79. Witch Hunt (10)
79. Witch Hunt (10)
"...You turned him into a total wreck."
"He resisted too... fiercely."
"Forget it. Speak freely. You're not my subordinate."
"Got it."
Well, what'd you expect? You told me to drop the formalities. I scowled at the guard captain, who was staring at me like I'd just sprouted an extra head. The captain, whose name I still didn't know, let out a deep sigh, then extended a hand and introduced himself.
"I'm Gilbert. I command the Guard at Kalon Academy, though my abilities are nothing remarkable."
"Yohan. I am Saintess Karina’s Escort Knight."
"Right. Yohan. I'd heard rumors, but I didn't expect you to be this kind of man. To castrate the Squad 3 leader..."
He must've had a lot of pent-up frustration with the squad leader, because the man who introduced himself as Gilbert wore an expression that looked ready to burst out laughing if I wasn't standing right there.
"Why not just let it out?"
"Ah, was it that obvious? Then I'll take you up on that."
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
The Guard Captain laughed until he clutched his stomach. Only after a long while did he stop and apologize with an apologetic expression.
"Sorry about that. It's just been so long since I've enjoyed something so satisfying... That bastard's a eunuch now! What kind of face did he make?"
"His eyes rolled back into his skull."
"A shame I missed it. Ahem. Well, let's get back to the matter at hand."
The Guard Captain cleared his throat and fixed me with a serious look, as though he had not just been roaring with laughter. It was jarring how quickly he switched gears. I dragged over a nearby chair and sat down. No point standing.
"Thanks to you, we found the missing students before they were completely lost. I'm truly grateful."
"You found the missing people?"
"That's right. They were being held by the gang. Some strange magic circle was carved into their backs, and the old codgers from the Magic Department are working on erasing it now. All thanks to you."
So all the victims had returned. The outcome was better than I had expected.
"I just did my job."
I gave a noncommittal answer and let the middle-aged man's favorable gaze slide right off me.
"How did you know the Squad 3 leader was the one behind this?"
"Doesn't he look suspicious as hell?"
"That he does."
We were on the same wavelength. I liked this guard captain, who picked up my half-assed explanations immediately. He also seemed pretty flexible, so if we could talk things through, he might make a solid ally.
Because surviving in this god-awful, crushingly difficult game world and making it to the True Ending wasn't something I could pull off on my own. The more people who could help, the better. Reni, Millia, Karina, the guard captain... and so on. The more allies I had, the better.
The game wasn't designed to be soloed anyway—it was meant to be played with a party. In the game, it was a five-person party, but there was no cap like that here, right? If possible, it was always easiest to just bring a whole army and beat the crap out of anything that moved.
If that didn't work, I would have to build an efficient party, but Reni and Karina's slots were non-negotiable. Those two literally had no substitutes. A swordswoman stronger than Reni was incredibly rare. And there was only one Saintess in this entire world.
...Maybe the cultists had their own version of a saintess, but at least in the game, one never showed up.
"You look like a man with a lot on his mind."
"...It's a world with a lot to worry about."
"...It truly is a maddening world.
"Incidents keep erupting inside and outside the academy, and we're being run ragged. Do you know how everyone's blood ran cold when we heard the Saintess had disappeared? The unimaginable keeps happening."
"It's a shitshow."
"That's exactly what I mean."
"That is why I think we should establish a closer working relationship. What do you say?"
"The more allies, the better. That's a fact."
"With impossible things happening left and right, it's still hard to be completely certain you're a reliable ally... but I doubt the Saintess's Escort Knight has anything shady going on in his background. Am I wrong?"
So he wanted a battle of nerves? This guy was tougher than he looked. I'd thought he looked a little dumb.
The guard captain and I stared at each other in silence for nearly five full seconds.
Was he trying to read my reaction? I continued staring into his eyes without changing my expression. Perhaps deciding there was nothing to gain, the Guard Captain let out a hearty laugh and spoke.
"In any case! Things got a whole lot easier thanks to you catching the Squad 3 Captain. He's got plenty to hide, so there'll be plenty to dig up. Even his family won't be able to sweep this under the rug, so we'll be able to ask him whatever we want."
"Can you share that information? We could use intel on him too."
First came the information about the kidnapping itself—the identity of the mastermind the game had glossed over. They wouldn't reveal themselves easily, so I wanted even the smallest clue to their identity.
And because the incident had ended halfway through, I also needed to know why the Squad 3 Captain, its apparent culprit, had participated.
Demon summoning went far beyond ordinary insanity, and I had no idea why the Squad 3 Captain would have attempted it.
"I'll gladly hand it over. Technically confidential, but if you're going to protect the Saintess, you'll need this kind of information. Besides, aren't we all in the same boat now?"
That was true. In the end, the Guard and I had brought down the Squad 3 Captain together. One way or another, we now had reason to cooperate.
"Then we have a deal."
"Indeed. To commemorate our deal, how about a drin—"
At that moment, a knock sounded. The Guard Captain and I turned toward the door together.
Who was it?
"I-I came to deliver important news."
"What? Come in."
The person who entered was a woman dressed unmistakably like a secretary. She looked between the Guard Captain and me, then cried out in a slightly trembling voice.
"Th-the Saintess has awakened!"
-----------------------
"Karina!"
"Re-Reni..."
...This was awkward. I watched Reni clutch Karina’s hand with tears in her eyes and felt relieved.
She was awake.
If she'd kept lying there, then the True Ending and everything else would've been completely screwed. This time, we managed to nip the whole incident in the bud before it could even get going, but if it had played out to the end...
"Yohan?"
"Ah, sorry. My thoughts got a little tangled."
"Is that so?"
Karina's gentle gaze met my own. She took in my Escort Knight uniform, and her eyes went wide as she spoke.
"That knight uniform suits you very well."
"...Thank you."
"Do you know what he went and did as an Escort Knight? You'd be shocked if you heard."
"Exactly! It was so much fun! Everyone was shocked, and people even clung to his pant legs and begged him not to go!"
"Calm down. Karina... is still a patient."
Why was she suddenly looking so glum? Watching Karina's face sink all of a sudden, I couldn't help but wonder.
...Ah, was that it?
"Karina."
"Yes?"
"Is it all right if I call you that?"
"Yes. Please keep calling me that. Adding a title feels too formal, and it makes me sad..."
Karina's eyes curved into crescent moons. A beautiful smile you couldn't help but stare at, utterly transfixed. I only snapped out of it and averted my eyes belatedly thanks to Reni's piercing glare, which felt like it was about to bore right through my cheek.
It wasn't my fault.
Reni and Millia were beautiful, but Karina was on an entirely different level. Her beauty made me wonder whether she was truly human or a goddess.
"Heehee. Now I can go to school with Karina!"
Millia suddenly popped up between Karina and me as if to overturn the awkward mood. The excitement in her voice was unmistakable. Karina beamed, stroked Millia’s cheek, and said,
"Oh my, Millia's going to attend with us too?"
"She cleared five dungeons to cover her tuition."
At my words, Karina's eyes went round and she asked,
"Five whole dungeons?"
"Do you know how shocked I was? When she came in lugging that giant coin purse and said she'd brought the tuition money, I seriously considered whether she'd gone and robbed a royal treasury somewhere."
"Right, right!"
"That's incredible."
Watching them chat so warmly put me at ease. If only things could stay that way. But this fucking Soulslike world would never leave us alone. Another shitty incident was definitely coming next... What was it again?
There were supposed to be three major incidents in the first semester.
The Hellhound incident, the demon summoning, and...
"...Um... Yohan... Reni... the Professor... is calling for you."
I looked toward the door at the sound of Elisa's voice.
Why was she peeking in with only half her face visible and nervously reading the room? Couldn't she just open the door and come in like a normal person? Elisa glanced over us, looked toward Karina, then hurriedly lowered her eyes and tried to close the door.
That is, if Karina hadn't called out to her.
"Excuse me. You're the one who took care of me, correct?"
"Ah, uh, um..."
It was pitiful watching Elisa make broken noises like a jammed cassette tape.
"Would you come over here?"
"I-I'm fine over here..."
"You're hurt. Please come over here."
Karina’s voice was firm, almost like a doctor speaking to a patient. She looked over Elisa as the girl hesitantly approached, then quietly took her hand.
Her injured hands were covered in bandages. Had she hurt them while rolling through the tunnel? Karina examined Elisa's hands for some time, then closed her eyes and murmured softly.
"Heal."
Sacred white light shimmered from Karina's hand. Elisa flinched and tried to pull away, but Karina held on so tightly that it was hard to believe she was the patient.
"Karina?! You haven't fully recovered yet..."
"P-please... you d-don't have to exert yourself... for me..."
Karina grew even paler. Cradled in Reni's arms, she forced a sorrowful smile after overexerting herself. When I looked at Elisa, she stared at Karina in helpless confusion.
"No. Even though I've been greatly weakened, this much is..."
"Karina. You mustn't overexert yourself. Your body is still—"
Reni carefully laid Karina's body down on the bed. Lying there, Karina looked at us, then turned her gaze back to Elisa and spoke.
"You're Elisa, correct? Professor Lennon told me that you looked after me while Reni was away."
"Ah, uh... hello."
Her impossibly awkward greeting wilted into silence. Even listening to her voice seemed draining. Karina continued smiling as she spoke.
"What a lovely name."
Strangely, guilt clouded Elisa’s face at those words. What was that about?
As if she had something weighing on her conscience.
"How did you get hurt?"
"I... was trying to s-save someone..."
"Elisa, you did a good thing. There's no need to act like a criminal."
"B-but still, I'm—"
"What you are born with does not define who you are."
It was an odd thing to say. Like she'd seen right through something.
...Ah.
It was closer than I thought.
I looked at Reni and Millia to see whether they'd understood. Fortunately, their expressions showed that neither had grasped Karina’s meaning.
Was "thankfully"... the right word?
It might become awkward if we heard any more, so we should give them some space.
"Reni. Let's step out. Professor Lennon's calling."
"Ah, ah... got it."
"I'll come too!"
Our remarkably perceptive little Millia naturally took my hand and joined us. It was time to have that conversation with Professor Lennon.
---------------
"Care for some coffee?"
"If you're offering, I'd be grateful."
"Coffee's too bitter. I don't like it..."
"I'll make yours a hot cocoa."
"Hooray!"
I crossed my arms and watched Professor Lennon prepare the coffee. He handled the coffee pot, which appeared to be a magic tool, with practiced ease. Considering how much coffee he must have drunk while researching alone, that was hardly surprising.
"Here you are."
"Thank you."
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, Professor."
"Think nothing of it. Isn't serving guests a cup of tea basic courtesy?"
I raised the cup to my nose and inhaled. The scent stirred a strange nostalgia. Had the coffee I used to order ten years ago smelled like this?
...Then again, I seemed to remember ordering iced americanos more often than hot coffee.
"Ahem. I called you here because there's something I must tell you about Karina’s condition."
"...Don't tell me she isn't fully cured?"
Reni’s voice was utterly serious. It was a statement I could not help taking just as seriously.
Professor Lennon shook his head at Reni's question and answered.
"Calling her fully cured... would be misleading. Rather than removing the curse, we used a workaround to transfer it into this sealing stone."
The professor pointed at an ominous violet crystal sitting on the table. The sinister aura wafting off it, as if a demon itself were sealed inside, was unnerving.
"If it's sealed, isn't that the end of it?"
"No. Because we forced the transfer through a workaround, the curse will return to Karina once the sealing stone runs out of power. We must remove it completely before then, but... we need a holy relic specialized in curse removal."
"You're saying the curse can't be lifted even with the remains of the First Saintess here?"
Just as Reni said, the remains of the First Saintess were the ultimate holy relic, yet they still couldn't remove the curse?
"The curse is so vicious and bizarre that even the Saintess's remains can barely overcome it. How many lives must have been lost merely to complete this one curse..."
Professor Lennon shuddered as if even speaking about it was horrifying, and his voice trailed off. What the hell had those Cult of Halphas bastards done just to take down one Saintess?
"I am trying to locate a suitable holy relic, but a single professor can only do so much. If possible, please make a request through the Church yourself."
"Understood. I'll contact every place I can and search for one."
"Then please, look after the Saintess. This old man will be searching for another way to break the curse..."
We set down our cups without even finishing the coffee. With this serious new dilemma dropped in our laps, my head was pounding too hard to feel like drinking.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Seriously.
"Let's go back to Karina for now."
I nodded at Reni's words.
-----------------
"How disappointing."
A dark room where candlelight flickered precariously.
The man brought the brain matter to his tentacle-covered, glistening head. One tentacle stretched out and nibbled it away. Savoring the exquisite meal, he sank into thought.
The failure of a plan meticulously prepared over decades.
Although he had prepared for some degree of failure, this—this was a catastrophic failure.
It was completely unforeseen.
'Sow chaos little by little, collapse it from within...'
If everything had gone according to plan, he would already have abducted students rich in mana, offered them as sacrifices, and summoned a demon. Instead, the plan had failed when his collaborator was caught at the very beginning.
An unwanted failure.
"...I need to adjust the plan."
His plan had been to create chaos at the academy, draw everyone’s attention, then slip inside and steal the Saintess’s remains.
Lamenting the missed opportunity, he let out a long sigh.
"...!)@*(&!*(#$... grant me a little more time. I shall deliver the world unto you."
A tiny prayer, heard by no one, crumbled into nothingness in the empty air.