White (1)

"Where am I?"

I came to my senses first and looked around.

For now, it's my house.

Countless questions filled my mind.

Why did the professor come out of there?

No, more than that, the voice was the same, but was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it really the professor?

And didn't the professor contract with a spirit?

Shut up.

Recognizing that dwelling on these strange questions wouldn't improve my situation, I emptied my mind.

"Luna."

Hearing my call, Luna materialized.

"Since the World Tree has spotted me, the Alchemist will start tracking me."

It wasn't the Spirit King who discovered me, but since Luna spoke to me and I spoke to her, the Spirit King has probably already been informed of this matter.

I took out the preserved food I had prepared. Made with alchemy, a single pill can last for days. It's a bit pricey, but at least it's effective. Though I'm not sure whether you'd actually call this 'food'.

Money... I have it, but I won't be able to spend it.

There wasn't much I needed to bring, actually.

"It's a shame I couldn't bring my bow."

I'll just make something adequate with my Authority.

"Still, the Alchemist definitely doesn't want this to become public. If they did, they would have gone public and launched a search already."

You could ask whether it's even possible to quietly put a lid on a case involving a King's Authority, but the Alchemist already knows from the time of the White Erosion that the combat power of each individual experiment subject isn't that high.

They've already proven over nearly ten years of experimentation that the threat level of every collective of subjects caps at Queen.

So, the Alchemist employees who want to cover this up, the World Tree, and finally the families who made deals with the Alchemist under the promise of successfully eliminating a young individual with an Authority will be tracking me.

Which families are connected to the Alchemist again?

"Damn."

Honestly, I don't even have to dig through my memory too hard — the Pendragon family is involved too. I don't know exactly what political stance the Pendragon family takes. In the original work, Estelle's family and household story wasn't really covered much.

I don't know about her younger sister, but at least her older brother is on par with her or even more skilled, and considering Estelle's Seonghwi ability, escaping her is absolutely impossible the moment I'm found.

I've made some preparations, but it's close to gambling.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Luna spoke with a worried tone.

"I have to be."

I finished my preparations and stepped outside.

"Luna, use the Authority."

"Okay."

The uses of the Authority are endless. Like Luna had done before, by assimilating with the surrounding environment, I could achieve an effect similar to perception interference.

"Where are you planning to go?"

"First, to avoid being tracked, I have to cross into the Demon Realm. If I stay on the Ark, I'll eventually get caught."

The people around me passed by without noticing me.

As for how to get into the Demon Realm...

The standard method would be through the Entry Office, but it's hard to believe they haven't touched that place.

So, an abnormal method.

"Break through the boundary between the Ark and the Demon Realm."

First, I need to get to the outskirts of the Ark.

And without using any transportation.

"Yeah. Got it."

Luna and I quickened our pace.

In the worst case, the World Tree might be able to track our location. The professor seems to be helping us, so they probably can't track us immediately, but we still have to prepare for every possibility.

Beep… Beep…

"There. He's near here."

Are you fucking kidding me?

"Mages, deploy the barrier. The rest, evacuate civilians so there are no casualties."

"Target is a male from the First Continent lineage. Black hair and black eyes."

A barrier was erected around the area, and the others sent the civilians outside it.

"Evacuation complete. Search for the target. He's still being detected. No detection at the barrier's edge."

"This way. Combat personnel, assemble."

"I'll use an artifact that temporarily suppresses demonic energy."

"I'll activate a spell that materializes spirits."

Instantly, I felt the camouflage from my assimilation weaken.

"Target found. Begin suppression."

I stared at the Alchemist employees approaching me.

"This is insane, seriously."

Looks like they decided to settle it even if it blows up.

"Well, it's a relief that the civilians are all evacuated. Now I can use my Authority properly."

Everything around me began to be painted over in white.

"Luna, what are the enemies?"

"One lower-class Rook mage, two melee fighters of the same level, one archer of the same level. One additional middle-class Rook mage."

"Five of them are moving together? They're rating me higher than I thought."

During the White Erosion incident, there were even Knight-level participants.

"Yeah, seems so."

"Mark their positions."

The magic layered over my left eye began to operate. Through the Authority of Perception, I pinpointed their locations, and Luna confirmed them.

Whether it's the limit of a contractor or a difference in capability, I can't use the Authorities of Assimilation and Domination, which are part of the King's Authority, other than some parts, so I have to rely on Luna even if I'm reluctant.

"They've already formed a formation."

Two front-liners, with mages and an archer supporting from behind.

A classic combat formation.

"I'll end this quickly."

Through the Authority of Domination, the street dyed white began to move.

Some parts peeled off and formed a white bow and arrows.

"If they won't come to me, I'll make them come."

As I drew the bowstring, the moving street collapsed their formation. They were taking cover, but since this place was already assimilated, cover was meaningless.

In response, the mages created platforms with magic, but one of them got my arrow lodged in his shoulder.

The mage who seemed to be the commander quickly assessed the situation and gave orders.

The front-liners enveloped their bodies in mana and charged toward me.

I manipulated the street that was assimilated with me. I turned their approach path into a bed of thorns, dug pits, and slowed their advance.

A white line stretched toward me.

I twisted my body lightly to dodge the incoming arrow, then drew my bowstring toward the direction the arrow came from.

Once the front line closes in, the support fire from the rear will become very annoying.

I'll take out the rear first.

"Luna, what spell is that guy who looks like the commander deploying?"

"Recording and transmission magic."

So they never intended to catch me right from the start. They plan to gather as much information as possible. They're disposable pawns being used to fully analyze my abilities.

I've always wondered how people being used ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as pawns felt, but since it wasn't important, I decided to let it go.

The two who already had arrows lodged in them weren't that high in level. I could neutralize them with my Authority.

The guy who looked like the commander didn't intend to attack immediately.

I turned the arrowhead toward the front-liners struggling to reach me.

After all, with just this many people, they can't defeat me as I am now. So there's no reason to use other methods and give the enemy more information.

Even with just the Authorities I've already used, I can finish this quickly enough.

"Hah, Yi Seoha... According to the records, you were Knight lower-class just a few weeks ago. Corroded by the Authority? Your level is different."

"Corroded, my ass. I'm just good at using it."

I placed my hand on the head of the commander of the guys I had tied up.

"Alright, talk. How did you find me?"

"You think I would tell you...?"

I used the Authority of Domination.

"There's equipment that reacts to the King's Authority."

"Tell me the major organizations or families currently cooperating."

"The Alchemist, the Spirit King, and the only family confirmed to cooperate is the Pendragon family. There are still talks going on, but the families that will surely cooperate are Libertorga, and..."

Unable to tolerate the voice that kept rambling, I turned off the Authority after getting the necessary information.

As expected, the Pendragon family was included, along with a few other families that had appeared several times in the original work.

"Time to leave."

I'll have to move through remote places like mountain roads.

For now, they're making sure civilians aren't caught up in it, but if they start opening battles willing to accept civilian casualties, I won't be able to fight like I just did.

I poured on the speed with determination.

"I don't want to fight Estelle."

No matter how necessary it was, I didn't want to point a weapon at someone I had a connection with.

Other friends came to mind too, but they didn't really have any reason to be involved in this matter.

"Everyone worked hard. That's all for the Close Combat Department's class today."

"You worked hard too, Professor!"

There really is a difference between fantasy and reality.

The sounds that were loud enough to make my head ring gradually died down as time passed.

Strictly speaking, I made them die down. No matter how much of an idol you are, if you beat someone like a dog in a spar, distance inevitably forms.

Thanks to that, my academy life has been more enjoyable than I expected.

"Oh, Kihote? Hey!"

When I arrived at the training ground to warm up, I saw Kihote.

"Estelle, it's good to see you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for Seoha to return."

"Huh? Where did he go?"

"He said he left his bow in the classroom and went to get it. But he hasn't come back even after some time."

"Really? Then I'll go get him!"

Yi Seoha's growth rate was indeed fast.

In the past few weeks, he seemed to have risen from Knight lower-class to upper-class. He might even enter the next stage soon. Actually, as a Manifestation Bearer, the true starting point is Rook-class, but...

"He seems to have some hidden cards up his sleeve, doesn't he?"

I muttered to myself.

His development was steep, and his techniques became more refined. But it felt like he was fighting with a key pillar in mind. Though he never used it once in our spars. If that's the case, he's probably already reached Rook-class.

What is he hiding so thoroughly and trying to surprise me with? If I pressure him in today's spar, will I see it?

Whenever I tried to press him about it, he always played dumb.

It was a shame he couldn't hear me at times like this.

"Well, I'll see it eventually."

With that light thought, I walked toward the Spirit Department classroom. And when I almost reached there, what greeted me was...

"A barrier?"

Why is there a barrier around the building that houses the Spirit Department classroom?

And why isn't any alarm going off about this?

Drrrng-

Just as I was about to use my Seonghwi to break through the barrier, I got a phone call.

"Yeah, got it. Where should I go first?"

"First, you know him, right? Come to headquarters. They've probably sent a car to the academy, so ride that here. Though, when I saw him last time, he seemed fine. Well, among those King's Authorities, there's also mental domination."

"I'll hear the story first, but my actions will be my own."

"What? You're not planning to act emotionally, are you? This isn't something you can act emotionally on. This involves the family directly."

"I'll bring him in myself, so suck on that."

No matter how reliable the information, to know the truth, you have to hear it directly.

If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that's true, it would certainly be a surprise I'd never forget.