The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter

“Hello, Darling.”

I met Alice Carroll in her labyrinth, inside the Heart Queen’s audience chamber.

“What’s with the ‘Darling’ again…?”

“It’s just you and me here. No one to interrupt.”

I shot Alice a sharp look, though her face was as innocent as ever.

“So, what’s the matter? It’s been a while since you asked to see me alone.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

Alice was my minion.

She could not resist my will, harm me, or disobey my commands.

It made perfect sense to entrust this task to Alice.

“I have somewhere I need to go.”

“Where? Is it far?”

“The Nether. I’m not sure how far it is.”

Alice’s face suddenly froze.

She moved closer to me.

“Baby, what do you mean…?”

“Don’t get any weird ideas. It doesn’t mean I’m dying. There’s a way to go there.”

“Is that possible?”

I nodded and settled into one of the chairs scattered around.

“…Why would you go to such a place?”

“I have an absolute reason to go.”

I briefly explained it to Alice.

I explained that I needed to retrieve something from the Nether in order to defeat the Evil God.

“I see. So, when are you going…?”

Staring at the empty throne of the Heart Queen, I answered.

“Soon. I might even be gone while Vuel stirs up chaos over the Black Stone.”

Vuel, the final boss of「Act 9, Treacherous Heavenly Being Subjugation」in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.

While he wreaked havoc, I would be in the Nether.

I could cross into the Nether when the Netherstorm blew around the rift. Unfortunately, that happened to coincide with the day the Heavenly Clock was activated.

“You’d leave behind something crucial…”

“I’ll come back as soon as I can. I want to deal with Vuel myself. But while I’m gone, I’ll have to leave everything to you guys.”

“Have you told the others yet?”

I shook my head.

“I’m not going to tell them.”

Kaya practically worshiped me like a god, so she might respect my will.

But Luce and Dorothy would either try to prevent me from entering the Nether or insist on tagging along. Luce, especially, would be the most persistent.

Even though I felt guilty, I wanted to minimize any variables. That place was far too dangerous. No matter who I took with me, they’d only be walking into certain death. It would be difficult to keep myself alive, let alone someone else.

So, once I left for the Nether, I’d have Alice pass on my message to the others.

“The others will be sad.”

“I want to minimize variables. Honestly, I don’t have the emotional capacity for this right now.”

“Surely, you’ll take me with you at least…?”

“No.”

Alice’s gaze fell to the floor.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Prepare for the possibility that I might not return, and be ready to fight Vuel with everything you’ve got. And…”

I gave her several instructions, but Alice remained silent.

“…I’m counting on you.”

With that, I rose from my seat and began to walk away.

***It was a very clear day.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the light of the moon was shining brightly.

I was grateful the weather wasn’t dreary. A gloomy sky would’ve only dampened my mood.

“All set?”

When I reached the top floor of the Hegel Tower, Aria was there to greet me at the entrance.

The night was deep. The duel evaluation was over, and it was now time to prepare for the final exams.

Today, the Netherstorm was going to hit.

Tracking the approaching Netherstorm wasn’t hard, so gauging when it would sweep over the rift became easier as the moment drew nearer.

“Yes.”

The lab door opened, and Aria’s dimly lit study came into view.

The room was bathed in blue moonlight, filtering in through the glass ceiling.

We entered the lab together.

“…Hmm?”

We quickly stopped in our tracks.

A girl with rose-gold hair was standing quietly in the midst of the pouring moonlight. The morpho butterfly ornament in her hair, glistening in the light, was especially eye-catching.

Her lifeless eyes stared coldly at me. Eyes as empty as a doll’s.

“You’re here?”

It was Luce Eltania.

[Luce Eltania]

Lv: 175

Race: Human

Element: Water, Lightning

Danger: ?■?

“Teacher, what is Luce doing here…?”

I had already seen her through [Clairvoyance], but I pretended not to know.

“It couldn’t be helped.”

Aria sighed.

“It’s obvious that ungrateful girl is more powerful than I am. The best I could do was to prevent her from doing more damage. Isaac, you need to deal with your own mess.”

Luce was a genius among geniuses from the Empire’s finest academy. Even Aria stood little chance against her.

I looked around.

This was a spacious circular library, and Aria usually kept it impeccably organized.

But now, it was in disarray. Evidence that there had been a power struggle between Luce and Aria.

The Magic Tower had taken no steps to intervene, likely on Aria’s orders. She knew I’d come and tried to prevent things from escalating further.

That’s a relief.

It was a wise decision.

Today was the day I went to the Nether, causing any sort of commotion was something I had to avoid at all costs.

I left Aria behind and walked away, stopping at a distance from Luce.

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t pretend not to know.”

Luce’s voice seeped into the moonlight, producing a beautiful resonance.

“Where do you intend to go?”

Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, yet clear and calm.

The danger level ‘?■?’ was unique to Luce in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.

It was a sign of the bad ending「Bird Cage」caused by overwhelming affection, possessiveness, and an intense protective instinct to keep her loved one by her side forever.

I could read Luce’s psychology. She didn’t want me to be in danger and was determined to protect me, even at the cost of her life. Her firm resolve was clear in her eyes.

I lowered my head and took off my glasses.

This is exactly why I hadn’t wanted to say anything.

I tucked my glasses into my pocket and looked at Luce again.

I naturally held a smile.

“I’m going to the Nether.”

Luce’s eyes trembled.

“How could a living person even get there?”

“I’ve already found a way, silly. Soon, an opportunity to go to the Nether will come.”

“That’s… fine, I get that you’re an Archwizard, so maybe you’ll figure it out. But it’s still a dangerous place. Why would you want to go there?”

“Obviously, I have my own reasons for going. I told you before, right? The Evil God will revive soon, you know? To beat her, I need to retrieve something from the Nether.”

“You never mentioned going to the Nether.”

“Because I knew you’d act like this.”

Luce’s expression gradually turned sadder.

“Isaac…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely come back.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear. Why… why do you always try to walk away from me? I don’t care that you’re an Archwizard, the Ice Sovereign, or the pinnacle of humanity… I just want you to stay by my side. That’s all I’ve ever wanted… Isaac, take me with you too…”

“It’s a dangerous place. That’s why I need you to handle something else.”

“No! If anything happens to you, I won’t be able to handle it!”

This was the first time Luce had ever let out such intense emotions since meeting me in this world.

“I like—no—love you, Isaac! I really do! So, if you’re going to fight the Evil God, find another way, or at least take me with you… I’ll definitely be helpful…! I’d rather die than see you in danger…!”

Since losing her brother Hansel and the Candy House Witch, Luce had locked her heart away.

Then she met me, and I was the only one she opened her heart to.

Knowing she couldn’t bear to relive the pain of losing Hansel and the Candy House Witch, she clung to me with an almost obsessive desperation.

I understood. And I was grateful for it.

“Luce.”

But…

“Step aside.”

This was different.

Luce flinched at my firm answer.

I had nothing more to say.

If there was anyone worth taking, I would have gladly brought them along. But there wasn’t a single soul on earth who could aid me on this journey into the Nether.

If I were just dealing with the spirits wandering the Nether, that’d be one thing, but I have to get past the Nether King.

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I could keep myself alive against the Nether King.

That was why I had to focus solely on my own survival.

Luce’s voice halted for a moment. A torrent of emotions swirled through her blue eyes, creating a violet spark.

“I don’t care what you say. Even if I have to force my way, I’m coming with you. I won’t let you face that danger alone…”

“Are you going to fight me?”

“…!”

In an instant, I was by Luce’s side, placing my hand on her shoulder.

Gerald Astrea’s footwork technique, Shadow Step.

Luce couldn’t track my movement with her eyes.

“You can’t beat me. You know that.”

I recalled the duel evaluation we had awhile ago.

Märchen Academy had gone so far as to prepare a spacious outdoor arena, knowing our duel would be on a scale beyond imagination.

The rumors spread far and wide. Even students from other grades and departments came to watch me and Luce duel.

— Isaac from Class A vs. Luce Eltania from Class A! Ready, begin the duel!

The moment the duel started, Luce called forth the Thunderbird - Galia, while I summoned the Frost Dragon - Hilde.

The two familiars soared into the sky, unleashing enormous mana as ice clashed with lightning.

Since I had agreed beforehand to match Luce’s level, I focused on testing my combat sense.

After an intense battle, I defeated Luce and claimed victory.

I, who had grown strong by learning the ways of the weak, and Luce, who had been born with genius talent and had always been strong.

There was a gap between our combat instincts that was difficult to bridge.

“Even so, if you plan to raise your mana, I won’t hold back, even against you.”

I let a faint stream of ice mana flow into my hand and warned her softly.

Luce wasn’t reckless enough to ignore the gap in strength and launch an attack.

She must have clearly realized how stark the difference in mana density between us was.

“Isaac, please.”

Tears welled up in Luce’s eyes.

“Please, stop going to dangerous places alone…”

I withdrew my mana and wrapped my arms around Luce, pulling her into my embrace.

Luce’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I’ll be back. Trust me, alright? You know what I’m capable of. I’m counting on you to hold things down here.”

I chuckled softly, running a hand through Luce’s silky hair.

She truly was such a lovely and adorable girl.

Rustle.

From my other hand, stretched behind Luce, crimson mana flowed out, transforming into a sword.

It was the Vorpal Sword. Strange energy wafted from the blade.

“Isaac…?”

Luce’s eyelids fluttered shut, and her body slackened. In moments, she was fast asleep.

I carefully laid Luce down on the floor.

“That…?”

Aria looked visibly surprised.

Since I wasn’t the owner of the Vorpal Sword, I couldn’t draw out its full power.

But I could still use its ability to put people to sleep. I had tested that before.

“It’s just like Baby said. I didn’t expect her to show up.”

“…And you?”

A female student walked into the lab. Aria glared at her cautiously.

The owner of the Vorpal Sword. My familiar who had been watching the situation unfold, Alice Carroll.

“Hello, Tower Master. I’m Alice Carroll, a third-year student of the Magic Department at Märchen Academy.”

Alice greeted Aria with her characteristic gentle smile.

“Alice.”

With a flick of my wrist, I tossed the Vorpal Sword towards Alice.

The Vorpal Sword transformed into crimson mana in midair and absorbed back into her body.

“Thanks for lending it. It came in handy.”

“No need for thanks. After all, it was for my baby.”

Alice responded playfully, then approached me, crouched down with her knees together, and gazed intently at Luce.

“Sweet dreams.”

Alice poked Luce’s soft cheeks. Luce only let out gentle breaths.

“Isaac… did you already know this would happen?”

Aria glared at me with sharp, piercing eyes.

Her question was inevitable. I met Aria’s gaze and gave a nod.

“Yes. And also, I’m sorry for secretly bringing Alice here without permission. But she’s my familiar, so you can trust her.”

“I know that, but still…”

Aria seemed surprised, clearly not expecting that I had borrowed the Vorpal Sword.

“Let’s go.”

Once Luce was carefully laid on the bed in the office, we unlocked the secret passage and ventured into the hidden lab.

Alice looked at the rift in awe.

“So this is the rift to the Nether…”

“Alice, I’m leaving everything in your hands while I’m away. That includes Luce.”

“…As you wish. Leave your concubines to me.”

She really just called them concubines, huh…?

Just as I was about to say something, Aria checked the observation tools and spoke up.

“Isaac, the Netherstorm is about to hit. I’ll lift the barrier, so get ready.”

The reality of it all started to sink in.

Now the time had truly come.

I stood before the barrier surrounding the rift.

“The first challenge is withstanding the Netherstorm. Reinforce your entire body with protective magic, or you’ll be shredded to pieces.”

“Understood.”

I’d have to endure the powerful storm infused with natural mana to safely reach the Netherworld.

It was doable.

I pulled out the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf from my magic pouch, draped it over my shoulders, and fastened the clasp. It was armor I’d obtained back in Düpendorf.

“So you’re wearing the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf. But Baby, are you really going to go in your school uniform?”

“Yeah. I’m most comfortable in these clothes.”

The Märchen Academy uniform. I liked it.

If I was wearing this uniform, maybe Round 1 Dorothy would recognize me.

“I see…”

Suddenly, Alice came over and hugged me.

“…Alice?”

As if wanting to feel my warmth more fully, she held me tighter.

At last, she pulled away from my embrace and gave me a soft smile.

“Come back safely.”

I couldn’t read Alice’s psychology.

However, it was clear she was worried about me.

I nodded.

Releasing the barrier in three, two, one…”

Swoosh.

As the barrier surrounding the rift unraveled, a warm yet gentle breeze blew through.

The ripples of the Netherstorm had made their way here.

Aria and I reached out toward the rift, pouring out our mana.

Gradually, the rift began to widen. The Netherstorm made it easier as it loosened the rift.

I can feel it.

Even if I transformed my body into an elemental state, I couldn’t force my way through the rift.

But now, I could clearly sense it. The mysterious gap beyond the rift was slowly opening.

I was certain I could cross over.

“As I’ve said before, we still don’t know how you’ll return. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.”

“Understood.”

Round 1 Dorothy said that only at the Icy Lake would the conditions be right to face the Evil God.

If I couldn’t return, all would be for naught, so there must be a way back.

“Hoo.”

A powerful fear surged like a tide within me. I took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress it.

There was no turning back now.

Standing close to the rift, the Cloak of the Radiant Wolf billowed in the Nether’s wind.

I turned back one last time to look at Aria and Alice.

Aria looked at me with an expressionless face, while Alice gave a gentle smile.

I gave them the brightest smile I could muster.

“I’ll be back.”

With that, I let myself fall back.

My body was pulled into the rift.

[Status]

Name: Isaac

Lv: 180

Gender: Male

Year: 2nd

Title: Ice Sovereign

Mana: 699300 / 701300