novelraw Chapter 596: Episode 596
Chapter 596: Episode 596
Although ’uninvited guests’ in the form of the Union’s minions had interfered, the fortress war in the Frigod Autonomous Region ended in a human victory. The people of the Gahal tribe sang of their miraculous triumph.
But the Mimics would return. Even if their forces had been greatly diminished, as long as the seeds of the Mimics hiding in the remaining thirty-nine fortresses weren’t wiped out, it was a foregone conclusion that humanity would one day lose this war.
It was then that someone stepped forward. A completely unexpected person.
Looking after the welfare of the people is a noble’s duty, isn’t it? I needed to slowly restore the tarnished honor of the Ivory Tower, and this is the perfect opportunity.
It was Serne. She contacted the Ivory Tower headquarters and had several Time Artifacts recovered from the collapsed Tower of Time brought to the region.
What she did next was simple. She just scattered the Time Artifacts throughout the fortress. The Mimics swarmed in and blankly observed the human behaviors displayed by the artifacts.
And the next day, something incredible happened.
The Mimics began to fight among themselves. To seize power, to secure food, to acquire possessions. They killed each other repeatedly within the fortress. Then, an individual who had solidified its power by taking over a fortress, not content with its achievement, led other Mimics to attack another.
A great war erupted among the thirty-nine fortresses. A Mimic that had built a powerful faction by conquering over ten fortresses emerged, but it was betrayed and killed by a Mimic it had considered an ally. The faction, held together by the charisma of one powerful individual, collapsed, and they began fighting amongst themselves again.
The monster scholars who observed this spectacle were utterly astonished. The Mimic population had decreased by an unbelievable amount because they were busy killing each other. They asked Serne what on earth she had shown them.
She replied with a smile.
Human history.
Of course, the Ivory Tower had likely edited out the positive aspects of humanity, but what the Mimics saw were undeniably real historical events. The monsters that had thrived by imitating humans were now heading down a path of self-destruction by doing the very same.
---
The three-day Dullahan training camp was over. The Butcher, whom Simon had defeated, was taken into custody at Kizen headquarters. The students, after a difficult second night, had a short rest before completing the third day’s schedule.
The Summoning Department students arrived back on Roc Island on the evening of the third day. Exhausted, they all returned to their dorms.
"In the end, Professors Lin and Lune never showed up," Toto muttered as he collapsed onto his bed.
Sitting on the adjacent bed, Simon added, "The training camp is over, but the special lecture on Dullahans isn’t."
This training camp was just one part of the curriculum. Starting next week, the Dullahan lectures would resume as normal on Roc Island.
"More importantly," Toto said with a yawn, looking sleepy, "it’s a shame I couldn’t get a Guardian even after fighting so hard at the fortress. How about you, Simon?"
"I got one... but," Simon said with a bitter smile, scratching the back of his head, "it’s missing its head."
"Huh?"
Toto shot up. "Th-Then what are you going to do? A Dullahan carries its own head, but it’s not an undead that’s ’actually’ headless!"
He was right. It was an overly damaged corpse, essentially useless. The wise choice would be to discard it and purchase the corpse of an Ogre Lord or an Abaddon from a necromancer shop.
But.
"I’m going to make it work somehow." Simon had no intention of taking the easy path. "I’ll substitute it with the head of another undead."
"Wh-What are you talking about?" Toto exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "You learned it too, Simon! The Dullahan’s ’Rune of Connection’ works because the head and body, though separate, belong to the same undead! It’s impossible to create a Dullahan like that!"
Simon slowly leaned back against the bed. "And we also learned this."
’They may laugh at me now, but history will prove my research.’
The necromancer who first created the Dullahan. Back then, it was common sense that a headless corpse had no value, but he overturned that notion and ended the age of knights.
Gazing up at the ceiling, Simon’s eyes sparkled. "I want to change common sense, too."
---
The next morning.
After their major classes, it was time for a general subject they hadn’t had in a while: Jane’s ’Jet-Black Dynamics’. It was also the last session before the midterm exams.
Simon, who had arrived at the lecture hall early, sat down and stretched, savoring a rare moment of peace as he slowly took out his textbook.
"Simon!"
He turned his head, his face immediately brightening. "Ah, Kami!"
Kamibarez was trotting over, her cute bat wings fluttering. She stopped at the seat next to him and smiled brightly. "It’s been so long, Simon!"
"Yeah."
Simon gave a wry smile. "After the dispatch evaluation, we went straight to the training camp, so I didn’t even have a chance to say hello. Have you been well?"
"Yes! It’s midterm season, so there hasn’t been anything major happening with the student council!"
"That’s a relief."
Kamibarez, who had been chatting cheerfully, let her wings droop slightly. "W-Was... everything okay at the Ivory Tower?"
"Ah."
Simon scratched his head. "I’ll explain that in detail later when Dick and Meirin are here. Why do you ask?"
"Well..."
Kamibarez fidgeted. "After the Ivory Tower incident, Meirin’s been a little strange."
Simon’s heart sank. He remembered Meirin had gone to the Ivory Tower right after the evaluation to assess the situation. It seemed she hadn’t been herself since returning to Kizen.
"What do you mean by strange?"
"Well, she smiles and acts like usual. But she seems to have a lot on her mind. And she looks more worried."
It seemed he would have to find time to have a proper talk with Meirin. For now, he had arrived early and still had time. Simon decided to use the restroom and stepped out of the lecture hall.
"Oh, Simon! Long time no see!"
Many students from his former Class A took Jane’s class, so there were many familiar faces. Unlike the department students who called him ’President’ or ’Top Student’, his old classmates simply called him by his name.
Simon greeted them warmly as he walked, when—
The sound of hurried footsteps caught his attention. He saw a familiar head of light blue hair. Simon flinched and hid behind a pillar.
’It’s Meirin!’
But she wasn’t alone. She was pulling someone by the wrist.
"Meiriiiin! Seri’s wrist hurts!" Serne whined.
The one being dragged was none other than Serne. Meirin, with a frighteningly stern expression, was leading her somewhere.
’What’s going on?’
Simon quickly concealed his presence and followed. They went outside and into a secluded area behind a building.
Meirin shoved Serne against a wall and spoke sharply. "Tell me exactly what happened at the Ivory Tower."
"You’re scaring me, Meirin."
Serne feigned fear, her shoulders trembling. "If you push Seri so roughly, I won’t be able to say what I was going to."
"Haaah."
Normally, Meirin would have glared at her with contempt, but instead, she pressed a hand to her forehead, let out a long sigh, and took a step back. "Tell me. I have a right to know about this."
"But, Meirin, you went to the Ivory Tower, didn’t you?" Serne tilted her head. "You must have heard everything from Lord Daniela. That’s all I know."
"I wonder."
Meirin’s eyes narrowed. "What about the Frozen Clock?"
For the first time, a slight crack appeared in Serne’s smile. Simon, who was listening in secret, felt his heart drop.
"I already know everything, so don’t try to deny it," Meirin said, her eyes blazing. Her small fists were clenched so tightly they looked like they would crumble. "Unlocking the Absolute Seal of the Frozen Clock was the Ivory Tower’s long-cherished ambition, wasn’t it? A plan that existed before my father and grandfather were even born. The project to move the Ivory Tower to neutral ground."
Serne bit her lip slightly, and Meirin’s blue eyes flashed. "But an Absolute Seal can only be undone by an Absolute Seal. And to undo it, the caster must sacrifice their life."
Serne said nothing.
"Am I right?"
Serne let out a small sigh. "You are. So?"
"Could it be that you..."
Meirin’s voice began to tremble with anxiety. "The reason you were trying to take the position of Tower Master... was it perhaps..."
Serne silently held up her palm.
A magic circle flared to life, and suddenly, a vast number of ice-based formulas floated in the air. Meirin flinched and looked up at them.
"This is the formula to break the Absolute Seal," Serne said with a sweet smile. "The former Tower Master, Bermude, developed it himself. If one has a talent for the ice element, they can use this formula to undo the Absolute Seal without any side effects. That’s how the seal was broken this time."
Meirin was silent.
"Honestly. The idea that an Absolute Seal can only be undone by another is a 300-year-old notion. Are your questions answered now?"
Meirin’s pupils wavered with a complex expression, and then...
"Ah, this is so frustrating!" she yelled. "To think, even for a moment, that you... that you... I was a fool to think that might be the case!"
Returning to her usual expression, Meirin spun around and turned her back. Serne quickly approached and linked arms with her.
"Oh my, what might have been the case?"
"Hey! Don’t cling to me, it’s gross!"
"Is that all you wanted? Are you leaving already? Let’s hang out!"
"Get lost!" Meirin pushed Serne away and pointed a finger right at her face. "You! Postponing the appointment of the Tower Master was a mistake! Just you watch! After I graduate from Kizen, I’ll be the one to become the Tower Master!"
Serne chuckled and licked her lips. "Try your best, you mediocre talent."
"Shut up!"
Meirin stomped away, fuming.
Simon let out a sigh of relief.
Just then, a soft thump made him turn. Serne was leaning against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting on the ground, letting out a long breath. Her long hair hid her face, making it impossible to see her expression.
Simon watched her, saying nothing.
He had no right to comfort her. No one on this continent did.
’Stay strong, Serne.’
Simon slowly got up and started to walk away. A short distance away, he saw a girl with light blue hair, crouched down with a hand on her chest, her shoulders trembling.
’Stay strong, Meirin.’
---
At the same time. Roc Island Dock.
"Please make way!"
"Coming through!"
A group of sailors who had just disembarked from a large ship were swiftly moving something wrapped in cloth. It seemed to be a dangerous item, as the packaging was covered in several layers of sealing magic.
"Right on time."
Behind them stood a girl with cream-colored hair fluttering in the wind. After signing off on the delivery, she smiled at the sealed box.
"I wonder if I can get this ready before my man finishes his class?"