Dress Rehearsal
Dark night on the 23rd floor of the Magic Tower.
Ruina's office.
She was still drafting a verification plan for Deculein's paper.
Drip!
The fountain pen she'd been pressing down with snapped.
Plip— plip—
Nosebleed dripped onto the documents.
"……"
Ruina stared blankly at the bloodstains.
Her head spun.
Her heart pounded like a hammer on an anvil.
A grotesque emotion bubbled up from the depths of her consciousness.
Without thinking, she glanced out the window.
The moon swallowed by gray clouds.
A world drowned in pitch black.
Her reflection in the glass looked strange.
"……?"
Her eyes were blood-red.
It had clearly been a nosebleed.
Or was it tears of blood?
Shhhhaaaa……
Suddenly, unidentified particles rose from her shoulders. A acrid current, like ash scattering in the wind.
"!"
Ruina whipped around to check her shoulder.
It was fine.
Nothing wrong at all.
"Am I going mad……?"
Ruina sighed and muttered to herself.
Well, she'd been through hell lately.
Kidnapped by Deculein, starved for nearly a week on the brink of death, forced into that humiliating pact.
Her sanity holding together now was the real miracle.
"I'll rest at home."
Tap tap— Ruina gathered the document stacks, stuffed them into her bag, turned off the lights, and locked the office door.
……She stepped out like that.
But in the darkness,
Wriggle—
An inexplicable pulse continued.
Wednesday, 2 p.m.
Ifrin was working on a group assignment in a Magic Tower study room. But since the project was nearly done, it was mostly chit-chat.
"One card!"
"Ah, screw that! Total cheap shot!"
Eurojan, Dain, Zepel.
The three guys were playing a card game, Sylvia had her eyes closed like she was double-checking the assignment, and Ifrin was reading letters.
To Ifrin Luna.
I read your letter.
I believe in your talent. So believe in your own talent as well—walk a steadfast path, unswayed, without arrogance.
Diligence and effort will surely yield good results.
— Deculein von Grahan Yukline
"Five lines~"
Short compared to her ten-page epic, but hey, a reply was reply enough to be grateful for.
That bit about Roahawk—aspiring to be the greatest mage like Roahawk—felt kinda pointless now.
Ifrin folded the letter contentedly and tucked it away.
"……Huh?!"
She suddenly yelped loudly and pulled a handkerchief from her robe pocket.
The ultra-luxury one some gentleman had given her during university festival, when she'd bawled like a baby watching that play Portrait of a Sad Day.
"Hold on."
This embroidery on the handkerchief.
"And this."
The mark in the corner of the letter.
"They're the same."
Ifrin's pupils dilated at the sight.
Not some family crest…… More like a high-end brand mark. But no way it was coincidence.
"Ah~ hold up. Ah~"
Ifrin clutched her head, pondering.
What'd that guy's face look like again? She'd been ugly-crying so hard she couldn't even meet his eyes.
"……No way."
No friggin' way.
Was he really watching over her?
Keeping an actual eye on her talent?
"Hmm…… In that case."
Her heart fluttered for the first time in ages.
This was fun.
Ifrin felt a thrill and casually stroked her chin, feigning nonchalance.
Then a sharp voice cut in.
"Quiet. Impudent Ifrin."
It was Sylvia.
She glared with puffed-up cheeks, like her focus was broken.
"Sorry, sorry~"
Ifrin apologized brightly and shut her mouth. Sylvia closed her eyes again, trying to refocus.
But her ears and eyelids kept twitching. Like she was seeing and hearing something else entirely.
Her lips had pursed just a moment ago too.
"Hey, you hear the rumors? About Rohakan."
"……!"
The three guys suddenly switched topics mid-card game.
Ifrin straightened up guiltily. She'd been right there, after all.
"Rohakan? Yeah. But my dad wouldn't spill. Said it was classified."
"Heard Deculein the Chief Professor fought him or something."
"Nah. Even against Rohakan, the Chief's on another level, right?"
Luckily, the guys seemed clueless.
"Class soon. Let's head out."
"Ifrin. Sylvia. You coming?"
The three turned to them.
Sylvia opened her eyes right on cue.
"Yeah, yeah. Gotta go."
They stashed the scrolls in the study room safe, headed out together, and piled into the elevator.
Sylvia whispered softly.
"You know that day's a secret, right."
"Why ask the obvious? You really think I'm an idiot?"
"Yes."
"……."
Ding—
Third floor. Ifrin stepped out a beat late. Noble mages waiting in the hall swarmed Sylvia.
What, was she some idol?
"Sylvia! Heard you pierced Rohakan's barrier?!"
"Amazing~ Give a lecture sometime—"
What the hell. Pierced a barrier? All she did was snag my fish skewer.
Ifrin grumbled, pushed open the A-Class lecture hall door, and went in.
"What's today's gimmick?"
The scenery inside was off. She spun around—university campus.
Cafes, gym, lecture halls, gardens, alleys, shops, restaurants—everything but the tower, perfectly replicated.
"Whoa…… huh?"
Ifrin glanced back casually and froze.
The door she'd entered through? Gone. Just an empty garden.
A chill crawled up her spine.
"Ghost special today? But what's that got to do with pure elements……."
Ghosts are pure elements or some crap?
—Ahem. Can you hear me?
A voice boomed from the sky. Assistant Professor Allen's tone.
—It's 3 p.m. sharp. Class begins. Any debutantes who didn't make it in are disqualified for tardiness.
One second late? Classic Deculein.
Ifrin perked her ears.
—Today's theme: 'How to Cope in Real Combat.' Treat this as a virtual barrier. You're trapped inside. Objective: escape. Time limit: 180 minutes.
"Mm."
Pretty intriguing setup.
—Magical beasts generated by the barrier lurk everywhere. Also, today Chief Professor Deculein is not your ally. He'll patrol to disqualify you.
"Deculein?!"
Ifrin perked up instead. A legal shot at challenging him.
—Of course, with Deculein and other professors monitoring, it won't be truly dangerous. But remember: the moment you're in grave peril, you're out. This affects your grades.
Awooooo—!
Howling cut off the explanation early.
Ifrin whipped toward it.
Blood-red eyes on a wild dog. Ash spewing from its maw.
—I expect practical magic from you debutantes. Class starts now!
The second Allen finished, Ifrin channeled mana into her bracelet.
Grrrrrr—!
She unleashed on the charging mutt.
Elements: water and wind.
Shwaaaa—!
Her water jetted out as a high-pressure crescent blade, hurtling at over 500 m/s.
Short range, but its close-quarters slashing power rivaled a sword aura—a destructive pure-element spell.
Water Moon, the one Deculein drilled into her head.
Kek……
The dog's body quartered neatly.
"Heh."
Ifrin shrugged smugly—
"Kyaaah—!"
A scream echoed nearby.
"Where?!"
Ifrin bolted.
Wind elements cloaking her body muffled sound but boosted speed.
She arrived quick, but too late.
No one there. Just a note.
[Celi Disqualified]
"Sorry. Should've been faster."
Bummer.
Ifrin tsked, pocketed the note, and moved on.
……40 minutes into class.
Amid threats everywhere, Sylvia strode haughtily. No cowering, no stifling her presence.
She simply revealed her full dignity.
Drawn by her elegant glow, the familiars bared fangs and jaws—but challenging the sun brought grim ends.
Every one charred by heat, oxidizing miserably.
"Sylvia?"
Someone called. Lucia, Jupern, Beck—her usual noble clique.
Lucia asked.
"Escape together?"
"……."
Sylvia shook her head.
"Okay, well. Good luck then."
Lucia seemed to ask out of courtesy and brushed past. Then suddenly bolted the other way.
Sylvia soon understood why.
On the nearby horizon loomed a noble with overwhelming presence.
Chief Professor Deculein.
As enemy now, more terrifying than anyone. Overpowered by his aura, Sylvia shut her eyes.
And,
Splash—!
Turned the ground to water and submerged.
"……."
She held her breath down there.
Step— step— Footsteps echoed overhead.
—Kyaaaaah!
Not long after, a scream rent the air.
Probably Lucia's crew caught.
Idiots. You can't outrun the professor's steel with sprinting.
She didn't know the exact mechanism, but once on his radar, no escaping unless you burrow underground.
That's why I did.
Sylvia waited, buried.
Then a dumb voice drifted down.
Make that really dumb.
—Stop!
—……Ifrin. Head-on fights are for fools.
—This isn't head-on. We're four strong…… Hey! Where you going?! Come back!
Sounded like the ones Ifrin saved ditched her.
Then clang clang—! Sparks of something sharp.
Ifrin belatedly casting too, but……
—Ow! Ack! Wait! Ugh! Uwaaaah!
……She's not dumb for nothing.
Sylvia stifled a laugh at Ifrin's scream—surprisingly tenacious.
……120 minutes into class.
"Still…… no regrets."
Having barely escaped, Ifrin rubbed her aching body and sighed.
But Lucia and those damn pricks? Ditched after I saved 'em? Unbelievable.
4v1 was winnable.
"Calm. Calm."
Ifrin swallowed her anger and analyzed the barrier. Ditching frontal assault, her escape plan: dismantle it.
"Beasts: golems, wild dogs, bats…… bats?"
She looked up. Bat swarm circling the sky.
"……."
Her gaze narrowed on them.
"……Orbiting in fixed paths."
Ifrin infused mana into the wind. A fragment clung to a bat, rippling back useful intel.
Bats scouted enemies, relayed to Deculein—but irregularly.
Orbits needed a center. Trace the paths, pinpoint the source.
Ifrin closed her eyes, visualized the area. Overhead view, calculated the swarm's movement.
Result……
Rustle—
"Ack! Who's there?!"
Ifrin jumped.
A figure burst from the bushes.
"Ifrin. Still alive."
Phew, Sylvia. Ifrin sighed in relief, patting her chest.
"Haa…… Disqualified doesn't mean dead. Anyway, good timing. Sit."
Ifrin patted the ground. Sylvia magicked a chair. At least a meter high.
Perched atop, Sylvia looked down. Eye levels mismatched instantly.
"……Get down?"
"Speak."
"Childish much?"
"Speak."
"……Sigh. Anyway, to escape, dismantle the barrier, right? But to do that—"
"Gym."
Sylvia beat her to it. Ifrin nodded.
"You figured it too. Core's in that gym."
Ifrin pointed across the alley.
"……."
"……."
Silent eye-talk.
Consensus reached, they headed to the gym.
Stealthy to dodge dogs and bats, they hugged the wall nearby.
Ifrin peeked first.
……Gym center.
The literal final boss.
"Shh. Deculein."
Dozens, hundreds of familiars with him. Reading a book, up close.
Sylvia squinted.
"Impudent Ifrin."
"C'mon. He's our enemy right now."
"……."
Ifrin scoped it.
Vast open space, all directions clear. Core…… Hovering dead center, guarded by Deculein.
His design, Allen's meticulous setup. Real-combat rehearsal.
Not gonna be easy.
"One of us distracts. I'll do it."
"No."
Sylvia shook her head.
"I'll handle it."
"……You? Sure?"
Ifrin blinked wide. Figured she'd just self-preserve.
"You're too dumb to distract."
"……Wow. Fine. How? Gym's wide open. He put the core there knowing that."
"We're different."
Sylvia pulled a brush. Drew a flat rectangle with handle on the ground.
It solidified into a proper lid.
"Go under. Links straight to the gym."
"……No blocks midway?"
"Doubting me now?"
Sylvia's brow twitched.
No, no~ Ifrin waved it off and opened the lid.
Definitely bunker-like tunnel.
"This is…… legit. Props, props."
Impressed, Ifrin offered a high-five. Sylvia eyed the hand, then:
"Impudent Ifrin."
"Huh? Don't know how?"
"Don't get cocky."
"……."
"Go in. Time your exit."
"Got it."
Ifrin entered the tunnel. Sylvia strode up and opened the gym door.
There: Deculein. Ash familiars turned hostile.
"Deliberations done?"
Deculein asked without looking up from his book. Sylvia nodded.
"Very well."
Thud— He closed it. Signal given—familiars charged her.
"……."
Sylvia shut her eyes. Released her Tri-Color.
Shwaaaa——
Colors from her dantian dyed the world.
The plain gym reshaped to her 'drawing.'
Red, green, blue. Paints mingled into all hues, slowly engulfing the gym.
No familiars in the new landscape.
Mere familiars couldn't resist her colors—assimilated.
……Ash faded. Gym became lush meadow.
Inspiration from Deculein too.
Midterm epiphany, embodied as talent into magic.
"In this landscape, I control everything."
Deculein scanned. Searching for a 'medium.'
"No mana stones to mediate. All my mana."
Sylvia hand on chest. Stood firm, gazing at him.
"This is Sylvia."
"……."
"You know who I am."
Her voice brimmed with confidence. Faith and pride in self—befitting a strong one, true noble poise.
Deculein seemed pleased.
"Good. Perfect magically."
But the instant Sylvia opened her eyes—
Deculein loomed before her.
"But don't neglect your frail flesh."
The Ash Baron amplifies parasite's physical and mana prowess. Players struggle not just magic, but body too.
Mages 'players' wasting stats on exercise? But non-players need it.
"Disqualified."
Deculein tapped her forehead with a finger. Sylvia stared up unflinching.
"No."
Defiant shake of head.
"Before that……."
"I did!"
A shout from behind. Deculein knew without turning.
Ifrin.
"I already stole the barrier core!"
Ifrin thrust her hand high, showing off. Bracelet on her right wrist shimmered with mana.
"……Nngh!"
Destroying the core and dismantling? Beyond normal debutantes……
But Ifrin wasn't normal.
Whirrrrr—! Bracelet mana swirled into the core. The whole barrier shook.
Crumble crumble……
Ground quaked like an earthquake. Dust rained from gym ceiling.
Cracks slashed the sky. Space fractured, ready to shatter.
And.
Shatter——!
Barrier exploded like plate glass.
Tsssh……
……Barrier shards scattered futilely.
Beneath them.
Taking hits all over……
"……Haha."
Deculein smiled, somehow refreshed.
Like he was proud.
Like they were trustworthy now.
"……."
Sylvia and Ifrin stared blankly at the grinning professor. His first smile.
"……Yes."
Finally, he spoke.
"You win."
"……!"
That moment.
Ifrin felt euphoria surging from her depths. Bang!— Fireworks echoed in her head. Overwhelming joy flooded her nerves.
"Ifrin, Sylvia. Full marks."
Scenery snapped back.
Plain lecture hall.
"Teamwork and attitude carried it."
Door opened late. Disqualified filed in under Allen. Ifrin spotted Lucia.
Ditched after I helped? Ungrateful punk.
"Hmph."
Lucia shot back venomous eyes like so what?
"Sit."
Deculein had more to say. Debutantes sat.
Ifrin checked the clock. Past 6 sharp. Unprecedented.
"Remember the dorm barrier incident. Today's prep for if it recurs. Real combat too—what you'll face someday."
Deculein nodded at Allen. He hauled in a box of gas masks from outside.
"If it happens again, cooperation is key. Carry these anti-demonic gas masks always."
Deculein distributed via Telekinesis. Ifrin beamed at hers.
"!"
Eyes widened.
Thought standard issue, but top-grade? Crazy expensive!
"Good work. Disqualified, reflect on why. Ask Allen for details. Dismissed."
Deculein left after that.
Early dropouts slunk out glumly, but triumphant Ifrin lingered, savoring.
Is this how mages grow?
Pride hit different.
—You win.
Deculein's satisfied voice.
Hearing it spiked adrenaline, slamming her skull.
Sure, he went easy somewhat. That steel golem or whatever didn't twitch.
Still, rare emotion. Won't feel twice.
"Hehe."
But don't misunderstand.
Not happy at his praise. Happy at beating him.
"……Alright."
Ifrin clenched her fist.
So today.
Just today…… Fancy dinner okay.
"Tonight: Roahawk……!"
*
Dark night, all gone.
Deculein wrote on the lecture hall blackboard.
1. Discern the core of the barrier.
2. Avoid frontal confrontations.
3. Survive.
4. Remember this blackboard is the only link between you and me.
Behind it.
Deculein applied Midas' Hand to the board. Mana from his finger seeped into the green surface.
Prep for when the Ash Baron strikes without warning.
His advice as professor to students.