The Bloodied Finger (4)
Chloe lay on her bed, heart pounding with anticipation.
The dormitory lights went out, and the sound of the dorm supervisor patrolling echoed through the halls. Eirin approached Chloe, who lay with her hands neatly folded over her stomach, and let out a sigh.
"Chloe. You're really going tonight?"
"O-of course! It looks fun!"
Chloe and Eirin had recently joined the Occult Research Club, and their club president had given them a heads-up. Tonight, they were holding a guts test in an abandoned lecture hall in the academy's annex—if they were interested, they should come.
True to her nature as a magic department student with an insatiable curiosity, Chloe had always been deeply fascinated by mysterious phenomena. She couldn't resist the tempting invitation.
Normally, she would chat endlessly with Eirin until she fell asleep, but tonight she was fully prepared, lying in bed with wide-open eyes sparkling with excitement.
Eirin frowned, twitching her eyebrows as she saw Chloe's eager gaze.
"If you get caught, they won't just let it slide."
"Who’s on duty tonight?"
"Professor Antonelli and Professor Esther."
"Eek…."
Lucio Antonelli, the theology professor for Class 1-A. Chloe unthinkingly pictured the young, decadent professor's face.
The primordial flower he had shown on the first day of class had caused a tsunami of reactions among the Class 1-A students. Magic department students like Chloe threw themselves into theology classes with burning passion, sparking heated debates about that flower.
One student, utterly entranced, had pulled out a notebook right there and sketched part of the flower's structure, then secretly sold copies to others for money—and at no small price.
In truth, the primordial flower he showed wasn't all that extraordinary. Priests often manifested them to prove rank advancements or faith. They weren't common, but not so rare as a once-in-a-lifetime sight either.
But his was on another level. A soft, warm golden hue that instinctively inspired reverence deep in the heart. It had illuminated the entire classroom.
Unlike others, the structure of divine power forming his flower was incredibly complex yet precise, vivid and clear.
That's why it was such a shock. For magic students, it was a rare chance to closely examine such a pristine primordial flower, a miracle born from densely packed divine power.
Though his classes since had been dry and theoretical, that single demonstration had left a profound impression on the promising Class 1-A students.
And another common assessment of Professor Antonelli was….
"Th-that scary Professor Antonelli…?"
Apart from his precise control of high-purity divine power, his personality was ice-cold and ruthlessly principled—some students found it excessively rigid.
He was intimidating on a normal day, terrifying when angry. That was the prevailing view of Professor Antonelli.
Chloe's eyes shook with fear. Eirin nodded gravely.
"With Professor Antonelli on duty, you still going?"
"W-well…."
"You saw what happened to Miss Adelaide on the first day. This might not end with just demerits."
"Urgh…."
After clutching her head in thought, Chloe balled her fists and stood.
"I'm still going!"
"Sigh… I knew it. If you listened to me, that'd be weirder."
"Eirin! You're coming too!"
Eirin froze at the words, glanced around, then smoothly slipped under her covers.
"Zzz…."
"Hey…! Come on! You're in the club too! Let's gooo…!"
"Snore…. Wh-what…? Hey! What're you doing?!"
"Eek…! If you don't come, I'll carry you there…!"
"O-okay! I'm going! Put me down! Kyaa?!"
"…So. Is that your answer?"
I put on a stern face. I didn't want to be hated by this novel's protagonist, but breaking curfew was a serious offense at the academy, so I had no choice.
"Y-yes…. Then our president said we should loosen up with some scary stories…."
"President?"
"Our Occult Research Club president. Over there."
I looked where Eirin pointed. A male student with thick glasses and heavy shadows under his eyes, looking rather sinister. I noted his tie color.
"Red tie… Second-year. What's his name? Department?"
"D-Daniel. Shamanism department."
"Right. Daniel. And this one?"
Next to Daniel sat a demure second-year girl. Unlike the others who had startled when I entered, she stayed composed throughout—impressive.
If not for the black lipstick evoking goth lolita style.
She met my gaze with a calm expression.
"Vivian de Valuger. Second-year. Combat department."
"Hm… Miss Valuger."
"Vivian's fine. Professor."
The goth lolita girl before me—Vivian—was peculiar in many ways. Casually using informal speech with a professor, the heavy goth makeup.
Then, Laura, who had been peeking from behind me and eavesdropping, jumped in surprise.
"V-Valuger? You mean the Count Valuger family?"
"Yeah. That's right. Who're you?"
"…Laura von Adelaide."
"Lady of the Adelaide Ducal House. Nice to meet you."
Whether due to seniority or the Valugers' influence in politics, the usually haughty Laura von Adelaide adopted a notably humble tone.
Anyway, I scanned the four students with a stern gaze. Daniel and Chloe knelt sweating bullets; Eirin had already raised her arms and faced the corner like a criminal. Quick on the uptake.
"Miss Eirin. That's enough. Come here."
"…Yes."
"Arms down too."
With Eirin kneeling beside Chloe, the Occult Research Club troublemakers lined up before me.
"I'm fine with club activities. The academy encourages them, so I want to allow as much freedom as possible in line with policy."
"Th-then…."
Hope flickered in Daniel's eyes, but no such luck.
"But that doesn't mean breaking curfew and sacrificing sleep. Basic common sense, right?"
"……."
The three excluding Vivian stared at the floor in silence. I knew it wasn't true remorse but awkward shame as they studied the floor patterns, but I let it slide.
"I'll report this to the dorm supervisor. Formal discipline later."
Relief washed over their faces. Probably lighter than expected.
I could impose harsher penalties, but if the protagonist got major discipline at the academy… not sure it'd help the story. So I treaded carefully.
"Sigh… So, Daniel."
"Y-yes, Professor."
Daniel's dark eyes fixed on me tensely. I asked if he'd seen the red-eyed, blood-smeared mystery Laura witnessed.
"Uh… What is it?"
He seemed clueless. I summarized our recent events concisely.
Vivian watched me with sparkling eyes for some reason, but Daniel's answer mattered first.
After pondering, Daniel shook his head.
"Haven't seen any such monster. Hm… Chloe and Eirin probably haven't either."
"R-right. If I saw it, I'd faint in a second flat."
Chloe clenched her fist determinedly. Given her scream when I entered and her timid vibe, she wouldn't stay conscious facing that thing.
I glanced at Laura with subdued eyes. She flinched guiltily, waving her hands.
"N-not lying! I really saw it!"
"…I said nothing."
"Eek…! You coward…!"
Laura's face flushed crimson. I sighed, leaving her behind. Hallucination, maybe.
But glossing over it was tricky since protagonist Chloe was now involved. In novels, protagonist ties mean something's afoot….
Then, the demure Vivian tugged my pant leg.
"Professor Antonelli. I have something to say."
"Hm?"
All eyes turned to Vivian. Her cheeks pinked.
"…Don't stare so intently. It's embarrassing."
"Miss Vivian. What is it?"
"That red-eyed monster. I think I know it."
"Tell me more."
I fixed her with a serious gaze. Vivian hesitated, then spoke.
"Truth is, we gathered tonight to find something in the annex."
"Something?"
Daniel suddenly clapped and shot up.
"…Ah! No way, that…?!"
"Something ring a bell? Daniel."
"Actually, that monster or whatever… its appearance was fuzzy. But Vivian jogged my memory. Haha… Why'd I forget?"
"Daniel. Calm down first. Explain in detail."
Daniel plopped back down, grabbed a candle from the floor, held it under his chin, and spoke in a low, dramatic voice.
"The reason our Occult Research Club came to the academy late at night is…. Ow, hot!"
"…Put the candle down."
Daniel's story resumed, a bit crestfallen.
"Truth is, we gathered to find an item. A bloodied finger supposedly found somewhere in the academy annex."
"Bloodied finger…?"
A dangerous choice of words. A heretic inquisitor from the Holy Nation might suspect heresy or devil worship.
I frowned slightly; everyone paled, reading my mind.
"I-it's not that kind of item! Probably! Professor! I swear, I really don't know what it is!"
"Calm down. I'm not an inquisitor."
"Phew… Okay, continuing."
Daniel took a deep breath and went on.
The night deepened in the academy.