I slowly opened my eyes.
I grabbed my throbbing head and got up to look around.
“…Where am I?”
A narrow room made of cold black bricks.
I had no idea where I was.
‘First of all… How did I even get here?’
—
A few hours ago, I was heading to G陵 (Gold Shop) to adjust a ring.
The lie I told Lily wouldn’t last long.
It doesn’t usually take hours to retrieve something from a friend.
I needed to come back as soon as possible.
When I arrived at Gold Shop, I immediately knocked on the door.
The same employee from last time opened it.
Seeing me, the employee smiled warmly.
“Aha! Nice to see you again, customer. Did you find out the size?”
“Yes, though it’s not entirely accurate…”
“Don’t worry, you don’t need to know the ring size with pinpoint accuracy.”
Following the employee’s guidance, I went downstairs again.
“By the way… How long does it take to adjust the size?”
Let’s say if it takes a month…
“It’ll be done in about 30 minutes.”
“Really? That fast?”
“Our metal magician is quite skilled. Shall we wait here or will you come back later?”
30 minutes…
“I’ll wait.”
“Great. Let me show you to a room then.”
The employee led me to the same room as last time.
After leaving for a while, the employee returned with someone else.
Their long robe and tightly pressed hat completely obscured their identity.
“This is the metal magician who will adjust the ring for you.”
The magician bowed deeply to greet me.
“For privacy reasons, I must conceal my identity. Please don’t feel uncomfortable. Now, let’s first measure the size, shall we?”
The employee took out a measuring tape.
“For which finger will you be wearing the ring?”
“The ring finger on my left hand.”
The employee’s eyes softened.
“Ahh, excuse me. It was of none of my business.”
No, it’s not really…
The man took my left hand and measured the thickness and length of my ring finger with the tape.
“What about your partner’s size? Just give me a rough estimate in terms of fractions.”
“The thickness is about three-quarters of mine, and the length is about half a joint longer.”
“Ahh, seems like a rather delicate person. Understood. Would you like to watch the adjustment process?”
Metal magic…the advanced form of basic elemental magic, there aren’t many opportunities to see it…
“…Ah, isn’t Louis a metal magician?”
Anyway, since it was a relatively rare sight, I said I wanted to watch.
“Then I’ll do the adjustment here.”
As the employee signaled, the magician rolled up their robe sleeves to the elbows.
The bandaged arms appeared, and the magician carefully opened the ring case.
The magical light flashed, and the rings slowly levitated in the air.
The dazzling red gemstone rings made my heart race as I watched them again.
The adjustment began.
The ring part slowly moved with the power of magic.
The delicate control of magic used to maintain the engraved patterns on the ring impressed me, and I absentmindedly watched the scene.
The adjustment was completed faster than expected, and the resized ring was placed back in the case.
The magician bowed deeply and left the room, and the employee handed me the case.
“How would you like us to handle the remaining balance of the check?”
The remaining balance on the check mentioned by the employee wasn’t a large amount, but not small enough to carry as cash either.
“Half in silver coins, and the other half as a tip.”
“Thank you, customer!”
Expressing gratitude to the employee with such conscientious service, I quickly picked up the prepared silver coins and the ring case, and left Gold Shop.
“Please be careful on your way home. We wish you success.”
As I left, escorted by the employee’s farewell, my steps were as light as last time.
However, my mind was filled with complex thoughts.
‘When should I give it?’
‘Right away when I get there? No, that’s too devoid of atmosphere.’
‘Tomorrow? That’s a bit…’
‘Ah! The new year is coming soon. Then I’ll give it right when the new year starts.’
‘Good, that should work.’
‘…I should rethink what I’ll say, right?’
‘What should I say while giving it…’
Lost in various thoughts, I headed toward the dormitory and suddenly felt my vision wobble.
‘…Huh?’
The ground was shaking, and the sky looked like a reflection in a lake, swaying back and forth.
I felt nauseous, and all the strength left my body.
“What’s going on? Why suddenly…”
Eventually, I fell to the ground and felt my eyelids getting heavy.
“Sleepy? Why? I wasn’t even feeling sleepy at all??”
“Lily…Lily must be waiting…”
Trying hard to get up for Lily, but my body wouldn’t listen.
As the vision darkened and I was about to close my eyes, I remembered the ring case in my pocket.
‘Lily…’
—
When I came to, it was now.
With my memories sorted out, I quickly reached into my pocket.
I felt the hard case.
Opening it, the ring with the red gemstone was neatly placed inside.
“Phew…”
Thankfully, the ring was safe.
I then looked around.
This place didn’t seem ordinary.
A cold stone floor and walls, surrounding on all sides except one.
The remaining side was blocked by an iron-barred door.
I realized what kind of place I was in.
‘Prison?!’
It was a typical appearance of an underground prison.
‘Am I in prison? Why on earth…’
Beyond the iron bars, it was also blocked by black bricks, making it impossible to determine the location.
In this dismal situation with no clues, I gripped the case I had kept in my bosom.
When I felt the cold rise from the floor and my body began to tremble, a creaking sound was heard along with the sound of approaching footsteps.
The sound grew closer and stopped, and I could sense someone looking down at me from the other side of the iron bars.
I knew who this person was, and therefore, I couldn’t help but be shocked.
“Chancellor?!”
The Chancellor of the Academy called the Great Magician.
This person was looking down at me from the other side of the iron bars.
Both eyes were unusually wide open, and the differently colored irises carried a cold aura.
“Do you know what you have done?”
“…Huh?”
The Chancellor’s words were sharp enough to grate on the ears.
“You probably didn’t realize what you were doing.”
The Chancellor sighed deeply.
“Ah… well, ignorance is not a crime. However, to this extent, it becomes a considerable nuisance. Like now.”
I don’t understand what you mean…”
At this, the Chancellor summoned a piece of paper from the air.
In the center of the paper, a picture was glaringly large, and that picture was…
‘Aah, could it be…’
“Do you know what I’m about to say?”
Sighing deeply, the Chancellor said,
KANG!
“Do you know what nonsense you’ve done?!”
The Chancellor slammed the iron bars and shouted.
It was an entirely different atmosphere from their usual image of showing only respect or playful demeanor.
“You know what ‘this existence’ is that was with you?”
“…”
It seemed the Chancellor had already figured it all out.
It was a completely confident tone.
They already knew the true nature of Lily.
“It’s an Outsider! And not just any Outsider, but an Outer God, a being far beyond anything seen yet in this world!”
“You nearly caused a situation where not just a town, city, or nation, but possibly the entire continent, or even this planet itself could have disappeared!”
As the Chancellor was shouting, someone approached next to them.
It was a familiar face.
“Now, getting angry like this won’t solve anything, you know that, don’t you?”
“But…”
“Calm down. I’ll handle the conversation. You go cool off over there.”
“…We don’t have much time.”
“I know. Don’t worry.”
As the Chancellor moved away from the cell, Hipnos, the bearded young man approached.
Unlike his playful expression from last time, his face was now rigid.
“Sorry, young man. That guy gets quite sensitive when it comes to Outer Gods. And especially with Lily, being ‘his’ daughter… You’ve really stirred the pot.”
“You may have heard, but the situation is serious, friend. I don’t know if you called this existence knowingly or not, but the being is far beyond your imagination. At worst, all of us could vanish instantly, not just us, but everyone in the entire world.”
Hipnos sighed deeply like the Chancellor.
He looked at me with weary eyes.
“There’s something you need to do. Attach this to her… Lily.”
Hipnos passed something through the iron bars.
It was an old, yellowish paper with some kind of marking.
“It’s a symbol of the Elder Gods who oppose Lily’s Outer Gods.”
Since meeting these two, I finally spoke:
“What happens if I put this on?”
“Lily’s power will be weakened, and our leader will trace her.”
Their leader referred to…
“Nodus, right?”
“Indeed, you know. Nodus.”
I gripped my fist tightly.
Were they asking me to accept this and tell Lily to wear it?
If they had asked me this a month and a half ago, maybe I would have refused.
But now…
“If I just put this on her, we’ll handle the rest-”
“No.”
“…”
JEEAK!
I tore the marked paper right in front of Hipnos.
Then, footsteps approached beside us.
“What? No? Did you just say no?”
The Chancellor revealed a pale green gaze.
“Are you not fully aware of the situation? Was our explanation insufficient?”
“Word by word, they say… The end of the world! There will be a swift collapse of the world as a whole!”
“I know.”
From the claim that she could fire destructive beams to her offhand mention of possibly wiping out a city, I had been well aware of the truth.
“But I refuse.”
“Haha!”
The Chancellor covered his eyes with one hand and let out a sigh of despair.
Hipnos asked in a subdued voice:
“Why… why do you refuse?”
The reason for my refusal was obvious to me.
“Lily won’t destroy the world because…”
“Because I told her not to.”
At this, the Chancellor chuckled and said:
“Nonsense! Do you really think an Outer God will follow your words? To them, you’re nothing more than one of the countless lovers, no, prey!”
Perhaps they were right.
The Necronomicon depicted Lily as someone who only viewed humans as prey.
But I trusted Lily.
The dedication she demonstrated to me thus far was undeniable.
“Your words hold no value to such an existence-”
“We had a contract.”
“……What?”
The Chancellor’s dumbfounded expression and Hipnos’ shock.
“A contract? Between you and Lily?”
“Yes.”
As I nodded, the Chancellor’s trembling lips parted.
“Where? Where could you possibly have lied… Lily has never entered into a contract with any man. There’s no way you could have established a contract with her!”
‘Well, it’s quite disheartening to speak the truth and still be accused of lying.’
Turning my head away from the Chancellor, I asked Hipnos:
“How long have I been here?”
“Let me see… About four hours?”
…My goodness.
Just then, a vibration began.
WWOOOOM!
The intense vibration was emanating from my school uniform collar.
“What’s that badge?”
“A tracking device placed by Lily.”
“WHAT?!”
The Chancellor’s hand emitted a flash of light toward the badge, but…
KEEEEENG!
The harsh screech accompanied the light being deflected.
Eventually, the dark aura emanating from the badge formed a protective barrier around me.
“This barrier… I recognize it from what enveloped the dormitory!”
“I see now. It truly is Lily’s aura.”
“Wait… Are you saying this person actually-”
The Chancellor’s words were cut short.
Indeed.
KOOOOM!!
A heavy explosion resonated, shaking the stone walls on all sides.
Chunks of stones fell like hail.
“What’s happening!”
Responding to the Chancellor’s shout, Hipnos grimaced.
“…Damn. They’ve already arrived.”
The explosion rapidly drew closer, and soon after…
KAAOOM!!
The stone wall opposite the iron bars exploded, sending rocks flying in all directions.
Several rocks flew toward me but were stopped by Lily’s protective barrier.
The Chancellor and Hipnos also blocked the rocks with their individual barriers, remaining unharmed.
Everyone’s attention focused on the broken wall.
Through the swirling dust, two beams of red light shone.
A stunning figure emerged from the dust.
Lily’s form, pristine without a speck of dust or soot, remained intact despite the violent explosion.
“Lily!”
Seeing me, Lily momentarily showed a look of relief but immediately turned her head and glared at the Chancellor and Hipnos with ferocious hostility.
“Daring to take Arthur…!”
WWOOOOOOM
Dark crimson aura surged from Lily’s entire body before she proclaimed:
“Die.”
KEEEEEEEEEEIIIING!!!
A chilling sound accompanied the thickest, most intense beam I’ve ever seen, unleashing its fury on the two kidnappers.
