〔Mana-Lifeforce Synthesis [★★★★★★★] — Activated.〕
[One hour has been added to your Lifespan.]
[One hour has been added to your Lifespan.]
[One hour has been added to your Lifespan.]
[Lifespan Remaining: 21 days, 23 hours, 45 minutes.]
’That much? Well, considering that this lich’s core had been accumulating mana for god knows how long. That would make sense.’
The core in his hand dimmed before breaking apart into dust. And combined with all the other random dust and particles coming through, Noct’s stealing didn’t look all too suspicious.
Though now that he was lying on his back in a safe place, adrenaline was starting to run out, and both exhaustion and pain were beginning to come back to say hello once more.
Noct tried to close his eyes and take a breather, only to immediately flinch when orders were yelled across the hall.
"Get another stretcher over here!"
"Be careful with his arm!"
"Who was responsible for Base Camp D?! Where is the instructor?!"
Academy staff hurried between the candidates scattered around Mirror D, carrying medical supplies. Some simply just...stood there, trying to comprehend what just happened and why it did.
One attendant approached the now-dark mirror and pressed her hand against the frame. After several unsuccessful attempts to activate it, she turned toward the survivors.
"What happened to the camp? Why isn’t anyone responding from the other side?"
"Because everyone from the other side is currently here," Noct muttered. "No one’s over there anymore."
"...What?"
Across the hall, several candidates were still wearing clean field uniforms. They began gathering around Mirror D, watching the commotion with expressions ranging from confusion to outright horror.
Meanwhile, Instructor Klein was attempting to give a report to another man wearing an Academy badge. "The defenses collapsed. All remaining personnel have all returned. You must tell the Headmaster to send an advance force immediately to recover the camp now—"
The other man nodded, helping the instructor into another room before they disappeared altogether.
"Young man, can you stand?"
Noct looked at a healer crouching behind him. Her eyes moved from his bloodied collar to the torn fabric around his shoulder before realizing who she was talking to.
"...Arcadia—" she muttered, before snapping out of it and shaking her head. "Never mind. Please come with me to the medical bay."
Noct pushed himself up too quickly and winced from the pain.
"Ugh...with pleasure."
***
He left the medical bay with various stitches and bandages, especially around his throat. But other than that, Noct was a lot more well off than some others.
Finn had fallen asleep on one of the beds, while Annie remained beside him, talking to another nurse about what happened.
Alice, meanwhile, was having the damaged skin on her hands treated. She caught Noct looking as he passed the doorway.
"Where are you going?"
"To snoop around," Noct shrugged. "You know how I do things."
"Right..." Alice said softly.
Just as Noct was about to continue down the corridor, Alice called him back. "Wait...what do you think will happen to our examination. Do we think we—?"
"Don’t worry, you’ll be admitted," he confirmed. "Well, we won’t see each other often. I’ll be in House Pegasus, and you in Phoenix. But make sure to take care of yourself, okay?"
"Mmm..." she nodded slowly. "Thank you. We only lived because you were there."
Noct waved his uninjured hand, deflecting it. "Come on, just a little obstacle like this got you down already?"
"...What?"
"Just make sure not to snoop around as well. You’ll get in trouble."
After a moment of silence, Alice simply laughed at the irony. She usually had a neutral expression, so seeing her smile was a nice change of pace.
"Right back at you."
Noct smirked before heading down the corridor. At the far end, an Academy official was directing a crowd toward the entrance hall.
"The examination has been suspended until further notice! Candidates who do not require treatment are to return to their residences. Updated instructions will be given at a later date!"
Questions immediately followed from those not involved in the incident.
"What happens to our scores?"
"Is the examination being held again?"
"We were recalled before we could finish! How is that fair?!"
The official raised both hands, attempting to quiet the crowd. "All contributions are preserved. Please leave the entrance clear and allow our staff to work!"
’At least the bracers still work.’
Noct glanced down at the silver band around his wrist.
Whether that would be enough to secure Liquid Fate was another matter entirely. But at the moment, he really didn’t have enough energy to start arguing about examination results.
"Noct!"
Aurora stood near the entrance to the corridor, still wearing her field uniform. A small pouch hung from her waist, while her red hair was in quite a mess.
"What happened to you?"
"It’s a long story."
"I can see that..."
Noct leaned against the wall for a moment, allowing another pair of healers to hurry past them.
"When did you get back?"
"A little while ago. They ordered everyone back to their base camps and recalled us without explaining why." Aurora glanced toward the medical bay. "Then your group started falling out of the mirror."
"Ah."
"Noct."
"What?"
"What happened?"
He opened his mouth to answer, but his attention had already drifted past her shoulder. The entrance hall was gradually emptying, with candidates leaving one by one. Noct scanned them, but couldn’t find the person he was looking for.
’Where did that bastard go?’
Aurora followed his gaze before turning back toward him. "Are you looking for someone? Let me guess, you have a hunch on what happened..."
"Something like that."
Near the far side of the entrance hall stood Tristan Sylvaine, his blue hair still tied neatly behind his head with not even a speck of dirt. And half a step behind him—Albert.
The butler had somehow disappeared and went back to his Young Master’s side faster than Noct expected. He held a leather bag in one hand while listening to his Young Master speak.
’You sure work fast.’