Chapter 83

Part 8: Field Study (1)

The Sealing Ground, where the heroes of the Great War sealed the Demon King, is located in the eastern part of the continent. It is a vast area, as large as a country, known as the Demon Realm of the continent, filled with monsters that could not return to the Demon World.

The boundary of the Sealing Ground spans across several countries, including the Empire, but fortunately, our kingdom is situated a bit away from it.

Sir Carlos, the knight who sealed the Demon King alongside other heroes during the Great War, founded our kingdom here after discovering a spatial teleportation magic circle. He then established an academy to manage and utilize the teleportation magic circle.

Whether it was for the education of students or, as written in the records, to be the first to rush to the Sealing Ground through the magic circle if the Demon King were to rise again, is unknown. However, this teleportation magic circle became a public secret of the kingdom.

Academy students had to use this teleportation magic circle to travel to the Sealing Ground and fight against the monsters. This was the duty of the nobility, who inherited the abilities of the heroes, a kind of noblesse oblige in this world.

Although the duty decreased over time, all freshmen still had to visit the Sealing Ground as part of their field study.

This applied to the Knight Department, the Inherited Ability Department, and even the Administrative Department. Therefore, groups were formed with one student from the Administrative Department, two from the Knight Department, and two from the Inherited Ability Department.

The group formation was primarily based on the students' choices, with professors making adjustments if there were any issues.

Naturally, the princess was in my group. Ballea also applied to be in my group.

My half-brother, Manuel, who usually acted like a noble, suddenly wanted to be in my group after looking at the princess.

Finally, we needed one more student from the Administrative Department, and Piar, who lived in the dorm room next to mine, ended up in my group because no one else volunteered.

Few dared to be in the same group as the princess. Some noble students who initially wanted to be in my group changed their minds and joined other groups after seeing me.

Thus, the group ended up like this because of me.

When everyone was silently looking at each other, the princess greeted us first.

"Hello, I'm Aisha."

Her greeting was very cute, but no one showed it.

We hurriedly replied to her.

"I'm Manuel de Grecia."

My half-brother, as always, displayed the noble etiquette he had learned.

"I'm Ballea. Nice to meet you."

Ballea stuck to me and put on a shy girl act with a fake voice.

"I'm Alex."

I greeted them normally.

"P, Piar."

Piar bowed his head and barely managed to speak.

After the greetings, it became quiet again.

Everyone just stood there, dazed.

Other groups were busy chatting, but our group was filled with an awkward silence.

'It seems we're in trouble.'

We weren't close friends, and the group was formed by fitting people together. With the princess in the mix, it was hard to start a conversation. Moreover, the princess was still young and not good at leading a conversation.

Fortunately, someone broke the silence.

"Um..."

Everyone was a bit surprised because it was Piar who spoke.

"Can I really be in this group?"

However, his words made everyone feel deflated.

He used to be more outgoing, but after losing his necklace, he became very passive.

"It's already decided. It's too late."

Ballea answered him. Her voice was soft, but her words were heavy.

Piar's head bowed even lower.

Just as it was about to get quiet again, Manuel spoke up.

"Who will be the group leader?"

While speaking, he looked around at everyone except the princess.

It was a way to avoid using informal language with the princess, and he was also subtly suggesting that he should be the leader.

"Then, Sir Manuel..."

"I think Sir Alex would be better!"

Before Piar could point to Manuel, Ballea raised her hand and pointed to me.

I was startled.

Is this girl trying to make me suffer!

But, what's the big deal about being the group leader?

It's obvious how much trouble it would be!

A noble 10-year-old girl, a half-brother who doesn't listen, a half-crazy girl who once tried to kill me, and a timid student from the Administrative Department.

Fortunately, everyone was well-prepared, but leading this group was impossible.

"Princess, you could be the leader."

I quickly passed the responsibility to a higher authority.

"Huh?"

The princess was surprised, and the others looked uncomfortable.

Considering her age, it was understandable.

"I'll assist you from the side. Think of it as a study session."

"Okay, I understand."

With a little encouragement, the princess accepted.

Once the princess agreed, the group leader was decided.

No one objected. Although her young age was a concern, who would oppose if the princess wanted to do it?

I was worried, but this was the best option.

If the princess was the leader, the others would listen.

She was more mature for her age.

I could control the situation by giving advice from the side.

Besides, being the group leader didn't have much significance.

This field study was more like a safari with chaperones.

"Is this the group with the princess?"

A female teacher approached us.

"I'll be in charge of your group."

She was a middle-aged professor, whom I recognized from the 'Basics of Inherited Abilities' class.

She was from the Inherited Ability Department.

"Princess Aisha, I'm Niel."

"Please treat me as a student."

"Understood."

She glanced at us and greeted the princess.

The princess waved her hand awkwardly, and the students frowned, unnoticed by the professor.

The professor was openly violating the rules.

In the academy, everyone was supposed to be treated equally, regardless of rank.

It was a royal decree by the founder of the academy, but if the professors didn't follow it, what was the point?

The professor was a noble without an inheritance, and her children didn't show any inherited abilities.

There was a point in time when the mixed blood of generations led to children who couldn't awaken their abilities.

I was at risk of this, and even if nobles mixed, the result was a noble without abilities.

Therefore, nobles aimed to have children with strong abilities as successors.

This led to intense sibling rivalry for the position of successor.

Professor Niel was likely the last of a single-line noble family, trying to make a good impression on the princess.

She might have used some influence to be assigned to our group.

Originally, Katrin was supposed to be with us, but she was talking to the children of prominent nobles at a distance.

In any case, each group was assigned a teacher or a skilled knight.

Even though the field study was more like a sightseeing trip, the Sealing Ground wasn't safe.

If all the students moved together, they would attract the attention of the monsters.

Therefore, the knights and teachers had to lead small groups.

In this case, the group leader's role was to relay the teacher's instructions.

"Who is the group leader?"

"I'm the group leader."

"Of course, it's the princess."

The professor looked at the princess as if she expected this.

I didn't understand why she was trying so hard to impress the princess. Compared to the first and second princes, the connection was much looser.

Once all the groups were assembled, the dean stepped onto the magic circle.

"Everyone, please take your positions. We will activate the teleportation circle. The use of abilities is prohibited until the teleportation is complete."

We followed the instructions of our assigned teacher and took our positions. There seemed to be a rule, but I didn't know what it was.

Once everyone was in place, the mana started to flow.

Whoosh.

The air trembled, and light emanated from the magic circle.

"Wow, it's a real magic circle."

Everyone was amazed by the glowing magic circle, but I was more surprised by the surging mana.

'It's a kind of mana absorption circle.'

Unlike the necklace that amplified one's own mana, the magic circle was absorbing the surrounding mana.

It made sense why the use of abilities was prohibited.

If someone used an ability while the circle was absorbing mana, it would likely cause chaos.

"Check your equipment and hold hands in your groups. If you make a mistake, you might be left behind."

As the mana stabilized, the dean instructed everyone.

After checking our equipment, our group held hands.

Professor Niel held hands with Manuel.

Manuel held hands with Piar.

Piar held hands with Ballea, and Ballea held hands with me. I held hands with the princess with my other hand.

The dean surveyed the area and activated his ability.

"Let's go."

Whoosh!

The magic circle emitted a blinding light.

People were enveloped in the light, and I saw the mana extending to the Sealing Ground.

'What would happen if I interfered with or cut off this mana?'

As I had a fleeting scary thought, my vision changed.

We were in a forest, not in the building anymore.

The other students were nowhere to be seen.

In the dense forest, only our group of five and Professor Niel stood.

Dizziness hit us all. It felt like we had ridden ten amusement park rides in a row.

"Ugh!"

Piar immediately felt nauseous.

"Ugh!"

"Ugh!"

Manuel and the other students also looked pale and clamped their mouths shut.

It seemed to be a side effect of the teleportation. I felt my stomach churn but quickly drew on my mana. As the mana moved, I started to feel better.

"Moving your mana helps."

Professor Niel, who had moved to the princess's back, was patting her.

Thanks to Professor Niel's advice, the princess's expression improved, and Manuel, Ballea, and Piar also recovered from their pale faces.

The students finally looked around.

"Is this the Sealing Ground?"

Piar muttered to himself.

"It just looks like a dense forest..."

Manuel frowned.

"It feels a bit hotter."

Ballea fanned herself with her hand.

The princess drew her sword from her waist.

Indeed, she was more mature than her age.

I looked up at the sky, muttering to myself.

A message window appeared in front of me.

Damn, another save point has been set.