Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: 031. Coming Out - (1)
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"Kuheuk..."
White Face lay sprawled in a corner of the alley, black blood spewing from his mouth.
"You filthy trash..."
White Face's face twisted in humiliation.
"That priest... how the hell did he know..."
The figure that had burst from the closet in the Ivory Tower dormitory was unmistakably that blond priest he'd just encountered. With golden hair and dark skin, who else in Erebos could it be but that human?
He had unleashed the highest-tier attack spell on him. Whether a priest should even be casting magic was irrelevant now. The massive hole torn through White Face's body was proof enough.
"...Even brainwashing didn't work."
But that was the most shocking part of all.
Any being with a human body and mind should have been helpless against White Face's Mental Bleach.
At least, that had always been the case until now.
The pain from the wound in his body paled compared to the shock of his power failing him.
"...I can't let him get away."
He had to capture that priest somehow and use him as a research subject.
It might even be the key to strengthening his divine authority.
Above all...
"I have to get my revenge."
White Face wasn't the type to take a hit first and run away.
Retreating like this would ruin his standing within the Shadows.
White Face raised a finger toward the Predator crammed into the upper levels of the Ivory Tower.
The moment their eyes met, the Predator began following his will.
He hadn't fully subjugated that Ihen Dorp brat, so control wasn't perfect, but he could at least direct its path of destruction.
"...Devour them all."
As soon as White Face murmured the words, the black mass leaped forward, plunging its massive body and maw into the lowest level of the Ivory Tower.
——Rumble...
Every time the Predator nesting in the upper levels of the Ivory Tower shifted, massive debris rained down on the Lower Town below.
Fortunately, quick-witted merchants had fled in time, sparing any human casualties. The real problem was the wizards currently trapped in the Twin Towers.
In Act 2 of Throne of the Academy, Isolde—the protagonist of the Magic Faculty—would rally the panicked students and, with outside aid, slay the chimera inside the tower before exterminating the Predator.
But Isolde was gone now. White Face had appeared out of nowhere with wounds, and the cadets in the Twin Towers were scattering in terror.
In short, original knowledge was mostly useless here.
"...Stay calm."
Right.
I'd known this would happen the moment Isolde fell.
I let out a deep sigh.
In the end, the only ones I could rely on were this one-armed swordmaster by my side...
"Otilie."
...and the doll girl inside the Ivory Tower. I could only hope she'd handle it somehow.
But no matter how advanced Otilie's doll was, it couldn't rally everyone against the Predator like Isolde had in the original. It was impossible given Otilie's personality.
So then...
"Miss Sophia."
"Yes."
"Could I ask you for a favor?"
In the end, the only one I could truly count on was this red-haired swordswoman who'd taken down Isolde.
"Right now, the Magic Faculty students are isolated in those Twin Towers. That monster will keep devouring the towers. If this continues, it'll be a catastrophe."
"Understood."
Sophia nodded.
"So please enter the tower, rally the panicked Magic Faculty students, and have everyone combine their strength to take down that monster together."
"...But Master..."
"I'll monitor the situation from a relatively safe spot. Don't worry about me."
Of course, I had no intention of retreating immediately.
We'd need someone to guide the arriving faculty when they showed up late.
"...All right."
Sophia nodded reluctantly, slung the Ink Sword on her back, and headed toward the Twin Towers.
But after just five steps, she glanced back at me slyly.
"...Um, Master."
"Yes?"
"When this is over... um... praise..."
Sophia clasped her hands demurely, stammering.
The ferocious hound that had smashed Isolde's temple was gone; now she was just a small dog waiting for a treat.
"Yes. I'll give it to you as many times as you want."
"Yes!"
Sophia nodded vigorously.
I watched her vanish from sight after just a few more steps, exhaling in relief.
"That takes care of the inside of the tower for now..."
My task was clear.
I had to rescue the merchants and outsiders isolated in the Lower Town.
In the original plot, that was Elise and the cathedral staff's job, but with Elise under house arrest, there was no helping it.
"...All right. Time to clean up the mess."
I immediately guided the stranded merchants to safe escape routes.
The Lower Town was a town-category map from the game, and since Old Man Lowen was always dragging me out for drinks, I knew every nook and cranny.
"Th-thank you."
"If you're grateful, donate at the Western Chapel."
"Pardon?"
I rescued the confused pedestrians milling about in the plaza like that.
Boom!
"Aaaargh!"
How much time passed? An explosion rang out, followed by bloodcurdling screams.
The source was none other than the Twin Towers.
"Hm?"
Had something gone wrong inside the tower?
Pale-faced pedestrians came sprinting from the alleys, pursued by dozens of monsters.
"...No way."
The monsters looked like chunks of animal flesh from various beasts stitched together haphazardly.
Their seams were grotesquely swollen or crusted with scabs, and pus-filled sacs bulged across their bodies, ready to burst.
"...Chimera."
Chimera.
The countless mobs summoned by the otherworldly predator, the Predator.
Dozens of the monsters were charging straight at us.
"What the hell is Jo Hyun doing..."
In the original plot, the chimeras were controlled by Jo Hyun—a Shadow member and one of Act 2's two black幕s.
Jo Hyun used the chimeras to block Isolde and the Magic Faculty students in the Gray Tower. So why were they rampaging uncontrolled now?
'This is another butterfly effect from Isolde's absence...'
Whatever.
This wasn't the time.
I quickly decided and led the pedestrians into an alley.
The chimeras rampaged with gaping maws, turning the plaza into pandemonium amid falling debris, screams, fleshy squelches, and metallic clashes in an instant.
No ordinary person could stand against that onslaught.
With zero combat ability, how could I take down those chimeras?
Even the Act 1 boss Shade was a gimmick boss I could stall with mechanics.
"Damn it! This way!"
I shoved the pedestrians into a back alley, shouting.
"Head to the east gate! You'll be safe outside the academy grounds!"
"B-but what about you, Father...?"
"I'll be fine! Go!"
The moment I'd evacuated everyone and turned to flee myself.
-Kieeeek.
Three chimeras blocked the alley entrance.
"Lion, shark, and eagle. Land, sea, and air all in one. You guys look like total shit."
The chimeras were grotesque abominations that looked half-formed.
Nauseating, but I wasn't about to freeze in terror and die.
I spun around, ready to bolt, and backed away slowly.
At that moment, the lion-shaped chimera caught on and lunged.
-Roar!
"Kuh!"
Fast.
I couldn't dodge completely.
So I'd take it with as little pain as possible. I twisted my waist, bracing my shoulder to absorb the blow.
But...
——Boom!
A massive boom echoed as a dazzling golden barrier plummeted from the sky, crushing the chimera flat.
Its mashed eyeball rolled to my feet.
"...Huh?"
Before I could question it.
Thud.
The translucent golden barrier cracked slowly, compressing the two chimeras behind it.
Compression, exactly.
Like a gigantic hydraulic press.
I'd seen this brute-force style just two weeks ago.
Inter-faculty exchange match. The Divine Faculty rep who'd faced Sophia.
So...
——Click-clack.
Familiar footsteps followed.
Holy robes exposing trimmed legs. Snow-white hair, golden eyes gleaming.
'Elise?'
Saintess Candidate Elise Aurora de Lua stood beside me.
"...Ha, haha."
I let out a relieved laugh.
No time to ponder how Elise—under house arrest—had gotten here or pinpointed me to save me.
Guess I'm not dying after all.
That was my thought.
"Father."
"..."
"I've disobeyed again today."
Her voice froze me solid.
Not because it was unfamiliar—quite the opposite.
"I ignored the Archbishop's orders, brushed off the Head Maid, and came here. Night strolls really are refreshing. Liberation feels so good, doesn't it?"
"...S-Saintess Candidate."
"Why so formal? You could call me sister now. Are you shy?"
Elise's lips curled slyly.
A smile I'd never seen in the original. The white-haired woman beamed with delight as she lifted her braided hair.
Her exposed earlobe bore a single earring.
'No, fuck. Wait...'
Silver earring with a lapis lazuli centerpiece.
I knew it well.
"Oh, right. Father."
Elise clapped, smiling. Her sharp eyes curved seductively, cheeks flushing.
"I'm not wearing underwear today, either."
"...Ah."
Only then did I realize the other source of all this twisted chaos.