Follow Your Nature (3)
Humans are creatures who live by laws, norms, and order. We know it's morally right to live well even without laws, but sometimes the temptation creeps in that breaking them might bring more gain. That's why stories like that pop up now and then.
A game where you can commit crimes freely. Or a movie or drama set in a zone where, for about 72 hours, all criminal acts aren't "illegal" anymore.
Esdinas Academy—this bread academy—has that element too. Right here in the Old School Building.
"Is everyone gathered?"
Rydmila had assembled us in the first-floor lounge. "Us" meaning just me, Unia, and Evangeline—who'd woken up from sleep, still in her pajamas, clutching a massive teddy bear.
"W-what are you staring at? You're not about to say something weird, are you?!"
Evangeline shrieked at my gaze sweeping over her bear and herself, but I shook my head at her with a serious look.
"Jokes like that are for when we've got breathing room. This isn't the time."
"Wh-what...?"
"Listen up, Gale."
As I spoke gravely, Evangeline's face flushed beet red, but she caught Rydmila's glance and meekly bowed her head.
"Thank you, Phoenix."
She was siding with me, of all people.
"We've received intel that academy students are gearing up to raid the special admissions kids."
"R-raids..."
Unia gulped. Her eyes scanned for the target, landing straight on me, but I just shrugged it off lightly.
No rule said it had to be just me getting hit.
"First off, the instructors won't step in. Not unless it's a 'life-or-death' crisis."
"......."
"Because that's what this Old School Building is."
Rydmila set a massive rulebook down on the lounge table.
"The latest academy rules. Nowhere in here does it mention the 'Old School Building.'"
"...S-so? What's the problem with that?"
"Evangeline. Are you familiar with the Ershi Empire's system, Purge Ground?"
"...Ah."
Purge Ground
Purge Ground. No idea if it's DLC or what, but the vibe was clear enough.
"It's like that. They dump convicts on an island, and only the last one standing gets their sins forgiven—the Ershi Empire's system. Whatever happens on that 'island' doesn't matter. Because it's that kind of place."
"B-but this is Esdinas Academy!"
"The Old School Building is different. That's why I chose to come here as a freshman."
Rydmila stared piercingly at Evangeline.
"Why do you think you were sent here, Princess? The answer's simple. Phoenix. Do you know?"
The arrow turned back to me. But I had a rough guess.
"It's the old cartels giving the new empire the middle finger."
"Wh-what...!"
"Correct. Crude phrasing, but you nailed the essence."
"Perfect spot to off the new empire's princess, right?"
Evangeline's face went pale.
"I-I've never heard anything like that...!"
"Of course not. Who'd tell the target, 'This is the death trap where you'll get assassinated'?"
"M-my father...!"
"Even the emperor or empress might not know."
I stepped up to Evangeline, positioned myself right behind her—
"Eek?!"
"Relax."
I grabbed her head with both hands and swiveled it left and right.
"You're not the only one in the crosshairs here."
Once toward Unia, once toward Rydmila.
"All four of us here have plenty of reason to get raided, just for being special admissions."
"Th-that's...!"
"Wanna explain it short?"
"......."
She nodded—even while I held her head.
"First, Unia."
I turned Evangeline's head toward Unia, specifically her mana pouch.
"Pretty and overflowing with mana. Good reason to raid."
"Wh-what kind of ridiculous reason is that?"
"Princess. You might think you're fine with your sky-high self-esteem and killer looks, but to those average noble ladies giggling in high society while spitting pumpkin seeds behind your back? You're jealousy bait."
Unia's reason boiled down to—being pretty.
"A woman's enemy is another woman. That's it."
"Agreed."
Even Rydmila nodded at that.
"And Gale is an active A-rank adventurer. Anyone targeting her—aside from her looks—wants to test themselves against her before graduation."
"Gr-graduation...?"
"Third-years will zero in on Rydmila. Perfect PR for anyone aiming for a mercenary band or the military post-grad."
What'd you do before graduating? Raided freshman Gale and survived 10 minutes. Hired.
"And you."
I lifted Evangeline's chin from below, forcing her gaze up to meet mine from above.
"As the new empire's princess, you've got enemies galore. Even just attending the academy could've gotten you ostracized by the old political cartels. But oh boy—special admission bait, straight into the Old School Building? Where the rules don't protect you?"
"Th-then why the Old School Building...!"
"Simple answer."
I lowered her head.
"It demands 'extreme survival' from everyone who enters."
"E-extreme...?"
"Producing talent that can survive any situation, against any foe. That's the Old School Building's... Esdinas Academy's 'origin.'"
Someday, to let humanity survive against demons rising from the demon realm. Or to groom aces who can handle anyone trying to bust open the sealed demon gate below.
"Of course, if only about 30% are after those types, the rest 70% are gunning for me."
"Y-you...?"
"Yeah. No academy rule against it. For example..."
"Mana-draining the 'Red Sun Phoenix' residing in the Old School Building isn't a rules violation. ...That's the kind of rule you mean, right?"
Unia nailed it.
"Exactly. That's why Rydmila called us here. Because..."
"Sorry to interrupt, but looks like our first guest has arrived."
Rydmila made a click, reached aside, and drew a long spear.
"We'll find out who by going out. All four of us together."
"Roger. So aside from you as squad leader, Rydmila's party leader too?"
"Just the first time. First time only."
Then, time to check it out.
Who was ballsy enough to raid the Old School Building on opening day—and target who?
Esdinas Academy's student council wields enough authority for its own building. Authority and power stem from capital, after all. With 3% of the academy budget at their disposal, they play big roles across the board.
They intervene in student disputes too, so they often gather in the meeting room late at night to talk things over.
Like right now.
"Everyone's here."
"Thanks for coming to the student council room so late. Especially you, senior."
"No trouble."
The blond glasses guy bowed lightly to Student Council President Julius Keiar's greeting. He looked a bit worn compared to the others, but no one could complain about his state.
"Graduating senior and you still came out?"
"Even graduating seniors can spare a day. A day. ...Thesis review's due by fall anyway."
Just showing up deserved thanks—that was how you treated graduating seniors.
"Yes. To avoid troubling our graduating seniors, we must handle this incident decisively."
Julius bowed lightly to the blond glasses guy, then swept a serious gaze over everyone.
"This post went up on the students' magic network... the Bamboo Grove."
Julius flicked his hand back, and posts lit up on the wide magic screen behind him.
"That's..."
"Absurd, I know. But it's the spark that ignited the worst possible scenario."
Council execs started gulping one by one.
"We can gather here—men and women together—because this is the academy student council building... and dorms, where the rules protect us."
The rules. Esdinas Academy's absolute law.
"Break the rules, get expelled from Esdinas Academy. And expulsion? That's social suicide for life."
Execs paled at Julius's words. Expellees' scandals were historically catastrophic.
"Yet students always push boundaries beyond the rules. Now they've discovered the rules don't cover the Old School Building."
"So anything goes there legally...?"
"Yes. Faculty's rushing a rule patch, but that makes now even riskier."
Julius tapped his wrist.
"Before new rules drop, it won't count."
"......."
"So we defend the Old School Building from now on."
"Defend..."
"No one'd raid it day one, but just in case."
"Isn't that speculation?"
The female exec at the end raised her hand.
"Gale's there. White Sword Saint. Mad Healer too."
"......Yes. I know. That's the problem."
"?"
"Think about it. An active A-rank adventurer, S-rank powerhouse, and alchemist on her level."
Julius's voice hardened.
"What might they do to students crossing the rules? Doesn't it worry you?"
Whoooosh.
The Old School Building sat in the woods, ringed by a barrier. A "indestructible" space. Or one that reset to original after time.
And amid the circular woods were clearings. Like arenas prepped for fights.
"Hey, wanna bet on the way?"
"Bet?"
As our quartet advanced along the likely invasion route, I proposed to the other three.
"Loser—whoever's targeted—grants the other three a wish."
"Wh-where's that come from?"
Unia let out a baffled chuckle.
"Right here."
"Any wish at all?"
"Rydmila?!"
"Within reason. Something grantable."
"Call."
Rydmila smirked and accepted.
"U-urgh... B-but if they're assassins after me...!"
Evangeline, still in pajamas, fretted anxiously.
"Oh, enemies spotted."
Up ahead. The moment we saw the woman, all three faces shifted subtly.
"Nice to meet you, special class."
Golden roll-bun hair, academy uniform—guessing second-year.
"I'm Angelica. I have a proposal for the special class trio."
She fanned out her frilly fan, pointing it at me with her eyes.
"Wanna share him with us?"
And yep, the target was me.
Jackpot.
Super early bird.
"...Gotta grant wishes now?"
Unia poked my side slyly from behind. Rydmila's eyes sparkled, tension fading from Evangeline's as mischief brewed.
"Ha. No choice."
As planned.
"To grant wishes, gotta take her down. But you're not thinking of teaming up on me with her, right? You know..."
The three—no, four—including the instructors watching from the Old School Building—glanced down at my crotch.
"Like the mana drain victims."
Typically, one guy falls to mana drain. And the devourers? Mostly girls.