113 — Outside the Nest is Hell

1

[Kael, please step onto the arena.]

Hoo-!

Kael took a deep breath before stepping out of the waiting room.

Her eyes shimmered with anticipation.

Her movements were stiff, and her heart pounded as if it were about to burst.

Not because of the pressure of facing an assistant instructor, but because she wanted to impress someone.

Thinking about those blue eyes always filled her with a strong desire to improve.

She couldn’t wait to show him.

To prove that she hadn’t just been idly standing by.

‘I need to prove myself.’

With her hair tied up, she could feel the breeze more clearly.

The tightly secured coat gave her the illusion of being protected.

With a firm expression, she stepped into the arena.

Then she looked toward the spot where Manus had been.

“…What?”

He wasn’t there.

No matter how much she scanned the area, he was nowhere to be seen.

She could vaguely hear Pearson chattering away.

She also saw Melanie waving excitedly, her face flushed.

Above them, Alano and Nia watched her with smiles brimming with expectation.

All of it was good.

It was all good, except for the fact that the most important person was missing.

He had watched Anais’s match, but…

‘That’s just too much.’

Was she no longer necessary?

Had something happened?

Or perhaps…

Her eyes dulled with resignation.

Yes, she knew it too.

Manus was someone she wasn’t supposed to even look at, someone who was hard to reach.

They had met through a trivial connection, and she had received unbelievable help from him.

‘No, that’s enough. I should focus on what I need to do.’

Kael slapped her cheeks hard enough to make a loud smack.

Get a grip, Kael.

The important thing right now was the duel against the assistant instructor.

Manus would hear about it.

As long as she did her best so that he could smile when he heard the news, that was all that mattered.

She had decided not to wander anymore.

She had resolved not to live as the naive Kael anymore.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

She drew on her mana.

It felt as if Anais had already broken through a barrier.

Like when she had gained the ability to break and recombine two different types of magic.

That lead of hers would soon come to an end.

If that was the case, Kael had to push the assistant instructor in a completely different style.

Unlike the other two, she had no intention of dragging the match out.

What was her strength?

“Let’s begin.”

The assistant instructor with hollow eyes nodded.

Kael prepared a 4th-Class spell from the start.

Whoooom—.

Vast amounts of mana moved all at once, causing the air to tremble.

If Anais had used magic to make her enemies suffer a painful death, Kael used overwhelming destructive power that wouldn’t even allow the enemy to feel pain before obliterating them.

No need for warm-up, no time needed to adapt to the mana.

Just drawing the magic circle with her overwhelming talent.

“Starting with a 4th-Class spell? You came well-prepared, didn’t you?”

“A 1st-year using 4th-Class magic, that’s rare no matter how often I see it.”

4th-Class spells were usually attainable by 3rd or even 4th-year students.

And many still struggled to use anything beyond 3rd-Class spells.

For a 1st-year to use 4th-Class magic meant they possessed a talent that might appear only once in several centuries.

This generation had produced an abundance of such talents, so wasn’t it only right to feel joy?

The professors watched the advancing students with satisfied smiles.

Crack—!

A massive chunk of ice descended from the sky.

[Tufanta — Hiemo]

‘Dangerous—!’

4th-Class spells were so powerful that even an assistant instructor couldn’t afford to be careless.

If it struck directly, it could pierce from the crown of the head to the groin.

Not believing this was the skill of just a 1st-year, the instructor quickly moved out of the way.

[Aura Boost]

Boom!

The assistant instructor, blessed by the wind, advanced.

4th-Class.

Indeed, it was impressive.

The power and range of these spells were exceptional.

However, wide-range and highly destructive spells naturally came with risks.

Great magic created great openings, and large-scale spells didn’t differentiate between friend and foe.

The assistant instructor exploited this fact and closed in on Kael.

“What kind of magic will you use if I get close?”

The instructor asked.

Kael responded without a hint of agitation.

Already, a magic circle was glowing brilliantly before her eyes.

“Already—?”

“It’s my specialty.”

She filled the gap with high-speed casting and blocked the enemy’s approach.

Kael’s magic circle strongly repelled the advancing assistant instructor.

[Anima]

A gale blew.

A cutting wind struck the instructor fiercely.

Had he not been wearing special protective gear, his limbs would’ve been severed and blood spilled everywhere.

Kael’s eyes gleamed with mana.

Immediately after casting a 2nd-Class spell, she seamlessly transitioned to a 3rd-Class spell.

Double casting wasn’t a technique limited to just Manus and Alano.

If it was up to 3rd-Class, Kael could manage double casting as well.

“Double—?”

“It’s over.”

[Ignio]

Boom—!

Flames that were distinct from Anais’s consumed the assistant instructor.

In the time it took most to cast a single spell, she had cast two.

It was an astonishing speed and a remarkable display of destructive power.

Like a massive cannon firing flames, the fire magic surged forward.

Without time to react, the assistant instructor was engulfed in flames.

Silence fell over the entire arena.

“Yeah! Kael! You did great!”

Pearson’s boisterous voice broke the stillness.

With that, applause erupted.

Due to the severe damage to his protective equipment, the assistant instructor was teleported out of the arena.

“Ha… Did I just lose to a 1st-year?”

“You did your best. Don’t be too discouraged. It’s just that the kid has extraordinary talent.”

“Sigh… Understood, Professor.”

Professor Trail comforted him.

The disappointment must have been great.

To be outclassed by someone who had only just begun learning magic.

But that child could simply be sent to a place where she could reach even greater heights.

There were plenty of places in need of assistant instructors.

He was a talented individual as well.

Kael’s overwhelming power made even the 2nd and 3rd-year students nervous.

“That girl… she’s a real monster. She might even surpass Manus.”

“Right? By this time next year, she might have already surpassed him.”

Alano spoke with pure admiration.

She looked at Kael as a leader.

Someone to rely on while climbing the tower.

Someone to entrust the future to.

Although it was only a year, Kael would be truly impressive once she became the true leader of the academy.

By then, it would be nice if they could uncover all the secrets of the tower.

Alano watched her with a contented expression.

“If Manus had seen this, he’d probably say she’s becoming more like him. Don’t you think?”

“…You think so?”

Nia, on the other hand, wore a peculiar expression.

Eventually, she nodded begrudgingly.

That overwhelming presence was indeed reminiscent of Manus.

Could she become as cunning as Manus too?

Nia recalled the advice he had given her in the past and clicked her tongue.

She had given that advice caught up in the moment, but to think it would change the atmosphere so drastically.

Wasn’t it possible that her words had nurtured this giant monster?

‘No, if anything, becoming closer wouldn’t be bad, right?’

If she could get that monstrous junior to listen to her, Kael could grow into a valuable asset.

With unfocused eyes, Nia looked at Kael.

An awkwardly raised corner of her mouth and applause devoid of soul.

Nia envisioned a future that stretched further ahead.

2

On the way to the Chairman’s office.

Manus asked Aden, who was walking beside him.

“I’ll be going in alone this time.”

“May I ask why?”

“There’s something I need you to do here.”

“It’s an honor. I’ll carry it out, even if it costs me my life.”

For a moment, her eyes gleamed sharply.

As if she had found prey.

Even assassins with emotions had a will to carry out their missions.

If it was the command of the lord to whom they swore loyalty, that will burned even brighter.

“Keep a close watch on Nia. And… if you notice anything strange, report it immediately to the Chairman.”

“Do you only want me to watch?”

Manus nodded.

There hadn’t been any suspicious actions, so for now, it was best to observe.

More importantly, he needed to confirm the sense of unease he had been feeling.

‘Surely… it can’t be what I’m thinking.’

Manus assumed the worst-case scenario.

Then he quickly shook his head.

Such a situation would only arise if a villain was involved.

It wasn’t an incident that occurred naturally.

“If she’s in danger, help her. I’ll inform Umbra as well.”

“Understood.”

For her, the academy was a repository of information.

All the maids had to follow Aden’s orders, and now even the Caeser family’s Umbra would be cooperating with her.

There would be nothing happening within the academy that she wouldn’t know about.

And that meant there would be nothing that Caeser Manus wouldn’t know about either.

3

The Chairman’s office always exuded a warm atmosphere.

It was a place the protagonist often visited when tired or struggling.

Chairman Nyx was always there to soothe students with his kind words, making it a sanctuary of sorts.

As they opened the door and entered, a fragrant aroma wafted through the air.

Sniffing quietly, Aden recognized the scent of a rare tea.

“Ah, welcome. What brings you here?”

“I request an external deployment.”

“A deployment out of the blue… You must have a convincing reason for this, as always?”

The Chairman raised an eyebrow, curious.

That much was obvious.

Manus began to speak, recalling the upcoming day of calamity.

Two full moons.

When they are complete, the God of Death will awaken.

“The day when the two moons are complete is approaching.”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Eresis is on the move.”

“…Eresis?”

“It’s information from the family. My mother has taken action.”

Manus’s words were worth listening to carefully.

Caeser Beninitas.

If the Queen of the social world had moved, it wasn’t a trivial matter.

The Chairman clasped his hands together.

The slight forward tilt of his posture indicated he was ready to listen.

Manus gave a brief rundown of the situation.

“Several villages have been attacked. The events included demon summoning within the family’s territory.”

“Then that means…”

“The timing is unfortunately coinciding.”

“…I understand. There are likely those targeting the academy from outside as well.”

His expression twisted into a frown.

The issue with the tower alone was serious, but now there were various enemies moving from outside as well.

A time flowing unstably both within and without.

Time that was steadily winding the clock towards destruction.

Many rejoiced in this time leading towards ruin.

To apply the crime of insolence to such people, a hammer was needed.

‘Coincidentally—’

The Chairman saw a perfect hammer.

A hammer capable of smashing the skull of those instigating destruction and breaking the clockwork driving towards ruin.

He nodded deeply.

Yes, it was now time for him to gain experience out in the world.

–TL Notes–
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