Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Lockdown (3)
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A dark room.
A time when the hues of sunset had faded, drawing close to night.
Though it wasn't full night yet, in the darkness where one couldn't properly make out each other's faces without candlelight, four cadets gathered silently, their heads deeply hooded in black robes.
"Hey, just as promised, the g-gate's closed."
Among them, a tall, slender-built man stammered.
"This is our chance."
In stark contrast to the low-voiced man who had spoken first, a woman with a high, thin voice replied.
Their gathering of four was utterly secretive, as one could sense from their attire and the hour they had chosen.
It had all started as a simple seminar to stave off boredom, studying ancient symbols.
But one day, purely by chance, they made a monumental discovery that shook the worldviews of all four.
"It'll definitely be recorded today too, by someone with the gift of foresight."
"Y-Yeah, of course, n-naturally."
It was none other than the 'records of a great being.'
In an ancient tome they had randomly pulled out, they found traces—overwhelming, immense, holy, yet fragmented—of the Creator God Aegis.
And what those traces pointed to was none other than...
"The Executor will surely be deeply impressed by our service."
The Executor.
"He who is l-light, n-naturally, of course."
They hadn't even deciphered half of it properly, but according to the symbols they had decoded, the Executor was the 'manifestation of God' referred to in the passage that began, [It is light, the holy vessel that embraces all...]
"For the vessel of God to be growing on an island of exiled heretics—truly bizarre, isn't it?"
While the two exchanged words, the other two, who hadn't spoken, listened carefully to the conversation.
Then, a tall cadet with rough hands raised his and spoke.
"I'm concerned that the Executor has come all this way."
"We'll have to proceed without him knowing. That little devil clung to us like a leech, which threw a wrench in the plan."
The four cadets each wore rings embedded with gems of different colors.
They pressed their fists together, as if confirming each other's rings, then scattered two to the west and two to the east.
The one heading north—the first to speak in the dark room—nervously bit at his fingertips.
"Theodor White is known as the most talented in Thorn Crown House... Do you think it'll go according to plan?"
"Don't worry. We've set the stage for it."
"Is there some g-good method...?"
-Tick, tick.
One of the two cadets hurrying along stopped, struck a match, and lit a cigarette.
Any cadet from Thorn Crown House could use basic fire-attribute magic, but the ban on magic use had lasted so long that it had become a natural habit.
"Whew. Don't we have the secret on Theodor White from our intel?"
"Theodor White's secret... The curse from the White family? Even if we know about it, how do you plan to use it?"
"I'll only say this much for now. Just watch. The plan's already underway."
The cadet finished a cigarette in an instant, adjusted his deeply hooded robe, and hurried off.
The two walked together for a bit, then parted without a word, veering sharply at different corners.
***
Arthur and Theodor were listening quietly and calmly to what I had to say.
The place we'd arrived at, thanks to Theodor's bold assurance that no one would ever come, was none other than the specimen room.
"..."
"..."
The two were waiting for me to speak, while I was overwhelmed by the specimen room's atmosphere and couldn't bring myself to open my mouth rashly.
'Ah, why does it feel like my eyes keep meeting theirs...'
Most specimens weren't in forms I was familiar with, giving off an intense sense of intimidation.
"Ahem, um... Got lost in thought for a sec. Anyway, even if I come to Thorn Crown House this semester, how about you transfer next semester, Theodor?"
"To be frank, it sounds like nonsense."
"Yeah, figured as much."
Theodor dismissed my long-winded explanation as nonsense, then began calmly probing.
"First question: Can a senior like Arma Cruise in her graduation year really afford to waste an entire semester like this?"
"I've been managing my grades. I loaded up on credits in preparation for suddenly collapsing."
"What makes you think I'd accept a transfer?"
"No reason."
"Then why on earth..."
Why... How could I explain it to make this self-deprecating young mage understand?
There were several reasons I was pushing for Theodor's transfer.
First, his isolation was being taken too seriously, stirring pity in me.
Second, as the saying goes, only those who've been hit know the pain—continuing academy life in that state wouldn't yield much emotional benefit.
"You never know when the magic ban might come back. We can't leave your situation like this. But you're letting it slide."
I expressed my opinion using the reason Theodor might accept most readily.
But the one that worried me most was different.
I knew it was a ridiculous thought, but at least I wanted to keep those within reach close and protect them.
'Though right now, I'm probably the most dangerous thing to Theodor.'
If I covered for him for one semester by his side, and we safely got through summer, fall, and winter at Wooden Cross, this childish bullying fuss would die down quickly.
Plus, Wooden Cross had Dylan, who spoke as if his own graduation was a distant dream, and Shirley, around the same age as Theodor.
The point was to minimize the time Theodor spent isolated.
"I've been through it, so I know—fusses like this die down fast if you just stay out of sight. No need to hole up forever. Just till then."
"Isn't reacting to this petty fuss exactly what they want?"
At that moment, Arthur, who had been listening to us with a stern expression, cut in.
'If it were anyone else, shouldn't you be the one discouraging this?'
Arthur had about eight semesters left until graduation, so he'd graduate before Theodor.
He seemed to be trying to hold out longer by joining an advanced special class, but even so, Theodor would end up isolated.
The special advanced classes were held not in the main Aegis Academy building, but in the annex.
"I've got ways to cover the 'various issues' you're worried about. And I'm not saying transfer right now, obviously. Just for these next three months of the semester."
I phrased it vaguely about the sleepwalking so Theodor wouldn't catch on.
In the end, Arthur fell silent.
"Do whatever you want."
He wasn't throwing his weight behind Theodor's transfer as we'd hoped, but it was a relief he wasn't fiercely opposing it either.
If anything, Theodor seemed to carry an air of certainty that he wouldn't transfer.
"-I'll think about it."
Whether my earnest plea got through or not, Theodor, who had dismissed it as nonsense, seemed somewhat softened.
Even this was a huge step forward.
Maybe over the next three months, my desperate persuasion could melt that icy heart of his... I harbored such futile hopes.
"Anyway, that's enough talk no one else should hear. It's kinda chilly in here for some reason... The specimens?"
"The specimen room is kept a bit cold and dry indoors."
"Makes sense. Let's head back to the lecture hall. No choice till curfew lifts anyway."
"Yes."
Theodor stood first, following me, with Arthur after.
Arthur looked like he had something to say, but Theodor seemed quite drained, so he held back.
"Then I'll head out here."
Arthur bowed his head slightly in front of the fabrication room as we passed the specimen room.
He was probably heading back to that horrific, acrid raccoon den.
Feeling awkward in the slightly chilly atmosphere between the two, I headed with Theodor to the large lecture hall where the ancient Aegis language class was supposed to be.
-Drrrk.
'Everyone's sitting so obediently.'
But somehow, it felt more subdued than just obedient.
A few cadets glanced our way, but none spoke aloud.
A suspicious, ominous atmosphere hung over the lecture hall.
'What the hell?'
It was unmistakably the creepy pretense of calm during a conspiracy...
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't figure it out.
Theodor and I quietly returned to our original seats.
The seats were neatly tidied, and the cadets didn't seem overly excited, so that was some relief.
"Theodor. Any weird traces?"
"Like what?"
"Them fighting among themselves, or someone hiding."
"The latter would be better with Arthur, but seems fine for now."
"Yeah?"
What scheme were these rotten kids plotting to make me feel this uneasy?
While I sat with arms crossed in thought, the scheduled 100 minutes passed.
It was about time for guidance on whether we could leave or not.
-Boom!
-Kaboom!
Suddenly, the view outside the window flashed intensely, alternating between purple and red light.
Colors and sounds that couldn't possibly be natural.
I had my arms crossed, staring at the blackboard, but I didn't need to look out the window to know what had happened.
'Caught...'
-Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding...
A beat later, the all-clear alarm bells rang out.
I leaned deeper into my chair, still with arms crossed.
'Damn it.'
The successive explosions and the subsequent all-clear bells.
The cadets in the large lecture hall weren't so poorly educated at Aegis Academy that they wouldn't connect the dots.
Their darkened eyes proved it.
"Alarm's lifted, it seems. Let's go."
As I scanned the lecture hall—swallowed by suffocating tension, cadets swallowing dryly needlessly—Theodor tugged at my sleeve.
Only then did I realize how hot Theodor's hand was.
"Theodor? You feel feverish."
Was that sharp attitude all day because of a fever?
Looking closely, his forehead and upper cheeks were slightly flushed.
I'd thought I was good at reading faces, but Theodor's resilient personality and the eyepatch covering a quarter of his impression had hidden it.
"Sorry, must've bothered a sick guy too much. I'll walk you back. Let's call it for today."
Whether the remaining lectures would even proceed was questionable anyway.
I left the lecture hall with Theodor.