Into the Abyss
The place the two took me was one I'd been to before. It felt oddly familiar.
“Here….”
“Yep. Training Center.”
“We tore down the walls. During the battle they got destroyed, so we’re rebuilding everything now.”
As they explained, I followed them inside.
Apart from my group of three, twelve other classmates were already scattered around, each claiming their own spot.
“Roman. You made it. We were waiting.”
“Looks like you’re in good shape. Glad to see it.”
“You’re late.”
That was Arthur, Fiona, and Alexandra in turn.
Exactly the personality differences between the three of them.
I walked straight to the center of the room where they’d gathered.
The eyes that turned to me the moment I arrived.
The stares that once felt so familiar now carried an entirely different vibe.
Contempt, mockery, dismissal, sneers.
None of that old contempt existed anymore.
What replaced it was gratitude, respect, reverence… and trust.
Their sudden change overnight proved my efforts hadn’t been wasted.
I knew it might be an act.
Even so.
Deep down, some of the emotion behind those looks had to have sunk in.
There was joy.
Satisfaction flooded every heart.
Still, I kept those feelings locked away tighter and tossed out the lightest remark I could manage.
“I heard the witness interviews are going. Aren’t you worried about leaving all the witnesses in one room?”
My joke pulled answers from more than just the three of them this time.
“Depends on what kind of witness you are.”
“There are big shots involved. The trainer was the suspect, so the police have no choice but to watch closely.”
“And here’s the Grand Duchess herself. How could they lock us up?”
The last line carried a playful edge.
It was Alexandra, smiling with that usual easygoing charm.
Fiona’s brows tightened for a split second before she shot back.
“I never said I wouldn’t cooperate. I only said I’d speak only after the internal identification is finished and I’m absolutely sure I can trust it.”
“The Grand Duchess decides when that identification ends.”
The two of them were still the same.
It was almost unbelievable they’d waited here so obediently.
“So, are we fighting?”
At my words the two shut their mouths and dropped the half-raised bodies back down.
“Then tell me first. Why did you call me here?”
“I wanted to hear your opinion, and there’s also something I’d like to propose to you.”
As expected, it was Arthur.
The process moved with perfect timing.
When I nodded, Arthur started with the first point.
“We’ve already finished the witness interviews. And no one mentioned you at all.”
“Protecting me?”
“Right.”
Same as when the chief gave me the Blank Grimoire.
If my name and abilities leaked, the Abyss Cultists or the mages with shady motives who planned this would come sniffing around. Better to cut the name off at the root.
In that case I’d have to forfeit my external reputation and formal merits.
But just like the chief, my classmates would remember the favor I’d given them deep down.
“Thank you for looking out for me. I’ll need your help again in the future.”
“…No. We were about to decide something between us, but your teammates told us your opinion matters most. A bit reckless.”
Ray and Leaf had said that.
I turned my head toward them. My teammates shifted uncomfortably, coughing and looking away.
“I get the first one, but what about the second?”
The proposal.
Maybe this was the real main point.
Before diving in, Arthur glanced around the room.
It felt like he was telling me to do the same, so I swept my gaze across the crowd too.
Everyone had a different face.
Even though the emotions in their eyes toward me were similar, their expressions differed.
Some were indifferent.
Some looked sad.
Some furious.
Some hopeful.
Yet every single one of them here shared one clear emotion.
Revenge.
Arthur continued.
“Among the people gathered, some have never spoken a single word to each other, and others have been as good as enemies.”
Fiona and Alexandra stole quick glances at each other.
A few others did the same, scanning their opponents.
“But we do have one thing in common that can tie us together. And it’s huge. Two things, actually.”
One was that the Abyss Cultists who’d once been enemies were now our sworn foes we could no longer share the sky with.
The other was.
“Roman, you owe us your lives.”
I hadn’t helped them, so there was no guarantee they would have died.
A massive crisis, no denying it.
But the crisis didn’t automatically mean destruction.
The world was unpredictable.
Maybe someone else’s strength had already shattered the wall blocking my path.
But that was only speculation.
The only undeniable truth left was that because I’d stepped in, this moment existed, and these people gathered here had survived because of me.
“So let’s bind ourselves together properly.”
By becoming public enemies with the Abyss Cultists and remembering the favor I’d done for them, when I asked for their help they would definitely respond.
Arthur’s classmates’ proposal was an offer too good to refuse—nothing to gain from turning it down.
“I honestly don’t understand. Why go this far?”
Did I need to do all this?
My goal had been something lighter: friends, not just acquaintances, with a special bond as their savior.
Just that much.
But what Arthur meant was that our classmates wanted to form one tight-knit team.
“Roman, among all of us here, only your team and the Alexandra faction of the Three didn’t lose anyone.”
Not Arthur.
It was number four, Holson Blackwood.
Exactly.
All the other teams had sent at least one classmate to the afterlife.
Even Arthur and Fiona.
“We never even got to join the final battle.”
It sounded grand, but it was just a boss raid.
“After losing someone, we finally understand how precious it is to have someone fighting beside you for us. At least for me. So I don’t want to end the ties with the people here.”
When we left the lower level, Amaya had joked about the number.
This man had introduced himself seriously, so Holson’s words hit deeper.
“We all feel the same. And in the center of it all should be you, Roman.”
At the brown-haired man’s words, Amaya nodded beside him for the first time in ages and added her own “yes, yes.”
“Stop overthinking it. Just be honest, okay? Let’s gather with people who’ve shared the same experiences. When the time comes, we’ll check in with each other, and when we can spare the time, we’ll work together. That’s all. Why are we making it so complicated?”
A rough tone.
Number eight, Dustin.
Once a few people started speaking, the ones who’d been holding back joined in too.
This wasn’t a gathering to repay a debt; it felt more like a reunion.
“…I didn’t want anything this grand.”
“What can I do? You started it, so you have to clean it up.”
“Right. Roman is the center.”
Even Ray and Leaf.
“So it’s settled. Say one thing. Aren’t you the leader of this group?”
Even the serious Arthur had jumped on the bandwagon.
Then I couldn’t just stand aside either.
A strange feeling of embarrassment refused to fade.
Standing in front of the Grand Duchess’s enemy, the successor to a grand academy, and the newcomer of a major guild, offering a blessing felt deeply awkward.
After clearing my throat with some embarrassment,
I looked around the room full of people, said whatever came to mind.
“Here there is no toast to share a vow over, no bread and salt shared with an oath of debt. No Kaigis to swear our mysteries as mages.”
That was why the promise made here was pure.
“Perhaps we’re still green youths who don’t yet know the world. The very fact we can make such a naive vow proves we haven’t fully grasped the weight of promises.”
So connections could form.
“Therefore let’s promise what we cannot break. Let’s remember today. And move forward while chewing over yesterday.”
That was the best role we who had survived could play.
“See you again in the Abyss.”
And just like that, the last day of the Training Center ended.
§
By the time I woke, the classmates who had finished their witness interviews had already left one by one, returning to their original affiliations.
Dustin, who I’d thought had dropped out, slipped into the healing room instead of the collapsed dormitory and quietly handed me something.
A bottle.
It was actually well sealed.
“What is this?”
“What else? Alcohol.”
Dustin grinned, half satisfied, half mischievous.
It was a smile that mixed satisfaction and something darker.
“I kept it hidden for you. Now that I’m leaving, it’s valuable? I’m giving you the last one.”
“…Why give it to me?”
“Between us. Anyway, try not to mess up. Nice weather today. Perfect for a night like this.”
I knew exactly what Dustin was getting at.
He wasn’t teaching proper stuff, but modern basic education included sex ed.
If the subject was Ray and Leaf?
‘Definitely not.’
“Do you know how old they are?”
“Don’t know? Oh, beastmen are sixteen, right? So what? Adult?”
“Ah… right.”
This guy was a pure isekai native.
He accepted that fifteen-year-olds were adults as normal.
But I wasn’t like that.
To me adulthood started at eighteen, comfortably at twenty.
“Too young.”
“Hmm? Beastmen at sixteen are still kids? No way. Beastmen lifespan is shorter than humans anyway… ah, sorry. You have a different preference. Well, you know a thing or two.”
“…Are you really from the Celcus Academy?”
The symbol of the Celcus Academy was three branches sprouting from one trunk.
The branches meant intelligence, knowledge, wisdom.
And the meaning holding them up was virtue.
The Celcus Academy were the ones who stood firm as the last conscience in this messy mage society.
Because mages who couldn’t endure their strict moral code had banded together to create new academies.
So why was this guy in such an academy?
“Hah, so you were trapped in the Training Center? Anyway, I’m out. No need to pay back, so drop me a later story.”
“Bull.”
I couldn’t help the curse that slipped out.
But Dustin laughed harder, then quickly left.
Leaving me with the bottle in my hand.
‘Should I give it as a farewell gift to the trainer?’
Or the chief?
While I was thinking that, the door opened and my teammates walked in.
I quickly hid the bottle behind my back and greeted them.
“Hey. You’re here.”
“What? That face. Like you’ve committed a crime. Did you decide to go somewhere without us?”
“Tone it down a bit…”
Yeah.
That should be fine for today.
I stopped commenting on Ray’s tone and answered.
“They said they were thinking of trying the police side.”
Ray brought a chair and sat.
“So?”
“I said no. The police have too many restrictions. They’d just watch from behind after catching a few monsters.”
“You could go with Fiona.”
“That’s not good for me or for Fiona.”
Parachutes were looked down on in every organization.
“First impressions matter.”
There might come a day when cooperation with the police was necessary.
“Then? Where were you thinking of going?”
“I’m considering options. I’m not completely out of ideas.”
You didn’t have to belong to any specific group for an internship.
You just needed an explorer with guide qualification.
It was possible even between individuals.
If I couldn’t find any, I could request assignment from the Explorer Federation.
“There’s an academy the chief recommended. I’ve been thinking about that.”
“Academy? Do they accept demonologists?”
“It’s an academy for demonologists together.”
The re-permission review made it a little suspicious, but for improving demonologist skills it would probably be better than elsewhere.
“What about you two? Ray and Leaf. Have you decided?”
“Um…”
The two of them couldn’t pull away from each other’s eyes.
Then Ray spoke first.
“Sorry. I’ve decided.”
“Sorry? Where?”
“Arthur’s group invited me. They’ll introduce me to their mentor.”
“Mentor?”
“The guild master of the Frontier Guild.”
Ah, then I had no choice.
If I could get guidance from someone like that, I had to go.
Even if I didn’t receive actual teaching, getting my name on the list would be beneficial.
“It was the fastest way to get stronger. If I don’t get stronger, then…”
Ray’s voice grew quieter toward the end, so the rest was lost.
I almost asked her to repeat it, but Ray gave up looking like she had nothing more to say.
“Leaf? Eh?”
Clap, clap.
What?
Was I hallucinating?
Leaf was blowing on the bottle like a free drink.
Pure, unrestrained drinking.
‘When did you even get that?’
“Leaf! That’s not water!”
“Pfffruuu…”
I snatched the bottle halfway, but Leaf was already way past normal.
“Half of it.”
Boom—
“Mr. Roman!”
Leaf threw off her hood, revealing the face she’d hidden and the pointed elf ears.
She was definitely drunk.
“Over here! We’re not leaving each other!”
“What? Of course we’re not.”
“Continue! Continue teaming!”
I’d heard Leaf’s words had dropped sharply lately.
Was that why she was thinking about this?
“Just… let’s do it together. Right? Ray and I are both strong, we’re good at magic, right? Like this! Like this!”
“…Just call Undine and do it.”
Even Ray’s scolding didn’t stop Leaf; she grabbed my clothes and pressed her face against mine.
“Promise! We’re teaming with you!”
Leaf, Ray, and team?
Actually, I wanted to propose it myself.
Leaf, Ray—there were problems that might explode anytime, but this was the first real comrade bond since I’d stepped into this world.
I hadn’t suggested teaming up after leaving the Training Center because I thought each of them had another path.
But maybe I’d just wanted to be selfish and dumped the decision on them.
“I promise.”
I reached out and took Ray’s hand, which was pretending not to watch from the side.
“Let’s go together.”
To the Abyss.
The place where the answer we were looking for was hidden.
§
“Meeeeeaaaahhh~!!”
Was it starting again?
Watching the pathetic and pitiful academy head who screamed his own name as if the world had taken him, Mea sighed.
It was the same repertoire as always.
I wished she’d thought about how it felt to listen to the same words she always said.
‘Re-permission review isn’t that big a deal.’
Just add a few ghost academy members and grease the wheels with money.
They’d done it several times before, but she still didn’t understand why it happened every time.
But this time was different.
The list of ghost academy members she’d always used had been wiped out?
That was easy—find another one elsewhere.
The real problem was separate.
“W-we don’t have any money…!”
“Eh?”
“The budget is completely gone!”
This was an emergency.
“Should I… should I even look for a part-time job? The Federation is scary… ugh, where is the money coming from…!”
Mea watched the academy head squeeze his head while forcing out the money and felt the familiar sense of crisis after a long time.
But crisis always came with opportunity.
The hole that would rise from the broken sky was, surprisingly, right above their heads.
“Ah, excuse me. Is this the Thelema Academy?”
Since black had always been the color of demonologists,
The black-haired youth who pushed open the gate could hardly be called a guest.
“Me~aaahhh~!!”