novelraw Chapter 465: Episode 465
Chapter 465: Episode 465
Langerstine, the capital of the Dresden Kingdom, was a sprawling metropolis of massive brick buildings and labyrinthine alleys that coiled around a central plaza. Simon, who had just been in the middle of preparing for the entrance ceremony, now found himself standing here, having arrived via a teleportation circle.
"I never expected to come here like this."
It had all started with Professor Jane’s command back in the auditorium.
"Due to several recent issues, the school is short on professors. Therefore, I need you, as the Student Council President, to go to Langerstine and personally escort the new students to Roc Island."
Simon had been stunned, but Jane’s tone had been perfectly calm.
"Normally, a professor handles the escort, but given the circumstances, I’m entrusting this to you. As a second-year, you’ve ridden the Netherwhale a few times, haven’t you? The details will be explained on-site."
There were four other ways to get to Roc Island, and Dick had been assigned to escort the group arriving by giant monster eagles. Meirin and Kamibarez would remain at Kizen to finalize the ceremony preparations. And so, Simon had been teleported to Langerstine.
’This feels strange.’ It felt like only yesterday he had received his acceptance letter in Leshill and boarded the ship, his stomach churning with nerves. Now, he was the one escorting the new students. The reversal of roles was surreal.
’Alright, let’s do this!’ Fired up, Simon began to walk.
As he followed the coastline, the vast sea crashing beside him, a familiar pier came into view. A large ship was docked, and workers bustled about, making repairs and loading cargo.
"Bring that crate over here!"
"Careful with those bottles!"
Simon navigated through the noisy, crowded dock. A few subordinates, who had been slacking off and smoking cigars, saw the student council armband on his arm and scrambled to their feet. They snapped to attention and bowed their heads respectfully. Simon returned their greeting with a polite nod.
As he passed, he heard them whispering.
"That’s the kid, right? The new Student Council President."
"Yeah. Seems polite enough."
"It’s his first day. He’s just trying to make a good impression. Give it a week, tops."
The subordinates returned to their work. Just then, a man in a Kizen uniform hurried down the ship’s gangplank.
"Ah, Mr. President! You’ve arrived!"
He was a staff member from Kizen’s headquarters. They shook hands, smiling.
"We received the school’s message and have been waiting. I look forward to working with you tomorrow."
"Likewise. What can I do to help?"
Simon asked eagerly, rolling up his sleeves, but the staff member shook his head.
"The repairs are for the technicians, and the cleaning and other chores are nearly done. As the student escort, you just need to be here by 5 AM tomorrow."
Simon blinked. He had expected to be swamped with work. Was it already finished?
"Until then, you’re free."
The man handed him a card. The Kizen seal was on the front, with a blank space for writing on the back.
"We’ll cover your lodging and meals. Go anywhere in Langerstine, show them this card, and they’ll bill us. Just bring it back to me tomorrow."
"Ah, thank you."
Simon took it, looking bewildered.
"B-But is that really all?"
"Yes! That’s it. Get some rest and enjoy your free time," the staffer said with a smile. "Because starting tomorrow, things are going to get incredibly busy."
---
And just like that, Simon was granted an unexpected vacation.
"Ahhh."
Simon stretched as he strolled down the street.
’I was supposed to meet Lady Nephthys this evening, but plans have changed.’ Since the order had come from Vice Headmaster Jane, he was sure Nephthys had been informed. As Student Council President, he would have other opportunities to meet with her. More importantly, he considered it a stroke of luck to be in Langerstine before the semester truly began.
’I can buy all my Summoning textbooks and materials here!’ Rochest, the student city on Roc Island, was notoriously expensive. Buying supplies here on the mainland would save him a considerable amount of money. He wished he could contact Toto and buy his things as well, but his friend had probably already gone out to purchase them himself.
Putting the thought aside, Simon turned into a familiar alleyway.
’Getting to Campbell Road is easy now.’ As long as he paid attention to the street signs and building addresses, he wouldn’t get lost. As he meandered through the winding streets, he came upon a place that sparked a memory. It was where he had first arrived in the big city after leaving Leshill, where he’d been tricked by a gang member posing as a guide, and where Lorraine had come to his aid.
’Brings back memories.’ A faint smile touched his lips. ’The guy who tried to scam me back then was definitely...’
"I was so worried, sir! It’s really dangerous for an outsider to wander around Langerstine without a guide."
Simon stopped dead in his tracks.
’What did he just say?’
"The city is crawling with rats trying to fleece naive travelers! Just trust me, and I’ll lead the way."
"Haha, of course! I’m in your hands, guide!"
That sales pitch was painfully familiar. Simon moved quickly, ducking into the shadows between two buildings and peering around the corner. A man claiming to be a guide was chattering away to a naive-looking, red-haired boy who was grinning from ear to ear.
’Wait! What is he doing here?’ He knew he recognized him. It was Arthur, the Mercenary King he’d met on the Parona Peninsula.
"Hahahaha!"
Arthur was laughing without a care in the world, completely oblivious.
’He’s clearly being scammed.’ Just as Simon was debating when to intervene, the guide stopped walking, his friendly demeanor vanishing. Arthur stopped behind him.
"Oh, are we here? My companions are..."
"I don’t know about your companions."
’SNAP!’
The guide snapped his fingers, and armed men emerged from the surrounding alleyways.
"But my companions are right here."
’Just as I thought.’ Simon sighed.
"Hey, that’s the signal. You coming out?"
Another gang member was hiding in the same alley as Simon. Seeing his dark robe, he must have mistaken him for one of their own.
"I’m coming," Simon replied casually as he stepped out.
The man never knew what hit him. He collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth. Simon dusted off his hands and moved closer. The lead guide had drawn a dagger and was speaking triumphantly.
"Alright, you’ve probably figured out the situation. Come with us quietly, and you won’t get hurt."
"Okay!"
Arthur nodded enthusiastically.
’Huh?’ The unexpected response threw the guide off. ’Did he misunderstand?’ he wondered, then tried again.
"Ahem! If you come quietly, you won’t get—"
"Haha! Of course! That’s why I came with you, so I wouldn’t get hurt. Lead the way! Oh! Hello, guide’s companions! My name is Arthur!"
Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
’Some people never change.’ Simon leaned against the building, a wry smile on his face.
"Well... fine! If you’re coming along, that saves us the trouble of bloodshed. Good."
It seemed they had decided to just play along.
"First, that thing on your back. It’s a sword, right? Put it down."
"Huh?"
Arthur blinked his innocent eyes.
"Why?"
"Are you messing with me, you crazy bastard?! A captive puts down his weapon, that’s why! What do you mean, ‘why’?!"
Arthur’s gaze swept over the armed men surrounding him, the guide’s sudden hostility, and the demand to disarm.
"No way."
His mouth fell open.
"If I put down my weapon, you’re going to hurt me... You people! You were bad guys all along!"
"You crazy son of a bitch! You’re just figuring that out now?!" the guide’s face flushed with rage. "Forget it! Get him!"
The men surged forward, weapons raised. Arthur’s expression hardened as he reached for the sword on his back.
"And I thought you were my friend."
The red cloth wrapped around his sword billowed away on the wind.
"My first friend in the Dresden Kingdom. I swore I would treasure you!"
"What the hell are you babbling about, you psycho—!"
In a flash of motion, the lead attacker’s face caved in like a tin can. He was sent flying into a nearby stone wall, which crumbled on impact. A cloud of dust and debris filled the air.
"What the—?!"
The men’s eyes bulged.
Arthur lifted his head, his shoulders trembling with a fury that blazed in his eyes.
"You trampled on my heart!"
His voice boomed with such power that the gangsters flinched.
"Don’t be scared! All of you, at once!" their leader shouted.
Weapons swung from all sides, but Arthur moved with nimble footwork, dodging and weaving through the attacks. He slammed the pommel of his sword into the back of one man’s head, driving his face into the stone tiles with a sickening thud. A swift kick sent another man doubling over. The heavy scabbard of his sword shattered the nose of a man lunging with a spear from behind.
"I will never forgive you!"
"Wh-What is this kid?!"
’Thwack! Crack! Snap!’ Everywhere the enraged Arthur moved, men fell, spurting blood, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles.
"Surround him! Box him in!" the boss yelled. "Don’t give him any space—hup!"
He choked on his words as he slammed into something.
"Ugh!"
Out of nowhere, jet-black bones had erupted, binding his body and pinning him against the wall.
"W-What is this?" he exclaimed.
’THUD! THUD! THUD!’
Three more gang members were slammed against the wall beside him, their arms and legs immobilized in the same bony restraints.
"Gah!"
"Get this off me! I can’t move!"
A boy in a black robe was walking calmly through the chaos beside the frantically fighting Arthur. His fingers danced through the air with an easy rhythm.
With every flick of his wrist, more bones shot out, pinning men to the walls. Arthur finally noticed him.
"Who are..."
A man trying to sneak up behind Arthur was struck in the back of the head by a bone and collapsed. Arthur spun around in surprise as the robed boy offered a bright smile.
"Be careful, Arthur."
The voice was familiar, but Arthur had no time to ask questions as he was forced to swing his sword again.
"That bastard! He’s a necromancer!" one of the gangsters yelled, charging at the robed boy. "Forget the idiot, get this one first!"
The boy grinned and wiggled his fingers.
’Swoosh—’
Shards of bone broke away from the restraints holding the gangsters and shot toward the boy like arrows. They assembled in mid-air—a torso, limbs, a skull—’clicking’ into place to form a complete skeleton.
"A-An undead?!"
The skeleton landed and swung its sword.
’CLANG!’
Steel met steel as the skeleton and the gangster locked blades, their strength evenly matched.
’Amazing! That’s the most precise skeleton control I’ve ever seen!’
"Kuaaargh!"
The gangster shoved the skeleton’s blade aside and swung his own in a wide, horizontal arc.
The skeleton’s torso separated from its legs.
"Heh!" a gang member sneered, but the bone fragments of the skeleton he thought he had bisected flew through the air and began to latch onto the man’s body.
’Bone Armor.’
In an instant, the man’s entire body was encased in bone.
"Aaargh!" he screamed, unable to control his own movements.
He dropped his sword and fumbled for a nearby hammer.
"St-Stooooop!"
With a sickening crack, he smashed himself in the face and collapsed.
"Surround the necromancer!" another shouted.
The remaining gang members swarmed the robed boy.
"Did you know?" the boy asked.
As his fingers danced, the piles of trash scattered throughout the alley stirred as if alive. More bone fragments tore through discarded wrappers and bags, rising into the air before clicking together. Bones of different sizes and types creaked as they formed skeletal shapes.
"The building up ahead is a bone repository."
’Clack!’
The moment they were complete, the skeletons snatched up weapons from the ground and charged the gang members.
’Whoa,’ Arthur thought, forgetting to even swing his sword. He was captivated by the unknown boy’s control over the skeletons. It was beautiful. They were only skeletons, the most basic of summons, but the skill with which he handled them was nothing short of art. His control was precise, his tactical coordination masterful.
’Thud.’
’Thump!’
One by one, the gang members fell. The boy turned his head.
"Just two left now," he said, his gaze fixed on the two men cowering at the back.
They flinched, then turned and fled.
The boy who commanded the undead kicked off the ground and shot after them himself. He passed them in a blur, his hands crossed.
’Thump!’
’Thump!’
Their bodies collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.
Arthur approached, his expression one of shock.
"D-Did you kill them?"
"No."
The boy smiled as he looked back at Arthur.
"Just put them to sleep."
It was true. In the middle of the chaos, the two men were suddenly snoring loudly. The boy used fallen bone fragments to pin them to the wall. Now, all of Arthur’s attackers were either lying on the ground or pinned by bone, screaming in terror.
"Thank you for your help!" Arthur bowed his head deeply.
"M-May I ask who you are...?"
The boy grabbed the edge of his hood and threw it back. Dark hair fell into view as Simon finally revealed his face.
"Have you been well, Arthur?"