Chapter 87: A Spectacular Outing (3)
The Academy was once again turned upside down due to the Imperial Investigation Team’s visit.
It was not common for the royal family to visit the Academy. Even if they came, they usually visited secretly. They didn’t come with a dozen people carrying flags.
That was why those involved were truly trembling, and they could not hide their anxiety even as they headed to St. Aimar’s Hall with the investigation team.
“Let me summarize again. There was a large tremor in the middle of the night, and when you traced its source, you found it came from St. Aimar’s Hall. Furthermore, in this place, which is normally full of the undead, only strong divine power remained?”
“Th-that’s right.”
“That’s ridiculous. And there’s no evidence?”
Delphione, the leader of the investigation team dispatched by the imperial family and the commander of the 4th Imperial Knight Order, shook his head in disbelief.
At first, he suspected that the Academy was hiding the incident, but that wasn’t the case either. After all, he had questioned all the people involved, including the people on duty that day, and their statements were consistent.
“That’s bullshit.” Delphione clicked his tongue as he looked at the mess inside the hall.
Did the undead start a fight among themselves? It was clearly recent, as evidenced by the broken traces and scars on the broken pillars. He really couldn’t understand.
“We suspect there may have been an intruder… but we haven’t found any clues.”
“Hmm. It looks like they used some kind of anti-tracking powder.”
“I believe so.”
Perhaps.
Everything was speculative. Even on the way to this hall, he had not encountered even one barrier or anything like that.
“Just in case, let me check the barrier.”
“Oh, yes. This way.”
In fact, Delphione was very annoyed. What would it mean if the imperial investigation team went out and came back and said they couldn’t find any traces?
So, with the mindset of grabbing at straws, he approached the barrier around the hall…
“There’s nothing wrong with it at all.”
It was clean. Delphione didn’t have much knowledge about barriers, but he at least knew that there was no sign of damage or tampering with the barrier.
“We’re also very confused.”
Because of this, the people in charge of the barrier and the professors of the Theology Department were at a loss as to what to do.
There was another reason for this.
“What does Your Majesty think?”
“Hmm.”
The existence of the Third Prince.
At Delphione’s words, he took off his robe, revealing hair that was a fiery red with a hint of orange, like the setting sun. It was a hair color unique to the imperial family.
The third prince, Edward Dantère.
“Y-Your Highness!”
The third prince, Edward Dantère.
The first prince, who already led the imperial knights.
The second prince, said to have outstanding talent in magic.
The third prince was not as well known in comparison. As such, no one expected him to be there.
“There’s no need to go to such lengths. I don’t want anyone to know I came here,” the third prince said calmly, reassuring the people in front of him. He also looked closely at the barrier.
‘Is this a trace of the barrier melting?’
A very subtle but different section could be felt along the surface, as if it had been melted and then reattached.
No one but the Third Prince had found it.
However—
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
He couldn’t tell for certain. He wasn’t confident. What meaning did his words have when he had no talent at all?
“I’m not sure.”
“…Is that so?”
The third prince, Edward, asked the Academy employees, “Have you checked around here too?”
“Oh, yes. Your Highness. We looked into it, but I’m afraid we found no traces or evidence.”
Edward thought on the matter. There were traces of the barrier here having been melted and re-attached differently than in other places. That obviously meant that someone had broken in.
Of course, everyone knew that much. It was unlikely that St. Aimar’s Hall could have been purified spontaneously.
“There were intruders, but they were really thorough in covering up any traces.”
“That’s right. What’s even more surprising is the fact that they passed through this barrier.”
Delphione asked Edward, “Is it that difficult?”
“Hmm. All of the barriers that exist in this academy were made by Saul Hangston. They are excellent barriers that have been used for hundreds of years. I don’t remember them ever being broken.”
Saul Hangston.
As a legendary mage who created all of the barriers that existed in the academy, he was a person known to everyone in the empire and even had a hall named after him.
The third prince clearly seemed to have extensive knowledge on the matter.
“I don’t know who it is, but it’s someone very skilled.”
That also meant they were dangerous.
“Your Highness, if they were able to break through a barrier set up by Saul Hangston, does that mean they could also disable the barrier around the imperial palace?”
“I think that’s highly likely.” Edward’s expression darkened.
It was why Delphione thought it was a shame.
‘If only the prince had been given one more talent.’
Delphione liked the upright and honest third prince. It was why he felt sorry for him for having to live each day without any talent and without confidence.
‘If only I had some kind of talent.’
He had practically forced himself into this investigation team because he wanted to be helpful and to catch the emperor, his father’s, eye. With his innate keen eye and his usual interest in barriers and space, he was able to discover something, but that was it.
Of course—
‘By the way, how on earth did they do it? I can’t explain it with the knowledge I have…’
Even if he had developed some kind of talent, he wouldn’t have known that someone passed through this barrier with a combination of ancient magic and the legendary creature, the dragon. After all, it was something no one would even consider in the first place.
“Since we can’t go any further than this, we’ve reached a dead end,” Edward said with genuine regret, and Delphione and the others sighed at his words.
“We’ve been investigating for two days and nights to find traces of the culprit… but he’s really unpredictable.”
“It could be the work of an outsider. If they can pass through this barrier almost without a trace, then infiltrating the Academy is no problem.”
At that, Edward let out a little groan.
Delphione asked urgently, “Your Highness.”
“Oh, I’m fine. It’s just the usual pain.”
“If you feel any discomfort, please let me know. We will return immediately. The investigation is important, but your safety is more important than anything else,” Delphione whispered so quietly that no one could hear.
Likewise, Edward shook his head and rubbed his hand secretly so that no one else could see. “I came here of my own accord, and I do not wish to cause trouble. My hands are fine.”
“Your Highness.”
“Oh, I’m really alright.”
Edward felt an unknown pain in his hand. It was an inexplicable pain that had been tormenting the Third Prince since he was five years old.
Edward was unable to hold his sword or make magical seals because of the pain. He was lucky if he could barely eat or sleep at night.
Perhaps that was why he missed the chance to even recognize his talent. Because of this, Edward became more desperate and always ended up locked in the library.
“…If it gets any worse, you must tell me.”
“Hmm. I will do that.”
Did the pain in his hand make him anxious?
Edward thought, ‘I need more clues. I need to look around more.’
Meanwhile, Delphione asked a few more questions without noticing the third prince’s actions.
“…then there weren’t even footprints or anything else nearby. You said it was around five in the morning?”
“It was around the time when the sun was rising.”
“What about magic detection?”
“There was nothing found.”
They continued investigating for some time.
“It’s strange. No matter how I look at it, it’s strange. His Majesty the Emperor is interested in this matter, even if it’s not urgent…”
“Um, Commander?”
“Hmm. I guess I should look around again…”
“C-Commander?”
Delphione turned around at the sound of a voice calling him urgently.
“What is it?”
“Uh, i-it’s…His Highness has disappeared.”
A chill ran down his spine.
“What?”
Delphione looked around.
He wasn’t there. The Third Price was nowhere in sight.
“Stop searching! Find His Highness immediately!”
At that moment, the purpose of the investigation team changed to searching for the prince.
We returned from our outing sooner than expected and headed to the Forest of Bonia to console ourselves.
As we walked, the academy was filled with gossip as expected. Most of the talk was about the imperial investigation team that had just entered the Academy’s main gate.
“We really played on a grand scale.”
It was just as Ernest said. Who would have thought that the Imperial Investigation Team would be dispatched for our club’s first activity?
“We won’t get caught, right?”
I chuckled at Leila’s anxious words. The girl who had been acting so confident and assertive at the furniture store started shaking as soon as she saw the imperial investigation team.
Well, the imperial family was on a different scale, so that might be why.
“Don’t worry. We won’t get caught.”
Ernest had meticulously sprinkled anti-tracking powder on our path, and they probably wouldn’t guess a dragon existed.
Even if they wanted to, how could they find out? If we were going to get caught, it would have already been revealed during the Academy’s own investigation.
“Let’s do some training.”
I put my worries aside. Even if they suspected something, we had an alibi. There was no way we could have left our dorms.
Anyway, we arrived at the Forest of Bonia and each of us began our own practice. Now, it felt natural to practice here.
Since it was in front of a forest where you never know what might pop out, there were few people around. At best, there was only a forest ranger who slept soundly every day and came out to patrol at night.
“Fuu.”
Leila took up her sword, and Ernest began to do bodyweight exercises. He should be able to shoot a bow soon.
I started my own practice.
Karnas was still asleep, so rather than jostle him with violent movements, I simply found a suitable spot and began arranging magic codes.
“One 4-chain… If the arrangement is successful this time, that will be two.”
Magic was fun because the achievements were visible. I had already successfully created a 4-chain magic code array even without learning the entire 3-chain magic code array. That was why ancient magic was so amazing, and at the same time, so curious.
“Hmm?”
By the way, as I started to focus my mana for the 4-chain magic code arrangement, I started to see the mana flowing in the human body again.
“This skill really needs a lot of focus.”
I watched Ernest, who was lying on the bare ground, repeatedly move up and down. It was very faint, but I could see it.
The flow of mana flowing within Ernest’s body.
Since people naturally possessed mana, I could also see the current flow of Ernest’s mana. When he raised his body, it moved toward his stomach. He shouted that he had to put strength into his stomach, and he really did.
“Fuu.”
I relaxed my concentration and sighed again.
This was no joke.
By the way, what would I see later? Would I even get clairvoyant abilities?
There were two circles now, but what happened when there were three, four, and so on?
“Let’s start by arranging the code.” First, I’d better practice 4-chain magic, and try it again back in the dorm. “For now… It’s «Wind Bomb».”
The magic I was practicing now involved shooting compressed air bullets and causing them to explode. The key was to gather the air, hold it, and then shoot it out.
Whoosh!
As I began to arrange the code, a strong wind began to blow around me. As expected of Ancient Mana. The book said a breeze would blow, but right now there was a typhoon.
“Wow! So cool!”
“Dane, what kind of magic is this?”
Thanks to that, the two seemed to have cooled off and were in high spirits.
“Hmm.”
The spell was much simpler than I thought. Was it because I had been practicing? Of course, I learned it much quicker than usual.
This wasn’t some ancient magic, it was my talent.
That was what Cidrane said.
The 4-chain magic code, although a bit complicated, also seemed doable.
Whoooooong!
I sent the air bullet floating above my palm flying. Since it was my first time, I adjusted the power appropriately, but—
Pow!
Judging from the sound, it seemed like it would be enough to lightly break a tree branch…
“Aaaaack!”
What?
Why did I hear someone screaming?
“Dane, what just happened?”
“It sounded like a person screaming.”
I got up and the other two immediately followed me.
The place where I had sent the «Wind Bomb» was a grass field. It was unlikely that someone passing by was hit.
So, who was watching us?
Rustle.
I dug through the grass and found someone inside. There was a person lying there, groaning.
“Eugh… ugh”
Those robes… were the robes that the people in the Imperial Investigation Team were wearing earlier.
However, there was a bigger concern than that.
“That hair color…”
Red hair.
There was only one house that I knew of that was born with red hair.
And one more thing.
Clearly, I could still feel the strange feeling I had when I first encountered the investigation team. That was when.
Leila’s panicked voice came from beside me.
“The i-imperial family?”
