Chapter 70
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Confrontation with the Sister
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When the slate didn't come to her but stayed with me instead, Marian was utterly flustered.
It was just as I'd expected,
and exactly as I'd planned.
To threaten... no, persuade an opponent—
the best way was to pressure them until they couldn't think rationally.
'Not sure how rationally that one can even think.'
Still, one thing was certain.
Marian in a panic became far simpler than usual.
Playing her like a fiddle was child's play.
I smirked and approached her.
"Hey, Marian."
"...Ah, uh... Huh? Celen?"
"Looking for this, by any chance?"
With a friendly smile, I dangled the slate right in front of her eyes.
The moment I did—
Marian's face drained of color, and she collapsed to the ground with a thud.
How to describe it.
It was like her soul had fled her body.
Her expression was just like a thief caught red-handed stealing by the guards.
'When the actual thief is right here.'
Watching her squirm over the item I'd stolen was amusing.
Maybe it was because I came from a family of thieves who'd long since sold off any conscience.
It was incredibly enjoyable.
Especially since this was payback for the two weeks she'd tormented me.
No one but her knew what I'd stolen anyway.
Tucking the slate under my arm, I casually sat down next to the still-dazed Marian.
I glanced at her.
Her pupils had lost all focus.
If I had to pin it down, she wasn't even comprehending the situation.
"Ah... Uh... Uhhh..."
"Yeah? What's up?"
A sound finally leaked from Marian's mouth.
It was more like a whimper or a hollow laugh than actual words.
But—
Focus was slowly returning to her eyes, so it was time to start negotiating.
Propping my chin on my hand, I waited leisurely for Marian.
Her focus returned.
Her lips trembled.
Soon, her eyes darted back and forth between the slate and me.
"Th-that... that thing..."
"Yeah?"
"That... h-how... Celen... why you... how did you... why do you have...?"
Marian reached out toward the slate tucked under my arm.
I shrugged and handed it over.
The ownership was still mine anyway.
But...
Marian, unaware of that, fumbled frantically with the slate.
"Ah, aaaah—?! Why won't it work again—?!"
Marian pounded on the slate with loud thuds, her face crumpling in distress.
'She's really going at it.'
There was one simple reason.
It was still mine.
No matter how much she shook or flipped it, it wouldn't respond.
"Aaaah... What am I gonna do..."
"......"
Marian was fully in tears now.
She looked a bit pitiful, so I transferred ownership.
A clear, bright ding~ rang out from the slate.
Only then did a tiny spark of hope flicker across Marian's face.
She hurriedly manipulated the slate.
As if she knew she'd never get it back if she slipped up—desperate movements.
'Oh dear.'
I silently watched her, chin still propped on my hand.
A moment later—
The slate vanished from before my eyes.
This time, I didn't bother taking ownership.
It cost something each time, which was a waste,
and above all, I preferred a peaceful world without needless commotion.
I flashed a friendly smile and spoke.
"Marian."
"...Huh? Y-yeah?"
"Don't we have... a lot to talk about, one way or another?"
"...H-haha. T-talk?"
Anyone could tell.
That wasn't a real laugh.
It was half madness, half terrified hysteria from the unexpected situation.
That single laugh laid bare—
exactly what she was feeling right now.
'This'll be easy.'
Slipping my poker face back on, I thumbed in one direction.
"Wanna talk over there for a bit?"
"...Huh?"
Behind the old storehouse in the courtyard.
A spot thick with trees that blocked the view.
A narrow alley-like space where no one from the academy or dorms would notice.
Marian...
Followed slowly behind me, pale as a prisoner marching to the gallows.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We arrived behind the old storehouse.
A dim, secluded spot students rarely visited.
The perfect place to coax out secrets.
I activated a soundproofing magic tool to guard against eavesdroppers.
'This should do it.'
I activated a few more security-focused tools and looked at Marian.
She was still frozen like a statue in the distance.
Her face was bloodless and pale.
Squatting on the ground, fidgeting restlessly.
Shoulders hunched tight, hands twitching anxiously.
Her gaze was fixed on the ground, not me.
'She's scared stiff. ...Wait a sec.'
It wasn't just fear.
Something was off about her gaze,
and her hand movements.
They were oddly consistent.
Her eyes moved slowly from top to bottom,
but stayed locked on a fixed spot below.
Even the fidgeting I'd chalked up to nerves felt deliberate.
Repetitive...
Overly patterned in position and motion.
'What's that about? Why?'
I observed her closely.
To check if it was just anxiety,
or something more.
Sure enough, upon closer inspection, it clicked.
Her hands and eyes dropped rhythmically in the same direction.
Why, though.
The moment that question arose—
A possibility flashed through my mind.
'Ah, got it.'
I smiled and called out to her.
"Marian."
"...Ah, huh? Y-yeah? What?"
"You're talking to your sister, aren't you?"
"Whaaaa—?!"
Marian shot up like a jack-in-the-box.
Face ashen.
Cold sweat pouring.
Eyes unable to meet mine.
I stifled a laugh inside watching her.
'Were you even trying to hide it?'
So transparent...
Her sister was almost pitiable.
Teamed up with a blockhead like that—she must've been boiling inside plenty.
But Marian's overly honest reaction confirmed it.
My guess was spot on.
'So that's how they were communicating. Magic tool? Or spell?'
One thing was clear—
It was a communication method I'd never seen before.
Invisible to the eye, so probably structured like the slate.
Invisible to anyone not the owner.
'That's why I didn't notice.'
Maybe plotting against Ruena wasn't just bravado after all.
Her sneaky preparedness put me on edge.
But... in a battle like this, showing it meant losing.
I fixed my poker face and smiled as I spoke.
"...You two must have a lot to say? Talking about me, maybe?"
"N-no! I-I didn't say anything! Th-that's not... I mean...!"
"Sure it isn't. You consult your sister about everything every day, like this."
"H-how did you...?"
How did I know?
By bringing cookies every day and eavesdropping in exchange.
'...Can't exactly say that.'
So—
I kept up the act like I'd known all along.
Arms crossed, leaning casually against the warehouse wall with a smile.
Marian eyed me warily.
Her orange eyes darted around before she gulped audibly.
"Celen."
"Yeah."
"...Are you a possessor too? Or a regressor? Or did you earn points to hack into other people's status windows with a special ability...!"
My mind blanked for a second.
Words I'd never heard, let alone seen, poured out.
'...What? Regressor? Possessor? Status window? Special ability what?'
I desperately maintained my poker face while sorting my thoughts.
Status window... sounded like the slate's name.
Special ability was probably her misunderstanding me touching the slate.
Regressor I could guess.
Like time rewinding in this world.
She'd thought she was on her second loop, her sister on her seventh or something.
People with that experience were called regressors.
But...
Where the hell did "possessor" come from? Some occult nonsense?
No clue what it meant.
Necromancy? Voodoo? Black magic branch?'
No matter how I racked my brain,
The only possession I knew was demonic.
Now I had to study ghosts too?
'Table ghost studies for now.'
Priority was prying info from Marian.
While reading her surface expressions at most.
Non-physical stuff stolen via Eclipse could be retrieved anytime, but it cost.
And...
The slate was more valuable than I'd thought.
Right now, I could snag it maybe twice more.
Hadn't met "sister" yet.
Had to save costs for the decisive moment.
'Marian's simple. Facial cues are enough.'
As if I knew everything, I smiled and asked.
"What about you? Regression? Or possession?"
"I-I'm... in my last loop, it was my first posses—"
"Shut your mouth, Marian."
I turned toward the unfamiliar voice.
Someone emerged from the warehouse corner.
The sudden stranger, a woman, scanned me without hiding her menacing air.