Doggone Academy

“Wake up.”

Cecil poked Bertang’s shoulder insistently.

Grimacing and annoyed, Bertang was slow to rise, having gone to bed late due to his turn at night watch.

“Ah… eh? Why…?”

“We need to move.”

“Ah… yawn, but the sun isn’t even up yet.”

“We’re getting closer to the lights we saw in the distance. Storm clouds are gathering too. The entrance area is all plains; there’s nowhere to take shelter from the rain.”

“Ugh… there’s no guarantee it’s plunderers. A barrier orb should keep out the rain. Can’t I sleep a bit more?”

“Don’t be foolish, if you set up a barrier orb, you can’t move from here. Do you want to stay like this forever? Besides, I heard Teina’s group was already plundered.”

At that, Bertang bolted upright, as if suddenly snapped awake.

“What, what did you say?”

“Just as I told you. Teina’s group has already had all their supplies stolen. Unless our group leader can block those plunderers, we might as well stay in bed.”

Rubbing his eyes, Bertang surveyed the camp. The other group members had already made their preparations to depart.

He could not argue anymore, seeing the faces of his group members, all wearing tired expressions—Marta, Cecil, and Trisha included.

Their group was vulnerable to plundering. They could put up a fight, sure, but standing their ground against determined combatants and mages would be futile. Marta was the only one with decent battle prowess. If they were looted of all their potions and magical artifacts, it would mean a treacherous journey ahead.

And Bertang was the weakest link in their group.

Having realized this, he quickly got up and gathered his blanket.

Marta grumbled.

“We really should have recruited someone good at brawling.”

Even during the entrance exams, they had faced the humiliation of being disbanded due to their weak combat power.

They had been fortunate to regroup then, but there was no guarantee they’d be lucky again.

Before the mood could sour further, Cecil quickly interjected.

“What can we do now that it’s come to this? Let’s move before it’s too late.”

With that, they readied themselves and began their march, though the lack of enthusiasm was palpable, as if they were prey being chased.

In particular, Trisha’s face seemed downcast.

Noticing this, Cecil matched Trisha’s pace and cautiously spoke up.

“Why so down?”

“Unnie…”

Trisha glanced at Cecil then discouragingly cast her eyes down again.

Cecil’s group was well-known to the others, and with Cecil’s rare magical artifact, they were a walking treasure trove to the plundering groups.

Cecil chuckled and reassuringly patted her back.

“Don’t worry too much. I promise you, we won’t get plundered. Unnie has got a plan.”

Marta, standing alongside, chimed in to boost morale.

“That’s right. With Cecil’s fox-like wits, there’ll be plenty of guys dripping saliva, racing to help if she asks.”

“…”

Trisha kept to herself, not revealing her true sentiments. To Cecil, it seemed Trisha was still preoccupied with Damian, whom she had once proposed to include in their group. She even suggested working with Damian’s group, Iris, but those plans had fallen through.

Did she believe their situation would have been different with Damian present?

Following from behind, group leader Bertang slipped into the conversation.

“Perhaps teaming up with another group might have been better. Although Elias couldn’t stay with us, his group might cooperate if we ask. Elias’s group has Victor, after all. They could easily fend off any plundering group.”

Victor Dmitri Barton was the prodigy churned out by the Clodinas Brotherhood, ranking third in combat upon enrollment.

While Trisha feigned a recovered spirit, she couldn’t hide her disappointment at their conversation.

Sensing her mood, Bertang added.

“Honestly, having one combat department member would’ve been nice. But just one wouldn’t be enough if we’re targeted by a determined group. We’d still be in the same plight, on the run?”

Even if Damian were here, it wouldn’t change a thing.

Bertang’s words were subtly directed at Damian, the person Trisha had suggested. She didn’t respond.

After they had moved on for some time and the following lights faded, they took a brief rest atop a small hill.

Cecil pulled Marta aside, behind a tree, to discuss the next step.

They both felt uneasy; being the hunted wasn’t a pleasant situation.

“We’ll have to head towards the danger zone, it seems.”

Marta replied with a heavy heart.

“Is there no other way…?”

Most of the plundering squads consisted of top-ranking students. It was only a matter of time before Cecil’s group was caught as a priority target.

The remaining option was to head toward the vicinity of the danger zone, a place everyone else avoided.

“Yeah.”

“Suddenly, I’m envious of Elias.”

Elias was also a long-time friend who usually stuck with them, but this time, he had no choice but to switch since Cecil’s group was full, and he had fortuitously teamed up with Victor.

Gazing at Marta, Cecil spoke.

“Should I bring someone?”

Even Victor, as formidable as he was, couldn’t fend off all plunderers. If an equally strong group organized a raid, even Victor might be overwhelmed.

Cecil knew of someone who would daunt even the most audacious plunderers.

That man was probably already making his way to the danger zone, brushing aside petty threats in search of the mightiest prey.

“Who?”

Cecil toyed with something in her pocket, her lips curling with a knowing smile.

***

As Luna walked on, she suddenly looked back.

“…What’s wrong?”

Behind them, there was nothing but rolling green hillocks.

“I’m not sure. It feels like something, or someone, is following us.”

“…Is it something the spirits told you?”

Luna shook her head. It was likely just intuition, but Luna’s intuition often bordered on precognition—that couldn’t be ignored.

If someone were following us…

Well, there’s one suspect.

Sion had a high probability of searching for me.

After I defeated her and then vanished, it wouldn’t be too surprising that she’s on edge.

While I hope she hasn’t figured out my location and started tracking me, the problem is that our trajectories might intersect.

The danger zone isn’t a place to be unconditionally avoided—only if ‘one’s abilities are insufficient.’

Sion, a figurehead of competitive spirit, wouldn’t veer away from such a place. Her desire to challenge the strongest would lead her right into it.

If Sion found me, there would be no running away. Using artifacts, she could run approximately three to four times faster than me. I may have easily escaped during the entrance exam, but now, running away simply wasn’t an option.

If it came down to a confrontation with her, there would be no choice but to fight, though I honestly wanted to avoid it.

If I brandished my cursed sword, we would end up in too big a conflict. Since I don’t know how to hold back, and Sion wouldn’t either, the fight likely wouldn’t end until a limb or two was severed.

Even fighting with a normal sword was unappealing, since I knew too well that I was no match for Sion. In a duel, swordsmanship and experience play a significant role, two things I lacked. With my unorthodox sword techniques, I would be at a disadvantage against a Swordmaster’s apprentice.

I’d rather not engage in a battle I’m set to lose.

But I despise losing just as much.

What am I to do? It’s unlikely a few candies would smooth things over.

Luna, observing my ponderings, cautiously asked.

“…What’s the matter?”

It seemed best to give Luna some prior warning.

“There might be someone coming after me.”

“…?”

“Sion might come looking for me. She probably won’t harm you, but just know her intentions are not friendly.”

Luna’s eyes widened slightly with intrigue.

“…Can you tell me more?”

Since Luna was in my group, there was no need to hide anything.

“She wants to fight me.”

“…”

“Sion’s really fast when it comes to running, escaping from her will be difficult. There’s no other option but to fight.”

“Damian… must have many sins.”

“…”

After a moment of hesitation, Luna asked.

“Would… fog work?”

“…Huh?”

“If it’s a magical fog, could we escape from Sion?”

“Fog?”

“I used to create fog to escape when I wanted to get away from familial meddling. With it… perhaps…”

Fog, huh? That actually sounded plausible. Given my familiarity with the Labyrinth and Sion’s insurmountable speed, crafting a strategy around sensory deprivation might work.

“Can you show me?”

“Yes.”

Luna took a deep breath, then softly chanted an incomprehensible incantation into the air.

Soon after, a spirit shaped like a horse, gleaming blue, emerged around her, trotting about like a wild stallion. As Luna swept her hand through the air, the number of spirits multiplied one by one.

In the trail of the spirits, a dense mist trailed behind like long tails.

The spirits enveloped us in a circular embrace, and as minutes passed, our surroundings were shrouded in a dense, white fog.

It was as if clouds had descended to the earth. Even Luna, just steps away, was now a blurred silhouette through the thick mist.

Luna’s shadowy figure asked from within the fog.

“…Is this enough? It won’t last long if the sun’s out.”

I made sweeping motions with my hand in the air. The density was so thick that my hand movements cut through it. The Magic Department’s top student had her reputation for a reason. I was left momentarily speechless by the sheer excellence.

If she could create a fog that rivals the intensity of the labyrinth, even if only for an instant, it would be incredibly useful for escaping.

“Fantastic. Luna, did you play a lot of hide and seek when you were young?”

“Only with spirits, not people…”

That’s sufficient.

***

Sion kicked at the extinguished ashes.

Signs of camping remained. Impressions in the ground suggested there had only been two. No recollection of a 2-member group meant they were surely acting secretly. The footprints led northwest.

Were they heading for the danger zone? Or just detouring?

There were hardly any clues to follow. Sion chewed on a piece of jerky as she tracked the footprints.

Suddenly, she noticed a soiled piece of cloth, caked in dust.

Sion picked it up for inspection.

From its texture, it seemed to have been someone’s clothing and, judging by the scorched edges, it appeared to have been set ablaze but was carried off by the wind before it could fully burn.

Who would have a reason to burn clothing? Hiding one’s identity was the only reason that came to mind.

“Could it be…?”

A thought flashed through her mind, and she brought the fabric to her nose.

The smell of soil and char, and within it, a faint scent of herbs.

It was the familiar scent she had detected from Candy.

It was evidence he had been conducting his practicum here. And with a new companion she hadn’t known.

A slight smile curled Sion’s lips.

With her extensive practical experience, she was a veteran at tracking. Hence, it was only a matter of time before she caught up with him again.

“…Finally got you.”