paranoianovel Chapter 8: Commotion
Chapter 8: Commotion
Chapter 8: Commotion"What? What do you mean the student can't be found?!"
The deputy headmaster slammed his palms on his desk as he roared at one of his subordinates.
He had already handed over the future Magna of Flames to her appropriate master.
However, she left them with a rather concerning warning, saying she wouldn't be able to focus on training without knowing that her childhood friend was safe.
All they needed to do was locate a darned, recently enrolled apprentice.
Yet, despite steadily increasing their efforts and investing more manpower, devices, and mana into the
He quickly decided to push his sadness to the back of his heart and reveal half the truth about the box: that the artifact wasn't merely a house decoration.
"Sigh... I couldn't even say goodbye to Ennya because of that stupid box, huh?" Hal muttered, beginning his performance.
"I do apologize for causing an unnecessary commotion, Deputy Headmaster. As you know..."
He paused, letting out a self-deprecating laugh before continuing.
"Sir, you remember that I drew an item called the Clown Box, correct?" he said, turning to one of the assistants.
"That box... isn't as normal as it seemed. It was a one-time-use trap box that sends whoever the user willed into a different dimension for a few minutes. And I... accidentally used it on myself..."
Hal clenched his fists in frustration.
"I could've used it as a life-saving item...but I blew even that..."
The Deputy Headmaster felt bad for Hal, his suspicions flying right out the window.
There was no other explanation for the young man's disappearance, was there?
It was a shame that the poor, untalented student couldn't even say goodbye to his childhood friend, all because of a simple mistake that also cost him a rather handy emergency item.
The headmaster's secretary and the other assistant, however, weren't as trusting.
They quickly scanned the young man's possessions using their mana and detection spells.
Only after confirming that he indeed had no active connection to a mana-bound artifact did they begin to believe Hal's claims, even going so far as to check his dormitory room for any anomalies.
The fact that the young man had managed to evade the academy's full-force search left a subtle unease in their hearts.
But since they found nothing, they had no choice but to believe.
What could a one-percent mana affinity brat possibly do, anyway?
At the very least, they could wholeheartedly trust the results of the affinity test, and his connection to Ennya more or less cleared his background.
He was a true resident of the Arcanum Imperium.
"I see... that's rather unfortunate," Deputy Headmaster Korvus said with a light sigh.
"But don't lose hope, young man. You can still pursue other crafts. Mana-tech development, for example. As long as you work your hardest, the gods will show you a way..."
Hal simply bowed in sincere gratitude, relieved that he had pulled through.
"The disciplinary offices are always open. Do submit a complaint if anyone dares make things too difficult for you.
That's all from me. You're dismissed, Hal Fennec."
Hal bowed once more before turning around and heading for the exit.
He couldn't wait to return to his dormitory room.
The reason? A sudden, unexpected notification panel:
[Congratulations! You've earned 10 Chaos Points!]