Chapter 148 Other Stories (1)

#1 Their Stories: Ria El Nermia’s Story

I felt tears well up in my eyes, but I had a duty to finish.

“I will conclude Yuggrasia’s graduation ceremony now!”

The following shout was made by a hundred, but the sound was loud enough to ring around the country.

“President…”

The next year’s school president was looking at me with teary eyes.

“I am not the School President anymore.”

“Nooo!”

“You have only a year left.”

I hugged her as she fell onto her knees on the platform.

“I will go.”

“Please, stay for another year.”

“Shut up.”

I had been about to end things pleasantly, but she was speaking nonsense.

“Will you stay if you were in my place?”

“No, unless I was crazy.”

“That’s what you asked me.”

“But, without you…”

“It would be the same. Just win the Empire Cup and try to make your life easier.”

Yuggrasia, which I had entered because I had been afraid of my instructor, was hell. There were eleven Sword Masters, and Rain, my instructor’s student, came as a professor. Alise and I had to spend a semester full of pain. However, that had not been the end. Girls shouting Rain’s name had popped up to bring people of astounding abilities.

Yuggrasia now had twenty Sword Masters, ten Great Mages, and twenty-five Great Summoners. The academy could commit treason with these people. Instead, they worked us day and night. While thousands of students disappeared each year, the professors became stronger.

In my third year, four hundred students had to fight against them, who only became stronger and increased in number. Alise and I had to go through hell, and after Alise graduated and became School President last year, there was too much hardship.

However, I was not a student anymore. I was free!

This is the end!

My summoned beast, Surut, also cried tears of joy. He had been at the forefront of all my strategies.

“President…”

“I’m not anymore.”

I consoled the new President, as I knew what she was feeling. I also felt the same when Alise and other summoners graduated. We could go easy for a semester if we won the Empire Cup, but most of our strongest forces had disappeared.

“Don’t worry, Yuggrasia is strong.”

Yuggrasia had now won the Empire Cup five years in a row after my instructor had changed the place in less than a year.

“The future is yours.”

I spoke with a few remaining students before coming out of the academy.

“I am now free!”

However, it was at that time I saw a girl wearing Yuggrasia’s uniform. She had plain brown eyes and hair, and although she looked ordinary at a glance, I knew who she was.

“Number 1000?”

I had worked with her all the time in my syndicate years.

“Congratulations on graduating.”

“Thank…you.”

“And congratulations on getting a job.”

“What?”

She handed me a flower bouquet with a piece of paper that said…

-Congratulations on working under her highness!

“No!”

“You have no choice.”

She was trying to make me hold a notice that said I would be working under the princess.

“It’s easier to give up.”

“I don’t want to!”

I had been a slave in Yuggrasia for four years because of those professors she had sent here! Now I had to work with them?

“Ria, you were here!”

“Alise?”

It was then I saw Alise and other people who had graduated earlier than me. Also, my enemies Nerkia and Risen were here with welcoming faces.

“I have to talk with them, so…”

I had been about to say goodbye to Number 1000, but she was still smiling.

“You don’t need to say goodbye to me since I know them well.”

“You do? How?”

“That’s because…”

I felt unnerved at seeing her smiling and walked three steps back.

“What are you up to?!”

“Ria, you should not fight with friends.”

Alice hugged my shoulder as she smiled at me and Number 1000.

“We will be working together now.”

“What?”

My head turned white at hearing Alise’s words. It did not seem to be my imagination that other Yuggrasia graduates were enclosing me in a circle.

“Alise?”

I turned my head to see Alise’s eyes and saw they had turned dark. Her eyes had been burning red, but while the color was the same, there were shadows in them now.

“Don’t…”

“Alise, Alise, it’s easier if you give up…”

She repeating her name to herself did not seem normal, so I had been about to use my power when I felt something circle my neck.

“I do not want to make a fuss on this good day.”

Alise was faster than me as she was a Sword Master, and I would not have been able to avoid the chocker on my neck.

“I caught her, Leader.”

“You did well, Agent Alise.”

Leader? Agent? The magic on the chocker was weird.

“You won’t be able to use your power much, Ria. Her highness’s mages had made that.”

“Yes, her highness could nullify a Sword Master like me.”

Alise lowered her voice to whisper in my ear.

“No one can see us Ria, this spot is being hidden by fairies.”

“That’s not possible!”

Such magic was almost impossible to cast.

“It’s possible. Nerkia can do it.”

Alise giggled, and she scared me more than when she had sliced trees with her sword with a bright smile last year. I was terrified of how a person can change in a year and that I may become like her!

“Let me go!”

“Sign the contract. Here is a pen.”

“Don’t! What is this chocker!”

I could not move and felt Alise’s magic blocking me from using mine.

“Are you going to betray me?”

“I have to follow orders.”

Alise had been broken in a year, and now my ex-comrade was trying to take me to the same place.

“This is illegal!”

“Who made a contract with a devil with illegal ways?”

“That was the instructor…”

“We’re trying to find him.”

“What?!”

I did not want to work under the princess even more, as he would resist.

“No!”

“Just relax and sign. You will now be an honorable mage under a highness.”

“Are you really going to do this to me?!”

“Call me your leader. Her highness said, you can work under me. Let’s have fun like old times!”

“You were the only one who had fun!”

“Sign…”

Her hand was on mine, and I had already written half of my name. If I wrote in full, I would be forced under the contract. I somehow summoned Surut to break apart the magic surrounding us using everything I had.

“My master’s comm-ah!”

However, Surut disappeared after being attacked by four Sword Masters and a fairy King.

-I am sorry, master.

He could not have lasted, as I was surrounded by people who could take over the world.

“What are you planning to do?!”

“We’re just trying to find a person.”

I watched as my name was being written on the contract. It would be held by magic just when I had been about to be free.

“Congratulations, you now can work with us!”

“No!”

I was now part of a group that was trying to kidnap my instructor.