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High School Hack and Slash Chapter 32 Part 3

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Pasifista

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Time flies, and once the weekend comes, Golden Week will be upon us.

Nonetheless, for those of us who live in a dormitory and find it almost impossible to move away from the academy, it’s more like feel free to sleep in without worry week.

「Now then, let’s get moving. The other classes are in the middle of lectures, so please don’t cause any noise by all means.」

At Midori-sensei’s command, the sound of chairs scraping echoes through the classroom.

「Hey, Sei~chi~, wake up~.」

「Huh?」

Mai shakes Seiichi, who imprudently nodded off right after the class started, awake.

The class Midori-sensei in charge of is『Introduction to Labyrinths』.

She is in charge of the wide but superficial fields pertaining to lectures necessary for dungeon conquest.

The content of today’s lecture is an explanation of the academy’s facilities.

The facility to be covered is the place where they perform class changes, 『Cathedral』.

This period of time before the consecutive holidays, every year it seems to be the time when the early students gradually reach the point of being eligible for class changes.

Well, in our first year third group, there are already quite a number of classmates who have already achieved it.

「Fwah… Time for meal?」

「Didn’t you just have a meal a while ago, Grandpa? Rather, wake up already.」

Leaving aside the two, who act like a couple in their 60s, this will actually be the first time we are going to the『Cathedral』.

It seems to be a place to have class change only, so it’s not fated to us who are enjoying the graces of Interface.

As I feel a strange sense of immorality of walking through the corridor while classes are being held in other classrooms, we come out to the courtyard.

The courtyard, with its wide space allotted, boasts magnificent gardening that I can’t help but admire every time I come here.

It is popular as a place for students to relax and refresh themselves, as well as a moody spot for outdoor sex.

When my eyes meet Shizuka’s, her cheeks blush with a puff as she holds my hand, but right now we’re in the middle of a class.

It’s good that she seems to have been able to considerably control the synchronization of emotions triggered by our contact.

It would be a little awkward if she suddenly caves in.

「Unlike in the dungeon, you get bitten by mosquitoes here, right?」

As expected the freedom couple, Mai x Seiichi, seem to have already given it a try.

I did once use it too due to some inevitable circumstances, but I think Rinko-senpai might have used some insect repellent items, and it hurts when I get pinched.

I feel a strong passion of let’s overwrite those memories from Shizuka-san.

「This shall be the『Cathedral』.」

A lot of the academy facilities are a blend of Japanese and Western architecture with a Taisho-roman flavor.

However, the building of the『Cathedral』 is a compact, chalk-white one, as if it’s a chapel.

「In this building, there exists the facility to perform class change. Some among you have already used it…」

How should I put it, just like Rashomon, I feel an uncomfortable sensation as if my skin is crawling.

A foreign sense to reason, or perhaps an outlandish sense of the existence of something nonexistent.

「It seems that this thing has been here from the beginning, you see. I guess the exterior were built afterwards, though.」

Seiichi, with his hands thrust into his pockets, has a crooked smile on his face.

「It seems that this thing and the entrance to the dungeon are the only ones that have been here from the beginning. Way before they were discovered by someone.」

「What do you call it again, such things…. An OOPArt?」

It reminds me of round stones or a crystal skull.

If I remember it correctly, I have a feeling that it means『out of place artifacts』, items that could not have been created in the place or age they were discovered.

「I know neither the mechanism or the principles, but I guess it’s like: we’re using it since it’s usable anyway.」

「Hmm, but isn’t such a thing the same as with smartphones and televisions? From my point of view, sung things are no different from magic items, after all.」

「Damn straight.」

Inside the hall, illuminated by the light streaming in through the stained glass windows around the ceiling, is a semi underground, how should I put it, stone circle historic ruin.

The multiple circles and geometric patterns drawn all over the floor seem to be made of a mosaic with some sort of fine stones inlaid within.

There are ten stone pillars standing at equal intervals, and the way they are wrapped with shimenawa is very mismatched.

It has the vibe of a shrine with a blend of Japanese and Western styles.

Taking a glance at the floor pattern and the position of the stone pillars from above, it doesn’t look unlike the Sakefuneishi archeological site, or rather a systematic tree.

According to Midori-sensei’s explanation, the rock standing in front of us is called the『Altar of the Crown (Kether Altar)』, and it seems that we can do first step class change with it.

In accordance with the superior class change, we seem to use the『Altar』 deeper inside.

The『Altar』, or rather the rocks, seem to have their own names, such as『Altar of Wisdom (Chokhmah Altar)』, 『Altar of Mercy (Chesed Altar)』 and so on, but I forget it in an instant.

But, it would seem to appear in tests or something.

By the way, the『Altar』 in charge of it seem to vary according to the class branching.

「Huh, doesn’t t the floor seem to be kinda glowing?」

Mai, stretching herself, is peeking at the inside of the『Cathedral』.

It’s not a very large facility, so all of the classmates are unable to enter at once.

We, who are not interested in it, are stuck in the position at the back of the group, looking down on them from the gate.

「This… it seems that among you, there is someone who has come to able to do class change.」

Midori-sensei makes a somewhat surprised look on her face.

Looking at the『Altar of the Crown (Kether Altar)』 from the entrance, the mosaic pattern on the floor seems to be warmly glowing, navigating like a path.

Originally, it seems that class change is a ritual that is performed as you enter the shine one by one.

Should you earn the qualifications, the path to the available『Altar』 would react in such manner.

I’ve heard that the results of the class change are random, but in case you receive undesired results, I guess the system is for you to choose between starting over from the first step or from the second step onward branching class selection.

For example, let’s say you turn from the first step『Fighter』 into the second step『Knight』, if you have a re-class change at the『Altar』 for『Fighter』, there’s also a possibility for you to turn into similarly second step class of『Warrior』 or『Samurai』.

If you find it fine to not start over from the first step class change, exploring the class doesn’t seem to be that much of a bitter act to do either.

Moreover, if I use this place, I might be able to redo the first step class change selection too.

「There are cases where measurement errors occur on the notebook’s level display, so for those who may have some idea, please give it a try later.」

It seems that they are unable to tell to the point of who it is responding to.

It would surely take some time for all of us to touch the stone monument.

More or less, the mechanism seems to be for it to react to the person with the highest level among those who have come to be able to do classes change.

「Midori-chan, I have a question.」

Perhaps in the hope that by any chance it is him, among the classmates who are buzzing and getting excited, one boy raises his hand.

「There’s a door-like stone gate at the far end, what may that be? Could it be the one for SSR?」

「I think you may know it, Midori-chan.」

「… No, it’s a sealed door called the『Altar of Secrecy (Da’ath Altar)』. No, it may be thought as such, but the door has never opened up until now. It is speculated that it ought to be for the use of class change of a step no one has ever reached before.」

Explains Midori-sensei from inside the『Cathedral』, facing towards us at the entrance.

Even the classmates, who have been teasing her for fun, end up turning quiet in a somewhat strange manner.

Being earnest is a good thing to do.

「… Say. It’s open, isn’t it, the door?」

「… Just your imagination. It’s called an unopened door, after all.」

The field trip is mostly over, so I concede the spot to Shizuka.

As I take a peek at the depth of the hall since I hear a clunking sound from there, another clunking sound echoes.

For some reason, Seiichi and Mai’s gazes are refreshingly wet.

「Something the matter?」

「… Yes. Touma-kun, how about we go over there?」

Mai holds her eyebrows and lets out a sigh.

Geez, that’s how happiness ends up running away from you.

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