43 – Contempt
“I’m sorry, but I cannot provide information about the beings. Please understand.”
Although I tried to obtain information about Copsen and Jade from the academy lobby’s staff, they politely declined.
It might seem like an obvious outcome. The Empire’s top academy surely wouldn’t engage in divulging personal information.
Moreover, since most of the beings are nobles, it’s even more unlikely.
“Hmm…”
In that case, it seems I have to personally gather information about Copsen and Jade…
Alright. In times like these, there’s the most effective and straightforward method.
“Excuse me… I have a question.”
“M-me?! Uh… here, this is my Akaphone.”
Asking the beings directly… but why is he handing me an Akaphone?
“Oh, no, it’s not that. I’m looking for a being, and I was wondering if you know Copsen and Jade?”
“Ah… Wait. What did you say? Copson and Jade?”
The expression on Ye Sang-do’s face, which had been somewhat regretful, suddenly turned contemptuous as if recalling something disgusting upon hearing those names.
“Excuse me. Why are you looking for those… no, those Sang-do people?”
“Oh. I have something to discuss with them.”
“Ha… I thought spring had finally come for me… sigh.”
“Well… could you at least tell me the dormitory numbers of Copson and Jade?”
“Sigh. 118 and 119. Got it? Anyway, you’re probably just like them. Disgusting.”
It seemed like she thought I was associated with them. Ye Sang-do gave me a disdainful look, criticized me as disgusting, and left.
“What could Copson and Jade be doing to make these Sang-do people hate them so much…?”
Come to think of it, asking Ye Sang-do for the dormitory numbers of the male Sang-do students was a foolish thing to do. But even so, the fact that Ye Sang-do knew their dormitory numbers…
It must be something bad that they are doing, something that even Ye Sang-do can see. Maybe the group assault I witnessed earlier was just the tip of the iceberg.
“Hmm. Should I go to the dormitory and see for myself?”
The male dormitory was right across from the female dormitory, so I knew the way. Since they were also Sang-do students, it would be difficult to meet them now when most of the Sang-do students were attending classes.
Anyway, it would be better than doing nothing. I stepped into the male dormitory.
“117… 118. Here.”
I arrived at Copson’s room, as Ye Sang-do had told me. They might look completely normal to ordinary people…
‘… Look at this.’
[Dark magic detected. Would you like to absorb it?]
As someone with the mana, I could feel a faint but definite presence of dark magic emanating from this room, much weaker than the headquarters of the dark mages.
Just to be sure, I checked the adjacent room, Room 119, and found the remnants of the same dark magic.
It seems certain now that Cobson and Jade are connected to the black sorcerer.
“Hmm… How should I handle this?”
It’s a bit risky to break down the door and enter the room right now. Being the top academy on the continent, they must have taken enough precautions for situations like this.
Perhaps an alarm will go off the moment I cause any harm inside the room.
If that’s the case, I’ll have to wait until Cobson and Jade come back…
“I can’t even be sure they’ll return to the dormitory today. What should I do?”
There’s a possibility that they won’t come back to the dormitory today, and even if they do, it’ll be late.
Today, there’s a rumor that the entire student body has a mandatory event to attend, so everyone will be late.
Furthermore, even if they come back late, it will be close to curfew in the dormitory. In that case, I should also go back to my own room.
“It would be great if I don’t get caught… Is there any good solution?”
But just because I wish for it, a transparent cloak won’t suddenly fall from the sky.
“…But absorbing this black magic power right now might be beneficial.”
While I was pondering a solution, that thought suddenly came to mind. If I absorb this black magic power right now, I have a feeling that I’ll grow one step further.
[Black magic power detected. Do you want to absorb it?]
Anyway, even if I don’t absorb this black magic power right now, there’s no way I can let others know about it.
I immediately absorbed the black magic power. A strange black energy slowly pulled towards me from beyond the room, and I felt something gradually building up inside me.
[Sufficient black magic power absorbed. Total amount of black magic power increases!]
[Mastery level of black magic power: Lv.2 —＞ Lv.3]
[Black Magic Category] ★ NEW! ★
As my status window flashed, I felt like I would be able to use some new skills. With that in mind, I eagerly entered the black magic category.
[Ma’an (Lv:???) : Eye of the Magician. It can comprehend and reverse the entire structure of black magic.]
[Dark Sphere (Lv:3) : The most basic attack technique. It launches a spear of darkness imbued with a negating energy.]
[Manipulation of Dark Magic (Lv:1) : Through manipulation of dark magic, one can conceal the deception within dark magic and give it the appearance of regular magic. (However, it requires 1.5 times the amount of dark magic, and it does not apply to dark magic that exceeds the user’s limit.)]
[Concealment (Lv:1) : ★ By negating the world, it renders the viewer unable to perceive one’s presence. (However, the negation disappears the moment even one person detects one’s appearance or aura.)] ★
“….Are they really watching me from the sky?”
The transparent cloak that I had mentioned in passing actually fell towards me. Of course, it had the disadvantage of being nullified once exposed.
But then, as long as I don’t get caught, it should be fine, right? The transparent cloak had the problem of needing to be worn inside out to maintain its effect, but as long as the dark magic allowed, I could sustain it infinitely.
“Alright. I don’t know how things are going so smoothly, but… Let’s give it a try.”
For now, since I couldn’t do anything at the moment, I needed to prepare in my room until it was time for the newcomers to return.
***
Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-
A bell that rang louder than any bell I had heard before. Judging by the time, it seemed like this was the last bell.
Ding-ling-
Ariel: I’ll find out what you’ve been up to all day today. I’ll hear about it tomorrow.
Ariel: See you tomorrow.
Just then, Ariel also sent me a message through the Acaphone. It seemed like all the classes were over now.
Me: Good job. See you tomorrow.
After sending a reply to Ariel, I finished preparing to leave the dormitory.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Just in case, I brought my robe… It’s helpful.”
I wore the robe and mask that I used to wear when I was with Ariel. At the same time, it felt as if I had become a different person, and my mind became calm.
‘Concealment.’
As I whispered to myself, my dark magic seemed to gradually fade away. I genuinely wondered if it had worked, so I looked down at my hands.
However, my hands still appeared. Moving and shaking as usual.
“What’s this? Did it really work?”
Certainly, I could sense the dark magic slowly dissipating. Is this something only I can see?
“….Huh. I don’t know. Let’s just go out once.”
In a manner of “whatever will be, will be,” I blindly opened the door and stepped outside. In the corridor outside, there were students wandering around the dormitory, all giving me surprised expressions as they looked at the open door.
– Whoa, what’s going on?
– Did someone sprint out of their room the moment they opened the door? What’s up?
Just to test, I approached them, waving my hand in front of their eyes, but it seemed like they couldn’t see me, passing by as if I wasn’t there.
“It seems to have worked. Well then, shall I go back to Room 118?”
Even as I walked back to Room 118, I didn’t feel a single gaze directed at me.
“Ugh… damn. This is really not fun.”
“That’s right. Should I just drop out?”
Fortunately, at the moment I arrived in front of Room 118, the faces I saw in the morning appeared. Impressions that looked dirty at first glance. It was Copes and Jade.
“Sigh… But if I drop out, won’t I get beaten like a dog by my father?”
“…….Can’t be helped, I guess.”
Seems like they’re scared of their fathers too. Pathetic guys.
Copes and Jade opened the door to Room 118 and went in. Just before the door closed, I slipped my body in, entering Room 118 without anyone noticing.
“Damn. Let’s just hurry up and go to the gathering.”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
As they spoke, they retrieved black robes and masks hidden in the corner of the wardrobe and began to put them on.
The robes, now familiar with their patterns, were the robes of a black sorcerer that had become accustomed over time.
“Look at these kids. Seems like more than just one or two, huh?”
A gathering. Copes had definitely mentioned that. That meant, the number of black sorcerers was not small.
…At the Empire’s largest academy, bugs like these were crawling around.
“Let’s go. We need to hurry.”
Having changed into their robes, the novices who had now become black sorcerers stepped outside the door. But… wouldn’t they be caught by the guards like this? After the dormitory curfew, the guards were supposed to be patrolling.
…Wait a minute. Could it be?
Swoosh – nod.
As soon as they opened the door, they met eyes with the guard. Though they wondered, the guard confirmed their actions, nodded, and resumed patrolling.
…Oh my goodness. Were even the guards part of the remnants of the black sorcerers? Just where in the world is this academy decaying from?
Descending the stairs, Copes and Jade went down again to the lobby, then once more into the underground. Rumor had it that the only thing underground was a warehouse.
Reaching the underground, they reached a room filled with materials. After confirming that no one was watching, they pushed aside the stacked materials and opened the hidden door.
‘But I don’t know if I was watching.’
Before the door closed, I followed them into the door. The first things I saw were a long tunnel and a purple torch embedded in the wall.
Furthermore, as they entered the tunnel, a dense dark magic was felt from all directions. It was incomparable to the dens of black sorcerers felt so far, a strong and malicious dark magic swept strongly.
As if cursing everything in the world and expressing an endless negative aura, I felt something rising in that ominous energy.
[An immense dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is gradually increasing!]
‘Just standing still here seems to make me stronger.’
The total amount of dark magic increased in real time, rendering the dark magic I used for concealment meaningless.
As I marveled at this, Copson and Jade had already walked far ahead. I hurried to follow them before it was too late.
The intricately dug dirt tunnel seemed endless, almost unbelievably so.
And the tunnel gradually descended. I could feel it leading deeper underground, the dark magic growing more intense.
After some time, they stood before a massive door leaking overwhelming dark magic. The door, black and enormous, was fully visible in what was now a vast cavern, not just a tunnel.
And in front of that tunnel stood a person clad in a similarly black robe.
“Show the relic.”
“Here it is.”
At the man’s demand to show the relic, Copson took out a glass bead radiating dark magic from his possession and showed it. The man nodded after confirming the bead.
Boom…!
Simultaneously, the giant door began to tremble and slowly opened. The dark magic, once confined behind the tightly closed door, started to spread, threatening to engulf everything in this world.
[Overwhelming dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]
[Overwhelming dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]
[Overwhelming dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]
[Proficiency in Dark Magic Lv.3 —＞ Lv.4]
[Overwhelming dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]
[Overwhelming dark magic is sensed! The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]
As the door opened wider, the status screen glowed madly. Simultaneously, I felt the dormant dark magic within me growing stronger.
What on earth is inside there? Now, it’s beyond my imagination.
Just before the door fully opened, I could vaguely see some people gathered and sitting inside the space beyond the door.
Just as I was about to get closer to confirm their identities.
Ding-
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
‘….What? Why all of a sudden…’
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
[Warning! Your identity may be exposed!]
As the door opened and their figures were revealed, the status window began to blink wildly.