Foreigner Volume 9, Chapter 208

Volume 9 Chapter 208, Demonic Dragon ~ 23

　The Academy of the Wise symbol, the Chalk Tower, was recently destroyed beyond recognition.

　However, it was not completely destroyed like the Royal Castle Strahltraun, but rather the third floor and above were blown away, leaving only the first floor barely usable. The High Mentor, who has been replaced by a new one, seems to be miserably clinging to the remaining first floor, aiming to rebuild the Chalk Tower, which was the dream of all sorcerers in the world, but the building originally belonged to the Ancient Magical Kingdom. It is impossible with today's magic technology for this tower, which makes full use of magic power and sorcery, to be as majestic as it was in the past.

　There are no more than three floors, and the second floor is a pile of rubble with more than half of the roof missing, so perhaps it is more accurate to call it a hut than the end result of a tower. There were three men and a woman in a room on the first floor.

「This report of yours. I have a suspicion that it may be a little exaggerated.」

　In front of the man is a wrinkled old man. Next to him is a gloomy woman in her 40s, who looks like the chief secretary and has probably been replaced by a new one, running a pen smoothly on a piece of parchment.

　The old man's gaze was probing as he flicked his fingers through the submitted report. He makes no attempt to hide the suspicion in his eyes. The man sighed softly so that no one would notice the difference between him and his predecessor, the High Mentor, who had always been a good-natured old man to those who belonged to the Academy of the Wise at any time.

　The man's name was Mungan, and he was the only survivor of the late Baron Dantes' army to have seen it through to its end and to have been officially recognized as such.

　Strictly speaking, Derek, who was then the deputy commander of the Patrol's Person of Interest Task Force, and Zelphys, a member of the Holy Sword Clan, were also watching the outcome of the battle, but their names are not recorded. Edward Coogan was the only other survivor from that moment in the battle, but he, too, is not recorded in any official records.

　Mungan, the sole survivor, tried his best to escape back and file a report. That is what High Mentor Parcell is holding in his hand now.

　Mungan sighed softly at the look in Parcell's eyes that seemed to want him to tell the truth.

「......Has the High Mentor ever been to Kurt's Garden?」

　Kurt's Garden is a slightly open area in the valley of Horwood, the site of this battle. It is a strategic location that has been the site of many battles since ancient times. Nowadays, it has become much less important due to the redevelopment of the road, which has reduced traffic and changed the flow of distribution.

　Mungan, who had been assigned as a spectator to watch over Baron Dantes' army, answered honestly, his eyes glazed over.

「I only passed through there about 40 years ago.」

「The 【Ice Storm Blade】 that covered almost the entire yard ― it's an undeniable fact. And with tremendous power. Whatever you say, I am only telling you what I saw.」

　What a whim, they just let me off the hook―Mungan knew exactly what he was doing.

　Just looking at that 【Ice Storm Blade】 sent chills down his spine. He did not know who had used the art, but its power had slaughtered a babbling army of about 500 mercenaries in a single blow. Mungan still remembers the horror of that moment.

　The only survivor, Mungan wrote and submitted his report objectively. Perhaps, he thought, the reason for his survival was to let people know how pointless it was to resist. Exaggeration is meaningless. After all, the results were exaggerated.

　Parcell shook his head from side to side at Mungan's matter-of-fact voice.

「I can't believe it. A half-mile in diameter and a high-powered 【Ice Storm Blade】? Compare this with common sense. Isn't it impossible?.」

　Parcell is a sorcerer who has mastered the fire. Mungan knows that. Of course, he can use the 【Ice Storm Blade】― he doesn't know the extent of its range and power, but it's probably not even close to the extent that he can use it.

「I don't think it is necessary to compare it with common sense. If you put it that way, how do you explain the mass of rock that crushed the Strahltraun in the destruction of the Chalk Tower?」

「No ......about that.」

　Parcell choked up at Mungan's calm reply. The brusque chief secretary looks up from her parchment and looks at Parcell.

「There are beings far outside the norm, that's for sure. There are Immortal Kings and Five Dragons, for example. And that is exactly what the baron's army was up against.」

「Mu, muhh. ......」

　Parcell was clearly intimidated by Mungan's calm, but an unyielding, voice. Originally, a person who serves as a spectator was chosen to be fair and impartial and to judge things calmly. And only such a person could serve as a spectator. A war report that lacks objectivity is useless.

「I have no desire to deal with such a person ever again. I will not even look at them.」

「Even if I gave the order?」

　Mungan nodded in reply to Parcell's stoutly worded question.

「I would not trade my life for it. It was an accident that I survived the last battle. It was only by chance that I was overlooked.」

「...... Tsk. You loser. All right, that's enough.」

　Mungan takes one look at Parcell, who orders him to leave the room as if to throw up and slowly leaves the room.

　Suddenly, Mungan wonders. I wonder what on earth this new High Mentor had called me to expect?

　Looking at the Chalk Hut, which no longer serves as a tower, he turns on his heel. It did not matter to him what kind of expectations the High Mentor had for him. He had only fulfilled his duty. His job description did not include meeting the unspoken and excessive expectations of the new High Mentor.

「Sounds like you've got a problem.」

　Mungan was chilled by the voice suddenly calling out to him from behind. Turning around in a panic, he saw a mature mentor dressed in a sorcerer's uniform.

「Oh, Mentor Areus.」

「I would like to ask you a few questions too if you don't mind.」

　The Mentor smiled, but Mungan noticed that his smile was not really a smile, so he agreed with a small shudder.

　It is said that Mentor Areus is a reasonably skilled swordsman. No one in the academy has ever seen the man who is the head of the Sacred Gate at the Academy of the Wise wield a sword, but Mungan thinks the rumors may not be so far off. Mungan himself is a reasonably skilled swordsman. Despite this, he was unaware of Areus' presence until he was approached a few moments ago. Even now, the footwork of Mentor Areus walking in front of him is powerful, not the movement of a mere sorcerer.

　Mentor Areus led Mungan to his laboratory and offered him a cup of tea. He takes a sip of the tea, and the aroma of the tea rises to the surface of his mouth. It must be a good tea.

「Now, then...」

　Areus sat down across from Mungan with a beaming expression on his face. He was looking at him with a price tag, but Mungan was unconcerned.

「I've read your report. The practitioners of the three arts that slaughtered Baron Dantes' army ― 【Burning Hell Road】, 【Ice Storm Blade】, and 【Ice Spear】 ― are unknown. There's no mistake, right?」

「Yes」

　That reminds me, Mungan recalls. The position of Mentor in front of him was acting High Mentor at the time the report was submitted.

「Was it the female sorcerer who flew through the air and controlled about 15 fireballs that killed the Senate's spectators besides you?」

「It may have been one of the two sorcerers who caused a stir in the Royal Palace just before the fall of the Strahltraun.」

　At Mungan's addition, Areus hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

　Areus knew who the two female sorcerers who had caused a commotion in the palace. One is Sheryl. The other was a practitioner named Solor, who claimed to be Satoru's magical slave.

　Sheryl only showed Solor the way. It was Solor who destroyed the soldiers and knights who were packed into the palace. She even paralyzed them and took away their fighting strength, a feat that could not have been done without an absolute difference in power, and they even reached the throne.

　In fact, only a few people were injured by Solor. A few knights were injured by the Commander of the Kingsguard, who responded by closing the door and having that door blown off. Also, a few of the king's direct secretaries were injured, but there are no reports from the royal palace. The king must have felt ashamed because his covert guard was his trump card, and that Solor was kicked out of them so easily. There should have been no report.

「Who is that?」

　Mungan asked, gulping down his spit. It seemed like something he shouldn't ask, but he really wanted to know.

「I ask that you keep it to yourself. It was a magical slave of the young man named Satoru, whom Baron Dantes wanted to defeat. She announced herself to the king on the throne.」

　This information was based on a report from Sheryl, which was compiled and submitted within a day after the event. The report was not given to High Mentor Parcell. Areus had stopped it at his own discretion.

　At that point, Areus was acting High Mentor. As long as he handled the matter by his responsibilities, he could brush off any quibbles. And since he had already burned Sheryl's report, there was no way he could be criticized for it.

　In fact, it is said that the soldiers of the royal palace have a strong fear of the light blue-haired female sorcerer. Many of them were fired as Kingsguard knights because of that incident, and they call Solor, who showed tremendous beauty and overwhelming brilliance in sorcery, the 『Blue Ice Witch』 because of the impression of her light blue hair. Solor did not use any ice sorcery at that place, though.

　After a moment's hesitation, Mungan opened his mouth to the Mentor who was sitting across from him.

「......Mentor Areus...」

「Yes?」

「Um, you believe in my report?」

　There is a slight hint of weakness in Mungan's tone. Mungan had only written objectively and faithfully what he had seen and what he had heard, but if one only looks at the content of the report, it is wildly absurd. In fact, the High Mentor Parcell had suspected as much.

　But Areus stopped moving and haha, burst out laughing.

「No, pardon me. I believe in the reports of my subordinates. Of course, I would punish them if they were false. At least with regard to your report, I was trying to state the facts objectively, and there was no room for argument. I have no reason to doubt you.」

「......thank you very much」

　Feeling that his duty had been duly rewarded, Mungan bowed his head politely.

　In Areus's opinion, he was a victim. He was shown a power far outside the norm, he was so frightened that he barely escaped, and now he is being questioned for the report he made.

　Areus's smile faded and he turned to look at the honest spectator.

「High Mentor Parscell is about to take on a fearsome Magic Swordsman named Satoru who has taken on that army at his mercy.」

「That is impossible」

　Areus chuckled at Mungan's immediate response. After all, High Mentor Parcell is the head of the highest institution of sorcery in the world. Even so, he could not possibly have defeated the forces of Baron Dantes―That was Mungan's judgment. Parcell would have been at a loss if he had been so easily convinced.

　However, Areus, who laughed bitterly, agreed completely on that point.

「I think so, too. So I would like to ask a favor of you.」

「A favor.」

「You can call it a request. I want you to stop any attempts to take on Satoru, who has tremendous power.」

「.........」

　Mungan opened his mouth, and then his lips were tied in a straight line as he pondered for a moment.

　I don't know if what Mentor Areus says is true or not. But if it is, it makes sense that High Mentor Parcell called me to confirm the fact.

　He wants to believe that Satoru's ability is overestimated. He wanted to confirm that there must be some weakness or something. In other words, what Parcell wanted was not facts, but only information that was convenient for him. That's why he had that attitude.

「You, who have seen the power of the enemy up close and personal, are the ones who can convince them.」

　Areus's expression was sincere.

　Mungan does not know the truth about the death of former High Mentor Graham Coogan.

　But on his way back to the city, he passed a mysterious group of people. There he saw one of the groups wearing a pure white outfit, which only the Mentor class is allowed to wear, under their cloak. Shortly after he managed to return, the unbelievable events of the collapse of the Chalk Tower and the crushing of the Royal Castle, the Strahltraun, took place.

　Mungann heard the announcement that Graham Coogan had failed in his ritual sorcery.

　He thought, "This can't be true. How could Graham Coogan, an old and experienced man, make such a mistake? Then who had destroyed the Chalk Tower and flattened the royal castle?" The only reason why Satoru and his party, who had kicked out Baron Dantes' army in no time, passed in the corner of Mungan's mind was because he knew how insane Satoru and his party were.

　The fact that he did not mention this fact to others, other than in his report, was a sign of Mungan's sincerity toward his responsibilities.

「The Academy of the Wise is an institution for research and study of sorcery, and its role is to coordinate. The current High Mentor seems to have misunderstood that.」

　Mungan glanced down and stared at the half-empty surface of the tea in his cup. Mentor Areus is right to be concerned. Even if the Academy of the Wise were to take on the challenge together, it is unlikely that they would be able to win against Satoru.

　There are things you can do to avoid fighting.

「......It's difficult, but I'll do my best.」

「Thank you」

　Relieved, Areus held out one hand to Mungan. He held that hand, and Mungan thought.

　If the academy is going to fight against that insane person, I'll quit the academy and run away.

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