The Expected Ambush
The festive atmosphere of the academy descended into chaos in an instant.
[Kyaaaaaaaaaa-!!]
[Kieeeeeek-!!]
Chimeras, appearing out of nowhere, began to wreak havoc on their surroundings.
"H-Help me!!"
"Kyaaaaaak-!!"
"Uwaaaaang-!!"
Panic-stricken people screamed and fled as fires erupted throughout the academy.
The academy staff scrambled to respond.
Security guards, the Disciplinary Committee, and even the faculty were mobilized.
They evacuated people and engaged the Chimeras in battle.
Thanks to the teachers' valiant efforts, a few Chimeras were subdued or killed.
However, the problem was that the number of Chimeras that suddenly appeared wasn't just one or two.
At least fifteen Chimeras were confirmed at that moment.
It was a number that the academy's forces could never handle on their own.
Meanwhile…
"Support request from the South Tower!"
"Support request from the West Tower!"
Disciplinary Committee room.
The situation there could only be described as utter chaos.
The Disciplinary Committee and the academy's Security Guard were overwhelmed by the sudden Chimera attack.
"Have we contacted the Security Guard and the Capital Guard!?"
"Security Guard Unit 1 and the Capital Guard Special Forces have been dispatched! Estimated arrival time is 30 minutes!"
"What in the world is going on…!!"
Cayley, observing the situation from the Security Guard's control room, gritted her teeth.
The academy, as seen through the reconnaissance golem's eyes, resembled a battlefield.
People fleeing, teachers, security guards, and Disciplinary Committee members fighting.
The academy was ablaze.
It was an unprecedented event in the Kingdom's history.
"Buy us some time, no matter what! If we can just buy time, the Security Guard and the Capital Guard will take care of the Chimeras!"
The best course of action for the academy was to prevent further damage.
If Unit 1, the elite of the Security Guard, and the Capital Guard's Special Forces were dispatched, subduing the Chimeras wouldn't be too difficult…
It was a race against time.
"Have we contacted Ragrind's group yet!?"
"That's… it seems like there's some kind of interference…!!"
"Damn it!!"
Cayley cursed, forgetting that others were present.
She couldn't help it. In this situation, her top priority was Jade's safety.
It might sound cold-hearted, but she was willing to endure any sacrifice as long as Jade was safe.
However, Jade was the one who was out of contact.
Even if she wanted to go look for her, the rampaging Chimeras made it impossible.
Just then…
[This is the South Tower. Chimera subdued.]
[This is the main building West. Chimera subdued.]
[The auditorium Chimera has been subdued.]
"W-What…?"
Cayley couldn't help but look bewildered at the sudden reports of subjugation.
It was impossible for the academy's Security Guard and the Disciplinary Committee to subdue a Chimera.
They would be lucky if they could just buy some time.
Nevertheless, reports of Chimera subjugation were coming from all over the academy.
"What's going on?"
[We don't know what happened either, but… I think you need to see this for yourself.]
"Switch the screen."
Cayley responded to the voice from the communicator, and a Disciplinary Committee member operating the golem switched the screen.
And…
"What in the world is that?"
What they saw was a collapsed, sleeping Chimera and a mechanical device hovering around it, emitting an unidentified gas at the Chimera.
* * *
[I-It really happened just like you said…!!]
Silfier couldn't hide her astonishment as she witnessed the scene unfolding before her eyes.
Chimeras suddenly appeared and began to attack their surroundings indiscriminately.
It was exactly as she had been told.
Time rewound to a few days ago, on a bright afternoon…
Silfier's dormitory room, which also served as a storage room.
"Phew…"
Rudell let out a short sigh as he put down a large box.
"Is that all?"
[Y-Yes…!! I'll check it once.]
Rudell, wiping the sweat from his brow, asked, and Silfier nodded, marking her notebook.
Her room was filled with all sorts of boxes.
Inside those boxes were alchemy ingredients.
From commonly available herbs to monster byproducts and even rare ingredients, they were piled high.
[H-How did you bring all this in…? These are items that shouldn't be brought in carelessly…]
"Hmm… I'll keep that a secret. I'll tell you in advance, but I didn't abuse my authority as a member of the Disciplinary Committee."
Rudell replied with a faint smile.
Pilsberg Academy was one of the most important national facilities.
As such, security was quite strict, and students had to go through a complicated procedure to bring anything into the school.
Naturally, most of the items in front of her were things that couldn't pass through such procedures.
However, bringing these items in wasn't difficult for Rudell.
Shadow magic.
One of its abilities was to create a subspace within his shadow to store items.
There was only one reason why shadow magic was neglected in the original story.
It appeared too late.
[B-But… is that story really true…? That monsters will attack during the Sabbath Festival…]
"It's not certain, but the possibility is very high."
At least, that's what Rudell thought from their perspective.
Everything is prepared, and the target is right in front of you?
What fool would miss such an opportunity?
[I-It's hard to believe, but… if Young Master Weinstein says so…]
"Thank you for believing me."
[S-So… w-we just need to make an anesthetic with this, right?]
"Yes, an incredibly strong one."
The method Rudell came up with to prepare for the Sabbath Festival attack was nothing special.
Make an incredibly strong anesthetic and incapacitate all the Chimeras.
Although there are slight differences depending on the individual characteristics, Chimeras have strong resistance to both physical and magical attacks.
Then, wouldn't it be better to subdue them using a different method?
No matter how dangerous and terrifying Chimeras are, they can't escape the limitations of being living creatures.
If you hit them with an anesthetic strong enough to put a dragon to sleep, how could those guys possibly resist?
And, coincidentally, there was a genius here who was unrivaled in magic engineering and alchemy.
A genius who could create an anesthetic capable of incapacitating even Chimeras.
"Can you do it?"
[I-I'll have to do some research, but… I think it might be possible…]
Silfier nodded at Rudell's question, and Rudell said to her,
"Please, it's something only you can do."
[Y-Yes…!!]
Back to the present.
[What is his true identity…?]
Silfier thought as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes.
Despite his status as a Viscount's Young Master, he fought a Marquis's son in a duel to help her.
He suddenly appeared with serious injuries and fainted.
He even predicted the Chimera attack happening right now…
No matter how she thought about it, his actions were far from ordinary.
[What am I even thinking…?]
Silfier shook her head vigorously, cutting off her thoughts.
Now wasn't the time to think about that.
Prevent further damage, just as she had prepared.
That was her current task.
[Phew…]
As if reflecting her confused emotions, steam erupted violently from her armor.
But only for a moment.
Soon, she turned her head and opened a prepared box.
Inside the box were round, metallic objects.
They were the golems she had created.
Golems loaded with a powerful anesthetic that could put a person to sleep in seconds.
She stared at them for a moment and then carefully reached out towards the golems.
Electric needles popped out from the fingertips of her armor, and she carefully brought them close to the golems.
-Crackle!
With a sharp sound, electricity spread out, supplying power to the golems…
At the same time, the golems' bodies began to move with mechanical whirring sounds.
Small rods popped out from the top of the golems' heads, spreading wide to form propellers, and the red lenses in the middle of their bodies began to emit light.
Soon, the golems gained enough propulsion and soared into the sky, spreading out across the academy.
-It's something only you can do.
[Something only I can do…]
Silfier, watching the scene, repeated those words in her mind and focused on the screen in front of her.
The chaotic situation of the academy came into view through the shared vision of numerous golems. Silfier watched and slowly took a deep breath.
The burning academy and the people collapsed everywhere.
The teachers, security guards, and Disciplinary Committee members engaged in a difficult battle.
It was a sight that would have made her turn away in the past, but she didn't.
Do what you can.
That was the only thought in her mind right now.
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