Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Exterminator
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Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted to include a self-destruct command.
Of course not.
What creator in the world would want to etch something like that into their own creation?
“It could be dangerous, Alderson.”
“…….”
The one offering that advice was a green-haired man with locks hanging down like seaweed.
Asad, the guardian of the Bednicker Family and the Great Mage of Green.
Alderson showed Asad respect.
Not just because he outranked him as a mage or because he was his senior.
It was out of admiration for Asad’s integrity as a mage, his achievements in the field of magitech, and his contributions to imperial peace before submitting to the Bednicker Family.
“May I ask your reasoning?”
“Armored golems are golems on a grand scale. Mechanical life is dangerous. Unlike humans, they can’t judge for themselves and only follow orders. Even if command passes to someone other than you. Have you considered that possibility?”
“That will never happen.”
A sneer flickered across Asad’s face. A mocking scoff tinged with boredom.
“There’s no such thing as ‘never’ in this world. It’s one of the few lessons I’ve gleaned from my tediously long life.”
“…….”
“Alderson, this is just advice. The judgment is yours. I say it again knowing that. At least prepare some minimal safeguards.”
And now,
Alderson smiled as he thought of Asad.
‘…You were right, Lord Asad.’
All the armored golems in the sky explode.
That’s how it should have gone.
…….
…….
No explosion sounded.
Alderson, who had squeezed his eyes shut because he couldn’t bear to witness the White Knight Order’s annihilation, finally looked up at the sky.
“…….”
He was speechless.
Even the composure he’d cultivated as a grand mage cracked. If his training had been any weaker, he would have been utterly shocked.
The sight of the White Knight Order, unscathed and intact, was shock enough.
“Why……?”
Unlike a mobility halt, the self-destruct command used a far more straightforward mechanism.
Extend mana to the golem’s core, then press a specific button. Done.
Of course, Alderson was the only one in the world who knew their locations—and each golem had its button in a different spot.
“They’re not self-destructing……!”
“……!”
In that moment, a scream-like voice came from beside him.
“Princess Perist?”
Alderson had detected not only Princess Perist’s presence but also her entire conversation with Glenn Scarlett.
His conclusion: Perist was undoubtedly the culprit behind it all, but she wasn’t the immediate enemy.
“They’re not self-destructing? What do you—”
Princess Perist spoke with a pale face.
“I… I removed all the self-destruct devices on the armored golems…….”
“What?”
“While dismantling them with Deathberry… and analyzing… I found them and thought, why does this function even exist…….”
Then she suddenly collapsed to the spot and burst into sobs.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…….”
Alderson couldn’t even think to blame the princess. His vision was going dark.
“…This can’t be.”
Kwaaaaang!
But he had no time to lose himself.
A sudden impact rang out.
The armored golems, now descending again, were slamming into the barrier at point-blank range.
Kwaang……! Kwaang……!
The grand magic’s collapse accelerated.
Alderson realized he didn’t even have time for despair. If self-destruct wouldn’t work, only one option remained.
“Cadet Arin!”
“Y-Yes!”
“Take the cadets below and get out of this building right now!”
Arin’s eyes widened as she hesitated.
“But…….”
“Listen!”
Her voice cut off at his sharp shout.
Dean Alderson.
The academy’s top eccentric had never once raised his voice.
He was prickly and had twisted tastes, but no one at the academy truly hated him.
They all sensed it subconsciously.
How much this old man loved this place.
“I’ll temporarily drive all the dolls inside the building out! It won’t last long, so escape as fast as you can!”
Arin spoke in a trembling voice.
“I… I won’t go.”
“What?”
“Her Highness the Princess.”
Instead of replying to Alderson, Arin approached the princess, who was sobbing on the ground.
She looked straight into her scarlet eyes and said,
“…I still don’t know why Her Highness is here. But judging from your demeanor now, it seems we’re no longer enemies, right?”
“Th-That’s true, but…….”
“Please relay the dean’s message to the cadets below.”
“…….”
Princess Perist looked at Arin with trembling eyes.
“I beg you, Your Highness.”
“…What about you?”
At the unexpected question, Arin gave a slight smile.
“I have something I need to do.”
“…O-Okay. Hic.”
Princess Perist staggered to her feet and headed down the stairs.
“…….”
Alderson, who had watched it all, asked,
“Why?”
“I sensed guilt from Her Highness. That doesn’t erase her wrongs, but—”
“Not that. Why aren’t you leaving?”
Arin smiled and replied,
“I’m the dean’s assistant.”
“…….”
Alderson lowered his head at the cadet’s trembling smile.
He should force her to go.
But there was no time or leeway to convince her.
Alderson spoke in a heavy voice.
“…Do you remember the incantation for [Platinum Wall]?”
“Of course.”
“There will be leaks. Where the armored golems are focusing their attacks. If you’ve memorized it perfectly, you should manage a patch. Temporary, but. I’ll leave the opposite side to you.”
“Understood……!”
Arin dashed to the opposite side from the dean.
During that short sprint, as she nearly stumbled, she finally realized her body was shaking like a leaf.
‘Ha, haha…….’
The thought came late.
What the hell have I done?
‘Was I trying to look cool? How pathetic…….’
Truth be told, she wanted to run right then.
Leave everything to the dean, head downstairs, and evacuate with the cadets.
A greenhorn cadet like her wouldn’t make a difference anyway.
So why hadn’t she?
Because of her conscience?
Or did she really want to look cool?
…No, something else.
For some reason, the dean’s back, left alone here, looked so lonely.
‘I’ve lost my mind.’
Who was pitying whom?
Her opponent was the Grand Mage of Purple—Alderson Marber.
One thing was clear.
‘I guess I’m not cut out to be a hero.’
Already drowning in regret like this.
Even so, Arin didn’t take her eyes off the incantation. She rolled her eyes desperately, pouring all her effort into the repair. If she’d studied like this, she’d have topped the class long ago.
About 30 seconds passed like that……
As expected, Arin thought her presence barely mattered.
Of course.
This was a grand magic cast by a grand mage.
What could a mere academy cadet like Arin do by interfering? Not getting in the way was a blessing.
‘…Still.’
10 seconds would be good.
5 seconds.
No, even 1 second.
If she pushed herself to stay and assist Alderson, extending the barrier by even 1 second.
If that let one more cadet escape safely, then this life would be spent worthily enough.
‘…….’
Maintaining composure in the face of death was hard.
Her parents’ faces, her mischievous brother’s face—they flashed by. Even after years in the capital, she’d never tried the treats from that famous pastry shop.
Life was like that.
Looking back, it was all regrets.
Arin reflexively gripped the coin in her pocket.
“…….”
A silver coin.
What had that boy who gave it to her said?
‘Your trump card.’
Maybe.
This coin could resolve everything like a miracle.
Maybe it held a massive grand magic that wiped out the armored golems with wide-area destruction.
Or a portal opened, summoning Heros’s heroes or the imperial knights.
‘Please…….’
With trembling hands, she pulled out the coin.
Arin prayed fervently to the plain coin with no markings or features, then flicked it.
Ting-.
The coin shot into the air and fell back down.
It spun, pinggrr, rolling across the slanted rooftop before flopping over.
[…….]
For a moment, the armored golems battering the barrier turned their gaze, but that was it.
Soon they resumed their destruction, as if detecting no threat.
Nothing happened.
“Ahaha…….”
A hollow laugh escaped.
She’d known.
A single coin couldn’t solve anything.
Ruan—that kind boy despite his looks—had probably given it as a talisman.
People at their limit needed something to cling to.
Indeed, Arin had gripped this coin whenever anxious, and it somehow calmed her a bit.
That was probably its only purpose.
‘Because it wasn’t a magitech tool or relic or anything.’
Arin was a magic department cadet with a keen eye for archaeology too. She had the basics for appraising items.
And by her judgment, this coin held no special power.
Kwaang……. Kwaang…….
Explosions rang out in succession.
She saw the dean, still glaring at the armored golems despite bleeding.
‘…Of all people, why me as assistant.’
If there’d been a more talented cadet, they’d have helped far more than someone like her.
Kwajik-.
Then a particularly loud cracking sound.
Arin hurriedly intervened in that section’s incantation to repair the barrier, but it was impossible.
Kwajijijijik-!
The crack spread across the entire barrier. An unstoppable wave of destruction.
The limit.
The thought flashed through her mind.
Her mana had hit rock bottom too.
Ching-!
The barrier shattered completely.
Dean Alderson and Arin were instantly exposed to the enemy.
The falling axe seemed to move in slow motion.
‘…I hope it doesn’t hurt.’
The moment Arin despaired at herself for such a pointless final thought.
Kwaaaaang-!
Without warning, a silver lightning bolt struck. A deafening roar pierced through Building 12 entirely.
The armored golems about to demolish the building froze in unison.
The lightning.
It pierced straight through the building, yet miraculously destroyed nothing.
[…….]
Instead, where the thunderbolt struck, an unidentified entity appeared.
“…….”
Arin stared at it with wide eyes.
Compared to the sky-encompassing armored golems, it was tiny, yet it shared their vibe somehow.
An inorganic feel, like armored plating moving of its own will, with barely any life force.
[Unknown enemy detected.]
[Eliminate immediately.]
Perhaps sensing the ominous aura, the golems shifted focus.
Ignoring their top target, Alderson, their attention locked on the newcomer.
[…….]
Soon, the face of the one who arrived with the thunderbolt was revealed.
It wore a helmet of a form Arin had never seen. Not just head protection, but a bizarre design covering the entire face.
The moment it extended a hand toward the armored golems.
Clank-.
The entire hand transformed into what looked like a cannon barrel.
Arin saw light particles gathering at the muzzle……
Alderson sensed an unimaginable energy condensing in that arm.
And then, release.
Kwaaaaaaaaang-!
The red light blanketing the rear world paled for an instant. Accompanied by a roar far greater than the thunderbolt.
The fired energy blast.
No other way to describe the attack that instantly obliterated dozens of armored golems in the sky.
“……!”
Arin and Alderson gaped. Unbelievable even seeing it with their own eyes.
[Who are you?]
[State your identity.]
The emotionless golems showed no shock. Instead, their optic lights glowed red.
Instantly entering maximum alert.
[…….]
And at the center of the shock and alert.
The otherworldly figure, fourth disciple of the World’s Greatest.
Reloaded his plasma cannon and replied flatly.
[Exterminator.]