"Lord
Without any explanation—or rather, without any way he could possibly explain in detail—Ferdinand simply spurred his rideable toward the sky. His guard knights and Heiszitietse scrambled to give chase as Ferdinand's rideable surged ahead. Ferdinand looked back and stopped them.
"Stand by below the white building—it's too dangerous! If you insist on accompanying me, fly higher than I do! If you're at a middle altitude, you'll die!"
Even as he shouted, Ferdinand shook off the guard knights and rocketed ever higher at great speed. Whether anyone was following, I had no chance to look back. I just clung desperately to the reins so I wouldn't fall off.
As we ascended, the First Bell began to ring. The clear chimes from the library, the central building, the scholar's building, the knight's building, and the attendant's building—each ringing from their respective dormitories—echoed through the Noble Academy where the sun had not yet risen.
"Use the Lance of Leydenshaft."
Having climbed high enough to see the entirety of the Noble Academy, Ferdinand said that as he drew his Stappe. He told me to pour in plenty of Magic Power, then transformed his own into a single-edged sword and began channeling Magic Power into it.
"The Lance of Leydenshaft?"
"That's right. When I give the signal, close your eyes and transform it into the lance and drop it. No matter how terrible your throwing aim or how short the range, even you should be able to manage just dropping it. It's a magic circle that covers the entire Noble Academy, so there's no way to miss."
It was an incredibly harsh thing to say, but not entirely wrong. No matter how much Magic Power I packed into the Lance of Leydenshaft, my skill was still that of a bumbling novice who could hardly hit a target.
...I know that! But I really wish Lord Ferdinand would remember that the truth can sometimes hurt people even more.
"Lord Ferdinand, what are you planning?!"
"Lady Rosemine, please stop!"
The moment Ferdinand took a stance with his fully charged sword, I heard those voices. The guard knights who had been desperately trying to catch up had finally reached us. Most of them were my guard knights, and I could spot a few blue mantles.
Ferdinand looked down at them and muttered, "Unlike
"I told you it was dangerous. Why are you below me? Do you have a death wish? Get above us at once!"
The guard knights, faces pale, began climbing above us one by one. Ferdinand waited for them, growling, "We don't have time..." and I could tell he was quite pressed.
"Lord Ferdinand, please at least hold off on the attack until they reach a safe position. I will stop you with everything I have if you try to attack my guard knights."
"I'm not so monstrous as to do that."
Heiszitietse, who had flown up alongside us, asked, "What are you planning to do?" but Ferdinand didn't answer and merely brandished his sword.
"I have no obligation to answer you. ...Rosemine, let's do this."
"Yes, sir!"
I did as Ferdinand instructed—closed my eyes, drew my Stappe, and chanted "Lance." I felt the shape of a lance take form in my hand. I was told to pack in as much Magic Power as I could, so I kept pouring it in. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell: there was a crackling sound, like sparks of Magic Power flying off.
"That's enough. Drop it."
"Lord Ferdinand! Lady Rosemine, wait—"
Anxious shouts of protest rang out from all around me, but I had to activate this magic circle and reach the Garden of Beginnings before
...I will absolutely stop him!
I let go and dropped the Lance of Leydenshaft. The instant I did, my rideable lurched forward. Off-balance and startled, I opened my eyes. The Lance of Leydenshaft was plummeting toward the pitch-dark Noble Academy like a blue meteor.
The reason I could see it at all was that Ferdinand was steering his rideable in pursuit of the falling lance. Diving down at breakneck speed, Ferdinand swung his sword.
A mass of rainbow-hued magic erupted from the blade and struck the magic circle at a speed that overtook the lance I had dropped. A tremendous sound rang out as Magic Power collided and repelled against Magic Power, and the magic circle covering the Noble Academy lit up brilliantly and rose into view. At its center, a pillar of light connecting the sky and the Noble Academy became visible.
...The noble color of wind! Mestionora?!
When I had received the Book of Mestionora in the Garden of Beginnings, a light had descended as well. I had a strange certainty that this was that very same light.
...We have to hurry!
Ferdinand must have felt the same urgency. His arm wrapped around my waist tightened with force. To plunge through the magic circle into the Garden of Beginnings beneath the pillar of light, he drove our rideable straight into it. The instant we hit, a powerful gust of wind erupted from the magic circle, and with the full force of our momentum, we were flung violently away.
"Kyah?!"
The unexpected counterattack made me cry out. There was no pain since we'd only been blown back by wind, but the impact must have been too strong—several of the protective charms I was wearing shattered. Ferdinand clicked his tongue, steered the rideable, and regrouped a short distance from the magic circle.
"It has the same effect as the Shield of Stuelia. It seems those with hostile intent toward anyone inside cannot enter."
Ferdinand glared at the still-glowing magic circle and pillar of light, grinding his teeth in frustration. He said that last time he'd visited, no one had been inside, which was why he'd been able to pass through.
"So going in from above is impossible, huh?"
I couldn't muster any goodwill toward Gervasio, who had ravaged Ahrensbach, or toward Eavermine, who had told Ferdinand to kill me. No matter how many times we tried this way, we'd just be bounced back.
"Indeed. We'll have to think of another approach. ...I suppose either returning to the detached palace to don the silver robes and try again, or opening an entrance connected from the Innermost Room."
"To pass through the Shield of Stuelia, I think you'd need to have your entire body covered completely in silver cloth. Not being able to use your Stappe immediately upon entering is dangerous."
Eavermine had said she differentiated people by their Magic Power. If that was the case, Gervasio's Magic Power should still be detectable. If we were clad in silver, the opponent's Magic Power attacks wouldn't work, but since we didn't know what sort of equipment the other side had, being unable to use our Stappes didn't seem like a wise choice.
"...Gervasio is in the process of obtaining the Book of Mestionora right now, isn't he?"
"Almost certainly."
I glared at the pillar of light. Despite having used a considerable amount of Magic Power to activate the massive magic circle, we'd been bounced back without even getting inside. Gervasio was in the process of receiving the Book of Mestionora—there had to be something we could do.
...Even if we couldn't get inside, if only we could interfere from the outside...
"Lord Ferdinand. We were bounced back from the magic circle, but we did manage to get inside the pillar of light, didn't we?"
"...What are you planning?"
As Ferdinand tensed, I chanted "Lyken" to dismiss the Lance of Leydenshaft that had fallen somewhere, then used "Finsunhan" to create the cloak—a divine instrument of darkness.
"Rosemine, I believe I told you to save that as a last resort?"
"Lord Ferdinand, you may make a face about it, but I think we've been pushed into a corner where even a last resort is warranted."
Gervasio was already in the Garden of Beginnings and in the process of receiving the Book of Mestionora. Our fastest method of entry—activating the magic circle—had failed. Within what Ferdinand could imagine, the only options were donning silver robes and trying again, or finding a hiding royal and asking them to open the Innermost Room. Those were the only ways to reach the Garden of Beginnings.
"I thought that if we blocked that light, we could interfere with Gervasio as quickly as possible, so I believe this qualifies as a last resort at this point. Wouldn't this be much faster than going to fetch silver cloth to change into, or asking a royal to open the Innermost Room?"
At my argument, Ferdinand lightly tapped his temple. "Coming up with something so outlandish again..."
"I don't think it's a bad idea, but I suspect you have other reasons tucked away as well? Confess those too."
"I used a massive amount of Magic Power to activate the magic circle, so I thought—if we can't get in, I'd like it back. That noble-colored light is a mass of Magic Power, isn't it?"
"Your expression suggests that wasn't the only thing you were thinking."
"Guh..."
...How does he always know?!
I thought I was maintaining a proper noble facade, yet he saw right through me. Unfair. I touched my face, then pouted my lips in protest.
"I have a strong ulterior motive—if I absorbed that light, wouldn't knowledge flow into me? I can't wait until I come of age."
Having heard my most honest desire—the one behind Ferdinand's earlier refusal to let me copy-paste—Ferdinand sighed with an exasperated look and steered the rideable toward the pillar of light.
"Eavermine may have said that due to an unforeseen circumstance, you and I originally share parts of the same being? Otherwise, she wouldn't have suggested we kill each other to complete it. If that's the case, it seems unlikely you'd be able to obtain knowledge meant for another person, but..."
"A no if nothing else. If it works, great. Let's try."
"What in the world is 'great'? Your language is getting sloppy. In a situation like this, you're being far too relaxed."
...I don't need to hear that from Lord Ferdinand, of all people, who insists on maintaining noble decorum even in this kind of crisis.
I countered silently in my mind, but aloud I brushed off the lecture with "I'll be more careful from now on."
The light descending from high above was prevented from reaching the Garden of Beginnings as I unfurled the dark cloak wide, wide, wide within the pillar of light. At the same time, the absorption characteristic of the divine instrument of darkness kicked in, and Magic Power surged in all at once. The Magic Power I'd spent so lavishly moments ago recovered in the blink of an eye. No need to writhe in agony from the terrible-tasting recovery potion—it was far faster than that, and a complete recovery.
...But as Lord Ferdinand said, no knowledge came in. I slumped in disappointment.
"Lyken."
"You've already recovered?"
Ferdinand's voice was tinged with surprise when he saw me dismiss the dark cloak. The dark cloak could only absorb Magic Power up to one's maximum capacity. Once I was fully recovered, it stopped. But considering the amount of Magic Power I'd spent on the Lance of Leydenshaft, the recovery was astonishing. I turned to look up at Ferdinand.
"The knowledge I wanted most didn't come through, but as far as Magic Power recovery goes, it was far better than the terrible-tasting recovery potion you made, Lord Ferdinand. Truly worthy of a god. That was a delicious amount of Magic Power—thank you for the meal."
When I reported this to Ferdinand, he pinched my cheek. Judging from the cold air and his disgusted expression, it seemed Ferdinand was competitive even with gods. I thought that was perhaps setting his ideals a bit too high.
"Ouch. ...But it really was amazing. This time it's your turn, Lord Ferdinand. We need to stop Gervasio, and you used quite a bit yourself, didn't you? How about letting a god restore your Magic Power? This kind of experience doesn't come along often."
It was Ferdinand who had taught me how to use the dark cloak. I couldn't imagine he'd be unable to use it himself. When I suggested it, Ferdinand made a complicated expression.
"No one else would ever get the chance to experience this. You're the only one who'd even think of absorbing the Magic Power of gods. Despite praying whenever anything comes up in daily life, I can't tell if you're devout or blasphemous."
After grumbling at me, he declared, "We can't just let Gervasio have his way," then produced the dark cloak and spread it out as I had.
"Oh my... This is rather impressive."
He'd been muttering complaints, but he quickly felt the Magic Power filling him up—his lips curved upward with satisfaction.
"Hm?"
Before Ferdinand could even chant "Lyken," the pillar of light flickered out like a power source being cut. The moment the pillar of Magic Power recovery vanished, the magic circle that had been glowing went dark as well.
"Oh? It's over."
"I haven't fully recovered yet, though... Did you perhaps absorb too much?"
"Huh? Is it my fault? It might have been about to end naturally anyway—don't look at me so resentfully. It's not like it's my fault."
When I glared at Ferdinand, he said, "Then we must think of the next step," and turned the rideable skyward.
"As you say, if it was about to end naturally, then Gervasio likely already possesses a nearly complete Holy Book. Where's the exit? When you reached the Garden of Beginnings from the library, where did you emerge?"
I shook my head at Ferdinand's suggestion that we return to the library.
"I couldn't return to the library. I emerged in the Innermost Room. Was it different for you, Lord Ferdinand?"
"I dislike being sent to strange places, so I exited from where I entered."
In other words, he had rudely plunged in from the sky above, ignored the exit that had been thoughtfully opened for him, and flown back up into the sky on his rideable. Without contact with a royal, there was no way out except through the Innermost Room, so I thought it wasn't the wrong choice.
...But doing things like that is probably why Lady Eavermine dislikes him, isn't it?
The guard knights who had been watching our movements anxiously realized the immediate task was done and flew down to us.
"What were you trying to do? What was that pillar of light?"
"I have no obligation to explain, and none of you need to know. Don't make me repeat myself. More importantly, Heiszitietse—what is the situation with the royal family? We need to rush to the Innermost Room immediately. I need a royal to open it, so ask Aub
Even Heiszitietse's face went stiff at Ferdinand's suggestion.
"Capture a royal? I can sense not a single shred of respect, but..."
"They were forewarned about foreign incursion yet failed to devise any countermeasures while it's happening right now. They're being betrayed by the Central Knight Order that was supposed to protect them. Do they have any value beyond being the key to open the Innermost Room?"
There was no island to cling to, nor any room for rebuttal. But sometimes there was no need to state the truth out loud.
"Granted, the royal family hasn't been particularly useful, but Lord Ferdinand, I did receive a permission slip to help you. Could you dress it up a little more, Lord Ferdinand?"
"Lady Rosemine, you should dress it up a little more as well."
"I'm afraid I can't send an Ordonnanz worded like that."
"Very well. Then I'll send it myself. Rosemine, close your eyes."
When I closed my eyes, I felt Ferdinand's hand move.
"Prince
...Prince Anastasius?
Why was Ferdinand sending an Ordonnanz to Prince Anastasius of all people? I tilted my head, but Ferdinand's voice flowed seamlessly into the Ordonnanz.
"To prevent the cornerstone of Yurgenschmidt from being seized by an invader from Lanzanave, a royal is needed to open the Innermost Room. Considering the aftermath the royal family faced after the coup d'état, it should be obvious—the moment the cornerstone is taken, the current royals become subjects for disposal. Come to the Innermost Room immediately."
I felt Ferdinand's Stappe swing with a whoosh.
"That should do. We're heading to the Central Building."
"Lord Ferdinand, why Prince Anastasius? Shouldn't this go to King
Heiszitietse's question echoed what everyone present was thinking. Ferdinand wore the kind of demonic smile that sent chills down one's spine.
"Because he's the one with the clearest vulnerability, the most agile, and most likely to move quickly—obviously. Do you think Prince Anastasius would stand by and watch Lady
...I certainly didn't.
Prince Anastasius's devotion to his wife was something I knew all too well. He was not the kind of man who could ignore a crisis threatening Eglantine.
"But Lord Ferdinand. Wouldn't I be able to open the Innermost Room without having to summon a royal? I haven't received formal approval, but I am technically an Aub."
"But since you're not a formally recognized Aub, we'll need insurance for when you can't do it, won't we?"
Ferdinand said this matter-of-factly—calling only after confirming it was impossible would waste even more time—and turned the rideable toward the Central Building.
...He just used the royal family as insurance, this man!
The full-power assault of "Excuse me" has been blocked.
Bounced back and furious, Rosemine uses the dark cloak to interfere with the enemy.
Suddenly unable to feel the power of Mestionora, the old geezer is in a panic.
And the insurance prince, Anastasius, summoned to the scene.
Next time, we head to the Innermost Room.