Chapter 115

R​e​аd& ;​o&n; ＫatＲ&e;a‌​dｉnɡĈaｆe

I was caught. That fact wasn’t particularly surprising. I didn’t think I could secretly follow them in the first place.

There’s no way I could deceive the cognitive abilities of Isabella, and especially Ariene, who has godlike perception.

Just like how Lucia has exceptional regeneration even without using her ability, Ariene was sensitive to presence.

This was a follow-up done with the assumption that I’d be caught. So when Ariene smiled and greeted me, I wasn’t particularly surprised. However, their destination was quite unexpected. If my memory serves me correctly, this should be Eugene’s ward, right?

What business could the Captain of the 3rd Division and the Vice-Captain of the 2nd Division have with Eugene?

Today, during the cherry blossom festival, Eugene made a significant contribution during the sudden monster attack.

Without Eugene, the number of casualties would have skyrocketed.

If they came to commend him for his achievements… that’s understandable. If the students, including Eugene, hadn’t acted, the damage would have been even worse.

But if that were the case, they could have done it after the situation was resolved.

Now, with all the cleanup work, the Captain and Vice-Captain are taking the time to visit the hospital. What could be the reason?

“Sorry, but we have an important matter to discuss. If you have business here, can it wait?”

Her tone was gentle, but her true intention was a dismissal.

This is something so important that it shouldn’t be known to outsiders, and for a Captain and Vice-Captain to visit a mere Academy student…

“I, I also have something important to talk about…”

It wasn’t hard to guess.

Thinking about who Eugene had contact with today, the conclusion was obvious.

“It’s about Astaroth.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the expressions of the two changed.

Bingo. It seems I’m right.

If the Captain is personally moving, it can only be for that, right?

Ariene looked at Isabella as if seeking her opinion on what to do.

Crossing her arms and looking at me with a disinterested gaze, Isabella nodded and said,

“We need to hear the details.”

This is a good opportunity. I was already wondering how to convey the information.

Moreover, if Eugene becomes a witness, the credibility of my information will be solidified.

Isn’t it much more believable when two people say the same thing rather than just one?

I followed the two into Eugene’s ward.

◈

During the aftermath of the field training, Leo and Eugene used a two-person ward, but this time, like me, Eugene had a single-person ward.

Speaking of which, I heard that a single-person ward is expensive. Can I use it for free without paying?

Well, I have no complaints if they let me use it for free.

Depending on the situation, but usually, the Academy covers the full cost.

Since today wasn’t during the curriculum, would the Celestial Corps cover it?

Anyway, as students, we could use the Academy’s affiliated hospital for free.

“Lucia?”

Perhaps Eugene had been informed in advance about the visit from Isabella and Ariene, as he wasn’t particularly surprised by the Captain’s arrival. However, when he saw me following them in, his eyes widened. 

While it’s cute if Alice does it, it’s just creepy when a guy does it.

Hmm, no.

Eugene and Alice have a strangely similar vibe, so if you look closely, it might be a bit cute?

Hehe, no, that’s not it.

A guy being cute is just wrong.

“Hi, Eugene.”

I waved with a smile. He worked hard today saving people. Thanks to Eugene’s Sun Sword, the number of victims was minimal compared to the scale of the rift. I wanted to greet him warmly, but the atmosphere was too heavy for that.

Besides Eugene, there was one more person waiting in the room.

Her snow-white hair and assertive chest.

Despite being a woman, she was as tall as Eugene.

She was Angelica, the homeroom teacher of Class A.

After briefly bowing to Isabella and Ariene, Angelica turned her gaze toward me.

“Why did you bring Lucia?”

“This child came to us. She said she had something to say.”

Isabella walked over and sat down on a chair.

She crossed her legs and gestured to another seat with a chin nod.

Is she telling me to sit? Well, standing while talking would be uncomfortable.

Hmm, there’s a shortage of chairs. There are only three chairs in the ward. It would have been fine without me, but since I suddenly joined, there’s one less. What should I do? 

After a moment of hesitation, I realized it wasn’t a big deal. This is a ward, and wards have medical beds for patients.

A bed isn’t just for lying down and sleeping, right?

Since Eugene was already sitting on the bed, I walked over to the side.

I gently sat down next to him. Yes, the beds in any ward are soft.

The bed was wide enough for several people to sit, but I sat as close to Eugene as possible.

I wanted to help ease Eugene’s tension a bit.

He must be very nervous facing such important figures from the Celestial Corps.

Just having a friend by his side will help him relax a little.

Did I sit too close? If I move a little, our thighs might touch.

Oh well. Eugene isn’t some kind of pervert. He doesn’t seem to mind, so it’s fine.

He was so reliable during the fight, but he’s still just a kid.

He looked nervous, probably because he was facing such extraordinary individuals.

If he had known in advance that Angelica was a Vice-Captain candidate, he would have been even more tense.

I was thinking about holding his hand to comfort him, but before I could decide, Isabella spoke first.

“Eugene.”

She called his name in a clear voice, then looked at me.

“Lucia.”

With our images reflected in her grey eyes, which contrasted with her platinum hair, Isabella bowed her head slightly and said,

“I’ve heard the story. As a Captain of the Celestial Corps, I’m speaking from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for fighting. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to minimize the damage.”

Isabella’s voice was as clear as rolling ice beads.

Her fluffy platinum hair and refined features made her look like an innocent young lady untouched by the world.

However, the grey eyes, as if losing their light, reversed all impressions.

They were as cold and lifeless as frozen ground, and as chilling as a blizzard.

“You must be tired and exhausted from today’s events, but spare me a moment of your time.”

Being a captain is always a busy position.

After a brief expression of gratitude, Isabella immediately got to the point.

“Everything you experienced today, and what you learned from it. No matter how trivial, tell me everything without leaving anything out. I’ve already heard about it, but I want to hear it from your own mouth.”

My deduction must have been correct.

Hehe, see? I told you Lucia is sharp.

Eugene must have noticed something. He told Angelica, who then informed Isabella. The fact that the 3rd Division Captain came to the hospital personally means the information was significant enough to warrant her attention.

Indeed, he’s the protagonist.

His action and execution are extraordinary.

What did he uncover? How and to what extent?

I was so curious that I waited for Eugene to speak first, looking at him.

“…I’m not good at speaking, even if it’s an understatement. I don’t have the confidence to pick out the key points.”

Eugene opened his tightly closed mouth and spoke in a serious voice.

His voice slightly trembled, revealing that he was nervous despite his calm demeanor.

“So I’ll explain everything from the beginning.”

Eugene slowly unfolded the events of today.

Starting with how he ended up at the cherry blossom festival.

Meeting Astaroth. Being threatened with the lives of the people around him.

Exchanging information in the form of a conversation.

Astaroth’s name and aliases.

The purpose of visiting the park.

After mentioning this, Eugene glanced at me.

As I listened intently, thinking that the events happened when I was clinging to Murmur’s hem, I tilted my head at Eugene’s gaze. He seemed reluctant to speak. I wondered why, but then I remembered how I appeared in front of Eugene.

His friend was torn in half. Eugene was the one who put the spilled organs back inside. It must have been hard for him to recall. Honestly, it was a horrific scene that could leave a trauma.

Eugene sighed and continued his explanation.

The appearance of another masked figure.

And the sudden attack of monsters.

Astaroth’s interference with the rift.

The gradually spreading crack rapidly expanded under Astaroth’s influence.

“That girl called herself a devil or a demonkin.”

“A devil… huh, what a grand title.”

Isabella said sarcastically, furrowing her brow as if her mind was quite complicated. That’s understandable. If Eugene’s words are true, it means a new entity comparable to calamity-class monsters has appeared. And not just one, but also a new entity named Murmur.

“…That’s all I know. I hope it helps.”

“Yes, it definitely helps. You’ve been through a lot.”

Isabella looked at Ariene. Ariene silently nodded. It seemed she was detecting Eugene’s presence and checking for lies. I thought it was strange that the 3rd Division Captain brought the 2nd Division Vice-Captain, but it seems that Ariene acted as a lie detector.

Of course, beyond simply detecting lies, they must have considered the possibility that Eugene was traumatized by today’s events and fell into delusions, or that he was influenced by someone else with false information. With her extreme sensing ability, she could even read subtle emotional changes.

“…”

Explaining what’s in your head in an easy-to-understand way is also hard work.

I patted Eugene’s shoulder as a sign of appreciation for his efforts.

Although… His shoulders were stiff. It’s no wonder, considering how much he swung his sword.

Supernaturals may be superhuman, but their bodies are still human.

I should give him a massage later.

If we leave it like this, he’ll suffer from muscle pain tomorrow.

Although muscle pains would be a reward for me, it wouldn’t be the same case for Eugene right?

Hehe, Lucia knows a lot about the human body!

She knows exactly where to press to feel good and loosen up tense muscles.

She’s naturally learned it by reading anatomical diagrams multiple times.

Yes, reading is indeed a good hobby.

 

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Since Frey received a reward, shouldn’t Eugene receive one too?

They worked hard together!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note)
Si-ul is forgotten but never missed!

We won’t forget her sacrifices… sniff! Even if she becomes… dumb…

Heh.