Chapter 17 - The Key to the Forbidden Zone
「――So, I'd like to have a meeting with Laplace's demon.」
I went to the Headmaster's office, but it had been completely restored to its original state, as if yesterday's explosion had been a lie.
They must have used some kind of magic, but I guess this means they can blow up all they want. Well, I won't do it.
The child sitting on the desk with a cushion on top of it, the Loli Academy Director, nodded after listening to my story.
「Hmm. I understand the situation. In order to help the Mad King, you want information, don't you?」
「That's right.」
I nodded.
Erwin's mentor, Professor Slayley, an expert in curses, told me about his disciple Erwin.
He said that he (Erwin) was a genius in magic and was particularly interested in lightning strike magic and summoning magic, but he could not confirm the connection with the black sea anemone at last.
Instead, the professor gave me a hint on how to break the curse on the Mad King's armor.
No, to be precise, I asked him where the omniscient Demon Laplace was, who might know the clue.
I was told that I could not enter the place without the permission of the Headmaster.
But again, I didn't come here with the intention of blowing things up.
「That's fine. Let's admit it as a good reason. I will give you the key to the forbidden spell sealed area. You may take it.」
I received the rainbow-colored key from the Headmaster. It was easier than I thought.
「However, Laplace's Demon is sealed in the deepest part of the sealed area. The power of other forbidden spells, forbidden books, and artifacts of the gods has turned the area into a labyrinth (dungeon) like a magical world. It is literally a demon's paradise. I'll allow you to go, but there's no guarantee you'll make it out alive.」
said the head of the Loli Academy.
「Hey. Then you go and ask him.」
「Then you won't grow up. I'm sure you'd rather play for a long time than live out your days a year from now.」
A year from now? I feel like I'm being ripped off by this loli headmaster, but if it's a test, I'll take it.
「That's fine. However, I'm going to need you to disclose all the inside information. I'm not going in alone, and I'm not going to let anyone die.」
「Yes, I'll give you the information you need. But don't get the wrong idea, okay? This is not an ordeal that I have arranged for you. It was originally designed to keep people out of that place. If the forbidden spell is brought out easily, it will cause all sorts of trouble.」
「If that's the case, why don't we just seal it up completely? We don't even need a key.」
「If we could do that, we wouldn't have any trouble in the first place. I'll have to monitor it regularly to make sure nothing is stolen. In addition, the sealed area must be adjusted by venting or injecting magic power from time to time, or the seal itself will be broken by the repulsive force of the stored items.」
「What a hassle.」
「Not at all. Well, with ten people over level 40, we should be able to handle it. Choose your members carefully, and make sure they're tight-lipped.」
I felt something stuck in the headmaster's words.
「Hmm? Why is it wrong to leak information?」
「What are you talking about? Do you think that an ambitious Magician can stay out of the way when it comes to forbidden spells? As soon as they hears about it, they'll be all buzzing about, "Take me with you!".」
「Tsk...... Oi, headmaster, put a call out to Serina right away. She'll leak the information.」
As an open-minded person who talks a lot with people, Serina is completely backwards in these situations.
「I understand, but I have a feeling it's already too late.」
I guess being a social butterfly has its advantages and disadvantages.
There was a knock at the door.
「Excuse me! I've heard your story, Alec-kun. I heard you're entering the Forbidden Zone. As your teacher, I thought I'd lead the way.」
He's here right away, Cherry Boy-sensei. I'll give you credit for surviving yesterday's explosion, but that bandage on your head looks a little painful.
「I appreciate that, but have you ever been in a sealed area before?」
「No, I haven't done that yet. ......」
「Then I refuse to take you with me.」
「Gumumurhh.」
「Well, wait. I'm sure Cherry-sensei can handle it. While you're inside, I'd like you to take care of a few things for me, so could you please accompany him?」
「Oohh, if that's what the headmaster wants, then by all means!」
Cherry was taken aback by the words of the Loli Headmaster.
「No, ...... I'd prefer to go with just my trusted team if possible. ...... Since it's called Pandemonium, there will be fighting, right?」
「Of course. It's filled with dense magical power and give birth to powerful monsters. I've made sure that the monsters don't concentrate and turn the place into a monster house, but it's not perfect.」
It's powerful and there's a monster house.
「Then get me a stronger teacher. I'm sure there are others, like Professor Slayley. If you want, you're the strongest one here, you can go out there, right?」
The strongest of the magic supremacist academy would naturally be this loli headmaster.
In yesterday's battle, she was completely unscathed by my attack, and she even took it easy on me.
Despite her appearance, she's much stronger than me.
「I can't do that, partly because I want to help you grow, but most of all because this me is absolutely not allowed inside the seal.」
「Headmaster can't get in?」
That's a little strange. Even though she have the key and control of the door.
「You'll find out why soon enough. Anyway, you can count on him a lot more than Slayley-sensei, so take Cherry-sensei with you.」
The headmaster, who has other things to do in the sealed area than me, says so herself, so I guess she doesn't need to weaken her helper to make it hard mode.
「That's fine. I'm going to check my equipment and come back here tomorrow, and you should take me to that sealed area.」
I decided that the sooner we go in, the better. But――
「Ah―, No equipment is needed. I mean, you can't take your equipment into the sealed area.」
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. We're in a life-threatening battle, and this loli wants us to go without equipment?
「What? Are you kidding me? Look, you can run the trials all you want, but we're here for something else. We don't have to go along with it.」
「Don't jump to conclusions, Alec. I told you, this is not a seal for you, nor a test prepared by the this me. This is a sealed boundary created by the first Headmaster with the Seven Sages. No matter how many keys you have in your hands, there are many restrictions on how you can pass through the boundary. One of them is that equipment that is too strong will be trapped by these restrictions. You can bring it in, but you can't take it out. If you're fine with disposables, take them as you please.」
「Damn, so that's what this is about: ......」
I'm sure that the boundaries are designed to keep high magic items out because they are used to seal forbidden spell class items inside. That too, thoroughly.
This is a more troublesome mission than I thought.
If we can't use our familiar swords, my magic-protective dark dragon scale armor, and our powerful equipment, our abilities will drop considerably.
For adventurers, equipment is part of their strength.
「Well, I'm not saying that you should force your way in. Not only swordsmen, but also magicians can change their abilities depending on their equipment.」
「But you have your own business to attend to, don't you?」
「Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about. I'll use the "Toothless" for my business.」
「Y-you mean that pervert!? No, excuse me, it was the old master, Ahem」
The one that the Headmaster and Cherry called "the old toothless, perverted master" seems to have some ability.
「Can you ask him about the curse of the Mad King?」
I'll ask just in case.
「Hmm, You can't tell what he's thinking, and he doesn't always listen to what men ask of him. However, if you let your beautiful members negotiate with him, it might go well. I'm sure he'll ask for a fair price, though.」
「Rejected. I'd rather go myself than let some pervert get close to our members.」
It hurts that I can't use my equipment, but I do have skills.
「Headmaster, you're not saying we can't use our skills, are you?」
「Skills? Let's take a look in Analyze. ――Hmm! Don't worry. Some skills are restricted, but your skills are all right.」
Tsk, you can see through all my skills.
I'm grateful for that for now, but it's going to be a nuisance when this thing turns on us.
But since I don't have my "Dark Dragon Scale Armor" on right now, my skills don't get blocked from viewing.
「I understand. See you tomorrow――」
「Excuse me! Oh my, you're just in time, Alec. I heard that you're going to enter the Forbidden Zone.」
「Alec-kun, is it true you're going into the Forbidden Zone?」
「Aleec, are you going somewhere interesting?」
Melissa, Craig and Marilyn came in and asked me at once.
Damn, you're such an idiot, Serina. You even went around blabbing to the guys in the other class.
I'm the one who didn't think it necessary to keep her mouth shut, but I'm a little too open about my plans. I'll nail her down later.
「If we don't go now, we'll be over capacity.」
「Tch, you're not involved in this anyway, get out.」
「Hey! Can you please not touch the lady's body? It's clearly a crime to try to touch a lady's bottom instead of her breasts.」
Melissa also guarded my hand with a magic barrier, but she was quite good. I had no chance.
「I-I'm sorry, Alec, I didn't mean for this to happen. ......」
Serina is back and seems to be reflecting on the situation, but it's already too late.
「You will not leave until you take me with you.」
「If you want to make enemies of the most prestigious noble families in the Gilan Empire, fine, do as you please, Alec-kun.」
「It's not fair that you're the only one going where the tasty part! Alec!」
「I've told you many times, Marilyn, I'm not going out to eat! Listen to what I'm saying.」
It's completely out of control and it's already a pain in the ass. I've decided to take these guys along with me.
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