The Academy’s Doomed Young Lord Dies Ten Thousand Times

Chapter 48 - How to Deny Predestined Harmony (3)

With Arien's appearance, the story progressed quite rapidly.

“The location of the artifact storage is confidential, but considering they invaded so boldly, we must assume they have pinpointed the location.”

Arien was right. The members of Ad Astra had invaded after receiving information from a spy working as a professor inside, so they knew the location.

I knew the location because I had played the game, but… I couldn't just say it out loud.

“Th-then what do we do? Shouldn't we go and tell the professors or someone right now?”

“If Miss Arien’s assumption is correct, it will be too late by the time we go now. We have to stop them.”

“Ugh……”

As could be seen from Serene's reply to Yuna's words, the general mood was forming around 'how to stop the intruders'. They must have thought it was worth a try since this much power had gathered.

Clap!

While opinions were divided, I clapped my hands once to gather the attention of the group.

“The enemy's target is probably the artifacts, and in the process, they seem to be trying to eliminate witnesses. This much is a common understanding, right?”

After summarizing the situation, I offered my opinion.

“Given the situation, I think it would be best to move in pairs of two to quickly find the enemy and protect people. What do you all think?”

“……I also cast my vote for Mr. Rain’s suggestion. Ailton Hall is so large that we might not have enough time if we all move together.”

As Serene said, the area of Ailton Hall was indeed quite large.

In terms of height, it wasn't particularly tall among the Magic Department buildings, which tended to be built high, but the problem was the area per floor of Ailton Hall.

Instead of having many floors, the area per floor was among the largest of the academy buildings, which was a feature of this Ailton Hall.

Therefore, I had to split the personnel to search as wide an area as possible.

After the policy was decided, the story flowed smoothly. Since everyone knew there wasn't much time, we decided to minimize unnecessary arguments.

I assigned the personnel according to their strength: Yuna and Arien, Khan and Elwin, and myself and Serene.

Among these, I, the objectively weakest in terms of power, was paired with the strongest, Serene; the appropriately strong Khan and Elwin were paired together; and the second strongest, Arien, was paired with the second weakest, Yuna.

If Yuna doesn't activate 'Wings', I'm stronger, but since it's an ability that manifests automatically when she's cornered… it would be right to include it in her power.

Anyway, the ideal formation was for each team to take on one of the three intruders who had invaded Ailton Hall.

Although they were the most important executives of the enemy who would be active until the latter half of the story, they were not yet in an environment where they could use their full power, so two each would be enough.

‘If it really doesn't work, I'll just have to regress a few times and change the deployment.’

I did have a thought that I might be thinking too lightly of dying for regression… but it wasn't an immediately necessary thought, so I put it aside.

Anyway, after finishing the personnel distribution, I headed to the 3rd floor with Serene. It was the floor where the artifact storage was hidden.

“…….”

Of course, since the matter was what it was, we walked in silence so as not to make a sound. With me leading the way and Serene following behind.

‘Still, I feel a bit relieved.’

With Serene, I wouldn't be pushed into a defensive position no matter who I met. There was also a sense of stability, with no room to go astray mentally.

Yes, this story had a pretty good start.

But that didn't mean I thought things would be smooth sailing from now on.

***

Rain Enlight is strong.

Lately, people had been paying attention to that proposition. The path Rain had shown since the entrance ceremony was so extraordinary that it washed away even his humiliating past from their perception.

Serene El Stellia had known from the beginning that this proposition was true. Since she got to know the person named Rain Enlight, back in their middle school days.

The strength Serene saw in Rain was not in his personal martial prowess. In middle school, in subjects related to combat, Rain was always a cadet who was on the verge of failing.

Then, if you were to ask where the strength Serene saw in Rain lay. Serene could answer with a single word.

Willpower.

Despite the countless scorns and insults directed at him, Rain always looked straight ahead.

Instead of despairing over his flaws, he always chose the path to overcome them.

Even when he received a failing grade in a combat subject, even when he suffered a crushing defeat in a practice spar, he chose to silently hone himself instead of despairing.

Without showing any sign of the pain the bitter failures and the ridicule of those around him must have caused.

It was strange that his skills remained stagnant despite such straightforwardness. But Rain’s attitude towards life lit a small fire in the heart of the girl, Serene, who had never experienced failure.

‘If I hit a wall, will I be able to face failure with as much composure as Mr. Rain?’

The strength Serene possessed could be called ishitsu, different in nature. This could be seen from the fact that in middle school, she had already surpassed the level of a Regular Knight, a rank that included most knights.

And that also meant that she had never felt a real wall until now.

That's why Serene couldn't help but hold Rain, who had the will not to give up even if he hit a wall, in high regard.

That was the reason why the Light of Salvation, Serene El Stellia, came to think of Rain Enlight as an idol-like existence.

It was for that reason that Serene had approached him first in middle school to become friends.

……That’s why Serene regretted it. When Rain went into seclusion after experiencing 'that incident'.

They trampled on Rain’s body, and his pride, with cruel thoroughness.

No one stopped them. They were just drenched in madness, condemning the one being beaten and cheering on the one doing it.

Serene couldn't step in either. It wasn't that she didn't know the incident would happen. She was prepared.

But because of Rain's request not to interfere under any circumstances, Serene couldn't step in.

‘……No, that's just an excuse.’

The conversation right before that incident was still vivid in Serene’s mind.

“Mr. Rain, no matter how I think about it, this is not right. I know you are trying hard, but……”

Serene’s voice was filled with unprecedented anxiety and worry.

“It’s a fight that’s strange for it to even happen. It would be better to forfeit… it’s the right thing to do.”

The situation Rain faced at that time was a spar with that little chance of victory.

A top student who competed for 2nd or 3rd place in the grade.

And an inferior student who lingered at the bottom among the students of the same grade.

Rain Enlight’s final public evaluation spar was unfolding in such a manner.

It was strange. Very strange.

“……Maybe, there might be some other intention.”

But the boy with a shadow cast over his face, a frail-looking boy—Rain—just answered in his usual weak yet calm voice.

“Even so, I will not back down.”

“But……!”

“I know. That there’s no chance of victory.”

But it was not a bravado born of recklessness or ignorance.

It could not be called a mistake swayed by such momentary emotions.

“But the worst outcome is just defeat.”

That much hot-bloodedness could not be felt from his calm voice.

The boy’s voice was still coldly subdued.

“I am not afraid of defeat. I have always been losing.”

Rain lifted his head. Then, naturally, Serene was able to look into Rain’s eyes.

And at that moment, Serene must have felt it.

“If I break here, and if I run away, then I’m just a person of that level. Just as my sister always said, a nobody……”

That an unfathomable emptiness resided in the boy’s eyes.

“I am more afraid of realizing that I am nothing than of defeat.”

And yet, the boy was moving forward.

“That is why I cannot stop.”

“…….”

Serene could not give any answer to those determined words.

That was definitely the usual Rain. The Rain who does not succumb to defeat and continues to challenge.

Serene admired that Rain. The boy who would get up again no matter how many times he fell, and silently walk his path.

Yes, that figure was definitely the star Serene wanted to follow.

But… the moment Serene saw Rain’s eyes, she finally felt that something was wrong.

“If you interfere in any way, Miss Serene, I will resent you until the day I die.”

That one phrase Rain had said at the end was still engraved in Serene’s mind.

Serene thought about it now.

Perhaps the boy had not been unyielding, but rather unable to yield.

Perhaps he had not run away, but rather had been unable to run away.

Such a possibility suddenly crossed Serene’s mind, but Serene could not voice it. She could not stop Rain either.

Those words, unable to be verbalized, just disappeared into the void.

Rain had not changed. And, Serene supported and respected that Rain.

Selfishly, one-sidedly.

Serene had just caught a glimpse of a possibility, close to a wild guess, in that usual appearance…….

Yes, the only thing that had changed was Serene’s perspective.

That is why the girl could not stop the boy.

How could the girl block the very attitude she admired so much?

Rain’s request was a request, but perhaps the reason she couldn't stop Rain was bigger than that.

It was nothing more than a self-contradiction, and Serene had no right.

The image of the boy the girl admired was due to some distortion the boy had, she only now realized, but…….

Their hearts could not reach each other, and it ended like that.

That was the last conversation Rain and Serene had before they reunited in high school.

When she recalled those memories. Serene couldn't help but think.

I made all sorts of excuses like respect and reverence and looked away, but in the end, wasn’t I unable to understand anything about him properly?

Wasn’t I just fitting the ideal I wanted onto Rain?

And perhaps he was waiting for someone to reach out to him?

Even if he said with his own mouth that he didn't need help, rather than respecting that… shouldn't I have taken one more step closer?

They were not what you would call close to begin with, but now, whenever she sometimes looked at his back, which had become even more distant… Serene would fall into such unsolvable worries.

‘……I need to concentrate.’

Yes, she knew.

It was not good to have many distracting thoughts in this situation where intruders had appeared in the academy and a guard had been murdered.

But now, walking down the moonlit, deserted corridor with Rain… in this somewhat emotional situation, it was impossible for old memories not to surface.

But that sentiment did not last long.

Because from the other side of the corridor, someone was running.

***

What I felt while patrolling the 3rd floor of Ailton Hall with Serene was that the late-night Ailton Hall had an unusually gloomy atmosphere.

Perhaps it's because, in our perception, Ailton Hall is always bustling with students, professors, and staff who have come to attend lectures.

No, in fact, this situation where I had to be on high alert probably amplified the gloominess.

From here on, the situation was somewhat different from the original .

In the original, the story unfolds with an escape from Ailton Hall. Because of this, there was no need to figure out where the enemy was.

But, now I was in a situation where I had to find the members of 『Ad Astra』 who were wandering around this Ailton Hall……. Even I had to be tense.

I didn't know when the enemy would pop out, and if they appeared, I had to memorize their location.

And in the midst of that.

Tap, tatatak-!

From the other side of the corridor we were walking down, I heard the sound of someone running.

“……!”

As soon as I heard the sound, I turned my head back and looked at Serene.

Nod.

As expected, Serene, who quickly grasped the situation, nodded and then reached her hand out into the air.

Then, emerald-colored particles gathered in the air, and soon, the form of a beautiful spear was created in Serene’s hand.

It was the artifact that symbolized Serene’s identity, the Divine Spear 『Gungnir』.

I also placed my hand on the hilt of 『Spellbinder』.

As we finished our preparations, the sound of running grew closer.

20 paces, 10 paces, 5 paces…….

And right before the sound of running came around the corner.

‘Now……!’

Shing-!

I drew my sword, turned the corner of the corridor, and aimed my sword at the owner of the running footsteps.

And what I saw was.

“H-heeik-!!”

……A completely terrified, frail-looking middle-aged man.

‘Who is this……?’

And, it was a face I did not know.