Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Mine (4)
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Thwack—!
I brought the pickaxe down on the skeleton. Elise Petra flinched and grabbed my shoulder.
"What the hell are you—"
"You gonna tell them?"
I swatted her hand away. Looking into her eyes, I said,
"Go on, tell everyone. 'I'm Elise Petra of the Petra family, and this mine is haunted. These remains were buried alive by the Libra family to cover up the ghost.'"
"......"
Elise's face settled into a calm expression. She stepped back slightly, crossed her arms, and glared at me.
"Go ahead, say it outside. Fight Libra if you want. I'll cheer you on."
Clap clap—I even clapped right in front of her face. Elise remained expressionless.
"You can't, can you? Not against Libra."
Libra's influence was unmatched by any family at this point in time. Not even a family like Petra could stand against them.
Especially not now, with the councilor's reelection just a year and nine months away.
"......So."
Elise finally spoke.
"You're just going to clean this up on your own?"
"Yeah."
If Jade's side found these remains, they'd melt them down with molten metal.
Even if they didn't find them, they'd be buried here forever.
In that case, better that I take them.
"I'll handle the cleanup. Got a problem?"
I broke down the skeleton with the pickaxe. Clavicle, shoulder blade, femur, tibia, fibula, skull, ribs, pubis, ilium... I divided them up for easy storage and stuffed them all into the duffel bag.
"You're insane... What kind of twisted loyalty is this."
Elise muttered blankly.
"Makes sense, though. Better to be Libra's pet dog than live like a parasite. Suits a leech like you perfectly."
Suddenly, her tone turned icy. Raw contempt stabbed into my eardrums.
"Think that'll make them notice you? Libra, appreciating trash like you, some orphan?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I shouldered the duffel bag full of remains.
"Whatever."
Elise quickly relaxed her expression and sat on a blunt rock. She swung her crossed legs as she continued,
"Go ahead and squirm on your own. I'm curious to see how it turns out."
—Tweet!
Suddenly, a whistle pierced the air. A shout came from above.
—You okay down there!
It was the rescue team.
I whipped around to Elise.
"Hey. You go up first. And we were never here together. You didn't see any ghost."
I shoved her while handing over the duffel bag. Elise furrowed her brow deeply.
"Why dump it on me?"
"They'll suspect me if I have it."
"......Dumbass. Why would I—Libra—"
"Fine, then tell them? Go up and say you saw a ghost?"
"......"
"Jade's temper—you think he'll be cool with your shit? After bragging about reopening the mine."
Elise bit her lip slightly, hesitated, then let out a small sigh. She held up three fingers.
Middle, index, thumb. Mana formed a triangle at her fingertips. It clung to the duffel bag, shrinking its "size" like a thermos bottle.
My eyes widened.
"Whoa, what the hell."
"First time seeing a reduction spell?"
"......First time seeing a high schooler use one."
"Pathetic life."
Elise snarked as she pocketed the duffel bag. Right then, the rescue team's lights swept the underground.
I hid my body, and Elise walked toward them, waving.
"I'm here. There's someone here."
—Okay! Sending down the rope!
I backed away and sat down. Hide for about five minutes, then it should be fine.
—Come on up!
"Yeah, coming."
While Elise climbed up, I killed time by opening Hans's work log again.
I flipped through the pages, savoring each one, until the last sentence on the final page.
The words he had pressed hard into the paper grabbed my hand.
—I wanted to give you a birthday present... Daddy's sorry...
The father buried here was one of the countless people killed by Libra.
One of the countless victims who lived ordinary lives, only to die pointlessly in an instant.
A father like mine—someone's father.
"......Why are you sorry?"
Why were they all such idiots?
I gritted my teeth and closed the journal.
"Hm?"
This time, something caught my eye. In the dark corner of the cave, a rabbit doll rolling around, ownerless.
Obviously not Hans's.
Then...
—Anyone else down there!
"Ah, yeah! There's someone here!"
I stuffed the doll into my bosom and shouted.
The assignment was paused under the excuse of lunchtime. In the meantime, the Libra family—more precisely, the "inspection team"—mobilized, temporarily sealed the underground collapse, and resumed classes.
"......The College Board assignment is now concluded."
And so, at 7 p.m.
The students emerging from the mine after half a day of mining were covered head to toe in sweat and dust.
Chedric addressed them as he looked around.
"I heard there was a minor disturbance. However, such incidents are commonplace in mines."
Elise craned her neck, searching for Soliet. She was at the front, her duffel bag bulging, face smeared with soot.
Looks like she worked hard, in her own way.
"Thus, I hope you view that disturbance as part of the assignment. This task is worth 4 CP total. It evaluates not just mana prowess, but endurance, perseverance, quick thinking, and such factors..."
No telling if the seniors were listening. They were all exhausted, panting heavily.
"Now, submit your mana stones."
Elise immediately approached Chedric and held out her duffel bag. He raised an eyebrow.
"Impressive haul."
"Bare minimum."
She flashed a smile and turned away, but one person piqued her curiosity.
Sion Askal.
His duffel bag full of bones was currently in her pocket.
In other words, he had no tool to hold mana stones.
"......What the hell is that guy doing?"
Kain muttered just then. Sion stood where he was looking.
In front of Chedric, he pulled mana stones from his pocket, not a duffel bag. About twenty, by the look.
"Heh. Guess it was properly sealed."
"No, Kain! This is your fault Sion's like that! Why lock someone up!"
Rae, who had sidled up, puffed her cheeks.
"What? Why are you suddenly—"
"You shitty dog!"
"What the hell. Eat something bad?"
"......"
Elise crossed her arms silently. She shook her head.
"Pathetic."
Sacrificing your grades for devotion to Libra won't make them notice you.
The "talent" they want isn't on your level.
"Grades will be based on the quality and quantity of submitted mana stones. Results announced Sunday. Dismissed."
Chedric finally ended the assignment. Students began dispersing one by one.
"Kain, how many'd you get?"
Rae asked. Kain grinned proudly.
"Around 500."
"Liar! 500 wouldn't even fit in a duffel bag!"
Elise glanced at Sion as she walked down with her group.
He was already with some cop.
—Sion, student. Mind a quick chat?
Caught, huh.
Well, with the guts to mention Nightmares in Soliet's face, he'll handle it fine.
"Elise. What're you doing?"
Rae poked her face in.
"Nothing."
Elise startled but feigned disinterest and kept walking.
"Sion, student. Mind a quick chat about this incident."
At the mine entrance, about to head to Endex, a man flashed police ID.
[Edshilla Police Department]
[Inspector: Ild Gel]
"If you're okay with it, hop in? No need to go to the station when you're busy studying. We can talk here."
He pointed to a patrol car parked on the shoulder. I scanned him up and down.
About mid-180s cm, lean and model-like but solidly built. Neat from head to toe, but the sunglasses irked me.
Libra's man?
"Sure."
I got in the passenger seat without protest. The interior was spotless. Radio, mana spell injector, dashcam...
"What'd you see down there?"
The man asked from the driver's seat.
I stared at his sunglasses instead of answering.
"Who wears sunglasses in a car? At night, no less."
"Answer the question."
"Then I'll have to ask if you have a warrant."
"......"
His lips twitched. I sank into the seat and said,
"Let's be civil."
"......Sigh."
He sighed and removed the sunglasses. I looked into his eyes.
Gray-tinged irises.
"Now, answer."
"Ha."
A laugh slipped out. The eyes gave it away.
'Bellingham Kanta' from northern Edshilla, Krael.
"Don't laugh. What'd you see."
He was Libra's retainer. But not Jade's, Jedric's, Zihanna's, or Zia's man.
He belonged to Seilock—specifically, 'Seilock Dramaka Libra Mulic.
The current head overseeing Libra's succession battle, the monster who elevated Libra to its current status. A loyal servant who'd attended the man harboring billions of serpents for over a decade—no need for pointless lies.
"Saw a ghost."
I answered honestly. Bellingham's eyebrow twitched faintly.
"Alone?"
"Yes. Alone."
A lie.
"......Hoo."
Bellingham swallowed lightly. I added via the rearview,
"And there was a body too."
"Body?"
Bellingham pulled out a file. Flip flip—he speed-read, then frowned.
"Didn't mention that to rescue."
I replied indifferently.
"Of course not. Didn't mention the ghost either."
He looked at me. I turned and met his gaze.
"Why?"
He demanded explanation, so I gave it.
"I disposed of it."
"......"
His gaze tilted slyly. Those eyes scanned me persistently from shoes to hair.
"Fix the floor properly. Mana stones formed during mine regeneration, so reinforce for mana explosions. Concrete won't cut it."
My bit of advice.
Bellingham, listening silently, asked calmly,
"Disposing of the body. Why?"
"Why? You know. Didn't investigate?"
Answering with a question.
Bellingham shook his head.
"......Police don't investigate everyone willy-nilly."
"Come on."
I smiled. Acting like an amateur.
"Cops never go solo. Two-man teams standard. And this—dashcam's off, right?"
I tapped the dashcam. Pressed the button hard—dead.
Libra folks hated recordings pathologically.
"......"
Bellingham was at a loss for words.
Too sudden, maybe. Or figured no need to be perfect with a student.
Or planned to "clean" me roughly.
I looked out the windshield.
"You just asked why I did it."
The scenery was barren. Sun had set dimly; mountains pitch-black, visibility zero.
"Simple."
A dry voice slipped through my teeth.
"I'm Libra too."