Chapter 261

“That’s more chaotic than I imagined.”

It was late into the night, close to midnight.

A dark silhouette darted through the northern gate of the Academy, taking full advantage of the night’s darkness. In the blink of an eye, it leaped over the wall straight into the forest.

A boy with his hood pulled low.

With windswept blue hair, the boy was Elvin Adict, a current officer of the student council and a candidate for the position of the next president.

“Huh.”

Once he was completely hidden in the woods, Elvin released the breath he had been holding and glanced around. After confirming there were no signs of danger, he quickened his pace.

After quite some time had passed, he finally stopped when he reached the center of the forest. He cast a keen eye toward a withered old tree.

“It should be around here somewhere?”

Elvin muttered quietly as he crouched down and started digging into the earth.

How long had it been?

As he dug, a strange texture suddenly brushed against his hand.

“What is this…?”

He found the frayed end of an old sack.

As Elvin made the discovery, he moved his hands more swiftly, and soon he unearthed the sack in its entirety.

Upon checking the contents, his face lit up with delight.

“Yes!”

A satisfied smile spread across his lips.

Just then, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating the sack in his hands.

Inside lay blue tea leaves known as the Leaves of Draga. Elvin gazed at them with an ecstatic expression.

‘At first, it seemed a bit suspicious…’

Elvin first learned about the Leaves of Draga through a mage introduced by a distant cousin of his noble family.

This mage had gifted him some special tea leaves to help with his chronic insomnia, and those same leaves resided in the sack.

‘Originally, they were said to be poison.’

However, if you pluck the leaves, dry them in sunlight, and brew them into tea, the toxicity disappears, leaving only the unique effects of the Draga intact.

They offer an incredible sense of euphoria, a strong stimulating effect, and even help you fall asleep quickly. Thanks to that, Elvin had overcome his long-standing insomnia.

‘Of course, they might be a bit addictive…’

But then again, alcohol and cigarettes are the same.

So he didn’t think much of it.

‘And one more thing.’

The Leaves of Draga aren’t just for brewing tea; they also serve as a means to win over the student council officers.

Especially Anton, the current student council president, and Mond Parcheka, whom he met earlier today, were both hooked on the allure of the leaves just like Elvin.

Thanks to that, Elvin garnered strong support from the officers and decided to run for the next student council president.

Was that why? Elvin hugged the Leaves of Draga like a treasure. Afterward, he put the sack in his backpack and stood up.

“I should head back soon.”

The patrols at the northern gate of Arsen Academy increase after midnight. Remembering this, Elvin immediately started walking back to the academy.

A short while later…

As he emerged from the forest, he attempted to leap over the wall again to return to the dormitory just like before.

But at that moment.

A voice called out, gripping his feet.

“…Elvin Adict.”

A voice laced with chill.

Two shadows appeared, blocking Elvin’s path. Both girls had sky-blue and purple hair.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Isn’t it against the rules to leave the academy this late at night?”

It was Iris and Kamila.

Elvin couldn’t hide his surprised expression at their unexpected appearance.

“Why are you here…?”

“We heard a student was out behind the school, so we came to help with the search.”

“But before that, could you answer our question?”

Kamila pressed for an answer.

Still baffled, Elvin wore a confused look. However, he quickly regained his composure and calmly explained.

“I was just taking a walk.”

“…A walk, you say?”

“Yeah, I found myself wandering this far without realizing it. Oh, of course, I’m willing to accept any consequences for breaking the rules.”

A natural lie rolled off his tongue.

Perfect for an excuse. Internally, Elvin wore a smug smile.

“Hmm, is that so?”

Kamila looked skeptical.

Her sparkling eyes held a hint of annoyance, causing Elvin to furrow his brows.

But it was only for a moment.

Elvin was once again caught off guard by Kamila’s next question.

“Then what’s in that bag?”

“Cough! There’s nothing particularly special…”

“A bag that bulges like that can’t possibly be empty. Do you take me for a fool?”

Kamila narrowed her eyes sharply.

Then she delivered a pointed accusation.

“If you’re going for a walk, why do you need a bag? You aren’t going to bring anything back.”

“It’s really nothing special. Just some ordinary tea leaves, so I mentioned it in passing.”

No sooner had the word “tea leaves” left his lips, Iris and Kamila’s eyes lit up. However, they could not press further due to an unexpected interruption.

“Then I’d love to take a look inside.”

“Huh, Your Excellency?! “

Seoric Al Gorphant.

One of the five masters of the Rubens Empire and a distinguished professor in the Military Department.

As the unexpected presence of Seoric made Elvin freeze in place, he spoke again.

“Student Elvin. Can you not hear me?”

“Uh? Wh-what do you mean…?”

“I asked to see what’s in your backpack.”

The moment he heard that, Elvin instinctively realized. That prolonging the situation would only harm him. So he willingly placed the backpack on the ground.

“…Understood.”

After all, the Leaves of Draga were not well known in the Empire. So if someone asked him why he had them, he could simply say he intended to use them for a magical experiment.

Meanwhile, Seoric picked up the backpack without hesitation and checked inside. The moment he spotted the Leaves of Draga, he muttered softly.

“Hmm, so it really is this.”

“Yes, just as I mentioned earlier, these are perfectly ordinary tea leaves. I’ve been brewing them recently as I’ve been suffering from insomnia…”

Once his innocence was confirmed, Elvin continued to answer with a relieved face. At that moment, Seoric’s expression suddenly hardened.

“What? You’ve been brewing this?”

“Y-yes.”

What? Did I say something wrong?

Confused, Elvin nodded, his eyes darting around anxiously. Just then, multiple presences revealed themselves around him.

“…!”

Men sprang out from all directions.

Inspectors from the Military Department and agents from the direct Magic Department’s Special Operations Division. They surrounded Elvin immediately.

“Elvin Adict.”

“You are under arrest for violating imperial law.”

“The charge is possession and intent to import the designated hazardous substance, the Leaves of Draga.”

“…What?”

Elvin asked, bewildered.

As if he couldn’t grasp the situation yet.

“H-hazardous substance? What is that…?”

“We will discuss the details once we’re there.”

“Take him away!”

Yet, the inspectors and Special Operations agents didn’t answer Elvin’s question. They simply restrained him and led him toward the academy.

After Elvin was taken away…

Iris and Kamila stared blankly at the Leaves of Draga that had spilled slightly on the ground.

“It looks just like ordinary tea leaves, but it’s considered a hazardous substance…?”

“Is this herb really that dangerous?”

Iris turned to Seoric.

Looking carefully into his eyes, Seoric nodded solemnly.

“Ah, you don’t know, do you?”

Turning away, he abruptly drew his sword.

Then he plunged it into the Leaves of Draga that lay on the ground.

“This is a drug with strong hallucinogenic effects. It was also the cause of the Western War.”

“…What?”

“B-but the Western War is…?”

“You probably learned it was a conflict triggered by noble power struggles, but that’s just a convenient excuse tailored afterward.”

Upon hearing this, both girls’ eyes widened.

If someone else had said such words, they would have dismissed it as a ridiculous joke. But given that it was Seoric who said it, the conversation carried weight.

After all, he was a noble who had directly participated in the Western War and was one of the heroes who ended it alongside Berge Erkazhan.

“The truth is that the fight began to seize the territory of the Draga.”

“Then why keep the truth hidden?”

“Because we deemed it too dangerous for this plant to be known to the world. Initially, its addictive properties aren’t severe, but prolonged use will eventually lead to total dependency.”

With a chilling response, Seoric crushed the Leaves of Draga that had spilled out of the sack underfoot.

“I had thought we were safe after completely dismantling the distribution network over a decade ago, but who would have imagined encountering it again like this?”

With a somewhat bitter smile.

A little while later, the bag containing the Leaves of Draga was secured as vital evidence. Soon after, the inspectors and Special Operations agents approached.

“My apologies, Your Excellency.”

“What shall we do about tracking down the distributor?”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry about that.”

“Really? But…”

“It’s fine, just leave it to me. Ulan and Delia are on the case.”

As the names of the master of Arsen and the High Mage were mentioned, the inspectors and Special Operations agents immediately sealed their lips. If those two were on the case, catching the accomplice would only be a matter of time.

‘But aside from that…’

On another note, after finishing his response, Seoric’s expression darkened.

“…I have an uneasy feeling about this.”

The reason was unknown.

Thus, Seoric remained silent as he gazed westward toward the sky. In the direction of the grand imperial castle of the Rubens Empire.

2.

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

As Elvin was being arrested on the spot.

On the outskirts of the northern forest, a mage was racing down a forest path.

“Huff! Huff!”

A gray-robed mage.

His ragged breath hitched in his throat, but he couldn’t afford to stop. There were others hot on his tail.

‘Damn it, damn it! The hell!’

Abyss Worshipper, Rav.

He was one of the organization’s higher-ups, sent here under orders from above.

His solitary mission was clear.

Deliver the Leaves of Draga to Elvin Adict. He didn’t know why he had to do so, but he followed orders without hesitation.

Yet, he deemed a direct handoff risky. Instead, he decided to bury the leaves in an agreed-upon location ahead of time.

This was now the fourth or fifth time he had operated this way.

Throughout this time, there had been no significant issues. So he casually thought this mission would go as usual.

‘But this time…’

Something felt different.

It was fine until he buried the sack containing the Leaves of Draga in the usual spot, but just after that, a warning shot through his mind.

【There are people following you.】

【Get out of the forest as fast as you can.】

From the Lord of the Abyss, Rakus’ minions.

Taking the whisper seriously, Rav immediately made his escape from the site. There was no room for doubt; the minions were specialized in surveillance.

However, his window for escape was short.

Just as he was about to escape the forest, a fierce attack suddenly flew toward him.

“…!”

Instinctively, Rav dodged, avoiding the assault. After rolling on the ground, he sprang back up and caught sight of his assailant.

A girl with light blonde hair.

Upon meeting the sharp glint of her turquoise eyes in the moonlight, Rav recognized who she was.

‘Ivella Elea’ad!’

The arch-enemy of the Abyss, as described by the higher-ups.

One of the seven stars that would later shine to illuminate the darkness of the Abyss. The same figure that Rakus referred to as a hero.

As Rav’s eyes wavered, Ivella quickly adjusted her grip on her sword and unleashed a flurry of slashes.

Rav grimaced under the relentless assault.

“Ugh! Kkh!”

Wounds blossomed across his body.

It seemed Ivella’s intent was to inflict wounds to hinder his concentration, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to cast magic if injured.

But Rav was different.

‘Don’t underestimate me!’

Rav was a high-ranking mage. No matter how legendary a hero was, he wasn’t weak enough to have his magic disrupted by a girl who wasn’t even twenty yet.

Thus, he poured all his focus into completing his magic formula. However, just as he had prepared to unleash it at Ivella’s advancing face…

“…Huh?”

A dazed look spread across his face.

He had completed the spell and infused it with magic, but it didn’t activate. Just then, Ivella’s sword sliced through the air and pierced his shoulder.

“Kuaah!”

With a scream of pain, Rav staggered and fell to the ground. And in that moment, he realized why his magic had failed to activate.

A silver-haired girl with pointed ears.

He noticed the mage floating behind Ivella, radiating immense magical power.

‘Delia Arpen!’

Recipient of the love of mana.

Reported to have recently reached the level of High Mage, a wizard unlike any other in history.

The moment he recognized Delia’s presence, Rav comprehended the futility of engaging in battle against a mage with the ability to completely suppress magic activation.

“Ha, haha…”

He was utterly cornered.

Staring at the insurmountable gap in ability, Rav dropped his head in resignation.

“…Is this it for me?”

But he hadn’t given up just yet.

For on his lips, a strange smile had emerged. Moments later, he raised both arms high and declared in a booming voice,

“Ah, O Abyss! I offer the blood and flesh of this insignificant servant, so please accept it!”

“…!”

In that instant, Delia’s face turned to stone. She recognized the scene from somewhere.

During the summer vacation in the canyon of the Arpen Duchy, the actions of the Abyss Worshippers who had ambushed her during the Hero’s Trial.

“Stop him right now! He’s going to commit suicide!”

With Delia’s urgent shout, Ivella’s sword moved like a flash of light. Rav looked on wit a sinister grin.

‘They caught on, which is commendable…’

But it was already too late.

In the moment of realization that he had no chance, Rav unleashed all the magic power he had stored within.

As the two girls rushed toward him, a sneer appeared on Rav’s lips. Then, out of nowhere, he was hit by an unexpected attack.

Bam!

A loud noise erupted.

Suddenly, a tremendous pain struck the back of his head, and everything in his view faded to white.

‘What just happened…?’

Rav tried to process the situation, but it was futile. The intense pain clouded his mind, and he lost consciousness.

And as a result…

The magic of the Abyss that was on the verge of rampaging faded into calm, leaving Rav sprawled on the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

“…Ugh.”

“H-He’s not dead, is he?”

As Rav lay motionless, Delia and Ivella were at a loss for words.

“It’s fine.”

A voice droned out as presence emerged from where Rav had just been.

“I just tapped him gently.”

A muscular barbarian with reddish-brown hair, Ulan, said nonchalantly while wielding a blood-dripping club.

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