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144th Chapter: The Two Are XX Cure (1)

A shocking scene was being broadcast from the stage.

I went to check behind the scenes to see who had set it up, but there was only a Golem standing there, no one else.

If what appeared on the screen was true, the election should be temporarily suspended.

Thus, there were those who naturally drew attention.

“Where’s Instructor Jason?”

“It seems he disappeared right after Saint Nebia finished her speech.”

“Could it be that he anticipated this and ran away?”

Kage, the head of the Combat Department, immediately wanted to find him and demand answers. The other department heads reacted similarly, showing no signs of panic.

I had suspected for some time that Jason and Nebia were acting suspiciously. However, I had withheld any conclusions because I had no solid evidence.

After all, they were connected to both the royal family and a saint from the sect. Accusing them with mere suspicion could lead to unintentional repercussions.

The Royal Knights’ captain and high-ranking members of the sect were involved.

It was a situation where two high-ranking figures could sway the direction of an entire nation.

It just felt like there was nothing I could do but remain still.

“You sure have made quite the mess.”

Kage commented while watching Jason’s actions being broadcast.

It captured all the suspicious conversations and movements that had taken place in his personal research lab.

From the plan to loot the Archive, to the scheme to make Saint Nebia the Student Council President.

He had gone to any lengths for that.

“Looks like something marked by the spirit’s magical device, but who did it?”

For some reason, it didn’t seem like an ordinary spirit.

The slight shaking of the screen felt like it had been filmed by an intelligent being using their hands.

Yet, it was odd that no one seemed to notice it, even though it was being recorded right in front of the subject.

Could there be a transparent being…?

“A transparent creature… a being that isn’t visible… could it be!?”

Spirit/Phantom.

A manifestation born from the intertwining of nature’s energy and ominous forces.

They roam freely through flora and magical areas, existing everywhere.

They simply can’t be seen by those who lack affinity.

If one has high affinity, encountering one is common in this academy.

“It seems a spirit of higher rank than I imagined has been involved.”

Low-ranked spirits couldn’t act on such a level of intuition. Thus, the very notion of filming something with a magical device would have been impossible.

Moreover, it was doubtful whether it was really taken by a magical device. It’s too obvious to get caught while secretly filming something.

“Could it be that the spirit witnessed the scene and visualized it through an Artificial Golem?”

If any spirit had such capability, it would need to be at least of the high rank.

A wild spirit couldn’t proactively do that, indicating a contracted individual was involved.

In this academy, there were very few people who have contracted with spirits of high rank.

As far as Kage knew, there was only one.

“Mary Ryudshiel.”

While there are many spirit users at the academy, she was the only one contracted with a high-ranking spirit…

“Right, she’s the one.”

Radon Crawler.

I’d also learned from class records that he had contracted with a spirit named “Muto,” a high-ranking phantom.

Given Mary’s foolish personality, she wouldn’t engage in espionage.

So, the only candidate left is Radon Crawler.

“Maybe he’s the one…”

If he were here, I would ask right away, but this isn’t the time.

“Hey, there’s Instructor Jason!”

Then, in the direction pointed by a faculty member, the person I needed to find stood there.

Today, Principal Kayten and Vice Principal Leperlie were out attending a Magic Federation meeting.

In their absence, unimportant thoughts had to take a backseat.

In this moment, the only ones who could bear the weight of everything were the department heads, including myself.

“Can you explain that screen? Jason Baikel.”

The one who stepped forward to ask was Talena Kristen, head of the Magic Department.

She was ready to bind him at a moment’s notice but sensed something odd.

‘….’

Jason’s face was pale as if he were already dead.

From that face, I could feel a nauseating aura of wickedness.

“Try to catch me if you can.”

With his unpleasant attitude, Talena immediately began casting binding magic.

“Huh?”

The magic didn’t respond.

No, the mana itself couldn’t manifest.

It wasn’t just Talena.

“Department Head, we have a serious problem!”

– The magic… is unusable.

A hurried staff member rushed in, realizing their guiding magic had been canceled.

This was happening not just to the department head but to all faculty members.

“So what about the students…?”

“No, the students seem fine.”

I could see a student calculating probabilities with mana from a distance.

Only the faculty members had lost the ability to use mana.

“But if you can’t use mana, what will happen to you?”

With that, Jason smiled and posed the question.

No matter how skilled one is, without mana, they are no different from an ordinary person.

Jason shouted at the panicked faces before him.

“You can’t defeat us!”

Boom!—

An explosion erupted in the midst of the gathered students.

Several students were caught in the blast and sustained serious injuries.

The culprits were none other than the new student group known as the Royal Guard.

Swoosh—

The Royal Guard suddenly unsheathed their weapons.

There was already mention of them on the screen being broadcast… so it was easy to understand why they were acting like this.

“Has their true colors finally been revealed?”

“But what do we do? If we can’t use mana, we can’t protect the kids.”

As Talena said, it had become utterly impossible to take any action. If mana could be used, we could have easily subdued someone like Jason.

“What kind of trick are you pulling?!”

Kage shouted, but Jason just smiled.

“Do you know who the former principal of this academy was?”

“What do you mean?”

“There must have been a principal before the current one, Kayten Zodiats.”

“Demora Crevasse.”

His name belonged to a principal who had led Aligieri during the previous generation, but he was someone who hadn’t completed his term and was expelled from office.

He was a staff member during the great war 30 years ago, when students were treated like weapons.

Back then, no staff would treat students like people.

They would always prefer to hire “breeders” rather than “teachers” to raise living weapons.

“What did that guy do?”

“Do you know what kind of system he established after he took office as principal?”

Demora was a master manipulator of people.

He implemented a system to control the staff, as the students alone were insufficient.

The Mana Sealing System.

Those chosen as department heads and faculty could only use their mana with their own permission.

This would be discovered through a magic circle drawn on the back of their hands, making it impossible to defy him within the academy.

“So, it can’t be…”

“Huehuehue!”

The magic circle drawn on Jason’s hand was glowing.

The heads of departments and faculty members widened their eyes in realization.

“He is currently one of the 7th League members of Doomsday. And do you know what it means that I inherited that system?”

No faculty member would be able to stop him here.

The Royal Guard had been granted mana techniques as well, putting them on a level that could only be matched by a professor.

Thus, the students alone could never escape from this situation.

“That person is also in Aligieri.”

It was a moment that perfectly matched the meaning of life and death.

Until those who had finished training decided to fight back.

*

By now, Jason must have sealed the mana of the faculty members. At the point where they couldn’t intervene, the main students had no choice but to step up.

The moment for the Royal Guard and their rematch was approaching.

– Jenny vs. Elka.

– Luska vs. Helk.

– Mary vs. Lavender.

– Angela & Crona & Kent vs. Slave.

‘And Adela vs. Jason.’

As for Adela, she wasn’t officially a professor yet, so she wasn’t subject to mana sealing.

Of course, there were other assistants besides Adela, but they were not strong enough to take on Jason.

From the flow of events, it was destined for Adela to fight Jason.

‘Meanwhile, our splendid protagonist…’

Is probably busy dealing with Demora Crevasse, one of the 7th League members.

Protagonist Lyman’s role has always been to face off against the major figures in the back.

And right now I’m…

“Ahhh! What is that?!”

“Shut up and just run!”

Running for my life like crazy.

There’s no time to look back. The only option is to escape for survival.

Bang!—

The sound of explosions was deafening as I ran.

Black feathers were raining down from the sky.

The feathers floating in the air weren’t drifting down slowly; they shot down in a straight line like arrows.

Kaboom!—

If it had just been an arrow that pierced and stopped, I might have at least considered a fight. But with the crash, the terrain would be cratered.

It felt like witnessing a stealth bombing.

『Don’t even think about fighting. That thing surpasses even me as a spirit.』

_________________

<Aisha>

Race: Spirit (Subspecies)

Rank: High

Mana: 169/170

Affinity: —

Feelings towards the user: —

_________________

After quickly checking with my mental eye, it was indeed the one I knew.

The mid-boss of Chapter 5, Aisha of the Black Wings. An artificial phantom made from the corpse of a girl who died in Doomsday.

Why indeed is she here when she should be kept back at their base?

“Muto! Smoke screen!”

『Okay!』

Muto breathed out smoke, covering our surroundings from view.

Of course, Aisha’s feather bombardment stopped, and we took the opportunity to dive into the wooded forest.

We hid beneath a large rock, covering ourselves as much as possible.

In that moment, I asked Nebia.

“Saint, do you know anything about that creature?”

“If I had known that, I wouldn’t have been running around just asking what it was.”

Nebia was a being who had contact with Doomsday.

If she didn’t know about Aisha, a faithful servant of Doomsday, it meant I had missed something.

“By the way! I did hear something from the Royal Guard.”

As she recalled what the Royal Guard had said, it turned out those who snuck in were not just herself and Nebia.

There was a presence who had infiltrated as a watcher, someone neither the Royal Guard nor Nebia were aware of.

“Wait, I think Jason told me something similar.”

When I lied and claimed to be Enviel’s heir, Jason had ominously mentioned that there were other hidden beings besides themselves.

If those words were all true, it’s understandable that Nebia wouldn’t know.

“But why is this happening?”

Why is a being that should appear in Chapter 5 showing up now?

Why have they infiltrated the academy?

Kaboom!—

That moment, an explosion shattered the rock. We were thrust away by the shockwave.

We were fortunate not to be burned… but the creature had already found us.

And a feather shot at us like an arrow.

“Damn it!”

I gritted my teeth and summoned Leviathan.

I swung the fastest feather-like projectile that flew through the air back at Aisha.

It flew back to her, lodged into her wing, and exploded.

Boom!—

“Senpai, how did you knock that away with a fishing rod…?”

“Oh, is that what you mean?”

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t told or shown her anything like that.

Using something so fierce merely as a fishing rod made me seem extraordinary beyond measure.

“What kind of trick did you use?”

Sensing astonishment from her, I smiled and said angelically.

“My distant ancestors once said this.”

“…?”

[Corrosion Rate Decreased: -4%]

[+400 Credits]

I didn’t know who my ancestors were, but Nebia’s eyes shone with curiosity.

I smiled and said with an angelic face.

“How would I know that?”

“…”

[Corrosion Rate Decreased: -26%]

[+2600 Credits]

With a sense of betrayal coloring her expression, Nebia kicked at my words.

“Are you kidding me right now?!”

“Oops… that hurts a bit there.”

In that moment, a flapping sound echoed. Turning back, I saw that Aisha still appeared to be intact.

I was about to tut with the thought that she couldn’t possibly be downed by something so trivial.

– What the hell is that?

“Huh?”

Contrary to my expectations, it suddenly began to speak. Its tone was as stiff as a machine.

What it pointed at was Leviathan… my fishing rod.

– How did you deflect my flame feather with that?

“I’m just good at it.”

[Corrosion Rate Decreased: -1%]

[+100 Credits]

But why the sudden curiosity?

And then it spoke again.

– I heard that Mosria died to a mere stick. I came here to investigate that fact while monitoring the saint.

“What…?”

I understood why it was here, but hearing that made my heart drop.

Mosria, who couldn’t be killed by just a stick, was dead from my fishing rod.

Was I summoned here to ascertain the truth?

If so, that means its target is…

– I’ll ask you. Did you kill Mosria?

“No!”

[Corrosion Rate Decreased: -2%]

Though I was extremely tense, at times like this, my ‘Acting’ skill worked wonders.

Not me. Please believe me.

So, could you kindly get lost to another area?

– Speak the truth. Otherwise…

“I’m telling the truth!”

– Don’t lie. There’s no way you can deflect my attack with an ordinary fishing rod!

An aura of curses flowed from the enraged creature. And a powerful force was unleashed from its mouth.

“Get back!”

Nebia shoved me aside and stood before the powerful beam.

While it might seem like a reckless move, one must never forget her identity as a saint.

“Ahhhh—”

A barrier of sound waves imbued with divine power protected her.

Unlike the focused power, the divine power helped her withstand, and without it, she would have been swallowed up long ago.

“Ugh!”

However, Nebia’s legs began to slide back.

Even strengthening the barrier only prompted a stronger assault from the other side.

‘I must help…’

『It’s no use. Your spirit power will interfere with this woman’s sacred magic.』

Thanks to the spirit power I had, I couldn’t assist.

I was being pushed back steadily. The only person capable of stopping that attack was the saint herself.

In the midst of this, there was an oddly comforting feeling.

How long had it been since I felt responsibility? Perhaps it was the first since becoming a saint?

‘I have to stop it. I must…!’

But the other side’s power was too overwhelming compared to her divine power.

Gradually, the barrier started to break as rays of light pierced through.

‘I can’t win alone…’

But she chose solitude for herself.

The one who betrayed trust was herself.

Excluding the man behind her, no one would stand by her side.

‘No…’

As declared from the stage earlier… at this point, she had wagered everything in her life.

This was a future she had chosen for herself.

Soon, she would be engulfed in the pitch-black beam.

Just as I was about to give in while watching the collapsing barrier.

“…?”

Something abruptly appeared and blocked the beam from Nebia.

It was a fluffy tail, which joined the barrier to offset the beam.

“You thought you could stop that all by yourself?”

“Huh?”

Nebia was greatly startled by the sudden appearance of a beast-like girl.

I, too, gaped in surprise.

It was Angela, her usual rival, who had appeared to help her.

“Hurry up and get up.”

She extended her hand to the exhausted and faltering Nebia.

At first, Nebia wore a face of confusion, but looking up at Angela’s face, she eventually took her hand.

It could be called a grand scene of two saints joining hands.

I really didn’t want to break this moment, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Hey… Angela, what are you doing here?”

I couldn’t view that scene with a kind eye.

Shouldn’t she have been fighting against Slave by now? Why is she here?

Please tell me you haven’t shirked your duties too?

Surviving as an Academy Scammer

 

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