Chapter 346
“Aren't you already shoving us into Gehenna? Why bring this up now, of all times?”
“That was something like a warm-up. You can't call something like that a real danger.”
It was a story that sent a shiver down his spine.
What, then, was the real danger?
“Look.”
Chris rose from his seat and pressed a button on the wall.
Then, a firmly shut iron door opened, revealing a pitch-black space.
“…Is this a Hall of Training?”
“You know of it?”
Of course, he knew.
The Keinper Training Center was built on top of ancient ruins.
It was thanks to the various ruin facilities specialized for training that it came to be called the Cradle of the Alliance.
“I’ve modified it. To fit your situation.”
“…You have?”
“But, keep this in mind. It will be difficult.”
Aiden swallowed hard.
For this devil to say something like this, what on earth was waiting for him inside?
I don't want to go. No, I shouldn't go. If I go in, I'm done for.
As his intuition screamed a warning like crazy and he was conflicted, another voice was heard from the side.
“The professor has gone to the trouble of preparing even this for you, and yet you hesitate. What a pathetic whelp.”
“!!”
Aiden’s face contorted into a deep frown.
The whelp who was even more irritating than the devil Hero.
It was Evan!
“A whelp like you doesn't even deserve to receive the professor’s teachings.”
“I get it! I’ll go in!”
Aiden shouted.
But Evan said something even more infuriating.
“Are you not going to express your gratitude?”
“…What?”
“Have you no shame? Do you not know how much great trouble the professor has gone through for one whelp like you?”
Evan said coldly.
‘Whelps who don't even know grace.’
What professor in the world would bestow such a grace?
“Properly express your gratitude to the professor.”
“……”
Aiden clamped his mouth shut.
Just as Evan’s glare was about to sharpen.
“…I know that much.”
…Right.
It was infuriating.
But it wasn't that he didn't know that this was a great grace.
It wasn't obvious, hidden behind his rude and insufferable attitude, but he knew that the devil Hero whelp was doing this for their sake.
‘…I guess a Hero is a Hero. Not a fake like me.’
Aiden let out a sigh.
He had always lived under the weight of the Round Table’s expectation that he had to become the Hero, but after acknowledging Chris, for some reason, his heart felt a little more at ease.
“…I will give my thanks after I have achieved results. That will be the best form of thanks.”
“Are you being shy?”
“I’m not! You just shut up!”
Aiden, having shouted, entered the Hall of Training.
Evan frowned.
“To receive such a great grace and yet have such an insolent attitude. In any case, they are a hopeless bunch.”
“Um… about that.”
Chris had an ambiguous expression.
‘There’s a reason I didn't lord it over him.’
Originally, when Chris bestowed a favor, he would make a point of it so that the other person would be sure to know of his grace.
But the reason he hadn't was….
-This son of a bitch!! A favor, my ass…!!! I’ll kill you…!! You devil bastard! And you too, Evan…!!
From the still-open door of the Hall of Training, a scream filled with bitter resentment began to be heard.
A horrifying cry, making one wonder what on earth was happening inside.
Chris was silent for a moment, then said.
“…Evan, it’s loud. Close the door. And lock it so he can’t get out.”
“…Right.”
Evan quietly closed and locked the door.
* * *
Following that, he did the same thing to the other students.
After confirming each of their individual problems, he threw them into the Hall of Training.
They all had a similar reaction to Aiden.
At first, they would enter while expressing their gratitude, and then,
-…Kuaaaaaaaaaaaah!
-Send me to Gehenna instead!!
‘I did modify it quite atrociously.’
The Hall of Training was a place to train by overcoming virtual enemies and trials that appeared as illusions.
It had a point of commonality with the training methods using illusion arts that Chris was fond of using.
To that, Chris added mental-type spells.
From status ailments to inner chaos, confusion, and so on.
In other words, so that they could face their inner demons.
Meaning, those who entered that place were experiencing not just physical hardship, but also extreme mental anguish.
Although he had given each individual the exact inner demon they needed, it must be extremely painful for those on the receiving end.
‘In the first place, inner suffering is essential for growth.’
He was whistling when he met Evan’s frowning face.
An expression that showed he was displeased with Chris about something.
‘…Has he finally realized my true nature? He’s not an idiot, it’s about time he found out.’
However.
“…Is there nothing for me?”
“…What?”
“I’m asking if you prepared a share for me.”
“……”
At the tone, like a child who was the only one who didn't receive a gift from the teacher, Chris shut his mouth.
‘…You don’t need it.’
Evan was already in the midst of explosive growth on a smooth path.
There was nothing in particular he needed help with.
‘That guy Evan might even reach 8-Star in the near future.’
As expected of the original Hero.
In his past life, Evan had reached the peak of 9-Star in just ten years, but this time, he was growing even faster due to Chris’s influence.
‘There’s nothing to worry about with Evan.’
There was someone else who was on his mind.
“What is Ranya doing?”
“She is training alone in the Hall of the Sky.”
Ranya was also a student in this year’s class.
But she hadn't shown her face at all.
-I have no time to attend lessons.
As if she were being chased by something, she was whipping herself to train alone.
“From what I hear, she’s not even sleeping properly and is completely absorbed in mastering a grimoire.”
“What kind of grimoire?”
“They say it’s a grimoire authored by the Master of the Magic Tower himself, but I don’t know the exact details. It’s a secret of the Magic Tower.”
“Hmm.”
Chris’s gaze settled.
‘Has the time already come? This, too, is faster than in my past life.’
Just as Evan had gone through his ordeal in the swordsmanship house, the same went for Ranya.
Before joining the Hero’s party, she would experience a terrible incident at the Celestial Magic Tower.
Because of what she had experienced at that time, the Ranya of his past life had a far more cynical and cold personality than she did now.
‘Of course, it will be different this time. In the first place, my final goal for this trip to the Round Table was the Master of the Magic Tower.’
An astounding story.
He was saying that he was targeting the Tower Master, a 9-Star Sacred One.
‘Of course, with my current power, it’s impossible for me to take down the Tower Master alone.’
It was fine.
He had a way.
Just then, the door was thrown open and a figure rushed in.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?!”
It was William.
He had rushed over, appalled by what Chris had done to the students.
“Do you know what an uproar there is at the Round Table right now?! How angry the House Heads of the Round Table are…!”
It was the Round Table that had enrolled the most talents in the Keinper Training Center.
Naturally, there were many children from the prestigious houses of the Round Table in this year’s class, and they were in an uproar after hearing what Chris had done.
They were all furious to the point of explosion, saying he should be dismissed at once. It was a serious situation, but Chris spoke with a nonchalant expression.
“That’s great. As it happens, I had something to say as well.”
“…What?”
Chris beckoned with his finger.
“Tell the House Heads that I want to see them. You could call it a parent-teacher conference.”
“…A parent-teacher conference?”
William frowned.
Of course, what Chris intended was no ordinary conference.
“Looking at the level of the students, the ones from the Round Table are particularly pathetic.”
“…You whelp, don’t tell me?”
“Yes, as a professor, I must hold the parents accountable for their shoddy home education.”
That was right.
The targets Chris was planning to hunt as suckers were not just the students.
The students were small fry.
His real targets were the House Heads of the Round Table.
‘I’ll make all of the House Heads my suckers, too.’
Chris’s eyes gleamed like a predator staring at a delicious-looking prey.
* * *
The Round Table.
It is a coalition formed by the gathering of prestigious houses from seven fields: Swordsmanship, Martial Arts, Magic, War King, Sorcery, Taming, and Stellar Radiance.
Of course, one should not think of these prestigious houses on the same scale as the twelve great houses of the Magus Empire.
Each of the prestigious houses of the Magus Empire possessed a strength greater than that of a decent-sized nation.
The houses of the Round Table were on the scale of a typical prestigious noble house in the Alliance.
‘Even if you combine the entire Round Table, it doesn't even measure up to a single Destruction Demonic House.’
For reference, the Round Table was geographically situated opposite the Destruction Demonic House of the Dark Alliance.
Still, the pride of the Round Table pierced the heavens.
Because they had produced the most talents for generations.
This year’s class of students also had the most members from the Round Table.
So, it was only natural that the House Heads of the Round Table showed a stiff attitude toward Chris.
“We greet Your Highness the Hero. We have heard much about you. You look much younger than the rumors say.”
A total of five House Heads had attended the parent-teacher conference.
Swordsmanship, Martial Arts, Sorcery, Taming, and Stellar Radiance.
Among them, the Head of the ‘Flash Sword House’ of the swordsmanship field greeted Chris in a tone as if he were looking down on him.
“Pardon my rudeness, but may I ask how old you are? I heard you were young, but you seem far too young. Have you even had your coming-of-age ceremony?”
“Ho ho, that’s what I’m saying. For the Karn Empire to recommend such a child as a professor to the great Keinper Training Center.”
“What on earth do they take the level of the Keinper Training Center for? We must make a formal protest to the Karn Empire.”
Chris let out a smirk.
‘How cute.’
Well, it didn't matter.
They would become his suckers anyway, so he could look upon this level of antics as cute.
For reference, it was obvious that if Evan were by his side, he wouldn't be able to hold back and would cause a scene, so he had sent him out beforehand. Bringing the House Heads to their knees was something Chris had to do himself.
“Yes, I am young and inexperienced, just as you House Heads have said.”
“Hmph, it is a relief that you know your place.”
“Yes, but thankfully, I won't be wasting my years as you House Heads have.”
“!!”
The House Heads wore fierce expressions.
To be unable to tolerate others treating them the same way they had just been rude, how very like the heads of prestigious houses.
“I will not mince my words. Stop this nonsense you are putting the students through at once.”
“I don’t know what nonsense you are referring to. I am guiding them with all my might.”
“Do you really ask because you do not know? Do you have to be forcibly expelled to come to your senses?”
Kwang!
The Head of the Martial Arts House slammed his fist on the table.
“Keep in mind that we are saving your face.”
At the threatening voice, the atmosphere in the hall turned ice-cold.
But Chris’s face was still relaxed.
“I’m sorry, but that will be difficult. It’s because I pity the students, especially the talents from the Round Table.”
“…What do you mean by that? You pity the children?”
“I don't know what kind of teachings they have received in their families, but they are all utterly pathetic.”
“!!”
The faces of the House Heads flushed with anger.
“How dare you!”
“Do you know why I have come to the training center?”
Chris lowered his voice.
“It is because I received a revelation from the Constellations.”
At the unexpected story, the House Heads paused.
“What revelation are you talking about?”
“That in the coming future, the Round Table will be destroyed.”
“!!”