Heart-Pounding Heresy Interrogation (2)
The surrounding clamor died down in an instant. Silence descended amid everyone's tension. In that hush, only the Heresy Bell Bundle rang out with a clear tone.
Ting… ting… ting…
The crisp chime showed no sign of fading. Lesian narrowed her eyes and tensed her wrist once more.
Ting… ting… ting…
The same result. Not even the awkward noise from before.
This oracle was declaring my innocence.
"Looks like it was just a malfunction after all. Wouldn't you say?"
"…It appears so."
The paper was withdrawn from before me. Lesian's smile, which had seemed ready to cling to my ears, vanished completely. She must have been looking forward to it, but no such luck.
In truth, I was confident I wouldn't get caught as a possessor.
The oracle for detecting isekai was a tool that sensed the core in the heart of a possessed body.
This avatar I made myself is special. Even the core is custom-built…
The body Hismea crafted for me differed fundamentally from other avatars, starting with the core. When I'd stolen an oracle in the past to test it, all it produced was faint static at low probability.
Getting into this standoff in the first place was just bad luck. It had me unnecessarily on edge, shaving years off my life.
"So, may I go now?"
Still, it had worked out, so that was that.
"Hehe, please wait just a moment. We'll let you go after one more simple check."
Or so I'd thought.
My opponent had no intention of letting me off easily.
"I've already suffered damage from the heresy accusation. Do I have to endure more unfair treatment?"
"Ah, how regrettable."
Lesian lowered her lashes, shaking her head as if genuinely disappointed.
"By academy agreement, any student who gets an anomalous reaction from the oracle once must undergo additional screening."
Of course, I didn't miss the slight twist at the corner of her mouth.
She leaned forward, locking eyes with me.
"It's to confirm heresy, but also your chance to prove your complete innocence. So please cooperate."
"…"
Lesian scrutinized my face, probing for a reaction. Then she pulled back with an irritating expression.
Just then, an inquisitor approached, cradling something in both hands. A beautiful blue gemstone. The top-grade Mana Gauge.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Lesian stepped right up to my face and gently lifted my wrist, like a gentleman escorting a partner at a ball. She carefully placed my hand atop the gem.
"Do you know one characteristic of isekai?"
"What is it?"
A soft light emanated from the gem. A chilling sensation swept through me, as if something were scanning my insides.
Lesian, still holding my hand, replied smoothly.
"Their bodies are always at least 3rd Realm."
The light from the gem slowly faded. On one side, the result appeared in runes.
2nd Realm.
"As expected."
Lesian let out a long sigh, laced with satisfaction.
"Just as I suspected. You're no isekai."
"…You seem to have expected the result already. Why bother with the procedure?"
"Didn't I say? To prove your innocence."
Lesian's head slowly lifted from the gem.
"And to convince myself."
In that moment, her aura shifted subtly. The elegant, androgynous prince-like poise, gaze, and expression—they began to warp. Toward something more sensual, sticky, overt.
"So intriguing."
Lesian slowly stroked the back of my hand.
"I've read your expressions only three times. And even those showed nothing but displeasure."
She brought her face to my ear and whispered fiercely, passionately.
"How can you suppress your emotions like that? How can you face me so composedly with that frail body?"
Her gloved hands enveloped my right hand. As if she never wanted to let go. The grip tightened.
"Ahh, I want to keep you by my side. To entwine our bodies."
A bewitching purple glow began to flicker in her eyes.
"…And to shatter you."
This was bad. Her attitude was too strange for mere provocation.
The Inquisition didn't exist in the original work. But Lesian hadn't dropped from the sky.
She was a named character even there. An exiled heretic from the defense forces. And a crazy psycho lesbian.
"Kkh."
My mind grew hazy bit by bit. I couldn't meet those eyes. But even as I tried to pull back, my arm wouldn't budge.
Thwack!
Then someone roughly yanked Lesian's arm.
"That's enough. I won't tolerate further interference."
A shadow fell over my head. A man stepped between me and Lesian.
"…Well, if it isn't you. Senior, I heard you retired from the defense forces."
"I won't be called senior by trash like you."
Short in stature but reeking of a battle-hardened veteran. He was the professor for the top first-year class: Bastian Cred.
"Black Star."
Bastian pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it with magic fire, igniting the tip.
Fwhoosh.
Gray smoke billowed slowly upward, stretching into a massive blade above him instead of dispersing. The blade pointed at Lesian.
"The agreement is void the moment you lay hands on a student cleared of being isekai."
Clank!
Nearby inquisitors drew their weapons. In response, professors in the back assumed combat stances. The auditorium's tension, which had just eased, snapped taut once more.
"…"
Lesian fell silent for a moment. Then she raised the corners of her mouth and lifted her hands lightly.
"Very well. I overstepped a bit."
Her eyes flashed purple briefly. The inquisitors around her sheathed their weapons and stepped back in unison.
"I admit causing the student minor harm. We'll deliver compensation through the academy."
"See that you do. Consider this your only warning."
Bastian removed his cigar and dispersed the smoke. He turned and jerked his chin at me.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
I ignored Lesian's piercing glare and followed Bastian. He led me back to where the top-class students gathered.
"Harne!"
In the blink of an eye, my face buried into two soft, pillowy mounds of flesh.
Yep, unmistakably Runes.
"Mmph… Isn't this welcome a bit too intense?"
"You say that in this situation? I thought you were done for!"
The reply came from the side. I barely turned my head to see Skala, her face slightly flushed, huffing indignantly. The fact she wasn't hissing showed how shocked she'd been.
"Thanks to both of you for worrying. It was a false alarm, and it's resolved now, right?"
"Harne."
The arms around me loosened. I looked up to see Runes gazing at me with uncharacteristically serious eyes.
"You're not just pretending to be okay, are you? Rest first—no talking."
"I'm really fine—"
"Hey."
An arm yanked me sideways. Skala smoothly guided me to a chair. By the time I came to, Runes's canteen was in my hand too.
The two were already hitting it off.
Meanwhile, an inquisitor brought another gauge for a "final check," but Professor Bastian made him back off with a glance.
"…Thank you, everyone."
Only then did it sink in. That I'd escaped the center of that ridiculous stage.
Though gazes still lingered from around me. And now they were whispering about me.
The heresy charge was cleared, so no reason to gawk anymore. But it wasn't worth my attention now. I'd just quietly observe—
BOOM!
"Kyaaak!"
"Wh-what?!"
In that instant, an explosion rocked the auditorium's exit. I turned to see a section of the wall blown open. Two students charged toward it.
Hmm. A panicked escape attempt by students.
—Or so I'd force myself to believe, but that didn't hold up. Were those even students?
Barring me, another possessor here was almost certain. And their identities in this chaos were obvious.
"Get out of the way! Move!"
BOOM! Bang!
One swung dual daggers to break through the inquisitors; the other pulled explosives from their pocket. Shrapnel and dust erupted with deafening blasts, sending students screaming away from the exit.
At this rate, bystanders could get caught in the crossfire. But the commotion didn't last.
Crack! Crunch!
Ugh. Sounds no human body should make echoed out. The dagger-wielder's wrist snapped, one leg crushed. The bomber lost an arm, jaw half-wrenching.
"Guhk…"
The two battered male students hit the floor. The result of two trying to punch through inquisitors everywhere.
Blood-soaked, they could only writhe like worms.
…Weak for possessors.
"Th-those guys… no way they're actual Reverse Star Clan, right?"
"No way! That one was on my exam team!"
Shocked murmurs filled the auditorium. Even those who thought the Inquisition was overreacting must have changed their minds.
"Oh dear, oh dear."
Lesian on stage grinned ear to ear.
"Terrorism, attacking inquisitors, attempted flight. Doesn't that look suspicious?"
The subdued pair were chained and dragged before her at the stage's edge.
"We exercised rightful self-defense within our authority. We ask for your understanding."
Lesian landed lightly below stage. Her shoe sole stained with floor blood, but she didn't care.
"Now, let's confirm."
An inquisitor approached with the Heresy Bell Bundle. Lesian nodded with arms crossed; he brought it close.
"…"
The bloodied duo glared murderously. But they could do nothing but writhe helplessly, awaiting judgment.
Finally, the inquisitor's wrist moved lightly.
Ting…
Then—
Pop! Bang bang!
Small explosions burst throughout the auditorium.
What now?
"Kyaaak!"
"Wh-what?! I can't see!"
Smoke grenades. Thick fog spread everywhere, blanketing the hall in seconds.
"Harne!"
Runes and Skala's urgent voices rang out together. I groped for their arms and pulled.
"I'm fine! Stick to the wall as much as possible!"
Screaming in place here was begging to die. Luckily, they were the reliable type—we quickly found the wall.
…They even shielded frail me, pressing me against it and standing guard.
Ting… ting…
"All magic aides, deploy barriers!"
"Mana dome formed—everyone to us!"
Professors' shouts mingled with barrier spells activating everywhere. Amid it, the bell's chime continued faintly.
Ting-a-lang… ting-a-lang…
And that sound warped, like a malfunctioning machine.
"No one move recklessly. I'll clear the smoke."
Professor Bastian's voice. Immediately, the auditorium fog sucked upward.
As expected of the continent's one-and-only smoke mage. The blinding haze vanished in moments.
"!"
But this sight… maybe students were better off blind.
The auditorium floor beyond the professors' barriers was coated in black, viscous liquid.
Squelch—squish—
The liquid writhed, spawning black shapes endlessly.
Kieeeek!
Large as dogs—black ants. They swarmed the floor, spreading everywhere.
"Kyaaaaak!"
"S-save me!"
Screams doubled. Holy spells flashed from inquisitors. Amid the blinding light, magic and weapons crushed ants in rapid succession.
"What a mess."
The scene devolved into total chaos. Even for this academy, used to monster invasions like meals, this was rare.
But no time to focus on the pandemonium.
Zzzt… zzzt…
The Heresy Bell Bundle. Now emitting a creepy, repulsive drone.
From its direction, a massive wave of ants surged.
And at its crest: a man, upper body exposed amid the black liquid, overlooking Lesian.
Face mostly hidden by hair, eyes weeping black fluid.
I knew this entity.
"Well, well. Didn't expect a cadre to greet us personally."
Lesian beamed, kicking the two possessors backward.
"Here to rescue heretics? Men aren't my taste, but…"
She licked her lips and drew a small subspace pocket.
"…Let's play sticky."
The man swung his hand instead of answering.
Reverse Star Clan cadre. Codename: Group Master.
His thick black wave crashed toward Lesian.