Chapter 48 – The Peaceful Midterm Week (5)

In a quiet village of the Batudis region, where the Phekda Tower is located.

Here, where mist shrouds the landscape year-round and mysterious storms rage every night, it was wise to stay indoors whenever the Tower’s alarm bell sounded.

This region had the highest number of disappearances and unclaimed bodies found across all of Pennheim.

Mareile Baltimore, who was investigating the strange phenomenon known as “Baldur’s Nightmare,” ordered a bourbon whiskey at a small tavern and took her usual seat.

On the bar table across from her, a small crystal ball broadcast the Demon King War.

“Wow, damn it. They lost again? When was the last time those damn Merak Tower bastards even won?”

Her grayish ash hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, was scraggly, and she wore a black leather coat. As she puffed on a cigar and downed her drink, the tavern owner, Haken, wiped a glass and replied.

“Isn’t the Tower Master there famous for it? Not winning a single penny in gambling.”

“Still, there’s got to be a limit to it. If you look closely, the floor seems a bit tilted, too. Are they even playing fair?”

“You didn’t bet on Colfield Canyon, did you?”

“More like Grand Canyon… or not? Well, whatever.”

She turned off the image coming from the crystal ball.

The dimly lit interior, the eerie sound of rain outside, and only a few candles on the table illuminated the lifeless faces of the patrons.

At that moment, a knock was heard at the door.

Creeeeak.

The door opened with a squeak, revealing nothing beyond it. But no one inside seemed to care and continued drinking.

Clicking her tongue softly at the sight, Mareile tore open a letter she had received from the higher-ups that morning.

A blank sheet of paper.

She knew it was time to wrap up this matter.

“Hey, barkeep.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever seen this before?”

Putting out her cigar, she pulled a silver mask from her coat and showed Haken a picture.

A statue of a woman with bizarre horns protruding from her head.

It was the same demon statue that Wiblet, the captain of the Hookslaw Knights, had shown her.

“I can’t say I have… First time seeing it today.”

With blood streaming from his eyes, Haken calmly continued to wipe the cup.

The rain lashed violently against the windows.

“I see. One more thing. How long has this tavern been in operation?”

“Since the year 73 of the Pennheim Calendar, when King Baor III celebrated his coming of age. Been quite a while, haha.”

“Not that long.”

As Mareile flicked her coat, two palm-sized beads rolled out from inside.

The beads, after bumping into a chair leg, quickly grew in size, taking the form of two massive, iron-covered dogs.

“Five years later, the Lavierre front was breached, and this place became a sea of fire.”

“Excuse me?”

<Black Magic: Black Scaled Flame ⌜Napalm Flame⌟>

Black flames erupted inside the tavern. Bottles and dishes shattered, and the high-proof liquor in the glasses caught fire.

Even as the beams of the building twisted with a spine-chilling groan, no screams were heard.

As Haken’s throat was torn by the iron dog, Mareile raised her glass.

“Sorry. I’d like to wait until time runs out, but I have another job.”

“Ugh… gurgle…!”

“But since when has The Reincarnation Duke been blowing all that money…? Damn, what a mess.”

Crack!

The illusion dissipated, leaving only a pile of ashes and the relentless downpour outside.

This was another bizarre occurrence in Batudis, where the past and present seemed to blend together.

Mareile jotted down notes on the back of the paper, summarizing the information she had gathered so far.

[Confirmed that the appearance of the demon statue occurred post-Great War.]

[Uncertain if its purpose is the resurrection of the Demon King, but more statues have been found moving from Edenbury to Batudis.]

[No official response from Phekda Tower.]

[Demon statues will be sent to the Holy Nation for analysis.]

“Let’s see what’s next…”

The 4th Division of the Lavierre 12 Alliance, Counterintelligence Battalion ‘Goliath’, Mareile Baltimore.

Pennheim’s watchdog tasked with intercepting all espionage activities, whether by demons or humans, that threatened the kingdom.

Looking again at the letter with her mask on, she saw the next task she was assigned to.

[Threat Level: Low]

“Farencia Academy, huh?”

[All investigations into the past actions of Liv Labre de Greenwood, a second-year student in the Department of Magic, are to be immediately halted.]

***

With the repairs to the store complete and the traps nearly set, Liv came by.

She couldn’t hide her surprise at the vastly altered appearance of the building.

“What is all this…?”

“Impressive, right? I made it myself.”

“Are you preparing for a siege here…?”

Her gaze was particularly drawn to the spikes on the roof and the thorny fence. I felt a sense of accomplishment seeing someone notice the effort I put into setting these up.

“Oh, be careful near that patch of dirt. There are spikes that pop up.”

“What?”

“And don’t touch the flower beds over there.”

“Why not?”

“I planted carnivorous plants. They only grow near the Demon Realm and can eat a person when fully grown.”

“…”

It took a careful effort, almost like navigating a minefield, for Liv to make her way into the shop.

I asked her about the magic she demonstrated during the last exam.

“About the magic you showed last time.”

“Imaginary Magic?”

“Yes, could you set up a barrier for the shop using that? Something as strong as possible.”

“It’s doable, but…”

She furrowed her brow for a moment and then looked at me.

“Boss. Do we really need to go this far?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it might be harder for students to come here.”

“Hmm…”

I didn’t intend to overdo it just to catch some pests. I just felt uneasy without any safeguards in place when I was away.

I mean, no matter how strong I am, I only have one body. It’s hard to give up on the traps.

“Even if it means fewer customers, it’s more important to protect my valuable things.”

“Valuable… you said there were only old weapons in the basement.”

Those are priceless relics. The Holy Sword and Shield aren’t just artifacts.

They’re a third of the power of a Warrior. If the identities of the artifacts buried under that tombstone were ever revealed, it would cause massive chaos.

“Anyway, please set it up. Better to have it than not.”

“…Alright.”

Liv walked around inside and outside the shop, inspecting the layout.

She considered the building’s height, lighting, and even the wood’s mana conductivity, jotting down notes in her notebook.

Scratch, scratch.

I quietly observed her profile. If Adela had an untarnished innocence, Liv possessed a quiet elegance, an innate quality that seemed to make her a figure who stood back from most worldly matters, calmly observing everything.

Terra always said that such individuals were truly gifted mages.

Her unadorned face, the slender wrists, fingers, neck, and ears without any jewelry.

Though she wore the same neat outfit almost daily, it never got old to look at her.

“…Please don’t stare so much.”

Her slightly pouting expression and lips jutting out a bit as she turned to me with a hint of caution made my scalp tingle occasionally.

Unlike with Adela, I didn’t feel like I could jokingly hug or tug on Liv’s hair.

“Are you done, Baroness?”

“Yes, it should be good now, but…”

She moved a chair closer to me. I could smell a faint, unperfumed scent.

“Boss?”

“Yes? Oh, go ahead. What is it?”

“I think the most suitable defensive magic for this building is a ‘Conceptual Barrier.’”

She explained the magic to me in a way I could understand.

“Since there are already traps set up, it’s essential not to have the structure and magic clash. The Conceptual Barrier is a spell that subtly redirects intruders to unknowingly exit through the same path they entered.”

“Like a maze?”

“Yes, exactly.”

I didn’t fully grasp the theory, but it seemed to use Imaginary Magic to make it harder for external magic to penetrate while preventing entry.

Not a bad idea. At least it wouldn’t shred me with <End of Magic> when I come and go, unlike <Barrier>.

“If you set conditions in advance, you can specify whom the barrier affects. For example, those carrying weapons or groups larger than ten.”

“Hmm, then…”

I asked Liv to set the magic so that it activates under circumstances similar to when the Rochear Knights arrived—when multiple people wearing swords and armor or when someone loiters near the shop for too long.

She fiddled with the magic circle for a moment, then glanced over at me.

“All set, Baroness?”

“…One more thing. Just a moment.”

“?”

When she finally finished setting up the magic, she seemed visibly relieved.

***

After parting ways with Louis, Liv headed to the library with a noticeably lighter step.

It was a good thing she visited the shop. She hadn’t expected to be called just to set up a defensive spell, but it saved her from a bothersome task.

Now, all she had to do was complete and submit her final paper on the history of war. Although the loan request had been denied, she could still start now and not be too late.

However——

“Request denied. You can’t borrow anything from the previously requested list.”

Why?

“W-What’s the reason…?!”

“Who knows? Did you take a position at the Holy Nation or something?”

What nonsense. She’d never even been near Monarch in her life.

Stumbling out of the library, Liv’s steps were heavier than ever.

It was already late evening, and the sun had set. In the calm surroundings, her mind was in turmoil.

What on earth is happening? Did I miss the tuition payment? No, I clearly saw the scholarship cover it.

Or did they change some policy at the royal capital? But it’s strange that only she was restricted from borrowing books that her friends could still access.

Just then, Liv realized how unusually quiet it was.

She had been walking slowly, but when she looked back, the tightly shut library door was in sight.

She tried the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. Moreover, the noisy chatter of students inside was completely gone.

A chill ran down her spine. Could it be…?

‘Conceptual Barrier?’

Growl——

A rough, metallic growl. Startled, Liv instinctively drew her weapon.

Before her stood two massive dogs. And, removing her mask, a woman in a black coat, matching the dogs.

“Liv Labre de Greenwood?”

The woman with ash-gray hair reached into her coat and pulled out her badge.

“Mareile Baltimore of the Counterintelligence Battalion, Goliath.”

A black shield pierced by a broken sword and arrow. The 4th Battalion of the Lavierre 12 Alliance, known to track down and tear apart every rumor and secret beyond the mountains.

“Let’s take a walk.”

The three iron hounds had come for her.