I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 672: The Adversaries (3)

A faint magical power felt from far away.

It should have been diluted in memory and forgotten by now, as it was felt so long ago, but instead, the image of one person appeared clearly in her mind.

Like turning on a switch.

Or like changing a mask worn on the face.

Elisa's demeanor changed.

"Chancellor?"

The first to notice the change in Elisa's demeanor was her loyal subordinate, Wilford.

"Is something wrong?"

"Hmm. It seems that the time has come to sever an old bad relationship."

Although she said "bad relationship," Elisa's face was filled with a smile of joy.

Wilford looked at Elisa's expression and nodded obediently.

"I see. I will explain it well to the others."

Even without a detailed explanation, Wilford responded as if he knew what Elisa was going to do.

"Wilford, thank you. For always being by my side and helping me. It must have been very difficult to assist such a willful lady like me, but you never showed it."

"Ho ho. How could it be difficult? You gave work to an old retired man, I rather enjoyed it."

"Oh my. Then I should work you even harder in the future, shouldn't I?"

"I will be prepared."

Elisa smiled brightly at Wilford, then kicked off her seat and flew up.

Powerful pink magical power enveloped her body, giving her output, and with that, Elisa flew far away.

Everyone was surprised by Elisa's sudden independent action and looked at her but there was no time to catch her.

Elisa had already disappeared into the battlefield beyond.

* * *

Caroline Monarch, who was supporting the Dreamwalker magic for guerrilla warfare to help the Dream School mages, jerked her head up.

Her pupils contracted slightly, and a broad smile spread across her face.

"What, don't tell me it's you who's come?"

Following the traces left by this side, from afar, that person was coming.

Her oldest nemesis, the one whose thick face she wanted to crush first, Elisa Willow, that is.

"Yes, yes. You and I never properly settled the score from before. Now that a proper stage is set, this is an opportunity to avenge myself for that time, isn't it?"

If so, this side should gladly accept because she doesn't avoid fights that come her way.

Caroline raised her magical power and slowly flew up.

"Huh?"

"Where are you going, miss?"

The Dreamwalkers questioned Caroline's actions.

The original plan was to retreat from here and activate the next trap.

"Change of plans. Everyone retreat."

Caroline spoke to the Dreamwalkers who were looking up at her with questioning eyes.

"From now on, this place will become the fiercest battlefield."

The Dreamwalkers didn't ask what she meant.

Being experienced, they grasped the meaning behind Caroline's words.

"Oh dear."

"I thought it would take a little more time, but they're disgustingly fast."

"Can't be helped. Now that the chaff has been removed, the real deal will come rushing in."

The Dreamwalkers quickly prepared to leave, patting their waists or placing both hands on their knees to stand up.

"Miss. You should come back quickly after you're done."

An elderly Dreamwalker spoke to Caroline in a gentle voice.

It was a warm tone, as if looking at his own granddaughter.

Caroline wanted to say she wasn't a child, but she wasn't ill-mannered enough to give a sharp response to such a kind attitude, so she answered with a nod instead.

Only after the Dreamwalkers left did she feel the presence that had momentarily stopped approach again.

"What now? Are you being considerate?"

The corners of Caroline's mouth twisted.

You still haven't changed from before to now, doing your pathetic good deeds.

With a ferocious smile on her face, she spoke to the nemesis who had now gotten close enough to be visible to the naked eye.

"Why didn't you bring your followers who used to trail behind you like before?"

"Oh my, was that so? I rather thought that you would bring all your mercenary subordinates that you love so much."

"Ha! Would the Monarch mercenary group need to be deployed to face one lofty~ lady? I alone am enough!"

"I'll commend you for not being scared and running away."

Elisa and Caroline, facing each other in mid-air and exchanging provocations, were unyielding to each other.

The more they conversed, the more powerful the magical energy flowing from their bodies became, and soon the two energies collided, creating intense sparks in the air.

"Elisa. I've wanted to crush that pathetic masked face of yours since before."

"Oh really? Coincidentally, I was thinking the same thing. I've wanted to fix that arrogant mindset of yours that always acts like a thug."

"When was the last time we fought?"

"Hmm. I think it was the fight the day before graduation?"

"Ah. Right. That's when you backed out, and the fight fizzled out."

"Rather, weren't you the one who was about to collapse from exhaustion that day?"

"Has age affected your mind? Of course I won that day."

"You really haven't grown at all since that day. Of course I won."

The last time the two fought was the day before Theon’s graduation.

That day, the fight between two students about to graduate was quite a famous anecdote, as the forest area in Theon that was scheduled for cultivation was completely flattened into level terrain.

However, Elisa, who became the chancellor, felt embarrassed by her immature actions during her passionate youth and covered up the fact.

Nevertheless, the incident remained as a legend of Theon, still passed down orally from seniors to juniors.

"Today, no one will interrupt, and we can fight to our heart's content. Are you ready to get beaten? Loathsome lady."

"Look who's talking. Little thug."

Two 6th tier mages, who would be offended if called second in terms of the ferocity of their magical power, clashed head-on.

* * *

"That Elisa. Seems like she's having a nice fight."

Terina sensed with the sharp perception unique to Master-level knights that Elisa was fighting someone far away.

If Elisa, who usually doesn't get involved in ordinary matters, takes the initiative to go fight, then the opponent must certainly be no ordinary person.

It was only natural, as anyone who had sided with the Demon King Heathcliff would not be a nobody.

"We can't just stand still either. Let's move."

Terina led the Night Crawler Knights.

She had been delegated the authority to act independently.

Fighting alongside others whose teamwork didn't match would only interfere with each other.

'First, we need to at least show that we're actively participating in this holy war.'

There were many other strong fighters gathered here besides Terina.

The priests and holy knights especially needed vigilant attention.

They would be the eyes of Salesin, ready to brand anyone suspicious in this war as heretics.

'But I can't just be wary of the Lumensis Order. Others who've already been brainwashed by them could be mixed in somewhere.'

Perhaps even in the Night Crawler Knights that she leads.

That's why Terina was planning to actively participate in this holy war, at least on the surface.

The same would be true for the Coldsteel Knights and Stella Siren, who were moving with the same idea.

"What are your plans, Captain?"

The being Terina referred to as Captain.

Luther Wardot, the continent's greatest swordsman, spoke with a firm tone while crossing his arms.

"I will move separately."

"Please wait a moment."

Of course, someone took issue with those words.

It was a holy knight of Bretus who had been keeping a close eye on Luther all along.

"What is it?"

"Captain Luther Wardot. You are a very valuable force for our holy war crusaders. It is unacceptable for someone like you to enter enemy territory alone. Please refrain from individual actions."

Although he spoke as if giving friendly advice, the point was this: Don't move alone, follow our instructions.

Luther looked at the holy knight and grinned.

His eyes were full of provocative energy.

The holy knight's expression hardened.

If Luther were to refuse their instructions, he was prepared to use somewhat forceful methods.

But his opponent was the man called the continent's greatest swordsman.

If he were determined to resist, internal strife would break out even before fighting the Demon King's army.

"Well, it can't be helped."

Surprisingly, Luther yielded to the holy knight's words and eased his aura.

The holy knight's expression turned to one of doubt at his attitude of following their words so easily.

But in the current situation, he decided to take it as a good sign that they could move past this without further friction.

"I will move together with you."

"A wise choice."

Terina shook her head seeing Luther moving together with the Lumensis Order group.

People might think Luther was just a macho who only knew fighting, but in truth, there were few in the empire more cunning than him.

'They will do well in their own way, and we only need to focus on our own business, I suppose.'

Terina recalled what Aileen had earnestly requested before heading to the battlefield.

-Don't forget. Our main enemy is ultimately Bretus.

Yes. I know.

The perpetrators who openly brainwashed people to initiate a holy war.

Although they were standing shoulder to shoulder now, she had never once sincerely thought of them as allies.

"We move too."

Terina and the Night Crawler Knights entered the thorn-vine corridor that the vanguard had cleared.

* * *

"Tsk. This doesn't look good."

Ambella Burke furrowed her remaining eye as she heard the news from the battlefield being transmitted through the plant network.

First, the first and second interference operations from this side were successful.

The holy war crusaders had now lost the significance of infantry demonstrating strong firepower.

They deployed forces consisting only of elites, as this side had hoped.

This alone reduced the enemy's numbers by more than 90 percent.

But what was truly dangerous was the power of those less than 10 percent.

These were forces composed of virtually only real experts.

The sleeping powder or Dreamwalker magic that could easily put ordinary soldiers to sleep was of no use to them.

So this side sent out Hans as the next preparation.

An infinitely multiplying wolf pack would have been enough to hold back the enemies but even that wasn't going well.

Tarian, Bretus' strongest holy knight, led his subordinates to raid Hans' main body.

While wolf packs were still emerging from the shadows, their numbers had significantly decreased.

Perhaps because of this, the tide of battle that had been fiercely fought in the fog of the ruined second checkpoint city was gradually shifting toward the subjugation army.

Although the Cryptids' strength was in their numbers, it was a natural result when that advantage failed.

The deer Cryptid, which had inherited the qualities of the sovereign most strongly among the Cryptids, was fighting hard, but it didn't seem like it would hold out for long.

Even if they defeated the first subjugation army, what awaited them next were more second and third subjugation armies.

"And to make matters worse, the most dangerous one has intervened."

Ambella let out a hollow laugh as she saw the face of one individual through the plants.

Luther Wardot, the continent's strongest knight and a superhuman who transcended humanity.

He had appeared on this battlefield, standing on the side of the holy war crusaders.

"But considering his personality, it's quite strange that he's surrounded by annoying lumps."

Could Luther have been brainwashed?

But that wasn't it. If that walking strategic weapon had made up his mind, he would have already reached where she was and more.

The fact that he hadn't meant.

"For now, I'll observe. But that doesn't mean I'm planning to avoid a fight."

He used to be a pure young man who devoted all his passion solely to swordsmanship, but I guess time changes everything.

Ambella was about to put a cigar in her mouth but then tossed it away.

There was no one to light it for her, and smoking a cigar before an imminent battle was a luxury.

"Druids. Prepare. We're executing the next operation."

This side was merely delaying the enemies' advance.

* * *

The plants that Sedina had improved using the world tree's cells and that the druids had infused with power turned the battlefield into an endless swamp.

Although they had no killing power, the plant groups specialized in other ways, making the holy war crusaders fall into fatigue.

Water hyacinths floating in waterways with robust durability bloomed dozens of times larger than usual, not only blocking the way but also clinging to intruders with their strong vitality, binding them tightly.

In other places, they caused water to overflow from some waterways, turning the ground itself into a swamp.

Lotus flowers bloomed elegantly on the swamp, causing people who approached to complain of nausea and vomiting.

Even knights with strong physiques had difficulty enduring it.

Moreover, Cryptids lurked among these plants, ambushing the subjugation army.

Nevertheless, they couldn't completely slow down their advance.

As the battle in the second checkpoint city gradually turned in their favor, the subjugation army, now with some leeway, selected new people and sent them to the first checkpoint city.

The detachment, mostly composed of Bretus natives, looked at the seemingly normal first checkpoint city with tension, wary of any possible enemy appearance.

-Chaaakling.

And they could hear the sound of massive chains being dragged, echoing throughout the city.