"It is a funny joke, Luan Badniker. I would have laughed if it weren't for the current situation. You are better at sharpening your wit than honing your skills," Barter said, dismissing my words as a mere joke.
I didn't want to argue, so I simply nodded. Still, beyond this matter, I had something important to say. "Please allow Hector to leave."
"That conversation is already over. We cannot afford to search for a safe place," Barter replied curtly.
"So you plan to leave the students here? Surrounded by such dangerous enemies?" I pressed.
"That isn't the case. There is a building we just escaped from. We disposed of most of the dolls inside. It's far safer than any other place nearby. I intend to take them there," he answered.
He did not mean to abandon them. Given the circumstances, his judgment made sense. Putting aside Barter's sarcasm, Hector probably prioritized emotions over reason.
What an irritating bastard. Some people deserved a punch even when they said the right thing. In my book, Barter was one of them.
"What if there was a much safer place?" I probed.
"What are you getting at?"
I told him about the powerful magic Alderson had invoked to secure the base. Barter's expression changed slightly by the end of my account. In a time like this, knowing there was a guaranteed safe zone mattered more than anything.
"In many ways, it's reckless to keep tracking her like this. Let's regroup at the dean's location first," I suggested.
"No." Barter shook his head. "Even if we're not planning to fight the princess, we still have to track her. At the very least, we need to know where she's staying."
"What about the students?"
"I'll revise the operation. A small elite unit will keep tracking the princess. The rest will escort the students to the dean's building. I'll choose who stays on the mission." He called out, "Me, Hector, and Marco. The three of us will check the situation. Luan Badniker, you take the students."
I couldn't believe how stubborn he was and replied with sarcasm, "I'll join in Hector's place."
"You?" Barter stared at me.
"You?" Barter stared at me, his cold blue eyes devoid of any emotion. For a moment, I thought of Seren. No matter how different we looked, family was family. I wondered if others felt the same when they saw Hector and me together.
As I wasted time on these thoughts, Hector interrupted, "Let's do it like this, Sir Barter. Luan is much stronger than me."
A slight commotion stirred among Barter's subordinates at Hector's defense. Hector was known for his high self-esteem, so his words caught everyone off guard.
Barter didn't buy it. "Are you telling me to believe that now?"
"It's true, Captain," an unlikely voice supported Hector's claim.
This guy...
"Captain, I can vouch for Luan Badniker's skills. He's not just at the level of a hero disciple. Even without Hector Badniker, our strength will increase," Marco added.
Barter's expression changed noticeably at Marco's words.Perhaps because Marco was a Special Forces operative, Barter now showed more consideration than he had when listening to Hector or me.
"Fine. So be it."
At this moment, Seren chimed in calmly, "Brother, I'm coming too."
Barter frowned and opened his mouth to respond, but Seren continued swiftly, "You're aware of my blessing. It may be blood-red, but it's still a full moon. I'm in far better condition than usual."
Barter paused, then exhaled slowly. "I understand. Then the four of us—"
"M-me too!" Glenn, standing a bit farther away, raised his hand. "I'll come with you as well, Sir Barter!"
His ears were sharp. We had been speaking softly to keep the prince and other students from hearing, but Glenn had caught every word.
Barter's face grew the sternest I'd seen. "Your Highness, I regret to say I cannot accept that order."
"You're pursuing Perist, right? I'll be helpful. The imperial family's bloodline lets us sense each other. You'll need me if tracking is the goal," Glenn reasoned.
I interjected, "Allow it. He won't be a burden."
In my view, Glenn could be stronger than Marco. He was a man with many secrets, and I had seen his rank in the Tower of Training. Besides, he carried the imperial bloodline, which gave him a natural edge against Dark Qi. Even without a blessing, he could resist its effects better than most who bore blessings.
Barter shot me a sharp glare. "It's my decision, Luan Badniker. Don't cross the line."
I shrugged, "I'm merely offering advice. Take it or leave it."
"That's the same thing. And you're speaking without honorifics. The Badnikers' etiquette education must be excellent," he snarked.
I chuckled softly.
"That wasn't a compliment." Barter glared at me slightly, but I simply shrugged again.
Seren looked at me in surprise, as if she'd never seen anyone speak to her brother that way.
Barter sighed once more. "I understand. But you must obey my orders at all times, Your Highness."
"Of course."
In the end, Barter seemed to accept that the benefits of having the prince with us outweighed the risks.
This development worked in my favor as well. Somehow, I felt a desire to keep an eye on Glenn.
Is Glenn feeling the same? I could sense his gaze studying me.
***
I showed Hector and the students the way to the base, then rejoined the others to continue the pursuit without delay. Our group looked unusual. Barter took the lead with Marco just behind him. Seren and I guarded the rear, while the prince walked between us, positioned safely in the center.
The arrangement clearly existed to protect Glenn. Maybe that was part of why Barter had agreed to bring the prince along. He must have figured it was safer to keep Glenn close.
Damn, this is frustrating. The dean's location is far safer, I grumbled inwardly, but this was just the way Barter operated. He didn't trust secondhand accounts—he needed to confirm things with his own eyes. I couldn't fault him for it. I wasn't much different. With the area outside the buildings resembling hell, we advanced with caution.
"It is strange," Barter muttered
Marco nodded. "Yes. It is too quiet."
It had been nearly an hour since we parted ways with the group, yet we hadn't encountered a single demon. If we had been wandering this long inside a relatively safe building, we would have run into at least two or three stuffed dolls by now.
Something is wrong. I could feel a doll's gaze from afar, fixed on us. No one else seemed to notice.
I sharpened my senses, bracing for a fight, but the doll didn't budge. It just stood there, watching with an eerie, vacant stare.
"I think it is this way." Glenn spoke up every time we lost the princess's trail or whenever Barter's recollection faltered.
I watched Glenn quietly from behind. Seren glanced at me and asked, "What is it?"
I had some experience, so I whispered low enough to keep Glenn from hearing. "You said it before. Either the prince or the princess is suspicious."
Seren leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper as well. "Yes."
"Looking at everything so far, it's obvious the princess is the mastermind. But even with that in mind, something doesn't sit right."
"What do you mean?"
I lowered my voice further. "Is it possible that they're both church members?"
I could see Seren pause.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it. But we should consider every possibility," I cautioned.
"No. You're right," she replied. "I forgot about that. I'll keep it in mind."
By the time we nodded and ended our quiet exchange, Barter's footsteps had stopped outside a building. It was arguably the most dilapidated structure I had ever seen. Calling it an abandoned house felt more accurate than calling it a building. The blood-red glow unique to the Otherworld bathed the place, deepening the eerie atmosphere. Compared to the other buildings, it was smaller, about the size of an ordinary building in the real world.
That only makes it creepier... I thought.
"The last time I checked, the princess entered this building. Your Highness, what do you think?" Barter asked.
Glenn's gaze shifted to the building. "There seems to be movement inside, but I can't say more without going in. We'll have to check."
I studied the building, recalling our position and matching it to the altered geography of the Otherworld. The answer came quickly, and I blurted, "Research Building 13."
Everyone turned to me.
Barter asked, "What does that mean?"
"There's a ghost story that goes around the academy. Officially, there are only twelve research buildings. But at certain times, a thirteenth building—one that isn't supposed to exist—appears..." I pointed into the distance, counting each building aloud. "Judging by the location, this has to be the thirteenth."
A faint chill fell over the group. Did I say something unnecessary?
"We're going in." While I wrestled with that thought, Barter took the lead and pushed open the door.
A loud scream pierced the air, and a black figure shot straight toward us.
Barter drew his sword immediately, but I cried out urgently, "Wait!"
I stepped past him and caught the flying person.
Why so heavy? It felt like catching a flying rock. If I had neglected my physical training even slightly, I would've been knocked over.
A head with striking blue hair looked up at me. "You are that Blond Badniker?"
It was Mir Giant. She had been dragged into this as well, and she looked far from stable. Her hair hung in disarray, her breathing came in rough bursts, and her eyes spun with disorientation.
"Calm down. What's going on?" I asked.
"I-it is weird here! We must flee immediately!"
"What are you talking about?" I pressed.
"There's a monster inside...!"
Just then, footsteps echoed from deeper within the building, and several figures appeared. Evan was there, but so were Charis, Charles, Pam, Zeros, and Charon.
"Get out now!" Charon shouted from the front of the group the moment he saw us inside. He was the sharpest when it came to reading a situation, so I turned and bolted through the same door we'd come in.
Barter was still staring inside when Marco shouted to snap him out of it. "Sir Barter! It is dangerous!"
At last, Barter tore his eyes away from the doorway.
Heavy footsteps pounded within, like a massive presence trampling down the hallway. It wore the hallway's darkness like a cloak, making its form hard to discern, but its bulk and length were unmistakable.
At last, the last person rushed out and slammed the door shut behind them. Yet, outside was no safer. Immediately afterward, dozens—or perhaps far more—of dolls appeared behind us.
"W-what? Where did all these come from?"
"They weren't here just moments ago..."
Among the confused hero disciples, I focused on Glenn.
"I can't believe there are so many..."
Was his pale face genuine or just an act?
In that tense moment, Barter turned to me. "Luan Badniker, take us to the building you mentioned."
I nodded and drew the Yin-Yang Dao. "Follow me."