Ch.154154. Self (2)

The classroom door was flung open, revealing the corridor.

It was Adele who opened it, her anxious expression clearly visible.

“Not here either… What on earth is going on…”

Adele said this to someone behind her.

‘Behind her… is that Michelle?’

With that bright red ponytail in plain sight, there was no mistaking her.

But right now, I was more concerned about the commotion than Michelle herself.

Looking closer, not only were Adele and Michelle there, but other inspectors had also come to this classroom, creating quite a scene outside.

“What’s going on?”

“Well…”

When I asked what was happening, Adele hesitated, and Michelle spoke up instead.

“Since it’s urgent, I’ll ask instead of Adele. What state were the students in your class yesterday?”

What state were they in?

They were the kind of students who just collected attendance certificates and couldn’t care less about studying, so I hadn’t paid much attention.

If I had to describe the atmosphere, well…

“It was a mess. They were all grinding their teeth about something they heard during the midterm evaluation.”

“Huh, is that so? Then the cause is the same…”

What could possibly have happened to gather all these inspectors here?

The situation seems to be taking a concerning turn.

“Most of the students in this school have disappeared all at once.”

“Disappeared?”

Disappeared? Why would students who were just slacking off suddenly vanish?

So that’s why the other inspectors came to this classroom—to check if the students here had disappeared too?

“Are you saying they were kidnapped or confined somewhere all at once?”

“No. There’s no sign of any malicious organization being involved.”

“What then? You’re saying they disappeared on their own?”

“I’m not certain, but… I think it might be because of what happened yesterday.”

“Yesterday… the day of the midterm evaluation.”

To be honest, I did have some concerns. In faction battles where unity is essential, blaming each other would inevitably cause friction. This was somewhat within the range of what I had anticipated.

But for all of them to disappear at once makes no sense.

I was worried they would blame each other, mess up the second week’s evaluation, and sink deeper into the quagmire—not this. This was beyond the scope of my expectations.

“Were there any problems or incidents after that time?”

“…We thought about that too, but apparently there was nothing of the sort.”

“They didn’t lock themselves in their rooms or have any casualties?”

“No. There weren’t any students who left notes or attempted anything extreme either.”

What on earth is going on?

I thought there might be a possibility they acted impulsively out of anger.

I also considered that some might attempt something extreme, feeling they had no way forward, though that seemed unlikely.

But for there to be no trace at all makes no sense.

The complete absence of any trace suggests they moved as a group, not individually…?

“Um, teacher.”

“I’m not certain, but… I have a hunch.”

Rana and Ethan cautiously interrupted my conversation with Michelle.

“What is it?”

“Well… as you know, teacher, there are only two types of students at Sirah. Those like me who want to continue studying magic, and those looking for other opportunities.”

Since Sirah Road School doesn’t provide any education, that’s inevitable.

Either they somehow continue learning magic or they give up. It’s an environment that can only produce extremely polarized results.

“But there have always been more students who gave up on academics and looked for other opportunities. The problem is… some of them frequented the Irobe region in the north.”

“The Irobe region?”

“Simply put, it’s a place where relatively non-threatening magical beasts coexist. Only creatures weak enough to be subdued even with our immature powers live there.”

“So… you’re saying only E-rank magical beasts live there?”

“That’s right, Adele.”

A space where even Ethan and Rana’s power is enough to hunt.

A beginner’s area—such places are common.

Just as I headed to Algenib Province in Levrant to gain practical experience with Mirage-type magic armor, there must be similar places here.

But thinking about it differently, why would students frequent such places?

A disturbing hypothesis formed in my mind. Since Sirah doesn’t have proper educational guidelines… such things could happen.

“…Ethan, did those guys move in groups?”

“Yes… I was once part of that group. We hunted magical beasts to earn money, to secure funds for whatever industry we might enter.”

“Among them, were there any who went to the Irobe region to practice magic?”

“…None.”

“Shit.”

The curse escapes my lips involuntarily.

Even if they were causing trouble, this kind of trouble?

***

“Shit.”

With that single word, Junon’s face hardened.

‘Why is he reacting like that…?’

But this is Junon we’re talking about.

From the existence of Mysteris to the Great Purge of Sheets—he can’t ignore such massive connections.

“What are you doing…? Why the map…?”

“I wonder…?”

Junon silently spread a map on the blackboard.

Like many others questioning his actions, Michelle’s head was filled with doubts.

“Ethan. You’ve frequented the Irobe region, right?”

“As you said, teacher.”

“Divide the rank table here with these darts.”

Magical beasts, unless they’re like Devourers, Osoptera, or Canolats that live in groups, are typically part of the ecosystem.

The rank table is drawn by marking the frequency of appearance and average rank of these magical beasts.

But as he suddenly asked to divide the rank table, the onlookers began to murmur.

“Has a magical beast appeared? That’s what it sounds like from the context.”

“But on what basis…”

“If that’s true, now’s not the time for questions. Let’s listen first.”

There might be much to say, but it would only be a distraction now. Michelle set the mood to allow Junon to explain comfortably.

“Adele, how many people can move within the school right now?”

“Well… all the professors are gone because Levrant students came, so at most, just us inspectors and you guys?”

“…This is a disaster.”

Watching the rank table intently, Junon immediately frowned.

At that moment, Michelle sensed it. His darkening expression meant he had figured something out.

“Could you tell us too? We’re still… not understanding.”

The other inspectors nodded in agreement.

Junon then explained what he had discovered, placing different colored darts on the map.

“Those guys went to hunt magical beasts.”

“Magical beasts? Why?”

“After their overwhelming defeat in the midterm evaluation, they probably saw no chance of winning the second week’s faction battle. And they were just blaming others without even recognizing their mistakes. What do you think they’d do?”

Proving their abilities by defeating magical beasts.

That’s surely how they moved.

“It’s not just that they lost. If they were overwhelmingly defeated, they’d be filled with spite and would aim for bigger prey. I think they might have targeted a place like this, where Taus or Fenrirs gather.”

“Then you mean… the reason you asked to divide the rank table…!”

“They definitely went further north than the Irobe region. The professors don’t care, and we were too lenient, giving them time to recover mentally.”

Besides, while some might have worked hard, others would have tried to prove their results.

The students, who might have been divided and confrontational, united and disappeared all at once.

“That can’t be…”

“It was our mistake…”

A radical judgment based on the psychology of losers and hasty behavior.

No one refutes his clean, straightforward reasoning. Everyone accepts it.

Therefore, establishing countermeasures was quick.

Rather than rushing in immediately, they decided to prioritize searching by assigning areas to each person, and they also contacted Levrant as a precaution.

As a result, most of the original Levrant students gathered in this classroom.

Except for one.

‘Why isn’t Aris here…?’

No way.

Cold sweat ran down Michelle’s back.

“Um… Miss Michelle?”

“Yes, yes?”

“Aris left this note…”

This is unsettling.

The fact that she left a note in the first place.

Praying it wasn’t what she feared, Michelle opened the note…

『It’s urgent, so I’m heading out first, Michelle!

-Aris.』

Oh my God.

Her forehead began to throb.

The search began, and everyone examined their assigned areas, starting from the vast Irobe region, looking for the group of students.

Having an ominous feeling, Junon chose the deepest area among the sectors.

“I hope I’m wrong…”

In places where magical beasts live, not livestock or animals, entry should be prohibited for ordinary people and students, but that’s not the case here.

This is Sirah.

A backward region where even the only educational institution doesn’t properly warn against such dangers.

“But that doesn’t mean you fledglings can handle magical beasts.”

In public, magical beasts are known to be easily subdued with magic and weapons.

This is to show a positive image to residents and young sprouts, but behind the curtain, defeating a magical beast requires meticulous planning and utmost effort.

Why are such areas designated, and why were guilds created? Why do government offices want to issue licenses for hunting magical beasts?

If the actions of those who hunt magical beasts seemed trivial, that would be a grave misconception.

To be precise, the fools who entered that forest are just slightly better than civilians.

They probably felt confident after hunting weak magical beasts, thinking, “Oh? They really are weak!” and boldly challenged stronger ones, but reality would be harsh.

That’s the blind spot in this situation.

“You don’t have two lives, you fools.”

Traces began to appear from here.

A place he had visited once before.

The place where Rana had recklessly drawn her sword to face a Stump.

***

Swish!

“Argh!”

Another one was pushed back.

Something was wrong.

Magical beasts shouldn’t be this strong.

Weren’t they creatures that would collapse and crumble after humans fired a few spells at them?

But why won’t the ones they’re facing now fall?

Clack, clack.

Stumps. Just Stumps. Merely tree-like magical beasts barely over 2 meters tall!

Recently, the strongest Stump specimen had died, weakening their overall power!

“Fire more!! What are you all doing?!”

“This is our limit! They won’t fall, what can we do?!”

But nothing was going as planned.

They thought that even if there were higher-ranked magical beasts, overwhelming them with numbers would be effective, but these creatures barely fell.

They had planned to capture a bunch of Stumps to prove their abilities, but these were significantly different from the ones they had trampled in the Irobe region.

Seeing no other option, everyone started to retreat.

“We can’t do this anymore! Let’s retreat!”

“Hey, just retreat without complaining, okay?”

“…No complaints, just hurry up and go!”

However, having penetrated too deep, they were struggling to find their way.

The dense forest in northern Sirah blocked the sun.

“But… which way did we come from…?”

“Idiot. It’s this way!!”

“That’s where I just stepped!!”

“If we look at the compass… huh? Why…”

“Forget it, just run away from those things, you morons!”

The wooden magical beasts approached, clacking. They had to flee from them immediately.

But was that really an escape route?

At least, judging by the scene unfolding before their eyes, it could hardly be called one.

The sun is completely obscured among the dense trees.

As darkness settles in the place they ran to, fear begins to creep in.

Their vision extends only a few steps. All they hear is the clacking sound.

The squelchy feeling of water and mud mixed under their feet only sends chills down their spines.

“Ugh, ahhh!! Where is this place?!”

“I can’t see… huh? Who are you… mmph!!”

“The person next to me just disappeared…?”

“S-save me… save me!!”

The ragtag group, without any proper education, was being consumed by fear in the forest shrouded in darkness.

And then.

-Bang!

“Waaah!”

A beam of light shines on the spot where someone fell into the mud with a splash.

It was an explosion accompanied by pink petals.

“Over here, you idiots.”

“W-what…? An explosion?”

“Aris… teacher?”

“It’s the teacher…! It’s Teacher Aris!!!”

“Hurry up, will you? I’ll leave you all behind!”

“Y-yes!!!”

Aris’s clear voice echoes through the dark forest surrounded by trees and vines.

The students were whimpering as if they had found their savior.