Chapter 7: The Academy is No Easy Place (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 7: The Academy is No Easy Place (3)
The prominent hero families subjugated their archenemies, the magical beasts, in the sunlit warmth of the public eye. They earned glory, commanded the awe of the world, and firmly solidified their positions.
Yet, beneath any stagnant surface, internal enemies are bound to fester. The established powers who used their authority as heroes to oppress and exploit those beneath them.
When even public authority became too corrupt to punish these factions, one of the hero families stepped forward to act as the shadow and execute them.
A family that maintained order while carrying out assassinations, following their motto: "Work in the shadows, strive for the light."
—Auditore da Sicilia.
On the surface, they were a minor noble family residing on the southern coast of Italy, but in reality, they were a clan of assassins who purged internal enemies and excised the rot.
Those born into the family were raised as assassins before they were even old enough to understand the world. Emotions usually began to bud during puberty. To prevent this, they underwent mental conditioning before their teenage years could even bloom, turning them into emotionless killing machines.
Chloe was fifteen when she first stained her hands with blood.
The sticky, slick sensation that lingered on her fingers. Every time she swung her blade, the blood of corrupt nobles splattered spectacularly.
At an age when she should have been fully enjoying her youth, Chloe's life was stained with the darkness of night and the crimson of fresh blood.
"Chloe, do not deny your talent as an assassin."
It was a phrase she had heard from her family so often since childhood that her ears practically bled.
The expectations of her family, who had recognized her potential as an assassin early on, were a noose tightening around the timid young girl's heart. To excise her weakness, the Auditore family forced her through all kinds of training.
Chloe accepted it. In truth, she had no other choice.
The endless, brutal training warped Chloe's mindscape, casting a deep, dark shadow over her innermost self.
By the time her sense of self had eroded, leaving only traces of emotion, Chloe had grown old enough to enter Joaquin Academy.
Her three years at the academy would merely be a brief punctuation mark in a dreary life; Chloe, too, was bound to become an assassin without fail.
Due to the family tradition of operating in the shadows, the members of the Auditore family were assigned to the Tiger Class by the family.
Their individual skills were easily above the Dragon Class. However, to avoid drawing attention, the Auditore family had made an agreement with Joaquin Academy, stripping them of their free will even during their three years of youth.
It was during the Joaquin Academy class placement exam. She already knew the contents of the exam because her family had given her a heads-up.
While giving her the tip, they added that she must not stand out. She wondered why they even bothered telling her the exam details if that was the case, but Chloe simply nodded passively like a wooden doll.
In the end, nothing would change anyway. That was what she thought.
Until she met a certain male student.
During the class placement exam, she ended up in the same group as the Mao twins, known as the "Twins of Tyranny." Every time the two of them threw their iron fists, their opponents screamed in pain, their spines buckling.
The sight did not move Chloe in the slightest. She was an assassin. She was sick and tired of how familiar she was with the sound of flesh tearing and bones snapping.
No matter how notorious the Twins of Tyranny were, they were nothing compared to the blood she had on her hands.
Besides, this was a subspace, an illusionary realm where death was not permanent. The lives she had taken in the past were real.
The Mao twins, who had been playing with their classmates like toys, turned their gaze toward Chloe. Cruel, fishy smiles played on their lips.
Chloe calmly decided to accept their attack. She was going to be assigned to the Tiger Class anyway.
Although her entire body trembled slightly at the fear of death, she was able to suppress it. It was the product of her Auditore upbringing.
—"Hey, you bastards! Don't touch her!"
Someone suddenly spat curses at the twins. Reflexively, the twins' eyes darted toward the source of the voice.
At the booming shout, Chloe's mind went completely blank for a moment, and she dropped the weapon she was holding.
A black-haired male student, holding sashimi knives in both hands, was shouting repeatedly at the twins.
At that curse-laden shout, something deep inside Chloe shook. The very bottom of her soul vibrated as if hit by an earthquake.
It was as if the sun had pierced through the dark clouds of her frost-laden mindscape. Something warm surged within her.
Then, one of the twins smugly turned toward him. Clenching and unclenching his iron gauntlets, which were sticky with blood, he let out a sinister laugh.
The tips of the blades aimed at the twins were trembling. At this rate, the male student would have a hole blown through his face in a single blow.
Even if it was just an illusion, experiencing death could completely shatter one's worldview.
I have to stop them.
Chloe fumbled on the dirt ground and managed to pick up her dropped weapon with difficulty. Just then, the black-haired student flicked his wrists in an awkward posture, shaking off his scabbards.
Chloe's eyes widened. Every time the student's chopstick-thin blades flickered, chunks of flesh were carved away.
A sword meant to protect someone. The reason he swung his blades was for her. Her heart pounded furiously against her ribs.
In a ruthless flurry of swordplay, in less than a minute, the heads of the arrogant twins tumbled from their shoulders.
A fairy tale she used to hide under her pillow and read away from her family's watchful eyes came to mind. A story about a prince appearing to rescue a princess trapped in a castle. For a brief moment, the illustration of that prince overlapped with the male student in Chloe's eyes.
Her face flushed red, and a ticklish sensation spread across her chest. She cupped her cheeks with her hands and stared at him. A strange, hazy emotion welled up inside her.
Chloe decided to define this feeling as love.
* * *
Chloe stared at me in silence for a long time.
She was still wearing rubber gloves, with dish soap bubbles clinging to them.
"..."
"..."
I offered a clueless, squinty-eyed smile, pretending to know nothing.
In response, she tilted her head sharply while keeping her body perfectly still.
Without a word, I leaned against the railing and looked out the window.
We were on the fifth floor.
I'm fucked.
Where did things go wrong?
Was it when I peeked at a teenage girl's pure, innocent feelings? Or was it when I foolishly followed her here, grinning like an idiot just because she offered me food?
I swallowed hard and shook off my thoughts. For now, survival was the priority.
I subtly shifted my eyes to steal a glance.
Her fluffy, baby-bird-like expression was completely gone. Instead, hollow eyes, wide with whites showing, stared intently at me.
I cleared my throat and scratched my head.
"Chloe, isn't the moon beautiful tonight?"
"..."
"And thanks to you, I had a really delicious dinner for the first time in a while."
"..."
"I should probably head out now. See you tomorrow."
As I made a move to leave, Chloe slowly peeled off her rubber gloves.
A chill ran down my spine, and I gripped the railing. Her tightly closed, small lips parted.
"Did you see it?"
"Huh? See what?"
"That."
Chloe gestured with her chin toward the diary I had left on the desk. I forced a slight smile and replied.
"Ah—you mean the reference book? You really study hard—"
"The diary."
She glared at me with a sullen, sideways look. I flinched.
The polite, formal speech she had insisted on using was gone, replaced by a sharp, informal tone. Her attitude made it feel as if I were facing an entirely different person.
"I didn't see it."
"Liar."
"Fine, I saw it."
When I said that, Chloe picked up the katana leaning against the wall. The finish on the blade was exquisite, suggesting it possessed terrifying sharpness.
Shring—
Chloe drew the sword. A wavy pattern rippled across the surface of the blade. Looking at her viper-like eyes, she seemed to want to dye the white wallpaper red. Veins bulged menacingly on her slender wrist gripping the hilt.
Chloe took a step forward.
Trapped.
In front of me, a sword demon radiating murderous intent was closing in, and if I jumped out the window, my body would be shattered. Just in case, I turned my head to look at Chloe.
Her pupils were completely unfocused, devoid of any movement. As if her consciousness had shut down, she slowly approached, dragging the tip of her blade along the floor.
I knew a thing or two about her type.
A yandere.
They say they'll chase you to the ends of the earth. I had to assert dominance here if I wanted my future to be safe.
Besides, with her suddenly fierce tone and eyes dyed a murky red, she was no longer the Chloe I knew.
Could it be a split personality?
It seemed opening her diary had triggered the personality switch.
Dealing with a yandere was exhausting enough, but a split personality on top of that?
...Academy life is truly no walk in the park.
I scanned my surroundings, darting my eyes around. I spotted a row of kitchen knives lined up in the kitchen area. But if I ran over there to grab one, I'd probably end up losing an arm or a leg.
I quickly shifted my gaze. If I wanted to keep breathing, I had to squeeze out a solution.
The murderous intent thickening as Chloe approached felt instinctively stronger than that of the Mao twins. If so, why had she been hiding it back then? Doubts piled up, making it hard to assess the situation.
I shook my head vigorously. Suddenly, my gaze locked onto the desk.
A utility knife sitting in the pencil holder.
'...'
Chloe's steps were growing faster.
I had nine seconds.
I wanted to resolve this through conversation.
I swiftly snatched it up.
Click, click—
The exposed blade shrieked.
[By demonstrating quick wit, your Mental Rank increases.]
[A temporary aura of intimidation is infused into your words and actions.]
[Using the Counterforce, adjustments begin to suit the user.]
Hummmm—
Instantly, a dull, pulling sensation gripped the back of my head.
Soon after, an unnatural calmness rapidly cooled my heated chest.
[The Blessing of the Sword God is manifested.]
++++++++++++++++++++++
《May the Blessing of God be with you.》
++++++++++++++++++++++
I locked eyes with her and quietly opened my mouth. As a chilly night breeze blew, Chloe's red side-swept hair clung to her cheek.
"Chloe."
Under the weight of an indescribable pressure, her chin trembled slightly.
"Your hair is a bit long."
The sorrowful moon hid itself behind the clouds.
"I shall cut it."