Conquering the Academy with Just a Sashimi Knife (Novel) - Chapter 130 - Right (1)

Chapter 130 – Right (1)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Chapter 130 – Right (1)

A deep silence took hold of the place.

It was a low and solemn silence, fitting for the fact that this place was a cemetery.

Fwoosh.

The undead, who had previously swarmed like a plague of ants, began to crumble into dust, finally surrendering to eternal rest.

Among them, naturally, was also Michelan.

He lowered his gaze and looked at his own palm.

From the tips of his fingers, his body slowly disintegrated, scattering into the wind like ashes.

“Heh heh—”

A light, carefree smile appeared on his face.

His body was falling apart.

His time in this world had dwindled to just a few minutes.

But he did not feel even the slightest regret.

Only an immense sense of relief.

Just as he was closing his eyes, ready to accept his end—

“Mr. Michelan!”

Abel’s urgent voice called out to him.

Her eyes were red, barely holding back tears.

Michelan smiled at her serenely and replied calmly.

“Descendant of the Sword Emperor, don’t make that face. This old man had wandered this world for seven hundred years. This was the peaceful end I had always wished for. Send me off with a smile.”

“…But still.”

Abel furrowed her brows, trying not to cry.

Even though they only spent a few hours together, Michelan had become a great support for her.

Even when her mind wavered in confusion, it was Michelan who guided her.

Despite being a wandering corpse, he had been more human than anyone.

And now, that very same man was disappearing, turning to dust, bidding farewell with a serene smile.

In a quiet voice, Michelan continued.

“Save your tears for your father’s passing.”

Abel witnessed with her own eyes the final moment of her father.

Their gazes met for a brief instant.

He gave her one last smile, gentle like a crescent moon.

And then, he vanished into dust.

The rays of the sun illuminated the spot where he had lain.

Abel wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

The wish she had harbored since she was seven had been answered with that smile.

She was not able to find her mother, but she was certain that now she, too, rested in peace alongside her father.

Rather than remain trapped in mourning, Abel wanted to prove how much she had grown.

“…….”

Meanwhile, Michelan lifted his gaze toward the ruined tower.

In front of it, standing with his back turned, was a young man.

His black hair swayed slowly in the breeze.

Kang Geom-ma was a strange individual.

His way of speaking and acting was rigid, his gaze cold, and his sword merciless.

And yet, not only did he wield the sword with ghostly skill, but he even unleashed the power of aura.

Even for Michelan, who lived far longer than most, it was a completely unexpected sight.

‘Black hair and dark eyes…’

Michelan focused on Kang Geom-ma’s features.

As half of his body disintegrated, he tried to search his memory.

It felt like a memory on the verge of resurfacing… His curiosity drove him.

If he vanished without recalling it, he would feel frustrated in his final moments.

Michelan’s brows furrowed into a straight line. He calmly sifts through his memories, lost in the past.

“……!”

And then, a memory suddenly emerged.

It happened 700 years ago. Around that time, he met Aron Nibelung by chance through a friend of his cousin.

Even in life, Michelan had a gift for conversation, so he spent a long time chatting with him.

Aron Nibelung, despite being chosen by the sword, had a surprisingly simple personality.

His golden eyes, shining like stars, possessed a charisma that drew people in.

He was a person who captured attention wherever he went, just like his descendant, Abel.

Every word of his was filled with life.

Every action of his caught the eyes of all.

And in his voice, there was always a mix of conviction and compassion.

In particular, Michelan would never forget the image of him when he spoke about his master, the Hero of Origin, Balor Hoakin.

* * *

“Michelan, did you know something? People see my master as an incredible person, but in reality, most of it was exaggeration.”

Aron spoke nonchalantly while tending the campfire.

Michelan was left speechless at his words.

“No, no! No matter how much you were the Sword Emperor, speaking like that about the Hero of Origin could bring divine wrath upon you.”

“Hahaha! It’s just that people over-idealize him. My master was also just a simple human. In fact, in some ways, he was clumsier than most. How should I put it? A unique person, but rather foolish in his own way. Yes, that would be the best description.”

“…….”

Aron stirred the firewood with the poker as he let out a light laugh.

He seemed genuinely amused by the topic.

Michelan, on the other hand, could only press his lips together.

“But well, even though I say this, I could’t deny that he was an extraordinary person. I don’t know how to explain it… His appearance and his aura were completely different from the rest. Sometimes, it felt as if he had fallen from another world.”

“Forgive my impudence, but… in what way was the Hero of Origin different? His face was never shown… I worry that I won’t be able to recognize him if I ever meet him.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. You’ll recognize him the moment you see him.”

“…Yes?”

Before Michelan could ask further, Aron smiled mischievously.

As he watched the sparks dance in the fire, he responded in a carefree tone.

“Black hair and black eyes. What did you think? If you see him in person, you’ll recognize him instantly, right? Ah, by the way, make sure not to tell him I was talking behind his back. Take it to the grave! It’s a promise!”

***

“…Hah.”

A sigh escaped through Michelan’s teeth. Perhaps his memory was playing tricks on him.

The centuries might have clouded his judgment.

But then, why did he get goosebumps?

At that moment, Kang Geom-ma leaped from the top of the tower.

He landed softly on the ground and began advancing with steady steps.

Step. Step.

Michelan extended his only hand. But the decomposition was advancing rapidly.

His arm was becoming transparent, his silhouette fading like mist.

He knew he wouldn’t last until the young man reached his side.

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

But for him, witnessing this moment was enough.

It had been an honor that few could ever experience.

From the side, Shail watched him in silence before asking.

“DidDid you have anything you’d like to say to Mr. Kang Geom-ma?”

At first, Shail had insisted on hunting him down.

But now, her expression reflected a quiet sorrow.

Michelan hesitated for a moment.

But in the end, he shook his head.

“No, I had nothing to say to him.”

“…….”

A firm answer came.

His figure was becoming more and more translucent.

And yet, Michelan let out a clear laugh.

“I made a promise to someone to take a secret to the grave. Just tell him thank you.”

“Sir!”

Abel called out to him urgently.

Michelan gave her one last radiant smile.

“I leave the future in your hands.”

* * *

As soon as we left the Undead Dungeon, we headed straight to our lodgings.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Inside the taxi taking us to the hotel, the atmosphere was heavy.

The driver glanced at our expressions through the rearview mirror but said nothing and simply stepped on the accelerator.

When we arrived at the room, I collapsed onto the bed as if I had fainted.

We accomplished an incredible feat in this expedition.

Not only did I obtain the Stone of Immortality, my primary objective, but there were no casualties.

Shail only suffered minor injuries.

She herself said she would heal with just a couple of patches.

“I’m a little worried, but if she said so…”

On the other hand, Abel was visibly exhausted.

During the entire taxi ride, she simply stared out the window with a lost expression.

She didn’t seem to have any physical issues, but her mind must have been tangled in a thousand thoughts.

As for me, my whole body ached from the aftereffects of the Blessing of the Sword God.

Every joint felt as if I had been struck with a sledgehammer.

However, externally, I didn’t had a single scratch.

Thanks to the pain reduction, at least I managed to avoid ending up in the hospital.

To be honest, I barely managed to avoid hospitalization.

My body was completely wrecked.

If I tried to activate the blessing again in this state, I’d be bedridden for five days.

Traveling abroad only to end up smelling like medicine.

The very thought made me frown.

“Haah.”

For some reason, I felt suffocated, as if I had a thorn stuck in my throat. I lay down with my head resting on my arms.

I spent some time staring at the ceiling, thinking about nothing.

“…….”

I was about to fall asleep when I pulled out the mana stone I had been holding. I held it between my fingers and examined it from different angles under the soft light.

It was a rock that emitted a disturbing glow.

For a gemstone, its surface was rough and unpolished.

“This piece of stone was responsible for so much suffering…”

The memories from a few hours ago resurfaced in my mind.

For hundreds of years, countless souls had been trapped inside this mana stone, suffering endlessly.

Even the King of the Dead, Draugr, was just another victim of this curse.

In other words, this piece of rock was, essentially, the true origin of everything.

“I’d love to crush it into dust.”

I clicked my tongue and put the mana stone back in my pocket. As I clearly saw in the previous status window—

“The resentful energy of the dead had been purified. Now it was a pure gemstone.”

Although it still felt unsettling, at least it no longer emitted dark magical energy like before.

If it ever showed any sign of corruption, I would destroy it without hesitation.

The potential of this stone to strengthen weapons and grant abilities was tempting, but taking an uncontrolled risk was just plain foolish.

Even so, I was curious to know what hidden abilities it might have.

I wondered what kind of face Volundr would make when I bring it to him after the holidays.

He would probably open his eyes wide and bombard me with questions about where I got it.

By then, I’d just tell him I found it somewhere.

I didn’t like the idea of telling the truth to someone with such a loose tongue.

Besides, today I learned a good strategy while convincing Shail.

Be shameless.

If you press hard enough, people eventually stop asking questions.

“In the future, I could save myself some explanations. If they see the results, no one would ask anything.”

As I stared at the ceiling, I muttered softly.

“Would Abel be okay?”

Her expression worried me.

After all, she saw her father turned into a grotesque magical beast and, in the end, disappear completely.

For her, she only achieved half of her goal: witnessing her father’s end.

She hadn’t been able to accomplish anything beyond that.

And to make matters worse, I was the one who defeated him.

From her perspective, she had every reason to hate me.

However, she showed no resentment toward me.

On the contrary, she thanked me.

She told me in a trembling voice that she was truly grateful for fulfilling her request.

I could still hear that strained tone echoing in my ears.

How much did she have to prepare herself emotionally to say those words?

For a mere teenager, her willpower was inhuman.

Even her father, before disappearing, chose not to leave her any message, fearing it might influence her.

Maybe it was true what they say—“like grandfather, like father, like granddaughter.”

The House Nibelung was anything but ordinary.

“Maybe I should have made something up to tell her.”

The thought crossed my mind, but I immediately dismissed it.

If anyone had fervently wished to leave Abel a message, it was her own father.

Yet, he chose silence.

He wanted his daughter to move forward on her own.

Saying anything in his name would be betraying his would.

After sorting out my thoughts, I suddenly sat up.

Pain shot through my body as if I were being pricked with needles.

Even so, I managed to sit on the window ledge.

The next morning, we were to take a flight back to Switzerland.

Originally, we had planned to stay a few more days, but we decided to return immediately.

For Abel, there was no better place to regain her composure than home.

So, this was our last night in Lyon, France.

I gazed at the cityscape with calm eyes.

The sun was slowly setting.

Darkness spread gently across the horizon.

Below, people and cars moved without rest.

The shop signs’ lights began to flicker on in a variety of colors.

It was a peaceful and comforting scene.

Seven hundred years ago, humanity had fought against magical beasts to protect this world.

Today, I saw with my own eyes those who had shed their blood to defend it.

But in three years, an even greater disaster was coming.

Today, they entrusted me with a task.

Without needing to say it explicitly, they asked me to protect this world they had passed down.

I scratched my cheek with resignation.

“But didn’t they ask the wrong person? The hero was Leon.”

I murmured to myself and stepped down from the window ledge.

My shoulders felt heavier than before.