Deep Night's Deadly Trap
Dawn. The academy's backyard. Cesare, accompanied only by two guards, was leisurely strolling toward the lake in the backyard as if enjoying a casual walk. His expression was utterly serene, radiating pure bliss in that very moment.
"The night breeze feels wonderful."
The gentle night wind, chilled by the lake, blew far cooler than elsewhere. For an elderly man, such cold air could pose a health risk, but Cesare clearly relished it.
At this hour, the academy should be empty save for the night patrol professors. Cesare froze in place as someone emerged trudging from behind a pillar. Finally here. He swallowed hard, then addressed the figure naturally.
"Out for a night stroll yourself?"
Tall build. A hood shrouded the head, and a cloth masked the face. The oversized clothes seemed designed to conceal a woman's figure. At a glance, unrecognizable—but Cesare knew instantly who it was.
"Cesare."
Ios spoke. Her voice was much lower than usual, deliberately altered.
"Even if the academy guards you, wandering at night with so few escorts is downright careless."
Cesare showed no sign of alarm. His shoulders merely quivered with excitement.
"That negligence will have your head rolling on the ground."
Once more. The weapon Ios drew wasn't a staff, but a sword. Still hiding her magician identity? This would pin suspicion on non-mages, dragging kingdom envoys and academy scholars into the frame as culprits. They fit the profile better than mages anyway.
"Listen here, young assassin."
Even as the foe approached sword in hand, Cesare betrayed no fear. His guards stepped forward to shield him, unflinching as their master.
"Do you think the world bends so easily to your whims?"
Ios halted at Cesare's haughty demeanor. Beneath the hood, her eyes trembled faintly.
"You."
Her voice slipped back toward its natural tone, laced with fluster. She gestured sharply, signaling her allies.
"Why so brazen?"
"Foolish child, foolish child. Skill alone won't cut it if your thinking runs so shallow. How can you scheme big when others' praise has you convinced you're invincible?"
Ios's brows twisted in fury. Even in the shadows, her eyes bulged with strain.
"How... how do you act like you know everything...."
"Anyone under threat must guard their tongue and watch their back everywhere. Only by obsessing over every move like a paranoid soul can you survive."
Figures began emerging from the academy shadows—Cesare's hidden ambushers. All bore sinister faces as they drew their blades, every bit as menacing as the moment demanded.
"Ios, you wench. Botched killing old Melmes before, and now you fuck up again?"
Her identity laid bare, Ios began trembling like a leaf in the wind. They knew her plans and who she was? Where had it all gone wrong?
"Why... why...."
"Teach this worldly-naive bitch the terror of adults."
"...Fuck it. Everyone, out."
From Ios's side, similarly shrouded figures appeared. Fewer in number than the ambushers, but against mages, numbers meant little.
"Figured you'd hidden some manpower, but we haven't shown our full hand either."
"Shit... again, again like back then...."
The bizarre turn of events triggered full panic in Ios, replaying her past blunder. She'd been so diligent about secrecy and caution—yet here it was, unchanged.
"Boss. W-we retreat now. We'll get 'em later. That cunning old bastard won't go down easy."
"Shut your mouth."
She shot her subordinate a savage glare, ignoring the advice.
"They know who I am—if I let him go, I'm finished. It's not over yet. Quick and decisive."
As Ios reached into her bosom, Cesare spotted it and bellowed.
"You bastard! Don't let her draw that staff!"
"Kill every last one. No survivors, no witnesses."
We watched the whole clash from afar, observing the Ios and Cesare forces through binoculars.
"Holding up okay?"
Nagisa sidled up, offering dried blueberries.
"Ios's side has fewer numbers, but magic's a fucking cheat code."
"By rights, shouldn't we jump in and join now?"
"Yeah."
Per our deal with Cesare, we were supposed to intervene right as the two sides clashed—join to neutralize the mages. That was the promise.
But we stayed put, watching. Even as Cesare's troops and Ios's fell one by one.
"But why the hell should I help?"
Plan was to wipe both sides anyway—no reason to lend a hand.
"So when do we move?"
"When one side starts crumbling. Look—Cesare's getting pushed back now."
I handed the binoculars to Nagisa. She peered into the fray's heart, then passed them back.
"Cesare can't focus on the fight."
"Wouldn't you?"
I scanned for Cesare through the lenses. Too frail for frontline, he hung back, face twisted in confusion as he scanned around. Where's that backup supposed to be? Without it, he was sitting duck.
"Told him not to get blinded by merits and trust outsiders blindly. 'Sure,' he says, and cuts ambush numbers per my word. Tsk tsk."
His expression screamed delight. For now, he'd chalk it up to me running late—but soon, that face would twist in betrayal-fueled rage. Couldn't wait.
"Time to move. No fight drags past ten minutes."
"Hold on, Instructor. Ios tired yet?"
"Nah. But can't let her complete the mission and bolt."
I leaped the wall, glancing briefly toward the annex.
"And I've got plans of my own."
"Gah!"
Cesare's last troops turned to ash under Ios's magic. With her forces still standing strong, his initial bravado had vanished, face ashen.
"Ugh... uuuu!"
He couldn't contain his rage, but it came out as impotent groans.
Her earlier fluster gone, Ios leveled her staff at Cesare.
"Thought you had some ace up your sleeve, got all tense... but what the hell? Nothing?"
"Why... why isn't he coming...!"
"Dunno, but this ain't ending here."
She feigned a spell, then pocketed the staff and drew her sword instead. It plunged into Cesare's thigh with a wet shunk.
"Kyaaaaah... mff!"
Her oversized hand clamped his mouth as she glared ferociously.
"How'd you know my identity and plans?"
"Mmmph...!"
She twisted the blade sideways, ripping the wound wider. Cesare thrashed wildly, eyes rolling back.
"Mmmphhh! Uuummphhh!"
"Won't talk? I'll do the same to every limb, over and over. Still silent? Heal you and repeat. Got it?"
She released his mouth. Tears streamed down Cesare's face as he gasped in agony.
"Huu... huuuu...."
"Talk."
"You bitch... think you'll survive this?"
"Old prick's got pointless pride."
Poison still burning in his eyes, Cesare glared through hollow sockets and bellowed.
"I'm Cesare! His Majesty's right hand, chief kingdom envoy! Not some toy for you!"
"Exactly why I'm killing you."
Zzzzzzt.
"Kyaaaaaaaak! Huuuu... aaack!"
"Killing a man like you sours ties between Eri and the kingdom."
Ios shoved the blade deeper with her foot, taking a cigarette from a subordinate and lighting up. She puffed contentedly, chuckling.
"Lucky break. That brat Eri actually hates your guts."
"Huuuuk... uuuu...."
"Kingdom probably assumes Eri's got your back? Tough luck—she doesn't give a shit what you do, leaving you wide open."
"...Goddamn it."
"Chit-chat's over. Who tipped you? Spill, and maybe I spare your life."
"......"
"Legs won't break your stubbornness? Gimme another sword."
"W-wait a second."
Ios grinned ear-to-ear at his desperate plea.
"Fine. I'll tell. I'll tell, okay?"
"Should've from the start, geezer. Whew, thought I was fucked for a sec."
"The Instructor...."
"...What?"
"The Instructor told me."
The name blindsided her. Ios seized Cesare's collar, face drained of color, eyes wide with fear.
"Bullshit... why the hell would the Instructor know?"
"No idea. I don't know...! I just got the info."
"If the Instructor's involved... that means Sena's joining the war!"
"...Sena? Why's the Ice Witch in this?"
Ios backhanded him viciously. His lip split open; Cesare stared in genuine confusion.
"'Cause the Instructor's her servant!"
"What nonsense. The Instructor's the academy director's servant, isn't he?"
"Fuck! You, me—we've all been dancing in that bastard's palm."
Ios whipped her staff to Cesare's forehead. He paled, thrashing anew.
"S-stop! What're you doing? You said you'd spare me!"
"Never planned to."
Before Cesare crumbled to ash like the rest, crack! A blast of frost slammed into Ios, hurling her aside. She rolled once, regained her footing, and eyed the frozen patch on her body with a vile smirk.
"Dumb bitch. Walk right into my lap, saves me the trouble."
"Didn't I tell you no smoking on academy grounds?"