Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Isolation
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(3)
5.
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
While Ullan was glaring at the Mana Spring.
Not far away, roughly twenty students came into view. They were the students from Class 2 who had toured the area earlier.
"Ugh, sorry! Professor Miel."
A sudden unfamiliar voice rang out.
Leading them was Class 2's homeroom professor. She bowed her head with a flustered expression.
"Some students got dizzy, so we were a little late for the appointed time. I'm truly sorry."
"No need to apologize. If that's the reason, it's unavoidable."
Professor Miel forgave her generously.
It was only about ten minutes late, after all.
"Was everything alright inside?"
"Yes! Aside from what I mentioned earlier, it was fine."
"What about the mana levels?"
"They're 0.8% below last week's average."
"Hmm. Nothing major to worry about, then."
The two professors exchanged words about Zone 1.
At that moment, a stinging gaze pierced through. Noa whipped her head around reflexively and spotted a young man glaring their way.
His eyes dripped with contempt and pity.
Noa was more than a little flustered. She had never seen his face before. To confirm his identity, she pulled up his status window.
Himmel Deorg.
A name she remembered well. The Deorg Count family was famous to begin with. They were even tied to the main scenario.
"And..."
Himmel was the official heir to the Deorg family and Ivela Elead's half-brother.
The moment she realized that, Noa understood.
The man hadn't been glaring at her—he had been staring at Ivela.
"Something must have happened between those two."
Nothing came to mind right away.
As she furrowed her brow, trying to recall Ivela's character story step by step.
"Then we'll head back first."
"Yes, good work."
Before she knew it, the professors' conversation had ended.
The Class 1 students began to move.
Only then did Himmel finally retract his fierce gaze.
Right after, Ivela's sigh brushed past her ears when Professor Miel's shout rang out.
"Alright, we're now entering Zone 1 of the Mana Spring, Arsen! Move in groups as instructed earlier."
Finally, it was time.
The students gulped nervously.
Tension was plain on their faces. Following Professor Miel's orders, they gathered in groups of three or five. Ullan's group did the same.
The instant they crossed the protective barrier.
The students' heads tilted in confusion.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Nothing's happening?"
It was different from what they'd expected.
They'd thought there would be some major change, but surprisingly, nothing seemed different. As they kept cocking their heads.
"Wait, my body feels kinda heavy."
"Ugh! Why is my back suddenly itchy?"
"What? Itchy? Mine's stinging."
A few students began writhing.
It started with three or four, then spread to over a dozen. As the students panicked, Professor Miel explained in a calm tone.
"It's proof that the mana flow has become unstable. From itching to prickling—everyone feels it differently."
Professor Miel's tail swished back and forth.
He must have been sensing something unusual too. That's when one student asked curiously.
"What does it feel like for you, Professor?"
"Similar to when molting season approaches."
No, how are we supposed to know what that's like?
The student who asked made an awkward face. Professor Miel continued.
"Don't use any magic. Focus and observe the mana flow inside your own body."
No sooner had he finished speaking.
Than the students closed their eyes and concentrated.
And soon wore shocked expressions.
"It's totally different from normal!"
"The mana's splashing everywhere."
"That's the effect of getting caught in an unstable mana flow. Trying to cast magic now will just raise your failure rate."
Magic relies on sending a precise amount of mana along an exact path to activate properly.
But when influenced by an unstable flow like this, of course proper magic won't manifest.
"And it's not just mages. Anyone who handles mana experiences the same symptoms. Blacksmiths, jewelers, warriors— all of them."
Professor Miel's gaze turned to Ullan.
"So no need to force yourself to endure it. It must be driving you mad with itchiness or stinging by now."
"No, I'm perfectly fine."
Ullan shook his head stoically.
Professor Miel didn't seem convinced.
"Fine. Might as well give enduring it a shot. If you can hold out until we leave Zone 1, I'll award you merit points."
Arsen Academy had a point system.
Accumulate merits for various benefits; rack up demerits and you'd be scrubbing toilets or dragged off to student council duty.
"Then I'll take you up on that."
There was no reason to refuse.
It was a free shot at merits.
As the bet with Professor Miel took shape, one student shot up his hand.
"Professor, are there any exceptions?"
"Exceptions?"
"Yeah, I read in a book once that grand mages can cast spells even in unstable mana flows."
"You read it right. Those who reach the grand mage realm—or the master realm—don't suffer symptoms in Zone 1."
He was spot on.
Ullan was living proof.
Unlike the students twisting their bodies, he truly felt nothing.
"From the master realm onward, Spirit takes hold—the nature of mana changes."
Mana circulates endlessly through the body, much like water.
But upon reaching the master realm, its nature shifts. Think of it like water turning to ice.
"I don't know the exact reason..."
The mana of grand mages or masters remains in a solid state unless actively stimulated.
Which means it isn't affected by external mana flows without specific techniques.
"For reference, aside from grand mages and masters, there's one other group unaffected by Zone 1's effects."
"Who are they?"
"Those blessed by Mana's Blessing."
Professor Miel's eyes gleamed.
"They create their own independent mana flow, unaffected by the surroundings. So they pass through Zone 2 without issue."
The prime example was Dilia Arpen.
Noa Darshen was the same.
She was a named character blessed by Mana's Blessing, just like Dilia.
Unlike Dilia, who flaunted her talent openly, Noa kept hers strictly hidden.
"Because I don't want to get found out."
If it came out that she had the same talent as Dilia, she'd draw unwanted attention. That wasn't what Noa wanted.
So Noa glanced at the other students and pretended to itch on purpose.
"But those two groups have nothing to do with ordinary folks like us. So just give up and let the unstable mana flow take over, like me."
A few students burst into laughter at Professor Miel's self-deprecating mutter.
The rigid tension eased right up. He'd probably said it on purpose to loosen everyone up.
With the tension gone, words started flowing.
The students bombarded him with all sorts of questions about the Mana Spring. Professor Miel answered curtly but kindly.
How much time passed?
Before the group reached a dead end.
"Alright, this marks the end of Zone 1."
Strictly speaking, it wasn't a total dead end. Another path was visible beyond.
"Cross that, and Zone 2 begins. But unless something special happens, you won't need to go there—so relax."
They stared at the lake dyed green.
Tension crept back onto the students' faces.
They were recalling the warnings and Zone 2 details from Professor Miel earlier.
"Tour's over—time to head back. Class 4 should arrive soon, so I'll answer any remaining questions on the way."
"Yes, Professor!"
The students replied brightly.
Unlike their first encounter, they were acting far friendlier now. As they turned to head toward the entrance together.
Suddenly, disaster struck.
Boom!Roooar!
A heavy thud like an object slamming the ground, followed by fierce vibrations shaking everything.
"Wh-what is that?"
"Earthquake? Or..."
Everyone's eyes turned to Ullan. They were probably remembering the auditorium incident.
"Wasn't me."
Ullan shook his head.
Then where was it coming from? As everyone scanned the surroundings.
"...! L-look over there!"
One student pointed at the lake's center.
As if spotting something unusual. Ullan and the rest followed his gaze.
What came into view was a cave entrance.
Hazy mist shrouded the surroundings, making it look like a massive beast gaping its maw and exhaling breath.
"Huh? Was that there?"
"I don't think we saw it before..."
As they traded opinions.
Whoosh!Fwoosh!
A pair of flames suddenly ignited at the cave mouth. As if staring right at them. The moment their eyes met.
A chill!
Goosebumps erupted across their skin.
No one knew why. Danger alone dominated their minds.
As the students' faces drained of color.
Noa's eyes sparkled alone.
"Perfect—exactly like in the guide."
It was the opening cutscene for a hidden event triggered by specific conditions. And those conditions were.
"Three or more A-grade or higher named characters present in Arsen's Zone 1."
A ridiculously strict requirement, as befitting a hidden event.
Gathering three A-rank named characters in the confined space of Arsen Academy was no easy feat.
But Noa had gotten lucky.
"All thanks to Ullan."
Because he skipped the main scenario and enrolled in the academy, things had gone smoother.
And luck had been on her side too.
Ullan, Noa, and Ivela all in the same class? That was a huge stroke of fortune. So Noa gave Ullan a slight bow.
A small gesture of thanks.
"This event's rewards are top-tier."
Among all rewards in Arsen Academy, it ranked in the top five.
And there wasn't just one—three rewards total. One of them was exactly what Noa wanted.
"A treasure that boosts stamina."
More precisely, one that enhanced physical abilities overall. With that, her cursed stamina penalty would ease up considerably.
Noa clenched her fist.
"Heard it's pretty tough, though..."
She wasn't worried.
An SS+ grade named character, Ullan, was here. Plus the future Sword Princess.
"So let's move to the next phase already!"
The next phase: a massive wave rises. Being swept into the cave by it was all part of the hidden event's cutscene.
Soon enough, Noa's wish came true. A massive torrent began swirling in the once-calm lake center.
"Eh, ehhh?"
"That looks dangerous, doesn't it?"
"Feels like it's heading our way..."
The students backed away slowly.
Instinct kicking in. In that instant, the torrent swelled into a colossal wave and surged straight toward Zone 1.
Roooar!
With momentum to cleave the lake in two.
As the students froze in shock at the abrupt change, Professor Miel barked sharply.
"Use your return stones! Right now!"
Did his words snap them out of it?
The students poured mana into their return stones. One by one, they were soon enveloped in white light and vanished.
The male student in Ullan's group was no exception.
His face pale with terror, he activated his stone. The problem was that he was separated from the other four.
"No, wait! Take me too...!"
The gray-haired girl shouted urgently upon realizing, but it was too late.
Flash!
A burst of light, and the boy was gone.
Leaving only Ullan, Noa, Ivela, and the gray-haired girl behind.
A truly hopeless situation.
The girl's face went deathly pale on the spot. But not all hope was lost yet.
"Everyone, over here! Hurry!"
Professor Miel was still there.
He must have been waiting for all the students to evacuate. The girl rushed toward him—but was quickly blocked.
Roooar!
The wave swept through Zone 1 in an instant.
It neatly divided Ullan's group from Professor Miel. Despair etched his face like stone.
Noa, meanwhile, cheered inwardly.
This way, getting swept into the cave would happen naturally.
"That kid wasn't part of the plan..."
Noa eyed the gray-haired girl.
But a variable like her should be manageable.
With that thought, Noa flashed a pleased smile. She surrendered her body to the rising wave.
Or so she planned.
Her body suddenly lifted into the air.
"Huh?"
What was going on?
As she tried to figure it out.
"Gack!"
Her throat clamped tight without warning.
She couldn't breathe. The reason soon became clear: Ullan had grabbed her by the collar out of nowhere.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
She wanted to scream, but her choked throat let no sound escape. Unease building, Ullan bent his knees.
Then hurled her with all his might.
Whoosh!
Noa soared through the air at high speed.
She was on track to smash headfirst into the ground—but luckily, that didn't happen. Professor Miel snatched her midair.
"Cough! Cough!"
After hacking violently.
She blinked in a daze.
She'd been yanked away from the wave's reach all alone. Meanwhile, the remaining three were swept away toward the cave.
"No—I need to go with them!"
Of course, she understood Ullan's intentions.
He must have done it out of worry for her.
But it was unnecessary. Getting swept up was just event staging—no one would die.
She hurriedly tried diving back into the wave. With the torrent still raging, she still had a shot.
But her body wouldn't budge.
"No! It's dangerous!"
Professor Miel had seized her wrist.
Noa lunging straight for the wave must have looked like she was trying to save her friends.
"Let go! I have to go!"
"I said no! It's too late to save them."
"No, it's not about saving...!"
"I get worrying about your friends. But you'll put yourself in danger too!"
"That's not it!"
Frustration boiled over into a shout.
It's not a natural disaster—it's a super special hidden event! She barely held back the urge to yell.
Splash!
Another wave crashed in.
This had to be the last chance.
Noa shook free of Professor Miel's grip forcefully. Just as she leaped for the wave.
"...Huh?"
The scenery shifted.
The wave had vanished without a trace.
Instead, students sat on the ground, sobbing. As she dazedly scanned around, a familiar structure caught her eye.
"N-no way..."
Arsen Academy's main gate.
Which meant Professor Miel had used a return stone. In that instant, the hopeful light in Noa's eyes flickered out pathetically.
Aware or not.
Professor Miel cast a communication spell.
"Emergency situation! Three first-year students have been swept away by a mana disaster in Mana Spring's Zone 1 and gone missing. Requesting support immediately!"
After issuing the request.
Professor Miel approached Noa and patted her shoulder in awkward comfort.
"Don't worry. Your friends will be fine."
"..."
"Let's head to the infirmary first. You nearly got caught in that mana disaster too, so you need a check-up..."
"...Feels like everything's ruined."
"What?"
"Waaaaaah! It's all over!"
Noa collapsed to the ground and burst into tears on the spot. Professor Miel was thoroughly flustered.
But only for a moment.
He tried comforting her again.
"Don't give up. There's still hope..."
"Nooooo! It's ruined!"
Noa wailed at the top of her lungs.
Thick tears plummeted down.
It was a heartbroken sob, brimming with anguish over missing the hidden event she'd craved so badly—right at her fingertips.
10. Isolation