“That’s impossible!”

Yet there were those who grasped this self-evident truth only in hindsight. Out of sheer stupidity. Or perhaps because they were too intoxicated by the Academy’s authority.

Erika was someone who fell into both categories.

“Dragons are coming? That can’t be right. You’re lying, aren’t you? Something like this… something like this could never just happen out of nowhere.”

“But it is the truth, Ms. Erika. The Magic Field has already confirmed it. Previously, the readings were detected at such extreme distances that we dismissed them as mere anomalies… but that wasn’t the case. We simply realized it too late.”

“It’ll be an error this time too! Won’t it? The world couldn’t just collapse so suddenly…”

“But the elves reached the very same conclusion. That the dragons’ movements are overwhelmingly hostile. A year ago, every elf remaining in the Empire returned to their own lands. Only now have they told us why.”

“But—”

“Ms. Erika.”

The professor cut her off mid-sentence, his voice thick with desperation. Tears were on the verge of spilling from his eyes as well.

“It’s already been confirmed. The dragons are coming. Truly… humanity’s greatest crisis is upon us.”

“…”

Humanity’s greatest crisis. Compared to the reality of the situation, it was an extraordinarily sanitized expression. He probably could have added one more phrase.

That this was the harbinger of humanity’s extinction.

Erika, perhaps finally accepting all the facts, fell silent for a long while. Then, in a voice grown profoundly bleak, she spoke.

“So?”

“Pardon?”

“So what’s the plan?”

Erika wasn’t a complete fool, so she processed the situation with remarkable speed. But that didn’t mean she had regained her composure.

“Is there an evacuation plan? Hiding in the underground shelters… or relocating to another land the dragons can’t reach? Surely there must be some kind of plan, right?”

“As a matter of fact, I was just about to address that.”

The professor nodded with a troubled expression at her words. Judging by his less-than-reassuring face, the countermeasure wasn’t particularly promising.

“As the Imperial Spokesperson stated earlier, the Empire is doing everything in its power to resolve this situation. But it will take some time. So…”

“…”

“So all of you should wait safely here at the Academy until measures are in place.”

“What did you just say?”

This time, it wasn’t just Erika—several other students rose in protest as well. The word “measures” was far too vague to accept blindly.

“And when exactly will these ‘measures’ be ready? Is there a timeline?”

“There’s no set timeline, but still—”

“Is this the Academy’s official position? Is it really?”

“For now, yes. So please, everyone—”

“And this is an island! If something happens, we’ll be trapped here with no way out! And you’re telling us to wait?”

“That’s…”

“You have no right to do this. I need to leave. I’m going to the Capital, right now!”

“Please, everyone, calm down!”

Amid the erupting shouts, the professor shouted with all his might. Then, with trembling lips, he spoke.

“Please, everyone, calm down! Do you think it’ll be safer out there? No. It’ll be far more dangerous. After an announcement like that from the Imperial Spokesperson, do you think the outside world is still functioning? Riots may have already broken out. Or rebellion. Perhaps something even worse!”

“But we don’t know that—”

“Please wake up, Ms. Erika! You still don’t understand how the world works. You can’t even imagine what those ‘good, law-abiding citizens’ will do when crisis strikes. You want to leave this island and head for the Capital? Even if you manage to find a boat and reach the mainland, the journey to the Capital is long. The trains will already be at full capacity, and every other means of transportation will have been paralyzed for ages. If you somehow manage to find a carriage out of desperation, you might be kidnapped and raped by a coachman who has abandoned all hope!”

The professor’s final words were enough to silence the entire classroom. He looked around at us with an expression overflowing with guilt.

“But at least here at the Academy, order still holds. There are adults here who will protect you. So please, trust us and wait inside. All right?”

“…”

“Please, everyone. Trust the Academy. I’m begging you.”

No clear answer came. The classroom remained as silent as the grave. Only after a long pause did Erika pose another question.

“…Then how do we handle meals? Is there enough food?”

Her tone carried a hint of resignation. The professor breathed a sigh of relief at her words, as though granted salvation.

“Thank you, Ms. Erika. I appreciate that you seem to understand. Food supplies are already sufficient. But just in case, I’ve requested relief supplies. They should arrive here within a month.”

“Then how will we travel once the measures are in place? The boats are too small for everyone to evacuate.”

“I’ve received firm assurances that the Empire will provide for that as well. You can rest easy.”

“What about other essentials besides food? What we received last time is running low…”

“Um… please, one at a time…”

“Can we know exactly how the situation is unfolding? You’re still sharing information with the mainland, right?”

“What about our families? When will we be able to see them?”

“That’s…”

Once again, questions rained in from all directions. Students raised their voices toward the professor, each armed with their own concerns, and the professor somehow produced a hopeful answer for every single one. Listening only to him, one might have thought surviving this crisis would be a trivial matter.

But I had no questions for him, so I stared blankly out the window. That was why I was the only one in the classroom who witnessed the sight.

“…”

Beyond the window, in the remote shadows of the Academy grounds, several figures were hurrying about. Though their faces weren’t visible, they were definitely not wearing school uniforms, and most carried heavy backpacks. Armed escorts trailed alongside them.

Wherever they were headed, one thing was clear: they were consumed by anxiety. One of them, unable to contain his unease, kept glancing back over his shoulder. When his face finally came into view, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

Though the distance was great, his face was unmistakable. No—precisely because of the distance, I could be all the more certain. He was a high-ranking professor who always stood at the Headmaster’s side, delivering speeches from the far end of the student body. His presence there meant one thing.

The professors were abandoning the Academy.

Of course, not all of them. There had to be those like the man standing before us, brimming with a sense of duty. But some among the faculty lacked that dedication, and so they were leaving.

Or perhaps those fleeing had received more specific intelligence from the Empire. Maybe they’d concluded that staying here was hopeless and decided to flee, bringing along guards in case of emergency.

Either way, the conclusion was clear. Contrary to what the professor claimed, the Academy’s order was already crumbling. And the adults who were supposed to protect us would gradually disappear.

How would the students react when they found out?

This time, I turned my gaze toward the students. Many were still firing off questions desperately, clinging to hope. But some asked nothing at all, wearing either enlightened smiles or the expressions of cornered rats. Those who wore such expressions often betrayed a madness beyond anyone’s imagination.

When that moment came, it would already be too late.

“…”

When I glanced back one last time, Saya’s face caught my eye. She, too, had been studying the people around her. A vague feeling crossed my mind that she had probably reached the same conclusion I had.

“…”

For no particular reason, Saya and I stared at each other blankly. There was no deeper meaning. I simply wanted to look. Saya gazed back at me just as wordlessly.

Then, for the first time today, she gave a slow nod.

To me, it felt like a signal.

“All right, everyone listen to me. I’m speaking as your Student Council President. The Academy has already put all measures in place and is doing everything in its power for us. So we need to trust them and follow their lead. This is a time to stand together. If we trust the Academy and follow their guidance…”

Scrape.

At some point, Erika had stepped forward and launched into a speech. But I didn’t even stay to hear the end of it. I rose and strode purposefully toward the lockers.

“…Lope? What are you doing?”

An irritated voice reached my ears, but I paid it no mind. Without stopping, I approached the display case beside the lockers. Inside the absurdly large, empty glass case stood a single sword, worn from use.

“Lope! I asked what you’re doing!”

It would have been nice to simply take it, but unfortunately, a lock secured the case. And the key was with the professor in charge. It seemed I’d have to force it open.

“Lope!”

At that moment, Erika grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. She fixed me with a fearsome glare.

“Where do you think you’re going? I’m in the middle of speaking.”

“I know.”

“You’re unbelievable… whatever. Sit down. As of this moment, I will not tolerate any impulsive behavior.”

Without bothering to ask for an explanation, Erika pointed toward my seat as if I were a nuisance. But I didn’t move an inch.

“Don’t worry about me, Erika. I’ll go my own way.”

“What? You arrogant little—”

“I’m just grabbing my things and leaving.”

“I said stop!”

Unable to contain herself any longer, Erika raised her hand. From the buzzing sound around her, she appeared to be chanting a spell.

But casting magic at point-blank range was fatally reckless.

“…!”

Before she could finish her chant, I seized her hand and bent her fingers backward. I merely interlocked our fingers and twisted slightly off-center, but a scream erupted in an instant.

“Aaaaaah!”

“…Ah.”

In that moment, I involuntarily loosened my grip. The sensation of flesh being crushed within my hand sent a chill down my spine, eerie beyond description.

“Ah… ngh… sob…”

“Sorry. But it looked like you were about to use magic.”

“H-How dare you do something like this…”

Erika, shocked by even that small pain, was on the verge of tears as she seethed. But I was just as shocked.

The Academy’s Student Council President was crying in front of me. The very person before whom I had bowed my head in supplication just this morning was now trembling, shoulders quivering. She even flinched and stepped back when I raised my hand.

It was a thoroughly surreal sight. Honestly, I still felt as though Academy guards might burst in at any moment and drag me off to the disciplinary office. But the realization that this would absolutely never happen forced its way into my mind. It brought with it a certain sense of liberation.

And even a hint of euphoria.

But I couldn’t simply lose myself in that sensation forever.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave for the day.”

With those words, I raised my elbow and struck the edge of the glass with all my strength.

“Kyaaah!”

The glass shattered with a satisfying crack, sending fragments of everyday life scattering in every direction. Amid Erika’s screams, I reached into the broken reality and retrieved what lay inside.

“Huu…”

As the familiar sensation wrapped around my hand, my mind steadied, if only for a moment. In a situation like this, the weight of a solid sword supported my unsteady mind.

In that state, I surveyed the classroom. Erika was still glaring at me, seething. Roselia wore an expression of faint awe. Saya had vanished from her seat at some point and was nowhere to be seen.

And finally, Lena…

“…”

“…”

Lena wore an expression I had never seen before. Even that first time I had gotten angry at her as a child, her face hadn’t looked like that. The shock of her expression back then had been so great that I once swore to myself never to raise my voice at Lena again.

What was Lena thinking right now? Was she shocked by my actions? Or was she vaguely guessing at the reason? Lena was a clever girl, so I figured the latter was more likely. That was why I sent her a silent message.

“…”

But once again, her reaction was the same as always.

Lena turned away from me as if facing a complete stranger.

In that moment, our fates were sealed.

I turned on my heel and walked out of the classroom. This time, no one tried to stop me. It was what I wanted, so I didn’t look back either. A month, perhaps. After that, this Academy would be twisted into something wretched.

But my expectations were horribly, catastrophically wrong.

It didn’t even take a month for this cramped little society to descend into depravity.