101. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [2]

When I saw Thousand Blade Academy, almost completely destroyed, I was gaping, lost for words.

「A-Allen!? It’s really Allen!」

Leia-sensei rushed out of the blacked-out academy building.

She wore her usual black suit and a yellow helmet that read『safety first』.

「Leia-sensei!」

「I’m really glad you’re safe! Staying put in this place just in case turned out to be the correct choice!」she said, patting my back.

「Eh, uh… what is this situation?」

There were a lot of things I wanted to ask but this was what came out of my mouth first.

Going by my memory, Thousand Blade Academy shouldn’t have been so battered.

「Well, a lot happened… Let’s go over the details inside the building」 she said, and turned her gaze to the battered academy building.

「W-Will we be alright going “inside”?」

No matter how you look at it, it’s about to collapse.

「Don’t worry. The foundation of this academy building is solid. It appears to be in a terrible state, but there is no danger of collapse. In addition, there might be ears around us in this place.」

「I understand.」

I am slightly anxious, but if worst comes to worst, I will be alright cladding myself in clothes of darkness. I nodded as I decided that.

「Yoshi, let’s go then.」

「Yes.」

Then, I followed sensei and headed to the director’s office.

■

Rubble was scattered everywhere in the main academy building and it was quite difficult to walk. However, as sensei said earlier, there was no major damage to the floor or pillars. The building foundation was solid.

On the way to the director’s office, I asked a question.

「What about Ria and Rose?」

Last I remember, they were bound by Dodriel’s『Shadow』and were unconscious.

(Both of them still had strong heartbeats and were breathing, so I think they should be alright, but…)

I was slightly… No, I was very concerned.

「Nn? Oh, they’re hospitalised in a hospital nearby.」

「Hospitalized…!? Are they all right!?」

「Don’t worry. It’s just like a regular check-up. I went to check on them this morning and they were both lively. Even almost going on a rampage saying they want to go look for you.」

「I see. I’m truly glad to hear that.」

I patted my chest in relief, and we arrived at the director’s office.

「Come on in.」

「Yes, excuse me.」

After that, sensei sat on the dedicated director’s chair at the far end and faced me as I stood across the table.

「Well, then, I’d like to talk about yesterday’s case, but before that… how much do you remember?」

「……!」

Sensei seems to have known that some of my memories were missing.

That makes explaining easier.

「I was pierced through the heart by a swordsman named Dodriel and I have no memory of afterwards. When I came to, I was in a forest quite a distance from here.」

「I see… Alright, I roughly understand Allen’s situation. So let’s talk about what happened after you lost consciousness.」

「Yes, please.」

And I heard a shocking fact. After I was stabbed through the chest, my spirit core ran wild. With overwhelming power, that guy defeated Dodriel and the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, and then annihilated more than a hundred members of Black Organization single-handedly. In the aftermath of the battle, Thousand Blade Academy suffered catastrophic damage.

「Did that really…?!」

「Aa, it’s all true」sensei nodded, and silence fell in the director’s office.

「Sorry… I seem to have caused a lot of trouble.」

And when I tried to bow my head,

「Ah, don’t misunderstand me. Allen did really well this time. If it weren’t for you, things could’ve gotten a lot worse.」

Sensei quickly stopped me.

「A lot worse…?」

「Aa. Worst case scenario would be something like… our students being massacred, Ria being kidnapped, and Black Organization escaping」she muttered with a bitter face, and continued to explain.

「If that’s the case, it wouldn’t end with just me being sacked. The Thousand Blade Academy would be closed down, and this country would have been plunged into great chaos. It is all thanks to you that everyone is safe now. Thank you very much.」

Leia-sensei stood up and bowed her head deeply.

「P-Please don’t do that! I didn’t do anything that significant. I only managed to destroy the barrier and everything else was done by that guy, my spirit core!」

「Don’t be so humble. I heard from the vice-director that Allen destroyed a very advanced barrier. And the strength of the swordsman directly translates to the strength of the spirit core. You can be proud. It was you who saved this academy, no one else.」

「Ha, haa…」

Even if she says that… To be honest, I don’t really feel like I have saved the academy. As I was perplexed, sensei eyed me silently.

(Due to his『super regeneration』Allen’s hair is mixed with that guy’s white hair… This is bad. The『path』is opening up much faster than expected… If it keeps going like this, soon enough–)

「Se-Sensei… What’s the matter?」I called out to sensei, as her look became increasingly troubled.

「…No, sorry. I was just thinking about something. Don’t worry about it.」

「I see… Thank you very much for your work.」

Perhaps she’s extremely tired.

The Black Organization attacked exactly during the emergency meeting convened by the government – so it’s no wonder.

「Fufu. I’m making full use of No. 18, so I don’t have that much fatigue. Alright, before we conclude, I’ll let you know about the people who were arrested.」

Sensei coughed once and spoke indifferently.

「We were able to secure about 350 members of the black organization. Unfortunately, we failed to capture Fu Rudras and Dodriel Barton… Dodriel most likely escaped through the shadows. What a troublesome ability」she said, annoyedly.

「Eh, sensei knows about Dodriel?」

「Aa, of course. The number one spear of the Black Organization who has been rampaging in various places recently. He’s terribly tough and stands up no matter how many times he’s hit by a fatal wound. Especially his strange soul dress which controls shadow. Thanks to that, border security was as good as meaningless. The bunch who attacked this time, too, were probably sent through the shadows by Dodriel.」

「Is that so…」

It seems that Dodriel has become quite a wanted man.

「Yoshi, this is the end of my story. Do you have any concerns?」sensei said, and threw the ball of conversation towards me.

(…There is something I have to know.)

This is a very heavy question.

(…But I can’t turn away from it.)

Even though I wasn’t conscious, it doesn’t change what I did. I can’t turn my eyes away from the『life』I took.

「Sensei… how many members of the Black Organization defeated by that guy died?」

And I resolved myself for the answer.

「-Zero. No one died. They’re all alive.」

A shocking answer.

「I-Is that true?!」

「Aa, they were all seriously wounded on the verge of death, but… there has been no confirmation of any death.」

「Why? Did someone stop him?」

My spirit core is, to be blunt, reckless. The last time he took over, he tried to kill Sid-san without hesitation. If someone doesn’t stop him, he’ll do his best at destruction and slaughter.

「Haha, there’s no one who can stop your spirit core. It was… probably on purpose.」

「…On purpose? What do you mean?」

「Unlike him, you have a strong sense of aversion towards『killing』, don’t you?」

「Well, yes, obviously!」

Obviously.

I’m not like him.

I’m not a battle fanatic that finds pleasure in blood and violence.

「This is just my guess, but… he was probably trying not to stimulate your weakened consciousness.」

「Not trying to stimulate my consciousness?」

「Aa. As long as that guy is a spirit core, he is strongly restricted by Allen. If he commited something too stimulating such as murder, it might trigger your consciousness, which was in a state of deep sleep, to be awakened. If that happens, he won’t be able to remain in the outside world for too long.」

「I see…」

Now that I think about it, once in the world of the soul, he said something similar…

Something about not being able to take over my body easily when I’m conscious…

「Well, one thing is for sure. He must have achieved something while he took over your body. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned your body so readily.」

「…What on earth did he do?」

「Unfortunately, I don’t know that either… Though, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t anything good…」

「…I guess.」

Then, as the discussion reached its conclusion, sensei clapped her hands.

「Well, that’s the end of the story until this point. Let’s talk about the hereafter」she said, and brought up a completely different topic.

「As you can see, Thousand Blade Academy has completely lost its function as a swordsmanship academy. There’s no way we can conduct classes in this environment.」

「…That’s right.」

No matter how much she says that there is no risk of collapse, it is impossible to teach in such conditions.

「This afternoon, we are going to start rebuilding the main academy building. Large-scale construction that mobilizes the use of strengthening-type and manipulating-type soul dress. The restoration should be done in around two weeks.」

「Only two weeks!?」

「Fufufu, it’s amazing, isn’t it? Though, it costs a ridiculous amount of money」sensei said, her face turned pale for a slight moment.

「That’s why Thousand Blade Academy will be closed for about two weeks after tomorrow. But of course, it is not possible to let the students rest for all that time. Those who are swordsmen, must endeavour through training everyday after all !」she nodded, and continued.

「As such, until the reconstruction of Thousand Blade Academy is completed, everyone will be given a special class at the Ice King Academy!」

「Ice King Academy. Where Sid-san is!」

That’s good.

Another one of the Five Academy, Ice King Academy.

Getting to train with Sid-san and the rest is the best I could ask for.

「Aa, I’m sure it will serve as a good experience for students of both academies! However, Allen. You’re the only one who’s a little different.」

「…What? I’m the only one?」

For some reason, I had a bad feeling.

「Aa, you’re the only one who’s going to White Lily Academy. You remember them, don’t you? It is one of the Five Academy to which『Prodigy』Idol Luxmaria, whom you defeated at the Sword King Festival, belongs.」

「Eh, eh!?」

Sensei suddenly declared something absurd.

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