Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
“Gerard suddenly committed suicide. He took his own life before we could get anything out of him.”
“What the…”
Was this why Arietta was present? Did she think I might follow the same path as Gerard?
“He wasn’t in a suicidal mood at all. But then, suddenly, as if he were a puppet being controlled, he slit his throat without hesitation.”
Tia was interrogating me, but I was too stunned to speak. Gerard committed suicide? Why? Was he feeling guilty now? Or was he unable to bear the despair in the end? Neither made sense.
“And there’s no trace. It's absurd. I could understand if it was before the incident, but to evade my detection even after it happened means a method I don't know was used…”
As she said, there might have been outside interference. But who could possibly deceive her absurdly sharp senses?
“What methods could I possibly not know? You should know what I mean, successor of the Mage King.”
The situation was more complicated than I had imagined. The only powers that could escape Tia’s detection were holy power, demonic energy, life force, and demonic aura. But I already possessed an ability that could draw Tia's suspicion.
The power of [Contemplation].
[Contemplation] allowed me to conceal mana almost perfectly. Tia could search for the void in mana to find me, but it would take time. She suspected that this time would be enough to commit a crime.
Holy power and demonic energy didn't have mind control abilities, and there were no students among the yokai skilled enough to control Gerard. That meant there were only two suspects within Scientia:
Me, who could hide mana, and the daughter of the [Death King], who wielded life force.
“It’s insulting. It's humiliating that I, who wields magic like my own limbs, would have to consider mana being used in a crime. But I can't ignore it. That would be arrogance.”
Scientia's barrier was painstakingly created by Tia. Unless she permitted it, no outside power could interfere.
“I’ll ask you directly, successor of the Mage King.”
It was inevitable that I’d be suspected. Tia, who had been sitting on the platform, slowly floated down and hovered in front of me, staring intently. I could feel the burning rage in her eyes. I felt the chilling touch of death from her blazing emotions.
“Tell me everything that happened.”
“…….”
“As you know, I don't like petty tricks being played in my backyard. It’s not like you're making fun of me, but these human brats are getting out of hand because I've been going easy on them.”
“I know.”
“That's why I've taken shady bastards like you under my wing and made it clear that no other bastards can interfere in my territory. Why? Because it's a pain in the ass! Do you think I need to tolerate those who try to do it from the inside?”
“…….”
“I don't want to think you're the culprit. But you can't deny that you know something, can you?”
Her gaze was sharp enough to make my skin tingle.
As Tia said, I already knew of a being who could penetrate and influence her barrier.
I hadn't thought about it deeply, but there was a good chance Gerard had come into contact with that being.
An existence that could exert influence from the outside, ignoring Tia's barrier.
‘An Outer Being.’
Gerard had probably gone to check on the fallen kingdom of Chrysos. And there, unknowingly, he must have been affected by an 'Outer Being.'
But I couldn't just blurt that out. The world was still unaware of their existence, so I couldn't reveal it. Just knowing that fact would make me a target of suspicion. They might even try to crack open my head.
“I'm asking you again. If you don’t want to die, tell me everything that happened. Who is the bastard who caused trouble in my backyard, and who do they belong to?”
Furthermore, bringing it up would expose Eleanor's existence. Just the information that Gerard had gone to Chrysos would make Tia question Eleanor.
Simply revealing her identity wouldn't be a problem, but if Tia learned about Eleanor's Key…
Knowing her personality, she might choose to kill the inexperienced Eleanor and seize the Key for the sake of world peace.
“…Headmaster, I cannot speak of the details of the incident ‘yet.’ However, I hope you will at least believe that I am not your enemy.”
I met Tia’s gaze head-on, not avoiding her eyes. Looking away now would be the same as admitting I had something to hide.
“…Yet?”
It was alright. Considering her personality as I understood it so far, she might be suspicious, but she wouldn't kill me.
That’s right, she shouldn’t.
So I had to endure the fear and maintain my silence.
“Then swear on your mana…”
“No need. Those shallow oaths are just words. Or do you really want to try it?”
Tia’s forehead twitched. I was trying to show sincerity, but it seemed I only increased her stress.
“Tsk…”
Fortunately, the pressure Tia was exuding vanished. She probably thought I was under some kind of restriction.
I wasn’t lying.
As proof, I didn't avoid her gaze. If I were lying, I wouldn't have been able to meet her eyes.
I had overcome that hurdle.
“Fine, if you can’t talk ‘yet,’ there’s nothing I can do.”
“…Thank you, Headmaster Tia.”
I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding my breath; now I gasped for air. Even though I knew I’d be fine, it was terrifying.
“But, Oz.”
The atmosphere was strange. Everything seemed to have worked out, yet a chill ran down my spine.
“Don’t you think you crossed the line this time?”
“…I prevented Professor Gerard, who was about to attack a student.”
“No. You don’t have the authority to do that. Since when did the Disciplinary Committee start policing the professors? Shouldn’t you have reported it to me?”
“I couldn’t tell you the details…”
“Right? I know. So, let’s talk about what you can talk about, excluding what you can’t.”
Tia’s hand lightly tapped my shoulder. The weight of it was frightening.
“You said you’re not my enemy, so even if you can’t tell me everything, you could have at least reported Gerard’s suspicious behavior, couldn't you?”
That small hand slowly climbed up from my shoulder and began to gently caress my neck. The sensation was so chilling I wondered if my neck was still properly attached.
“You caused trouble, and I’m the one who passes judgment. I even warned you that I’d rip your head off if you caused trouble, but you ignored me. You took my warning lightly, didn't you? Then what kind of judgment do you think you’ll receive? Tell me, brat.”
“Wait a minute…”
“Hey, don’t move. If you mess up, you’ll really die this time. I’ll just twist it a little. Just halfway. Just halfway.”
Despite a slight mishap, I managed to survive as expected. I didn’t die. Or maybe I just couldn't die.
“Sigh… I’m stiff.”
I was in the infirmary. Surprisingly, Scientia had an infirmary. It felt more like a church than a hospital, but it was staffed with clerics trained in medicine. Considering that injuries were commonplace for combat students, it made sense to have an infirmary. Of course, having my neck half-twisted by Tia wasn’t exactly commonplace.
“Are you alright?”
“Not really.”
A week had passed since I was hospitalized, and the only visitor I had was Eleanor.
Arietta was there too, but she was my attending physician, not a visitor.
It was announced that I was hospitalized due to injuries sustained during the fight with Gerard, but in reality, the only one who injured me was Tia.
That ill-tempered lizard.
“I never imagined Master would prepare such a strategy. Thanks to you, my plans were ruined. Stealing the attention that should have been on me… It's too much.”
“…….”
Whose fault was that?
Of course, Eleanor didn't know why I caused such a scene. Still, it was understandable that she was upset.
But I wasn't about to get angry at this pitiful attention-seeker. This was the result of my own actions.
It was better that she didn't know. It was better for her to be sulking like this than to be tormented by pain and suffering.
“Don’t try to blame me. You said you and Lucia were running away when you ran into Alexios and your cloaks were shattered.”
“If I had only worn one layer, the suffering would have been shorter… I almost threw up from the attack that pierced through the cloak.”
“But wasn’t it manageable since you had Lucia with you?”
Lucia hadn’t hidden her power. It wasn’t strange that she possessed that level of ability, especially since Baekyang was around Eleanor.
“That bad girl Lucia disappeared as soon as we encountered the Fist King. She’s a traitor!”
While Eleanor was lightly hit and rolled on the ground, Lucia apparently escaped by blending into the surroundings.
If she had been eliminated and caught by an examiner nearby without knowing how the situation would turn out, it would have been a disaster.
“Oh, there’s an apple. Who brought it?”
“Arietta.”
“…Is that so.”
Eleanor glanced at the apple with narrowed eyes, then picked up a knife as if it didn't matter. And she began peeling the apple with practiced ease.
It was truly astonishing. Had a royal ever peeled an apple before? I didn't hold such prejudices.
“Why are you doing that to the apple?”
“…Ahem.”
But I did now. To think she could so naturally mutilate an apple… Yet she continued to butcher the apple without giving up.
Did royalty have no guilt about wasting food?
“If you can’t peel it, just put it down. I’ll ask Arietta to peel it later.”
“I-I can do it! I don't need the Saintess to do it, I can peel it well. I’m a swordsman!”
Well… In my opinion, she’d be better off quitting being a swordsman if that was how she was going to do it. Or was she a swordsman precisely because she could mutilate things like this? If so, wasn’t she a rather vicious murderer?
“Master, you’ve been looking out the window, but is there something there? Also, how did you know if I was peeling the apple correctly when you haven't even looked this way?”
“…That's a mage’s gaze.”
A mage’s gaze wasn't really like that. It was the effect of [Contemplation].
Still, Eleanor, with her pure mind, would understand what I meant.
“That’s… a little creepy.”
She was really good at saying the wrong things. It was embarrassing, so why couldn’t she just sparkle her eyes and say it was amazing like usual?
“Are you upset? Is that why you’re turning your head away from me?”
“No.”
“Then why have you been doing that? If I did something wrong, please tell me. I’ll try my best to fix it.”
“My neck still doesn’t turn.”
“Ah…”
Eleanor let out a short sigh and then quickly moved to a spot where she could face me. There was no need for that, but such consideration wasn't bad.
“…Are you still mad at me?”
Eleanor hesitated, perhaps because I had kept [Contemplation] activated the entire time. I hadn't cared until now, but seeing that reaction now hurt more than I thought. But it couldn't be helped.
Since being hospitalized, the time I had [Contemplation] deactivated was shorter than the time it was active.
That's how on edge I was.
“I’m too vulnerable right now.”
I couldn't stand the anxiety. I never knew when or where an assassin might strike.
Scientia was safe.
I knew it was safe. Yet, I couldn't help it.
It was obvious how tempting a target I would seem to my enemies, with my current weakened state, hospitalized with a twisted neck.
“Are you anxious?”
“Yeah.”
“I never thought Master would feel anxious. I could never imagine you losing.”
“Don’t say such ominous things.”
Didn't she know those words would soon lead to my comical downfall?
Eleanor giggled at my rebuke, then smiled mischievously, as she did when plotting something.
“Then I’ll protect…”
Knock— Knock—
Just then, a knock came from the door.
“Oz, may I come in?”
“Yes, Arietta.”
It was the voice of Arietta, the head of the Disciplinary Committee and my attending physician. She occasionally dropped honorifics with me, but generally spoke respectfully. She was confused because of what had happened recently. And I, too, started calling her ‘Arietta’ instead of using a title. She still spoke respectfully, but somehow, it turned out this way.
[Contemplation – Deactivated]
I deactivated [Contemplation], which had been active all this time. My eyes felt strained and I felt dizzy, perhaps from using it for so long.
“Huh…?”
At the same time, Eleanor, who had been making eye contact with me, let out a sigh. It was a natural reaction, as my expression must have changed drastically.
Arietta was one of the few people who could protect me. That’s why I could deactivate [Contemplation] when I was with her.
“Oh, you have a friend today. I was worried you might not have any friends, but I’m glad.”
“…You’re quite good at twisting the knife.”
Arietta giggled as if it were a joke and turned to Eleanor.
“You must be…”
She frowned, as if trying to recall something, then spoke carefully.
“You have a sparkling aura, like a jewel. You came with Oz before, right? The first time I met you, and the time you were caught.”
“Ahem. Well… we have that kind of relationship.”
“…What kind of relationship is that?”
Arietta tilted her head, confused by Eleanor’s confident attitude.
“Well…”
“Disciplinary Committee and criminal.”
I stated the objective truth, ignoring Eleanor, who seemed about to start spouting nonsense again. Of course, I didn't tell her the whole truth. Explaining that this was a game world and all that would only extend my hospital stay. And probably change my ward.
“That's a lie. You’re always lying, Oz.”
“…….”
What was this now? Arietta's unexpected assertion gave me goosebumps.
Could the Saintess not only restrict lies, but also know for certain if something was a lie?
If so, I might have to watch my words in the future.
“It’s a master-disciple relationship.”
“I don't know…”
Meanwhile, Eleanor started spouting nonsense again. Arietta quietly shook her head at her outburst. Was she trying to detect a lie? But it seemed she failed. Well, even I didn’t understand what Eleanor was talking about.
Eleanor's sensibilities were different from ordinary people. She was the one who truly belonged in a different ward.
“More importantly, Oz.”
“‘Oz?”
“…-nim. We have to form parties for the first-year joint training soon, are you alright?”
When Arietta dropped the honorifics, Eleanor, as if asking what was going on, grinned and latched onto her words. Eleanor sometimes became overly respectful due to calling me "Master." Unfortunately, Arietta had triggered it.
More importantly, the fact that we had to form parties already meant things were getting complicated. It seemed the second chapter of the main story was about to begin. The pace was faster than I expected.
In the game, updates came every six months, so cursing at the developers was a daily routine, but reality was harsh.
“If you don't have anyone, would you accept me as a party member? I was originally going to form a party with the paladins dispatched from the church, but I wasn't promoted.”
I appreciated her consideration. Normally, I should be bowing to her to have her join my party, but she was being mindful of my status as the [Successor of the Mage King]. If I formed a party with Arietta, we could easily repel the enemies that would attack in Chapter 2.
Moreover, with two SSR-ranked members, it would be a party so unbalanced it could be called game-breaking. It would be good enough to
start playing immediately if I were rerolling accounts.
“Alright.”
“Then…!”
And just then,
“Then with Master, the Saintess, me, and Lucia, that’s four people, right? We just need to find one more.”
Eleanor interrupted as if it were a matter of course.
“Right?”
Her cheerful smile seemed strangely ominous, different from usual.