NOVEL WEB Chapter 96
“I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy… How can you hit people so easily?!”
“Since when did I hit anyone?”
“Just now!! You totally hit me in the back of the head!”
“I didn’t hit you; I just poked your Blood Path. It probably didn’t even hurt. And if you’re going to make a fuss like that, you could’ve just used your magic to fix it!”
“W-Where’s a magic spell that can knock someone out in one go… No, there is one, but if I use that magic, we’ll get tracked down…!”
“Which is why I did what I did. If there had been a guarantee we wouldn’t get tracked, would you have done it?”
“…I wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Oh, really?”
I smirked at Stella’s fussiness and tightened my hood a little more.
This is a hood with recognition interference, and not just any recognition interference – it’s one that has been meticulously engraved with circuits by an 8th Circle Mage.
Sara prepared it in case of any unforeseen circumstances, so now is the perfect time to use it.
With this, even most mages wouldn’t be able to recognize me or Stella.
“But this outfit is super cute.”
…It’s a bit of a cute cloak design, but it’s good enough to keep our identities hidden… so I can endure it.
“Do you like that kind of design? With the fluffy fur and all?”
“Shut up.”
“Seriously, your way of talking…”
Pouting, Stella grumbled while chewing on the macaron she had given me earlier.
I honed my dulled senses and scanned the surroundings as sharply as possible.
No crows… don’t seem to see any pursuers either, and I don’t sense any traces of summoned beasts or familiars.
No one’s following us.
Still, I didn’t let my guard down.
Adelia Baros.
I don’t know when that woman’s eyes might catch us.
If it were a regular day… Adelia would have likely been the first to inform us of Pina’s kidnapping.
The green light on Adelia’s profile, which I checked before sending the reservation message, meant she was at the Academy.
But there had been no word.
What was up with that?
Is it because of the Dark Mage tied up with gold?
Or is there a possibility that Adelia simply didn’t see?
No, that can’t be. From our conversation, it was clear that Adelia knows more than she lets on.
There’s no way she could have simply missed it.
Then, I must consider other possibilities.
Perhaps someone diverted Adelia’s attention.
Or maybe she’s watching all of this for reasons I can’t fathom.
“Eliaernes. But… why are we here alone?”
“Who else would I come with?”
“I mean… there are many reliable professors at the Academy, right? So why did we come out alone and send a reservation message two days later? Couldn’t we have asked a trustworthy professor from the start?”
“A trustworthy professor… maybe.”
How many professors can I trust in the current situation?
There are no professors. Just the Headmaster and the Vice Headmaster.
And Leona, who is suspected to be the strongest at the Academy and is also Pina’s guardian, is absent.
Sedil seems to not have a moment to breathe.
Soon, the ban on going out will be lifted. But the system still holds the possibility of a demon attack.
In such a situation, Sedil is responsible for the safety of the students at the Academy.
So, being busy is inevitable.
When I think about all of this, the timing feels too perfect.
Even if there had been an opportunity to ask, I wouldn’t have.
If that “door” opens because of me.
And if there are clear traces left by Arisa on the other side of that door.
And if people come to know that it was left for “me.”
I can’t even begin to imagine how the situation would unfold after that.
Well… things might not go as I expect.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.
I have no intention of hiding the fact that I was Ronan for my entire life. Sooner or later, I’ll have to reveal it, no matter what.
But by then, I must be stronger.
It has to be a moment where I can act without worrying like a fool.
So for now, I must keep it hidden.
Even if it’s a bit reckless.
“There’s no one like that.”
“I think that’s your problem.”
“Why are you going off like this again?”
“Eliaernes. You don’t trust people enough. Isn’t that exhausting?”
As we walked, I shot a glance at Stella.
“Isn’t it better than believing everyone like a fool and getting taken advantage of?”
“…Are you talking about me?”
“Yep.”
“Ha, ha… Hey! I don’t trust everyone like that! I… I pick who to believe!!”
Stella shouted with a squeal!
It seems she shouted pretty loudly, but since everyone’s gaze isn’t on us, the hood’s effect seems to be working well.
“Also… when I say I trust everyone like a fool… that means you’re included!”
Stella’s cheeks flushed.
“What? You trust me?”
“Hah, you… you really…! I don’t know, you bad jerk!! Get lost! I don’t trust you!!”
With a huff, Stella turned her head and hurriedly walked away.
Then, a moment later.
She slowed her pace and looked back at me.
“Aren’t you coming quickly?!”
*
“…Is this the place?”
“Yeah. It seems like it.”
The spot we came to a stop was at the very bottom of the Milky Way.
The entrance to the underground canal where all the sewage flows through.
The iron bars looked like they would give you tetanus if scratched, and the foul stench of the sewage already made my face crinkle.
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to puke out the seaweed soup I had earlier…”
Stella was already gagging.
“Let’s go back now.”
“Eww… Ugh, no way. I’m going together.”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“Last time I couldn’t do anything. Yurasia was in such danger… all because of you! So this time, I’m going to do something.”
“I’ll save her even if you don’t!”
“Results are what matter… Uhm… of course, results are important. But the process is important too.”
Stella’s fingertips glimmered with purple mana.
That mana crawled up Stella’s nape and seeped into her nose.
Then, the mana from her other hand also flowed into my nostrils.
The awful stench that had been stinking up the place faded.
The air felt a little clearer.
There’s even a strange mint scent in the air.
“…What is this?”
“Whee! How’s that? Useful, right?”
With a triumphant face, Stella puffed her shoulders and made a V with her fingers.
“It’s an air purification barrier surrounded by the Academy. I interpreted and recreated it in my own way. It’s not as effective as what’s in the Academy, but it should be able to block this level of stench. And it doesn’t stop there; it even smells nice! Minty scent! Hehe!”
This is… pretty impressive.
Typically, mages use well-known spells. Once they reach the 6th Circle, their ideology starts to blend with their magic.
From then on, they reinterpret existing spells to make them their own, and Stella did that at just 4th Circle.
She merely overlapped four spells.
“Hehe, but I can’t explain it either way. This is, hehe… how should I put it? A product of my genius? Maybe it’s a genius touch? Instinct? Something like that! So you can’t do anything about it.”
But as she keeps boasting like this, any intention to compliment her vanishes. The saying “keep your mouth shut and you’ll get half” seems to be true.
“Yeah, I’m at 5th Rank.”
“Ugh… It’s not like there’s much of a difference!”
“Do you think your Circle is the same as my Rank, you loser?”
“Ugh…! Hey! What’s it to you if I want some praise?! Am I going to die?! Huh?! Why can’t you say I did well?!”
“Did you want to hear ‘good job’ and have me say ‘good girl’ to you? Fine, come here, let me pet you.”
Stella’s face turned a deep shade of red.
“G-Get lost! I don’t need it!!”
Stella let out a screech!
But she didn’t let go of the purification spell she had cast on me.
Looking at this, it’s clear she’s a good kid.
As I chuckled, I walked past Stella and softly said,
“Good job. This magic is pretty impressive. The mint smell is nice too.”
“Pfft, no, cough. I told you I don’t need it! And it’s already late!”
Stella pouted.
Yeah… she definitely is a good kid.
Though her silliness may be a bit much.
Swallowing a sigh, I started wrapping the bandages I had brought around my hand. From thumb to wrist, over the back of my hand, wrist, and fingers.
I was worried that my small fists would leave leftover bandage, but luckily the lengths seemed to match perfectly.
It’s not miraculous for nothing.
Chuckle– I wrapped the bandages around my opposite hand just the same.
“You wrap bandages really well. Did you learn?”
Did I learn? Do I even say I learned?
“No. I just followed what I saw.”
“Who?”
I gently patted Stella’s head with my neatly bandaged hand.
“Didn’t you investigate this?”
“…Ugh.”
Stella made a strange sound and stepped back.
“Step aside.”
“Why, why? What are you going to do?”
“I need to go inside.”
“Isn’t this quiet because of my magic—”
“No, that’d defeat the purpose.”
Thud, thud– The clear sound rang out from my tightly clenched fist. I lightly bounced on my feet.
“What do you mean it’d defeat the purpose?”
“You don’t have to hide anymore.”
“Huh?”
Stella tilted her head in confusion.
At the same time — thud, my foot hit the ground.
“Those guys already noticed us. So—”
Pink twin tails fluttered in the wind, brushing by my field of view. I shifted my weight onto my left foot, starting to turn my body. I twisted my waist and lowered my center of gravity. My right foot naturally lifted.
“—we should boldly march in.”
With this, as I pushed power into my left foot, ankle, and leg, in that instant of rotation— whoosh! Cherry blossom-colored mana erupted from my entire body. It burst forth, filling the world with cherry blossom-colored mana as it pushed the sunset that spread across the area aside.
It melded into my leg.
And just as my heel touched the iron bars,
All the strength in my body was transmitted to the bars.
Crash— A thunderous sound that felt like lightning struck my eardrums. Fragments flew everywhere. They scattered in the wind and got blocked at the same time.
“Are you crazy?! Are you trying to announce to the whole neighborhood that we’re here?!”
Stella was caught by the magical barrier she created.
Beyond that barrier, I peered into the pitch-black darkness.
Inside the underground canal.
Not the shabby labyrinth I had met so far.
Inside the real labyrinth of the Labyrinth.
I felt a terrifyingly strong presence.
And among those, the most irritating aura.
Gave me a wicked grin.