It Turned Out Way More Sensible Than I Expected

I supported Sherry as we made our way to the Vice Academy Director’s Office, located at the far end of the first floor. Along the way, I’d quietly forced about five more extras to make their permanent exits from the stage.

We pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside.

The room featured a tasteful reception set right in the center, with tall bookshelves lining every inch of the walls. A practical-looking desk in the back was buried under piles of documents, bathed in the soft light filtering through a north-facing window.

It felt like a refined, adult space.

Sherry began rummaging through the desk drawers with the practiced ease of someone who knew exactly where everything was.

"Try not to make too much noise," I warned.

From the other side of the desk, a tuft of pink hair nodded vigorously.

"Phew..."

I sprawled out on a two-seater sofa and let out a long, heavy sigh.

Man, I was beat.

Sherry is definitely the main character of this arc, but there’s just no way. She could never clear this scenario on her own. Usually, there’s supposed to be a ‘buddy’ character for situations like this, but I haven't seen a trace of one. This is a seriously flawed script.

After agonizing over it, I’d finally decided to intervene in the role of a Helpful Mob.

I am a mob. I will never, ever play the hero in public. Absolutely not.

"I found it!" Sherry announced.

She hurried back from the desk, clutching a stack of papers, and spread them out on the coffee table.

"What am I looking at?"

Characters, diagrams, formulas... none of it made a lick of sense to me.

"This is an Artifact called the ‘Eye of Avarice.’ It’s almost certainly what’s currently inhibiting everyone's Magic Power."

She showed me an ominous-looking sketch of a sphere about the size of a ping-pong ball.

"The Eye of Avarice absorbs and stores all nearby Magic Power. As long as it's active, it’s nearly impossible to refine Magic Power in its vicinity."

"But the guys in black were using magic just fine," I pointed out.

"They likely had the Eye of Avarice memorize their specific Magic Power wavelengths beforehand. I’ve already confirmed that it doesn't absorb registered magic. It also has trouble absorbing extremely minute traces of magic or magic moving with immense momentum, but those aren't things we can normally handle anyway."

I see.

"It’s a troublesome Artifact based on that alone, but the Eye of Avarice can also utilize the magic it stores. Its original purpose was likely just that—a battery—but researchers eventually dismissed it as a flawed Artifact because it couldn't store magic for long periods."

"So if long-term is a no-go, short-term is just fine?"

"Exactly. Right now, many Spellswords are being held in the Grand Lecture Hall. If all the Magic Power being absorbed there were suddenly released... the entire academy would be leveled."

"Huh. No kidding."

"I researched and deciphered this Eye of Avarice once before. Realizing how dangerous it was, I decided not to publish my findings and instead turned it over to the state for safekeeping... How did it end up like this?"

Sherry looked at me with a dejected, vulnerable gaze.

"Either there’s a second one, or it was stolen," I said. "So, do you have a way to deal with it?"

"I do."

Sherry nodded and pulled out a large, clunky pendant.

"That's one ugly pendant."

"I believe this is the Control Device for the Eye of Avarice. The Eye wasn't meant to be used alone; it was designed to work in tandem with this device. If we use them together, the theory that it’s a 'flawed' Artifact incapable of long-term storage might not even hold true."

"You mean it can store magic long-term?"

"I won't know for sure until I study them both together, but the possibility is there."

"Got it."

"This Control Device can be used to temporarily suspend the Eye of Avarice’s functions. That should give us enough time to liberate the Grand Lecture Hall."

"Sounds like a plan. What's next?"

"Well, I haven't finished deciphering the Artifact yet, so that has to be my first priority."

"Right."

"Once it’s deciphered, I have to get the activated Artifact close to the Eye of Avarice."

"How are you going to get there?"

"Um... the grounds are being heavily monitored, so I was thinking of approaching the Grand Lecture Hall from underground."

Sherry gave me a slightly troubled smile.

"Underground?"

"Yes."

Sherry pulled a few specific volumes from the bookshelves. With a low rumble, the shelf rotated, revealing a flight of stairs leading down into the darkness.

"Whoa, nice."

I live for these kinds of gimmicks.

"The academy facilities have a few old hidden passages left over for escapes. This one hasn't been used in quite some time, though."

A shadow of sadness crossed Sherry's eyes.

"The dust on the stairs hasn't been disturbed... no footprints. If only my stepfather had managed to escape through here."

"You mean Vice Academy Director Ruslan? He’s your adoptive father, right?"

"He originally supported my mother's research. He’s always looked out for me. After my mother died and I was left all alone, he took me in and raised me as his own."

"Sounds like a stand-up guy."

"He is. Truly. He’s spent his whole life saving me... so this time, I’m going to be the one to save him."

Sherry gave a clear, determined smile.

"Hope he’s okay. So, what happens after you get close via the basement?"

"Oh, well... once I’m close enough, I’ll just toss the activated Artifact into the Grand Lecture Hall."

"What if they break it?"

"Even if it’s destroyed, it’ll still strip the Eye of its functions temporarily, so it’s fine. After that, we just have to count on the Spellswords to fight their way out..."

The ending is a bit weak, but if I show up as Shadow and go wild, it won't be a problem. If anything, I should thank her for setting the stage for such a cool entrance.

"Perfect. Let’s do it."

"Great! I’ll get to work on the deciphering right away!"

"My back is killing me, so I can't really help with that part, but good luck."

I’m so glad her plan is actually sensible. At this rate, there won't even be much for a Helpful Mob to do.

"Please don't push yourself, Cid-kun. I’ll work hard. I’ve never been able to do anything before, but this time, I’m going to save my stepfather and everyone else."

"Yeah, you do that. Oh, I gotta hit the head."

Leaving Sherry to her intense deciphering, I headed out to find some fun.

REX

Rex, a man with the eyes of a starving stray dog, threw open the doors to the Grand Lecture Hall and strolled in like he owned the place.

A few Black-clad Men followed in his wake.

As they approached, the students huddled in their seats kept their heads down, refusing to meet their eyes.

The Grand Lecture Hall was a massive, three-story atrium. Black-clad Men blocked every exit, keeping the students under constant surveillance. Even whispering was forbidden.

With a flippant smirk, Rex crossed the hall and entered a private waiting room in the back.

"Well? Give me the status."

As soon as Rex closed the door, a Black-clad Man sitting inside spoke.

His voice was low, carrying a heavy sense of authority.

His face was concealed by a mask, and his attire was identical to the others, but there was a palpable difference in his presence—a gap in class that was obvious at a glance.

"Straight to business, eh, 'The Thin Knight'? The academy is pretty much under our thumb. The Knight Order is making a racket outside, but they're a total joke."

"I don't care about that. I asked what happened to the Artifact."

"Ah, the Artifact. Right, right..."

Rex shrugged, meeting The Thin Knight’s gaze.

"I’m thinking that little lady probably has it. The one with the pink hair."

"Are you telling me you failed to recover it?"

Rex scratched his head and looked away.

"Well, yeah. That’s about the long and short of it."

"Do not toy with me."

The Thin Knight's Magic Power flared, making the very air vibrate.

Rex’s cheek twitched at the sudden surge of bloodlust.

"Hey, don't get your panties in a bunch. I’ve got a good idea where she is. I’ll have it back in no time."

"Do you have any idea how much your incompetence is hindering the plan? If you fail again, I will kill you. Am I clear?"

"Yeah, yeah. Crystal."

Rex raised his hands in a mocking surrender and turned to leave. The Thin Knight watched him go with a piercing glare.

"Oh, by the way," Rex added just before stepping out. "There might be someone a bit dangerous lurking around."

He glanced back to gauge the other man’s reaction. The Thin Knight remained silent, prompting him to continue.

"A bunch of 3rds got wiped out. Two 2nds are dead, too. One had his heart crushed instantly, and the other had a tiny hole poked through a vital spot. Probably a rapier for that one. All of 'em were one-shotted. We’re talking about a real pro."

Despite the news, Rex grinned like a hungry wolf.

"Oh...? Shadow Garden? So we finally managed to lure them out."

"Seems that way. You might wanna watch your own back."

"Heh... You’re telling me to be careful?"

"Well, I guess you’ll be fine. Right, Mr. Former Rounds?"

"Hmph. Just bring me the Artifact and the head of whoever from Shadow Garden is responsible. Do not fail me again."

"Man, I really should’ve kept my mouth shut," Rex muttered.

He let out a sharp sneer and vanished through the door.

Left alone, The Thin Knight began to chuckle.

"Finally... everything is within my reach..."

He pulled a malevolently glowing Artifact from his coat and stared at it with a deranged intensity.

"With this, I will reclaim my seat among the Rounds."

The room echoed with his low, eerie laughter.