Chapter 62: The Five Days of Emptiness (1)
“Full Moon.”
Two n in armor climbed to the top to find Tyrant.
They were Daemon, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and Ignito, the Vice Captain—both summoned by Tyrant.
The two kept a respectful distance from him, lowering one knee to the ground and bowing their heads in a display of utmost decorum.
“I have sothing to order you both.”
“What is it?”
Daemon, the Captain, replied, while Ignito rely stood upright, listening in silence.
His lips didn’t even twitch, as though sealed by magic.
With his superior right beside him, it wasn’t his place to speak first—neither to question nor to answer.
“Gatekeeper, hand it over.”
“Yes, Full Moon.”
The Gatekeeper approached the two kneeling n and handed each a small glass vial.
A potion bottle.
But the potion inside was unlike any they had ever seen before.
At a glance, it looked exactly like colorless, odorless water.
“What kind of potion is this?”
“Nothing special. Just sothing to reinforce your ntal strength.”
Tyrant replied as though guarding a secret.
Just as a mismatched dicine could beco poison, so too could a potion.
The two n instinctively felt uneasy about drinking an unknown substance, but since it was sothing Tyrant himself had given, they asked no more and simply trusted him.
To others, it might have looked like excessive loyalty, but to them, such obedience was both natural and absolute.
“You two will take that and go to the Ed Branch School’s 1st Class.”
Finally, Tyrant’s command was given.
“What are we to do once there?”
“There’s a student nad Artel in 1st Class.”
“I’ve already heard rumors.”
“Oh? Even the Royal Guard has heard?”
“Yes, he’s the first Double Caster born in 500 years.”
“Well, it’s not surprising.”
“What should we find out from the student?”
“Nothing. Just go and give him a little attack.”
At that, the two n lifted their heads in shock.
It was Ignito whose expression turned particularly grim.
“Full Moon, as you know, Ed Etar harbors impure intentions. If the Royal Guard not only visits his school but also attacks soone there, the friction will no doubt escalate into outright battle.”
Daemon seed to share the sa concern; his words were polite but clearly urged Tyrant to reconsider.
However, Tyrant imdiately countered.
“Artel is a Double Caster of Fire and Darkness. That ans only Ignito, a Darkness Elentalist, should be sent. Yet I’m sending you too, Daemon, a mber of the Lamic Family. Do you not understand why?”
“You an…”
“The conflict with that man began 300 years ago. To lay a hand on a mber of my Royal Guard is to challenge directly. There is no rcy for such a mage. Only execution. So you will take care of it. Consider this the perfect pretext to kill him.”
Daemon was a 7th Circle Water Elentalist.
By contrast, Etar was an 8th Circle Fire Elentalist.
No—by now, enough ti had passed that Etar might even have reached the 9th Circle.
Still, the elental advantage clearly favored Daemon, and Tyrant calculated that he could suppress Etar with ease.
‘Even if he fails and dies by Etar’s hand, it doesn’t matter. I have another plan ready.’
Whether he achieved the desired outco or not,
Tyrant stood to lose nothing.
“So the true objective is actually Ed Etar?”
“No. Etar is rely a side dish. The real target is Artel. Confront him.”
“Understood.”
“Depart for the Ed Branch 1st Class imdiately. Gatekeeper.”
“Yes, Full Moon.”
“Send a ssage to Ed Etar. Inform him that the Royal Guard will be coming—tell him to open the path.”
“Yes, understood.”
“You two, move out now.”
“Move out”—the formal order that initiated an official operation of the Royal Guard.
At the command of their master, the Archmage Tyrant, the two stood, bowed lightly, and turned to leave.
“Oh, right. I almost forgot sothing important. The potion’s effect lasts for thirty minutes. But unlike other potions, it doesn’t work instantly—it takes five minutes to activate. So, drink it five minutes before entering 1st Class. You must et and attack Artel within those thirty minutes. Understood?”
They didn’t know why they had to attack Artel specifically within that thirty-minute window, but neither of them asked.
They simply believed there was aning behind the order.
[Notice]
Dear students, this is Headmaster Ed Etar.
During the past sester, you have all endured far more intense training than in your first term.
Therefore, as Headmaster of this school, I believe it is only right to provide an environnt where you can focus more deeply on your studies as the sester ends. I have reached the following decision.
Within five minutes, pack only your essential belongings and co to the main gate. 1st Class students only—this is a special recess.
The reopening date will be announced later through Mob.
Until then, I sincerely hope you all enjoy a peaceful rest.
Written by: Ed Etar
“A special recess?”
The next morning, this ssage suddenly appeared in Mob like a letter from Headmaster Ed Etar.
An unscheduled special recess—
And with no specified duration.
That ant that as long as the recess continued, the duels for 1st Class graduation would also be suspended.
“All of a sudden…”
[Ranking List]
Artel – 281
Kiena – 233
Mihael Russel – 221
Banshi – 220
Lamic Vir – 218
Hei – 202
In just one day, Nohill Hapert had lost to Lamic Vir, changing the ranks—but Hei’s position remained the sa.
A precarious 6th place.
He instinctively sensed that things would take a strange turn if the recess began like this.
Hei was still stuck in 6th place, and now, with duels suspended, there would be no chance to climb higher.
And it was an indefinite recess.
I also instinctively felt that Ed Etar would reopen the term either the day before or the very day the sester ended.
It was clearly a move to expel , and the timing couldn’t have been more convenient.
Hei had barely managed to stay at 6th place—safe from expulsion for now—but who knew how they might twist their words next?
How could I possibly know what kind of sches that man was plotting to drive out using the Joint Admission System?
Thinking I couldn’t let things stand as they were, I headed for the main gate.
All the students were already there, each carrying only light luggage as instructed in the notice.
And the one opening the portal to the Underworld wasn’t Professor Nide—but Vice Headmaster Forr.
He had returned to 1st Class.
As if being chased by soone, he hastily opened the portal and said to the students,
“Enjoy your special recess, everyone.”
His face showed clear signs of unease, as though he had to get the students out as quickly as possible.
‘Sothing feels off.’
He was acting completely unlike his usual self.
There seed to be a reason behind this sudden special recess.
“Vice Headmaster.”
“What is it, Student Artel?”
The mont I called out, he snapped back in his usual curt tone.
“Why a special recess all of a sudden? There are only five days left in the sester. The duels from now on are crucial, aren’t they?”
“It was all stated in the notice, wasn’t it? It’s for rest.”
“There was no stated duration.”
“I’m sure it was ntioned—‘to be announced separately.’”
“That’s not a fixed duration. We need a definite date.”
“Why are you so persistent? Since when were you so passionate about academics, when you used to sleep through Class 0?”
He was unusually talkative.
“I’m asking because it looks like it won’t reopen even after five days.”
“……”
At my question, Forr imdiately shut his mouth.
If the recess was truly ending within five days, he could’ve simply said so.
The fact that he didn’t ant there were no plans to end it within that ti.
That would place a huge obstacle before , Hei, and Kiena.
Although it was fortunate that all three of us were still in the top ranks, Hei’s 6th place made things especially problematic for the special selection.
He had avoided expulsion for now, but whether he would advance to 2nd Class, fall to 3rd, or face expulsion under so absurd pretext remained uncertain.
This was sothing that needed to be clarified.
“After five days, won’t the graduation from 1st Class be decided based on our current scores?”
As I asked, I glanced toward Hapert.
His expression imdiately changed to one of desperation, his lips forming the silent word ‘Huh?’ as he looked back and forth between and Forr.
Just yesterday, Hapert had lost to Lamic Vir, bringing his points to zero—if the sester ended like this, expulsion was certain.
He wasn’t even from a commoner’s background, but a mage of a noble house.
Being expelled from 1st Class would an being cast out from his family, no matter how direct his bloodline.
It was a corruption that had plagued mage families for centuries.
Even now, three hundred years later, I was certain it hadn’t changed—if anything, it had worsened.
Of course, during my ti as an Archmage, expulsion had been rare, but even then, a few such cases did exist.
“That can’t be…”
At Hapert’s muttered words, the rest of the students gathered at the gate began to stir.
They were beginning to taste the bitterness hidden behind the sweetness of this so-called recess.
Only six students could graduate from 1st Class.
And there were twenty-eight of us here.
Six would move on to the next class, while ten of the remaining twenty-two would be expelled.
More students would be expelled than promoted—so it was no wonder resentnt filled the air.
Now, no one cared about the “special recess.” What mattered was whether they still had a chance to rise.
“Don’t worry, everyone. Classes will resu before five days pass.”
Forr tried to reassure the students, but it was clear he was struggling to mask his discomfort.
Still, his words carried no conviction.
It sounded like an excuse ant only to calm the situation.
Wasn’t his sudden change of tone proof enough, when he’d refused to give a clear answer just monts ago?
Yet, since he had just declared as Vice Headmaster that it would indeed end within five days, I couldn’t press him any further now.
‘Well, if a problem cos up later, I can use that against him.’
That was enough of an answer for now.
“Was that a satisfactory reply, Student Artel?”
His tone carried thorns.
“Yes. Surely, the Vice Headmaster wouldn’t break his own promise.”
“……”
It was a subtle warning, and he understood.
Looking irritated, Forr began urging the students into the portal leading to the Underworld.
One by one, maintaining order, the students stepped through, until at last I stood before the portal.
“Artel, do you rember what I said to you back in Class 0?”
Why bring that up now, all of a sudden?
It didn’t seem to carry any deeper intent.
“Yes, I rember. You asked if I could beco a mage worthy of inheriting the pure white one.”
“Good. But rember this.”
His expression turned grave.
“I ant those words sincerely. It wasn’t just flattery. And I’m not the only one who has such expectations of you.”
The mont I heard that, I almost blurted out, “Then why is that very sa man trying to get expelled right now?”
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