185. Magic Tower Library
"Lucite." Hobbs suddenly spoke up.
"What is it?" Lucite put down the scroll he had just finished copying and scratched his head, confused.
"Don't you think something's odd?"
Hobbs pointed toward the armed students ahead.
Contrary to their earlier promise, Mordot's Patrol Squad didn't head straight to the graduate school. At Mordot's insistence, they first went to the Magic Tower Library, where they retrieved some magical books and copied numerous offensive magic scrolls.
"Hobbs, are you suspicious again?" Lucite asked.
Hobbs said, "According to Mordot, the graduate school is fifty kilometers away from our campus within the city."
"With the current situation—dimensional barriers everywhere and Colonial Troopers all over—it'll take at least two days to get there. We'll definitely need weapons and supplies during that time, right?" Lucite saw no issue.
"That reasoning is fine, but the behavior of the Patrol Squad members seems a bit off to me."
Hobbs pulled Lucite aside and whispered:
"Look at them. There are already low-level magic scrolls readily available in the library, but they're not using them. Instead, they're deliberately flipping through books to copy new ones on the spot."
"Hmm…" Lucite stroked his catfish-like whiskers, thought for a moment, and said, "Maybe they're worried about the effectiveness? After all, we're at the Magic Tower Library. Surely the original contents stored here are the most accurate."
"I think they're secretly recording the contents." Hobbs said, pulling a book from his coat and handing it to Lucite. "These guys are probably looking to line their own pockets. You should grab a few, too."
Lucite glanced at the cover, "Sulada's Notes on Curses", and immediately broke into a cold sweat:
"Damn it, this is a forbidden book—what the hell, Hobbs? This is a crime."
"There's no police around anymore. I just have a bad feeling—these people have weapons, armor, and numbers. If they get a few more forbidden books to boost their power, do you think anyone will dare challenge them?"
Hobbs's quick thinking was evident:
"Having a gun keeps your nerves steady. This is at best an emergency measure. If these people start committing crimes, we can use forbidden magic to stop them."
"But…" Lucite hesitated. "This still doesn't feel right. These are forbidden teachings, and we don't know what risks they carry. Neither of us has taken relevant courses. What if we end up hurting ourselves?"
"Just take it!"
"What are you two discussing?"
A Patrol Squad member approached, curious.
"Ah! Nothing!" Lucite jumped, and the forbidden book in his hand immediately fell to the ground.
The Patrol Squad member gave him a strange look and then glanced down. "Hmm? You dropped something. Let me pick it up for you…"
Clap.
Hobbs stepped forward, pressed the cover down, snatched it up first, and shoved it into a nearby shelf while laughing awkwardly:
"It's nothing. Lucite is visiting the Magic Tower Library for the first time. This place is usually off-limits, and he's just too overwhelmed to speak."
"Is that so? Makes sense. After all, our school's Magic Tower Library houses the most forbidden knowledge on White Candle Star."
The Patrol Squad member was surprisingly friendly, puffing on a magical pipe with a chuckle of approval:
"Normally, Dean Nastisha oversees and guards the Magic Tower herself. It's the same at other schools' Magic Tower Libraries. Only in rare cases, like graduations, special research, or strategic laboratory needs, are the materials here accessible."
"That serious, huh?"
Hobbs said as he walked forward, infused magic into the squad member's pipe, and lit it. The other glanced at Hobbs appreciatively. "No wonder they call you 'Hobbs the All-Knowing.' You really know how to handle things."
"Heh, nothing much. As a junior, respecting seniors is only natural."
Hobbs's words were flattering, and the Patrol Squad senior nodded, casually adding:
"Honestly, we don't know what lies ahead. Either way, we'll have to cross the city to reach the graduate school. Along the way, there'll likely be more enemies and survivors. Once we leave the campus, we're in real danger. So, we might as well use this chance to gather as much knowledge and magical resources as possible—don't find it offensive when I say this. Laws are for the living, but our lives are our own, right?"
"Absolutely! Preserving life comes first. You're absolutely right, Senior." Hobbs nodded enthusiastically. "Speaking of which, Senior, since entering the Magic Tower, I haven't seen Captain Mordot. Do you know where he is?"
Lucite was speechless.
"Why? Do you need him for something?" The Patrol Squad member looked puzzled. "The Senior Captain said he was looking for a powerful magical book his mentor told him about."
"Just a small concern."
'Looks like Mordot doesn't want anyone knowing his true goal.'
Hobbs's eyes shifted, and he casually brushed past the topic:
"Since we're leaving the campus, we'll face waves of Colonial Troopers. What should we do then?"
"That… I don't know," the Patrol Squad member shrugged. "But with our Epsilon-tier Captain, who's just a step away from Zeta-tier, I'm sure we'll be fine."
"You all seem to hold Captain Mordot in high regard," Hobbs said nonchalantly as he quietly slipped the forbidden book back into Lucite's bag.
"Of course," the Patrol Squad member perked up. "Captain Mordot is now a third-year student and has been with the Patrol Squad for three years. When Remaining Moon first attacked the school, he was on duty as a freshman. Nearly all his teammates died. If anyone loves the school and hates Remaining Moon, it's definitely him."
"The first Remaining Moon attack…" Hobbs unconsciously clenched his fist but feigned a look of confusion.
"You're new, so it's normal not to know," the Patrol Squad member sighed. "Three years ago, Remaining Moon launched its first attack on our school, using the same tactics. It was just on a smaller scale."
"I've heard that before," Lucite noticed Hobbs's gaze and followed up, "But it seemed like no one at the school cared. There weren't even commemorative events or anything."
"Heh, do you know why?"
The Patrol Squad member smirked coldly:
"That attack killed many people. Several students I knew were reading late in the campus library. As soon as they stepped out, they were caught in the Colonial Troopers' self-destruction. On the spot, over a dozen Patrol Squad members died, and several more were killed fighting the troopers. I still remember their names."
He took a drag from his pipe, exhaled smoke, and said somberly:
"Lor Shift, Sacrin Melchi, Doniel Petri, and Lena Enin."
Lucite turned to look at Hobbs, who stared ahead calmly.
"That incident was clearly a terrorist attack, but the school covered it up."
The Patrol Squad member said coldly:
"White Candle Star is renowned for its safety and reliability. It's the top choice for allied civilizations to send their children for study. The High Council wouldn't risk damaging its relationship with allies over this—the reasoning is simple. Once they send their children here, the school uses education to subtly instill a favorable impression of Crystal Tower Civilization."
"After graduating, those well-connected students return home, quickly stepping into positions of power, becoming officials, rulers, or corporate leaders. They develop close ties with Crystal Tower Civilization, some even becoming proxies and agents for the High Council."
"The students who died were ordinary Tanisian folk from humble backgrounds. They joined the Patrol Squad just to earn extra credits, graduate smoothly, and find a decent job. People like them are replaceable. Their deaths don't matter. Damn it… they were such good, life-loving people."
Saying this, he glanced at Lucite:
"Oh, no offense. People like you who change their destiny through knowledge are well-respected in our civilization. I just despise how the High Council wizards only care about efficiency and lack any humanity."
"It's fine. I don't mind. I hate those people, too," Lucite waved it off, indifferent.
"They're our compatriots, so their deaths are dismissible," Hobbs said. "But if a few foreigners die, it's a diplomatic incident, so they can't afford to slack off."
"It can't be helped…"
The Patrol Squad member sighed:
"After all… we're at war."
"Even if they don't die at Remaining Moon's hands, by this time, most of them would've ascended to Zeta-tier and been conscripted for service. At times like this, the more allies we have, the better. We're counting on our vassals to fight, provide manpower, and fund us."
"Many civilizations are on the front lines for Crystal Tower Civilization, sacrificing their reserves and fighting alongside us. Can you say they're wrong?"
The Patrol Squad member seemed about to continue when commotion erupted nearby.
"Senior Mordot is back!" Celia exclaimed excitedly. "How was it, Senior? Did you find that powerful magic book?"
Mordot emerged from the crowd, clutching a stack of spellbooks. Seeing the eager looks of those around him, he nodded:
"Yes, I've got it."
He grinned, looking pleased with himself.
"From now on, we'll ensure everyone survives."
Mordot said solemnly:
"Remaining Moon cannot defeat us. Now, it's our turn to strike back."
Li Aozi continued his journey, noticing scattered Colonial Trooper corpses along the way. Their heads had been precisely destroyed, and the many footprints suggested group action.
"Lucite and Hobbs must have met up with allies."
More people made tracking easier. Li Aozi followed the trail without hesitation.
Due to the dimensional barriers, any means of transportation or fast movement was incredibly dangerous. A slight misstep could result in falling into two-dimensional space.
Li Aozi was no exception. The campus's Higgs field was still active. Although he possessed [Remaining Moon's] Omega Energy, he dared not use it.
Walking and probing the boundaries for gaps between barriers was the safest method.
Fortunately, Li Aozi hadn't seen many students dimensionalized along the way. Most had been killed by Colonial Troopers, dying in the streets.
Pressed for time, Li Aozi couldn't give the deceased proper burials. He simply dragged them to visible spots for others to find later.
While moving, Li Aozi took out the amulet given by the veiled woman and asked:
"Jania, that woman seemed to know you."
"Many people know me. After all, I'm a legendary demigod's weapon."
"Do you know what this thing is for?" Li Aozi showed the amulet to Jania, who examined it carefully and let out a soft exclamation.
"I think I've seen those markings before… but only in passing. I'm not sure."
Jania shook her head:
"But it's definitely not something harmful. Keep it with you."
With Jania's reassurance, Li Aozi felt relieved and put it away.
It was almost certain that the veiled woman had a hidden quest related to Jania, perhaps something like awakening or enhancing the artifact. It seemed like a long-term mission.
Unfortunately, he didn't have time now. Maybe they'd meet again in the future.
He glanced at the forum. It was mostly empty during the night, with hardly any players from Faithkeep Village online.
The situation remained grim.
Li Aozi's progress was slow. Killing Colonial Troopers yielded almost no rewards, leaving him frustrated. These monsters were essentially mindless corpses modified with Omega Energy marks. Compared to his recent fight with Diaran, battling them felt like chopping vegetables—tiresome and mandatory combat that anyone would find irritating.
Luckily, Diaran's condition was stable. Occasionally murmuring in her sleep, she barely fussed after being fed some water and milk, causing no further trouble.
As time passed, the world under the dimensional barriers became increasingly bizarre and eerie.
The barriers fragmented time and space in many areas. Some places were sealed, appearing as perpetual daylight. Rounding a gap, one might encounter twilight's blood-red sun, and after passing a few more zones, mist-covered mornings would appear. Clearly, the dimensional barriers didn't erupt all at once.
The Colonial Trooper attacks seemed to come in waves, likely the limit of Remaining Moon's Zeta-tier power.
Li Aozi focused on gathering supplies. The campus was in chaos, with most resources looted. He encountered no other survivors.
However, the trail from Lucite's group grew increasingly chaotic.
Hours later, Li Aozi finally left the campus and entered Trivira City.
Burning streets were heavily barricaded. Colonial Troopers rampaged through the ruins, looting and searching in overwhelming numbers.
Trivira had become a lone island in a vast ocean.
"… Sealed off."
Li Aozi scanned the area and found no way forward.
A mass of Colonial Troopers had already noticed his conspicuous figure and were steadily converging on him.
Lucite and the others' presence was just ahead… their position seemed to be heading toward the graduate school.
When they left, they likely hadn't expected that someone from the school could fight their way out, charging straight ahead and drawing all the Colonial Troopers over.
"Ah, there's no choice."
However, the gathering of these Colonial Troopers outside the school gates prevented the Higgs field from further interference.
Li Aozi rubbed his temples, and the moment he stepped out of the school gates, his eyes were instantly covered by the long-lost golden halo.
[Sequence Nine: Gravity]
--------------------------
White Candle Star's Outer Orbit, 'Amaryllis' Fortress.
"We've discussed the issue of strengthening materialist ideology and fostering logical thinking through magical theory many times. You are all industry veterans and educational experts. You should understand that during the university stage, students are most susceptible to ideological fluctuations. While they have some ability for independent thought, they stubbornly believe they are unique. Such thinking is unacceptable. If not addressed, they may veer toward idealistic heresies or, worse, fall into corruption and become citizens of [Society]..."
Education Minister Balkomon stood on the stage, expounding on ideological and educational strategies, while the leaders and professors below were nearly dozing off.
"What era are we in now? Still harping on about the threat of [Society]..." Karl muttered as he played with an information rune in the group chat. "Dean Nastisha, what do you think? Decades ago, you personally exiled enemies of [The Secret Society]. Is there still a need to treat [Society] as the top threat?"
"No comment." Nastisha wrote in the group chat while taking notes. "Regardless, the threat hasn't truly been eradicated. Night Butterfly's idealism is absolutely unacceptable. In recent years, there have been cases of front-line soldiers, scarred by the trauma of war, whose materialist beliefs wavered, leading them to defect to Night Butterfly…"
Dean Ye Wangnan suddenly interjected:
"Only failures believe in religion. Our students are full of vitality and positivity, enjoying the benefits of magic every day. No matter what, I refuse to believe they'd fall for such things. As for [Society] — ha! How much of a failure must one be to abandon all individuality and become a vessel for [Society's] citizens? Our universal education is comprehensive. Everyone hates [Society…"
"You haven't experienced that era…"
Nastisha said with complexity:
"One hundred twenty years ago, one of [The Secret Society's] representatives, [The Tailor], made a comeback, bringing her new vessel to White Candle Star's land. Her power was incomprehensibly terrifying, an eerie force defying magical explanation. She linked people's destinies, turning city residents into her puppets… If not for Miss Verlia's intervention, White Candle Star would have been doomed."
"But that was 120 years ago, wasn't it?" Karl said calmly. "Time has passed. Mortal lifespans range from 120 to 180 years. People dislike being restrained and controlled. In five years, they'll dismiss the hardship and hunger as a fleeting nightmare, forgotten with a snap."
Click.
The pen stopped, and Nastisha coldly raised her eyes to look at Karl:
"What's this? Are you implying that [Society] doesn't exist and is merely a fabricated government lie, with Crystal Tower Civilization being the real enemy?"
"Am I?" Karl shrugged. "I didn't say that. Don't blame me for your assumptions."
"I'm all too familiar with your rhetoric." Nastisha said. "People like you, self-proclaimed awakeners who empathize with suffering, expose the world's darkness and see themselves as whistleblowers, feeling heroic in their struggle against the world—you always end up as trailblazers for [Society]."
Karl retorted mockingly: "Oh, dear Nastisha, patriotism is a business. If you believe in it, don't be upset when someone tells the truth."
"I don't feel hurt, Mr. Karl."
Nastisha said calmly:
"Dismissing people's sincere emotions and love, ignoring objective facts—only those whose minds are consumed by profit and greed, like devotees of Red King, would think that way. Mr. Karl, it seems I must report your idealist tendencies."
"Haha, labeling me a traitor now? Hoping to earn a 500,000 Dina bounty by accusing me of being a Night Butterfly spy? Only you naive Crystal enthusiasts would think so. Watch out—the High Council's iron fist might crush you first."
"Enough, you two idiots!"
Principal Slavenikov Durgen couldn't hold back and interrupted the argument in the group chat:
"The Minister summoned us to space for education and lessons, not for you two to bicker."
He glared at Nastisha: "If you're truly patriotic, go back and train the students properly. I'll fund warships for you to take to the frontlines."
He then shot a cold glance at Karl: "As for you, don't get cocky. Men are always the first sent to the battlefield. No one escapes."
Nastisha spoke:
"Instructor Durgen, you yourself experienced that battle. The cruel acts of [The Secret Society] remain vivid…"
"One hour, White Candle Star's Fenris Front. I lost 30,000 brothers. I don't need your reminders."
Durgen said coldly:
"I won't stop being vigilant against [The Secret Society], but Karl isn't wrong either. Times have changed. Trivira is now peaceful and stable. With Minister Balkomon around, few dare to invade us directly."
"… Let's hope so."
Nastisha nodded, saying no more. Beside her, Karl smirked triumphantly, his chin raised like a victorious rooster, arms crossed.
"Ah… how could it come to this?"
Principal Durgen shook his head slightly and refocused on the lecture.
These two were both foolish. Did they truly believe the authorities thought so shallowly? Every High Council order was meticulously considered, designed to avoid worse problems and misinterpretations.
These two idiots were stuck debating right and wrong… In the end, being this close to a Kappa-tier powerhouse was a rare opportunity.
Whether seeking knowledge or building connections, these 'training sessions' were secondary. The key was showing their faces to such a strong figure. If trouble arose, they could claim, "I'm your student," and seek protection.
But young people would always be young, endlessly tangled in issues of right and wrong.
In this world, there were no absolutes of right and wrong.
"Luckily, the two academies they're responsible for suit their personalities."
Karl's quick wit and eloquence were perfect for teaching interstellar civilization relations with thought-provoking insights.
Nastisha's courage and sense of responsibility made her an ideal mentor for practical students in the Magic Applications Academy.
"This training session has dragged on too long. Who knows what's happening back at school?"
After all, the school concealed a certain item.
No matter how secretive they were, word about the Fragment of the Eye of Identification's location would likely spread in a small circle. If someone infiltrated the school during this time…
"No, that won't happen."
Durgen glanced at the information rune.
So far, there had been no abnormal reports from Trivira.
Everything on the ground was normal, and he somewhat agreed with Karl: times had indeed changed. Such dangers as [Society] wouldn't resurface.