Chapter 310 - Danger in the Shadows of the Tower
Nathan Evenhart:
There was a small village at the center of the area, nestled within an open clearing in the forest. Simple wooden houses stood scattered around, along with a few buildings serving as lodging. This place was both a meeting point and a rest area, stocked with food, healing potions, and other supplies to support students in case anything happened.
"You are free to explore this area with your assigned groups. Always stay together. You may do as you wish. There's a waterfall ahead, but there are others spread throughout the area. You can set up camp if you like, have a picnic, or explore the caves and their museums," one of the professors explained.
"The first three days will be relatively easy. You'll have free time. Think of this as a small incentive to socialize and explore on your own. However, in the last few days of this week, you will begin completing assigned group tasks. Remember to pay attention to meal times—breakfast, lunch, and dinner will always be available in this village, but you're also free to fish or hunt on your own. You are dismissed now, enjoy the excursion," added Princess Rose, who was standing in for Elara as the Student Council representative.
We listened attentively. By now, we had already changed into our exploration outfits. I wore a full set of clothing designed for freedom of movement, even my boots were crafted from a durable yet comfortable material. I tied my hair back with an accessory, and by this point, it was certainly dyed black.
"Where's that familiar of yours?" Nora asked. "That cute little cat."
"She's with Chloe and Kinue," I replied.
As we spoke, Your Highness Alice's group approached, and they were there.
"Looks like we're all gathering here," said Sebastian. "Princess Melina is with her group, along with Anastasia and those two twins from the Evenhart Duchy. They're a bit further ahead."
"Let's join up and start setting up the camps," suggested Tiffania.
Everyone seemed to agree.
***
Night had fallen within the floor we occupied. We had distanced ourselves from where the students had gathered, settling in a secluded area of the forest near a waterfall. Watching night descend inside this place was fascinating. The massive glowing orb embedded in the ceiling gradually dimmed its light until it perfectly mimicked a natural night sky. Smaller orbs lit up along the ground and between the trees, illuminating the pathways. Near the elevator area, Professor Beatrix resided in her stone cabin, positioned beside other cabins that stored resources and a small infirmary for those in need of medical attention.
As I sat with my friends, I pondered the true nature of a real expedition. Deeper within the area lay treacherous caves, nests of creatures, and even the environment itself posed a threat. This tower had existed long before the kingdom was founded, a remnant of an ancient civilization. Scholars and even former students visited its depths, though it wasn't as frequently explored as other dungeons. The Royal Capital's dungeon, for instance, was constantly teeming with adventurers, but few ever reached its end.
These dungeons seemed to function as their own ecosystems, complete with unique flora and fauna. Whatever their original purpose may have been, much of their murals and historical findings had already been extracted over the years.
"I need to investigate this place…" I murmured to myself.
There were certainly more clues waiting to be uncovered, especially in those museums.
Thyra's laughter echoed near the campfire as she waited for the meat to cook alongside Syvis. I noticed that Syvis had asked the elven octopus to leave her alone. In a way, it was a miracle that there wasn't a squadron of knights surrounding her. But considering Tiffania's presence, the elves were probably more at ease about her safety.
I'm Syvis's cousin…
Our group was gathered around the campsite. The tents were set up, and I was sharing mine with Bron and Duncan.
"I never took you for someone who likes to read," I commented, glancing at Edmund, who was leaning against a tree, completely engrossed in a book.
He lifted his eyes for a moment before calmly closing it.
"It's a hobby I picked up…" he admitted hesitantly. "Kinue likes books."
For a moment, I felt a slight pang of guilt.
"Edmund… I think we need to talk."
Before he could respond, a bell rang across the campsite. It was the signal for everyone to gather.
"We'll talk later," he said, standing up.
Sebastian called for everyone's attention.
"I've been asking around among the knights and managed to find the location of a museum nearby. It's easy to access, and they say the trail leading there is stunning at night. There are glowing crystals scattered along the path. You newcomers will enjoy it."
"Now?" Catty asked. "It's already nighttime."
"You're veterans too. You know that the tunnels are always dimly lit anyway. It's better to visit now and use the daylight tomorrow to relax at the waterfalls or explore the trails," Sebastian explained.
Others began to gather, intrigued.
"If we go to the museum now, we'll avoid the crowd of students that will be there tomorrow," he continued.
"Museum? I want to go," Syvis said eagerly, standing next to Melina.
The group exchanged glances.
"Honestly… exploring the museum sounds fun," Nora murmured. "Without the mass of students, it'll be more peaceful. And we might even run into some small monsters along the way. Anyone here for action can still have their fun."
I needed to go to that museum. Maybe I could find a clue about the past.
"I'm staying," Edmund said.
"Same," Viktor added, arms crossed. "I hate camping, and even more so, wasting time looking at old junk."
"You just hate exercising," Edmund shot back.
The twin sisters exchanged a glance.
"We'll stay. We have to finish cooking for you all," Natty answered.
"I'm staying too," Frederick said, a bit embarrassed. It seemed like he wanted to spend more time with them.
"You newcomers are so boring," Anastasia teased.
"I want to go," Princess Melina said, getting up.
I looked at Thyra, who was still focused on the roasting meat. That was confirmation enough that she'd stay behind to eat.
Chloe approached me, showing clear interest in going.
Alice appeared beside Anastasia.
"I'm excited to explore. I think it'll be worth it," she said.
"Then let's go," Sebastian announced, taking the lead. "I'll guide you through the tunnels. I don't want anything dangerous happening to you."
Edmund Valemont:
I was leaning against a tree, reading a book I had once seen Kinue reading in the library. It had been some time since part of our group had decided to venture off to see one of the museums. I wasn't particularly interested, so I stayed behind. There was someone I had been keeping an eye on for a while.
"Lord Valemont, what do I do with this?" asked Frederick.
"You volunteered to help in the kitchen and don't know how to cook?" I asked, watching him grow embarrassed.
I was here to keep an eye on Frederick Wolves. It had been a year since the Wolves family had been erased from all official nobility records. They lost their noble title after the former Marquis Nikolaus Wolves attempted an act of treason. Some nobles denounced him, and the kingdom swiftly stripped him of his status. From what I heard, he was executed. The dukes received a letter informing them of the process and were instructed to keep the matter restricted to the political nobility of the duchy. The reason was simple—any instability like this could tarnish the kingdom's image. If a marquis felt bold enough to disrespect the authority of the Asalon family without fear of repercussions, it signaled a much deeper problem.
When I found out which duchy the Wolves family belonged to, I was surprised. They were vassals of my friend Nathan Evenhart's duchy. I asked him about the situation, but his response was vague. He simply said the kingdom handled everything and that even he was surprised to see nobles denouncing their superior at the risk of losing credibility.
That's why, when I learned that a member of the Wolves family had joined the academy this year, I decided to keep an eye on him. He might be seeking retaliation for his family's downfall. But to my surprise, Frederick turned out to be… too much of a fool. On top of that, I had a strong suspicion that he had a crush on one of the twin maids.
"What do I do with this, Lady Nathalie and Lady Caitlyn?" Frederick asked, holding a piece of military ration.
"Shove it up your ass," they both responded at the same time.
Wow…
"That kind of joke isn't befitting of two lovely ladies like you," he tried to reply politely.
"It wasn't a joke. It was a suggestion," they answered.
He sighed.
"Fine… I know you don't like my family, but at least I'll try to make you understand that I'm a good person," he said, but the twins ignored him completely.
Frederick headed toward the tents, probably to find another task to busy himself with.
"Sister," one of them said. "I'll set aside meals for Lord Nathan, Lady Chloe, and Kinue. When they return, they just need to warm them up by the fire."
"I'll take care of it, sister," the other replied.
I observed their exchange and realized that, in truth, I couldn't tell which was Natty and which was Catty. They spoke in the exact same manner and remained silent most of the time. Their speech was concise, efficient, and their movements almost methodical. I watched one of them handle a knife, slicing ingredients with absurd precision.
These two maids are peculiar…
"Can you serve me?" asked Viktor, suddenly appearing from one of the tents.
The twins stared at him for a few moments before returning to preparing the food.
"Was that a yes or a no?" he asked, confused.
"We are not your maids," they responded in unison.
Viktor shrugged and wandered off to another part of the camp. I chuckled.
"Funny, huh?" he muttered, approaching me.
I stood up and stored my book inside my storage bracelet.
"Those knights have been gone for a while. Our brave veterans are out having their fun…" Viktor remarked.
"They probably went to meet up with their group. We're in our free period, so it's normal for them to go see their friends," I replied. "But what about you, Viktor? Don't you have any friends? You're always training with the knights."
He shrugged and sat down.
"You're a duchy heir too… you know how hard it is to have real friends," he said. "Most people are either nice to you because they work for you or because they're trying to climb the social ladder…"
His words surprised me. Viktor was usually more of an idiot.
I stepped closer and put on a grin.
"I get it now… you don't have any friends," I said, laughing.
He shot me an annoyed glare.
"Who needs friends? I have plenty of dumb servants who'd do anything I told them to," he replied, but I couldn't stop laughing.
Shaking my head, still smiling, I said, "That's a problem. You'll never understand the value of having someone who's more than just a subordinate. That's why we have the second branch of our families. Our cousins aren't just bodyguards—they're our friends. They grow up alongside us and share the burden. They're the only ones with the guts to argue with us and challenge our decisions… everyone else just bows their heads and agrees with whatever we say."
He shrugged again. "My cousin's an Inquisitor… more talented than me. He barely even has time to stay home," he muttered.
"Wait, your cousin really is an Inquisitor? I thought that was just something you made up," I said.
He stared at me. "Why the hell would I make that up?" he asked, annoyed.
So his cousin is one of the kingdom's Inquisitors? That kind of information isn't supposed to be shared… this guy really is an idiot.
I sighed, barely believing what he had just let slip. Viktor and I both carried the burden of belonging to military duchies and knowing some of the kingdom's military secrets. But even we weren't supposed to know the identities of the Inquisitors. The fact that he just blurted it out was a bit shocking.
At least he only told us, and I doubt anyone would believe him. Most people don't even think Inquisitors are real.
"And what about you, Edmund? Do you have friends?" he asked.
"Of course, all of you, idiot. But if you're asking about friends back at the duchy… just my cousin. The rest… we can't really call them friends, even if they're as close to us as friends would be. Unfortunately, to most people, I'll always be 'Lord Edmund,'" I said. "That's why the academy is a good place to make real friends. You know Thyra? She talks to us without caring about nobility at all. That's something I see as a positive."
He gave me a long look.
"You want me to be friends with a demi-human? I already have to put up with the elves. I'd never befriend those talking animals," he scoffed. "They're disgusting."
I stared at him, my expression turning serious.
"Don't ever say that to me again, Viktor. Keep your prejudices to yourself. Here at the academy, we're all equals, and Thyra is my friend, just like Kinue. I won't let you talk down to them."
Viktor just shrugged. "I'm only saying what everyone else thinks."
"The True Humans think the same about us. To them, we're all filthy and repulsive," I shot back.
He pulled away and sat on a tree stump.
Just when I thought this idiot was getting better… he goes and reminds me why I still think he's an idiot.
"Is your whole family like this?" I asked, sitting down beside him. "Your mother, what's her background?"
He looked at me.
"My mother isn't a political noble like my father or me. Asking about her origins is considered offensive since she's not a public figure. By law, I don't have to answer that," he said in a formal tone.
I smiled.
"I see, so your mother comes from a humble background," I said, laughing. He looked irritated.
I placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Relax, my friend. I'm not going to go around telling people."
He shoved my hand away.
"My mother is not a commoner! She is… she is… I don't want to talk about it, alright?" he snapped, standing up.
I just nodded. He stayed silent for a few moments.
"My mother is a commoner," I admitted, breaking the tension. He looked at me, slightly surprised. "See? I have no problem talking about things like that."
He studied me.
"Did your father marry her because she had magical talent? Or just so he could use her as a 'surrogate' and not have to share inheritance with another noble family?"
"Neither. My mother isn't even a mage. He just fell in love with her. Does there have to be some special reason to marry a commoner?"
"Of course there does, they're commoners! You know what, just leave me alone!" He turned and walked off.
I think I finally found his weak spot… family.
I started heading toward my tent.
"What is that?" One of the twins asked, suddenly sprinting across the camp. The other emerged from one of the tents immediately.
"What?" I ran to her side and followed her gaze.
Smoke.
"Smoke…" I murmured. "A lot of it. It's coming from the direction of the main camp."
They exchanged glances.
"Someone with water magic should have put out the fire by now," I commented.
One of them sprinted forward, scaling a tree with shocking speed, using knives to dig into the bark and climb even faster. I was genuinely impressed by her agility. Within seconds, she disappeared into the canopy while the other twin waited below.
"Natty, we have a problem," she reported as she dropped back down. "I saw students running everywhere, panicked. But I also saw something else…"
"What did you see?" I asked.
She locked eyes with me.
"Cloaked figures and what looked like monsters. They were attacking the students."
I stared at her, dumbfounded.
"What do you mean, attacking the students?"
A loud boom echoed through the air. The massive glowing sphere at the ceiling of the floor suddenly went out. In an instant, everything was swallowed by absolute darkness. We couldn't see a thing.
Only the fire from the camp remained, casting a flickering glow around us. The twins raised their hands, summoning floating orbs of fire that hovered around them, improving visibility.
The darkness was suffocating. A heavy silence spread through the camp, but within it, a sound emerged—the unmistakable crunch of branches being stepped on, growing louder.
"What was that?" I asked, tense.
The trees rustled. Some began to fall. The sound of leaves and wood snapping echoed through the air.
"What is going on here?" I murmured, stunned.
And then, I saw them.
Grotesque green creatures, their jagged teeth protruding like tusks from their mouths. Their faces bore a resemblance to wild boars, their eyes gleaming with primal aggression. Some wielded crude clubs, others carried massive swords and axes. They emerged from the shadows of the forest, creeping out from all directions, motionless at first, just staring at us.
No matter where I looked, more of them appeared, surrounding us completely.
"Arrrgh!" one of them growled.
"Sister…" one of the twins whispered, and in perfect sync, they both drew axes from their storage bracelets.
We were completely surrounded.
In the distance, I saw bursts of fire magic lighting up the night, flashes of battle raging somewhere deeper in the forest.
The creatures began grunting, their growls rising into a chaotic chorus. And then, without warning, they charged.
"We're in a tight spot…" the twins muttered, shifting into combat stance.
Kinue:
I followed our group of friends up to the entrance of one of the tunnels. I was familiar with some of them. This floor was divided into tunnels that led to the so-called "museums," areas filled with statues and paintings meant to be observed and studied.
"I need to hurry…" I murmured as I walked through the forest. They had already entered the tunnels some time ago. I was wandering through the wooded area near the entrance, searching for a specific type of fruit that grew in this region. Not only would it add more variety to our dinner, but I could also take the seeds to Aunt Katie.
"I need to score some points with my boyfriend's mother," I chuckled as I ran toward a tree. Pointing my finger, I fired a small sphere—not of energy, but an actual solid orb made of light. The orange apple dropped from the impact, and I caught it before it hit the ground.
"Another apple collected," I said, placing it in the fruit basket.
Natty and Catty were in charge of dinner, but I wanted to return and help prepare something extra for Nathan. Maybe I could make a dessert or some fresh juice with these fruits. With Chloe's ice magic, I could make sure it was nice and chilled.
Hehe, I think he'll like that.
I continued picking fruit, but then a loud noise erupted.
"What was that?" I flinched as a tremor shook the entire floor. My eyes darted toward the towering structure that functioned as an elevator—it suddenly darkened.
"What?" I frowned, confused.
Then, the massive light orb that illuminated the entire floor shut off, plunging everything into darkness.
Screams rang out in the distance, and in that moment, my fruit basket slipped from my hands, spilling across the ground.
Everything was completely pitch black. The entire floor had gone dark in an instant, with only faint tremors still rumbling through the ground. I could see in the dark, but even I knew the difference between mere darkness and total darkness.
"What's going on?" I muttered, stepping forward cautiously, my ears perking up as I tried to make sense of the situation.
I quickly sprinted toward the tallest tree I could find and began climbing its branches. Letting my magic flow through my body, I enhanced my physical attributes and scaled it with ease. With one final leap, I reached the top.
In the middle of the darkness, flashes of light erupted in the distance—something was happening. It was far away, near the main student camps.
I focused my hearing, letting my beastial power sharpen my senses even further.
"Help!" someone screamed amid the chaos.
"Who are you?! What's going on?!" another voice shouted.
"An attack!" someone yelled.
I heard monstrous roars, guttural growls, the clash of steel, and the crackling sound of spells being fired.
I stopped, my body tense. Everything was in utter disarray, and none of it made any sense. But one thing was clear—
"Something is very wrong."
I leaped to the ground and started running, but then I hesitated.
What should I do? Should I go to where the students are in danger or head toward the tunnel?
I need to find Nathan and Chloe!
I sprinted through the forest, trying to navigate my way back to the tunnel. By now, my basket had been abandoned, tossed aside in my rush. I let mana flow even more intensely through my body, enhancing my speed.
I could hear footsteps, the sound of people moving.
Is it them!?
I dashed toward the noise, cutting through the darkness. But just as I arrived—
"Grrrrr!"
A growl echoed in front of me.
Something was moving in the underbrush, and from the brief outline I caught, it was not human. I quickly reached into my storage bracelet and pulled out my halberd.
More footsteps.
"Grrrrr!"
Another growl came from behind me.
Then another.
And another.
The realization hit me—I was completely surrounded.
Emerging from the darkness were towering humanoid creatures, easily three meters tall. They carried massive clubs and axes, their bodies adorned with necklaces made of human bones.
Others arrived, beating on crude drums, the rhythmic pounding creating a macabre, warlike melody. One of them blew into a large horn, the eerie sound cutting through the air. Another stood drenched in blood, his grotesque figure illuminated by the flickering light of their crude torches.
I reinforced my body with magic, gripping my weapon tightly. My eyes darted around, tracking their movements as they encircled me.
Then, a voice echoed throughout the area.
"Dear students of Apsalon Academy…"
"Your purge has begun."
At that moment, all the green-skinned monsters charged toward me at once.
"It's time for the orcs to hunt their prey!"
The voice rang out again, followed by the deafening roar of the charging horde.