Academy’s Genius Mage

“Why are you speaking in such a low voice? Got rejected?”

“Can we talk for a moment?”

Milo gestured outside with his thumb.

Something had clearly happened.

He usually would react sensitively when the word ‘rejected’ came up, but not this time.

And he wore a serious expression similar to when they had met Sir Lancelot during a dungeon expedition.

Ian followed him outside.

They sat down on the bench where Ian had once sat alongside Professor Frost for a conversation.

Milo crossed his arms and let out a deep sigh.

“Why are you investigating that shop owner?”

“Mr. Frederick?”

“Yes.”

Something had gone wrong.

Ian felt this instinctively.

“I have my reasons. I have to meet him at least once.”

“That’s no longer possible.”

“You couldn’t find any traces of him at all?”

“He’s dead.”

Ian was shocked. He had sensed there was danger, but he didn’t expect such swift action.

‘I never got to hear the truth.’

He let out a sigh.

With things having turned out this way, it would become even harder to find evidence and witnesses.

There were extremely few people who had interacted with his father at that time, and tracing letters had its limitations.

“The investigator confirmed the corpse. He appeared to have been tortured and then poisoned. They couldn’t retrieve the body because there were obstacles.”

“What about the investigator?”

“He’s safe. Got a little injured, but nothing serious.”

Ian felt relieved.

Had the investigator been in serious peril, Ian would not have been able to face Milo.

He had initially downplayed the situation when he first spoke to him.

“Ian, you understand what it means for someone to have been killed?”

“I understand.”

“Then why are you hiding it? What’s really going on? People are being tortured to death. What are you hiding?”

Milo sounded agitated.

Ian felt it was time to reveal the truth to him.

Frederick’s death hastened his decision.

“There was an incident on the day of my admission to the Academy.”

The narrative unfolded.

Ian told Milo about discovering his family’s debts and the suspicions he had when meeting Frederick.

It wasn’t just because he had come to trust Milo.

The incident had inadvertently involved Milo and the Vinettia Family.

Apologizing for that was necessary.

If anyone had a right to know, it was Milo.

“Such a tremendous issue… And you’ve been hiding it all this time?”

Having learned the story’s depths, Milo was astounded. The two of them were looking up at the sky by then.

“You were planning to make potions because of that, right?”

“Yeah. If Professor Frost hadn’t approved it, I’d probably be running some business somewhere by now. Or sold as a slave.”

“With a face like yours, you’d probably be someone’s plaything rather than a slave.”

“That’s a bit disturbing, isn’t it?”

“Still, better than being dragged to a mine, wouldn’t you say?”

“That’s terrifying in its own way.”

“Certainly better than dealing with foul-smelling men on a sailing ship.”

“Don’t speak like you’ve experienced it firsthand.”

The two laughed softly.

Ian appreciated Milo’s light-heartedness. It lifted a weight off his shoulders.

Had Milo not joked, the conversation might have left Ian feeling heavy-hearted.

“So, you’ll keep investigating, right? You must uncover the truth. You can’t just wait until your parents come back.”

Again, Ian felt grateful.

He was thankful that Milo didn’t tell him to let his parents go already.

“No matter how much I think about it, it’s dangerous. It’s not something you can do alone. Right now, you’re safe because you’re protected by the academy’s boundaries, but if you go out, what kind of misfortune are you intending to meet?”

“Still, I can’t just hold back.”

“That’s a difficult problem.”

“If things go as expected, a large sum that could be paid off at once will come in. There’s also a way to just close my eyes and pay off the debt.”

“But you won’t do that, will you?”

“If I do that, it would mean acknowledging that I did something my father might not have done.”

“Those money-crazed bastards!”

Milo clicked his tongue and muttered.

“There seems to be no other way. I suppose this body has no choice but to help.”

“What?”

“I said I’ll help. With your task. No matter where you go, having one more person is always better, and I’m suitable as a shield too.”

“No, thanks. I don’t want to drag you into this. I also don’t want to cause any more trouble for your family.”

“What trouble between us? And we’ve already crossed that line.”

Milo stood up and spun around, staring directly at Ian.

“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll help you unconditionally.”

“Then what? Do you need money?”

“I do need it, but there’s something more valuable than money.”

Ian seemed to understand the identity of the anxiety that suddenly swept over him.

“Senior Isera! Make sure to bring over that annoying second-year senior. Let her know there’s a first-year with an amazing body right here!”

“To bring over?”

Ian wondered if the idiom he knew was correct.

To bring over someone means to connect a person they are dating with one of their acquaintances.

“Don’t you think you’re using it wrong? I don’t have anything with the senior. And the term ‘amazing body’ means… ”

“Shut up! Just answer that. Yes or no?”

“It seems it’d be better if I do it alone.”

Ian stood up and walked toward the dormitory. Milo with a scowl followed him.

He was really persistent.

He passionately pestered Ian until that night.

In the end, even though Milo didn’t achieve what he wanted, he decided to move together with Ian.

A new phase had begun.

* * *

The next day, Ian met Felix at the salon where he had met Woodward.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Felix.”

“How have you been? You look much better!”

“Thank you, but isn’t this not the time to be relaxed?”

Ian disliked Felix’s smile.

Felix, hit by Ian’s words, forced a smile.

“Oh my, you’ve changed again. Could it be the academy’s educational approach? You truly are an unexpected individual, Baron Ian.”

“I’ve always been this way. However, there just wasn’t any opportunity to show it.”

“I see.”

For a commoner who couldn’t handle a sword or magic, dealing with a mage was quite difficult.

It’s because of the fear that one might be endangered at any moment.

However, in that aspect, Felix was an impressive talent.

He confronted Ian on equal footing. At least on the surface, that is.

“How is your business doing these days? I heard it’s been getting quite difficult.”

“Hahaha. Certainly not. Our Hamel Trading Company is the top company in the kingdom. There’s nothing to compare it with.”

“Seems like you don’t know much about this academy. It’s a place where the children of noble families gather. The information coming in is substantial.”

Of course, Ian had not heard anything. But there was no issue in utilizing the situation.

“Recently, I met Lord Hunka. I offered a bit of help, and he graciously invited me to his family’s manor. It was a truly significant encounter.”

It was completely unrelated.

But when you leave a suitable gap between facts, sometimes they mysteriously connect depending on the receiver’s position.

Naturally, Felix couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

The marquis family of the kingdom is certainly not easy to deal with.

“And yesterday, I met another remarkable figure, Mr. Woodward from the Bahamut Trading Company.”

It was like a remark that stirred ripples in a quiet lake.

Felix, already aware, pretended to be surprised.

“Oh, is that so? Did you have a good conversation?”

“I handed over the exclusive sales rights to them. They were very generous with it.”

Felix was once again taken aback.

However, this time it was not an act.

He was genuinely surprised.

What he heard was entirely different from what he had been told.

According to the information relayed by his subordinate, the negotiations had broken down because they couldn’t agree on the terms.

‘This crazy bastard! Where on earth did he pick up that information!’

Beads of cold sweat formed on Felix’s forehead.

Ian continued speaking.

“Isn’t it obvious by now which is the kingdom’s best trading company? Mr. Woodward wrote to me before I even contacted him. From what I understand, there’s no one like that in the Hamel Trading Company.”

“Must’ve been lucky.”

“They say skill is also a part of luck.”

“But that doesn’t determine the value of a trading company, does it? Frankly, who knows how well that potion the baron developed will sell?”

Felix flashed that notorious sneering smile.

Ian laughed, spreading his arms wide.

“Mr. Felix, isn’t this hardly the place for such blunt words?”

“If you’re offended, I apologize.”

“You do apologize quite easily, don’t you?”

“But then, isn’t asking me to meet like this after you’ve already sealed a contract almost an act of bluntness?”

“You still perceive things poorly. Well, I noticed that when you bluntly spoke to my butler.”

Ian chuckled lightly.

The veins bulged on Felix’s smoothly-paved forehead.

“Baron Ian… Are you insulting our company right now?”

“Of course not. I know Mr. Felix is a remarkable figure, but that doesn’t make you the representative of the Hamel Trading Company, does it? If I insult you, does that mean I’m insulting the Hamel Trading Company?”

“I am here representing the company!”

“Then you should behave representatively. Mr. Woodward is in a much higher position than you, yet he was respectful towards me. Quite the opposite of your approach.”

“Ugh!”

Strangely, his words were entangled.

Indeed, Ian was spouting sophistry.

Yet Felix found himself unable to argue back as he usually did.

A peculiar pressure weighed heavily upon him.

‘Damn it!’

Felix suddenly realized the nature of that pressure.

Ian had already taken the advantageous high ground.

He was drawn into it from the beginning.

Psychologically, he was no longer the creditor.

On the contrary, Felix ought to wish for Ian to nullify the contract he had signed.

“Hahaha! Mr. Felix, if you take it so seriously, what does that make my position?”

“… Seriously?”

“To become familiar, don’t people usually play around a bit? Actually, about that contract, it was just a joke.”

Felix’s eyes widened.

“I wanted to see a reaction. To gauge how much value my research holds. I apologize if I offended you.”

Ian mimicked Felix’s light tone.

‘This… this bastard!’

It felt like his blood was boiling backwards.

Felix couldn’t regain his composure.

He almost resorted to grabbing him by the collar.

To Felix, Ian was neither a noble nor an academy student—just a powerless noble easily ridiculed.

Yet here he was, being ridiculed by that very noble.

The boiling anger stemmed further from the miserable reality of having to accept such jokes with laughter.

Because if he failed to clinch the deal, he’d be as good as dead.

“Ha… hahaha. It’s fine! Such jokes are welcome anytime!”

“I figured you’d appreciate it. We do have some similar quirks, don’t we?”

Despite swearing inwardly, Felix forced a bright smile.

“So, how is it with the Bahamut Trading Company?”

“We agreed to meet again next week, but I’m not sure how things will turn out.”

“What price did they offer?”

Now that it was revealed as a joke that they had sealed the contract, Felix felt the agitation rising.

Ian leisurely sipped his tea.

“It’s a bit difficult to disclose that…”

“I promise to offer more than that. You have my word.”

“It’s a significant amount. Are you certain you can decide?”

“Of course. Our company owner is also looking forward to it.”

Well, that’s great.

Ian brought up the phrase he had prepared long before.

“But isn’t there something we need to tie up first?”