After finishing her meal, Erika headed to the area where the professors’ research offices were located. The one she was looking for was the renowned black magic master, Professor Barlan, who was responsible for the Ancient Necrolinguistics course and was famous both inside and outside the academy.
The girl felt that she might know about the seal discovered on the corpse’s tongue early Saturday morning.
Even if she didn’t get the answer she hoped for, chatting with a senior professor in this field might yield other gains. That way, there was a high probability of finding evidence to uncover the truth behind the currently popular Undead Incident and Necromancer rumors on campus.
“Is anyone there?” Erika stopped in front of Professor Barlan’s research office and gently knocked on the door.
Professor Barlan’s research office was naturally more luxurious and impressive than Professor Polbek’s, located in a research building that truly looked worthy of the title ‘Advanced Talents’.
It seemed that among the professors, there existed a clear or hidden hierarchy, much like the class system among students.
The corridor even had a tropical fish aquarium equipped with a Temperature-Control Magic Array. It was truly beyond words.
‘So dark. Kotifen will cry for you.’
Knock knock. “Is anyone there?”
There was no response, so the girl knocked on the research office door again.
Wasn’t the lunch break already over? Maybe she was teaching a class?
As Erika was still observing, unsure whether to leave, a woman carrying heavy luggage walked towards her. “Professor Barlan has gone to a professors’ meeting!”
It seemed to be a blue-haired, straight-haired Elf serving as an assistant under Professor Barlan. The name ‘Miris’ written on her name tag was her name.
“Assistant Miris, may I ask approximately when Professor Barlan will return?” An assistant was considered half a teacher, so the girl gave a slight bow as a greeting, her shimmering dark purple hair swaying slightly.
“I don’t know! Recently, because of the undead activity everywhere, the professors are all incredibly busy! The documents waiting for signatures are piled up like mountains!”
She had forgotten about that. As an expert in black magic and the field of the deceased, besides her, there should be many others looking for Professor Barlan right now.
The girl helplessly thanked her and turned to leave, the sound of her small leather shoes becoming somewhat subdued due to her unsuccessful trip.
Tap, tap.
‘Oh well, I’ll get to see the professor tomorrow anyway.’
The next morning, the girl headed to the classroom on time for the Necrolinguistics course.
Since she only had a few pairs of stockings borrowed from Evelyn, and lacking the habit and experience, all her stockings were now being washed and dried. She had no choice but to learn from Big Guy and go bare-legged.
Only now did she understand. It wasn’t that she had gotten used to the school uniform’s short skirt, but the stockings’ coverage had given her a strange sense of security, mistakenly making her feel as if she were wearing pants.
Even though she was now wearing safety shorts inside, similar to Misaka’s, Erika couldn’t shake off the feeling in her mind that ‘her lower body was exposed’.
There were still a few men and women lingering in the corridor in front of the classroom. When they saw Erika’s arrival, they unsurprisingly turned their gazes toward her.
‘What am I, a rare panda?’
The corner of the girl’s mouth twitched. Her other hand, not holding the school bag, pressed tightly against her skirt, and her pace unconsciously slowed down to prevent any updraft from endangering her skirt’s underside. But this time, the scrutinizing looks and discussions from others seemed even more intense than usual. Was it an illusion?
Erika frowned, simply put both hands behind her back, pressing the school bag against the back of her skirt, and strode toward the classroom. When she pushed the door open and walked inside, the previously noisy students suddenly fell silent.
‘Being ostracized again for some reason?’ Erika felt somewhat sad and strange.
She put down her luggage and still sat in the corner seat from last time, quietly waiting for the class to start.
‘Miona hasn’t arrived yet?’ She glanced around. The time had quietly pointed to nine o’clock sharp.
Finally, the door was pushed open, and a mature woman with a voluptuous figure walked in. A black long dress accentuated her dignified temperament, and her deep blue hair added a unique charm.
This woman, whose blood-red pupils and dark circles under her eyes were particularly noticeable, was Professor Barlan. However, her complexion seemed even paler than when they last met.
She scanned the crowd below, then as usual, patted the podium with her palm. “Alright, e-everyone, take your seats. The class… is starting…”
Glancing at the only empty seat beside her, Miona Drako was still absent.
‘Is she going to be late for the first time?’
“Oh, today’s class is a practical session. There’s also homework after class. The location for the practical and homework is in the ruins of Regtaya near the city. You must copy down everything you encounter and see onto these scrolls.”
Whether there were absentees or not, the class proceeded as usual.
The second Necrolinguistics class had already started its practical content, and it required leaving this Ark to personally go down to the ancient ruins for investigation.
A student raised their hand. “Professor, I heard there are undead appearing in the suburban ruins. Is it really no problem?”
“N-no problem. We professors… have already cleaned up that area. Although some creatures are a bit rowdy… as long as you go to the places I specify… it’s no problem.”
Professor Barlan began quickly drawing a pattern on the blackboard. A map immediately appeared. After explanation, this was mapping the area of the ruins located north of the Ark, the ‘Old City Site’.
“There are twenty students total in my class. Form pairs into ten teams, each responsible for ten areas. Investigate and then return. I’ve hidden some marks. Those who find and bring them back will receive extra points.”
Pairs of two?
Erika’s eyes immediately turned into dead fish eyes.
‘It’s a group assignment, and of all times, there’s no one around me.’
Even if someone was tempted, they would quickly be swept up by the atmosphere or held back by their companions, ultimately forming a vacuum centered around the girl.
‘Miona, I admit I miss you a little bit.’
“E-Erika, you don’t have a friend or partner?”
In the end, the girl who was left alone had to face this awkward and suffocating situation.
Only she couldn’t form a group. Although these so-called classmates always loved to glance or peek in her direction from time to time, when it came to this moment, not a single person was willing to step forward and team up with her.
‘If only this class was with Emil or Evelyn. But the only person I know in this class is Miona.’
“T-then, partner with Miss Drako. By the way, tell her the content I talked about today.”
‘So I’m partnered with the absent Miona after all.’
“T-then, by midnight today, everyone please find the marks and patterns and submit them to my research office. That’s all.”
After the class ended, the number two campus terror decided to go find campus terror number one first.
Erika, feeling annoyed, walked towards the luxury dormitory where Miona lived and knocked on the door. “Is anyone there?”
“Ugh…”
‘Huh? Why is there a painful groan coming from inside?’
“Miss Miona, are you there? It’s Erika Angelina.” Erika placed her hand on the doorknob.
Click, creak.
Unexpectedly, the door wasn’t locked.
Slowly opening that door, the gorgeous interior, which could easily be mistaken for a six-person dormitory, was revealed. An exceptionally soft and comfortable-looking bed, and the figure of Miona lying on the bed, slowly sitting up.
Her current appearance was extremely inconsistent with the noble status she always emphasized, looking very disheveled. Although her fair legs and chest were faintly visible under her long shirt, which resembled a nightgown, Miona seemed completely unconcerned about it.
“Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Since no one was answering, I came in directly. Sorry.”
“Recently, I can’t sleep… Why have you come to my room, commoner?”
“I came to tell you that the Necrolinguistics class you missed today has an assignment. It seems Miss Drako will have to take a walk with me to the northern ancient city ruins.”
“Ugh…” Miona’s face was extremely red at this moment, as if steaming with heat. Even though she didn’t touch it, her forehead and cheeks should be hot enough to fry an egg, right?
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
Miona slightly furrowed her brows and pointed with her fingertip to something on the table that looked like kelp.
Dried kelp? Did it become seasoned seaweed?
“Please pass that to me. It can heal the body, very effective…”
“Alright.”
Miona took the seaweed, put it in her mouth, and slowly chewed. But because her body was truly weak, chewing the tough kelp seemed very strenuous.
‘Okay, so it’s not crispy seaweed.’
“Mmm… ugh…” In the end, Miona still spat out the difficult-to-swallow kelp. The girl picked up the dried rag-like kelp that had rolled onto the floor with a handkerchief and softly asked:
“What exactly happened? Why has your body become so bad? Is it because you can’t sleep…”
Erika’s mind recalled the rumors among the students, about the evil necromancer who appeared last Sunday night, attacking people and randomly awakening the dead, causing disturbances.
The current Miona looked just like an illegal professional who couldn’t sleep at night and went out causing trouble.
The silver-haired girl slowly exhaled a breath of hot air and spoke weakly. “Sorry, actually I don’t want to trouble others, but I really have no other choice. Commoner, could you use a towel to help wipe my body…”
After saying this, Miona Drako finally collapsed onto the bed, seemingly unable to maintain consciousness and stay awake any longer.
Looking at the washbasin, towel, and half-dried water stains on the floor placed beside her, Erika felt inexplicably a bit distressed.
The girl nodded, simply gathered her sideburns and tied them into a ponytail, then bent down in front of the washbasin to wet the towel.
“Remember to call me mom when you wake up.”