Chapter 399
Chapter 399
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 399
Chapter Title: A Turn of Events (3)
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BAM!
Shirone threw the door to his room open with great force, slammed it shut with the same energy, and lunged for his desk.
The neatly arranged notebooks were once again scattered.
Shirone flipped one of them open, rapidly turning the pages until he reached a blank one, then finally grabbed a pen and sat down.
‘The core. I have to write down the core. Right, what does 'core' even mean? Ah, that’s right, the core…’
His mind was so perfectly awakened that he could barely process the torrent of thoughts all at once.
The hand holding the pen trembled. He felt as if someone might break into his mind and steal his thoughts.
First, he wrote down a broad guideline. A sense of relief washed over him, thinking he had at least escaped the danger of forgetting.
But his hand was still busy, opening the notebooks he had filled so far and beginning to integrate countless ideas into the core concept.
The pen nib moved as if it would slice through the paper.
His handwriting was a chaotic scrawl, matching the speed of his thoughts, and his unblinking eyes traced the journey of his frantic notes.
After the theory came the calculations. Shirone verified its feasibility using simple physical system theory.
A precise calculation would require expert verification, but its viability could be determined with simple equations. It was that kind of problem.
When the calculations were finally finished, Shirone set his pen down with a click.
On the final page, in the final solution, was a number that exceeded the value he had hoped for.
Shirone stared at the notebook, dumbfounded.
As if his very soul were being sucked into it, he remained motionless before a gulp of saliva slid down his throat.
BAM!
His two fists slammed down on the desk like hammers. Shirone buried his face in his chest, his body trembling, unable to move for a long while.
“Haaaaah.”
When he lifted his head again, the initial exhilaration of creating a new magic was gone from his face.
“It… it actually works.”
It wasn't the stage for certainty yet. But in theory, it was definitely possible.
While it came with complex constraints, if the conditions were right, Shirone could wipe Heaven off the map.
A sudden wave of fear washed over him.
His thoughts ventured into a realm he never would have needed to explore, precisely because the possibility was so low—no, because he had thought it impossible.
Countering Heaven as it planned for a final war could be considered a form of self-defense.
Intellect argued that there was no need to see things through to an end that didn't need to be experienced.
But.
‘If I had known Aider’s disposition beforehand, would I still have used the same strategy?’
This was a slightly more difficult question.
If Aider hadn't attacked Maya, and if he had still been pushed out based on an intellectual judgment, would the outcome have been the same as it was now?
There are two criteria mages use to measure efficiency: justification and practical gain. If Fermi’s efficiency leaned toward practical gain, Shirone’s leaned toward justification.
Practical gain yields immediate results, but justification takes control of the flow to ultimately produce a greater benefit.
One couldn't say which was better. However, the matter of destroying Heaven was clearly a strategy skewed toward practical gain.
“I have to see Ikael.”
Why had she passed Ataraxia on to him? Did she know that her choice at the time would return as a boomerang capable of destroying Heaven?
“I have to see Ikael.”
Another reason had emerged, a reason why he absolutely had to meet her.
* * *
The final year schedule had passed the twelve-week mark.
The students had been running breathlessly without a moment to spare, but recently, the atmosphere on campus had grown unsettled. No, it wasn't just the school; the entire kingdom was in an uproar.
The graduating students always had a newspaper in hand. Whether in the cafeteria or the park, conversations revolved around the shocking incident at the Magic Association.
*Former Magic Association President Mikea Gaold, Wanted for Treason*
Shirone read the headline emblazoned at the top of the newspaper several times before turning his gaze to the article.
It reported that there had been an assassination attempt on King Adolph XII of Tormia ten days ago.
Adolph was no tyrant and was quite popular in Bashka, so the news was shocking.
But even more shocking was the fact that the person identified as the mastermind behind the assassination was Mikea Gaold.
Newspapers were competitively publishing related evidence.
The fact that he had stopped visiting the association two days before the assassination attempt and had gone into hiding was also cited as circumstantial evidence.
He could hear the students entering the park complaining.
“My goodness, treason of all things. What was he thinking, doing something like that?”
“Tell me about it. He used to be the pride of our school, and now he’s become a disgrace. Treason is a huge blow to the academy too. He’s got some nerve, blocking the path for his juniors.”
They were only saying it because Gaold wasn’t there, but on the other hand, Shirone could understand their feelings.
Shirone read the article again.
Among those who had disappeared with Gaold were Gando, the captain of the Magic Association’s guard, and Plu, the 3rd-floor administrator.
The bottom section of the newspaper recorded the Q&A from the National Security Emergency Hearing held the day before.
Most of the Magic Association staff were listing circumstances that made them suspect Gaold of treason.
Only Isabel, a Grade 3 certified administrator of the Magic Association's archives, argued for Gaold’s innocence, but she was ultimately arrested on the spot by royal intelligence agents and was currently imprisoned.
“Hoo, things are getting complicated.”
Shirone crumpled the newspaper and looked up at the sky.
Gaold had plotted treason.
Was that even possible?
No, for a man of Gaold's caliber, perhaps even treason was possible.
But the question was, why?
Nade spoke.
“Even a Grade 1 Archmage becomes a fugitive when the state makes a move. Anyway, what happens now? I saw a lot of strange people coming and going from our school earlier. Iruki, do you know anything? You get letters from your father pretty often, right?”
As the head of the Yongroe, Albino would surely have accurate information, but Iruki shook his head.
“He just said it’s still too early to say. Besides, it’s not something he’d write in a letter. Those people from earlier were probably from the national intelligence agency. They’ll be searching every place Gaold could have taken refuge.”
Iruki looked back at Shirone.
He knew that Shirone had visited the Magic Association during the break. He wasn't sure, but he also had a feeling that Shirone was hiding something.
“Shirone, do you know something?”
“…”
Shirone said nothing. Especially in a situation like this, he had to be even more careful with his words.
If a Grade 3 certified mage like Isabel could be arrested on the spot, there was no guarantee that harm wouldn't come to his friends, let alone himself.
‘What on earth is going on? What’s happening?’
Did Gaold really try to assassinate the king?
He considered the probability to be almost zero.
A project he had prepared for a full twenty years was now just a few months away. The king’s assassination could have been part of the project, but even so, it felt like it had failed too easily.
‘The articles say Gaold often showed an arrogant side. It’s even written that he spoke ill of the king to a foreign diplomat. But didn’t he maintain his position as president? It must be that some form of emotional equilibrium was maintained between the two powerful men. But suddenly, it shattered. Why now?’
It was an event too rash and monumental to have occurred right before the trip to Heaven, a time that called for the utmost preparation.
‘No, perhaps because of that, it was inevitable?’
Shirone thought about it in reverse.
‘Gaold prepared the project for twenty years. It would be impossible to control the information perfectly. As the time of ignition drew near, someone, somewhere, began to act to extinguish the flame. That seems the most plausible explanation.’
If his assumption was true, it was the worst-case scenario.
Shirone was part of Gaold’s project. If the national intelligence agency dug deep enough, his name was bound to come up.
‘Who made a move? The Kingdom of Tormia? Or something beyond it? How much do they know? No, how long can this be hidden? In that case, what preparations should I make?’
“…rone. Shirone.”
Shirone snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at Iruki.
“Oh, yeah?”
“What are you thinking so hard about? Are you okay? You look pale.”
Nade looked at him with concern.
“Huh? You’re right. Shirone, can’t you tell us what’s wrong? I was trying not to ask because I thought it might trouble you, but if it’s something too much to handle alone, we’ll fight it with you.”
Revealing it was absolutely impossible. It went beyond personal feelings; it would be leading his friends into a deathtrap.
Of course, Iruki and Nade were smart enough to know that. But for that very reason, they would surely understand his silence now.
“I’m sorry. I’ll tell you everything when I get the chance.”
Iruki didn't seem offended.
Shirone wasn't stupid. If it were something that could be solved by talking, he would have confessed long ago. He was just frustrated that he couldn't be of any help to his friend.
“Alright. We’ll pretend we don’t know. But don’t be stubborn. The most important thing is you. If you’re ever in danger, I’ll start taking action one way or another.”
Hearing that from Iruki of the Mercodine family was a considerable relief.
Albino had written nothing in his letters, but perhaps Iruki knew more than he let on. They were a family that could.
“Thank you. But I’m really okay. I’m going to head back to my room first. I have some things to think about.”
Shirone stood up coolly, but his heart felt otherwise. He was glad to have Iruki and Nade. In the worst-case scenario, Amy and Rian wouldn’t turn a blind eye either.
They were people who could surely protect his beloved family, even if something happened to him.
Shirone could be satisfied with that.
* * *
As summer arrived, rainy days became more frequent.
The morning had been sunny, but the fickle weather was now showering rain.
And so, the early monsoon season had arrived.
Past midnight, Shirone stood by the window, watching the rain pour down.
Three days had passed since Isabel's arrest, but there was still no news of Gaold.
The newspapers had sensationalized the facts and published even more provocative articles, turning him into a public enemy.
The people presumed to be from the national intelligence agency were no longer seen. But it was possible they had merely hidden themselves from view.
The evaluation schedule was proceeding as normal, but the students' motivation had noticeably waned.
They were likely feeling disillusioned by the fact that the kingdom's top mage, the president of the Magic Association, had fallen into such a miserable state.
‘Is Ms. Isabel okay?’
As far as Shirone knew, Isabel was not one of Gaold's loyalists.
In that case, did she defend Gaold at the hearing simply out of affection?
Or was there something else about it that he didn't know?
He recalled the face of the beautiful woman who had kindly explained the laser guidance algorithm to him.
And the gentle way she had placed the Kubrick on his finger on the last day, teaching him how to use it.
Knock, knock.
Shirone’s heart dropped.
It was already past midnight.
There was absolutely no reason for someone to visit his room at an hour when even the teachers would be asleep.
Knock, knock.
Shirone entered the Spirit Zone. He kept the radius extremely small to avoid being detected by the person outside the door.
As he tiptoed toward the door, he heard no voice from the unidentified person.
“…Who is it?”
The lack of a reply meant it was definitely not his friends. They would have given a signal of some kind.
*If they break down the door, I’ll escape with teleportation.* He drilled that one instruction into his mind as he closed the distance.
Finally reaching the door, Shirone brought his eye to the peephole.
His expression, which had been on high alert, went blank for a moment. Then he hastily grabbed the doorknob and turned it.
“Senior?”
Plu stood there, clutching an injured shoulder.
She looked exhausted, her face pale and her bluish lips trembling. It was clear at a glance that she had been through a severe ordeal.
Her clothes were in tatters, and the drenched fabric clung to her skin, revealing she wore nothing underneath.
The only thing that retained a semblance of her former self was the mage's gaze behind her glasses.
“Shirone…”
A brief look of relief flickered across Plu’s face before she collapsed into Shirone’s arms without finishing her sentence.
“Senior. Senior.”
Shirone caught Plu, carried her to the bed, then carefully checked the hallway before closing the door without a sound.
When he returned to the bed, Plu was already sitting up. She covered her chest with her arms, but it was a gesture of consideration for Shirone; her resolute expression showed no sign of embarrassment.
The thought of preparing warm tea briefly crossed his mind. But it remained just a thought.
She had fled all the way from Bashka to Alpheas Magic Academy.
The fact that she had come to him, someone with no power, meant their situation was far more serious than he had imagined.
“Senior! What on earth happened? I was worried!”
There was so much he needed to hear. But he didn’t even know where to begin.
Plu seemed to be choosing her words, lost in thought. A moment later, her face began to contort with anguish.
“Gando-nim, no, Gando…”
Plu slowly turned to look at Shirone. A single tear streamed down from her sharp eyes, which looked like they could pierce through steel.
“Gando betrayed us.”