《Thousand Tongue Mage》 Chapter 1 - Thousand Tongue Zora The moment Zora saw his new transfer student step into his classroom with manacles on all four arms was the moment he knew he was getting involved in something dangerous. ¡°This is the girl the Headmaster wanted you to meet, Mister Fabre,¡± the academy mage standing behind her said, his wrinkled face grim as he gave Zora a serious look. ¡°If you can¡¯t translate her words and figure out what she ate to look like this within two months, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have no choice but to kill her before she loses her humanity.¡± ¡­ Well, he thought, returning an amused smile to the mage. If she could understand your words, she would surely have ripped your face off ages ago for your bluntness. The evening bell rang right on cue, and Zora¡¯s class of twenty-one children raced out the back door, evidently terrified of the four-armed girl with skin as dark as obsidian. There was no hiding the black wings jutting out her back, the chitin shards creeping across her arms, or the bony face beneath her fall of feathery white hair. The bloody red eye on the right side of her face darted around nervously, while her milky human left eye occasionally latched onto his¡ªand the abyss in it was cold. Distant. Fearful. Even a blind man could tell she didn¡¯t want to be here with him. Sighing, he pocketed the chalk in his hands and walked slowly, stopping right in front of her. She reeled away, clenching her jaw¡ªshe looked like she was trying to hold herself back from snapping at his face with her razor-sharp teeth¡ªso he knelt until they were looking eye-to-eye, sending her a soft smile. The girl tilted her head and gave him a small, puzzled frown in response, as though wondering why he wasn¡¯t terrified of her gnarly appearance. That white human eye, and the fact she isn¡¯t looking straight at me¡­ He¡¯d hit the nail on its head. She was blind, but perhaps not completely. Her moth mutations must be giving her a bit of ''sight''. "Where¡¯d you pluck her from?" he asked the mage, not breaking eye contact with her just yet. ¡°Her mutations are an onset of having eaten too many critter bugs without a system, correct? How¡¯d she manage to mutate this far without anyone noticing?¡± ¡°One of our scouts found her devouring her parents in a secluded snow cabin in the Elchgott Marheim mountain range,¡± the mage said. ¡°Her parents must¡¯ve been force-feeding her some kind of winged insect over the years in hopes they¡¯d be able to control her once she grows stronger, and that she¡¯d be able to defend them in case anything ever showed up at their doorstep.¡± Then the mage shook his head, sounding forlorn. ¡°Charlatans, they were. As if anyone could tame a human on the verge of turning into a bug.¡± Zora pursed his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Some parents believe they can control a life because they brought one into the world. Shame life doesn¡¯t always go as planned.¡± The mage paused for a moment before sighing, gesturing at the girl again. ¡°Now, since she still has some human sanity left, we¡¯re hoping we can reverse the mutations and cure her somehow¡­ but we need to know what she ate in order to brew an antidote, and if she doesn''t want to talk, we also can¡¯t ask because we don¡¯t know what language she speaks. She''s white-eyed as well, so we can¡¯t get her to draw the bug she¡¯s been eating, either. We''ve combed through our books and documents and did all the research in the world ourselves, but nothing. We have no idea what type of moth she is, so we need you to get her to talk.¡± ¡°And you say your scout found her in¡­ Elchgott Marheim, you say?¡± Zora scanned the girl up and down, noting the little loop braids behind her ears. ¡°That''s quite close to here, isn''t it?¡± ¡°Just over yonder, yes, but it¡¯s truly a gargantuan mountain range. There are dozens of households and hundreds of tongues in the area she was found in, and that¡¯s just the area she was found in,¡± the mage replied quickly. ¡°Our contact said the cabin¡¯s architecture seemed foreign, almost empire-style, so she could very well have moved from the far south where there are hundreds more tongues to¨C¡± When the girl tilted her head to the left and bit the upper right corner of her lip, Zora spoke in a harsher tongue: the rayner tongue that was most spoken by the far southeastern Elchgott Marheim locals. ¡°Do you like my voice?¡± he asked. The girl didn¡¯t respond. No twitch of a brow, no twist of a lip, nothing. Matching her second head tilt to the right, he tried a tongue a bit further to the east, the vallum tongue most spoken by the cloud mountain dwellers. No response again, but the girl¡¯s eyes stopped darting around nervously. He smiled softly back at her, knowing he had her full attention now. She¡¯s probably hungry for dinner about now, so¡­ He glanced at the clock above the doorway, watching the minute hand tick towards seven in the evening. Five minutes is more than enough. The phola tongue. The koch tongue. The lossia tongue. He started with the Marheim tongues at first, but quickly realised that the way she bit the upper right corner of her lip was distinctly southern. Only southerners do that out of instinct. Moving down the continent, he tried the filis, chilo, and lynae tongues near the borders of the empire, before noticing she tilted her head more often when he spoke the far southern tongues¡¯ word for ¡®voice¡¯. Now it came down to brute-forcing his way through the rest of the hundred far southern tongues, one sentence at a time until he reached the cephalo tongue¡ªspoken only in a small chilli-farming town near the empire¡¯s southeastern shoreline. ¡°Do you like my voice?¡± he asked, and her human eye immediately widened, lips parting slightly. He¡¯d done it. ¡°... N-No,¡± the girl murmured, rubbing her hands together as she squirmed where she stood. ¡°Your voice is¡­ loud.¡± Faking a groan, he clutched his heart and mimed falling over backwards, making the academy mage frown and the little girl gasp in surprise. When she realised he was just playing around, though, she started giggling¡ªan adorable sound more befitting her age. So she does know how to laugh after all, he mused. Temper your voice now, Zora. Don¡¯t frighten her with volume. He sat upright, shooting her a teasing grin as he held out both hands for her to shake. Her eyes widened even more. She may be blind, but it was quite obvious her mutations let her perceive her surroundings in some way¡­ and for southerners from the empire, it was customary to shake both hands for their first greeting. One hand joins two fates together, he thought, crossing his left hand over his right, and the other binds them unto death. A peculiar tradition, but the other children from the empire do seem to enjoy making a cross with their arms. ¡°I¡¯m Zora Fabre, but you can call me Mister Fabre,¡± he said, smiling from ear to ear as the girl snatched his hands with a wide, dumb grin on her face. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-two, I like eating sweets, and I teach every single language class in this academy. What should I call you?¡± The girl shook his hands violently, having far too much fun jerking his arms up and down. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Emilia!¡± she said, her teeth sharp like daggers. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ uh, I¡¯m ten, I also like candies, and I like¡­ um, I like candies!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± he said, feigning shock as he leaned away slightly. ¡°What don¡¯t you like to eat, then? Sour plums? Roasted onions? Anything charred and mushy?¡± ¡°I don''t like¡­ I don''t like bitter, either!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like bitter food?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried eating bugs once. They¡¯re very bitter.¡± Emilia nodded excitedly. ¡°Yeah! Papa likes making me eat them, too, but they¡¯re always yucky and, um, wet!¡± He gave a discreet look to the mage, and the man quickly whipped out a notebook as he let go of her hands. ¡°Their little legs just get stuck in your teeth all the time, right? I don¡¯t like eating bugs either. Do you know what you¡¯ve been eating for¡­ how many years?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± she trailed off, counting her clawed fingers one by one. Then she raised five fingers and beamed at him. ¡°Five years, I think! Or maybe four! And, um¡­ I dunno what I ate! They¡¯re hard to describe!¡± Zora reached over her head and took the mage¡¯s notebook, whipping out a stick of chalk from his pocket. ¡°Hm. Let¡¯s play a guessing game, then. How many legs do you think they had? Eight? Ten?¡± ¡°Bugs don¡¯t have eight legs, Mister Zora!¡± Emilia puffed her chest out, planting her hands on her hips proudly as she raised six fingers. ¡°Six! I remember! They¡¯ve got six legs!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite right. Insects only have six legs, don¡¯t they?¡± he replied in a steady tone, scribbling in the notebook. ¡°Were they hairy? Scaly? Do they make crunchy sounds when you bite on them?¡± ¡°Not scaly, a bit crunchy, but what¡¯s¡­ um, ¡®hairy¡¯?¡± ¡°Touch your forehead,¡± he said, and she obliged, running her fingers through her smooth white bangs. He only noticed now that she had two little nubs for antennae; they weren¡¯t fully developed yet, but in time, they¡¯d make her look more insect than human. ¡°That¡¯s what ¡®hairy¡¯ means. Did your bugs taste like your hair?¡± Emilia had to think for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°Um¡­ Yeah! A bit! Its little wavy horns were hairy!¡± He paused. Then he grinned, erasing parts of his drawing. ¡°Not scaly, a bit crunchy, and it has hairy antennae. Any special tastes that you can remember? Like juices that burn your tongue when you bite on it?¡± ¡°Um... the blood is very sticky, but I don''t¡­ um, I¡¯m not sure¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. Take your time,¡± he said, patting her head with the notebook and sliding it to the mage in the same motion. ¡°Can I talk to the uncle behind you for a second? I¡¯ll be back really quick.¡± Emilia nodded happily as he stood up, showing the mage to the door. ¡°Her name¡¯s Emilia, and she¡¯s ten this year,¡± he said, switching back to the local tongue. ¡°She says she doesn¡¯t know what she ate exactly, but if she¡¯s certain she tasted something with only six legs, two hairy antennae, and sticky blood¡ªand considering the fact that she¡¯s already mutating fabric-like wings¡ªthen she probably ate¨C¡± ¡°Sweet-blooded moths of some sort, hailing from somewhere near the Black Witch¡¯s den,¡± the mage muttered, nodding gratefully as he placed his hands on Emilia¡¯s shoulders, guiding her out the door. ¡°That¡¯s a good enough start. I¡¯ll relay the message to the Headmaster and¡­ what tongue was that, anyways?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the cephalo tongue from the southeastern bank of the Attini Empire. The only people who speak it are locals from the Chiloco farming town, practitioners of Hawanpawar: the tradition of ¡®silence to all but blood¡¯. An old tradition, to be sure,¡± he replied, ¡°but I think you¡¯d be hard-pressed to find a physician who knows the tongue. The locals don¡¯t teach it to any outsiders, and the last tongue hunter who tried to steal one of their dictionaries? They tied him to a blood totem and stuffed him with chilis until his tongue fell off. True story.¡± The mage blinked, not amused. ¡°And you can speak it because¡­¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°I speak every tongue on the continent,¡± he finished plainly. The man narrowed his eyes. Zora shrugged. Silence was the typical response whenever he told someone he could probably speak their twice-removed great-grandfather¡¯s forgotten tongue, but having to elaborate would be a pain. Instead, he simply resumed scrubbing the chalkboard while the mage shook his head, chortling under his breath as he patted Emilia¡¯s head. ¡°Well, I suppose the children don¡¯t call you ¡®Thousand Tongue¡¯ Zora for anything less,¡± the mage said, bowing curtly as he started nudging Emilia out of the classroom. ¡°We¡¯ll still have to figure out the exact type of moth she ate if we want to make an antidote, but¡­ we''ll do our utmost to find a physician who speaks cephalo. Thank you for your assistance, Mister Fabre. If we can save her life, I''m sure she''ll¨C¡± Emilia suddenly shook out of the mage''s grip and dashed into Zora''s legs, burying her face in his waist. He had just enough pain tolerance to pretend her teeth didn¡¯t hurt as she gently bit into his shirt, and enough common sensibility to figure she probably didn''t want him to see the tears in her eyes. ¡°... Old man. How long until she mutates past the point of no-return?¡± Zora asked quietly, rubbing the back of her head as she mumbled into his shirt; a plea to not be separated from the only person in the academy who could understand her. ¡°You said¡­ two months? How accurate is this estimation?¡± ¡°Quite,¡± the mage replied, every bit as quiet as he was. ¡°I¡¯ve seen mutation cases like hers before, though, and when the unwell is a child like her, they never last longer than a month. Most don¡¯t survive the mutation into a full insect, either. They simply¡­ crumble away.¡± Zora¡¯s lips thinned into a line. ¡°And how long will it take to brew an antidote once you figure out the type of moth she¡¯s been eating?¡± ¡°Within a day or two. The brewing process itself doesn¡¯t take long. The moment we figure it out, we¡¯re going straight to the academy physician.¡± ¡°Then transfer her into all of my classes for the next month, not just into my homeroom,¡± he said, peeling Emilia away and extending a hand for her to hold onto; she blinked up at him for a moment before taking it gleefully, sending him the brightest smile her bony face could muster. ¡°Eleven days a week, three weeks a month¡ªher mouth is too small for the faucet of her heart, so I¡¯ll stay with her and give her private lessons until she speaks our tongue perfectly. Feel free to listen in and be on standby until you have enough information to go to the physician with.¡± The mage didn¡¯t look convinced. The old man probably didn¡¯t want her to mingle too much with the other kids just in case something went wrong, and to a certain extent, Zora understood his hesitance. They were just children, and Emilia could agitate easily with her mutations. Chewing another kid¡¯s head off over some silly playground dispute would go straight into the Amadeus Academy¡¯s records of horror in an instant. But right here, right now, there was only one person Emilia could talk to without feeling like a complete outsider, and the mages most certainly wouldn¡¯t find a physician from a small farming town thousands of kilometres away in time. Zora knew this. The old man knew this, too. ¡°... I¡¯ll send word to the Headmaster, then.¡± The mage sighed, scratching the back of his head; Zora gave him a courteous smile. ¡°For your sake and hers, I hope you can figure something out before she goes feral on all of us¨C¡± ¡°And loosen her manacles for me, will you?¡± Zora interrupted, frowning down at the heavy steel rings around her wrists. ¡°As chains become an accessory, submission becomes second nature, and a child¡¯s posture, their nature, and even their fate begins to take the form of a ¡®prisoner¡¯. She may be turning into a bug, but right now, she is just a child¡ªdon¡¯t treat her like a monster, and you won¡¯t get a monster.¡± The mage looked at him pointedly. He was asking for a lot, and he knew it, but he wouldn¡¯t teach with the sound of rattling iron in his classes, so the mage sighed reluctantly again before pulling out the key to the manacles. ¡°You like sweets, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked in the cephalo tongue, grinning down at Emilia as the chains were dropped and collected. ¡°I know just the store that sells the best sweets in the school. Feel like stuffing our bellies until we can walk no more?¡± Emilia nodded exuberantly as she rubbed her sore wrists, returning to him a bright, pained smile. Alright, then. And so an agreement was made, a pact was signed in silence¡ªhe parted ways with the academy mage as he walked out of the classroom, hand-in-hand, with the girl who only had a month left to live.
With the Headmaster¡¯s permission, Emilia had officially transferred into the Amadeus Academy for Orphans Indiscriminate¡ªgiven the flowery black and gold uniform, the hair comb, a room in the dormitory, the whole package¡ªand began her academic studies for the first time in her life. It was readily apparent she¡¯d never been to school before, which meant she lagged severely behind the other kids in his classes, and considering she couldn¡¯t even speak the local tongue he conducted most of his classes in¡­ well, he hadn¡¯t minded working overtime every day for the past two weeks just to help her catch up. That included basic arithmetics, natural sciences, and general linguistics, of course¡ªit was a shame the other students in his class didn¡¯t seem to like her all that much with her eerie appearance, but he couldn¡¯t really fault them for it, either. She was, by far, the toughest student he¡¯d ever taught. ¡°... When you¡¯re holding your pencil, pinch one side of it with your thumb and index finger first, and then slip your middle finger under the other side,¡± he said, putting his pencil in her hand and wrapping her fingers around it. ¡°When you¡¯re writing, you¡¯re only really moving your index finger. Try.¡± Sniffling, two rolls of tissues stuffed in her runny nose, she hovered her shaky pen over her homework and tried to spell her name. Learning the local syllabary took her quite a while, but with only twenty-six letters in the local alphabet, it was a far easier undertaking than teaching her the cephalo syllabary. He was certain she knew how to write her name theoretically; she just needed to actually do it once, and that feeling of success would stay with her for the rest of life. So, the moment she finally managed to scribble her name down, he leaned forward in his chair and held his hands up for double high-fives. ¡°Good job,¡± he said, grinning at the teary-eyed little girl. ¡°No more homework for the rest of the week. Go to the washroom and blow your nose at the basin, okay?¡± Emilia looked up at him, let go of her pencil, and felt the sheet of paper on her desk with her palms. When she felt there really was only one question box in the centre of the sheet¡ªand she was the one who¡¯d filled it in all on her own¡ªshe jumped out of her chair with a crying smile, high-fiving him with everything she had. He groaned a little when her palms slapped into his, but managed to keep his pain under wraps for the most part. Her mutations made her inordinately strong, far more than the average ten-year-old, but¡­ she was still just a kid, and his colleagues would laugh their asses off if he let it be known he toppled over from a simple high-five. And why are you glaring at me like that, old man? he thought, shooting the academy mage standing by the doorway a pointed squint. I know she doesn¡¯t have a lot of time left, but we need to establish the basics first. She can¡¯t possibly describe what she ate when she can¡¯t even tell me what ¡®wood¡¯ or ¡®stone¡¯ feels like. The wrinkled mage gave him a pointed squint back, as though to say ¡®start probing her for more information now¡¯. ¡­ Oh, fine. But I¡¯m sure she¡¯d rather be at the cafeteria picking up her dinner by now, so if she starts complaining and saying human heads smell delicious, I¡¯m siccing her on you first. By the time he sighed and turned back around, Emilia was already staring blankly out the window on her left, taking in the afternoon summer winds. White hair flowing, orange sunlight bouncing off her scarred cheeks¡ªshe looked so utterly tranquil that, for a second, Zora thought about simply letting her sit by her window seat until sundown. But then she glanced at him with her bloody moth eye, and he figured there was no better time to start probing for information again¨C ¡°Mister Zora,¡± she whispered, pointing out the window. ¡°Why¡¯s it so hot today?¡± Pause. Eyes softening, he followed her finger out the window and surveyed the landscape. Built in a mountain range in the middle of nowhere, Amadeus Academy was an old lord¡¯s castle refurbished into a school for orphans by the Headmaster, and today as usual, the glass dome surrounding the entire academy kept it hidden from the wars of the outside world. The academy mages could control the seasonal fluctuations at their own pace, increasing or decreasing the temperature under the dome whenever they wanted. So, it was a little strange now that Emilia pointed it out. Warm summer colours dotted the rolling meadow plains outside, and sunlight refracted gently through the dome to keep the academy at an even, tolerable lighting, but the winds diffusing through the magic dome were particularly blustery today. Hot, strong, and humid. Like a storm was churning right outside the dome, and he just couldn¡¯t see it through the completely opaque glass a few hundred metres away from the window. ¡°... Well, it is summer right now,¡± he finally said, shrugging lightly as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°The armies of giant bugs outside the dome¡ªthe Swarm¡ªare usually more active during spring and summer, because bugs can¡¯t usually tolerate the cold winter brings. I bet it¡¯s hotter because there¡¯s something burning right outside, and the fire is heating up the winds that come in through the dome.¡± Emilia turned and gave him a puzzled tilt of her head. ¡°F¡­ Fire?¡± ¡°Mhm. Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, it means¡­¡± He trailed off, hesitating as he thought about how to define the word. He¡¯d never had to explain ¡®fire¡¯ before¡ªit was always easy enough showing his kids what it looked like with a matchstick¡ªbut since Emilia was blind, he wondered what fire even looked like with her moth senses. So, he whipped out a chalk from his pocket and started drawing on her table. ¡°Bugs leave when they are satisfied with their meal, but the hunger of ¡®fire¡¯ knows no bounds,¡± he said, drawing a ball of flames with jagged tips at the top. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ when something burns with air, and then there¡¯s a flash of heat, a flash of light. It hurts when you touch it, but you need it to cook food and make candies and keep yourself warm in the cold. It¡¯s formless, and it changes shape at the slightest of currents. Can you imagine something like that?¡± She shook her head readily, feeling his drawing blankly. ¡°It¡¯s always snowy and cold in papa and mama¡¯s house. They always say the ¡®su-hk-mu-ths¡¯ they raise in the basement don¡¯t like hot places, so whenever I need water, they take snow from outside and make me hold it in my mouth until it melts.¡± ¡°... Is that right?¡± That was another piece of information he¡¯d give to the mage later, but, frankly, he didn¡¯t know how useful it was going to be. She genuinely didn¡¯t seem to remember much about the moths she¡¯d been eating. No amount of delicate probing the past two weeks ever yielded any actionable answers, and¡­ the way the mage stopped coming by as often to listen in on their after class conversations, he couldn¡¯t help but think the academy was starting to give up on her. Just the thought of it made him clench his hands into fists. Like hell all of you are giving up on her after bringing her to me. I didn''t become a teacher to give up on kids like her. I¡¯ll show her ¡®fire¡¯, and then I¡¯ll get her to¨C ¡°Mister Zora,¡± she said, tugging on his sleeve as she pointed out the window again. ¡°Look.¡± So he did with his brows furrowed, still ruminating in his head about all the ways he could teach her the definition of ¡®fire¡¯¡ªand then he blinked, staring out at the strange, strange glimmer of light near the top of the dome. He heard wind rushing into the dome. He smelled char and rot wafting through the air. And he saw¡­ A crack? He didn''t even finish turning around to ask the mage if there was supposed to be maintenance on the dome today when the glass splintered with a deafening crack, and the last thing he saw was the mage dashing madly forward, rushing before the two of them with a wand yanked out. Then he blacked out as a boulder smashed through the side of the classroom.
Cold moonlight. The faint sounds of a hundred giant insect legs skittering across the earth, heading straight towards the academy. Zora awoke with a cough, a flail, and a mumbling Emilia in his arms. He was on the floor. Stone and glass and wooden debris were scattered around them¡ªand he let out a shaky exhale, realising it was a complete miracle that the glass shrapnel sent firing towards the academy completely missed the two of them, annihilating only the rest of the classroom around them. Then he blinked, coughed out a mouthful of dust, and realised it was no miracle at all. The academy mage lay next to him, groaning and tapping his shoulder weakly to catch his attention. ¡°Mister Fabre,¡± the mage rasped. ¡°Are you¡­ and Miss Emilia alright?¡± ¡°... You¡¯re worried about me?¡± Gritting his teeth, Zora let go of Emilia and rose onto his knees, ignoring the dull throbbing in his head as he tried to tear a piece of fabric from his cloak. ¡°Keep your eyes on your own thread before seeking your neighbour¡¯s, old man. You¡¯ve a spike coming out your chest. This will hurt, but I''m going to apply¨C¡± ¡°I apologise, Mister Fabre, but¡­ you¡¯re going to have to take my place,¡± the mage interrupted, coughing ash and blood as he did. ¡°I am simply¡­ far too old to be casting defensive spells like that.¡± Slapping Zora¡¯s helping hand away, the mage reached behind him and ripped something small and black out from his nape. Zora flinched when he saw it was a little metal cicada, its legs kicking and wings flapping as it tried to get the mage¡¯s blood off its body. ¡°I¡¯m certain you know what this is, a learned man as you are,¡± the mage breathed. ¡°Eat this, and your system integration will immediately begin. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll survive it, but¡­ well. You were one of the first students in the academy, so hopefully we¡¯ve strengthened your immune system enough over the years with our medicines. Just remember: you must speak the word, and you must believe, with all your heart, that you can manifest it into reality.¡± Then, the mage shoved the little bug down his throat, and the suddenness of the motion made him clamp his jaw shut and swallow. He immediately retched, doubling over and trying to cough it out, but it was already too late at this point¡ªthe mage¡¯s head fell limp, and his wand fell out of his bloody hands. ¡­ The old mage was dead, and Zora couldn¡¯t even bring himself to pity the man, because something was gnawing through his flesh. Eating its way into his spine, burrowing into his nape, and then¨C The little metal bug curled around his nape, and he saw the infamous status screen popping up next to his head. [T1 Mutation Unlocked: Resilin Tymbal] [Brief Description: Your throat is hardened with chitin. Your voice will never break] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Brief Description: Your words can become reality as long as you believe you can make them real] Chapter 2 - God Tongue Zora knew very well what he was looking at. He¡¯d learned all about the infamous systems and their ¡®status screens¡¯ back when he was a student at this very academy. Year Zero, the year of the Great Descent¡ªwhen the armies of giant mutated bugs known as the ''Swarm'' first appeared from rifts in the sky over sixty years ago, humanity struggled to repel them. They multiplied too quickly. Their claws were sharp like no ordinary metal in the world, their chitins were tougher than their hardiest shields, and their flesh and blood were pure magic. When consumed, humans could gain the magic and abilities of the bug they devoured, but at great costs; too much flesh consumed would sap away at their humanity, eventually, uncontrollably mutating them into insects themselves. Emilia was one such case. It simply wasn''t possible for humans to fully control the magic and mutations they could obtain from devouring bugs. ... That was, until Year Thirty-Three, when the first systems were crafted by legendary smiths in the far east. Forged with ''Swarmblood'', the magic essence within the flesh and blood of the bugs, the systems gave humans ''Swarmblood Classes'' depending on the type of system they ingested. If someone consumed a butterfly-shaped butterfly system class, they''d unlock the abilities and mutations of a specific butterfly. If someone consumed a beetle-shaped beetle system class, they''d unlock the abilities and mutations of a specific beetle. No longer did consuming insect flesh mutate humans uncontrollably. As long as the person in question had a system, they''d never lose their humanity, and consuming insect flesh would instead give them ''points'' to manually increase their physical attributes and unlock more class-specific mutations with. The systems and the classes gave humanity the chance to fight back. But though it''d been a decade since all sorts of systems with all sorts of classes began mass-production across mankind''s final continent, most humans were still without a system. People still needed to be physically and biologically ''suited'' for the class they were about to receive¡ªnot being able to survive the ''system integration'' because of weakness, frailty, sickness, or just biological incompatibility was a rather common but unfortunate occurrence¡ªso people who had classes included most trained soldiers in major battlefronts and most wandering bug-slayers who fought for hire, but civilians and commoners like him? He¡¯d never thought he¡¯d get a class, much less survive the integration so easily. [Class: Magicicada] [T1 Mutation Unlocked: Resilin Tymbal] [Brief Description: Your throat is hardened with chitin. Your voice will never break] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Brief Description: Your words can become reality as long as you believe you can make them real]
Still kneeling, he squinted at the status screen next to his head and tried to swipe at it in a daze, but his hand merely passed through the screen. It was just a projection, after all. ¡­ Magicicada Class, huh. Gritting his teeth, he looked at the old mage and gave the man a quiet prayer. He¡¯d never been particularly close with any of the mages who guarded the academy all year round, but he did know the fifty or so of them were the last ¡®Magicicada Mages¡¯ in the entire world¡ªnobody, not even themselves, knew how to construct their system classes anymore. The first magicicada systems were forged well over two decades ago, but the blueprints to replicate them were lost and destroyed when the mages had to evacuate from the far-eastern continent in a hurry. Just as well, given they couldn''t just pass their systems down to younger generations because humans of this continent weren''t able to survive the system integration, their lot has been a rare, ageing, dying breed for the better part of two decades. But he''d survived the integration quite breezily. Why? And how? But whatever reason it was, there was a good chance he was the youngest Magicicada Mage in the world right now, and... as far as stories and rumours went, there was also no chance he didn¡¯t know what their most infamous magic was. Each class had their own unique magic after all¡ªtheir own unique ''Swarmblood Art''¡ªand the Magicicadas Mages were no exception. God Tongue. He touched his throat and felt chitin rings forming around it. No doubt about it; if he looked into a mirror, he¡¯d see a black mark around his neck as though he¡¯d been hung on a noose. The Swarmblood Art of the Magicicada Class: the magic to cast ¡®spells¡¯ with simple words and sentences. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to mull about it immediately. Emilia groaning next to him yanked him back to reality, and then he heard the once-distant sounds now terrifyingly close to them: a hundred giant legs skittering across the earth outside the broken wall, barging straight through the gates of the academy. They were fast approaching, and he had to get out of the language arts building now. ¡°... Wake up, Emilia,¡± he whispered, shaking the girl gently as he snapped his head out the broken front door. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone in the language arts building at this time of day, but there were loud, inhuman crashes in the corridors outside. His heart hammered in his chest. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here.¡± Emilia muttered something incoherent under her breath, so he was about to flick her forehead when the loud crashes outside became a monstrous screech. If nothing else, that woke the drowsy Emilia up; she snapped upright, whirled to stare at the dark doorway in a panic, and before she could freak out and make any noise¨C Zora dragged her behind the toppled teacher¡¯s desk, swiped the mage¡¯s bloody wand off the ground as he did, and pressed its sharp tip to his lips. ¡°Silence,¡± he whispered, and his voice took on a tangible, physical form. A ''spell''. It rippled from his lips to the tip of his wand, then swirled around his wand with a thrumming shimmer until he tapped Emilia¡¯s face with it.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The spell wrapped around her face in a thin film, and when she opened her mouth to say something, no voice came out. She was ¡®silenced¡¯ in every sense of the word¡ªand so was he, as he clenched his jaw and tried to calm his heart pounding against his ribs. A few strides away from them, over the teacher¡¯s desk they were taking cover behind, was a giant bug poking its head through the doorway. He could see its moonlit reflection from a shard of glass lying next to him: a dread-inspiring giant butterfly with two short azure wings, torn and bleeding, and its three-metre-long lollipop antennae were swishing slowly through the classroom. It was probing for children it could suck the blood out of. The small hairs on Emilia¡¯s neck lifted, and she tried to throw her little antennae over the table to get a proper look of the bug. He had to physically press her antennae down to prevent her from doing so, but by the Great Makers¡¯ good name, she was strong as all hell. He ended up having to flick her forehead to get her to stay down, and if it weren¡¯t for the ¡®silence¡¯ spell he¡¯d casted on her, she probably would¡¯ve asked what he was doing out loud. Don¡¯t look. He shushed her, clenching his jaw, hoping his thoughts would reach hers. Don¡¯t move. Don¡¯t breathe. Don¡¯t make a single. Sound. And the two of them sat there, backs pressed against the table until he eventually heard the giant butterfly losing interest. He waited ten seconds, twenty seconds, and then thirty seconds¡ªit wasn¡¯t until he couldn¡¯t even hear it crashing and bumbling through the narrow corridors that he sighed, twirling the spell off Emilia¡¯s face with his wand. Emilia opened her mouth slightly, but no sound came out. It was like she didn¡¯t even realise she could start talking again, so it was only when he started rubbing her head to comfort her that tears started welling up in her eyes; he reached forward and pulled her into his chest, letting her hug him, her arms trembling as she breathed hard to calm herself down. For his part, he kept on rubbing her head as he scowled at the empty doorway behind them. What does that physician always say about short-winged butterflies? They can''t fly because they¡¯re born with unusually short wings, but in exchange, they have extremely sensitive veins in their wings that let them hear even the tiniest of squeaks. As Emilia coughed and hiccuped and tried to steady her breaths, he looked at the simple metal wand in his hand. If he recalled the basic workings of his Swarmblood Art correctly, his spells were the words he spoke, and the wands the mages used were no mere decoration¡ªby pressing it to his lips and casting the spell onto the wand, he could ¡®store¡¯ the spell and then whip it in the direction he wanted to cast. That was all he really knew of his magic, though. He¡¯d have to experiment if he wanted to know more. ¡°... Amadeus Academy¡¯s foremost protocol during a Swarm infestation is evacuating all students to the dormitory building,¡± he whispered, peeling Emilia gently off him and looking her in the eye as he held her body still; he did everything he could to distract her from the mage¡¯s corpse behind her. ¡°We¡¯re going to the dorm. Do you think you can stand and walk there with me?¡± Emilia was still shaking slightly as a bead of sweat fell from her brow, but she managed to give him a small nod. ¡°Good,¡± he said softly, rising to his feet and picking her up by the armpits as he did. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt anywhere, are you? Maybe your mutations let you regenerate faster than usual, but¨C¡± ¡°What¡¯d you just do, Mister Zora?¡± she asked, looking quizzically at the wand dangling loosely in his hand. ¡°I tried to speak, but¡­ but I couldn¡¯t. Was that magic?¡± He blinked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he murmured, taking her hand and escorting her to the doorway. He peeked his head out and looked left and right, seeing pitch-black darkness on both ends; the gas lamps had all been extinguished. ¡°You may now call me Lord Fabre, the Thousand-Tongue Mage of homeroom 2-A. From now on, whatever I say becomes reality, so trust me when I say we¡¯ll get out of this safely. Just do whatever I tell you to do.¡± Emilia nodded, breathing softly as she did. ¡°O¡­ Okay. But... um, how did you take my voice away, though?¡± It¡¯d be reckless leaving the classroom before he understood the general mechanics of his new magic, so, throwing a glance at the clock above the doorway, he looked down at Emilia and gave her a wink. ¡°Like this,¡± he said. ¡°Heed my words, and be silent until I falter.¡± This time, he made it a point not to cast his spell onto his wand, instead letting it diffuse around the two of them¡­ and it was like he¡¯d put them inside a small bubble, a thin film of sound waves shimmering around them like a barrier. The silence was louder than usual. Frowning, he pointed his wand to the ceiling and directed Emilia¡¯s attention there, and he read her lips mouthing ¡®what¡¯s there?¡¯¡ªbut, same with the ¡®silence¡¯ spell he¡¯d cast on her face before, her voice didn¡¯t come out. He tried saying something in response, but his voice was mute too. They were in a silent bubble. After all, he could imagine silencing an entire class around him with a single shout. Was that imagination lending to the spell actually casting? Hm. If I don¡¯t aim my spell in any particular direction, it¡¯ll simply diffuse everywhere? Maybe I can aim it even without a wand if I articulate ¡®silence¡¯ in a different way, but for now, if I want to dispel the bubble, I suppose I just have to¡­ He poked the edge of the bubble with his hand and twirled the sound waves away, making the spell fizzle with a little whoosh. Emilia¡¯s shoes started squeaking again. He could hear loud crashes and shouting outside again; he hadn¡¯t even realised it until just now, but the silence spell worked both ways, in and outside the bubble. It hurts when I use that vibrating voice, though. Assuming both the effects and the duration of the spells will be stronger and longer if I speak in a louder voice, the inverse should also be true. If I whisper my spells instead, I¡¯ll strain my throat less. Touching the little protrusion on the back of his neck, he opened his status screen and took a glance at it.
[Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: D-Rank Giant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 456/500 (91%] [Points: 0] [Strength: 1, Speed: 1, Toughness: 1, Dexterity: 1, Perception: 1] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal] [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] 50P
He grimaced as he rubbed his throat, noting how immediately sore his throat was after casting a mere two spells¡ªand they weren¡¯t even particularly powerful or long-range or wide-area spells. Of course, there was the entire rest of his status screen he was currently ignoring, but¡­ there was little point in engaging with it right now. He didn¡¯t have any ¡®points¡¯ to spend on anything, so his best course of action right now would be to get Emilia to the dorm. Hopefully, at this time of the day, the students in his class were all already tucked in, preferably watched over by a teacher who was keeping the dorm gates on lock. ¡°... Alright,¡± he said, putting a confident smile on his face as he waved the status screen away. ¡°We¡¯re going to the dorm. Wanna see me do something really cool again, though?¡± Emilia¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Yeah! Is it more magic?¡± ¡°Mhm. Watch this.¡± Pressing his wand to his lips, he spoke a soft ¡®silence¡¯ on both her shoes and his, and only once he paced a few steps back and forth to make sure he made no sounds while walking did he nod at Emilia. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t run around, and just focus on the paths ahead of us, okay?¡± he said, gripping her hand tight as he glanced out the doorway. ¡°I know your moth senses are very keen, but try not to ¡®look¡¯ around you too much. It¡¯s¡­ going to be quite messy out there.¡± She squeezed his hand in response, giving him one more uneasy nod, and seeing her put on a brave face was his cue to step up as well. Hand in hand, the two of them stepped out of the classroom, and he immediately pulled her down the right corridor. ¡­ There was still one spell he immediately wanted to try casting, though. Chapter 3 - Amadeus Academy ¡°Heed my words,¡± he whispered, pressing his wand to his lips, ¡°rewind time.¡± With one foot out the door, Zora waited for something to happen¡ªanything would suffice¡ªbut, as expected, time wasn¡¯t rewound. The academy was still dark. He was still holding Emilia¡¯s hand, and she was still looking up at him like he was losing his marbles. ¡­ Hm. Interesting. ¡°Mister Zora. What did you just¨C¡± ¡°But a mere jest.¡± Gripping his wand tightly, he gave Emilia a confident smile as he led her down the right corridor. ¡°Ignore me. Do you know the expression ¡®still bees find the sweetest flowers¡¯?¡± As they reached the half-broken, debris-filled stairs to the upper floor, Emilia gave him a small shake of her head. ¡°N¡­ No. I¡¯ve never heard it before.¡± ¡°Do you wanna guess what it means?¡± ¡°It¡­ it means¡­¡± she trailed off, and he watched her hop over pebbles as she skipped up the stairs with him. ¡°If you¡¯re slow¡­ you¡¯ll find more honey?¡± Zora smiled softly. ¡°Not quite. You know how bees buzz around when they fly, right? They¡¯re loud critters, especially during the summer.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± He nudged her to the side of the stairs as they passed the second floor, distracting her from the janitor¡¯s hand sticking out from a pile of rubble. ¡°The expression comes from the far-southern Attini Empire, where colossal bees and ants and other colony insects batter endlessly against humanity¡¯s walls. There are lots of giant flowers there that the bees like to drink from, but the flowers there are smart¡ªthey know to shrivel and hide when they hear bees buzzing by.¡± ¡°... Oh!¡± ¡°Do you wanna try guessing what that expression means again?¡± Emilia nodded fervently. ¡°It means¡­ if the bee is quiet, it¡¯ll get the honey!¡± He rubbed her head, chuckling lightly. ¡°That¡¯s right. And we have to be still bees right now if we want to get to the dorm safely, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Also, you get nectar from flowers. Not honey.¡± Emilia pouted, and dim torchlight flickered against cold stone as they climbed to the third floor of the language arts building. Built atop a mountain range, the five-pointed, star-shaped Amadeus Academy truly was a refurbished ¡®old lord¡¯s castle¡¯ in every sense of the word¡ªa stranger would probably describe it as a sprawling labyrinth of pointy-tipped towers and spires, designed with wide arches and grand stained windows. Bridges wove between the various academy buildings with courtyards below them, and a single, giant tower stood at the back of the castle where all the smaller buildings were connected to. A transfer student trying to find a particular room or building without a guiding faculty member would undoubtedly fail. He¡¯d complained to the Headmaster many, many times that they really should put up signs to help the students navigate around the academy, but nobody had ever gotten around to it. I¡¯ll do it myself after this. Right now¡­ dormitory. Footsteps silenced, he led Emilia through the winding corridors until they reached the bridge at the end of the third floor, linking the language arts building with the rest of the academy. They hadn¡¯t encountered any other giant insects on the way, though he did notice glittering scales scattered across the ground, as well as dents and cracks in the floor where something monstrous had evidently lumbered through¡ªhe grimaced as he swallowed a hard gulp, squinting through the dark bridge in an attempt to see if the giant butterfly was hiding in front of them. Whatever the case, though, the bridge was the only path they could take to quickly reach the dorm in the centre of the academy. He had to guide Emilia through, because he wasn¡¯t going to take the courtyard path below them. What¡¯s going on down there, exactly? Glancing down through the broken windows, he cast ¡®silence¡¯ on Emilia¡¯s ears and motioned for her to start walking in sync with him, matching their steps so they were as humanly quiet as possible. They already had silent shoes, but more ¡®silence¡¯ wouldn¡¯t hurt, and¡­ really, he just didn¡¯t want Emilia to hear the chaos unfolding below them in the courtyard. It was a massacre. The Swarm had busted right through the southwestern front gate, and they were streaming into the courtyard right below the language arts building. It was utter annihilation. Half a dozen academy mages stood guard under the arches leading deeper into the castle, their wands sputtering and sparking with sound waves, but the screams and shouts didn¡¯t lie¡ªthe spells they slung through the air collided with the giant beetles charging through the busted gate, but they were barely putting any dents in the masses of thick black chitin.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. They were just buying time for the students and faculty that were downstairs to evacuate, and even Zora didn¡¯t want to watch them get overrun and gored by giant horns eventually. He couldn¡¯t help them the way he was, a fledgeling mage with a blind student to protect; he had to tear his eyes away from the broken windows as he led Emilia through the bridge, sprinting as quickly as she could follow. How many giant bugs are there? Fifty? A hundred? A thousand? There were only fifty or so Magicicada Mages in the academy. He knew very well that most of them were old and not particularly combat-oriented¡ªthe young who could fight had died long ago during the early years of humanity¡¯s losing war against the invading Swarm¡ªso there was no chance the six of them below him would hold out for long. He was no soldier, but right here, right now, he had to protect the academy in their stead. ¡­ Good souls. Brave souls. Amadeus will remember you. He prayed for the old mages below him, once more for the man who¡¯d died protecting him and Emilia, and they stepped off the bridge to enter the building adjacent to the dorm: the great southwestern cafeteria hall. The dorm was a small two-storey building in the centre of the academy, but there were five cafeteria halls north, west, east, southwest, southeast of the dorm; they were designed so students could pick up their meals on their way back to their rooms no matter which class they had in which school building. The southwestern cafeteria connected the dorm and the language arts building, so there was no way around it. He had to pass through the cafeteria to get to the dorm. Still smells like pickled herrings and garlic, huh? He held Emilia still by the side of the doorway as he peered into the cafeteria, scanning for any giant bugs. Zora never liked this place much even as a student, much less with the old-fashioned lanterns and chandeliers all extinguished. He didn¡¯t have particularly fond memories of food being flung around the long tables during petty fights, nor did he enjoy the pungent smells of far-eastern food the cafeteria ladies used to serve. The wooden chairs were always too creaky, and the windows were built high and out of reach so he could never open them for ventilation¡­ suffice it to say, he ate all his meals in the faculty room nowadays. Now, the steel gate at the end of the hall was only fifty unassuming metres away, and getting there would lead them straight into the dorm, but the cafeteria was dark and full of terrors. He¡¯d snuck out many times when he was a student to do midnight walks of courage with his friends, and without the lit chandeliers, only sparse and cold shafts of moonlight fell through the windows; he could barely see the messy tables, the knocked-over chairs, and the cracked porcelain flooring in front of him, much less tell if there were any out-of-place shadows. ¡­ He reached into his pocket, pulled out a spare stick of chalk, and chucked it as hard as he could at the dorm gate. The moment the chalk hit the ground¡ªnot even thirty strides away¡ªa giant butterfly dropped from the ceiling, making both of them flinch as it started smashing its head into the ground. Tch. You bugs don¡¯t ever make it easy for us. While he pulled Emilia back and hid behind the doorway, he peeked at the giant butterfly smashing the ground over and over again, pulverising his stick of chalk. It only seemed to realise it wasn¡¯t actually killing anyone after a good ten seconds, at which point it sent its whip-like antennae swerving across the cafeteria, knocking over tables and slamming into pillars alike. The whole cafeteria hall shook, dust falling from crevices in the vaulted ceiling. He didn¡¯t have to take a good look at its short wings to know it was the same butterfly that¡¯d been wandering around the language arts building. ¡°... I¡¯ll give you a piece of candy if you answer this question right,¡± he whispered, kneeling to meet Emilia eye-to-eye as he dispelled the silence over her head. ¡°What does the expression ¡®even ants know when to leave the anthill¡¯ mean?¡± Emilia immediately fixed him with a blink, thinking with her head tilted back. ¡°Um¡­ it means¡­ um¨C¡± ¡°¨Cno candy if you don¡¯t get this right¨C¡± ¡°¨Cwait!¡± she said, raising four defiant palms. ¡°Um! It means¡­ when bees are buzzing by to eat them, even ants know when to escape from their house!¡± Zora let out a soft exhale and reached into his pocket, giving her a piece of wrapped bloodberry candy. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said, turning her around and pointing discreetly at the dorm gate as he did. ¡°I need you to stick to the side of the cafeteria and sneak around that giant butterfly. Then, once you see me leading the butterfly away, I want you to bang on the gate as loud as you can. A teacher will definitely open it up from the inside and let you in.¡± Emilia unwrapped her candy and munched on it happily, and then she blinked back at him. ¡°Where are you going, Mister Zora?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drag it away so it won¡¯t hear you banging on the gate,¡± he repeated, patting her head as he put on a cheery voice. ¡°Not to worry. I am Lord Zora, the Thousand-Tongue Mage of homeroom 2-A. I¡¯ve tamed far more unruly beasts than a giant flightless butterfly.¡± That was a lie, of course. And she still looked a bit hesitant to part from him¡ªfingers fidgeting, shoes squeaking, the ¡®silence¡¯ spell dispelled a long time ago¡ªso he held up another piece of candy and waggled it in front of her face. He felt bad tempting her with something specially created by the academy physician to smell like human flesh, and he didn¡¯t want to engage her insect instincts at all, but if making jokes, putting on an easy-going face, and bribing her with candy was what he had to do to get her to calm down and listen¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll give you another piece of candy once I see you inside the dorm,¡± he said, pulling it back as she tried to snatch it from him. ¡°Listen to the teacher inside, okay? I¡¯ll be back before you know it. Feel free to go up and sleep in your room if you¡¯re feeling tired as well.¡± "..." He patted her head one last time as he rose to his feet. ¡°Remember: stick to the walls, and only start banging once the giant butterfly¡¯s out of the cafeteria¨C¡± She hugged him, catching him off-guard and making his heart hammer in his chest. ¡°Come back, Mister Zora,¡± she whispered. ¡°... We are the architects of our own fortune,¡± he said. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be back.¡± Then he patted her back and sent her off, watching her creep along the outer walls of the cafeteria, inching slowly towards the giant butterfly in the centre of the hall. It wasn¡¯t sweeping outwards with its antennae anymore, but he was no entomologist. He couldn¡¯t predict its behaviour or movements in any way, shape, or form. He was just a language arts teacher. A lousy one at that, too. What kind of teacher lets their student sneak off on their own? With a loud stomp, he caught the giant butterfly¡¯s attention and made it jerk its head forward. Those azure wings were unmistakable. It wasted no time at all charging forward, closing the thirty-metre gap between them by waddling on its clumsy stick-like legs¡ªso he pressed his wand to his lips and exhaled coolly, doing his best to keep his calm. There was another spell he wanted to try, and doing so would immediately determine the limit of his ¡®magic¡¯ capabilities. Chapter 4 - The Limits of Magic ¡°... Butterfly, butterfly, far from the sky,¡± he said, pointing his wand straight at the charging bug. ¡°Would you please be so kind as to just keel over and die?¡± As expected, the giant butterfly didn¡¯t just keel over and ¡®die¡¯. It kept charging, its oversized legs cracking the tiled floor and knocking tables over as it did. For such a large bug, it was rather slow¡ªmoving at less than five metres a second¡ªand that meant the thirty metre gap between them wasn¡¯t crossed as fast as Zora had worried it¡¯d be. So the ¡®die¡¯ spell won¡¯t work, he thought, pulling his wand away from his lips as he backtracked, leading the giant butterfly out of the cafeteria with hurried steps. What¡¯d that old man say about my Swarmblood Art? ¡®I must speak the word, and I must believe, with all my heart, that I can manifest it into reality¡¯? Then, I can¡¯t tell it to ¡®die¡¯ because I don¡¯t believe I can kill it as I am. As the butterfly picked up speed, he turned around to start running, racing back along the bridge. He tried glancing over his shoulder to see if Emilia noticed¡ªnow was her time to bang on the dorm gate¡ªbut his eyesight wasn¡¯t all that good, and he couldn¡¯t afford to run into debris while looking back. He gritted his teeth and tried to focus; he¡¯d just have to believe in her. Think. What does it really mean that ¡®I¡¯ have to believe, with all my heart, that I can manifest my spell into reality? Can I really turn ''any'' word I say into a spell? Whirling around quickly with his wand pressed to his lips, he whispered several more words and tried to bring them into existence: ¡®forget¡¯, ¡®reverse time¡¯, ¡®undo¡¯, and ¡®stop¡¯ were all failures. The butterfly paused every time he whipped his wand at it, as though trying to sling a spell, but very quickly, it realised he was just making silly gestures with no bite behind his bark; it started crawling even faster, making his lips thin into a line as he upped his pace as well. I can¡¯t cast a spell that ¡®I¡¯ don¡¯t think I can do, he thought, eyes darting around the hallway of the language arts building as he sprinted off the bridge, checking for more giant bugs. So the condition of ¡®I¡¯ is me in my most fundamental state, without any tools, without any special abilities? If I have a kitchen knife, I can dice a carrot, so can I cast ¡®cut¡¯ on the butterfly? He whirled again. The butterfly was struggling to squirm through the narrower entrance of the bridge, its wings tearing across the low ceiling, so he took the opportunity and voiced ¡®cut¡¯ at its wings. Nothing happened. His wand was pointed at the butterfly, and his words did come out, but not as a spell. Hm. So, before the butterfly could squeeze through the rest of the bridge, he turned his wand on its head and spoke. ¡°Strike.¡± A ripple darted from his lips to his wand, so the moment he saw it swirling around the tip, he whipped his wand and flicked the spell forward. His accuracy was true¡ªhe¡¯d had lots of practice throwing chalk at sleepy students after lunch hour¡ªand the spell ¡®struck¡¯ the butterfly in the head, making it flinch and recoil momentarily in pain. Interesting. ¡®Strike¡¯ works because I can imagine myself running forward and punching it, but ¡®cut¡¯ doesn¡¯t work because¡­ well, even if I had a knife, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine myself actually cutting and wounding it. I could ¡®strike¡¯ it with a knife, but then it wouldn¡¯t be an actual cut. My choice of words matters here. As he stood still and mused, the butterfly whipped its antennae forward like spears, forcing him to jump to the side and dodge. A very close call. He stumbled a few steps, breaths picking up, and then sprinted down the hallway to put more distance between them¡ªthe butterfly smashed through the bridge and rammed into the wall he¡¯d just been standing in front of. So, is it accurate to say I can only cast spells that I can imagine myself physically doing? he thought, scowling as he stared down the butterfly twenty metres away, watching it struggle to free itself from the wall. My ¡®strike¡¯ dealt no damage because I can¡¯t imagine myself actually hurting it with a punch, but what if I were to ¡®strike¡¯ something else instead? Peering into the empty classroom on his right, he spotted a porcelain vase and immediately cast ¡®strike¡¯ on it, shattering it from afar. So if I truly believe I can strike it and destroy it, the spell will also do more damage, he thought. But that also means all ''real'' magic spells are completely out of the picture: no summoning thunderbolts or teleporting around or raising the dead from their graves. The only spells I can cast right now are ranged extensions of my current physical ability, so if I want to kill it with ¡®strike¡¯, I need to increase my physical strength. That fitness teacher could probably imagine himself crushing the butterfly¡¯s skull with one hand, but I¡¯m just a humble stickman. I don¡¯t have that much strength. And he coughed the moment he came to that tentative conclusion, his throat dry and scratchy beyond belief. He¡¯d cast only a few spells in the past ten minutes, but it felt like he¡¯d just run a marathon in a desert. In stark contrast, the lumbering giant butterfly managed to rip its head out of the wall and reorient itself, screeching at him as it resumed its fervent charge once again. Its energy was boundless.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. His heart leapt into his throat as he backed up even further, going all the way to the rubble-filled staircase leading down to the lower floors. ¡­ What a cruel and unforgiving ability, he grumbled. I can¡¯t cast ''real'' magic spells because I don¡¯t believe I can make them come true, but the only reason why I can¡¯t make them come true is because I don¡¯t think I can physically do it. If a child who truly, with all the heart, believes they can physically summon lightning gets this ability, would they actually be able to summon lightning? How am I supposed to rewire my brain to make myself believe I can actually ''kill'' the bug by telling it to die? He half-stumbled down the stairs, half-sprinting as fast as he could to outrun the giant butterfly hot on his heels. By the time he got down to the ground floor and sprinted to the end of the hallway, the bug crashed down the stairs thirty metres away, legs carving up the walls and making the entire building tremble. He couldn¡¯t keep running away like this. There had to be something he could do. Even if I can¡¯t really cast ¡®magic¡¯ spells right now¡­ He parted his legs. Stood firm. Pressed the tip of his wand against his lips as though to shush the butterfly as it charged. ¡°Rise,¡± he whispered, flinging his spell at the mounds of sharp debris lining the hallway¡ªand when he realised he could control how hard he flicked his wand to fire off his spell in multiple bursts, he managed to lift half a dozen bent metal pipes into the air with an invisible force. I can imagine this for now, at least, he thought, a bead of sweat rolling down his brows. ¡®Rise¡¯ is the urgency in the air when I walk into a class and begin the roll call. I can imagine picking a student up by their collar when they sleep through their name being called, can¡¯t I? The giant butterfly continued charging. He pulled his wand back to his lips and spoke again: ¡°Throw,¡± he said, before whipping his spell at the floating metal pipes. Not all of them were pointing their sharp ends towards the butterfly, but enough of them were. His command sent them flying forward at the speed of thrown chalks, and one, two, three, four of them soared into the butterfly, making it screech in pain as they punctured its chitin. Sickly yellow blood spurted from its wounds, its speed significantly slowed as it slammed into the walls, trying to dislodge the pipes in its body. His eyes widened¡ªbloody wounds like that would kill any normal man, but the butterfly was giant. It needed a bigger push. ¡®Throw¡¯ is the speed of a stick of chalk when I throw it at a noisy student¡¯s head, but I¡¯m not that strong. I can¡¯t imagine throwing anything other than a stick of chalk with that much accuracy. He clenched his jaw, casting ¡®rise¡¯ on more debris as he did. But I didn¡¯t buy out all forty boxes of the academy supply store¡¯s stock of chalk for nothing. If four pipes won¡¯t break you, then how about a dozen more? As he continued stepping back, slowly and steadily, he ''raised'' whole lines of debris and ''threw'' them at the charging butterfly, barraging it with an onslaught of scrap. Most of the wooden beams and stone tiles bounced off its head, but the heavier metal plates made it shudder, while the glass panes and jagged shrapnel tore through its veiny wings. The butterfly tried crawling faster, squeezing its giant body through the narrow hallway; he picked up more debris, striking it over and over with as much strength as he could muster. Eventually, nobody could tell that it was a butterfly from the front. It slowed to a near-complete halt ten strides in front of him, two dozen or so pieces of debris lodged all across its body like the spines of a porcupine, and its antennae tried to stab at him. He hissed and jerked his head out of the way, casting ¡®tear¡¯ on the flimsy appendage that just tried to decapitate him, and for the first time, his pure attack spell had an effect. The spell punched through the antennae, severing it from the butterfly¡¯s head. Even a stickman like me can imagine tearing off a slow-moving appendage like that. But now he had to be patient. He had to wait. He could ''raise'' more debris and ''throw'' them at it until it died, but he¡¯d figured out something else: distance played a massive part in how effective his spells was. They''d lose strength and speed the longer it took them to reach their target. They''d even fizzle if he aimed them at something too far away, and, currently, his maximum range seemed to be about twenty metres. So, as things stood, he simply waited until the giant butterfly slowly bled itself dry. He didn''t cast any more spells. He watched as its legs went limp, its remaining antennae wilted, and its short wings fell flat over its body. It wasn¡¯t quite dead yet, no¡ªits giant black orbs for eyes were still trained on him, and it was still desperately trying to suck in breaths of air¡ªbut it could do nothing as he approached its head. And frankly, he was a bit surprised when its seemingly pointless screeches and inhales turned into comprehensible words. ¡°Mama,¡± it cried, burning its remaining strength just to turn its head left and right, as though trying to plead for mercy. ¡°Ma¡­ ma. Cold. Hurt. Where¡­ you?¡± He listened. He said nothing in return. Then he stepped past its head and squeezed through the cramped hallway as it cried for its ¡®mama¡¯ with its final breaths. His hands were shaking slightly, his forehead glistening with sweat¡ªhe¡¯d known the bugs of the Swarm could communicate with each other via pheromones and physical gestures as they rampaged across the continent, but the fact that his ears could automatically translate their normally unintelligible noises into human words was a surprise, even to him. There was a tongue he hadn''t known how to speak, after all. ¡­ Gotta get back to the dorm. He winced, rubbing his throat as he tried not to think about how dry his throat was. Then he glanced back at the giant butterfly, eyeing its two stick-like hind legs. But before that, I need a source of ¡®points¡¯ if I want to get any stronger with my system, don¡¯t I? Again, he was no expert, but he knew a bit about the Swarmsteel Systems and how warriors across the continent grew stronger with them. There was no way he could even attempt gaining points in the middle of a hallway while surrounded by destruction on all sides, though, so he quickly cast ¡®tear¡¯ on the butterfly¡¯s giant hind legs and severed them from its body. They didn¡¯t look too heavy to carry, and maybe he could even afford to cast ¡®rise¡¯ and hover them all the way back to the dorm, but he¡¯d rather save his strength in case he needed to¨C The wall behind him exploded with a chorus of horrid screeches, and he whirled around to see a horde of giant bugs tearing into the hallway. Most likely, they¡¯d heard the dying throes of one of its brood and came to investigate, and bugs only knew one method of investigation¡ªby running their razor-sharp legs and antennae over said object, that was. Well. Even ants know when to leave the anthill, huh? Hauling the two butterfly legs under one arm, he took off on a mad sprint back towards the stairs at the end of the hallway, and the horde of bugs screeched to life behind him. Chapter 5 - Translation Mimicry Zora may not have been born in Amadeus Academy, but he¡¯d certainly spent his adolescence running through the various school buildings, figuring out all the nooks and crannies he and his friends could hide in whenever they earned a teacher¡¯s ire. The old castle was vast, after all, and larger within than it looked without¡ªbut the new language arts building was as straightforward as they came. Three floors, one set of stairs at the end of each hallway, and a bridge connecting it to the dorm in the centre of the academy. The straight hallways meant playing hide and seek in this building was always more a game of tag¡ªa game of speed¡ªthan one of smarts and ingenuity. As a student who¡¯d never been particularly athletic compared to his classmates, he always got the shorter end of the stick whenever he was the one being chased. As a teacher who easily dwarfed his students, though, he¡¯d had fun the past two years dominating his kids during joint lessons with the fitness teacher¡¯s homeroom. ¡­ The honey bee that stings always stings itself in return, huh? He ran. Fast. Two butterfly legs were tucked under his right arm, his wand dangling loosely in his left hand. A horde of giant bugs tore through the corridor behind him, mandibles snapping, legs carving through stone and wooden walls like they were made of paper; he sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could, his lungs burning for air as he occasionally threw a glance behind him. Horrid, ghastly, and evil clad in black. They were beetles, spiders, ants, and all manners of terrestrially bound insects, so bunched together he couldn¡¯t make out how many there were exactly, but he knew they¡¯d all been in the courtyard back when he was escorting Emilia across the bridge. That all twenty or thirty or forty or so of them were here meant the academy mages defending the language arts building at the bottom had really been annihilated, and that meant there was no way he could possibly defeat them. The mages may be antique, but they weren¡¯t senile. Even those assigned to the academy, who were considered ¡®unfit¡¯ for war on the frontlines, had once been trained to slaughter masses of giant bugs without breaking a sweat. And Zora was already breaking a sweat running up three flights of stairs. By the time he reached the third floor, the entire building was already flooded with bugs. He screeched to a halt the moment he stepped off the stairs, eyes going wide¡ªthey were on the walls, outside the windows, legs stabbing through the walls as they surrounded him with a cacophony of screeches. He was fortunate none of them in front were looking at him, so he ducked into the nearest classroom and slammed the door shut as the bugs behind him charged up the stairs, making the entire floor rumble in the process. The bridge was at the end of the hallway, but a dozen giant bugs stood between him and his destination. Was there a way to get them out of the way? ¡­ He clenched his jaw as he peeked out the window on the door, pressing his ear against it to listen closely. ¡°... Where? Human?¡± one of them said, accompanied by a series of mandible clicks and flicks. ¡°Ran. Up. Where?¡± ¡°I saw third¡­ floor,¡± another rasped, this one so close he felt its voice vibrating through the wall. ¡°He came up¡­ through stairs¡­ and then?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t. You. Watching?¡± a third one mumbled, and there were sounds of a scuffle outside as though the giant bugs were wrestling each other. ¡°You. Here. First. Where. He. Go?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t looking!¡± a fourth screeched. ¡°You wasn¡¯t! Look! Where human go?¡± ¡°Just smell him out! Feel him out! Mother¡¯s orders are to slaughter all and find¨C¡± ¡°I saw! Him! Went down!¡± he shouted, pushing air from his chest as he cast "translate" on himself. ¡°Came up stairs, then over railings! Down! Chase him!¡± The giant bugs outside stopped talking all at once. He bit his tongue, parsing their speech patterns once again: lower pitches for commands, higher for questions, and pauses between clicks of their mandibles that resembled punctuation in human tongues. There was a guttural quality to their voices he couldn¡¯t quite replicate just yet, but the fact was, he was deciphering their tongue right now, and he knew he could speak their tongue in time¡ªso while he couldn''t exactly speak their tongue by himself right now, he could easily imagine himself doing so eventually. Thus, the ''translate'' spell filled in the gap for the time being, automatically translating his words. He simply prayed they wouldn¡¯t question why his voice sounded much less raspy, and instead focus more on the fact that he was sharing words with them to begin with. So he didn''t let off the pressure. His mouth worked, shaping the hisses, allowing his voice to first vibrate at the back of his throat before forcing it out as a low-pitch command. ¡°What. Waiting. For?¡± he snarled, rapping the ground hard with his knuckles. ¡°Down! Second floor! Or mother will come herself!¡± And the mention of their ¡®mother¡¯ got them moving, scrambling, scuttling outside the hallway as they scraped down the stairs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as their voices faded, returning to unintelligible screeches as they left his translation zone. It was too early for him to sigh in relief, but¡­ when he eventually raised his head and peeked out the window, he saw not a single giant bug outside. I guess moths do follow any light, even into a flame, he thought, pushing the door slowly open as he looked left and right. He bit his tongue as he almost stepped out unaware, though; there was still one giant beetle standing to his left, staring blankly down the hallway as though it were an unruly child appointed as the night sentry against its will.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. No amount of mimicry would dislodge it. It was adamant on standing guard on the third floor, so he exhaled through his nose, trying to calm the pounding in his chest¡ªhe¡¯d just have to outrun this one last bug, then. ¡°Strike!¡± he shouted, charging his wand with the spell and then slinging it at the lantern over its body, breaking the thin metal chain in the process. The lantern smashed into the beetle¡¯s head, making it flinch as he bolted out the classroom, running down the right hallway as fast as his legs could take him. It was confused enough by what hit it that it didn¡¯t start charging him until two seconds later, at which point he was already at the entrance to the bridge, sprinting towards the cafeteria hall in the distance. ¡°Rise and pile!¡± he shouted, flicking his wand at the debris around him as he ran, building small blockades behind him to slow the beetle down. Then he got a better idea, glancing behind him as he whipped his wand around. ¡°Blockade!¡± To his surprise, the spell was cast, just¡­ not in the way he wanted it to manifest. He¡¯d thought the two spells of ¡®rise¡¯ and ¡®pile¡¯ would combine into one and make a blockade automatically, but instead, his ¡®blockade¡¯ spell was only a wall of sound waves that made the air shimmer, lingering for a few seconds before the beetle smashed right through it like all the other debris blockades. Even though I can imagine myself physically picking up debris and building a blockade with them? I¡­ see. In the same vein, he supposed he wouldn¡¯t be able to cast ¡®cook fried eggs¡¯ even if he knew how to do it in reality. The effect of the spell had to be something he believed he could complete from start to finish, and since he couldn¡¯t imagine himself producing eggs from his body or starting up a fire with his bare hands, he wouldn¡¯t be able to cast that spell. ¡®Blockade¡¯ was probably much the same. There may be materials all around he could use to build a wall with, but ¡®blockade¡¯ could also mean using his actual physical body as a blockade¡­ and that was certainly what he imagined when he first thought of the word, which was why it manifested the way it did: as a lingering wall of sound waves as tough as his body was. Basically, I still have a long way to go before I can rewire myself to imagine precisely how I want my spells to manifest. If I want to ''cook fried eggs'', I need to see eggs and pans and fire around me so I can imagine the spell actually working. If I want to make a physical blockade with debris, I need to see actual debris around me, and my first thought when I cast the spell can''t be ''blockade made out of air'', but ''rather blockade made out of debris''. He grumbled, yanking in more debris blockades with ''rise and pile'' to slow the beetle down. Rewiring his thoughts after twenty-two years of brain development wasn''t as easy as he needed it to be. Before long, though, he sprinted into the cafeteria and almost slipped on the cracked tile floor immediately, but the beetle was still a good thirty metres behind him. Blockade, blockade, blockade¡­ "Blockade." His throat was scratchy to the point it felt like it was about to bleed, but he managed to cast the spell on the door to the cafeteria, and this time, the spell directly pulled in a bunch of tables and chairs from the side to block the door off with a mountain of furniture. He still flinched when the beetle rammed into the door, almost ripping it and the entire doorway off the wall, but his blockade held¡ªfor the time being. Glancing around, he sighed a breath of relief as he failed to locate Emilia cowering behind some table in the cafeteria. She must¡¯ve entered the dorm without any issues, so now it was his turn to race forward and bang on the heavy steel gate, shouting at whoever was inside to open up. No response. The beetle pierced through the door and the mountain of furniture with its curved horn, tearing the entire wall to shreds as it stumbled through. ¡°... I do not wish to bother you with my knocking fit, good sir, but I am¡ªin every sense of the word¡ªin quite the ¡®pickle¡¯ here!¡± he shouted, gritting his teeth as he watched the beetle charge straight at him. ¡°Open up! Actually, maybe stay away from the gate! I¡¯ve no idea if the beetle will spear through both you and I if we¡¯re standing inches apart¨C¡± ¡°Duck.¡± A voice shouted back from the other side of the gate, so he dropped to his stomach, no questions asked. The heavy gate swung inwards immediately afterwards, and he heard only a single spell being cast¡ª"Da Capo"¡ªbefore a whole orchestra of floating instruments played a single, discordant note, tearing through the cafeteria to stun the charging beetle. It would¡¯ve run its horn right through him, but the incredibly harsh sound disoriented it and made it ram into the wall next to the gate instead. While it struggled to free itself, Zora struggled to stand, too¡ªhis skull and ears were ringing¡ªbut then someone grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the dorm. The heavy gate swung close a second later, the metal bolts and latches sealing automatically as it returned to its normal state. He stayed right at the entrance for a few more seconds, hands on his knees, panting for breath as the beetle banged into the gate behind him. It quickly seemed to realise there was no way its horn could go through the thick steel, though, so the banging stopped after a while. The ringing in his head didn¡¯t, but he could feel someone talking to him, hugging him from the side. Groggily, he looked around and saw Emilia burying her face in his waist, refusing to let go even as he smiled tiredly and tried to flick her forehead. ¡°... Told you I¡¯d be back,¡± he breathed, forcing himself to stand up straight as he slipped her a piece of candy to nibble on. ¡°You could¡¯ve opened the gate a little faster, though. A few more seconds and I¡¯d¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± A young voice snapped at him, high-pitched and riddled with fear. It was feisty, fast-spoken, and he immediately recognised its owner as he looked around the dark, dimly lit foyer. The dorm at the centre of the academy was a two-storey building with five gates leading in and out, but the word ¡®dorm¡¯ was a bit misleading. It was more like a noble¡¯s mansion than any student residence. The private rooms were all on the second floor, but the communal baths, study rooms, and kitchens were all fitted next to the giant common room on the first floor. The idea was new transfer student would have a safe, cosy little space where all the important facilities were close by, allowing them to grow more comfortable with their new home quicker. The southwestern foyer he was currently in wasn¡¯t any less grand and richly decorated as a result: it was a long hallway with arched ceilings, sparkly chandeliers, and stone pillars lining the walls. A red carpet ran below him from the gate to the door at the end of the foyer, which would lead into the common room at the centre of the dorm room. Dim lantern light came from the common room, as well as a bunch of eyes peeking at him from the distant doorway¡ªso he scowled at the lady standing in front of him, narrowing his eyes at the wand pointed straight at his face. ¡°... Prove you¡¯re not a bug disguising as a human.¡± Cecilia, the one and only music teacher in the academy, tightened her grip on her wand as she chewed her lips. ¡°Tell me five things only Zora would know, or I¡¯m going to blow your face off.¡± Chapter 6 - Conductor Cecilia If ¡®Thousand Tongue'' Zora had to be honest, he liked the nickname the kids gave ¡®Conductor¡¯ Cecilia, the academy¡¯s one and only music teacher, more than his. The ¡®Conductor¡¯ sounded less frightening, in any case, though it also helped that she was a young, stunningly beautiful lady in her mid twenties. Her teacher''s cloak was sapphire-blue in stark contrast to his pure gold, and her blouse underneath was crisp white with puffy sleeves, her dark skirt ankle-length and flared at the bottom. A conductor¡¯s baton hung on her belt. Her long chestnut hair was tied in a long braid, and small, silver pins shaped like musical notes were woven between the loops, which he knew the kids loved playing with like they were keys on a piano. If it weren¡¯t for her and her silly braid, he¡¯d no doubt have been crowned the academy¡¯s most popular teacher both years he¡¯d been working here¡­ but he smiled wearily at her nevertheless, still patting Emilia¡¯s head as he did. In most cases, it¡¯d certainly be frightening to have a wand pointed in his face, but she¡¯d given him her conditions to survive; he was going to take full advantage of them. ¡°... Fun fact about Miss Sarius, number one: she still sleeps with her pinky in her mouth because she never got over her nail-biting habit from back when she was first learning how to play the lute,¡± he said plainly. Cecilia blinked. Emilia pulled her head away from his waist, looking up at him strangely. He simply kept smiling as he tilted his head. ¡°Fun fact about Miss Sarius, number two: despite having been the academy¡¯s ¡®Food Avoidance Teacher¡¯ the past four years, she secretly hates all sorts of fruits and always picks them out from her cafeteria meals like a child,¡± he continued. ¡°Fun fact about Miss Sarius, number three: she is woefully incompetent at any sort of work related to cooking, but puts on the front that she is incredibly skilled at it whenever a student asks her to cook them something. In truth, the food she gives to her students the next day as ¡®perfect examples¡¯ are always cooked by me and¨C¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Her spell struck him in the face, eating his voice, and within a second she managed to close the five-metre-gap between them to whack him on the head. He feigned and exaggerated a pained groan, stealing glances at Emilia and mouthing ¡®help me¡¯ as he did¡ªCecilia, of course, was a bundle of anger and embarrassment rolled into one, and she spun him around by the shoulders until there was no way Emilia could see the flush on her cheeks. ¡°Okay, okay, I get it! It¡¯s really you!¡± she hissed, as he waved his wand in front of his face to dispel her spell and she patted him down from head to toe, seemingly checking for¡­ injuries? Not that she¡¯d be able to help him out with those, anyways. ¡°I was worried when Emilia ran in by herself and told me to help you, but I couldn¡¯t just go out alone when our kids were still in the back. Thank the Great Makers you¡¯re safe. I would know what I¡¯d do if¨C¡± ¡°You thought I was a bug in disguise, huh?¡± He chuckled softly as he shrugged her hands off, beckoning Emilia to follow him into the common room at the end of the foyer. ¡°Julius has been planting too many scary stories into your head. I don¡¯t think there are bugs out there that can perfectly disguise as someone down to their hair and nails.¡± Cecilia harrumphed, following after him as she cast ¡®coda¡¯ on the floating pipes, trumpets, violins, and bells along the walls to make them fall to the ground unceremoniously. ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± she grumbled, sticking her wand onto her belt as she held out her hands. He passed her one of the heavy butterfly legs and made her flinch. ¡°The giant bugs of the Swarm aren¡¯t just oversized versions of the bugs we¡¯re used to seeing and stomping. Some of them have freaky magic, don¡¯t they? If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned from Julius, it¡¯s that there¡¯s always a bug out there that does exactly what you think it does.¡± ¡°Maybe. But your first mistake was thinking half of what Julius says has any credibility.¡± She grumbled again. ¡°True. I¡¯d still appreciate it if he were here, though.¡± The star-shaped common room came into view as he ducked through the doorway with Emilia and Cecilia in tow. About forty children, none older than twelve, were scattered all across the cavernous space lit by dim lantern light: some were sprawled out on the low sofas and armchairs, while others were curled up on the floor with blankets and pillows pulled from their private rooms. A few were huddled before the only crackling hearth in the centre of the room, their faces lit by the soft orange glow as they whispered amongst themselves. The common room was supposed to be a cosy lounge for everyone to rest and play in after a hard day of school, but instead¡­ it was quiet, the lanterns were all dark, and the wooden floorboards felt cold even through his shoes. It was a dreary, hopeless sight. ¡­ The moment Cecilia closed the door behind him to keep in the heat from the hearth, though, the kids whipped their heads over to see who was the new arrival¡ªand then their faces brightened instantly. The room itself sprang to life as they jumped to their feet, blankets cast aside, and rushed to crowd around him with wide-eyed excitement. Emilia backed off quickly as tiny hands tugged at his sleeves, pulling him closer. The air was immediately filled with dozens of eager voices, each spilling out in a different tongue, so he crouched and spoke to each gently in turn. In one moment, he replied to a girl in the low, guttural edge-dialect of the far north, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder as she beamed at him. In the next, he was answering a boy in the clicking and humming tongue of the western shore, the boy grinning ear to ear at his response. Cecilia watched him reassure everyone from the back, and only once he calmed about thirty of the forty children down and sent them up to their private rooms did she let out a quiet sigh of relief. ¡°... When the dome shattered, I was teaching my 2-B and your 2-A in the courtyard of the music building,¡± she whispered, dropping her butterfly leg and stepping forward to pat a few of the kids¡¯ heads as well, helping him send them up to their rooms for sleep. ¡°There were mages nearby, so they made me evacuate the kids while they held off the Swarm coming in through the southeastern gate, but¡­ the mage who was protecting us as we ran to the dorm didn¡¯t make it. She made me eat her system before she died, so now I¡¯m a Magicicada Mage, I¡­ guess.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He glanced at the bloody wand and the conductor¡¯s baton on her belt, eyes slanted. So she survived the integration, too. Since all of us teachers of the academy were once orphans in the academy, does that mean all of our immune systems were tampered with, and that all of us have the aptitude to inherit a magicicada system class? ¡°Same,¡± he said slowly. ¡°I was helping Emilia with her homework in my homeroom when the mage who was defending me died. I¡¯m a Magicicada Mage, too.¡± Then he held up his wand, making her eyes widen. ¡°Not how I wanted to get a class, but a fly wouldn¡¯t fuss over stale fruit. Where¡¯s class 2-C and 2-D? None of them had any classes outside when the dome was broken, right?¡± Cecilia opened her mouth to speak, but it was the young blond boy she was patting the head of who coughed and spoke first. ¡°Class 2-C was doing fitness with Mister Evander, and class 2-D was having¡­ I think natural sciences in Mister Tadius¡¯ indoor garden on the skybridge!¡± Titus, 2-A¡¯s ten-year-old homeroom monitor, said. ¡°Mister Evander and Mister Tadius both extended their classes today, though, so 2-C and 2-D aren¡¯t back yet!¡± Zora fixed him with a small smile, turning where he knelt to face the boy eye-to-eye. ¡°And the other teachers?¡± Zora asked. ¡°Miss Becker? Mister Abel? Do you know where any of them are?¡± ¡°They were¡­ staffroom? Um, in the staffroom?¡± ¡°I see. What about the Headmaster?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think¡­ her observatory? We didn¡¯t see her the entire day, though.¡± Cecilia grimaced next to him. ¡°It¡¯s just me and you here, Zora. There¡¯s fresh food and water in the kitchens, but they¡¯ll only last us a week even if we all ration¡ªand that¡¯s including you and me giving up most of our portions to the younglings. If the bugs get bored and leave in a week, that¡¯ll be great, but¨C¡± ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± he muttered, much to Cecilia¡¯s evident confusion as she raised her brows; he didn¡¯t want to talk about what he¡¯d heard from the bugs in front of Titus and his friends, though, so he simply glanced up at her with a knowing look. ¡°Food and water¡¯s important, but what¡¯s more important is making sure there are more teachers and adults here to look after the kids. Some of them might be stuck in the staffroom, so if I can go and fetch them, we¡¯ll all stand a better chance at surviving this invasion.¡± ¡°You¡­ want to go alone?¡± He heaved as he stood up straight. ¡°My throat¡¯s messed-up, but if I can have a glass of water or two, I should be more or less okay. I¡¯ll keep to simpler spells. I¡¯ll try to sneak to the staffroom as well so I can get them back before dawn, and then we can¨C¡± ¡°Not a chance.¡± Cecilia scowled, pinching his ear as he tried walking over to the open kitchen with his butterfly leg in tow. ¡°I¡¯m going with you. Now that I know you¡¯re still alive and kicking, I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight ever again.¡± He feigned another groan, winking at Emilia and Titus as he did. ¡°Stop bullying me, Miss Sarius. I am in great pain. I am in great pain. I am in great¨C¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t leave to help you earlier because I couldn¡¯t get the kids to sleep by myself, but now that they¡¯re all back in their rooms, I can afford to leave them alone for a bit,¡± she breathed into his ear, keeping her voice low so the kids couldn¡¯t hear her. ¡°You¡¯re not going alone, you hear me? Only the Great Makers know what sordid monstrosities crawl behind those gates¡ªa walking skeleton like you won¡¯t be able to make it ten strides to the faculty room by yourself.¡± Brows twitching, he was about to retort when Titus stepped up, thumping his chest with a confident fist. ¡°Me and my friends can watch the gate on the inside while you get the other teachers, Miss Sarius, Mister Fabre!¡± he said, smiling brightly as he looked up at the both of them. ¡°I can take charge! I¡¯ll make sure nobody leaves the dorm while you¡¯re away!¡± Zora sighed. He knew it, and Titus knew it; he¡¯d be much safer if he had Cecilia watching his back, so he gave his star student one more headpat for the road before heading towards the kitchen with her in tow. This time, though, it wasn¡¯t Cecilia who held him still, but Emilia who was holding onto his leg with all four of her arms. ¡°... I wanna go, too." ¡°Stick with Titus,¡± he replied, perhaps a bit more curtly than he liked. ¡°It¡¯s not safe out there. I had a good run for my life trying to get back here, so it¡¯s no place for a child. Let us handle this. Just try to get some sleep and¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna stay here,¡± she whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ belong here.¡± Zora sighed again. He wasn¡¯t oblivious, either. He was well aware Emilia''s extremely apparent mutations made her stand out even amongst the orphans of the academy, and he also knew she never once hung out in the common room with the other kids after school. For the past two weeks, after attending his classes, it was always straight to her room with her dinner and nothing else. He stole a glance at Titus and his friends and saw them fidgeting as well¡ªthey weren¡¯t mean kids whatsoever, but they definitely weren¡¯t good enough at hiding their discomfort hanging around Emilia¡ªso he looked at Cecilia, asking for input with his narrowed eyes. Maybe he just didn¡¯t want to make the decision himself, but he already knew what she was going to say. ¡°Emilia¡¯s a good girl even in my classes, so I think she¡¯ll listen to us if we tell her to run back in a dangerous situation,¡± she said, rubbing Emilia¡¯s head with a soft smile as she did. ¡°Besides, she helped me seal off the other gates with her threads. I think her ability will come in handy when we¡¯re outside.¡± Zora frowned. ¡°What threads?¡± To demonstrate, Emilia circled in front of him and stuck her crimson nails into her mouth, biting and tearing them off¡ªand he would¡¯ve immediately grabbed her and told her to stop if her nails didn¡¯t unwind like a spool of glowing, stretchy red threads. ¡°I kan du dis!¡± she said, still biting onto the ends of her threads as she beamed up at him. ¡°I kan halp! Dey¡¯re very¡­ um, shticky!¡± Cecilia shrugged, kicking Zora¡¯s ankle discreetly. ¡°See? I think she¡¯ll be very useful when we¡¯re outside. We can take her along with us and send her back if it gets too dangerous, right?¡± Zora pursed his lips. He was still hesitant to put a student of his in danger¡¯s way, but he knew what Cecilia was trying to get at. She wasn¡¯t oblivious, too; it¡¯d be cruel if they left her alone in the dorm now without any friends or allies. ¡°... Alright,¡± he said, sighing as Emilia jumped and cheered. ¡°But you¡¯re coming back the moment me or Miss Sarius tell you to, okay? No arguing. You¡¯re to go straight back to your room when we tell you to.¡± ¡°Okey!¡± she replied cheerily, chewing on her glowing threads and slurping them up like noodles. His eyes twitched when he watched her nails regenerate at breakneck speed. What type of moth is she? Aren¡¯t spiders the only bugs that can make sticky threads like that? Are those threads her Swarmblood Art as a half-moth? But, as he told Emilia to go behind the kitchen and instructed Titus to wait by the western gate¡ªand to only open the gate if he heard their voices¡ªCecilia picked up the other butterfly leg, tilting her head at the open kitchen. ¡°You need a glass of water, right?¡± she asked. ¡°I can get that for you. It¡¯s eight-eighteen right now, so maybe we rest for about forty-five minutes and leave for the staffroom at nine? You look exhausted, anyways.¡± He nodded quickly. ¡°Rest is good, but we also need to deal with this first,¡± he said, raising the butterfly leg under his arm as he did. ¡°We¡¯ve got systems now, and that means we can get stronger by unlocking mutations and increasing our attributes with points. You know how any of that works?¡± Cecilia gave him a blank, pointed stare. ¡°Well, it starts with this,¡± he said, waving his butterfly leg around. ¡°First, we eat the bug.¡± Chapter 7 - System Rules Zora may know how to ¡®cook an egg¡¯, but casting ¡®turn the butterfly legs into a mouth-watering delicacy¡¯ was a little bit out of his depth. That didn¡¯t stop him and Cecilia from trying to crack the black tube-like shells with the back of their kitchen knives, though, while Emilia sat on the countertop nearby and Titus and his friends scattered across the foyers to watch over the gates. ¡°... And what¡¯s this about eating insect flesh to grow stronger?¡± Cecilia asked, scrunching her nose with a heavy scowl as she managed to wedge her knife along the length of the hard chitin, struggling to crack the whole thing open like a lobster leg. In stark contrast, Zora was still struggling to whack the leg open, and he feared he¡¯d destroy the cutting board underneath before he could put a dent in it. ¡°How much do you know about our esteemed academy mages to begin with, Miss Sarius?¡± he said in a strained, sing-song voice, glancing at Emilia kicking her legs back and forth aimlessly as he did. ¡°Our Swarmblood Art is infamous¡ª¡®God Tongue¡¯, the magic that lets us cast spells we can imagine ourselves doing. I¡¯m sure you already know this, given how you tried to blow my face off earlier with your wand.¡± ¡°¡®Twas a mistake.¡± ¡°Fun fact about Miss Sarius, number four¨C¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± she muttered, glancing over to spit the spell at him briefly, which he caught with the tip of his wand and dispelled with another flick. ¡°You do know how to cast a spell,¡± he said, letting go of his wand to resume hacking at the butterfly leg with his knife. ¡°You speak the word you believe you¡¯re physically capable of doing, and then you¡¯re at a crossroads: either you let the spell diffuse around you in an area, or you concentrate it on your wand to sling it in a particular direction. I¡¯m no scholar of the Magicicada Mages, but I¡¯m sure both options have their own advantages. The wider area speaks for itself, but for the spell-slinging option, higher precision and the concentration of the spell on the tip of the wand means the spell will be more effective as a result.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± It was his turn to glance at her, frowning. ¡°You didn¡¯t know that. How¡¯d you manage to play the entire orchestra of instruments back in the foyer against the beetle, then? Didn¡¯t you cast ¡®rise¡¯ and ¡®play¡¯ on each individual instrument?¡± ¡°I knew the first part about only being able to cast spells you believe you¡¯re capable of manifesting,¡± she mumbled, peeling chunks of chitin off the slimy white flesh of the butterfly leg, ¡°but all I did was say ¡®Da Capo¡¯ with the instruments already sitting around the foyer, and then they just¡­ listened? That¡¯s because I could imagine myself playing all of those instruments, right?¡± He stared at her in silence, and ever so slightly, his lips shifted into a faint smile. ¡°¡®Da Capo¡¯ is far northeastern tongue for ¡®from the beginning¡¯, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said, resorting to whacking his butterfly leg with the handle of his knife. ¡°It appears you can cast spells in whatever tongue you can speak, so this is news to me. Good job, Miss Sarius. Emilia, tell Miss Sarius she did a good job.¡± Emilia brightened up. ¡°Good job, Miss Cecilia!¡± ¡°Now help me rip the chitin off this leg,¡± he said, patting the girl¡¯s head as he rolled the leg off the cutting board, letting the moth girl have a go at it while he sat on the countertop himself. Cecilia gave him a disappointed scowl, but what could he do? He was a walking skeleton, lacking in muscles unlike that maniac of a fitness teacher; it was best to wipe off his sweat and just rest for a little bit. ¡°Have you tried any other spells? Something special only a music teacher can cast?¡± ¡°None apart from ¡®stand¡¯, ¡®Da Capo¡¯, and ¡®Coda¡¯ for ¡®stop playing¡¯. I haven''t had the opportunity to cast spells much,¡± Cecilia said, shaking her head. Since both girls were doing a much better job cracking their legs open, he pulled a pot from the cabinet under him and started filling it under the sink water tap. ¡°And you? What sort of spells can a language arts teacher cast? Something completely banal and useless, I imagine¨C¡± ¡°Strike¡±, he said, whipping his wand at a nearby flower pot to crack it. ¡°Among a few other ''generic'' spells, of course,¡± he added quickly. ¡°There¡¯s only a hundred more spells I¡¯d like to try out, but I''ll be honest: basic offensive spells like ¡®strike¡¯ that anyone can cast are good enough. If the hammer does the trick, the hammer does the trick.¡± Cecilia glanced back at the flower pot, pouting. ¡°Julius gave that to one of my kids for his birthday last year.¡± ¡°¡®Twas a mistake. Anyways, I¡¯d recommend using ¡®strike¡¯ as our basic offensive spell¡ªit¡¯s easy to say, it¡¯s easy to imagine ourselves physically doing, and its strength scales with how hard we think we can physically punch,¡± he said, smiling cheekily as she glowered at him. In the meantime, he slid his pot of water onto the gas stove next to him and turned the knob, letting it boil to a simmer. ¡°We¡¯re both walking skeletons, so even if we punched a wall, the only things that¡¯d shatter are our fists. That¡¯s where the rest of our system comes in. Mind tapping the little bony protrusion on your nape for me?¡± The two of them tapped their own napes, pressing hard, and then the infamous black boxes popped up next to their heads. Cecilia gasped, evidently startled by the hovering screens, but Zora had already seen them before; he wasn¡¯t all too surprised.
[Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: D-Rank Giant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 282/500 (57%)] [Points: 0] [Strength: 1, Speed: 1, Toughness: 1, Dexterity: 1, Perception: 1] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal] [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] 50P
He quickly gave his status screen a look-over before glancing at Cecilia¡¯s, which was almost identical as his. Her Swarmblood Aura was a bit lower, but to compensate, her dexterity was already at level two. Because she can play every instrument under the moon? he thought. It''s just like her to have unnaturally high dexterity, then. ¡°... The simplified explanation is this: from top to bottom, there¡¯s your name, grade, class, Swarmblood Art, and your Swarmblood Aura. Your grade is your estimated overall strength defined by the highest grade of bug you can kill. Swarmblood Art is your class-specific magic. Aura is both the ''killing pressure'' you emit and your magical stamina, or ''mana'' for short. Whenever you use your Swarmblood Art or any of your mutations, you''ll drain your Aura, and the closer that number is to zero, the closer you are to overexhaustion and death,¡± he said, pointing at Cecilia¡¯s status screen. ¡°Below that, there''s your five basic attributes. One ¡®level¡¯ in strength, speed, dexterity, toughness, and perception means you are equivalent to an average human in all of those attributes. If you have two levels in dexterity, that means you are basically twice dextrous as the average human.¡±Stolen story; please report. Cecilia blinked, nodding along as she mumbled something under her breath. ¡°If you want to raise your strength from level one to two, it will cost you one point. If you want to raise it from two to three, it will cost you four points. Each successive level will cost a number of points equal to that attribute''s current level squared, and this applies for the first¡­ ten levels? The cost increases after that,¡± he continued, looking at his own status screen. ¡°For Swarmblood Aura, though, it only takes one point to increase each level. I think it¡¯s because it''s the easiest attribute to alter for the system, so if I wanted to level my Swarmblood Aura from five hundred to five hundred and one, it¡¯d only cost me one point instead of¡­ five hundred times five hundred.¡± Emilia was still happily peeling away at the chitin on her butterfly leg, but Cecilia was listening diligently, so he grabbed her fleshy leg and dunked the entire thing into the boiling pot of water. ¡°After the attributes, there are the mutations we can unlock, which are¡­ special skills unique to our class,¡± he said, hesitating slightly. ¡°I think unlocking the mutations are how we get to rewire our brains so we can cast more ''real'' magic spells. Since our spells only work if we believe we are capable of making the effect manifest, we can''t really cast ''lightning'' or anything of the sort, but if we unlocked a mutation ability that let us, say, generate small amounts of lightning from our blood¨C" "Then we can cast ''lightning''," Cecilia finished. "Correct. At least, I think that''s how it''ll work. The mutations we unlock physically augment our bodies, and as we unlock more and more, we''ll get better at believing we can actually cast certain ''real'' magic spells," he said. "Now, the tier one mutation we unlocked the moment we got our classes is ¡®Resilin Tymbal¡¯, which prevents our voices from breaking, but from tier two and onwards, it¡¯ll cost more and more points to unlock each tier of mutations. It¡¯ll take fifty points to unlock either ¡®Acute Tympana¡¯ or ¡®Hollow Abdomen¡¯, and since I¡¯ve no clue what either of them would do for us, it¡¯s probably best to ignore them for now and just increase our base attributes.¡± ¡°O¡­ kay.¡± Cecilia nodded absentmindedly. ¡°And¡­ how do you know all this?¡± ¡°I only know a bit from what I¡¯ve read,¡± he mumbled, picking up a spatula and poking the reddish-yellow butterfly leg in the pot as he did, ¡°but that was a long digression from the main point I was trying to make: to get ¡®points¡¯, we have to eat insect flesh. Supposedly, insect flesh is unnaturally dense with protein and folic acid alongside the magic essence called ''Swarmblood''¡ªwhich is how bugs above Mutant-Class are also able to use Swarmblood Arts¡ªso when we eat insect flesh, the system converts our intake of Swarmblood into points. I hear we can technically eat insect flesh raw, but I hear cooking it first would give us more points.¡± ¡°...¡± So the two of them stood huddled around the boiling pot, scowling down at the butterfly leg with forks in their hands. ¡°... And we won¡¯t start mutating insect traits if we eat this?¡± she asked quietly, glancing back at Emilia. ¡°You know I¡¯ll be the first to shove it down my throat if it means we can protect our kids better, but there won¡¯t be any point if we just end up going insane immediately after eating it. I do not want to eat our kids¡¯ heads off.¡± ¡°The system protects us from mutating, I hear. Even if someone without a system eats bugs, they¡¯d still get stronger because of the intake of Swarmblood, but they just wouldn¡¯t be able to control how they manifest said strength without the system,¡± he replied just as quietly, poking the floating leg with his fork and ripping out a soft, tender strand of flesh; the texture and colour almost made it look like lobster meat. ¡°If you consume too much Swarmblood without a system to convert it into points, you run the risk of mutating insect traits you don¡¯t want mutating, like Emilia.¡± Emilia looked the way she did because she was force-fed too many moths without a system, after all. But just because she didn''t have a system didn''t mean she didn''t have ''magic''; he was surprised just now when she bit her nails and pulled out glowing threads made of blood, but in hindsight, he really shouldn''t have been. The definition of a Swarmblood Art was simply ''magic that would drain a significant amount of Swarmblood Aura to use'', and considering she did have lots of Swarmblood in her body, it only made sense she had magic as well. Her blood threads were probably her Swarmblood Art, in the same way being able to manifest words into reality was the Swarmblood Art of the Magicicada Mages. What kind of moth is she, after all? He still didn''t know, but it wasn''t time for that line of thought. He and Cecilia were completely in sync as they stabbed chunks of butterfly flesh out of the pot, raising their forks to their chins. The meat was red, pulsating, and¡­ it looked rather tasty, to be honest. ¡°Cheers?¡± Cecilia said, gulping as she tried to toast his fork with her own. ¡°I mean, it can¡¯t be that bad if soldiers all across the continent eat this daily,¡± he mumbled back, stuffing the whole chunk into his mouth and chewing as fast as he could. Cecilia followed his lead, squeezing her eyes shut¡ªand then they both retched, gagging and coughing and doubling over as they forced the incredibly putrid flesh down their throats. Nope. Tastes like gooey resin dipped in spice and medicinal herbs. But, at the very least¨C
[Points: 0 ¡ú 10]
Both their status screens popped up next to their heads, and they forced themselves to finish the rest of the pot as he looked up at his screen with a grimace. ¡°... How convenient,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Exactly ten points. We¡¯ll put five in strength and five in speed?¡± Cecilia coughed into her fist one more time, turning away as she shot him a trembling thumbs-up. ¡°Sounds good to me. How do we increase our attributes?¡± ¡°Just think about it. The system should automatically¨C¡±
[Strength: 1 ¡ú 3] [Speed: 1 ¡ú 3] [Grade: D-Rank Giant-Class ¡ú C-Rank Giant-Class] [Points: 10 ¡ú 0]
¡°¨Clike that,¡± he finished, blinking at the new popups. He didn¡¯t feel any stronger or faster immediately, so maybe it¡¯d take some time for the increase in levels to take effect. ¡°Now, our ¡®strike¡¯ spells should do a bit more damage because we can imagine ourselves punching harder, and we should also be able to run away thrice as fast. Theoretically.¡± Cecilia nodded weakly, and then she looked back at Emilia still happily peeling away at the other butterfly leg¡¯s chitin. ¡°If this gnarly flesh is the price to pay for growing stronger, then¡­ it¡¯s our job to deal with it. You think it¡¯ll taste better if we roast it over a fire with salt and pepper instead of boiling it?¡± He shrugged, not knowing the answer to her question, but Emilia heard the word ¡®fire¡¯ and immediately perked up. The little girl hopped off the countertop and trudged over to the two of them, holding up her peeled butterfly leg with all four hands like she was offering a sacrificial offering to an altar. ¡°Fire?¡± Emilia asked, tilting her head quizzically. ¡°Where¡¯s the fire?¡± ¡°...¡± In response, he accepted her butterfly leg gingerly and turned the knob on another gas stove, letting the small fire crackle to life under the pan support. ¡°Can you feel it?¡± he asked, smiling softly as he stuck his spatula through the end of the leg like he was making a skewer. ¡°This is ¡®fire¡¯. It comes in many forms, but we use it primarily to cook food and warm ourselves. Wanna hover your hands around it to see what it feels like?¡± Emilia nodded excitedly, so he handed the leg skewer off for Cecilia to hold over the stove while he guided the little girl¡¯s obsidian palms over, making sure she wouldn¡¯t accidentally burn herself. She was blind, after all, and he¡¯d no idea how good her depth of perception was. She looks like she¡¯s starting to get it, though? Does she understand what ¡®fire¡¯ is now? Her milky human eye glimmered as he held her palms around the fire, and she looked so in awe at the crackling fire that he didn¡¯t feel like asking. She could understand what physical objects were because she could physically touch them or feel them out with her moth senses, but for something formless like fire¡ªsomething that could wink into existence and extinguish in a single breath¡ªhe still didn¡¯t quite know how to explain such a concept to her¡­ but if she could understand what it felt like instinctively, that¡¯d be more than good enough. For the time being, the three of them simply stood around the roasting leg, watching as the fire seared the flesh and made it give off a slightly tantalising smell; not so much that it made him excited to take another bite, of course, but it was evidently going to taste better than when he¡¯d boiled it in a pot. Zora was determined to eat as much as he could before leaving the dorm to look for the other teachers. Chapter 8 - Westwart By the time Zora and Cecilia gobbled up the second butterfly leg, the clock struck nine with the ring of a bell, and the two of them made their way over to the western foyer with Emilia in tow. They¡¯d gotten fifteen extra points after roasting that butterfly leg over the stove, so they¡¯d put five into toughness and then nine more into strength, bringing their toughness and strength levels to three and four respectively. Zora didn¡¯t think dexterity was all that important, so he¡¯d put his final point into increasing his perception for just that little extra bit of awareness¡ªthere was no doubt they¡¯d be doing a lot of running, and of the three of them, he was probably the least athletic. He''d rather noticing the threat beforehand and sneak around it instead of getting into a situation where he had to run. Emilia aside, it¡¯d also simply be a laughing shame if he were to fall behind even Cecilia, who¡¯d strapped three instruments onto her back: a violin, a mandolin, and a flute. They had to be somewhat heavy, so he didn''t want to show his slow side to anyone. ¡°... I know you¡¯re smart and strong, but if you get too tired, ask someone to switch out for you, okay?¡± Cecilia said, making Titus nod and thump his chest with a confident fist. Zora still didn¡¯t like the idea of making students of his stay up all night just to watch the door, but here he was fixing Emilia¡¯s clothes, rolling up sleeves and folding up her skirt so she¡¯d have an easier time running just in case; he was in no position to lecture his star student at this time of night. So, as Cecilia made Titus repeat her instructions once over, he pulled the lever by the side of the gate to make it creak open slowly. His wand was already out, his throat already rehydrated¡ªhis Swarmblood Aura hadn''t replenished completely, but he was good enough to start slinging spells again. If there were any giant bugs right outside the gate, he¡¯d ¡®strike¡¯ them with the force of four average humans, and that had to count for something. Thankfully, the gate creaked open to reveal an empty, unlit western cafeteria hall. It was identical to the southwestern cafeteria, but the floor was still intact and the furnishing had yet to be knocked over. No giant bugs had trespassed this land; they were free to wander out as they pleased. ¡°Tell anyone knocking on the gate to identify themselves, okay?¡± Cecilia said as a final word, looking back at Titus as she stepped out of the foyer with him and Emilia. ¡°Remember: if they can¡¯t tell you three things only humans would know¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them in!¡± Titus nodded firmly, waving all three of them off with one hand on the lever. ¡°Good luck, Miss Sarius, Mister Fabre! I promise I won¡¯t be asleep by the time you come back!¡± Zora and Cecilia waved back as the gate swung shut, the automatic bolts and latches sliding in place with loud clicks. Since he arrived at the academy a decade ago, he¡¯d never actually seen the dorm activate ¡®shelter mode¡¯ before¡ªthat was, he¡¯d never actually seen any of the gates closed before. Anyone could always wander in and out of the dorm at any time of the day, no questions asked. ¡°... Were you the one who activated shelter mode, Miss Sarius?¡± he asked, still staring at the heavy-duty gate behind him. ¡°I was the first and only teacher to evacuate into the dorm, and you know the protocol: the first faculty member has to immediately activate shelter mode in the event of a Swarm infestation,¡± she mumbled back. ¡°Once shelter mode is activated, the gates can only be manually opened on the inside. Now, the faculty member is supposed to be the one standing guard by the foyers to let in any stragglers, so¨C¡± ¡°If Titus falls asleep and he doesn¡¯t open the gate while we¡¯re getting hounded, we¡¯ll be stuck out here,¡± he finished, sighing quietly. ¡°Not to worry, though. Titus is a good kid. I didn¡¯t make him my monitor for nothing, so we can count on him to open the gate the moment we knock.¡± Then he looked down at Emilia and patted her head, smiling softly. ¡°That goes for you, too. If we tell you to run back, run back and knock on the gate. Yell out at Titus. He¡¯ll be sure to open the gate for you.¡± Emilia stared blankly up at him¡ªas though trying to ¡®read¡¯ his face to probe for an answer he wanted to hear¡ªso he flicked her forehead and scowled, shaking his head slowly. ¡°Of all your classmates in 2-A, Titus is the one who understands you the best,¡± he said, kneeling to face her eye-to-eye. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trust him for now, so trust me when I say I trust him. He will open the gate for you if you yell at him. Promise you won¡¯t hesitate to call out for his help?¡± ¡°... Okay,¡± she whispered, her extra arms caressing her forehead where he¡¯d flicked her. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ um, what¡¯s his name¡­ again?¡± He chuckled, standing up and offering to hold her hand. ¡°Titus,¡± he said. ¡°People say a butterfly knows every wing in its garden. Do you know what this expression means?¡± Emilia guessed and gave him several wrong answers as they started walking, going through the dark cafeteria before emerging onto the bridge connecting the dorm to the western school buildings. He made sure to cast ¡®silence¡¯ on all of their shoes while Cecilia chipped in with her own ¡®quiet¡¯¡ªwhich was functionally the same as his¡ªand just like that, they made their way across the bridge suspended over a giant chasm separating the western buildings from the rest of the academy. There weren¡¯t any giant bugs crawling above the bridge, and there weren¡¯t any skittering around the chasm below them, either. It was only nine at night. At this hour, while the students were all settling down in the dorm, there¡¯d usually be tons of people walking around; the academy was far more than just a place of study for orphans, after all. Swarm research is done in the main building to the north, artefacts are preserved in the visual and musical arts building in the southeast, and weapons are stored in the fitness buildings to the east. Even his own language arts building in the southwest had been a library for translated texts found nowhere else in the world¡­ though, of course, none of that mattered now. As they stepped off the bridge and into the third floor of the western faculty building, he immediately picked up his pace quizzing Emilia on a bunch of pointless questions. Cecilia made a point to stand in front of Emilia, too, as the two of them crept through the hallway where moonlight leaked through cracks in the walls and ceiling. At the end of the hallway was a second bridge that¡¯d take them to the staffroom building¡ªif they could get to it without Emilia paying too much attention or feeling too anxious about the debris and destruction around them, then all the better. ¡­ Is there any part of the academy that hasn¡¯t been struck by the bugs? He grimaced, looking out the windows as he squeezed Emilia¡¯s hand in his. The western, southern, and eastern buildings were all terrifically tiny compared to the giant five-story-tall castle that was the main academy building in the north. Staring at it looming over the rest of the academy in the distance, he couldn¡¯t help but want to hold out hope¡ªjust because the mages were pushed back everywhere else didn¡¯t mean the ones in the main building had fallen. If there were another group of survivors, they had to be in the north¡­ or in the staffroom they were heading towards, which could also be turned into an emergency shelter in times of crisis.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Still. It¡¯s a bit strange that there aren¡¯t any giant bugs here¨C His eyes flickered to the right. His point in perception paid off. A shadow fluttered outside the window, and because his first instinct wasn¡¯t to duck behind cover, Cecilia gasped and immediately pulled him down. Emilia was about to ask what was going on, so he placed his wand to his lips, shushing her with a ¡®silence¡¯¡ªand the three of them knelt by the entrance of the second bridge, both him and Cecilia peeking out the windows to gulp at the sight of a dozen giant black moths, all fluttering around the nearby airspace. Patrolling, perhaps? On someone¡¯s orders? ¡®Mother¡¯? ¡°... I suppose they¡¯ll see us the moment we try walking across the bridge,¡± he whispered, pushing Emilia¡¯s head back as she tried peeking out as well. ¡°You got anything, Miss Sarius? Any spell only you can use to distract them?¡± Cecilia pursed her lips as she pulled her head back in, reaching over her shoulder for her flute. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ something I can try, yes, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can actually do it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± She leaned in and whispered in his ear, her cheeks flushed red, and he groaned the moment he heard it. ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve been doing that since you were a kid,¡± he grumbled. ¡°You even brought your instruments with you, so no harm in trying, right? Worse comes to worst, it completely backfires on us, we send Emilia back, and the two of us play hide and seek from the moths until they get tired of us.¡± ¡°That and this are two very different things. If it doesn¡¯t go well¨C¡± ¡°This is Lord Cecilia, the Conductor Mage of homeroom 2-B, and she¡¯s going to show us both a really impressive magic trick,¡± he whispered, smiling and turning to Emilia as he did. ¡°Once she does it, we¡¯re all gonna race across the bridge to that dome-shaped building across the chasm, okay? Don¡¯t look back, and don¡¯t look out anywhere else¡ªif you do, the magic will immediately lose effect.¡± Emilia nodded excitedly, baring her fangs as she grinned at Cecilia from ear-to-ear. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°She said okay, Lord Cecilia,¡± he said, dipping his head at the fidgety, anxious music teacher. ¡°You got this. It¡¯s definitely a spell only you can cast. Hell, I¡¯ll bet my most popular teacher award this year if you can¡¯t actually do it.¡± Cecilia snorted as she peeked out the window one more time, trembling slightly. ¡°We¡­ haven¡¯t even chosen this year¡¯s award winners yet. You can¡¯t just give away something you don¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Oh, but I will win it this year with all the cool magic tricks I¡¯m able to do now,¡± he countered, squeezing Emilia¡¯s hand and getting her ready to bolt. ¡°Emilia will vote for me, right? You won¡¯t give it to Miss Sarius who can¡¯t cast any magic spells, right?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± ¡°... No fair,¡± Cecilia muttered, as she sucked in a quiet breath and exhaled it onto the tip of her wand as a single word¡ª''voice''¡ªbefore stuffing her wand down the end of her flute. Then she blew a voice through the flute, and it shot towards the horde of moths in the distance. Zora didn¡¯t wait to see its effect. He grabbed Emilia, kicked Cecilia¡¯s heel with a short laugh, and started sprinting across the fifty-metre-long bridge¡ªmeanwhile, the moths didn¡¯t immediately dive on them. They didn¡¯t smash through the windows and tear the three of them to shreds. Instead, the spell Cecilia blew in their general direction had slammed into one of the moths, and even he could hear it from a distance: Cecilia¡¯s voice shouting and singing from the back of said moth, thoroughly confusing the whole horde. Cecilia wasn¡¯t watching, and neither was Emilia, but he glanced at them from afar as they ripped into the single moth Cecilia had thrown her voice onto without any mercy. Their eyesight must be poor, and their intelligence truly lacking if they couldn¡¯t even understand that there was no way a human could¡¯ve been clinging to one of their own all this time without them noticing¡­ but somehow, the spell distracted them enough. So they don¡¯t really care about each other, he thought, mumbling in his head. They¡¯ll even cannibalise each other if it means they can kill us. What, exactly, are they looking for here? Who is ¡®mother¡¯ after all? His questions wouldn¡¯t be answered by anyone, so as thirteen moths became twelve, the three of them sprinted off the bridge on the other end and he focused on panting for breath. Best to not think about the giant bugs too hard. ¡°... You¡¯ve still got it, huh?¡± he said, grinning down at Emilia as Cecilia pulled her wand out of her flute. ¡°Fun fact about Miss Sarius, number four: she had a ventriloquist phase when she was a child, you see. She was really good at speaking in a bunch of disgusting voices to creep the rest of the class out, and it eventually got to the point where she could throw her voice halfway across the room with a flute. It was phenomenal, Emilia. You should¡¯ve heard it¨C¡± ¡°Staffroom.¡± Cecilia scowled, smacking him on the back of his head before wading towards the door at the front of the dome-shaped building. She tried to tug on the doorknob, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°It¡¯s locked on the inside. Someone¡¯s activated shelter mode, I think.¡± Zora let go of Emilia¡¯s hand and joined Cecilia by the door, trying the doorknob himself. She was right; the dome that was the staffroom had a shelter mode, too, albeit much weaker and less reliable. The bolts and latches on the inside could be easily destroyed from the outside with a ram or a particularly massive hammer. Of course, they weren¡¯t going to resort to destroying the door without knocking first¡ªand that he did, as quietly but as firmly as he could, not wanting to startle anyone who may be hiding inside. ¡°Anyone in there?¡± he asked, knocking a few more times for good measure. ¡°It¡¯s Zo¡­ it¡¯s Mister Fabre and Miss Sarius. Open up. We¡¯re all gathered at the dorm with 2-A and 2-B, so we need as many hands as possible to keep them safe.¡± ¡°...¡± Silence. He tried again, Cecilia tried again, but it was Emilia who tugged on both of their cloaks and shook her head. The little girl mouthed two words¡ª''nobody inside''¡ªand Zora was inclined to believe her moth senses. She¡¯d always been particularly keen about these sorts of things, but¡­ if she was right, and there wasn¡¯t anybody inside, then how could the door be locked? So he gave Cecilia a nod and waited until she came to the same conclusion as him: they both ¡®struck¡¯ the door and sent it flying inside, their enhanced strength really showing itself in the force of the spell. He winced as it made a loud clang against the wooden floorboards, but it didn¡¯t seem like the flying moths noticed. Cecilia quickly dragged both of them inside just in case, and¡­ once again, Cecilia gasped as he immediately cast ¡®silence¡¯ over Emilia¡¯s ears, hoping it¡¯d dull her senses just a little bit. Just a little bit. The giant dome may be pretty by itself¡ªmoss crept up the cosy wooden wall, personalised shelves and colourful cubicles lined every inch of the room, and the giant verdant oak at the heart of the dome was impossible to miss¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want Emilia to see the mounds of shredded corpses strewn about the damp floorboards, nor the bodies that looked like their insides were sucked out and turned into jelly. Most cubicles were smashed through, most of the wooden wall was splintered, and while the great oak stood tall, its bark was scarred and gouged by massive claw marks. Even the giant hole above the oak couldn¡¯t ventilate the putrid stench of death quickly enough. ¡°... Big,¡± Emilia suddenly said, making him and Cecilia jolt. He was about to ask big ¡®what¡¯ when something suddenly fell behind them, and they all whirled around to see a bunch of debris dropping from the ceiling, blocking the door. ¡­ With Emilia squished between the two of them, he stood back to back with Cecilia, both their wands pressed to their lips and ready to sling out a dozen ¡®strikes¡¯. Whatever had killed the faculty and the teachers was still in here with them. And he knew, by the sinking sensation in his gut, that it wasn¡¯t going to be a crippled bug like the short-winged butterfly he¡¯d fought. Damn you, Julius. Why¡¯d you have to go and turn the staffroom into your second botanical garden so a bug can crawl around like this? Chapter 9 - False Tune Back to back with Cecilia, Zora kept his wand lifted and his eyes peeled for any movement on the canopy overhead. How many bugs? Just one? He gritted his teeth and nudged Emilia with his heel, trying to get her to crawl under one of the still-standing cubicles. Moonlight may be pouring in through the giant hole above the great oak in the centre of the dome-shaped staffroom, but by no means was it enough light for them to identify just what had dropped a pile of debris behind them to block the door, nor was it enough to light up the shadowy, dreary corners of the staffroom. Maybe he could¡¯ve searched around the dorm for a spare handheld lantern, but¨C Cecilia winced the moment Emilia crawled under a nearby cubicle, and he glanced behind him to see what¡¯d happened. Blood trickled down the music teacher¡¯s shoulder, and her blouse was torn where she¡¯d been cut by a thin blade of sorts. He¡¯d no time to ask if she was fine. She looked fine enough¡ªstill clenching her jaw, still able to hold up her wand¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t. A green blur pounced at him from the canopy above and slashed his left arm, before dashing back up in the blink of an eye, unseen. There¡¯d been little sound. There¡¯d been little warning. He bit his tongue and whipped his wand over to ¡®strike¡¯ at its afterimage, as did Cecilia, but their spells only rustled the canopy and made a gentle fall of leaves. They couldn¡¯t even hit its shadow. Silence in the staffroom once more. A grasshopper? he thought, his forearm stinging where he¡¯d been cut; it wasn¡¯t a deep wound, but historically, death by a thousand cuts was a pretty painful way to go. No. Can¡¯t be. It was much greener than most grasshoppers I¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s probably¨C Two, three, four more times. The giant bug dashed down from unseen angles, going unnoticed until it struck, and it ran its talons across the two of them like whittling twigs off a log of wood. It was too fast for their wands to catch up, and by the time they both whirled to flick their ¡®strikes¡¯ at it, it¡¯d already be gone¡ªa loud gust of wind whistling in its trail and rustling the canopy where it crawled in perfect camouflage. ¡°¡­ Not wind.¡± He narrowed his eyes and pulled Cecilia under a cubicle as well, both of them breathing hard and taking a brief reprieve from the endless onslaught of tiny cuts. ¡°It¡¯s a katydid. Julius told me about them once. They¡¯re green and slim nocturnal crickets that make sound by rubbing their wings together¡ªthat¡¯s what we¡¯re hearing whenever it pounces at us.¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s that fast, why isn¡¯t it killing us already?¡± she muttered, curling her legs up into a ball as they shared the cramped space under the cubicle. ¡°It¡¯s toying with us? Playing with us? I can¡¯t imagine¨C¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a flesh-eating katydid, it¡¯s probing us with its sharp antennae to see how we¡¯d respond to its attacks,¡± he whispered, gesturing for her to point her wand straight up. ¡°Now that it¡¯s seen us hide, it probably thinks we¡¯re weak and easy prey. That¡¯s why it¡¯ll jump in, and now is when we¨C¡± ¡°Strike!¡± she shouted, and he followed up with one of his own, a ripple striking the cubicle from underneath and sending the wooden desk flying directly up. He braced her head from the wooden shrapnels as the desk struck the giant bug that was pouncing at them, knocking it to the side with a loud crash; the two of them shot to their feet and trained their wands on it at the same time. Then both of them froze at the same time, fear wrapping its teeth around their hearts. The giant katydid that¡¯d crashed through the cubicles and skidded to a halt was three metres tall and twice as long, clad in spiky green chitin. Its serrated wings unfurled slightly, their web-like veined patterns shimmering under moonlight. Its spindly legs twitched with an unsettling energy as it shook off the pain from having its head bashed by a desk, and its deep amber eyes chilled Zora¡¯s soul¡ªthey glowed with malevolent intelligence, piercing through the darkness to glare at the two of them, and seeing it click its mandibles ominously made him change his mind at the last second. Cecilia went for a ¡®strike¡¯ that easily bounced off its chitin, but he went for an area-of-effect ¡®translate¡¯ so even Cecilia could understand its seemingly incoherent clicks. ¡°... Did you kill all the faculty in this staffroom alone, katydid?¡± he asked, voice tight. The katydid suddenly paused its clicking. It stopped shaking off its concussion and blinked¡ªnot in the same way a human would, for its armoured face could show no expression¡ªbut then it tilted its head, taking a single step back as it studied the two of them with a curious glint in its eyes. ¡°You speak our tongue, human?¡± the katydid spoke, and Cecilia shuddered next to him. That was the normal reaction; most humans in the world had probably never heard a giant bug talk before. ¡°Amusing! Interesting! Most of us can¡¯t evolve the organs required to emulate human speech. Limitation. The human-like Mutant-Class bugs certainly try, but it¡¯s not until they can speak a single word in a human tongue that your kind calls them ¡®Lesser Insect Gods¡¯¡ªand here you are, speaking our tongue? Peculiar! How are you doing this?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Zora glared at the bug, trying to tighten his sweaty grip on his wand. ¡°The cricket sings when the moon calls, and I asked you a question. Did you kill all the faculty alone?¡± The katydid wiggled its blade-like antennae happily left and right, its eyes completely glazed over with excitement. ¡°I thought I¡¯d never get to talk to a human! I thought I¡¯d have to eat and eat until I evolve into a Mutant-Class, and then eat and eat until I become a Lesser Insect God to even have a shot at talking! To you people! Oh, thank you for talking to a grunt insect like me! Maybe I¡¯m lucky? Maybe I¡¯ll evolve really fast and become a Lesser Insect God in no time! I can¡¯t wait¨C¡± Cecilia clicked her tongue, the sound strengthened by irritation, and that made the katydid shut up for a second. ¡°... You¡¯re so long-winded,¡± she said in a small, scornful voice, lips curling as she pointed her wand straight between its eyes. ¡°Zora asked you a question, so answer it: did you kill all of our friends alone, or was there another bug that helped you with it?¡± The katydid stood eerily still for a second longer, and then a sliver of amusement crept into its voice as it clicked its mandibles, chortling out loud. ¡°Why would I need help with such a small group of humans?¡± it laughed, its voice turning mockingly sweet. ¡°The only people who can fight in Amar¡­ Ama-de-us Academy are the ¡®Magicicada Mages¡¯. Mother will take care of them! The rest of us can just focus on eating, so why¡¯d I need help with a bunch of people who don¡¯t even have blades to strike me down with? Do you know how slow they all were?¡± Zora¡¯s face twitched with cold fury. His eyes drifted across the mounds of corpses to the giant bug¡¯s left and right, and something about their hollow, half-lidded eyes reminded him of the life he¡¯d lived before he was picked up by the Headmaster and brought to the academy. Maybe there was more information he could squeeze out of it, but both he and Cecilia had enough of its eerie eyes. ¡°Strike!¡± Simultaneous strikes. Their words came out as snaps and decimated the cubicle it was standing in front of, but, faster than they could blink once again, the katydid leapt into the canopy and camouflaged within the verdant green. The only difference now was it made no attempt to hide itself¡ªit rubbed its wings to produce a screeching melody that echoed all around the dome, legs crawling across the canopy loudly to rustle a thousand leaves at once. ¡°You two are young for Magicicada Mages, though! I thought mother and her sisters wiped all of you guys out in the outside world?¡± the katydid taunted as they stood back to back once more, their eyes fluttering across the canopy in search of its spiky body. ¡°She said ¡®once we kill all the old Magicicada Mages in the academy, there¡¯ll be no more¡¯! No more Magicicada Mages! Your system is an old-fashioned class that can¡¯t be made in a forge or passed down to anyone anymore, so how are you two still casting spells?¡± He scanned their surroundings, his mind running through a thousand thoughts a second. Cecilia could barely dodge most of the katydid¡¯s pounces because her hearing was much better than his, but the katydid dashed in two, three, four times, cutting his arm, shoulder, and calves before quickly retreating. His spells were always delayed; the canopy rustling and its wings screeching were thoroughly distracting, and he couldn¡¯t pick out where it was going to dash in from. ¡°Whoever built this room must¡¯ve been an idiot, too!¡± it laughed right overhead, and he pushed Cecilia away as they both spun, ¡®striking¡¯ the ground where it landed between them, but then it simply leapt back up and both their spells hit each other in the stomach. Cecilia gasped, and he doubled over with a groan. The katydid chittered as it continued crawling in circles across the canopy. ¡°So many bushes to hide in! So many leaves and branches! I don¡¯t wanna leave this place! Hey, if I stay here, will more people like you show up? What if so many people show up and I eat them all and I mutate into a Mutant-Class right here?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, you are right about one thing,¡± he said, gritting his teeth as he whipped out a ¡®strike¡¯ at a random part of the canopy, hitting nothing. ¡°Julius is quite too weird to live, but quite too rare to die. Who the hell would advocate for turning the place where we mark student homework into a semi-botanical garden?¡± The katydid¡¯s eyes briefly lit up red on his upper left. ¡°Julius? Who¡¯s that? Is that someone who¡¯ll be coming to look for you after you die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he would. He¡¯s the academy¡¯s physician and biology teacher, after all. He wouldn¡¯t miss a chance to dissect my corpse if he comes upon me,¡± he said plainly. ¡°Can you say the same, though?¡± ¡°The same?¡± ¡°Will anyone look for your meaningless existence after you are crushed under our feet, bug?¡± The katydid clicked its mandibles together in irritation. And it seemed like it was going to respond for a moment, but then Cecilia¡¯s spell hit the side of its head while it wasn¡¯t paying attention, doing zero physical damage. It barely even budged from the spell hitting¡ªit wasn¡¯t an offensive spell, after all¡ªbut still it dodged away, skittering to reposition somewhere else. Immediately, both Zora and Cecilia snapped their wands at its location and fired simultaneous ¡®strikes¡¯, and these ones slammed into its legs. Hard. Its joints rattled, it slipped and lost its upside-down balance for a second¡ªthen it regained its balance and dashed away, trying to reposition once again. They ¡®struck¡¯ at its exact location again, and again, and again. It wasn¡¯t easy breaking through its tough chitin armour, but they were wearing it down slowly. ¡°What¡­ did you do to me?¡± the katydid growled, sounding almost intrigued as they turned around, aiming their wands at its head before it could even so much as make an attempt to pounce at them. ¡°Are you not human? How are you spotting me? Do you humans evolve like us as well¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one and only music teacher of Amadeus Academy,¡± Cecilia said, her words dripping with scathing derision. ¡°I may not be able to cast something like ¡®translate¡¯, but in my orchestra of orphans and students alike, I can pick out exactly who is playing off-tune, when and where¡ªso why wouldn¡¯t I be able to produce an off-tune voice myself if I really wanted to?¡± The katydid¡¯s pupils dilated as it looked back at itself, finally noticing the sheen of sound waves that was wrapped around its body. Cecilia had cast ¡®off-tune voice¡¯ on it, which made it so wherever it dashed to and wherever it tried to hide, they¡¯d always be able to hear Cecilia¡¯s off-tune singing voice coming from its body. Zora wouldn¡¯t tell her this, but her off-tune singing voice was horribly easy to pick out. The katydid couldn¡¯t hide in the canopy anymore. ¡°... Let¡¯s try something new, Zora,¡± she whispered, and they pressed the tip of their wands together, aiming them straight at the katydid. ¡°You think there are any combination spells we can use to pulverise that pest?¡± Chapter 10 - Combination Spells Cecilia had never been one to go on bug-stomping crusades across the academy even when she was a child. Zora, Julius, and Marcus¡ªthe ¡®titanic trio¡¯, as they were called back in their student days¡ªhad always taken it upon themselves to go around every once in a while to unearth any Critter-Class insect dens infesting the nooks and crannies of the academy, but like most girls her age, she¡¯d always been deathly afraid of bugs. Knowing they were all part of the ¡®Swarm¡¯ and would eventually grow to join the endless onslaught of Giant-Class insects rampaging across humanity¡¯s final continent, she¡¯d always sat back and let the boys have all the fun¡­ before calling the academy mages over to deal with the insect dens, of course. They¡¯d been children, not professional bug-slayers; she was a music teacher, not a warfaring Magicicada Mage. But she hated the katydid¡¯s voice like she¡¯d never hated anything before. It was a mockery to sound. It wasn¡¯t enough that the Swarm descended a mere sixty-one years ago and already conquered eighty percent of the world. The katydid¡¯s attempt to conquer even their tongue¡ªhumanity¡¯s tongue¡ªhad awakened something in her that she¡¯d never let blossom since she was picked up by the Headmaster and brought to the academy to live a peaceful life. That peaceful life had been taken from her, so was it her fighting spirit that was awakened? Was it humanity¡¯s prideful spirit to protect their own tongue? Or was it just pure, simple rage from knowing the bug in front of her had slaughtered almost all of her friends? ¡­ She¡¯d have to ask Zora later, but right now, she had a bug to squash. ¡°Strike!¡± she snapped, flinging her spells left, right, up, and down, her wand tracking the frantically dashing katydid with haphazard accuracy. The katydid seemed just as surprised that both of them were keeping up with its speed, stumbling and nearly falling off the canopy whenever their spells struck its legs; it could still dodge their spells given they were relatively slow-moving projectiles, but it no longer had the element of surprise. Her ¡®off-tune voice¡¯ spell was still wrapped around its body, and it didn¡¯t seem like it knew how to dispel the spell. ¡°Hey, Zora,¡± she asked in between ¡®strikes¡¯, sweat beading down her forehead and blood trickling down her blouse as her throat began drying up; the two of them were fighting a battle of attrition, too. ¡°You got any ideas for a combination spell yet? Our ¡®strikes¡¯ aren¡¯t getting through its armour. At this rate, we¡¯ll run out of mana before¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± he muttered, their backs pressed against each other as they spun in circles, covering every direction at once. ¡°The mind¡¯s a powerful weapon but a terrible leader, and I¡­ didn¡¯t get much sleep last night.¡± She paused for a moment to recharge her wand with more ¡®strikes¡¯, and then she snorted with her head turned away; it was bad enough already that they were standing back to back and he could probably feel how hot she was. If he knew her face was red from laughing as well, he¡¯d never let her live it down. Still the same old Zora, huh? Of all the people who could¡¯ve come knocking on the gate with a giant stag beetle in hot pursuit, I¡¯m glad it was you. The katydid had been incredibly talkative, but now it was in a panic, skittering and jumping and even falling onto the cubicles every once in a while as they kept slinging ¡®strikes¡¯ at it. The spell really was versatile and easy to cast. She probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to come up with it by herself, so if there was one person she could count on to think of an interesting combination spell, it¡¯d have to be the silver tongue standing right behind her. And he wasn¡¯t the only person she could count on, either. The katydid had been deathly focused on just the two of them the past few minutes, and that meant, when it eventually dashed backwards without looking, it tangled its own legs on a web of glowing red threads and found its momentum cut short. The katydid fell in front of the great oak in the centre of the dome, screeching as it looked down at its webbed legs. Cecilia had noticed Emilia crawling around the dome a while ago, biting her nails and leaving behind webs of hardened blood threads in hopes the katydid would eventually run into them, and that was exactly what had happened. Slowly but surely, their ¡®strikes¡¯ had cornered it towards the only route of escape it had¡ªbeing the giant hole in the dome above the great oak¡ªand that was where Emilia had tossed most of her sticky threads. It must¡¯ve been trying to escape, or, at the very least, get out of the dome for a little breather¡­ but it hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the little girl, and now that it was struggling to free its legs from the webs on the ground¨C ¡°Sit down, bug!¡± Zora shouted, flicking his wand at the debris all around. Chunks of stone, torn floorboards, and even small furniture floated into the air and shot towards the katydid, crushing and burying it under a mountain of rubble. While Emilia sprinted back over to them, Cecilia repeated his words, casting the exact same set of spells¡ªthough she wasn¡¯t so accurate with her aiming. About half of her spells missed their mark, and the other half hit her targets from a strange angle, which made them fly in completely wrong directions. Zora was strangely precise with all his ranged attacks, spell or debris, to the point she couldn¡¯t help but kneel and caress Emilia¡¯s head as the little girl leaned in for praise; the only way he could be so precise was if he¡¯d had a lot of practise throwing chalk at his kids, so she squinted at him while he rubbed his throat, scowling at the immobilised katydid as he did. Nah. He wouldn¡¯t have. But how else could his accuracy have gotten so much better while I wasn¡¯t paying attention? She made a mental note to sit in on one of his classes after this, but right now, the katydid was still alive and trying to squirm out from the rubble. The three of them stayed just outside of its antennae¡¯s swiping range, and if they got any closer, they¡¯d be risking their throats getting cut by a desperate flail. Best to play it safe from afar.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°... Beetles wear armour, not shadows,¡± Zora said, waiting until it exhausted itself before raising his wand at its head, tilting his head and beckoning her to do the same. ¡°If your strategy is to dart in and out and kill us with a thousand cuts, it¡¯s because you¡¯re not all that physically strong. You can¡¯t free yourself from that rubble, can you?¡± The katydid screamed at them, an incoherent, incomprehensible screech. If it had any semblance of any intelligence before, it¡¯d abandoned that completely in favour of trying to frighten them with volume alone¡ªso Cecilia covered Emilia¡¯s ears with her palms and cast ¡®quiet'' in a small area, protecting the little girl from the ear-grating noise. ¡°You¡¯ll die for what you¡¯ve done, but before you do, I want answers,¡± Zora continued, a hint of cruel cunning in his golden eyes. ¡°However uncoordinated, there is an obvious hierarchy within your brood. Individually, you may be allowed to slaughter us as you please, but as a whole, you move with purpose. Are you looking for something, perhaps? Something only Amadeus Academy has?¡± Then he ¡®struck¡¯ its left eye with pinpoint accuracy, and yellow pus burst from its head, making it screech in pain. Cecilia narrowed her eyes and covered Emilia¡¯s with her hands¡ªthis wasn¡¯t something a little girl should have to see. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it from the short-winged butterfly I killed, I¡¯ve heard it from your friends in the language arts building, and I¡¯ve heard it from you. Who is this ¡®mother¡¯ you all refer to?¡± he said, his brows twitching and knitting in irritation. ¡°There are three classes of bugs: Critter-Class, the spies of the Swarm, which we stomp and eradicate before they grow into Giant-Class bugs like you, the foot soldiers of the Swarm. Then, there are the Mutant-Class, which are bugs taking humanlike forms with Swarmblood Arts and enhanced biological abilities¡ªis your mother a Mutant-Class? Is she in this academy right now?¡± The katydid finally answered him with an uncertain smile; if the way it curled up its mandibles could even count as a ¡®smile¡¯. ¡°Mother Nona¡­ is a Magicicada!¡± it rasped, chuckling and laughing as it did. ¡°Mother will come for you! She will! She will slaughter everyone in this castle and eat your voices! She will find what you have all stolen from her, and when she does, the entire eastern end of this continent might as well be hers!¡± It was Zora¡¯s turn to be quiet for a moment as the katydid continued chortling, so Cecilia glanced over to see why he wasn¡¯t saying anything. What she didn¡¯t expect to see was a cold, pale face, incontrovertibly paralysed with fear¡ªand her breath caught as well, remembering the last time she¡¯d seen such a face on the otherwise cool and composed man. Ten years ago. When the Headmaster first brought him here. ¡­ She sucked in a sharp breath and kicked the back of his leg, making him stumble and jolt out of his trance. He whirled around to scowl at her, but she made it a point not to look at him¡ªglaring straight ahead at the immobilised katydid instead. ¡°It won¡¯t tell you anything more than that,¡± she whispered, gulping softly as she did. ¡°Do you¡­ have a combination spell we can use to pierce its chitin with?¡± Silence. Then he offered her a weak smile, his gaze hardening as he retrained his wand on the katydid. ¡°I do,¡± he said, and she smiled slightly at the tone of knowing in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s a simple combination, but I think¡­ it¡¯s versatile. My spell will be the driver, and yours be the catalyst; you can probably use yours to strengthen any of mine in the future as well.¡± She raised a curious brow. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I strike, you amplify,¡± he whispered. ¡°You were always good at supplementing and harmonising over my tangents, no?" She snorted. It really was a simple combination. Taking out her violin, she focused all her strength into her throat¡ªpushing air from her lungs, relaxing her diaphragm, her whole body trembling lightly¡ªand then she spoke "amplify" onto her wand before using it as a bow, strumming it across the violin to let the spell diffuse around them in a shrill, rippling cloud of sound waves. She was a music teacher, after all; she could easily imagine herself matching any one of her kids¡¯ singing voices and amplifying them with a harmonic melody from her violin, so in terms of a spell, ¡®amplify¡¯ was one that could strengthen any spell cast within the zone. So when Zora whipped his ¡®strike¡¯ forward with the strength equivalent of four men, his spell mixed with hers mid-air, slamming into the katydid¡¯s right eye with the strength equivalent of eight men in one concentrated point¡ªand the spell ripped through its eye and tore into its head, bursting it from the inside-out with a loud crack. Cecilia flinched and looked away as blood splattered everywhere, dyeing the base of the great oak bright yellow. ¡­ It''s dead. We beat it. Then, the two of them stumbled forward, catching each other as they gasped and panted for breath. Emilia immediately ran circles around them, poking and prodding at their backs and asking if they were okay; Cecilia was, but she was just beyond tired. She was still bleeding from a dozen tiny cuts as she returned her violin to its sheathe. Zora, too, wasn¡¯t in much better shape. In fact, he was bleeding more than her, so while he was made to sit down and had his wounds emergency-patched by Emilia¡¯s glowing threads, Cecilia clenched her jaw at the katydid carcass in front of them. While Zora patted Emilia¡¯s head and praised her for trapping the katydid, Cecilia clicked a small button on her wand and turned it into a black sword, approaching the carcass steadily¨C ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡± Zora asked, making her jump and turn. The man¡¯s eyes were half-lidded and bleary with exhaustion, but he was still pointing at her sword, looking completely befuddled. ¡°Your wand¡­ just turned into a sword. How? Is your wand different from mine?¡± It was her turn to tilt her head. ¡°All wands can turn into swords. Have you never seen them do it before? They do it all the time whenever we celebrate new years and they put on a sword-fighting show for the kids.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you literally never been to any of their shows?¡± ¡°I thought they were just using trick props?¡± ¡°...¡± Then she burst out laughing, holding her stomach with one hand as she raised her sword with the other, flipping smaller debris off the katydid¡¯s body and hacking off as many legs as she could manage. ¡°So smart, yet so dumb,¡± she whispered under her breath, smiling softly. ¡°There¡¯s a button that feels like a small lump near your thumb. You¡¯ve got to press it really hard, but if you do¨C¡± Emilia gasped and clapped and Zora yelped in surprise behind her, making her laugh again. He must¡¯ve figured out how to do it, so she was half-hoping he¡¯d just get up and help her hack off the katydid¡¯s edible-looking appendages. ¡°We don¡¯t want the katydid¡¯s flesh to go to waste, do we?¡± she said, eyes softening as she glanced at the corpses around the cubicle. ¡°For their sake and ours¡­ we can¡¯t let that ¡®Nona¡¯ get whatever it is she¡¯s looking for, can we?¡± Zora didn''t exactly answer¡ªan answer in and of itself¡ªbut she heard him stabbing his blade into the ground like a walking cane as he pushed himself onto his feet, groaning loudly. ¡°There¡¯s two people missing,¡± he said, limping forward with Emilia in tow to help her saw off the katydid¡¯s antennae. ¡°It could be fate, or it could be sheer, dumb luck, but I don¡¯t see Marcus and Julius here.¡± ¡°Same. One¡¯s too big to miss, the other¡¯s too weird to forget.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯re still out there?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look for them regardless, won¡¯t we?¡± They shared a short sigh, making sure to keep Emilia between them so she wouldn¡¯t walk off and disturb the bodies in the staffroom. If Cecilia could have her way, she¡¯d come back after this whole invasion was over and give everyone a proper sendoff¡­ but she also knew, when the Swarm was involved, that nothing was ever going to be so easy. If they left this staffroom as it was now, some other bug could stumble upon the bodies and devour them all. Between the already dead and the still living, however, she couldn¡¯t possibly be selfish and ask Zora to help her carry all the bodies back to the dorm for safekeeping¡ªshe also didn¡¯t want the kids to see their teachers and staff torn to shreds, so the only thing she could do was pray for them. After all, their troubles weren¡¯t over yet. Just as the two of them managed to saw off the last of the katydid¡¯s appendages, the blocked door behind them rattled on its hinges. Bits and chunks of rubble flew inwards from whatever was slamming into the door on the outside, but Cecilia didn¡¯t have to guess; she heard the screeching, she heard the wings flapping, and immediately knew it was the dozen moths they¡¯d snuck past on the way to the staffroom. Chapter 11 - Atempause A dozen giant moths slammed into the door, the walls of the staffroom, and made the entire dome rumble. Zora didn¡¯t think he and Cecilia had enough strength¡ªboth physically and mentally¡ªto defeat twelve more giant bugs, so he didn¡¯t waste any time. Turning his sword back into a wand and then sticking it in his pocket, he tossed four of the katydid¡¯s legs at Emilia to hold onto, and then gestured her to jump onto his back. ¡°We¡¯re leaving through the ceiling!¡± he said, eyes snapping over to Cecilia, who was trying to fit the rest of the katydid¡¯s limbs somewhere under her cloak. ¡°Leave the rest! You need your hands to climb, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°Emilia can carry four since she has two extra arms, so just leave the rest! Points won¡¯t matter at all if we die here!¡± Cecilia gritted her teeth, but nodded firmly anyways as she dropped her lute before following his lead, climbing up the side of the great oak with both her hands free. Emilia had jumped onto his back with both legs curled around his waist, and thank the Great Makers she was light as a twig despite being so unnaturally strong for her age¡ªthe katydid legs she was curling under her armpits were heavier than the entire rest of her body. Push through, Zora! He clenched his jaw, ignoring the burns in his muscles as he strained to pull himself up branch by branch, metre by metre. You¡¯ve climbed plenty of trees back when you were a boy, haven¡¯t you? Summon that strength! Where¡¯s your adolescent vitality? Now, he could egg himself on all he wanted, but the fact was Cecilia managed to scale the ten-metre-tall oak before he did, and they both managed just as the door was broken beneath them. The swarm of moths fluttered in, screeching, their oversized wings and antennae smashing into every wall and cubicle there was¡ªhe was just glad Cecilia was here to cast ¡®Da Capo¡¯ on the lute she left behind, making the instrument play on its own to distract the moths for a few more seconds. She''s got plenty of cool spells as a music teacher, huh? He shoved Cecilia down the side of the dome as he slid down himself, the two of them hitting the roof of the bridge with momentum, immediately breaking into a mad sprint. Emilia was still on his back, and she was deathly quiet as he heard the dozen moths ripping through the top of the dome, making the entire building rumble again; no doubt they were going to collapse the dome, and there was little he could do to protect the bodies of his friends and colleagues. A part of him wanted to be selfish and fight back, but¡­ between the already dead and the still living, he knew who he had to protect. It wasn¡¯t an easy choice for Cecilia, either. Her sapphire eyes were watery as they ran side by side, refusing to look back, so at the very least¡ªsince they were the ones who''d decided to take Emilia out with them¡ªthey had to get Emilia back to the dorm safely no matter what. Of course, he wasn¡¯t content being the distraction this time around. ¡°Shatter!¡± he shouted, whipping his wand out and shattering the end of the bridge in front of them. The stone was already weakened and damaged from the initial invasion, so it crumbled with a single hit, letting all of them drop into the hallway just as the first moth swooped down at them. Cecilia landed light on her toes, but he landed hard on his heels, knees buckling; he had to bite down a groan as he pushed himself forward, ignoring the fact that Emilia was squirming uncomfortably on his back. What are you doing? Hold still. Stop moving around. You¡¯re gonna fall off if you¨C With a wave, Emilia tossed a ball of sticky red threads behind him, which splattered against a window to turn into a massive web. Neither Zora nor Cecilia slowed down to see what she was doing, but moments later, a giant moth smashed through the window in an attempt to crush them with sheer brute force¡­ and it only ended up flying headfirst into her threads, much like the katydid, unable to free itself and take flight again. The giant shadows of the remaining moths soared outside the windows on their left, and Emilia didn¡¯t hesitate. She didn¡¯t think. She ripped two dozen more balls of sticky threads from her nails and tossed them at the windows as they ran by, the splattered webs hiding them from the moth¡¯s field of vision, and that made all the difference. Three, four, five moths misjudged where they were and smashed through the windows behind them. Five more moths made the same mistake and smashed through the windows in front of them, allowing Zora and Cecilia to jump over them as they continued towards the west-wing cafeteria¡ªfifty metres more and they¡¯d be banging on the dorm gate. He slid to a halt and let Emilia off before the gate as Cecilia banged on it, shouting for Titus to open up; the final moth was still soaring straight at them, flying through the narrow bridge with its wings fanned out like blades, and though the gate was creaking open immediately¡­ he knew it wouldn¡¯t open in time. ¡­ No choice. So while Cecilia grabbed Emilia into a hug and whipped out her wand, struggling to even muster up the strength for one single ¡®strike¡¯, he snapped his own wand into a sword and sucked in a sharp breath. I''ve done this before. I got this. Then, as the moth was about to bowl straight into them, he stepped forward and knelt and slashed overhead at the same time¡ªhis blade ripping through the underside of the moth as it carved itself open with its momentum. Cecilia and Emilia threw themselves out of the way as the moth smashed into the gate with an unceremonious bang, making even the boy who was standing behind it yelp in fright, but it was most certainly ¡®dead¡¯. It fell to the ground with its head caved in, its insides spilling out, and the four-metre-long giant twitched for only a few more seconds before it stopped moving.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. For his part, he was still kneeling with his blade in both hands, trembling from head to toe as a gasp of cold air escaped his lungs. ¡°... Alright,¡± he muttered, managing to compose himself somewhat as he stood up shakily and turned around, throwing a half-confident smile on his face. ¡°If even moths leave the moon for the flame, we don¡¯t wanna stay outside when there¡¯s a warm hearth inside, do we?¡± Cecilia stared at him, dumbfounded, and so was Emilia, Titus, and all of his friends standing right behind the gate. They looked between him, the giant moth, the sword he turned back into a wand, then back at him¡ªand finally Cecilia coughed, ushering all of them into the foyer while Zora struggled to drag the giant moth in. For her part, she still looked utterly bewildered as she helped him drag the moth in by its legs, nodding at Titus to close the gate by the side. ¡°When did you learn how to use a sword?¡± she muttered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be ¡®bookworm Zora, the most unathletic, clumsy, physically incompetent, can¡¯t-sew-for-his-life boy in school¡¯?¡± ¡°The one fitness class I took somewhat seriously was swordsmanship,¡± he muttered back, his legs and spine about to snap as they both fell backwards, the gate slamming shut just as they managed to drag the moth into the dimly lit foyer. ¡°You know, all of us boys took that class really seriously, but I took it more seriously than everyone else. While all of you were playing ball and trying out a variety of other exercises, I was studying the blade¨C¡± ¡°¨Cbullshit¨C¡± ¡°¨CI wasn¡¯t a particularly good student, though. Mainly coasted by on Cs and Ds,¡± he finished, sighing a huge breath of relief as the rest of the kids surrounded the giant moth, poking and kicking curiously at its fluffy carapace. ¡°It was luck, by the way. I¡¯m not actually good at the sword. You could¡¯ve done it, too, seeing as it was just flying in a straight line.¡± Cecilia raised a tired brow, leaning back where she sat. ¡°Still takes courage to walk towards something charging at you.¡± ¡°You do know I¡¯ve already been chased by a giant butterfly and a giant stag beetle. Compared to them, the moth was rather adorable.¡± She looked away with a soft groan and a small smile as they traded a fistbump, crawling slowly onto their feet. Zora wouldn¡¯t mind passing out on the foyer carpet like this, but he was still a teacher, and his students were in front of him¡ªTitus and his three friends were still kicking the giant moth, while Emilia was standing far back, peeking out at the boys from behind a pillar. He gave Cecilia a knowing nod. Their next move was obvious¡ªeat the giant moth and the katydid legs before heading out to look for the two teachers who hadn¡¯t been in the staffroom¡ªbut right now, they were both exhausted. And it was already late. They¡¯d put the kids to sleep and then get some rest themselves, because there was no point heading out again when they could barely take another step. Their expedition would have to come tomorrow morning. ¡°Where are the other teachers, Miss Sarius?¡± one of the boys asked suddenly. ¡°I thought you¡­ went to the staffroom to find them?¡± Silence. Cecilia glanced at him and gave him a look that said ¡®I¡¯ll take them up to their rooms¡¯, so he left the boys to her while he turned towards Emilia, beckoning the little girl over¨C ¡°They¡¯re dead, aren¡¯t they?¡± He paused. Looked around. Cecilia was ushering the other three boys to the common room while fending their questions off with clever diversions, but Titus alone stayed behind, hands behind his back. Zora blinked. Then, he dipped his head slowly and pressed his wand against his lips, shushing the little boy. Thankfully, his star student seemed to understand and returned the gesture, racing off to join Cecilia and his friends in the common room. ¡­ Right. His profile said he was rescued as the sole survivor of an infestation in a far southwestern town, huh? His lips thinned into a line as he beckoned Emilia over, motioning for her to just drop the katydid legs behind the pillar. He¡¯d come back for them tomorrow morning. Right now, it was more important they all got a good night¡¯s rest, and that meant leading Emilia to the communal bathroom where she could at least wash off the blood trickling down her torn nails. He couldn¡¯t help but grimace as she skipped over with a cheery smile, walking hand in hand with him to the bathroom. She wanted to pull him inside as well, but he simply told her to give her whole body a proper wash and said he¡¯d be sitting outside so she wouldn¡¯t have to be alone. It took a bit of convincing, it took a bit of squabbling, but he eventually got her to go into the girl¡¯s bathroom alone¡ªand once he did, he collapsed against the doorway with one knee drawn up to his chest, putting his face in his hands. She hadn¡¯t seemed to notice it herself, but not only had she ripped so many threads from her nails that they weren¡¯t regenerating as fast as they used to, there were also black chitin plates growing across her cheek that hadn¡¯t been there before. The more she used her Swarmblood Art and her moth mutations¡ªwhatever ¡®moth¡¯ could produce threads like that¡ªthe faster she''d lose her humanity and turn into a flesh-craving bug. After tonight, she¡¯d only have ten days left as a human. ¡­ And children like her and Titus were all too common across the world. Sixty-one years ago¡ªYear Zero¡ªthe Swarm descended from the sky and took humanity by complete surprise. Giant moths tore through the far eastern continent. Armies of ants claimed the far southern continent. Titanic crustaceans sank the far western continent, and many, many more bugs of all shapes and sizes conquered the rest of the world. By Year Fifty, humanity had been pushed to one final continent in the centre of the world, surrounded on all sides by the Swarm¡­ and although humanity had finally figured out how to mass-produce system classes by Year Fifty-One to achieve a strenuous stalemate, the war was still very much leaning in the bugs¡¯ favour. While the borders of the continent were currently being guarded by the Six Swarmsteel Fronts¡ªhumanity¡¯s six strongest militaries¡ªplenty of giant bugs could still slip through the cracks in the walls and ravage the rest of the continent. Soldiers in the Swarmsteel Fronts may all have classes, but most humans trying to live quiet lives wouldn¡¯t, and as such, infestations were deadly beyond belief. Giant bugs could pop out of the ground without warning, and within a single week, they could infest an entire region with poisonous spores in the air and pinkish-purplish flesh crawling across the lands. The chances of an average adult surviving a spontaneous infestation was incredibly low. For a child¡­ even lower. Most would choose to die alongside their friends and family. Some would resort to eating bugs even without a system just to gain a little bit of strength, a little bit of magic, praying they wouldn¡¯t mutate any undesirable traits or lose their sanity in the process. And Amadeus Academy was a refuge for pitiful children who were all victims of the Swarm, one way or another. ¡°¡­ Are you still there, Mister Zora?¡± ¡°I¡¯m there.¡± ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°Still there.¡± His eyes were dark and half-lidded as he listened to the sound of running water inside the bathroom, the katydid¡¯s last words still echoing inside his eardrums. After all, he¡¯d once been a child of the academy, too. ¡°Nona, youngest of the three Magicicada Witches,¡± he whispered, his voice muffled in his hands, ¡°it just has to be you again, huh?¡± Chapter 12 - Magicicada Nona Six Magicicada Mages held the gates of the auditorium in the prayer building, and Nona inhaled deeply, savouring the air that was thick with fresh blood. Sharp and metallic. Mingling with the more subtle scents of sweat and skin. She could practically see the humans¡¯ wounds through the barricaded steel gate in front of her, their fresh cuts and bruises making her antennae pulsate in anticipation¡ªso she placed all four palms flat against the gate and laughed giddily, whipping her head downwards. ¡°Open the dooooooor!¡± Her voice rippled out as a directionless spell, and maybe she should¡¯ve concentrated it instead; the windows behind her shattered, the small doors around her burst outwards, and the giant gate in front of her crumpled like a wad of paper as it flew in. One of the cornered mages immediately threw up a ¡®block¡¯ spell, but there was no use. The gate flew too fast, too suddenly, and the auditorium shuddered as he smashed into the wall. Immediately, the five remaining mages threw all manners of strange, strange words at her. There were¡­ ¡®tears¡¯ and ¡®cuts¡¯ and ¡®slow¡¯ and lots of physical spells, but they were all so, so boring. She stood her ground. She barely budged an inch. She wasn¡¯t tall compared to her sisters, standing at only two metres tall even on two legs, but she was still clad in chitin from head to toe¡ªand the mages were old. Their physical spells may once have been able to stop entire hordes of giant bugs, but they bounced off her chitin like rubber balls instead, and it was just sad to see. ¡°Is that alllll you¡¯ve got?¡± she drawled, swinging her head left and right as she sucked in another deep breath, throwing her head back¡ªand then she clamped all four hands over her mouth, screaming out the muffled words. ¡°Whirly! Spinny! Squishy! Booooom!¡± Her spells would¡¯ve diffused everywhere had she not caught each one with her hand and chucked them at the mages, first summoning a tornado that ripped through the wooden benches in the hall, then hitting one of the mages torso with the ¡®spinny¡¯ spell. The man barely managed to even scream as his upper and lower body twisted in opposite directions. Then the third spell hit another mage, and that man¡¯s bones turned into jelly, his body falling apart in an instant. The last spell, well¡­ she missed, but she wasn¡¯t trying to hit anything specific in the first place. It just hit the end of the auditorium centre mass and decimated the altar, sending shrapnel flying everywhere, taking out the lanterns, the chandeliers, and opening a hole in the ceiling for moonlight to pour through. She blinked, shying away from the moonlight for a brief second, before groaning and scratching her face and biting her own claws off. Why was she afraid of a little moonlight? ¡°... Hey, hey everyone!¡± she said, skipping through the shafts of moonlight, through the rubble, towards three of the surviving mages. They were all sprawled out across the broken hall, bleeding from every orifice, struggling to even point their wands at her. ¡°I have a question! Just one! If you answer me, I¡¯ll¨C¡± A ¡®cut¡¯ spell bounced off her head, and she snarled, swiping her hand in the mage¡¯s general direction as she cast ¡®go away¡¯. A wave of sound swept the debris in the entire left half of the hall into the wall with a violent force, crushing the man to pulp. The remaining two kept their wands trained at her, but didn¡¯t fire; they were both old men, and their eyes must¡¯ve been gouged by the shrapnel from her ¡®boom¡¯, because neither of them were even pointing their wands directly at her. They were blind. Perfect. ¡°Still¡­ as despicable as ever,¡± one of the men breathed, rasping with every word. ¡°Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, devours only the voices of children¡­ and the spells of children are the only ones you can cast.¡± She whipped her head towards the man, darting over to where he sat against a chunk of stone. He immediately tried to whip his wand at her general location, so she grabbed his arm with two hands and twisted it off, grinning in delight. ¡°Yes!¡± she said, clapping with her other hands. ¡°Boring adults and boring old people have boring spells! I dunno why my older sisters bother with your spells! Spinny and whirly are much funner!¡± The man gritted his teeth so hard, she could hear them cracking. ¡°You¡­ how many children¡¯s voice have you stolen¨C¡± ¡°Nuh-uh! I¡¯m talking, so if you wanna talk, you have to raise your hand!¡± she said, kicking his shoulder to break his other arm as well, making him shout in pain. ¡°One question! Just one question! Where¡¯s that thing all of you are protecting and hiding from me?¡± The other man laughed, saying he had no idea what she was talking about, so she jumped over and threw him out a hole in the ceiling. A horde of giant moths immediately swooped down and tore him to shreds, his screams riding the winds of the night. She laughed again and kicked the last mage¡¯s chest into the stone, leaning into his body, hunching so they were looking at each other face-to-face. ¡°... Older sister and elder sister told me about the history of you Magicicada Mages, you know?¡± she chirped. ¡°Twenty-one years ago, on the far eastern continent! All of you were from the same research town trying to create a class system that mimicked the abilities of us Magicicada Witches, and you guys succeeded! You managed to copy our Swarmblood Arts! You could do the voice¡­ thing¡­ and your wands, you made them out of giant cicada parts so you can ¡®charge¡¯ them with spells and throw them in specific directions! Super cool! Super smart!"The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The man didn''t respond, so she leaned in close, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Back then, your town also had three research leaders, and¡­ you know, it¡¯s not nice to steal!¡± she harrumphed, crossing three of her arms as she wagged a finger with her fourth. ¡°You knew the three of us were helping annihilate the eastern continent, and that we all got hurt in a particularly fiery battle, so your leaders snuck onto the battlefield to steal a few chunks of chitin we left behind! And then you made three weapons out of them! Weapons made out of Magicicada parts, wow! They must be really powerful weapons, huh?¡± "You think?" ¡°Well, that¡¯s why we came for your town twenty-one years ago!¡± she snapped, kicking his chest and smashing his ribs. The man could barely grunt at this point. ¡°We! Destroyed! You! We destroyed your research papers on how to reproduce the magicicada system classes! We destroyed the forges you used to make those systems and copy our Swarmblood Arts! We slaughtered your children, your parents, and we stole all their voices¡ªbut some of you still managed to escape and crawl away with our weapons, huh? You ran to this continent and tried to hide them from us, thinking you can one day make a new generation of Magicicada Mages, huh?¡± Admittedly, she lost herself in the rage. Just a little bit. Just a teensy, tiny little bit. The old man was practically sinking into the chunk of stone with how hard she was kicking him, so she clapped and pulled him back out by the shoulders; he deserved a congratulations for being so much tougher than the other mages she had to kill to get here. ¡°It¡¯s sooo unfair, you know?¡± she growled, grabbing his hair and yanking it forward so she could slam her forehead against his. ¡°All three of us hunted all of you across the sea, and older sister and eldest sister found their weapons in, like, a year or two¡­ but what about mine? Where is it? I slaughtered your friends in the south, I ate your children in the north, I destroyed every household that tried to harbour a Magicicada Mage, and I! Was! Patient! But where? Where¡¯s my weapon?¡± The man was still coughing and heaving, so she kicked him into stone one last time for good measure. ¡°I know, you know. I know this school you built fourteen years ago is the last place in the world where there are still Magicicada Mages,¡± she cooed, softening her voice, lowering her volume. Even she was getting tired of her own incessant screeching. ¡°Your Headmaster¡­ is the last of the three research leaders, right? She has my weapon, right? And do you wanna know how I found you guys even though you put up a pretty glass dome, camouflaging this entire school in the mountains?¡± She unhinged her jaw, stuck a hand down her throat, and retched and choked as she regurgitated the hand of a little girl she¡¯d slain just outside the auditorium. The old man was blind, but even he flinched as she started munching on the girl¡¯s fingers, razor-sharp teeth and mandibles rending flesh and bone. ¡°I mhean, like, what wer ye guys thenking?¡± she said, mumbling through her bites. ¡°If you were gonna hide, then just hide! Why go around the continent collecting orphans? Why turn this castle into a school? You must¡¯ve known one of you were going to be tracked down eventually. I found you guys because I caught one of your messengers trying to leave the dome looking for new orphans to bring in¡ªwhy not just hide and pray I can¡¯t find you guys? Why do all this unnecessary school stuff?¡± In response, the old man coughed a mouthful of blood at her face, and she licked all of it off her lips, shivering as she did. Old people blood was no good after all. So bitter and rustic. ¡°... Because our Headmaster is too kind a lady,¡± he whispered, ¡°and neither could the rest of us old geezers pretend like the rest of humanity outside the dome isn¡¯t fighting a losing war against your kind. We couldn¡¯t just sit under a dome trying to figure out how to reproduce the magicicada system class for a few decades. We had to go outside and help however we can¡­ and you know, taking in a few kids and giving them proper education isn¡¯t such an insignificant thing. We even slipped medicine in their cafeteria food to alter their immune systems bit by bit, year by year, so they¡¯d eventually grow into strong adults capable of inheriting our classes without dying. I¡¯d say it was all worth it.¡± She tilted her head quizzically. ¡°But I only found you guys because people kept coming in and out of your dome. You guys just doomed your own school, and the rest of humanity if I get my weapon back. Don¡¯t you regret picking up those kids?¡± ¡°What does a child know about regret?¡± he chortled, shaking his head in dismay. ¡°I may not have taught any one of them, but I love every last one of them. They call me ¡®grandpa¡¯, you know? And when they grow up and leave the academy eventually, either to join humanity on the frontlines or retreat deeper into the continent for a more peaceful life, I know that I have done my part.¡± She twisted her lips. His tone tickled her antennae and made her chest hurt for some reason, so she flicked his head into the stone and clicked her tongue, growling with her entire body. ¡°Where¡¯s my weapon, grandpa?¡± she snarled. ¡°Where¡¯s the weapon worth more than a thousand human lives?¡± Somehow, the man still managed to chuckle. ¡°We spent decades running and hiding it from you. What makes you think any one of us will give it up to you? What makes you even think this old geezer here knows where it is?¡± He shook his head slowly again, sighing in disappointment. ¡°None of us know where it is. Maybe it¡¯s here in this academy. Maybe the Headmaster had it sent off to some godforsaken corner of the continent. This way, none of us can leak the information¡ªyou think we¡¯ll let the only weapon that can kill ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, fall back into your hands?¡± A pause. Then he looked up at her and smiled for the first time, a dark, triumphant grin. ¡°Think again, bug. We forged that weapon out of your flesh, and you will die by it¨C¡± ¡°Die.¡± Her spell travelled quickly, quietly¡ªthe sound waves entered his eardrums and travelled down into his chest, crushing his heart instantly. ¡°... Boring.¡± Shrugging nonchalantly, she picked up the old man and tossed him out another hole in the ceiling before skipping out the auditorium with a cheery hum, setting her sights on the giant building in the northern end of the school. She didn¡¯t think the man was lying, after all. The rabble Magicicada Mages probably really, really didn¡¯t know where the weapon made from her own flesh was, so if there was one person in the castle who would know, it¡¯d be the Headmaster. Surely the old lady had what she wanted¡ªthe weapon that could kill a Lesser Insect God. Chapter 13 - Swarm Hierarchy Sharp at eight in the morning, Zora started knocking on doors to wake all the children up, sending them down to the common room where Cecilia was sizzling eggs and toast for breakfast. The eggs wouldn¡¯t last a full week in the pantry, anyways, so they might as well eat those first before digging into the rations. ¡­ At least they¡¯re energetic, he thought, yawning as he hurried the last group of rowdy boys down the stairs to the common room. There was just one room remaining at the very end of the second floor hallway that he had to check on, and then he could go downstairs for breakfast himself. I can¡¯t believe most of them got any good sleep last night, though. Obviously, he and Cecilia had stayed up most of the night to take turns watching the northern foyer gate¡ªjust in case any survivors came knocking¡ªbut it was still impressive that most of the kids seemed cheery and optimistic about welcoming a new day. Maybe it helped that he¡¯d snuck into all of their rooms last night to pull in the window blinds one by one, stopping them from peering out at the destruction wrought about the academy, but still¡­ he couldn¡¯t really remember the last time he¡¯d gotten a good night of rest. Maybe if the Headmaster paid him more, he¡¯d at least be able to drown himself in a bed of silvers. ¡°Emilia?¡± he croaked, clearing his voice as he knocked on the little girl¡¯s door at the end of the hallway. ¡°Breakfast¡¯s ready. Go downstairs and at least grab a couple of bites.¡± No response. He didn¡¯t wait. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, finding a simple furnished room with no personalised items, decorations, or any belongings to mark it as a specific someone¡¯s room¡ªit was just a closet, a desk behind a window, and a single bed with the blankets folded neatly before the pillow. The little girl herself was nowhere to be seen. Breaths hitching, he stepped into the room and looked left, right, up, and down¡­ then up. He looked up again. He sighed a breath of relief when he saw her sleeping in the corner of the room, curled up in a ball with a web of glowing red threads wrapping her in a cocoon of sorts. It wasn¡¯t exactly the first time he¡¯d had to wake her up like this, but every time he walked in and saw her bed neatly made, his first thought would always be one of worry. Most times, though, she¡¯d simply be sleeping somewhere else¡ªthe strangest position he¡¯d found her in was a week ago when he caught her sleeping upside-down once, legs stuck to the ceiling. Back then, had she already been using her Swarmblood Art of producing sticky red threads, or did her mutations allow her to stick to walls and ceilings like most bugs could? ¡°... The early bird gets the worm, Emilia,¡± he said, flicking his wand up and turning it into a sword to cut her down, catching her as she fell into his arms. She jolted awake, looking left and right with her milky human eye before looking up at his face. ¡°You have pyjamas, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t sleep in your uniform. You¡¯ll crumple it and make it harder on the washerwomen to clean it for you.¡± She mumbled something incoherent¡ªa sleepy apology, maybe¡ªso he let her off gently and had her walk on two feet, stumbling around her barebones room as she searched for her blazer. He yanked it off a hook on the wall and draped it around her shoulders before nudging her out the door. ¡°Go down and get breakfast from Miss Sarius,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s simple eggs and toast, but you¡¯ve had Miss Sarius¡¯ toasts before, right? I know she sometimes comes by the dorm to make everyone breakfast, so you can ask her for extra crunch on the crust if you want¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not hungry, Mister Zora,¡± she muttered, rubbing her eyes groggily with all four fists, ¡°and I don¡¯t want¡­ toast.¡± He held her hand as he walked her down the stairs, anyways, not wanting her to see his lips pursing. She¡¯d not been a picky eater the past two weeks he¡¯d spent with her¡ªshe ate just about everything the cafeteria had to offer¡ªso he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her lack of craving for food right now was another symptom of her onset of mutations. He knew a bit about what eating insect flesh would do to a human¡¯s biology, and one of those things was a lack of appetite for ¡®normal¡¯ human food; without a system to keep her mutations in check, she¡¯d only grow more and more voracious for either insect or human flesh. Feeding her mutations would only make them grow stronger and faster until she was more insect than human, however, so she had to eat eggs and toast. He wouldn¡¯t allow her to forget what it meant to be human. ¡°Just a few bites, then,¡± he said, patting her head softly as they stepped down into the common room where all the children were already lining up along the kitchen countertop, ceramic plates in hand. She immediately zipped behind him and cowered from the rest of the kids. ¡°You have to line up at the very back, though, since you were the last to wake up. Go grab a plate and fork. I¡¯ll make sure Miss Sarius gives you a smaller portion.¡± She looked hesitant to leave him, her hands shaking as they gripped his cloak, but eventually she mustered up the courage to at least stand behind everyone else. It wasn¡¯t like she actually had to talk to anyone or try to make friends with them, after all; just being close to her fellow students for now was a good enough start for rehabilitation. Sighing, he trudged behind the countertop to see how Cecilia was holding. She was manning six frying pans on three stoves with two hands and burning all the eggs at once¡ªhe forgot to stifle a laugh as she scowled at him, throwing a towel at him and telling him to help out with the bundle of katydid legs sitting off to the side, at least.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Everyone¡¯s still here?¡± she asked, her voice a bit dry and flaky as she flipped an egg, scolding a few rowdy kids to wait a few more moments over the countertop. In turn, he spoke "fry an egg" at two of her pans, and the spell activated this time. The eggs were already on the pan, and the stove was already turned on. He could easily imagine himself frying two eggs at once, so Cecilia took a step back out of surprise as the pans started moving on their own, sliding the eggs back and forth. She was terrible at cooking, so no doubt she couldn''t cast the same spell. ¡°All forty-two kids of 2-A and 2-B accounted for,¡± he muttered, tying an apron around his waist and getting to work cracking the tough katydid legs open with his sword. ¡°You should be a cooking teacher instead, by the way. You¡¯ve a real talent for it. Those eggs are looking every bit as crunchy as your toasts¨C¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± she muttered back, serving her ¡®eggs¡¯ and toast to the first three children in line. They immediately ran off with their plates, jumping onto the sofas with giddy laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t you try to pull the wool over my eyes, either. I had a long thought about it last night while we were taking turns watching the northern gate¨C¡± ¡°¨Cyou mean while I was watching the gate, since you slept an extra two hours past the agreed upon switching time¨C¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask because I saw your face back then, but you know who ¡®Nona¡¯ is, don¡¯t you?¡± He split the first katydid leg open and scrunched his nose, setting a pot of water to boil on the stove to his right. When he threw a glance at Cecilia to see if she was still staring at him, he sighed reluctantly. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s harder to not know who she is, no?¡± he said, lowering his voice as he dropped the first leg into the pot, working on carving the second. ¡°Generally speaking, most of the Swarm is composed of three classes of bugs: Critter-Class, Giant-Class, and Mutant-Class. You see Critter-Class bugs everywhere¡ªthey¡¯re the tiny ants we squash, the bees that sting our faces, and the spiders spinning webs in the corner of your room. They¡¯re typically harmless, but they function as the spies of the Swarm. If you don¡¯t take care of them, they¡¯ll eventually grow into Giant-Class bugs, which are the ones we fought last night.¡± ¡°I know that much.¡± ¡°Then this needs no saying, but the bugs evolve and rise through the grades by eating,¡± he continued. ¡°A Critter-Class grows as they eat whatever and rise from F-Rank to S-Rank. Then, they can evolve into Giant-Class, at which point they have to start eating humans to grow from F-Rank to S-Rank again¡­ and once they eat enough, they can evolve into Mutant-Class. Have you ever seen one before?¡± Cecilia threw another towel at him. ¡°You know I haven¡¯t. Just tell me¨C¡± ¡°A Mutant-Class is a bug that stands on two legs, grabs with four arms, and tries to behave like a human,¡± he said, dumping the second, third, and fourth katydid leg into the pot. ¡°Whatever abilities they had as a Giant-Class will be amplified tenfold. They gain the ability to use Swarmblood Arts. Their intelligence becomes eerily infantile. Think of them like the generals of the Swarm. Since they¡¯re much stronger than your average Giant-Class, they¡¯re each capable of leading a small brood as an infestation force, like the bugs that are hitting us now.¡± ¡°And this ¡®Nona¡¯ is a Mutant-Class?¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°We don¡¯t give Mutant-Class bugs names. They¡¯re uncommon, but they¡¯re not that uncommon. We live in the middle of nowhere, so a Mutant-Class sighting would certainly be rare, but in the Swarmsteel Fronts where the battles are fiercest, Mutant-Class bugs are about a dime a dozen.¡± ¡°There are ranks higher than a Mutant-Class, then?¡± ¡°Mutant-Class bugs have classifications from F-Rank to S-Rank as well,¡± he said, ¡°and when a Mutant-Class eats enough humans, they evolve into a Lesser Insect God¡ªand these are the bugs humanity have individual names for. They¡¯re much stronger and rarer than your average Mutant-Class. Their intelligence matches ours. They can speak our human tongues. Their Swarmblood Arts are a hundred times as powerful. They can lie and deceive and play on our words, and their amplified physical abilities border on ¡®godlike¡¯. The last report I read from the far east stated there are around thirty quintillion bugs and counting in the Swarm, and of those thirty quintillion, there are only about a hundred Lesser Insect Gods.¡± Cecilia narrowed her eyes as she flipped an egg onto a kid¡¯s plate, straight from the pan. ¡°So they all have names. Are there internal ranks for Lesser Insect Gods as well?¡± ¡°From F-Rank to S-Rank as usual. In fact, they''re so infamous you¡¯ve probably heard of a few particularly powerful Lesser Insect Gods,¡± he mumbled, flinching as he started stirring the deep pot with his wand. The foul, putrid stench was quite unbearable. ¡°The Nine Sun Moths of the Hellfire Caldera Front. The Four Lesser Leviathans of the Deepwater Legion Front. The Seven Spider Spinners, the Beast of Ka¡¯lan, and the Lysmata Chitosan, just to name the most infamous ones. They all have peculiar abilities, so they¡¯re terrifically hard to put down even with an entire army barraging them with blades and explosives.¡± ¡°... ¡®Nona¡¯ is a Lesser Insect God, then.¡± He nodded slowly. ¡°Of the hundred or so of them, the ¡®Magicicada Witches¡¯ are¡­ human-like cicadas with ''God Tongue''. They''re the original users of the Swarmblood Art, and the Magicicada Mages were the ones who ''stole'' and replicated their magic via the forging of our magicicada system classes. They¡¯re one of the stronger bugs, too, but they¡¯re less well-known because they don¡¯t attack very often, and they¡¯re almost never seen together. Physically speaking, they¡¯re the weakest of all the Lesser Insect Gods in the world, but that¡¯s because they all have a nasty habit of stealing people¡¯s voices to bolster their own spells¡ªNona is the youngest, who steals the voices of children. Decima is the middle sister, who steals the voices of adults, and Morta is the eldest, who steals the voices of elders. The spells they¡¯re able to cast are vastly different from each other as a result, so they never stick together.¡± Cecilia was quiet as she continued serving breakfast, and he couldn¡¯t really blame her. It was a fair amount of information to absorb, and the truth was, he¡¯d half a mind to give her only a fraction of the details so she wouldn¡¯t have to confront the reality of the situation¡­ but the thing was, if that katydid hadn¡¯t been lying, there was a Lesser Insect God walking around the academy right now. What he wasn¡¯t going to tell her was the fact that it usually took a small army to slay a Mutant-Class, and that there was no record of a Lesser Insect God being slayed by any army other than humanity¡¯s six strongest militaries¡ªnone of which were even remotely close to Amadeus Academy. Nona is what humanity would call a ''Lesser Insect God''. We face a Lesser Insect God in our academy. Chapter 14 - Hollow Abdomen When it was eventually Emilia¡¯s turn to be served eggs and toast, Zora made sure to trudge over and steal one of her crunchy eggs, tossing it into his mouth as he gave her a playful wink. ¡°Wait for the two of us in the eastern foyer, okay?¡± he said, patting her head over the countertop as he slipped a piece of bloodberry candy onto her plate as well; she started salivating the moment she smelled the human-flesh candy in front of her. ¡°We¡¯ll go out and get the other teachers soon, so finish your plate and don¡¯t throw any of it into the bin. Even a spider saves every thread for its web.¡± He didn¡¯t wait to see if she was doing as he asked. The water was boiling and popping violently behind him, so he raced back over the stove and turned the fire down, peering into the pot. The legs looked red enough. Cecilia eventually walked over to check on his progress as well, and the two of them stared blankly down like witches waiting around a magic cauldron. There was still the giant moth carcass they could eat in the western foyer, but they¡¯d closed that door for the time being; they physically wouldn¡¯t have the stomach to eat and digest any part of the moth for breakfast, and they didn¡¯t want any kid wandering in and freaking out over the giant carcass. ¡°... For a humble language arts teacher, you sure know a lot about the Magicicada Witches,¡± Cecilia said quietly, helping him stir the pot with her wand. ¡°A butterfly knows more than the garden it lands in,¡± he replied plainly, poking one of the legs with his wand to see if it was tender enough. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t know who the Magicicada Witches are. Our old-fashioned magicicada system classes were developed a long time ago based on their abilities, after all.¡± ¡°The Magicicada Mages are quite the secretive bunch, after all,¡± she mumbled, ¡°and so are you.¡± He didn''t respond to that, and Cecilia looked at him quietly. She remained silent and picked her words carefully. ¡°Do the Magicicada Witches have anything to do with why you ran away from the Fabre Household ten years ago?¡± He stabbed one of the legs with his wand and pulled it out of the pot, still steaming. Cecilia did the same recuctantly, and for a good few seconds, all they did was blow on their legs, trying to cool them down to room temperature. ¡°... It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t wanna tell me,¡± she said, kicking the back of his knees and smirking as he yelped. ¡°You were always the quiet kid in class, ever since grandma picked you up and brought you here ten years ago. Given you¡¯ve never told us about your past even as you opened up to me and Marcus and Julius, I¡¯m not about to be annoying and start prying now, but¡­ if there¡¯s anything important I need to know about the Magicicada Witches, then you have to tell me, okay?¡± He snorted, kicking the back of her knees in return. ¡°That goes without saying,¡± he muttered. ¡°If I knew how to kill Nona, I¡¯d tell the world in a heartbeat. It¡¯s not about either of us here¡ªour kids are the top priority.¡± Cecilia scowled at him as she stood up straight, rubbing the back of her knees. ¡°Glad we¡¯re on the same page, then.¡± They clinked their wands and started stuffing the katydid flesh down their throats, choking and gagging once more as they forced themselves to finish the entire pot.
[Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: C-Rank Giant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 497/500 (99%)] [Points: 87] [Strength: 4, Speed: 3, Toughness: 3, Dexterity: 1, Perception: 2] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal]A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] 50P
¡°We¡¯ve got¡­ how many points do you have?¡± he asked, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. ¡°I got eighty-seven. It¡¯s a bit more than enough to level up a few attributes and unlock one of the tier two mutations.¡± ¡°I got eighty-five,¡± Cecilia said, squinting at her own status screen. ¡°That''s a lot of points, though. Do we have to unlock one of those mutation things? What if we just put everything into strength so we can believe our spells can hit harder?¡± ¡°The mutations are typically worth the points. They¡¯re like¡­ additional passive and active abilities, I hear, while our attribute levels only influence our physicality,¡± he said. ¡°Sure, we could raise our strength levels to seven or eight and spend the rest of the points on the other attributes, but I think getting at least one tier two mutation will be worth it. Shame I don¡¯t know what either of them would do, though¨C¡± ¡°A ¡®tympana¡¯ is the membrane that protects and amplifies an insect¡¯s hearing,¡± she said, pointing at the left mutation. ¡°I¡¯m assuming ¡®Acute Tympana¡¯ means our hearing will be specifically enhanced to that of a cicada¡­ and when you¡¯re holding more air in your stomach, you can generally project a deeper, louder voice. It¡¯s called ¡®diaphragmatic singing¡¯, so I¡¯m assuming ¡®Hollow Abdomen¡¯ will help us imagine our spells hitting harder, going farther, and lasting longer.¡± He stared at her, blinking pointedly. ¡°I do think you¡¯d still be better off as a cooking teacher instead of a music teacher¨C¡± ¡°¨Cquiet, you¨C¡± ¡°¨Cbut ¡®Hollow Abdomen¡¯ sounds better for the time being, no?¡± he said, cracking his neck as he mused at the options. ¡°We can get both tier two mutations if we have enough points, but I''m not sure it''s healthy for us to bloat on insect flesh. We physically can''t digest that moth in the foyer, can we?" "Sucks to be small-eaters." "Which mutation are we unlocking, then?" Cecilia tilted her head back, thinking for a moment. ¡°Sharper hearing sounds nice, but it¡¯s also pretty lame if you ask me. Go for ¡®Hollow Abdomen¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first to see if it actually does what you think it does.¡± It was the same as increasing his attributes. All he had to do was ¡®will¡¯ his system to unlock the tier two mutation on the right, and immediately, he felt his stomach groaning and warbling and¡­ expanding under his skin. Visibly, nothing changed. Internally, he felt as though he was just a little bit lighter.
[T2 Mutation Unlocked: Hollow Abdomen] [Brief Description: Your abdomen is as hollow as can be, filling your lower belly with more air than usual. This is a passive mutation. Your overall stamina and stamina regeneration has increased. You can project your voice and carry it farther] [Strength: 4 ¡ú 5] [Swarmblood Aura: 500 ¡ú 600] [Unallocated Points: 87 ¡ú 37]
Cecilia needed no telling twice. She gulped and lurched a little as a pop came from her stomach, but then her eyes flitted over her status screen as she read the description as well¡ªhe was quite sure they made the correct choice picking this mutation. Hopefully the stamina regeneration comes in handy as well. After all¡­ ¡°... Who are we looking for first?¡± he asked, both hands still on the counter as he endured the painful rumbling in his stomach; the mutation process had yet to completely finish. ¡°I was the only one who survived the south, and you were the only one who survived the west, so what next? Go east for Marcus, or go north for Julius?¡± ¡°Marcus,¡± she grumbled, without missing a beat. ¡°Agreed,¡± he said, nodding vigorously. ¡°And we¡¯re taking Emilia with us again, right?¡± He frowned, giving her a blank, empty stare. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her here with the rest of the kids, can we?¡± he said. ¡°She¡­ should stick with me. Just in case.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to be running into a Lesser Insect God, maybe it¡¯d be safer if she were here. Even if she is helpful, and she did save our asses, she¡¯s still¨C¡± ¡°I know,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but¡­¡± Cecilia sighed, kicking the back of his knees again. "Where are we putting the rest of our points?" she asked. "Strength first, and then spread the rest across the other attributes," he said without hesitation. "Now''s not the time to get all creative. Hitting hard is half the battle¡ªso let''s just hit things hard and bludgeon through every bug in our way."
[Strength: 5 ¡ú 6] [Toughness: 3 ¡ú 4] [Dexterity: 1 ¡ú 2] [Grade: C-Rank Giant-Class ¡ú B-Rank Giant Class] [Points: 37 ¡ú 2]
She¡¯d ducked under the countertop the moment Mister Zora gave her her favourite bloodberry candy and turned away, the two teachers whispering quietly amongst themselves while they stirred the sweet-smelling pot of bug meat with their wands. She hadn¡¯t planned on overhearing anything¡ªshe just wanted to clean her plate and suck on her bloodberry candy somewhere close to Mister Zora¡ªbut she heard it all anyways, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a painful twinge in her chest as she took small bites out of her toast. I can¡¯t be a bother to Mister Zora and Miss Cecilia. If they think I¡¯m weak, they¡¯ll leave me behind. I... I have to help. Chapter 15 - Eastwart make is only somewhere So we¡¯ll get Marcus, Julius, and the rest of the kids back as soon as possible, and then we¡¯ll get the hell out of here. ¡­ There¡¯s something inside, huh? The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. bang not ¡­ Just like the katydid, it''s surely still here. Behind us? Above us? Damnit, Marcus. Why is this the obstacle course you decided on? jump never could was maybe I suppose if safety measures are taken and there¡¯s a freak of a fitness teacher making sure everybody¡¯s doing well at the bottom, this can be¡­ thrilling? Chapter 16 - Muscleman Marcus The white and black-spotted ermine moth stared directly down at Zora, its two whip-like antennae swishing slowly through the milky white haze. It barely seemed to register that the three of them were looking up at it, and likewise¡ªit took Zora and Cecilia a good second to realise they were under attack. ¡°Strike!¡± Their wands whipped upwards, their spells were slung straight at the moth, but the milky haze was a physical, tangible fog; their ¡®strikes¡¯ rippled through the air and fizzled within a fraction of a second, failing to reach the ermine moth. ¡­ What? Zora blinked. Cecilia blinked. Emilia had no idea what just happened, and neither did the moth even seem to realise they¡¯d just tried to attack it. Its antennae were swishing ever so slowly through the haze, wrapping around the cage-like elevator as though caressing it in a gentle hug¡­ and then it opened its round, obsidian eyes, the haze growing heavier on his shoulders. ¡°Fight. Fight,¡± it muttered. ¡°Fight, kill, eat all human¨C¡± Emilia immediately decided to pounce at it, four black hands sharpened, but Cecilia grabbed her legs and pulled her down at the exact same time he decided to tackle all three of them over the edge¡ªthe correct move. The moth¡¯s slow-moving antennae suddenly turned into a clamp that crushed the railings of the elevator, and it would¡¯ve bisected all of them had he not thrown them onto the elevator below them. Zora landed on his stomach with a painful groan while the girls landed on their feet, breathing heavily. The moth¡¯s antennae shredded the elevator above them, making the chains rattle, making the elevators bump into each other. By the time Zora crawled onto his feet, he started stumbling across the shaking platform. Emilia was clinging to Cecilia¡¯s back, but the music teacher wasn¡¯t faring so well, either; neither of their next ¡®strikes¡¯ managed to travel even a single metre before fizzling in the haze, and in the fog of it all, the moth suddenly dashed off to the wall of the pit. He lost track of it. ¡°The hell¡¯s an ermine moth, Zora?¡± Cecilia snapped, slamming back to back against him as they spun in place, whipping their wands outwards. Loud screeches and incoherent whispers came from all around, and neither of them could spot the moth. ¡°How¡¯s it stopping our spells from reaching it, anyways?¡± ¡°Hell if I know,¡± he muttered back, scowling as he grabbed Emilia¡¯s sleeve, keeping her close to them. ¡°Don¡¯t ask a honeybee to weave a spider¡¯s web.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the haze, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Because the haze is too dense, our spells can¡¯t travel through it properly! That¡¯s why they¡¯re fizzling, right?¡± ¡°Hey, your guess is as good as mine¨C¡± Emilia¡¯s antennae tingled towards the east, so they whirled and attempted their combination spell at point-blank range. Zora aimed, Cecilia yanked out her violin and played a shrill note with her wand: ¡®amplified strike¡¯. The pouncing ermine moth was no lightweight or a glass cannon like the katydid, though. While their amplified spell managed to travel five metres this time, its strength was still significantly weakened, and the moth simply shrugged it off as it snarled through the haze¡ªso Zora made another split-second decision, yanking all three of them back and toppling over the railings once more. This time, they didn¡¯t land anywhere close to an elevator. While the moth slammed into the one above them and completely ripped it apart, they plummeted down the centre of the pit, Cecilia and Emilia screaming all the way. He was counting the distance to the bottom, though. Forty metres, thirty metres, twenty metres. At ten metres, he spotted the velvet cushions beneath them and gritted his teeth, pulling Emilia into a hug as he and Cecilia slammed into the cushions, sinking deep. Thank heavens the cushions were still pulled out. If not, I don¡¯t know if I could¡¯ve ¡®struck¡¯ the ground hard enough to generate enough lift. It was a gamble, and it paid off. Anything was better than fighting on those unstable elevators in the thickest part of the haze, though, so while the moth far above them screeched and tried to figure out where they¡¯d run off to, he bounced onto his feet and placed Emilia on hers as well. He spun around a few times¡ªlooking for the storage room he knew was down here¡ªbut all he saw was the bottom of the pit littered with a dozen giant bug carcasses, most broken with their chitin split apart and their legs torn from their bodies. He paid them no mind for the time being. They could¡¯ve fallen in from the top of the pit, they could¡¯ve been killed by the ermine moth, whatever; right now, they just needed to find the storage room and take shelter behind closed doors. ¡°... There!¡± he shouted, glancing back at the still-groaning Cecilia as he pointed straight ahead at a set of small, double wooden doors. ¡°Inside! Now! If we can get out of the haze, we can at least cast our spells and fight it in normal air¨C¡± Metal creaked and crashed overhead. He snapped his head up to see two elevators falling on them like meteorites, the falling debris unavoidable, inescapable, so he threw up a ¡®strike¡¯ and a ¡®block¡¯ at the exact same time in an attempt to knock the larger chunks out of the way. But he couldn¡¯t get all of them. Several of them bounced away, but one of the heavier chunks was going to land on Cecilia, who was still struggling to claw onto her feet. He charged in, turning his wand into a blade, and Emilia charged in as well, flicking a bundle of glowing red threads her way¡ªand yet it was third figure dashing past the two of them who reached Cecilia in time, standing over the music teacher with his back muscles tightened as the heavy debris smashed into his shoulders. Zora cast ¡®block¡¯ in front of Emilia as a bunch of loose metal fragments bounced every which way, some cutting his cheek, his neck. The thick haze felt cool as it began seeping into his open wounds, but he managed to stay on his feet while he coughed, waving as much of the haze away as he squinted at the man picking Cecilia up in a princess carry. ¡°... Yo,¡± Marcus said, turning around to scowl down at Zora. ¡°I see you¡¯re as bony as ever, skellyman.¡± Zora scowled back as Cecilia looked between the two of them, blinking profusely. ¡°And I had no doubt an oaf like you was still alive and kicking somewhere.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Marcus scoffed, tilting his head at the bug carcasses around them, ¡°like a few oversized mites can take down twenty-four years of raw, unrelenting muscle development.¡± ¡°Well, forgoing all aspects of creative problem solving, you are the ram to break every wall¨C¡± The ermine moth¡¯s screech made all of them jolt, and Marcus looked up with a nasty frown, clicking his tongue at the bug that¡¯d interrupted their conversation.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°That thing¡¯s still there, huh?¡± he muttered. ¡°And what¡¯d you guys do to aggravate it like that? It took me half a day to make some sort of truth with it, but¨C¡± ¡°You mean ¡®truce¡¯,¡± Zora interrupted, smirking weakly. ¡°You know what I meant.¡± Marcus scowled at him, and Zora drew a line down his forehead to feign a drop of sweat as Emilia giggled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see how sharp that tongue of yours remains after I put you through six hours of training¨C¡± ¡°Storage room first, Mister Evander,¡± Cecilia said, smiling and speaking in a sickly sweet voice as she grabbed the back of the big man¡¯s head, shaking it back and forth. ¡°Let¡¯s not be in this haze any longer, yeah?¡± Both Zora and Marcus shivered. Nothing good ever came out of Cecilia taking that tone with them. ¡°... Sure,¡± Marcus mumbled. Just as the moth seemed to realise all of them had fallen to the bottom of the pit, the four of them raced towards the open doors and threw themselves in. Marcus immediately dropped Cecilia to push a heavy pommel horse behind the doors to barricade it, while Zora cast ¡®blockade¡¯ to toss a few empty crates onto the horse as reinforcement. They did so just in time¡ªZora flinched as the barricades rattled and ash fell from the dimly lit stone ceiling, the moth ramming headfirst into the door to no avail. Two antennae stabbed through the glass on the doors, trying to spear someone in the way, so while Marcus groaned and pushed his entire body against the barricade to hold the door, Zora and Cecilia sliced the tip of the antennae off with their swords. He could really feel the enhanced strength now. His blade cleaved through the chitin in a single, swift stroke, while Cecilia didn¡¯t quite manage to hack it off, but her blade still went halfway through as the moth shrieked in pain. Quite quickly, the moth yanked out its remaining antennae and jumped back up to the walls of the pit, leaving all of them alone. ¡­ Zora let out a heavy sigh, collapsing against the left shelves with crates of dumbbells, weights, and bars. Cecilia collapsed against the right shelves where the balls and rackets and bats were stored. Marcus sat with his back to the pommel horse, and Emilia just sat down cross-legged in the middle of all of them. The storage room at the bottom of the pit was more like a gym than a storage room, really. The idea was that students who lacked the strength to complete the obstacle course outside could instead spend their hour inside the storage room instead, training their physique with the gym equipment before attempting the elevators again. He¡¯d never been down here before, but it was a much more dreary room than he¡¯d imagined. The whole place looked like a prison cell. The stone floor wasn¡¯t smooth, the walls were cracked, and a single gas lantern dangled from the low ceiling to illuminate not even half the room in its dim orange light. Without opening the doors, there wasn¡¯t any ventilation, too¡ªno sweaty student would want to work out in here as opposed to constantly trying and failing the obstacle course outside. Maybe that was Marcus¡¯ thought process when he designed this room, though. All things considered, he was the head fitness teacher who¡¯d brought about the best fitness records in Amadeus Academy¡¯s history. ¡°... Hey,¡± Cecilia said, still panting for breath as she raised her wand at Marcus, scowling slightly. ¡°Tell me five things only Marcus would know, or I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Marcus blinked. ¡°Hah?¡± ¡°Just do as she says,¡± Zora mumbled, resting the back of his head against the wall. ¡°Tell her five facts about herself or she¡¯ll blow your head off with a spell.¡± ¡°Five facts?¡± the man tapped his chin, thinking briefly. ¡°Mm. That¡¯s easy enough. Fun fact about Cecilia, number one: back when she first started as a music teacher, she didn¡¯t have the lung capacity to hold a flute note for two minutes straight, and she thought that was embarrassing, so she asked me if there were any exercises she could do to increase her lung capacity. I told her to blow a balloon underwater to make her feel ¡®inflated¡¯ with power, and then¨C¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I get it! It¡¯s really you!¡± she shouted, chucking her wand at his head as Emilia leaned forward curiously, wanting to hear the rest of the story. Zora beckoned the little girl closer and whispered ¡®that was the time Miss Sarius actually did blow a balloon underwater and ended up almost drowning¡¯, so Cecilia grabbed a rubber ball behind her and tossed it at him as well. ¡°I didn¡¯t think any bug could impersonate you, but, you know, just in case! Just in case!¡± ¡®Muscleman¡¯ Marcus laughed, slapping his knees. The man was as broad and loud as ever: he was a whole head taller than Zora with thrice the muscle mass, and his self-modified sleeveless tunic was barely holding itself together over his chest and waist. The only thing that even indicated he was a teacher of the academy and not some ruffian gangster from out of town was the bright ruby cloak draped over his shoulder¡ªin stark contrast to Zora¡¯s gold and Cecilia¡¯s sapphire¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t even wearing that properly. He¡¯d stitched the collars of his cloak and tunic together so he wouldn¡¯t have to clasp the tassel over his neckbone, so¡­ the giant of a man in front of them was very much their old friend. Definitely not an imposter. ¡°If the two of you are here with little Emilia in tow,¡± Marcus said, waving cheerfully at the Emilia as she waved back, a wide grin on her face, ¡°I¡¯m assuming the Magicicada Mages have wiped out all the bugs in the academy? Why would you have time to be here otherwise?¡± But. If there was a single ounce of levity in the air, it was destroyed the moment Marcus asked about the academy. Cecilia looked at Zora, and Zora spoke up before the music teacher could say anything about class 2-C by the entrance of the building¡ªwith a heavy heart, he explained everything that¡¯d happened since last night, leading up to their eventual arrival at the fitness building looking for Marcus. For his part, Marcus was strangely quiet as he listened to everything with his fist propped up his cheek, and he didn¡¯t speak until he was sure Zora had said everything important. ¡°... So Albert, Ben, Giselle, and Petra are all dead, huh?¡± he said, his usual candour hindered by the tightening in his throat. ¡°And Sabine? Friedrich? They¡¯re also fitness teachers, so they shouldn¡¯t have been in the staffroom when the dome shattered, right?¡± Zora shook his head slowly as Cecilia looked away, rubbing the back of her neck. ¡°They must¡¯ve failed to evacuate to the dorm in time, so they probably settled for hunkering down in the staffroom alongside the rest of the faculty instead.¡± ¡°I¡­ see. But did you¨C¡± ¡°I checked,¡± Zora said quietly. ¡°Cecilia was there, too. If we¡¯re talking about the orphan branch of the academy, the only teachers unaccounted for were you and Julius. We came looking for you first.¡± Marcus¡¯ lips thinned into a line as he brushed his curly hair back, glaring up at the ceiling. ¡°Just the four of us,¡± he whispered, shaking his head in dismay. ¡°I¡­ was having my class run through the obstacle course outside when I heard the dome shatter, too. It¡¯s not like this is my first infestation, so I tried evacuating my kids to the dorm when a crap ton of bugs fell through the window¡ªso I told my kids to run for it while I distracted and fought off most of the bugs on the elevators. I got knocked down eventually, and I¡¯ve been stuck down here since that white moth showed up.¡± Then he glared out the broken glass on the doors, blowing and fanning the haze trying to seep into the room. ¡°That one¡¯s a tough bug. Nothing like the rest. As long as it''s hanging around the middle section of the pit, I can¡¯t get back up by myself.¡± Zora nodded idly. He figured it was something of the sort. Like Cecilia said, Marcus wasn¡¯t the sort of man who¡¯d leave his kids alone if he could help it, so if the man was all the way down here while his kids were all the way up there, he must¡¯ve been separated from them forcefully¨C ¡°How¡¯s my kids, skellyman?¡± Marcus suddenly asked. ¡°They made it to the dorm just fine, right?¡± A pause. Zora was about to speak when he held his tongue. ¡°... Mhm,¡± he eventually said, giving the man a weak smile. ¡°So we can¡¯t stay down here. Your kids are crying for you back in the dorm, and I don¡¯t have enough patience to coddle the lot of them alongside mine and Cecilia¡¯s.¡± Cecilia¡¯s face fell with guilt and shame, but Marcus laughed heartily and slapped his knees instead, standing slowly. ¡°They¡¯re my kids, alright. Strong spirit, fast runners. I knew they¡¯d make it there even without me.¡± ¡°They sure are¨C¡± ¡°So?¡± he interrupted, planting his meaty fists on his waist as he grinned down at the three of them. ¡°All of us teachers are Magicicada Mages now, right? You got any fancy spells to teach me so we can break out of this pit?¡± Zora was about to give an absentminded response when both his and Cecilia¡¯s ears perked, their heads lifting at the exact same time to stare at the muscleman. ¡°What do you mean ¡®we¡¯?¡± Cecilia asked, frowning suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯ve got a magicicada system class as well?¡± Marcus frowned back at her. ¡°I sure do. The old lady who tried to help me evacuate my kids fell in with me, and¡­ unfortunately, she didn¡¯t stick the landing even with the cushions. She gave me her system thing before she passed, so I¡¯m technically a mage now, right?¡± ¡°Do you even know how to cast a spell, you oaf?¡± Zora mumbled, scanning him up and down. ¡°I don¡¯t see a wand on you. You do know you can¡¯t control the direction of your spell if you don¡¯t have a wand, right¨C¡± ¡°Come on. I¡¯m not that dumb,¡± Marcus grumbled back, coughing into his fist as he spread his arms apart and sucked in a huge breath. ¡°It''s called¡­ a what? A Swarmblood Art? You just gotta put some air in your lungs and say something like ¡®boom¡¯, right?¡± Chapter 17 - Intent and Delusion The moment Marcus clapped his hands and spoke "boom" was the moment a shockwave was born in his palms, rippling outwards and knocking both Zora and Cecilia off their asses. The two of them flew two metres back with surprised yelps while Emilia stayed firmly rooted in place¡ªher pale white hair billowing back was the extent of Marcus¡¯ spell on her, and she was the only one in the room who could clap excitedly after the shockwave dissipated. ¡°What was that, Mister Marcus?¡± she asked, jumping onto her feet and pouncing straight at Marcus¡¯ stomach; the giant of a man simply caught her and spun her around with a wide grin, lifting her up and down as though to give her a seesaw ride. ¡°Your spell¡¯s super loud! Ouch! I think¡­ um¡­ my ears¡­ are ringing¨C¡± ¡°Oh, so that already counts as a spell?¡± Marcus laughed heartily, shooting Zora a wink as the two of them crawled onto their feet, groaning aloud. ¡°I dunno how this all works, to be honest. Never paid much attention to the old mages back when we were students, never paid much attention to them now. Was the clap really that impressive?¡± ¡°Damn right. Don¡¯t you dare cast ¡®boom¡¯ again in this tiny room, you oaf,¡± Zora grumbled, picking up a dodgeball and throwing it at Marcus. The man caught it and threw it back in his face as Cecilia clapped her hands, getting all of them to calm down. ¡°Okay, so all three of us are Magicicada Mages. Big deal,¡± she said, before jabbing a finger at the giant bug carcasses outside the doors. ¡°First things first: if we all have magicicada systems, then we could all use some points. Marcus, Zora, go out and drag a few of those carcasses in. I¡¯ll start a small cooking fire with some of the gymnastics equipment.¡± Emilia perked up at ¡®fire¡¯, and she sprinted over to hug Cecilia while Zora rubbed his head, walking towards the barricade. ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®point¡¯ thing she¡¯s talking about?¡± Marcus whispered in his ear, helping him dismantle the barricade. ¡°She¡¯s not lost her mind, has she?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± ¡°And¡­ what? Are we cooking bugs or something? What¡¯s she starting a fire for? Are you sure she¡¯s not completely lost it¨C¡± Cecilia threw more balls at the back of their heads, and that got them to move with haste, throwing the barricade aside as they sprinted out the doors.
While Emilia hummed and kicked her legs back and forth, holding two of her hands out to feel the warmth of the fire, Zora explained the workings of their system for the seventh time; his throat was dry, his patience was wearing thin, and frankly, if the man still couldn¡¯t understand they couldn¡¯t just cast ¡®fire¡¯ or ¡®lightning¡¯¨C ¡°So, for being ¡®mages¡¯, we¡¯re not actually that good at casting magic,¡± Marcus summarised, nodding along to the crackling of the flames. ¡°Best we can do is pretend there¡¯s an invisible clone of ourselves following us wherever we go, and when we tell it to do something, it does exactly that, yeah?¡± Zora blinked. That was a surprisingly apt description of what their Swarmblood Arts were like. ¡°At least you finally got that part down, Mister Evander,¡± he muttered, turning his moth leg over to roast the other side. ¡°So this is where the points come into play. The strength of our invisible clone is only as strong as ourselves, and it can¡¯t do what we can¡¯t imagine ourselves doing, so when we raise our attributes¨C¡± ¡°I may not know too much about the Magicicada Mages, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen them cast magic before.¡± ¡°... What?¡± Marcus shrugged, tilting his chin at both of their wands sheathed on their belts. ¡°Maybe the retired mages in this academy couldn¡¯t do it, but the ones who picked me up and rescued me as a child definitely used spells like ¡®vanish¡¯, ¡®illuminate¡¯, and ¡®camouflage¡¯. By your logic, these are spells we shouldn¡¯t be able to cast, right?¡± A frown crossed Zora''s eyes. ¡°What, exactly, do you mean by ¡®vanish¡¯? As in¨C¡± ¡°Wand point at something,¡± Marcus said, before miming a quiet ¡®poof¡¯ in the air with his hands, ¡°and then object disappear. The mage who saved me used it to make a bunch of shrapnel sticking out of my body disappear.¡± Zora blinked. It was an interesting revelation for sure, and one he had to stew in silence to think about for a few minutes as he pawned his legs off for Emilia to turn. That wasn¡¯t what I was thinking when I heard ¡®vanish¡¯, he thought. But come to think of it, when Marcus said ¡®boom¡¯ and clapped his hands, I wasn¡¯t expecting the spell to manifest as a simple shockwave. I was expecting more of a¡­ fiery explosion. So it¡¯s true that the spell manifests the way ¡®you¡¯ believe it should manifest, not by any common definition of the word. ¡°¡­ Five points if you get this question right,¡± he mumbled under his breath, eyes staring blankly into the fire, ¡°but what is the purpose of ¡®communication¡¯, and what is the reason for ¡®language¡¯?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Both Marcus and Cecilia turned their heads to look his way. ¡°What, you¡¯re asking me?¡± Marcus asked. Cecilia shook her head. ¡°And what are you mumbling about now¨C¡± ¡°Communication is not about accuracy, but expression,¡± he finished, repeating the phrase he was taught as a child as he buried his face in his knees, ¡°and language is not about conformity, but creativity.¡± While Marcus and Cecilia looked at each other to share confused blinks, he closed his eyes and dived into his head again¡ªthinking, pondering, musing¡ªbefore looking back up to stare at Marcus. ¡°I¡¯ve a lot of questions about what the extent of our magic really is, Mister Evander, but for the time being, take my wand,¡± he said, tossing his stick over before thumbing at Emilia quietly. ¡°Cast ¡®strike¡¯ on her, won¡¯t you?¡± Marcus¡¯ face immediately darkened. ¡°What do you possibly mean by that, Mister Fabre? You¡¯d scorn me so much as a brute to suggest I¡¯d discipline a child with¨C¡± ¡°Just do it, you oaf,¡± he mumbled, ¡°and don¡¯t hold back.¡± He was serious, though, and Marcus could tell. So, while Emilia was still distracted feeling the warmth of the bonfire, the fitness teacher pointed his wand at her head and cast a normal-volume ¡®strike¡¯. Zora was sitting between them, and even though he wasn¡¯t the target of the spell, he still felt an incredible force rippling past his face¡ªit would¡¯ve absolutely crushed his skull if he¡¯d been the target¡ªbut unsurprisingly, the moment it reached Emilia¡¯s head, the spell fizzled out and simply wrapped around her head like a cloud of smoke. Emilia immediately laughed and giggled, trying to claw the cloud-like ripple off her head. The rest of them watched her reaction in silence before Zora snatched his wand back from Marcus, eyes slanting. ¡°... And casting a spell is not just about belief, but also about intent,¡± he finished, nodding at Cecilia and Marcus. ¡°The oaf here can definitely kill all of us here in a single punch, but his ¡®strikes¡¯ will do no damage to us. It¡¯s because he¡¯s unconsciously limiting his strength at the moment of casting¡ªbecause he¡¯s a softie who can¡¯t bear to imagine hurting a colleague or a student. If that¡¯s the case¨C¡± Marcus wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him in, scrubbing his hair violently. ¡°Who¡¯s the softie here, skellyman? Ay, maybe I can¡¯t hurt a collegian or a student with these supreme muscles of mine, but a friend? Oh, I can definitely break a few ribs¨C¡± ¡°¨Cyou mean ¡®colleague¡¯. Also, help me, Miss Sarius¨C¡± "So don¡¯t ever do something risky like that again,¡± Marcus finished, breathing quietly into his ear. ¡°You were working off your hunches, weren¡¯t you? What if Emilia really got hurt? Who¡¯s gonna suffer if something goes wrong with one of your experiments?¡± Zora groaned and glared up at the man, trying to squirm out of the headlock. ¡°Of course¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mess it up. I¡¯m¡­ ¡®Thousand Tongue¡¯ Zora, after all¡­ and I¡¯d rather rip my tongue out a thousand times¡­ before I hurt a kid of mine.¡± The two of them squabbled for a few more seconds, ribbing and clawing and trying to scratch at each other¡¯s faces, but it wasn¡¯t until Emilia broke into a fit of bubbly laughs that Marcus finally loosened his grip. Zora took the opportunity and slipped out, rubbing his shoulders and cracking his neck¡ªthe man had gotten stronger since the last time he was wrangled into a headlock. ¡°Mister Marcus! Spin!¡± Emilia said, bouncing to her feet as she left her skewers propped up on the side of the pommel horse, letting the legs cook themselves. ¡°Sure thing, boss!¡± Marcus said, jumping to his feet as well, and then the two of them were off in their own little world by the corner of the storage room. Zora and Cecilia stared, bewildered, as Marcus picked the little girl up with a ¡®rise¡¯ and ¡®spun¡¯ her around the air, moving her so quickly that Zora felt nauseous just looking at her. She was having the time of her life, though¡ªamong the catalogue of teary and downtrodden expressions she¡¯d shown him over the past two weeks, he¡¯d never actually seen her smile and laugh that hard before. She loved being fast. She loved jumping around at inhuman speeds and engaging in mock grapples against a much larger and much stronger opponent than her, and¡­ For his part, Zora was rather surprised at himself. He didn¡¯t really feel jealous of Marcus or anything; the smiles shared between the fitness teacher and the dying girl were pure and bereft of any dishonesty. What sort of teacher would he be if he wanted to deprive Emilia of such simple joy in being able to move quickly? ¡°... You know, I¡¯ve never seen what she¡¯s like whenever she¡¯s attending classes outside of my own,¡± he mumbled, taking over Emilia¡¯s skewers as he lifted his off the fire. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ doing an awful lot better than I would¡¯ve thought, isn¡¯t she?¡± Cecilia smiled softly, turning her wand into a sword as she began cutting into her legs. ¡°People do say crickets chirp loudest when they leap together. No matter where you¡¯re from or who you were, you¡¯re all equal in the face of a shitty obstacle course designed by a muscle maniac¡ªand I guess it helps that he¡¯s always been easy to talk to like that.¡± Then she sighed, stabbing a chunk of moth flesh and jabbing her sword at him, beckoning him to bite it off her blade. ¡°He¡¯s painfully simple, and he¡¯s got no secrets to hide. He doesn¡¯t lie or say anything he doesn¡¯t mean, and he cares for his kids who put in all their effort, whether they achieve results or not. Compared to us¡ªteachers who lie and force ourselves to put on easy-going faces even in this apocalypse of an infestation¡ªis it really surprising to you that his kids show him faces they¡¯ll never show us?¡± Zora breathed out a short sigh and ate the chunk of flesh off the tip of her blade, careful not to cut his own tongue.
[Points: 2 ¡ú 9]
not imagine a fiery explosion of sorts?¡± ¡°I know that. But the fact that he can cast a spell like that means¨C¡± ¡°Even you haven¡¯t got our Swarmblood Art all figured out yet,¡± she finished, plugging her nose as she swallowed a chunk of insect flesh herself. ¡°Who knows? If our spells are limited by our intent and creativity, then maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªthere are actually ''real'' magic spells that we can cast right now.¡± She looked at him and sighed as well, tilting her head left and right. ¡°Just¡­ gotta figure out what those spells are, and how we can delude ourselves into thinking we can actually cast them.¡± All easier said than done, of course, but now they had a living sample of a man who could cast something as vague as ¡®boom¡¯ right in front of them. Zora would have to rethink their ability later on. Right now, we¡¯ve gotta get past the ermine moth and the spell-fizzling haze. But if we can¡¯t cast long-range spells in the haze, then how¡­ His thoughts trailed off as he continued staring at Marcus spinning Emilia around with his omnidirectional spells. And he got an idea. ¡­ Oh. Maybe that would work. Chapter 18 - Self-Enhancing Spells There was no time to waste. In an ideal world, they''d devour all the giant bug carcasses they''d dragged into the storage room, but Zora and Cecilia had already eaten more than enough insect flesh for breakfast and then some more; they¡¯d actually die of food poisoning if they ate any more in the next few hours, so the strength they had would have to be enough to deal with the ermine moth. More specifically, they''d tossed all their points into increasing their toughness, because if they weren¡¯t going to be hitting hard, they may as well be able to take hard hits.
[Toughness: 4 ¡ú 6] [Points: 42 ¡ú 1]
Marcus'' analogy isn''t completely off, after all. Casting spells is like commanding an invisible clone of ourselves to do something, so if we¡¯re physically tougher, we can easily imagine our ¡®block¡¯ spells being more effective. So, four hours since they set off from the dorm, they kicked the doors open with Emilia riding on Marcus¡¯ back. Zora furrowed his brows, and he tried to find some trace of the ermine moth in the haze about the pit, but there were only a dozen elevators moving slowly up and down, giant chains rattling through the smog. Each of them carried a gas lantern on their belts, but the light didn''t extend far out¡ªthey couldn''t possibly wait until nightfall to leave. ¡°... You wouldn''t happen to be able to cast a spell like ¡®illuminate¡¯, can you?¡± Zora asked, glancing in Marcus'' direction. ¡°If you can, I''ll give you my wand to turn into a torch. The mage who gave you your system didn''t have one on her, right?¡± ¡°Nope. I searched her body and everything.¡± ¡°And the light spell?¡± Marcus hit him on the back of his head and made Emilia laugh. Cecilia immediately hissed at them to shut up and pointed at the lowest elevator nearby: the ¡®starting point¡¯ of the obstacle course. Without another word, Marcus lifted both Zora and Cecilia¡ªeach in one arm¡ªand tossed them three metres up onto the descending elevator. He jumped up a second later, landing in a perfect squat that made the elevator creak back and forth; for a moment, Zora worried the chain might just snap under their combined weight, but it was a needless worry. The only thing that could break the chains was a giant bug or Marcus himself. ¡°You''re still as pale as ever when it comes to heights, eh?¡± Marcus chuckled, slapping him on the back as he peered over the edge, grimacing at the rapidly shrinking ground. ¡°Not a cool look in front of your kid, skellyman. Gotta put some meat on your bone. You know most people have two bones in their forearms, right? There''s the radius and the ulna, but you, my friend, have jelly instead of marrow and chalk instead of bone. You need some exercise.¡± ¡°Exercise? Like this?¡± Zora muttered back. ¡°This isn''t exercise. This is an insane accident machine built by an insane fitness teacher. You just want to torture your students, don''t you?¡± Marcus belted out a hearty laugh as he kicked Zora and Cecilia onto the adjacent elevator; it was only because they''d raised their toughness level to five that their backs weren''t immediately broken. ¡°My kids love my obstacle course,¡± Marcus said, feigning disbelief as he glanced around. ¡°You tell him, Emilia. Tell skellyman my elevators are the best in the world.¡± Emilia grinned at Zora, nodding exuberantly. ¡°I like Mister Marcus¡¯ elevators!¡± ¡°See? Emilia likes it. She always goes for round two and three, too, and she''s by far my best student.¡± ¡°And thus the other ninety-nine percent are tossed aside, swept aside,¡± Zora grumbled, turning his wand into a sword as they rose past the twenty metre mark. ¡°That''s no good, Mister Evander. You''re a teacher, and for me, any teacher that ignores the plight of their student deserves a¨C¡± ¡°Strike.¡± Zora and Cecilia¡¯s spell flew onto their blades, but when they whirled and slashed at the pouncing moth at once, the sound waves didn¡¯t fly off like they would off their wands¡ªinstead, their rippling swords chopped off the front halves of the ermine moth¡¯s forelegs, making it jump back into the haze with a pained screech. Immediately, they tried to follow their attack up with a ¡®translate¡¯ and an ¡®off-tune voice¡¯ to track the moth with, but by the time they turned their swords back into wands, the moth had already disappeared through the haze. It wasn¡¯t like our ranged spells were going to reach it, anyways. ¡°... But now we know a few more things,¡± he said, pressing back to back against Cecilia with his sword poised while Marcus slammed his fists together. ¡°One: our spells practically fly off when they¡¯re cast on our wands, but when they¡¯re cast on the swords instead, they stick to the blade. As long as the spells are clinging to the blades, they¡¯d last much, much longer¡ªso casting ¡®strike¡¯ on our swords is akin to constantly sharpening our blades. Depending on what spells we cast on them, maybe we can even get effects akin to coating our blades with poison.¡± The sword for close-range spell-swording, and the wand for long-range spell-slinging. Now, he had no idea why the ¡®strikes¡¯ weren¡¯t dispelling off their swords¡ªeven though they were still standing in the haze¡ªbut given the wands were crafted out of cicada chitin, he could easily chalk it off to the cicada chitin possessing magical spell-sticking properties unbeknownst to him. The essence that was ''Swarmblood'', the basis of all magical equipment and abilities in the world, was still a relatively unknown property. Very few people in the world understood how Swarmblood really functioned. But the fact of the matter was, they could enhance their swords with spells¡­ and that was only his first of three new discoveries. Emilia¡¯s antennae tingled, and all of them noticed¡ªthey scattered the moment the ermine moth slammed into their elevator from below, jumping to three separate elevators all moving up at different paces. There was no hesitation. The moth wasn¡¯t mindless. As it ripped through the elevator in the centre and swerved around, its eyes instantly popped. It realised Marcus was the only one without a wand, and there was an extra human on his back it could feast on, so it pounced at him without question¨C And Marcus cupped his hands before his mouth, bellowing "buff" and "toughen" and making the sound waves ripple around his own body. The moth was trying to ram into him head-first, but it was like running a wooden ram into a metre-thick steel door. It damn near shattered its own skull ramming into Marcus¡¯ spell-enhanced chest, forcing it to once again flutter away, bumping into two elevators on its way back. ¡°... Two!¡± Zora shouted, forcing himself to breathe as he mustered the courage to jump to another elevator; Cecilia and Marcus did the same while the moth rolled around on the walls, banging its head against the bricks as though trying to knock itself out of its concussion. ¡°We can cast spells on our own bodies! Maybe there¡¯s nothing Miss Sarius and I can cast on ourselves for the time being, but Mister Evander is a muscle freak! I bet he can imagine himself pumping himself full of drugs and elixirs to buff his muscles up to two hundred!¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Somehow, someway, Marcus managed to throw a ball from the storage room at Zora¡¯s head, the big man himself rubbing his chest in the distance. ¡°I¡¯m not Julius, you piece of shit! I don¡¯t do drugs!¡± ¡°Or so says the man who is strong and fast enough to outrun intelligent thoughts!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m the fastest man in the¡­ wait, what¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t grow up to be like him, Emilia!¡± Zora shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth to make his voice as loud as possible, as obnoxious as possible; his hollow abdomen mutation helped carry it far and wide. ¡°Make no mistake; there is charm only a delicate lady can have, and strength to lift hearts at a single glance! You don¡¯t need bulging muscles like that idiot you¡¯re riding! After all¨C¡± He whirled, exhaling sharply as he stabbed at the pouncing moth¡¯s mouth¡ªand he would¡¯ve run his sword right through its head had it not jerked back in time, its massive wings sending gusts of prickly white haze into his elevator. Bracing his free arm before his face, he skidded back and jumped to the next elevator, regrouping with Marcus and Cecilia as the moth screeched up at them. ¡°... After all, the moth¡¯s an idiot that responds only to loud voices and provocation like any rabble bug, too,¡± Zora said, fist-bumping Marcus. ¡°And when it fans its wings like that, it makes a bunch of wind that pushes out its spell-fizzling haze, but that also means it¡¯s pushing the haze away from its body.¡± Just like when Marcus was spinning Emilia around in the storage room. If the haze is thick enough to be physical and tangible, then it stands to reason that physical and tangible wind would also be able to thin it out. The moth was visibly enraged. Golden blood coursed through its paper-thin wings, its eyes turned bloodshot, and it flew straight up at them with its bleeding front legs held out like spears. Gone was the elusive hunter who played a slow predatory game by hiding in its haze¡ªhe was quite sure, at this point, that the haze was just its tiny white scales lingering in the air and intercepting their spells¡ªso the moment it reared its ugly head at them, flying through its only barrier of defence, Zora and Cecilia whipped their ¡®amplified strike¡¯ down. The spell lashed out with a deafening bang, slamming the moth down onto an elevator. It hit. Cecilia grinned. Since their spell pushed away even more of the haze, clearing the air, they were allowed to cast ¡®amplified strike¡¯ again and again. Half of their spells whiffed, admittedly, knocked off-course by clouds of lingering haze, but the other half did their job: knocking the moth back and buying time for them to jump up to different elevators. Zora even threw a ¡®translate¡¯ on it while Cecilia threw an ¡®off-tune voice¡¯ over its wings, just to make sure they could keep track of it. Seventy metre mark. Thirty more metres to go. ¡°Our swords can cut through its chitin, but even with ¡®amplified strike¡¯, we can¡¯t break its chitin, huh?¡± he grumbled, gritting his teeth as his neck strained with effort. ¡°Think you can hurt it if I give you my wand, Mister Evander?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t gotta kill the moth here, do we?¡± Marcus peered up at the next elevator, brows furrowed. ¡°As long as we can get out of the building and into the sun, it probably won¡¯t try to chase us¡­ at the very least, it won¡¯t chase you and Cecilia knowing you have wands that can fight it all the way back to the dorm.¡± ¡°It might. It¡¯s not as bright as you think¨C¡± The moth screeched. Irritated, it dashed to the walls of the pit, realising flying meant it could be easily knocked off-course by their hammer-like spells. Its legs tore into the bricks as it started climbing up, making sure it couldn¡¯t be knocked down again, and at the same time¡ªit roared. Loud. All four of them winced as they were mid-jump onto the next elevator, and when Emilia pointed up through the haze they were ascending out of¡­ ¡­ Well. They are the ¡®Swarm¡¯, after all. They were dark silhouettes perched on the edge of the pit, Giant-Class beetles and moths unfurling and stretching their wings. There had to be at least ten of them surrounding them from every conceivable direction, and they jumped down at the four of them with hellish screeches; none of them looked like they could carry themselves in flight, but they jumped in anyways with reckless abandon. The death of one human was more than worth the death of ten bugs, so what did it matter to them if they died trying to wipe out the last of the Magicicada Mages? They¡¯d do anything for their ¡®mother¡¯¡ªand so the teachers would do anything for their ¡®children¡¯ as well. There was no hesitation. There was no need for verbal confirmation. Communication lay in expression, and the moment it became clear there was going to be no way out of the bugs¡¯ collapse on every elevator all at once, Marcus ripped Emilia off his back and tossed her up. At the same time, Zora and Cecilia cast ¡®push¡¯ on her back, sending her past the thirty metre mark and over the edge of the pit. Then the bugs crashed into their elevator, snapped the chain, and dragged all of them seventy metres back down to the cushioned bottom. Seventy metres was a long fall, but frankly, Zora didn¡¯t feel most of it. He was already a bit winded as was, but coupled with the metal falling around him, the giant bugs screeching every which way, and Marcus grabbing both him and Cecilia to wrap them in a tight hug, he barely felt the landing into the velvet cushions¡ªone second he thought he was going to die, and in the next, he was already springing back to the surface with Cecilia in his arms, aching from head to toe. ¡°You¡­ you good?¡± he muttered, struggling to climb onto his feet as mounds of elevator debris hit the cushions hard, making the soft ground ripple and wobble like a stormy sea. ¡°Mhm¡­ and you, muscleman?¡± Cecilia replied, the two of them looking forward at the same time, and their eyes twitched the moment they saw Marcus standing up with a right arm visibly bruised and bent the wrong way. The forearm was broken, no doubt about it; was it because he¡¯d protected the two of them from falling debris by slapping everything away? By the scrunched, pained look on Marcus¡¯ face, he wasn¡¯t going to tell, and Zora didn¡¯t know himself. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention. And he clenched his jaw as the ten giant bugs fell around them in a circle, the giant white moth fluttering over their heads leading the chorus of taunting screeches with incoherent sounds of its own. ¡°... Weak!¡± the moth laughed, and Marcus froze as he heard it speak for the first time. ¡°Weak! Cowards! Fight four against one, how fair? Not true warriors, just like the humans who were trying to escape from this building!¡± Zora¡¯s eyes widened. He tried to dispel his ¡®translate¡¯ by slinging a ¡®silence¡¯ at it, but they¡¯d fallen right back into the thickest part of the haze and his spell barely flew a metre before fizzling; even coordinating an ¡®amplified silence¡¯ with Cecilia didn¡¯t help. Shit. This isn¡¯t¨C ¡°Say that again, bug?¡± Marcus asked, his voice snapping out like a whip as he looked up. ¡°Who are you talking about? What ¡®humans¡¯?¡± The moth tilted its head. ¡°The small ones! The fast runners! They were cowards like you all, too! So many of them in one place, but they don¡¯t fight me? Why?¡± Then it hovered in place, tilting its head left and right as though to mock them. ¡°The flesh of weaklings don¡¯t taste good, you know! Muscles not tight! Not enough energy! I didn¡¯t like the small ones, you know?¡± The moth rambled on and on, the ¡®translate¡¯ spell running out halfway through and returning it to its usual incoherent screeches, but it¡¯d already said everything it needed to say¡ªit wasn¡¯t half as intelligent-sounding as the katydid, but it was every bit as bloodthirsty, and it had friends to support it to boot. For Zora¡¯s part, though, he wasn¡¯t so much worried about the giant bugs laughing around them as he was apprehensive looking at Marcus¡¯ back; those broad, impossibly ripped shoulders of his were terrifically still and calm for a man who could always find an excuse to get himself worked up in a sweat. ¡°What¡¯s the moth talking about, skellyman?¡± Marcus whispered, lowering his head, and Zora¡¯s skin paled to the colour of fresh snow. ¡°My kids in 2-C¡­ they were with the two of you in the dorm, weren¡¯t they? ¡°...¡± ¡°They made it there, didn¡¯t they?¡± Zora stalled in silence. The weight he¡¯d been carrying in his chest for the past four hours came crashing down all at once, and¡­ he found there were no words in his repertoire of a thousand tongues that could properly convey what he should be saying to Marcus. Because Marcus wouldn¡¯t listen anyways. He was painfully simple like that. ¡°... I see,¡± he murmured, clenching his fist and cracking his neck left and right as he glared up at the moth. ¡°And you, up there. You said you wanted a ¡®fight¡¯, didn¡¯t you?¡± Neither humans nor bugs understood each other, but they didn¡¯t have to. Marcus kicked up a nearby chain and grabbed it with one hand, flicking his curly hair back as he began dragging the giant elevator it was connected to like a flail. On instinct and instinct alone, Zora grabbed Cecilia¡¯s hand, and both of them backed off slowly from the man whose crimson cloak seemed to burn in the haze. ¡°Mages? Spells? Wands?¡± he muttered, shaking his head irritably as he jerked his chain hard right¡ªripping the entire elevator off the ground as he did. ¡°Don¡¯t get complacent, bug. I don¡¯t need more than one arm to drag you down to my level.¡± Chapter 19 - Might According to Zora and Cecilia, twenty-four years of raw, unrelenting muscle development had turned Marcus into a monster of a man, but he didn¡¯t really see himself as anything more than a hack of a head fitness teacher. A real fitness teacher would¡¯ve climbed out of this pit with their bare hands a full day ago, and not have to rely on a scrawny language arts teacher and a dainty music teacher to assist him up an obstacle course he designed himself. So he¡¯d pay them back tenfold for the trouble and vent all his anger on the giant bugs surrounding them. Six giant beetles, two giant ants, and two more whatever-the-hell kind of bug led by an even bigger moth fluttering overhead¡ªwhat they were didn¡¯t matter. When he tightened the muscles in his left arm and pivoted, jerking the chain hard right, the cage-like elevator he tore from the ground shattered chitin and flesh alike. The feeling of strain was there, and the will, too. Screeches of surprise escaped half of the giant bugs¡¯ mouths as their skulls were crushed, carapaces were smashed, and sprays of yellow pus splattered across the bottom of the pit. The other half stopped advancing and took cautious steps back, but sharp deceleration would tear his muscles. He followed through with the first pivot, spinning an extra half-circle to whip the giant elevator at the other bugs as well, and there was nowhere for them to run. Nowhere for them to jump. Their reaction speed may be fast, but faced against a man who could swing an entire elevator like any normal flail, their senses were dull. Those he couldn¡¯t smash with the elevator were caught by the giant chain, limbs torn from their sockets and wings split in half. It took two swings to decimate the ten giant bugs who¡¯d jumped down after them, and with a third spin¡ªa ¡®buff¡¯ rippling across his chest¡ªhe whipped the chain up with incredible force, the elevator uppercutting the moth and cracking the underside of its abdomen. The moth barely managed to stay afloat as it shrieked with pain, fluttering back and clinging onto the walls of the pit. Blood and pus leaked out the crack in its abdomen and trickled down the wall, so he let go of the chain mid-swing and rushed forward, punching the wall with all his strength¡ªa ¡®toughen¡¯ strengthening his skin, his muscles, his bones. He screamed out with the punch, and it split the wall open, sending a thundering crack ten metres up to the moth. The bricks tumbled down. The moth lost its footing, slipping, and in a desperate attempt to regain flight, it flapped its wings to send a thick haze cloud down at them. His self-enhancing spells dispelled as the haze ran across his body, but the moment they emerged out the other side, two wands stabbed out next to his ears. ¡°Amplify!¡± ¡°Strike!¡± Zora and Cecilia slinged their spells in the space between moments and targeted the crack in the moth¡¯s abdomen, rattling its entire body and making it shriek once again. Its wings began vibrating to shed more scales, covering itself in the spell-dispelling haze, so Marcus just picked up the chain and swung it again; the elevator tearing huge chunks of stone from the wall as it cleaved towards the moth, forcing the bug to drop down and cover its abdomen with the ground. You¡¯re down to my level now, aren¡¯t you? Marcus lunged in as it pounced at him, ducking at the last moment so it soared over his head. In the same motion, he grabbed one of its hindlegs and cast ¡®buff¡¯ in an area. The spell only needed to last a moment for him to hold the moth in place, and for a moment longer until Zora and Cecilia jumped in with their strike-enhanced swords swinging¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t normally be able to jump five metres into the air, but he could ¡®buff¡¯ them, too, and their swords ripped through its two pairs of wings with ease. With its wings removed, the moth was helpless as he flung it to the other side of the pit, sending it slamming into the wall. ¡­ He held up his fist to stop Zora and Cecilia from jumping the bug, taking off his crimson cloak as he did. It was just slowing him down. ¡°... You wanted a fight, didn¡¯t you?¡± he said, kicking a lump of debris at the moth¡¯s head. ¡°You, me, right here, right now¡ªyou face a man of the far northern lands, where mountains are crushed in our fists and the ground rumbles beneath our steps.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying, and he wasn¡¯t exaggerating. Before he¡¯d been rescued by the Headmaster and brought to the academy as a young fourteen-year-old boy, he¡¯d been training as a soldier for the northern Hellfire Caldera Army¡­ and since he was torn from the north before he could complete his training, owing to a Swarm infestation that ravaged his entire homeland, he¡¯d felt he couldn¡¯t let up on his training even after he arrived at the academy. For what purpose could he have been saved if not to one day leave the academy and rejoin the war against the Swarm? So he¡¯d spent his first two years as a student in the academy with his heart closed. No teacher, faculty, or classmate could get him to speak more than five words a sentence. Back then, the only thing he did was run circles around the academy day after day until even exhaustion became terrified of him. He never attended a single class. No Magicicada Mage could catch up to him. He could already ignite himself in mind, body, and spirit; he¡¯d thought he was on track to becoming the strongest man in the academy within a year or two. Then, he¡¯d spent his last two years as a student with the walls around his heart slowly being chipped away by clever insults, harmonic music, and drugs. Zora and Julius had just arrived at the academy, and Cecilia had been transferred into his class. He couldn¡¯t even remember why they started hanging out, but somehow they did, and he¡¯d never felt weaker for it. He couldn¡¯t match Cecilia¡¯s dexterity when it came to music instruments. He couldn¡¯t match Julius¡¯ depravity and ingenuity when it came to brewing nigh-magical drugs out of insect venom. He couldn¡¯t just hit people he didn¡¯t like without getting disciplined by the Magicicada Mages, either, so he¡¯d spent many nights biting his blanket to sleep after Zora cut his pride apart in a thousand tongues; the strength he¡¯d had wasn¡¯t so invincible after all. He¡¯d spent the past six years as a fitness teacher realising he wasn¡¯t strong at all. His muscles couldn¡¯t stop a little girl from crying for her mother in the middle of the night. His stamina wasn¡¯t enough to keep up with all the boys trying to escape from the academy and return to their destroyed homes during his outdoor classes. His senses weren¡¯t keen enough to notice when some students just really, really couldn¡¯t finish the exercise sets he¡¯d made just for them, and it was by no means a failure in effort or struggle¡ªthere was more to being a fitness teacher than having a body large enough to carry ten children across his arms and shoulders. He wasn¡¯t like Cecilia, who could sing a tune to soothe a sorry soul, and he wasn¡¯t like Zora, who could speak in every child¡¯s native tongue to heal a homesick heart.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The only thing he had was strength. So if he couldn¡¯t help his students with his strength, he¡¯d give them the strength to help themselves¡ªand if even that wasn¡¯t enough for them to protect themselves, then, at the very least, he¡¯d gift their graves with the guts of a giant.
¡­ And Zora watched, eyes narrowed, as the fitness teacher pummelled the giant moth into the ground. It was the very definition of a ¡®one-sided battle¡¯, but Zora would rather call it ¡®bullying¡¯¡ªhe¡¯d certainly been on the end of Marcus¡¯ beatdowns many, many times during swordsmanship class, in which he''d get his sword wrangled from his hands and thrown onto the ground like a ragdoll. Their old fitness teacher would always yell at Marcus to stop grabbing wooden blades with his bare hands, because ¡®there was no way he could catch a real blade with his bare hands¡¯. ¡­ A reasonable argument, Mister Alberich, Zora thought, sheathing his sword as he did, but the men from the northern lands wear their convictions well, and to wit, there are very little problems in this war against the Swarm that cannot be solved by big men with big fists. For such a big man, Marcus moved with fluid and practised motions, slipping around the grounded moth while sending flurry of kicks, jabs, and hefty ¡®booms¡¯ its way. His smaller stature made him rather elusive as far as northern men went. He could slip under a leg swipe and catch the moth¡¯s other leg, lifting the bug into the air before slamming it down into the ground. The moth¡¯s chitin was still thick¡ªeven Zora felt the punches vibrating through the cushions¡ªbut a bleeding fist had never stopped the man. He could wring blood from his bones if he really wanted to. Cecilia didn¡¯t avert her eyes from the beatdown, and neither did Zora. For the music teacher, it was probably guilt that kept her from looking away¡ªguilt from keeping the truth about class 2-C from Marcus¡ªbut for him, it was half that and half academic curiosity that kept his ears perked. ¡­ He¡¯d been relying on his spells too much. At the end of the day, he didn¡¯t need any magic to parse the words of any rabble bug; the more he listened to the guttural qualities of the Swarm¡¯s voices, the more confident he felt about replicating them with his own human throat. After all, the more spells he cast, the dryer and raspier his voice naturally was¡ªso when Marcus eventually kicked the giant moth into the wall between him and Cecilia, making her flinch, he didn¡¯t shy away from the bruised and battered bug lying on its back. Its wings were severed; its legs were torn; one of its eyes had been punched out, and there were dozens of cracks and bleeding pores across its scaly body. Even if Julius were here, he doubted the moth would be able to survive the blood loss for longer than two, three minutes at most. So, while Marcus stomped slowly towards the upside-down bug from the other side of the pit, Zora knelt in front of its head with a cold, unempathetic smile. It wasn¡¯t like he wanted to give it a smile¡ªhe just felt he needed to bare his teeth if he wanted to replicate its voice. ¡°... Is this your tongue, bug?¡± he said, pausing between clicks of his tongue to mimic its punctuation. The moth¡¯s bloodshot eye immediately snapped up to look at him; it was no longer concerned about the approaching Marcus. ¡°You¡­ Speak? Our words?¡± it breathed, voice dulled by agony. ¡°How¡­ you¡­ learn¨C¡± ¡°I speak a thousand tongues. Adding one more tongue to the mix is hardly a cause worth celebrating, and yours is painfully primitive,¡± he said, tilting his head as he thumbed back at Marcus. ¡°He will kill you, and you will die. Before you do, tell me one thing¡ªwhat¡¯s hidden in this academy that Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, would deign to grace us with her presence?¡± The moth suddenly clammed up. There weren''t really any visible ¡®tells¡¯ apart from the way it tried to shirk its head inside its body, so before it could hide and run away from his steely gaze, he grabbed its head and forced it to look. His nails dug into its remaining eye, threatening to pop it with a grotesque squelch. ¡°You won¡¯t talk, huh?¡± he whispered. ¡°Ironic. The one who does not know cannot comprehend the thoughts of one who knows, but cannot say. If we could all just read each other''s minds, I''m sure the world would be a much gentler place¡­ alas, there was a need for one such as the Fabre Household. A family of translators and interpreters¡ªwere you there with Nona as well, ten long years ago?¡± It didn''t answer again, so he sighed, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°No matter. I see it''s pointless to interrogate you rank-and-file grunts for information on Nona," he sighed, said. ¡°I don''t know how she''s stopping you from spilling your guts, and I may not know what she¡¯s trying to find in this academy, but if your ¡®soul¡¯ will be returned to a hivemind or something of the sort, do tell your friends it¡¯d be best not to look down on all of us.¡± Then he titled his head back, glaring at the moth through its expressionless facade. ¡°One human with the resolve to live is equal to nine hundred and ninety-nine of you who only have an interest in a quick bite. In your next life¨C¡± Try eating your own friends for a change. He didn¡¯t manage to finish his sentence. Marcus reached the moth and stomped on its head, crushing it under his heel¡ªand then all was silent in the pit, like it¡¯d never been before. The moth hardly had the strength to let out a dying squeal, and even the gorey splatters of its head weren¡¯t as loud and disgusting as Zora had thought they¡¯d be. ¡°... You¡¯re whispering to bugs now, skellyman?¡± Marcus muttered, head low and chin tucked into his chest as he kept on stomping the moth¡¯s head; it was as dead as a carcass could ever be, but Zora didn¡¯t want to stop him, so Cecilia had to slowly step between the two of them just in case. ¡°I thought you needed that¡­ that ¡®translate¡¯ spell in order to make it sing? Where¡¯d you learn how to talk like that?¡± Zora shrugged, standing and looking at the crimson cloak the man had discarded by the middle of the pit. ¡°About three minutes ago. That was the fourth bug that has spoken to me face-to-face, though, and even you¡¯d be able to beat anyone in any sport after seeing them play for four good rounds.¡± ¡°Mm. That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Right? And Cecilia could probably master any instrument after hearing someone else play it four times as well, so¨C¡± Without a word, Marcus shoved him to the ground with a light push on his chest, but he was expecting something of the sort. Kind of. He landed on his ass with his arms slapping the cushion behind him, making a quick rebound¡ªand he could¡¯ve sprang back up in the same motion, but didn¡¯t. He sat there. Breathless. Motionless. He waited to see if Marcus would turn around and properly glower down at him¡ªas he deserved¡ªbut before that could happen, the three of them were distracted by someone shouting at the very top of the pit. Through the slowly dissipating haze, a single, glowing red thread was being lowered by the wall. ¡­ Zora wanted to sigh a breath of relief, but Marcus cut him to the chase. ¡°... You thought I couldn¡¯t take the truth, Zora?¡± Marcus asked, turning around to offer him a helping hand up. ¡°Am I really such a weak man in your eyes?¡± There was still a hint of anger in the man¡¯s sturdy and chiselled face, but¡­ not a part of it was directed at him. He could harbour a faint guess as to who and what Marcus¡¯ anger was really directed at¡ªlanguage transcended words nine times out of ten when it came to the man from the northern lands¡ªand yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept the man¡¯s hand so easily. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d done anything wrong by concealing the fate of 2-C, but¡­ ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Little Emilia was here, after all,¡± Marcus grumbled, grabbing his hand and pulling him up whether he wanted the help or not. Then the man gave him another hard slap on the back, a fist to the head, before putting him into a nasty headlock he couldn¡¯t even dream of squirming out of. ¡°Even if she knows the truth, there are things we can never tell our kids straight to their faces¡ªyou were trying to protect her, weren¡¯t you?¡± Zora shook his head as he tapped the man¡¯s arm, pleading for release. ¡°Not¡­ quite,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡­ owe you an apology, I suppose. You were much more¡­ hard-headed than I thought.¡± Marcus clicked his tongue irritably as he let go of Zora. ¡°Oh, and the skellyman¡¯s calling me weak. How iconic¨C¡± ¡°¨Cit¡¯s ¡®ironic¡¯¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re both getting supplementary fitness assignments after this is over.¡± Marcus sighed, shaking his head at the two of them as he walked towards Emilia¡¯s glowing thread. ¡°Seriously. Little Emilia¡¯s more fit than the two of you, and you¡¯re the ones with the systems. You¡¯re not planning on letting your kid do all the hard work, are you?¡± Then he gestured around the pit, and the two of them grimaced at the amount of giant bug carcasses they were going to have to lift out of here; including the giant moth, they had an easy supply of insect flesh for at least two or three days, so there was no way they were leaving anything they could bring back to the dorm. If they were going to run into more powerful bugs like the katydid and the ermine moth on their way to get Julius, they¡¯d have to push themselves to the point of puking insect flesh. Chapter 20 - Discipline It''s a far northern tradition to offer the head of one¡¯s murderer to the murdered¡¯s grave, but in this situation¡­ there¡¯s not enough heads to offer for so many children. Will the moth¡¯s legs suffice after all?
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡­
Zora ¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll let you win this time. lot
Strange. My kids are usually the first to slack off and line up for early meals. ¡­ Should I have been worried about letting her go by herself, after all? Chapter 21 - Hungerleid how was ¡­ I don¡¯t have to do anything. ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± her mama said, caressing her face as she choked and gagged, spitting out wads of hairy legs and wings. ¡°Focus. Breathe. Don¡¯t stay on all fours. Sit up straight and tilt your head up so you can swallow better.¡± She did as she was told. She swallowed all of the hairy legs and stuck her fingers down her mouth, peeling a few wings off the bottom of her tongue. Her mama clapped and patted her head for a job well-done, but when her hands moved up to tug on her collar unconsciously, trying to loosen the cold ring of metal so she could swallow better¨C Her mama screamed, kicking her chest and sending her tumbling down the stairs into the cellar. ¡°Dear!¡± her mama shrieked, raising a trembling finger and pointing down at her. ¡°She¡¯s losing it! She tried to kill me! She¡¯s trying to break out¨C¡± ¡°Hush, dear. You¡¯re going to scare her. Just let her sit there and wait for her next meal, okay?¡± her papa mumbled, looking frantically out the window of their freezing little cabin, nails scratching and digging into his own skin. ¡°They said the next parcel of those bugs was supposed to arrive two hours ago, but in this blizzard¡­ maybe it¡¯ll be another day or two before it arrives¨C¡± ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t come?¡± her mama asked, and she could tell even from the cellar; her mama¡¯s face had to be ¡®pale as snow¡¯. ¡°If they don¡¯t deliver the fresh moths¡­ then what will she eat? She¡¯ll starve, right? And if she starves, she¡¯ll go for¨C¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°She¡¯s still got those month-old moth husks down there, right?¡± her papa said, massaging her mama¡¯s shoulders as he peered down the stairs, scrunching his brows. ¡°She can eat those for a while. Just because they¡¯ve been dead for months and too small to eat back then doesn¡¯t mean they have zero nutrition. Push comes to shove, she can just eat that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll eat the moth husks if you get hungry, right?¡± her papa asked, smiling softly as he peered down at her. ¡°You won¡¯t knock on the cellar hatch and ask us for food, right?¡± She shook her head vehemently¡ªof course she wasn¡¯t going to ask for any ¡®human¡¯ food. She was just a human in name. She didn¡¯t even have the right number of arms. For some reason, though, her mama didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Lies!¡± her mama shrieked, jabbing an accusatory finger down at her. ¡°She won¡¯t eat the husks! She¡¯ll starve herself intentionally, and then when she works up an appetite¨C¡± ¡°Hush, dear. Why can¡¯t you trust our own daughter?¡± her papa murmured. ¡°She¡¯ll do it right in front of you, okay? She¡¯ll eat a husk for us.¡± Then he looked down at her, and she felt his gaze landing on a shrivelled husk of a moth half-buried in the dirt next to her. ¡°You¡¯ll calm your mama down, won¡¯t you, Emilia? You¡¯ll eat the moth in front of us to show you¡¯re a big girl who can control yourself, right?¡± Shivering, trembling, she ran her claws through the dirt and scooped up the dried, shrivelled moth husk. She dangled it over her open mouth¨C Bug bug TASTY. sooo ¡­ the human half Not enough! Again! Again! Again! Until! I¡¯m! Full¨C . All of you pantry? ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be here. Chapter 22 - Fabre Household ¡­ No. This isn''t a hand. What is this? Hungry. Tired. Cold. ¡­ But I¡¯m not hungry anymore. I won¡¯t¡­ be tempted¡­ by¡­ so plain Drawings? Is he drawing something? Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. you not very are The right thing... to do? Chapter 23 - Northwart Sharp at eight in the morning of the third day since the beginning of the Swarm infestation, Zora waved at Titus¡¯ friends as they closed the northern foyer gate behind him, shooting wary glances at Emilia as they did. All in total, there were four of them heading out on the expedition to retrieve class 2-D: Zora, Cecilia, Marcus, and Emilia. Cecilia had fought to make Marcus stay behind and watch over the kids, given his right arm was still broken and sitting in a makeshift sling, but the big man had said they¡¯d need a frontliner in case something went wrong¡ªand something was going to go wrong, no doubt about it. Where they were headed, there was certainly going to be giant bugs the likes of which they¡¯d never seen before, so having a brute who could carry them out of danger even without spells and magic would be of great help. With that said, Zora took a peek at his status screen; all of them had unlocked their other tier two mutation, ¡®Acute Tympana¡¯, so their hearing and overall perception had been increased by two levels to be exact.
[T2 Mutation Unlocked: Acute Tympana] [Brief Description: You have developed thin and membranous tympana inside your earlobes. Your overall perception level has increased, and your sense of hearing specifically is now three times your perception level] [Perception: 2 ¡ú 4]
[Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 600/600 (100%] [Points: 3] [Strength: 6, Speed: 5, Toughness: 6, Dexterity: 3, Perception: 4] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal] [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] [T3 Mutations | Diurnal Colouration | Hyaline Wings | Segmented Setae] 150P
Regardless, the four of them had to check. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked, waving his status screen away and glancing at the other three. Marcus was tightening the straps on his arm sling, Cecilia was readjusting the additional instruments she was wearing on her back, and Emilia was looking nervously back at the gate as though she could pierce it with her moth senses; he had no doubt she could actually ¡®see¡¯ what was going on inside the dorm. Her senses were just growing sharper and keener like that. She still wasn¡¯t very good at hiding her emotions, though, so he rubbed her head before holding out his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll get to apologise to Titus tonight,¡± he whispered, and Emilia chewed her lips as she took his hand gingerly; Cecilia and Marcus stiffened as they pretended like they couldn¡¯t overhear their conversation. ¡°He¡¯s still feeling a bit dizzy. A bit of blood loss can do that, so give him a bit more time, okay? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡± Emilia¡¯s head shot up to look at him directly, though both her milky human eye and red moth eye were still faintly bleary as she nodded. He knew it must be agonising to have to wait to apologise, but the reality was, class 2-A needed time to recover from the shock of last night, and there was no way he was going to let Emilia stay back during this expedition. The invisible clock was still ticking down. She had eight days left as a human, and with each day that passed by, the more uncontrollable her bug tendencies would become¡ªhe¡¯d have her stick with him every hour of every day from now on. And if I want an antidote to cure, or at least halt her mutations from taking over, I¡¯ll need that physician here with me. After all was said and done, the four of them set off from the dorm and began treading up the steep, zigzaggy stairs to the northern research building. Unlike the rest of the buildings to the west, east, southwest, and southeast of the star-shaped academy¡ªall connected to the dorm in the centre by relatively level bridges¡ªthe northern building was a towering structure larger than the rest of the academy buildings combined and multiplied by two. It was the castle of the castle; the dorm and the school buildings Zora and Cecilia and Marcus taught in were but tiny annexes built around the northern building, and so it was a hundred metres tall, spiralling spires piercing the sky and the iron-tipped roofs glistening faintly in the sunlight. The walls were dark and massive blocks of stone, gargantuan gargoyles sat perched on every corner, and a series of steep, arching bridges connected the various towers and spires splitting off from the main structure. Zora looked out the windows every time they passed one by, narrowing his eyes at the northern building. He wasn¡¯t one to visit it very regularly, but based on what little he¡¯d heard from his colleagues and the cleaning faculty, it was a research building where the Magicicada Mages built all sorts of complicated machinery in an attempt to recreate the magicicada system classes¡­ as well as to develop the medicines required to make someone fit for inheriting the systems. Evidently, the fact that he, Cecilia, and Marcus had survived the system integration meant they had figured out how to bolster the academy orphans¡¯ immune systems enough to create a new generation of Magicicada Mages, but they mustn¡¯t have been very sure if they¡¯d actually succeeded or not; it wasn¡¯t until three nights ago, when the dome was shattered, that the old mage took a huge risk by forcing him to inherit a magicicada system. If they¡¯d known the orphans they¡¯d raised into adults were all capable of inheriting the magicicada systems, he was sure he, Cecilia, Marcus, and the rest of their colleagues would all have been turned into mages years ago¡ªbut now there were only three of them orphan-turned-adults remaining, and even if Zora were to find a mages¡¯ corpse before ripping the magicicada system class out of their neck, he was quite sure none of the kids in 2-A or 2-B would have immune systems strong enough to survive the system integration. Give or take a few more years, the mages would¡¯ve definitely felt confident enough to bring forth a new generation.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. If only the Swarm hadn¡¯t attacked. They must¡¯ve been on the cusp of running actual experiments on letting some of us teachers inherit their systems. Whatever the case, the four of them weren¡¯t exactly heading ¡®straight¡¯ to the northern research building. Since the northern building was so large and the front gate was thirty metres above the dorm, the Magicicada Mages couldn¡¯t exactly build one steep bridge connecting the dorm to the front gate. It¡¯d be too dangerous for the kids. Instead, they¡¯d built a zigzaggy series of stairs that¡¯d slowly bring them thirty metres up, and at the end of the stairs, there¡¯d be an indoor garden everyone would have to go through before entering the northern building. The four of them wouldn¡¯t be going inside the northern building. Julius and his botanical garden was right outside the northern front gate, so Zora prayed to the Great Makers he and class 2-D were stuck in the garden, and not somewhere inside the gargantuan northern building instead. ¡°... These stairs¡­ are going to be¡­ the end of me,¡± he grumbled, huffing and puffing as Emilia skipped a little bit ahead of him. It was just her and Marcus who were treading steadily up the stairs; he and Cecilia were lagging behind a little, and at least Cecilia had the excuse of carrying several instruments on her back. ¡°Couldn¡¯t the mages¡­ with all their power¡­ construct a zipline elevator or something of the sort to ferry people back and forth from the northern building?¡± Marcus snorted and cast ¡®buff¡¯ on the two of them, allowing Zora to instantly stand up straight. ¡°You¡¯re attending my classes after this. Both of you. Seriously, you guys are so synthetic¨C¡± ¡°You mean ¡®pathetic¡¯. And shut up,¡± Zora mumbled. ¡°Monster teacher.¡± ¡°Monster muscleman,¡± Cecilia added. ¡°Also, we have systems now. We can just eat insect flesh and increase our attributes to infinity. Exercise is kinda¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re both attending. Now shut it,¡± Marcus said, shaking his head in dismay. ¡°What¡¯s up with this lame tier two mutation, anyways? I hear other classes have really wicked early-tier mutations, but all we get is the ability to speak a little louder and hear a little better?¡± ¡°Wicked early-tier mutations?¡± Cecilia shrugged to relieve the tension in her shoulders, grimacing as she did. ¡°Like what? And what do you know about other classes, anyways? I thought you didn¡¯t pay attention to any outside news like me.¡± ¡°I do sometimes,¡± Marcus grumbled back, glancing out the windows on their left as they turned another corner; it¡¯d just be a few more minutes until they reached the top of the stairs, so for the time being, there was nothing for them to look at but the vast and splendid view of the snow-capped mountains outside the academy, stretching as far as their eyes could see. ¡°Actually, wasn¡¯t it just last year that news of that battle over those mountains reached us? The academy¡¯s pretty close to the site¡ªlike, a two week¡¯s walk away¡ªso do any of you know what happened in the aftermath?¡± Cecilia frowned. ¡°What battle?¡± ¡°The Attini Empire sent a Forward Army into those mountains to get rid of a Swarm infestation, but the Swarm and the entire army was decimated by some kid with a strange class,¡± Marcus said. ¡°Word is, the kid didn¡¯t even unlock up to his tier four mutations before he managed to demolish the entire army of three thousand ant-class soldiers, so if ¡®better hearing¡¯ is what we get for our tier two mutation, that¡¯s kinda sad.¡± Zora whistled, smiling mischievously at Marcus. ¡°I am genuinely surprised you caught wind of that. I¡¯d pegged you for a frog in a well like Cecilia.¡± Marcus harrumphed, sneering back at him. ¡°And I am a teacher. Gotta look for stories to motivate my kids to work harder and not slack off in class.¡± Cecilia was looking between the two of them, scowling mightily, so Zora chuckled and turned to her. ¡°It was a pretty big deal last year,¡± he explained. ¡°A fourteen-year-old child soldier defected from the army after obtaining a ¡®worm¡¯ class, and then he wiped out both the Swarm and the army for some reason. Last any news of him reached the academy, he was moving south towards the Attini Empire, and the empire has since labelled him some sort of warlord trying to incite a civil war¡ªthe ''Worm Mage'' has since been labelled an enemy of the empire, basically. It¡¯s quite the wild story, but it is one without an ending, so I¡¯m still following it closely.¡± Cecilia opened her mouth to pepper them with more questions¡ªmost likely, she was going to say ¡®a worm isn¡¯t an insect¡¯ like his many colleagues had said after he told them the same story¡ªbut it was Emilia who spoke first, looking up at the three of them as they walked in a triangle around her. ¡°You guys¡­ um, always talk about ¡®Fronts¡¯ and ¡®Swarm¡¯ and¡­ stuff,¡± she said, hesitating for a moment before looking back at Zora. ¡°How big¡­ is the world¡­ out there?¡± Zora answered with an uncertain smile. ¡°It¡¯s big. Not as big as it used to be for humans, though¡ªour world is called ¡®Brightburrow¡¯, and while there used to be five giant continents where humanity was spread out across, we¡¯ve since been pushed back to this last continent in the centre of the world. The Swarm¡ªthe invading giant bugs we¡¯ve been fighting for the past sixty-one years¡ªhave completely taken over the rest of the continents.¡± Emilia squeezed his hand tighter, looking slightly crestfallen. ¡°Are we¡­ losing?¡± ¡°... Well, the sea-facing borders of this continent are all defended by the Six Swarmsteel Fronts¡ªthe fiercest battlefields between humanity and the bulk of the Swarm¡ªand only a small fraction of the Swarm are able to slip past the borders to attack the cities and towns inside the continent,¡± he said, choosing his words carefully; there was no point in making a child worry about something she couldn¡¯t control. ¡°When giant bugs do manage to slip past the borders and enter the continent, we call it an ¡®Infestation¡¯, like what¡¯s happening to Amadeus Academy right now. The horde of bugs attacking us are just a tiny, miniscule force compared to what the Six Swarmsteel Fronts face on a daily basis; there are quintillions of Giant-Class bugs battering against those six borders every single day, but we¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t we?¡± The slightest of smiles curled Emilia¡¯s lips. ¡°The humans in those Six¡­ Swarm-Steel¡­ Fronts must be strong, then!¡± ¡°Certainly. In the far south, there¡¯s the Attini Empire Front, and they mainly have ant-class soldiers fighting armies of giant ants.¡± He returned a small smile, patting her head softly. ¡°In the southwest, there¡¯s the Deepwater Legion Front, where they mainly fight aquatic bugs with crustacean classes. In the northwest, there¡¯s also the Plagueplain Front, where they fight venomous bugs with venom-type classes, and then¡­ the northern Hellfire Caldera Front, where light-based bugs are fought with fire-type classes. In the northeastern Rampaging Hinterland Front, the humans pilot giant armoured suits made out of giant beetle parts to fight colossal winter bugs, and then in the southeastern Mori Masif Front, it¡¯s all flight-based classes. Amadeus Academy is located in an independent region somewhere between those last two fronts.¡± Then he paused, his smile widening as he started tickling her scalp. ¡°This will be on the next test, so make sure you remember all their names, okay?¡± As Emilia gasped and started counting her fingers, muttering under her breath, Zora smirked at Cecilia and Marcus stealing glances back at him. The two of them whirled away to continue looking forward, but he¡¯d already caught them looking; there was no going back. ¡°Neither of you two knew anything about what I just said as well, huh?¡± he teased, turning his head to chuckle at them with his hand covering his mouth. ¡°A disgrace to all teachers. If you are blind to your limits on knowledge, how could you ever hope to overcome them? Are you both only teachers of your chosen subjects? You¡¯re attending my classes after this. Both of you. Seriously, you guys are so¨C¡± The rest of the trip up to the top of the stairs, Emilia led the way while the three of them beat each other up over petty squabbles and schoolyard insults. They didn¡¯t have much to worry about making a ruckus¡ªlike their trip to the eastern fitness buildings, they didn¡¯t come across a single giant bug carcass, nor did they spot any flying bugs outside the windows¡ªbut once they actually reached the top of the stairs and were faced with a giant set of double doors, they had to be quiet. As usual, the giant steel doors were bolted shut, and this time, they didn¡¯t even bother knocking on them. ¡°... Behind me, Emilia,¡± Zora whispered, taking out his wand. ¡°If Julius is inside, he¡¯d be at his observatory lab thingy,¡± Marcus said, rotating his left arm. ¡°And since the garden¡¯s massive, there¡¯s definitely a few giant bugs running around the woods,¡± Cecilia muttered, making her instruments hover with a ¡®rise¡¯. ¡°The moment we bust the doors open, we have to get ready to fight. If there¡¯s nothing waiting for us, we sneak our way to the greenhouse. If there are weak bugs, we wipe the floor with them. If we can¡¯t beat the bugs that are waiting for us, we bolt for the greenhouse.¡± Zora and Marcus nodded their agreement, and with Emilia standing behind all three of them, they ¡®struck¡¯ the doors at once and tore the heavy steel slabs down with a deafening thud. Considering the ¡®buffs¡¯ on Zora and Cecilia¡¯s body had run out quite some time ago, Marcus¡¯ punch probably contributed the most in that attack, but the three of them stepped into the garden at the exact same time, wands and fists poised to strike. ¡­ Sparrows chirped. Water trickled gently down river streams. Early morning sunlight refracted through the giant glass walls and ceilings. And the gargantuan botanical garden was as lively as ever, as though they¡¯d stepped foot into a different world altogether. ¡­ Alright. What are we dealing with this time? Chapter 24 - Botanical Garden As Zora stepped into the vast indoor botanical garden and cast ¡®silence¡¯ on all their shoes, a wave of warm, fragrant air enveloped him. Bright and resplendent sunlight fell onto the garden through the distant glass walls and ceiling. As the ¡®bridge¡¯ between the northern building and the rest of the academy, the garden was at least ten times as large as any auditorium hall, and the mages had spared no effort making it look as pretty as possible: alien trees with shimmering silver bark rose from small, rolling hills, their thick canopies glowing faintly with golden veins. Waterfalls tumbled into crystal-clear rivers by the faraway walls. Flower blooms of various shades of deep rosewood and blue irises brought a fresh, vibrant look to the garden, and at some point, Zora had to ask¡ªwhat part of this was a ¡®garden¡¯ instead of a full-blown artificial forest a mad physician had decided to build in the middle of the academy? A garden implied there¡¯d be a path winding through the flora, taking them around the garden so they could actually do garden-related activities, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of a cobbled road anywhere in front of them. Zora couldn¡¯t even see the greenhouse that was supposed to be a giant building in the middle of the garden; that was just how thick the trees and vines and blooms were. At least the birds and critters are making a real good time out of it, he thought, scowling as flocks of starlings chirped by overhead, accompanied by muted tree frog croaks, lizard clicks, and a bunch more background noises he couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of. It¡¯s almost like the garden isn¡¯t even aware the rest of the academy is getting overrun outside. There was an actual, non-zero percent chance Julius had no idea what was going on outside, and he was just extending his biological science class to an extreme degree. That¡¯d be the worst case scenario. If, at any point, he led his class 2-D outside and came face to face with a giant bug¡­ ¡­ But somehow, Zora wasn¡¯t too worried about that happening. After performing a cursory scan of the clearing in front of them, Marcus nodded at them to start wading straight through the thicket. The greenhouse should be dead centre in the middle of the garden, but Zora wasn¡¯t entirely sure. Despite the lush greenery around him, there was an unsettling quality to the artificial forest that always made the hair on the back of his neck prickle. Walking hand in hand with Emilia, he eyed the towering silver-barked trees, glared at the giant twisted and knotted roots, and twitched an eye every time an opalescent fish jumped from the rivers to make a tiny splash¡ªhe¡¯d never actually visited or explored the garden since Julius had it renovated a year ago, so he was letting Marcus and Cecilia lead the way. For her part, Emilia had never been in the garden, either. Her fingers trembled with excitement as her antennae swirled in circles, her ears perking and nose sniffing around. ¡°Mister Zora! Look! That one!¡± she whispered, jumping and pointing at an eight-pointed iridescent flower dangling from an overhead vine. ¡°Can I touch it? It looks¡­ soft! Pretty!¡± Before he could even open his mouth, her small feet skipped a few steps ahead of him, dragging him towards a glowing patch of mushrooms nestled by the trunk of a silver-barked tree. She crouched, still gripping his hand as her other hands stretched out inquisitively. ¡°Mister Zora! These ones look soft, too! Can I touch? Can I eat?¡± Marcus and Cecilia glanced back at the two of them while he let Emilia play around a little, allowing her to tug him around pulsing fruits, web-like vines, and even to one of the cold river streams where she dipped her hand in the freezing water¡ªshe squealed and giggled at that one, her every movement full with unfiltered delight. Zora did his best to guide her along the path to the greenhouse, but they were inevitably taking the slower, less-walked path, and¡­ he wasn¡¯t so sure that was an entirely bad thing. He¡¯d already cast ¡®silence¡¯ on all their shoes, so she wasn¡¯t making that much noise. Besides, it¡¯d do none of them any good if she was tensed-up; she¡¯d be more prone to not listen to them if she were constantly unnerved. ¡°... Hasn¡¯t she been here even once the past two weeks, skellyman?¡± Marcus mumbled several metres in front, but Zora heard the man loud and clear with his Acute Tympana. ¡°She¡¯s playing like she¡¯s never seen a flower before. Have you been locking her inside her room after her afternoon classes all this time?¡± Zora smiled weakly as Emilia whirled and laughed, trying to get him to look at a dangling star-shaped fruit. ¡°It¡¯s a working theory, but since eating bugs without a system gradually turns humans into frenzied insects, the Headmaster said putting her in a floral environment where an insect would feel at home might¡­ hasten the takeover. Weaken her humanity,¡± he whispered back, shaking his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve not let her attend Julius¡¯ classes the past two weeks, and I¡¯ve kept her away from any sort of flowers or trees she could possibly climb onto. Until we know the exact type of moth she ate so Julius can brew an antidote, I don¡¯t want her engaging the insect side of herself.¡± Cecilia furrowed her brows, scratching her neck as she hacked through another wall of vines to clear the path. ¡°So you still haven¡¯t figured out what kind of moth she is? I¡¯ve heard a bit from grand¡­ from the Headmaster that she only has a month or so left as a human. That was two weeks ago, right? How long¨C¡± ¡°Counting today, seven days.¡± Both Marcus and Cecilia glanced back at Emilia, their faces scrunched with silent, anxious worry. ¡°I will be honest with you, muscleman,¡± Zora muttered, nudging Emilia along as she picked a particularly pretty star-shaped flower from the ground, ¡°I considered looking for Julius first instead of you, because if nothing else, Julius is the only man in the academy who can possibly brew an antidote for Emilia.¡± Marcus narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why¡¯d the two of you go for me, then?¡± ¡°Because you were closer,¡± Zora said plainly, quietly, ¡°and because class 2-C is bigger than class 2-D, so¨C¡± Then the muscleman stopped and slapped him on the back, making him stumble forward a few steps. Emilia didn¡¯t even seem to notice the commotion. She was still skipping and humming along, looking around the vibrant garden with ¡®awe¡¯ written all over her face. ¡°... Fucking idiot,¡± Marcus grumbled, putting Zora into a painful headlock as the muscleman scrubbed his hair. ¡°Next time, if you have to choose between your kid and mine, choose your kid. Class 2-C is mine to deal with. Like I needed your help with that haze moth or whatever the fuck that thing was.¡± Zora groaned and tried waving Cecilia over for assistance, but the music teacher simply sighed and took Emilia¡¯s hand, talking to the little girl about flowers and mushrooms in a world of their own while Marcus continued scrubbing his hair.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡­ He thought about blasting the big man away with a spell, but he neither felt like wasting his physical stamina nor his mental energy over a decision he¡¯d already made. The fact was, Marcus was here with them right now, and he was glad Emilia had a meatshield to hide behind¡ªhe didn¡¯t regret not going after Julius first. Besides, if he¡¯d come to this garden yesterday without Marcus in tow, he felt something very, very bad would¡¯ve happened. ¡°You hear it, don¡¯t you?¡± he mumbled, as all three of them teachers lifted their heads and looked to their left; past the thicket, through the canopy, and into the shadows of the artificial forest, there was something stepping on branches, crunching on fallen leaves. It was quite a fair distance away¡ªtwenty metres or so¡ªbut they all heard it moving loud and clear. ¡°Does that sound like a human to you, muscleman?¡± ¡°Hell no. What¡¯s it sound to you, Cecilia?¡± ¡°Not a human,¡± Cecilia breathed, pressing a finger to Emilia¡¯s lips to shush the little girl as well. They all looked warily at the shadow in the distance, but they¡¯d been relatively quiet this entire time; it shouldn¡¯t notice them when they¡¯re this far away. ¡°Just keep going. The lab¡¯s not that far off. If Julius is there, he can barricade us in while we¨C¡± The crunching noise turned into a sharp whistle, and it was only Emilia¡¯s tingling antennae that gave it away. Marcus let go of Zora and dashed forward at the same time, slapping the two spear-like antennae that flew at Cecilia¡¯s head at the speed of a blink. Zora flinched as the two segmented antennae slammed into two silver trees, before curling around the bark like wrapping ropes around a stick, and then¡ªthe antennae tensed up, slingshotting whatever was standing twenty metres away over their heads. Zora blinked, catching what seemed like the shadow of a human soaring over them for the briefest of moments, and then the sharp whistle came again¡ªit released its two antennae from the trees and whipped them in, slicing off Marcus¡¯ left arm and Cecilia¡¯s left ear in one swift motion. By the time it landed ten metres to their right, Marcus and Cecilia had already crumpled to the wet earth, groaning in pain. ¡°... Barrier!¡± he shouted, whipping his wand forward just as the two antennae darted at his face. The antennae bounced off the wall of rippling waves, and the human-like shadow standing in the distance tilted its head curiously. It didn¡¯t immediately attack again, instead choosing to hover its antennae a few metres away from his barrier as it studied his wand¡ªso he ¡®struck¡¯ the ground between them as hard as he could while Emilia picked up both the fallen teachers and the severed appendages, kicking up a wave of wet soil that splattered everywhere. By the time the antennae cleaved through the soil, the two of them were already bolting straight for the greenhouse, vaulting over bushes and ducking under vines. ¡°Rustle!¡± he snapped, letting the spell explode around him in an area, and a fall of silver leaves obscured the bug¡¯s vision as Emilia glanced worriedly behind her; he clicked his tongue and pointed at the giant greenhouse sitting in the middle of a small clearing in front of them, beckoning her to go ahead. ¡°Get Miss Sarius and Mister Evander into the lab first! Don¡¯t look behind you! Get Mister Tadius to help them!¡± Emilia looked at him with quivering lips¡ªand she certainly looked funny herself, a little girl with inhuman strength carrying two grown adults with four bony arms¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t about to hear ¡®no¡¯ for an answer now. There was no doubt about it: the way Marcus and Cecilia were groaning and turning incredibly pale by the second, the antennae were laced with venom or something of the sort. The severed appendages weren¡¯t the worst of their injuries. They needed venom treatment now, and only Julius could help them. So, while Emilia continued to sprint full-speed ahead, he whirled and cast another ¡®block¡¯ to deflect the stabbing antennae just in time. One of them bounced into a nearby tree, ripping through the bark, but the other was barely deterred. He hissed as he threw himself to the right, the antenna missing his earlobe by inches. Skidding to a halt right at the edge of the clearing, he backed towards the greenhouse slowly while keeping his wand poised in front of him. He couldn¡¯t see the bug quite clearly, but the fact that it was human-sized, walking on two legs, and swinging its four arms as it meandered forward with a human gait told him everything he needed to know about it. ¡­ A Mutant-Class. A bug that has eaten enough humans to learn how to emulate human behaviour. His mind scrambled for ideas on how to get out of this situation, but his thoughts were interrupted as the Mutant suddenly screeched in the distance, and the forest rumbled in response. If his blood wasn¡¯t frozen enough already, it sure was rock solid now. That¡¯s a brood summoning call. Mutant-Classes are like the generals of the Swarm. No matter what any Critter-Class or Giant-Class bug in the vicinity is doing, they¡¯ll all obey the Mutant-Class the moment it calls for them, no questions asked. Is there even a way for me to beat a Mutant-Class right now? He backed into a shallow river running around the greenhouse in a wide circle, chewing his lips. He could hear them coming now: a dozen, two dozen, maybe even three dozen giant bugs crashing through the forest on all sides, converging on the clearing he was in. So they really were just lurking around here, huh? He would''ve preferred if they were all coming from the direction of the slowly-approaching Mutant¡ªhe could''ve tried making a gigantic ¡®barrier wall¡¯ to keep them all at bay¡ªbut they wouldn''t be the Swarm if they weren''t hard to pin down. Maybe I can do something with the river and the water? If I ¡®gather¡¯ all the water and send it flying straight at the Mutant-Class, maybe I can¡­ ¡­ He scowled, glancing down at the shallow river he just backed across. The ¡®water¡¯ was dark, muddy, and clung to his heels like oil¡ªbecause it was oil, and he heard a dozen burning arrows volleying over his head from behind. He saw only the Mutant¡¯s armoured beetle head as it slingshotted itself forward, but the flame-tipped arrows stabbed into the river of oil right before it could reach him, turning the river into a wall of poisonous green flames that roared into existence. The heat made him reel and stumble back with a hiss, but so did the Mutant and the dozens of giant beetles that charged into the clearing; the smoky fumes rose towards the ceiling like a physical barrier around the greenhouse. Through the wall of fire, the Mutant-Class beetle clad in oil-black chitin glared at him, and its black compound eyes on the sides of its head blinked slowly once before it backed off into the forest. It dragged its twenty-metre-long antennae along the ground, and while the other giant bugs seemed to want to try jumping through the fire, another screech from the Mutant made all of them shudder. They were its soldiers, it was their general; they¡¯d rather regain control over the rest of the garden than to brute-force their way through the flames. ¡­ And no words could describe how relieved he was as he whirled around, seeing the kids of class 2-D waving at him from the greenhouse¡¯s front gate. Emilia stood amongst them looking confused and dumbfounded, and he couldn¡¯t blame her for it; they were all armed to the teeth with makeshift bows, glaives, and knives, and a few of them were still holding flame-tipped arrows as they gulped at the retreating horde of bugs. Quickly, he sprinted into the greenhouse with Emilia and the injured teachers in tow, class 2-D immediately pulling the double gates close behind them. The wall of flames didn¡¯t look like it¡¯d extinguish anytime soon, and the children looked like they¡¯d done this a few times before, so he allowed himself to run past all of them and nudge Emilia into the heart of the greenhouse. 2-D could probably handle the locking of the gates by themselves. More importantly, he¡¯s alive. He¡¯s here. Much to his relief once again, the moment he barged into the centre of the greenhouse with Emilia¡ªyet another dome-shaped room with multi-coloured flowers blooming on vines across the glass walls¡ªwas the moment he spotted the scrawny, skeleton-looking man in a lab coat twice his size, standing behind the second floor railings with binoculars fitted over his eyes. The man was looking out at the artificial forest near the top of the dome, and it wasn¡¯t until he confirmed the bugs were leaving them alone that he tossed the binoculars away, whirling down to blink at Zora. ¡­ But before Zora could jab a finger at the injured Marcus and Cecilia, the man started screaming, the railings as he jabbed a wand back at Emilia. ¡°Mutant!¡± Julius shrieked, a sound wave swirling around the tip of his wand. ¡°Kids! Help! Get that thing out of here!¡± Chapter 25 - Crystalblood Julius Much like the faculty staffroom, the centre of the greenhouse was yet another dome-like room where the walls were glass and lined with circular steel ribs. Sunlight trickled in between the gaps of vines growing everywhere Zora looked; some shimmered like polished gemstones, others were translucent, and some were cluttered with clusters of alien flowers, emitting sweetly sick fragrances that filled the air. Zora recognised some of them as ¡®healing¡¯ flowers that promoted recovery, which was all good and well¡ªthe greenhouse also doubled as the academy¡¯s infirmary, so dozens of beds were arranged in a neat square in the centre of the room, capable of nursing an entire class of kids at once. He¡¯d never been here before, but he¡¯d heard from his colleagues about how terrible it was to be laying on a bed and suddenly having flowers falling onto their faces in the middle of night. Only one man could have the wicked idea to combine a greenhouse, a study, and an infirmary into a single room¡­ and that man was currently standing behind the railings on the second floor study, aiming a wand down at Emilia. For his part, Zora didn¡¯t hesitate. He whipped out a double ¡®strike¡¯ combo¡ªknocking the wand out of Julius¡¯ hand and knocking Julius off his feet¡ªto interrupt the ¡®get out¡¯ spell before it could even finish casting. The unfortunate result was Julius landing hard on his back with a pained oof, but Zora had no remorse against someone who¡¯d try to throw Emilia out of any room, even if it was one of his oldest friends and colleagues in the academy. ¡°... Get up, Mister Tadius,¡± he grumbled, stomping up the stairs to the second floor study to grab the scrawny man by his oversized collar, and then throwing him onto the spinning chair next to the study desk; Emilia followed, immediately rushing forward to lay Marcus and Cecilia down on the bed next to the desk the moment she spotted it. ¡°What unseemly behaviour for a teacher of the academy. This is Emilia, my newest transfer student. Surely the Headmaster has told you about her and her unique¡­ condition?¡± Julius spun around on the chair, pushing up his glasses and cracking his bruised back as he squinted at Emilia. ¡°Oh,¡± Julius mumbled, face reddening as he struggled to stop his chair from spinning; Zora had to stomp on the wheels to get him to look at the little girl properly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ oh, so you¡¯re the moth girl I¡¯ve been hearing so much about. I¡¯m terribly¡­ oh, god.¡± He immediately averted his eyes and buried his face in his hands, curling into a ball with his legs pulled up into his chest. ¡°Forget about the¡­ shriek. Damnitttt. What unseemly behaviour indeed. Why, Zora, you should¡¯ve just told me first thing if she were a student of yours¨C¡± Zora clicked his tongue, whacking the top of Julius¡¯ head and spinning the man around until they were all facing Marcus and Cecilia. ¡°Shut it, Mister Tadius. They need your help. Their¨C¡± ¡°My god!¡± Julius shrieked again, reeling away from Marcus¡¯ stump of a right arm and Cecilia¡¯s bloody left ear as the two teachers groaned on the cramped bed. ¡°Z-Zora! Look! They¡¯re missing an arm and¡­ well, not a leg, but Cecilia¡¯s missing her right¡­ no, left ear! What do we¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re the physician,¡± Zora snapped, snatching the severed arm and ear from Emilia before shoving them into Julius¡¯ lap. ¡°Fix them. Help them. Now.¡± Julius¡¯ face paled to the colour of fresh snow, but as the rest of class 2-D began filing into the giant dome, he managed to inhale deeply and roll his chair over to the side of the bed. ¡°What could even get muscleman so messed up like this?¡± he muttered, slipping his hands into his lab coat pockets and pulling them out with white gloves on. ¡°His left arm¡¯s in a sling, too. And Cecilia¡¯s looking¡­ um¡­ well, relatively speaking, she¡¯s pretty healthy. What¡¯d you guys run into outside?¡± ¡°A Mutant-Class,¡± Zora said, sitting at the foot of the bed to roll the half-conscious Marcus further in towards the wall. The bed was just large enough to fit the both of them, but Cecilia was on the verge of rolling off the side for how big Marcus was. ¡°Two legs, four arms, two twenty-metre-long antennae. It cut their arm and ear off with its antennae, and I¡¯m not physician, but they certainly look like they have venom coursing through their veins¨C¡± ¡°Longhorn beetle,¡± Julius replied immediately, nodding slowly, absentmindedly as he leaned over the two groaning teachers and peered down at their bloody wounds. ¡°The albitarsis longhorn beetle, to be exact. It¡¯s also known as the ¡®scorpion beetle¡¯ in the far west. As far as we know, it¡¯s the only venomous longhorn beetle that stings with its antennae in the entire world. Its antennae are connected to a venomous gland in its head that¨C¡± ¡°Spare me the lecture, man. Can you get an antidote and stitch their arm and ear back on again?¡± Julius¡¯ head shot up to look directly at Zora, stalling in silence before answering. ¡°... N-No problem,¡± he mumbled, shooting Zora a trembling thumbs-up as he raised his wand. ¡°I got¡­ this thing now. Watch this.¡± Then he poked his wand into Marcus¡¯ bloody stump, making the muscleman wince and writhe. ¡°If it¡¯s a scorpion beetle, then its venom¡­ shares similar chemical structural motifs as insect defensins. A family of inducible antimicrobial peptides. Albitarsis venom has seventy amino acid residues, and provided it can only be secreted via an ultra sensitive tactile instrument¡­¡± The pale man trailed off, rambling a hundred words under his breath, and Emilia hid behind Zora as she tugged on his cloak. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ the weird man talking about?¡± she whispered, peeking over his shoulder anxiously. ¡°Will Miss Cecilia and Mister Marcus be alright? Aren¡¯t they losing a lot of¡­ blood?¡± Zora patted her head, glancing over the railings to frown at class 2-D resting on the infirmary beds below. ¡°Not to worry. They¡¯ll be just alright. You see, Mister Tadius is¨C¡± ¡°Venom analysis complete. Beginning extraction from bleeding lacerations,¡± Julius breathed, voice lowering, his emerald eyes flaring bright green, ¡°and commencing rapid reconnection of severed appendages.¡± Emilia shirked behind him as a gust of wind exploded from Julius¡¯ spell, but Zora watched, eyes wide, as the man pointed his wand at the groaning teachers¡ªand then two thin streams of pale, sickly green liquid floated out from their open wounds. The venom. Before Zora could even blink in surprise, Julius pressed the severed arm and ear onto where they should be, and with his wand gritted in his teeth, the second spell fired out at the two teachers. Biologically, it shouldn¡¯t be possible. Magically, Julius probably didn¡¯t even know how to open his status screen, but the spell was cast regardless¡ªdrying blood evaporated, the tiny, bloody gaps between the severed appendages knitted closed, and the broken bones and joints mended themselves.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Marcus and Cecilia may have been breathing heavily and sweating bricks just moments earlier, but now they were sleeping soundly on the creaking bed, colour beginning to return to their skin. ¡°... A-Aight. They¡¯ve¡­ lost a lot of blood, but if I give them a few specialised healing elixirs, they should wake up as their normal, healthy selves in about twelve hours, give or take.¡± And ¡®Crystalblood¡¯ Julius spun around on his chair, shooting Zora and Emilia another nervous thumbs-up. Emilia looked between the two of them, jaw agape, and Zora already knew the questions she wanted to ask¡ªhe¡¯d answer her in a moment, but right now, there was only one thing he wanted to know about the academy¡¯s one and only physician. ¡°So you¡¯ve obtained a magicicada system class, too,¡± he said, staring pointedly at the wand in Julius¡¯ hand. ¡°One of the mages was¡­ visiting my garden when the dome shattered,¡± Julius answered hesitantly, immediately pocketing his wand as he stared back at Zora¡¯s. ¡°That man¡­ died¡­ protecting us. And he wanted me to have his system. I couldn¡¯t very well¡­ refuse, could I?¡± Zora was about to press him about the details, but Emilia couldn¡¯t hold in her curiosity anymore. She peeked out from behind him again, and Julius reeled away with a terrified yelp as she leaned forward, pointing at the hidden wand. ¡°How did you do that, Mister Weird Man?¡± she asked, looking straight up at Julius. ¡°H¡­ How¡¯d I do what?¡± Julius stammered back. ¡°Your spell!¡± she said, jabbing three index fingers at the wand in his pocket. ¡°I thought Mister Zora said only magic spells that you can imagine yourself doing can be cast, but you just cast something like ¡®heal¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ huh? So what about it?¡± ¡°How? Isn¡¯t that ¡®magic¡¯ magic?¡± Julius gulped and averted her eyes, looking at Zora instead with pleading eyes¡ªso Zora sighed and patted Emilia¡¯s head again, pulling her gently back so she¡¯d stopped giving Julius a fright for his life. The academy¡¯s one and only physician was more terrified of bugs than anyone else, after all. ¡°... Like you, Mister Tadius has quite the unique biology as well,¡± Zora said, smiling softly as Emilia listened to him tentatively. ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a strange man, so I¡¯d already guessed his spells would be a bit strange, too. But there¡¯s no need to worry. Miss Sarius and Mister Evander will wake up just fine, won¡¯t they?¡± Zora directed that last part at Julius, who nodded fervently and gave Emilia a small, awkward smile¡ªanything to get her attention off him, Zora supposed. He was quite the shy man. Without warning, though, a discordant chorus of faint, muted screeches exploded outside the greenhouse, and Julius immediately shrieked. He kicked his chair back over to his study desk, pulled out a blanket from a drawer, and draped it over himself as he remained curled up in a shivering mess of a ball. Emilia was very much about to frown when three of the 2-D kids trudged up the stairs behind them, sighing in exasperation. Two of them walked past Zora to hug Julius, doing their best to comfort their frightened homeroom teacher with encouraging words, while the last kid¡ªa little girl about Emilia¡¯s age wearing a beautiful flower crown¡ªstopped right in front of Zora with her arms diligently folded behind her back. 2-D¡¯s class monitor, Tara. ¡°Sorry, Mister Fabre,¡± she said, bowing deeply. ¡°The bugs have been screeching outside all the time the past two days, but that¡¯s all they really do. They can¡¯t jump over the poisonous wall of fire or anything, and the fire lasts for twelve hours once it starts burning, so we can easily refill the oil from Julius¡¯ hidden stash of experimental poisons. We¡¯re safe as long as we¡¯re in here.¡± Zora dipped his head gratefully, and Tara took that as an ¡®okay¡¯ sign to skip over to Julius, smacking him over the head and peeling back his blanket. The three kids and their homeroom teacher immediately began squabbling¡ªJulius cried and complained about the giant bugs screeching outside, while Tara shouted at him to just stick some earplugs in if he¡¯s afraid¡ªand all that was to say, Emilia looked very confused as she turned to frown at Zora again. ¡°Mister Julius is weird,¡± she said pointedly, tugging on his sleeve as she sat next to him on the foot of the bed. ¡°Why are his students comforting¡­ him?¡± Zora snorted. ¡°Right? You¡¯re more mature than him, and he¡¯s turning twenty this year.¡± Emilia giggled, and while Marcus and Cecilia snored away behind them, he rapid-explained everything that¡¯d happened thus far to Julius. The physician was still playing tug-of-war with his students to get his blanket back, but as he listened and gradually grasped the reality of the situation outside the garden, his grip loosened, and Tara was able to rip his blanket from him. While the three kids celebrated their victory and danced around with the blanket behind his chair, Julius¡¯ eyes hardened and softened on Marcus¡¯ sleeping face. ¡°Everyone in 2-C is¡­ dead?¡± he whispered, and Zora shivered for the briefest of moments as his eyes glowed emerald; he noticed Zora¡¯s reaction and immediately blinked, reeling himself in. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I thought the mages would have it handled like they always do with everything else. You mean there¡¯s a¡­ there¡¯s a Lesser Insect God walking around the place?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Zora nodded solemnly, glancing out the top of the greenhouse. ¡°And you? I assume you and class 2-D have been stuck here ever since the dome shattered?¡± ¡°R-Right. Lots of them¡­ giant bugs, I mean¡­ just crashed through the walls of the garden and started chewing up my flowers,¡± Julius stammered, biting and cracking his nails as his eyes flitted over to his blanket. Zora and Emilia had already gotten used to it, but he still flinched every time a giant bug screeched outside the greenhouse. ¡°There were lots of them, so I thought¡­ it¡¯d be no good to try to get all my kids down to the dorm. We barricaded ourselves in the greenhouse, dumped lots of oil into the surrounding river, and whenever a bug approached us, we lit up the river to stave it off. Ever since, I felt it¡¯d be¡­ too dangerous¡­ if we tried to run, so we were hoping someone would come save us.¡± Zora figured, and Tara had said as much. Judging by how quickly the kids of class 2-D sprinted out to help him and Emilia, they¡¯d lit up the river quite a fair few times; apart from the Mutant patrolling the forest outside, though, there was probably another reason why Julius and class 2-D hadn¡¯t attempted to escape to the dorm below. And, unlike him, Tara wasn¡¯t so accommodating to her homeroom teacher. ¡°Also, Julius is so scared of the bugs that his legs turn to jelly the moment he tries to step outside with us,¡± she added casually, grinning at Zora as he looked to her for confirmation. ¡°We really, really have to leave by tonight, though. We¡¯re running out of poison oil and food. Some of the younger kids down there are also sick of eating flowers for two days straight, so¡­¡± She didn¡¯t exactly have to finish her sentence, and she couldn¡¯t. Julius started yelling at her to stop talking about him like the scaredy-cat he really was, so while he did that, Zora peered over the railings again to count heads¡ªall sixteen children of class 2-D were accounted for, which was a massive relief off his shoulders. He¡¯d no idea if he could take class 2-D¡¯s deaths in stride, like he had with class 2-C. ¡°... Alright, alright. Lay off the bullying on Mister Tadius for a second, girls,¡± he said, pressing his wand to his lips and breathing a ¡®silence¡¯ spell onto it. ¡°The four of us came here right on time. We weren¡¯t planning on staying here overnight, anyways, so even if there¡¯s a horde of giant bugs led by a Mutant-Class outside¡ªand Miss Sarius and Mister Evander are incapacitated¡ªthere¡¯s still a lot we can do to get out of here with our numbers.¡± With a flick of his wrist, he whipped the ¡®silence¡¯ up onto the centre of the dome, letting the spell diffuse downwards and around the room. Outside noises were already faint and muffled to begin with, but with the spell layered under the glass, nothing went through; Julius shivering slowed the moment the screeches died down. The kids of class 2-D snapped their heads up to stare at his outstretched wand, and he took that as his opportunity to address all of them by the railings. ¡°Gather around, everyone,¡± he said, standing up and waving everyone closer. ¡°While Miss Sarius, Mister Evander, and Mister Tadius are recovering, I¡¯ll teach you all a few magic words to help us get out of this garden without fighting any of the giant bugs.¡± Chapter 26 - Kameraden It took Zora a few hours to teach the girls on the second-floor study how to enunciate the ¡®magic words¡¯ properly, so it was around noon that he let them run down the infirmary beds, teaching the other kids how to say the words in turn¡ªafter all, the best and most relaxing form of teaching was one where he didn¡¯t have to lift a single finger, and he could always use a bit of relaxing. While Zora peeked over the railings to see the kids studying diligently, Julius struggled to work the portable stove he¡¯d placed onto his study desk, his delicate fingers shaking too much to light a match properly. Emilia immediately figured out what he was trying to do and hopped over to help him¡ªevidently excited to bring ¡®fire¡¯ into existence¡ªbut she ended up lighting the gas stove and placing a small pot onto the stove, essentially doing all the hard work for the physician now rummaging inside his messy drawers for ingredients to cook with. ¡°... What are you looking for, Mister Weird Man?¡± Emilia asked, staring up at Julius with her arms clasped behind her back. He shuddered and reeled away a little, giving her a nervous laugh as he pulled out a small drawstring pouch from the drawers. ¡°Just some¡­ herbal ingredients, yes, yes,¡± he mumbled, making awkward gestures as though trying to get Emilia to back away from the stove a little; she was too enamoured with the heat from the little orange flame, though, so Zora had to sigh and walk over, pulling her gently back for Julius to do his thing. ¡°Marcus and Cecilia will wake up feeling like crap, so I¡¯m combining¡­ four pinches of elderblossom petals, two chunks of brightbane mushrooms, and then a spoonful of mashed moonroot bulbs and nettle pods to make a medicinal soup. If I feed them the soup now, they¡¯ll be able to walk in¡­ I dunno, twelve hours? Yes, yes. They¡¯ll be feeling superhuman tomorrow morning.¡± Zora frowned. He was about to comment on the terribly strange smell coming from the bag of herbs when Julius looked at him with shifty eyes, shaking the herbs into the heating pot. ¡°You two can drink it¡­ as well,¡± Julius continued, reaching into the drawers for a second bag of herbs. ¡°It doesn''t just relieve fatigue and promote blood recovery. Zora. You''ve been eating too much bug meat for points, r-right?¡± He emptied the second bag into the pot as well, and Emilia gagged as a cloud of pungent aroma exploded off the water. ¡°This soup will¡­ uh, it¡¯ll help with digestion. So you can eat more and get more points. I¡¯m also tossing in some¡­ goldroot ginseng flakes. They¡¯ll keep you from getting poisoned by the longhorn beetle if you get cut by its antennae.¡± ¡­ On second thought, Zora decided to keep quiet and just let the scrawny man brew his medicine. There was a whole world of difference between Julius when he was teaching and Julius when he was holed up in his second-floor study, allowed to cook up pills and drugs the likes of which even the well-travelled academy mages had never seen before¡ªletting him do his own thing, undisturbed, was the best way for him to help them out now. Of course, Emilia didn¡¯t get the memo. While Zora sat back down on the foot of the bed, glancing back at the snoring fitness and music teacher, she continued swerving around Julius and his stove; Zora had no idea if the soup smelled different to her, because he didn¡¯t even want to be within a hundred strides of that pot of death. ¡°Are you very smart, Mister Weird Man?¡± Emilia asked, tapping at her chin as she stood on her tiptoes, trying to peek into the bubbling pot so she could feel the heat on her face. ¡°Is this soup going to be that good?¡± Julius couldn¡¯t resist a scoff, covering his reddening cheeks with the back of his hand. ¡°O-Of course! I¡¯m the physician of the academy! Everyone comes to me when they¡¯re sick, and I always kick them out within the day because my medicines are just that good¨C¡± ¡°They certainly don¡¯t taste half as good as they look, and even then, they don¡¯t look that good to begin with,¡± Zora muttered, frowning as Marcus and Cecilia started grumbling in their sleep; they were steadily regaining consciousness. ¡°Move to Julius, bowls. The soup¡¯s done, right? Start filling them. Preferably, we don¡¯t wait until nightfall to leave¡ªthe bugs are probably more active at night than they are during the day.¡± He didn¡¯t use his wand, but instead spoke in the general direction of the stack of bowls sitting next to the stove. It was an experiment, really, and one he got the idea from after hearing Julius try to cast ¡®get out¡¯ earlier¡ªthe result was readily apparent. His spell passed through Emilia, Julius, and everything on the study desk except for the stack of bowls, at which point the spell dragged it closer towards Julius, making the man yelp and jump at the sudden movement. So the spells really can be simple phrases, too, he mused, as Emilia picked up a ladle and started filling the bowls with Julius¡¯ help. Then again, Marcus had already proved it with his ¡®boom¡¯¡ªintent and visualisation matters when it comes to casting spells. So, if I could imagine myself creating fire with my bare hands, then I could probably cast ¡®fire¡¯ directly. But ¡®Fire¡¯ would be something akin to a ¡®real'' magic spell. Ordinary humans couldn¡¯t just envision themselves creating fire with their bare hands, so it was unlikely he could ever cast a spell like that. He''d no idea how to rewire his brain to think he could. If he had mutations that allowed him to create fire, though, it¡¯d be a completely different story altogether¡ªwhether or not he could cast ''real'' magic spells depended entirely on how his mutations would biologically transform his body. In the same way that Julius could cast ¡®extract venom¡¯ and ¡®heal¡¯ because of his unique background and biology, if Zora¡¯s body had something unique as well, he could probably cast a few ''real'' magic spells. Funnily enough, Julius is the closest of all four of us to being able to cast ''real'' magic spells. Even though my ''silence'' is... quite unusual as well. Zora accepted two bowls of sloshing, greenish-reddish soup from Emilia and held them to the rousing teachers¡¯ lips, making sure Cecilia drank hers properly before slamming the other bowl into Marcus¡¯ face. The pungent herbal taste made Cecilia cough, and the heat of the soup splashing onto his face made Marcus jolt upright, his fist swinging instinctively at Julius¡¯ spine to knock the scrawny man down onto the bed.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. While Zora continued helping Cecilia drink her soup as she slowly sat upright on the headboard, Marcus began clobbering Julius at the foot of the bed, not allowing the physician to defend himself by saying ¡®it wasn¡¯t me¡¯. Of course, Zora had already hidden Marcus¡¯ empty bowl under the bed, so he whistled and winked at Emilia as Cecilia sputtered and coughed through the rest of her bowl. ¡°... You¡¯re all¡­ very good friends,¡± Emilia murmured, standing by the railings as she squirmed in place. ¡°Mister Marcus can just¡­ hit Mister Weird Man like that, and Mister Weird Man isn¡¯t trying to kill Mister Marcus in response.¡± Zora chuckled, though he tried not to shake his hand too much lest more steaming-hot soup dribbled down Cecilia¡¯s chin. ¡°Well, of course. Once upon a time, just like you, we were students of Amadeus Academy.¡± Then he glanced back at the drowsy Cecilia, who was nodding absentmindedly and slurring her words as she sipped her soup. ¡°Miss Sarius was the first one who talked to me when I first came here, and then I met Mister Evander and Mister Tadius because they were her friends. I¡¯ll have you know that Mister Evander has been loud since the day he was born. He always used to bully me and Mister Tadius because we were physically weak, so in a sense, me and Mister Tadius are partners in suffering¨C¡± Marcus swung a half-hearted backfist at Zora¡¯s head, still keeping the squirming and shouting Julius in a headlock. ¡°I did nooooo such thing,¡± Marcus slurred, eyelids fluttering open and close. ¡°And if I did, it was because you and¡­ Crystalblood¡­ were easy to bully. You¡¯re weak. Both of you. All three of you. You all¡­ need exercise.¡± ¡°Z-Zora,¡± Julius wheezed, tapping Marcus¡¯ muscled arms frantically, ¡°help me, man. I can¡¯t¡­ breathe¨C¡± ¡°Just apologise to him for spilling the soup all over his face,¡± Zora said, sticking his tongue at Julius as he winked at Emilia again. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s already grateful you reattached his arm and extracted the venom from him. He¡¯ll forgive you if you apologise.¡± ¡°O-Okay. Muscleman. I¡¯m sorry¨C¡± Cecilia kicked Julius on the top of his head, making the scrawny man yelp again. ¡°Don¡¯t apologise, you dolt,¡± she murmured drunkenly, head cocking to the side as she jabbed an accusatory finger at Zora. ¡°It was¡­ you. You¡¯re the culprit. I saw you dunk Marcus with the bowl.¡± For the briefest of moments, Zora saw Marcus¡¯ other arm reaching for his head, and he could do nothing about it but scowl at Cecilia. ¡°I carried¡­ well, I covered Emilia as she carried both of you into this greenhouse, and this is how you repay me?¡± he wheezed, struggling to get out of the headlock alongside Julius as Marcus seemed ready to doze off again; the newly awoken had yet to fully recover, so they were probably going to fall back asleep in a bit. ¡°I thought we were friends, Miss Sarius. How could you betray me? But please help me out here. Please.¡± Perhaps it was better if the injured continued resting and the not-injured checked on the kids below, but for the first time in three days, it was like a nail had been yanked out of Zora¡¯s chest. That the four of them, in this disaster, could still be messing around was a testament to their fortune¡ªand now they had to get back to the dorm so class 2-D could regroup with their friends in the other classes as well. What they¡¯d do afterwards wasn¡¯t important right now, and Emilia certainly didn¡¯t seem to care; she sat down cross-legged, back against the railings, and smiled wistfully at all of them. Marcus was half-asleep, Cecilia was basically asleep, and Julius and Zora were still stuck in the muscleman¡¯s headlock, but they all noticed her yearning expression nonetheless¡­ so for his part, Julius immediately cast ¡®strike¡¯ on Marcus¡¯ torso and squirmed out of his headlock, patting himself down from head to toe. Everyone went quiet. Zora had half a mind to tell the scrawny man off, but before he knew it, Julius walked right in front of Emilia, stopped, and crouched so they could meet each other eye-to-eye. Emilia gulped and immediately looked elsewhere¡ªadamant on trying to hide her most apparent moth mutations from Julius. ¡°... Mister Zora says you¡¯re the only one in the academy who can stop me from turning into a moth,¡± she whispered, a sliver of unease creeping into her voice; she was pushing her words forward though it hurt her to do so. ¡°But you can¡¯t¡­ take my wings and claws and antennae from me, right? You can only stop me from getting any worse, right?¡± Zora pursed his lips. He reached for the back of Julius¡¯ collar, ready to pull him back if he said anything out of line¨C ¡°Will I¡­ spend the rest of my life¡­ as a monster?¡± she asked, her voice tight with fear and anxiety as she looked up at Julius. ¡°Can I really¡­ make any friends¡­ like the four of you¨C¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Both Zora and Marcus¡¯ hands were about to yank on Julius¡¯ collar when he replied, soft and steady. His firm answer certainly took Emilia off-guard for a second, her eyes wide and blinking straight at him¡ªbut then she shook her head and pouted, face puffing in a way that made her look like a marshmallow. ¡°You lie, Mister Weird Man,¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡­ looked at me and screamed at me. Because of my¡­ wings. And arms. You¡¯re just like everyone else. You¡¯re scared of me. You think I¡¯ll go mad and¡­ and eat you¨C¡± ¡°O-Of course I¡¯m scared,¡± Julius stuttered, scratching the back of his head quite awkwardly as he did. ¡°But that has nothing to do with the fact that you¡­ are strong.¡± He tilted his head back at Marcus and Cecilia, a small, quivering smile tugging on the corner of his lips. ¡°You carried them in by yourself. You can talk¡­ by yourself. You learned how to speak our tongue within two weeks. I know you haven¡¯t been to my classes before, but I hear¡­ that you¡¯re super curious in Zora¡¯s classes. Aren¡¯t you actually a whole lot stronger¡­ than me?¡± Then he thumped his chest, doing his best to look as dignified and teacher-like as possible. ¡°If even someone like me¡­ has people like Zora and Cecilia and muscleman looking out for me, then strong people like you will definitely be able to make friends,¡± he finished, gulping aloud and holding out a shaky, trembling hand. ¡°In fact, since I assume you¡¯ll be coming to my classes after this, why don¡¯t we be¡­ friends? I¡¯m Mister Tadius. I teach things about¡­ plants and human bodies and even bug bodies and stuff. I think my classes are pretty fun.¡± A moment of awkward silence passed as Emilia stared down at his gloved hand, her eyes blank and still as a pond''s surface on a windless night¡ªand then a cheeky grin crawled over her face, all four hands grabbing onto Julius¡¯ to shake it up and down. ¡­ Marcus and Cecilia are still down, Zora thought, clenching his jaw as he watched Julius and Emilia shake hands; Emilia was very much the one in control. They won¡¯t be able to recover and walk by themselves until late tonight at the earliest, but we have to get out of the greenhouse before the wall of poisonous flames extinguishes in¡­ a few hours? That Mutant will be the biggest of our troubles, huh? It wasn¡¯t going to be easy getting back to the dorm, and it had never been easy¡ªbut Zora wondered, as he stared at Julius¡¯ back, whether or not there was a way they could actually take down the Mutant along the way. ¡°... Julius,¡± he said, catching the man¡¯s attention as he glanced at the study desk. ¡°Six years ago, during Mister Evander¡¯s graduation ceremony. Remember how we reverse-swept him out from under his feet for the first and only time in our lives while he tried to wrap us in a big group hug?¡± ¡°Uh-huh?¡± ¡°Do you think ¡®Operation Backstab¡¯ will work on the Mutant?¡± Julius¡¯ face blanched. ¡°I¡¯m not doing ¡®Operation Backstab¡¯ on the Mutant.¡± ¡°But do you think it¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°M-Maybe?¡± ¡°Then get your drugs ready,¡± Zora said plainly, pointing at the glowing syringes pulsing faintly green in the open drawers of the study desk. ¡°If we run into the Mutant, we¡¯re doing ¡®Operation Backstab¡¯ again.¡± Chapter 27 - Operation Backstab The sun was about set on the botanical garden once more when Zora and Julius led all sixteen children of class 2-D out of the greenhouse, each of them carrying a satchel filled to the brim with herbal flowers and plants they could use as medicine back in the dorm. Last to exit was Emilia, who was effortlessly lifting Marcus and Cecilia¡¯s sleeping bags with two arms each. Marcus alone was large enough to provide shade for her entire body, and the fact that she wasn¡¯t just wobbling around despite the obviously imbalanced weight distribution made Zora feel like ¡®striking¡¯ the two teachers awake. Alas, the two of them had fallen into a deep slumber a few hours ago, and Julius had said they wouldn¡¯t wake up until well into the night; even still, the rest of them couldn¡¯t wait around the greenhouse for that long. It was still burning, and the poisonous fumes still hung thickly in the air, but even Zora could tell the giant wall of flames surrounding the greenhouse was about to extinguish. There wasn¡¯t much oil left in the river. About five minutes left. After that, there¡¯s no stopping that Mutant-Class and its horde of giant bugs from collapsing on the greenhouse all at once. Save for Julius, all of them covered their mouths with thick rags as they approached the wall of flames, facing south in the direction of the dorm. Thank the Great Makers the poisonous fumes blew outwards naturally, diffusing far and wide across the artificial forest so the giant bugs couldn¡¯t just wait for them right outside the wall of flames¡ªthere was no doubt the bugs were still as close by as they could possibly be, but given it was a short three-hundred-metre run to the door, Zora believed he could at least get all the children out of the garden. If he and Julius just stayed behind to distract the bugs, surely they wouldn¡¯t all be caught. He didn¡¯t want to stay behind, of course, and Julius was currently quivering in his boots as he chewed on his nails, standing at the very front of class 2-D. Zora was at the very back with Emilia right next to him¡ªhe needed to make sure nobody would get left behind as they made a break for the door¡ªso if everything went well, they¡¯d all be back in time for dinner in the dorm with class 2-A and 2-B. ¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but he had to try nevertheless. With a firm, resolute nod, Zora raised his wand and struck the river in front of the group, breaking and opening up a section in the wall of flames; that was Julius and class 2-D¡¯s cue to go. Four, eight, twelve, sixteen children dashed across the river and began following Julius¡¯ lead, sprinting into the forest with their short, clumsy legs. Julius himself reached into his pockets and smashed two vials of earth-scented liquids at their feet, camouflaging their scent as best as he could. While Zora waited for all of them to file out of the clearing, he looked down at Emilia and gave her a small, reassuring smile. ¡°The moth that looks back meets the flame,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do you know what this expression means, Emilia?¡± She gave him a cute, knowing look, and he couldn¡¯t resist another smile; she knew exactly what the expression meant. ¡°Go,¡± he said, kicking the back of her heel softly. ¡°Get Miss Sarius and Mister Evander back to the dorm. Don¡¯t stop for anything, and I¡¯ll give you another piece of bloodberry candy after this.¡± Her eyes widened. She¡¯d already devoured half a dozen pieces of bloodberry candy during the afternoon¡ªJulius was the one who designed the candies to smell like human flesh, after all, so she¡¯d crawled around his study desk until she found his hidden stash¡ªbut evidently, her insect instincts were becoming stronger and stronger. It used to be that one piece of candy could satiate her hunger for the entire day, but now, he wasn¡¯t even sure if he and Julius would have enough to last her the rest of the week. Once the infestation was over and Julius could return to his study, he could resume cooking up a new batch of bloodberry candies for her. Without another word, Emilia sprinted ahead with the two sleeping bags containing Marcus and Cecilia in a solid log-like position. It looked ridiculous for a ten-year-old girl to be running as fast as the other kids with two logs on her shoulders, but her strength simply wasn¡¯t human. Now, he must become superhuman for the rest of his students as well. ¡°... Strike!¡± Reaching into his hollow abdomen, clenching his throat, he raised his wand and ¡®struck¡¯ the steel-reinforced ceiling, shattering an entire section of glass with a deafening crack. That was the second signal, and the artificial forest screeched to life as a rain of shrapnel fell onto the canopy; the garden rumbled as the giant bugs stormed towards his location. At least I¡¯m strong enough to consistently sling my spells thirty metres away now. He ran fewer than ten steps into the forest by the time he heard sets of giant bugs collapsing on him from the east, from the west¡ªmostly from the west. His heart thumped down into his gut, but the children were still in front of him and the silver trees were grown high and close together. He struck all of them with a few ¡®rustles¡¯, felling whole canopies to add to the noise of the chase. The giant bugs were loud, and they just couldn¡¯t shut the hell up. ¡°Circle around them and get in front!¡± one of the giant bugs bellowed to his left, a battering ram charging through the forest. ¡°They¡¯re heading for the northern door! Stop them!¡± shouted another group of smaller bugs, skipping and hopping on the branches overhead. ¡°The big ones are magicians! Kill them first!¡± screamed another giant bug, this one¡¯s voice getting farther and farther away as Zora continued running. ¡­ And one of those commands wasn¡¯t like the others. Zora grinned as he listened to the giant bugs charging away from them, each of them fanning out in a completely different direction, none in sync. His strategy was working. The children of class 2-D were rather spread-out, and all of them were shouting the ¡®magic words¡¯ he¡¯d taught them earlier, rattling their throats and screaming their guts out and repeating the exact same lines over and over¡ªonly, they were speaking in the tongue of the bugs, and he¡¯d already known the rabble giant bugs weren¡¯t particularly smart individuals. It also helped that Julius was scattering pheromone vials left and right every twenty metres or so, confusing the giant bugs even more. Despite his timid nature, his mind for all things related to bugs and biology was the real deal; he¡¯d spent the entire afternoon brewing pheromone vials that matched the giant bugs¡¯ scents based on memory alone. Sure, he may be lagging behind now, and his kids may all have overtaken him already¡ªthey were only a hundred metres away from the southern door¡ªbut Zora gave him a pat on his back as they met up at the back of the group, both of them haggard and already well out of breath. ¡°We really¡­ need¡­ to exercise a bit,¡± Zora panted, hopping over a small fallen log as he did. ¡°Alternatively, we could just¡­ increase our toughness and speed and strength¡­ but muscleman won¡¯t appreciate us taking the easy way out, would he?¡± Julius was sweating bricks, his oversized lab coat probably slowing him down by a non-insignificant amount, but he managed to shoot Zora a nasty scowl back. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ wanna! This is just¡­ a one-time thing! I¡¯m not built for this!¡± ¡°At least we can¡¯t¡­ let our kids outrun us, can we?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The two of them snapped their heads forward, watching four, eight, twelve, seventeen children and two sleeping teachers break into the clearing at the southernmost end of the garden. Nothing burst out the forest to intercept them. It was a straight path to the still-open southern door, and at this rate, the two of them were going to be a whole thirty metres behind their own students by the time even Emilia charged through the door. So Zora gave Julius a knowing nod, and Julius gave him a weak, shaky one back. ¡°E-Exercise after this,¡± Julius agreed. ¡°No muscleman¡­ though. We do it by ourselves.¡± ¡°With Cecilia, too,¡± Zora added. ¡°Then, all three of us can gang up on muscleman whenever he tries to bully one of us.¡± ¡°That¡­ I can get behind¨C¡± A gust of wind whistled through the forest behind them, and only Zora heard it coming. He made the split-second decision to cast ¡®block¡¯ only on himself, deflecting one of the antennae with a sharp twang. The other antenna speared into Julius¡¯ back, right out through his chest, and lifted him several metres up into the air. Zora didn¡¯t blink. Well. If you really didn¡¯t want to do ¡®Operation Backstab¡¯, then you should¡¯ve dodged that. Apologies nevertheless, Crystalblood. Blood gurgled from Julius¡¯ lips as he tried to speak, but Zora did him a favour by ¡®striking¡¯ him in the head, snapping his neck and sending him flying back towards the Mutant. The children ducking through the door whirled one by one. Emilia also turned to see what¡¯d happened. What was happening was the Mutant longhorn beetle trudging slowly out of the forest, retracting both its serpentine antennae as it stared at the lifeless Julius laying on the ground next to it. Zora¡¯s throat tightened. The Mutant was human only in form, without any of the facial expressions of common gestures that¡¯d indicate surprise or confusion of any sort, so he couldn¡¯t really tell what it was thinking. Its lidless, bulbous eyes were unmoving. Its four arms were folded behind its back, and though it was easily three metres tall and clad in smooth black chitin from antennae to claws, it didn¡¯t exactly give off the impression of a feral, famished giant bug. It was a Mutant, after all¡ªa bug that¡¯d devoured so many humans that it¡¯d become something like a human, but not quite. ¡°...¡± And, unlike the other giant bugs, it didn¡¯t even bother pulling its mandibles apart to speak. Its Swarmblood Aura was powerful; its killing pressure was powerful. It knew he was shivering slightly. So it only screeched once¡ªcalling the other giant bugs to its location¡ªand with an underhanded whip, it sent its antennae flying at him. Twenty metres away. Zora heard the muscles tensing with loud snaps before he saw the actual attack coming, so he ¡®struck¡¯ both antennae away before taking a step back, clenching his jaw. He needed to put all his strength into his voice just to deflect its attacks. ¡°Emilia! Class 2-D! Ignore us and run down to the dorm!¡± he shouted, the air cracking once more as the antennae whipped at him from the left, from the right, top, down, and straight forward; he ¡®struck¡¯ and ¡®blocked¡¯ most of them just in time, skidding back with every successful defence. ¡°You all know Titus, right? He should be up and watching the gate already! Tell him three things only class 2-D knows, and he¡¯ll let you¨C¡± He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when it struck with both antennae at the same time, coming from opposite directions like scissor blades trying to decapitate him¡ªhe ducked and avoided getting his head lopped off with a hiss, but he had to throw himself back as the antennae stabbed down, cleaving along the ground as he scrambled onto his feet. Looking back was unnecessary; he could hear the children of class 2-D screaming and shouting for Julius to get up, unwilling to leave the garden without him, but Zora just really, really needed them to leave. So, without looking, he reached into his pocket and tossed a piece of bloodberry candy through the door. Come on, Emilia. Lead them away. You promised you¡¯d get Cecilia and Marcus down to the dorm, didn¡¯t you? The Mutant advanced slowly, unhurried but intent, but its antennae swiped and cleaved at him harder than ever before. His wand shook and rippled as he blocked with spells, sometimes by turning it into a sword, continuing to back up against the door¡ªand thankfully, Emilia stopped standing around with the rest of class 2-D. He heard her shoving the other kids through the door, out of the garden, and he heard a faint little ¡®come back, Mister Zora¡¯ before their footsteps clattered down the stairs. Still taking heavy blows, Zora¡¯s heart burned with energy. Good girl. On the next antennae swing at his torso, he sucked in a sharp breath, ¡®blocked¡¯ the attack, and then immediately countered with a direct ¡®strike¡¯ at the Mutant¡¯s torso. It stopped walking for a second to withdraw one of its antennae, slapping his spell away without even really looking at it. The rising dread of anticipation began to pitter-patter in his chest; it looked so calm and composed he could hardly believe it¡¯d once been a giant bug like the others he¡¯d fought so far, but now he understood the pattern of their exchanges. It would strike with one antenna, and he would ¡®block¡¯ with his wand. He would ¡®strike¡¯ with his wand, and it would defend with its other antennae. They both preferred fighting at range as well, so it was all terrifically simple exchanges. The Mutant wasn¡¯t charging into walls like the short-winged butterfly, it wasn¡¯t dashing around like the katydid, and it wasn¡¯t shrouding itself in any dispelling haze like the ermine moth¡ªthis was a battle of pure attrition and power, and on that note, the Mutant was twice as big as he was with inhuman speed and strength to boot. Even Marcus wouldn¡¯t be able to outpunch this Mutant with brute power alone. So he steadied his feet beneath him, counting down from one minute in his head. Sixty seconds. He kept the pressure on as he kept backtracking. Julius had already shown simple phrases could function as spells, so he started adding ¡®swerve¡¯ in front of his ¡®strikes¡¯ to make them curve mid-air, like throwing a stick of chalk around a corner to hit a running kid. If he flicked his wand left, his spell would fly left initially before curving hard right, hitting the Mutant in the side of its head. His ¡®swerving strikes¡¯ did little damage, of course; they only landed twice and annoyed the Mutant before it adapted to his multi-directional attacks, its antennae moving at double speed to intercept all of his spells. He''d have to hit it fifty more times before he could do any actual damage. Forty-five seconds. As the Mutant continued closing the twenty-metre gap, he reached into his pockets and smashed a dozen vials of poison in front of him, letting the glowing liquids seep into the earth. He ¡®struck¡¯ the earth a moment later, sending the poison clumps flying at its body. The Mutant couldn¡¯t deflect all of the clumps, so inevitably, some of them splattered onto its chitin and made loud hissing noises¡ªfor once, his attacks seemed to have some effect. The Mutant growled and unfurled two of its arms from its back, scraping the poison clumps off its torso as it continued stabbing and cleaving with its antennae. Thirty seconds. With a growl of his own, Zora backed into the doorway and realised he couldn¡¯t go any further. This was where he had to make his stand. Faintly, he heard the children of class 2-D still running frantically down the stairs, and if he could hear them, so could the Mutant with its unnaturally long antennae; he wouldn¡¯t let it past this point. Spells swirled around his head as he ¡®struck¡¯ the Mutant with everything he had, whipping three spells forward a second, matching the flurry of antennae attacks for the first time. He put everything into these attacks, but upon seeing him grit his teeth and strain his throat, the Mutant seemed to grin¡ªpulling its mandibles so far apart he thought it was about to rip its head in half. Fifteen seconds. Just gotta hold on a little lon¨C He blinked and missed it; the Mutant knew he was running out of stamina and dashed forward, black claws snapping around his throat and lifting him into the air. It was only the ring of chitin around his neck that stopped him from dying instantly, but then it jabbed its antennae into his neck as well, making him gasp in pain. Venom. It''s going¡­ straight to my heart. ¡°... Do you understand us, human?¡± the Mutant drawled, tilting its head and drawing him closer to its face as it did; he was too busy kicking its chest and wheezing for air to really focus on its voice. ¡°My siblings in the south, west, and east haven''t been sending their pheromone signals at our agreed-upon time for the past few days. Were you the reason? Did you deceive and devour them with our own tongue?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. The Mutant snarled, pulling him even closer. ¡°Are you an old Magicicada Mage in disguise?¡± it snapped. ¡°That''d explain how you can speak our tongue. If you are, then I''ll make you an offer: tell me where Mother Nona''s weapon is, and I''ll kill you quickly¨C¡± ¡°So chatty¡­ when you think you''ve already won,¡± he breathed, shooting it a pained smirk as he looked down. ¡°And Nona¡¯s looking for some sort of weapon¡­ huh?¡± The Mutant tilted its head again, following his gaze¡ªand then it finally noticed the crystalised emerald hand that''d already punched through its chest. With a bloodcurdling screech, it flung him to the ground and tried backing away, but the crystalised hand immediately spun and tossed it twenty metres back from the door. Zora fell, dropping his wand as he choked for breath. The Mutant''s venom was still burning through his veins, but the all-purpose medicinal soup he''d downed a few hours ago was still in effect; he wouldn''t die as long as he continued applying pressure to his neck to stop the bleeding. ¡­ On the other hand, the scrawny, wimpy man standing over Zora couldn''t die. With a dozen glowing syringes stabbed into his neck, along his spine, and across his shoulders, the strongest teacher in the academy had resurrected. Chapter 28 - Shadow of the Mask Six shots of formicarid serum. Three jabs of chrysopid infusion. Two tablespoons of vespidic acid swirled with a standard vial of lepidopteral elixir, then heated to a hundred stars for ten minutes before resting in a cold bath of cinderblood draught¡ªand having mixed everything together in portable knife-like syringes he carried around at all times, Julius, in essence, could gain the raw regenerative abilities of a Mutant as long as his body met the mixture¡¯s activation condition. ¡®Death for one minute¡¯. It took one minute for him to ¡®resurrect¡¯ after his blood ran cold, after his eyes went dark, and after his heartbeat stopped; the activation condition was met, the six syringes he¡¯d preemptively stabbed into his neck before Zora killed him clotted the gaping hole in his chest, and he snapped upright with a hiss. Pain. He couldn¡¯t think. Breathe. He couldn''t breathe. Freezing, sharp blood. His vision flashed white and knitted together in slow, meandering swirls like the world was made of wavy water, but the moment he heard giant legs crashing through the forest around him¨C He blinked, and he was suddenly six years younger. Thirteen years old. He was in the courtyard under the language arts building, where the graduation ceremony that year was held. It was afternoon. He was running around in circles. Sunlight blared down on him and sixteen-year-old Zora as eighteen-year-old Marcus chased after the two of them, screaming about getting in at least one group hug for the boys before he¡¯d begin training as a fitness teacher. Heh. He wants to hug us so badly. Get a wife or something already, you big loaf¨C He tripped on a rock and fell flat on his face, breaking his nose. A cry of pain escaped him. Marcus charged past him and continued chasing Zora, probably thinking he¡¯d just stay there crying and sniffling pathetically to himself until Zora was eventually caught¡ªand the big loaf would be right. He wasn¡¯t getting up. Just for the completely wrong reason. I¡¯m bleeding. I¡¯m dying. He felt warm on his forehead. He felt wet and sticky grass beneath his face. He was bleeding, he was hyperventilating, and his head hurt so, so badly he couldn¡¯t even call out to Marcus or Zora for help. It was agony. He couldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t scream. His mind was active and fully functional, but his body just wouldn¡¯t respond to him. The only thing he could move was his left hand. His body had always been like this, though. Before he¡¯d been rescued by the Headmaster and brought to the academy, he was ¡®something¡¯. Not someone. His parents in the northwest used to inject him with a hundred insect venoms every single day, and that made his blood¡­ wrong. That was to say, he¡¯d been their blood bank. His blood had natural healing properties for normal people, and that¡¯d made his parents very, very happy with him¡ªthe amount of health elixirs he could produce a week was abnormally high even compared to his siblings, and considering the only downside of being such a good blood bank was the fact that his own body was abnormally weak and frail? They¡¯d been more than happy to fashion him a comfortable, cushioned cage in the attic, intent on making profits off his blood for the rest of his life. Thing was, he wouldn¡¯t have run even if he¡¯d been given the opportunity to; with a body as weak and crappy as his, where could he even have run to? ¡­ I don¡¯t like this. There was nowhere he could¡¯ve run to. At least, not by himself. It wasn¡¯t until his family was slaughtered by a giant bug and the giant bug poisoned itself immediately after by trying to eat him that the Headmaster had arrived. She¡¯d offered him a new home. A big, warm room. All the food he could ever want, all the friends he could ever make, and a chance for the local physician to fix his frail, sickly body. He barely knew how to speak back then as a nine-year-old, but he probably nodded or something, because the next thing he knew, he was in Amadeus Academy sharing a room with two other boys¡ªand the two of them were always so damned noisy. ¡®Zora¡¯ was sharp-tongued, prone to pick a verbal fight with anyone, and was generally irritating to listen to all the time. ¡®Marcus¡¯ was relatively quiet, but the nights they shared together were always filled with grunts, groans, and other healthy exercise sounds he could never make himself. He was too frail to ever even consider exercising. Even ¡®Cecilia¡¯, the girl who was good friends with Zora and Marcus, could play a hundred songs with a single flute in ways his clumsy fingers could never hope to replicate. He had very little compared to the three of them. Where¡¯s my syringe? The one thing he had that nobody else had, he supposed, was his memory. The Headmaster had always told him it was quite superb. He could recite the Marheim Phytology Almanac backwards, and with his natural immunity for venoms and poisons, he¡¯d always excelled in biological sciences. If Zora and Marcus and Cecilia weren¡¯t dragging him around to play, he¡¯d be holed up in the botanical garden with the old physician, learning how to brew the vilest and foulest drugs and medicines the human mind could conjure. Part of his interest had come from believing he could one day overcome the limitations of his frail body, but the other part of it was pure and honest curiosity; it¡¯d been fun spending time in the garden surrounded by vibrant, alien plants. So he¡¯d gotten better at brewing. He¡¯d gotten better at concocting medicines. Inadvertently, he¡¯d also learned how to nurse other people from the old physician as well, and that was without extracting his own blood and making himself weaker in the process. He couldn¡¯t remember when it¡¯d happened exactly, but eventually, he grew to enjoy the company of his friends, and the castle that was Amadeus Academy. ¡­ Found it. Face down on the ground. Soaking in his own blood. His left hand fumbled blindly inside his lab coat for the syringe he¡¯d spent the better half of the year refining with the old physician, and finally he found it: the ¡®resurrection syringe¡¯ that, supposedly, only worked on him and his blood of a hundred venoms, allowing him to regenerate one minute after death. Of course, he¡¯d never tried the syringe out before, and the old physician had always kept it locked up in a cabinet in the garden¡ªit was just a fun little project they did for the sake of research¡ªbut he¡¯d stolen it and replaced the one inside the cabinet with a fake just a week ago. He couldn¡¯t help himself. It was the first thing he¡¯d made with his own two hands that he felt he could really be proud of; how could he let it sit in some musty old cabinet, gathering dust for as long as its expiry date? It was his. Only he could use it. So, with his heaving, dying breath, he managed to jab it in the side of his neck, and he felt¨CUnauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ALIVE! I¡¯M! BACK! He snapped upright, the wound in his forehead sealing, tenfold strength seeping into his body. The syringe felt like an icicle stabbing through the back of his head, heightening his senses. He felt himself clawing to his feet. He felt his blood running colder, his skin hardening into emerald crystals, and he felt time slowing down. Or was his perception just that much faster? Don¡¯t know, he thought. Don¡¯t care. In the distance, at the end of the courtyard, he saw Marcus holding Zora up like a ragdoll while the younger boy kicked at the muscleman¡¯s chest, gasping for breath. It was all in jest, of course. Marcus wasn¡¯t really hurting Zora, and Zora wasn¡¯t really hurting Marcus. And Julius wanted in on the fun. I¡¯m alive! He felt himself clawing to his feet. He felt his calves and thighs holding the rest of his body up. For three minutes, the resurrection syringe would give him the vitality of a normal, healthy human boy, so for three whole minutes, he¡¯d enjoy his body to the best of his ability. So don¡¯t worry, Zora! I got you! A cheery smile rose onto his face as he blurred forward, intending on giving Marcus a light push from behind¡ªand then he punched a hole through the Mutant¡¯s back, making it drop Zora with a screech of surprise. ¡­ Huh? Who the hell are you? Grinning from ear to ear, he flung the Mutant back and away from Zora, his blood running beautifully cold and sharp in his veins. He¡¯d never felt more alive. Don¡¯t get in my way, you fucking bug! Where¡¯s Marcus? Let me in on the fun, too! Scrambling to pick up his wand, Zora whispered "to me" at one of Julius¡¯ healing syringes, pulling it in before the physician could pounce on the Mutant. Took you long enough. While he jabbed the syringe into the back of his neck¡ªhissing as he did¡ªhe raised his head and narrowed his eyes at the carnage of a fight in front of him. Julius was clumsy as ever, but his arms had hardened into crystallised emeralds, reflecting moonlight like nothing else in the world. He flung himself through the air, slashing and cleaving and slapping away the Mutant¡¯s stabbing antennae repeatedly; the attacks came with the sounds of cracking chitin. The speed-enhancing drugs kept the antennae at bay, and for the first time, the Mutant started backtracking, attempting to reenter the forest where it¡¯d have a terrain advantage. But the Mutant had been straightforward this entire time, and Julius wasn¡¯t about to let his playmate run away from him. The Mutant had four arms and two antennae, but Julius dashed in close and fought with only two hands, snarling and laughing even wilder than the bug was¡ªthe very fact that the Mutant was using all of its limbs to dodge, strike, and jab at Julius was already more effort than Zora had ever gotten it to use, which meant there was no question about it. For three whole minutes, they would not be evenly matched. A single human against a Mutant, clawing and slashing at each other like feral beasts; it wasn¡¯t something Zora could see everyday, and it certainly wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d hear about too often even outside the academy. ¡°... Even salt can look like sugar, bug. You made a mistake going after me instead of squashing him to bits when I snapped his neck earlier,¡± he said, grinning weakly as he continued applying pressure on his bloody neck. ¡°It¡¯s not true ¡®resurrection¡¯, mind you. Whatever the hell he claims the syringe can do, I¡¯m quite certain it doesn¡¯t actually bring him back from the dead. The dead do not return to life. The humans you have killed cannot be brought back.¡± Growling, the Mutant tried to leap high into the air and backtrack into the forest, but Julius was a step ahead of it; he grabbed the tip of its antenna and slammed it down to the ground, cracking the earth and shattering half the chitin plates on its neck. Zora couldn¡¯t help but wince in its stead. ¡°He¡¯s from the far northwestern Plagueplain Front, by any chance¡ªthe land where the tenet of man is ¡®ten fingers, ten scalpels¡¯,¡± he said, slowly rising to his feet as he felt the bloody wounds on his neck clotting rapidly. His fingers were still weak, but he held onto his wand loosely. ¡°He¡¯s been patching me and Marcus and Cecilia up since we were children. You may not believe it, but between his healing blood, his green touch, and his dedication to memorise every surgical technique there is under the sun, he is a man who can cast ¡®heal¡¯ as easily as you breathe. He truly, truly believes he can heal all wounds.¡± The Mutant on the ground roared in what might¡¯ve been pain and what might¡¯ve been anger as Julius ripped off both its antennae, laughing giddily all the way. Zora was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t in control now. The physician¡¯s face was twisted with childlike exuberance, exactly like the last time the resurrection syringe had been used six years ago; Julius had given him and Marcus a fright back then, when the usually weak and frail boy could suddenly pick up the muscleman like gravity didn¡¯t exist in the courtyard. In any case, the Mutant still had some strength left. Any giant bug before it would¡¯ve died to Julius¡¯ overwhelmingly sharp claws in seconds, but it managed to shake him off-balance by thumping the ground beneath it. An opening was created; it punched Julius square in his chest, sending him flying back while it scrambled to its feet, heaving for breath. More splotches of shadows zipped out of the forest. Giant bugs, all of them. ¡®Julius, the timid, cowardly physician¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be able to stand the sight of them, but that wasn¡¯t the Julius in control. Zora winced as the man cackled and charged and dashed from bug to bug, ripping wings from backs, drawing blood and wrestling heads into the ground. The reinforcing bugs were too weak. Too slow. Julius lashed out over and over again with his crystalised claws, and with each slash he cast out, the Mutant standing behind the giant bugs looked more and more agitated. Its head snapped towards Zora violently as though debating whether it needed a mid-battle snack, but Zora wasn¡¯t even a single bit worried now. After all, it really, really wasn¡¯t like any of the giant bugs before it, so he knew exactly what a low-rank human-like Mutant would do. Instead of going for Zora, it turned its back on them and ran, heading for the other end of the garden. ¡­ Like I¡¯ll let that happen. Did you think Julius was the one who¡¯d carry out ¡®Operation Backstab¡¯? It wasn¡¯t him who took down Marcus that day after the graduation ceremony, you know? With a hard thumb of a button, he turned his wand into a sword and cast ¡®strike¡¯ on the blade, before throwing an additional ¡®spin¡¯ around the handle as he gripped it like a javelin. The slowly spinning blade cut into his palm and drew trickles of blood, but it didn¡¯t loosen his grip. On the contrary, the pain only made him focus even harder. Sucking in a sharp breath, he pivoted, turned, and then chucked it forward as hard as he could. Years of throwing chalk at his disobedient students paid off. The air whistled, leaves rustled around it, and the Mutant whirled to see what was coming at it from afar¡ªhis spell-enhanced sword slammed into its chest like a spinning drill, impaling it to the trunk of a tree with a satisfying thud. He¡¯d nailed it right in the heart, doing what Julius failed to do with the initial backstab. ¡­ He was decently surprised, though, that the Mutant didn¡¯t even try to speak with its dying breaths. It really wasn¡¯t like the other giant bugs, after all. Limping forward, rubbing the back of his head in pain, he trudged across the clearing and kicked the half-conscious Julius off the ground. The physician¡¯s three minutes of nigh-invincibility was up, so he snapped awake with a gasp, cold sweat pouring down his brows. While Zora recalled his sword with a ¡®sword to me¡¯, the first thing Julius did was whirl in a panic, looking frantically around the clearing. Zora sighed and flicked the scrawny man on the forehead; now that the drugs had worn off and the crystallised emeralds were flaking off Julius¡¯ forearms, he didn¡¯t break his finger with that little flick. ¡°None of your kids saw,¡± he said, thumbing at the empty doorway as he did. ¡°I got them all out of the garden before you went feral. Your reputation as a quiet, creepy, completely harmless physician is still intact.¡± Julius readjusted his round glasses with a shaky hand, blinking rapidly twice. ¡°I¡­ I-I see. I didn¡¯t go¡­ I didn¡¯t go too far off the rails this time, did I?¡± In response, Zora thumbed at the Mutant sitting slumped against a silver tree in the distance, half-shrouded in the shadows of the canopy. There were about a dozen giant bug carcasses scattered around the edges of the clearing as well¡ªno doubt Julius had slaughtered all of them before attending to the Mutant¡ªbut he didn¡¯t feel like pointing them out lest Julius started puking all of a sudden. He did prefer Julius, the timid, awkward, and slightly cowardly physician more than the other ¡®Julius¡¯. ¡°That had to be a F-Rank Mutant. The lowest possible rank for a Mutant-Class,¡± he said, turning his sword back into a wand and sticking it in his pocket, ¡°and you had to have known you could¡¯ve killed it whenever you wanted. You just didn¡¯t want your kids to see you like that and grow apprehensive of you, hm? Were you hoping we¡¯d come get you in the garden so we can lead your kids safely away while you deal with all the bugs?¡± Julius¡¯ blush was immediate, and he shied away as Zora stood, offering him a helping hand up. ¡°O-Of course,¡± the physician stammered, accepting his hand gingerly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ also a teacher, after all.¡± ¡­ You are, indeed. And while Zora slapped the man on the back as they trudged back towards the dorm, he couldn¡¯t resist casting a glance at the colossal northern building through the glass ceiling behind them. He may have gathered all of his closest friends and colleagues now, but there was still something he wanted to check on before they could just up and bolt from the academy with their kids in tow. What¡¯s going on in the north, Headmaster? Are you fighting Nona up there? Chapter 29 - Headmaster Sharp at seven in the evening, Nona¡¯s ears perked at the sound of a Mutant¡¯s fading, dying breath. She whirled behind her, naturally, and stared out the giant stained glass window on the fifth and final floor of the northern building . The dying breath came from the garden bridge thingy, a hundred or so metres below her. It was quite the sudden, abrupt sound; she was sure she¡¯d killed all the Magicicada Mages on her way here, so what could¡¯ve possibly done in a Mutant, even if it¡¯d only evolved into one a few days ago by eating the freebie corpses she¡¯d tossed at it? But did it really matter? Did she really care? ¡°... Big stick bug!¡± she chirped, punching a hole through the glass and poking her head out. The colossal stick bug was already half-camouflaged and clinging to the side of the gargantuan northern building, awaiting her command. ¡°If anyone tries to come into this building, rip them to shreds! Don¡¯t let anyone up or run away!¡± Her trusty second-in-command nodded curtly before crawling around the back of the building shying away from moonlight. He¡¯d been following her since the day she and her older sisters ravaged the Magicicada Mages¡¯ homeland, so she knew she could count on him for keeping unwanted pests away from her. It didn¡¯t need to be a humanlike Mutant to serve her well. She pulled her head back into the chamber where the air was thick with the bitter, metallic scent of blood, and the vast stone corridor was littered with bodies¡ªmages and giant bugs, twisted forms sprawled in unnatural positions. Torn robes and shattered wands lay abandoned among severed limbs and broken exoskeletons. The old men and ladies wore faces frozen in expressions of shock and fear, which made her click her tongue in irritation; they hadn¡¯t been cute or entertaining in the slightest. Every mage guarding the northern building had attacked her the moment they saw her, and their spells were all so¡­ weak. Tame. Together, they could take down hordes of grunt giant bugs, but they could only weaken her. Drain her stamina. Shrink her Swarmblood Aura. They couldn¡¯t take her down. None of them had what she was looking for, after all: the weapon made out of her own chitin, and the only weapon in the world that could kill her. ¡°Where are you, my dear?¡± she hummed, a lilting, musical tune that echoed down the corridor as she skipped over the broken bodies. Blood smeared her feet, but she didn¡¯t feel like grabbing a snack to fill her belly. Old people tasted yucky. ¡°Are you¡­ here?¡± Her eyes sparkled as she punched through one of the heavy wooden doors to the right, immediately peeking inside to see if her wand was there. It wasn¡¯t. It was a lab of sorts filled with shattered glass and potion bottles, the arid scent of alchemical smoke still lingering in the room. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, cocking her head to the side before sighing in disappointment. ¡°Not here,¡± she murmured, moving down the corridor. ¡°Are you¡­ here, then?¡± She punched open the next door with a flourish, but there were only a bunch of researchers and a horde of half-dead, twitching bugs on the floor. ¡°Oh, you guys look like you¡¯re in lots of pain,¡± she cooed. ¡°No problem! I give you permission to die right there, right now!¡± Her spell travelled slowly to the half-dead bugs, but she didn¡¯t stick around to hear them die. She continued moving down the corridor, punching through door after door, her antennae tingling harder and harder as she did; she was getting close to something. Maybe not her weapon, maybe not the Headmaster of the academy, but it was something. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the thought of getting her weapon back soon. ¡°Decima and Morta always bully me too much!¡± she grumbled, slamming all four palms onto the last door at the very end of the corridor; a small, frightened ¡®eep¡¯ behind it reached her ears. ¡°I¡¯ll get my weapon back, and then the three of us can fight again as sisters! Wouldn¡¯t that be fun? Don¡¯t you want to see that happen?¡± She ripped the door off its hinges and slammed it into the floor, making the dimly lit observatory shake for a brief second. Papers scattered off tables and fluttered into the air. Alchemical lamps toppled and shattered against the walls. The glass dome ceiling cracked under the pressure of her arrival, and the giant telescope mounted on a massive rotating platform overhead shifted and groaned. The small, trembling boy huddled under one of the study desks flinched aloud, but even without her acute hearing, she would¡¯ve seen his legs poking out from under the desk¡ªher grin widened as she took slow, deliberate steps forward, ignoring everything else about the observatory. Shallow breaths. Palpable fear. Sweet and delicious tension hung in the air, and the boy¡¯s scent made her head throb in dull pain. Oh, she¡¯d love to pick him up and stuff him down her throat, but she wasn¡¯t a lowly rabble bug. She wouldn¡¯t let her hunger guide her. So what if his tiny frame was frozen with terror as she stopped right in front of him? She knelt, softened her expression, and the boy¡¯s eyes flickered between her and the open doorway. He was clearly calculating some desperate escape, but again, why would he try to do that? Her voice was gentle. ¡°... What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked. The boy didn¡¯t answer immediately. His wide eyes were still locked onto hers, unmoving, and then she put a finger to her chin as she thought¡ªapart from being a hideout for the Magicicada Mages, this castle seemed to double as an academy for orphans all across the continent. There was a good chance the boy just didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. So she cycled through her stolen tongues. The mania tongue. The agrada tongue. The romova dialect. She started with the eastern children¡¯s tongues at first, but quickly realised that the sharp inflections of his short gasps were distinctly northern. Only northern children breathe like that because they live in high altitudes! Moving up the continent, she tried the tensha, matee, and yoran tongues near the borders of the land of armours, before noticing he looked more frightened when she spoke the far northern tongues¡¯ word for ¡®name¡¯. Now it came down to brute-forcing her way through the rest of the hundred far northern dialects, one sentence at a time until she reached the lingyuan tongue¡ªspoken only in a small bamboo processing town near the continent''s northeastern shoreline. Her hollow abdomen rumbled; she nearly coughed out a spell as she cleared her throat forcefully. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked again, and the boy¡¯s already wide eyes became even wider. Any more, and they¡¯d pop right out of their sockets. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Yanli,¡± he stammered, hugging his knees even tighter. She couldn¡¯t help but notice he was holding a vial with some sort of glowing red liquid in his hands. ¡°Who are¡­ why can you¡­ you speak my¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who survived the infestation, huh?¡± she interrupted, patting his head and ruffling his hair softly. ¡°Good job! It must¡¯ve been very tough keeping quiet so those bugs wouldn¡¯t find you hiding in here! My hearing is super, super good though, so I could hear you tearing up to yourself halfway across the corridor!¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The boy immediately tried to recoil from her hand, but she pulled him in and wrapped him in a hug before he could lean away. He didn¡¯t resist or sputter as he buried his face in her chest; his trembling had stopped, and it was quite obvious he was befuddled. ¡°I¡¯m Banma, a new substitute language teacher from the north!¡± she lied, adjusting her tone, her volume, her too-annoyingly-sharp inflection to better mimic the voice of the girl she¡¯d devoured about¡­ a decade ago? Two decades ago? She didn¡¯t quite remember, and she didn¡¯t quite care. ¡°I look like this because I ate lots of bugs when I was a kid, but I don¡¯t do that anymore! And I¡¯m here to help! Will you let me help you, Yar¡­ Yanli?¡± She grinned as he peeled away, looking her in the eyes with a strange, perplexed expression. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ human?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course I am!¡± she replied, thumbing at her face promptly. ¡°Can a bug talk and speak to you in the lingyuan tongue? No way, right?¡± The boy blinked, looking slightly taken aback ¡°O-Oh¡­ yeah,¡± he muttered. ¡°At first, you made those weird¡­ um, those weird sounds, and¡­ Mister Fabre always tells us not to trust anyone who can¡¯t speak our language. And even if they can, we shouldn¡¯t¡­ be so quick to think they¡¯re normal people.¡± It was her turn to tilt her head, feigning confusion. ¡°What does that mean? Who are ¡®normal people¡¯?¡± ¡°P-People on our side¡­ um, humanity¡¯s side,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Mister Fabre always tells us stories¡­ about how some bugs can look like people, talk like people, and act like people, but they¡¯re not actually¡­ they¡¯re still bugs, and that¡¯s all they¡¯ll ever be.¡± ¡­ For a second, she almost snapped and lost her temper with the boy, but she quickly shook her head to regain composure. She was Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches. The boy in front of her was a cute one, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°They¡¯re kinda like the¡­ the, um, the Shanja Demons!¡± the boy continued rambling, not even looking her directly in the eye now. ¡°You know those legends? About those mountain-dwelling spirits? The Shanja Demons¨C¡± ¡°Are bugs that can shapeshift into humans and drain the life out of kids who wander out at night, causing fatigue and illness that can¡¯t ever be cured!¡± she finished, pointing at her own face. ¡°I know that bedtime story! I¡¯m from the north, too! Would a bug in disguise know something like that?¡± The boy clenched his jaw. He looked like he wanted to believe her, but he was just missing that small little push; if she could get him to hold her hand and crawl out from under the desk voluntarily, she¡¯d make a servant out of him for the rest of his life. She spread all four of her arms, beckoning the boy to jump in with a few curls of her hands. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Headmaster of this academy!¡± she said cheerily, putting the brightest, most sincere smile she could muster onto her face. ¡°If it¡¯s me and the Headmaster, I¡¯m sure we can drive back this infestation in no time! I just need to know where she is! This is the ¡®observatory¡¯¡­ her ¡®office¡¯, right? Do you know where¨C¡± ¡°Tell me five things about Mister Fabre, and I¡¯ll trust you.¡± A pause. The sweet and delicious scent of tension in the air quickly turned bitter and heavy. The boy looked up at her, hands shaking, clasping the vial of glowing red liquid over his chest. ¡­ Who¡¯s this ¡®Mister Fabre¡¯ again? She resisted the urge to scratch the back of her head in annoyance. Searching through the memories of the children she¡¯d eaten on the way here would be a pain, but she¡¯d eaten about three dozen in total¡ªthe rest she¡¯d thrown to her grunts, and she hated eating adults and old people¡ªso surely there had to be some memories of a ¡®Mister Fabre¡¯ in the children¡¯s mushy brains. Let¡¯s see¡­ A ¡®Mister Fabre¡¯... Ah! There¡¯s¨C So much information. She twitched backwards with a flail as half-formed memories of a man in an amber cloak flashed through her head. Thirty-five children she¡¯d devoured, and all of them had completely contrasting recounts of the man of a thousand-tongues; in their memories, he was always speaking a completely different tongue, and his voice was smooth. Sharp. Hard. Precise. She recognised a few of his tongues¡ªphola, loch, kossia¡ªbut amongst the catalogue of children she¡¯d devoured all across the continent, there were a few tongues she couldn¡¯t even make heads or tails of. Who¡­ is this human? His voice echoed around her like an avalanche. He was a man who did a lot of talking to his children. She gripped her antennae and hissed as she pored through even more memories, trying to at least get a read on his face, but¡­ every child saw a different man. In some images, he¡¯d have a high nose, high brows, and a skeletal, gauntish face. In others, he¡¯d be large with broad shoulders and could pick a child up with a single hand. Her own memories, at least, were still intact, but just sifting through the muck that was this ¡®Mister Fabre¡¯ was making her head pound like never before. This human knows more tongues than¡­ me? How? Gritting her teeth, cracking her chitin plates, she forced herself to continue smiling as the boy stared at her solemnly. ¡°Fun fact about Mister Fabre, number one¡­¡± she growled, struggling to even speak properly with the man¡¯s thousand voices still echoing in her head, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ tall to lots of people. But short and skinny to some people.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± the boy said. ¡°Fun fact about Mister Fabre, number two¡­ he likes candies? Of the far eastern kind? Maybe the northern ones as well? He likes them when they¡¯re purely sweet, though.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Fun fact about Mister Fabre, number three¡­ he doesn¡¯t¡­ he always¡­ he¡¯ll never abandon¨C¡± But, whether it was because she took too long to answer, or the boy was simply too thirsty to wait, she watched as he popped the cork of the vial off and down the glowing red liquid in one go. Then she blinked as he dashed into her arms, hugging her as tightly as humanly possible. ¡°You¡¯re not human,¡± he whispered, voice cracking as warmth flared across her chest, ¡°and you¡¯ll never be human.¡± She blinked again. Without another word, the boy exploded into a violent rupture of flames, the heat engulfing her body with a flash of brilliance. Ow! Owowowowow! She seized up, scrambled back, and screamed in a hundred voices. None of them were spells. The onset of pain was so sudden and so soul-shakingly sharp that she just couldn¡¯t suppress herself, and as she toppled over backwards, trying to scratch off the flames that were clinging to her chitin like glue¡ªshe heard metal walls falling from the walls all around, slamming into the floor to box her inside the observatory. A second later, more canisters of oil, fluorescent gas, and all sorts of toxic fumes dropped into the observatory from hidden compartments in the walls, adding to the weight pressing down on her shoulders. What is this? Breathing was difficult. Moving was difficult. The flames weren¡¯t melting through her full-body chitin armour, but they were hot enough to make the strands of muscle underneath tighten and shrivel up. They weren¡¯t normal flames. Whatever red liquid it was that the boy had drunk, it was something nearly impossible to get rid of. She tried to roll around and untense her body, but she had a hundred different patches of pain all over right now, ebbing and flowing with the roaring beat of her heart; even thinking was a struggle right now. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t die from mere flames. She was a Lesser Insect God, a god in her own rights. It¡¯d take nothing less than her weapon piercing her heart with the force of lightning to bring her down¡ªso she screeched and cackled as an old lady emerged from the very end of the observatory in front of her, having covered herself in camouflaging pheromones this entire time to keep herself out of Nona¡¯s senses. The old lady stepped forth with an amber wand swirling with sound waves; Nona¡¯s wand, the one and only. ¡°... How cruel it is that you would sacrifice a child to bolster your faith in the workings of ¡®magic¡¯!¡± She laughed, sputtering flames from her mouth as she slammed all four hands into the ground and kicked her legs back, pulling herself into a pouncing posture. ¡°It¡¯s been a longgggg time, old lady! How long has it been? Twenty years? Ten years? That¡¯s my wand you¡¯ve got in your hands, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Headmaster didn¡¯t reply. There was no hiding the dark, cold resentment in that old, wrinkled face of hers, and that only made Nona laugh even harder; to think the Headmaster of this ¡®orphan academy¡¯ would make one of her children blow themselves up just to weaken her temporarily was really, really something else. ¡°Your ¡®magic¡¯ is boring, and no amount of it will help you win this war!¡± she snarled, licking her flaming lips, ¡°You people are beyond your time! You should¡¯ve died ages ago, but you cling onto every little bit of hope you can get! For what? Once I get that wand back, we, the Magicicada Witches will become unstoppable¨C¡± ¡°What an arrogant fool you are,¡± the Headmaster whispered, chanting under her breath and gathering a swirling, room-rumbling ¡®strike¡¯ around her wand. ¡°Who are you to speak for humanity? Just because you believe we¡¯re done doesn¡¯t mean we are, so don¡¯t you dare lump me in with you. School is dismissed when I say it is, and as long as the Magicicada Witches remain, we, the Magicicada Mages, will remain.¡± Nona¡¯s lips twisted into a bright, excited grin. It¡¯d been a while since she had a real spell-casting duel. ¡°I¡¯ll have it back,¡± she whispered. ¡°The wand that is worth more than a thousand human lives.¡± Chapter 30 - Among Monsters By the time Zora managed to lug Julius and the Mutant carcass all the way back down to the dorm, it was already eight in the evening, and Marcus and Cecilia had just woken up to meet the two of them by the northern gate. Given the two had only been half-conscious for most of the day, Marcus and Cecilia spared no effort slapping Julius around, scolding and berating and throwing jabs at the physician for not coming back to them sooner¡ªto which, Julius had nothing to say in return. The timid physician let the two old teachers push him around with nervous stutters while Zora stepped into the common room, scanning the cheerfully hugging groups of children until he spotted Emilia standing in the far corner by herself. The moment he locked eyes with her was the moment she dashed over in a blur of motion, flinging herself into his waist and knocking him softly back against the wall. ¡°... Good job leading 2-D down here,¡± he whispered, reaching into his pocket for a piece of candy. ¡°Here. You probably don¡¯t want dinner with the rest of us, right?¡± Emilia nodded furiously and nibbled on the piece of bloodberry candy, wrapping and all; Zora patted her head while the rest of the teachers waded into the common room as well, counting everyone¡¯s heads properly. Zora had already done that, though. Fifty-eight children in total between class 2-A, 2-B, and 2-D. As far as the orphan academy went, every child that could be saved was already here. The teachers didn¡¯t waste any time. Marcus immediately swerved towards the kitchen stoves to whip up dinner for the kids, while Cecilia hollered at everyone to go back to their rooms to begin packing up their things: snacks, pillows, their favourite plushies, and whatever else they could feasibly stuff into their satchels. Naturally, a lot of kids had a lot of questions, and they began crowding around Cecilia asking for clarification¡ªZora stepped in, addressing all of them one by one in their native tongues, telling them exactly what they were going to do. He¡¯d not talked it out or discussed it with Cecilia, Marcus, or Julius, but they were all probably on the same wavelength anyways. Now that they¡¯d gathered everyone, it was time for them to bolt from the academy. ¡°We leave first thing tomorrow morning,¡± he said, switching to the local Sterngott tongue so everyone could hear him clearly one last time. ¡°Get an early and good night¡¯s rest tonight. It¡¯ll be dangerous, and it¡¯ll be a long trek, but the closest borough is only nine days away on foot. You¡¯ve all walked longer and farther than that, haven¡¯t you?¡± He could sense the survivor¡¯s spirit within all of them flaring up. One way or the other, they¡¯d all survived on their own for days and weeks before the Headmaster chanced upon them, so they knew suffering; all of them gritted their teeth and looked around anxiously, but none of them complained. None of them threw tantrums about leaving their beloved rooms behind. None of them wept with fear of having to run across the continent again. To a certain extent, Zora wished they complained just a little¡ªit was unchildlike for them to accept abandoning their new home so easily¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t confidently say he could deal with them throwing a tantrum about having to leave now, either. What terrifyingly strong children you all are. So, while the children scattered up to their rooms and started packing up their belongings strewn all across the common room, Marcus began steaming up the very last batch of meals they¡¯d have in the academy. Cecilia and Julius waded over to help, and Zora nudged Emilia forward gently; the little girl whirled to look up at him, blinking profusely. ¡°Take your time packing up your things,¡± he said. ¡°When you¡¯re done, feel free to just go to bed. I¡¯ll come wake you up in the morning.¡± Emilia pouted. It was the first real show of defiance he¡¯d seen from any kid in the common room, so, ironically, he couldn¡¯t help but smile¡ªhe nudged her on regardless with a little farewell wave, watching her back with the eyes of a hawk until he was sure she disappeared up the stairs alongside most of the kids. And now, with her gone, he trudged over to the teachers squabbling about who should get to man which stove. ¡°... Fuck off the pots, Julius. They¡¯re mine. Go chop the leeks or something.¡± ¡°N-No. I need at least¡­ two pots. I have enough herbs to brew¡­ four bowls of medicine¡­ that¡¯ll let all of us digest twenty times as much insect flesh as we¡¯re supposed to." ¡°Seriously? Marcus, give Julius a pot or two. We¡¯ve a Mutant carcass plus half a dozen giant bug legs stored somewhere, so if we can gobble all of that up by tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll stand a better chance against the bugs on our way to the borough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m against performance-enhancing drugs. My muscles are all natural. They¡¯ll wilt if I¨C¡± ¡°M-Muscles don¡¯t wilt, Marcus. They¡­ uh, the correct term is deteriorate¨C¡± ¡°No drugs. I¡¯m not having it.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have it, Muscleman, but me and Zora could use them. Do you know how many points we¡¯ve gobbled up the past three days? A bit of medicine to stave off the inevitable food poisoning while we continue gorging on insect flesh would be damn useful¨C¡± Zora kicked Julius in the back of his knees and made him wobble, almost face-planting into the countertop.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°W-What?¡± he stammered, whirling around to scowl at Zora. ¡°You want the medicine, too, right? I¡¯ve read a bit of¡­ your tier three mutations¡­ and I know what they do, so we can all definitely eat a hundred and fifty points¡¯ worth of insect flesh just for supper tonight. The Mutant-Class'' flesh should be worth a lot of points. Then, we can¨C¡± ¡°Not that,¡± Zora grumbled, grabbing the physician by the collar. ¡°Come with me. There¡¯s something more important I need you to help with.¡± ¡­ As usual, Emilia had no idea what to do in her room. Standing forlorn and awkward with few thoughts flowing in her mind, she scanned her uncrumpled bed, her empty desk, and her oversized closet from the brightly lit doorway. Her antennae circled around her room. Her nose crinkled as she tried to think about what she wanted to pack up and take away from the academy, but apart from the pretty uniform on her shoulders and the few opened bags of bloodberry candies in her drawers, she had no belongings she could call ¡®possessions¡¯. Swinging her antennae outwards, she watched as the other kids raced in and out of their rooms, begging each other to help with stuffing their favourite toys and trinkets into another¡¯s satchel. Everyone had things they didn¡¯t want to let go of; she¡¯d not been in Amadeus Academy for nearly long enough to develop any attachment to anything, so maybe it was only natural that she was the only one standing there, looking completely dumb and stupid. Maybe¡­ I just eat? Looking left and right one last time, she stepped into her room and hooked the door shut behind her. Warmth from the gas lanterns outside faded instantly. She sighed a cold breath of relief as she immediately threw herself towards her desk, ripping out the small bags of candies with saliva running down her chin¡ªand though she considered sitting down properly to peel off the wrappings piece by piece, hunger got the better of her, and she began shoving entire bags into her mouth without care for the wrappings getting stuck in her throat. She could deal with that later. Right now, there was nothing on her mind but burning, pulsing hunger, and the more she ate, the more she felt like¡­ Like a beast. Like a freak of nature. Mid-gulp on her fourth bag of bloodberry candies, she looked up advertently and felt her moth senses expanding, growing stronger. She could see everything in her room much, much clearer than ever before, and that included¡­ her. Her own face. Her own body. Thin. Bony. Skeletal. Her silk-like hair was falling down to her shoulders, but her wings were falling all the way to the floor, dragging behind her like the tails of an oversized cloak. The chitin plates on her arms had grown sharper, more jagged, and she felt if she ran her forearms across her desk, she¡¯d shave off an entire layer of wood. Swallowing anxiously, she dropped her fifth bag of candies and touched her face tentatively¡ªflinching the moment she felt half her face crept over by more chitin plates, hardening and crystallising her features. ¡­ They¡¯re itchy. She started scratching, claws screeching against her crystallised cheeks. They¡¯re heavy. She started prying, trying to twist and scrub the plates off her cheeks. They hurt. She slammed two hands onto her desk, holding herself in place, and with the other two hands, she continued scratching and pulling at her own face. She smelled blood in the air and wanted to puke, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself. Her antennae wrapped around her scratching arms as though they had minds of their own and wanted her to stop, but she couldn¡¯t be stopped. Her wings started slapping the floor with heavy thuds, but they didn¡¯t stop her from ripping off an entire chunk of her cheek with a sickening tear¡ªshe flung the chitin plates into the window and made it crack, gasping for short, shallow breaths. Blood trickled down her cheek and plopped onto her desk like the pitter-patters of raindrops, but within seconds, the chitin plates began regenerating over the gaping hole, claiming even more of her face this time. No! Don¡¯t! She clenched her jaw and hissed and dug her claws into her wound, trying to stop the chitin plates from creeping over, but it was useless. Pointless. She cried out as she felt a sharp, aching stab in her lower spine, as though her body was warning her to stop interfering with the mutations¡­ and though the pain certainly made her buckle for a moment, it didn¡¯t stop her from giving up, either. I don¡¯t¡­ want¡­ to die like this. I want¡­ to be¡­ hu¨C Someone knocked on the door behind her, and it was her saving grace. Her mind jolted back to reality. She was standing hunched over her desk, still holding her bags of candies. There was no pool of blood on her desk, and there was no crack on the window in front of her. Her wings were still oversized and heavy, and half her face was still crept over with chitin plates, but had she hallucinated the whole ordeal, after all? ¡­ Teary-eyed, she kicked her chair out of the way, crawled under her desk, and curled up into a ball as the door slowly creaked open. Warmth seeped in. Sounds seeped in. Irritating. Annoying. ¡°... Are you okay, Emilia?¡± She bit her tongue and shuffled even deeper under her desk, not stopping until she had to physically crane her head sideways and hug her knees with all four arms just to fit in the cramped, cold space. This way, she couldn¡¯t get out and pounce at Titus without significant effort, giving the boy more time to run away¡ªso it was entirely pointless if Titus just kept walking forward, ignoring her growls and snarls at him to back off. Don¡¯t come here. I¡¯ll bite you again. I¡¯ll hurt you again. Just let me go to sleep like this, and tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll¨C ¡°Sorry for touching your shoulder last night,¡± he said, sitting down right in front of her, arms planted behind him. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know you didn¡¯t like it. It¡¯s my fault you bit me. I should¡¯ve at least knocked first, right?¡± She paused. Then she angled her head so her milky human eye was staring right at him, and her face went completely inexpressive. ¡°... What?¡± she breathed. ¡°My ear,¡± he said, pointing at the cloth and bandage on the side of his head, ¡°Miss Sarius stitched it back on for me last night, and Mister Tadius cast ¡®heal¡¯ on it just now. He said it¡¯ll be properly reattached after a day or two, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about¨C¡± ¡°Not¡­ that.¡± Her lips quivered as she hid her face behind her knees again, shuffling even deeper under her desk. ¡°I¡­ but I¡­ I bit you, so why are you saying sorry to me?¡± ¡°Because Mister Evander always says touching people without their permission is bad. So, I¨C¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± she whispered. ¡°Why are you¡­ so¡­ nice to me?¡± In response, Titus tilted his chin back for a second before leaning forward. She tried to shuffle even, even deeper into her little cave, but there was no more room. So, she could do nothing but watch in silence as he rolled up his uniform trousers, pulling them up to his thighs, and popped off his shoes¡ªhe made her face go blank once again as she noticed, for the first time, how strangely sharp and bulky his toes were. His legs weren¡¯t human. Chapter 31 - Lichterspiel Emilia stared at Titus¡¯ inhuman legs for a good few seconds, completely dumbfounded. Eh? That¡¯s not¡­ what normal human legs¡­ are supposed to¨C ¡°Cricket legs,¡± Titus said plainly, leaning back and planting his arms behind him again. ¡°Mama and papa used to be part of the ¡®Heliostadt Hoppers¡¯, a message-delivering faction in the south where all the adults have cricket class mutations. Papa wanted me to get a headstart even if I couldn¡¯t inherit a system until I was fourteen, so he fed me crickets and forced me to get used to the taste of bug meat early on.¡± As he spoke, several more children passed by her room, and they peered in with eyes quite wide open¡ªa few of the boys walked in after a few seconds of deliberation, and Emilia recognised them as Titus¡¯ friends. The ones who¡¯d been with him last night. She immediately braced herself for a scolding, maybe some berating, maybe some hitting, but the boys just sat down behind Titus instead, looking curiously between the two of them as though wondering if they had an interesting conversation going. None of them paid any mind to TItus¡¯ armoured cricket legs as he craned his head backwards, telling them to show her as well. For her part, she held her breath as all three of them pulled off parts of their uniform to show her their armoured appendages as well. ¡°Boris has half a small mantis scythe sticking out his elbow,¡± Titus explained, thumbing at the boy directly behind, ¡°then Tiefa here has the small tail of a mayfly, and Sunara here has the mouth of a antlion underneath those bandages,¡° he continued, gesturing to the boys by his sides. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a few more of us. Tara! Ishiel! Come here!¡± More footsteps resounded outside in the hallway, and two girls trailed by an even larger group of girls sprinted by the doorway. Emilia immediately recognised Tara as one of the girls who¡¯d spoken to Mister Zora in the greenhouse, and while the boys behind Titus started poking and making fun of each other¡¯s mutations, the girls all flooded into her room, chatting and gossiping aloud about what Titus was doing in here. It didn¡¯t take long at all for Titus to convince everyone they were comparing cool mutations, and everyone started pulling their uniforms apart to show off their unique traits: one girl¡¯s forearm was covered in tiny, fuzzy hairs that made weird sounds as she swished her arm through the air. Another girl had fabric-like wings between her fingers, and she could fan her friends with her bare hands to generate cool gusts of wind. The boys near the closet were wrestling each other with crab pincers they¡¯d been hiding underneath their hand-shaped gloves, while another boy pulled down his headband to reveal eight round eyes peppered across his forehead, none blinking in sync. None in the room, all fifteen or so of them, didn¡¯t have something wrong with them. ¡°... The Headmaster picked all of us up before we could mutate completely,¡± Titus said cheerily, crossing his legs and grinning as he stuck his arms in his lap; now that Emilia was paying attention, she could tell his sleeves were hiding sharp chitin plates underneath as well. ¡°You¡¯re the most mutated one to transfer here in years, I think, but¡­ that¡¯s why we know there¡¯s one thing that¡¯ll definitely help you hold on for just a little longer, until Mister Tadius can brew a medicine for you and halt the mutations from taking over!¡± The rest of the kids around the room were getting really rowdy and noisy now, but all of them seemed to disappear the moment Titus pulled two striped sticks from his pockets; she sniffed instinctively, recognising the cold scent of metals, oil, and some other pungent fuel she couldn¡¯t name. Components to create ¡®fire¡¯. ¡°Hold this,¡± Titus said, smiling giddily to himself as he shoved one of the sticks into her hand and pulled out a matchbox from his pocket, ¡°now press the paper at the end of the stick onto mine, and then I¡¯m gonna burn both pieces of paper at once.¡± Befuddled, she held her stick out nervously and pressed the little piece of paper onto Titus¡¯ stick, and she flinched as he flicked his matchstick across the box on the ground. The little burst of invisible heat made her feel like crying, but then he held the burning matchstick under their intertwined papers and lit them aflame¡ªshe almost dropped her striped stick as it started popping and sparking, hissing out flashes of heat that made her moth senses go ¡®blind¡¯ for a second. In the next second, she was fully entranced by the flashes of heat sputtering out of the stick in her hand. ¡°Mister Tadius gave these extra ones to me!¡± Titus harrumphed, placing one arm on his hips as he waved his burning stick around. ¡°They¡¯re called ¡®sparklers¡¯, and they¡¯re, like, fireworks from the far north! Don¡¯t worry about burning the floorboards! Mister Tadius adjusted them so the sparks don¡¯t last long!¡± She was speechless, of course. She was holding a form of living, breathing ¡®fire¡¯ in her hands, and she couldn¡¯t help but wave her sparkler slowly around. The small popping sounds they made were just too interesting, and evidently, the rest of the kids in the room agreed. While she played and wagged her sparkler around, Titus had to fend off all his friends, loudly declaring he had no more sparklers to distribute; that didn¡¯t stop the kids from surrounding him and begging him to share the one sparkler he did have with them, of course.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. But nobody asked Emilia to share hers, and¡­ she was grateful for that. She could have this ¡®fire¡¯ all to herself. ¡°It¡¯s fun, right?¡± Titus laughed, slapping his friends and jerking his sparkler around as the boys tried to yank it from his hand. ¡°Mister Tadius says that many bugs like cool temperatures¡ªwhich is why mutated kids like us prefer hiding in the dark¡ªbut if we grow used to ¡®cold¡¯ and think it¡¯s natural for us to be cold, then we¡¯ll only be letting our mutations take over faster!¡± Then he shuffled closer with a grin, trying to fit under her desk as well to get away from the grabby, sweaty hands. ¡°We¡¯re humans, after all! It¡¯s natural for us to be warm, and that¡¯s why Mister Tadius made these sparklers: so we can remember what ¡®fire¡¯ feels like!¡± ¡­ Her room was noisy. So many footsteps, so many voices. Even the dying, sputtering sparkler in her hand was contributing to that noise, and Titus shuffling under her desk only made the air in her room that much more stifling, that much more overbearing¡­ but it wasn¡¯t exactly a conscious thought that made her tear up when her sparkler eventually ran out. Sniffling, sobbing under her desk, she felt her heart aching for just another minute with her sparkler¡ªso Titus elbowed her ribs softly, handing her another one with a mischievous wink. ¡°Sorry for not talking to you the past two weeks,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m the class monitor, and Mister Fabre even told me to take care of you, but I¡­ well, I thought you were a little scary, so I¨C¡± She interrupted him with a half-sob, half-apology of her own¡ªcrying about his ear she¡¯d bitten off last night¡ªand at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but steal some of the flames from his sparkler to ignite her own once more. She was wrong, after all. Before Mister Zora could even show her the third kind of warmth she could grow to tolerate, someone else had already come and took that place with a spark.
I told you they shared more in common with you than differences. Lord Fabre of homeroom 2-A is always right. Not all the children in the orphan academy had insect mutations. Only about twenty percent of them had consumed far more bugs than they should¡¯ve without a system, but all of them had successfully had their hostile takeovers essentially ¡®frozen¡¯ by the antidotes Julius brewed, resulting in insect traits that were simply that: traits that were neither detrimental nor beneficial to them. Part of Marcus¡¯ job as a fitness teacher was to teach them how to control their mutations through vigorous exercise, while part of Cecilia¡¯s job as a music teacher was to return them the finer controls of their bodies by playing instruments. Zora figured Emilia had probably never noticed class 2-A was the class for half-insect children, given how little attention she paid to her classmates, so he was glad to hear her finally sharing a laugh with Titus inside her room. It was one small step to retaining her humanity. ¡°... How long does she have left, Julius?¡± he asked, running his hands through his hair as he closed his eyes, grimacing softly. ¡°Not more than two or three days,¡± Julius replied sternly from the other side of the doorway. ¡°I can carry the antidote-brewing equipment with me as we run, and I can still whip up the antidote within a day¡­ no, six hours or so. I can do it in six. But I still need to know the exact type of moth she ate so I can¡­ alter my blood accordingly.¡± "Can''t you cast any spells like ''research'' or ''identify'' to figure out what she is?" Cecilia asked. "You''re the smart one. You can probably cast ''identify'' on her, right?" "I''m not exactly a bug specialist," Julius mumbled, "I can''t just identify literally anything and everything, and I took one look at Emilia and figured ''nope''. Can''t ''identify'' her. If I don''t believe I can do it, I can''t cast the spell, right?" "How about ''research''? You can imagine and believe yourself combing through thousands of textbooks just to identify her, right?" "But I''ve read every book on moths in this academy, so I know there''s no records of her type of moth in any book. I... won''t be able to cast spells like ''research'', either. I can''t imagine myself doing something I know I won''t be able to do." ¡°So we¡¯re back to square one,¡± Zora muttered. ¡°No progress made on that front.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a moth with a Swarmblood Art that allows her to pull glowing blood threads out of her nails,¡± Cecilia pointed out. ¡°Know anything about this, muscleman? Apart from spiders, do you know any bugs that can create threads the way she can?¡± Marcus grunted quietly. ¡°Hell if I know. If even Julius doesn¡¯t know, then¨C¡± ¡°The Magicicada Witch would know,¡± Zora said plainly, opening his eyes. ¡°I bet Nona would know exactly what type of moth she ate.¡± Two, three, four seconds passed in tense silence before Cecilia gulped next to him, lips parting slowly. ¡°Zora,¡± she whispered in as steady a voice as she could muster, ¡°you were the one who said we can¡¯t come in contact with Nona no matter what, so¨C¡± ¡°I was joking,¡± he said, shaking his head as he let out a soft, sardonic chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ talk to her more over the next two days. Now that she¡¯s opened up to the other kids a bit, maybe her memory¡¯s going to get jogged and she¡¯ll be able to tell Julius what she ate.¡± Cecilia furrowed her brows, still looking quite worried, but she knew it and he knew it; there was no point pressing this topic any further. If they came in contact with Nona, they¡¯d die, and then all of their kids would die as well. He wasn¡¯t that shoddy of a teacher. ¡°... But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that there¡¯s still one more person we have to check on before we leave,¡± he said, looking solemnly around at the three of them. ¡°We¡¯ll go in one hour after all the kids have their dinner and fall asleep. If everything goes relatively smoothly¡ªwhich it certainly won¡¯t¡ªwe¡¯ll be back well before dawn.¡± Julius chewed his lips as he tossed Zora another strip of insect flesh. ¡°Do you really think¡­ the Headmaster is still up there? Alive? With whatever that Magicicada Witch is looking for?¡± ¡°No shit,¡± Marcus grunted, slapping Julius on the top of his head. ¡°Of all the old ladies in this academy, she¡¯s the only one I can imagine giving a Lesser Insect God a run for its money.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving her behind, after all.¡± Cecilia nodded firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll evade the Magicicada Witch, beeline straight for the top, and get mom to come with us¡ªif she¡¯s stuck in the north because something¡¯s keeping her there, like Marcus and Julius were, then we¡¯ll dislodge it with full and utmost prejudice.¡± Chapter 32 - Further Northwart Zora, Cecilia, Marcus, and Julius set off from the dorm sharp at ten in the dead of night, and if things went well, this would be Zora¡¯s last time heading towards the Swarm instead of away from the Swarm. He''d put the kids to bed. He''d fed them, double-checked their satchels, and made sure all of them were ready to evacuate from the academy first thing tomorrow morning. A guilty smile had twisted his lips when he broke up the little party in Emilia''s room an hour ago, but it was for the best that they all got their good night''s rest for the long march to come¡ªit was best, too, if the four of them were the only ones to sneak off towards the northern building, because there was no doubt they''d run into big troubles on the way there. So, without closing the northern foyer gate behind them, the four of them began trudging up the stairs to the botanical garden once again, bundles of food, water, and medical supplies in their satchels. ¡°... You sure your medicine will stave off the effects of bug meat overconsumption until we reach the borough in a week?¡± Cecilia asked, glancing in Julius'' way. ¡°It¡¯d suck if Zora and I just dropped dead in the middle of the long march, especially after we just cleaned the entire rest of our insect flesh stock for¡­ how many points? Zora, how much did you get?¡± He tapped his nape in response, pulling up his status screen for everyone to see. [Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: B-Rank Giant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 579/600 (97%)] [Points: 155] [Strength: 6, Speed: 5, Toughness: 6, Dexterity: 3, Perception: 4] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal] [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] [T3 Mutations | Diurnal Colouration | Hyaline Wings | Segmented Setae] 150P
¡°Hopefully,¡± Julius added. ¡°It better,¡± Cecilia warned, smacking him on the back of his head with a nervous frown. ¡°If we drop in the middle of the march, you and muscleman are carrying us all the way to the borough. You''re not going to make the kids carry us, are you, Mister Tadius?¡± Marcus barked out a hearty laugh. ¡°Like he can! Look at him! Even Emilia''s got more meat on her bones¨C¡± ¡°O-Of course not,¡± Julius mumbled, clutching the straps of his satchel as he nodded slowly back at Cecilia. ¡°I¡­ well, the medicine should help with indigestion¡­ or delay the effects of food poisoning¡­ or something along those lines. I''ve never tried it myself, so¨C¡± ¡°¨Cyou don''t sound very sure, man¨C¡± ¡°¨Cit should work, in theory, but maybe it¡­ uh¡­ well, I can just heal you if something goes wrong¨C¡± Zora sighed and smacked Julius on the back of his head¡ªas did Marcus and Cecilia, just for the fun of it. ¡°Unlock the tier three mutation ¡®Hyaline Wings¡¯, Cecilia,¡± Zora mumbled. ¡°Maybe the thin chitin armour from ¡®Diurnal Colouration¡¯ will protect us, and maybe being able to walk on walls and ceilings with ¡®Segmented Setae¡¯ would be useful, but I''d much rather have wings that¡¯ll prevent us from falling to our deaths.¡± Julius had given all of them the basic rundown of what each of their tier three mutations should do, but where they were currently headed, Zora already knew which one he should unlock first. The system immediately responded to his vocal command and made the skin on his back pop and crackle; he gritted his teeth and endured the mutation, feeling his wings cutting out the back of his shirt. Even if cicadas weren''t particularly strong fliers, having wings would at least prevent them from dying after being swiped out a window in the colossal northern building. [T3 Mutation Unlocked: Hyaline Wings] [Brief Description: You have grown glassy wings proficient at burst movement and short gliding. This is a channeled mutation. Maintaining flight will continuously drain your Swarmblood Aura, so you cannot use your wings indefinitely.] [Unallocated Points: 155 ¡ú 5]
¡°I bet you still can¡¯t outrun me with those wings,¡± Marcus sneered, elbowing Zora¡¯s wings as they passed the field of giant bug carcasses, entering the forest of silver trees once again. ¡°You still need some exercise, skellyman. The long march to the borough will either break you or toughen you up, so I¡¯ll charge you a hundred silvers for every hour I have to carry you and crystalblood.¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t need to be carried,¡± Julius mumbled, chewing his nails as he looked nervously around the forest. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ll just drug myself the entire way. Yep. Lots of strength-enhancing, stamina-boosting drugs. M-Maybe I should do it now, actually. I¡­ still have a few drug syringes to spare¨C¡± Zora and Cecilia¡¯s ears perked at the same time, and they whipped out their wands while Marcus cracked his fist, shoving Julius behind him. For his part, Zora narrowed his eyes at the dark overhead canopy, trying to pinpoint where he¡¯d heard the rustling sound. ¡°You heard that too, didn¡¯t you?¡± he muttered. ¡°Mhm,¡± Cecilia muttered back. ¡°It¡¯s close. Very close.¡± ¡°I thought you went feral mode and ripped through all the bugs in the garden just a few hours ago,¡± Marcus said, scowling back at the cowering Julius as he did. ¡°What, did you leave a few alive? Always finish the job, man. If you¡¯re gonna kill one, you might as well kill all of them¨C¡± ¡°I-I did kill them all! We ate them and shared the flesh between all of us, didn''t we?¡± Julius said, his glasses about to fall off his face as he hugged Marcus¡¯ waist, shivering from head to toe. ¡°At least¡­ I think we did. I¡¯m not really sure. B-Besides, what¡¯s to say giant bugs from outside the garden can¡¯t just¡­ waltz right in? Who knows what sort of monstrosities have wandered down from the north¨C¡± The rustling came again, and it was much, much closer than any of them expected. Zora and Cecilia whirled on Marcus, wands poised and ready to strike. Marcus whirled on Julius, fist reared back and ready to bash a bug¡¯s head open. Julius, too, pulled out multiple glowing syringes and gripped them in his fists like brass knuckles¡ªbut then they all blinked, holding off their attacks for just a second long enough to hear the sound again.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. It came from inside Marcus¡¯ satchel, and Zora couldn¡¯t help but scowl as he lowered his wand, walking forward to fling the bag open. Little Emilia smiled nervously up at him with a half-eaten bloodberry candy in her hands, looking guilty as charged. ¡°... Mister Zora¨C¡± ¡°Go back to your room and sleep,¡± he grumbled, pulling her out by the arms before plopping her down; Julius took the opportunity and got his revenge, whacking Marcus on the back of his head for not paying attention to stowaways. ¡°Inside a healthy body lives a healthy ghost, and you can¡¯t be healthy if you don¡¯t sleep. Now go. The four of us will be back by tomorrow morning to lead all of you guys out of the academy¨C¡± Emilia shook her head vehemently, clinging to his leg as he tried to nudge her away. ¡°No! I wanna be with you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like Titus and the others will bite you now, right?¡± he said, trying to peel her arms off his leg to no avail. ¡°We¡¯re just¡­ going off to check on the Headmaster. She¡¯s got something the bugs want, so if we don¡¯t take her with us, a lot of humans outside the academy are going to be very, very hurt. We¡¯ll be back before you even know it¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy, so I¡¯m going with you!¡± He grimaced, clenching his jaw. He¡¯d no idea what brought this on all of a sudden¡ªshe was having a mighty fun time with Titus and the others the last time he saw them, telling them to go to bed¡ªbut Cecilia tapped his shoulder before he could try casting a spell on her, smiling softly down at the little girl with tears in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll behave if you follow us, right?¡± Cecilia asked, softening her voice, ¡°we¡¯re going somewhere that might be dangerous¡ªmore dangerous than anywhere else we¡¯ve taken you to¡ªso if we tell you to run, you run. No talk-backs. If you can promise that, Zora will let you come with us.¡± Emilia didn¡¯t miss a beat, her face lighting up instantly. ¡°Promise! I¡¯ll behave! Shh!¡± And with that, it seemed like a decision was made unanimously without Zora¡¯s input. Marcus shrugged, Julius was still cowering behind the big man, and Cecilia was glaring at Zora with a pointed stare. It said ¡®she¡¯s already followed us all this time, so what¡¯s the harm in taking her with us on this last trip around the academy¡¯? To that, Zora had no real counter-argument other than ¡®I don¡¯t want her following us this time¡¯. But that won¡¯t fly with Emilia, would it? ¡°... Fine,¡± he muttered, holding out his hand for Emilia to take with a giddy grin. Cecilia patted his back with a sarcastic ¡®job well done¡¯ smirk, and neither Marcus nor Julius could ignore the opportunity to hit him harder than usual. He clicked his tongue at the two before warning Emilia sternly, looking her right in the eyes. ¡°But we¡¯re serious this time, okay? It will be dangerous, so if I tell you to run, don¡¯t hesitate like the last time you carried Miss Sarius and Mister Evander away.¡± Emilia nodded cheerily, and that was about the most serious response he could get from her before she launched into a rhapsody about sparkler fireworks. While the five of them trudged through the forest, past the demolished greenhouse, and towards the northern end of the garden where a set of double doors stood in the way between the orphan academy and the academy, Emilia talked. Zora had never seen her so talkative before. She gushed about the sparklers she played with in her room, recounted the insect traits she noticed on her classmates, and mimed the firework sparks with flowery gestures and loud whooshes with her mouth. Her usual anxiety wasn¡¯t there; she was so excited to speak that the words slurred past her lips like someone on their tenth bottle of wine. You enjoyed yourself, didn''t you? Good on you, Emilia. They all took turns engaging with her, the five of them travelling in an arrow formation: Marcus in front, Zora on the left, Cecilia on the right, and Julius in the back. Without Emilia noticing, they¡¯d all surrounded her in the centre to make sure she¡¯d be safe, but the formation also made it so she could talk to whoever she wanted incredibly easily. Zora recounted stories of the four of them playing with sparklers for the very first time several years ago, at Julius¡¯ graduation ceremony. Marcus poked fun at Julius for having been scared of the sparklers back then. Julius stabbed back with similarly embarrassing tales, and Cecilia was¡­ unsurprisingly, the most quiet of them all. Because, without Emilia noticing, they¡¯d finally entered the northern building, and it was carnage the likes of which Zora had never seen before. The long, vast chambers on the first floor were completely slick with blood. Thick and cloying fumes of decay clung to the cold stone walls, and moonlight refracting through the enormous stained-glass windows cast dim, fractured colours across the hallways. There may have been carpets before¡ªfurniture, candelabras, paintings hung on walls, colourful flags and banners strung overhead¡ªbut the chambers of the first floor were ruined. Armies of men, women, and Magicicada Mages lay in grotesque, broken piles all over, and not a single one of them had identifiable features. They climbed the first set of stairs they could find, heading up to the second floor while Marcus nudged the bodies out of their way. The chambers on the second floor were a bit more hopeful, but just as chaotic. Dozens upon hundreds of human researchers still lay in bloody piles everywhere, but now carcasses of giant bugs accompanied them, massive forms collapsed in heaps of chitin and disjointed legs. Blood leaking from cracks in the ceiling was constant¡ªdrip, drip, drip of blood running down the cobbled walls, from corpse to floor. Julius had to walk forward to shield Emilia with a pocket parasol while Zora and Cecilia lingered in the back, letting Julius handle the distracting small talk. By the time they climbed the second set of stairs to the third floor, Cecilia¡¯s face was worryingly pale; Marcus didn¡¯t slow down, of course, and neither did Julius, but Zora grabbed her hand just before she could step on a giant bug leg. ¡°... To charm and deceive a child is the strength of an actor, but for teachers who are without that talent, simply being yourself is good enough,¡± he said, voice soft as a whisper as he fixed her with a reassuring gaze. ¡°It¡¯s fine to look sick in front of me, you know. Marcus and Julius are strong men who grew up in troubled, terrible lands, so for better or worse, they¡¯re used to massacres of this sort¡ªmeanwhile, we''re arts teachers, and we don¡¯t have blood on our palettes.¡± Cecilia put a hand to her mouth, furrowing a brow as she tried not to throw up. ¡°Neither of us are visual arts teachers. That analogy doesn''t work here¨C¡± ¡°But it helps to know you''re not alone in feeling sick, no?¡± She paused. Julius was still whispering quietly to Emilia about the make of sparklers, and Marcus was being a diligent vanguard by making sure they weren''t walking straight into a giant bug; the two of them had time to talk. Cecilia could afford to gulp and let herself shiver in an uncharacteristic moment of weakness. ¡°I¡­ find it hard to believe that ¡®this¡¯ is what a scared Zora looks like,¡± she whispered, shaking her head slowly. ¡°You were much more of a scaredy cat back when we were kids. Remember how you used to hide behind me all the time whenever we snuck out of the dorm at night for tests of courage.¡± ¡°I remember no such thing.¡± ¡°You did. You were a sweet, adorable coward back then. Now all you¡¯ve got is a sharp tongue, and¡­ are you sure you¡¯re still afraid?¡± In response, he held up his other hand and showed it to her: that slight, subtle, but still very real shaking he couldn¡¯t exactly show Emilia. ¡°I¡¯m an arts teacher, too,¡± he murmured, ¡°but behaviour precedes nature. I believe people who act brave can become brave, and I¡¯m not a huge fan of being myself sometimes. Emilia¡¯s not your kid, after all¡ªwhat kind of teacher wants their kid to know how frightened they really are in the face of a giant bug?¡± Cecilia pursed her lips. ¡°So you don¡¯t worry?¡± ¡°Worry?¡± ¡°What if mom isn''t up on the fifth floor? What if that Magicicada Witch has already gotten what she wants out of the academy? What if¨C¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s one of the very first Magicicada Mages in the entire world. If someone''s protecting what Nona is looking for, it''s going to be her, and you can be sure she''s not going to croak that easily,¡± he said, cutting her off. ¡°The fact that we aren''t fighting off hordes of bugs right now means the Magicicada Mages probably killed off most of them. For all we know, there''s a bunch of survivors taking shelter on the fifth floor, unsure of what''s going on outside the northern building. It''s just a race to see whether we or Nona will find them first, and we have home advantage here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¨C¡± ¡°If you count only the things you can stand to lose, it¡¯ll take away your ability to act,¡± he said, flicking her on the forehead and making her flinch. ¡°If there¡¯s something you want to achieve¡ªsomething you want to be true¡ªthen that isn¡¯t something that should fetter you. It must drive you forward, and that¡­ is ¡®fire¡¯.¡± Cecilia immediately stopped fidgeting, her expression morphing into a look of teasing playfulness. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about how to explain that word to Emilia, huh?¡± she said, a small, smug smile rising onto her face. ¡°How long have you been rehearsing that line for, hm? You¡¯ve grown into quite the dependable teacher since you were a whole head shorter than me, haven¡¯t you?¡± He winced and tried to shy away as she started scrubbing his head. ¡°I¡¯ve always been dependable. I¡¯m Lord Zora, the Thousand Tongue Mage of homeroom 2-A, and my kids will testify that I¡¯m the most popular teacher this year.¡± She snorted, a smile tugging on the corner of her eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t take me down. I¡¯ve still got my youthful beauty on my side.¡± ¡°Even a painted butterfly eventually loses its colours to the wind. How old are you again?¡± ¡°One word to mom and I¡¯ll have your salary cut.¡± ¡°I apologise. I wasn¡¯t familiar with your strategies¨C¡± Their ears perked again, and this time, all five of them snapped their heads to the left, staring out the columns of giant stained-glass windows. It was faint, barely noticeable, but it was like moonlight just shimmered and then dimmed for a brief second. Under normal circumstances, Zora would think a giant bug was flying outside, but he''d neither seen nor heard anything of the sort since he started looking up through the botanical garden¡¯s glass ceiling. He wasn''t lying when he told Cecilia the Magicicada Mages must''ve killed most of the bugs in the academy before succumbing to their wounds¡ªthe four of them had their work cut out for them. So where was this sense of unease coming from? ¡­ They waited ten seconds, twenty seconds, backs pressed against the walls on the right before continuing their journey through the third floor. The instant they did, moonlight to their left shimmered again, and this time, they caught a glimpse of the giant cactus peeking into the castle from outside. ¡­ What even is that¨C And two legs the size of small watchtowers tore through the windows, cleaving through stone and metal beams like scissor blades. Chapter 33 - Cultural Exchange Zora was alert this time. As the twin colossal legs closed in on them, he grabbed Cecilia and pushed her down, trusting Julius and Marcus to do the same for Emilia¡ªand all five of them ducked under the cleaving legs, bracing their heads as volleys of stone debris rained on them. ¡°... J-Jungle nymph!¡± Julius shouted. ¡°Giant stick bug! They¡¯re incredible at camouflage, and this one¡¯s massive! At least twenty metres long with¨C¡± Marcus yanked Julius and Emilia onto their feet as the giant stick bug stabbed three more spiky legs in, and this time, they were dangerously close. One smashed vertically down on where the three of them had been, making the floor ripple, while two stabbed forward like spears, stopping Zora and Cecilia from scrambling up and running forward. Immediately, the entire chamber rumbled; the bug had observed enough, and was no longer concerned with hiding itself. Without a word, Zora and the rest of the teachers turned their wands and weapons on it. ¡°Amplify!¡± ¡°Strike!¡± Their combination spell flew. Marcus picked up a pillar and threw it at the bug. Julius flicked half a dozen glowing syringes at its head, and, in response¨C ¡°Witch¡¯s orders,¡± it rasped, and when it flapped its wings, the sheer power of the wind was nothing like the bugs before it. It shattered windows, ruffled banners, and cleared the toxic fumes in the air; Zora barely managed to cast ¡®block¡¯ behind him as the wind knocked him and Cecilia through the wall, throwing them into a completely different hallway. Separated from Emilia¡¯s group, the two of them groaned as they clawed to their feet, and yet the stick bug¡¯s voice was still painfully loud. ¡°No human is to enter and ascend this building,¡± it drawled and Emilia¡¯s group must¡¯ve been flung through a wall into a different hallway as well, because it crawled away from the windows for a second¡ªonly to reappear outside the windows on Zora¡¯s left, armoured compound eyes blinking slowly. ¡°Witch¡¯s orders.¡± With that, the destruction began anew. Walls, windows, and floors shattered as the giant bug stabbed its legs through over and over, and all Zora and Cecilia could do was run and ¡®strike¡¯, ¡®rise¡¯ and ¡®throw¡¯. Sprays of shattered rock bounced off the giant bug¡¯s rock-hard chitin. Moving through the hallways, Zora even added ¡®spins¡¯ to all of his ¡®strikes¡¯ and debris ¡®throws¡¯ to add just that little bit of piercing force to his attacks, but nothing worked. Even its eyes were armoured; its only weakness was its sluggishness, and so all they did was run. Eventually, Cecilia ¡®struck¡¯ a door open and they bumped into Emilia¡¯s group, running in the opposite direction. Zora tried to tell them to find the stairs to the fourth floor, but then another leg cleaved through the ceiling. Faster, wilder, and sharper than any that¡¯d come before. Marcus shouted ¡®toughen¡¯ on himself and tried to catch the leg, but Emilia and Julius had the sensibility to tackle him out of the way. The leg smashed through the floor, and two more came stabbing at their faces. ¡°D-Don¡¯t try to catch the damn thing, you oaf!¡± Julius shouted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help out, then?¡± Marcus snapped back, and then two more legs came stabbing in. Zora and Cecilia whirled and slung ¡®blocks¡¯ in unison, but the spells barely had any strength behind them; it was only Emilia yanking all of them with glowing threads that they avoided getting impaled through. We have zero synergy. I can work with Cecilia, Marcus, and Julius individually, but when we¡¯re all together¡­ Dodging narrowly, all five of them raced backwards, sprinting through more doors, hallways, and winding through confusing chambers as the bug pursued. Three, four, five giant legs punched through the walls and let in cold moonlight, and it was only Cecilia dropping instruments from her satchel and making them play old tunes that distracted the bug from pinpointing their exact location. More legs stabbed at them through multiple walls in a row, and these ones they could only hear coming¡ªEmilia and Marcus, the fastest ones, had to yank all of them down once again, but this time there was no avoiding it. The floor caved in under them, and they tumbled all the way down to a giant lecture hall on the second floor. Marcus grabbed Julius as they smashed into the chairs on the upper row, his ¡®toughen¡¯ spell protecting both of them. Zora and Cecilia grabbed each other¡¯s hands while Emilia jumped on his back, and their hyaline wings snapped out at the last moment, slowing their fall just enough for them to land on their feet; his ankles still cracked as they landed, and he let out a pained groan as all five of them hid behind their mounds of debris, coughing ash and dust. Before the giant bug could crawl down to the second floor, Zora reached into the depths of his abdomen and shouted ¡®silence¡¯¡ªhiding their pained breaths and gasps just as the bug stabbed two legs into the front wall of the lecture hall, prying it open like it was made out of paper. ¡°I know you¡¯re in here,¡± it rumbled, ripping a ten-metre-long gash in the wall, half its body backlit by moonlight as it peered in. ¡°I can smell you. All humans smell like nectared flowers, and the blood of Magicicada Mages smell particularly strong.¡± Cecilia clamped a hand over Emilia¡¯s mouth as Zora gritted his teeth, wiping trails of blood off his cheek and neck. We can¡¯t beat it if we¡¯re not in sync. Think, Zora. How do we get through this thing? ¡°Oh, well,¡± the bug rumbled again, rearing both its forelegs back as it prepared to stab into the lecture hall. ¡°Not like you can understand me, anyways. What a travesty. If only you humans were a bit bigger so it¡¯s easier for me to chew on you¨C¡± ¡°I understand you!¡± Zora shouted, eyes lighting up as he stood up straight, raising two empty hands in the air as he looked the giant bug in the eye. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, you and I! Do you have a name?¡± Silence. Surprise. It wasn¡¯t just Cecilia and Emilia who were staring up at him with wide, dumbfounded eyes. The giant stick bug froze as well, its forelegs petrified; Zora could practically hear the gears spinning in its head as it tried to comprehend what he¡¯d just said, and that was all he really wanted. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Time. ¡°... You speak our tongue?¡± the bug mumbled, tilting its head slightly. More chunks of stone cracked off the wall it was clinging to, opening the hole up even further. ¡°I must be mishearing. A human speaking the tongue of bugs? What a farce. I suppose I am just a bit too hungry¨C¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear anything,¡± Zora said, nudging Cecilia with his heel and beckoning them to sneak out of the hall as he walked away from the mounds of debris. ¡°I¡¯m Zora Fabre, a language arts teacher in this academy. It¡¯d be remiss for a language arts teacher to not know how to speak the tongue of both friends and foes alike, no?¡± The stick bug blinked. ¡°You say¡­ Fabreeeee?¡± it drawled, and its voice was deeper this time; he clenched his throat and kicked Cecilia again, not stopping until he felt the two girls shuffling away quickly. ¡°I know the ¡®Fabre Household¡¯. You were a family of humans who could speak every tongue in the world. What do you call yourselves? Translators? Interpreters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ surprised you know my household name, too,¡± he said slowly, and he wasn¡¯t lying. He walked out onto the stairs and began pacing down the hall, passing the hiding Marcus and Julius on the way. ¡°You can call us a family of translators, yes. How curious. How is it that you know of my¨C¡± ¡°Your household was a thorn in our side for the longest time,¡± it replied, sounding almost giddy as it finally seemed to come to the realisation that he was, indeed, speaking its tongue. ¡°For decades, the Fabres assigned to the major battlefronts could understand what we were saying and intercept our battle strategies, so we were told to make your household disappear. The Magicicada Witches were sent after your household ten years ago and wiped your name out, didn¡¯t they?¡± Marcus and Julius were glaring intently at him from the side, likely wanting him to cast ¡®translate¡¯ so they could understand the conversation, but he¡¯d no plans on doing so. As he continued walking, he kicked a pebble at the two men, and his eyes brimmed with cold, dark fury all the way down until he was standing right before the giant stick bug at the bottom of the lecture hall. ¡°... That¡¯s right,¡± he said, sending the bug a cordial smile that didn¡¯t carry the meaning behind it. ¡°The Magicicada Witches came after us ten years ago, and I was the only survivor. Were you there on that night?¡± The bug dipped its head, peering straight down at him. ¡°Most of us who came to this academy were also there that night. We are the Magicicada Witch¡¯s brood, after all. We follow wherever they go. We do whatever they tell us to do. You are mistaken, though, if you think you are the only¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re rather talkative and sophisticated for a bug,¡± he said, crossing an arm over his chest and sighing in mock relief, ¡°compared to the other ones I¡¯ve talked to, you¡¯re a delight to speak with. I must say, you have remarkable self-control¡ªthe other ones would¡¯ve gotten impatient with me by now.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The bug pulled its giant mandibles apart in what seemed like half a grin, half a snarl. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, but it is only because I have not talked to a Fabre in a while that I¨C¡± ¡°What say we negotiate a little?¡± Another pause. He heard faint footsteps behind him¡ªMarcus and Julius sneaking out of the lecture hall, hopefully¡ªbut the giant stick bug seemed to be in deep thought, and it didn¡¯t notice the sounds. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± he said, keeping his voice calm and steady as he shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re far, far smarter than all the other bugs I¡¯ve spoken to thus far, I¡¯d like to ask you a few questions, and in return, you can ask me anything you¡¯d like to know about humanity. Even if you¡¯re not a Lesser Insect God, you do communicate with your bosses, don¡¯t you? Wouldn¡¯t Nona appreciate more information about humanity¡¯s battle strategies?¡± The bug clicked its mandibles, ¡®laughing¡¯ sharply. ¡°Why would I want to negotiate with a human? I¡¯ve been ordered to kill anyone who enters the northern building¨C¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want to die,¡± he said casually, turning his wand into a sword and stabbing it straight down, leaning on it like a walking cane. ¡°Unfortunately, I know my match when I see one. You are far stronger than me, so there is no point in even trying to challenge you alone. I¡¯m right here in front of you, aren¡¯t I? You can kill me anytime you want, right? Why not entertain yourself with a bit of intelligent discourse while you think about whether or not you really want to kill me?¡± ¡°I do not have to think. I want to¨C¡± ¡°If I promise to get out of the northern building right after this conversation? Will you still want to kill me then?¡± The bug cracked its head sideways. ¡°Of course. The more humans I devour, the closer I will be to becoming a Mutant, so why wouldn¡¯t I just kill you now¨C¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re intelligent, unlike the others,¡± he said, feigning genuine surprise as he tilted its head, matching its gesture. ¡°You¡¯re not like the others. You clearly deserve to be a Mutant, but instead, Nona is ordering you around, right? Do you know how many bugs I¡¯ve talked to these past three days?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°More than the fingers on my hands,¡± he lied. ¡°All of them cried for ¡®mother, mother¡¯ as they died, but Nona never came for them. They all trusted her so dearly, but she never even glanced their way, right? Even now, do you have any idea where she is?¡± The bug didn¡¯t respond immediately, and that was the answer he needed. ¡°I presume, of all the Giant-Class bugs in this academy, that you are the strongest. That¡¯s why Nona told you to guard the northern building, right?¡± he said, before jabbing a finger at its head. ¡°But Nona wouldn¡¯t save you if you were hurt, right? She doesn¡¯t actually care about you. She doesn¡¯t believe you are her equal, and until she believes you are every bit as intelligent as a Mutant, you will never even be acknowledged¡­ and how does one become a Mutant-Class, exactly? Is it really enough to only consume humans?¡± Then he swept his arm around, gesturing at the lecture hall. ¡°Behaviour precedes nature. Those who act like a human can become human, and what does a human do best?¡± he asked. ¡°We talk. We prattle. We negotiate all the time whenever we have to settle a dispute, so how about it? Why not use me to practise your human skills?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Come on, smart guy,¡± he urged, putting all his restraint into his face as he forced himself to grin up at the bug. ¡°A Mutant is considered a Lesser Insect God when they can speak even a single word in a human tongue. How about I teach you a few human words? Wouldn¡¯t you, theoretically, be on par with Nona as Lesser Insect God the moment you¡¯re able to pronounce it?¡± The bug didn¡¯t speak. Its expression didn¡¯t change. It just remained clinging to the outside of the lecture hall, its spiky and gargantuan silhouette backlit by moonlight, and for a good few seconds, Zora wondered if he may have pushed its buttons a little too hard¡ªbut then it laughed and rested its forelegs on the walls again, relaxing visibly as it bobbed its head back and forth. ¡°Why not, then?¡± it said. ¡°I can kill you whenever I want, after all. Now teach me how to speak your human tongue¨C¡± ¡°The first bee to buzz sets the tune,¡± he said, raising a finger. ¡°In human culture, it is appropriate for the person who requested the negotiation to ask two questions first. Let me speak my piece, and then it will be your turn.¡± Chapter 34 - Pact with the Devil ¡°... My first question is simple, and it is purely for curiosity¡¯s sake,¡± Zora said, raising a finger. ¡°What is Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, looking for in this academy?¡± In response, the giant stick bug shimmied down the wall of the northern building, lowering its head to only about three metres above him. ¡°Do you know the history of the Magicicada Witches?¡± it rumbled, sounding very keen to exchange words with him. ¡°The three sisters have been serving the Swarm since we first invaded your world sixty-one years ago¡ªmany, many decades before I was even born. There are many species of cicadas in the world, but only the three Magicicada Witches have the ability to cast ¡®spells¡¯ with their words¡­ that is, until you Magicicada Mages stole their voices and their ability to cast spells.¡± ¡°I¡¯m vaguely aware of the mages¡¯ history,¡± he said, picking his words slowly, carefully, ¡°they copied the Magicicada Witches¡¯ abilities and even made wands out of cicada parts so they can channel and focus their spells. What does that¨C¡± ¡°I was there twenty-one years ago when the Magicicada Witches burned the mages¡¯ research town to the ground,¡± it said, chortling with a raspy, ear-grating voice. ¡°The three of them went after the mages because something of theirs was stolen: black chitin from their own bodies, shattered off their chests during a particularly difficult battle in the then-eastern continent. The mages back then stole the black chitin and turned it into three legendary wands capable of killing the Magicicada Witches, so of course the three of them could not take that standing. They wanted the wands made of their own flesh back.¡± Zora narrowed his wands. ¡°Wands that can kill the Magicicada Witches, you say?¡± ¡°Your wand is made of normal cicada chitin, is it not?¡± it said, looking pointedly down at the sword he was leaning against. ¡°Because it is cicada chitin, it can absorb, charge, and focus any spells you cast on it, but the three wands made out of magicicada chitin can amplify any spells cast on them tenfold. They would be too dangerous in the hands of you mages.¡± One by one, the pieces clicked together inside his head, and he tilted his head back with his eyes closed for a brief moment¡ªgathering his thoughts, planning his next line of conversation. ¡°... Ah,¡± he breathed, ¡°so I assume the two older sisters recovered their wands twenty-one years ago when they attacked the Magicicada Mages and forced them to scatter across the continent, but Nona didn¡¯t recover hers. You didn¡¯t kill all of the mages.¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± The bug nodded, clearly elated he was plucking its exact thoughts out of its head. ¡°For twenty-one years, Nona has been wandering this continent, listening to the hums of her own wand¡ªshe could always hear it calling to her faintly, but she could never pinpoint its exact location. It was not until we finally exterminated every mage outside of this academy that the sounds became clear to her. The wand is here in this academy, where the very last Magicicada Mages reside, and once she shatters the wand, she will be able to piece the shards together and close the wound in her chest. Then, and only then, will she become truly invincible once again.¡± For his part, Zora just waited, silent and still. It was a lot of information to take in, but he¡¯d had his suspicions ever since that katydid said Nona was here to reclaim what was ¡®stolen¡¯ from her. Magicicadas weren¡¯t particularly well-known for hoarding anything, so something that could be stolen from her could only be a piece of her actual body¡ªin this case, a wand made out of chitin shards broken from her chest. It can amplify any spell cast on it¡­ tenfold? If it truly is that powerful of a wand, then I can see why she¡¯d want it back. If it¡¯s in the Headmaster¡¯s hands right now, then maybe we do stand a chance against Nona after all¨C ¡°I¡¯ve answered your question, haven¡¯t I?¡± The bug clicked its mandibles together, evidently impatient. ¡°My turn. Teach me a human tongue. Perhaps it is not only eating humans that turns bugs into Mutants. I must first act like a human, and then¨C¡± ¡°I still have a second question, remember?¡± he said, wagging his finger in its face. ¡°This is a bit of a tough question, so may I be allowed to pull out my sword and draw it on the walls? It would be more time-efficient for the both of us.¡± The bug stared at him for a moment before tilting its head to the left. ¡°Make it quick.¡± He bowed curtly and yanked his sword from the ground, making a big show of limping over to the cracked, weakened wall of the lecture hall. Alright. I¡¯ve got its attention. He controlled his breathing and slowed his heartbeat to a crawl¡ªhe needed steady hands for what he was carving into the stone wall, and thankfully, the giant bug was relatively patient with him. Even as he ¡®accidentally¡¯ messed up the drawing, cursed, and dropped his sword, it didn¡¯t deny him his silent request to carve the drawing on the right wall of the lecture hall instead. In another life, the bug could¡¯ve been a pretty decent human. ¡°... What is this bug called?¡± he asked, letting out a heavy, tired breath as he finished his carving, turning around to show the giant bug. ¡°It¡¯s a moth species even the smartest, wisest physician in our academy can¡¯t identify. As traits manifested on a human child after consumption, the moth gives the child black claws, red eyes, hairy comb-like antennae, and white-crimson wings. Since you are of the Swarm, do you know of any moths that fit those descriptions?¡± The giant bug thought for a moment, humming deeply and making the lecture hall reverberate. ¡°There are tens and hundreds of moths in the eastern Mori Masif Front alone that fit that description,¡± it said, shaking its head slowly. ¡°Does it have any patterns on its wings? On the back of its abdomen? Is it hairy, fuzzy, or smooth-scaled?¡± ¡°The human child has the Swarmblood Art to produce glowing blood threads from their nails,¡± he said, watching its eyes closely. ¡°I was under the impression that only spiders can produce threads, but apparently not. Does this moth species ring a bell, then? A moth that can¨C¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhh,¡± it breathed, exhaling so loudly it made the lecture hall reverberate again, and Zora had to stab his sword into the ground just to stay on his feet. ¡°You should have led with that, Fabre. There is no bug in the world that does not know the abilities of the Black Witch.¡± Zora¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he yanked his sword out to turn it back into a wand, a small grin on his face. ¡°You know what that moth is, then?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°What is it called?¡± ¡°It is a ¡®Silkmoth¡¯¡ªand the Greater Insect God of the East, the Black Witch, is one herself,¡± it said plainly, leaning forward and moving its head dangerously, uncomfortably close to him. ¡°That human child you were running with¡­ she is a Kin of the Black Witch. Give her to me. Silkmoths are amongst the rarest and most powerful bugs in the entire world, so the Black Witch usually keeps a watchful eye on all of them to prevent them from getting eaten¡ªI do not know how your child managed to eat enough to develop silkmoth traits, but I do not care.¡± Zora backed up the stairs slowly, his heart pounding with excitement. ¡°A silkmoth, you say? I¡¯ve not heard of it before, but I assume the ¡®silk¡¯ it produces are the glowing red threads?¡± ¡°Yes. And if a human has consumed enough silkmoths to develop its traits, she must be a human worth consuming herself,¡± it said, its two colossal forelegs reaching into the lecture hall, stabbing into the ground. ¡°This is called ¡®human trade¡¯, is it not? I will let you and the others live. Leave the northern building and never return. In exchange, leave the girl here and let me consume her. I will certainly evolve into a Mutant¡­ perhaps even a Lesser Insect God if I am allowed to tap on even a fraction of the Black Witch¡¯s power¨C¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Emilia is not up for grabs,¡± he said coolly, twirling his wand before pressing the tip before his lips. ¡°But thank you very much for the information, indeed. It¡¯s just a darn shame that a wall that outlives its usefulness should just be struck down and shattered.¡± The giant stick bug blinked at him, but by then it was too late to move; he whipped his wand at his messy carvings on either side of the lecture hall, ¡®shattering¡¯ the already weakened walls with two blunt strikes. Immediately, the section of the wall the bug was clinging onto began falling, and it was a big, sluggish bug after all. If it didn¡¯t want to plummet a hundred metres down to its demise, the only thing it could do was crawl inside the lecture hall¡ªand that was exactly what it did with an irritated growl, squeezing its massive, spiky frame into the building. ¡°Is this part of your question, too?¡± it snarled, wings trying to unfurl and flap to no avail; it was still slipping, falling, and while he raced to the top of the lecture hall, it crawled up after him in an attempt to cling to solid ground. ¡°Teach me a human tongue! Make me a Lesser Insect God! If I can rival that Magicicada Witch, then I can be my own bug, live my own life¨C¡± ¡°In human culture, we tend to lie during negotiations,¡± he said, standing in the doorway as he glanced back at it for a brief moment. ¡°Catch me if you want to learn a human tongue. My kids come to me for extra classes, anyways. I don¡¯t go to them.¡± The giant bug bellowed an inhuman, incomprehensible speech, and he dashed down the hallways of the second floor while it tore through the hall behind him. It was still much too big, its colossal legs too unwieldy, but it was crawling and squirming through the tight chambers with wrath like never before. For his part, he was just running wherever which way, dodging the webs of thin, glowing threads¡ªbarely visible to the naked eye¡ªas he lured the bug deeper and deeper into the building. ¡°Liar!¡± it screamed, its every step shaking the walls, cracking the floor. It was just a few dozen strides behind him, ripping through every web of threads in its way. ¡°We were right to exterminate the Fabre Household! Silver-tongued devils! Hundred-tongued deceivers! I will make you spit out your tongue and chew on it, like the Magicicada Witches did to your fathers and mothers¨C¡± It hissed as it ran its eyes into a web, blinding it momentarily, and he whirled to stick his tongue out. That made the spikes across its body ripple with anger; he resumed running frantically immediately after, flapping his hyaline wings once for a short burst of explosive speed. ¡°The Witch told me to guard the northern building, but she will not fault me for bringing it down, will she?¡± it bellowed, cleaving mindlessly through every wall and room as he lured it down the darker, tighter chambers. Even without its full range of movement, it was still monstrously strong. ¡°I will¡­ get my human tongue¡­ and eat¡­ that Kin of the Black Witch¡­ and then¡­ I will be¨C¡± ¡°Out of breath much?¡± he called over his shoulder, grimacing as he noticed the dead end hallway thirty strides in front of him; he whirled around once more and slid to a halt, dragging his sword across the ground to kick up a bunch of fiery sparks. ¡°You know, people cannot see the faces they¡¯re making when they¡¯re alone, and you look mighty riled-up right now. Is that the sort of face a human-like bug should be making?¡± He slid backwards, heel touching the wall. The giant bug encompassed the entirety of the chamber in front of him, and it was still charging straight at him, mandibles pried wide open, but¡­ it was slowing down. And not just because it was large, or sluggish, or clumsy without being able to use its full range of motion inside the cramped corridors. By itself, it realised what was going on when the faintly glowing threads stuck to it started hissing and steaming, melting its chitin armour and making it screech in pain. He shot it a weary, triumphant grin as he repeatedly cast ¡®spinning strike¡¯ on his blade, waiting for the bug to reach him headfirst. Emilia¡¯s threads are laced with Julius¡¯ poisons. They¡¯re impossible to dodge for something that massive, but dodging them myself isn¡¯t really a problem. And now that the bug had run itself through dozens upon hundreds of poisonous threads¡ªmelting its chitin, sapping its strength, disorienting its senses¡ªhe charged forward, running his vibrating blade straight between its eyes. The ¡®strike¡¯ spell immediately rippled as his blade still struggled to pierce the chitin on its head, but he didn¡¯t let up. He didn¡¯t back off. He¡¯d been listening to their footsteps from behind the many walls of the second floor, and all at once, they came out of hiding to jump the bug alongside him. Marcus charged through the wall behind him, body strengthened with countless self-enhancing spells, and he let go of his sword to duck. The muscleman immediately punched the pommel, driving the blade halfway through its chitin. Fits of rage, bloodcurdling screeches¡ªthe bug flailed its colossal legs around and swiped in every direction, trying to force them away, but Emilia had already climbed onto its back, spitting and throwing and tying its legs to any solid surface with her threads. The threads alone weren¡¯t strong enough to bind its limbs, of course, so Cecilia and Julius suddenly collapsed through the ceiling above and landed atop its head, a dozen brass instruments falling alongside them with a loud clatter. Cheeks puffed, ears burning red, the music teacher roared a skull-shatteringly loud tune through her trumpet, simultaneously casting ¡®Da Capo¡¯ to make the other instruments bellow right in the bug¡¯s ears to disorient it even further. At the same time, the physician jabbed half a dozen syringes into the top of its head, injecting another whole dose of poisons straight into its veins. What the syringes contained exactly didn¡¯t matter. All five of them working together was what was keeping the giant stick bug down, and as Marcus grabbed his blade to drive it deeper and deeper into the bug¡¯s head¨C The bug let out its loudest roar yet, unfurling its wings in an attempt to shatter the building from the inside-out, but all it managed to do was throw its uneven weight around and shatter the floor once again. This time, though, the five of them were prepared. While the stick bug plummeted down to the first floor, Emilia leapt to the nearest wall, clinging onto it with her sticky limbs. Cecilia grabbed Julius, Zora grabbed Marcus, and they fluttered back onto the edge of the hole with their hyaline wings before they could fall through it. And, together, they knelt and stood by the edge as they watched the giant bug smash into the ground ten metres below, raising a cloud of dust and smoke as it did. ¡­ Zora waved the dust away and scowled down at the giant bug lying flat on its back, legs upturned. Shrapnel and metal debris bathed its body in blood, and bright moonlight flooding in through the destroyed walls on their right revealed just how broken it really was. Its armour was cracked all over, four of its six legs were torn from its body, and his sword that Marcus had punched into its brain was still embedded in its head. It may still be heaving and rasping for breath now, but it was already done for. Not even Julius would be able to ¡®heal¡¯ injuries like that. Maybe. But he wasn¡¯t interested in knowing. ¡°... Sword, to me.¡± While Marcus smacked Julius¡¯ back for a job well done and Cecilia checked on Emilia, giving the little girl ¡®good job¡¯ headpats, Zora roared his spell in every direction¡ªand his sword tore itself out of the stick bug¡¯s head, shooting back into his hand with a clean whistle. Without a word, he turned it back into a wand and flicked a dozen spells at the largest, sharpest debris lying around the giant bug, ¡®raising¡¯ them as high into the air as his strength would allow him to. ¡°Fabre¡­ traitorrrrrrr,¡± the giant bug mumbled, and all five of them save for Zora flinched. It still had a bit of vocal strength to spare. ¡°Dead or not¡­ you Fabres are always a thorn in someone¡¯s side. All of you lie¡­ as easily¡­ as you breathe.¡± Cecilia grabbed his free hand from behind, and he heard someone saying ¡®don¡¯t listen¡¯, but frankly, the anger he¡¯d been suppressing for the entirety of their conversation in the lecture hall was becoming too hard to bear. Gritting his teeth, he ¡®raised¡¯ the debris higher and higher, straining his throat to the limit¨C ¡°You ran from the Fabre Household¡­ not because we attacked it, but because we found it,¡± it rasped. ¡°It was even more hidden than this academy, but¡­ you realised, did you not? You realised there were Fabre traitors in your mix¡­ who revealed your manor¡¯s location to us¡­in hopes of allying themselves with us in humanity¡¯s losing war¡­ and so you ran, just as we arrived to exterminate the rest.¡± It managed to tilt its head upwards, its two bloodshot eyes glaring at him. ¡°We killed the traitors, too¡­ but do not forget, child of the hundred-tongues. You hail from a household of traitors.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A hundred-tongue deceiver is no match for the Magicicada Witch,¡± it sang, relaxing every muscle in its body. ¡°The Witch is here, the Witch is here, and when the cicadas sing at dawn, the academy will fall¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t negotiate with bugs,¡± Zora said, ¡°and I¡¯ll rip out my tongue a thousand times before I even think about sacrificing a single human.¡± Then he cast ¡®drop¡¯ on the debris, and Cecilia covered Emilia¡¯s ears as the giant bug¡¯s head was pulverised and crushed to bits. The bug must¡¯ve landed on oil or some sort of easily combustible chemical as well, because a few seconds after its head went squelch, a massive flame roared to life beneath them, consuming the entirety of the first floor with a wave of heat. Of the five of them, only Emilia knelt and shuffled over to the edge of the hole, holding out her palms as the warm, orange light glistened off her pale face. ¡°Fire,¡± she whispered. ¡°So¡­ warm.¡± And that was the rest of their cue to sigh a breath of relief, all of them falling over backwards as they watched the giant stick bug burn. Chapter 35 - Afterwards For half an hour after slaying the giant stick bug, Zora and the others did nothing but sit in a circle at the edge of the hole, resting their battered bodies and watching the flames burn on the ground floor. Zora explained everything he¡¯d heard from the stick bug, of course, sparing no detail regarding what Nona was searching for to the exact species of moth Emilia had been eating. They needed a break after exerting half of their energy on the bug, but truth be told, the information might be actively preventing them from relaxing¡ªsave for him and Emilia, who was utterly engrossed with the flames beneath them, all of them wore dark, nasty frowns on their faces as they listened. He¡¯d never seen them so focused nor serious before. ¡°... So it¡¯s a wand Nona¡¯s looking for,¡± Marcus summarised, arms and legs crossed as he dipped his head in deep thought. ¡°And if she gets it back, she¡¯ll truly become invisible? That¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°¨Cyou mean ¡®invincible¡¯¨C¡± ¡°No good at all,¡± Marcus grumbled, smacking Zora on the head with an irritated click of his tongue. ¡°All the more reason to get to mom, then. Whoever has the magicicada wand gets the ability to beat the Witches.¡± ¡°And once we get mom back, I can start work on an antidote,¡± Julius said, tucking his chin between his fingers as he mumbled to himself. ¡°A ¡®silkmoth¡¯... that¡¯s new. I¡¯ve never heard of a bug like that before, but if that Greater Insect God of the East is also a silkmoth, then this is incredible information that we¡¯ve just learned.¡± He glanced up at Zora, eyes twinkling. ¡°D-do you reckon the militaries already know what that Greater Insect God is? Because I¡¯ve¡­ never heard of silkmoths before, and if I haven¡¯t heard of it, would any human know? Isn¡¯t this the type of information that can turn the tides of war?¡± Zora didn¡¯t show it, but it was like a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders at just the mention of Julius being able to brew an antidote for Emilia. All four of them peeked at the little girl sitting off to the side, all sorts of small, hopeful smiles crawling over their faces. ¡°Can you really stop her mutations?¡± Zora asked, whipping his head back to stare Julius in the eye. ¡°Can you really save her?¡± Julius scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never had to halt or revert silkmoth mutations before, but¡­ I¡¯m the man of a hundred venoms. Give me two¡­ no, three days on the road with my research books and alchemical equipment. I''ll find some information about silkmoths, and then I¡¯ll definitely be able to to¨C¡± He couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Zora let out a huge, stuttering sigh of relief as he leaned forward, clasping both hands on Julius¡¯ shoulders. His hands were shaking terribly so, and he was glad Emilia wasn¡¯t looking their way. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered, voice cracking a little. ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­ mess it up, crystalblood. She needs the antidote. She needs to live.¡± Julius blinked, looking almost surprised, but then he nodded firmly and gave Zora a trembling thumbs-up. ¡°First things first, though,¡± Julius said, before peering down the hole they were sitting next to, ¡°I¡¯ll need a few parts and insect flesh¡­ from that stick bug down there to refill some of my syringes. It¡¯ll also be for experimenting with¡­ the antidote¡­ so if I have a ton of insect flesh to work, I can make it faster¨C¡± ¡°No time to waste, then.¡± Legs still aching, back still creaking, Zora pushed himself to his feet and pulled Marcus up with him as well. Julius jumped as well¡ªif not only because he was swept up by the boys¡¯ sudden movement¡ªso before either of them could complain about wanting to rest a while longer, Zora began pushing them towards the edge of the hole. ¡°We¡¯ll get as much insect flesh as you need, crystalblood,¡± Zora said, his heart hammering excitedly in his chest as he glanced around, nodding at Cecilia curtly. ¡°We¡¯ll be back in thirty or so minutes once we fill our satchels to the brim, and then we can continue looking for mom. Can you¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch over her,¡± Cecilia reassured, smiling softly in Emilia¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ll try to start a fire as well. We¡¯ll want to eat one last round of insect flesh before we head off, won¡¯t we?¡± His lips arched up into a smile as he shoved Marcus and Julius off the edge, hopping off right afterwards himself with his hyaline wings fanned out.
¡­ And as all of them roasted skewers of excess bug flesh over a small fire pit under brilliant moonlight, chatting the night away without a care in the world, Cecilia hugged her knees where she sat with a distant look on her face. Everything was going as ¡®right¡¯ as it could be. In one fell swoop, they¡¯d figured out Nona¡¯s weakness, practically confirmed the Headmaster¡¯s survival, defeated the giant stick bug, and discovered the species of moth Emilia had been eating. The fact that they¡¯d made such a ruckus killing the giant bug and Nona still hadn¡¯t come over to kill them even lent weight to the possibility that Nona was already dead¡ªfor all they knew, the Headmaster had already trapped and killed her with her own wand. Save for the few giant bugs that were surely still skulking around in the shadows, Amadeus Academy could already be ¡®safe¡¯. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t even have to evacuate from the dorm tomorrow morning. But¡­ is it really going to be that easy? While Marcus grabbed Julius in a headlock and Zora laughed¡ªthe boys being boys as usual, with Emilia sitting in Zora¡¯s lap adding to the boisterous sounds¡ªCecilia couldn¡¯t help but chew her nails and stare blankly at the crackling bonfire in front of them. She¡¯d always been a worrywart. It wasn¡¯t a good trait to have, especially for a teacher, but she just couldn¡¯t help herself. She¡¯d have to see Nona burning in flames before she could confidently say they were safe, and even then, her irrational fear of bugs probably wasn¡¯t going to let her stare at Nona¡¯s corpse so easily. She wasn¡¯t like Marcus, who could crush a giant bug¡¯s skull with his bare fists and not fear the blood on his hands. She wasn¡¯t like Julius, who could teeter on the line between life and death with a dozen bug venoms coursing through his veins. She wasn¡¯t like Zora, either, who could stand in the face of a giant bug and negotiate with it despite hating every second of it¡ªand she knew he hated it, because even if she couldn¡¯t speak the tongue of the bugs, she¡¯d seen how dark his face was as the bug screeched out its dying throes. And all of them had heard the bug saying ¡®Fabre¡¯. No doubt about it, she thought glumly. He¡¯s never talked about it, but I¡¯ve read his background in mom¡¯s reports a long time ago. Between what that katydid said and what this bug screamed at him, he¡¯s probably been reminded that it was people from his own family who sold their household out¡ªthat the Fabres attempted to betray humanity. ¡­This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. But looking at him laughing cheerfully with Emilia now, she couldn¡¯t even fathom that was what he was worried about. You¡¯re strong, after all. All of you are strong. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words never will¨C ¡°Um!¡± Emilia said, coughing and clearing her throat in a loud, exaggerated manner. ¡°All of you¡­ were very cool! Back then! When you worked together to kill the big bug!¡± It came out of nowhere, but Zora and Julius were still giddy¡ªmaybe it was the insect flesh skewers they were wolfing down alongside the vials of anti-food-poisoning medicine that was making them extra happy¡ªand they rubbed Emilia¡¯s head at the same time. Marcus, on the other hand, puffed out his chest and gave her a smug smirk. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m the coolest, strongest teacher in the world. Ain¡¯t another teacher out there who¡¯s got more power and stamina than me¨C¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you become a teacher, Mister Zora?¡± Emilia asked, ignoring Marcus as she looked up at Zora. ¡°Actually, why did you all become teachers?¡± Everyone thought about it for a moment. Hurt, but not defeated, Marcus was the first to answer. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said, waving his hand absentmindedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been good at physical activities for as long as I can remember, since I come from the far north where every man is a warrior, so it¡¯s only natural that I went on and tried my hand at being a fitness teacher. If nothing else, muscles will never fail you. Making all of you kids as strong as I am is the least I could do to repay the Headmaster and the academy.¡± ¡°I am¡­ frail,¡± Julius mumbled, hands rummaging around the insides of his lab coat pockets as he searched for something to inject himself with; probably self-enhancing drugs of some sort. ¡°But I¡¯ve always liked¡­ plants and¡­ bugs¡­ and the old physician who was my mentor really wanted me to take his place so he could retire, so I thought¡­ you know. I wanted to give back to the academy as well.¡± ¡°And I speak a thousand tongues,¡± Zora said softly, still caressing Emilia¡¯s head as he stared into the crackling bonfire. ¡°Frankly, there¡¯s not a lot of places outside the academy where translators and interpreters are much needed anymore. Relations between the different military fronts are growing worse and worse by the year, so nobody would hire me. I may as well get paid for doing what I¡¯ve been doing since I was a student here¨C¡± ¡°Starting arguments,¡± Marcus interrupted. ¡°Sowing discord,¡± Julius interjected. ¡°¨Cserving as an intermediary between children of different tongues.¡± Zora scowled, flicking a skewer at the two of them before smiling down at Emilia. ¡°Besides, I do owe the Headmaster my life for taking me in, and while my salary is rather low, it¡¯s a stable job. Stable life. In fact, most of our classmates back then also ended up working in the academy one way or the other, either as research staff or administrative faculty or even as scouts to look for orphaned children.¡± Emilia¡¯s ears perked as she craned her head back, staring upside-down at Zora. ¡°Really? So¡­ we can grow up, and we won¡¯t be kicked out?¡± ¡°Of course not. The academy¡¯s always in need of more staff.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mhm. Do you want to grow up and become a teacher here as well?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± she trailed off, looking left and right at Marcus and Julius, and then straight forward at Cecilia. ¡°Miss Cecilia! What about you? Where were you from before you came to the academy?¡± Emilia was the only one who was still grinning with pearly white teeth. Everyone else was looking quietly at Cecilia, and Zora shook his head¡ªas though telling her it was okay to lie if she wanted to¡ªbut Emilia, though blind, was looking at her with such pure and honest eyes that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say something meaningless in response. So Cecilia gave the girl a small, wistful smile as she continued hugging her knees. ¡°I¡¯m not from anywhere,¡± she said plainly. ¡°Unlike Zora, Marcus, and Julius, I¡¯m not an orphan. The Headmaster¡¯s my mother, and I was born alongside the Magicicada Mages before they even established this academy fourteen years ago.¡± Then she looked up at Zora, tilting her head quite evenly. ¡°Since the mages wanted to turn a portion of the castle into an academy for orphans, I was just told to study with everyone else. Of the two hundred and thirty-one graduates in this academy¡¯s fourteen-year history, I believe I am still the only non-orphan amongst their ranks.¡± Emilia raised her brows. ¡°Oh! So the old lady is¡­ your mama?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± she said, ¡°and unlike the others, I¡¯ve had a very blessed childhood with the mages. Though I spent the first ten years of my life wandering around the continent with them, they always kept me out of the fighting, and once the academy was established, I was allowed to do¡­ whatever I wanted, really.¡± ¡°Whatever you wanted?¡± ¡°All sorts of things,¡± she agreed, nodding slowly. ¡°I had no talents, so I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. I practised swordplay, I brewed medicines, I archived old books, and I tried everything to see if something interested me¡ªbut I suppose my blessed childhood meant I had dainty and delicate fingers, and that meant I was decently good at playing instruments.¡± Then she patted the little conductor¡¯s baton on her wand. ¡°I was told by the mages that my voice was rather smooth, and my mom even gave me this conductor¡¯s baton as a birthday gift when I was young, so I could sing while I played instruments and pretended to be a conductor¨C¡± ¡°Is that why you became a music teacher?¡± She paused, Emilia¡¯s question catching her off-guard. She was about to finish her sentence with exactly that, but¡­ was that really the case? Did she particularly like playing instruments and being a music teacher, or was she here for another reason? ¡°... I guess not,¡± she said, shooting Emilia a sly smile as she did. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay here if I didn¡¯t work here, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to talk with my friends as much if I didn¡¯t become a teacher while they all got their certifications, so¡­¡± she trailed off again, and this time she looked at Julius, Marcus, and Zora in that order. Her brows knitted, her mouth twisted¡ªthen her face cleared and she laughed. ¡°I guess I just wanted to stick with my friends after graduation. Is that something you want to do after you graduate, too?¡± Emilia answered without thought, the brightest of smiles curling her lips. ¡°Yes! If I¡­ um, if I can, I want to be here! With Mister Zora! And I want to¡­ play with Titus and the others more!¡± With that, she launched into another rhapsody about the sparkler fireworks she¡¯d played with earlier this evening, and Julius reached into his pocket to pull out a single sparkler. Her antennae immediately swerved over, and while Cecilia had half a mind to ask where he got that sparkler from, she felt she already knew the answer¡ªhe¡¯d probably made it on the fly while the rest of them were eating skewers and reminiscing about the good old times. All three of you really are strong, she thought, watching longingly as Julius handed the sparkler to Emilia, lighting the fuse with a snap of his fingers. The little girl looked at him, then at Marcus, and then she raced off around the hallway after an ¡®okay¡¯ pat on the back from Zora; her giddy laughs were adorable as ever, and Cecilia couldn¡¯t remember the last time she¡¯d made a student of hers laugh that hard. ¡­ Good on you, Emilia. But I¡¯m just no good as a teacher, huh? Even against the giant stick bug, I was useless and¨C While Emilia ran around the hallway, still in line of sight, the three boys shuffled over to her to hit her hard on the back¡ªand she lurched forward, almost spitting out the skewer she was chewing on mindlessly. She whirled around to scowl at them. ¡°What was that for¨C¡± ¡°Do only moths who have been burned by flames understand its glow?¡± Zora said, shaking his head in disappointment. ¡°You¡¯re no less a teacher just because you had a slightly more peaceful childhood. If not for you, I¡¯d have died in every bug encounter starting from the katydid.¡± Marcus grunted, hitting her back again. ¡°If you¡¯re not here, I¡¯d have nobody to complain about skellyman and crystalblood to.¡± ¡°And¡­ if you¡¯re not here, nobody¡¯s going to protect me from Zora and Marcus,¡± Julius mumbled, gulping aloud as the two boys glared at him. ¡°W-What? It¡¯s true. I don¡¯t wanna¡­ drug myself¡­ every time I want to fight back¨C¡± The petty squabbles began anew. Someone punched first, but with her eyes so teary, she could barely tell if it was Zora or Marcus who jumped on Julius. Probably both. Realistically, all three of them were slugging each other behind her, and even the two who were supposed to be on the same side weren¡¯t. Marcus was too big, so his swings hit both friend and foe, enraging Zora. Julius was small and slippery, so he was hard to catch as well. None of them were a proper match for each other. At the end of the day, they were still just children at heart, and¡­ she supposed she wasn¡¯t much better, either. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered under her breath, chuckling softly as she turned around to watch them fight, putting her chin in her hands. ¡°But if you have energy to be fighting like that, we should probably head up now and look for mom.¡± The Headmaster wasn¡¯t their birth mother, but she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Headmaster was everyone¡¯s mom¡ªand for how nervous and anxious she was to be reunited with her sole family member again, she was sure the boys were just hiding their anxiety, too. Zora had said as much, after all. ¡­ Wait for us, mom. We¡¯ve slaughtered every bug standing between you and us. We¡¯re coming for you. Chapter 36 - Behind the Door One hour before midnight, Zora started leading all of them up to the observatory at the top of the northern research building. They¡¯d rested enough. All four of them with magicicada systems had eaten every last strand of excess insect flesh they couldn¡¯t stuff inside their satchels, and while they didn¡¯t get enough points to unlock another tier three mutation¡ªZora would be worried for their health if they ate another hundred and fifty points¡¯ worth of bug flesh in the same night¡ªthey¡¯d scattered the fifty points they got amongst their basic attributes. For Zora, it was a no-brainer. Of the four of them, he was the one who consistently found himself in situations where he had to cast a lot of spells, so he¡¯d rather have more Aura than raw offensive power.
[Swarmblood Aura: 600 ¡ú 655] [Grade: B-Rank Giant-Class ¡ú A-Rank Giant-Class] [Points: 55 ¡ú 0]
He waved his status screen away as they found the broken set of stairs at the end of the second floor, and up and away they went, retreading the path they initially took to the third floor. ¡°We messed the building up badly, though,¡± Marcus muttered, walking abreast with him and kicking large chunks of debris out of their way; they couldn¡¯t get past the obstacles otherwise. ¡°Even if mom did defeat Nona and we don¡¯t have to evacuate from the academy, we¡¯ve got to find a different place to live for a while. I¡¯ve got no clue how the hell we¡¯re going to repair the damages.¡± The rest of them grunted in agreement. Zora didn¡¯t want to admit it, but they really, really went a bit overboard with killing the giant stick bug. The walls on the third floor were hanging off their pillars by threads, windows and doors lay in shattered piles everywhere, and half the floors in every single room, chamber, and hallway were caved in, making navigation around them an absolute chore. If they were all a bit more well-rested, they could simply have Marcus throw them across every chasm instead of having to shimmy across narrow ledges, backs to the walls¡ªnone of them were afraid of falling given they all had muscles, mutations, or drugs to protect themselves, but it¡¯d be embarrassing. Zora didn¡¯t want to be the one to fall. When we eventually rebuild, though, we should have stronger walls and floors so this doesn¡¯t happen again. Records of repeated Swarm infestations were few, but not unheard of. Even if the Headmaster had successfully killed Nona and ended this infestation, there was no telling if other bugs would be drawn to the legendary wand now that the dome was destroyed. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to have stronger foundations for any potential attacks down the line. And, of course, the four of us will have to pull our weight when it comes to defending the academy as Magicicada Mages as well. He rolled his shoulders and tried to loosen his muscles as they finally found a flight of stairs leading up to the fourth floor, where the destruction hadn¡¯t reached in full. It was still mostly the same grotesque sights: men and women and bugs and monsters broken everywhere, lining the corridors with red, but neither he nor Cecilia were as pale as before. It wasn¡¯t that they¡¯d gotten used to the smell, no. There were just considerably fewer carcasses on the fourth floor, and that had to mean something. Tightening his grip on Emilia¡¯s hand, he made sure to walk just a little bit in front of her as he glanced at Cecilia. ¡°Hear anything?¡± he asked. ¡°Nobody¡¯s around,¡± she replied, eyeing the flight of stairs at the end of the corridor leading up to the fifth floor suspiciously. ¡°But¡­ where is everyone, after all?¡± All of them grimaced, tightened their jaws, but said nothing. They were all thinking the same thing. As they climbed the final flight of stairs and readied themselves to whip out their weapons at a moment¡¯s notice, Zora couldn¡¯t help but notice just how eerily quiet even the upper floors of the building were. If there were survivors up here, shouldn¡¯t they be able to hear breathing? Footsteps? Hushed whispers, fearful sobs, bleeding wounds? It was like they were walking through the valley of death without an end in sight, and this journey could be all for naught. ¡­ He sucked in a slow, cautious breath as they emerged onto the fifth floor: it was a straight, twenty-metre-long hallway, and at the end of it was a giant stone wall. Corrugated. Reinforced by steel bars where there should be doorknobs instead. Even if he¡¯d never actually been up here before¡ªnot once in ten years¡ªit was obvious the wall wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ where the doors to mom¡¯s observatory are supposed to be, right?¡± Julius whispered, as all of them remained crouching just a few steps before actually stepping foot onto the fifth floor; the bodies lying along the corridor were definitely worrying. ¡°Is that wall an emergency barricade or something? There¡¯s gotta be people behind it then, right?¡± Marcus narrowed his eyes, stepping up first. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± Following his lead, the rest of them crept across the final stretch of the fifth floor, and in their unease, both Zora and Cecilia forgot to distract Emilia with small talk¡ªnot that Emilia wasn¡¯t smart enough to figure out there were corpses all around here. Zora would rather her not get used to the macabre series of deaths, but at this point, it was already too late. He¡¯d make up for her lost innocence with the best student years of her life. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Cecilia trailed off, all of them stopping right before the corrugated wall. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a door alright.¡± Then she leaned in close, looking up the sides of the wall connected to the ornate mahogany doorway before glancing back at them. ¡°It must¡¯ve been built as an emergency barricade that can fall in at the pull of a lever.¡± ¡°The exterior looks unblemished, too,¡± Julius muttered, placing a palm on the stone. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ exactly¡­ what it¡¯s made of, but it¡¯s not normal stone. I smell insect chitin infused within the material.¡± Zora was about to feel the stone for himself when his ears twitched. Two, three, four, five of them leapt back a few steps immediately, finally whipping out their weapons as footsteps clattered faintly behind the wall. Silence descended upon the chamber, only interrupted now by the sound of their breaths, the beating of their hearts. ¡­ Someone''s inside. It''s¨C ¡°Who''s there?¡± a muffled voice called out. ¡°Is there someone outside?¡± Zora blinked, trying to place the owner of the voice; he was a bit slow on the uptake. Marcus and Julius widened their eyes as they immediately sauntered forth, banging on the thick stone wall with everything they got, and it wasn¡¯t a few more seconds later that he felt he recognised the old lady standing behind it.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Headmaster!¡± Marcus shouted, knocking a few more times for good measure as the rest of them gathered around, getting as close to the wall as possible. ¡°Are you safe? Are you well? How many people are there inside your observatory?¡± Silence for a moment, then a clearer, louder response. ¡°Just the two of us!¡± the Headmaster shouted back. ¡°It¡¯s just me and Yanli here! The bugs breached the northern building a few days back, and while the two of us managed to retreat all the way up here, we had to pull down the¡­ these emergency walls in order to keep the bugs out!¡± Yanli? Zora knew the name. The boy from the far north wasn¡¯t in his homeroom, but considering he taught every language class in the academy across every age group, he knew he¡¯d talked to the boy plenty of times before. And, as if plucking the exact thought from his mind, the little boy shouted from behind the wall, a voice even more soft and muffled than the Headmaster¡¯s. ¡°Is Mister Fabre there?¡± he asked, banging the wall a good few times. One of Zora¡¯s brows inched up far enough to wrinkle his forehead. The Headmaster sounded a bit strange, but that really was the boy¡¯s voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on outside? Are the bugs gone? Can we come out now?¡± Marcus was about to answer again, but Zora placed his hand on the wall and answered this time. ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here. Do you hear me, Headmaster?¡± ¡°Clearly,¡± the old lady yelled back. ¡°Good to hear. There¡¯s four of us teachers out here: me, Miss Sarius, Mister Evander, and Mister Tadius. We¡¯ve checked the southwestern, southeastern, western, eastern, and faculty buildings. As far as we know, the four of us are the only surviving faculty.¡± Another long pause. ¡°And the children? My researchers? My mages guarding the northern building?¡± ¡°Classes 2-A, 2-B, and 2-D are all safe and sound in the dormitory. We¡¯ve prepared them for evacuation first thing tomorrow morning, which is why we¡¯re here right now searching for survivors to take with us.¡± He took a small breath before continuing. ¡°Where¡¯s the Magicicada Witch, Headmaster? On our way here, we encountered a giant stick bug who said Nona ordered it to guard the northern building, and there are also bodies out here in this very corridor. Is Nona not searching for you and the wand you¡¯re holding from her?¡± ¡°Wand?¡± The Headmaster made a strange noise for a moment like she was choking on something, and Zora furrowed his brows; she cleared her throat in the next moment and responded. ¡°How do you know about that? We Magicicada Mages never told any of the teachers about that.¡± ¡°The giant stick bug told me,¡± he said curtly. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, but where is Nona? Is the wand capable of killing her still safe with you¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s safe with me, yes. Now get us out of this observatory first,¡± she interrupted, voice tight and urgent. ¡°The wall was dropped days ago, but we can¡¯t open it on our side. The lever I¡¯m holding down now isn¡¯t working. Now, there should be a backup lever outside the gate, so if we pull it on both sides at the same time, the wall should creak open. Can you look around outside for me?¡± Marcus and Julius didn¡¯t hesitate, fanning out to scrape away at the mounds of debris lining the walls of the corridor. ¡°Don¡¯t you know where the lever is, Headmaster?¡± Marcus shouted back. ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier if you just told us!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t build these defensive shelter walls myself, but I¡¯m fairly certain they can only be lifted if people on both sides pull the lever at once,¡± the Headmaster responded quickly. ¡°It¡¯s a failsafe, I believe, so people inside the shelter can be alerted to someone outside the wall when the lever is pulled. I would have barely heard you kids outside were it not for Mister Evander¡¯s heavy steps.¡± Marcus scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, and just as Zora was about to tilt his head back and frown again, Emilia let out a loud ¡®here!¡¯ on his right. All of them rounded on her, staring pointedly; she¡¯d ripped away a small mound of debris to reveal a black metal lever hammered into the floor, and her four hands were already wrapped around the bar. ¡°You¡¯ve found the lever, haven¡¯t you?¡± the Headmaster cooed, humming unnaturally in delight. ¡°Where¡¯d you find it? On the left? On the right?¡± ¡°On the right, right next to the door!¡± Emilia chirped. ¡°Oh?¡± The Headmaster made another strange noise. ¡°You sound like¡­ Emilia from 2-A, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m already holding the lever down on my end, so just pull¡­ or push or whatever. Make your lever point in the opposite direction for me, won¡¯t you?¡± Emilia nodded happily to nobody in particular as she heaved, squeezing her eyes shut, putting her all into trying to pull the lever back. Marcus and Julius started wading over to help, but then Zora and Cecilia titled their heads at the exact same time, holding out their wands to stop the two from reaching Emilia. ¡°... That ¡®failsafe¡¯ doesn¡¯t make sense to me, Headmaster,¡± Zora said, a sliver of unease creeping into his voice. ¡°If the lever on the outside is meant to alert the people on the inside once it¡¯s pulled, why is it built to be so hard to pull? Emilia may be a child, but she can easily rip off everyone¡¯s head here. If someone were injured and trying to get into the shelter, why design a lever that requires tremendous time and energy to pull?¡± ¡°And why must both levers be pulled at the same time?¡± Cecilia added, a quiver to her voice. ¡°Say the people on the inside know there¡¯s someone injured on the outside. There¡¯s no way the injured person can pull the lever, so why can¡¯t the people on the inside just lift the wall by themselves? Is there really a lever on the inside?¡± Bolts and reinforced steel bars slowly slid off to the side as Emilia continued pulling the lever, but the Headmaster sounded exasperated, almost impatient with them. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mister Fabre, Miss Sarius. I didn¡¯t design this mechanism. Just keep pulling the lever, dear¨C¡± ¡°The Headmaster calls me ¡®Cecilia¡¯ even in the presence of other people,¡± Cecilia said plainly. The temperature in the corridor dropped like a dagger of ice falling on everyone¡¯s shoulders. And from behind the cold stone wall, the ¡®Headmaster¡¯ chuckled very, very softly. ¡°... Just keep pulling the lever, dear¨C¡± Zora whipped his wand at the lever. ¡°Let go, Emilia. Now. I¡¯ll ¡®strike¡¯ it and¨C ¡°Just keep pulling the lever, dear.¡± The spell diffused through tiniest pores in the stone wall, moving through all of them like a harsh morning gale. Zora and Cecilia pressed their hands to their ears, wincing at the sheer volume of the spell, while Marcus and Julius both clenched their throats, just now realising what they were going up against. For her part, Emilia was affected by the spell, too, but her arms were shaking as she tried her damndest to let go of the lever to no avail. ¡°Mister¡­ Mister Zora,¡± she breathed, chitin plates cracking, her body operating on a will distant from her own. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t let go.¡± Shit! Zora hissed, transforming his sword into a wand and infusing ¡®strike¡¯ around the blade. He was the first to recover, the first to move, but he was too late. Just as he dashed forward in an attempt to destroy the lever, a loud click resounded beneath the floor, around the walls, above the ceiling, like a hundred gear arrays were turning all at once¡ªand then he brought his blade down on the base of the lever, splitting it in half and sending shrapnel flying everywhere. Emilia cried as she was cut in more than dozen places and sent skidding back, so he immediately rushed over to wrap her in a hug. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, gulping as he patted her from head to toe, checking to see if any of her vitals had been hit. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It wasn¡¯t your fault. That was just¨C¡± ¡°Me!¡± The new voice didn¡¯t belong to any of them. Whirling around, he raised his sword at the rising stone wall, worry and exhaustion slowly giving way to terror and trepidation. Marcus clenched his fists, drawing one leg back. Julius¡¯ hands instinctively slid into his pockets, reaching for his syringes. Cecilia backed up slowly with her wand pointed straight ahead, and even Emilia was growling, baring her fangs at the noxious black mist seeping out the bottom of the rising wall¡ªbut none of them ran, because none of them could run, shudders of animalistic fear rippling down their spines. Then the dark, moonlit silhouette of a four-armed, two-legged cicada draped in the robes of a Magicicada Mage appeared right beyond the raised wall, grinning at all five of them with haunted, empty vermillion eyes. She was human, but not quite. She was a bug, but not quite. Somewhere in between, but also more than a Mutant-Class who only resembled a human in form without the will, without the mind¡ªthat was a Lesser Insect God. And Zora recognised very well the killing pressure of the Magicicada Witch who¡¯d come for the Fabre Household ten years ago. That primordial fear had never left his bones. ¡°... Hi!¡± she said, waving cheerily at all of them, and her voice was an ear-grating amalgamation of a hundred screaming, overlapping voices. ¡°I¡¯m Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches! Now, where¡¯s my wand that¡¯s worth more than a thousand human lives?¡± Chapter 37 - God and Men Despite having locks of flowing amber hair, eyelashes, and all sorts of features a human would have, something was more ¡®off¡¯ about Nona than any bug Zora had met thus far, and it wasn¡¯t because she wore the robes of a mage, walked with the gait of a human, or had skin made out of hard black chitin. Appearance wasn¡¯t what made up a human. The fact that she was speaking in the local Sterngott tongue, talking to them instead of the other way round¡ªthat was how he knew the rumours were true. A Lesser Cicada God. That was what ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, was. ¡°... Hm,¡± Nona hummed, tapping her chin as she looked the five of them over one by one, and everyone¡¯s spines shivered as her vertical irises landed on theirs. ¡°Mister Tadius, experiment of the northeastern plains. Mister Evander, young warrior of the northern lands. Miss Sarius, last daughter of a mage, and¡­ oh?¡± She paused, gaze lingering on Zora. ¡°A Fabre. From that household? Darn! I was sure we killed all of you back then! Who¡¯s the real bug now, huh¨C¡± But when Emilia exhaled shakily behind them, claws digging into Zora¡¯s cloak, the four of them snapped back to reality. They stood firm. Zora and Cecilia shouted ¡°strike¡±, and the spells shot forward. Julius called ¡°forward, syringes¡±, and the green vials soared overhead. Marcus didn¡¯t dare close the distance, but he shouted ¡°buff¡±, ¡°toughen¡±, standing before all of them as their shield¨C And that made all the difference as Nona laughed ¡°so noisy¡± in a horribly familiar voice, her own spell rippling away from her and deflecting all of theirs. It would¡¯ve likely shattered their eardrums, too, had Marcus not stood there and absorbed the brunt of the waves. That voice. Zora gritted his teeth, wand still held out in front of him as Marcus stumbled, but he knew that voice: Yanli. Thirteen years old, from the Yammei Region in the far north. The boy she¡¯d mimicked while they were talking through the wall. She¡¯d stolen the voices of their children. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna fight!¡± she said, throwing all four hands up as she grinned; a mocking, sardonic smile. ¡°I just wanna know one thing: where¡¯s my wand that¡¯s worth more than a thousand human lives?¡± Then she thumbed back into the dark and misty observatory, tilting her head. ¡°You guys came at just the right time! I just beat the Headmaster, but guess what? She didn¡¯t have my wand! It¡¯s not with her!¡± Cecilia¡¯s breath hitched, but while the Witch prattled on and on, Zora started backtracking, nudging Emilia gently with his elbow. Go, he thought. Don¡¯t wait for us. We¡¯ll buy you time to¨C ¡°You know, I¡¯m tired already!¡± Nona groaned, stretching her arms and waist and making her chitin plates crack as she did. ¡°I¡¯ve spent¡­ what? Three days just fighting all of you class by class, mage by mage! Even I get tired sometimes, so let¡¯s get this over with quickly!¡± With that said, she clapped two hands together in front of her chest, two hands over her head, and it was a whisper of a roar that came out her mouth. A spell. ¡°Friends!¡± she bellowed. ¡°Help me! Hold them down for me! I don¡¯t wanna bother anymore!¡± In an instant, thirty or so children made of physical sound waves shimmered into existence before them. They were faceless. See-through. But their outlines were there like ghosts seen through a misty window, and they came at the five of them charging, laughing loudly, arms raised over their heads. Even if they weren¡¯t talking, they were still using their voices, and Zora recognised each and every last one of them. In a panic, Cecilia ¡®pulled¡¯ all of them back and down the stairs, yanking them away from the ghost children¡¯s grabby hands. Zora¡¯s heart was still burning with energy. All five of them landed halfway down the stairs, Emilia now clinging onto his back, and the horde of children practically fell onto them from the top of the stairs. A wall of sound. A distraction. Nona had lied, because she¡¯d already dashed above them, and Zora looked up just in time to see the Cicada God backflipping over their heads with a twisted, nasty scowl. ¡°Squish the walls!¡± she said, pinching two fingers together. ¡°Shatter the ground!¡± Marcus roared, stomping the stairs, and all five of them plummeted through the hole just before the walls around them closed in. They would¡¯ve been crushed were it not for Marcus¡¯ quick thinking, and they all managed to land on their feet, stumbling a few more steps back along the dark, moonlit chamber. Fourth floor. They bought themselves a second of reprieve, but not a second longer to even feel like shit about the Headmaster¡ªNona crashed through the ceiling and landed on the opposite end of the chamber, thirty strides away, on one knee with two hands on the ground. A groaning, cracking rain of debris followed her down, and the entire chamber rumbled. The entire fourth floor could very easily collapse at this rate. ¡°... Fun!¡± she said, laughing giddily as she snapped her head up, ignoring the debris pelting and bouncing off her back. ¡°You guys are fast! Good eyes! Much, much better eyes than the other mages! Must be because you¡¯re young and they¡¯re old, right? I knew younger mages would be funner to fight!¡± The Witch strode forward, taunting, and with a loud shout for ¡®colour¡¯ she conjured a wave of sound that washed across the chamber walls, floor, and ceiling. The five of them just managed to stabilise themselves when they suddenly found themselves in a completely different setting: bright instead of dark, vibrant instead of dull. It was like night switched to day. Grey stone walls became obtrusively pink, hard brown wood became sickly green, and the carcasses around them turned into pure, unidentifiable black masses. ¡®Magic¡¯. Only a child could imagine themselves changing the colours of a physical, existing place. ¡°Spin and whirl! Have some fun!¡± Nona cackled, waving her arms here and there, ¡°and don¡¯t hold back!¡± While the five of them were still blinking, wincing, trying not to stare at the starkly contrasting colours, Nona summoned half a dozen small cyclones of glittering, razor-sharp dust. They swept across the chamber, slicing through everything in their way¡ªcolumns, walls, doors, carcasses¡ªand each gust cut deep, sending stone flying. While Cecilia cast ¡®block¡¯ around them, Zora pushed through and flicked ¡®counterspin¡¯ back at half of the cyclones, redirecting them into the other half to slow their movement. If the cyclones were any bigger and stronger, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to imagine himself doing that, but at this point he¡¯d killed even a giant bug twenty times his size. He knew he wasn¡¯t that weak anymore. His senses, though, were another matter altogether. The cyclones didn¡¯t dispel. They¡¯d slowed, yes, but as the five of them made a mad dash towards the flight of stairs at the back, none of them heard Nona dashing through the howling winds. Zora certainly heard it eventually, but by the time he whirled around, it was too late. Nona was already right behind them, one fist reared back and aiming at Cecilia¡¯s head.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Expand!¡± Nona shouted, and her flesh bubbled, expanding her fist to thrice its usual size. Zora¡¯s blood froze. Even the most physically incapable Lesser Insect God was far, far stronger than the average Mutant-Class, after all. One physical punch from her and any one of them would lose their heads. Zora cast ¡®rise¡¯ and ¡®blockade¡¯ on the debris around them, putting a physical wall in Nona¡¯s way. She punched through it with ease, but that bought Marcus time to yank Cecilia out of the way. The Witch¡¯s attack missed. Both him and Marcus snapped their heads over to nod at Julius, and the physician was finally ready, smashing two vials of glowing green liquid onto the ground. The liquid vibrated, bubbled, boiled, before suddenly exploding into a toxic green mist that fogged visibility in the chamber, buying them more time to run away. They all ran an extra ten steps before Nona shouted ¡®Whoosh¡¯ and waved her wands, ripping the mist apart. ¡°Bouncy!¡± she shouted again, and right as they were about to reach the stairs, the hard floor turned rubbery and soft, making all of them trip and stumble. They didn¡¯t fall, but they were slowed; Nona caught up with a single bounce forward, and Zora had to whirl to face her again. Melee, then! Zora flicked his wand into a sword, casting ¡®strike¡¯ on it. He and Marcus swung their blades and fists at Nona at the same time, but she shouted ¡®to the walls¡¯ at Marcus and ¡®down¡¯ at his blade, sending Marcus flying and Zora¡¯s blade stabbing into the floor. Her claws shot at their faces. Zora¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was only Julius dashing in with two syringes aimed at Nona¡¯s eyes that forced her to back off at the last second, but Julius wasn¡¯t done yet. He tried to chuck the syringes at her anyways, and she countered with a ¡®poof¡¯, making them explode in his own face. Immediate scream. While Julius cried and staggered back into Cecilia¡¯s arms, holding his steaming face in his hands, Marcus roared in what might¡¯ve been anger, what might¡¯ve been pain. The difference was indistinguishable. He picked up an entire beetle carcass and chucked it at Nona. She countered with a ¡®go away¡¯. Zora flung half a dozen ¡®swerving strikes¡¯ at her, trying to hit her from the side, but they didn¡¯t even put a dent in her chitin. Cecilia, too, cast ¡®Da Capo¡¯ at the instruments she¡¯d strewn around as they ran. The harsh music made Nona wince for a moment, but she silenced the instruments with ¡®shut up¡¯ and overwhelmed Cecilia¡¯s spells with hers. It was¡­ useless. While Emilia had hopped off Zora¡¯s back to tend to Julius on the floor, desperately trying to get him to calm down and cast ¡®heal¡¯ on his acid-splashed eyes, Nona continued advancing. Blocked every projectile that came her way. Laughed through every attack that would¡¯ve killed any other bug. Fear and killing pressure coiled so thickly inside Zora his lungs felt tight, and he struggled to make himself breathe, make himself think. Is there nothing we can do? No spell she can¡¯t counter? No ¡®magic¡¯ on our side? And as Nona finally strode in front of him, he found he was unable to move. Unable to part his lips. Her amber, vertical irises were exactly the same as the ones that¡¯d stared him down when he ran away from the Fabre Household ten years ago. Only, he was taller now. and every bit as powerless as he was back then. This¡­ pressure¡­ is¨C He wasn¡¯t allowed to finish his thought. She smiled softly sweet, almost like she was actually showing some sort of positive emotion, but then she uppercutted him¡ªonly for a bloody old lady to crash through the ceiling, land between them, and cast ¡®barrier¡¯ with her wand-sword stabbing into the ground. Nona¡¯s uppercut slammed into the sound wall, making the barrier ripple and shimmer. The chamber rumbled again. Zora was almost knocked off his feet from the sheer impact force that didn¡¯t even hit him, but Marcus caught him with ¡®slow¡¯ and they all skidded back, putting some distance between them and the old lady glaring straight at Nona. On the Witch¡¯s end, this was the first time Zora had seen her twitch an eye. ¡°... Still alive, Headmaster?¡± Nona said cheerily, rearing one, two, three more fists behind her before casting ¡®expand¡¯ on them, making them explode in size. ¡°I thought I crushed your throat and left you for dead! So resilient¨C¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing here for, Zora?¡± the Headmaster muttered, glaring daggers back at him as she continued muttering ¡®barrier¡¯ under her breath, letting the spell travel down her sword and then into the ground. ¡°Amadeus Academy¡¯s foremost protocol during a Swarm infestation is to evacuate all students into the dormitory, and then evacuate the academy until you reach the closest borough. Have you all forgotten about your children?¡± Zora opened his mouth to answer, but Cecilia staggered forward first. ¡°Mom!¡± she said. ¡°The¡­ the kids are safe! We¡¯re planning on evacuating them tomorrow morning, so we came to get you! You! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re¡­ I thought you¡­ I¨C¡± ¡°Leave, Cecilia!¡± the Headmaster snapped, making Cecilia freeze. ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to look for me! You were supposed to leave right after you got all the kids! Now take Emilia and all of them with you and run! I¡¯ll hold Nona back¨C¡± Nona punched three more times, shattering the sound barrier with a gust of wind. Marcus immediately cast ¡®toughen¡¯ and ¡®buff¡¯ on the Headmaster, while Julius cast ¡®heal¡¯ on her instead to replenish a bit of her strength¡ªshe countered Nona¡¯s fourth punch with a last-minute ¡®strike¡¯, and hers was far, far stronger than any ¡®strike¡¯ Zora had ever cast before. The spell hit Nona point-blank in the face, and the Witch was sent thundering back to the other end of the chamber where she slammed into a wall, through it, bringing down an entire section of the building alongside her. ¡°See?¡± Marcus shouted, punching his fists together as he tried to amp everyone up, ¡°we can fight her! We can beat her! Julius, heal yourself and get off your ass already! Cecilia, use what little instruments there are left around here to distract her! Emilia, you stay on stick with skellyman, and I¡¯ll fight head-on with mom so we can¨C¡± ¡°Fly, big man!¡± A spell shot out from the rubble at the end of the chamber and hit Marcus in the chest. He was immediately flung to the ceiling, no counter at hand. The Headmaster attempted to cast ¡®silence¡¯ so Nona couldn¡¯t cast ¡®fly¡¯ on the rest of them, but she only got half the word out before Nona screeched so loud every glass pane on the floor shattered¡ªand a spell even the Headmaster couldn¡¯t hear herself was no spell at all. Shit! Marcus! Ears ringing, head pounding, Zora managed to fling a ¡®catch¡¯ at Marcus, slowing him just enough to not break all the bones in his body as he landed with a painful thud behind them. At the same time, the Headmaster cast ¡®burrow¡¯ beneath them, making all of them fall to the third floor before Nona could recover. Zora, Cecilia, and the Headmaster landed softly with their wings fanned out. Emilia hopped onto Zora¡¯s back. Julius pumped drugs into his legs to turn them into crystal, so he landed fine as well. It was only Marcus who fell from fifth floor to fourth floor to third floor, but by the way he groaned as he tried to crawl onto his feet told Zora he¡¯d be fine, if not a bit bruised and battered tomorrow morning. ¡°Go,¡± the Headmaster rasped, choking and panting for breath as she turned to scowl at all of them. ¡°Don¡¯t even bother trying to fight her. Nona, the youngest of the Magicicada Witches, uses only the spells of children, and if a child believes something can be done, it can be done. She can manifest true ¡®magic¡¯ into reality.¡± ¡°We¡¯re strong, too!¡± Cecilia said, hands on her knees as she pleaded with the Headmaster, eyes teary. ¡°We can¡­ we can work together! Fight together! We beat the giant stick bug with teamwork, we can do it again! Where¡¯s the wand? T-That wand that can kill an Insect God¨C¡± ¡°Listen to me, children of Amadeus Academy,¡± the Headmaster commanded, and all four of them snapped to attention. Even Julius managed to heal his own eyes, though the skin around his eyelids were still hissing with steam. ¡°As the Headmaster, I order all of you to¡­¡± She trailed off as Nona started screaming overhead, shouting for the whereabouts of her wand. ¡°... No,¡± the Headmaster whispered, shaking her head slowly as she lowered her wand, caressing Cecilia¡¯s cheek. ¡°The fight between the Magicicada Mages and the Magicicada Witches should have been settled long, long ago. It¡¯s our fault we got the next generation tangled up in our mess. That¡¯s why even ants must know when to leave the anthill, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to leave me here.¡± While Zora, Julius, and Marcus scowled at her, Cecilia actually grabbed the Headmaster¡¯s collar back, growling. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us, mom!¡± she said. ¡°Just¡­ just give Nona what she wants! If we leave you behind, you¡¯ll die, and it¡¯ll be just as good as hers, anyways! So just give it! Come with us! We can rebuild, set up a new academy, and¨C¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a cruel old lady,¡± the Headmaster breathed, smiling softly. ¡°I pity your fates, but when did I say I was going to let you kids refuse to pick up the mess we started?¡± Zora remained silent, and his face was still as a pond on a windless night as he followed the Headmaster¡¯s gaze. She wasn¡¯t looking up at the hole in the ceiling, at Emilia, at him, or even at her own daughter. No. Her eyes were on the little conductor¡¯s baton hanging off Cecilia¡¯s belt, and now¡ªonly now¡ªdid he understand what the Headmaster was trying to say. The wand wasn¡¯t with the Headmaster. ¡°Now get out of here,¡± the Headmaster whispered. ¡°And kill the Magicicada Witch for me, will you?¡± The first spell was directed at all of them, and a strong, irresistible gust of wind swept them through the windows on the left, throwing them violently out of the northern building before Cecilia could even manage a final cry. Chapter 38 - Elder and Child The Headmaster knew very well, as she swept her kids out the side of the northern building, that it would be the last time she¡¯d ever see their cheeky faces. She wished she had more time with them. She wished she could¡¯ve explained what was going on to them. She wished she could¡¯ve protected them properly like the teacher she was¡ªbut, knowing them, they¡¯d probably figured out everything they needed to know about the Magicicada Witch that¡¯d barged into their academy already. If nobody else, Zora had noticed. Her staying behind wasn¡¯t meaningless. Even if she died here, Nona wouldn¡¯t get the wand back, and every minute she could buy those stupid kids to get as far away as possible would be more years drawn out in this game of cat and mouse. No matter how many mages and children she had to sacrifice, she couldn¡¯t let the Magicicada Witches get their wands back. Amadeus Academy was created for the sole purpose of preventing them from becoming truly invincible, because as long as one of those wands were still out there, humanity could defeat them. Her children who¡¯d survived the magicicada system integrations could defeat them. She just wouldn¡¯t get to see it. ¡­ But she couldn¡¯t deny, as she gasped and heaved for breath, that she did hate the bug fluttering down from the hole in the ceiling with every fibre of her being. For the longest time, she¡¯d wanted to be the one to kill the Witches. Now the Witch was meandering towards her, from the very end of the chamber, and they were only twenty strides apart. The Witch¡¯s Swarmblood Aura¡ªher killing pressure¡ªwas quite palpable. ¡°... Where¡¯s my wand that¡¯s worth more than a thousand human lives, old lady?¡± Nona said, her voice sulky and petulant. The Headmaster was still leaning against the wall, clutching her bloody stomach¡ªshe¡¯d sustained more than her fair share of injuries fighting the Witch earlier¡ªbut still she managed to groan and stand up straight. So what if blood was trickling down her sides, down her throat, down her right eye? She had nothing left to lose, so she began meandering forward as well, dragging her sword behind her. One stride at a time for the two of them¡ªcontact in ten. She began counting. ¡°Some things don¡¯t belong in childish hands,¡± she whispered. ¡°I would say that you, too, certainly don¡¯t belong here.¡± One. The cobbled walls shivered and began folding inwards, stone grinding against stone, closing around Nona. ¡°Why not?¡± Nona replied, planting all four hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m already here, though?¡± Two. The moving walls froze as if in waiting. ¡°Because this is a castle of learning,¡± the Headmaster said, ¡°and you¡¯ve never ¡®learned¡¯ a thing from all the children you¡¯ve devoured. You don¡¯t belong anywhere but in places of ruin.¡± Three. She wasn¡¯t focusing her spell on a wand, so it went wherever which way, sound waves turning into invisible lashing blades that sliced through the air. Walls cracked. The floor splintered. A hundred wind blades turned the chamber into a ¡®place of ruin¡¯, but Nona simply scratched the back of her head and pouted, kicking at the floor. ¡°That¡¯s not true! They¡¯re never ruined when I first get there!¡± Nona said, sticking out a tongue to jeer at her. The cracks halted. The wind blades were dispelled. The dust settled. ¡°And I do like this castle! Really! I want to live here! I wanna turn this place into a bouncy castle! My older sisters are gonna love it so much, they¡¯ll beg me to let them live here with me!¡± Four. A counterattack. Nona¡¯s spell washed over the floor, softening it, stretching it, the wood twisting and rising and threatening to throw the Headmaster off her feet. But the Headmaster¡¯s voice cut through. ¡°Wanting does not make it so,¡± she said. The bouncy floor froze mid-motion, then flattened back in place. ¡°And do be careful, bug. You¡¯re still in my academy. The only person allowed to wreck the place is me¡­ and maybe my kids. Sometimes. But certainly not you.¡± Five. Nona paused for a moment, humming as she looked around at the chamber. The Headmaster had casted a spell to keep the walls and floor as rigid as possible so neither of them could change the terrain anymore. Of course, Nona could probably overwhelm the spell with one of her own, but if she had one weakness, it was the fact that she herself embodied the voices she liked to mimic¡ªshe was a child in heart and mind, and that meant, of the three Magicicada Witches, she was the easiest to distract and deceive. Six. Before Nona could do anything rash, the Headmaster spoke again.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Do you remember me, Nona?¡± The Witch lifted her head, eyes tinged with pity. ¡°Yes? You¡¯re the old lady! You know where my wand is¨C¡± ¡°Twenty-one years ago,¡± the Headmaster interrupted. ¡°When the three of you struck the town and wiped out all of our research. Do you know what I was doing back then?¡± Seven. ¡°Researching? Duh! Why else would you have my wand¨C¡± ¡°I was an eighteen-year-old carpenter,¡± she said, her tone even, ¡°and I¡¯d just given birth to my daughter back then, so when you eventually chanced upon my home¡ªand didn¡¯t find my daughter¡ªyou spared me. You didn¡¯t kill me.¡± Nona curled her lips, smiling with a flicker of doubt. ¡°Why¡¯d I do that? Damnit! I should¡¯ve just killed you back then! I wouldn¡¯t have had to spend the next twenty years running around¨C¡± ¡°Because you are ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona, she who devours only the voices of children,¡± she whispered. ¡°And in your eyes, a mother is a child no longer. Though I was only eighteen back then, and I¡¯m barely forty now. I¡¯m not quite sure why the kids in the academy call me ¡®old lady¡¯ or ¡®grandma¡¯, but I thought you¡¯d be able to explain that to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So you left me alive, and you devoured my younger siblings,¡± she continued. ¡°All six of them. But you don¡¯t remember even a single one of their names, do you?¡± Eight. ¡°For all you bugs do to become more and more human-like¡ªdressing up like us, talking like us, acting like us¡ªI have yet to meet a single bug to whom acts of pleasure are not the passion to which all others are subordinates,¡± she finished, and now they were in melee distance of each other. She could skip and hop forward, bop Nona on the nose, and bounce right back in a single stride. ¡°Which is why all you do is say the same drivel over and over again. ¡®Where is my wand, Headmistress Sarius¡¯? ¡®I want my wand back, Headmistress Sarius¡¯? If you understand what being human is really about, then you wouldn¡¯t even have bothered trying to talk from the moment I set Yanli upon you.¡± Nine. ¡°Do you even think I would relinquish you the pleasure of forcing the words out of my mouth?¡± she sneered, unfazed by the amber glow in Nona¡¯s eyes. ¡°Think and think again, bug. From nothing comes nothing, and the Swarm will never have anything. ¡°This isn¡¯t my story, or the story of the Magicicada Mages. We¡¯re old. We¡¯re relegated to the background. ¡°This is their story.¡± Then she tightened every muscle in her body, whipping her sword forward with a ¡®strike¡¯ cast onto the blade¡ªand Nona caught it in one hand, snapping the blade in one swift motion and then stabbing it back through her gut in another. There was no pain. The temperature in the chamber plummeted. Her own breaths became visible in ghostly puffs. The floor and walls turned slick with a glassy sheen, ice crystals began to form, and the biting chill spread into every corner of the fourth floor, enveloping her like a blizzard shroud. Slowly, tentatively, Nona stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward, wrapping all four arms around the Headmaster in a tight hug. ¡°... It¡¯s cold, Headmaster,¡± she whispered, and it was ten, twenty, a hundred voices overlapping in one. The Headmaster bit her tongue and tried to resist lunging for Nona¡¯s neck. ¡°Why¡¯s it so cold in here? Can we close the windows? Can we burn the gas lanterns again? Just for a few minutes?¡± ¡°You¡­ You would¨C¡± ¡°Curly brown hair, two moles under her left eye, didn¡¯t want to let go of her teddy bear even while she pleaded for her older sister to help her,¡± Nona said, tearing away momentarily to grin at her, arms still wrapped around her neck. ¡°That was your youngest sibling. Braided brown hair, didn¡¯t want to share the same hairstyle as the youngest, and talks with a slight lisp on the ¡®ar¡¯ sound. That was your second youngest sibling. In ascending order, their names were Annelise, Evelyn, Sophie, Greta, Wilheim, Lukas, and¨C¡± ¡°So you do remember¨C¡± ¡°I remember every child whose voice I¡¯ve stolen,¡± Nona breathed, her laughter ringing like the chime of frost, a child¡¯s delight in the chaos she created. ¡°And they all say the same thing when they die: it¡¯s cold. It¡¯s so, so cold. Can you even imagine how cold they felt, old lady? ¡°Because I can. ¡°And I will have my wand back. ¡°It¡¯s with that girl, isn¡¯t it? That¡­ ¡®Cecilia¡¯? With ¡®Julius¡¯ and ¡®Marcus¡¯ and ¡®Zora¡¯?¡± The Headmaster¡¯s face turned from a still mirror to a dark, fiery grimace. ¡°Oh, I got it, didn¡¯t I?¡± Nona clapped, pushing her back and shoving her to the ground; she wouldn¡¯t be getting back up. ¡°You never had the wand! You always made your daughter hold onto it for you, because¡­ you thought I¡¯d go straight for you! And you thought she¡¯d run away! But then the five of them came looking for you, and now I know where it is¨C ah, I win! Yes! Haha!¡± Without another word, the Witch started skipping towards the shattered window she¡¯d thrown the kids out of, humming cheerily. If there was any time to die peacefully, it would be now¡ªbut something she thought she¡¯d abandoned flared up inside her, and she raised her sword in the Witch¡¯s direction without looking, parting her lips. ¡°Come back here, kid.¡± Her final spell rippled out, slammed into Nona¡¯s back, and held the Witch still for five seconds. It was a weak spell, a dying old lady¡¯s spell, but five seconds wasn¡¯t just more time bought for her kids. It was a message, and when Nona whirled to snarl at her like the bug it really was, she allowed herself to let out a soft breath of relief. She was too young to die¡ªshe wasn¡¯t even an old lady, for Great Maker¡¯s sake¡ªbut somehow, someway, she felt all was going to be right. The wand worth a thousand human lives was still in a human¡¯s hands, and as long as her kids could keep it out of Nona¡¯s, her legacy and that of the Magicicada Mages would never be extinguished. So as she breathed her last and Nona tore free from her spell, charging towards and leaping up onto the window frame, a regretful smile bloomed on her bloody lips. She wished she could see Cecilia and her kids one last time, after all. Chapter 39 - Kin Emilia couldn¡¯t tell much of what was going on. One minute her body was compelled by an invisible force to pull the lever, then she was running, then she was being carried by Mister Zora, and then they were all flung out the window by the kind old lady who¡¯d picked her up three months ago. Her eyes didn¡¯t work. She couldn¡¯t see her environment, but she could ¡®see¡¯, mid-fall, that they were about to plummet straight into the big garden they¡¯d found Mister Julius in. Even she couldn¡¯t survive a hundred-metre fall. Cold slithered through her gut, and her singular valve of a heart beat rapidly as panic shot her into fight-or-flight mode. She couldn¡¯t fly. Her wings were oversized compared to the rest of her body, and she couldn¡¯t even twitch a muscle in them. Something else, then! There had to be something else she could do. Maybe she could bite her nails and pull out a bunch of threads and wrap herself in a bouncy cocoon, but she didn¡¯t have nearly enough time for that. Eighty metres. Sixty metres. Forty metres¨C And she felt Mister Zora yanking all five of them together with a loud ¡®to me¡¯, both him and Miss Cecilia fanning out their cicada wings as they tried to slow them down. The rainshower in her ears became a howling torrent. She felt an intense nausea rising in her as they neared the ceiling of the big garden, and then¡ªimpact. Mister Marcus and Mister Julius were beneath her, so they smashed through the glass and reinforced steel beams first, opening a hole for the rest of them. Mister Zora and Miss Cecelia both were grabbing onto one of her arms each, and together, they slammed into the sharp-leafed canopy. Branches rustled. Trees creaked and groaned. She hissed and squeezed braced her remaining arms before her face as the ground rose quickly, but by the time the soles of her feet actually hit the earth, it was soft, gentle, and painless. She skipped a few steps forward with her arms flailing, still retaining a bit of that forward falling momentum, but the teachers around her hadn¡¯t landed nearly as gracefully. Mister Marcus and Mister Julius were curled up in balls, surrounded by glass shards curled up and groaning in pain. Miss Cecilia had definitely broken a leg judging by how tightly she clutched her knee, and Mister Zora was¡­ half-conscious. Fading in and out. He stumbled a few steps behind Emilia, hobbled a few more, and then collapsed with his head in his hands. He must¡¯ve hit something on the way down. And she was the only one still on her feet, sporting only light cuts and tears across her skin, all of which would heal in a matter of minutes. ¡­ One look at them told Emilia they weren¡¯t getting up anytime soon¡ªnot even for Mister Julius to roll around and cast ¡®heal¡¯ on everyone¡ªso she clenched her teeth and pumped her fists, picking up a teacher in each hand before bolting for the exit in the south. It wasn¡¯t that far away, and she was strong. She had to be strong. Back to the dorm! Far, far above her, the Magicicada Witch screeched and screamed at them, and the cicada¡¯s voice rumbled the entire academy. The canopy quivered, and a storm of spells shot down at her: angry, fast-spoken, almost musical in its insults. There were ¡®strikes¡¯ and ¡®throws¡¯, ¡®falls¡¯ and ¡®tumbles¡¯. All spells she¡¯d heard Mister Zora cast before, but the magnitude was completely different. The Magicicada Witch¡¯s spells slammed into the garden from a hundred metres above, demolishing swathes of trees, clearings, and rivers with ear-shattering booms; they may not be half as accurate as Mister Zora¡¯s spells, but who needed precision when they had overwhelming might? The teachers groaned as she flung herself across fallen logs, cracks in the earth, and dragged all of them to the southern gate. There was only cold in her arms. Her muscles were numb. Her breaths were gone. She felt like she was freezing up from the inside, and she felt her skin hardening into chitin shards¡ªthe more she forced herself to become stronger, the more her mutations took over. She knew that, yes. She¡¯d lose her humanity along with them. But she couldn¡¯t possibly stop herself from getting stronger now. It¡¯s¡­ for Mister Zora! It¡¯s my turn to help! Tears came to her eyes as she reached the clearing before the southern gate, and just as she managed to cross it, hurtling herself down the first flight of stairs, the entire garden shattered behind her. A mountain-shaking thump resounded in her chest. She glanced around for a brief moment, fearful, and her antennae painted an image in her head: Nona had jumped and landed, and the Witch was on her way, carving through the collapsing artificial forest. ¡°My wand, you bugs!¡± she screamed, and the sound made Emilia stumble, pain stabbing through her ears and into her brain. ¡°Where is my wand that is worth a thousand human lives?¡± Emilia didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t know anything. Desperately, she dragged the teachers down the first flight of stairs, around the first bend, and tried to ignore the destruction being wrought overhead. For every five flights she cleared, three were caved-in, ravaged, and ripped to shreds by the Witch¡¯s spells. She half-slid around the tenth bend, saw the northern dorm gate at the very bottom of the final flight of stairs, and a panicked smile rose onto her face. It was right there. Go! Throw them down if you have to! The others wouldn¡¯t be able to take it, but she apologised first before kicking Mister Marcus down the stairs, letting him slam into the northern gate with a heavy bang. Having one less person to carry meant she practically flew down the stairs, and as she neared the gate, her antennae tingled. There were people waiting behind it. Children. She sniffed, wracked her brain, and her face lit up again¡ªTitus and the others. She didn¡¯t even have to scream out loud for them to open the gate. They did it on their own volition, and the moment there was a gap just wide enough for her to chuck the remaining three teachers through, she did. Then she whirled, bit twenty threads from twenty nails, and wove a thread shield in front of her as fast as she could¡ªbecause the ¡®strike¡¯ spell that slammed into it half a second later was still too powerful, and she had to kneel as she cried out in pain, holding the shield in front of her. She couldn¡¯t drop the shield now. She was the only thing standing between the Magicicada Witch and the exposed dormitory. ¡°Emilia!¡± Titus shouted, rushing out of the gate with a dozen children, half of them already pulling the groggy teachers into the foyer. The boy himself was about to charge at her, but she noticed. She snarled at him. Whipping a single thread at him, she lashed his forearms and made him fly back, baring her fangs as she did. ¡°Close the gate!¡± she snapped. ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°N-No! Jump to us! Leave your shield there and¨C¡± A second ¡®strike¡¯ fired in Titus¡¯ direction, and she split her shield in half to stab it into the ground, blocking that spell, too. The impact still created a violent gust of wind that knocked every child back, but not her. Her toes became claws, ripping through her pretty leather shoes, and she had them stab into the ground. Anchoring her. Binding her. Spikes grew from every armoured joint on her body, and she drew on more strength from the monster inside her. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. She barely even managed to growl at Titus again. ¡°Go,¡± she breathed. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re in the way.¡± ¡°...¡± Titus scrambled to his feet and half-ran as fast as he could, dragging Mister Zora into the foyer by the collar. The lever was pulled, gears were turned, and as she intercepted half a dozen more ¡®strikes¡¯ that would¡¯ve flown right into the foyer to decimate everyone, child and adult, the gate finally closed. Hinges locked. Pistons slammed in place. Finally, she gasped for breath and let her shields unwind into simple threads again, falling onto all sixes. Her heart was thumping down into her gut. Her limbs had the strength of jelly and her mind the clarity of sticky candy. It was all she could do just to stop herself from hissing and crying as more spikes ripped out of her skin, her body going past the point of no-return¨C And then the Magicicada Witch stopped right in front of her, standing over her with two arms folded behind her back. Nona! Die¨C She didn¡¯t get to finish her thought. The Witch batted her lunging claws away and grabbed her throat in the same motion, lifting her a whole metre into the air. ¡°... What¡¯s a bug doing siding with humans, anyways?¡± Nona said, lips curling in displeasure as Emilia kicked out, jamming her claws between chitin plates; she got a few good grasps, but she had no real shot at actually prying them off Nona¡¯s chest. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re a bug, so act like one! You and your oversized wings and bright red nails and¡­ and¡­¡± Nona trailed off, her little cicada antennae nubs tingling from the top to bottom. A second later, the Witch¡¯s irritation gave way to a cheerful, exuberant face, and Emilia choked as she was drawn closer to Nona¡¯s fangs. ¡°A Kin of the Black Witch!¡± Nona laughed, her whole body shuddering with the motion. ¡°In this castle? A silkmoth-human? I didn¡¯t realise you had the abilities of the Black Witch! Hey, hey, where¡¯d you get the silkmoths from? Where¡¯d you eat them? I wanna eat, too!¡± Emilia may be able to answer if her throat weren¡¯t being crushed in an iron claw, but Nona asked only to fill the silence¡ªthe Witch had an allergy to a world without sounds, noises, and voices. Even Emilia could tell that much just from looking at her. So, with a casual flick of her hand, she flung Emilia into the gate and ¡®struck¡¯ just an inch to the left. The spell rattled the hinges and threatened to cave in the entire side of the dorm, but the gate itself didn¡¯t budge. Neither would the rest of the dorm, in actuality. Emilia had been told time and time again that the dorm was the perfect shelter; once the gate was locked, there¡¯d be no going in and out unless someone on the inside pulled the lever. She¡¯d done it. Mister Zora¡­ Miss Sarius¡­ I¨C ¡°I could bash the gate in eventually, but even I get tired too, you know?¡± Emilia gurgled as Nona picked her up again, pressing her against the cold metal gate. There was no lie in the Witch¡¯s voice, either¡ªa Lesser Insect God wasn¡¯t just any bug. She could very well demolish the dorm if she spent just a little bit of time shaving away at the gate, but¡­ was she not going to do that? Before Emilia could finish that line of thought, Nona leaned in close and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re all annoying,¡± she whispered, half-growling in her ear, half-cackling to herself, ¡°but I¡¯m lucky you¡¯re so tough. If you¡¯d died when I threw you into the gate, I wouldn¡¯t have a hostage to lure those humans out of there.¡± Emilia¡¯s urges got the better of her. She snapped at Nona¡¯s neck, trying to rip something out, but Nona was much stronger. Physically and magically. She was pulled away from the gate before she was slammed into it again, and this time her skull bounced off the hard metal, making her cry out in pain. No! Mister Zora! Don¡¯t¨C ¡°You guys are listening to me inside, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡­ Huh? What¡¯s going on? Where¡­ am I? Zora awoke with a throbbing ache in his head, eyes fluttering open and close. He was in a dark place. No, maybe dimly lit. Lying on his back, staring at the arched ceiling overhead¡ªhe was back in the dorm foyer. When had he gotten back? I was¡­ we were in the northern building, facing Nona. Then, mom¡­ threw us out? He winced as panicked voices overlapped each other around him, his hands moving slowly over his face. His memories were hazy, but they were coming back bit by bit. They¡¯d fought Nona, they¡¯d lost, and the Headmaster threw them out the window to protect them. He immediately bit his lips and let himself feel the pain, the anguish; the Headmaster stayed behind for them, because they were weak, and now¡­ He couldn¡¯t hear the Headmaster¡¯s voice amidst the foyer. He heard Marcus sitting up groggily to the left, shouting at the kids to calm down. He heard Julius muttering ¡°heal¡± over and over to the right, tending to Cecilia with a broken leg. Half a dozen kids¡ªTitus being one of them¡ªwere surrounding him, shaking his shoulders, and now he remembered what¡¯d happened after they were thrown out the window. They¡¯d all been knocked out for a good five or so minutes after crash-landing in the botanical garden, and Emilia had single-handedly carried them back here. Emilia. Where¡¯s Emilia¨C Someone banged on the gate outside, and the children screamed, a harsh, discordant sound. Zora immediately snapped upright and glared straight at the gate, his ears not failing him, his gut not churning for no good reason. He heard two people outside the gate, and one of them was one of his. ¡°... It¡¯s me, Mister Fabre!¡± a voice shouted, faint and muffled, and every last human listening in the foyer froze. ¡°Please, please, please open the door, Mister Fabre! She¡¯s coming! She¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Fuck off,¡± he whispered, crawling to his feet, pushing Titus and his friends aside. His mind was still hazy, his body still bleeding and aching all over from the fall, but he staggered forward with his wand in hand¡ªand he slammed the gate with a clenched fist, snarling at the bug. ¡°Let go of her. Leave her alone. I swear, you touch even a hair on her body, and I will rip out your tongue¨C¡± ¡°Give me my wand back, then!¡± Nona said, banging Emilia¡¯s head against the gate once again, making her cry out sharply. ¡°Open the gate! I promise I¡¯ll let everyone live! I¡¯m just about full of children for the next year or two, anyways!¡± He didn''t answer. He couldn''t answer. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mister Fabre?¡± Nona cooed, her voice small, scornful. ¡°She¡¯s your child, isn¡¯t she? Don¡¯t you want her back? I don¡¯t wanna hold onto her, either, but¡­ it¡¯s just so, so cold.¡± A layer of frost started forming on the inside of the gate, spreading across the wooden floorboards, and the children behind Zora screamed as they scrambled back. Zora didn¡¯t move. ¡°It¡¯s so cold, Mister Fabre. She¡¯s so cold. She¡¯s a moth, and she needs to be warmed up¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, Mister Zora!¡± Emilia shouted. ¡®She won¡¯t eat me! She says I¡¯m some important¨C¡± Nona snapped, slamming Emilia¡¯s head into the gate and making everyone flinch again. ¡°Midnight! Forty minutes! Bring my wand to the courtyard downstairs, at the southwestern entrance of the academy, and I promise I¡¯ll let everyone live! You do have my wand, don¡¯t you?¡± ... ¡°You know what to do, Fabre,¡± Nona breathed, and her voice passed through the gate, moving so slowly and softly it felt like she was speaking right in his ear. ¡°You have until midnight to make a decision, but I¡¯ll get my wand back no matter what. The only thing you get to decide is whether or not you¡¯ll make me work for it, but if you do force my words, I will make all of you suffer.¡± With that, Nona retreated from the gate outside, dragging Emilia along with her¡ªand Zora kept his bloody fist against the gate as the dorm became deathly quiet. .And in the heavy silence, every heartbeat felt like a countdown to dawn. Chapter 40 - United Thirty minutes until midnight. It took approximately ten minutes for Julius to ¡®heal¡¯ all four of them, and the moment they were well enough to walk, they herded every last child into the common room and barred the door to the northern foyer. The Witch wasn¡¯t likely to break her word, but it was better to be safe than sorry if she were to lose her patience and try to break in. That half-frozen foyer wouldn¡¯t stop her¡ªnothing had stopped her from tearing down the northern building and the botanical garden¡ªbut it was more about the peace of mind that came from knowing the foyer couldn¡¯t be accessed anymore. ¡®Peace of mind¡¯, of course, was optimistic. The children were scared out of their minds. They¡¯d been woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of an entire castle crashing down on them, and then the only teachers they could rely on stumbled in half-dead. Anyone would be frightened. Even now, in the brightly lit common room, the fifty-seven children of Amadeus Academy were panicking. Clutching their satchels, chewing their nails, they were scattered all around whispering loudly to each other, and most¡ªif not all¡ªwere tired. Bags under their eyes. They wanted to go back to sleep, but they couldn¡¯t. How could they, knowing the Witch had just given all of them an ultimatum? For his part, Zora wasn¡¯t even trying to control the chaos. While Marcus and Julius tried their best to calm the children, speed-walking between cliques and classes in an attempt to dispel the palpable fear in the room, Zora and Cecilia stood blankly before the door to the southwestern foyer. He didn¡¯t know what sort of face he was making. Probably the same as Cecilia, who was standing just as deathly still as he was. ¡­ There is no choice. What is there to even think about? An ant on a single path does not pause to wonder. He angled his head slowly to look at Cecilia, eyes twitching. Cecilia returned to him a teary, quivering gaze, bare hands clasped over the little conductor¡¯s baton hanging off her belt. His eyes wandered down. She¡¯d had that thing for as long as he could remember. Ever since they were children. It was almost identical to their wands: a spiral-patterned stick layered with polished black chitin, the handle wrapped in smooth, velveted leather. He¡¯d never learned why she carried it around everywhere she went, but if the Headmaster had given it to her not as a mere birthday gift, then it all made sense¡ªNona had been barking up the wrong tree these past three days. The Headmaster knew all along that Nona would find them one day, and when that happened, she wanted Cecilia to run. But instead, they stuck around for three more nights. They picked up Marcus, Julius, and even tried to go for the Headmaster as well¡ªand if they hadn¡¯t done that, it would¡¯ve taken Nona a bit longer to figure out she¡¯d been deceived. But there¡¯s no point in regretting anything now. Right here, right now¡­ ¡°Give it to me, Cecilia,¡± he said. The music teacher didn¡¯t hear him. She must have, given she was staring at him as well, but she didn¡¯t ¡®hear¡¯ him. Her mind was wandering and tears were still streaming down her cheeks. Her heart thumped an erratic beat in her chest, and he couldn¡¯t bear listening to it any further. He raised an arm and tried to touch the wand, but she reeled away abruptly, her eyes focused far and away. She was looking, but she wasn¡¯t looking straight at him. Hands trembling, she covered the wand and took one more step back¡ªand that irked him more than anything else. ¡°... Cecilia,¡± he said, slower this time, ¡°that thing on your belt. Give it to me.¡± She bit her lips and shook her head in response, backing away further. ¡°Cecilia¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± she whispered, her voice shaky, unsteady. ¡°This¡­ this is what she¡¯s looking for, isn¡¯t it? All this time? And it was with me for so, so, so many years?¡± ¡°I suppose so. In any case, give it to me. I¡¯ll take it down to her.¡± Cecilia reeled away even further, sniffling loudly. ¡°No. Mom, she¡­ she gave it to me. Me. This is the one thing she¡¯s entrusted to me, and now you want to¨C¡± ¡°¨Cyes¨C¡± ¡°¨Cshe gave this to me¨C¡± ¡°So what?¡± he snapped, and his voice cut through the chaos, through the noise, through the whispering and reassuring. ¡°Give me the wand! Or Emilia dies! She¡¯s your student, too, you know?¡± ¡°E-Even still! This¡­ is mom¡¯s gift! Her legacy! I¨C¡± ¡°I was against her following us every single time we left, but you insisted! You said she¡¯d be useful¨C¡± ¡°¨Cand she was! How many times has she saved our asses¨C¡± ¡°¨Cso now that it¡¯s our turn to repay the favour, we cut her off? Leave her out to die?¡± He was feverish, the words just slurring past his lips as he snapped his fingers at her wand. ¡°I¡¯m not asking again, Cecilia! That thing! Give it to me!¡± And his spell would¡¯ve hit Cecilia had someone not smacked him on the back of his head, knocked him to the floor, and sat on his spine to keep him from scrambling up. Without thinking, he whirled and growled at whoever it was¡ªhe just hadn¡¯t expected it to be Julius, of all people, and he most certainly hadn¡¯t expected every last child in the room to be standing around the two of them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°C-Calm down, Zora,¡± Julius muttered, barely able to contain his own shaking as he readjusted his glasses. ¡°What¡­ unseemly behaviour¡­ for a teacher of the academy.¡± It was his own words against him. As Marcus pushed his way through the gathering crowd, Zora turned back to Cecilia and gave the teary-eyed music teacher a long, hard look. Whatever ¡®anger¡¯ he¡¯d been holding in since Nona gave them her ultimatum melted away, and he swallowed as she curled into a ball, putting her face in her hands. He took a shallow breath. She didn¡¯t. The quiet, broken sobs came out muffled, and though they were barely audible, they seemed to echo around the room, cutting sharper than any instrument could. She¡¯d just lost her mom¡ªall four of them did¡ªand now he was taking it out on her? His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, his lips tightening into a quivering, helpless line. ¡°Ce¡­ Miss Sarius,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¨C¡± Marcus knelt and whacked him on the head so hard his jaw bounced off the floor. ¡°We¡¯re not giving the damn bug her wand back, fucking idiot,¡± Marcus hissed. ¡°You think she¡¯ll keep her word? You think you kept your word?¡± Zora snapped his head up to glare at the muscleman. ¡°Hell are you talking about¨C¡± ¡°First Day Locust, Month Moth, Year Fifty-Eight. You promised you¡¯d give me your corner cubicle if I rounded up your quarterly physical checkup numbers. I gave you the pass, so what do you think you did to me?¡± ¡°I¡­ well¡­ okay, but you were stupid for thinking I¡¯d ever give up my corner cubicle¨C¡± Marcus whacked him on the head again. ¡°Exactly, skellyman. You play with words, and so does that bug¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you compare me to that thing¨C¡± ¡°So do you really think she¡¯ll let us off even if you give her what she wants?¡± Marcus said, raising a fist, and Zora raised his own hands in a meagre attempt to protect his head. ¡°Hell no. You give her what she wants, and she¡¯ll kill Emilia, and then us, and then she¡¯ll go on to kill hundreds and thousands more people around the continent. You think that¡¯s what mom would¡¯ve wanted us to do?¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Zora said, his eyes dark and sunken. ¡°We just¡­ we run? We hope she doesn¡¯t catch us? We bury it in a hole, pretend like we don¡¯t know jack when she catches us, and hope it takes her a while before she ¡®feels¡¯ it somewhere? If she¡¯s going to get her wand back anyways¨C¡± ¡°She won¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°We can make the antidote, Marcus!¡± he shouted, voice cracking. ¡°Two months twenty-six days and eighteen minutes! That¡¯s how long I¡¯ve spent trying to figure out what moth she ate, and now that we know¨C now that we can get on the road, get Julius to brew the antidote, and give her a normal life, we¡¯re just gonna give that up? For what? For who? The rest of humanity outside the academy? I¡¯ll have you know¨C¡± ¡°Zora¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about what goes on outside this place!¡± he snapped. ¡°You¡¯re a big man, Marcus, but I¡¯m a small man with a small heart, and I¡¯m moved only by what is in front of me! Not what the world wants! Not what humanity wants! I won¡¯t abandon my kid¨C¡± ¡°W-We don¡¯t have to abandon her, either.¡± Zora paused. Once again, it was Julius who caught him off-guard. The severely underweight physician who was sitting on him coughed before looking at Marcus for permission. Once Marcus gave the nod to go-ahead, Zora was whacked on the head again¡ªand a hit from someone physically weaker than him hurt a lot more than from someone he¡¯d never beaten in pinky-to-hand arm wrestling. ¡°... T-There¡¯s a winning move here, you know?¡± Julius stammered, raising a trembling finger. ¡°We fight Nona. We kill Nona. Not a single human dies, and we get to stay in the academy as well. That¡¯s the best case scenario, right?¡± Silence. ¡°You¡­ want to fight Nona?¡± Zora said, his eyes brimming with cold disbelief. ¡°Come on. You saw her. You were there. Dozens and hundreds of Magicicada Mages have tried over the decades before deciding it¡¯s much safer to just bunker down and try to hide under a dome¨C¡± ¡°But none of them had her wand before,¡± Marcus interrupted, jabbing at Cecilia¡¯s belt. ¡°We have it. And we¡¯re not old folks like they were. Great Makers, we got our abilities three damned nights ago, and how many giant bugs have we already buried in the ground? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?¡± ¡°Much less than that, muscleman. Are you even keeping track¨C¡± ¡°And it¡¯s the four of us, skellyman.¡± Marcus whacked him on the head again, and he¡¯d just lowered his arms, thinking that part of the conversation was over. ¡°We¡¯re the teachers of Amadeus Academy. Frankly speaking, I think we¡¯ve got a chance at shutting up that bug for good if we play our cards right.¡± ¡°What cards? That wand¡¯s nothing but an amplifier, and you saw how¡­ you saw that ¡®magic¡¯ spell, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It was like her spell¡­ had colour to it,¡± Zora hissed. ¡°She froze the northern gate, muscleman, and she¡¯s a goddamned cicada. They hate the cold. If that¡¯s not real, honest-to-god ¡®magic¡¯, then I don¡¯t know what is, but we don¡¯t have the firepower to match something like that. Compared to that, our spells are¨C¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to match it.¡± This time, it was Cecilia who spoke, and Zora gritted his teeth as he turned to look at her. She was still sniffling, still curled up in a ball, but their faces were close enough that he could see a little something in her eyes¡ªfear, yes, anguish, yes, but there was also something else. Something more than a weak, ugly face wracked with tears. ¡®Fire¡¯. Cecilia¡¯s sapphire eyes were ¡®fire¡¯. ¡°Back then¡­ in the northern building¡­ there was that one instance where we managed to make Nona freeze, didn¡¯t we?¡± she breathed, her eyes glittering as her voice became thick with emotion. ¡°It was¡­ sound. ¡®Music¡¯. And when Nona screeched so loudly mom couldn¡¯t even hear her own spell, that spell didn¡¯t go off¡ªcan¡¯t we do the same to her?¡± Zora blinked slowly, swallowing a hard gulp. Then Cecilia looked around at the children¡ªand, without even a single word spoken, all of them nodded back. Their eyes, too, glowed with barely restrained ¡®fire¡¯. ¡°What song?¡± he mumbled. ¡°School anthem,¡± she replied curtly. ¡°How many kids?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re kids, Cecilia. We can¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna leave Emilia behind,¡± Titus said, raising his hand slowly. ¡°I can play the trumpet.¡± Then his friends raised their hands, suggesting the instruments they could play. Then their friends raised their hands as well, and then their friends did, and then their friends did. Fifty-seven children in the common room, none older than twelve, and while some were hesitant¡ªdoubtful, fearful¡ªnone lashed out at the idea of leaving behind one of their own. And they¡¯d barely even been friends for long. ¡­ Hah. If only you could see them now, Emilia. As Julius stood up and Marcus started instructing the kids to find their reserve instruments, Cecilia also stood¡ªbut she didn¡¯t run, and she didn¡¯t avert her eyes. She offered him a helping hand, and the Witch¡¯s wand along with it. ¡°If Nona will kill all of us whatever we decide to do, then I want to fight,¡± she whispered, ¡°and I¡¯m not keen on letting the bug who killed mom see another sunrise ever again.¡± And it was her eyes, again, that sold it to him. That ¡®fire¡¯. Wasn¡¯t that something he wanted to show Emilia no matter what? ¡°... We need a strategy, then,¡± he said, grabbing her hand. ¡°Thirty minutes to midnight. Either she buries us under a mountain of rubble, or a Lesser Insect God will perish tonight.¡± Chapter 41 - Gods Wonder One minute to midnight. Down in the barren, moonlit courtyard, Magicicada Nona tapped her feet impatiently before the broken southwestern gate. She¡¯d come into the academy from the north, but she was beyond proud to see destruction had been wrought in the south as well. Dark stones and rubble lined the edges of the courtyard, leaving sharp rocks scattered around. Half-broken pillars stuck out from the cobbled ground like jagged teeth. The remains of a fountain lay in the far corner, dry and cracked. Star-shaped banners hanging from the distant walls flapped in the light breeze, and as her shadow stretched across the ground, she listened, eyes narrowed, for any sound¡ªa crunch of stone, a bated breath. Anything to indicate she¡¯d be joined by humans very soon. The girl she was choking and lifting in the air beside her wasn¡¯t ¡®human¡¯ in her eyes. ¡°... Boring,¡± she muttered, clicking her tongue in irritation as she cracked her neck left and right. ¡°Are they gonna come? Are they gonna make me wait? I don¡¯t like waiting. Maybe I should just¨C¡± ¡°They¡¯re¡­ not boring,¡± the girl wheezed, her pale human face already completely crept over by black chitin plates. She had no human skin anymore. She was every bit the human-like bug Nona was, but she just didn¡¯t know it yet. ¡°Mister Julius¡­ is funny. Mister Marcus is strong. Miss Sarius is kind, and Mister Zora¡­ is brave. He won¡¯t¡­ run.¡± Nona scoffed. ¡°Adults aren¡¯t brave. I¡¯d know, since my older sister, Decima, is always running around and fleeing with her adult spells. She doesn¡¯t fight at all. She just tricks and deceives and makes you humans do her bidding. Children spells are a lot more fun, you know? More direct! In your face! You don¡¯t have to think so hard about them!¡± ¡°So¡­ you never want¡­ to grow up?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Nona said, grinning from ear to ear as she cast a glance at the archway on the other side of the courtyard. ¡°If growing up means you become boring and predictable like them, why would you want to grow up?¡± She wasn¡¯t looking for an answer, and she didn¡¯t hear it from the girl. What was far, far more important was the fact that the four teachers stepping out of the archway had her wand¡ªshe could feel it from afar. The little chunk of chitin she¡¯d lost decades ago on a battlefield had been forged into¡­ a crude, abhorrent weapon. A ¡®wand¡¯. As if a Lesser God like her needed a wand to channel and direct her spells. It was a weapon only humans needed to properly control their magic, and she had no such weaknesses. Still, seeing the four teachers stop thirty strides away made her twitch a brow in anger. The wand made out of her chitin was humming now that it was so, so dearly close to her, but she couldn¡¯t tell who it was on exactly. That was why she¡¯d spent the past three days killing every mage and destroying every wand in the academy. Every wand hummed, and when they were all gathered together, they overshadowed the sound of her own¡ªand what kind of god would let a bunch of humans overshadow her? Even still¡­ she felt like gloating a little. Celebrating a little. It¡¯d taken her twenty years, but she finally managed to wipe out all but four Magicicada Mages, and that had to count for something. ¡°... You know, the old lady put up a good fight!¡± she said, tightening her claw on the girl¡¯s throat as she smirked at the teachers. The three at the back tightened their faces, but the man in front simply looked tired, eyes cold and slanted. ¡°She cursed me even with her final breaths! She did so, so much to buy time for you guys to run away, but look! You¡¯re still here! For me! Her death was completely in vain, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Then she lifted a hand, listening for a short moment before pointing at the man in front. He was hiding something up his sleeve. ¡°You have it,¡± she said plainly. ¡°Show me.¡± The man didn¡¯t hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, her spiral-patterned wand slipped out from under his sleeve, and she immediately felt a shudder down her spine. Her whole body tingled. She licked her lips and made loud, smacking noises, if not only to drive the point in further¡ªshe¡¯d finally won. That was her wand. ¡°Give it to me!¡± she said cheerily, her needle-row teeth curving into an exuberant smile. ¡°Throw it, roll it, whatever! Give me my wand worth a thousand human lives, and¨C¡± ¡°Toss Emilia over at the same time, and I¡¯ll give you more than just the wand,¡± the man said, his voice steady and even. ¡°... Are you negotiating with me?¡± The man shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°First of all, you promised. Good children don¡¯t lie. Secondly, I¡¯m quite aware you used to travel around with a brood of giant bugs¡ªwhere¡¯s that brood now?¡± Nona curled her lips, tilting her head slightly. She could entertain the conversation just a little bit, she supposed. ¡°Probably still going through your academy and cleaning up the corpses! They¡¯ll be back in a bit, and then we¡¯ll¨C¡± ¡°We killed them all,¡± the man interrupted, raising his wand and pointing it at the academy behind him. ¡°You may have survived, but every last one of your foot soldiers is dead. Even that giant stick bug you assigned to guard the northern building? We killed it.¡± ¡°So? They¡¯re bugs! Who cares¨C¡± ¡°If I give you this wand, you¡¯ll kill all of us, and you¡¯ll be walking out of this castle alone,¡± he said, flipping her wand before catching it by the tip and offering the handle to her. ¡°But if you give Emilia back, we¡¯ll join your side. Fifty-seven children and four adults¡ªhell, I don¡¯t even care if you kill the four of us. But instead of killing us and stealing our voices, you can have all of us eat bugs and turn into your soldiers. You need a new brood, don¡¯t you? You don¡¯t want to be doing all the grunt work while you continue wreaking havoc around the continent, do you?¡± Nona blinked. ¡°You¡­ want to be bugs?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied curtly. ¡°Why give up now?¡± ¡°Because we can¡¯t win?¡± he said, almost matter-of-factly. ¡°And nobody likes being alone. The same goes for you. We¡¯re the ones who survived and killed the strongest bugs in the academy, so you know we¡¯ll be strong once we turn into bugs ourselves. Probably even stronger than your last brood. Don¡¯t you want to shove it in your older sisters¡¯ faces once you show up on their doorstep with your wand in hand? Not only did you find what you''ve been looking for all this time, but you¡¯ve even recruited a new army to boot. Don¡¯t you think they¡¯ll be proud of you?¡± Proud? ¡­ She¡¯d never thought about that word before. It¡¯d been decades since she last saw her older sisters, but it was true that before they parted, Decima and Morta had laughed at her for being the only one to fail at retrieving her wand from the mages¡¯ research town. Since then, she¡¯d carried ¡®anger¡¯ around in her chest, and as the years went by, the mages continued to shave off bits and pieces of her brood¡ªit was also true that now, she had no brood. No giant stick bug would let her sit on their back while they marched across the continent, going from human borough to borough. No moths and beetles would act as her scouts, her vanguards, and her battering rams. She could go around the area and look for a brood to take control of, but again, it was true that the adults in front of her had killed some of her strongest bugs. They could serve me instead. But¡­ they¡¯re probably¡­ ¡­ ¡°... Oh, well! Whatever! Okay!¡± she chirped, clapping two of her hands together. ¡°Not like you can fight back anyways! I¡¯ll turn all of you into bugs and hope some of you even emerge as Mutants! I¡¯ve only had two or three in my brood the past two decades, so here¡¯s to hoping all four of you turn into Mutants!¡± The man grinned, clapping his hands as well. ¡°Great. Then, toss Emilia over and let us rest for half a day or so before we start looking around for bugs to eat. If we don¡¯t eat while we¡¯re in peak physical condition, the bugs we¡¯ll turn into won¡¯t be as powerful, either.¡± ¡°Sure, sure! But toss me my wand in the meantime!¡± ¡°On the count of three?¡± ¡°Two!¡± ¡°One.¡± She was physically inept compared to other Lesser Insect Gods, but she wasn¡¯t that inept. Her reaction speed was still several times that of a human, so it wasn¡¯t until she saw the muscles in the man¡¯s arms twitching that she flung the girl across the courtyard, raising her own arm to catch the wand soaring at her. The big man in the back caught the girl without issue, and the other two immediately dashed over to check on her, but Nona watched the spiral wand fly at her face¡ªand then swerve past her head, around it, before shooting straight back at the man¡¯s outstretched hand. She sighed, though she wasn¡¯t particularly disappointed or surprised. ¡°You cast ¡®swerve¡¯ on it before you threw it, right? I saw that one before! It¡¯s not new anymore¨C¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°To me, wand!¡± The man¡¯s spell rippled across the courtyard and dragged her wand back to him, but it was weak. Slow. She threw a hand out and cast ¡®to me¡¯ in return, but even with only a fraction of her true volume, her spell was equal to his. The ground cracked beneath the wand as it became the object of an invisible tug-of-war, the air vibrating and thrumming around it. For her part, she was just savouring every last moment of the mages¡¯ final struggle. She could end the tug-of-war anytime she wanted, but¨C ¡°Da Capo!¡± the lady beside the man roared, whipping her wand to the sky. ¡°Read my motions, follow my beat, and as long as you are in Amadeus Academy, I will amplify your sound! Direct it at the disgusting bug!¡± And then her triumphant victory was shadowed by the thunder that cracked around the courtyard, a storm of horns, drums, bells, flutes, and strings puncturing her ears with sharp, foul wails of rage. Her vision blurred. She couldn¡¯t hold it in. She staggered, clutching her head as the blaring symphony scraped against her mind, prying open the cracks in her focus. Her voice tore out in an involuntary screech as pain flooded her skull, but her voice alone wasn¡¯t stronger than the orchestra, and it wasn¡¯t a spell¡ªin her lapse of concentration, the man won the tug of war, and when he yanked it out of the air to toss it back at his lady friend¨C ¡°Crescendo, my children of Amadeus Academy!¡± the lady bellowed, her spell slamming into her wand, and Nona immediately clenched her teeth. ¡°Sing the tune to soothe a sorry soul!¡± Her wand wasn¡¯t normal. Nona knew it could amplify every spell cast on it tenfold, and if the orchestra of fifty-seven children scattered around the walls of the courtyard wasn¡¯t already loud enough, now it became a crushing sound. The horns became brutal torrents, the deep thud of the drums hammered in relentless waves, and the strings shrieked in cruel, piercing blades. She felt her legs giving away, folding beneath her until she collapsed to her knees. She slammed her claws into the ground as she forced herself to breathe, trying to will her thoughts back into existence, but the pain was a steady rhythm¡ªshe could get used to it in five or so minutes, but this was, by far, the most horrific ailment any human had ever forced onto her. ¡°Not bad!¡± she screamed, half-cackling, half-bleeding from her eardrums as she pried her head up. ¡°Not entirely boring! Not entirely predictable! But this isn¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°Strike!¡± The first spell slung by the man in front slammed into her arm, sweeping it off the ground. She recovered quickly enough, pushing through the pain, but then ten, twenty, thirty more ¡®strikes¡¯ slammed into her from across the courtyard in an unending volley, the three men tossing whatever spells they could at her while the lady conducted the orchestra of children around her¡ªshe wanted to laugh off the first few ¡®strikes¡¯, but then they started hurting, aching, making the chitin plates on her limbs rattle like doors on loose hinges. Annoying! Shut up! You use the same spells over and over! Gnashing her teeth together, she threw her body back and screeched as loud as she could, matching the orchestra¡¯s volume for a brief second. That second was all she needed. She screamed ¡®boom¡¯ and let her spell fly on auto-target, shattering archways, felling bridges, and forcing a third of the children to run and take cover, but running wasn¡¯t playing, and not playing meant the orchestra was weaker. Her ears were still ringing, but not for much longer. When the big muscle man started charging at her¡ªcrossing the thirty stride distance between them in just ten strides¡ªshe was ready for him. He was physically strong like that, and she already knew it. ¡°Expand!¡± She laughed, rearing her fist behind her and making it bubble twice, thrice, five times in size. ¡°Those muscles mean nothing in the face of ¡®magic¡¯, human¨C¡± But he sped up suddenly, augmented by half a dozen self-enhancing spells and then two syringes stabbed in his back she hadn¡¯t noticed before¡ªa gasp of air escaped her as his fist slammed into her face, her neck snapping, her entire body thrown back by the whiplash. Much faster than before, I¡¯ll give you that! She hissed, skidding a few metres back as she flailed her arms, stabilising herself. But what about this? You couldn¡¯t deal with this before! I say ¡®fly¡¯, and you will die¨C ¡°Don¡¯t you dare get out of your chair, Mister Evander!¡± the first man shouted from her right, and she whirled, just now realising the other two men had circled to her sides. ¡°If she says ¡®fly¡¯¨C¡± ¡°Fly!¡± she screamed, switching to the phlosa tongue. ¡°Get back, big man¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m the teacher here, not you!¡± the man shouted again, in the phlosa tongue, his wand whipping into a sword as he dashed towards her. ¡°Don¡¯t fly, Mister Evander! Stay! Stay in your goddamn chair!¡± And her spell didn¡¯t go off. She blinked. Between the deafening orchestra, the raw drug-enhanced strength of the fitness teacher in front of her, and the counter-spell thrown out in the exact same tongue as hers, she couldn¡¯t make the big man ¡®fly¡¯¡ªso he punched her in the face again, forcing her another few steps back. Then it became a melee as all three men converged on her. ¡­ A trick? How is that bladed man countering my spells? They moved nimbly. The big man cast ¡®toughen¡¯, ¡®haste¡¯, and ¡®strengthen¡¯ on them, so despite the other two¡¯s skeletal frames, their blades and syringes fluttered after her as she dodged and weaved. She screamed spells out with each step, with each ragged breath. Her voice had split open castles, buried armies, and parted storms, but the orchestra was an ever-present thorn in her throat she couldn¡¯t get rid of. She couldn¡¯t even hear her own voice clearly, but the men could cast their spells no problem. How? ¡°How do you like our school anthem?¡± the man with the sword asked, stepping in, and she barely managed to deflect it, the blade carving a small dent in her cheek. ¡°Do you know how many serious and not-so-serious conversations we¡¯ve had while standing in the atrium, listening to the Headmaster make everyone else sing the anthem? Why, we¡¯re masters at talking over the anthem!¡± She spat and slashed her left claws back, forcing the big man and the bladed man off her side for a second, but then the syringe man chucked a few needles at her face. She cast ¡®poof¡¯ to make them explode, but the blade man cast ¡®silence¡¯ around the needles, negating her spells. The needles flew. One, two, three of them pierced into her right eye, making her screech again¡ªthe venom coursing through her blood was immediately palpable. Ow! Owowow! She screamed out, switching to a different tongue. ¡°Squishy! Stretch the ground! Make it bounc¨C¡± ¡°But you froze the ground already!¡± the bladed man shouted, matching her tongue. ¡°You gotta un-freeze the ground first, and you can¡¯t do that, can you? Your only real magic is related to the cold! That¡¯s the only ¡®magic¡¯ you¡¯ve ever felt in your life!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± she roared, switching to another tongue. ¡°Spin and whirl! Carve through everything¨C¡± ¡°Counterspin! No making cyclones in the courtyard!¡± the man interrupted, matching her tongue yet again. ¡°Children can only do that in Mister Tadius¡¯ botanical garden, but¨C oh wait! That doesn¡¯t exist anymore!¡± ¡°Enough! Friends! Come out and play¨C¡± The big man and the syringe man dashed in again, punching her face and jamming two more syringes into her belly button before she could finish her sentence. The venoms dealt internal damage, the punches knocked the air out of her lungs. In a panic, she flicked her wings open and took off into the air, trying to put some distance between her and the sticky melee fighters¡ªbut then five glowing red threads whipped around her ankle from below, jerking her to a halt just as she was about to recover her voice. You! She glared down at the little girl standing beside the conductor lady, snarling, and there was nothing elegant about it. Ten, twenty, thirty ¡®strikes¡¯ from below punched into her wings, knocking her off balance, and it certainly didn¡¯t help that the big man jumped and grabbed the threads out of the air before slamming her down into the ground. Now she was back in the centre of the courtyard. Orchestra blaring at full force. A blade tried to decapitate her¨C she slapped it away while scrambling onto her feet. A kick to her stomach sent her flying up anyways, and then two more syringes flew at her left eye. She cast ¡®boom¡¯ in their general direction¨C they ¡®swerved¡¯ out of the way, her spell missing its mark, and one of them flew right into her left ear. Her hearing instantly dulled. Her vision became even more watery than it already was. Debris and ¡®strikes¡¯ and syringes flew at her from every direction, her chitin cracking like glass against her muscles. Need¡­ time¡­ recover¡­ Orchestra¡­ too¡­ loud! The bladed man who jumped her with his vibrating blade was slashed, cut, and she kicked him away. He dropped his sword at her feet. The other two pounced on her. With a low growl, she landed a blow on the syringe man, stabbing two arms through his chest, but then his wound immediately regenerated and his skin turned to crystal. He snarled back at her, emerald eyes bearing the visage of a venomous bug. She realised her mistake when she couldn¡¯t rip her arms out of his chest, and with two less limbs to work with, the big man pummelled her. Each punch was accompanied by a ¡®boom¡¯ that rattled her bones, destroyed her focus. She couldn¡¯t even get a spell out anymore. And just as she was about to scream ¡®frost¡¯ again, willing to drain her stamina just to force everyone back for ten goddamned seconds¨C ¡°To me, sword!¡± The blade that¡¯d been dropped at her feet suddenly shot off the ground, flying into her chest through the tiny gap in her chitin. That¡­ that mortal wound she¡¯d had for twenty years, ever since she failed to recover the chitin that¡¯d been used to forge her spiral wand. For the first time in two decades, her pulse pounded in her ears. The blade had been flying back to its owner, and the man was standing far behind her so it¡¯d pierce right through her chest¡ªand that it most certainly did as it shot out her back, opening a second gap in her chitin with a squelch of amber blood. For their part, the big man and the syringe man couldn¡¯t hold her still anymore. She thrashed and flung them both to the sides of the courtyard, drawing on latent strength she hadn¡¯t had to summon since the first time she¡¯d been wounded, but she couldn¡¯t immediately speak. As the vibrating blade shot back into the distant man¡¯s hands, she staggered a step forward, almost tripping on her own feet. Her hands were clamped over the see-through hole in her chest, and while the blade had just barely missed her heart, it¡¯d done more than enough damage. Enough for the man, the little girl, and the conductor lady to sneer at her with their heads tilted back. ¡°... As complacency becomes an accessory, stagnation becomes second nature, and a child¡¯s posture, their nature, and even their fate will never begin to take the form of an ¡®adult¡¯. That is exactly what the type of bugs you are,¡± he said, heaving for breath himself as he whipped his sword back into a wand, pointing it straight at her. ¡°For all the voices you have stolen from children across the continent, your spells are every bit as boring and predictable as ours. You lack creativity. Imagination. I¡¯ve seen your spells, too, and I can counter each and every last one of them¡ªcasting them in another tongue won¡¯t work on me.¡± The orchestra took a breath. Everyone took a breath. They¡¯d been screeching non-stop for the past few minutes, but if even Nona had to pause for a moment, then they had to pause, too. But the man who spoke a thousand tongues kept his wand raised, eyes burning bright amber, and Nona saw the reflection of her own bloody face in them. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh despite the pain, the venom, the ringing in her head. This was fun beyond anything she¡¯d ever done before. ¡°Name,¡± she rasped, lifting a trembling finger at him. ¡°What¡­ is your name?¡± The man forced a pained grin onto his face. He was just as bloody and bruised and battered as her, but she was interested. He was the first man who¡¯d pushed her this far. ¡°Zora Fabre,¡± he finally whispered. ¡°But you may now call me the Thousand-Tongue Mage of homeroom 2-A.¡± ¡­ Fabre. Fabre. Coughing blood with every word, she slammed her own hands over her mouth and gathered every last ounce of strength into her throat. ¡°... It¡¯s so, so cold here, Thousand-Tongue!¡± She laughed, ripping her frozen hands away from her mouth as solid, sharpened blades of ice. ¡°And what, exactly, are you going to do to warm this castle up?¡± Chapter 42 - Fire They had a momentum going. Zora got Emilia back, Cecilia conducted a children¡¯s orchestra in record volume, Marcus returned more than a single punch, and Julius took out one of the bug¡¯s eyes with a syringe. But the moment the Magicicada Witch started casting ¡®magic¡¯, hell was wrought upon the courtyard. ¡°Cold, boring, predictable adults!¡± Nona screamed. ¡°You always tell your children! Finish your meals or there¡¯ll be bad weather tomorrow! Well, this is bad weather! It¡¯s cold out here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Exhausted and cornered, robes stained with amber blood, hole in her chest¡ªNona was driven into the very definition of a ¡®frenzy¡¯. She flung one arm skyward, fingers splayed wide, and sheets of ice burst from her palm before crashing down in lethal, freezing rain. Zora couldn¡¯t ¡®strike¡¯. He whipped his wand up and ¡®blocked¡¯ for Emilia and Cecilia behind him, and at the same time, the children were forced to run for cover. Duck. Hide. Marcus had ¡®toughen¡¯ to protect himself, and Julius was in a perpetual half-dead state, but their opportunity to press their advantage was over. This was the Magicicada Witch¡¯s counterattack. Her lips twisted in a grin both fierce and wild, her voice cracking into the night like a whip as she raised more hands, commanding the air to obey. Sharp, biting winds swept through the courtyard, slicing into everyone¡¯s skin. The ground beneath their feet splintered and fractured, frost spreading out in rapid veins that seemed to pulse with her fury. More and more spikes of ice burst from the earth, jagged chasms forming like hungry jaws as she slammed her palms down, making the rifts shoot out at the speed of sound. If not for Emilia grabbing him and Cecilia by the waist, he would¡¯ve been impaled by the giant spike that stabbed up at them. Instead, she jumped and dropped them off at the far end of the courtyard, ripping a flurry of blood threads from her nails before spinning them in front of her like razor fans. The threads ripped through the spikes that pursued, but not without a cost¡ªEmilia snarled like a feral bug and cried like a human in the same choking breath, and Zora didn¡¯t wait. He didn¡¯t hesitate. He threw himself around Emilia and hugged her tight as Nona continued her rampage. More waves of frost coated the ground, the walls, the buildings in the distance. Columns of ice erupted from the ground, aimlessly impaling mounds of carcasses and debris. Misty tendrils lashed out, encasing pillars in solid ice, rendering them useless. Even Marcus couldn¡¯t rip them out and throw them at her anymore. The rain of icicles never stopped throughout all of that, and it was all Zora and Cecilia could do to continuously cast ¡®block¡¯ overhead, hissing through the cuts and welts as the ice grazed them all over. Weather the blizzard, Zora! She can¡¯t have that much stamina left! Sooner or later¨C ¡°My wand worth a thousand human lives!¡± Nona snarled, cleaving and leaping through the spike of ice in front of Zora. ¡°Give it back!¡± She wasn¡¯t aiming for him or Emilia. Cecilia was right behind him. The music teacher was still shouting at the children at the edges to fall back, to run for cover. She couldn¡¯t defend herself. Marcus and Julius darted in from both sides of the courtyard, one with their vibrating fist reared, the other with half a dozen glowing syringes clenched in his fist. Both struck Nona at the same time, but the interception failed. Nona screamed ¡°Freeze!¡± and had their blood run cold, halting them in their tracks. Gritting his teeth, Zora whipped his wand into a sword and Emilia tore out a bloody mess of threads, attempting to intercept her as well¡ªit didn¡¯t work. He barely managed to cast ¡®block¡¯ on Emilia before she roared ¡°Frosty boom!¡± and knocked them aside with a cold shockwave, opening a straight path between her and Cecilia. He couldn¡¯t shout at Cecilia to move out of the way in time, either. His vision blurred as he felt himself hissing, his eyes bleeding where tiny ice shards had pierced his irises, but Nona was brutal, relentless. He went blind at the exact same time Nona ripped off Cecilia¡¯s arm, reclaiming her wand. A shiver raced through his core as he heard Cecilia crying out and collapsing, clutching her bloody shoulder. The only good thing about this situation was the fact that the castle was flesh-numbingly, nail-bitingly cold. Zora could barely feel his own legs. His own lips. He rasped for breath as he tried to blink, try to see, but he couldn¡¯t even tell if his legs had been broken by the shockwave that knocked him onto his ass. Only one thing was for sure: none of them could do anything about the wand the Witch now held in her hands. Clutching it with four arms, they watched as the Witch parted her lips and sucked in a deep, long, heavy breath¡ªand when she exhaled, he heard frost born on the tip of her tongue, chunks of crystalline ice forming across her body to clad her in an armour of cold. ¡°... My wand,¡± she whispered, devastating, howling winds churning around her. ¡°How long¡­ I have waited¡­ for this day¡­¡± But the hole in her chest hadn¡¯t healed, and it was quite obvious, as he heard her staggering a few steps backwards after retrieving her wand, that she¡¯d already run out of stamina. He heard her whirling around to glare at all of them¡ªfifty-seven children and four teachers of the Amadeus Academy¡ªand there was a moment, maybe even a hint of hesitation, but she ultimately decided it wasn¡¯t worth sticking around to finish them off. You win for now, Thousand-Tongue, he thought he heard her say. But I¡¯ll be back as soon as I recover my strength Whether that was an insult or a compliment, Zora didn¡¯t know. But when he, Marcus, and Julius gathered their voices and tried to strain out a desperate ¡®stop¡¯, Nona didn¡¯t even bother slapping them away with her own ice-clad claws. She screamed ¡°Frost wall!¡± and erected a wall of ice around herself, making their spells bounce off. It didn¡¯t stop there, of course. She continued raising ice behind her as she half-run, half-stumbled towards the southwestern gate at the end of the courtyard. At this rate, she was going to escape the academy with her wand in hand. Cold slithered through Zora¡¯s gut as he pushed himself to his feet, lungs grasping for scraps of cold-flavoured air, but he had to move. Cecilia was choking on her own breaths, missing an arm. Marcus¡¯ ribs were most certainly broken, and Julius was lying half-dead on the ground, too exhausted to even move a limb. Compared to that, his broken eyes and the few icicles stuck in his legs were barely anything to call noteworthy. He had to move. So he ripped out the icicles in his legs, wheezed out a pained breath, and started sprinting after the Witch based on sound and sound alone¡ª Only to freeze when Emilia let out a bloodcurdling scream. He whirled, focused on his acute tympana, and he heard her clawing at her own face, curled up in a little ball as her wings started fanning out behind her. No. His mind went blank. He forgot what he was going to do. Whatever it was, though, it couldn¡¯t be more important than rushing straight back to Emilia, and that was exactly what he did. Her human skin had already fallen off and been replaced with hard chitin plates, but that didn¡¯t stop him from sliding on his knees to wrap her in a hug, her spikes digging into his flesh. Two of her arms went feral, scratching and tearing painful gashes in his back as he pulled her head into his shoulder. Her spine rippled. Her wings grew even larger, unfurling to well over five times her body size, and she needed fuel for the growth. Blood. Flesh. Teary-eyed, she lunged for his neck for a bite¡ªhe didn¡¯t stop her, because they¡¯d done this before. After she filled her stomach, she¡¯d come back to her senses.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. She always did. She always will. ¡°... I-It¡¯s cold, Mister Zora,¡± she said, the words coming out stuttered, broken by pained sobs. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t feel my¡­ my legs. My wings. T-They¡¯re not¨C They don¡¯t belong to¨C¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± he said, his own voice breaking, raw and pleading. He couldn¡¯t see her, but he could hear every move she made, every breath she took, ¡°you¡¯ll be okay. You¡¯ll be fine. Focus on my warmth. Focus on my voice. You like my voice, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-No. I¡­ I don¡¯t¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you said the first thing we met, but that¡¯s not true right now, is it?¡± He let out a nervous, shaking laugh, pulling her in and hugging her tighter. Her uniform was already torn on her back. Spiky chitin plates were her back, but he clenched his jaw and hugged her even tighter, bloody palms and arms be damned. ¡°It¡¯s cold. I know. But Nona¡¯s spell will pass eventually, and when that happens¡­ just keep holding onto me. I won¡¯t let you go. Who do you think I am?¡± A tremor ran through her tiny body, and she sobbed into his chest, her nails twitching as they grew longer, more insect-like. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Mister Zora¨C¡± ¡°Wrong! Again!¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Amadeus Academy¡¯s¡­ one and only¨C¡± ¡°No! Again!¡± ¡°Lord Zora!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The¡­ the Thousand Tongue Mage of homeroom 2-A!¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And¡­ and¡­¡± She trailed off, shaking mightily for a few more seconds, but then she pulled away and looked at him with tears streaming down her face, two hands on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll rip out your tongue a thousand times before you even think about sacrificing a single human.¡± Then, with the other two hands she¡¯d kept hidden from him, she slingshotted him across the courtyard on two threads she¡¯d wrapped around his waist. ¡­ What? Time came to a halt. The howling winds didn¡¯t exist. The world didn¡¯t exist. Nona didn¡¯t exist. Amadeus Academy didn¡¯t exist. It was just him, flipping through the air, and Emilia, sitting on her knees as her body cracked and failed to adapt to the mutations. The old mage had told him as much when she was first brought to him. It wasn¡¯t likely for children her age to survive the full mutation process. Their bodies couldn¡¯t handle it. They¡¯d ¡®crumble¡¯ away before they could ever turn into a full bug. ¡­ My Emilia? Strong, brave, kind Emilia? You¡¯re telling me she can¡¯t survive something like that? He didn¡¯t need to be able to see. His mixture of emotions and racing thoughts coalesced, images flashing through his head. The first day they¡¯d met. The first time he¡¯d helped her put on her uniform. The first time she¡¯d attended his classes, the first time she¡¯d picked up a pencil, the first time she¡¯d spoken a word in the local tongue. The first candy she¡¯d eaten. The first classmates she¡¯d played with. The first friend she¡¯d made. Those images were so close, yet so oddly far away all the same, like he was remembering days he¡¯d already had time to distance himself from. But it wasn¡¯t that long ago. Three months. Less than that. And she¡¯d made more progress retaining her humanity in these past three days than he¡¯d managed trying to drill answers out of her for two months straight. He¡¯d even gotten the name of the bug she¡¯d been eating, for Great Maker¡¯s sake, and if he had just one more hour¨C one more minute, he¡¯d grab Julius up by the collar and force the man to brew her the antidote. It wasn¡¯t like that was impossible, right? They¡¯d done the impossible many, many times already, right? So why are you throwing me away? What are you doing? Don¡¯t you want to keep attending my classes? Don¡¯t you want to play with Titus and your classmates? Don¡¯t you want to grow up, turn into a childish adult, and work with me? Aren¡¯t you scared? Aren¡¯t you cold? And, in response, Emilia gave him the brightest, fiercest smile he¡¯d ever been given. In this one moment, it was like he could see again. ¡°You¡¯re so warm, Mister Zora,¡± she mouthed, fixing him with a watery, glittering gaze. ¡°Just¡­ like¡­ ¡®fire¡¯...¡± ¡­ Time resumed. The howling winds came back. The world came back. Amadeus Academy came back, Emilia smiled until her face turned into dust¡ªand her slingshot threw him far over the southwestern gate, his blade cleaving through the bridge as he landed with a screeching halt. He¡¯d been thrown with enough force that somehow, someway, he slid to a kneel thirty strides in front of Nona, and his abrupt arrival made her dig her heels into the bridge. Her face may be half-shrouded by a mask of crystalline ice, but there was no hiding the snarl that came from under her mask as threw her hands out, shouting ¡°Frost spikes!¡± and sending a wave of ice at him. For his part, he closed his eyes and exhaled, gripping onto the hilt of his sword with both hands. He didn¡¯t need to ¡®see¡¯ for this. His hearing was good enough. ¡°... I¡¯ll give you a piece of candy if you answer this question right, Nona,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do you know the meaning of fire?¡± He knew. He was fire, and it was born on the tip of his tongue, smoke choking out his mouth¡ªand with an underhanded slash, he ripped his sword out of the ground, sliding a roaring wall of flames back at the Witch. The bridge trembled. His sword shattered in his hands, unable to withstand the heat. An explosive force grazed both of them as fire met ice in a fiery battle, but it was his that triumphed, and his advancing wall of flames hadn¡¯t come to a stop yet when Nona took a frightened step back, flinging more ice at him. None of them could stop the flames from slamming into her, enveloping her, and melting her frost armour as she fell over backwards with a pained screech. Maybe the flames didn¡¯t actually hurt, but it certainly made her drop her wand. ¡°Wand!¡± she screamed. ¡°To¨C¡± ¡°Me.¡± He¡¯d lost his, but now he had hers. The spiral wand zipped into his fast, wild, and full of wrath. The velveted leather felt warm in his hand as he felt around, searching for a button¡ªand there was one. How diligent of the mages. To think they even made a weapon crafted from the flesh of a Lesser Insect God able to transform between a wand and a sword¡­ he certainly had them to thank when it was eventually his turn to die. But there were only going to be two deaths on this night, and the Witch, bloodied and battered, threw herself at him as he advanced steadily. He snapped his wand into a spiral sword, flicking it to the side and severing one of her slashing claws. One, two, three more claws swiped at him in swift, heavy blows. He heard them all. He caught them all with his blade, silent as he parried them repeatedly. Despite her overwhelming strength and speed, the orchestra in the courtyard was still playing, and it was the anthem of Amadeus Academy that stabbed at the Witch¡¯s eardrums, preventing her from fighting at full focus. ¡°... Twenty-one years,¡± he said, slicing between slashes and cutting out a chunk of her throat, making her scream as she fell backwards. ¡°You have travelled across continents, destroyed entire armies, and felled dozens upon dozens of fortified boroughs. Is this not the wand worth more than a thousand human lives? How could you let it go just like that?¡± She tried to scramble to her feet, but he closed the distance in a flash, and in another moment he had her pinned to the ground with one foot on her unarmoured chest. Her claws ripped into his leg and tried to rend flesh from blood, but frankly, his blood was burning far, far too much for him to feel anything. He didn¡¯t feel like talking with the bug any further, either. So he rammed his sword through the hole in her chest, raised her into the air, and whispered ¡°firestrike¡±¡ªa fiery spell shot straight into her heart as a snarling, crackling javelin. It was ¡®magic¡¯ that made Amadeus Academy rumble against the mountainside. And it was a human who killed a Lesser Insect God. Chapter 43 - Thousand Tongue Mage ¡­ One month. It was both a quiet month and a long month. The first reinforcements arrived at the academy five days after they noticed the distress coloured pheromone flares shooting up over the Wolkenkam Mountain Range, and they were De Balla Engineers from the Rampaging Hinterland Front in nothing short of a small marching army. When they came, they saw a ruined castle nestled atop a mesa, no way up, no way down. It took a day for them to construct three bridges north, southwest, and southeast of the academy, at which point they entered through the southwestern courtyard to notice all but one building had gone completely dark. Fearing the worst, they rushed towards the centremost dorm building and knocked on the southwestern shelter gate. Time flew by as the ¡®Amadeus Academy Infestation¡¯ became widespread news across the entire continent. No stone was left unturned, no detail left uncovered. Borough Inspectors from the Scorched Scarabs came to document the damages. Healers from the Nectarites came to assist with restorations. Writers from the Spinneret Society came to interview the survivors. All told, damages added up to thirty-one destroyed buildings, sixty-one dead mages, one hundred and thirty children, three hundred dead faculty and counting¡ªand one Lesser Cicada God, burned and eviscerated from the inside-out. Rather quickly, the story was twisted from that of ¡®hopeless survival against the Swarm¡¯ to one of ¡®fiery triumph in impossible odds¡¯. The Spinneret Society didn¡¯t believe the surviving children at first, but it was incredibly difficult to dismiss the fact that the Swarmblood Aura¡­ that the thick, concentrated killing pressure of a Lesser Insect God still remained in the castle, though it wasn¡¯t lingering on any bug. The children gave the writer four names. They put faces to those names. Those same names refused to entertain any writers from the Spinneret Society initially, but once thousands more people flooded into Amadeus Academy¡ªrepresenting warriors, emissaries, diplomats, and couriers from nearly every major faction on the continent¡ªthose names began to relax. They finally understood people from all across the continent were here to help them rebuild, to take care of the children, so when the Spinneret Society approached them to ask for more details, four names became only one. Of the four names, three pointed at the one, and the moment the Spinneret Society laid eyes upon the man who was relaxing, but couldn¡¯t¡ªthree emissaries, twelve couriers, fourteen writers, twenty healers, thirty-four inspectors, fifty-two warriors, froze and clammed up before the man¡¯s killing pressure. He was no bug, but his Swarmblood Aura was unmistakably that of ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona¡¯s, youngest of the Magicicada Witches. ¡­ For the first time in sixty-one years of humanity¡¯s endless war against the Swarm, a Lesser Insect God had been killed by nothing short of a ragtag group of teachers and children, none of whom had any professional training with their classes. It was both a quiet and a long month. But the tides of war were changing, and the continent held its breath as they awaited the Thousand Tongue Mage¡¯s next move.
Dawn. Eight in the morning. It was exactly one month after the death of the Magicicada Witch that the ¡®Sterngott Funeral¡¯ was held in the academy¡¯s southwestern courtyard. Banners of the Five-Pointed Star hung from every pillar, every archway, flags flying strong and sharp atop every repaired building. Attendance was voluntary for the survivors of the infestation, but not a single child wasn¡¯t dressed for the occasion so early in the morning, their flowery black and gold academy uniforms buttoned up tight, their capelets swaying in the wind as they stood in neat little rows according to class, height, and age. Perfectly ordered, if not a little sombre. No outsiders were allowed to attend the funeral. Reconstruction work continued everywhere else, but not the southwestern courtyard. The morning was theirs, and Julius hadn¡¯t spent all week reseeding lilies and carnations across the earth in preparation of the funeral for nothing. The wind carried sweetly sick scents off the flowers as Zora led the prayer, standing at the very front of the children and before the three open caskets. One was for the mages, one was for the faculty, and one was for the children. Most of the bodies couldn¡¯t be salvaged, restored, or recovered. They were too badly damaged, especially the mages who all had their necks and magicicada systems crushed to bits. The best Cecilia could do was go around the academy picking up trinkets, tokens, and mementos in place of every body they couldn¡¯t bury, and now all of those little items were in the caskets, ready to be lowered into the ground. And Marcus had dug rather large holes for the caskets in the courtyard. ¡°... We are the architects of our fortune,¡± Zora whispered, eyes closed, head lowered, hands clapped together. ¡°Good souls. Brave souls. Amadeus will remember you.¡± ¡°Amadeus will remember you,¡± the children repeated behind him. That was the cue for Cecilia, Marcus, and Julius to each close a casket and nudge it into its hole. Zora¡¯s focus lingered on the children¡¯s casket for a moment longer¡ªon the little open but unfinished bag of bloodberry candies sitting at the very top of the item pile¡ªbut he allowed himself nothing more than a small, wistful smile as Cecilia cast ¡°to peace with you¡± on the surrounding dirt, laying the dead to rest once and for all. Then all was silent. The children behind him couldn¡¯t help but let out involuntary breaths of relief. Some sobbed, some cried here and there, but they hugged each other, comforted each other, and smiled at each other¡ªthey were going to be alright. There were so, so many people here from the outside world, and they were under watch from nearly every major faction and military on the continent. Even a Lesser Insect God would think twice before assaulting Amadeus Academy as it currently was. The living were going to be just alright. ¡°... Are you sure you want to go, Zora?¡± Cecilia, Marcus, and Julius stood by his side as they watched the children work through the funeral. Julius was looking sickly thin as ever, but he was always as healthy as he could be. Marcus had lost several pounds from how hard he¡¯d been working to rebuild the academy the past month, but there was no doubt he¡¯d regain his monstrous muscles in another month or two. Cecilia had lost her right arm¡ªJulius couldn¡¯t imagine himself reattaching a disfigured arm after such a violent dismemberment¡ªbut she was making do with an advanced steel prosthetic powered by Swarmblood; a gift from one of the De Balla Engineers. It¡¯d still be a long way off before she could conduct any orchestras with it, but she¡¯d get there. And she¡¯d be stronger because of it. So Zora opened his eyes, and there was little difference whether he did so or not. He was still blind.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Julius couldn¡¯t heal him, and there was nothing in the world that could return his vision. But¡­ it really wasn¡¯t as terrible as it seemed. Between the points he¡¯d put into perception, his Acute Tympana mutation, and literally being unable to see anything apart from extremely powerful sources of light¡ªlike staring directly up at the fuzzy glowing ball that was the sun¡ªhe¡¯d been honing his depth of perception via hearing and hearing alone. He could tell fourteen unwanted outsiders were lurking around the edges of the courtyard, stealing peeks at the funeral. He could tell how nervous three of them were with their frantically beating hearts. Every slight movement in the world created sound, so if he just put his head forward and focused, it was almost like he could see again; he wouldn¡¯t be able to read or see colours or do anything of the sort, sure, but for the ability to see more than he ever could, it wasn¡¯t such a damning tradeoff. Especially considering what he was planning on doing. ¡°You¡¯ve heard me say this before,¡± he said, smiling softly as he faced the children, hands clasped behind his back. ¡°Bugs leave when they are satisfied with their meal, but the hunger of ¡®fire¡¯ knows no bounds. This isn¡¯t over yet. If they are truly sisters of the same blood and flesh, then they won¡¯t take the death of their youngest in stride. Mark my words, as long as Decima and Morta still walk on two feet, they will come for us again¡ªit¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what to do when bullies try to come for round two, right?¡± Marcus grunted. ¡°Get them drunk and lead them to a back alley.¡± Julius let out a loud sigh. ¡°T-Then jump them, break their legs, and rob their purses.¡± "Which is why we have to go on the offensive," Zora said. "We let them come after Amadeus Academy, the children will be dragged into a battle again. That cannot be allowed to happen. I must fight them in their territory." He high-fived the two of them, but Cecilia wasn¡¯t so easily convinced. She crossed her arms and he could physically hear her brows creasing as she frowned at him, though¡­ it wasn¡¯t the ¡®angry¡¯ sort of scowl he wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with. It was ¡®worry¡¯. ¡®Fear¡¯. But he¡¯d told her before, and she knew just as well¡ªbehaviour preceded nature, and those who could act brave could become brave. There was something he needed to do, and fear couldn¡¯t be something that fettered him. It had to be ¡®fire¡¯, and it had to be now. Cecilia knew that. And apart from the four of them, there were no more Magicicada Mages in the entire world who could defeat the Magicicada Witches. So, while Cecilia teared up and sniffled and tried to wipe her nose, Marcus grabbed his neck and put him in a headlock, scrubbing his hair harshly. ¡°We¡¯ll hold down the fort as the new Headmasters of the academy,¡± Marcus said, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Hiring new faculty will be tough after what just happened, but¡­ it¡¯ll be easy as well, I think. We¡¯re the teachers who defeated a Lesser Insect God. If that isn¡¯t one hell of a recruiting tagline for perspective guards and faculty, I don¡¯t know what¨C¡± ¡°You mean ¡®prospective¡¯, you oaf¨C¡± Julius coughed into his fist as Marcus punched Zora on the head. ¡°A-And I¡¯ll¡­ continue researching my venoms and medicines here. We still don¡¯t really know what¡­ a ¡®silkmoth¡¯ really is, so if any orphan comes here with silkmoth mutations, I¡¯ll be able to halt their mutations immediately.¡± Then he looked Zora in the eye, his face tight and determined like never before. ¡°No more children like Emilia. The next time a half-silkmoth shows up¡­ I¡¯ll put a stop to their mutations. Promise.¡± Zora didn¡¯t want to force Julius to do the impossible if it wasn¡¯t possible¡ªgiven there were no more half-silkmoths around for them to research on¡ªbut it was better to just dip his head and be grateful. After all, if there was anyone who could do the impossible, it¡¯d be the scrawny man standing several metres off to the side, doing absolutely nothing to help him break out of Marcus¡¯ grip. ¡°Help me, man.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gonna kill me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gonna kill me¨C¡± ¡°Zora.¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice cut loud and sharp over their squabbling, and Marcus released him in an instant, all three of them standing at attention. Zora was no exception. He stiffened as she walked right in front of him, looking up at him, and¡­ held out something at his face. A spiral-patterned wand. ¡°Don¡¯t break it, okay?¡± she said, voice shaky, nose still runny. ¡°This¡­ is mom¡¯s final gift to me. To all of us. If you break it¡­ or if you lose it or something, I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll¨C¡± He patted her head, took the wand from her, and then pointed it straight up into the morning sky. He didn¡¯t have to cast a spell; he didn¡¯t have to move an inch; the wand made out of the flesh of a Lesser Insect God trembled, and then he twirled it slowly around in a circle, letting it point in every conceivable direction before the wand suddenly stopped trembling. The wand realised its mistake half a second later as he tilted his head. In its attempt to hide where the second of the Magicicada Witches was, it revealed her exact location to him. South. ¡°... I will be back to win my most popular teacher of the year award, you know?¡± he said, patting Cecilia¡¯s shoulders as he walked past her, spiral wand in one hand. ¡°If you think this is the last you¡¯ll see of me, then think again, and think again. It¡¯ll be a long march down to the Attini Empire, but I¡¯ll be thinking of you guys the entire way there, so don¡¯t mess up the academy while I¡¯m gone. I do want to return and teach once this is all over.¡± The rest of the teachers followed after him as he marched through the centre of the crowd. ¡°And how long will that be?¡± Cecilia shouted. ¡°You ain¡¯t gonna make us wait for five years or longer, right?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°W-Who¡¯s gonna defend me from Marcus while you¡¯re gone?¡± Julius stammered. In response, Zora chuckled as the children clung to his amber cloak, and he patted their heads one by one on his way to the open southwestern gate. ¡°You¡¯re all the new Headmasters of Amadeus Academy, are you not? Figure it out yourself. It¡¯ll do no good for the heads of an academic institution to be associated with a violent wandering bug-slayer, so I¡¯ll appreciate it if you keep letters to a minimum¡­ though I¡¯ve no idea if I¡¯ll be able to send letters back while I¡¯m on my long march. Just send them to my general vicinity and hope I¡¯ll come across them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send letters, Mister Fabre!¡± Titus said, his tiny fists clenched and shaking with determination as he looked up at Zora. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll protect 2-A while you¡¯re gone! I swear! I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll even go to all of Mister Evander¡¯s fitness classes! I¡¯ll be so strong you won¡¯t even recognise me when you come back!¡± Zora curled his lips in a sly, amused smile. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to go that far, but please. Watch over 2-A for me until I get back.¡± Not in order, the rest of the class monitors piped up as well, each proclaiming their plans and goals for the rest of the year. Some were optimistic. Most were unrealistic. But every declaration, promise, and word was shouted with the betterment of Amadeus Academy in mind, so he couldn¡¯t very well do anything but laugh as they all accompanied him to the southwestern gate¡ªand he alone stepped past the walls of the academy, waved off by the people he held dearest to his heart. There were still plenty of things he wanted to say to his friends, but¡­ if he looked back now, he wasn¡¯t sure he could keep moving forward. He¡¯d be back one day. So as he marched down the ridge to the southern end of the Wolkenkam Mountain Range, he pressed his wand to his lips before pointing it skywards once again¡ªwhispering ¡°fireworks¡± as he did. And though he couldn¡¯t see them exploding with his very own eyes, he could tell, just by the sounds of the children cheering and his friends shouting at him to come home safe, that they were probably the brightest, most resplendent magic anyone had ever cast. They were fireworks to herald the death of a Magicicada Witch, the rebirth of Amadeus Academy, and the beginning of his long march to the Attini Empire. ¡­ Do you see them now? How¡¯s that for ¡®fire¡¯, Emilia?
Volume One, End Chapter 44 - The Long March ¡­ First Day Cicada, Month Ant, Year Sixty-Three. Cold rain in the evening twilight. Two years since the unexpected death of ''Fate Spinner'' Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches. One thousand and fifty-six Ant Class Soldiers stood guard in the Great Grove Stronghold, far south of the southern end of humanity''s final continent, and all of them braved the colossal fungi forest before them with fear wrapped around their hearts. War Commander Tolani stood guard on the ramparts above the giant front gate, overlooking the straight dirt path leading from her stronghold to the dark forest far in front of her. There were three main roads people from the rest of the continent could walk to reach the Capital, and the Great Grove Stronghold was the last checkpoint standing along the northeastern road. Past the gate, past the walls, and any intruder would have unfettered access to the Salaqa Region right outside the Capital. They¡¯d be able to barge into the Capital uninvited. There may have been several dozens of strongholds guarding the northeastern road to the Capital, stretching from the northeastern borders of the empire to the very south, but hers was the last. She wasn¡¯t about to let her stronghold fall too. Tolani ignored the wind. The pitter-patter of raindrops splattering against the terracotta bricks of the ramparts, the floor, her chitin armour. Her hand was on the hilt of her obsidian-edged blade by her hip, her thumb rubbing the pommel almost without realising it. Standing alongside her on the north-facing ramparts, there were five hundred and fifty-five Carpenter Ant Guards wielding bolt-action rifles, manning mortars, and keeping watch on the fungi forest before them. They were battle-hardened soldiers. They¡¯d fended off more waves of Swarm than almost any other stronghold within the bounds of the empire. The flattened plains outside the gate were littered with black, broken, and decaying ant carcasses, and all told, there had to be tens of thousands of them¡ªeven an invading army would take caution marching into a well-fortified stronghold like hers. But, despite their precautions, a stray crunch of earth under someone¡¯s foot in the far distance shattered the uneasy silence and made everyone¡¯s rifles waver. Tolani lowered her head so her ant head helmet obscured more of her face. She braved the darkness. She stared straight ahead at the dark opening in the fungi forest where the straight path lined with glowing braziers led into the unknown¡ªbecause someone was walking out of the unknown towards her, and her soldiers knew it. He was coming. He was finally here. ¡°Death itself,¡± a man whispered, a few strides to her left. ¡°Warlord of the Northeast,¡± another man whispered, a few strides to her right. ¡°How many strongholds will this make? Eleven? Twelve?¡± ¡°Strongholds are one thing, but brood nests are another. I hear he¡¯s demolished at least three by himself over the past two years.¡± ¡°Not three, empty. Thirty. Thirty brood nests, all at least E-Rank Giant-Class. And he distributes most of his spoils of war to the surrounding towns.¡± ¡°Why are we facing him?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t kill anyone, right?¡± ¡°Just be glad we¡¯re here in the northeast and not facing the Warlord of the Northwest instead. That Worm Mage actually kills everyone in the Forward Armies. He¡¯ll be glad to rip off your arm and bash your head open with it.¡± ¡°Oh, Empress saves us all.¡± ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Four. Eight. Twelve. All twelve braziers lining the sides of the straight path extinguished at the whisper of a cold breath. Everyone silenced immediately as they raised rifles, locked in the fungi mortars, and looked to War Commander Tolani for orders. They¡¯d shoot anyone at her behest. They¡¯d utterly annihilate the plains in front of them with a hundred anti-chitin mortar shells if she so much as glared in their direction. She was grateful she had such loyal and well-trained soldiers¡ªthe best stronghold guards in the empire¡ªand she wouldn¡¯t want any other army by her side even if the Empress and Her Four Families came to her and told her to lead another. This once, though, she considered telling them to evacuate the stronghold and leave her alone at the top of the ramparts. Because the man marching out of the fungi forest a hundred metres before them, relighting pairs of extinguished braziers as he walked past, was not like any horde of bugs they¡¯d ever faced. Breaths quickened as the soldiers put their fingers on their triggers, the barrels of their rifles pointed down at the approaching man. He wasn¡¯t doing much apart from marching with a steady, casual gait. The wind ruffled his hair. Rain bounced and shimmered off his bright amber cloak. If it wasn¡¯t for the spiral-patterned wand he twirled in his right hand, left arm crossed behind his back, Tolani would¡¯ve thought he was just a travelling merchant who¡¯d lost his caravan and wares in the forests after lockdown protocol was called, allowing no travellers in and out of the stronghold. But no. She wouldn¡¯t have thought that. Not with those amber chitin strips swirling around his arms, glowing faintly under his black sleeves. The rainshower in her ears became a howling torrent as the man eventually stopped halfway to the gate, fifty metres ahead, thirty metres below. Five hundred and fifty-five rifles were trained on him, but he seemed none the wiser. Tolani¡¯s eyesight was keen, so she curled a lip when she noticed the man¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t open¡ªthe rumours and reports were true after all¡ªand she clenched her teeth when she realised the man wasn¡¯t nervous being stared down by five hundred barrels, either.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A warm, polite smile was sent her way as the man looked up at her, and her fingers curled around the hilt of her blade. ¡°... Open up, please?¡± A loud, candid voice. The man¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t deep, but it wasn¡¯t sharp. The sing-song Sterngott accent was still recognisable with it, and Tolani would know. She¡¯d been on a bug extermination campaign near the Mori Masif Front before. That was why she was unpleasantly surprised that the man was speaking the K¡¯uhul tongue: a dialect of the K¡¯in tongue spoken only in this particular region of the empire. The surprise was reason enough for Tolani to draw her blade, sawtooth obsidian edges gleaming in the rain. ¡°Halt your advance!¡± she shouted, fury crossing her eyes. ¡°For your crimes against the Attini Empire, you will be apprehended and taken straight to the Capital to be divined by the Empress and Her Four Families! Drop your wand, put your hands behind your head, and drop to your knees!¡± The man tilted his head. ¡°What crimes?¡± he asked, feigning confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t think I broke any empire laws on my way here.¡± ¡°Extermination of forty-one brood nests without Capital Writ! Five robbings of military point reserves! Five illegal redistributions of those same reserves to untrained commoners in the northeast¨C¡± ¡°¨Cthe spirit of the law is charity¨C¡± ¡°Destruction of fourteen strongholds along the Northeastern Road! Eleven hijackings of heavy armament caravans that were supposed to reach our Forward Armies! Illegal redistribution of those same heavy armaments to untrained commoners in the northeast! Nine thousand one hundred and ninety-one wounded soldiers, fifteen decommissioned War Commanders, two hundred and seven broken fungus mortars, and over twenty thousand anti-chitin bullets expended¨C¡± ¡°Okay, I did do that, but I am a teacher, and mine is the side that concerns itself with how people who have power use it,¡± the man said, wagging a finger up at her. ¡°Did you think I traipsed into empire territory two years ago intending on becoming the ¡®Warlord of the Northeast¡¯? I made no such covenant with that title. I asked the War Commander in the first stronghold I arrived at for directions to the Capital, and that lady fired on me.¡± ¡°Because you are the man who slayed a Lesser Insect God¨C¡± ¡°Because I asked a question, War Commander Tolani,¡± he said, and his voice tore into the stronghold, making her flinch. How did he know her name? ¡°I asked War Commander Sayauka for directions to the Capital, and, to her credit, she did point me in a direction. Just not the right one.¡± Then he shrugged, tilting his head the other side as though trying to peer past the walls. ¡°I knew where the Capital was, of course, but she tried to lead me elsewhere. Why did she do that? For what reason did she not want me to meet your Empress?¡± ¡°I can think of a thousand and one.¡± ¡°But there is only one,¡± he said sternly, staring straight up at her, and it was like his sealed eyelids were burning holes in her face. ¡°I asked a second question, and when she heard it, blood drained from her face like an unhealthy ghost. The other soldiers in the stronghold had the same reaction.¡± He sent another sly, coy grin up at her. ¡°I suppose people do say ill weeds grow apace, because they all fired on me right afterwards. I must have struck a nerve, hm?¡± Tolani furrowed her brows. She had absolutely no idea what the man was talking about. War Commander Sayauka guarded the Dawn Shield Stronghold in the far, far northern ends of the empire. She¡¯d never met the lady before, and she¡¯d never been to the stronghold before, but she could hardly believe it was just a simple question that set an esteemed War Commander off the way she heard Sayauka had been set off. ¡°So?¡± she asked, curling her lips. ¡°What was the question?¡± ¡°Do you want to know?¡± ¡°Will you leave if I answer you?¡± The man thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± he said plainly. ¡°The truth is, I already know where I want to go. My long march from Amadeus Academy, through the Sharaji Desert, and then into the northeastern bounds of the Attini Empire had me taking quite a number of extended sojourns in many of your outer towns and villages. I may not have laid my roots here, but I understand the gist of the conflicts within the empire, both internal and external.¡± ¡°If you understand we are already being battered by the Swarm, then you are a traitor to humanity. Knowingly destroying our strongholds, weakening our forces, forcing us to expend precious resources on you¨C¡± ¡°Is all but a drop in the ocean compared to the internal conflicts within the empire. You can spare ten or twenty or a hundred thousand anti-chitin bullets for me. Killing me won¡¯t change the fact that you are all ripping yourselves apart, and have been doing so for the better part of the past decade.¡± Tolani narrowed her eyes. ¡°What is your question, then?¡± ¡°Do you know why the Empress and Her Four Families are poising to lock down the Capital and hoard the rest of the empire¡¯s resources for themselves?¡± ¡­ She stared at the man in silence, and, ever so slightly, she saw his lips shifting into another faint smile. ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± he said curtly. ¡°You¡¯re not my enemy, then. Open the gate for me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not killed a single man.¡± ¡°That is not the point,¡± she said, raising a fist and commanding her soldiers to take aim. ¡°The Empress and Her Four Families have declared you as an enemy of the Attini Empire. Any War Commander, General, and Battalion Leader who assists you on your long march will be met with capital punishment.¡± ¡°That being?¡± ¡°Divination in the Dawn Temple.¡± ¡°Summary execution.¡± ¡°It is nothing as crude as that. Your words¨C¡± ¡°Have power, and in the filis, chilo, and lynae tongues, ¡®divination¡¯ is a cognate word for ¡®death by the divine¡¯. Both descriptions trace back to the Capital two decades ago, before the mass production and distribution of your ant system classes,¡± he said, shrugging nonchalantly. ¡°They were strenuous times, I understand. The Swarm¡¯s overwhelming nature demanded overwhelming leadership, and to go against the Empress¡¯ divine orders is to bring ruin upon the empire¡ªbut those strenuous times are no more. If the Empress tells you to decapitate yourself, would you throw your life away just like that? Without question? Without hesitation?¡± ¡°We of the Great Grove Stronghold are no mere soldiers,¡± she said, sneering down at him. ¡°Even the lowest man here comes from an accomplished household with a heroic bloodline. To fail to answer the Empress¡¯ divine orders is to fail our household and reject our bloodline¨C¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re hardly covering yourself in glory if not disappointing your household is all you care for.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head in disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m tired, Tolani. It has been two years since I set off from my home. This long march of mine goes only one way, and whether it is paved with the blood of bugs or brothers¡­¡± He trailed off, flicking his amber cloak behind him to reveal two glassy cicada wings, and they refracted evening sunlight like nothing she¡¯d ever seen before. ¡°You are the architect of your own fate, War Commander,¡± he said, sending her a cordial smile as he pressed his wand to his lips. ¡°Now, would you please open the gate?¡± ¡°Must I keep repeating myself¨C¡± ¡°Must I keep repeating myself?¡± he spoke, and the air trembled with power. ¡°Please. Open the gate.¡± The plains outside the stronghold rumbled. Before he could flick his wand at them, Tolani brought her fist down and gave her command to the Mortar Ant Class soldiers behind her. Without another word, forty fungus mortars spewed toxic clouds into the air as the volley of anti-chitin shells roared into the sky, sailing over the stronghold like a storm of arrows. ¡­ First Day Cicada, Month Ant, Year Sixty-Three. Cold rain in the evening twilight. The Thousand-Tongue reached the Great Grove Stronghold, and past the gate, he would step foot into the heart of the Attini Empire Front. Chapter 45 - Warlord of the Northeast Zora was glad he couldn''t see, because if he could, he''d no doubt be shaken watching a storm of anti-chitin mortar shells volleying down towards him. ¡­ Well. No point crying over spilt milk. He''d been planning on busting the gate open with a directed spell, but he''d seen the fungus mortars work before¡ªthey could absolutely decimate a brood nest under concentrated fire, and there had to be twenty, thirty, forty shells flying at him. Enough to give even several high-rank Mutant-Classes a hard time. Now, he could move out of the way, but he''d also seen how easily the shells could be swept away by a particularly strong gust of wind. This wasn''t the first time he''d come under mortar fire, and instead of honing his ability to use more creative spells, he''d spent the past two years honing his ability to creatively use the same spells he''d been using. After all, why cast a different, perhaps less effective spell when he could instead cast a tried-and-true spell, just with a bit more flair and power behind it? So he pressed his wand to his lips. ¡°... While I was marching down here, I was reminded of a rather interesting series of children''s novels by the name of ¡®The Earthen Princess¡¯. Have you heard of its opening line?¡± he said, gathering strength in his throat as he lifted his right wing. ¡°The child of ill omens wakes to the sounds of bees buzzing, clouds crying. She throws her window open to glare at the sky, and the winds of the world washes both away; the child of ill omens deserves nothing but silence at dawn.¡± Then he swept both his wand and right wing to the left, flicking the spell up into the sky¡ªand the winds of the world moved, a heated gale sweeping across the open plains and knocking the mortar shells into each other to make them detonate mid-air. Sparks crackled like fireworks, shrapnel rained on his head. The long spell sentence he just cast had all but the effects of a simple ''strike'' spell, but by linking what he understood of the word with a powerful scene he''d read from a children''s fairy tale, he was able to imagine the effects of ''strike'' much better. Having visual references to strengthen the manifestation of his spells had been helping him out a ton, and since he now had wings he could flap to generate tons of wind, most spells he could cast now manifested in the form of powerful wind. Wind ''strikes'', wind ''barriers'', and wind ''pick up my skillet, crack an egg, and whip up far western pancakes for breakfast''. About ninety-five percent of the new spells I''ve been casting since I left Amadeus Academy don''t really have anything to do with fighting, though. Some ''warlord'' I am. He was able to cast a lot of spells now that he''d honed his imagination properly, but most of those weren''t combat-related¡ªthere was more to life than fighting, and in truth, he found himself using his spells for mundane day-to-day chores more often than something grand and dramatic. His spells were really good at making common everyday things he always had to do by himself super convenient. He could cast ''wash my hair with water'', ''iron my clothes'', ''put on my shoes'', ''re-bandage my wounds'', and ''cook my breakfast'' all at the same time and be ready for the morning within minutes. As for spells related to combat? He was still working on developing new combat spells outside of the most basics ones, considering it wasn''t nearly every day he had to fight a small army like the one in the stronghold in front of him, and he very rarely needed spells other than the most basic ones to get the job down. Why use complicated spells when simple ones do the trick? It''s much more enjoyable to use my spells for mundane stuff and make my life more convenient, anyways. So, as smoke and ash fogged the plains and made him scrunch his nose, five hundred soldiers fired upon him with their rifles. He wasn¡¯t too worried, though. If he could cast a certain spell once, it was only natural he could imagine himself casting it again. ¡°The child tries to leave her house, but when she opens the door, she finds a dirt wall standing in her way,¡± he said, throwing his voice at the fields of giant bug carcasses before him, and it was but a simple ''pull'' spell reworded to give it more power¡ªthe winds immediately jerked the carcasses immediately into his face to block the hail of bullets. The sound of metal screeching against chitin hurt his ears, but he placed a firm hand against the closest carcass and braced himself, pushing back against the bullets. He pressed his wand to his lips. ¡°She pushes and pushes, but it¡¯s not enough. The world is determined not to let her leave her house. So she goes into her kitchen, grabs a mallet, and swings. ¡°The wall caves; it shatters, flying forward and crashing into the little bullies in the village who tried to lock her in her house.¡± And at the swipe of his wand, he whipped the wall of carcasses forward with a tremendous gust of wind, sending it volleying forward like a tidal wave of biomass. The rampart soldiers couldn¡¯t stay where they were. Forty giant carcasses slammed into the gate, the walls, the guard towers, knocking those who were too slow to duck off the ramparts, and demolishing the large wooden gate in the process. He blinked. Admittedly, he did use his wand that amplified all spells cast on it tenfold, but he didn¡¯t think he was strong enough to just send carcasses flying like that. I¡¯m definitely kicking your ass by the time I get back, Marcus.
[Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: C-Rank Mutant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Swarmblood Art: God Tongue] [Swarmblood Aura: 1926/2000 (96%)] [Points: 27] [Strength: 13, Speed: 10, Toughness: 10, Dexterity: 10, Perception: 14] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal] [T2 Mutations | Acute Tympana | Hollow Abdomen] [T3 Mutations | Diurnal Plates | Hyaline Wings | Segmented Setae] [T4 Mutations | Hemelytra | Visual Acoustics | Organic Digestion | Endothermic Surge] [T5 Mutations | Quadrarms | Pestilent Acoustics | Triple Ocelli | Abyssal Echo | Resurgence] 1500P
He strode fifty metres forward through the smoke and ash, unbothered by the shouting and the scrambling footsteps around him. He moved past the broken debris. Travelled through the gatehouse. Sunlight failed to reach him for a second as shadows cooled him, but then he emerged into the outer bailey where fungus buildings rose along the walls: armouries, barracks, forges, ant stables, and training grounds. A stronghold well-equipped to handle a siege. Even the soldiers that¡¯d been so rattled just moments earlier were fanning out, crouched low and aiming their rifles at him from every conceivable direction. If he could see, he¡¯d be really, really worried. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have given away so many points to the people I came across. There¡¯s¡­ at least a thousand Ant Class Soldiers scuttling around. Pursing his lips, he stopped right past the gate and tilted his head to the side, craning one ear to listen, deeply. A hundred footsteps hammered through the barracks on his left, lugging around heavy mortar shells. Four lines of twenty-five each formed behind him, sealing off his path of escape. Three hundred bolts slid back, bullets loading into chambers, sawtooth obsidian edges scraping out of sheaths. All in total, there were three hundred soldiers with bolt-action rifles, a hundred guards with chitin shields, a hundred mortar units who wouldn¡¯t fight, and the rest were in melee. ¡­ Well. A few extra hundred points wouldn¡¯t be all that helpful at my current stage. Two years, two months, and two days. That was how long he¡¯d been marching for. Excluding the points he gave away to people who needed them more, he¡¯d obtained about six thousand points over the course of two years¡ªhe¡¯d unlocked all his tier three and four mutations, but never got around to working on his tier fives. The reason was simple: between raising his attributes and increasing his Aura, he just didn¡¯t have enough points to throw around. And it¡¯s not exactly because I didn¡¯t have enough points, he thought. It¡¯s because nobody told me the cost of raising attributes past level ten increases drastically. From level one to ten, the cost of raising any attribute by one level was the current level squared. However, it came as an unpleasant surprise when he realised, to raise his perception from ten to eleven, it cost him ten squared times two the amount of points. Instead of it being a hundred points to go from ten to eleven, it cost him two hundred instead.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Thankfully, raising his Aura was still straightforward as ever. One point for one level. He¡¯d taken the liberty of raising it to two thousand for the time being, because he simply never found himself in a situation where he had to cast that many spells¡ªso to that end, even if he felt he was a little underpowered in terms of raw attributes to be facing off against a thousand well-trained, well-armed soldiers, he didn¡¯t feel like he didn¡¯t stand a chance against this stronghold. Far from it. He was Thousand-Tongue Zora, and his Swarmblood Art¡ªin the words of the fifteen War Commanders he¡¯d already defeated¡ªwas still pretty ¡®bullshit¡¯. ¡°... Unfortunately, I am a magicicada.¡± He sighed, pressing his wand to his lips as three hundred riflemen fired on him from the barracks, the training grounds, the ramparts, the guard towers. ¡°I don¡¯t quite like the rain. It makes me cold. I much prefer it when the ground¡¯s a little¡­ fiery.¡± He didn¡¯t cast this one on his wand. He let his spell diffuse across the ground, spread outwards like a ripple, and in an instant¡ªfire spilled out from under his cloak, washing over the outer bailey with a heated gust of wind. The incoming bullets missed him through the haze as he started walking forward again, paying no mind to the flames consuming the fungus buildings, eating up the organic walls as soldiers shouted and evacuated from their burning hiding spots. His tier four mutation, Endothermic Surge, made it so his body was actually more energetic in higher temperature environments, and that was the only reason why he didn''t particularly mind his own flames. He''d be cooking himself with his own spell otherwise. Now, the other end of the stronghold¡ªthe other gate¡ªwas just a hundred metres across, and it was a straight line from where he was to where he wanted to be. And so the long march continues. Ten metres across. A hundred more bullets fired at him from every conceivable direction, none in sync. He didn¡¯t have to look at the riflemen. He spoke "ward", and with an invisible barrier forming around him, most bullets merely bounced away from him. The few bullets that managed to pierce through were slowed enough that they merely deflected off his Diurnal Plates¡ªhis tier three mutation, the thin black chitin plates growing across most of his limbs that gave him a bit of additional toughness. The plates also grow darker during the day so I can absorb more heat from the sun, and because I have Endothermic Surge unlocked as well, my stamina just recovers faster while I''m under daylight. I have to finish this fight fast, then. It''s nighttime, and once my Aura''s completely drained, I''m out. Twenty metres across. Realising scattered bullets wouldn¡¯t work on him as long as his invisible barrier was up, the riflemen moved to concentrate heavy fire from only a few specific directions. Now that could break through his relatively weak barrier. Pausing for a moment, he spoke ¡°flare¡± and let the spell diffuse everywhere, causing crackling sparks to explode in the air around the stronghold. He couldn¡¯t see them himself, but alongside the flames washing across the ground, he imagined the stronghold was pretty bright¡ªtoo bright, perhaps. Soldiers shouted, tried to coordinate their shots, but they couldn¡¯t shoot what they couldn¡¯t see. He kept walking slowly, steadily, careful not to drain his Aura too much. Thirty metres across. A hundred Ant-Class soldiers in light chitin armour charged him from the front with sawtooth blades. They were just the vanguards, the scouts to poke at the chinks in his armour. He whipped his wand into a sword and cast ¡°burn¡± on it, his blade erupting with living flames. The first wave of soldiers hesitated, and that was their mistake. With an underhanded slash, he sent a wave of fire at them, forcing them to jump out of the way. A few more wild, lazy slashes flinging small fire fans at them, and he had them all backing off or parting to the sides of the stronghold; none wanted to face his blade in battle. They could probably surround him and beat him up, but in hundreds of tongues across the Attini Empire, ¡®fire¡¯ was a cognate word that shared the same meaning as ¡®fear¡¯. Seriously, all of you. Just jump me at the same time. I swear I¡¯m not as powerful as you think I am. Every time my ''ward'' blocks a bullet, my Aura''s draining a ton. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t say that aloud, but just seeing the vanguards staying a wide berth from him when they were all big, battle-hardened men made him laugh inside a little. Apart from the mandatory marching on foot, he¡¯d done only a bit of exercise to physically bulk himself up over the past two years. His strength attribute was one thing; he wasn¡¯t a stickman anymore, but his physique was still far from intimidating. That didn¡¯t seem to matter to the Shield Guards, thankfully. Forty metres across. Nearing the halfway point, a wall of vines, mushrooms, spikes, and a hundred Ant-Class Shield Guards blocked his way forward. Two hundred more riflemen stood in waiting behind them, rifles poking through gaps between the shields, and¡ªfire. He furrowed his brows and dug his heels into the earth as he spoke ¡°ward¡± louder, strengthening his barrier as the concentrated fire pushed him a step back. His Aura was starting to drain really, really fast now. He had to do something different. As more bullets bounced off his weakening barrier, he knelt and furled his wings forward. He had two pairs now. Hyaline Wings was the one that could help him glide and dash in short bursts, but the tier four mutation, Hemelytra, was the second pair that was armoured and sturdy as any shield. Still can¡¯t actually fly, though, he grumbled. Bullets bounced off his physical Hemelytra as he took a second to think, ponder, and listen; he could bash through the wall of guards with brute force, but he didn¡¯t really want to kill anybody. He¡¯d never done it before, and he wasn¡¯t going to start now. Hm. But they can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn them. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten rather good at picking mushrooms over the years!¡± he shouted, letting his spell ripple across the stronghold, across the burning mushroom buildings by his sides. ¡°But I was taught by locals that you should always be ¡®plucking¡¯ them instead of ¡®cutting¡¯ them! Apparently, if you pluck them, it sends a signal to the spores that the mushroom is gone, so they know to start fruiting more mushrooms sooner!¡± It was a roundabout way of saying he wanted to ¡®pluck¡¯ the mushroom buildings out of the ground, but it did the trick. He had to put all his strength into his voice and then some, because lifting entire buildings into the air with fourteen men¡¯s worth of strength simply wouldn¡¯t be possible¡ªbut casting the spell onto his wand and then amplifying it worked. Two, four, six, eight burning mushroom barracks groaned as they ripped into the air, and the bullets stopped slamming against his wings. Everyone paused to stare at the hovering balls of fire, eyes wide, jaws hanging, and he couldn¡¯t fault them for it. It really was bullshit. He whispered ¡°drop¡±, the buildings fall just a bit towards the wall of soldiers. They were wise enough to scramble and run away from this one, because if any of the buildings landed on them, they¡¯d surely be crushed and pulverised. Not that he was deliberately trying to throw the buildings onto them. He didn¡¯t want any of them to die, but as he rose to his feet and continued strolling along the stronghold, he hummed to himself with his flaming blade dragging behind him. Nobody stopped him. Nobody wanted to stop him. They really, really could put up an incredible fight if they wanted to, but again¡ªfear was a powerful deterrent. ¡°... You are as strong as the rumours make you out to be.¡± Fifty metres across. Half the stronghold was already burning down. Part of it was because the whole thing was made out of organic material: vines, mushrooms, wood, and all the like, but the other part of it was because the layout of the place just wasn¡¯t very fireproof. He was sure the bugs that regularly assaulted this stronghold don¡¯t typically have fire-based abilities, but the way this stronghold succumbed so easily to just a few fire-related spells made him a bit¡­ curious. Tolania, the War Commander standing in front of him with a sawtooth obsidian-edged blade, couldn¡¯t be over thirty. Beneath that ant helmet was a relatively young face who¡¯d most certainly heard of his exploits across the northeastern end of the empire¡ªand she¡¯d been prepared for him for the most part, given how her soldiers were ready and the mortars were loaded by the time he marched out of the forest¡ªso why didn¡¯t she uproot the buildings and choose a more defensible layout? That she was standing right in front of him, blade poised behind her in a battle-ready stance, was her answer. ¡°You want a duel with me,¡± he murmured, coming to a slow pause as he met her face-to-face, flames still crackling and eating away at the stronghold around them. ¡°I do,¡± she replied curtly, grabbing the hilt of her blade with both hands. ¡°The truth is, I did not think my stronghold could stop you. You strode in here because you were confident you could break through regardless of my defensive strategy.¡± ¡°True. If I didn¡¯t already have a hunch you were wanting for a duel, I would have stayed outside the walls and finished reciting the first volume of ¡®The Earthen Princess¡¯. Though you have the resources to sustain an extended siege defence, I doubt your soldiers would have been able to maintain morale for more than a few days.¡± ¡°Which is why there is only one real way to put an end to the Thousand-Tongue¡¯s long march.¡± With a calm, steady exhale, she pushed her Aura out and extended her killing pressure. He couldn¡¯t resist a small smile then. She wasn¡¯t a ¡®weak¡¯ opponent by any means¡ªhe¡¯d no idea what her specific class was, but the fact was, she was a War Commander. All of the War Commanders before her had been leagues above their rank-and-file grunts, and¡­ they¡¯d all given him a good run for his money. If this were his first duel, he¡¯d probably be a little shaky. ¡°... Rules of engagement?¡± he asked, flourishing his blade before holding it off to the side, raising it parallel to the ground. ¡°One clean hit with our blades.¡± ¡°If you hit me, I¡¯ll die. If I hit you, you don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Unacceptable.¡± ¡°You made your rule. I get to make mine too.¡± Tolani didn¡¯t look happy, but he was burning her stronghold down. Of course she was holding something against him. Without another word, she stomped with her back leg, cracked the ground, and lunged forward with a hiss. A fluid and practised motion. The weight of her oversized blade was perfectly leveraged with her speed. She was a trained soldier, a battle-hardened warrior of noble descent¡ªif she defeated him here and now, she¡¯d be lauded as the hero who took down the Warlord of the Northeast, and no doubt about it: a fragment of ¡®peace¡¯ would return to the northeastern lands for a few months. But he knew better. He wasn¡¯t here to fight humans. He was here to hunt a bug, and he was no ¡®Warlord¡¯ for some ¡®hero¡¯ to take down. So he chuckled, cheated, and spoke ¡°fire¡±¡ªpure, simple fire¡ªblowing a small cloud of flames into Tolani¡¯s face. She charged through, reckless, but she needed to see and he didn¡¯t. In that split second when she lost sight of him, he leapt over her head with his wings and turned his sword back into a wand, sending a ¡®swerving strike¡¯ into the back of her neck. He already knew where the chink in her armour was. He¡¯d fought fifteen War Commanders before her, and they all donned the same steel. As he finished flipping and landed on his feet, Tolani crumbled to the superheated ground, and he whispered ¡°cool winds¡± onto his wand to extinguish the flames across the stronghold. He didn¡¯t want to burn her face, nor anyone¡¯s soles off. The soldiers here needed to be well enough in order to hold against the Swarm, so he felt he did a good enough job keeping collateral damage to a minimum¡ªand now, it was fifty metres straight to the gate on the other side of the stronghold. A thousand soldiers stood around him, watching in awe, and none stood up to him. None wanted to stand up to him. ¡°... In human culture, we tend to lie during negotiations, after all,¡± he said, throwing the soldiers a casual grin as he started walking again. Then he sighed when he realised nobody was in the mood to laugh, and he wished, dearly, that his friends from Amadeus Academy were here with him. Whatever. Cultural differences, I guess. By the time he reached the end of the stronghold, someone had already turned the crank, lifted the gate for him. He listened. Closely. He gave a grateful nod to the soldier he couldn¡¯t see, but they were above him in the gatehouse, and their breaths were cold, unsteady, uneven. They were afraid of him, and¡­ well, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about that. They were the ones who gave him the ¡®Warlord¡¯ title. He passed the gate and began his long march once more, slipping his wand onto his waistband. Now, there were no more strongholds on his way to the Capital, and there was just one more region he had to pass through before reaching his destination. ¡­ I know you¡¯re there. I¡¯m coming for you, Decima. Chapter 46 - Sky Princess A few more days passed by in a blur. Most days were like this. The local-spun rumours of Zora fighting brood nests at every turn on every road he stepped upon simply weren¡¯t true. He spent most of his time foraging for food in the forests, picking his shelters for the night, and marching blindly onwards¡ªhe¡¯d have to dismantle hordes of bugs and soldiers standing in his way occasionally, sure, but those days were rather few and far between. Those days just made for better stories and rumours to spread across the Attini Empire like wildfire. Hah. ¡®Warlord of the Northeast¡¯. He marched and fed from all things. Bark. Bugs. Random mushrooms in the colossal fungi forests. His tier four mutation, Organic Digestion, let him put just about anything in his stomach without killing him, and he wasn¡¯t much of a picky eater. Days and months where he stopped in towns and villages to feast on normal human food were nice, but the days and months where he was just rummaging through the forest looking for anything edible were experiences in and of themselves. Now that would make for an interesting story for his students back in the academy. Fortunately¡ªor unfortunately¡ªthose days of marching alone through the fungi forests were coming to an end. It was dusk again. Nearing nightfall. At some point, he exited the fungi forest and found the barren dirt road a few hundred metres in front of him expanding into a massive city. Space and sound shifted around him. There were no fortified walls, watchtowers, or anything of the sort. This was the Salaqa Region ruled by the Salaqa Lord¡ªa few ten-kilometres stretch of developed land right outside the giant earthen walls that guarded the Capital at the very southern end of the empire. He couldn¡¯t hear sounds from one end of the city to another, but he was still a bit too far away. He had to get a little closer. As he threw up his hood and trudged forward with his hands behind his back, he listened, deeply, slipping into the giant ant caravans and lines of people treading along the many roads curving into the city. The closer he got, the more details he picked out: the terracotta streets were wide and well-maintained, and the clumped buildings rose tall and square, built from heavy volcanic stone. Thin but tall mushrooms grew on the sidewalks, the mushroom caps giving off heat, giving off ¡®light¡¯¡ªnot that he could see it, anyways¡ªand the deeper he marched into the bustling city, the prettier the architecture became. A wealthy place. Nothing like the towns and villages on the outskirts of the empire. Bridges arched gracefully between buildings, over streets, connecting roofs and terraces. Most store walls were crept with mosses and singing fungal growths, cultivated specifically to form murals depicting the Salaqa Lord¡¯s coat of arms. He continued through the main street, noticing alcoves and niches tucked into the walls, filled with idols and offerings: small stone carvings of ants, leafcutters, and spore-like symbols that looked like they¡¯d feel cool to the touch. Dozens of hundreds of people would pass by and drop offerings of petals, coins, and small pouches of earth, murmuring their quiet prayers¡ªoh, and the people. Hundreds of them, thousands of them just on this one street. He couldn¡¯t hope to keep track of them all. All ant classes, he mused. I guess it¡¯s not called the ¡®Attini Empire Front¡¯ for nothing. Merchants with reinforced mandibles and thick, chitin-covered arms lifted heavy crates with ease, while artisans with four arms worked swiftly on their streetside crafts. Feathered dancers with elongated, ant-like legs leapt and balanced gracefully, drawing crowds with their chittering songs. Scholars and scribes with small, glassy compound eyes absorbed every detail around them, listening intently to the market¡¯s conversations. Guards with serrated jaws and obsidian-edged blades stood watch by manor entrances. Couriers with slender, stilted limbs darted through the streets, moving with speed and precision that let them slip through even the densest crowds. He was grateful there were so many people with strange mutations around him; it made him appear that much meeker and insignificant, and he was trying really, really hard to suppress his Aura. Thank the Great Makers he could suppress it enough to camouflage it within the Aura of the crowd. It¡¯s been a while since I had a good night¡¯s rest in a tavern. Maybe I should rest here for a few days before continuing towards the Capital? Tilting his head backwards, he listened, filtering through a hundred different tongues all at once. Chatter all around him. Two merchants played easy seller, tough seller to a traveller, promising the rare glow of a firefly pearl necklace. Four separate young couples whispered in nearby alleys and alcoves, asking each other out to the same garden fountain. On the upper floor of a first-floor bank, traders shared rumours of the shattered northwestern railways, raising concerns for their next import of Swarmsteel weapons, and he heard the ¡®Warlord of the Northwest¡¯ referred to again; he¡¯d been hearing that name for a while now, but he had no interests dealing with an actual warlord. The moment he heard ¡®tavern for cheap¡¯, ¡®local food¡¯, ¡®information broker¡¯, and ¡®no questions asked¡¯ was when he set off, following the signboards down into Red Plaza Street. As he stepped onto the empty street, shoes clicking softly against the smooth stone, the usual hum of the city faded. Muted. No voices, no chatter, no merchants calling out. His ears strained, but there was nothing¡ªonly the distant rustling of wind against the stone buildings. Every window was barred, the shutters tightly closed, blocking out any scents of life inside. The air smelled stale like a place forgotten. He stopped right in front of the so-called ¡®Zocala Tavern¡¯. ¡­ Three storeys, slanted roof, simply designed. The door was heavy, its wooden frame creaking faintly, shifted on its hinges. The faint scrape of metal on metal told him the sign above was rusted, swinging slowly in the breeze. The bars on the windows rattled just a little. He pursed his lips, listening to the spaces around the door¡ªno scuffling feet, no voices coming from inside. No sounds of life either. By all means, he could chalk it up to being a quiet place, but quiet here? Now? Just a minute ago, he¡¯d been getting pushed around by crowds of people, and a few turns later he was suddenly given a reprieve from all the noise? Sighing, he marched forward and put his hand around the doorknob, turning it halfway¡ªand he stopped when he heard a faint click behind the door, as though an anvil would fall on his head the moment he pushed through. Or it could be an axe. Or it could be a harmless bucket of water. It could even be nothing for all he knew, but the point was, he wasn¡¯t sure, and that made all the difference. ¡°... You¡¯re not the first assassin the empire has sent to kill me,¡± he said, keeping his hand on the doorknob as he glanced behind him, smiling softly, ¡°and you will not be the last.¡± Silence. Eerie silence. He gave them a few seconds to panic, ponder, and come to a decision¡ªthen, all of a sudden, noise returned to the street. Merchants shouted in the street over, caravan wheels turned and clacked against the cobbled streets. Banners of Salaqa Lord¡¯s coat of arms flapped in the distance, but he had the real deal surrounding him. Not mere banners. A small battalion of forty armed soldiers peeled off their camouflaging armour, revealing themselves across the street, behind the barred windows, beneath every closed door as they pointed their rifles at his back. So this was how they managed to vacate every man on the street, by throwing the Salaqa Lord¡¯s authority around just to lure him into a trap. In hindsight, ¡®cheap¡¯, ¡®information broker¡¯, and ¡®no questions¡¯ are too ideal to be true for a tavern so close to the Capital. Maybe you¡¯d find taverns like that aplenty in the outskirt regions, but here? Not a chance. ¡®Local food¡¯ sucked me in, though. He was hungry, and he had always wanted to try the Salaqa Region¡¯s infamous ¡®Pok Chuc¡¯ dish: grilled pork marinated in sour orange juice and seasoned with chilli spices. The cafeteria ladies in Amadeus Academy never served it, and the towns and villages he¡¯d visited during his long march down here never had any oranges in stock. I will have my Pok Chuc, he grumbled, taking out his wand, but first, assassins¨C ¡°You must be Zora Fabre.¡± He paused, ears perking at the girl¡¯s smooth voice. It was nothing like War Commander Tolani¡¯s gruff and scarred voice¡ªthis was someone who drank honeyed tea once in the morning, once at night, and didn¡¯t have to harvest mushrooms from giant fungi forests until her lungs were full of spores. A noble-blooded. And he really didn¡¯t have to turn around to know she was standing on the slanted roof of the building right across the street, but he did so anyways. Arms crossed, looking quite stern, was a young girl in the Royal Ayapacha Military Academy¡¯s uniform. Short, tied back hair. A scar over her right eye, a proud, sharp, angular face. Her cloak was plated with ant chitin and trimmed to fall just below the waist, and beneath it, she wore a close-fitting tunic embroidered with angular shapes and patterns. Armoured bracers and greaves covered her limbs, and twin sawtooth blades were stabbed into the roof next to her boots. Her right hand was gloved, but her left hand was rough, bruised, and calloused, like she¡¯d spent her entire life working a rice mill¡ªif he didn¡¯t recognise the uniform or heard her voice, he could¡¯ve mistaken her for a run-of-the-mill assassin sent to do the empire¡¯s dirty work.Stolen story; please report. But the fact was, she was here with her own battalion, and there was no mistaking the tens of thousands of other tiny sounds close to her: floods of ants made of brownish-golden blood crawling on the underside of her cloak, awaiting her command. Oh, he knew very well who she was, and better yet, who she represented. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have the energy to entertain yet another contingent here to capture me,¡± he said, pressing his wand to his lips and making every soldier in the vicinity shiver. ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal, but if you¡¯ll excuse me, there is a bed with my name on it¨C¡± The girl suddenly snapped to attention, arms crossing behind her back, legs parting. ¡°I am Kita Salaqa, eldest daughter of the Salaqa Household,¡± she said, clear and sharp. ¡°On behalf of my father and the lords of the Salaqa Region, I am here to extend a formal invitation to Zora Fabre, the Thousand-Tongue, Warlord of the Northeast, for dinner at the Salaqa Manor.¡± He would blink if his eyes weren¡¯t already closed. ¡°No,¡± he said, turning around to grab the doorknob again. ¡°Leave me alone.¡± Kita twitched an eye. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Are you here to capture me?¡± ¡°No. As I said, I¨C¡± ¡°Will you kill me if I don¡¯t comply?¡± ¡°Also¡­ no. I¨C¡± ¡°Then leave me alone. I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll just wait here until the tavernkeep comes back¨C¡± He frowned when he heard the twin sawtooth blades being yanked out of the roof, and he whipped his wand into a sword instinctively, swinging backwards without looking. He made it barely in time to block Kita¡¯s crossing blades, but the impact kicked up a gust of wind, cracking the window on the door in front of him. Whoa. Didn¡¯t even have time to cast a spell. Sighing, he swung her back and sent her screeching across the street, her metal soles cleaving through the cobbled ground as she slammed into the wall. None of the other soldiers moved to interrupt, but that was probably at their master¡¯s orders¡ªthe folks in the outer region towns and villages called noble girls like her ¡®sky princesses¡¯ for how high and mighty they acted towards commoners, so she probably wanted to fight him one-on-one just like Tolani. Now, he could entertain her a little, but he wasn¡¯t lying when he told her he was tired. He made sure he was right out of her range as he studied her blades, and then he spoke ¡°spinning strike¡± onto his own, making his spiral blade spin like a drill¨C Only for her to suddenly jerk forward like she hadn¡¯t just slammed into a wall at incredible speed, eyes narrowing. The explosive force gave her momentum. Gave her speed. She leapt into his range in a single breath and slashed in a cross, two blades going straight for his throat. He had no other option but to raise his spinning blade for a parry, and fire sparked between them as they locked blades, a small drop of sweat beading down his brows. ¡°... You¡¯re strong,¡± he said, his lips thinning into a line as she pushed forward. ¡°I¡¯d heard the Salaqa Household, being a noble household, had the Swarmblood Art to summon and command vast numbers of army ants made of your blood to stitch and regenerate your wounds, but I didn¡¯t actually think it was true. With your household around, it¡¯s no wonder the people in this city look so relatively healthy. Your household must distribute your army ants to most every family¨C¡± ¡°Stop talking for a second,¡± she whispered, leaning forward as their blades pushed against each other, sparks flying harsher, louder than ever. ¡°The Capital really has it out for you right now. Between you and the Warlord of the Northwest wrecking the outskirts of the empire the past few years, the Empress and Her Four Families want you dead, so unless you have the backing of a noble household¡ªeven a lesser one¡ªyou won¡¯t make it ten minutes into the Capital, let alone find whatever you¡¯re looking for.¡± He forced a strained smile onto his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t become a teacher at a hidden mountain academy so I have to deal with bureaucracy as a ¡®proper adult¡¯. I¡¯m not technically interested in the internal conflicts of the empire, though¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your background,¡± she interrupted, eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡¯re Zora Fabre, twenty-four this year, and you were infamous even before you slayed the Magicicada Witch. You were the man of a thousand tongues¨C¡± ¡°¨Cstill am¨C¡± ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, the Empress and Her Four Families aren¡¯t to be trifled with. They¡¯re talking about sending the Spore Knights on you and the Warlord of the Northwest, so unless you¡¯re keen on fighting the empire¡¯s most elite of the elite in their turf, where you are at every disadvantage, you¡¯ll listen to me and consider my proposal.¡± He joined her in furrowing his brows, arm straining as he struggled to push her blades back. He knew the Spore Knights. Of the Spore Knights. They were the Attini Empire¡¯s special bug-extermination unit stationed at the southern wall of the Capital, and they were the ones who fought at the foremost frontline against the Swarm. Suffice it to say, they were less commanders adept at leading battalions and armies than they were each living weapons wielded by the Empress and Her Four Families, occasionally sent across the empire to deal with enemies that required a more¡­ personal, unconventional touch. Last he heard, there were about a hundred of them in reserve¡ªthe other two hundred were constantly slaughtering the Swarm on the southern frontline¡ªso if the Empress would really deign to send a few his way, he could be in a bit of trouble. ¡°So?¡± he said, smiling through gritted teeth. ¡°What¡¯s the Salaqa Lord¡¯s proposal?¡± ¡°The Salaqa Household may be an outskirt noble household, but it is the most powerful household outside the Capital,¡± she said, grimacing as his spinning spiral blade started to grind through her blades, chipping the sharpened obsidian edges. ¡°My father, a disgraced noble he may be, is still a well-respected man with wealth, influence, and connections¡ªeven the Empress and Her Four Families would be hesitant to barge into this region looking for you as long as you¡¯re taking shelter here. We can hide you. We can support your cause¨C¡± ¡°And pray tell, what does the Salaqa Lord stand to gain by siding with an enemy of the empire?¡± he countered, regaining his stride, pushing her back slowly. ¡°You do realise you are sharing words with an enemy of the empire, yes? That is grounds for ¡®divination¡¯ for both you and the battalion of men you¡¯ve brought with you¨C¡± ¡°Every noble household in the outskirts knows what you¡¯re trying to do in the empire, even if the Capital refuses to acknowledge it,¡± she hissed. ¡°You¡¯re not looking for something. You¡¯re looking for someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A Magicicada Witch. Rooted in the Capital.¡± He scoffed, feigning ignorance. ¡°Preposterous. A noble of the empire dare suggests a Lesser Insect God is lurking within the Divine Capital?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take that tone with me. We all know who you¡¯re looking for. Just because we don¡¯t say it out loud doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t know,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Now, I¡¯m saying the Salaqa Household would like to support you in your endeavours. You¡¯re strong, but you¡¯re only one man, and¡­ how long has it been since you got a good rest on a warm, fluffy bed?¡± ¡°Five days ago. Not that long.¡± She pursed her lips, looking disappointed. He grinned down at her. He was half a head taller, and she was probably expecting a longer time for an answer, but¨C ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this, either, but the Attini Empire values bloodline, nobility, and connection to ancestry more than any other front in the world,¡± she breathed, taking slow, steady steps back as he started pushing her away. The soldiers around them tensed up, fingers curling around their rifle triggers. ¡°We¡¯re an ant-based empire led by an Empress who has absolute, divine control over every noble household, and while this governance lends efficiency to our military forces, we¡¯re slow to adapt to changes if the Empress doesn¡¯t want to adapt. The upper noble households make all the important decisions, and lower noble households like ours must follow in their footsteps. The commoners don¡¯t get a seat at the table whatsoever. We¡¯re bleeding from the inside-out, Thousand-Tongue, and the Empress won¡¯t do anything about it¡­ but you already know all this, don¡¯t you?¡± He tilted his head, smiling coyly. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to fight the empire,¡± she continued.¡± You¡¯re not destroying strongholds and hijacking armament convoys just for the fun of it. You only want ¡®Reverberator¡¯ Decima, second of the Magicicada Witches, so trust me when I say this,¡± she said, teeth gritted, arms quivering, ¡°the Salaqa Household wants her just as much as you.¡± ¡­ So he listened. He pondered. And upon hearing the beating, pounding ¡®fire¡¯ in her heart, he made the decision to slip backwards and fall on his spine. He still held his blade, but he dispelled the ¡®spinning strike¡¯ with a ¡®silence¡¯ and let her practically fall on him, dual blades crossing over his neck to keep him pinned against the ground. For her part, she was blinking and utterly confused, but he sighed and made a big show of his defeat. ¡°Ah, what a powerful noble-blood. I have been thoroughly defeated,¡± he said, monotone, snapping his sword back into a wand. ¡°I am no match for Kita Salaqa, eldest daughter of the Salaqa Household. I will follow and serve you wherever you go. I am not powerful enough to resist you.¡± Kita blinked again. Before she could grab him by the collar and pull him up, the soldiers around them lowered their rifles and started cheering, clapping, shouting praise for their master¡ªand while she looked around in a panic, he mouthed a few words at her face, careful not to actually strain his throat. He did use his tier four mutation, Visual Acoustics, to make the words he mouthed turn into physical, readable sound waves. ¡°Can I trust you?¡± was what he mouthed, and that was what Kita read as the tiny words hovered in front of her. ¡°... Yes,¡± she whispered back, hesitating only slightly. ¡°You can trust me.¡± ¡°And you look no older than eighteen of age. Why should I trust a child like you?¡± She stiffened, clenching her jaw. ¡°Because we¡¯re not helping you only because you need it. As I said, we want Decima dead, too, and we need your help getting to the point where we can corner her once and for all.¡± Then she backed away from him and offered him a helping hand, dual blades stabbed into the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk here. Come with me to the Salaqa Manor, and my father will be more than glad to receive you over dinner.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± He shrugged, accepting her hand. He was curious what the lord of a relatively high-rank noble household had to say about Decima, and at the very least, he wasn¡¯t listening to the voice of a liar. She gave him a distasteful look as she pulled him up, though. Maybe she didn¡¯t like how he gave himself up, but if she asked why he did what he did, he¡¯d just say it was an old habit. ¡­ Salaqa Lord, Salaqa Lord. Is this a trap, or is this a test? Whether or not he was walking into a trap didn¡¯t really matter. He was confident he could break out of it anyways, so if there was any place in the city that served Pok Chuc, it was going to be the Salaqa Manor. Chapter 47 - Evening Jaunt Kita and the Salaqa soldiers didn¡¯t risk standing around a vacated street with a known enemy of the empire. At the snap of the sky princess¡¯ fingers, a Giant-Class ant pulling a cedar wood carriage rolled onto the street, screeching to a halt in front of her. Zora wasn¡¯t particularly surprised about the ant¡ªplenty of factions across the continent used broken and tamed bugs as caravan pullers¡ªbut the lavish carriage he was immediately pulled into definitely caught him off-guard. Climbing inside, he was greeted with a cosy, richly decorated little room. The cushions on either side were upholstered with soft llama wool and alpaca hides. A low table between the seats propped up sweet-smelling incense burners and baskets full of candies. Gold and jade ornaments shaped like feathers, suns, and corn stalks hung from the walls, jingling softly like wind chimes, and the roof was slightly raised like a pyramid. It truly was a carriage for a noble, but somehow, he just hadn¡¯t made the complete association in his head that the girl in front of him was a noble. Regardless, as they each took their seats on opposite sides of the carriage and she rapped the wall behind her to tell the driver to go, he felt just a tad bit worried about the square window on the door. There was a reason why most far northern carriages had either blinders to cover the windows or simply no windows at all. ¡°Never seen an ant-drawn carriage before?¡± Kita said, setting her sawtooth blades down next to her as the driver outside cracked his whip. The wheels started rolling. ¡°The Tamera are a decently sized organisation in the empire. They train and sell just about any type of Giant-Class bug if you have the silvers to pay for it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the Tamera,¡± he murmured, craning his head slightly to ¡®look¡¯ out the window. ¡°Then why the befuddled look?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a bug-drawn carriage before. Could never afford the seat for even a single one-way trip between two neighbouring towns, you see.¡± ¡°The Tamera drivers don¡¯t work for just about anyone,¡± she said, thumbing back at the driver. ¡°Yana has been driving for the Salaqa Household for decades. He¡¯s one of our retainers. He¡¯ll be one of yours, too, if you cooperate with us.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°I¡¯d have to decline. Walking has its merits.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t doubt that, given your long march down south has become quite the legendary tale, but you¡¯re in Salaqa Ik¡¯Balam, the Region Capital. It¡¯s not safe to traverse this city on foot.¡± ¡°Safe?¡± The carriage had rolled out onto a lively main street, but he made no mistake: the lively voices were mixed with murmurs of unease on the way to the Salaqa Manor. Vendors shouted about their wares, but he could hear the forced cheer, the weariness under their calls. People crowded the roads, their steps uneven; he caught the shuffle of tired feet, the quiet grumbling of empty stomachs. Children called to each other, laughing, but with voices worn thin from hunger. He heard whispers of rising prices and disappearing food, blades scraping against grindstones, whines and complaints sharp with an edge of tension¡ªhe didn¡¯t need his eyes to tell this wasn¡¯t how the city was supposed to be. It was only evening. The firefly lamps had yet to turn on yet, but people were already languishing around like the undead. ¡°... The Capital Guards are doing their best to quell the unrest,¡± Kita said, dipping her head, folding her hands in her lap, doing her best to sit completely straight as the carriage rocked over a narrow bridge. ¡°The cityfolk here are already having it much better than the commoners in the outskirts of the empire. We¡¯re right outside the Capital. The Divine Fungus Tree, Chaak¡¯lah, is still sprouting fruit steadily, so we¡¯re the first to receive rations whenever the Capital sends resources out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well, then,¡± he murmured, only half-listening as he continued surveying the city outside. ¡°On the contrary,¡± she said sternly. ¡°The Salaqa Region may still be holding on strong, but this unrest in the empire has been going on for the better part of the past decade. It¡¯s only gotten worse and worse in recent years.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°The full force of the Swarm is still battering the empire¡¯s southern walls, and we¡¯re losing ground in the far south every single day,¡± she said, tilting her chin back slightly as though she were reciting off a textbook in her head. ¡°The experimental combat ant units the Capital has poured years¡¯ worth of resources into haven¡¯t produced any results. The Divine Fungus Tree in the Capital may still be well, but the other four in the outer regions are wilting due to excessive spore stripping. Losing significant portions of their monthly harvests to Capital tributes and then being unable to harvest new resources from the Divine Fungus Trees have caused unrest in the outer regions, and that isn¡¯t without mentioning the mass infestations that have cropped up in many great fungi forests over the past four years. Travelling across the empire now, even with a trained mercenary band, isn¡¯t an easy thing to do. Brood nests are everywhere. It¡¯s almost impossible for any small town in the outer regions to defend themselves¨C¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been taught in the Royal Ayapacha Military Academy, or is that something you¡¯ve seen for yourself?¡± Kita couldn¡¯t find the words to respond as he made a point to look out the window, craning his head. ¡°... I marched through the Tzu¡¯zul Tak¡¯in mountains in the northeast, reaching the far eastern gulf before realising I¡¯d stepped foot into Attini Empire territory. That was two years ago,¡± he said, pulling out his wand and stabbing it into the table between them. ¡°I marched south along the coast, made my first stop in Ixnal Ik¡¯Balam, and there I was met with a Regional Capital ravaged by a recent infestation. Practically nobody stopped me as I marched into the Ixnal Manor and met the Regional Lord, who¡ªmake no mistake, was a very wealthy man by my standards¡ªbowed at my feet and pleaded for my help.¡± He carved a cross in the table denoting the city, then continued dragging his wand through the wood. ¡°I was feeling just a bit worn out after having marched through the Sharaji Desert for a few months, so I thought ¡®why not?¡¯ and decided to stay,¡± he said. ¡°I asked him how many men he could lend me to destroy the nearby brood nest with. He promised me three hundred. Only fifty were healthy enough to show up the morning of the extermination. The rest had lost their families, their homes, their summer tributes, and were in no position to fight. The ones who¡¯d shown up simply had nothing left to lose, and as they led me to the nest, they flew the far southeastern word for ¡®Vanquish Gods¡¯ on their banners¡ªit may or may not have been intentional, but I thought it funny they chose a word that shared the same spelling as ¡®Failed Lords¡¯ in the far south.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Kita pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t choose to respond. He continued carving his path through the table. ¡°It took me a month to exterminate that brood. Afterwards, I continued travelling south along the coast, and the Kichel Lord pleaded to me exactly the same as the Ixnal Lord did. He promised one thousand soldiers, and only one hundred showed. Their flags flew the far southern spelling for ¡®The Uncrowned¡¯, though their insults were a lot more subtle than the Ixnal bunch,¡± he said, shrugging nonchalantly. ¡°Nahtun, Xoco, Palo, and Tulum. Four more regional lords who bowed to me. The people on their soil were starving greatly, and even if they were of noble bloodline while their people were but simple commoners, they exhausted their warehouses for the sake of their children. It still wasn¡¯t enough. They had to resort to mass bug-slaying just to continue feeding their soldiers, and I am a man with a very small heart. I am moved by only what I can see in front of me, so I stayed and gave most of those regional lords even my fair share of points.¡± South along the coast. Then westwards past the Popol Tunich mountains, crossing the strait above the Laman Kab gulf. He probably could¡¯ve marched down to the Capital in a year if he hadn¡¯t made so many small stops along the way, but in doing so, he¡¯d gotten about as much information as any outsider could regarding the Attini Empire¡¯s current state of affairs. He stopped carving through the table as his wand reached the Salaqa Region. ¡°... Seven Regional Capitals, fifteen boroughs, twenty-four harvesting towns, thirteen fungi forest villages, and two Divine Fungus Trees. I marched through more than half the northeastern bound¡¯s total settlement count in two years,¡± he finished, sending Kita a gentle smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they teach you nobles in the Royal Military Academy, but if this is ¡®unrest¡¯ in your eyes, then I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m hearing. You people are teetering at the very edge of a full-blown civil war.¡± Maybe it was too much information to share with a young girl, but Kita was the one who¡¯d come to him asking for his help. It was only fair she knew what she was dealing with, because if her father had any pride as a Regional Lord, she¡¯d kick him out of her carriage right about now. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t parted from his soft cushioned seat. Kita was quiet for only a moment longer before letting out a soft sigh, shaking her head in defeat. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to¡­ say it out loud, you know?¡± she muttered, averting her eyes. ¡°My father will be delighted to know you already seem to have a decent grasp on the empire¡¯s internal strifes and conflicts¨C¡± ¡°¨Cplease. I¡¯ve barely even scratched the surface¨C¡± ¡°But you do realise you¡¯re part of the strife in recent years?¡± she said, and she definitely tried to hide it as she sat up straight, but he heard her nervous gulp loud and clear. ¡°You, the Warlord of the Northeast, have destroyed fourteen empire strongholds, robbed dozens of weapon caravans, and interfered with the Capital Guards at almost every turn. You¡¯re not even alone in this. The Warlord of the Northwest who began fighting his way down three years ago has also destroyed dozens of strongholds and wounded thousands of able-bodied soldiers. Only the Empress knows what he¡¯s even trying to do by reaching the Capital while sowing chaos everywhere¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about that Worm Mage?¡± He shrugged nonchalantly again. ¡°I have no connections with that man. I¡¯ve heard of him two years ago, but our decisions to march down the empire from both northern ends are purely coincidental. I have no idea what he wants either.¡± ¡°But the Capital doesn¡¯t think so. That¡¯s why they¡¯ve labelled you both enemies of the empire. They think you¡¯ve made a covenant to coordinate your attacks.¡± ¡°And so what if they think that? What does the Salaqa Lord think of me?¡± ¡°He¡­ my father¡­ wishes to speak with you about uniting the empire by defeating Decima¨C¡± ¡°But his eldest daughter, chosen to be his first-impression messenger, doesn¡¯t even have the diligence to pull down the window blinds for a man labelled an enemy of the empire?¡± Kita blinked. He didn¡¯t. He caught the whistling knife as it pierced through the window on his right, stopping it right before it could cut his face open, and then he caught the assassin by the throat as the boy lunged in through the window on the left. The carriage rocked to the side as Zora whispered ¡°off¡±, blasting off the entire left door of the carriage as he held the kicking and wheezing boy over the edge of the bridge they were currently crossing. The driver scrambled off his seat outside as Kita picked up her dual blades, scowling fiercely, but Zora told her to ¡°sit¡± as he tilted his head¡ªthere was a slow-moving river right beneath the bridge, so even if he dropped the boy now, nobody would really get hurt. And that was exactly what he did. After reaching into his own pocket and stuffing a small pouch of silvers into the boy¡¯s, he let go and listened to the faint plop of someone hitting the river below. Only once he heard the boy breaking the surface and flailing for something to hold onto did he hum ¡°knock¡± on the wall behind Kita, beckoning the driver to continue towards the Salaqa Manor. For her part, Kita was still glaring furiously out the broken door as the carriage resumed motion. ¡°He was an assassin,¡± she said quietly, turning her ire on him, ¡°assassins who attempt to hurt a guest of a Regional Lord must be executed. At the very least, he must be brought in for questioning.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a guest. I¡¯m a prisoner,¡± he reminded her, raising a finger as he leaned back in his seat, savouring the evening wind running through his hair. ¡°And if you or any of your men dare pursue that boy, I will throw a tantrum and leave. I¡¯m not in the business of killing humans I don¡¯t even know the names of.¡± ¡°He tried to kill you! How many times¨C and you don¡¯t even seem surprised! We must pursue him!¡± ¡°The weight of a single human life is a heavy thing,¡± he said, crossing his legs and leaning the back of his head against the cushion. ¡°It¡¯s practically empire custom to execute anyone who does a noble any wrong, but I¡¯m not from the empire, and considering the assassin was probably just a boy trying to turn my head into the nearest bounty centre, I¡¯m inclined not to pursue him as a former teacher.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re a child, too. No older than eighteen of age,¡± he said plainly. ¡°Besides, you should¡¯ve known better than to invite me into a carriage just about anyone with decent eyesight can peer into from dozens of strides away. I can¡¯t help but wonder if the Salaqa Lord actually wants me dead by having you take me to your manor like this.¡± Kita bit her lips, looking quite furious, and he¡¯d feel quite at ease if she lost her temper here and went off on him for insulting her household name¡ªbut to his surprise, she managed to take a deep breath and settle down, leaning back against her cushion as she picked up the broken glass shards around the carriage. ¡°... Stop calling me a child,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m seventeen. More than old enough to enlist in any division of the military.¡± ¡°Yet you are still in the Military Academy.¡± She crossed her arms and grumbled, looking worriedly out the broken window to his right. No doubt she wanted to send her soldiers after the boy, but if she did that, she¡¯d immediately lose the trust of the man she came all the way out to retrieve¡­ so he sighed deeply in response, crossing his own arms as well. She wasn¡¯t as much of a child as he¡¯d hoped. Behind that scarred face of a swordswoman wasn¡¯t a typical sheltered noble who had to always have her way, and now, he wasn¡¯t quite sure who he was dealing with. Perhaps the Salaqa Lord would be a bit different compared to all the other Regional Lords who¡¯d bowed at his feet, pleading for his assistance. ¡­ Salaqa Household, Salaqa Household, he mused, lolling his head left and right as he furrowed his brows. Just where, exactly, have I heard this name before? Chapter 48 - Salaqa Manor The rest of the trip to the Salaqa Manor was quiet and uneventful. No more assassins attacked the carriage, but that was always the case for about two or three days after Zora repelled one¡ªwhen there was one assassin, there were usually more lurking around, and they could all see how pointless it was trying to get the jump on him¡ªso he wasn¡¯t really complaining. He had more time to enjoy the cushion on his back. Eventually, the driver yanked on the reins outside and pulled the carriage to a halt. The door he¡¯d destroyed to his left was still letting in cool evening winds. Outside, an estate spread wide¡ªwithout waiting for Kita to invite him off, he cracked his neck, rolled his shoulders, and climbed out of the carriage himself. He heard the faint rustle of carefully tended gardens. Leaves brushing softly in the wind. The trickle of water from multiple fountains around him. The open courtyard before the Salaqa Manor was quiet, but not lifeless. Guards shifted in their places, ant chitin armour clinking faintly as they patrolled the garden. The gargantuan Manor itself loomed right ahead, giant columns framing the entrance with carvings of giant bugs biting and tearing into each other. The roof was layered, the edges bristling with what he felt were probably spikes or decorative teeth, giving the building a jagged silhouette. Behind the double front door where two servants stood in waiting, he heard even more servants at work¡ªfeet shuffling quickly and hands setting dishes or tools into place. They were all putting up a nonchalant front, but they probably had no idea just how sharp his hearing was. The guards may be stoic, not showing any worry; the servants betrayed their efforts by frantically working inside the manor. ¡°... A dragonfly¡¯s shimmer is lost on closed lids, hm?¡± he mused, clasping his hands behind his back as he stood by the carriage, waiting for Kita to climb out. Kita simply gave him a puzzled look in response. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°A dragonfly¡¯s shimmer is lost on closed lids¨C¡± ¡°No, I heard you the first time. What does that mean?¡± He twitched an eye, putting up a fake smile. ¡°It means if I could see, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d find the colours in the courtyard quite pretty.¡± Kita blinked pointedly. ¡°I¡­ yeah. Father likes our courtyard in perpetual autumn colours, so our gardens and hedges are all brimming amber and gold. Why not just say that, though?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°The Attini Empire is particularly insular when it comes to the culture of the rest of the world. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone here who understands sayings and expressions like that.¡± ¡°But that wasn¡¯t a¡­ oh, nevermind.¡± He waved the topic away, sighing in disappointment. His bug-related adages were mostly needlessly complicated, anyways¡ªhe¡¯d only started saying them to get his kids in Amadeus Academy active and engaged in his classes¡ªso it stood to reason a seventeen-year-old would only find them tedious and irritating. Pesky teenagers. Too old to be a real child, too young to be a real adult. As Kita bowed and waved the driver away, he craned his ears and found the bustle of the city rather far away¡ªunlike most Regional Lord households, the Salaqa Manor was at the very edge of the city. It had to be quite inconvenient for those living here to have to take a carriage out every time they wanted to grab a quick bite, but¡­ if they had forty servants and just as many guards running around every hour of the day, he supposed they could make do with never having to leave apart from official, important noble duties. A small army of servants trudged down the short flight of stairs to meet them by the carriage roundabout, their dresses and tunics plain but neat, their chest brooches marked with the Salaqa Lord¡¯s crest. Most of them had ant mutations to boot: chitin-covered arms, short antennae hardened like horns, and black compound eyes that bulged slightly out of their sockets. The head servant leading the group, though, was a pure human. Zora tilted his head and scanned the young lady up and down. Her embroidered shoulder wrap and capelet showed she was probably of a much higher rank than the rest of the servants, but she couldn¡¯t be much older than Kita herself. So the Salaqa Lord is in the interest of employing children as head servants as well, he thought, staying behind Kita as the two ladies exchanged curt bows. He would¡¯ve cracked his neck in irritation again if every single servant started paying their respects to Kita, but to his surprise, the head servant suddenly opened her arms as though inviting Kita in for a hug. For her part, Kita practically dashed into the servant¡¯s arms and hugged tightly back. ¡°I heard you encountered a bit of trouble on the way here?¡± the head servant asked, a worried smile creeping onto her face as she pulled away. ¡°Would you like the assassin captured and interrogated? I have a small regiment of forces ready to move at your command. Give the word, and blood shall flow¨C¡± Kita shook her head vehemently, casting a glance back at him.¡°It¡¯s fine. Our guest does not wish for blood on this merry night.¡± ¡°... Is that so?¡± Then the head servant stepped aside, clasped her hands before her, and bowed at him. The rest of the servants followed suit. ¡°I am Machi, steward of the hearth. It is a great honour to be able to meet the Warlord of the Northeast,¡± the head servant said, pulling herself upright with a cordial smile. He shrugged casually. He¡¯d give her points for pretending to like him when she very clearly didn¡¯t. ¡°It is good to see you both in good health. However, you have both arrived earlier than expected, so the preparations for dinner are still underway. Would you like to freshen yourselves up first and change into more comfortable attire?¡± Kita rubbed her jaw as she stepped past the corridor of servants, heading straight for the open double doors with her hand on the hilt of her blades. ¡°I will take you up on that offer, Machi. And about the guest room for the Warlord¨C¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It has already been prepared.¡± Machi stared straight at him, cocking her head slightly. ¡°Please follow me, Warlord of the Northeast. I will show you to your room.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± he said, walking past her as he looked each servant over briefly. ¡°As long as I am here, though, I have one request to make of all of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Call me the Warlord of the Northeast one more time, and I will show you the Warlord by destroying this manor.¡± The heartbeats of all but one servant quickened. Machi¡¯s face remained cool and steady as ever, so he knew she knew: it was a hollow threat, barely even a warning. He wasn¡¯t going to destroy the manor no matter what, but he wanted most everyone to think he would. You¡¯re listening somewhere, aren¡¯t you? How¡¯s this for a first impression, Salaqa Lord? He entered the manor with Machi abreast, his head swivelling around. The walls of the foyer were solid and smooth, carved from volcanic stone, with deep reliefs of ants and Hexsteel warriors running in swirly patterns. Columns rose toward the ceiling supported by wooden beams. A giant woven tapestry on the wall above the doorway depicted a happy family of four, but Machi didn¡¯t waste his time standing around. She led him up the stairs by the side of the foyer immediately, the sound of everyone¡¯s sandals on the smooth floor mapping the grandiose space for him¡ªhe could hear plates clinking and stoves burning just beyond the door at the end of the foyer, but he¡¯d enter the dining room later. For now, Machi led him to his guest room on the second floor. A low, wide bed stood in the centre, its frame of dark wood even more patterned than the walls of the foyer. More scenery tapestries that dampened sound hung around the room, and no doubt they were there to prevent him from listening too deeply. A simple writing desk and chair sat near the window, the faint rustle of leaves outside hinting at the garden below. It wasn¡¯t as regal as some of the rooms he¡¯d been given by other Regional Lords, but it was welcoming and only slightly restrained. He couldn¡¯t help but smile softly. This was the Salaqa Lord making his first impression, too. ¡°This wall,¡± she said, voice measured as she stepped into the room after him, gesturing to the wall on the left made out of alcoved bookshelves, ¡°contains the Salaqa Lord¡¯s personal selection of books for esteemed guests. Histories, philosophies, battle records, all preserved for those with an appreciation of knowledge.¡± Her nails lightly trace the shelves, the polished wood humming faintly as she eventually reached and sat upon the desk. ¡°Your writing desk, should you wish to send correspondence. The view overlooks the eastern garden, though I understand you may not require it. The bathing chamber at the back has cold water running all day long, but warm water can be brought upon request, and regarding your change of attire¨C¡± ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m plenty comfortable in my cloak.¡± Machi scrunched her nose, nails tapping the desk she was sitting on. ¡°It is indispensable you present yourself before the Regional Lord. With thirty minutes until dinner, I would suggest a quick bath and then a change into the household robes¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the bath, but my attire is hardly dirty. Though the windows aren¡¯t open, isn¡¯t it quite windy in here?¡± The spell rippled out, a light gust of wind he could imagine creating by flapping his wings shoving off all the dust, ash, and blood flakes from his cloak. As Machi flinched and braced her face with her arms, he whispered ¡°cinders¡± and sent out a wave of heat, incinerating all the particles lingering in the air. The room was unbearably hot for a fraction of a second¡ªand then the wind calmed down, the heat dispersed, and he was sure his clothes were squeaky clean from top to bottom. Humming, he ran his fingers through his hair and tried to feel for any dirt and soot still left behind. There weren¡¯t any. He¡¯d still have to wash off his sweat and grime in the bath, but now Machi was staring at him looking quite anxious. And that was a more fitting reaction. ¡°... I am no emissary of any faction, but a simple man on a mission,¡± he murmured, straightening the collar on his cloak as he stepped towards the bookshelves, fingers tracing the embroidered titles on the spines. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do by getting me to wear your household robes, so I will make this clear: I will wear no crest of any noble household as long as I am alive. We may work together, and we may share the same roof, but to believe I am under the Salaqa Household would be nothing but a failure of indistinction.¡± Then his fingers paused over a particularly interesting book; the embroidered words stuck out to him. ¡°I am the Thousand-Tongue, and I serve no lord. Force me to bear your crest, and I will do what I promised I¡¯d do.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying this time, and Machi¡¯s heartbeat became deathly still¡ªso much so he worried, for a second, if he might¡¯ve pressed the poor girl a little too hard¡ªbut then she let out a soft chuckle, plucking a small brooch from the drawer she was sitting right next to. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re both wary of each other, then,¡± she said, tossing the brooch at him. He caught it without looking, and the shape of the brooch felt more than familiar in his palm. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you: I think my lady and the Salaqa Lord are making a mistake by establishing contact with you. You¡¯re a known and wanted enemy of the empire. Just housing you here is sure to bring scrying eyes upon my lady, and that is the last thing I wish for her.¡± He twirled the brooch in his hand, smiling wryly. ¡°So this thing¡­¡± ¡°Is something I had custom-made for you,¡± she said plainly, shaking her head slowly as she headed for the door. ¡°My lady and the Salaqa Lord may think otherwise, but I don¡¯t want you bearing the household crest. Should you attract too much attention to yourself, we need to be able to cut you off quickly and make it clear to the Capital we have no relation to you whatsoever¡ªso don¡¯t put on our robes, and don¡¯t wear our brooches. Wear that one instead.¡± ¡°And how does a mere servant know this is something I would want to wear?¡± Machi stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was my lady who told me to go with that design.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been utterly infatuated with you for the past two years. Half those books, journals, and records on that wall are related to you, Amadeus Academy, and the three-night infestation that ended with the death of a Lesser Insect god,¡± she said, glancing around briefly as she put her hand on the doorknob. ¡°My lady designed that brooch herself, so I do hope you¡¯ll accept her gift with great appreciation for her efforts.¡± He twirled the five-pointed star brooch in his hand for only a second longer¡ªthe symbol of Amadeus Academy¡ªbefore pinning it onto his right sleeve, grinning from ear-to-ear. ¡°It will be my pleasure.¡± ¡°Then please enjoy yourself in your room,¡± she said, closing the door behind her. ¡°I will return to bring you and my lady down for dinner in thirty minutes.¡± With that, the head servant left him alone, and he kept his finger on the spine of the book for only a moment longer before plucking it from the shelf. He couldn¡¯t very well read any books, being blind and all, but he could feel the words spelling ¡®Incendiary Incident¡¯ on the spine¡ªand now that he had time to think, he remembered clearly where he¡¯d heard the Salaqa Household name before. So they¡¯re that family, huh? Maybe that¡¯s why they reached out to me. Maybe they, too, know a little something about Decima. Chapter 49 - Salaqa Lord Zora had thirty minutes to take a short bath and recollect his memories of the Salaqa Household before Machi knocked on his door. Kita was already standing outside with her, so he gave his cloak and collar a good tug before leaving his room, joining the girls with a friendly smile. ¡°Do the gloves stay on even during dinner?¡± he asked, throwing Kita¡¯s right hand a pointed look. ¡°That is none of your business,¡± she said, scowling and hiding her hand behind her in return. Machi sighed. The head servant was tightly dressed as ever, but the lady of the house had changed into a dress flowing down to her ankles, mineral beads sewn into the hems. Her arms were adorned with simple metal bracelets, and a short, feathered cloak draped over her shoulders. Her jewellery¡ªa mix of carved bone and what sounded like obsidian¡ªmade light clinking sounds as she moved past him, following Machi¡¯s lead down the hallway. His ¡®gaze¡¯ lingered on her gloved hand for a moment longer before he sighed as well, following the head servant down to the dining room. That scar over her right eye as well¡­ No doubt about it. They¡¯re ¡®that¡¯ Salaqa Household even I¡¯ve heard about during my time in Amadeus Academy. Knowledge of their history was useful information to know, but not to raise over food and wine. As a pair of servants pushed open the double doors at the end of the foyer and Machi led him into the dining room, the scent of roasted maize and spiced meats immediately filled his nose. Striking scents. Earthy aroma of burning incense wafted from carved stone holders set in each corner of the grand room. The walls hummed with etched stone reliefs depicting scenes of harvest processions. A dining table stretched long and wide in the centre, and dozens of servants carrying plates of roasted meats, spiced vegetables, and fresh fruits were already standing along the walls, but only three chairs were set around the table. No way three people could finish every dish they were going to be served. Even still, Kita went over to the chair in the middle, taking her seat quietly as Zora glanced around at the attending servants. The bearded old man in a regal cloak, tunic, and ceremonial sash on the far end of the table immediately tried to raise a fist, but Zora plopped himself down on the other end of the table without invitation, smiling cordially¡ªand he spoke before the Salaqa Lord did, if not only because he liked getting the first word in. ¡°I know the traditional processions for a feast in a noble household,¡± he said, picking up a fork and twirling it in the air. ¡°The servants serve only after the sojourner takes their seat, and the serve is slow, silent, and soft¡ªbut I¡¯m impatient when it comes to my food, you see. Where I come from, the one who eats lines up to get their own food with their own two hands. Having to watch your servants strut in one by one for the next ten minutes would bore me to death.¡± His spell took effect, a quiet ripple washing over the room. Save for Machi standing directly behind Kita, every servant reeled and gasped as sudden flows of sound waves swept the trays off their hands, picking the dishes up into the air and making them swirl around the dining room. Zora didn¡¯t need to direct the spell. He knew how to carry multiple cafeteria trays to multiple children at once, and he could imagine himself doing it blindfolded. It may be a bit crude seeing the two dozen dishes sliding onto the tablecloth in disjointed order¡ªmost of the meat dishes floated to his side of the table, and most of the vegetable dishes floated to Kita and the lord¡¯s side of the table¡ªbut he could at least swear he didn¡¯t do it intentionally. When he cast that spell, he must¡¯ve envisioned himself getting the meatier end of the dishes. That was all. ¡°See? That¡¯s a lot faster, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said, grinning from ear to ear as he stabbed his fork into the closest dish: chicken cooked in tomatillos, cilantros, garlic, and peppers. The smell was the most alluring of the bunch in front of him. ¡°Now, are the servants also going to partake in our feast, or will you let them have an early night off?¡± The servants tried not to make it obvious, but he heard the lot of them gulping and looking at the Salaqa Lord anxiously. In response, the Salaqa Lord chuckled and waved everyone out of the dining room. Only Machi remained standing behind Kita. The rest looked positively relieved to be allowed reprieve from this possible bomb of a room. But no way Zora was going to destroy this room with such a feast in front of him. If he didn¡¯t at least finish his food first, there¡¯d be bad weather tomorrow. ¡°... I am Baya Salaqa, the Regional Lord of the Salaqa Household, a paramount family with great influence in the lands just right beyond the walls of the Capital,¡± the old lord said, picking up a fork with his left hand and showing Zora the back of his right hand as he did. Zora didn¡¯t have to look up. He could feel the army ant crest of the Salaqa Household etched into the old man¡¯s hand from half a room away. ¡°Your reputation precedes you, Thousand Tongue Zora. I did not think the rumours about you being blind were actually true.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t think the rumours about you being a frugal lord were actually true, either, but for a Regional Lord of such high standing, you¡¯re certainly holding back on the amount of dishes you¡¯re putting in front of me,¡± Zora said, half-chewing, half-talking. ¡°The other Regional Lords hosted much more grandiose feasts for me, you see. Not that I¡¯m too picky about my food.¡± Baya chuckled again, and a small horde of tiny army ants started crawling across the table, lifting dishes and moving them closer towards the old man. ¡°I do not know how much you know about me, but I know you are all the nobles in the northeastern outer regions talk about nowadays¡ªthe man who killed ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches, with a fiery ¡®spell¡¯ that rocked the very mountains your academy was set upon. I know you are a powerful man with influential connections to boot. You have marched across half the regions in the northeast, evading death at every turn, and¡ª¡± ¡°Insincere flattery isn¡¯t my thing, old man,¡± he said, finishing his first plate and casting ¡°to me¡± on a second plate, pulling it in. ¡°If my reputation truly precedes me, then we should both just come out and say what we want, and then we can get to the truly important part in bureaucracy: the transactional relationship that binds blood together.¡± He was about to dig into his marinated pork when he decided to pause, smiling up at the old lord. ¡°Blood is what the empire values most, no?¡± The old lord seemed taken aback for a moment, but Kita, who¡¯d been eating quietly between them, sent Zora a sharp glare. ¡°In times like these, we must have tact and engage in a bit of niceties before indulging in business matters¡ª¡± ¡°You have calloused hands,¡± Zora said, ignoring Kita and looking at Baya pointedly. ¡°The difference between nobles and commoners in this empire is but one thing: nobles have Swarmblood Arts that allow them to summon and control a specific type of ant, and they are able to use those ants for the greater good of the people. The Salaqa Household has always had the Art to summon ¡®army ants¡¯, which are ants that specialise in interlocking with each other to close bloody wounds. In battle, nobles of the Salaqa Household are rather powerful. As generals and commanders, they can give every soldier a small group of army ants that can stitch their wounds shut and accelerate regeneration¡ªand you were a particularly influential commander back when you still served in the military, were you not?¡± Baya smiled slyly. ¡°And your point?¡± ¡°You were a top graduate of the Royal Ayapacha Military Academy. Before you, the Salaqa Household was but another dime-a-dozen low-class noble household, but with you as the head, the Salaqa Household¡¯s rise to power was a terribly quick one. Your war achievements against the Swarm were aplenty. In a mere two decades, you went from being the head of a noble household almost nobody has heard of to almost rising to the seat of one of the Empress¡¯ Four Families¡ªthe four most influential noble households in the empire¡ªand it truly is a remarkable feat. I know I only worked two years as a teacher, but I never got a salary increase in my life.¡± ¡°Here I thought you said insincere flattery was not your thing¡ª¡± ¡°But then an incident eight years ago happened, and you lost it all,¡± he said, almost too casually, and the air in the dining room stilled. He didn¡¯t stop eating. ¡°The Salaqa Household went from nearly being one of the empire¡¯s most influential households to being relegated to an outer region household, albeit still the one closest to the Capital, so it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have any influence anymore. You¡¯re just not part of the Capital nobles anymore.¡± Then he paused again, if not only to let his words sink in a little. ¡°And you want to tell me you still care about tact and etiquette?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°...¡± He raised a wine glass to his lips, took a small sip, then set it down as he shivered from head to toe. He still hated alcohol after all. ¡°Etiquette is taught and performed in school, but on this continent, it is very rarely practised between warriors, and we are both carrying weapons to the table. Let¡¯s not pretend we¡¯re trying to be any diplomatic here. You sent your daughter to get me because I can help you get what you want, and you can do the same for me, so what would you rather have? The stew or the sword?¡± For a second, Zora wondered if he may have pushed the old lord and his daughter a little too hard, but he also wasn¡¯t lying when he said he¡¯d tired of noble etiquette a long, long time ago. He¡¯d been patient when the first Regional Lord invited him to a feast, but the second, third, and fourth feast had dragged. He could¡¯ve covered a lot more distance and gotten more done if he¡¯d just upped and told those lords to get to the point, so if his mere words angered the Salaqa Lord now, there was no point continuing the conversation anymore. But the Salaqa Lord was every bit like his daughter: surprisingly level-headed when he needed to be, to say the least. ¡°... You really are a sharp-tongued devil. As expected of a man from the Fabre Household.¡± Baya laughed, and it was probably the first real sound he¡¯d heard from the man tonight. ¡°But fine. An honest man like you is refreshing once in a while.¡± Zora shrugged. ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware there¡¯s no time for tact and etiquette either, so I¡¯ll do as you say and come out with it: the Attini Empire is being torn apart from the inside-out, and I believe, well within a year, that the entire southern end of the continent will suffer a collapse.¡± Then Baya gestured to Kita, smiling softly. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard a bit from my daughter on your ride here, but as of right now, more than half of the outer region trade routes have been conquered by giant bugs. The nearby fungi forests have been conquered by the same bugs, so there isn''t enough food for the commoners, and the Swarm battering against the frontlines in the far south are getting bolder and bolder as well. All of us in the outer regions¡ªthat is, anyone not within the walls of the Capital¡ªare getting screwed by the Swarm, and do you know what the Empress and Her Four Families are doing inside the Capital?¡± ¡°Counting their lucky stars.¡± Baya slammed his fist on the table, making Zora smile. ¡°The fools in the Capital are collecting tributes and hoarding resources from the outer regions like they¡¯re preparing to close their walls to the rest of us. Hell, that they¡¯ve even branded you and that Warlord of the Northwest enemies of the empire¡ªand expending precious resources to kill you both¡ªisn¡¯t helping their public image amongst the commoners and noble households of the outer regions. They see the two of you as walking calamities without realising they are the ones refusing to acknowledge themselves as the real problem. At this rate, a civil war will break out between those of the Capital and those of the outer regions, and only the Swarm will benefit if that happens.¡± At the snap of the old lord¡¯s fingers, half a dozen servants streamed into the room from behind to clean up some of the emptied dishes, but Zora spoke ¡°I¡¯ll help you with that¡± and had the empty dishes fly into the servants¡¯ hands themselves. Befuddled, the servants blinked at their lord for only a second longer before hurrying out of the room, taking the empty plates with them. ¡°And I told your daughter just as much: I¡¯m not interested in the politics and the internal strife of the empire. The empire has made its bed, so the empire will sleep in it,¡± Zora said plainly, leaning back in his chair as he pulled out his wand, raising it to the ceiling. ¡°But do you know what this is, old man?¡± Kita clenched her jaw, looking slightly anxious, but Baya answered without reservation. ¡°A Magicicada Mage¡¯s wand. I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Correct. But this one is made out of the flesh of ¡®Fate Spinner¡¯ Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches.¡± He gripped the wand tight in his hands, and it started vibrating, trying to tilt backwards. He didn¡¯t let it budge a single inch. ¡°It responds to the other Magicicada Witches, you see, and for the longest time, it¡¯s been pointing me in the direction of the Capital. I don¡¯t have proof, and I don¡¯t have evidence, but I know ¡®Reverberator¡¯ Decima is in the Capital. I¡¯m going to kill her, and that¡¯s all I care about. Why, exactly, do you think I¡¯ll be interested in helping you with whatever you want me to do?¡± ¡°Because our goals align,¡± Baya said, leaning back in his chair as well, clasping his hands in his lap. ¡°The Empress and Her Four Families didn¡¯t start acting so selfishly until a decade ago. Believe it or not, the Capital used to have a good reputation amongst nobles and commoners of the outer regions. They protected the outer regions, cared for our development, and lent us aid in our greatest times of need¡ªso why do you think the Empress started rejecting us and let internal strife fester in her precious empire a decade ago? Why did she start demanding more tributes from the outer regions while offering less aid in our times of need? Why did her Spore Knights and Forward Armies start purging small towns and villages that wouldn¡¯t acquiesce to her demands of building weapons factories over sacred earth?¡± Zora grinned. He could entertain the old lord a little. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Maybe she got sick of being a good empress and decided to be a tyrant.¡± ¡°Because a certain bug infiltrated the Capital as a human and began manipulating the Empress a decade ago,¡± Baya finished, shaking his head in dismay. ¡°When I first heard the rumours a decade ago that an Insect God might¡¯ve gotten into the Empress and Her Four Families¡¯ inner circle, I started investigating. I looked for traces of shedding in the carpets of the Divine Temple, clumps of chitin scales where they shouldn¡¯t be, but¡ª¡± ¡°The incident eight years ago knocked you and the Salaqa Household out of the Capital, and you were relegated to being the most powerful outer region household, but still only an outer region household. You no longer had the power or the authority to investigate the Empress and her inner circle.¡± ¡°... But the nobles of the Salaqa Household do not wince when they are wounded,¡± Baya whispered. ¡°I have never faltered. Not once in eight years. I continued investigating outside the capital, searching for traces of that bug¡¯s influence across the entire empire, and when I first heard of your rabid pursuit of some Magicicada Witch in the empire two years ago¡­ I began wondering.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I believe ¡®Reverberator¡¯ Decima, second of the Magicicada Witches, has been manipulating the Empress and Her Four Families for the past decade,¡± Baya finished. ¡°I don¡¯t have proof, and I don¡¯t have evidence, but I know the Empress and Her Four Families, and this past decade of increasing tension between the Capital and the outer regions¡­ was not their doing. It¡¯s Decima. She¡¯s the one driving the empire into the ground, and if she isn¡¯t ripped out of her hiding hole, she¡¯ll tear the empire apart by the end of the year.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Thousand Tongue. There¡¯s nobody on this continent who knows more about the Magicicada Witches than you do,¡± Baya said, reaching behind his chair and tossing a scroll across the table. Zora caught it, smiled, then tossed it away. The old lord returned a small smile; the man hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he hadn¡¯t thought Zora was actually blind. ¡°The Salaqa Household will back you up. We¡¯ll hide you from the Capital. We¡¯ll provide you a steady influx of points, coins, weapons, equipment, human support, and everything else in between¡ªit¡¯ll be the household¡¯s lifetime of capital and resources put in your name than you¡¯ll ever be able to accrue on your own. You will need people to support you in this venture. Decima is nothing like Nona.¡± Zora shrugged. ¡°Oh, I know. Nona is the Witch of Childhood. Her spells are loud and abrasive, but simple all things considered. It¡¯s brute force against brute force. Fire against frost.¡± ¡°But Decima is the Witch of Adults. Her spells are trickery, deception, and manipulation. Unlike Nona, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll kill her the moment you see her, but she¡¯ll never let you see her. She¡¯ll hide behind the walls of the empire, the Spore Knights, the Four Families, and use even the Empress as a shield. To hunt a bug that hides in the shadows, you must fight from the shadows, too.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do first?¡± Baya tilted his chin back, inhaling deeply. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve had a long march down here all the way from Amadeus Academy. I wouldn¡¯t want to set you on your first objective before letting you rest for a week, at least, so you can search for Decima¡¯s footprints afterwards. In the meantime, please feel free to enjoy the frugal luxuries of the Salaqa Manor¡ª¡± ¡°One question, old man.¡± Kita looked more nervous than her father as Baya started moving his fork again, but Zora wasn¡¯t going to press the two of them anymore. He¡¯d gotten them to just come out and say what they wanted, and he was grateful for that. To know there was someone else who came to the same conclusion he did a year ago¡ªthat Decima must¡¯ve infiltrated the Empress¡¯ inner circle somehow¡ªwas immensely relieving, and made him want to put his truth in the Salaqa Household immediately¡­ but there was something he wanted to confirm before putting his blood on any contract. Namely, the reason why there were only three chairs set around the table. ¡°The incident eight years ago,¡± he began, ¡°was devastating for your household. You were kicked out of the Capital. You were relegated to being a mere outer region household. You lost most of your capital, status, and influence within the empire. You must realise Decima was most likely behind it all.¡± Baya''s eyes softened. ¡°I am aware.¡± ¡°Then you know the extent of Decima¡¯s influence within the empire. By deciding to support me, you are putting not just yourself, but your daughter and your entire household in her line of fire once again.¡± Zora paused for a moment, finding the words in his head. ¡°Compared to the far outer regions being pummeled to submission by the Swarm with zero assistance from the Capital, you guys have it relatively easy here. Why risk it all again? Why challenge Decima to a fight again?¡± Baya angled his head to look at Zora, but it wasn¡¯t the old lord¡¯s calm and steady face, Zora decided, that answered the question. Kita fixed him with a determined gaze, too, and it was ¡®fire¡¯ that almost seemed to burn in her killing pressure. ¡°... You could have chosen an easy life at Amadeus Academy, too. Why did you set off on your long march?¡± Baya said, a dark smile stretching his thin lips. ¡°Now, how about some idle chatter for the rest of the meal? Business talk bores me as well. I¡¯m sure my daughter would love to hear some of your more infamous exploits during your long march across the empire.¡± Chapter 50 - Inspector One week after the Thousand Tongue was spotted entering the Salaqa Region, Royal Capital General Amaru managed to sweep across the entire Regional Capital with a small force of a thousand soldiers. It was a direct order from the Four Families themselves: find the mage and put an end to his long march, dead or alive. As long as the Four Families still lived, Amaru would obey, and now that the great Warlord of the Northeast was within his grasp? He banged on the door of the Salaqa Manor, his heavy ant chitin armour shuddering with the motion, and he managed only three knocks before a young lady pulled the door open. Judging by the distasteful look on the lady¡¯s face, the Salaqa Household wasn¡¯t too keen on a small army of a hundred soldiers knocking on their door bright and early in the morning. ¡°... I am Royal Capital Inspector Amaru,¡± he said curtly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a heavy bronze-layered scroll, flicking it open before the lady. ¡°Four Family Writ dictates the Salaqa Region is to be combed through for traces of the Thousand Tongue. We have reports that he passed through the northeastern gate of Salaqa Ik¡¯Balam, and he was last seen descending into Red Plaza Street before disappearing into Zocala Tavern¡ªboth matrimonial properties of the Salaqa Household.¡± ¡°And I am Machi, Steward of the Salaqa Hearth,¡± the lady said, curling her lips. He immediately figured he was talking to the presuming head servant. ¡°My lord does not appreciate anyone knocking on his door uninvited. A Four Family Writ is not high-order enough to warrant such intrusive behaviour. Leave quickly, and I may forget to mention this early morning encounter to my lord once he awakens.¡± ¡°I have more than a Four Family Writ,¡± he said, pulling out another scroll. Machi narrowed her eyes at the gold-layered scroll stamped with the seal of the Empress. ¡°This is a Capital Writ stamped and approved by the Divine Attendant herself, who acts only at the Empress¡¯ behest. Her will is the will of the empire¡ªallow us to enter your manor for a comprehensive search, or we will enter regardless.¡± If nothing else, he had to commend the head servant for her loyalty. She didn¡¯t move out of the way, and she didn¡¯t look like she was going to. An ideal steward. Dipping his head for a quiet prayer, Amaru put a hand to the hilt of his sawtooth blade, ready to unsheathe and cut her in half. But heavy footsteps from behind the head servant had both of them looking, and Amaru stayed his blade as the Salaqa Lord trudged down the stairs by the foyer, still dressed in his flowing evening gown. ¡°You¡­ are Tunich¡¯s first son, are you not?¡± the Salaqa Lord said, stifling an exaggerated yawn as Machi stepped out of the way, letting him stand in front of Amaru. The old man was well over half a head shorter and far less muscular, but Amaru couldn¡¯t help but shiver nevertheless; he¡¯d heard of the Salaqa Lord¡¯s many exploits in the far southern war against the Swarm back when he was just a Royal Capital Guard trainee, and they scared him still. ¡°What brings the son of an old friend to my doorstep, fangs and blades bared? Tell your men to step off the fields in the courtyard. I will have them make reparations for every flower they crush.¡± Amaru tightened his throat. Raising a single fist, he ordered his men to step off the fields and onto the cobbled roads instead. ¡°Good morning, my lord. I am Royal Capital Inspector Amaru, and I have with me a Four Family Writ as well as a Capital Writ to search¡ª¡± ¡°I am aware it is a capital offence,¡± the Salaqa Lord said, smiling wryly and taking a step back, beckoning him in with a wave of his hand. ¡°Anyone who assists or harbours enemies of the empire will be met with divination in the Dawn Temple, and I am no exception. I would have preferred you came at a later hour, but please, feel free to step inside with your men and turn my manor upside-down. You will find no traces of the Thousand Tongue upon my sacred abode, I promise you.¡± Disregarding the unease in his stomach, Amaru snapped his fingers and called his soldiers forward. For the next hour, while he stood in the foyer and entertained the Salaqa Lord, his soldiers went through every nook and cranny of the manor, questioning every servant and retainer in the household. He¡¯d given them permission to be a little rough on the manor itself¡ªthere was no doubt the Regional Lord had special shelters and tunnels built deep underground that could only be accessed by special contraptions, so suspicious-looking levers, switches, and buttons were on the focus list. They were a hundred men, half of them former scouts in the far southern army. If they could root out a brood nest hundreds of metres underground, they could root out any shelter the Salaqa Lord hadn¡¯t told them about. But by the two hour mark, Amaru started tapping his feet. Entertaining the Salaqa Lord with news regarding his father was boring him, and the fact that his soldiers were reporting nothing of note to him, still, made him beyond irritated. There was no way the Salaqa Household had nothing to do with the Thousand Tongue¡¯s mysterious disappearance in the Red Plaza Street. Nobody could get in and out of the region without the Salaqa Lord¡¯s knowledge. He was the most powerful of the outer region lords. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°... Do you not tire of being a Royal Capital Guard, Amaru?¡± the Salaqa Lord said, leaning back in his chair as Amaru waved off a few more soldiers, whispering for them to check the kitchens and check again. ¡°If I recall correctly, you graduated from the Royal Ayapucha Military Academy at the top of your class. You could have gone into any branch of the military. Hell, I believe you had a shot at being the youngest Spore Knight candidate since the last batch three years ago¡ªwhy join the Royal Capital Army and slave away as a mere inspector?¡± ¡°Because the enemies beyond the empire are not as damning as enemies within the empire,¡± he muttered, receiving reports from two, three, four more battalions; no news from any one of them. ¡°The Swarm is the Swarm. They are unruly, unintelligent beasts. Steel and swords will cut them down, but people like the Thousand Tongue and the Worm Mage are capable of dividing men and conquering hearts. Humans should not be fighting humans. My duty as an inspector allows me to root out the empire¡¯s most foolish enemies.¡± ¡°Are you certain you are looking under the right hollow if you are looking for a bug, though?¡± Amaru pursed his lips. The Salaqa Lord was as carefree and nonchalant as ever, but old age hadn¡¯t claimed that light in his eyes¡ªthe knowing look he gave to someone when he was certain he knew more than they did. It was that look, Amaru decided, that made him realise this entire search was pointless to begin with. They¡¯d combed through Salaqa Ik¡¯Balam as quickly as they could without arousing too much suspicion, but it¡¯d still taken them a week to put on a good enough display of fairness¡ªif they¡¯d went straight for the Salaqa Manor, the Salaqa Lord could accuse them of conspiracy against him¡ªso there was no doubt about it now. The Thousand-Tongue had been here, but was no longer. The Salaqa Household had more than enough time to send the man away. Amaru didn¡¯t know where the man was sent to, but there was simply no point continuing this search anymore. Clapping his hands soundly once, he recalled his soldiers all across the manor, watched all of them shuffle out of the front door, and bowed to the Salaqa Lord. He would¡¯ve bowed to Machi the head servant as well, but she wasn¡¯t here anymore. She must¡¯ve slipped away without him noticing. The Salaqa Lord didn¡¯t bow back. ¡°... Apologies, my lord,¡± Amaru said, closing his eyes slowly. ¡°Reparations will be paid in full for any damages my men may have caused to your manor. For the time being, we will pull out of the Salaqa Region and return to the Capital. We may return again if we have reason to believe the Thousand-Tongue is on this sacred earth.¡± ¡°You are more than welcome to return alone for dinner,¡± the Salaqa Lord said, smiling softly. ¡°But the Thousand Tongue is not here. I make it a point not to bed with any bug.¡± Amaru didn¡¯t really know how to follow that up¡ªthe Salaqa Lord¡¯s behaviour was definitely that of a man with many secrets, but he¡¯d be hard-pressed to get anything useful out of the old man. He may as well shoot his shot before taking his leave, though. ¡°By any chance, you would not know anything about the Thousand Tongue¡¯s whereabouts, would you?¡± he asked. ¡°I hear he may have given up on his long march to the Capital,¡± the Salaqa Lord replied half-heartedly, showing him to the door. ¡°He may have gone to the northeast, or he may have gone to the northwest. Finding him would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You Royal Capital Guards are better off giving up while you have yet to expend too many resources on this futile manhunt.¡± He bowed one more time just for courtesy.¡°That is for the Empress and Her Four Families to decide.¡± With that, he withdrew from the Salaqa Manor. Servants, household guards, and caravan drivers watched them like hawks as he led his soldiers out through the front gate. All of them had that same look in their eyes¡ªones that said they wouldn''t give up the Thousand-Tongue even under duress¡ªand while that in itself could be grounds for bringing them into the Capital for intensive questioning, he felt it wouldn¡¯t be the best use of his time. The Salaqa Lord had made it explicitly clear the Thousand Tongue was no longer in this region, so if he wasn¡¯t here, and if he wasn¡¯t in the Capital, then he had to be either in the northeast or the northwest. He could lead his thousand soldier search party to the northeast, but while the Thousand Tongue may not be known to kill humans who stood in his way, the Warlord of the Northwest¡ªthat ¡®Worm Mage¡¯¡ªwould be more than happy to shoot any Royal Capital Guard on sight. Tch. So it¡¯s not the northeast. He must¡¯ve gone northwest to meet up with the other warlord. He didn¡¯t have permission to pursue the Thousand Tongue to the northwest. None of the other inspectors and their search parties did. The northwest was currently¡­ tumultuous, to say the least. Between the local warlord, the increasing rate of Swarm infestations, and the disruption of all but a few railways, heading to the northwest in search of the Thousand Tongue would be nothing short of suicide for only a thousand men. And the Capital most certainly won¡¯t give me any more men. They don¡¯t have more than a thousand to spare for each inspector. The Salaqa Lord had won for now. But Amaru would be standing guard by the borders of the Salaqa Region, because whatever the Thousand Tongue was doing up in the northwest, he¡¯d eventually have to come back down if he wanted to enter the Capital¡ªand he didn¡¯t believe, even for a single second, that he¡¯d just given up on the Capital after two years of wreaking havoc in the northeast. ¡­ Still. Why did the Salaqa Lord ask if I was looking under the right hollow? Chapter 51 - To the Northwest Zora may be blind, but he had his own foresight that told him the inspectors from the Royal Capital Guard were going to knock on the doors of the Salaqa Manor a week after he arrived. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had to make a stealthy exit from whatever town or borough he was lurking in¡ªhe gathered his belongings, fixed his collar, and after an extremely early breakfast, he waved his farewell to the Salaqa Lord and left the manor at four in the morning. The Salaqa Lord was sure the inspectors would search for underground passageways leading away from the manor, but the underground passageway was several hundred metres deep, accessible only by ladder, and the walls were lined with anti-vibration plates to prevent outside detection. Even a small army wouldn¡¯t be able to unearth it without actually demolishing the manor. Dark spaces also made no difference for the blind, so Zora had no issues climbing down, following the straight path leading away from the manor, and by eight in the morning, he popped out of an inconspicuous sewer grate in the middle of the city. One whiff of the fresh morning air, one good listen, and he could already tell: the city was swarming with Royal Capital Guards, and the heavy clinks and clanks of their ant chitin armour in the distance were enough to grate his ears. They¡¯re coming after me faster now. Far in the outer regions, it used to take them multiple weeks just to catch up to rumours of my whereabouts. By the Salaqa Lord¡¯s estimations, there were about eight or nine hundred Royal Capital Guards in the city, which meant he¡¯d be hard-pressed to leave the city on foot without having to fight¡ªand that was exactly why the Salaqa Lord hired an outside driver and an ant-pulled carriage explicitly for the purpose of sneaking him out. Said carriage was already waiting for him in front, the door swung open, blocking the exit of the little alleyway. The driver in the tattered cloak and hood waved at him, beckoning him to get in before anyone else could notice him. The Royal Capital Guard will be looking for carriages and drivers linked to the Salaqa Household, after all, he thought, climbing into the relatively shoddy carriage and closing the door behind him. The driver immediately whipped the giant ant, moving them along the street without so much as a single glance back through the slit on the wall. I don¡¯t know how much Baya paid that man to just do his job and not ask questions, but it must be more money than I¡¯ve ever seen in my entire life. Travel documents, fake identity brooches, a purse with a generous amount of coins, and a letter sealed and stamped with the blood of the Salaqa Lord¡ªapart from his wand and his five-pointed star-shaped brooch, those were the only other things he carried with him. His identity wouldn¡¯t be checked by the city gate, but it was better to have documents than not, and if things were to get out of hand, he¡¯d have some bribe money to work with. The only thing left to do for him now was sit, wait, and maybe read his letter over again. It was but a written recap of his first objective.
¡°... Are you aware of the current troubles that plague the northwestern lands, Zora?¡± One week ago. Dinner with the Salaqa Lord. Zora had just finished regaling Kita and Machi with a few interesting tales from his long march to the south when Baya spoke up across the table. It was the stern, steady voice that caught his attention. Idle chatter was over; now was the time to get back to business. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m too familiar, given I came down here from the northeast,¡± he replied, shrugging slightly as he poked another chunk of meat with his fork. ¡°If you¡¯re bringing it up, though, I¡¯m assuming there are traces of Decima to be found there. Where am I going?¡± ¡°It is certainly true that Swarm activity has been at its highest the past few years in the northwest, even more so than in the northeast where the mountains are higher and the fungi forests are denser,¡± Baya said, pulling another plate in himself. ¡°For years, the railways leading to and from the many Swarmsteel factories in the northwest have been heavily disrupted by the Swarm, and that is not to mention the brood nests that have cropped up along caravan roads, preventing trade, communication, and simple movement between small towns and boroughs. The Capital has offered no assistance. Left unchecked, the Swarm will eventually conquer all key locations within the northwest, and if the factories fall¡­ well, the empire will not collapse immediately, but it will be a slow and steady death.¡± ¡°What about the northwest?¡± ¡°Head to the Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, the Regional Capital of the Nohoch Region and the largest trade city in the northwest,¡± Baya said plainly, before reaching under the table and tossing a scroll over to him. He caught it out of the air, then tossed it away again with a small smile. The old man really, really hadn¡¯t believed he was blind. ¡°The Regional Lord of the Nohoch Region is my younger brother, Yiru. You have my word that he is trustworthy. Assist him and the locals of the Nohoch Region in stabilising the railways that have been disrupted by the Swarm. If Yiru can have total control over the railways again, every other region in the northwest will also fall in line, because nothing can move out of the northwest without having to pass through Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam that falls under his domain.¡± ¡°And what does stabilising your younger brother¡¯s region in the northwest have to do with hunting down Decima in the Capital?¡± Baya raised one finger. ¡°You are not strong enough to take on Decima. Nona was one Insect God, but Decima has the Capital and its associated armies under her control. Take this time during your trip to the northwest to get stronger properly. I¡¯m aware you gave away most of the points you obtained the past two years, so your grade must only be around D or C-Rank Mutant-Class, correct?¡± Then Baya raised another finger. ¡°Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam is also a major transit city that connects the southern regions, the northwest regions, and the northeast regions. People of all walks of life go through that place. We know Decima is in the Capital, but we do not know where or what kind of human she is pretending to be. Since the Capital is on guard awaiting your arrival, you will not be able to enter it looking for information anytime soon¡ªthe second best place to obtain new information in the empire would be Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam without question.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Zora leaned back in his chair, scratching the back of his head in deep thought. It was true that while he¡¯d gotten stronger the past two years, he hadn¡¯t actually fought any particularly tough battles like the one he¡¯d fought against Nona. He¡¯d run away from battles he couldn¡¯t win, and he¡¯d crushed the ones he could. He hadn¡¯t properly challenged himself in a while. Even if he found Decima and came face to face with her, what were the chances he could just kill her as he was right now? Very, very slight. The Salaqa Lord had a point. ¡°Your exact tasks and missions in the northwest will be decided by my brother, but I imagine he will ask you to use your skills and abilities to help him reclaim the railways from the Swarm,¡± Baya continued, snapping his fingers and calling the servants to start cleaning the table. ¡°I do not know how long it will take you to stabilise the northwest¡ªespecially when that Warlord of the Northwest... that ''Worm Mage'' is also wreaking havoc across the many strongholds and Forward Armies stationed there¡ªbut it may well be half a year before I see your face again.¡± Zora raised a brow. Baya had predicted Decima would have the entire empire ripped apart by the end of the year, so the half a year deadline wasn¡¯t so much a suggestion as it was a countdown. He had to get strong enough to rival Decima and stabilise the northwest by the end of summer. ¡°Then give me a bit of spare change,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll have the railways re-established in three months.¡±
¡­ The letter would also be his introduction to Yiru, the Nohoch Lord, but he had no doubt the man already knew who he was. Maybe it¡¯d be more efficient to just go off hunting bugs on his own if he wanted to get stronger purely, but he saw no harm in helping out the people of the northwest. Besides, he¡¯d heard the technologically advanced northwest was almost a completely different land compared to the more traditional, agriculture-based northeast he¡¯d travelled through¡ªif nothing else, he was keen to see what sort of information he¡¯d be able to glean from the transit city. ¡°Make no mistake, though. This isn¡¯t a vacation. Blood will be spilled, and not of our fellows,¡± he muttered, putting his foot on the door as he heard footsteps racing towards his carriage. He wasn¡¯t fast enough, and his attempt was half-hearted. Kita barged in alongside Machi, unremarkable mantles and hoods covering their most recognisable features, and they slammed the door close as they sat on the opposite seats. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were going to leave so early this morning,¡± Kita said plainly, handing Machi her dual sawtooth blades as she pulled down the blinders, threw off her hood. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± ¡°Not a chance.¡± ¡°Machi, give him the box.¡± The head servant reached behind her and placed a small box of curated bug meat on the table between them. Zora had had his fair share of ¡®high-class¡¯ bug meat the past week, and while the Salaqa Manor hadn¡¯t been able to give him much¡ªjust twenty or so, since points were scarce across the empire unless you were on the warring fronts¡ªjust by the smell of the box in front of him, he estimated it was probably forty, five points. Not a whole lot, but it was something. ¡°A gift,¡± Kita offered, smiling triumphantly as she crossed her arms. ¡°Let me come with you, and you can keep the box.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have school?¡± ¡°The Royal Ayapucha Military Academy is on spring break until three months later. Before the semester starts again, I can accompany you to Uncle Yiru¡¯s territory and fight with you.¡± "What grade are you?" "F-Rank Mutant-Class." ¡°Did your father approve of this?¡± Kita nodded, but Machi shook her head. Zora smiled at both of them before taking out his wand, considering blasting the door open so he could kick them out. ¡°I don¡¯t need a noble¡¯s help with this,¡± he said, pressing the tip of his wand to his lips, ¡°much less a child who couldn¡¯t even get permission from her father to leave the city.¡± Kita¡¯s ears twitched, and for a second, he thought he¡¯d done it¡ªprovoking her and getting her to leave the carriage of her own accord would be the least noisiest, though he could still kick them out anyways. The box of fifty or so points was inconsequential. He¡¯d be getting a lot more once he figured out where and what he¡¯d be fighting in the northwest. But once again, the young lady was more in control of her own emotions than he expected, and instead of lambasting him with a dozen half-hearted insults like the many children of lords and ladies he¡¯d accompanied in the past two years, she gave him a terse smile and tilted her head. ¡°I was the one who recruited you,¡± she said curtly. ¡°I won¡¯t let father send you out to fight without me.¡± He clicked his tongue. What an irritating kid. But her motivation isn¡¯t uninspiring. He pondered for a few more moments¡ªand he swore Machi was shaking her head ever so slightly, as though telling him to tell her lady off for good¡ªbut having a direct member of the Salaqa Household with him in unfamiliar territory may prove useful. She was next in line to inherit the title of Salaqa Lord, the most powerful lord of the outer regions; he doubted he could find a companion with more influence than her. He¡¯d just keep her out of any actual danger. Baya wouldn¡¯t complain then¡­ he hoped. Besides, it¡¯s good to keep that old man on his toes. He won¡¯t order me around and make unreasonable demands as long as his daughter is around me. ¡°... How long until we reach Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, then?¡± he said, sighing as he leaned back against the less-than-soft cushion. It wasn¡¯t nearly as comfortable as the Salaqa Household¡¯s carriage. ¡°And the two of you are returning to the Salaqa Region in three months regardless of whether or not I can settle things in the northwest. Don¡¯t skip school. Education is important.¡± Machi pulled out a scroll from her back again¡ªhe had no idea where she was storing everything¡ªbut when she handed it to him, he took it with a smile and tossed it to the side. Machi feigned a surprised gasp as she put a hand to her mouth; she remembered very well he was blind, but if she could get a snicker out of Kita, poking fun at him was all fine and well. Children, he thought, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s a map, isn¡¯t it? Just tell me how long.¡± ¡°One week,¡± Kita said, still laughing softly as she rapped the slit in the wall behind her. The driver immediately whipped the reins again and the whole carriage lurched forward. ¡°The carriage itself may be shoddy and reconstructed to look less than desirable, but it¡¯s a C-Rank Giant-Class silver ant that¡¯s pulling us along. For your reference, they¡¯re the fastest ants in the empire, and they hardly ever need to stop and rest. One week on the road and we¡¯ll be in Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam before we even know it.¡± Chapter 52 - Campfire Leaving the Region Capital was no issue after all. The Royal Capital Guards stationed at the city gates didn¡¯t so much as give their shoddy carriage a second look before waving them through, and judging by how quiet the fungi forests around them were, Zora was quite confident nobody was following them. They were heading towards a highly tumultuous region in the northwest nobody else wanted to travel to, merchant and mercenary alike¡ªthey had the entire dirt road to themselves, and he didn¡¯t have to look out for any assassins. Not on the first day at least. True to Kita¡¯s words, the Giant-Class silver ant pulling the carriage was a fleet-footed creature. He may have taken extended breaks here and there on his way down from the northeastern edge of the empire, but it¡¯d still taken him two years to reach the Salaqa Region on foot. He wasn¡¯t the best navigator in the world¡ªand he certainly couldn¡¯t read the maps Machi had on hand¡ªbut he could tell they were making fast progress towards the northwest. In just ten more days, they¡¯d reach the northwestern Nohoch Region and meet the Salaqa Lord¡¯s younger brother. They could technically reach the Nohoch Region in five or six days if the silver ant ran without any pause, but on the first night, an hour past sundown, the driver pulled their carriage to a halt by the side of the beaten road. Zora knew why they were stopping, but Machi still explained it to him as all three of them climbed out of the carriage to help with the overnight preparations. ¡°Giant-Class ants in the northwest are more active during the night. It is dangerous to ride and move quickly at night, so it is better not to ride at all,¡± she said plainly, helping Kita out as she smiled at him dryly. ¡°I will assist the driver with the unfolding of the carriage. Please entertain my lady while we prepare tonight¡¯s feast.¡± Zora wasn¡¯t going to do that, of course. The colossal fungi forest they were travelling through was dark and full of chirping, screeching terrors¡ªhe stood on watch with his hand inside his cloak, listening for any potential ambushes while the head servant and the driver got to work behind him. They pulled out the walls, removed the wheels, and turned the shoddy carriage into a tiny hut complete with stools, mattresses, and wide beaded nets that served as doors, walls, and anti-bug curtains, allowing them to sleep outdoors without getting stung by a dozen Critter-Class bugs throughout the night. He¡¯d never had anything like this during his long march. He¡¯d always carved out a small hollow in a tree or a boulder and slept in it, occasionally using a giant mushroom cap as a rolling door to protect him from the creepy crawlies. This carriage was fancy stuff. Kita, of course, tried to help with the carriage unfolding, but the driver and the head servant were far too fast. Within minutes, they¡¯d set up the entire hut and were collecting stones and twigs around the forest to set up the fire pit, telling Kita to rest on one of the stools. Once the anti-bug nets were unfurled and covering every inch of their little campsite, Zora stepped in and attempted to whisper a quiet ¡®fire¡¯ onto the twigs, but the driver beat him to it. The young man in the tattered cloak sparked two kitchen knives together and immediately lit the twigs aflame, warmth crackling and burning the shadows of the forest away. Impressive. The driver may be an outside driver, but you don¡¯t get in the business of running lanes through fungi forests by being a civilian, either. ¡°... There is complimentary dinner service,¡± the man said, taking out a rugged leather book from inside his cloak as three of them sat around the bonfire, shifting on their stools. Machi was still walking around, pulling boxes of fresh ingredients out from hidden compartments. ¡°I am Ifas, hailing from the Sharaji Desert, and I can cook anything you want from this cookbook of mine. I have the ingredients. Simply ask and I shall deliver.¡± Kita widened her eyes, accepting the cookbook with both hands. As she flipped through the pages and grew increasingly surprised¡ªprobably at the sheer variety of dishes the driver could whip up¡ªZora let go of his wand under his cloak and smiled, looking straight ahead at Ifas. ¡°Do you know any dishes from the Mori Masif Front?¡± he asked in the Sharaji tongue. The man raised his brows for a short moment, evidently surprised, before his lips twisted into a delighted grin. ¡°Would all of you be up for some spiced serpent skewers for appetisers, and then the chef¡¯s selection for the rest of tonight¡¯s feast?¡± Ifas said in the local tongue, looking to Kita for acknowledgement as well. ¡°The menu¡¯s for people who can read, but most folks don¡¯t bother with it. I can do food from the Mori Masif Front¡­ unless the little miss isn¡¯t comfortable with food for commoners?¡± Kita frowned and opened her mouth as though to protest, but Zora smiled, plucking the menu out of her hands and returning it to the man before she could say anything. ¡°We¡¯ll have what you want to serve. I am looking forward to a taste of home, though.¡± Ifas whistled, tossing the menu onto the driver¡¯s seat as Machi handed him a box of ingredients labelled ¡®southeastern¡¯ in messy handwriting. ¡°I see there¡¯ll be a tough judge among us. In that case, I¡¯ll be sure not to disappoint.¡± With that said, the driver got to cooking around the fire. While Kita called Machi over to sit with them¡ªand the diligent head servant was reluctant to leave her post until Zora nodded as well, tapping his earlobes to say he had everyone covered¡ªIfas pulled out an iron skillet, metal sticks, and a chopping board from out of nowhere. The moment the man popped open the box of fresh ingredients was the moment Zora stopped paying close attention as well. Ifas was a fast worker. He diced garlic into fine pieces, tossed fern shoots on the skillet over the fire, and steamed rice on the side with a smaller fire in a tiny pot. So much was going on so quickly, and the man only had two hands. Zora looked at Machi pointedly, who looked at Kita accusingly, but Kita gave them both puzzled shakes of her head. The Salaqa Lord was the one who¡¯d hired Ifas, then, and Zora had simply never seen a chef of his caliber. ¡°... So, where are y¡¯all headed?¡± Ifas asked, adding pinches of golden lotus nectar to the rice without looking at them. ¡°The northwest¡¯s a dangerous place right now, so imagine my surprise when a request came through from an anonymous employer, asking me to drive a young man all the way to Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam.¡± He glanced up for a moment to grin at Zora, and Zora wished he could see if the man had pearly white or rotten teeth. ¡°But you don¡¯t seem a wealthy man on a hush-hush tryst. You¡¯re not carrying weapons on you, either, but the young miss and her servant are. Am I correct to assume they¡¯re the bodyguards to your mercantile expertise?¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Zora gave a curt smile. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°An interesting fellow, I see,¡± Ifas hummed, stirring the pot of rice, ¡°I get the sense I shouldn¡¯t pry and prod lest the stern servant over there severs my head, but you still best be worried: apart from the Mutant-Class ants running rampant across the northwest, I hear the Capital hasn¡¯t been doing particularly well these things. Everything¡¯s crumbling down, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kita sat up straight, and Zora had half a mind to tell her to act more disinterested. ¡°How so?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you think of the Capital, Mister Ifas?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to think about?¡± Ifas shrugged. ¡°The Divine Fungus Trees are weakening, the empire''s uniqueness is getting absorbed by its neighbouring fronts with its ''railways'' and ''gentle nobles'' and overreliance on foreign trades, the Royal Capital Guards aren¡¯t moving to save anyone¡¯s asses outside of the regions next to the Capital, and they¡¯re demanding more and more annual harvests from folks like me and my boys back in the northeast. I hear the Four Families have even upped the bounties for that Worm Mage and Thousand Tongue¡¯s head recently¡ªthey¡¯ve even shelled out months¡¯ worth of Capital income to call in some of the continent¡¯s best assassins.¡± He shook his head, sighing in dismay. ¡°If they¡¯ve got that kind of money to throw around, they should be tossing a few bones back at us common folk. My boys can barely afford to eat back home.¡± ¡°The continent¡¯s best assassins?¡± Zora asked, his ears perking a little as he clasped his hands in his lap. ¡°I¡¯ve not heard about those bounties. When did the Four Families up the reward on those warlords¡¯ heads?¡± Machi and Kita both shot him a scowl, and he felt inclined to shoot them both a wry smile back, but Ifas didn¡¯t seem to notice either way. ¡°Just a few days ago, I think,¡± the man said. ¡°Lots of shady talk about it where I lived, eastern Salaqa Ik¡¯Balam. Word on the street is, a few notorious assassins have already answered the call. A couple of Blackwing Couriers from the Mori Masif Front. A few exiled Mortifera from the Plagueplain Front. One or two Pioneers from the Rampaging Hinterland Front. Even a few from that City of Feasts, I hear.¡± Ifas looked up from his stirring pot again, grinning at Kita this time. ¡°All specialists in subterfuge, infiltration, and making bloody slaughters appear like simple bug extermination missions gone wrong. They''re the very best assassins humanity has to offer.¡± Zora wouldn¡¯t have noticed it if he weren¡¯t blind, but there was just the slightest twitch of facial muscles on Kita¡¯s end at the man¡¯s final comment. Machi dipped her head as well and reached behind her skirt discreetly for her knife, but Kita took a deep breath and shook her head just as discreetly, warning her attendant not to touch a hair on the man¡¯s body. Machi clenched her jaw and looked a little miffed, but she was a loyal attendant after all. She wouldn¡¯t dare defy her lady¡¯s wishes, even if it was quite obvious Ifas had already figured out, at the very least, who Kita and Machi were. If not Machi, Kita alone was a public figure in Salaqa Ik¡¯Balam. Of course a local from the city would recognise her at a glance. That meant he also knew bringing up the word ¡®assassins¡¯ would trouble Kita and members of the Salaqa Household, and deliberately provoked her for some reason. Why? Testing his client¡¯s boundaries to see how far he can go with his jokes? I suppose we will be spending many days and meals together, so it¡¯s all fine and normal for a driver to figure out which lines he¡¯s allowed to cross, but¡­ a tease like that requires extraordinary bravery. I see the Salaqa Lord has hired quite the unusual driver. Ifas sighed aloud, pulling out a handful of dried nuts and mangosteel slices and scattering them across the steaming skillet. ¡°It¡¯s a big humiliation for the nobles of the empire, having to hire assassins outside of the empire just to take down two men, but if you ask me? It just about serves them right. For all their strength, the nobles hardly fight on the frontlines against the Swarm anymore, especially those¡­ what were they called again? The Five Princesses of the Royal Ayapucha Military Academy? So much money and resources invested in them, and I guarantee they¡¯ll come out of school only to screw the rest of us common folk over with their ''gentle nobleness''. If they¡¯re so strong, they should be fighting and bleeding for the empire in our stead¡ªlike the old nobles used to, over a decade ago before they spoiled you and stopped sending you younglings to war,¡± He stole another glance at Kita, amused at her trembling expression. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right, little miss¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± she snapped, and Machi immediately reached for the knife behind her skirt again. Zora grabbed the head servant¡¯s hand, stopping her with a slow dip of his head. While he was glad to finally see the young noble princess crack a little¡ªbreaking etiquette and that facade of someone acting older than they really were¡ªthe fact was, she put her hand over her mouth almost immediately after snapping at Ifas and composed herself again, forcing herself to simmer down. If nothing else, that self-control was admirable, and Zora had a few words he wanted to say to the man. ¡°... Expecting the fruit to rot before its season of ripening is an odd way to tend a garden,¡± he said, smiling straight at Ifas. ¡°Blaming the rain for the flood doesn¡¯t do much to stop the water, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Ifas clicked his tongue, humming nonchalantly as he continued flipping his skillet. ¡°I guess so. In any case, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing those two warlords have to worry about. The Capital just dumped months¡¯ worth of income on a bunch of severed heads that¡¯ll never make it to the warlords, after all?¡± Zora narrowed his eyes. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°When they called in the continent¡¯s best assassins, they also called in the Death God.¡± Ifas shrugged. ¡°If they were going to call in everyone, they should¡¯ve just called in the Death God, because it¡¯s been¡­ what? Five, six days since that call went out? If any other assassins accepted the call, they¡¯re already dead. I hear the Death God hates sharing their target with other assassins.¡± Neither Zora nor Kita reacted to the name, but Machi raised a brow. Evidently, the head servant knew a little something about this ¡®Death God¡¯, but Zora had never heard of them before. Were they an assassin powerful enough to actually sneak up on him with his hyper-enhanced hearing? Perhaps I should be a little wary, then, if even Machi looks a bit worried for my head. There was no doubt about it now, though. The Royal Capital Guards may not pursue him all the way to the northwest, but there¡¯d be assassins, Mutant-Classes, and perhaps even another warlord for him to contest with. He wasn¡¯t excited to fight by any means¡ªand he especially didn¡¯t want to drag Kita into anything too dangerous¡ªbut he might have to whip out his book of peculiar tactics if he wanted to regain control of the northwest for the Salaqa Lord. It was going to be a long, long three months. And there was no better way to start the journey with a plate of steaming hot serpent skewers. ¡°... Tastes just like home,¡± he said, smiling softly as he chewed on his skewer. ¡°You have my regards, Ifas. And do tell me more about the northwest while we continue onwards.¡± Ifas dipped his head as he served Kita and Machi their plates as well. ¡°Happy to be of service, sir.¡± Chapter 53 - Nohoch IkBalam The carriage started slowing down as the silver wheels ground against the stone-paved roads of Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam. Zora tilted his head, taking in the sounds of the city. His hearing filled the gaps his eyes couldn¡¯t see¡ªthe heavy groan of northern trains pulling loaded carts, the distant clang of hammers against chunks of raw ore, and the constant hum of a dozen bartering tongues filled his ears. Supposedly, this was the beating heart of the northwest: both a transit and a mining city that every man, woman, and child had to pass to get anywhere else in the empire. ¡°All roads in the northwest lead here,¡± Machi said from her seat across the table, her voice even and composed. ¡°More ore and mineral goods pass through this city than any other borough in the empire. Without Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, the entire northwest would not be able to prove its use to the Capital.¡± ¡®Prove its use¡¯¡ªas if a living, beating city of this scale needed a reason to exist. Flat-topped temples of all shapes and sizes were interspersed throughout the buildings, their stone walls etched with patterns of giant ants locked in eternal procession. The types of mushroom trees planted and grown by the sidewalks changed every street or so to indicate they¡¯d rolled into a different district. He didn¡¯t even have to listen to the actual conversations underneath the hustle and bustle. This wasn¡¯t just a transit and mining city. There were enough travellers and outsiders here to start a small diplomatic dispute should anything happen to them. All things considered, Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam seemed like the city connecting the Attini Empire to the rest of the continent as well, so it stood to reason why Ifas could pull over right by the side of the main street to let the three of them out. They were in empire territory, but they weren¡¯t in empire territory. Assassins were always going to be a nuisance, but no Royal Capital Guard would be coming here to mess with Zora¡¯s day. ¡°... Here you go,¡± Ifas grunted, stepping around the opened door to help Kita and Machi out as he grinned at Zora. ¡°The trip to Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam has already been paid in full by your benefactor, so what¡¯s the plan from here out? Do you need me to stick around for the ride back to the Salaqa Region?¡± Zora thought for a moment as he climbed out of the carriage. Hiring a driver to anchor around a foreign region wasn¡¯t cheap, especially when they¡¯d probably be here for a few months at the very least. ¡°No need, good man,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s too expensive. We can figure things out with another driver when it¡¯s time for us to¡ª¡± Kita put a hand to his mouth, the sound accompanied by the rustling of her uniform. ¡°No need to worry about that.¡± There was a faint clink as she withdrew a heavy purse from her pocket. ¡°How much do you charge for a week¡¯s anchoring?¡± Ifas let out a low whistle as she poured a small mountain of coins into his cupped hands. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say it usually depends on where I¡¯m being told to anchor around, but this¡¯ll do for half a year, at the very least,¡± he said, a grin in his voice. ¡°Thank you, little miss. I¡¯ll find myself an inn and take a vacation while I¡¯m at it. Whenever you need my services, I¡¯ll be there. Just call me over with this.¡± Zora watched the driver press something into Kita¡¯s outstretched hand. Its smooth surface and ridges gave away its purpose immediately, though the design that was in the shape of a human skull was a tad bit¡­ excessive. ¡°A trinket from my homeland,¡± Ifas said, dipping into a curt, shoddy bow. ¡°Blow the whistle, and I¡¯ll hear it wherever I am. Be warned, though¡ªI¡¯m sure the sound will give anyone nearby a fright for their life.¡± With that, Ifas hopped back onto his driver¡¯s seat and cracked the reins, riding his silver ant carriage away. Zora¡¯s ears lingered on the sounds of the turning wheels for a few more seconds before he glanced at the whistle in Kita¡¯s hand. ¡­ A death whistle, hm? ¡°This way,¡± Machi said, calm as ever as she beckoned the two of them to follow. ¡°Welcome to Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, by the way. We do not need to fear being pursued by any Royal Capital Guards here. We can walk with our heads held high.¡± The morning sun was merciless over the city as the three of them paced towards the centre of the district. The warmth soaked into the air, mingling with the constant buzz of life that made the city feel¡­ well, alive. It wasn¡¯t cold and dreary like some of the northeastern boroughs he¡¯d been to. The rhythmic clatter of wheels on rail tracks, the shouted exchanges of merchants bargaining over mined ore, and the occasional hiss of steam as machinery exhaled from some unseen workshop¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the first mining city he¡¯d passed through, but the scale of it was staggering. He was totally content with just walking in silence so he could sightsee with his ears, but Kita had other plans. ¡°Zora,¡± she began, her voice curious and a bit cautious. ¡°Do you¡­ not have much money on you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± he replied bluntly. The princess and her servant stopped mid-step, shoes skidding slightly against the uneven stone road. ¡°... None? At all?¡± ¡°None,¡± he repeated, turning his head slightly in their direction. ¡°Then¡­ how did you survive the last two years on the road? Don¡¯t tell me you¡ª¡± ¡°Camped most of the time.¡± ¡°In the fungi forests?¡± ¡°And most times I ate what I found. Or I took food from the strongholds I passed through.¡± ¡°Of all the things you could¡¯ve taken from the strongholds, you took food?¡± He shrugged listlessly. ¡°A hungry ghost resides in a hungry body.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Kita sighed, the sound heavy with exasperation. ¡°And what about clothes? Basic daily amenities? Shelter?¡± ¡°Improvised. Whittled out of wood. I carved mushroom hollows into caves and lived in them. You¡¯d be surprised at how warm the inside of a mushroom can get when you can summon fire with your breath.¡± ¡°... You¡¯ve been living like a stray ant.¡± ¡°Works for me.¡± Kita let out a deep breath before reaching into her uniform again. He heard the faint rustle of fabric and the clink of coins as she pulled out a pouch and handed it to him. ¡°Take this,¡± she said firmly. ¡°A thousand silvers. I know it¡¯s not a lot, but whenever you need more, just come to either me or Machi. We¡¯ll give you¡ª¡± ¡°What for?¡± he asked jokingly, accepting the pouch without protest. ¡°To wit, there is nothing in this world that cannot be solved with magic. I could speak ¡®bend thy knees and hand over all thine possessions¡¯, and there is a real, solid chance that a third of the children in this city will just¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about robbing people with your voice,¡± Kita muttered. ¡°And if you¡¯re going to be wandering around the empire as an affiliate of the Salaqa Household, then you must conduct yourself in a noble, dignified manner. If you need something done, it¡¯s better to solve it with money than to risk your life and reputation doing¡­ whatever it is you¡¯ve been doing the past two years.¡± Zora hummed as he pocketed the pouch, but he didn¡¯t outright agree to her final request. As they continued down the street, the sounds of the city enveloped them even harder, even louder. He started focusing on the actual conversations around him. As a hub of commerce and culture drawing people from all across the continent, he picked up fragments of dialects he hadn¡¯t heard in years¡ªsharp and clipped tones from southeastern Kichel, lilting cadences from merchants in northeastern Ixnal, and raspy, breathless voices signature to people who worked closely with the Divine Fungus Trees. Including those who worked with the Divine Fungus Tree in Nohock¡¯Ikbalam, there were probably loads of people from the other Divine Fungus Trees as well. But nobody here is from the Capital. At least, nobody¡¯s speaking the far southern tongues. ¡°It¡¯s a good breeding ground for rumors,¡± he mused aloud. Kita glanced at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A place like this,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely toward the surrounding streets. ¡°People from all across the empire come here to cut their lips loose. If someone knows someone who knows something about Decima, they¡¯ll be here.¡± Kita frowned slightly. ¡°Do you really think she¡¯d leave a trail here when my father hasn¡¯t found a single clue in well over half a decade?¡± ¡°No. But people like to talk. And if we¡¯re assuming Decima has influence across the entire empire¡ªeven if the Capital¡¯s powerful military influence doesn¡¯t exactly extend to here¡ªsomeone here has to share the same suspicions as your father, and if there¡¯s one thing you can count on, it¡¯s that ill weeds grow apace. Delinquent students won¡¯t share their grievances when they¡¯re surrounded by honour students, but when you put them in a class full of other delinquents? They¡¯ll start talking.¡± They passed a marketplace crowded with vendors shouting over one another to advertise their goods. The scents of grilled meat, fresh mushroom stalks, and ground spices filled the air, blending into a heady aroma that clung to his senses. He paused briefly, tilting his head to listen as a trader argued with a customer over the quality of his obsidian tools¡ªnothing to note there, but he was satisfied with how people talked so freely in the northwest. He¡¯d spend the next few months combing through the districts for rumours and information about Decima, slowly and steadily. Eventually, the clamour of the marketplace gave way to the steady hum of machinery. They were entering the factory district. The pounding of giant autohammers and the hiss of molten metal being poured into molds dominated the soundscape. Workers shouted instructions to one another, their voices competing with the roar of furnaces and the screech of iron wheels grinding against rails. Knowing what he knew of Nohoch¡¯Ikbalam, Zora assumed they¡¯d find the Nohoch Lord somewhere around here¡­ probably in the largest factory dead centre of the district, which was just right in front of them. It towered over the others, its walls reinforced with iron and adorned with even more carved reliefs of ants marching in intricate patterns. This was a place where natural and cultural tokens came to die. The air here was dense with the smell of oil and hot metal, underscored by the faint acrid tang of bioarcanic essence used to power some of the more advanced machinery¡ªthere was no ¡®softness¡¯ here. No ¡®peace¡¯, no ¡®comfort¡¯. War machines and weapons would be rolled out of the giant tunnels extending from the back of the factory, and then they¡¯d be sent to the far southern frontlines to be destroyed in battles against the Swarm. Appropriately, as the three of them approached the factory gate, a group of guards posted in front of it stepped forth to block their way. The clinking of the obsidian-tipped spears and the measured cadence of their footsteps suggested a well-trained unit. There were even several guards posted on watchtowers flanking both sides of the gate, pointing rifles down at them. ¡°Halt!¡± one of the frontline guards barked. ¡°State your business.¡± Zora instinctively rubbed his throat, grimacing at the sheer number of rifle barrels pointed at them. He didn¡¯t think he had to fling any spell at them, but he couldn¡¯t let Kita or Machi get hurt. He didn¡¯t even want to risk a single bullet being fired in this district. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem like he had to do anything. ¡°Stand down,¡± a new voice called out. It was deep and authoritative, carrying over the noise of the factory district. The frontline guards immediately stepped aside as a man emerged from behind the gate. His footsteps were deliberate, and the faint rustle of fine fabric and the weight of a metal crest tied around his left sleeve told Zora everything he needed to know¡ªthis man was no ordinary factory overseer. But what kind of lord greets his guest by the door? A brave one, or a foolish one? ¡°... Kita,¡± the man said warmly, opening his arms. ¡°Uncle Yiru!¡± Kita¡¯s tone brightened as she rushed forward to embrace him, and Machi followed her lady with a small smile. Yiru laughed, the sound rich and genuine, and patted Kita back. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Kita. How¡¯s the academy? Are you still one of those¡­ one of those ¡®Five Princesses¡¯ or something?¡± ¡°Same as always,¡± Kita replied, pulling back to grin up at him. Yiru chuckled again before turning his attention to Zora. The Nohoch Lord¡¯s footsteps approached with a deliberate calm, so Zora stood completely still, letting the man size him up. The Nohoch Lord spoke in the Nohoch tongue. ¡°And you, man in amber¡­ must be him,¡± he said. ¡°My brother sent word about you. Said you¡¯re that infamous ¡®Thousand Tongue¡¯¡ªthe Warlord of the Northeast. Do you live up to your reputation, or will you look to my niece''s servant for translation?¡± Zora smirked faintly, matching his tongue. ¡°For your information, I didn¡¯t pick the name.¡± Yiru raised an amused brow. ¡°Well, out here, we don¡¯t much care for the Capital¡¯s labels,¡± he said, his tone lighter. ¡°If my brother trusts you, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± Behind Yiru, more people emerged from the factory¡ªAnt Class workers in soot-streaked clothes, their chitin-armoured faces lit with curiosity and warmth. They called out to Kita, some clapping her on the shoulder or teasing her about her time in the Salaqa Region. Zora hung back while Yiru smiled at Kita and Machi, letting the greetings unfold. The camaraderie reminded him of his own days at Amadeus Academy. He could almost hear the echoes of laughter and whispered conversations from late-night study sessions, the shared moments of triumph and defeat¡ªfleeting memories, of course, but it left him feeling unexpectedly wistful. He immediately felt like he wasn¡¯t going to get shot by any of Yiru¡¯s men. ¡°... Come inside,¡± Yiru said, turning around and gesturing for him to follow. ¡°We have much to discuss.¡± Chapter 54 - Swarmsteel Factories The rhythmic clang of metal against metal echoed through the factory, mingling with the hiss of steam and the low hum of machinery. Zora, Kita, and Machi followed Yiru as he led them deeper into the factory. They were walking a good ten metres off the ground on zigzagging metal bridges hung on chains and wires, and though he couldn¡¯t see it, the sheer size of the factory made Zora feel small. His hearing painted a relatively vivid picture below him: hot air thick with the tang of molten metal. Vibrations of heavy machinery running through the floor. Faint scents of metal shavings and melted wax blending in with the earthy tang of dried insect carapaces and acrid smoke from the forges. He didn¡¯t miss the relentless noise of workers shouting over the cacophony, either. He looked quietly down at the conveyor belts and scrambling workers as Yiru walked ahead of them, his gilded cloak swaying with his steps. ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yiru said, his voice cutting through the noise. ¡°Welcome to the Nohoch Household¡¯s pride and joy¡ªwe run, control, and oversee almost all the major Swarmsteel weapons and equipment factories in the northwest, and this is but one of many hundreds of factories we have scattered across the empire¡­ though, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already noticed it¡¯s hardly running at its full glory.¡± There were dozens upon hundreds of stacked crates filled with raw materials and half-finished parts on the ground. Workers in soot-streaked uniforms bustled around. Massive gears turned slowly in the walls, pulleys creaked as chains hoisted heavy loads toward higher platforms, and heat-giving veins of steam pulsed faintly along pipes that snaked across the walls and ceiling¡ªZora tilted his head, arms crossed behind his back, and still struggled to comprehend everything in its entirety. ¡°It¡¯s still an incredible factory,¡± he murmured. ¡°Fully operational or not, this is more moving steel than I have ever seen in my short, meagre life.¡± Then he paused, turned, and gave the Nohoch Lord a wry smile. ¡°There was a fitness building in Amadeus Academy with clockwork elevator mechanisms, you see, but none quite as advanced as this. I never understood how any of them worked.¡± Yiru grinned. ¡°We don''t do elevators in the empire, so I''m out of my depth there. And I must admit, the empire¡¯s not half as advanced as the Rampaging Hinterland Front or even the Plagueplain Front. They¡¯re leagues ahead in Swarmsteel advancements, but what we lack in innovation and technological prowess, we make up for in sheer numbers. We are an empire of ants, after all.¡± Zora continued to listen carefully, ignoring Kita and Machi looking around like tourists behind him. He¡¯d only ever heard of Swarmsteel in theory¡ªcrafted from insect parts, they were bioarcanic tools, machines, and weapons powered by bioarcanic essence. Among the bioarcanic constructs, there was a special class of equipment by the name of ''Symbiosteel'', which were parasitic equipment capable of giving attribute levels to the wearer. In order for Symbiosteel to give attribute levels to the wearer, they had to come in physical contact with the wearer¡¯s skin, at which point the equipment would biologically latch on like a parasite and offer its strength to the wearer. The special abilities and number of attribute levels offered depended on the quality of the Symbiosteel, but generally speaking, the higher grade the Symbiosteel, the more power it¡¯d offer. There was a catch to equipping Symbiosteel, though: if someone with an Ant Class equipped Symbiosteel not made out of ants, the Symbiosteel would sting their skin, and the higher grade the Symbiosteel, the stronger the pain. In that sense, they were almost class-specific equipment, and considering Zora had never stumbled across another magicicada in the past two years, he¡¯d never bothered with equipping any Symbiosteel made out of ants or bees or beetles, even if some of them looked like they¡¯d give him plenty of attribute levels. He needed clarity of mind when casting his spells, and constant pain just wouldn¡¯t help him do that. Now, Symbiosteel could be as simple as ripping an ant leg off, scooping out the flesh, and then wearing the chitin as defensive bracers that''d give additional levels in toughness, but he imagined what the Six Swarmsteel Fronts were mass-producing for their soldiers weren¡¯t nearly as simple. ¡°The Attini Empire prioritises mass-production of extremely simple Swarmsteel blades and armour to outfit all of their soldiers with,¡± Zora said, staring pointedly down at the conveyor belts littered with half-finished blades and half-formed ant helmets, ¡°but take a gander at the Rampaging Hinterland¡¯s factories, and you¡¯ll find them forging giant Swarmsteel parts that come together to form a giant Inorganic Armours. Glance over to the Plagueplain Front, and you¡¯ll see their arcane forges crafting Swarmsteel trinkets and artefacts so toxic they¡¯d melt your eyes at just a single look.¡± ¡°Indeed. Different Swarmsteel Fronts across the continent have different priorities when it comes to the type of equipment we forge for our soldiers,¡± Yiru said. ¡°In any case, one dead Giant-Class ant can feed perhaps five soldiers on the frontline¡ªgive them each about twenty points to work with¡ªbut the same Giant-Class ant can be deconstructed into its raw parts to create ten Symbiosteel helmets made out of ant chitin, giving ten soldiers each one additional level in toughness.¡± ¡°More power to the masses. Which is exactly the Attini Empire¡¯s strategy against the Swarm.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t to say we don¡¯t try to produce more advanced Swarmsteel,¡± Yiru said, noting his curiosity and pointing down at a particular section of the factory. ¡°Have you ever been in one of those, Thousand Tongue?¡± They turned a corner on the suspended bridge, entering a massive hall dominated by a half-completed vehicle sitting on a long rail. Workers swarmed around it like ants, hammering metal plates into place and fitting intricate mechanisms along its segmented body. Zora had heard of it before. It was something called a ¡®train¡¯, and its many wheels could only run on tracks painstakingly built and lay across the land. It resembled a giant serpent, almost, with its many linked carriages and the bullet-shaped head. ¡°No,¡± Zora admitted, running his hand along the railings as he felt the vibrations from the work below. ¡°I have never been a rich man.¡± ¡°You should try it someday,¡± Yiru said. ¡°This particular design comes from the Rampaging Hinterland Front in the far northeast. Ingenious people there¡ªjust what you¡¯d expect from the people who figured out how to forge giant Inorganic Armours capable of going toe to toe with titan bugs. We bought the blueprints from them about a decade ago, and the railways across the empire¡¯s northwest were laid down about five years ago, but unfortunately, running these trains along our railways is a nightmare these days. Transit in and out of Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam have slowed to a crawl.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Kita asked, craning her neck to look at a few workers perched on scaffolds above, fixing the pipes. Yiru sighed. ¡°Our trade and supply routes are being disrupted by nocturnal bugs¡ªprimarily Giant-Class ants of all types and kinds. They¡¯re lords of the night. Masters of hit-and-run tactics. They ambush our caravans at night, steal the parts and materials we need for regular maintenance of the trains and railways, and vanish before our guards can even react. It¡¯s left us with many half-finished projects, idle workers, and a growing backlog of Capital contracts we can¡¯t fulfill.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Kita frowned. ¡°Can you not request for stronger guards, uncle? My father certainly knows about the plight in the northwest. He would¡ª¡± ¡°If only it were that simple.¡± Yiru¡¯s laugh was dry. ¡°Just any old guard wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to protect the factory from those bugs. And as for requesting help from the Capital... well, let¡¯s just say the northwest¡¯s relationship with the Four Families is less than ideal. We can¡¯t request Spore Knights or Royal Capital Guards without groveling, and I¡¯d rather chew my own boot than do that.¡± They moved past the train and into smaller sections of the factory. The further they went, the quieter it became¡ªnot because the factory was less busy, but because many of the machines weren¡¯t running. Zora¡¯s ears picked up the absence of motion, the stillness of conveyor belts, and the faint murmur of workers idling by their stations. ¡°This is what we¡¯re dealing with,¡± Yiru said, gesturing broadly. ¡°The caravans and railways aren¡¯t running, which means no materials, which means no progress made on defending the northwest with weapons and equipment we don¡¯t have. It¡¯s a vicious cycle, and it¡¯s bleeding us dry.¡± As they climbed a set of stairs toward Yiru¡¯s overseer office, the sounds of the factory began to fade, replaced by a faint breeze coming through a window. They were on the highest level of the factory, and the office was a cluttered space that smelled faintly of ink and parchment. Maps and charts covered the walls, their surfaces dotted with pins and strings connecting key locations. A large desk in the center of the room was piled high with ledgers, reports, and stacks of correspondence. Yiru motioned for them to enter, then closed the door behind them. Zora noticed the man was hurried as if he didn''t want anyone to overhear their conversation. ¡°This is where I¡¯ve been spending my nights,¡± Yiru said, gesturing broadly at his office, ¡°Or at least, where I try to make sense of the chaos in the northwest.¡± While Kita and Machi looked around, likely appraising the living standards of the office for someone of Yiru¡¯s standings, Zora brushed his fingers against the edge of the desk before the window. Though he couldn¡¯t see the maps, he could feel the weight of the space¡ªthe layers of decisions, plans, and responsibilities that rested on the Nohoch Lord¡¯s shoulders. At least he¡¯s been trying to figure out a way to deal with the bugs attacking his railways by himself. That¡¯s far and beyond what the other regional lords have been doing in the northeast before I stumbled upon them. ¡°This is the entire northwest region. Every cross you see here,¡± Yiru said, moving to one of the maps and tapping it with his finger while the two girls continued pacing around the office, ¡°marks a factory, mining village, or supply route that¡¯s been hit by a brood¡ª¡± ¡°You really are brothers,¡± Zora mumbled. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m blind.¡± Yiru blinked. ¡°... Of course. Here.¡± He stepped around his desk, rummaged through a drawer, and pulled out a wooden map with carved symbols and lines. Handing it to Zora, he said, ¡°This one¡¯s engraved. You should be able to feel the layout¡­ I hope.¡± Zora took the wooden board, ran his fingers over the map, and traced the raised lines and symbols. He frowned when he felt the sheer number of crosses peppered across the entire northwest. ¡°Those,¡± Yiru explained once again, ¡°are the places that have been attacked. Our railways, trade routes, supply lines¡ªall being disrupted. Without our materials coming into our factories on time, we¡¯re stuck. And without the factory running at full capacity, this entire region is at risk of¡ª¡± ¡°If I¡¯m feeling this right,¡± Zora interrupted, scowling mightily, ¡°half of the empire¡¯s northwestern territory is being ravaged by the Swarm right now? And the Capital really is lending none of you any aid?¡± Yiru sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the window. ¡°That¡¯s the long and short of it, yes. The Capital doesn¡¯t care much about the outer regions anymore. Not when the southern front is on the verge of collapse. The Swarm there is worse¡ªbigger, smarter, more organized. If the Capital loses control of the south, it¡¯s over for everyone.¡± ¡°So they¡¯ll just leave the northwest to rot?¡± Kita said, her voice grated. Yiru nodded, sharing her tone. ¡°To them, the outer regions are expendable. The Capital is what truly matters. They¡¯d rather cede these lands to the Swarm than risk spreading their forces too thin and losing control of their precious city. It¡¯s a cruel calculation considering eighty percent of the empire¡¯s population resides outside the Capital, but it¡¯s a practical one from their point of view.¡± ¡°Practical?¡± Kita¡¯s fists clenched at her sides, her frustration radiating off her in waves. ¡°All this defensive posturing¡ªthey¡¯ll just let the outer regions crumble one by one until there¡¯s nothing left but the Capital. And then what? Is that really their grand plan? To cling to one city while the rest of the empire burns?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t believe the Capital can fall,¡± Yiru said flatly, meeting Kita¡¯s fiery glare with calm resignation. ¡°It¡¯s the heart of the empire, fortified for decades. They believe as long as the Capital stands, the empire will survive. That¡¯s why they¡¯re willing to throw everything into defending it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not survival,¡± Kita mumbled. ¡°That''s a slow defeat.¡± Yiru gave a dry chuckle, though there was no humor in it. ¡°This has been the reality for years. It¡¯s a losing war.¡± Then the Nohoch Lord glanced at Zora. For his part, he was still feeling the wooden board with his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not just the empire, either. The Thousand Tongue surely knows this. Every Swarmsteel Front is gradually losing ground to the Swarm. Every day, the bugs gain more territory, more numbers, more mutations and magic. At this rate, it won¡¯t take another decade before the Swarm overruns the entire continent. The Capital will fall just like everything else, and then we¡¯ll all die.¡± Machi shifted uneasily beside Kita, her usual stoic expression betraying a hint of unease. ¡°Are you saying there is no hope for the empire, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying hope is a luxury,¡± Yiru replied. ¡°One we don¡¯t have time for. What we need is action¡ªdecisive, ruthless action. And if the Thousand Tongue has ideas on how to reclaim the northwest and get my supply routes running again, I¡¯d love to hear them.¡± Everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Zora. For his part, he continued remaining silent, his face unreadable. Hopefully. And the question was left to hang in the air, heavy with expectation. ¡­ Finally, he straightened, brushing his fingers over the carved map one last time before letting it rest on the desk. ¡°I can do it,¡± he said. Yiru narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll re-establish the trade and supply routes,¡± Zora said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll get your railways and factories running again. All of them.¡± Kita and Machi both turned to him, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern. Yiru raised an eyebrow. ¡°I know you have a reputation in the northeast, but that¡¯s a bold claim. How, exactly, do you plan to do what the entire northwest has been failing to do for the better part of the past decade?¡± Yiru said. ¡°The bugs assailing the northwest are intuitive. Fierce. Unreasonable. They can just feel whenever we want to run a convoy, and they¡¯ll have a hundred Giant-Classes lying in ambush across the fungi forest just waiting to catch us in transit. They don¡¯t fear anything.¡± Zora stepped toward the window, his senses fixed on the faint rustles of the fungi forests far, far, far beyond Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam. He didn¡¯t need his eyes to tell¡ªthe dense canopy of oversized mushroom caps stretched as far as the horizon, and their vibrant colors were probably dulled by the early morning haze. The northwest was a beautiful place, like most other places in the Attini Empire. But he wasn¡¯t here to be a tourist. ¡°... Do you hold the rain in your hands, or merely stand beneath it and hope to understand?¡± he mused. Yiru frowned again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± He turned back to Yiru. ¡°The Swarm is not a mindless, unintelligent horde. They understand death and destruction, yes, but I am the Thousand Tongue¡ªand I will be the first to tell you they both understand more about us than you might think, and they understand less about us than they really should.¡± Then he turned to the window again, smiling softly. ¡°The Swarm uses fear to fracture you. Even if they aren¡¯t numerous enough to lock down every single railway in the northwest, you¡¯re afraid they could attack at any given moment, so you don¡¯t even try to run convoys anymore,¡± he said. ¡°We just have to use their own tactics against them.¡± Chapter 55 - Railway Kita spent the next five days studying up on the northwest¡¯s current state of affairs. She memorised all the maps of Swarm-controlled territory, read all the ambushed transit reports, and talked to as many factory workers as they were willing to entertain their lord¡¯s niece about the bugs they¡¯d seen attacking the railways¡ªand now, early in the morning, it was her turn to board a train. The sound of hammers and welding torches echoed through Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam¡¯s largest Swarmsteel factory. The train she was about to board was a hulking, beast of iron and steel: twenty carriages, over two hundred metres long, and fitted with mobile cannons on top of every carriage. They weren¡¯t quite as powerful as the anti-chitin mortars the empire¡¯s Forward Armies employed in the northern conquests, and each of them had to be manned by skilled shooters the northwest were currently lacking, but they were there. If push came to shove, the cannons could easily take out a small horde of Giant-Class bugs attempting to run along the train. Kita stood at the platform, her gloved hands resting on the hilts of her sheathed sawtooth blades. While Yiru and about two hundred factory workers bustled around them, shouting commands and hauling crates of supplies onto the cargo compartments, Zora was running circles around the engine at the very head of the train. The man was asking all sorts of questions¡ªhow the engine was fuelled, how it was constructed, how it could be deconstructed¡ªand she¡¯d admit, she hadn¡¯t pegged him for a man of science. He looked like a child seeing a train for the first time. ¡°... This is his first time getting on a train, is it not?¡± Machi said stiffly behind her, frowning at Zora. ¡°It is a reasonable reaction. You were just as excited the first time you saw a train up close and personal, my lady.¡± Kita scowled back at Machi as Zora thanked the workers doing last-minute checks on the engine. Without another word¡ªor so much as a glance her way¡ªhe hopped into the second carriage, disappearing through the ornate wooden door. Kita sucked in a sharp breath and immediately stepped forward to follow. Only, Yiru stood in her way just as she was about to board. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked bluntly. ¡°Getting on,¡± she said curtly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Her uncle folded his arms. ¡°Because it¡¯ll be dangerous. It¡¯s fine if something happens to the Thousand Tongue¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI heard that¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªbut you are the eldest and only daughter of the Salaqa Household,¡± Yiru continued, ignoring Zora poking his head out the cabin¡¯s window. ¡°If you die, you will leave my brother without an heir, and the honour of the Salaqa Household will be tarnished. It will be ruined. Is that something you want for your father?¡± Kita met his stern gaze without flinching. ¡°I won¡¯t die, uncle.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not half as invincible as you think you are. This isn¡¯t a safe trading route, it¡¯s just the least dangerous one left¡ª¡± ¡°We, of the nobility, train our entire lives to be of service to the people of the empire,¡± she said, clenching her jaw. ¡°And the ¡®Earthen Princess¡¯ wouldn¡¯t shy away from doing dirty work just to lead by example, would she?¡± Yiru grumbled, muttering something under his breath as he turned to look at his factory workers. The final checks were still going on. They¡¯d get a minute or two more, and then the train would be well on its way to the west. ¡°... How¡¯s my brother doing?¡± he eventually asked. ¡°Good,¡± she said plainly, ¡°though he talks about you every once in a while, and it¡¯s never about anything good.¡± Yiru chuckled. ¡°Figures. What¡¯s he whining about now?¡± ¡°Not being able to keep the transit region under your control,¡± she replied, a small, wry smirk on her lips. ¡°Cruel.¡± Yiru shrugged, though there was no malice in his voice. ¡°But to be fair, the world¡¯s getting worse every year. The Six Swarmsteel Fronts are weakening one by one, and none of us are even trying to work together. We¡¯re too busy fighting each other to see the bigger picture¡­ but it¡¯s not too bad.¡± His gaze shifted to Zora, who was running his hands over the train¡¯s exterior with half his body poking out the window, as if trying to memorise the texture of the carriage. ¡°In times of calamity like these, humanity is pushed deeper and deeper into a corner¡ªand without calamity, people like the Thousand Tongue and the Worm Mage cannot be born.¡± Kita didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°Tell me, though,¡± Yiru mused, ¡°what kind of man does the Thousand Tongue have to be that my brother is willing to send him alone to save the northwest?¡± Another tough question. One Kita had no answer for. Before Yiru could say anything more, though, the factory workers began shouting for everyone to clear the platforms. The train¡¯s engines roared to life¡ªa deep, guttural sound that reverberated through the factory¡ªand steam billowed from its vents. The tracks beneath it groaned as the massive worm-like machine prepared to move, and for her part, Kita wasn¡¯t asking for her uncle¡¯s permission. Kita turned to Machi, nodding hurriedly. ¡°Come on. We¡¯re getting on.¡± Her head servant followed her without question, and Yiru, though his arms were still crossed, didn¡¯t try to stop her. He simply sighed and called out at her to stay safe as she jumped on board, her boots clanking against the metal floor of the entry compartment. The factory workers outside shouted their final commands, and the train shuddered as the engine roared louder. The platform began to blur as the train lurched forward, its wheels screeching against the tracks. Kita managed to stumble through the narrow aisle and find the luxury cabin at the end of the second carriage before she could be thrown off balance¡ªit was a surprisingly elegant cabin, with plush seats and polished wood panels. Zora was already seated inside, sipping on a steaming cup of tea he¡¯d gotten from one of the overhead compartments. ¡°I see you¡¯ve already made yourself comfortable,¡± she said dryly. ¡°The Nohoch Lord said I can drink free-of-charge,¡± he replied with a small smile. ¡°So I will drink myself sick.¡± As she sat across from Zora, Machi frowned at Ifas sitting next to him. The two girls were on one side of the table, and the two men on the other. All of them glanced out the window as the factory disappeared behind them. The train was picking up speed. Fast. The sprawling colossal fungi forests they were travelling through were starting to blur, and Kita¡ªthough she¡¯d been on trains before¡ªhad never been on one this fast. She¡¯d probably feel a little sick if she stared out the window too long, so she gulped and leaned back in her seat, trying to make herself comfortable. Across from her, Zora leaned forward in his seat, tilting his head slightly as he stared outside the window with sealed eyelids. ¡°... You¡¯ve really never been on a train before, huh?¡± Kita said, trying to break the quiet. ¡°No,¡± he said, another faint smile curling at the corners of his lips. ¡°The view is quite nice, though.¡± She blinked, then let out a soft laugh. The man was blind. He knew it, she knew it, everyone in the factory knew it at this point, but nobody had grown tired of his ¡®I see¡¯ jokes yet. ¡°What are you doing here, though?¡± Machi said, raising a brow at Ifas, their driver. Ifas waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Ah, just ignore me. I¡¯m just here to make tea, cook food, and make sure all of your dietary needs are met on the way to¡­¡± He trailed off, looking at the ceiling for a moment before turning to Zora. ¡°Where are we going again?¡± ¡°Chak Penn,¡± Zora said plainly. ¡°A far northwestern mining town. One of the five biggest in the northwest. These tracks run six hours through the colossal fungi forests with no stops in between, so I will say, I¡¯m not so sure we need a chef to take care of our dietary needs when we¡¯ll make it to Chak Penn by teatime.¡± Ifas waved a hand dismissively again. ¡°Bah. The little miss paid me to be on retainer for you guys, so I¡¯ll be on retainer at all times. Whether you find me useful or not is up to you.¡± Then he clicked his tongue at the small steaming kettle on the low table between them, grinning at Kita as he did. ¡°Come on, little miss. I brewed a Sharaji Desert special just for you. While you savour my ¡®Tea of Solar Delight¡¯, I¡¯ll just go outside for a bit to use the bathroom. Come with me, Machi.¡± Machi furrowed her brows with visible irritation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come. Show me the bathroom. I don¡¯t know where it is.¡± ¡°And why would I know where it is?¡± ¡°Just come.¡± With that, the young driver grabbed Machi¡¯s wrist and pulled her out of the cabin, squabbling all the way. As the cabin door slid shut next to Kita, her gaze shifted back to the steaming kettle. There was a strong, pungent herbal smell coming from it, and while she didn¡¯t want to be rude, she didn¡¯t really feel like pouring herself a cup of ¡®Solar Delight¡¯. Thankfully, Zora could read minds better than he could sightsee, because he pulled her empty cup in with a quiet ¡°to me¡± and poured himself a new cup¡ªwith his spell once again, of course. He didn¡¯t even bother using his own two hands to pick up the kettle. His Art is convenient. But¡­ I can do the same with mine, no? She still hadn¡¯t told him what her class-specific magic was, but she knew everything about his. He was quite the infamous man, after all. But if there was one thing she wanted to know, though¡­ Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, exactly?¡± she asked, her fingers tapping against the armrest as she glanced out the windows, catching flickers and blurs of giant mushrooms speeding past them. ¡°Why are we on a train to Chak Penn again?¡± Zora smiled cordially, taking a sip of his tea. ¡°According to the Nohoch Lord¡¯s maps, this is the only railway that has yet to be attacked. The Nohoch Lord has been intentionally holding off any trains to the Chak Penn ever since the ambushes started a few years back, but now that this one¡¯s moving¡­¡± He gestured vaguely outside the windows. ¡°It¡¯s almost guaranteed we¡¯re going to be attacked. Either on the way there or on the way back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not disagreeing with that,¡± she said slowly, ¡°but why, exactly, do we want to be attacked?¡± ¡°Because the attacks on the railways in the northwest are too coordinated to be random,¡± he said. ¡°There are five main railways across the region leading to Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, and dozens of smaller branch railways connecting other mining towns, refinery outposts, and Swarmsteel factories. The bugs hit four of the main railways first, crippling the major routes, then moved on to the smaller ones. It¡¯s systematic. Strategic. There¡¯s intelligence behind it¡­ probably a Mutant-Class or two pulling the strings.¡± Kita¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°A Mutant-Class? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Come on. It¡¯s not exactly military academy theory, but instinct alone doesn¡¯t weave webs of strategy¡ªthere is a spider behind the swarm, and we must lure it out. Not literally, by the way. I doubt it is actually a spider behind this,¡± he said, shrugging nonchalantly. ¡°For the record, I am still against you boarding this train. The Mutant-Class¡ªor Mutant-Classes¡ªmay not show up to ambush us right this morning, but they will eventually show themselves. There will be a fight.¡± She had to resist clenching her fists. ¡°I¡¯m already here, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± he continued, ¡°you¡¯d be better off getting stronger at your military academy instead of chasing danger. Most of your noble friends are probably partying or vacationing in the Capital during their break, and here you are, riding into Swarm-infested territory with a known warlord. Don¡¯t you want to enjoy your break somewhere nicer?¡± Her jaw tightened, and she looked away. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit there and do nothing.¡± Zora fell silent then, his expression unreadable. After a few minutes, Kita glanced back at the man, her lips thinning into a line. ¡°Just¡­¡± she began, trailing off as she wondered how best to put her thoughts into words. ¡°Just how much do you know about the Salaqa Household, after all?¡± He shrugged again. ¡°I remember, more or less, the accolades given to the current Salaqa Lord several decades ago. The news made rounds across the continent. Your father was a war general who first made his name known among the rings of nobility by slaying five Mutant-Classes on the far southern frontlines¡ªrather high-rank Mutant-Classes, I remember¡ªand from there, he leveraged the eyes on his back to build up his reputation as strong, dependable lord of the outer regions. To put it lightly, he was on the fast track to turning the Salaqa Household into one of the Four Families, replacing¡­ the Atta Household?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the right one.¡± He snapped his fingers, leaning back in his seat. ¡°But then the incident happened. The Salaqa Lord reached too high, became too ambitious, and then he fell from grace. The entire household was kicked out of Empress¡¯ inner circle and returned to lord over the outer region right outside the Capital. The rise and fall of your family¡¯s influence was a story I followed closely as a student, though at the time, I never thought I¡¯d get to meet the direct heir of the Salaqa Lord.¡± ¡­ Kita swallowed the knot tightening in her throat, trying to piece together the words she wanted to say. She didn¡¯t know why it was so hard to look the Thousand Tongue in the face. His expression remained unchanged, calm and unreadable. She felt she could study him all day long and still fail to get used to his unsettling, quiet confidence. Maybe it was his magic voice. Maybe it was the way he seemed to know everything and nothing all at once¡ªa blind man who saw too much¡ªthat made chills crawl up her spine whenever he spoke. Whatever the case, though, he was dangerous in a way she couldn¡¯t put into words¡­ yet her thoughts spiraled on as her gaze lingered on his serene expression. His smile never faltered, and yet his presence seemed to fill the cabin, pressing against her as if demanding she reveal something. Anything. So Kita sucked in a breath, gathering her courage. If she couldn¡¯t trust him with the truth, who else was there to tell? ¡°... You do know about the incident,¡± she said finally, her voice softer than she intended. Zora tilted his head, his expression turning thoughtful. ¡°I know of it. But a name alone doesn¡¯t make it familiar.¡± Kita gave a weak chuckle, her fingers curling around the hilts of her blades. ¡°Of course not. My father ¡®reaching too high¡¯ was the official reason for our household¡¯s downfall, after all.¡± ¡°Care to enlighten me with more hearsay, then?¡± ¡°Ten years ago, my father, mother, and older twin sister were investigating something. Traces of a bug infiltration within the Empress¡¯ inner circle,¡± she began. Her voice faltered for a moment, but she forced herself to continue after a heavy gulp. ¡°My father had just gotten himself into the inner circle, and he took notice of¡­ strange happenings. He already told you as much during dinner. And he must¡¯ve gotten too close to finding something¡ªtoo close to finding the truth¡ªbecause eight years ago, assassins were sent to our manor.¡± Zora¡¯s smile softened, but he didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°Officially, it was sabotage. Assassins from other Swarmsteel Fronts saw an opportunity to take out an up-and-coming noble about to lead his household into the Empress¡¯ inner circle,¡± she said quietly. ¡°But¡­ I was there that night, eight years ago. I saw them when they burned down the manor. I saw when they plunged a dagger through my mother¡¯s chest and crushed my older sister¡¯s legs with a carriage. The assassins weren¡¯t from the other Swarmsteel Fronts¡ªthey were from the Capital. And they spoke¡­¡± Her voice caught, her eyes closing as the memories of the night washed over her. ¡°They spoke in a strange, bug-like language. I didn¡¯t understand it back then as a little girl, but now¡­ I think it was Decima.¡± A flicker of something passed over Zora¡¯s face¡ªcuriosity, perhaps, or something deeper. ¡°Decima?¡± he said slowly. ¡°The Magicicada Witch herself came to kill all of you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure. I didn¡¯t get a good look, after all,¡± she said, her voice small and raw, ¡°but¡­ only Insect Gods are capable of human speech, right?¡± Then she swallowed another hard gulp, forcing herself to continue. ¡°There were a few of them. The assassins. They killed my mother. My sister. I tried to fight, but I¡­ I wasn¡¯t strong enough. I was pinned under rubble, and I could only watch as they¡­¡± ¡°...¡± She trailed off, the weight of her failure crushing her chest. Zora remained quiet, his stillness almost unnerving. She glanced up at him, searching his expression for something¡ªsympathy, understanding, anything¡ªbut he gave nothing away. He truly is a powerful man, huh? ¡°... Even after that attack, my father never gave up,¡± she finished, sniffling softly, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. ¡°We may have been demoted and sent to rule an outer region, but he kept investigating. He¡¯s still investigating. And I¡­ I have to help him. I can¡¯t just sit there and do nothing. I can¡¯t just go out and enjoy my break.¡± Then she looked at Zora, her eyes sharp and determined¡ªat least, she hoped they were. ¡°I have to do this,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I have to avenge my mother and sister, blood for blood. That is the way of the Attini Empire.¡± Zora¡¯s smile returned, but still he said nothing, and the silence stretched between them painfully. There was only the hum of the train''s engine filling the cabin, the faint hisses of steam outside, and the subtle clinking of tea cups rested on the small table between them. ¡°... Have you ever read The Earthen Princess?¡± she asked abruptly. Zora tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Kita straightened in her seat, a flicker of something brighter lighting her eyes, and when she spoke, her voice shifted¡ªbecoming deeper, steadier, almost ceremonial in tone. Once upon a time, in a village deep in a valley, there was a curse. Every week, the rain would fall, and with it came floods. The waters would sweep through the village, destroying homes and fields, and the people would be left with nothing. No matter how much they prayed to the divine, no matter how hard they begged, the floods came every week. And every week, the villagers lost everything. There was a girl in the village, born with strange marks on her skin¡ªscars, like the earth itself had been torn. The villagers whispered that she was cursed. They called her the Child of Ill Omens. The children would laugh at her, and the adults would shake their heads. They said the floods were her fault, that she brought misfortune to them all. But the girl, though she heard their cruel words, did not weep. She smiled, and she did not run or hide. While others cowered in fear, she stood tall, as steady as a mountain. The flood would come, but she would not bow. One day, when the rains began again, the girl went to the edge of the village. The river was rising, and the sky was dark, but she did not fear. She did not wait for anyone to help her. She knelt down and began to dig, digging with her hands, her feet, as if the earth itself was calling her. She dug through the rain and the mud, building a wall¡ªa wall of earth, tall and strong. The villagers watched from their windows. ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± they whispered. ¡°A wall of dirt can¡¯t stop the flood.¡± But the girl kept digging, never stopping, never listening to their doubts. She worked until the wall stood high and strong, a great barrier between the village and the river. When the flood came, the waters crashed against the wall. The wall held. The waters could not pass. The village was safe. The villagers stared in wonder. They had never seen such a thing. The girl had done what they thought was impossible. She had built the wall alone, with nothing but her own strength. She stood before them and said, ¡°The flood will come again, but do not fear it. Do not run from it. Stand firm. Show no weakness. That is the way to stop the tide. You must be brave, like the earth.¡± From that day on, the people no longer called her the Child of Ill Omens. They called her the Earthwall Princess. And she did not stop there. She wandered from village to village, building walls to protect others, teaching them to stand tall, to be brave, and to never fear the flood. The floods, over time, began to fade, for the people had learned that they did not need to wait for the divine to save them. They could save themselves. They could build their own walls, strong as the earth itself. The cabin grew quiet, Kita¡¯s voice trailing off as the final echoes of her story lingered in the air. She looked at Zora, her eyes searching his face for any sign of understanding. ¡°... It¡¯s my favourite story,¡± she said quietly. ¡°And you completely butchered the retelling,¡± Zora said, giving her an amused smile. ¡°I cannot blame you for presenting it in such a boring manner, though. The children¡¯s story book does not rely so much on actual prose as it does the immaculately drawn paintings. I would even go so far as to say the writing itself is mediocre¡ªlacklustre, even¡ªbut the art is what makes it stand out from other children¡¯s books.¡± Her face lit up with surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve read The Earthen Princess?¡± ¡°I have. Many times. Both as a student and as a teacher.¡± Kita leaned forward, her face now glowing with excitement. ¡°Isn¡¯t it such a hopeful story?¡± she asked, clapping her hands together. ¡°The Earthen Princess... she¡¯s strong, brave, and charismatic all in one! It¡¯s not one of the best-selling children¡¯s fairy tales in the Attini Empire for nothing! My mother used to read it to me all the time!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± She glanced up at Zora, a flicker of doubt in her expression as she wondered if he understood why she told him the story again. Maybe it was too childish, too simple for someone like him. Even still, she tilted her head slightly, her voice softening. ¡°What do you think about it?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you like The Earthen Princess as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never read that version of the story, to be exact,¡± he said. ¡°The story has been translated into a hundred and forty-three different tongues, twelve of which were reimagined slightly so even adults can find enjoyment in the otherwise child-intended, if not slightly corny writing.¡± ¡°Which version did you read?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read a hundred and forty-two versions, most of which were a fair bit more violent, but I¡¯ve never read the original before. Was that the one you just recited to me?¡± ¡°Yes! I mean, it''s not word-for-word accurate to the original version, but what do you think?¡± Zora looked at her, his face unreadable, then gave a slight shrug. ¡°A child should still just be a child,¡± he said plainly. And that was all he had to say. Kita blinked at him, confused, but before she could say anything else, a sharp noise broke through the air. A scuttling sound¡ªquick and unnatural. Her heart skipped a beat. She turned her head to stare outside the window, eyes wide, only to see Zora had already pulled out his wand from his cloak, cracking his neck left and right. Her previous excitement quickly melted into worry, and the quiet in the cabin turned thick with tension. ¡°... Well, they¡¯re here earlier than I expected,¡± he said casually, rapping the window with the tip of his wand. ¡°I can¡¯t hear very well with the engine thrumming around me, after all, so do you mind making yourself useful and tell me exactly how many bugs are out there, running after the train?¡± Chapter 56 - The Five-Pointed Star (I) The train cabin rocked beneath Kita¡¯s feet, groaning as it tore through the colossal fungi forest. Towering mushrooms loomed around the tracks like crooked spires, their broad caps blotting out the pale sunlight that filtered through the misty air. The forests in the empire were always alive, but now it was far, far more than that¡ªit was hostile, and it was downright murderous. Kita¡¯s fingers gripped the window frame as her eyes scanned the swath of forest rushing past. Something glittered there, flashing like liquid mercury in motion, and her stomach clenched. It wasn¡¯t one ¡®something¡¯. It was many ¡®somethings¡¯. ¡°... They¡¯re here,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rattling wheels. The cabin door slid open with a bang, and Machi stood at the door, her eyes narrowed with uncharacteristic urgency. ¡°We are under attack,¡± she said plainly. ¡°We see them,¡± Kita mumbled back, her voice steady despite the cold fear creeping up her spine. Her gaze didn¡¯t leave the window. ¡°Those are silver ants. Giant-Class. At least a hundred of them.¡± Zora raised a brow, placing a palm on the window. ¡°A hundred?¡± ¡°All D to C-Rank,¡± she added, her voice tight. ¡°Fleet-footed. Fast. Silver ants are the fastest of the ten thousand or so ant species in the Attini Empire.¡± Her stomach churned as she watched the glinting horde streaking alongside the train, weaving effortlessly between the towering mushroom stalks. If she were to squint, she¡¯d barely be able to differentiate between them and a tidal wave, but she wasn¡¯t squinting, so she saw the silvery carapaces. The hundreds of giant blade-like legs. The way the silver ants moved¡ªsmooth, efficient, synchronised¡ªmade her skin crawl. ¡°This isn¡¯t normal,¡± she muttered, half to herself. ¡°Silver ants shouldn¡¯t even be in the northwest. They don¡¯t stray this far from the northeast where they usually make their nests.¡± ¡°Which means?¡± Zora prompted. ¡°It means they¡¯re confident,¡± Kita finished, her throat tightening. ¡°They¡¯ve got to be the ones ambushing the trains and convoys in the northwest for the past few years, but because they move that fast,¡± she gestured out at the horde, ¡°nobody ever spotted them. Nobody ever sent Uncle Yiru any reports of silver ants.¡± Zora¡¯s chuckle cut through the tension like a blade. He¡¯d still been leaning against the cushion, one hand curled lazily around his wand, but now he straightened, his smile sharp and self-assured. ¡°You say their specialty is speed, then?¡± he said, shrugging as he stuffed his wand back under his cloak. ¡°My kids back in Amadeus Academy are pretty fast, too, but they¡¯re never a match for a slippery floor. I don¡¯t think I even need my wand for this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Kita asked, her hands dropping to the hilt of her blades. ¡°Do we stop the train and go out to intercept them?¡± Zora didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, he spoke ¡°tear out the wall and make the shrapnel hover in place¡±. The sound of splintering wood and screeching metal filled the cabin as the entire side of the cabin peeled away like paper. Kita flinched, her heart hammering as the open air rushed in, carrying the mingled scents of damp earth and fungal rot. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Sharpen the shrapnel,¡± Zora continued, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a meal. Kita¡¯s eyes widened as the debris hovering alongside from the train¡ªsplinters, chunks of wood, fragments of metal¡ªtwisted and stretched, their edges becoming razor-sharp stakes. And then Zora spoke ¡°fly forward¡±, and the stakes shot towards the horde like a storm of steel. Kita barely had any time to brace herself before the impact. The stakes hit the Swarm with terrifying precision, punching through giant chitinous bodies and making them erupt into bursts of blood. The train jolted slightly as the air filled with the high-pitched screeches of dying ants, and she counted the bodies that were instantly decimated¡ªthirty or so giant silver ants. A third of the pursuing horde was taken out in a matter of seconds. The other seventy silver ants didn¡¯t stop their pursuit. They paused for a bit, maybe, falling behind for a second, but then they recovered with a discordant chorus of screeches and began chasing after their train on both sides again. They weren¡¯t as reckless as before, though. They all stayed a wide berth from the tracks just in case Zora flung another volley of debris at them, biding their time, waiting until the tracks eventually reached a thicker section of the forest where visibility would be lower. But for his part, Zora still sat on his cushion with a cup of tea in his hands, his face calm and serene. It was as if his cloak billowing violently in the rushing winds didn¡¯t bother him a single bit¡ªit was as if he¡¯d been on a rushing train before, and this much speed rippling against his cheeks simply didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Did I hit them?¡± he asked. ¡°I can¡¯t really tell. I haven¡¯t fought this many giant bugs at once by myself before, and my hearing¡¯s a bit off when I¡¯m on a moving vehicle this fast.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s thirty D-Rank Giant-Class ants,¡± Kita said, her voice trembling as she gripped onto the handle bars over her head, trying not to get flung out of the cabin without any walls or ceiling. ¡°You just¡­ what?¡± Zora glanced at her, his smile returning. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever explained my magic to you.¡± ¡°Now is not really the time,¡± Machi interjected, her eyes darting toward the regrouping horde as she staggered onto the seat next to Kita, pulling buckled straps over herself and Kita to secure them to the cushions. ¡°Are you alright, my lady? I can pull more seat belts over you if you are feeling shaky¡ª¡± Kita ignored Machi. ¡°Tell me,¡± she whispered. ¡°Just what, exactly, did you do?¡± Zora gestured broadly out at the horde of giant ants ¡°My Swarmblood Art, ¡®God Tongue¡¯, lets my voice manifest in reality. Whatever I say becomes real¡ªwithin reason.¡± ¡°Define ¡®within reason.¡¯¡± ¡°It took me a while, but I have identified four hard rules to my magic over the past two years,¡± he said, raising four fingers as he crossed his legs. ¡°Rule number one: my spells can only affect physical reality. I can¡¯t make people forget things with a spell like ¡®forget¡¯ or implant knowledge with a spell like ¡®read ten books and inject all the knowledge into my head¡¯. The spells can only bring about tangible, observable, physical changes.¡± Kita nodded, gulping hard as she glared at the giant ants outside. They were nearing fast. The first ten were so close to the tail end of the train that they¡¯d probably be able to jump on in just half a minute or so. ¡°Rule number two,¡± Zora continued casually, ¡°is travel time. My spells are physical sound waves imbued with a ¡®command¡¯ of sorts. Excluding any mutations that increase their speed, they only travel at the speed of sound, so they can actually be dodged if you¡¯re fast enough to get out of their range.¡± Machi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Dodged? What sort of monster can dodge a sound wave?¡± ¡°It¡¯d take an ungodly amount of strength and speed,¡± Zora admitted with a shrug, ¡°but it¡¯s not exactly impossible for a Mutant-Class or an Insect God with high levels in strength and speed. Furthermore, I have to actually finish speaking if I want to cast a spell, so I¡¯m actually really weak in close-quarters where I don¡¯t get the space and time to speak. If I run out of breath, I can¡¯t cast spells. If someone¡¯s up in my face, I may or may not panic a little and fumble my words. I am a mage, not a warrior, so I keep a distance from my opponents preferably.¡± Kita clenched her jaw. ¡°And the third rule?¡± ¡°The longer my spells, the stronger the effects,¡± he said. ¡°If I were to recite an entire passage from a storybook about ripping an entire section of the forest from the earth, I¡¯d be channeling more bioarcanic essence into my spell over time, which means the strength and range of my spell increases significantly. However, something curt like ¡®rip that tree up¡¯ contains less syllables, so it¡¯s easier to say in a pinch. Considering I¡¯ve been fighting mostly alone the past two years, I¡¯ve been using my short and simple spells most often. In an ideal world, though, I¡¯ll have enough people supporting me that I can afford to just stand back and cast a massive area-of-effect spell.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°... And the fourth? Zora¡¯s grin faded slightly, replaced by an expression of focus. ¡°Rule number four is the tricky one: whether I can cast a certain spell in the first place depends almost entirely on my target¡¯s aura.¡± ¡°Aura?¡± she repeated, her brow furrowing. ¡°Killing pressure,¡± Zora explained. ¡°If I cast ¡®crush¡¯ on a tiny rock, it¡¯ll crush itself because I believe I can crush it. I know I can crush it. But if I were to cast ¡®crush¡¯ on a Mutant-Class whose aura is superior to mine, nothing will happen. This is because the bug with the superior aura has more killing pressure than me. I may not show it, but subconsciously, I am afraid, and if I hesitate¡ªif I even slightly doubt that I can kill it¡ªany spell I cast directly on the bug will fail. In the same vein, other spells like ¡®die¡¯, ¡®break its neck¡¯, ¡®burst its heart¡¯, and anything of the sort that will instantly kill it will also be out of my reach.¡± Kita stared at him, the implications of his words sinking in. ¡°So your magic¡­ is a contest of killing pressure?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± he said plainly. ¡°Whoever has the stronger aura wins. ¡± Her mind reeled as she processed his explanation. His Art was both incredible and terrifyingly personal¡ªa battle not just of strength, but of belief. Subconscious belief. ¡°But then¡­ how do you ever fight something with a stronger aura than yours?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°How¡¯d you beat Nona, youngest of the Magicicada Witches? Her aura must¡¯ve been way higher than yours back then, right?¡± Zora gave her an amused smile. ¡°Mankind¡¯s greatest weapon against fear is the will to face it,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s true I can¡¯t cast any instant-kill spells if I subconsciously fear my opponent, but I can consciously cast other spells. Even if I¡¯m afraid, I can imagine ¡®striking¡¯ them with a punch. Even if I¡¯m afraid, I can imagine ¡®picking up a rock¡¯ and ¡®throwing¡¯ it at them. I can imagine ¡®sharpening¡¯ a giant wooden stake and sending it ¡®flying¡¯ at them. Inanimate objects don¡¯t have bioarcanic aura, so my spells always work on the environment. Granted, I still need high attribute levels to subconsciously believe I can ¡®pick up¡¯ something like a super giant boulder, but just because I can¡¯t cast instant-kill spells on a stronger opponent doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t fight back with the rest of the world at my disposal.¡± Kita blinked. ¡°And if you keep ¡®striking¡¯ and ¡®throwing debris¡¯ at your opponent to injure them¡­¡± ¡°Their bioarcanic aura will gradually weaken, their killing pressure will drop, and the moment my aura is so much stronger than theirs that I subconsciously see them as nothing more than a bug to be squashed underfoot¡­¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°There are many ways to die instantly.¡± ¡°...¡± Kita shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. ¡°Your magic¡­ is powerful.¡± ¡°Not against them, not really,¡± Zora countered, his tone growing serious as he grimaced out at the silver ants. ¡°They¡¯re not called the ¡®Swarm¡¯ for nothing. In large numbers, their combined auras are typically much, much higher than me. I can¡¯t just tell them all to ¡®die¡¯. If I¡¯m facing only a single bug or two, maybe I can cast a few instant-kill spells, but when there¡¯s fifty¡­ sixty¡­ seventy of them, I must thin out their numbers first.¡± Then, without warning, a screech of metal filled the air. The carriages jolted violently, almost throwing Kita out of her seat despite her buckle. While she steadied herself and peered out the side of the train, she spotted ten, maybe twelve, Giant-Class ants crawling onto the tail end of the train, hurling their massive bodies aboard with terrifying strength. Their mandibles snapped and clicked like a chorus of thunder, and their legs scraped against the metal, leaving gouges as they surged toward the front of the train where all three of them were. Machi unbuckled her belt and stood up immediately, her hand reaching for the knife behind her skirt. ¡°I shall deal with them,¡± she said, her voice steady, but Kita pushed her hand down. ¡°No,¡± Kita said, standing up herself. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for a response. She didn¡¯t need permission. Her hands were already on the twin sawtooth blades sheathed at her waist, and with a flick of her wrists, the blades slid free, sparking flames against each other. The ants were already closing in, their grotesque forms crawling through the carriages and tearing through metal as though it were paper. She drew a short breath, drawing her focus inward, and narrowed her eyes on the distant bugs. She didn¡¯t hesitate. With a single, fluid motion, she launched herself out of the front cabin and down the train. Her blades sang through the air as she met the first ant head-on, her sawtooth blade tearing through its chitin. Chunks of flesh and chitin flew as the silver ant screeched in agony. She didn¡¯t pause. She was already moving again, darting past the ant and towards the next, sawing through its legs in a blur of motion. The creature collapsed, but another took its place, its mandibles snapping hungrily. Slow! She twirled around it, her blades flashing as they cut through its head and thorax. The ant let out a high-pitched screech, but she was already on the next one, severing its head clean off. A few more ants charged, but they weren¡¯t fast enough. Their chitins weren¡¯t tough enough. The sawtooth edges on her blades were there because the average Attini Empire soldier had relatively low strength compared to soldiers in the other fronts¡ªbecause they were the most populous front on the entire continent where points gained from slaughtered bugs had to be shared between more soldiers¡ªso to compensate, they needed sharper weapons capable of sawing through thick ant chitin. The sawtooth blades were thus the empire¡¯s trademark weapon, and she had two of them. One was a gift from her mother, when she¡¯d turned eight, and the other was a gift from her father, when she¡¯d turned fifteen. They were her pride and joy. Facing off against the last ant in the train¡¯s final carriage, she slammed her sawtooth blades over each other, turning them into a massive pair of scissors. The ant surely recognised the technique, but it could do nothing as she dashed in with a hiss and snipped its head off from underneath, a rain of yellow blood falling over her. It was going to crush her, too, so she kicked it off the train by the abdomen, pulling her blades apart and sheathing them in one quick motion. That¡¯s¡­ all of the boarding ants. As she panted for breath and tried to relax, she heard footsteps behind her. She whirled. It was just Machi and Zora, and the man was leaning by the doorway of the final carriage with a small smile on his face. ¡°Not half-bad,¡± he said, wiping a streak of bug blood off his sleeve. ¡°At the very least, you didn¡¯t slip.¡± Kita scowled, flicking strands of hair out of her face as she glanced back at the rest of the pursuing ants. ¡°We¡¯re not done. There¡¯s still more of them, about fifty or so¡ª¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you use your Swarmblood Art to deal with them?¡± ¡°...¡± He walked forward, moving past her to stand at the very, very tail end of the train, casting ¡°shatter¡± on the carriage wall. Wind immediately whipped into the carriage as both the wall and the ceiling ripped off, putting them in open air. ¡°All nobles of the Salaqa Household have the same class, do you not? I hear your Swarmblood Art allows you to summon and control hordes of tiny army ants made out of your own blood, and those tiny army ants specialise in mending wounds. Can you also control them and make them attack your enemies?¡± After another long pause, Kita shook her head slowly. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Realistically, they can only be used to mend wounds. They have very little attacking power compared to some of the other noble household¡¯s summoned ants.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he murmured. ¡°But to wit, the only difference between a commoner and a noble in this empire is whether or not they have a Swarmblood Art that can benefit the populace. Nobles of high rank are able to summon tiny ants with their blood and let them crawl onto lower-rank soldiers, thus boosting the power of said soldiers with whatever abilities their ants can offer¡ªand the nobles in your household are famous for being able to give soldiers under your command the ability to heal mid-battle. The Salaqa Household¡¯s soldiers are half-immortal, are they not?¡± ¡°... You know much about the Salaqa Household,¡± Kita said quietly, reaching down and cutting her palm on one of her sawtooth blades. Trickles of reddish-brown blood flowed, and as she gripped her fist and let them splatter against the shaking floor, she willed her Swarmblood Art to activate. ¡®Red Legion¡¯ was the name of the Salaqa Household¡¯s signature magic, and at her command, the puddle of blood at her feet bubbled, writhed, and took three-dimensional shapes. About two hundred tiny army ants made of her blood, glowing reddish-brown, started skittering towards Zora¡¯s feet in a few orderly lines. She didn¡¯t have to give them verbal commands. She simply willed them to crawl up his legs, up his trousers, and then attach themselves under his amber cloak. ¡°And how long do these army ants last?¡± he asked, sounding mighty curious as he fanned his cloak, trying to get a better ¡®look¡¯ at her now-dormant ants. ¡°They¡¯re very light, by the way. I barely even feel them under my cloak.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll automatically dissolve in about a week,¡± she answered, glancing at her palm and willing the blood on her wound to transform into army ants as well. Then she showed her palm to Zora and bit her lip, enduring the stings of pain as her army ants sewed her wound shut. ¡°If they detect any wounds on your body, they¡¯ll automatically crawl to the site of injury, enter your wound, and sew it shut from the inside before dissolving into your bloodstream. The number of ants expended during the healing depends on how serious the wound is. I gave you about two hundred ants just now, so that should be enough to heal a few minor scrapes and cuts over the next week.¡± Zora grinned, greatly amused. ¡°And I assume this Art is why your father achieved such great success as a war general. If he could give a thousand army ants to a thousand soldiers, that is effectively a personal medic for each of those thousand soldiers.¡± Kita dipped her head. ¡°Unfortunately, as I said, they have very little attacking power. Some of the other noble households have Swarmblood Arts that allow them to summon fire ants and bullet ants and the like, which are all attack-oriented summons that can be given to soldiers on the frontline. Those ants would automatically jump off and attack their enemies if the soldier is overwhelmed in battle, which is something my army ants will not do.¡± ¡°That''s a shame. I was hoping you¡¯d just deal with the rest of them for me, but, you see, I¡¯m starting to think I get motion-sick very easily,¡± he said, sighing as he took out his wand and pressed the tip to his lips. ¡°If I have to be the one to deal with them, I need this train to stop right now.¡± Chapter 57 - The Five-Pointed Star (II) One second, the train was still roaring down the tracks, metal wheels grinding against the rails as the vibrations rattled through Kita¡¯s boots. Then she heard Zora cast ¡°stop the train¡± on the tip of his wand, flick it two hundred metres back along the train, and her heart immediately skipped a beat. ¡°... Wait,¡± she began, ¡°what are you trying to¡ª¡± Before she could finish, the train jolted. Violently. Both Kita and Machi¡¯s knees buckled, and Kita braced herself against the wall of the final carriage, convinced for a split second that all twenty carriages were about to flip off the tracks and go flying into the fungi forest. But it didn¡¯t. Instead, she heard the exhaust pipes at the front of the train screaming and hissing out plumes of smoke. She felt the engines rumbling and jamming all the way at the front. She felt the mechanical arrays beneath her feet unlocking, deactivating, each and every carriage¡¯s individual brakes punching down into the tracks like drills into the earth. The sounds were deafening¡ªmetal grinding, brakes shrieking, and the emergency stop mechanisms locking in place. Zora shouted ¡°detach this carriage from the rest of the train¡± to shatter the metal link connecting their carriage to the one in front, and then the two girls lurched into the wall again as the rest of the wheels simply stopped turning. Kita¡¯s breath caught as she looked up, watching as the rest of the train¡ªone carriage after another¡ªwas flung up into the air. For a moment, they hung like massive shadows blotting out the sky. Time seemed to slow as all nineteen carriages broke off from each other. Then they began to twist, fragments of wood and steel all shattering as they soared over their heads. They were breaking apart mid-flight, pieces of shattered debris raining down, and Zora cast his final spell with his wand pointed in their general direction. "Ignite,¡± he said, ¡°and fall upon the ants, fury incarnate.¡± His physical sound wave of a spell took on colour, burning red and orange as it rippled out of his mouth, darted onto the tip of his wand, and then shot out at the flying carriages. In an instant, the coloured waves ignited the carriages and turned them into giant fiery balls. In an instant, it was as if the sky itself had caught fire¡ªand the glowing sky of burning wood and metal shot down like meteors, streaking toward the swarm of Giant-Class silver ants chasing after them. The fiery shrapnel drove downward with lethal precision. Each fragment pierced the ground like a spear, skewering giant ants and making the ground rumble. The screeches of the dying swarm echoed through the fungi forest as blood and flesh exploded into the air, and she forced herself to look away, her grip tightening on her blades. The train¡ªor what was left of it, their final carriage¡ªwas still gliding slowly forward on the tracks, but Zora had made it brake as well, just not as violently. It was slowing down now. The screech of metal against metal grew louder and louder until they finally came to a halt as well, settling on the tracks with a final, hissing groan. And while Kita watched the forest burn in front of her eyes, her breaths shaky, Zora stepped up next to her with his hands clasped behind him, smiling softly. ¡°I¡¯m not that strong, you see, to imagine myself stopping the train with nothing but my own strength,¡± he explained, tapping the wooden floorboard with his heel as he did. ¡°But that is why, before we set off on this trip, I talked to the factory workers. I talked to the great engineers under the Nohoch Lord¡¯s command and had them explain to me how the train worked. Which levers must be pulled to activate which brakes, which arrays must be stopped to achieve maximum deceleration¡ªI can¡¯t imagine myself punching the train to stop it, but I can imagine myself pulling the right levers and detaching the right metal cuffs to stop the train as violently as I can.¡± Kita didn¡¯t respond. Neither did Machi, for that matter, because they were both still staring out at the burning forest in front of them. ¡°... Well, not that the end result between ¡®stopping the train¡¯ by pulling the brakes and ¡®stopping the train¡¯ by punching it to a halt with brute force is any different,¡± he said, humming softly as he hopped off the end of the carriage, treading upon soft, burning earth as seventy giant ants burned to cinders around them. ¡°But my magic is one that demands curiosity and learning on my part. The more I understand a construct, the easier it is for me to cast a spell to either ¡®construct¡¯ it or ¡®deconstruct¡¯ it. I cannot wait to learn how to build a train from all its constituent parts from the engineers once we get back, because I would then be able to cast spells like ¡®repair the train¡¯ as long as all the parts are within my reach. How convenient this magic is, hm?¡± ¡­ The acrid stench of burning chitin and wood filled the air, but Kita fought to keep her breathing steady as she hopped off the carriage as well. Her boots crunched against the gravel-strewn tracks. Zora strode ahead, his hands still clasped calmly behind his back, while her pulse was thundering in her ears¡ªher hands were slick with sweat despite her twin sawtooth blades sheathed neatly at her sides. ¡°My lady.¡± Machi¡¯s voice snapped her out of her daze. Her attendant rushed toward her, hopping off the carriage as well, and Machi¡¯s hands were all over her in an instant, tugging at her arms and turning her this way and that as she was inspected for injuries. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Machi demanded, her voice tinged with panic. She knelt slightly, examining Kita¡¯s legs and boots for blood or burns. ¡°Did any of the debris hit you? Did¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kita said softly, nudging Machi¡¯s hands away. ¡°Even if I were hurt, I can heal myself with my army ants.¡± Machi hesitated, her worried gaze flicking over Kita one last time before she relented. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, stepping back. But her fingers lingered on the hilt of her knife sheathed behind her skirt, her knuckles whitening. So she¡¯s nervous as well. Machi, the ever-steady, nervous? Kita shook her head slowly as the two of them followed after Zora, leaving their train carriage behind. And the scenery unfolding before her made her stomach churn. The forest was a blazing inferno, flames licking hungrily at the twisted trees and fungi that surrounded them. Giant silver ants scrambled in every direction. Some were engulfed in flames, their legs spasming as they let out unearthly screeches. Others lay impaled on jagged shards of metal, their massive bodies pinned to the ground like grotesque effigies. All were burning. None was spared. She couldn¡¯t help but shiver a little, her body caught between the oppressive heat of the flames and the cold dread that clawed at her chest. This¡­ Is how he battles against the Swarm? Her gaze lingered on one giant ant in particular. Its legs flailed weakly before it stilled, its once-massive and imposing form reduced to a smoldering husk. She swallowed hard to suppress the wave of nausea rising in her throat. ¡°Stay close,¡± Machi said, her voice low but steady as she placed a reassuring hand on Kita¡¯s shoulder. Before Kita could respond, though, Zora stopped abruptly. His sudden pause made both girls halt in their tracks. ¡°... What is it?¡± Kita asked. Zora didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he raised his wand and pointed it at one of the surviving ants¡ªa massive creature limping away from the carnage, its silver carapace streaked with ash and blood. ¡°Come here,¡± he said calmly. The spell yanked the giant ant back with an invisible force, dragging it across the scorched earth until it knelt before him. The ant thrashed and snarled, its mandibles clicking furiously as it tried to free itself, but Machi reacted instantly. Her knife flashed in the firelight as she unsheathed it and darted forward. In one swift motion, she severed the ant¡¯s legs, mandibles, and jumped onto its head, pressing the silver edge of her knife against its neck. Zora thanked Machi with a little nod, though Kita was certain he hadn¡¯t needed the help. As the giant ant twitched, its bloody stumps for mandibles still snapping in futile defiance, he tucked his wand away and clasped his hands behind his back once more, bending forward slightly so he was eye-level with the creature. ¡°In the far northeast, where language is homogenous and singular, the people call the empire the land of a thousand tongues,¡± he began, ¡°and while there may be severe repercussions for doing so, all men can speak freely here. I see no reason why you cannot do the same.¡± His spell rippled out of his mouth, diffused all over the burning forest, and then made the air shimmer around them. Kita and Machi only looked worriedly around for a brief moment before a strange sound caught their attention¡ªthey whirled back to stare at the immobilised giant ant as it began to speak. ¡°... Vile creatures,¡± it hissed in a guttural voice, sharp and venomous. ¡°Filthy¡­ wretched¡­ humans.¡± Kita took an involuntary step back, her hands immediately shooting down to her blades. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ talking?¡± she whispered. ¡°In¡­ the Nohoch tongue, no less?¡± Zora glanced at her, his expression unreadable. ¡°Do not be afraid,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°It is no Insect God. It is but your run-of-the-mill Giant-Class ant.¡± Kita frowned. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Even the Swarm has its own tongue,¡± he said plainly. ¡°And I told you: even the rank-and-file grunts are not entirely unintelligent the way most of humanity seem to believe they are.¡± Kita¡¯s grip on her blades tightened, but she didn¡¯t draw them. Instead, she watched as Zora knelt before the ant, his expression calm but focused. ¡°Who¡¯s leading the ambushes on the convoys in the northwest?¡± he asked simply. The ant snarled, its mandibles clicking furiously. ¡°Burn in your human fires,¡± it spat. ¡°Rot in your own filth.¡± Zora¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°What about the Magicicada Witch, ¡®Reverberator¡¯ Decima?¡± he asked, his voice still steady. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anything about her, would you?¡± And the change in the ant¡¯s demeanor was immediate. It didn¡¯t have a human face or anything, but she was immediately able to tell by the way it suddenly ¡®retracted¡¯ its killing pressure, tried to suck in its aura¡ªits defiance was faltering, and she watched as a flicker of fear passed through its compound eyes. It was scared, and knowing that made Zora tilt his head almost¡­ content. As if he¡¯d expected this outcome to begin with. ¡°Ah,¡± he said softly. ¡°So you are just like the others I¡¯ve talked to over the past two years.¡± Then he stood up straight, fixing the collar of his amber cloak as he looked over at Kita with a small smile. ¡°Most Giant-Class bugs react to Decima¡¯s name, but it must be blood-bound or tied by something of the sort to never speak of the Magicicada Witches. It was the same for most of the bugs even back in Amadeus Academy, when Nona first attacked¡ªrank-and-file grunts don¡¯t appear to be able to betray their gods.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Kita¡¯s gaze shifted between Zora and the squirming, shuddering ant. Her pulse was still racing, but now it was mingled with a growing sense of unease. ¡°So?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°What do we do with this one¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless,¡± Zora said, waving his hand dismissively as he turned away from the ant. ¡°Divination would suit it well.¡± Suddenly once again, the ant¡¯s body convulsed violently as if it were being crushed by an invisible vice. Its already half-severed legs snapped one by one, blood spurting from the broken stumps. Its carapace splintered and cracked all over. It tried to scream, tried to protest, and it most certainly tried to say something, but then its head caved in with a sickening crunch as well, and streams of yellow blood burst out the cracks in its chitin as its entire body went up in flames. Kita flinched, taking a step back as Machi hopped off at the last second as well, not a single drop of blood spraying onto her servant¡¯s attire. As the two of them stayed still for a few more moments, Zora circled around the area, muttering a rhyme of ¡°extinguish, extinguish¡± on sections of the burning forest. The flames around them started to flicker and die, leaving only smoldering embers and charred remains in their wake, but he probably wasn¡¯t lying when he told her on the train he¡¯d never fought this many giant bugs all at once by himself before. He was awfully clumsy at trying to extinguish the flames all over the forest, running back and forth between sections he¡¯d already stopped at to cast ¡°extinguish¡± again and again, which meant either he¡¯d never practiced that ¡®ignite¡¯ move and had to clean up his own mess afterwards before¡­ or he¡¯d never had a reason to extinguish the flames of his battles before. Either way, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from mumbling under her breath. ¡°Are you always this destructive?¡± And though her voice came out much, much, much quieter than she intended, the man was a sharp listener. He heard from halfway across the burning clearing and hummed back in response. ¡°Not always,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°But when my kids from Amadeus Academy aren¡¯t around to see me fight, I can afford to be a little more violent.¡± Then, he looked over at the two of them and pointed at the sky. ¡°Now, could either one of you fire a coloured pheromone flare? We can call in the Nohoch Lord and his backup soldiers now. We¡¯ll need a new ride, anyways, since we¡¯re stranded here in the middle of nowhere.¡± Machi wasted no time reaching under her skirt for her pheromone flare gun, but Kita hesitated as she watched him ¡°pull in¡± giant ant carcasses one by one, piling them atop one another as though he were trying to build a mountain of corpses. ¡°And what, exactly, are you trying to do with those carcasses?¡± Zora rubbed his throat as he gestured around them. ¡°Do you think those stakes are good enough?¡± Kita glanced at the impaled ants, their massive bodies twisted and broken. The sight made her stomach churn a little, but she forced herself to speak. ¡°They¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re not good enough,¡± Zora finished for her, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he turned to look at her once more. ¡°And I have an interesting story to regale you with while we wait for the Nohoch Lord to arrive¡ªone I never told you and your father back in the Salaqa manor¡¯s dining hall. About a year ago, during my long march down to the Divine Capital, I encountered a village of architects far in the northeastern bounds of the empire who taught me how to carve the most brilliant and dazzling of sculptures. ¡°... Sculptures?¡± ¡°Indeed. And the man who taught me how to carve always recited the same ¡®Frisha Poem¡¯¡ªa poem of worship to a rather small and relatively esoteric northeastern earth spirit¡ªwhenever he picked up his chisel and began working on wood,¡± he said, pressing the tip of his wand to his lips before pointing it out at the carnage. ¡°It goes something like:¡± ¡°Chisel deep and carve it wide, let the earth not run nor hide. Stack the bone and press the clay, mold the black, command decay.¡± ¡°... Then this next part is what I made up myself." "Because five sharp points will cut the sky, So make them stare and wonder why.¡±
The late afternoon sun bathed the giant fungi forest in a sickly orange glow, but Yiru¡¯s convoy of twenty ant-pulled carriages rolled forward nevertheless, their steeds straining against their harnesses. The steady rhythm of their movement should¡¯ve been soothing, but he couldn¡¯t shake the unease that¡¯d settled in his chest the moment he¡¯d spotted the flare shooting up into the sky. He sat stiffly in his carriage, gripping the armrest as his eyes scanned the devastation outside the window. Burnt tree stumps jutted from the earth like blackened teeth, and the ground was littered with shattered chitin and pools of viscous fluid that glistened like molten tar. He swallowed hard, his throat dry despite the humid air. ¡°Milord,¡± the driver called from the front. ¡°We have arrived.¡± Yiru leaned forward, squinting through the hazy window. There it was right outside: a faint trail of coloured pheromone smoke that¡¯d yet to completely dissipate in the sky. The convoy came to a halt, the giant ants stamping and clicking their mandibles as a hundred Ant Class Soldiers disembarked in practised formation. Yiru didn¡¯t wait for his own guards to climb out first. He damn near kicked the door open and hopped out, his boots crunching on the scorched ground. Around him, his soldiers were already fanning out around the charred clearing, their sawtooth blades and anti-chitin rifles at the ready. He paid them no mind, though. Relief washed over him the moment he saw Kita standing in the centre of the clearing, back turned towards him. Her figure was unnervingly still, as was Machi, her head servant, standing a little bit behind her. ¡°Kita!¡± he called, his voice sharp with urgency. That made the two girls flinch a little, but they didn¡¯t turn, nor did they even acknowledge the soldiers that¡¯d arrived to pick them up. That was fine with him. He sprinted towards her, splashing through mud and puddles of blood, and then immediately wrapped his arms around his niece¡¯s shoulders, pulling her close. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± he whispered, his relief palpable. ¡°If you¡¯d died out here¡­ if the sole heir of the Salaqa Household perished in the northwest, already known for its recent disasters, your father would¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Uncle Yiru,¡± Kita mumbled. He pulled back slightly, frowning. Her tone lacked its usual warmth, her words devoid of the reassurance he sought. He opened his mouth to press her further when a voice, low and distant, interrupted him. ¡°Of course she¡¯s unharmed. What sort of teacher would I be if I let a child get hurt under my ward?¡± Yiru turned sharply, searching for the source of the voice. It was the Thousand Tongue¡¯s, unmistakable in its cool, detached cadence, but the man himself was nowhere to be seen. Not on the ground, at least. It was only now, after Yiru had calmed down a little seeing his niece still alive and well, that he took a good look around at his surroundings. The clearing was mostly silent, save for the faint crackle of dying embers. Then he noticed it: a strange stillness that¡¯d settled over all of his soldiers. They weren¡¯t moving. Their attentions were fixed on something ahead. Some of them were trembling, their spears shaking in their hands. He was about to call out to some of them, but his voice faltered as his gaze followed theirs. Forward. Up. And then he saw ¡®it¡¯. It rose from the center of the charred clearing like a grotesque monument, towering thirty meters into the air. A five-pointed star it was, its form unmistakable and yet horrifyingly unnatural. The effigy was a patchwork of death, constructed from the carcasses of a hundred giant ants, their mangled bodies fused together with tangled roots and scorched debris, their limbs jutting out at grotesque angles. The carcasses weren¡¯t haphazardly arranged. They were deliberately placed, twisted and warped to create the five-pointed star¡¯s precise, jagged shape. What remained of chitinous exoskeletons caught the fading sunlight, casting sharp reflections that seemed to cut into Yiru¡¯s eyes. His stomach churned. The air around the monument simply felt¡­ wrong, heavy with an unnatural weight that pressed against his chest. The smell of decay and charred flesh hung so thickly in the air it made his eyes water. ¡°By the Great Makers good name...¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible. Around him, his soldiers shifted uneasily, their murmurs a low hum of fear. Some of them averted their eyes from the giant star effigy, while others stood frozen, unable to look away. Yiru still forced himself to step forward, though his legs felt like lead. ¡°What... is this?¡± he croaked, his voice trembling. ¡°Eerie, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yiru¡¯s head snapped upward, his eyes widening as he spotted the Thousand Tongue. The man sat at the very top of the effigy, perched thirty metres up casually on the jagged tip of the star. His legs dangled over the side, kicking back and forth lazily as though he were enjoying a peaceful view from up high. Even though he couldn¡¯t really see anything, blind as he was. ¡°... There¡¯s plenty of usable giant ant parts at the base of the effigy, still!¡± the Thousand Tongue shouted, pointing at the bottom two points of the star where they stabbed into the ground. True enough, there were small mounds of charred-black ant chitin just sitting around. ¡°It¡¯s not nearly enough materials to restart all the production lines in your factories, but it¡¯s enough to get you started on Swarmsteel production again. You¡¯ll be receiving more giant ant parts over the coming months, so start collecting them and ferrying them back to Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam. You¡¯ll need all the parts you can get.¡± Yiru¡¯s throat tightened. His instincts screamed at him to look away, to turn back, but he couldn¡¯t. His eyes were still absolutely drawn to the grotesque monument. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming, and¡­ given how it¡¯d captivated all of his soldiers, Kita and Machi included, it was safe to say he wasn¡¯t the only one who found it impossible to look away. Noticing his trance, the Thousand Tongue clasped his hands above his knees and sucked in a deep breath. ¡°This is how you fight the Swarm,¡± he said, his voice suddenly growing louder, heavier, washing across the clearing like a physical sound wave. ¡°They¡¯re not the dumb brutes most of humanity thinks they are. They learn, they adapt, and they evolve specifically to counter the weapons we wield¡ªbut, in that same sense, they feel fear just like all life on this continent, and this effigy will be but one of many I will construct in the coming months.¡± The words hung in the air, their weight pressing down on Yiru. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. The strange mixture of horror and awe was still stuck in his throat as the Thousand Tongue patted the giant star under him. ¡°They will remember this shape,¡± the Thousand Tongue said, grinning down at all of them. ¡°The star will haunt them. They will see it from forests and valleys and mountains away, and they will learn to stay a wide berth from the mark of the Thousand Tongue. What better defence for a fortress, after all, than the walls a shadow of fear can build?¡± Silence blanketed the clearing, still, until it was broken in a way no one expected. From the carriage of the train sitting a little off to the side¡ªthe only carriage remaining on the tracks¡ªa young man in a tattered hood staggered out of the lavatory, clutching his head as he practically stumbled off the edge of the carriage. He landed firmly on both feet, though, and looked around in wild befuddlement before his eyes locked onto the giant star effigy towering over all of them. Then the man laughed, his shoulders bouncing as he took out a bottle of alcohol from under his cloak. ¡°I go for a small toilet break, and I come back to something like this?¡± He laughed even harder, taking a hard swig of his bottle, and then Yiru heard the Thousand Tongue laughing quietly all the way up as well. It was only now that Yiru recognised the man: he was the driver who¡¯d brought the Thousand Tongue and Kita all the way here from the Salaqa Region. A trusted man appointed by his brother to take care of his niece. When did he get on the train? I¡¯m certain I didn¡¯t see him get on, so how did he¡­ ¡­ ¡­ But then, Yiru laughed. It started as a low chuckle, bubbling up from his chest like an uncontrollable reflex. It surprised even him¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the kind of scene where laughter felt appropriate¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t stop himself. Soon, it grew louder, more genuine, until his laughter echoed across the clearing. His soldiers shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether to join in or back away. Most of them started moving as the Thousand Tongue asked them to, though, heading towards the base of the effigy to collect the giant ant chitin they could use for their factories. For her part, Kita turned towards him, brows furrowed. ¡°You¡¯re laughing, Uncle Yiru?¡± she asked, quiet but sharp. She was still half-staring at the effigy, so Yiru wiped his eyes, trying to compose himself. ¡°I suppose I really am,¡± he said, still grinning. ¡°It¡¯s just... Can you imagine, my dear Kita? An effigy so horrifying that it makes even the Swarm think twice about attacking our convoys?¡± Kita didn¡¯t respond. She kept her gaze fixed on the star, her face pale in the dimming light. Yiru¡¯s grin softened into something more thoughtful. He folded his arms, his own eyes drifting back to the effigy. ¡°And I suppose this is also why my brother told me to bet on him,¡± he said, almost to himself. ¡°He¡¯s not like the Noble-Bloods or the Spore Knights back in the Capital, all wrapped up in their ideas of honour and tradition. They call him the ¡®Thousand Tongue¡¯, and looking at this thing now, I think¡­ no. I know I will never understand why.¡± And, as if summoned by the mere mention of his name, the Thousand Tongue appeared. He pushed off the top of the effigy with practiced ease, his cicada wings unfurling like the petals of a flower, and they carried him down in a slow, controlled glide. When he landed before Yiru and Kita, it was almost soundless. His boots barely stirred the ash and soot beneath him. ¡°Enjoying the view?¡± Zora asked, still grinning from ear to ear. Yiru turned to face him, his smile returning despite himself. ¡°Very much so. I am satisfied.¡± Then the Thousand Tongue looked past Yiru, his blind gaze settling on Kita. ¡°You weren¡¯t bad, either,¡± he said, his tone bouncy and light-hearted as he patted her on the head. ¡°Your swordsmanship is impressive. While your friends in the royal military academy must¡¯ve messed around and enjoyed themselves on every available occasion, you must¡¯ve been studying the blade. You¡¯re just like me, then.¡± Kita didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t even look at him. Her eyes remained fixed on the effigy, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Yiru frowned. Does she not appreciate the compliment? That¡¯s the infamous Thousand Tongue, you know. You could look a little happier. Then again, it was a giant effigy made out of ant carcasses, twisted tree roots, clumps of wet soil, and everything in between. She must¡¯ve watched the Thousand Tongue build it from scratch with his ¡®spells¡¯, so he couldn¡¯t even imagine what the hell he''d said to construct such a monument. The only thing he knew was that he was glad. Because if anyone could take back the northwest, it would be the man strolling around the clearing with his hands clasped behind his back, offering his assistance to the soldiers trying to lug the giant ant chitin back onto their carriages. Chapter 58 - Lord The main streets of Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam were living rivers surging with bodies, voices, and motion. Merchants shouted over one another, their voices slicing through the early summer heat. Carts and ant-pulled caravans rattled on uneven stone streets, groaning under the weight of goods: crates of gold ingots, sacks of dried insect flesh, and bundles of weapons destined for the factories. Zora sniffed and smiled. The air was thick with the scents of roasted meats, pungent spices, and the faint metallic tang of insect resin¡ªit made him feel a little hungry now. As he walked with Kita abreast, Ifas and Machi trailed a few steps back, their voices a quiet counterpoint to the city¡¯s roar. ¡°You think this is a good idea, driver?¡± Machi¡¯s voice was tight, sharp like a knife edge. ¡°I think it¡¯s not my place to question the master,¡± Ifas shot back, his tone easy, almost lazy. ¡°That does not mean it is smart,¡± Machi pressed. ¡°Letting him and my lady walk around like this¡ªexposed, in the open¡ªwhat if something happens?¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll handle it like he handles everything else,¡± Ifas replied plainly. Zora let their quiet argument fade into the background. Machi worried about Kita deeply, of course, but her fears extended to Zora as well. And he appreciated her vigilance. It was misplaced, sure, but it came from a place of goodwill, and he¡¯d never dismiss goodwill like that. Kita walked silently beside him, her steps light and steady. She hadn¡¯t said much since they¡¯d left their quarters in the Nohoch Lord¡¯s factory a few hours ago to take a walk around the Region Capital. Her silence wasn¡¯t unusual, but Zora could practically hear the gears in her mind spinning. The little lady had a habit of weighing her thoughts before speaking, like a swordsman testing the heft of a blade, and honestly? Sometimes, he¡¯d rather she just speak her mind honestly instead of forcing him to play the adult game of trying to guess what she was thinking. Teenagers. And she was the one who said she wanted to follow me out on a walk. As the midday sun bore down on all four of them, he sighed and let his thoughts drift, turning inwards. Two months ago, he¡¯d constructed the first five-pointed star-shaped effigy just a bit north of Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, along one of the five main railways leading to a large Swarmsteel factory town. After crafting its skeleton out of giant ant carcasses, Yiru¡¯s soldiers had further reinforced the effigy with metal beams, plates, and wires¡ªmaking sure it¡¯d stand the tests of time as a grotesque and unmistakable ¡®mark¡¯ of the Thousand Tongue. In all honesty, that first effigy had been nothing but a test. Zora hadn¡¯t been completely certain it¡¯d work. The Swarm weren¡¯t unintelligent, but it wasn¡¯t like they operated entirely on reason, either¡ªthere were times when they simply moved with instinct, primal and brutal. Still, over the following weeks, they constructed more giant star-shaped effigies across the northwest. First along the five major railways, then along the smaller lines, and finally along the caravan routes that wound through the more isolated outer regions. The work had been relentless, the labour grueling for the workers who had to follow up on Zora¡¯s shoddy construction work, but the results were undeniable. Sign language was a language the Swarm understood, and they understood his effigy¡¯s message very well: stay away. The attacks had dwindled accordingly. At first, there was hesitation. No merchant wanted to be the first to test the safety of a route marked by such grim and grotesque-looking monuments. Then, one caravan had dared to travel along the route between Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam and a small refinery town just two days northeast. Zora smiled faintly at the memory. After all, that brave caravan master was just one of Yiru¡¯s soldiers¡ªa calculated plant to spread the good word. Zora himself had tagged along with that caravan, unseen and unheard, to ensure nothing went wrong. And the gamble paid off. The moment the caravan managed to travel back and forth between two relatively distant settlements without getting attacked, word spread like wildfire, carried by merchants eager to reclaim lost profits. It took two weeks, but now the trade routes were coming alive again, bustling with activity. Smaller caravans and independent merchants took to the roads with growing confidence, their faith bolstered by the stars that dotted the landscape. The effigies weren¡¯t just grotesque monuments anymore. They were symbols of peace guaranteed by the Thousand Tongue. A few more weeks passed. The railways followed suit. Trains once left to rust now roared back to life, their wheels grinding against tracks that had been silent for years. A hundred and sixteen factories, twenty-four refinery towns, and fourteen mining outposts had reopened, forges glowing, chimneys belching smoke into the sky. Workers returned to their stations, their hands blistered but steady as they resumed crafting weapons and equipment for the empire¡¯s endless war against the Swarm. Here, in Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, the change was most apparent. The Region Capital thrummed with energy, its streets once again crowded with people and goods. With the Swarmsteel factory production lines in this city running at nearly maximum speed, the Nohoch Lord was also finally able to begin fulfilling his overdue weapons orders for the Capital. Zora¡¯s lip twitched in the barest hint of a smile again. The Capital¡¯s meddling had been postponed for now. With the northwest getting back on its feet, they had no pretext to send the Royal Capital Guards into the city under the guise of peacekeeping. In particular, it gave him breathing room¡ªa chance to focus on what truly mattered¡ªbecause if the Capital wanted to kill him, they¡¯d have to spare no effort sending a covert force of assassins or Spore Knights into the northwest, and he doubted the Capital was willing to waste that many resources on him. I imagine nobody¡¯s happier than Yiru, though. His city is alive again. The Nohoch Lord had every reason to be pleased. His factories were running again, and his coffers would soon swell with the profits of renewed trade. Workers who¡¯d been idle for months could move with purpose once again. Certainly, there was still a lot to be done regarding bringing the northwest back to order, but Zora was no lord, nor did he aspire to be one. Administrative work bored him, and his mind wasn¡¯t built for the tedium of ledgers and decrees. He¡¯d leave that to the Nohoch Lord. His role here was done. Almost. A snatch of conversation caught his ear, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. Two merchants debated the best route to the southern frontier, their voices rising and falling like the cadence of a song. ¡°You¡¯re amused,¡± Kita said, her tone flat. ¡°People,¡± Zora said simply, ¡°are endlessly interesting.¡± ¡°But this isn¡¯t all good.¡± Zora tilted his head, inviting her to continue. ¡°Your effigies,¡± she said, her voice quieter now. ¡°They¡¯ve made it clear to the Swarm that this land is off-limits, but they¡¯re also a message.¡± ¡°To the Capital, you mean?¡± She nodded, though he couldn¡¯t see it. He felt her hesitation in the pause before she spoke again. ¡°They¡¯ll come for you,¡± she said. ¡°Not the Royal Capital Guard¡ªnot with no excuse for peacekeeping anymore¡ªbut assassins. The Death God or whatever they¡¯re called is still out there, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Zora admitted. His voice carried no fear, only quiet acknowledgment. ¡°But I am very, very close to being done here. By the time this ¡®Death God¡¯ arrives, I¡¯ll already be long gone.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, her brow furrowing. He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his focus inward, scanning his status screen over in the corner of his mind¡¯s eye. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
[Name: Zora Fabre] [Grade: D-Rank Mutant-Class] [Class: Magicicada] [Bioarcanic Art: God Tongue] [Bioarcanic Aura: 7,336] [Points: 621] [Strength: 6, Speed: 6, Toughness: 6, Dexterity: 6, Perception: 11] [// MUTATION TREE] [T1 Mutation | Resilin Tymbal Lvl. 5] [T2 Mutations | Rhythmic Tympana Lvl. 8 | Timbral Abdovoid Lvl. 6] [T3 Mutations | Basic Chitin Lvl. 4 | Basic Wings Lvl. 3 | Basic Setae Lvl. 4] [T4 Mutations | Basic Ocellus | Basic Digestion | Basic Spiracles | Basic Dormancy] 500P
Two months of nearly weekly combat against hordes of Giant-Class ants had left him an abundance of points, a portion of which he hadn¡¯t yet spent. He¡¯d gotten around four thousand points in two months, which was already more than what he¡¯d gotten in two years marching down to the Capital. Granted, he¡¯d still given away a significant portion of his points these past two months to Kita and Yiru¡¯s soldiers¡ªbecause they were the ones who¡¯d be defending the northwest from here on out¡ªbut four thousand points was a lot to spend nevertheless. Now, he¡¯d thought about unlocking all of his tier four mutations all at once, or maybe even get the first branch mutations for all his tier three mutations, but instead, he¡¯d spent around three thousand points on increasing his attribute levels across the board. Mainly, he¡¯d put his points into perception and ¡®Rhythmic Tympana¡¯. He was blind. He needed the ability to hear more than anyone else could see, and then some more¡ªhis hearing was especially bad on a fast-moving train, after all, so before anything else, he¡¯d made sure he¡¯d never be unable to detect his surroundings. Thankfully, he still had around seven hundred points left. That was more than enough to get a tier four mutation and a tier three branch mutation, so he¡¯d do just that later. There was no need to unlock them in a hurry. ¡°... I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯ve been listening,¡± he said casually. ¡°To the city. To the northwest. To the people.¡± Kita¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Thousands of testimonies from people I¡¯ve interviewed across the northwest,¡± he continued. ¡°The workers, traders, soldiers, even the beggars¡ªthey all tell me the same story. Most of them seem to agree that the Empress and Her Four Families changed a decade ago when a certain ¡®Divine Attendant¡¯ arrived in the Capital.¡± ¡°The Divine Attendant?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of her?¡± ¡°No. This is the first time.¡± Zora lowered his voice. ¡°Since this ¡®Divine Attendant¡¯ arrived in the Capital, she has wormed herself into the circle of the Empress and Her Four Families with so-called ¡®divine prophecies¡¯. Supposedly, she¡¯d been advising the Empress and shaping governance of the empire in ways nobody understands these past ten years. Lots of people believe she is a ¡®magician¡¯¡ªshe performs impossible feats and makes prophecies that defy all common reason. A woman who walks through walls, who knows things she couldn¡¯t possibly know. Isn¡¯t it quite unusual that a no-name from nowhere can just walk into the Capital and become the Empress¡¯ most confidential advisor?¡± Kita¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°So you think it¡¯s her?¡± ¡°Decima,¡± Zora confirmed, his voice like a blade slicing through the noise. ¡°The Magicicada Witch we¡¯re looking for. She probably used her magic to quell suspicions and suppress dissension within the noble court¡­ though I have no idea what sort of spells she can cast.¡± The noble princess¡¯ steps quickened, her boots striking the stone with more force. ¡°If this Divine Attendant is her¡­ can you beat her as you are now?¡± Zora thought for a moment before shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, ¡°but I still have time. The year¡¯s end is still nine months away, so I¡¯ll get as strong as I can before facing her in battle.¡± The determination in his voice left no room for argument. Kita said nothing more, but he could sense her unease in the way she carried herself¡ªshe probably had something she wanted to say, but couldn¡¯t. ¡­ Hm. If she wasn¡¯t going to say anything, he wasn¡¯t going to say anything. The noise of the market began to fade as they approached the main factory in the centre of the city. Steam hissed from its chimneys, and the low roar of machinery filled the air. Waved through by the guards at the front gate who¡¯d no doubt been told never to impede them, they ascended the winding staircase to the Nohoch Lord¡¯s office at the very top, and when Zora pushed the door open, the familiar smell of ink and parchment immediately wafted into his nose. Yiru was already standing behind the massive round table in the centre of the room, his hands resting on its edges. A physical map of the northwest stretched across its surface, dotted with three-dimensional wooden markers representing towns, railways, and Swarm activity. It was a map specially made so Zora could run his hands across it and feel out all the important information, after all, and he was glad Yiru was an accommodating lord. Being a kind lord was just a bonus on top of that. Yiru¡¯s smile was wide, his voice warm as he looked up and greeted them. ¡°Enjoying the city, Kita? Thousand Tongue?¡± ¡°Very much,¡± Zora replied, inclining his head slightly. ¡°But now it¡¯s time to talk business.¡± While Machi closed the office door behind them and Ifas made himself comfortable on a cushion in the corner of the room, Zora, Kita, and Yiru stood around the round table. Zora immediately placed his fingers lightly on the table¡¯s edge, using the vibrations of Yiru¡¯s steady breathing and Kita¡¯s shifting weight to orient himself. Then he swept his hand slowly across the map, feeling the markers dotted across the terrain. ¡°... Have either of you fought Mutant-Classes before?¡± he murmured, turning his head slightly toward Yiru and Kita as he confirmed the statuses of all the giant effigies constructed along the five main railways. Yiru cleared his throat. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve fought Giant-Classes back when I was younger and enlisted in the army, but nothing beyond that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve studied them at the Royal Ayapcha Military Academy,¡± Kita said plainly. ¡°The professors spoke of their cunning. Their brutality. Their ability to use Bioarcanic Arts.¡± Zora nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Then, do you understand why I had the effigies built this way?¡± He reached under his cloak and retrieved his wand, and without another word, he began tracing the outline of the effigies on the map. Line by line, he connected the markers slowly, deliberately, and precisely. Kita and Yiru were quiet at first, but the more lines he connected, the higher their brows raised¡ªand once he finished, a sharp intake of breath came from Kita, while Yiru let out a low whistle, the sound tinged with disbelief. After all, by connecting all of the giant effigies to their two closest counterparts, he¡¯d created a giant star-shaped pattern stretching across the entire northwest that could only be seen from a top-down perspective. ¡°Bold,¡± Yiru said, chuckling softly. ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve claimed the entire northwest for yourself. Who¡¯s the Nohoch Lord now?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, my lord,¡± Zora said, his lips curling into a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken, however. Even if you hadn¡¯t noticed I was building effigies in a giant star-shaped pattern across the northwest, there are plenty of flight-able insects in the Swarm. There¡¯s no chance they didn¡¯t notice this pattern from the sky. They won¡¯t ignore it, either. They¡¯ll see the completed pattern as a challenge. An insult. They won¡¯t just quietly retreat from the northwest.¡± Then he tapped his wand against the centre of the star-shaped pattern, and Yiru frowned as he noticed what was at the centre of the effigies. Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam. The Region Capital, the beating heart of the northwest. ¡°So, how will the Swarm regain their dominance in the northwest?¡± Zora continued, tapping Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam on the map. ¡°I¡¯ve already told them how to do it. They see the star, and they have their target¡ªto kill the man who has been bringing them so much trouble these past two months and to regain their dominance, they¡¯ll target Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam, and they¡¯ll make sure to do it with flair by sending all of their Mutant-Classes after me.¡± Yiru, the lord of the city, was evidently suspicious of his statement. ¡°You want the Swarm to target Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said plainly. ¡°But they¡¯ll be targeting Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam and me at the same time, so this is what I¡¯ll draw every Mutant-Classes leading the Swarm in the northwest out.¡± He traced one of the five major railways leading away from the city with his wand; the shortest of the five. ¡°I¡¯ll board a train and travel along this railway. The Mutant-Classes won¡¯t attack while I¡¯m riding away from the city, though. They¡¯ll wait. They¡¯ll only attack on my return trip to the city so they can kill me and destroy Nohoch Ik¡¯Balam by jumping onboard.¡± The room was silent save for the faint scrape of Yiru¡¯s hand as he adjusted one of the markers on the map. ¡°... But you won¡¯t let them ride into the city, will you?¡± Yiru asked, staring at him pointedly. ¡°No shit, my lord,¡± Zora said, ¡°because I¡¯ll be on the train. The shortest of the five major railways is a six round trip to and from the city. In those three hours of the train coming back, I¡¯ll dismantle all the Mutant-Classes and give you their heads.¡± Yiru nodded, his resolve palpable. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have the train ready by nightfall. By midnight, it should be en route to return to the city.¡± ¡°And if everything goes well¡ªif we achieve an overwhelming victory against the Mutant-Classes¡ªthe northwest will be able to stand on its own two feet come tomorrow sunrise.¡± With that, Zora turned toward the door, yawning and stretching his arms over his head. It was only midday, so he had about six or so hours to get a quick nap in before he had to board the away train. And I¡¯ll use that time to take a look at the tier four mutations. But before that¡­ He didn¡¯t have to glance over his shoulder to see Kita, exactly, but he still did as he asked her a question. ¡°I have no proof, but I believe there¡¯ll be at least four or five Mutant-Classes jumping onto the train tonight,¡± he said. ¡°You can stay behind if you don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready, but¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± she said, and her response was immediate, sharp as a blade. ¡°I am graded at E-Rank Mutant-Class, after all.¡± Zora tilted his head slightly. He couldn¡¯t help but notice most of their conversations ended up like this¡ªwith one side completely adamant¡ªbut he didn¡¯t think the midnight train was going to be that dangerous. Besides, it was true that the young princess had followed him on basically every ant extermination mission in the past two months. If nothing else, she could support him from the back and throw clumps of army ants at him for instant healing. ¡°... Then get ready,¡± he said, yawning once more as he headed out of the room. ¡°We¡¯ll meet up downstairs at the station in six hours.¡±