◆
With our work finished, we returned to the academy.
"...What is all this?"
That was the first thing that came out of my mouth.
The normally solemn, massive white tower had been festooned with vibrant decorations, and students who were usually quite orderly were now rushing about in casual attire. I felt like we had only been gone for about ten days, but I couldn't imagine what could have prompted such a transformation.
"Oh, Lloyd! And Sylpha an’ the rest of ya—you’re finally back!"
It was Birgitte who greeted us. Her outfit was a departure from her usual style; she was wearing a flashy red-and-white ensemble typically seen at festivals.
"We just got back, Birgitte-neesan. ...Anyway, what’s with all the commotion?"
"What d'ya mean? It's the preparations for the academy festival, obviously!"
Come to think of it, it was about that time of year. The William Academy Festival—an annual event where students presented the results of their research. It was a prestigious ceremony steeped in tradition and status, usually held in a rigorous atmosphere attended by royalty and nobility from across the continent. I had read many books about it and let my imagination run wild wondering what it would be like in person... but this felt a bit off. It felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a rowdy street fair.
"Heh heh! The festivals up 'til now were way too plain, y’see. So, I decided I’d give 'em a bit of a tune-up this time. We’re invitin' plenty of commoners, not just the high an' mighty, an’ we’re havin' the students put together delicious food, flashy shows, an' exhibits that’ll make folks stop an’ stare! When the crowds gather, the money’ll start rollin’ in, an’ once the word gets out, the scale’ll be even bigger next time... Yes, yes, I can already smell the gold. Nishishishi..."
Cackling eerily to herself, Birgitte wandered off. It seemed I had already faded from her field of vision.
"Ah, welcome back, Lloyd."
Albert emerged from the crowd to take her place. He was dressed in a flashy festival outfit similar to Birgitte's and seemed to be helping with the preparations.
"Albert-niisan, things have certainly taken an incredible turn."
"Yeah. Big Sister Birgitte’s drive always leaves me at a loss."
Sighing, Albert kneaded his own shoulder. He looked quite exhausted; she must have worked him to the bone.
"Still, what Big Sister is doing makes sense. Under the old format, only a few select students could show off their skills. But this way, every student has an equal opportunity to shine. The royalty and nobility who visit will scout any students who impress them. It’s a recruitment opportunity. For the students, it’s the perfect chance to market themselves. That’s why they’re all so fired up."
Just as Albert said, the students were working with stars in their eyes. Some were refining their techniques, others were focused on prop-making, and some were building stages for their peers. Birgitte was making the rounds, calling out to every single one of them.
"She’s a fine person, sister or not. That’s why I want to do whatever I can to help her out."
Albert watched Birgitte with a distant look in his eyes. He was right; a festival where everyone gave their all sounded much more interesting than a stage for only a few protagonists. Besides, everyone here possessed remarkable skills, and there might be some impressive people among the guests. I definitely wanted to help make this a success.
"Albert-niisan! Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Oh, you’ll help too, Lloyd?! That would be a huge help!"
Of course I would. Seeing everyone showcase the techniques they’d pushed to the limit would be a treasure trove for me. The knowledge I gained could surely be applied to my magic, too.
◇
And so, the days leading up to the academy festival began.
I set up barriers around the academy to ensure no monsters would interfere, creating a safe environment for the students to focus. I even dispatched golems to assist with the heavy lifting and manual labor. At night, I provided magical lighting, and I even took charge of recovery magic for any students who collapsed from exhaustion. Thanks to our efforts, preparations proceeded smoothly, and the festival was set to open successfully the following day.
"Tomorrow’s finally the big day. Time really flies."
"The students were all in high spirits."
"Especially Connie; she’s lookin’ real fired up, sir."
I nodded at the words of Grimo and Jiriel. Since our return, Connie had been shut away in her club room. I’d offered to help several times, but she had flatly refused. She said she wanted me to see the finished product first—she wanted to surprise me, and since I understood that feeling well enough, I’d held myself back.
"But the wait ends tomorrow."
It was a quiet night without even a sliver of moonlight. The students, who had been staying up late for days, were likely fast asleep to prepare for the morning. I, on the other hand, was too excited to sleep, so I was out for a midnight stroll.
"That’s all well an’ good, Master Lloyd, but if you stay up too late, you won't be able to get out of bed in the mornin’, sir."
"Indeed. Master Lloyd is a heavy sleeper as it is. Perhaps it would be wise to deactivate the barriers in preparation for the guests?"
"That’s a good point."
Currently, a monster-intercepting barrier was active around the academy, set to automatically repel anyone not registered as staff or student. It would be a problem if guests arrived while I was asleep and couldn't get in. Plus, it was a fairly powerful barrier; it might be dangerous if someone accidentally walked into it.
"Alright, I'll switch it to perception mode."
I snapped my fingers, adjusting the spell. The barrier enveloping the academy vanished, only to be instantly replaced by the new setting. In that split second, I felt like a sharp gust of wind had blown past... but it was probably just my imagination.
◆
"...Phew. I managed to slip in."
In the dead of night, Zen exhaled as he lurked in the shadows. He had set out with plenty of confidence, but by the time he reached William Academy City, a powerful barrier had already been deployed, keeping him at bay. He had finally managed to infiltrate by seizing the momentary gap when the barrier was reset.
"An Annihilation Barrier that scales its power based on the target's speed and mass... To deploy something so grandiose, they must have sensed my approach after all."
For a member of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army like Zen, breaking through wasn't impossible. However, with a barrier of that magnitude, the impact of a forced entry might have cracked his Black Armor, which could hinder the Demon King's resurrection. Therefore, Zen had no choice but to wait for an opening.
"Keeping such a powerful barrier active for days on end must have been a struggle... but it seems they've finally hit their limit. The barrier’s intensity has dropped significantly. That boy might be reaching his breaking point. Heh, what a perfect stroke of luck."
In reality, the settings had simply been changed, but Zen had no way of knowing that. Thinking this was his golden opportunity to make contact with the Girl of the Vessel, he dashed through the academy grounds.
"Yaaawn... dammit, I'm sleepy."
"!"
As Zen sped forward, a middle-aged man walked toward him, letting out a massive yawn. He was an academy security guard on patrol. He was directly in Zen's path; Zen would have to dodge or collide with him. Yet, Zen didn't slow down. He maintained his incredible pace.
The two passed each other in an instant.
"...?"
The man blinked a few times, let out another yawn, and resumed his patrol. Despite being close enough to touch, the man hadn't noticed Zen at all. That was the extent of his speed and silence.
"Now, to find the Girl of the Vessel."
Muttering to himself, Zen began peering into every room in the academy to find Connie. There were still people awake inside, but none could perceive his extreme velocity. The speed of Black Zen, the fastest of the Four Heavenly Kings, was beyond human comprehension.
"...But searching room by room is a chore. If it weren't for that boy's sinister mana, I could just sense her location..."
Zen clicked his tongue as he ran. Because of the mana Lloyd was radiating, all other mana signatures in the vicinity were drowned out, making them impossible to track. Even so, with Zen's speed, it wouldn't take even five minutes to check the entire academy.
One minute passed, then two, then three. In the next instant—
CRACK!
With a sharp sound of impact, Zen was sent flying backward.
"!? W-What happened?!"
He scrambled to his feet, eyes wide. Floating right in front of him was what appeared to be a bed.
"Did I just crash into... that?"
To be precise, he had slammed into a barrier generated by the small magic tools floating around the bed.
"But when did it appear? A speed that even I couldn't perceive, and an abnormal level of durability. What on earth is that thing...?"
While Zen stood there breathless, something shifted restlessly under the blankets of the floating bed.
"Yaaawn..."
Sitting up with a wide yawn was a woman in blue-and-white striped pajamas. With her nightcap askew, her hem trailing, and rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked utterly out of place for the situation. This person was the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Saloom, Birgitte di Saloom.