novelraw Chapter 489: Episode 489
Chapter 489: Episode 489
Hongfeng’s stamina training before the weekend was hell. It started with agonizing calisthenics that seemed designed for torture, followed by a run to the mountain peak, an alpine obstacle course, running on all fours under an exhaust curse, and carrying a partner on your back.
"J-Just kill me..." Meirin groaned, currently carrying her partner Simon.
Her legs trembled so violently it was painful to watch. Simon used his Cloud ability to slightly lift his body, lightening her load. Just then, the teaching assistant’s shout echoed across the training ground.
"The one being carried can’t rest either! Figure out a way to help your partner!"
In that regard, Simon was a good partner. Thanks to him, the physically weaker Meirin managed to reach the finish line, huffing and puffing.
"Students who have reached the finish line, switch places! Switch and immediately return to the starting point!"
Simon’s eyes gleamed. The moment his feet touched the ground, he hoisted Meirin onto his shoulder in a flash.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Her vision suddenly flipped upside down, and she let out a shrill scream.
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
Simon ran without delay. Hector was already far ahead, and he had to catch up.
"G-Gently! Hey! Be gentle!" Meirin shrieked, the nape of her neck flushed red as she kicked her legs.
Dick, who was just arriving at the starting point, suddenly asked, "Oh? Be gentle with what?"
"Go die!" she yelled.
By the end of the class, all the students were completely exhausted and sprawled out on the ground. Some were even being carried onto the teleportation circle on stretchers.
"I won," Simon panted, looking over at Hector, who was grinding his teeth in frustration.
"You idiot!" Meirin slapped Simon on the back and turned her head away in a huff.
’Boys are so immature,’ she thought. He was a second-year now, but he hadn’t grown at all in that respect. She wondered when he would ever grow up. Just then, she saw Kamibarez struggling to carry Dick.
"You can do it, Kami!"
It looked like an ant carrying prey larger than its own body. Meanwhile, Dick, ever the schemer, had attached a balloon-like invention to himself to make his body float.
"Success, students Dick and Kamibarez!" the TA called out, checking off their names.
One by one, the students returned to the starting point. Hong Feng smiled brightly and clapped her hands.
"Everyone did a great job! Tomorrow’z the weekend, right? Make zure to ztretch zo your bodiez don’t get zore, and get plenty of rezt!"
---
After the hellish training came the weekend, and even Simon was aching. He wanted to sleep all day from exhaustion, but a Kizen student had no time to laze around. Once the weekend was over, it would be another series of major classes. In particular, the Summoning Materials class, notorious for its immense workload, had already announced a performance evaluation.
Simon spent the morning on assignments and researching the Revolving Skeleton Knight. In the afternoon, he visited Professor Parahan of Defense Against Divinity to see Whitey and Blackey. In the evening, he stopped by Pier’s ruins to spend time with the Ancient Undead and receive lessons on being a legion commander.
A clear metallic clang echoed through Pier’s ruins. Simon and Pier were clashing greatswords. Simon held the ’Greatsword of Ruin’, his right hand encased in Pier’s bone, while Pier wielded an ordinary greatsword with just his left hand.
"How is Carl? Any progress?" Simon asked as Pier kicked off the ground and charged.
[Nothing I’d call a result, but I’ve found the cause!]
The two greatswords clashed, sending sparks flying.
[Carl’s body is only half-intact right now! The other half is still in ’their’ possession!]
"By ’them,’ you mean—"
[That group of madmen who captured and experimented on him.]
Pier’s grip tightened. Simon’s feet scraped against the ground as he was pushed back.
[We must track down those lunatics and retrieve the other half of Carl’s body!]
"If we do that, can he be saved?"
[Of course, boy!] Pier grinned, knocking Simon’s greatsword aside. [That will secure the sixth captain-class Ancient Undead for the legion! If Carl can fulfill his role, the legion’s power will increase significantly! His abilities over disease are essential to us!]
The sixth Ancient Undead! Simon felt his heart flutter with excitement. He wanted to acquire him at all costs, especially for the inevitable battle against Magnus and the Fifth Legion.
The two of them ran side by side through the ruins, exchanging blows.
"I’ve asked Erzebet to infiltrate the Dresden Royal Library and find any relevant materials!" Simon said, ducking under an attack. He planted his left foot so hard it dug into the ground and thrust his greatsword forward. "I hope she finds something!"
’Swoosh—’
It was a sharp thrust, but Pier simply tilted the greatsword in his one hand and effortlessly deflected Simon’s blade.
[Good! For now, focus on your life at Kizen! The opportunity to leave Roc Island... the timing of the next mission evaluation will be the most important thing!]
"I’ll stop by the student council room and ask Dick. Given the timing, it should be soon."
The two greatswords met head-on, kicking up a cloud of dust. The corners of Simon’s mouth lifted.
"I will definitely resurrect Carl with my own hands!"
---
The sweet weekend passed by in a flash, and a new week began. Luckily, he had no classes in the morning, so he slept in for the first time in a while. In the afternoon, a class Simon had been looking forward to was scheduled. His third and final major: ’Summoning Thanatology’.
"Toto! Hurry up!" Simon urged with a boyish grin.
"Ah, I know! I’ll be right out!"
They had lunch at the small cafeteria inside the dorm, then took a golem board to the second-year campus, arriving at the Summoning Department building. Simon was satisfied with the speed, but Toto clutched his stomach, complaining of another ache, and ran to the bathroom.
He entered the classroom right away. Since he was early, there weren’t many students yet.
’A window seat is open.’
It was a prime spot where a cool breeze blew in, so Simon quickly claimed it and took out his textbook.
"Hello?"
A pleasant voice, like a gentle spring breeze, drifted over. It was Lorraine. Her eyes were filled with a warm friendliness.
"Ah, hi, Lorraine."
"Good morning, Simon."
They were past the point of needing to ask, ’Can I sit here?’ Lorraine sat down next to Simon, and he felt a swell of pride, feeling that he had gotten a little closer to her.
"But isn’t it a bit late for ’good morning’? It’s an afternoon class," he ventured, trying a joke.
"You’re right. Good afternoon, then." Thankfully, Lorraine played along, even giving a small smile. "I just woke up, so I lost track of time."
For a moment, Simon pictured the ’future Headmaster of Kizen’ sleeping in late in a princess room with pink wallpaper, wearing character pajamas, before quickly erasing the image.
While he and Lorraine exchanged a few words, the classroom began to fill with students. The constant buzz of voices left no room for silence. Toto, back from the bathroom, sat down in front of Simon.
"The first Summoning Thanatology class. I’m excited," Simon muttered as he wrote his name on the crisp, new textbook.
"Did you see the course outline?" Toto asked, also writing his name in his textbook. "The professors are Lin and Lune. I’ve never heard of them!"
"Lin and Lune? Is that a first and last name?"
"There are ’two’ professors for Summoning Thanatology," Lorraine said.
Simon and Toto’s heads turned toward her at the same time. Lorraine placed a finger on her lips and made a soft ’hmm’ sound.
"They’re sort of like twins, I guess."
Simon’s eyes widened. "You know them?"
"Of course," Lorraine said, closing her eyes. "I’ve known them since I was very young. They even changed my diapers when I was a baby."
’An acquaintance of Lady Nephthys?’
Simon grew more and more curious about who Professors Lin and Lune were. If they knew Lorraine as a baby, he figured they must be in their mid-forties or fifties by now.
’Murmur, murmur!’
Just then, the voices near the entrance grew louder. It wasn’t time for class to start yet. In that case...
"She’s here," Lorraine muttered quietly, her demeanor shifting into a guarded one.
A girl with brilliant ivory hair that seemed to emit a massive halo walked into the classroom: the heir to the Ivory Tower, Serne Aindark. She accepted the greetings of her followers as she passed and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, headed toward Simon.
"Hmm..."
However, the seats around Simon were almost all taken. Simon was by the window, Lorraine was next to him, Toto was in front, and an unknown male student was behind him. The diagonal seat was free, but Serne walked past it, deliberately approaching the male student sitting behind Simon. He seemed completely oblivious, staring blankly out the window.
Lorraine glared at Serne, determined to catch her using her feathers. She would not tolerate Serne taking the seat by threat.
"Excuse me," Serne began.
The male student, belatedly realizing the infamous Serne was standing before him, looked terrified.
"Ah, uh! What... what is it?" A tremor ran through his voice.
Simon imagined a scene where Serne would stomp on the student’s face and sneer, ’Can’t you take a hint? Get lost,’ but...
"I’m so sorry, but..."
It was nothing like that. Her cheeks were flushed, and her moist eyes blinked.
"I’d really like to sit in that seat. Would you possibly be willing to give it up for me?" she asked in the sweetest way possible, then smiled shyly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
The male student’s face turned visibly red.
"O-Of course! T-Take it, by all means! I don’t mind finding another seat."
"Oh my, how kind of you." The corners of her eyes curved slightly. "Thank you."
That was the final blow. The male student stumbled away, and Serne plopped down in the seat behind Simon as if it were her right.
"There, that works, doesn’t it?" she said, crossing her legs breezily and glancing at Lorraine.
Lorraine’s eyes narrowed in frustration.
"There’s no need to use feathers on lowly monkeys. My own natural authority and charm are more than enough."
’She just pleaded so desperately for the seat, and now she calls him a lowly monkey,’ Simon thought with a hollow laugh. Whatever else this girl was, her mental fortitude was anything but ordinary.
"The professors are coming!" a student called out.
At last, the main event of the day had arrived. Students scrambled back to their seats, and the teaching assistants appeared in the classroom.
’Something’s different.’
The TAs for Summoning Thanatology were all in their forties or fifties, quite old for the role. It was a stark contrast to the TAs in other classes, who were typically young men in their twenties.
"Everyone, quiet!" one of them barked. They were also gruff and tough. The one who appeared to be the head TA silenced the students, then announced, "Professor Lin and Professor Lune are now entering."
’Thud, thud, thud, thud.’
The students began to murmur. Holding textbooks in one hand, dressed in identical overalls and identical hats, two girls with identical appearances marched in, swinging their arms in sync.
"...They’re so young?"
At most, they looked two or three years younger than the eighteen-year-old second-years. They had sharp eyes, a determined gaze, high-bridged noses, and shoulders squared with confidence. The two of them stopped and looked at the students.
Toto glanced slightly toward Lorraine, a silent question as to whether these were the people she had mentioned, but Lorraine was smiling serenely. And while the other students were surprised by the professors’ appearance, Simon was stunned by something else.
"Those... two."
Simon’s voice trembled.
"They’re not human."
"What?" Toto looked back at him.
"Quite the unconventional choice, Kizen," Serne observed, seeming to have noticed as well as she rested her chin on her hand. "They’re having undead teach humans?"
The students’ clamorous chatter continued. But Simon’s trembling didn’t subside.
’And they’re not just any ordinary undead.’
As a legion commander, Simon knew instinctively.
Those two professors. They were Ancient Undead.