episode_0092

000

The warm sunlight pours out as the sun slowly rises above the horizon.

The temperature is still low, it’s early morning, just when it’s starting to warm up.

Dewdrops on the leaves fall to the ground, moistening the soil.

The shadows of the roadside trees gradually lengthen, beginning to divide the boundary between light and darkness.

Cleon runs with light steps through the streets of a residential area at a time when many are still asleep.

And, alongside him, Sasha keeps pace with Cleon, moving forward and forward.

It was a pace that Cleon found leisurely, but Sasha wipes the beads of sweat forming on her forehead with one hand.

Her sunset-colored hair, tied in a ponytail, swayed with each step she took.

Of course, she wouldn’t be this tired or sweaty just from running.

The close-quarters combat training she conducts with Cleon in the open space within the jogging course was the source of her slight fatigue.

It was shortly after coming to the Academy that she told Cleon she wanted to receive instruction in close combat.

Thanks to the changes brought about by the Hunter’s Mark, Sasha, who was now capable of more animalistic, agile movements than before, was able to win thanks to the dagger she wielded with the determination to throw herself into a showdown with her own kind.

The hunter’s primary weapon is usually a ranged weapon such as a bow or crossbow, but there are many cases where close combat is forced in dungeons with narrow terrain.

Therefore, Cleon also actively supported Sasha’s desire to learn something new, and was teaching her the close combat skills using a dagger that he knew.

What is used in training is a wooden dagger, a light object that ends up at a level of just being a bit painful when swung and struck.

However, the one hanging at Sasha’s waist was broken in the middle, with the top part of the blade missing.

Cleon had accidentally broken it during training due to misjudging his strength.

Cleon wasn’t planning on holding back, and Sasha, likewise, comes at Cleon with all her might, even though it’s just training.

That much shows how great her desire to become stronger is.

Seeing her desperately trying to find an opening against Cleon, who is taller by two or three heads, he unknowingly put a little too much strength into parrying.

“Sorry. Sasha, I’ll get another dagger ready.”

Cleon quietly tells her.

Of course, the dagger itself was nothing special, and it was something that could easily be obtained from the Academy’s junk shop.

However, he was reminded of how visibly happy she was when she received this dagger that he had prepared.

“Ah… Hehe. It’s okay. Mr. Cleon. It’s a training dagger, so it can’t be helped if it breaks.”

But Sasha answers with an awkward smile, as if to say it’s okay.

Sasha herself seemed to feel sorry for Cleon feeling sorry for her.

The animal ears, like those of a feline, sticking out above her head twitched.

Perhaps these animal ears and the tail on her waist are an unexpected side effect.

It meant that her emotions were visible to some extent through these things, even if she didn’t say anything.

Sasha is aware of this fact, so she usually tries to keep her tail and ears as still as possible.

At least, she shows herself as she is in front of her family-like companions, including Cleon.

After that, trivial topics that aren’t worth mentioning. Questions about life at the Academy, what she had learned in class, etc.

Sasha was born in a mountain tribe and has spent almost her entire life as a hunter, but she seems to be enjoying the special time that is school life.

Cleon smiles as if relieved.

The jog, which felt both long and short, comes to an end, and the two slowly enter the mansion, where Quon is preparing breakfast and Lyla is rubbing her eyes while drinking tea on the sofa.

“Ah. Something came in the mailbox.”

Sasha doesn’t forget to check the mailbox, where letters are delivered, and takes out the letter envelope that had arrived inside.

A wax seal using an unfamiliar runic script was affixed to the pure white letter envelope.

Neither the sender’s name nor the recipient’s name was written, but this type of letter usually came to Lyla, the owner of this mansion.

Cleon takes the letter envelope from Sasha and enters the mansion, heading straight to the living room.

Then, as expected, he saw Lyla leaning against the back of the bed, fighting the desire for sleep while making undead monster noises like “Ughhh…”

“What were you doing again yesterday that made you sleep so late?”

Lyla, hearing Cleon’s voice from behind, opens her closed eyes. Her face is still facing upwards, and Cleon’s hand appears from outside her field of vision and moves inward.

“Ah… Cleon, Sasha. Good morning. I had an equation come to mind right before going to bed, so I was trying to prove it…”

Lyla, receiving the envelope held in Cleon’s hand, rubs her eyes with one hand while examining the text.

“Shouldn’t you build up your stamina too? Want to go out with us in the morning?”

“You’re also doing close combat training…? Besides, flight magic is convenient when moving around.”

Cleon gives a wry smile at the lazy Lyla’s answer.

But Sasha clenches her fist and speaks, as if imagining the sight of her engaging in close combat.

“It would be cool if Lyla could fight with a staff!”

“Ah… There are definitely wizards who swing their staffs and fight directly.”

Lyla squints as if recalling something, then tears open the seal of the letter and checks the contents.

Her expression was still sleepy, but her eyes moved quickly, reading the entire contents from top to bottom.

The next moment, blue flames erupt from her hand, and the letter burns away.

“…Whoa!?”

Sasha is startled by the sight, but Cleon and Lyla quietly watch the paper turn to ashes.

“A-Are you okay? The letter, it’s burning.”

“It’s okay because I burned it. It was a useless letter.”

Lyla stretches as if she’s finally woken up a bit and gets up from her seat.

She shakes the remaining ashes and burnt letter fragments into the fireplace.

“Ah. I’ll consider going jogging with you. Quon’s cooking is so delicious that I think I should start worrying about my weight soon.”

Lyla shrugs her shoulders and strokes Sasha’s head.

More precisely, she was touching the animal ears on top of her head.

Not to play a prank, but to periodically touch Sasha’s ears and tail, wondering if she could find a clue to solving something by touching them like this.

According to her claims, that is.

Then suddenly, Lyla’s gaze goes down and turns to the broken dagger hanging at Sasha’s waist.

“Oh. This is broken.”

When Cleon answers, Lyla says “Hmm…” and examines the dagger for a moment with interest.

“Then, we need to get a new one?”

“I guess so. You can easily get one if you go to the free market.”

Sasha also nods.

But Lyla looks at the two of them for a moment, then says.

“Wait here for a moment.”

With those words, she goes up the stairs and heads to her room.

Cleon and Sasha look at each other with expressions that show they have no idea what she’s trying to do.

After a while, Lyla comes down holding a long box in her hand.

The case has no special decorations and the magical power felt is not very strong.

“Did you wait?”

Lyla says that and opens the case in front of the two of them.

Inside, there was a dagger of similar length to the ones Sasha used for combat or training, placed on top of what looked like a fluffy cushion.

Above all, the carvings and decorations engraved on it were so flashy that it looked more like a decorative, ornamental dagger rather than a combat dagger.

“Use this.”

Lyla says with a smile, but Cleon’s face hardens for a moment as he answers.

“This is a real sword, isn’t it?”

The handle is gold, with decorations like butterfly wings attached, and the body is made of silver metal, making it sharp enough to harm people.

Then, Lyla smiles as if Cleon’s reaction was as expected and says.

“Hehe. It looks that way, but it’s not actually. This is a magic tool.”

“A magic tool?”

Lyla nods at Sasha’s question, then takes the dagger out of the case.

Then, she strikes it with all her might towards her other arm.

“L-Lyla!”

Sasha’s expression becomes one of almost screaming as she watches the scene.

But Lyla’s arm wasn’t injured at all, and the sword stopped as it hit her arm.

“See? It has the shape of a real sword, but it’s actually a magic tool developed so that children can play with it without getting hurt. It’s made so that it can never cut people or things. At the same time, the strength is properly metal, so it doesn’t break easily. I don’t you think it’s perfect for training?”

“What kind of object is it…”

Cleon looks at the dagger with a slightly curious expression.

“I was more or less forced to receive it from the magic tool department a while ago. I had helped them with some work. Of course, I received a separate reward. They said it’s the latest popular product…”

“What’s the product name?”

“DX Butterfly Dagger – Titania”

“That’s grandiose.”

Lyla nods as if agreeing with Cleon’s words and hands the dagger to Sasha.

Sasha examines the dagger with sparkling eyes, then presses a small jewel-shaped button attached to the bottom of the handle.

[Butterfly Dagger – Titania! The fairy’s dagger protects the spirit’s forest!]

She flinches in surprise at the voice that suddenly came out of the dagger.

“This is…”

“Apparently, it’s a replica of a dagger that appeared in a famous novel. They said they had recorded some lines from there. Isn’t it useless?”

But Sasha presses the button at the bottom a few times with a curious expression, and a different line comes out each time.

“Well. She seems to like it.”

“Thank you. Ms. Lyla! I’ll use it carefully!”

“Sasha~! Can you help me?”

At that time, Quon’s voice is heard from the kitchen.

Sasha answers energetically and runs towards there.

“… …”

“…In the name of God, I cast this, there is no sin in you.”

When Cleon was silently watching Sasha like that, Lyla suddenly opened her mouth.

It was a phrase that had never been heard anywhere.

“That’s what was written in that letter earlier. The Elder Council sent it to me.”

“Is it some kind of password?”

Lyla nods at Cleon’s words.

As she says that, she floats an illusion made of magic power in the air.

What is visible is a `huge white building`.

“This is the Monad’s Hall. It’s where the 12 Elder Council members reside. There are guardian golems at the entrance to block unauthorized visitors.”

“…Here, the 12 Elders are…”

The de facto rulers of the Academy, the powerful figures most deeply involved in its corruption and darkness.

“It seems they want me to visit them once things are settled. They said they’ll let me in if I say that password just now.”

“…I see. But, why are you telling me that password?”

When Cleon asks Lyla, Lyla sighs and raises her hand to her forehead.

“If something happens to me and Cleon needs to find the Elder Council, then use this password at that time.”

“…What kind of thing. Are you talking about?”

Cleon asks with a slightly hardened expression at Lyla’s meaningful words.

“What kind of thing is what kind of thing. Something wrong with my person. Or if I go missing.”

“That won’t happen.”

“I hope so.”

Lyla says that and wraps her arms around Cleon’s waist and hugs him.

“…I’ll trust Cleon.”

“… …”

It was about two weeks after Cleon’s group of adventurers from Elesia moved to the Academy.

001

“Not only do you ignore our calls, but you also leak secrets to the man you’ve taken a liking to.”

Time returns to the present, inside the Monad’s Hall, where the eyes feel like they’re going to hurt from the intense light.

The 12 Elders were feeling anger, disappointment, and anger towards Lyla and Cleon’s words.

Cleon is still waiting with a relaxed expression for the old men to calm down a bit.

They have grown in power and strength, but their essence is that of intellectuals, just like others in the Academy.

Their habit and custom was to dig into anything they were curious about or had questions about.

Soon, one by one, they become quiet, and Cleon once again feels the gaze of 24 eyes flying towards him.

The voice of an old man who seems to be the representative echoed once again in the space.

“Why have you come to us, the Black Magic Swordsman, when you hate and despise us so much?”

“I want to ask about a certain place. You who have been in the Academy the longest would know.”

At Cleon’s words, the Elders muttered as if thinking about something, and then the old man’s voice echoed once again.

“Why do you think we would answer your question?”

That voice contained an attitude that looked down on Cleon, as well as a feeling that resented him.

If only you weren’t here-

That sentence would be up to the tip of their throats.

Cleon could easily guess that.

“Because my companions and I are the only humans who can face the Black Covenant.”

At Cleon’s answer, the Elders all shut their mouths at once.

`The Black Covenant`.

A week ago, much had changed within Demiourgos’ territory, which had unfolded in this Academy.

However, this Monad’s Hall was a bit different.

The inside of this Monad’s Hall was a completely independent and isolated space, as if it were completely disconnected from the outside.

Strictly speaking, it meant that this place was treated as being `outside` the Academy.

Cleon had heard some explanations from Lyla about this as well, so he knew that these people had not been brainwashed by Demiourgos.

But. If these people went outside the Monad’s Hall, they would all be within the influence of the brainwashing without exception.

Therefore, they were in a position where they had no choice but to watch with their eyes wide open, maintaining their sanity, as their Academy was being twisted as the Black Covenant wanted.

“Is it Demiourgos’ factor…”

The old man’s voice echoes once again. The other Elders are still silent.

“My companions and I are the only ones who can maintain our original memories and minds from the brainwashing. Who else besides us can stop them?”

“…Arrogant. As expected, the bloodline of the Black Magic clan cannot be helped.”

Silence flows between Cleon and the old man.

A long silence flowed to the point where Cleon felt the illusion that the temperature was gradually rising due to the light being reflected and shining down on his entire body.

Eventually, it was the Elder Council that spoke first.

“What place do you want to know about?”

Cleon raised the corners of his mouth at the old man’s voice.

Then, he tells the Elders what he had received from Aruru.

A black space where no light enters, a place with stone slabs where red, blue, and green lights appear.

The Elders who heard all those words gradually murmured and then began to talk among themselves.

Whether it was because it was beyond the veil or because of such magic, it was impossible to understand what they were talking about from this side.

But. It was conveyed that they were noticeably embarrassed.

“Where did you get that…”

“That’s none of your business. Answer if you know.”

“Tch…Impertinent fellow…”

The old man made a groaning sound at Cleon’s attitude, as if saying to say whatever he wanted, but eventually answered.

“It’s the Catacombs.”

Catacombs – An underground tomb. A term also referred to as the tombs of ancient people, to the point where the public belief that discovering the Catacombs at the Academy = the beginning of innovation in existing technology is established.

There would be countless ancient relics buried with the corpses of ancient people, so it couldn’t be denied even if they received such recognition.

However, Cleon recalls Sophia the Great Sage once saying that such recognition itself is a selfish perspective of modern people.

“There are Catacombs under the Academy.”

“To be precise, the Academy is on top of the Catacombs.”

From there, the old man from the Elder Council tells Cleon about the Academy’s Catacombs.

Originally, the Academy was an academic institution established by 12 scholars to protect the ownership of the Catacombs and ancient relics discovered underground in this area.

From the kingdom and empire that had stretched their borders to near this land at the time.

It was said that it was fleshed out and became a huge academy city like it is now.

In particular, the place where those `three stone slabs` are located is a place called the Cursed Room.

The reason for this is that 3 of the 12 scholars lost their lives to a mysterious force after entering the place.

He tells Cleon that it is now closed.

“The Black Covenant is in that place…. What is the exact location of the Cursed Room?”

“… … Before that, answer one of our questions.”

The old man from the Elder Council asks him a question at Cleon’s urging.

“Can you win? Against the Black Covenant. Of course, I fully understood that only you guys can face the Black Covenant. It’s frustrating, but.”

In a way, it was a natural question.

No matter how much Cleon is immune to brainwashing due to Demiourgos’ factor, the power of the Black Covenant is unknown, and Reil is a strong enough existence.

If even Cleon and the others were to be defeated, all of the factors would be taken away by them, and a perfect world alteration would occur.

Cleon is silent for a moment and then answers the old man from the Elder Council.

“Of course I can win. We won’t lose to a guy who couldn’t change reality and turned reality itself into his own garden. We’ve already defeated someone who was trying to change the world and was an amazing guy.”

“…The World Tree’s Spirit?”

Of course, Lyla’s performance was there, and many special conditions overlapped.

But, Cleon is confident.

He already knew what kind of heart Reil had made this world with.

That’s why he could be sure that he wouldn’t lose to him.

The old man and Cleon’s eyes meet beyond the veil.

After a moment of silence, the old man opens his mouth and tells Cleon about the location of the `Cursed Room of the Catacombs`.

-Once again, silence flowed.

“Tch… Hahaha, Keuhahaha!!”

And, Cleon, who heard the answer, couldn’t hold back his laughter and raised his voice.

002

“Ugh… To think I’d forget my supplies…”

Lyla’s mansion, empty in the middle of the day.

Innis should be accompanying Lyla to the magic department’s class right now, following her instructions.

Sasha had left the supplies she needed for the practical training time during the class at the mansion, so she had hurriedly returned home to pack them.

While rummaging through the box where she puts her equipment in her room, she finds a case with no special decoration.

“Oh… This?”

Sasha forgets that she has to hurry and opens the box, taking out the object inside.

It was a dagger with a flashy decoration.