“…is it?”
“Is that so?”
I couldn’t help but frown at the news that the headmaster Merlin had suddenly called me about.
Why is the dragon waking up now?
Is the final boss planning to awaken without any caution at this time? We have two years left!
“Headmaster Merlin, when do you think the dragon will awaken?”
“Well, I don’t know for sure… but I think it won’t be anytime soon. However, no matter how late it is, it should be this year…”
The headmaster Merlin shuddered at the mere thought. I felt the same way. If the dragon shows up before I’ve raised all the kids, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it’s game over.
It’s not like I’m half an idiot like in a game. Sure, the developers might have messed up the difficulty settings in the game, making me seem like an easy target, but that’s not how it works in reality.
“If you see any other signs, can you let me know again?”
“Sure.”
“Well, then I will take my leave.”
I quietly exited the headmaster’s office and entered the corridor, tinted with a reddish hue. The corridor was excessively devoid of any presence.
There aren’t many places around here besides the faculty office and the headmaster’s room, so it’s not unusual for students to not wander around, but even considering that, it was too quiet.
My intuition was poking at my nerves, warning me that something was off.
[Contractor, the atmosphere feels a bit strange – and I sense some familiar magical energy -]
“Familiar magical energy?”
[Yeah. It feels… nostalgic?]
I held my breath and focused on the senses I felt. A sticky gaze. It felt as if something was watching me.
I immediately turned and grabbed the doorknob of the headmaster’s office. Thankfully, the door opened without any issue, and I found myself meeting the puzzled gaze of the headmaster looking at me.
“Headmaster Merlin, the atmosphere in the corridor is strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why don’t you step outside and check?”
“Alright.”
As headmaster Merlin stepped out into the corridor, the feeling I had vanished without a trace.
“Why did you call for me?”
“Didn’t you sense any suspicious magic?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure.”
Headmaster Merlin shook his head.
He doesn’t sense anything?
[Contractor, it seems to have disappeared?]
What on earth was that? It’s bugging me. Since Rue also sensed it, it couldn’t have been my imagination. Still, I felt uneasy, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
“Can you explain what happened?”
“Well, it’s like this…”
I explained the creepy sensation I had felt earlier to headmaster Merlin. He stroked his beard thoughtfully and shook his head.
“That’s strange. I don’t feel even a hint of magic. But since you’re not the type to lie, it seems something is indeed afoot. If anything comes to mind, let me know.”
What comes to mind…
I recalled the sensation I felt just before.
“I felt a sticky gaze.”
“…I see. Just stand still for a moment.”
Headmaster Merlin placed his hand on my shoulder and began mumbling a series of incomprehensible words at an unrecognizable speed. It seemed to be an incantation; when I looked up, a blue veil was draped over my body.
Soon enough, the headmaster’s body was also enveloped in blue light.
“What is this…?”
“I’ve placed protective and tracking magic on you. The effectiveness is uncertain, but… for now, I’ll go summon a few teachers from the faculty room to check this out. It’s better when there are more people involved…”
“I understand.”
Thus, we started our investigation of the corridor with several professors summoned from the faculty room. However, our findings yielded nothing but the result of “no traces at all.”
[I’m not sensing anything…]
“Are you sure you’re not just imagining it?”
“I’m pretty sure. The source of this energy was detected even by my magic book.”
“Hmm… you mean Rue?”
“This magic book?”
“I’ve heard it’s magic obtained from the rift; maybe it’s related to ‘the rift’?”
Everyone nodded sagely at the suggestion of a nameless professor wearing a funny hat. Rue’s very existence is irregular, so it was quite a valid point.
“For now, we’ll track this down ourselves, so you should go in and get some rest. If you sense anything more, come find me immediately.”
“I understand.”
Left with unease, we had no choice but to disperse for the time being. Continuing the investigation without any leads would be pointless.
[Hmm, Contractor, I feel like I might know the reason.]
“What do you mean?”
[I think it might be a matter of ‘cognition’.]
Cognition?
I didn’t understand what that meant. I looked at Rue. Rue pointed at the window with her tentacles and said.
[Look at those trees over there.
Because we clearly perceive those trees, we know they’re trees. But when we encounter something we can’t recognize, we either don’t notice it at all or can’t even interpret its form properly!]
“I kind of get it now. So, other people can’t perceive it, so they don’t feel it, right?”
[Probably? So tracking that energy will be difficult. But Contractor, since you can feel it, it’s better to find it as quickly as possible.]
“…For now, there’s nothing I can do alone at this hour, so it’s better if I head back.”
I decided to make my way back to Yeomyeong-gwan. Time was already late, and if I were to do something, I needed to consult with Karina and Renny first.
Trying my best to ignore the chill running down my spine, I headed towards Yeomyeong-gwan.
—————–
“…A suspicious energy, you say…?”
“Yeah.”
“What is it now…”
Karina trailed off with a dark expression. She must be worried about another unpleasant incident. I patted her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of it.”
“But what if you get hurt…”
“Karina, you’re here, aren’t you?”
“Still, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard, Johan.”
Seeing Renny worry too makes it clear that they’re not too keen on me diving headfirst into this unknown situation. After all, who wouldn’t worry if someone they knew jumped into danger?
“But since the incident has already happened, we have to resolve it in one way or another. Unfortunately, this time it’s difficult to rely on others.”
“Could it be that you’re mistaking it due to being busy lately? It could be possible. After all, you were drinking with me yesterday… and the hangover might still linger…”
Is that even a thing? It wouldn’t make sense if the hangover lasted a day. I shook my head dismissively at Renny’s rambling and opened my mouth.
“That can’t be it. The hangover should have worn off pretty quickly.”
Thanks to the Phoenix’s Blessing, hangovers don’t last long.
“Hmm… so what shall we do? Maybe I should continue my guard duty for a while?”
“No. We’ll rotate the guards. We’ll investigate as discreetly as possible. But when I’m off duty, take Rue with you.”
“But I can’t even talk to her!”
“I’ll teach you a simple way to communicate, so you’ll be able to understand her.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“…We still don’t know the identity of this energy, so just stay informed and pretend you don’t know anything. We’re still uncertain about who the target of this energy is.”
It’d be premature to assume Karina is the target without enough information. I’d need at least a week’s watch before getting any real info.
“I hope it’s not aimed at Karina…”
Remembering last year’s incident, Renny frowned. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory. She’d been in a coma for the entire first semester and only freed from her curse months later.
“I hope so too. Watching Karina fall victim to a curse would… hurt my heart.”
“Johan… It’s alright. My powers have returned! And we have Sabrina’s remains here too…”
“If something happens where we get separated suddenly, run to the cathedral where Sabrina’s remains are. That place would be safe enough not to threaten you.”
The enemy is a completely different type than before. If it’s an outsider’s minion, they can use mental magic, which could lead to Karina and me being separated without warning.
“Okay, I will do as Johan says.”
Karina nodded stiffly.
“Ugh, why can’t we have even one day of peace? Suddenly it’s war, assault, and assassination… it’s exhausting.”
“I feel that way too.”
But that’s just how the times are; we have no choice but to keep struggling.
“Well then, I’ll be heading back.”
“Wait a moment.”
Karina called me back, took my hand in both of hers, and whispered a blessing.
“May the blessings of Kalon be with the pitiful little lamb…”
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