Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Episode 76
EP19 - Glass Butterfly (4)
Adele is a spy, or something akin to a spy.
After all, I don't know anything about what abilities she possesses or what her objectives are, do I?
All I know is that her intent to assassinate me has been confirmed, and Ezekiel has provided a safety net with [Curse].
So, for now, I've decided to keep her by my side and observe.
This time, I decided to probe her reactions with [Time Forgery].
To comprehend the conversation within 10 seconds, one needed at least 20 frames. I gathered almost all my remaining Mana and tested it about 30 times.
What I said was, 'I know you are some strange being who hides your true intentions.'
The responses I received were as follows:
-
What on earth is that…
-
Why are you saying that…?
-
A spy? I’m not like that….
-
I don’t understand why you’re saying that…. We’re friends, aren’t we…?
-
…Professor, I think there’s some misunderstanding between us. Would you like to talk, as friends…? Over a beer…?
That’s right.
Adele evaded my questions, no matter what I said.
Then, when I brought up the topic of the [Book of the Underworld],
-
…….
She exceeded 10 seconds with silence.
It happened several times.
‘So she won’t fall for it easily.’
And I became certain of one more fact.
‘Adele never got angry.’
If a normal secret were revealed.
Especially if I had interrogated her aggressively, as I had just done.
She might have gotten angry.
‘Just now, she seemed scared.’
Having spent quite some time together, I could sense it.
Adele tried to speak calmly throughout, but I intuitively felt that her reaction was one of fear.
‘She’s afraid of ruining our relationship.’
She is certainly a 'very big threat,' but that doesn't mean she herself is a threat to me.
Following the time I gave her an opening to attack, I confirmed that fact once more.
‘I’ll have to confirm it again sometime.’
At any rate.
That was the end of my private lesson with Gray.
Time had already reached 6 AM.
I had spent the entire night learning Illusion Magic from Gray.
“Lucy told me.”
Before we parted ways. In front of Cain Hall.
Gray said this to me.
“Ah, Lucy is a maid at the academy….”
“Uh.”
“She said the Empire might open its exchange program soon.”
“…….”
“And the day after tomorrow, after I finish my photoshoot for the cover of Assassination Daily’s monthly issue, I might become the face of the Hiaka assassins…? She said something incredibly pressuring…”
‘I see,’ I replied.
However, I knew this was an incredibly important situation for Gray.
‘Gray’s dream…….’
To understand this, I first need to talk about the 'Habanero family's dream.'
According to the lore,
It’s surprising, but the Habanero family created the ancient Illusion Magic, [Glass Butterfly], 2,000 years ago, even before mages invented [Illusion Magic].
Since then, the Habanero family has been a treasure of the continent and a prime target for countless plunderers, treated as the ultimate game console.
Imagine.
In that distant past, when there were few forms of entertainment.
[Glass Butterfly] was an ability that enabled virtual reality games in the 2100s.
Originally, the Habanero family hailed from the Empire of that era. They then fled threats and eventually ended up in Hiaka, a remote corner of the continent.
However, as Gray’s explanation earlier suggests, [Glass Butterfly] requires a special talent, and it is difficult to learn unless one inherits Habanero blood.
Even past rulers brought in Habanero Beast-people and tried to teach their own children, but few learned, and those they brought eventually grew old and died.
I speculate that 0.001% of humanity can master [Glass Butterfly]. But how can one find that 0.001%?
In the past, with a smaller human population and limited means of knowledge transfer, the lineage of [Glass Butterfly] has barely managed to survive until now.
Amidst this, the Habanero incident occurred, leaving no one who mastered [Glass Butterfly] except for Gray.
Gray's blood carried a strong obligation and motivation to revive [Glass Butterfly], which had been passed down for 2,000 years.
‘If this one can successfully make a name for herself in the Empire….’
Gray will gain countless opportunities.
A grand opportunity related to her dream.
However, there is also danger. According to the investigation records of the Hiaka Public Security Bureau, there was speculation that the Empire was behind the Habanero incident. That's likely why Gray agreed with Rebecca's suggestion to kill the Emperor.
Well, that’s beside the point…….
“That’s great.”
“…Huh?”
“If you become famous as a model for Assassination Daily, won’t that be an opportunity to introduce [Glass Butterfly] to more people?”
“……??”
As I pretended to know, Gray’s shoulders slumped.
“…You knew?”
“A little.”
“…Creepy.”
Gray lowered her gaze to the floor.
“So you must be nervous.”
“…Right.”
“I would be too.”
“…Right?”
Her voice was tinged with worried excitement.
Indeed, this is an unfamiliar opportunity for an assassin.
“You’ll do well. You spread your wings well, didn’t you?”
“Ah, right….”
She gave me a small smile.
Moreover, it’s good to get used to this opportunity.
There will be many such events on the [Betting Table].
“What about you, Professor? Do you know anything about the Empire’s exchange program?”
“Hmm. Empire exchange… I wish that would happen for me too.”
“Yeah. Our academy is failing, so it would be good to advance to the Empire…. But I’m also worried. I heard Hiaka is looked down upon in foreign countries….”
I nodded.
It was true.
“Still, you’ll do well.”
“…….”
Gray nodded.
That was the end of our first lesson.
Although I, as the professor, only received instruction, in a broader sense, it could be seen as the first step taken by the professor and student in unison.
That wasn't bad.
“But when will I learn from you, Professor?”
“With this lesson, my understanding of your [Illusion Magic] has significantly increased. I need time to analyze, research, and apply it separately.”
“So, around the lesson after next?”
“That’s appropriate.”
“Mm….”
Gray nodded.
“By the way, you said you weren’t busy the day after tomorrow, right…?”
“I did say that. I plan to rest.”
“Um……. Then, would you like to come with me to the Assassination Daily studio to film me as the cover model? I’m going to get all dolled up. It’s a chance to see a super pretty Gray….”
I thought for a moment.
What should I do?
The studio is in Hattengrad, the Empire.
Because Assassination Daily belongs to the Empire.
Naturally, Gray isn't going alone. A senior professor-level instructor will be assigned.
However, if I were to accompany her unilaterally without notification from my department, it could leave a bad impression on that senior professor.
While most professors who disliked me are gone now, the higher one flies, the harder the fall.
It would be best to be disciplined.
Also, I wanted to spend the weekend training the [World Fabrication] skill, which was at 90%.
“Hmm. I haven’t received any notification from the department, so it would be difficult for me to accompany you separately.”
“Ah…….”
Gray’s gaze dropped as she was refused.
“…Right. I understand.”
“Still, a senior-level instructor will be assigned, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“I wasn’t exactly worried…. I just thought you were missing out on a good opportunity…. Gray is going to be incredibly, ridiculously pretty…”
“I’ll see it on the cover.”
“Gray is even better in person…. Ah, never mind. I’m not particularly disappointed or anything. Everyone’s life is their own, anyway…”
Gray grumbled and walked away.
“Let’s go back to the academy together.”
“…Why?”
“It’s late at night, isn’t it?”
“No thanks. It’s right next door…”
She waved her hand.
“…See you again.”
Still, she was smiling at the end.
I was about to turn away as well.
It was then.
‘A butterfly?’
Flutter, flutter….
It was the butterfly that had run away earlier.
How on earth did it return?
It fluttered and landed on my shoulder.
< [MP] : 45 / 1,751 (▼150) >
Suddenly, my Mana was drained.
『 World Fabrication: Time Forgery [150,000 seconds / 1 frame] 』
Huh?
What is this? Why is [Time Forgery] activating on its own…?
And 150,000 seconds? That’s almost three days.
At the same time, something slowly peeked out from the side of the status window.
…00 seconds / 1 frame] 』)
…00 seconds / 1 frame] 』o)
…00 seconds / 1 frame] 』s o)
This guy… It was then. From afar, Gray turned and glanced at me, then raised her middle finger and shouted.
“Idiot! Asshole! Go catch a cold while resting…!”
Then she ran away.
Idiot, asshole…
I chuckled, then went to my mansion, washed up, and fell asleep thinking about the newly learned formulas.
The next day was spent resting at the mansion.
The day after that, on Sunday night, a frantic phone call came.
-
Professor! … Urgently…!
“What is it?”
-
Sorry for calling so late at night… Is Student Gray… the last…
“What? Speak clearly.”
-
…In the Empire… assassination… critically injured…
The next moment, I was putting on my clothes and running outside. I arrived at the Hiaka Warp Station and spoke with the Discipline Department members. There were 20 people gathered, even though it was outside. The atmosphere was grim.
“Professor… the culprit is….”
“Who!”
“…I’m sorry…. Not identified…”
They then showed me several photos and an investigation report, supposedly information from the Imperial Public Security Bureau.
“…A bombing….”
The next place I went was the hospital. Senior Professor Wilhelm, who accompanied me, was critically injured. In the adjacent room, Gray, who had just finished emergency surgery, looked up at me.
“Professor…”
I said something, and Gray replied normally. She said she was caught in a large explosion just before the photoshoot. At the end, she added this:
“Professor, I… I can still… do the shoot again… right…?”
“What?”
“It’s… it’s true…? I only injured my leg…. Right…?”
I tried to say something but closed my mouth, because it wasn’t just her leg that was injured. As I looked up, half of Gray’s face was burned and wrapped in bandages. In this condition, it was unlikely she could be the cover model for Assassination Daily, and besides, she had been the target of an assassination attempt, so what kind of model was she talking about? I had no idea what to say and stood there blankly. The silence seemed to last for a while.
“…Why? Why?”
Her eyes slowly furrowed.
Her trembling lips.
And flowing down her cheeks—
“……I can’t… anymore…?”
Several weeks passed after that. I spent time sitting in Gray’s hospital room, and conversations about the Assassination Daily issue being a huge hit reached my ears. However, Gray was not on the monthly cover. She had been replaced by someone else.
“…….”
And so, as we reached the final frame, my eyes were fixed on Gray’s bowed back, her slender, hunched shoulders.
Immediately after, the entire world surrounding me, Gray, and the hospital room shattered.
“…….”
I stood on the street.
In front of the gate of Cain Hall.
I could still see a girl with gray hair walking away in the distance, swaying gently.
The next moment, she turned her head and raised her middle finger towards me.
“Idiot! Asshole! Go catch a cold while resting…!”
It felt like being hit in the back of the head with a hammer. It was as if someone had pulled the trigger on Gray.
That just now was not [Time Forgery]. It was a Stigmata formula that Peeping Star had shown me.
Peeping Star, who had rushed towards an unknown conclusion, had brought me the forged time and shown it to me.
Then she turned around. She was trying to escape. Just like she did in the forged time.
“Gray Habanero!”
I urgently raised my voice and called out.
“Whyyy…! I hate you…! Don’t talk to me…!”
“I’m going!”
“Wh-!?”
“See you the day after tomorrow! I’ll accompany you!”
Gray stopped dead in her tracks.
Then she slowly turned back to look at me.
“…….”
She crept closer.
And asked again, very softly.
“…Really?”
EP19
Glass Butterfly
END