Chapter 65: Your Name (3) |
*
“Ugh... mmm...”
Freya opened her eyes with a groan.
The first thing she noticed upon waking was a smell.
A stuffy, bitter smell.
Next came the feel of the cold stone floor.
“...Where am I?”
Freya looked around.
At first, there was only darkness, nothing to be seen.
As her vision cleared, Freya belatedly discovered the person lying beside her.
“Senior?”
Freya sat up.
The person lying next to her was Valeria.
The hair tie that had neatly held her black hair was undone, and her hair was scattered across her face.
For a moment, she was startled to see the Student Council President she so respected collapsed.
Only after confirming her faint but regular breathing did Freya let out a sigh of relief.
“You’re awake.”
Just then, a voice came from behind Freya.
Freya knew whose voice it was.
“Senior Kal. Is that you?”
“I didn’t expect our Head of the Disciplinary Committee to be here too.”
The Top of the Class of the Department of Swordsmanship, Kal.
As a member of the Student Council, Freya knew him from seeing him at a few awards ceremonies.
He was sitting with his back against the wall.
The sleeve of his school uniform was torn, and his face was severely bruised.
“Senior Kal... what happened?”
“Who knows. As soon as I got here, they took my sword and beat me to this state without a word. I didn’t even have a chance to resist.”
“That can’t be... Do you happen to know where the other person is?”
“There.”
Kal gestured lightly with his chin into the darkness.
In the direction he pointed, another girl was huddled, hugging her knees.
The girl, with Kal’s overcoat draped over her shoulders, was as still as if she were asleep.
Her head was bowed so her face was not visible, but the green necktie, the symbol of the Department of Alchemy, was faintly visible.
Freya had a feeling she knew who the girl was.
“Senior Eli?”
A head slowly rose.
Her hazy focus turned to Freya.
“That voice... Young Lady Nihilrit?”
“Yes, are you alright?”
Eli slowly shook her head.
Unlike Kal, she had no particular trauma.
But the space itself seemed to be too much for the girl, and she did not look well.
Considering Eli was struggling even to speak, Freya didn’t talk to her anymore.
Instead, she continued her Q&A with Kal.
“Senior Kal. Do you know where we are?”
“If I knew, don’t you think I’d be out of here by now?”
Kal let out a bitter laugh.
“How long has it been since we disappeared from the outside?”
“Two days.”
“Two days...”
“Have you found out anything during that time?”
Kal shrugged.
“I don’t know much either. So far, only two people have come and gone from this prison.”
“Do you know who those two are?”
“No.”
Kal shook his head.
“One was a huge man. He didn’t speak, so I don’t know his name, but he had an engraved mark on his body. Looked like he’d had an enhancement procedure.”
“His rank?”
“Rank 0. But because of the enhancement procedure, he’s stronger than me even with his bare fists. This bruise is the evidence.”
Kal lifted his head to show the bruise on his chin.
“One hit and I couldn’t get my bearings.”
“And the other one?”
“That one’s the bigger problem. I could handle the big guy if I had a sword, but the other one was a Rank 1 Wizard.”
Freya rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
A Rank 1 Black Magician and a Rank 0 who had undergone an enhancement procedure.
Even if Kal was the top student of the Department of Swordsmanship and a Fighting Aura user, he was still a student.
Facing a Rank 1 Wizard without a sword was next to impossible.
“Have you tried to escape? I’d think you could break a lock with Fighting Aura.”
“Unfortunately, I tried that too. But as you can see, this is the result.”
Kal shook his head and pointed at the floor.
Freya lowered her gaze.
Even with her eyes adjusted to the darkness, it wasn't clearly visible, but something was finely scattered on the stone floor.
As she swept the floor with her finger, a fine powder came off on her fingertips.
“This is?”
“Opium powder.”
Kal sighed.
“It’s spread on the floor in powder form, and it’s also floating in the air. Just breathing normally is not a big problem, but taking a deep breath makes my head go fuzzy. Thanks to that, I can’t use Fighting Aura.”
Freya’s expression darkened.
Just as magic requires knowledge and symbolism,
Fighting Aura requires meditation and willpower.
This is why Fighting Aura is called the Miracle of the Idiots.
Because even if you’re not smart, you can use it as long as you have the will.
But this miracle has a fatal weakness.
To draw out Fighting Aura, meditation and breathing must come first.
The process of calming the mind, taking a deep breath, and focusing one's will on a single point.
With practice, it can be drawn out in a single breath, but a student like Kal needed a long breath.
“I was going to use my Fighting Aura to break through when the guard opened the door. But after two deep breaths, my vision started to swim. My legs gave out before I could even gather my strength.”
Kal pointed to the large bruise on his face.
“This is from back then.”
Freya’s gaze shifted back to Eli.
This was why Eli was so lethargic, even without any trauma.
It must have been why Kal had taken off his overcoat for Eli and seated her farthest from the areas with a lot of powder.
Freya bit her lip gently.
“Then how do we get out of here...”
It was then.
“Umm...”
Valeria let out a low groan and opened her eyes.
Valeria sat up.
Freya moved to support her shoulder, but Valeria lightly raised a hand, signaling that she was fine.
She leaned her back against the wall and swept her disheveled black hair up with both hands.
The Student Council President put the undone hair tie in her mouth and, with a familiar motion, tied her hair back up.
Then, after giving her tied hair a light tug to check the knot, she looked around.
Her gaze shifted from Kal to Eli, from Eli to Freya, and from Freya to the iron door.
As if that was enough, Valeria nodded once and opened her mouth.
“Another Black Magician?”
“Another?”
“Ah, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee probably doesn’t know. This happens in the Academy's High School Division about once every three years. The world is a dangerous place. Kidnappings for the ransom of a noble's child happen sometimes, too.”
Then Valeria looked at Freya and suddenly gave a bitter smile.
“Although, thinking about it, the only noble in this space is the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.”
Valeria gave her head a light shake to finally tidy her hair.
“Student Kal. Could you please tell me about this place?”
Without a hint of reluctance, Kal recounted the same story he had told Freya.
“...And that’s what happened.”
“Thank you, Kal. It seems you’ve already told the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.”
“Not at all, President. But may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
Kal spoke to Valeria.
“How did you and the Head of the Disciplinary Committee end up here?”
“Probably similar to how you and Student Eli did.”
Valeria looked back at Freya.
“Miss Nihilrit was the first to notice something was wrong. When you two were absent for two days, she thought it was strange and immediately notified the homeroom professors.”
“What did the professors say?”
Valeria’s eyes narrowed.
“They didn’t seem very interested in the disappearance of commoners.”
“Figured as much. Damn that social status.”
Kal gave a bitter smile.
Valeria, as well as Kal and Eli, were not top students who were welcomed at the school.
This was because there were many high-ranking people who didn’t like seeing commoners beat nobles through skill.
“Haha...”
Knowing this background, Freya, as the sole noble young lady in this space, gave an uncomfortable laugh.
Kal hastily bowed his head, saying that wasn't his intention.
“That wasn't what I meant, Young Lady Nihilrit.”
“It's alright. I feel the same way.”
Valeria continued her explanation.
“Anyway, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee was the first to notice your disappearance. But the school didn't seem willing to act, so the Student Council investigated.”
“The President and I went to your dormitory first. Your belongings were still there, but you two were nowhere to be found.”
“So the Head of the Disciplinary Committee and I expanded our search area around the dormitory. We were passing through the hallway on the way to the laundry room when——”
Valeria shrugged.
“I suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, and when I woke up, I was here. I assume the circumstances of how we got here are similar to how you two did?”
Kal nodded at Valeria’s words.
“Actually, Eli had made a new laundry detergent and wanted to experiment with my clothes. So we were kidnapped on our way to the laundry room together.”
“Then was the hallway to the laundry room a trap? But if that's the case, only you two disappeared...”
Valeria tilted her head.
What on earth was the commonality between the kidnapped people?
For a moment, the keyword "Director Schun's scholarship students" flashed through her mind, but she shook her head.
As far as Valeria knew, Freya had no connection to Director Schun.
There was no way the half-elf Director would support the wealthy Nihilrit Baronial Family, so the thought of Director Schun must have been a mistake.
“I see, I’m not sure.”
“At first, I also thought they were only targeting Director Schun’s scholarship students, but seeing the Head of the Disciplinary Committee here, I guess not.”
“...”
Freya kept her mouth shut, watching the other students’ reactions as she slowly backed into a corner.
A moment of silence fell.
In the end, the conversation died down without finding a common link.
Valeria changed the subject.
“Kal.”
“Yes.”
“When did you and Student Eli get so close? I thought your first meeting couldn't have been worse. But now you’re giving her your overcoat and going to the laundry room together? You two have become quite close, haven’t you?”
Valeria’s gaze shifted from Kal’s torn sleeve to the overcoat on Eli’s shoulder.
The tips of Kal’s ears turned red.
“...It’s chivalry.”
“Really~?”
“...”
Valeria chuckled.
Freya also let out a small laugh.
She knew this wasn’t a situation to laugh in.
But in this dark and cold prison, even a brief prank like this was necessary.
Otherwise, it seemed it would be difficult to endure this situation. But that was only for a moment.
Valeria’s expression turned serious as she spoke.
“That aside, how do we get out of here?”
Valeria returned to the main point.
Kal was the first to shake his head.
“Like I said before, it’s hard to use Fighting Aura in this space. Because of the opium powder.”
“Magic?”
“That will be difficult too. There are no symbols or catalysts. There’s no way there’s anything here that can be given magical meaning.”
Valeria nodded.
Kal’s words were logical.
This empty prison, as if designed to counter even mages, maintained a compulsively plain and featureless environment.
“Frost Magic... would be difficult.”
Valeria briefly considered Frost Magic based on the symbols of coldness and gloom, but soon shook her head.
It was due to the lack of a catalyst.
At that moment, Freya walked towards the iron door without a word.
She knelt down and stared intently at the lock.
Kal spoke from behind her.
“Head of the Disciplinary Committee. I also tried to unlock that but...”
Click.
The lock Freya touched opened.
Kal’s jaw dropped.
Valeria’s eyes widened slightly.
Eli also lifted her head blankly.
Freya stood up and turned around.
“It’s an Arcane Magic, so it’s difficult to explain in detail, but I can tell you that it’s a magic that’s strong against these kinds of magical locking structures.”
Finishing her words, Freya took two items from her inner pocket.
One was a self-defense sword.
Shing.
When she pressed the locking mechanism on the folded hilt, the blades stacked inside unfolded sequentially in three sections.
When a blade the length of a straight sword emerged from a handle slightly larger than her palm, Kal’s eyes widened.
“Young Lady Freya. Is that?”
“It’s a self-defense sword. All nobles carry one.”
Freya handed the sword to Kal.
“You’re better at handling a sword, Senior Kal, so you should use it.”
Kal took it reflexively.
He gauged the weight of the sword in his hand, then swung it through the air a couple of times.
The metallic sound echoed briefly in the hallway.
“Not bad. The center of gravity isn't bad either. But what will you do, Young Lady?”
“I have this.”
Freya then showed him a self-defense pistol.
Ah, Kal nodded in understanding.
“How many rounds do you have?”
“Ten ordinary bullets and one slightly special bullet.”
“A special bullet?”
“I’ll use it on the Black Magician. Since it’s a special bullet, it should work on that Black Magician too.”
Freya recalled the story she had heard from Erika.
The story of defeating a Rank 2 Black Sorcerer with a blessed silver bullet.
A gun doesn't get weaker just because of who fires it, so a Rank 1 Black Sorcerer could surely be handled by Freya's silver bullet.
“You have a self-defense item too, right, President?”
Nodding, Valeria pulled a staff from within her clothes.
Once out of the prison, Valeria was no longer a powerless mage.
“I’ll support Student Eli.”
Valeria pulled Eli up by the shoulder as she stood.
Eli leaned against her weakly.
“Head of the Disciplinary Committee, do you have a plan?”
“Senior Kal, how many guards are there?”
“Looks like ghouls controlled by the Black Magician are acting as guards. I can handle that many without Fighting Aura.”
“Then please handle the guards as much as possible, Senior Kal. I think we should use the gun and magic as a last resort.”
“Leave it to me.”
After getting confirmation from Kal, Freya placed her hand on the iron door's handle.
Kal stood before the door, gripping the sword.
—I’m ready.
With that meaning, Kal nodded his head.
Freya pushed the door.
Screech.
The sound of a rusted hinge echoed through the darkness.
*
At the same time the students escaped the prison.
While the students carefully ascended the stairs, silently dealing with the guards.
Further up the stairs, a room used as an old office could be seen.
And inside that room—
Slam!
The desk split in two.
A piece of wood flew from the broken desk leg, and documents scattered onto the floor.
“Hey, fuck, what the hell is this.”
The one who had slammed the desk was a giant man with a black skinhead.
The black engraving etched densely from his left cheek to his forearm writhed with his anger.
In a corner of the room.
The man who had been leaning against the windowsill with a cigarette in his mouth slowly lifted his head.
The skinny man with sunken eyes swept his gaze calmly over the giant.
A hoarse voice flowed from the mouth of the man whose shadows seemed to have consumed half his face.
“...What.”
“I’m talking about the new ones summoned to the prison below. I saw the one with black hair, but did you see the little one with silver hair lying next to her?”
The skinny man shook his head without taking the cigarette from his lips.
The giant man leaned forward, placing his hands on the broken desk.
“There was a crest on her cape. Do you know what that means?”
“...”
“It means she’s a noble, you punk.”
The tip of the skinny man’s cigarette trembled slightly.
“Are you sure you saw it right?”
“Punk. I rolled around on the battlefield for a good while before coming here. I spent years wiping the asses of those fucker noble masters during my mercenary days, you think I can’t tell their crests apart on their capes?”
The giant man pointed to his left eye, which wasn't dyed black.
“These eyeballs are still fine. That crest is definitely from a baronial family. I don't know which one.”
“...”
“Those fairies you use. How the hell did they do their job? Weren’t we supposed to just bring in Director Schun’s scholarship students?”
“Haaa...”
The skinny man exhaled a long trail of cigarette smoke.
The smoke brushed against the moldy stone ceiling and disappeared.
And the skinny man slowly shook his head.
“Magic is originally absolute. It never lies.”
“Then why did a noble get caught up in it?”
“Listen. A Fairy Ring is a runic formula that filters targets with a conditional statement. I set it to bring anyone who had come in contact with Director Schun’s signature.”
“So why did a noble young lady get caught?”
“Magic is absolute. But in the end, it’s a person who fulfills that conditional statement.”
The man tapped his cigarette ash onto the floor.
“That young lady must have made some sort of contract with Director Schun, or perhaps a check passed through her hands.”
“Fuck. So you’re saying your magic hooked the wrong one.”
“Let’s just say it was my mistake for not ruling out the possibility.”
“It’s the same damn thing. You talk too much.”
The giant man spat loudly on the floor.
While he kicked the scattered wood fragments into a corner.
The skinny man asked the giant.
“So, what did you do about that young lady?”
“What do you think I did? I ran straight up here before she opened her eyes.”
“She didn’t see your face?”
“She didn’t, absolutely not.”
“That’s a relief, at least.”
The skinny man slowly nodded his head.
He took another drag of his cigarette, exhaled the smoke, and spoke.
“Let’s retreat.”
The giant man’s eyes widened.
“What did you say?”
“Grabbing Director Schun’s scholarship students was fine. They’re commoners. Even if there’s fallout, our backer can handle it, and in the worst-case scenario, negotiation with the merchant guild is possible.”
The man stubbed out his cigarette on the windowsill and continued.
“But it’s different if a noble gets involved. Things get complicated even if a baron just starts looking for us.”
“Can’t we fight? Didn’t the two of us take down a knight last time?”
“A baronial family is at least Rank 3. They’re on a different level from a Rank 2 knight.”
The man looked up at the giant.
A deep fatigue was visible in his eyes, sunken with dark circles.
“A noble is beyond our capability.”
“Then we go back empty-handed? You think that crazy bastard Belgian will just let that slide?”
The giant man gripped the handle of his great hammer and scratched the back of his head.
His attitude was more one of fed-up annoyance than fear.
At this, the skinny man let out a chuckle.
“That guy lost his backing a long time ago. He’s a half-wit who can’t even use his curses properly since Director Schun got him. He’s a Rank 2, but right now he’s barely hanging on to Rank 1. What can a guy like that do to us?”
“Then what about the Elders? The old men who were making a killing meddling in the succession struggle. Making the mistress produce an heir for the impotent head and getting a kick out of it.”
“Now that you mention it, they do exist.”
“Ah, those old geezers. They were raising hell at the last meeting, their faces all red. They won’t let us off easy either, will they?”
“Then we’ll blame it on Belgian.”
The giant man’s eyebrows rose.
“Blame Belgian?”
“It’s the truth, isn’t it? The information Belgian gave us about Director Schun was useless from the start. The Fairy Ring runic formula was sloppy, too. And because of that sloppy formula, the young lady got caught up in it.”
The skinny man exhaled smoke.
“The responsibility lies with the one who didn’t provide enough clues. We don’t owe them anything. It’s the same for both sides.”
“...You’ve got a smooth tongue. Is this the average for wizards?”
“You need to be this good to survive as a Black Sorcerer in this business.”
The giant man snorted.
Whether he was convinced, or unconvinced but saw no point in arguing further.
In any case, no rebuttal followed.
“Fine. So, are we burning this place down?”
“That would be the cleanest way. It’s best not to leave any evidence—”
Bang.
Just then, a sound came from downstairs.
The two men turned their heads at the same time.
“Damn it...”
The giant man clicked his tongue and put a hand to his forehead.
“Was it a problem not to handcuff the sacrifices? It was a pain getting them in the first place.”
“Don’t feel bad about the sacrifices.”
The skinny man said calmly as he rose from his seat.
“As long as they are people who live in the legitimate world, a connection to make them a sacrifice will eventually appear again.”
The man took a folded cloth from his pocket and wrapped it around the lower half of his face.
“The commoners have seen your face, so you deal with them. The young lady... just focus on not letting her see your face.”
“They say even a dove will circle overhead if you call it. To think they’d escape right at this moment.”
“It’s a crow, not a dove.”
The giant man also grumbled as he pulled on his hood.
The skinny man stood up from his spot.
The two men, with their hoods on, walked towards the door.
And just before stepping out.
He lightly flicked the cigarette he held in his hand.
The ember flew in an arc and landed on the papers scattered on the floor.
A flame blossomed over the pile of documents.
The broken pieces of the desk became kindling.
“Ignus.”
Right after the skinny man’s short chant.
The sound of burning wood echoed clearly in the empty room.
“Let’s go.”
The skinny man didn’t look back.
Neither did the giant man.
As the sound of their footsteps descended the stairs, the fire in the office began to climb the walls.
