Currently, we were visiting an aging, sprawling estate dominated by an exceptionally large mansion in Babel's Sixth Ward. With our enrollment at Ouboro Academy now officially confirmed, the mansion where Rose had been staying was no longer an option due to unavoidable circumstances, making it an urgent priority to secure a new base of operations in Babel. The reason we had been evicted from the residence Rose loved came down to the Academy City of Babel's cumbersome administrative system—specifically, its strict zoning districts.
To put it simply, Babel was divided into six wards.
The First Ward—the urban center located at the very heart of Babel. Piercing through the clouds directly in the middle stood the Tower of Babel, flanked by the Central Center, which served as the core of the Hunter Guild, as well as the embassies of various nations.
The Second Ward—the north-central district of Babel. This was the residential area reserved for foreign royalty and the most critical VIPs. The Second Ward also boasted its own commercial facilities, where entering shops required specific credentials and qualifications.
The Third Ward—the northwestern district of Babel. This area served primarily as housing for the Tower's instructors and the ultra-elite students enrolled in the Tower of Babel. For security and confidentiality reasons, all facilities here were strictly off-limits to anyone unaffiliated with the Tower of Babel.
The Fourth Ward—the northeastern district of Babel. Lined with luxury boutiques, this area was home to the city's top-tier academies. It also contained residences for high-ranking figures such as nobility and Tower of Babel alumni. In principle, there were no entry restrictions on the shops, but because they catered to the wealthy, the exorbitant prices made them practically inaccessible to ordinary students.
The Fifth Ward—the southwestern district of Babel. The largest and most populous school district in Babel, packed with commercial establishments and middle-tier academies.
The Sixth Ward—the southeastern district of Babel. A school district home to bottom-tier academies. Its public safety was widely considered the worst in all of Babel.
Among these six wards, student housing was restricted to the Second through Sixth Wards. Under the official rationale that student commutes should not be excessively long, one was, in principle, only permitted to reside within the district where their academy was located.
Because Rose had previously attended a top-tier academy, she should have lived in the Fourth Ward; however, under the justification of being close enough to the school grounds, she had received special permission to reside in that mansion in the Fifth Ward.
Even so, such exemptions were only granted when voluntarily downgrading one's rank, such as moving from the Fourth Ward to the Fifth Ward. Upgrading—such as requesting a move from the Fifth Ward to the Fourth Ward—was strictly forbidden. Consequently, we were forced to find a base in the Sixth Ward, where Ouboro Academy was situated.
Rose had initially put forward several potential properties, but every single candidate was ultimately rejected.
This was almost certainly due to political pressure from Babel's Vice Headmaster Rasputin. According to intelligence from Gil, Rasputin Grahart was a mage hailing from the Holy Amelia Kingdom who held a deep hostility toward Rose. In particular, Rasputin was thoroughly indoctrinated by the Central Church's dogmas, fervently believing in meritocracy and Gift supremacy. There was no way he would ever acknowledge someone like me—the world's most incompetent Gift Holder—as a Royal Guard.
Chief Headmaster Chloe had repeatedly offered to write a letter of recommendation for accommodations in the Sixth Ward, but I politely declined. This was a fitting trial for Rose. While my appointment as her Royal Guard despite being labeled incompetent was certainly part of the reason, overcoming this hurdle was ultimately Rose's own responsibility. I was merely an assistant. Allowing her to keep walking down a path I paved would severely stifle her growth. That was why I had remained a bystander for the most part; however, with no sign of a residence being secured just a week before our enrollment at Ouboro Academy, I decided to step in. Given that the Sixth Ward was an area under Rasputin's heavy influence, Rose's earnest efforts were unlikely to bear fruit on their own. Besides, for better or worse, Rose was far too earnest and straightforward. She was entirely unaccustomed to navigating the murky underbelly of human affairs as I was. Well, considering the other side had gone out of their way to offer this property, my involvement was hardly significant anyway.
"W-Wait just a moment! Isn't this that cursed mansion?!"
Rose confronted me, her face pale with shock.
"Indeed. I believe they mentioned that every single person who lived here met with disaster."
That was correct. This was a property recommended to us by a Babel official belonging to Rasputin's faction.
Five unexplained deaths, two cases of critical injury, and roughly ten minor incidents. Babel had eventually launched an official investigation, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. Thoroughly spooked, the owner at the time had attempted to demolish the mansion, only to be found the very next day with their throat slit. After that, nobody dared set foot inside, leaving the estate under Babel's municipal management for years.
In other words, nothing would happen if one simply dropped by for a visit, but misfortune struck the moment someone tried to tear it down or move in. Naturally, no sane person wanted to live in such a horrific place, leaving it abandoned without an owner for ages.
"Knowing all that, why on earth would you buy it?! This is one of the most notoriously haunted properties in the entire city—even the Babel authorities threw up their hands and gave up on it!"
A fair reaction. After all, the Babel official had looked utterly flabbergasted when I readily agreed to purchase the estate.
"That is precisely why."
"T-That's why?"
To Rose, who could only parrot my words through intense stammering, I gave my answer.
"Yes. A curse? Is that not wonderful? If monsters such as the undead are nesting here, we need only exterminate them. If it is some manner of sorcery laid upon the land, we need only destroy the source. For an amount of effort that barely qualifies as labor, we were able to buy this vast plot of land and a massive mansion for a pittance. See? Quite a bargain, is it not?"
It was the obvious conclusion. After all, this expansive property and its large, structurally sound—if aged—mansion had cost a mere 500,000 Aul. You would be hard-pressed to find a deal this advantageous anywhere else.
"A... a bargain...?"
Her right cheek twitched as she stared at me as though looking at some bizarre, incomprehensible creature. Finally, she let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Right... That's just how you are, Kai."
She muttered the words, sounding thoroughly exhausted to her very core.