Ch.1515. Beast Commotion (2)

Elia Krisanax’s impression of Darwood Campbell could be summarized in one word.

Strange person.

In the sense that he was someone impossible to figure out from top to bottom.

Not only because he was like an onion—the more layers you peeled, the more suspicious things you found—but also because he always acted differently than expected.

“…Is he angry?”

And that was evident in how he was sitting at the freshman welcome party, saying nothing with his lips tightly sealed.

Just yesterday, he had readily accepted her partner request without complaint, so she thought they could walk around together today and have various conversations.

But he wasn’t saying a word. Even when she tried to talk to him, his responses were limited to “Yeah” and “Sure.”

Normally she might have felt uncomfortable, but she hadn’t imagined there would be an “option” interfering with her perception.

“…How should I deal with an angry man?”

And fortunately for Darwood, she was someone who displayed ape-level social skills when dealing with the opposite sex.

If it were a business relationship, she could brazenly push forward, but when told to be friends in an equal relationship, her brain would freeze.

Even if he was truly angry, there wasn’t much she could do about it. Hadn’t she tried to beat this man up from their first meeting?

It seemed strange for him to be angry about that now, but she couldn’t deny that such feelings might exist.

“But I need to dig deeper to get information about the Tristan Dukedom…”

While thinking this and walking, she suddenly found herself in the basement of Buckley Hall.

Perhaps she had unconsciously walked to a place with no people. Currently, they were the only ones around.

“Wow…”

She frowned as she looked around at the cages placed here and there.

Inside were living magical beasts. Clearly, they had all been brought in for research materials at the academy.

“There are even medium-sized magical beasts mixed in. My goodness.”

Medium-sized magical beasts required at least a regular knight squadron to be dispatched to deal with them. They were definitely not at a level that should be kept alive in an academy full of students.

“The professors are so irresponsible. Even with special cages, to so casually…”

She clicked her tongue and approached one of the cages, bending down to look.

Perhaps thanks to that, she discovered a magical compound attached to a position that would never be visible from the outside.

“…”

Before she could properly process it, her brain—having seen similar objects countless times in real combat—had already completed its calculations.

This thing.

It’s going to explode in a few seconds.

“Sir, you need to—!”

As she said that, flames surged up before her eyes.

As the bright flames approached her face, Elia’s body froze.

Normally, she would have executed an evasive maneuver quite nimbly.

But the white-hot flames approaching her face triggered memories that had been buried under layers of dust.

-Elia, here, hide here! Don’t come out no matter what!

-Damn demon cultists, over here! Try to kill me if you can!

Explosion. Flames. Screams. Footsteps. Acrid smell. Burning family photos. The reflection of blades gleaming over pools of blood. Corpses.

“…!”

But before she could shake off those images, the flames that had approached her face were rushing toward her.

“Danger…!”

And while that thought vaguely crossed her mind,

someone crashed into her body.

Then a violent collision with the floor. Elia groaned as she tumbled several times.

“Ah, ouch…”

Fortunately, perhaps due to the intense pain, her consciousness seemed to have awakened enough to allow normal thinking.

It was thanks to that she recognized Darwood Campbell, who was in tatters above her.

“…”

Burns rising grotesquely across his entire back. Broken limbs. Lacerations crossing his entire body from fragments.

Injuries sustained while shielding her from the explosion. Severe injuries. The kind that would be fatal without immediate treatment.

“S-sir. Wait. Just wait. Why, why did you do that?”

She asked with a trembling voice as she recognized this fact.

Why, just why?

Hadn’t this person been acting like he was angry with her until just now? She was clearly aware that she had reasons for that.

Above all, hadn’t he said he liked the Tristan princess too?

There was not a single reason for him to go this far for her, who had openly shown animosity toward the other side.

“…”

Darwood Campbell, or more precisely, his clone, painfully lifted his head to look at her.

If it had been a clone without any options applied, it would have somehow conveyed that the original purpose of a clone’s existence was to take the most threatening blow first during combat to draw attention.

After all, clones purchased from the point shop were originally deployed with that intention.

However, the clone with the “Cold Gentleman” option applied judged that such an explanation wasn’t very cool.

Rather than a lengthy explanation, one sentence would suffice.

“It’s what I had to do.”

“…”

While Elia couldn’t even formulate a response and her eyes trembled, Darwood’s clone smiled with satisfaction and collapsed onto the floor.

He probably thought it was a truly cold gentleman-like exit…

-!

-!!

But Elia’s expression hardened as she heard the inhuman screams that followed.

The explosion had damaged the cages, releasing all the magical beasts inside.

“…I don’t know what that meant.”

Elia muttered as she stood up.

She checked her condition.

Several joints were swollen. Normal movement would be impossible. She had no weapons. At best, just an iron rod with rebar stuck in it.

Her opponents were real magical beasts, not the simulated ones from practice matches. Six of them.

Considering that even a small magical beast could easily tear apart several adult men, this was a number that would make even regular knights flee in terror.

“…”

If the Margrave of Kendrid who had taught her combat techniques saw this, he would be appalled.

Unfavorable fights should be avoided. Running away is never shameful. Hadn’t he emphasized that repeatedly?

But.

“Ha.”

Her gaze turned to the man lying in the corner.

What a ridiculous man. Did he have some compulsion to save people in danger?

Saying it was what he had to do. Really, not even funny.

She pulled out a vial from her belt.

Originally, it was a top-grade potion that the Margrave of Kendrid had given her to use only in urgent situations. Apparently, they were hard to obtain, just one per year.

Originally, it would be better to splash it on herself and continue fighting.

“…”

But without hesitation, she splashed it on Darwood Campbell.

“Heroes are supposed to save people, you know?”

So.

I’d appreciate it if you didn’t die in a place like this.

“Hmm…”

Six magical beasts with an injured body.

“Not a big deal.”

If there was someone to protect.

For her, it truly was such a task.

●

<System Message>

[Main Quest updated!]

[Main Quest]

[Magical beasts have appeared! Suppress the situation!]

[If too many people die, severe penalties will be imposed according to the scenario!]

[Reward: Exclusive equipment materials]

Just kill me instead, you things.

Releasing a bunch of magical beasts where freshmen are gathered and telling me to minimize casualties?

“Wait, where are you going now!”

“I have something to do! Madam President, please find a priest!”

I tell Elnore, who is screaming at me as I move urgently.

“We need to protect the students first!”

I shout as I move my body.

‘Priorities first.’

Assuming Elnore will bring a priest to reduce casualties, the most important thing is the initial response. I need to reduce the number of magical beasts as much as possible before they rush up from the basement to minimize casualties.

With that thought, I rush down to the basement, only to discover:

“…Huh.”

Elia fighting like a demon against the magical beast corpses, with my clone melted into a puddle on the floor due to depleted durability.

She had already taken down five of the six beasts and was about to deliver the final blow to the last one.

“…”

She killed five real magical beasts with just an iron rod, not even simulated ones from practice matches?

Is she even human?

Originally, Elia isn’t a character who directly participates in such battles according to the scenario. Until she fully awakens as a hero, she tends to move somewhat calculatingly.

The only cases where she fights like that are, well, limited to when there’s someone she absolutely wants to protect.

“…”

But there’s only my clone here.

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

‘…I’ll worry about that later!’

I retrieve the melted clone before she notices. Anyone would find it strange to see two identical humans.

Meanwhile, Elia, having delivered the final blow to the last magical beast, sighs and wipes the sweat from her forehead.

“Phew…”

And her eyes meet mine as I sit awkwardly, having retrieved the clone.

“…!”

Her expression brightens. Even in her exhausted state, unable to move an arm, her smiling face shows satisfaction.

“…Thank goodness.”

[Target ‘Elia Krisanax’s’ affection level has changed!]

[Affection level has been elevated from ‘Curiosity’ to ‘Interest’!]

[Additional rewards are now available!]

[The possibility of opening the second gift has increased!]

[This is an important character. The main scenario will change!]

“…”

A window I didn’t particularly want to see popped up.

I don’t know what happened to trigger this suddenly, but.

“Are these all the escaped magical beasts?”

I ask that first.

She responds with an incredulous tone.

“Is that the first question you ask after regaining consciousness?”

“…?”

What consciousness am I supposed to regain? I just arrived.

“If any magical beasts escaped, people could die! Quickly!”

The main quest takes priority. I don’t know how severe the “severe penalties according to the scenario” might be, but it’s clearly a situation I was trying to avoid.

When I urged her like that, Elia put her hand to her forehead with a dismayed expression.

“So consistent, really. Is this what you’re always like?”

With a sigh, she collapsed onto the floor. She must have reached her physical limit after defeating six magical beasts with an injured body.

“One medium-sized magical beast escaped. It’s probably heading to the first floor by now, so if you hurry, you can stop it…”

She fainted before finishing her sentence, confirming my suspicion.

“Thank you!”

Even though she probably couldn’t hear me, I left those words and rushed back up to the first floor as quickly as possible.

With my cursed stamina, even just climbing stairs is hellishly difficult, but I managed to run up until my breath became ragged, barely making it in time for the situation.

Students were crowded inside the “isolation barrier” that activates in emergencies at the Elphante building.

Nearby, staff members were barely managing to evacuate students inside the barrier and maintaining it.

A wise decision.

By now, combat personnel within the academy would be heading this way after seeing the commotion, so it’s much better than fighting and increasing casualties. If they just buy time, even a medium-sized magical beast will eventually be suppressed.

The problem is.

-!

-!!

-!!!

The bear-like medium-sized magical beast is causing cracks in the barrier every time it strikes with its front paws, despite all means being employed to reinforce it.

This is the situation despite using all available means to reinforce the barrier.

After all, medium-sized magical beasts are entities that even regular knight orders need to prepare themselves mentally to subjugate. It’s actually surprising they’re holding out this well.

‘A priest…!’

If only Elnore had quickly brought a priest, things would be fine.

Priests, due to their class characteristics, can reinforce barriers substantially on their own. So having even one would allow them to buy plenty of time.

As I desperately look around, I catch sight of Elnore at the edge of my vision.

Seeing her with someone wearing clerical robes, it seems she really did bring one. She’s capable.

“So you’re saying you can’t reinforce the barrier now? What does that…!”

“I told you. To block that, you’d need at least an angel’s blessing, and deploying such a thing bare-handed is suicide.”

“But if things continue like this, people will…!”

“Are you telling me to die instead?”

However, judging by their bickering, things aren’t going well.

‘…He can’t deploy a blessing?’

A priest of sufficient caliber to work as staff at the academy should be able to summon a blessing similar to one directly bestowed by an angel through prayer, even without meeting an angel directly.

But in exchange, they have to pay a ‘price.’ That’s probably why he’s talking about suicide.

That’s also why I didn’t receive blessings directly on my body but stored them in Ultima.

It’s a minor technique not yet known in the world setting at this point, but if you store a blessing in an ‘object,’ the effect is reduced but there’s no backlash at all.

‘But that guy’s attitude is kind of awful.’

I glare at the priest who continues to argue.

From the start, it doesn’t make sense that he didn’t bring sacred artifacts, which are like a priest’s heart, in such an emergency situation.

It’s as if he’s deliberately creating excuses to refuse.

Even as Elnore poured out angry words, the priest in clerical robes stood with his arms crossed, unmoved. There was even a mocking smile on his face.

‘Seriously.’

This academy is full of crazy people. Grumbling like that, I approach the priest.

“You, are you bringing political interests even at a time like this! This is an emergency, people’s lives are at stake!”

“Ha, this is why the Tristan Dukedom…”

“Then give it to me.”

I drop that sentence in the middle of their exchange.

Elnore and the priest both turn to look at me.

“…What?”

“Even without sacred artifacts, you must have emergency implements. Since you seem to value your life, I’m sure you brought those. If you can’t deploy a blessing, I’ll do it.”

Silence fell for a moment.

“…Hey. What are you, a student, talking about? Do you even know what a blessing is…”

Annoyed at his continued talking, I roughly pull out the small rosary from the priest’s back pocket. There’s no time to waste; the barrier could break at any moment.

Before he can say anything more, I immediately turn and run toward Buckley Hall.

As I run, I notice Elnore looking at me with wide eyes, her expression somewhat…

It was concerning, but.

<System Message>

[Target ‘Elnore’s’ status change is imminent.]

[After the action you are about to take, there will be no turning back!]

[Be prepared!]

“…”

And that message appearing before my eyes amplifies my unease to the point of cold sweat.

‘I don’t care! Later!’

There have been countless ominous signs already. More importantly, the main quest. If I don’t clear this first, I’m in big trouble!

I prepare Ultima. I stab the rosary into my left arm to draw blood.

With a burning pain, the rosary glows blue. The emergency implement that all priests carry for emergencies can be used like this, mixing blood to serve as a small magical battery.

“Good.”

Sighing, I place the rosary inside the censer. The censer, imbued with magical power, responds by emitting a blue light as well.

[Skill ‘Asceticism’ is now available!]

[Skill ‘Divine Shield’ is now available!]

Confirming the windows that appear in succession, I immediately throw myself between the medium-sized magical beast and the barrier.

“W-what?”

“Student! What are you doing! Get out of the way immediately!”

I hear the panicked voices of staff members from behind the barrier.

It’s understandable they’d say that since anyone would see this as a crazy act, but I’m not completely without something to rely on.

[Crisis situation detected.]

[Judged to be a direct threat to life.]

[Applying skill: Desperate Situation at EX rank.]

Then other skills activate.

[Using skill: Asceticism.]

[Converting all additional ability points to endurance.]

[Using skill: Divine Shield.]

[Creating shield.]

A translucent blue barrier appears before my eyes.

A shield that has consumed all the ability points added by Desperate Situation. I don’t know how sturdy it is, but at least it won’t be easily broken even by a medium-sized magical beast.

“Student! What do you think you can do with just that! Run away immediately! Leave this to us…!”

“…I came because I couldn’t leave.”

“…What?”

“Send the students outside the building. I’ll buy time with this.”

Yes, well.

My goal is to buy time with this. Not to kill this beast.

That much should be manageable somehow.

“…”

The bear-like magical beast’s gaze fell on me. Its yellow eyes, full of killing intent, blazed ferociously.

I meet its gaze and take a deep breath.

I calm my mind and body.

I might die if I make a mistake, but, well.

“Come at me.”

I just need to not make mistakes, that’s all.