32 – Hostage(1)
An hour ago.
After lunch, the S-Class students all gathered together.
Well, to be precise, only half had gathered.
Elaine looked a little gloomy as if she was disappointed.
“It would have been nice if the rest came as well. It’s a pity.”
“There’s nothing we can do.”
Ray responds to Elaine with a smile.
Rowe and Dab couldn’t attend together because they had lectures in the afternoon.
In the case of Ellie, she said she had something else to do.
As a result, only these three could gather inevitably.
-Pff!
Elaine pierced a piece of cake on the table with a fork.
Then, she puts it into her mouth.
-Munch munch.
The sweet cream could be tasted in her mouth.
After swallowing the cake, she asked with a voice full of curiosity,
“Aren’t you curious about something more than that?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Maria and Rei tilt their heads in confusion.
Then, Elaine, after looking around, covers her mouth with her hand and quietly asks for only them to hear.
“Aren’t you curious about Professor Kael’s identity?”
“……”
There was a moment of awkard silence between the three of them.
Then, Elaine says with a pure smile,
“Think about it. The strange magic and power shown by the professor. Even defeated a hero. What could his true identity be?”
“It is curious. There’s no one else with such power that I’ve seen besides the master.”
As if agreeing with Elaine’s words, Rei nods his head.
While quietly listening to the two’s conversation, Maria sighed within herself.
‘Sigh. Why does the professor have to hide his true identity.’
Well, she had roughly guessed to some extent.
Every now and then, even she, who is known as the daughter of the Tower Magician, has students trying to be friendly with her.
If so, how much more for a Grand Magician who has enough ability to be praised by the world?
‘I swear, there will be an uproar at the academy.’
From Noble mtl dot com
Especially among women without saying.
Currently, Kael’s popularity is quite overwhelming amongst the professors.
Didn’t he even win first place in the beauty vote among the women?
What if, on top of that, he has the background of being a Grand Magician?
‘I can’t even imagine the chaos.’
While Maria was poking her tongue inside for a moment,
“I’ll just go to the restroom for a minute.”
Elaine stands up from her seat.
Hearing that, Maria and Rei nodded.
Elaine gracefully made her way towards the restroom.
And then, after a moment.
“Hoo.”
She had finished all her errands and had just come out after washing her hands.
At that moment.
“Finally alone.”
Suddenly a man in a robe appeared in front of her.
Upon his appearance, Elaine tilted her head.
“Huh, who are you?”
Hael, the owner of the question, took off his robe instead of answering.
The next moment, Elaine widened her eyes at the sight of Hael’s face.
‘Huh? The man Professor knocked down?!’
An unexpected appearance created a brief moment of vulnerability in Elaine.
Hael quickly took advantage of that gap to strike the back of her neck with his hand.
-Thud!
After being hit by his hand, her body gradually became powerless.
Instinctively, Elaine drew out magical energy.
Soon, she quickly drew its contours.
“I won’t let you cast a spell.”
Hael gagged her with an old handkerchief on her defiant nose.
The next moment, her eyelids began to slowly close.
‘He, help.’
With that thought, Elaine’s sight completely blacked out.
***
Maria contacted me.
Quickly receiving the communication, Maria’s anxious voice came from the magical communication device.
-Professor! Elaine has been kidnapped.
“Are you sure?”
-Yes. Elaine went to the restroom and didn’t return, so I went to investigate. I found her student ID on the floor. I also felt a trace of magical energy.
Having heard the explanation, it’s clear that Elaine was indeed kidnapped as expected.
I asked Maria a question.
“Are you alone now?”
– No, I’m with Ray.
“Then, you should go back to the Academy with Ray. You could also be targeted.”
-Yes, I understand. Professor.
With those words, Maria ended the contact.
I exhaled shallowly and soon took out the communication magic tool that Sariel handed over.
As I infused magic into the device.
– Um, darling, I just need to inform you of the kidnapper of the student, right?
The answer I wanted came straight from Sariel’s mouth.
“How did you know?”
-Well, it’s because ‘we’ were watching him.
The ‘we’ she referred to must surely include me.
So, I had a rough idea of what kind of guy the culprit might be.
I immediately voiced my thoughts.
“Is the culprit a group called Kali?”
– Yeah. More precisely, it’s a guy named Hail.
“….”
Upon hearing her words, I completely understood.
The reason Hail kidnapped Elaine was probably to lure me in.
They must have found the murderer who killed the servant in the group named Kali.
And knowing that it was me, Hail kidnapped a student in order to take revenge.
‘They must have kidnapped Elaine, who killed a member of Kali, killing two birds with one stone.’
I didn’t think I would find out who the culprit was this quickly.
By this point, it makes one wonder what this force called Kali does.
Anyway, be that as it may.
“So, did you find out where that guy is?”
-Well, I already know that much. How should I go?
“No, if other guys come, the student will definitely be harmed. So, let me go alone.”
-Okay. Well, you alone are more than enough. I’m going to send you the coordinates, so head there.
“I will do that.”
“Ah, I feel sorry for the kidnapper.”
With that comment, Sariel cut off the communication.
At the same time,
– Oof.
A set of coordinates flew in through the magic communication device.
‘I need to get there as soon as possible.’
With that thought, I headed towards the destination.
***
At that moment,
Elaine, kidnapped by Hail,
Slowly started opening her eyes.
“Ugh…”
She slowly lifted her heavy eyelids.
And then, as if she had closed her eyes, it was pitch dark in front of her.
‘Where am I?’
Just when she is about to figure out what’s happening,
– Clank!
Unexpectedly, her body wouldn’t move.
Wandering what happened, she moves her gaze down.
Then, she saw strange iron chains tying her to a pillar.
It appears she has indeed been kidnapped.
‘I need to escape from here.’
Thinking so, just when she is about to break the chains,
– Screech!
The door in the room opened harshly.
The next moment, the man who had kidnapped her lit up the room with a magic lamp.
Soon after, he narrows his eyes upon seeing Elaine.
“It seems you’ve woken up.”
“You are…?!”
Seeing him, Elaine was taken by surprise once more.
She was certain that Kael died last time.
However, how is it possible for the man she saw die with her own two eyes to be alive in front of her?
As Elaine pondered, Hail, as though reading her thoughts, answered her question.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not the person you know.”
“What?”
“I’m that guy’s twin brother.”
Hearing this, her doubt was instantly resolved.
There was a reason for everything, including her abduction.
“Your expression tells me that you understand the current situation.”
“Yes. It would be strange if I didn’t understand.”
“Good. Then call your teacher.”
“……..”
At his words, Elaine remained silent.
Seeing her reaction, Hail furrowed his brow.
“It seems you are seriously misunderstanding. I’m not requesting, I’m threatening.”
With that, he drew a sword.
-Gulp!
Feeling his murderous intent, Elaine realized that Hail wasn’t joking around.
But, should she really call Kael?
She knew how powerful he was.
However, clearly, the man in front of her has undoubtedly set a trap.
She wondered if it was really right to call her professor into such a situation.
“You should think before you act. I’ll start by cutting off one ear…”
-Kwaah!
Suddenly, a huge blast sounded.
She wasn’t the only one who heard it; Hail whipped his head around too.
Then, he grins.
“I don’t know how, but it seems your teacher has arrived. “
With that, he touched the magic orb in the room.
Soon, he opened his mouth with a sinister smile.
“Watch well beyond the screen as your professor dies in agony.”
Hail imbued magic into the magic circle.
Next moment.
-Vroom.
Energy gushed from the magic circle and a mana screen was created.
-Clink.
Elaine swallowed dryly at the unfolded spectacle before her eyes.
She had thought that Kael would indeed die in agony as said,
But, an unexpected result occurred.
-Boom!
“What?”
Remarkably, wasn’t he breaking through the trap that he set up as if he was taking a walk?
Seeing that, both Hail and Elaine opened their eyes wide.
“What on earth is that?!”
Hail instinctively understood after seeing that.
His carefully arranged plan has been thoroughly upset.