I Possessed the Heroine’s Teacher

“Damn it, this is a big deal. Now that we’re away, Count Holstead’s mansion is practically an empty house. Sure, there are guards, but against that monster, Gawain, that’s nothing. Honestly, if I hadn’t contracted with a Spirit King, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat him. Even if Lorcha and I fought together, the outcome would be uncertain against that monster.”

“Lorcha, you stay here and conserve your magic while taking care of Miss Glacier and Airi. I’ll go to the mansion alone.”

I tried to act cool, but their opposition was unexpectedly strong.

“Stop talking nonsense, you idiot! You’re already injured, aren’t you? And now you want to fight alone? Are you out of your mind?”

“Master, are you crazy? If something happens to you while you’re chasing him alone, what am I supposed to do?”

“I’ll go with you. If the man you just met, Lancelot, is as dangerous as he seems… I can’t let you go alone, Werner.”

But that guy, Gawain, had been seriously wounded too. On top of that, he was exhausted after spewing flames like that. Sure, I had a burn on my arm, but that was just an everyday wound for me. Setting fire to a hotel, creating chaos, and killing targets to erase evidence was my specialty. And along the way, injuries like burns were just accessories I carried.

“I’ll be fine alone.”

I couldn’t leave someone like Count Holstead unattended. I hated the thought of such a kind-hearted fool dying. If he died without me knowing, I’d probably pity him, but now that we’d met face to face, I wouldn’t let him die so easily.

“I’m Werner Alten, the world’s strongest wizard.”

I gave them a firm look, instilling confidence in them. I was telling them I’d be fine, that I could at least save my own life. Seeing my gaze, they had no choice but to let me go. They knew I was someone who could not be easily held back by words.

I was unchained, a man who couldn’t be restrained.

“Then go ahead.”

Lorcha grabbed the collar of my clothes.

“If you come back injured like last time, I’ll just kill you. I’ll preserve your body in formalin and display it as decoration.”

I’d prefer it if she would just act like a tsundere or a yandere. I didn’t want to become mysterious like an announcer from some country. I had to return without any injuries, just like a quest where you have to avoid taking damage.

“Yeah, who’d be scared to leave?”

With those words, I began running toward the mansion. There was a smooth road, but it seemed like it would take too long, so I took a shortcut through the forest. The forest was dark, humid, and hot, but I didn’t care. The only thing I was concerned about was whether I’d be too late.

After running for a while, a disturbing smell hit my nose—thick blood and the stench of human trash.

“Quit hiding and come out, you bastards.”

Their hiding skills were terrible, but judging by their demeanor, their combat abilities were top-notch. These guys were more into straightforward fighting than stealthy assassinations. Ten members of a black round table, wearing masks, emerged, led by what seemed to be a young man and woman.

“Wait, he’s just a simple mage, but he’s running like a real assassin, and he noticed we were hiding… Is he really just a mage?”

“Unless the captain says otherwise, I’d honestly like to ignore this.”

“Don’t lie. You’re excited to kill him, aren’t you?”

“Damn it, did he notice? Still, this is a rare opportunity. We could kill one of the most famous heroes on the continent—it’s the best!”

“Heh, you pleasure-killing freak.”

Ugh… it was no surprise these guys spoke in such crude terms, considering they were from the same line of work. Some people do actually enjoy that sort of thing. And those people tend to have really foul mouths. Comparing them to the stuff you’d hear on community websites is an insult.

“Heh, weren’t you laughing like a maniac when you cut off the count’s ankle last time? I don’t enjoy torturing people like you do, you sadistic bitch.”

Wait, what the hell did she just say?

“You’re the one who raped and killed the count’s sister and pregnant wife right in front of his eyes. I won’t do something like that.”

“Shut up! You’re just as bad, splitting open a woman’s belly—”

I couldn’t let this slide. Normally, I’d joke around and laugh like a cheerful person, thinking like that kid. But when scum like these assholes are in front of me, I couldn’t laugh.

“Hahaha… looks like even the world’s greatest wizard is scared now, huh? Shaking in fear…”

“Hey.”

I couldn’t breathe properly when I knew scum like them were still alive. It was as if, once you were aware of the fact that you were breathing, you had to consciously breathe in and out, like a passive action.

“Don’t even think about going home, you bastards. I won’t send you home, and I won’t spare your lives. I’ll destroy your homes.”

Since the Count’s mansion came first, I couldn’t afford to torture them right away… I’ll tie them up and deal with the Count’s mansion first, then torture them later.

–

–

–

The mansion wasn’t too big or too small.

Gawain was climbing the stairs, blood dripping from his body. It seemed that several knives I had thrown at him during his escape had lodged in his side. The wounds left by the daggers, which were also frozen to prevent them from melting like before, were deep.

“That bastard… doing something so ridiculous… but still, I have to complete the mission.”

Upon reaching the third floor, Gawain headed toward the room with the largest door, which was the head of the family’s quarters. He had found out where the Steel Spirit King was residing, and now it was just a matter of threatening him to obtain the sacred artifact.

“That damn Lancelot… as soon as I return, I’ll frame him and that bitch Galahad as traitors and have them killed.”

However, when Gawain arrived at the door to the head’s room, he was greeted by the old butler. The old butler froze the door and spoke.

“Welcome to the Holstead family’s mansion. The Count is waiting for you, please come in.”

“Hmph, you’re trying to put on a show—maybe you’ve prepared an assassin inside?”

But the old butler didn’t answer. Gawain, deciding not to bother with the old man, ignored him and entered the room. The butler bitterly smiled and began to pray to the goddess.

Count Holstead, who was still coughing up blood, looked even more emaciated than before. Mocking the sight, Gawain smirked and spoke.

“You know why I’m here, right? Just hand over the item and die quickly without suffering—it’s better for both of us.”

“The Black Round Table… Even as a sick man in the countryside, I’m good at gathering information, so I’ve learned quite a lot about you.”

“What…?”

“Thirty years ago, an enigmatic figure who claimed to be a king created an organization. It consisted of knights with unusual traits or weapons… and their subordinates formed an organization that could rival a whole country… On top of that, they infiltrated every nation’s various fields… I couldn’t find out exactly who they were because I ran out of time, but…”

“Most people wouldn’t even know about this, but you really have a knack for it. Too bad you’re going to die today.”

“Yes, I also helped His Highness the Crown Prince with this ability. Though, I’ll die today.”

Count Holstead had already accepted his death.

Of course, the death he was accepting wasn’t the one Gawain was going to deliver.

“This mansion might not be that big… but there are quite a few rooms. Yet, I only gave two rooms to Lord Werner’s group. Do you know why?”

“Why the hell are you saying this now? Are you crazy because you’re about to die?”

“Because the rooms were all full.”

“What the hell are you talking about? The only people in this mansion are you and the old butler outside.”

Not only the mansion, but all the buildings within a 1-kilometer radius were empty.

“This territory’s main industry is mining, so there are more than enough bombs. I’ve got a lot of money too, so I was able to buy mana bombs from the mage tower. And as a lord, I could evacuate all the nearby buildings.”

The many rooms Werner couldn’t enter were filled to the brim with bombs and explosives.

“You bastard, don’t tell me…”

Count Holstead took a magical button out of his pocket. If he pressed it, the mana bomb would explode, setting off all the other bombs and explosives at once. The blast… was something Gawain, already exhausted and bleeding, would have no chance of surviving.

Gawain rushed to kill Count Holstead and snatch the remote control.

“You bastard…”

But his hand never reached the Count. In the Count’s hand, there was a crystal orb.

[Angel’s Eye]

One of the sacred relics said to have been used by Saint Media. It was a relic that temporarily paralyzed the movements of anyone who showed hostility toward the owner.

“The goddess said that revenge is a sin, but… I’d rather fall to hell than leave you alive… You must be strong, right? Strong enough to treat someone like me as a bug…”

Count Holstead raised his thumb toward the switch and said,

“You’re going to die today, like that insignificant bug… cough!”

“Stop… I can’t die like this…”

“The people you and your subordinates killed… My sister and wife also said the same thing. So let’s… fall to hell together…”

With those words, Count Holstead pressed the switch, and the dying Count and the burning knight were swept away in a massive explosion.