Reincarnated as the Weakest Shadow Queen in the Academy-Chapter 50: Friends, Piggybanks, Shadeknights

A surge of energy passed, and Ciel arrived before a gate.

Its frame was rusted and damaged. Shadow crept up the gaps in between, encroaching on every bit of the iron.

Something has already intruded. Ciel squinted, noticing the lock broken.

"Strange..."

A cautious voice, carried with experience, rang behind her.

"Quia," Ciel turned to the elf behind. "Have the others already-"

"Ah. That Stormveil girl and Edgy Prince already rushed inside. Can’t wait, they said."

The elf gave a mocking smirk as she tossed the cube with the lever midair. A paw emerged, snatching it and disappearing in the magic circle.

Selvara and Orion were the first to enter, followed by Shire and Quia, and lastly Ciel herself.

As she peeked over the elf’s shoulders, a certain redhead’s gaze remained up, observing.

Before the gate lay a front yard where the land stretched, Ciel spotted three carriages lined up on each side, their massive forms clustered in two groups.

"This..."

Ciel had doubts. She didn’t observe it back then, but that didn’t apply to Shire.

The redhand’s palm swept over one of the carriage’s curtains, the tension on her features blooming.

An emblem, shaped like an eagle with two large, imposing wings, spread through the fabric in lavish gold.

"Huh," Shire scoffed. "I didn’t think my piggy bank would be involved in this."

Indeed.

It was not just one, but all the carriages that carried the same emblem Shire recognised.

"Oooh!" Quia ran up, excited. "You mean that muscular, merchant scum’s guild?"

Shire gave a nod. "Not just scum, their tradings were everywhere, and..."

The redhead heaved a high sigh, then she glared across the crowds of carriages.

Only the tree’s shadow greeted her back, quiet, unassuming.

What surrounded the mansion was an all-encompassing forest. If one looked from above, one could barely make out that there was a building within.

Ciel also realised this. "Was the mansion’s placement intentional? Did they smuggle something in here?"

"I would suspect it, yes."

Shire’s smirk was tinged with a fiery rage. The curve was edged, the surface of the lips glinted with a cruel shimmer, yet unbothered to hide its joyous blaze.

"I’ve more reasons to vent," Shire huffed through her nose. "Very good..."

A cold shudder crept up Quia’s body, while Ciel’s head merely tilted curiously.

"Uh-" Quia chortled, exasperated. "Did you just assume immediately that the shadebeasts have something to do with them? For all we know, they could be doing shady stuff, but-"

"Then," Shire snapped to her. "Are you saying that assumption is not there?"

"I didn’t. I just say we need to keep calm."

"Pft- Even if they didn’t, I’d find an excuse to land a few punches in."

"Shire Lirene... come on, be rational."

"Quia."

A soft voice broke the tension. Ciel tapped the elf aside before giving a pointed stare at Shire.

"We must move now." Her command was simple. "Our mission is to clear the mansion and plant the cube. As long as your personal...feelings didn’t affect us, feel free."

Shire raised a brow. A quiet satisfaction slipped as she hummed. "Roger."

"..."

Quia merely scowled hard at Shire. The elf had a feeling the mad noble just wanted to have a beef with everyone but Ciel.

"Here," Quia grumbled as she threw the lantern at Shire.

Shire’s hand caught it easily. Clasping it over the skirt’s belt, the elf warned. "You’ll be the Nightcaller, so watch our rears. If you run off, at least give us a sign."

Shire blinked, confused, then sighed deeply. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

"Yes."

Unbeknownst to them, Ciel scratched her chin with a guilty look.

She might, just might, be the one who ran off without a sound.

Her bonus quest wouldn’t wait, after all.

—--------

The elf and Shire’s argument was over in a flash, as the operation began formally.

They each took up a spot in a simple formation. Quia up ahead, Ciel in the middle, and Shire from behind.

Quia cranked open the gate. As the ’technical leader’ and ’most experienced’ out of the three, the adventurer Elf stepped forth, followed by two tiny girls in tow.

A garden settled out to greet them, twice as vast as the front yard before the gate.

Wilted flowers and tilted grasses sprawled over their views. A few terraces spread around in the distance, their walls collapsing on themselves in futility.

Black crusts sprawled all over the otherwise green landscape, left behind when a shadebeast died.

It was recent, suggesting it was either Stormveil or Orion’s works.

Warcries, muffled through thick walls and sturdy glasses, could be heard in the mansion.

Quia’s first comment is this.

"Wow, they really are just muscleheads."

The space was filled with the elf’s disappointment. Ciel chuckled, asking with an innocent gleam.

"Charging inside helped a little. Most shadebeasts would be out by now."

This should be apparent, but in Nightfall, no shadebeasts were allowed to stay in the shadow forever.

Pure instinct to kill drove their actions, and their bodies would move without them knowing it.

Few controlled the instinct, like the shadehounds that prowled within the shadow.

Or-

A clacking noise, metallic and cluttering, echoed in the space.

The trio glanced to the left. Across from them, within one of the collapsed terraces, a gauntlet-shaped mass of black, inky, wet steel emerged from the debris.

A swing and the debris flew, scattering away in a howl as some zoomed in their direction.

"Step back-"

"No," Ciel ran up. "Get behind me."

The white-haired witch simply walked up. Staff flickered into form, and she cast a shield surrounding Quia and Shire.

Stones smashed into the dome, then bounced off it.

Stepping over, a shadebeast revealed itself.

It was in the form of a simple iron armour, shrouded in an ominous black. The helmet it wore bore no eyes, not even a glimmer of life.

As if it were a living armour, carried forth with a deadly will alone.

Shadeknight. Ciel readied herself, then she froze.

The knight did something unexpected when its gaze landed on Ciel.

Its iron armour first twitched, as if a surprise swept over the monster, unsure of what to do.

An awkward silence fell, and then its helmet hung down, keeping its posture as if bowing.

The Knight was paying its respect. For the Queen.

Ciel’s lips subtly gaped, then pursed bitterly.

From behind, Quia’s hand landed assuredly on her shoulder before running forth.

"Come on!"

The elf’s yell was, comparatively, not so subtle in its excitement.

The shadeknight’s armour spasmed, each gap of its parts cluttering as if in rage.

It unsheathed the sword at the waist before sprinting outward to intercept.

Quia timed it. A paw spawned and lunged, its knuckles inches away from the knight’s helmet, before it raised its sword.

A loud seething noise cackled as the knight blocked with its steps, sliding away against the paw. It pushed, but Quia’s summon barely budged, its parts clanging desperately together.

But another fist met its waist as the knight winced. Its grip loosened, and the paw sent it flying, apart. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ciel watched as the impact split the living armour into pieces, its remains scattered to join the debris from earlier.

Only the moon served as a solemn witness, as the knight’s remains too faded into black crusts.

"Whew." The elf’s arms folded on her waist. "A shadeknight was at most Tenebra II. Easy easy-"

Her speech halted as a fireball flung past her shoulder, as the elf jolted in utter shock.

"What the f-"

She was about to snarl at Shire, until a whimper cried out from beside her.

Quia glanced. Just beside her leg was a Shadehound on fire, its camouflage revealed by the blazing shroud that scorched it alive.

As it plopped and died, Ciel and Shire sprinted to join her.

The lantern on Shire’s waist remained a warning red.

"Stay close," Ciel commanded as they stood in the formation from before. "Don’t run ahead of yourself this time."

"Ciel..."

Quia’s whisper lingered. She couldn’t say it, but her impulsiveness came from wanting to protect Ciel.

The elf didn’t quite know Ciel, but killing a family of your own hurt.

And Ciel had enough hurt in the elf’s eyes.

The former shadebeast didn’t require such pity, however.

"Elf," Shire called out as her hand stretched forth, fingertips coated in flames. "The terraces."

As they focused hard enough, the same phenomenon occurred, with blows blasting apart the terraces.

"Stella, <Wing>!"

A wing summoned, and it shielded the three from the debris.

And as Quia dismissed it, three more knights spread apart from just ahead.

One directly in front of the elf, while the other two flanked the trio’s sides.

In this open garden, animalistic growls loomed everywhere. Shadehounds, already coated in dark camouflages, were prepared to strike when their guards were down.

They took a deep breath as their eyes met in a brief moment.

Then they clashed their backs against one another, reshaping the formation against one of each knight.

A panel flickered by Ciel’s tensed gaze, reminders in an absolute chaos.

[ Brief warning: Your Tarot Card, <Reversed Moon> will run out upon the Moon hung overhead. Please refresh by then. ]

[ Bounty System readied. As you haven’t selected your next increase, the System shall register Shadeknights as your next target for now. ]

[ Shadeknights: 0/5 ]