The blind villain of the academy

Chapter 181: Phlegra Continent [5]

Chapter 180

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Episode 42 - Phlegra Continent [5]

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Around fifteen hours had passed. At this point, we were not far from reaching our destination.

The cadets had been wandering all over the place.

During that time, I had also been wandering around, but completely alone.

Every now and then, I ran into the other main characters and, on a few occasions, Lumina, but she always managed to get away.

I was sitting on a bar stool. In front of me, any cadet could see the outside of the airship.

At first glance, all that could be seen was an immense expanse of snow and ice.

I took a sip of the whiskey I had ordered.

In this era, sixteen-year-olds were already considered adults, so I was basically both an adult and a teenager at the same time.

Because of my senses, I could perceive the different flavors in the whiskey that most people would never notice.

Shortly afterward, I let out a sigh.

There were a couple of things I needed to think about regarding this Main Mission.

’The Apostle and the Ice Queen are the two main enemies, and above all, there are three antagonists.’

These three antagonists are villains I must eliminate.

When the Ice Queen unseals Apostle Kaiser, that is when the three villains make their move and manage to delay the arrival of the knights trying to stop the Apostle while the player fights him.

’The problem is finding them. The Abyss Containment Team is stationed in a military city called Ortlock, named after William Ortlock, the Ten-Star Awakened from that place.’

These three villains are scattered somewhere throughout Ortlock.

So this time, I need some help.

’But who should I bring with me?’

I had someone in mind, but I was not sure how to explain how I knew there were three villains in such a large military city.

’The next step is getting into the Field Exploration Squadron.’

The cadets would be divided into teams. Although the exam evaluations would be individual, the rules of the Abyss Containment Team made it impossible to avoid forming teams.

These teams would then be assigned to the so-called Squadrons. Each squadron had a different duty to fulfill.

And the Field Exploration Squadron was responsible for scouting the surrounding areas. Getting into that squadron would allow me to move more freely outside under certain pretexts.

If I ended up in another squadron that was not allowed to leave the facility, it would become a complicated situation or, at best, an impossible one.

’It shouldn’t be difficult if I ask Professor Ashly, although I don’t know how the members of the Field Exploration Squadron will view me since I’m blind and their job literally revolves around using their eyes to scout.’

In any case, the priority is getting into that squadron no matter what.

’And finally, I need Lumina’s help to defeat the Apostle.’

In the "game," the player and Lumina face Apostle Kaiser together because he is simply too powerful.

Of course, it is possible to bring more characters, but there is a high risk that they will die.

’I could use Eyes of the End and guarantee victory, so I don’t need anyone else’s help besides Lumina.’

The problem was getting her to come with me. Although she was a regressor and aware of Apostle Kaiser’s existence, she normally never paid attention to him or simply had no intention of defeating him herself.

Of course, she could not defeat an Apostle on her own, especially one who had once served as the right hand of one of the Five Lords of the Abyss.

Each Lord of the Abyss had a total of three Apostles.

These Apostles commanded armies of monsters from the Abyss.

And their strength was always at the peak of Class 10, or basically at the Peak Stage of Class 10.

So yes, Apostles were beings who, at their peak, required at least three Ten-Star Awakened just to defeat a single one of them.

’If it weren’t for the fact that Kaiser was gravely wounded by one of the Five Swords and managed to escape to this place, only to remain frozen until today, it would be impossible for Lumina and me to defeat him.’

If we were lucky, his power would only be around Class 6, but given the difficulty of the Mission, he was probably Class 7, and there was even a small, though not impossible, chance that he could be Class 8.

If it turned out to be the latter, then the only option would be to contain him long enough for one of the three commanders serving under William Ortlock to arrive.

Those three men are Nine-Star Awakened.

’The problem is that they’ll probably be far away from the Abyss Containment Team by the time Kaiser is subdued.’

I finally stood up and left the bar. I had already gone over everything I needed to do, so it was time to look for Lumina.

’I need her help, so looking for her is inevitable anyway.’

With that thought in mind, I set off once more in search of Lumina.

***

The strong wind struck her face while snow covered her hair, and she leaned against the railing.

Lumina looked down.

Hundreds of ice formations stretched below, creating all kinds of shapes, from some that resembled trees to others that looked like enormous pillars of amethyst crystal.

’So we’ve already reached this place, huh.’

Lumina went over her memories. In approximately one hour, a winged creature born from these ice formations would appear.

Naturally, these ice formations were not created by anyone. The Phlegra Continent, known for its mana-related natural disasters, also possesses the ability to create artificial life.

The winged creature that would appear shortly resembled a cross between a gigantic bird and a dragon.

Her objective was to defeat it, which was why she was standing on the airship’s terrace, and also because she loved the cold.

It helped calm her mind and relax her. If someone were to ask Lumina what her favorite place was, she would say the Phlegra Continent.

"Ah..."

Her breath froze after she sighed.

Aside from the ice dragon, she thought about what she had to do on the last day of the exams.

’I don’t know how Adel knew it, but from what I remember from my previous regression, his target is the Apostle.’

She still remembered how Adel had tried to persuade her, but in the end, she had ignored him back then.

As a result, Adel had been forced to seek help from his friends.

But in the end, one of them died, the rest suffered severe injuries, and Adel even lost a limb at that time.

’If I don’t help him, the same thing will happen, and Diana will die here.’

The one who had died to defeat the Apostle was Diana, the only daughter of House Arsene.

’But... why did his expression back then seem more frustrated than saddened by Diana’s death?’

Lumina thought carefully. In this life, Adel was clearly very close not only to Diana but also to the others, with the exception of Clana and Leon.

But in her previous regression, the Adel she knew had been more distant, and it seemed as though he had only approached his friends to fulfill a certain purpose.

’I shouldn’t have done anything that would make Adel change this much.’

Lumina didn’t know the answer, but what she did know was that the Adel of this life was completely different.

However, despite being different in personality, he still followed the same path.

He moved toward certain places days before a disaster occurred, only to end up resolving it himself.

’He’s not a regressor. I’m sure of that. He’s probably some kind of seer.’

But whatever he was, this time Lumina intended to help Adel.

Not because she cared about preventing Diana’s death or anyone else’s, but because it was Adel.

’I don’t want to see him injured again, not after how he pushed his body to the point of destroying it in my previous regression.’

As Lumina was thinking, she suddenly realized something.

"....?"

Her body had frozen. It was a normal yet unavoidable reaction whenever he approached her.

She always became flustered and extremely nervous, even if she never showed it, but it was always like this whenever he came near.

Lumina quickly calmed her mind.

Then she turned her head.

"...."

Adel was standing beside her, both hands resting on the railing.

’I didn’t notice him arrive because I was lost in thought.’

She took a deep breath and then let out a sigh.

She said nothing, but she more or less knew why Adel was there.

’I think he knows about the ice dragon as well.’

That was probably it.

Although, in her previous regression, Adel had not appeared to defeat the ice dragon.

Lumina thought Adel would remain silent, but then...

"Do you remember what I told you outside Professor Ashly’s office?"

"....?!"

Lumina could not help freezing up even more. Her expression, always stoic, was beginning to crack.

"Y-yes... you said I would be punished if I didn’t take Rank 1 away from you..."

"Yes, although now that I think about it, it was a hint. Because of Professor Rein’s exam, I defeated you, so let’s say I’m stronger. That means you lost to me, and you know what that means."

"....?"

"Yes, I do..."

Adel nodded. Then he turned toward her and raised his hand.

At that moment, Lumina wanted to throw herself off the airship, but an invisible force caught her.

’T-there’s no need to use your Trait, idiot.’

Adel’s hand landed on her shoulder, but that was not all.

He leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

"For this entire week, you’ll do everything I tell you without exception, understood?"

Lumina nodded unconsciously.

"Y-yes, I understand..."