novelraw Chapter 63 : The Five Days of Void (2)
Chapter 63 : The Five Days of Void (2)
Chapter 63: The Five Days of Void (2)
“Ah, yes.”
If I continued talking, I felt like I might say something I shouldn’t, so I gave a vague answer and stepped into the portal.
“Haa… why are things turning out like this?”
Just before the portal closed completely, I heard Former’s voice behind me, letting out a deep sigh of frustration from the bottom of his chest.
‘Was that meant for me to hear…?’
It was too quiet for that to be the case.
Besides, Former had already vanished.
That meant that the moment I entered the portal, he had hurried off somewhere else.
It seemed he was too distracted by whatever was happening to focus on anything else.
I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of situation could trouble a mage of his position—someone as high-ranking as the Vice Headmaster.
Something was definitely happening at the Academy.
‘The problem is… depending on what started it, how I interpret this whole situation could change entirely.’
After all, it was possible that everything strange happening right now had begun because of me.
When we arrived in the Underworld, the other students had already scattered, leaving just the four of us—Hei, Kiena, Banshi, and me.
We were the group the 1st Class students called the “Outcast Four.”
It seemed the three who arrived earlier had stayed in place to wait for me.
“What took you so long, Artel?”
Kiena asked with a worried expression.
I didn’t know why she looked so concerned, though.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I just needed to stop by the restroom for a moment.”
I didn’t think it necessary to mention that I had spoken briefly with the Vice Headmaster, so I used that as an excuse.
If I told the truth, the conversation would only get longer.
“Anyway, they said it’ll all be over in five days. Let’s meet again then.”
Banshi said her farewell, then turned around.
She was heading back to her hideout—the cave.
“You really believe that?”
“I have to. What choice do we have? We’re just students.”
When I asked quietly, Banshi replied with surprising resolve.
She wasn’t wrong.
It was a realistic answer—and, given our situation, the best one.
“I’m going. I want to be alone.”
Since I believed that when someone wanted to be alone, it was best to let them, I said nothing more.
“Banshi!”
Then, Kiena suddenly called out to her, a bit urgently.
“What?”
“Um… I don’t know how long this special break will last, but… would it be okay if I came over sometime to finish reading that book from before?”
Kiena and I both knew where Banshi’s hideout was.
Now that we were back in the Underworld, Kiena probably couldn’t stop thinking about the books Banshi had shown her during our first semester outing.
“Hmm.”
Banshi thought for a moment, then gave a faint smile.
“Sure.”
“Kyaahaha! Thank you!”
Kiena answered with a squeal of joy, her voice light and nasal with excitement.
Leaving that cheerful Kiena behind, Banshi turned once more and walked away.
“See you when the semester starts again, Banshi.”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t even look back—just gave a slight wave of her hand as she slowly disappeared from sight.
“All right! Let’s head to the orphanage!”
Kiena exclaimed, still bubbling with energy.
It was fortunate, at least, that we now had somewhere to stay in the Underworld—so even a sudden trip from the Academy like this wouldn’t leave us stranded.
And then, the moment we stepped into the city of the Underworld—
“…What is this?”
Kiena, Hei, and I all froze.
Our faces must have looked as if we were witnessing a catastrophe.
After safely sending all the 1st Class students off, Former headed straight to the Headmaster’s office.
He had asked Daemon, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and Ignito, the Vice-Captain, to wait in his office for a moment before coming up.
Even though Daemon and Ignito were both high-ranking officers of the Archmage’s Royal Guard, this was still the Ed Branch School, under Ed Etar’s authority. Without his permission, they couldn’t enter the top floor where the Headmaster’s office was located.
So Former had come up in their stead to deliver the message to Etar.
Of course, given their superior ranks, he had made sure to ask for their understanding politely.
“This is maddening…”
As soon as Former entered the office, Etar sighed deeply, pressing a hand to his forehead, his voice filled with despair.
“I’ve managed to buy us some time, Headmaster.”
“How’s the atmosphere?”
“As expected, not good. Oh, and…”
Former pulled a small glass vial from inside his coat.
It was filled with a clear, water-like liquid.
“What’s that?”
“Ignito—no, Impel—gave it to me without Daemon noticing. Said he got it from Tyrant.”
Draco Ignito, Vice-Captain of the Archmage’s Royal Guard.
He, too, was one of Etar’s hidden sons, just like Former.
Fortunately, Ignito’s talent far surpassed Former’s, allowing him to rise through the ranks of the Royal Guard to the position of Vice-Captain—a powerful ally indeed.
He was also a member of Etar’s secret organization, the “Sculptors.”
While Former (Root) worked at Etar’s side, Ignito (Impel) continued his espionage deep within enemy ranks, holding an influential position.
“…This isn’t the medicine he usually takes before meeting me.”
Etar muttered as he examined the vial.
Ignito always took a certain potion before meeting Etar—something known as the “Transcendental Elixir.”
It temporarily allowed the user to cast as a double caster.
Back when Artel was still in Class 0, he had once met Ignito in an Underworld tavern—his red eyes and crimson hair had been the result of that potion.
Unlike Former, Ignito only met Etar for special occasions. He always made sure to appear with the colors of the Draco Family suppressed, believing that meeting his father and clan head while bearing the family’s cursed colors would be a grave discourtesy.
After all, the Draco Family itself was his life’s greatest enemy.
If Ignito had been an ordinary mage, the potion would have melted his body and mind entirely—leaving nothing of his consciousness behind.
That was how horrifying the side effects of the Transcendental Elixir were.
But, as a mage of exceptional ability and the Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard, Ignito had avoided such consequences.
Of course, it also helped that he had never used fire-element magic while under its effects—the potion’s purpose was solely to alter his color, nothing more.
“I’ve never seen this potion before. What should I do? Should I sneak it out and ask the Tavern Owner about it?”
Former asked.
It was a question tinged with hope—since the Tavern Owner was quite knowledgeable in alchemy, perhaps he would recognize it at a glance.
“……”
Swish, swish.
But Etar didn’t answer. He simply tilted the potion from side to side, observing it closely.
“There’s no need for that.”
“You’re right, the tavern would be too dangerous. It’s right on the border between the Mage’s District and the Swordsman’s District, so it’s already lost its value as a meeting place anyway…”
“No.”
Etar interrupted him with a heavy voice.
“Thinking about it carefully… I’ve seen this potion before. Only once, but I remember it perfectly. Back when Tyrant and I were disciples of that person…”
There’s a saying that the one who strikes may forget, but the one who’s struck never does.
Even if it had been just yesterday—or long, long ago—the one who suffered would remember the moment vividly.
Etar hadn’t been the one directly harmed, but Tyrant’s actions at that time had been so shocking that they were etched into his memory.
“Where was that…?”
“It’s a potion developed by Tyrant.”
“…?”
Etar finally set the vial down and pressed his closed eyes with his fingertips.
“So Tyrant’s noticed after all. That’s why the Royal Guard’s already on the move.”
“What exactly is going on?”
“This potion grants immunity to Linking. And the Royal Guard was heading toward the 1st Class, right? Everything fits now. Also, this was delivered to me from Professor Nide when you went down to the 1st Class.”
Etar handed Former a sealed envelope.
When Former opened it, his face hardened.
It wasn’t a letter—it was the resignation of Draco Walfis, the 1st Class teacher in charge of the Dark Element.
“If that’s the case…”
Then the position of 1st Class Dark Element teacher would now be vacant.
And just now, the Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard, Draco Ignito, had arrived at the Academy.
He could easily fill that position.
The Vice-Captain of the Archmage’s own Royal Guard… becoming a simple 1st Class teacher at a branch school.
“Tyrant must have planned this. His target is Artel as well. But it seems he isn’t entirely certain yet—so he sent the Royal Guard to confirm.”
A potion made by Tyrant.
Walfis’s resignation.
And the Vice-Captain Draco Ignito (Ed Impel), a mage of the Dark Element.
With those three clues, Etar could see Tyrant’s intent clearly.
Even if the Royal Guard had been sent today, the chances of them contacting their target—Artel—were slim.
After all, Artel was a student of the Ed Branch School, and the master of that place was Ed Etar himself.
Who knew what kind of interference the Headmaster might arrange?
That was why Tyrant must have secretly instructed Walfis to step down and return to the main house—so that Ignito and the rest of the Royal Guard could be forcibly stationed inside the school.
Otherwise, these perfectly coordinated events made no sense.
Etar’s only quick response had been to send all 1st Class students out of the Academy.
If they could just get through today, maybe things could be managed somehow.
It was a desperate but calculated measure based on that faint hope.
“I didn’t expect him to go so far as to paralyze the Royal Guard. I was too complacent. He struck hard—a fatal blow.”
Etar’s voice carried the sound of defeat.
It was frustrating, but he had to admit it.
Perhaps he’d been far too optimistic about the situation.
He blamed himself for failing to anticipate that Tyrant would attack so suddenly and so ruthlessly.
“But if Ignito becomes the new Dark Element teacher… couldn’t he protect Artel?”
At Former’s question, Etar firmly shook his head.
“Have you forgotten his position?”
“…Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard.”
“And what’s the purpose of the Royal Guard? What’s the reason that organization even exists?”
“……”
The Royal Guard was like the Archmage’s personal property.
No one but the Archmage himself could exercise control over it—it was an absolute, unyielding organization.
Until now, Ignito’s role as a spy had been simple: obey the Archmage’s orders while subtly leaking only crucial bits of information.
That was the best he could do under the circumstances.
And that made sense.
As a Vice-Captain constantly under scrutiny, Ignito could never make direct moves to protect students the way Former or Etar could.
He was nothing more than a puppet carved by the Archmage Draco Tyrant.
The Royal Guard existed to obey the Archmage’s commands without question.
Defiance meant death—so inevitable that it didn’t even need to be stated.
Etar’s gaze turned toward the potion on the table.
“This potion that Impel secretly handed over… it must carry this message.”
‘This is the only way I can help. I’m sorry.’
That was what the potion on the table seemed to be saying.
“If they’ve decided to strike first, then I’ll respond in kind. The two of them are still in the 6th Class Vice Headmaster’s office, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go. I’ll face Daemon myself.”
“…Understood.”
Former answered in a trembling, uneasy voice.
Then he took hold of Etar’s wheelchair handles.