Chapter 73
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Butterfly Flaps Its Wings Twice (3)
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I'm fucked.
There wasn't a single word that captured the current situation better than that.
'...I'm totally fucked...!'
Honestly, I hadn't expected the princess to still be here at this point.
To make excuses, back when I was playing Academy's Tamer, the princess never once stayed at the academy during break.
'...I should've realized something was off the moment she approached me!'
According to the main story, the princess doesn't start revealing her true nature and plans until around the latter half of Chapter 4.
Before that, she never sought me out personally, and if we happened to cross paths in some deserted spot, I'd get killed in an instant.
So naturally, I had no reason to pay attention to the princess before Chapter 4, with all the other stuff I had to handle.
...Just to be clear, I'm not rushing over there right now because the princess's life is in danger.
Who in their right mind would worry when she could take on an army single-handedly?
Of course, we're still a long way from Chapter 4, when she wages war on armies alone, so she hasn't fully grown yet—but her essence doesn't change.
Even if Hikart had dozens of men, they wouldn't be a match for her.
And to be precise, Hikart is hard to kill thanks to his ring's defenses, but in terms of raw combat power, any top second-year could handle him.
Long story short, there was only one thing I was worried about.
'...The princess losing control.'
Honestly, I had no idea what kind of chemical reaction would occur if the princess ran into Hikart.
Her showing any favor toward me was a first, and her staying at the academy during break was a first too.
If luck was really on my side, she might choose to hide her power and let the whole thing blow over without incident.
'...But fat chance of that.'
I swept back the hair whipping into my eyes from the wind and clicked my tongue.
In a situation like this, assuming the princess would do nothing was way too optimistic.
Liana Lumenhark, who would do anything for her own amusement, wouldn't let an opportunity like this pass her by.
She was definitely going to pull something.
'The options that come to mind are two...'
First, she reveals her "true identity" to Hikart.
That seemed unlikely since it'd force her to abandon all her ongoing plans, but the princess wasn't predictable.
She was the type who could throw away everything she'd planned for a momentary thrill.
'...Still, that'd be better than the alternative.'
The real worst-case scenario in my head was something else entirely.
The princess, bored with being a hostage, just straight-up kills Hikart.
You might think killing Hikart isn't a big deal, but given that she's still hiding her power, there's a high chance she'd eliminate every student who learns her secret.
...And unfortunately, based on past experience, the total annihilation route was far more likely.
As I mentioned earlier, the princess is a disaster.
While playing Academy's Tamer, she'd kill "Eugene Calliope" for no reason, and dying to her meant losing your save data.
After a few times, you'd be pissed beyond belief.
That's why, in a later playthrough after dying to her, I reported her.
I exposed what kind of person she was, her crimes, and her future plans—with irrefutable evidence—in front of a crowd of academy students.
At the moment of successful accusation, I thought I'd beaten Chapter 4's boss...
I was wrong.
The princess listened calmly, then clapped for me with a smile before killing every witness except me in an instant.
...The sight of countless students turning to dust and scattering is still vivid in my memory.
And what she said amid the dust was the kicker.
'...Now, even if you disappear here, no one will know, right?'
Without witnesses, she turns assassination into reality—that's Liana Lumenhark for you.
'...Absolutely not!'
If the princess goes on a rampage, this world will completely derail from the Academy's Tamer story I know.
Sure, things have diverged in details now—like exploiting a loophole to conquer Vivian or saving Tristan—but the main storyline hasn't twisted: the midterms had the beast outbreak, and break's first day brought Hikart's invasion.
But...
The princess revealing her true nature is on another level.
No matter what, she doesn't start her real moves until after Chapter 4.
'...At the very least, I need to conquer the Saintess to have any shot at facing the princess.'
Clashing with her before that is suicide.
As I huffed out white breaths, far off on the dormitory rooftop, beautiful golden hair—definitely Liana Lumenhark's—glinted in the moonlight.
'...Damn it.'
Finding the princess's position was good, but the problem was she wasn't alone—Hikart and other students were with her.
Her value as a hostage was plenty on her own, but that greedy bastard Hikart had dragged other students along too.
"...Attack!"
Too far to hear clearly, but the rooftop atmosphere felt off.
...How long could the princess's patience hold in that situation?
Not long, that much was certain.
Given her personality, enduring this far without snapping was already impressive.
'...Taking the stairs will be too slow.'
Going back to the main entrance and climbing step by step wouldn't get me to the roof in time.
I clenched my fist, summoned a telekinetic platform in the air I'd resolved to use, and leaped onto it.
─Crack.
Just stepping on the first one made an ominous sound, my body wobbling.
Second, third platforms formed.
I'd never even succeeded this many in a row during practice—it was nerve-wracking...
But right now, I had to make it work.
"...Who would've thought the princess was still here! Talk about a stroke of bad luck at the end!"
Hikart shouted, staring up at the sky from the rooftop.
He'd lost all his underlings to an unexpected interloper, but capturing the princess had flipped the situation entirely.
Originally, he'd planned to grab some students as hostages and escape, but with the princess in hand, he could demand more.
"Everyone, move over there!"
Hikart pressed his sword to the princess's neck and jerked his chin; the female students screamed and huddled in one corner.
This was exactly the reaction Hikart expected from students.
Unlike Luciana, that crazy purple-haired bitch with real combat experience, these inexperienced ones should be trembling too hard to even think of fighting back if he scared them a little.
"Princess. Behave, and no one gets hurt."
"...No, it's fine. You don't need to step in."
"...?"
The princess's out-of-context words made him think she'd lost it from fear at first, but that wasn't it.
"I'll handle it. Just wait quietly."
"Shut your mouth! Who the hell are you talking to..!"
Hikart ground his teeth.
Even if it was the princess, disobeying his order to stay put meant showing her the consequences.
But daring to cut her was a burden even for him, so he opted for the flat of the blade.
"..."
Yet the moment he met the princess's eyes, Hikart felt an incomprehensible sensation.
Her eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
He'd encountered plenty of emotionless assassins in his line of work, but this was different.
No—saying no emotion was felt was wrong.
It was more like so much was crammed into those eyes that no mere human vessel could express it all.
'...What the hell is this?'
A chill like staring at something wearing human skin made Hikart grip his sword hilt tighter.
"...Hmm... This hostage thing is more boring than I thought."
That mutter from the princess was the signal.
"I told you to shut up!"
Resolved not to kill but to leave a scar, Hikart raised his sword—
"...Stop."
A man's voice from behind—impossible—made him halt involuntarily.
Hikart, Liana, and every other student turned toward the voice.
As all eyes focused, the man who'd leaped from the air landed on the rooftop with a thud.
His neat features were marred by disheveled black hair, ragged breaths, and beast-like eyes bloodshot with fury.
"...Back off if you don't want to die."
Eugene Calliope rose slowly, issuing one final cold warning.