episode_0085

Monster Research Club.

Aside from the simply chosen name, the size of the club room they used was immense. Including the underground facilities, it could be compared to an entire building.

It was a natural consequence. To research monsters, they needed cages to keep them in, and since the monsters varied in size, the cages inevitably came in all shapes and sizes. They ranged widely, from cages the size of small glass bottles to those occupying an entire room. With at least dozens of such creatures, the club room had no choice but to be large.

“Let’s go in.”

Asel said to Selin. With light steps, the two people entered the building labeled with the nameplate [Monster Research Club]. At the same time, various chemical smells stung their noses. Sounds coming from all directions were a bonus.

“Subject 25. Sedative administration failed. Physical suppression is commencing.”

“Subject 241, acting up to break the cage. I’ll go hit it and come back.”

“Subject 51, commonly known as Child of the Desert. Currently building a sandcastle with sand. Once the castle is fully built, it will connect with other castles in the desert, so there’s a need to destroy it before then. I will deploy Senior Justina.”

“Subject 11…… 1151st poison administration experiment…… No reaction…….”

Students wearing white gowns over their school uniforms quietly chattered, each holding a communication magic tool. At the sight, completely different from what they had imagined, Asel and Selin stood gaping.

‘……Isn’t this already beyond a club level?’

Mirror-type magic tools illuminating the cages. Students dressed like researchers stood in front of them, exchanging opinions with each other or responding to news coming from the cages to coordinate the situation.

A systematic research institute, completely different from the expected simple observation of monsters in cages. A scene more credible to be an institution directly established by the Empire rather than a club. As Asel let out a hollow laugh at this, a student sitting on a chair sipping coffee spotted the two and tilted her head.

“Who are you?”

“Ah.”

Only then did the two come to their senses and bowed their heads to the student who had asked the question.

“I am Asel, a first-year. I heard that you can battle monsters here, so I visited.”

“I am Selin, also a first-year. Our purpose is the same.”

“Hmm. Is that so.”

Even knowing they were first-years, she didn’t stop using honorifics. Instead, she pushed up her slightly lowered glasses and placed her coffee cup on the table.

She let out a faint chuckle, “Hmph.”

“Excellent. Voluntary test subjects such as yourselves are always welcome.”

“……Thank you?”

“Not at all. Rather, we are more grateful. Now, follow me. I will show you the monster list right away.”

“…….”

Before even exchanging names, she immediately picked up a bundle of documents and stood up, gesturing for the two to follow her. Asel and Selin, looking at each other for a moment, then followed her steps.

The speed of events unfolding was truly like the speed of sound.

***

“We absolutely do not turn away voluntary test subjects who come to us.”

Her name was Asilla Sapia. She was the successor and next head of a family of alchemists who had extensively researched monsters, and a fourth-year senior serving as the vice-president of the Monster Research Club.

However, there was nothing in her appearance that suggested a senior. Advanced text neck, rounded shoulders, a bent spine. Dark circles that had settled deeply and eyelids half-closed. On top of that, messy, unkempt blue hair.

Looked at from any angle, she was the picture of a typical researcher. The only thing symbolizing a student was the school uniform worn under the white gown. Her appearance itself was quite beautiful, but the other flaws completely swallowed up her charm, leaving no impression of prettiness at all. One could only worry about her health.

Regardless, Asilla let out a faint laugh and spoke, leaving behind documents one by one as she held them.

“We research the ecology of monsters and ways to handle them beneficially, or ways to use them in war. Besides this, we are also conducting research on various ‘reactions’. Death is one of them.”

“…….”

“Among the monsters, there are some individuals that are usually docile but become violently rampant only when entering combat. Naturally, for me, whose only way to fight is shouting ‘Help!’, obtaining information about their combat is nearly impossible. The same goes for most other club members.”

Asilla continued speaking, giving a nod to a student who greeted her.

“Recently, more students from the Combat Department have joined the club, so the situation is somewhat better, but we are still short on combat personnel. That’s why, if an external person comes for combat, we tend to accept them without question. That is, unless it’s a special case.”

“……A special case, you mean?”

“Well…… it’s nothing much. Someone whose reputation is normally in the gutter, or someone lacking ability, or if there are no more monsters from which to obtain information about combat or death. Only then do we issue an expulsion order. You two don’t fall into either category, so you can rest assured.”

Saying that, Asilla handed a bundle of documents to Asel.

It was data containing information about various monsters. From insignificant monsters to those difficult to deal with. The variety was immense. Selin murmured the name of one of them.

“……Star Caller?”

“It’s a monster that can only be found on nights when the Milky Way is clearly visible. It basically has a human-like appearance, but instead of a head, there’s a single floating planet. It’s strongest at midnight and is a creature that can do nothing and just lies sprawled on the ground on nights when the sun is up or no stars are visible.”

“…….”

“Even when strong, it’s not *that* strong. However, you need to be careful at the moment two Milky Ways intersect. It becomes twice as strong as usual then.”

“Similar to a Constellation Mage.”

“Yes. But this creature, it dies doing nothing against a Constellation Mage. Perhaps because it perceives the head as a star, if a Constellation Mage goes ‘Yap’ and bursts it, it just dies.”

That’s why we also call one Constellation Mage student on nights when the Milky Way is visible and give it a moderate scare, Asilla added. Selin’s eyes sparkled as she avidly read the paper containing information about the Star Caller. Asel handed the entire paper to her and quickly scanned the other monsters.

Asilla stood beside him, continuing to chatter explanations about each monster Asel’s gaze fell upon.

Keeeeek!!

While moving their steps like that, a monstrous shriek suddenly burst out from nearby. Asel instinctively layered shields, whipped his head around, and raised his magic power. Seeing him like that, Asilla was impressed.

“Hoho…… Your reaction speed is comparable to a typical warrior’s. Frankly, I’m surprised.”

“……I’m surprised too. What was that noise?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much.”

Asilla let out a faint laugh and pressed a bright red button on the wall.

Then, with a grinding sound, the wall went up, and a large pane of glass replaced its place. Asel gazed at the giant cephalopod beyond the glass, which was screaming with three legs torn off. Horns resembling a crown were attached to its head, and bright red high-pressure streams of water poured out from its blood-red eyes like beams. In contrast, green blood streamed from the severed legs.

“It’s a monster named Usurper Octopus. It’s a name given only to the strongest among the giant octopuses inhabiting the sea. Naturally, the horns growing like a crown on its head greatly influenced its name.”

“…….”

“Its characteristics include high-pressure blood jetting, high-frequency generation, stealth, and legs with teeth. It’s not a weak creature, but it’s not *that* strong either. However, it’s a rare species, so we had some trouble bringing it here.”

Asilla’s voice was heard, but Asel focused more on the battle taking place inside the room.

This was because the face of the woman fighting the octopus was familiar. Asel found himself murmuring her name and narrowed his eyes.

“……Grace?”

Flash.

A black aura bloomed from Grace’s sword. She wiped the blood from her cheek with an expressionless face and took a powerful step. Not to be outdone, the octopus once again fired a high-pressure blood jet.

Chaaak!

Naturally, it was split by Grace’s blade. The blood jet that had flown in a straight line was torn apart in all directions, and Grace, who had instantly closed the distance, swung her sword at subsonic speed. As a result, the octopus’s head and legs were separated, becoming oc/topus.

Blood spurted, and heavy internal organs fell to the floor with a thud. Grace stepped back a few paces and brushed off the slimy flesh stuck to her clothes. Then, as if talking to someone, she mouthed words while looking at the empty air.

Simultaneously, she cast a brief glance towards the glass. At that moment, Asel’s and her eyes met.

“……!”

Grace’s eyes widened abruptly. She seemed to shout something into the air, then quickly threw her body towards the door at the back. All that was glimpsed was her scattered red hair.

“…….”

The isolation room where only the octopus’s corpse remained. Asilla shrugged her shoulders and pressed the button again, returning the glass to a wall. While doing so, she spoke.

“There’s no reason not to kill it just because it’s rare. On the contrary, precisely because it’s rare, there’s a need to observe its appearance in detail when it’s dead or in combat. We have to create a manual for dealing with it when encountering it by chance.”

“……Did Grace just drop by for combat like me?”

“No. She is affiliated here. As you can see from her wearing a gown.”

Asel nodded as if understanding.

He had wondered which club she might have joined, but it seemed she had been affiliated here from the start. Although it didn’t quite match the image of a researcher, she probably joined here because she had her own reasons.

It was impossible to carelessly judge the heart of a returnee.

“Ah, Asel!”

A moment later, Grace, with a bright expression, appeared at the end of the hallway. She stood in front of Asel, smiling broadly and waving her hand.

“Hi! What brings you here?”

“Just trying to build up some combat samples before the joint practice. More importantly, what you just did was quite impressive. Does that kind of speed naturally come out when you go all out?”

“Ah…… Ahaha, I recently gained a little realization……”

Grace spoke of the serendipitous opportunity she had monopolized by roaming outside the academy as a ‘realization’, then saw Selin tagging along beside Asel and her eyes instantly sharpened coldly. Selin, who hadn’t given it much thought, met that gaze and tilted her head.

“What? Do you have something to say to me?”

“……No, I just wondered if something was up since you were with Asel.”

“What, were you worried I might be dating him? Ha! Nonsense! We’re just friends, friends. Developing beyond that? Ugh. It’s absurd.”

“That’s what I should be saying.”

Asel embedded telekinesis magic into the crown of Selin’s head. Selin, whose head instantly dented, let out a weird noise and bowed her head forward.

“Ppyolrellek!”

Asel genuinely marveled.

“Wow, what was that? That voice just now was truly ugly. Is that really a voice that can come from a human? My chest swells with emotion.”

“Die! Dieeeeee!”

“Dodged.”

Asel lightly deflected Selin’s barrage of attacks with shields and turned back to look at Grace.

Grace was looking back at Selin with a cold expression, murmuring in a low voice.

“……It seems like this place is the most dangerous.”