In My Second Life, I Rule from the Shadows-Chapter 162 : Vacation (1)

Chapter 162: Vacation (1)
♠ ◆ ♥ ♣
The semester had ended.
Except for the small number of cadets and graduate students who still had exams left, everyone else left Bayern with bright expressions.
Tap.
Carl was also in the middle of packing to return to his hometown, Leipzig.
He hadn’t signed up for additional studies, so he could have left Bayern immediately, but he stayed a few extra days to monitor Origin’s movements after defeating Barnabe.
‘Are they trying to gauge the situation for now?’
Carl concluded as much.
Most of NOX had already gone into hiding in safe locations, and external affairs were being managed comprehensively by Lahan.
Thanks to NOX’s assistance, Lahan had successfully reclaimed all sectors and was fulfilling his role exceptionally well.
“First, I need to start in Leipzig and get moving quickly.”
Matters in the capital were one thing.
But the reorganization of NOX, headquartered in Leipzig, could no longer be postponed.
It wasn’t anything grand, but it was still a crucial task for NOX’s future growth.
Carl placed his packed luggage by the door.
Bayern would send the miscellaneous items later, so he left the dorm with only the essentials.
“Oh, you’re heading back today?”
Just as he stepped outside, he ran into Maximilian, who was drenched in sweat, likely returning from training.
“My parents were quite insistent that I come down quickly. I have things to take care of anyway, so I plan to head down first.”
“Got it, have a safe trip. We’ll see each other soon enough anyway.”
“You too, Maximilian. Enjoy your time.”
Carl nodded and returned the farewell.
Their group had planned to reunite during the vacation.
The most likely destination was the sea, and they intended to stay at a villa owned by either Gale or Amy’s family.
They were all from noble houses, so owning a few villas wasn’t unusual.
With a generous schedule set to handle NOX’s affairs first, there should be no issues.
Just as Carl left Bayern and was waiting his turn at the Teleport Gate, he remembered something he had forgotten.
“I forgot to contact Laysis.”
At the last end-of-semester banquet, she had seemed to misunderstand something when she saw him enter together with Yuria.
Since Yuria brushed it off as nothing, he hadn’t gotten a chance to explain.
After that, he had been too busy with NOX-related matters to meet her, and they had only exchanged a few messages via the Archive.
‘She’s probably still diligently training in the Boundless Azure Sword Technique, even during vacation.’
The Laysis Carl knew was more likely to train harder, not slack off.
He considered leaving her a letter, just in case, but decided against it since they would be seeing each other during the trip anyway.
Besides, he couldn’t delay any longer—his family was waiting in Leipzig.
“Then, teleporting to the Leipzig territory. Please be mindful of teleportation nausea.”
As the mage gave a warning, Carl stepped into the center of the gate, and a dazzling light engulfed him.
Soon, the teleportation ended, and Carl realized he had returned from the capital, Polfoardel, to his hometown, Leipzig.
‘What level must one reach to truly understand this?’
Teleportation remained endlessly fascinating, no matter how many times he experienced it.
With his limited knowledge, he could only grasp a fraction of how it worked.
It was a field different from martial arts, requiring deeper magical knowledge.
‘They said only a handful on the continent can perform long-distance teleportation on their own.’
It was a technique only a few high-ranking Archmages could perform.
Being able to teleport long distances without a gate meant one could penetrate deep into enemy territory during war or emergencies, unleash large-scale magic at the core, and then retreat unharmed.
That made the importance of mages all the more evident.
‘I need to devote more attention to magic, alongside martial arts.’
While his martial skills had advanced rapidly during the first semester at Bayern, his magic progress had been modest.
His magic study sessions with Yuria were mostly theoretical and focused on her research, so there weren’t many opportunities to apply what he learned.
But now that he understood Yuria’s true intentions and could receive her genuine cooperation, perhaps he could receive more practical support in magic as well.
—Waaaah!!!
As Carl stepped out of the teleport gate lost in thought, a thunderous cheer hit his ears.
Startled, he instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, but quickly dropped his guard and gave an awkward smile at the sight before him.
Bang! Bang bang! Bang!
Amid the deafening cheers, colorful fireworks burst into the sky even in broad daylight, painting the air in vibrant hues.
A massive crowd had gathered in front of the gate, and Carl spotted some familiar faces at the front.
“Carl.”
His father, Count Leipzig—Carlos Leipzig—welcomed his son with open arms.
His mother, Cheryl, wiped away tears as she looked at her youngest child who had returned after several months.
Stepping down from the Teleport Gate, Carl glanced around.
Not just his parents, but the family knights and retainers had all come out to greet him in full force.
Citizens walking through the plaza where the Teleport Gate was located began to gather as they watched the procession of the Leipzig Count’s Household.
“There really was no need to welcome me this grandly.”
“How could we not?”
Count Carlos Leipzig welcomed his son with a broad smile, contrary to his fierce-looking appearance.
“A letter came from Bayern. Carl, you were named the top student in theory for first-year with overwhelming scores. Everyone’s singing your praises. How could I be any prouder?”
“Who would’ve thought you'd finish the semester with even higher marks than me.”
Carius, the eldest son standing next to Count Carlos, chuckled as he ruffled Carl’s hair.
He had taken his first vacation to coincide with Carl’s return, having joined the Raging Flame Knights.
His noticeably shorter hair now gave him the look of a proper knight.
“Now, now, let’s head inside. We’ve prepared a banquet just for you.”
“Understood.”
Carl boarded the carriage and returned straight to the mansion.
Following the advancing carriage, the procession of knights and retainers stretched out in a festive display.
However, the second son, Darius, was still staying at the Academy.
He was set to graduate this year and had related engagements, so he was scheduled to return in a few days.
Though it remained uncertain whether Count Carlos would receive him with the same enthusiasm as Carl.
“For the return of the Young Master!”
“Hahaha! To think the top theory student came from Leipzig! What a surprise!”
“Wasn’t Young Master Carl always exceptionally smart? He must’ve fully bloomed in Bayern.”
“I heard he’s fully recovered his health, too. Truly, the blood of Leipzig runs strong.”
The banquet continued late into the night.
While Count Carlos, the knights, and retainers drank merrily, Carl, the guest of honor, quietly slipped away near the end of dinner.
Northern banquets traditionally continued until everyone collapsed from exhaustion.
There was no need to foolishly stay until dawn.
Creak.
Returning to his room after a long while, Carl leaned against the terrace of the quiet space and sipped a glass of wine alone.
“…This isn’t so bad.”
Carl gazed at the brightly lit banquet hall and smiled faintly.
Though he had briefly stopped by during a previous practicum, returning now after finishing the semester truly felt like coming home.
‘Coming home, huh.’
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
It felt strange to have such a sentimental thought.
How had it been back in the Central Plains?
He had considered the Killing Veil his affiliation, but never thought of it as home.
He wandered wherever his feet led, carried out missions when assigned, and wandered again.
If there was ever a time he lived somewhat like a person, it must’ve been during his stay at the Heavenly Righteousness Academy.
‘Am I changing, little by little?’
He had grown complacent.
But that didn’t necessarily mean it was a bad thing.
After all, he had aimed to cast off his past as an assassin in this Second Life.
From the Unkillable Mu-ak to Carlos Leipzig.
At this rate, the day might come when he could even open up his heart to others.
Whirl.
Carl rolled the glass in his hand and, leaning on the terrace, gazed at the starry night sky.
Since ancient times, the northern skies were known for their beautiful starlight.
Even now, countless bright lights shone vividly in the deep navy sky.
“…A game, huh.”
Yuria had said this world was a game.
Whether it truly matched the game she played was unknown, but if her words were true, there was definitely a connection.
‘If it is a game, then the entity in control must be the Primordial God.’
If the Demigods had started a war to claim the seat of the Primordial God, could it be for that reason?
If their goal wasn’t just to be characters in a game, but to become real, existing beings?
Clink.
After sipping a bit of wine, Carl gave a slight shake of his head.
It wasn’t a matter to jump to conclusions about.
He didn’t think Yuria had lied, but it was such a drastic claim that it needed some verification.
The easiest way would be to find the so-called Hidden Pieces she mentioned.
If he could unearth the places where those absurdly powerful items were said to lie, he could evaluate the truth of her words.
‘She said there was one in Leipzig too.’
Since he mentioned he would be returning home at the start of vacation, she had told him about one located here.
Amusingly, it was in the Temple of the Fallen Heretic, which he had already raided during a previous practicum.
The boss monsters there were the Death Knight on the second floor and a Lich on the third.
But according to Yuria, there was a hidden fourth floor, and defeating the boss there would reward one with a Hidden Piece.
When he asked why she hadn’t attempted it before, Yuria simply shrugged and said:
—That place is out of my league. You need at least a Sword Master or Archmage-tier party to even have a chance. If you get the time, Carl, give it a shot. But make sure you’re thoroughly prepared. It’s a whole different level from the second and third floors.
It was an intriguing proposition.
A secret within the Temple of the Fallen Heretic that even he, despite thoroughly investigating the place, hadn’t known.
If he could prove it true, it would lend more credibility to Yuria’s words.
“…Seems I’ll be very busy for the next few days.”
He needed to attend events for the Leipzig Family, reorganize NOX, and prepare to raid the fourth floor of the Temple of the Fallen Heretic.
He had other plans afterward as well, so he wanted to complete everything within five days at most.
That meant he’d have to stay on the move non-stop starting tomorrow.
Tap.
Emptying the glass, Carl shut the terrace door and returned inside his room.
To prepare for the day to come once again.