Chapter 173 – Ashes (5)

“What kind of fuss is this while we’re eating dinner!?”
“I don’t know either. Suddenly the housemaster kicked me out. “They say it’s because of the school rules.”
“Principal rules? Was there something like that at our academy?”
“Aaaaah! Oh, that flame… !!”

The students who gathered at the cafeteria in the very center of the academy, without even knowing what was going on, made a fuss.
Many people came without proper winter coats.
The door was closed, but Liv and Adella were the first to take out the key from under the flower pot and turn on the light.
And then he began to lead the people gathered at the concession stand site.

“Please calm down and everyone stand in line. “If you need a blanket, please let me know!”
“If you’re hot, give us an iced duck!”

The cafeteria was not large enough to accommodate all the students remaining in the dormitory.
However, since the academy was equipped with almost everything necessary for life, there were enough tools to protect against the cold.

“What happened?”

When Rebekah asked Lehel about her situation, Adela, not to be outdone, also grabbed one of her friends who was passing by.
However, her friend immediately lost his expression, probably remembering the incident when the dormitory was flooded last time.

“Adella… “Is it you again?”
“Well, as if I didn’t do anything this time… !”
“…”
“Really!!!”

Little by little, other students began to look at Adela with suspicion.

— Now that you think about it, wasn’t it Adela who manipulated the students during the election?
— It seems like there are a lot of incidents at the academy this year, especially when Adela entered.
— When the second semester training ended, the manager of the aquatic park was said to be hitting the ground and crying. They said they would lose their jobs.
— Oh, I was thinking about the manager, but Mr. Grenouille, the gardener, hasn’t been seen lately?
— I thought I went on vacation because it was winter… Are those ducks… ?

Public opinion suddenly begins to flow strangely.
Adela’s mind became confused.
If things continue like this, she might end up turning this whole situation upside down.
Fortunately, just as she was wondering whether she should launch her latest orbital bombardment floating island, ‘Icarus’, which was being developed for her Louise, Erzé Bet appeared and settled the situation for her.

“Right now, a monster wave has occurred in the western forest, so we’ve urgently summoned you all. “I hope everyone stays where they are and does not move.”
“And what about monsters? “Shouldn’t we fight?”
“That’s right, we all know how to use magic.”
“I heard there are almost no troops left at the west gate!”

When war approaches, there are always young people full of blood.
Regardless of whether they are from the Knights or Magic Department, the students at the academy are stronger than ordinary soldiers.
But Erzsebet knew there was no need for them to go to the forest.

“The situation is already being resolved without you all stepping forward.”
“But…”
“If you really want to help, we will form a rescue team after daybreak, so please apply there.”

After calming down her students, she asked Liv to check her personnel once again.
Liv looked around at the students basking in the fire, huddled against her dead grass.
At that time, a student asked, pointing to a locked cafe.

“It’s cold. Can’t I come in here?”
“Yes? Now, just a moment! There… !!”

It is clear that if the dragon hiding in the cafe is discovered, there will be great chaos.
But before Liv could stop him, the student opened the door.
She tried to use magic, but there was no need for her.

Slam!

“Well, after all, there was space.”
“How about letting first graders in first?”
“What… ?”

Because it was an ordinary cafe with nothing inside.
There was no trace of the giant dragon at all.
Only then did Liv realize the absence of Nova, who had been by Louis’ side until today’s day.
She carefully entered the store and held on to the railing leading to the second floor.

Louis arrived at his bedroom after climbing the creaky stairs.
What greeted her as she cautiously opened her door.

“President… ?”

There was only a wide open window and cigarette butts.

***

A huge number of demonic beasts suddenly attacked from beyond the burned forest.
I quickly went to the guard post and locked the door, but the inside was full of fear.
An earth-shattering sound was constantly heard, and some demon beasts banged their heads to try to break through the defense magic, as if they had smelled a person.
The only ones who survived among the monsters blindly rushing towards Parenzia felt like they had surrendered themselves to the pieces of wood flowing through the torrent.
The wizard at the top shook his head with a despairing expression.

“No communication.”
“We are all going to die… “I’m going to die!!”
“Quiet your voice… ! Then you really die!”

It was an effort to avoid attracting the attention of the demonic beasts as much as possible, but that was also just a sign of goodwill.
Because many people have already noticed the presence of people inside the guard post.

Thud! Thud!!

If the defensive magic that causes the shimmer to grow larger is penetrated, you will die.
Even if one large demonic beast tramples the entire guard post or exposes the ground, you will die.
The two facts that never change made the soldiers feel extreme fear.
The shock grows louder and the door begins to crack.
Darling had to make a decision.

“Everyone, form a square. Let the oldest stand facing west, and let the best-sighted stand so that they can see the walls of Parenzia.”

So saying, she unwrapped her jewelry and handed it to her soldiers.
Each and every one of them was the best artifact obtained from the top of Ruhilen, and they were items that increased the chances of surviving here even just a little.

“Well, my lord… !! It’s not possible!”
“If we can’t escape anyway, we’re all dead. In that case, you probably need it more than me.”

He even took off his shoes, hat, earrings, and cape.
When the white cotton gloves she always wore were finally removed, everyone remaining at her post lowered their heads and avoided eye contact.

“Is it ugly?”
“No.”

It was the only scar left on Darling’s body, where there was not a single inch of her that was not beautiful from head to toe.
There were dark burn marks on her small, dense palms.
Although she was able to erase it with a priest’s treatment, her scar was not simply a fire wound.

Winter 7 years ago.
From then on, time stood still in Darling.
She was digging down the ground in vain, with her tears scattered and her ashes covered.
In the end she found nothing.

If I die here too.
There won’t even be a need to look for her parents anymore.
It is called Seonsan instead of Uigwanmyo.
Only bitter laughter broke through the despair.

“At the signal, use magic to destroy the eastern wall. “If guard post 3 is still intact, we will join it and return to the city.”
“But…”
“Anyway, it’s just a dog’s death.”

How is Parencia doing now?
She made the best choice to save the soldiers who left her family there, but all she remembered was one person.

Louis.
She was always indifferent, indifferent, and if she did something wrong, she would mercilessly crush her head.
A person who was like a family member and took care of his shortcomings.
He was someone who was so strong that he could do everything on his own, unlike himself, who had fallen several times.

He came to me with the wounds of war still unhealed.
I built a house on land that I had worked with my bare hands.
Suddenly, it became a haven for others.

‘I can’t believe they tried to take over a place like that.’

How foolish it was.
Now Darling had no choice but to admit it.
He said he wanted to go there too.

“Boo, it’s broken!!”
“Everyone prepare to attack! “Raise your spear!!”

The defensive magic was broken and a huge horn stuck in the guard post, which was now just a piece of hard wood.
As the entire wall began to tear apart, ash, the rotten smell of monsters, and hot wind passed my nose.

“Get ready.”

Darling raised his head, his molten hands clenched into fists.
At the same time he prepared for magic, which he learned at the Farencia Academy for three years.
Even if it gets swept away in just one second.
I would resist until the end.

Still, there is one thing I regret.

‘Even if it’s just a face… I wish I had seen it once…’

Regret for ignoring Bill’s request and not meeting Louis.
A ray of dew flowed from his tightly closed eyes.

Kwasik——!!!

“Shit… !!”

The wizard fired a signal to begin the assault on the western wall, which was barely breached.
However, perhaps because he was too nervous, he lost his grip and broke through the ceiling instead of the eastern wall as Darling had ordered.
Quaaaaang! A loud sound, like a bomb exploding, rang out and the soldiers reflexively flinched.
Among them, the centurion who came to his senses first shouted in astonishment.

“The sky… !”

Afterwards, the soldiers opened their tightly closed eyes and raised their heads.
Something was strange.

The mysterious colors created by clouds at sunset.
The morning star starting to shine and the moon rising early.
Moreover, there was not even a trace of black smoke rising from the ashes.
As if all the light in the world had disappeared.
And–

Grumbling——!!

Darling froze when he saw the situation outside the breached guard post.
The black flames were wiping out all the monsters that had come out of the forest at once.
The hot air felt when the wall was breached was sweeping across the western forest.
It was a flame of wild evil that burned everything, including living monsters and dead dirt.

The wizard, receiving the centurion’s gaze, trembled and shook his head frantically.
He meant that it wasn’t his doing.

〈Goyumado: Bonfire to the Black Sun ⌜Eclipse·Solitaire⌟〉

Darling looked up with a stern expression.
Then, before long, someone started to appear.

***

Caroline opened her eyes.
When she came to her senses, she found herself walking through a cold forest.

“This place… “Where is it?”

My last memory was smoking on the second floor.
The car was suddenly startled by a loud three-color firecracker exploding.
The area around the cafeteria got noisy, so I quickly closed the curtains.
But suddenly his consciousness became blurred, and he started moving on his own like a sleepwalker.

[Parencia Academy Aquatic Park]

When she reached the fountain she could see where she was standing.
She didn’t know why she came here, but she had to quickly get back to the canteen.
Because I don’t want anyone to find out.
However, a familiar voice came from behind the panicked Caroline.

— Long time no see, Caroline.
“Who… Uh?”

As if it had been there from the beginning.
Five men and women standing motionless.
The square cloth covering the face is decorated with the symbol of the prium mobilee, symbolizing the sky.

‘Cheonakdae, Orphesia.’

Blue light was flowing from the communication crystal that one of them was carrying.
The person who greeted her from beyond her crystal sphere was Cassel Nikolaus.
He was the Pope of the Monarchs.

“You…”

Her mouth slowly opened as she looked at Cassel’s face.
And he repeated someone’s name as if spitting out short words.

“Michelan… ?”