Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: 25. Wilderness Festival
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"Then everyone, please enjoy the final festival to your heart's content."
Professor Aria ended class earlier than usual and hurried out of the classroom.
A few students gave her curious looks, but they just brushed it off without a second thought.
Soon enough, they shrugged it away with a 'whatever, good things are good.' The professor must want to enjoy the festival too, they figured.
"Um, e-excuse me...!"
With more time on our hands than expected, we were pondering how to kill the remaining hours when Rosalyn timidly approached the professor's lectern.
She was the type who would normally strut up with her chin held high in arrogance,
so this unusual behavior drew everyone's eyes to her without exception.
"Um... if everyone's free, h-how about we all go check out the festival together this time?"
She looked like someone wearing clothes that didn't fit quite right.
Her voice trembled faintly as she forced a bright smile, awkwardly lifting the corners of her mouth.
'That idiot. She's terrible at acting.'
Anyone could see the smile was unnatural. The way she nervously scanned the room only made it worse.
It was so awkward I nearly facepalmed without thinking,
but fortunately, the Class S students didn't seem to mind her clumsy performance.
No one was close to her, after all.
They probably just assumed she was swept up in the festival excitement, or maybe she always talked like that.
"Oh, I'd love to! It's the last day anyway, so it'd be fun to go around together."
Elysia was the first to respond, as expected.
'I figured she'd say yes.'
She had a hard time refusing anyone,
and she loved making friends.
"M-me too...!"
I'd pegged Hyera as one of the toughest sells,
but surprisingly, after a quick glance around, she cautiously raised her hand in agreement.
I thought she might refuse since Rosalyn had bullied her before, but...
They must have worked things out between themselves.
'Looks like telling Rosalyn to grovel for forgiveness worked on Hyera.'
I watched the scene warmly as the other girls nodded one by one.
'All the girls are in. Now for the guys...'
Just Barcan and Kaien left.
I wasn't worried about one of them. He'd join even if I told him not to.
"Hmph! A true warrior never refuses a comrade's request. Count me in!"
Right on cue, Barcan laughed heartily and threw in his vote without prompting.
"You too, classmate, right?"
"...Yeah. I'm in."
I'd planned to join anyway,
so I averted my eyes from his burning gaze and answered.
'One left.'
Only one person remained.
As all eyes turned to Kaien, who hadn't spoken yet,
"...I'll pass."
The man receiving everyone's expectations—
or rather, the woman pretending to be a man—scowled and shot down the idea flat-out.
She crossed her arms and turned her head away, practically screaming 'don't bother me, get lost.'
It was the reaction I'd expected.
Anyone thinking she'd join given her personality would be the weird one.
She hated mingling with people,
so normally, I wouldn't have pushed her. Hell, I'd have bailed with her.
'Not today.'
This was the day the raid event kicked off.
Everyone had to stick together for my plan to go off without a hitch.
"What kind of talk is that for someone who's not even a girl? A real warrior goes along!"
"...Watch your mouth. I'm resting today."
Kaien ignored Barcan's invitation entirely.
I sidled up and whispered in her ear.
"Come on, join us?"
She flinched.
"...No."
Better reaction than expected?
Given her real temperament, she'd have snapped a refusal.
'...Hmm.'
"Too bad. I wanted to hang out with Seren."
"W-what?! You...!"
She startled, eyes darting around wildly enough to notice.
She looked terrified someone might've overheard, which nearly made me burst out laughing,
but I feigned disappointment and continued.
"It'd be fun with everyone."
"If you don't come, I might just yell 'Seren' really loud."
"You... bastard!"
She never dreamed I'd resort to blackmail.
Her face flushed beet red as she glared daggers at me.
If no one was watching, she'd have grabbed my collar right then,
but she couldn't bring herself to act.
She just clenched her trembling fists.
Should've just come nicely when I asked.
I didn't want to stoop to this either.
"...You sneaky bastard. Not even a real man..."
"Choose. Come with, or I'll call you Seren right here?"
I shrugged with a shameless grin.
"Grr..."
Kaien ground her teeth, conflicted for a moment, then hung her head.
From my perspective, what was there to agonize over? She had to come anyway.
After a few minutes with her head down, she finally nodded in resignation.
"...Fine. Happy now?"
"Smart choice, roommate."
Should've done that from the start.
"Excellent! Even a girly-looking fellow like you bailing would've been a shame!"
Barcan clapped Kaien on the back obliviously and bellowed a laugh.
Kaien shoved him away with a sour look, but the milk was spilled.
No backing out now.
"Alright, let's head out!"
With Barcan's shout, we filed out of the classroom one by one.
Maybe because it was the last day, stirring regret,
or perhaps because it was their first real academy festival since enrolling.
The streets buzzed with energy several times hotter than the day before, thronged with festival-goers.
True to the original story, Elysia and Celine—now fully comfortable with each other—linked arms, lost in browsing stalls.
Even Iris and the usually demure Hyera weren't exceptions; the four girls were swept up in the vibe, eyeing vendors more eagerly than yesterday.
As for the guys? Not exactly quiet either.
"Come on, this isn't an everyday chance! Dud or jackpot—who knows? Give it a spin!"
"Oho! Didn't expect weapons here. That's a decent axe."
Everyone enjoyed the festival in their own way, pushing the mood to a peak,
but my nerves were elsewhere entirely.
'It should start any moment.'
Time ticked by until less than a minute remained before the fireworks.
If they stuck to plan, they'd move the instant the show began.
Using the chaos to infiltrate the academy basement—that was their goal.
"M-Master..."
A tug on my sleeve drew my gaze to Rosalyn staring up with a face full of tension.
Her complexion pale, lips quivering.
She might as well have worn a sign saying 'I'm super anxious right now.'
"Don't show it. You'll blow everything."
I whispered to her softly, keeping it from the others, acting casual.
No one would overhear in this noisy street anyway, but better safe.
"B-but..."
"Calm down. It'll start soon."
I patted her shoulder reassuringly.
Yeah, any second now.
I looked up at the sky.
Amid the star-studded night, the signal flare for the fireworks glimmered faintly.
Pheeeeeew!
A shrill whistle pierced the air as red light streaked upward.
Boom! Bang!
Deafening blasts erupted, massive fireworks blooming across the night sky.
Multicolored bursts rained down in a spectacle, drawing cheers as all eyes turned skyward.
"Woooow!"
"So pretty!"
The moment everyone lost themselves gazing upward,
[My liege. I sense a repulsive aura nearby?]
'It's starting.'
I rested my hand on the sword at my waist.
The cold hilt's feel transmitted through my fingers, replacing tension with strange excitement coursing through me.
BOOM!
Then, a massive explosion rocked the ground.
The street turned to pandemonium in seconds.
"Kyaaah!"
"W-what? An accident? Eek!"
Big and small blasts erupted simultaneously,
and small shadowy beasts began crawling from the earth one by one.
"Kieeeek!"
Cheers turned to screams, laughter to wails in no time.
People panicked, fleeing in chaos.
Per the professor's plan, the summoning was just bait to sow disorder.
While eyes were here, they'd slip to the relic vault.
"Arm yourselves! These beasts aren't strong—we can hold them off!"
"Hmph! Excuse me, innkeeper!"
"W-wait! You have to pay to use that, sir!"
"Bah! Monsters attacking and you talk money? If you're a warrior, yield it now!"
"No, I'm a merchant, not a warrior..."
"Warriors don't run! Raaah!"
"...Pay for it!"
Ignoring the owner's cries, he snatched a hefty battle axe from the display and charged the swarm.
His massive frame and ferocious aura made even hate-filled beasts hesitate.
"If you're warriors, survive this strike!"
Whoosh!
"Kieek!"
No mercy in his swings—the huge axe sent three or four beasts flying at once.
"Brother!"
"Evan!"
In this hellscape,
Celine and Elysia frantically searched for me, but I waved them off, saying I was fine.
They should prioritize themselves first.
"Liel! That's dangerous!"
"Kieeeek!"
Slash!
"I'm okay. Let's save people first."
From the moment the beasts appeared,
Iris had drawn her sword without a word, weaving through them.
'Protagonist through and through.'
Silver blade flashes felled them like autumn leaves; I admired inwardly,
then, in the confusion where no one noticed, quietly invoked Black Authority.
Black Authority: Phantom Projection
A bizarre floating sensation enveloped me, as if the world inverted.
My body began dissolving like mist.
From my toes upward, erasure raced to my waist, then head.
Vision filled with darkness, seeing nothing.