Episode 26: The Ghost Mansion (1)
“…So, elemental magic is closely related to the four elemental spirits. Of course, since the spirits have not been seen for a long time, there are stories that they are fictional or an extinct species. But some mages believe the spirits are still alive. Wisps are the prime example.”
A spacious auditorium.
Hundreds had gathered for Ruell’s class.
Sid and the Wayne siblings sat in the front row, while students from the elite group, including Iris, sat in the back chatting.
Seeing those students, Ruell smiled brightly.
Unlike the pot-bellied Hammond, he was a fresh, cheerful male teacher.
“Alright, that’s it for today’s class. Everyone, have a great weekend!”
“Thank you for your hard work!”
“Have a great weekend!”
The students, with the weekend ahead, each wore excited expressions.
Watching the students leave the auditorium, Ruell began to walk.
“How is your body? I was so out of it back then that I couldn’t pay attention. Sorry.”
“No, I’m fine! The Headmaster looked after me too……. You were the only one who had a hard time, Teacher. I’m sorry.”
“No, no. What do you have to be sorry for? It was our fault.”
Leia was organizing the heavily stacked books with portal magic.
Ruell walked toward the siblings busily moving about.
He adjusted his round glasses and looked over Sid.
The boy’s folded arms, revealed in a brownish hue, caught his eye.
“Um… did Zii end up dropping out?”
“Huh? It can’t be helped. He can’t use magic anymore.”
Ruell comforted the boy with the dark expression.
Sid’s expression was dark due to the incident a week ago.
It had already been a week since the duel with Zii.
Zii had dropped out three days ago.
Lee, who had promised to apologize before the entire student body after the fight, had apologized for his younger brother’s bullying at his own inauguration ceremony.
A man apologizing alone at an occasion where he should have been happy.
Many students must have felt his sincerity from that sight.
‘Hoo.’
Even so, Sid’s mood did not improve.
Even if it wasn’t the effect of mana burn, he felt responsible for what had become of Zii.
Perhaps knowing that feeling, Ruell smiled brightly.
“It’s not your fault. As they said in the healing ward too, Zii’s symptoms were rebound. He was in the wrong from the start, so don’t worry too much.”
“That’s right. What does Hyung have to be sorry for? Anyway, that bastard Zii, becoming a magic cripple…….”
“Leir!”
At his older sister’s shout, Leir closed his mouth.
Well, it was a rather rough word to come out of a twelve-year-old’s mouth.
“Ah, right, I didn’t just stop you for nothing! Look at this.”
“Huh?”
Ruell, who had been offering bland consolation, got to the main point.
A thin bundle of scrolls pulled from inside his clothes.
It was an invitation written on luxurious parchment.
“It’s an invitation sent by Teacher Bain. Are you interested? He said he made an incredible masterpiece this time, and asked us to send one accompanying teacher and some promising students.”
“Teacher Bain?”
“Yeah. You’re close with Teacher Bain, aren’t you? So I asked. And we can take an outing while we’re at it.”
An invitation stamped with the seal of the Aren household.
Receiving the invitation, Sid looked over its contents.
Written in black ink on the parchment were words saying, ‘A great feat that took a long time has been achieved, and to test this object, please send one or two promising students.’
Of course, this included an accompanying teacher to take charge of the students’ protection.
It was a fortunate thing.
Because if Hammond had been available, he might have had to accompany him instead.
‘So that research from back then is finished!’
Recalling the research he had heard about before admission, a smile spread across his face.
Seeing this expression, Ruell smiled playfully.
“If you don’t want to, I’ll ask another student!”
“No! Of course it’s fine! I’m indebted to Teacher Bain, and I was really curious about what that research was when I saw it before!”
Sid returned the invitation with a bright smile.
The truth was, Ruell had shown the invitation for the exhausted boy’s sake.
Knowing that Sid and Bain’s daughter Liz shared a special relationship, he had wanted to use this invitation as an excuse to lift the boy’s spirits.
“Then what about you two? I think up to three should be fine.”
With the first student chosen, Ruell’s next gaze turned to the Wayne siblings.
Leia, who had been putting away books, was startled.
“Of course! If Hyung goes, I’ll go too!”
“No… I… don’t want to…….”
The two siblings’ reactions were markedly different.
Unlike the energetic Leir, Leia shook her head.
Perhaps because of the girl who had previously shone like a princess, Leia was reacting with extreme distaste.
At his older sister’s reaction, Leir furrowed his brow.
“Sister! You have to meet your rival directly to win! At this rate, you’ll lose Hyung!”
“Wh-what are you saying! Don’t say weird things! Hup!”
Having unintentionally shouted, Leia covered her mouth.
With all eyes on her, the girl’s face flushed red.
Sid, who had been preoccupied with the invitation, belatedly raised his head, and her face had turned as red as a ripe tomato.
“Lose what?”
“Ah, it’s nothing! I’m not going! See you later!”
Using quick and precise words, Leia left her seat.
At this sight, the sly Leir clicked his tongue.
Ruell smiled brightly at the cute romantic spat.
“Then I’ll tell the Headmaster that you two are going. I’ll take care of your outing passes, so don’t worry. Since it’s three of us guys going together anyway, shall we go out early and grab a meal? Sound good?”
“Of course!”
“I love you, Teacher!”
Fine features complemented by brown curly hair.
Add a handsome smile to that, and you had the man called Ruell.
He exited the classroom with a broad grin.
“Right. Then get ready and come out. The carriage should arrive in the afternoon, so we can take it.”
With the teacher gone after finishing his words, the two boys also left the classroom.
The blazing midday sun.
With the weekend ahead, students were each obtaining outing passes and leaving.
Of course, the Academy’s meals and facilities weren’t bad.
It’s just that most students preferred enjoying the sights outside rather than staying at school.
The two boys, who usually watched other students leave, could join the procession today.
* * *
“What should we eat? The lamb here is really good. Want it as a steak? Or stew?”
“Hmm… I’ll have the stew! What about you, Hyung?”
“I’ve had stew a few times. Can we eat it as steak too?”
“Haha, then shall I buy you your first lamb steak? Come on, let’s go in!”
Following Ruell’s guidance, the trio headed inside.
A rowdy tavern.
It was a place where ordinary merchants and locals came to soothe their fatigue.
Soon, the red robes symbolizing the Academy caught their eyes.
“Oh my, mages! What can I get you? What drinks would you like?”
“They’re kids, so no alcohol. Could you bring us a menu? We’ll order after looking.”
“Ohoho, good. Then sit wherever you like!”
Guided by the affable landlady, the three entered the tavern.
The savory smell of charcoal mixed with the sweet scent of spices, already making their mouths water.
Just then, an unexpected figure appeared before the three.
“Hm? Senior, you’re here?”
“Huh?”
A large, bulky man sitting in a chair.
The man with the thick mustache twitched it as he looked over Sid and Leir.
“Hello… sir.”
“Yeah. Came to eat?”
Sid greeted him in a low voice.
It was Lee Firepow, the older brother of Zii, who had dropped out.
Having never expected to meet him in a place like this, Sid’s heart pounded.
“Lee? How did you know this place? Were you drinking alone?”
“Ahem, I just wanted to be alone……. Senior, you must be here to eat with the kids? I hope I’m not making things uncomfortable for no reason.”
“Well… not particularly.”
Ruell’s awkward gaze landed on Sid.
Leir looked at Lee and Sid with a sullen expression.
Lee, who couldn’t not know this fact, downed his remaining beer in one go.
Gulp, gulp.
“Keuh, then I’ll be going first. Enjoy your meal. You kids have a good time too.”
“Ah… yes. Goodbye.”
“Ahem!”
The man stood up, fluttering his red robe.
A dark red robe with a feel similar to what Academy students wore.
However, the crest embroidered in gold and the white fur at the hem accentuated a distinguished elegance.
It was the robe of the Firepow household.
“Um… Teacher!”
“Hm?”
Sid stopped the departing footsteps.
At this sound, Lee stopped and turned around.
Soon, dark amber eyes turned toward the boy.
Meeting that gaze, Sid slowly bowed his head.
“I’m sorry about what happened to Zii. If only I had paid a bit more attention…….”
“Paha! And here I thought what. That story again?”
At the awkward boy’s apology, Lee smirked.
He scratched his abundant hair and smiled brightly.
“I told you before. It’s not your fault. Besides, you’re the only one who came to visit Zii when he was sick, so how could I……. Oh my, the mood’s gotten awkward, Senior! Shouldn’t you order food for the kids first?”
“Oh, right! You guys are eating what we mentioned earlier, right?”
“Huh? Yes!”
Lee sat back down.
His hand patted Sid’s stiff shoulder.
“Ahem, I should loosen this up before I go. May I join you?”
“Why ask me? You should ask them. Is it okay, kids?”
“I’m fine if it’s okay with Hyung.”
The four, who had somehow ended up sitting together, exchanged awkward smiles.
Soon, when his cheerful jokes began, Sid’s inexplicable guilt disappeared as if washed away.
“Of course!”
* * *
The three, having finished their meal, only arrived at the mansion in the early evening.
It was a distance of more than three hours even by carriage, but having enjoyed a pleasant meal with Lee, Sid’s expression was bright.
The bluish dusk mixed with the scarlet sunset, just like when he had first arrived at the mansion.
“Is this the mansion? Wow, it’s huge!”
“Yeah. Teacher Bain is supposed to be a war hero. I don’t know what war, but it seems he received it as a reward from the kingdom.”
“Come on, let’s go in!”
The three stepped forward with excited hearts.
The mansion, which had stolen gazes before, still retained its grandeur.
However, it was unexpected that an unfamiliar coachman had come instead of the one they had met before.
Since such things didn’t really matter, Sid smiled broadly.
“Hyung. Are you looking for something?”
“No, it’s nothing. It’s just been a while.”
Walking through the garden he had walked through with Liz before, Sid looked around.
He had thought Liz might make a surprise appearance upon hearing he was coming, but there was no such welcome.
The boy’s heart simply trembled at the thought of reuniting with the girl.
‘Huh?’
The moment the mansion drew near as they walked through the garden, the acrid smell of sulfur and thick fog changed the trio’s expressions.
Ruell was startled and covered his nose.
“Deploy protective magic! This isn’t ordinary fog!”
“Locasta!”
“Tattypoo!”
Following his warning, the two boys’ magic erupted.
White magic circles unfolded, spewing out silk-like beams of light, and the things that had been approaching through the early evening dusk scattered across the wide garden.
“This is…….”
“Something seems to have gone wrong.”
Ruell, sweating cold sweat, retreated with the two students.
Soon, when they reached the main gate after escaping the garden, a sigh escaped the young teacher.
Having passed through the tense moment, they were drenched in sweat.
“Hoo…….”
“What is it? Did something happen to the mansion?”
Sid shouted anxiously.
If something had happened to the mansion, Liz would likely be caught up in it too.
At that thought, the boy’s heart pounded.
Ruell adjusted his glasses and furrowed his brow.
Finally, the word that came from his mouth was one Sid had read several times in books as well—a word he didn’t even want to imagine.
“It’s dungeonized. This mansion has turned into a dungeon.”
- To be continued in Episode 27 -