1st Year, 2nd Semester Closing Ceremony
1st Year, 2nd Semester Closing Ceremony
The schedule that followed the Birth Festival consisted of the closing ceremony and the graduation ceremony.
December, the final month of the year.
A landmark event that announced the end of one semester while sending the seniors who had filled four full years at Siyoram out beyond the academy's cradle.
Because of that, attendance was mandatory for every cadet.
- Knock, knock
It was a busy morning because of the combined closing and graduation ceremony. Once I finished getting ready, I knocked twice on the door.
- Click
"Huh? Ha-yul?"
The person who opened the door was Baek A-rin, her blue hair cut short. She blinked as she stood there, dressed in the same sharp cadet ceremonial uniform I was wearing.
"Um... would you like to come in?"
[Yes, pardon the intrusion.]
Baek A-rin tilted her head slightly and stepped aside. I gave a small bow and hurried inside.
The room was immaculate, without a single thing out of place. Only the vanity table showed signs of activity; it seemed her preparations weren't quite finished yet. I'd have to state my business quickly and leave so I wouldn't be in the way.
"What brings you here all of a sudden?"
[There's something I wanted to give you before break.]
Baek A-rin, standing with her back to the door, looked puzzled. Without delay, I retrieved the item I'd kept ready in my subspace.
"That's..."
Baek A-rin, who had been watching my subspace with a familiar gaze, rounded her eyes when she saw what emerged into my hand.
What I took out was a ring—specifically, a ring set with several deep-red gemstones.
[You said you'd have to exert your strength for your family during break, so I prepared this in a hurry.]
I'd started crafting it the moment I heard from Maxwell that a special-grade dungeon had been discovered in the Changhae territory.
A special-grade dungeon, as they say, is a gamble. It could produce a dungeon that's easy to conquer and brimming with treasure, or it might yield a lethally dangerous landmine with nothing to show for it. Since vacation was just around the corner, Baek A-rin would be heading back to her family, too. Naturally she'd lend her strength to the disturbance within the territory, and there was no telling if she'd get tangled up with the special-grade dungeon.
A special-grade dungeon is a threat that demands particular caution, so I simply acted accordingly.
[I've inscribed plenty of magic into it, so there shouldn't be any discomfort wearing it.]
I gave its condition one final, precise inspection, and only after I'd confirmed there were no issues did I hold the ring out.
[Most importantly, the rubies set around the ring are packed full of Calamity Flame. If you ever feel the need, just channel your Azure Sea mana into the spell formula to trigger it.]
Packing Calamity Flame into gemstones and making it erupt on command—while simultaneously ensuring the flame dealt no collateral damage and concentrated purely on the 'Thaw' effect—had been a challenge even after I invested both my Calamity Flame's properties and my magical skill.
But in the end, I'd succeeded within a short time. Once I consulted the blueprint of the Beacon Fire Sword for reference, it worked out.
I'd used considerably precious materials, too: the highest-grade rubies that had been absorbing and accumulating natural energy since before the Great Cataclysm, plus several auxiliary materials. I'd discreetly retrieved them from the Siyoram Secret Vault.
"Calamity Flame inside a ring? How would you even apply that to a magic tool... no, you're so gifted, of course you'd manage somehow."
Baek A-rin, who had gently accepted the ring, expressed brief doubt but soon nodded as if convincing herself.
"...Ahaha. Anyway, this makes two rings already. Now I have to decide which finger to wear this one on... Thank you."
[That other one is only for practice, so its effect isn't that—mmpf.]
- Mmph
Having checked the other ring I was already wearing, Baek A-rin smiled brightly and pulled me into a tight hug. My face was buried between her generous chest. She hadn't yet melted her cold energy, so a coolness rose from her skin. But by now it didn't feel unpleasant, so I wrapped my arms tightly around Baek A-rin's waist in return.
"Huh, looks like hugs don't stir you much anymore. That aside, aren't we moving on to the next step?"
Giggling, Baek A-rin tightened her arms around the small of my back.
"I'm starting to feel a little impatient, you know. At this rate, I'll fall to dead last. Who knows? Maybe I'll lose control of my impatience and just—snatch you right up?"
A gaze like an icicle plunged straight down onto the crown of my head. I flinched and hid my face deeper against her.
[Th- that's for later...]
Baek A-rin made a sulky face at my reply. But I really can't help it.
I want to see Baek A-rin with my own eyes, share our voices, take in her scent. But it's still too soon. I can't be certain that Calamity Flame alone can burn that thing away completely. So I have to factor in other external conditions. If it truly seems impossible, I might have to aim for the moment when Baek A-rin and I grow even more closely connected.
That's why I'm holding back, too.
"Hm... I'll wait for now, since I trust you won't bring me this far just to abandon me."
While I kept my face hidden against her, Baek A-rin softened her sulky expression a little and pressed her face into the top of my head. As I felt her cool breath seep through my hair, I tightened my arms around her waist.
[If I finish my business quickly, I'll come help too.]
"That does sound reassuring, but shouldn't you be more concerned with coming back in one piece yourself, Ha-yul?"
[...I will this time.]
.
.
.
- Before we knew it, the spring when sprouts blossomed had passed, and winter, with its fading vitality, had arrived.
- At the same time, it is also a season of preparation for the transition back to spring. We weathered winter through the preparations of the previous season, and through winter's preparations we will endure the year to come.
Both ceremonies were conducted in relatively modest fashion. We had just expended considerable heart power handling the massive schedule of the Birth Festival only a few days prior. It would have been awkward to hold the remaining events on a grand scale as well. Besides, "modest" was only by Siyoram's standards; objectively speaking, the scale was splendid and flawless.
The only schedule I properly attended was the closing ceremony. The graduation had nothing to do with me since I wasn't graduating, nor did I have any close acquaintances among the graduating fourth-years, so there was naturally no need to get involved.
The closing ceremony ended quickly, as if there were no point in dragging it out. As I walked the grounds in my sharp ceremonial uniform, I could easily spot cadets gathering their belongings here and there.
'They're already moving out of the dorms.'
The dormitory buildings were especially crowded. While some were packing their things properly before heading outside for a while, staff and technicians were also busy touching up the dorms for various reasons. With new students arriving next year, large-scale inspection and maintenance seemed to be in full swing.
'New students, huh...'
The topic of new students made my thoughts a little complicated. Half of the complexity came from the realization that it felt like yesterday when I entered as a freshman, yet now I was already about to become a second-year.
As for establishing ties with those among the new students who had decent potential in the original story...
'...Honestly, ties are probably a lost cause at this point.'
Ties with other cadets. To be frank, if someone asked whether I was getting along broadly with everyone, I couldn't bring myself to nod. Take the drinking gathering on the fourth day of the Birth Festival—I missed it specifically because I was with Yeon-hwa. To begin with, the idea of someone with my personality actively making friends is laughable. That I have few friends is, in a sense, almost inevitable.
"Dear child, you aren't recklessly throwing yourself into a truly dangerous place, right...?"
"Wouldn't it be better if I just went with you now after all?"
[Negative.]
"No..."
It was around the time after the closing ceremony, when I was slowly packing in my room. My teacher and Professor Liana, who had been hovering around me for a while now, finally pulled me tightly into their arms. My face was buried between heavy softness, my breath abruptly cut off, and sweet scents forcibly filled my nostrils. From the gazes resting on the top of my head, concern and affection dripped thickly.
"Mmph..."
It wasn't a reaction I couldn't understand. Both of them had seen the state I was reduced to in Sipnaha and in China, so it was only natural for them to worry. But even so, spending the entire break lazing about, acting spoiled in their embrace... That's what I wished, but it wasn't actually feasible.
I let the corners of my eyes droop with regret and shook my head.
"The place you're going now is one where being in danger is the more difficult outcome. If it's dangerous enough by the Association's standards, then the whole world is already in danger."
The final destination was the entrance to the Reverse Side. But my immediate destination was the Association's location in the United States, because I had things to notify them of before searching for the Reverse Side's entrance. Besides, there was no correction guarantee that I'd absolutely find the entrance to the Reverse Side, either. If it looked like I'd just end up chasing a wild goose, I planned to simply come back and then head for the Changhae territory.
So it wasn't a purely perilous schedule.
Even after I gave that explanation to reassure them, the anxiety didn't fade from their faces. If anything, a trace of suspicion crept in.
"...Didn't you say something similar last break? You stopped by the Calamity Flame Family first and still ended up in danger."
"Ah."
It was true that the initial schedule for the Twin-headed Poison Dragon incident hadn't been that dangerous either. The variables afterward had completely wrecked it. My attempt at reassurance had been refuted. Soon after, I was hugged and rubbed and petted from all sides.
* * *
In this world, all kinds of powerful figures and massive factions are arrayed in abundance. With mana and supernatural abilities creating an abyssal gap in individual martial power, it was inevitable. It's not impossible for a single person's gesture to slaughter hundreds, and with real intent, deeds far worse are entirely possible.
Controlling the forces where dozens or hundreds of such superhumans cluster together is an exceedingly arduous task. Yet, at the very least, the White Zones effectively governed by humanity and parts of the Gray Areas manage to maintain a passable society. Among a multitude of reasons, most people point to one group as the fundamental cause.
The World Superhuman Association. A global administrative organization jointly founded by the Tower Master of Space and the Tower Master of Harmonization. This group, which most people loosely call the Association, shoulders a major axis of the world's balance.
"Haaah..."
At the same time, by the same logic, the duties they bear are numerous. The man, who let out a deep sigh at the thoughts that surfaced during a brief moment of rest, leaned back in his chair. As he lifted his head, his eyes took in the spacious office. Outside the window, which occupied an entire wall, a single patch of cloud drifted across a blue sky.
The Association's headquarters, located in Washington, D.C., in the United States. This was the office of an Association Councilor, which grandly occupied a large portion of the upper floors of the headquarters building that easily surpassed 1,000 meters in height.
"The sky is refreshing to an almost indifferent degree."
The man who had been vacantly staring at the sky, Robert Highline—one of the Association's Councilors—rubbed his throbbing brow. With the Association Presidents in seclusion, the highest authority within the Association currently rested with the Councilors. In effect, he was the supreme power-holder of this vast organization called the Association. Even with checks and balances among the Councilors and the existence of subordinate inspection departments, the power the Councilors could wield was formidable. If they truly set their minds to brandishing it, they could enjoy every pleasure and luxury imaginable.
'The sky is refreshingly blue... it's exactly the weather that makes you want to clock out...'
None of that mattered to Robert. More precisely, even with power, he had no capacity left to use it for personal gain, because he was already overburdened just using it for public good. Personal gain? In a situation where he couldn't even clock out properly, where would he find the time to use it?
Even the "clocking out" Robert mused about merely meant heading to the small cot in the duty room attached to his office. And even that—the moment an urgent matter arose, he'd be yanked by the collar and dragged back to his desk. The office of an Association Councilor, one of the world's most distinguished power-holders, was filled not with gold or riches, but with documents, books, duties, and responsibilities...
"I'm especially weary today..."
Clutching his hair, Robert hung his head low. Fatigue oozed thickly through his entire body; he wanted nothing more than to sink into deep sleep right then. The duties assigned to the Councilors were numerous. The variety was so vast it was impossible to fully describe, but even the basic paperwork alone was murderous. Add to that the other important and trivial tasks? Truly not work meant for humans. Had every Councilor not been a superhuman of great accomplishment, they would have long since dropped dead from overwork.
If he truly had his way, he'd throw it all aside and savor ease and comfort...
"Haaah... such indulgent thoughts."
But he truly must not. The five current Association Councilors had something in common. They were all outstanding superhumans who had distinguished themselves during the Chaos Period, people who possessed a fairly upright and just ideology in their own right. Moreover, they had all been appointed directly after the Tower Master of Harmonization and the Tower Master of Space conducted stringent screenings.
'They probably selected the Councilors with their eventual seclusion in mind from the very beginning.'
The Tower Masters' seclusion, whether by their own will or not. Thanks to that, the Councilors were effectively leading the Association now. In this era of the Presidents' seclusion, the Councilors' authority and responsibility were immense to match. There was no telling what chaos might erupt if an inadequate person were placed in the seat, so Robert was in no position to abandon his post lightly.
- Hey there, you with the sterling heroic reputation! Won't you become my subordinate?
"Heh heh."
Robert's shoulders shook slightly as a pleasant memory suddenly surfaced. Whatever the case, back then Robert had nodded by his own will. So he couldn't very well run away on his own now when the handover hadn't even been done properly. In the end, the hand that still bore the marks of years and struggle picked up a thin, short pen.
- Councilor Robert, this is Maxwell.
"Come in."
He had just refocused his mind and concentrated on work for a while when the voice came from outside the door. Robert set down his pen.
- Whirrr...
The door opened, and a man in a suit entered the office. It was Maxwell, his amiable business smile a matter of habit.
"It's been a while since I received a report in person. Has everything been uneventful?"
"Yes, I've been swamped with work as usual."
"Same here. We're both having a rough time. You, at your young age, have it especially hard."
"I'm at an age where it's embarrassing to boast about being young anymore."
"Come now. If you say that, what does that make me?"
"Ah, my apologies."
Once the brief pleasantries were over, Robert fixed his gaze on Maxwell. Maxwell—no surname was listed separately. Nominally, he was a member of the Disaster Management Department, but in reality, he was part of the Execution Department, effectively the hidden blade of the Association. He was also a valuable asset who roamed the world tirelessly according to the Councilors' directives.
"Do you have a special report?"
Robert asked, weakly clutching a document. Maxwell and Robert were both so perpetually busy that remote reports were the norm. The fact that he had specifically requested to report in person suggested the matter was something weighty.
"Yes, I have a report to deliver to you face to face."
Just as I thought. Robert nodded internally and listened as Maxwell's voice continued while he stamped a document.
"It is a directive issued by the authority of the Association Presidents."
"What did you say?"
He'd meant to listen fully before responding, but he couldn't. Issued by whose authority? Robert tossed aside his seal and snapped his head up. Maxwell cleared his throat and resumed speaking.
"An internal meeting will be convened. The date is three days from now. Attendance by all Councilors is mandatory, and Vice Councilors are advised to attend if possible."
The statement concluded. As Maxwell composed himself once more, Robert wore a dumbfounded expression. A directive from the Association Presidents, who had remained silent for decades. If it had been an order left behind before their seclusion, it would have come with additional explanation. In other words, the Presidents had truly issued this command themselves.
"Hoh..."
At that, Robert could feel a flutter of anticipation in his chest.
'What could it be, for them to break their seclusion...?'
...At the same time, the specter of the potential incidents and waves of work that might be bearing down on them flickered at the edge of his mind. Robert swallowed his dread internally.