Chapter 266: Crossroads (7)
When I came to my senses, I found that I was already standing inside a room that looked familiar.
“Ugh….”
Even when I had moved through space by ignoring spatial distance with Professor Windy May before, I had definitely experienced a bit of dizziness and nausea.
However, what I was experiencing now went far beyond that—to the point where my body staggered on its own.
Feeling as though something might spill out from inside me at any moment, I hurriedly covered my mouth. Beside me, Yeriel clicked his tongue as if the taste in his mouth had turned bitter.
“My apologies. Unlike my residence, I simply cannot get used to this.”
“…So the Headmaster can do it as well.”
“Had I never shown you before? I feel like I did… or perhaps I just brushed it off by saying I couldn’t…?”
Muttering as if it hardly mattered, Yeriel patted my back lightly.
The sensation only made my nausea worse, so I waved my hand hurriedly to signal that I was fine.
“Anyway, this is an emergency. It’s hardly the time to be picky about the method, is it? So I had no choice but to use it.”
“Yes….”
“Still, it’s fortunate. We arrived safely. If luck runs out, sometimes only half of you makes it.”
“…Pardon?”
“A joke, a joke.”
When I stared at him in alarm, Yeriel waved his hand dismissively.
Judging by his expression, it did not seem like a joke at all.
In any case, once my stomach finally settled, I straightened my posture and slowly looked around.
As expected, it was a familiar place.
“This is… the Headmaster’s Office.”
“Mm.”
As I murmured quietly, Yeriel nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. Come to think of it, you’ve been here before, haven’t you?”
Muttering that, he walked toward a corner of the wall.
“After all, it was safest to move to a place that had been prepared beforehand—and somewhere that could be considered entirely my domain. As you know, there’s hardly a place more suitable for movement than this right now.”
Soon, Yeriel began taking out various objects from a hidden space in the wall.
Even a casual glance made it clear that every single item contained tremendous power.
“I’d like nothing more than to sit down with a cup of tea and catch my breath… but the others are working hard even now. My apologies to you, but we should move immediately.”
“That is exactly what I hoped for.”
“Mm, good. Very good. Perhaps it’s because you’re young—you’re brimming with spirit.”
After selecting what he needed, Yeriel returned to where I stood.
Even after narrowing them down as much as possible, his arms were still filled with numerous items.
“Still, before we act, let us confirm the situation and the facts.”
As he spoke, the first thing he placed down was a massive Crystal Sphere.
Before I could even ask what it was for, Yeriel lifted it into the air with a single gesture.
When he waved his hand again, several images began to form on the surface of the huge Crystal Sphere, as if they were paintings.
“If others knew, they might call me sly.”
He chuckled softly.
“But when it comes to observing the inside of the Academy in a situation like this, nothing surpasses this.”
The images gradually sharpened.
Soon, I could see several groups moving toward different locations.
Although they wore different outfits, they all shared one common trait.
“The Holy Sun Church.”
“The Holy Sun Church…?”
Yeriel muttered as if he had expected it, while I spoke in surprise.
“Why would they come to the Academy in a situation like this…? You said earlier that in the city, the Holy Knights and priests of the Holy Sun Church are fighting while protecting the citizens, didn’t you?”
“To put it bluntly, those are nothing more than a smokescreen.”
Yeriel spoke in a cold voice.
“Just by looking, you can tell they’re no ordinary individuals. It seems they selected only elites.”
“Why…?”
“It may be something similar to what happened with Rahma.”
“….”
At his words, I fell silent.
That massive incident—Rahma.
…and the Holy Sun Church.
“…No way.”
A thought surfaced in my mind, leaving me unable to say anything.
Perhaps Yeriel interpreted my silence differently, because he cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem… well, nothing is certain yet, so there’s no need to become too serious about it.”
“…Yes.”
“…Anyway, I’ll continue.”
Perhaps out of consideration for me, Yeriel’s voice became slightly gentler as he continued explaining.
“Before returning to the Academy, Professor Deiare told me something in advance.”
“Professor Deiare did?”
“Indeed.”
He nodded.
“You may find it difficult to believe, but she possesses the Far-Seeing Eye. Apparently, she learned it directly from her Mentor—the hero, Sage Arpentia.”
“….”
Arpentia.
Now, unlike before, it was a name I could no longer hear in the same way.
Yeriel seemed to sense something odd in my reaction, but perhaps because of what had happened earlier, he pretended not to notice and continued.
“In any case, she said that the members of the Holy Sun Church who remained at the Academy had been moving in extremely suspicious ways.”
“…In a situation like this?”
“Precisely because of a situation like this.”
Yeriel nodded.
“The outside has become chaotic, and to quell that chaos, most of the Academy’s forces have gone outside. As a result, hasn’t the interior been left empty?”
“….”
Hearing it put that way, it was nothing more than the most basic tactic.
If they had other intentions… there could hardly be a better opportunity than this.
“That’s why I came.”
Yeriel said this with a deliberate grin, looking at me as I pondered with a serious expression.
“I was worried about my residence, of course—but if there are suspicious elements inside the Academy… then there’s no one better suited to deal with it than the Headmaster of the Academy.”
“…You trust me?”
“Hm?”
Yeriel looked at me as if asking what nonsense I was saying.
Normally, I would never have asked such a question.
But perhaps because of what had happened earlier at the Auction House…
Everything felt different.
“Well, I am also a member of the Holy Sun Church, am I not? If I were their accomplice….”
“Oh my, what nonsense.”
Realizing what I meant, Yeriel shrugged exaggeratedly as if it were ridiculous.
“I do apologize for teasing you earlier without considering your position. But that doesn’t mean you should respond so self-deprecatingly.”
“….”
“You are my Mentor’s disciple. In that sense, we are practically senior and junior disciples of the same lineage. Besides, if I had truly suspected you in the first place….”
Suddenly, Yeriel waved his hand.
“Ah, enough of this embarrassing talk. We don’t have time to waste.”
As if to change the awkward mood, he pointed at the Crystal Sphere.
“They have split into four groups.”
“Four groups?”
“That’s right. Hmm… no, perhaps five if we count properly.”
Yeriel nodded.
“First of all, most of the Holy Sun Church members are fortifying the lodgings where they were staying. According to Professor Deiare, most of them are ordinary believers with no combat ability. They’re probably preparing for the current turmoil.”
“Preparing in case the Academy is breached?”
“Well, that could be part of it. But regardless of who the enemy is, it never hurts to prepare.”
Yeriel drew an X across that area of the Crystal Sphere with his finger.
“We can ignore them. The ones we must pay the most attention to are those led by Cardinal Bruyant.”
“…The Agent.”
The words slipped out of my mouth the moment I heard Bruyant’s name.
Yeriel nodded.
“…Yes. That’s why we must remain cautious despite their small number. Agents are all inhuman beings.”
One by one, he pointed to the Crystal Sphere.
“The Headmaster’s Office, the Sanctum, the Professors’ Wing… and lastly, the Library where my residence is.”
“They’re all sensitive locations.”
“Exactly.”
Yeriel added,
“The Headmaster’s Office… Are they targeting you?”
“No, it certainly isn’t because of me. In the current situation, I’m not that valuable a person.”
“Then…?”
“For security reasons I cannot explain in detail, but there is a hidden room accessible through the Headmaster’s Office. If that room is seized, the Academy’s barriers and defense systems can be controlled at will.”
I nodded in understanding.
“Then why are they heading toward the Sanctum and the Professors’ Wing?”
“The Sanctum… well, if they’re aiming for the relics of the Saintess and the Holy Knight, it would make sense. The Holy Sun Church has persistently demanded the return of those relics and remains.”
“And the Professors’ Wing…”
I hesitated briefly before speaking.
“The Room of Memories.”
“That would be my guess as well.”
Yeriel slowly nodded.
“For a supposedly secret hidden space… it seems everyone knows about it.”
He sighed, as if troubled.
“As for the Library where my residence is… unfortunately, it’s currently covered by a Barrier, so I cannot confirm anything clearly. I can only tell that my residence is inside the Barrier.”
“So there are four places we must go.”
“Indeed.”
Yeriel nodded.
Then he glanced toward the window.
In the sky, a Group of Dragons continued circling the heavens while looking down at the ground.
“…There’s no need to go to the Sanctum.”
Yeriel spoke.
“What they want is no longer there. They’ll probably get stuck inside. Even if Airos is gone… that forest is still a brutally unforgiving place.”
“I believe the same applies to the Professors’ Wing.”
I cautiously offered my opinion.
“Even if most of the professors went outside, several still remain. With them there, they wouldn’t be subdued so easily. Besides, even if they are Agents… they’ll probably avoid acting too violently in this situation.”
“That’s true. The professors are likely gathered and defending the area according to their usual training. It won’t be easy to break through.”
“Even if they did break through the defense… I doubt they would be able to find the Room of Memories.”
“I agree.”
I stopped speaking and quietly sighed.
At the very least, I would have to go there later—once this turmoil calmed down.
No matter how I looked at it, this was not a situation where I could move alone.
Moreover, the Holy Sun Church—especially with a Cardinal and Agents acting in what was practically a declaration of war.
I had no choice but to exercise extreme caution.
“Then that leaves the Headmaster’s Office and the Library.”
“What shall we do?”
“For now.”
Yeriel tapped another small Crystal Sphere he was holding.
It glowed red and then flew away on its own.
“With this, I’ve raised the Academy’s alert level to the highest stage. Whatever their objective may be… if they intend to harm the Academy, it won’t be easy.”
Next, he firmly grasped a staff shaped like a sword that he had been carrying carefully in his arms.
“I will deal with those heading to the Headmaster’s Office.”
“Then I’ll go toward the Library.”
“Please be careful.”
Yeriel stared at the Crystal Sphere thoughtfully.
“There was something I couldn’t tell you earlier, and I had to be cautious because of your position… but now I must say it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Cardinal also had an Iron Needle embedded in his chest.”
“….”
“That is the reason I consider them enemies. So you must also….”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“I will be careful.”
“…Would it not be better for you to remain here?”
“It’s fine. If necessary, I’m ready to draw my sword at any time.”
Then I forced a smile and joked,
“Well… I have an Indulgence, so I’ll somehow manage.”
“…One of these won’t be enough.”
I murmured quietly.
At my feet, someone lay collapsed, blood pouring from their body.
It was none other than Cardinal Bruyant.