Richard froze in his place as he saw the people peeking out of the window of the carriage.

He grabbed his burnt shoulder and winced. “What are all of you doing here?”

“W-what happened to you!?”

Of course, all of them were worried about Richard first. They rushed out of the carriage, but Richard stopped them.

“Don’t! There are still enemies here. One of you stay with Student Jeremy.”

“Enemies…?”

The word that sent everyone else on alert was like a thread dangling from the heavens for someone else. All of them turned toward Jackie, who stopped scratching his head in fear and smiled.

“Enemies! Of course!” Jackie exclaimed. He then turned to Richard with a bright smile. “I didn’t hit a pedestrian, but an enemy!”

Richard was irked, but it was true that Jackie had saved him.

Professor Barnum stayed back while Professor Jim rushed over and helped Richard stand.

The Chimeras, having lost their master’s command and mana, had fallen to the ground without much strength. It was inevitable, they were all reduced to Mrs. Frock’s puppets.

“We should tie them up… wait, Glorious second leader, you need to sit down first.”

“No, no… we have to bring these guys down before anything. Go for Mrs. Frock first…”

Professor Jim, being a gentleman, did not let Richard follow in his injured state. He dragged Richard back to the carriage and asked Professor Barnum to administer first aid.

Professor Jim then walked over to where Mrs. Frock lay on the ground. Richard did not move his eyes away from the unconscious Mrs. Frock. Only when Professor Jim started tying her up did Richard breathe a sigh of relief and fall on the seats.

Professor Barnum immediately administered a potion to Richard’s wounds before carefully separating his clothes from his melting skin.

Jeremy, too, immediately started scouring through his wounds and flinched every time he discovered a new injury.

“This is something that would need Enna… Actually, you need the saintess.”

Richard glared at Jeremy’s words. “Why were you out of the academy at this time?”

“T-that…” Jeremy turned his gaze away. He had been assigned guards like everyone else in Black Rose, but he had buddied up with them following Ethan’s example. Every time he went out, he would get them hammered and enjoy on his own.

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“I was out with Professor Ethan.”

“Ethan was with me this whole day…”

Jeremy clasped his mouth shut.

“We have a lot to discuss once we get back, student Jeremy. With Ethan too, he enables your behavior.”

Jeremy nodded. That was all he could do. His daily excursions were definitely out of the picture now. At least he wasn’t sinking alone and had dragged Ethan with him.

It was then, an exclamation resounded from outside the carriage. Richard snapped upright despite the pain.

“What happened!?” He screamed.

“Vice Principal…” Only Jackie’s shaky voice from the front returned.

Richard and the other two slowly looked out of the carriage. Outside, in opera masks, stood dozens and dozens of people. Guns and weapons weighed in their hands as they glared at the group. One of them pointed their weapon straight at Professor Jim’s head.

“Give her to us and we will spare you,” said the man wearing the mask. “We are not an enemy of the people, if it is not needed we won’t kill you.”

Professor Barnum gripped his blade, while Professor Jim slowly glared at the enemies. Even with a cursory glance, they could count 40 or so of them.

It was possible. They would definitely be able to bring these many rioters down, even if they used magic and weapons, the rioters couldn’t be much stronger if at all.

But…

Professor Jim’s gaze landed on the carriage. There was a civilian, a guest they had to protect, and a gravely injured colleague with them.

Jim sighed, waiting for the carriage.

Inside, Professor Barnum was about to step out but Richard held him back.

“Don’t.”

Professor Barnum couldn’t say anything. He simply sat back down.

As the door did not open, Professor Jim received his confirmation. He slowly raised his hands and stepped away from Mrs. Frock.

“Go ahead,” he said. His eyes teemed on the man with the pistol. If there was even a fleeting threat, Professor Jim would fight.

With a gesture, the other masked rioters rushed over and lifted Mrs. Frock up, alongside the other wounded chimeras. They all rushed backward.

Professor Jim watched as the man waved his hands.

“Take her away,” the man said and his followers slowly started to rush back into the alleys. Eventually, he too, stepped back while still pointing his weapon at them. As the man reached a distance between them, he spoke.

“You were smart. Lay low till sunrise, it will all be before then.”

With those words, the last of them disappeared.

Professor Jim sighed and returned to the carriage. He pulled the door open and sat down.

“How inglorious,” he muttered. “Vain.”

“Why did you let them go…?” asked Jeremy. He was trembling with his grip on his weapon, but Professor Barnum and Richard had held him back too.

“There was no reason to negotiate with those terrorists. Was it because of me? I would have fought—”

Professor Jim smiled. Even if he was from a different country, Jeremy embodied the glorious spirit of Glorenstein in his eyes.

“Don’t worry, student Jeremy,” said Jim. “We have not spared them. In fact, we were sparing them by taking them in.”

“What does… that mean?”

All three professors of Glorenstein peeked out of the windows again.

In the distance, above the city, clouds gathered.

A great rumble spread through the city as a blinding flash overtook the night skies for a brief moment. As if the sun had been dragged back up. Jeremy froze in place at the sight.

“Gladwin and the Civil Servants of the Ministry will handle them now,” said Professor Jim.

“How sad. I pray they reach the next life, if they are still left capable of it,” added Professor Barnum.

The Empire’s greatest weapons had taken to the streets of Glorenstein.

“He was correct. It will all be over before sunrise.”