Chapter 215: Alice Subjugation (11)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 215: Alice Subjugation (11)
Four days had passed since Isaac was swallowed by The Abyss.
A shroud of darkness still loomed over the sea.
However, it was no longer accurate to call it total darkness. The entity had taken on a more refined form, flaunting a dazzling display of mana that mimicked a starry sky, complete with a shimmering Milky Way.
Because the demon blocked out the sun, an early chill had descended upon Märchen Academy. Those who remained on the island were forced to dig out their winter clothes.
Most people—including students, faculty, residents, and the mages of the tower—had already evacuated the island to escape the oppressive, dark skies.
Princess Snow White had been whisked away in a carriage by Imperial Knights, including Merlin Astrea, under an Imperial Order for her protection.
Saintess Bianca Anturaze remained at the cathedral, her days consumed by prayer. Although the Pope had sent a letter ordering her immediate evacuation, Bianca firmly refused, sending away only the priests and believers. Only her escort priest, Sylon, stayed by her side.
Bianca was waiting for the Nameless Hero, Isaac. She felt a divine compulsion to deliver the mysterious book she had found to him, believing it to be the will of the Lord, Manhalla.
There were others who remained at the academy as well.
First, a handful of faculty members driven by duty and a very small number of students: Dorothy, Luce, Kaya, and the Saintess.
Second, the Imperial Knights entrusted with the defense of the empire.
Third, the Hegel Tower Master.
Fourth, the Düpfendorf forces and the ice magic beasts. Having emerged victorious in the war against the demon army, they now stood guard over the island. They were Isaac’s minions.
Fifth, the four Paladins and Alice’s familiars, who were currently detained. As accomplices in the crisis, they were restrained with mana-suppressing handcuffs and ropes.
The Trump Soldiers had vanished without a trace. Since it was impossible to track them all down, the authorities focused on imprisoning the Paladins and the Queen's familiars.
For four sleepless nights, Dorothy, Luce, and Kaya had desperately unleashed their most powerful spells against The Abyss. They pushed their mana to the breaking point, blood trickling from their noses, driven by the agonizing knowledge that Isaac was trapped within that dark void.
The Imperial Knights had also maintained an all-out assault for four days. Ian Fairytale assisted them, relentlessly unleashing light-element attacks. The remaining students and the Düpfendorf forces coordinated various tactical strikes.
However, it was all in vain. The demon, seemingly untroubled by their efforts, merely continued to drift in the sky, a silent imitation of the cosmos.
Eventually, the situation reached a stalemate. Ian was evacuated, and the academy began waiting for the empire’s strongest military unit: the Subjugation Force.
*
“What do you plan to do?”
In a reception room within Orphin Hall, the Department of Magic’s main building, Headmistress Elena Woodline and Professor Fernando Frost sat facing each other.
Fernando had come to discuss their next steps regarding the colossal entity floating above them.
“The students? Have they all evacuated?”
Fernando shook his head. There were only four students left at the academy: Dorothy Heartnova, Luce Eltania, Kaya Astrea, and Saintess Bianca Anturaze.
Fernando had spent four days persistently urging them to flee, but they had ignored his pleas entirely. The Saintess had even locked herself in the cathedral, blocking all access and leaving no opportunity for discussion.
“Haa... And? How are the girls holding up?”
“Luce Eltania and Kaya Astrea are resting. Beyond the physical toll of mana exhaustion, their mental states are... fragile. As for Dorothy Heartnova…”
Fernando paused, searching for the right words. “To be honest, she is in a very dangerous condition.”
Elena’s brow furrowed. “What? Why? What happened?”
“In a normal person, her symptoms—a severe fever and occasional seizures—would be a precursor to death. The backlash from overusing Starlight Magic is so severe that even healing magic is proving ineffective.”
Fernando’s expression softened with sympathy as he recalled Dorothy’s suffering. “We are currently forcing her to rest with the help of the Imperial Knights.”
“Wait, wait! Why did this happen to her of all people...?”
“We suspect it’s a side effect of the starlight mana.”
Dorothy had poured every ounce of her power into The Abyss for four days and nights. Ultimately, her overwhelming emotions and the abuse of her unique mana had driven her body to the brink of collapse.
Starlight mana was a special power bestowed by the Star Fairy. No one truly knew the consequences of pushing such a power past its limits. What was certain was that Dorothy’s condition was so critical that she could succumb at any moment.
“Dorothy...” Elena whispered, her face etched with worry.
“Actually... I don’t really know what to do anymore,” Fernando admitted.
“What do you mean?”
“The Nameless Hero—no, his identity is public now. Isaac. Even he was powerless and ended up devoured. That extraordinary archwizard...”
The secret was out; the world now knew that the Nameless Hero was Isaac. The news had undoubtedly reached the Imperial family by now.
“I can’t bring myself to run when I don’t even know if he’s safe... After all, he is one of our students...”
“...I see.”
“I’m sorry, Professor Frost. It’s shameful for a Headmistress to show such weakness.”
Elena felt the crushing weight of her responsibility. She could not bring herself to flee while even a single student remained behind.
Fernando sighed. “Emperor Carlos was on his way here in person, but his visit was interrupted by the demon’s appearance. He should be staying at a nearby estate for now. If we leave, we won’t have to go far to reach the protection of the Imperial forces. Moreover, the Imperial family recognizes your authority as Headmistress.”
Fernando turned to look out the window. The demon still dominated the sky, a mock night.
“The Subjugation Force is on its way. Once they arrive, you will be forced to leave anyway. It’s only a matter of time before we have to abandon the academy.”
The Subjugation Force, comprised of the Imperial Guard, was the most formidable military unit in the empire. They were rushing to the island because the site of Isaac’s disappearance was directly above the campus.
Once they arrived, the academy would become a battlefield. The place they had all grown attached to would likely fall.
However, this didn't mean Märchen Academy would cease to exist. With the support of the empire and various investors, a new campus was already under construction. Until it was finished, education would continue in temporary facilities.
“Therefore, as Headmistress, I want you to focus on your own survival first.”
“And what about you, Professor Frost?”
“Unlike you, I am just a professor. If even one student decides to stay, I intend to remain by their side until the end.”
“You really are stubborn... What was I thinking, trying to talk sense into someone like you...” Elena sighed.
If the demon attacked before the Subjugation Force arrived, Elena planned to use her protection magic to shield those who remained. It was a power capable of distorting even the most formidable strikes. Perhaps she could block at least one attack from the starry nightmare above.
*
Märchen Academy Detention Center. Interrogation Room.
The Imperial Knights had decided to interrogate the four Paladins separately. They were held in different buildings, spaced far apart to prevent them from coordinating or combining their powers. Even with mana-suppressing handcuffs, the knights weren't taking any chances with such high-level mages.
The Clover Paladin, Pierre Flanche, refused to answer any questions. The usually cheerful man now wore a mask of hollow indifference.
The other Paladins were the same. They had failed. Queen Alice had been devoured by the demon. They were all so consumed by a piercing sense of loss that they had been rendered mute.
“So, you still won’t talk? You won’t reveal your motives or your true identities?”
As the Imperial Knight questioned him with growing frustration, Pierre Flanche finally forced out a whisper.
“...Kill me.”
“What?”
It was the plea of someone who had lost everything.
“It’s all my fault. Torture me if you want. I don’t care if you put my head on a pike in Viyans Plaza.”
Viyans was the capital of the Zelver Empire.
“Just... kill me.”
They had failed their mission. They had lost their Queen. They had caused the birth of the monster that now blotted out the sun. They wanted to atone through pain and death. Without that, the guilt was simply too much to bear. They wished to die, to serve their Queen in the afterlife.
It was then.
BOOM!!
A brilliant explosion tore through the interrogation room door, crumpling the heavy metal like parchment.
The Imperial Knight jumped to his feet, instantly drawing his sword.
A young woman with light purple hair entered the room. She was one of the strongest individuals in the empire and Märchen Academy’s greatest asset: Dorothy Heartnova.
She was drenched in sweat, gasping for air as she clutched her head. Her face was twisted in agony, ravaged by a fever and a headache so intense it would have killed a lesser person.
Dorothy glared at Pierre.
After four days without sleep and the continuous over-channeling of magic, her former vitality had vanished, replaced by a haunting, ragged desperation.
“Should I...?” Dorothy rasped, her voice trembling with rage and pain. “Should I just kill you right now...?”