The Villain Bought the Heroine - The Villain Bought the Heroine chapter 73
Chapter 73
The Troa Empire, shining with vast territory and infinite glory.
The dazzling capital of the empire, Brumbeberg.
From Noble mtl dot com
In the officially confirmed population of over 280,000, the metropolis Brumbeberg teemed with merchants from all over, clergy dispatched by the Yggdrasil Church, and hunters who explored dungeons to capture monsters, each occupying their own territory for various reasons.
There was a street in this place that hunters frequented, which was both their workplace and home, the guild.
On this street, headquarters of top-tier guilds from around the world were established, and recently, there was a hotly discussed hunter guild.
Expanding rapidly and unearthing prodigies like shooting stars, this guild was entrusted to the leader, Bram, who was currently suspending his duties to confer with Baragan in the meeting room.
As Baragan, his master, was currently attending the Academia, direct face-to-face meetings were nearly impossible.
A slightly noisy voice mixed with static was heard from the crystal.
“So, it’s true that half of the dungeon has been wiped out. It’s regrettable, but inevitable.”
“This is due to my insufficient abilities.”
“No, Bram. You have been performing your duties flawlessly. It’s natural for monsters to emerge that do not comply with our leadership. In fact, we should be grateful that the losses are only at 20%.”
Bram knelt, revealing his loyalty to Baragan. Watching him, it felt as if the master was truly standing before him.
“Now that our reputation has risen, we no longer need support from Schugenhardt. As for practical matters, Kalos is not a man to betray us, so there is no need to worry about that either.”
Bargan was in the midst of establishing a guild to recruit hidden talents outside of Academia.
Among them, Kallos was the first talent recruited, responsible for the practical affairs of the guild with exceptional foresight in accurately calculating profits and identifying lucrative ventures.
When Bargan mentally flicked the dice, his guild would undoubtedly rise to the top of the ecosystem in no time.
This was not only due to Bargan’s exceptional memory and utilization of the novel’s contents but also thanks to Bram, who possessed charisma to lead others like a master of all weapons.
“Among the relics acquired this time, there is a spear classified as first-rate. It’s for you to use.”
Bargan’s image reflected in the crystal ball smiles.
“It’s an item that requires skilled hands, so you are perfect for it.”
Bram, unlike Alicia, shows no signs of confusion or refusal. He simply bows his head further to express his gratitude.
“The relic granted by the master. I will cherish it as I do with my own limbs.”
Bram was the only person Bargan truly trusted. Always backing him up, he never questioned Bargan’s decisions.
“Your progress in combat… No, it would be impolite to say such a thing. It seems everything to be confirmed is now concluded.”
Bargan, who enjoyed being aristocratic and domineering, even found the word “impolite” directed at him. He shows signs of ending the communication as he rises from his seat.
“I will await your next contact.”
“I will keep that in mind, master.”
Even after the communication with Bargan ends, Bram remains on his knees for a while, then slowly rises to his feet.
Just as if he had timed it, a knock is heard, and a man enters as the door opens.
“Ah, you were in communication with Bargan, I see.”
“What’s the matter?”
A man with round glasses over calm eyes stands behind Bram, the guild’s artisan, the only one aware of Bargan’s presence and also mentioned for his ability to understand the flow of money.
Kallos habitually adjusts his glasses.
“Due to this recent expedition, not only in Brütemberg but also in the surrounding satellite cities, our guild’s reputation has risen significantly. I came to inform you of an opportunity to capitalize on this new development.”
“It seems I need to take action.”
“Instead of a crowd, if a single person, especially one known as a leader, stands up for justice, it will have a more significant impact.”
Glancing at the nearby sword, Bram knew it was a good opportunity to utilize the first-rate relic stored in the warehouse.
Kallos adds to the explanation, “It’s regarding the newly established Hunter Guild, which, as it turns out, is not just a guild but also involved in illicit trades, dealing in various items like drugs, people, and monsters. Here’s the location.”
After a brief look at the map handed to him, Bram finishes locating it and nods lightly, stating he will go there soon.
Though they were not the city’s defense force, they occasionally took it upon themselves to address issues considered troublesome to society.
“The guild’s image is crucial. We must not be seen as needlessly brutal in heavily populated areas, right?”
“I understand.”
Bram readies his aura, lightly flexing his body.
His well-trained, sturdy legs, honed over the years, move towards the door.
Recently, Bram had earned the moniker in society as the ‘War God of Brütemberg,’ having honed nearly every weapon to perfection.
After ending the communication with Bram, I continued my personal training for two hours before stepping outside the dormitory.
The night had already turned dark, with the moon barely visible behind the clouds.
As I walked down the familiar path, I noticed a fiery red-haired individual raising their voice in anger.
Even in this late hour, I could see Liam engaging in a dispute with a man who seemed wolf-like. Liam’s comrades were nearby.
“Ah… How can I deal with this beastly smell? Can’t just rip all the fur off.”
“Liam, can this woman who claims to be your childhood friend be beaten up a bit? I might accidentally kill her.”
If it’s interesting, it’s an interesting scene.
The werewolf fighting with Emily is a guy named Lucaiel, who was a member of Vargan in the original work and often clashed with Emily. Sometimes, he even had confrontations with Liam.
This time, becoming part of the same group as Liam seemed to be going smoothly, but… seeing him argue with Emily, it seems like it’s more due to their fundamental personality differences rather than just the group.
“Stop… don’t fight…”
“Move aside, Nicola. I’ll pull out all that redhead’s hair today.”
A female student covering her head with a hood shivered as she tried to stop them but failed.
She is ‘Nicola,’ who, just like in the original development, joined the same group as Liam.
As she was pushed by Lucaiel, two other women nearby and Liam also stepped forward, but they didn’t catch my eye.
Nicola, the spirit mage.
After Alicia, Emily, and Francesca, she is Liam’s final heroine… seems like a lot of women are getting involved with that guy.
Despite her timid nature, in contrast, she actively took action and helped Liam, showing her face often when expressing her feelings.
Due to these characteristics, she was the person Emily was most wary of in romantic relationships.
Alicia… she was undoubtedly a strong ally who helped the protagonist a lot, but she was only the main heroine in name, overshadowed by other women in that aspect.
“Both of you calm down…! Emily, how about you and I go over there for a chat? It’s been a while since the two of us had a conversation alone.”
Under Liam’s desperate mediation, their dispute calmed down. Emily, cooling off, glanced at Nicola with puffy eyes and then at Liam.
“…Fine. We haven’t finished today’s combat training yet.”
Oh, this is a surprising statement.
If it were Liam, he would jump up even from sleep to give Emily the opportunity to chat alone.
Was it due to Pin’s influence as a rival, or the pressure as the responsible party for the ‘gaja’? Recently, the intensity and amount of Emily’s training had increased significantly.
“…Really? If that’s the case, I guess I can’t help it…”
Liam made a somewhat bewildered expression.
The scene I observed ended here.
I didn’t spy from somewhere, I just briefly saw them passing by, so my information is limited.
It was quite interesting, but since it wouldn’t benefit me, I didn’t waste my time.
…Recently, the sudden proposal that Liam made came to mind, but it quickly faded. He was still as clueless as ever.
I hastened my steps and headed to a mound located in a corner of the academy. As the destination drew near, the surroundings darkened, and I entered a dimly lit place.
Arriving at the mound. A large heap of earth had an old iron gate attached to it. Through this gate, one could enter the mound.
Knock knock?
I opened the door that should have been closed and entered, and in the darkness, a woman with sparkling golden hair appeared instantly.
“You’re here early.”
“The things to do ended sooner than expected.”
The owner of a somewhat chilly gaze facing me was Francesca.
The troublemaker sorceress behind the disturbance at the festival in the second semester.
***
“hahahaha??! This, this is the taste of life!”
At the same time.
A private bar for academy officials located in the academy.
Paula and Louisa were seated at one side, drinking.
Their table was filled with large glass goblets that could fit three fists, and there were no other dishes. The only snack was a few nuts handed over by the shop owner as a side dish.
Paul, tilting back a large glass of beer, wiped his mouth as if hitting the glass on the table with gusto. Then, he wiped his mouth with a satisfied expression.
“If there’s no real alcohol, I don’t know how people survive in this world. When I was young, just the smell of alcohol made me sick. Who knows what life will bring.”
Paul’s tone, subtly seeking a response.
Louisa retorted with a chuckle, “Nonsense. I’ve missed classes more than once due to getting drunk in my room during freshman year.”
“Huh? Did I do that?”
“You did, you fool.”
“Oh, right, right. It’s coming back to me now…! hahahahaha, check my sanity. It seems it wasn’t when I was young, but when I was a child. Or was it not? Or was it?”
Paul, slightly tipsy, was more spirited than usual. Louisa, finding her friend’s behavior familiar, drank her drink alone.
“Why drink alone like that? Let’s drink together!”
And so, the two laughed and enjoyed their drinking for a while.
After the commotion passed and a brief moment of silence ensued, Paul, with slightly unfocused eyes, looked at her beer glass and brought up a topic.
“…I hope this year’s final exams go smoothly without any incidents.”
It was a somewhat idle remark.
The weight of reality, encapsulated in Paul’s drunken words, weighed heavily on Louisa. To shake it off, she drank again.
“Hmm?”
It still tasted good, but perhaps due to her mood, the alcohol felt a bit bitter.
“To be honest… I don’t understand this risky final exam system.”
“I know. You’ve always been in favor of abolishing it.”
“Exactly… What’s the point of that tradition? Is it more important than the students’ lives? It’s the same with getting hurt! Should we just push for abolition while throwing punches?”
“Well, if you do that, you’ll end up in trouble again. If you get in trouble again this time, it won’t just end with a simple reprimand.”
With a realistic response, Paul, with a resigned “Hmm… that’s true,” left some room for discussion, knowing that even if she took that path, nothing would change.
Paul sighed heavily, and Louisa, quietly listening to that sigh, voiced her thoughts.
“They’re just kids. Little ones who still need protection.”
While Paul held her drink, Louisa continued, “But what can we do? Even when they’re young, they aspire to be heroes.”
It was the professors’ duty to provide guidance and support for growth while protecting them, but merely cradling them would not make them true heroes.
Just as one can only feel the warmth by touching heated iron, sometimes it’s through pain that one can progress further, even if it means getting hurt.
Among them, there were those who couldn’t bear the pain and fell, but there was no other option. If they were leaves that would fall from such a shock, they were leaves that wouldn’t last long anyway.
“Hmm…”
Louisa emptied her glass of all the remaining alcohol. Just then, Paul’s drink ran out as well. Paul said, “Excuse me?! Two more beers!”
The two professors, along with the bitter reality, pushed it all to the back of their minds.