Classmate Section

At the same time Sora and his friends are moving to Nanalia Village,

The queen is relaxing on a large, comfortable, sofa while drinking a nice cup of tea from an expensive looking cup. She’s admiring her dazzling jewelry within her room, when suddenly, someone knocks on her door in a rush.

―― Knock knock knock!

“Geez, just when I could finally relax… ”
The queen mutters with a dissatisfied look on her face. She sets the cup down on the table, rises from the sofa, and slowly makes her way to the door. She then calls out with a gentle voice, “Who is it?”

“My queen, it is I, Borgin. There is an urgent matter that I must inform you of as soon as possible.”
“Oh my! If it isn’t Chief Borgin. You may open the door now.”

The door opens at the queen’s words and Borgin immediately enters the room. He sits down on the exact same sofa as the Queen, albeit opposite of where the Queen sits, where he is then served a drink.

“Here you go.”
“Thank you very much.”

The queen, upon confirming that Borgin has taken a sip, looks at his face with a serious expression.

“Now what is it that you wish to inform me of?”
“A short while ago, I considered it about time for the heroes to enter the labyrinth. As such, I tried contacting them with telepathy. However, I couldn’t connect with a single hero. I believe something has happened to them.”

Telepathy, a skill that transmits speech to another individual by thinking of that specific person and the message intended to be conveyed. Using telepathy, however, requires the user to give the intended recipient a personal belonging beforehand.

“!! I would like to believe nothing bad could ever happen to the heroes, but I’m worried. Let us dispatch the army. Currently, there are about 10 people who specialize in healing and some men who are good at combat on hand.”
“Understood. Still, it will take at least one day to get to Nimae Village, even at full speed……”
“Is that so…… Well then, for this special occasion, I will personally use teleport to send the army off.”
“Ooh! Her Highness herself! Thank you very much. I shall immediately round up the army.”

Then, after about ten minutes,
“My queen, the preparations are complete.”
“Good work. Now then, I shall use teleport. For safety purposes, I shall transfer everyone a short distance from the labyrinth. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes. We have no objections.”
“Very well. Now then, be careful.”

・・

Upon being teleported, Borgin and his men set off for the labyrinth without minding the gazes around them.

“―― Wha-!”
Borgin is speechless at the scene before him. It is utterly beyond anything he expected. The heroes with strength not even the queen could comprehend laid defeated. The labyrinth has also disappeared.
“Damn it! Those who can heal are to quickly tend to the heroes! Those who can fight are to be wary of our surroundings! If you spot anyone suspicious, don’t attempt to engage alone. Whoever this is may be stronger than the heroes! Report before engaging!”

Borgin contacts the queen the instant he confirms his orders are being carried out.

(“My queen, ill tidings!”)
(“What is the matter?”)
(The heroes were defeated by an unknown assailant. The labyrinth has also vanished!”)
(“What did you say!? The heroes have been defeated!? What’s more, the labyrinth has…… Who in the world……”)
(“We are tending to the heroes as we speak. I shall ask once they awaken.”)
(“I understand. Please be careful as the culprit may still be in the area.”)
(“Understood.”)

“―― Uh”

A hero regains consciousness the moment Borgin finishes his report. He quickly heads to the hero.

“What the heck happened!?”
“―― Sora……”
“Hey! Get a hold of yourself!”

“Chief Borgin, the hero has yet to regained lucidity. Answering is still difficult. Can you wait a little longer?”
“Ahh, is that so? Sorry, I was a bit unsettled…… Call me over once someone can speak.”
“Understood.”

“Chief Borgin!”
“What is it?”
“I heard from a nearby adventurer that 4 people fought the heroes here.”
“Four people!? The heroes were defeated by only four people!?”

“Chief Borgin!”
“Again, what is it!?”
“I checked the number of heroes, but five are missing.”
“Five people!?”
“Yes, they were most likely taken away.”
“Shit! Understood, continue the investigation.”

Borgin immediately reports the current situation to the queen with telepathy.

(“Your Highness.”)
(“Have you uncovered anything?”)
(“We still have yet to discover who defeated the heroes, but we have learned this was the work of four people. Also, five heroes seem to have been taken.”)
(“Wha-! The situation is more dire than I expected. Contact me as soon as the heroes awaken and inform me of what you learn.”)
(“Understood.”)

“Chief Borgin, the heroes have made a substantial recovery. You should be able to talk to them now.”
“Understood.”

Borgin rushes over to a hero and inquires as to what happened.

“Sora, Sora is still alive.”
“Sora? That traitor!?”
“Yes, Sora is still alive. He’s strong now, too. I was hit just once and―― U- ugh……”
“I see…… continue the treatment.”

With those words, Borgin once more contacts the queen.

(“My queen, we have uncovered the identity of the culprit.”)
(“Who in the world was it?”)
(“It was―― Sora…… Sora Kouri”)
(Wha– so it was Sora… So, he managed to survive. As I suspected, that man is dangerous. I will be having wanted posters branding Sora as a criminal all over the country. Please return as soon as possible.”)
(“Understood.”)

The queen becomes frustrated after hearing Borgin’s report. She drops on her sofa and begins to bite her nails.
“There’s no way that Sora is still alive…… How!? How are you still alive!? I know I threw him into the void back then! That injury should already have killed him if left unattended!”

――Crash!

The queen can’t control her anger and swats aside the expensive looking cup on the table. It vigorously goes flying.

“……I have to report this……”

The queen mutters to herself as she rushes out the room. She dashes down the corridor and opens the door to the summoning room with the giant angel statue. The queen then kneels before the giant statue.

“Oh, Supreme One, please forgive my failings――”

At the queen’s murmuring, the gigantic angel statue shines with a divine light and looks at the kneeling queen.

“――Raise your head.”
A boyish voice echoes throughout the room. The queen lifts her head upon hearing it.

“――So, what brings you here?”
“Sora Kouri, who should have been disposed of before, is alive…… That same Sora Kouri also defeated the heroes.”
“――Hmm, is that so? So that man is still alive. Even so, just how did he survive inside that void without my gift? Well, I don’t really care. So, what are you going to do?”
“I want to dispose of him right now.”
“――Yes, that’s good. I, too, hate that man. However, wasn’t he the one who defeated the heroes? How are you going to defeat someone like that?”
“That is…… if possible, please lend me your power……”
“――Hmm, that’s acceptable, but you will have to manage that power wisely, understood? If I need to get involved in your business, I might kill you, too.”
“Thank you very much.”
“――Aah, I have some preparations to address. Will three days be fine?”
“Yes, I have no problems with that.”
“――Then, return in three days.”

The giant angel statue shines with a divine light for the second time and its face looks forward once more. The queen rises with an ominous smile.
“Just you wait, Sora Kouri…… Fufufufufufufu.”

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E/N: This story has a new translator. Please welcome Syakila.

<Chapter 21.1
Chapter 22.2>