The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
chapter-239

“Damn knights, letting people through in the middle of the night...?”

At the gate of Baron Ropenheim's mansion, two knights stood guard. The servant was fed up with the knights who exchanged sexual jokes all the time.

Even if they performed their duties well, how could they let such a boy pass through the mansion?

Soon, a young woman with light gold hair approached. She stood next to Isaac and gave a gentle smile.

What is it now?

The servant had a brief headache but soon felt a twinge of doubt.

Letting these two young people in just like that? No matter how negligent they were in their duties, did that even make sense?

Or...

Did these two, perhaps, knock out the knights?

...No, how could such young kids possibly do that?

The servant shook his head. It was a ridiculous thought.

But the servant's thought was indeed true. Isaac had knocked out the guarding knights in an instant and, together with Alice, had crossed the garden to reach the mansion.

"Hey, do you think it makes sense to meet the lord at this hour? If you do this, the lord won't take it kindly either."

At that moment, a tall man appeared behind the servant.

Hearing a hum, the servant was startled. She quickly stepped aside and bowed deeply to the man.

The man stepped forward, basking in the moonlight.

His illuminated figure oozed dignity, he was a middle-aged man of excellent posture and with his hair slicked back. It was Baron Adrian Ropenheim.

"Sorry for causing a disturbance...! They wanted to see you in the middle of the night, so I tried to chase them away...!"

"It's alright."

Adrian made eye contact with Isaac.

"Did you say your name is Isaac?"

Adrian had been eavesdropping on Isaac's conversation with the servant from the beginning.

He had come out to greet them because he had already realized that the knights on guard had been knocked out by Isaac without a chance to report.

Isaac smiled with a kind face.

"Yes. Nice to meet you, Baron Ropenheim."

"And the lady beside you?"

"This person is my-"

"Wife."

Alice Carroll, with a gentle smile, preemptively wrapped her arms around Isaac's arm and hugged it to her chest.

"…"

Not wanting to make a fuss over such a matter, Isaac let out a low sigh.

It didn't matter to him what role Alice played.

Adrian, as if uninterested in their relationship, raised no questions and turned his back.

"Come in."

Adrian readily let Isaac and Alice into the mansion.

All Adrian needed at the moment was as many sacrifices as he could get his hands on.

And now Isaac suddenly appeared, an orphan who happened to be Eve's brother

He had once thought Isaac would make a good sacrifice. Luck was currently on his side, he’d make good use of Isaac.

Alice was a variable, but to Adrian, who had received power from the King of the Dead, she was merely a pleasing sacrifice.

"…"

Isaac had predicted Adrian's thoughts, and he was right, but he didn't really care what happened.

If entry was restricted, he planned to force his way through.

Meanwhile, the servant couldn't understand why Baron Ropenheim had let Isaac and Alice into the mansion.

Normally, he would have seized the youngsters and thrown them in jail for their atrocities.

Noticing the servant's puzzled expression, Adrian gave a simple explanation.

"He is Eve's brother."

"Ah."

The servant immediately understood the situation, as the household staff knew about Eve's family affairs.

An invited guest. That explained why the guard knights let them in and why Baron Adrian Ropenheim came out to greet them.

Moreover, it made sense that a lowly servant like himself wouldn't be aware of a guest to be received at midnight.

They walked down the dark hallway, relying on the small light of the portable lamp held by the servant. Meanwhile, Alice interlocked her fingers with Isaac's hand.

"Be careful in the dark, Darling."

Isaac, unable to complain, simply said his thanks.

They entered the reception room.

"Bring some tea."

"I'll bring it right away."

The servant went to prepare the tea, and Adrian sat on the sofa. Isaac and Alice sat side by side on the sofa across from him.

The lamp on the table spread its light, faintly illuminating the room. Thanks to this, Adrian could closely examine Isaac's face.

"You do look alike…"

Eve and Isaac had different fathers, yet they had some resemblances. The influence of their mother was significant. Adrian realized this anew.

Before long, the servant brought the tea.

"Thank you."

"Many thanks."

Isaac and Alice greeted politely.

The servant placed the teacups and then quickly left the reception room.

Isaac carefully swirled his teacup before speaking.

"I'm sorry for visiting so late at night."

"You don't need to apologize. I've already seen you knock out my knights, and if you consider me an enemy, there's no need to apologize, is there?"

Even though Adrian had watched through the window as Isaac took down the knights, he had taken no action.

He had a good idea of the situation.

Adrian had abandoned Eve's mother and taken Eve from Isaac. He had always thought it wouldn't be surprising if Isaac sharpened his sword and came for revenge at any time.

"Then this will be quick."

Isaac glared at Adrian with a grin.

"...Where’s my sister?"

Earlier, Isaac had scanned the mansion with [Clairvoyance] and discovered that Eve Ropenheim wasn’t there.

He already had an idea of where she might be. He just asked Adrian to gauge his reaction.

"I'd like to start with this conversation first."

Adrian smirked and leaned back against the sofa.

"I wholeheartedly believe that there are many worthless, human trash in this world. Especially in remote rural areas like this."

Adrian sipped his tea.

"You, in particular. Your magical abilities were inferior, you had a bad birth, and you were desperately poor."

"You remembered that."

"I had to. At one point, while investigating Eve, I couldn't help but learn of your existence."

Adrian's unrestrained words were all provocations meant to belittle Isaac.

They essentially meant, “You especially fit my definition of trash,” and, 'I had no choice but to learn your name.'

"You seem to have honed your fighting skills quite a bit, but where can your lowly origins go? Even if you’ve gotten stronger over the past few years, your best is knocking down a few knights of my house. Your effort is commendable. Although I've spoken harshly, I do thank you. For coming to me of your own accord, and... for the both of you remaining pure.."

Isaac and Alice exchanged sideways glances.

A barrier with dark mana was subtly shimmering in the reception room.

"You mean to tell me a young couple such as yourselves haven’t fornicated yet? You've done me a great favor."

"…"

"I'm in a good mood. Let me reward you with a piece of information."

Adrian smiled and spoke as casually as if they were making small talk.

"I was the one who killed your father."

Adrian sipped his tea and placed the teacup back on the table.

For a moment, Alice winced and furrowed one brow slightly.

"There were two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to break Eve psychologically. In the end, she said harsh words to you and left, just as I instructed. Secondly, I didn't like the fact that he coveted my discarded possession. So, I killed him."

Isaac's father was an ordinary lower-class man with nothing to his name, a husband who loved his wife dearly.

He was also the savior of Isaac's mother, who had been abandoned and hurt by Baron Adrian Ropenheim.

But he lost his life when Isaac was still young. It must have been a world-shattering moment for Isaac's family.

If Isaac's father had lived, his mother wouldn't have died early from overwork and worsening illness.

If not for Adrian's cruel orders, Isaac wouldn't have experienced the devastating feeling of being abandoned by his sister.

Isaac was left alone, tried to survive with no one to rely on, and eventually, in despair, took his own life.

And now, Isaac saw that the cause of all his misfortune lay with the nobleman before him.

This man, drunk on power, had completely ruined, trampled on, and destroyed the life of the real Isaac, a commoner.

So that's how it was.

Isaac quietly muttered to himself.

Only then did Isaac fully understand the family history experienced by the original owner of his body.

"But you can rest assured. Unlike your father, your life will be put to good use. What could be more worthwhile than being born a piece of trash and becoming the foundation for me?"

Adrian grinned slyly. Dark mana welled up in his right eye.

That eye had originally been non-functional due to severe burns from long ago. But now, it was perfectly fine.

Calgart the Necromancer could empower decayed parts. He had imbued Adrian's right eye with dark mana.

Adrian explained to the residents of the mansion that he was fortunate to be healed by a skilled cleric, and only a few who knew the truth trembled in fear.

Several eerie, dark mana spikes emerged behind Adrian with a rumbling sound.

Adrian's dark mana began to pervade the air.

"…?"

However... Isaac remained calm. As if he felt nothing at all.

Adrian furrowed his brow. He had expected Isaac to fall into despair and fear upon hearing the truth, but his reaction was disappointing.

Was he in shock and unable to grasp reality?

As Adrian harbored such doubts, Isaac removed his glasses and spoke.

"Baron Ropenheim."

At least until he captured the Evil God, he had no intention of getting involved in complicated family matters.

That was why Isaac felt truly fortunate.

Because a bastard like this had come along for the ride.

"Is the barrier strong?"

"What?"

A gentle, pale blue coldness flowed from Isaac's body.

The moment Adrian witnessed the chilling coldness that began to freeze everything around him, his eyes widened in astonishment.

It wasn't the typical coldness emitted by an ice elemental wizard. That highly dense coldness was something Adrian had never seen before.

The aura of the [Ice Sovereign]. Isaac decided to exert his dominance over Adrian as he channeled a hint of his brewing anger.

A massive surge of mana descended upon Adrian like a strong pressure.

Adrian, by instinct, felt fear creeping in.

In an instant, a pale blue magic circle unfolded behind Isaac, and in front of it, ice mana condensed.

Adrian desperately extended numerous dark mana spikes.

Kaaaaaah!!!.

A pale blue light flashed and a booming sound rang out.

5-star ice spell [Frost Explosion]. Isaac's process of condensing and exploding his mana had shifted from taking a few seconds to being a blink of an eye.

The sudden explosion of coldness drove back the dark spikes and demolished the building's outer wall, sending sharp ice masses outward with great force.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

The massive ice mass, extending outward, pierced Adrian's body and settled beyond the collapsed outer wall.

"Ugh...!"

Adrian spewed blood from his mouth like a waterfall.

It only took a few moments for his foggy mind to clear.

Soon, he realized that he had been pierced by the sharp end of an ice mass, leaving a large hole in his upper body.

The extreme cold penetrated his bones.

Pain beyond imagination surged through him.

Adrian's body, struck by the explosion of cold, was in a state of severe disarray.

The extreme cold dominated his body.

Adrian gasped for breath.

The dark mana struggled to keep Adrian's vital functions going.

He continuously endured the terrible pain as he was forced to live.

"How did this happen...?"

The dark power, which had made him feel omnipotent and capable of overcoming anything, had been so futilely consumed.

Isaac and Adrian. There was a vast difference in skill between the two.

Adrian couldn't believe that fact.

Thud.

Isaac climbed up the sharp ice mass and walked forward with heavy steps.

Under the bleakly shining crescent moon, Isaac approached Adrian, who was hanging limply from the ice mass, and peered down at him.

The night breeze caressed Isaac's silver-blue hair and skin.

Adrian looked at Isaac with a shocked expression.

"Let me ask you one thing."

Isaac asked coldly.

"Where is Calgart?"

Adrian's eyes trembled.

The otherworldly pale blue aura emanating from Isaac. The immense mana. The unbelievable strength.

And... even asking about the whereabouts of Calgart, he couldn't fail to recognize Isaac's identity.

"Could it be... you are...?"

The title “Ice Sovereign” filled Adrian's mind.

It was hard to accept, but the sight before him was too clear to deny.

In Adrian's memory, Isaac was a talentless, worthless being.

So, the sight before him was hard to believe, but thinking rationally, he began to understand.

Unless he had been an archwizard hiding his power all this time, there was no way he could have reached this level in just a few years.

Adrian concluded. He could never defeat the Ice Sovereign. He was a walking catastrophe, in essence.

It was more than just being unable to win; the land was on the brink of annihilation.

He had trampled on the precious people of the great Elemental King. He had become the object of the king's resentment.

That realization gnawed at Adrian's sanity like a rat.

He heard the sound of the reception room door being roughly pounded on. However, the door, obstructed by a dark barrier, did not open easily.

Isaac crouched down and extended his right hand in front of Adrian's left arm. In front of that right hand, ice mana condensed and a pale blue magic circle unfolded.

Adrian, terrified, urgently shouted, "W-wait a moment...!"

Boom!!

"Arghhh!!!"

A weak [Frost Explosion] mercilessly struck Adrian's left arm.

Adrian squeezed his eyes shut and screamed, only to gasp for air.

His left arm was twisted grotesquely, but no blood flowed. The torn and ripped flesh had frozen, forcibly stopping the bleeding.

The dark mana trying to regenerate Adrian's body was powerless before Isaac's resolute ice.

No longer could any noble dignity be found on Adrian's viciously contorted face.

"Let me ask you again."

Isaac's voice was even colder than ice.

"Where is Calgart?"

Isaac had a burden to bear. The compulsion to defeat the Evil God had always weighed heavily on him.

So, if it was clear that the opponent he had to face on this journey to defeat the Evil God had embraced malice...

For Isaac, who had already withstood intense pressure, there was nothing to hesitate about.

The knights stationed there all rushed out to the garden. They were horrified as they looked at Adrian impaled on the ice mass.

"T-that is...!"

Adrian couldn't answer hastily. Revealing Calgart's location would drive this land to ruin.

Boom!!

"Aaaargh!!!"

[Frost Explosion] struck Adrian's right arm as well.

"Your answer?"

"Please, stop... please, just stop!"

Boom!!

"Arghhh!!"

Isaac used [Frost Explosion] again, mangling Adrian's right leg.

In the garden, the knights hurled their weapons at Isaac. However, Alice intercepted all of them using telekinesis.

Isaac's gaze remained fixed on Adrian.

"Speak."

Isaac glared at Adrian up close. His voice was firm and mocking.

When Adrian, consumed by pain, couldn't respond, [Frost Explosion] was cast on his remaining leg.

Boom!!

Isaac grabbed Adrian's screaming head.

His limbs could no longer function properly. Adrian collapsed.

Finally, Adrian, who was shedding tears as he gritted his teeth in pain…

"I'm sorry, I'll tell you... just please stop. Please..."

He confessed everything.