Chapter 198
Chapter 198
A viscous murderous will rode the mist.
“Well, fine. Since you finally showed up, I’ll do what I must.”
As if to proclaim to the world that he was a heinous criminal, he did not hide that ferocity.
[Boss][Jack the Ripper]
The label that rose above his tangled, unkempt hair was proof of a genuine strong foe.
‘…The duke prepared a pretty sharp dagger, didn’t he.’
Because this opponent wasn’t in the original version I’d seen, I’d wondered how strong he might be — only to find he was confirmed boss-class by the status window.
“Freesia! Can you hear me?”
I hurriedly called to the strongest among us beyond that fog, the one of inhuman lineage, but—
“Heh heh, it’s useless. Your voice won’t reach me.”
He exhaled a deep sigh and the mist flowed from his mouth.
–Rene! Lady Frontal! If you can hear me, give support!“Hoh. An Academy student who can even use telepathy. Quite the surprise.”
Still, what on earth had happened? Telepathy that had never been detected by anyone until now had been caught by him.
“Well, I suppose you called for the ladies you were with to help, but it’s useless, you know?”
He twisted the scar that ran along his eye and answered with a cruel grin.
“In this mist, no method of communication works!”
“…What?”
“This is an Imaginal Barrier, kid.”
Imaginal Barrier. Just as the Four Heavenly King Jaihin had overcome the limits of life span, this was a miracle that realized an individual’s wish down to the letter.
Was it right to call him boss-class? To call this level of ability the possession of a mere serial killer felt absurd; my mouth went dry.
“No wonder he could slaughter noble maidens one after another.”
Within the Academy such things were banned in the name of fairness, but outside, exceptions were the rule. Nobles naturally had guards.
That he’d easily bypassed those guards — perhaps thanks to this fog.
‘Damn it, did the duke deliberately omit that information?’
I’d taken the fog to be merely an ability that blocked sight. To think it would create a state of total isolation where neither sound nor telepathy worked — I ground my teeth at the duke who had left that detail out.
“If only it weren’t for that inflexible commander of the knights, this might have been more entertaining.”“Small mercies, I suppose. I’m glad such a righteous man stands here.”“Huh, sarcasm aside. Still, it’s nice — after a long while I get to taste aristocratic blood once more.”
With a strangely curving blade like a serpent’s fang, he began to approach us slowly.
“Haha, speak as if our necks are already severed.”“You still laugh? Have you no sense of your position? Yes — you’re dead meat now.”“And you. Do you know what it means to murder a noble?”
That wasn’t aimed only at him — the Roberc duke behind him was the true target as well.
“Even if the Robercs are a ducal house of the West, this being discovered will deal quite a blow.”“……”
He was brazen to the point of arrogance; dare he try to kill nobles from another region, even a saintess?
It would obviously escalate into a diplomatic crisis.
Given this area’s only resource was mana stones, if exports and external support were restricted… the consequences would be fatal.
“Lay down your blade now. Your choice could call the West’s ruin.”
If we’d all been assembled, strength in numbers might have helped — but the situation was clearly disadvantageous now.
If we could send him away without fighting, that would be best. So I offered that solution.
“What are you saying?”
At the cold tone from beside me I looked — it wasn’t Jack speaking. It was Camilla, who should have been supporting with magic from behind.
“You intend to release him now?”“No, Lady Roberc. I meant only to step back—!”“Shut up! The one who killed my mother! I will finish my revenge with my own hands!”
Sand wrapped itself around her whip at the command of her power. The malice bound into her weapon rivaled the serial killer’s own.
‘…Her eyes have gone completely mad.’
Camilla’s life had been built on vengeance; before the enemy she had to be unhinged. How could she remain calm?
“Heh heh, well said. Kid, one thing — I don’t know how you connected the Roberc duke to me, but I’ll just kill you all. Like that time.”
The serial killer spoke plainly of eliminating witnesses.
One word he’d said stuck in my mind.
“That time…?”“Ah yes, I recall that day. To kill a duke’s wife with my own hand — I can’t forget that taste.”
Savoring the memory, his finger traced the curve of his blade.
“I always thought noble blood was blue. Imagine my surprise to find it the same red as ours!”
The words barely left him before a fierce blaze lit Camilla’s pupils.
“How dare you…!”“Quite the spectacle. Even the lofty ones are just human like us — same red blood, same screams.”“Shut that filthy mouth! I swear on the name of Roberc… I will slay you!”“Heh heh. Who’s speaking? Let’s see if the daughter’s blood is just as red.”
It was an obvious taunt — one someone could hardly ignore.
“This is insane. A mage leading the vanguard — what do you think you’re doing?”
Perhaps it was for the best.
Camilla’s growth derived from revenge. Executing vengeance upon the perpetrator herself would only feed her forward.
‘…But that sudden temper needs to be corrected.’
Before that sprout of recklessness could be trampled, I rushed after her brandishing a black dagger in my right hand and a golden dagger in my left.
“Ugh!”“Where do you think you’re going? A mage using Aura stands before you, and you act so boldly.”
As expected, Camilla was struggling against Jack.
At least, unlike Elizabeth, she could engage in melee.
—Kaga-ga-gak!
The rough sand embedded in her whip stopped the killer’s sword.
But it wouldn’t hold long. At this rate, in a few exchanges her delicate life could be shredded along with the whip.
“Get away.”“Hans! Move aside — this is my revenge! I will finish it myself!”
She shoved me away without realizing I’d just saved her life. I shot her a cold rebuke.
“Tsk, I’d like nothing more than that, but if your broth boils dry like this, how would you stop?”
Camilla’s fury was a spicy delicacy — but right now she looked like a candle burned to the wick: bright and soon gone.
That wouldn’t do. I needed Camilla to awaken and keep helping later — not a corpse satisfied with its vengeance.
“Disappointing, Camilla Roberc.”“What did you say?”“Even if you lay down your life to deal with this man, the true mastermind will still be shamelessly alive.”
At mention of the Roberc duke, she froze briefly.
“Moreover — have you considered what happens after you avenge your mother?”“After…?”“Afterwards… how will the Roberc duke be handled?”
When I mentioned the end of vengeance and what came after, she shook her head violently.
“…Is that important? I can barely manage the revenge now.”“It is important. For the West’s future.”
She carried the Roberc name; her revenge target was the current Roberc duke.
“Think on that a little. I’ll take care of this man.”“……”
She went silent, perhaps unable to speak from having her revenge snatched away, or perhaps because I’d hit a nerve.
Camilla’s lips moved but no words came; I couldn’t help a faint smirk.
“This has been a long time coming.”“Is the pretend-play over?”“Pretend-play? These measures were necessary. Now — attack.”
Against thieves, a warrior is best; but a thief matched with a fellow thief wasn’t bad either.
“From now on I’ll take him.”
I inclined my head and raised my pair of daggers toward him.
Jack was a killer who valued pleasure, but also an assassin who did not neglect his contracts.
He’d deduced the pursuers’ trails and raided the thieves’ guild accordingly. He’d taunted by mentioning the target’s mother — all steps in his meticulous scheme.
Would he miss an opening while our two targets idly chatted? No way. The priority target had been distracted by that conversation and left unguarded.
There was one reason the ruthless killer had not cleaved their conversation with his blade.
‘This bastard — no gaps…?’
No, it wasn’t simply that he seemed without gaps. Rather… it felt like fear.
He was both predator and prey.
He was used to hunting unseasoned noble girls and weak matronly women, but before an absolute like the Roberc duke he bowed. Instinct told him that interfering recklessly with that conversation would cost him blood — his own.
“Why are you just standing there? Attack me already.”
The young man before us wasn’t a mere noble heir. He exuded the quality of an overlord, comparable to the duke himself.
‘Damn. Weren’t the records saying he was just from a baronial family?’
At first we underestimated the mission.
Most were chicks not yet of age — even if noble-born and strong, they were no match for those who’d seen battle and hardship.
But at this moment I had to completely revise that view.
“Kid, you’re not some deskbound heir who only handles paperwork, are you?”“Of course not. Why would I be vice-student-council president for no reason?”
Even a test question thrown to gauge him met with full confidence.
‘What now…?’
In that split second he recalled a crossroads.
The duke and the youth standing before us — which side would he choose?
“…Hoh. A proud answer befitting the noble who lives on his own merits.”
But then he made his decision.
Between the firm foothold and unassailable power of House Roberc in the West, and the baronial young man with nothing but his present boldness,—
‘If he refuses the mission anyway, avoiding the duke’s wrath is impossible.’
Besides, the noble lady he was fond of seemed fated to stand under a different banner. Once he declared hostility, it made little sense to cast his lot below the baronial youth.
His aim was unchanged from the start: kill everyone and complete the task.
“Let’s see if your skill matches your confidence.”
He loaded Aura into his legs, leapt, and slashed.
A quick strike no ordinary noble brat could have parried. As with many victims before, the tip would have pierced flesh and the curved blade would have gored inside — but—
“Really. Who’s testing whom here?”
Two daggers slid into the gaps between his blades.
At the same time—
—clang!
“Ugh?!”“Pathetic.”
—his sword flew into the sky.
“You claimed to have reached the level of Imaginal Barrier and I was supposed to be tense? What a poor display of swordsmanship.”
Even with that provocative taunt, he could not answer. Tension had frozen his tongue.
‘…I misjudged.’
If I’d known the opponent was the overlord type, I should have used all-out force from the start, not toy with a play-sword.
I drew the daggers tucked in my chest and opened my Aura fully.
“This time will be different.”
Black Aura rolled forth; then he smiled, satisfied at last.
“Hah. I didn’t expect Phase Two to start so quickly. Lucky me.”
Muttering an unknown word, he leaped boldly at me.