The Sponsored Heroines Are Coming for Me

The Bloodstone Cult is powerful.

Thus, it’s highly likely that some of the professors at Lichten Academy are secretly part of the Bloodstone Cult.

No.

There must be someone.

And not just any professor—someone in a very high position.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for the Bloodstone Cult to operate so freely within the academy.

Therefore…

Engelgard.

There were several reasons why my suspicions landed on him, the head of the Knight Department.

Right after the Crimson Flame Order surged into prominence, both Engelgard and my master arrived shortly thereafter.

While my master’s unparalleled skill explains her swift arrival, how did someone like Engelgard manage to get here so quickly?

Other professors were still nowhere to be seen.

Given that Engelgard isn’t particularly known for his sense of duty, his sudden appearance raised my suspicions even more.

On top of that…

The most troubling part was his demeanor when he first approached me.

Engelgard kept tapping the hilt of his sword as if he were mulling something over.

The way he glanced around, taking in our surroundings, made it seem as though he was calculating our combat strength.

It wasn’t until he saw my master that he finally took his hand off the hilt.

It’s only natural to question what that meant.

No, it wasn’t just suspicious—it was a certainty.

This man had to be a pawn of the Bloodstone Cult.

However…

“What are you so deep in thought about?”

“Nothing much. I’m just a bit distracted.”

“Ah, I see. That’s understandable.”

I didn’t show any particular reaction toward him.

‘Let’s keep the fact that I’ve noticed to myself.’

It was a strategic choice.

There was no need to give myself away here.

For now, all I needed to do was keep a close eye on him.

That alone would allow me to predict some of the Bloodstone Cult’s plans.

Moreover…

For someone as prominent as Engelgard, he’s likely… connected to the ‘culprit’ I’m searching for.

I was already certain that this culprit had some ties to the Bloodstone Cult.

Among the two possible suspects, Engelgard might very well be the key to solving this mystery.

“Ah, and congratulations.”

He opened his mouth while sheathing his sword completely.

“Huh?”

“That friend of yours you captured—he had quite a bounty on his head. You’ll be receiving at least a few billion Krone.”

“That should be enough to get yourself a new hand fitted without much trouble. Seems like everything’s in order, so I’ll take my leave now, Professor Asilia. Farewell.”

And with that, he departed.

Well, digging into his background could be done later.

I’d make sure to do so discreetly enough that he wouldn’t notice I was onto him.

‘Anyway…’

Now, how about picking up the scenario boss’s drop item?

I kicked over the ‘Bloodstained Balmacaan’ and slung it over my shoulder.

Casting that spell left my foot feeling like it had been pierced by something sharp.

As I looked around, I noticed the silhouette of a cat disappearing into the shadows in the distance.

“Blackie?”

The creature briefly turned its head toward me.

— Nyah

Or at least, that’s what it felt like I heard.

It vanished before I could follow.

◆

The next morning.

When I woke up, the one greeting me was Danya.

Danya had returned to her usual self surprisingly quickly.

It was likely because Evan, the caster, had died, breaking the curse.

“Awake, are you, nyah?”

She helped me sit up and said, “Wait a moment, nyah!” before scurrying off to the kitchen.

From the kitchen, she brought out a tray with breakfast neatly prepared.

Pouring water into a cup, she brought it to my lips.

“?”

“Drink this, nyah.”

“I can do that myself—”

“How?”

I tried to bring my arms together to hold the cup but gave up. Danya’s teary eyes left me no room to argue.

“This is all my fault, nyah… Ian, you got hurt saving me… I’m sorry. And thank you, nyah…”

“I told you to just say thank you, Danya. No need to apologize. It’s what I should’ve done.”

“…Even so.”

“It’s fine. Just let me drink the water already.”

“Okay!”

In her enthusiasm, Danya nearly poured the entire cup at once, but I managed to drink it all without spilling.

Thanks to her even handling the spoon for me, I finished breakfast without any issues.

After downing the water in one go, though, a realization struck me.

“…Huh.”

A man without hands would struggle even with something as basic as relieving himself.

“I’ll help you, nyah!”

After somehow dealing with the situation with her help, a semblance of normalcy returned to my morning.

It was then that a knock echoed through the room.

— Knock, Knock!

A precise, businesslike knock.

“I’ll get it, nyah!”

Danya dashed out and returned with a letter in hand.

“I’ll read it, nyah! Bounty reward notice. To Ian Blackangers, in recognition of your significant contribution to eliminating the wanted criminal…”

“My eyes are fine, Danya. Can I see it myself?”

“Oh.”

In summary, the notice stated that a bounty had been placed on Evan Kessler, and with the criminal eliminated, 30% of the bounty would be paid out.

The reward?

“1 billion Krone…!”

Danya’s eyes widened.

“With this, you can get the best treatment, nyah! I’ll pay you back later, so make sure to get the best treatment for yourself…”

I calmed her down and let my thoughts wander.

‘With this amount, maybe I should visit a tuning workshop? Could I get a proper hand fitted?’n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was a very player-like thought.

In fact, the world of Fantasy X Academy had a concept called “Tuning.”

Tuning.

It was what high-level players did when they maxed out their gear—fine-tuning equipment stats to optimize performance.

The cost of improving a single stat would grow exponentially the further you went.

“Why waste money on something like that? Just get better gear,” some might think. But humans can only wear so much gear.

No matter how good a pair of shoes are, you can’t wear four pairs at once, right?

That’s where the idea of body tuning came in—a slightly insane notion of improving the body itself.

As a veteran player, I’d tried body tuning before.

‘…Maybe losing my hand was a blessing in disguise.’

With that wild thought, a name popped into my head.

「Lichten Tuning Workshop」

This workshop, run by one of the continent’s top alchemists, was right here in Lichten.

Its most notable feature? It sold body parts.

From magically engineered prosthetics to monster limbs, the workshop offered a variety of options under the table.

Of course, I wasn’t planning to attach some monster’s claw to my arm.

‘I don’t even need a full hand. With Super Regeneration, I just need the best material for a basic framework.’

My hand was completely obliterated, preventing my regeneration ability from working.

A frame.

Even a thin rod resembling human bone would be enough for the rest of my hand to regenerate naturally.

In other words, this was the perfect condition for a tuning upgrade.

“…To think I’d actually go through with body tuning.”

Life truly is unpredictable.

◆

Lichten. The bounty system of the ‘city-state of Lichten’ was quite modern.

“Ian Blackangers, it has been confirmed that you eliminated the wanted criminal Evan Kessler. Here is your reward of 1 billion Krone.”

— Jingle

The bounty was handed over with remarkable simplicity.

It turned out that Lichten had a system that shared real-time updates of academy-related incidents.

A small city-state, but it functioned with remarkable efficiency.

Danya let out a strained “Nngh” as she received the coin pouch.

Well, it made sense. Being handed a hundred gold coins in full was bound to be heavy.

“Just put it in my pocket.”

I gestured to the cloak, but Danya shook her head vehemently.

“No need, nyah. I can handle it.”

Fair enough. Despite her small frame, Danya was a proper academy student. That weight wouldn’t pose much of a challenge for her. Plus, with her agility, she’d have no problem dealing with pickpockets.

With that settled, we set off.

The walk from Lichten’s administrative district in the south to the [Lichten Tuning Workshop] was about 15 minutes.

Thanks to Danya flitting around beside me, eagerly acting as my self-appointed bodyguard, we arrived at the workshop in no time.

“Wow—this place is incredible, nya!”

Danya’s voice was filled with awe as she took in the sight.

The building was so extravagantly gilded it bordered on gaudy.

It wasn’t just ornate—it screamed opulence.

This was expected, considering only the wealthiest patrons frequented this workshop.

Beyond the visual splendor, a medley of strange and intriguing smells wafted out from the building, enough to pique anyone’s curiosity.

However—

“This isn’t where we’re headed.”

“Nyah?”

Danya looked at me, puzzled, as I led her past the grand entrance, veering around the side of the building.

We found ourselves walking through a narrow, dingy alley.

The air carried a mix of dust and the damp scent of old stone.

“This place is empty, nyah… There aren’t even any shops here.”

“It’s hidden.”

“Hidden? A shop?”

“Yep.”

Danya glanced around, her ears twitching with curiosity.

There wasn’t a sign or even a hint of a storefront.

She stared up at me in confusion.

“Just a little farther.”

The [Lichten Tuning Workshop] visible from the main road was only a branch.

As we moved farther from the ostentatious building, the luxurious glow disappeared, replaced by the shadows of forgotten alleys.

I stopped at what seemed like an ordinary stretch of the alley.

‘This should be it.’

I spread a small amount of magic through my foot.

As the energy rippled outward, a concealed signboard appeared deep in the alley, tucked in the gap between overlapping buildings.

[Tuning Workshop]

The sign bore no embellishments, no descriptive words—just a simple name: [Tuning Workshop].

The lettering was scribbled carelessly, as though the writer couldn’t be bothered to put in any effort.

But this was it—the workshop of the greatest alchemist on the continent.

No grand sign. No special title.

Just “Tuning Workshop”.