How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 281

[Side story] Chasing butterflies (8)

“I am… .”

Lucy Meiril opened her mouth slowly. I couldn’t understand the two people who were taking hostile movements after seeing Lucy from earlier… First, I had to explain.

“I am… I’m from another world. I am not the me you know.”

Of course, there was no way he could understand all the facts and lower his sword with just this one word.

Clevius gritted his teeth and looked at Lucy. It was as if he couldn’t understand what Lucy had said right away.

“You, what… .”

-Kooung.

It was then.

The ruined Trix Hall area began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred.

Dust rises from the air, and a huge explosion occurs at the place where it is believed to be the epicenter.

– Kwaaang!

―Hwaaaaaagh!

Heat rises at the same time as the sound of an explosion.

A gigantic savage beast whose entire body is on fire raises its body. His body, visible through the gaps in the dust pouring down his patter, was magnificent.

“What crazy! I, the spirit reacted!”

“Quickly pack your things! If you don’t run away now, more will come!”

The heat was so great that haze began to rise from the area. That gigantic predatory beast that looked like a lion or a tiger… It’s the middle-ranking fire spirit ‘Beltan’.

It roared loudly as it broke the outer wall of the Trix pipe, where only its shape remained.

However, Beltan’s appearance was strangely different from what Lucy knew. She is clad in dark red magic power, and has a lot of bizarre patterns all over her body.

In addition to being in a state of berserk, it is a shape that has a lot of forcibly granted strengthening magic.

It’s not the amount of magic that a normal middle-ranking fire spirit can draw out.

It is clearly in a state of forced runaway.

and… The spirits of Clevius and Elvira look familiar.

– Kwaaang!

A huge pillar of fire rises around Beltan. The fire spread out in all directions and covered the whole area. It was the moment when Clevius picked up his sword to protect Elvira.

-Woe!

Lucy’s rising magic power enveloped the two of them.

From Lucy’s point of view, who doesn’t know anything, these two people who accidentally bump into each other are the only clue to this world.

Bondi Lieutenant Spirit’s attack was not even necessary to block. However, at present, Lucy is unable to fully control his magical powers.

Frowning his eyebrows, he scattered all the fire magic and removed it, revealing the figure of Beltan, who was still standing. Its majestic appearance is full of hostility toward humans.

and… You can see countless spirits coming down the hill making strange noises.

one by one… It was not in a normal state due to berserk magic.

Here, Lucy has a hunch.

If there is someone on the island of Aken who can handle this number of spirits, it’s probably…

“You have to run! There’s a survivor’s hideout in the secret library in the underground waterway!”

Anyway, Lucy saved Clevius and Elvira.

not the enemy As soon as the fact was grasped, Elvira quickly exclaimed.

“If I don’t get rid of it now, more spirits will come and I won’t be able to handle it!”

Lucy looked at Elvira and Clevius with a sidelong glance, then quickly covered the area with magic. It was a basic level of stealth magic, but just hiding traces of magical power would have some effect.

To ward off the spirits, the three ran across the ruins of the Trix Hall.

* * *

Let’s go back to the hideout and share the details.

At those words, Lucy couldn’t help but nod her head. Even from the point of view of the two of them, it seemed that they couldn’t believe that Lucy had appeared here. Even so, it was right to dispel all doubts once it was safe.

A lifestyle that could only be reached after running for a long time.

The living area of ​​the Sylvania Academy, which was originally always lively and full of people, was also full of ruined buildings.

As if looking at this scene… It made me think that the whole world might have perished.

Completely decayed corpses all over the plaza, leaving only skeletons… The marble sidewalks were all destroyed and weeds were growing here and there.

Between them, huge middle-ranking spirits are wandering around in a berserk state. Clevius and Elvira evaded the gaze of the spirits, bypassing the gaps in the buildings with familiar faces.

Clevius, who climbed the half-destroyed outer wall of the building that was once Laplace Bakery, grabs Elvira’s hand and pulls her up.

Lucy flicks her magic lightly, climbs up and follows her, and rides on the outside of the outer wall as it is, passing near the collapsed well in a low position.

After passing through the living quarters teeming with so many spirits and entering the entrance of the North Forest, the entrance to a huge underground aqueduct is visible.

The entrance to the aqueduct was hidden by numerous thickets of trees. It would have been a job to cover the huge entrance like this one by one.

When he squeezed through the gap, the same underground aqueduct where he and Professor Glast had a chase was unfolding.

If you go inside the complex underground waterway and go inside the broken outer wall, Professor Glast’s secret laboratory will unfold. And if you go further… There is a secret library that Ed Roth Taylor used as a laboratory during his lifetime.

This is where Lucy from the original world came to get Glast’s phoenix ring with Ed.

Only now, this place has become a hideout for survivors who have fled from the runaway spirits inside Aken Island.

The students who were standing guard at the entrance of the library reacted when they saw Clevius.

“Seo.. senior. You came back alive. How was the search result? her… .”

“roo… Lucy… Mayril… ?!”

Then, seeing Lucy, everyone freezes.

Clevius quietly turned his head, expressing his intention to step aside for now.

The student who was standing guard swallowed a dry spit and stepped aside. It seemed that Clevius was in a position to receive recognition in this hideout as well.

So, follow Clevius and Elvira to the inside of the library.

Lucy looked around. The facilities inside the library had already been removed somewhere, and the inside was turned into a facility for survivors to stay.

Bonfires and tents lit here and there. Patients lying under blankets.

I see people exhausted from starvation, and I see people suffering from chronic diseases.

Most of the people were students or faculty members, and there were also a few merchants living in the living quarters.

They saw Lucy following Clevius and Elvira into the interior, and they began to stir from a distance.

– ‘I… look there… .’

– ‘this… this crazy… .’

― ‘What is it, what’s going on? no… It’s Lucy Mayrill… .’

– ‘live… there was… ? For sure… Lucy Meiril three years ago… .’

– ‘what? Lucy Meiril is here?’

– ‘white… You’re a rare genius wizard… . If it’s Lucy Mayreel… It’s not like you can break the magic circle blocking the island… ?’

A strangely hopeful atmosphere spreads among the buzzing crowd.

It feels like humans who have barely endured in despair for a long time have found a new light.

Lucy Meiril gasped, and continued onward.

“Behind this, there is a person in charge of the hideout. You’ll have to listen to the detailed explanation there. Maybe you’re old too… It will be very different from what you think.”

A room for librarians inside the library.

Could it have been renovated and used as a room for the boss?

Lucy nodded, passed Elvira and Clevius, and opened the door.

The old wooden door creaked open, revealing what was inside.

A small conference table, blackboards erected here and there filled with information about the island.

And between the members gathered in the hideout and the papers with the remaining supplies… A woman sitting on a desk.

The woman with a familiar face raised her head while putting her robe hat down… I looked at Lucy Maylil’s face and opened her eyes wide for a moment.

“you… .”

Gray hairs sprouted from between his reddish-brown hair. Is it a sign of suffering?

It is startling to see Lucy Meiril suddenly appearing alive, but the girl quickly regains her composure just by holding her breath for a moment.

The girl—no, Lortel Kecheln was a person who could be rational and cool-headed under any circumstances.

“… Let’s hear some explanations.”

Three years after the death of Ed Rosteyler.

For some reason, Aken Island, which had become hell, was guarded by Lortel alone.

* * *

“Yeah, it’s hard to believe, but… .”

Lucy first explained her situation to Lortel.

That he is not a subordinate to this world. That Ed Rosteiler came from a world that is not dead.

And, looking for a way back… I couldn’t tell until

Because there was no atmosphere for that.

“here is… .”

“You might want to ask why it turned out this way… .”

Lortel had a tired face.

In this extreme situation, he would have been in charge of the hideout for years leading a group of survivors.

No matter how much Lortel I am, the mental burden will inevitably pile up.

“okay… I will answer all the lines I know.”

“… … Ed Rosteyler… .”

To that question that first got to the point, Lortel answered with her head bowed for a moment.

“Ed senior passed away three years ago. While subjugating the Holy Changryong Velbrok… .”

“To Sung Chang-ryong… is dead… ?”

“… To be precise… ”

Lortel spoke with a helpless face as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

“Taking advantage of being seriously injured while subjugating Seongchangryong Velbrok… He was executed because he was slandered by the Rising Lindon faction of the imperial family. He has been named the principal responsible for the Velbroke catastrophe.”

Even after hearing Lortel’s words, Lucy couldn’t understand what she meant.

Since he died while catching Valveroke, I thought he died directly from Valveroke’s attack… .

“… that is… What are you talking about… ?”

“The officials of the imperial family, who had Lindon as their puppet, needed an excuse to get rid of the Ross Taylor family. They passed on responsibility for the burning of the mainland of the Empire in the calamity caused by Velbroke. Ed-senpai knew in advance that Valveroke would appear… .”

“… … .”

“Isn’t that funny? To have such a trivial power struggle while the world is burning because of Velbroke.”

Lortel spoke with a wry smile. It must have been three years ago for her.

It’s been a long time for the wound to heal, but the pain probably hasn’t completely gone yet.

“… Did Emperor Chloel stay still?”

“Dead. On the day Velbroke descended… .”

“… Princess Penia… Princess Selaha… .”

“All the imperial family on Aken Island are dead.”

Actually, it’s strange to be alive.

Velbroke possessed the power to blow up an entire island with a single gesture.

In fact, the fact that there are enough survivors left to fill this library is a miracle in itself.

“… Other year seniors… .”

“Lucy.”

said Lortel in a weary voice.

Lortel’s words left Lucy speechless.

“now… It would be quicker to ask who is alive.”

He realized how painful the road to hell Lortel had been through must have been.

then… can’t help but ask

“What are the spirits that rule the island… ? Yenika Failover… what happened… ?”

Lortel sighed and turned her gaze toward the shabby sofa. It meant that the story would be long.

“… Senior Yenica is already… A wanted man with a bounty on the Empire level.”

When Lucy moved over to the sofa and sat down, Lortel sat back down on the desk and looked down.

and… One story, one by one, that Lucy will be curious about… start to release

* * *

Star Changryong, Velbrook, was resurrected much faster than Ed Roth Taylor expected.

I expected to be able to revive sooner, but… It was much faster than that.

Still, more than Lucy originally knew… Resurrected much later.

As far as Lucy knew, it was during the Crestol Great Festival that the Holy Spear Dragon, Velbroke, descended on Aken Island.

Against the background of the night sky with fireworks exploding, I still clearly remember the cataclysmic Seongchangryong that broke through the sea level.

But in this world it was different. It had been a long time since the Crestol Great Festival was over, and it had only been revived towards the end of the semester.

I had a lot more time to cope than in the original world. Even so, Ed Rosteylor here was unable to stop the Holy Spear Dragon, Velbroke, in the end.

Why?

There was a certain difference in how Ed in the original world and Ed here dealt with it… Did Ed here fail to stop the Holy Changryong?

however… Listening to Lortel’s explanation… The problem wasn’t with Ed’s handling.

The more I listened to Lortel’s explanation, the more I felt a sense of incongruity. Feeling like something important is missing.

――In this world… There was no intervention from the great sage Sylvania.

In Lucy’s world… Great Sage Sylvania intervened in the final battle.

It was also Sylvania that weakened the seal of the Holy Spear Dragon, Velbrok, and forced him to descend much earlier.

so that… Sensing a strange feeling, Principal Obel… I was able to maintain the seal, albeit weakly. It was because he had detected such an unnatural intervention from Sylvania.

so… The Seongchangryong of the world Lucy saw… It was wrapped in a chain of seals rising from the sea. Due to the fragments of the seal Obel was holding, the Holy Changryong could not be fully resurrected.

However, this world… Sylvania did not intervene.

Naturally, the seal completely fulfilled its deadline, and the ‘intact Velbroke’ descended.

Valveroke, who was wrapped in the chain of sealing, and Valveroke, who was able to fully reveal all his power. The difference… probably enormous.

The Velbrokes of this world were resurrected a bit later, but… In the first place, the fact that he was resurrected faster than Ed originally expected remains unchanged.

Even this is the Valveroke that splits the island in half as soon as it descends and unleashes its full power.

The power of Valveroke in its fullness, seen in the infinite repetition of time that day. In this world… That power has fully bloomed.

However, Ed Rosteyler miraculously coped with such a valve break.

Power still lacking. scarce materials. In the midst of a lack… .

Standing up after the sacrifice of countless students… In the end, he succeeded in pushing the swordsman, Taily, into the heart of Valveroke.

In the process, Year Chief Dyke Elphelan was killed, Wade Calamore met a horrendous end, and Principal Obel died while trying to get time.

Emperor Chloel died protecting the people, and Princess Selaha died protecting Emperor Chloe.

Princess Penia had the will of the emperor and was killed by the monsters while commanding the soldiers.

Ziggs Epelstein dies of excessive blood loss while bringing his lover, Elka, to his hideout in a state of wounds.

Saint Clarisse also died after being swept away when Velbroke’s breath swept across the island.

In the process of opening a gap so that Taylor can penetrate into Valveroke’s body… Lucy Meiril was hit directly by Valveroke’s breath and disappeared without a trace.

Yenica Failover is on the verge of death after being struck by a storm of scales while protecting the survivors.

And Ed Rosteyler himself… He is driven to the brink of death and loses consciousness.

However, Taily couldn’t completely finish off the Holy Changryong.

As I said, it is the Holy Changryong who was resurrected too early. Very narrowly, Taily’s spec was that he couldn’t kill the star spear dragon in one blow.

However, even if it is not a one-hit death… It succeeded in inflicting a fatal blow.

Sword Saint Taily lost his right arm in Valveroke’s counterattack, but… She did, at least, inflict irreparable wounds on Belle Broke.

Screaming in pain, Velbroke spread his wings and fled inland from Aken Island.

It’s a dying valve. It was a situation where they had to chase down and annihilate them before they could get stuck somewhere and recover.

However, most of the power inside Aken Island was sacrificed, and those who survived were also in a dying state. External support was desperately needed.

and… When I asked for help from Chloe’s imperial family at the bachelor level… They did an incredible job.

– Humans are stupid.

Those blinded by the lust for power… Even in the face of a global crisis, he takes care of his rice bowl and rushes into the political fight and the fight for rights.

Could that be the nature of a person?

When all power on Aken Island fell into a dying state… The imperial officials, centered around Lindon, come to Aken Island and execute all the heirs belonging to the Ross Taylor family.

Emperor Chloel died, and almost all of his heirs died… A time of confusion.

If you want to seize power with Prince Lindon as your puppet, you must now subdue the Ross Taylor family, who will exert the greatest influence in the chaotic post-disaster political situation. Coincidentally, all of Ed’s subordinates have been incapacitated by the disaster of the Holy Changryong.

With both Ed Rosteiler and Tanya Rosteiler dying, now is the only chance. I can’t resist now Only now.

so that… Accusing him of an absurd crime, he immediately executes the dying Ed Roth Taylor on the Isle of Aken.

That was the beginning of all disasters.

Valveroke is near death.

They run amok on the mainland of the empire, looking for a place to hide, but there are limits. Imperial officials fall into the illusion that everything will be sorted out if they organize a subjugation party among themselves and finish off the dying monster. No matter how catastrophic the Star Changryong was, he thought that if he was in a state on the verge of death, he could finish it somehow.

If that happens, I think I will be able to grab all the real power of this empire without a competitor.

On a rainy day after chase.

Ed Roth Taylor, who has become bloody, ends his life by Lindonian royal officials.

and… Same day.

The Lindonpa royal officials who came to Aken Island all face death.

By Yenica Failover, a psychic who lost her mind after knowing the whole truth.

“Yenika-senpai is no longer the person you used to know, Lucy.”

The highest rank dark spirit gnaws at the darkness that rises in the human heart and burrows into it.

Nothing compares to the darkness in Jenika Failover’s heart after losing Ed Rosteiler.

A madness greater than darkness gnaws at Jenika Failover’s heart.

White hair and red eyes. runaway magic.

To make matters worse, the mad Jennica… At the “Altar of Change” at the top of the mountain on the right side of Aken Island… He had obtained the piece of Valveroke’s heart that Taily had cut off.

The heart fragment of the Holy Changryong, whose mana springs infinitely, was still leaping with the desire to survive.

From the magic that rises from the heart of Velbrok to the spirit response that runs wild due to Glaskan’s berserk magic.

It was only a matter of time before the entire island was within the domain of Yenika Failover.

One day, the scale of the magic circle was much greater than that of the Glaskan subjugation.

Ed Rosteyler lived to save the world.

However, the world repaid him with death.

The Empire that they wanted to save so much put a blade of betrayal into Ed Roth Taylor.

The man who always did his duty had to end his life in vain.

Yenica Failover could not forgive such a world.

Even in the face of the world’s crisis, he hates all those in power who have become blinded by power.

Enveloped in the madness of Glaskan, he expresses his hatred toward the world with all his body.

At least… As for this island… .

Ed Rosteyler’s beloved camp remains… As much as this Aken Island.

She makes it a sanctuary for the man she loved so much.

This island where Ed sleeps is a graveyard for Ed’s rest. Make this huge archipelago a haven for Ed, who has all left.

No one can disturb the man’s rest.

Eliminate all visible obstructions.

In addition to atonement for himself for not being able to save Ed, with vengeance against the world that abandoned him in the end.

So, Jenika… As a murderer who slaughtered all the imperial officials.

A demon that swallowed the Aken Islands whole.

And, as a girl who fell into disappointment.

At the altar at the top of the mountain on the right side of Aken Island. While holding tightly to the large cane used by Ed Rosteylor in his lifetime…

She has reigned as the queen of runaway spirits.

At the Altar of Change, as always, the girl hugged the staff and bowed her head.

Along with the dyed gray hair, the red eyes were exposed. There, only hatred towards the world still burns.

“The Undertaker” Yenika Failover.

It was the name written on the wanted flyer. Survivors brought what was washed away in the sea.

Yenika’s reddish eyes in the portrait are terrifying.

The reward written below was an enormous amount.

Lucy looked down at the name and closed her eyes.

The absence of Ed Rosteiler was like the end of the world for her.

“Lucy. I’ll tell you straight forward. you… The goal is to return to where you were. but… .”

Lortel spoke in a low voice.

“At this point… You, who suddenly appeared, are our last savior. If you want to do something about Jenika-senpai who has lost her reason, you must first subdue her with force. I can’t talk at all right now.”

Lucy is… It was so hard to answer anything.

If it was Lucy in her prime, I don’t know what she could have done. Lucy now… There were too many restrictions on power.

Even if it means somehow resolving Jenika, who has been completely stained with madness… .

“Hey.”

Lucy, who had been quietly listening to Lortel’s story, opened her mouth slowly.

“The description of your situation… I’m missing a story about you… .”

Lortel Kecheln.

She, too, is not a person who would not have been inspired by Ed’s death.

As the representative of the survivors, I am in charge of this hideout… .

she is… Did Ed Rosteyler’s death really have no impact?

He’s like the incarnation of cold reason, keeping his cool in any situation… .

At least when Ed is involved, she never maintains her reason.

A person who is more than Jenica, but never less. Lucy was also vaguely aware of that fact.

Lucy’s question stung Lortel’s lungs.

However, Lortel’s voice is still calm.

“… Could it be that?”

One day, rumors spread about Ed’s death. This is the story of the student body president election. It was a time when Lucy herself could not maintain her reason.

At that time, when Lortel heard the news of Ed’s death… Outwardly, it seemed fine.

However, Ziggs Eiffelstein, who saw Lortel at the time, would have felt it.

Lortel is never consumed by madness. He never loses his temper.

just calmly. from inside. calmly… turn around

You never know by appearance.

However, the madness that is revealed implicitly once in a while… Makes the person you’re talking to startled. There comes a time when you realize how much your inner self has been ruined in an instant.

Rather, if it was a seemingly obvious Jenika, it would be possible to detect danger.

However, Lortel… He had a completely different temperament from Jenika.

“Almost all of the Lindonite officials are dead… It’s not that there are no residual forces at all… .”

Lortel’s expression was not visible as she lowered her head.

The soft and calm voice tone is still the same… .

“―If you want to tear everything to death, you have to leave this island first.”

What I’m talking about… It was representing the inner side that had been completely broken.

“Inspection Department Albeton, Knights Clerk Bellork, Marquis of Bloruen, Chancellor Pelosi, Crown Prince Lindon, Chief Butler Delos, Chief Secretary Ailton… .”

After that, for a long time, the names of many people flowed out. It is a number that is difficult to memorize each one, but how many times have I repeated the names?

Goosebumps flow from the fact that he memorized all of those names without making a single mistake.

“There are still so many people who need to be torn to pieces and killed as painfully as possible… How long are you going to be confined to this island?”

“… you… .”

“I am disillusioned that the people who implicitly agreed to make Lucy, Ed the scapegoat, are still alive. I’m sick of it.”

Eventually, Lortel raised her head and said in a chillingly cool way… was smiling He even felt cool.

“I am busy, so I have to leave this island quickly. I have a lot of work to do.”

Lortel calmly explained the situation, but… .

She already… She was in a state of disrepair.

Ed Rosteyler is absent.

that… Turned Jenika Failover and Lortel Kecheln into revenge demons.

Truly, it was a terrible world.

* * *

“I am ready. young people.”

It was late at night.

In front of Glockt’s cabin, the ‘World Observatory’ was ready for operation again.

Ed gathered the magic of the Aspect and tried to activate the observer again.

The exact mechanism of how Lucy was sucked into the other world was still unclear, but everything that could be done had to be tried.

The rising magic power soon began to color the surroundings again.

“young people. be careful.”

At that time, Gellan spoke to Ed in a low voice.

“As I said, interference between worlds… It’s something that can’t be achieved You said that magic is based on interaction, right? And yet, the fact that such an absurd interference occurred… .”

Ed turned his head and looked back at Zellan. Gellan quickly continued.

“… It means that someone from that world also observed this world.”

“… yes?”

Gellan raised his dwarf frame, looked directly at Ed, and said.

“Someone… observed us… .”

Is there anyone else who can do that?

I couldn’t believe it, but…

Even so, it was impossible to stay still.

* * *

Butterflies fly.

The butterfly flapping its wings here and there, as if blown by the wind… She comes down and sits down in a corner of the square in the ruined living block.

As if chasing an empty landscape, knowing that it is meaningless… It was a creature called a human to reach out and end up reaching for a butterfly.

The butterfly that followed the wind like that goes in the direction of the girl sitting on top of the fountain in the ruined life square.

The school uniforms, which are loosely sized, are already worn and crumpled here and there.

The witch hat she is wearing is also completely worn out.

The girl’s face doesn’t look right. It’s because the brim of the witch’s hat she’s wearing is too wide.

The butterfly that had been sitting on the tip of the girl’s finger for a while flew up into the sky with repeated flapping of its wings.

Powerful flapping of wings repeats, to a faraway place… go away slowly

slowly, very slowly. out of reach.