The Communication Room, located on the first floor of the Academy Main Building, is a valuable place directly connected to the capital.
While there are communication devices like parchment that individuals can possess, they are incredibly expensive and come with usage limits.
As a result, it was most efficient to send communications from a location like this, saved for true emergencies instead of using the parchment.
“…”
To my surprise, a response had returned quickly to the message I sent in the morning. Albert, stepping out of the Communication Room with a bewildered expression, looked utterly lost.
In the hallway waited three scholars who had accompanied Albert.
Surely, their situation would also be part of Albert’s report.
“Uh… What happened?”
When the Demon Scholar asked Albert, who had just exited the Communication Room, he spoke flatly.
“… They want us to return.”
“Pardon??”
The request to return was like a thunderclap for the three scholars who hadn’t even had the chance to conduct proper research yet.
If things continued like this, they would end up losing everything to the Magic Tower and Guild, with the remaining scraps being purified entirely by the holy knights of the Church Country, leaving nothing behind.
In their hopeful circumstances, it led them to think that if this was going to be the case, they should have pressed ahead despite last night’s dangers.
“Scholars, you need not worry. This matter pertains only to me.”
“Does that mean we can proceed with our assigned tasks?”
“Yes. It seems you can sufficiently obtain the samples you’ll need from over there.”
Albert chewed over the words he had just received a moment ago.
“Since your mission is concluded, no more poking around…”
His task was to investigate the incidents that had occurred at the Academy, uncover the truth, and verify if the Leviathan had indeed died.
Thus, he had come here alongside the three scholars, but before even getting to conduct proper research, the mission had ended.
Due to the fact that the Tower Master had confirmed the existence of the Leviathan, the order to check on its death was automatically rescinded.
It was absurd for Albert, who hadn’t really done anything at all.
He still hadn’t even touched upon the fragments of the incident.
Frustrated that he hadn’t even grasped the shadow of Atlas, a being associated with the Leviathan, there was nothing he could do.
“If it is an order from above, I have no choice but to comply.”
The instruction to cease unnecessary activities at the Academy and return was the Director’s command.
A royal investigator shouldn’t harbor curiosity about anything outside of what the royal family is interested in.
Albert forced himself to accept the given orders.
———————
Having been through the chaos from the last semester, most students attending the Academy now knew that Atlas Titan was the strongest among them.
In fact, I’m not even sure if it’s okay to refer to him as a ‘student.’
Anyone who was attuned to gossip would know that during the vacation, rumors spread in the capital about him being the firstborn of the Titan family and already holding a position in the Royal Knight Order.
For merely being in the Royal Knight Order, one could hold teaching positions at the Academy, but I’ve even heard that Atlas was a high-ranking official among them.
This means he must be in the upper echelon of the expert ranks, which are among the strongest in the entire continent. So why on earth is he still a student at the Academy?
Anyway, the important thing is that while everyone knows how powerful Atlas is, there are still those who don’t really like him.
Though they think logically they shouldn’t be that way, human emotions are a strange thing.
If you simply consider the title that Atlas holds, he stands alongside the Empire’s most prominent high nobles, yet oddly, when Lemnos causes trouble, they’d just shrug it off, while Atlas’s actions frustrate them to no end.
At the beginning of the year, they were caught up in thinking he was just a minor illegitimate child and small for his age, so perhaps everyone was in a state of numbness regarding their sense of crisis.
Some simply refuse to believe it.
Why would such an extraordinary person even crawl into the Academy?
There must have been some mistake, or it’s someone else.
He doesn’t flaunt his status like other high nobles and instead just keeps a low profile while engaging in suspicious activities.
During the first semester, he was even suspected of heresy by the Bishop.
While everyone who had been hostile to him perished badly, people still didn’t feel particularly scared of him.
Unlike the high nobles who leveled the surroundings with their tremendous power, those who came into conflict with Atlas typically found only themselves smashed to pieces.
Strangely, the people here seemed to think that visible violence was less frightening than invisible power.
Since recovery from external wounds in this world was incredibly swift, they likely thought a visit to the hospital would be sufficient.
Those who had never been hit before might think that way, but those who had, knew the difference between seeing someone else getting hit and getting hit themselves.
In any case, they began plotting to take down a giant stronger than themselves.
Is there even a method to take down someone stronger?
Of course, if you simply decide to do it, yes, it’s possible. Humans have always hunted prey stronger than themselves.
Having more strength, wielding a sword better—these are merely a part of the fighting style. There are many ways for people to fight beyond that.
If you can’t win by force, you have no choice but to drag it into a dirty mud fight.
While planning, someone might have thought, “Isn’t this a bit too much?” but no one voiced it aloud.
After all, guilt tends to feel lighter when shared among many.
Like a truck with mashed brakes, they began to rush recklessly toward their destination, not even knowing where they were headed.
.
.
.
In the hospital, a dozen students had gathered.
From different academic years, they all sat in the lobby of the hospital with solemn expressions, each possessing one shared purpose, as they began to scatter printed materials while shouting.
“Atlas, come out and explain the series of events!!”
“Can he even go to the Academy without scaring people!!”
“Come out and clarify!!”
“What’s the relationship with the demon!!”
The pamphlets they threw contained various suspicions about Atlas.
Most notably, they insisted that the fake Atlas was clearly a setup and called for an explanation regarding the incident after which the Leviathan attacked the Academy, along with various allegations of improper admission.
Most of it was nothing more than ridiculous fabrications cobbled together, but the interesting conspiracy theories that blended facts and lies well sparked people’s interest.
In the past, they would have paid the Newspaper Club for black propaganda without distributing things directly, but it seemed they had completely surrendered to Atlas and firmly refused.
“You need to maintain silence in the hospital. If you don’t go back immediately, you will all face disciplinary actions greater than suspension.”
“That won’t stop us!!”
Though nurses and doctors warned the noisy students to calm down, they wouldn’t stop.
Under normal circumstances, professors would have come to sweep them up, but at the moment the Academy was such a mess that they knew there wasn’t much anyone could do.
While everyone was worried about how to deal with this ruckus, someone came down from the upper floor.
It was Casey, a silver-haired student boasting a cute appearance like a doll carefully crafted by an artisan.
As they watched the frail girl descend the stairs, everyone stared for a moment in a daze, but Casey glared at them fiercely and spoke harshly.
“I’ll make it crystal clear since you all seem like idiots. Shut up and go back to your original places. If you continue this ruckus, I’ll make sure you all end up in the hospital.”
“Idiot?”
While actually taken aback at seeing her, one of the students quickly regained their senses at the harsh words and approached Casey.
How dare a freshman speak disrespectfully to such distinguished seniors—they thought she needed to be taught a lesson.
“How dare you speak informally to your seniors.”
“I’m not giving any more warnings.”
There was one thing they were oblivious to.
Casey had always been taught to lead with action rather than words.
-Swing!!
Ignoring the warning, a student causing a ruckus found their jaw hitting a 90-degree turn.
“Ugh!”
After one punch, their jaw seemed shattered, with their head spinning, causing another student to faint. The others looked on, shocked.
“Y-You psycho!!”
Though no one expected her to use violence in front of everyone, her actions contrasted sharply with her doll-like appearance.
Casey, who had turned one individual into a mess in seconds, walked toward them without a hint of expression.
“If you want to run away even now, you can. I won’t pursue you. But know that those who can’t even grasp what’s happening won’t be treated like humans, so act accordingly.”
“You… you think you can just hit someone and be fine?!”
The students couldn’t muster the courage to flee due to their wounded pride.
All of them shared a fear and had grown numb to the looming situation, thinking they could somehow handle the immediate threat in front of them.
“You’ll see for yourself.”
The ruthless violence of the expert, devoid of kindness or charm, crashed upon them.
.
.
.
Confirming that the lobby had grown noisy, a few slipped into the intensive care unit.
While a few in the intensive care unit were in non-visiting states, not all access was prohibited.
Claiming to have come to visit an Atlas Victims’ Gathering, they slipped through the hallway and took a quick peek at Atlas’s hospital room.
As reported, the guardian they had been protecting was indeed gone.
It seemed they had rushed down due to the commotion they heard.
‘Even if that monster is admitted to the ICU, would they resist?’
One of those who’d tasted the expert’s wrath confirmed there was only one presence inside, then stealthily opened the door and entered.
On the centrally placed bed lay a small-framed man wrapped in bandages, turned to his side.
“…Everyone brought it, right?”
“…Yes.”
They pulled artifacts from their pockets.
It was a binding object that could immobilize even a high-level expert should they be captured.
Their plan was to catch him and sneak out through the back door.
And then deal with him quietly.
They silently circled around him, preparing to activate the artifacts.
“Now then… One… two…”
“Oh, you’re finally here?”
At that moment, Atlas, who had been lying down, turned to face them, making eye contact.
“Wow, I was really bored, and here you are to save the day!”
