Chapter 358: Compromise

“Name.”

“Ailag.”

“Age.”

“Twenty-two.”

“Sex.”

“You have to ask that too?”

Ailag flared up in fury: “Can’t you tell?”

“Of course I need to confirm. You illusion folks have dirty hearts—who knows if the way you look right now is fake.”

Muen crossed his arms and gave him a sidelong glance,

“Mind your situation. Since when does a prisoner get to run his mouth.”

“...”

Ailag’s face flushed scarlet. A genius resolved to carry forward the Illusion School—when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

But...

He glanced at Liya beside him, who was earnestly aiming a holy-light blade at him, as if the slightest movement would make her stab down. He silently snuffed out any thought of resistance.

Under the eaves, one must bow the head.

Though he was just a teensy bit weaker than the enemy, he remembered this grudge!

Ailag wriggled his rope-numbed body and, unwilling, muttered in a low voice:

“Male...”

“Very good.”

Satisfied, Muen patted his shoulder. “Next, tell me every piece of intel you know.”

“Intel? What intel? I only just—”

“Obviously, all the intel you know.”

“...”

Ailag gnashed his teeth in secret.

Excessive, too excessive. If you want the jump in this kind of trial, intel is paramount. He’d worked hard to get his intel, and now he was going to hand it over for nothing...

Truly...

“Unwilling?”

Muen’s palm on Ailag’s shoulder suddenly tightened. He smiled:

“We’re all friends here. You wouldn’t want things to end on a sour note, right?”

“...”

Humiliated, Ailag shut his eyes.

Forget it.

Intel is important, yes, but it’s only the first day of the trial. Everyone’s intel is more or less the same—things you can obtain on the open market. Even if he told them, it wasn’t that big a deal.

In any case, he’d remember this grudge!

“Fine. The intel I currently have is only...”

Very soon, under Muen’s pressing, Ailag laid everything he knew on the table.

From opponents each faction should beware of, the signature moves of famous figures on all sides, and—no idea where he’d gotten them—there were even some people’s gossip items.

It was far more detailed than what Muen had gotten from the newspapers, except that the items about Muen himself were filed under the gossip category.

Hearing this, Muen once again couldn’t help wanting to go out and kick that damned bear’s ass to pulp.

The bit of positive reputation he’d finally built up at the academy—before it could spread—had been sold to the gossip headlines by that guy at who-knew-how-low a price.

Infuriating.

But right now, in the ruins, that was all unimportant.

What mattered was...

“The only passage?” Muen asked.

“Yes. Someone already circled that wall and found only a single passage. The ‘gate’ the Church mentioned should be in there.”

Ailag nodded:

“It’s just that no one has entered the passage to probe it yet.”

“Why?”

Muen asked curiously.

“Obviously no one wants to be a pathfinder or a stepping stone for others.”

Ailag cocked his head, looked toward the depths of the town, and sneered:

“The danger is unknown, and there’s only one passage. Everyone wants to be the first to open the door, but before that, no one wants to be the stepping stone for someone else’s advance. They’re all waiting for somebody else to go in first.”

“I see. I understand.”

Muen sighed lightly. “I thought we counted as among the first to arrive. Didn’t expect the others to move this fast.”

“First to arrive?”

Ailag’s expression changed at once; he said strangely:

“With how slow you two were going forward—like you came in here for a date—how could you possibly...”

Pfft.

Ailag’s voice hitched.

Because a holy-light dagger suddenly stabbed into the dirt beside his vital parts. The skirted girl’s pretty face flushed pink; she huffed angrily:

“N-nonsense, this is not a date!”

“...”

Ailag’s legs trembled in fright. He pulled a long face: “Okay, okay, I was talking nonsense... nonsense...”

You’re the one talking nonsense—you’re obviously all smiles.

“In short, I couldn’t stand those fake people either, so I came out to walk around and offhand set a trap. I wasn’t targeting you specifically. This is just a misunderstanding.”

Ailag took his gaze off Liya, forced out a smile, now completely without his earlier arrogance. He tested the waters:

“How about we part on good terms—and you let me go?”

“How would that work?”

Muen arched a brow:

“Since the moment we joined this ceremony, we’re competitors. I’m not so stupid I’d do something like releasing a tiger back to the mountains.”

“Then...”

Ailag thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said:

“How about I help you?”

“Help?”

“That’s right. I can temporarily leave the Illusion School’s people and follow you, helping you do some things.”

Ailag said, “You two are stronger than anyone imagines. Add me—Ailag, the Illusion School’s genius—and maybe...”

He didn’t finish, but Muen already knew what he meant.

“An extra helper, huh? Sounds good, but...”

Muen thought a moment and suddenly looked to Liya:

“What do you think, Liya?”

“Mm... huh?”

Liya seemed to be spacing out. Only when she heard Muen’s voice did she come back to herself, adorably guileless.

“He says he wants to join us.”

Muen pointed at Ailag and repeated what had just been said.

“W-why are you asking me?” Liya blinked.

“Because you’re the future Saintess-Your-Highness, of course.”

Muen smiled. “As a knight, obeying the Saintess’s arrangements—isn’t that how it should be?”

“I... is that so? Hehe...”

Liya shyly lowered her head, looking a little embarrassed.

She turned to size Ailag up carefully, then sneaked a look at Muen. The holy-light blade in her hand tightened and loosened, and she fell into a dilemma:

“Having someone help is indeed a good thing, but... but...”

Gulp...

Ailag swallowed hard, watching that sharp holy-light blade hover over his vital parts—now gripped tight, now loosened. His heart felt like it was bungee jumping—so stimulating he wanted to cry.

Damn it, you don’t want a third person around and you say this isn’t a date!

“Forget it. Since Liya’s unwilling.”

Muen seemed to sense Liya’s thoughts at that moment and said:

“Thinking it through, him tagging along with us isn’t all upside. This guy isn’t unknown, and he represents the Illusion School. Walking with us might actually make others more wary.”

“So...”

“So?”

“Sir Ailag, are you interested in shifting your help... underground?”

In Muen’s lake-deep eyes, utterly sincere emotion showed as he offered the earnest proposal.

“Underground?”

“That’s right.”

Muen nodded. “You’re still a genius of the Illusion School; we’re still the soft persimmon and little lamb not worth mentioning. Only, at critical moments, I hope you lend a hand and help us—that’s all.”

“Lend a hand...”

Ailag blinked—then exulted:

“I can, of course I can!”

Why wouldn’t he? This was much easier than the compromise terms he’d envisioned.

And most importantly, once he got free, who cared about conditions or not? That thing called ‘integrity’ doesn’t even exist for us Illusion School, okay!

“Very good. But I’m also afraid Sir Ailag isn’t as honest as one might hope. If you bit back, that’d be bad.”

“I won’t! Absolutely won’t!”

Ailag put on a straight face and said seriously:

“If you’re not reassured, we can sign a contract. I can also swear an oath to the gods! In short, from this day on we’re good brothers of different fathers and different mothers. Your business is my business. If I should help, I definitely will!”

“I’m so happy to hear you say that!”

Muen and Ailag threw their arms over each other’s shoulders, like good brothers reunited after years apart. Ailag couldn’t help showing a sincere smile.

Only for Muen to suddenly change the subject:

“However, I didn’t prepare a contract beforehand. And as for a godly oath—given you’re not a believer, Brother Ailag, it might not be as useful as imagined.”

Ailag’s smile froze. “Y-you... what do you want.”

“Nothing much.”

Muen exchanged a glance with Liya.

Liya shook her head, indicating that although she’d read many books, she truly had little learning in the field of threatening people.

Fortunately, Muen felt he was quite good at it.

“Looks like we can only use the most old-fashioned, and safest, method to firm up the feelings between brothers.”

Muen turned his head and smiled kindly:

“Just now... Brother Ailag said your sex is male, yes?”

“S-so what?” Ailag felt ever more uneasy.

“That’s great.”

Muen looked to Liya again and asked, “Do you have any old dresses you don’t need?”

“Hah?”

Ailag and Liya were both stunned. Liya recovered a beat earlier and nodded:

“Y-yes. The Great Sister just happened to give me some.”

As she spoke, her small hand brushed the air, and a simple, plain, unadorned yet dignified... nun’s habit appeared in her hand.

Muen took the habit—because it was loose, sizing wasn’t strict. A slight difference in build and you could still wear it. He was very satisfied.

He handed the very satisfactory nun’s habit to Ailag and said seriously:

“Here. Put it on.”

“Wha—no, no way!”

Ailag finally recovered. Looking at the habit before him, he immediately grasped Muen’s idea and shook his head violently:

“No. Absolutely not. You want me to cross-dress? I’m telling you—no chance!”

He was the Origin Tower’s genius, the rising hope of the Illusion School, the famous illusionist Ailag!

In the future he planned to ride that name and find at least three gentle, considerate girlfriends. How could he possibly put on something like this!

Over my dead body!

“I see. Since you’re so against it, as brothers, I won’t force you. I’ll give you another option.”

Muen’s tone remained gentle. He reached to Ailag’s chest and pulled out a magic scroll.

Space aura rippled upon it, and the Church’s sigil was engraved there.

“So, choose.”

Muen placed the two items before Ailag. “Either put ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ on this nun’s habit, obediently let us take a few photos, and become my brother-of-different-father-and-mother—or... exit the stage here.”

Muen showed a calm, gentle, not-at-all-coercive smile:

“I won’t make things hard for you. Choose yourself.”

Not make things hard? You’ve already backed me to a dead end!

Ailag’s teeth were about to crack. He hadn’t expected this golden-haired man—handsome enough to charm both men and women—to have such a vile personality!

He looked to Liya for help—You’re a saintess candidate. Hurry and rein in your knight!

But Liya at this moment was instead staring at Muen in shock:

“Y-you can even do that? How did I not think of it?”

This woman is hopeless.

Ailag shut his eyes.

“Give it up. I absolutely will not—”

“I advise you to think it over. This is merely a means to prevent your betrayal. Which is to say, so long as you remain my brother-of-different-father-and-mother, absolutely nothing will happen.

But...”

Like a devil, Muen coaxed gently: “Kanteville—the Lost Land, the Golden Nation. An opportunity like this comes only once.”

Ailag’s eyelids twitched.

Indeed, for him—a one-hundred-percent straight man—this despicable fellow’s demand was unacceptable.

But...

This was Kanteville!

The ancient ruins countless people flocked to, dreamed of, would crack their heads open to get into!

It was also where his hope of revitalizing the entire Illusion School lay!

To exit now, having accomplished nothing...

“Really, you don’t need to be so conflicted. Think about it: aren’t there only three of us here?”

Muen continued:

“I promise there won’t be a fourth who knows. And once it’s done, I’ll erase all traces. It’ll be as if it never happened.”

“Swear it!”

Ailag’s eyes snapped open.

“I swear to the Goddess.” Muen raised four fingers and pointed to the sky.

“Then...”

Ailag’s face twisted. After a long hesitation, the words finally squeezed out between his teeth:

“Fine... I... I’ll wear it.”

This was not yielding.

It was an unavoidable compromise.

Everything was for the revitalization of the Illusion School!

For his three girlfriends whose names he didn’t even know yet!

He would remember this grudge!

Before these two, this humiliation—he would pay it back a hundredfold!

...

A few minutes later, after Ailag left.

Liya flipped through a few of the photos just taken and suddenly puffed her cheeks, casting a coquettish glare at Muen beside her.

“You’re horrible! You actually threatened someone with that!”

“I only learned to solve problems using a senior-sister’s methods...”

“Senior-sister?”

“Ahem, nothing. It’s just...”

Muen looked at Liya; the corner of his mouth hooked up in a wicked grin:

“You’ve long known I’m a scoundrel, haven’t you? You were just saying I was amazing.”

“Pah. I just didn’t react in time. How was I supposed to know you were that bad.”

Liya said, a bit worried:

“But doing this—aren’t you afraid of utterly offending him? Even if the Illusion School has been waning at the Origin Tower lately, it’s still a force you can’t ignore.”

“Relax. I know my limits. He only lost face before the two of us. It shouldn’t make him tear the face off entirely. He’s even less likely to blow this up to the Illusion School. He’s more inclined than we are to keep a secret.

Whether he can help later or not, I’ll delete what should be deleted.

And...”

“And?”

“And Liya is the future Saintess.”

Muen blinked and smiled:

“When the time comes, won’t you save your knight who did a bad thing?”

“I won’t save you!”

Liya giggled.

Then she suddenly turned her face aside, curls brushing her temple, and shyly said:

“By the way.”

“Mm?”

“Just now—like that—Muen, do you... perhaps prefer nun’s habits? I-if you like, I...”

“Ah...”

A breeze passed. In the girl’s exquisitely lovely profile, the air suddenly grew a little hot, as if they weren’t in a dangerous ancient ruin but on a dusk street under the setting sun.

As if something were rising.

Muen felt a moment of daze, yet it was as if he heard the girl’s resolute voice sound by his ear.

“Kind of.”

His gaze cleared again:

“But now isn’t the time to talk about that. Let’s keep moving.”

“...Mm.”