Chapter 251

Яеаｄ​ ȯη​ ΚаṫＲ​ėɑ​đіｎ​ｇ​Ｃаſė​

Eugene was someone who naturally drew Alice’s attention.

The term “drew her attention” here wasn’t in a positive sense. Rather, it was quite the opposite.

He was a person of concern who was getting close to Lucia. Alice knew he wasn’t a bad person, but she couldn’t help feeling wary.

She knew he was a good person, but she had to remain cautious. She didn’t want to lose her most precious friend.

However, over the past few months, they had unintentionally gone through several incidents together.

The chaos that disrupted the field training.

The rift in space-time that opened during the Cherry Blossom Festival.

The tragedy that unfolded in the underground exhibition hall of District 6.

The fierce battle that erased the general hospital in District 17 from the map.

They fought back-to-back.

They trusted each other with their lives.

They collaborated against overwhelming enemies.

These incidents were enough to dilute any ill feelings.

Even if they had no prior connection, the time they spent together was enough to build intimacy.

Without realizing it herself, Alice had opened her heart quite a bit to Eugene.

And Frey wasn’t much different. If Alice had accepted Eugene as another friend, Frey saw him as a reliable ally.

Although she didn’t like him hovering around Lucia, she could trust his abilities. He was someone who could be used as a meat shield if necessary. Though quite twisted, it was Frey’s own form of trust.

So, Eugene’s sudden actions tested the limits of both their patience.

Already suspicious of Lucia and Arin’s questionable behavior, now Eugene was acting up as well. Their suspicions turned into certainty, and their decision to quietly observe was quickly put on hold.

The three of them shared a secret that Alice and Frey weren’t privy to.

A sense of alienation and unease began to creep in.

Though they didn’t show it, Alice and Frey were also aware.

That Lucia’s problem wasn’t completely resolved.

That the devil who had taken over Lucia’s body that day was still inside her.

The God of War had dismissed their concerns, but what human wouldn’t worry? At least Alice and Frey weren’t such people. They simply pretended not to know because Lucia seemed reluctant to bring it up.

Had something gone wrong again?

What schemes was that monster inside Lucia plotting?

Was it trying to take over Lucia’s body again?

Eugene’s reaction was unusual.

It was the first time they had seen him so agitated.

He was usually calm, like a burning flame.

Their vague unease took on a more tangible weight.

Frey, who had taken control of the body, immediately set out to find Eugene and Arin.

It took some time to locate them since they didn’t know where the two had gone.

Searching one by one seemed like a waste of time, so she relied on her intuition to follow the clues.

The intuition of someone “close to a god” transcends mere senses and enters the realm of divine inspiration.

It wasn’t comparable to the 2nd Division Vice-Captain’s “Presence Detection”, but detecting familiar presences wasn’t too difficult.

At the end of the hallway, the stairs.

The noise from the students faded behind her.

Frey stepped into the quiet atmosphere.

“Don’t even think about dodging. Tell me everything you know.”

A cold light lingered in Frey’s crimson eyes. Red and blue. The contrasting colors of her heterochromatic eyes were both tinged with blood. Arin wore an awkward expression, but Frey had no intention of backing down.

Both of them had “Danger Sense”, so they should know.

That she was ready to fire a heat ray if necessary.

Of course, Frey hadn’t lost her rationality and didn’t intend to actually harm them.

Eugene was a given, and Arin was also quite skilled. She only seemed weak in comparison to Frey and Eugene, but she was already one of the top first-years.

No, she was among the top students in the entire academy, not just the first-years. Lucia often mentioned the “Golden Generation” in her mutterings, and it was an apt term.

Eugene, who had reached the pinnacle of humanity within months of enrolling.

Alice (Frey), who had climbed right behind Eugene.

Leo, who had grown to the point of looking down on most graduates.

Arin, who had inherited the talents of the Captain and Vice-Captain of the 2nd division.

Anastasia, who was so nonchalant that her limits were hard to gauge.

Including Carlos, the gray wolf of Class D, this year’s first-years were exceptionally talented.

Truly a Golden Generation.

Unless she went all out, a controlled heat ray wouldn’t hurt them.

So, Frey was ready to fire away, whether the academy building was destroyed or not.

It was a show of force.

A warning that if they didn’t talk, she’d turn the place into a mess.

If she really did that, she might face punishment or even expulsion.

‘If they want to expel me, go ahead. I’m the God of War’s disciple. This is what connections are for.’

But the two would think differently.

They were kind and conscientious, after all.

Especially Eugene. Sometimes, Frey seriously wondered if the term “pushover” was coined just for him.

She definitely didn’t want to see Alice get into trouble and get kicked out of the academy.

So, this was more of a threat against herself than against them.

“…”

At Frey’s intense reaction, Eugene and Arin exchanged glances.

Though no words were spoken, their eyes seemed to convey a lot.

Finally, Arin let out a sigh-like breath and spoke.

“Sometimes, your personality changes so drastically it’s scary. Do you have multiple personalities?”

If she had always been like this, they wouldn’t have hesitated to ask for help.

But to Arin, the chick-like Alice who followed Lucia around was more familiar.

Though rare, there were cases among supernaturals where their personalities changed under certain circumstances, like Alice.

Since supernatural abilities were rooted in mental strength, using them could trigger personality changes.

But cases as extreme as Alice’s were almost unheard of. Could she really have multiple personalities?

“Enough, just answer the question. Don’t deflect with another question.”

“…Alright, I’ll tell you. But promise me you won’t cause any trouble.”

At Arin’s request, Frey nodded obediently.

The faint heat in her crimson eyes faded.

Arin sighed in relief internally. Lately, she felt like she was sighing too much, she mused self-deprecatingly as she rubbed her eyes.

She was worried about whether she should really tell them, but she couldn’t back out now. Otherwise, Alice might really blast a hole in the academy building. Was it clever or cunning?

“You probably already guessed, but it’s about Lucia.”

‘Of course. Just looking at Eugene’s actions made it obvious. Stop stating the obvious and get to the point.‘

Frey wanted to retort but decided to stay quiet and listen. Maybe she’d hear something new. Frey, and Alice watching from within, held their breath and listened intently to Arin’s words.

“You’ve been suspicious, right? A few days ago, Lucia’s dorm door was broken.”

“I had a rough idea, but I’ll ask to confirm. Did you do it?”

“…Yeah, I did.”

She had suspected as much, and it turned out to be true.

It really was Arin who had done it.

But it didn’t make sense.

Why would Arin break Lucia’s dorm door?

It couldn’t be something silly like failing to control her strength, right?

“At that time… I had something to tell Lucia.”

She wanted to confess her mistakes.

That she had abandoned, ignored, and sacrificed her.

That she had prioritized her own safety knowing Lucia was in danger.

She thought Lucia would forgive her easily.

Perhaps just to ease her own conscience.

Arin bit her lip slightly.

She felt contempt for her own complacency.

But on the other hand, she felt it was a good thing she had gone to see Lucia that day.

It had prevented the worst outcome.

“I found out Lucia had been discharged and went straight to her dorm.”

“…And?”

Frey frowned. Listening to this made her chest itch. An inexplicable anxiety rose within her. She glanced at Eugene out of the corner of her eye. His face was shadowed. It seemed he had already heard Arin’s story.

“When I stood at the door, my Danger Sense activated. It warned me of danger beyond the door.”

“Inside Lucia’s room?”

What could be dangerous in the academy dorm? The thought crossed her mind briefly, but then another thought struck her, and Frey’s expression hardened.

The devil lurking inside Lucia’s body. The God of War had suppressed it, but it was a ticking time bomb. Could it be…?!

“The door was locked, so I had no choice but to break it. I rushed inside.”

So that’s why she broke the door. Well, Arin wouldn’t damage property without a reason. But it was strange. If the devil had really tried to take over Lucia’s body, Lucia wouldn’t have just stood there. Lucia was aware of the deadly danger within her.

The fact that the God of War allowed Lucia to continue attending the academy meant he was confident in her safety. Lucia’s casual return to the academy also suggested she was confident in handling the devil’s threat. But if the devil had tried to take over her body, it was no longer safe.

She would have surely chosen to leave the academy for everyone’s sake.

But Lucia stayed.

If the devil was really the cause, this couldn’t have happened.

“I saw… something there.”

“…What?”

Frey swallowed dryly.

Her heartbeat quickened.

A sense of crisis warning her not to listen.

And a will to hear it no matter what clashed.

Facing Frey’s trembling eyes, Arin paused for a moment. The scene replayed in her mind, choking her throat. But she forced herself to continue and confessed the truth.

“A rope.”

“A rope…?”

“A rope hanging from the ceiling.”

“…Huh?”

It took a moment to process.

Frey looked up at Arin with a blank expression.

No way? It couldn’t be what I’m thinking, right?

She urged for an answer with a desperate expression.

Hoping her guess was wrong, she waited for Arin’s next words.

And her hopes were shattered.

Arin averted her gaze and muttered softly.

“Lucia… was trying to kill herself.”

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
The process of fake news spreading.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Mhm yeah, keep going, I’ll believe you!

I think?