Night of the Full Moon (2)
Night of the Full Moon (2)
The Magic Experiment Building at Lichten Academy.
Notorious as the "Lighthouse of Lichten," its lights never went out, even at night.
Professor Suzy Dismal of Clinical Magic Pharmacology.
Her laboratory was one of those so-called lighthouses.
A U-shaped space where every wall, save the door, was packed with flasks and experimental apparatus. It was meant to be a solitary workspace for the perpetually dark-circled Professor Suzy Dismal, but tonight was different.
"Still as gloomy a lab as ever."
Waist-length violet hair cascaded down her back.
Violet, the professor of Magic Circles and homeroom instructor for the Mage Class, cast a sidelong glance around the lab as she spoke.
Suzy Dismal offered no visible reaction to the slightly rude remark, continuing her experiments without missing a beat.
Pouting, Violet finally asked her, "So, when are you going to tell me why Ian, that student, came here?"
"Your obsession hasn't changed, even now that you're a professor. It was just as bad when we were students."
"Hmph. With talent like his, obsession is only natural, you know."
A faint smirk crossed Suzy Dismal's face at her former academy colleague's pout. She adjusted her glasses.
Then, with a gloved hand, she offered a small flask. Inside was a blue powder. Violet leaned closer to peer at it.
"What is this?"
"Scientific name: Cyanius Phunugus. More commonly known as the blue mushroom."
"Hmm. The color screams 'do not eat.' Remind me never to get hungry around you. More importantly, about why Ian was here..."
"He brought me this."
The words were so offhand she almost missed them. Violet's eyes widened.
"...This?"
"Yes. Cyanius Phunugus. Highly toxic if ingested raw. In this powdered form, it amplifies any negative sensations the subject already possesses. Primary symptoms include hallucinations, cognitive impairment, memory loss. And a powerful fixation on another target."
Rummaging through a shelf, Suzy Dismal also produced a small medicine packet.
[ A Medicine to Ease the Mind ]
"He gave me this packet too. Asked me to confirm if the composition was similar. I analyzed it, and it's a near-perfect match."
"But why in the world would he need this?"
Flustered confusion clouded Violet's face. Where would that child, Ian, even get something like this?
Suzy shrugged.
"He said to prepare an antidote, just in case."
"...An antidote?"
"Yes. This is one of the materials the Blood Rock Sect processes into a means of proselytizing. Normally, those people rely on blood as a medium to drain a target's magical power and life force. But the ones who awaken using this can absorb another's abilities through mere mucous membrane contact. And quite rapidly, at that."
"So, in the end... Ian suspects the Blood Rock Sect might emerge within the academy? Is that what he's thinking?"
"That seems likely."
Suzy Dismal rested her chin on her hand, murmuring as she idly tilted the sample.
Violet was momentarily speechless. Rooting out Blood Rock cultists was a domain where even the academy's administration secretly worked their hardest behind the scenes.
A corrupted student had surfaced not long ago, but that incident was ultimately written off as an accident.
If anyone but Ian had made this request, Violet would have simply scoffed and dismissed it.
The problem was, it was Ian.
If Ian Blackangus had said such a thing, it was at least worth verifying.
A sudden thought struck her.
'Why didn't he come to me, his own homeroom professor? Why go to this woman?'
Come to think of it, this woman had a knack for charming men even back in their school days, despite being holed up in a lab all the time.
Violet's eyes narrowed as she looked at Suzy Dismal.
"What's your reason for going this far on a student's request?"
Violet's gaze was thick with jealousy.
Suzy Dismal gave a soft smile.
"I received something for it."
"What did you receive?"
"A secret."
Smiling at Violet's pursed lips, Suzy Dismal continued.
"Exposure to moonlight intensifies the effects dramatically. If Ian's theory is correct, something major might be about to happen soon."
Violet glanced out the window.
A large, full moon was rising.
"It might be wise to issue a warning to the students."
◆
The Median House was stained a deep red.
I stood still for a moment, taking in the sight.
A radius of roughly a hundred meters around the house was crimson.
I spotted the cause: a dome-shaped barrier encircling the area. Its purpose was cognitive interference. Essentially, the dormitory had been severed from reality.
The sole purpose of all these measures was to buy the Blood Rock cultists time to absorb power.
Their nature was to grow stronger merely by absorbing the blood or life force of others. Now that they'd resolved to occupy the dormitory, they would strive to drain as many different types of blood as possible.
If, by some chance, any professors noticed and intervened, the outcome would be obvious. Lichten Academy's professors were more than capable of subduing the cultists, at least in their pre-awakening state.
That was why the barrier had been deployed now.
From outside the barrier, the Median House would look like its usual tranquil self. Curfew had long since passed, so no one would have reason to visit.
This blood-red dormitory had to be dealt with by the students trapped within the barrier.
"Creepy atmosphere indeed."
Even the screams drifting from inside fit the scene. The whole vibe was anything but ordinary.
The Blood Rock cultists holed up inside numbered around four or five. Plus one main villain from the story.
In that regard, there was no need to be too intimidated by the atmosphere. It was less about horror and more of a time attack. The primary objective was to neutralize those cultists before they could grow even stronger.
"Not that I need to be on the front lines."
Act One, The Night of the Full Moon. This scenario was the event where the Blood Rock cultists infiltrating Lichten began flaunting their presence in earnest.
The Blood Rock Sect.
The value they worshipped was, in essence, 'power.'
They were people who, for the sake of growth, did not hesitate to drain human blood and life force.
And around this time of year, Lichten Academy produced a flood of students consumed by inferiority complexes.
Before enrolling, they were all prodigies who strutted with stiff necks and squared shoulders. But no matter how concentrated the talent was, once rankings were drawn up, there always had to be a bottom tier.
'The perfect prey.'
Enticing those students into derangement with promises of power.
That was the Blood Rock Sect's proselytizing method, optimized specifically for Lichten Academy.
"So, shall we start getting ready to head in?"
I casually scanned my surroundings. A few unlucky male students were visible, caught inside the barrier while walking the streets. With this much chaos, even if I argued I'd entered the women's dorm out of sheer terror, there was no chance of being mistaken for a panty thief.
I composed myself at a leisurely pace.
There was no need for me to rush around.
After all, by the nature of the game Fanta X Aca, the first scenario of Chapter 1 was where one of the heroines would first step into the spotlight.
Since the story lacked a predetermined final villain for this act, the active heroine differed from case to case. The most likely candidate right now was Sharon Pierce.
I'd already seen her entering the Median House, and besides, fighting a Flame Spirit Mage who had grown at least twice as strong would be difficult for any heroine other than Sharon Pierce.
"Though I am curious why she suddenly came here."
That was a question for later.
Anyway, rather than actively intervening in the incident, I needed to observe Sharon Pierce's movements. Would she try to solve the problem aggressively, or not?
Besides.
It's easy to forget, but the Median House was still a women's dormitory. Off-limits to men.
I had obtained a legal opportunity to enter the women's dorm.
I should make the most of everything I could get.
◆
Mercy stared at the girl before her.
Rina Rosewell's eyes were bloodshot, the whites now crimson.
Something was clearly wrong.
"Ah. This is from staying up all night."
But it was a different shade from the Blood Rock cultists. Rina Rosewell's voice was still warm, and hearing her naturally calmed Mercy's heart.
Mercy had been half-dragged here by Rina Rosewell.
What she had thought was an exit turned out to be stairs leading up. Rina Rosewell spoke to her.
"Let's go up this way."
"Ri-Rina, listen. Instead of hiding, running away might be..."
A fragment of the prophecy suddenly flashed through her mind. The prophecy that had been right about everything so far had warned: run, don't hide.
"Don't worry. There's nothing to be afraid of."
And so they reached the third floor.
Rina opened a door without hesitation. Mercy followed her into one of the private rooms.
[ Rina Rosewell ]
The room exuded warmth. Photos with friends, stacks of letters and gifts that had clearly been sent back and forth.
"...Hey."
"Hm?"
"Isn't another rescue team coming?"
"Rescue team?"
Over the mirror on the desk, Rina's face was briefly reflected.
The corner of Rina's lips curled upward, smooth as silk.
In that instant, a cold sweat ran down Mercy's spine.
"Ri, Rina, your hair... it's turned completely blue. And your eyes are totally blood-red."
"Ah, this?"
Step. Step.
Mercy backed away, retreating from Rina as she approached.
"W-wait, don't come any closer."
"Don't go anywhere."
But this was a small room. There was nowhere to flee.
Thud.
Mercy's leg caught the bed. She collapsed backward onto it as if falling.
She wanted to resist, but Rina's presence crushed any thought of it.
"...Who are you?"
Rina's magical power was now so overwhelming that Mercy could feel it even without activating her Mana Detection skill.
Step-step.
"Don't be so scared. It won't hurt much."
Rina approached and stood before the bed. Mercy tried to push herself up, intending to throw a punch if necessary, but her body refused to move.
"It's useless. I've placed a binding on you."
Mercy lay sprawled face-down on the bed. Rina Rosewell wedged a knee between her pale thighs, then used it as a pivot to lean her upper body closer.
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
Even as she tried to cry out, her mouth refused to form the words. Tears welled in the corners of Mercy's eyes.
"Oh dear. How precious you look."
Rina Rosewell climbed fully onto the bed. Her hands settled over Mercy's own.
Then, slowly, Rina lowered her head.
A soft lick.
Rina's tongue stole away Mercy's tears.
"I'll make sure it doesn't hurt."
Rina's breath was unnaturally hot.