Chapter 57

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 57

Chapter Title: Sucked In

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"If it's you, Ian, then it's fine with me."

"What?!"

I was momentarily stunned by Chayuri Floridel's words.

Of course, it probably didn't mean anything like that, but as a guy, it was pretty damn flustering.

"..."

Chayuri just averted his gaze without a word.

What the hell? What's with that reaction?

Anyway, this was serious. He needed a shower, obviously. Not that I wanted to hop in the shower room with him or anything.

Reading the gallery comments, it suddenly clicked for me.

Oh yeah, if I'm right outside the bathroom, I can sense the taboo energy even if a taboo mage shows up.

And no matter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what, they're not ghosts—they can't phase through walls.

"...Tch."

"Ian?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

Right, the priority is getting to a crowded place.

If we stay holed up alone in the room, we could get jumped and vanish without a trace.

And we still need to ask Hisenna for help as planned.

She might have a way to contact her family from here.

If the Perryhill Archmage Duke Family sends backup, I won't even need to use that method.

"I'll stand guard out front. Come out after you're done. That should be fine."

"...Understood."

Chayuri headed into the shower room with a somewhat dejected look.

But then he paused halfway, opened the door again, and poked his head out.

"...It's scary."

"Huh?"

"Just in case, stay with me."

"Uh, wha—?"

Chayuri placed one hand on his chest and grabbed my collar with the other.

For some reason, his face was flushed as he looked up at me with wide eyes.

Thump— My heart pounded with a clear, resounding beat.

He's clearly a guy—or at least, dressed as one.

No, even calling it cross-dressing felt off now.

Chayuri's hair hadn't been cut in a while, making it almost a bob.

Once he let down the ponytail he always wore, it just suited a girl with a sharp, neat short cut perfectly.

He never really looked like a boy to begin with. Why did everyone fall for it?

Actually, thinking about it now, he looked kinda pretty.

I'd always thought he was delicate, but was he this feminine?

"Wait, hold on. We don't need to go in—"

I tried to refuse, hiding my trembling voice, but right then—

Whoosh—

Chayuri yanked my collar in a surprise pull,

and I got sucked right into the shower room with him,

just like that.

We showered, changed clothes, and headed to the lobby.

Thankfully, nothing happened while we were alone.

In the lobby, Elrim was playing a magic board game with other cadets.

The atmosphere was cheerful. Everyone was excited about the academy trip turned field study.

It was noisy. But amid the racket, I sensed a faint undercurrent of unease.

"Elrim. Where's Hisenna?"

"Hisenna? No idea. Professor called her earlier? Probably showering in her room by now?"

"...What? Which professor?"

"Professor Plma, I think?"

That name hit me like a punch to the gut.

Why would Professor Plma suddenly call Hisenna? Did he really have business with her?

"Why'd he call her?"

"How should I know! Sit down already! She said she'd come too."

Elrim dove back into the game.

It could be legit professor business, but coming from the traitor Professor Plma, it felt off.

Chayuri and I exchanged uneasy glances.

"Hey, losers! Where you going!"

"Wait a sec!"

Chayuri and I bolted from the spot.

We stopped once we were far enough that the kids couldn't hear.

"This is weird. No reason for Professor Plma to take Hisenna right now."

"Exactly. But since he's the traitor, it bugs me. Could be real business, but..."

I couldn't shake the anxiety.

No matter how I thought about it, nothing justified Professor Plma taking Hisenna.

He wasn't even A-Class's advisor, and she had no role in the field study.

I hurriedly posted to the gallery.

If there's any plausible scenario, the archmages will figure it out.

But faster than I expected, the archmage comments started rolling in.

"Fuck...!"

Reading the comments left me dazed for a second.

Then it hit me—these theories were probably spot on—and I bolted back to Elrim.

"Elrim! How long ago did Hisenna go with Professor Plma?!"

"Ugh, I was focused! What time is it? 10? Eek, an hour ago?!"

"Your roommate's been gone an hour and you didn't think twice?!"

"Wh-what?! Why yell! She could be tired, showering and resting! It's not that long!"

"You said she'd come play! Hisenna wouldn't ghost without saying so! Damn it..."

"Quit shouting, you scrub!"

I left Elrim behind and sprinted off.

Over an hour since she followed Professor Plma.

What could take an hour with a professor this late? Super suspicious.

Plus, they had game plans. Hisenna wouldn't bail without a word.

"You okay? What the hell..."

Chayuri's voice snapped me back from the gallery to reality.

"Looks like Hisenna got nabbed instead. To kill off the Perryhill Archmage Duke."

"...!"

Chayuri seemed to grasp it instantly.

His face twisted in shock at the idea of her being taken in his place.

"Th-then what do we do?"

"I've got a way. Not easy, though..."

"What way?"

"Hard to explain, but anyway, I have one. No clue how long it'll take. Or even if it'll work."

"What about asking elsewhere for help? A few direct heirs from other archmage duke families are cadets here. If they grasp the situation, their folks might step in."

I halted mid-stride at Chayuri's words.

Should we? Honestly, archmage dukes handling it would be faster than me.

And we were gonna try the Perryhill route through Hisenna anyway.

With Chayuri here, we could talk to other heirs even without her.

The secret poster's method was good, but

if we could borrow big power to fix this, no need for me to risk it.

"You know they're strong, Ian. And they use horrific magic. No cadet can take 'em."

Yeah. Truth is, I'm scared too.

This unpleasant dread bubbling in my chest nonstop.

"Let's do it. Know anyone?"

"Excluding Hisenna, there's this second-year I saw before enrollment..."

"—Chayuri Floridel! Been looking everywhere for you!"

Nayu popped up out of nowhere.

Sweat dripping down his cheeks—he'd clearly been running around.

"Nayu? What's up?"

"That incident before, and the field study got bumped up weirdly! No trouble, right?"

"Yeah, Ian's got me covered. No worries. But right now, we have urgent business..."

"Can't have that! Never know what'll happen during the study—stick by me!"

"Uh..."

Chayuri looked troubled.

"Just bring him. We were together for the purification anyway, and this guy's stubborn as hell."

"Got it."

In the end, we decided to let Nayu tag along.

He bounced excitedly after us, thrilled to stick close.

"One direct heir from the Legobomber family among the second-years. Not super close, but we met before enrollment—he'll hear me out."

No clue what Legobomber family was, but we ran anyway.

Second-year dorm was the next building, so out we went.

At the first-year dorm entrance, a bad feeling stopped me cold.

"Hold up."

"What's wrong, Ian?"

"What's the holdup! Isn't it urgent?!"

Chayuri and Nayu turned to me.

For some reason, my feet wouldn't cross the threshold.

This faint unease and disgust I'd felt earlier was sharpening.

Maybe my nerves were frayed from the day's surprises.

But now it carried an eerie familiarity I couldn't dismiss as imagination.

Taboo energy? But no one around.

It could be taboo energy, but too faint to tell from plain anxiety.

"...Wait. Let's head back up first."

"What're you saying, Ian?"

"Feels too hasty. Back to the kids."

"Huh? But Hisenna's captured! Thinking of her suffering that pain..."

Chayuri shuddered, recalling his taboo infection and purification.

I wanted to save her fast too. But I couldn't ignore this dread.

At least ask the gallery...

I quickly posted.

Then led Chayuri and Nayu as we turned back.

"Up and down again. Too rash."

"If you say so, Ian..."

"Acting on your own!"

Isolated as a trio was risky.

From their side, they couldn't kill cadets.

Their massive ritual needed over a thousand pure mage bodies and souls.

They'd capture us intact to devour fresh mage flesh and souls later.

Crowds meant safety for now.

We headed for the stairs back up.

Upstairs, Elrim and the first-years' game noise continued.

Hearing her loud voice was reassuring for once.

Comments started hitting the post right away.

The faint unease lingered, but my mind eased bit by bit.

I stepped onto the first stair, checking replies—

Then suddenly, my heart clenched like it was shrinking.

As if that faint disgust had ballooned, squeezing my heart—

Whoosh—

Breath caught, something whooshed in.

The taboo mages' signature horrific, repulsive aura.

I instinctively looked up.

Where nothing had been moments ago, a pale-skinned, gaunt-cheeked man stared down at me.

"Sensing it from this distance. How's a mere cadet's affinity this high? Hm."

Professor Neyk narrowed his deep dark-circled eyes.

Everything happened so fast I could only croak and freeze.

No—not even that. No voice came out.

Professor Neyk's magic had silenced us three.

"But skill's still cadet-level. High for a freshman, though. Hm. First..."

Professor Neyk began some calculation.

Run. Way beyond me.

I hurriedly calculated acceleration magic to flee.

But my feet wouldn't move.

Meanwhile, his calculation finished—some unknown magic burst out.

Fine. Bracelet's got one shot...

"Reports say you can block taboo too. Guess I'll have to take you the hard way."

Fuck. They figured from that incident?

Can't dodge this. Despair.

I instinctively sensed doom and turned.

Nayu and Chayuri wore the same hopeless faces.

'Chayuri...!'

I tried shouting desperately at them, but

my voiceless mouth just gaped toward them.

That was the last sight before a massive shock swallowed us.

How much time passed?

When I opened my eyes again, the voice connected to the scene was,

"Cadet Ian! Cadet Ian! Open your eyes!"

A damp room thick with mold.

There, Professor Juuri's desperate face shook me awake.