Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! Chapter 87: 87-What Do I Have To Do?

Read chapter 87 of Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! by A_Random_Turtle on NovelPedia.

Nikolai was cold. Despite being Russian, he’d never liked the cold. He clutched his hands tightly, his body shivering as he tapped his foot slightly. He glanced around the room he was seated in, having ushered into it by one of the bouncers at the entrance of the club he’d come to after he had said exactly what his brother had told him to. Something about a black spiral. It was a VIP room with a dark black interior, brightened by strips of red neon lights highlighting its corners, and he was seated on one of the two red sofas facing each other with a glowing red table in between. Nikolai pinched his lips as his eyes swept over the scenery and his eyes fell onto the red logo of a spiral on its black wall. Had he really made the right decision coming here? Yes, he wanted to prove that he was good enough to his brother, but was this really the right thing to do? He kept feeling like he was here for something shady, and one’s instincts were, most of the time, never wrong. I should leave… He told himself, but he couldn’t stand up. If he left and went back to the Academy, what would he tell his brother? That he couldn’t do it? That would just make him come off as ungrateful. His brother was trying to make him stronger. This was all for his sake, and no one else’s. Even if it required an arm, he had to do it. The door to the room opened then, the loud sound of club activity pouring into the room in a disorienting manner, before it was shut out by the door closing again. Nikolai jumped to his feet at once and bowed deeply to the two people who had walked in. “G-Good evening. My name is Nikolai Volkov! I was sent here by—” A single word, and Nikolai felt like he had been slapped hard at the back of his head. He glanced at the lady who had said it as he gulped. She had black short hair, exquisite but terrifying purple make up, and was dressed in all leather. He shut his mouth. She was even far more intimidating than his brother. “Mouse, can you refrain from speaking to our guests like that?” Those words came from another. He looked way younger with black hair and a lean build. In fact, not much older than Nikolai himself. If Nikolai was to guess, he would say the lad was no older than nineteen. However, he gave off a certain air of authority despite coming off as rather jovial. And those were the kind to be afraid of. “Don’t take her manner to heart, Nikolai. I’m Lee Jiho. Nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you too,” Nikolai replied. Jiho gestured at the sofa. “You may have your seat.” Nikolai nodded. “Thank you.” The two who had entered sat down across from him. They did nothing but stare at him for a few seconds, causing Nikolai to feel even colder than he already was. Then the silence was finally broken. “Your Mage Class?” Jiho asked. It was a rather abrupt question, but Nikolai had already prepared his manner in that regard. His brother had told him not to lie—not to even a single question. “D-Class Mage, sir,” said Nikolai, his gaze lowered. The silence stretched on again. “And what do you want?” Jiho asked once more. Nikolai swallowed. This was the first step forward. He had to answer this question with resolve. He looked up, hardened his gaze, and stared right into Jiho’s eyes. “I want to become stronger,” he said. “I was told that coming here can make that possible.” Jiho tilted his head and leaned back into his couch. “You’re young. Why are you so hasty to become strong? If you train for a few more years, I’m sure you will be a lot stronger than you are now.” “But so will others,” Nikolai said with a clenched chin. “Everyone else stronger than me now will also be training, so they, too, will go stronger, which means that I’ll still be weaker than my peers down the line. I don’t want that.” The lady called Mouse narrowed her gaze. “So this is some sort of childish quest to show off to your mates?” Nikolai blinked and glanced at her. That was not it. “No,” he said. “My brother. I want to repay my brother. I am fine with being weak,