Chapter 7: Special Scholarship Student of the Academy (1)
Dense clouds were contained in the glass ceiling.
The faculty eting room of Cia-Harphe Academy.
In the center of the circular hall,
Monika Lohengrin stood.
‘……What is this?’
Konstanze's eyes widened with curiosity.
A special scholarship student application written in ssy handwriting. When she lifted it, a docunt issued by the Capital Defense Force fell out. It was none other than a receipt for a bounty paynt.
‘The wanted criminal's na is Tarkan Espoke.’
Tarkan of the Two Tongues.
Wasn't that the half-orc known by that moniker? She rembered him as one of the outlaws parasitizing the capital's slums. The bounty was nothing more than a personal matter; the Capital Defense Force would have chosen to coexist with the leaders of the back alleys……
‘The bounty recipient is Monika Lohengrin.’
Konstanze stroked the signature engraved on the receipt. She read the magic of the scribe belonging to the Capital Defense Force from the red ink.
It's not a forgery.
The receipt's issue date was three days ago. The day after the interview with Abel. What had happened during that ti?
“Miss Lohengrin.”
At Konstanze's call, Monika's gaze wavered.
A translucent sphere enveloped Monika's body. It was a net of a pocket dinsion ford by Konstanze's magic. In Monika's eyes, everything just looked white, but to Konstanze, Monika's features, trying to hide her nervous expression, were clearly visible.
“You don't have to be nervous. We're just going through the verification process.”
Konstanze's palm covered Monika's application.
“Born in the village of Sarrifis. Lost both parents due to the Mirror War, and stayed at an orphanage until the age of 15. Is that correct?”
“……That is correct.”
“That must have been difficult.”
After offering a brief remark, Konstanze swept back her crimson hair.
“Three days ago, you handed over Tarkan Espoke to the Naflansee Defense Force, did you apprehend him yourself?”
Monika hesitated for a mont, then,
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Teacher Abel took care of most of the organization mbers. I just swung my sword once according to my teacher's instructions. Then the building collapsed……, and Tarkan was knocked out under the rubble……”
Monika's voice trailed off.
It sounded like a tall tale even to herself.
She still couldn't believe what had happened a few days ago.
‘She swung her sword once and the building collapsed…….’
Konstanze narrowed her eyebrows. Adjusting her round glasses, which were like the bottom of a milk bottle, she observed the expressions of the faculty mbers disguised as familiars. Most of the professors didn't believe Monika's words.
‘Interesting.’
On the other hand, Konstanze smiled with her chin cupped in her hand.
It was because she understood what the life of a commoner was like. In her childhood, she would wander the streets with her childhood friend, Iris, disguised as a commoner.
Unless one is a city dweller, the life of a commoner is extrely monotonous. They just live by offering their crops to the nobles. It was different from the nobles who grew up enjoying the legends of knights and the mysteries of magic. Discovering talent would be close to impossible.
So, one never knew.
In the first place, the Sword Saint……,
Wasn't Abel of the Margin also from an orphanage?
‘……A girl with one arm, and a janitor at CIAR.’
Konstanze moistened her lips with the cold water in her glass.
What was Abel so sure of that he suggested Monika's admission? It wasn't that she had allowed the test, drawn in by Abel's determination. There was simply a system in place to help talented outsiders.
“Very well, Monika Lohengrin.”
Clap, and.
Konstanze clapped her hands.
Monika's gaze was fixed straight ahead.
“I will summon a scarecrow to be your target. Since you said you destroyed a building with a sword strike, I'll also provide you with an Arming Sword. So, prove it.”
Your talent.
Konstanze muttered so.
“I'm not sure if I have talent or not, but……”
The hilt of the sword was placed in Monika's left hand.
A stance with bent legs and the blade tilted at an angle.
It was the result of two days of training, but it was incredibly clumsy. Normally, one would hold the sword with one hand and support their waist with the other. Monika lacked one arm to maintain the weight of her upper body.
However,
“I will cut.”
Monika declared in a firm tone.
Monika's left arm, trembling as if the weight of the sword was too much.
It shot up towards the front,
Swish──,
At the sa mont the blade barely cut through the air,
Pajit,
A crack appeared,
──Jjaenggang!
The pocket dinsion shattered to pieces.
‘……Aura Blade?’
Konstanze's lips turned blue.
She hastily picked up her magic staff. A bundle of green Aura Blades, bursting out from the broken pocket dinsion. If this continued, it was obvious that even the inner walls of the eting room would be cut down. Konstanze swung her magic staff to disrupt the Aura Blades. The Aura Blades, which had been extending without rule, swirled according to the staff's direction, hovered in the air, and then faded away.
Tuduk,
A scarecrow tumbled onto the marble floor.
Ooh──!
The sharp cheers of the familiars surrounded the area.
‘An innate Aura user…….’
Konstanze withdrew the magic concentrated in her staff.
It was just astonishing. A girl who had escaped the pocket dinsion and was looking around. To think they had been wasting a child with such talent on cleaning up scraps of paper.
“Miss Lohengrin, your talent is exceptional.”
Konstanze stood up. She walked towards Monika with her arms crossed.
“As for the Aura you use……, it is a realm that most Holy Knights set as their life's goal.”
“……Is that so.”
Monika muttered, avoiding Konstanze's gaze. The Vice President's expression as she looked down at her. Needless to say, it was drenched in emotion. Monika was not used to receiving such gazes.
“I……, didn't know.”
Above all, she couldn't get used to the talent that had been suddenly identified.
“You can get to know it from now on. Your Aura is still incomplete. The Departnt of Theology at Cia-Harphe Academy will be able to help complete your talent.”
“Does that an……”
“It ans I'm appointing you as a special scholarship student.”
Konstanze took Monika's left hand in hers.
“By the way, Miss Lohengrin. One thing……”
Just one thing,
May I ask you a question.
Konstanze's whisper reached Monika's ear.
“Did you deliberately not cut the scarecrow?”
Monika's eyes shifted towards the scarecrow. An appearance completed by weaving straw and nailing it with tree branches. Unlike the brutally shattered pocket dinsion, the scarecrow was preserved in a sound state.
“I don't have that kind of ability. It's just……”
Saying so in a calm tone, Monika looked at Konstanze.
Abel had taught Monika about the basic operation of an Aura Blade. She had only learned for two days and nights at most, but it was at least possible to cut a scarecrow as a target. Cutting while avoiding the scarecrow was a more difficult task. Monika had not expected that to be possible.
“I……, am used to seeing people die. Because every morning, corpses are rolling around on the streets of the slums. I'm also used to being in danger of dying. As you can see from my right arm, I've already experienced such a crisis.”
But……,
I am not yet used to cutting people.
Monika muttered so.
“People?”
Konstanze tilted her head.
“What you faced was not a person, but a scarecrow. Only migratory birds would consider a scarecrow a person.”
“That's why it looked even more like a person.”
The sleeve that sealed Monika's right arm swayed.
Monika hid it behind her back.
And she added in a small voice.
“Because it looked like it would be destroyed so easily.”
Before a great power, a person is ultimately,
nothing more than a doll woven from straw.
* * *
Monika turned her back on the arched door of the faculty eting room.
She let out a long breath and recalled Konstanze's words.
‘We don't have much ti. The fall sester will start soon, so let's hurry up with the procedures.’
The docunts in her arms were thick. A guide to becoming a student at CIAR, the scholarship paynt procedure, and certificates related to moving into the dormitory.
There were many things to look at, and many things to take care of. I have to submit my resignation letter to the janitor's office. Monika thought with a dazed expression.
Autumn was approaching.
The air that had settled in the morning was cool even in the middle of the day. While the vermilion sunlight decorated the carpet in diagonal lines, the students of CIAR who had returned ahead of the fall sester were coming and going cheerfully.
Could she fit in?
Neat attire. Healthy expressions. Conversations about knowledge of unknown aning.
Monika was worried about whether she could lt into them.
‘By the way…….’
Monika's gaze shifted to her feet.
‘Does the Vice President like animals?’
A small dog was scratching Monika's dusty boots. She hadn't known she would be taking a test among so many dogs, cats, bats, and crows. How much money would it take to raise them? Having such idle thoughts, Monika bent down. Looking at the white fur covering the dog's body, she blushed and,
“Hello.”
she whispered in a small voice.
“……Little animal friend.”
“It's .”
“You crazy……”
The dog's eyes flashed blue for a mont, and then none other than Abel's voice was heard.
“You completed the test successfully. Congratulations on becoming a student at CIAR. There will be many things to take care of.”
Abel's low voice leaked out as the dog's mouth opened. Monika frowned and stood up. She had been flustered when he suddenly disappeared as she was crossing the school gate, but had he been watching while borrowing the body of a dog?
“Your hobbies are truly wicked.”
“I just used a familiar because the schedule was urgent.”
The dog started walking with its back to Monika.
Its snowball-like tail swayed in ti with its cute steps.
“Let's et at the airship station in two hours. We'll need to buy you so necessary supplies in the capital.”
Monika stared at the dog's tail, srized.
It's cute. The round tail……
“Monika.”
“……Yes?”
The dog's body turned towards Monika.
“Do not be deceived by appearances. There are monsters with antennae that resemble a cat. They lure humans by shaking their antennae at night. Their true form resembles a giant toad.”
“That's a fact I wanted to live my whole life without knowing. Thank you for telling .”
The dog moved on, leaving the sighing Monika behind.
Passing through the students' legs without hesitation, it stepped on the windowsill and leaped towards the roof of the main building. Finally, at the top floor of a tower of indefinite height. What greeted the dog that had passed through the entrance was a stone door leading to the President's office, and the form of Abel standing side-by-side with a Golem.
[Have you finished your business.]
At the Golem's chanical question, Abel nodded his head.
Then he reached out his hand towards the seated dog.
The dog's body stiffened for a mont, then,
──Woof!
It barked loudly at Abel.
Because the forced contract as a familiar had been released, the dog glared at Abel once before turning on its heel according to its instincts.
[Then I will greet you.]
The Golem's body bowed towards Abel.
[I am an assistant-type Golem who will be helping with your work from today. My model number is CW-423P. Please let know at any ti if you have any miscellaneous tasks to handle.]
Golems were provided to the professors of CIAR. It was better to rely on a Golem than to employ a clumsy assistant.
The CW-423P assigned to Abel was an item that had been developed for less than a century. Unlike the old-generation Golems with a mineral-like appearance, the CW-423P looked like a tall human male. With fresh blond hair and golden eyes. The mana reactor shining on its chest was the only thing that revealed the Golem's identity.
“Do you not have a separate na?”
At Abel's question, the Golem tilted its head and sank into thought.
[Loading information.]
The Golem said with a blank expression.
Abel waited patiently.
[One of my previous masters called Fabien. He said it was the na of his deceased son.]
“Then I shall call you Fabien.”
[Understood. From now on, I am Fabien.]
After speaking in a toneless voice, Fabien stood facing the entrance to the President's office.
Fabien's palm touched the stone door of the President's office. Magic circles began to appear on the surface of the stone door. It was because the qualification verification process was completed by resonating with the magic circle engraved on Fabien's palm.
‘The security is tight.’
Abel's gaze sharpened.
Judging by the shape and number of the magic circles, at least twenty or more highest-grade protective spells were in operation. The interior revealed beyond the stone door was filled with even more vigilance. Not only curses, but also barriers that neutralized even blessings decorated the walls.
[This way.]
Fabien guided, opening the iron door of a shabby elevator.
Abel stepped into the elevator. With a clunk, the elevator began to sink towards the underground of the floating island.
Abel held his beloved sword and recalled what Konstanze had said.
‘You seed to have no doubt about Miss Lohengrin's passing. Seeing as you sent a familiar instead of observing in person…….’
After Monika's test had ended, Konstanze had said to Abel's familiar.
‘I would have thought so too. A child who can use Aura at a young age is rare. Your ability to spot such a talent at a glance is also truly amazing.’
Konstanze instructed him to et with the President.
The professor appointnt process is finalized through a private eting with the President. The President of CIAR is a being who does not show themselves to the public. However, Abel was aware of the President's identity. Because he had grasped the history of Epezeria before the regression through the oracle.
‘Keep this in mind, Abel.’
That was why he understood why the President of CIAR sought to conceal themselves.
‘You must not try to understand that person with human logic.’
Kugoong, and.
The elevator reached the lowest point.
[We have arrived.]
Fabien opened the iron door.
A desolate energy surrounded Abel.
Unconcerned, Abel quickened his pace.
‘You may not believe it, but…….’
Abel's steps ca to a halt.
At that mont, with a thud,
Fabien's body collapsed.
‘That person is a Dragon.’
While the surroundings were dark,
A giant red glint of light blood.
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