Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Ancient Demonic Beasts
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4th Year Class C, Celia Deloa.
Ever since her first day at the academy, this girl had been receiving passionate love confessions from countless male students.
She knew all too well how beautiful she was—just walking down the street turned her into a masterpiece painted by a master artist.
Naturally, she was used to the attention from the opposite sex, and the jealous glares from other girls sent thrilling shivers down her spine.
Overwhelming superiority.
Being superior to other women in every aspect as a female was the most important thing at the center of Celia's life.
That was why she had confidently taken on the role of "Eris" in this play.
It was only natural that she should be in the spotlight-stealing position.
But what was this?
She had heard rumors that the third-years had a lot of beauties, but there were way more formidable ones than she had imagined.
First, Elise, who was playing the same heroine role.
A girl with golden hair and golden eyes, exuding an elegance beyond her 18 years. At first, Celia thought she was looking at some princess.
Next was Arni Duratan, the villainess and Gary's secretary.
As the eldest daughter of the swordsmanship clan Duratan Family, she had blood-red hair fluttering around her, and her appeal went beyond looks to something sensually captivating.
And then May Flob, one of Gary's subordinates.
Celia already knew about her.
She had learned during the play preparations that she was the dean's cousin, but she was the back-alley queen who had taken down third- and fourth-year delinquents with her fists.
Fine.
Celia thought she could somehow handle them up to this point.
But then there was Rin, playing "Philia," the rival for the male lead Ares.
The moment she laid eyes on this girl, even Celia had to admit she was stunningly beautiful.
Kind and considerate to everyone—a perfect superhuman.
While feeling a humiliating sense of defeat to a girl a year younger, during rehearsals, she noticed that Rin liked Daniel McClane, who was playing "Gary."
And just moments ago.
At the hotcake stall, Daniel had said,
"Ha, I miss Eris."
Eris was the name of the role she herself was playing in this play!
'Yeah, like you'd hold out against me?'
Even if it was for the play with all that skinship, a third-year kid like him would have fallen for her charms in no time without her even trying.
'Look at that.'
Seeing Rin's blank expression and May Flob looking ready to charge at any moment, Celia felt full even without eating anything.
Feel the overwhelming defeat of having the man you like stolen away!
That was what she thought.
However.
"Come here for a sec."
An unexpected woman approached Daniel.
*
Female Ares.
The fish in Celia's pond were baring their nonexistent teeth at me, but I brushed them off lightly.
I just swatted away the cookie she offered.
'What a hassle.'
I felt like I was getting dragged into unnecessary misunderstandings because of this girl, but then someone I hadn't expected approached me.
"Come here for a sec."
Ares's pond's red goldfish.
Arni Duratan, with her red hair fluttering.
She tapped my shoulder and called me behind the stage, and though puzzled, I thought it was a good opportunity and followed right away.
Behind the stage, not only Arni Duratan but also Professor Bertio, whom I hadn't seen, was standing there with a pretty serious expression.
"What's going on?"
I realized Arni had called me for Professor Bertio's sake, so I asked him directly. Bertio looked at Arni and said,
"If it's not too much trouble, could you help Arni out?"
"Pardon?"
"Help me practice my lines."
"Hmm?"
What was this all of a sudden?
With only three days left until the actual performance.
"Professor Bertio said your acting isn't bad."
He was an honest man.
When it came to acting, he was as sharp as a blade.
He'd never said it was good, but he hadn't called it bad either. At first, it was a bit stiff, but now I thought it was decent.
"Everything else about Arni is fine. But she's not getting the emotional immersion in the final scene."
"Ah."
Arni Duratan's role, "Helia."
Gary's secretary, but actually the woman he truly loved.
After Gary loses to the two protagonists, he closes his eyes in Helia's arms, and that's how those two exit the play.
'That part was definitely a bit awkward.'
But did it really require practice like this? Professor Bertio spoke first.
"Arni asked me. She really wants to nail this play."
"Hmm?"
I thought she was just a sword-obsessed athlete, but suddenly this?
She hadn't been particularly diligent in practice before either.
"My family's coming."
"......"
Arni bit her lip, glaring at me as if she couldn't say more. Her eyes looked ready for a fight, but her words weren't.
"Please, help me out."
I could tell there was some circumstance, and Professor Bertio chimed in from the side.
"I'm asking you too. The character Gary is completed by that death. If Arni's acting feels off there, it ruins everything."
He wasn't wrong.
'I don't have much to do during the festival anyway.'
I could rack up a small favor with the eldest daughter of the swordsmanship clan Duratan Family.
'Could even use it to escape from May.'
At most, it'd be helping with the final scene after rehearsal—probably 30 minutes tops.
"Sure, got it."
"Thanks."
Arni, who seemed to have her reasons, bowed deeply.
*
After the play team's friendly gathering ended.
Ares was wandering the stalls with his friends.
Lots of friends were with him, and naturally, Arni Duratan and Elise, who were in the play together, were there too.
Sen was there, but not as lively as before—just trailing quietly behind. Hayun had already been disowned by her family, so she had no need to stick with Ares.
But the most eye-catching one today was none other than Adriana.
She usually had her hair braided, but today it was down, and she was dressed in revealing clothes, plastered to Ares's side.
"Ares, shall we try that one?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
The other girls kept a step back, watching Adriana cling to Ares without hiding her voluptuous figure.
"Something's off, right?"
Arni nodded eagerly at Elise's words.
The usual Adriana appealed to Ares but not this boldly or aggressively.
She was like the big sister of Ares's group, soothing everyone and yielding, but today she was going all out uncharacteristically.
"She seems to have her own plans, so maybe we should yield to her today."
Elise covered her mouth in surprise at Arni's suggestion.
"Arni, saying something like that? You're usually so aggressive."
"Ahem, there must be a reason. Sen, you hold back today too and let Adriana have her turn."
"Eh, I wasn't in the mood anyway."
"......"
Sen's spaced-out demeanor since the thug incident bothered them, but neither Arni nor Elise could interfere.
Both had their own things to do at this festival.
*
"Ugh, I'm beat."
Having been dragged around all day by May and Rin, my body was more tired than expected.
The stalls outside had already packed up in the darkening evening, waiting for tomorrow.
"Not bad, though."
In my previous life, I'd been expelled right after arriving, so I never experienced events like this, but it wasn't half bad.
A time to huddle together and feel the bonds between people, I suppose.
Living numb in the forest must have dulled me, but I guess I missed human warmth a little.
As I opened the window to get some fresh air.
Scratch, scratch.
A strange sound came.
"Hm?"
Seemed like it was from above, but what was it?
I poked my head out the window and checked up top—definitely some odd noise.
"What is this?"
It sounded like bugs crawling, but not ordinary ones.
Then someone else noticed too, peeking out from a fourth-floor window.
"What is that sound?"
Sen, the white-haired girl from the Extermination Squad.
Not forcing cheerfulness like before, but in her usual emotionless tone. I shrugged and asked back.
"Sounds like it's from your floor?"
"It's above us. Daniel, you know something?"
"How would I?"
"You know I'm from the Extermination Squad."
"......Sulking?"
Sen turned away silently to check above, then climbed out the window and up.
"Gotta check. Might be those fighting dog bastards."
"Hmm."
As I wondered, a commotion erupted from the rooftop.
I thought about going up, but something huge fell from the rooftop.
"Hm?"
Splat— a bug as thick as an arm hit the ground and scurried away like a shot.
'What was that?'
As I frowned, wondering if I'd seen right, Sen came down from the rooftop and into my room.
Having my head out the window, I nearly tripped over her foot but dodged.
"Tch."
I asked Sen, who looked disappointed, with a feigned serious expression.
"What was that just now?"
"Dunno. Bug-like, but weirdly tough. Tried to grab it but let go 'cause it was gross."
Guess she's still a girl.
"Didn't it have some pattern on its shell?"
I asked just in case, since I'd glimpsed it. Sen's eyes twitched slightly. She hesitated, then nodded silently.
"It really did?"
As I asked again anxiously, Sen replied, convinced I knew something.
"Yeah. Too dark to see clearly, but a circular pattern with spikes."
"......"
"You know something, right? It's those fighting dogs moving, isn't it?"
"Fighting dogs?"
I couldn't help but chuckle.
If it were just fighting dogs, no big deal—but this was far worse.
The ancient demonic beasts living in the deepest parts of the Demon Realm Forest.
Even I don't remember how much blood I shed to reach their territory, and a single one could shake the world—hordes of them lurked there.
The hidden reason humans call the Demon Realm Forest "hell."
"Ancient demonic beasts."
Unlike other demonic beasts, they possessed high intelligence like us and overwhelming power.
'Someone's calling one of them here.'
Toward this academy in the midst of the festival—someone was summoning an ancient demonic beast.