Chapter 98 (1/2)

[Alright, the last chapter was well received, we’ll continue to test this series out to find the proper cost efficiency for the workload. As of now, we are able to commit to 12-16 chapters (55,000~ words) per week. If the participation increases by 20-25%, we can aim for 20-21 chapters (76,000~ words) per week. That’s 220,000-304,000~ words per month! During the test, there will be 2 free chapters per upload day. If we reach the 20 chapter goal, there will be 3-4 free chapters per upload day. If demand dies down, we’ll go back to 8 chapters per week via Community Unlock. There are 6 chapters today and at least 7 on Saturday.] [Active: I recommend reading till 103, dang.]

‘…Goodbye, My Professor.’

The trembling voice of a child could be heard from a distant future. That mysterious tone lingered in my ear like an echo and before dispersing. It reverberated through me until it filled me fully.

I blinked. The world was turned upside down in that instant.

“…”

There was no one in the basement where she had been. The wind gently brushed past me, the cold air caressing my skin. There was only silence to be found there. In this space where nothing changed, my time continued uninterrupted. However, 385 years must’ve passed between that time and my own.

“…You’re cheeky.”

Anger and contempt flashed inside me; it was an unavoidable part of Deculein’s personality.

Flutter—

Suddenly, a piece of paper caught my eye, caught under my foot. I lifted it with Psychokinesis.

[To Professor Deculein –

Hello, this is Epherene.

By now, the Professor I know must be furious. Wouldn’t you have already muttered something along the lines of, ‘You’re cheeky’? ]

“…”

Without realizing it, I looked around. There was no one to be found, however. I reread that sentence, noting her cursive handwriting.

[I’m sorry, Professor. But, this is up to me.

And this is just ‘time.’ The mana and the air are stagnant here, making training impossible.

It’s a meaningless time where the only thing you can do is to think. It’s a time that repeats, sweeping back and forth like waves on a beach. Huhu.

Well, I… I had a lot of things I wanted to say to you. What happened in the future, and what the future was like. However, it proved difficult to convey the knowledge of the future to the present. In particular, your future was impossible to see, even if I poured all my magic into it.

So, with just one line of incomplete information, just a single word to convey the facts. What I want to say to you is…]

“…?”

That was the end of the letter. I looked at the backside of the page, but it was blank. Whatever happened, her writing had suddenly stopped.

“Professor!”

The door swung open, and a slightly younger voice greeted me. I slid the note into my pocket before looking back.

“W-Was it successful?! Locralen’s disposal?!”

Epherene. She clenched her fists while speaking urgently. I nodded.

“Oh!”

“However, the complete disposal is a matter of the future. The Kaidezite has been dismantled, but this Locralen timeline will be maintained for now.”

Locralen’s disposal was still a matter of the future. Locralen itself would remain until the day Epherene became an Archmage.

“Then… then, what about me?”

I looked at her and thought of the future Epherene, imagining her enduring those 385 years completely alone. Even the thought was enough to anger me. She looked down on my abilities and pride, and rejected my will. She was cocky and stubborn.

She wasn’t the kind of person who could withstand such a huge amount of time alone.

“….”

I approached Epherene. She hesitated but didn’t back away.

“Ugh!”

I placed my hand on her head. It was small and light.

“You still have a lot to put into your head.”

“…I beg your pardon?”

Epherene narrowed her eyes.

“Epherene has returned to the future where Locralen has been destroyed, so you will never see each other again.”

“…”

Her sorrow was plain to see in her eyes, but I climbed out of the basement without a word.

“Huh, Deculein! You bastard!”

I met Rose Rio on the stairs walking back. She wasn’t even aware that she had been stunned.

“Do you dare betray me?!”

“Follow me. Everything has been concluded.”

“…What? It’s over?”

When we reached the lobby on the first floor, almost everyone in the society had already gathered. They were standing around awkwardly after being released. Among them, I noticed the president of the society, Locralen. Confused, he fiddled with his necklace, a chain around his collarbone, with a blank look.

“…Huh, Professor Deculein!”

“Professor Deculein. Did you solve it?”

“I-I believed in you.”

The members of the conference arrived a moment later. I beckoned to Rose Rio.

“Rose Rio, open the door.”

“Okay.”

Rose Rio dismantled ‘Ductility.’

Rumble-!

The blocked-off conference exit was exposed, allowing bright sunlight to beam in.

“Whoa… it’s been three days since I’ve seen the sun. Professor Deculein, I’m sorry I misunderstood you.”

Rose Rio murmured while some of the wizards went outside, glancing back at me. They didn’t know about someone’s sacrifice, so they could only show this kind of reaction.

“…Ah, ah. This is the president of the Society, Locralen. This conference will be suspended due to an unfortunate incident.”

Locralen spoke using loudspeaker magic.

“Everyone, please head back to the hotel and rest. The check-in procedure will be conducted tomorrow. Everyone, please head back to the hotel and rest.”

Epherene glared at him, pouting.

* * *

The next day.

Drent, struggling with the aftermath of magical exhaustion, managed to recover to some extent, but all other conferences were canceled. Locralen claimed that he would need time to reorganize, so it was time for them to leave.

“Reorganization. Couldn’t you just destroy the entire society now? Then this won’t happen again.”

It was an extremely reasonable question from Epherene, but I shook my head.

“There is no evidence. Even if there were, Kaidezite is a threat from the future. On the Floating Island, they will ask if the remaining time will be okay.”

An island crazy about magic, knowledge, and mystery. The outer surface of the Floating Island offered the image of rationality and intelligence, but the inside was rather savage and brutally cold.

“Ah…”

“Professor~ I already packed everything!”

“Me too. I’ll go on crutches.”

Those responses came from Allen and Drent, respectively. I nodded and opened the door out of the room. For me, I had a lot to think about later. Starting with the 「Advanced Attribute Catalog」 obtained as a quest reward.

“Professor, are we going to forget about today when we leave Locralen?”

Epherene raised the question in the hotel elevator.

“It depends on your mental strength, but for you, it will probably remain like a faint afterimage. Even if you don’t completely forget it, you won’t be able to recall the specifics.”

“…”

Epherene nodded with slight disappointment.

Ding—

The elevator reached the first floor. The hotel lobby was full today, with people trying to leave Locralen. They greeted me, but I didn’t bother to respond. We went straight out of the hotel and down the street.

“I’m sorry, assistant Professor. I’m quite heavy, right?”

“It’s okay~. We’re on the same team.”

Drent, still unwell, was being supported by Allen.

“I passed out like a fool… I didn’t think I would pass out with just one word.”

“That’s true. It was kind of weird.”

Their words stirred my thoughts. I felt embers burning in my brain.

“Professor! Professor–!”

A loud voice echoed from behind. Locralen was approaching, waving his hand. As soon as Epherene saw him, she puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. I stared at him quietly as he rapidly drew closer.

“Hahahaha, are you leaving already? You should have dinner before going. I will be ready soon.”

Locralen didn’t even seem to remember that he was the Kaidezite’s host.

“It’s fine.”

“Oh~ okay. Still, I’m here to thank you. Thanks to you, the academy is intact.”

“Humph. Intact, my ass.”

Epherene grumbled. Locralen glanced at her, then pointed at Drent behind them.

“Haha, I don’t think I’ve seen him before?”

“He’s the wizard I mentioned before, the one who fainted with one word.”

“Oh~, what a shame. But, I guess you were really tired, huh? To faint with one word, that must be impossible.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Drent bowed his head, causing a bitter laugh to rise from Locralen.

“…Wait.”

The fire in my head ignited, rising from a small flame into a blaze in an instant.

“Locralen.”

“Yes?”

“You said there’s no way someone would faint with just one word.”

“Yes. Theoretically, yes. No matter how low your mental strength, with one word…”

“But this guy passed out.”

I pointed to Drent, who covered his face as if guilty.

“Well. He must have been tired at the time-“

“Tell me another condition.”

“Yes? Another condition?”

“If this guy passed out, it was probably the one that spoke that had a problem rather than him.”