Chapter 14: Auditore da Sicilia (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: Auditore da Sicilia (3)
I walked forward. The male student stood still.
"..."
A tense atmosphere hung in the air, and a heavy silence seeped into the classroom walls.
Red hair that looked as if it had been dyed in blood, and dull, crimson eyes. My intuition screamed in warning. Every instinct told me this guy was dangerous. In a situation like this, what could I even do?
"If you have something to say, spit it out."
He didn't react much to my words.
He just stared blankly at me with hollow, empty eyes. I stood my ground and met his gaze. A chillingly sharp hostility pricked at my entire body.
What the hell is wrong with this bastard's eyes?
I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Thinking about it, he gave off a similar vibe to Chloe when she lost her mind.
Besides, red hair and red eyes were rare even in this world. I figured he was probably related to her by blood.
Minutes passed, yet not a single word was exchanged between us. Then, Chloe stepped in front of me with a dead-serious expression.
"Geomma, you don't need to pay attention to him."
Chloe spoke as if trying her best to ignore him. It would be one thing if I hadn't noticed, but how could I ignore someone radiating such a sinister aura? She turned her back to me and spoke to him, her voice trembling.
"I—I told you not to come...!"
Chloe's voice carried hostility. She was clearly trying to snap at him in her own way, but since her voice was barely a whisper to begin with, it didn't seem very effective.
The guy opposite her didn't answer, merely curling his lips into a cold, mocking smirk. At that, Chloe turned pale, trembling as she grabbed my sleeve.
My brow furrowed at the sight. Even considering Chloe's naturally timid personality, it was obvious she was utterly terrified of the guy in front of us. At that moment, the guy, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
"He doesn't look particularly strong. Did you really want to be with someone like this so badly that you'd break the laws of Auditore, Chloe?"
Chloe took a deep breath before replying.
"Auditore or not, it has nothing to do with me anymore."
"You cannot wash away the blood that has already stained your hands. Born an Auditore, you are bound to Auditore forever."
The male student, Nox, spoke to her as if laying down the law. For a kid, he talked like he was straight out of a historical drama.
"Abandon this lowborn and return to Auditore, Chloe."
"Don't talk about Geomma like that!"
At the word "lowborn," Chloe's face hardened for the first time, and she unleashed a cold, suppressed bloodlust toward Nox. A crimson, fierce aura of death filled the classroom with an ominous force.
It was a relief that it was lunchtime and there were no other students around.
Although I had grown somewhat accustomed to these extraordinary situations by now, if it had been me just a few weeks ago, I probably would have clutched my forehead and stumbled under the suffocating weight of the air.
...Auditore.
I pondered the word in my mind. I didn't know the details, but I had a rough idea of what that family was. A shadow organization specializing in infiltration and assassination.
Back when I played the game, they didn't appear at all in the early stages, only getting brief mentions around the mid-game, and serving as minor allies in the late-game episodes.
I recalled them being a Hero family that was particularly shrouded in mystery, with very little information available even compared to other secretive clans.
But one thing was certain: every single member of that family was absurdly strong. Although they were said to fall behind other Hero families in open warfare, they were second to none when it came to surprise attacks.
I heard they raise their children as tools for assassination, subjecting them to training that borders on abuse from before they can even think for themselves.
From that perspective, Nox's emotionless face was the norm for an Auditore, while Chloe, with her shy, girlish demeanor, was the anomaly.
Perhaps Chloe just wanted to live a normal life. No one but her could truly understand.
But circumstances wouldn't have allowed it so easily. Just as I was bound by the Blessing of the Sword God, Chloe was bound by her environment as part of an assassin family. She must have wanted to run away. Her twisted, hidden side was likely a product of that harsh upbringing as well.
I looked at Chloe. She was biting her small lip so hard that a trickle of blood ran down, glaring at Nox with pure hostility.
It felt like a defense mechanism, like a hedgehog raising its quills to protect itself.
I shifted my gaze to Nox. His eyes were cold, looking as though he wouldn't hesitate to commit murder. No, he looked like someone already deeply accustomed to killing.
I knew that the Auditore family, aligned with the House of Order, rooted out and purged internal enemies. To be honest, I didn't have an aversion to killing out of necessity either. In fact, I was of the opinion that it was somewhat justified.
Bastards like the Mao twins deserved to die. And in a stagnant, corrupt aristocratic society, there must be countless heads that need rolling.
But a life where one's own existence is erased, living as a machine that must continuously commit emotionless murder... Isn't it far too cruel to force a destiny without choices on someone just because they were born an assassin?
I thought to myself. Heroes save the world with a noble sense of duty. I am no hero. I can't be one, nor do I have any desire to be.
But even if I can't save the world, couldn't I at least help save one girl's life?
A dry chuckle escaped my lips. It was a laugh that didn't fit the situation. I lightly tapped Chloe on the shoulder.
"Let me talk to this guy for a bit."
I had to admit it. It was practically a curse, but that power would never let me lose. In the end, I was back to square one. I had tried to run from the Blessing of the Sword God, but there was no escaping it.
There is no paradise for those who run away. The quote crossed my mind.
Besides, my name is Kang Geomma. "Geom" meaning sword, and "Ma" meaning demon. A perfect name for keeping up a ridiculous persona. If it was just bluffing, I had already done it against that Sword Emperor fellow, the strongest man alive.
"Was your name Nox?"
"..."
Nox blinked silently.
"Follow me."
I added in a flat, dry tone.
"I'll cut you down."
I am a swordsman.
To me, conversation is done with a blade, not words.
* * *
The Academy staff room.
Instructor Lee Won-bin, his head completely bald, stood with his arms crossed, lost in deep thought. What on earth could have happened to make a person change so much in such a short time? Not only his appearance, but the vibe he gave off and his overall impression were completely different.
He had always lacked the typical traits of a teenager. At times, he even exuded the gravitas of someone far older and more experienced than Lee himself.
Something must have happened to him.
As he was thinking this, someone suddenly jumped out from behind him with a loud "Boo!" A tall woman with short hair smiled mischievously, her eyes crinkling.
"Senior!"
"Ah, Instructor Kim."
"Aw, what's with that reaction? You're making me feel embarrassed for trying to scare you."
At Lee Won-bin's flat reaction, Instructor Kim pouted. She then tossed a handful of Haribo gummy bears into her mouth.
Her hands were always filled with some kind of snack. Hiding his troubled thoughts, Lee Won-bin decided to play along with her banter.
"Is something wrong, Senior? Your head looks exceptionally bare today."
"...Leave my bald head out of this."
"Hehe, my bad."
Instructor Kim scratched her head sheepishly and stuck out her tongue. Then, she asked again with a puzzled look.
"But seriously, is something wrong? Why the long face?"
"It's nothing. It's just that Geomma returned to class today after being absent for a few days, and his impression has changed so much. It's just bothering me a bit."
"Isn't it just a growth spurt? Kids grow up so fast these days. At a glance, some of the cadets look older than me. So don't worry too much, Senior."
"...It's not just his appearance. It feels like he's changed as a person. How should I put it... like his emotions have been shaved away? It's hard to explain, but something is definitely off."
Lee Won-bin let out a short sigh and shrugged. Instructor Kim chewed on her gummies with a curious expression.
"Well, as long as he doesn't cause any trouble, isn't it fine? From what you've told me, Senior, he seems like a polite and well-mannered kid. You're probably just overthinking it."
"Overthinking it, huh..."
Maybe I don't need to worry so much...
Lee Won-bin wrapped up his brief musings. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts about Kang Geomma that less than fifteen minutes remained of lunchtime. He stood up to head to the cafeteria.
Ring, ring—
The landline phone on his desk rang sharply. Since it was lunchtime, there shouldn't be any internal calls unless it was an emergency. Pushing aside his brief doubt, Lee Won-bin picked up the receiver.
"This is Lee Won-bin, Head Instructor of the Wolf Class."
-S-Senior Lee Won-bin!
The voice on the other end belonged to the most junior instructor. Instructor Kim, standing beside him, mouthed a question asking who it was. Lee Won-bin mouthed back the caller's identity before continuing the call.
"Ah, Instructor Choi. What's going on?"
-I think we have a problem.
Lee Won-bin's brow furrowed. A sense of unease washed over him.
"What kind of problem all of a sudden?"
-Well, it seems a student from your class went to the Academy Principal and requested a Subspace Battle against another cadet.
"What? Out of nowhere?!"
A shout burst from Lee Won-bin's throat before he could stop himself. At his thunderous roar, every eye in the staff room turned to him. Instructor Kim, who had been happily chewing her gummies, choked in surprise and started hiccuping.
A Subspace Battle. Unlike a standard sparring match, it was a near-actual combat duel held within a subspace. While it might seem similar to the class placement exam, the key difference was that it took place in front of the entire student body.
Since it literally meant broadcasting a live feed of flesh tearing and blood splattering in front of all the Academy cadets, it was almost never approved unless under extreme circumstances.
"Who is the applicant, and who is the opponent?"
-Well, that is...
The voice hesitated, trailing off. Frustrated, Lee Won-bin pressed him sharply, prompting Instructor Choi to answer cautiously.
-The applicant is Kang Geomma, and the opponent is Nox Auditore.