Ch.180180. Untying the Knot (1)

Professor Muniher’s planned faction battle concluded with students frolicking on the beach.

For those who had relieved all their fatigue at the resort and enjoyed the festive atmosphere they created, there were zero complaints.

This year’s new approach to the faction battle thus came to a successful end.

“Professor Aris…”

“What’s wrong with everyone?”

Everyone seemed regretful. The end of this faction battle meant they would no longer hear her lectures, and future meetings would be extremely rare.

Perhaps because Aris knew this too, her voice was noticeably emotional.

“It’s not like we’ll never see each other again, so don’t be like that, okay?”

As soon as she said that, someone burst into tears.

When one person started crying, tears began to well up in others’ eyes one by one. Before long, Aris was going around hugging her students.

“I’ll come visit occasionally, so don’t look so down. Understand?”

“…”

The children remained silent at Aris’s lie.

They knew that once they parted with Aris this time, it would be difficult to meet again.

After all, a Tembris party member wouldn’t have that kind of free time.

“Since everyone seems to be here, shall I take attendance first?”

Nevertheless, Aris called each of her beloved students’ names one by one, pretending to be fine as she completed her final roll call.

“When we meet next time, I’ll see how hard you’ve studied, and if you’ve done well, I’ll treat you to something delicious. Got it?”

“Yes…”

Despite being only a few years older than them, Aris did her best to act like a teacher.

Her true feelings were different, though. As soon as she closed the carriage door heading to Levrant after saying goodbye, she burst into tears.

“Michelle…”

“You don’t need to say anything, Aris.”

The inspectors who had been assigned to each student were the ones comforting them.

Other academy students were mostly in similar situations.

“Professor Junon…”

“…”

Rana and Ethan. Though there were only two of them, Junon was no exception.

But this farewell couldn’t have felt like the first time to him.

“Are you both aiming to re-enroll?”

“No… for now, just as exchange students…”

“He said we should limit it to that. If we re-enroll completely, talented individuals from various regions might all flock to Levrant again.”

“Then I’ll see you at Levrant. We’ll meet again soon, right?”

“Yes…!”

After all, farewells can be transformed into new meetings.

All the educators boarded the carriages, and the students who cherished the two weeks of memories waved their hands with tears streaming down their faces.

They even ran after the carriages, calling out the names of their teachers at the top of their lungs.

By the time those voices faded, the carriages had already left Sirah.

The beautiful days of memories had ended.

Those who returned to Levrant were still deeply affected by the aftermath of the farewell.

Watching these students, Muniher decided,

“You’re reacting this way because you had such good experiences. I’ll cancel all lectures and give you two days to recover, so make sure you all come back refreshed.”

He granted them a short reprieve.

.

.

.

A few days later.

Life at Levrant resumed. Now that the faction battle was over, they had returned to being regular students.

‘When I left Levrant briefly, I thought nothing would change in just two weeks.’

—Please bring more materials over here!

—Take breaks while you work.

—I’ve been waiting for this moment to work. Hey, guys! Snacks are here!

—Oh, thank you, ma’am.

Junon’s thoughts were contradicted by the enormous changes that had taken place.

‘It seems almost completed.’

At this rate, it looked like lectures could resume in this building.

The place housed most of the laboratories, including classrooms related to magical engineering, artifact manufacturing rooms, and magical practice rooms.

It was also the building where unique disciplines like alchemy and spirit arts were taught.

This was the Dube Building.

This building had once collapsed and was an ill-fated structure that was never completed until the empire fell. It had been abandoned when they began facing magical beasts.

So the scene before his eyes was quite a positive outcome.

It gave the assurance that they were one step ahead.

“We’ll be able to use the laboratories soon, right, senior?”

A silver-haired girl asked, her ahoge twitching with excitement about the Dube Building’s completion.

“Yes, we should be able to use them.”

But for how long they would be able to use them—that, honestly, he couldn’t guarantee.

***

Faction battle. This refers to the practical ranking of the four major provinces outside the capital, Levrant.

Those with power naturally form organizations. The support and investment that follow determine the wealth of the region.

It was an obvious formula.

So for Mirpark, which needed to possess both wealth and power, this defeat was absolutely fatal.

『 A person like you doesn’t even qualify to be elected as an executive.

-Erica Scherpen. 』

“That woman dares to insult me!!!”

BANG!

The Mirpark dean slammed his fist on the table in frustration.

Because of this defeat, he could no longer receive the executive support votes he was supposed to get from Erica.

However, even in failure, such matters should proceed through some level of negotiation.

Erica had withdrawn all support from the Scherpen Count’s family without even meeting the dean.

Moreover, other supporters, including those associated with them, had also distanced themselves.

The dean’s election as an executive was now at risk of being overtaken by someone else.

-Dean, Demian has arrived.

“Send him in!!”

Upon Demian’s group’s arrival, the dean immediately resorted to physical violence.

SLAP-!

The savage sound of striking Demian’s cheek was loud enough to make the secretary outside flinch.

“What the hell were you doing?! You said you’d handle things properly!!”

Everything started with that champion battle.

Mirpark’s strength was sufficient with just three people. It didn’t matter if they added more, just match the numbers.

They would win everything and return anyway, so there was no need for preparation.

Believing Demian’s boastful words, Mirpark had made no preparations.

But the champion battle with Sirah overturned everything.

Not only did they lose to Junon, but they suffered aftereffects so severe they couldn’t even participate in the next event.

What was the result?

Miki, Leon, and Demian. With these three as Mirpark’s actual strength, they recorded the lowest score on the second day.

It was humiliating. Some even ridiculed the dean’s incompetence, saying everything was decided by a single triple elimination.

“You damned fools!! The Mirpark Road School, which could even challenge Levrant Academy, has fallen in one go because of you!!”

SLAP!

This time it was Miki’s cheek.

“You were so confident, and then what? You displayed all kinds of disgraceful behavior and lost shamefully!!”

SLAP!

Next was Leon’s cheek.

And then, coming full circle, it was Demian’s turn.

“Weaklings like you, worse than trash, have destroyed the Mirpark I built!!”

But the dean’s hand never reached Demian’s cheek.

“You…! Let go right now?! How dare you touch my precious self with that filthy hand…”

Demian grabbed the dean’s hand.

Magical power swirled around his arm, and soon screams echoed throughout the office.

“Aaaaargh!!!”

“I’m not trash, you fucking bastard… I’m not weak…”

With bloodshot eyes, Demian concentrated magical power in his arm. He had lost his reason and seemed ready to break the dean’s arm.

Soon there was a cracking sound of something breaking.

The dean’s arm had already turned pale as blood circulation was cut off.

“Hey, Demian!”

“Calm down, man!”

Miki and Leon tried to stop him.

“What’s happening, Dean!”

The secretary opened the door upon hearing the screams.

“Kugh… This bastard…!”

“D-Dean!!”

The dean’s arm was already bent at a right angle.

Demian, his eyes rolled back, had lost all reason at the dean’s words.

After causing this incident, he began heading somewhere.

“Demian…? Where’s that bastard going?”

“…I think we should follow him.”

“What?”

Miki gestured for Leon to look behind them.

“I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him…! You bastard!!”

“Dean, a doctor is coming now. Please don’t move…!”

The dean was struggling with his eyes bulging.

Even if they claimed they weren’t involved, the dean would inevitably punish them too, saying they were just the same.

Just like the stinging slaps they had just received.

“If we’re going to be punished the same way anyway, we might as well run.”

“Y-yeah. But where do we run to…?”

“I don’t know! Since we’re already in trouble, shouldn’t we follow Demian? He must have been so confident because he has another plan.”

“That’s true… Hey, this isn’t the time. Let’s get up! Let’s run!”

So the two followed Demian.

Not knowing what would happen next.

***

I’m not weak.

I’m not weak.

That faction battle, it’s just because some of my power was restricted within the field.

I am absolutely not weak.

“…”

“My, what brings you here, Demian? Today isn’t a prayer day.”

“I want to become stronger.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

The High Priest tilted his head and asked.

“You must know…! How I can become stronger here!”

Huff, huff.

Demian breathed out his anger at the High Priest.

He wanted power that was stronger and more certain than what he had now.

The source of Demian’s power was all possible because he followed one person’s instructions.

The only person who might know the source and structure of this power was the one who first gave him the opportunity.

“My, I was wondering why you came…”

This was a temple where only those who dealt with divinity resided.

Barging into such a temple was undoubtedly a rude and bold action.

However, the old man who occupied the highest position didn’t seem to mind such rudeness and boldness.

Rather, he nodded as if he understood something.

The High Priest carefully approached Demian and whispered.

“Demian. You already know the answer.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Taking from the weak to become strong. Isn’t Demian the one who understood this law most easily? Hoho.”

The High Priest said this while placing two ampoules in Demian’s hand.

‘These are…’

Demian knew what these were.

They were the ampoules he always inserted into the gap in the small altar when praying.

But now there was nothing prepared like before.

“Found you, Demian!”

“You bastard. You do something like that and then try to ditch us?!”

Right on cue, Miki and Leon entered.

Two people and two ampoules. And the High Priest’s meaningful words.

What could this mean?

The corner of Demian’s mouth curled up.

“Guys. Let’s go somewhere with me for a bit.”

“Huh? Where are we going now?”

“Weren’t you going to do something at the temple?”

They left the temple like that.

As soon as the three left the temple, the High Priest’s narrowed eyes opened, and

“Yes. You understood very well, Demian. Hehehehe.”

A chilling smile spread across his face.