Descending Into A Novel-Chapter 65:Return To The Academy

Raymond felt speechless, and Ellen seemed to be the same.

Wasn’t this too much?

Two is company and three is a crowd. What was four supposed to be?

"So...just to reiterate. You aren’t planning on betraying humanity or anything right?"

Their conversation had turned a lot more casual now when Lucy realized that they weren’t evil. Their probing questions letting her discern that they were ’good guys.’ with good intentions but some false intel.

"No plans whatsoever. Are you two going to take Ashfield away?"

"No, we were just suspicious since...ah never mind."

Raymond honestly felt quite bad now. The adrenaline from the action had run its course. Leaving only a bit of shame behind.

Just a tiny bit.

Apologizing, he said. " Sorry for this whole kidnapping thing. You two were quite suspicious so we just wanted to make sure. Won’t happen again."

"I see...but who are you two really? You don’t seem like you’re from any families. Definitely not a demon organization either. Government?"

Raymond shook his head, "We’re the saviors of humanity."

Putting his gloved hand onto her forehead, he casted a spell. Lucy let out a small yelp at his cold touch. Recognizing that he was about to cast more memory magic.

"Wait! Are you sure this is safe?! What if i-

She paused mid sentence, her body going limp as Raymond erased the last two hours of memory from her head.

Once he was done with that he cast the same spell he used on Cador to make her fall asleep. Her mouth slightly opened as she slept like a baby.

Looking at Ellen, he sighed as they made eye contact. Understanding the words contained in her gaze. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Fine, I’ll clean up. But make sure you buy me some ice cream after this."

She grinned, patting him on the back.

"You’re the one with the most points. Buy it yourself."

***

It was a long ride back to the capital.

Raymond’s memory erasing spell didn’t seem to show any side effects yet. Lucy simply complained of a headache that she had, while Cador remained as quiet as usual.

A few times, Raymond could catch Cador staring at him or Ellen. A confused expression on him as he tried his hardest to remember a memory that no longer existed.

Considering that Raymond and Ellen were in disguise at the time, he chalked it up to his sense of smell as a wolf being able to recognize their scents.

He could swear that instructor Juliet seemed to stare at him and Ellen a bit too much as well.

She had practically been missing for the entire mission. Raymond wondered how she was even selected to be their guard. Was everyone else just busy that she was the only option?

Setting foot off the train and onto the platform, Raymond stretched his back. A sense of relief flooding him as he did so.

Behind him, a duffel bag filled with his clothes floated, following him and Ellen as they walked.

His level 1 storage dimension was full right now and he didn’t have the ability to cast the second level yet. So he resorted to using his brute force telekinesis to lift his own luggage.

Even though Ellen was way stronger then he was, he was the one who had to sacrifice. He could only silently shed tears at the unfairness of it all.

He attracted a few stares, mainly just surprised at the floating luggage following behind him. A few awed at him being an awakened. Some even pointed at him as they recognized him as the person with the first ever potential score over a hundred.

Although technically all humans could manipulate mana. With an average potential score of fifteen. They would struggle to even reach the G-rank.

In other words, most people were just too untalented to make use of mana. A minimum potential score of 35 was needed before most would even consider hiring you for any awakened duties. Like fighting, magic research, monster processing, and others. This was only if said individual had managed to form a core. Which was difficult but usually doable for these untalented individuals.

The barrier to entry already cut off a majority of the population. Not to mention, the high likelihood of death for any frontline workers, magic accidents and even the occasional demon attacks.

Humanity barely even had two hundred S-ranks, with only nineteen SS-ranks and zero SSS-ranks. These numbers were accumulated over the past centuries, with how long their lifespans were. They could easily live to be a few hundred at least. Yet, the number was abysmally low compared to the billions of humans.

Quietly making their way through the capital, they soon reached the academy entrance. The walled compounds a stark contrast to the capital’s modern aesthetics.

Raymond was tempted to spend a few extra minutes to buy ice cream but quickly remembered his lack of money. Rayez had even chosen to block the credit card he gave to Ellen after her shopping in Dravenport.

They also technically weren’t allowed to stay in the capital and had to make their way back into the academy as soon as possible once they got off the train.

The walls of the academy were made to protect the future of humanity, yet it seemed more often then not. They only just kept the students inside.

Heh, that just reminded him of something from the previous timeline.

Sometime in the third year, Arthur had grown so sick of the academy and only being able to leave on special holidays and missions that he gathered a group of other similarly frustrated students and busted out of the academy.

Raymond himself had been a part of said escape as Nutte Sachs, helping to blow open a hole in the academy wall.

Naturally, they were all quickly caught and punished soon after. But they quickly became legends within the academy for what they did. With many seniors congratulating them for their bravery.

Hacking into the surveillance systems, rescheduling employee time tables to create a lapse, blowing a hole into the wall and then donning disguises.

It was the most elaborate plan ever to escape the academy that almost succeeded.

Raymond wiped an invisible tear, drawing a gaze from Ellen.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just remembering Arthur’s breakout attempt in the third year."

She pursed her lips, suppressing a smile that was about to form. She had to maintain her cool expression no matter what!

"Were you involved?"

"How do you think they managed to break through the wall? You really think some F-ranks could do that?"

"..."

Ellen’s mouth turned dry, she suddenly remembered Raymond was exactly the kind of person who would join something like that. But to think that he was one of the main contributors of said event!

Didn’t this guy always complain about he wanted to live a quiet, calm and peaceful life?

So why was he doing the exact opposite? He was so excited when kidnapping Cador and Lucy as well...

"We don’t have any special class only class tomorrow right?"

She tilted her head, "We do have special class essential knowledge tomorrow?"

He ignored her, humming a tune to himself as he emptied out his storage dimension. Handing all of Ellen’s things back to her. Nothing could ruin his current mood right now from finally returning to his luxurious apartment dorm. Being able to sleep in a comfortable bed and eat good food was the best!

Ellen really wished she also had permission to skip class like Raymond did. Except they only granted Raymond his outrageous requests because of his potential score. For someone like Ellen, they would never grant her such privileges. She really did not want to wake up early tomorrow.

...she suddenly received a very funny idea.

It was unfair for her shadow to be able to skip class when the master had to go right? If she had to go to class, then so did Raymond. If she couldn’t skip, then neither should he!

If I have to go then so do you! We are in this together!

"I feel like you just had a really bad thought just now."

"Hmm~?"

Raymond’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her innocently fluttering her eyelashes. An ominous feeling in his heart. He didn’t know why, but he had an intense premonition that something would happen to him soon.

...His ominous feeling was quickly confirmed the next day.

His head felt heavy and his eyes were red, his body lacking any energy except for pure, raw hatred. Hatred towards the current cause of his exhaustion. Hatred towards Ellen who had decided to drag him down with her.

He glared at Ellen, his anger the only thing keeping him awake. The flames of hatred burning in his heart and soul.

"..."

"Ellen."

"Hmm~?"

He could see the barest hint of a smile on her face. Before swiftly being erased from existence. The same carefree hum as a reply. Ignoring Raymond’s current emotions.

"Remember what you said to me when I mentioned how Lucy had more friends then you?"

She held her chin slightly, looking through her memory as she tried to recall. Before her eyes suddenly widened in realization.

"Raymond st-"