Chapter 188: Beilanea in Heavy Rain

~~Noon, Second Day of the Third Month, Ninety-Fifth Year of the War Demon Calendar~~

In the Student Council Office of the Magic University in Beilanea, Lina was alone, looking out of the window at the dripping rain.

Although it was daytime, the University campus was covered in gloominess.

And outside of the Student Council Office, one other girl was peeking into the room.

Looking through the gap in the door, she hid her presence as she kept an eye on Lina.

“Big sis… It ain’t like you at all, sneakin’ around like this…”

“Shut up. I wouldn’t be doing this if I COULD just walk in, you know.”

The gray sparrow Hawk and its Master Irene whispered between each other.

“It’s almost been a year since those maggots left, and tomorrow is the Magic University’s graduation day. Things are only going to get gloomier for her…”

“I know, I know. That’s why I’ve been wondering how I can cheer her up.”

Hawk was utterly taken aback by Irene’s comment.

“That’s rare comin’ from you, big sis. You really like the Lina girl that much?”

“She’s one of the most competent Student Council President we’ve ever had, you know – had her help me with quite a lot of my stuff. Besides, Gaston told me to keep an eye on her, too.”

“Sir Gaston did?”

Hawk asked back, leaning his whole body.

Irene proceeded to explain, sounding as if she was recalling something,

“It’s a pretty long story, so… I’ve forgotten most of it. But the gist of it is that she’s got great potential, and we should help her make the most out of it.”

“Huh, sounds interstin’, that story. I mean, the leadin’ two of the Six Archmages’ got eyes on her…”

“We haven’t really heard anything new since the incident with Sayla, but our objective is still the same – train the capable of the younger generation. Being defeated in battle isn’t much of a worry, but if they were to be crushed mentally, then we have a problem. Well, I personally don’t care that much about that girl, but…”

Hawk chuckled at Irene’s inability to make herself clear.

“Hehehe… ‘But,’ eh…”

“Wh-what…?”

Irene, cheeks blushing, questioned Hawk’s intention behind that identification, but the bird did not answer.

Then she turned to peek at Lina again… and was spooked to the point that she was speechless.

“Um… What are you doing, Professor Irene?”

…Because Lina was now also peeking through the gap in the door, right back at her.

Facing Lina’s staring eyes, Irene broke into a cold sweat.

“N-n-n-n-n-nothing… Nothing at all?”

Irene instantly looked away, with Hawk on her shoulder also turning his back on Lina.

“Oh, you’re not being subtle at all, Professor Irene!”

Irene avoided making eye contact with the now-grumpy Lina; she only coughed once to clear her throat, proceeded to stand up, and opened the door as if nothing had happened.

Then she sat in one of the chairs in the center of the Student Council Office.

“…So what are you doing here? Didn’t your term as President end half a year ago?”

“Ah, well… I’m feeling a bit nostalgic. Ahaha…”

Irene, after heaving a sigh, looked at Lina in half-exasperation.

“Why don’t you enroll again, then?”

Irene said sarcastically, prompting Lina to chuckle back at her.

“Oh, that would be nice… Aside from the fact that there’ll probably be nothing new for me to study.”

“Heh, that’s a bold statement. So you think you’ve already learned everything the Magic University has to offer, huh?”

“Ahahaha…”

Although Lina had made her declaration with mischievous intent, Irene knew that it was not far from the truth.

Because Lina had, in fact, mastered everything the University had to teach.

“You and Hornel are our top students… scratch that – you two even graduated with perfect marks. While Warren’s graduation is still fresh in people’s minds, too. It’s quite a rare occurrence when in the Magic University’s long history, so you should be more proud of yourself.”

“Yes!”

Lina smiled as she answered, and as if it was contagious, and Irene did so as well.

Then, as if remembering something, Lina tapped her own palm with her fist.

“Ah, I almost forgot… I have to make some final arrangements for tomorrow’s graduation ceremony.”

“It wouldn’t look good for a former Student Council President to be late. Go on, then – no need to keep me company.”

Irene said and waved her hand as if swatting away a fruit fly, to which Lina cheerfully answered once again.

The latter then proceeded to run down the corridor.

Irene looked up out the window where Lina had been watching; she saw the sky darkening as if night was falling.

Dark clouds stacked over one another, and the roars of thunder drew ever closer.

“Weather’s kinda awful today, big sis.”

“…Right.”

The two whispered to each other as they stood by in anticipation of tomorrow’s Magic University Graduation Ceremony.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Beilanea…

“Hah hah hah… Holy shit!”

“Language, Midors! Just keep running!”

“W-what even is THAT?!”

Midors, Idéa and, Egd were running at full speed, their faces pale and out of breath.

Their strength gradually sapped away by the coldness and weight of the increasingly heavy rain on their bodies, Egd looked back and saw gigantic dark clouds looming over them.

But it was too low and too near to be considered an actual cloud.

The three shivered all over; now they realized that this involuntary movement was not from the coldness in the air.

When they were finally on level ground, Midors and Idéa looked back just like Egd had done. Without stopping their feet, of course.

In the mass of black, countless eyes glimmered; countless wings flapped.

Then from the center of it came the resounding howl – the howl of despair.

On land and in the sky, the advancing mass headed straight to Beilanea.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Lala was humming happily while enjoying her meal. The serpent coiling around her was the very first one to notice the subtle change in the air.

Sensing the abnormality in how her mentor had suddenly stopped, Lala tilted her head and questioned,

“Is something the matter, Sir Instructor?”

“”Just now, our fields have been razed by an unknown force.””

The look in Lala’s eyes instantly changed.

“Let’s go get rid of it, then.”

“”No, we ought to wait and observe… What could it be?””

Bruce, who had been watching them while resting his chin on his hands – and still thinking it was some trivial matter – asked Tzar,

“What’s going on?”

“”We had set up some fixed-position type Spell Circles as traps at out ‘Lala Farm,’ which should have been good enough to stop most monsters… But it was destroyed. In almost an instant, at that.””

“You mean the place where you first met me and Asley? Should be close by, right?”

“”…Within a stone’s throw.””

Understanding what Tzar had meant, every member of The Silver immediately stood up.

Bruce vaulted over the table, rushed to the entrance of the Pochisley Agency, and strapped his sword to his waist.

Blazer, as soon as he stood up, gave his instruction to Haruhana.

“Haruhana, you go to the Adventurers’ Guild. It’s all well and good if it’s a wasted trip… but get the warning to them, just to be safe.”

“Yes.”

At this time, Bruce had already gone out of the Pochisley Agency.

And as if chasing him, Betty went in the same direction mere moments later.

“North!”

“Aye-yup!”

Reid and Mana, a step behind the others, prepared to head out.

But before then, Ryan said to them,

“Just in case, investigate the east and the south as well.”

Having come from the same hometown as Ryan, and especially since they had gone through the same bitter experience in the past, Reid and Mana had no reason to doubt him.

“I’ll go east.”

“Me south, then.”

Wasting no time to see those two off, Blazer grabbed his sword.

“Ryan, Reyna, Adolf – I’ll leave this place to you all.”

“”Yes!””

“Natsu, I’m worried about Idéa’s team – they’re supposed to be west of town, out on a hunt. Give them a Telepathic Call.”

“Yeah!”

“Itsuki, take care of the kids.”

“Yes. And where will you be going, Sir Blazer – Ah! Sir Blazer, wait!”

Blazer had already run off before Itsuki could even ask him.

Itsuki, staying behind here as well, heaved a sigh and looked at Ryan.

Seeing how Itsuki was looking at them, Tzar and Ryan turned to look at each other.

“”The Magic University.””

Bruce and Betty, having arrived at the north gate of Beilanea, climbed up a watchtower; up on top, they caught sight of a horde of monsters in the distance.

“…Dude, this ain’t funny, man…”

“Looks like we don’t have a choice… but to fight, huh…”

The same was happening in the east and the south.

High in the sky, blue lightning weaved their way through the clouds.

The time was one o’clock in the afternoon; the day was the second of the Third Month, ninety-fifth year of the War Demon Calendar. It was the day in which news of despair reached Beilanea.