Chapter 8: Field Trip (1)

~8.1~

*****

At the end of march, the year one classes left the academy to go on a field trip. They were chaperoned by several instructors and guards. There was one instructor and two guards for each class. Classes were organized by the first academic class of the day, though no academic instructors were present. Instructor Line was in charge of Kye’s class. Instructor Jane and Instructor Elliot were chaperoning two of the other classes.

When the group was getting ready to depart at the World Gate in Arslade, Kye received a message. Liliana used telepathy to discuss it.

“Princess, you have a message from an unknown sender.”

“Forward it like any other.”

“You should look at this one yourself. It’s not addressed to ‘Kye Akari’. It’s addressed to ‘Elysia Athas’.”

Kye immediately opened the message.

  Elysia Athas, greetings. I trust you are doing well. Allow me to get straight to the point. If you desire the memories of your first life, come see me. You may bring your two attendants, but no others. I will not meet you if you bring anyone else. If you are unsure about recovering your memories, or even if you choose not to at this time, I would still very much like to see you, Eli. Included is the time and location I will wait for you. If you don’t show, I will message you again with another time and location. I will not try more than three times.

 Love, Alpha

“‘Love, Alpha’?”

“Somebody from a past life?”

“Some would sign off with ‘love’ but nobody would address me as ‘Elysia’.”

“Are you going?”

Kye glanced at Alethea and the others. She had been looking forward to the field trip since the start of the term. “I can’t ignore this.”

“What’s up, Shi-chan? You have a look like you’re on a mission.”

Kye nodded her head and looked up at the closest world gate. She walked over to the control panel and changed the destination. “Something came up.”

“Kye, where are you going?” asked Instructor Line. “We are not departing yet.”

“I have urgent business to take care of.”

Overhearing, the other instructors hurried over, each protesting. Most notably, Elliot spoke up, “Miss Kye, you must stay. Your parents and the parents of every other student have entrusted us-” His voice stopped, despite his mouth still trying to speak. The look in her eyes changed. She wasn’t taking no for an answer, but Alethea acted first.

As people started looking around, they noticed a large barrier of white aether, though most they mistook it for mana, surrounding them. Everyone looked at Alethea, seeking answers.

“My fiance clearly stated ‘urgent business’. You know what that means, no?”

“I am speaking as Crown Princess of Nippon Sekai. I am excusing myself from the field trip for a short while. I have urgent business that takes priority over academy activities. I will meet back up with our group later.” She then smiled and looked at her three girlfriends. “I’ll explain later if anything comes of this.” She left with Liliana and Aliana in tow.

“What in the world could it have been?” Doran asked.

Michelle shrugged, and the two stood in silence as Alethea removed the barrier, returning sound to everyone she had restricted.

“For you to use Imperial Authority in that matter, it must be serious,” Line said. “Do you need to go, too, Alethea?”

The pink-haired girl shook her head. “No. I don’t know what she’s doing.”

“You don’t know, but you still went that far?” Elliot asked. The man was half angry, half curious.

Alethea was annoyed with the way he spoke to them, but kept her graceful smile. “I trust her with my life. If she says it’s urgent, it’s urgent.”

Line was calm throughout, despite some other instructors getting upset. She explained, “Everyone, you must remember. While everyone is equal at the academy, those who are part of the academy, be they instructor or student, must remember that the world outside the academy still exists. When a royal says they have urgent business, that’s your cue that they are no longer acting as a member of the academy, but as a royal. And it’s a good mindset to take that if a royal says it’s urgent, it’s urgent whether or not you think it is, even if it is objectively not urgent, it becomes urgent.”

As Line finished, the weapon at Alethea’s left hip transformed into Astarte, shocking almost everyone. Only Alethea, Doran, and Michelle were unfazed.

“L-Lady Astarte?” Even Line was taken aback upon seeing the green-haired Atlantis sister.

Without showing the slightest hint of anger or dissatisfaction, “All of you that failed to maintain your calm, you will be required to retake the appropriate classes at the university after this field trip to maintain your instructor’s license. Check your attitudes and tempers.”

Astarte paused a moment. She raised her hand and pointed at Elliot.

“Did you think your flared mana went unnoticed? You were preparing to stop her by force. Normally, an instructor is within rights to do that when it’s for the sake of safety, but you may want to consider how powerful your target is before resorting to force.” Astarte stopped pointing and held her hand up. The weapon that was at Alethea’s hip appeared there, and she handed it off to Alethea. As soon as Astarte was no longer touching the weapon, her body vanished, and Alethea carefully placed the green accented katana back at her hip.

“Alethea, you are the wielder of Gaia now?” Line asked. She nodded and gestured at the world gate. “Right.” Line finished the preparations and double checked that all remaining students were present. After completing the check, she led the students through the gate.

*****

“Will you stop with the pacing?” Allison was watching her sister walk back and forth in her office. If she hadn’t known better, she might suspect Layla was wearing a hole in the floor from the constant pacing.

“I’m worried.”

Allison sighed and looked back at the translucent digital paperwork she was working on with her NeuraPhone. “You know why we had to stay behind.”

Layla knew exactly why. Ever since the big battle, smaller rifts were opening all over the empire, no matter the planet. The adult and elder royals were strategically spread out to combat the assaults. Each wore some type of accessory, either a ring, wristband, or some other inconspicuous item, that were imbued with an emergency teleportation spell. The items would transport the wearer to wherever the rifts opened, thanks to the runic magic employed by the imperials.

Crime detection magic already existed and was primarily handled by the system, so long as the royals and nobles provided mana to the foundations on each planet. Foundations were large scale, complex runic constructs capable of housing mana long-term to provide the necessary power for the magic in play on the planet. The royal council discussed the problem, and the imperials began to alter the foundations after the second wave of rifts to detect new rifts and provide coordinates for the emergency teleportation gear. With that, the royals could more easily take care of the threat.

“I know why, but I still don’t like it.”

“You also know that Astarte and Astraia are with them. They’ll be fine.”

Layla bit her thumbnail. “I still don’t like it.” She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

“Trust them, if nothing else.” Allison sighed. “Those two already were capable of competing with Elder Royals and even exceeding us in real combat scenarios because of their experience and skill. They now wield Gaia and Hikarimaru.” Allison chuckled. “I wouldn’t doubt if they could take on an SS-rank together if they awaken and use that power they showed before. And I’m confident they have yet to reveal their most powerful magic.”

Layla stopped pacing and looked Allison dead in the eyes. “Do you remember the magic Kye described she had used a few times in her past lives? She told us about her life as Shiori Sakaguchi, and how it ended. She casted a grand spell that wiped out everything. Do you remember how she described it?”

Allison nodded, already suspecting where Layla was going with the idea.

“When the goddess reformed our world at the end of the nuclear war in year 2025, she used magic that fits Kye’s description.”

Allison’s eyes narrowed. She was right, but took satisfaction in it. “You believe she is capable of Origin Magic?”

“She is Elysia the First, full name Elysia Athas. She doesn’t remember her first life, but that name alone is a lot of information.

Allison closed her eyes and pictured a vast city of white stone architecture. “You believe she is originally of the ancient Royal Family of Athas?”

Layla nodded. “I do.”

*****

Revision 12-6-2023