Chapter 23

23.) The Legendary Mercenary, I wonder who is it?

Once Ienterthe room, all I can seeisa diversity ofcolorful plants.I was in awe seeing the spectacle of thatvast room filled with so many plantsand all kind of greenery. Oh yeah, I think I rememberthatVision told me that the headmastersroom is more like a botanical garden.

It seems the reason the headmaster could use strong magic is because he waskeepinga goodrelationshipwithhisspiritsincea long time, thats why he made this big room like this, because the water spirit loves this kind of huge place.

Ngg? HowdoI know? Of course from the anime, duh.

[Yha, Slow kun]

Suddenly,theheadmastercomesout from the greenery.

He is wearing a grey robe with a long with beard covering his lower faceandalso long white hair covering his back. (Tl: he looks like gandalf I believe)

[If I look closely, youre not like what you used to be. From my perspective you look more cheerful now and you can look me straight in the eyes, before this you lookedreally dark like youve been hiding some big secret. I wonder if its becauseofall this yearsliving in this academy,thatI love seeing the moment a student suddenly change their wayfor the better. Sometime it happens, when a person disclosetheirfeelings to the persontheylike the most,theysuddenly realizetheirown weakness and start to be more ofthemselves. But your case is Unique]

While saying that the headmaster put on his monocle.

[If its okay with you, please do share your reasonsforwhy you changed in the first place,so for this old mantoenjoy his remaining life will you? I have heard it was the ultimate love sickness story, but please, explain to this old man what does it truly mean?]

I told him.

I told him the reason why I livelike thiswhile throwing away the ties with my household.

And also that I want to convey my feelings to my special someone.

[Hou hou]

The headmasterlistento my story until the end while combing his white beard with his hand.

Guee, as the talk continue I become more and moreembarrassedwith my own story. I told him about my unreasonable requestwhen I was a child. Also I told him how hard does it feels to be a child holding such a tremendous power on his own. And the reason why I never told this to anyone else, I think it was because I was drunk on my own thinking to protect everyone from the shadows.

I really wonder why peoplekeepcallingme the wonder childwhileseeing me like that.

[The Dening household is the centre of the defense power inside the Daris kingdom. Those who were born inside the dukes household will pride themselves as the protector of this kingdom, andthenit becomes their own mindsetasthey live on. But, you Slow kun. You choose a different path than those people.Never had I thought you would have told me these things so honestly]

The light the enters from the big glass window warms my entire body. To tell you the truth, I cant stop talking in front of him. Is it his natural talent to makes peoplebehavethis way? He is such a good listener.

[Somehow my mind isclearerthan before]

[Even though I look like this I am the headmaster of this school. Hearing the students talk about their choicesandpointing out the way they could followit is my job No, I think its more like my o

wn hobby. And also I hear qui~te a lot about you from Baldley you know Fuha,areyou surprised hearing that? Well, hewasmy student after all]

Ah, father indeed told me he also was from this academy. If I remember how long the headmaster hasbeen leadingthis school, it is not strangethatthey know each other.

[Somehow I want to help youpushthrough the way you havechosenandI dont know why butBaldley, even nowhasalways watchedyou closer than anyone. Even now he stillchasesdown his own dream, but thats It seems it has been extremely burdeningonyou until now]

Extremely burdening.

All those expectations, well it is indeed troubling me quite a lotbutjust now, after hearing the headmasters wordsmy chest feels a lot lighter.

[To progress with your rehabilitation like you have done so far is going to take some more time, I believe you actually dont want that. Lets just smash that, what do you think? Fuhaha, smash it Slow kun.It doesntliterally mean that, but right now Ive been preparing the greatest stage for you in this academy]

His monocle reflectsa suspicious glint of light.

Its feels like someone whohasalready prepared a prank for someone.

Smash huh.

I like that, at times like this, momentum is the most important thing.

[I really want to do that Smash thats it. Buhi]

[Fuhaha, you are unique indeed Umu, lets smash it in one breath. Well then, youwilllovethesearch for rats inside this academy]

[Rats?]

[Yes, rats. We only know of one withthenamethat hasspreadoutamong the mercenary, No Face or we can call her Faceless Woman to be precise. Haa, I was really troubled by it, I need you to find that fellow from inside the students, be careful though thatpersonis quite skillful] (Tl note: whenever piggy talks in his mind it will use she because he knows her from the anime, when they talk they will use yatsu, or neutral gender. Yatsu being a rude way to say that fellow or that person)

I was dumbfounded, what the heck did the headmaster just told me?

Its a lie isnt it? There is no way that personisinside this academyright now, isnt she? In the anime, It was later when her involvement appeared here.

[We already know this persons goal. That fellowwants to collect the student roster and all the studentspersonal information. Regretfully that person already got the student roster in their hands. I believe it will bespread outamong those people involved in the darkness]

The student roster and personal information?

I suddenly remember something about that.

In the anime therewasa caseinwhich the studentsofthis academygotkidnapped, it was centeredonthose studentswith low magic power. And it was finally solved thanks to the protagonist Shuyathat found where all those students were taken off.

Ah, so thats why,shealready had the students personal information at this time.

[No Face can change faces freely, that personmightmakesome mistake iftheir facekeepschanging inaplace like this academyOrif that personmaintainsthe same face all the time I can somehow interfere. And that fellow already got the students roster in their hands, I believe that personwill leavetheacademy soon. Time is short Slow kun, and also No Face is the master of infiltration, a spy. That fellow never failedagiven job, and also nobody knows that persons real face]

Certainly in the anime those kidnapers really knew a whole lot aboutthestudentsofthis academy. Ifit wasntbecause of Shuya trying to earn some pocket moneywithhis divination, nobody wouldhave knownabout the kidnaping.

But for now lets pretend to be surprised by that info.

[We can believe that information, correct?]

[It comes from a trusted source. At first I wantedto ask for Rokomokos help on this but, that guy already has his own job to do for now, and I think you are competent enough to handle this one]

[Me?]

A trusted source I wonder if its that guy from the empire.

The one who together with the protagonisttoppledthe empire prince.

The person who disguised as a man butisactually a girl. There is a theory that said she was actually useless as trash but therearestill some doubtsabout that theory Did that person really movedthis fast?

Ifthatssothenits amazing, that trash theory has to be retracted.

[It is you who has disguised yourself as a pig against that No Faceyou can do it, I even think youare more skillfulin hidingyour personality than that person. Well then, will you accept it Slow kun?]

The mysterious No Face who can changeherown face and body freely.

Damn it, what kind of cheat is that!

Its not fair, give that to me! I will change myself into a macho man right here, right now with that!

If I had that kind of cheat when I was still the dark piggy duke I wouldnt lose not even once!

And right now I kinda have that No Face information in my hand.

[Well then, lets makethat fellowregret forbeingcrawling around in this academy, headmaster]

[What a reliable fellow you are well then, legendary mercenary whom no one even knows your real face prepare yourself. Catch that No Face, than declare to the whole world once again, the rise of Slow Dening, the wind wonder child]

[.headmaster, wonder child is not suitable for the me right now]

Wind wonder child?

Itwasjust my nickname long time ago.

Its not suitable for myself to be called like thatright now.

After all, right now I am

[Hou, then what should we call you now?]

[_____The one who will flap his wings in this world, Slow Dening, The white piggy duke of the wind. Isnt that a really strong name thatIcanformyself now?]

Hearing me said that, the headmaster laughs with a loud voice.

After I finish talking with the headmaster I go straightto my room.

Lets start this show No Face!

Its a pig against a rat!

I will let you feel what is it like to fight against a serious pig!

I will remove you from my stage and make you regret for ever trying to crawl around this school!

There is no way a rat will win against a pig! Buhi!

[Ah]

While I got excited by myself just now, my stomach growls.

I knew it! I really am a piggy duke!!.