The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 373

Seven days after Leviathan’s death, my body had perfectly recovered without any residual effects, but the Academy was still not back to normal.

The only relief was that, unlike before, thanks to support from various places, some of the classes were now resuming.

My Master hadn’t left yet.

He had set up in an empty room in the mansion, stating he would keep watch until the Academy returned to its normal state.

It was surprising to see my Master, who usually wouldn’t linger in the capital, saying he felt relaxed here since this wasn’t the capital but just a field trip.

In the desolate ghost town that had once been a wasteland, quite a few people were bustling about.

They were all from the Magic Tower.

This was the place where the legendary Demon, the Mirror Demon, had appeared, and now it was a site for analyzing the Mirror Demon.

I had entered Hoenheim’s Other Space, where he was still researching the Mirror Demon.

“Is that you? The Master who defeated the Great Demon that will go down in history?”

“Thanks for the welcome.”

As soon as I walked in, Hoenheim spoke without even turning around.

It looked like he was still working.

“How’s the research situation?”

“It’s very resistant, but it’s only a matter of time. It’s cute how it dares to endure in Other Space before anyone.”

Inside the Other Space, which was decorated like the Magic Tower, Hoenheim was playing with a colorful ball, rolling it around in his hand.

Was that ball the Mirror Demon?

This vast Other Space that had taken over a whole village and cornered one Master was merely in the palm of her hand.

“I suspect the fake you mentioned before is connected to this thing.”

“Is that so?”

“There are traces of something being sent out just before it got captured. It’s likely what you referred to as the fake.”

If that fake originated from this side, it might be fortunate.

After all, if it was created by a demon, it would disappear once the demon was killed.

It was already unsettling enough that the Demon Church had the original Atlas.

“All the corpses have disappeared, and the purification process has started, but the disassembly is still ongoing, right?”

“Yes. It’s progressing safely in a space without interruptions, but it’s too massive and the items are being handled for the first time, so everyone is being cautious.”

The Leviathan’s carcass was pulled entirely from the sea using magic from the Magic Tower and was being moved to a safe location for disassembly.

If left in the sea, it would continuously pollute the waters, and its state would deteriorate from consuming seawater, so this was a necessary measure.

The parts I had obliterated with Aura Blade were immense, yet the Leviathan’s remains were piled up like a mountain.

There were thousands of broken scales alone salvaged from the ocean.

After retrieving all necessary components, we could finally begin the purification process to restore the Academy’s sea.

Until then, no matter what I tried to do, it was pointless as the Leviathan’s remains were constantly leaking out.

It felt a bit late now, but hadn’t I better try until it works?

“Even in death, it’s a nuisance. Because of that thing’s blood, demons swarm in from the sea every day.”

“Now that’s an interesting story.”

Demons tangled in the polluted sea were continuously crawling ashore, so everyone was patrolling earnestly every night.

“But it hasn’t only caused trouble, right? The price of the materials extracted from Leviathan’s carcass that you requested is slated to be this much.”

Hoenheim handed me a check.

Considering its size and the fact it’s the only one of its kind in the world, the price was higher than I had thought.

Receiving it from both places might equate to the Empire’s national budget for three years.

“If I just waste it, I won’t be able to spend it all my lifetime.”

“Do you have any plans for where to use it?”

“Well, I didn’t plan to earn it, so I guess I’ll have to think about it from now on.”

When I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever struggled with money in this life.

I was born a High Noble, and even when I severed ties with my parents, I joined the Royal Knight Order, earning the highest salary among the knights.

Since becoming a Master, gold has been steadily piling up in a shadow-exclusive account secretly created, you see.

I consistently received more than I consumed.

The time I spent the most was when I splurged for the Snow Country exploration team.

Of course, even then, my wallet hadn’t thinned, so I had no regrets.

If something like this gets added to it… maybe I should consider buying and cultivating a quiet territory.

While I was lost in such thoughts, Hoenheim subtly suggested an opinion.

“If you have no place to use it, how about investing a bit?”

“Invest?”

Seriously, suggesting investment here?

It seemed like a very unwholesome suggestion to propose investment to someone who suddenly found a large sum.

“Yes, it’s an investment in the ancient civilization I’ve been steadily undertaking.”

“Hoenheim, is it a bit unethical to say that to me?”

What kind of words were those from someone who had excavated the ruins of that ancient civilization?

“If you hear me out, you’ll find it interesting. If you invest here, I can share the data I’ve researched until now. You don’t know much about those ruins, do you? About the Ancient Kingdom, what they did, how they lived, and what technology they had—I’m the one who knows all about it on this continent.”

“Seems like you haven’t shared it with anyone else?”

“It’s just that I haven’t had a hobby to show off things that aren’t fully organized yet. But I can share this much with you. You satisfy my curiosity more than anyone else does.”

Data analyzed by the Master on ancient ruins… while I wasn’t entirely uninterested, I realized he had been researching this alone.

They say that friendly rivalry with a lack of materials had everyone struggling because someone monopolized such knowledge.

“To pique your interest… let’s see, there’s this too. They say the Ancient Kingdom found a way to completely sever this world from Hell. It seems their country fell apart while they were researching it, though.”

“… What do you mean by that?”

Is there really a method to completely separate Hell from this world?

“It’s a literal story. You’re well aware that the damage caused by demons was much worse in ancient times. Ultimately, they united their strength to defeat the demons, but afterwards, they wanted to solve the problem more fundamentally.”

“Is it even possible to completely sever Hell?”

“There’s nothing impossible. You know quite well that there’s nothing unattainable in this world. If you sincerely wish for it, twist reality, and possess the qualifications, this world will provide answers.”

That wasn’t incorrect.

As one who grasps the laws of this world, we know secrets unknown to others.

Hoenheim desperately uncovered them, while I was born with this knowledge from the start.

It took a long time to comprehend that.

Yes, just as Hoenheim said, there’s nothing impossible in this world.

Then… is it really possible?

“It might be unclear since it’s just what’s written in the ruins. I’m not sure if they found a method to sever Hell, suggested one, or sought to find one; the latter portions are vague, so I can’t be certain. That’s why I’m searching for ancient artifacts.”

“… Should I visit the Snow Country again?”

The idea that no more demons would appear in this world… that was a very enticing proposal.

Whether it’s feasible or not is another matter altogether.

“Will the barrier return to its original state tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard.”

Now that a week had passed since the incident, an announcement was posted that the Academy’s barrier would be restored.

Once restored, all the professors stuck to it would finally be freed and after a day’s rest, they would continue their lectures.

Most of the students had rested well during the week but were in agony at the thought of classes starting again, though many were delighted at the lectures reopening.

Meanwhile, my Master, Gemma, and I were idly perched on a bench near the main building, gazing up at it.

We weren’t slacking off; rather, our classes weren’t normalized yet, so we were just killing time until everyone finished theirs.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, I sensed a presence, as if teleportation had been used nearby, and when I looked around, I saw strange people.

“What are those guys?”

Five men dressed in noble attire that was in style about 300 years ago were staring at us with an almost suffocating gaze.

They stared for a while, then whispered to each other before looking back at us again.

What a bunch of weirdos. I almost wanted to chase them off, but Gemma and I felt something similar at the same time.

“Atlas, are those guys…?”

“Are they humans polymorphed into dragons? I think so too.”

They certainly looked human, yet they carried an oddness about them, almost as if they were fitting into clothes that didn’t quite match, betraying a sense of unease. It was clear they were dragons.

And this is why the Academy needs a barrier.