Great Teacher in a Defense Game

#43 Not My Fault

Lakrina had safely blossomed her own magic.

In return, she lost consciousness, collapsing.

The training, barely begun, halted midway.

But Enoch wasn’t disappointed.

He deemed it already sufficient.

With Lakrina on his back, he summoned an airship.

-Vwooom

Moments later. The airship settled onto the snowfield.

Enoch adjusted Lakrina’s position and asked Noldrilla,

“We’ll be returning now. Will you join us?”

“No, I’m quite alright. I’ll simply return as is.”

Noldrilla declined the offer.

After all, she could return in an instant with magic.

Traveling by airship until now had been for conversation, or other purposes.

Today, the purpose was already fulfilled.

There was no need to travel by conveyance.

“Understood. We’ll meet again later, then.”

“Aye. Let’s do that. Ah, and show your face in the chatroom now and again, would you? Others complain from time to time.”

“Complain?”

“Weren’t you the one who created the chatroom? Stop by now and again and manage it a bit.”

Noldrilla said this while waving a hand.

Soon, the old woman’s entire body turned to ice, crumbling away.

‘The chatroom… I hadn’t been paying attention to it lately, had I.’

Enoch touched his communicator and boarded the airship.

After laying Lacrina down upon the rest room’s cot, he settled in the chair beside it, checking the comm-channel.

[Sebech, Wind Archmage: This insolent newbie, causing trouble and ignoring the comms. Thumbs up if you want to beat him senseless.]

[Jane Allura: Thumbs up.]

[Bergo, Lightning Archmage: Can’t you all just *work*? This infernal thing hasn’t stopped chiming all day.]

[Raceline, Earth Archmage: All day -＞ the whole day]

[Sebech, Wind Archmage: Can’t you just silence the notifications?]

[Bergo, Lightning Archmage: I haven’t the faintest notion how.]

[Raceline, Earth Archmage: lol]

[Bergo, Lightning Archmage: ? What is *that* supposed to mean?]

[Raceline, Earth Archmage: lol]

[Sebech, Wind Archmage: Exactly.]

[Bergo, Lightning Archmage: ?]

“Shouldn’t have looked.”

Enoch pulled his gaze from the communicator.

Regret pricked at him.

This comm-channel was not made for such trifling discourse.

At this rate, his carefully offered suggestions would be for naught.

‘Shall I unleash the Guildmaster?’

Enoch considered it with utmost gravity.

At least, he surmised, they might engage in something resembling constructive conversation.

His fingers, before he realised, were already dialling Guildmaster Rosita’s direct code.

– *Ding*

At that moment, a notification chimed from the comm-channel.

[Jane Allura: Wha? All the notification numbers beside the chats are gone?]

[Raceline, Earth Archmage: Did Grandfather Nordilla have a peep, perhaps?]

[Sebech, Wind Archmage: The newest ones still have a ‘1’ remaining. Only the older ones disappeared.]

[Jane Allura: Hey Enoch. Are you in the comms right now?]

@

-Click.

Enoch snapped the comm-device shut with haste.

A moment longer and he’d have been walking on thin ice.

‘Best ignore the chatroom for a while, then.’

He mulled it over, gazing at the device.

Presently, Guildmaster Rosita came to mind.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t properly been in touch since that business with Alain…

‘Since the thought’s crossed my mind, best do it now.’

He promptly punched in the direct line code.

Guildmaster Rosita connected after a short delay.

-Hello? Is that you, little brother?

“It’s been too long, older brother. Apologies for the late reply.”

-Haha, don’t sweat it. Between us? Forget about it.

A hearty laugh boomed across the comm.

Rosita, dismissing any worry, was already putting Enoch at ease.

‘Makes me feel needlessly guilty. Should have pulled him into the chatroom.’

Enoch was struck by a belated pang of conscience.

Just what was he doing to such a good person?

Thankfully, it wasn’t too late.

He could invite him even now.

Enoch opened his mouth for the sake of the melancholic middle-aged man.

“So, older brother. Actually-“

-Just a moment. Little brother, I’m sorry, but I have a favor to ask.

“Hm? A favor?”

-Yes. A most important matter.

Rosita’s voice took on a serious tone.

Enoch, without realizing it, straightened his posture.

“What is it? Such a sudden request.”

-Well, you see… it appears that factions have begun to form amongst the Archmages lately.

“…A faction, you say?”

-Indeed. No proof, but I’m certain of it. Didn’t I send your letter of appointment through Bergo just a while ago? After that, I formally passed along information about you to the public. It’ll likely be announced in the newspapers soon enough. However, a rather peculiar circumstance came to light. The other Tower Masters already knew about what you did at the academy. Even though I hadn’t told them a word.

Rosita bristled with genuine indignation.

Enoch offered no response.

He was at a loss for words.

“…I see. And so?”

-And so? This is not a matter to be taken lightly. They must have some sort of clandestine network amongst themselves.

“You wish to uncover it?”

-Precisely. How dare they do such a thing behind my back, the Guild Master? I’m so aggrieved I can’t stand it! You understand, don’t you?

Enoch moistened his lips.

“Indeed. It is most shameless. Such a thing is unimaginable in the Empire.”

-Exactly! I knew my brother would say that! In that spirit, I’d like to ask a favor of you, little brother. Could you subtly probe the Tower Masters, see how they might be connected?

Rosita pleaded earnestly.

Almost a supplication.

Was this the sorrow of a middle-aged man?

Enoch felt a strange sadness wash over him.

Before he knew it, his eyes grew slightly damp.

He wiped them, and upon inspection, realized they were crocodile tears.

“I will look into it. I’ll inform you of the results later, so until then, please refrain from acting yourself. You might arouse suspicion unnecessarily.”

-Thank you. I trust only in my little brother.

“In return, you must grant me a favor in the future.”

-Of course. Isn’t that how trust is built, after all? Hahaha!

-Click.

The connection severed.

Enoch slowly removed the communicator from his face.

He quietly gathered his breath.

Belatedly, he checked the chatroom flooded with notifications.

[Jane Alura: Are you ignoring me right now? You wanna die?]

‘Jane Alura created the chatroom. I was forced to infiltrate it for the sake of the investigation, that’s all.’

The puzzle pieces clicked into place within his mind.

Enoch conjured an excuse for himself, first and foremost.

What to do next, though?

That was a matter for future contemplation, little by little.

@

The airship had returned to Magnusra.

The airport still teemed with people.

As Enoch descended, several staff members came to greet him.

-We’ll escort you, sir. This way, please.

The airport possessed passages reserved for VIPs.

Enoch followed the quiet corridor, slipping through the masses.

Presently, he emerged outside and boarded a vehicle that waited.

-Where shall we take you, sir?

“To the hospital. The address is…”

He headed to Felton’s hospital, first of all.

To lay the fallen Lacrina upon a bed.

The car arrived at the hospital before long.

Enoch, as was his custom, met with Felton and entrusted the unconscious Lacrina to his care.

“Hmm. Luckily, it seems there’s nothing seriously amiss. Seems she simply fainted.”

“How commonplace.”

“Commonplace, you say… A truly commonplace person wouldn’t faint so readily, in the first place.”

Felton clicked his tongue, speaking.

Annoyingly, there was no real retort to be made.

Anything he said would only invite undue misunderstanding.

Enoch simply remained silent, listening.

“I’ve taken care of everything for now. She’ll wake soon, after a nap.”

“Thank you. What is the cost of treatment?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Have some decency, man. Would I ask you for treatment fees?”

Felton strongly refused when Enoch reached for his money.

He’d already received more than enough, a surfeit even.

One has to have a conscience, after all.

I could ask for no more than this.

“Understood. If the need arises, please, speak at any time.”

“I comprehend. I shall keep it in mind.”

“Excellent.”

Enoch gave a nod.

Belatedly, the thought of Clareena occurred to him.

“By the way, what became of Miss Clareena? Was she treated well and without incident?”

“Hmm? Ah, are you speaking of my disciple? The lass is quite alright. Already fully recovered. Comes from needlessly overestimating her own capabilities, that’s what.”

Felton clicked his tongue.

Enoch was momentarily taken aback.

It was the Golden Magician, Orban’s, fury that had caused Clareena’s injury.

Of course, it was true she had provoked him a fair amount.

However, the greatest cause lay in Orban’s sudden outburst.

Considering this point, Enoch opened his mouth.

“Overestimation, you say. Such a facet exists, undeniably. Yet to say it is solely her fault… there seems a slight discrepancy, I think.”

“Discrepancy? What meaning does that carry? She consumed a drug improperly, and that calamity unfolded. Is it not plainly her own fault?”

“Eh? A drug, you say? What words are these? Was it not a wound to the neck?”

“The neck? Clareena suffered a wound to the neck?”

A question returned as an answer.

The words did not align, somewhere.

Enoch felt the need, first, to organize the situation.

“Just a moment, please. First, let me inquire on this matter. What was the reason for Miss Clareena’s collapse?”

“Why, it was the drug, of course.”

“The drug?”

“Indeed. She swallowed too much Angel Dust at once. One is meant to dissolve it bit by bit within the mouth, you see. No matter how resistant to pharmaceuticals one may be, this was a bit excessive, wouldn’t you say?”

Truly, a wretched disciple.

Felton grumbled, adding such sentiments.

Enoch could say nothing, and averted his gaze.

To think, he’d understood it to be a wound from an attack to the neck.

As it turned out, that was not the issue at all.

The cause, it seemed, was ingesting Angel Dust, holding it in her throat only to have her uvula ambushed, forcing her to swallow.

‘…Shouldn’t have asked.’

Enoch felt a belated regret.

The very thought of becoming further entangled with Clarena sent a shiver of danger down his spine.

And when had she even taken to holding narcotics in her mouth, anyway?

It was beyond knowing…

In that instant, the door beside him burst open with a furious crack.

-Screech!

“Oh? Enoch-ssi?”

Clarena stood framed in the doorway.

“Dope-“

-Snap

Enoch bit down hard on his tongue, swift as lightning.

He’d nearly called her a junkie without thinking.

“Ah-! You were just about to call me a junkie, weren’t you?!”

“I wasn’t.”