Lonjakan Mana mendadak dari para monster, aura suram yang terpancar dari serigala-serigala yang seharusnya menyamarkan keberadaan mereka, perubahan total tujuan misi—misi gabungan itu dibatalkan. Sesuai prediksi Frondier, situasi terselesaikan tanpa korban besar di kalangan siswa. Sihir Elodie, khususnya, berkilau mencolok. Kemampuannya menimpakan sifat pelacakan pada peluru Mana, menjatuhkan serigala satu per satu, mengingatkan Frondier pada pertunjukan kembang apinya sendiri. Saat para siswa berkumpul di lapangan, Ellen, ketua dewan pelajar, menyampaikan situasi dari podium. Tentu saja, konfrontasinya dengan Frondier tak disebut dalam penjelasan itu. Ia menginformasikan keadaan tak terduga yang membuat misi tak bisa dilanjutkan, merinci luka para siswa dan langkah-langkah penanganan, serta memohon maaf atas kurangnya persiapan. Sementara itu, Frondier… —Di mana, sih, si orang ini? —Gue nggak tahu. Dia langsung melonggong keluar gedung begitu semuanya beres. —Udah kubilang, dia terlibat di insiden itu, kan? Mengingat sorotan yang tertuju padanya, ketidakhadirannya cepat terdeteksi. Tentu saja, itu saja tak cukup memicu spekulasi sedemikian luas di kalangan siswa. Begitu pula dengan rumor suntikan Mana yang sempat menyebar, ada pihak-pihak yang sengaja memanjatikan api itu. Seorang siswa mendekati Frondier, suaranya penuh tuduhan. "Di mana lo dan ngapain lo?! Insiden ini bisa bikin para siswa tahun pertama terluka parah! Kalau lo tahu ada masalah, lo harusnya bantu yang lain. Lo ngapain selama ini," Tangkapan itu terhenti di tengah kalimat. Suaranya meredup saat Frondier hanya menatapnya. Takut yang tak jelas mencekiknya, membuatnya tak mampu melontarkan satu kata pun. Setelah mengamati pria itu sejenak, Frondier bersuara. "Lo bukan siswa Constel." "Lo minjem seragam di mana? Mereka juga kasih duit bareng seragamnya?" Pria itu berkedip, wajahnya memerah saat ia berteriak, "Gila! Orang ini ngomong ngawur!" Tubuh pria itu tiba-tiba terangkat ke udara, lalu dihantam dari atas dan dipukul jatuh ke tanah. Frondier menahan diri, tapi hanya agar tak membunuhnya, bukan untuk mengurangi rasa sakit. Tubuh pria itu bergeliat kesakitan, terengah-engah mencari napas. "Baik. Sampai sekarang, gue diamin aja omongan lo yang mana pun. Yang nyewa lo pasti nungguin hal itu, dan lo juga, kan? Lo pikir lo bisa ngomong apa aja tanpa konsekuensi." Frondier perlahan mendekat ke pria itu. Pria itu berusaha bangkit dan melarikan diri. Ia dihantam lagi dan meringkuk di tanah. "Dipukulin juga bagian dari rencana? Mereka janji kasih kompensasi buat ini? Kalau kebetulan lo mati di sini, keluarga lo dapet asuransi jiwa? Lo terima duitnya dengan tahu semua itu?" Aster langkah ke hadapannya. Dalam situasi apa pun, Frondier sedang menyerang seorang siswa. Ia tak bisa berdiam diri begitu saja. "Frondier, gue tahu lo stres gara-gara insiden-insiden terakhir, tapi ini bukan gaya lo. Frondier." Mendengar itu, Frondier menoleh ke arah Aster. Namun, amarah dan niat membunuh yang tadi menguar di matanya lenyap tanpa bekas. Sebagai gantinya, Frondier menyunggingkan senyum lembut ke Aster. "Nggak gitu, Aster." "Gue cuma ngelakuin yang perlu dilakuin." Yang perlu dilakuin? Menyerang siswa? Frondier menunduk menatap pria yang terkapar itu dan berkata, "Lo mau apa? Ini kesempatan terakhir lo. Lo udah ngerasain betapa longgarnya gue selama ini. Dari hantaman ketiga, gue bakal…" "A-aku minta maaf! Tolong jangan bunuh aku!" Pria itu teriak, dengan susah payah mengangkat tubuhnya dan berlutut. "Lo bukan siswa, kan?" "N-nggak, Pak. Aku disewa sebagai penghasut. Hari ini, aku ditugaskan sebagai 'pemimpin', makanya aku berani ngomong seenaknya." "Gue tahu. Lo nggak bisa bilang. Ya udah, pergi." Perintah Frondier membuat pria itu terpental berdiri dan berlari pergi tanpa menoleh. Aster mengawasi pria itu menghilang, lalu menoleh ke Frondier dengan terkejut. "…Nggak masalah, kan, ngelupain dia kayak gitu? Kalau kita nggak tahu siapa yang mengutusnya, bakal muncul lebih banyak orang-orang menjengkelkan seperti ini." Frondier menjawab, berusaha keras menyembunyikannya, tapi "Nggak perlu lagi." Kata-kata berikutnya membawa dingin yang tak bisa dibantah. Saat Aten merinding di sepanjang punggungnya, dua kendaraan mendekati lapangan Constel. Mata para siswa membelalak. Sedikit yang tak mengenali dua mobil itu. Satu milik keluarga Kekaisaran, satu lagi milik Keluarga Roach. Kedua kendaraan itu berhenti berdampingan. Pertama, jendela bangku belakang mobil Kekaisaran turun, menyebarkan "Frondier! Lama nggak ketemu~" Permaisuri Philly melambaikan tangan ke Frondier dengan senyum yang tak lazim untuk seorang Permaisuri. Para siswa melongo, mata mereka bolak-balik antara Frondier dan Philly. Dulu Aten, sekarang Permaisuri—bagaimana Frondier punya koneksi dengan keluarga Kekaisaran? Dan Permaisuri menyebut namanya dengan ekspresi begitu hangat… Lalu, pintu pengemudi mobil keluarga Roach terbuka, dan seseorang keluar. Tangisan kolektif melanda kerumunan. Pria yang berjalan menghampiri Frondier dengan langkah mantap itu adalah Azier. Seperti biasa, gerakannya begitu sempurna hingga tak ada celah untuk dikritik. Azier berdiri di hadapan Frondier, matanya sedikit menyipit mengamati ekspresinya. "Frondier, ada yang terjadi?" Mendengar jawaban Frondier, Azier melongok ke sekeliling. "Suasananya agak kacau. Tadi ada orang yang lari ke arah berlawanan. Itu alasannya?" Frondier menyunggingkan senyum getir. Azier, seolah tak peduli, melanjutkan, "Frondier, lo pasti sadar soal insiden insiden suntikan Mana belakangan ini." Telinga para siswa tegak mendengar pembicaraan mereka. "Karena laporan-laporan insiden itu tersebar luas, keluarga Kekaisaran, Pros, dan Constel memutuskan membentuk tim investigasi. Dan Yang Mulia Permaisuri secara pribadi menunjuk satu orang dari Constel untuk ikut. Orang itu lo, Frondier." "Karena Frondier ada di pusat rumor soal itu di Constel!" Philly menimpali, mencondongkan tubuh dari jendela mobil. Seolah berbicara kepada semua yang hadir, ia menambahkan, "Yah, rumor itu kan cuma rumor!" Mendengar itu, beberapa siswa menunduk, mengalihkan pandangan, atau menggigit bibir. Mengamati reaksi mereka, Azier menyipitkan mata dan berkata, "Frondier, aku percaya tak ada masalah." "Tidak. Seperti yang kubilang tadi, tak ada yang terjadi." "Aku yakin. Ini Constel. Bukan tempat yang bisa diombang-ambingkan rumor tanpa dasar." Percakapan mereka seolah selesai. Azier berbalik untuk pergi. Frondier mengikuti. —Keluarga Kekaisaran, Pros, dan Constel bergabung. Ini berarti Eden Hamelot pasti akan— Saat itu, Azier meletakkan tangannya di bahu Frondier. Frondier terkejut sesaat. Di luar sesi sparring, Azier tak pernah menyentuhnya sebelumnya. "Emosi lo saat ini… kemungkinan besar terasa asing buatmu." Azier langsung mengenali amarah yang Frondier tutupi dan sembunyikan jauh di dalam. "Apa pun yang telah terjadi, tak perlu ditahan. Aku tidak menyuruhmu menyembunyikannya." Azier bicara dengan cara khasnya, menurut caranya sendiri. "Aku tidak akan membiarkan adikku habis dimakan emosi belaka." Kata-katanya tajam seperti bilah pedang, dan seketika itu juga, tekad Frondier mengeras seperti baja.
Bab 409
The sudden surge of Mana from the monsters, the ominous aura emanating from the wolves that were supposed to conceal their presence, the complete shift in the mission's objective—the joint mission was called off. As Frondier predicted, the situation was resolved without major casualties among the students. Elodie's magic, in particular, shone brightly. Her ability to imbue Mana bullets with homing properties, taking down wolves one by one, reminded Frondier of his own fireworks display. As the students gathered in the field, Ellen, the student council president, addressed the situation from the podium. Naturally, her confrontation with Frondier was omitted from the explanation. She informed them of the unforeseen circumstances that prevented the mission from proceeding, outlined the students' injuries and the measures being taken, and apologized for the lack of thorough preparation. Meanwhile, Frondier... ─Where the hell was he? ─I don't know. He just slithered out of the building when it was all over. ─I told you, he's involved in that incident, right? Given the attention focused on him, his absence was quickly noticed. Of course, that alone wouldn't have been enough to spark such widespread speculation among the students. Just as rumors of Mana injections had spread, there were individuals deliberately fueling the fire. A student approached Frondier, his voice accusatory. "Where were you and what were you doing?! This incident could have seriously injured the freshmen! If you knew there was trouble, you should have helped the others. What have you been doing all this time," The man abruptly stopped mid-sentence, his voice trailing off as Frondier simply glanced at him. An inexplicable fear gripped him, preventing him from uttering another word. After observing him for a moment, Frondier spoke. "You're not a Constel student." "Where did you borrow that uniform? Did they give it to you along with the money?" The man blinked, his face flushing red as he shouted, "This bastard is talking nonsense," The man's body was suddenly lifted into the air before being struck from above and slammed onto the ground. Frondier had held back, but only to avoid killing him, not to minimize the pain. The man's body was wracked with agonizing pain, leaving him gasping for breath. "Right. Up until now, I've kept quiet no matter what nonsense you spewed. The one who hired you expected that, and so did you, didn't you? You figured you could say whatever you wanted without consequences." Frondier slowly approached the man. The man attempted to get up and flee. He was struck again and crumpled to the ground. "Was getting beat up also part of the plan? Did they promise to compensate you for this? In the unlikely event that you die here, will your family receive life insurance? Did you accept the money knowing that?" Aster stepped in front of him. Regardless of the circumstances, Frondier was currently assaulting a student. He couldn't stand idly by. "Frondier, I know you're stressed because of the recent incidents, but this isn't like you. Frondier." At those words, Frondier turned to face Aster. However, the anger and killing intent that had been present in his eyes had vanished without a trace. Instead, Frondier offered Aster a gentle smile. "It's not like that, Aster." "I'm doing what needs to be done." What needs to be done? Assaulting a student? Frondier looked down at the fallen man and said, "What will you do? This is your last chance. You've already experienced how lenient I've been so far. From the third attack onwards, I'll..." "I-I'm sorry! Please spare me!" The man cried out, hastily raising his body with difficulty and kneeling. "You're not a student, are you?" "N-no, sir. I was hired as an agitator. Today, I was assigned the role of 'leader,' which is why I dared to speak so disrespectfully." "I know. You can't say. Fine, get lost." At Frondier's command, the man scrambled to his feet and ran away without looking back. Aster watched him go, then turned to Frondier in surprise. "...Is it okay to let him go like that? If we don't know who sent him, more of these annoying guys will show up." Frondier replied, trying his best to conceal it, but "There's no need for that anymore." His next words carried an undeniable chill. As Aten felt a shiver run down his spine, Two vehicles approached the Constel field. The students' eyes widened in astonishment. Few among them failed to recognize those two cars. One belonged to the Imperial family, the other to the Roachch family. The vehicles came to a stop side by side. First, the window of the back seat in the Imperial car rolled down, revealing "Frondier! Long time no see~" Empress Philly waved at Frondier with an uncharacteristically casual demeanor. The students gaped, their eyes darting between Frondier and Philly. First Aten, now the Empress—how did Frondier have connections with the Imperial family? And for the Empress to call his name with such a welcoming expression... Then, the driver's door of the Roach family car opened, and someone stepped out. A collective gasp swept through the crowd. The man walking towards Frondier with steady steps was Azier. As always, his gait was so impeccable that it rendered any criticism impossible. Azier stood before Frondier, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed his expression. "Frondier, has something happened?" Upon hearing Frondier's reply, Azier glanced around. "The atmosphere seems rather chaotic. I saw someone running in the opposite direction a moment ago. Is that the reason?" Frondier offered a wry smile. Azier, seemingly unconcerned, continued, "Frondier, you must be aware of the recent Mana injection incidents." The students' ears perked up at their conversation. "Due to the widespread reports of these incidents, the Imperial family, the Pros, and Constel have decided to form a team to investigate. And Her Majesty the Empress has personally designated one individual from Constel to participate. That individual is you, Frondier." "Because Frondier is at the center of the rumors about it at Constel!" Philly chimed in, leaning out of the car window. As if addressing everyone present, she added, "Well, rumors are just rumors!" At her words, some students lowered their heads, averted their gazes, or bit their lips. Observing their reactions, Azier narrowed his eyes and said, "Frondier, I trust there have been no issues." "No. As I mentioned earlier, nothing has happened." "I'm sure of it. This is Constel. It's not a place to be swayed by baseless rumors." Their conversation seemingly concluded, Azier turned to leave. Frondier followed suit. ──The Imperial family, the Pros, and Constel joining forces. This meant that Eden Hamelot would definitely— At that moment, Azier placed a hand on Frondier's shoulder. Frondier was momentarily startled. Aside from sparring sessions, Azier had never touched him before. "Your current emotions... they are likely unfamiliar to you." Azier had instantly discerned the anger that Frondier had suppressed and concealed deep within. "Whatever has transpired, there is no need to endure it. I do not instruct you to hide it." Azier spoke in his usual manner, in his own way. "I will not allow my younger brother to be consumed by mere emotions." His words were as sharp as a blade, and to the same extent, Frondier's resolve hardened like steel.
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