The Academy’s Doomed Young Lord Dies Ten Thousand Times

Chapter 49 - The Road to Midnight (1)

“Heeik-!!”

In the Ailton Hall late at night, at the scene of a quiet massacre, the first person I encountered was…….

A frail-looking middle-aged man. Thin-rimmed, old glasses particularly enhanced that impression.

“Who are you.”

While asking, I sheathed my sword. None of the intruders I had to face had a face like this, and none of them had transformation abilities.

And to my question, the man answered, stammering heavily.

“I, I, I am… Ma-Mathieu. Professor Mathieu! And you, you are? Y-you look like students……”

“……I am Rain Enlight.”

After I answered, I looked back at Serene, and Serene also introduced herself.

“I am Serene El Stellia……. Professor.”

“Oh, oh……! N-now that I’ve c-come to my senses, I remember. You’re b-both famous, after all……”

The professor, who introduced himself as Mathieu, stroked his chest as if in relief.

“W-what are you two doing here, at this hour……?”

“We happened to sense a strange phenomenon near Ailton Hall, and when we came to investigate, we encountered an attacker who had murdered a guard. Near the south gate.”

When the expected question came from Mathieu, I quickly explained the situation. If I delayed, there was a high chance of being ambushed.

“Oh, oh, s-so that’s what it was…… The security barrier s-suddenly stopped working, and I was w-wondering what was going on.”

He seemed to have calmed down, but he was still stuttering, so it seemed he had a habit of stuttering. The same went for his awkward-looking smile.

“I, I want to tell you students to e-evacuate quickly, but… g-given the situation, I think I’ll have to borrow a hand. C-can you help me?”

Mathieu then made such a request.

Well, not all professors specialized in combat……. I could fully understand his desire to borrow a hand.

What would I have answered to that question? There was no way I would refuse. It was a relief that the conversation didn't drag on.

***

Thus, we ran across the 3rd floor of Ailton Hall in the middle of the night again.

“O-ordinarily, it’s a s-secret from the students, but. There’s a-actually a room where p-precious artifacts are stored here. I-if we go there, we c-can seal the room and a-ask for help from other staff members. Gasp… Wheeze……”

Mathieu explained to us as we ran towards our destination. With his characteristic stutter.

‘He’s a Magic Department professor, so he probably has no stamina, yet he’s explaining while running. He’s going to run out of breath.’

I was in the rear, Serene was in the front, and Mathieu was in the middle. This was to respond to any unexpected situations that might arise.

But fortunately, no such situation occurred… and we were able to arrive at our destination safely.

The problem was that the destination was a wall between two classrooms.

“……A wall?”

When Mathieu stopped in front of the wall, Serene tilted her head. But instead of answering her question, Mathieu took out a key and pushed it into the wall.

Screech-.

Soon, a sound as if the wall was swallowing the key was heard, and Mathieu immediately pushed his body into the wall.

And Mathieu’s figure disappeared into the wall.

‘I didn’t expect to come here so early.’

This was the way to get into the artifact storage. In the original , it was a place you only entered in the latter half of Part 3.

“I did think the gap between the classrooms was particularly wide only on this side, so there was a secret room.”

“Aha……”

I muttered to the wide-eyed Serene and followed Mathieu inside.

What came into view when we entered were various artifacts displayed in glass cases, and complex magitech devices lined up on the wall.

“G-good. I-if we do this, th-this room will be sealed after we leave…… Ah, the support request, the request was this way……”

Mathieu muttered as he manipulated the magitech devices on the wall.

And during that time, I…….

‘……The Key of the Apex.’

I turned my head to check if the target of the enemy force this time, 『The Key of the Apex』, had not been stolen.

Originally in the game, when entering this place, it should have already been stolen and empty.

‘It’s fine.’

『The Key of the Apex』 was neatly enshrined in the case that was empty in the game.

Contrary to its grand name, its ordinary appearance, indistinguishable from a regular key, was rather impressive.

The only difference, perhaps, was that it was faintly glowing.

After confirming that the key was intact, I let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall.

And, I looked at Mathieu, who was diligently manipulating some device.

‘Mathieu, huh.’

Mathieu, a name I had never heard in the original , meaning he was a character who did not appear.

One might wonder why a perfectly real person like him did not appear, but the answer was actually simple.

As a result of the 『Prelude to Ruin』 that took place in the original work, all the people in Ailton Hall died. In short, they were probably killed for the purpose of destroying evidence.

‘In a way, is he similar to me?’

A character who is killed without even showing his face as the game progresses.

That setting felt quite familiar.

“It would be a good thing to save him.”

I muttered. People who can be saved should be saved. Though I couldn't save lives that were out of my reach.

……The problem was that the standard was vague.

“Mr. Rain, what did you just say?”

As I was lost in thought, Serene asked, as if she had heard my muttering.

“……It’s nothing. More importantly, how is Professor Mathieu?”

“Ah, he just finished manipulating the device. He looked like he had something to say……”

Something to say. I turned my head and looked at Mathieu again.

I could see Mathieu shuffling towards us.

“Professor, is your work all done?”

“Ah, ah, yes…… The artifact storage will be sealed soon, and I’ve also r-requested support. Support will be here in t-ten minutes. You t-two, stay here. A-after it’s sealed, it can’t be detected even with mana… so it’ll be safe.”

To that, Serene asked back. Her nuance was that she would not be staying here.

“……Aren’t you going to stay here, Professor?”

“Ha, haha…… Th-there are research students… who study late. Th-they might not know the situation… so we have to evacuate together.”

Hearing that, I could roughly understand.

‘……So this is why you died, Mathieu.’

In this suspicious and bizarre situation, to have the kindness to go around taking care of others. That must have hastened his death.

The ‘First Astros’ who would be wandering around this Ailton Hall were not merciful enough to show consideration in a place like this.

Well, strictly speaking, since the theft of 『The Key of the Apex』 was the official history, he wouldn't have been able to escape death even if he had hidden here.

But Serene was not one to quietly agree to such a proposal.

“No, Professor. We will move with you. Let’s find the survivors.”

And I also nodded. It wouldn't do any good for me to stay inside alone.

“I agree.”

Hearing our words, Mathieu wiped the sweat he was pouring with a handkerchief and smiled. He seemed to have foreseen that trying to stop us would just be a waste of time.

“……Th-this is truly an e-example for knights……”

After muttering that, Mathieu led the way to the exit and opened his mouth again.

“Th-the research labs are on the 2nd and 4th floors. You s-said you came in through the south gate, so… I can take you there.”

“There are other students who came with us on the 4th floor, so shall we go there?”

“Y-yes. There are o-other students who came with you, that’s g-good, then-.”

Just as we left the artifact storage and were about to head for the stairs.

“……!”

All my senses reflexively turned towards the darkness of the corridor behind me.

The combat sense I had built up through hundreds of deaths and battles was telling me.

Someone was approaching from this direction, emitting killing intent.

And sure enough, the moment I felt the enemy’s approach. Almost simultaneously, Serene shouted.

“Enemy attack!!”

Emerald particles gathered in Serene’s hand again, and soon those particles formed the shape of a spear.

Shing-.

I also drew my sword and stared in the direction where I felt the killing intent.

There were two sounds.

Drip, drip-.

Clank, clank.

The sound of some liquid dripping.

And the sound of something like armor moving.

Me, Serene, and Mathieu all instinctively held our breath and paid attention.

It was because we had felt such intense killing intent, or fighting spirit.

Clank, clank.

After a little time had passed, the source of the sound that was slowly approaching from the darkness revealed itself. With the moonlight shining through the window of Ailton Hall.

What we finally faced was armor.

Silver-shining armor, engraved with large and beautiful decorations.

But contrary to its elegant appearance, what the owner of the armor held in his hands was so incongruously bleak.

In his left hand was a huge, crude greatsword that made a person's size seem ridiculous.

And in his other hand……

Drip, drip.

He was holding a person's head, with blood clearly flowing from it, as if it had just been cut off.

The death the owner of the head faced must have happened in an instant, as his eyes were not even closed.

Clank.

And, the armored warrior slowly reduced his speed…….

Thud.

At a distance of about 10 paces from us, he casually threw the head at us.

It was an indifferent gesture, as if throwing away trash.

“…….”

It was a clear provocation. If one's sense of justice got the better of them here, there was a good chance they would lose their composure, but Serene did not lose her composure.

She just looked at the head once with sad eyes, and then solidified her stance to face the enemy.

Clank.

When the provocation had little effect, the armored warrior silently took the greatsword in his left hand with both hands and took a stance.

And immediately after.

KABOOM-!!

A roar that was unbelievable for the sound of weapons clashing against each other echoed.

It was the first exchange between the armored warrior and Serene, signaling the start of the battle.