“My ancestor?”
Shulim looked at Holstin in confusion.
“Principal Holstin, could it be... my ancestor also studied at Manacos?”
“Haha, Student Shulim, isn't that only natural?” Professor Dez said with a smile.
“You should know from your family history that your ancestor was originally a commoner. However, your family's records likely only began when he joined the knights back then. In truth, the reason Orubet was recruited through exceptional measures and rose rapidly through the ranks was because he demonstrated talent at Manacos that far exceeded everyone else.
“Such talent drew recruitment offers from many major factions at the time. In the end, the Imperial Family of the Pasara Empire personally stepped in and offered lavish terms to successfully recruit him.”
So that was how it was. She could now understand how her ancestor had made such a meteoric rise; with Manacos as a stepping stone, such an outcome was only natural.
“Yes, just as Professor Dez said, Orubet's talent was exceptionally rare even in the history of Manacos. The records from his time are still treasured and preserved by the academy. It's just a pity—” Holstin showed a slightly regretful expression. “If only a figure like that had been born in this era...”
With that, he looked at Shulim once more.
“However, fortunately, we still have young geniuses like you!”
“Um... Principal Holstin, are you referring to the Demon King?”
Holstin nodded.
“Indeed. The time draws closer by the day, and I wonder how many lives will be lost in Shimulir this time...”
“...”
“Principal, you worry too much. I believe that as long as all our races work together in unity, we will surely be able to banish the new Demon King just like four hundred years ago.”
Holstin nodded at Dez's words, yet a look of melancholy remained on his face.
“I'm not worried about whether the four races can unite... What worries me are certain malignant tumors lurking within.”
Hearing this, Dez seemed to realize something, and his expression turned solemn.
“Principal, you mean that...?”
Shulim watched the two speak in riddles, thoroughly baffled.
“Principal Holstin, may I ask what you mean by 'malignant tumors'?”
Both Holstin and Dez fell silent for a moment.
Then, Holstin spoke slowly in a somber tone:
“—Gulos!”
...
Gulos...
“...”
The appearance of this name was truly unexpected.
If she remembered correctly, this was the second time she had heard that name...
“Gulos is an enormous evil faction active across the entire world. Its objective is to plunge the whole world under the rule of the demon race, and its members even delusionally seek to transform themselves into demons to attain eternal life...
“Now that the time of the Demon King's return is drawing near, these individuals have become increasingly active. I fear they are secretly plotting something catastrophic...”
Gulos... So it was the name of a faction?
The curse-like words Silabein had spoken before dying didn't mean someone was coming to avenge him, but rather that she had stepped into forbidden territory...?
“...Student Shulim, you must be extremely careful in the future. Absolutely do not get involved with those people; they are truly perilous! If you ever encounter them, never face them alone. That is not something a single person can handle...”
“Um, Principal Holstin—” Shulim interrupted Holstin. “Is Gulos... very strong?”
Both Holstin and Dez fell silent.
After a full three seconds, Holstin slowly opened his mouth. “Gulos... It's not a matter of simply being strong or not, but rather... terrifyingly powerful!”
“...”
“Within Gulos, there exist beings known as the Three Pillars: the Information Pillar in charge of intelligence, the Martial Pillar in charge of combat force, and the Wealth Pillar in charge of funds. All three of them stand at the pinnacle of A-Class. Beneath them are several other A-Class powerhouses, along with numerous B-Class powerhouses, coupled with their ability to manipulate monsters—
“Putting it this way might be hard to grasp, so let me phrase it differently. In today's world, each race possesses a top-tier world power. They serve as the pillars of their respective races and are the key to the four races uniting against the Demon King's army. Yet among these four nations, not a single one would stand a chance against Gulos on its own!”
“...Not even the Pasara Empire could win?”
“They couldn't.” Holstin shook his head. “Neither the Pasara Empire, the Indam Federation, nor the Kingdom of Lydoar would stand a chance. Ravenrim might have a chance of withstanding an assault by relying on the World Tree, but as the frequency of monster appearances rapidly increases, Gulos's power will also grow swiftly. How long that possibility can hold out remains unknown...”
...So that was why he said it wasn't just a question of whether it was strong. A faction like this had long surpassed the scale of a normal evil organization and couldn't be measured by conventional standards. Its true might was indeed terrifyingly immense.
But... what should she do now?
It had already been several months since then. Did they simply not know about her, had they forgotten about her, or were they already making preparations...?
Seeing Shulim lost in thought, Holstin felt as though he had said too much. Children shouldn't have to face such heavy, cold realities so early.
And so, he smiled and said, “Student Shulim, there is no need to worry too much. Although Gulos is powerful, they will absolutely never appear in Langard, so you don't need to be anxious!”
“Eh?” Shulim couldn't help but look surprised. “Why wouldn't Gulos appear in Langard?”
Holstin and Dez exchanged a knowing smile.
“That is because a certain esteemed personage resides in Langard, making Gulos dare not set foot in this city. Even if they do, it's at most a few peripheral organizations or insignificant small fries.”
A certain esteemed personage...
Shulim seemed to understand why no one had come looking for trouble with her until now.
Afterward, even though Shulim was eager to find out who that person was, no matter how she probed, the two remained tight-lipped regarding their identity.
In the end, Shulim had no choice but to give up asking. She said her goodbyes to the two and went off to study Fourth-Tier magic.
However, having her mood fluctuate so drastically like today was truly rare; it felt just like the first time Semilis had taken her into the sky to act like a shooting star.
“I wonder what Semilis is doing right now...”
Gulos... Did the gods of Tiramsuin know that an organization posing such a threat to the entire world existed in the mortal realm?
“Hopefully it won't cause any major trouble...”
...
...
Rate on N.U.
