Chapter 97

【Chapter 1】

Ardelheit decided to build a 'school' at the bottom of the sea five hundred years ago.

The sea was crystal clear, with a rich ecosystem and a place brimming with natural magic.

It was easy to maintain a powerful barrier, not only to prevent seawater from intruding but also to repel any external enemies who might try to transfer in.

"Gathering children who wish to learn from various countries, and creating an environment where both the children of nobles and commoners can be equally protected, the 'bottom of the sea' was the most suitable place."

Claudia, dressed in a black robe, explained to Noah, who was walking behind her in the corridor, as the hem of her robe, embroidered with gold thread, fluttered gently.

In Claudia's grade, the first year, both boys and girls are required to tie a ribbon tie. The shirt under the robe can be either white or a blouse, and they can choose between a skirt or pants.

The skirt is a deep red, and the socks are white. Noah had polished the black loafers until they shone brightly.

The uniform, which has been passed down unchanged from five hundred years ago, is a design that has remained charming despite the passage of time, as it was chosen to be unaffected by trends.

"The seawater doesn't enter due to magic, and the air circulates. The barrier, which only allows authorized magicians to transfer, covers the school building, the corridors connecting it, and the schoolyard and courtyard."

"…It's as if we're enclosed in a sturdy glass dome."

When Noah looked up, he could see the ceiling of the barrier, which was domed and round.

Beyond the barrier, the sky was a clear blue, but it was not the sky; it was seawater.

In addition to the sunlight that penetrated the sea, magic was used to supplement the light, making it as bright as daytime on land.

Numerous fish swam around the barrier that surrounded the academy.

Noah, though his expression remained unchanged, could not hide his quiet curiosity and was observing the colorful underwater scenery, which was even more vivid than he had imagined.

"Hehe."

Noah's uniform was the same as Claudia's, a robe. The slim trousers balanced well with it, giving him a neat and formal appearance, yet retaining a boyish charm at thirteen.

"Noah, you look absolutely adorable in your uniform."

"…"

When praised, Noah made a clearly unwilling face. He was probably dissatisfied with this obvious boyishness.

"Please forgive me for calling you 'adorable,' Your Highness."

"Recently, Noah has been choosing only adult and formal clothes. Of course, you look good in adult clothing, but you should also enjoy the clothes that suit your current age!"

"……"

Wearing adult clothing doesn't make one grow up any faster. Noah himself understood this well, which is why he looked embarrassed.

"Never mind about me. More importantly—"

Noah knelt on the corridor floor, kneeling before Claudia.

"Let's investigate the 'song.' I also clearly heard the melody you mentioned earlier."

"…Yes."

After smiling, Claudia took Noah's hand.

"However, we should go listen to the orientation first. It's my first time attending as a student, so I'm looking forward to it."

Even as she said this, her mind was on the conversation they had before visiting the academy.

＊＊＊

"…That song is said to snatch away ships."

A month ago, at the beginning of summer.

Wearing a large hat and a fluffy dress, Claudia strolled along the beach.

"On moonlit nights, ships disappear in calm waves. On a clear morning, a passenger ship vanished, its anchor chain snapped. Despite magical investigations of the seabed, no trace of the ships was found, and only a few survivors remained."

Right behind Claudia was Karlheinz, the head magician of the country.

Karlheinz, who did not even sweat in the July heat, asked Claudia while his silver hair, tied in a single braid, fluttered in the sea breeze.

"This is the issue that has been troubling the countries of the southwestern continent. Our allied country has also requested assistance to resolve it."

"The southwestern continent is a very important trading partner. Father must have decided to lend a hand, right?"

"…Do you consider this incident to be related to a curse, Your Highness?"

Claudia stopped walking and reached out to touch the white sand. She picked up a beautiful coral-colored shell from the beach.

"I heard a scary story, so I investigated it with Noah. Right?"

"Yes, Your Hig… Your Highness."

Noah, walking behind Karlheinz, corrected himself from saying "Your Highness" and agreed with a composed face.

"We managed to talk to a few of the survivors. …When asked by Your Highness, they all testified the same thing."

Noah's obsidian eyes quietly turned to the sea.

His gaze, fixed on the clear blue, seemed dazzled, and he furrowed his brow as he spoke.

"They heard a 'song' at the moment they sensed something strange."

"…A song…"

Claudia took off her white shoes and dipped her feet into the sea. After holding the shell up to the sunlight, she turned to Karlheinz.

"If you plot the locations where the ships disappeared on a map, you can see that the disappearances occur within a circle centered on a specific area of the sea. Karlheinz, you must have already tried this, right?"

"…Yes, Your Highness."

"You must already have an idea of what is in that sea. After all, both Karlheinz and Father have been there."

When Claudia said this, Noah looked at Karlheinz in surprise.

Karlheinz indicated his agreement with silence, so Claudia smiled and told Noah.

"Rashnoir Magic Academy. …The academy is built at the bottom of the sea."

"An academy at the bottom of the sea?"