The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 111: Gathering Of Evil (2)

Chapter 111: Gathering Of Evil (2)

The Eight Iron Formations didn’t have a facility that could be called a prison.

There was only a research institute that was divided into eight sections.

Yet the humans that came here as captives called this place a prison. From their perspective, it was the same thing.

“Why.... the last time we went this path, it was close to the outside.......”

Klais, who’d been at the front leading the escape, twitched her lips. She was clearly in a panic.

Since she was at the very front, she was also noticeable. The eyes of the six Cataclysms who had been in the conference room all turned toward Klais. The Great Mechas soon began emitting murderous intents as they each threw in a comment.

“You’ve caused quite a stir.”

“Huuh, trying to escape as a group because you can’t do it alone?”

“You could have made it halfway if you had stayed put.”

The Beasts didn’t show any signs of being disturbed. As if in agreement, the Great Mechas all took out a cigarette and held it in their mouths.

It was a quick gesture. Klais and the others didn’t have time to react.

“Duchess, this doesn’t seem to be the way!”

“Stay calm and take up interceptive postures1! We put up a smokescreen and get out another way!”

Rosemary’s lips twisted at Klais’ words.

“Interception?”

It was a word to be scoffed at.

Rosemary tied the handkerchief she got from Jǫrmungandr around her wrist. Then she picked up the violin string she had dropped. Just then, Jǫrmungandr came over with her arms crossed and spoke to her.

“Here’s a textbook example already. Now, what do you think of this sight?”

“Yes, it truly is unsightly.”

She was still unhappy with Primus’ lazy attitude, but she realized how emotional and foolish an action it had been to try and launch a preemptive attack against Jǫrmungandr a moment ago.

To Rosemary, humans were to be treated as lessons. It was utterly pathetic seeing these humans who overestimate themselves trying to use offensive spells against an opponent they couldn’t beat.

“Haaa.”

It drew a sigh from her.

“Since I’ve caused a commotion, I will clean up the mess.”

Rosemary was the best at taking action out of all the comrades. She possessed the diligence to take on menial tasks like crushing insects which was how she was able to rise to the position of commander-in-chief of the guerilla unit at a young age.

It was why even though Akasha was actually loading Rail Gun and Schudelgeiger and Entero were also getting ready to attack, she deterred them. Because Rosemary was a workaholic who couldn’t stand not getting things done with her own hands.

“You are.... Duke Blanton’s daughter....”

“Yes, Duchess Hasfeldt. So you recognize me.”

“You were a Beast as well?”

“Huhu, what a belated realization. Come to think of it, we’ve met a few times at social gatherings long ago, haven’t we? When there was that party held at the palace a while back, it was fun seeing you going ‘I despise fancy places like this’ and being obvious about it. Well... not that it’s as satisfying as the face you’re making right now.”

Even as Rosemary mocked Klais, she observed the formation the mages were in.

It was a formation where the front row had offensive spells loaded and the backrow was preparing to retreat. They were probably thinking of deploying a smoke screen then running.

Foolish.

Ignorant.

Utterly stupid.

“I’d like to ask if this is supposed to be a comedy, Duchess. Are you expecting to escape with those sickly folk behind you?”

Rosemary lifted her dress slightly, and although the skirt came up to her knees, there was no bare skin. The girl’s two legs weren’t human.

“Duchess, a comedy, you see....”

She closed her eyes and slowly lowered her head. Then when she opened them again, her aquamarine irises had turned to topaz.

“Is something like this, you inferior bitch.”

The color of her eyes weren’t the only things that had changed.

“This third-rate act of trying to escape this impregnable fortress with that body is nothing more than a mockery. Understand?”

“Then.......”

“Yes, that’s right. Your nation has been ruined for a long time. The Emperor, the Prince, the various ministers and numerous systems... they’re nothing but the walking dead. Even if you manage to get away and return home, you’re still in the palm of my hands! Ahahahahaha ─!!”

Who had said it.

That the best kind of victory was one obtained without a fight.

“Ah, ahhhh....”

The back row was the first to crumble. The mages who had been too weak to do anything but run lost strength in their legs and sank to the ground.

Klais rubbed the deep dark circles around her eyes and gripped her staff tight.

“You.... I’ll kill you.”

“What, how. Are you going to bring out Flare or something?”

Rosemary also raised her staff and smirked.

“Do it if you can.”

**It couldn’t even be called a fight. The situation was resolved within seconds.

Someone was bleeding from their mouth, and another was in critical condition. Another was probably already dead.

Klais leaned weakly against the wall and looked up. A giant man of seven meters and Lady Blanton were looking down on her with ridicule.

“We kept you alive because the quality of your mana was good, but.... This is the third time  so it can’t be helped. Prepare yourself to reunite with your siblings.”

“It’s fortunate, though, since you’ll be able to rest in peace before the world ends. I suppose this is a kind of mercy?”

What a damned life.

Being born into a prestigious family that supervised the northern frontlines, she dedicated her life to combat magic. After graduating, she had spent years grinding on the battlefield.

And lost many people.

Her older sister, brother. Her cousin and younger half-sibling. Her aunts and uncles. Her brother and sister-in-law. Several of her Academy peers with whom she’d taken her graduation photo. And mother, her mother.

Maybe she had let too many go ahead of her, which naturally left only Meriga Heerlein out of her peers.

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She had been thinking that the time was coming.

The next would be either her or Meriga.

If so.... She had at least wanted to leave a magic that could defeat all Cataclysms before she died.

Even if it meant compromising her morals, even if it ended up breaking her.

It was an earnest prayer because she had wanted to achieve it.

“You can’t do anything without the Flare made by big sis, can you? That’s what you humans are. You’re all over the Empire, those who can’t even face a Calamity without a scroll. Am I wrong?”

“Flare....”

Yes, Flare. That was it.

Even if she had Flare, it wasn’t enough. She couldn’t deal critical damage to the Cataclysm in front of her with small tricks. With her troop operating skills, the best she could do was leave a scratch. This was proof that there was a significant difference in the way that the Demon and Imperial army operated.

Klais pondered.

If only there was a magic more powerful than Flare.

As she was about to picture the face of a certain girl, she fell over. There was ringing in her left ear, so she must have been struck in the head with something hard.

She desperately tried to stay conscious, but it wasn’t easy. It would be a disgrace for a Tactical Mage to faint twice in front of a Beast.

Klais’ hair was grabbed as she lay there. Her shining, platinum-blond hair lost its sheen and form in someone’s grip.

“What are you doing, sis? Don’t touch that, it’s dirty.”

“I’m putting it back where it was.”

“No, I’m going to kill it. I’m going to round up all these assholes who tried to break out of here and put a hole through their foreheads.”

“Do whatever you want with the others, but not this one.”

“Why?”

“Big sis will be the one to decide what to do with her.”

Unable to resist, she was dragged away along the ground. It was the worst humiliation that she could have received as a Grand Duchess.

This couldn’t be happening to a Grand Duchess; it was harder to endure than taking a shot between the eyes. And so, Klais chose to lose consciousness.

Yet the body didn’t listen.

“Are you awake?”

Her eyes opened again not even ten minutes later.

Klais was lying in a cylindrical tank cut in half. A cold, viscous liquid came in contact with her skin, and this area stung in particular.

The past two... no, was it three months.

She didn’t remember since when, but after being captured by the Beasts, she was forced to sit here with her limbs restrained and stare at the ceiling all day.

And what came next was....

Stab.

“Huugh...!”

Something pierced her arm; it was a needle.

Stab, stab, stab.

“......!”

She somehow stifled the groan that came out on reflex. The needle was much thicker than a normal one so she was only able to endure through it by biting down on her lower lip until it bled.

Her blood drained through a tube connected to the needle. The fresh blood that flowed down the vessel was collected in a large container placed in the middle of the basement where it split into red blood cells and magic elements.

It was easy for her to lose strength with blood being drawn like this for days, yet a proper meal or rest were out of the question.

She didn’t even have the energy to speak anymore.

But as long as she stayed alive even like this, there would be a next time. Internally gritting her teeth, Klais turned her gaze.

The other mages who she was going to escape with also were dragged back here, unconscious. Their blood was also drained through the same process. The inside of the basement was filled with moans.

The occasional bang, bang could be heard from the upper floor. A few of the mages who had been in the back row didn’t come back even after many hours.

Footnotes

1. 요격 태세 - The act of taking stance to counter an enemy's attack. Interception is the official translation of the word 요격