Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Responsibility
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"The next event is the interpersonal combat tournament, right?"
I said, stuffing a meat-filled bun into my mouth.
I knew the event after the Behemoth was supposed to be the ranking duels.
"From what I remember seeing on the academic schedule, that's correct."
"That's what I remember too."
Luna knew from the academic schedule provided to professors, and Liche knew because she was a student.
Both of them had some idea of the schedule.
The ranking duels are called an event, but no demons or demonic humans appear.
Nevertheless, it’s important for several reasons.
The first and foremost has to do with the protagonist.
This is, of course, a common cliché for a protagonist in a growth story.
A commoner, stuck at the bottom of the ranks just like Luke in the early days, has now grown stronger than them, making them see him in a new light. It's what you'd call an event to change perceptions.
The next reason has to do with the students.
In an academy where everything is judged by skill, rankings hold significant meaning for every student.
It's tied to everything from their dormitories to their own standing.
Could the nobles who enjoyed all sorts of wealth and splendor in the good dorms even live in a shitty place like the one I saw right after I was isekai'd? Not a chance.
And their standing is the biggest problem. Even in the short time after I dropped out of the academy, I got into fights just for being in last place. Do you think that was just because I was Luke?
No. It's simply because I was weak.
Most of the nobles attending the academy love to pick on those below them.
That's why, if they don't want to become targets themselves, they'll all clench their teeth and devote themselves to training.
Naturally, the average skill level of all students will rise, and while no actual blood will be shed, it will be a bloody battle, figuratively speaking.
"It's nice to think it has nothing to do with me, anyway."
The ranking duels are held for the first and second years, excluding the graduating third years.
Even if they use the academy's large training ground to run multiple groups at once, it obviously can't be finished in a single day. During that time, professors just slack off, except when they're acting as supervisors.
Especially a temporary professor like me.
"I'll help you until the duels are over."
At the very least, Liche needed to grow to the level of a B-rank adventurer by then.
Only then could she punch through.
Even if she couldn't master her ultimate skill from the original story, Solar Flare, she needed to have some decent firepower to be useful.
Solar Flare only becomes usable after the 'Blood Moon' event anyway, so I'm not expecting it now.
"When does the training start?"
"Tomorrow."
The academy is on break for three days anyway.
It was the perfect time.
"Today...?"
"I can't be bothered."
"......"
What, are you complaining? I don't have to help you.
You're the one who needs this, not me.
"Alright... I'm the one receiving help, after all."
As she said that, Liche speared a piece of meat with her fork and put it in her mouth.
Huh, she's eating so naturally?
***
That evening.
As I was walking through the academy grounds, I spotted a lone student standing in an empty training ground.
*He must be training hard to prepare for the upcoming duels.*
That's what one would normally think.
If only he weren't training alone at this late hour.
"Found you."
The reason I was out at this late hour, when everyone should have been asleep, was to find this guy training in the grounds.
"Luna. Go to the girls' dormitory and tell Liche to come to our quarters."
"What? Now?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not sure if she'll be awake at this hour."
"If she's not, wrap her in a blanket and kidnap her, beat her until she wakes up, whatever it takes, just bring her here."
I ordered Luna to fetch Liche.
Normally, I would have sent Yui along too, but she said she preferred to rest in her room, so I left her there and came out with just Luna.
Such a shut-in who never leaves her room. That personality of hers never changes.
I was going to leave Luna in the room too, but she insisted on coming. When I asked why, she said she was worried about what kind of trouble I'd get into if left alone.
If she wanted to come, she should have just said so. Honestly, Luna is never straightforward with her feelings.
"I'll be back, but... you're not planning on doing anything while I'm gone, are you?"
"I'm going to kidnap that guy."
"What? Then I really can't leave..."
"It's fine. He's a demonic human."
"...What?"
I had originally planned to start training tomorrow, but then I remembered there was an informant in the academy, so I came out late.
There's some prime teaching material right there. If I don't claim it now, it'll be gone before I know it.
Lucia is probably searching for the informant with fire in her eyes by now. We should get our hands on something that good first.
"A student is a demonic human...?"
"Why do you think students can't be demonic humans?"
They are everywhere and nowhere.
Demonic humans really are like phantoms, appearing here one moment and there the next. It wouldn't be strange for them to be anywhere, under any identity.
"Hurry up and go. I won't kill him."
"You promise?"
"Yeah. I promise."
Because I'm not the one who's going to kill him.
"...I'll be right back."
"Yeah, yeah~"
Luna turned and headed towards the girls' dormitory.
I, on the other hand, walked toward the student on the training ground.
The student still hadn't noticed my approach. I let him know I was there by grabbing his shoulder.
"Hey."
"Huh? Who—"
*Crack!*
***
"...Who is this person?"
That was the question Yui asked, poking the cheek of the demonic human I had thrown on the floor right after returning to our quarters.
The demonic human was unconscious, his hands and feet tightly bound with rope.
"A demonic human."
"A-A demonic human...? Isn't this person a student?"
"A student, a demonic human, and an informant."
He had three identities.
In a way, isn't he quite the elite?
"But why did you capture him instead of killing him?"
Are you crazy? You want me to tear up such good teaching material?
"I promised to train Liche, didn't I?"
I keep my promises.
Even if the method of fulfillment is tragic, like a monkey's paw.
The reason I brought him to our quarters was to prevent any screams from leaking outside later.
*Knock, knock.*
"Sir Luke. I've brought Miss Liche."
It seemed Luna had arrived just in time.
"Yeah~ Come in~"
The door to the quarters opened, and Luna entered, followed by Liche.
"Didn't you say training starts tomorrow...?"
Liche's voice was a little hoarse, as if she had really been woken from her sleep.
Well, it would be strange not to be asleep at this hour.
"That was the plan, but I found some good growth material."
It seemed she hadn't seen him yet. I pointed a finger behind me.
Liche looked past me with drowsy eyes at the person on the floor.
"Wh-Who is that...?"
"The person you're going to kill."
"Wh-What...?"
"Liche, you are going to kill that demonic human right now."
For the experience points.
"You suddenly call me here and tell me to kill someone...?"
"That's why I carefully selected someone who's okay to kill. He's a demonic human, so kill him now. If you want to torture him, feel free."
"...Still, killing someone right after being woken up is a bit much."
"Is that so?"
So you're saying you can't do it.
Then I'll just have to force you, even if you don't want to.
I stomped on the leg of the demonic human who was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the situation.
*Crunch!*
"Hyaaaargh!?"
*What in the world is happening?*
The demonic human screamed at the top of his lungs from the sudden pain.
"Hello?"
"You, you're...?!"
"No need for introductions, right? You saw me before you passed out."
He at least saw my face before I knocked him out, so there was no need for introductions.
Besides, it's a waste of breath to ramble on to someone who's about to die.
I continued to put pressure on his leg, grinding it mercilessly.
*Crack! Crunch!*
"Aargh!! Aaaaargh!!!!"
This was why I had deliberately brought him to our quarters.
If he had screamed his head off like that on the training grounds, someone would have surely come before I could kill him.
"Wh-What are you doing?"
My blatant actions snapped Liche out of her drowsiness in an instant.
"What do you mean? You said you couldn't do it, so I'm doing it for you."
If you don't do it, he won't die peacefully. He'll just scream until morning before he finally dies.
Let's see if you can still stand by and watch.
I kicked the demonic human in the abdomen, flipping him over.
"Guhk!"
And this time, I stomped on his other leg.
"Hyaaaaaargh!!! Please, spare me!! I'm begging you! What did I do?!"
"W-Wait a minute. He's not resisting. Maybe he has some kind of story...?"
What villain in this world doesn't have a sob story? What, are you going to let him go if you hear his story and feel sorry for him?
Even a psychopathic serial killer who enjoys random murders probably has their own story about how they're different from everyone else.
If you listen to the trivial stories of every villain you meet, there won't be a single one left in the world who deserves to die.
And this one is definitely a villain.
He doesn't have some grand story about his parents being kidnapped and blackmailed, or a friend being held hostage.
He's just one of the victims who was bullied for being a commoner and being weak. He became a demonic human with the sole intention of getting revenge, and is now an evil informant diligently working with other demonic humans and demons.
It seems he was trying to make an effort, training alone on the grounds just now, but that doesn't change anything.
He is the one who contributed most to the demonic humans and demons' attack on the academy, and he is also a bystander who knew about it and did nothing.
And as they say, bystanders are just as guilty as the perpetrators.
He is also the main culprit who goes around turning other students into demonic humans, asking them if they'd like to become one.
He was fated to die during a later event anyway.
"Really? Should we let him live then? Killing him won't raise my level much anyway. Should we let him go and see what happens? But from now on, everything that happens will be your responsibility, Liche. How about it?"
"......"
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Of course, she can say something like that when all she knows is that he's a demonic human, not what he's done.
As a special service, I'll explain it just this once.
I nudged the sobbing demonic human with my foot.
"Hey. How many did you tempt?"
"......!"
At my words, the demonic human's eyes went wide as saucers.
He was flustered because I hit a nerve.
"Why aren't you talking, you bastard! How many did you tempt!"
*Crack!*
"Hyaak!! Th-Thirteen!!"
Thirteen?
He tempted quite a few.
Considering what happened in the marquis's domain, becoming a demonic human isn't something one would easily agree to.
He might be more silver-tongued than he looks.
Of course, no matter how silver-tongued you are, if you're weak, this is what happens.
Lucia has probably set up a barrier around the academy by now, but someone who hasn't transformed into a demonic human is no different from an ordinary person. A human wouldn't be caught by a barrier that naturally detects demonic energy.
There's no particular mark either, so unless you know from reading the novel like I did, identifying a hidden demonic human is next to impossible.
"What does that mean...?"
"What do you think? It's the number of students he's turned into demonic humans."
You have to lay the groundwork now for a large number of demonic humans to appear during the event later.
"Can you take responsibility for that all by yourself?"
Of course, a demonic human killed people, so Liche couldn't be held responsible.
But if someone died later, could Liche, who knew beforehand and stood by, not blame herself?
If it were me, I'd confidently say it was the fault of the weak, but Liche isn't like that.
"Oh, and by the way, no take-backs. You've already heard it."
She can't use the excuse that she didn't know later.
She's heard it all now.
"So. What are you going to do?"
"...I."