Chapter 205

(4)

8.

A small room lit by a flickering candle.

As the quietly burning flame pushed back the surrounding darkness, Ian recounted the story he had heard at the tavern.

Time passed, not a small amount of it.

Just as the candle had shrunk a bit, the story finally came to an end. Kadel Dun Shanktus murmured softly.

“I see. Shulfern, huh?”

Kadel and Ian had come here to carry out the secret mission of the next Saintess, Laurea.

Specifically, it was to locate and secure a certain hunter known as Sven Isaac. They had finally pinpointed his location.

But there was one more thing.

An additional goal that had nothing to do with Laurea’s mission. Kadel stroked his bushy beard and asked about it.

“So, any info on the priests?”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing on that front.”

Ian shrugged.

Originally, the plan was for the two to join the priests of the Holy Nation operating in the Endrak Kingdom to gather information on Sven Isaac.

But there was a hitch.

The priests they were supposed to join had gone missing without a trace. Upon this sudden turn of events, the two knights immediately launched an investigation.

‘And then…’

They soon grasped the truth behind the incident.

The priests had been eradicated in an ambush by someone. While there were rumors circulating that it was the work of monsters, that simply wasn’t the case.

‘The scars were different.’

An examination of the priests’ corpses revealed that most of the wounds were caused by tools. Some bodies had also been damaged by magic.

Monsters couldn’t use tools or magic.

This meant it was highly likely that the assault on the priests had been the work of humans, not monsters.

‘So who did it?’

Firstly, it couldn’t be bandits or mercenaries.

The priests’ corpses still bore valuable items like necklaces, rings, and silver coins.

‘If it wasn’t for treasure…’

Who on earth could have done this?

Especially someone who would provoke the Holy Nation as well.

Kadel was deep in thought, trying to deduce who could have targeted the priests.

“Ahem! So about that, Master.”

Just then.

Ian’s voice suddenly broke Kadel’s train of thought. Clearing his throat briefly, he explained his reason for speaking up.

“I’ve heard that monsters are swarming around Shulfern, so how about we stay here a little longer before heading out to join the reinforcements…?”

“No way.”

“Haha, I figured you’d say that?”

His response was as firm as a sword.

Knew it would be like this. Ian scratched his head with an awkward smile, but internally he sighed heavily.

‘Ugh, I absolutely loathe monsters.’

Taking down a monster means you have to smash its core, which inherently means getting covered in its blood and guts.

Just the thought of picking bits of flesh off his armor and sword made him sigh again.

At that moment.

“Ian.”

Suddenly, Kadel’s expression turned serious.

At first glance, he looked angry. Then came a low whisper from him.

“Grab your sword.”

“Hey, that’s just a joke.”

“Hurry up.”

“Ugh, just let me off this once!”

Ian’s face was a picture of despair.

It seemed he had a hunch about why Kadel was saying such things, and he pleaded with a whine.

“I was just saying it as a joke, but I didn’t want you to turn it into a one-sided beating…”

But his plea was abruptly cut off.

Just as he was speaking, he suddenly sensed an ominous presence. Ian’s expression turned into one of surprise as he immediately grabbed his sword and shield.

And in that moment.

KABOOM! CRACK!

A loud noise erupted as the outer wall crumbled.

Simultaneously, a barrage of lethal attacks came flying from every direction. Yet, none could touch the two knights.

“Oh Divine Being! Protect your servants!”

The moment Ian sensed the presence.

He quickly uttered a prayer.

Soon, a holy shield wrapped around the two knights, and in the process, Ian felt a power that was both familiar and foreign.

‘This is…!’

The uneasy magic he felt when battling the Swamp Minions back at the Source of Magic in Arsen Academy.

It was the Power of the Abyss.

As far as Ian knew, there was only one type of human that wielded such power.

“Master! Those guys are…!”

“Abyss Worshippers.”

There was no need for elaboration.

Having fought countless battles against the Order’s enemies, Kadel recognized them the moment he saw them.

And given his extensive experience, he knew that Abyss Worshippers were insane mages who had given up their humanity. In other words, they were demons unworthy of mercy.

‘Then…’

There could be only one answer.

They must be punished.

In that moment, a pure white aura emerged from Kadel’s body and wrapped around his sword.

“……!?”

The worshippers recoiled, their bodies trembling.

A natural reaction, given that the white aura without a speck of dust signified only one thing.

“Paladin Master!”

“What are you doing here…?”

Their eyes shook with confusion.

It seemed the worshippers had launched their attack without knowing about Kadel’s presence, as their startled expressions were evidence of their unexpected plight.

But regretting it now was far too late.

The instant the worshippers realized something was off, Kadel’s territory unfolded.

‘Twenty-nine steps.’

Not just the shabby single room, but all the way beyond the crumbling outer wall—Kadel’s domain covered everything. In a time allowed only to him, Kadel swung his sword.

Slash! Crack! Crunch!

Cutting, slicing, smashing with his strikes.

There was no mercy in the storm of swordplay, and the bodies of the worshippers were completely shredded.

Except for one.

“Gah!”

The young worshipper, bleeding profusely.

Presumably around the same age as Ian, he quivered with a hole in his abdomen.

Simultaneously, Kadel’s sword was aimed at him.

“I will ask you.”

With a menacingly shining pure white aura, Kadel posed the question that held his reason for sparing the worshipper.

“Was it you who attacked the priests operating in the Endrak Kingdom?”

The sudden assault by the Abyss Worshippers.

Kadel realized too late.

It was this lot that wielded tools and magic, not fearing the Holy Nation’s retaliation.

“Cough, cough! Grrr!”

Meanwhile, the worshipper, continuously vomiting blood, glared at Kadel and Ian with bloodshot eyes.

Then he growled lowly.

“…Foolish, ignorant dogs of the Divine Being.”

His eyes shone with intense hatred.

He did not seem inclined to answer the question. If that was the case, the only option left was to chop off his limbs and ask again. Just as Kadel thought that.

All of a sudden, the worshipper grinned.

“Soon the gates will open, and the Abyss will come. When that day comes, the world of stars will meet its end, and the sky will be covered by the Abyss!”

With that incomprehensible shout as his last…

Suddenly, the worshipper’s eyes rolled back, becoming completely blank.

“……!”

Sensing something amiss, Kadel swiftly expanded his territory, but he couldn’t stop the worshipper’s actions.

FWOOM! KABOOM!

A massive explosion engulfed the room.

However, it caused no harm to Kadel and Ian, who were protected by the holy shield.

“Geez.”

Kadel clicked his tongue while staring at the charred remains of the worshipper. Ian then chimed in with a hint of sarcasm.

“I told you to take it easy with the poking.”

“It’s not my fault. He chose to end it himself.”

After exchanging such trivial banter.

The two headed straight to the first floor.

They were checking on the innkeeper and other guests to see if they were safe. Thankfully, there were no fatalities. Presumably, they had attacked through the second-floor outer wall.

So, after paying the innkeeper for the damages, the two promptly left.

“Ugh! We’ve lost our place to stay in an instant.”

“It can’t be helped.”

Even Kadel hadn’t anticipated an assault by the Abyss Worshippers. After making a nonchalant remark, he quickly turned his body.

“Given how things have turned out, it would be best to move to the gathering point immediately.”

“N-now, you mean?”

“Yes. It’s better than getting caught up in unnecessary turmoil. Plus, it’s about time for us to regroup.”

Kadel reported the attack on the priests to Laurea and requested special support.

They needed personnel to retrieve the priests’ bodies and manage the now-empty Order. Without hesitation, Kadel turned and said.

“If you understand, let’s hurry and depart.”

“Phew, got it.”

It seemed they would be walking through the night tonight.

Ian sighed heavily.

But he didn’t have the courage to complain, so he followed Kadel without a word. Thus, the two knights vanished into the darkness of the alley.

9.

In the Endrak Kingdom, border city Flute.

Arriving at their destination late in the afternoon, students from Arsen finished a quick meal and gathered in the auditorium of the Plume Academy.

“Did everyone enjoy their dinner?”

A familiar man took to the stage.

Adjusting his glasses, Professor Melt wore a bright smile as he continued speaking.

“Due to the time, we will kick off the official schedule tomorrow. So tonight’s agenda is just room assignments.”

The accommodations provided for the Arsen students were empty buildings within the Plume Academy. Since they had been used as dormitories until last year, they were quite clean.

After announcing that the rooms were being prepared, Professor Melt scanned the students.

“Before we start with the room assignments, I’ll take a few simple questions. Feel free to ask anything you’re curious about.”

As soon as he finished speaking,

Several students raised their hands eagerly.

They were from the Magic Department. Most of them threw questions regarding the Magic-Powered Train.

With a lively expression, Professor Melt answered the queries, and time flew by quickly.

“Ah, it seems the assignment preparations are complete. So I’ll take one last question.”

However, no students readily raised their hands.

Most of their curiosities had been satisfied in the previous discussions. Just then, a silver-haired girl sitting in the front row raised her hand.

“I have a question.”

A petite girl.

It was none other than Delia. Upon noticing her, Professor Melt beamed with excitement.

It was a natural reaction.

Delia Arpen was a renowned genius mage blessed by the love of Mana.

“Yes! That’s wonderful, Delia student. Please, tell us what you would like to know.”

Would it be about the Magic-Powered Train?

Or perhaps something regarding magical engineering?

What dilemma could this talented young mage possibly have? With eyes gleaming in anticipation, Professor Melt waited eagerly.

But regrettably, it was none of those.

Delia’s question veered off the previous topic entirely.

“I heard that recently, the city bordering the Eastern Jungle has been frequently attacked by monsters. Is this place safe?”

The jungle located in the eastern part of the continent.

Known as the “Eastern Jungle,” it sat at the point where three nations met their borders: the Arpen Duchy, Endrak Kingdom, and Serne Kingdom.

And Delia was the princess of Arpen.

Thus, knowing about the regular monster attacks wasn’t strange.

“Hmm, it’s true that monster attacks have indeed increased lately.”

Despite the somewhat unexpected topic, Professor Melt showed no signs of surprise.

He continued with a serious demeanor, aiming to alleviate Delia’s concerns.

“However, there’s no need to worry because the ‘Magic Barrier’ developed in Plume surrounds the borders of Flute.”

Magic Barrier.

This refers to a high wall inscribed with various defensive spells. Naturally, it was known to be far sturdier than an ordinary wall.

“Additionally, there are many excellent mages on the front line. If monsters try to cross the borders, they’ll be turned to ash in an instant.”

Perhaps it was due to his confident attitude?

The students, who had been wearing anxious faces at the mention of the frequent monster appearances, felt reassured. Delia, too, nodded, as if her worries had been dispelled.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Ulan had been tilting his head ever since he heard about the frequent monster attacks.

‘What’s going on?’

Monsters attacking more frequently?

That couldn’t be right.

Ulan’s eyes were filled with distrust.

‘I distinctly remember…’

Back in his previous life, Sven often shared stories from the past. Among them was the city known as Shulfern, where he had stayed during his childhood.

At that time, he had said,

“Aside from a rare occurrence of monsters showing up, it was generally quiet and peaceful.”

With a distant and nostalgic smile.

However, based on what he just heard, Shulfern was far from a peaceful place. Rather, it seemed almost like a battleground against the monsters.

‘Why?’

And thus, questions started bubbling up.

Of course, Sven’s tale could have been a lie, but that seemed highly unlikely.

After all, he always wore a nostalgic smile when speaking of Shulfern.

‘Then…’

It really meant that monster attacks were indeed becoming more frequent.

Ulan frowned. As he pondered over the cause, all of a sudden:

“Ulan?”

A voice calling him suddenly rang out.

A girl with striking blue eyes.

It was Noa. She tilted her head in curiosity and asked.

“The room assignments are done, what are you doing?”

“….Done?”

“Yeah, they said it’s time to move.”

As he was gazing at the assignment chart,

Noa’s surprised voice suddenly echoed.

“Huh? Ulan got a single room?”

Unlike the other students, who had to share rooms, Ulan had been assigned a room all to himself. This led Noa to speculate.

“I guess they did that since there’s an odd number of boys.”

Therefore, one person had to be left out.

In addition, there was another plausible reason.

“Maybe it’s because Ulan is big, so they made accommodations by giving you a single room?”

“Hmm, you make a fair point.”

Eve’s nodding signaled that she finally grasped the situation.

After a brief moment, she glanced at Ulan and cautiously cleared her throat before speaking.

“Ahem! Um, by the way, Ulan?”

“……?”

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I was wondering if I could come over to your room later…?”

Her expression was clearly tense.

Eve, clutching her thumping heart, awaited Ulan’s response. Soon, she received a refreshing answer.

“I don’t mind.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. Come by anytime.”

“Okay! I’ll do that.”

Her face lit up with blush.

Now that she knew where his room was, she planned to sneak over later that night. However, her plan fell apart quickly.

“Then I want to go too.”

“Oh! I want to come along as well.”

Both Delia and Fertisha stormed in.

Eve’s face turned sour.

Why were they butting in so obviously? She felt an urge to argue, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“Alright, hurry up!”

“Let’s move to the assigned rooms!”

The movement toward accommodations was starting.

After a while.

After parting ways with the others, Ulan finally arrived at his assigned room. As he stepped inside and took in the scenery, he voiced a simple remark.

“It’s small.”

Smaller than that of Arsen Academy.

Only then did he grasp why he was given a room all to himself. Afterward, Ulan splashed some water on himself in the bathroom and plopped down on the floor.

“Now then…”

Should I consider that thought I had earlier?

Why was there a difference between the current situation in Shulfern and what he remembered from his past life?

However, his contemplation didn’t last long.

Perhaps it was due to having strained himself with thoughts earlier; he soon felt an overload. A strong headache set in, prompting Ulan to rise quickly from his seated position.

“Guess I’ll just sleep.”

Not that there was much else to do.

Just as he was heading toward the bed, his footsteps suddenly halted. The blanket just bulged up unexpectedly.

“……”

It meant that something was inside the blanket.

What could it be? Is it the White Wolf?

Ulan squinted his eyes and grasped the blanket. Then he lifted it up all at once.

Whoosh!

The blanket flew up into the air.

Soon after, the identity of the occupant was revealed.

“Hi there.”

A girl waved lightly.

With snow-white hair and a petite frame, she had vivid red eyes that sparkled with life as she greeted him.

“It’s been a while since that day.”

“You are…?”

Ulan narrowed his eyes.

He soon identified the girl’s identity.

There was only one being that could wear the guise of Fertisha’s childhood self, as far as Ulan was concerned.

“Have you been well?”

She asked him, beaming with a smile.

It was none other than the Spirit of the Abyss.

Chapter 47. School Trip