Chapter 94
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94
The day of the athletic festival had finally arrived. Early morning.
I headed to Stella Harbor with Ciel to finalize the deliveries for the event.
The sun had yet to rise, and the sky was still a dim, bruised purple, but the harbor was already a hive of activity.
“Hey, keep it moving! Out of the way!”
“We’re setting sail soon! Double-check the cargo manifests!”
The docks teemed with fishermen preparing for the day’s catch and laborers hauling crates onto merchant ships. We navigated through the lively chaos and reached the warehouse district near the port, where the merchant guilds’ storehouses were concentrated.
When we reached the designated area, Sheika was already waiting for me, flanked by her workers.
The laborers had thrown open the warehouse doors and were in the middle of loading tents, canopies, and portable desks and chairs onto a line of carriages.
Sheika, who had been busy directing the crew, brightened the moment she spotted me.
“Ah, you’ve arrived, Lord Roen.”
“You look much more relaxed, Sheika. It’s good to see.”
Her expression was far lighter than the last time we met. Back when false rumors and short-selling had sent the Lombard Merchant Association’s stock price into a tailspin, she had looked like she carried the weight of the world. Now that the crisis was resolved, her face was clear.
It was only natural. Not only had they eliminated the nuisance plaguing the guild, but they had also flipped the enemy’s scheme on its head to amass a staggering fortune.
I glanced at the bustling workers and asked, “How are the preparations?”
“Everything is proceeding smoothly. The tents were all pre-assembled yesterday and are currently folded for transport. The folding desks and chairs have passed inspection and are being loaded as we speak. All that’s left is the transit.”
“What about the installation crew?”
“I hired them several days in advance. We have forty from our own guild, and I’ve brought on an additional one hundred and sixty.”
Sheika gestured toward the crew. A total of two hundred workers. With that many hands, plus help from the students, the entire setup would likely be finished within an hour.
Moreover, these weren’t just random day laborers picked up from the docks this morning. They were the same crew who had helped assemble the tents and inspect the goods yesterday; they were already familiar with the equipment. The preparations couldn't be better.
She really knows what she’s doing.
“However,” Sheika added, her tone shifting, “there is something unusual to report.”
“The matter you mentioned in your letter?”
Sheika nodded.
“Yes. It might not be related to the delivery, but early this morning, the magic detectors in the warehouse district picked up an abnormal mana reaction. And…”
Sheika pointed toward a stain on the ground.
A vivid red mark marred the floor, looking as fresh as if it had been spilled moments ago. Normally, bloodstains turn dark and dry over time, but this was peculiar—it remained a bright, liquid crimson.
I narrowed my eyes. “Were there any casualties?”
“None among our guild members. A guard was found unconscious for a short while… but the details are still under investigation.”
“That’s a relief, I suppose.”
It felt a bit strange to say that while staring at a blood-soaked floor, but with the goods safe and no one I knew harmed, I had no choice but to call it a relief.
“Lord Roen, do you have any idea what might have happened?” Sheika asked with a hint of expectation.
I slowly shook my head. “…Nothing comes to mind.”
In truth, a few things had bothered me the moment I heard the clues.
An abnormal magic reaction, and a bloodstain that stays fresh.
A specific person came to mind, but there were too few clues to draw a definitive conclusion. In the first place, that person shouldn't be on the Meteor Archipelago at this time. More importantly, she was a dangerous variable I absolutely could not afford to encounter yet.
Unlike Gilean, who acted according to a rigid plan, she was whimsical—a wild card that could bounce in any direction.
If she begins to make her move in earnest…
Not only would I be in personal danger, but there was a high chance the future I knew would be drastically derailed. I could only hope my worries were unfounded.
*
“Hmm-hmm~ Hmm-hmm~”
A soft hum echoed through the darkness.
One of the Demon God’s Twelve Honored Ones. The Queen of Night and Blood, Carmilla Vampir.
With the faint moonlight as her only companion, she breathed in the crisp night air and skipped cheerfully away from the harbor. She had managed to secure a decent amount of blood during her stroll and had also unintentionally stumbled upon an interesting little trinket.
Flick—.
Carmilla tossed a glass vial into the air. The red droplets of blood floating around her moved like sentient limbs to snatch it out of the sky. Inside the vial was a black fragment—a high-purity Dark Mana Stone.
With this, she could increase her retainers without consuming her own precious blood. It would be useful and fun in so many ways.
Gilean had warned her not to cause any unnecessary trouble, but… as if she gave a damn.
It’s already such a pain~ So annoying.
Sending her to this backwater place for some stupid underground city resistance or whatever.
She scratched her head and walked lightly up the port-side slope. Once she crested the hill, a wide plaza spread out before her, and beyond it, a grand architectural marvel. It was a magnificent gate, adorned with rows of white marble pillars and sweeping arches.
The entrance to the massive academy city known as the “Union.”
However, since it was still before the morning bells, the entrance and the plaza were deathly silent. Carmilla gazed at the quiet scenery of the Union and slowly narrowed her eyes.
Come to think of it…
She’d heard they were having some kind of festival there.
A festival. I love festivals~
A delectable feast where humans gathered in droves. The thrilling terror and screams spreading like a plague among a crowd—that was a rare delicacy.
Now that I have a fun new toy, I might as well try it out. And while I’m at it, I can see that “existence” Gilean said he tested with my own two eyes.
This is gonna be fun~
Crack. Crack.
Carmilla grinned and rolled her neck and wrists, preparing to transform. The Union might be protected by physical and magical barriers, but there was no place she couldn't go. After all, there was no place in the world without “blood.”
As she crossed the Union’s main gate plaza with light steps, she soon came face-to-face with a patrolling guard.
“Who goes there!”
A beam of pure white light from a magical flashlight cut through the dark toward her. The blinding light stabbed at her eyes, and Carmilla scowled, shielding her face with her hand.
“Fucking hell. Who the fuck is that?”
How dare they shine that dazzling light—the thing she hated most—directly in her face. There was a limit to such insolence. Enraged, Carmilla extended a hand, formed her fingers into the shape of a gun, and flicked her wrist.
“Die.”
Bang—.
With that single word, the man should have exploded into a spray of gore.
…But for some reason, he remained perfectly intact.
“…?”
What?
“What do you think you’re doing?” the guard demanded.
Carmilla tilted her head, looking at the unharmed man. Why isn’t he dead? Is my finger-gun broken?
Tap. Tap.
She tapped her fingers, pretending to fix them. Something must have gone wrong in the process of reconstituting her body after making those harbor workers explode to absorb their blood.
While Carmilla was inspecting her hand, the guard approached and issued a warning. “Identify yourself. Or I will blow my whistle and summon the rest of the watch.”
“…Whatever. You should count yourself lucky.”
As her anger subsided, her head cleared. She could tear him apart with her bare hands right now, but that might lead to complications. Killing nobodies at the docks wouldn't cause a major stir, but slaughtering the guards of a massive organization like this would definitely draw heat.
She hadn’t even gotten to enjoy the festival yet, and she hated the idea of it being canceled or having to spend the whole time hiding.
Having made up her mind, Carmilla lifted her head, glared at the man, and commanded, “You will forget everything you just saw.”
Her red pupils flashed as she invoked [Suggestion].
The guard’s eyes glazed over, and he nodded blankly. “Yes… I understand.”
“Now, be on your way.”
At Carmilla’s nod, the guard turned automatically and walked away with stiff, rhythmic steps. Once he was gone, Carmilla flicked her fingers and shifted her form.
Shwaaa—.
A crimson vortex enveloped her. A moment later, she had transformed into a bat and was flying silently into the darkness of the academy.
*
“Two hours until the opening ceremony.”
“Spectators have begun entering the main stadium. Souvenir necklaces, picnic mats, pamphlets, and cups are being distributed to students at the entrance.”
“The current number of entrants is approximately one thousand.”
Ishtal Main Hall. The athletic festival preparation committee room.
“Hoo.”
Freya took a slow, deep breath as the reports flooded in. Seeing her tense expression, her aides tried to offer comfort.
“Please relax, President.”
“We did our best, didn't we? Let’s just focus on making sure the opening goes smoothly.”
“Try this. It’s a calming pill from the East. They say it settles the mind and brings peace.”
“…Thank you.”
Freya took the pill from her aide and swallowed it with a sip of water, her thoughts racing.
My aides are right.
Although unexpected events had hindered the festival preparations, the committee had worked tirelessly. They had done their best under difficult circumstances. All that remained was to hold the most successful festival possible. There was no need to worry or hesitate any longer.
The athletic festival is a celebration of harmony, where the students of the Union gather.
It had begun with the hope of moving away from the territorial wars, localized conflicts, and endless competition of the past, moving instead toward a pure struggle under harmony and order. The masters of this festival were the students, not her. Her role was simply to set the stage for them to enjoy themselves.
Having settled her thoughts, Freya spoke. “What is the status of the medical team?”
“The medical tents have been deployed. Seintea has also provided priests to set up a relief camp near the all-weather training ground. Temporary restrooms have also been installed in that sector.”
“Good. What about meal preparations?”
“We’ve coordinated with each of the campus cafeterias to issue coupons that can be used like cash. They were distributed with the pamphlets. We have also opened Ishtal’s student cafeteria buffet for general use.”
“Well done.” Freya gave a small nod and turned to another aide. “How is the water supply coming along?”
“Y-Yes! We’ve placed drinking stations at every major point, and we’re distributing metal camping cups as souvenirs upon entry, so they should be self-sufficient.”
Freya nodded slowly. Food and water were crucial. No one could enjoy a festival if they were hungry and thirsty; this part needed to be handled with absolute certainty.
“Please also confirm the estimated number of spectators, the entry order for each academy’s delegation, and the seating chart.”
“Yes. Excluding the first and fourth years, a total of seven thousand Ishtal students are expected to participate. Based on the rosters from each academy, we are expecting a maximum of fifty thousand participants.”
“Fifty thousand…”
The participating years were the second and third years, as the first and fourth years were away on training retreats and vocational training across the continent. It was less than half of the entire Union student body, yet the number was still staggering.
“As the host, our Ishtal delegation will enter first. The other three of the Four Great Academies will follow, and the order for the rest was decided by drawing lots.”
“Hoo, I understand.”
Freya let out a small sigh. The steady stream of reports confirmed that everything was proceeding according to plan, and she felt the knot in her chest begin to loosen.
“We’re almost there. Let’s all keep up the good work.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
She was preparing for the opening ceremony, calmly listening to the final reports, when it happened.
Slam—!
The door burst open, and an aide rushed in, face pale.
“P-President! We have an emergency!”
“What is it?”
In a trembling voice, as if he were about to collapse, the aide reported a completely unexpected situation.
“S-Student Council President Roen Devalis is currently leading a massive procession of carriages and causing a commotion at the entrance to the main stadium!”
The report sent a jolt through her heart.
“A procession of carriages?” Freya’s eyes shot open as she stood up.
“Y-Yes! Our staff are trying to block them, but he’s using his authority as president and looks ready to force his way in at any moment!”
“…”
Roen, what on earth are you doing now…
Freya quietly clenched her fists and asked in a cold voice, “What did he say?”
The aide stammered, “Th-that… he said he brought a gift for you, President…”