Act 4

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The campus of ‘Bayer Academy’ was truly majestic. By simple estimation, its area was comparable to that of Yeouido. It was a gathering place for the most notable talents within the empire, fitting for the cradle of supreme education. 

“How does it feel, Julian, to visit your alma mater after so long?” Herand suddenly asked while we were touring Bayer Academy. 

“Not bad.” 

“Really?” 

The ‘fear’-indicating purple mist was still furiously shaking. I understood his feelings, but it felt a bit unfair since I hadn’t really done anything. I had just answered his casual question. 

“You can go back now, brother. I appreciate you taking the time to bring me here.” 

“Oh, no. Now that I’m here, I’d like to see how the ‘Closed Eyes’ initiation test is conducted.” 

Huh? I thought he was so scared that he’d want to leave as soon as possible… There was something odd about this. According to my trait, “Color of Deceit,” Herand’s emotion was definitely ‘fear.’ The obvious reason was his unwilling companionship with me, ‘Julian.’ Yet, his response suggested some other reason beyond his will. 

‘Is it surveillance?’ 

The Crypart family, a renowned collateral branch, regarded ‘Julian’ as a thorn in their side. His notoriety, mostly for infamy, made him a headache for the family. They must be eager to find any reason to expel him. 

‘Are they using this initiation test to monitor me?’ 

Of course, I cannot afford to be expelled now. Though I’ve possessed Julian, I haven’t fully acquired his martial prowess. With rumors circulating about my memory loss, being expelled by the family would definitely weaken any deterrence against external grievances. 

‘Those holding grudges would pounce on the opportunity.’ 

This narrow-eyed villain character has done plenty of terrible things.

In the war, not to mention torturing prisoners, Julian is a villain who has killed countless commoners and nobles alike, under the pretext of royal commands. There are many in the empire who dream of taking revenge on Julian. If there’s even a slight opportunity…

‘They would immediately aim for my neck.’

This became palpably clear just by looking around Bayer Academy.

“Is that Julian…? 

“The ‘Closed Eyes’ member, Julian?” 

“Why is the royal mad dog here?” 

“Quiet! Keep your voice down and don’t make eye contact!”

Students whispering upon seeing me, all with a purple mist of fear above their heads. Merely the sight of Julian was enough to instill terror in them. While the current fear may act as a deterrent, considering the suppressed emotions underneath, the situation is far from safe.

‘Damn… I can sympathize with them all too well.’

I’m as much an anti-fan of Julian as they are. I could 100% empathize with the fear and the underlying negative emotions. But I can’t afford to show that now. What can I do, being ‘Julian’ myself. I sighed deeply at the undesirable situation, causing Herand beside me to flinch noticeably. At this point, I almost felt sorry for him.

Eager to escape this reality, I hurried towards the location where the initiation test was being conducted. That is, until I heard a melodious voice behind me.

“Hello, Lord Julian.”

If it weren’t for that voice, I might have continued on. ‘Someone daring enough to acknowledge Julian, must be quite bold.’

Turning my head, I looked at the face of the tall figure. Dark navy hair reminiscent of the night sea and eyes like emeralds stitched into her gaze. A woman of such beauty that would make any man take a second look.

“……Aileen?”

Aileen de Donasien. One of the supporting characters in the game《Let’s Kill the Demon Lord Now》. She was a member of the Adratan Empire’s Magic Tower and a full professor at Bayer Academy. At the young age of 24, she was a magical prodigy, capable of handling the ‘Gold’ element of the 5th hierarchy among the 5 elements. 

In the game, she appeared in the academy story, offering various advice to the protagonist.

But why… Why would Aileen acknowledge Julian? 

‘Were Julian and Aileen acquainted?’ 

I don’t know. 

My knowledge is limited to the game’s protagonist ‘Hayden Reich’ and his circle. 

Anyway, since she initiated contact, I couldn’t just stand there. I was about to greet her as naturally as possible when a mist above her head flared up like a flame. It was a deep red, almost black, a color I had never seen before. 

‘This color is…’ 

I was momentarily perplexed by this unfamiliar emotion’s color. As time passed, like when I saw the ‘purple mist,’ I began to vaguely understand it. 

Loathing. 

A sharp, knife-like emotion strongly imprinted itself in my mind, different from fear. 

‘Why?’ 

There was no way for me to know why Aileen harbored such feelings. 

‘Clearly, something happened that I’m unaware of…’ 

Not knowing what transpired between them was problematic, but more concerning was that the emotion was ‘loathing.’ 

While it’s better than ‘hostility,’ considering the potential risks, it wasn’t exactly good news. Fear might not lead to sudden aggression, but loathing, akin to hostility, could result in violence at any moment. 

‘If Aileen turns into an enemy… that won’t be easy.’ 

She’s a top-tier wizard in the ‘Gold (金) Element’ of the 5th hierarchy. With Julian’s original abilities, I might not lose outright, but as I am now, it’s safe to assume I stand no chance. 

Therefore, I mustn’t show any weakness. I needed to perfectly portray a Julian so strong that it would contradict the rumors of my amnesia. 

“Half-blood of the Donasien family, who gave you permission to speak to me?” 

I realized what I said only after the words left my mouth. 

This bastard really deserves whatever comes to him. The problem is, that’s me. 

Damn. 

*** 

For a wizard, being from a collateral line is a lifelong disadvantage.

Wizards placed great importance on the purity of mana accumulated in the body over generations. Naturally, this blessing was thought to be inherited only by the direct descendants, not by those of collateral lines. 

Among wizards, it was often said that collateral lines had impurities mixed in. However, in actual magical ability, there was no significant difference. It was merely discrimination prevalent in a wizard society that valued lineage, an outdated tradition.

‘Bastard.’

Aileen bit her lip finely. Julian’s earlier words about her came to mind. The derogatory term used for her, ‘the half-blood of the Donasien family.’ Despite achieving the remarkable feat of handling the ‘Gold’ element of the 5th hierarchy at a young age, she was treated as inferior because she belonged to a collateral branch of the Donasien family. Half of her blood was that of a commoner, unrelated to magic.

‘To say the words I hate the most so nonchalantly…!’ 

It was a mistake to acknowledge him. She had approached him to inquire about his well-being after hearing rumors that he had hurt his head while hunting upper-level demons, but his contemptible nature hadn’t changed. He was the epitome of rudeness and arrogance, with no trace of humility.

‘He’s of a collateral line just like me!’

What infuriated her the most was that he, being in the same situation as a collateral, spoke to her in such a manner. Aileen clenched her fist, trembling as she looked down at the training ground where the ‘Closed Eyes’ initiation test was being conducted. Her presence there, a magic professor at the academy, wasn’t without reason. She came to witness the downfall of Julian, a member of the ‘Closed Eyes’ and a notorious figure in the Crypart family, known as the ‘Laughing Guillotine.’

‘Hmph, he doesn’t even know that the initiation test might be a trap.’

Aileen smiled subtly. Among the hopefuls gathered in the training ground was the second son of the Thorso family, closely affiliated with the Crypart family. To join, one had to be recognized by an instructor through a test of skill, traditionally done through sparring. In other words, as an instructor, Julian would have to spar with the Thorso family’s second son in the initiation test.

‘If the Thorso family’s son gets injured during the process, the Council of Elders won’t just stand by.’

The Crypart family, which had long dominated the Council of Elders, had been looking for a reason to expel Julian, a troublesome figure despite being from a collateral line.

This initiation test was more like a staged play designed for a specific purpose. Even Julian, under the protection of the royal family, would find it difficult to escape this persecution. Especially since there were rumors that the nobles in the Council of Elders, united in their purpose, would not let this go easily.

Julian should have avoided appearing at this event by all means. When he finally showed up at the training ground, Aileen smirked. However, when Julian glanced over the aspirants, he mirrored her expression.

“So many aspirants for the initiation. But all of them are just trash.”

The hopefuls and the audience began to stir at his words, but no one dared to voice their discontent. They were overwhelmed by the strange, unexplainable atmosphere.

Watching this, Aileen reminisced about the past. A time when she saw such demeanor in a positive light. She first met Julian during her time at Bayer Academy. Back then, Julian was the most reliable senior. Although only a year ahead and tagged as collateral, he shone brighter than other direct descendants and was full of kindness.

He quickly rose as an empire’s promising talent with his unparalleled swordsmanship. In a situation where collaterals, often despairing over their origin, usually ended up as just average, Julian was exceptional. Especially for Aileen, who wanted to shed her ‘collateral’ label and gain recognition, he was an object of admiration. She literally idolized him, believing he could change the public perception of collaterals.

Too young at the time, Aileen couldn’t differentiate between ‘admiration’ and ‘romantic affection.’ So, she…

Enclosed her feelings in a love letter to Julian…

“Aaaaaaah!” Remembering her own dark history, Aileen grabbed her head and silently screamed in agony. She trembled uncontrollably, embarrassed by the memory.

“Phew…….” She finally calmed down after catching her breath. Anyway, Julian back then was different from now.

Julian was once seen as an individual who could represent the many collaterals, valuing honor, being prudent, and possessing significant talent. However, contrary to expectations, Julian turned traitor. From a beacon of hope for collateral nobility, he became the royal family’s mad dog, notorious for even killing children for his ascent, accumulating infamy for his honor and success.

This path tarnished his reputation, especially among collaterals like Aileen, who developed a strong aversion to him. Already dealing with negative perceptions, Julian’s notoriety intensified the belief that ‘this is why collaterals are problematic.’

‘It’s better this way. It would be better if he is stripped of his noble status.’

Though Aileen was slightly worried about recent rumors of his accident, that was all. After confirming he was fine, albeit negatively, she hoped this would be an opportunity for his downfall, ensuring he couldn’t rise again. There seemed to be no way out of this situation for him.

‘A method to subdue someone in a duel without causing injury? Such a thing is unlikely…’

“Hopefuls for the initiation…”

At that moment, a calm voice resonated across the training ground. Everyone, including Aileen, turned their attention to the man who spoke, Julian Crypart Prason.

“Do you know what sound a person makes when they die?”

With that one sentence, everyone shuddered in fear. Aileen realized something was terribly wrong at that moment. She had grossly underestimated him.

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