Iron Blood Swordsman / Difficulty [★★★★★]
-This student has excelled in solving all the problems presented by the House.
House Lord Hugo Le Baskerville ㊞
Baskerville's certificate of quest completion surprised everyone at the Four Academies.
Vice Director Basilios of Varangian, Headmaster Hippolyte of Themiscyra, Master Blue Whale of Magic Tower, and even Professor Banshee of Colosseo were speechless.
"How long has it been since the Iron-Blooded Swordsman gave a passing certificate?"
"Hmmmm... if this is real."
"Since the Baskerville family is so closed-minded, I have my doubts. Hehehe-"
Basilios, Hippolyte, and Blue Whale looked at the letter again and again in disbelief.
Then.
…Tap!
There was a hand that snatched it away with a cold look.
It was Professor Banshee.
"Are you doubting my student?"
The other representatives smirked at the openly displeased Professor Banshee.
Meanwhile, Professor Banshee looked back at Vikir in front of him and spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"You probably know that you are the last to return out of the 10 rankers, right?"
"Yes."
Vikir nodded obediently.
Strange, a considerable amount of time had passed since Vikir had emerged from the Grave of Swords.
There was something in there that seemed to distort the flow of time.
'I couldn't even tell if CaneCorso was on the top floor of the tower. Maybe there's something else up there.'
Professor Banshee continued to be sarcastic while Vikir's mind wandered.
"Still, you're good at answering questions."
"Thank you."
"Do I appear to be giving you a compliment?"
"Sorry."
When Vikir gave the answer he needed, Professor Banshee's brow furrowed.
"Vikir-kun, your late return has pushed back the artifact ceremony by ten days. In the meantime, Baskerville hasn't heard from you, and we've been meaning to report you missing. Did you know?"
"The mission was so urgent that I didn't have time to contact them along the way."
"And what was the mission?"
Professor Banshee asked, and Vikir answered obediently.
"To retrieve a Wraith Tree."
At that, the expressions of all four Academy representatives changed drastically.
"Wha, a Wraith Tree?"
"Nonsense, such a thing doesn't exist."
"Hehehehehe – that's a funny joke."
Basilios, Hippolyte, and Blue Whale dismissed Vikir's answer as nothing more than a joke.
But only Professor Banshee remained silent, his expression hardened.
He knew Vikir's character.
Then, in a stern tone, Professor Banshee asked.
"When you speak of the Wraith Tree, do you mean the mythical tree... of Tzersi, the greatest Morg, and Ornati, the greatest Baskerville?"
"Yes."
"And the ...Baskervilles have commissioned you to retrieve it?"
"Yes."
"...So. You mean you succeeded in retrieving it?"
"I can't answer that."
Vikir did not answer. He merely glanced back at the certificate, which bore the seal of Baskerville.
And as Vikir's gaze shifted and returned, so did the gaze of the schoolmasters.
And then. Professor Banshee shook his head.
"I don't know what it is. We'll talk about this later. First of all, congratulations on completing the quest."
The brief meeting with the principals ended.
And then.
All ten students, including Vikir, the last to return, have gathered.
They are now on their way to the warehouse where many of the artifacts are stored, beyond a gate that can only be opened by collecting all four keys.
The Tower Master, Blue Whale, smirked.
"You have one day to get out of the warehouse, or the gate will close and never open again. We won't be able to open the door until the next competition, so be sure to follow the time limit strictly."
Then, in a playful tone, he added.
"Oh, and by the way, don't worry about the skeletons you see as soon as you step through the gate. They are the remains of those who failed to pick up an artifact in time to leave the warehouse."
It was somehow a creepy joke.
* * *
All ten students walked through the gate in front of the students from all four schools.
And exactly 23 hours later, nine students emerged from the warehouse.
All of them having been chosen by the artifact.
This was quite unusual, given that there are always one or two students in every tournament who, despite being ranked in the top ten, come up empty-handed, having not been chosen by any artifact.
Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca also gathered at the gate, waiting for their friend.
"Wow! He's out! It's here!"
"Sinclair! Over here!"
"Oooh! Looks like you picked an artifact! Congratulations Sinclair!"
"See, I told you you could do it!"
A tired but cheerful Sinclair stepped out of the gate and waved to everyone.
Afterward, each student stepped out of the gate to report which artifact they had been chosen for, and which artifact they had chosen.
First up was Dolores.
Dolores was the first to step out, holding a small mirror in her arms that she could hug.
"My artifact is the Mirror of Truth. It is said to show the bare face behind the mask of the person it reflects, but only for those within its reach."
As she spoke, she lifted the mirror and glanced at Lovegood's face as he stood beside her.
In the mirror, she saw Lovegood's makeup-free face.
"Gah! What are you doing, you! I've just finished putting on my makeup!"
"Why, you look beautiful!"
Lovegood hastily turns away from the mirror. Dolores watched and laughed.
She was next.
The student council president of Themiscyra and the newly formed leader of the Vikir fan club, she exclaimed in an ambitious voice.
"The artifact I got is called the 'Shield of Love' – it's a hairpin with a heart-shaped brooch on it, and it's said that when you wear it, it'll stop any kind of powerful brainwashing or mind control magic for once – but it only works if you have someone you truly love by your side!"
At first glance, the artifact didn't sound too good.
Usually, the artifacts that other students got were semi-permanent, while this one had a limited use.
But for some reason, Lovegood seemed quite satisfied.
"What are you going to use it for?"
"Shit, never mind!"
Dolores and Lovegood, who had become quite close by now, are having a bickering conversation.
Then.
"Hahahahaha!"
With a delightful laugh, Bakiraga pulled out an artifact.
It was a giant glove made of an unidentified metal.
"It's a gauntlet that increases your strength. It's called the 'Magic King's Hand,' and it was worn by a legendary warrior named the Magic King who lived in another dimension a long time ago."
"Similar to me. I got a staff that increases mana. It is said that a very small amount of 'pink dragon scales' were contained. Is there a dragon like that in the first place...?"
Hohenheim nodded in agreement with Bakiraga's words.
Next up were the three brothers, Highbro, Midbro, and Lowbro.
"We got the triplet swords that are said to be stronger when united. It's called the Three Swords."
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
They held out three swords that looked identical but were slightly different.
Strangely, they say, the power of all three is increased when they are wielded together.
The trio, called the Trident of Baskerville, had been chosen first by the artifacts, and they seemed quite proud of that.
Then.
"...I'm the only one who knows what this is."
A sullen voice said.
Grenouille. The guy walked out looking somewhat downcast.
In his hand was a small brooch in the shape of a lip.
"This artifact is called the 'Righteous Lips.' It's said to tell you the truth, no matter what question you ask, but it only answers with 'yes' and 'no,' and you can only use it once in your entire life...."
Then. A hand tapped Grenouille on the shoulder.
"Why, I think it's a very good artifact."
It was Sinclair.
"Sometimes I have a lot of doubts about whether I am living well. I think it would be a good idea to ask at that time."
"...Tsk, why do you have such doubts? I'm always living well, you're supposed to be proud of yourself!"
But despite Sinclair grumbling, Grenouille felt much better inside.
Finally, Sinclair reported her artifact.
"The artifact that chose me is the Money Hat, which is a hat that make your magic power becomes stronger the more you spend money on it."
It was a strange-looking black hat, like something only witches would wear.
With a worn brim and a missing tooth it looked sinister and far from wealthy.
Everyone around her felt sorry for her.
Sinclair is probably the most poor student in the Colosseo.
It was already widely rumored that while most students were supported by their parents for living expenses and tuition, she was paying for everything from tuition to living expenses with a part-time job.
To be chosen for such an expensive artifact in such a situation was nothing short of the grain of sand.
But Sinclair remained cheerful.
"Hehe- money is power in this world. I'll have to make a lot of money to afford this hat."
Sinclair just smiles, as usual.
* * *
Time passes as other students come out one by one to register their artifacts.
And then. The hands of the clock have come full circle.
Time has passed since Sinclair, the ninth student to come forward and report the artifact.
And now the clock is ticking down to the end. There was less than a minute left before the gates closed.
But there was still one student who hadn't come out.
Vikir.
The students of all the academies have gathered here, waiting for this one unreturned student.
Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, Sinclair, Bianca, and all the other students mutter anxiously.
"Vikir... what are you doing, why aren't you coming out!"
"It's bad, time is running out."
"Now it's seconds! oh my god!"
"Don't worry, he'll come out at the last minute."
"He loves to play the main character, and he was the last one to show up for the second test."
Everyone was looking at the gate, unable to hide their anxiety and nervousness.
... But.
No one came out of the gate after all.
Spot!
The gate's duration was up.
It closed in vain.
"...?"
Everyone who was watching this suddenly swallowed the wind.
Stunned faces. Expressions of disbelief.
It was Professor Banshee who screamed first.
"Open, open! Open the gate! One of my students hasn't gotten out yet!"
But it was impossible.
The rule of the four academies is that the gates are only opened once a year, when everyone is present, and only for 24 hours.
It was a system that had been in place for a very long time, and it wasn't something that the deans could open at will.
In the first place, the warehouse and the portal itself are independent parts, and it is impossible for mages in this world to control it other than maintaining and repairing it.
Knowing this, the other Deans could only shake their heads with solemn, gloomy expressions.
Though extremely rare, it is not completely unknown.
There are those who are so greedy for so many artifacts that they cannot choose between it and let the time limit pass.
When the gates are opened the following year, they are found to be nothing but skeletons at the entrance.
Such is the price of greed.
"Oh, no...."
Tudor approached the gate.
Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca stood beside him, also looking bewildered.
"W-what happened now?"
"Vikir couldn't get out? Really?"
"Is the gate closed? Can't we get this thing open again?"
When entering the gate, the only things you can take with you are inanimate objects like clothes and shoes.
Everything else, except your own body, is burned when you go through the gate.
So there's no point in bringing food or water along.
This means that those trapped in the warehouse can only starve to death from loneliness and hunger.
"No, Vikir!"
Lovegood and the rest of the fan club cry out.
But no matter how desperate they are, the gate is already closed.
"...."
Dolores stares at the gate in disbelief.
'You're lying, right? In fact, you were there before me, right?'
But looking around, there was no sign of it.
Vikir is trapped in there. He can't get out now.
Dolores could only stand there in disbelief.
It seems like time around her has stopped.
A feeling as if her heart had dropped all the way to the bottom of her ribs and stopped there.
Her eyes were blurry and her legs were trying to give out.
Dolores opens her mouth to speak, dumbfounded by this confusing sensation she doesn't recognize.
…Puck!
An unfamiliar sound came from somewhere.
It sounded like a sword tearing through very thick leather.
"...What!?"
The expression of the Tower Master, White Beard Blue Whale, changed drastically.
Dzzzzzzzzzz.
The barrier was being torn apart.
And a face is slowly revealed through the cracks.
"Sorry, sir. I'm a little late."
It was Vikir, still looking nonchalant.