Chapter 31
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Kidnapping (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Ah, here again.”
In a space that had grown somewhat familiar, Roel came to her senses.
A world where endless loneliness and white coexisted.
The Demon's domain.
“If I'm here...”
Her face naturally scrunched up.
No matter that it was at the professor's request, she'd lost control of her body again.
For Roel, who had vowed never to hand over the reins a second time, this was a deeply depressing turn of events.
Her body was probably in for another brutal workout now.
The Demon would fight however it pleased.
Haaa...
“If you're gonna take over anyway, at least answer me.”
Roel grumbled into the void.
Whatever. She just wanted this to pass quickly.
It wasn't her fault anyway.
“Argh.”
Roel stretched her legs out in frustration, screw it.
A posture with zero intention of getting up. Freed from responsibility, Roel felt invincible.
Though in truth, it was just her posture—her mind was a whirlwind of stray thoughts.
As she lay there, a sudden realization hit her.
“But didn't I pass out?”
Roel had definitely lost consciousness mid-battle.
Normally, when the body gives out in such situations, you don't wake up until everything's over...
Today was different.
She'd regained awareness while her body was still under the Demon's control.
“Oh...”
It was definitely different from the last time she'd been here.
What was it... like she could feel some kind of emotion?
“What a strange feeling.”
It was as if emotions that weren't hers were forcing their way in.
The novelty of this unfamiliar sensation faded quickly, and Roel began pondering its source.
This was the Demon's space.
Any emotion felt here could only belong to one thing.
“You're in so much pain.”
This must be the Demon's emotion.
The one it was feeling right now, in real time.
Roel gently closed her eyes and focused deeper on the feeling.
It was a good opportunity.
No matter how much she asked, it never answered. This was her chance to learn something.
Maybe she could glimpse what the Demon was really like.
Roel latched onto the strongest emotion surging through her.
And instantly regretted it.
“...What hurts so much?”
It was pain.
The Demon was crying out in excruciating agony.
Not physical pain. This 'pain' was purely mental torment.
“Jeez...”
Roel had come to resent the Demon quite a bit after the village incident.
She'd even sworn to coldly reject it if it ever tried speaking to her again.
But...
This made it hard to hate it.
“If it's this painful, just stop.”
She still didn't fully understand.
What this Demon was fighting for, whether it was good or evil.
Or if it was okay to hate it.
Nothing was certain.
But if it was suffering right now, she wanted to help.
If it didn't want to fight, she wanted to make it stop.
Roel focused even harder.
“Take a break.”
If the Demon was taking over her body from this place...
Then she could take it back from here too.
The target, 'Roel Griffith', is resisting possession.
I had a rough idea of what had happened.
Just as I'd interfered with Roel's body before, it seemed she'd now interfered with my movements.
This arm moving on its own? All Roel's doing.
“Agh.”
Roel grabbed my head—no, Roel grabbed Roel's head.
Damn, how do I even phrase this?
Anyway, the hand yanked at the hair hard, as if telling me to stop, then hesitated when it hurt her too.
I wondered what she was doing, but it snapped me right awake.
I quickly grasped the situation.
This body belongs to Roel from the start. Her reclaiming some control wasn't that strange, really.
Probably thanks to her recently toughened mental fortitude.
She'd overcome the trials well—I felt a swell of pride.
Yeah, resisting even now for her mentor's sake.
Good girl. Such a good girl.
“Mm.”
Though the form of interference differed slightly from mine.
It wasn't full sharing of pain or complete takeover.
Honestly, the physical interference felt like something I could just muscle through.
Of course, I had no intention of doing that.
Roel had worked hard to push this far; better to step back gracefully.
I suppressed a smile and operated the system.
Releasing full possession.
Back in the familiar room.
Beyond the screen, Roel stood blankly, back to normal.
[“Oh my.”]
[“...R-Roel, Cadet?”]
[“Whoa, it actually worked.”]
The safety verification was over, just like that.
Not intended, but in effect, Roel had proven she could control the 'Demon'.
No more worries about immediate expulsion.
Roel's confidence had largely recovered too.
The subtle anxiety lingering since the village incident had mostly faded now.
Not all good news, though.
Full possession used twice or more within 48 hours.
Current soul stability is disrupted.
Do not use full possession until soul recovers.
Souls may merge.
I'd finally broken the 48-hour rule.
No immediate issues, but with the system warning me personally, better to play it safe for a while.
More than that, what did 'souls merging' even mean?
“...Don't get curious about that.”
I shoved the dangerous curiosity aside.
Back to the screen.
The usual daily life played out.
Attending lectures, training...
A modicum of peace had returned to the Academy.
[“Sera, heard the exam scope?”]
[“Contemplating dropout.”]
Along with peace, a new exam period arrived.
[“Huh, no sign of Laila?”]
[“She headed to training earlier.”]
[“Again? Isn't she overdoing it...”]
[“Told her not to, but she won't listen.”]
Endure this exam, and the first semester wraps up. Vacation time.
Cadets would greet sweet breaks, each with their changes.
Some might stay in dorms, but most would head home.
[“...Gotta ace these exams.”]
Roel was part of that majority.
Good.
I'd long wanted to meet those bastards who'd dumped everything on her.
...Still a ways off, though.
Back in the lecture hall.
The professor's absence meant the usual clamor.
Chatter flew, some about 'outside the classroom'.
[“Heard? Saintess came again today.”]
[“...Because of that demonkin?”]
[“Yeah, still not resolved.”]
Conversation from the seat diagonally ahead of Roel.
[“That's not the point.”]
[“What else?”]
[“Saintess is back at 3.”]
How does he know her schedule so well?
[“So?”]
[“Doesn't it feel like we might see her today?”]
“...”
I'd heard something like this before.
The Saintess got so much love, sometimes stalkerish fans latched on...
Not this guy, right?
“Eh, ignore it.”
Still, I hadn't expected the demonkin interrogation to drag on.
With Ortella's blessing, it should've wrapped up ages ago. Some snag?
I leaned back in my chair, pondering.
No real desire to contact the Saintess now.
Unclear how I'd look, faithfully playing my role.
But grasping the situation was necessary.
I made my choice.
Purchased Mid-tier Avatar.
The quiet Academy hallway I'd scoped before.
I awoke in the avatar's body.
Quick meet-and-greet.
If I had to anyway, better now with less 'sin' accrued.
Perfect chance for a test run too.
“Where...”
I tested the avatar's movements.
Smoother than the low-tier, but not a huge leap.
Fine. The improved duration alone justified the points.
I stepped cautiously.
Lecture time meant empty halls, but caution never hurt.
No pre-meeting fuss desired.
Current time: 2:30.
Ortella stayed till 3, so hurry for real talk.
I picked up the pace.
Visiting for interrogation? Her location was obvious.
“Ah, there.”
Ortella emerging from the underground prison.
Weary face, escort at her side.
That escort was the issue.
No way he'd let anyone near. Tricky.
Persuasion? Probably impossible.
She's fended off plenty lunging for a word.
“No choice.”
I inhaled deeply.
Power to legs, mana surge.
Escort sensed it, drew sword, on guard.
I ignored him, bolted full speed.
“You, who—”
Blasted past the escort.
Straight sprint, gone in seconds.
Not just running, obviously.
In my arms: Ortella, dazed expression.
“Long time no see.”
“Y-You...!”
Explanations, permissions?
No tedious process wanted.
I'm just an avatar anyway.
So I kidnapped her.