After figuring out the rules of the hints, sothing odd occurred to him.
'Co to think of it, there was one more hint about an individual.'
The eccentric alchemist, Bern Doyner.
As Luca ntioned before, he never actually appeared in the original story.
His traces alone were left to help the protagonist.
'That too appeared as sothing of a gag elent.'
The flavorless potion made from "mop water", the capsule shooter that made cute sounds.
He was always used as a minor codic elent whenever he ca up.
'So does that an the rule of hints is faulty, or did he, too, end up becoming a villain in so way?'
Considering the case of 'Imitator', there's a chance he beca a main villain in a way Luca was unaware of.
And the reason Luca think that scenario is even more likely is because of his apprentices, Hav and Moula.
'It's suspicious that those two never appeared in the original story.'
Luca had never seen Moula's Magic Power Beam Cannon in the original.
There's really only one reason sothing so impressive would not make it into the original story.
Moula must have died before making it to the story.
'Hav and Moula both died before the protagonist arrived.'
If Luca entertained that assumption, multiple possibilities co to mind.
'First off, there's a good chance Bern Doyner was a central figure in the Hyperhemia experints.'
Bern Doyner's potion has life-restoring effects, and the Doyner family na has been blacklisted among alchemists.
'Even if he wasn't the central figure, it's certain he was involved.'
Research on life is strictly forbidden; there's no way it would be allowed to run rampant anywhere.
So the forbidden act Bern Doyner committed likely pertains to the Hyperhemia experints.
'And yet, neither Bern Doyner nor his apprentices Hav and Moula made it into the original? That definitely ans sothing will happen to them this year.'
Whether they die off, or get dragged off by the Demonz, Luca didn't know, but clearly sothing bad is destined to happen.
'Above all, since the Marquis Kisen family—confird to be minions of the Demonz—are still conducting Hyperhemia experints, there's a good chance they'll need Bern Doyner's expertise.'
In the original, there was never an enemy who transford into a giant, like Donovan's phase 3 form.
Which ans Donovan was the only perfected result of the Hyperhemia experints.
So the experints were not yet complete at the ti.
'There were things like proto-lifeforms, which resembled the stage 1 transformation, but... Anyway, one thing for sure is that sothing went wrong and the research was never completed.'
So Luca's guess was that Bern Doyner was either kidnapped or killed, and his research was stolen.
'Well, even if it turns out he had nothing to do with Hyperhemia, that's fine. Just developing a potion that restores life force without side effects is impressive enough.'
If he did that independently, with no ties to the Kisen family, that's even more remarkable.
'I need to ask him to help restore my life force.'
Bern Doyner would surely be able to help heal his life force.
'On top of that, I feel like he'll be able to help in multiple other ways too. The important thing is to complete the hint related to him first.'
Whether he's a villain or not, for now it was important to follow any hint.
Whatever happens, it would help Luca in so way.
"Ah... So what you're saying is, you need to et soone in order to treat your body, and that could be dangerous?"
"That's right."
"Whew... I thought you were asking to go on so kind of dangerous warrior's pilgrimage or sothing."
Having listened to Luca's explanation, Ottbo let out a sigh of relief.
Then he scratched his cheek.
"Uh... I appreciate the invitation, but... will I actually be of any help?"
"You will. Much more than you think."
"In what way?"
Unlike before, when he doubted his own usefulness, this ti Ottbo asked out of pure curiosity.
That difference made Luca feel a little more at ease.
"The most important thing is, we might have to use the auto-carriage to travel to an unregistered area."
"Ah, I can definitely be of help there. Heh heh."
Ottbo laughed in his easygoing way.
Luca observed him with a strange expression.
"I can't tell you everything, but I'm sure you'll provide other crucial help as well."
"Uh... really?"
"Yeah. So, are you going or not?"
In response, Ottbo grinned widely.
"Okay! This is my first ti going on a trip with a friend! I'm excited."
"Just rember one thing. It won't be as fun and exciting as you're expecting."
"...... Huh?"
Having dashed Ottbo's expectations, Luca smirked and squinted at sothing in the distance.
"...... A commoner is a commoner, after all."
"What... do you an...?"
Luca's words were extrely perplexing.
Ottbo frowned awkwardly, and Luca stayed silent.
'I ant, well, a noble wouldn't have done, but the nuance is weird.'
In the end, Luca said nothing, striding forward toward soone.
"Are you deliberately avoiding ? Why is that?"
"Uh, uh? Wh-what are you saying, Luca? Why would we be avoiding you?"
"......"
It was Hav Erid and Moula Prington, the childhood friend couple from the countryside.
Hav fumbled over his words in reply to Luca.
"I needed to talk to you two anyway."
"Oh, about what?"
Hav asked uneasily.
Luca answered flatly.
"What do you plan to do during the month-long closure of the academy?"
"Uh... well... I guess... we'll have to camp out."
"...... Camp out?"
Luca, not expecting that answer, was taken aback.
Hav hesitated, biting his lip.
"We can't help it. All first years not participating in special activities are told to go ho, but it would take us nearly two months to walk back."
"...... You'd walk for two months?"
Again, an unexpected answer.
Hav frowned, his pride stung.
"We can't help it! We can't afford the Magic Power Train!"
"......"
"Besides, even if we ride the Magic Power Train, it doesn't go near our place. Even if we get off at the closest possible station, it would still take us a week on foot. We'd rather camp out nearby and hunt monsters or wild animals to survive."
It was a rather sad story.
Luca clicked his tongue and then said,
"I'll arrange a Magic Power Train ticket and an auto-carriage for you to get ho."
"...... Really?"
Hav's eyes widened in surprise.
But there was still a guarded look in his eyes.
'Why?'
Hav's eyes seed to demand further explanation.
Luca replied, deadpan.
"In exchange, introduce to your master."
"...... Master? For what?"
Hav's expression imdiately turned wary.
He looked ready to resist if he sensed any ill intent.
Luca just shrugged.
"I've heard it'll take a long ti for my body to heal. I plan to ask your master to treat ."
"What? The doctors here are good at healing injuries."
"I know. But like I said, it'll take too long. I need to recover imdiately."
Luca subtly revealed the flask of "mop water" from inside his clothes.
"If they were able to make sothing like this, they must have a potion for healing the body without side effects, right?"
At the sight of the mop water, Hav finally let his guard down.
He hesitated for a mont, then tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Um... There's probably... sothing."
He seed to have an idea.
Luca drove the point ho.
"I realize your master is involved in so shady business, but that has nothing to do with . After all, I am a swordsman. All I want is to heal the injuries I sustained while protecting you."
"Uh... ahem."
It was well known that Luca was seriously injured while protecting them.
With that topic out in the open, Hav had nothing more to protest.
"If I wanted to, I could easily learn your master's location by force. Didn't you yourself already ntion your hotown's na? It was Potro, right?"
"What? Wh-when did I—?"
"...... You did, Hav."
Moula, standing beside him, quietly chid in.
—All right. I'm Hav of Potro. In thanks for putting in the sa group, I'll bring you victory!
—...?
—Po-Potro is the na of our ho village.
He'd said it during the team exercise.
Hav blinked, then heaved a sigh.
"Haa. Fine. I actually wanted to visit ho anyway."
"I'll take that as your agreent."
"But the auto-carriage doesn't go all the way to our village. If we walk, it's at least one week from the last stop."
Luca just smirked and pointed behind him.
"Don't worry. There's an expert on that subject right here."
"Expert?"
Hav followed Luca's gesture.
Ottbo was there, wearing a sowhat sulky expression.
* * *
After making plans with the Hav–Moula couple, the festival proceeded without incident.
In the Magic Engineering Departnt exhibition, you could get a glimpse of modern sensibilities.
The Alchemy Departnt showcased more of a fantasy vibe.
And the Magic Departnt's exhibition... well, Luca couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Most of all, when the crowds thinned enough to finally visit the Magic Departnt's displays, Luca was shocked beyond words.
"What is this... Is writing sothing half-heartedly on the chalkboard supposed to count as an exhibit?"
"Lu-Luca, don't say things like that out loud..."
"I don't even understand what I'm seeing. Did all those people really co just for this?"
Unlike the Engineering and Alchemy Departnts' flashy displays—because they needed investor funding—the Magic Departnt's exhibition seed more like a private brag for insiders, which made it rather dull.
Not only was it bland, but the way they took pride in things only they could understand was appalling.
"There are a lot of mages in our empire. Most people here probably recognize it."
"Whew..."
With a sigh, Luca turned to look at Milia, who was eating ice cream.
"Don't tell I'll have to endure this hell again tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow's the highlight."
"There's worse hell than this?"
Milia giggled at Luca's despair.
"Tomorrow's the last day of the festival, so it's mostly performances instead of exhibits. They'll be much more exciting than the ones at the vigil."
"Ohh."
Luca let out a sound of admiration at the ntion of performances.
He hadn't been able to enjoy the opening night because of the terror incident.
Now that things had cald down, he wanted to attend, despite the trouble.
"Hmm...?"
At that mont, Ottbo stared at a map with a curious look.
Milia asked him,
"Why is he looking at a map?"
"He's planning a route for where we need to go during the break."
"Where are you going?"
To this, Luca unobtrusively touched his chest.
"I'm going to restore the life force I lost in recent incidents."
"Ah... That can't be helped."
She had no comnt on soone going for treatnt.
She knew what Luca had gone through, so she held back from saying more.
Just then, Ottbo tilted his head and spoke,
"Sothing's odd. Luca, I think we need to double-check their location."
"What's wrong?"
At Luca's question, Ottbo pointed to sowhere on the map.
"Their family's territory isn't here. Or more precisely, it's already been nationalized."
"Nationalized? What does that an?"
"In simple terms..."
Ottbo scratched his cheek.
"The noble family ruling their territory has been wiped out."
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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