19 - The Price for Touching My Man

Drug-addled and dazed, Paiman's eyes widened in terror. Tremble, tremble. It was the primal despair etched into the genes of a herbivore facing a top predator. An insurmountable gap in rank crushed the space itself.

"Ugh, ugh..."

Paiman's entire body convulsed like a broken machine. His jaw clenched and unclenched uncontrollably, and a wet warmth spread between his legs.

"F-fuck... what the..."

Just as terrified babble threatened to spill from his lips, unable to overcome the fear—

"Shut up."

A chilling command tore through his eardrums and seared into his brain.

"Mmph?!"

As if invisible hands clamped over their throats, Paiman and Kudan's mouths were forcibly sealed shut. In the silence that denied even screams, Evangeline gazed down at them with emotionless eyes and murmured softly.

Shhh—. Black shadows stretched from her feet, slithering across the floor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like living snakes. The shadow coiled around Paiman's body, precisely lifting his right hand into the air.

"Mmph! Mmmph!!"

Paiman's eyes bulged as if they might pop out.

"This hand?"

Her red eyes gleamed eerily.

"You dared... to push my Evan."

She lightly clenched her fist toward the hand floating in midair.

Crunch—!!

A gruesome snapping sound. As the black shadow twisted in an unnatural direction, Paiman's index and middle fingers bent backward like taffy.

"Grrrrraaagghhhhh!!!!!!"

A beastly roar erupted from Paiman's gagged throat. Blood tears streamed from his eyes, veins ruptured due to the agony.

She looked down at the writhing Paiman like he was an insect. Her gaze, now bored, slowly swept over the abandoned classroom interior. Empty rolling bottles. The stench of vomit. And red powder scattered across the floor.

"Ha..."

A short sigh escaped her lips. It was laden with contempt and disgust.

"Red Moon inside the school."

A narcotic strictly banned in the Empire. This wasn't a student dorm—it was a maggot-infested dump.

Her red eyes fixed back on Paiman and Kudan. That gaze no longer saw fellow humans. It was the inorganic stare of something about to incinerate filth.

"You're not worth keeping alive."

Her finger lightly traced the air.

"Disappear."

Ssshh—. Black tentacles surged from her shadow. They rushed toward the faces of the two men trying to scream.

Splat! Thud!

"Mmph?! Mmmph!!"

"Grk... grrrk!!"

The black shadow blanketed their faces without a gap. Every hole for breathing—nose, mouth—was filled with viscous darkness.

"Gack! Hack! Grrglk!!"

Paiman forgot even the pain in his broken fingers, clawing desperately at his face. But the shadow clung to his skin like glue. As oxygen to his lungs was cut off, extreme terror scorched his brain.

Thud, thud, thud!

They rolled on the floor, thrashing. Legs kicked the air, nails scraped the wooden floorboards, creating desperate noises. But she didn't budge. She merely watched impassively as they slowly died.

"......"

One minute. Two minutes. Their violent struggles gradually slowed. Bloodshot eyes rolled back, foam bubbled at their mouths.

Tremble... Thump.

Finally, the two men's bodies went limp. She gave the corpse pile a cursory glance and turned away without regret. The black pool at her feet rippled again.

Swoooosh...

Starting from her pale toes, she began sinking into the darkness. Like ink spreading in water, the silver-haired witch melted into the black floor.

Moments later, the abandoned classroom held no living souls. Only two cooling corpses and moonlight filtering through the windows remained.

The next morning, I stood before the old annex in the forest, greeted by refreshing birdsong.

Knock, knock.

"Piarot, it's me."

Clack. The front door flew open before I could finish knocking, as if she'd been waiting right there.

"Evan! Come in!"

A smile bright as sunlight. Black hair sparkling in the morning light, red eyes brimming with vitality.

"Did you sleep well? You look great."

"Yeah! I slept so deeply for the first time in ages. Probably 'cause I dreamed of you."

We naturally stepped inside. But Piarot's gait as she led the way felt oddly unnatural. Fidgeting fingers, body twisting side to side...

"Hmm..."

I narrowed my eyes, scanning her back. That was her habit when hiding something or feeling shy.

"Something's up, huh? What is it~? My darling."

I teasingly leaned in close, and she yelped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"Eek!" shrinking her shoulders.

"N-no... it's just..."

She glanced at me hesitantly, then seemed to steel herself and spoke.

"Hand..."

"Huh? Hand?"

"Hand... give it."

"Here, hand."

Like a well-trained large dog, I obediently held out my palm. She carefully placed something on it.

Clink.

A cold, heavy metallic feel. I looked down at my palm.

There lay a silver key etched with antique patterns.

"Th-this...!!"

The master key to the annex. The key that had rigorously barred outsiders, opening her absolute sanctuary.

As I stared in surprise, she bowed her head, face red as a beet.

"Here..."

A voice barely above a whisper. But the sincerity in it weighed heavier than any confession.

"Sorry for making you knock outside every time."

"Piarot..."

"Come in freely now. Because it's you, Evan."

She added shyly, looking up.

"You're always welcome... because it's you."

Ah. My heart plummeted with a thud. I clutched the key preciously. The warmth from her hand on my palm filled my chest.

All weekend, I appointed myself her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠personal butler. From morning to night, I made sure she ate three full meals, prepared snacks, took her on forest walks. I cared for her with utmost devotion.

Thanks to that, perhaps, since the grocery trip from the mart, Piarot had visibly brightened. Color returned to her pale cheeks, and above all, her eyes when looking at me sparkled with life.

Good... smooth sailing.

The heroine rehabilitation project was a success.

The problem was my 'reality.' I glanced at the calendar and dry-washed my face.

......Two weeks.

Caring for her, I'd skipped class for two straight weeks. Academy rules allowed exactly four absences per subject. Any more, and it was a fail (F). Two or more Fs meant...

One of the bad endings I'd confirmed in this world. In other words, retention meant soul deletion.

Dying not from saving the world, but from missing attendance? Way too comedic.

No matter what, I have to attend classes starting next week.

With grim resolve, I spoke up.

"Piarot."

"Yeah? Evan."

She poked her head out from lounging on the sofa.

"Starting next week, I have to go back to classes too. My attendance is right on the edge; I can't skip anymore."

"Oh......"

Her face fell instantly. Like a dog excited for a walk, only for rain to cancel it.

"But... without Evan..."

"Don't worry. I'll rush right back after class."

I soothed her gently.

"I'll come early in the morning, make breakfast, and head to school. Lunchtime, I'll run back to eat together, and dinner goes without saying."

"What?"

Her eyes went wide.

"That means coming and going three times a day? It's pretty far from here to the lecture halls..."

"It's fine. I can run for exercise anyway. I've been working hard on building stamina lately."

"Exercise? When?"

"Oh, at dawn. Every day before coming to see you."

She pondered briefly, then gripped my sleeve tightly with a determined look.

"Together."

"Huh?"

"Exercise!! I wanna do it too!!"

"I'm cool with that, but you'd have to wake up early..."

"It's okay! You'll be at classes during the day, so we can't see each other then..."

She mumbled, face flushing.

"I just... wanna be with you more, even a little."

"......!!"

Ugh. My heart nearly stopped. Who could refuse a face like that? She was an angel incarnate.

"Alright. Then every morning at 6... no, by 7. Get dressed and ready. Got it?"

"Yeah!! Got it!"

She nodded with a bright smile. This was a great sign. Regular routine and exercise were the best for treating depression and insomnia.

"See you tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, bye. Evan."

Monday morning. After finishing the morning routine with Piarot, the magic studies lecture hall I attended for the first time in ages was chaotic like a marketplace. The professor hadn't arrived yet, but students clustered in groups, whispering with grave faces instead of opening books.

"Hey, is it true?"

"Yeah. The other five got expelled too."

"What kind of student deals drugs..."

The atmosphere was tense. I found an empty seat and set down my bag.

"Oh? Evan?"

A classmate next to me blinked in surprise.

"Dude, long time no see. No contact... thought you were dead. What've you been up to?"

"Eh, just recovering from being under the weather."

I brushed it off casually. Truth was, I'd been busy tending to the witch lady.

"But what's with the vibe? Something happen?"

At my question, he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"You don't know? The school's in an uproar."

"Why?"

"Last week, Paiman and Kudan seniors died."

"......What?"

My hand froze mid-unpacking my bag.