Kurt!　This way!

　As I was running around the school building, I suddenly heard a voice in front of one of the rooms.
　It's Marise.

　Me and Avril twisted the doorknob and went inside and immediately closed the door.
　And at the same time, we locked it with magic to prevent them from getting inside from the outside.

'What's going on here!
"Kurt, can you explain the situation?
The people out there they're all after Cynthia and her friends.

　When I entered the room, Lara, Marise and Cynthia were there as well.
　The girls were so packed as soon as I entered the room.

''First of all, before I do that I'm going to ask you, just in case you're in this room and you're sure it's the entire Rosan Lila Magic Academy that came to the Empire?''

　At my question, Lara and the others moved their heads up and down.

　It seems that this room was originally assigned to Lara and Marise as their bedroom.
　I'm not just talking about Lara and her friends, but also the thirty people who came from the royal capital.

''Next, Marise. Can you explain the situation?
Yes, sir.

　Marise began to stroke her hair as she began to speak, stroking her own hair, as if she was trying to stay calm.

'After Kurt told me, I immediately looked for Lara, who was still testing my liver. I found it right away but as I was doing so I heard a loud noise coming from the basement and I thought it had stopped and then people were creeping into the school building.
'For the record, you're not a student of Disualia, are you?
''That's for sure. From the looks of them, they are clearly not students, and the quality of their magic power is different to begin with. Each and every one of them looked like a group of fairly skilled wizards.

　So, the main body of the Imperial Guard has ridden into the school building.
　It would be guys just like Messiah.

　Marise hides her mouth with her hair as she continues to talk more.

'We got engaged there a few times. As expected, Lara and Cynthia were there at the time, so we didn't fall behind, but... there's no end in sight.
That's why you got everyone together and ran off to this room.
'Yes. It's obviously an unusual situation. I'm sure you've all noticed it, too.

　Marise said, turning to everyone.

'Mm, all right. Thanks, Marise. I think it was an appropriate decision.'
It's a relief to hear you say that.
'And that warding spell you put on the room, that was quite something. The cloaking spell was carefully applied, and those guys outside must not have been able to tell that there were people in here.
Cynthia is..........

　So proudly Cynthia puffed out her chest.

'Hey!　Watusi!　I was very active when I was fighting those people out there!

　Lara puffed out her cheeks in jealousy and appealed to me.
　I patted her head as a compliment to the girls.

　Well.
　On entering this place, I was allowed to re-establish the wards again.
　With a little bit of work, it would be difficult for the guys outside to figure out that the Marys are here.
　Even if they did notice, they couldn't unlock the magic lock and even enter.

　But.

'Lara, Marise, Cynthia. Listen to me carefully.

　I took my voice down a notch.

This ward will be breached soon. It's only a matter of time before people get in.
Kurt's got a ward?
Yeah.

　It's not a matter of time before you find yourself in a situation where you can't get your hands on a new one.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world, and I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.
　That said, I can set up a warding for the entire room, including that one, but when I think about the upcoming battle, I don't want to devote that much magic power to it.
　The further away from the sorcerer the wards are, the more magic power they require and the more difficult they become to control.

''The goal of the empire is to eradicate us.

　Whether it was to keep his mouth shut or simply out of control remains to be seen..." he continues.

'So I want to ask Lara and the others. It would be one thing to keep them in the room as it is. The wards won't be broken unless something happens. But another suggestion from me would be to get out of the school building here.
This is where we start?
That's right. Sooner or later, they're going to find out that Lara is here. But in the meantime, we'll move in, get their attention.

　The guys in the Empire think.
　I'm sure the other students are too confused to even leave the school building, let alone me.

　I know from my detection magic, but the front gate of the school is blocked off. The system is designed to prevent you from getting out easily from inside.
　Well, I thought about using transfer magic, but there is treacherous magic all over the place to block it. There was also the possibility that the magic formula would be distorted and transferred to a completely different and dangerous place.

　That's why they're going to be scrambling around in this schoolhouse.

"We'll be out of the schoolhouse there. It'll make them more distracted, and make it easier for them to do what I'm about to do. They may still find me, but they'll be less likely to find me than if I stay here. If I can buy us some time, I can take care of the rest. In the meantime, I'll be able to go and settle things with him and save Lara and the others.
'Well, that's all well and good, but how are we going to get out of this school building when the front gate is blocked off?

　Marise asks.
　I had an idea about that.


'Let's use the hidden underground passage.'


What?
''There's an underground maze here at Disualia Magic Academy. I went there earlier to check it out, and it seems to be connected to the outside as well.

　More to the point, its underground maze is wide and one leads to the castle.

'Kurt knows everything, doesn't he?
Why would you do that?
Kurt I know things...

　Lara, Marise and Cynthia opened their mouths with a pop.

　Yes.
　I've known this for 1(0)0(0)0(0)0(0)years.

　Even a thousand years ago, I knew that there was a huge underground maze under the Empire.
　I've heard that it was created by the nobles using magic as an emergency escape.......

　If it looks like it now, they don't seem to be aware of it.
　I'm sure they'll notice it eventually, but by that time, Lara and the others will have left the school and scattered throughout the city.

　Entering the basement of the Great Library, I was convinced that the maze was apparently still there.
　Furthermore, if I was right, the Great Library wasn't the only entrance. There are other hidden passageway entrances as well.
　If we use them, we can fool the eyes of the Empire.

"...after all is said and done. So what do you propose to do?　Do you want to wait here? Or do you want to take my idea and get out of the schoolhouse?　It's up to Lara, Marise, Cynthia ... and everyone else to decide.

　I turned to everyone and asked.

　To be honest, I thought there were many who would choose to stay in this room.
　I'm not going to be able to get out of it, but I'm going to be able to get out of it.

　But here's what I didn't expect.

''Yes........!　Like Kurt said, I'm going to go outside. And I don't want to drag Kurt down.
'If Kurt says it's better that way, I suppose. Well, it's a little scary, but...
Cynthia I believe in Kurt Kurt, and he was always right.

　The thing is that everyone was unexpectedly brave.

　It wasn't just Lara and the others.
　Everyone in the room nodded strongly as well.

'I'm proud of you,'

　It's a pleasure to meet such a wonderful friend...

　If we decide to do that, we'll go.

I will use it, but each of you will have to use your own cloaking magic. And then we'll go in groups. It's safer that way than all 30 of us traveling together.

　I've already found the other entrance to the underground passage.
　It's the cafeteria where we all had our dinner.
　While we were eating, I saw it.
　It's close to here. If you run, it shouldn't take more than a minute, but if they find you before then, it will be all for naught.

What about Kurt?

　Lara looks me straight in the eye and asks.

'I'm going--through the underground passage to the Imperial Castle of Shenubail.

　And to that I would reply.