Chapter 83

83. The First Boss, Leang (1)

Everyone was taken aback.

This was because Leang was a teacher known for being gentle.

He was diligent and quiet but was kind to students in his own way.

That was who Leang was.

It was the first time he had raised his voice like that.

"You don't know your limits! When someone is speaking, you should listen! This is not a place for Yuridia's private tutoring!"

"…I'm sorry. I was just too curious."

"If you continue to act like this, I will formally raise an issue with the Rownter family! Do you understand?"

"…Yes."

Leang raised his left hand and nervously adjusted his glasses.

"It doesn't seem like we can continue the lesson in this atmosphere. That's all for today. Then."

With that, Leang left the classroom.

His steps were filled with irritation.

"What a foolish woman, seeking punishment on her own."

"Lord Teron, you don't need to worry about the midterm exam."

"Tsk."

From behind, Teron's sound of disapproval could be heard.

It meant he was not satisfied.

'Now that I think about it, he's been acting strange since last time. Why is Teron reacting like this?'

The more Yuridia messes up, the more it should benefit him, right?

"Huh? What is it? Is the class over?"

"Hehe, it seems so."

"It seems so? Aren't you going to focus on the class? You'll end up at the bottom if you keep this up."

Luna.

Wipe the drool from your mouth and speak.

* * *

At the training ground.

I said to Luna, who was warming up.

"By the way, I have a gift for you."

"A gift?"

I took out a pendant from my pocket.

A small pendant with an engraved spirit that seemed to be alive.

An S-grade artifact, 'Breath of the Spirit.'

"Huh? What's that?"

"It's an artifact. It has the effect of nullifying one critical attack."

"Don't lie. How expensive are artifacts like that? Besides, not just reducing damage, but nullifying it? If it's real, it would cost hundreds of thousands of gold, right?"

Yeah, that's right. I'm giving you an artifact worth hundreds of thousands of gold.

You must feel burdened, right?

"Hehe, if that's the case, there's nothing I can do. I'll use it myself…"

Whoosh.

As a gust of wind passed, the Breath of the Spirit in my hand disappeared.

Luna had taken it in an instant.

She closed one eye and began to examine the Breath of the Spirit.

"Hmm~ I can definitely feel a strange aura. But nullifying damage? That sounds too exaggerated. Zero, you might have been scammed."

"Scammed?"

"Yeah. Did you buy this from a peddler? Sigh, there are still people who fall for such scams?"

While Karon might be able to scam me, the system can't.

The effect of the Breath of the Spirit is undoubtedly real. It's the ultimate item in this game.

For it to end up in the hands of someone who doesn't know its value.

There's no better example of a pearl before swine.

Perhaps we should revise the saying to 'Luna with the Breath of the Spirit.'

"From now on, let's go together. Believing such lies… how do you plan to survive in this harsh world? Anyway, you can't do without this big sister, can you?"

"Hehe, if you don't like it, you can return it."

"It's a gift from a friend, so you should accept it even if you don't like it. Hurry up and put it on."

Luna turned around and extended her white neck to me.

My hands were trembling.

Not only do I have to hand over this great item, but I also have to put it on her myself.

"It's pretty for a street item, I guess."

"Hehe… I'll bring a prettier one next time. We can exchange then."

"Alright, alright. I'll wear it for a long time… no, for life. How about that? Are you satisfied now?"

No, not at all! I want it back!

The Breath of the Spirit that I nurtured (and obtained)!

'Silver Flash isn't bad either…'

After Karon left, I experimented with the Silver Flash in my room.

It works by pressing a small button, sending a stream of mana.

The speed was so fast that it was hard to see.

'Well, a small hole did appear in the wall.'

The important thing was that it didn't require time to gather mana.

It meant no turn consumption.

'Mana consumption is about 10.'

My current magic stat is 39, and my mana capacity is 390.

Even considering the use of other skills, I can use it more than ten times.

Depending on the party composition, it should be fine to use it to the end.

It was an incredibly good artifact.

But.

"Hehe, wouldn't a prettier one be better? It's far from matching Luna's beautiful appearance."

"Well, that's true. But what can I do? It's a gift. I have to use it, even if it's cursed. That's my motto."

Yeah, that's a terrible motto.

And most people would call it stupidity, not a motto.

Just as I was sighing slightly.

"Wait! Something's off?"

Luna's eyes lit up.

Oh, did she notice it was from Karon?

If so, it would be a big problem.

The only excuse I have is, 'Teacher Karon is a lolicon, that's why.'

'I wanted to protect Karon's honor…'

But I can't say that Leina and Karon have an unknown relationship.

It would only make Luna angrier.

No matter how I think about it, 'it's because he's a lolicon.'

That's the answer Karon would want too.

'Karon, trust me. I'm a man who keeps secrets.'

I won't yield to Luna's strength.

Firmly resolved, Luna's mouth slowly opened.

"Reservations at a restaurant and now a gift… Do you like me?"

"…"

I had forgotten.

Our Luna is a girl who has no sense of subtlety.

Especially the idea that I like her.

It's absurd.

"Hehe, as I mentioned before, I prefer straight men."

"Hmm~ How should I interpret that? Does it mean you like me because I'm a straight man? Or…"

Luna came closer, her eyes shining.

"Does it mean you don't like me because I'm not a straight man? Which one is it?"

Of course, it's the latter.

But I couldn't say that.

Luna was ready to bite if she didn't get the answer she wanted.

"Hehe… Luna is, of course, a straight man."

"Right? But don't get too attached to me? Anyway, being too charming is a problem too. I might lose all my friends."

Luna, Luna, what are you talking about?

You only have me as a friend.

Shouldn't you make friends before saying such things?

"Then, watch this big sister's training. Let me know if you see anything strange."

Luna headed to the center of the training ground.

Despite the long conversation, the conclusion was clear.

'It's impossible to get the Breath of the Spirit back.'

Luna will do anything I want.

But to react like this.

It might be a hidden piece between Karon and Luna.

'Getting more interesting. Karon… what secret are you hiding?'

Karon and the Lester family.

I found a few more missing puzzle pieces.

The overall picture is complete, but the most important piece, 'why,' is missing.

The reason why the emotionless Karon, known as a killing machine, protects Luna.

'If I knew that, I could use Karon even more.'

Karon, who brings back S-grade and A-grade artifacts.

If I had leverage, I could do even more.

'But one misstep and I'll be dead. I need to approach carefully. Though, that's not the most important thing right now.'

The most important thing right now is.

-Defeat the first boss, 'Leang de Fleurs'!

Defeat the teacher controlled by the cursed sword, Leang de Fleurs.

To clear, you must defeat a hidden boss, not a regular one.

If you repent and then defeat Leang de Fleurs, you will receive additional rewards.

Leang de Fleurs (0/1).

Reward: 200 EXP, 10 gold

Additional Reward: Open Eyes (F) > Open Eyes (E)

Penalty: All stats decrease by 5

*This quest cannot be refused.

That was the problem.

It wasn't about killing.

Even with Luna's advice, killing is inevitable in this game.

'I need to adapt to this. Only then can I play without hesitation.'

Black mages, thieves, or anyone else.

If you hesitate to kill, you never know what the consequences will be.

-If you have to kill each other, don't hesitate. Only then will your companion survive.

Advice to kill for the sake of your comrades, not for yourself.

Luna gave pretty good advice.

And I intended to follow it.

'Killing Leang is a weight I have to bear. Then, the remaining problem is…'

-If you repent and then defeat Leang de Fleurs, you will receive additional rewards.

That was the problem.

I had no idea how to make him repent.

Should I read the Bible to him?

'I know why Leang touched the cursed sword.'

If you start playing from the academy, the first boss is always Leang.

So, it was natural to know the story related to him.

Leang de Fleurs.

But now he is called 'Leang.'

He declared that he would not succeed the family during its decline.

This was common in the noble society.

Third-rate nobles.

Some people are ashamed to maintain a name-only position.

Many nobles choose not to succeed the family to avoid taxes, labor, and noble duties.

Voluntarily becoming a fallen noble.

Despite being of noble blood, many places still treated them as nobles, so it was natural for fallen nobles to become common.

'Leang is a bit different, though.'

One day, Leang left his family on his own and became a wandering knight, making a name for himself in the empire.

Not only did he win many duels, but he became famous for another reason.

"Teach me swordsmanship."

Regardless of the outcome of the duel, he would bow and ask for instruction.

He even lived as a retainer in a famous swordsmanship family.

An act that would usually be met with disdain.

But Leang boldly requested it and left after learning secret techniques.

Duels, learning, wandering.

This life continued for ten years.

Suddenly, he returned to his family and challenged the head of the Fleurs family to a duel.

And he won. Overwhelmingly.

After winning the duel, Leang is said to have said this instead of asking for instruction.

-If I hadn't learned this trash swordsmanship from the beginning, I could have become a greater person. I could have become a hero.

No one at the scene refuted Leang's words.

He had defeated the head of the Fleurs family using only the swordsmanship of other families.

After that, he gained a nickname.

'The Imitator Leang.'

That's right, Leang.

He was the one who caused his family to fall.

A traitor to his family.