NOVEL WEB Chapter 24
“Adelia Special Professor, this is…”
“It’s all true.”
The special professor of Dark Magic, Adelia Baros, handed over her findings from the last two weeks to Sedil.
“The labyrinth that Young Lady Eustetia and Young Lady Behrhaigen entered was not created by the Academy. It was a labyrinth produced by Gebihenum’s Legion Commander, Lord of Laziness, using his powers.”
As Sedil read the documents Adelia handed him, a chilling mana surrounded him.
“The fact that the one who created the labyrinth has a low rank and thus produced a less complete version is somewhat fortunate. Of course, it was still far more dangerous than the Academy’s labyrinth.”
“The report states that it seems to have been planned for a whole month. Is there any evidence for this?”
Sedil found it hard to believe Adelia’s claims.
How can he trust someone who speaks so respectfully about the Lord of Laziness, who is a subordinate of the Demon King?
Moreover, Adelia is a Dark Mage.
Only another Dark Mage would readily trust what she says.
However, realistically speaking, it was true that he had to put faith in her words.
She is one of the candidates for the next head of the Black Magic Tower.
In fact, her testimony is even more powerful than the traces of dark magic that Sedil, the 8th Circle Grand Mage, couldn’t uncover.
“Just look at the last page. They’ve found traces of a Dark Mage that the Empire is currently pursuing. They used some very filthy methods.”
“This is…”
“Yes, what the Dean suspects is correct.”
Sedil’s narrowed eyes landed on a photograph.
“Three months ago, the second son of Baron Uraka dropped out of the Academy. After that, rumors spread about his mysterious disappearance. Though Baron Uraka seemed indifferent to those rumors, he was discovered in such a state five days ago.”
In a certain mansion of the system.
Toward the direction of the Academy, a corpse with its belly skinned open and entrails spilling out.
Its two eyeballs hung down on the belly as if staring at the entrails, and the limbs and guts were grotesquely twisted.
The body had been so mutilated that it was impossible to tell when or how it died, and maggots swarmed around it.
A strange magic circle, starting from its back, filled the entire room, all drawn in blood.
At first glance, it appeared to be a shocking murder scene, but Sedil could tell at a glance what shape it represented.
The blood-drawn magic circle was an inverted version of the labyrinth creation magic circle made in the Green Magic Tower.
The spilling entrails and twisted limbs bore the exact likeness of the magic circle from the entrance exam’s labyrinth.
“Baron Uraka knows nothing. Whether he’s pretending not to know or genuinely unaware, he can be captured if we choose to. Though it would be like catching a severed tail.”
As he heard Adelia’s words and continued to read the papers, Sedil slowly raised his head.
His eyes were on Adelia, but he wasn’t really looking at her.
He was reflecting on the words of Eliaernes Eustetia after she had finished the test.
– Surely, there’s no need to prove this again, right? If necessary, I will swear on my mana, but I feel we must hold you accountable for the ‘Academy’s accident’ that requires a re-exam.
– Well, since I’m still young, I imagine someone from my family will come to inquire directly.
– Anyway, that’s how it became. And regarding the special entrance today, I hope you can keep it confidential.
– Well… It’s just that there are many tedious matters involved. It’s a bit bothersome to say it here, so I ask for your understanding.
“All of this was to ask for secrecy…”
He knew.
Eliaernes Eustetia already knew.
She wouldn’t be oblivious to what had happened inside, as the difference between a labyrinth made by the Academy and a real one is like heaven and earth.
Perhaps it was the very reason why Eliaernes’s expression hardened the moment she came out of the labyrinth.
“Phew…”
Then, what was the reason for asking to keep it a secret?
Because she was suspecting the professors.
She must have thought that there could be Dark Mage’s flunkies among the professors.
And if the Academy were to mobilize upon realizing all this, if Eustetia were to take action.
If Muyeong steps in.
Just as Adelia said, the true culprit, who has been stealing information from somewhere, would surely cut off their tail and flee.
Did Young Lady Eliaernes request secrecy to prevent that from happening?
To act with foresight at just 17 years of age?
Even so, it’s far too dangerous.
Even if she slayed the basilisk of the real labyrinth and escaped in just four hours, she’s still just a 17-year-old girl.
Stella Behrhaigen is the same.
“This is…”
Sedil closed his eyes, contemplating his own inadequacies.
“…Adelia Special Professor, who else knows about this?”
“Only the Dean and I. Perhaps… the parties involved might already know.”
“Even so, Professor Adelia also knows they have been caught up in a special admission, or rather, an incident, right? I don’t recall sharing that with you.”
Adelia chuckled, glancing at Sedil’s sharp gaze.
“Well, you know. My eyesight is quite good.”
Between her slightly opened eyelids, her red irises gleamed.
“So, what will you do, Dean?”
“Right. This time, we―――”
At the moment Sedil opened his mouth after a long silence, a gigantic veil enveloped the Dean’s office. It trapped the movement of air, blocked the flow of sound, and kept the conversation from leaking out.
And shortly after Sedil finished his words,
“Oh my… What a good idea.”
Adelia was already gone.
And only the black feathers of a raven remained in that spot.
“How I wish I could directly act in this position of Dean.”
But as long as he’s in this position, he’ll make sure to get as much done as possible before the entrance ceremony.
Having finished his thoughts, Sedil quietly left the dean’s office.
*
“Um… Young lady, we don’t have that book.”
[‘Information about Hero Party’s Mage’ cannot be found.]
Narrowing his eyes at the text appearing on the screen, he asked again.
“Then please look up something about the Grand Mage.”
“Yes.”
“Tokdododok-” Yurasia replied lightly, starting to type the words appearing on the screen at an incredible speed.
Searching. Searching. Searching.
Continuing to search based on the keywords of what I said, Yurasia smiled and pointed at the screen a few seconds later.
“These are the ones that overlap the most!”
“Oh…”
Various types of books appeared on the screen.
“I’ve already checked the locations, so shall we set off right away?”
“Um… yeah. Okay. Thanks.”
“Hehe. It’s nothing special! You could easily have done this alone!”
“…No way. If you weren’t here, I might have smashed something. I could’ve been kicked out for cursing.”
“Ah, then I guess I have to stick with you all the time?”
“Not to that extent. Just learn it.”
With a chuckle, Yurasia linked her arm with mine and started walking forward.
“First, let’s go to the nearest location!”
I also moved my steps, half-dragged along.
“I’ve said this since earlier, but it’s really massive.”
“It really is.”
Yurasia and I marveled at the endlessly stretching bookshelves and the books crowding those shelves.
I’d heard rumors that the library of the system was large, but I never expected it to be this enormous.
No, saying it is large is an understatement.
It’s gigantic.
Gigantic and even more gigantic.
If it weren’t for the kiosk we had just used, searching for a single book could have taken an entire day.
Really, having Yurasia with me saved my skin.
“Hmm… B94. It says it’s here…”
Finally stopping, Yurasia began to search for the book we had just looked up.
“What’s the title?”
“The History of Grand Mages!”
“G, G, Grand Mage… History… Ah, I found it. Here it is.”
She pulled out a book with a dark blue cover adorned with purple stripes.
The cover felt stiff and glossy like a newly released book.
The title read:
[History of Grand Mages Volume 2]
“What? Volume 2? Is there a Volume 1?”
“Oh, indeed? There wasn’t a separate volume for it.”
“Hmm, I’ll read this for now.”
She tucked it under her arm and moved on to find the next book.
“Ah, let me carry that.”
“No, you’re holding drinks with both hands.”
“I can still carry it!”
“If that spills, you’ll have to pay a fine, right? Anyway, where’s the next book?”
“Um… The next book is ‘The Family that Gave Birth to the Grand Mage’ located in C34!”
The C34 that Yurasia mentioned was faintly visible in the distance.
One, two, three…
We had to pass at least 40 shelves to find it.
It really is vast.
I thought my father’s study was huge, but compared to this, it was hardly the size of a bathroom.
Back in the day, paper was expensive, and books were luxuries reserved for the nobility, yet now, it’s fascinating that anyone can read various books without regard to status.
– When I catch the Demon King, I will create a library.
– A library? Isn’t there one in the Imperial Palace?
– No, I mean a library that common folks like us can freely access. And the size, yes, I think a fortress of this Legion would be appropriate.
– Why not just say you’ll turn the Imperial Palace into a library? Besides, to fill such a space solely with books, won’t that cost an insane amount of money?
– Ronan, once we catch the Demon King, we’ll have more money than we know what to do with. Can’t we build one little library? I want to build a casino in the Holy Kingdom. It would also be good to sell alcohol. Nothing beats taking the money from drunken fools. Hah… My hands are already shaking at the thought.
– That’s some serious withdrawal symptoms, crazy woman.
– I will establish a daycare in the system. About thirty would be adequate.
– It’s good to have a daycare, but what if the kids grow up to be like us?
– Ah! Then I’ll build one home where we can all live together! Since the system is too chaotic, let’s have it in a quieter, fresh air area!
– You’ll be living there alone.
– What?! Everyone has to live together! Then, Ronan, what would you want to do once you become rich?
– Hmm, I―
“Hey, Young Lady, ah—”
While I was lost in thought, a straw was shoved in front of my lips.
“Ah, no. I’ll drink once I sit down.”
“If you keep looking for books, the ice will melt and it’ll be bland!”
“Still, that’s fine.”
“Hey, I refuse to allow that! Now, ah—”
Cook- cook- The pink straw kept poking my lips, so I had no choice but to open them.
“…Ah— Hoom—”
Chirp-chirp-
“Hehe, would you like to try my drink this time?”
Glug… No thanks.
“Mine is delicious too…”
Chirp-chirp-
Sipping on the ice chocolate that Yurasia handed me, I walked toward the bookshelf where the next book was.
And then.
“Hmm?”
There stood a woman with strikingly pink hair.
“Are you not Eliaernes Eustetia?”