How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 285

[Side story] Chasing butterflies (12)

– ‘Lucy’

– ‘If you want to leave the mansion, you can tell me honestly.’

I remember the profile of the man sitting on the roof of the mansion and looking up at the starry sky together.

It was the day that the man himself came to find Lucy, who had run away from the maids and was sleeping on the roof.

It’s f*cking timing.

What is the reason why it reminds me of that time at this point? Lucy had a strange feeling.

The moment Lucy rushed forward with her hands full of the magical power she had raised, Yenika quickly grabbed her staff and raised her sensitivity.

Lucy and Yenika understood each other’s fighting style very well.

You must never engage in a war of attrition against Yenika. Especially if there was a limit to the amount of magic that Lucy could use, like now.

Even so, the army of spirits spewing out was specialized in such simple warfare, and even the heart of Velbroque was in their hands. In the end, it is meaningless unless you subdue the body of Jenika that summons the spirits.

Lucy understands that very well.

And Jenika, too, sees through the fact that Lucy understands that fact.

– ‘Sometimes I think about that.’

– ‘In the name of protecting you who have lost your magical power, I think I’m tying you up too much in this mansion.’

– ‘If you think about it, you were a guy who wandered here and there using the sky as a roof rather than being tied to one place.’

The high-level explosive magic ‘Destruction’ emanating from Lucy’s hand spreads around Jenika.

Explosions fill the surroundings, and smoke rises. However, Yenica swipes her wand with just a flick of her wand, which sweeps away all of her smoke.

The mid-ranking wind spirit Ludex, twisted into a grotesque shape, spreads its wings. Standing upright on top of a gigantic pterosaur-shaped spirit, Jenika looked like an aloof queen.

Ed’s wand is an item made using the same thousand-year-old wand struck by lightning as Jenika.

However, the type of minor alterations or spirits given is completely different. This is because Ed’s spiritism technique and Jenika’s spiritism technique are very different.

However, if it’s a power that falls within the category of Spiritual Art, it’s as if it’s all within Jenika’s grasp.

A gifted elemental magician doesn’t care about the type of power when it comes to elemental magic.

Even if it was a wand specialized for Ed’s spiritism, handling it wasn’t too difficult.

The moment Lucy raised her strength for her next spell, a reddish pile of magic rose from above Jenika’s head, and another pair of wings spread out.

It is the wing of a large bat. The blazing bat wings were… terribly rotten here and there.

Spirituality – Explosion.

It was a magic that caused an explosion centered on the spirit ceremony that was imprinted in advance.

The problem was its power. The explosion that passed through Jenika’s power was almost as powerful as high-ranking explosive magic.

The starting point of the explosion was under Lucy’s feet.

The rising heat and the ensuing roar threw Lucy’s small body out.

– ‘Just lately, I’ve been wondering if I’ve been thinking too self-centered.’

– ‘I thought of the past once. I’m not sure if you were aware, but Lucy you just… never felt tied down to life.’

– ‘I just thought it wouldn’t be strange if he disappeared one day.’

He succeeded in creating defensive magic, but he had to invest too much magic.

If you use magic power more than necessary, you will not have enough magic power to return to the original world.

The pressure continues to weigh on Lucy’s chest, but Jenika’s offensive has no intention of stopping.

The moment she stands leaning against the outer wall of the altar, another sense of incongruity strikes Lucy’s mind.

There is water.

It is locked up to the ankle. Even though this place is at the top of the mountain.

At that moment, a new magic power rises from Lucy’s back.

Jeong Ryeong-sik – Suwon appearance. And Lacia, the water spirit of the middle rank, protrudes from the water and opens her mouth to bite Lucy’s right arm.

Responding quickly, Lucy slammed three or four ice spears into Lacia’s face.

Then, after widening the distance with wind magic, he used the high-level light magic ‘sword hilt of brilliance’ to penetrate Lacia’s limbs and completely subdue her.

It was a fleeting moment, lasting only a few seconds.

However, buying those few seconds was itself Yenika’s goal.

In the sky, a huge whale floats over Aken Island.

During the time the lieutenant spirits earned, the huge whale completely bent over towards the right mountain.

The highest ranking water spirit, Friede. The beating sound resonated once, and the sight turned to the top of the mountain.

– Woe!

The ceremonial dagger that was the epicenter of the explosion flew through the air and landed in Jenika’s hand.

A staff in one hand and a dagger in the other hand.

Like a pilgrim, wearing an old robe, looking down on the world.

After that… a gigantic whale was glaring at Lucy as if it were devouring the world.

It was absurd to try to deal with the highest level spirit while saving all the mana that could be saved.

No matter how much Lucy is, she has no choice but to be serious to deal with an enemy of that size.

If that happens… for at least a few years, I won’t be able to return to the original world.

In this hellish world without Ed, you will have to chew on the loneliness over and over again for years as you search for a way back.

Are you sure you won’t regret this choice? Lucy couldn’t be certain.

But then Ed spoke to Lucy.

– ‘There will be a lot of reasons to live, even if it’s not me. It’s like that in life.’

– ‘So, if it’s hard, tell me. Just as you helped me, I will do my best to be a strength to you.’

Lucy gritted her teeth.

And, by squeezing out the power that had sucked the mana that wrapped around his body, it all manifested.

Even if it’s a few years late, that man will continue to search for Lucy. He is so confident that he continues to exert his power.

The amount of Lucy’s magic power that covered the sky was comparable to that of her prime.

It was Lucy’s vast magical power that once commanded the world and made even the faculty members of the academy nod.

Except for the legendary great sage Sylvania, there is no one who can crush Lucy with pure magic power.

– Woe!

The highest level of explosive magic, ‘the moment of creation’

It was the initial explosion that made even the evil god Mebuler retreat.

The size of the magic circle embroidering the sky is unrealistic even for someone unfamiliar with magic.

Above the spirit’s head, Jenika looked up at the sky and gently closed her eyes.

It seemed to confirm Lucy’s determination.

“You… you are very different from the Lucy Meyril I used to know.”

The words he spat out as if struggling, holding his lips together as if he was enduring pain.

“It must have been a lot of influence. huh.”

After those words, the world was covered in a huge flash.

*

– Quaang! Quaaaaaagh!

– Whoaaaaaaagh!

The huge explosion that covered the skies over Arken Island succeeded in temporarily incapacitating Friede.

No matter how high-ranking spirits are, if Lucy strikes with sincerity, she will inevitably be seriously hurt.

Nonetheless, Friede covered the entire island of Aken with his magical powers even in the midst of his injuries.

Dozens of whirlpools rose from the surrounding territorial waters and covered the sky above Aken Island…

Thousands of spirits escorting Friede took control of the area like an army.

Even so, he couldn’t handle the magical power Lucy exuded.

Sweeping away the spirits over and over again, it rushes toward Jenika floating in the sky.

Riding on the spirit, Jenika continues to distance herself from Lucy.

The most effective way to subdue a spirit sage is to attack its main body. That premise never breaks down.

In order not to fall within Lucy’s range, Jenika constantly widened her distance and induced a war of attrition.

By the time Lucy wiped out thousands of spirits, the battlefield had already crossed over from the top of Mount Orn… to the eastern island where the Sylvania Academy building was located.

In the vortex of swirling magic, Lucy constantly advances to reach Yenika.

The aftermath of that battle… was visible from every corner of the Isle of Aken.

Clevius lying covered in blood in the middle of the forest was the same as Elvira lying exhausted in the cliff area.

At the entrance of the Soul Library, Lortel, who had been looking up at the sky… closed her eyes and went inside, and a group of survivors put their hands together and prayed toward the sky.

Please, I hope you can survive.

That consistent wind was what made Lucy move.

– Quaang! Whoa!

Lucy, who has reached the spirit that Yenica is riding, pierces the ice spear.

The spirit staggers as it is, flying through the night sky, and crashes into the living quarters of the ruined Sylvania Academy.

– Bang! Quaggagak! Kagagak!

Yenika quickly applied her magic and succeeded in landing, but had to roll on the dirt floor several times.

The plaza in the Living Building is filled with only the remains of broken buildings and moss-covered marble floors.

The huge fountain in the center was broken and worn here and there, only emphasizing the gloomy atmosphere.

The moment Jenika, who has barely adjusted her posture in front of it, is about to pick up the staff again, Lucy’s Aspect Magic ‘Space Leap’ is manifested.

Lucy appeared right in front of her and kicked Jenika’s staff away. Then, gasping for her breath, she stretched out her hand toward Yenica and gathered her energy.

“…”

Sitting on the floor, Yenika gently looked up at Lucy.

Lucy, who was already exhausted, seemed to struggle to control herself.

She had allowed Yenica’s counterattack several times. Even so… Lucy was moving somehow with the determination to stop Yenika.

“Why not finish?”

Jenika, who lowered her head for a moment, asked Lucy.

Lucy was in a state of total wounds… but she couldn’t bear to finish Yenika.

It’s because Yenika’s feelings… have been understood.

So, is there any point in persuading me?

What could Lucy Mayrill, who didn’t lose Ed, say to Jenika Failover, who lost everything, could touch her heart?

You can spit out clichés. That the dead man wouldn’t want something like this, and there was no point in going wild like this.

I should be able to talk about such a theory… but what the hell does that mean?

Didn’t Lucy Meiril herself go on a rampage at The Bachelor when she thought Ed was dead?

Can’t you fully understand the pain and sadness?

Isn’t Jenika well aware of her position?

How could Lucy Meiril convince Jenika Failover?

In the end, the only way to stop Yenika Failover is to subdue it with force.

However, Lucy cannot finish Yenika.

“…Me, I can still fight more.”

As if understanding Lucy’s feelings, Yenika spoke quietly.

“Velbroque’s heart, it emits mana endlessly, to the point where I wonder if it’s really infinite. If you succeed in responding only once, if you can handle getting hurt, you can summon the Supreme Spirit again and again.”

“…”

“Now that the wand has fallen from my hand, this is your last chance. You hardly have any magic power left, right?”

Why did you tell Lucy about that?

I heard such an obvious question, but the moment I met Jenika’s eyes, I understood the meaning.

Tears were dripping down Yenika’s cheeks.

For Jenika now, every moment she confirmed Lucy’s existence was a continuation of pain.

“Ugh.. Ugh.. I miss Ed…”

I am speechless.

Even if the grief and madness were to stop here, Jenika had no will to do anything more.

If all of this is meaningless, if I tell her to stop… What will be left of her?

In the end, if you want to stop this run without knowing the limit, whoever you are, you have no choice but to press down with force.

Even if that means the death of Jenika herself.

Lucy bit her lower lip.

Then, with her eyes closed, she raised her Aspect Magic.

“still…”

Lucy couldn’t help but force herself to speak.

“Nevertheless, we must live.”

To continue one’s life somehow, even if it seems meaningless and worthless. That was the belief that Lucy had passed on from the boy.

Lucy’s Aspect magic slowly enveloped Yenika. Yenica closed her eyes and looked up at her sky.

Aspect Magic ‘Time Prison’

In a way, it might be nothing more than a postponement of death…

For Lucy, it was the best option she could choose.

Watching Yenika’s time slowly stop, Lucy poured out all her remaining magic power.

To delay the girl’s death for as long as possible. At least a few years to give her time to rest.

Like that… Yenica quietly closed her eyes.

-dump

Lucy sat on the floor, exhausted.

Living Square is full of quiet desolation. Looking up at the moon floating sadly in the sky, she had a sad face in front of Jenika, who had fallen into a long sleep.

“When you open your eyes…”

Lucy whispered to Yenika.

“…I hope it becomes a world where there are reasons to live, at least a little bit.”

Leaving only such a fleeting wind behind, I stood up aiming at my battered body.

run out of horsepower. A gray world.

From now on, the only thing left for Lucy was a long wait.

One day… until the rebound of the Phoenix Ring ends and all magic power is restored, and Ed is able to send a rescue request again…

May Ed, on the other side of the world far away, not give up and wander in search of Lucy…

Praying like that was the only thing Lucy could do.

It was then.

Another stream of magical power slowly spread across the plaza floor.

Ruins in the moonlight. Above the fountain in the moss-covered plaza of the living quarters… a small portrait of a person overlaps.

I see a figure of a girl standing on top of the fountain with a nimble body like a swift cat.

As if she had been waiting for Yenica to be subdued… The girl who slowly appeared was very familiar.

Looking up at the top of the fountain in the plaza, Lucy’s eyes widen.

The lightly blowing night wind blows the hem of the girl’s skirt.

The small girl, wearing a huge witch hat, was looking up at the moon with her back turned.

As if revisiting a nostalgic landscape, the girl who had been staring at the starry sky… quietly turned her head and looked down at Lucy.

That look is bound to get familiar.

worn-out uniform. A large witch hat. White hair shining softly in the starlight. bluish eyes.

Those blank eyes are so similar to hers.

Lucy was… at a loss for words.

– ‘Magic power is based on interaction. Even if one hundred days of mana is manifested in this world, if there is no medium to receive that mana in the other world, it is just one-way communication.’

It was what Gellan had said.

He said that it is theoretically impossible to jump between the disconnected worlds. This is because interaction is the basis of original magic.

So, in the end, in order to jump between worlds, someone from the other world had to observe this side and manifest magic.

In order to do so, you must have a fundamental understanding of Aspect Magic, along with a sufficient amount of magical power.

Because I know that there aren’t many people like that… in the world.

It was already clear who had brought Lucy to this world.

The girl who turned around while bathing in the moonlight on top of the fountain opens her mouth.

“It’s over.”

Of course, it was a very familiar voice.

*

can’t judge anything

What was Lucy in this world thinking, and why did she call herself to this place?

what will happen in the end Not a single thing… I couldn’t judge.

It’s just… Right now, Lucy’s magical energy is running out and her body is completely bruised, so she can’t do anything. No matter what the opponent does… there is nothing to resist.

Anyway, the opponent is yourself.

If so.. you can roughly predict what your opponent will think and what moves he will take. He just needs to think about how he would act if he were himself.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t imagine it.

In Lucy’s life, Edran’s existence is already an indispensable element. I never imagined life without him.

What was he doing on this island of Aken, hiding the fact that he was still alive after losing Ed? Why should he have been hiding his death.

Why did you try to bring yourself from a distant world to this point?

What he was trying to achieve by doing so… I can’t imagine anything.

– Hwaaaak

Looking at the opponent who jumped off the fountain and landed, Lucy continued to roll her head.

I can’t even decide whether I should be vigilant or not.

But… what does that mean?

He doesn’t even have the means to resist. In the end, there’s nothing you can do except watch whatever your opponent does.

Watching the opponent trudge towards her, Lucy slowly lowered her gaze.

“…”

The girl in front of him was staring at him expressionlessly for a long time.

To the point where I wanted to say something… I looked at it for a long time.

It’s the same Lucy, but… each other’s appearance was very different.

Lucy, who didn’t lose Ed… even though her whole body was in disrepair and she lost all her magic… she still had the will to live.

I wonder if the life force in those eyes can be felt even when I see myself in another world…

Before long, a girl who looked like Lucy herself opened her mouth.

“okay. I see.”

At that time, it was only after meeting eyes once more… Lucy realized.

It was because Lucy’s eyes in this world seemed to have been seen somewhere.

Before coming over to this side world, I had seen those empty and empty eyes in others.

A wizard who wanted to observe the world line where he did not slaughter the demi-humans. Amputator Gellan.

Even if it’s something out of reach… like a butterfly flying in the sky.

No matter how much I stretch out my hand, even if it’s a future I can’t reach…

Such a world could have existed. He said that just by confirming such a possibility, he could feel saved.

Just the possibility that it could have happened… Just seeing the possibility that somewhere in the flow of the world, there could be a smiling self…

The magician’s eyes, trying to live out the present reality with a ray of consolation… overlapped…

Lucy was left speechless.

Lucy from this side of the world… didn’t say a word more than that.

Just seeing Lucy overflowing with will to live, no further explanation is needed…

He slowly came and hugged Lucy.

And… the girl slowly sobbed.

I cried openly as if to prove the solitude of my life and the trials I had gone through.

There was nothing Lucy could do other than wrap her arms around the girl’s back.