[76] The Return of the Archmage (3)
Clank. Clank.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the rattle of chains came from the cell at the end of the corridor. When a wolfish man appeared, Arkein's eyes gleamed with interest.
He was nothing like those who barreled out blindly just because a cell had opened. And the fact the man wore shackles—and even handcuffs—pleased him.
"There was still one left. Hiding his presence, were you? Your Skima's not bad."
The man looked over the sprawled prisoners and let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha ha ha, unbelievable. Do you know where you are? This is the western prison, Inferno. Planning a rebellion?"
"Rebellion, huh. Sounds fun. Care to join?"
The man shrugged.
"If you let me out, I might be persuaded."
"You couldn't have seen, but your ears would've been open. If you can't knock me down, you won't be free."
"Ha, strict as ever."
The man lifted the handcuffed arm and scratched his head. For a moment the eyes visible between his forearms flashed sharply—and without warning he launched himself.
With a leap that defied even the iron ball's weight, riding on Skima's springing power, he swung his foot and sent the iron ball crashing into Arkein's face.
"Master!"
Bang!
The man landed on bent knees, his face drained. Strange that striking a person could make such a sound.
"Tch, annoying magic."
Arkein didn't budge. The half of his face hit by the iron ball was cloaked in an inky shadow. Dark Skin—an absorption-type dark magic that maximized the pull of darkness to soak up impact.
"Pretty useful. You pass."
As Arkein invoked the power of darkness, a shadow rose from the floor and seized the man's shackles and handcuffs.
"Don't move. Your limbs might fly off."
Before the man could answer, the shadow stood up like a blade and spun rapidly. The chains snapped in an instant, and yet the man's skin wasn't scratched. Boundless shaping arts and delicate control—that was the essence of dark magic.
"Enjoy your freedom. Follow me. There's something I need you to do."
"Why are you acting like this? I never said I'd join you."
The corner of the smiling man's mouth trembled.
He already knew how strong his opponent was. But being led off like cattle would defeat the point of a jailbreak, wouldn't it?
"What'll move you is money. Help me and you'll handle a fortune."
That a mage was wealthy was common sense.
And this man was the sort to do anything for money, so he had no reason to refuse.
"Heh, a fortune, huh? If it's just some paltry sum, I'll quit halfway."
The man followed Arkein out of the prison. Thus one prisoner escaped Inferno.
* * *
After sorting the materials they'd gathered from the library into notes, Shirone and his group rented an inn. Two days of debate had let them sketch the outline of how the Photon Cannon worked.
"Why does mass exist?"
Without mass, nothing changes. The world would be fine—repeating today like yesterday wouldn't be catastrophic, would it?
Yet from the beginning there was mass, as if this world needed to be filled with new things.
"Mass isn't weight. Weight is a force acting toward gravity's direction. Space has no direction. So what is mass? Cohesion? Even that doesn't feel like a complete explanation."
Nade asked.
"So what do you think it is?"
The sense that rose in his mind was clear—but clear only as a feeling, not in sharp detail.
"Existence."
"Huh?"
"Proof that something occupies this space. Isn't that what mass is?"
Life is the code of living things. Perhaps mass is the universe's universal certificate of existence.
"Hmm. Sounds plausible. Like the will or breath of a Creator."
At Nade's words, Iruki snapped her fingers.
"The God Particle."
"Huh? What?"
"The God Particle. Not bad, right? We call the particle Shirone discovered the God Particle."
"Oh—nice. Shirone, what do you think?"
Shirone nodded repeatedly. It felt as if Iruki hadn't invented a name but uncovered one that had always been there—it fit exactly with the omniscient impression he'd sensed.
"I like it. And this is important."
"Right. A mage's omnipotence is tied to feeling. It's good to use a name that sits well with you."
In that sense, God Particle was an excellent choice.
When the discussion wound down, Iruki flopped onto the bed. Her eyes ached from a day of poring over books.
"Phew. Let's finish the analysis and head back to school tomorrow. Classes start properly the day after—prepare yourselves mentally. You haven't already forgotten our promise, have you?"
Nade chimed in.
"Of course not. This semester we're aiming for Class Four. From now on we study like crazy. Worst case, Shirone might graduate before us."
That might actually happen.
What had started as a joke grew serious on Nade and Iruki's faces.
At this rate, Shirone might graduate first. That alone showed how monumental the discovery of the God Particle was.
"Shirone, you wouldn't consider staying another year after graduating, would you?"
"Haha! What are you saying? I'm the one most likely not to keep a promise in this situation. At least you two are top tier."
Shirone wasn't entirely wrong, but judged by growth rate alone, cause for alarm existed. A student who hadn't even known the fourfold method was already assuming graduation within half a year.
"I can't sleep. I'll study a bit and then sleep."
"Oh? Th-then me too!"
When Iruki rose and opened a book, Nade was quick to take the corner table and start studying as well.
Seeing his friends burn with scholarly zeal even if the world ended tomorrow left Shirone stunned. He soon looked at them with warm eyes.
'I met good friends.'
Shirone was the last of the three to open a book.
* * *
Kingdom Education Academic Council.
The kingdom academic conference the Council hosted gathered the School of Magic and the Swordsmanship School, the various orders' chapters, factions, the Alchemy Foundation, the elite 99 Artists' Assembly, and other social and cultural professionals to present the kingdom's vision.
Sade attended as the representative of Alpheas School of Magic. After days of debate over the harms and benefits of rote education, he felt on the verge of losing his mind.
"Ugh, damn. Don't these people sleep? Let's go home."
Chosen by lot to attend, he truly loathed it. A notorious delinquent since his school days, he cared nothing for education, voluntary or otherwise.
The only consolation was the number of attractive female teachers. The woman at the round table across from him was his ideal type.
Blue hair flowed in glossy waves, and even in a suit she couldn't hide a mischievous charm.
"She's quite something. Reina Ozent, wasn't it?"
She belonged to the 99 Artists' Assembly—the kingdom's top artists' group—and had come as a musician qualified as a student of the pianist Märchen.
The debate ended at seven in the evening.
When the Council's evening party began, the intensity of discussion evaporated. Attendees sipped wine and busied themselves trading contacts across fields.
Around Reina, several high-ranking figures—names even those who didn't follow the Council might know—had gathered.
'Being beautiful is a hardship, I suppose.'
Sade waited for his turn to speak, eavesdropping on their conversation. Most of it was either unbearably authoritative or teasing banter.
Reina met them with a warm smile and unfailing composure. It was an unexpected side of her to Sade; her bright personality didn't match the 99 Artists' Assembly's notorious reputation.
Art deals with emotion, and for that reason its power to sway the public is something even the powerful cannot ignore.
Because art carries a critical function, many artists can be stubborn to the point of obstinacy.
But Reina seemed utterly unaffected by such rumors, cheerfully mingling with people from all walks of life.
"Sigh. If only Teacher Shiina had half that personality."
Sade muttered as he sipped his wine. Reina finished her conversation and walked over to him.
"Hello, Teacher Sade."
"Oh, hello! You know me?"
"Of course. You teach at Alpheas School of Magic. The Ozent main house is in Creas."
"Ah! Right. I'd forgotten. Pleasure to meet you."
Shared hometown pride had them talking for a long time. As Sade expected, Reina was bright and entertaining.
"How's Shirone doing?"
"Huh? How do you know Shirone? Ah, I see."
Sade, who had graded Shirone's entrance exam, recalled the registrant's origin listed as the Ozent family.
"Shirone was a guest of the Ozent household. As expected of a noble family—you have a keen eye. Shirone is doing fine. Well, he did cause a bit of trouble recently."
"A bit of trouble? What sort of trouble?"
Reina's eyes widened. Sade realized he'd better be careful—if the Ozent household had promoted a student and learned he'd been suspended, her pride could be bruised.
"Ahaha! It's nothing. He's an outstanding student, so even small things get blown into big rumors. That's the kind of trouble I meant."
"I see."
Relieved, Reina exhaled. From Sade's words she could picture Shirone's life.
"That's good to hear. Does he have many friends?"
"Of course. He's popular with boys and girls alike. Sometimes I'm green with envy. Ha ha ha!"
"Oh? Then maybe—"
Reina started to ask if he had a lover, then shook her head. It was a question she could ask as a patron, but the one asking in her heart borrowed only the patron's name.
"Is there something you're wondering about?"
"No, I'm just glad he's doing well."
"Ha ha! Don't worry. I may be bold to say it, but Alpheas School of Magic is prestigious. You can entrust him without worry."
"Heh, right. I was out of line. I'm sorry."
"Not at all. I was the arrogant one. How would you like to accompany me to Creas? We leave in the morning. I'll treat you to a lovely lunch."
Reina shook her head regretfully.
"I'm sorry. I have a performance scheduled and need to return to Bashka."
"Ah, I see. That's a shame."
Sade couldn't hide his disappointment. Normally he would let it go, but she was someone he truly didn't want to miss.
"Well then. I'd love to see your performance. Could you give me the schedule? I'll come to Bashka."
"I'd be honored. Actually, I was worried. With trouble in the capital, I feared many positions might be left vacant."
"Trouble in Bashka?"
"A dark mage attacked Inferno and broke out a B-rank wanted criminal, I hear. The capital's under security measures close to martial law."
"A dark mage?"
Sade furrowed his brow. It might be just another news item, but thinking on it, it was a rare event.
Dark mages were hard to find these days. And why attack Inferno—to free just one B-rank wanted criminal?
Dark mage. Inferno. B-rank wanted criminal.
A scene from history flashed through Sade's mind.