“Your Excellency!”
The involvement of Marquis Hunka was an enormous variable for Castro.
He was someone who wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place.
Moreover, in the broader perspective, Marquis Hunka was aligned with the Crown Prince.
He was on the opposite side of the one who had proposed the ‘other task’ pointed out by Ian.
Marquis Hunka stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Your battles have been quite impressive. I haven’t watched from the beginning, but it seemed there was no need for my interference.”
Marquis Hunka, the current head of the Drias family, was a master of fire magic.
Known for wielding mana at the level of five circles, he was a veteran of practical magic.
In other words, he was the strongest person present at that moment.
“Well done, Ian Oracle. Your magic is always impressive.”
“You overpraise me.”
“It is not flattery by any means. Of course, it’s the truth.”
Marquis Hunka grinned widely.
This was quite a shift from his demeanor when they had conversed discreetly in the tent using ‘Sound Cancellation’.
He appeared to be in high spirits.
“I shall inform the academy’s president and deans of this immediately. Knowing that a first-year student from the Department of Magic has made such a significant contribution by defeating a 2-star monster, everyone should be more eager in their studies!”
“However, the credit is not mine alone. It belongs to my companions here as well…”
“What are you saying?”
Marquis Hunka laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively.
“Do not think of me as a noble buried in paperwork and oblivious to the world. I used to shuttle between dungeons and battlefields in my younger days. One look, and I can tell who contributed how.”
“I apologize, Your Excellency. That was not my intention.”
“You have a stubborn streak too, it seems. When the superior says so, just accept it and move on.”
Ian bent his arm in a polite gesture and stepped back.
‘What is he intending?’
Such thoughts were only natural.
Marquis Hunka seemed very pleased as he looked at Ian.
It wasn’t merely because a 2-star monster was subdued and casualties were minimized.
There seemed to be a hidden motive.
“Back to the earlier matter… I support Cadet Castro’s opinion. If a 2-star monster had managed to escape the dungeon, the inside could be exceedingly dangerous.”
As Ian was about to object, Marquis Hunka quelled his momentum with a gentle smile.
“Do not worry. I shall explain this to His Majesty the King and the respective officials. It will be more advantageous for you to have me advocate than the academy deans. What do you think?”
“Excellent decision! Thank you, Your Excellency!”
Castro beamed brightly.
It was now clear that Castro, despite his outstanding skills, was timid and short on tenacity and chivalry.
Ian’s attention, however, was elsewhere.
It was on Castro’s lieutenant, Roche.
‘He is clearly dissatisfied. It must be embarrassing for him. Retreating goes against the code of chivalry he follows.’
Roche appeared to be bowing in acceptance of the order, but his tightly clenched hands betrayed his feelings about the unfairness of the decision.
In an attempt to lift the awkward mood, Marquis Hunka spoke in his kindly voice.
“More than anything, since I’ve seen and judged the situation with my own eyes, there will be no disadvantage to you. Perhaps rewards will follow.”
“Your Excellency.”
“Aah, Ian Oracle. You might not understand due to a lack of experience, but heed my wishes on this matter!”
Marquis Hunka then raised his eyelids as if sending a signal.
‘So that’s what it was.’
Finally, Ian realized his intention.
He wasn’t strictly adhering to principles, nor was he simply siding with Castro.
Marquis Hunka intended to use the monster as an excuse to extract Ian from a dire situation.
The intensity in his gaze towards Ian was evidence.
‘But if we retreat now, it might become even more dangerous.’
Ian sensed the machinations Castro might be plotting.
And there was the unpredictability of Roche.
If he could utilize this opportunity cleverly, he might not reach the root, but perhaps he could trim a branch of the forces targeting him.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to end this situation while I can control many aspects,” he thought.
In a dangerous dungeon, Castro would have to protect himself, so he couldn’t act recklessly.
In other words, the dark cave before him was both a threatening space and a protective paradoxical space.
If he could persuade Roche to join Ian’s side, he might achieve a dramatic turnaround.
Moreover, Ian was confident in tackling this dungeon.
Although it could be somewhat dangerous, there was no dungeon in the world without risk.
‘He’d surely be cautious. Especially if I manage to use Goyang properly.’
It seemed worth a try.
Thus, one problem remained. How could he persuade the stubborn Marquis Hunka?
He held both the justification and the practicality in his grasp.
He wouldn’t budge with mere logical arguments.
“Since His Royal Highness is watching over me, he wouldn’t easily revoke his order.”
A clever thought flashed through Ian’s mind.
The corners of his mouth slightly lifted.
“Your Excellency. I have something to say in private.”
“If it concerns the expedition, speak here!”
Marquis Hunka drew a clear line.
Ian didn’t back down and responded.
“I remember our first meeting, much has happened since then.”
With those words, Ian initiated the conversation.
Suspicious Castro filled his mind with questions.
‘Why was he suddenly talking about their first meeting?’
The others felt the same.
Marquis Hunka was the only one who understood the true meaning behind those words.
His expression became enigmatic.
“Your words from that time still linger clearly in my mind. It was the first command I received when I entered the academy. Please allow me to see this mission through to the end.”
“Umm.”
Marquis Hunka appeared taken aback.
He couldn’t help it.
Their first meeting had been at the academy, where Ian had saved his precious daughter.
The marquis had told Ian to ask for any favor, comfortably.
At that moment, Ian had been nothing short of a benefactor.
Ian addressed that favor now.
“I have confidence in conquering this dungeon. My senior, Isera, who is more skilled than I am, and Castro, share the same sentiments. Everyone is perplexed by the appearance of a 2-star monster. At times like this, what’s needed is a solemn and righteous command. I am aware of my impertinence, but I urge you to reconsider, Your Excellency.”
Castro was appalled by those words.
Conversely, Isera and Roche had hoped for this.
Castro stepped forward to restrain Ian, but he couldn’t override Marquis Hunka’s presence.
Marquis Hunka narrowed his eyes.
“I can’t understand. What on earth are you thinking?”
“I have no other intention. My sole focus is on completing this mission, Your Excellency.”
“Hmm…”
A sigh escaped Hunka.
The situation was tense as it directly contradicted the will of a high-ranking noble of the kingdom, Marquis Hunka.
Yet, Castro had not even an inkling of the sigh’s true meaning.
He merely mocked Ian inwardly, thinking that his excessive ambition would lead to his downfall.
However,
“Very well. Ian Oracle, I shall grant your request.”
Ian smiled.
In contrast, Castro could not do the same.
“Your Excellency! But continuing the expedition in this state…”
“Do you dare to go against my will?”
“N-no!”
Castro snapped to attention.
Marquis Hunka briefly glanced at the sword Castro was wearing and smirked sneeringly.
“Despite having achieved so much, I didn’t expect your courage to be this lacking.”
“Ugh!”
A chill ran down Castro’s spine, making him flinch.
That single word pierced his heart.
Simultaneously, an unbearable feeling of shame washed over him.
It felt as though all the achievements he had accumulated up to that moment crumbled in an instant.
Nevertheless, Marquis Hunka was a seasoned noble.
“Castro, I have the utmost respect for your level-headed judgment. We’ve seen too often how impulsive courage can turn into recklessness.”
He praised Castro.
Every word from a high-ranking noble carried immense authority that ordinary people could scarcely comprehend.
Castro’s previously despairing expression magically revived.
With that one sentence, the earlier criticism melted away like snow.
“However, at times recklessness is needed to achieve new feats.”
“I will follow your command, Your Excellency!”
Castro saluted vigorously.
With a sigh, Marquis Hunka stared intently at Ian before leaving his seat.
“Well done.”
“Pardon?”
Ian doubted his ears.
Isera, who had approached him without him noticing, spoke those words.
“Wow. Even seniors know how to give compliments.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to say such things.”
She considered that the difference between Ian and herself.
On the day she first saw him, when the academy staff and workers messed up an experimental device and were in a panic, Isera couldn’t bring herself to offer her help.
Even now, it was the same.
Though she knew something was wrong, she couldn’t bring herself to say it wasn’t.
On the other hand, Ian always spoke the right words regardless of the situation.
It wasn’t about good or evil, he pushed through with his convictions despite the outcomes.
Isera wanted to observe such human qualities up close, more than his magical knowledge.
If possible, she wanted to learn it.
And then…
“Damn it! I didn’t expect things to turn out like this. Hey, Ian Oracle! What were you thinking, deciding to continue the attack?”
Castro questioned.
Ian turned around.
“You seemed close with His Excellency the Marquis. Shouldn’t you have followed his words?”
“You’re not afraid, are you, elder brother?”
Ian responded with a pleasant smile, making it impossible for Castro to get angry.
“… Fear is a normal emotion for anyone. I’m just wondering why you insist on blowing this out of proportion.”
“With three out of the four expedition members agreeing, it doesn’t seem like something you should be stubborn about on your own, does it? Roche, what do you think?”
Suddenly being addressed, Roche was startled but responded calmly.
“I also agree with Master Ian. Retreating without trying goes against a knight’s way.”
“You idiot! Why are you addressing him as ‘Master’?”
“He’s the head of the Oracle Family…”
“Shut up!”
But with that, it became clear.
Even with small criticisms, there was no escaping the trap he was caught in.
Castro’s face twisted as he returned to the tent.
‘Falling from hunter to prey happens in an instant, bipolar senior. But that Roche…’
Ian watched him with renewed eyes.
A modest build and appearance.
His physique didn’t seem particularly advantageous for a warrior.
But the spirit etched in his eyes appeared more solid than anything.
‘If someone like him joined our family as a knight, it would be reassuring.’
Defying the wishes of a senior as respected as a soon-to-graduate elder was not an easy task.
This meant he was an upright person who knew how to distinguish between public and private matters, not swayed by positions.
What Ian needed most was not a skilled knight.
He needed someone trustworthy to whom he could entrust tasks.
‘I still have to grow the family further. Only then can I really talk about something.’
For now, it was time to solve the immediate problem.
That night, the expedition team entered a dungeon filled with demonic energy.