Could You Pretend You Didn't Hear That?
Could you just pretend you didn't hear that?
In the empty chairman's office, Emilla sat blankly on the sofa.
The words Yeon Bennet had left behind in the principal's office only moments earlier kept circling through her ears.
Is it only because I'm Master's disciple that you're trying to protect me out of a sense of responsibility?
I'm exactly the villainess the professor and the rest of the world already know. Someone who hurts people, summons Contamination, and does whatever she pleases. A person unworthy of the name of Master's disciple.
Those words carved into Emilla's heart like shards of broken glass.
The moment she learned Yeon was the Great Elder's disciple, Emilla had decided she must protect her out of pure responsibility and duty alone.
The three sisters of the great witch Oz.
The witch race itself had been born from the overwhelming authorities of those three sisters—magical lifeforms shaped by their power.
Emilla was one of them.
To her, Dorothy was creator, master, and mother all at once.
She had received grace beyond measure from Dorothy—knowledge, strength, even a reason to keep living.
To repay even a fraction of that debt, and to carry out the final command Dorothy had left behind, she had to aid her "disciple."
Even if that disciple was the villainess the entire world pointed fingers at—a woman named Yeon Bennet.
It did not matter what kind of person she was, or what secrets she carried.
The Great Elder would not have chosen her without reason. That was the conclusion Emilla had reached.
But…
In the end, Emilla had been cleanly rejected by Yeon.
Rather, use that power to protect this academy and its students while Master is away. That's what Master would want more.
The resolute light in Yeon's eyes as she spoke those words and pushed her away.
Inside it, Emilla felt a subtle thread of distrust aimed squarely at herself.
Perhaps that was only natural.
Who would calmly accept help from the very person who had just beaten and humiliated them?
Emilla sighed and slowly raised her hand.
A faint light bloomed, and something shaped like a book gradually took form above her palm.
The Record of Yeon Bennet's life as inscribed in the Akashic Records—every deed, every emotion, every hidden truth.
When the recognition magic had activated, a powerful restriction had locked around Emilla, forbidding her from ever speaking of anything concerning Yeon Bennet.
At the same time, ownership of this Record had passed to her.
Did she foresee that a moment like this would come?
Enormous security sealed the record.
No one except those granted permission by the Great Elder's absolute authority could open its pages.
"Just what kind of secret did she bury so tightly…"
Emilla gave a bitter smile.
If you're only trying to protect me because I'm "Master's disciple," then I'm not worth it.
"If that isn't enough, then I'll find a reason of my own to protect you."
She murmured the words under her breath and laid her hand on the cover.
Honestly, a little fear stirred inside her as well.
She had no idea what opening this book might bring.
More than anything, the front cover of the Record blazed with a terrifying warning carved in the Great Elder's own mana—letters of living crimson fire.
Do not view if you do not deem it necessary. The safety of the viewer cannot be guaranteed. If you judge that you cannot handle it, close it at once.
A warning left by a Transcendent was never something to take lightly.
Yet Emilla did not hesitate.
To fulfill the Great Elder's final command, she needed another reason—any reason—to protect that girl.
For that, she would accept this level of risk.
Emilla drew a deep breath. With trembling hands, she finally began to open Yeon Bennet's Record.
The instant the pages turned, a faint light rose and the air inside the room seemed to sink under a crushing weight.
"Kugh… Aaaagh…!"
Emilla gasped for air and crumpled to the floor.
Cold sweat soaked her entire body.
The life of the woman known as Tera's worst villainess…
From the first page to the last…
was filled with pain beyond anything the imagination could hold.
My steps toward the dormitory after leaving the two of them behind felt heavy.
The cold words I had thrown at Senior Bella earlier kept circling through my ears.
I'm sorry, but Senior is too weak.
The shocked look on her face when she heard them refused to leave my mind.
Those wavering eyes. Those bloodless cheeks.
I hadn't meant the words to wound her on purpose, yet the result was the same—I had coldly rejected her sincerity and hurt her.
Saying something that cruel still sat badly with me.
But there had been no other choice.
Taking her to the Lapellasia Duchy was far too dangerous.
I had no idea what might happen to me there, or what schemes Duchess Reizel might be nursing.
I couldn't drag Senior Bella into that kind of risk for nothing.
And something else still nagged at me…
Elise. The curse that had been on her.
The curse I absorbed last night.
It hadn't been a simple curse born of Contamination.
It clearly carried Contamination's aura, yet its nature was somehow different from anything I had touched before.
That curse had slipped into my mind and quietly fanned my desires.
My Masochist ability—something I could normally keep under control—had rampaged out of control under its influence. Only after I blew my own head apart and forced a "reset" had I managed to claw my way back to something resembling normal.
I now had a rough grasp of the curse's traits and how to counter it, so if the chance came I planned to absorb it again and weaken it further.
Still, not knowing its true identity or origin left a stubborn unease behind.
I let out a long breath and opened the dormitory door.
In the end… I have no choice but to take her with me, do I?
To lift the curse completely I would need to stay close, watch her condition, and use the Evil God's authority the moment an opening appeared.
Going to the Lapellasia Duchy together was the surest way.
Unlike Senior Bella, at least for Elise the duchy itself shouldn't be that dangerous a place.
Of course, I couldn't tell her any of that honestly.
I reached the entrance of the dormitory building with that heavy feeling still sitting in my chest.
"……?"
A familiar white-haired back stood a short distance ahead—hunched, glancing around restlessly, fidgeting in place.
It was unmistakably Elise.
Good. At least I won't have to go hunting for her.
The timing was almost too perfect.
I strode straight toward her.
"Hey."
She jumped at my voice and spun around.
Eyes wide and terrified, like a rabbit caught in headlights.
"We're going."
I kept it short and simple.
"…What?"
Elise stared at me as if I had just spoken pure nonsense.
Her brows knotted tightly, the look on her face screaming What garbage is this woman spouting now?
I sighed.
"We're going to your territory. The Lapellasia Duchy."
"…?"
Question marks practically floated over Elise's head. She still had no idea what was happening.
I added the rest.
"Your mother just showed up in person. Duchess Reizel. She said she's taking me."
"…Mother herself?"
Elise's eyes went round.
She clearly hadn't expected her mother to come all the way to the academy either.
Bewilderment and anxiety flickered across her face together.
Watching her reaction, I delivered the finishing blow.
"And you."
I looked straight into those purple eyes.
"You're coming too."
"…Why me?"
The question snapped out of her on pure reflex.
Wariness and suspicion filled her gaze.
I took one more step closer,
then deliberately put on a meaningful little smile and whispered,
"Well… will you be all right?"
"…What?"
"Someone who knows your family's fatal secret is just obediently packing up and heading to the duchy because your mother asked nicely… Doesn't that feel a little off? Like I'm being caught way too easily, don't you think?"
Color drained from Elise's face.
She stepped backward and glared at me.
Those eyes were pure wariness now.
"…What are you scheming?"
I let out a short laugh and mocked her—still wearing the villainess mask on the outside.
What scheme? Without me, who's going to lift that curse for you, you dense idiot.
Elise only glared, lips trembling.
Yeah. That should be enough.
She would have no choice but to come with me—if only to keep an eye on me, or to shut my mouth.
Everything was going according to plan.
Outwardly, though, I just shrugged.
"Scheme? I'm only going because I think I might be able to help treat your little sibling…"
I put extra weight on the word treat and forced the most wicked smile I could manage. Elise's face turned even paler.
She understood at once that the words were no pure kindness—they were another chain tightening around her and her family.
She pressed her trembling lips together, shaking with rage and fear, and simply glared at me as if she wanted me dead.
"There's no need for that."
An unexpected voice cut in from behind me.
A familiar one.
I turned. The dormitory supervisor stood there, looking at me like I was the most pathetic creature alive.
How long had she been standing there?
"Word just came from academy headquarters."
She crossed her arms and spoke flatly.
I stared at her, confused.
Word? What word?
Apparently reading my face, she added the explanation with clear annoyance.
"A new chairman has been appointed to the academy. And that person just finished negotiating directly with the Duke of Lapellasia."
"Negotiating?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"The decision is that student Yeon Bennet will go to the Lapellasia Duchy after midterms. So there's no need to leave right now."
"???"
I doubted my own ears.
A new chairman?
A negotiation with the Duke of Lapellasia?
What the hell was this?
The new chairman was already here?
Who???
"Uh…"
I broke the silence first.
Turning to Elise with an awkward smile, I said,
"Those things I just said… you know. That… that was just… could you pretend you didn't hear any of it? Hehe…"
At my pathetic excuse, Elise's expression seemed to freeze solid for a second. Then she completely ignored me, whipped her head toward the dormitory supervisor standing beside her, and spoke in a voice cold and absolute.
"Supervisor. I absolutely cannot share a room with this person. Change my room immediately."
No… what did I even do…