Chapter 12

Chapter 12

First Class (End)

I take in the horrors that happened to Eisel and Yuri.

“I hope he at least gives good rewards.”

Even if it was an illusion, it was unpleasant.

If I felt only this disgusting emotion without gaining anything, and the reward was bad too, I would feel terribly wronged.

Illusion magic.

This magic, which could reveal great power against anyone as long as they lacked resistance to illusion magic, had one great weakness.

It forced the target into an unknown world called an illusion, but even the caster could not completely close the entrance.

In other words, an entrance was an entrance, and at the same time, it meant an “exit.”

People commonly called that exit the “release condition” for escaping an illusion.

Those afflicted by illusion magic could obtain hints about the “release condition” from within the illusion shown by the caster.

In truth, illusion magic itself was not that overpowered.

Against someone with outstanding mental strength, it became useless, and with mediocre skill, it often failed to work properly even on academy students, let alone an ordinary woman passing by.

It was damn hard to learn too.

Illusion magic was complex magic that demanded excellent observation, rapid calculation, and even creativity.

Because of that, even among mages, illusion magic was not treated particularly well.

“Urk...”

A student stabbed through the lungs from behind by Edward collapsed without even managing to scream.

“Student Zeto. What are you doing with the enemy you should defeat right in front of you? Could it be... that you are frightened?”

Edward once again flung away the blood clinging to his dagger.

Even at this moment, “fake” students were rushing at the “fake” Edward created by the “real” Edward’s illusion and dying easily.

Until now, that fake Edward had not attacked only me.

The frightening part of illusion magic was exactly a situation like this.

When one met an illusion mage at Edward’s level.

Looking at the entire continent, it was not a situation one could encounter easily.

Even if there were someone with a higher level of illusion magic than Edward, it would only be his father, Juliut.

Edward’s talent surpassed Juliut’s, so even giving high marks to Juliut’s experience, one had to say the match was fifty-fifty.

“Right about now... my real body, caught in illusion magic, must be standing still.”

A state of complete nonresistance, where someone could stab me with a knife and I would be stabbed easily.

That was also the reason Edward, who had participated in the war, was able to rise to the position of vice-commander of an assassination unit at a young age.

Leaving Edward’s ridiculous play behind, I began observing my surroundings.

From the fake Edward’s attitude, I had a rough idea of the release condition, but there was no need to waste strength on that.

Illusion magic was ultimately magic as well.

For me, who had already experienced dispel, I only needed to find and break the weakness of the magic.

Illusion magic was complex magic.

Unlike the “Chain” Edward had sent at me in the exam supervision room, it would have been difficult to weave it densely.

Juliut’s illusion magic during the class placement exam had been highly complete, since the magic circle had actually been drawn on the floor.

That was why, back then, I thought I could not see any weakness within Juliut’s illusion magic.

“The place was too wide too.”

This time was different.

Pre-prepared magic and instant-cast magic differed greatly in precision.

Whether the students were dying right beside me or not, I did not even spare them a glance and examined the terrain elements around me.

Every single element composing this place had to be considered magic.

In the end, it did not take very long to find the weakness.

The weakness was located where Edward had first appeared.

A red circle was clearly visible on the ground where he had stood.

—Stab!

I drove the sword I was holding into the ground where the weakness was.

Even though it was clearly a dirt floor, the sword dug easily beneath the ground.

Before long.

My vision slowly changed.

My body had returned to the place where I had been standing when I met Edward.

When I looked around, the students who had still not escaped the illusion stood frozen, their pupils trembling violently.

“Oh. The second is Student Zeto?”

Edward, who had discovered me, spoke in a bright voice.

“Second?”

Beside Edward were a luxurious table and chairs that I had no idea when he had prepared.

There were three chairs in total.

Someone was already sitting in one of them.

I saw Eisel sitting primly in the chair, holding a cup in one hand.

“Student Zeto after Student Eisel. Up to this point, it is as expected.”

“The top three must enjoy the luxurious tea party I prepared personally. Come this way, Student Zeto.”

Guided by Edward, I sat in the chair with a large number 2 written on it.

Eisel subtly glanced sideways at me.

“By the way, Student Zeto. Surely you did not use dispel again this time, as usual? If so, this instructor will be very disappointed.”

“I used dispel.”

“...How enjoyable it would have been if Student Zeto had solved the quiz I prepared so carefully.”

Standing beside the table, Edward spouted a joke at me.

He really was talkative.

I vividly remembered struggling a little to skip his dialogue when playing the game.

“A quiz he carefully prepared...”

In the eyes of the students that entered my sight, there was only the emotion of fear.

Was even this sort of thing nothing but an amusing quiz to him?

“I already know the release condition.”

At my answer, Edward’s eyes narrowed even further.

“You knew the correct answer and still used such a trick... Student Zeto, you are more impertinent than you look. Then shall we confirm whether you truly solved it properly?”

“...To fight back. To keep standing up and fighting even through extreme fear....That was the release condition, wasn’t it?”

—Clap, clap, clap.

At my answer, Edward applauded in a somewhat exaggerated gesture of admiration.

“My. Correct. I, Edward Klaus, may have felt proud for the first time since becoming an instructor.”

Edward, who had not even been working as an instructor for an hour yet, spouted something whose intention I could not understand.

At this point, Eisel’s ability to pay Edward no attention at all even with someone like him beside her seemed rather impressive.

Eisel was simply sipping tea with a cup in one hand, as if she rather liked the “tea party” Edward had prepared.

Suddenly, Edward waved his hand and called someone over.

“Already third place? This way, this way.”

Third place had appeared.

Was it because I had seen her drenched in blood until a moment ago?

The girl, whose hair looked even redder than usual, plopped down on the chair beside us.

“Third place is the famous Student Yuri of the Clementine family! Now, shall we all watch the rankings of the remaining thirteen students together?”

Edward narrated excitedly, as if he had become the host of a circus show.

“Of all things, these three?”

Eisel, Yuri, and me.

“...”

—Sip.

“...”

At the table, the only sound that occasionally came was Eisel drinking her tea; no conversation passed among the three of us.

I tried somehow to ease the silence, but seeing their indifferent faces, I could not bring myself to speak.

The one who broke the silence was Edward, standing beside us.

“...Something has made me curious. Who died first within the illusion magic?”

At Edward’s bizarre question, the two women did look at him, but they did not answer.

“Should I answer at least?”

Physically wedged between the two of them, I found this silence uncomfortable.

“For me... it was Student Yuri beside me.”

“Hmm?”

At my words, Edward fell into doubt.

“Then who was second?”

Edward asked me once more.

“The second was Student Eisel.”

“...”

Edward paused briefly at my following answer, but soon, the corner of his mouth rose.

“Ho? This... may become more interesting than expected.”

At Edward’s suspicious words, all three people at the table focused on him.

“...Does the order perhaps have some special meaning?”

“Student Zeto. No... Zeto, would it really be all right for me to say this now?”

“...No. I suddenly stopped being curious.”

I politely declined.

Judging by Edward’s sinister smile, contrary to what he said, he looked like he was going mad from wanting to say it.

This was bait.

I did not bite.

I was able not to bite.

But another fish that suddenly appeared snapped up that bait.

“Why? I just became curious.”

That fish was none other than Yuri.

Maintaining a somewhat ambiguous gaze, unsure whether she was looking at Eisel or Edward behind her, Yuri continued speaking.

“Instructor Edward. Could you tell us? Does the ‘order’ in which people die in the illusion perhaps hold some special meaning?”

“Hmm... This is troublesome. But since Student Zeto says he is not curious...”

“What do you think, Zeto? Are you still not curious?”

Yuri, who was naturally speaking casually now, stared at me.

She was clearly smiling brightly, but this was plainly and unmistakably a threat.

I could feel it.

Her killing intent.

“Is the casual speech... because of what happened with Eisel yesterday...?”

For now, I should play dumb.

Because if permission was given, I had a feeling the words Edward would carelessly spit out would open a Pandora’s box that should not be opened.

“Ahaha... Is that so?”

“I’m so curious... Are you really going to do this ‘between friends’?”

Yuri abruptly pressed closer to me.

Should I just ask and be done with it?

It might be less of a big deal than I thought.

Everything could simply be Edward’s prank.

...My head grew dizzy.

It was then.

A voice came from behind.

“I’m not particularly curious either.”

Eisel said this with an indifferent face as she set her teacup down.

“Same as Zeto.”

At Eisel’s following words, one of Yuri’s eyebrows rose.

Edward was watching all of this from the side as if it were fascinating. It felt like he might start popping popcorn any moment now.

“Hah... Just tell us, Instructor Edward. What is it? What meaning does that order hold?”

Was I worrying too much over something minor?

Above all, I did not like how thoroughly Edward was enjoying this situation.

“Oops, then I shall follow the will of Student Zeto, who was the one I asked. It is nothing much. Merely a device I set up when making the illusion. You all saw the students dying, yes? But I thought it might not be fun if they simply died...”

Edward leisurely began explaining his illusion magic.

“I arranged the order of death according to the order of intimacy the person felt. That way, it would be easier to induce panic. Please do keep in mind that it was only to assess your level, and that none of my personal feelings were involved.”

When Edward’s irritating explanation ended, Yuri smiled brightly at me.

Eisel, as if she truly had no interest, continued drinking her tea again without any change in her expression.

“Intimacy... Then it makes sense.”

If the order was based on intimacy, I understood why Yuri had died before Eisel.

Eisel, who had become so different from the Eisel I encountered in the game... honestly felt unfamiliar.

I still could not feel the same degree of closeness toward her as I did toward Yuri.

Both characters were precious characters who had given me enjoyment, and there were many such characters besides those two.

The only problem was that Eisel was guaranteed to die.

“For something that took so long to hear, it really was ‘nothing much,’ wasn’t it? Instructor Edward.”

Yuri opened her eyes wide and spoke to Edward with an innocent face.

“All of it was to provide fun for you students. Student Eisel, you enjoyed seeing Student Zeto grow restless too, didn’t you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Hahaha, if it seems I was the only one who enjoyed it, then it was a failure. Next time, I will think of something more ingenious.”

Edward laughed awkwardly, and the conversation came to an end.

But as I habitually checked my status window, a question arose in me.

“...Instructor Edward. Should we consider the class over for those of us here now?”

“Of course. For the three of you here, it should be considered over.”

The reason I asked such a strange question was none other than the level that had risen before I knew it.

It had been treated as the class ending, and I had gained experience.

“Four levels from a single class?”

The blindfold must have played a large role, but even considering that, it was an extremely large amount of experience.

“Just a few days ago, how many small quests did I do to raise five levels...”

“Was it because my class attitude was good?”

Occasionally in the game, gaining a good impression from an instructor gave more experience.

Looking at the immediate situation, I had also taken second place among sixteen people.

“If you are tired, you may return now, but I will proudly stake my name on the fact that this kind of sight is hard to see anywhere else.”

Even in the middle of this, Edward truly had peculiar tastes.

Telling us to watch students trembling in fear, unable even to move.

Edward ought to be grateful that this world had no such thing as an office of education.

“Still, just for today...”

He was a very excellent instructor to me.

“At this rate, I should be able to go get the ‘material’ tonight.”

I took a sip of the tea on the table and began laying out in my head the plan for what would happen tonight.