TGSA 22

Chapter 22

Inside the Punishment Cave (1)

“Ernas has been sent into the punishment cave?”

The night after the first exam.

Céline couldn’t believe her ears when she heard Chloe’s words.

“I was wondering why Ernas hadn’t returned no matter how long I waited… but the punishment cave?!”

“What’s… a punishment cave?”

Schmitz, listening from the side, tilted his head. Chloe calmly explained in a steady voice.

“The punishment cave is like the academy’s prison. On a nearby island, there’s a deep cave, and students who commit crimes are locked up there.”

“Why bother locking them in a cave? Wouldn’t it be easier to just build a prison?”

“That’s because sometimes they have to imprison people who’ve reached the level of a Graduate.”

“Ah, I see.”

If someone at the Graduate level wanted to, they could smash through walls and escape.
It was safer to trap them in the depths of a cave and simply guard the entrance.

“But wait—why on earth would Sir Ernas be thrown into that cave?”

“Exactly. Chloe, you need to explain that first.”

“They say Sir Ernas was carrying a real sword. Apparently, he injured another student with it.”

At Chloe’s explanation, both Céline and Schmitz’s eyes widened.

“W-what do you mean by that?”

“Sir Ernas with a real sword? I’ve never once seen him carry something like that… isn’t there some mistake?”

“No, it wasn’t something he smuggled in secretly. Supposedly, he happened to get hold of it during the exam. I don’t know the details yet.”

Chloe went on, still calm.

“I heard that Sir Ernas turned himself in voluntarily. They still need to investigate further, but it sounds like he’ll be released soon.”

“If he’s getting out soon… that’s a relief, I guess.”

Céline couldn’t hide her anxiety.
Next to her, Schmitz frowned.

“Sir Ernas isn’t the kind of man to secretly hide a real sword and then attack someone with it. Once the truth comes out, he’ll be freed.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

“Tch. I was planning to celebrate with him for passing the first exam, but now the mood’s ruined.”

Schmitz scratched his head, grumbling. Chloe gave a wry smile at the sight.

“It would’ve been hard to have a big celebration anyway. There are those who failed, after all.”

From the island where Class Black-6 was staying, the sound of crying echoed here and there.
The weeping came from those who had failed, and from classmates mourning their friends’ failure.

“Out of fifty, nearly ten failed… it’s not exactly a time where those who passed can rejoice without guilt.”

“Hmph, meaningless friendship.”

Schmitz spat coldly.

“Sooner or later, we’ll all be scattered anyway. The days of clinging together as Class Black-6 won’t last long.”

“Well… you’re not wrong.”

Before long, they would face the second exam.
Those who passed would leave the island and move elsewhere.
Those who failed would remain behind, preparing for a retest.

“In this crucial time, preparing for the second exam, Sir Ernas must be so frustrated, being stuck in some cave.”

“True enough.”

After saying that, Chloe turned to Céline.

“Lady Céline, while Sir Ernas is gone, I think you’ll need to serve as the acting representative. Would you be all right with that?”

“Eh? Me?”

“Sir Ernas asked me beforehand. He said, if an unexpected event ever forced him to step away, I should help ensure you could fulfill the role of representative.”

“Ernas… said that…?”

Céline hesitated for a moment.
She disliked the idea of it seeming like she was stealing his position while he was away.
But someone had to lead, and if Ernas had chosen her for the role, she had to live up to that trust.

“But why didn’t Ernas tell me directly, instead of only telling you, Chloe?”

“Well, who knows? Maybe it’s because you’re always so cold toward him? You need to treat him more gently, like I do.”

“I-I’m not that cold to him!”

Céline’s cheeks flushed red, and Schmitz scowled from the side.

“I’m always polite to Sir Ernas, so why didn’t he ever tell me anything? Damn it…”

Watching Schmitz stomp the ground in frustration, Chloe chuckled softly.

“So, Lady Céline, will you accept the role of representative?”

“…I suppose I have no choice.”

Céline cleared her throat and nodded.

“I’ll lead Class Black-6. Until Ernas returns, I’ll protect the class.”

She vowed to lead them perfectly, leaving Ernas not a single reason to find fault when he came back.

Céline made that firm resolve.

“This way, Ernas.”

“Thank you for guiding me.”

Following the instructor’s lead, I stepped into the cave’s entrance.
It was the punishment cave, where the academy imprisoned offenders.

“Lester is currently being interrogated elsewhere. Since he’s no longer considered an academy student, he won’t be confined here.”

“So he’s already been expelled.”

“If the suspicions are proven true, it won’t stop at expulsion. He bribed an instructor to smuggle in a real sword, then tried to frame another student… the academy will formally lodge a protest with the Lancaster family.”

“…”

I listened to the instructor’s words with a faint smile.

Everything was proceeding exactly as I had planned.

‘Lester played his part exactly as I expected.’

Lester Lancaster was small-minded.
It was almost certain he’d try to get back at me somehow.

So I tossed him the perfect bait.
I stole the real sword he had smuggled in.

‘I figured, if I held onto the sword, he would inevitably report me to the academy.’

He was obsessed with ruining me.
Driven by that thought, Lester would have no choice but to accuse me of possessing the sword—
even though he was the one who smuggled it in, thinking he could somehow talk his way out of it later.

Knowing that, I deliberately surrendered the sword right after leaving the exam grounds.

And so… Lester set himself on the road to ruin.

“You voluntarily surrendered the sword and asked to be punished, so your sentence will be light.”

“It’s true I carried a real sword after injuring a classmate with it. I should be properly punished.”

“You really are… Well, at worst, you’ll spend a few days here. A week at the most.”

The instructor seemed to like me.
To his eyes, I probably looked like a principled, conscientious man who insisted on taking responsibility.

“You’ll live here. Every morning, we’ll bring you bread and water for the day.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“And don’t wander from the designated area. If you slip up, you might fall somewhere strange and lose your life.”

“You said there are markers, right? Don’t worry, I won’t.”

“Good. Then I’ll be going… oh, almost forgot.”

The instructor pulled something from his belt pouch.
A small glass vial filled with red liquid.

“Nearly slipped my mind. This is the elixir given to those who pass the first exam.”

“You’re giving it to me now?”

“The other students should be receiving theirs around now too. The professors insisted everyone take it at the same time.”

“Thank you.”

Handing me the elixir, the instructor departed.

I was left alone in the dark cave.

“Phew…”

I stretched my arms.
Feigning sincere remorse was tiring.

‘No one will suspect that I came here on purpose.’

That’s right.
I hadn’t turned myself in just to ruin Lester.

I needed to come to this cave.

‘This punishment cave… is where the protagonist is imprisoned midway through the novel.’

The main character, Arkandel, causes an incident and ends up confined here.

In the story, this happens much later, but I’d chosen to bring it forward.

‘If I stay with Class Black-6 now, only minor events will happen.’

After the first exam, the novel slowed down for a while—
classes, practice, and interactions between characters.

But I already knew everything taught in Black-6.
I even knew the characters’ secrets.

I didn’t have the time or luxury to review what I already knew.
So, I chose to enter the punishment cave at this point.

‘Because I need to grow stronger.’

I began moving.

The cave was dark.
But by focusing magic into my eyes, I could see clearly.

‘Convenient.’

Leaving the designated area, I immediately saw dangerous terrain.
There were sudden drops where the ground gave way.
One wrong step meant falling to your death.

‘According to the story, several people actually died falling here.’

But I already knew how to use magic.
And I had mastered Lichtenauer’s body technique.

Even if I fell, I wouldn’t die.

“….”

I took a deep breath.
Then leapt into the darkness.

The sensation of plummeting.
Jutting rocks nearly smashed into me, but I maneuvered using the Lichtenauer technique.

‘I can’t afford to lose focus…!’

I sharpened my senses.
Enhancing my sight with magic, I moved my body with precision.

At last, I landed safely in the depths below.

“Phew…”

I found myself in a narrow space carved by underground water.
After catching my breath, I moved forward slowly.

After about ten minutes, I reached a dead end.

‘Just like in the novel’s description.’

Scanning my surroundings carefully, I noticed a patch of stone with a slightly different texture.

‘This must be it.’

I placed my hand on it and let magic flow into the surface—
similar to how I’d project sword energy.

“…!”

Symbols lit up across the bare wall.
The ground trembled.

‘It’s opening!’

Boom!

The wall split apart, revealing a hidden doorway.

Light steps carried me inside.

‘I can feel the light…’

It was a softly glowing chamber.
No need to enhance my vision—
thanks to the white grass growing all around.

‘Nightglow Grass…’

A meadow of luminous plants glowing in the dark.
I walked carefully into it.

‘These can grow without sunlight because they absorb the earth’s energy.’

The abundance of nightglow grass here meant this place brimmed with the earth’s energy.

‘Long ago, when building the Lichtenauer Academy of Swordsmanship, they discovered this place.’

A hidden meadow deep within the cave.
It was converted into a secret training ground—
reserved for royalty.

‘But in the end, no royals ever enrolled, and it was forgotten.’

Now the cave was only used as a prison.
No one remembered this royal training ground existed.

Which meant it was mine alone to use.

‘And one more thing…’

I channeled magic into the stone monument at the center of the meadow.
The ground trembled again, and another wall opened—
revealing yet another chamber.

‘Perfect. Just like in the novel.’

Heart pounding with expectation, I stepped inside.

And what awaited me was—

“Ah…!”

I couldn’t help but let out a cry of awe.

Daggers, short swords, long swords, greatswords…
Countless masterpieces prepared for royalty lay before my eyes.