The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

As time progressed, Shien's ennobling ceremony approached closer and closer.

And on this day, Shien was still in the same great mood as always.

"I finally finished studying astro magic."

That's right. Shien had finished memorizing all the incantations for astro magic.

Now, Shien can use all beginner, middle, and high class astro magic without exception, so it's only natural for him to be in a great mood.

"Now it's just enchant magic left."

Once he finishes memorized those spells as well, Shien will finally be able to relax and give his brain a break.

"I've been memorizing all kinds of magic incantations all this time now that it feels like my head is stuffed with nothing but incantations. Here's hoping I didn't turn myself stupid doing this."

As reality shows, it's not easy being a swot.

A true swot is someone who was trained that way since they were little. It's something that's built up little by little from the foundations up before eventually delving into the deep tops. They're nothing like Shien, who has only been in this world for two months or so and is thus still lacking understanding on a lot of stuff in this world. That's why he could only forcibly stuff everything in his brain despite how uncomfortable it feels.

Thankfully, he really only needs to forcibly memorize everything. So long as he has it memorized and is thus able to chant it, everything's fine, and there was no need to for any comprehension or enlightenment or anything. If not for that, Shien would even consider giving up on the path of magic and instead follow Lucy in focusing on melee combat.

"Well, it's my fault for being a fast growth Hero, I guess."

A cheat is where one get one instant of showing off before getting cremated. Shien might not have gotten cremated yet, but in the end, he's still lacking in certain areas compared to the original residents of this world, and he's even worse off compared to geniuses who have already been on this path for many years now.

Even so, he has finally completely masters a style of magic. Thus, he won't lose out much compared to those dedicated professional mages.

Next, if he can finish his study of enchant magic, Shien's month long goal would finally be completed.

However…

"Compared to astro magic, it's enchant magic that's really troublesome."

Shien's joy completely vanished at the thought of how many more incantations enchant magic has compared to astro magic.

As a magic style that's famed for its versatility, the result of being "many" and "complicated" is unavoidable.

Thus, enchant magic has a lot more incantations than astro magic does.

This made Shien regret things not for the first time. Why did he have to study this magic? That said, the effects of enchant magic has never disappointed Shien, so he just grit his teath and charged forth with all his might.

"Here's hoping that I can finish memorizing all the incantations for enchant magic before my month's time limit runs out."

Shien let out a silent sigh as the thought of the long and heavy road ahead of him.

However, after that, Shien finally got a piece of good news.

It was Lucy, who was waiting for Shien at the entrance of the library, who brought it.

"You're house has been decided." Lucy looked at the slightly numb looking Shien with an upset expression, "Let's go. I'll show you to it."

Shien finally perked up a bit at that news.

…

The western noble district.

In this district filled with noble residences and side houses, there are quite a few rules regarding where one lives.

Generally speaking, the higher ranked the noble, the closer to the center their residence will be, and the lower ranking the noble, the further to the borders they are. It's very clearly stratified.

For that reason, every time a noble rises in rank, they would always consider buying a new house closer to the center. The nobles whose families have fallen would often end up unable to keep their homes, and in the end, they would either be forced to sell their homes or be chased away. This leads to major shifts in ownership of residences in the noble district every once in a while.

The Latrard home where Shien and the others have been staying at is in the area closest to the center, which displays the status of this great family.

Generally speaking, a viscount like Shien may not need to live in the boundaries, but there's also no way that he could possibly get close to the center. Thus, his location within the noble district should have been in the mid to low areas.

However, Lucy instead brought Shien right through the noble district. They place they ended up arriving at is actually at the very center of the noble district.

Here, a castle like mansion stood. Around it were also a number of side buildings surrounding it like they're layered protectively over the center building.

One might assume that they're separate properties.

That's wrong though.

If one would take a closer look, one could see that there are a number of paths connecting the side buildings to the main building.

Besides that, not only is there an enormous garden around the main and side buildings, they're also surrounded by a tall fence.

In other words, this entire main residence, side buildings, and the gardens are all considered part of a single property.

This magnificent looking residence stands at the very center of the noble district like an independent territory in and of itself.

"Well? Do you like it?"

Lucy brought Shien here and flashed him a smile.

"…"

Shien fell silent.

After a moment.

"Goodbye."

Shien turned about and made to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait! Why are you leaving!"

Lucy was dumbfounded and hurriedly dragged Shien back.

Shien however just slapped her hand away.

"Because you're obviously just teasing me here." Shien's smile didn't reach his eyes, "You sure that this thing can be given to me?"

"Why not?" Lucy didn't seem to understand and tilted her head in a very cute manner, "It's not like anyone's living here right now, so what's wrong with giving it to you?"

In response to Lucy trying to act cute, Shien just wanted to hit her a few time.

"Look at it, and then look at me. You sure that it's something that can really be given to a viscount?" Shien spoke meanly, "That's the very center of the noble district here. All the properties around it are either marquis' residences or ducal side properties, yet not even they could live in this most central location in this castle like place. You sure that I won't end up drowning from others spitting on me if I try to move in?"

It's already no longer an issue of if the house is big or gaudy enough. Rather, this position completely isn't somewhere a viscount should be able to come to.

Just how many dukes and marquis can only obediently stay to the side of it?

And a mere viscount?

Shien could guarantee that the moment a viscount like him moved in, then the Capital will definitely end up flipping its lid the next day.

There were already a lot of nobles who disliked Shien in the Capital. The moment Shien dares to move in, then he'd likely end up making enemies of the entire nobility.

Shien might not actually be afraid of that, but being afraid and making trouble for himself are two different matters. Besides which, this is something that someone else arranged, so Shien would have to have something wrong with him to just ignorantly accept it like that.

"How could the Kingdom possibly give me a place like this? Isn't that obviously unreasonable?" Shien looked at Lucy suspiciously. After giving the princess's perfect figure a few looks, he then asked, "It can't be that you meddled in this, could it?"

In response, Lucy turned her head and averted her gaze from Shien.

This reaction earned her a single word from Shein.

"Goodbye."

If he said that he's going to leave, then he definitely won't stay a single moment.

Thus, Shien turned to leave right away without hesitating.

"Hey now, wait a moment." Lucy could only resignedly grab onto him again and drag him back, "If not for the sake of repaying you for going along with my selfishness, I wouldn't have used my own authority to negotiate such a place for you either. Isn't it fine if you just accept it? Others can't get it even when they want it you know."

"Then I really do need to thank you for this, huh." Shien chuckled, "Don't think that I haven't heard, but this place has never been given out since it was built. It had existed for a thousand years of history, and can be traced back to the founding King, the Hero Mitra. Thus, the meaning behind it is special, and no one dared to just casually move in, right?"

That's right, this was once the side residence of the founding Hero Mitra.

In other words, it's a place that even the royal family has to treat carefully. Other than a few kings throughout history, no one else has every lived in it.

Yet now…

"It's actual master should be you, right? Princess?" Shien spoke teasingly, "The treasure of the Kingdom. The only Hero descendant who was recognized by Mitra's Holy Sword. The one known as the Hero of the Current Age. Princess Lucilosti. You're the owner of this place. It's a present given to you by the royalty after you reached adulthood. Am I wrong?"

"… So you already knew, huh." Lucy let out an embarrassed laugh and whispered, "Since you already know, then what are you afraid of? This place is mine anyways, so I can give it to whomever I want."

Shien gave no reply to those words.

He just silently pried Lucy's hand off of him and backed away expressionlessly.

Seeing the guy before him still stubbornly trying to run away, Lucy just grabbed onto him in a full bodied hug.

"You're a hero too after all. Others may not know, but I do, alright?" Lucy spoke stubbornly, "Didn't you say that you'd prefer somewhere big? That way, you can settle that dragon Yulin here? This place is big enough!"

Shien only really took in the last part in that entire spiel.

Shien alrady lost a bit of his calm when got hugged by the princess. While listening to her words, his gaze ended up involuntarily turning downward. With the sensation that he's feeling and what he was seeing before his eyes, he ended up saying one thing in a mysterious manner.

"It's indeed big enough."

Shein regretted his words the moment he said it.

As for Lucy, she was first stunned for a moment. Then she immediately noticed Shien's gaze and where on her he was looking. Thus, she immediately realized something.

"Why you…!"

Thus, Lucy's face reddened as she glared back.

Faced with the absolutely seductive look that the peerlessly beautiful princess was displaying, Shien felt like he was about to fall.

The worst of it was the fact that Lucy still hasn't let go yet.

She just continued to press against Shien like that. Although her face was very red, her hands didn't relax. Instead, she only held on harder.

"Thump-thump-thump-"

It was the sound of heartbeats.

Very loud heartbeats at that.

Both Shien and Lucy's hearts started beating faster and stronger, turning the atmosphere warm between them.

Shien just felt a dryness in his throat, and his gaze quickly swept across the surrounding area.

Yep, no one around.

There won't be anyone interrupting them.

In that case then… Should he go for it?

With such a great opportunity, how can he not?

As he remembered that the previous two times, with both Nien and Diere, both of those times was him being the side getting forcefully kissed. The only time where he took the initiative was in a dream, and what he actually kissed was the maid's cheeks. This is a point of shame for Shien.

Therefore…

(Let's go for it!)

He went for it!

Thus, Shien reached out and suddenly held Lucy by her waist.

This action make Lucy suddenly shake.

"You…"

Lucy raised her head and looked at Shien. Her beautiful face was so red that it looked like she's about to start leaking blood. While her eyes were still glaring at Shien, it has since turned slightly moist and watery.

Perhaps this princess doesn't know just how powerful that look of hers really is.

Either way, Shien himself feels like he can't hold on anymore, and he stopped hesitating and lowered his head.

Lucy's face turned more and more red.

Then, in the end, she closed her eyes.

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