I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 808 - Side Story 81: Unknown Danger (2)

The Empire's agents were dead.

Although they had been hiding their identities, launching a surprise attack in this manner was highly unusual.

'They must have been targeting them from the start.'

The attack came shortly after they left the outpost.

The agents had put up some resistance, but it seemed the attackers had prepared more thoroughly. Or perhaps they were simply stronger.

'They wouldn't have acted this thoroughly just because of a grudge from the outpost. They did this knowing these people were important figures of the Empire.'

In other words, there was a force that didn't want the Empire to get involved.

'The first thing that comes to mind is intelligence agents from other countries.'

Though the world had found peace without war, that didn't mean all nations got along harmoniously with each other.

They smiled and conducted diplomacy on the surface, but could stab a blade into each other at any moment.

Engaging in fierce scheming beneath the surface like this was common.

However, they wouldn't go so far as to cross the line like this. Even if this was the New Continent, where human eyes rarely reached.

"We should rule out agents from other countries."

Casey also reached the same conclusion as Rudger and said so.

"The Empire's position in international politics is solid. If they give even the slightest pretext, it would disrupt diplomacy. If they're agents dispatched all the way here, they wouldn't be unaware of that. To avoid harming their homeland, they'd try to avoid conflict with the Empire's agents."

"That's right. There's absolutely no reason for them to plan and launch such a blatant attack."

"Right. If they're people who would do something like this, they're those who don't care even if their opponent is the Empire. People not bound by national affiliation. And people who hold resentment toward the Empire."

"If that's the case, there are quite a few suspects. After all, that's why the Empire's agents were urgently dispatched here in the first place."

The most representative were the remaining remnants of the Holy Kingdom of Bretus.

With chapters throughout the continent, they had scattered into cells after the Holy Kingdom's fall.

Some fled, some hid their identities and lived new lives but most of the rest continued radical activities, dreaming of the Lumensis Order's return.

Those who had tasted power once couldn't easily let it go, especially if it was taken by force rather than by choice.

The next most likely candidates were the Demon King's followers.

The existence called the Demon King had planted fear in the world, but conversely had also captivated countless people.

From Rudger's perspective, it was truly absurd.

'To defend someone who practically started a war.'

But extremists existed everywhere in the world.

Above all, the very name "Demon King" gave off a powerful resonance.

Most feared the existence called the Demon King, but not everyone did.

Some people were captivated by the name Demon King. They were enthusiastic about the achievements he showed and fell for the power he possessed.

To them, whether the Demon King was good or evil didn't matter.

What they pursued was only power.

Pure power had an intense charisma that captivated people by itself.

And the Demon King had contributed to the destruction of the Holy Kingdom of Bretus, which had been the absolute pillar of the world.

Including some executives who followed him, they had toppled a nation despite their small numbers.

For people who pursued power, that was a kind of light, a destination they wanted to reach.

That's how the Demon King's followers emerged.

Overturning the world's order with intense power.

Deciding everything with pure power alone.

It was a philosophy that didn't fit the modern era they had entered, one that went against the times.

'Whatever the case, it seems certain that extremist religious groups and extremist militant groups are involved.'

At least, looking at the condition of the agents' corpses, with no wounds visible, it seemed likely they were remnants of the Holy Kingdom of Bretus.

Of course, they also had to consider black magicians as a wild card.

"What's important is that all the agents who were supposed to relay information from the field are dead."

This had become quite troublesome. They had just arrived in Hyperborea.

What was the geography like here, how large was it, how many people had gathered?

They didn't know anything yet.

Rudger's gaze turned to Hans.

"Hans. I'm going to need you to do some work."

"Haa. So it comes to this after all."

Hans scratched his head with a sigh, as if he had vaguely expected this would happen.

With no agents in the field now, he was the only one who could gather information most effectively.

Meanwhile, Veronica was recovering one insignia each from the corpses.

Her expression was rigidly hardened, and her movements were solemn.

"Agents in places like this must not reveal their existence to the outside, so they don't carry anything that proves their identity."

Having recovered all the insignias, Veronica looked down at the agents who had become cold corpses.

They had all been people who worked for the Empire.

At their deaths, Veronica felt devastated.

"Everyone wants to make their name known. But these people worked for the Empire while hiding their identities. Yes, they were more loyal than anyone."

-Crack

Veronica clenched her fist. Her clenched fist trembled with anger.

"I knew this work wasn't safe. Knowing that and still coming here of their own accord with resolve, aren't they truly admirable people? That's why I can't forgive this even more."

Rage swirled coldly within Veronica's eyes.

Rudger had thought Veronica would explode with fiery anger. She had a side that was somewhat simple in her thinking, as bold as she was.

But Veronica's rage wasn't like an active volcano, but rather like a cold, deeply swirling blizzard.

Rudger realized why she could serve as vice-captain of the Coldsteel Knights.

Yes. Veronica was truly a woman who suited cold steel more than anyone.

Rudger gazed at Veronica, then approached where the corpses were.

"Will you enshrine the bodies in their homeland?"

"No. We can't do that in the current situation. It would essentially be greed. They were fully prepared for this."

Veronica turned to look at Rudger.

"Please."

"Understood."

Rudger took out his staff and lightly tapped it on the ground.

Trees and plants grew from the ground and wrapped around the corpses.

The tightly woven vines transformed into coffins, each containing one body.

Rudger buried the coffins in the ground. The vine coffins seeped softly into the earth like sinking into a swamp.

After properly burying the bodies, Rudger created makeshift tombstones using rocks.

It was at least the best he could do.

"Thank you."

"I only did what needed to be done."

Rudger turned to Casey.

"At least, I think we know where they were heading."

Casey's gaze turned in one direction.

It was the direction the Empire's agents were presumed to have been heading: deeper into the Hyperborea continent.

The reason they had to move urgently lay beyond there.

After a brief moment of silence for the dead, the group immediately moved out.

The method of travel wasn't difficult.

Rudger created a small boat with plant magic, and Casey drew water to move the boat.

They needed neither sails nor wind.

They traveled at high speed on a boat faster than a car on land.

Meanwhile, Hans exerted his influence on as many beasts as possible.

Though Hyperborea was land beyond the northern continent and seemed more barren, life emerged even in such places.

From small mice to fox-like beasts that hunted them, to birds flying in the sky.

The beasts influenced by Hans's empathy transmitted everything they saw, heard, and felt directly to Hans.

The information obtained this way was quite surprising and useful.

One of them was that the Hyperborea continent was quite abundant in magical power.

"The mana density is high. Growing in such an environment, the beasts' bodies also contain a lot of mana, and some are comparable to spirit beasts."

Hans said.

From the excessive mana in the atmosphere to the plants growing in the harsh cold environment, everything contained considerable mana.

From insects that ate them to small animals that hunted those insects.

Beasts concentrated with mana over long years were much smarter and stronger than ordinary beasts.

"What's surprising is that even these are individuals pushed to the outskirts, losing out in the food chain pyramid. It seems there are even more powerful predators deeper inside."

Hyperborea was full of mana, and it tended to become denser toward the interior of the continent.

If Hans's speculation was correct, deep inside there would be several beasts presumed to be spirit beasts.

"Spirit beasts, huh. That would be a bit troublesome."

No matter how much empathy Hans had with beasts, it wasn't enough to affect spirit beasts.

Rather, spirit beasts might react even more sensitively to Hans's presence.

"No wonder there's an ancient civilization here. With this much mana, there has to be something substantial here."

Casey also muttered while feeling the mana filling the atmosphere.

Then Hans, who had borrowed an eagle's eyes, showed a puzzled reaction as if he had discovered something.

"Hmm? No, could this be..."

"Hans. What did you see?"

"There's a giant forest in the direction we're heading."

"A forest?"

Could there be a forest in this land with a climate close to ice and snow?

Even Hans himself seemed puzzled after saying it. But what he saw was definitely a forest.

The question didn't last long.

As the boat traveling at high speed crossed several ridges, they could see it with their own eyes.

"It really is a forest."

A forest was visible beyond the wilderness covered with snow and dry grass.

It was a tropical rainforest that didn't match the harsh cold climate.

What was even more surprising was that as they got closer to the forest, the air that had been only cold gradually began to warm.

"It's not an illusion. I can feel intense vitality from the entire forest. There's also an enormous amount of water."

Casey sensed countless water veins flowing throughout the forest.

Massive groundwater created by melting snow and ice crossed the entire forest.

"I see. So that's where the ancient ruins exist."

Even from a distance, it was a huge forest, but as they got closer, its scale became even more tangible.

The forest spreading widely on both ends was reminiscent of the elven woodlands.

The sticky mana emanating from the forest reminded them of when they first visited the Kasar Basin.

The group reached the forest and disembarked from the boat.

In this dense forest, traveling on something seemed unlikely.

From here, they had to walk on their own two feet.

"This is no joke. Even I've never seen anything like this before."

Casey prided herself on having traveled all over the continent, but this scene was a first.

A tropical rainforest in such a cold land.

Wasn't it essentially fire and ice coexisting?

Perhaps this environment itself was due to the influence of the ancient ruins.

"More importantly, what are we going to do? It looks a bit overwhelming to go inside."

They had come to Hyperborea, but they didn't expect to be exploring a jungle. Naturally, they had no equipment related to this.

"Finding the path itself isn't difficult."

Rudger looked at Hans.

Veronica and Casey's gazes also naturally turned to Hans.

A forest full of life had many beasts living in it and in such an environment, Hans's constitution would shine.

"You're working me really hard."

Hans let out a sigh. He thought he'd just have to follow along easily, but who knew he'd have to work harder than anyone else.

That's just my fate. Hans muttered to himself while exerting his influence on the surrounding beasts.

He caught the beasts residing in the forest with his senses.

Indeed, the tropical rainforest beasts were stronger than those seen outside.

They were surprisingly intelligent and had excellent resistance to his empathy.

Still, they were beasts that hadn't yet become spirit beasts.

Hans exerted influence on such beasts while quickly gathering information about the forest.

That's when it happened.

"Oh no..."

Hans's expression hardened rigidly.

His empathy, which had been continuously extending, was completely blocked at a certain point.

That wasn't all.

"Brother. We have a big problem."

"What is it, Hans?"

"I thought it would be okay since we're on the forest outskirts, but it seems we've drawn a dud."

Rudger immediately understood what Hans was saying.

In fact, unless you were an idiot, you couldn't not know.

From beyond the forest, a massive presence was detecting them and approaching at tremendous speed.

Crack! Crash!

The forest trees began to fall sequentially like dominoes.

They could see birds startled and taking flight as the trees fell.

Nearby beasts were also fleeing, trying to get as far away as possible.

"A spirit beast. And a very aggressive one at that."

The spirit beast, taking Hans's empathy as a territorial invasion and a challenge, vented its rage.