Chapter 395

SVAD Clubroom.

“Y-You’re here, Camian!”

As soon as Camian entered, Annette made a fuss.

“What is it?”

“A letter from Senior arrived!”

There was only one senior who could make Annette fuss like this.

Realizing this immediately, Camian locked the clubroom door.

Then he approached Annette and Leon.

“What’s the content?”

“I haven’t checked yet. I was waiting for the president.”

This time, Leon answered.

“I see. Then let’s check it right away.”

“A-Alright.”

Annette tore open the envelope and took out the letter.

But soon.

“Huh? T-The letters…”

“What’s wrong?”

“T-There’s nothing written!”

“What?”

The three of them were flustered.

But Camian seemed to be the first to get a hunch.

“Who delivered this?”

“Senior Riviera.”

“So that’s how it is.”

The eccentric genius magician senior whom everyone knew.

If so.

“Burn it.”

“W-What?”

“Just burn it. There must be some kind

of device.”

At Camian’s confident gaze, Annette reluctantly set fire to the blank letter with magic.

*Crackle.*

“Huh?”

“Letters? It was real.”

Clear letters floated in the air.

The three of them focused on those letters.

“This date is…”

“It must be the date when things might happen.”

Camian nodded at Leon’s words.

“Yes, we need to be thoroughly prepared.”

“I-I’ll write it down.”

Annette hurriedly took out a piece of paper and wrote down the date.

Meanwhile, Camian and Leon read the content below the date.

“Primarily, just focus on protecting the academy. Does that mean the enemy’s final target is the academy?”

Leon muttered.

“It’s the academy. Because the Saint, whom they are targeting, is at the academy.”

Camian spoke with heavy eyes.

He wasn’t someone who communicated closely with the Saint.

But he could tell just by occasionally encountering her.

Her complexion was getting worse, and her movements were becoming more difficult.

She was clearly weakening.

Lately, her attendant even had to push her wheelchair.

At least, it wasn’t like this until Senior Max’s wedding.

She seemed relatively fine back then…

Thinking about the Saint, who was rapidly weakening with the passage of time, couldn’t help but weigh heavily on his mind.

Because he knew that in the past, she had saved the world with a brilliance brighter than anyone else.

“Well…”

Leon also knew the Saint’s identity and the secret story about the world’s destruction.

It was also the reason why Leon had actively helped his two friends.

“Still, it says the Saint has already taken refuge in the Castle of Illusions.”

Leon said after reading the next part.

“Yeah, that’s a relief, at least.”

The Castle of Illusions.

It was the final castle built by the Saint and the Great Sage in preparation for any eventuality.

Students might only remember its splendid appearance, as it was where the academy ball was held, but that wasn’t all.

An enormous defensive magic circle, poured into by the Great Sage and Archmages, was spread out there.

It could truly be called the academy’s final fortress.

Of course, Camian and Leon didn’t know such facts.

But the Castle of Illusions itself was a sturdily built mountain fortress, so they considered the Saint’s refuge there a relief.

“And if the first line of defense collapses, it says we should also take refuge in the Castle of Illusions and hold out.”

“W-Wait, then what about the other students and staff?”

Annette said with a flustered face.

It was a natural worry.

Especially for the kind-hearted Annette.

But.

“We have no choice but to leave them. It’s impossible for us to take care of everyone in a critical situation.”

Camian answered with cold eyes.

Annette’s pupils wavered.

“H-How can you say such a thing…”

“Think calmly. The enemy’s final target is the Saint. To obtain the last fragment she possesses and resurrect the Dark God. Their purpose is to break through the defenses that obstruct that, not massacre. Anyway, they believe that once the Dark God is resurrected, the world will be purified by destruction, and all life will die and disappear. So, would they deliberately delay by committing massacres?”

Camian’s judgment didn’t stem merely from coldness.

He had a clear basis for his judgment.

Leon added to that judgment.

“I think so too. The more time they delay, the more variables increase. They will try to achieve their goal as quickly as possible.”

With even Leon saying so, Annette had no choice but to agree, even if her heart wasn’t at ease.

“Umm… A-Alright.”

The situation was thus settled.

Max’s letter also ended there.

Leon said with a thoughtful look.

“The problem is how much the students will cooperate and how unitedly they can respond.”

He had no intention of blaming students who got scared and hid or chose to flee.

No matter how much the fate of the world hung in the balance, one couldn’t force that on someone.

Especially since everyone’s own life was the most important thing to them.

“I’m not worried about the 4th years.”

Camian stated firmly.

The generation called the Golden Generation, which had received all the academy’s expectations.

But that splendid image didn’t mean they had always walked a smooth path.

The current 4th years were the generation that had survived more crises than any other grade.

As such, their ability to cope with crisis situations had accumulated, and their unity was also very strong.

“Yeah, the 4th years will be fine. They’ll stick together and fight as one.”

Leon also agreed.

He knew his classmates better than anyone, having seen them for four years.

“The rest of the juniors are also students of Lepheria Academy. I believe in my juniors. Because I’ve seen many juniors actively participating in the SVAD with enthusiasm.”

Annette said emphatically.

Camian and Leon also understood her feelings.

“I agree. We learned a lot from our seniors. The will and strength to face any critical situation calmly and unitedly, without fear. The juniors must have learned those things from watching us as well.”

Leon’s words.

There was no mistake in those words.

Their SVAD activities, where they took the lead in protecting the academy, had brought enlightenment to many juniors.

The fact that the number of SVAD members, which didn’t even have a big reward, had increased so much was ultimately because their actions had moved people’s hearts.

Camian also nodded firmly.

“Yes, I believe in my classmates, I believe in my juniors, and I believe in the professors and staff. That’s not all. Senior Max and many other graduated seniors are also providing great help. This must be the spirit and strength of Lepheria Academy. Let’s all do everything we can in our respective positions.”

“Yes!”

“Willingly.”

The three people’s resolve burned firmly.

* * *

The western border of the Empire.

Most of it was the territory of a noble family.

The great noble of the west, Marquisate Saphia.

Although they had made the mistake of suffering a major defeat in the civil war, their contributions were eventually recognized, and their territory was further expanded.

Though, overshadowed by the birth of a new ducal family and the Marquisates Celtrine and Erenbert, it didn’t feel like they had gained a huge advantage.

It was a few days ago that a secret guest had informed the Marquis directly that they would be visiting the Saphia Marquisate.

And not just any guest, but a truly esteemed guest.

Normally, they should have been welcomed grandly, but this time, it was not possible.

Because it was literally a secret.

A pitch-black night.

*Swoooosh!*

Rain was pouring down, and only the sound of rain could be heard in the dark surroundings.

There was no sign of any people around.

At such a time.

*Creak.*

The back door of the Marquis’s private residence opened cautiously.

Soon, a figure in a raincoat entered the Marquis’s private residence.

*Thump.*

The door soon closed again, and the surroundings were submerged in the sound of the dark rain.

* * *

“Why such a sudden visit…”

Marquis Saphia said, bowing politely.

The other person deserved it.

Because she was the one and only Empress in this Empire.

“Hehe, I informed you, didn’t I? A secret visit.”

Empress Oscar smiled.

“Even so, it’s too sudden…”

“Shh.”

The Empress suddenly put a finger to her lips.

The surprised Marquis Saphia quickly closed his mouth.

“It’s an important matter. A very important matter.”

“A-An important matter, you say?”

“It’s a secret.”

“A-A secret?”

“Yes, a secret.”

The Empress smiled sweetly.

With her saying so much, Marquis Saphia dared not pry further.

“…Understood, Your Majesty.”

Marquis Saphia, who knew when to wisely retreat.

The Empress casually said to such a Marquis.

“Ah, however, there is something I need your cooperation for.”

“Cooperation? Just give the order…”

“Come on, let’s not use such stiff words between you and me, Marquis.”

The Empress was still difficult to deal with.

He had no choice but to be careful on his own.

The Marquis answered vaguely.

“P-Please speak…”

“Hmm, for the next fifteen days. Ah, or maybe a little longer than that.”

The Empress continued, her eyes thoughtful.

“Anyway, please keep my visit here a top secret with the utmost security during that time.”

“I will do so with all my strength, Your Majesty.”

It was something he had already expected.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have informed him of a secret visit in the first place.

But that was as far as his expectations went.

“Good. I’ll be leaving soon.”

“Pardon?”

Marquis Saphia’s surprised eyes widened.

Leaving? What did that mean?

If she was leaving soon, was there any reason to visit so secretly in the first place?

He didn’t understand at all.

“L-Leaving, what do you mean by that…?”

“Hehe, I can’t tell you that. Because it’s a secret.”

“…”

“However, as I said before, it’s an important matter. A very important matter.”

“I-Is that so.”

“I’ll be leaving at dawn. Please make some preparations.”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty?”

Marquis Saphia was horrified.

Coming in the middle of the night and leaving at dawn? What on earth did that mean?

His mind was only getting more confused.

“P-Preparations, what kind of preparations?”

The Empress, her eyes sparkling like stars, brought her mouth close to the Marquis’s ear.

The Marquis flinched.

The Empress’s lips whispered.

“Please secretly open the border.”

“B-Bor… Mmph.”

The Marquis’s mouth, which was about to let out a surprised sound, was covered.

Because he had a feeling what the Empress was trying to do now.

Secretly leaving the Empire to do something…

“Hehe, there’s no need to shout, is there?”

“…”

The Marquis blinked his wide eyes.

Only then did the Empress remove her hand that had been covering his mouth.

“Then I’ll get some sleep. I trust your resourcefulness, Marquis. That’s why I’m asking for your cooperation like this.”

“I-I will do my best.”

The Marquis answered in a nervous voice.

Because his experienced aristocratic intuition told him that if he didn’t handle this matter properly, he would fall out of favor with the Empress, whom he had just managed to get on good terms with.

“T-Then, right away.”

“Yes, please.”

The Marquis hurried out.

And at dawn that day.

A packhorse carriage left the Marquis’s private residence and galloped towards the border.

* * *

An organization trying to drive the world to ruin.

Those trying to stop it.

Their respective preparations.

Time continued to flow, and the situation was soon imminent.