Only Wisdom Awakened - Chapter 224

Chapter 224: Wrong Turn
“If you help me teach my friend… I will help you pass down your knowledge to some elves”

….

‘… we ended up making a mana pact’

Hans thought as the plane was already descending.

‘I’ve been in there for almost the whole flight… at least I gained something useful…

With this, I will be able to let Aiden advance as soon as I get the spiritual fruit.

A lot of time has already passed since he asked me to help him become stronger, it’s a shame I was unable to do so up till now.’

But his time spent inside that place turned out to be anything but useless, and Hans figured that out the moment a window appeared in front of him.

[you have gained a vast amount of knowledge regarding alchemy and you have proven to be able to create a common (low) rank potion, you have gained the skill:

{Potion making}(G-rank)]

Hans remained dumbfounded…

‘I proved what?’

He asked.

‘I swear this status window is tweaked, there is no way I gained a skill from watching someone use it…”

But after saying that, Hans realized… he didn’t just watch her using the skill… he watched her for decades, creating and sharpening her abilities as an alchemist… he had seen the whole progress, and if he really put his mind to it, creating a lowest ranked potion didn’t seem difficult at all.

“Sigh… the only thing I know is that a lo~ng afternoon is waiting for me.

The event was the same as the one he attended the previous year, but since attending both the first and the second day wasn’t of any use to him anymore, he decided to arrive directly on the last day when the meeting would’ve been held.

A few hours after his landing, he arrived at the meeting place, it was exactly the same as the previous year, so it was easy for him to find his way around there.

He was the center of attention, even with his clothes loose and his attire definitely not elegant.

He was there just to attend it as a supporter, not a branch leader, so there was no need to show any courtesy, the only thing that counted was his strength, and he knew he wasn’t lacking in that aspect.

But when he entered the grand dining hall where most of the currently present branch leaders were, the words that the dean told him emerged once again in his mind:

‘The fact that I need someone like you to back me isn’t the only reason why I’ve asked you to attend this meeting… It is also because you will be one of the subjects of discussion during the meeting…’

‘Or at least that’s what she said… apparently it’s because they plan on creating a pact with me…

Not a normal one, but one also involving the government and the high authorities of the country…

Basically, they want to tie me down in America in exchange for something I want, many countries do this, especially those a bit behind, since they need the awakened ones to remain in the country to defend it, and they fear they might migrate overseas.

Apparently, even the dean had already accepted a similar pact when she passed the S-rank, and mine was a bit late only because they needed to figure out what they could give me.

The reason why they need to discuss it today can only be that… they still haven’t found anything I might trade my freedom for.’

Hans was lost in thought when a familiar voice called him out.

“Hey, Hans!”

Said the man, hitting the young man’s back in a friendly manner.

He didn’t even have to turn around to recognize the person since his voice and his attitude set him apart from the others.

“It’s good to see you’re already back to your old self…

Garrison”

“Well of course, as the branch leader of the Chicago Association branch, how could I keep my serious face?”

“What does that even mean?”

Hans asked confused.

“It’s charisma kid, charisma, the reason why most people avoid talking to you is because you always wear that serious expression on your face.”

“That’s good then, it’s saving me the trouble of talking to them… and here I thought they hated me just because I was younger than them”

Hans commented, ironically emphasizing the last part.

“W-well… there’s also that”

The man.

Garrison was tall and big, he looked more like a beast than a human when compared to normal people, and this already made him stand out from the rest of the branch leaders, but another person even more abnormal soon began talking to Hans, attracting the gazes of all the people in the room.

“Haha, it’s been a while.

I thought I wouldn’t see you until the competition…”

“Good to see you too Caleb”

Hans said coldly, but hinting a smile.

“I see we have another wise gentleman here”

Caleb commented watching Garrison’s well-sculptured body.

“A real man should be exactly like you, it pains me to think we’ve never had the chance to talk”

He then continued.

But this time, Garrison replied:

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I was absent during the previous year’s gathering, but I remember seeing you two years ago, you truly made an astonishing show.”

Embarrassed, Caleb tried to find a way to change the subject:

“Ha… haha, it was nothing, I had almost forgotten about that”

“How could it be, I will remember those moves for the rest of my life”

“W-well…”

Hans’s curiosity was piqued by the two’s conversation, but before he could even begin inquiring about it, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

He didn’t react, since he had sensed this person as soon as she had stepped into the room.

“It’s great seeing the two of you get along just fine, but try not to rob my backer of so much time alright?”

Garrison was shocked while Caleb simply walked away after saying:

“Well then, see ya later”

‘Hans… you little pest, I knew you were one of the academy’s teachers… but what kind of relationship do you have with Ava?!’

Still petrified, Garrison couldn’t mutter a single word.

Hans observed him with doubtful eyes, before understanding the situation and barely holding his laughter.

‘You… old coot… pftthahaha’

[Current emotional state: excited, happy, embarrassed]

‘Is she like a celebrity for you? Pftthaha…

Well, at least it ain’t something like love… I mean she’s more than twenty years younger than him.’

“Well then, I need to talk to him, so I’ll take him away for a few minutes”

After saying that, the dean dragged Hans away, escaping all the people’s watchful eyes.

“The meeting will begin in a few minutes. Since I’ve brought you in as a personal connection and not an assistant you are kind of like my backer, I need you to vouch for the fact that you will take on the role of protecting the kids together with me, since after last year’s incident my credibility dropped.

If I were to say I would handle it alone, even if I have officially been recognized as an SS rank, there would probably be some complaints, and that sly dwarf might be able to plant some of his people in the team protecting the kids…

It’s not that I don’t want the students to have better security, but I don’t like people keeping tabs on me.

If you were to attend the tournament with us it would settle all this trouble, and I have seen your abilities firsthand, the students couldn’t be any safer with you there.”

‘I would have attended the tournament if she had just asked… so it’s only a plus getting the spacial artifact we obtained from helping Greenland in exchange.’

“However, one of the subjects of today’s meeting is you, so things might take a wrong turn at any time, just do things your own way and lay low as you usually do”

“Mh”

Hans nodded, but he had no intention of doing what the dean had asked for… he wanted something from today’s meeting, and if he couldn’t get it, then those old fools could bring their offers to their graves.

The atmosphere in the room became tenser as time passed, and the more people arrived, the more silence reigned.

When no sound could be heard in the room anymore, and even the relentless chattering branch leaders shut their mouths, the New York Association branch leader made his entrance.

with him were two figures whose faces weren’t unfamiliar to most of the people in the room.

The dean’s face was panicked as she whispered in Hans’s ear:

“On his left, the American (New York) defense department third leader, he has recently broken through the SS rank.

On his left…

Europe’s and the world’s first mage to ever achieve the eighth rank…

England’s most talented and influential mage…

Freya Langdon”

Just like her face showed, her mind was panicking:

‘Why the hell… is she here?!’