1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

83. Belen’s Quest (1)

At the sudden summons, I moved my steps.

Before the entrance of Shulape, Belen stood, a bottle of liquor clutched in his hand, his brow furrowed.

“What is it? I have much to prepare for the upcoming exam.”

“Hey, you brat, come with me.”

What’s his deal?

As I was dragged to a secluded spot, Belen finally spoke.

“Why? You were all for her as a partner before.”

“Excuse me?”

“Leana, I mean!”

“Oh.”

But why is this old hag bringing it up?

“What does that have to do with my aunt?”

Belen made a sound of disgust, as if to smack my back.

Yet, perhaps recalling the beating he once took, he quickly withdrew his hand.

“What kind of insolent talk is that to the one who arranged your meeting?”

Arranged a meeting?

“Actually, it’s been so long that I can’t remember, could you elaborate?”

“Ha, has the youth already lost his wits?”

Belen’s ensuing explanation unveiled truths I had not known.

The tale of Leana as I understood it was this:

The one who orchestrated her abduction in her youth was none other than Gilum, a key figure in the Empire.

And due to his obsessive nature, even now, with Leana all grown, he lurked in the shadows, waiting for his chance.

The minor house of Derevian lacked the strength to protect Leana, and in such dire straits, the head of Derevian, one day, upon the unexpected visit of Hessel, thought, “This is it,” and proposed an engagement.

Of course, the aim was to use her as a tool, a shield for the Tenest family.

For the power contained within the name Tenest was something even the Emperor dared not challenge.

Yet, Belen’s claim was this:

“I was the one who sent you to Derevian. Didn’t I tell you back then? There’s a fine young lady there.”

It was a bit shocking.

Until now, the role of Belen as I knew it was this.

The One Who Becomes the Master.

The hero who saved me in my youth.

The motivation that made me wield a sword.

The messenger who reveals to the lord of Derebian who seeks Leana.

Just this much.

Somehow, it felt a bit unnatural to think that Hershel had suddenly decided to visit the Derebian territory by mere coincidence.

After all, Derebian was quite far from Tenest.

“But now you say we are strangers? Is it merely a whim that you wish to erase what has transpired?”

Is it so strange that I, the user, remain unaware?

Originally, this body was meant to be dead.

In the narrative, I was hardly a significant character, so it would have been a part boldly omitted from Leana’s tale.

“Are you even listening to me!”

To summarize, this body is not just a pawn of the lord of Derebian, but a piece moving according to Bellen’s design.

Surely, if I were to show Leana to that lecherous fool, he would have thought it an easy conquest.

In any case, it was a moment to once again realize that I was nothing more than a prop.

Gathering my thoughts, I fixed my gaze on Bellen and spoke.

“I am listening. And it is not a mere whim.”

Bellen frowned deeply.

“What do you mean by that…?”

It was clear that if I couldn’t provide a definitive answer, he would continue to be a nuisance.

To drive the point home, I reluctantly fabricated a response.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? That you used me to protect Leana from Gilum?”

Bellen’s eyes widened, glowing like lanterns.

“How… how do you know that?”

“I merely deduced it, understanding the unfortunate circumstances. I willingly became a pawn.”

“Are you saying that the one who knows this would call off the engagement?”

I answered calmly despite Bellen’s fury.

“I felt no need to do so at this moment.”

“What?”

“She is a woman who has come here, prepared to sever ties with her family. I hear she has been receiving lessons from her great-aunt recently? Then I ask you, do you truly believe Leana would give up her sword?”

Bellen sealed her lips tight.

“Of course, I understand what concerns you, Aunt. But rest assured. Leana will manage to protect herself from the Gloom. I know she will.”

This was sincere.

Even when this body had perished, Leana had carved her own path.

After that, she would step into the grand finale alongside other protagonists.

As the user, I was well aware of this fact.

“How do you know that?”

To the listener, it would surely sound uncertain.

Yet, reminding her of the insurmountable problem would quickly quell any doubts.

“Well then, what will you do? Leana will never lay down her sword. There will be no marriage between us, as our hearts are not in it. Do you have any clever solutions to this matter?”

This was the reckless Hessel, who refused to listen.

Leana was a woman stubborn enough to sever ties with her family for the sake of becoming a knight.

Bellen seemed to know this all too well, as she fell silent.

Then, suddenly, a good idea struck me.

If played right, I could steer this in a favorable direction.

“Or.”

I intended to seize this opportunity to weave a bit of cunning.

To hasten Leana’s growth just a little more.

“Teach Leana proper swordsmanship. So she can protect herself.”

“Are you saying to teach her proper swordsmanship? To make that child a knight?”

“Yes. After all, Leana will become a knight. It would be better for her to learn solid swordsmanship before that. I believe the most suitable teacher for her is you, Aunt.”

Bellen lowered her gaze, her expression serious.

She looked conflicted.

Perhaps she needed time to think deeply.

“Tch, I’ll consider it.”

Bellen spun on her heel.

Inside, I silently cheered.

Then, suddenly, a point to be cautious about came to mind, and I spoke before she could leave.

“And I have one request.”

“A request?”

“Please do not speak of today’s conversation to Leana.”

At those words, Bellen looked at me with a puzzled expression.

I couldn’t quite grasp what misunderstanding I had sown, but it was better than her discovering my involvement.

* * *

The corridor of the lodgings where the professors came and went.

I was on my way back to my room, yet Bellen could not shake off the tangled thoughts.

‘How did he know that Gillum was targeting Leana?’

This was something I couldn’t even share with Aol.

Accepting one who had forsaken their clan as a guest was already a breach of discipline; I couldn’t very well ask for help.

Thus, it was all the more strange.

“Hmm.”

Speculating would yield no answers.

Soon, Bellen shook his head.

What troubled him more was something else.

‘Have I been misjudging him all this time?’

His appearance and demeanor were certainly unchanged.

His accent and voice were the same as well.

It would be a stretch to say he had transformed, yet the words he spoke were far from what a rogue would utter.

This planted a singular thought in Bellen’s mind.

‘Given that the rumors haven’t changed, it doesn’t seem like he has grown. He must have been hiding his true nature all along…’

It was understandable, for when that meeting was arranged, Hessel was merely sixteen.

Even so, he had known of the truth regarding Gillum and the Derebian clan, and he had claimed it was out of pity that he played along.

If that were the case, it meant he had been concealing his true self beneath the mask of a rogue all this time.

Of course, I had my doubts about whether this was an excessive assumption.

However, the words Hessel had spoken before leaving drove a nail into my suspicions.

—“Please do not speak of today’s conversation to Leana.”

Was he secretly looking out for her from afar?

Bellen mulled over those words, a bitter smile creeping onto his lips.

“He may seem like a lost cause on the surface, but he’s quite the human after all.”

It was the moment when he began to see the person in a different light.

* * *

The study group of Shulape Hall huddled around the lobby’s fireplace.

Personal belongings cluttered the makeshift table and cushions, textbooks strewn about.

In the impoverished Shulape Hall, there was no such thing as a reading room.

Whoosh—

As Rix tossed in firewood, Limberton asked.

“But why was that back then?”

“Hmm?”

“No, at that celebration, when Hursel said something, you hurriedly spoke up for him. It seemed a bit unnatural, you know? I thought you were just his interpreter. Hehe.”

Rix fell into deep thought.

It seemed Limberton was curious about that incident.

—Of course, you couldn’t come…

—Hursel is sincere!! The culture of discrimination that pervades the academy. I understand the differences in rewards based on dormitories, but we must never take lightly the actions of disdain and disregard. Therefore, we must clearly convey our intentions to those at the top, the people of Adel Hall. Right? Hursel.

He had even interrupted with such words and answered in place.

—You bugs wouldn’t matter even if you died and came back…

—Of course, as Hursel said, to convey that meaning, dying and coming back wouldn’t be enough. The bitter reality is that only the words of the powerful are heard. At the very least, I believe we need to exert ourselves to grow stronger so that our message can reach its destination.

Rix looked at Limberton and replied in a soft tone.

“That guy has no talent for saying things in a way that pleases others. I don’t know if it’s shyness or what, but everything he says is rough. So I wanted to convey his meaning instead. I think I did it hoping people would see him in a better light.”

“Ah, that’s true, isn’t it? He does seem a bit like a hedgehog?”

“That’s a fitting description, isn’t it? Prickly on the outside, but soft as down on the inside.”

Just then, a shadow loomed over them.

Hursel glared with a frown.

“Limberton. Stop chatting and study a bit.”

“Why are you picking on me…?”

“You’re the only one who got more subjective questions wrong than the foreigner Asley.”

Less than a month remained until the midterms.

While the practical exam in magic was the most important, the written exam was equally significant and could not be taken lightly.

Rix turned his gaze away from them and looked around.

“What’s this herb?”

“Ugh, it’s a poison. Eat it, and you’re done for.”

“What was the position to take on the slope?”

Had the study group made such an impact?

The lobby buzzed with students engrossed in their studies.

Most were first-years, but the presence of upperclassmen was significant enough to notice.

‘I wonder if I can really get one over on those Adels in the written exam this time…’

Rix stifled a laugh as he watched Hessel scold Limberton.

All the changes around them were likely thanks to this man.

“Don’t talk back, you bottom of the class.”

“That was during the entrance exam. Surely it won’t be the same this time…”

“Yeah. If it’s you, it’s entirely possible.”

What a curious person.

Someone with a strangely magnetic charm.

For some reason, the thought of him staying here made her reluctant to leave, especially if she had to move to another dorm.