The Defier of Heaven (2)
'Why is he in such a rush...?!'
Selena fumed inwardly.
She could not understand Gaon's attitude, rushing ahead while completely ignoring her advice.
A confrontation with the Defier of Heaven required meticulous planning, so why was he acting so rashly?
And what did he mean by saying the ritual had already begun?
Gaon's behavior—spouting incomprehensible nonsense and acting entirely on his own whim—was utterly baffling.
"Mmph, mmmph!"
Yet despite her mounting frustration, Selena could not utter a single word.
The Absolute Command, one of the seal's authorities, had completely sealed her lips.
'Wait...'
She froze.
What was going on?
When they finally reached the corridor of the underground dungeon, Selena's face turned deathly pale.
"..."
In the subterranean depths, where a suffocating stench and musty mold assailed the nose, Selena discovered that all the cell doors were wide open.
Every single cell was empty.
Not a single trace of the slaves remained.
'W-What is the meaning of this...?!'
The disappearance of all the slaves in the dungeon could only mean one thing.
The ritual had indeed begun.
This was a situation Selena could not comprehend.
Without her command as the Blood Empress, it should have been virtually impossible for the ritual to proceed.
'Why did this anomaly occur?'
But an even more critical question was...
'...How on earth did Gaon know about this beforehand?'
It was at that moment, as she stared at Gaon with these questions swirling in her mind, that she shuddered.
Gaon's eyes were fixed intently on a specific spot.
His fierce gaze gleamed sharply, like a beast of prey that had locked onto its target.
Selena quickly followed his gaze, but she saw nothing but empty air.
"Hey," Gaon suddenly muttered in a low, quiet voice.
"You can stop hiding now."
"...?"
Confusion flickered across Selena's face.
'What...?'
There was no one else around.
"..."
"..."
However, Adelia and Isaac Berylof reacted differently.
They looked startled by Gaon's words, as if experiencing a sudden sense of déjà vu.
Adelia managed to speak, her voice trembling slightly.
"Lord Gaon, could it be...?"
"Yes," Gaon replied with a brief nod, still staring into the empty air.
"Professor Biorf."
"...?"
Selena's expression contorted in sheer disbelief.
'...Biorf?'
Why would he be here?
'Why is he suddenly calling out that name to empty space...?'
*Shuuu...*
"..."
Selena's eyes widened in shock.
If not for the seal's Absolute Command, she would have screamed loud enough to shake the dungeon.
Professor Biorf's tiny head had popped out of thin air.
Only then did Selena understand this absurd situation.
'...T-Tristan's Cloak!'
Indeed.
Professor Biorf had been tailing them under the cover of Tristan's Cloak.
The moment she realized this, a flurry of questions rushed into her mind.
'How did he know we were heading to the dungeon? And more importantly, how did a sacred relic of the Shadow Society end up in his hands?'
Just as these chaotic thoughts overwhelmed Selena's mind...
"...?"
Something that had appeared out of nowhere was spinning and dancing in the air.
A water droplet?
A firefly? No, was it a fingernail-sized jellyfish?
'What on earth... is that?'
Amidst the endless stream of confusion, Selena Servich simply gave up on trying to understand.
A smirk played on my lips.
I smiled as I looked at the dwarf-like old man who had revealed himself after shedding the cloak.
'He's finally here.'
Professor Biorf, one of the new helpers—or more accurately, 'prospective helpers'—who would assist in subjugating the Defier of Heaven.
Of course, at this very moment, Professor Biorf didn't look particularly pleased to see us.
"Grrrrrrgh!"
Professor Biorf's face instantly flushed red.
"You disgusting little rats!"
*Whoosh!*
Professor Biorf pointed a wooden staff taller than himself right at us.
He began to bark in a threatening voice.
"I followed a mysterious creature I'd never seen before... but I never expected to stumble upon a sight like this!"
Professor Biorf shouted, glaring at the jellyfish larva floating in the air.
Yes.
The 'mysterious creature' he referred to was none other than the Sea Moon Jellyfish.
"Professor Servich!"
Professor Biorf's gaze snapped back to Selena.
"I knew you were up to no good for a long time! I always knew you were hiding something! But I never imagined you would build such a horrific facility beneath the academy!"
Professor Biorf's small frame trembled with rage.
"What are you plotting, even bringing outsiders into the magic academy?! Spill everything! Right now!"
"..."
"Who is behind this?! Who are you conspiring with?! There's no way you built a prison this large all by yourself! Another faction must be involved! Isn't that right?!"
"..."
"Aha! So you have no intention of speaking! You're going to play the coward again, just like you always do?!"
Professor Biorf vented his fury.
He seemed to think Selena was keeping her mouth shut to avoid answering.
'...That's not really the case, though.'
In truth, Selena looked like she wanted to speak more than anyone.
It was just that she couldn't say a word because of the Absolute Command I had placed on her.
She muffled out protests, desperately trying to convey her innocence, but unfortunately, the rage-blinded Professor Biorf didn't notice at all.
"Fine! Let's see how long you can keep that mouth shut! I will completely expose your true colors! I'll inform all the professors of the academy, and—"
"Professor Biorf," I interrupted, unable to watch this farce any longer.
"I sent that spirit."
He froze.
Professor Biorf, who had been venting his fury solely at Selena while completely ignoring the presence of outsiders, paused.
Turning his head slowly like a broken doll, he growled in a chilling voice.
"What... did you just say...?"
"I said I sent the spirit."
"..."
"Though to be precise, it would be more accurate to call it a 'Divine Beast' rather than a 'spirit.'"
Yes.
Luring Biorf here was entirely my plan.
I had rolled up Tristan's Cloak, entrusted it to the Sea Moon Jellyfish, and instructed it to deliver it to Professor Biorf.
Fascinated by the mysterious creature, the professor had naturally followed the Sea Moon Jellyfish, eventually spotting us and tailing us.
'Thanks to utilizing the Easter egg's ability, everything went smoothly.'
In any case.
I looked at Biorf and began to clear up the situation.
"Calm down. This is all a misunderstanding."
"...A misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Nodding briefly, I calmly continued.
"This underground dungeon is not Professor Selena's doing. On the contrary, she has been working for a long time to eliminate the culprit behind this facility."
Selena's eyes wavered.
Her expression showed she had never dreamed I would defend her like this.
'Do you get it now, Selena?'
I hadn't issued the Absolute Command for no reason.
I had simply silenced her because her speaking would have only complicated the situation.
'Everything must flow according to the plan I've laid out.'
That was why I had blocked any variable of Selena saying something foolish right from the source.
Having finished that thought, I continued my explanation.
"A horrific monster is hiding beneath the magic academy. A vile entity that grinds up and consumes countless lives."
"..."
"We came here to destroy that 'monster.'"
"Ha. No, wait a minute."
Biorf let out a hollow laugh.
Glaring at me with fierce eyes, he began to press for answers.
"What nonsense have you been spouting? A Divine Beast, not a spirit? And you sent it? What do you mean a monster is hiding in our academy?"
"..."
"And more importantly, who the hell are you?! You're just a green brat, yet you've been speaking informally to me this whole time like it's the most natural thing in the world!"
Classic Professor Biorf.
Getting annoyed by informal speech even in a situation like this.
Seeing him act exactly as he did in the game, I almost let out a chuckle.
Maintaining a blank face, I retorted.
"How old are you, then?"
"...What?"
"I asked how old you are this year."
"...?"
An incredibly childish argument had begun.
Professor Biorf hesitated.
As a half-dwarf, he possessed a lifespan far longer than that of an ordinary human. And as an 8th-circle mage, he was still hale and hearty despite his age.
Having outlived several generations of humans, he seemed to ponder what my intention was in asking his age.
After a brief silence, Professor Biorf gave his answer.
"I am two hundred and twelve years old."
"..."
At that point, it was impressive he even kept track of the exact number.
Of course, I replied shamelessly without showing any emotion.
"Just a wet-behind-the-ears brat, then."
"W-What...?!"
Professor Biorf gasped in shock.
The reactions of the others around us were no different.
Adelia, in particular, froze with her mouth agape.
With so many misunderstandings already piled up, I was genuinely curious about what she thought of me now.
*Grit.*
Professor Biorf's face began to contort.
"You insolent punk!"
He clearly thought I was mocking him.
"How dare you spin such blatant lies—!"
"Adelia," I called out.
*Whoosh!*
The moment I spoke, aura flared from Adelia's fingertips.
A turquoise flame illuminated the dark dungeon.
Professor Biorf froze, then muttered in a trembling voice.
"T-Turquoise aura...?"
Staring at it blankly, Professor Biorf turned his gaze back to me.
"What? Could you... could you be from Midtemple...?"
I neither confirmed nor denied it.
Instead, I calmly uttered the next command.
"Show him the back of your hand, Selena Servich."
*Slide.*
Hearing my command, Selena obediently raised the back of her hand.
*Hummmmm—!*
As she channeled her mana, the transparent crest began to glow with a vibrant blue light, revealing itself clearly.
Professor Biorf's jaw dropped as he recognized the small, sword-shaped crest.
"That is..."
His face turned as white as a sheet.
Professor Biorf's eyes widened in disbelief.
As expected of a mage who had lived for centuries, he seemed to recognize the meaning of the crest instantly.
"..."
Observing the flow of mana closely, he realized the crest was genuine and was struck with astonishment.
The moment he verified the authenticity of the Sword Master's Seal with the discerning eye of an 8th-circle mage, shock and terror washed over his face.
"M-My goodness. C-Could it be...?"
He began to stumble backward.
Professor Biorf began to shrink back, taking hesitant steps backward.
The fierce momentum with which he had been shouting just moments ago vanished without a trace.
"...Were you a Sword Master?"
I pointed it out coldly.
"You're speaking informally."
"...!"
Startled, Professor Biorf corrected himself without a moment's hesitation.
"M-My apologies. Are you a Sword Master, sir?"