"T-This is Niko Bright, Advanced Course of the Imperial Archmage Faculty.
Class 1 Emergency Report. I-I repeat. Class 1 Emergency Report.
T-The sender is currently restrained by hostile forces and in transit.
Current location unknown. Twenty minutes by magic beast carriage from the Löwenthal estate.
I-I am attempting this communication in secret using an astral projection. I can't speak for loooong.
At the Löwenthal estate in the northern hills of Dravena, Temcha Region, I have confirmed a grave magical crime committed by Mr. Zectromeo Löwenthal.
Forces plotting an insurrection, as well as organized involvement by Bright Society《Arcadia》, have been observed.
Beneath the Löwenthal estate lies a forbidden magitechnical machine, along with numerous traces of illegal human experimentation performed with it.
T-Three members of our Faculty, including the sender, have been subdued and captured by hostile forces.
Brendan Walker-kun and Filiestra Adinson-san.
Adinson-san is being transported along with the sender, while Walker-kun was left behind at the Löwenthal estate.
He was injected with poison and his status is unknown. If we don't hurry, it might be baaaad.
The hostile forces' objective is... I-I speculate it's the activation and control of some magitechnical machine.
It seems biological authentication by Adinson-san herself is required.
Also, I confirmed a mention of the Avatar of Fire《Irvion》, though details on that are unknown.
The conversation made it sound like Adinson-san is the key to unlock... the Avatar of Fire《Irvion》...?
Senior Mage Ashe Tutultool of the Imperial Archmage Faculty should know something about this. Please verify immediately────
A-And also────
Hyaaaaahhhhhhh!!!
They found meeeeeeee!!!!
No! Nooooooo!!
This is my mother-in-law's! This communication device belongs to my mother-in-law!!
It's my mother-in-law's, so don't be rough with it!!
Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!
Stoooooooppp ittttttttt!!!!!!!
You pagansssssss────aah"
◇
Notice from the Imperial Archmage Faculty Headquarters of Magias to all personnel:
At 21:00 today, Advanced Course student Niko Bright transmitted a Class 1 Emergency Report.
A grave magical crime has been confirmed in Dravena, Temcha Region. The primary suspect is Zectromeo Löwenthal. Further details under investigation.
Furthermore, three students of this Faculty present at the scene have been confirmed captured.
Captives:
Advanced Course: Niko Bright.
Basic Course: Brendan Walker.
As well as Filiestra Adinson.
Regarding Walker, status unknown. A relief force has already been dispatched.
In light of these events, a Class 1 Emergency Mobilization is hereby ordered for the Imperial Archmage Faculty.
Issuing Authority: Gleefia Senate.
This mobilization is executed in accordance with royal statutory law.
Target: All personnel associated with the Imperial Archmage Faculty currently located in the vicinity of the relevant region.
All personnel must treat this mobilization as top priority, regardless of current missions or private affairs.
Rendezvous Point: Magias Dravena Branch.
Upon arrival on-site, rendezvous under the designated chain of command.
Specific details will be handed down on-site by the temporary commander.
Consider this an imperial decree from His Majesty the King.
◇
Dragon King Calendar, June 24, 2026, Day of Lilias.
21:04.
Medical City Dravena.
Magnolia Orphanage.
Amae Vandenberg sat with her arms crossed in a guest bedroom at the orphanage.
Stand by.
That was Amae's role.
Brendan and Philie had gone to the dinner party.
She was the reserve, meant to respond in the unlikely event that something happened to the two of them.
Consequently, she hadn't gone to the opera troupe's performance.
She loved that guild from the bottom of her heart, but considering her best friend's situation, she couldn't afford to indulge.
"They're late..."
She glanced at the clock.
She couldn't even remember how many times she had checked it by now.
If they didn't return by 21:00, she was to conclude that they had gotten caught up in some incident and take appropriate action.
That was the promise she had made with Brendan and Philie.
And right now, that decision was pressing down on her.
They had likely gotten dragged into trouble with Löwenthal.
With Philie being an exceptional mage and Brendan accompanying her as a guard, she wanted to believe that nothing terrible could have happened, but...
At that moment, Amae's dragon vein pulsed intensely.
She immediately reached into her travel bag and checked the contents.
Just as expected, a message had arrived on her emergency magical communication device.
"During breaks, you should basically keep your emergency mobilization communication device on you at all times~. It rarely ever goes off, though. Also, you could buy a house with just one of those, so don't lose it."
The words of her homeroom teacher, Blanchard, flashed across her mind.
A mere two and a half months after enrollment, and the first alarm was already ringing.
Considering the rookie tournament ambush as well, it seemed Amae's class had drawn the "lucky" lot.
Either way, it was a forced mobilization at a terrible time.
"...What is this? What's going on...?"
As she read through the text that had been transmitted, her brow furrowed involuntarily.
Apparently, the situation had exceeded expectations and turned into the absolute worst-case scenario. For her, this was truly, genuinely an emergency.
She took out the medicine chest she had prepared in anticipation of missions and checked its contents. It contained plenty of explosives for engaging in a fight.
She didn't know what had happened, but it was practically certain by now that her classmates were in deep trouble. The sole stroke of luck for Amae was that she was in a position to go directly to their rescue.
◇
Dragon King Calendar, June 24, 2026, Day of Lilias.
Same time.
Medical City Dravena.
Central Station Plaza.
"Ehh~!? So Niko-chan was kidnapped!?"
In the middle of the crowd, a woman with a side ponytail shouted without the slightest regard for onlookers.
"We came to Dravena on a trip, and we got separated at noon today, and that was the last I saw of her! What happened!?"
'No idea.'
On the other end of the interactive emergency magical communication device—distributed exclusively to the Advanced Course of the Imperial Archmage Faculty—was her homeroom teacher, Professor Elphin Jare. Apparently, she too had been enjoying her vacation until a moment ago.
"Are Niko-chan and the two underclassmen safe!?"
'Frankly, whether they're even alive is borderline.'
"Ehh~?!"
'Don't lose your cool, Rina. Niko might be a handful, but she ain't an idiot, and she ain't weak. First, just make sure you handle what you can do. That's what'll help Niko the most.'
"I mean, that's true, but..."
The woman called Rina broke into a run, communication device in hand.
Her destination was the Dravena Branch she had just been directed to.
"Professor! Did the branch have a kitchen!?"
'It's lodging, so there should be provisions, including food.'
"Understood!"
'Also, the only underclassmen from the Faculty who can gather right away are two people. Make sure you look after 'em.'
"Two are coming, and two are captured, right? There are four first-years in Temcha!?"
'That's how it shakes out. Probably on a trip or something, ain't they?'
"The junior kids sure get along well~."
While carrying on the conversation, Rina took a shallow breath and kicked off the ground.
The cobblestones of the main street cracked, and her sporty side ponytail whipped through the air as she soared upward.
Rina's body reached the sky in an instant, looking down upon the nightscape of Dravena below. At the edge of her vision, she spotted a building flying the twin dragon banner. There it was.
"Alright, Professor, I'm gonna move for real now, so I'm hanging up."
'Got it. Give 'em hell, Rina.'
"Leave it to me!"
The moment she terminated the call, Rina kicked against empty air. She transformed into a single beam streaking across the night sky, accelerating toward her destination.
(Just three of us, huh...)
To be honest, it was a small force, but having drawn the short straw for the initial response, she had no choice but to do it. To rescue Niko Bright, the woman soared through the sky.
Her name was Rina.
Gallondrina Skjalbalte.
Advanced Course, Imperial Archmage Faculty.
She was the darling of magical nutrition science.
◇
Dragon King Calendar, June 24, 2026, Day of Lilias.
Same time.
Temcha Region.
Dragon Lake, Meltzelia Villa.
The lakeside night was quiet, beautiful, and slightly tedious.
On the terrace of an elegant villa built atop prime land on a gentle hill, Mercedes Meltzelia leaned back on a chaise lounge beneath the deep eaves, gazing at the starry sky reflected on the lake's surface.
On the round table beside her sat black tea that was beginning to grow cold.
And within arm's reach rested her familiar long sword.
"Mercedes-san, you really ought to take a break, even just a short one. Simply giving your dragon vein a rest will allow your body to move much better."
Though Mercedes never missed a single day of training all 365 days a year, she had decisively chosen how to spend her vacation based on that single piece of advice from her friend, Philie.
Do nothing.
That was the task Mercedes had assigned herself.
The finest doctor she knew had said so.
While Mercedes was well-versed in magical biomechanics, when it came to health, placing her trust in Philie was the better course.
Since she had a classmate with expertise close to her own, it was only wise to heed her words.
...That said, she was admittedly starting to have a bit too much time on her hands.
She had finished reading almost all the research papers and novels she had wanted to read.
As for sword maintenance, she couldn't achieve a finish with precision exceeding Brendan's anyway.
She had indulged in musical instruments, and she had relished Temcha cuisine.
The only thing left untried was fishing, perhaps.
Doing nothing was enriching—so enriching that it began to make her anxious.
It was a boring, yet not terrible, vacation.
At least, until this very moment.
"────"
The instant her dragon vein resonated, Mercedes snapped her book shut. That alone was enough to erase the tranquil lakeside serenity from her expression.
She pulled out the notebook-sized magitechnical device she had tucked into her breast pocket.
Even before reading the text, she knew it was an emergency.
For this to go off meant exactly that.
Belonging to the Imperial Archmage Faculty, she had been prepared for this ever since enrollment. However, she had not anticipated the nature of the mission.
Reading the message sent via the device, Mercedes knitted her brows.
"Golaphim."
"Yes, Milady."
The elderly man in a tailcoat who had been standing by close at hand answered quietly.
"We are heading out. Prepare at once."
"Then I shall prepare the magic beast carriage."
"Yes, with utmost haste. I will ready my own equipment. Meet me at the entrance in ten minutes."
Taking up her long sword, she headed into the villa.
Though it was a vacation home, its preparations for combat readiness were impeccable.
Since she was heading to the branch first, minimal luggage would suffice.
Right now, speed of initial deployment was the single most vital factor.
"Just what in the world are those people doing...?"
Muttering to herself, Mercedes slipped on her black leather gloves.
She draped herself in a water-repellent cloak and prepared simple life-saving gear.
Finally, at the very end, she inspected the finish of the blade.
It was the one she had asked Brendan to polish for her just the other day.
"Good."
Giving a short nod, she sheathed the blade.
What was about to begin was not merely an emergency mission for Mercedes. In a sense, it was a matter of utmost importance that could sway her very life.
"Philie-san..."
Giving voice to an uncharacteristic anxiety, Mercedes clicked the heels of her well-worn military boots and walked toward the butler awaiting her at the entrance.
From Dragon Lake to Dravena took a little under thirty minutes at fastest.
The final member of the Imperial Archmage Faculty present in the Temcha Region set out for the branch.