Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Villainess (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The funeral was held at the academy.
It wasn't the first time there had been a loss of life at the academy.
But it was the first time a student had died unprotected while going through the academy's scheduled activities.
In this unprecedented incident, the academy had asked Eric's parents for permission.
And as soon as Eric's father arrived, the funeral began.
"I'm Eric's homeroom teacher."
The homeroom teacher, wrapped head to toe in bandages, bowed to Eric's father while enduring his pain.
"Your injuries look severe. Please don't push yourself."
"No, how could I..."
"Stand up."
A heavy voice pierced the homeroom teacher's ears.
When he lifted his head to look at Eric's father's face, an expressionless visage met his gaze.
The homeroom teacher suddenly realized something was missing and asked,
"But what about his mother...?"
"She collapsed upon hearing the news. She still hasn't gotten out of bed."
"Oh no..."
"We can't keep the students waiting. Let's go."
"Pardon?"
Without another word, as if no further conversation was needed, Eric's father brushed past the homeroom teacher and entered the auditorium.
"He was a diligent student to his teacher, a proud son to his parents, and to his classmates..."
The head priest stepped forward before the students gathered in the vast auditorium and began the funeral rites.
In the front row stood Eric's father and his close friends.
Unlike the other students in their uniforms, Scarlet, dressed in mourning clothes, lifted her head to gaze at the casket.
Since he had been dragged into the Archdemon's subspace, there was no body to recover.
Inside the casket lay a photo from the entrance ceremony and a spare uniform he often wore.
"I believe the departed is now resting eternally in the Goddess's embrace."
With the eulogy complete, the head priest descended from the podium.
Once he had come down all the stairs, he dabbed at his tears with a handkerchief.
Scarlet watched the scene in silence, then turned her gaze to Eric's silently standing father.
He stared at his deceased son's photo with an emotionless face.
Scarlet quietly approached and tugged at Eric's father's sleeve before speaking.
"It's... it's my fault... If I hadn't accepted the Archdemon's offer... or if I hadn't taken the necklace..."
"No."
A weighty voice burrowed into Scarlet's ears.
"It's my fault. I was too complacent."
"But..."
"Scarlet. Do you know why our families are southern rural nobles?"
"Pardon?"
"Just three generations ago, we were high nobles wielding influence in the central politics."
Eric's father continued speaking without taking his eyes off the casket.
"My great-grandfather, weary of the power struggles in the central politics, gave up his power alongside your family and retreated to the countryside."
"My mother wanted to return to the central politics..."
"Yes, when they discovered you had the talent of an archmage, your parents began efforts to return to the central politics."
Scarlet and Eric, who had both reached the 3rd Circle at age thirteen.
Noble families, certain these children would become archmages in the future, eagerly invited their parents to banquets.
"I thought... this was enough. That our family could live happily with this much... And that's why Eric died."
"Father..."
"Because I lack power. Because I lack influence. Because I couldn't even grant my son's small request..."
The Swordsmanship Department Head approached Eric's father, who couldn't tear his eyes from the photo.
The Swordsmanship Department Head dropped to his knees with a loud noise and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry. I ignored Eric's request for help. If I had been there... I could have stopped the Archdemon..."
"You're Leonhardt Knight, the Swordsmanship Department Head?"
"Yes, I could have stopped it... With the principal absent, I was responsible for the academy..."
"If you're truly sorry to Eric, will you help me?"
"...Pardon?"
When the Swordsmanship Department Head looked up, blazing eyes filled his vision.
"Think whatever you want—that a father obsessed with power is using his dead son. If you're truly sorry, help me."
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard you have many juniors in the military who follow you. Give me a chance."
Eric's father bowed his waist and grasped the Swordsmanship Department Head's hand.
"We're rural nobles now, but I hear my great-grandfather was the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Central Army."
"Might I ask your great-grandfather's name?"
"Esht von Berg."
The Swordsmanship Department Head recalled the records of the man who, a century ago, had overhauled countless tactical manuals, restructured the imperial army, and laid the foundation for the empire's victory in the Great War that erupted decades later—a legend in imperial military history.
"I'm not asking for piecemeal help. I hear there's ongoing skirmishes on the eastern front. Give me that chance."
"The eastern front is dangerous. Even generals get assassinated there. I can't send Eric's father to such a place..."
"Would a father who lost his son wish to live comfortably in safety? If I die, then that's the extent of my ability."
Seeing the resolute determination in Eric's father's eyes, the Swordsmanship Department Head ceased his persuasion.
"In my leisurely, boring rural noble life... reinterpreting the tactical manuals left by my great-grandfather had become my joy."
"Theory and reality are different."
"I know. But the battlefield is where one grows the fastest."
"Even for Eric's sake, I can't just let you go. The semester ends soon, so retire with me and we'll go together."
"Escorted by a Swordmaster—it's excessively luxurious, but I'm in no position to refuse. Thank you."
"Dispatch can happen no sooner than year's end at the earliest. I'll inform you of the eastern front's situation..."
Scarlet, who had been quietly listening from the side, fell deep into thought.
Why did Eric die? What should I have done?
Should I not have taken the necklace? Should I have ignored the Archdemon's offer?
A single line pierced her chaotic mind.
'Because I lack power, because I lack influence...'
If I were stronger.
If I had the power to fight back against the Archdemon's threats.
Being young is no excuse on the real battlefield.
What do I have left? Right— what Eric left behind, staking his life.
"The talent of an archmage..."
The Archdemon's face surfaced in her mind. That innocently beaming smile.
Her hands clenched. Flesh tore under her nails, blood trickling.
A talent even the Archdemon acknowledged. Age is just an excuse.
She bolted out of the auditorium toward the magic training grounds.
The same time.
A woman carrying a massive iron cross on her back entered the auditorium where the funeral was underway.
The A-Class homeroom teacher, watching the funeral from a slight distance, approached the woman in nun's robes.
"What brings you here?"
"Um... I heard Leonhardt Knight is here..."
"If it's the Swordsmanship Department Head, he's over there..."
Seeing him kneeling before a middle-aged man, the nun couldn't bring herself to approach and turned to the A-Class homeroom teacher.
"With the principal gone, Leonhardt Knight is the academy's top authority, right?"
"Yes, he's in charge... But unless it's important, tell me instead."
"No, it is important, but... I heard there's a student named Eric von Berg at the academy..."
"Pardon?"
The unexpected name made him unconsciously repeat it.
"It's a huge problem... Ah! Leonhardt Knight!"
"Isn't that the Saintess? What brings you here... Ah, you're here about the Archdemon, I see."
The Swordsmanship Department Head, having finished his conversation, approached and spoke.
The Saintess, glancing around and lowering her voice, asked,
"You knew too, Leonhardt Knight. So where is this student Eric von Berg?"
"Pardon?"
The Swordsmanship Department Head reacted the same as the homeroom teacher moments ago.
"That student sent an anonymous letter to the Papal Court claiming he would summon an Archdemon! Even if he's an academy student, we can't just let it slide."
"Ha... Eric, you even did that... Saintess, haven't you heard the news?"
"Pardon? What news?"
His unexpected reaction made the Saintess tilt her head.
"Did something happen on your way to the academy?"
"I was secretly tracking a black mage! They escaped better than expected, so it took time, but I came straight here afterward..."
"Saintess."
Her voice lowered, and the Saintess held her breath.
"Three days ago, an Archdemon appeared at the academy. Eric died saving another student."
"Wha?"
The utterly unforeseen words shook the Saintess's voice.
"He'd been saying an Archdemon would appear since last week, and apparently requested help from the Papal Court the same way."
"Predicting an Archdemon... That's impossible..."
"He told me he saw the future... But since he's gone, no one knows the exact method. The result remains, though."
The Swordsmanship Department Head looked up into the Saintess's eyes.
"Eric foresaw the Archdemon a week ago. I ignored it—that's on me. If there's blame, direct it at me."
"No, that's not..."
The Saintess waved her hands, pondering how to respond, but found no suitable answer.
'If I'd known, I should've just returned to the Papal Court!'
Sending a threatening letter to the Papal Court about demons was a grave crime worthy of execution.
But learning the culprit was an academy student, she planned to scold him sternly under her authority and end it.
Having come with good intentions, the Saintess now faced with this unforeseen situation felt like bursting into tears.
The scorching heat enveloping my entire body vanished.
The sensation of my blood boiling was one even I, who had rushed into countless fire scenes, couldn't endure.
Am I opening my eyes now? My senses weren't registering properly.
I felt like I was floating in a pitch-black world, like a universe without stars.
'When I died last time, this didn't happen...'
Instinctively, I sensed something approaching from the surroundings.
Something began wriggling in the jet-black darkness.
This is... fish?
Innumerable fish surrounding me.
They drew close and opened their mouths, beginning to tear into my body.
An unimaginable horrific pain engulfed me.
A bizarre agony as if my very existence was dissolving.
In the face of this unknown torment, I strained with all my might to scream, but no voice emerged.
How much time passed?
It felt like an eternity to me, but perhaps only a few seconds had gone by.
A bright light descended from above, and the fish that had been devouring my body scattered.
I thrashed with all my strength toward the bright light.
"Hah! Hah..."
My five senses sharpened into clarity.
As I instinctively groped my body, I realized I had arrived in a space filled with bright light.
Panting heavily, I tried to speak, but it was as if I wasn't allowed— no words came from my mouth.
To my bewildered self came the voice of a woman with a sweet, melodic tone.
"Speak not of the future. You are part of this world, so you may change the future, but the more you mention it, the more they wield the law of causality."
As if time held no meaning for her, the woman continued without pause.
"Value your life. Opportunities are not infinite. The world has already paid a great price."
Thoughts flooded my mind.
Who are you? Are you the one who reincarnated me? What is this novel I read?
Countless questions arose, but not a single word escaped my lips.
"Become strong and ascend to the 8th Circle. And... I'm sorry..."
The next instant, I lay naked on the floor of a desolate forest.
As I pondered what to do after waking up unclothed,
Powerful magic emanated from the eastern sky.
Mana as potent as the Archdemon's demonic energy.
An old man flying through the sky landed before me and looked down.
"This area is off-limits... Hm? Eric?"
"Principal?"
The academy's guardian, the 8th Circle archmage, had returned.
Late at night.
Scarlet, who had continued practicing in the magic training grounds until curfew, was caught by academy security and sent back to her dormitory.
Scarlet pulled out the letter she had received from the dormitory supervisor.
I heard you got first place in this exam.
My daughter always knows how much Mom loves her, right?
Mom is so proud of her daughter.
I went to the Valterion Ducal House's banquet this time, and finally, Mom could boast proudly.
The Duke was so delighted...
.
.
.
No matter where she looked in the long letter, there was no mention of Eric.
Everyone at the academy knew she was close to Eric.
Yet her parents hadn't come to the funeral.
She turned her gaze to the report card on her desk.
1/149
The practical exam was canceled, and the final grades were based solely on the written exam.
She got two wrong.
She had missed one on the midterm, so her score had actually dropped.
But she still claimed the top spot in her year.
She read the letter again.
Praise she had desperately craved just days ago now stirred no emotion.
She crumpled the letter and tossed it in the trash.
Then, to recover her mana even a little faster, she lay down on the bed.