Chapter 22 - Toward the Abyss (1)

"What do you mean by that, Arthur?"

Surprisingly, it was none other than Johan who spoke with a tone that bordered on hostility.

"Are you saying you're going to erase Roman's achievements?"

"What's gotten into you? Weren't you the one always criticizing Devil Sorcerers?"

"...That's ancient history."

This guy had completely changed.

I suppose it makes sense.

They had all seen it, hadn't they?

They had experienced it firsthand.

The dedication Roman had shown them.

Spatial movement.

Even for a regular mage's magic, it would be an incredible feat that would require enduring immense pain with each use.

Yet Roman, despite using a Devil's power, had generously used it for their sake.

He was their savior.

He had burned through his own life force to save them.

Naturally, it made sense that they'd want to help him receive the treatment he deserved.

But Johan and Amaia weren't the only ones feeling this way.

Of course, Arthur felt the same.

"This is for Roman's own good."

It wasn't just Arthur's unilateral decision.

Fiona shared the same thought.

"The target of this attack was me."

The necromancer had blatantly prioritized Fiona as their target.

It could have been because she was the most troublesome, but Fiona, who had experienced similar situations multiple times before, knew instinctively.

She was their primary target.

Arthur and Alexandra might have been included in their list, but they were a lower priority than her.

However, if this incident became public knowledge.

If it became known that a mage using spatial movement had interfered with their event.

The Abyss Worshippers would target Roman before Fiona.

"It's not just the Abyss Worshippers we need to worry about. Other mages will target Roman too. Whether they covet his spatial magic or want to summon the same Devil."

Arthur and Fiona's concerns were entirely rational.

Even Johan, who had initially opposed, had to concede without any rebuttal.

"...Only sixteen people know about Roman's magic: the fifteen of us and Instructor Davenport."

"The Director saw it too."

"Then it's seventeen. Isn't that too many to keep a secret?"

Alexandra was right.

Sure, the Director and Instructor could be silenced using Fiona's authority as the Grand Duchess.

But what about the other trainees?

While they were registered with Res Limen, they were still free citizens.

They paid taxes to the city and were obligated to follow its laws, but they could leave anytime they wanted.

Unless it was the Grand Duke himself, even the Grand Duchess couldn't exercise authority over them.

"We'll have to rely on their conscience."

"Or instill fear in them."

The new voice belonged to Dustin Challoner, who had been number 8 among the survivors from the underground.

A member of the large Celsus School, he hadn't formed a faction like Arthur, Alexandra, and Fiona due to his unsociable nature, but his influence wasn't insignificant.

"Promise severe retaliation against anyone who leaks the information. If we make that promise here and now, they'll keep their mouths shut out of fear of the consequences."

Dustin shot a menacing glare around the room as if ready to pass judgment on any traitors right then and there.

But everyone here had survived the life-threatening underground level.

They weren't weak-willed enough to be intimidated by the glare of a fellow trainee.

Some even engaged in a staring contest with Dustin.

"What do Roman's teammates think?"

Alexandra's question redirected everyone's attention.

Normally, Leaf would have shrunk back with a squeak at the sudden focus of attention, but now she was eerily unresponsive.

She had been like this since emerging from the underground.

She only showed a reaction when Roman collapsed, then froze up like a doll again.

"You guys are his closest friends besides his roommate, Arthur, right?"

Alexandra asked again when the two remained silent.

I guess I have no choice.

To be honest, Rei hadn't been interested in this gathering from the start.

She had only shown up because everyone else was meeting.

Rei spoke indifferently, "It's all fine. If it's for him, it's all good. But you know..."

The reason why Rei hadn't shown much interest in this meeting was finally revealed by her own words, "Shouldn't we hear what he thinks first?"

In the end, it all came down to Roman's own will.

The opinions expressed here could serve as advice, but they couldn't become demands that forced Roman's hand.

They shouldn't be.

That was Rei's perspective.

"Leaf and I are heading back now. Have a good meeting, and let us know what you decide later. He'll make his own decision anyway."

§

My eyes opened.

I was sure I had gone out after sunset, but it was still dark outside the window.

For a moment, I wondered if I had slept longer than I thought.

The growling of my empty stomach made me realize I had slept through the entire day.

"I'm hungry."

It was meant to be a mumble to myself, but voices responded as if it were a casual conversation.

"Want me to bring you some soup?"

"We have bread too."

The voices of Rei and Leaf coming from both sides indicated that this was a safe place.

So it's really over, huh?

I had been a bit worried that I might wake up to find everyone captured and thrown in jail, but that fear was unfounded.

Once I confirmed that we were safe, I felt myself relax.

The tension from the real combat situation in the underground, as well as the pressure of being in training, all melted away like snow under the scorching sun.

With my mind relaxed, my mouth seemed to loosen as well, and thoughts flowed out unfiltered, "Where am I? Who am I?"

"...What?"

"R-Roman?"

Ah, these kids don't get it.

This is a classic joke, you know.

I was about to brush it off as nonsense when Rei suddenly climbed on top of me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Hey! Snap out of it! Look at me. You remember, right? What's my name? Tell me. Hurry!"

"Roman, your memory... it can't be..."

Rei shook me with a pale, serious face.

Leaf, who should have stopped her, was busy muttering something with trembling hands.

Come on, let go first... I can't speak if you don't let go…

I'm still not fully recovered from fatigue.

My body was already weak from overexertion and prolonged hunger, and with Rei shaking me, I could barely speak.

Still, I managed to gather my wits and squeeze out a voice.

"Hey, hey, it was a joke, just a joke!"

Stop.

Phew, she finally stopped.

"What?"

"It was just a joke. I said it without thinking. I didn't expect you to worry this much. Sorry."

"..."

Leaf's trembling had stopped.

But why are you still shaking, Rei?

"Rei?"

"...You're telling the truth?"

"Huh?"

"If you're lying right now because of us if that's the case, I swear I won't let you off easy..."

Rei said, hanging her head low.

Being smaller than me, I couldn't see her face clearly even though I had half-raised my upper body.

"It's true. What would be the point of lying about that?"

"...Then it's fine."

Rei pushed me back down onto the bed, then got off and turned her back to me as she spoke, "Rest. I'll bring you some soup."

With that, Rei left.

But there was still one person left in the room.

"Um, Leaf..."

"That was too much."

The voice tinged with moisture made me imagine Leaf's face hidden under the hood.

If I had never seen it before, it might have been different.

But I had already seen the face hidden under that hood.

So, my mind automatically conjured up an image of Leaf's tearful face.

I should apologize.

However, Leaf's next words came a little faster than my attempt to say sorry, "Still, I'm glad."

"...Thanks."

§

When dawn broke, Instructor Davenport came to see me.

Apparently, the Director wanted a private meeting with me.

As I followed him, I observed his condition.

"Don't worry. I'm fully recovered."

"Ah, yes."

"Thank you. I'll remember this debt for a long time to come."

It was the first time since my admission that the usually taciturn Davenport had used such a long sentence structure.

"We're here."

"That was quick."

"We're in the same administrative building."

Davenport said he'd see me later and disappeared, telling me I had to go in alone from here.

I paused to knock, but the door opened on its own as if it were automatic.

I guess that means come in?

As I entered, I saw a man already seated in the reception area.

I looked at him.

At the same time, he looked at me.

"I'm Skyler Martin, the Director of the Training Center."

"I'm Roman Sun."

"I’m aware."

"..."

What's this?

This doesn't seem normal.

"Have a seat."

As soon as I sat across from him, the Director abruptly bowed.

"First, let me express my gratitude. Thanks to you, not only the surviving trainees but I myself have been saved."

It was a bit startling that he bowed so quickly, but I understood.

If anything had happened to Fiona, the responsibility would have fallen squarely on the Director's shoulders.

"So naturally, I must repay you."

The Director straightened up and pushed a book that had been on the table towards me.

"It's called a Blank Grimoire."

"What's that?"

A grimoire is a grimoire, but what's an empty grimoire?

"It's an object created by removing the contents from an original grimoire. It can only be made through the joint effort of a linguist, a magic scholar, and an alchemist."

Requires a lot of effort → Expensive.

He was indirectly stating it was a valuable item.

Is this what experience is?

As expected, someone who had been through the social wringer was different.

With the Director's continued explanation, I fully understood exactly what a Blank Grimoire was.

You know, like those systems in games?

Systems like rebirth.

Where your level resets, but in return, you get more powerful stats and more skill points.

The Blank Grimoire worked on a similar mechanism.

It erased the existing content but preserved the accumulated years of karma and mystery within, transferring them intact to the newly inscribed content.

In other words, if one obtained a powerful grimoire but couldn't use it because it was of a different class than their own, they could erase the content while preserving the mystery and karma, turning it into a grimoire they could use.

"I didn't have any grimoires related to Devil magic. They're rare to begin with. And those related to spatial magic are even rarer."

He added that rather than using an inadequate grimoire, it would be better to create one that suited me best.

I accepted the grimoire.

Honestly, as someone who wielded Devil magic without any cost, I wasn’t sure if I really needed a grimoire, but I supposed having one was always better than not having one.

I had already built up a solid network through Fiona.

I might as well secure some tangible assets here.

As I accepted the grimoire, the Director spoke again.

His voice had sunk to a more serious tone than before, "Conversely, this means that there were very few mages who dealt with Devil magic and spatial magic."

Time, space, creation.

The extremes of mystery that were still not permitted.

I had stepped into one of those three.

In fact, this wasn't much different from using Abyss artifacts.

It was closer to borrowing Seir's authority rather than my own individual ability.

However, unlike the limited number of artifacts, Devil pacts were free.

Mages aiming to form a pact with Seir would undoubtedly appear, targeting me.

"So if your magic is revealed, it will immediately draw enormous attention. Both in good ways and bad."

"I'm aware."

"...Then that's fine. You're an awl that will eventually poke through, but it's better if that time is delayed as much as possible. Therefore, I intend to keep your magic under wraps to my superiors. But if you wish otherwise, I can't stop you."

"No, I prefer it that way too."

The Director nodded with a smile as if approving of my wise decision.

"And, take this."

Unlike the grimoire, what the Director gave me this time was a small rectangular badge.

"It's a temporary license. The mid-term exam has been processed as a pass for all survivors."

"This is..."

An entry pass allowing access to the Abyss.

Finally, I have been granted the qualification to enter the Abyss.

Albeit conditionally.

"I won't congratulate you. As you know, it's only temporary. It's a half-baked license that doesn't even allow you to enter the Abyss alone. You'll only become an official explorer after passing the final exam following practical training in the Abyss."

"Yes, I understand. This is just the beginning, right?"

"Speaking of which, I have a proposal for you."

A proposal, huh?

At this time, there was only one proposal he could make.

"How about doing your practical training with the City Guard?"