Great Teacher in a Defense Game

#51 Circus – 1

Time was slipping by quickly.

Dusk had already begun to settle.

“We should start preparing, little one.”

“Preparing for what, exactly?”

“Camp. The sun will be down soon. We can’t just stand idly by.”

Enoch judged that preparations for a campsite were necessary.

Only a few hours until the chaos unfolds.

But the actual setting of the sun was less than an hour away.

Soon, darkness would descend.

He couldn’t just remain here, listless.

At the very least, a small bonfire was needed.

“Teacher.”

“Yes?”

“Is there really a need to build a fire? Couldn’t we just use the facilities on the airship?”

“Enough of that. The airship was sent back long ago.”

“…What? I thought it was waiting for us in the sky?”

“I sent them back while you scouted the perimeter. This is the realm of beasts. I can’t be burdened with unnecessary baggage.”

“Ah, I see…”

Lacrimosa wilted.

There was nothing for it.

Only moments ago, she’d been in a place like paradise, and now, she’d been abruptly cast into danger.

It was only natural that she’d feel shaken.

But it didn’t last long.

Before long, her spirits had lifted again.

Upon careful reflection, the situation wasn’t so bad.

It was just her and the professor, alone, in this place.

And amidst it all, he’d mentioned making camp.

Whatever else, she was confident when it came to camping.

Lacrimosa was quite the expert in that field.

“…Alright. You said we’d prepare camp, yes?”

“? Yes.”

“Then we should start by building a fire. I’m happy to take care of that, if I may?”

Lacrimosa said with certainty.

Her gaze pleaded to be entrusted with the task.

‘Why is she like this?’

Enoch cocked his head.

He wondered why his cherished pupil was acting this way, all of a sudden.

But there was no reason to stop her, so he readily gave his permission.

“Very well. I leave it to you.”

“Thank you! You won’t be disappointed!”

“Yes, yes. Just tell me if you need anything.”

“I’ll be fine! I’ve done this plenty of times before!”

Lacrimosa thumped her chest as if to say, ‘just trust me.’

Her expression had already transformed into one of swelling pride.

Then, placing her hands on her hips, she scanned their surroundings.

“First, we need to find dry kindling. Damp wood doesn’t catch easily and it smokes something awful.”

“I see.”

“Let’s see… Ah, this one’s just perfect!”

She lifted a single branch.

It was about the size of Enoch’s forearm.

Like making a knock, Lacrimosa tapped the firewood a few times.

“If you knock like this, you can tell if it’s dense inside. And if you look at the cross-section, you can see if it’s waterlogged.”

“I see.”

“Now, we just need to gather things like this! Let’s wander around together and collect them!”

“Wander around?”

“Yes! Together!”

Lacrimosa shouted, taking the lead.

She seemed to be saying to move on as is.

“There doesn’t seem to be much need for that, though.”

“Huh?”

But Enoch didn’t follow.

Instead, he rummaged inside his cloak and pulled out three rings.

He tossed them onto the ground.

[Summon: Knight]

-Clang!

The rings melted away in an instant.

They transformed into the form of knights and rose to their feet.

These were summons Enoch used often.

The three summons bowed their heads in turn towards Enoch.

And soon, they scattered quickly.

“There’s no need for us to gather them ourselves. No need to needlessly ache our legs and backs.”

“…W-Well, I suppose so.”

The knights returned after a short while.

Each of them carried a bundle of dry firewood.

There was quite a lot of it.

Enough to last until tomorrow morning.

– A RUSH –

“The firewood’s ready. What comes next?”

“…”

“Lacrimosa?”

A beat late, Lacrimosa answered.

“…The camp. We prepare the camp.”

“Camp? Shouldn’t fire be the priority?”

“The sun’s still up. Setting up a tent is harder than starting a fire. Better to build shelter first, then worry about the flames.”

“I see.”

Enoch nodded.

Perhaps it was his lack of camping experience.

He was a complete novice in matters such as these.

“…Leave it to me this time.”

“You intend to do it alone? I could lend a hand.”

“It’s alright. Just wait for a bit, Teacher. Or perhaps, smoke a cigarette over there.”

Lacrimosa declined the offer.

She shooed Enoch, her teacher, aside, rolled up her sleeves, and stepped forward.

Enoch kept his distance, lit a cigarette, and watched her actions.

Then, belatedly, he inquired.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I’m going to make a makeshift tent.”

“With firewood?”

“Firewood and grass, to be exact. With materials like these, we can easily make one.”

It wasn’t empty boasting.

Lacrimosa erected long pieces of firewood to serve as pillars.

She leaned thin sticks diagonally against them, and covered them with small twigs and grass.

She repeated the process several times.

A short while later.

A canopy made of grass and wood was complete.

For something made in just ten minutes, the quality wasn’t bad at all.

– Clack-clack.

“Remarkable. Already finished, is it?”

“…Heh heh. It’s nothing, really.”

Lacrimosa laughed, defiant.

Then, she wiped beneath her nose, a quick swipe.

Smears of dirt and weeds clung there.

Afraid someone might see, she scrubbed them away in haste.

“…Just one more to make now. So-“

“It’s quite alright. This one will do.”

“Pardon? But wouldn’t it be too small for the two of us?”

Lacrimosa tilted her head, questioning, indicating the tent.

No matter how she looked at it, it seemed far too cramped for two.

One would have to curl up, embrace oneself entirely, just to fit inside.

‘Hwaack! Could it be…!’

In that instant, Lacrimosa’s face flushed crimson.

She had, belatedly, understood the teacher’s intention.

‘Does this… does this mean he intends for us to sleep together?’

“S-Sensei…”

“Why?”

“This feels a little… premature, perhaps…”

Without thinking, Lacrimosa took a step back.

Her chest had begun to pound a frantic rhythm.

Enoch, for his part, merely regarded Lacrimosa with a puzzled expression.

Why was she behaving like this, all of a sudden?

A question formed in his mind as, silently, he opened his inventory.

– Thump!

“…Sensei? What is this?”

“A pre-fabricated tent. Thought it might be useful someday, so I purchased it in advance.”

“A pre-fabricated… tent?”

“Yes. It’s rather expensive, so you won’t find it lacking in comforts.”

Enoch spoke with a detached calm.

He issued commands to the knights without delay.

Following their master’s orders, the summoned creatures swiftly began assembling the tents.

– *Creeak creeak*

“……”

“With that, our dwelling is complete. Next, the fire, perhaps?”

“!”

Lacrimas reacted with abrupt haste.

“I’ll see to the fire-“

– *Flick!*

Enoch tossed the cigarette he had been holding into the pile of firewood.

The ember slowly spread to its surroundings.

A moment later, a faint smoke began to rise.

– *Crack, crackle, crack*

“……”

“The fire is also seen to.”

“……”

“Using my body after so long… a bit weary, I am. Let us rest a while, then eat.”

“……”

“Lacrimas?”

For some reason, there was no answer.

Enoch turned his head.

Lacrimas, averting her gaze, was kicking at the ground with her foot.

“…I don’t know.”

“?”

@

Before long, darkness enveloped the surroundings.

Thankfully, the bonfire quickly grew larger.

Enoch and Lacrimas sat around the bonfire, eating their meal.

The ingredients were something Enoch had purchased beforehand.

Lakrina didn’t seem pleased by that fact.

Her pride stung, she threatened to go hunting, nearly jumping out of her skin.

In the end, Enoch had to step in and painstakingly dissuade her.

Fortunately, Lakrina didn’t press her point.

By the time they finished their belated meal, it was already night.

-Crackle, crackle, crack-

The crackling sound echoed around them.

The sound of firewood popping in the bonfire.

Enoch tended the fire with a poker.

He watched the flames dance, lost in thought.

‘…Quiet, isn’t it.’

“……”

“……”

The atmosphere was strikingly silent.

After eating, there wasn’t much to say.

It wasn’t an awkward silence.

Neither Enoch nor Lakrina felt any discomfort in the stillness now.

They simply accepted it as it was.

But that naturalness felt new to Enoch.

‘They say uncomfortable people feel awkward in silence. I suppose that time has already passed.’

It had already been about half a year since they first knew each other.

Long if you considered it long, short if you considered it short.

Enoch chuckled to himself without thinking.

He didn’t outwardly express it, but the distance between them had become quite small.

“Lakrina.”

“…Yes?”

“It’s already been half a year since you started following me.”

“…So it has. Already that long.”

“It’s funny to say it now… but taking you with me was half my own stubbornness.”

“…I can’t deny that.”

Lakrina giggled, a sound like wind chimes.

Because, in truth, it was so.

Enoch offered a small smile as well.

He stirred the ash with a poker, dragging it.

Within the whisper of the scraping, his words continued.

“But, you’ve kept pace far better than I’d anticipated.”

“……”

“The Academy, magic itself. You’ve neglected none of it. That is never an easy feat. These past years, your heart must have suffered more than you let on.”

“Teacher…?”

“Thank you, Lakrina. I merely… wanted to say those words, now that I have the chance.”

“Why? Why such talk all of a sudden… as if you were about to leave.”

Lakrina asked, her tone hesitant, uncertain.

Something about Enoch’s manner felt… off.

As if he were speaking of things long held inside.

As if he were about to depart for somewhere, like this.

“Is something the matter?”

“…”

“If you have some worry, some trouble, you can tell me—”

Lakrina tried to comfort him, straining the words.

But she couldn’t finish the sentence.

Enoch cut her off, interrupting her.

“Lakrina.”

“Yes?”

“Soon, an incident will befall you. An incident by the name of Phenomenon.”

“…Pardon? Phenomenon?”

Lakrina tilted her head, puzzled.

Its meaning did not quite land, did not stick.

“Explain in detail, please. What exactly does that mean?”

“…You will know soon enough. It is beginning to stir, to search.”

“…Yes?”

“No. It’s already here, practically breathing down our necks.”

“To come looking for us, what could possibly-“

That instant.

“!!!”

Lacrimosa lifted her head with sudden urgency.

Goosebumps erupted across her skin.

Her keen senses wouldn’t overlook an anomaly in the vicinity.

-Ssssss…

“Th-this is-“

Lacrimosa shot to her feet, scanning their surroundings.

Darkness, draped everywhere like a shroud.

And beyond it, something lingered.

Something with a presence unknown, lurking close.

“S-Sir…”

“Lacrimosa. Steady yourself.”

“Just what is-“

Lacrimosa trembled, uncontrollably.

A shiver, beyond her command.

The trembling refused to cease.

Enoch rose quickly, grabbing hold of her shoulders.

His gaze pierced hers, each word etched with weight.

“Listen to me carefully.”

“…Yes, Sir?”

“When you open your eyes again, you’ll be alone. First, immediately draw your weapon.”

“My weapon, Sir?”

“Yes. Draw your weapon and prepare your magic. And remember this. Never let yourself forget yourself. Rely on your memories, not your sight. Otherwise, everything will be over before I can even intervene.”

“S-Sir?”

Lacrimosa called out to Enoch, her voice trembling.

Her body, her mind, everything was teetering on the edge.

-Thud. Thud.

Little by little.

Ever so little.

Something was approaching.

Slowly, yet with surety.

Lacrimosa instinctively burrowed into Enoch’s embrace.

“S-Sir…!”

“…I will not offer empty apologies.”

“Pardon…?”

“Bringing you here, failing to give a proper accounting. It was all according to my plan, in the end. To say sorry now would be nothing but hollow words.”

“Sir…?”

Lacrimosa lifted her head.

Enoch met her gaze, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

“After this is over, the way you see me will surely change.”

“…”

“I can do naught if you are disillusioned. Should you wish it at some later date, you are free to leave me then.”

“…Sir?”

Lacrimosa’s pupils trembled.

The approaching footfalls drew nearer and nearer.

No.

They were right behind them.

-Thud.

“!”

“…Close your eyes.”

“…!”

“Until we meet again.”

Enoch gently patted her.

Lacrimosa squeezed her eyes shut.

In that instant—

The heavens and earth turned upside down.

Gravity…gone.

The earth beneath her feet, gone.

Even Enoch, whom she’d been embracing, vanished in an instant.

‘W-What is this?’

The surroundings plunged into utter darkness.

Lacrina flailed, arms and legs thrashing.

Nothing. Not a thing to grasp.

Absolutely nothing to hold onto.

It felt as if she were drowning, her entire being adrift in a boundless void.

-Whoosh!

-Screech!

-Thump!

“Ouch!”

Belatedly, gravity returned with a vengeance.

Lacrina plummeted, landing hard on her backside.

-Thump!

“Ugh! U-Ugh…”

She winced, pushing herself to her feet.

Hurriedly, she checked herself for injuries.

Thankfully, there appeared to be no lasting damage.

But –

Even after a frantic scan of her surroundings, Enoch was nowhere to be seen.

“…Sensei?”

No matter how hard she searched, he was absent.

Gone, without a trace.

Instead, something else stood there.

A massive signpost.

Upon it was painted a gruesome tableau.

Monsters that sent shivers down the spine.

People screaming in abject terror.

And, in thick, bold lettering:

“A Midnight… Circus?”