Chapter 48 – Peaceful Midterm Week (5)

A quiet village in the Batudis region where the Pekda Matap is located.
In this place where there was fog all year round and storms of unknown origin occurred every night, it was best not to go outside when the magic tower’s warning signal sounded.
The area where the most missing people and unclaimed bodies are found in all of Penheim.

Mareil Baltimore, who was investigating the abnormal phenomenon called ‘Baldur’s Nightmare’, ordered a bourbon whiskey at a small tavern and sat down as usual today.
The Mon King Battle was being broadcast from a small crystal sphere across from the bar table.

“Wow, fuck. Did you mess up again? Merak Magic Tower Since when on earth have those bastards stopped winning?”

A black leather coat with dull gray hair tied in one piece. As she puffed on her cigar and took a sip of her drink, Haken, the owner of the tavern, said as he cleaned her cup.

“The owner of the tower there is famous, right? “I won’t win a single penny from gambling.”
“No, there is still a degree. “If you look closely at that, it seems like the floor is a little tilted. Are you sure you’re playing properly?”
“Surely you stayed in Caulfield Canyon?”
“It must be the Grand Canyon… Isn’t it now? “Well, that’s enough.”

She turned off the image coming from the crystal ball.
In the dark interior, only the faint sound of rain coming from outside and a few candles on the table illuminated the lifeless faces of the residents.
At that time, I heard someone knocking on the door outside.

Sigh.

There was no one on the other side of the door that creaked open. However, no one present drank regardless.
Seeing that scene, Mareil clicked her tongue and opened the letter she received from her superiors this morning.
A blank piece of paper with nothing written on it.
She knew it was time to end this.

“Hey, owner.”
“Yes?”
“Have you never seen this before?”

She put out her cigar, took out a silver mask from her arms, and presented a picture to Harken.
A stone statue of a woman with many bizarre horns.
It was a demon statue shown by Hooksclaw’s leader Hubblet.

“Well… “I’m seeing you for the first time today.”

Harken, with blood flowing from his eyes, answered calmly while wiping the cup.
Heavy rain hit the window.

“Right. Oh, one more thing. “How long has this bar been in operation?”
“It dates from 73 AD in Penheim, when Paul III had his coming of age ceremony. “It’s been a long time, haha.”
“It hasn’t been in operation very long.”

Mareil flicked the hem of her coat, and two beads the size of her palms tumbled out of it.
The bead that hit the leg of her chair instantly grew in size and took the shape of a huge dog covered in iron.

“Five years later, the Ravier Front was breached, and this place became a sea of ​​fire.”
“Yes?”

〈Black Magic: Flame of Black Phosphorus ⌜Napalm Flame⌟〉

Black flames burst into the bar. Bottles and dishes broke, and a glass of high-alcohol alcohol caught fire.
Even as the horrifying sound of the building’s beams twisting echoed, no one could hear people’s screams.
Facing Haken, who was biting her neck by the iron dog, Mareil raised her glass.

“I’m sorry. “I wanted to wait until time ran out, but then something came up.”
“Town… Wow… !”
“But how many years ago has he been wasting money? Huh, indeed. “This is hitting the mark.”

Pop!

In the place where the illusion disappeared, there was only a vacant lot reduced to ashes and the unfailing pouring rain.
A strange phenomenon that occurs in the Batudis region where the past and present are mixed.
Mareil wrote a summary of the information he had found so far on the back of the paper.

[Confirmed that the appearance of the demon statue occurred after the Great War.]
[It is unknown whether the purpose is the resurrection of the Demon King, but the further down from Edanbury to Batudis the more numbers are discovered.]
[There is no official response from Pekda Magic Tower.]
[The secured demon statue is scheduled to be submitted to Seongguk for analysis.]

“Let’s see, then what’s next…”

The 4th organization of the Ravier 12 Federation. Counterintelligence Battalion ‘Goliath’, Mareil Baltimore.
Fenheim’s dog that blocks all enemy espionage that is harmful to the kingdom, regardless of whether they are demons or humans.
Looking back at her mask, her letter contained a mission she had to accomplish.

[Risk level: low]

“Is it Farencia?”

[All investigations into the past activities of second-year student at the Ministry of Magic, Liv Labre de Greenwood, will be halted.]

***

The repairs to the store were all completed, and the trap installation was almost finished when Liv came to visit.
She was surprised to see how much the exterior of the building had changed.

“This is it… What is it, boss?”
“Isn’t it cool? “I made it.”
“Let’s at least fight a siege here…” … ?”

In particular, my attention was taken for a while by the iron nails on the roof and the thorn fence. It took a lot of hard work for her to put it on, but it’s worth it to recognize her.

“Oh, be careful around the dirt there. Because thorns stick out.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t touch the flower bed next to it.”
“Why are you there again?”
“I planted carnivorous plants. “It only grows near the Demon World, but when it grows up, people eat it too.”
“…”

Liv was able to carefully enter the store, almost crossing a minefield.
I asked her about the magic she showed off during her last exam.

“You used magic last time.”
“Image magic?”
“Yes. Can we use that to put a shield around the store? “What type is it? It’s as strong as possible.”
“Of course it is possible, but…”

She frowned for a moment and then spoke to me.

“President. “Is it really necessary to do this?”
“Is it necessary?”
“I think it will be difficult for students to come here.”
“Hmm…”

Of course, I have no intention of burning down the house just to get rid of bedbugs. It’s just that I’m anxious that I don’t have the bare minimum of preparedness when I’m away.
To put it bluntly, no matter how strong I am, I still have one body. After all, it is difficult to give up the trap.

“Even if the number of customers decreases slightly, it is more important to protect my precious things.”
“Precious… “I heard there are only old weapons in the basement.”

How precious is that? The holy sword and shield are not simple artifacts.
The strength of a warrior I have, one-third of it. If the identity of the weapon buried under that monument is revealed to the public, there will be great confusion.

“Anyway, please walk. “It’s better than nothing.”
“… All right.”

Liv walked around the inside and outside of the store and looked at the structure.
After considering the height and illumination of the building, as well as the magic conductivity of the wood, he took out a notebook and started writing down something.

Square, square.

I stared at her side face. While Adela possessed her untainted innocence, Liv seemed to be gifted with quiet beauty.
The unapproachable atmosphere of taking a step back from most things in the world and contemplating all things overwhelms the surroundings.
Terra always said that these were the truly talented wizards.

A face without makeup and thin wrists, fingers, nape, and ears without any accessories.
I might be getting tired of the neat outfit I wear almost every day, but my gaze never leaves me.

“… “Please don’t look too intently.”

The prim expression and slightly wary, outstretched lips sometimes make the back of my head itch.
Unlike Adela, I don’t think I can play pranks on Liv, such as hugging her or pulling her hair.

“Are you finished?”
“Yes. I think I can do it like this…”

Liv came over, moving her chair this way. There was a light smell of flesh, as if she wasn’t wearing any perfume at all.

“President?”
“Yes? Oh, say it. “What is it like?”
“I think the most useful defensive magic for this building is ‘Thought Barrier.'”

She explained the magic in an easy to understand way for me.

“Since the trap is already set up, it is difficult for the structure and magic to clash. “Thought barrier is literally a magic that turns intruders who enter through a set path back out without their knowledge.”
“Like a maze?”
“Yes that’s right.”

I’m not sure of the principle, but it is said that it uses imagery magic to make it difficult to perform magic from the outside and at the same time prevents intrusion from inside.
It’s not bad. At least, like the 〈 barrier 〉, I was also satisfied with the fact that I did not have to worry about being torn apart by the 〈 end of magic 〉 when I went in and out.

“If you enter the conditions in advance, you can decide which people they will apply to. For example, wearing a weapon or having more than ten people.”
“Hmm, then…”

First, I asked Liv to make the magic work when a large number of people wear swords and armor at the same time like the last Roshoir Knights, or when they spend a long time near the canteen.

She played with her magic circle for a moment, then glanced in this direction.

“Are you done, Baron?”
“… Wait a minute. Just one more bet.”
“?”

After finishing installing her magic, she looked somewhat relieved.

***

After Liv broke up with Louise, she went to the library with a lighter pace.
It was a good thing she got to visit the canteen. She didn’t know that she was just asking me to cast some defensive magic, but thanks to her, it saved her one annoying task.

All she has to do now is write and submit her last remaining exam, a war history report. Although time is a little tight because the loan approval was rejected, it is not too late to start now.
However–

“Approval is denied. “We are unable to borrow the entire list you previously requested.”

Why?

“The reason… !”
“Well? “Didn’t you come here to take up a position in the Holy Kingdom?”

What nonsense. I have never been near Monarch since I was born.
Liv’s steps as she trudged out were heavier than ever.

It was late in the evening when the sun had already set. While there was silence all around her, her mind was so confused.

What happened? Didn’t she pay her tuition? No, she confirmed that it was paid for as a scholarship.
Or did she change her policy in the royal capital? However, it was strange that only he could see the books that his other friends were borrowing.

At that time, Liv noticed that her surroundings were unusually quiet.
She must have been walking slowly a little while ago, but when she turned around, she saw the front door of the library closed.
I tried grabbing her doorknob, but her doorknob didn’t budge. Not only that, she couldn’t hear the noise of the noisy students inside her.

I got goosebumps all over my body. This could not be…

‘Ideological barrier?’

Crrr——

A harsh, metallic howl. Liv, who was startled, reflexively took out her magic weapon and aimed it.
What is in front of you are two huge dogs. And, a woman in a black coat who removed the same mask as them.

“Liv Greenwood?”

The gray-haired woman put her hand into her bosom and took out her own nameplate.

“This is Mareil Baltimore from the Counterintelligence Battalion Goliath.”

A broken sword and a black shield with arrows. The fourth unit of the 12 Leagues that seeks out the true nature of all false accusations across the mountain range and tears them apart with their teeth.

“Let’s walk for a while.”

Three iron dogs came to visit her.