Obey or get demerits

Hale kicked away some of the shards from the luxury glassware that fell. “Are you okay, Katharin?” He checked her for injuries but stopped the next moment, taking off his overcoat and covering her thigh that was exposed because the gown hitched up.

“Worry about yourself first,” she chided, healing a gash on his arm.

The furniture were shock-proofed and fixed to the walls but the same couldn’t be said for miscellaneous objects like the books on the shelf or the vase on the table.

“Thanks. Was that a collision? It feels like we’re losing altitude.”

Hale contemplated the feasibility of leaving from the round window next to the bed when Norte’s voice flowed from the speaker. His usual robotic and unfeeling voice was strangely soothing in the situation. Hale hoped the other children felt the same.

“Attention, all passengers. The barrier was taken down and A35 to B37 was damaged by a magic missile.” The man paused unnaturally. “Remain vigilant and stay away from all entrances. The airship is surrounded by unidentified enemies. You’re not recommended to engage. Students are to join up with an instructor if possible. Seek shelter in a secure—”

“Stop nagging, old man!”

“I’m less than a third your age, Mr. Ryu! Wait, I said don’t engage!” A loud draconic roar shook the surroundings and Norte’s sigh came through the speaker.

Did Tenga undo his dragonoid transformation and attack in his dragon form?

“Remember your training and stay safe. This was Norte hel Mistralon, Ancient Languages and Runic Alphabet instructor.”

“Also known as the driest subject in history.” This time it was Orifil’s voice that cut in.

“This is your third demerit, Orifil.”

“Invalid!” The nephilim protested, “We’re not in school.”

“Valid. The overseer for excursions is entitled to give demerits.”

“Abuse of authority!!”

Then the speaker went silent.

Maybe it was Orifil’s intention but it felt like the threads of tension were completely cut off by their banter.

So three of the love interests were together… It was great that the two children had an adult to rely on. Even if Norte was actually the youngest of them. The daemon was born in the same year as Orifil, just younger by a couple of days. Hale thought that their similar age was Orifil’s reason for the weird one-sided rivalry and hostility he had for Norte but maybe it wasn’t just that. Hale’s conversation with the nephilim last night gave him some ideas. Another thing for the Watchers to research.

But that had to be saved till they get out of this.

Katharin had already used magic to change into the Saintess’s custom combat clothes. For some reason, she folded Hale’s overcoat neatly and put it in her storage bracelet instead of returning it though.

“Kat! Stop flirting inside and open up!!” A shout came from outside the door.

Katharin clearly recognized the voice because she released the force field that was part of the ship’s security system, and then her mana worked on a bunch of wards and veils. Hale tilted his head. Arcane wasn’t his forte but he swore some of the symbols were meant to stop exit instead of entrance. Did she already expect intruders and wanted to prevent them from leaving?

The ornate door finally opened to reveal a human-sized Sylvan. The fairy preferred to stay in his original size so it was the first time Hale saw him transmogrified. Behind the toga-clad fairy were other students in their year and blood was gushing out of one of them, who was holding his severed arm.

“Sorry, Kat, can you heal him?”

A long oaken staff with manastones embedded in it emerged from Katharin’s bracelet. Hale held the arm steady as she reattached it. Katharin’s already pale face blanched even more as her mana drained.

Sylvan brought them up to date as they worked, “I think they might be after Kat. They were coming this way from the other corridor. The paladins intercepted them but… the situation didn’t look good. Ahhhh this dumb school! They should have allowed the temple legion to come along!” Four paladins came on this expedition and from the Academy’s point of view, this was already doing the Saintess a favor. Even the heir apparents to large corporations and royals couldn’t bring a guard or attendant. It was part of the Academy’s security measures and to lower the influence of any one power. Of course, the official reason was that it wanted to nurture independent students.

Hale nodded. Sylvan’s conjecture was likely to be correct. This was the best room in the ship; anyone could guess that it was allocated to the Saintess. Katharin was deeply respected; a single word from her and her followers would be willing to start a war. Hale didn’t like to think of her this way but her abilities also made her a great weapon. She could send armies straight into the opponent’s backyard and heal soldiers on the brink of death. Many also suspected that she was capable of other high order magic. With such great political and military value, the young girl often faced assassinations and kidnapping attempts and this could very well be another.

“Katharin, you should go first.”

Hale put a portable teleportation device in her hand. Spatial artifacts were extremely rare and hard to make so this was the only one he got and it could only work on one person. The girl could teleport herself but she was obviously in a poor condition. There was no telling if the destination would be completely full of threats too so she needed whatever mana she could save.

“The coordinates for the Dragon Realm capital are already logged—”

Katharin huffed, “I’m not leaving you here!” Or anywhere. Not again.

“C’mon, help us inform the Clans and get reinforcements, alright?”

“No means no!”

“Since you don’t want it, let me have it!” One of the students snatched the device and pressed the button.