The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 77: Empty Fort Strategy

Chapter 77: Empty Fort Strategy

It was a clear day without a speck of cloud, the perfect day to go outside the state.

Heerlein readied to go to war while looking up at the blue sky–northward, the land of darkness.

Please be alive.

They’d missed the golden time due to the complacency of the Imperial court, but Heerlein still wanted to hold onto some kind of hope.

She believed that her friend was still alive out there in that tundra.

She was also to be blamed for Klais going missing. Heerlein had been the one to help Aether enter the school, and she should’ve made it her responsibility throughout the semester to restore the broken relationship with her assistant.

Heerlein shook her head. A sigh escaped her throat.

Time couldn’t be turned back; it was better to move rather than think like this.

The hour had long since passed noon while inspecting the gears. She’d skipped three meals yet wasn’t hungry; she simply didn’t feel like putting food in her mouth.

“Miss Heerlein!”

That was about when she heard a familiar voice, and two students came running toward her.

They were students in the gifted class that Klais had assigned to her–Vermel, the first rank in admissions, and Aether, who had been her friend’s assistant. Her mouth went dry at the sight of those golden eyes.

Right, expression. Smile.

“Oh my. What are you two doing here?”

“We heard that you were off to the north, Miss.”

That was something she’d only told Aether. Heerlein locked eyes with her, and the expressionless girl grinned wide.

That day when several nobles including the chairman had gathered to plot a rebellion, Aether had been there with her in the basement as well. Heerlein had told Aether she’d be going to the north to search for Professor Hasfeldt and at the time, the Golden-Eyed girl didn’t seem keen on her going to war.

Had it been because she learned that Klais went missing? Because the same thing could befall her?

The point where her friend had disappeared was near the third line of defense, and it was no easy feat to break through there. Aether’s fears could come true.

It was pure in some ways. She must be here to stop her, then.

Although she was sorry, she needed to go. Heerlein was already prepared to decline their plea.

And then.

“We wish you a safe journey.”

“Huh?”

She faltered at the unexpected words.

Right, this could also happen. Heerlein gave a wry smile in response.

Vermel held out something towards Heerlein: a talisman written in Elvish. When she took it with a ‘thank you’ it felt like some spiritual power was flowing into her through her fingertips.

That wasn’t all. Next, Aether pulled out a bunch of magic papers. A few dozen by the looks of it.

They were scrolls with a proper finish. Heerlein wasn’t as well-versed in scroll magic compared to her friend, but she could tell what magic it could be from the complicated geometric shape.

“Is this Flare?”

“It’s stronger than that.”

The girl grinned, revealing her teeth.

“It won’t matter even if you don’t know any Fire Magic since it’s a technique constructed in the form of Hybrid Magic. You’ll be able to trigger it with just a little bit of mana. It may be possible to take down Cataclysm in one blow if you use this.”

Heerlein’s mouth closed at the Golden-Eyed girl’s statement.

This normally wouldn’t make sense. Flare was developed not too long ago so when did she complete something like this?

She wouldn’t have believed it if it had been any other student, but this was Aether; her words held that much weight.

“We’ll be going, then.”

After saying goodbye, the two students left. Heerlein stared blankly into the horizon until they became dots. She held in either hand a bundle of scrolls and a high-quality talisman that appeared to have been weaved together with branches from the World Tree.

“Ah.”

I have good pupils.

She didn’t have time to waste; she had to work harder, too. Heerlein prepared the warhorse golems.

The high-grade golem, Lexon, ran faster than a horse yet didn’t need rest at any posthouses. Although it was difficult to tame, Heerlein had no trouble riding it with her many years of experience in the military.

Heerlein put her foot into the stirrup and hoisted herself up. The front and back of the saddle were lined with metal so it wasn’t the most comfortable seating.

“Gruuurrk.”

“Auhh...!”

She almost lost her balance and fell off. Calming her pounding heart, Heerlein soothed Lexon who’d reared up.

“What’s the matter today?”

She hadn’t heard it whinny in nearly three years. The golem would raise its front hooves like this with its lips quivering when it felt upset.

The golem still counted as half-animal; hence, it was more sensitive than humans. It was troubling for Heerlein that her pet horse was acting up on the day of departure.

Something felt ominous; she put the talisman Vermel had given her inside of her robe.

Anyway, it didn’t change the fact that she was going; she had to find Klais. She’d even prepared money to hire beastkin mercenaries with plans to meet them on the way to the northern front.

Her social status as a Count. Her military position that was considered the best amongst tactical-class mages. Her financial status due to her abilities to maintain golems. All these things were being staked on these next two months.

It didn’t matter even if she went bankrupt as a result of this; her life had already started from bankruptcy, after all.

Before she knew, it was already dusk. Having finished preparations, Heerelin requested for the way to the northern citadel to be opened.

“By orders of His Majesty, this army will not be allowed to pass through to march north.”

“Excuse me?”

This was out of nowhere. With wide eyes, she questioned what the guard said.

“What are you talking about? The Emperor permitted my departure? Open it, now!”

“He has changed his decision. The Emperor has said that you cannot be allowed to leave the state no matter what.”

“You can’t be serious...!”

This was ridiculous. She’d gotten ready immediately upon receiving the news but it was about to become all for nothing.

“I am only doing as I’ve been told. As long as His Majesty has given the orders, I cannot let you through even if you’re the Count.”

True, what could she learn from questioning the guard? Heerlein composed herself and assessed the situation.

She, too, was someone allied with the chairman. It wasn’t revealed yet, but she’d practically turned her back. Most of all, she was aware that the Imperial family was currently being manipulated by the beasts.

Is it that bastard Blanton?

They’d let Klais go just fine but were trying to stop her.

But after a moment’s thought, Heerlein could only smile.

Her goal was to rescue Klais, and if she’d been killed, then she had to at least go retrieve her body. She’d been at a loss since she didn’t know whether her friend was alive or dead, but now she was sure.

Klais was definitely alive.

**Around the same time, Rosemary was groaning.

[Have a safe journey, Miss!]

That elf definitely knew about her Scope, so he could confuse her by purposely saying the opposite of his true intentions. And Rosemary still fell into the trap despite knowing this.

She couldn’t do anything; it was a pain in the ass.

But she had to make a decision.

“You think I’m going to close the gates?”

She would proceed with her original plan. With a sinister smile, she watched the rest of the situation play out.

In the next scene, Vermel gave Heerlein a talisman. It was a culture of the elves that she didn’t understand. It wasn’t like carrying around something like would make bullets dodge you or anything.

“Such a foolish kind... Huh?”

Rosemary’s lips fell again, then a Crunch sounded from her mouth. She’d unconsciously crushed the candy that she’d been eating.

Aether was giving something to Heerlein on the screen beyond Scope. It looked like papers, but they weren’t ordinary ones.

“Scrolls?”

It mattered what kind of scroll it was. She spread her hands and magnified the screen. When it zoomed in at high resolution, the patterns on the scroll began to take shape.

And as soon as Rosemary saw the patterns etched onto the scroll, she was terrified.

It was complicated. Disgustingly so.

This was inscrutable to the point that even she who was capable of building a three-dimensional construction spell on a planetary scale couldn’t decipher it. Looking at the bloom unit, it seemed to be made using Flare as the base.

Was it Flare? It had to be Flare.

[It’s stronger than that.]

Aether immediately answered the question in her mind. With trembling hands, Rosemary zoomed in to the max.

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“I-it can’t be... a Dark Day manifestation circle......?”

Dark Day and White Night–the ultimate tier magic circles that she’d never succeeded making into scrolls.

Rosemary shook her head hard, then picked up her mug and gulped down premium gas. The aftertaste was awful.

“A-Aether, don’t do something stupid.... Are you trying to kill all of us...?”

She knew it, the secret meetings with that elf bastard must have been to develop a scroll that could artificially activate Dark Day.

Then things made sense. A chill came over her whole being–an instinctive fear etched into her rank.

“Blanton!!”

“Yes?”

“Shut down every exit of the citadel! Now!”

If that truly was the scroll that triggered Dark Day, the headquarters of the Demon King Army headquarters was doomed. All their fellow compatriots currently on standby at the tower would all die.

Then, they should keep the status quo just in case. They only needed to wait half a year more.

Snap–biting down on her nails, Rosemary paused her monitoring.

**“So, is the spell on the scroll really stronger than Flare?”

“Of course it’s bullshit.”

“What?”

How could I have made something stronger than Flare right now? I didn’t even have that kind of time.