I entered Lyena's room. She was already waiting, sipping her coffee. She looked much better than before, even though I thought she would hold a grudge against us. I had also forgotten what was supposed to happen next, so it was better to stay prepared.
"You're an unexpected one," Lyena said as she poured tea for me.
"A lot of people say that. What can I do, my hobby is making others feel uneasy," I replied calmly and took a sip of the tea.
"It's poisoned," Lyena said with a terrifying expression. But I knew how this game worked.
If she wanted to kill me, she would do it quietly. There were too many people around me when Edward came earlier, and they would become the main suspects if I died. Lyena wouldn't commit such an obvious murder. Besides, she would gain nothing from killing me.
"You're very calm, even knowing it's poison," Lyena said, a proud smile forming on her face.
"Well, if this is poison, you're incredibly skilled at brewing it. It tastes great," I said. Lyena laughed.
"That's right, there's no poison in it. I'll get straight to the point. You have something I've been looking for all this time," she said.
She then took out several sheets of paper and a pen. On the documents was the seal of the Arche family. It wasn't fake. These were official papers. I skimmed through them, and they turned out to be an agreement for me to help Lyena in the power struggle within the Arche family.
"What is this?"
"As you can see, it's a contract requesting your help. Help me take over the Arche family, and your reward will be 100,000 G and one of the Arche family heirlooms. It may look modest, but you don't know how valuable it truly is," Lyena explained.
How should I put this? I knew the Arche family fought more among themselves than against external enemies, but Lyena's direct involvement in the family's power struggle was something beyond my knowledge.
This world was becoming wider than I thought.
"Is it not enough? If money is the issue, I can increase it. If it's about the number of heirlooms, then that can be discussed further," Lyena said, clearly trying to draw me in. But I had to be careful.
"It's not about money."
Besides, I was waiting on Sebastian and the progress of my company, so money wasn't something I needed to worry about.
"It's just… why me? Didn't you see Arthur? He's much better at strategy."
"Arthur is suitable, but he's too suitable. I only need someone who doesn't stand out and is willing to do anything. If you understand what I mean." Lyena then began explaining the internal problems of her family. Naturally, it was sensitive enough that Edward was told to leave.
At present, there were two factions fighting for power within the Arche family. One was Lyena's older brother, the other was her uncle. Both were constantly undermining each other, causing the balance of the Arche family to fracture. Not long ago, Lyena's uncle hired bandits to attack her brother's territory. Although it was covered up with various deceptions, all evidence pointed to him.
This triggered a civil war within the Arche family that could lead to bloodshed. Each faction wanted to strengthen its power, meaning a full conflict was inevitable until a winner was decided. In other words, much more blood would be spilled.
"If that's the case, do you want me to help your brother?" I asked.
"No. Generally speaking, of course I want to support my closest kin. But I'm thinking about a brighter future for the Arche family. If either of them takes control, this tradition of internal power struggles will continue. I don't just want to take over the Arche family. I want to change this tradition of tearing down our own blood," Lyena said.
I could tell she was being sincere. This had clearly diverged from the original story, and I was supposed to stay out of the Arche family's affairs. But this was a good opportunity to turn Lyena into an ally.
In the future, I couldn't rely on strength alone. I needed a powerful and trustworthy sponsor. With that in mind, I made my decision.
"Alright," I said, and Lyena smiled. But I continued, "However, there will be additional conditions in the contract. I want our positions to be equal. You have no right to command me, and I have the right to make my own decisions," I stated clearly.
Lyena fell silent, likely calculating the chances of my betrayal. It was easier to control a loyal dog than a wild beast. But I was neither. I was a double-edged blade. I would stab you if you tried to betray me, and I would cut down your enemies if it benefited me.
"Very well," Lyena finally decided. "You want equality, I respect that. But there must be mutual necessity. Tell me what you want in exchange for this agreement."
That was exactly what I wanted. This was the perfect chance to prepare for the next arc. It would be difficult, especially since the academy would be attacked by Dark Devine under Diabolos's orders.
"Alright. How many combatants are under your command?" I asked.
"About 200. Though it might be less, considering my reputation has fallen after being defeated by you," Lyena said sarcastically.
"Gather them and set up a patrol schedule around the academy."
"What? Are we going to be attacked?"
"Maybe. But I won't tell you. That's my right, isn't it?"
Lyena fell silent. But she agreed.
"Fine. This might also be good for sharpening the students' discipline. Are there any specific instructions for the patrol?"
"Report anything suspicious. Especially anything related to Dark Magic. That's all. I hope you follow my words, or many lives will be lost."
Lyena did not respond after seeing how serious I was. She simply stayed quiet, thinking about my words. Believe me or not, I didn't care. With the loop, I could get through it anyway. Even with this weak body.
I needed to learn how to fight with my fists, which meant I needed the right person. That person was Edward.
"Are you done? I'll ask Lyena for the details, so you don't need to explain," Edward said, preparing to leave.
"Wait," I stopped him. "Teach me. How do you do that? Your future sight ability is incredible, but your body movements are far too natural for someone who doesn't use weapons," I said. Edward scratched his head.
"I thought you knew everything, but it seems you don't. Fine, consider this a victory gift. Meet me at the training field tomorrow. I'm exhausted right now, so I'm going to rest," Edward said before walking away.
Edward could be considered just as weak as Leon if not for his ability to see the future. A few solid hits would be enough to take him down, proving that he was physically as fragile as Leon. But his martial arts skills were praiseworthy. Through them, he covered all his weaknesses.
He was a character who appeared only once, yet left a strong impression on everyone. If I could learn from him, maybe I could cover my own weaknesses.
No matter how hard I trained my body, without technique I was just a burden. I had to learn from everyone.