Volume 16 - CH 26

We spent the night in the field, and on the second day――

「Next stop, the heart area.」

Cherry-sensei, who unfolded the map and checked it, said with a confident look on his face.

「Wait. Isn't that a long way around?」

I wondered, and looked at the map. The area came from the ear to the stomach and went down, but now it's going back up.

「What do you mean? The final destination, the deepest part of "Eudores”, is here. And the stomach area is here. Next is, you see, this heart area, Alec-kun. There's no mistake.」

Cherry pointed to the map and said. It's definitely a straight path.

「Hmm, that's the path. ......Cherry-sensei, is there any other way?」

「There is no other way. There may be, but I haven't been told that by the headmaster. And you should know that this place is a close approximation of the human body, but it's different. It's a different dimension.」

「Please tell me more about that dimension later.」

「All right. It's a bit of a tricky concept, so yes, I'll use the blackboard or a printout to talk about it. Get ready.」

「Sorry, sir. Thanks for your help.」

「U-uwahhh, stop! Alec! I don't want to you to become an honors student, trying to learn from me!」

Marilyn wriggles and scratches her head.

「Shut up, Marilyn. I've told you before, whether a dropout or an honor student has nothing to do with your grades.」

「But I feel safer when I have friends.」

You're a bad person.

「Nene, we're going to graduate with good grades.」

I'll tell the classmate next to me.

「S-sure! Alec-san. I'll do my beshh, auhh」

I think she got a little overenthusiastic and bit her tongue, but that's the cute thing about Nene.

「Nene-chan, let's get along, ohh」

Marilyn says with tears. She's really crying.

「U-uhh...」

「Leave her alone.」

「Darling, can I have a word with you?」

Saki hugs me, but unlike usual, she lowers her voice.

「What is it?」

「Maybe it's just my imagination, but I feel like we're being followed.」

「...Is it a black magician woman?」

「I can't tell that much.」

「Meena, do you smell anything?」

「No, sir. please forgive me, master.」

「Don't worry about it. But I don't know what to do. ......」

I'm a little lost.

If she's not going to do anything, we could just ignore her and go into the deepest part (Eudores) and finish our work.

She might not be looking for us, she might be looking for a spell or an artifact.

But if she's following us with the intention of setting us up, we don't want to fighting in the deepest part.

In the deepest part, the concentration of stagnant magic will be even higher, and even the small monsters will be difficult to fight.

「I'd fight if I were you, but I'll leave that to our leader here.」

Serina said. Sparkling Hero ☆ Serina would naturally wouldn't let a suspicious person go free.

However, since we haven't yet obtained a trump card such as the 【Dimensional Slash】, we can't fight the Black Sea Anemone, which has the power to annihilate us.

If that thing is summoned in a place where there is no way to escape, it will turn the tables on us.

Because Serina's Starlight Attack won't work on the Black Sea Anemone.

No?

If you have a place to escape, there's no problem with fighting.

「All right, here's the ambush. However, if you can't fight it, we'll run away.」

「All right, we'll ambush her here. But if we're no match for her, we'll run.」

「Yeah, I know.」

The area around us was just an area of tall grass, perfect for hiding.

We discussed our plan.

――Five minutes later.

I looked everyone in the eye and gave them a serious look.

「All right, we'll stick to the plan. There's no need to take her down. Don't forget that.」

「Okay.」

We started moving, and on the way I use my [Optical Camouflage] and [Blocking Signs] to get off the side by myself.

The party continues to move straight ahead at the same pace.

Now, will there be demons or snakes? (TLN: It means You never know what might happen, or God only knows what may happen)

Whatever it is, we can't let her think she can get away with stalking us for free.

Besides, if she's capable of calling a black sea anemone, or will be in the future, I'll kill her here without hesitation.

As I hid behind the grass and waited for a while, I felt the presence of someone approaching.

As I looked through the grass, I caught a glimpse of a black robe.

Bingo.

I put my hand on the hilt of my sword and caught my breath.

When she gets into range, I'll use my iai to hit her with my 【Zantetsuken】.

At this point, I still don't know if she can call the black sea anemone or not.

However, she is a trespasser who entered the Forbidden Zone without permission.

It would be better to take her out now for future reference.

She's here.

Five meters to go.

Four meters.

She's right on our tail.

Three meters.

It's almost time for the special attack the 【Zantetsuken】.

This skill power is tremendous, but the range of this skill is short.

If possible, I'd like to finish her off with a single blow.

Two meters.

「Fufu, Alec and the others don't seem to have noticed me following them, though I wondered how good they were since they're A-rank adventurers. ......」

It was a voice I knew.

Don't get upset.

I've had my suspicions about her from the start.

One meter...!

「!! Killing intent!」

Damn it, she know i'm here.

To hell with it.

I left it to my own devices and unleashed my 【Zantetsuken】 at the black-robed woman.

「Gguhh! Alec! You're attacking a teacher by surprise!」

She immediately recognized me and cried out, spitting out blood.

However, although I had a good response, the damage was less than I expected.

It seemed that she was protecting herself with some kind of shield spell.

「You're the one who said that. What do you want from us, coming all the way out here? Sensei.」

「Hmph. I have no business with you.」

She held her left shoulder with her right hand, her face scrunched up in pain, but she said firmly.

Straight wine-red hair. Bangs neatly cropped.

Elf in black robes.

Vanilla, the teacher.

Why is she here?　

「I wonder about that. You're the one who's been following us.」

「That's because I overheard that you were going to the deepest part: ......」

「Hmmph. What do you want in the deepest part?」

「You really don't know, do you? The deepest part of the Forbidden zone is one of the best-kept secrets in our academy. There are only a handful of people who have ever set foot in it in its five hundred year history.」

「Hmm? You mean that? You just want to go there, like, because there are mountains there. Is it the same reason as Fred's, who said he'd brag about it to everyone later?」

I ask, having an idea.

「Yes, that's right! You think that's bad?」

「No, I don't even want to climb mountains, so I honestly don't understand the appeal of mountains.」

「There are only about ten people in the world who can climb mountains. In other words, the chosen ones.」 (TLN: Sorry this is bit confusing why they're suddenly discussing about mountain? It is Idiom?)

「The chosen ones, or rather, the idiots who risk their lives just for the sake of it.」

「Hmm! That's why you illiterate adventurers...」

Vanilla-sensei was dumbfounded, but it seems like that will always be a parallel line of thinking.

Well, the charges have been cleared.

If I was a Magician who called black sea anemone, I would have at least called black slugs right here and now, without any argument.

Vanilla had no intention of attacking me from the beginning.

「Then, Vanilla-sensei, I'm not going to apologize to you because it was your fault for following us. I thought you were my enemy.」

I still gave her the Great Potion.

Vanilla, who took it suspiciously, thought it was poison, and drank it after casting an appraisal spell.

「Phew, I've never had a potion that could heal a serious wound in such a short time.」

「It's a rare thing after all. My party only has three.」

「That's ...... a weakness. It's not like I'm going to give you money for it.」

「Hou? No, I don't mind. you're a schoolteacher, after all. I'll give you a discount. You can pay it with your body.」

「Huh? Well, what you mean is ......」

「I mean, let me have sex with you once.」

「EEeeeehhhhhhh?!」

Vanilla, who surprised is more than I expected, she seems to be a virgin after all.

Well, if her personality is this stubborn, no matter how beautiful she is, most men will run away.

「I-I'm a teacher. ......」

Vanilla stepped back from me, protecting herself with her hands.

She has the body of a slender elf, with a cocky loli figure.

「No problem.」

「No, you can't!」

「Well, I'm always welcome. If you want to thank me for the Great Potion, you can come to my room in the boys' dormitory.」

「No, I'd like to thank you, by giving you something else.」

「I see. Well, that's fine. Let's go. My friends are waiting for us. Hurry up.」

「What? Can I come with you?」

「Isn't that why you're here? Or did you want to sneak in and steal the forbidden spell?」

「No way. I've always wanted to see the inside of a forbidden zone, but this is just a tour.」

「That's fine. Follow me.」

As for me, if she have nothing to do with the black anemone, I have no reason to attack her.

Of course, if Vanilla makes an opening, I'll take attack her off as fast as I can.