Ludwig sprinted through the labyrinthine corridors of the academy, his boots pounding against the stone floor with a rhythm that matched the frantic beating of his undead heart—or what passed for one. The air was thick with tension, and every shadow seemed to twist and writhe as if alive, a testament to the lingering effects of Hoyo’s Shamrack spell. The hallway to his right was a void of darkness, an abyss that seemed to swallow light itself. Ludwig didn’t dare glance that way for long; the spell’s eerie pull was almost hypnotic, and he couldn’t afford to lose focus now.
The other path was clear, and Ludwig vaulted through it without hesitation.He pushed himself harder, faster, desperate to put distance between himself and his pursuers. Behind him, the sound of footsteps echoed like a death knell, growing louder with every passing second. Hoyo and Evan were relentless, their determination to catch him as unyielding as the stone walls of the academy.
The ceiling above him groaned, a low, ominous rumble that sent a chill down Ludwig’s spine. He barely had time to react before it shattered, chunks of stone and dust raining down as Evan’s magic tore through it. Ludwig cursed under his breath, his voice a harsh whisper in the chaos. “For fuck’s sake!” He didn’t stop to look back. Instead, he activated [Steadfast Leap], his body surging forward with unnatural speed. The ability propelled him down the hallway, his feet barely touching the ground as he soared toward the end of the corridor.
“THERE IS NOWHERE TO RUN, BOY!” Evan’s voice boomed behind him, a thunderous roar that reverberated through the halls. Ludwig didn’t respond. He couldn’t afford to waste breath on words. His focus was singular: escape.
At the end of the hallway, the gate to the academy’s teleportation hub loomed like a beacon of hope. Ludwig’s expression lightened for the first time since the chase began. He was so close. Just a few more steps, and he’d be free. He sprinted the final stretch, his hand reaching out to push the heavy door open. The momentum carried him forward, and he stumbled into the room, falling face-first onto the cold stone floor.
But the room wasn’t what he expected.
Instead of the grand, glowing circle of the teleportation hub, or the gentle, reassuring presence of Silva, Ludwig found himself in a dark, familiar space. The air was heavy with the scent of old parchment and ink. He raised his head slowly, his eyes adjusting instantly to the dim light. There, in front of him, was a large desk cluttered with stacks of documents and paperwork. To the right of the desk, perched on a bird stand, was a familiar crow—Bulgasal, at least three times bigger than a normal crow for size, its beady eyes glinting with human intelligence.
And behind the desk sat the Dean.
The door behind Ludwig closed with an eerie finality, the sound echoing in the silence. Ludwig pushed himself to his feet, his movements slow and deliberate. He gulped, his throat dry despite his undead nature, and faced the Dean with as much respect as he could muster. “Dean,” he said, his voice steady but laced with unease.
The Dean’s expression was unreadable, but the annoyance in his eyes was unmistakable. “I warned you on your first day,” he began, his voice low and measured, “to not cause any trouble.”
Ludwig’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t cause trouble. Trouble keeps finding me.”
“Silence,” the Dean snapped, his voice cutting through the room like a whip. “Your mere presence is causing all sorts of issues. We’re already at war with the Holy Order, Ludwig. All the Black Academy ever wanted was to live in peace. And you—you came here and ruined it all.”
Ludwig opened his mouth to protest, but the words died on his lips. The Dean’s gaze was piercing, and Ludwig felt the weight of his accusations like a physical blow. He couldn’t defend himself, not when the Dean seemed to know everything already. Why aren’t you doing something about it? Ludwig thought bitterly, but he kept the words to himself.
“What are you planning to do now?” the Dean asked, his tone softer but no less stern.
“I’m leaving the academy,” Ludwig replied without hesitation. “There’s no place for me here, not while the Holy Order is breathing down our necks.”
The Dean nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. “Good. I don’t want more problems. I gave you a chance to attend this place at the request of your master, who, by the way, is not getting out of this unscathed.”
Ludwig’s heart—or whatever passed for it—skipped a beat. “I should head back,” he said, panic creeping into his voice.
“And do what, exactly?” the Dean countered, his tone sharp. “The moment you take two steps in front of the Holy Order’s army, you’ll be turned to ash. Your master is a grown man. He knows how to handle himself. If you go back, you’ll only make things worse.”
Ludwig clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. “This wouldn’t have happened if those two bastards hadn’t ratted us out.”
“Don’t blame them,” the Dean said, his voice cold. “If they did, then by law, they did the right thing. You are an undead, Ludwig. You’re not human. Them reporting you is, in their eyes, doing the world a favor.”
“They’re the ones who killed me and turned me into this!” Ludwig shot back, his voice rising.
The Dean hesitated, his expression softening for the briefest of moments. “That… I didn’t know.”
“Then you should do something about it,” Ludwig said, with a tone of accusative defiance. “You’re the Dean. You have the power.”
“Do you have proof?” the Dean asked, his voice calm but firm. “Even if you do, who would believe the words of an undead?”
Ludwig opened his mouth to argue, but no words came. The Dean was right. No one would believe him. He was an outcast, a monster in their eyes. His shoulders slumped, and he looked away, defeated.
The Dean sighed, the sound heavy with regret. “You’re in an awful lot of trouble, Ludwig. But I cannot help you, nor your master. The Black Tower Academy must remain neutral. If I were to side with you, with our current power, we’d be consumed by the other towers and the Holy Order. We cannot afford that. Many students rely on this academy. Many of them come from commoner backgrounds. For some, this is their last chance to be reintegrated into society. This academy is their only hope. If I side with you, I’d be throwing away everyone else’s opportunity. It’s unfortunate what happened to you, but I cannot save one person and sacrifice many.”
Ludwig’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “I never asked for help,” he said, his voice steady. “My master told me to leave the academy, and that’s what I’ll do.”
“Even if rumors spread that you’re a practitioner of dark magic?” the Dean asked, his gaze piercing.
“Even if I’m banished and excommunicated,” Ludwig replied without hesitation. “I don’t care. Just don’t let Master be tied to me. I don’t mind being hunted down.” After all, he thought, with the Soul Letting Lantern, I could have as many ‘other chances’ as I want.
The Dean studied him for a moment, a flicker of something—respect? pity?—crossing his face. “You’re rather loyal for someone who’s been a student of Van Dijk for merely a few months. You’re not even his direct summon. Still, it’s good to see that.”
Ludwig didn’t respond. Instead, he shifted the conversation. “By the way,” he said, his tone cautious, “if you’re so concerned about the well-being of your students… how come you’re letting Hoyo do whatever he’s doing? I’m pretty sure you’re aware of everything that’s happening in the academy.”
The Dean’s expression darkened, and for a moment, Ludwig thought he saw a flicker of guilt in the old man’s eyes. “I am aware,” the Dean admitted. “But everything has its own reason. Although today, things went slightly out of control… I’ll handle it.”
Ludwig didn’t believe him, but he knew better than to press the issue. The Dean had made his position clear, and Ludwig wasn’t in a position to argue.
“For now,” the Dean said, his tone final, “you should leave. The academy is no longer a safe place for you. Do you know where you’ll go? I assume you want to use the teleportation hub.”
“That’s what Master told me to do,” Ludwig replied.
The Dean nodded. “Fine. I’ll let you leave. But remember, the moment you step out of this academy, you’ll no longer be part of it.”
“I understand,” Ludwig said, though the words felt hollow.
The Dean gave him a long, searching look. “I don’t think you do. But you’ll figure it out later.” With that, he waved his hand, and the door behind Ludwig opened.
“I wish you well on your journey,” the Dean said, his voice softer now.
Ludwig nodded, turned, and walked through the door. To his surprise, he found himself not in the hallway but inside the teleportation hub. Silva was there, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a deep frown. He turned as Ludwig entered, his expression shifting to one of mild surprise.
“Oh,” Silva said, his voice tinged with relief. “Seems like you got here at a good time. I don’t know how you avoided them… oh, must’ve been the Dean.”
“Did they come after me?” Ludwig asked, his voice tense.
“Yes,” Silva replied, his tone grim. “It took some effort to convince them you hadn’t set foot here. Though they said some… interesting things about you.”
“Like what?” Ludwig asked, though he already had a sinking feeling.
“Like you’re a dark magic user,” Silva said, his gaze steady. “And that you killed Professor Vastion.”
Ludwig’s eyes widened. “I didn’t do that,” he said quickly. “That was Hoyo.”
Silva’s gaze dropped to Ludwig’s arm. “That’s not what your arm is telling me,” he said, pointing to the glowing symbol etched into Ludwig’s skin.
Ludwig frowned, looking down at the mark. “Yeah I’ve been wondering why it became like this…”
“That’s the magic Olim designed to track students,” Silva explained. “It detected you near the corpse of another academy member—Vastion, I assume—and marked you.”
“But I didn’t kill him,” Ludwig insisted, his voice rising.
“I can guess as much,” Silva said, his tone softening. “You’re not strong enough.” He sighed, then gestured for Ludwig to come closer. “Come here.”
Ludwig hesitated but stepped forward. Silva pressed his finger to Ludwig’s arm, and the symbol shattered, the glow fading away. “This is a favor for your master,” Silva said. “I don’t fully understand what’s going on, but I received word that you’d be coming here for asylum. I can’t personally hide you, so I need to send you somewhere safe.”
“Master told me to go to his hideout,” Ludwig said.
Silva’s brow furrowed. “His hideout? I doubt you can survive there…”
“That’s what he said,” Ludwig replied, his tone firm.
Silva studied him for a moment, then nodded. “Seems like the teachers are coming back,” he said, his voice tense. “And Van Dijk isn’t among them… they’re rushing here.” He waved his hand, and the magic circle in the center of the room flared to life, its light shifting to a deep, ominous red.
“Go,” Silva said, his voice urgent. “This portal will no longer be accessible once you step through. Godspeed, Ludwig. Though I don’t fully understand what’s going on, I trust Van Dijk as a friend. Go, and good luck.”
Ludwig nodded, his grip tightening on the hilt of his weapon. “Thank you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He stepped into the portal, the red light enveloping him.
As the world around him dissolved into a swirl of colors and energy, Ludwig felt a strange sense of calm. The academy had been fun, but it was short-lived. Now, he was stepping into the unknown, a world of danger and adventure.
Fine, he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. After all, what’s an isekai without free adventure?