Chapter 252
"Are you okay, Maelyn?"
"Yeah!"
Maelyn quickly nodded in response. Seeing her flushed cheeks, Raheim's mood soured.
"Who are you?"
Simon lowered his stance.
"I'm Maelyn’s teammate. I’ve been watching this whole time, and she said she doesn't like you."
"Doesn’t like me? Maelyn doesn’t like me?"
Raheim lifted the brim of his white hat and burst into laughter. His sturdy, dark-brown body shook each time he laughed.
"If you're her teammate, that just means you've spent one semester together, right? Maelyn and I have been together for ten yea—"
"I hate it!!"
Maelyn shouted, hiding behind Simon.
"I freaking hate how you smirk and act all full of yourself, always creeping on me! You're disgusting, so stop following me already! Damn it!"
"......."
Raheim fell silent, his lips tightening into a straight line, clearly shocked.
"You heard that, right?"
Simon opened his subspace and put all the items he was holding into it. This had all happened while he was trying to move his sunshade spot.
"I’d appreciate it if you left now."
"How ironic."
Raheim's lips curled into a smirk.
"Now I want her even more."
From the moment he met Maelyn as a child, Raheim had felt like some switch inside him had flipped.
He became obsessed, greedy.
He had to possess everything he desired, without exception, and pursued those things with relentless persistence.
There had never been an exception.
Even the heir position he had so desperately wanted from his older brother.
Even—
‘Even Father’s lordship.’
As Simon watched the jet-black Darkness surging violently inside Raheim, he let out a sigh.
‘What a twisted guy.’
It felt pathological at this point.
[Kehahaha! Sure, necromancers might be mentally unstable by nature, but that guy’s just plain human filth!]
It was Feer’s voice.
‘...Hey, not all humans are like that, okay?’
Suddenly, Simon’s eyes turned serious as he sensed a change in the Darkness. Eight magic circles unfolded around Raheim’s body, and grotesque projectiles, frothing with white bubbles, came flying at them.
"Maelyn!"
This was no joke. Simon spun around, grabbed Maelyn by the waist, and bolted.
"Hey!!!"
Maelyn, her face bright red, screamed for him to put her down, but Simon was too focused on the incoming attacks to pay attention.
‘Two from above. Two right behind.’
Simon's pupils darted rapidly, tracking every trajectory of the incoming projectiles. He dove, and as the projectiles hit the sandy beach and exploded, white snow-like bursts scattered everywhere.
‘What kind of weird black magic is this?’
Simon leaped nimbly, dodging every attack. At one point—
Boom!
He even kicked away one of the projectiles. When Raheim tilted his head, the redirected missile struck a parasol behind him and exploded.
"Oh, not bad. You’ve got some skills."
Raheim lowered his stance again and began activating magic circles one after another. Simon’s lips tightened as he saw formulas being constructed at lightning speed.
‘He’s a caster specialized in multi-casting.’
Simon's entire nervous system tensed, his body and mind shifting into full combat mode. But then—slap slap!—something struck his back.
"Put me down, you maniac!! I’ll fight on my own two feet!"
Maelyn, red-faced and practically boiling over, flailed her legs and shrieked.
"Sorry, just a bit longer…!"
Simon couldn't even finish speaking as he threw himself to the side. More projectiles rained down, bursting into white explosions.
‘This is so embarrassing, what am I even doing!’
He was too strong for her to escape. Dangling by Simon’s side, Maelyn suddenly had a moment of deja vu.
‘Wait a minute! I’ve been dragged around like this before, somewhere…’
Her mind whirled, trying to remember when it was.
‘!’
Just as her memory was about to return to Deathland, Raheim suddenly appeared behind Simon.
"Simon! Dodge!"
Swooooosh!
But Raheim flinched in horror and bent backward. A blade of Overlord had sprung from beneath Simon's feet.
"Too bad."
Raheim’s face froze as he saw Simon’s chilling smile.
"You bastard…"
"A fight broke out!"
"Who is it? Who’s fighting?!"
Students swarmed the beach like clouds, eager to watch what was surely the most entertaining thing, other people’s fights.
‘Damn it.’
Too many people had gathered. Thinking it best to retreat rather than fight back, Simon wrapped his arms fully around Maelyn.
‘!’
Lifted into a bridal carry, Maelyn’s heart pounded wildly. She was so flustered she couldn’t think straight.
‘Ahhhhhh! There are so many people watching, what are you even doing!’
"I’m pulling back."
Just as Simon summoned Darkness to his feet to flee—
Tweet! Tweeeeeet!
A sharp whistle sounded, freezing all three in place.
"What the hell are you doing on Roke Island?!"
"Stop right there!"
It was the wardens.
Normally, they managed the forests and mountains around Keyzen, but when students gathered in a specific area like this, they acted as safety enforcers too.
If caught by them, you'd get at least a demerit, and if things got serious, reports would be made to your supervising professors.
Even Raheim realized this wasn’t the time to fight, and straightened his posture.
"I had a good time. Your name was Simon, right?"
Raheim clapped his fists together.
"I’m going to target you in the next BMAT exam. Let’s settle this then!"
Simon looked baffled.
"Settle what, exactly?"
"Isn’t it obvious?! The winner gets Maelyn!"
Still in Simon’s arms, Maelyn screamed.
"Hey, you psychotic bastards! Who do you think you are, deciding my fate like that!!"
"See you later, Maelyn."
Raheim waved, activated the magic circle beneath his feet, and shot into the sky like a rocket, disappearing into the air.
‘What kind of black magic was that?!’
Slap! Slap!
"Hey! Put me down already!"
Maelyn shouted, pounding on Simon’s shoulder.
Simon, only now realizing how closely she was pressed against him in her swimsuit, looked flustered and gently set her down.
"There they are!"
"Get them!"
The wardens were now preparing a binding black magic spell. Simon, readying a defensive spell, shouted,
"I’ll hold them off! You, meanwhile—!"
"Hey, Simon."
Maelyn suddenly grabbed the back of Simon’s collar.
"Payback for earlier."
Then she summoned Darkness to her feet and took off into the air.
‘Whoa!’
As the world tilted and he suddenly shot upward, Simon felt his stomach drop.
Her feet landed on something cold, already prepared ice.
<Ice Road>
Shhhrrrrrrrrrkkkk!
A straight path of ice extended, pushing the two of them rapidly forward. In an instant, they zipped past the beach and over the ocean.
The wardens, sprinting madly, came to a sudden halt at the water’s edge, looking frustrated.
"Now we’re even, got it?"
Maelyn grinned slyly as she let go of Simon’s collar.
Simon’s knees went weak, and he collapsed onto the ice with a dry laugh.
As the two of them sped across the sea—
"This way! Over here!"
Simon’s eyes widened.
Dick was waving enthusiastically from a boat in the middle of the sea, already on board and grinning. Sitting beside him was Kamibarez.
"I’ll bring it around to that side."
Maelyn spread both arms like wings and then swung one arm wide, causing the direction of the ice to curve like a racetrack.
Soon, the ice path stopped right in front of the boat, and the two of them boarded.
"You made it!"
Dick held out his palm, and Simon grinned as they high-fived.
"You're well-prepared."
"This is just the basics!"
Dick tried to high-five Maelyn as well, but instead got smacked on the back after she grabbed him by the hair.
"You thought I'd forget how you soaked the blueprint?!"
"Ack! I said I’m sorry! It’s not like I did it on purpo— Agh! Aaaaagh!"
Simon and Kamibarez burst into laughter. Dick twisted his body in agony, his facial muscles expressing pure pain, and then turned his head.
"Whoops, they’re pissed."
They could see the wardens firing Darkness-woven net projectiles toward the boat.
As the sky filled with nets, Kamibarez panicked and flailed her arms.
"W-We’re gonna get caught!"
"Leave it to me."
Dick skillfully manipulated the mana engine attached to the boat. He flipped a few levers—vrrrrm!—and the boat began to shake.
"Hold on tight!"
At Dick’s shout, Maelyn asked,
"Wh-Where do I hold on to?!"
"Anywhere!"
The moment all three grabbed the body of the boat, the mana engine roared and the boat’s front shot up as it launched forward.
"Uwaaah!"
"Kyaaaaaaaa!"
The three of them screamed in terror. The nets thrown by the wardens fell uselessly into the sea, while the boat cleanly cut across the water’s surface.
"Yeehawwww!"
The wardens, left like dogs chasing chickens, wore blank expressions as Dick propped his leg up on the mana engine and shouted gleefully,
"See ya later! Hahaha!"
Maelyn groaned.
"Hey! It’s too fast!"
"I-I'm gonna fly off!"
Maelyn screamed for him to slow down, while Kamibarez dangerously wobbled, her lower body nearly airborne.
Seeing that, Simon quickly shifted position. He opened his arms and steadied the boat by holding both women’s shoulders.
"Kya! I swear, you always take all the cool roles."
Dick laughed heartily and turned the boat’s direction. Simon looked up.
"But where are we going?"
"Someplace quieter!"
The place they arrived at by boat was a small uninhabited island.
It was a tiny island, but the currents were mild and the atmosphere quiet, perfect for the four of them to enjoy themselves.
They had a great time there.
Simon taught Kamibarez how to swim, and she picked it up quickly. Maelyn focused on refining her breathing magic circle, and Dick modified those weird flippers of his so he could actually use them.
In the evening, they set up a bonfire and enjoyed a simple barbecue party.
"Ahhh, this is life."
Dick, his face flushed from drinking, collapsed backward into his seat. Simon was busy grilling meat, and Maelyn and Kamibarez were chattering away.
"By the way, who was that guy who came at you, Maelyn?"
"Oh, I don’t know, that perverted bastard!"
Simon, after placing some grilled meat on a plate, looked at Maelyn.
"But he seemed to recognize you?"
"That was just a line! You know, like, ‘Haven’t we met somewhere before?’ Ugh, it gave me the creeps!"
Dick glanced at Maelyn.
"You really don’t know him? That guy’s, you know, that guy."
"What the hell are you on about, dumbass? Say it properly."
"No, I mean… who was it again… Ah! Right! Raheim Northfold, Special Admission No. 8. Lord of the Snowfield Castle!"
Kamibarez gasped in surprise.
"W-Wow, he was a big deal!"
"Snow Fortress? Hmmm."
Maelyn crossed her arms.
"That region has a lot of magic stone deposits, so it's under the Ivory Tower's influence. I did visit a few times as a kid..."
"Maybe you met him back then?"
At Simon’s question, Maelyn scowled.
"No, I was just a tiny brat holding my mom’s hand. I barely remember! Especially since he caused so much trouble when he was the heir…"
"Sounds like you were a little rascal back then, Maelyn!"
"Just a dumb black history from when I had no sense."
Maelyn let out a sigh.
"And if he’s acting like this over some brief childhood meeting, seriously. He kept nagging me about the heir’s position, provoking me, then what? Said he’d pull strings in the Ivory Tower and try to speak up for me? Wouldn’t that piss anyone off?!"
The three listening to her all wore uneasy expressions.
Maelyn had an extremely sensitive reaction when it came to Serne and the successor position at the Ivory Tower. Saying something like that in front of her was basically asking to be killed.
"Ugh, I’m so mad! Next time I see him, I’m gonna punch his jaw right u—"
She stopped mid-sentence and glanced at Simon.
"?"
Simon smiled as if asking what was up.
Maelyn sighed.
"…Looks like I’ll have to go see him."
Kamibarez flinched and tried to stop her.
"Wh-Why?! He’s a weirdo! It’s dangerous to go meet him!"
"I don’t want to either, but he said he’s going to target Simon during the exam. I can’t just let him suffer because of me. I’ll talk to him at least…"
"I’m fine."
Simon responded calmly.
"If fighting between students is within the rules, then I don’t mind. And you said he’s Special Admission No. 8, right? I kinda want to face him myself."
Ooooh~
Dick let out a whistle, and Kamibarez squealed under her breath.
"So you’re saying you’re Special Admission No. 1? Heh! Gotta love that elite-level confidence!"
"That’s the spirit of a strong one!"
"No, no, it’s not like that!"
While the two of them teased Simon, Maelyn looked at him with a faint blush on her face.
When their eyes met, she quickly turned away and cleared her throat.
"Y-You sure you’re okay with it?"
"Yeah. You don’t have to say anything to that guy on my behalf."
Dick let out a tsk and raised his cup. Sometimes, even as a fellow guy, Simon was undeniably cool.
"Good vibes here! Let’s all survive the next BMAT and meet again!"
Clink!
The four of them clinked their cups together with a loud cheer.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters