A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 162

As the days passed, the departure date for Byzantium drew closer. However, it was tricky to leave immediately.

Since we had to use a carriage, various supplies were necessary, and we might even need to camp outdoors.

Moreover, even though the roads were said to be well-paved, monsters or beasts could still appear.

With the railway not yet operational, we had no choice but to endure such inconveniences.

“Let’s see. A sleeping bag, matches, and food. Would this be enough?”

“Since there are villages at each stop, we don’t need to bring too much, right? What do you think, Headmaster?”

“Even going empty-handed would suffice.”

As the departure date approached, we gathered in the Principal’s Office to discuss our plans.

For reference, we sought advice from Rod, who had far more travel experience than others.

No, it wasn’t just advice—we had decided he would accompany us. Thanks to this, we could skip unnecessary preparations.

“By the way, is it alright for the Headmaster to leave his post?”

Luna, who was sorting through items, asked the question. Indeed, Rod leaving his position was a significant issue for the Academy.

Even during vacation, things never truly slowed down. With instructors either returning or taking leave, there was already a loss of forces.

In such a situation, if Rod also left, it would be difficult to respond to emergencies. That was the concern.

“Don’t worry. Even if something happens, I can return within ten minutes.”

“How?”

“There’s a way. Only I can do it.”

“… …”

Luna didn’t press further. After all, the man was a Sword Saint, and he answered with confidence.

There must be a way. That wasn’t bravado—it was genuine assurance.

“Besides, I also have a reason to visit the Temple of Life.”

“You too, Headmaster?”

“Yes. I plan to resolve all my symptoms there. Although I’m gradually improving, the lingering cough persists.”

Rod’s poisoning symptoms were slowly getting better, thanks to the herbs I had found.

To prevent any rumors, I entrusted the herbs to Ellie. By now, he should have improved considerably.

However, visiting the temple was essential to completely break down the accumulated toxins. It was the same in the Soul World.

‘Once I visit, I should be able to regain my full strength.’

That resolved one of the most concerning issues. Now, the remaining problem was the Demon’s Magic Circle.

One was located in the stock exchange, and the other was in a slightly more challenging place.

It was a location that had been a topic of debate among users, so I planned to handle it last.

I’d also have to deal with the aftermath. Fortunately, there were still six months left.

“Since I’ll be going with you, three days should be enough for the round trip. If necessary, I can return even faster.”

“Huh? Three days, not two weeks? That fast?”

“There’s a way. Besides, Rize would’ve informed them in advance, so there shouldn’t be any complicated procedures.”

There wasn’t much we needed to prepare—just our bodies. It felt almost too simple.

Still, since Rod said he had a way, it should be fine. First, we needed to decide what to do in Byzantium.

“Sister, you’re heading to the Temple of Lord Gulak first, right?”

“Of course. Luna, what will you do once your tasks are done?”

“I want to visit every temple there is… Is that not possible?”

Luna looked at Rod as she asked. With his wealth of experience, he was bound to know the way.

In response, Rod nodded and answered reassuringly.

“Anyone can enter the temples. Just make sure not to commit any offenses while you’re there.”

“What counts as an offense?”

“Hmm…”

Rod seemed to think for a moment before turning his gaze toward me.

It seemed he was worried I might do something strange in the temple.

I wanted to say I’d behave, but given my track record, I kept my mouth shut.

“Just be polite. As long as you show the basic manners of a civilized person, you’ll be fine.”

“Why does it feel like you’re thinking of Sivar?”

“It’s your imagination.”

“I’m not a fool.”

Still, I had to express my dissatisfaction. Rod chuckled softly at my grumbling.

Judging by his laughter, it seemed he was mostly joking.

“Anyway, there’s plenty to see in Byzantium, so you can take your time. They won’t reject you just because you’re an outsider.”

“I hope so. My father said it’s a country with little discrimination.”

Kara spoke in a slightly worried tone.

Compared to others, her skin tone stood out more. Not to mention her striking red hair.

Her appearance unmistakably marked her as a member of the Tatar Tribe—a people who, until a few years ago, were scorned as barbarians.

“Well, I think it might lead to some interesting situations.”

“Interesting situations?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

It was his way of saying it’d ruin the fun if he explained. Since we’d be leaving soon, it didn’t matter.

With that, we each decided on our tasks and prepared to leave.

Knock, knock, knock—

A knocking sound reached my ears. To be precise, it wasn’t the door but the window.

Turning my head, I saw Porori standing outside the window.

Creak—

Porori, who had politely “knocked,” opened the window. His bulk, as large as a large dog, was as imposing as ever.

The enormous acorn tucked under his arm was also unchanged. Where on earth did he find such a massive acorn?

Crunch—

“I heard something interesting. You said Gulak is the sky I pray to?”

Porori asked us while chewing on the acorn as if it were an apple.

It seemed he had overheard bits of our earlier conversation.

“That’s right. You even offer tributes at the altar up there every weekend, don’t you?”

“That’s me. So, can I come too?”

It seemed Porori wanted to visit the temple dedicated to the sky—Lord Gulak.

Since Lord Gulak had directly granted him power, it was only natural for him to be curious.

Unfortunately, Porori wouldn’t be able to leave the Academy.

“No. You can’t go.”

“Who are you to decide what I do?”

“Ellie isn’t going.”

“Ah.”

The grumbling creature immediately accepted my reasoning with an “Ah.”

If nothing else, Porori had to stay and protect Ellie.

He had preemptively stopped anyone from laying a dirty hand on Ellie so far.

Especially during the Freshman Banquet, when something unpleasant almost happened to Ellie. After witnessing that, I realized how important Porori was.

“Well, if the Young Lady isn’t going, I guess there’s no choice. I’d feel uneasy leaving her alone.”

“Should we call Ellie, then?”

“No, I don’t want to trouble her because of me.”

How could he seem so human? Just listening to him, he sounded like a perfect bodyguard.

Considering his actual role, he was practically a bodyguard, so it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Then I’ll just have to go later. Is it far from here?”

“A week by carriage.”

“What’s a carriage?”

“It’s a thing.”

I skipped the explanation out of laziness. Porori wouldn’t be riding one anyway.

“By the way, Ratatoskr, what will you do during vacation?”

“Vacation? What’s that? Is it something you eat?”

“Hey, even a beast wouldn’t ask such a question.”

“…Is that so?”

Luna’s characteristic cluelessness came into play. She scratched her head awkwardly.

Humans have vacations, but Porori will continue living as he always does. He’ll probably do some territory marking along the way.

“Oh, right. Speaking of which, is the territory expansion going well?”

It was Rod’s question. Although he likely received reports, it was better to ask directly.

Porori nodded at Rod’s question. Then, puffing out his chest, he spoke confidently.

“My territory is perfect. Old Human, what you’re worried about won’t happen.”

“That’s good to hear. Anything we should be mindful of?”

“Not really. Anything that goes in won’t ever come out.”

Without a specially crafted compass, it’s impossible to leave the Forest of Chaos.

The mana inside is so abundant—too abundant, in fact—that the space itself is slightly distorted.

To elaborate further, it’s as if the direction twists at some point.

You think you’re heading north, but the path bends and takes you south instead.

“Good. Keep up the good work. Is there anything you’d like?”

“Not really.”

With that, Porori said he had nothing more to say and leapt out the window.

Now that the situation was roughly sorted out, all that remained was heading to Byzantium.

To get to Byzantium, we’d need to secure a carriage first.

“First, let’s arrange a carriage…”

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

Just as Kara was about to speak, Rod interrupted her. His words left everyone, including me, puzzled.

As all eyes turned to him, Rod gave a subtle smile and silently drew his sword—a completely ordinary-looking blade.

“Before we depart, does anyone have anything they need to bring?”

“… …”

Without a word, I extended my hand. As I did, Ragnarok, which had been neatly placed against the wall, flew into my grasp.

You might wonder why I’m bothering to bring Ragnarok, but the reason is simple.

I wanted to spar with Rize while I was at it and check something.

‘I need to determine if this is truly a Magical Conch Shell.’

I was curious if it could distinguish Followers of Chaos, like the Magical Conch Shell supposedly could.

There were bound to be many Followers of Chaos there, so I decided to take it along.

Crackle!

“Ouch! What the—what are you doing?!”

“Confirmation.”

I needed to test it on Luna first. When I pressed Ragnarok against Luna’s arm, blue sparks flew.

Naturally, she jumped back in shock, her face a mix of disbelief and irritation.

‘Why wasn’t Luna chosen?’

Judging by her actions, she’s unmistakably a Follower of Chaos. Especially with that big mouth of hers.

Yet, the fact that she wasn’t chosen must mean there’s a reason. I’d find out once we reached Byzantium.

After that brief commotion, all preparations were complete. Rod glanced around at us before drawing his sword.

‘Why the sword?’

Everyone watching, myself included, must have had the same thought.

But it didn’t take long for us to understand why.

Swoosh!

Rod lightly swung his sword downward, creating a faint crack in the air.

Swoosh! Slash!

He didn’t stop there—he slashed horizontally once, then vertically for a final cut.

The resulting shape was a rectangle, taller than it was wide. The faint crack became more pronounced.

Finally, Rod sheathed his sword. It seemed he was done.

“We’re ready to depart now.”

While everyone was still questioning what had just happened, Rod spoke. Then, he extended his hand toward the void he had cut.

Tap—

The moment his hand touched it, the space peeled away like paper, exactly where Rod had slashed earlier.

Beyond it, a strange landscape unfolded, completely unlike the room we were in. It was hard to discern the location just by looking.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry and step through.”

“… … Could that be…?”

“Near the Byzantium checkpoint. It should take about ten minutes to get there.”

As expected of a Sword Saint capable of wielding magic through a blade. Honestly, even mages would find this difficult.

After briefly marveling at Rod’s skill, we stepped into the space he had opened.

The opening was large enough that we didn’t need to duck. Rod entered first, and I followed last.

Once inside, it became clear we were in a forest. It seemed to be near the checkpoint.

“If I remember correctly, it should be this way…”

“When was the last time you visited Byzantium?”

“About three years ago.”

That sounded reliable enough. I started to follow Rod but hesitated for a moment.

The space he had cut was still unrepaired. Suddenly, I felt a surge of curiosity.

‘What would happen if I stuck my hand in there and just left it?’

Even in the Soul World, I’d never seen anything like this.

The ability to manipulate space freely was rare, and the limitations of the game meant there were only so many things you could do.

Pretending to follow the group, I discreetly fell back. Then, I slowly inserted my hand into the still-closing space.

I pushed it in just up to my wrist. The temperature on the other side felt different, giving me an odd sensation.

“Oh, right. Sivar, your weapon—I… What are you doing?!”

Just as the space was about to fully close, Rod’s furious shout rang in my ears.

Startled by the sudden outburst, I froze. My hand was still inside the other space.

Rod hurriedly tried to intervene, but he was a fraction too late—the space sealed completely.

Slice!

“Huh?”

My hand was cleanly severed. To clarify, everything beyond my wrist was gone.

The cut at my wrist was so clean that even the bone was visible. A heavy silence fell over the group.

Kara and Luna stared in shock, their mouths agape, while even Rod stood frozen. No one had anticipated this accident.

“R-Rod…”

My voice trembled slightly as I called out to him, showing him my severed wrist.

Even in the Forest of Chaos, incidents involving severed limbs weren’t uncommon. If I could reattach the severed part, regeneration would take care of the rest.

Regeneration was an active ability, not a passive one, so it was possible. However, I’d never used it without the severed part in hand.

Looking at Rod with pleading eyes, I made my request. He was the only one who could retrieve my hand.

“M-My hand… Can you get it back for me?”

“Good grief… Honestly!”

From the very start, things weren’t looking good.