Chapter 16
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 16: Someone’s Trace
Alice. A girl with a fragile nature and an atmosphere as if she would break at any moment. It was simple coincidence that she came to peek at the secret.
‘He helped, me...’
Social phobia. Alice fearing contact with people, and even the outside air itself. She enrolled in the academy thanks to the Dean’s consideration, but a space swarming with children her age was no different from poison to her. To the extent that she refused to attend even though the semester started. If there was a reason she dared to go out, it was a momentary whim. Because she didn't want to worry the Dean, she left the dormitory with a big resolution.
‘N-Necklace... I received it from Yeriel, w-where did it go?’
However, the clumsy outing only produced the worst result. Losing an item more important than her life. It was a precious item that couldn't be exchanged for anything in the world. It was when she was searching here and there in the bushes, about to cry.
-Hello?
A boy reached out his hand to Alice. The top student of Class E, the class she belonged to. Did he say Viktor? A boy characterized by wearing a grotesque mask.
‘S-Scary person...!’
After the entrance ceremony, Alice didn't attend for a few days. Even so, as she examined the academy from time to time using her ability, she grasped at least the class atmosphere. As she classified, Viktor was a scary person. She knew at least the fact that he bullied his classmates. Thus, she got scared rashly. Being wary of the boy in front of her, and showing fear.
However, unlike what she thought. The boy didn't treat Alice coercively or scary. Gentle tone, kindly offered handkerchief, even a balloon flower... He treated her as if she were a fragile glass bowl.
Softly—. The thorns she erected in her heart folded, and wariness also subsided before she knew it. Alice barely stopping her agitation. The boy didn't stop there.
This time mobilizing manpower, they found even her necklace together.
-It is fine. I just helped on my own accord.-You said we are in the same class. Since our connection reached like this, how can I not help.
Even though she tried to express gratitude somehow, he only waved his hand saying it was fine. As Alice was restless at that, he threw a word as if to relieve the burden.
Getting along close. It was a word she heard after a very long time, perhaps for the first time in her life.
-Since the semester started not long ago. Just in time, I also didn't have a classmate I got along with well, so I was in need of someone to spend the semester with.-Yes. Or does Miss Alice not like me?
Her winding life didn't allow relationships with others. Alice herself also never had dissatisfaction with that.
‘Loner.’
The girl took it for granted. She thought it was a destiny to be together always just like her nightmare. Others’ goodwill was unfamiliar, and sometimes felt terrifying. But.
The boy crossed that boundary effortlessly. Clearly it must have been meaningless goodwill thrown inadvertently. But that inadvertently remained as a big ripple to Alice. Goodwill directed at herself. Thus, even after returning to the dormitory, the girl was immersed in that lingering feeling.
“......”
Alice lying quietly on the bed. Her gaze was on the ceiling, but her nerves were focused elsewhere.
“That person’s name, was Viktor...”
Just. She was strangely concerned. Because he was a person who willingly bestowed goodwill despite it being the first meeting. Scary but grateful person. She remembered him so.
“Umm...”
Getting late. It wasn't particularly intended. Between the consciousness trying to fall asleep in a daze, the ability activated on its own. Alien One Dream (Same Dream Different Form). Using dreams as a window, seeing others’ worlds.
‘Even if it activates in the first place, he is an opponent it cannot succeed with...’
Because conditions wouldn't be met. Just because she feels goodwill toward the other person, there is no law that the other person would also do so. She never did anything to buy that person’s goodwill, nor had the time to do so. Therefore, normally nothing should have been seen. However...
‘Huh?’
It was seen. Ability activated, and as she covered her eyelids, an unfamiliar vision appeared. Black hair and silver hair walking in a dark corridor. Back figures of a boy and a girl. It was a somewhat blurry scene, but one of them was clearly Viktor. Since he wore a unique mask, distinguishing was easy.
‘H-How did this happen? How can I share vision...’
Confusing situation. Even while shaken, Alice soon glanced at the scene in front of her eyes. Since it activated anyway, she decided to watch for just a moment. The boy strode across the dark corridor.
‘Where is this...? Wait, a warning notice?’
Warning notices passed several times. Only then did Alice know that place was the Underground Dungeon ‘Purgatory’.
‘P-Purgatory? Furthermore, 70th floor? I heard entry is prohibited? How did he enter? No, more than that I should stop...’
There were no faculty members accompanying separately. By his side stood only a silver-haired girl who looked roughly the same age. While Alice was running about in confusion, the boy flung open the main gate of the 70th floor. Steps entering without hesitation.
“Ah...! No...!”
This is death. People die. Alice jumped up from the bed. Without time to think, she was running out of the dormitory.
‘Nonsense... Master of the 70th floor, t-that can absolutely not be survived...!’
What stood as the master of that room was a Dragon. Even though downgraded to undead, it was a dragon extending overwhelming momentum. The contents of warning notices flashed through her head. Regular conquest failed several times, numerous raid members sacrificed. Leaving aside students or whatever, even professor-class powerhouses were swept away.
‘I have to inform! B-But who should I inform? Dean? Sister Javert? Or anyone else...!’
She had to inform of this situation and receive help. When she was trying to leave the dormitory in panic with such thoughts. Alice felt the vision flowing in flash.
“Ugh...!”
Frowning brows. Was it roughly about 2 minutes since the boy entered the room. Confirming the following scene, Alice had no choice but to stop on the spot.
“......Huh?”
Gone. Half of the dragon.
“Uh, uh uh uh...?!”
It was an instant. Boy flicking his finger, immediately after the form sliced in half. Massive body shrinking, rust water dyed in all directions. Dragon was disposed of without a single scream.
“Uh, uh...?”
What did she see. Died. Killed. With a single hand gesture, the Master of the 70th floor, a Dragon. Cutting it exactly in half as if playing with it.
“......”
Alice felt grotesqueness as if existing common sense was rejected. Whether so or not, the boy was only calmly cleaning up. As if such scenery was nothing to him. It was when the situation was being organized like that.
“......?”
Eyes. Met.
“......What?”
It wasn't something like just a feeling. Beyond the blurry vision, pupils inside the mask. They were staring straight at her.
-Fufu.
Smiling. The mask was smiling hideously as usual. Alice couldn't breathe at the overwhelming sensation. It felt as if that smile would tear at any moment, and hundreds of bundles of tentacles would crawl out. As if swarming death would strangle her neck.
“Haa, haa...”
Recognized. And, the opponent smiled as if mocking her. As if knowing she was watching from the start. Mask. He grinned.
“Heok...!”
Immediately after, vision barely cut off. Alice had to gasp for breath. It felt like that killing intent still remained on her spine. Panic came.
“E-Eyes met...? H-How? Never happened like this even once...”
Wildly trembling blue eyes. A person who tore even a dragon with a single hand gesture, a single glance. There was no way such a monster couldn't see through her.
‘Marked.’
The boy was hiding his strength. But why? For what reason? Did he intend to infiltrate the academy? Reason for settling as Class E top student dare I say? Why did he conquer Purgatory? For what purpose did he hide his power? Numerous questions brushed past, but they weren't important to Alice right now.
“N-Noticed me...!”
Whatever the reason, a suspicious figure hiding power. She found out the truth of such a figure. Also got caught that she knew the truth. Before the vision cut off, she remembers the smile the mask made toward her.
“Ah, aah...”
There is only one development associated in this situation. Since she knew too many truths, Alice became a lot marked by him.
“I-I’ll die... Be murdered, s-silenced...”
Tears falling down her cheeks. The girl’s face had turned pale.
“Sniff, w-what do I do...”
The girl’s trembling didn't stop for a long time.
The next day. It was the same for the faculty members to notice the abnormality on the 70th floor. From early dawn, an emergency was called among professors.
“What? Purgatory 70th floor was conquered overnight? What kind of bullshit is that?”
Emergency meeting opened immediately. Professors were sitting pale one and all.
“Does this situation make sense? Purgatory 70th floor was clearly a closed floor!”
“Furthermore conquest success... just how is the situation flowing?”
“How did they enter Purgatory in the first place? Were the guards playing around?”
Noisy venue. Professors raised their voices expressing concern each.
“It is difficult to accept. Even the regular raid team experienced failure several times. During the past academy history, too many members died in the line of duty.”
“That’s why we decided 20 years ago, right? Let’s close Purgatory 70th floor.”
“However... such 70th floor was suddenly conquered completely overnight?”
“Fuck, what is going on...”
70th floor that remained strong during the past academy history. The longer they worked, the harder it was for faculty members to accept this matter easily. Because they heard enough of that floor’s notoriety to be sick of it.
“Purgatory is the place with the strictest security even within the academy. It is difficult to see it as pierced frontally. Especially as the Guard Captain reported, I heard there were no visitors or intruders last night. Not a single ant crawled to the Purgatory entrance.”
“Then what is it? Does it mean a side path leading to Purgatory exists somewhere?”
“Nonsense! Worrying about such parts, aren't we investigating periodically. It was so during the past academy history. That there was no side path heading to Purgatory.”
“Can't organize the talk at all...”
It’s a situation where a ghost would wail. 70th floor was conquered, but there is no person who entered and exited Purgatory. Because not only faculty members, but no one approached overnight.
“Everyone must have checked the materials.”
It wasn't just that. Screen provided one by one in front of professors.
““......””
What appeared on the screen was the scenery of the 70th floor that became a mess. In the center, a massive lump of meat is sprawled. Professors cannot help but sigh each.
“Oh my god, a dragon in half...”
“Professor Lekan. Can you do something like this?”
“Would it work? Even if you bring the Imperial Knight Commander instead of me, he wouldn't be able to.”
“Is it certain it is a dragon?”
“Yes, autopsy is also finished. Although downgraded to undead, a dragon is a dragon. Cause of death is exactly as you saw on the screen. Seems to be split in half with a single blow. The remaining half split disappeared without even a trace.”
“Oh god, heavens...”
Faculty members’ eyes cooled chillingly. Along with the chilled spine, someone swallows dry saliva gulp.
“That means...”
“It means there is one in this academy right now? Not only capable of penetrating strict security and infiltrating inside Purgatory, but a figure capable of splitting an Undead Dragon in half with a single blow? You mean such a bastard might be hiding in the academy right now?”
““......””
Organizing it directly in words, a matter approaching more seriously. When professors couldn't get a grasp, only then does the white-haired old man open his mouth. It was the Dean who was watching the situation silently.
“For now... we will not inform the outside about this matter. Until the situation is grasped, we shall control information about Purgatory.”
““Yes!””
“And... I ask faculty members for individual investigations. We must ferret out the person who caused this, and verify if that person is a figure who could be a danger to the academy. If there is a suspicious point, you must not miss a single one.”
““Understood!””
Faculty members answering with strict discipline. Among such people, only one person was distracted elsewhere. It was Head Investigator Javert.
“......”
Between flowing red hair, quietly blinking green eyes. The woman silently stared only at the screen provided as material. Along with someone’s profile held in her hand, she rolled her eyes as if comparing several times. Eyes seeming to have no emotion. Scratch scratch—. Additional memo is written on the profile. On the hard file, the target’s name is written.
Boy wearing a mask. Even until the faculty meeting ended, Javert stared at it silently.
Refreshingly returned morning. Passing last night’s hard work, a day with nothing to worry about. Weather was sunny too, feeling excited for no reason.
‘Obtained Dragon’s Scale too, obtained refining goods too...’
Unraveling smoothly. Now only thing to wait for is the Freshmen Welcome Exam approaching tomorrow. Since today is a day without lectures, I can just rest lying down leisurely. Waiting for the schedule tomorrow like that.
“......”
Yes. I thought that would do.
“Student Viktor.”
“Yes, Professor Javert.”
Until it became this situation. Red-haired woman visiting suddenly around lunch. Sitting on the opposite chair, she looks at this side with inorganic eyes. Green eyes without vitality.
“I will ask straightforwardly.”
“Please speak.”
“Is it you? Purgatory 70th floor clear.”
“......Yes?”
I asked back dumbfounded.