-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Why Am I Friends With You?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...."
I crossed my arms and took in the sight of the table.
Two teacups.
In front of Henji's half-empty cup sat my full one, with hazy dust settling on it bit by bit.
As I absorbed the scene, I sifted through memories of my past life.
'Yeah, now all the pieces fit.'
The fall of the Blandoga Family.
No matter how many times I revisited it, Henji's research was at the heart of it all.
This wasn't just speculation based on Henji's claims.
Finding a solution? That kind of self-assuredness was common among scholars.
No theory, however perfect it seemed, could claim true perfection until the research was stamped complete.
But.
'The timing matches perfectly.'
It was far too coincidental.
The Decullans had suffered heavy losses while bringing down the Blandogas.
"Heavy" was putting it mildly—they'd been on the brink of destruction back then.
Who could have imagined it? The mighty Decullans, the family everyone assumed would forever reign as the top magical house in the eastern continent!
To think they'd crumble after a pointless war of attrition with the Blandogas!
Gossips tore into the Decullan patriarch, Pahren, calling him a fool.
Even his loyal mages, one by one, turned away as the inevitable downfall loomed, abandoning the family.
It seemed like the Decullans would fade into history's shadows like any other great house....
'But it only took five years.'
Exactly five.
The time it took for the Decullans to reclaim their glory and stand tall once more as the eastern continent's premier magical house.
And—
'That's when Pahren was recognized as the strongest in history.'
Those who don't know the full story say it.
That Pahren, who dragged his family to ruin, atoned for his mistake by reaching the pinnacle of power and setting everything right.
But I, who witnessed the Decullans' decline and resurgence with my own eyes, know better.
'That's not it.'
The premise is wrong.
'Pahren made a mistake? Please. Would he offer a vassal position to the man who slaughtered his family's mages?'
The Decullan patriarch was unlucky, but his ability and resolve were undeniable.
I hadn't realized it in my past life, but now I knew for sure.
'He saw it from the start....'
My gaze shifted from the teacup to Henji.
'The potential in the New Heavenly Origin Art.'
The New Heavenly Origin Art was an upgraded version of the Heavenly Origin Art, unveiled by the declining Decullans after the Blandogas' fall.
It perfectly addressed the original's flaws—something like that.
It was what allowed the Decullans to rise again in just five years, and for Patriarch Pahren to shatter his stalled realm and ascend to the ranks of the all-time greatest.
All thanks to the New Heavenly Origin Art.
"Aster?"
I snapped out of my thoughts at Henji's voice.
"Do you regret it? The scale is a bit grand, after all. Haha, if you want, I could kill you painlessly."
"...."
He chuckled awkwardly at my silent glare.
"So, why did you come to me?"
"Hmm, truth is, I didn't tell my family about the Heavenly Origin Art research."
"All that about the Blandoga's fate hanging in the balance was a lie, then."
"Oh, don't mind that. I just wanted to see what kind of person you are. Questions like that reveal a person's desires best."
Henji gave a sly smile and pressed on with the main point.
"Anyway, that's why I can't use anyone from the Blandoga Family. And honestly, I don't even know who the spy is."
"If your secret research got leaked, wouldn't there be a prime suspect?"
I was aiming at his secretary.
"Ah, I get what you're thinking, but it's probably not that. This is more about the acquisition route...."
So, not discovered during the research, but traced back through how he obtained it.
By then, I could piece together what happened.
"You leaked it on purpose."
"Haha, exactly. Talking with you is fun, Aster. The moment I realized my tail was stepped on, I released part of the solution formula. I don't want to die, either...."
The Decullans probably prepared an assassination right after tracing him.
No matter how great a house the Blandogas were, they couldn't fend off every hit.
And no matter how formidable their defenses, the Decullans would've broken through. Their tenacity was fiercer than a goblin starved for three days.
"Then why not just join the Decullans? They'd welcome you."
"Me, join the Decullans? As the Blandoga vice-patriarch and bloodline member? Haha, you've got wild ideas, Aster. Well, I did consider it.... But...."
"But?"
"Let's just say personal circumstances. Haha."
I didn't know what they were, but it didn't sound like an excuse.
If he was bluffing, he'd have spouted something like "How could I betray my family?" Not that it would've worked on me.
"And continuing the research.... That's where I need your help, Aster."
"I can't read."
"...?"
"So I can't be your assistant."
"...Ah, yes. Good one."
The guy who usually played along perfectly got serious at times like this.
After a moment.
"You really don't know how?"
"...."
I didn't answer.
A brief silence settled between us.
I spoke only when pity began clouding his eyes—like he was looking at the world's most pitiable savage.
"I know letters."
"...Ignorance isn't shameful."
"Tch...."
Henji finally dropped the pity and laughed. "Haha."
"Yes, understood. That was my joke too. Anyway, even if you can read, this is pretty complex work. Asking you to assist.... Haha."
I considered slugging him but held back.
"Truth is, this research is a collaboration."
"Collaboration?"
"Ah, with a trustworthy friend, so don't worry. Anyway, I'm stuck on my part right now. So I need to send him the paper...."
In other words.
"You need someone reliable."
"Yes, honestly, reliable wasn't even necessary. Someone who could deliver it secretly—use 'em and toss 'em would've been fine. That first question was to test that...."
That sly glint returned to Henji's eyes.
"Unexpected jackpot. To think I'd find a friend who clicks this well."
"Why am I your friend?"
"Should I use formal speech, then?"
"Friends don't."
Age gap aside—or considering my past life age—formalities felt awkward.
Especially with a snake like him.
"Anyway, Aster, I'd like you to deliver the paper to that friend. I'll compensate you properly. The Light of Healing formula should do, right....?"
Henji said, picking up the grimoire from the table.
Whoosh—
Flames erupted in an instant.
He extended his hand, and a book floated from the shelf into his grasp.
"...."
I watched silently, knowing exactly what it meant.
"It was fake, after all."
"You noticed? Haha, too wasteful to give the real Light of Healing to disposable trash. Well, not total garbage...."
So Henji had prepared a deceptive deal from the start.
"This is the real one."
"Yeah, figured."
I could tell at a glance if it was real.
Stamped on the surface was the seal only the Blandoga patriarch could use.
Not all unsealed ones were fake, but anything sealed was authentic.
The mana flow over the seal proved its contents were genuine.
"But you're okay just handing this over?"
I said with a bored look.
Great houses stamp their grimoires when distributing to bloodline members.
Each seal contains a unique number to identify the owner.
'To prevent leaks, too.'
Ancient magic ensures anyone who reads a sealed book can't share its contents by any means.
Only personal contemplation and use are possible.
Open it without the owner's mana pattern, and the contents vanish instantly.
"Hmm, for a Black-White Slums thug, you know a lot, Aster. Knew about seals too, huh? Call it an investment in trust."
"Investment, huh...."
"We're in the same boat now, right? You trusted me, so I return the favor. You know what this means."
"Yeah, a ticket to trade for your head. But you're unlocking the pattern?"
"The pattern's already unlocked. Anyway, take it to the family's audit division, and they'll trace the owner by the seal number. And I.... Haha!"
It hit me anew: no one's as crazy as this guy.
Even if he liked me, entrusting his life to a stranger.... Well, not fully—he could recover it.
But it carried risk for Henji too, so I'd earned minimum trust.
"But same boat...."
I pondered.
Truth be told, what I was practicing now was the Heavenly Origin Art.
But....
'The old version, before the upgrade.'
When the New Heavenly Origin Art emerged, I'd snuck the dusty old one out of the family vault during my Troubleshooter days.
The old one wasn't lacking; the new version was just overwhelmingly better.
'Was planning to get the New Heavenly Origin Art later anyway.'
It was so far off by current standards that I'd forgotten.
But with a chance to obtain it right here....
"Let's do this."
"...?"
"I'll take the Light of Healing as risk pay, and the completed New Heavenly Origin Art later. Or skip the Light if needed. Same boat means you can swing that, right?"
Henji eyed me with hollow gaze.
"You're shameless, Aster."
"Say yes or no. If no, I'm out."
"Hmm."
Henji tapped the table lightly, thinking.
Luckily, it didn't take long.
"Fine. New Heavenly Origin Art.... Eh, name doesn't matter. I'll give you the completed one. But why? Without Heavenly Origin Art mastery, it's just useless junk."
"Don't need to know."
"One condition: If I need your help finishing this research paper later, you assist. Same boat means you can do that, right?"
Not a hard request.
"Help limited to the paper? Sure. Oh, and I can't read."
"...Shameless and unfunny."
It was meant as a joke, but his reaction was brutal. Fine, though. Wasn't for his amusement.
Just mine.
I shifted in my seat and asked.
"So."
"...?"
"Who's it going to? Gotta handle it before Jenion Academy enrollment, so spill quick."
Henji smiled, as if it were all too perfect.
It creeped me out enough to want to punch him, but I restrained myself.
"Well, now. Coincidence? Or fate? No rush, actually. That friend's where you're headed."
"...?"
The closest place I'd decided on was the annex I was staying in now; farthest was the academy.
So?
"Yes, exactly. Deliver the paper to Professor Parun at Jenion Academy."
I stared at Henji.
"...? What?"
"Nothing."
A thought struck me.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Not just people—monsters too.
Even among goblins, swamp-lovers live in swamps, mountain-lovers in mountains. They group by nature.
"Old friends?"
"From academy days through assistant professor, we vied for first and second. Shame it ended when I returned to Blandoga...."
His smug face screamed, 'But I was still better.'
I couldn't help lamenting.
Because it meant another lunatic lurked at the academy.
Probably hid his madness better than Henji.
Still, for a normie like me, it was too much.
'These are the end times.'
No doubt about it.