Early morning, the break room assigned to “Garot.”
A woman with sky blue hair was sitting in a rocking chair, reading a newspaper.
“Really…?”
Meiru Pulsreino, currently acting as the chairperson after inheriting “Garot” from Judah, murmured in disbelief as she looked at the newspaper.
“But… if that’s the case, I should know about it… Sky blue hair. If… that guy is… No, no, that’s impossible.”
A newspaper handed to her the previous day by “Garot’s” female students to read.
What she had brushed off as trivial turned into massive confusion the next morning.
[Shocking! The identity of ‘Son of Deus’ is actually Calandra?]
Specifically, it was a single article located in a corner of the newspaper.
“The figure I saw at the Magic Institute… It was definitely not properly explained. If that guy… No, wait. He can’t deny it. Why would he question the scripture?”
Meiru shook her head in disbelief.
What she had experienced a short while ago at the Magic Institute added to her confusion.
“Moreover, ‘Son of Deus’ is in the Nova Empire. He hasn’t left the Academy at all. It makes even less sense.”
Meiru tried to calm herself by closing her eyes for a moment.
“Wait… what if he isn’t an unbeliever but truly sent by Deus? Then… he’s not a demon, right?”
Her eyes widened as if she had realized something.
“If that’s the case! I don’t have to… deal with him. Great.”
Suddenly, she jumped up.
“Where would he likely be at this time… Ah! It must be there.”
Having memorized her younger brother’s schedule, whom she always called a demon and tried to avoid, she got up and headed towards the classroom where he would be having a lesson.
“Since it’s before class, I’ll meet him before he goes in.”
Holding onto the hope of rekindling her relationship with her younger brother, whom she had tried so hard to hate.
*
Kuung.
“Dia.”
“I felt it.”
An unusual feeling. An alien atmosphere. A strange energy that wasn’t like usual.
On the surface, it appeared to be a gymnasium, but we weren’t in a gym.
Someone had activated a barrier and trapped us.
The “Barrier” was a gameplay mechanic introduced in [Deus Ex Machina] to serve as a sort of dungeon.
It requires high magical talent, abundant material resources, and lengthy preparation to unfold, creating an inner space.
Once deployed, the barrier acts like a prison, encapsulating those within while forming a separate dimension copied from that space.
Since it often involves trapping all those within the designated area to torture them, among users, it’s sometimes referred to as the “Room of Truth.”
This is the reason the forces of “Chaos” began using this terror device in the latter half of [Deus Ex Machina].
However, at this point, the item shouldn’t have appeared.
And it activated in a gym where only Dia and I are present…
A trap, perhaps.
Who? And for what purpose?
The very nature of the “Barrier” requires extensive preparation, so it would generally be used to target someone.
Of course, since it activated in a gym, it could be targeting all the Alpha class students attending the “Combat Self-Defense” class…
But it seems activated way too early.
There’s still a lot of time left before the Alpha class students arrive.
And yet, the barrier was deployed.
This means it was aimed at either me or Dia.
But I can’t guess why.
At this point, who would go so far as to activate a “Barrier” against me?
Impossible.
Achilles Gomez is sealed.
“Chaos” wouldn’t have noticed me.
What about Dia?
Dia doesn’t have a personality that would draw someone’s grudge, and there haven’t been any events in [Deus Ex Machina] that could connect her to “Chaos.”
Then what on earth is this?
“Luke. This… it looks like a gym, but it’s not a gym.”
With a tense expression, Dia looked around.
“Right. This is an inner space that looks like a gym. It’s the ‘Barrier.'”
“‘Barrier?'”
“To put it simply, someone has copied and separated this dimension to trap us. I don’t know who it is, though.”
Detecting the activation of the barrier and being rescued from it isn’t an easy task.
Only those who surpass the walls can do it.
The only one in this academy who could potentially do that… is the principal.
Principal Wackfa, perhaps.
But as far as I know, she’s currently out of the academy dealing with something related to the war with the Holy Kingdom.
It’s hard to expect her help.
And there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the academy with the abilities of someone at Wackfa’s level.
So are we going to have to escape with just Dia and me’s powers?
In general, escaping from a “Barrier” by sheer force is nearly impossible.
There are two regular methods: the first is to smash the barrier with overwhelming power.
Even though it’s separated from the original dimension, it’s still temporary.
If you can destroy the core that maintains the barrier, this space can return to being the original gym.
The problem is that I can’t produce such firepower.
Not that it’s impossible, but it takes some time.
And whoever trapped us in this space wouldn’t just watch that happen.
The second method is to take down the caster who deployed the “Barrier.”
Typically, the caster’s consciousness maintains the “Barrier,” so if you can knock them unconscious, it becomes possible to neutralize the barrier and escape.
At this point, the best option is to find the caster somewhere within this barrier.
It’s a sign that whoever deployed it has confidence in being able to face me and Dia, but my abilities are mostly unknown. They may not see us as impossible foes.
With Dia, who is stronger than the Dia in [Deus Ex Machina], it’s not impossible.
“Someone trapped us? Who? Why?”
“I’m not sure. Up to that point, I don’t know either.”
To begin with, Dia and I don’t usually come to the gym at this time.
Considering the fact that it takes a long time to prepare this “Barrier,” it suggests that someone has been targeting us for a long while.
Could it be that we accidentally stirred up some terror act targeting someone else?
Splish, splash.
From the opposite side of the gym where we are…
Footsteps were heard from the gloom-filled direction.
“Luke. Over there.”
“Yeah, of course. There can’t be just us here.”
Who could it be?
Especially someone who would deploy a “Barrier” at this point.
Splish, splash… Thud.
“Pulseraino.”
The unknown abductor was getting closer.
Shrouded in darkness, their figure was hard to discern, so I amplified my eyesight using magic.
What came into view was… flaming red hair and a uniform.
“It’s been a while.”
With a grim smile, Professor Cronia Mesene, the magic engineering professor, appeared.
…This was completely unexpected.
“Why haven’t you come to my class since that orientation day?”
“…Would you have been able to attend the class after that incident?”
I really want to take more classes with Cronia since she’s one of my favorite characters, but she drew too much attention on the first day. There was no way I could attend her class.
So, with tears in my eyes, I took other classes.
“Hmm… I guess that’s true. I had been eagerly waiting for you to come back.”
“Professor Cronia?”
“Is that you, Dia?”
“Thank goodness, Luke. With Professor Cronia with us, there’s nothing to worry about! Whoever tried to abduct us, it’s Professor Cronia! The war hero!”
“Puhuhut. Hahahaha. Ahahahahhahaha!”
“Pro, Professor?”
Hearing Dia’s words seemed to send Cronia into uncontrollable laughter.
“Step back, Dia.”
I stepped forward, blocking the space between Cronia and her.
“Why, why Luke? She’s our professor!”
“The one who trapped us here is none other than Cronia.”
“…What?”
“Ahaha, Luke Pulsreino. You’re quite perceptive. I didn’t think you’d figure out about this ‘Barrier’ so quickly. Truly a Pulsreino.”
Cronia, who was laughing maniacally, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“Huh? Professor? That’s…?”
“I’m sorry, Dia. I was just aiming for the Pulsreino. It was mandated by that person, so I had no choice.”
Vrrrrm.
A dimensional gate opened behind Cronia.
Beyond it, a massive army of golems she was controlling was visible.
“All for the sake of Lady Lilith.”
KABOOM!
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