Chapter 92 : Chapter 92

Chapter 92

“…Is that really true?”

Gemma doubted her own ears.

The condition Eddie presented was that shocking.

To move none other than the next head of the Kirhausen family.

And not just that, but to make him admit to the family’s fatal flaws himself.

Two questions surfaced in Gemma’s mind.

Was he telling the truth?

And even if he was, how would he make it happen?

She had to ask.

“How can we believe that you will keep your word, Mr. Summerson?”

“You don’t have to believe me.”

Eddie replied as if he had been waiting for the question.

“Even if you don't believe me and publish this content in the paper right now, I have nothing to lose. However… the Westin Post is not in the same position.”

“……”

“The moment you report it without proof, you’ll be on bad terms with the Kirhausens, and the Westin Post will implicitly be seen as taking my side.”

Eddie’s words were accurate.

So accurate it was almost infuriating.

The essence of today’s interview was originally ‘debt fulfillment’.

The Westin Post had lowered the intensity of its reporting as Leodimir requested, so Eddie had come to clear that debt with an interview.

But somehow, the tables had turned as smoothly as a snake slithering over a wall.

In an interview meant to repay a debt, Eddie was now in the more advantageous position.

Too much information.

Against the Westin Post, a glutton for information, Eddie had chosen the strategy of ‘making them overeat’.

It was too valuable to discard, yet too risky to use carelessly.

And yet, Eddie himself had nothing to lose.

If anything, if this content were to be reported, Eddie would gain sympathy.

Leodimir, who tried to protect Eddie from the evil Kirhausens, would receive even greater support.

Of course, Eddie would face danger as well.

The Kirhausens would not leave alone the one who exposed their family’s corruption.

In the worst-case scenario, they might even send assassins to kill him.

But…….

It seemed that such life-threatening methods would not work on Eddie.

‘I don’t know what his true skill level is, but it seems like he wouldn’t be harmed in the slightest by any reasonably strong magic or force.’

Gemma stared directly into Eddie’s eyes.

“……”

Then, she unconsciously tensed and clasped her hands.

She had felt it since he entered the office, but it was by no means the aura of an ordinary 14-year-old.

It was a strength that even she, a non-mana user, could feel.

‘Truly strange.’

Gemma lowered her gaze to her unconsciously clasped hands.

Seeing her own tense state, she recalled one person who had given her a similar feeling long ago.

‘Edmund von Kirhausen.’

Eddie Summerson had said he wasn't deliberately imitating him, but the more she looked, the more they resembled each other in many ways.

‘Those eyes, like a vast abyss, are especially similar.’

Moreover, with eyes resembling Edmund’s, Eddie was looking two or three steps ahead of the situation, just as Edmund would have.

The one value the Westin Post would never abandon, no matter the situation.

Seeing how he was leading the situation by holding the ‘neutrality of the press’ hostage, it was clear.

In the end, Gemma made her choice.

To accept Eddie’s new proposal and wait for the evidence he would provide.

Gemma, having finished organizing her thoughts, took a brief breath.

Then, looking into Eddie’s unwavering eyes, she said,

“Very well. But I hope you won’t make us wait too long, Mr. Summerson.”

“I have no intention of disappointing the Westin Post, which has moved according to my wishes twice now.”

Ending on a warm note.

Having achieved his goal, Eddie readily promised Gemma.

He glanced at the clock on the wall.

It was exactly two hours since the interview had begun.

Gemma also confirmed that the time was up.

Gemma closed her notebook and stood up first.

Eddie followed suit, and without needing to be prompted, they extended their hands and shook.

“Then I will await your contact, Mr. Summerson.”

“Yes. It was a pleasure meeting you, Chief Adler.”

* * *

Returning to Corkis, Eddie went straight to Leodimir’s office.

As he relayed the stories shared in the interview, Eddie rested his body, the tension finally easing.

In the end, the interview with the Westin Post was a great success.

He had not only overturned the public opinion war targeting Leodimir but had also properly loaded a decisive shot to bring down the Kirhausens.

But despite this achievement, Leodimir’s expression was dark.

It was because Eddie had paid the price of his own future reputation to protect Leodimir.

The lie that, even after regaining consciousness, he had clung to Leodimir, begging not to be sent to Shainborough.

Thanks to that lie, Leodimir’s actions would be framed not as selfish desire but as a humanitarian responsibility to save a child.

But Eddie, whatever the reason, would be suspected of being an opportunist.

That’s why when he first heard the story, Leodimir had objected, saying there was no need to go that far, but…….

As expected, his student was not one to easily bend his will.

“……”

Eddie looked at Leodimir’s face and smiled bitterly.

‘In my past life, and in this one. How is it that you are always so full of worry…….’

Thanks to that consistency, he could rely on him greatly, but he still wished he could lighten up a bit.

Eddie spoke with a slightly heavier voice.

“I’ll have to return to the academy tomorrow, and the stares I’ll get will be quite a nuisance.”

“There will be those who won’t look kindly upon you, Master, because of the suspicions of your close ties with me. Especially those close to the Kirhausens.”

“It doesn’t matter what the small fry chatter about. In the end, what’s most important is Marcel Kirhausen’s reaction.”

“Do you have any prediction as to how that child will react?”

“In front of others, at least, he’ll act as if nothing is wrong and treat me as usual. He’s not the type to suddenly change his attitude just because my status has changed.”

“Are you planning to accept Marcel’s condescension, Master?”

“I plan to do so until I officially leave the Kirhausen family. Wouldn’t it be too disgusting to suddenly become arrogant and change my attitude just because I gained some fame?”

At Eddie’s rather strong expression, Leodimir let out a small laugh.

His student, who hated arrogance, was strict with himself as well.

Seeing his disciple finally smile a little, Eddie smiled back.

“He probably has a lot he wants to ask me, too.”

“By now, he must have realized that the family is trying to hold onto you, Master, for unusually strong reasons, so that’s even more likely.”

“Yes. He will ask about the family secrets he doesn’t know. He will witness the answer for himself when I am summoned to Shainborough.”

A sense of tension immediately filled the air at Eddie’s grim words.

The time when Eddie would be summoned to Shainborough.

That time was not far off.

And by then, Shainborough itself would have become one giant trap.

The real fight was about to begin.

Eddie planned to show Marcel the true face of his family as it was revealed in the process.

“We must prepare thoroughly before you go to Shainborough. When will you summon Palamedes?”

“Just before the midterms would be good. The Kirhausens will likely summon me during the break right after the midterms.”

In fact, the midterms were less than a week away.

Marcel’s grades were important, so the Kirhausens wouldn’t touch Eddie, who served as the ‘well’, before the exams.

That was also the reason they had confronted Leodimir head-on to make him give up Eddie.

So, the only time Eddie could move freely without the Kirhausens’ interference was the few days remaining until the midterms.

Within that time, Eddie had to—

Grasp the public opinion within the academy,

Do preliminary work to ensure Marcel gets a good score on his practical exam,

And summon Palamedes to make thorough preparations.

He was literally overwhelmed with things to do.

As he discussed all these schedules with Leodimir, Eddie let out a hollow laugh.

“Revenge requires quite a bit of diligence, it seems.”

“You also need to get a grade high enough to avoid expulsion from the exam.”

Leodimir added playfully.

Eddie would one day leave the nest of the academy.

In other words, until he left, he was a student of Dean Leodimir.

“My goodness. In this life too, the dean is worried about my grades.”

Eddie let out a hollow laugh, recalling the previous dean who had said the exact same thing.

* * *

The next day.

The academy was in an uproar.

The hope of the commoner magicians, the man called the second Phinix Embas.

The first-year student who had directly pitted his mana against the Beast King.

It was because Eddie Summerson had returned to the academy.

The place where Eddie, having left Corkis, revealed himself was the academy’s lecture building.

Heading straight to a classroom instead of the dormitory, Eddie walked through countless stares.

Everywhere his footsteps landed, surprised faces and whispers followed.

Once a gaze landed on him, it rarely seemed to leave.

“It’s him… Eddie, Eddie Summerson!”

“The Kirhausen family’s tail who fought the Beast King Rakan? Is he all better now?”

“Rumor has it he’s stronger than most of the elder professors… so does he even need to attend the academy anymore?”

“He’s still the Kirhausen’s tail, though. He has to serve Young Master Marcel. Heh heh.”

“Oh, right? Ha, what a strange picture. I heard Marcel Kirhausen even failed to absorb the mana from the ruins and was saved by that guy.”

The whispers were all as he had expected.

Looks of wonder mixed with fear.

Eyes curious about his future moves.

And, of course, the inevitable comparisons with Marcel.

Still, this was a positive reaction, one of interest in Eddie.

Naturally, there were also unfriendly gazes fixed on him.

‘Just as I thought, he showed up as soon as the Kirhausens raised suspicions. He was worried his support would drop if he stayed in the dean’s arms any longer.’

‘Now that he’s famous throughout the empire, he’ll probably betray the Kirhausens, right? I mean, if he just went out on the street right now, the commoners would worship him.’

‘How ridiculous must the professors have seemed to him all this time? Exams and such probably mean nothing to that guy.’

The gazes that twisted the situation had one thing in common.

They all belonged to people close to the Kirhausens.

Professors who had connections to the Kirhausens, or students from families friendly with them.

Unlike the positive reactions, they did not voice their thoughts aloud.

But their eyes were full of caution.

Feeling all those gazes, Eddie arrived in front of the classroom.

Eddie slightly lowered his head, glancing at the thick textbook tucked under his arm.

He remembered the look in the eyes of an elder professor who had been wary of him just a moment ago.

A dry laugh escaped him.

‘Don’t be mistaken. Your corrupt ways have always been ridiculous, even when I wasn’t this strong.’

Eddie clicked his tongue lightly and opened the door without hesitation.

At that, the first-year students who had been chattering while waiting for the professor turned around at the sound of the door opening.

“……”

The noisy chatter was instantly swallowed by silence.

Ninety-nine pairs of astonished eyes turned to Eddie.

And the place Eddie arrived at, walking through those gazes, was.

The seat next to Marcel.

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