Splash splash
The riverside located in a corner of the Academy.
Having finished all my classes for the day, I was in a transparent state, catching fish by the riverside and putting them into my space.
River. A term for a large waterway comprised of fresh water with low salinity.
Many cities throughout Earth’s history developed around such rivers, and cities alongside rivers are easily found.
The city of Calandra is no different, formed alongside a big river.
And since I was at the Calandra Academy, it was only natural that part of it touched the river.
Maybe it was a setting created to allow special events like water races in “Deus Ex Machina.”
Later, it would become one of the routes used by the followers of ‘Chaos’ when they raided the Academy, but at this point, it was under protection from a special magic set up by the principal, boasting extreme security.
Anyway, even though the sun was slowly setting after class, the reason I was here doing something embarrassing like brandishing “Poseidon’s Fork” was simply due to the state of my clone.
Now that I had obtained Mata, I no longer needed to stay in Capernaum.
I had to leave quickly, unsure what the Baal cult might do to me or Capernaum.
The problem was the huge line of followers waiting behind Mata.
I couldn’t just leave them all behind, but abandoning them felt wrong too.
Would I betray the expectations of those who had waited a long time to meet me?
Even if they were extras to me, it would weigh on my conscience.
In my life, it was the first time I’d received such special treatment from so many people, making it even harder to leave.
So I concluded…those who wanted to follow should follow.
Little did I know that a monstrous procession would be born from that idea.
Looking with the naked eye, it seemed like the crowd easily exceeded a hundred people.
Leaving one’s hometown behind in this medieval fantasy era was certainly a tremendous resolution.
Yet they still wanted to follow me.
A unique emotion welled up in my heart.
…
But that was just for a moment.
These guys.
They hadn’t made any plans regarding food and just set out.
How ridiculous.
They didn’t even pack provisions, following along with vague hopes that I would solve it for them.
I thought about just abandoning them…but they left their homes just to see me, didn’t they?
And above all, my ‘Gift’.
If my hypothesis about my ‘Gift’ was correct, I couldn’t afford to lose their trust. Trust might be the wrong word…maybe faith is more appropriate.
…
In any case, the solution I found was to ‘personally’ fetch food.
Whenever I spotted a stream or river on my way, I had gathered enough food for them with “Poseidon’s Fork” and my experienced friend Simon, but I had reached my limit.
Normally, if so many residents were to leave, the city leader would try to stop them.
But perhaps due to concerns about what the Baal cult would do because of my actions, the lord simply watched us leave. Given the Baal cult’s notorious reputation, the lord might think it better for the residents to spread tales of what happened in other regions than risk total annihilation of the city.
A monstrous labor force and population. Genesaret was a productive area that helped sustain the Empire, so it would surely accommodate all these people.
In theory, once we reached the next city, we could find a way to sort things out…
However, with arrival in the first city of Genesaret imminent, we were already at our limits.
Around us, there were neither streams nor rivers, not even edible herbs to find.
I found myself in the absurd situation of having to catch fish myself.
…Here I am, catching fish for my clones…this is some serious misdirection.
…
Having caught as many fish as needed, I quickly left the riverbank and deactivated my invisibility.
…Anyone watching must have thought I looked ridiculous.
Here I am, an academy student catching fish by the riverside.
Not even a leisurely hobby fishing with a rod. Just luxurious fishing using artifacts.
Still, since I’d finished my tasks for the day, I should head back to my dorm room for now.
I wonder what Io has prepared to eat today.
Just as I was cheerfully walking along…
“Luke!”
A familiar voice called out to me.
Turning my head, I saw Andre rushing toward me with a wave from afar.
“Andre?”
“Luke! What perfect timing!”
Perfect timing?
“What is it?”
“I need your skills!”
Andre rushed over, kicking off the conversation.
“My skills?”
“I told you before, right? I joined the Mysticism Research Club this time.”
The first month after the academy’s semester starts is the period for club applications.
New students apply for clubs they wish to join, and each club has tests that one must pass to become a member.
Andre had mentioned a few days ago that he joined a club researching mysticism.
…
The club is similar to the ones back on Earth, where students gather to engage in activities around a specific theme; clubs like the ‘Sorority’ that Jade Iscariot mentioned before as well.
Renowned clubs such as ‘Sorority’ offer students tight-knit and valuable high-society connections, so many students aspire to join.
That’s why the two empty-headed new female students who planned to join ‘Gariot’ outed Amy to shame her.
While Amy seemed to merely want to make friends…
Thanks to them, she was able to bond with Dia closer.
By the way, I wonder how those guys are doing now.
Jade Iscariot seems pretty scary… how pitiful.
Oh, I digress. My train of thought has gone completely off-course.
“The Mysticism Research Club, right. Got it. They explore spiritual phenomena, believing there are principles or rules governing it and using those…”
“Exactly! You remember, Luke!”
“…So? Where do you need my help?”
He doesn’t expect me to join the club too, does he? I have another club in mind.
“Well…the seniors in the club gave us a mission as a rite of passage.”
A mission? Oh, there were clubs like that too.
In “Deus Ex Machina,” these missions are akin to quests.
Once you join a club, you receive missions bestowed by senior students, which makes it a kind of initiation.
“And the problem is, the mission’s task is…to uncover one of the mysteries of the Academy’s Magic Library at midnight.”
The Academy’s mystery?
At midnight?
…Could it be the event I was planning to trigger when I had time later?
“I can’t believe I’m being sent to the Magic Library at midnight! And the seniors won’t even help! Isn’t this just too much?!”
The Magic Library of the Academy is a space filled with countless mysteries.
To someone unfamiliar, it might be a terrifying unknown.
And this guy, Andre.
Despite his looks, he was a really cowardly person.
He was like that even in “Deus Ex Machina.”
Why did he even join a club focused on mysticism if he’s so scared?
“So, that’s why… you came up with only me! You’re reliable and have real skills!”
Does he see me as a dependable friend?
How nice of him.
“Um…”
“Please! Help me! I can’t go alone without you!”
If the mystery Andre needs to uncover is the hidden piece I wanted, we should go together. Even if it’s not, helping this guy out could be fun, so why not work some charm on Andre while I’m at it?
“Alright.”
“R-Really?”
“Yeah. Sounds fun! The Magic Library at midnight? Let’s go check it out.”
While we’re at it, it would be nice to bring Sunny along too.
“Should we ask Sunny to come with us?”
“Ah…I asked Sunny earlier and she said she didn’t want to.”
I can definitely see Sunny being annoyed by this sort of thing.
“Ugh.”
Suddenly, Andre collapses, grabbing his ankle.
“…Sunny?”
I could see Sunny’s figure behind him.
“I’m going too.”
“…What? You said you weren’t going to go when I asked earlier… Ow! Stop it!”
“I’m going too.”
“Fine, fine! Let’s go together!”
“Since we’re all here, how about we head out right now?”
The sun is setting, after all.
“R-Right now?”
“Why? Scared?”
“Andre, the coward.”
“That’s not it! It’s just too sudden. Hehe.”
“The sooner you go, the more the club seniors will be pleased, right? Let’s just go.”
“U-Um.”
An exploration of the Magic Library at night with Sunny and Andre.
It wasn’t planned, but… I’m kind of looking forward to this?
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