Chapter 495: Episode 495
Summoning Materials—a class Professor Grelion himself described as being closer to ‘Chimera Design Theory’—always required a lot of time for cleanup. The TAs were once again running around, their clothes soaked with sweat. Half were in the conservatory, filling in holes and cleaning the floor, while the others collected debris from the outdoor tables.
’Shhh-shh-shh!’
Occasionally, they found living plant-type monsters still on the tables. The TAs would lightly incinerate them with jet-black flames and sweep the ashes into a dustpan. So much help was needed that even Professor Grelion willingly assisted with the cleanup.
"Professor Grelion." The head TA approached as Grelion was carrying a load of trash in his brawny arms. "Do you have a moment?"
"Sure."
’Thud!’
Grelion dropped the trash into a pile and turned. They headed toward Simon’s table.
"Here, please take a look at this." The head TA pointed to the pitcher plant chimera left in Simon’s pot.
Upon seeing it, Grelion immediately took off his sunglasses and moved closer. "...He mixed Segello and Kigil. I don’t even need Loina’s Pot to know. This work is clearly an A+."
"That’s what I thought, which is why I called you, Professor," the head TA continued. "But Simon Polentia’s grade is an A. He deliberately chose to be evaluated on a different work, despite having a better one."
Grelion crossed his arms and stroked his chin. "Either Simon Polentia’s choice was wrong, or..." His eyes sharpened behind his sunglasses. "We missed something. Is that it?"
The head TA bowed his head apologetically. Grelion strode forward. "Bring me Simon Polentia’s practical evaluation project!"
"Yes, sir!"
The TAs brought the pot with the plant chimera bearing Simon’s name tag. Without hesitation, Grelion uprooted it and planted it in Loina’s Pot. An illusion showing the chimera’s appearance after six months immediately appeared. It was still perfectly healthy.
"As we saw before, there are no particular changes," the head TA noted.
Grelion stared at it with a serious expression for a moment, then waved his arm. "We’ll come back after we finish cleaning."
"Yes, sir!"
A few hours later, after the cleanup was complete, they returned to Loina’s Pot, and...
An astonishing sight unfolded before them. A magnificent field of flowers had blossomed in the pot. The plant chimeras Simon had made had multiplied.
"The chimera..." Grelion’s hand trembled slightly as he took off his sunglasses again. "He succeeded in breeding it?"
Plant chimeras, being two crops grafted together with black magic, were almost always sterile. At best, they might grow into one of the two original plant types. But this... this had grown into the exact chimera form that Simon had grafted.
’That kid...!’
Sweat trickled down Grelion’s forehead. ’Did he create an entirely new species?!’
He had thought Aaron was just making a fuss over his student, but he had been wrong. Aaron had come to give him a warning.
’He said he was the kid who made a lich instead of a mage.’
He was telling him not to be too surprised by whatever happened in his class from now on.
A rough laugh escaped Grelion’s lips. "Head TA."
"Yes, Professor!"
"I need to correct the grade. Announce it to the Summoning Department, and after obtaining the students’ understanding, raise Simon’s grade from A to A+." This was his reaction when he was extremely satisfied.
Another TA spoke up, his face stiff. "B-but Professor! If we have a grade correction on the very first evaluation, there will be backlash from the students, and suspicion about our class will grow."
"If you make a mistake, you have to admit it." He chuckled and put on his sunglasses. "A very interesting kid has joined the department."
---
The next morning. The ‘Mission Evaluation’ was finally beginning.
As soon as Simon opened his eyes, he headed to Pier’s ruins. He loaded a large number of undead for combat into his extra-large subspace. Pier had fought that insane group once before and judged that they might even need the power of an army.
"I’ll leave the guarding of the ruins to Akemus."
[Yes, Young Master.] Akemus placed a hand on his chest and bowed respectfully. [Please return safely!]
Pier, Erzebet, Prince, and Herseva would accompany Simon on this journey. Akemus, who had been active in Langerstine, would stay behind to guard the ruins. Of course, using Herseva’s power, the ‘World of Sand,’ he could be summoned at any time, so he wasn’t truly out of the picture. Simon just hoped a situation requiring all of them, including Akemus, wouldn’t arise.
"Well then, I’m off."
After completing his preparations, Simon left the ruins. The second-year campus was empty. Most students had left on early morning teleports, and Simon’s turn was a bit later.
He crossed the campus, climbed the hill, and arrived at the large teleportation circle. He could hear the boisterous chatter of students about to embark on their adventures. Just as a group of ten teleported away, the administrators began calling the names of the next group.
"You’re here." Kajan, who was resting in the shade of a tree, raised a hand in greeting. He was wearing adventurer’s clothes with a neat gray robe, the best attire for hiding his Kizen identity.
Simon smiled back. "Thank you for coming to help, Kajan!"
Kajan, who had remained interested in Tarados, had decided to accompany him. He also agreed to cooperate with Simon’s original goal of finding the main body of the Ancient Undead, Kal.
"Having you with me on a Mission Evaluation is really reassuring!"
"Indeed." Kajan touched his neck, a tired look on his face. "I couldn’t sleep well because I kept thinking about that code."
It seemed the phrase ‘Help me’ had made quite an impression even on Kajan, who usually fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
"Oh, there’s Simon!"
"Simoooon!"
Simon looked around, confused.
He wondered who was calling his name and saw Meirin and Kamibarez running toward them, waving happily.
"Meirin! Kami!"
"Hey, what’s this? Are you just leaving now, too?" Both were in adventurer’s attire. Meirin had her sky-blue hair in a ponytail and wore a practical jacket, shorts, and black stockings, giving her a lively air.
"I’m so glad I could see you before the mission!" Kamibarez wore a hooded top, a high-brimmed hat, and a long skirt. She had already modified it, as the wings on her back were fluttering.
"But why is it just you two? Where’s Dick?"
"Dick left early this morning! He had a request related to a merchant caravan!"
"I see."
Meirin playfully crossed her arms. "You boys. How can you not do a single mission with us? Aren’t you worried? Aren’t you going to be our escort?"
Simon scratched his head sheepishly. "Let’s definitely go out as a group of four next time."
Kamibarez stood on her tiptoes, fluttering her two adorable wings. "How about we do the black request together?"
"That sounds good."
"Yeah, sounds great! I’m super confident about hiding my jet-black!"
The three of them chatted boisterously, just as they always did in the student council room. Meirin smiled brightly and looked behind Simon. "By the way, who’s the friend going with you?"
"It’s me."
Belatedly noticing the scar on his right eye, she jumped in surprise and bowed her head. "I-I’m sorry, Senior Kajan."
"I told you to just call me Kajan. I’m not your senior."
Kamibarez smiled sweetly. "Kajan! Please take good care of Simon."
Even the stoic Kajan showed a faint smile in front of Kamibarez. "Yeah. Leave him to me."
Just then, the teleportation administrator called Meirin and Kamibarez’s names.
"Oh, it’s our turn. We’ll be back."
"We’re leaving, Simon! Kajan, please come back safely too!"
"Yeah, take care." Simon waved, and Kajan gave a silent nod. The two girls put on their robes over their uniforms and ran toward the teleportation circle.
After Meirin and Kamibarez teleported, it was Simon and Kajan’s turn. They stepped onto the platform. Perhaps because it was an unusual destination, they were the only two on the large magic circle.
"Departing now!"
With the administrator’s shout, the teleportation circle activated.
’Vwoom!’
His feet gently lifted off the ground. Simon surrendered his body to the now all-too-familiar sensation. The mission was about to begin.
But his feet landed on the ground once more. Simon glanced around, thinking they had arrived, but the scenery was unchanged. They were still standing on Kizen’s teleportation circle.
"M-My apologies! Please wait just a moment," a staff member stammered as the attendants hurried into a frantic huddle.
Simon and Kajan exchanged a look, wondering what the commotion was about.
"Not the most reassuring start," Simon murmured. "You don’t think we’ll be stuck here, do you?"
"I doubt it," Kajan replied calmly. "We’ll be delayed, but we will get there."
A moment later, having apparently identified the problem, the staff members bowed their heads in apology.
"We are so sorry. There’s been a slight problem."
"What is it?" Simon asked.
"It seems another student has already used the arrival circle in Tarados."
Kizen’s long-distance teleportation required two magic circles: one for departure and one for arrival. When students reported a dispatch or mission, agents scattered across the continent would set up a corresponding circle in the designated area. But now, someone had already used the destination circle in Tarados.
"This shouldn’t be happening," the staffer holding the list muttered, scratching his head in frustration. "I’m certain I sent everyone through according to this list. Why would..."
Simon’s eyes narrowed.
’Don’t tell me.’
Kajan scratched the scar by his eye. "It seems we’re thinking the same thing. Her."
Serne Aindark. It was entirely plausible. She could have easily controlled the staff with her feathers and then wiped their memories clean.
’Is it really Serne?’ Simon wondered. ’Or someone else? Which Kizen student went to Tarados? And why?’
"What’s done is done," Kajan said, turning his attention back to the staff. "What matters is now. How long will it take to get to Tarados?"
"It will take about half a day to construct a new teleportation circle on their end."
"Is there another way?"
The staff member consulted a document. "There’s a region near Tarados called Ebrun. You can teleport there immediately. From Ebrun, it won’t take long by carriage."
Simon and Kajan nodded in agreement.
"We’ll do that, then."
---
Simon and Kajan arrived safely in Ebrun, a neighboring territory of Tarados. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in the middle of a desolate, empty wasteland where a scouring wind kicked up sand and grit. It wasn’t unusual; teleportation circles were typically installed in deserted locations. They pulled their hoods low over their faces and began to walk.
’Ah.’
Before long, a cluster of towering, spire-like structures came into view.
"I see buildings," Simon said. "That must be the town."
"Let’s go."
To reach Tarados, they needed a carriage, and to find a carriage, they needed a town. After traversing the desolate landscape, they arrived at what appeared to be ancient ruins. The abundance of plants suggested it might have once been a garden, but it was now completely overgrown and wild. Stone towers of unknown purpose dotted the area, and collapsed buildings of a strange, forgotten architecture lay abandoned. It was a place where people had once lived but had long since fallen to ruin. Lotus flowers floated on the surface of a murky pond.
"No sign of anyone," Simon observed. "It looks like this place is deserted."
"It is."
Kajan knelt, his nose close to the ground, sniffing the air.
"We should leave quickly."
"Why?"
"I smell poison," he said grimly. "It’s not artificial, but there’s definitely a poison zone nearby."
Just then...
[Boy!]
Pier’s voice echoed in Simon’s mind.
[Let me out.]
"What?"
[Hurry!]
Pier’s tone was urgent, so Simon immediately summoned him from his subspace. A tall skeleton in a fluttering cape materialized before them. Having seen the Ancient Undead of the 7th Legion a few times before, Kajan didn’t seem surprised.
[I can feel it from here. Follow me!]
Confused, Simon and Kajan followed Pier. As they ventured deeper into the ruins, they noticed that the surrounding plants were all dead, and the pond had turned a gloomy, polluted color.
’Whoooosh!’
The foul water of the pond surged upward, and the mud from its bottom began to congeal in mid-air.
[Mwahaha! To think I’d see you here!] Pier cackled.
Simon stared ahead, bewildered, as the murky sludge from the pond slowly, impossibly, began to form the shape of a face.
’N-No way...’