Darkness
For now, I'd managed to get it somewhat under control. Even though I'd only swept away the dust and cobwebs, a full hour had already slipped by. I'd been cleaning for over an hour, yet a mountain of work still loomed. Looking around, I spotted quite a few spots that needed repairs too. If I wanted to make this place truly usable, it would take a bit more time. The walls, the creaky door—there was still plenty left to fix and clear out.
Still, it wasn't bad. The interior was surprisingly spacious, and with open ground nearby, there was plenty of room to make use of. Since people rarely came this way, it seemed like a good spot for magic or sword training without any issues. Anyway, it looked like the first act would be wrapping up soon. Around this time, the protagonist Ian would face his first boss. It was the stage where he grew by confronting a powerful enemy he'd never encountered before—an opponent with strength unlike anything usual. Without knowing the strategy, the fight would be even tougher.
That said, there's a reason the protagonist is the protagonist. No matter how deep a pinch he falls into, he's destined to come out on top in the end. But one thing you have to watch out for in this game is that while the protagonist revives after death, the people around him don't. Once they're gone, you only see them again in the next playthrough. That's why I always preferred playing solo instead of forming a party. A party made things a little easier and faster, sure. But even alone, I could still take them down.
Fighting a boss by myself to clear it and fighting while protecting someone else were completely different. Of course, even if it was just a game, the thought of characters dying because of me left a bad taste in my mouth. So when facing the strong enemy that capped off a chapter, I preferred handling it alone. But the protagonist in this world is strong. I don't know why, but he possesses quite impressive combat ability, so he should be fine. If he can clear a 3rd Grade dungeon by himself, the first boss shouldn't be too hard.
So for now, I needed to focus on myself first. Keeping Celia close was more important than escaping the family. It would be even better if she made friends with the other kids through club activities. For the moment, I'd finish cleaning.
The sun was setting in the afternoon sky, painting everything in deep orange hues from the sunset. But that didn't last long. Soon the heavens bled into black. And so, Elisha walked along the darkened night streets.
She'd heard the recent rumors about some insane assailant attacking people and stealing their shadows. The stories had frightened her a little, but she didn't really believe them. A person who could steal shadows? Did that even make sense? No matter how advanced magic had become, the idea that stealing someone's shadow could also steal their mana seemed absurd. If it were black magic, maybe. But black magic had been forbidden across every nation for ages, and even if the rumors were true, the academy wouldn't allow it to happen.
Besides, the first victim—the one the rumor started with—had vanished without a trace. It was probably just a fake story spread to scare people.
"Ha, what am I even thinking about?"
She didn't have time for these pointless thoughts. Lately her head had been pounding from her studies piling up alongside that irritating guy she couldn't stand the sight of. She hadn't mentioned it to Vern, but through a friend in the student council, she'd done some digging. What she'd learned was that the disciplinary records against Vern seemed strangely skewed. The punishment he'd received for helping Elin was one thing, but the other penalties and descriptions were all written in an extremely unfavorable light toward him.
Even the incident with Elin. When she'd heard the details directly from Elin, she couldn't hide her shock. She hadn't realized such severe bullying had been happening in places she didn't know about. Those so-called nobles had continuously subjected Elin to violence, verbal abuse, and obscene remarks, yet none of them had been punished. They hadn't even been investigated. Only Vern, who had taught them a lesson, had faced consequences.
But there was something else strange. The records claimed Vern hadn't made any statements at all. Even when the facts were exaggerated, he had supposedly accepted everything in silence. Just why? Why would he do that?
Receiving multiple disciplinary actions could lead to expulsion in serious cases. And expulsion would be terrible for his family. Yes, everything Vern had done only tarnished the family name. The people he'd confronted were all children of prominent houses—shady ones at that. Why had he kept doing it? What had Vern been trying to accomplish?
My head's spinning...
Vern, what exactly do you want?
For now, she would talk to him again. She hadn't been able to speak properly today because she'd gotten too worked up. Yes, she'd try talking to him tomorrow. Right now she needed to get back to the dormitory and finish studying.
The path back to the dormitory was the same as always. The only differences were the lack of people around and the unusually strong wind. Well, that was natural enough. The magic department had kept her busy, so she'd stayed at the academy until late. A glance at her watch showed the hands pointing to 10:30.
Wanting to return quickly, she quickened her steps. The wind kept blowing harder, growing stronger by the second. Soon her hair whipped across her face, completely blocking her view. She brushed it aside and looked forward again.
Someone was standing in front of her.
A woman with jet-black hair and crimson eyes. But there was something strange—a pair of horns sprouting from her head. One was broken off halfway, but that wasn't what mattered.
Was there someone like this at the academy?
No, she'd never seen anyone like her here. Did that mean the rumors were true?
The woman smiled eerily.
"This is the last one. A girl with such a large mana vessel. You'll be my final nourishment."
"That's sexual harass—!"
Before she could finish, the black-haired woman charged. Ominous energy wrapped around her fist as she threw a punch.
-Whoosh. -Whoosh.
The speed was incredible. Dodging was all she could manage. She tried to cast a spell, but the relentless attacks made it impossible to complete her casting. Even low-tier magic required some time to prepare. The moment she stopped moving, that fist would land.
Attacking without any warning...!
She should have struck first instead of panicking. The slightly purplish skin, the pair of horns, and that alien power she'd never felt before. The impure, violet-tinged mana and the woman's appearance...
Could she be... a demon?
Black magic was a power mainly used by demons who worshipped devils. It had been banned in most countries and was fading from memory. But a demon? The academy's barrier should prevent anyone from entering freely.
This wasn't the time for such thoughts. She had to create distance and escape somehow. If it really was a demon, the situation changed completely. She was probably connected to Requiem. As a terrorist organization that had attacked the academy, this wasn't something she could handle alone.
It was dangerous. She'd heard that having your shadow stolen would seal your mana as well. Could she get away?
Thanks to her consistent physical training, she somehow kept dodging. But she was reaching her limit...!
Every punch the demon woman threw was blindingly fast and lethal. And then there was the punch flying from behind her...
"Kuhuk...!"
Something black that resembled the demon woman. Was it the shadow that had been writhing around her earlier? The force was so overwhelming that a single hit sent her flying through the air.
-Thud!
Her body rolled across the ground. This was the worst. She'd taken a direct hit. It must have struck her solar plexus. She couldn't breathe properly, and her vision kept flickering. Blood flowed from her head where she'd scraped it while rolling, and her body refused to move right.
If her mana was stolen now, the outcome was obvious. Everyone whose shadows had been taken had disappeared, hadn't they? She'd thought it was just a baseless rumor, but now...
The black-haired woman approached from a distance. There were no people around, and every streetlight seemed broken—none of them were on. It was a truly desperate situation. There was no way out. Her legs wouldn't move, injured as they were. No, fear had paralyzed them. The sudden terror had frozen her in place.
It was terrifying. So terrifying. Was this how Vern had felt when facing that chimera? And here she was—what was she doing? She was the top student of the second year, praised by everyone as pretty and talented, yet she couldn't do anything. She couldn't even use magic and was helplessly getting beaten.
"Damn it..."
As if answering her mutter, the approaching woman spoke.
"Have you finally realized your own powerlessness? How does it feel to be in the same position as me?"
The same position? What did that mean? More than that... she still hadn't told him. She'd wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, to reconcile. No, she'd wanted to apologize. She had wanted to tell him she was sorry.
Yet all she'd done was get angry and yell at him.
"Being beaten like this doesn't suit me... I still have things I need to say...!"
"What kind of death throes is this from a half-dead bitch? Just hand over your shadow quietly."
The demon woman, now right in front of her, reached out.
She was trying to steal her shadow.
"No. It's not over yet."
"Ha, what can you possibly do in that state? I'll gladly take your mana. I'll put it to very good use, so you can rest easy."
"Explosive Ice."
"What?"
Until it truly ends, it's not over.