Damn Academy - Chapter 71

[Episode 71] The Blood-stained Entrance Ceremony (6)

As I left the territory of Eternia, a bitter winter wind blew fiercely.

Silveryn stopped the carriage. The holy knights who were escorting her also halted their steeds in succession. Suddenly stopping in the middle of the snow-covered forest path, they all wore faces of confusion.

Silveryn stepped out of the carriage and stretched.

“Ugh. Ah, this is where we part ways.”

The holy knights gave each other puzzled looks.

The detachment captain approached her with a bewildered expression.

“Lady Silveryn, what do you mean by…”

“Can’t you understand? It means you and I go our separate ways here.”

It was unclear why she was being so whimsical. What could have possibly ruffled her?

The further they got from Eternia, the more irritable and capricious Silveryn became. On this winter’s day, she demanded fresh grapes, declared that she could only sleep with fur blankets, issued terribly fussy demands. The holy knights did their utmost to appease Silveryn’s moods, but things only seemed to get worse.

Receiving the one-sided notice, the detachment captain showed his dismay.

“Then, on the way to the holy city…”

“I’ll get there on my own. I have a place I need to stop at.”

“It’s our duty to escort Lady Silveryn to the holy city, no matter where you go.”

“Speak properly. Who is protecting whom? I’m sick of it. If anything, I should be the one protecting you.”

“That, but…”

The holy knights were well aware that Silveryn didn’t need any escort. The escort was just for formality’s sake. However, the position of the Order was that they could not merely notify the Archmage to cross the long distance alone. The escort was meant to be a sign of reverence for the Archmage, but now they were left without an appropriate response.

With her arms crossed, Silveryn looked down at the detachment captain and said,

“What are you waiting for? Get going.”

“…”

A hint of anger gleamed in Silveryn’s eyes. Soon her magical power began to surge as if a rein had been snapped.

“We have orders to…”

“Is the world going to end if you arrive a day or two late? You leeches, bloodsuckers. Disappear, get lost. Do you even understand the meaning of the entrance ceremony? You think it’s some child’s party? Do you know the feeling of not being able to attend the one and only entrance ceremony of your disciple? Right now, I’d burn everything I see to ashes, so unless you want a miserable death, scram.”

Silveryn’s hair started to float as if responding to her magic. Heat rose from the ground, melting the white snowfield in the blink of an eye, and steam emerged from the earth.

Her magical power, capable of thawing winter’s frozen ground in a blink, was on a different scale from any magicians they had encountered throughout their lives. Even the holy knights, who had undergone life-and-death training for over a decade, choked under this wave of terror.

The captain’s back was soaked with sweat. It seemed impossible to further appease her or continue the company.

He signaled his lieutenant with his eyes to order a retreat. The holy knights quickly reformed the column.

“We apologize for any rudeness. We’ll go ahead and prepare the snow-covered path to the holy city.”

Only then did Silveryn’s magic begin to subside.

Without delay, the holy knights moved onward, leaving behind Silveryn’s carriage.

Silveryn watched them vanish into the distance and then flung her shoes into the carriage.

She then removed all her jewelry except for the necklace and placed them into a jewelry box.

One of the maids from the carriage behind quickly grabbed Silveryn’s towel and joined her at her side.

“…Let’s go.”

Barefoot, Silveryn stepped off the road and walked into the forest.

The path she followed eventually led her into a canyon. Despite the harsh winds, despite her being barefoot in a thin dress, Silveryn felt no cold whatsoever.

Walking into the canyon, they came upon an abandoned ruin. Silveryn walked to the center of the ruin, where a large hexagonal bath was located. The water in the bath was completely frozen.

Silveryn paid no mind as she loosened the straps of her dress. It slipped off smoothly, revealing her slender, pale body without a fiber.
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As she looked down at the bath, the ice began to crack and break apart, and soon there was bubbling from beneath as hot water rose from the bottom.

Holding a vial of Damian’s blood in one hand, Silveryn slowly submerged herself in the water.

Taking a bath after such a long time washed away all the fatigue that had accumulated.

The Bath of Purification.

And beyond this ruin lay the Altar of the Stars.

A place where ancient magic, said to have been cut off hundreds of years ago, was secretly handed down. It was imperative to avoid the eyes of the Order. Though they worshiped the same deity, their ways were completely different from those of the Order.

It was the place Silveryn sought for Damian’s oracle.

To enter, one needed to cleanse themselves in the bath.

Silveryn held the vial in both hands, looking at it fondly, and kissed it lightly. She then placed it against her cheek, feeling its pulse for a moment.

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“…It would have been nice if you were here with me, too.”

***

As Rupert was catching his breath alone, someone approached him.

Startled by an inexplicable chill, he turned around to find Sion standing there with her hand on the hilt of her sword.
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“What… what do you want?”

“You have some business with me, don’t you?”

“What kind of business?”

“The representative of the combat department, that’s not your seat, is it?”

Rupert narrowed his eyes and replied brazenly,

“…Just accept it. That seat is mine by right. I got it fair and square by defeating you at the peak of Grace Mountain.”
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“You want to prove it right now?”

Sion’s thumb pushed up the sword, revealing the gleaming blade. She was the kind of woman who would brandish a sword in the middle of the entrance ceremony without any hesitation.

Shocked, Rupert quickly tucked his tail and backpedaled.

“No, wait just a minute, I know, I know. Calm down. It was just a strange rumor, so I tried to ride it out.”

“…”

“Gale Varianne is the salutatorian, and he refused to serve as a representative if he wasn’t the valedictorian. Victor refused for the same reason. That’s why I stepped up. They’re both too proud and uncompromising like you. You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you?”

Gale and Victor had been defeated by Sion in their duels. It was foreseeable that their pride wouldn’t allow them to accept a lower position, so they would refuse to stand on the podium.

However, Sion wasn’t talking about them.

She frowned and shook her head.

“I’m not talking about losers.”

“What? Losers? What the hell are you talking about? The valedictorian is you and the salutatorian is Gale. That’s all I’ve heard?”

As Rupert mulled over Sion’s words, his eyes slowly widened.

“Ah… you can’t be serious, is that rumor real? That there was someone on the mountain top who competed with you?”

“Tell me everything you know.”

“Hey, hey, calm down. I’ve just heard rumors. I don’t know anything. You saw it yourself, so you should know better, shouldn’t you?”

Rupert likely didn’t know a thing. Deflated, Sion sighed lightly.

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“Besides, Gale would be furious if he heard he’s being called a ‘loser’.”

“That’s none of my business.”

“Why are you so hell-bent on each other’s destruction? Is it some kind of self-hatred? Gale is just as stubborn and fierce as you are. I heard rumors he plans to challenge you again soon.”

“Tell him anytime.”

Feeling there was no point in further conversation, Sion left.

***

Cecil walked to the very back of the grand hall where the entrance ceremony was held on campus. The rear was still crowded with people bustling about.

Just as her friend had told her, she found ‘Candy boy’ in the most secluded corner, wearing a mask.

He stood there, holding out his palm, blissfully catching the shimmering particles of light that fell like snow.

He seemed just like any ordinary boy lost in the mystical sight.

Seeing him like that, Cecil couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

After all the searching with not a single clue, there he was, suddenly appearing as if nothing had happened, making the whole effort seem futile.

Why would the main character of the entrance ceremony be standing in the farthest corner, looking as uninvolved as anyone else?

Wary that he might run away if she approached too abruptly, she cautiously approached Candy boy.

“…What are you doing here all by yourself? Don’t you have any friends?”

He slowly turned his head towards Cecil.

“…”

After making eye contact for a moment, Cecil spoke up.

“Still not talking?”

“…It’s been a while.”

The corners of Cecil’s mouth lifted slightly.

“Did you know? The Plantaras in the back are glaring at you as if you’re scary. They probably don’t recognize you as a student because you’re wearing that mask. You might want to take it off soon.”

He replied indifferently.

“They see me not as a person but as a Plantara. That’s why they just let me through.”

“Ugh, how long are you going to wear that tacky mask?”

“You don’t recognize quality when you see it.”

“Quality? Who made it? Name the craftsman. I am the ‘valedictorian’ of the magic department; I would know.”

Cecil emphasized the word ‘valedictorian.’

Pretending to ponder for a moment, he replied nonchalantly.

“It’s supposed to be famous. Er… Ze-bet?”

“Hilarious. Sure, let’s go with that. You’re really weird. Do you like that mask so much?”

“Yeah. Street vendors don’t bother me when I wear it.”

Her cheeks flushed with a rosy tint, Cecil laughed.

“Heh, right. You’re the one most like a street vendor; who would bother you?”

He retorted in a monotonously deadpan manner.
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“…Scholars of magic, they bother me.”

“You talk so much it’s like you’re a totally different person. Are you sure it’s Candy boy in there? No way. Give it to me. That thing.”

Cecil abruptly reached out her hand.

“…?”

“The magical candy.”

“…If you take all the merchandise, what’s a street vendor like me supposed to live on?”

“Quick.”

He rummaged through his pockets for a while and then said.

“…Sold out right now.”

Cecil felt her mood lifting more and more.

She had thought it unlikely they would meet, and even if they did, she wouldn’t be able to converse with him so ordinarily. Yet, against all expectations, she was calmly exchanging words with him.

“For someone without friends, you’re not bad with words. I’ll let it slide because you’re cute, so I’ll admit you’re Candy boy.”

“…”

“How did you use the Frostwind Bomb I gave you?”

“Used it in an appropriate place.”

“How was it? Useful?”
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“Yeah.”

Her eyes narrowed tartly as she spoke.

“…I contributed to you becoming the ‘overall valedictorian,’ right?”

“…”

He gazed at Cecil with an expression that seemed to ask how she knew.

For Cecil, with her network of information, finding out the true valedictorian was a piece of cake.

She grinned and moved closer to him, tapping the nose of the mask with her forefinger.

“Don’t deny it. It’s written all over your ‘I’m flustered’ face. You owe me.”

“……I’m not the valedictorian.”

***

Someone approached Lilith as she sat alone, sobbing.

It was her friend, Matthias.

Startled by the traces of tears, Matthias gently stroked Lilith’s back.

“Lilith, what’s wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?”

Brushing away her tears with her forearm, Lilith pushed away Matthias’ hand from her back.

“It’s nothing. Why are you here?”

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“What do you mean it’s nothing? Can’t you tell me?”

“It’s none of your business. Why did you come?”

Matthias sighed and said.
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“That guy wearing the mask you mentioned. I think he’s here.”

“…What?”

“He’s in the back of the banquet hall. The one with the mask; it’s only him. Is this about him?”

Wiping her tear-stained cheeks again with her palm, Lilith disregarded Matthias and dashed towards the back of the banquet hall.

She frantically searched the hall as if looking for a lost lover.

And sure enough, there he was, threading through the crowd—the man.

Her heart plummeted.

The auburn hair. The wooden mask. No doubt about it. It couldn’t be a fake – it was definitely him.

Lilith struggled through the bustling crowd to get closer to him.

It was only when she got close enough that she could see.

The man wearing the mask.

And right beside him stood Cecil, clinging close, with a bright smile on her face.

Lilith’s hand dropped the blood-stained handkerchief she was holding.