Chapter 184

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The place where Eugene was located was a temporary command post established for this operation.

To be more precise, it was a waiting room slightly removed from the command post.

Eugene had followed Karma to contribute to the operation, but in truth, Karma had no intention of sending Eugene to the front lines. 

Considering that the main goal was to protect him from Astaroth, this was natural. In a way, it could be seen as deceiving Eugene, but ultimately, it was a form of consideration for Eugene’s safety.

‘…Something’s still off.’

Eugene tapped the hilt of his sword against his forehead.

His legs, which had been trembling nervously, were now stiff.

Frowning, Eugene tried to organize his thoughts.

Until now, he had assumed there was some reason he didn’t understand, but looking back, there were too many strange things.

He had been told to move out if a support request came in, but in reality, he was the only one in the waiting room. The other Celestial Corps members were all busy with their own tasks.

He hadn’t been briefed in detail about the operation. He had no idea what he was supposed to do or who he was supposed to work with.

Even though Eugene wasn’t the most perceptive, he was far from stupid. The possibilities he had been trying to ignore were now swirling in front of his eyes.

‘From the beginning, did they never intend to include me in the operation?’

Given the circumstances, there was no other explanation.

Then why did they bring me here?

And why would a captain of the Celestial Corps personally bring me?

There must be some use for me… Wait, could it be?

Eugene bit his lip as a thought struck him. What was special about him? What made Eugene different from other academy students? 

He had combat abilities beyond that of a student, but the Celestial Corps was full of supernaturals stronger than him. What made Eugene unique, even among the Heroes of the Celestial Corps?

‘Astaroth… for some reason, she’s interested in me.’

She had even come to talk to him directly.

She even offered to help, calling it a ‘contract’.

‘Maybe Captain Karma’s goal is…’

To use me as bait?

Bait to lure out Astaroth.

If that’s the case, it makes sense why they brought me here and then left me alone.

‘Or maybe they think I’m colluding with Astaroth. So they’re keeping me here under surveillance.’

Whichever it is, if that’s the truth, there’s no reason for me to stay here. Eugene half-opened his blue eyes. A cold glint flickered faintly in his gaze. He came to the 4th Division to find Lucia, not to play along with that man’s schemes. No wonder his smile had seemed suspicious.

But Eugene couldn’t just leave the waiting room. Even if he did, he had no idea where to go.

And if he really was being used as bait or was under suspicion.

Leaving on his own could lead to who knows what.

As Eugene sat there, unable to decide what to do, fidgeting with the hilt of his sword, it happened.

[Hi, big brother~]

A sweet, girlish voice echoed in Eugene’s ears.

No, not his ears. This voice was ringing directly in his head.

Eugene shot up from his seat. 

Crash. 

The chair tipped over.

[Were you thinking about me?]

“Astaroth!”

He frantically looked around.

There was no sign of her presence.

No overwhelming aura unique to Astaroth.

“What is this…”

[Oh, by the way, this is a one-way communication, so no matter what you say, I won’t hear it.]

Astaroth’s playful voice rang like a bell.

Eugene drew his sword halfway from its sheath and focused his senses on his surroundings.

Nothing. Astaroth wasn’t here. At least, his senses couldn’t detect her.

[Were you surprised to hear my voice all of a sudden? Ahaha, don’t worry. I’m here to help you.]

“Help? Me?”

[It’s time to fulfill our contract.]

Contract. At those words, Eugene’s eyes widened. That day, in the rainy cemetery, they had exchanged such words. But hadn’t Karma interrupted before they could properly make a contract?

[I’ll help you, as per our contract.]

“…”

Only the voice reached him.

But Eugene felt as if the red fox mask was flickering before his eyes.

What should I do? Should I stay here as per Captain Karma’s orders? Or should I follow Astaroth’s words? What if it’s a trap? What if it’s a lie? 

Various thoughts crossed his mind, but Eugene took a deep breath as he thought of the girl who wasn’t here. Lucia. As long as she was in Astaroth’s grasp, he had only one choice.

[Head to District 17 right now. Your precious person is waiting there.]

Eugene stared into the void in silence.

There was nothing but the wall, but it felt as if Astaroth was there.

◈

“I can’t believe this was one of the Family’s hideouts…”

Isabella let out a bitter laugh, closer to a scoff.

Click, click. 

The heels of her military boots tapped against the corridor floor.

A cold chill emanated with each step she took.

A large general hospital in District 17.

A hospital that often collaborated with the Celestial Corps.

Battles with monsters always resulted in casualties. Whether civilians or Celestial Corps members were injured, it was a daily occurrence. 

As such, the Celestial Corps not only had military hospitals under its command but also had agreements with several civilian hospitals. This hospital was one of them.

And it was also one of the Family’s hideouts.

Considering that this hospital had existed long before the Family was established, it was likely that at some point, it had been taken over by the Family.

“No wonder we’ve been through so much trouble.”

Medical staff unrelated to the Family.

Patients admitted to the hospital or waiting for treatment.

Family members trying to escape unnoticed, mixed among them.

Chaos had erupted. It had been somewhat managed, but it was more like postponing the problem with a brute-force approach. Everyone in the hospital—patients, doctors, and staff—had been detained. 

Among them, critically ill patients or those in need of urgent treatment were transferred to other hospitals. It was a somewhat coercive method, and there would undoubtedly be a wave of critical articles in the media later, but it was far better than letting the Family escape.

“Even as the situation was being resolved, they never showed up.”

Angelica, walking half a step behind Isabella, spoke. As she said, the Devils never appeared. If the Devils had shown up during the chaos, the damage would have been unimaginable.

“And there’s no sign of the abducted people either…”

Angelica’s expression darkened. While it was fortunate that the Devils hadn’t appeared, there was also no trace of the girl she was looking for. 

The Celestial Corps members were currently searching every corner of the hospital, but there had been no news yet. Angelica glanced back. A blue-haired girl in a school uniform was following them.

Alice.

A student from the class she was in charge of.

A girl who shouldn’t have been here under normal circumstances.

Given Angelica’s nature, Alice shouldn’t have been allowed to participate in the Family Subjugation War. Angelica had left the 3rd Division to protect immature students. 

To push a student into a battle against humans, not even monsters, was unthinkable. Angelica had firmly refused. She had intended to refuse.

‘…Even now, it’s hard to believe.’

When Angelica first met Alice, who had woken up from a coma, she couldn’t believe her eyes. 

An incomprehensible scene was unfolding before her. She was so incredulous that she even asked Isabella to pinch her cheek. But Isabella was also gaping in shock, so Angelica ended up pinching her own cheek. 

It hurt. This wasn’t a dream.

‘She’s awakened. Not just partially, but fully awakened.’

One close to the gods.

A state one must reach to become a vice-captain of the Celestial Corps.

Alice had now reached the same level as Angelica had not long ago.

‘A first-year awakening…’

Even Angelica, who had been praised as a genius among geniuses, hadn’t reached this level.

She had only reached the state of awakening near the end of her third year.

It was almost by the time she graduated from the academy that she became one close to the gods.

And even then, she hadn’t fully mastered the state, only becoming a complete awakened after joining the Celestial Corps.

But Alice, a first-year student who had only been at the academy for a few months, had reached the state of awakening. Moreover, she had perfectly mastered it, with no imperfections.

‘Eugene’s growth was impressive, but Alice is on a whole different level.’

At least Eugene was similar to Angelica in the past, but Alice had far surpassed that.

But if that were all, Angelica wouldn’t have allowed Alice to join the operation. In terms of combat ability, someone like Eugene would have been sufficient. 

Even someone as exceptional as Alice should have been a target of protection, not cooperation.

“…”

Alice followed behind the two women, her lips tightly sealed. She was nothing like her usual self. 

The Alice who always lacked confidence and kept her gaze down was nowhere to be seen. This was the decisive reason Angelica had accepted her.

‘Sudden growth in her state… a change in personality… there must be a connection.’

Supernatural abilities are the power of the mind. Just as the mind influences supernatural abilities, supernatural abilities also influence the mind. 

If she had transcended her limits and achieved awakening, there must have been some change in her psyche. 

Normally, awakening doesn’t drastically change one’s personality. But Alice’s situation was a bit special.

Her close friend had been abducted right before her eyes.

She herself had suffered a critical injury and hovered between life and death.

If that had been the catalyst for her awakening…

‘…She wouldn’t give up easily if pushed away, and outright rejection might have negative consequences.’

If it was the current Alice, she would search for Lucia on her own.

In that case, it was far better to keep her close and monitor her.

After much deliberation, Angelica had come to that conclusion.

◈

[…Alice, are you really okay?]

Frey spoke with a voice full of concern. Isabella and Angelica were walking down the hospital corridor together, but the voice reached only Alice. 

It was a conversation in the mental world. Naturally, no one but Alice, who shared the same body, could hear it.

‘Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for worrying.’

Alice replied nonchalantly. But Frey wasn’t fooled. She couldn’t be. While others might be deceived, one couldn’t deceive oneself. 

They were two halves of one whole—Alice and Frey. Frey could easily see through Alice’s condition.

She was pushing herself too hard.

Alice had changed as if she was a different person, but people don’t change overnight. Only her outward behavior had changed; Alice’s essence remained the same.

She was imitating Lucia, acting out an extroverted personality. Of course, since it was an act, maintaining it was mentally exhausting. Frey could clearly feel the burden Alice was carrying.

From the moment Lucia disappeared, Alice had been trying to change. The direction was positive, but the method wasn’t ideal. 

This was no different from hiding behind a mask. Knowing this, Frey could only keep her mouth shut.

Because she could clearly feel Alice’s emotions, and in truth, Frey wasn’t much different.

She wanted to save her.

She wanted to get her back.

She wanted to see her again.

Emotions boiled over. Sorrow and anger were tangled together. Hatred and resentment were mixed haphazardly. 

Longing and fear were blended beyond recognition. That’s why Frey couldn’t stop Alice. She felt the same way.

In the depths of her mind, Frey prepared to take over for Alice at any moment. The current Alice couldn’t even control her own emotional turmoil. She wouldn’t listen even if Frey suggested switching. 

She was in a state where she couldn’t bear it unless she did something. When the time came that Alice could no longer bear the burden, Frey would take over. With that thought, Frey steeled her aching heart.

‘…Hey, Frey.’

At that moment, Alice spoke.

Not out loud, but in her mind.

A message not for the two women in front, but for Frey.

[What is it, Alice?]

‘Do you smell that?’

[Smell?]

They shared the same body.

If Alice smelled something, Frey could smell it too.

[…]

What Alice was referring to wasn’t a literal smell. It was a metaphorical ‘smell’. As Frey focused her consciousness on the sensations Alice was receiving, she too realized what Alice meant.

[The stench of rotting corpses.]

‘It’s a familiar smell, right?’

Frey was genuinely relieved that she wasn’t in control of the body right now. She didn’t want anyone to see the twisted smile forming on her face. It would have been a vicious expression, completely out of place on Alice’s cute face.

The aura of decay and corrosion.

The unmistakable presence of death.

[…She’s here.]

‘She’s here.’

That damn masked woman.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
The black knight with the super sensitive body has arrived!

By the way, the reason why Ere is struggling with desire is because she is so insensitive to that.

“I’ve been a Death Knight for so long that I’ve become numb to my emotions, but I suddenly became hypersensitive.” -Something like that.

It’s true that playing with fire late in life is scary.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Scary Alice! Eek!!