魅力影院

Chapter 56

Taely bowed his head, fresh wounds already marking his skin.

Wounds from the first phase of the final battle of Act 2, the chase to catch up to Professor Glast.

Zix Effelstein, who had been training on the outskirts of the faculty district, was bewildered by the sight of the injured Taely.

Taelys sudden plea for help seemed completely out of the blue, given Zixs lack of context.

Whats going on, Taely?

*

The Soul Library consisted of a vast hall filled with bookshelves.

The outermost bookshelves that lined the walls contained many valuables.

Of course, truly valuable rare magical engineering items and legendary magical engineering formulae are situated around the table of Librarian Reyna, at the center of the Soul Library.

Its nearly impossible to approach there undetected by Reynas sensing magic and, therefore, searching that area would best be left until after this purge is over.

Librarian Reynas humming echoed through the grand library hall, her chilling bass voice sending shivers down the spine.

For now, lets start by gathering some small magic tome replicas from the outer shelves and searching for magical engineering items that could be dismantled and reassembled.

Especially the Lightning Shout Generator from shelf C could be useful for creating traps with alarms, and the Unidirectional Light Diffusion Device could make windows that let light pass only one way.

Rather than getting greedy, lets prioritize gathering just that much, and wrap up by collecting books useful for study.

The truly valuable magical engineering items can be gathered at leisure when Reyna is not watching.

Peeking out from between the bookshelves, I spotted Reyna floating in mid-air.

Reyna isnt human but a monster from the banshee clan, chained in spirit to this library, able to sense intruders within a 20-meter radius with her unique detection magic.

Reynas skirt floated around her as if she were buoyant underwater.

Thus, she periodically patrolled through the sea of books in the library.

I was fairly familiar with Reynas patrol patterns. Even if combat were initiated, I knew the tactics well enough to deal with her.

Yet, that Reyna was precious experience points for Taely.

Without sufficient mastery of Taelys Sword Saint techniques or other swordsmanship skills, wed face difficulties against Professor Glasts celestial magic.

And if we cant exert full power against the disaster-level bosses well encounter later especially if the Sword Saint Technique doesnt reach a certain level, I might have to take responsibility for facing those foes.

Its an arduous task, and frankly, neither the will nor the capability to take responsibility is there. So weve decided to steer clear of the boss monsters in Professor Glasts secret lab for now.

Well, in truth, skipping Reyna wouldnt noticeably break the momentum of Taelys already burgeoning power.

And its not just Reyna. Even skipping most of the bosses wouldnt slow our growth rate immediately. Just target the Resurrected Demon of the Underground Waterway for the most beneficial growth points, and we should be fine.

Still just to be safe, caution wouldnt hurt.

I snuck between the bookshelves, stashing various parchments and formulae into my pockets.

Sigh

While avoiding Reynas gaze, which regularly swept betwixt the shelves, I grabbed whatever I could reach.

Without reading each formula, its hard to determine its purpose, so focusing on quantity rather than quality seemed the best strategy to hoard as much as possible.

Feeling the weight in my pockets grow heavier brought a sense of satisfaction.

[ It seems the guards gaze shouldnt reach the exit now, Master Ed! ]

Muk whispered a warning to me.

Its not time yet. Cant let down my guard; Reynas detection magic isnt limited by sight.

Banshee Reyna doesnt rely merely on sight to detect enemies, but senses the magical energy within a certain distance.

If I take action before digging deeper, Im more likely to be detected.

I waited with persistence amidst the bookshelves for Reyna to show an opening.

Koom, koom.

Hmm?

I suddenly noticed a slight tremor in the ground.

A low humming noise was approaching from afar.

Initially, I thought it was a delusion and ignored it, but as bookshelves began to quiver, a sense of urgency crept upon me.

Could it be an earthquake?

As far as I knew, there was no such event scheduled.

Though at first treated as a minor disturbance, the shaking soon reached an undeniable intensity.

[ Ma, Master Ed! ]

What now?

Muk called out to me, sounding desperate. Already balance was impossible without clinging to a bookshelf.

The vibration wouldnt mean much to the floating Reyna, but it was different for other bookshelves.

Eventually, the bookshelves that had been shielding me could no longer withstand the tumult and began to topple one by one, failing in their dutiful roles of providing cover.

With the falling bookshelves, my hiding place was compromised.

And then, I was completely exposed to Reynas field of view.

Banshee Reynas humming abruptly stopped.

Upon spotting me, she unleashed a shrill scream,

Kieeeeeeek!

and began emitting magic power. Suddenly, the surroundings warped as if alive, and the bookshelves and tomes in the library began to levitate.

Animated by Reynas soul magic, the once inanimate objects began to move and thrash about as if stricken by poltergeist phenomena.

[ Ma, Master Ed! What do we do! This, this is! ]

Dont worry! Escaping is the easy part!

Reynas soul is bound to this library.

All I needed to do was conquer the space with fire magic and retreat towards the exit, beyond her range. Its not a difficult challenge.

I took a deep breath and rolled up my sleeves. Subduing Reyna wasnt the goal, just an escape. It was as easy as pie.

I began to gather magical energy within my body.

*

The attire was not suitable for combat, but there was no time to change.

Lortelles gaze hardened as the embellished hem of his ornate semi-robe fluttered.

Stepping down from the carriage, Lortelle brushed aside the employees urging him to return to the conference room with one arm and looked towards the entrance of the underground waterway, his mouth agape.

Sturdy stone pillars stood firmly on either side of the entrance. Approaching the downward slope leading underground, the distinctive dampness clung to the throat as if it were mucus.

Further down, a meticulously arranged waterway stretched into the depths. The space was spacious with tall ceilings and broad width, and with clean stone supports and walls, there wasnt excessive dust flying about.

But no matter how skillfully the underground waterway was constructed with first-rate magic technology, it couldnt entirely withstand the tests of time.

Marks of mold and splintered or broken parts were evident; clearly, theres no escaping the evidence of age.

It wasnt the sort of place someone like Lortelle, adorned with jewelry and clothes worth dozens of gold coins, would usually set foot in. Even a single speck of dust could change the figures in the account books.

Yet without hesitation, Lortelle stepped into the waterway. He had instructed the non-combatant staff to wait outside and come in to report if the situation changed.

This waterway seems unnecessarily large for a facility like this.

Lortelle, who had ventured into construction and generously sponsored various buildings, had a keen investment sense for infrastructures.

Given the size of the Sylvania Academy, occupying half of Acken Islands southern region, there wasnt a need for such an extensive underground waterway. The high ceilings and broad width were excessive.

The water flowing through the waterway wasnt substantial. At best, it would barely soak Lortelles slim ankles.

It seems like it was built with another purpose in mind.

Lortelle quickly discerned that there was something off about the waterways construction. The specific purpose remained unclear.

As the downward slope ended, and the true entrance to the waterway was revealed, Lortelle swallowed hard.

Chrrrrr

Koom, koom.

The sound of ripples in the central water channel.

Mystical golem fragments, inscribed with magic, littered the waterway here and there.

Clear signs of battle were present.

No, it was more akin to a one-sided expulsion.

Venturing further toward the central section, golem cores the size of a carriage were rolling along the bottom of the water channel.

With residual magic causing them to quiver intermittently, they were no longer a meaningful threat.

The fragments as large as Lortelles upper body must be remnants of medium-class magic golems, while the ones comparable to carriages were of high-class golems.

Dealing with about ten medium-class golems would require a group of high-ranking senior students.

To tackle a high-class golem, one would need personnel on par with the faculty staff.

Few could single-handedly and simultaneously break through them. Even Lortelle, confident in his magical prowess, couldnt take them all at once.

Lortelle continued through the golem fragments deeper into the waterway.

A girl lay unconscious at the end of the corridor.

Lortelle knew the top students of each grade by heart. Recognizing her was not difficult.

The lofty height for a female, hair casually tied for ease of movement, and freckles dotting her cheeks like dimples.

It was Dorothy, the top alchemy student from the third year.

But she was entirely out cold.

Her damp clothes suggested someone had subdued her and pulled her out of the water.

Then, a shawl had been considerately draped over her as a blanket to ward off the cold. Upon seeing it, Lortelles expression twisted with displeasure.

I was somewhat relieved by the situation flowing relatively smoothly so far. However, inevitably, new complications arise. Minor variables can be managed somehow. My abilities have improved significantly, and with my knowledge of the future, most issues can be resolved one way or another. Convincing Yenika or Lortelle to join? I could meet and talk with them to solve the issue.

However, there are variables that are absolutely beyond my control. I took a deep breath. Sylvanias Failure Swordsman, Act 2s final battle: The Glast Subjugation. Within that scenario flow, once you enter, theres a bad ending route from which escape is impossible, no matter what.

And the fact that the little witch in a hat, who frequents the camp, intends to join

Lucy Mayrill, the top student of the first year and the final boss of Act 3, a prodigious genius. Her joining is not good news. Its not the bosses that could easily be swept away by her immense power that are the problem. Variables not in the main scenario that suddenly twist the plot can be patched up by me running around doing damage control. Even existing bad ending scenarios, for the most part, can be resolved by me somehow. But, there are indeed a few bad ending routes that are difficult to solve from my end.

Bad Ending 27: The Indolent Lucy. The condition for this route is any interaction between Professor Glast and Lucy Mayrill after the incident. Lucy, persuaded by a desperate Glast to turn against her allies, leads to this route Once entered, a bad ending follows after the event battle with Lucy. Lucy, completely swayed by Glasts heartfelt plea to become an enemy, is not meant to be defeated in Act 2. There was no known solution for defeating her at this point in the story, even after hundreds of hours of speculation by hardcore gamers and dedicated fans. Preventing any encounter between Professor Glast and Lucy Mayrill was crucial by any means.

Merg senses it, near the underground waterway. The academic staffs reaction is lukewarm and unsatisfactory Ill have to go myself. Will you help me, Lucy? I feel really safe with you around.

One might wonder if help is truly needed. Yenika Faelover is strong enough, and Lucy is infinitely lazy. Yet, Yenika Faelovers words carry a peculiar force. Her lively and vibrant tone also holds a strange seriousness, enough to sway even Lucy, who previously had no interest in worldly affairs. Lately, she had been feeling rather empty.

Yawn.

Lying on the makeshift rooftop of her hut, stretching like a chirping chick, Lucy hugs her witch hat and shakes her head to clear her sleepiness, then lazily watches the campfire.

For days, the fire hasnt been lit at the campfire site. Although it seems trivial, Lucy had enjoyed the crackling sounds while napping. She liked the bitter taste of the jerky that wafted through the air, and although it was bothersome, she found comfort in being picked up from the ground while deeply sighing and thrown onto a fur bed.

Rolling her petite frame, Lucy gazes at the starry sky for a moment, reminiscing about an old man with wrinkled fingers she once knew. The sky is vast, and the full moon is clear. The girl gazing up at the moon, kicking her feet, becomes a part of the landscape. Then, a dreamy voice blends into the night air like paint.

I miss you.

Whats lost is lost.

Despite knowing this, the loneliness that occasionally wells up is something not even the strongest can completely shake off. The person is already gone. The time to be heartbroken about this acknowledged fact has passed. Yet, the loneliness left by the departed leaves marks on that tiny heart. Even knowing they can no longer be seen, that is a completely separate issue.

The design of the shawl embroidered with cute cosmos flowers along its edges was quite charming. Although it was of far less value compared to the clothes Lortelle wore, that shawl held its own significance. Just as important as the clothes is the hanger. The girl who always wore this shawl, a spirit mage known to everyone in Sylvania.

Back at the entrance again! Ugh! Without anyone around to hear, a girl emerged from within, crying out. Well, there must have been someone listening, just not visible to Lortelles eyes.

I told you! It was Tarkans words that were right! Or, was it not? Whose advice did I follow this time? Umm So right at the second fork, then left, then left-left-right-right-left-right-left-left Or was it? Left-left-right-left-right-left-left? My head hurts. And she continued to mutter complaints to the air, fiddling with her fingers.

Sorry Im terrible with directions It took me days just to memorize the way to the northern forest, asking me to grasp such a maze in one go is too much And Melis, you couldnt remember the way either! Dont be so mad! Its frustrating for me too! To end up back here again How am I supposed to find Ed at this rate

Her speech was cut short when her eyes met Lortelles.

Only the sound of flowing water echoed through the dark underground waterway. Her intricately braided pink hair was full of dirt, a stark contrast to her usual appearance without the shawl. Her neatly worn uniform was spotted with damp and dusty marks, indicating she had been in a fight not long ago. The size and shape of these marks suggested that there had been additional battles inside the waterway.

Oh my, oh my. Senior Yenika.

Rivalry hardly encompasses the entirety of their relationship; its something more entangled and sordid. Regardless of whether its Yenika or Lortelle, the mutual disdain is clear.

Lortelle had distinctly seen Tarkans figure near the entrance of the underground waterway minutes ago. It was easy to infer that Yenika had rushed here upon hearing of Eds abduction. However, Lortelles appearance was completely unexpected to Yenika. This fact was crucial.

It indicated that Lortelles judgment was a step ahead. Speaking of Yenika Faelover, she is Sylvanias ace, boasting the most splendid martial prowess among students of each grade. If we were to rank purely in terms of power, excluding the overwhelmingly dominant Lucy, Yenika would be near the top among the rest. At this point, theres no need for Professor Glasts research team or anyone else. She could single-handedly wreck the waterway, creating chaos to secure Eds safety.

Then?

Despite Lortelles typically rational character, allowing for self-objectification, theres one aspect she overlooks: her thought process regresses when it comes to matters of the heart. When Lortelle will come to realize and acknowledge this embarrassment is a tale for another day. For now, the images floating in Lortelles head are overly simplistic.

Yenika wielding various spirits to rescue the captured Ed. I came to save you, Ed. Are you hurt? It must have been tough. I was so worried. Are you okay? Lets go back together. Ive prepared a meal at the camp. Lets warm up with some hot soup. Cant muster any strength, huh? Its okay, Ill carry you. Thanks, Yenika, youre the best. It was terrifying being kidnapped out of the blue. There were many scary moments, and I needed help. Its always you, Yenika. Youre the one meant to be my life partner. Lets get married, Yenikano, Ed, marriage, what are you talking about? Im so happy. Where shall we hold the ceremony? How many children shall we have? Do you prefer a daughter or a son? Where shall we set up our honeymoon home? Can we make it through? Dont worry, Yenika, Ill make sure you wont have to lift a finger. Lets go, the morning sun is rising, just like our future, bright and shining. Hahahaha No way!

Despite dabbling in nearly every venture, Lortelles naivety in matters of love is astonishing. Its high time for some self-awareness, but Lortelle found herself trembling with dilated pupils once again.

Senior Yenika. Senior Ed has been rescued, you say! Its truly, truly infuriating, but it seems he was quite hurt in the process! Lying in bed, calling out only for you, Senior Yenika! In a coma, asking when youll come, searching only for you at the camp!

Indeed, Lortelle was quick-witted. Given the abundance of evidence that Ed was abducted to this underground waterway, it was necessary to drive Yenika out of here.

What, what did you say?!

Startled, Yenika gasped and then dashed off like a bullet, gripping her staff tightly to her chest.