Chapter 83: The Sense of Stability is Different

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Although no one moved and everyone remained still, the thumping sound did not stop.

The vibration resonated through their bodies in sync with the sound.

“C-Calm down. Let’s calm down.”

Whatever the situation was, they had to follow the precaution: ‘If you feel a sudden vibration, it’s best to get out immediately.’

They needed to secure an escape route first.

Sugar held up a map.

“Ah… There’s only one entrance to the underground prison. If we go back the way we came, we should be able to leave.”

While Sugar buried her nose in the map, she felt someone poking her shoulder.

It was Riley.

“…What?”

He silently pointed behind her, to the path they had just walked.

Why was he silently pointing without saying anything?

Feeling uneasy, Sugar glanced behind her.

There was no path.

“Aaah!”

Sugar jumped up and down.

“When? When did it suddenly—?”

“I just came to my senses and saw that we were blocked by a wall…” Ian answered.

“Could it be… someone’s doing?”

Leon muttered as he stared at the wall.

Meanwhile, Riley, who had been feeling the wall, pulled out his staff.

“It’s steel. If I interpret the magic that’s spread throughout the building, I can easily change the structure. Whoever did this is probably using that. Everyone, follow me.”

He spoke and immediately began to cast an explosion spell.

With a sweep of his staff, a small explosion sounded, creating a hole big enough for one person to pass through. He had minimized the power of the spell for safety.

“Everyone, over here. Sugar, you come too.”

“But, do we really have to force our way through? The path we were on is perfectly fine.”

“If we keep going, we’re being led into a trap, Ian. It may seem like breaking through the blocked path is what we are also being manipulated into doing, but if we think logically, this is the right choice.”

Riley answered Ian’s question while pulling Sugar close to his side.

Then, he let Ian and Leon go ahead, holding Sugar as he passed through the hole.

Sugar felt it in his arms. The distant hum of approaching magical energy reached her skin.

*********************

The opposite side of the wall was a long corridor.

It was just an endlessly long corridor, darkness obscuring even the faintest

Each of them held a staff and created a light source. Even so, the light barely reached the end.

“Oh…”

This strange situation felt ambiguous; it was like they were on an adventure. Walking down an uncertain path was nerve-wracking, but with friends around, it felt stable.

‘This is what I wanted…’

This was the reason Sugar had tried to make Leon her friend.

Sugar walked, enjoying the scent of Riley. Riley had one arm around Sugar, holding her close. It wasn’t often that the other person took the initiative, so it made her feel happy for seemingly no reason.

Riley glanced down at Sugar. Seeing her acting all cuddly in this situation was ridiculous.

Whenever their eyes met, he simply smiled wryly.

What should he do with her? The man sighed.

“You…”

“Why?”

“Never mind… Forget it…”

Sugar and Riley walked ahead, with Ian and Leon followed behind. The position was the same as before, but the situation had changed.

Ian, tense from the sudden situation, saw the two walking ahead and felt confused. Seeing Sugar calmly enjoying Riley’s scent in such a situation eased her anxiety just a little.

It was a funny sight.

“Those two…”

“…”

Leon, who had been staring blankly ahead, soon lowered his gaze.

The four of them walked for a while.

They walked and walked. Considering the time, they should have already exited the school building. Yet, they were still in the dark, prison-like corridor.

A never-ending corridor. A place so tightly closed that it didn’t even feel like the wind was passing through.

The vibrating sound that had been ringing since earlier showed no signs of stopping. It almost seemed louder than before, which was uncomfortable.

“Something’s strange…”

Sugar, who had slightly peeked her head out from Riley’s embrace, looked around.

“This is really weird. Riley, do you know what’s going on?”

“I know the problem is serious.”

Riley stopped and pointed with his finger ahead. On a wall about two meters away, there was an ‘X’ mark drawn.

“That. I drew that earlier.”

“This is insane…”

They had been walking in one direction, but now they had returned to the same place. It meant they were somehow walking in a circle.

“Is this an illusion?”

“It’s not likely that we’re all seeing the same illusion. Something is intentionally repeating the path.”

“What if we turn around and go back? I’ve heard that’s a way to break these kinds of traps. Every trap has an escape route.”

Leon raised his hand and spoke.

“It’s not the only method. There are other ways. As I said earlier, going back could be exactly what they want…”

Riley stopped mid-sentence and turned his head.

He squinted and carefully observed the path they had just walked.

“…Run.”

He said that one word and released Sugar from his arms.

“Suddenly? What’s going on–”

There was no need to ask. The vibration that had been shaking the space was growing stronger, rattling their insides.

At the same time, a piercing scream rang out, almost as if their eardrums were about to burst.

Kyaaaa—!!

Or perhaps it sounded more like wind. Either way, it was a disturbing noise that seemed to come from far away.

Riley immediately pointed his staff.

It was too narrow. He clicked his tongue and muttered. If he miscalculated the magic’s range and caused the passage to collapse, no one knew what would happen.

They could become stuck in the looping corridor.

The battle itself was difficult too. There was no space to dodge the opponent’s attack, it was literally a dead end.

Even so, with Sugar standing behind him, Riley had no choice but to move forward, grumbling.

“Step back.”

Riley frowned.

Just as he stepped forward, someone else decided to step up in front of him.

Leon raised his staff and gestured for Riley to step back.

“What’s your deal? Go back. Don’t you feel the magic from over there? Are you blind?”

“You said you knew another way out. Please come up with a plan, and I’ll buy you time in the meantime.”

Riley didn’t like how calmly Leon spoke.

The guy who didn’t take responsibility for the situation was talking like that? He looked at him mockingly.

“…For absolute safety, I think this is the most reasonable way. You need to come up with a plan. But we can’t just put His Holiness and the woman in front. So… This is my job.”

“…Ha.”

He spoke quickly, matching the urgency of the situation, but his words were clear and precise.

Ian, who was standing behind, repeated one line in her head.

But I’m not the person for that.

“ …”

While they were distracted, the white-haired lady who had been standing beside them gracefully stepped forward.

She had a smile on her face, looking very pleased.

“Good, Leon. Very nice.”

“Huh?”

“But it’s not your turn yet.”

Sugar said confidently, gripping her staff and stepping to the very front, ahead of Leon.

“And Riley. Why do you always want to fight alone?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I told you I wouldn’t hold you back. Don’t you remember?”

‘Why did everyone like to step forward?’ Riley, irritated, glanced at Sugar, who simply pointed her staff forward.

As if that’s exactly how it should be.

The magical energy in the air began to vibrate.

It was a different tremor from the one coming from the other side. Every magic particle around them moved obediently, as if responding to Sugar’s call.

It looked like a meteor shower. A faint sound, like whispers, followed as the magic particles gathered.

Riley had seen this before.

The night when the magic had scattered.

As the memory came back, the magical sphere quickly expanded, filling the corridor before rapidly shrinking down to the size of a small pebble.

Once the magic sphere compressed, there was no need for repeated expansion and compression like before. The caster smiled subtly.

Then, she stretched out her hand.

Since her right hand was holding her staff, it was her left hand. Without turning around, she simply extended her hand silently.

“….”

Riley stepped up beside Sugar, leaving Leon behind.

When he took her small, white hand, Sugar quickly shifted her fingers and interlocked them.

Soon, the magic orb began to glow with a blue light.

At the same time, the entity that had been emitting a vibrating sound from afar revealed itself.

It was a mass of translucent energy, so dense that it seemed almost unmanageable. Every time it moved, the space trembled with a heavy thud.

It was a ghost. A collection of ghosts. The ones that had been trapped in the underground prison for centuries, who had gathered their strength out of fear when the four visitors arrived.

Sugar spoke softly.

“Have you ever seen something like that?”

“A few times.”

“Is it strong?”

Riley scoffed at the innocent question.

“Not really.”

Then, Sugar immediately swung her staff.

Light filled the entire passage.

******************

‘… The sense of stability is different.’

It was her first thought as she used it after a long time.

It was a technique she had practiced alone from time to time. Gathering magic from the surroundings and releasing it. How simple it was.

However, the key lay with Riley, who would alter the properties of the magic. Having him by her side now, the feeling was different compared to when he wasn’t around.

When she shot out the massive magic all at once, the strain on her body was significant—like the recoil from a gunshot. But now, with the support of the magician beside her, it felt stable.

Additionally, Riley controlled the range to ensure the passage didn’t collapse. He managed it with precision and accuracy, making it easier for her.

And the most important part— the magic, will, and warmth flowing from their joined hands was just perfect.

Sugar grinned mischievously.

Riley squeezed her hand firmly as if to tell her to focus.

In a moment, the light faded.

Ahead, the smoke from the scorched magic filled the air. For now, there was no sign of the magic released by the ghostly collective.

When Sugar blinked, something incredible happened.

“Here…”

In the middle of the underground prison.

It was the same place as before, where the maze-like passage was nowhere to be seen. Looking around, all three of them seemed fine.

It felt as if they had been enchanted. But in any case, it seemed they had successfully dealt with the situation.

“Thank goodness…”

Sugar sighed in relief. On the other hand, Ian and Leon were staring at Sugar and Riley, their mouths wide open.

“Sugar… was this what you were using all along? You mean holding hands with Riley… No, how is it that even your special magic is so… you?”

Pure magic showed an insanely strong duration in a bad sense. Ian, who had seen Sugar use it alone a few times in the castle, asked.

“How did you draw the magic from the air? Is there some kind of device?”

Leon, too, couldn’t believe what he had just seen and asked a question.

Meanwhile, Sugar smiled proudly.

“It’s the power of love.”

Riley, feeling oddly irritated by that expression, smacked Sugar on the head.

“Ah! Why hit me? We were having such a nice moment…”

“Just annoying. What kind of ‘power of love’ is that?”

“But it’s true. I even experimented with Ian, but back then, the property change didn’t happen. Of course, I have affection for Ian too…”

Sugar trailed off, wrapping herself around Riley.

She began to draw circles with her finger on his chest.

“Hehe…”

“…”

Her face, flushed as she looked up with a smile. Her hand movements slow and almost suggestive.

Riley, frowning, grabbed her tightly and whispered in her ear.

“Keep. Your distance. Why can’t you ever focus?”

“Ah, ah, why…! Every time, you say it’s inappropriate… You…”

As she spoke, Sugar trembled slightly, her body shuddering. Occasionally, she let out a soft, helpless moan.

“Hey, this… Hey, this…”

And the holy child here was not the kind of person to stand by and watch such things.

“Hey, you sinners—! Don’t you dare! Let go right now!?”

At the cruelly lascivious scene, Ian jumped up.

Meanwhile, Leon, who had been watching it all, just wanted to return to the dormitory as quickly as possible.