Chapter 49
The Music Box of the Awakened Girl
Idnia was startled when she heard Demon King Magram humming the opening theme of Awakening Concert.
Could he have some connection to Earth?
But now wasn’t the time to ask.
As Magram approached Rudolf, Izzolde, and Mari, a sinister aura swirled around him. It felt like he was about to attack at any moment.
“What are you doing? Are you seriously planning to fight here?”
“Seems so. Sadia will try to stop him, but if she fights Magram while protecting the students, she’ll die. Magram in this state is no easy opponent.”
“Huh? Then…?”
“Knowing Sadia, she’d rather let the students die than risk herself. If nearby students get caught in the crossfire, both professors will be held accountable, extending their disciplinary periods. But perhaps this is exactly what the Emperor wanted. If the Crown Prince dies at the academy, it’d be the perfect excuse to interfere.”
Ludwig spoke as if student casualties were an unavoidable consequence.
‘Damn these insane professors!’
Idnia immediately summoned a shield spell with her black-iron staff.
“Foolish. A low-tier spell like that won’t work on Magram.”
“You sure about that?!”
Using Form Transformation, Idnia reshaped the shield and infused it with Overlord Energy. Mana and aura intertwined, compressing into a razor-sharp edge.
‘Compressed mana and aura? Impressive.’
As Ludwig watched in amazement, Idnia dashed forward and hurled the shield like a javelin.
—CRACK!
Her muscles and tendons screamed under the strain, but the black-iron staff held firm. The shield, now a spinning disk, tore through the air with terrifying speed.
Magram casually raised his arm to block—
—SLASH!
His arm was severed, and the shield struck his face.
—BOOM!
An explosion erupted, scattering Magram’s fiery form across the hallway.
‘Now’s my chance! Finish him— Wait?!’
Just as Idnia lunged for a follow-up attack, black flames surged from Magram’s body, lashing toward her.
‘I can’t block this! I’ll die!’
Instantly, she deactivated Overlord Energy, dropping into a slide across the marble floor—barely dodging the flames.
“Impressive.”
Ludwig stepped in, casting a barrier to contain the black fire before it could engulf the building.
‘This bastard… He was watching to see how I’d handle it!’
Idnia cursed internally as she slid right into the middle of the impending clash between Magram and Sadia.
“Pfft—HAHA! Seriously, Magram? You got hit by that?”
Sadia burst into laughter at the sight of Magram taking a direct hit from a “low-tier” spell.
“Shut up, Sadia. That was no ordinary spell…”
Magram glared in the direction of the attack—just as Idnia slid into view.
“Idnia?!”
Rudolf and Mari gasped.
“Well done, Idnia! Take the students and run. I’ll handle this bastard.”
Blue tattoos flared across Sadia’s body as three massive orbs of destructive energy formed around her. Lightning crackled from her horns.
“Hah! Let’s see you try!”
Magram’s flames swelled, eyes of darkness manifesting within the inferno.
‘This is bad! If they clash, we’re all dead!’
Idnia prepared to reactivate Overlord Energy—
“That’s enough.”
Ludwig stepped between them, umbrella in hand.
“Headmaster?!”
Both professors froze.
“Magram. Disgraceful behavior in front of students. One penalty point.”
“…Can I pay a fine instead?”
“2,000 shillings.”
Magram sighed. “Your mercy is appreciated.”
“Wait! I was protecting the students!” Sadia protested.
“Your bloodlust says otherwise. No penalty for you, but control yourself.”
Ludwig then turned to Rudolf.
“The curse embedded in you has been removed. It was a failsafe—meant to spy on the academy or, if necessary, trigger a dimensional rift using your body as fuel.”
Rudolf collapsed to his knees. “So… my father never cared if I died?”
“Stop whining. If you die, you’re just handing Franz an excuse to attack the academy. You think he’ll mourn you? He’ll replace you before your body’s cold.”
‘Damn, this guy’s brutal.’ Idnia winced internally.
Ludwig continued, “Your race, your lineage—none of that matters here. What defines you is your mind and spirit. My job is to make you a mage worthy of this academy’s name.”
Sadia, surprisingly, stepped in to comfort Rudolf. “Kid, forget your shitty dad. You’ve got people here who actually care about you.”
“Now, about that attack…” Magram, now back in his human form, smirked. “For a freshman to land a hit on me? Remarkable.”
“I’d normally penalize you for sneaking out, but let’s call it even. We’d prefer not to explain why two professors were brawling at midnight.”
Idnia agreed quickly. “Understood.”
“Instead of a penalty, may I ask a question?”
“Go ahead.”
Idnia hummed the Awakening Concert theme.
Magram’s eyes gleamed with intrigue. “Why do you ask?”
‘Crap, did I just out myself?’
Before Magram could probe further, Ludwig blocked his gaze with the umbrella. “Stop staring. You’re making her uncomfortable.”
Magram chuckled and pulled out a small music box from his lamp.
“This?”
Idnia’s breath caught.
It was a collab merchandise item from a fast-food promotion—Awakening Concert’s logo printed on a tiny, intricately crafted music box.
Something from Earth.
“Found it in a dungeon. An otherworldly artifact.”
As the melody played, Idnia was overwhelmed with nostalgia.
Mari gasped. “It’s so small, yet it plays music? Amazing!”
Magram handed it to Idnia with a wink.
“A souvenir, in lieu of a penalty. I think it’ll mean more to you.”
“…Thank you.”
Idnia clutched the music box, her mind racing.
How much does Magram know?
