Chapter 144
Meanwhile, in the headquarters of the Imperial Guards...
Shouts from knights engaged in dueling drills echoed throughout the hall when suddenly, a rapid, sharp alarm shattered the air.
Bong, bong, bong!
The toll of the emergency bell brought the entire order into swift action. Knights dropped their training equipment and rushed to arm themselves, gathering at designated points with military precision.
Amid the clamor, Amy Altura, a knight of the Imperial Guards, hurried to the vice-commander's office in response to Sir Luke's urgent summons.
"Vice Commander," she called out as she entered briskly.
Luke exhaled a long sigh and nodded, saying, "You're here, Dame Amy."
"What's going on?" Amy asked, her voice tense with worry.
"We've received an urgent cooperation request from the Oceanwolf Knight Order. There are signs of a terror attack at the academy," Luke said, pulling on his armor with practiced speed. "This is intelligence directly sent by Lord Caron Leston himself."
"Isn't today the day of Caron's special lecture?" Amy asked.
"Yes, that's correct," Luke replied.
"Who dares target the academy..." Amy wondered.
Since its founding, no outsider had ever infiltrated the academy's grounds. It was considered an impregnable institution.
Luke's expression darkened as he continued, "The intelligence report warns of a threat involving variant maw worms."
"Variant maw worms?" Amy asked.
"Do you know about them?" Luke asked.
"Only vaguely," Amy answered.
"That makes sense. They're one of the darkest aspects of the empire's past. Let's talk on the way," Luke said as he grabbed the scabbard resting against his desk and exited with Amy.
Due to the emergency declaration, the place was bustling with activity.
Luke quickly walked forward, continuing his explanation. "Maw worms were a common parasite within the empire around fifty years ago. But unlike ordinary parasites, they were monstrous creations—engineered by dark mages."
"Dark mages..." Amy's voice carried a note of dread.
Luke gave a sharp nod and continued, "Around fifty years ago, dark magic wasn't condemned the way it is now. Maw worms were used as tools of control—particularly on slaves."
Amy listened in silence as he spoke.
Maw worms were parasitic creatures with horrifying traits. After mating, the male worm would explode if separated from the female. Plus, the place where they nested was within one's heart. And if a maw worm detonated inside the heart... The host died. That could be said to be a truly sinister trait, befitting a creature that closely resembled a demonic monster and was created by dark mages.
"The emperor's first decree after his ascension was to outlaw dark magic. Naturally, maw worms and other dark creations were swiftly eradicated," Luke explained.
Since the current emperor ascended to the throne, the maw worms had rapidly disappeared from the empire. However, after fifty years, they had suddenly reappeared.
"This isn't something we can take lightly," Luke muttered grimly.
The swift disappearance of maw worms from the empire had largely been due to the power of the Imperial Family. One of the late emperor's obsessions—known to history as the Malevolent Emperor—had been their research and development.
For the current emperor, who had seized the throne by overthrowing his father, maw worms were an abomination whose existence he could neither acknowledge nor permit.
"The Magic Tower and even the military pushed for continued research," Luke explained as they strode forward. "But His Majesty refused without hesitation."
"But aren't they just parasites?" Amy asked.
"They can't be easily detected by magic, and their reproduction rate is formidable. The military believed there was no better weapon for destabilizing enemy nations," Luke answered.
"Then... I guess you could call them a biological weapon," Amy said.
"Exactly. They weren't merely a tool to prevent slaves from escaping, but they also had countless other applications," Luke added.
As they spoke, they reached the front courtyard of the headquarters. Knights in full battle gear stood in orderly formations, ready for deployment.
"If maw worms have been found, as Lord Caron claims, this isn't just a terror incident. It's far more dangerous," Luke said.
The reason why no one had heard reports of maw worms for fifty years was disturbingly simple: All research records had been destroyed, and everyone involved in their creation had been executed. The empire's younger generations had learned only of their existence, but never their creation process.
But if maw worms had truly reappeared, only two explanations remained. Either someone had rediscovered the secret of their creation, or the Malevolent Emperor's remnants had survived for all these years.
Luke thought that the first possibility was far more likely. But if it was the latter, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"How did Caron even recognize them?" Amy asked, her brows furrowed.
Luke sighed and shook his head, then said, "Lord Caron... Trying to understand that young man is pointless."
Amy gave a faint nod of agreement and said, "That's a fair point."
"Brace yourself, Dame Amy. My instincts tell me this won't be the end of it," Luke warned Amy.
"Understood, Vice Commander," Amy replied. Her expression hardened as she turned her gaze toward the direction of the academy.
Caron, Amy thought.
It had been four years since they last met. Amy wondered why Caron always seemed to be at the center of incidents, like the imperial palace incident four years ago and the one she was headed to.
"Knights, to the academy! Hurry up! We're out of time," Luke instructed.
"Yes, Sir!"
Amy banished all stray thoughts as she mounted her horse.
Reunions could come later—far later. The only thing that mattered now was the unprecedented crisis unfolding at the academy.
Without hesitation, she urged her horse forward. Time was running out.
***
At the same moment, in the grand auditorium of the academy, Caron continued to instruct everyone.
"Thank you all for your cooperation," he said with a satisfied smile, swinging Guillotine in one hand.
Caron had worried about what to do if the students didn't obey, but thankfully, they listened well. Perhaps it had something to do with the way he'd drawn Guillotine the moment he arrived and begun issuing threats.
"Follow instructions and I'll let you live," he had declared, as a cold and deadly aura emanated from the sword.
Overwhelmed by the sheer murderous intent, the students had no choice but to comply, trembling in terror. Anyone watching from the outside would think Caron was holding all the students hostage with their lives hanging in the balance.
Of course, there hadn't been a complete lack of resistance.
"Hahaha! What a heroic sense of humor! Everyone seems to be taking him far too seriously! Now, let's all give a round of applause to our distinguished alumnus—Caron Leston!"
Principal Octavio had tried to lighten the mood to survive, but Caron had simply unsheathed Guillotine further in response.
"What next? Demanding ransom from their parents? You're turning into a proper bandit," Guillotine chuckled inside his mind.
Without missing a beat, Caron firmly retorted, Shut it, Guillotine.
Still, things could have been worse. The moment he'd noticed the male student lurking awkwardly outside the auditorium, luck had been on his side. It had been a stroke of fortune to realize that the student was infected with a maw worm. Thanks to that, Caron had swiftly identified the infected students upon entering the hall and isolated them, securing their cooperation.
Pluto deserved much of the credit. Maw worms couldn't easily be detected by magic, making precise identification nearly impossible. And yet, Pluto had done it.
Meow.
Caron gently stroked the little creature perched on his shoulder before setting it down. Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, insect-like creature. It resembled a centipede, but he knew all too well what it truly was—a maw worm.
"Only someone who's tasted one before can tell," Guillotine muttered smugly.
Guillotine wasn't wrong. If Caron hadn't encountered maw worms in his previous life, he wouldn't have been able to recognize them. They had changed significantly from what he remembered.
Someone has modified them, he thought grimly, staring at the worm.
As he pondered, a man approached him cautiously, reporting, "Mr. Caron, I've taken the steps you instructed."
"Thank you, Professor Bail," Caron responded.
"I cast powerful sleep spells on the infected students. They won't be waking anytime soon," the professor said, offering a bitter smile.
Professor Bail, a Seventh Circle mage and instructor of magical studies at the academy, glanced at the worm in Caron's hand with visible unease. He asked carefully, "Is... that what caused the students' condition?"
Caron nodded slowly and replied, "Yes, it is."
"Is there a cure?" Bail asked.
"We'll have to find one," Caron replied, giving him a faint smile.
The professor's frail, scholarly appearance was accentuated by the thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, making him seem even more fragile.
"Professor Bail, do you know what this creature is?" Caron asked.
"Well," Bail said, tilting his head thoughtfully, "I can only make a few educated guesses. It seems to be some kind of parasite, but I've never encountered one like it before. You might want to consult the biology professor instead—"
"Ah, I see. Thank you for the suggestion," Caron interrupted with a slight nod, his eyes narrowing as he studied the man's face. Then, he lowered his voice and said, "They say you're from the Magic Tower."
"It's a little embarrassing, but yes, I am," Bail admitted with a faint smile.
"Why didn't you stay there? Why bother with the hassle of teaching at an academy?" Caron asked.
"Because teaching children has been my dream for a long time. This is as far as my talents could take me," Bail answered, his voice tinged with bitterness.
Caron shrugged and absentmindedly toyed with the maw worm in his hand. He said, "The thing is, Professor Bail, I've got a pretty good idea of what this little pest is."
"...Oh, do you?" Bail responded.
"Have you ever heard of a maw worm?" Caron asked.
Bail hesitated before answering, "Maw worm... Yes, I've read about them in books."
"Its appearance has changed a bit from the ones I remember..." Caron said with a casual grin, "...but this is definitely a maw worm."
He smiled and observed Professor Bail, who looked uneasy. Caron continued, "Principal Octavio mentioned something interesting earlier. He said you were the only faculty member who volunteered for this special lecture."
It was a special lecture of such scale that 1,500 people were in attendance. Naturally, someone was needed to guide the students, but there had been almost no faculty members willing to volunteer for such a tedious task, making it nearly impossible without a strong sense of duty.
Upon hearing Caron's comment, Bail gave a faint smile and replied, "I wanted to meet you, Mr.Caron Leston."
"Ah, me?" Caron asked.
"You are quite the famous figure," Bail said.
"You could've asked Professor Ulysses to arrange something. If I'd known that an honorable professor of the academy wanted to see me, I could have at least shown my face," Caron teased, flashing a grin.
Then, his tone darkened as he continued, "Now, back to the point. Let's talk about the maw worm's traits."
"I'm listening," Bail murmured.
"Male maw worms explode if separated too far from the females—or at least, that's what I was taught. But what do you think happens when a male and female meet?" Caron asked.
Bail thought for a bit, then shook his head and answered, "As I said, I think that's a question for the biology department."
"Why bother those who are busy when we have everything we need for a demonstration right here?" Caron's smile sharpened.
At that moment—
Thud!
Caron drove Guillotine lightly into Bail's foot.
"Aaargh!" Bail screamed, but it went unheard. Pluto's aura had wrapped around his mouth, swallowing the sound entirely.
"I'll tell you the answer myself," Caron whispered, leaning closer. "When a male and female maw worm meet, they breed right away. Larvae grow inside the host, feeding off their blood vessels."
He pried Bail's mouth open, then shoved the maw worm in.
"Now," Caron said, his eyes glinting with a deadly edge, "you'll answer my questions honestly, or those larvae will chew through every vein in your body."
"Ugh... Guh..." Bail gagged, his face contorting in agony.
"You ruined my grand plan," Caron said, his voice dangerously low. "So now..."
Bail writhed in pain as Caron's grin turned vicious.
"You'll have to take responsibility for that. Right?"