In the middle of the Phantom’s Land, Irina, Astron, and Sylvie were facing Eleanor.
“So, you are saying you know what happened here?” Eleanor asked. After the initial chaos and confusion passed, everything started falling into order. The students, who were outside of the town and critically injured, were found by the instructors and urgently formed student teams.
Following that, the help from the government and the closest city came as well. Now the situation was controlled, and Eleanor could have a breather since the officials and the vice-headmaster were also here.
At least that was what she thought, but well, life never played as she wished. And now she had heard one of the strongest claims of the recent three days.
“Yes, that is right, Instructor,” Irina replied, keeping her composure in front of Eleanor’s stern face. After all, she had her own experience of being in front of strong people, considering her mother. So, she was rather relaxed.
As for Astron, inwardly, he was also relaxed. Even though his relationship with Eleanor wasn’t as good as others, recently, she hadn’t been picking on him that much. It could even be said that she forgot about his existence completely.
And that meant, rather than negative, her opinion somehow naturally became neutral.
Though, Sylvie was a little different. She was a little shaky while standing in front of Eleanor since what had happened here meant talking about her powers. However, she was also well aware that they needed to report this matter as the scale of what happened here was way too big, and eventually, many experts were going to be involved in this matter one way or another.
Thus, Astron had advised her to at least explain it to the academy, as he was well aware that the academy knew about Sylvie’s awakening, and they could better find a way to conceal it from the government.
Eleanor scrutinized Irina’s expression, her eyes narrowing as she awaited a detailed explanation. Irina, with a calm demeanor, began narrating the events from the beginning.
“It started when we were exploring the Phantom’s Land. Everything seemed normal initially, but as we delved deeper, I lost consciousness at some point, and when I woke up, the situation had escalated.”
Eleanor’s gaze remained fixed on Irina, studying her reactions and the nuances in her story. Irina, however, kept her composure, recounting the events with precision.
“During the chaos, Sylvie was the one who pulled me out of that distorted state. At that moment, I regained my consciousness and control over my actions. The awakening was a significant factor in neutralizing the threat within the Phantom’s Land.”
Eleanor’s brow furrowed slightly as Sylvie was mentioned. She shifted her attention to the third member of the group. She seized Sylvie from head to toe, but she didn’t show much reaction on this part.
Eleanor’s brow furrowed slightly as she shifted her attention to the third member of the group.
“Sylvie, care to explain your part in this?” Eleanor prompted.
Aston analyzed her reaction as he looked into Eleanor’s face. There, he could see one important thing.
‘She wants to make it seem like Academy wasn’t well aware of Sylvie’s abilities.’
It made sense since if Sylvie knew the academy was well aware of her powers, she might get wary of them.
‘She is also probably testing her awareness.’
This situation could also prove a good indication for future events where Sylvie needed to navigate through to hide her specialty for her own sake.
Sylvie, feeling a bit uneasy, took a deep breath before speaking. “Yes, Instructor. When Irina lost consciousness, I could somehow sense her presence within the distorted realm. It was as if a part of her was trapped in a different plane. After sensing, I used my mana to reach out to her and pull her back.”
Eleanor’s expression became more serious as Sylvie continued her explanation. She realized the significance of Sylvie’s involvement in stabilizing the situation and how much her powers were used. She was sorting her thoughts to report to the chairman.
“Irina’s awakening within the Phantom’s Land was crucial in preventing a potential disaster. It allowed us to tackle the threat and eventually neutralize it,” Sylvie added.
Eleanor nodded thoughtfully, piecing together the information she received. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t help but narrow her eyes.
“Why hadn’t you chosen to wake up some other instructors?”
Sylvie hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing her words. “Instructor, I… I didn’t have much control over the situation. It felt instinctive, like an impulse. Irina was the one I sensed most prominently, and it felt urgent to bring her back. I wasn’t aware of the full scope of what was happening.”
Eleanor continued to scrutinize Sylvie’s response, searching for any signs of deception. The delicate balance between concealing Sylvie’s true capabilities and ensuring her cooperation in the future was crucial.
“It’s understandable,” Eleanor acknowledged, her tone neutral. “Given the circumstances, your actions were commendable. However, be mindful of your abilities and their implications. We will discuss this matter further during the debriefing at the academy.”
Sylvie nodded, relieved that her explanation seemed to satisfy Eleanor.
Astron, however, couldn’t help but notice the careful dance of words and intentions taking place.
‘She is saying this to Sylvie so that in the future, she can take this as a ground for academic perceptiveness. This will most likely be an attempt to lower her guard and make her more reliant on the academy. After all, if Sylvie thinks the academy is easy to fool, she will act more carelessly, revealing more.’
Eleanor was a seasoned instructor, adept at handling delicate situations, and she was subtly guiding the narrative. Astron inwardly praised her for how she managed to control her words.
“Then….What happened after that?” Eleanor turned her attention to Irina and Astron, looking directly into their eyes. She had a hunch that these two were at the center of events now. “And, how were you able to wake Astron up, and why did you choose him?”
Irina took a deep breath before explaining, meeting Eleanor’s gaze steadily.
Therefore, I thought of using a spell called 「Phantasmal Transfer」 to use it to reach Astron’s dream and bring him back.”
Eleanor nodded, absorbing the information. Her focus shifted between Irina and Astron, a silent acknowledgment of the significance of the unfolding events.
Irina continued, “As for why we chose Astron, he was the lowest rank in proximity. With Sylvie’s mana, we have observed that lower-ranking individuals were easier to pass through, and we thought it would be a quicker and more efficient way to bring him back since more mind would be better than zero.”
Of course, what she had said wasn’t all true. There were many lies mixed in there, yet this was a more logical response. After all, Astron himself had purposefully handled this part of the speech.
Eleanor’s gaze shifted between Irina and Astron, a subtle hint of amusement playing in her eyes. “Better than zero, you say? Well, I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” she remarked, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm as she threw a quick glance at Astron. His response was a nonchalant shrug, seemingly unfazed by her comment. ᴛʜs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀ s ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛ ʙʏ novl(ꜰ)ire.et
The tension in the air eased as Eleanor chuckled, acknowledging the complexities of the relationships within the academy. “Well, regardless of rank, you managed to bring him back successfully. Impressive, Irina. Using a spell-like 「Phantasmal Transfer」 is no small feat, especially considering its high ranking.”
Astron could sense the underlying tone of surprise and acknowledgment in Eleanor’s words. Irina’s proficiency in magic and her quick thinking were earning her commendation even from someone like Eleanor, whose praise was sparingly given.
Eleanor’s squinty remained undiminished as she continued to take notes about their explanations. She needed to listen to everything they had said first to report the authorities, especially the headmaster.
“Then, what happened next? How did you two manage to solve the problem, and what was the source of this disturbance?” Eleanor inquired, her stern gaze focusing on Irina.
Irina met Eleanor’s gaze, and for a moment, her eyes darted to Astron before she continued her explanation. “After waking Astron up, we quickly assessed the situation. With both of us awake and alert, we realized it was nearing the time when Phantoms usually go berserk. Astron and I have good senses, and we sensed an abnormal convergence of energy spreading across the Phantom’s Land.”
Astron nodded, confirming her statement. Then he spoke for the first time. “It was a distinctive surge in energy, not typical for this region. We knew something was off, and with Irina’s capabilities and my combat experience, we decided to investigate immediately.”
Eleanor listened attentively, her stern expression hinting at a sense of approval for their proactive approach. “Continue.”
“We started tracing the energy surge to a cavern. Yet, tracing wasn’t easy. Countless different phantoms blocked our way, and we had a hard time breaking through their barricade.”
“Hmm….” Eleanor nodded thoughtfully. “This makes sense, considering the phantoms most likely obeyed whatever the reason for this state was.”
“This was what we thought as well, but thankfully, since I and I had been on the same team from the start of the semester, we coordinated quite well and managed to break the horde.”
Irina continued with the narrative, “Once we reached the cavern, I sensed the overwhelming energy of the enemy within. It was much stronger compared to the phantoms we had encountered before. At that moment, I made a quick judgment that the enemy might be too formidable for Astron to handle alone.”
Astron interjected, “Irina decided that I should guard the cavern entrance to prevent more phantoms from interfering while she faced the enemy inside. I was able to sense the energy inside and noticed that it was the only logical decision.”
Eleanor nodded, understanding the tactical decision, yet she was still impressed. Considering Irina’s past behavior, she rather thought she would barge in.
‘She changed….But, still…The idea must have come from him.’
Yet, even then, Eleanor was no stranger that Astron did have a good sense of awareness and leadership. Especially in such situations since she had analyzed and graded his previous dungeon explorations.
“A wise choice to divide your roles based on your strengths. Continue.”
“As I entered the cavern, I encountered a demon inside, conducting a ritual of some sort. It seemed recently awakened and lost control, causing the disturbance in the Phantom’s Land. At least, this is what I suspect.”
Eleanor raised an eyebrow at the mention of a demon. “A demon in the Phantom’s Land? “
“Yes. It was a demon.”
“I see.”
“The battle with the demon was fierce, but I was able to defeat it with my abilities,” Irina finished, her tone reflecting the intensity of the encounter.”
“That’s highly unusual. We’ll need to investigate the circumstances of its presence here. What happened after defeating the demon?”
Astron continued, “The demon’s defeat triggered an explosive reaction, leading to the collapse of the Phantom’s Land’s whole phenomenon. Yet, we were unable to immediately return back since we had already exhausted ourselves to the maximum.”
“I see.” Eleanor nodded, piecing together the sequence of events. “Your actions have averted a potential disaster, but the appearance of a demon raises questions about the stability of the Phantom’s Land. We’ll need to conduct a thorough investigation. Thank you both for your detailed report. I will ensure that the academy takes appropriate measures in light of this incident. You are dismissed.”