Trials and Tribulations
"O-over there..."
"No time to chat! We have to get out of here—now!"
I untied the whip binding Irina's legs, grabbed her arm, and bolted out of the cave.
"W-wait... hngh...!"
Irina stumbled along with me at first but soon tripped and tumbled to the ground.
"G-get up quick! If we don't escape right—"
I pulled her to her feet and urged her on desperately, but...
"Take off this blindfold and untie my arms first if you want me to run properly!!"
"...Ah."
Her words sank in. I nodded, removing her blindfold and unbinding the whip from her arms.
"...Where are we?"
Irina squinted for a moment, then scanned her surroundings in confusion.
"This is Frey's secret hideout. It's crawling with monsters normally, so no one comes near."
"........."
I gave her a brief explanation and turned to leave, but Irina suddenly fixed me with a sharp glare.
"...Who the hell are you?"
"........."
I met her gaze steadily, then answered in a low, soft voice.
"I'm just a nameless maid from the Starlight family's shadow unit."
I was completely concealed in a white mask and black robe, my voice altered to a frail whisper using Star Mana, stripping away any masculine edge.
Even so, with Irina's sharp instincts, there was a risk she'd see through me. I held my breath... but she tilted her head, puzzled, and asked again.
"...So why are you helping me?"
She didn't recognize me. Good thing I'd waited until pitch darkness enveloped everything.
Sure, visibility was low and risky, but to maximize the black robe's concealment and fool her, night was the best choice.
"Well, you see..."
Relieved inwardly, I launched into the scenario I'd prepared for this moment.
"Truth is, I'm a victim too."
"A victim...?"
"Yes... I'm in the shadow unit, but every night in this hideout, that vile Frey forces me to... serve him..."
"Y-you mean... Frey's here right now...?"
She looked horrified, so I bowed my head weakly.
"Yes... During that recent duel, Frey planned to kidnap you. He used the shadow unit to swap Ariane's recovery scroll—the one she meant to help you with—for a teleportation scroll."
"What?!"
"Ariane had no idea. She tore it open to save you while you were down... and that's how you and Frey ended up here."
"Then Ariane...!"
"Yeah... She fell right into the trap. She'll face severe punishment. Meanwhile, Frey, who came here with you, is probably holed up in his hideout, hoping the search party—tracking him via magic reversal—doesn't find him before he can hide us both."
Irina trembled with rage, muttering bitterly.
"D-disgusting... How can anyone be such a monster...?"
"You're right... When I was first brought here, I..."
I trailed off sympathetically, drooping my head. Irina hesitated, then asked softly.
"So... why help me?"
"Yes... Seeing that woman get killed while trying to escape today—it made up my mind. I have to get out of here somehow..."
"Ah..."
"That's when I spotted you at the cave entrance. I brought you along. I wanted to free others too, but they're all chained up..."
My voice quivered as I spoke. Irina bit her lip, stepping closer.
"Thank you. Truly. I'll never forget this debt, even in death..."
"N-no...!"
She moved to hug me, and I recoiled frantically.
"D-don't!!"
"Ah..."
An awkward silence fell between us.
"S-sorry... I have trauma..."
"........."
A hug would've given away my build, so I improvised an excuse. Irina stared, her face filling with guilt.
"...Sorry."
"No, it's fine. Now, let's get out of this forest... Hm?"
I accepted her apology calmly, preparing to move, when I sensed movement behind us. I whipped around, face hardening.
"Kiruk...! Kiruruk...!"
"Grr..."
A pack of mana-corrupted goblins approached, licking their chops.
"C-careful...!"
Irina shoved me behind her, igniting mana in her palm into flame—but it flickered out in under three seconds.
I silently gripped a usable knife from the cave's skull pile. Irina whispered gravely.
"I'll handle this... You run—"
Swift Strike
"...Huh?"
I'd already dashed forward, decapitating the lead goblin in one clean stroke. Irina gaped at me.
"Kreeeek!!"
"K-kiiruk...!"
The goblins scattered in panic without their leader. I glanced at Irina, still staring blankly.
"Hurry—we have to go. The hideout's full of agents way stronger than me."
"Uh... yeah..."
And so our perilous adventure began.
.........
"Hah... hah..."
"H-hey... you okay...?"
We managed against weak monsters for a while, but hours after escaping the cave, we ran into a pack of powerful drakes.
I fended them off from all sides while protecting Irina, but my body hit its limit.
If not for the penalties... I could've held out. What a shame.
"S-sorry... I need a short break..."
Luckily, I'd chugged high-grade mana potions to transfer plenty to Irina later—my Star Mana was overflowing. Voice modulation for this long wasn't an issue.
"Y-yeah... let's rest. You look awful..."
Irina pointed at me, voice shaking. I looked down—my shoulder torn by Fenrir was bruised purple, gashes and claw marks everywhere, blood seeping through my mask from all I'd coughed up.
"Don't worry too much. It's a hundred times better than the horrors at the hideout."
I forced a smile to reassure her, but she trembled, muttering darkly.
"Once we're out... I'll kill him somehow. Frey... I swear."
...Did I just dig my own grave?
A chill ran down my spine, but soon it'd all be villainy points. I sat quietly on the ground.
"Urk...!"
Pain surged through me instantly. Tension released, or maybe the shift in posture—the agony intensified.
I shuddered... then Irina approached.
"Um, if it's okay... I could cast healing magic. Mana's not gathering well, but direct contact might ease the pain a bit..."
"D-don't touch me!"
I jerked away. She flinched, then bowed her head.
"How... bad must your trauma be? You're so strong, yet shaking like this...?"
"........."
"If you hadn't saved me... I'd have suffered the same horrors, right?"
She murmured to herself, then looked up with a sad smile.
"Hey... what's your name?"
"...Liana."
I gave a fake name that popped into my head. Irina met my eyes with resolve.
"Liana... once we escape... hide out for a bit."
"...Pardon?"
"Just wait. Good news will come soon. Then you can live without worry."
"Are you... going to kill Frey?"
I asked cautiously. She nodded grimly.
"Yeah... I'll kill that bastard somehow. Even if I have to grovel at his feet."
"...Back to the academy?"
"Yes... I want to quit, but my childhood friend and her sister would be in danger."
"I see."
"So, once I'm in, I'll act like a dog to Frey. Crawl under his legs if he says so, self-harm if ordered, serve him at night... whatever."
"........."
"I'll pretend this broke me completely, submit fully... until the chance comes. Then I'll crush him with my own hands. I'll endure any humiliation till then."
Seeing her venomous resolve to kill me didn't sit right, but her spirit unbroken brought a smile.
"Hey, one thing I've been wondering..."
"...Yes?"
"Why the mask?"
"........."
My smile vanished. This mask? Only the succubus queen I'd gifted the luck ring to had seen my face—now suffering in purgatory. Clana and Perloché glimpsed it once, but in total darkness with a masquerade mask from the auction. Should be safe.
But if Irina fixated on the mask itself...
"Sorry... I don't want anyone seeing my face."
"...Why?"
"...I've been beaten so much, it's all swollen."
"........."
I leaned on my infamy again. She accepted it, averting her eyes.
I'd expected some suspicion, but my reputation was ironclad.
"Then... I'll catch a quick nap here..."
Grrrowl...
"...Oh."
As I lay down, a rumble echoed from somewhere.
"...Urp."
I tilted my head, scanning—then noticed Irina clutching her stomach, face red.
"...Hungry?"
"N-no... not really..."
Grrrowl...
"........."
She denied it stubbornly, but another growl made her hang her head.
...Of course she's starving.
At this point, Irina was dirt poor, scraping by on cheap commoner cafeteria meals at the academy. Drained of mana in this mess, no food... hunger was natural.
Grrrowl...
"S-sorry...!"
Another growl—but not from her.
...Come to think of it, I've been through hell too.
All the rolling around lately dulled my senses. Anyway, time to refuel. Good food and rest beat anything for life force recovery.
"...I'll scrounge some food."
"I-I'll help...! I'm pretty good at survival... warzones or whatever...!"
"Then don't go far... stick nearby. Scream if anything happens."
"...Got it."
And so our midnight foraging mission began.
.........
"H-how... did you catch that...?"
Irina returned, arms full of fruit, gaping at my giant boar.
"...With the knife."
"I mean—ugh, never mind."
I answered flatly; she shook her head, dumping the fruit.
"Been thinking... you're insanely strong."
"...Yes."
"So... why couldn't you fight Frey?"
"The hideout's swarming with guys several times stronger than me."
She eyed me suspiciously again, but my calm reply reminded her of my earlier "acting," and she grimaced in agreement.
"Plus... my siblings were hostages until recently."
"...Hostages?"
"Yeah, Frey's classic dirty trick."
"Right, that scum specializes in sleaze."
She nodded fiercely at my elaboration, then frowned thoughtfully.
"But... 'until recently' means..."
She trailed off, glanced at my sullen face, squeezed her eyes shut, and muttered.
"Why am I screwing up so much today..."
It wasn't her fault—I was acting. She was fine.
Am I turning into too much of a piece of shit? Hope that's okay.
Guilt aside, it matched my existing notoriety. I shrugged it off, butchering the boar.
Crackle... crackle...
Soon, boar meat sizzled over the fire. Irina peeked at me repeatedly.
"...Help yourself, Irina."
"R-really?"
"Caught it to share."
"B-but... I only got fruit..."
"Oh, ice dragon fruit? Loved these as a kid..."
"...What?"
I popped one in, smiling to ease her guilt. She frowned, staring.
"Something wrong?"
"No, nothing..."
"Mmm... so crisp and fresh—the best."
"........."
I munched happily under the mask. After a long stare, Irina quietly took a skewer and bit in.
For a while, the forest echoed with munching.
.........
Meal done, we agreed to one-hour watches each.
"Then... I'll sleep first...?"
"...Yeah, go ahead."
Liana won rock-paper-scissors and dozed off. Irina stood watch beside her for the hour.
"........."
But even after time was up, Irina kept silently watching the woman who'd introduced herself as "Liana."
"Zzz... snore... mmm... mmm..."
"Good..."
Once snores started, Irina crept closer.
"...Gotta check, just once."
She reached for the mask...
"Yaaawn~!"
"Eek!"
Liana yawned hugely, stretched, and bolted up—sending Irina tumbling back.
"...Hm? Irina? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing..."
"Oh, right—your shift's up. You must be exhausted... get some rest."
"...Yeah."
Irina lay down, pretending calm, chewing her lip as she closed her eyes.
"........."
Liana—no, Frey—watched, then sighed in relief.
"...That was close."
Grateful he'd faked sleep with half-lidded eyes for an hour, Frey stood watch beside her.
"...Mmm."
Drowsing off from the effort of hiding his identity.
.........
To let Irina rest more, I stood watch for a generous hour and a half. We pressed on as dawn broke.
The Ashen Forest stayed pitch-black until noon, letting me hide efficiently until the exit.
"Irina, look! The end of the forest!"
"...You're right. Thank goodness."
At morning's light, we reached the edge. Monsters had mysteriously vanished en masse, speeding us up hours ahead. We shared relieved smiles.
"So... time to part?"
"Yeah... I'll go beg Frey like a dog. You hide somewhere."
"...Understood."
"Oh, and... I'll never forget you saving me. If life gets tough, find Imperial Mage Irina Philiard."
She paused, smiling.
"Or just look for the empire's strongest archmage—easier to remember."
"...Got it."
I waved to her determined gaze, then focused Star Mana in my ears to eavesdrop her mutterings.
"...Should I just rip off the mask now?"
Still suspicious. I hurried toward the exit—but...
GRRROOOAAARRR!!!
".......!"
Something massive erupted from the exit. I froze.
"W-what is that...!"
Irina, with her loop experience, froze too.
Because that was...
"Fuck... so that's why the monsters cleared out."
The final boss of the future "academy monster invasion"—the Dark Golem.
Target Acquired... Lock On...
It rose from the earth in seconds, glaring silently before rasping electronically.
Elimination Commence...
As its words ended, a black beam lanced toward us.
Looks like we're fucked.