Chapter 47
To the Necromancy Research Building
Lorenzo crossed his legs.
“Let’s assume what you’re saying is true, Carl. To stop that, your subordinates beat up mine, right? While I set up the foundations and created smuggling routes, what were you doing?
If the benefit of an alliance with you is that we can remain safe from your tyranny, then that’s no different from a thug shaking people down for protection, isn’t it?
If I were to join forces with you, shouldn’t you bring something to the table too?”
Lorenzo subtly rejected Carl’s proposal for cooperation.
However, in doing so, he inadvertently acknowledged the points Carl had made.
Lorenzo had created the smuggling routes as a kind of safeguard for his agents to move freely at night. He had entered the academy with the goal of investigating its secrets, and many of the students around him were actually informants.
Acknowledging these facts was as good as admitting them out loud.
Idnia, who had been eating snacks while observing Carl and Lorenzo’s battle of words, noticed their gazes now fixed on her.
“You two are like oil and water. At this point, even if you try to team up, you’ll end up stabbing each other in the back.”
Idnia, seeing their attention, casually spoke up.
“What?”
“…….”
“First, Lorenzo. If you don’t collect enough points to unlock the academy’s facilities, any information you gather at night will be limited. When the students unlock the facilities, the academy will clear the fog, and the paths will be somewhat open, but if that doesn’t happen, no matter how capable your agents are, the information they can gather will be minimal. You’re not unaware that these student IDs we carry are also tools that track our movements, right?”
Idnia’s observation was so on point that both Carl and Lorenzo let out a groan.
In fact, since the opening ceremony, they had been somewhat underestimating Idnia.
They hadn’t looked down on Idnia Kache Betelgeuse herself, but they had assumed that since her family had fallen and she had entered the academy alone, she would be easy to overlook.
While they had come with their subordinates and immediately established power within the academy, Idnia had entered like an ordinary student, without any attendants, so naturally, they didn’t think she was someone to be wary of.
But what had followed?
She displayed incredible magical ability and was currently ranking first in the point system.
Idnia had 6 points on her own. Adding the 4 points she could freely distribute as dorm leader, that made 10 points in total.
Carl had 9 points, but that was because he had solved the case of the Invisible Stalker’s escape. In terms of regular classes, his achievements didn’t come close to Idnia’s.
‘His personal abilities are impressive, but… it seems like he’s not interested in the academy’s secrets. Maybe it’s better to propose an engagement and draw her to my side.’
Carl had thought this way and had proposed to Idnia, but she rejected him with some peculiar words.
However…
From what she was saying now, didn’t it seem like she knew much more about the academy’s secrets than they did?
“And Carl. You’ve prepared something, but in reality, you’re scared because you don’t really know how much Lorenzo has achieved, so you’re trying to bluff by showing a little of your hand, right?
You know there’s something great hidden in the academy, but you don’t know what it is. You’ve gathered a group of talented people, but you’re worried because your competitor, Lorenzo, is moving in secret at night.
If you don’t even know what Lorenzo has gained and are worried at this level, then you’re not yet at the stage where you can discuss cooperation.”
“Lady Idnia. What are you…?”
“…….”
“First, let’s collect points and unlock the facilities. Whether we cooperate or not can be decided later. I’m leaving now, but I’ll finish this snack.”
Idnia said as she handed her tea cup to the Boreas student holding the teapot.
The student, with a reluctant expression, filled her cup, and Idnia quickly drank it in one gulp, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief before standing up.
“Alright, I’ll gather more materials and then we’ll discuss. There’s no point in shaking hands right now. We’ll end up stabbing each other in the back within the academy’s rules, and how can we talk about a far more dangerous alliance like that?”
It was clear to her that they were worried, but they hadn’t come close to discovering the academy’s truth yet, so there was no need to rush.
“I wasn’t sure why you called me, but it seems like it’s just for this trivial matter.”
Idnia made a slight bow and started to leave.
“…Ah.”
“…Mm.”
Carl and Lorenzo were left speechless as they watched Idnia walk away with the sound of wind in her wake.
“Ha. I took quite a blow to my pride, but I wonder if it worked.”
Idnia, heading to the dining hall, was inwardly anxious.
There was a secret in the academy.
This had been a plot point since the beginning of Awakening Concert.
The Demon King had raised an army to conquer the world, and his first priority was Dunais Academy.
If the Demon King took control of Dunais Academy, he could rule the world.
In the user community, there had been discussions that Dunais Academy was a hub for countless teleportation gates, and if the Demon King controlled the academy, they would have a massive strategic advantage.
But that wasn’t the only reason. Some argued that the academy itself held immense power and had kept the five prisoners of the empire shackled.
These theories had been floating around, but characters like Rudolf, Carl, and Lorenzo had been depicted as carefree noble heirs in season 1.
As the seasons progressed, the characters became more serious, and their backgrounds were revealed in greater depth, but the impression of season 1 was definitely different.
Rudolf, the well-meaning crown prince.
Carl, the impulsive northern soldier.
Lorenzo, the sly southern merchant.
Their images had been quite simple.
But now, looking at the reality, Idnia realized that this world, unlike the game, had been set up with much more complexity, and characters were being arranged according to that setting.
‘I shouldn’t act based on the impressions from the original game. Oh, speaking of which, where is Mari?’
Idnia searched for Mari but couldn’t find her in the dining hall.
“Cendia, where’s Mari?”
“Oh, she probably went with the crown prince, since he’s injured…”
Since Idnia couldn’t see Izzolde either, it seemed they had gone to check on the crown prince’s condition.
“Hm, this is just like the original event.”
In the original game, there was an event where, when Crown Prince Rudolf suddenly fell ill and had a fever, helping him eased the relationship between them.
As he was suffering from an unexplained illness, and potions didn’t work, the saint’s power helped ease his pain, and their relationship grew closer…
‘I hope it works out. I’ve given up on entrusting everything to Mari in this world, but I still hope she, the original protagonist, finds some happiness.’
Idnia inwardly supported them and grabbed some bread from the meal.
Even after the sun set, Mari had not returned.
She must have stayed to take care of Crown Prince Rudolf, but now she was likely to receive a penalty.
“Hmm, she’s probably with the Zephyros dorm students. I should check.”
As usual, Idnia went out the window.
It was drizzling tonight.
In the rain, the fog over the academy grew thicker, and it was easy to see where the fog’s boundary was.
“Hmm, I guess I should go up.”
Idnia released her suppressed Overlord Energy and climbed the wall with ease, as if walking on flat ground.
The only difficult part was being careful not to break the wall decorations with her strength.
The sandstone decorations were delicate, and she handled them with great care to prevent them from breaking.
When Idnia reached the dormitory rooftop, someone offered her an umbrella.
“The academy coat has a hood, but a young lady like you, a duchess, running around in the rain on rooftops… you really are a reckless one.”
“Ah, Headmaster…”
“Are you out again? And I told you not to use Overlord Energy recklessly, as it might provoke Rakias…”
“Are you going to do a headcount again tonight?”
“Ha. Fine. If you keep using the same tricks, it’ll get boring.”
The headmaster, Ludwig, was holding an umbrella for her. As Idnia completely climbed up, the umbrella was pushed aside due to her energy.
Ludwig, a tall and handsome man, was smaller than Idnia in her Overlord Energy form.
“You take it.”
“No, I’m going to run around, so it’s fine. I’m not bothered by a little rain.”
“…….”
Ludwig raised the umbrella to the sky.
The umbrella spun and floated up, creating a large water-repelling barrier above them, preventing the rain from falling on their heads.
“Wow…”
“But didn’t you use a lot of mana during the extraction magic today? While other students are exhausted and asleep, why are you so energetic? Was that extraction magic really done with full power?”
“It wasn’t, but strangely, I can’t sleep.”
Idnia looked around from the rooftop.
Through the fog, a new building beyond the lecture hall was visible, not hidden in the mist.
“That’s…”
“The Necromancy Research Building. It’s a place for studying necromancy and transmutation, and also a health center for students, depending on their condition.”
“You use a necromancy research building as a health center?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. No student has died from an accident there. Normally, when someone dies at a magic school, it’s immediate. If they don’t die right away, we do our best to save them, and then they can walk out and die later.”
“Wow. That was really reassuring.”
Idnia sneered.
The fact that so many accidents happened at the magic academy was not reassuring, and the idea that they only tried to save students enough to walk out seemed questionable.
“Why are you out here, Headmaster?”
“I’m a vampire. What’s so strange about a vampire being active at night? It’s you who shouldn’t be out here. Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Well, I suppose that’s true. Um, can I go over there?
I think my roommate might be over there…”
“Ha, when did you ever ask for permission? Don’t ask questions like that. Officially, I’m not allowed to let you do that. Do what you want.”
“Okay, then…”
Idnia prepared to jump across buildings.
But then Ludwig sighed and stopped her.
“Stop. If you jump, you’ll break the roof.”
“Huh?”
The headmaster, Ludwig, cast a spell.
A bluish force field appeared in midair.
Ludwig walked on that force field and gestured for Idnia to follow.
“Come on, follow me.”
“You said you wouldn’t let me.”
“I didn’t say that. I’m just protecting the academy’s property from some wild fool. If you jump around and tear off the roof, the academy’s property is gone.”
Idnia stepped on the bridge Ludwig created and followed him to the Necromancy Research Building.
