0% The World Tree tour was a long-standing tradition that took place every year.
But this year, this event was rocky from the start because there were people opposed to it due to the two attacks from the Sea Dragon.
─ Holding a baptism in the middle of construction?
─ Absolutely not! It’s too dangerous!
–was what was being discussed in Parliant, apparently.
But to be honest, it was none of her business.
Because the field trip didn’t get cancelled in the end.
“This is the gate to Bruglium Island.”
The guide showed up and introduced them to the surrounding scenery. Aether led the students and walked slowly.
“Wow....”
The students seeing the World Tree up close all let out exclamations.
The island was another world–the world of the Elentals. The atmosphere was calm and orderly as if they were inside a tranquil arboretum.
The rich children brought out their caras and began taking photos. The size of the World Tree at zero distance was beyond imagination. Aether didn’t show it, but she was also taken aback by the majesty of mother nature.
The guide spoke with a pleased smile.
“The circumference of the base alone is 8.5 km, which is enough to hold everyone who’s visiting today and more. As well, due to the Goddess’ blessing, the World Tree has grown to allow exploration inside unlike other trees.”
The guide said, and added that it would take so ti to enter. In the anti, Aether decided to take attendance.
She was in charge of a hundred students. If sothing happened to even one person, suspicions of her being a Beast was going to grow.
“.......”
Shit. One was missing.
“Where is Verl Horde?”
The students simply quirked their heads like newborn chicks. Even Lotte and Freyr who were always with him seed clueless.
Just as cold sweat was about to run down her back–
“Verl went after President Renay.”
Akasha ca over and whispered so.
“What? Why?”
“He had to do sothing, apparently. He already knows who we are, so it’s better without him, no?”
After hearing the report, Aether let out a sigh of relief.
If he followed Cecil, then she wouldn’t be misunderstood because he was gone.
“Ah, and also he....”
Akasha lowered her voice even further.
“–said that it was best to watch out for lanterns and shadows.”
“What the....”
What kind of nonsense was that all of sudden.
“He said that you’d get it right away if I told you.”
“I did.”
Lantern, and shadows.
These two words represented Pasmo the Spring Heaven. Verl was saying to beware of Pasmo.
“Who knows how and where he could appear. It’d be best to be prepared.”
With that, Akasha went back to her spot.
To think that she had to watch her back despite supposedly being comrades. It was another mont of realizing that the world was a cruel place.
Suddenly, she recalled the reply from the Demon Castle. Aether had received a total of two letters.
[The final battle weapons have not all been built yet. It appears that they will be finished by the end of June at the earliest. We will not do anything until then, so may you be careful not to get caught and stay safe.]This was the content of the first letter, written in a formal tone due to it being sent on official business by Pasmo and Gilach.
The problem was the second letter.
[The other letter enclosed was written by Gilach. He is arrogant, selfish, and awfully jealous, so you should not believe all that is written. He is planning to use the Sea Dragon to bury the World Tree alive in order to be recognized.]“Crazy bastards.”
The Demon King wasn’t even resurrected yet but they were already turning on each other.
Based on the letter, Pasmo was the real dangerous one; he was trying to convince Aether using as the basis the two attacks of the Sea Dragon.
As if she was going to fall for this.
Verl said to watch out for the ‘lantern’ and ‘shadow’. She herself was well aware of Gilach’s personality, who was more simple than one would think. Rather, the answer was to be wary of Pasmo whose thoughts she couldn’t read.
“Looks like he’ll cause a commotion soon.”
Aether tensed as she went over the content of the letter.
It looked like it was going to be a tiring day, after all.
**There was a columnar jointing made of trachyte in the north of Bruglium Island.
Cecil was looking over the horizon from this place, and behind her was a group of hundreds of mages checking their staffs and scrolls while on standby.
Just then, a ssenger approached and kneeled before her.
“I have sothing to report!”
“Go ahead.”
“A student by the na of Verl Horde wishes to see you!”
Verl Horde?
She never heard of the surna Horde before. He probably wasn’t a High Elf, but didn’t stand out like Leninya, either.
“I’ve never heard of him.”
“What should I do? Should I send him back?”
“Give a mont.”
She needed a mont to think.
While Cecil pondered, one of the mages ca over and whispered.
“That student might actually be a humanoid Beast.”
“Excuse , don’t say that.”
Cecil shook her head.
“For a humanoid Beast, it’s too weak of a thod for coming here.”
As much as it was a complex ti, it wasn’t appropriate to suspect everything.
He must be here for sothing, and she just happened to be bored waiting for the Sea Dragon. Cecil waved her hand.
“Bring him here.”
Soon after, a male student ca to the jointing.
“My na is Verl Horde. It’s a pleasure to et you.”
He was a tall student with handso features.
It was a clean first impression overall, and on top of that he looked nice enough that he hardly seed like a Beast.
Soone in the ‘gray area’ would be another story. Cecil was able to clearly distinguish between a good and evil person. If Asteya was a grey area, Verl was clearly the good.
“It’s nice to et you. Can I help you with anything?”
Cecil asked with her staff put away.
She even wondered if he had ended up here because he had a poor sense of direction. Then she only needed to get a mage to send him on his way.
However.
Her guess was completely off.
“You’re waiting for sothing, aren’t you?”
“.......”
“The Sea Dragon.”
Sea Dragon–a completely unexpected word fell right onto her ears. Cecil’s face turned stunned.
But she soon regained composure, deeming that anyone could think as much because they had already been attacked twice by Leviathan.
“That’s right, we’re on the lookout in case the Sea Dragon shows up today.”
“But you’re the president.”
“It’s our academy students who are on this field trip so of course I need to look out for them.”
Cecil gave her business smile, but while doing so a chill ran down her spine. It was because Verl’s eyes weren’t so ordinary.
“About Professor Heisenberg.”
A na that ca out of nowhere. Cecil secretly flinched.
“...Ah, are you one of her students?”
“I am.”
“She must have sent you on an errand.”
Did Asteya need to tell her sothing? If not, she just couldn’t think of a reason why Verl ca to her.
And once again, Verl flipped over Cecil’s expectation like a clamshell on a beach.
“You have suspicions about the relationship between Professor Heisenberg and the Sea Dragon Leviathan.”
“.......”
Cecil froze like she was struck by a petrification ray.
Does he read people’s minds?
It even made her wonder if there was a ‘mind reading’ Innate Magic. As far as Cecil knew, there was no magic that let one read people’s minds.
Still, one never knew. She decided to play dumb for now.
“What do you an?”
“Please don’t be suspicious of her.”
Verl said quietly enough that others couldn’t hear, but each syllable carried weight like there were sandbags attached to them.
“...Co over here.”
Cecil whispered into Verl’s ear.
“How did you know that I was suspecting Heisenberg....”
“I heard that you and the professor t on the dorm’s rooftop during the second attack not long ago.”
“From who?”
“Yufiel Vierbein and Leninya.”
“...Keep going.”
“I was at the west building at the ti, and saw the light flashing in the sky. Soon after, I realized that the source of light was coming from the north.”
Cecil couldn’t help her surprise; this student had made the sa deduction as her.
“That light was indeed sent by Professor Heisenberg, but they said she made it after the downpour started. If anything she was holding a ritual, not trying to control the Sea Dragon with the equipnt.”
“Where did you get that information?”
“From the people in that dorm.”
Cecil’s mouth dropped open.
Until now, Cecil hadn’t thought to ask anyone else due to her suspicions. That was because it could backfire on her like last ti if she did.
Of course, because suspecting the very professor she hired of being a Beast? What could be more distasteful than that?
But now, she t soone who understood, which had her mouth tasting bitter like she chewed on cacao.
“You, your na is....”
“Verl. Verl Horde.”
“You have better insight than I do.”
She gave up. Cecil wasn’t good at lying, and didn’t want to play gas with a student.
“Alright, Horde. I’ll take your word for it. Is that everything?”
“No.”
Verl said in a raised voice.
“I have one more thing to ask of you.”
“Tell .”
“Let fight the Sea Dragon as well.”
Just then.
Plip, plip, plip-plop.
From the clear, cloudless sky, raindrops began falling.
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