Damn Academy chapter 93

93 – Shadows (16)

It is said that Maladiroot rarely grows in a place rich in magic that radiates from the leyline. The higher the density of magical power, the higher the probability of finding it, but the stronger the magical pressure, Giorgia advised that it would be difficult to approach the area.

A primeval forest full of rare vegetation untouched by humans, with super-dense magical energy emanating from it. It was a lot closer than I thought.

That was the ‘Forbidden Forest’, the venue for my Masters Class entrance ceremony.

Georgia said that it was a strictly off-limits area, so I had to give up trying to get it from Eternia, but that doesn’t apply to me.

I got through the labyrinth. It was still a long time ago when Professor Ella asked me to visit the research institute, so I started looking for the Malidi route first.

It was said that monsters rarely appear in the Forbidden Forest, and there are no dangerous species, but I packed potions and seedling swords just in case.

I went on for a while and finally entered the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, but I didn’t feel any magic pressure. Considering the warnings related to the Forbidden Forest and magic, it was a part where I realized how high my magic resistance was.

It is said that a tremendous density of magical energy is emanating from this land… I couldn’t even detect the existence of magical power. My terrible magical talents were also palpable.

Anyway, it was a great fortune and privilege to be able to enter and leave this forest whenever I wanted.

Because the forbidden forest was perfectly suited to the optimal conditions for planting herbs that Zverev said.

In short, it was a treasure trove.

From the point of view of mainstream alchemy, this place is just ‘a place with good conditions, but you don’t have to go there’.

Rejecting the mainstream theory and following the theory of an unknown alchemist was like a gamble, but I was going to follow Zverev’s theory. Because while interpreting the recipe, I was unknowingly persuaded by the philosophy.

I took out a piece of paper depicting Maladirut’s appearance and wandered aimlessly through the Forbidden Forest. I had a compass, so I didn’t have to worry about getting lost even if I went unplanned.

The sunlight scattered through the fog subtly came down, and the spacing between the trees was not too tight, so it was nice to walk. There were also quite a lot to see.

A flower that closes its leaves when it detects presence, and a vine that flickers slowly as if breathing. Soil that glows white when stepped on.

I marveled inwardly at the mysterious sights.

While I was recklessly moving to a place where my eyes could reach, I accidentally found a trace of a person.

Because soil emits light when stimulated, someone’s footprints were clearly emitting light on the ground.

The footprints continued on to a small trail in the forest. There was no suspicious sign there.

It seemed highly likely that he was a librarian or a labyrinth related researcher.

Still, just in case, I put my hand on the wooden sword at my waist and slowly followed the footsteps.

I didn’t go far, and a silhouette of a person caught my eye at a distance of about thirty steps.

A small vacant lot. And in front of the tombstone erected on one side of it, someone was standing with their back to me.

Long hair hanging down the back in a half-up. There was a mix of brown in her platinum hair, as if it had been partially dyed. And he was holding a familiar mask in his hand.

And I doubted my eyes to see if I was looking at the wrong person.

The ears are pointed. Then… meant heterogeneity.

It was the second time I saw a different race in my life after Elizabeth.

She quietly looked down at the tombstone and, perhaps sensing my presence, put on her mask and slowly turned toward me.

The eyes cross each other. There was no hostility in it, so I slowly let go of my guard.

Without saying a word, she turned and disappeared into the woods.

I slowly approached the monument. Weathering did not progress and the surface was smooth.

In front of it was a pure white artificial flower that the woman presumably left behind.

I checked the words on the tombstone.

[A great swordsman of the Unknown Knights. Reclaims the name Kaedwen after death.]

A meaningful phrase. Moreover, Kaedwen was the name of the same victim Luna mentioned by the warlock earlier.

Who was that woman? Was she Kaed Wen’s friend? Was she that or was she just another masters class.

***

After gathering a bunch of maladiroots without difficulty, I turned to the Sorcery Lab.

A man wearing a mask and a leather apron met me in front of the research institute. He introduced himself as a senior researcher of magic mathematics.

“I heard from Professor Ella. She says she’s looking for a doppler. Come on in.”

“You don’t have to be respectful.”

I must have been young for a while, but he treated me respectfully.

“The Masters Class is the most valuable resource in Eternia. You don’t have to be difficult because it’s the treatment you deserve.”

“….”

He led me past the research lab lobby and into the Witchbeast Dedicated Room. On both sides of the hallway, iron bars stretched like a prison, and various demons cried out at the sight of people inside.

“May I ask why you are looking for Doppler?”

“I am going to use it for an alchemy recipe.”

“Hmm…. Do you know what a Doppler is?”

“Aside from the fact that there have been cases where Dopplers have invaded Eternia… I don’t know.”

I have no idea what species it is or what it looks like.

Sylverin said the other day that the labyrinth was destroyed by Doppler. Anyway, it’s a dangerous species for sure.

“Ah, that happened. However, Doppler is not originally that dangerous.”

What do you mean it’s not dangerous after razing Eternia?

The researcher continued.

“Doppler comes from doppelganger. This is because it perfectly imitates the appearance of the target it has seen once. The archetype of Doppler itself is as intelligent as a dog or cat, and when in the wild, it is used only to avoid danger by transforming into a natural enemy of predators.”

“So how did that ruin Eternia?”

“When it is in human society, problems arise. They imitate human beings and copy the words and actions they have seen once. If you listen to what Doppler is saying, it sounds plausible on the surface, but when you examine the content, there is no context. I can’t even copy my thoughts, I just blindly copy them. So easy to catch. However, even if the pattern recognition ability is lower than that of humans, if the process of copying the appearance and following the behavior is repeated thousands of times, the Dopplers gradually learn the pattern. It enables basic human interaction.”

“….”

“In the next step, the Doppler gradually melts into human society. After that, problems arise. After about 30 to 50 years have elapsed since Doppler was undetected and incorporated into human society.”

“An interesting creature. What kind of problems are they mainly causing?”

“Dopplers have a very good understanding of relationships. If we don’t grasp the relationship, it’s because we evolved under the pressure of being eaten by predators. The important thing is that it is actively displayed in human society.”

“… ?”

“When Doppler meets someone, he transforms into a person with whom he can relate. Then he seduces his opponent into mouthing his own secretions. After that, they end up eating it.”

Listening to the explanation… I wonder if Doppler was not digging into the vulnerability of Eternia, but digging into the vulnerability of humans.

“How high was the Doppler that invaded Eternia?”

“The greater the number of people capable of copying, the higher the risk is measured. The Doppler was able to copy about 8,000 people. He remembered all the people he met, the way they talked, their habits. He also had the intelligence to have a light talk about the state of affairs in society.”

“The growth rate is slow because the innate pattern recognition ability is not as good as humans, but the problem is that Doppler has no growth limit. Cognitive ability also rises steeply when it crosses a certain line. The Magic Society is convinced that Dopplers are scattered even in large cities like the capital of the Empire. With so many interactions, the Dopplers there may have evolved to the point where they are indistinguishable from humans.”

The saying that there is no limit to growth is quite frightening.

“How about swordsmanship or magic?”

“Doppler, which is integrated into human society, is truly outstanding. Magic was uncertain, but recently there have been reports of the discovery of a Doppler that handles lower magic. It’s a proven case that high-level intellectual evolution is possible. “

“….”

“Some scholars of the Magic Society speculate that the Dopplers sit at the top of the pyramid of human society. Of course, it is treated as a conspiracy theory, but it is a story with its own basis.”

“A story that stimulates the imagination. Are the Dopplers stored on Eternia okay?”

“The Doppler we have is very safe. It was originally captured for research purposes, so there are only two people who copied it. We see up to 2,000 as a safe line. The current Doppler is more like a mysterious magic tool or toy than a creature.”

“I heard that the Doppler is an alien species. Do you have any evidence for that?”

“I don’t know how many of you have heard about the land of the dead, but it is the origin of the alien species. Dopplers are terribly afraid of going to the Land of the Dead, where they disintegrate into their original form. Just a lump of thought body. The academic world sees Doppler as a thought body floating in the dimensional world and manifested in the material world after receiving some kind of power. We are still researching what forces acted on it.”

When I reached the end of the hallway, a square cage made of steel blocked my way. There was only one thick door attached to it, and there was not even a small hole drilled so that one could not see inside.

“It houses the Doppler inside.”

“After hearing the story, I am very curious about what it looks like.”

“Unfortunately, Damian can’t check the Doppler. This is an order from above.”

“….”

“This is an unavoidable measure to reduce any unforeseen risks. Please wait in the lobby. Doppler’s bodily fluids will be taken care of by me.”

***

The researcher sent Damian to the lobby and took his gear. One was a glass bottle, and the other was a stone knife from the ‘Land of the Dead’.

The researcher unlocked the special cage and went inside.

The inside was divided in half by a white barbed wire, and inside the barn, Doppler, with chains attached to his limbs, squatted and greeted him.

“Hello.”

He shut the door tightly so that no sound could escape.

From noble mtl dot com

When Doppler sees a mask, a cognitive error occurs, so he randomly draws out a person in his memory and pours out his words.

However, this Doppler is only one person who can fully remember all forms. He pulled out all his memories of a person.

“… When can we see each other?”

A portrait of a boy is placed on the other side of the barbed wire blocking the Doppler. The researcher put a black tent over the picture.

“Remember when we decided to watch the sea together? We promised to live together in a house overlooking the sea.”

Doppler’s hair turned silver.

Damian deliberately emphasized the danger of Doppler, and even though he wore a mask that interfered with Doppler’s ability, there was a reason he did not let him in here.

“I entered the art department. If you know what I’m drawing… You will definitely like it.”

Because this cage was made for a mentally unstable girl.

For that girl’s doll play.

To soothe the anxious and painful heart.

Doppler, who had turned into a girl, suddenly buried his face in his lap and began to sob.

It was hard to watch. The researcher drew his sword and opened the barbed wire door to finish it quickly.

Lisa Pascal’s shadow chanted like that, pouring out tears.

“Damian…Damian, I miss you…I miss you so much.”