Seventh Main Tower (1)

Princess Hong Bi-Yeon had gone missing.

Despite the faculty's efforts to hush it up, the disappearance of such a prominent student spread quietly but deeply throughout Stella.

Already, fear was growing among the students due to the rumors, and now, to have a situation mirroring those rumors unfold...

Edna viewed Hong Bi-Yeon's disappearance from a slightly different perspective.

In this episode, 'disappearance' implied being taken to the Seventh Main Tower, a fate that, apart from the protagonist Eisel, no one else suffered in the original novel.

'You are not qualified.'

While victims might briefly vanish, they were only found collapsed somewhere in the corridor beside those glaring red phrases.

However, somehow Eisel was taken to the Seventh Main Tower.

With the help of Haewonryang, they managed to uncover the truth...

That was the gist of it.

In this episode, Hong Bi-Yeon didn't even get a mention.

At the time, she only appeared to torment the protagonist.

But suddenly, she was taken to the Seventh Main Tower?

'Wait. Come to think of it, what does "qualification" mean?'

It was an aspect she hadn't considered.

At the time when she read the novel, she passed over the notion of 'qualification' with the thought that it would be explained later as a plot twist.

But looking back, the concept of 'qualification' was never fully revealed by the end of the story.

What if Hong Bi-Yeon also met the criteria in addition to Eisel?

If she was taken due to a deviation from the original plot?

'This is going to be crazy...'

Originally, a proper event was supposed to occur here a week later, but she didn't expect this to happen so soon.

With the story's focus shifted from Maizen Tyren to another entity, the narrative felt significantly accelerated.

"This... Won't do."

Edna wore an anxious expression as she looked at the indecisive Eisel.

The two girls, Morph and Adolveit, who were once enemies, had grown through past events, and now, despite being rivals, they had a strong bond.

"Let's go in and rescue her."

Even if Edna said so.

"Let's do it."

They could give such an answer without hesitation.

"Wait, do you know how to get in? Even the professors can't enter, so how do you intend to...?"

Anella asked with an astonished expression, but both Eisel and Edna already knew the way in.

Unlike being dragged in like Hong Bi-Yeon, the only way was to walk in with their own two feet.

Although she tried to be as careful as possible until Baek Yu-Seol returned, there was no choice.

There was no certainty of Baek Yu-Seol's return, and they couldn't keep waiting.

Even without him, they must be able to act on their own.

"Let's go. Let's save that jerk."

"Yes."

Edna and Eisel firmly determined, then turned their steps.

"Ugh... Yu-Seol told me to stay put...."

Anella, who had slipped in between them, was upset for no reason.

——-

Thud! Thwack~!

"Hmm......."

Hong Bi-Yeon's eyes fluttered open at the cold sensation on her cheek.

She tried to move her arms but they didn't budge, as if bound by something.

"What...!"

She looked around desperately, but it was dark.

Light spells were among the top-tier of the nature element, and without a staff, it was impossible to create light.

As she bit her lips and tried to curl up, flames suddenly burst into the air.

Swish!

"Ouch!"

As the sudden brightness pierced her eyes, Hong Bi-Yeon couldn't bear the glare and tightly shut her eyes.

"Hahaha! Even though you received the blessing of fire, it's inevitable that it's dazzling, isn't it? They say you have complete control over fire, right?..."

Despite the unpleasant tone of voice, Hong Bi-Yeon kept her eyes closed for a while.

And slowly, overcoming the pain, she managed to lift her eyelids.

There was a familiar face.

".... Professor Chekeren?"

"That's right! I'm truly sorry to see our distinguished princess like this."

With his protruding belly quivering with each step, and his usual unpleasant grin, Professor Chekeren, whom she didn't particularly like even on normal days, was there.

"Your family's magic is truly an art. The most noble and pure flame.... Even though it's just the phenomenon of combustion resulting from the fusion of oxygen and mana, why bother with purity? But indeed! It feels wonderful . As expected of the Adolveit."

At first, she couldn't understand what he was talking about.

However, when Hong Bi-Yeon saw the flames held by Chekeren, she couldn't help but be astonished.

'That's...... My flame?'

Only the purest flame which could be produced by the pure lineage of Adolveit.

Although there was no significant difference in power compared to other flames, it was a symbol of the magic of one of the twelve disciples of the ancestral mage 'Adolveit, so it was never something anyone could manipulate.

But to... manifest from the fingertips of a complete outsider.

'No way, Adolveit? That can't be.'

The pure lineage of Adolveit always possessed ruby-colored irises which shone like flames.

However, Professor Chekeren had deep purple irises, and his major was not even in the fire element.

"You! What exactly are you?"

"Oh, come on. Student Hong Bi-Yeon. What's with the habit of talking back to professors?"

"Just answer."

"Tsk. None of those ancestral family guys have any manners...."

Despite sticking out his tongue, Chekeren's mood appeared to improve in no time as he grinned broadly.

"It's the 'Last Project' left behind by the current Dark Lord."

"Last Project...?"

"That's right. Why only the twelve families of yours can use the magic left by the ancestral mages? That's what the great Dark Lord, who first harbored doubts about it, searched."

He walked away with a cheerful step as Hong Bi-Yeon watched him. She was naturally unable to look elsewhere....

"... A mirror?"

There was a large full-length mirror reflecting Hong Bi-Yeon.

But something felt odd.

The colors of the world inside the mirror were completely reversed.

In the mirror, Hong Bi-Yeon had black hair and blue eyes, yet her expression was completely gloomy, and she didn't even recognize herself.

"Your twelve families have been chosen by 'Constellation.'

Do you know what that means?"

"... What do I care."

"Hahaha! It's amusing. You're even more obvious than Dark Lord despite standing so close to the 'perfect world.' If you've ever tasted that infinite world even once... You wouldn't be able to escape either, would you?"

"Dark Lord...?"

"That's right! Oh, shouldn't have revealed my identity? Well... Hmm. No, it's fine. Isn't it? Yeah, that's right. Well, the Grand Master permitted it, so it should be fine, right?"

"Wait. What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's fine. After all, I infiltrated this academy solely because of the project left by the Dark Lord! Phew, I was sweating bullets when I almost got snatched by that arrogant bastard!"

Chekeren began to ramble incoherently to the point of being incomprehensible.

'This lunatic....'

He had completely lost it.

However, the fear crept into her chest at the thought that her life was at stake due to this lunatic.

'I need to snap out of it.'

She slowly looked around.

Now that she looked, this place was truly bizarre.

The sky was tinged with red, as if the colors were reversed.

Moreover, the strange scent of mana permeating the surroundings indicated an alternate world.

In other words, it was the 'Persona Gate.'

However, something felt off.

The Persona Gate typically had structural flaws which made it unnatural compared to reality.

But this place was perfect.

Simply looking at the vast hall gave that impression, and even the scent of flowing mana confirmed it.

Unlike other Persona Gates, there wasn't even a 'mystery' here.

"Lucky you. Very lucky indeed."

Chekeren chuckled as he looked at Hong Bi-Yeon.

His gaze was so repulsive and horrifying that she wanted to rush over and stick her wand in his ear, but being bound was a cruel hindrance.

"Half a century ago, because he couldn't complete this, it was passed down to me. Moreover, two descendants of the twelve disciples enrolled...."

He rambled on and on.

Chekeren talked to the air, laughed and scolded alone...

Then suddenly, as he stopped talking, he turned his head sharply to look at Hong Bi-Yeon.

The gaze with his head twisted unnaturally. It made even Hong Bi-Yeon, who wasn't afraid of ghosts, feel her heart sink.

"Hm? Hm!"

However, Chekeren wasn't interested in Hong Bi-Yeon in the first place.

Another voice could be heard...

Chekeren.

A cold and rough voice echoed. It sounded like the voice when chalk was roughly scratched against the whiteboard.

Yet, Hong Bi-Yeon couldn't hear it.

Only those who dedicated their souls to the underworld could hear this voice in the alternate world.

"Yes~ I understand! I have sacrificed the child blessed by the constellation as requested."

If one offered the descendants of the twelve disciples, he could gain strength.

The condition of the contract between someone dormant in the Seventh Main Tower and Chekeren.

However, the contract was not yet complete.

Is this enough for you?

"Yes?"

What kind of talk is this again?

When Chekeren made a puzzled expression, someone else's voice spoke.

My other messenger is... Leading the true child of the constellation here.

"True... child of the constellation?"

You will sacrifice that child to me as an offering....

It was his first time hearing such a story.

Moreover, another messenger?

Wasn't he the only messenger?

'… Could it be that bastard Raiden?'

Well, he expected that.

He must be hiding his selfish desires behind that shameless face, desperately trying to gain an advantage.

But well, it didn't matter anyway.

He might not know the identity of the true child of the constellation, but sacrificing them as an offering would undoubtedly grant him power once again, right?

'Hehee. I am looking forward to it.'

Chekeren felt genuinely thankful to the Dark Mage King he had never truly met.

He took this great project to the brink of completion, and then left Stella without properly executing it.

Thanks to that, he was the only one to benefit.

Who's next?

With excited and expectant steps, he left the place.

Hong Bi-Yeon was left behind. She tightly closed her lips, and leaned against the wall.

"Sigh...."

Mana gradually drained from the circle of her heart, and her mental strength was slowly depleted.

As if her soul was leaving her body.

She had to hold on.

She had to, but she simply couldn't, so she closed her eyes.

'So... Tired....'

Let's just take a short nap.

After running non-stop all this time, wouldn't it be okay to allow herself a brief respite?

Thinking so, she fell into a deep sleep.

It was as if she would never wake up again.