Ch.2020. Everything Has a Reason.

It was a violent killing intent.

A hostility that clung persistently to the soles of my feet, choking my throat.

The murderous aura emanating from the swordsman on the first floor could just as easily be called terror without any exaggeration.

It was this intense despite not being directed at the faculty. He was still butchering the Spiritmaster, whose original form was now unrecognizable, as if his anger had not yet subsided.

He had been doing this for quite some time, but the faculty remained frozen, unable to move.

Like hikers who had encountered a bear on a mountain trail, they were driven by instinct not to draw the swordsman’s attention.

Eventually.

The Spiritmaster’s corpse was completely shattered. Everyone felt nauseated at the horrifically cruel sight but forced themselves to endure it.

Even Karen, who had witnessed countless atrocities during her mercenary days, couldn’t help but grimace at such a gruesome end.

But it didn’t end there.

The swordsman placed his sword on the ground, slowly reached out, and then.

Crunch.

He began to devour it.

“Ugh!”

Finally, the Chancellor couldn’t hold back anymore and turned his head to vomit. Karen and Erika bit their lips, forcing themselves to endure.

“…Madman.”

Gideon Zeronia spat out a word, unable to contain his disgust, but the swordsman paid no attention.

He continued eating.

Devouring it urgently, as if someone was chasing him.

[…..]

He slowly stood up and picked up his sword.

Without even glancing at the faculty on the stairs, he turned and descended the staircase again.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

“Haaah!”

Once he had completely disappeared from sight, Karen exhaled the breath she’d been holding. Erika hurriedly looked toward the remains of the Spiritmaster, but.

“He ate everything, even the bones.”

He had chopped everything into small pieces—meat and bones—and devoured it all before leaving.

All that remained on the floor were scattered bits of flesh and a pool of blood.

If not for those, one might have dismissed what they’d just witnessed as a hallucination, as nothing else remained.

“Gack! Gaack!”

The Chancellor, who had vomited in a corner of the hallway, wiped his mouth with a deathly pale expression and said:

“L-let’s call Professor Deus. Professor Deus. He must know something about this.”

Karen immediately agreed.

“Good idea. Let’s contact him right away.”

Though they felt they had no grounds to refuse anymore and no other way to resolve the situation, Erika quickly interjected:

“B-but didn’t the Spiritmaster say earlier? Deus is simply more perceptive than others, but when it comes to controlling evil spirits…!”

“Enough!”

The Chancellor shook his head in exasperation. Pointing his finger at Erika, he angrily confronted her:

“When I think about it, this is all because of you, Professor Erika! You wanted to break off your engagement with Professor Deus, so you had him dismissed! Isn’t that why all this is happening?!”

“…!”

Professor Erika clenched her fist momentarily but couldn’t say anything in response.

It was true.

Even though her intention had been to save Professor Deus, to the outside world, she was just the villain who had gotten her fiancé fired.

In that atmosphere, it was Gideon who spoke up:

“Professor Erika didn’t have Professor Deus dismissed for personal reasons. His strange behavior was observed multiple times, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“Rather, I think we should focus on this point: ‘Why’ did these evil spirits suddenly appear in the Academy?”

It was indeed the right question.

It was actually the most concerning point for both Karen, who had been listening quietly, and Erika, who had been investigating the situation.

“Until now, the Academy only had ghost stories made up by students. But they were just that—stories, children’s pranks.”

“Things changed after Deus arrived?”

When the Chancellor muttered as if entranced, Gideon shook his head and corrected him:

“More precisely, things changed after Deus left. I believe Deus had a hand in this series of incidents.”

Creating a situation where he would be indispensable out of resentment for being dismissed.

The Chancellor felt the puzzle pieces clicking into place in his mind, which quickly transformed into uncontrollable rage:

“How dare he! How dare he threaten the lives of students and professors for his own selfish desires in Robern Academy, a place of learning?! This is nothing but blackmail!”

Erika tried to say something, but Gideon frowned and shook his head. It was a warning not to intervene.

However, Erika trampled over Gideon’s warning without hesitation and exclaimed:

“Wait! There’s still no evidence! Professor Deus even left us a memo to help us!”

“Silence!”

The Chancellor, unable to contain his anger any longer, crumpled up the handkerchief he had used to wipe his mouth and threw it.

It didn’t hurt at all, but it signified how heightened his emotions had become.

“Professor Erika Bright! What exactly do you want?! You were the most active in getting Professor Deus dismissed! And now you’re defending him?! What, are you driven by guilt?”

“…”

Do I have to reveal it now?

Even if it meant making herself look selfish, she couldn’t place an even greater burden on Professor Deus.

‘I just wanted to save you.’

Exhaling deeply, Erika clenched both fists.

After Deus had been possessed by an evil spirit and hanged himself.

Every day had been like hell. At dawn, she would secretly follow him as he confronted evil spirits.

And when he became possessed and tried to commit suicide, she would rush to save him.

Strangulation: 7 times.

Dismemberment: 6 times.

Drowning: 3 times.

Spine breaking: 9 times.

These were the number of times the damned evil spirits had tried to kill Deus.

That’s why she had him dismissed to save him, and made him fall out of love with her.

She had told Deus to stop many times, but…

Enough.

She didn’t want to recall those conversations.

“Actually.”

Anyway, Erika was about to tell everything she knew. That Professor Deus had been suppressing the evil spirits, and that she was the bad one.

She had essentially abandoned the Academy to save Deus, who had been suppressing the evil spirits.

But at that moment.

[Shh.]

Her vision suddenly turned black. Professor Erika felt a strange floating sensation, only realizing she was falling when she hit the ground.

Thud.

Professor Erika had fainted.

“Erika!”

Startled by the sudden situation, Gideon quickly tried to lift Erika, but.

“Step aside.”

Karen intervened and examined Erika.

“She’s just fainted. She hasn’t been sleeping well lately. Take her to the infirmary and let her rest.”

“…”

Though the conversation was abruptly cut off, the Chancellor declared with finality:

“I’ll send another letter to Professor Deus! Hah, it’s tight timing for him to come from Norsweden to Robern. If we’re not careful, he might arrive after the semester starts.”

Then, grinding his teeth, he added:

“After all this is resolved, Professor Deus will be held accountable. We may bow our heads now, but once the situation is over, he won’t easily return to his homeland.”

Now it’s a race against time.

The students’ evaluations, more frightening than evil spirits.

The Chancellor, clutching his throbbing head, asked them to handle the rest and returned to his office.

The mere thought of having to grovel and write a letter to him made his chest tighten with frustration.

*

“Decline it.”

“…Are you serious?”

The usual five minutes.

Deia flutters the letter she’s holding with her index finger and asks again.

I don’t know why she read my letter without permission, but anyway.

In response to my answer about the Academy’s request for reinstatement, Deia makes a subtle expression and says:

“I’m not saying this out of self-interest, okay? It’s not like I want you to get out of this mansion quickly, or that I can’t stand the sight of you, or that five minutes is too precious. It’s not like that.”

“You talk too much, Deia.”

“Ahem, that’s not it. Opportunities like this are rare. It’s the start of the semester at Robern now. This is your last chance.”

I know.

If I miss this timing, it will be virtually impossible to return to a professorship at Robern Academy.

Originally, the plan was to stretch it out as much as possible and return exactly at this time, but.

“There are still things I need to do.”

Now was not the time to leave the Verdi mansion.

‘The Academy reinstatement and proposal are regrettable, but unavoidable.’

The letter contained promises of research funding, resources, and financial support. It was such an attractive offer that even Deia was momentarily tempted.

Moreover, it offered the chance to build direct relationships with the protagonist and many major characters from the game who would be enrolling in this golden generation, but.

I decided to give it up.

“Is it because of Emily?”

“Yes.”

Despite Deia’s dejected expression, I answered indifferently.

The little girl’s grudge had not yet been fully resolved. Not only that, but I also intended to save all the resentful spirits surrounding the mansion while I was at it.

For my future necromancy, that was necessary.

“…”

When Emily was mentioned, Deia seemed to want to ask something, opening her mouth before closing it again.

Click.

The five minutes were up.

Without hesitation, Deia immediately turned and left my room.

I could hear Findenai’s returning footsteps.

I unfolded the map that I had put away when Deia entered and picked up my pen.

‘If I can’t help from the inside, I’ll help from the outside.’

The ultimate goal was to prevent the continent’s destruction.

Since there were plenty of ways to help the protagonist besides being a professor by his side, my pen busily marked checkpoints on the map.

Each one was a location with a major episode from the game or an essential item to be obtained.

What about the evil spirits remaining at the Academy? someone might ask.

I decided to let that go.

‘Come to think of it, it was strange.’

Because in the game, while there were ghost stories, they were never this extreme.

‘Perhaps my presence stirred up the nest, or maybe the evil spirits enter a dormant state when the protagonist arrives.’

If I just don’t disturb them too much, they’ll fall asleep on their own.

…

……

……….

“Is that really true?”

Tap.

I put down my pen, furrowed my brow, closed my eyes, and leaned back in my chair.

Really.

Could evil spirits that had been peacefully dormant have awakened just because one person like me arrived?

I’ve thought about it many times.

Formulated hypotheses many times.

Pondered and pondered again.

My answer, continuing from the Academy, was ultimately one:

“That can’t be right.”

Everything happens for a reason.

Just as Deia despises me to the point of hatred.

Just as Erika Bright lost feelings for stubborn me and had me dismissed.

Just as the Marrowbugs reawakened with Maalks’s appearance.

Just like the faint screams still coming from beneath the mansion.

Like the deep self-inflicted wounds on my wrists.

The evil spirits at the Academy, too, have reasons for their behavior.

I exhale.

Once again, I pick up my pen and mark the location of Robern Academy.