### Chapter 80: Bad News
“Peilo, the enemy is attacking the city…” Sophia muttered beside me.
Up front, the old teacher was banging on the podium, shouting, “Silence! Don’t panic! The Royal City will be fine! Everyone, please calm down and wait for the announcement from Madam Principal!” His voice faded into the background noise of the classroom.
“They’re coming, they’re really coming…”
“Counterweight catapult! That’s an asphalt fireball…”
“Those d*mn nobles actually dare to attack the Royal City… Queen Elizabeth will wipe them all out…”
“I just want to go home… Seriously… They won’t break in, right…?”
“Even if they do, they wouldn’t dare harm us… This is the Royal Academy! My father is the cavalry commander of Cask City; they wouldn’t dare touch me…”
At this moment, no one had the heart to listen to what that esteemed scholar was prattling on about.
“I… need to find my father.” Sophia whispered.
Hearing her, I shifted my gaze from the burning city walls to meet Sophia’s slightly trembling eyes.
“What are you going to do?” she asked me.
I gently shook my head. “I haven’t figured that out yet…”
Experiencing war for the first time in my life was overwhelming. It involved people I cared about, and my mind was a jumbled mess. I wanted to find Victoria, but I didn’t even know where she was…
“Then why don’t you come with me?” Sophia said, lightly holding my right hand. “If things get chaotic in the city, it’ll be much safer with my father.”
“No thanks.” I instinctively rejected her suggestion. After pondering for a moment, I smiled at her. “I still have things to do.”
Sophia froze for a moment.
Two seconds later, her eyes widened, and her beautiful oval face was filled with anxiety. “Peilo, what do you want to do? This is war! WAR! Do you understand? A lot of people d*e in war! Even if your father is Skar… what can you, a little girl, do? You’re not allowed to go!”
She clutched my hand tightly, making it a bit painful. I stared at her flustered expression, confused, blinking my eyes.
Where is this child’s mind wandering off to…?
I patted her hand reassuringly, about to respond.
“Miss Peilo…”
“Miss Peilo!”
Suddenly, I heard someone yelling my name, and the voice seemed to come from the classroom door. I turned to look… only to find my view blocked by students standing and crowding around, gazing at me with bewildered eyes… I couldn’t see who was calling me.
So, I tilted my head back and stood on my tiptoes.
It sounded like a teacher… but nope, still couldn’t see. They were all too tall.
I couldn’t help but frown.
“Hey! You’re blocking our little fairy by Cilan Lake! Clear out!”
“Watch your nose!”
As the shouts rang out, the crowd automatically parted.
These students were all first-year students from Cilan Lake, and I was familiar with most of them since we attended classes together. I’d casually chatted with many of them, and some even boldly joked with me, calling me little fairy to show off to their friends. I’d grown used to it, though I found the term “little fairy” a bit ambiguous. Still, I wouldn’t let it bother me—most people didn’t mean any harm.
But right now, even jokes felt forced.
“Miss Peilo, the Sisters from the Saintess Class are looking for you…” someone said.
Honestly, I didn’t need to be reminded. After the crowd parted, I saw the old teacher standing at the doorway with a young nun in pure white habit, looking at me.
“…Saintess Class…” Sophia looked rather perplexed.
Then she seemed to remember something but wasn’t entirely sure and hesitantly asked, “What do they want with you?”
The so-called Saintess Class consisted of the accompanying nuns of the Saintess, distinguished by their unique attire—pure white with golden patterns, easily recognizable. If they were looking for me, it must be something concerning Margaret… They made it all the way here, so it must be urgent, right?
I guess I should check it out.
I pulled my hand from Sophia’s grip, revealing an assuring smile.
“I’ll be going.”
“Where are you going…” Sophia looked worried.
But even you asking me, I still hadn’t made up my mind…
Tilting my head, I could only say to her, “I’ll probably be… leaving the academy.”
Let’s go see what Margaret wants… she’s running over here, probably not just for a chat and a chicken leg. I had a bad feeling in my chest, something must’ve gone wrong…
…please don’t let it be the Abyss.
With a heavy heart, I took a couple of steps towards the classroom door and then turned back.
“Sophia, I might take a while to come back… Just like last time. Tell… Sarah and the others not to worry, everything will be fine.”
After saying that, I walked briskly forward.
A moment later, as I passed through the students, I sensed Sophia take a deep breath behind me.
“…Next time, Sarah will bring over delicious food again. She’ll save some for you! But if you come back late, we won’t wait for you!”
The girl’s voice was bright and crisp.
Pfft…
I paused, my mood suddenly becoming complex and hard to describe.
Sophia… please don’t start talking like the clichés in old stories.
Why do I suddenly feel like I’m marching towards my doom… No, no, no! Kids say the darndest things! This isn’t something to be saying in front of so many people… Do I have no dignity? But I didn’t get to eat Sarah’s venison pie last time.
“I want to eat… the venison pie.”
“Okay, I’ll tell Sarah. Hurry back…”
“Sure.”
Reaching the classroom door, the nun immediately bowed and said, “Esteemed Miss, please follow me.”
She didn’t specify what it was about, so I assumed it was something too sensitive for discussion here. I just flashed the old teacher a sweet smile and followed the nun out.
The nun was rather taciturn… maybe most nuns were like that? We descended the grand stone staircase to the first floor without any conversation. Once outside the teaching building, I spotted three magnificent war chariots parked under the stone lion at the entrance.
“Miss, the Saintess is waiting for you in the second carriage.”
So it’s definitely Margaret…
“Okay.”
I nodded at the nun, quickly walking over and lifting the carriage curtain to see the Saintess’ watery, beautiful face.
“What’s going on—”
I was about to ask her when I heard a thunderous explosion from a distance.
Boom, boom, boom…
The loud noise was even more shocking than the first time, making the ground tremble slightly. Gasps echoed around, and the students on the path panicked. A timid girl even fell to the ground in fright; I instinctively turned to see the source of the billowing smoke.
In the next instant, a warm, soft grip held my hand, pulling me forward.
“Get in first.” Margaret’s calm yet firm voice sounded beside me.
She pulled me into the carriage, and after I settled down, she hurriedly let down the curtain. Tapping her fingers lightly on the top of the carriage, the horned horse let out a cry, and the carriage began to move slowly.
Not bothering with any pleasantries or asking what she wanted, I anxiously inquired, “Will the city break?”
The enemy onslaught was fierce… I could feel their powerful siege weaponry even from here, and I had no idea how horrible it was on the other side of the walls… I was extremely unsettled.
But Margaret remained calm and collected across from me. She stared at me for a moment… Why is she looking at me like that?
I frowned, but I heard Margaret softly say, “No.”
…She looked quite serious, which didn’t feel like she was just brushing me off.
But she probably didn’t understand the gravity of the situation; I needed to see Victoria.
So I asked again, “Where is Victoria?”
“Her Majesty is organizing the defense line; it’s best not to disturb her right now.”
“Where is she?”
“The Royal Palace.”
“And where are we going?”
“Out of the city.”
“Okay. Then can you let me… wait, what?” My eyes widened.
What did Margaret just say… out of the city? I must’ve misheard!
I looked at the calm-faced Saintess, uncertainly repeating, “Out of the city?”
Margaret gently nodded. “Out of the city.”
She really meant out of the city… at this moment?!
My first reaction was that Margaret wanted to escape with me. But then I thought, if she’s trying to flee too, doesn’t that mean the Royal City is doomed? If Victoria—no, even if the city falls, Margaret wouldn’t have to rush away like this, right? She’s a Saintess; who would dare touch her… but wait, if the city is under siege, why would Margaret run? She’s not that kind of person; she must have a more important reason… ahh…
In the blink of an eye, I thought of the worst possibility.
“The Abyss… has awakened?”
cr*p, what impeccable timing…
Breathe in, breathe out.
Stay calm… face it calmly… Don’t panic… It’s not that serious; the Abyss won’t come that quickly…
I had mentally prepared myself to accept the worst-case scenario, but then I saw Margaret slowly shaking her head.
“It’s not.”
“Not?” I was a bit dumbfounded.
“The Abyss hasn’t awakened. Rather, the situation is quite the opposite; the Abyss Mud seems to be gradually settling… the black liquid is no longer bubbling.”
???
It can be like this??
I couldn’t help but grin: “Isn’t that great?”
I had been so worried.
If the Abyss suddenly awakened, those Church Knights left in the canyon wouldn’t stand a chance against the terrifying monsters. What would happen then? For a moment earlier, I even thought that if that were the case, I would throw myself into the fray to keep the monsters at bay. In the worst-case scenario, I’d reveal my powers from the Abyss, but I’d have to k*ll it…
But I didn’t expect Margaret to bring good news.
The Abyss Mud not bubbling means the monsters must have disappeared, right?
Labor pains?
I don’t care why; at least I wouldn’t have to worry about the Royal City being attacked from behind… But why does Margaret still look so serious?
“This isn’t good news, Peilo.”
In an instant, the Saintess’ somewhat cold words snapped me back to reality.
“The reason the Abyss Mud isn’t bubbling isn’t because the monsters disappeared on their own; relying on that is unrealistic. It instead represents another, worse possibility. After discussion among the personnel on the scene, we now suspect… that the Abyss may have crawled out long ago when no one was paying attention.”
