Alice Subjugation — Interlude (1)

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, the end of the Student Council President Alice Carroll was tragic.

After committing suicide, she was denounced as a traitor and a criminal, getting insulted and cursed. She was purely vilified, and her gravestone was placed in a shabby corner of a mountain.

The Paladins were captured by the Empire and were nowhere to be seen. However, there were clues from exploring the map that suggests they were tortured and eventually took their own lives.

In the community, it became an established fact that the Paladins did not yield to the Empire's torture and questioning, maintaining their silence until they finally ended their lives.

In the end, this is how it turned out.

Alice and the Paladins survived and became my subordinates.

It was an unexpected outcome. I had envisioned an equal partnership, not a hierarchical one, but it turned out well for me.

Additionally, Alice summoned a foot soldier and received reports that the Heart Kingdom was safe. Alice and the Paladins were relieved.

About a year later, as the Evil God was about to resurrect, Mephisto the Contractor was getting ready somewhere in this world. Since I had appeared after defeating the Abyss, I had to consider the possibility that it had fled.

I informed the Frost Spirit, Merphil, and some soldiers about where Mephisto might be its characteristics, and its appearance. Then, I ordered them to search for it.

They left the Academy in high spirits, eager to carry out my commands.

Thus,「Act 9, Alice Subjugation」 came to an end.

The next day, the sun rose naturally over the horizon. As if nothing had happened.

The Slayers remained at the academy with the Imperial Knights. They had been commanded to stay there.

The center of the Alice Carroll incident, Bartos Hall, was off-limits to preserve the scene. Additionally, a few damaged buildings were immediately repaired by the academy.

With the return of the students, faculty, Hegel Tower wizards, and island residents, the academy's atmosphere had been restored. However, the academy announced a temporary suspension of classes to address the Alice Carroll incident.

I had a brief meeting with Headmistress Elena Woodline. She explained in detail the events that transpired while I was in the Abyss and the circumstances of Dorothy's rampage.

Why did that happen?

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, there had never been an incident of starlight mana running amok until Dorothy's death. It was completely unheard of.

For now… that's something I have to figure out later with Dorothy. I need to rest first.

Dorothy, Luce, and Kaya were so exhausted after the situation was resolved that they immediately went to their dorm to sleep. They slept for two days straight.

I couldn't help but feel sad since they had exhausted themselves to such an extent to save me.

In consultation with Vice-Commander Magrio, I decided to temporarily take sole possession of one of the academy's detention buildings for Alice Carroll and the Paladins.

Alice voluntarily stayed in the detention center, wishing to sort out her thoughts. I respected her wishes and provided her with a cell.

Meanwhile, some of Düpfendorf's forces were stationed to guard the academy detention center on rotating shifts.

The rest of the forces returned to Düpfendorf. They were to share the good news with the people and prepare for the coronation ceremony.

They seemed very happy.

I couldn't send them back to Düpfendorf because I had made a contract with them after summoning them. This was also why I could keep them here without expending any mana. I felt a little apologetic.

Meanwhile.

Düpfendorf…

I had taken on a great responsibility for my purpose. It didn't feel real yet.

Naturally, I had no intention of running away from it. On the contrary, I was happy to be treated as a King.

I planned to visit Düpfendorf during the vacation for the coronation ceremony. I wanted to meet their expectations to make their long wait for a ruler worth it.

Glacial Bear Barbatoma and Icebound Crocodile Tugaros each returned to nature somewhere. Considering that these large and fearsome creatures had become my minions, they now looked quite cute to me.

Saintess Bianca Anturaze said she had a message for me, and asked me to come to the Church when things had settled down and I had some free time. She told me there was something urgent we needed to discuss.

What's up with her?

Saintess Bianca. Although I'd prefer to avoid her, I acknowledged her request as I knew she had no sinister intentions.

In front of the academy's bulletin board, students were buzzing. The notice of suspension wasn't the only important announcement posted.

The informant has been captured, and in collaboration with the Imperial Knights, we are investigating the true nature of the incident.

It was only natural for the students to start talking about the informant.

Arguments erupted among those gathered at the bulletin board, some saying it was unlike the Student Council President to do such a thing, others urging them to look objectively at the facts.

Were there any dropouts at that time?

I remember after the 「Alice Subjugation」 in the game, a few students dropped out, saying they couldn't stand the academy anymore due to constant scandals and gave up on their diplomas.

Maybe a few? It was quite a small number. Many students believed things would now be alright since the "informant" who was thought to be the root of all problems had been captured.

It was a sense of relief born from ignorance.

If they knew what the true nature of the [Obelisk of Eternity], they wouldn't be so calm.

If they knew the effects of the [Obelisk of Eternity] that Alice was about to activate, they would realize that something terrifying was about to be resurrected here.

Only a few people knew what that magic was. When I asked Alice, she said she learned it through Mephisto.

In the game, it was only after numerous investigations that the nature of that magic was revealed, and the authorities immediately classified that information as top secret.

It made sense.

It would minimize the chaos, allow them to evacuate people at the right time, and prepare for the subjugation of the Evil God.

So.

It's better to keep it under wraps.

Otherwise, it would cause tremendous chaos.

I wasn't sure I could handle the negative consequences that such chaos would bring.

It seemed necessary to coordinate our stories with Alice and the Paladins in advance.

With no classes, students spent their days as if it were a holiday. However, as I walked through the campus, passing students sent me awe-inspired glances.

Having shown the activation of [Hunter] to all students and having attained the status of Ice Sovereign, it was to be expected.

Even the news that Emperor Carlos was planning to visit the academy added to the buzz about me among the students.

Who else could be the reason for the Emperor's personal visit to the academy?

That was why I used less crowded paths as much as possible. The excessive attention was overwhelming.

The thought of classes resuming soon was daunting.

That's… still a bit far off.

While walking through the academy grounds, I took out a pocket watch.

The platinum-colored pocket watch of Snow White, and the broken seal that housed the Abyss.

Up until the 「Alice Subjugation」, it had turned completely black, but it was gradually regaining its platinum color.

I had snatched this pocket watch using magic just before being consumed by the creature summoned from the Abyss, as I had promised to return it to White.

However, I didn't plan to return it immediately. I had to share the story associated with this watch with Emperor Carlos.

*** [Status]

Name: Isaac

Lv: 150

Gender: Male

Year: 2

Title: Ice Sovereign

Mana [※ Mana is depleted.]

- Mana Recovery Speed (A+)

- Stamina (A+)

- Strength (A+)

- Intelligence (A)

- Willpower (S)

Potential ❰❰Details❱❱ [Combat Abilities]

Elemental Series 1: Ice

- Elemental Firepower (A)

- Elemental Efficiency (A+)

- Elemental Synergy (A)

Elemental Series 2: Rock

Elemental Firepower (A-)

Elemental Efficiency (A-)

Elemental Synergy (B+)

[Unique Traits]

- Hunter

- Weapon Master

- Ultra Magic Knight

- Rapid Growth

"I'm here."

"Welcome, Baby."

There was still some time left before the arrival of Emperor Carlos.

I visited Alice's room in the academy detention center every day. She had asked the Paladins to keep her confinement a secret, so she was secretly detained.

The academy detention center, a place for detaining students who cause major trouble, didn't feel grim at all.

Perhaps it was due to its old charm. Since the inmates were students, the focus was more on rehabilitation than on punishment.

It seemed like we hadn't spent enough time in the Abyss, as we shared many stories. We laughed while playing together, and I cooked and shared meals with her.

"I'm not sure if I should be treated so luxuriously by the Master."

"What's with the title…?"

"Aren't you my Master?"

"This is awkward."

"Then, did you prefer it when I called you Baby? Huh, Baby?"

"You never called me that affectionately."

Alice treated me like she used to, constantly joking around. It seemed she understood why I came to visit every day.

When we ran out of things to say, we would sit side by side against the wall, passing the time. During those times, I held a magic tool and practiced my mana mastery, even if by a minuscule amount, and kept her company.

Alice casually made puns, and I played along with her jokes.

She must have had a lot of time to think. That was why I wanted to be by her side, especially now that she had become my subordinate.

Should I do a status check?

I decided to organize my thoughts next to Alice.

The 「Alice Subjugation」 brought tremendous achievements.

My level went up by 2 after defeating Alice, by 8 after defeating Mephisto's clone and the demon army, and by 15 after defeating the Abyss. A total of 25 levels.

Although my mana was still depleted, given my current growth rate, my maximum mana should be around "95,300". From level 151 onward, the rate of mana increase would sharply rise.

My title had changed to 'Ice Sovereign,' likely due to using the Blade of Frost Flowers.

Whether the system bestowed this title to match my situation… was unknown.

Moreover, I earned 2 achievements.

I earned the [Guardian of Time] achievement by successfully destroying the Phantom Clock while fighting Alice, gaining a bonus of 15 stat points.

By defeating the Abyss, I achieved the legendary achievement [Eternal Transcendence]. The reward was…

…This.

I checked the skill list. A new neutral magic had appeared.

8-star magic, [Labyrinth Creation].

As the name suggested, it was a spell that created a labyrinth. This spell flowed into my mind immediately after defeating the Abyss.

[Labyrinth Creation] could be merged with domain expansions like [Divine Sanctum of Blooming Frost]. In other words, I could create an ice labyrinth.

The required mana would be extremely high, but it was manageable with [Vs. Race Combat Power].

If I had any regrets...

I could have achieved the legendary achievement [Conqueror] by defeating Mephisto and the demon army. However, since I did not defeat Mephisto's real body, the conditions weren't fulfilled.

When I find him, I'll make sure his end is as brutal as it is permanent.

By then, the [Conqueror] achievement would naturally follow.

[Vs. Race Combat Power] is…

[vs. Human Combat Power] was still stuck at 80. [vs. Heavenly Beings Combat Power] was at 0. [vs. Species Combat Power] was unnecessarily marked at 1.

Currently, I have a whopping 115 stat points, thanks to defeating Mephisto's demon army and the Abyss. This achievement helped reduce the anxiety about the next semester.

Next semester's appearances included Heavenly Beings and Fairies, and demons like Calgart the Necromancer and Thanatos the Ruination.

Thanatos the Ruination couldn't be harmed unless Ian used [Expelled from Paradise]. Therefore, Ian's role would become crucial.

Now it's the Heavenly Beings and Fairies that are the problem.

To prepare for them I decided to hold off on distributing stats. Things could get tangled up again.

Therefore, maximizing [vs. Human Combat Power] would have to be postponed.

If I seriously fought against humans, my temporary level would rise to 190, and my abilities would strengthen accordingly.

That should be enough.

Of course, there might come a time when I'd feel the need to maximize [vs. Human Combat Power].

Such a situation should be avoided if possible.

"Ah."

It was time to leave. Emperor Carlos would be arriving soon.

"The Emperor will be here soon, I have to go."

I rose to my feet, and Alice followed suit.

"Yeah, take care. Thank you for coming."

"...Also."

Before I left, there was something I wanted to give to Alice.

"Is this okay?"

"Huh?"

I took out an accessory from the wrapping paper and handed it to Alice. It was a black choker.

I bought it last night as the store had reopened.

I chose the most neutral design, but if she didn't like it, I planned to go shopping with her later for a new one.

"I bought it because you can't go around showing your stigma. Do you like it?"

I didn't put it on her directly and waited for her reaction instead.

It might trigger a trauma. If so, I was prepared to apologize and throw the choker away. I bought it only because I thought it suited Alice's taste.

Alice silently stared at the choker. Her face was expressionless for a moment as if many thoughts were crossing her mind.

It was an uncomfortable silence.

Should I get rid of the choker now…?

"...Hee."

Eventually, Alice, with her usual gentle smile, accepted the choker. Then she reached inside her collar and put it around her neck.

The choker covered the pale blue stigma on Alice's neck. It suited her quite nicely.

"I'll wear it, Baby."

Alice's cheeks flushed lightly.

I smiled, feeling relieved at her gentle smile, and walked away.

***

The place Isaac had left.

A deep silence lingered.

With a stoic face, Alice touched the choker around her neck while looking at the mirror on the wall.

It was soft to the touch.

"Ah, this…"

She was still bound by someone else.

But now, it was no longer a resentful or cursed bondage.

Alice lowered her head.

"I'm happy…"

Unconsciously, the corners of her mouth lifted.

Alice really liked the feeling of the choker, the slight pressure against her neck.