Chapter 226
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 226
Valerian Academy was sailing smoothly, earning praise from students and faculty alike.
In stark contrast, another academy was in a state of total emergency following a series of disasters.
Ishtal of Steel—one of the Union’s Four Great Academies.
News of the horrific massacre in the Gilbert Kingdom, a primary benefactor of Ishtal, had finally reached the Union. Information had initially been suppressed to prevent widespread panic, and both the Lu Cult and the Empire had dispatched troops to the kingdom.
However, it wasn't enough to halt the tragedy unfolding there.
An investigation confirmed that this was no simple act of terror or civil unrest, but a calculated massacre orchestrated with demonic intervention. Ultimately, King Kaim of the Gilbert Kingdom, the mastermind behind the atrocity, was branded a public enemy of the entire continent.
Naturally, students hailing from the Gilbert Kingdom were in a state of absolute turmoil. Unable to even confirm the safety of their families and friends, they could hardly focus on academy life.
Ishtal Headquarters. Freya’s office.
A deluge of withdrawal requests and leave-of-absence forms flooded Freya’s desk. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to approve a single one.
"I can't just send them back to their hometowns."
It was obvious where they would go the moment they left the Union: straight back to the Gilbert Kingdom, where the slaughter was still ongoing. Approving their requests, knowing the danger, was tantamount to sending them to their deaths.
She understood their desperation, but she could not grant them permission.
Freya, who hadn't slept in days, was slumped over her desk with bloodshot eyes when Diona asked cautiously, "Freya, do you think Jeremy’s failure to return to the Union is linked to this incident?"
“……”
Freya silently bit her lower lip.
Fourth-year students, in their final year at the Union, typically scatter across the continent for field experience. Knights wander the lands on knightly quests, while mages find placements in laboratories, businesses, or as apprentices in Magic Towers.
While it was normal for fourth-years to be away, it was rare for someone like Jeremy to vanish so abruptly. The custom was to consult with the faculty after the opening ceremony to finalize a destination before departing.
Of course, Jeremy’s case was unique since he was a prince of the Gilbert Kingdom, but given the current situation, his absence felt ominous. Perhaps he, too, had fallen victim to the massacre.
Or, in the worst-case scenario, he might have played a part in it.
Freya sighed deeply and shook her head.
"I don't know. For now… let’s just wait until the faculty meeting concludes."
A matter this grave wasn't something a student council president could decide alone. She would only be able to voice her opinion once the faculty reached a consensus.
Some time passed.
Theon entered her office to report, the meeting having finally ended.
"Freya, the results of the meeting are out."
"What did they decide?"
Theon bowed his head low, his voice hushed. "...They’ve decided to accommodate the students’ requests as much as possible."
"What... What did you say?"
Freya’s eyes widened.
Accommodating the students’ requests as much as possible—that decision was no different from condoning their march toward death.
CRASH—!
Verdandi’s office.
The door was thrown open as an uninvited guest barged in. Verdandi, who had been tending to her sword before her departure from the Union, looked up to greet the intruder.
"Freya."
"Sister, what is happening? You should have stopped this, no matter what it took!" Freya shouted the moment she crossed the threshold.
It was incredibly rude, but Verdandi couldn't bring herself to scold her younger sister. She lowered her head wearily and set aside the cloth she’d been using to polish her blade.
"...I thought so too, but it wasn't that simple."
This wasn't just a student issue. Thirty percent of Ishtal’s faculty hailed from the Gilbert Kingdom. They also wished to return to their homeland to address the crisis, and there was little justification to oppose such a strong collective will.
"Justification? What justification! Ensuring the safety of the students and faculty is the Union’s primary duty!" Freya shouted, filled with indignation.
Verdandi spoke softly, trying to calm her. "You're right, Freya. But..."
On what legal grounds could they stop people who were willingly renouncing their status as Union students and professors to return home? Even if they were forcibly detained, the subsequent liability would be a nightmare. If their families died while they were held at the Union against their will, how could the Union possibly compensate for the loss of life and property?
Besides...
"The Union is, at the end of the day, an educational institution."
It could exert political and diplomatic pressure based on international interests, but that was its limit. It couldn't resolve an irrational catastrophe like the current massacre. Furthermore, the Union lacked the authority or military power to suppress the individual freedoms of its members.
In the end, they had no choice but to let those who wanted to leave go, while doing their best to protect those who remained.
At Verdandi’s explanation, Freya clenched her fists and lowered her head. "That's..."
Verdandi patted her despondent sister’s shoulder. "Freya, I must return to my family as well."
A key factor in the decision was that it wasn't just those from the Gilbert Kingdom who wanted to leave; those from neighboring countries were also fleeing. They didn't know when the shadow of the massacre might reach their own borders.
Verdandi was one of them. It had only been a few weeks since she’d finished her secluded training and returned to her teaching position, but she had to go back to protect the Gunhild family’s domain.
Ultimately, the decision was an unavoidable one, entangled in a web of conflicting interests.
"Don't worry, just wait for me. I will protect our domain and return, no matter what." Verdandi gently caressed Freya’s cheek. "If you need someone to talk to, go to Roen. He’s your fiancé now, isn't he?"
"Yes..."
With those words, Freya collapsed into Verdandi’s embrace. Though she remained stoic in front of others, before her older sister, Freya was still just a child seeking comfort.
Verdandi hugged her with a faint, sad smile. "There, there. Good girl."
Meister Academy’s workshop.
I periodically observed the mass of organic matter floating in the bright red culture fluid. It was a collection of cells, pulsing and releasing rhythmic bubbles. The mana distribution and overall progress were remarkably stable.
The true power of the Sage’s Glasses... Ever since I’d obtained the Fruit of Wisdom, my magical research had proceeded without a single hitch. It was enough to make me wonder if creating a homunculus was always supposed to be this easy.
I took off the glasses and tucked them away.
Just as I was focusing my efforts on the cultivation process, a visitor arrived. I left the top-secret laboratory where the homunculus manufacturing facility was located and greeted the unexpected guest: Freya.
"What's wrong?"
Freya’s eyes were bloodshot. I couldn't tell if it was from crying or a lack of sleep, but it was clear she had come to ask for my help. I took her upstairs to hear her story alongside Ciel.
After listening to the series of events that had befallen Ishtal Academy, I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
"This is a complicated situation."
“……”
It was true that sporadic monster attacks had been occurring across the continent. Because of that, some students had already abandoned their studies to return home. This incident could be seen as an extension of that trend, but it was far more severe. There was a massive difference between a simple monster attack and a kingdom-wide massacre.
"I want to protect the students within the Union, at the very least," Freya pleaded.
"This is something you should take to the Chairman, not me."
I wasn't some all-powerful miracle worker. Especially with a matter this grave, there was little I could do.
"The Chairman has already left for the Gilbert Kingdom..."
"The Chairman is in the Gilbert Kingdom?"
Did he go to clean up the mess personally? If the Chairman wasn't here, it made sense that she had come to me. I placed a cup of warm tea in front of Freya.
"I agree with you. To protect the students, it's better to stop them from leaving the Union."
But how many people would choose to stay in the Union to save their own skin while their loved ones were dying? Most would want to return home to check on their families. Moreover, students from Ishtal were confident in their combat skills; they would want to fight the enemy themselves. Stopping them in this state was nearly impossible.
"It will be difficult to prevent them from leaving. I don't have a perfect solution either."
“……”
When even I, who always found a way, expressed difficulty, Freya silently lowered her head.
"However, ensuring their safety to some extent is possible."
"H-How?"
"You have to prevent the students who leave from acting alone. If they move as an organized group, their chances of survival will increase."
If they joined the Lu Cult’s inquisition teams or the Empire’s peacekeeping forces, their chances of returning alive would be significantly higher than if they scattered individually.
"...But that alone isn't enough."
Freya was right. That alone couldn't guarantee their safety. But in war, there is no such thing as a perfectly safe method.
I felt for those who didn't even know if their families were alive, but the time was already drawing near. This incident was merely a prelude. Dark clouds were gathering to cover the entire continent; a war with the demons was inevitable.
The problem was that it was happening much sooner than I had anticipated. In a situation like this, it might actually be better for the students to face reality and gain combat experience rather than remain as sheltered flowers in the Union’s greenhouse.
"Is there really no other way? Please, Roen. I'll do anything you ask."
Freya bowed her head to me again, pleading. I watched her in silence.
Did she not understand the weight of the phrase "anything you ask," or was she simply that desperate? I couldn't understand why she was going to such lengths for other students. Even if they were from her academy, there was no need to be this burdened.
I pondered her motives for a moment before shaking my head.
No, if I thought about it simply, I could understand. It was just Freya’s nature—her core disposition, regardless of personal interest. She couldn't stand to see others walk to their deaths; she wanted to embrace and protect them all.
Freya had the makings of a hero. She was someone who lived by a just and upright conviction.
“……”
I looked at her with conflicted eyes before finally speaking.
"If you're that determined... there is one way. If we declare martial law across the Union, it might work."
There were only two precedents for martial law in the Union’s history. The first was during the large-scale battle following the flight school attack, and the second was during the Chegebil Rebellion.
Martial law could be declared with the unanimous agreement of the Union’s student council president, the presidents of the Four Great Academies, the Chairman, and the faculty representative. During martial law, the Union’s internal regulations and the orders of its leaders take precedence over any other law.
It could temporarily prevent students and professors from leaving. It was a stopgap measure, but right now, it was the only way.
Shhk—.
Having made up my mind, I took a white fountain pen from my pocket. I infused it with mana to activate its hidden function.
Vwoom—.
It was the pen the Chairman had given me as a gift. At first, I thought it was just a high-end writing instrument, but after it resonated with the Fruit of Wisdom, I discovered its true power.
Static—.
"Ah, Mr. Chairman? Can you hear me?"
A moment later, the Chairman’s voice came through, accompanied by heavy static.
[What is it, Roen?]
BOOM—!
An explosion echoed through the pen’s speaker. I didn't know the specifics, but he sounded incredibly busy.
"I'm sorry to bother you while you're occupied. To put it bluntly, I'm calling to request your permission to declare martial law in the Union."
[...]
BOOM—!
CRACK—!
KIEEEK—!
The dire situation in the Gilbert Kingdom was conveyed through the chaotic background noise. After a long silence, the Chairman spoke.
[That won't be possible. I'm sorry, Roen.]
I knew it was a long shot. I hadn't expected to resolve this with a single call. Declaring martial law required thorough deliberation. Just as I was about to reply with a sigh, the Chairman continued.
[Instead, Roen, you should prepare the students for a school trip. Somewhere... as far away from the Union as possible would be best.]