Chapter 57
Chapter 57
The next morning.
Ugh....
I practically crawled out of the tent.
I looked like a mess in the reflection of the carriage window.
My dark circles had sunk all the way down to my chin, and my hair was beyond a bird's nest—it was at eagle-fortress level.
Meanwhile, the guys around me were all bright-eyed and energetic.
Ah! Slept great!
Maybe it's because the air is nice? I feel so light.
Sleeping together in a group really is the best for men!
Shut up, please.
You have no idea how I suffered in real time from the sounds of you snoring, grinding your teeth, and talking in your sleep, do you?
I looked up at the sky with hollow eyes.
Chirp, chirp, chirp!
The birdsong battered my eardrums as if someone had shoved a megaphone right up to them.
The rustling of leaves in the wind felt like sandpaper scraping my ears.
I'm seriously going to die.
Then it happened.
Bzzzz—
The comfortable-looking solo tent over there opened, and Lucius stepped out looking spotless.
He gave me a once-over, his face as fresh as if he'd just washed it.
You don't look so good?
……
I instantly got pissed.
So while I spent the whole night listening to hell's orchestra and got no sleep at all, that bastard slept soundly in a suite all by himself, huh?
But I am a civilized man.
I answered, desperately suppressing my murderous intent.
Nothing much. Just some noise, you know.
Noise?
Lucius asked in confusion.
The birds? Or the students snoring?
No, not that.
I frowned and dug at my ear.
Something like a piii— high-frequency sound. Like a mosquito buzzing, or some kind of signal tone.
……
It buzzed in my ears all night. I thought I was going crazy. You couldn't hear it?
Lucius fell silent for a moment at my words.
He glanced between the forest and me, then smiled strangely.
Apparently, you heard something the rest of us couldn't.
…What?
The sound had gradually faded by morning, but even now I could still faintly hear this tinnitus-like ringing.
Was it only audible to me?
'What is this?'
If it was only me hearing it, I didn't want to make a big deal out of it.
Hmm. Then I guess you were just too tired to feel mentally and physically at ease.
No. It doesn't seem like hallucination. There was definitely something only Cassian could hear.
...Could it be that I wasn't being subtle enough about wanting to brush this off?
It showed, but the need to satisfy curiosity is a trait of alchemists too, not just mages.
Lucius shot back smoothly.
Then he added something he really didn't need to say.
But my younger sister is just as perceptive as I am, and she cares about the other person's feelings enough not to bring things up first. She's a very considerate girl.
……
There he goes again.
This bastard was always hawking his little sister at every opportunity.
Goddammit.
I ruffled my hair irritably and snapped at him.
Enough. So you didn't hear anything, right?
Yes. I didn't hear a thing. It was a very quiet, peaceful night.
What a smug bastard.
Then there's only one conclusion.
My body had suddenly gone into overdrive, making my senses overly sensitive.
While sleeping, I noticed that even the breathing of the guys next to me—and the shuffling footsteps outside the tent—came through, and it felt absolutely disgusting.
Ugh.
Seriously, can't I return this holy water somehow?
If you're going to modify me, at least give it an ON/OFF function.
Seeing my pained expression, Lucius asked, pretending to be concerned.
If that's the case, should I get you something to help you sleep and calm down? My special sleeping potion can put an elephant to sleep in three seconds.
That would be nice, but…
It's a little unsettling to just take a pill and pass out.
I wouldn't even know if someone carried me off.
Besides, the stuff this bastard makes really does seem like it'd put an elephant to sleep. Are you sure that's harmless to the human body?
Don't you have earplugs or something? I need something to block out the noise.
Earplugs, huh.
Lucius stroked his chin.
That's not really a field that requires alchemy, so I don't have any in my bag.
Then never mind.
That's in the realm of sewing, anyway.
……?
I had a bad feeling.
Lucius's eyes, which I suddenly wanted to rip out, gleamed.
My younger sister is really good at knitting, really good with a sewing machine, and amazing at tailoring. The earplugs she makes are practically a work of art in terms of comfort. It's like clouds are wrapping around your ears....
……Enough.
And if you pair it with the scarf my younger sister knitted....
I said enough.
God, it always ends up being about his sister.
This sister-obsessed bastard.
More precisely, a crazy bastard who uses his sister to express his self-love for his own looks.
I waved my hand with an exhausted look.
* * *
I had barely eaten breakfast and was sitting there blankly when a thunderbolt of a notice came flying in.
Everyone, attention.
Professor Wilhelm stood on the platform with a serious expression.
The atmosphere was anything but normal.
The schedule is suspended for the time being. You will remain here and wait.
……Yes?
The students murmured among themselves.
What about the monster-hunting practice?
It's on hold.
Wilhelm said flatly.
Until further notice, no one is to leave this campsite.
What the hell happened?
There was no way they'd have us wait around for no reason.
The officers I know are the type to obsess over carrying out operations exactly on schedule.
They probably think it's only natural to force humans to fit into a fixed schedule.
And that kind of guy canceled the schedule outright?
'No way, right.'
I had a bad feeling.
That mysterious high-pitched noise that had tormented my ears last night.
What if it wasn't just ordinary tinnitus?
A foreboding sense crept up that old man Wilhelm's sudden decision and that sound might be connected.
While I was propping my chin up with a serious expression,
Lily carefully came over from the side.
Sir Cassian....
Ah, Lily.
She looked at me with worried eyes.
You look terrible. You're not sick or anything, are you?
Ah, I'm just a bit tired.
I knew it....
Lily let out a sympathetic sigh.
You pushed yourself that hard yesterday... there was no way you wouldn't have aftereffects.
……
I even ended up with a mana hole because of the potion side effects you gave me, you know?
Still, you've had a rough time, Sir Cassian, so I think this is better this way. If the schedule gets delayed, you can rest well.
Lily was genuinely happy.
She was glad I'd be able to rest.
I couldn't exactly say, 'No? I think something down there got a little weird.'
I awkwardly lifted the corners of my mouth.
Haha.... Right. Thanks to this, I guess I'll get some rest.
Yes! Should I make you some warm tea? Professor Müller gave me some herbal tea that's good for calming the mind. I brought it just in case.
How long has it been since I became your disciple?
I got a bundle of gifts on the day I was accepted as a disciple.
Wow, what is this, a newbie welcome kit?
That woman. She puts on this whole tough-girl act, but when you look at things like that, she's surprisingly delicate.
I'm sure even her toes are full of that pleasant earthy scent, right?
Anyway, I couldn't refuse.
An offer made with that face—saying she really wants to give it to you and that she'll be hurt if you refuse—isn't really an offer.
Still, it was thoughtful of her.
I'd appreciate it.
Yep! I'll be right back!
Take your time, take your time.
Lily hurried off with quick little steps.
Then Lucius spoke.
I'm hurt. You refused my sedative, though.
Fuck.
Is a potion that can put an elephant to sleep in three seconds the same as herbal tea for calming the mind, you bastard?
* * *
That afternoon.
Iris was walking down the corridor with an expression that made it clear she found everything in the world a hassle.
Normally, this was the time she'd be holed up in a corner of the lab, chewing on moldy bread while calculating magical formulas.
But today, she couldn't.
Because the headmaster had called her.
If it had been the usual case, she'd have blown it off with the excuse that she was busy researching.
This time, however, an official notice stamped in red had come through, declaring it an important and urgent matter.
The headmaster wasn't the sort of man to use that kind of wording lightly.
Knock, knock.
This is Iris.
Come in.
The moment she opened the door and stepped inside.
A heavy atmosphere greeted her.
The headmaster sat in the seat of honor on the reception sofa, and on either side of him sat Hicks, the dean of the Department of Magical Studies, and a middle-aged man she already knew.
Sharp eyes, a uniform without a single wrinkle, and a cold aura that seemed to freeze the air around him.
It was Court Count Corint del Parne.
Please, have a seat, Professor Iris.
The headmaster gestured with a friendly smile.
Iris sat neatly beside Dean Hicks.
At that moment, she let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
'Thank goodness.'
This would finally clear up the misunderstanding about her improper attire in front of her disciple's father.
Sorry for calling you here when you're busy.
The headmaster slid over a teacup and spoke.
The thing is, the court count has requested an emergency personnel dispatch from the academy, and I thought Professor Iris was the only suitable candidate, so I called you.
Personnel dispatch?
Iris tilted her head.
Sending an academy professor out into the field.
Putting aside the fact that this wasn't a common occurrence, why was the court count involved in something like this?
Before she could even express her question, Corint began explaining in a heavy voice.
It seems a small problem has occurred at the freshmen's Legion Tour site.
……The Legion Tour?
Iris's eyebrow twitched.
If it was the Legion Tour, wasn't that where Cassian was right now?
We've received reports that a dungeon may have appeared near the Legion Tour site by coincidence.
A dungeon... you say?
Of course, it's not confirmed. Since it's only a suspicious matter, I came here instead of sending out the army.
Corint continued his explanation calmly.
According to reports from the safety personnel dispatched with Professor Wilhelm to the Legion Tour, the mana density in the forest has increased abnormally. As a result, the ferocity of the magical beasts has also risen noticeably.
Then it's a harbinger of a dungeon's appearance.
More accurately, it's closer to saying it may be a symptom. We scanned the entire forest with an intermediate mana detector, but we didn't find even traces of a crack, let alone the dungeon entrance.
……Hmm.
A low murmur escaped Iris's lips.
'Now I understand.'
The area near the capital is the most thoroughly managed region in the empire.
In a place where purification work is carried out dozens of times a year, a high-level dungeon that doesn't even show up on detectors suddenly pops up?
Magically speaking, the probability was extremely low.
If they made a big fuss, sent the army on the grounds that it was a serious matter, and then came up empty-handed, it would only stir up needless gossip, and the political interpretation of the troop deployment would make high society buzz.
So you're checking it with a small elite force.
Exactly.
Corint nodded.
We want an expert well-versed in magic to go and make an accurate diagnosis.
A sort of house-call doctor.
The headmaster chimed in.
Originally they could have mobilized imperial mages, but the procedures are complicated and the justification is ambiguous. If Professor Iris, who is both an academy professor and the academy's finest mage, were to go, it would be perfect.
The headmaster's eyes were saying, 'Please just go already.'
There was, in truth, nothing to think over.
Understood. I'll go.
Oh, as expected!
The headmaster's face lit up.
Even if the chances of it being a false alarm are high, we can't ignore the risk, however small it may be.
That was honestly just an excuse.
The real reason was something else.
Cassian del Parne.
I should be the one to go. I can't sit in my lab while my disciple might be in danger.
……A splendid educational philosophy.
The moment she heard that.
Iris had to work hard to suppress a smile.
'Thank goodness.'
It was finally the moment when a parent's doubts would be put to rest.
At this very moment, Iris was happier than she had been when she'd solved the problem she'd been agonizing over for a month.