On the Road (1)
Three carriages set off.
Dickferji lay far to the west of Kirchheis Castle, nestled in the central continent—a journey that demanded quite a trek.
The lead carriage carried two professors, while the students were split between the remaining two.
And we were in the last one, jolting along and enduring the relentless vibrations.
"Ughhh, can't we just use a mass teleport spell and get there easy?"
"They said the academy's short on funds."
"My butt hurts!"
Complaints poured from these spoiled kids who'd never roughed it before.
But I was content, gazing out at the vast landscape unfolding beyond the window.
To think this entire expanse belonged to a single family.
—Kirchheis Territory.
An autonomous region that had thrived independently, unbound by the Human Empire, forging its own system.
With Rohbark and generations of family heads ruling as grand lords, it was no exaggeration to call it a kingdom in its own right.
'The Empire only takes a pittance in taxes while granting autonomy? But they dispatch family members to key posts to hold the real power.'
A clever reign.
No wonder the imperial family kept the Kirchheis clan in check.
Five hundred years ago, during the war with the demonkin, coexistence between the Empire and the territory had seemed natural enough—
[But things are different now. On the surface, the Demon King was repelled by the Kirchheis expedition force, after all.]
The Emperor of the Human Empire, Theophrad 12th, was said to be burning with ambition to claim the Kirchheis Territory for his own.
Of course, with Rohbark standing at the pinnacle of the Eight Great Seats, achieving that goal seemed unlikely.
A half-elf's voice snapped me from my reverie.
"Ahem. As you probably know, there are no second-years on this trip. But there's one each in third and fourth year, and two in fifth."
"……?"
Who was she even talking to all of a sudden?
"They're my juniors, but I won't recommend getting chummy. They're pretty twisted. Our academy's had its share of ups and downs, after all."
"Hang on……."
She was talking to me, apparently.
She stared straight at me.
"You especially should watch out for them. You've got plenty of reasons to rub them the wrong way."
"Senior."
I finally spoke up, quietly.
Yeah, I'd been wondering about this—
"Why the hell are you even sitting here? The notice said sixth-years don't have to join."
"……."
She had to complete her graduation project.
That's why the notice explicitly said "excluding sixth-years."
Yet here was Obri, tagging along and taking up a seat in our first-year carriage.
The space wasn't even expanded with magic, so it was cramped as hell.
[She wants to keep tabs on things.]
'Keep tabs? On what?'
[Something like that. The kids wouldn't know.]
I pressed a few times, but Hierniorn just played coy and wouldn't answer.
Obri cleared her throat awkwardly, avoiding my gaze.
The answer came from an unexpected source.
"Professor Kirian doesn't know squat. Senior Obri joined for our sake! 'Cause we're not ripe yet!"
"It's 'participate,' not 'enlist.' And 'proficient,' not 'ripe.'"
"Hmm, good point!"
Lorang sat beside Obri, fawning enthusiastically.
No real results, of course.
'Why'd she really come along?'
Suddenly, I recalled Leonir's warnings.
He'd repeatedly cautioned me to beware the Red Ghosts of the Red Cartel.
'Did Dean Panayul assign Obri to shadow me and keep me safe?'
Possible.
The dean doted on me almost as much as Leonir did.
Grateful, but inconvenient.
The moment I checked the mission area, "that" came to mind.
—Fire Spirit Essence.
The elixir to awaken Hierniorn.
Dickferji brimmed with fire-attuned spiritual energy, so scouring the black market or informants might yield something.
But with Obri tailing me, moving freely would be tricky.
'Gotta find a way to shake her.'
I sighed, letting the half-elf's endless chatter flow in one ear and out the other.
Then—
"Looks like rain."
"Oh, for real? Dark clouds rolling in!"
Mihaden and Libiel murmured, peering out the window.
Sure enough, the overcast sky threatened to unleash a downpour any second.
In that case—
"We'll pick up the pace a bit."
"……?"
No sooner had I spoken than the driver's shout rang out, and the carriage lurched into a sudden acceleration.
Eyes turned my way.
"Kirian, just come clean. You have the 'Foresight' trait, right?"
"No. And like I said before, bearers can't control it anyway. Dumb Libiel."
"Suspicious……."
I'd just guessed, knowing this road well.
From my past life, I'd traveled it countless times. Common sense: heavy rain wrecks carriages.
'He'll whip the horses to reach shelter before it hits.'
Conveniently, the gateway city into Dickferji wasn't far.
Five hundred years ago, it'd been a mere village; now, it was a fortress girded by sturdy walls.
Ready to hole up against travelers, maybe?
"Hya! Hya!"
The three carriages sped across the drawbridge.
As raindrops began to patter, we passed a quick inspection and slipped inside the walls.
The lead carriage didn't hesitate, heading straight for the most respectable hotel.
"Welcome!"
Spotting the Kirchheis crest, the staff bowed deeply at the waist.
As the driver fussed over unloading luggage before stabling the horses—
"Everyone, assemble!"
Professor Schud Rapens's voice boomed.
He gathered all the trainees and issued new instructions.
"Those who've done external missions before know this, but individual action is strictly forbidden during assignments. You get what I mean, right?"
"Yes, Professor!"
Everyone but the first-years bellowed in unison.
Lorang sidled up to Obri.
"Senior, why no solo action? Curious."
"Hmm."
Her pronunciation was surprisingly crisp.
Maybe that's why Obri actually answered this time, without brushing him off.
"The Kirchheis clan reigns as the 'apex noble house' among the great families—the strongest. Bearing the silver phoenix emblem draws eyes everywhere. Out on missions like this, you can get dragged into trouble unwittingly."
"Dragged into trouble……?"
"Like that."
Obri nodded toward the hotel entrance.
A small girl struggled there, limbs gripped by staff.
Desperate cries accompanied her writhing.
"Let me in! Please! I need to see the Kirchheis mages! Please……!"
"Hey, you!"
"Out! Before the guests see!"
Skinny limbs, sunken cheeks.
Her body was a mess of wounds—who knew what she'd endured.
But the staff shoved her away mercilessly.
Obri watched impassively, then warned us.
"You'll witness scenes like this countless times on external missions. Problems you can't fix one by one."
"……."
"Remember: your time, stamina, and mana are finite. Don't even touch them. Speaking from experience."
With that, Obri turned and vanished into the hotel.
Meanwhile, the bloodied girl was hauled away out of sight.
But the kids hesitated to move.
"Feels off. Shouldn't we at least hear her out?"
"Dunno."
"Senior Obri's always right. But……."
Pity held them back, it seemed.
But—
"What are you all standing around for? Inside, rest up. We'll head out once the horses recover. Meals first, then barely time to sleep."
Professor Rapens's call forced them to turn.
I lingered, still eyeing the entrance.
Not out of pity.
'Hiern, you felt it too? That girl earlier.'
[Ah, the blood scent?]
'Yeah.'
The girl thrashing to get inside reeked of thick blood aura.
Nothing like the raw stench from her wounds.
It was the greedy residue of absorbed, digested foreign blood seeping from her pores.
Familiar to me.
'Vampire spawn scent.'
In this era, it lingered only in their inferior offshoots, the Red Ghosts.
Leonir's words echoed.
We'll definitely meet them, he'd said.
'Didn't expect it right from the start.'
[She'll show up again for sure. No telling when.]
I agreed.
Not as persistent as pureblood vampires, but blood-craving kin were tenacious.
Anyway, I grabbed my bag and headed inside.
After a quick meal with the kids, we climbed to the rooms.
"I'm 341. Kirian, you?"
"332."
"Oho, Mihaden's 344, I'm 356. All different."
"Not different—separate, Lorang."
"Like Mihaden's face?"
"……."
First-years were assigned separate rooms.
I left the brats behind and opened 332.
Two unfamiliar faces stared back.
Today's roommates.
* * *
Two boys shedding their boyish shells, edging into youth.
The first was fourth-year trainee Rafar Kirchheis.
"……What're you staring at?"
Lounging on his bed with a book, he tossed the words without looking up, then clamped his mouth shut.
Mild compared to his neighbor.
A razor-sharp glare stabbed from the side.
"That's your bed. Don't talk to us. We don't wanna chat."
The second: third-year Nazel Kirchheis.
His voice bristled with irritation—God knows what for.
My assigned bed was nearest the door.
The window beds with the best views? They'd claimed them.
'Rafar and Nazel study under the same professor, practically cohorts.'
Both eyed me with clear distaste.
Arrogant, but fine by me.
No—better than fine.
"Got it, seniors. I'll shut up and sleep. Thanks."
"Thanks? Being sarcastic?"
"Nah. Sincerely grateful."
"……?"
A chance for actual quiet.
Normally, Libiel or Lorang ruined any peace.
'The carriage ride with Obri yapping had my ears bleeding.'
I should request rooms like this from now on.
I lay down and turned to another matter.
—Ulfrik's journal from the restricted area.
Its records bore a potent security spell: no matter how many times you read, the content wouldn't stick.
I needed a way to crack it—
"Tiberian, think backwards from context."
Fortunately, reunited Dumroad had given a hint.
"First, acquire Lord Ulfrik's insights. Only then can you decipher it. Get what I mean?"
Probably meant there was no way to break the security magic.
But to me, it sounded exactly opposite.
'Ulfrik's knowledge on security magic…… where might that linger?'
In Eternal Forest Sector 1, excavating "Ro's" tombstone, I'd acquired Ulfrik's monocle.
Through it, I'd gained part of his "insights on beast control."
Not coincidence—his relics were rigged as conduits for knowledge.
So, likely the same for security magic insights.
'Acquire a relic tied to security, and I'll get the insights.'
Plenty came to mind, but caution was key.
Ulfrik had been venerated as a great hero for five centuries; his relics were sacred relics.
Whatever I targeted, risk was inevitable.
[This one's take: that maze is still your best bet.]
'Hm, yeah?'
[Risky, but plenty unconquered sections—high chance. Very high.]
'Right, then…….'
As I mulled with Hierniorn in my head—
"Hmm?"
Silent-book-reading Rafar whipped his head around.
Meditating-mana-cultivating Nazel flinched, eyes snapping open.
Like clockwork, both snatched swords from beside their beds.
"Nazel, you hear that?"
"Yeah, I did, senior."
Rafar and Nazel bolted upright.
Both branch family—talented in swordplay over magic, I'd heard.
Thus sharper senses.
So that's why?
'Tiny presence, but they caught it.'
[Oh ho…….]
Intruder.
Chance to see how these cocky brats handled it.
I quietly activated telekinesis, locking the room door.
The window flew open; a black shadow leaped in.
'Back quicker than expected.'
The ragged girl from before.
Red eyes flashing, fangs bared—a Red Ghost.