Chapter 83: Regarding the Magic Barrier
Medea began tapping the hilt of her blade as she reached her other hand out towards Novus as the field staff approached the two of them.
Something in her screams as well, of uncertainty, of mistrust, prompting her to grasp his sleeves in an attempt to warn her of whatever it is that is starting to concern her.
And Novus felt her concerns too, prompting him to turn his gaze to her before he nods in assurance, feeling the need to stand in front as he is confident of receiving far more damage than Medea can ever take.
"Is something wrong, students?" standing just a couple of meters away from them, the field staff, Venica asked while showing a confused look on her face while observing the reaction between the two.
"Ah, did I perhaps interrupt an intimate moment~?" trying to ease the visible tension between the two, she asked with a wide smile on her face, even leaning forward a little bit as if she were all too interested in what was happening between these two students.
There is one thing that Novus noticed while he watched how Venica acted ever since she showed herself, and that is the fact that whatever she does, she always keeps her hands either in her pocket or hidden behind her, as if there’s something that she doesn’t want the two of them to see.
"Won’t say it? It’s fine; it’s not like it is our place to interfere with the student’s affairs so long as it is nothing dangerous..." she said with a cheerful voice but with a pout on her lips as she felt like the two of them would continue refusing to answer her questions, prompting her to tell the most important matter to them.
"Anyways, it would be great if you follow me; it is our job to bring students to safety now that the exam is cancelled." she declared with a still cheerful but now also an authoritative tone to her voice, waving her hand as if signaling them to follow her through the woods.
"Cancelled?" hearing the field staff’s words, Medea couldn’t help but ask, still staying behind Novus as she saw no sign of him letting her go in front, her question causing Venica to stop in her tracks as she began to explain, her tone patient.
"That magic barrier disrupts our contact with the academy, a huge mess, to say the least..." she said while shaking her head as if she was feeling a bit of pity and shame for letting such a thing happen.
"...by de facto, this kind of event grants us, field operatives, to pause, or even completely stop exams and put the students’ safety as the first priority."
She continues explaining, but now with her figure approaching closer to the two of them once more, stopping at a couple of meters distance as she watches their still clearly vigilant eyes.
"I see..." Medea replied absentmindedly, as if there was something else that was weighing on her mind.
"I’m glad that you understand, now, let’s go to where the other students gathers~" hearing the acknowledging tone in Medea’s voice, Venica couldn’t help but smile, even clapping her hands in glee as she began walking forward as well, intending to lead these two students back into the woods.
Medea, watching the staff’s movement, follows suit, only to be stopped as Novus’ figure remained unmoved, making her look at him with inquisitive eyes.
And to her curiosity, the only thing that he replied to was a shake of his head, that warning on his mind still at an all-time high, especially when he heard the field staff’s answer to Medea’s question previously.
"Something happened, Student Novus?" seeing the stillness in that tall, masculine figure, the field staff asked with curiosity in her tone, pausing from her tracks once more as she felt like these two students still needed a little bit more convincing from her.
"Miss field operative"
"Venica, and for students, that’s Ma’am Venica, not Miss Field Operative, not Miss Venica." The staff corrected her with a clear tone of annoyance in her voice.
"Miss Venica..." still, Novus insisted as if fully committed to riling her up; his words should’ve been interrupted by yet another correction, yet he refused to yield, continuing his words even after she opened her lips to speak.
"...my mother, I suppose you know of her?" he asked a question so out of character that even the only person who knows of him, Medea, couldn’t help but wonder why he would ask such a question.
"While I am not personally familiar with her, who wouldn’t know of the Argenta’s Great Sage? She’s a respected figure in the magic world, so I doubt there’s any proper mage who doesn’t know of her." Venica nodded, smiling as she felt like she was finally getting somewhere when it came to getting these students’ trust, making her tone all jolly and glad.
"You see, she’s quite fond of magic, normal ones, our family’s Unique Magic, and while the common populace doesn’t know it, she’s well-versed in magic barriers as well..."
"Your point being?" as he began to tell her of one of his parents’ hobbies and interests out of nowhere, Venica couldn’t help but ask in wonder, already feeling a bit frustrated by the repeated hesitation and doubt the two of them had been showing ever since she appeared.
"Even that Great Sage you said is a respected figure cannot know the purpose of the barrier a few minutes after its deployment, and you’re telling us that the field staff already know of it?"
Hearing his question, she paused for a while, seemingly trapped in something that she didn’t quite expect, but that hesitation, that clear surprise, only surfaced for a second before she managed to press it down as she thought of an effective answer to deal with him.
"The academy always has its ways, Student Novus." she said in a vague, mysterious tone with a smile on her face.
"I see, that’s all I need to know."
As Novus pauses, the glee in Venica’s face reveals itself even more, his last words making her think that, although with great effort, she had finally convinced the two of them to follow her back, making her turn around as she intends to speak once more, only for her to be interrupted by the younger student again.
"We won’t be following, Miss Venica." there is but one conclusion that Novus arrives on, and that is the decision he made, his words not easing, but rather raising the palpable pressure in the air all the more as mana begins to faintly whirl over himself.
Meanwhile, Medea no longer taps the hilt of her blade as her fair hand already holds it tightly, prepared to draw it from its sheath at a moment’s notice as she fully trusts her companion’s instincts.
"I see..." she paused, turning around and revealing a smile.
A smile that should’ve assured anyone seeing it; however, the two see that same expression as nothing but a threat looming over their head.
"You’re making it way too difficult for me, dear students."
As those words escaped her lips, she swung her arms towards the two who expected magic to follow, only for streaks of faint, metallic sheen to launch themselves through the air.
And one of them landed on Novus’ neck.
