Chapter 161

As the year drew to a close, the New Year began in a somber manner.

At the end of last year, the King, who was not in good health, collapsed.

There was a mood of self-restraint in all events and economic activities, and the whole Kingdom was in mourning.

The stores were closed and the dungeons were closed, except for the restaurants and other establishments necessary for people’s daily lives.

When the mourning ended this year, the Crown Prince took the throne as the King, no surprises there.

The King’s coronation was going to be a grand affair, at least according to Rifol.

I was not really interested in who the King was. I hadn’t seen the Crown Prince since the ceremony after the Academy Martial Arts Tournament.

About a month has passed since we found out that the S-class dungeon is located in the Baukis Empire.

I have asked the Principal to transfer us to the Baukis Empire for our third year. He said that he would talk to the Baukis Imperial Academy through the Baukis Empire, but he also said that he wasn’t guaranteeing anything. Now we’re waiting for an answer from the Principal.

The Academy is not in mourning and is operating as usual.

Right now, I’m processing magic stones into [Leaf of Life]s and [Mana Seed]s while listening to the morning class. Thanks to [Fast Summon] that I recently unlocked, I can now summon up to the Holder’s limit at the same time, and I was progressing at a very fast pace.

My Mana Recovery Ring recovers 1% of my maximum mana per second, so if I am not careful, my mana would be full. I always try to consume mana while I’m awake, but if I hadn’t been able to consume mana at high speed through [Fast Summon], I think I might have lost my mind.

As I was taking a class, I heard someone running down the hallway.

Baan!

The door to the classroom opened as if someone had kicked it. Everyone’s attention was drawn to the person who just walked in. The teacher froze along with the students.

(Homeroom teacher?)

When I turned my gaze to the door, my eyes met with the homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher, out of breath, ignored the teacher who was teaching the class and said.

“Allen! The Principal is calling for you in his office. And Sophiarone, too. And your whole party!”

(What’s the rush? By party, all eight of us, right?)

“Calling us?”

Cecile also seemed to understand that we had been called. We were all from the same class, so we all headed to the Principal’s office with our homeroom teacher.

“I’ve got him! Explain the situation quickly!”

(You’re totally back to being an adventurer.)

I felt like the homeroom teacher had reverted to being an adventurer. He opened the door to the Principal’s office and walked inside without asking for permission along with those words.

We followed our homeroom teacher from behind and went inside.

“Oh, you’re here!”

A map of the world was spread out on the table in the Principal’s office. The Principal, who always had a somewhat calm demeanor, perhaps because he had been alive for a thousand years, was not calm.

“Yes, how may I help you?”

As the Principal stood next to the map laid out on the table, we remained standing without taking a seat.

“…”

“What?

We were called to do something but for some reason the Principal didn’t state his business right away. Was he at a loss for words, or was he choosing his words? For a moment, I thought I saw the Principal looking at Sophie.

(What’s going on?)

“Actually, Allen, you and your party have been drafted.”

“Drafted? You mean the battlefield?”

(Hmm? But we’re still only in our second year.)

When I first heard the word “drafted”, I thought for a moment that we were going to be transferred to the Baukis Imperial Academy. However, the word “draft” is not used to describe transferring from one Academy to another. The only place one can get drafted to is the battlefield, considering that the purpose of the Academy is to fight the Demon King’s army.

“That’s right. In order to fight against the Demon King’s army, Rosenheim made an urgent request to dispatch you through the Five Continents Alliance and the Latash Kingdom accepted the request.”

The Principal placed the order on the table that had mine, Kurena, Cecile, Dogora, and Kiel’s name written on it. Not just me, but my whole party was being drafted.

(It’s a written order. The Principal says it’s a request, but isn’t it the same thing?)

“Rosenheim? Are you asking me to go to Rosenheim?”

Even before I entered the Academy, I had always thought about going to the battlefields in the northern part of the Central Continent, such as the northern part of the Ghiamut Empire and the former Kingdom of Rasturi.

The Principal shifted his gaze to the large world map spread out on the table.

“Yes. Rosenheim is currently in a State of Emergency.”

“What?”

Sophie was astonished, but the Principal continued on with his story.

“This is information we gained from our scouts. The Demon King’s army is currently invading the 3 continents. The total number of the Demon King’s army is said to be as high as 10 million.”

“”10 million!!!!””

(The 3 continents are the Central Continent, Baukis Empire, and Rosenheim. Still 10 million?)

The 2 continents to the south of the Central Continent have yet to go on war against the Demon King’s army.

“That’s 5 to 10 times higher than usual.”

In the past, the Demon King’s Army has attacked the 3 continents simultaneously, but in the class, we were told that the Demon King’s army numbered only about 1 to 2 million every year. That 1 to 2 million is the total number of magical beasts that attack all 3 continents simultaneously. So if we are talking only about the Central Continent, the number is at most 1 million.

The rest of the continents are said to face against about 500,000 each.

“That’s right. I don’t know how long the Demon King’s army had been conserving its strength, but it seems they have increased their forces for this occasion.”

(After all, the defeats against the Hero in the past few years were not only due to the power of the Hero, huh. How many years has the Demon King’s army been conserving their strength for this day?)

The battlefield’s situation changed since the Hero Helmios appeared. Helmios is the hope that humanity has found after more than 50 years of defeat and struggle.

It has been 8 to 9 years since the Hero appeared on the battlefield and began his rapid march. During that time, the Demon King’s army had been defeated, but it seems that the power of the Hero was not the only factor.

“Theodosir, why do you think Rosenheim is in danger? An urgent request, no way!”

Sophie, who had been listening to the conversation between the Principal and me, burst out like water from a dam.

“…”

However, the Principal was unable to reply to her question words.

“Theodosir! Answer me! Is Her Majesty the Queen safe!?”

(Her Majesty the Queen?)

Sophie refers to her mother as “Her Majesty the Queen”. The Elves believe in Rosen, the King of Spirits, but they also respect Her Majesty as much as Rosen. It could be said that the Elves are all fighting for the Queen.

“Her Majesty’s fate is not certain.”

The Principal finally managed to squeeze out a few words. His words indicated that he didn’t know if the Queen was alive or not.

“What? You idiot! What happened to Fortenia! Tell me everything!”

Sophie was annoyed with the Principal for only answering what was asked of him.

Fortenia is the capital of Rosenheim, the land of the Elves, and the city where the Queen resides.

“As of 3 days ago, Fortenia has already fallen to the 3 million-strong Demon King army. I don’t know what happened to Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty’s situation was not mentioned in the last magic tool communication.”

“Not… mentioned…”

“Lady Sophiarone.”

As Sophie collapsed to her knees, Formar held and supported her.

“70% of Rosenheim has already fallen into the hands of the Demon King’s army. I’ve heard that they are now preparing for the final battle in the southern part of Rosenheim.”

(Hmm? The war situation has progressed quite a bit. Does the Academy not receive much information about the battlefield? The Academy is an educational institution, after all.)

Even if it is an invasion by a large army, the war seems to have progressed too far in too short a time.

“Is that where you want me to go?”

“Yes. I want you to respond to this request.”

“By the way, what is the current situation in the Central Continent?”

I asked about the current war situation in the northern part of the Central Continent. If Rosenheim is a crisis of national survival, then what about the Giamut Empire?

“…”

However, the Principal didn’t answer me immediately.

“What? You mean the front lines have collapsed?”

“No, no. The front line hasn’t become a battlefield yet. The Demon King’s army, about 2 million strong, is waiting at a position about 10 days from the front line.”

In the Central Continent, 2 million troops of the Demon King’s army, twice as many as usual, are waiting. Hearing this, everyone gulped.

(What? They’re waiting? They should be attacking at once. Hmm? The Elven troops.”

“Excuse me, did you share this information with the Elves on the front lines? You said earlier that you were preparing for the final battle.”

The Principal’s eyes widened at my words. Apparently, I had hit the nail on the head.

“Theodosir. Answer me. What is the current status of the Elven forces on the Central Continent?”

Sophie also told him to answer honestly.

“The Elven troops have already been informed of the situation in Rosenheim. They are currently returning to defend Rosenheim.”

“No, no. It’s impossible to defend against an army of 2 million without Elves!”

Cecile, who was listening to the conversation, couldn’t help but shout.

There are few human healers, so Elves have taken up the role of healing soldiers. If these Elves begin to retreat for the sake of their own survival….

Cecile continued…

“How are we supposed to fight against the Demon King’s army, which is twice as strong as usual in such a situation?”

“The Demon King’s army in the Central Continent is waiting for the Elves to leave the Central Continent. That’s why they’re not attacking, but waiting.”

“”…””

I said the current war situation in the Central Continent into simple terms.

“… I’m afraid that’s the way it’s going to be. I’m sorry, but I need you to do as I ask and save Rosenheim and our Queen.”

The Principal knew that much, but still wanted me to comply with his request.

The Principal bowed his head to me for the first time.

At the end of Allen’s second year at the Academy, the Demon King’s army unleashed a massive army of 10 million and was working to destroy the world.

Allen’s friends, his homeroom teacher, and the Principal of the Academy all waited with bated breath for his answer.