Chapter 13 - Calculations Must Be Thorough

Burnel Marquis.

Age 27.

Graduate of the 525th class of the Veritas Academy.

Assigned title: 'Complete Mess'.

Residence: A semi-basement in the slums of Escolaia (the previous resident couldn't endure it and fled after a week).

Current assets: 72 gold coins.

"When are you going to pay me back, you little shit!"

-72 coins.

Two large men trashing the place, and a relatively smaller man with a vicious face.

And a man kneeling on the floor, trembling as he helplessly watched their atrocities.

The frail man wearing large glasses began rubbing his hands together in a plea.

"P-Please give me a little more time. It's an experiment that requires a long-term view, so the results might be a little delay—"

"How much more long-term do you want? I gave you a year! Didn't you say you'd get meaningful results within a year?"

"I-I said it could, c-come out. But gathering the monster corpses is difficult, and I..."

"Ah."

The loan shark waved his hand and cut him off.

"No need for excuses. So, can you turn what you have right now into money or not?"

"T-That probably won't bring in any money... There are still variables present..."

"Haa..."

The man looking down at Burnel was a loan shark.

He lent money at high interest rates to bastards who couldn't even get credit loans from the bank.

Their true goal was usually to hijack the research before it was completed.

"I really stepped in some fucking shit."

It looked like he wouldn't even be able to recover the money he lent to Burnel Marquis.

The loan shark dragged a worn-out chair over to himself, sat down, and bit into a cigar.

"Alright. I'll give you an extension on repaying your debt."

"R-Really?"

"On the condition that you abandon your current research."

"... Pardon?"

The loan shark exhaled a long drag of cigar smoke.

"I hear you were a high flyer during your first year at the academy. Looking at your transcript, you were the top student of your entire class, not just your section, weren't you?"

"Ah, yes, I didn't know what to do back then so I just half-assed it, which led to me taking the top spot, but..."

Half-assing it.

This guy was the only one who would describe taking the top spot as half-assing it.

"So let's do something else. Just half-ass something else and produce some results, alright? I've got a few projects I took from other losers like you. I'll hand them over, and you finish them up. Do that, and your debt is wiped clean. How about it?"

"Um... can't I do them in parallel with my other experiment? If it's just that much—"

THUD!

A dagger flew to the floor and planted itself exactly in front of his crotch.

"Eek!"

"I try talking nicely and you lose your damn mind. I hear organs fetch a very high price these days because of that whole 'morality' bullshit. How much did they say you get?"

"If we leave him with just enough to keep breathing, it should at least cover the interest, right?"

"How about it? Sell your organs. And you get to keep doing your experiment. You don't want that, do you?"

"Yeah, that's a bit..."

"Then give up your research and do mine."

"That's also a bit..."

SMACK!

The loan shark's foot slammed into Burnel's side.

"Are you trying to fuck around with me right now, you little shit!? You don't want this, and you don't want that? Then drop dead, you bastard! You worthless piece of dog shit!"

"Ugh! Ack! Ugh!"

Burnel curled up helplessly as he was beaten.

Unable to even breathe properly, he screamed inwardly.

'Someone, someone please save me!'

His prayers, wishing for a single rose to bloom from the gutter, had never reached anyone.

"That's enough."

But today was different.

The thugs and the loan shark stopped their beating.

They turned their heads toward the door they had smashed their way through.

Burnel followed their gaze and looked up.

"Sorry for interrupting your good time, but I'd like you to stop."

The ray of salvation Burnel had so desperately wished for.

Its color was gray.

'Ah...'

Burnel despaired.

The man was a stranger.

There was no way a stranger would save him, so he had no choice but to despair.

The loan shark, who had been frantically beating him, swept his hair back and licked his lips.

"Judging by your getup, you look like some young master from somewhere, but don't get in the way right now."

"My apologies, but I'll have to interfere."

The gray-haired man pointed a finger at Burnel.

"I have business with that man."

* * *

By the time Ferda entered the semi-basement, the beating was already underway.

Seeing him getting beaten like a dog that bit its master, Ferda thought to himself.

'What perfect timing.'

To be able to appear right when he would be desperately wishing for a ray of salvation.

"That's enough."

With that, Ferda brought the loan shark's beating to a halt.

Burnel was cast aside as the loan shark leaned crookedly and looked Ferda up and down.

"You're a different breed from the nerd brats here in Escolaia... Are you an outsider?"

"Yes. I am from out of town."

"Did that bastard borrow money from you, too?"

"No."

"Then wait your turn. I was here first. You can see him after I'm done teaching him a lesson."

"How kind of you. What if I were to settle that debt for him?"

A brief silence.

The loan shark made a mildly conflicted expression before opening his mouth.

"Including interest, it's 72 gold coins. Can you pay it?"

"Of course I can."

"Then just pay up."

72 gold coins.

For Ferda, who had become the lord of Valdrova Castle, that amount was not a large sum at all.

It was something he could give away as easily as tossing a half-eaten rib to a dog.

However, Ferda did not readily accept the offer.

Ferda's blue eyes shifted toward Burnel, who was curled up and bleeding.

Looking at him, Ferda made a counteroffer.

"Let's do it this way. Taking into account the beating you gave this guy and deducting the property damage, we clear it out for 50 coins. How does that sound?"

The loan shark let out a scoff.

"Hah, are you crazy? The stuff we broke isn't even worth 3 gold coins."

"Is that so? Then just take 49 coins. Because valuing the man you beat to a pulp at around 20 gold coins is practically a steal."

"Are you out of your mind? You want me to burn 20 gold coins just because we 'bonded' a little?"

"Has the negotiation broken down?"

"Negotiation my ass, you're just extorting me, aren't you?"

"It broke down, then."

Ferda raised a finger.

"Then you all shall be paid back in kind to settle the tab. Luri."

Luri, who had been standing behind him, stepped forward.

"Put them in the exact same state."

"..."

"I will uphold my end of the deal, so do not worry."

"Haa, understood."

The maid girl with a silver side-ponytail walked over with an expressionless face.

"What's this, little kid?"

"A young master dragging a little kid around a slum like this, is he an idiot?"

The thugs sneered wickedly.

Unlike those large and uncultured men, the loan shark could fully tell.

That little kid was not just a kid as she appeared.

At that moment, the extraordinary kid unleashed a fraction of her hidden power.

Her silver eyes gleamed with an uncanny light.

RIIIIING!

A ringing echoed in their ears simultaneously.

"Ugh!"

"Ack!?"

"W-What the?"

The thugs and the loan shark panicked.

But what was even more panic-inducing was...

"Urgh... Aargh..."

"M-My body...!"

Their bodies would not move.

They tried to do something, but all they could manage was trembling.

Their bodies refused to move, as if they had turned to stone.

Luri glanced at them before approaching the closest thug.

"I'll start with you."

Luri pointed her finger at him.

In that instant, the space around the thug distorted like a mirage.

BAM BAM BAM!

A flurry of battering sounds erupted, and the thug collapsed.

"Urgh, uuurgh..."

His entire body was covered in bruises, and he groaned on the floor while blood dripped from his nose.

He was beaten to exactly the same extent as Burnel.

'What the hell is that?!'

The thug and loan shark who were still standing broke out in a cold sweat.

It was something completely outside the bounds of common sense in their world.

Her eyes turned toward the other thug.

"You're next."

"Uh...?"

BAM BAM BAM!

Even though it was the loan shark's second time seeing the phenomenon, he still looked completely lost.

A simultaneous, explosive beating following a distortion in the air.

'Magic!'

He figured it out, but figuring it out wasn't enough to understand everything.

'It's magic, sure! But a magic like that exists?'

The magic the girl wielded had no magic circle; she merely flicked her finger.

To think she could cast magic that produced such destructive power just like that?

"Next... well, it's just you left."

"Ugh... Aaaah!"

The loan shark attempted a final, desperate struggle.

He forcibly tried to move his stiffened, trembling body.

The space in front of his eyes distorted.

BAM BAM BAM!

The loan shark pitched forward just like that.

SNAP!

"Aaaah!"

Another scream erupted.

As he fell, his right index finger had snapped backward.

"Ack! My fingeeeer!"

A variable that wasn't in the calculations had occurred.

"You son of a bitch! You said you'd make it exact! My finger wasn't part of it!!"

The loan shark threw a raging fit.

He was throwing a childish tantrum with that vicious face of his.

The boss of the loan sharks had originally gathered his seed money through extortion and threats.

His true worth was showing right in this moment.

It was a truly flabbergasting moment, but Ferda remained unfazed.

"Indeed. That is quite the dilemma."

Ferda's expression grew serious as he stared down at him.

The loan shark felt a strangely ominous sensation.

"You are saying it feels somewhat unfair that only your finger got broken, right?"

"Y-Yeah, you son of a bitch! What are you gonna do about my finger!"

Ferda tilted his head toward Luri.

"The gentleman says he feels wronged."

"Understood."

The way to soothe that feeling of being wronged was to provide fair compensation.

Or simply to do the exact same thing to everyone else.

Ferda had no desire to give compensation.

CRACK!

"Gaaaaah!"

CRACK!

"Aaaaaah!"

The other two thugs' fingers were broken in the exact same way.

Thinking the matter was settled, Luri turned to leave.

"Luri."

Ferda called her name.

"Yes."

"Isn't there still one left?"

"... Are you serious?"

Luri asked, narrowing her brow, and Ferda nodded.

"Calculations must be thorough."

Luri made a face that said she didn't understand.

If the calculations had to be thorough, there was still one party left.

"Uh...?"

Burnel Marquis.

CRACK!

"Gaaaaah!"

His index finger was broken just the same.

The loan shark throwing a tantrum and his subordinates were all left speechless at the sight.

'W-What the?'

'Why did he break that nerd's finger?'

'Wasn't he on Burnel's side?'

It was enough to make them forget the bone-rattling pain.

Just to make things fair, he had even broken Burnel's finger.

All so that everyone would be in the exact same state.

'What an absolute fucking lunatic!'

From that, they began to feel a sense of terror toward Ferda.

Ferda scanned their condition and nodded in satisfaction.

"It looks settled to my eyes. If any of you feel you were punished too excessively, speak up."

Ferda curled the corners of his mouth.

"I will handle it all fairly, after all."

"N-No, sir!!"

"T-This is plenty."

"Is that so?"

Ferda held his hand out to Luri.

She pulled a pouch from within her skirt, and Ferda tossed the pouch to the loan shark.

Exactly 69 gold coins—deducting the cost of the property damage.

"The debt is now settled, so take your leave."

"Th-Thank you."

They fled at top speed without even looking back.

Watching the spot where they vanished, Ferda casually spoke to Luri.

"You are quite skilled in magic."

"I merely used the most basic of the basics."

"Are healing spells included in those basics?"

"I know how to use them to some extent."

"Then I'd like you to heal Burnel, who is rolling around over there."

"Urgh... I'm fine."

Groaning in pain, Burnel waved his hand.

"If you receive too much healing magic, you eventually build up a resistance to it. We can't have a disaster where healing magic doesn't work when I really need it later... so I will endure this much."

"A rational judgment befitting a scholar."

Burnel grabbed his own finger.

"Urgh...!"

CRACK!

After snapping it back into place, he wiggled it again.

Confirming it had returned to normal, he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Phew... thank you for saving me."

Even though you broke my finger...

He swallowed those words and asked Ferda.

"May I ask your name, sir?"

"I am Ferda Valdrova."

"Valdrova? Isn't that the name of the Red Dragon?"

"It is. I am the man who will be her partner."

"Huh? N-No way?! Are you the one who is engaged to the Grand Duchess...?"

The color entirely drained from Burnel's face.

He fell to his knees again and immediately prostrated himself.

"I-I apologize for failing to recognize the Consort of the Gr-Grand Duchess!"

"No, it is only natural you wouldn't know. Do not worry about it."

"And he is not the Consort yet. He is merely using the Valdrova surname."

Luri slyly interjected and corrected him.

Burnel introduced himself.

"My name is Burnel Marquis. I'm a scholar known to the public as a Complete Mess. Though I'm sure you already knew that when you came here. Haha..."

"Yes, I am well aware of your reputation."

"So, what business brings you to such a failure... sir?"

"I can't be bothered to beat around the bush, so I will speak bluntly. I am here because I am interested in your research."

"M-My research?"

His eyes widened.

To think he'd be interested in research that even the loan sharks who lent him money treated like a joke?

"If you come to Valdrova Castle, I promise unconditional support for your current research."

"Pardon?"

"I mean I will provide the materials you want, the research funds, and the facilities, without any questions asked."

"H-Hah!"

Unconditional support.

It was an unprecedented condition of support that no scholar had ever received.

So while he was happy, he was also anxious.

Anxious about what kind of conditions would be attached.

Burnel asked in a trembling voice.

"Wh-Wh-What is the condition?"

"Your research. You will make weapons with it."

Burnel's expression hardened.

"Weapons... you mean?"

"Yes. With your research."

Burnel, who had been internally cheering in delight just moments ago, shook his head.

"Then I cannot do it."

"Is that something you should say to the person who cleared your debt?"

"E-Even with a knife to my throat, I cannot do that. I... want a peaceful Serdes Continent. I only wish for the people living within it to be happy."

Ferda had suspected things wouldn't go smoothly.

Because Burnel Marquis was a pacifist.

"Tools of war... only create more victims. So even for my benefactor, I cannot do that."

Ferda stroked his chin and muttered.

"So you have no intention of changing your mind, even with a knife to your throat?"

Burnel felt a chill run down his spine at those words.

Burnel had heard countless threats about being killed or crippled.

But this time was different.

It felt as though death was embracing him from behind.

"But think about it."

Ferda ran his index finger across the dust-covered floor.

"Who do you think you have to thank for being able to comfortably conduct your research in a rat-infested gutter like this?"

"This was my choice."

"No. It was not your choice. Enjoying this peace is not something created just because an insignificant thing like you chose it."

Burnel couldn't help but tense up.

There was a clear, vivid emotion embedded in his tone right now.

"Grand Duchess Valdrova, who is to be my partner, heads to the front lines almost every three days. She fights monsters that could easily destroy a city like this. What do you think she wagers every time she does? A bit of territory? The subjects of the far eastern front? Or my life?"

Ferda jabbed a finger at his own chest as he answered.

"No, she heads out laying her own life on the line. While you would throw your life away to your enemies for the sake of your ridiculous ideals, she forges her life into a noble sword, striking down enemies to create peace."

Ferda had always watched Valdrova fighting on the front lines.

He had secretly kept his eyes on her from the highest vantage point.

In this moment, it felt as if Valdrova's figure was appearing before his eyes once more.

His chest felt tight.

Ferda's finger unconsciously dug into his chest.

All that remained for him, who could only watch helplessly, was a sense of guilt.

"Therefore, I will do anything for her."

Flames flickered deep within Ferda's eyes.

"So, regardless of what you think, I am going to make you build weapons."