The final bosses of Yeonjol, the game I'd been possessed into, are the six Outer Gods.
The Outer Gods were each gods who governed a different dimension; the setting was that their own dimensions had perished, so they coveted this one. The proof of the Outer Gods' interference was precisely the Rift.
An Outer God is a god from beyond the boundary. To level a sword at one, you had to be at least a Sword Master. 'At least,' quite literally. But there was one exception, and that was Evangeline. This was the reason Evangeline was the protagonist.
In any case, if the game's final bosses were the six Outer Gods, the mid-bosses were Elysium Academy's top brass: the headmaster, the Vice-Headmaster, and the Chairman. Reform them or kill them, they were things I'd have to deal with eventually.
"A pleasure to you all. May the protection of God be with you—"
The Vice-Headmaster laughed warmly and made the sign of the cross. Brilliant light scattered along his hand. The divine power was so strong it looked as if a small sun had risen.
For a Cardinal, the Vice-Headmaster scattered a rather excessive amount of divine power as if it were nothing. There was only one reason such a thing was possible.
'He's eaten a Fragment of the Outer Gods.'
A Fragment of the Outer Gods had the same effect as the extra stats you receive at character creation. For instance, if someone with a B in the aura stat consumes a certain amount of Fragments, it rises to A.
A remarkable effect, but the price is cruel. The more Fragments you eat, the more your body and soul pass over to the Outer Gods and fall to corruption. The corruption advances slowly, the way a drizzle soaks your clothes, so the one consuming them can never notice. By the time they feel something's wrong, they're already a servant of the Outer Gods.
"Next, the Chairman."
The freshmen's gazes shifted as one. The Chairman, rated the greatest living Archmage. Everyone's eyes sparkled.
That anticipation, however, didn't last long.
"A-a cat?"
Because what took the platform was a cat in an enormous hat. The freshmen were bewildered at the cat that had popped up out of nowhere. The cat sat down without a care and curled itself up.
"The headmaster is entering. Everyone, attention."
The emcee said briefly. Startled, the freshmen snapped to attention. This time even the professors and the Vice-Headmaster rose. The cat — no, the Chairman — gave a long, drawn-out yawn.
Thud, thud — though there were several hundred people in the hall, one man's heavy footsteps rang out distinctly. Soon a man climbed onto the platform.
The man looked just like a lion turned human. His eyes were piercing, his shoulders broad, his arms thick as thighs. His presence lightly crushed the hundreds in the hall.
'The headmaster, Raibenhardt.'
Raibenhardt was the Empire's Second Sword. In other words, in the whole Empire there was only one person stronger than Raibenhardt.
Raibenhardt was a man who knew the weight of power. Stronger than anyone, and as honorable as he was strong. Stop any passing knight and ask, 'Who is the most honorable man in the Empire?' and a hundred out of a hundred would say Raibenhardt. Indeed, Raibenhardt had turned down the Emperor's offer of the world and taken the seat of headmaster at Elysium Academy.
That was why Raibenhardt was the most honorable knight. And also why he was the one who falls to the very lowest place.
'Fucking strong.'
I let out a low groan, watching Raibenhardt. The Chairman and the Vice-Headmaster were already beyond reckoning, but the headmaster I couldn't even begin to size up. At that level, he seemed stronger than a Grand General.
At the same time, a question came up.
'Why would a man that strong bother with a Fragment of the Outer Gods?'
Why would the Empire's Second Sword, of all people, eat a Fragment and walk the appointed road to ruin? I only knew that Hanswell was involved in the headmaster's rampage; the details I didn't know.
'Hanswell, huh.'
Hanswell was biting his lip, watching the headmaster. Anger and hatred he couldn't quite hide came through. There seemed to be complicated circumstances beneath it.
"Drink."
Just then, the headmaster raised a goblet high. A silver goblet stamped with Elysium Academy's crest.
"Meow."
The Chairman waved a front paw. Fragrant liquor sprang up from all around and flowed through the air. Soon it neatly filled every cup in the hall. Flawless work, without a single drop wasted. I'd seen it in the game, but in person it was more impressive.
The headmaster emptied his cup first. The Chairman and the Vice-Headmaster followed, and belatedly the students and professors emptied theirs.
Up to there it was fine. The problem was what came next.
Ta-da-da — lively music suddenly flowed from somewhere. At that, the students and professors rose, paired off, and abruptly began to dance. An out-of-nowhere development reminiscent of a Bollywood film, but no one questioned it. Rather, they laughed and enjoyed it as if it were perfectly natural.
'Damned romfan.'
These people throw a banquet and rub up against each other at every opportunity. A structure all but designed to spark romance.
Swallowing a curse, I watched what Evangeline was doing. Fortunately, she was playing with Andy. The reason I'd attached Andy to her.
Mercifully, the dance time ended quickly.
"Next, the freshman oath. Freshman representatives, step forward."
There were two freshman representatives. One was, of course, the Crown Prince. The other was a woman with straight black hair.
'Agriche, the Grand Duke's daughter.'
Agriche was the polar opposite of Evangeline in image. Not a trace of laughter on her face, her hair black and glossy as if the color had been wiped from it. The very picture of a noble lady. One of the romfan clichés — the villainess young lady.
Agriche tormented Evangeline viciously. Because Evangeline kept drawing the Crown Prince's attention. The way to stop Agriche was simple.
'Just keep Evangeline from drawing the Crown Prince's attention.'
Just then, Agriche and the Crown Prince began reading the oath in unison.
"As those who stand before the gate of learning, we swear to admit no falsehood on the road to truth. We will not use the power of knowledge for arrogance, and though we make learning our weapon, we will not lightly turn its blade upon others—"
The content was deeply tedious, but thanks to the two's dazzling looks, the freshmen's eyes turned solemn as they focused. The Crown Prince and the Grand Duke's daughter, no less. Naturally they couldn't help but focus.
There was one, however, who didn't.
"Haaaw—."
Evangeline, of course.
The Crown Prince's gaze turned to Evangeline.
[The Crown Prince, Master of the Continent.]
The game's content surfaced naturally.
***
"Do you see my crown? Proof that I am the rightful master of the Empire."
The Emperor wore a crown dazzling enough to blind, but his eyes glinted like a starving wolf.
"Do you see my aura? Proof of the only Sword Saint in history. Even a Sword Master cannot withstand a single blow of mine."
The Emperor held out his sword. The aura wreathing the blade shone clear as the stars of the night sky. Yet the hand of its owner, the Emperor, trembled and shook.
"I am the Emperor, master of the continent, and the only Sword Saint in history. So why—"
The Emperor's lips worked, then he spat the words as if chewing them.
"do the people chant your name?"
The Emperor strode closer. His eyes were no longer the sun-brilliant gold but a rotted, festering black. The only emotion held in those black eyes was envy.
The Emperor's sword went for Evangeline's neck. Evangeline reached out with both hands, embraced the Emperor, and whispered,
"I'm sorry."
A red necklace was drawn across Evangeline's neck. The first gift the Emperor ever gave her.
[GAME OVER.]
***
'The Crown Prince is a dud too.'
The Crown Prince was a dud among duds — get it wrong and a villainess comes attached. A male lead to avoid at all costs. And the place where Evangeline gets seriously entangled with that Crown Prince is the entrance ceremony. Caught up in the Republic's attack on the Crown Prince, Evangeline becomes seriously entangled with him.
I had to prevent it no matter what. The reason I'd moved the mana-stone bomb.
Just then, someone poked me in the side. It was Milo, with an uneasy face.
"That thing you said in the basement yesterday — that was a joke, right?"
"What?"
"You know, about the Republic hiding a mana-stone bomb in the basement."
"Oh, surprisingly good memory."
"Of course. My head's rock solid."
Milo grinned and rapped his own head with a fist. Thunk, thunk — it sounded like knocking on stone.
"That was a joke, right? It's gotta be a joke?"
"It's not a joke, though."
"What?"
"There were six whole operatives — they could well have hidden one."
Milo's face went pale.
"Motherf—. Then shouldn't we evacuate right now?!"
"Don't worry. You took care of it."
"Me? When?"
"Don't you remember the cabinet?"
"The cabinet—?"
Milo tilted his head dumbly, then his mouth fell open.
"Don't tell me that hunk of junk I hauled was—. It's a joke, right? It's not funny. Really not funny."
"I find it funny."
"You crazy—"
I chuckled at the roughly cursing Milo.
"And finally, a word of guidance from the headmaster."
The headmaster took the platform again. He spoke with a contented smile.
"First, congratulations on your acceptance into Elysium Academy. I too was once a student here; the feelings of those days come welling back. I feel young again."
At the headmaster's banter, everyone let out a small laugh.
'Time to start—'
I quietly drew back. It was possible because every eye was fixed on the headmaster, and even the fastidious Hanswell was absorbed in him.
"Where you going. Where are you going."
Anxious, Milo glanced at Hanswell and hurriedly chased after me. Behind me, the headmaster's voice carried.
"Ah, there's one thing to beware of. The Rift."
At the low, resonant warning, the freshmen tensed and focused.
"If you see something unreal, covered in black and white, never go near it — flee at once. When a Rift opens, if you're slow, the one nearest is dragged in. Run without fail and report it to the Security Corps. A Rift is something even a professor would struggle to survive, so never enter it out of curiosity."
As the headmaster warned, a Rift is very dangerous. The moment it opens, the one nearest is invariably dragged inside. That was the Rift's rule. The reason the Elite Corps had to enter immediately upon spotting one.
'Where is it.'
I watched the hall. What was installed below was a mana-stone bomb. The detonation switch would be held by another Republic man.
"Huh? What brings you here?"
Just then, Milo said it, looking at someone. When I turned, a tall woman came into view. A knife-straight bob, eyes with a violence in them, the faint smell of liquor, and a striking beauty you couldn't help but look at even though she was bundled up to leave not even her neck bare—
'Evelyn, leader of the 42nd Squad.'
Evelyn, who hadn't shown herself until now, appeared of all times right then. Quite the ironic timing.
"Now, drag this out any longer and someone will have words, so let's wrap up the ceremony here."
The headmaster drew his sword. A silver-white longsword scattered a resplendent light.
'The White Dragon Sword.'
At the appearance of the White Dragon Sword, one of the Continent's Eight Swords, everyone gaped. Its form was lofty and beautiful. Students and professors alike stared as if enchanted.
The headmaster raised the White Dragon Sword high. Aura blazed explosively along the silver-white blade. The hall began to shake as if a typhoon had risen. Such force from merely raising his aura. The Empire's Second Sword, indeed.
"Welcome to your enrollment at Elysium Academy."
With those final words, the headmaster thrust his sword toward the ceiling. Aura swept up resplendently toward the ceiling. Aura as dazzling as stars falling in reverse. The freshmen's and professors' mouths gaped as if they'd tear.
'Now.'
Evelyn flicked a finger.
And then—.
KABOOOOOOM!
An explosion went off directly beneath the headmaster. Fierce enough to rock the hall. Taking the blast head-on, the headmaster was sent flying. Everyone gazed up blankly at him vanishing through the ceiling.
'Oh, off he goes, clean and clear.'
I nodded with satisfaction.
"Ee— eeyaaaagh!"
Milo let out a shrill scream.