Chapter 21

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 21

Chapter Title: How to Backstab Erina Esnatia

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Skillbook completion method.

'Not particularly difficult.'

I walked toward the corner of the study.

Pass the fifth bookshelf... the one against the wall at the end.

"This must be it."

As I approached the bookshelf, the girl blocked my path in surprise.

I ignored her and kept walking, naturally passing right through her insubstantial form.

A plain bookshelf stuffed with books.

Or at least, that's what it appeared to be.

I reached out and pulled books off one by one, inspecting them.

"Nope. This one's not it either."

I examined their exteriors for a good while.

"This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠last one's gotta be it."

That left six particularly worn books, handled by countless hands.

Belongings of the students who had lived here with this girl.

"These are the keys to open the door."

The classic tale, right? Push the bookshelf, and a hidden secret room appears.

That's exactly what this was.

'No idea what they were thinking, illegally modifying an academy dorm like this.'

Club rooms are the same way, aren't they?

People customize them to their liking.

Just one dorm resident with exceptional handiwork and a bold spirit, that's all.

Though they might have gone a bit overboard.

I set the extracted books aside, grabbed the right side of the bookshelf, and yanked hard.

"Open up, sesame!"

Rumble—

A dull sound accompanied the revealing space.

A staircase barely wide enough for one person emerged.

...The interior was pretty shabby.

Just a secret spot cobbled together by students on the sly.

"Never been found all this time—they hid it well."

I checked the walls and stairs, but no traps or anything dangerous caught my eye.

I knew that already, but better to confirm.

Who knows when some unknown detail might pop up?

The stairs were short enough that thirty seconds got me to the bottom.

At the end loomed a small cubic room.

And inside were five fully skeletalized corpses.

The skulls were clustered together.

They'd rotted here for decades, no doubt.

Now fully bones, there was no stench left.

"Let's get started."

Now to take care of these skeletons.

That would put a proper end to her tale—one left unresolved with deep resentment, leading to the dungeonization.

With her obsession resolved, her story complete, I'd claim the original skillbook.

'The skill I gain from it will surpass what Lee Seong-hyeon got.'

As I approached the bodies with that thought, something caught my eye.

A ribbon-shaped brooch clutched in one skeleton's hand.

"Pardon the intrusion."

I carefully pried open the skeletal hand and retrieved it.

The color had faded, but it was a red ribbon.

A bit unusual in shape.

Not your standard ribbon.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

From the look, probably some magitech device sold on superstitious claims of blocking attacks or whatever.

'Come to think of it, these were trendy gifts in Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy.'

A buff-endowed present hunters gave to loved ones.

Something like that.

"I'll hold onto this for now."

The issue was how to handle these bones.

How to do it without upsetting that pale girl.

Whew!

Announcing the bodies' existence to the outside world now would just complicate things.

It was a remote mountain spot no one searched anyway.

Dormitory G was nominally maintained, so no risk of future development.

So I buried them.

"This is humane enough."

No, downright excellent.

I buried them deep to keep mountain beasts from digging them up.

The site wasn't bad either.

'Never thought I'd use graveyard keeper trivia like this.'

After neatly burying them all, the girl bowed her head in thanks.

"Hope you're at peace now."

Her actions weren't truly her will anyway—just mechanical responses from the skillbook's illusion.

I knew that.

'But I can at least play the part.'

All that remained was recovering the perfected skillbook and ending this haunting of my dorm.

"...Just gotta pick this up now."

Why was this happening?

The skillbook before me was still a ragged mess.

I was sure I'd added a fine conclusion to its tale.

Was it always like this?

Did the setting guide get it wrong?

Or...

"What's missing?"

I asked the girl still trailing me.

"..."

No answer, as expected.

...Wait.

Hasn't she been staring at my pocket this whole time?

No way...

"Is it this?"

I pulled out the red ribbon I'd picked up earlier.

Her face lit up like a living girl's.

'Good thing I kept it.'

She circled me, repeatedly flipping her hand over.

'Wants me to flip the ribbon?'

I turned it over, exposing the metal brooch side. She finally smiled.

She orbited my hand with a beaming grin.

"Not so scary now."

Honestly, her pale face had been creepy.

Now that she was smiling, she felt approachable.

'But what's on the back that she's so happy about?'

I examined the brooch's reverse closely. There was an engraving.

"k..k..l...e..o"

...What the hell?

Five meaningless letters strung together.

"Could it be."

Initials.

Even if not, it had to be a gift from the five dead students to her—no way they'd pick random letters.

Didn't matter to me anyway.

What mattered was over there.

Flutter—

The ragged pages flipped neatly back into place.

Whew...

I took a deep breath and touched the book.

As its form vanished, burning pain seared my flesh.

The familiar agony from before.

The sensation of etching something onto my soul.

"Haa... haa... Fucking hurts."

Painful even the second time.

But I definitely got the skill.

Clearly different from the 'Subtle Illusion' Lee Seong-hyeon got in his third run.

"This must have been the girl's original power."

In reality, short duration and range meant it couldn't properly mimic large-scale skills.

And even if it mimicked them, it was pure illusion—no real effects.

"Still, this is what I need."

Useful for bluffing in combat, and especially...

Handy before facing that upcoming C-rank monster.

It was her power, but now I'd carry it on nicely...

?

Wait.

That girl?

The skillbook was gone, yet she lingered.

"What."

Why was she still here?

The dungeon was cleared.

Dormitory G's dungeon had vanished.

The power sustaining the illusion was gone.

'Trouble.'

Maybe residual power since the skillbook just disappeared.

...

Gate dungeons had attacked even a minute after clearing in some cases.

'Is this one of those?'

Not a real ghost, right?

Why did it feel so real?

This was my dorm.

I'd helped her pass on.

Buried her precious siblings too.

What was the problem?

Why was it turning horror?

Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy was a hunter story.

Stick to the worldbuilding.

"Wait, and you'll pass on, right?"

"..."

...Why the silent treatment?

If you're mad, pay rent to stay.

"You're a ghost, so with your remains properly buried, shouldn't you pass on gracefully?"

I'm the aggrieved one here.

Get out of my room, bitch.

...

I knew it.

Sometimes gentle methods don't work.

'Never thought I'd use this.'

When I said I was moving into this dorm, Yoon So-ah gave me a talisman out of worry.

No clue where she got it.

I'm a ghost hunter!

I pressed the talisman to the girl's head.

Stick—

It adhered to her intangible head.

Oh, what?

It worked?

She'd been smiling benignly at my actions, but now looked at me in confusion.

"What're you staring at? Off to heaven."

"Uh...? Uh...? Th-thank you...?"

Warm sunlight bathed her,

and she vanished with what seemed a satisfied expression.

"Finally passed on."

I wiped a tear from my eye.

The dead should go where they belong.

Clinging to my house all unsettled...

No, her staying here would only make her more miserable.

Probably.

'No way it's a real ghost. Just faded with time.'

I looked at the ribbon in my hand.

'An item holding her memories with her loved ones...'

I'll take good care of it.

"Might fetch a decent price at an antique shop."

...

Won't get karma.

She passed on.

I helped her do it.

Buried the bodies too.

Yep.

Better than gathering dust—now it'll see the black market underworld.

She'd want that.

No more eerie aura in the dorm.

Just plain and clean.

I couldn't help smiling.

'Thanks to them all being satisfied (and exorcised into passing on).'

Some repairs needed, sure.

Didn't matter.

I'd overhaul it entirely anyway.

To my tastes.

Academy rules frowned on that for buildings.

'Who cares? No one else will live here.'

The ghosts? I exorcised... no, helped them pass on.

This house is mine now.

I can do as I please.

'Right, time for repairs.'

They should be grateful, even.

My lips curved up involuntarily.

A cheap giant wooden house (with training facilities) I could customize freely, plus some pricey magitech (not mine originally).

And a new skill to boot!

This place was a goldmine.

Sweet, so sweet.

Tooth-rotting!

'First, gotta bring my sweet home bed here.'

Clean or not, no way I'd use neglected bedding.

Tomorrow was a weekend, no classes.

Could shop at the academy mall then.

'Got another reason to stop by tomorrow too.'

"H-hey, Si-woo! Over here!"

Yoon So-ah waved timidly upon spotting me.

"You surprised me calling suddenly... H-how was the dorm you moved into? Okay? I was shocked when you said you'd live there. How was the talisman? Worked, right...? It's from a shaman my mom knows..."

Words tumbled out of Yoon So-ah nonstop.

She'd gotten comfortable after our messenger chats.

'Didn't know she was this talkative.'

More than that, a shaman acquaintance.

Explains why it worked.

Even with magitech and monsters, superstitions thrive everywhere.

'Or since it actually worked, not superstition.'

Yoon So-ah kept stammering nervously but talking anyway.

I gently cut in.

"Calm down. Called you to buy you a meal. Plus a favor. You didn't forget our deal, right?"

"Deal...? Oh, from orientation? You don't have to phrase it like that—I'd help with a favor anyway."

She puffed her cheeks.

Sorry, but I wouldn't expect favors from someone debt-free.

Favors create debt.

They come back eventually.

So I'd use her only as much as the debt allowed.

'Different from aligned interests like Baek A-rin.'

Thinking about it, the talisman was debt too.

Burdened, I'd tried refusing.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she snuck it into my pocket; I found it later.

'This was forced on me. Meal settles it.'

Buy something expensive.

Yep.

Lost in thought, Yoon So-ah poked my back.

"S-so, what's the favor today?"

"Nothing big. Just eat with me today."

"Huh...? For real?"

"What, thought I'd eat your liver?"

She cutely furrowed her brow at my words.

"Oh, but call me differently—just for today?"

"D-differently? Like how?"

"Lee Seong-hyeon."

I smiled at her.

"Lee Seong-hyeon...?"

Yoon So-ah, not one for gossip.

Probably didn't even know who that was.

"The guy you dueled, right?"

...She remembered.

"Why his name of all things...? He kinda pissed me off, I don't like him..."

She asked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠puzzled.

Even Yoon So-ah filtered out Lee Seong-hyeon.

Impressive!

What a JOAT!

"After losing a spar, I always act like I've become my victor. Even take their name."

"Why...?"

"To never forget defeat. To remember their strength. The weak me needs a strong heart to grow."

I looked aside bitterly.

As if.

All for Erina Esnatia.

To deceive her into thinking I was Lee Seong-hyeon.

[Tutorial: Encounter with C-Rank or higher Boss Monster.]

She was the key to clearing my tutorial.

That's why I got [Phantom].

Couldn't tell Yoon So-ah that, so this excuse.

"..."

Silent Yoon So-ah.

Couldn't comprehend.

Yeah, me neither.

Why spout this nonsense?

Then she gazed at me soulfully.

As if I bore the world's burdens.

Pitying yet heartbroken.

"Got it. If that's how you feel. I can't fathom it, but I'll help...!"

She clenched her fists, staring at me.

?

Why'd it work?

Fine by me.

With this, groundwork laid to backstab Erina Esnatia. Her oblivious back was mine.