Hello there! Before we begin, let us have another round of holy scripture of kumaism!
> Quote:「Wait, didn’t the rumor say that Bloody Bear was a solo adventurer?」
>
> 「What’s that about, that Bloody Bear?」
>
> Ah, I want to know about that too.
> I’m curious after yesterday.
>
> 「What, Touya doesn’t know?」
>
> A person who looked like the party leader jumped into the conversation.
>
> 「An adventurer who started a fight with a girl who had the appearance of a bear got assaulted nonstop until he was drenched in blood. She continued hitting him without mercy, even after he apologized. He was beaten until he collapsed. I heard that all the adventurers at the scene were also beaten until they were bloody.」
From Ch 19: Bear-San's Second Name Is A Bloody Bear
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-Unknown Place, Hachi-gatsu 10, 7567-
~Momoe’s P.o.V~
Where is this place? It's so dark in here… I can't move my arms and I can hear metal hitting against metal. Am I being chained like an animal? I tried to use magic to illuminate the room, but I can't feel mana neither flowing in my body nor in my surrounding. What's going on?
-Flashback-
Oneesama and I have been attending this school for eight days now. We haven't made any friends except for the other elite five. It's not like we’re unsociable… Okay we are kinda unsociable. But! Everyone is avoiding me and Oneesama, whenever we walk in the hallway they part away like ocean split by Moses.
The day after orientation, we had to go through another test. Well it's not really test you would fail in since all you have to do is place your hand on an orb-like magic item that measures the magic system you have potentials in. As expected, Oneesama had efficiency in blood, dark, summoning, and fire magic.
When I touched the orb, well…the thing started to glow in many different color representing each magic system and it exploded… We tried it again to make sure that the other students won't mistake it for an accident. Now I think everyone sees me as a magical freak.
After the last test, we were assigned to classes appropriate for our magic potentials. I was placed in beginner’s wood, summoning, and Advance(combination) magic classes, I was placed in expert Light, Blood, and Dark. Apparently, this school can't teach levels higher than 4 in any magic system. I'm also taking a magic combat class.
As for Oneesama, she is taking beginner’s Summoning magic class, expert Blood and dark magic classes, and magic combat class. Except for the systems Oneesama can't learn, we go to the same classes.
Yesterday, was same like every other day, but dinner tasted a little weird. Everyone else seemed to not notice so I didn't say anything. In a hindsight, I guess I should have probably predict that something was off, but it was something unexpected.
Oneesama and I went back to our room afterward, and suddenly, Oneesama lost consciousness. That's when I realized we were drugged. Three men in hoods came in through the window and I lost consciousness myself and couldn't do anything.
-Flashback ends-
I remember now, I was kidnapped by those three kidnapper. Is Oneesama safe? Those bastards didn't touch her, did they? I check my surrounding, and perk up my ears and I didn't hear any breathing nor movement other than from myself.
So she wasn't the target, hah~ that's a relief. I calmed myself down and think through my current situation.
I can feel a collar on my neck and chains binding both of my arms. My long sleeve one piece dress was torn here and there and my knives I always conceal in my sleeves are missing.
The collar probably has some sort of magic that prevents me from using magic and I'm pretty sure they already forced a slave contract onto my body while I was unconscious. I can't escape at this rate because of the slavery magic and lack of mana. Even teleporting to Oneesama is impossible without the use of mana. I can't even contact her via telepathy.
Is this over for me, will I be slave until I die now? I'm angry at myself, even though I wanted to protect Oneesama with my own power, I let myself be kidnapped.
My eyes adjust to the darkness, I realized that I was in a cage. It's a steel cage only large enough for me to seat and there is no room to do any maneuvers. I strain my ears and I could hear moving of wheels. Ah, I'm being transported to Xervy to be sold probably.
The prison container is so small, it's suffocating and the stench is nauseating.
Suddenly, the wheels stop moving and I hear shouting.
~Hood Man #2(Slavemancer) P.o.V~
The king of Xervy saw a portrait of this girl and wanted her to be his only son’s plaything after she reaches maturity. I hated myself for complying but I have too much debts to pay. I tried to delay this as long as possible to think of a way to maybe make my companions give up but it would seem that they set on kidnapping the poor girl.
I pointed out to them that all the scout that were sent never came back but they just assumed that the guard at the Takasugi’s mansion were too strong. In the end I had to play along to not raise any suspicions.
I wonder, should I just kill those two and let the girl escape? I guess I could wander out in the forest afterward…
We found out, after over several days, on this cat girl’s daily routine and all we had to do was sneak in, drug her and her sister’s food and take her away when she can't fight back. It was so easy, I worried about the other students in the academy. With such a lax security, anyone can slip in and abduct a student.
I'm acting excited in order to not stand out, behind my back however, I already unsheathed my knife, ready to strike anytime.
Currently seating in the front of the carriage with my two comrade, we are discussing about what we will do with the money we will be making. We are traveling through the Forest of Membrance and in few minutes, we will be reaching the Xervy territory.
Without a warning, the atmosphere around the forest turned dark and the back of my hair stood up. Our carriage, which is operated by magic, comes to a halt and a black figure appears in front of us.
Good! The school might have found us. Expecting to see several security guards, I looked toward the direction of where the figure was with sparkling eyes.
A figure in black can be seen wearing a hood over its head. When I take a closer look, the figure is really small, is that a dwarf? No, it can't be since dwarves are actually taller.
While I wonder what the figure is, it(?) took off its hood revealing a beautiful face of a little girl. Her jet black hair went down to her shoulders and her red eyes glint in the moonlight. She might seem like a normal little girl, we might have even thought that she might be lost and wondering in the forest. But something was off about her.
Once upon a time, when I was a foolish young adventurer who believed that hard work would bring happiness, went on a subjugation quest with several others. Our target was a greater Wyvern, a sigma class monster. Now I am stuck in debt and have to pay to the kingdom I owe with my slavery magic. I am bounded by contract magic similar to slave magic so that The king can force me to do his bidding.
During the subjugation, several of our members were killed and others cowered behind rocks and waited for death. The panic was caused due to the pressure it was emitting. Trembling from the fear, I could only watch and see people get killed. Seeing my companions get killed, I hated myself for staying alive.
Right now the little girl, no let me correct myself, the monster in disguise that's in front of us is emitting a pressure similar, no, greater than the pressure a greater Wyvern put out. I have never been this afraid for my life as much as I did right now.
The girl walked up to us, my companions, whom had never been in a life or death situation grinned like idiots thinking she would bring us more profit.
Looking closely, isn't she the girl from the same dorm as the cat girl?
“Where is she?”, she whispered. It was barely audible but with my trained ears, I heard her perfectly.
One of my companion walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, “Why don't you come with us kid, you look lost.”
Before anyone can react my companion’s hand was caught on purple flame. He let go of her shoulder and screamed in agony. The flame started to spread toward his body and face. Dropping his body to the ground, he tried to roll and extinguish the fire, but the flame only grew bigger. His face contorted with pain and his screamed at the top of his lung. When the flame died out, nothing was left of him.
“I will only ask once more…where is she?”(girl)
Stolen story; please report.
“I….I..I don't know…what your talking about, please spare us!”(my other companion)
She came up to us and we have even closer view of her, we haven't noticed because of her dark clothing but behind her is the wings of a demon. The feathery black wings folded neatly behind her back. Her dress was a pure black one piece with designs of thorns and roses covering it.Her pupil are in a vertical slit like a lizard and her canines are visible.
What the hell is she?! Vampire teeth, reptile eyes and demon wings…I never saw such a sight before in my eyes.
She grabs my companion by his throat and there is a sudden snap. He goes limp and the girl throws him to the side.
“You’re the slavemancer?”(girl)
“Ye…yes… I am.”(Me)
The girl ponders for a while, than asks, “Do you hate you job?”(girl)
“If I had a choice, I would still be an adventurer, after all this isn't such a nice job”, I unconsciously murmured in a bitter tone, “If your going to kill me too, go ahead, taking off slave contract should be easy enough as long as you get the spell for canceling it. Wait, let me even tell you the spell.” Then I told her the spell for cancellation.
“Come with me…”, she muttered and went toward the storage part of the carriage where the cage is at.
I follow her from behind silently.
The Wings on her suddenly vanished and she took out a pitch black and Crimson sword. The sword was decorated more thorn like design like her cloths and the edges of the blade are dyed Crimson almost giving the appearance of blood.
Where did she take out the sword from, does she have inventory skill?
Which also brings out the question, why did she bring it out, it's not as if she can break the lock with it, since the lock of the storage compartment is enchanted with indestructible spell…
*Whoosh! Crack!*
Huh?! She broke it! And not just that, she did it in a single swing! I keep questioning my sanity while staring at the girl.
Before I can speak, the black haired girl enter the compartment.
-Momoe’s P.o.V-
After the carriage stopped for around five minutes, I heard foot steps getting closer to the place I was in. I didn't know what happened outside, but I was hoping it was one of the professors or the security guards that was coming closer.
*Whoosh! Crack!*
The door opens in front of me and I stare in awe.
The person was neither a professor nor a guard, but the one I promised to protect.
“Oneesama, Nyah?!”(me)
She looks at me and frown as if not understanding. Ah, she probably is trying to communicate via telepathy.
“Mochi, you…okay?”(Oneesama)
“Yes, Oneesama, Nyah. But may I ask how you found me, Nyah? The kidnappers put on a mana cancellation collar on me so it shouldn't have been possible to track me with magic, Nyah?”(me)
“Secrete”, she put her forefinger to her lips in a shushing motion. With her sword Krios, she broke the chains on my arms.
While I tried to take off the collar with my hands, a man walked into the room(?). He approached toward me with what it seems to be a key in his hand.
“Stay still for a second, I'll take off the chains and the collar.”(Man)
*Clunk*
The heavy weight that was holding down my arms were released. The collar that was restricting my power was torn off.
“Take away the magic restricting the freedom, Cancellation!”(Man).
A dull sting then a warmth surrounds my chest. It's probably the place they placed the slavery rune on. Feeling refreshed from all the restriction, I stretch my sore legs which were in an awkward pose due to the small spaced cage.
“Thank you for your help, Nyah! Mr….”(me)
“It's Ochiai Yozo… By the way, you shouldn't thank me since I was one of the one who kidnapped you”(Man)
Eh?! This guy was one of the kidnapper, but he doesn't look like that kind of person.
“Oji-Chan~ it's fine, you just freed me so don't be so down, Nyah!”(me)
“O..o..Oji-Chan?! Hey! I'm not old enough to be called an uncle! I'm only twenty one!”(Ochiai-San).
We walk out of the small container of a carriage and I take in a breath of fresh air. Thank gods I'm finally out of that hell!
I hear foot steps moving toward us, and it's not just few but many. Is an army coming this way?
When I turn around to the direction of the noise, there are several of our professors and the Headmaster coming toward us. For a moment, they had a pale complexion, but when they saw our group, they ran toward us with relief.
“You are safe, Momoe-Chan, we were very worried about you!”, out of everyone who came to search for me, Headmaster seems to be the most worried out of all of the adult school personnel. "Phew, if something happen to her, we would have been all dead meat.”
Huh? Did he say something? Must have been the wind…
“So who is this man?”(Headmaster)
He pointed to Ochiai-San while inquiring who he is. Now how should I reply, o don't want Ochiai-San to talk first because he is bound to try to tell the truth.
“This Oji-chan saved me from the bad men, Nyah! He helped save me, so don't worry about him, Nyah.”(me)
“I see… Hmmm… Young man, do you perhaps need a job presently. We are kinda understaffed with guards.”(Headmaster)
“Huh? But I was… Uph! I mean thank you very much, I will take your offer!”(Ochiai-San)
Before he could reveal that he was one of the kidnapper, I nudged him with my elbow. I'm pretty sure the headmaster already noticed that there is a possibility of him being responsible for the kidnapping. He is old but not senile. I'm guessing he isn't pointing out the obvious enough because he trusts our judgement.
“I see, that's great! I will assign you to security job close to the outside of the dorm. But please try not to peek on students showering, most of them are young but there are some fifteen year olds in the mix, and we wouldn't want to have bad rumors about school. Well, it's fine as long as you don't get caught.”(headmaster)
I didn't know where he was going with this at first but now he is just being a typical Percy old man! He even sneakily told Ochiai-San that as long as your not caught, it's fine. Did he peek on Oneesama while she was bathing? If he did, I am going to slaughter him.
I unintentionally leaked my bloodlust toward the pervert geezer and he started to for sweat under his brow. He was about to speak when one of the professor, who also works as headmaster’s assistant hit him on the head with a staff. It knocked him out in one blow and his unconscious body collapsed.
“Sorry about that, I will be taking the headmaster back now.”(Professor)
“Thank you, Nyah. Bye, Nyah”(me)
The professor drags the dead body(?) and quickly left. The other professor closely followed behind while I, Oneesama, and Ochiai-San stayed back to talk before heading to the dorm.
“You won't pick on Oneesama, right, Nyah?”(me).
“What are you talking about?! I would not pick on a girl with flat board chest, especially when she is a seven year old kid!”(Ochiai-San)
“I guess Oji-chan wouldn't try something like that, Nyah~ After all he isn't like the old pervert, Nyah~”(me)
“I told you I'm not old enough to be called an Oji-chan! Call me Onii-chan at least!”(Ochiai-San)
“Eh~ But I want to call Oji-chan, Oji-chan, Nyah!”(me)
“STOP IT!”(Ochiai-San)
I went on teasing Ochiai-San all the way to the academy.
Oneesama and I went to our bedroom, which didn’t have any damage thankfully. We put on our nightgown and crawl into bed. We slept through the night while cuddling with each other.
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Phew~ it's my usual length for a chapter, I know I promised a longer one but I was kinda tired, had bunch of tests and I didn't have the motivation. *Seiza* I have done you wrong! Please don't kill me I still have so many sweets I still want to try!
Thank you always for reading and Xacual-San, to answer your question, the magic school students graduates after eight years of school and by then most students are either 14 or 15. In our world it would actually be when you are 16 to 17 since the days are longer and the years in Arixar is painfully long. Also I like to thank you for the egg suggestion, it helped me a lot!
That's all I have to say for today
Kuma out!