Peace

Peace [Warning! Your identity may be discovered!] The massive door slowly creaked open, and just as the figures seated around the large table inside began to come into view, the status window flared crimson and flashed wildly. It was as if the system itself was screaming at me to flee immediately, as though I were in mortal danger.

'......!'

Fortunately, I was still at the bend in the tunnel. I managed to duck out of sight just before the flickering status window could give me away to anyone inside. .....I really thought I was caught. If I'd frozen there for even a second longer, our eyes would have met and my stealth would have broken.

'But who... exactly is that person inside?'

From what little I could see, he looked human enough. Balding, and quite old—very old, in fact. Yet there was no trace of presence, no sense of life that a person should have. It was as if he had been erased from this world entirely. Existing, yet denying even that existence... I'd never felt anything so alien before.

'Just how strong is he?'

My stealth had hidden me from students, and even from the occasional professors and instructors passing by. Yet that black mage inside had nearly seen through it the moment he glanced toward my hiding spot. Did that mean he was stronger than the academy's instructors and professors? Stronger than the continent's finest faculty training its brightest talents?

'....I should head back for today.'

There was nothing more I could accomplish here anyway. I'd confirmed both the existence of this secret gathering place and how to enter it. That was enough. Just then, a deep rumbling echoed from around the corner as the door began to close once more.

Without a sacred relic to prove I was a black mage, there was nothing else I could do. I turned and retraced my steps toward the dormitory.

Kugugung...

'...........!'

"What, they're holding another meeting tonight?"

"That's what I'm saying."

Just as I was about to open the hidden door in the academy basement storeroom, black mages on the other side opened it from within. I nearly got caught, but I slipped out safely before the door shut completely.

I climbed the underground stairs to the lobby, then made my way up to the dormitory floor. Step... step. Once the patrolling guard had disappeared down the hallway, I checked my surroundings and slipped into my room.

"Phew... Looks like everything worked out somehow."

I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh. Maintaining stealth from the moment I left the dorm until just now had nearly drained my black mana dry.

'Status window, Black Magic category.'

I hadn't even fought anyone. I'd only snuck into a black mage gathering to scout, yet my proficiency and levels had risen. .....I'd spent so long slaughtering black mages and absorbing their mana just to raise those levels. It felt almost hollow now.

".....Just what is about to happen in this academy?"

This was serious. There were black mages here whose power overwhelmed even mine. I didn't know what they were plotting or what they were thinking. But I could say one thing with certainty: if they achieved their goals, it would send shockwaves through the entire empire—not just the academy.

"Venice. It's been a while."

"Didn't we see each other yesterday?"

"Yeah. So, what did you do yesterday?"

"Nothing much. Just looked around the academy and stayed in my room."

The next day. When I went to find Erielle after the bell rang, she began interrogating me as though conducting an investigation. What I'd done, what I'd eaten, who I'd met—even details about those people. I answered while sweating bullets, fabricating responses on the spot. After ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all, yesterday's activities had consisted solely of "educating" Cobson and Jade and infiltrating the black mage gathering.

"....Erielle. Why are you doing this to him? Did he do something wrong?"

"This level of obsession... This could be useful information."

Kayle and Fria, who had been watching, spoke up out of pity for me. But no matter how much they tried to stop her, Erielle simply brushed them off with "Mind your own business."

- Oho...

- ....This is rather interesting.

The two of them watched us with the rapt attention of people enjoying a morning drama. I wanted to beg for help, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

We headed to the cafeteria together, just like yesterday. Once again, the crowd prevented the girls from even eating properly.

"Sigh... I just want to eat in peace for once."

"Right... How do those people never get tired?"

"......This is exactly why I didn't want to come to the academy."

Today, too, the girls sighed in the small garden behind the academy. Erielle in particular looked thoroughly irritated. Wanting to help them somehow, I'd prepared a small gesture.

"Here. Everyone, eat this and cheer up."

"....What's this? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠A lunchbox? Did you make it yourself, Venice?"

"Oho... This is actually kind of touching."

".....Venice. You should only do this for me..."

"No, no. I saw they had lunchboxes at the kiosk, so I packed three. I figured if you ladies took lunchboxes somewhere, the other students would follow you."

It was only a small help for girls who couldn't even eat properly. I felt sorry watching them trudge along without a decent meal.

"Little brother...."

".....Sniff."

Kayle and Fria looked at me with tears in their eyes, even though it really wasn't that big a deal.

"Little brother—!"

"...Come here!"

"H-Huh?"

Thud—

They suddenly pulled me into a hug and began petting me like a puppy. Unable to push away such noble ladies or get angry, I could only flail and beg them to stop.

"...Move. Venice doesn't like it."

"Doesn't like it~ When pretty noonas are doing this for him? By the way, little brother, want to come to me instead of Erielle? I'll take good care of you..."

"No, come to me. I'll treat you like an emperor."

Erielle's expression grew colder by the second, but the two ignored her and kept tugging me back and forth between them. ....This felt a little dangerous. Erielle's face was starting to...

Grind grind grind—!

"Venice is... mine...! Get out of the way!"

"Kyaaaaah—!"

"Uwaaaah...."

Unable to hold back her anger any longer, Erielle's face went blank. She summoned a gust of wind with mana and sent Kayle and Fria flying.

Thud— Thud.

"Ow ow ow... Erielle, what are you doing to your friends?!"

"Sniff... That's too much...!"

"Don't make me laugh. And for the record, I'm not your friend."

The two girls sat on the floor rubbing their sore bottoms and looked up at Erielle with teary eyes like pitiful heroines, but of course it had no effect on her.

"Little brother. Noona will contact you later, okay?"

"Keep your acaphone on. You never know when I'll call... Hehe."

"Y-You little—!"

Giggle giggle—

The two ran off laughing while Erielle chased after them, grinding her teeth. Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠though she acted like she hated it, I knew she always looked out for them and stayed close. It was an incredibly... incredibly peaceful scene.

They, and the other students too, were all blooming in this space of youth. Each of them spending their irreplaceable youthful days in their own way.

"....I can't let anything destroy this peace."

Thinking of the parasites that would erode this peaceful space, I reaffirmed the goal only I could accomplish.

The brilliant sun set, and night arrived. I was once again wearing my black robe.

I stared at the messages Erielle had sent me earlier. It meant I had free time for the entire week. In that case, I couldn't afford to waste it.

'Stealth.'

I concealed myself by rejecting the world, grabbed a thick rope, and stepped out of my room once more. My destination: Room 118. Where Cobson and Jade—the disgusting black mages—were.

Apparently stealth applied even to the items I carried, since I was able to bring the binding rope along.

"Agh... damn it. Why do they keep calling us so often lately?"

"This is so annoying.... Haa.."

When I reached Room 118, I saw them wearing black mage robes and masks, about to open the dormitory door and leave.

'The guards... haven't arrived yet.'

Confirming that the guards hadn't come yet, I moved immediately. I slipped through the open door, grabbed the black mages by their robes from behind, and yanked them back inside.

Thud thud—

"W-What the—! Jade, was that you?!"

"Shit... Cobson, what the hell are you doing?!"

The two, who had been suspecting each other, stared blankly at one another after shouting accusations.

How ridiculous. It was fortunate they were so stupid and simple-minded.

"Haha. What an amusing scene."

"Y-You... who the hell are you, you bas—"

Crack.

"No need for you to know. You wouldn't understand anyway."

"Y-You bastard...! What the hell are you...?!"

After knocking Cobson out with a single blow that left his eyes rolled back, Jade scrambled to his feet and began gathering black mana. Go ahead. Try your best.

Crash—!

"H-Huh?"

"If you can, that is."

"This—!"

Crunch.

An untrained black mage's body collapsed far too easily. I bound the unconscious pair tightly with the thick rope so they couldn't escape no matter what, then stuffed them into the closet.

"Phew. First stage ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠complete."

I immediately opened their desk drawer and took out the sacred relic I'd seen last night.

Good. With this, I could pretend to be a black mage and enter the gathering.

"I'll be borrowing this for a while."

After putting on the mask Cobson had been wearing, I stepped out of the dormitory.