Ch. 162 Heroine – Chapter 162
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 162
“What do you mean…?”
Regina trailed off.
It wasn’t that she didn’t understand Astaroth’s words.
She understood them, that’s why she found herself asking again without realizing it.
“Your opinion has merit. You’re right, excessive ‘training’ could indeed backfire.”
Astaroth tilted her head. Her actions of cutting Lucia’s flesh, breaking her bones, and churning her insides were meant to strengthen Lucia’s super regeneration. Even if there was a bit of personal emotion involved, that was the essence of it.
By inflicting wounds and allowing them to heal, she aimed to break the limits of Lucia’s supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities are like muscles—they grow the more they’re used.
However, the source of supernatural abilities lies in the mind.
Mental strength is the driving force behind supernatural abilities.
Thus, a strong will can enhance the output of supernatural abilities.
Conversely, if the mind breaks, the supernatural ability weakens.
“If Lucia’s mind breaks, it’ll be a big problem, right?”
The ‘training’ that had lasted for three days was nothing short of torture.
The torture chamber was saturated with the thick scent of blood.
If Astaroth hadn’t burned all the byproducts of the ‘training’ into ashes, the chamber would have been filled with Lucia’s blood and flesh.
“It’s about time to slow down the pace. Ahaha, this works out perfectly. I’m starting to get busy with other things too. I was thinking of leaving it to Ere…”
A blood-soaked hand touched Regina’s face.
It gently caressed her, but with each stroke, bloodstains smeared across Regina’s face.
As Regina’s complexion grew paler, Astaroth smiled brightly, as if she found it endearing.
“Ere’s also busy getting accustomed to the realm of Demonic Beasts, so I’ll leave it to you, since you have the time. You’ll be more considerate than I would be, right, Regina?”
“B, but…”
“You can do it, right?”
“…”
Her tone was that of a request, but Regina knew it wasn’t.
Their relationship was that of ‘friends’, but it was by no means an equal one.
Master and slave. Regina had no right to refuse Astaroth’s words.
“I, I understand…”
Regina nodded blankly.
Her gaze shifted stiffly.
The wide-open door. The scene beyond it.
The color drained from her face.
“Great, then starting tomorrow, you’ll take over, Regina.”
Astaroth stretched her arms wide.
Drops of blood that hadn’t yet dried fell to the ground.
“Ugh, the blood’s sticking to me. I need to wash up quickly. Come with me, Regina. Let’s wash together.”
Thanks to Astaroth’s embrace, Regina was also covered in blood.
She watched helplessly as the girl walked ahead of her.
‘Me…do it…?’
That?
The sound of a chainsaw echoed in her ears.
The sound of flesh being crushed and torn apart.
The muffled screams and the sound of burning.
All of it rang in her head like auditory hallucinations.
Regina’s purple eyes shook.
No. I don’t want to. I don’t want to, but…
She couldn’t defy Astaroth’s will.
Even if she didn’t want to, her body would move accordingly
In the first place, she had no right to refuse, even if she were ordered to die.
‘Me…’
I have to break Lucia.
Her fingertips trembled like aspen leaves.
She staggered forward, barely able to move.
Regina lowered her head.
She felt as if the smell of blood on her clothes was growing stronger.
◆
Time doesn’t stop.
Like a ceaselessly flowing stream.
No matter how shocking the event, time carries it all away.
The incident in District 6 was no exception.
The dimensional rift that occurred in the underground exhibition hall of the plaza.
An event that caused significant property damage and loss of life.
But unfortunately, damage caused by dimensional rifts was commonplace.
It only caused a stir because it happened in a single-digit district, but attacks by Demonic Beasts from other dimensions were part of daily life.
A war that had lasted for 300 years.
Humanity had only regained stability a little over 100 years ago.
Before the War God appeared, humanity had been pushed to the brink of extinction.
Even after the formation of the United Nations and the Celestial Corps, it took a long time to establish barely a stable society.
The dimensional rift that occurred underground, not in the sky, sparked much debate but it was short-lived.
It’s foolish to judge monsters from other dimensions by common sense.
Similar incidents weren’t unheard of, and humanity, as always, adapts to changing circumstances.
Embracing both major and minor discord, the wounds of the tragedy in District 6 began to heal.
“…”
Of course, not everyone could move on. Many couldn’t.
A few days were far too short to cover up everything that happened.
There were too many unresolved issues.
For some, the incident in District 6 was still an ongoing present.
“Sigh…”
Angelica, the homeroom teacher of Academy Class 1-A, let out a heavy sigh.
The white hospital room was clean, but it somehow felt empty.
On the bed, a girl with deep blue hair was fast asleep.
Several days had passed since that day, but there was no sign of Alice waking up.
Still in a coma.
Her eyes remained tightly shut.
When she would wake up was still unknown.
The only silver lining was that it wasn’t entirely bleak.
The surgery had been successful, and her recovery from the injuries was progressing smoothly.
The recovery of her lungs, which had been the most severely injured, was particularly smooth.
All that was left was for her to open her eyes.
“A dream, huh…”
Angelica murmured quietly.
Her gaze turned to the girl in front of her.
An examination of Alice’s brain waves had detected periodic signals.
The signals that appear when a person is dreaming.
Alice was dreaming.
“Alice, what kind of dream are you having now?”
Was it a happy dream? A sad dream?
A painful dream? A pleasant dream?
Angelica had no way of knowing.
Only the occasional cold sweat gave her a hint of what the dream might be about.
As she wiped the sweat from Alice’s forehead, Angelica narrowed her eyes.
Lucia’s whereabouts were still unknown.
The woman in the red fox mask who had kidnapped her.
Eugene had said she wasn’t human but a monster.
Though she looked human, he had sensed the aura of a monster.
‘Is she connected to you?’
Angelica clenched her fist as she recalled the girl in the red fox mask.
Astaroth. She had thought she was human, but it seemed she was actually a monster. The kidnapper who took Lucia wore the same mask. And just like Astaroth, she had initially concealed her monstrous aura. With so many clues, it was impossible not to suspect.
‘Lucia…’
Angelica couldn’t even imagine what the girl might be going through right now. She had to save her. Absolutely. But no method came to mind. There was no way to track the kidnapped girl. The clues were insufficient. She was just helplessly pacing around.
‘Pathetic.’
Angelica bit her lip.
She had tried to use her connections from her time in the Celestial Corps to come up with a plan, but it was all futile.
Lucia’s whereabouts remained a complete mystery.
“…Alice, I’ll come back tomorrow.”
Angelica rose from her chair. She wanted to stay by her side until she woke up, but she was a teacher at the Academy. She didn’t have just one student. As a teacher, she had to ensure the curriculum proceeded without a hitch.
Even though Alice was in a coma and Lucia was missing, Angelica had to fulfill her duties as a teacher at the Academy.
‘Now that I think about it…’
Didn’t Eugene skip class today?
The day after the incident, Eugene had been declared fully healed.
Despite injuries that shouldn’t have healed in just a day, Eugene had miraculously recovered.
His severed arm was perfectly reattached, and the internal injuries that had caused multiple organ failure were completely healed.
The attending doctor, who had seen many patients, was stunned, saying it was the first time he’d encountered such a case. He was amazed by Eugene’s absurd vitality.
Thanks to that, he was discharged without issue.
Normally, he should have attended class today.
But Eugene didn’t come to the Academy.
Angelica made a bitter expression. It was an unexcused absence without any notice, but she decided to let it slide this time.
The incident was that significant. He probably needed time to collect himself. There were rules in place for situations like this, where students were caught up in battles with monsters. Eugene wouldn’t face any disadvantages even if he took a few days off.
‘Arin also looked really down.’
Dark circles under her eyes suggested she hadn’t slept well.
At least Arin had come to school without issue, but Angelica had sent her home early.
She clearly wasn’t in a state to focus on class.
Field training and the cherry blossom festival.
These kids had already experienced real combat twice.
Yet, this situation seemed to have hit them particularly hard.
It was only natural.
Their friend had gone missing.
For their sake.
She absolutely had to rescue Lucia.
“…She’ll be safe, right, Lucia?”
Please, let it be so.
Muttering to herself, she stood by the door and took one last look at Alice.
The small girl was asleep, breathing softly.
With a short sigh filled with worry, Angelica left the hospital room.
‘For tomorrow’s class… I left it to Si-ul. I wonder if she prepared properly.’
Even if she seemed unreliable, she usually got the job done when it mattered, so there was no need to worry.
Angelica walked down the hallway. Her mind was a mess. She planned to return to the Academy, check the preparations for tomorrow’s class, and then loosen up in the training room.
She wanted to sweat out all the unsettling thoughts. But Angelica’s plans were disrupted before she even left the hospital.
Her cell phone, tucked in her pocket, vibrated.
It was a rather old model, but it worked without issue.
Si-ul had nagged her to replace it, but she had no intention of changing something that wasn’t broken.
“What is it?”
Angelica’s expression hardened as she checked the caller and answered the phone.
“Captain Isabella.”
[You’ve got time now, right?]
Angelica fell silent for a moment at the abrupt question.
After wondering how to respond, she answered obediently.
“Yes, I do.”
[Good. Return to the 3rd Division immediately.]
“…I’ve retired. I told you I have no intention of returning to the Celestial Corps.”
[It’s a temporary reinstatement.]
After all this time trying to bring her back, were they finally going to force her?
Angelica was seriously considering how to refuse when Isabella spoke again as if reading her thoughts.
[You asked me for a favor, didn’t you? To find clues about your missing student.]
“I did, but…”
[That’s why I’m calling you.]
We might have found a clue.
At Isabella’s words, Angelica’s footsteps halted.
She stood still, her eyes widening.
Her grip on the phone tightened slightly.
A small, unintended crackle came from the phone.
“Really?”
Angelica’s voice, asking again, was heavy and subdued.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Alice is a sleeping princess.But there is no prince to wake her up.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Angelica… they have been in combat for three times now… not two…
Placeholders
0 Comments