Chapter 147: A String of Cadet Disappearances (1)

The new semester had begun, but daily life hadn’t changed much. Since it was still the very start of term, the Practical Combat Training II class hadn’t officially begun in full capacity, and most cadets hadn’t shaken off the lingering haze of vacation.

Around this time, the professors were actually busier than the cadets as they had to spend days locked in meetings, adjusting the curriculum for the semester.

Clicking my tongue, I tugged at the tightly closed handle of Professor Kane’s office door. “He’s away for another meeting today?”

I had planned to slip into his room during my free time, like I usually did, but he was gone again. Most classes right now were just self-directed training, so seeing even a professor’s face was rare. Professor Baldwin had also told me she was swamped lately.

I thought of heading to Yurina’s training ground again, but I had already sparred with her once in the morning. Going back right away would feel awkward, like bumping into a friend at the bus stop right after saying, “See you tomorrow.”

I was wondering how to kill the time when a familiar voice rang out.

“Brother Dale! What are you doing here?”

“Berald?”

“Hehe. What’s this? Not hanging out with Sister Yurina, no, Brother Yuren, for once? You’re here all by yourself?”

“I already trained with her this morning.”

“Ohh. And no afternoon classes?”

“As you can see, all the professors are locked away in their meetings.”

“Mm. What kind of lessons are they planning that need this many meetings?”

“Beats me.”

Even in my previous life, I couldn’t remember professors grinding themselves down in endless meetings like this just to prepare for classes. The curriculum was definitely going to diverge from what I knew. But that was within my expectations. The more time passed in this life, the more the future would slip away from the flow I remembered. A few changes in coursework weren’t worth worrying about.

“Anyway, what about you? What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m on my way to the cadet cafeteria, after the morning class.”

“Oh? I haven’t had lunch yet either. Want to go together?”

Berald nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. “Of course!”

“The annex building or main building?” I asked.

“Heh. Isn’t it obvious? The annex cafeteria, of course!”

“Fair enough.”

Neither of us was exactly strapped for cash anymore, but old habits stuck. The annex cafeteria was cheaper and quicker, and it just felt more comfortable than the fancier main building.

“Oh, by the way, Brother, how’s your dorm room now?”

“They patched it up spotlessly. Honestly, it’s better than before.”

“Hehe. So you don’t have to live with Brother Yuren anymore— Huh?” Berald’s eyes widened suddenly, as if a shocking realization had hit him. “W-wait a second, Brother Dale! Then, before the break, you were… actually living with Sister Yurina?”

“Well…” I trailed off and gave the faintest nod.

“Whoa! And here I thought you were dating Sister Iris.”

“It’s… complicated,” I replied.

“Complicated? How could that possibly be complicated?”

How was I supposed to explain that I had confessed to both Iris and Yurina and was still waiting for their answers?

So, I just replied, “Let’s just say… There’s a reason for that.”

“Heh. You really are blessed with women, Brother. Guess the old saying was right. ’Heroes always attract beauty.’”

I swatted his shin lightly. “Shut it, idiot.”

Entering the annex cafeteria, both of us picked the daily special, collected our trays, and sat down.

I turned to Berald, “How are your classes lately? Learning anything?”

“Heh, who do you think I am? I’m Berald, the prodigy of magic!”

“Pfft! What a load of crap! Prodigy? More like a natural disaster.”

Berald smirked, unfazed. “I’ve been experimenting with Mana Bullets, finding ways to use them beyond just hurling them straight. I’m trying to refine their applications.”

“Oh? Like how?”

He smirked with confidence, clearly pleased with himself. “Hehe. I’ll show you when I’ve perfected it.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Recalling something, I asked, “By the way, what about those bandages?”

“Still keeping them on.” Berald rolled up his sleeve, revealing his forearm. “I’ve decided, like you said, to use it in only emergencies.”

“Good. That’ll help your growth more in the long run.”

The artifact passed down from the Iron Fist, the Heaven-Slaying Asura Gauntlet, was powerful enough to shock even me, despite everything I had seen. But it was precisely because of its strength that the danger of relying too much on it was even greater. Artifacts were supposed to be only supporting tools.

In my previous life, I had once depended entirely on the Blessing of Resurrection and stockpiled demon swords and cursed armors. Senior Sophia had chewed me out for that back then. As I thought of that memory, a bitter smirk appeared on my face.

Taking a bite of his snack, Berald turned to me. “Oh, right, Brother. Have you heard the rumors lately?”

“Rumors? What rumors?”

“The string of cadet disappearances.”

“What?”

A string of cadet disappearances? That alone sounded ominous, straight out of some scandal sheet. However, if this incident were that serious, the whole academy would have been in an uproar. If cadets were truly vanishing one after another within the academy, then surely the professors would be in an emergency meeting about it by now.

“It’s not exactly disappearances. More like fainting incidents, I guess you could say,” explained Berald.

“Fainting? What exactly happened?”

“Apparently, some cadets have suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed, only to wake up hours later in a completely different location.”

“They pass out without warning, then come to in another place?”

“That’s right.”

It sounded like something ripped straight out of a school ghost story. What kind of incident was this supposed to be? Naturally, in my previous life, I had never even heard of such a thing.

“Any other symptoms? Like injuries?” I asked.

“None at all, from what I’ve heard.”

“So, they just faint and reappear somewhere else?”

It sounded like a campfire horror tale.

“Well, they weren’t injured, but I did hear one thing. When they woke up, the area where their soul stigmata was engraved itched a little,” Berald added.

“Itched? But no real damage? No other abnormalities?”

“If there had been, trust me, this wouldn’t just be a rumor whispered in the cafeteria.”

“True enough.”

For a hero, their soul stigmata was more valuable than life itself. If the soul stigmata had been harmed, the academy would be in chaos, not calm.

“No one knows the cause yet?” I asked.

“Not a clue.” Berald stroked his chin, nodding thoughtfully. “My guess? Someone’s behind it. But who, and why? That’s the mystery.”

“How many victims so far?”

“About twenty, I think. Mostly fourth-years.”

“Fourth-years, huh.” I narrowed my eyes and gave a slow nod. “Yeah. This does stink of something fishy.”

“Heh. That was my exact thought when I first heard it.”

“When did all this start?”

“During the break, apparently.”

“And the professors have done nothing all this time?”

“Well, there’s barely any harm to speak of, is there?”

“Fair point.”

Strange as the case sounded, Berald was right. There wasn’t any concrete damage. To some, it could even sound like nothing more than cadets who had dozed off from exhaustion.

But twenty people had been targeted; that changed things. One or two cases could be chalked up to coincidence. Twenty? That screamed intent. It was a planned incident. The question to be pondered was who would do this and why?

No matter how hard I racked my brain, no answers came to me. Sighing, I decided to ask Professor Baldwin about this later when the annex cafeteria suddenly stirred with whispers from the other cadets.

“Hey, look over there!”

“Isn’t that the fourth-year mage? The one who’s supposed to be terrifying?”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of her! What was her nickname again? Ah, right. The Red Calamity! Even the other fourth-years call her that.”

“Keep your voice down, idiot! What if she hears you?”

Following everyone’s gaze toward the entrance, I saw the person being spoken about in the whispers. It was a small-framed woman with striking red hair.

Senior Sophia?

She scanned the room briefly before striding straight toward the table where Berald and I sat, saying, “There you are.”

I looked at her. “Senior?”

She didn’t bother sitting, her sharp voice cutting straight to the point. “I need a favor.”

Though her sudden appearance caught me off guard, I quickly buried my unease and calmly replied, “What kind of favor?”

She looked down at me and said in a low voice, “About the cadet disappearance incidents—”

Before she could finish, Berald shot to his feet, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Ooh! Are you Senior Sophia Evergreen? I’ve heard so much about you from Raios! They say you’re the strongest mage among all the fourth-years!”

Berald’s pride as a mage was showing, and he looked ready to worship her on the spot.

I pressed down on his shoulder urgently. “Sit down, idiot!”

Knowing Senior Sophia’s personality, I was well aware she despised empty flattery. It felt like I was holding onto a ticking bomb.

To my shock, her cheeks flushed faintly. “R-really? Ramos has been talking about me?”

She averted her gaze, twirling a lock of red hair between her fingers. “Ahem! Well, I am rather skilled at magic.”

“Rather? They say you surpass most professors!” Berald said.

“D-do they?”

“Ha! As a fellow mage, I’m honored! Ah, where are my manners? I should introduce myself properly. I’m—”

“I already know. Berald Ryu, right?”

She gave him a sidelong glance and cleared her throat, but her tone was softer than before. A subtle shift hung between them. It was an odd, almost warm atmosphere.

What the hell is this? Why does it suddenly feel like the two of them are hitting it off?

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