Chapter 71

Chapter 71

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 71: Celestine Incident- Bay No. 3 (1).

“Huh.”

Enabet, groggy from just waking up, raised her head and scanned her surroundings. One detail immediately caught her eye:

Celestine Bay No. 3

This was odd. She was supposed to be on a mission in Bay No. 1 and had no memory of walking over to this location.

Her thoughts raced back, trying to piece together her last clear memories when a sudden realization struck her.

“That’s right, the student!”

Her instincts screamed that Aidel was in danger. No, it was more than that—everyone in the vicinity was at risk.

Without hesitation, Enabet rushed to the deck of Bay No. 3. She grabbed the nearest inspectors. She declared a wartime situation, explaining that an incarnate had appeared and that they needed to mobilize the entire army into combat readiness immediately.

The reactions she received, however, were tepid at best.

“Why are you here, senior?”

“Weren’t you assigned to Bay No. 1?”

“Transforming because of an incarnate, that’s a scary thought.”

It was only then that Enabet took a proper look around Bay No. 3. Students were deeply engrossed in their practical exams, closely monitored by S-grade inspectors and their teachers. Teacher Karlin, scratching his head in confusion, walked over to Enabet.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, it’s…”

Enabet faltered. There was no point in discussing potential dangers in a bay where nothing seemed amiss.

Yet, she felt compelled to act. Her first priority was to check on Aidel, whom she had last seen in the lobby. She made a beeline for the elevator.

Then, suddenly, a loud thud.

Enabet accidentally bumped shoulders with a student who had striking white hair.

“Oh, I’m sor—”

The student let out a heavy sigh.

“Can’t you watch where you’re going? Are you blind or something?”

“Excuse me?”

The tone was icy. Enabet stared, taken aback, as the silver-haired girl shot her a fierce glare before stepping onto the elevator. With a soft ding, the doors closed, and it began to ascend.

“What the… who was that…?”

Her mood soured, but Enabet shook it off, deciding it was just an unfortunate encounter. Right now, her main concern was getting to the lobby.

“Oh my, why are you coming out from there?”

Upon reaching the lobby, she was greeted by her superior, Captain Isaac Clark, his lieutenant Kizel, and several EX-grade inspectors. Among them was Aidel von Reinhardt, whom Enabet had been assigned to escort. Aidel caught her eye and waved.

Enabet exhaled a sigh of relief.

Enabet, a recent addition to Isaac’s team, was briefed on the situation across the various bays. Bay 1 and Bay 2 had encountered incarnates but had successfully cleared them. The status of Bay 4, however, remained a mystery, with both its information and location unknown. Bay 3’s location was clear, but communications had been severed, leaving its current situation uncertain.

Since Enabet had recently come from Bay 3, she volunteered to lead the way.

“Alright, let’s form a team. Enabet, Kizel, and our other top members, we’ll create three squads consisting solely of EX-grade personnel and head to Bay 3,” Isaac instructed. “The remaining five squads will stay here to protect the two students and keep trying to establish contact with Bay 4. Any updates on its location must be reported immediately via radio.”

Before departing with Isaac, Enabet glanced at the blonde girl lying next to Aidel. Her lips were parched, a sign she had depleted all her ether, and she was now asleep.

As they prepared to leave, Isaac turned to Aidel.

“Aidel, will you be coming with us as well?” he asked.

Right after Enabet joined the group, Isaac cast a meaningful glance at Aidel.

The Sagittarius Constellation is trembling in fear.

This unsettling message appeared every time Isaac got close to Aidel.

It had happened too frequently to dismiss as mere coincidence. Isaac had instructed Aidel in swordsmanship on numerous occasions, and each time, his constellations reacted violently.

“…Captain,” Kizel whispered, breaking the silence.

“I think it would be wise to bring Aidel to the third bay. I observed him earlier; his sword handling has many peculiarities. And, also…”

“Also, what?”

“I have a bad feeling.”

Isaac paused, considering Kizel’s words carefully.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s a long shot. But could Aidel be a possessed or a reincarnated entity?”

Isaac was taken aback. Kizel, too, was influenced by the minor constellations of Sagittarius, which might explain their shared intuition.

“Of course, I hope he’s just a regular student. Ideally, nothing is amiss. But as the saying goes, it’s wise to check even a stone bridge twice.”

Prompted by Kizel’s advice, Isaac decided to reconsider his initial plan to leave Aidel behind. If Aidel expressed a desire to go, Isaac resolved to allow him freedom while ensuring his safety.

“Yes, let’s proceed with that approach.”

Surprisingly, Aidel agreed to go.

The testing protocol at Celestine Bay No. 3 required students to navigate through the building, taking exams on various floors. Zelnya’s assigned route was convoluted: starting at floor 1, then moving to 4, 2, 8, 5, and 7, before tackling floors 3, 6, 9, and finally, the 10th.

“What a terribly organized test,” Zelnya muttered. The inefficiency of moving back and forth across floors was baffling. She couldn’t fathom who would devise such a frustrating system.

With a resigned sigh, Zelnya pressed the button for the 10th floor.

Prick.

“Ouch!” she exclaimed, pulling her hand back. She opened her palm, examining her index finger closely. Two small puncture marks resembling a snake bite marred her skin.

“What the…?” she murmured, puzzled and slightly alarmed.

Distracted by her finger, Zelnya barely noticed the elevator arriving at its destination. As the doors slid open, she looked up to confirm her floor.

11th floor

“What the…?”

She had been certain that this elevator only serviced up to the 10th floor—the buttons inside confirmed it. But now.. 11th floor?

As the doors slid open, she peered into the dimly lit space that stretched endlessly beyond. It resembled a black hole. Stepping out seemed like it might swallow her whole, with no promise of return. A chilling breeze wafted from the dark expanse, brushing against her face.

‘This must be another test,’ she concluded, steeling her nerves. Perhaps it was designed to measure her bravery or resolve. Confident in her ability to excel at any challenge, Zelnya stepped out of the elevator with a determined stride.

Suddenly, the elevator doors slammed shut with a resounding bang, plunging her into darkness. Zelnya’s heart skipped a beat, her earlier confidence momentarily shaken.

“You actually came in, hu hu hu.”

Then, with a series of soft taps, the lights flickered on, revealing something—or someone—emerging from the shadows.

It was a colossal snake, coiled and imposing, its scales shimmering like molten gold. The tongue flicked out, a stark dark red against the metallic sheen, and its eyes were narrow slits, cross-shaped and piercing. Triangular horns, reminiscent of a desert viper, adorned its head.

The joints of the creature gleamed as if crafted from metal.

‘Quite detailed for a model.’ Zelnya chuckled

The snake spoke.

“My name is Mayrem. A being without even a constellation can see me, an interesting girl you are. I will show you the minimum respect. Originally, I intended to devour you immediately, but I’ve changed my mind. You shall become my toy.”

The creature named Mayrem flicked its tongue again and let out a chilling laugh.

Zelnya considered the possibility that her task was to defeat this snake. Despite the surreal nature of the situation, she maintained a positive outlook. She reached for her sword, preparing to adopt a fighting stance… she attempted to, at least.

“Ah…!”

She found herself unable to exert any strength in her right hand.

“W-what’s happening?”

As she regained awareness, she noticed her wrist swelling, the skin shifting from its usual pale tone to a sickly green.

“Hehehe! You can’t move, can you? I’ve applied a special poison to the elevator button. This isn’t just any toxin, it’s designed to slowly degrade your nervous system and transform the hemoglobin in your blood into a chalcogenide compound. But don’t worry. Defeat me within 30 minutes, and the curse will be lifted. Whether you can, however, is entirely up to you.”

The poison was creeping from her right index finger, spreading its venomous influence. Zelnya’s medical training kicked in. If the toxin advanced to her forearm, death would be imminent.

“This is the worst.”

This scenario was no mere game or trial; it was likely a calculated assassination attempt orchestrated by someone from a collateral branch of her family, targeting her, the direct heir of Adelwein.

Outer Gods. Sword. Ether barrier. Celestine bay. Her mind raced, piecing together the clues to identify the figure before her.

‘Incarnation. An incarnate.’

There was no doubt about it.

Zelnya hurriedly untied her scarf and pressed it against her right arm to staunch the bleeding. Then, she adopted a fighting stance, wielding her rapier with her left hand.

“Do you think that method will work?”

“Don’t you dare mock the master of all creatures, you lowly reptile. I am the legitimate daughter of the Adelwein House, the first family of the Raniakae Federation. You will regret facing me today.”

Zelnya stretched her neck, a sly smile playing on her lips. Around her neck, strange patterns painted in jade and black stood out starkly. Mayrem, observing these markings, laughed helplessly.

“No way, did you make a pact with a fake constellation? Yeah, yeah. The physical structure would be the same anyway! After all, you could consider a planet turned into plasma a star!”

“Our family has always been researching to create the strongest constellation. And this is the result.”

The Adelwein family was driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence in every endeavor. One such initiative was the ‘Soulless Constellation’ project. It was envisioned by their ancestors as a star-like entity, a vending machine dispensing infinite coins, yet devoid of a soul.

The research had met with partial success.

However, the challenge of embedding an artificial constellation proved formidable, and many unadapted children succumbed early in life.

‘And among the main bloodlines, I was the only survivor.’

Zelnya activated the constellation corresponding to her left tattoo. A drop of crimson blood trickled from her mouth.

“What is this? Is there a penalty?”

Mayrem sneered in response. As she had mentioned, Zelnya’s artificial constellation strained her body from the moment it was activated.

Yet, there was no other way to overcome the incarnate form.

Zelnya then activated the constellation mark on the right side of her neck. Instantly, her ears felt muffled, and her left eye turned bloodshot as if she had been struck by a hammer, leaving her dizzy.

Despite the pain, Zelnya knew she needed to end the fight quickly.

EX-grade conversion:

EX-grade conversion:

With no hesitation, Zelnya charged forward.