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Even after witnessing the phenomenon for a second time, the loan shark still couldn’t comprehend what he had seen.
The air distorted—
Then countless blows landed all at once.
Magic!
He understood that much.
But recognizing it as magic didn’t mean he could understand it.
It’s magic... but does magic like that even exist?!
The girl wasn’t drawing a Magic Circle or chanting a spell.
She simply flicked her finger.
And yet it produced destructive power like that.
"There’s no one else after this."
"So you’re the last one."
"U-Ugh... Aaaah!"
The loan shark made one final desperate attempt.
Forcing his petrified body to move despite the violent trembling.
The space before his eyes warped.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The loan shark collapsed face-first.
Crack!
"AAAAAH!"
A scream rang out once again.
As he fell forward, the loan shark’s right index finger had snapped.
"AAAAAGH! M-MY FINGERRRR!"
An unforeseen variable had appeared—one that hadn’t been included in the calculations.
"You son of a bitch! You said you’d make us exactly the same! That doesn’t include broken fingers!!"
The loan shark flew into a hysterical rage.
The terrifying face he had worn moments ago now looked no different from a child throwing a tantrum.
The leader of the loan sharks had built his initial fortune through extortion and intimidation.
And at this very moment, that talent was on full display.
It was an utterly ridiculous sight.
But not to Ferda.
"Indeed. That does present a rather troublesome situation."
Ferda’s expression turned grave as he looked down at him.
The loan shark suddenly felt an inexplicable chill.
"So what you’re saying is... that it’s unfair for only your finger to be broken?"
"Y-Yeah, you bastard! What are you going to do about my finger?!"
Ferda lowered his head toward Luri.
"It seems this gentleman feels he’s been treated unfairly."
"Understood."
There were only two ways to ease such a grievance.
Either compensate him accordingly...
Or make everyone else suffer the exact same thing.
Ferda had no intention of compensating anyone.
Crack!
"AAAAAGH!"
Crack!
"AAARGH!"
The other two thugs’ index fingers were broken as well.
Thinking the matter had been settled, Luri turned to leave.
"Luri."
Ferda called her name.
"Yes."
"Isn’t there still one left?"
"...Are you serious?"
Luri asked with narrowed brows.
Ferda nodded.
"Calculations must be thorough."
Luri wore an expression that clearly said she didn’t understand.
If everything was to be calculated thoroughly...
Then one person was indeed still left.
"Uh...?"
Vernel Marquis.
Crack!
"AAAAAGH!"
Without hesitation, Luri snapped Vernel’s index finger as well.
The loan shark, who had been throwing a tantrum, and his two subordinates were left utterly speechless.
W-What...?
Why break that bookworm’s finger?
Wasn’t he on Vernel’s side?
The shock was so great that they momentarily forgot the pain shooting through their own bones.
He had insisted on fairness.
So he had broken Vernel’s finger as well.
Ensuring every single one of them was in precisely the same condition.
That lunatic... he’s completely insane!
At that moment...
They truly began to fear Ferda.
Ferda calmly looked over their condition before giving a satisfied nod.
"Looks balanced enough to me."
"If anyone feels they’ve been punished more harshly than the others, do let me know."
The corners of Ferda’s lips curved into a faint smile.
"I’ll make everything perfectly fair."
"N-No!!"
"T-This is more than enough!"
"Is that so?"
Ferda extended a hand toward Luri.
She pulled a small pouch from beneath her skirt and handed it to him.
Ferda tossed it toward the loan shark.
Exactly sixty-nine gold coins.
The value of the damaged property had already been deducted.
"Then your debt has been settled."
"You may leave now."
"Th-Thank you!"
Without looking back even once, the three of them fled as fast as they could.
Watching them disappear, Ferda casually spoke to Luri.
"You’re quite proficient with magic."
"I merely used the most basic techniques."
"Does that basic repertoire include healing magic?"
"I know enough to manage simple treatments."
"In that case, would you mind treating Vernel over there?"
"Nngh... that’s not necessary."
Groaning in pain, Vernel waved his hand.
"If someone receives healing magic too often, they’ll eventually develop resistance to it."
"If that happens, then when I truly need healing magic someday, it might not work."
"I’d rather endure something like this."
"A rational judgment worthy of a scholar."
Vernel grasped his broken finger.
"Nnghhh...!"
Click!
He forced it back into place.
Then carefully flexed it once more.
After confirming it had returned to normal, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Phew... Thank you for saving me."
Even if you did break my finger yourself.
He swallowed those words before they could leave his throat.
Then he looked at Ferda.
"May I ask your name?"
"I am Ferda Valdrova."
"Valdrova? Isn’t that the name of the Red Dragon?"
"It is."
"I am the one destined to become her partner."
"...Huh?"
"D-Don’t tell me...!"
"You’re the one who became engaged to the Grand Duchess?!"
The color drained completely from Vernel’s face.
He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.
"M-My deepest apologies for failing to recognize the future husband of Her Grace the G-Grand Duchess!"
"No, it’s only natural that you wouldn’t know."
"Think nothing of it."
"And I’m not her husband yet."
"I merely bear the Valdrova name for now."
Luri quietly corrected him.
Vernel introduced himself.
"My name is Vernel Marquis."
"As the rumors say, I’m the scholar everyone calls ’Utter Disaster’."
"I’m sure that’s why you came here."
"Haha..."
"Indeed."
"I’ve heard quite a lot about your reputation."
"Then..."
"What business could someone like you possibly have with a failure like me?"
"I dislike beating around the bush."
"So I’ll be direct."
"I’m interested in the research you’re conducting."
"M-My... research?"
His eyes widened.
Someone...
Someone was interested in the very research that even the loan shark who had financed him had dismissed as worthless?
"If you come to Castle Valdrova..."
"I’ll guarantee my full support for the research you’re currently pursuing."
"...What?"
"I’ll provide whatever materials you require."
"Research funding."
"Facilities."
"I won’t question any of it."
"I’ll support everything."
"G-Gasp!"
Unconditional support.
No scholar had ever received such extraordinary terms.
He was overjoyed.
But at the same time...
He grew uneasy.
Surely such generosity came with an unimaginable condition.
His voice trembled as he asked,
"W-W-W-What... is the condition?"
"Your research."
"I intend to use it to create weapons."
Vernel’s expression froze.
"...Weapons?"
"That’s right."
"Using your research."
The excitement that had filled Vernel’s face only moments earlier vanished.
He slowly shook his head.
"Then I cannot accept."
"Is that really something you should say to the man who just cleared your debt?"
"E-Even if a blade were held to my throat..."
"I still couldn’t do it."
"I..."
"I want the Cerdes Continent to remain peaceful."
"I only wish for the people living here to be happy."
Ferda had expected things wouldn’t go smoothly.
After all...
Vernel Marquis was a pacifist.
"Weapons of war..."
"They only create more victims."
"So even if you’re my benefactor..."
"I cannot agree to that."
Resting his hand against his chin, Ferda murmured,
"So..."
"Even with a sword at your throat, you have no intention of changing your mind?"
A chill ran down Vernel’s spine.
He had been threatened countless times before.
People had promised to kill him.
To cripple him.
To ruin his life.
But this...
This was different.
It felt as though Death itself had wrapped its arms around him from behind.
"But think about it."
Ferda dragged his index finger across the dusty floor.
"Whose efforts do you think allow you to conduct research so comfortably in a rat hole like this?"
"I chose this life myself."
"No."
"You did not."
"The peace you enjoy isn’t something insignificant people like you create through personal choice."
Vernel unconsciously tensed.
For the first time...
Emotion was unmistakably present in Ferda’s voice.
"The Grand Duchess Valdrova, the woman who will become my partner..."
"She goes to the front lines nearly once every three days."
"She fights monsters capable of reducing an entire city like this to rubble."
"And every time she does..."
"What do you think she wagers?"
"A little territory?"
"The people of the Far East?"
"Or perhaps my life?"
Ferda pressed a finger against his own chest.
"No."
"She wagers herself."
"While you cling to that pitiful conviction of yours and allow others to throw away their lives..."
"She turns her own life into a sacred sword, cuts down her enemies, and creates peace."
Ferda had always watched Valdrova fighting on the front lines.
From the highest place.
Silently.
Secretly.
At this very moment...
It felt as though that image of Valdrova appeared before his eyes once again.
His chest tightened.
Without realizing it, his fingers dug into his own chest.
All he could do was watch helplessly.
What remained inside him...
Was guilt.
"So..."
"If it’s for her sake..."
"I’ll do anything."
A flame flickered deep within Ferda’s eyes.
"So regardless of what you think..."
"I will have you create weapons."
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