SMMA 54

Episode 54

“So this bone was given to you by Professor Mortum?”

“Lord Wadanaz, I don’t know much about magic, but in my trade there’s a saying: never associate with black magicians.”

“……”

Both friends stated the harsh truth flatly.

No matter how one excused it, this bone summon gift was creepy. A professor gifting something like this was chilling enough.

Ihan felt compelled to excuse himself.
“Well, at least it’s not completely useless.”

“Yes. But it is creepy all the same,” Ratford said loyally—though the words themselves were anything but loyal.

Sensing Ihan’s conflicted mind, Yonellia attempted to soften things by listing virtues.
“Well, it doesn’t demand food, it is loyal, it can do little jobs here and there…”

“What jobs, exactly?” Ratford pressed.

Yonellia ignored him.
“And admittedly… it could even be considered a little… cute?”

“Thank you, Yonellia. But hearing that just makes me certain—this is definitely weird.”

He wanted to believe it was useful, but had to face it: the bone summon was strange.

“Why give such a thing, anyway?”

“Perhaps more curious: why gift a single bone at all?”

“Maybe—he means you to collect other bones scattered about the school and combine them?” Ratford suggested.

Yonellia laughed it off. “That’s absurd… Isn’t it absurd? Right?”

“……”

Ihan could not laugh.

Ratford’s reasoning fit too well. The hand bone from the Turtle students had combined so precisely with Mortum’s gift bone. Surely by design.

Could it be a bone-collecting game?

Normal minds would think “Who would enjoy that?” But professors here were hardly “normal.” Likely Mortum thought, The students will have fun piecing this creature together!

A shiver crept over Ihan. More terrifying than the necromancy itself was the faculty’s deranged way of thinking.

“Wadanaz! Are you done at the market yet? …Wait—what is that bone?!”

Asan Dalkard had returned, and nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of the floating arm.

A crowd gathered around Professor Ingerdel.

Students from Blue Dragon, Black Turtle, Phoenix, and even White Tiger Tower had assembled. Anyone attending alchemy class required reagents, and this supervised group expedition into the mountains was the only safe chance to obtain them.

With the professor escorting, the chance could not be wasted.

“Safety comes first, second, and third. Gather by tower. Memorize your classmates’ faces and your numbers. We will check regularly so none go missing,” said Ingerdel sternly.

Faces paled at once. He was skilled at instilling unease. But it was better this way than students treating it as a casual picnic.

The Blue Dragon Tower students knew each other easily—Ihan, Yonellia, Asan, even the Princess.

Asan quipped curiously, “Wadanaz, I heard from the Turtle kids that your cooking was incredible.”

“They exaggerate. Just a vegetable stew.”

He thought they praised it only because they were starving. Just diced vegetables, salt, pepper and tomato paste, little more.

But Yonellia said earnestly, “It truly was delicious.”
Ratford nodded firmly. “It really was.”

“?”

Ihan blinked. Yonellia too?

“No meat, even. Doesn’t dorm food usually taste better?”

“No. Maybe because it was cooked outside, together… it felt so much better.”

Perhaps the fresh vegetables? He recalled Thunderstep’s hut, where crops had grown suspiciously fast… possibly from some potent growth infusion.

Wait… did I unknowingly take some priceless elixir produce?

But then again—if so, Thunderstep should have set a warning. And technically, that garden was Ihan’s plot.

Not my fault, then.

A faint regret lingered—perhaps he should have tasted his own dish.

“Wait—you’re White Tiger, right?” Asan asked suddenly.

The long-haired elf nodded. This was the one who, unlike his peers, swore allegiance to the Princess instead.

“I’ve gotten permission already. I’ll guard Her Highness.”

Indeed, several others from different towers clustered around the Princess now.

Such loyalty…

Meanwhile, a Turtle student whispered to Ihan, “Don’t trust those White Tigers. Want me to gather some others so we can provoke them?”

“……”

What do you people think of me exactly…?

“Here is good. Everyone scatter and collect.”

Hours into the trek, Ingerdel halted at a meadow of blooms. Students broke into small groups.

To his delight, they moved in discipline.

Unity had formed—everyone understood they could survive only together here.

Each tower, inevitably, held a few natural leaders.

The boy of Wadanaz was clearly among them. Not domineering, but cold charisma, felt beyond even his tower, influencing others. He was fortunate his heart was not cruel—otherwise the academy might break into chaos around him.

Every generation produces leaders… but he is another caliber.

Ingerdel pondered aloud, watching over them—slightly misled by rumors. Ihan himself never thought, As scion of a great house, it is my right to rule.

Chirp—chirp.

“?”

He turned.

Fssht!!

At once, Ingerdel vanished from sight.

“W-Wadanaz.”

Ihan had been gathering mushrooms when pale Turtle students rushed to him, faces stricken.

“What is it?”

“The Professor… he’s gone!”

“?!”

Shock.

Instantly, possibilities surged. Did Ingerdel vanish as a “lesson”? To train composure?

No… I trust him. Professors are rarely trustworthy—but he seemed sincere.

Was it zealots again? How could they slip past heightened defenses since the last attack? Impossible—if so, the Headmaster was incompetent.

Then… a monster? Even then—inconceivable. Ingerdel was a master swordsman rivaling Alarron. To fall silently, impossibly.

Still, this was Einrogard. Here, any horror was plausible.

“What do we do?!”

“Calm down,” Ihan commanded. “Perhaps he simply went elsewhere for a time.”

He doubted it—but panic was dangerous.

No monsters seen. Path intact. Just retrace steps.

The mountains had many natural trails carved by generations of students. Simply follow back, and they should be fine—

Shhhhwooo—

“……”
“……”

Rain crashed down, sudden and hard. A deluge.

Ihan’s doubts only deepened. Is this all a trap?

Cliffside shelter.

Nillia shook water off and said grimly, “In conditions like this, finding the path is impossible. We’ll lose direction—and worse, lose body heat. If monsters attack in the rain, that’s nightmare itself. Waiting it out is best.”

Her words dropped spirits—but then she added, “Still, we’re safe here. Hold until it stops, and—”

Others interrupted.

“No, we must push forward. The harder the rain, the less chance later!”
“We need to regroup with Phoenix and White Tiger students now!”
“And the Professor—we must search for him at once!”

Nillia’s mouth shut, bitter.

Ihan summoned her closer; together they began stacking wood. His bone summon scampered into the storm, gathering sticks. Fires sparked to life.

The students’ debate turned fierce.

“Step forward now!”
“No, numbers are advantage, regroup first!”
“No, find the Professor!”

They needed an arbiter.

“Wadanaz!”
“Wadanaz, what do we do?”

Caught mid-spark, Ihan blinked.

“Wait. Until the rain stops.”

“…Ah. Yes.”
“That… makes sense.”

“……”

Nillia scowled daggers at them all.

Say it when I do, you ignore me—when he repeats, you all nod?