Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Became a Suspicious Person at the Academy
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Time until the first class—5 days.
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It was the dawn of a day when rain poured down, thunder rumbled, and fierce winds howled.
Niore Restman opened her eyes in bed. It wasn't a nightmare or noisy sounds from around her that woke her. She simply awoke naturally. A rare occurrence.
Even though it was an early hour, she felt no fatigue at all. On the contrary, she brimmed with more vitality and clarity than ever. It felt like she had slept soundly for at least ten hours.
The dorm room was steeped in a deep, melancholic blue. Looking around, she saw a red-haired girl lying on the bed across from her, mumbling and chewing on her oddly braided bangs even in her sleep.
This was a double room in the academy's girls' dormitory, and the girl opposite was Niore's roommate.
They had only met and exchanged greetings a day ago, but Niore already knew her roommate was a wonderful person, driven by pure ambition. It didn't matter that she was a commoner. House Restman, a baronet's family, had fallen into ruin long ago.
Outside the window, a cool downpour cascaded.
Occasionally, gusts of wind made the panes rattle faintly, but there were no creaking noises. That was thanks to the protective magic encircling the academy dormitory's outer walls.
Suddenly, Niore changed into her outdoor clothes. Her mind was too alert to fall back asleep, and she didn't want to disturb her roommate's rest. She planned to head out, tour the academy grounds, and if time allowed, jog until sunrise.
Niore's gaze fell on the small whiteboard leaning against her bed.
"......"
Ah. Right.
Niore drew in a breath, opened her mouth, and expelled air through her vocal cords. But all that came out was the whooshing sound of wind; nothing resembling language emerged.
She couldn't speak.
That was why the whiteboard was essential. The whiteboard and pen were her vocal cords. Only by scribbling her desired words on the white surface could she finally communicate with others.
But... it should be fine now. It was dawn, raining, and she wasn't likely to run into anyone.
With that thought, Niore turned, carefully opened the door, and slipped out of the dormitory. Circling the academy grounds clockwise once and counterclockwise once should take just the right amount of time.
She pictured the academy map in her mind.
(▲ Academy Map)
(▲ The route Niore envisioned in her head)
Perfect. Let's go.
Niore told herself that and dashed into the rain.
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It was refreshing.
The rain pouring as if to wash the world clean. The sounds reaching her ears. The sensation of the heat building in her body from running freely being dissipated by the rain. Everything felt wonderful.
The only inconvenience was that she should have bound her chest more tightly with compression bandages.
Every step threw off her center of gravity excessively. She could think of it as training to maintain bodily balance, but ultimately, she concluded it would be more comfortable without them.
Splash. Splash.
Niore ran straight through puddles without hesitation. Water splashed everywhere. She laughed out loud in delight, but instead of "Hahaha!", it came out as something like "Hngh...". Still, it was fine.
Niore wanted to purely savor this moment. Moving her body, building skill with each movement, gaining even greater freedom of motion. A virtuous cycle.
Each raindrop reflected her image. Her shoulder-length bob haircut, chestnut-brown locks, rounded eyes, and the faint pattern shimmering in her irises.
About twenty minutes in, as she passed halfway through the lecture hall district—
Rumble—!
Lightning flashed. And then, a suspicious voice rode the wind.
"...In the dead of night... do we have to do this..., ...mage."
"......, ...no one will catch us... ........."
Two people were digging into the ground while conversing.
Niore halted her run and held her breath. She stealthily climbed a nearby tree and hid. The atmosphere screamed she shouldn't be seen.
What reason could there be to dig in the ground at this late hour, braving the foul weather? Swallowing with a mix of slight fear and curiosity, Niore peered down.
Flash. Rumble—!
One was a mage in a hood. The distance was considerable, and the rain blurred her vision. Facial features were indistinct, shadowy. Only the voice hinted at a man.
The other was a woman in a suit. Her voluptuous yet sleek figure clung perfectly to the fitted attire. She suited a ballroom far more than midnight digging. A mage and a beauty—an oddly mismatched pair.
Piles of dirt surrounded them. Each scoop sent soil tumbling into the pit below. No, it was the opposite. They weren't digging something up; they were burying something.
Thud. Thud.
The pit was filling up.
The distance and darkness made it hard to see what they were burying. The tree's height was awkward for peering inside. Niore strained her eyes wide. A familiar ghost story echoed in her mind.
The academy denied class distinctions as much as possible. Thus, nobles and commoners were equals here... or so they said. But that principle was rarely upheld. After all, the real world lay beyond the academy's walls. They had to bow to those in power.
Hence the rumors.
Tales abounded of highborn pulling strings to eliminate disliked students. The victims were quietly disguised as missing or accidental deaths.
Flash!
Lightning struck, briefly illuminating the world. In that instant, Niore glimpsed the mage's ominously glowing red eyes... and, uncertainly, something like human pupils inside the pit.
Niore clamped her own mouth shut.
"...... Your whole body... ........ isn't it? ...I... can see too."
"In my eyes... ......"
They peered into the pit while saying that.
Her whole body, what about it? What exactly could they see? Something horrific that shouldn't be exposed? The state of the person in the pit?
No...
It must be a misunderstanding. She must have seen wrong. If they were truly murdering and burying someone, they'd take it out the north gate and hide it in the forest. The monsters there would clean up a corpse overnight. No need to bury it on campus.
She should head back, pretend nothing happened, and sleep. It was nothing serious. Niore reassured herself, preparing to descend and return to the dorm.
—......Master... ..., stop... ...
Until that eerie voice emanated from the pit.
The mage flicked his hand, and the voice cut off. It seemed they had done something. A person. It was a person. They were burying someone alive. Niore was certain. Her body trembled faintly. Why on earth...
A nonchalant voice followed. They stamped down the filled pit with their feet, speaking in casual tones. Their dismissive attitude stirred Niore's myriad emotions.
"Yes, ...used it. ...didn't want to wash... my favorite underwear."
"No wonder ... ...... ...the line wasn't visible."
What had they used to kill? Something special enough to mention? "Favorite underwear"—a grudge? "Line not visible"—did that mean disappearance?
The two finished their work, dragging the shovel into the darkness. The pounding rain erased their traces. No one would know what happened here. As long as Niore stayed silent.
"......"
Niore bit her lip hard.
She needed her academy diploma. Getting tangled in something suspicious was unwise. For her own safety, crawling under the covers and sleeping might be best. But...
They could be black mages infiltrating the academy. If so, this was terrorist prep, and the school needed to know. Though their outfits were conspicuous for that...
More importantly—killing someone carelessly. She couldn't forgive that.
Niore waited atop the tree, enduring the rain for a long while. The downpour no longer felt refreshing. Her thoughts grew numerous and tangled. First, she needed to investigate.
Who they were. Who they had disposed of.
After much time passed, Niore fled back to the dorm.
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While burying the demonic sword, Pingbalrez grumbled.
"Do we really have to do this in the dead of night, you mad mage?"
"Pingbalrez, that's exactly why no one will catch us sneaking around."
At this hour, with a downpour raging, no one would be wandering outside. This was prime time to stash a hidden piece. Getting caught digging in broad daylight would ruin the romance of it—who hid it would be exposed.
"It's raining too. I'm soaked to the bone. My shirt's gone sheer. Even my bra's showing."
"Doesn't show in my eyes."
I glanced. Half reflex. Beneath the clinging white shirt were just flesh-toned melons. No shoulder straps visible.
—Are you my new master? Waking me—bold, I commend you!
Mid-burial, the trigger activated, and the sword spat its stored line. I snapped my fingers, putting it in sleep mode for a week.
Work complete.
Buried nicely. Stomped it down firm. Now, at the right moment, release the "Treasure map marking the demonic sword hidden by a black mage who infiltrated the academy and died while fleeing."
As we wrapped up, Pingbalrez boldly declared her fashion choice.
"Yes, used Invisibility Blade. Didn't want to wash my favorite underwear."
Meaning she wasn't wearing any.
"No wonder the line wasn't visible over your suit pants."
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Morning broke.
Crimson Tower mage Selbia stretched languidly. A refreshing morning. Just a few more days until classes started. She could learn from the famed professors she'd only heard about, seizing a chance to aim higher.
Growing stronger, gaining fame, becoming the Crimson Tower Master's disciple.
Then use the "Wish Voucher" the Tower Master gifted her disciples to request finding her childhood friend.
She wasn't worried about his fate. From childhood, he was clever, the hero-like type who seemed unkillable anywhere. Surely thriving somewhere.
Maybe even living as a mage like her.
Her heart raced at the nearing reunion. Resolving to live diligently today too, Selbia greeted her roommate energetically.
"Niore, good mor— Why the long face?!"
"......"
Just yesterday, her roommate had gushed excitedly for five hours about academy lectures. Overnight, she'd turned zombie-like.
[Good morning.]
Niore wrote a greeting on her whiteboard. Maybe it was her imagination, but the handwriting looked gloomy and crooked. Selbia imagined the gravest scenario she could.
"Did I snore last night or something...?"
[No, um, I have a question.]
"Y-Yes...?"
[Do you know anyone who looks like this?]
Scribble scribble.
The duo Niore sketched was familiar. The newly arrived Violet Magic Tower professor and her secretary. They denied it, but total SM couple vibes. Unforgettable, with every action etched in memory.
"Yeah, the new professor and her secretary from Violet Tower. They're... pretty weird, but not bad people. They helped me back home... Seriously, why the face?!"
Niore agonized before explaining. She went for a walk last night and saw them burying someone. Selbia listened quietly, then smiled faintly.
"Probably a misunderstanding, Niore. I haven't known them long, but... just some pointless prank, I'm sure?"
[What if you're hypnotized...?]
"If you're that worried, why not check?"
For a primitive hypnosis test, Niore gripped the whiteboard with both hands.
"No, I mean check if they buried something—not if I'm hypnotized! It was probably just a toy. We've got class registrations this morning, so if you've got time later, check tonight?"
Niore hesitated, then nodded courageously.
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That night, Niore revisited the spot.
The pit had been dug up by someone, and bloodstains remained inside.
"......!!"