Chapter 135
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Moon Watcher's Leader
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The aura, atmosphere, and vibe emanating from her.
I reflexively uttered the name that sprang to mind.
"Moon Watchers?"
She flinched at my question.
Then she drew another sword from within her robe.
Dual wielding... Not an easy style.
I had no idea if that silence meant yes or no. So there was nothing for it but to clash directly and find out.
I smoothly drew my sword and took a step forward.
Kaang!!!!
In that instant, her sword and mine collided.
She blocked this?
I'd never been blocked this easily before.
She slipped through the openings in my attacks with incredible skill.
No, beyond skill—it looked downright familiar.
"You're not in any shape to push yourself like that right now, are you? Didn't you just overuse your power?"
That was when it happened. From the mouth of the woman facing me sword-to-sword came words I never expected.
It didn't sound like a simplistic guess that she'd tired herself out from unleashing powerful magic. No, it was clearly the tone of someone who knew about the backlash of divine authority.
"Huh? Well, look at that?"
Thud!!
In a flash, I twisted my sword, yanked her in toward me, and sent her flying with a kick.
"Not just some regular member, then?"
Kaang!!!
I unleashed the power I'd been holding back just a bit, swinging my sword, and she met me with equal force.
"......"
That confirmed it. The woman fighting me now was hiding power at least on par with my current level.
And judging by her seasoned combat sense, she seemed more mature than her apparent youth suggested.
You couldn't fight like that without having danced on the edge of death for years.
She wielded the two swords in her hands with expert finesse, forcing delays in my attacks to counterstrike.
Was it because unleashing full power recklessly might affect the surroundings?
When I held back a bit, so did she.
Yet our strikes targeting each other grew sharper by the moment.
Each clash of swords piled up massive amounts of information.
The scale of her power, the depth of her experience, and all sorts of little details.
If she was truly a powerhouse, half of that info would be feints.
"Need a hand?"
Just then, Luna stepped forward, apparently deciding to join in, and both the Moon Watcher and I leaped back simultaneously.
At the same time, a crack appeared at one end of the Moon Watcher's mask, and red hair spilled out from under her hood.
"Exposed. If we keep fighting, this place'll be a wreck."
The moment I sheathed my sword, she tossed both of hers into the air.
They scattered into the void, as if finding their own way home.
"You're with the Moon Watchers, right?"
"......"
"Figured as much. And from the looks of it, you're the leader behind that veil. Just one question—why kill them?"
At my question, she brushed her hair back with a hand and stared at me through her mask.
"Those who deserved death... and those who will."
"By whose judgment?"
"I don't expect you to understand the criteria."
I had no intention of lecturing her on human morality. If words could sway her, she wouldn't be in that position anyway.
"The one you killed in the forest—was that Professor Pibian?"
"......"
Silence again. I took it as affirmation.
"I've received help from the Moon Watchers before, so I wasn't planning to make enemies. But you killed someone right in front of me, so you owe me a decent explanation."
"Do I have any obligation to answer?"
Fair enough. She was free not to answer.
But just as she had her freedoms, so did I.
"If not, we keep fighting here. If things get wrecked, you'll be the one with more headaches."
"......"
A brief silence.
Then she turned away.
"Professor Pibian was behind the anomalies in the Black Forest. She might not have intended the side issues that arose, but if we hadn't killed her, the Black Forest would have become a special danger zone."
No wonder the forest's atmosphere had felt off even before the red moon exploded.
But if that was all, they could have just stopped her.
"Did you have to kill her?"
"We had to. Not just for this incident—she's the kind who'd plunge the continent into crisis for her own goals."
Killing someone over something that hadn't even happened yet.
What a joke.
"Unbelievable. Killing people over hypotheticals and acting all high and mighty."
"I never expected understanding. But leaving her alive would have led to catastrophe."
"What about this one, then? Same reason as Professor Pibian?"
Silence again.
Affirmative.
Was she telling the truth?
I didn't dwell on it long. Just the Black Forest incident showed how unhinged Professor Pibian was.
I made my decision carefully.
"Go. Pretend we didn't see you."
"You're backing off here?"
"Gotta repay debts. Merrill Dyna—she's one of yours, right? Thanks to her, I rescued my little sister quick in Bernier territory."
At my response, she stared at me blankly for a moment, as if in disbelief.
Then she spoke.
"I'll come find you again."
"Not thrilled about getting tangled with you all."
With those icy words, she suddenly turned translucent and vanished like mist.
Magic? No... It didn't quite look like magic.
This world still had plenty I didn't know.
Moon Watcher member Merrill Dyna approached the robed figure emerging from a tear in the darkness.
"Welcome back, Leader."
"Report."
"Discovered the cultists' ritual, stopped and eliminated them."
"Professor Pibian is dead. Remove her from the list. Handle this one's corpse too."
"Yes."
Merrill gave a curt reply, her face stiff as she gazed at the masked woman before her.
At the same time, a man beside Merrill cautiously spoke up.
"Wouldn't it have been better to take him out then? Most of our members were hidden nearby, awaiting orders..."
Merrill shook her head at the question, and the leader replied quietly, chillingly.
"If you'd stepped in, every last one of you would have died. The situation would have gone south fast. He had you all pinpointed from the start."
"That..."
Unable to believe the leader's words, he wore a confused expression.
Merrill ventured her opinion carefully.
"In that case, perhaps allying with him..."
"Merrill Dyna, I told you clearly, didn't I?"
"Yes, I know. That if things go wrong, he's the most dangerous one... But the man I saw didn't seem like that..."
"He didn't. Everyone thought so once. Maybe joining hands with him could lead to better outcomes."
"Then..."
"That's exactly why we can't allow variables. Don't forget—our goal isn't just killing people."
"To prevent ruin."
Being held up by the Black Forest incident naturally led to a huge uproar.
Luna and I were currently in the academy dean's office.
"Welcome. Leon Cascadia, and Luna, was it?"
"Pleased to meet you, Dean."
"Have a seat first. Keeping guests standing isn't proper etiquette."
He gestured to the sofa, and we sat silently, staring straight at him.
Sixth circle mage.
Six clear mana rings pulsed from his heart.
"I've confirmed the sequence of events. So there's something I must do."
The dean offered a brief bow.
"Thank you for saving the students."
"As someone responsible for their safety, I couldn't half-ass it. Honestly, using the Demon Realm as an exam site was pretty negligent."
"You're right. We got complacent after a decade of safety. I reflect on that."
He set down the fragrant tea and asked,
"Anything more to say about what happened there?"
His question probed for things the footage might have missed.
"Nothing."
"What about that monster?"
"Called a Faker Voice. Rare breed, even deep in the Demon Realm you only spot them occasionally."
A vague brush-off.
No one on this continent would know about Faker Voices or the Void Gluttony I'd met before—maybe ancient records at best.
Luna seemed to know something, though.
"Truth be told, I was hoping you'd keep quiet about this incident."
"I get it. Not just the Empire—tons of nations send students here."
"Can't stop rumors, but outright protests? Unlikely. Considering the chaos this could cause, I've judged it's best to hush it up and handle quietly."
"What do I get out of it?"
At my question, the dean looked at me quietly before speaking.
"Any requests?"
"Not really. Wasn't expecting anything—did it because Professor Rommel's my little sister's mentor. Just keep it as an IOU."
If I wanted to squeeze something out, I could, but I saw no need.
Better to leave a debt hanging.
Even if I said it was fine, it'd nag at them.
"Hmm... Understood. I won't pry deeper, but... one thing to confirm?"
"Go ahead."
"Are you two... human?"
No need to wonder where that question came from.
A bit rude, sure, but the dean's expression was dead serious.
"If we say we are, you'll believe us?"
"Honestly, skeptical, but what can I do? If you say so, it must be. At least you're not our enemies."
Nothing more to say.
After wrapping up with the dean, we left the academy with Isna, who'd finished recovering.
She'd prevented us from getting dragged into the fuss and bounced back energetically once healed.
But Mielephon's servants and maids, hearing the news, stormed in and hauled her back home.
Come to think of it, she'd run off while grounded for causing trouble.
Thinking of her idiotically begging me to save her as they dragged her off like she was possessed made me figure she'd be quiet for a while.
"Huh? What the—Scarf Lizard, what are you doing out here?"
Passing through Melissa's dorm on the way back to the mansion, I spotted her approaching, wiping sweat from training, eyes widening at the sight of me.
She'd thought I was still quarantined, so natural reaction.
"Here."
I handed her the reinstatement certificate from Professor Rommel. Her face scrunched up as she read it silently.