Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Preparations Complete
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"If you're scared of standing on your own, I'll help you."
"...Y-You're going to help me? Someone like me?"
Before she knew it, Mary's tone had completely changed.
Having acknowledged Krashu as her superior, she knelt with both knees together, listening to him with utmost politeness.
"Yeah, Mary. You're my classmate, aren't you? Helping a fellow classmate is only natural."
Not a one-sided order, but an offer of help.
Words she'd never heard before shook her once again.
"What's better than good friends?"
Krashu's smile looked dazzling in Mary's eyes.
Gulp-
As Mary mindlessly swallowed without realizing it and stared blankly, Krashu's hand lightly tapped her shoulder.
The moment his touch reached her through the robe, Mary's body jolted.
And for good reason—inside the robe, she wore nothing but her undergarments.
Was it because her body was burning up from the Bewitching Scent?
Just the touch of his hand sent a shock through her lower abdomen, forcing her to bite her lip hard.
"Right?"
Watching her like that, Krashu smiled again, and she nodded blankly.
"Y-Yes......"
Weak as could be, she answered like a four-year-old child.
Seeing that, Krashu slowly walked over and opened the window.
The night breeze that blew in dispersed some of the Bewitching Scent, cooling the sweat-dampened strands of Mary's hair.
Only then did Mary's mind start to clear a bit.
"Looks like we've said everything that needs saying."
Krashu pointed his thumb outside.
"Time to head back and get some sleep, don't you think?"
"Y-Yes, you're right."
Mary stood up, hesitating as she approached the window.
Her overheated body made her steps heavy, but she pushed through.
Then she looked at Krashu.
His face met hers with a very kind smile.
In that moment, a warm feeling washed over her mind.
As she looked up following it, there was Krashu's hand.
His hand stroking her hair felt incredibly warm, like her father praising her in childhood.
But even that father had now turned his back on her.
She was the princess slayer, after all.
Mary's legs nearly buckled beneath her.
But looking up at Krashu's face, she barely held herself steady.
"Don't undermine your own efforts."
At those final words, Mary bowed her head, a surge of emotion welling up.
"...Yes, Lord Krashu. Thank you for today."
Now using honorifics without hesitation toward Krashu, she flushed red at the ears, pulled her robe back on, and slipped out the window.
"I'll do my best."
Leaving those last words behind, she quickly departed from Krashu's room.
Ever since her regression, her heart had been perpetually empty.
Chipped away bit by bit, she had been on the verge of flickering out like a candle in the wind.
But the moment she met Krashu today, for the first time, she felt those chipped parts being filled.
Krashu had sincerely helped and cheered her on as a classmate and friend.
She wanted to repay that kindness.
She craved his acknowledgment once more—from someone stronger and superior to her.
Before she knew it, Sigrin and Arthur, who had always loomed in her mind, had vanished without a trace.
Under the cold night sky,
Mary ran like that.
Tonight, for some reason, sleep wouldn't come easily.
Sunlight streaming through the window.
A pleasant breeze.
"Mmmuuuugh!"
A girl with sea-blue hair stretched in her pajamas.
Her name was Sigrin Epania.
Upon waking in the morning, she beamed with a smile.
She didn't know why, but today felt like something good would happen.
And for good reason—her dreams had been wonderful.
'Lord Arthur appeared.'
It was disappointing that it was only in a dream, but seeing Arthur from her memories put her in a great mood.
She had been quite upset lately due to certain events.
But today, she rose from bed humming a different tune than usual.
'Ah, maybe the task I assigned worked out.'
Yesterday, she had used the now utterly worthless dog to breed with others.
Surely that's why she felt this good?
Giggling to herself, Sigrin stepped out of her room.
Imagining Mary with a swollen belly and Krashu standing dutifully by her side made her mood soar.
Charlotte, robbed of Krashu, would be utterly despondent, no doubt.
And the cursed wretch who had to faithfully obey her commands alongside his wife Mary—thinking of that filled her with delight.
It was then, as Sigrin emerged from her room with a grin plastered on her face.
"Lady Sigrin, a letter has arrived."
"A letter?"
At her exclusive maid's words, Sigrin tilted her head.
Maybe something had gone wrong with the task from the imperial palace.
'Sizely returned to the palace recently.'
Feeling her good mood dip slightly, Sigrin extended her hand.
"Hand it over."
"Here it is."
The maid handed over the letter, and Sigrin examined both sides.
There was no name anywhere.
'Doesn't seem like any magic was used.'
She wondered if magic had been applied, but it didn't appear so.
A letter from the palace wouldn't be this sloppy.
Sigrin tore open the envelope and checked the contents.
And after reading for a while...
"You crazy bitch!"
In a voice utterly unlike her, she spat out a curse and crumpled the letter viciously.
The sender was none other than Mary.
The moment she saw the contents, Sigrin doubted her eyes.
Only after reading it three more times did she grasp it.
Before she could discard Mary, Mary had left her first.
In this absurd situation, Sigrin's breath caught in her throat.
Rage boiled up to the top of her head.
I told her to bear Krashu's child, and she suddenly declares independence.
And defying my orders at that.
"Aaaargh!"
Sigrin vented her irritated fury.
Her good mood from moments ago vanished in an instant.
Fine, whatever.
She would drag Krashu in by any means necessary.
"Useless bitch to the end. As if you'd be of any help."
Sigrin tore the letter to shreds, scattering it on the floor, and turned away.
The emotions in her eyes were ferocious.
Clap clap!
At that moment, applause rang out, and a man appeared before her in a prostrated position.
He was one of the Black Dragon Knights, a specialist in stealth operations.
"Where is Krashu right now?"
Sigrin asked, and he reported from his prostrated pose.
"This morning, he took a magic circle and left for his family home."
At those words, Sigrin froze.
"Th-This!"
The few days of rest given to students after the midterm evaluation.
In that time, Krashu had bolted straight back home.
It was infuriating beyond measure.
Sigrin's anger showed no signs of abating today either.
At that very moment, Krashu was riding in a carriage heading to Green Pine Pavilion.
The reason was simple.
During the few days of rest after the midterm evaluation, he had someone to meet.
'Wonder if she'll like it.'
Krashu fiddled with the ring in his hand.
At the same time, a new brooch adorned his chest.
The brooch's maker was none other than Violen, a second-year classmate and daughter of a barrier master.
"Take it. If it's not this, it's over."
Violen, her face covered in dark circles, had thrust the brooch at Krashu.
Judging by her trembling hands, she had truly reached her limit this time.
Krashu pinned the brooch from her onto his chest.
Hearing the response, Krashu turned to Violen.
Violen, meeting his eyes, gazed at him desperately.
And soon, Krashu slowly smiled.
"Success."
"Gaaaaah!"
Violen let out a bizarre scream and jumped up and down in place.
Then, clenching her fists, she said to Krashu.
"Now you bastard, tell me right now how to maintain this state!"
Hearing that, Krashu obligingly explained.
Not her skill, but the reagent she possessed was the issue.
Realizing the truth, Violen blinked vacantly.
"...That was it?"
Perhaps having an inkling, she slowly swept back her hair.
"...Right, it was an unfinished product made by Mother."
Muttering to herself, Violen staggered away.
"Gonna sleep."
Having hit her physical limit, all she wanted was to lie down.
Krashu looked at Crimson Garden preening its feathers before him.
Violen's barrier art had even blocked Crimson Garden's eyes.
As such, it had no choice but to stay by his side as a crow again.
Mary had seen Crimson Garden's crow form before.
When asked if that would be okay, Krashu rested his elbow on his knee and leaned back slowly.
"Yeah, it'll actually work in our favor."
The boy who had blocked her princess assassination attempt back then.
The moment Mary realized that boy was Krashu, she would feel profound defeat once more.
And that defeat would turn into idolization toward Krashu.
Sigrin and Arthur were already crumbling away in Mary's heart.
"She's the type to interpret things in a self-serving way. She'll even twist that incident into me saving her from execution after she tried to assassinate the princess."
Others undoubtedly changed through regression.
But the regressor merely lived on an extended timeline.
As such, regarding Mary, Krashu could confidently predict.
That woman would surely interpret it that way to elevate him—and herself.
After all, lowering Krashu now equated to lowering herself.
"Can't deny her talent, though."
As Krashu let out a short chuckle, his pocket twitched at just the right moment.
Opening it, the corpse rat popped up and perched on his shoulder.
"Preparations complete."
And the voice flowing from the corpse rat was none other than Evelask's.
Preparations complete.
Krashu's blue eyes gleamed coldly as he understood the meaning.
She had finally finished corpse-fying the Mad Archsage.
In truth, Krashu had gone out of his way during the midterm precisely because Evelask reported it was nearly done.
There was no way he could bring Evelask and the Mad Archsage's corpse into Raheln Academy.
He needed a suitable place out of sight.
"Then everything's ready."
Eyes safe from the Black Witch.
Mad Archsage's corpse prepared, allowing interrogation and even conference participation via the corpse.
With everything converged now,
Krashu slowly smiled.
"You Ixion bastards."
Time to smash their pots to pieces.