Isaac - Chapter 15
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âSigh, the peace and quiet I hadâŠâ
The Empireâs Navy had completely overrun the Campus port, showing off their might and grandeur. Their presence was intimidating enough to bring out a deep sigh. Reisha, the culprit of the situation, was hopping across the dock to look at the ships more closely with Kunette. All of it was starting to give Isaac a headache.
âHow is that the Collegeâs fault?!â
âEntering the Campus without permission is a great offence to the Empireâs law, and being a student of the College does not make anyone an exception! Hand over the student immediately!â
âIsnât it the Navyâs fault that a neglected defence line was infiltrated?â
On the other side of the dock, Mazelan was arguing with an aggressive-looking old man wearing a grand uniform. He was the admiral of the Empireâs 7th fleet, tasked with defending the borders of Gabelin. Behind him, a small group of sailors lined up with their heads planted on the ground â they were the ship captains under his leadership.
âHow are we expected to find a single person on the sea when spotting a whole ship is difficult enough as it is!â
âOh is that so? Can I send that exact phrase back to the Empireâs Special Forces? The Navy rules the waves but canât find a single person thatâs floating on the ocean?â
âWhy you! What year are you?! Iâll see you when you graduate!â
âIâm sorry but Iâm enrolled in logistics and donât have any plans on joining the Navy. Shall I give you the experience of horrible logistics and supply chain management?â
âWow! You used to follow me around calling me uncle when you were a kid and now youâre coming back to bite the hand that raised you?â
âAre you playing the family card now? Handing over a student of the College is nonsense, not to mention sheâs an elf. An elf! What are you going to say to the Elven Reservation? âThe eldest daughter of the Mist family had been arrested for entering the Campus without permission. She will be punished according to the Navyâs laws.â You know their entire race will not take this lightly when things get sour! Do you really want to make this bigger than it needs to be?â
âKuk!â
âLetâs just go over it with a warning for now, uncle.â
The admiral finally seemed convinced by Mazelan, and he began walking back toward his ship. On his way back, he made sure each captain tasted his burning anger with a kick to their ass. Mazelan approached Isaac, drained from the long exchange of words, to now complain to him.
âIâm really having a hard time with my thesis right now. Please just help me out here.â
âI believe youâre talking to the wrong man. Why donât you tell that to them instead?â
Mazelan sighed deeply as he glimpsed at Reisha. The moment the fleet left the dock, Reisha immediately dragged Kunette towards the edge of the docks and began to fish.
âWhat do you think an elfâs main strength is?â
âArchery and spirits?â
âRight? Do you know what that girl is majoring in the College? Hand to hand combat.â
âHand to hand? Like fist-fighting?â
âYes. There was a noble who was invited to the Elven Reservation, but one of the guard knights that noble brought kept harassing Reisha, so she challenged him to a duel. The confused knight who expected archery or spirits, was beaten like a bloody pancake. The duel itself brought no complications; however, the children of the Reservation saw the disaster that had happened at first hand. They started having seizures after watching Reisha paint her hands bloody with a face as innocent as a baby. Thatâs why she was sent here to the College.â
âThat really is a special personality.â
âRight? Thatâs why Iâm too scared to even get close to her.â
âWhat about Kunette?â
âKunette isâŠâ
Mazelan quickly looked around his surroundings and then began to whisper back to Isaac.
âThis isnât confirmed, but thereâs a rumour that Kunette can see the true nature of what she sees.â
âThe true nature?â
When Isaac responded back with a confused look, Mazelan nodded as if he understood how Isaac felt.
âItâs as I said. She can create and see an image of the personality and thoughts of the individual sheâs looking at.â
âNow thatâs a special power.â
âThe problem is that this is the perfect power if you want to be isolated in a community. Plus, the Northbear Tribe never had an individual like this in their long history, so the word is that they exiled her to College because they found her existence disturbing.â
âI guess even the guilty and the innocent will find that power bothersome.â
âSo please, Iâm leaving it to you.â
âAre you running away after dumping all of your responsibilities on me?â
âWhat! Itâs not running! Itâs called begging, and Iâm begging you here. Just keep them from any incidents until enrollment day. Thatâs all Iâm asking, please.â
As he finished making his plea, Mazelan quickly dashed away. The moment he disappeared, Reisha and Kunette were next to Isaac.
âSo thatâs why he ran away.â
âSunbaenim, Look!â
Reisha proudly held a fish the size of her arm and handed it to Isaac. Another fish heâd never seen before.
âIt seems ideal for sashimi.â
âSashimi? Whatâs that? Is that food?â
Isaac took the fish to the kitchen, and soon, Reisha tasted an entirely new world.
âSunbaenim, letâs go fishing!â
âSunbaenim, make me some sashimi!â
âSunbaenim, make me a spicy fish stew!â
Isaac was at the edge of a mental breakdown. Itâs true that itâs difficult to refuse a request from a beautiful woman, especially when sheâs using all her charms. But thatâs only if it happens once in a while. When it happens all day every day, it quickly becomes annoying. His only hope was the coming enrollment day.
That day Isaac dreamed of coming had finally arrived. Just like the start of the holidays, the Empire carried out its massive transport mission to move all the students in a single day, and the seasonally empty dock was filled with people once more.
Before Isaac was here, students would head straight toward the Campus after leaving the ship. But things had changed with the start of Isaacâs business. They would hand over all of their baggage in a warehouse situated in Gabelin and pay a fee to Isaac. Isaac would then use Gonzales to move the goods from Gabelin and keep it safe in the Campus dock until the student who stashed the goods ask for their return.
It was supposed to be a side business at the start, but it had become so profitable that from that year onwards, they would only use the warehouses Gonzales had bought and the rental fees that they collected from it became very lucrative.
Until now, it was the students who were doing business with Isaac that stayed in the port, but this time, the existence of Kunette and Reisha were also holding the students from moving on to Campus.
âRoar!â
âKyaa! So cute!â
âAh! I want to hug her!â
Kunetteâs popularity among the girls was explosive. Her attitude was extremely hostile, baring both her fangs and claws out to intimidate anyone from approaching her. Because of that, no one was foolish enough to actually get close, but even her guarded look was so adorable that any form of conversation were made impossible by the screams of the female students.
Meanwhile, the male students were so captured by Reishaâs beauty that they were at a standstill. Sitting on the rooftop of the lodge with a short skirt, her fair thighs were in plain view to those underneath. Instinctively, all the male students began staring at her legs, but Reisha seemed oblivious to their actions and was busy watching the waves of people enter the port en masse.
The students were eventually pushed into the Campus as more and more students entered the port. They would, however, try to stand their ground for as long as possible to watch that view for a second longer, delaying the movement as a whole.
As a result, Admiral Raymond, the commander of the 7th Fleet and Uncle of Mazelan, glared at Isaac for giving him the honour of the deplorable transport mission in history. While Isaac wondered how he could bribe him to pacify his rage, Mazelan came to see Isaac after confirming all of the students had successfully returned to the Campus.
âThank you for making my last assignment in my College life so memorable. Iâll never forget this.â
â⊠Congratulations?â
âKuuk! Iâd honestly eat her up if I could.â
âYou want to eat what, Sunbaenim?â
Reisha quickly approached him as soon as she heard the word eating. Surprised and embarrassed, Mazelan slowly backed off.
âAhaha. Itâs nothing. Why donât you get ready to head to College now?â
âHmm?â
Reisha seemed to suspect something was off about Mazelan, but soon dropped her interest and began to pack her things. She was last seen heading to the College while dragging Kunette behind her, who was throwing a tantrum out of a reluctance to leave. After witnessing her departure, Mazelan sighed out of relief and went to Isaac, who was sorting out documents for the goods heâs tasked with stashing.
âHonestly, youâve done well until now.â
Those words from Mazelan brought back memories for Isaac. All the incidents and problems he had faced because of the duo.
âSigh. Kunette wasnât much of a problem, but Reisha is like a wild donkey. I can just imagine what colorful lives theyâll have in the College.â
âThatâs none of my business now.â
âArenât you being too irresponsible just because youâve graduated?â
âHuhuhu. If Reisha came even a year earlier, I would not be graduating at this point.â
The College had their own symbols for each subjects. For swordsmanship, it was a sword and shield; for magic, it was a hand with a spiral representing the mana; for sailing, it was a mast within a circle representing the sea; and for Mazelan, who was in supplies and management, it was a carriage.
It also represents how many years it took them to graduate. For Mazelan, on top of the carriage symbol were 8 stars, showing that heâd graduated from his major of supply management within 8 years.
Considering that it takes an average of 10 to 13 years to graduate from the College, Mazelanâs graduation at 8 years meant that he was one of the most talented individuals. Rumours had already spread that he was a candidate to become the Empireâs future Director of Supplies.
Unlike the College, the Campus used a similar system where it shared the emblems but would have the year of graduation and a single silver star instead. However both the Campus and the College determined who were the Sunbaes and Hubaes by looking at the year they graduated, so it was a common courtesy to show deference to the Sunbaes even if there was a significant gap in their abilities.
âWhatâll you do now that youâve graduated?â
âIâll take a break then get myself a place in the Capitalâs Department of Supplies.â
âWill they accept you right away? Donât you usually require experience from rural departments before youâre allowed in?â
âHuhuhu, thatâs why Iâve sweat blood and tears to get these 8 stars here. They wonât let you in unless you graduated at most in 8 years.â
âI guess there is fierce competition for it.â
The Department of Supplies controls the flow of all goods within the Empire, from its production to distribution and restrictions. They could make a village starve to death while its neighbours were drowning with overabundance of food if they wanted to.
The Department of Supplies held great power within the political scene. It was a giant establishment with more than 100,000 employees hired under their name, and each employee held great pride in their position, not to mention that the number of talented individuals in their department was like counting how much sand there was at a beach.
âWell, Iâll be in your care once I graduate.â
âHahaha, do you finally see the true value in me?â
âNot really.â
Mazelan could only watch as Isaac coldly responded. He was well aware of Isaacâs personality after knowing him for so long. He could ignore things completely if it wasnât related to him. Even if it does affect him in some way, he would draw a line preventing him from becoming closer than he needed to be.
âChe! I am quite wanted in the world you know. Just one word from me would set you up for⊠Shit, you donât care about that at all. Damn it! I feel cheated.â
As Isaac teased Mazelan who was muttering to himself, the ship which Mazelan was waiting for finally arrived.
âOh! There it is.â
âI guess the College students do get special treatment.â
âItâs one of the few factors that actually make attending the College worthwhile.â
âBut thatâs odd. I only saw a few College students last year. Why would you need an entire ship to transport them? How many of you are there?â
âHm? Didnât you see last year?â
âSee what?â
âAh, of course. The College students moved during the night for both last year and this yearâs holidays.â
âWhat are you on about?â
âThere was a new student that enrolled in the College last year. And all the males in the College immediately fell in love the moment she stepped foot in this place.â
âHeh? There was another student that entered the College directly last year as well? And it was a girl too? What was she?â
âHuman.â
âMust be a genius.â
âGenius doesnât even begin to describe it. She is the greatest of all geniuses. And sheâs got one hell of a family name behind her.â
âJust how amazing is it for all the College students to follow her around like this?â
âRivelia El Pendleton. Sheâs the eldest daughter of the Duke Pendleton and a genius swordswoman. The professors within the College expect her to graduate from swordsmanship in no more than 5 years. She is the best of the best.â
âGraduate the College in 5 years?â
âDonât forget, thatâs the most skeptical prediction. One of the professors of swordsmanship is one of the 7 Sword Masters in the Em⊠Crap! Details about the professors in the College are classified, so letâs just skip over that part. Anyway, the task he set for her graduation is for her to ascend to a Sword Master. Thatâs how talented she is. And even Reisha will have to fold against her when it comes to beauty.â
âSo sheâs a genius swordswoman with the beauty of a goddess and is the daughter of one of the three Dukes in the Empire?â
âThatâs right.â
âHm, so sheâs a protagonist. I can see why so many men chase her around.â
âSheâs a what?â
âAh, didnât you know? Have you ever heard the phrase âyou are the protagonist of your lifeâ?â
âWhat about it?â
âI mean, everyone would consider themselves to be the main character but that fact suddenly changes when youâre put in the stage called the world. Thereâs the protagonists: side characters, extras, villager 1 and 2, tree 1, and rock 1.â
âWhat theory is this?â
âThis world is so unfair that lives are determined on how much talent each individual holds. And that talent could be measured up to the size of an ant for some while others may have that of the ocean. Talentless fools could never catch up to those brimming with talent, no matter how much they try.â
âAnd through their talent their roles are decided in the stage called the world?â
âWhy? You donât think so?â
âI feel like itâs an insult to those who put in the effort to climb their way through.â
Isaac laughed at Mazelanâs irritated look.
âWow, such an innocent answer from someone who just graduated from the College.â
Mazelan couldnât say anything back. The Campus and the College were establishments which clearly demonstrated the difference talent made.
âI didnât mean to insult the hard workers. Theyâve put that much determination and the pain that comes with it. But did you know? Hard work is talent too.â
âUgh, stop. Iâm done. Whyâs a child like you talking like an old pessimist who had lived out his life?â
âLetâs just say Iâve experienced the cold realities of the world a little earlier than others.â
Mazelan shook his head, his mouth closed firm. His conversations with Isaac always ended up this way. That pessimistic attitude of his was enough to make one wonder why heâs even trying to live at this point. The most annoying part is that his fallacy sounds somewhat believable. There have been many times where Mazelan would cut a conversation short in fear of ending up like Isaac if he listened to him a little longer.
*Whistle! âAs expected of a protagonist, I feel like thereâs an aura about her.â
Isaac spoke out his impression as he watched a girl exit the ship with a group of men trailing behind her. She was indeed a beautiful woman. Her stiff expression seemed cold, but it seemed to suit her well. With the sunlight reflecting her long silver hair that flowed all the way to down to her waist, one could easily feel the aura of intimidation that naturally tailed her.
Considering that they lived in two different worlds, Isaac decided to enjoy the eye candy while he could and leaned back on the chair with both his legs on the table.
Their eyes met for a brief moment when Rivelia passed Isaac, but she moved on without saying anything. Amongst the many men who followed Rivelia like baby ducklings, there was a familiar face.
Isaac contemplated on what to do and decided to at least notice him. He was his brother after all. When their eyes met, Isaac waved at him, but Kainenâs face crumbled and he violently turned away as if heâd seen something he shouldnât have. Isaac simply shrugged at his reaction.
âDonât you feel anything after seeing Rivelia?â
âSheâs pretty for sure. I may have ogled at her if I wasnât so used to beautiful girls thanks to Reisha.â
âYou donât sound very serious.â
âI follow the motto âjust admire which you canât have.ââ
âYou really are a weird one.â
âI could say the same thing to you. You didnât seem that interested in her either.â
Mazelan seemed surprised at what Isaac had said, then laughed.
âI guess Iâve only told you my name but not the family Iâm from.â
âHuh? Hm, donât tell me youâre that Lady Riveliaâs brother or something.â
âNo, not her brother but her cousin. I guess I can tell you now that Iâm graduating. My official name is Marvelia Zelion Lankast Hugh Gabelin. My father is the youngest brother of the previous Emperor, and my mother is the sister of the current Duke Pendleton.â
ââŠâ
Isaac could only stare at Mazelan. It meant he was of royal blood. Satisfied at Isaacâs reaction, a beaming smile came on Mazelanâs face, when Isaac suddenly snatched his hands and began to speak.
âIâll be in your care, Hyoungnim.â
TL Note: âHyungnimâ is the formal way of saying older brother in a respectful manner. The equivalent to Aniki in Japanese. For reference, the other two forms of respective reference mentioned have been Sunbaenim (upperclassmen, senior, respected individual) and Hubaenim/Hubae (underclassmen, junior, respected youth).
âI thought you werenât interested in a successful career?â
âItâs always nice to have a strong help in these tough times.â
âThatâs different from what you said before.â
âItâs better to have it and not need it than vice versa. Once again, Iâm in your care.â
Mazelan felt like heâd made a mistake when he revealed his identity to Isaac. Already a crude and sinister smile was starting to show.
âShameless bastard. By the way, what do you think Iâll become on the worldâs stage?â
âAh! Shouldnât you take Reisha and Kunette with you now?â
âSo what am I on the stage?!â
Isaac refused to answer him till the end, which only irritated Mazelan even more.