"That's weird; it fits perfectly, but I don't remember ever sending them my measurements. Is there some kind of magic woven into the cloth?" Magnus pondered, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

Unlike the usual clothes he wore, which were provided by the Major General's Villa, he now donned a striking black and gold uniform—the very same type worn by students of the Mage Division at Takerth Academy. Celia had told him that it arrived unexpectedly in the mail, addressed to him.

After getting fully dressed, Magnus called out, "Celia, I'm done changing. You can come in now."

Hearing his invitation, Celia opened the door to Magnus's room and walked inside, spotting him in his new uniform.

"It's still crazy to me that you're actually enrolling in a magic academy," Celia said, her voice tinged with disbelief. Magnus couldn't help but agree.

"Yeah, it feels surreal. This is my second time enrolling in a school, so it's pretty weird for me too. Especially since my last school... well, let's just say it didn't involve any magic in its curriculum," Magnus replied, his tone carrying both a tinge of sadness and a hint of happiness as he recalled the past.

On the other hand, Celia took his words in a different manner.

I guess that means he really is part of some noble or rich family. I’m definitely not telling Tola, though. If she ever found out that her guess was actually right, she’d never let any of us live it down.

"Anyway, despite everything, I'm actually happy about enrolling. At first, they didn't really give me a choice. But now that I've seen the academy, I think it's the perfect chance to improve myself." As Magnus spoke, Celia found herself nodding in agreement.

“True, I can only imagine how much your magic will improve with proper training.” Of course, that was not the reason Magnus was doing any of this. Instead of a training ground, he saw Takerth Academy as a massive vault full of information and knowledge.

•

"Fucking hell, why are there Kryle so far inland?" Gerald swung his greatsword with such force that it blurred from human sight. The blade struck the exoskeleton of the massive insectoid in front of him, which was like armor, yet it cleaved through it all the same.

Purple blood sprayed from the new orifice in the creature's body like a fountain. Its six hairless arthropodic legs twitched along with its entire body as the last signs of life left its corpse.

As the blood pooled and sprayed everywhere, signs of corrosion appeared wherever it touched. Gerald, being Gerald, was, of course, covered in Kryle blood. Yet, thanks to his aura passively bubbling just beneath the surface of his skin, the corrosiveness of the blood had no effect on him.

But where one Kryle fell, more took their place. They followed a zerg rush strategy; if five weren't enough, they'd send ten, and if ten weren't enough, they'd send twenty.

Swarm, kill, devour, and grow—that was the way of the Kryle, and it was what allowed them to keep their own corner of the continent despite being surrounded by enemy kingdoms.

"Damn it! How do we end up in the same mess twice?" Mia exclaimed in frustration. With swift precision, she released two arrows in rapid succession, aiming ahead of her without even glancing.

The first arrow found its mark in a charging Kryle's leg, toppling the creature off balance.

Without missing a beat, her second arrow struck the vulnerable joint under the falling Kryle's head, penetrating its tough exoskeleton. As the creature hit the ground and skidded toward her, more Kryle surged forward, undeterred.

In an almost choreographed response, Mia executed a backflip, gracefully soaring just beyond the reach of the two approaching Kryle.

Simultaneously, two throwing knives, their blades shrouded in a mysterious black haze, hurtled beneath her. With deadly precision, they pierced straight through the Kryle's skulls before burrowing deep into the earth behind them.

The impact of the collision deformed both knives, leaving behind deep holes that resembled the aftermath of a powerful jackhammer striking concrete.

"I blame the carts; they're cursed; that's the only explanation," Marcos chimed in in a dull voice, deftly rolling out of the way of an insectoid's attack as one of its sickles slashed down at him. Although all the kryle around them resembled insects in some shape or form, they exhibited remarkable variations.

Some appeared haphazardly stitched together, akin to a Frankenstein amalgamation—a centipede adorned with spider-like appendages, or a grotesque fusion of a mantis and scorpion.

But others were special and bore a clear purpose.

For example, some had exoskeletons akin to armor made of a specialized blend of bone, chitin, and other biomatter, designed to absorb and neutralize blunt impacts, while others had unique appendages that were created for the sole purpose of stealth and camouflage.

This could all be marked as the second major advantage of the Kryle's existence, apart from their sheer numbers: the ability to actively customize themselves before birth.

This gave them an edge over any other natural living creature and allowed them to be living weapons, in a sense, open to endless adaptation. But, of course, all things have their limits.

Despite being such bizarre and fearsome creatures, Kryle were, in the end, monsters, not mana beasts.

This meant they lacked any true supernatural abilities, and as such, their capabilities were bound by the limitations of normal living creatures. If they went against those who could harness spirits, magic, or aura, there was nothing they could do to resist.

The same held true for the Kryle that had just slashed at Marcos. After dodging, Marcos's black aura, which resembled a dark haze, enveloped his right arm as it formed the shape of a claw.

Without hesitation, Marcos’s gaze became sharp as he thrust his right arm forward, directly toward the creature’s chest. It had no time to react as Marcos’s hand, which should have left no mark on its hard exoskeleton, pierced straight into its body.

The next moment, his hazy aura vibrated violently as the entire inner structure of the Kryle fell apart and its body collapsed in on itself.

"Haha! Well, at least the horses aren't dead this time," Gerald chuckled to himself as he effortlessly cleaved his way through another group of Kryle.

"Careful not to jinx us! There's no way this many Kryle breached the border without someone knowing about it. They would have had to have pierced through multiple layers of our defenses," Mia replied, swiftly dispatching another Kryle as she spoke.

"Do you think it's related to that abnormality the Major General wants us to scout out? We're getting pretty close to the location where those groups keep disappearing. If something could wipe out an entire company along with a Master-level mage, then creating holes in our defenses for the Kryle is definitely possible," Marcos said.

Mia's expression turned serious as she contemplated the possibility he brought up.

"Well, we won't get any answers killing cannon fodder over and over!" Gerald shouted, raising his greatsword with determination. With a powerful swing, he split a Kryle straight in half, its corrosive purple blood eating away at everything it touched as it splattered around him.

Drenched in Kryle blood, Gerald switched his grip on his greatsword, now wielding it like a javelin. His muscles bulged, and veins pulsated beneath his skin. With one fluid motion, he launched his greatsword forward. It soared through the air with incredible speed, impaling three Kryle in a row, turning them into an insect shishkabob.

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Taking advantage of the moment, Gerald sprinted toward his hurled weapon, leaping into the air. He soared over three stories high and arced through the air with his fist raised while he fell.

His fist was like a meteor as it connected with an unsuspecting insectoid, its exoskeleton shattering like glass and instantly rupturing its internal organs. The impact left no room for retaliation as the creature crumbled beneath his overwhelming force.

The ground beneath Gerald’s body was also effected by the impact; the earth where he landed gave way and cracked from the strength behind the strike.

"I swear, I don't know a single knight who throws his sword as much as he does," Mia muttered.

Still, he's right. We won't get anywhere just by killing these things over and over. Even if they can't kill us, Marcos and Gerald will run out of aura and stamina before they run out of bodies to throw our way.

Her mind raced as she continued to fight on the move, seemingly unconsciously sliding under an attack and retaliating with three well-placed arrows into her attacker's back. Her actions were so fluid and effortless that it was as if there wasn't a human mind behind her movements.

Soon she, Marcos, and Gerald regrouped and gathered together while more and more Kryle flooded out from around them. She couldn't help but notice the overwhelming numbers. Even with the sun high in the sky, it was impossible to discern just how many there were.

Realizing this, Mia voiced her thoughts.

"Even if there were gaps in our defensive lines, this is way too many Kryle to go unnoticed by border patrols and nearby villages. They must have made a hive somewhere underground after breaching." Gerald and Marcos nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

"That makes sense. In that case, Marcos, you're up!" Gerald called out, swiftly cutting down another charging Kryle with his greatsword. Marcos was already on the move, his eyes carefully scanning their surroundings and the never-ending wave of Kryle pouring in.

In a matter of seconds, Marcos gathered the information he needed and relayed it to Mia. "Their hive is probably north to northeast from here, and considering how fast they're arriving, it's probably a kilometer or two away."

"Alright, then let's move. Once we find the hive and kill whatever is acting as their central link, the rest of them should die off afterward," Mia said decisively.

Both Gerald and Marcos nodded in agreement and followed her as they began to move, tearing through hordes of Kryle along the way.

•

"Today's the day, and I feel drastically underprepared," Magnus admitted with a nervous tone, fidgeting slightly while sitting on his bed.

Celia, in the midst of tidying up Magnus's room, looked up and said, "I think this is the first time I've ever seen you nervous about something. You've already gone to the academy once before; what's the problem now?"

"That was different," Magnus replied.

"I had Gerald leading the way, and I was on a tour. Now I'm going to be going on my own, and I'm praying that I don't piss off some big shot noble's son." Celia couldn't help but laugh at Magnus's words, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Ah yes, a girl laughing at my expense; this is a familiar feeling," Magnus remarked, and Celia stifled herself with a shake of her head.

"I'm not laughing at you," she clarified.

"It's just that sometimes I forget you're still younger than me. But you have nothing to worry about; the Major General is backing you, and even nobles would think twice about picking a fight with someone he supports." As she spoke, she gestured for Magnus to stand so she could straighten out and fold the sheets.

"I guess..." Magnus still felt hesitant about relying on the Major General's influence in any way. He hadn't even met the man face-to-face and wasn't sure what he expected from him.

"Well, I get that telling you to relax is a lot easier said than done. I mean, if I were ever admitted into a magic academy, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed," Celia admitted with a chuckle, finishing with the sheets before getting an idea.

"Oh, I know. How about I make you some tea? There are a few brews I heard about recently that are good for relaxation."

Magnus's ears perked up at the suggestion. Since arriving in this world, one major change in him has been his love of tea. He never cared for it before, but for some reason, any tea Celia had laid her hands on tasted amazing.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed.

"Drinking your worries away always works. I saw it on TV once." Celia didn't bother questioning Magnus about what 'TV' meant. He often used phrases or words she couldn't understand, but she assumed they were unique to where he grew up, which, technically, was correct.

Walking out of Magnus's room, Celia began making her way through the halls of the villa towards the kitchen. About halfway there, she suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around her from behind, and a familiar voice entered her ears.

"Cia, finally, I found you! I've missed you so much!" Tola clung to Celia like a koala on a tree, causing Celia to frown and gently push her away.

"Get off; these uniforms are way too hot for you to be clinging to me! Besides, we just saw each other yesterday." Tola reluctantly let go, instead playfully teasing her.

"True, but we used to hang out all day long. Now, we only catch up at night or in the mornings. Seriously, every time I try to talk to you, it's always 'I'm busy' or 'I have something to do,' and then you're off to the guest room, or you're running around with the pretty boy." Tola pouted, clearly feeling a bit hurt.

"Well, he's my host, and I'm his personal maid. It's my job to be there as much as I can." Celia adjusted her uniform after Tola's enthusiastic hug, as she explained.

Hearing that, Tola's expression shifted, showing signs of inner conflict. Celia quickly picked up on that and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"What?" Celia gave Tola a focused look.

"Huh, oh, nothing..." Tola tried to laugh it off, looking away, but Celia maintained eye contact, not letting it slide.

"Oh, don't even try it. It's never 'nothing' with you, Tola, and that expression on your face is practically screaming 'gossip." Celia's keen perception made it difficult for Tola to keep things to herself, and she felt her resolve crumbling.

"Well... There have been a few rumors going around amongst the maids for a while now. It's because you and our guest seem to be pretty friendly, and..." Tola paused, biting her lip as Celia's expression shifted to one of disbelief.

"Are you serious!?" Celia burst out, her loud voice making Tola flinch as she hurried to defend herself.

"Hey, I didn't spread those rumors! The other maids came up with that on their own! I tried to hush things down, but you know how they love to gossip."

Celia stuttered, struggling to put her mounting frustration into words. Finally, she just sighed deeply and massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

These girls and their damn gossip!

Despite her annoyance, Celia still shot Tola a seething glare. She couldn't bring herself to believe a word Tola said about not being involved in spreading the rumor. As she considered all the things she wished she could say, a reminder flickered in her mind that Magnus was still waiting on his tea.

"You're lucky I need to go get something from the kitchen," Celia snapped back, her voice heavy with irritation, "otherwise, we would be having a much longer conversation."

Tola managed a nervous chuckle as Celia walked away, heading toward the kitchen.

While she prepared Magnus's tea, a growing sense of annoyance accompanied her thoughts about dealing with the rumors once Magnus left.

I suppose I'll have to go visit the Head Maid and clear up the rumors directly.

With that decision made, Celia returned to Magnus's room, looking visibly drained.

"What happened to you? You look even worse than I do now," Magnus asked, causing Celia to sigh as she placed two cups of tea on the desk. She settled into a chair while Magnus took one of the cups and sat on his bed, taking a few sips of his tea.

"Just the usual perks of being a maid. Anyway, you're headed to the academy today, right? Is there some sort of initiation or entry test you're expecting?" Celia asked as Magnus took another sip of his tea, his expression indifferent.

"Honestly, I haven't a clue. Apart from the letter from the Major General, there's been no word from the academy itself. I guess I'll just have to handle things as they come." Celia noticed the tea seemed to be taking effect, as Magnus replied a bit nonchalantly.

Although she was undoubtedly happy, a tinge of sadness seemed to shadow her expression. Magnus noticed this and inquired about what was bothering her.

"Hmm, what's on your mind? Is that look still connected to the perks of being a maid?" he asked playfully.

Celia chuckled softly as she shook her head.

"No, not entirely. Well, maybe a little. It's just that I'll miss having you around. It's been pretty fun, you know? Our conversations, watching you experiment with your abilities—I've grown accustomed to it all, so it'll be strange going back to my usual routine."

Listening to her, Magnus understood what she meant. Though he had never explicitly acknowledged it, despite her role as his assigned maid, Celia had slowly become the first person he could consider a sort of friend in this world. Sure, he felt a sense of gratitude toward Mia and the others for saving his life, but he couldn't label them as friends.

Their interactions, though friendly and sometimes fun, were ultimately driven by mutual benefit.

"Ah, sorry for making you think about something like that. Don't worry about it. If you ever return here, it just means I'll have more stories to hear," Celia said, attempting to brush off her previous sentiment. However, Magnus interrupted by saying something unexpected.

"Actually, you just reminded me of something Gerald mentioned when I visited the academy."