Damn Academy - Chapter 184

[Episode 184] Suspicion (14)

Dozens of sharp icicles rushed towards Luna. The sudden onslaught had me clenching my fists.

The blue steeds, water spirits, galloped ahead of Luna, creating a curtain of water that absorbed a barrage of icicles perfectly.

But it only worked once. A biting wind blew, so fierce that Luna had to shield her face with her arms before being knocked backward.

When she managed to right herself, the watery barrier had already frozen solid.

I watched the scene from the waiting tent, bewildered.

How had this happened? Luna, a master of wind spirits, was being overpowered by the winds conjured by her opponent. Was it really Pavela’s doing, or had Luna lost control?

The world didn’t just seem off during the duel. It was as if everything had suddenly transformed into winter.

Koong, koong, koong…

The lights from candles and magic stones in the tent flickered on and off, and the tent poles seemed to lose their strength, tilting dangerously.

“What on earth is happening?”

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The duel didn’t matter anymore. It was as if the end of the world had come, the earth itself in upheaval.

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I stepped out of the tent and looked towards the judges’ tent. Instructors and students were running around frantically.

Sensing something gravely wrong, I dashed towards them.

“Summon the professors. Now!”

I reached one of the instructors and demanded,

“Why haven’t you stopped the duel?”

“Help us!”

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The instructor pointed towards the barrier surrounding the arena.

Several students stood at the entrance to the arena, desperately trying to shatter something invisible.

“On three! One, two, three!”

“Harder!”

The large bell that signaled the start and end of the duel was trapped in a huge cube of ice. A student was casting fire magic on it, but it barely melted.
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The instructor shouted,

“A magical artifact malfunction due to the anomaly. We can’t get through the barrier.”

Instinctively, I turned to Luna beyond the barrier. She was barely fending off Pavela’s unilateral assault.

Luna’s spirits were busy warding off Pavela’s ice. Cornered, Luna was slowly being forced back.

The cause of the malfunctions was unclear, but it was obvious the duel needed to be stopped. Cut off from the outside and beyond control, the two in the arena were in grave danger.

I hurried to an unattended waiting tent.

***

The wolves leapt forward to intercept the incoming icicles, and water walls were erected to buy time—only to be frozen solid and shattered instantly.

Pavela’s assaults came from unpredictable angles. It was fortunate that Luna’s spirits were aiding her, or she would have been injured if facing these alone.
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Things were one-sided. This level of pressure had not been anticipated. Pavela, known for only using lower-level magic, cast spells without any preparatory movements, which was a significant advantage. Her casting speed and the completion of her magic were flawless.

It was like a high-ranking mage toying with an apprentice using only low-tier spells.

Luna’s spirits were unusually subdued for some unknown reason, preventing them from approaching Pavela.

Once again, a piercing gust of wind targeted Luna, sending her stumbling backward.

The moisture on the ground rapidly froze, spreading like wildfire beneath Luna’s feet.

It froze her hands and feet instantly, immobilizing her.

The wolf spirits shattered the ice with their teeth, but it refroze immediately.

“…!”
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Icicles hovered in the air, aiming for Luna.

Luna looked towards Pavela, and their eyes met again.

Preoccupied with the battle, Luna hadn’t noticed before, but Pavela’s eyes were wet with tears.

And then, Luna sensed that there was some untold story entwined in this duel.

A professor’s resounding voice echoed from one end of the arena,

“Stop!”
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Yet, Pavela showed no sign of ending it. She extended her arm into the air.

And as she clenched her fist and pulled it toward her, a single icicle among the dozens surrounding Luna shot forward with deadly speed.

As the icicle nearly reached Luna, someone flew in and shielded her with their body.

Pavela’s scream was almost like a cry of despair.

“No!!”

Despite the urgency, the warmth of the man’s chest against her forehead was strangely comforting. Hot droplets fell onto Luna’s neck.

The faint scent of herbs unmistakably belonged to Damian.

Damian released his embrace and let out a sigh of relief after inspecting Luna.

Luna clapped her hands over her mouth upon seeing Damian’s side.

“…!”

His side was pierced by an icicle, and his clothes were stained with blood.

Meanwhile, Pavela shouted from a distance,

“Damian!”

As soon as she saw his wound, Pavela lost her composure and rushed towards him.

Unconcerned with the calls, Damian was only checking Luna’s condition, joking despite his own dire situation.

“Why didn’t you wave the white flag I gave you?”

“It’s not about that…!”

Realizing the eyes of many were upon him, Damian spoke,

“No, don’t acknowledge me now.”

Just as Pavela tried to reach Damian, members of the evaluation committee and professors from the Magic Department intervened and stopped her.

“She’s my junior. Let me see her, please!”

The professor was firm in his response.

“The duel is over. Take her away.”

They swiftly surrounded Pavela and escorted her out of the arena like a royal guard protecting a princess.

Soon, Eternia’s healers arrived to attend to Damian and Luna.

Before long, the blizzard subsided, and a ray of sunlight broke through the dark clouds.

***

The weather anomaly and various other incidents were concluded to have resulted from a malfunction in Eternia’s underground magical formation that regulates the seasons.

The spirits, sensitive to the natural environment and the land’s magical energies, were heavily disturbed. This meant Luna couldn’t perform at her best, while Pavela capitalized on the chaotic climate to her advantage.

Lying in the infirmary, receiving treatment, I… felt embarrassed and remained motionless for a while.

Luna, despite the fierce battle, had only suffered a few light bruises. She wasn’t seriously injured.

I felt foolish, bearing a major injury from an event unrelated to the duel. This wound was unnecessary upon close inspection.

The last icicle that flew towards Luna… At first, I thought it had been thrown with the intent to harm, but now it was clear it hadn’t been aimed to directly penetrate her.

In fact, I realized that as well when I jumped in to shield her.

That icicle was meant to graze Luna. If I hadn’t intervened, it would have ended without incident.

Why the bell had frozen, why the seasonal magic malfunctioned at that moment, and what the true aim of the icicle was, remained questions in my mind.

During this, Haley and Jenia from the Art Department visited the healing room.

President Haley laughed upon seeing me lying down.

“Quite an impression for a freshman, huh?”

Jenia came beside me and poked at the area where the icicle had pierced, teasing,

“So the newbie has a thing for Luna or what? Right? Right?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Weren’t you just thinking of how to score points by throwing your body in the line? Well, it turned out quite heroic, didn’t it? Was it nice to leave behind those cheering seniors?”

“It was the instructors who told me to jump in.”

Haley inquired,

“But how did you get through the barrier? You were faster than the professors.”

…Simple, by slicing through the barrier with a Magic Sword.

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“There was a small opening in the barrier, so I squeezed through.”

“You made a good call. Nowadays, the freshman’s popularity is becoming troublesome. Our peers keep asking us about you.”

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“…Why would my popularity rise over getting hurt for no good reason?”

“Wouldn’t you become popular for throwing yourself to protect a girl?”
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Haley took a cookie jar out of her pocket and placed it on my bedside.

“Here, since you’re hurt, I’ll give this to you. Oh, I almost forgot. Pavela said she wants to apologize and asked to meet you later. What do you think, freshman?”

I shook my head.

“It’s my fault, so she doesn’t need to apologize.”

“Alright, I’ll pass that along.”