I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 82

The place we are heading to now is a spot I've saved to visit once I get a little closer to Choi Yeon, a place I wouldn't even attempt to go without her.

"...Garden?"

"Isn't this your first time here?"

"Yes. It's my first time seeing this place."

The garden Titania, located within the academy.

After Ray Pendragon became the student council president, it was a man-made forest created as a welfare for students by numerous spirit summoners, mages, and awakened ones.

Its size alone is about that of a university campus, and it is a famous spot known as the most popular date course for academy couples.

"But why are we here? Don't tell me..."

What strange idea does this guy have now──

"Sparring?"

Yes, Choi Yeon was this kind of character.

Is sparring all she thinks about no matter what?

I sighed and pointed to the map at the entrance.

"We're going there."

"...Vivian Lake?"

"Yes, we're heading there."

To be precise, it could be called a storage for elixirs.

This forest, created by Ray Pendragon, was a public space made by collecting membership fees to provide a rest area for students.

A place where all students can freely use and rest.

However, one day, a player who enrolled in the academy would receive a mysterious note, and by following the trail of that note and engaging in a linked quest, they would uncover the truth about the student council and Ray Pendragon...

It was one of the places that plays a crucial role in the climax of the scenario even in the student council route.

And I plan to ignore all of this and just snatch the reward.

Using Choi Yeon.

"Choi Yeon. Just in case, can you use Water Cleave?"

"Water Cleave? I can use it, but..."

"That's a relief. Then follow me."

As we entered the forest with Choi Yeon, the fresh air and the fragrant scent from the planted flowers tickled our noses.

Butterflies, bees, and occasionally visible fairies flying around.

Choi Yeon seemed quite fascinated by the scenery, turning around and looking around busily.

"It doesn't feel like Korea."

"It wouldn't. This is a kind of manasport that Pendragon created to reenact myths."

"...Manasport?"

"Yes, manasport."

And beneath this, there's also a dungeon located under our club room.

"When students use their abilities within the academy, instead of scattering the mana, it's gathered here. Or rather, it's gathered in the lake in the middle of the forest."

And that mana, under the influence of this forest created based on myths, is reborn as an elixir.

That's the elixir called 'Vivian's Spring Water'.

An elixir that greatly boosts mana and aura, raising current stats to their maximum value, making its value truly immeasurable.

Well, it's only natural since it's made from the mana gathered from a place where the world's most talented heroes gather, the Seoul Hero Academy.

"Is it similar to our ancestral mountain?"

Choi Yeon murmurs as she listens to my explanation.

The ancestral mountain she refers to seems to be 'that place' owned by the Cheongcheon family and used as a training ground.

Well, the principle is similar, so it's technically correct. But I should pretend not to know for now.

"Ancestral mountain? Are you talking about the mountain owned by your Cheongcheon family?"

"Yes. I heard that the Cheongcheon family members train there because it's a place where mana gathers."

Huh? Wait a minute.

"...Is that something you can tell outsiders?"

"Oh, right."

As far as I know, the fact that the ancestral mountain owned by Choi Yeon's family gathers mana is a family secret.

Yet, the guy in front of me just casually mentioned it as if it were nothing.

"Forget what I just said. If Grandfather finds out, I'll be in trouble."

...It's not you who will be in trouble; he'll come to silence me!

I sighed and nodded my head.

"I didn't hear anything."

"Thanks."

She didn't go around telling other kids, did she...?

No way, Choi Yeon wouldn't do that.

She's just a bit of a spacey character. Not a fool.

"...Butterflies. They're pretty."

Choi Yeon, following the fluttering butterflies around with a bright smile.

...She's not really a fool, right?

Despite that, she managed to catch the hard-to-catch blue fairy butterfly with her bare hands, proving her skills were still intact.

"Let it go. It's registered as school property, and you'll get demerit points."

"Oh."

Choi Yeon reluctantly released the butterfly she had caught, looking disappointed.

And then she waved goodbye to the butterfly.

At this rate, we won't reach our destination even after the first class ends, so I grabbed Choi Yeon's sleeve.

"Hey?"

"Follow me. You can look around while we walk."

"Oh, okay."

Thanks to Pendragon, who unnecessarily made it so damn big, it would take about 10 minutes to reach our destination even if we walked briskly.

We'd be in the forest the whole time, so there wouldn't be much hindrance to sightseeing.

But...

"I've never seen that flower before."

"The butterflies are sparkling...?"

"Is that a snake? Grandfather would love it if I caught it."

"There's a stream here."

"Looks like they skipped class too."

In fact, Choi Yeon's mouth was moving almost non-stop as if I were dragging her along.

Was she always this talkative?

No, I can definitely say Choi Yeon was not an NPC with a lot of dialogue.

"Do you talk this much when you're with other kids too?"

"Huh...? No, I don't think so."

"It seems like you're talking a lot more now than usual."

Choi Yeon tilted her head, as if wondering if that was true.

"Hmm... Maybe it's because there's so much new stuff to see that I'm getting excited."

"A lot of new stuff?"

"Yes. Usually, I only swing my sword at home. When I come to a new place like this, I guess I get a bit excited without realizing it."

At that moment, I remembered that traveling and sparring were the most efficient ways to increase Choi Yeon's affection in the game.

Sparring is one thing, but why does traveling increase her affection so much? There must be some backstory to that.

It was a part you couldn't know in a game with set routes.

So.

"...We have enough time before the first class ends. Take your time looking around."

"Thanks."

I slowed down my pace a bit.

* * *

Soon, the sound of flowing water began to be heard faintly.

The large blue lake 'Vivian' located in the center of the forest.

This is the place where Pendragon carefully hid the elixir.

"Choi Yeon. Do you know a bit about the myth of King Arthur?"

"......A little. I learned it from my family, so I know. Is it related to this place?"

"Of course it is. According to the myth, King Arthur received Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, and there's a theory that the Lady of the Lake's name was Vivian. And this lake is also named......"

"......Vivian, right?"

"Yes, and now we're going to enter inside Vivian."

As I said that, I approached the front of the lake and glanced at the sign that read [No Swimming].

It looked like an ordinary sign.

But.

"Was it around here?"

Disabling the security totem disguised as a warning sign wasn't too difficult.

"Heave-ho."

After lifting and removing the sign, I quietly placed it beside me.

"......Is it okay to remove that?"

"It's a security device. I just turned it off temporarily."

"A security device?"

It was a simple security device that signaled the mage when someone entered the water, but since it was a totem installed on the academy grounds, it couldn't be set up with complex spells, so it could be easily deactivated like this.

Of course, this was only possible if you knew that such a trivial sign was actually a totem.

"You just need to use Water Cleave towards the center of the lake. By the way, do you have a sword?"

Choi Yeon shook her head at my question.

"No. I can do it with my hand, but shall we try?"

If it were just ordinary water, I would have said to go ahead, but this place is a kind of vault that holds the elixir.

Using just your hand might not be enough.

"Then wait a moment."

I'm sure I stashed one around here somewhere.......

Ah, found it.

"How about this?"

As I said that, I pulled out a grotesquely shaped machete from the cube, which I had taken from the Triad at Incheon Port in the past.

It looks flimsy, but it's actually a rare item with 'Durability Enhancement'.

I kept it aside thinking I might need it later, and fortunately, I found a use for it now.

"......How much force should I use for Water Cleave?"

"Full force."

"It looks like it might break after one use, is that okay?"

You think a machete with 'Durability Enhancement' would break after one swing?

"I'd like you to use Water Cleave in a way that doesn't cause damage to the surroundings."

"You don't need to worry about that. Water Cleave is a quiet technique."

As she said that, Choi Yeon gripped the machete I handed her and took a middle stance.

At the same time, the aura swirled around her.

Then she swung the sword down from above in a simple motion.

With a soft 'tap', the tip of the machete touched the surface of the water.

At the same time.

──────!

The water split wide open on both sides, revealing the hidden stairs.

This was why I came here with Choi Yeon.

Vivian loves talented swordsmen.

Therefore, only swordsmen who have reached a certain level can enter the space inside Vivian.

Probably, among the students at the academy, only Ray Pendragon and Choi Yeon could open this place.

I would never have been able to reach here alone, focusing on guns and fists, but to come here so quickly, I couldn't help but feel excited.

At that moment, Choi Yeon, who had walked over with a gloomy expression, handed me something.

"I tried, but it broke. I'm sorry."

Bowing her head, Choi Yeon handed me the machete, which now only had the handle left.

But compared to the key to open Vivian's Lake, such a piece of iron was insignificant.

"No, it's something I picked up from the ground, so don't apologize. Just opening this place is enough for me to be grateful."

"......Really?"

Saying that, she suddenly puffed out her chest.

"Then be grateful."

......What's with this girl, really.

"Yes, thank you."

"Mm."

Leaving Choi Yeon, who looked pleased, behind, I descended the stairs.

The walls of water on either side were visible.

The fish swimming there, released for ornamental purposes, were clearly visible.

Walking through the water like this, I felt like Moses.

"It's pretty."

Perhaps finding it fascinating that the water she had split was solidified, Choi Yeon followed me, poking the water wall with her finger.

Leaving her behind, I stood in front of what looked like a pure white temple made of marble and pushed the white door open to enter.

Then, a heavy sound echoed as the interior of the temple slowly revealed itself.

"......Seeing it in person is even more ridiculous. Does it really take being the president of the academy's student council to secretly build such a facility at the academy?"

As the door opened, a white light shone inside the temple like the sun.

Not only the ceiling but also the walls and floor were densely covered with runes and spells.

The faint light they emitted seemed to sanctify the empty temple.

And in the center of such a temple, there was a small spring emitting light all by itself.......

"──Found it."