NoveLight ™
The City Army, huh.
It wasn’t something I hadn’t thought about. I figured that if neither a guild nor a school accepted me, joining the army might be a good alternative. The solid backing of the Grand Duchy and City Hall was certainly attractive.
But that option had quickly been discarded.
The City Army is divided into three major organizations:
Of those, the Expeditionary Corps was the one I would have had to join, given that I needed to improve my rank by venturing into the Abyss. However, the Expeditionary Corps operates under much stricter regulations than freelance explorers or even those affiliated with guilds or schools.
They always operate as a team, and before being explorers, they are soldiers bound by the strict chain of command. It was the organization furthest from the free exploration of the Abyss that I wanted.
It was a safe path, but one that was too roundabout for me. The City Army was not the right choice for me.
That was my conclusion, and even with my newfound connection to Fiona, it hadn’t changed.
“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline.”
“Well, I figured as much. Joining the Expeditionary Corps would be easy for you, but there are plenty of restrictions within the army.”
The commander responded as if he had expected my answer.
“But let me tell you this: there’s no place that can guarantee your safety better than the City Army. Not even the Five Great Guilds or the Six Schools.”
Les Rimen’s largest and most powerful organization is the City Army.
Of course, being so large means they can’t move as quickly or nimbly as smaller groups, and there are power struggles between the three divisions. But in terms of sheer scale, no organization surpasses the City Army.
But then again…
“What does it matter if it’s not just one?”
One of the Five Great Guilds.
Three of the Six Schools.
What if I could have all of them behind me?
“They provide excellent motivation.”
The Alexandria School. The Celsus School. The Blostma School.
And Arthur’s Frontier Guild.
If I can count these four as my backing, they’ll be an even stronger foundation in the Abyss than the City Army.
“…You really are a demon warlock. My first impression of you wasn’t wrong after all.”
The commander shook his head in resignation, then asked me,
“Did you save them all by yourself?”
All the commander had seen was me escorting Fiona out at the end. If all my peers had remained silent, the commander couldn’t be sure whether I had saved just Fiona or the entire group.
But from my words just now, the commander had gotten his answer.
“How much did you use? Don’t you think it was a waste?”
“There’s a saying about camaraderie and patriotism, you know.”
“Ha, what nonsense. From the start, you calculated everything the moment the underground was cut off. You immediately weighed the value of the City Army and your peers' affiliations and figured out which side would benefit you more.”
Well, that’s not entirely true.
The City Army was never in the running from the beginning.
But the commander seemed convinced his judgment was correct.
“Still, was it really worth it? Just to gain a bit more freedom in choosing your backers, was it worth paying such a steep price?”
A steep price? I didn’t think so. But even if I told him that, he wouldn’t believe me, and there was no way I could reveal my biggest secret.
So, I gave a more straightforward answer.
“There’s something I have to do that’s even more important.”
For that, even if I had to pay the kind of price the commander thought I had, I’d gladly do it.
I will explore the Abyss more freely than anyone else. Wherever there’s mystery, I’ll go, and if there’s a chance to rise in rank, I’ll fight any opponent.
Even if it means venturing into the deepest, darkest part of the Abyss. Even if it means reaching the very bottom of that bottomless pit. I’ll go.
“For that, no price is too heavy.”
Because I will return.
Without fail.
“…You have the eyes of someone who’s determined to reach the end of the Abyss, no matter what. So, I suppose the City Army would feel like shackles to you.”
The commander accepted that there was no point in trying to persuade me to join the army any longer. Instead, he said he’d recommend another option.
“If your goal is free exploration of the Abyss, then a large guild or school would be just as restrictive. And joining one of your peers’ affiliations could create unnecessary complications.”
As expected of someone who has worked in public service long enough to hold the position of training center commander, he was quick to grasp the political dynamics.
“There’s one very suitable place I can suggest.”
“And where would that be?”
Given the commander’s recommendation, it was likely a good option. I had heard that he had practically handled the internal traitorous instructors and the invading cultists on his own.
Though the title of training center commander seems insignificant, it’s actually a highly responsible role, shaping the future of Les Rimen’s explorers. Some say it’s practically a vice-ministerial position.
If his recommendation considered my relationships with my peers, I had no reason to refuse.
“A mid-sized, lesser-known school that specializes in demon magic, like you. The Thelema School.”
“Thelema School?”
Never heard of it. Even during the time before I joined the training center, when I was knocking on the doors of various guilds and schools, I hadn’t heard of a place called Thelema School.
“Well, that’s to be expected. The Thelema School is currently undergoing the city’s re-licensing process.”
“Because it’s a school of demon warlocks?”
At this point, I had come to expect the demon warlock prejudice.
Given that most schools retain their status once licensed, it sounded like Thelema was one of those places shunned even within the magical community.
So much so that the other schools pushed to have it reevaluated, with the intention of stripping it of its license.
“No, it’s just that they’re a tiny school.”
There are only five students.
“Oh…”
So, it’s just a run-down school.
After Roman left, Skyler remained in his office, quietly staring at the empty chair where Roman had sat.
“No price is too heavy, huh.”
It had been a long time since Skyler had heard those words.
It was quite a while ago.
Before Skyler had become the commander of the training center, before he had even joined the City Army. Back when he was an explorer with the Nippur School.
When Skyler had chosen to return to the surface, overwhelmed by the sheer depths and enormity of the Abyss, his friend had made the opposite choice. And his friend had said the same thing Roman had.
‘If I can reach the farthest end of the Abyss, then no price is too heavy, Skyler.’
That friend had eventually lit a beacon in the unexplored darkness.
Among the tens of thousands of explorers living in Les Rimen, only a select few stand at the very top.
The pioneers who break new ground and venture into uncharted territories.
His friend had become one of those pioneers.
An honor granted to only eight explorers—the title of Pioneer.
“Roman, you’re going to make a fine explorer.”
Skyler once thought that Roman would either turn out to be a lunatic or a delusional egomaniac.
And in either case, those are precisely the qualities needed to stand at the pinnacle of exploration.
The weak fall and die along the way, but those who survive, even while chasing madness, inevitably rise above ordinary people.
“Is it over?”
Had they been waiting for me? As soon as I stepped out of the commander’s office, Ray and Leif were there waiting.
“Yeah. Were you waiting?” “Yeah. I went to the healing chamber, but you weren’t there. The instructor said you’d be here, so we came.”
I hadn’t left a note since I figured it would be over quickly, but in hindsight, maybe I should’ve.
“Is it morning… no, must be around lunchtime by now? You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” “Of course not. The dining hall’s been wrecked. Yesterday’s soup was something we made ourselves with whatever intact ingredients we could find.” “Didn’t the city send any support?” “They did. An investigation team and the Security Corps were dispatched. But, well, the training center’s closing today, so they figure we’ll sort it out on our own. We can just grab food outside anyway.”
True enough. The training center had officially ended its schedule.
Originally, the training center was supposed to conclude and issue temporary licenses to all the trainees on the day of the midterm exam. The only reason the trainees were still here, even after receiving their temporary licenses, was because they were being held for questioning as witnesses to the incident. And the same went for me.
Up until now, I had been allowed to rest due to my condition, but now that I was well enough to move, they wanted to question me too.
“So, for now…” “Roman!”
Whoa, that startled me.
Leif, who had been quiet this whole time, suddenly called out to me, causing Ray’s shoulders to flinch in surprise.
“There’s, uh, somewhere I’d like you to come with us…”
“Somewhere you want me to go?” “Oh, that’s right. Actually, we came to fetch you.”
Ah. Now I get it. Makes sense.
We’ll need to have a proper conversation sooner or later.
“Alright. Let’s go. They’re waiting, right? How many are there?”
The Three Leaders will be there for sure. Since Alejandra’s involved, Amaia and the brown-haired guy will probably be there too.
That woman with the vacant expression who always hangs around Fiona… Teresia, was it? I heard she’s friends with Fiona.
A rising star from the Blostma School, which has been growing in influence lately. Birds of a feather, I guess.
And if I add people from Arthur’s side…
“We’ll have more than half the group.”
“More than half? What are you talking about?”
Ray gave me a puzzled laugh as if I was saying something ridiculous.
“Of course, everyone’s going to be there, you idiot.”