Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 318 - The More Difficult, The Better

“Nathan Whiskers, to summarize what you’ve said so far… Are you saying that Ivecar Academy will participate in the exchange program with unprecedented strength?”

“Yes, although I can’t confirm the veracity… I’m certain. You already know, don’t you? I’m Teacher Ethan Whiskers’ younger brother.”

The person Nathan met was a man with a huge build wearing extremely small monocle glasses.

Draxler Kudus.

Although he was from the Kudus family, one of the Twelve Families of the Demon Empire, he had left that place on his own, officially immigrated to the Holy Empire, and became recognized for his abilities as a master teacher at Freya Academy.

Draxler’s role was incredibly significant in Freya Academy not only surpassing Ivecar but also solidifying its first place position.

After all, the title of Master is as impressive as Regia’s.

The name Master isn’t given to just anyone.

That’s why Master Draxler was an incredible talent sought after by numerous academies.

While Regia had already settled in the imperial palace and couldn’t be recruited, Draxler was a free agent.

Freya Academy was the one who won that competition.

With Draxler’s recruitment, Freya made a great leap forward.

At last, they could proudly claim to be the best of the best.

“That’s good news. Quite so. In many ways.”

“I don’t think it’s simply good news. My brother’s leap is a great joy for me as family, but as a student of Freya Academy who needs to perform well in the inter-academy exchange, it’s not good news.”

Nathan Whiskers said with a determined expression.

Draxler looked at Nathan as if he found him interesting.

“There must be a reason you’re telling me this, Nathan Whiskers?”

“Yes, of course. Freya must remain at the top until I graduate.”

Nathan said.

“The Whiskers family has risen to the high position of the Twelve Families. But that doesn’t change my goal. I want to graduate while maintaining the top position from the best background. For that, Freya Academy needs to become stronger. And actually…”

Nathan had a very strong sense of pride.

Of course, after seeing his brother who had fully recovered during this vacation, he gave up on the idea of winning against him.

He just wanted to beat Ivecar, where Ethan belonged, while being part of Freya Academy as a group.

His brother was an incredibly great and admirable person, but Ivecar had other teachers besides his brother.

“I don’t think I can beat my brother with my skills. But if academies fight each other, there’s at least a chance of winning. I need to win at least once so I can tease my brother about it later, right?”

“Hahaha.”

Draxler laughed pleasantly as he looked at Nathan.

Within Freya, Nathan was evaluated as an excellent student.

He was called one of the five stars within the academy and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had no rivals in the same grade.

The only thing he lacked was background, but now that had been resolved too.

But more than anything else, Draxler was quite impressed by Nathan’s spirit.

His brother Ethan had suddenly become amazing, so in some ways, he could have harbored ill feelings towards him.

Despite that, Nathan showed no such emotions.

Rather, he showed a willingness to face the name Ethan Whiskers without fear, which made Draxler quite pleased.

“Your father must be very happy, Nathan. To have two brothers with such admirable mindsets.”

After saying that, he stood up from his seat.

“Alright. As you said, I’ll use my power once. Nathan, as our Freya’s proud student, put even more effort into preparing for the exchange program.”

“Yes, sir!”

With this, he had taken one step forward.

Nathan intended to do what he could until the exchange program.

“Next.”

The students who were called the five stars of Freya along with him.

It was time to go find them.

***

“Is Teacher Ethan inside? I’m Geralt. Please tell him inside that I’ve brought the items he entrusted me with before.”

Ethan had asked a blacksmith who would become a future Goldhand to make equipment.

Geralt, who had received the request at that time, had made the equipment as requested and came to deliver it.

In the past, he had a face that lacked confidence because he didn’t trust himself well, but now it was different.

He was full of confidence and, above all, seemed to be overflowing with composure.

“I’ll deliver it right away.”

The guard went inside, and not long after, Ethan came out.

“Teacher Ethan, it’s been a while!”

“Geralt!”

Ethan greeted Geralt warmly.

Originally, this sword and armor that Ethan had commissioned from Geralt were supposed to be used during the inter-academy exchange. But Geralt couldn’t meet the deadline.

“I’m really sorry for the delay. But I can say that the performance is that much better.”

Geralt showed the cloth-wrapped sword.

At that moment, Ethan’s eyes lit up.

‘This.’

Normally, this wouldn’t be the time for awakening.

Ethan had also planned to take time to awaken him and then bring him to the territory.

But the sword he showed now clearly proved that he had awakened.

Even without unwrapping the cloth, he could tell. It was as excellent as if a Goldhand had made it directly.

‘So that’s why it took so long.’

“There was a reason it took so long.”

Ethan received the sword and lifted it slightly.

As he lifted the sword, it hummed with a ‘woong’ sound.

“It seems to recognize its master.”

It was a sword made with great care. At first, he tried to meet the deadline, but Ethan’s words kept lingering in his mind.

Those words that it was okay to fail.

So he boldly faced it. He used techniques he normally wouldn’t use for fear of failure and put in a little more effort. He also tried using various materials.

He also used magic that he hadn’t used before, thinking it was too early.

Perhaps it was because he made up his mind that it was okay to fail. Everything he worried would fail succeeded, and all of those became Geralt’s experiences.

Before he knew it, the deadline had long passed.

During that time, Geralt’s skills began to rise rapidly.

But for a blacksmith, the quality of equipment isn’t the only important thing. Keeping promises is also important.

He was a blacksmith who couldn’t even meet the delivery deadline.

But despite that, the reason he brought this sword was because he wanted to show it to Ethan.

He wanted to show Ethan the sword he had poured his soul into making after hearing it was okay to fail.

“This is the kind of sword I wanted.”

At those words from Ethan, Geralt’s heart beat loudly.

He had heard countless praises until now, but he had never been as happy as he was now.

“Thank you for believing in me, Teacher Ethan.”

Geralt bowed his head deeply.

“Geralt, it’s not that I believed in you. It’s that you believed in yourself.”

Ethan gently shook his head and approached Geralt.

“Teacher Ethan…”

“So, you know that I’m a member of the Whiskers family, right?”

“Ah, yes! I know. Congratulations! I’ve heard many good things about the Whiskers family at the forge!”

“Thank you. But because our Whiskers has grown too suddenly, we’re severely lacking in talent. The land is large and there are so many visitors, but there are no craftsmen. It’s embarrassing that there are no craftsmen to represent Count Whiskers’ territory.”

Ethan said this while making eye contact with Geralt.

“We especially need blacksmiths. There are some dwarf blacksmiths in the territory, but no human blacksmiths.”

“…”

“Mr. Geralt, our territory desperately needs someone like you.”

“M-me?”

The Whiskers family is no longer the humble local family of the past.

They are now a member of the Twelve Families. One of the most powerful families representing the continent.

They may lack tradition, but their potential and future possibilities are sufficient.

“Please become the representative blacksmith of our Whiskers.”

Geralt was very flustered by Ethan’s recruitment offer, but he couldn’t hide his leaking smile.

‘It’s done.’

Geralt slowly nodded.

“My skills are lacking, but how could I refuse an offer from Teacher Ethan? I look forward to working with you! I’ll do my best!”

The future Goldhand. No, Geralt, a blacksmith who could now be rightfully called a Goldhand, joined Count Whiskers’ territory.

***

Ethan quickly surveyed all the territories where the Whiskers flag was flying.

‘Now that I know the Dawn Council is targeting me, it wouldn’t be strange if anything happens.’

They would probably target him directly rather than the territory, but they might use unexpected methods.

‘I know because I experienced it directly from the inside.’

They stop at nothing.

‘It’s a shame that the Rosicrucian Order has been nearly annihilated.’

After all, the Rosicrucian Order wasn’t fundamentally different from the Dawn Council.

‘But I got important information, so.’

“Wait a minute.”

Ethan, who was mulling things over, suddenly opened his eyes wide.

“Then that means there are no 1st and 2nd Apostles in the Dawn Temple, the headquarters of the Dawn Council right now.”

Probably only the head of the council remains there.

‘Let’s set aside information about the head of the council since it’s shrouded in mystery. Right now, the only Apostle guarding the Dawn Temple is the 4th Apostle.’

Ethan had already dealt with the 5th Apostle.

Among the Apostles below that, there was no one who could be a match for Ethan.

‘There are probably quite a few First Orders with special abilities.’

But all of them can be dealt with.

“Even if I deal with the 3rd Apostle and that fact is conveyed to the 1st and 2nd Apostles in the Demon Empire, they absolutely can’t leave their posts.”

Then this time, Ethan can be in a position to take revenge.

‘I can catch them off guard.’

The headquarters of the Dawn Council is thoroughly hidden.

Even among the followers of the Dawn Council, no one knows unless they become an Apostle-level member.

And the Apostles who know the location never betray the council.

‘Because they immediately lose their abilities if they betray. They absolutely can’t betray.’

Ethan, who had reached quite deep even though he hadn’t reached the level of an Apostle, knew the approximate location of the Dawn Temple, the headquarters of the Dawn Council.

“I can’t just keep taking hits.”

But there was no need to think too far into the future.

The priority is to deal with the imminent issues one by one.

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment and searched through the knowledge in his head. How to definitely wrap up this situation.

The 3rd Apostle will absolutely not come alone, and will probably mobilize all the power he has.

Then there’s no point in changing the stage from this Ivecar to somewhere else.

‘I’ll need to lure them. But the lure won’t work. Rather, I’ll be the one lured.’

They will probably destroy Ivecar and form public opinion by mentioning Ethan’s name. That’s something the followers of the Moon are very good at.

‘Above all, I’ve invested a lot in this Ivecar.’

Then it would be better to go for defense rather than evacuating them.

“If it’s defense rather than an attack. Ivecar is a place with definite advantages after all.”

The key is to utilize the mana restriction, Ivecar’s most crucial defense measure.

“If used well, we can even gain the upper hand.”

Now Ethan had two assignments given to him.

Prepare for the inter-academy exchange.

“And prepare for the 3rd Apostle.”

They were difficult assignments, but he had to accomplish them.

There was no choice but to accomplish them.

“The more difficult it is, the more fun it is.”