Shock! The Academy Murder Case!
It was supposed to be one of those utterly boring, peaceful days... or so I thought. Between the mandrake incident and this training camp fiasco with Multrenung—y'know, the guy with the butt-jaw—mentioning black magic again, I figured it was no big deal since nothing major had happened. But from what the professors said, it was an unscheduled monster.
Even if you died inside, you'd automatically teleport out safe and sound. But a magic beast made of black magic could damage your soul too, so if you didn't act fast, you'd end up with serious wounds. That's probably why the hero senior swooped in so quickly to help when one popped up, right?
""
"Like, some shady cult attack or something?"
"your mom.>"
"...For real?"
""
"What?!"
Grand Duke said that during the fight, Radamu pulled out some ticket, tore it, muttered something like "Ah, who gave him the suicide bomb?" and then exploded. Everyone had theories about that mysterious last line... but since the Three Goddesses let a mad witch who smashed the Pantheon live, they figured there was a reason and moved on.
True... If she killed a hero and the goddess in charge of heroes just let Mom be, there had to be some mistake or something...
""
"Is that okay?!"
"don't break other people's vases] and [don't rummage through other people's treasure chests].>"
"Vicious? Sort?"
Anyway, Grand Duke said these days even villain groups and fanatic cults are struggling to make ends meet. He was proud that they had the guts to infiltrate the academy so boldly and cause chaos with black magic. Is that just a demon thing...?
I looked at him worriedly, and he muttered that incidents like this are what build reliance between people and lead to pure-love couples forming. I sighed inwardly in relief.
"Still, cabbage worms... No clue what they're after."
""
"So in the end, the root of all evil traces back to elves, huh..."
""
The species that yells they can do it even to baby animals, churning out every half-breed imaginable with their mad potential. Truly unlimited highs despite short lifespans and low base stats. Grand Duke sometimes shuddered in disgust at humans.
That got me thinking—how many first-years at our academy are even human? Ephemera aside, none...? Humans are amazing...!
""
"Ah, thank you."
Puffing out his chest feathers, he said that's why a demon like him was here as my familiar. I praised him like, "You're amazing, Grand Duke~!" and scritched him vigorously.
...That was just a few days ago.
Finals were coming up, so I was desperately studying to avoid dead last. Kaoru-senpai had already stripped my points, leaving me in the negatives for an even more miserable school life.
I'd squeezed points out of a hero, but Kaoru-senpai was still negative too—no donations to steal there. Classes ended, and as I trudged down the hall thinking I'd hole up in the library again...
""
"Where?!"
At Grand Duke's warning mid-hallway, I plastered myself to the wall, went stealth, and scanned around. He said it was in the clubroom, so I peeked up cautiously... and there was a known first-year repeater.
Not a black mage... Top student in herbology, transitioning to alchemy. I knew 'cause Revo helped me score high there too.
""
"...You know that's speciesist, right?"
""
"Hmm... Been repeating first-year for four whole years, scores seven times better than mine."
Grand Duke looked awkward that I mentioned grades but nodded and continued. Homunculi are usually alchemical, but other methods exist—this repeater was made with black magic, an artificial lifeform.
Like No.1? But he scolded me that comparing her was an insult; her tier was leagues above. Even a sloppy one outclasses a homunculus...? Shocking...
"...Come to think of it, could Multrenung hiding that mandrake be thanks to black magic too?"
Since it was herbology-related and tied to the last incident, Grand Duke nodded—possible connection. Multrenung's black magic senses were sharp from lifelong study. Normal folks can't tell black-tinted stuff apart easily.
I turned a black mage into a priest...? Sorry I keep forgetting his name.
But really, no one noticed a herbology repeater was a black magic homunculus?
"this caliber discerns it. Even if they did, they'd see it as a personal matter and not pry.>"
He said they'd just brush it off as "oh, learned some black magic." So, subdue first, then interrogate? No evidence for real questioning though.
Mulling that, we cautiously peeked into the tiny clubroom—what was he doing?
"Huhu...! It's done—my special aphrodisiac...! Hand this to that sleazy fat middle-aged pig bastard, turn a schoolgirl into a beast in heat, and make her get NTR'd!"
"No, fuck, Grand Duke!!!! You can't just kill people!!!!"
""
"This looks like the second-place herbology student murdering the top student out of jealousy!!!!"
""
"It's not disappearing though."
"Just wait," said Grand Duke, fetching the alchemy pot and announcing he'd teach me "" to dissolve the corpse. Head caved in, but I had hope I could still save him and started CPR.
"No, he might just be a homunculus species!!"
""
"What do you take me for?! I wouldn't even if Mom told me to!!"
"Ugh... ur... ack..."
Pressing his chest hard restarted his heart—undead(?) style. Relieved I'd saved the repeater-senior for now, I kept compressions when Grand Duke asked:
""
"Wi... yu..."
"I barely have time to save myself, so I saved me first."
""
Dead is dead—pay respects, rummage the room for evidence. Why I clean up his mess? Headache incoming. Doesn't this count as actual murder...?
Grand Duke said he wasn't human, just disguised as a student. Still stabbed my conscience.
"Radiant Glory Pure-Love Guardian +20] will blaze forth.>"
Rifling the room turned up sleazy crime plans galore. Never imagined he'd brew aphrodisiacs and Viagra with a straight face. Selling via underground? Not through Minji-senpai—deeper abyss route.
"Stuff bought with drug money... exotic peppers from across the continent... spices... planning to cook?"
""
"Eh? But you're fine with my cooking, Grand Duke?"
""
Daily brushing, cuddling to sleep, polite speech, spending my non-money on feather care? If he'd muttered feeding me the aphrodisiac, I'd have shredded his soul. Not that a black magic homunculus has one.
"Hey! Holing up in the clubroom alone agai—"
Door opened—repeaters entered, eyes met mine. Lifting his legs to drag the body, frozen eye contact.
"Murder!!!"
"Witchcraft killed a repeater!!!"
"Plans to kill anyone with higher scores!!!"
"Wouldn't that kill everyone?"
"Damn it."
"No, wait! Give me time to explain!!"
Thus, first-years gathered at the clubroom, gruesome murder scene exposed to all.
Couldn't blame Grand Duke, reviving impossible sans soul. Truly no escape—branded killer, I just watched tensely.
"Witchcraft murdered a repeater! Saw her trying to hide the body!"
"But this punk was gonna drug Wiyu?"
"Then die alone..."
"Say something in your defense!"
"Uh... defense... even if I did, would you believe..."
Telling them a shady black mage hid in the academy, disguised as a first-year artificial lifeform? Grand Duke could explain and reveal the homunculus, but stage fright blanked my mind.
As I floundered, friends stepped forward one by one.
"Chocolate's not the culprit. She can't even lift a desk—impossible to bash a head like that."
"Our Lady Ephemera is right!! She groans under heavy textbook bags—what strength!!"
"Right! I stake the honor of this guardian greatsword dummy!! My friend Wiyu sucks at fighting—couldn't win!"
"This repeater-senior ranks around 400 in spars? Hundred-rank gap—she couldn't win."
"If killing, she'd erase existence? Outer god summon—she kill this guy?"
Everyone desperately defending me... but why this second-gen treatment? Top student Ephemera leading with "our Wiyu is a fightless worm, can't be culprit"—tears welled up.
"Obvious blunt weapon. Swung a bat maybe—but Wiyu lacks the power."
"She strains with pink dumbbells—skull-crushing swing? Nah."
Would this persuasion... this defense... work?
"Yeah... maybe just checking if really dead?"
"Witchcraft wouldn't leave a body anyway."
"Dude even breathes dragon breath?"
"Just the body discoverer then?"
Somehow shifted from perp to witness. Answering their questions, I lied: "Found him dead inside, rummaging discovered drug-selling plans, checking clothes got caught."
They bought "idiot who tried drugging Wiyu and died"—cleared as suspect.
"This work, Grand Duke?!"
""
"Don't need it!!"
Preserve scene, call profs, first-years disperse. Grand Duke warned more hiding—I followed repeaters.
""
"Maker directing?"
""
So, what crime for this first-year repeater? I held breath, watching quietly.
Another herbology senior—higher rank than me, I recalled.
"Won't kill this time."
Stay calm, subdue coolly, ask creator. Already busted, come this far... for friends' finals—no! Safety! Had to uncover truth!
Breath held, watched repeater pull potion from pocket.
"Close call. Barely smuggled it out—good thing. Kekeke... Laxative safe for food. Finals... tamper scores by dosing. For the lofty top student, something stronger!"
"Ahh...! Couldn't help it..!"
Stabbed too much—formless mush.
""
"Got so mad in the moment..."
""
This homunculus was a grade-tampering villain. Saw stolen exam papers—horrified.
Asked Grand Duke erase traces, slipped away carefully.
"For our Lady Ephemera! I'll find the culprit!"
"Me too, catch perp for Yamucha-praise~"
Zeke Giratina and Orochi passing hall—teaming to hunt culprit.
"...Smells like blood."
"What?"
Orochi's blood scent alert—Zeke opened clubroom, found murder scene.
"Heavens... such brutality...! Revenge killing?!"
"Aphrodisiacs too... vendetta? Serial murders so quick..!"
"...Next time, cleaner."
""
They inspected, drawing aggro—others would find too. Leaving, Zeke jumped up yelling:
"Culprit's among us first-years!"
Duh? Too obvious—steps halted in absurdity. Detective play slip-up?
"Find the perp for Lady Ephemera's honor, detective!"
"....Why draw gun... where'd it even come from???"
"Just waiting for legal shot chance."
Really okay? As perp, worrying.
"Don't worry! Genius detective Zeke Giratina's got it!"
Enthusiasm good, but impossible. After midterms mess I caused, I'd ensure no final disruptions.
Could rookie detective catch me and Grand Duke?
"Kek... impossible..."
""
"Perfect crime to end it...! I'll protect!"
Sudden repeater serial murders at first-year academy... Foreshadowing aplenty, but who hid black magic everywhere...!!
Obvious—not herbology prof who missed live mandrake... Herbology repeaters only? Prof culprit...!!
Orochi gunning for Ephemera honor shots. Zeke sleuthing greedily for Yamucha's favor.
Will their deductions unravel this labyrinthine mystery...!
""
"Grand Duke."
""