episode_0016

“Haha, what a coincidence. I never expected to be right next to you. Ah, thinking about it, is it alright if I speak informally?” “Uh… uhh? Ah… yes… it’s fine…” “Nice to meet you, I’m Ropel Teufel, from a humble noble family in the frontier. And you? “I… I’m Eligio Gremlina… please take care of me…” “The Gremlina family, you say? Wow… you were a more distinguished person than I thought…” “Ha… hahaha… yes… that’s right…” Eligio Gremlina replied hesitantly. Coincidentally, Ropel Teufel’s seat was right next to Eligio Gremlina’s. The seats of the two young man and woman were near the very center of the seating area, far from the corners. “…Are you okay? You’ve looked pale since earlier.” “Ah… no… it’s nothing… I just feel a little uncomfortable in a place like this…” Perhaps because she was in a place full of strangers, Eligio was feeling dizzy in the current situation. Then, suddenly, she noticed a strange warmth on her hand. Turning her head, she could see Ropel gently holding her hand. “I saw a place that looked like the infirmary on the way here… You were also hit by a pile of luggage being moved earlier, and if you have a headache now, should I go with you?” “Ah…! No, thinking about it now… I… I don’t think it’s that bad…!” Surprised by the sudden physical contact, Eligio, who had been feeling dizzy just moments before, couldn’t help but collect herself. Enough that her hunched back straightened. “That’s a relief then. Ah, I apologize if I seemed too nosy. My eyes kept going towards you without me realizing. Haha.” Ropel gave her a light smile, then soon turned his head and shifted his gaze towards the stage in the great hall. As if the official entrance ceremony was about to begin, several staff members around the stage began to move busily. Even amidst that, Eligio kept glancing at Ropel since earlier. Who is this man? From the looks of it, he doesn’t seem to be from a famous family. Is he acting like this because I’m the young lady of the Gremlina family? With the sudden appearance of the unfamiliar man, Eligio fell into thought. In fact, even before entering the academy, there were many noble youths her age who approached her, the only daughter of the Gremlina family. However, their purpose was not to become friends with Eligio as person to person, but rather to somehow build connections with the Gremlina family. Even when talking together, they were people who looked at her background, not herself. Could this man also belong to that category? She was suspicious of this man who was acting strangely warm towards her. ‘…Right, this man is the same as other people..! He must be a man whose goal is clearly my family…!’ She vowed inwardly that she would never be deceived. Well, those who had approached Eligio before had all eventually fallen away, unable to endure her terribly poor communication skills and her obsession with research that was close to that of a weirdo. So, she thought this man would probably also end up like that soon. As Eligio was thus lost in thought about Ropel, the figure of an old man appeared on the stage of the great hall. The headmaster of Dantelion Academy, Rium Kitocal, revealed himself, stroking his beard, which had been whitened by time. “Students, I sincerely welcome you to our school, to Dantelion Academy.” As the headmaster spoke his first words, a cascade of applause filled with the audience’s respect soon erupted. “Dantelion Academy is an institution with a long history and tradition spanning no less than 100 years. Most of you probably already know. The reason why our academy was established.” As the headmaster made a light gesture similar to conducting, a vision was created with several magicians nearby. “Approximately 200 years ago from now, the world was invaded by beings that crossed over from another dimension, the so-called demons.” The sky split open, and along with the rift that appeared, scenes of hideously formed demons leaping out from there and attacking the people around were shown to everyone on a screen unfolded in the air. The sky turned red, the sea dried up, and the land became desolate. It was a sight where people, regardless of gender or age, fell bleeding, and only the surviving family members left behind wept terribly. “Those demons cruelly destroyed everything we had, everything in our world. In response, several nations joined forces to counter them, but this soon escalated into war, and the war against the demons ended up lasting nearly 100 years.” The headmaster bowed his head deeply and made a gloomy expression, as if he had personally experienced the situation back then. “However, that doesn’t mean the winter of our human history lasted forever. Exactly 100 years from the war, and 100 years ago from today, the demons were defeated. By a hero, a champion, who appeared like a comet.” Then, a vision of a figure emitting brilliant light appeared, fighting off the visions of other demons one by one. “The hero defeated the Demon Lord, the leader of the demons, bringing the war to an end and saving our humanity. But that joy was only momentary. We were soon seized by anxiety. That there was no guarantee that this peace would last forever, and that someday in the future, events close to natural disasters like this would happen again. And so we decided to prepare for that someday. To nurture talents who would prevent all kinds of disasters that would occur in the future.” When the headmaster dispelled the magic, the vivid visions showing the situation soon disappeared. Then he extended a hand towards us and gestured. “Indeed, signs of rifts appearing from other dimensions are once again being seen in the world. And there also exist wicked black magic practitioners who worship demons. The identity of the heroes who will stop them in the future is none other than all of you. You can all be said to be those who have the potential to become heroes someday. Therefore, I will say it again. I sincerely welcome you to our school, heroes of this era!” Soon, all sorts of applause erupted from the audience seats. Just as Headmaster Rium Kitocal descended from the podium to conclude the entrance ceremony, A sudden loud noise was heard, accompanied by an explosion. A massive explosive magic was cast towards the podium where the headmaster had just been standing. In the sudden situation, people’s reactions turned sharply cold. “What is it? Was this kind of performance planned for the rehearsal?” “This…? It doesn’t seem like illusion magic?” As people were confused, soon magic circles with ominous patterns began to glow brightly throughout the great hall of the academy. And those magic circles exploded with the appearance of figures wearing black robes from the floor near the center of the seating area. “Kyaaak!” “Get out of the way!? I’m Alize of the Marquis family!” “Guards! Guards! Damn it..! There was definitely no problem with the barrier magic!” “Help me! Help me!” “Wait, this is… black magic? They’re black magic practitioners! It’s an attack by black magic practitioners!” The bright atmosphere suddenly changed, and screams began to be heard around. With the explosion of the magic circles that had been inscribed beforehand, the great hall building gradually started to collapse. People wearing black robes attacked others using black magic, which is forbidden magic. “Wh… what is happening…!” Eligio Gremlina was also confused. Although she was a genius, it was only in the field of alchemy. Now, this situation was very chaotic and terrifying. All she could do immediately was to run away, no matter the direction. . . . “Haa… haa… Th… they won’t find me here, right…?” She was currently hiding herself under a desk inside an unnamed storage room in the great hall. At first, like others, she ran towards the exit, but soon the black magic practitioners waiting outside were systematically knocking out people who were leaving the building one by one with strange black magic, In the end, she had no choice but to hide herself inside the building. Her habit of always looking for a good corner to burrow into, wherever she went, was helpful this time. “Uuu… as… as expected… leaving home… is… is suffering like a dog…” But that doesn’t mean she can keep hiding. Boom..! Boom…! “Hiek…!” The great hall building periodically vibrates, and dust falls from the ceiling along with cracks. This means that the explosive magic circles inscribed within the building are still remaining and exploding. Continuing to hide like this wouldn’t be a good choice either. But outside the building, black magic practitioners are lined up waiting, And if she keeps hiding inside, she’ll either be discovered by other black magic practitioners roaming inside the building or be crushed to death when the ceiling collapses. It was a state of being trapped from all sides. “I… I wish I had made a potion of invisibility if I knew this would happen…!” She rummages through the things in her pocket and regrets. One high-grade healing potion she made just in case. And wads of cash that are no help in the current situation. That was all she had now. Footsteps… Along with the sound of a long cloth hem dragging on the floor, she felt someone wandering around the storage room. “Huh..! Huff…!” Eligio tightly covered her mouth with both hands, praying that whoever was outside the storage room would pass by. ‘Click’ But unfortunately, that someone entered the storage room. Not only that, but their footsteps got closer and closer to where she was hiding. “…H-hic… Hic… Hiek…!” She felt like crying out of fear. She inwardly cried out unfairly that if she died, it would be the fault of her family who forced her to come to the academy. “Pl… please… please…!” Despite her desperate plea, that someone eventually came right in front of the desk. And then, as they turned the desk over, Eligio could confirm the identity of that person. It was a black magic practitioner wearing a robe. “…….” As soon as the black magic practitioner saw Eligio, they muttered something and formed a sphere containing ominous power at the tip of their staff. “N… no…” Her legs gave out from fear, and she could no longer run away. And so, the purple sphere at the end of the staff gradually approached her. Her eyes squeezed shut. Clang! A thick steel pipe was brought down on the black magic practitioner’s head. Along with the disappearance of the sphere at the end of the magic staff, the black magic practitioner lost consciousness and collapsed. Eligio carefully raised her head at the sudden dull impact sound and checked the identity of the person holding the steel pipe. The face, which was not clearly visible due to the backlighting, gradually became clear. It was Ropel Teufel.