Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Suspicion
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Liru Garda was someone who grasped situations with remarkable speed.
Even after just escaping a death threat she hadn't even imagined moments ago, she could quickly pick up on how the ongoing situation was unfolding.
“You know how it is.”
Dawood Campbell was about to say something.
He looked quite tense at the menacing aura of the woman approaching from the side.
As if she posed a threat dozens of times greater than the giant demon beast that had just collapsed.
“...”
Seeing that, Liru released Dawood's arm and jumped to her feet.
“...I don't know the details or anything.”
And before she could even think, her mouth moved first.
“You threatening this guy right now?”
“Step aside. This has nothing to do with you—”
“It does.”
Elnor halted her steps with a look of bewilderment.
She seemed so flabbergasted that she didn't know how to react right away.
Probably no one present had expected this. Not even Dawood, who stared at her with a blank expression.
“...No, what are you to him that you'd—”
“At the very least, I know I owe him my life just now.”
If someone asked why she was doing this, Liru herself couldn't give a clear answer.
But simply sitting idle after receiving a favor from someone wasn't in her nature.
This man clearly had enough 'value' in her mind to justify her stepping in like this.
“If you're planning something on him, come at me. Why not take me down first.”
To be honest, saying she wasn't scared would be a lie.
This was a face she recognized. Someone who had once crushed her with that very 'aura' before. The Student Council President of Elpante.
The woman who had just obliterated in one strike the giant demon beast that nearly killed her in one blow. If she fought this woman, it'd be over in seconds—she was certain.
Enduring even a single exchange would be a miracle.
“...”
But even so.
She steadied her trembling arms and assumed a fighting stance.
She steeled her resolve and glared at the opponent.
“...?”
And strangely enough.
Rather than countering her display, the opponent's momentum faltered.
More precisely, she looked 'shocked.'
Her face even bore a hint of sorrow.
“...Very well. That's enough.”
Before anyone could process that, another voice cut into the situation.
It came from a woman who emerged from the spatial transfer spell hanging in the air.
“...!”
The moment Liru identified her, her own expression twisted into that of a furious demon.
At the very least.
On the night when most of her clan was slaughtered.
Even amid that carnage, she could never forget that face.
Smirking with half-lidded eyes like a devil, utterly unperturbed.
While Allan Kasa dueled, it was this woman who handled the 'disposal' of her clan.
“High Priestess...!”
She snarled it out.
Her voice condensed with beast-like killing intent, yet Tatiana, bathed in it directly, still wore her ever-smiling face.
“Everyone has splendidly passed the test! You're all outstanding, head and shoulders above the rest!”
Liru's face twisted even more hideously at the blatant disregard. Her fists clenched. She wanted to smash that tear-apart face right then.
But a hand grabbed her just as she was about to lunge.
Turning, it was Dawood. He shook his head.
“...”
She knew it wasn't a wise choice.
After all, she was an exile cast out from the tribal alliance, while High Priestess Tatiana was the closest confidante of Great Chieftain Allan Ba-Tor. The backlash from charging in recklessly would be immense.
It was only natural for this man to hold her back now.
And above all.
“You can't win against her.”
Dawood's words slammed into her ear.
A fierce surge of rage briefly whitened her mind, but she couldn't deny it was true.
High Priestess Tatiana was strong. She had single-handedly slain most of the elite warriors from the Great Chieftain's own clan in the tribal alliance.
“For now.”
So when the man said that.
Liru could only turn to him with wide eyes.
While she stood there speechless for a moment, Dawood stepped forward, pulling her behind him, and approached Tatiana.
“Pleasure to meet you, High Priestess Tatiana.”
“...Well, I haven't even been introduced, and you already know me?”
“You're quite famous.”
Dawood continued indifferently.
“You've sent me 'greetings' a few times yourself. I appreciated them.”
He hadn't handled them personally, but it was undeniable that assassins had been dispatched against him several times.
Tatiana's half-lidded eyes widened slightly at his words.
Killing intent poured from her slit-like yellow pupils, reminiscent of a reptile's.
A complete shift from how she'd treated Liru like air moments ago.
“...So you're that Dawood Campbell, the student?”
“You know me?”
“Of course.”
She extended her hand slightly, as if offering a handshake.
As if, unlike with Liru, she saw him as someone truly 'worth engaging.'
“I've heard a lot about you from the one I serve.”
A normal person might think of the Great Chieftain upon hearing 'the one I serve.'
But both she and Dawood knew that wasn't who Tatiana meant.
Someone far more 'dangerous.'
“Do give her my regards.”
Dawood kept his smiling face as he took Tatiana's outstretched hand and shook it.
“Last time we only met briefly and couldn't talk properly. She said next time, she'd give me her all.”
“...Who knows. She's a busy one. If you have business, you'll probably have to settle it with me first.”
“Shall we, then?”
Both their expressions were smiles. Both their demeanors polite.
But the atmosphere.
Felt like walking a blade's edge. Like each hid a dagger beneath their words.
“...Shall we head to your lodgings first? You must be exhausted from the journey.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
By the time they exchanged those words, everyone present realized it.
This man and this woman.
Shared a similar disposition.
Undoubtedly, both were cunning to a maddening degree.
●
A guest of Tristan Duchess caliber warranted a private suite even at a foreign academy.
Which meant that upon arriving at the lodgings, Elnor had the perfect setup to confide in someone.
[...Why the long face?]
Beatrix's alarmed voice came through the magic engineering video receiver.
If a stranger saw Elnor's face now, they'd first ask what was different from her usual blank expression.
But Beatrix could confidently say.
This was the worst state she'd seen Elnor in recently.
The woman who rarely contacted her without reason had suddenly requested a video call—what was there to not feel a chill down her spine?
[You were in such a great mood lately. Grabbing every passerby to show off that ring, bragging nonstop?]
Of course, knowing what that ring signified, she'd tried to stop her, saying the rumors were spreading so please quit it.
Still, it would be a lie to say she hadn't felt pleased seeing Elnor so happy every day.
“...Look, Beatrix.”
After hesitating for a long while, Elnor opened her mouth with a sigh.
“I have a strong feeling Dawood's cheating.”
Beatrix's mouth fell open.
[That Dawood bastard's cheating?! How many days since the engagement?!]
“It's not certain. I just said it's a feeling.”
Elnor replied curtly.
“If I were sure he was cheating, I wouldn't be asking you.”
[What do you mean?]
“If it was definite, I'd have chopped up that vixen tailing him first before anything.”
[...]
Right. At least the fact that no immediate talk of dealing with the man meant the blinders were firmly in place.
[So it's definitely not cheating? The possibility's high, right?]
“He's the type who's unconsciously poked at other women countless times before. I've half-given up on that.”
[...]
At this point, worry as a fellow human overrode any friendly advice.
What kind of man did she get engaged to...?
“...But this time, it feels a bit dangerous.”
Even someone yielding this much was feeling unease, which amplified it further.
“We haven't known each other long, yet in that time, he turned another woman that 'serious'—it's not just him being flirtatious.”
Not to mention, it hadn't been long since he gave her the ring.
She could understand up to Yuria. From what she'd heard, they'd crossed the line between life and death together a few times, so a strong bond of camaraderie made sense.
But this time, with Liru Garda.
They'd barely met, no special shared experiences, and she was even someone on bad terms with Elnor.
'...If only it were that type.'
She still remembered how, to pick a fight with her before, they'd said they'd steal Dawood away.
If it was just using him like that, she would've sliced Liru in half right there.
But earlier.
That woman had been genuinely willing to 'sacrifice' herself for Dawood. Not out of mere 'interest,' but to 'protect' him—she'd meant to fight Elnor seriously.
What kind of connection had formed between them?
“...”
Her head drooped.
A clear gesture of endless gloom rising like clouds.
Once it reached this point, she couldn't help but entertain horrific imaginings.
Perhaps that man.
Even after giving her the ring, with other women too.
Was trying to form relations as intimate as hers.
Surely not.
Maybe even the ring he'd given her was just a 'temporary measure' to avoid disappointing her.
[...So, what are you going to do?]
“What do you mean?”
[If the cheating's confirmed, what then?]
“...Kill the woman first.”
[...]
This part was hopeless. She was thinking it so matter-of-factly that no words would get through.
But one answer she hadn't heard before.
[What about that Dawood guy?]
“...I haven't thought that far.”
Beatrix flinched.
The way Elnor said it.
Was so alien that even she, who'd known her for over ten years, had never seen it before.
“...There must be a better 'way' than killing him. I absolutely don't want to do that to him. I want to keep him by my side somehow.”
Something dwelled in her voice.
〚And above all else.〛
Just watching made her eyes ache, something churning inside Elnor.
〚Just killing him would be... too simple, wouldn't it?〛
[...]
Seeing that, Beatrix began entertaining other thoughts inwardly.
That Dawood guy.
Had better not actually be cheating.
Or who knew what would happen—she couldn't even guess.
[Uh, so maybe confirm it first?]
At least talking like this beat hearing grim talk of killing this or that.
In many ways, leaving Elnor like this felt like she'd cause some incident.
At Beatrix's words, Elnor slightly raised her head.
“Confirm it?”
[You're just suspicious, no hard evidence, right? Then start checking now! I can gather all sorts of info on that guy too!]
“...”
At that, Elnor slowly lifted her head.
Her movements still gloomy.
But unmistakably, her ears perked up compared to before.
“...You're right. Then we should confirm it thoroughly.”
[How?]
Seeing her look far more energized than before, Beatrix smiled faintly and continued.
Her mood lifted seeing Elnor stroke her chin like she'd had a good idea.
Yes. At least revitalizing her friend was an achievement—
“We just need to monitor his every move.”
[...What?]
“Sleeping, waking, who he meets, what he eats, what he says to whom, who he smiles at. Everything. Not a speck missed.”
[...]
“Whether there's anyone stealing the affection meant fully for me. If there is, I'll see exactly which bitch it is with my own eyes.”
[...]
“We'll start now. I've done something similar before, so it'll be much easier—”
Correction.
Elnor had perked up, but someone else was in for serious suffering.
'...Sorry, Dawood.'
To a man she'd never met, Beatrix offered sincere apologies in her heart.
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