Ch 12 - A Perfect Opportunity
Episode 12. A Perfect Opportunity
Human memory is finite and fragile.
But, just as breathing is something you never forget, there are always certain things people can’t help but remember.
For Ferda, that was the people he hated.
Not just their names—no, it was a list of those he hated and wanted revenge on. A literal *kill list*.
To fuel his hatred, he’d dug into their achievements.
To plan his revenge, he’d studied their flaws.
*‘Looking back now, that was pretty ridiculous.’*
When he thought about why he hated them, his reasons were drenched in paranoia.
Frankly, it was all so petty it made him cringe.
*‘But now that I’ve come back to the past, all that has turned out to be useful.’*
Ferda knew the strengths and weaknesses of those who would become major players in the future.
People who, if given the right opportunities, could’ve done far better.
People who could’ve reached greatness if only someone had helped them realize their talents earlier.
*‘There’s no shortage of capable individuals.’*
If anything, there were too many.
The idea of recruiting all of them was impossible, not to mention unrealistic.
Even out of the over 100 people Ferda found tempting to bring in, he knew not all of them would fit together or work harmoniously.
*‘I’ll have to prioritize.’*
Now that Ferda was officially Valdrova’s fiancé and acting lord in her stead, he had to think about what the domain truly needed.
*‘The entirety of Valdrova’s territory is currently neglected.’*
The Sovereign of the Void hadn’t been directly managing her lands, leaving it to local lords instead.
With no one to monitor them, public sentiment had taken a sharp downturn.
*‘I need to focus on restoring the livelihood of the people.’*
Though Ferda had decided on his course of action, he knew that was easier said than done.
When a ruler meddles in the affairs of local lords, it’s not uncommon for them to push back, or worse, for a civil war to break out.
*‘Luckily, that part’s already been handled.’*
When Ferda sent out letters to the lords, he’d fully expected resistance from the upper echelon.
But his expectations were gloriously shattered. Instead of complaints, he received letters from the remaining 14 lords swearing their loyalty to him.
*‘It seems Ruri’s little performance—executing and hanging that one lord’s head at the castle gate—worked wonders.’*
The lords had realized they couldn’t afford to ignore or defy Ferda.
For now, he’d leave the internal situation alone.
*‘Next is dealing with external threats.’*
The main threats? Monsters and beasts that spread chaos.
Valdrova’s territory was located in the far eastern region, next to lands corrupted by the Demon King’s influence.
As the corruption spread, it was beginning to encroach on this area as well.
*‘One of the biggest causes is the monsters.’*
These monsters, warped by demonic energy or outright created by it, were a common plague.
Even in the central continent, you’d occasionally find them, but here, near the demonic lands of the far east, their numbers were far greater.
*‘The presence of monsters pollutes the land.’*
The longer monsters stayed in one area, the faster the land deteriorated.
Life couldn’t flourish there, and even existing organisms were tainted by their presence.
Because of this, monster extermination requests were always treated as urgent.
*‘If I can reduce casualties and land contamination caused by these monsters…’*
The food supply would naturally increase, and public morale would recover.
While Valdrova, as the ruler, would focus on external threats, Ferda decided his role would be to handle internal ones.
*‘For that, what we need most is *technology*.’*
It wasn’t just about having well-trained soldiers.
Even ordinary citizens needed the means to effectively hunt monsters.
With this as his priority, Ferda pulled out names from his *kill list*.
After narrowing it down, he settled on four individuals.
—
“These are the people we need to recruit first.”
Ruri looked over the paper Ferda handed her and read the names:
– Vernell Marquis
– Jed Swallow
– Echidna Philias
– Hellus Povidus
The moment she read it, her face twisted into a frown.
“These names… I’ve never even heard of these people.”
“That’s not surprising. They haven’t made a name for themselves yet.”
“I told you to recruit talent, not call in some random friends to play government officials.”
Her sharp glare carried the weight of her dragonfear, pressing down on Ferda.
*‘It’s definitely weaker now.’*
Since the engagement ceremony, the effects of her dragonfear have significantly diminished.
Even so, it was still unsettling.
After all, being glared at by what looked like a 14-year-old girl was strange enough to make anyone uneasy.
“Do I really strike you as the kind of person who’d do that?”
“You don’t, which is exactly why it’s so suspicious.”
“Your logic is all over the place.”
“Anyway, mind explaining who these people are? Aside from Hellus Povidus, I’ve never heard of the other three.”
Hellus Povidus was a mage known as the Sage of Water.
His advice was so wise that both kings and lords highly valued him.
“I’ll say this now: the three others are even more important than Hellus Povidus.”
“Alright, so start explaining.”
“The first person we need to find is Vernell Marquis. He lives in a city called Escoleia.”
At the mention of the city’s name, Ruri immediately asked, “Is he a scholar?”
“Yes.”
Escoleia, a city in the central-eastern region, was known as the city of scholars.
Since the only reason to go there was for scholarly pursuits, Ruri guessed right away.
“Scholars are given titles, right?”
“Yes, when they graduate from the academy. Why?”
“It’s relevant. His title is’Mess.'”
“Do you want to turn this castle into a disaster zone? Revealing your true nature right after getting engaged isn’t a great idea, you know.”
Since a scholar’s title could determine their entire career, negative titles were avoided at all costs.
But being called’mess’? That meant even his peers found him intolerable.
“There’s a reason he got that title—it means he tries things no one else would dare to.”
“Maybe there’s a reason no one else tries those things?”
“Of course. But he keeps trying anyway.”
“So, he’s just a fool?”
“He’s a man with conviction.”
“A stubborn fool, then.”
Ferda couldn’t argue with that.
When he first met Vernell, he’d thought the exact same thing.
Even under constant ridicule and scorn, Vernell continued down his chosen path.
It was frustrating, yet oddly admirable.
*‘Stubborn fools like him always manage to pull it off.’*
No matter how much others cursed him or called his efforts a waste of time, the solitary path he walked would eventually bear fruit.
Back then, Vernell always said the same thing:
*“If only I’d had more time to research, I could’ve created so much more.”*
Naturally.
*‘What kind of idiot invests in something that seems impossible?’*
Even a noble with money to burn wouldn’t want to fund a scholar nicknamed *Mess.*
No one wanted to look like an idiot supporting an idiot.
But Ferda knew the truth about this man.
“So, what does this guy even research?”
In the future, he would become:
“The pioneer of refining magic stones and creating energy sources using monster corpses.”
Vernell Marquis would usher in the age of Magitech.
—
In the center of Escoleia stood a towering World Tree, known as the Tree of Knowledge, surrounded by five grand libraries.
Since the tree had no leaves, it cast no shade, so sunlight poured down as if it were just a massive pillar.
Rather than the typical damp, musty smell of most cities, the air was thick with the scent of coffee and tea.
People accustomed to the aroma bustled through the streets.
Every available space had been turned into a pathway to keep the constant flow of people moving.
Everyone had different destinations, but they all carried at least three books under their arms and held freshly toasted bread in their mouths.
“This place is packed,” Ruri remarked.
“Well, it’s where all the scholars and their assistants gather, so of course it is.”
“I can’t imagine wanting to live in such a cramped place.”
“They say it’s because they’re searching for something greater than comfort.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Neither do I.”
Ferda and Ruri took a look around the bustling streets.
Just at a glance, there were hundreds of people bumping into each other as they moved.
Almost all of them were wearing black robes, and nine out of ten were wearing glasses.
“We’re supposed to find one person in this mess?”
“That’s right.”
“This is going to take over a month.”
It was like playing a hidden object game on the hardest difficulty.
To say it wasn’t daunting would be a lie.
The streets were so packed with people that the vendors lining the walls were busy keeping up.
Most of them were selling quick and easy-to-eat finger foods.
Ferda noticed how people, like flowing water, would briefly stop to grab a snack as they passed by.
*‘Maybe these vendors would know something.’*
With that thought, he glanced at Ruri.
“…”
Her expression was… different.
Normally, she looked emotionless and businesslike unless she was angry.
But now she was staring intently at a vendor selling candied fruits.
Her eyes were wide, and her silver pupils sparkled.
After a long pause, her slender throat moved.
*Gulp.*
Her actions made one thing clear.
“You want some, don’t you?”
“…What do you take me for?” Ruri muttered, narrowing her eyes and sounding offended.
Her reaction was more flustered than usual.
“I was merely thinking that vendor might know something,” she said firmly.
“I thought the same. Let’s ask.”
Ferda started walking toward the vendor, with Ruri trailing behind.
Her gaze, however, remained locked on the candied fruits.
“Excuse me.”
“Well, well, a fine young gentleman and his cute little maid! What can I get for you?”
“I’m looking for someone. Maybe you can help.”
“Someone? Kid, this place is packed with people. There are tens of thousands of bespectacled nerds here, and I’ve had thousands of them buy my candied skewers. How the heck am I supposed to remember every single one?”
The vendor smiled mischievously, as if he were having fun.
Ferda glanced at the candied fruits behind the glass.
“If I buy some of those, would that jog your memory?”
“Haha, now we’re talking! But sure, let me hear you out first. Who are you looking for?”
“A scholar called ‘Mess.’”
The vendor’s eyes widened.
“Ah, *Mess*! Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“You know him?”
Grinning, the vendor revealed his yellow teeth.
“This city’s got hundreds of thousands of people, but if you don’t know where the guy called *Mess* lives, you must be a spy. Just ask anyone on the street—they’ll all know.”
“Then I guess there’s no need to buy those candied fruits after all.”
“…!”
At those words, Ruri flinched, her whole body jerking in shock.
“Well, it’s still polite to show some gratitude by buying something, don’t you think?” The vendor quickly countered, not missing a beat.
“From the looks of it, you’re well-off. Treating yourself to a little snack can be fun sometimes, no? How about three skewers for five copper?”
“He’s right. When someone helps you, it’s only right to repay the favor,” Ruri chimed in, suddenly siding with the vendor.
Repaying kindness was a basic courtesy.
Ferda agreed and bought three skewers of candied fruits.
“Here, take them.”
He handed the sticky skewers to Ruri.
“You’re not going to eat any?” she asked.
“I’m not a child.”
“Hah? Neither am I!”
“I know.”
“Then why are you giving me all of them? Are you treating me like a kid? Do you even hear yourself right now?”
“So, you don’t want them?”
“…”
Though her face twisted in frustration, Ruri snatched the skewers from his hand.
Without hesitation, she popped one of the sticky fruits into her mouth.
Her silver eyes sparkled even brighter as she ate.
*‘So she can make expressions like this, huh.’*
Ferda had always thought Ruri was someone emotionally drained and hardened, much like himself.
But seeing her act her age for once oddly reassured him.
With her cheeks stuffed full of candied fruit, she resembled a chipmunk in autumn; her face puffed up as she munched.
Noticing Ferda staring, she rolled her eyes.
Her silver pupils narrowed as she clutched the skewer protectively to her chest.
“What are you looking at? I’m not giving you any.”
“I don’t want any.”
—
All living creatures have a hierarchy. If there are rich people, there will also be poor people.
Even Escoleia, built on the ideal that everyone is equal before knowledge, was no exception.
The city had its wealthy elite, but it also had its slums.
And within the slums there were areas where the poorest of the poor lived.
These were places where sunlight barely reached, where the stench of sewage and rat droppings lingered in the air.
The kind of places where the stench was so bad you’d hesitate to even open a door.
And that’s exactly where Vernell Marquis, the so-called *Mess,* lived.
Ruri glanced at a window that was lower than her own height, unable to hide her amazement.
“People actually live in places like this?”
“Humans can live in a lot of surprising places. They can even sleep in a bathroom.”
“Did you live like this when you were with the Rosnova family?”
“It was worse back then.”
There was a time when Ferda, broke and penniless, had every last coin squeezed out of him by his greedy mentor.
During that time, he learned that people could indeed sleep in bathrooms that reeked of filth.
“Do you think he’s inside?”
Ruri nodded at Ferda’s question.
“I can sense someone in there.”
*CRASH!*
The sound of something breaking echoed from beyond the window.
Ruri added, “And it sounds like something’s going down in there.”
“A guest… perhaps an uninvited one.”
Going inside now would mean getting dragged into some sort of trouble.
“Perfect timing,” Ferda said with a smirk, casually clasping his hands behind his back as he started descending the stairs.