Chapter 88: 75 - Retrieval
Shortly after listening to everything Kairi said, I left the rehabilitation room and began navigating the dark corridors within the building.
Honestly, a normal human would be terrified when faced with a monster. Especially an Archon—the leader of each monster clan—whose power is said to surpass magic itself.
How could the human race possibly compete?
Our strength... well, to be frank, it’s very limited. Not to mention the bitter truth that compared to elves—especially Nakanarians like Kairi and Selene—who possess incredible magical explosive power, humans clearly have limitations.
And what are those limitations?
Food and energy supply. Two things that directly affect a human’s magical explosive ability.
Still don’t understand? Alright, I’ll explain slowly...
Think of it this way: every creature in Olam has its own unique characteristics and methods for managing magical energy. This was all designed by the Gods to prevent any one creature from becoming too dominant. This includes how they obtain magical energy.
What about elves? They can meditate, absorb natural energy, and even live without food. But humans?
Humans need to eat and drink. The more intake, the greater their magical power. But—and this is important—if your stomach is too full, your brain slows down, and your concentration breaks. The result? Magical control becomes chaotic.
So, there must be a balance for optimal results.
And yes, both food and drink, nothing should be in excess. The point is: everything must be just right.
Okay, enough small talk. Back to the current situation.
I’m currently still using illumination magic, like a normal wizard.
This place is pitch black, which is natural, as the school is closed and it’s nighttime.
The teachers are probably asleep, or on patrol duty.
Speaking of school, Aethelgarten Academy has a dormitory and class system that are separated but interconnected. Even teachers who live far from Aethelgarten—or even outside the Ains Ein Doa Kingdom—can stay in the dorms. They don’t just live there; they also supervise the resident students. This is led by Sherrie Gustav Serfort as the head supervisor.
But wait, there’s more. Aethelgarten Academy also has a luxurious housing complex for financially capable students. All their needs are even directly covered by the kingdom. Even so, some still choose to pay because they feel uncomfortable with receiving too much free facilitation.
And don’t worry about disparities among students. There’s no envy, no drama. The dorms and housing owners work together to provide equivalent luxurious facilities for everyone.
Why am I telling this long story?
To give you an idea of how vast and structured this academy is—and if Selene is indeed held captive, it must be in a very hidden place. Besides, most students have likely already left the school building: some to the dorms, some home, and some to entertainment venues.
In essence, this situation has been arranged in such a way to hide the dark side of this academy behind a facade of luxury.
Many people don’t know what these people do at night.
And my sister, Helena, seems to have confirmed all the suspicions I’ve been keeping close.
That the Circle of Inevitability—yes, the one often rumored by the public—does indeed exist at Aethelgarten Academy.
If it were just a hoax, it would be impossible for the Ains Ein Doa Kingdom to support this school so much while also covering up so many things. I heard that not only blasphemers and humans who sleep with demons are silenced, but also people who try to spread their location.
"Oh, here it is."
Right before my eyes... there was a gleaming red circle with thin, intricate lines.
Something I had never seen before.
Is this the aura Kairi mentioned earlier? And why can this necklace detect it?
My mind suddenly raced. What if I had refused this Nakanari necklace from Kairi earlier?
This necklace is clearly no ordinary necklace...
And to be honest, Kairi herself doesn’t fully understand why either.
But based on Senior Selene’s telepathy...
Kairi claims that this necklace can detect and even absorb magical energy.
I then turned off my illumination magic and followed the strangely patterned red light.
My intuition told me: if I crossed this red line, even slightly, my presence would immediately be detected.
And I doubt any student could accidentally wander into this place. This situation is too neat, too perfect... as if specifically designed to allow anyone inside to do anything undisturbed.
If an Archon is truly behind this, then all the royal propaganda via moving image magic—aka Telemagica—claiming that monsters have become good citizens, turns out to be nothing but empty talk.
"Isolation... Conceptualization: Nothingness."
Oh?
I thought the red light would disappear and I could just walk past it easily.
It wasn’t that simple. Those lines weren’t visible to the naked eye of an ordinary wizard.
I tried another incantation.
"Isolation... Materialization: Simplicity."
The complex lines then changed form—like a bridge that could be crossed.
It looked easy, but one wrong step could make me fall into those dangerous lines.
I walked slowly, tiptoeing, making sure my footsteps were completely silent.
And this isn’t even in the basement yet... ugh.
Once I successfully crossed it, I used "Isolation - Material Reversal" to return the bridge to its original form.
Then, as per Kairi’s instructions, I used "Isolation - Materialization: Light" to isolate the light within my mind.
Yes, I’m a polite person when I’m sneaking around. I must maintain good manners, like an uninvited but well-behaved guest.
Funnily enough, my sister Helena herself never realized I possessed this royal missionary-style stealth ability.
Once I reached the old, rusty elevator, I stepped inside.
"Isolation... Material: Echo Chamber."
This spell is for isolating echo sounds. And yes, sound is actually a form of matter too, just invisible.
I waited for the elevator to descend, racking my brain.
Is this why Kairi chose me? Does she know that much about my abilities?
Honestly, I didn’t expect her to make me her primary choice. Even if she and Helena were fine, I think Kairi would still send me on this mission. It’s as if, no matter what, I was the only one suitable to save Selene.
Does Kairi... really care about me?
Or perhaps... does she know the secret of my power?
Ugh, I’m embarrassing myself. My face suddenly felt hot. Wait a minute—this is Kairi, after all...
Maybe it’s just intuition, like mine. But once I realized who she truly was... I felt disgusted and disappointed.
So I’m just your puppet, huh, Kairi...
As cunning as ever, my rival and friend. But... wasn’t someone who likes to use others once used themselves?
Perhaps.
But what’s clear is... I still don’t know for sure.
