141. Before Infiltrating the Student Hall (3)
“I didn’t even say I would accept the deal, so why did you tell me?”
Ask.
Then Nina answered with an expressionless face.
“I’m not good at negotiating. So all I can do is ask.”
“Please…”
I didn’t expect that word to come from Nina. Nina is a person who is not used to interacting with others.
Concerned, I secretly checked the relationship level.
—
Nina Lv.? : Relationship level 3
—
‘… At what point did you reach level 3?’
It must have been that we didn’t interact that much. Come to think of it, was Nina a character that was easy to raise the bond level for?
At the 3rd level of relationship, would it be more than an acquaintance and less than a friend?
Among acquaintances, he is treated as a fairly close being.
“I can tell you what I know. However, there are conditions.”
“How about conditions?”
“Don’t tell senior Benit.”
“……Why?”
With that said, Nina softened her eyes as if a little embarrassed.
Certainly, if you look at it this way, it feels a bit more colorful than Erana or Tia. Nina seems like a cool character, but when you get to know her, she’s a completely different character.
“Just because you know, you can’t do anything. Anyway, even if you don’t tell me, Benit-senpai will know naturally, and even if Benit-senpai takes action at that time, it won’t be too late.”
“…….”
“If you want to know, I will teach you. But only you know.”
I said so.
Nina seemed a bit hesitant, but
“Yes, thank you for letting me know.”
Soon she nodded.
After thinking for a while, I open my mouth.
“It’s clear that it occurred in the Catacombs dungeon. But it’s not like an airborne infection. Through facing it and understanding it, you’re also deteriorating… It’s kind of like that.”
Meanwhile, I gave examples of the ghost story of Kunekune and the myth of Cthulhu.
Of course, everyone seems to know nothing about the ghost story of Kunekune. While saying that, Marie makes a slightly frightened expression. Perhaps there is no such thing as a Kunekune ghost story in this world.
“Umm~, it’s a story that seems to happen in a folk tale somewhere~.”
Claire, on the other hand, seemed to have something on her mind.
Perhaps Claire had heard of a similar book or story. Even though Claire looks like that, her hobby is reading.
“If your existence changes just by looking at it, isn’t Benit-sama also dangerous?”
“If you have strong faith or strong willpower, there should be no problem. But it’s not good to face it too much. This kind of thing keeps accumulating and explodes all at once when it crosses a certain line.”
In that respect, Benit is rather safe. It is because you are a priest.
In addition to that, he added that the infection would be slightly lessened if he frequently encountered the priest’s sacred arts or holy items.
“Although it’s my guess, the Student Knights said they had reached the ninth floor of the Catacombs dungeon and finished clearing it. They must have witnessed something there. A mythical creature…They saw and understood something similar to the demon Joshua had summoned. Everyone must have been like that.”
“…However, the scope of the infection extends beyond the Student Templars.”
“There is a saying that if you look into the abyss, the abyss is also looking this way. It is said that those who fight monsters become monsters as well.”
So, to sum it up, it’s like this.
The Student Knights went down to the ninth floor of the Catacombs Dungeon and faced a certain monster there.
In the process of fighting that monster, the knights had already deteriorated to some extent.
It returned to the floating island in a state where the deterioration did not stop, and the cumulative number of infections rose explosively all at once, eventually becoming infected.
Other students who witnessed the degenerated student knights also increased their cumulative infection count,
In addition to the student knights, people who had already been to the Catacombs dungeon, and those who had originally had low Faith and Will stats began to become infected.
As a result, the apocalypse occurred.
“…Does this mean that we have to defeat all the student knights to solve this problem?”
“I can’t say anything about that. But I’m sure something happened to Jaca Ancilla, who was leading the student knights.”
“Lady Jaca Ancilla…”
Nina held her mouth shut.
She must have already come and she has witnessed what happened to Jay Carr.
“This is the end of the story. If you want to hear another story, tell Benit-senpai to listen to Lucius after everything is over.”
Auditorium.
It is a place you will visit several times during the course of the story.
The first time was during the entrance ceremony.
The second time was when I was evacuating because of the terrorist incident caused by Elpis Bamir.
After this, I still go to the auditorium several times.
“In Chapter 2, I wouldn’t have had to go to the auditorium.”
I muttered that.
We are currently moving to the main auditorium.
“According to the Master’s words, does it mean that Jaca Ancilla is the culprit behind this incident?”
Rachel asks.
I caught a glimpse of Claire’s expression as she walked ahead of her, but there was no reaction from her. I think she was close enough to call Jay Carr her sister.
Do you have no idea, or have you already made up your mind?
Is it him or is he just hiding his feelings?
Claire, who has excellent political skills, is also good at managing facial expressions, so I can’t tell them apart.
“It is said that it is highly likely.”
“Then, are we going to solve the current case? It seemed that Lucius had been entrusted with solving this situation.”
“That’s right. Whether or not Jayka is the culprit, we have no intention of stepping out on our own.”
“Then why did you ask to go to the auditorium?”
“Just in case.”
Apocalypse started 4 days early, which caused several things to go wrong.
No, maybe there was a problem before then. When Jay Carr reached the ninth floor of the Catacombs Dungeon, she wondered if something had happened unexpectedly.
If that led to the apocalypse starting 4 days early, it makes sense.
“If Lucius can solve this situation, I’m good. But there is a possibility that he can’t solve it.”
In particular, it was unexpected that a ‘professor’ would step forward.
Fortunately, it was already confirmed through Rose’s That Tia had safely joined Lucius, so it would be difficult for the professor to go any further than this.
But did I say it ain’t over until it’s over?
The moment Lucius bumped into Jayka, if the professor suddenly stepped out…….
‘… Lucius will be in danger.’
No matter what, the death of the main character must be avoided.
So I concluded that I had no choice but to wait nearby for a minimum preparation.
That’s how we arrived at the large auditorium.
Monsters from the abyss continue to pour out of that place.
“Wow, that number. Isn’t that a joke?
“It pours like a factory.”
Claire let out a sigh, probably thinking that this was not the case, and Rachel also uttered a slightly bewildered voice.
“Come to think of it, young master, I now understand the infected students and animals. What are those monsters doing that make them appear like that?”
Questions fly in.
It was Rachel who asked, but she looked at me as if everyone was curious…. It’s a bit burdensome.
“I don’t know that much. You’ll know what’s going on inside when you see it yourself.”
“What? Are you thinking of going in there?”
“It can’t be.”
I shook my head.
Then, take your eyes off the auditorium and look at the other buildings.
There is a building that stands out not far from the main auditorium.
This is the student hall.
The student center is the center of this floating island. It is the most central building of the academy campus.
All the buildings of the academy campus are arranged around the student hall,
Therefore, although it is located in the opposite direction from here, the cultural center is not too far from the student union building.
“Claire, do you know about the situation at the student center?”
“About the student center… Come to think of it, haven’t you heard anything? Are you going to the student center?”
“I think so.”
You can’t keep snooping around the auditorium until Lucius comes. Even so, if something happens to Lucius and his party, he must be within a distance to respond right away.
Above all, the student hall has it.
A mirror room.
“Use the mirror room to check the inside of the auditorium first.”
So we turned around and moved towards the student hall.
Monsters continue to attack you whenever you move. But it wasn’t anything to worry too much about.
With just one swing of Erua’s sword, enemies’ heads were blown off, and Rachel’s centipede bit all enemies coming from behind to kill them.
If Claire builds a wall and narrows the entryway for monsters, and Rachel puts up a wide-area barrier…… It can be said that it is truly invincible.
‘… I’ve become too sensible.’
It seems that even during vacation, I twisted my body around the dungeon, but can it be this easy… ?
If you approach the Student Union Building, feeling a strange sense of guilt,
A familiar face can be seen near the entrance.
“…Professor Catherine.”
Short enough to be mistaken for a middle school student, and a face that can only be said to be young. However, the atmosphere is still that of a mature woman.
There was Professor Catherine along with the students who seemed to be leading members.
“Student Beheritt, you’re all right.”
“Yeah, somehow….Anyway, what are you doing in a place like this?”
I didn’t feel like I was evacuating. Rather, is it closer to the feeling that you are peeking at an opportunity?
When I ask, Professor Catherine nods her head heavily.
“She was getting ready to enter the student hall. Are you a Beheritt student and are you evacuating to the student hall?”
“For now, I can see that.”
“If you’re going to evacuate, it’s better to go to the Sacred Combat Department building. The student hall has already been taken over by monsters.”
“…A fall?”
I inadvertently asked back at the unexpected word.
Then Professor Catherine explains.
“As you can see, monsters are constantly pouring out of the auditorium. As a result, the student center right next to the auditorium was quickly captured.”
The Student Union Building is also the main base for the Student Council, one of the three major organizations of Philea Academy. So, at first, the student council president, Wiris Tanpel, was responding well somehow.
However, the defense gradually begins to crumble due to the constant offensive,
It is said that students who thought they could not hold out any longer abandoned the student center and escaped to another place.
“However, there was a problem with the escape process. Not all students were able to escape.”
“…Students are confined to the student hall as well.”
It was similar to the cultural center.
However, in the case of the Cultural Center, students are scattered all over the building, but the Student Union Building seems to have somehow managed to gather the remaining students into the Student Council room.
The student council room is also a space where access is as strict as the rooftop garden of the cultural center.
So, it is said that the remaining students are currently holding a sit-in in the student council room and waiting for rescue.
“That’s why we’re requesting support from other professors. We plan to recapture the student union once the support forces gather to a certain extent.”
Having said that, Professor Catherine gave her a small chin.
Then, two members of the leadership team approached me.
“Student Beherit, please move to the Sacred Warfare Department building. It will be the safest there.”
“…Get out of here?”
“Yes, it is.”
Professor Katherine tilts her head as if that’s strange.
Feel the temperature difference. The opposite treatment from the situation at the Cultural Center earlier.
At that time, Hilka complained that she had to save her princess first after seeing me, but Professor Catherine didn’t ask for that. Rather evacuate, she says.
Even though I know that the one next to me is Erua, who is said to be the strongest in the academy.
In other words, it’s up to adults to do it from here on out.
‘… It’s difficult.’
I want to enter the mirror room, so I feel like I’ll be rejected for some reason even if I ask to be included. Students are told to quietly go to a safe place.
…… I can’t help it.
“Okay. I’ll move to the Holy Combat Division building. But one escort is enough.”
I said while looking at Erea.
At least this is enough for Professor Catherine to understand. She said that Er A would escort her, so there was no need for her to attach two people.
“Okay. Student Linnet, please escort Student Beheritt to the Sacred Warfare Department building.”
“So how much is it, Miss Lynette?”
After a while, we entered a nearby dark alleyway.
“Oh, no… Professor Catherine told me to go to the Sacred Warfare Department building…”
“Hmm, should I start with 100,000 gold?”
Claire sneakily pokes the bill.
Then Lynette’s eyes widened.
“There are monsters in the student union building, so it’s dangerous… That’s…”
“Oh, 100,000 gold isn’t enough? I’ll give you another one.”
Swoop. Banknotes are superimposed on banknotes.
The more this happens, the more Lynette’s eyes shake as if an earthquake happened,
Even so, she can hardly take her eyes off the bill.
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“I can’t…”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let Professor Catherine know.”
“That, ugh…”
“She said she was Lynette. For our honor, she’s not really breaking the rules.”
At Claire’s side, I decided to help.
Then he checks the inside of his pocket. How much did I bring today?
“The leadership team’s final decision will be held by Bianca Plach, the head of the leadership team, and Belairam Anderson, her deputy. Professor Catherine can give advice to the leadership team, but she cannot act like a private at will.”
This is because Philea Academy values student autonomy. That’s why, even if Professor Catherine was serving as the advisor in charge of the leadership department, her speaking power would never surpass that of Bela Laram.
The reason the leading members now follow Professor Catherine’s instructions is because Bianca and Belairam are in different places.
“And I helped Belairam Anderson restore the Magical Warfare building, and with Bianca Plach, I recaptured the Cultural Center building.”
“Am I really…”
“If you don’t believe me, you can check it out.”
I took three bills out of my wallet.
Total 500,000 gold.
“Huh…”
“So it’s no problem if we go inside the student union building. I’ll ask the other way around. Is there a rule to punish us for not obeying Professor Catherine?”
“That, that’s…”
“Tell me if you have.”
“Ugh, ugh…”
Lynette trembled as if frightened.
I had Claire slip the bill into Linnet’s pocket.
“Whether you block us or not, we’re going into the student union building. If you, as a member of the lead club, report to Professor Catherine, I won’t stop you. But is that the right thing to do?”
“Ariel is right. If Professor Catherine hears that we’re going in, it’s going to be an uproar? You say you need to help us quickly, and you might be destroyed by the Witchbeast while leading the leading members?”
“On the other hand, we can move around the Student Center building safely. There is Erua, who is said to be the strongest in the academy, and Claire, who is said to be the future leader of the student knights.”
I patted the tuk-tuk Claire on the back.
Then Claire said ‘… Is it?’ He was looking at me with that gaze, but decided to pretend he didn’t know anything. Originally, I had to be a bit harsh, so gaslighting worked well, right?
“So all you have to do is keep the secret. If anything happens, don’t worry. Claire, who is favored by Her Highness the Princess, will cover it in any way.”
“Ahh…”
“Did you understand that, Ms. Lynette? Oh, this is for secrecy.”
Like that, I took out a few more bills and put them in.
After 10 minutes, we arrived at the back door of the student union building.
“If you go this way you won’t get noticed, Miss Lynette?”
“Yes, yes…. The rear gate decided to hold on after more reinforcements gathered, so surveillance here is light…”
“Really? Then we’ll have to finish the job quickly before reinforcements arrive.”
Giggling, Claire put her arm around Lynette’s shoulder. What you’re doing is completely bullsh*t.
As for Lynette, you can leave it to Claire.
I looked around and gestured slightly.
“Let’s enter.”
Nothing better than good old gaslighting.