Bang!!
“A gunshot?” Isabelle exclaimed, jumping in surprise.
She realized it originated from the direction Ivan had gone. Groaning, she covered her face, contemplating his intentions.
“What else could he be up to?” Unfortunately, it was a valid question.
“Ah, so it starts like this,” the three booth possessors chuckled subtly, clearing their table.
Unlike the confused Isabelle, Ecdysis, and Elpheira, the trio in the booth tidied up with little concern.
With no customers in sight and the goods secure, leaving the booth untouched wouldn’t result in any loss.
Amidst the chaos, with screams and a panicked crowd, they remained nonchalant.
“Well, well, what’s happening? Can someone explain this? Is it a human festival? Oh, perhaps a parade?” (Elpheira)
“No, I’ve never heard of such an event,” Isabelle replied, observing masked figures darting through the terrified crowd.
“If this were a real festival event, people wouldn’t be running away, it seems.” (Isabelle)
“Geez, ah. That’s why you otherworldly people don’t know anything.” (Eugene)
Eugene approached, shaking his head. He had changed into lightweight sportswear and had a mace hanging on his side.
“This is a ‘raid’. In the academy… well, it’s quite common in universities.” (Eugene)
“Your reasoning sounds off… I mean, which university deals with raids commonly… huh?”
Isabelle fell silent, closing her mouth.
What’s going on? Why does it appear so routine…?
Come to think of it, there was a raid during admission training, a raid during field training, a sudden earthquake, and now a festival.
Within just three months of admission, it’s a bit too…?
It’s a bit too frequent to think of this as just a happening…?
“Uh… huh?”
“Now you realize? It’s ‘common sense’…”
Eugene, smiling alongside Oswald, said to him.
“Now, Oswald. Please cast the ‘Victory Spell’ on me.”
“I can’t help it.”
Oswald approached with a sly smile and raised his hand.
In his hand, there was suddenly an elegant helmet. It was a helmet from ancient times, resembling a knight’s helmet with a decorative iron pattern.
A strange red cross was drawn on it.
Oswald placed the helmet on Eugene’s head and lowered the visor. With a clang, the heavy friction sound covered Eugene’s face.
And on top of that, a purple magic entwined and twisted.
Having forged magic by manipulating mana at his fingertips, Oswald, concentrating on the spell at Eugene’s head, whispered softly.
“As the Lord wishes.”
Kiiing—
As the spell was completed, it seeped under Eugene’s helmet. [Grant Courage]. It was a common awakening-level spell of Mind Sorcery.
However, the result was anything but ordinary.
“Kill the heretics.”
Under the visor of the helmet, golden eyes gleamed fiercely.
“In the name of the Lord! God is great and there is only one!”
“That’s Islamic….”
“Hush, don’t break concentration. Let him enjoy himself.”
“Oh… okay.”
Yuri and Oswald, after pushing their seats back, looked at Eugene and smiled contentedly.
After Oswald casually checked his equipment, he turned his head towards other students who were frozen in surprise.
“Now, anyway, this is the situation. Let’s see….”
He knows that they are the children of the hero party. According to Ivan’s explanation, they are the ‘protagonists’ of this ‘scenario.’
In the world of the academy, a festival raid means leveling up experience points for the protagonists. It’s common sense.
Oswald chose words to explain this again in terms of the otherworld’s standards. Um, so.
“Right now, civilians are under attack, and many students are non-combat majors. Most of them have no real combat experience. Stay sharp. This is the most rational situation for us right now.”
“Uh, okay….”
“Oh, Ecdysis was a music major. It can’t be helped. Just step back and… well.”
What can a bard do? Sing from the back?
When Oswald said that, Ecdysis hesitated for a moment and then asked with determination.
“Sam, what about Uncle Ivan?” (Ecdysis)
“Probably in the direction where the gunfire was heard or considering his usual noble personality… It’s predictable. He must have jumped into the most dangerous place.”
“Then I want to go too.”
“Do you have a weapon?”
“Yes.”
Ecdysis unlocked her buckle with a sardonic expression. The instrument bag she had been carrying on her back slid down, and she grabbed it with her hand.
“Hey, you’re using the violin again…!”
“I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. The violin bow is not a weapon.”
When she opened the zipper of the instrument bag, what came out was a metallic conductor’s baton.
About the length of a baton for crowd control, too long and thick to be used as a conductor’s baton. And at a glance, it was a sturdy steel rod.
“Starting next semester, I decided to apply for a dual major in orchestral conducting. A baton is inexpensive, and it doesn’t burn the budget….”
While there are conditions like being able to grip and shake it lightly with two fingers, there is no specific restriction on the material of a conductor’s baton. And Ecdysis already possessed the strength and dexterity to grip and shake a steel rod with two fingers.
The strongest music major, Einar’s daughter, the warrior musician. Just like the strongest senior sister in Drovian.
“The time of long humiliation is over! I am becoming a conductor from today!!”
Ode to sadness, oh gods!
Ecdysis shouted with a creaking sound and marched onto the battlefield. Isabelle stared blankly at her before shaking her head.
Conducting is not something you do by lifting it over someone’s head. Well, as long as she enjoys it, it’s all good for her.
She shrugged off her shoulders and raised her sword. Using it even during the festival period seemed worthwhile.
“With the music and theology departments taking action like that, it would be embarrassing if the knight department just stood by. Yuri, would you like to join me?” (Isabelle)
“Yes, Isabelle. I’ll cover your back!” (Yuri)
The two knight department students ran towards the crowd with swords in hand.
Now, only Oswald and Elpheira remained at the booth. Oswald looked at their figures and smiled faintly.
“Do you not understand what party play is?”
One priest rushing alone.
Then, the bard equipping close-range weapons and charging.
Only after that, the two knights go into action.
What a mess this is. Our club, at least, has some coordination… Weren’t we supposed to have built some camaraderie through long periods of party planning?
How can a rear mage just be left alone and disappear…?
Oh well, Oswald shrugged and tried to follow the ones leading the charge. At that moment, Elpheira blocked his way.
“Where are you going?” (Elpheira)
“Oh, I thought I’d lend a hand too.” (Oswald)
“You can’t do that. I’ll be alone.” (Elpheira)
“Huh?” (Oswald)
“I literally have no magic left.” (Elpheira)
Elpheira shrugged and stepped back.
Oswald was perplexed. Elpheira was already a genius well-known in the department for her monstrous amount of mana. And she was using magic to the extent of depleting all her magic? Without anyone noticing?
Why? And what kind of magic…?
As Oswald hesitated, Elpheira smirked and spoke.
“Still, as an elf, I have a duty to help those short-lived lifeforms. By any chance, Mr. Istvelfen, do you know how to shoot a pistol?” (Elpheira)
“I have the basics.” (Oswald)
“Good. Do you know any spells from Mind Sorcery?” (Elpheira)
“Um… [Grant Courage], [Manifestation of Fear], and [Ourog’s Blindfold]?”
“What about [Aim Adjustment]?”
“Oh, I know that too.”
“Excellent. How many spells do you have left?”
“About ten.”
Elpheira laughed heartily and nodded.
“Now, follow me!”
“What? You said you’ve depleted all your magic. Where are you going? Miss Grykencos is a guest of Kalion. You should rest in a safe place!”
“Oh, missing a chance to score like this would be a shame.”
This situation would never escalate beyond a certain scale. As it happened in the heart of Frechenkaya, the suppression would be swift.
Currently, with the large crowd gathered for the festival, there was some confusion, but it was evident that the situation would soon be under control.
Moreover, Ivan was a high-ranking official who received direct orders from the princess. Reports from the counter-terrorism operation would be easily accessible.
In the midst of all this, the method to score points was simple. Act promptly, show a distinctive presence.
And to add one more thing, resolve the situation with one of Ivan’s main weapons, the ‘pistol.’
And naturally….
“Oh, Sir Petrovic. In the last terrorist incident, I tried using a pistol for the first time.”
“That was your first time using it? I can’t believe it!”
“Oh, it’s just a small talent. Elves are generally proficient in any firearms. But Sir Petrovich, are you proficient with this pistol?”
“How proficient can I be with a human subject? But I’ve handled it for a few years!”
“Oh, my father used to say. If there’s someone who has learned even a day ahead, even from a human, ask for learning. Can you teach me pistol marksmanship?”
“Eek!! It’s an honor of a lifetime! I plan to write about today’s events in my diary, so could you possibly sign it!!”
“Ohohohoho!! Of course! Why not! Hurry up and bring it!”
“Hehe….”
“Miss Grykencos?”
“Hehehe… Let’s go! Quickly! To rescue all the pathetic humans!!”
Elpheira ran off with an excited expression.
“Wait, where are you going to get a pistol again?”
“I saw lots of blank cartridges earlier, so what!”
During the on-site command, Dmitry had to confiscate weapons from the Kalion Elven nobles who rushed in.
***
After the situation was resolved, Ivan sighed deeply in front of Dmitry, who was kneeling and sitting.
“So it ended up like this.”
After flipping through the report, he hesitated with a displeased expression. He had already decided not to perform his duties any longer.
There was no choice.
With a decisive press on the red ink pad, he forcefully stamped his seal on the last page of the report. Ivan sighed once again and pushed the report aside.
After receiving the report, Pavel, who had his own stamp, firmly pressed it next to Ivan’s.
– Approved: Colonel Ivan Petrovich.
– Subordinate: Lieutenant Pavel Sergeyevich Olobov.
“Well… Now we’ll receive the overdue military pension….” (Pavel)
“….”
“The salary will be paid from the Eastern Court, not the military. This is under the jurisdiction of the Court.” (Ivan)
“….”
Dmitry, without saying a word, turned his gaze from the two specters of his past and muttered as he looked at the floor.
“I’ll rely on you from now on. Seniors.” (Dmitri)
“We’ll have to redraw the training plan.” (Pavel)
“Hmm.” (Ivan)
“Come to think of it, it’s like the Royal Guards continued as they were. Isn’t that right?” (Pavel)
Considering that the sole survivor of the Royal Guards (Ivan) reorganized into an Cleansup Unit, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the successor of the Royal Guards is the Cleansup Unit.
And the current Counterintelligence Command was formed by selecting those who survived from that Cleansup Unit.
In a way, it could be seen as a restructuring of the Royal Guards.
Pavel nodded with satisfaction. A good place to start again, he thought.
