Chapter 203
Chapter 203
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.45 – The Knight Catches Autumn (8)
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“—Are you hoping to join the History Department, Miss Hayes Roche?”
The blue-eyed woman with golden bobbed hair that suited her perfectly nodded vigorously at the examiner's question.
“To be precise, I'm very interested in theology. I dream of chasing the miracles of the Great Light and following in His footsteps from when He manifested. I believe the History Department, with its storied legacy and vast historical documents, is the perfect place to achieve that dream.”
“Hooh.”
The History Department professor, serving as the first-round interviewer, let out an exclamation of admiration.
In the field of archaeology, passion was always a key element, and enthusiastic juniors were always welcome.
He was tempted to ask inwardly if she had any thoughts of becoming a graduate student, adding some bonus points.
However, an interview alone couldn't reveal everything.
So.
“We'll see how you do in the debate.”
“...Thank you!”
Unlike the Swordsmanship or Magic Departments, practical exams for academic-track cadets were mostly evaluated through debates.
In other words, she had passed the first interview, and she wore a happy smile.
“Personally, I hope you get a good evaluation in the practical as well.”
Normally, the practical came first, followed by the interview, but this year was unusual—starting with the first interview before the practical.
Well, the exam content and order changed every year, so it wasn't particularly strange.
The professor left first after offering encouragement to the potential future graduate student, and the girl, her innocent smile even brighter with excitement, exited the interview room still unable to hide her happiness.
She naturally headed to the restroom next, and soon.
“—Easy.”
The smile vanished from her lips as if it had never been there.
Her face was now chillingly cold.
It carried a heavy air of mockery, and she felt things were going smoother than expected.
'I thought the Royal Academy would be more thorough and cunning, but they're surprisingly straightforward and naive.'
In truth, she had prepared extensively.
Yet without needing to use any of it, things were proceeding smoothly, which naturally pleased her.
However, there was one thing nagging at her.
'To run into a top-priority watch subject this early...'
Hayes Roche recalled the knight standing on the platform.
The knight who exuded overwhelming presence just by standing still, dominating 30,000 spectators.
'...Lee Han.'
She had most of the information on him memorized.
'...It is advised to [flee].'
“Ha, no exaggeration.”
Hayes let out a hollow laugh.
Recalling the organization's intel, she had to concede.
He was indeed a dangerous individual—up close.
A monster beyond compare.
'Even the temple hasn't seen a monster like that... Ah!'
...No. On second thought, they had.
But 'those guys' were allies, so they weren't scary.
Having such a monster on the enemy side just made her shiver.
Thus, Hayes wondered if she should just flee as instructed from above.
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't handle him.
Of course.
'At night, it'd be different.'
If she used the 'mystery' the organization had 'blessed' her with properly, few could beat her at night.
Especially men.
“Hoo.”
Hayes pondered briefly but decided quickly.
'I have to continue the mission.'
Her mission required passing the exam no matter what.
'Fleeing is off the table. Proceed with the exam as planned.'
Fleeing wasn't a bad option, but doing so now would mean losing everything, and the organization would likely treat her as useless.
Being deemed worthless and 'disposed' of was worse than death—a future she dreaded.
'No matter how suspicious that knight gets, he can't touch an exam candidate. ...Surely.'
She was certain he knew knightly honor and his duty as an instructor—he couldn't harm her.
She was convinced—
—Click.
“......”
“From now on, I'll ask questions. I'll pose them, and for every second your answer is late, I'll pull the trigger without hesitation. Don't worry—you won't die right away. After all, don't you have the 'Succubus Factor'? ...The one extracted from me.”
“Y-You...”
“Succubi don't die easily from guns. Well, shall we begin?”
Click.
She appeared coldly composed on the surface, but up close, she seemed to have lost a bit of her reason.
Judia Pierre aimed her gun precisely at Hayes Roche's occiput with fierce eyes, and Hayes broke into a cold sweat.
“—D-Do this, and you'll only get yourself in trouble, Priestess Pierre.”
Hayes was visibly flustered at first but soon composed herself defiantly.
The fact that she spoke her mind even with a gun to the back of her head showed remarkable nerve.
But.
“You don't know your place.”
Bang!
She had chosen the wrong opponent for a battle of wills.
Heresy inquisitor.
They didn't waste time on pointless emotional standoffs or compromises.
Temple assassins, rigorously trained to eliminate all who opposed the Light.
The trigger was pulled without hesitation, and Hayes's head seemed about to explode.
“Kuhk!?”
...It seemed like it would explode, but it didn't actually.
Not due to lack of firepower. Simply, a mere gun couldn't pierce a 'succubus's' head.
“A succubus's body is like liquid. It has substance but feels intangible—a mysterious constitution.”
“Kugh!”
“Thus, most physical attacks are halved, and it won't die from ordinary ones.”
Click.
Judia Pierre calmly recited the details of her power, but her eyes blazed with fury unlike her tone.
And rightly so—she knew this power stemmed from experiments that had tortured her like a lab rat.
Recalling the agony and painful years she had tried to forget—or ignore—only fueled Judia Pierre's rage.
“However, while immune to death by physical attacks, the pain is fully felt. Especially since the bullet in your head is coated in poison. The agony will likely double.”
“!!”
“Feeling it now? Good. As the pain worsens, you'll learn your place.”
“Aaaagh!”
“Want less pain? Then drop the bravado and answer my questions honestly. Your affiliation, how you got that power—everything. Do that...”
Click.
“...and I'll kill you painlessly.”
The utmost mercy Judia Pierre could show.
A true heresy inquisitor could inflict every ounce of suffering possible on the living if they chose.
Thus, her offer was genuinely merciful.
However.
“Hah, ha, bullshit! Y-You call that an offer!?”
Unfortunately, it was Hayes's first encounter with a heresy inquisitor—she didn't realize it was mercy.
Writhing in pain, she still smirked defiantly, grinding her teeth.
“D-Don't make me laugh! H-How dare scum like you treat me this way! Betraying even your benefactor, Bishop Raphael! You temple lapdog butcher...!”
“......”
“Ah, right—you're not even human, are you? You're just a fabricated personality, aren't you? Isn't that right, Priestess Pierre...?”
Bang, bang!
Gunshots rang out in succession.
Not from Judia losing her temper.
Simply.
“You don't know your place. Raised soft in the temple, huh.”
“Aaaaaagh!”
“Reacting like this to this level of pain... Not trained as an assassin?”
“W-Who said I'm an assassin! I'm going to be a saint! I will be a saint—huh!?”
For a moment, Hayes's eyes widened in shock.
...Why did I say that?
“The drug's kicking in, I see.”
“!?”
“Some mistake heresy inquisitors for mere killers, but our true duty is executing temple threats and extracting information. We have dozens of truth serum recipes. Yours is a bit strong. You might find lying difficult for life.”
“L-Lies...!”
“Think it's lies if it comforts you.”
Judia toyed with Hayes like a cat with a mouse, bloodshot veins bulging in Hayes's eyes.
Stubborn.
Even with poison and pain ravaging her body, she clung to her defiance.
'Brainwashed. Convinced she's chosen.'
Pierre knew these types well.
Probably indoctrinated through temple education to believe she was 'special.'
A common heretic ploy. Pierre clicked her tongue inwardly.
'Damn heretics!'
She burned with anger at how many heretics lurked in the temple.
Then.
“Y-You'll regret this. If anything happens to me, 'they' will move...!”
“They?”
“The [Holy Knight Families] collaborating with the temple! Y-You've heard of them, right?”
“......”
Under the truth serum, she spilled everything effortlessly. At 'Holy Knight Families,' Pierre recalled one.
A family that had produced holy knights since ancient times, more loyal to the temple than the crown.
“Roengrin...”
Count Roengrin Family.
One of Pendragon's founding contributors, said to have served the Sword King.
Pierre's expression hardened at their presence inside the academy.
“S-See? You touched someone you shouldn't have!”
Hayes now spat threats like a cornered animal.
Tenacious.
Even in agony, her obsession to destroy the opponent felt palpable—as if it would come true.
...However.
“Roengrin, huh. Are they invading from the east, by any chance?”
“...H-How?”
“I see. Good. That explains why he's heading that way.”
“??”
“Heh.”
For the first time, not mockery but an amused smile crossed Pierre's lips.
The situation was ridiculous.
Her opponent thought she'd prepared her best card, but it was powerless before an individual with senses superior to beasts.
“Foolish apostate, listen well. In this academy...”
Krunch!
“?”
Lee Han's ears itched suddenly, and so did the bridge of his nose.
Catching a cold?
“Nah? I don't get colds easily...”
Then maybe catching autumn?
Well, he'd been out of seasonal sync this time.
Suffering through winter blizzards only to hit autumn weather.
Probably weakened from riding seasons backward.
“Getting old is scary. I flew through my twenties.”
Krunch—!
“Sigh, manage yourselves while young. Don't get cocky and regret it.”
“......”
“Well, this arrogant bastard's the exception.”
A 3-meter-tall man was bending at the waist and back over Lee Han's head.
Argentine Backbreaker.
A wrestling hold grabbing the thigh and neck, crushing over the shoulders. Its advantage?
“I said I'd snap your spine like tossing trash, right?”
Crunchgrrrind!
Perfect for ripping out a spine.
Lee Han was a man who always kept his word.