Chapter 74: Invitation (1)

Professor Moriarty.

Just hearing the name makes him sound suspiciously shady.

His actual appearance is exactly like that.

Tall stature.

Slightly thin body.

A man who always insists on a monocle, black coat, and white shirt.

From a high noble background, but as a collateral branch, he received nothing; yet his noblesse oblige is strong, making him an extremely picky personality.

Kindness?

Bullshit.

How should I put it exactly.

A university professor?

Young and finicky personality.

It’s rumored that everyone under him suffers greatly. 

Though few actually quit, or those who do are trash.

Yet he subtly conducts all sorts of insidious experiments.

I wasn’t particularly interested, so I didn’t look into it separately.

I only know that if you follow him to the basement, you disappear.

Or what kind of experiments he’s conducting.

Or that he keeps chasing someone.

I don’t know why.

From the start, the game company thoroughly hid it.

From the game company’s perspective, countless speculation videos were uploaded saying they understood.

I wondered how many of those were correct.

Anyway.

To summarize in one line.

I don’t want to go.

I violently don’t want to go!

‘Uwaaaak! What invitation!’

Meeting Professor Moriarty is a problem, and him ‘inviting’ Evan is also a problem.

An invitation is not just “please come.”

If it was “just come-,” there wouldn’t be much to say.

Interpreting it makes it a bit longer.

Roughly “I stake my honor, you are a great and splendid person, so come here and give a lecture or bestow good teachings upon me”…… something like that.

Isn’t it burdensome?

Of course it’s burdensome.

It’s just burdensome to the point of going crazy!

That’s why I don’t want to go.

Especially since Professor Moriarty is not that kind of person, it’s even more so.

Beyond being secretly sinister, what kind of scheme is he plotting.

If anything, a personality close to a mastermind.

Would Evan be crazy enough to want to meet him?

……It’s just that there are no more choices.

‘Just…… ignoring it won’t work, right?’

It was when Evan sighed deeply inside.

Dolph, who delivered the letter, spoke with a completely excited expression.

“Young master! Amazing……!”

“?”

“Professor Moriarty! Even a servant like me knows how famous he is! Smart, good family, and gives great lectures……!”

Dolph spouted words that could be shortened to “anyway awesome” in succession.

Evan looked at him for a moment and asked.

“Dolph. Do you like Professor Moriarty?”

“Yes! I really like the White Detective too!”

White Detective.

Evan sighed inwardly.

The White Detective is mainly active in the imperial capital, a weirdo who likes analyzing various riddles or magic circles.

Saying physical training comes first for mages, he trains his body like an assassin, and his head is filthy smart, uncovering corruption and such.

Anyway.

To summarize him, he can be seen as a “mage addicted to justice.”

Alternatively, an otaku obsessed with detectives.

“Wow, Professor Moriarty? That guy has an insanely high nose.”

Aegis, who followed late.

Perhaps just after washing, a strange scent wafted.

Her outfit was unusually comfortable for once.

‘Anyone seeing would think it’s her own house.’

Isn’t she a princess by origin?

Is it okay to be that relaxed?

Such doubt arose, but he didn’t voice it.

If she gets dizzy-eyed or angry, she mentions her origin.

Otherwise, she keeps her mouth shut.

So there’s no need for Evan to open his mouth directly.

“Uuuuu. Refreshing.”

Aegis stretched long while covering her hair with a towel.

Her outfit, if anything, was close to a tank top…… so her armpits were fully exposed. And the sides too……

‘Keuheum.’

Hmm.

Shall I avert my gaze a little.

Evan’s head turned.

Somehow it feels like staring too long is bad…….

Whether she knows or not.

Aegis flapped her tank top and sprawled on the sofa.

“Huu. This place is too good? Evan. Can’t you just stop wandering and stay only here now?”

‘I want to stop wandering too.’

Evan swallowed the voice that rose to his throat and said.

“I’d like that too. By the way…… Aegis-nim, aren’t you returning to the tower?”

“Ah? Ah…… um…… that’s under review?”

‘Isn’t that just saying she won’t return?’

The mansion facilities are indeed good.

The Alkart family is undeniably one of the top families.

Naturally, in terms of facilities or convenience, it doesn’t fall behind the tower. 

Probably even ahead if anything.

“You’re saying you won’t return?”

Lapis attacked with facts!

Aegis slightly wrinkled her nose bridge and tousled Lapis’s hair.

No, precisely tried to tousle.

Hudakdak!

Lapis quickly escaped Aegis’s grasp and bared her teeth fiercely like a cat kyaaaa!

“Don’t touch my body.”

“You’re so finicky…… Aren’t we at that level of relationship yet?”

“The only one who can touch me is Evan…… Kyaaaaak! What are you doing!”

“Eubuup. Tasteless.”

Royan, who had been quietly rolling on the floor like sloth, bit Lapis’s ankle.

Lapis stomped kwak kwak on Royan, fully angry.

“Mm…… eu…… mm…… ah, it hur-”

Peok!

“Euk.”

Royan fainted with a short death cry.

Aegis clicked her tongue watching that.

“She’s prickly…… Looks cute though. No need to kill the personality a bit?”

“Shut up.”

“Ao….…”

Aegis made an expression like she wanted to flick her forehead.

Lapis stuck out her tongue be- and toddled over to Evan, hanging on his leg.

When he stroked her head as usual, Lapis smiled hesil hesil and offered her head.

Completely opposite appearance.

Aegis spoke as if dumbfounded.

“In front of Evan, she’s no different from a puppy.”

“Lapis is human.”

“……Ah, yes. Thanks for the answer.”

“By the way, Aegis-nim.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t you plan to wear different clothes?”

Honestly, there’s nowhere to look, it’s troubling.

Not a lower man, but definitely some Confucian side remains.

That kind of outfit in front of a complete stranger is a bit…….

‘Surely she’s not without underwear, right?’

“What.”

Ssiik.

Aegis, realizing the meaning of Evan’s words, smiled mischievously.

She slightly stretched her leg. 

A leg with just the right amount of flesh, good to look at moderately.

“Why, embarrassed? Didn’t show until now~ You’re a man after all.”

“No.”

Evan said firmly.

“Over 30 is not my type.”

Aegis made a blank expression for a moment.

She pondered with an expression asking what it meant, then late made a convinced face.

Bba-jik!

Simply put, it means she got pissed.

Aegis shot up.

“Hey. Come out. Really come out quick. I’m still in my 20s? Still far from 30!”

“I heard you say 29 last time, auntie.”

“Don’t you know how long a year is?!”

Aegis, with one year left until 30, had a fit.

Evan ignored.

He knows Aegis is princess-born with pretty looks.

But that’s all.

Not his type.

The age difference Evan can accept is at most 2~3 years.

Anything more is a bit….haha.

‘From 4 years and up is a bit…….’

They say even without checking compatibility, 4 years is something, isn’t an age gap like that a bit scary?

Absolutely not because he’s a lower man.

Should I say a slight PTSD from previous life…….

After organizing useless TMI in his head.

Evan held the letter and swallowed the sigh that almost came out.

‘……At least depart within 2 weeks?’

Travel time roughly 1 week?

It’s lamentable there’s no train or anything yet.

I heard they’re developing it, but the Alchemy Tower or other Magic Towers aren’t actively joining yet, so it’s difficult.

Well…… nothing to be done.

‘Can’t not match the time…….’

Nothing to be done.

Let’s go for now.

Stay as quiet as possible and return…….

If they ask for some presentation.

‘Push it to Aegis.’

How much has she eaten in the meantime.

She’ll do at least this.

“?”

Aegis made an expression asking why look at her with Evan’s gaze.

Evan ignored her again.

He saw veins slightly popping on the back of Aegis’s hand, but deliberately ignored.

“Lapis.”

“Yes?”

“How far has Frey come?”

“Eum…… I’ll contact once!”

Lapis jjororok headed to get the crystal ball.

While waiting a bit, someone knocked on the door first.

“Um…… young master.”

“?”

“This time, do you know?”

A contact suddenly flew in. Just in case, asking…… about the ‘Sage’?

‘……Sage? Are you talking about Ludwihi-nim?’

“No. Not that…… a bit short, pretty, with blue hair, they say…….”

Blue hair?

Pretty?

“And they’re heading here now. All to meet young master Evan…….”

“……?”

Somehow familiar word arrangement.

When Evan frowned at a very small sense of déjà vu.

“Evan Evan!”

Lapis appeared jumping poljjak.

“She’s nearby! Says she’ll arrive in a day! But many call her Sage, so don’t misunderstand, she says?”

…..??”

Huh?

What?

Sage?

‘..What the hell is she doing?’

***

In this world, there are two criteria for calling someone a Sage.

One is an outstanding mage.

A powerhouse who surpasses ordinary realms, reaching the level called Archmage or higher.

They are also called Sage out of reverence. It can be seen as another title given to mages of 8th circle or above.

The other criterion is knowledge.

Those who share various enlightenments or miscellaneous knowledge, things ordinary people don’t know, without any price.

People call those wiser than anyone a Sage.

There’s no exact set criterion for Sage.

Roughly, when it reaches this level, they call you Sage~ something like that.

But.

‘..Frey, isn’t she young?’

“Yes. About similar to me? Aah-”

Lapis opened her mouth like a baby bird.

Evan put a piece of carrot in that mouth and asked.

“But why do they call her Sage?”

“Ah, that is, on the way, there was someone struggling, so she helped a bit, but that person made a huge fuss saying she’s a Sage this and that…….”

What exactly did she teach?

Evan spent the day groaning and went outside.

It was out of worry about how she ended up being called a Sage, and whether other nobles or high-nosed mages might pick a fight.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Frey riding some magical creature.

A bit different from usual…… if anything, wearing something like pure white priest robes, a fluffy horse emitting bluish light.

A pure white horn was curiously noticeable.

Dagak, dagak.

“Evan.”

Frey walked in front of Evan and carefully knelt on one knee.

Like a priest greeting a god.

When Evan stared blankly, unable to understand what situation this was-

“Ooooooh!”

A man hidden behind Lapis.

Looking middle-aged, with clear eyes but somehow madness visible, he followed down from the horse and knelt on both knees.

“Is this the person?! The one who bestowed teachings upon the Sage-nim!”

“Yes, correct. Evan Alkart. Bow your head.”

“9999!”

The man let out a mad plea and bowed his head.

“To have taught a Sage……! Please, please! I’ll give anything you desire, so please bestow teachings upon me!”

……0/?

Did she solve the Academy’s 7 great problems in 5 minutes, how did she teach such a disciple, please tell me how!

Please tell me!

Me?