After the joint mission was over.
“Oops.”
As usual, on my way to the training room after class, I spotted someone approaching from far down the corridor.
A woman with long brown hair. Her gentle eyes had a calming effect on anyone who looked at her.
The woman approached me with a smooth stride,
And then she walked right past me.
‘…What an odd person.’
The number of students who have simply walked past me like this can be counted on one hand.
But this woman treated me with utter indifference.
No, not indifference per se, it’s more like, how should I put it? It’s as if I didn’t even enter her field of perception.
‘…Ah.’
As I thought that far, I realized who she was.
A memory clicked.
Once I figured out who she was, a hollow laugh escaped me.
I felt somewhat foolish.
“It’s Ellen.”
Aster Evans’s sister, Ellen Evans.
She wasn’t indifferent or calm.
She was just asleep.
I scratched my head and headed to the training room.
Ding-
While I was taking a short break, my smartwatch buzzed.
A quest notification.
I guessed what this quest was about based on the timing.
But I hoped it wasn’t that. Despite my hope, I opened my smartwatch to find,
[Main Quest: Raid]
– A massive invasion of monsters will occur in Constel. Be prepared.
– If not properly dealt with, there’s a possibility of losing named characters.
“Is this what you call a quest?”
The quest description couldn’t be more straightforward. However, the reality is not that simple.
The main quest of Constel, Raid.
Exactly as it says. An event where monsters flood in like a tide, all of a sudden.
Etius always demands a choice from the player.
An event is merely an incident that occurs, and how to respond is up to the player’s discretion.
The same goes for this raid.
You can kill the monsters indiscriminately, target only the important ones, or even just observe.
Indeed, it’s entirely possible to completely avoid the Constel during the event if it really comes to that.
But there would be a price to pay.
The quest explicitly states the possibility of losing named characters.
“In the end, I need to become stronger.”
When I fought the Red Bear, I was lucky. Or should I even call that a fight?
Knowing the habits of the Red Bear and being able to see its pre-attack movements, I knew it would roar. I managed to hit the bear in the eye with a thrown dagger, but that was all.
If I were alone, I would have died right after that.
Relying on improvisation like this won’t always work.
Indeed, strategy is important, but I need to gain more experience in combat itself.
“…Sigh.”
A sigh escapes me.
In truth, I know how to solve this. But I’m not particularly keen on it.
But there’s only one answer, and at worst, I’ll break even.
“…Shall I go?”
I stood up.
* * *
At that moment, in Professor Binkis’s laboratory.
Someone was crouching in front of the lab, in a dark corridor void of any light.
Covering his face with a hood, he looked around familiarly and used his ‘divine power’ to unlock the hanging lock.
To him, favored by Hephaestus, a metal lock was no different from an open door.
Entering, he lit the lantern he brought with him. A soft whoosh, the sound of the air being lightly consumed, and the surroundings brightened.
Removing his hood, it was Edwin.
Edwin slowly walked to his target location with the lantern.
“…Incredible.”
There was a golem. A Metal Golem, the work of Professor Binkis.
Kneeling on one knee with a spear held upright, it resembled a sturdy knight.
Having watched as Professor Binkis’s assistant, Edwin knew the golem was complete.
Swallowing dryly, Edwin’s eyes scanned the entire structure of the Metal Golem. As seen before, the master’s spot was still vacant.
Edwin, as if drunk, extended his hand and flowed magic into it.
‘…As expected, it’s encrypted.’
The absence of the master’s presence did not mean the security was neglected.
To gain access, one had to bypass all sorts of security and codes known only to Professor Binkis.
This was the first time Edwin hesitated. Up to this point, he could pass it off as mere curiosity, but tampering with the security would leave no room for excuses.
However, his hesitation was brief, and his eyes shone even brighter.
The structure of this golem, created by Binkis, was meticulous, complex, and sophisticated.
To Edwin, it was simply beautiful.
If he could make this golem his own.
‘…Well, let’s give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen.’
Edwin began to disable the security. Like defusing a time bomb, he proceeded carefully and precisely. His speed and accuracy were beyond even what Binkis could have predicted.
But to penetrate the security, one needed more than great skill; one needed immense luck.
No matter how accurately one understood the structure, forcibly breaching the security required passing through multiple-choice barriers.
Failure to pass would immediately lock down the security completely, and signal Professor Binkis.
Navigating through this minefield, accurately understanding the structure, and yet having to correctly guess on everything that one is forced to, presented an insurmountable difficulty.
─But could this be the work of a god?
“Done.”
Edwin’s hands stopped.
Astonishingly, he had successfully gained ownership rights to the golem.
“…Rise.”
At his command, the golem’s eyes glowed red.
It straightened its bent knees and faced Edwin with a dignified posture.
Edwin’s hands trembled.
The knightly appearance of the golem was too beautiful, and the operation of the structure as interpreted by his eyes was even enchanting.
“Handle the spear.”
The golem grabbed the spear, manipulating it as easily as if it were a feather.
Did this signify that it possessed the unique durability of metal, infused with the loyalty of a golem?
Truly the ideal soldier.
“Good, return to your original position.”
The golem obediently returned and knelt on one knee in its initial position.
Its appearance was unchanged from before it was activated.
“Deactivate.”
The light from the golem’s eyes vanished, and the laboratory returned to utter silence.
Red heat flushed Edwin’s face, illuminated by the lantern light.
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