Chapter 125
Translator: uly
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Graduating Class Hunting Season (2)
* * *
The second semester had barely begun, but in that short time, something had turned the academy into complete chaos.
The chairman's statue at the main gate had its head lopped off just like during the student council president election, and most of the buildings were boarded up with wooden planks to block entry.
Faculty members were rushing about busily, and efforts to extinguish the sporadic fires breaking out everywhere were still in full swing.
The moment I stepped down from the carriage, I grabbed Mark, who had arrived first and was helping manage the situation.
"What's all this commotion?"
"Ah, Louis! And Saintess! I just heard about it myself... It seems the graduating class hunt has started."
"Graduating class? Hunt?"
Caroline, standing beside me, tilted her head in confusion.
It was understandable.
This was yet another of Pharenchia's long-standing traditions that occurred every year.
All academy students, upon reaching their third year, prepare for graduation and decide on their future paths.
Some head to magic towers.
Others join knight orders or become officials in the capital.
But just like universities on Earth, some complete the full three years yet fail to graduate.
Those are the ones who get held back or, as they're commonly called, make the 'wrong choice'.
"The academy has students who defer graduation and work as research assistants under professors, writing personal theses or handling odd jobs."
"And?"
"Their treatment is generally poor, and even outwardly, they don't seem quite normal. They hole up in labs most of the time but often appear on campus at dawn."
They occasionally visit the canteen, too.
Mostly buying a few types of stimulants and potions, which they mix with their own recipes for greater effects.
They struggle with communication due to excessive immersion in magic, but they're generally good kids.
However, things change when graduation season approaches.
"The problem is they go hunting at the end of the semester. They're looking for successors, as they say. Their targets are juniors with no ties to magic towers, those passionate about academics, or held-back students whose theses aren't properly prepared."
"What about the professors here? They just watch?"
"It's a form of laissez-faire. After all, it brings valuable manpower to their labs."
Sometimes they even subtly encourage it toward pre-selected third-years.
Even Caroline, a veteran inquisitor who had seen it all, couldn't hide her shock and muttered that they were insane.
But having dealt with this mess every year, I couldn't help pointing out something off about this year in particular.
"This isn't graduation season."
"Right... The second semester just started. Even the third-years are only now choosing thesis topics. No idea why it's kicking off so early."
It was a bit suspicious, but as one of this mad academy's ancient traditions, there had always been certain boundaries observed.
They'd net students with butterfly nets and give them light persuasion, so I hadn't paid much attention. But the timing was awfully convenient.
— Hiiyaak!!? M-my academy! My statue!!
— Chairman! P-please calm down!
And smashing the chairman's statue at the main gate, no less.
Are they suicidal? Lehel would kill them.
"Plus, Louis, there's more bad news."
Mark leaned in to whisper cautiously, explaining why the situation wasn't being properly contained.
"The lord was kidnapped, too. She's a third-year."
"What...?"
"Who the hell! Smashed! My statueee!!"
"Oh, looks like some particularly motivated students this year. It was just an accident, at most..."
An emergency response team, assembled by the furious Lehel, gathered in the conference room of Akasha Hall.
The professors couldn't utter a single word under her blazing glare.
Caroline thumped her chest hard watching Lehel wail solely over her statue's destruction, ignoring the graduate students' rampage.
To think she had lied to the church for the sake of helping a mage like this.
At least it confirmed that the goddess's choice didn't mean blowing the whistle on Sacrear to the church.
"But why drag me here? Training's over; I wanted to rest today."
"It's because the Pharenchia branch of the Temple of Light has a cooperative relationship with the academy."
Mark kindly answered Caroline, who had been dragged along without Louis.
"With so many students obsessed with magic, accidents happen. We ask priests to provide mental care for them. If left alone, some might turn to black magic."
Citing the first-semester election disaster as an example, Mark admitted he sometimes felt off himself.
Anyway, with this year's graduating class hunt escalating, opinions converged on forming a suppression team quickly.
Then, Professor Pascal, in charge of third-year classes, dropped a bombshell.
"Um... Chairman."
"What now?"
"Actually, we tried suppressing them before you returned... but this year's grad students don't seem pushovers."
"You don't mean our academy's administrative power can't handle them, do you?"
"No! Of course not. How could a professor lose to students? We can subdue them without major injuries. However..."
He adjusted his glasses and pointed to the academy map on the table's center.
Red X's marked buildings occupied by grad students here and there.
"It's hard to wipe them out at once. They suddenly hid in the underground sewers."
"What? Haa..."
"Moreover, among those caught in this hunt is third-year Lord Darling Tokarev. We can't launch a large-scale assault until her safety's secured."
"Wait, what did you say...?"
Even Lehel, the reincarnation duchess beyond common sense, doubted her ears at Darling being a target.
"Why would they kidnap the Luhillen viscountess?"
"That's the thing—we don't know why. Even idiots wouldn't think Pharenchia's lord would join grad school."
"Anyone here egg them on? Someone sic their grad students on her?"
The professors exchanged glances and shook their heads.
No one raised a hand, plunging the incident deeper into mystery.
Sure, Darling was graduating with mediocre grades, but not failing.
No reason for her to accept a grad position.
"What about the lord's castle?"
"No official contact yet."
"Really? Odd... Anyway, student safety comes first."
Annually kidnapped students were tied to chairs and force-fed arcane formulas like 'String Tether Theory' or 'Preon Particle Studies' to entice grad enrollment.
But with this twist, rescuing them was priority.
"Secure the academy's spatial blueprints first."
The annual rite of the graduating class, like clockwork.
But this time, Darling was among the vanished targets.
Even heading to the canteen, worry lingered.
She hadn't sinned enough for hell...
A suppression team would form soon; I'd check with Lehel.
"Adella. Keeping good watch on the canteen?"
Fortunately, the canteen wasn't occupied or burning like some buildings.
My defenses had worked.
But unlocking the door, the dark interior devoid of human scent felt off.
"Adella...?"
The bread left on the counter when leaving for Scandall was still there.
Stale, but unchanged in number—Adella hadn't been here.
Starved iron dogs, gnawing the basement door, bared teeth at me.
Bad premonition hit; hoping nothing happened to her, I rushed out.
Straight to the aquatic park.
A small urban sanctuary before Apas Hall.
Chilly weather, but colder aura lingered.
Dried leaves crunched underfoot as I scanned around.
Tree branches bare, frost-covered.
No wails like before.
"Ah...!"
"Hm?"
Heading to the fountain where I'd found Adella before, I locked eyes with an unknown student.
The red-hooded girl bolted upon seeing me.
'Flower?'
She held a single flower.
Shaking off the oddity, further ahead: the presumed fountain and sign.
[Broadcast Club's '2nd' Pick for Pharenchia Academy Highlights: The Tearful Woman's Ice Fountain!]
[First-year Adella Sylvestra de Roshiar from the Roshiar family proudly showcasing her magic.]
[Perfect for lovers' dates!]
[Caution: Do NOT touch.]
Reading it all, I clutched my forehead in shock dwarfing the Darling news.
"What the hell is this?"
Adella, dramatically weeping, frozen solid as an ice statue, slumped over.
Surrounding crystals refracted rainbows beautifully.
No more water from the fountain; park ecosystem ruined. Yet, many wreaths at her feet.
Parting unknown flowers, I approached the crying Adella.
"Adella. Snap out of it."
"——."
"I gave you the keys to feed the iron dogs. Why're you like this? Didn't clean the canteen either?"
"——."
No response at all.
Even tapping the ice yielded nothing.
Really frozen?
Pondering solutions, I checked for onlookers, then placed my hand again.
This time, activating my unique circuit.
Crack, crack, craaaack!!!
Ice fissured, then with a pop!, the magic shattered.
Crystals scattered; Adella opened her eyes like awakening from ancient seal.
I admired her dazzle and flowing blue hair briefly—
"Ha...! Teacher!!"
Spotting me, she reached out and hugged tight.
"I missed you!"
"What is all this? What'd you do now?"
"I mastered my ultimate skill! Sis said every Roshiar mage has their strongest technique!!"
I'd heard that from her before.
Jealous she couldn't go to Scandall, Adella awakened again?
Snap!
Adella posed proudly, nose high.
"I froze time, nya~!"
"What?"
For real?
Estelle and Lehel revered it as the original Snow Duke's technique, and Adella did it?
"Froze time nya~! Didn't even take a minute till seeing Teacher again nya~!"
"Hey, hold on..."
"Nya?"
Recalling her words and the canteen scene, I pieced it together.
Grinning smugly about her time freeze, I asked again.
"You froze time?"
"Yes."
"Your time?"
"Yes!"
So not the world's time, but like cryosleep, freezing herself?
"What the hell."
Totally useless.