Chapter 155: Ring (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 155: Ring (1)
Märchen Academy hadn't closed its doors for a single day.
It was a stark contrast to the previous year, when the gates were frequently shuttered due to a relentless string of incomprehensibly massive incidents. This year, the administration had established a secure, rigorous system designed to handle national-level crises.
The returning students, who had survived the chaos of the prior year, were visibly stunned by the drastic change in policy.
Currently, entry into the Eltra Sea was strictly prohibited.
The academy faculty and the Imperial Knights were conducting a joint investigation into the appearance of the Abyssal Sea Monster, even enlisting the specialized resources of the Magic Tower.
Naturally, the student body was rife with speculation regarding the demons' sudden appearances and the true identity of the Nameless Hero.
In particular…
…A rumor was circulating that the academy planned to round up all students with the ice element to forcibly unmask the hero.
The opposing camp countered that the Nameless Hero clearly had reasons for remaining anonymous, arguing that no one should harass the archwizard who was actively protecting them.
Opinions on the Nameless Hero were deeply divided.
Some offered nothing but praise, admiring his overwhelming strength, while others remained suspicious of a mysterious figure whose true allegiances were unknown. The student body’s discourse fractured into a dozen different directions.
Regardless of the sentiment, the Nameless Hero had quickly become the most explosive topic within Märchen Academy.
*
As the head of the most prestigious academy on the continent, the Headmistress possessed authority that matched the institution's fame.
Headmistress Elena Woodline was a striking woman, her rose-red hair elegantly swept up into a bun.
Though she was in her seventies, her skill [Immortality] allowed her to maintain the appearance of a woman in her physical prime.
Within the confines of Märchen Academy, no one held more power than her. To the outside world, she was the ultimate authority—a woman who possessed everything from peerless beauty to absolute influence.
…On the surface, at least.
“H-hello! Sir Magrio! Ahahaha! W-what lovely weather we’re having, isn't it?”
In reality, she was a woman constantly crushed by the weight of finances and political pressure.
Inside the drawing room of Bartos Hall—the nerve center of the academy’s administration—the doors swung open. A woman wearing a white coat over her shoulders stepped inside. It was Elena Woodline.
She offered a bright, beaming greeting to Magrio, the Vice-Commander of the Fenrir Knights, the Empire’s 4th Order.
Her cheerful tone was a practiced habit, but today it creaked with mechanical anxiety. ‘Oh, Madam Headmistress…’ Elena’s secretary muttered inwardly, watching the display.
Magrio, a middle-aged veteran, gave a curt nod and a slight wave of his hand. Behind him stood three knights, their hands resting on the hilts of their sheathed swords.
Elena took a seat across from him.
“Good day, Lady Elena.”
“Would you like something to drink?!”
“Herbal tea.”
“Right! You! Bring us two cups of herbal tea, immediately!”
Elena frantically barked the order at her secretary. Her frantic movements and jittery body language betrayed her internal panic.
‘Please, try to act with some dignity, Headmistress…’
The secretary let out a soft sigh, massaged her aching temples, and turned to fetch the tea. Just looking at Elena’s state was enough to give her a migraine.
“So, uh, Sir Magrio? May I ask what brings you here for this… discussion?”
“We’re both busy with the Eltra Sea incident, so let’s skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point.”
“O-of course!”
Elena fought to maintain a relaxed smile, but she couldn't stop the cold sweat from trickling down her forehead.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. However, this was an environment she knew well.
She had spent years groveling and pleading with investors to keep the academy’s finances afloat. She had practically worn her knees to the bone to secure the funding for the academy’s current defense systems.
They say one should smile through the pain. Having spent her life smiling through the shittiest of realities, this was nothing new for Elena.
“I wonder what could be so important that Sir Magrio would come all this way to ask me personally…”
“…Why are you unable to identify the Nameless Hero?”
Elena’s head twitched almost imperceptibly.
“As you know, according to our agreement, your Order cannot interfere with the academy’s internal administrative systems. Furthermore, you are only permitted access to Grade 3 confidential files. Our ability to investigate the hero’s identity is, by necessity, extremely limited.”
Emperor Carlos Von Kairos Elfieto had issued two primary directives to the Imperial Knights upon their dispatch.
First: Support Märchen Academy.
Second: Investigate the cause of the frequent demon appearances.
They had been explicitly warned to maintain a positive relationship with the academy and to avoid applying undue pressure. After all, the academy was a place of learning, and educational institutions were considered sacred ground.
The initial agreement stipulated that shared intelligence would be capped at Grade 3. Anything higher risked information leaks and would place an unfair burden on the academy’s autonomy.
Moreover, it had been confirmed that an ‘informant’ was operating within the academy’s administration. The academy had no choice but to be conservative with their data to prevent further incidents.
“But the hero is currently presumed to be a student of Märchen Academy. Is the academy truly so incompetent that it cannot identify one of its own?”
Since their arrival, the Imperial Knights had seen the academy’s struggles firsthand and understood the difficulty of the situation. However, they found it hard to believe that not a single lead had been found despite the massive amount of time invested.
“T-that is true… Um, Sir Magrio? I realize you are curious about the Nameless Hero. O-of course, his identity is central to your objectives.”
The secretary returned, placing the herbal tea before Elena and Magrio.
Elena’s hand trembled as she lifted the cup. She took a sip, her nerves so fried she didn't even register the scalding heat burning her tongue.
She continued, her voice slightly strained from the burn.
“However, investigating the hero is our responsibility. I do not believe it is a matter you should be—”
“Lady Elena.”
“Y-yes…?”
“I am well aware of your reputation and your keen insight. You have worked tirelessly to foster the talents that will one day lead this Empire. I respect that deeply.”
“Ah, well, thank you…?”
“Which is why… no matter how I look at it, I find it impossible to believe that someone as capable as you is simply sitting on her hands. I apologize if this sounds blunt, but I have to ask…”
Magrio’s eyes narrowed, his voice turning sharp.
“…Are you failing to identify them on purpose?”
“Ahahahahaha!! Oh, you’re such a comedian! Of course not!”
Elena laughed loudly, her expression a mask of flustered denial.
Magrio blinked slowly.
“I’m not ignorant of your position. The Nameless Hero is a powerful wizard capable of world-altering feats. They aren't someone we can easily provoke. It’s understandable if you want to stall the search while such a person is acting as the academy’s guardian.”
“Wahaha! You really missed your calling in stand-up!”
“Well, per the contract, we cannot interfere with the students.”
Magrio stroked his chin, his short, stubbly beard rasping against his fingers.
“Lady Elena. We are here on the Emperor’s orders to find out why demons are congregating specifically in this area.”
“Indeed…”
“As the Empire’s premier academy, shouldn't the safety of the students and their right to an education be the top priority? If we fail here, this academy will never return to normal. That… is not an outcome the students, the faculty, or the Empire can accept. The Nameless Hero may be the lead we need to resolve this, or perhaps the cause itself. He is the key to the answer.”
The teacup, far lighter than a sword, remained perfectly steady in his hand. Magrio stared down at the still surface of the tea.
Up until now, several demons classified as natural disasters had appeared at Märchen Academy.
On the surface, it looked like a catastrophic failure of the academy’s defense systems. But the Imperial Knights’ investigation suggested otherwise.
Märchen Academy possessed a detection system that reached into the stratosphere, powered by the mana of Aria Lilias, the Tower Master of the Hegel Magic Tower, and Headmistress Elena herself. It manifested as a transparent membrane, invisible to the naked eye.
Because of it, the academy should have known the instant an intruder set foot on the grounds.
Yet, most of the demons that had appeared thus far had bypassed Elena’s detection system entirely.
The system was a transcendent piece of magic that functioned autonomously; it wasn't something she actively controlled. It only required periodic mana charges to sustain itself, meaning it should have remained active even if Elena was away.
“This academy is harboring a dangerous secret. Think about it. Setting aside the massive demon from the sea, how do you explain last year’s incursions? The only times the defenses were lowered were during vacations or supply deliveries. Do you really think demons just slipped in then? They didn't just walk in on two feet, and all cargo is checked thoroughly.”
Magrio continued, his gaze never leaving his tea.
“Did the ‘informant’ bribe the guards? Impossible. Cargo is checked three times, and we know exactly how many guards were on duty. Some were even using magical enhancements for their vision, backed by messengers. Bribing that many people is not only prohibitively expensive but logistically impossible.”
With every word Magrio spoke, another bead of cold sweat rolled down Elena’s face.
“Then did they infiltrate via a magic pouch carried by the informant? Also unlikely. You cannot store living beings in standard spatial magic items; the mana field interference kills them. That leaves only one possibility: these demons have been here from the very beginning… But that raises the question of how they remained undetected for so long. Even if they were hidden in the island's depths, why have they only started attacking now?”
Without taking a single sip, Magrio set the cup back on the table.
“And the Nameless Hero… he likely has the answers to all of these questions.”
The Nameless Hero.
Whenever a demon appeared, he was there instantly, as if he had been waiting for them.
As if he knew the future. As if he knew exactly when and where the threat would manifest.
As if… he knew the truth behind everything.
“I will say it once more: the Nameless Hero is suspected to be a student here. From our perspective, we cannot shake the suspicion that the academy is intentionally refraining from identifying him.”
“T-that’s…! We can’t just make rash assumptions, nor can we subject our students to interrogation by force…!”
“I believe,” Magrio said, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands, his eyes boring into Elena’s.
The weight of a man who had survived a thousand bloody battlefields filled his gaze.
“I believe that the academy, which should be neutral, is actively protecting the Nameless Hero…”
“That’s…”
“A useless fuckin’ conversation.”
Just as Elena stammered for a response, a calm, bored voice drifted from an unexpected corner. Every head in the room turned toward the windowsill.
A dense, heavy mana suddenly flooded the parlor.
A frail-looking woman, shrouded in a wizard’s robe, stepped off the windowsill and into the room. She wore an old-fashioned pointed hat, her mahogany hair fluttering in the breeze.
It was Aria Lilias, Tower Master of the Hegel Magic Tower.
“Lady Aria…?” Magrio’s eyes widened.
“You fucked over my apprentice, so I went for a walk to clear my head, only to hear this garbage.”
“Is eavesdropping your new hobby?!” Elena shrieked.
Ignoring the Headmistress, Aria Lilias hopped down and strolled casually toward the sofa.
With complete nonchalance, she sat down right next to Elena.
“So…”
Crossing her legs, Aria stared at Magrio with a deadpan expression.
“Go ahead. Run your mouth one more time. What about the Nameless Hero?”