I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 819 - Side Story 92: Artificial Sun (2)

Of course, just because he could doesn't mean he would take it.

"That artificial sun is the lifeline that sustains not only this ruin but also the nearby forest."

The moment it disappeared, a severe cold would sweep over the forest. If that happened, most of the growing vegetation and the beasts living in the forest would die.

Even though they were animals that couldn't speak, he wasn't comfortable with mass slaughter.

"Besides."

Rudger began, staring at Lexer.

"That side doesn't seem to want that either." 

[......What? You noticed?]

Lexer spoke nonchalantly, but perhaps feeling guilty inside, his words trailed off.

[Well, honestly speaking, I have no grounds to stop you. Appealing to emotions wouldn't work either. That's how most mages are. Fundamentally, the bigger issue is that I don't have the power to stop you.]

Even if someone other than himself were here, they wouldn't be able to stop Rudger. The gap in power was that tremendous. If Rudger set his mind to it, erasing this ruin would be possible.

The reason he didn't was because he was disinclined to do so.

Lexer had never felt such a sense of powerlessness in his entire life until now. Even when the Lumensis Order had interfered with him at every turn, it wasn't like this. He came to realize anew just how threatening an individual with overwhelming force could be.

But if Rudger truly intended to take the relic. He was prepared to stop him by any means necessary.

"That's an unnecessary worry."

Rudger dispelled such concerns of Lexer's.

"In the first place, I visited out of curiosity because there was a ruin. There's also the matter of preventing any artifacts or relics from falling into the hands of dangerous people." 

[Is that really true?] 

"I'm a mage, but I've traveled the world extensively like you. From the cultures of various countries to their history, ruins and heritage. I'm not stupid enough to treat such things lightly." 

[......If you say that much, it does put my mind at ease a bit.] "

Rather, it's you who needs to be persuaded."

Rudger said while looking at Veronica. As attention focused on her, Veronica became noticeably flustered.

"M-me?" 

"Lady Veronica. What do you intend to do with that relic?"

"Pardon? That's......"

Veronica closed her mouth. Right. Hadn't she come here to prevent the relic from falling into the Order's hands?

But that wasn't all. Recovering the relic and bringing it to the Empire was also one of her objectives.

In truth, Veronica had thought the latter case impossible. Because she thought the path to the ruin would be treacherous, and even if they entered, there might not even be a relic.

'I didn't expect things to turn out this way.'

Rudger seemed to know what Veronica was thinking. They found the ruin, met Lexer, and eliminated all remaining forces of the Lumensis Order. And finally, they discovered a relic that actually existed.

All those events had unfolded in such rapid succession that Veronica had struggled to keep up. She had only barely realized she needed to perform her duty as an Imperial knight because Rudger reminded her.

"I-I mean......"

If it were her usual self, Veronica would have declared confidently that the relic should be recovered by the Empire and kept safe.

That relic was no ordinary object. The energy it emitted was immeasurable. It could easily replace the Empire's next energy source.

How much easier would the lives of so many people become with that one relic? What about technological advancement?

It was right to take it. Veronica's reason cried out vehemently.

However,

"If I take that, what will happen to Sir Lexer?"

Veronica couldn't help but ask. At those words, Lexer seemed to ponder for a moment, then answered with a wry smile.

[Well, I'll die.]

It was something she had vaguely guessed. But hearing it directly felt different.

[I'm assimilated with this ruin. I planted my soul and consciousness in the ruin. And this ruin only operates with the power of the relic.]

The relic was both the core and the battery. If it disappeared, the ruin would lose its function. Lexer, who existed together with the ruin, would also die.

[Well, I've already died once, so. The first time is hard, but maybe the second time will be manageable?] 

"Then why on earth did you guide us all the way here?" 

[Why, you ask. That monster-like guy over there would have found his way here on his own even without my guidance.]

Lexer said this while looking at Rudger.

[If I can't stop you anyway, what choice do I have but to cooperate as much as possible? Who knows? Maybe if I do, you'll feel sorry for me and let it slide.]

Of course, it was an absurd hope. To give up such a covetable relic right before one's eyes because of a debt of gratitude?

Lexer thought even he was doing something truly foolish. But it was also true that this was all he could do given his circumstances.

[So I have no choice but to leave it to your decision. Of course, I won't blame you if you take it. Honestly, if I were an outsider and not the administrator here, I would have grabbed it right away.] 

"That's a lie."

Lexer looked at Casey.

[Why do you say it's a lie?] 

"Because the Lexer I know is absolutely not that kind of person." 

[What do you know about me?] 

"I don't know everything. But I've heard about your life story so much my ears could grow calluses. There are tons of books about you too." 

[What if those books are lies? They're stories made up by later generations. It's natural for all sorts of embellishments to be added.] 

"But the core would remain the same. There's no praise without reason. The Lexer I know is a man who pursues romance. He's also a good person who readily gives precious treasures he discovers to the poor."

There were various reasons why Lexer was talked about among aficionados.

He established 6th circle magic and had his name inscribed in the title. He had the unusual disposition of being a mage who wandered the world and explored remote places. On top of that, he traveled the continent creating scandals with various women.

He was the perfect subject to talk about endlessly. But among all that, the reason people liked the person called Lexer was because of his deeds.

Lexer was a mage, but he understood romance. He always moved with conviction. Some criticized him as irresponsible, but Lexer never cared.

"It's actually recorded. The artifacts and treasures you discovered alone were enough to live on for a lifetime and more. But despite that, you only continued wandering the world. Because you gave all the money you earned to other people." 

[......]

Even Lexer, who had been acting cynical, couldn't bring himself to deny this.

Lexer gave all the money he earned wandering the world to his acquaintances, friends, and local people.

Along with the saying that what accompanies a traveler is not gold coins but the wind.

"They say your track record with women wasn't good, but I also know you regularly sent money to the women you left behind." 

[......Damn it. Even that became a rumor?] 

"It's not just rumor level, it's recorded that way."

Lexer seemed not to have expected even this to be exposed, as he rubbed his face with his hand.

[Phew. Well this is something. I thought if my story was passed down to later generations, I'd have become an unparalleled womanizer.] 

"You were aware of that. Actually, some people did express such opinions. However, the ones who defended you most passionately were the women you had met."

Lexer frequently seduced women with his handsome appearance and brilliant eloquence. He was a blazing flame itself. He always had passion, and the women who met him were drawn to that aspect of Lexer.

Of course, that flame was fleeting, disappearing with the wind when the sun rose. But that warm moment was never false.

"They're the ones who annotated your life story the most." 

[I see. So that's how it was......]

Lexer chuckled.

[Well, I am charming enough to be hard to forget easily. What a sinful man I am.] 

"Stop the self-praise there. Anyway, what I want to say is simple. You're not a villain. Rather, you're so kind it's a problem. You're just a bit lacking in responsibility. Your manner of speaking is frivolous too. Honestly, your appearance isn't my type either, but well, that varies from person to person, I suppose?" 

[......Can't you just compliment if you're going to compliment?]

He felt even more hurt somehow.

"Anyway, stop talking nonsense. Dying is fine? There's no way such a person exists. If you really felt that way, why are you still here enduring like this?" 

[That's......] 

"You just want to live. Because you were terribly averse to not being able to continue adventuring anymore."

Casey saw through Lexer's true feelings accurately. The path Lexer had walked was a clue. If given clues, Casey could figure out the answer because she was a great detective.

[Even if that's true, what use is it? Should I appeal here for sympathy? If you know about me, you'd also know I won't bend in such matters. But look at me. I'm just an illusion without a physical body. A recorded past? It's all gone. It was glorious, but now there's no one who remembers that time.] 

"You exist now." 

[......] 

"If you die, even those memories will disappear entirely. Are you really okay with that?"

Lexer couldn't say anything. He stared blankly into space, then looked up at the rising sun, then looked down at the floor and let out a deep sigh.

[Ah, damn it. This shouldn't be happening.]

Lexer roughly tousled his hair.

[If only you were people without a shred of compassion, I could at least give up cleanly. Why on earth are you planting such hope in me?]

Nothing disappoints a person more than false hope. Lexer knew well the despair that would come afterward.

"Because people need hope to live. Someone I know said that, you know?"

Lexer looked dazed as if he'd been struck. Because it was something he used to say habitually during his heyday as an explorer.

[Ha, haha.]

Lexer let out an empty laugh. He shook his head as if troubled, then stared at Veronica with clear eyes.

[Right. Young knight lady. What will you do?] 

"Honestly, if Sir Lexer weren't here, I would have recovered the relic without a second thought."

Veronica looked around at the beautiful forest scenery with small beasts wandering among it. This place where life was budding couldn't be found anywhere else on the continent.

Right. This place was unique.

"But after hearing the story, I realized I shouldn't do that. I don't feel inclined to destroy such a beautiful place out of my own selfishness. Killing a person is even more out of the question."

Veronica looked straight at Lexer and said.

"Knights draw their swords to save people. That's my firm conviction that I haven't changed even once since becoming a knight."

The relic was tempting. It was dangerous enough for every nation to covet. From Veronica's position, receiving the Empire's salary and living as an Imperial citizen, she had no choice but to care about the Empire's national interests.

But she couldn't abandon her convictions for that. Other knights might not. But Veronica didn't compromise because she was the vice-captain of the proud Coldsteel.

"Therefore, I will give up." 

[You might receive reprimands from your superiors.] 

"I'll just take it, whatever. I'll take responsibility for my choice. I've made my decision, and this is my answer. That's enough."

Rudger, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.

"So that's how it is. It's fortunate it flowed well. Such historically valuable ruins must be preserved."

Lexer's lips twitched. Honestly speaking, he couldn't deny that Rudger's help was the greatest.

So he wanted to say thank you, but those words wouldn't come out easily.

"I just did what I had to do. So you do what you have to do too." 

[Ha.]

Lexer burst into laughter. Just when someone was trying to say thank you, he made that sink back in.

[You really are insufferable after all.]

But contrary to his words, a bright smile formed on Lexer's face.

At that moment, Lexer's expression hardened.

[I think I just saw something.]

Lexer's blue eyes rapidly scanned something. Because he was linked to the ruin's system, he noticed abnormalities outside faster than anyone else here.

[......By any chance, aside from the Lumensis Order, did some giant monster also come here?]