Transmigrated as the Cuck.... WTF!!!
Chapter 122. Tirie Town

Chapter 122: 122. Tirie Town

After the nurse’s initial check-up and barrage of questions, I was finally let off the hook. Shifting the conversation toward Rufus had been an effective distraction, just enough to make her forget the thread she was trying to pull with me.

I let out a slow sigh as I stepped outside the medical ward, the sterile scent of mana disinfectant still clinging faintly to my nose.

’Well... less pain in the ass for me.’

With no particular destination in mind, I wandered. The Academy was unusually quiet—probably because most students were still attending their trips or caught up in their own business.

Eventually, my feet carried me to the garden. A secluded place nestled behind the west wing of the Academy—a rare slice of serenity amidst all the chaos. A place where time seemed to slow, and the air wasn’t charged with tension.

I figured I’d rest here for a while, clear my mind.

But I wasn’t the only one who had the same idea.

Sitting silently on a stone bench, amidst the vibrant colors of Everhart’s hybrid flora, was Evelyn.

Her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the gentle sunlight, her eyes lost in thought as she stared at the swaying assortment of flowers before her.

I approached quietly, not wanting to startle her, and settled down beside her on the bench. She didn’t look my way.

"Were you here the whole time?" I asked.

She nodded slightly, her gaze fixed ahead. "Yeah. I’ve been here since morning. Had to help with Rufus too... he threw quite the tantrum when you disappeared."

That caught my attention. "Tantrum?"

"He wasn’t exactly expressive," she clarified, her voice barely above a whisper. "But... he wouldn’t leave your cryo pod. Just stood there. Blank. Like a doll whose thread had been cut. He didn’t cry or speak... he just stared. Even when I tried coaxing him, he wouldn’t budge. It took the nurse coming in and physically guiding him away before he finally moved."

I didn’t reply immediately.

"I see," I finally muttered, leaning back.

She turned slightly toward me. "How are you feeling? All good now?"

"I guess. There’s still soreness here and there, but nothing too serious."

"At least someone’s doing better," she muttered under her breath.

That caught my attention.

"Wait... what do you mean? Did something happen?" I asked, my voice sharpening.

Evelyn exhaled, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. During our stay at the Everhart Manor... we were attacked."

I straightened. "Attacked?"

She nodded grimly. "A man. Black hair. Black eyes. He came out of nowhere. He... he nearly killed Lilith. She’s in critical condition. And Celeste... he almost cracked her skull open like a melon. They’re both under intense observation right now. Stabilized, but serious."

My mind went blank for a moment. Black hair, black eyes... was he the bastard who had taken Aunt Liana?

"So he’s the one," I said quietly. "The one who captured Aunt Liana."

She gave a small nod, her fingers clenching the hem of her skirt. "Yes. And he’s not just some random thug. He was strong... His presence was overwhelming."

That much, I’d already suspected. "Do we have any updates on her?" I asked.

Evelyn hesitated. "Not much. But Art and the others are heading to Opalcrest on an academic tour. That’s what they’re calling it anyway. In reality... it’s to search for Aunt Liana."

I blinked. "They’re using their status as students to conduct a search?"

"Exactly. It was the best cover they could come up with."

"Huh... sounds like a plan I’d like to be a part of. I assume we were invited too?"

She gave me a sidelong glance. "Nobody’s invited, Cassius. We do this of our own will. If we wait for invitations, we’ll always be too late."

I chuckled, bitterly. "Still... it’d be nice to be asked. Just once. It would feel... I don’t know. Better. Like I mattered to the cause. Like I wasn’t just some optional piece on the board."

Her expression softened a bit. "Most people don’t do that. They like to solve problems alone. Less mess. Less reliance."

"That’s a terrible mindset," I said flatly. "I don’t support it. Isolation breeds mistakes. And I’ve made enough of those."

Evelyn’s eyes bore into me. "Aren’t you the same? You hide things from everyone. Secrets. Feelings. Everything. Don’t act like you’re immune to it."

I smirked faintly. "Hey now, I’m an open book. Don’t go placing such heavy accusations on me."

"Oh really?" she shot back. "Then why don’t you explain where you went when Art invited you to the manor?"

I scratched the back of my head, avoiding her gaze. "I was... visiting the town. Roaming through the districts. I wanted to see how the common people were reacting to the impending war."

Her eyebrow arched. "And what did you find?"

"They don’t care," I replied with a small shrug. "It’s like the concept of war doesn’t register. They talk about it like it’s some distant storm that won’t reach them. Detached and apathetic."

"That’s not too surprising," she murmured. "People here in Everhart... they’ve always been like that. If something doesn’t touch their doorstep, it may as well not exist. They trust their rulers to keep them safe."

"Blind trust is just another form of delusion," I said sharply. "And honestly, I think the people of Everhart need a wake-up call. They don’t make anything of their own. Their economy leeches off other kingdoms. Their culture’s stale. Everything about this place is borrowed."

Evelyn gave a half-hearted nod. "What about the exclusive monsters native to Everhart? Surely that counts for something."

I frowned. "Monsters? Seriously? You’re going to use monsters as a cultural export? That’s like bragging about how many rats live in your basement."

She giggled softly. "Fair point."

We sat in silence for a while after that, the wind weaving between the flower beds, carrying with it the scent of jasmine and some unidentifiable herb. A moment of calm in the middle of chaos.

Eventually, boredom crept in and coiled itself around me. I stood up from the bench, brushing off imaginary dust from my sleeves. "Let’s go to Opalcrest," I said, stretching lazily. "You have your teleportation ready, right?"

Evelyn rose beside me, her gaze steady. "Yeah, I have the location marked already. They should be around Tirie Town."

I nodded, and without further delay, she reached into her inventory and pulled out a small metallic device inscribed with symbols.

She twisted it once, and a bluish shimmer surrounded us.

The world around me bent like liquid glass, and my vision darkened as if someone had snuffed out a candle.

For a moment, it was nothing but black.

Then—clarity.

My eyes snapped open. No dizziness, no nausea, no sense of vertigo. Just... presence. As if I’d blinked, and the world changed locations.

Teleportation, done right, was terrifyingly seamless.

Evelyn stood beside me, her form slightly hazy before her features solidified again. She blinked twice, brushing a lock of black hair behind her ear. "Still getting used to the after-image," she muttered.

In front of us was the outline of a small town.

Tirie Town.

We were standing just outside it on a paved path that led toward the central gates. The town itself was compact but clearly fortified.

Wooden fences reinforced with metal bracing lined the sides, and a large, steel-plated gate guarded the only visible entrance. A protective town—not uncommon in regions closer to monster zones.

Four guards lounged at the entrance, clad in polished obsidian armor with different weapons at their sides. One wielded a sword, another a bow slung lazily over his back. The third had twin daggers, and the last held a spear resting against his shoulder.

They weren’t exactly on high alert. In fact, they were sitting comfortably on chairs, chatting away like it was a tavern gathering.

"Did you see the brawl yesterday?" one of them asked, voice loud and animated. "It was fantastic!"

"Oh yeah," another chimed in. "One guy against a minotaur. Pure madness."

"The poor guy got crushed within seconds," a third laughed. "Didn’t even stand a chance in the arena."

"’Poor guy?’ He chose that fight himself," the first said. "He wanted to impress a woman. That’s what his friends told me."

"Hah. Seriously?" The dagger-wielder shook his head. "I’m disappointed. Lust makes people do stupid things. Deserved what he got."

"Hey! What’s wrong with lust?" the archer asked.

"Lust clouds your goals. It pulls you away from your dreams," the spear-user replied solemnly.

"And what dream did you attain?" the archer scoffed. "Aren’t you a town guard just like the rest of us?"

"That’s the problem—I am lustful too..." He leaned back smugly. "The girl he was trying to impress? Spent last night in my bed."

The group erupted into howling laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!"

"Ahahahah!! Oh, gods above!"

I exchanged a look with Evelyn.

"These are their esteemed protectors?" I asked flatly.

"Better than drunks in a brothel, I suppose," she replied.

I approached the gate with Evelyn by my side. As soon as we got within ten meters of them, the guards straightened up, dropping their casual banter. One of them—the swordsman—stood and raised a hand.

"Oi! You two! Hold it right there!"

I stopped leisurely and turned to face them. "Yes? Is there a problem?"

The archer guard stood next to him, brows furrowed. "Yeah, there is. You’re just barging in. Mind telling us who you are, what you’re doing here, and why you think you can just stroll into our town?"

I chuckled faintly. "Of course. No problem. We’re students from Rose Academy—on an academic field trip. You can check the insignias on our uniforms for verification."

They squinted toward us. The rose crest stitched into the left side of our uniforms shimmered faintly under the sun.

But the dagger-wielding guard still looked skeptical. "Insignias can be stolen. Got any real proof those belong to you?"

I tilted my head slightly, my tone sharpening. "Students of Rose Academy are known for their strength and standards. Losing our insignia would mean forfeiting our status. If you’re that doubtful... you’re free to test me."

The implication hung in the air like a drawn blade. One beat. Two.

Then Evelyn stepped forward smoothly, cutting off the tension before it could escalate.

She pulled out two rectangular cards—golden-red in color, with shimmering glyphs etched along the edges. She held the first one up.

Her name, class, student ID number, and Academy seal glowed clearly.

Then she presented the second card.

It had my name on it.

Cassius Lancaster.

Year 1. Platinum Class.

I blinked. ’Wait, there are actual student IDs? Did I forget to pick mine up?.’

The guards examined both cards. One of them held them up to a small metallic disc that flashed green after scanning.

After a few seconds, they returned the IDs and nodded.

"All checks out. Welcome to Tirie Town."

"Try not to stir up any trouble," one added with a half-smile. "Unless you’re planning to take on a minotaur too."

I gave a faint smirk and walked through the gate with Evelyn beside me.

Once inside, I leaned closer and asked, "Hey, when did we even get those student IDs? I don’t remember being handed one."

Evelyn gave a small smile, as if expecting that question. "I asked Miss Celia to prepare them early for us... considering our plan. She can’t officially help us, but she’s willing to bend the rules this much."

"Huh," I said, turning the thought over in my mind. "That woman is more resourceful than she lets on."

"She’s the reason we’re not suspended for even being out here in the first place," Evelyn added dryly. "Don’t underestimate her."

I tilted my head. "Are we not on an academic trip?"

Evelyn explained. "Our actual trip is assigned in Everhart and we are practically ignoring our classes."

I nodded my head. "You don’t need to explain much further."