The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

Stella looked at the empty spot where she had just vanished, chewing on a piece of jerky with a crunch-crunch sound.

“Talk about a killer timing.”

She wasn’t flustered.

She’d already figured out that this place was the Teleportation Labyrinth.

The Teleportation Labyrinth.

A literal labyrinth where teleportation magic randomly activates.

There are many awful things about the Teleportation Labyrinth, but one of the worst?

Teleportation magic activating out of nowhere, just like before.

And it doesn’t just apply to the humans trapped in the labyrinth. It equally affects the monsters lurking somewhere within.

That’s how I realized it.

While we were wandering around, I felt the presence of monsters suddenly springing out quite nearby.

The elite Lizardmen we first encountered, the Mimicras that mimicked Leona, the Naga that crawled up from the muck, and the other Mimicras imitating different individuals.

I became certain that this place was a Teleportation Labyrinth when I met the Mimicras imitating Leona.

Furthermore, through my conversation with the Mimicras, I learned the owner of this labyrinth was watching our forms.

The eyes of the monsters were the devices observing us.

Why would they be watching mere Academy students like us?

The reason is simple.

Stella Behrhaigen.

They need Stella along with Pina. Therefore, they won’t just let Stella, who has entered this place, roam free.

But the owner of the labyrinth cannot intervene directly.

Besides needing to be cautious about Pina at the center, there are other beings present in the labyrinth that also need attention.

And sending some clumsy monster isn’t wise, since they could handle it all with me right next to them.

So what should I do?

I’ll wait for the teleportation magic to activate in the location we’re in, and at the moment Stella and I are separated.

That’s when I’ll strike.

Without me, Stella is weak.

Sending the elite Lizardmen I encountered earlier is a sure way for Stella to be completely overpowered.

So they must think that simply separating me would allow them to capture her easily.

Thus, I left a ‘trace’ for Stella without anyone noticing.

Once I’m separated from her and they take Stella to the central part of the labyrinth, I’ll have a trace to find her.

As long as I follow that trace, I can reach the center of the labyrinth with great ease and speed.

Not that… I intended to use Stella as bait. It’s just a precaution for unexpected situations.

It’s true.

I can’t plan something like that in a labyrinth where teleportation could happen at any moment.

The Labyrinth’s power doesn’t let it manipulate the Teleportation Labyrinth at will, so how could I know about it?

But… the situation has already unfolded.

I must use the arrangements I made.

Gulp – swallowing the chewed jerky, I casually packed my things.

I can afford to be at ease right now.

They won’t kill Stella.

No matter how much trouble she caused, they wouldn’t be able to kill her.

After all, the one targeting Stella is not some black mage who created this labyrinth but likely at least a Legion Commander.

So… I feel a bit sorry for Stella.

But until she is completely kidnapped, I can afford to move slowly.

Nevertheless, I’ll take responsibility and save her… yeah.

Having packed everything, I also finished my stamina recovery.

I checked my physical condition and made some personal adjustments.

“Guess it’s about time she’s been kidnapped, huh?”

Tap-tap – shaking off my backside, I concentrated mana in my eyes. I blinked a few times as the strain hit them.

After a brief moment.

I began to see the thin thread connected to the bandage wrapped around my hand.

A slender thread stretched straight into somewhere in the dark labyrinth.

The thread before my eyes was in Stella’s pocket.

It was connected to a piece of bandage hidden in a pen she always carries.

Being only a 5th Rank, I can’t use the true ability of this bandage. That is, I can’t know Luna’s location.

However, by pulling a small trick like this,

I can find a piece of the bandage that was once one.

I used to use things like this quite well even 400 years ago.

Habar.

The meaning is reunion.

An artifact living up to its name.

After making this, Luna proudly bragged about it for quite a while.

Recalling Luna’s smile, I chuckled hee-hee as I followed the white thread resembling her hair.

*

“That’s strange.”

A black mage leaning against the head of a gigantic serpent.

Samaela looked straight ahead with an enigmatic smile.

A magic circle drawn in blood by the Royal Knight Order.

Within it, Pina was bound, extracting the power of the spirit.

And beside her lay Stella Behrhaigen, the Star Child ordered to come by ‘that person,’ unconscious.

Seeing the two girls, Samaela tilted her head.

“Things have gone way too smoothly.”

Securing Stella wasn’t part of the plan.

Of course, until recently, they had intended to kidnap her.

Also, Robert… had ordered Phaid, who was hiding in the Academy, to secure Stella if the opportunity arose.

However, due to too many obstacles in that process, securing her had been postponed.

It would’ve been better sooner, but at least before the coming-of-age ceremony.

That was the timeframe given to Samaela and countless other black mages.

So, for now, there was no need to worry.

But then, unexpectedly, Stella stepped into their grasp. And alongside her, the direct descendant of Eustetia.

“Is she stupid?”

Or did she calculate all this?

If so, who was it?

The direct descendant of Eustetia who entered the labyrinth along with them?

That little girl.

Did she draw such a massive picture to catch herself?

Using her own friend as bait?

“Puhuh.”

That can’t be. A mere seventeen-year-old girl wouldn’t make such choices or draw such a picture.

Of course, Eliaernes is formidable.

Based on the observations so far, she’s perceptive, intuitive, and powerful. Quick in judgment and outstanding in strength.

But… she is just a seventeen-year-old girl.

A girl raised in Eustetia’s precious home, who has never stepped onto the front lines or even into politics.

A naive girl unaware of Eustetia’s secrets.

Such a girl cannot draw a picture like this.

Even if this whole situation were created by Eliaernes, that doesn’t pose a problem.

What could a mere 5th Rank Martial Artist do?

The thought of defeat is unimaginable.

A being incapable of channeling their ideation into mana cannot overcome themselves.

That is a law of nature that no living being can defy in this world.

Yet Samaela did not dismiss her questions.

She still felt unease lingering.

Adelia Baros.

She feared that the serpent-like woman was up to something.

Certainly, Adelia had drawn attention with an elaborate strategy.

However, that cunning woman might have left variables behind.

“Robert.”

Thinking this, Samaela decided to eliminate variables. Killing the direct descendant of Eustetia would be a bit troublesome, but it couldn’t be helped.

For now, she couldn’t pay attention to that girl.

The Nameless Captain, who is stirring up the labyrinth even at this moment. There’s no telling how long that detestable woman would remain tied up there.

And, she wasn’t someone who could give up what was already in her hand, merely because of unease. Samaela was not a person with little ambition.

“How shall we deal with the corpse?”

“The corpse…”

Normally, she would leave the corpse behind and head back to Eustetia’s domain.

Humans tend to hold onto the foolish hope that if there’s no corpse, they might not be dead and keep poking around.

If that poking around happened to be the Eustetia family, it would be annoyingly bothersome.

But…

As long as that massive door opens, she can leave the Empire and return to Gebihenum. And she won’t return to the Empire for a while.

The way back has already been secured.

The back door of the labyrinth created with the special authority granted by the Labyrinth.

As long as that door opens, she can go to Gebihenum without any process.

Then… even if Eustetia stirs things up,

There wouldn’t be any problem.

Returning there, she could hand over Eliaernes’ corpse to another demon.

Although the Hero’s blood is not mixed, it’s still the corpse of a virgin who has not undergone the coming-of-age ceremony.

Possessing excellent talent, her mana is pure.

Samaela, still merely human, cannot take that corpse, but demons can.

Thus, she can sell it at a high price.

Considering the costs incurred while dealing with this incident, it’s no small amount.

How much mana was consumed in catching that demon rampaging in Arant Museum?

The corpse of Eliaernes will fill that gap.

“Bring it. Make sure it’s in the cleanest state possible.”

Actually, it wouldn’t matter if it’s brought in pieces.

Among demons, there are many with peculiar sexual desires.

So, the cleaner it is, the better the price will be.

“I will comply.”

With a brief response, Robert’s figure flickered away.

Left alone, Samaela took a moment to organize her thoughts before speaking while looking at Pina, who radiated the light of the spirit.

“Hey there.”

Her voice was like a tickling sensation passing through the eardrums into the mind.

“Are you awake?”

At that voice, Stella’s body jolted – she flinched.

“You don’t have to be afraid. You’re not going to die.”

And as if to follow up, click-clack – Samaela stood up and walked towards the still-unresponsive Stella, who had her eyes tightly closed.

“No matter what someone says about killing you, I will protect you.”

Coming to a stop by Stella’s side, Samaela caressed Stella’s legs with her bare feet.

“Then, shall we have a little chat until your consciousness returns and that door opens?”

With the sensation of something slithering like a snake, Stella opened her tightly shut eyes.

“Jeniela Behrhaigen.”

Upon seeing Samaela’s face, Stella caught her breath in surprise.

“The story about your missing mother.”

The owner of this labyrinth, Samaela,

“…What the hell are you…?”

Looked exactly like her mother, who had gone missing seven years ago.

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