Chapter 84

Part 9: Field Study (2)

‘I was a bit too relaxed to have the auto-save point set up right now.’

There have been only three times so far when I didn’t die and an auto-save point was set up.

The first auto-save point was the [Awakening Ceremony], the second was [Academy Admission], and this time it’s [Seal of the Demon King].

It seems that not only specific events or ceremonies but also arriving in certain areas can trigger new events.

This must mean it’s important.

Indeed, being the Seal of the Demon King, it’s naturally important.

Reflecting on it, everything makes sense, but I only realized it after the fact.

I always feel a bit pathetic at such times, as if I’m always playing catch-up.

I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

‘Pull yourself together.’

“Sir Alex, you seem surprised too.”

Valea spoke to me, perhaps noticing me slapping my cheeks.

“Yes, I was a bit surprised.”

Yeah, surprised, to say the least.

“You don’t need to worry too much. We’re not too far apart. If we walk a bit, we’ll reach the gathering place where the Dean is.”

Professor Nielle looked at the princess and replied to my words.

This professor is quite consistent.

Seeing the professor, I looked at Manuel with a sympathetic gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Well, because you lost your role and position to Professor Nielle.

Manuel is still young.

Though he is considered an adult in this world, in my previous life, he would be in high school, so he is still young.

Therefore, he’s not yet ready to deal with Professor Nielle.

It’s clear that Manuel joined this group because of the princess.

He doesn’t hate me like others do, knowing my abilities.

Even if we’re in the same group, there’s no issue with his honor because we’re family.

However, due to Professor Nielle, he can’t even take a step toward the princess.

The professor, the son of a duke, and the etiquette he learned as a noble, hesitated and was overtaken by the professor.

“Everyone, if you’ve recovered, get ready.”

At the professor’s words, the group regained their composure.

Except for the princess, who already had her sword drawn, the others quickly drew their weapons.

Manuel held the famous sword he brought from home, and Valea and Pia also drew their swords, albeit formally.

I also drew the sword from my back.

Pia and Princess Aisha looked at the sword I was holding in one hand with surprise.

“It’s definitely a two-handed sword...”

It wasn’t as awkward to carry as when I first got it, but it was still a massive sword that would be difficult to wield with one hand.

It’s natural to be surprised to see me easily holding such a sword with one hand.

“You’re not using the dagger you used before?”

Valea seemed to remember the dagger I used when we fought a while ago.

“This has always been my main weapon.”

I used the dagger because it was easy to hide and utilize my abilities, but I had trained with this greatsword for a long time.

Woosh.

I infused mana into the greatsword.

A small, red mist visible only to me rose from the tip of the sword.

Now, I can use my abilities without holding a dagger.

The professor looked at my sword curiously, then shook her head and spoke to the princess.

“Let’s get going. We might lose points if we’re too late.”

“Where should we go?”

At Valea’s question, everyone looked at Professor Nielle.

She looked around at the dense trees and vines, then made a slightly troubled expression.

“Did we move further inside than expected? This will make it harder to find.”

Muttering to herself, she looked around and finally turned to me.

“Are you in the Knight Department?”

“Yes.”

Was it hard to talk to me? She asked a pointless question.

“Then, can you climb up a tree and check?”

She looked at the tree next to us.

It was a thick and tall tree, difficult to hug with both arms. Anyone with physical abilities, like an inheritor, could climb it.

“I’m in the Knight Department too.”

The princess objected from the side.

“Surely you’re not asking the princess to climb?”

The atmosphere turned as if I was being scolded.

Indeed, she’s a seasoned politician.

Manuel also looked at the professor with surprise.

No, our kind and gentle older brother shouldn’t be exposed to such negativity...

I felt like saying something but decided to follow her instructions for now.

“What should I look for up there?”

“Just climb up and see.”

Yeah, yeah. I cursed inwardly and started climbing the tree.

Infusing mana into my hands and feet, I climbed up quickly, avoiding the branches.

It was as fast as SpiderX.

When I reached about the height of a five-story apartment, I was at the top of the tree.

Looking around, I could see what the professor meant.

A blue beam of light stretched to the horizon.

“Amazing. What kind of ability is that? Is it a laser ability?”

Or maybe a flash ability.

In any case, the source of that light beam must be our destination.

I took the opportunity to look around while on the tree.

From below, it looked like a jungle full of trees and vines, but from here, the Seal of the Demon King had a different feel.

Endless water spread out, and in the distance, snow-capped mountains and what looked like a lake were visible.

I could also see flying creatures, or rather, monsters, as small dots. If they were visible from this distance, they must be quite large.

Crack.

I could see trees being knocked down in the middle of the forest, creating a path.

“Definitely a dangerous place.”

From up here, I could feel the reality of being in the Seal of the Demon King.

I confirmed the light beam again and jumped down.

Thud.

Landing with a small sound, everyone’s attention turned to me.

“I saw a light beam rising up.”

I pointed in the direction of the light beam.

“That’s right. It’s the Dean’s work.”

She answered me coldly but explained to the princess gently.

“Let’s get going.”

She led the group again. Knowing the destination, everyone started moving in the direction I pointed.

The dense forest made me feel suffocated.

Though I haven’t traveled much in this world, this forest felt unfamiliar and strange.

There was almost no wind, and the air and mana felt sticky.

I could sense several times more mana than usual, but it felt ominous.

The vine-covered forest seemed very dark and eerie.

The group was also very tense.

Then, the professor spoke again.

“As everyone knows, this Seal of the Demon King is where, during the Great War, the heroes, along with many soldiers and knights, fought and sealed the Demon King and his monsters.”

She continued her explanation while walking.

After the Demon King’s appearance, the front lines, which had been continuously pushed back, were able to advance to this point with the help of the heroes, who had special abilities.

During this time, the ancient empire and many countries were destroyed, and countless soldiers, knights, and people died, but they were finally able to push the Demon King and his monsters to the eastern end of the continent, the Seal of the Demon King.

Unfortunately, the heroes couldn’t kill the Demon King and sealed him here, and the Demon King’s mana swept the area, trapping the monsters.

The heroes and humans, exhausted from sealing the Demon King, couldn’t fight anymore.

They designated this place, where the monsters gathered, as the Seal of the Demon King and had to turn back.

Though it was a known story, hearing it in the actual Seal of the Demon King felt different.

“Then, is this eerie feeling due to the Demon King’s mana?”

“Demon King’s mana, also called mako.”

The professor answered the princess’s question kindly.

I noticed that among the stagnant mana, there was a strange mana mixed in.

It was a mana I had seen before.

Scratching my head, I finally remembered.

I had seen it from the female teacher who committed suicide at the opening ceremony and from Pia’s teacher.

Various thoughts came to mind.

From the scene of the sealed Demon King brainwashing Pia’s teacher to the scene of the empire’s researchers setting up a laboratory in the Seal of the Demon King to analyze the mako.

Tsk, I must have read too many manga and web novels in my previous life.

I erased the unnecessary thoughts and remembered only the facts.

The professor’s explanation continued.

Thanks to her efforts to impress the princess, the lesson was thorough even here.

Though it was annoying, it was helpful, so I decided to listen quietly.

While walking through the forest, I suddenly stopped. I felt something strange.

“Wait a moment.”

I stopped the group and looked around. There was nothing particularly different.

I infused mana into my ears. It was quiet.

It shouldn’t be quiet. Something was definitely there.

I infused mana into my nose. A foul smell filled my nostrils.

Found it!

“Why did you stop?”

The professor frowned and asked me.

“It’s a monster.”

I pointed in the 2 o'clock direction.

The professor raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Faster than me?”

“I have a good nose.”

I pointed to my nose.

I could barely confirm it thanks to my nose.

Looking closer, the movement of the mana was slightly different. I almost missed it because it was different from the outside.

“Ah, right. Something is coming.”

The professor looked skeptical but became troubled when the princess spoke.

But she soon realized it too.

“As the princess said, everyone, get ready.”

It felt surprisingly fresh to be so obvious.

“Since a monster has appeared, let’s practice the formation. Though the Administrative and Inheritance Ability Departments don’t learn it, formations are important when dealing with monsters.”

Still, she’s an academy professor. She gave the necessary explanation, even if she was looking at the princess.

“Depending on the group members’ inheritance abilities, various formations can be made. Fortunately, we have Knight Department students here, so Administrative and Inheritance Ability Department students, please step back.”

At the teacher’s words, Manuel and Valea quickly stepped back.

“And Knight Department students, please come forward. Knights will block the monsters first, and then the nobles will use their abilities to kill the monsters.”

In the end, it’s just saying that knights should be the meat shield.

“Ah, the princess, please step back a bit and protect the other students. Other monsters might appear while we’re fighting. One of the knights should protect the other ability users.”

It’s a valid point, but in the end, it seems like I’m the one who has to step forward.

The princess looked at me, thinking the same, but I waved her back.

The teacher was right.

Rumble.

Rumble.

Through the dense forest, a black monster that looked like a leopard appeared.

It wasn’t just one. Two, one large and one small, appeared in front of us.