"Lady Sienna, no abnormal signatures were detected. This area appears to be all clear," a man said.
The aftermath of the previous incident with one of the esteemed professors plagued the officials of the board of Atlas Academy, causing chaos within the inner circles as the concern over the ambiguity became even stronger than before.
"Impressive." Sienna remarked as she inspected the soil thoroughly with her fingers, "Scour the area for any irregularities!"
"Yes!" The group of people exclaimed in unison.
Sienna planted her palm on the eroding soil to extract any possible forms of mana from within. "Same as before. We should've never brought that out here."
"Imprison it with the 'others'?" Winster said, the current headmaster of the Atlas Academy and also Sienna Dekra's husband. "It's only temporary measures until we wait for them. Plus, accidents happen all the time."
"It's a foolish decision to leave it solely in Eukla's hands," Sienna exclaimed, her voice laced with frustration. She shot her husband a skeptical look, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
Winster sighed, realizing the validity of Sienna's concerns. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I understand your reservations, but consider this: despite her past actions, Eukla possesses unique skills and knowledge that could be vital in this situation. We can't underestimate her abilities."
Sienna crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. "I'm well aware of her capabilities. I'm simply telling, add a few people guarding it. Such a simple task."
"I already did, but at a cost of a threat." Winster smiled, acknowledging his wife's valid points.
"According to Eukla's report, the entity has been showing signs of aggression at the start of the semester. It is postulated that it could be because of the new students, as it reacts with mana. Perhaps the influx of strong mana users in this batch triggered it. The timing of its behavior was too perfect; it burst out of its shackles before she could even begin the preparation for the transfer procedure. I've been voicing my opposition to bringing that abysmal thing here since the beginning, but your stubborn ears don't listen." Sienna exclaimed with her frustration evident on her creased forehead.
"Countermeasures are necessary, considering the likelihood of another entity of its kind appearing again. Similar cases have been observed in other kingdoms, such as the recent incident in the Yorsa kingdom. Therefore, it is imperative that we thoroughly study it," Winster explained.
Sienna maintained her silence, acknowledging her agreement. However, she couldn't shake off the underlying concern that the potential risks outweighed the benefits.
"Speaking of which, I just recently found out the kid was also related to the Maiveil Kingdom incident a few years ago."
"Claude?"
"Yes, that kid. What luck does he have? He must be the luckiest and unluckiest man alive..." Winster pondered for a few seconds before shaking his head, "... Nah, it's probably just an offset to those gals around him. Lucky bastard."
Sienna's eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and irritation. "Say what?" she questioned with a tone demanding an explanation.
With a mischievous smile, Winster waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, nothing, honey~♥"
Sienna tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on her husband's face. After a brief pause, she responded sternly, "Act your age for once." She accompanied her words with a gesture, pointing her index finger toward him, emphasizing her point.
"Ahem." Winster straightened his back. "Back to the matter at hand. About this—"
"Lady Sienna and Lord Winster, we've found it. And, um, I'd like to suggest holding our breath," a man interrupted.
"Show us the way," Winster replied, sternly.
The two followed the young man. Upon reaching their destination, the two were taken aback by the putrid odor emanating from behind the decaying wood. Having lived long enough to claim that they had witnessed and experienced all that the world had to offer, the ghastly stench of decomposing flesh somehow managed to turn their stomachs upside-down. Winster and Sienna struggled to suppress their nausea, but unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the rest of the group. Despite most of them attempting to hold their breath before approaching the area, they couldn't prevent themselves from succumbing to the urge to vomit.
"Where's the body?" Sienna asked.
"It's behind there, Lady," a man pointed out as he slowly stepped back due to the overwhelming smell.
The two had been called out here because the team they had sent to clear the place had found a corpse that had emerged out of nowhere after weeks of investigating the area.
Winster and Sienna stood side by side as they stared at the partially buried corpse within the tree's roots.
"God, this smell is so awful," Sienna remarked with a hand covering her nose in an attempt to block the unpleasant odor.
Winster nodded in agreement. "Holy..."
"Also, the decomposition has progressed to the point where the body is unrecognizable. All that remains are bones, and the skeletal structure doesn't resemble any known creature." As Winster finished speaking, Sienna's eyes widened, and she pointed to the area, gesturing towards scattered fragments of magic that surrounded the remains. Her hand moved in a sweeping motion.
"You're right, but it's too vague... What kind of magic is this? Hm..." Winster pondered, as his expression fell deep in thought.
Suddenly, Winster's frustration took over as he exclaimed, "God damn it! My nose is about to fall off!" He vigorously rubbed his nose, trying to alleviate the discomfort caused by the noxious odor.
Sienna took her time to contemplate the situation, her brows furrowed as she analyzed the evidence. After a good minute of thought, she finally concluded, "The body appears to be embedded within the roots of the tree. Judging by the bone structure, it is evident that this is of any creature we're aware of. Moreover, considering the level of decomposition, it seems relatively recent."
"Could this be...?" Winster questioned, as his tone was filled with suspicion.
Sienna nodded in agreement, sharing Winster's concern. "We should prioritize the safety of the town's residents. Let's relocate them to a secure location in the east while we figure out how to remove this threat from our midst. Additionally, it would be wise to reach out to the dwarves and elves, enlisting their assistance in examining the area for any potential contaminants."
Winster nodded and replied, "I'll make the necessary arrangements and contact the dwarves and elves promptly."
"Let me take a closer look," Sienna said, her curiosity piqued. She leaned in closer to the corpse, carefully examining the remains for any additional details or clues.
However, before Sienna could get too close to the corpse, Winster swiftly intervened, halting her. Concern was etched on his face, he urgently instructed her, "Wait... Slowly back away."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Sienna complied with Winster's directive, stepping back cautiously from the remains. She understood that there might be unforeseen dangers or risks associated with getting too close, and trusted Winster's judgment to prioritize their safety.
Sienna heard the urgency in his voice and cautiously peered at the ominous thing before them. Pure silence lingered, and tension filled the air, followed by the sound of a heartbeat reverberating in the air and a sense of bloodlust emanating from the corpse.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Sienna vigilantly clutched her scabbard, prepared for a possible battle. Meanwhile, Winster, as opposed to his wife, took a calculated approach, carefully assessing the situation. Just as Sienna was about to unsheath her sword, the harrowing sound of the heartbeat gradually diminished, gravely confusing the two.
Sienna surveyed the environment for any threats and immediately sensed the strange vibe surrounding them. "Something's off. Someone's here," she said.
Sienna looked to her right surreptitiously and suddenly drew out her sword, unleashing a powerful slash through the entire vicinity, cutting every tree in half. Lastly, she returned her gaze back to the corpse and swung her sword upward. Within seconds, the ground trembled as an immense surge of magic erupted from below, obliterating everything in its path.
Winster, who stood behind his wife with his arms crossed over his chest, watched as she obliterated the entire place. "Haaa... Hon." he said exasperatedly.
Shortly after Sienna backed away, Winster lifted his arm, directing Sienna's attention to the sky above. "The blast wind from your magic could endanger our own people," he warned.
Rather than responding, Sienna ignored him with her expression turning puzzled as she pondered whether she had imagined something or not. "Was that my imagination?" she questioned.
Winster's response was firm and resolute. "You're not imagining things," he replied.
The two looked into each other's eyes intently, trying to figure out who or what may have been present.