Ch. 331 - Winter Break (5)

Baek Yu-Seol’s transport was a long and arduous journey. To accommodate it, an emergency transport vehicle outfitted with top-tier medical equipment—practically equivalent to a high-end hospital room—was prepared. Following it were two additional vehicles converted into mobile operating rooms. To ensure his safety, three full battalions of Stella Knights were deployed as escorts.  

Such an extravagant display naturally invited speculation.

The news that Stella Academy had devoted exceptional resources to a student’s transport spread swiftly, drawing widespread attention.

Even for commoner students injured during outdoor training, Stella Academy was known to send elaborate rescue teams. When distances were too far, they didn’t hesitate to dispatch an airship for a single individual.

However, this was unprecedented.  

Three battalions of Stella Knights had been mobilized.

These elite forces possessed enough strength to reduce a small city to ruins. Each battalion comprised 60 members, including 10 Class 6 magic warriors. The remainder were all Class 5 mages, forming a unit of formidable power.

But that wasn’t the only peculiarity.

Among the escort were renowned figures like Eisel from the Grand Duchy Morph, Hong Bi-Yeon from Adolevit, and the prodigious mage Ma Yu-Seong.

In addition, there were others like Flame, who wielded angelic magic, Hae Won-Ryang, the successor to the Full Moon Tower and a world-renowned inventor, and Jeliel, the daughter of the Starcloud Trading Company. Several other Class S students and even some mysterious elves had joined the group.  

‘He has more friends than one can imagine.’

The knights, who had assumed Baek Yu-Seol’s unconventional personality would leave him isolated, were astonished by the vast network of friends and supporters surrounding him.

However, their curiosity ended there.  

Rumors of the principal’s favor toward Baek Yu-Seol had circulated for some time, making the scale of this escort less shocking than it might have seemed. Furthermore, it wasn’t unusual for companions to rally in concern after an injury of this magnitude.

***

On the second evening of the journey.

The transport required navigating through thirteen warp hole gates to reach the Life and Magic Engineering Laboratory, nestled at the continent’s edge. Frequent rest stops were unavoidable.

Thankfully, the Stella Knights’ commander wasn’t the type to recklessly suggest camping on the roadside.  

“Tonight, we’ll stay in Tread City. I’ve already booked a hotel, and each battalion will occupy separate floors. Baek Yu-Seol’s room will be monitored in shifts by our knights. In case of emergencies, wake the doctors immediately. Any questions?”  

“None, sir!”  

“Good. Researcher Alterisha, you and the students with you will have a separate accommodation. Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure rooms in the same hotel.”  

“Ah, I understand. Would it be alright if I stopped by briefly in the early morning?”

“Of course. Stella will cover your lodging expenses as well...”  

“Oh! That won’t be necessary.”  

Alterisha pulled a card from her pocket. The moment the radiant, golden card caught the light, a wave of astonished gasps rippled through the crowd.

“Th-the Golden Card...!”  

“That’s the one only the richest people in the world can possess, isn’t it…?”  

“I heard you could buy a small country with just one tap if you wanted to…”

Even the commander of the Stella Knights faltered for a moment, though he quickly composed himself. Clearing his throat, he gave a respectful nod.

“Impressive. It’s my first time seeing one in person. Anyway, let’s wrap things up here. We’ll regroup tomorrow morning.”

With that, the Stella Knights and the medical staff disappeared into the hotel, leaving Alterisha standing outside. She let out a deep sigh.

“... Maybe I should just buy the hotel.”  

“P-please don’t, Researcher!”  

The one who shouted at her remark was a small boy standing nearby.  

His name was Lakan, a unique case who had once worked as a janitor at the Alchemy Castle before catching Alterisha’s eye. He had since become her assistant as an alchemist.  

Working at the Alchemy Castle and, no less, as Alterisha’s assistant! Yet, even Lakan often found himself shocked by Alterisha’s extravagant spending habits.  

“I was joking… Besides, I don’t plan on coming back here anyway.”  

***

Tread City.

Night had fallen, and the three moons gleamed high above. Yet their light was utterly drowned out by the city’s dazzling neon glow.

To get here, they had to use six warp holes and switch airships three times.  

For Alterisha, it was the farthest she had ever traveled. A faint thrill stirred within her, but it was quickly smothered by unease.

Tread City had a notorious reputation.  

It was well-known as a haven for criminals, and the idea of spending the night there was anything but comforting.  

“With the Stella Knights protecting us, I doubt mere criminals could do anything…”  

“Yeah. You’re right.”  

Criminals? The term might sound intimidating, but if the Stella Knights truly wanted, they could raze this city to the ground and wipe out every last criminal within it.  

After all, they had ten Class 6 mages on their side—considered strategic weapons in their own right. There wasn’t much they couldn’t accomplish.  

However, they hadn’t been given orders to intervene. And since provoking trouble for no reason would be more trouble than it was worth, the Stella Knights chose to pass through quietly.

"Shall we head out? There’s a decent hotel right nearby. If we go a bit farther, there’s a 4-star hotel—though it’s not 5-star..."  

Alterisha glanced at Hong Bi-Yeon and the others, mindful of their high social standing. She assumed they might prefer a more luxurious stay.

“No need.”  

“Let’s stay close.”  

“Too lazy to go far.”  

Without hesitation, they all agreed to stay at the hotel right next to where Baek Yu-Seol was resting.

“How many rooms do you have left here?”  

“Um? About 14 double rooms and 8 quad rooms are still available…”  

“I’ll take all of them for the night.”  

“Pardon?!”  

“All of them.”  

“Excuse me?!”  

After a brief argument with the hotel manager, who seemed to have trouble believing what he heard, Alterisha pointed out the rooms one by one. Flame, holding the key cards, grabbed Eisel’s wrist and dashed toward their room.

“What are you doing?”  

“I haven’t showered all day. I need to wash up.”  

“You could take your time…”  

“No way. I only showered twice today.”  

“Whaaat?! Twice?!”  

“Yeah. And I still feel gross. I’m going in first, okay?”  

Bang!

“… Okay...”  

Eisel could only look dumbfounded as Flame immediately disappeared into the bathroom of their double room.  

For Eisel, who usually just washed her face and tidied up in the morning, then showered once in the evening, Flame’s obsession with cleanliness was incomprehensible. Some of her dormmates didn’t even shower for two days—or a week at most—so Flame seemed like an extreme case.  

“Ugh. This is exhausting.”  

Inside the shower, Flame leaned her head against the wall with a thud, closing her eyes.  

Thanks to her traits, [Angel’s Grace] and [Natural Fragrance], she could maintain a clean and fresh appearance even without washing. Still, she couldn’t stand not scrubbing herself thoroughly.  

True angels were said to never bathe at all…  

‘Do they never wake up with greasy hair in the morning?’

Her idle musings were cut short when faint voices suddenly echoed in her mind.

— Flame! Were you thinking about us?

— It’s been a while!

“Eek! Damn it, you scared me, you crazy idiots.”

The angels were speaking to her.  

It had been some time since they last visited her in a dream, and Flame had nearly forgotten about their meddling. Hearing them so suddenly sent her heart racing.

“What… What’s going on?”  

— Huh? Nothing major. We just know whenever you think about us, Flame. 

— We’re always thinking about you!  

“Ugh. You stalkers…”  

— No, no! It’s not like that! We’re not secretly watching you or anything!  

“… Wait. You’re not watching me right now, are you?”

—  Huh? Of course not. What are you doing? If you want, you can show us, though.

“No thanks!”  

Who in their right mind would willingly show them this situation?  

“Be quiet and leave. I’m tired right now.”  

— Oh…  

The cheerful voices suddenly softened, tinged with disappointment. Despite herself, Flame felt a twinge of guilt.

“… Fine. Talk to me until I finish my shower. I’m bored anyway.”  

— Really?!  

— That’s awesome!  

— But Flame, where are you right now? Something smells strange…  

“Huh? Really?”  

She sniffed the air, but all she caught was the luxurious scent of her body wash.

— No. Not that kind of smell.  

— Something foul, rotten… a corrupted smell from another dimension.  

— … A demon? No, it can’t be. They can’t leave the underground.  

“What are you talking about…?”  

Flame’s confusion only deepened, but then—  

BANG!!!

A thunderous explosion ripped through the building, shaking its very foundation.

“Whoa?! What the—!”  

Flame stumbled, her eyes darting around as a blinding beam of light shot out from the wall and coiled tightly around her wrist.

— Grab this, Flame! It’ll protect you!  

“Ugh…!”  

The light yanked her forward, tearing her out of the shower. She hit the floor hard, but scrambled up, wrapping herself in a towel before hastily pulling on her modified Stella coat.

This coat, enhanced with Alterisha’s blend of magic and technology, could easily withstand significant impacts.  

“Eisel! Are you okay?”  

“I’m fine!”  

True to form, Eisel was already on the move. She summoned towering ice pillars to reinforce the buckling walls and ceiling, forming a protective dome above her head.

Flame ducked beneath the icy barrier, fumbling as she tugged on her underwear.

“What… What are you doing?”  

“I’d rather die looking good than die looking pathetic, okay?!”

“And that matters now?”  

“Don’t you know about going out in style? I can’t have people saying I died in the shower—whoa?!”  

CRASH!

Another tremor shook the building violently. 

After hurriedly fastening the buttons of her coat and making sure her underwear was at least decently covered, Flame snatched up her staff and bolted toward the balcony.

Flutter…!

— We’ll help you!  

Behind her, radiant wings of light unfurled, shimmering with divine energy. While connected to the angels, Flame didn’t need to actively control them, which made channeling magic through their power far simpler.

“Hoo, I’ll rely on your help this time, so do a good job, alright?”  

— Of course! 

Saaah…

The dark clouds that had been covering the sky parted, and a pillar of light striked down, illuminating Flame as she hovered over the city at night.  

The light was meant to bestow various special buffs on her, but…  

“You crazy idiots! I’m only wearing underwear under this coat right now, and you’re broadcasting me to the entire city?!”

The glowing aura felt less like divine grace and more like a giant stage spotlight, leaving her burning with embarrassment.

‘Still… The buffs are incredible, aren’t they?’

Her entire body brimmed with an expanding light energy. Her mana reserves surged to levels she couldn’t have imagined before, and she felt as though she could now use spells she had only dreamed of.  

Although she had barely managed to grasp Class 5 magic through trial and error, with the angels’ assistance, it seemed possible she could even ascend to Class 6.  

“Can you figure out what’s going on?”  

— Can you share your vision with us?  

“Yeah. I’ll allow it.”  

The moment she granted permission, her perception expanded, as though her sight had detached from her body and swept through the night.

Through the magical link, she peered into the hotel where Baek Yu-Seol was resting.

Inside, dozens—no, hundreds—of black objects squirmed. They resembled living shadows, like liquid darkness moving of its own will. The mere sight of them triggered an instinctive sense of revulsion.  

— As expected, it’s demon magic.  

“But… It seems like the user is a dark mage.”  

— Right. Demon magic always has a red hue. This must be a dark mage who modified it.

Having read countless fantasy romance novels, she knew a few things about dark mages who used demon magic.

Among those who completely controlled shadows, there was only one name that came to mind:  

‘Kaena, the Heresy Inquisitor of the Moon Shadow Church.’

A dark mage cloaked in madness and devotion, Kaena was a fanatical zealot wielding magic that defied the laws of nature. Her power was classified as Risk Level 7… a level reserved for threats capable of razing cities and bending armies to their knees.

She was the embodiment of terror—a cautionary tale of what happens when overwhelming strength is paired with an unhinged faith.

“Of all people, it had to be her…”  

Flame tightened her grip on her staff and looked toward the sky.  

“Will you do anything for me?”  

— Of course.  

She had avoided this method as much as possible, but given the circumstances, it was now clear that the Stella Knights would struggle against Kaena.  

Thanks to her knowledge of the original story, Flame knew Kaena’s weaknesses, which gave her a chance. However, her own power was woefully insufficient to face someone like Kaena.  

The only choice was to borrow strength from elsewhere.  

“… Grant me Angel’s Descent.”  

At that moment, it was as if the sun had risen in the sky.  

No. It was so bright and intense, it could be mistaken for the sun itself. 

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