Chapter 254

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The dim, reddish light lingered in the secret room.

Pools of blood and scattered chunks of flesh lay on the floor.

A sticky sensation coated all five senses.

The saw blade, having torn through too much flesh, had dulled.

It wasn’t cutting anymore—it was more like ripping.

The process of physically “dismantling” a person was nothing short of a nightmare.

It was grotesque, repulsive, and nauseating, like a cheap snuff film.

Every time I pulled out and chopped up the entrails, I couldn’t stop retching.

Those few days of nightmares left an indelible mark on Regina’s life.

“…”

Her heart raced madly.

A strange heat rose to her chin.

Something close to a scream threatened to burst from her mouth.

To suppress her increasingly ragged breaths, Regina bit her lip.

She couldn’t show any strange behavior.

She couldn’t do anything that would arouse suspicion.

It wasn’t just about fulfilling Astaroth’s “request”.

That day, in that place.

She didn’t want anyone to find out that she was the one who had “dismantled” her.

“Ugh…”

Even when alone, the memories that suddenly surfaced were tormenting.

She couldn’t escape the metallic smell of blood or the nauseating retching.

Naturally, the moment she faced Lucia, her vision turned white.

A buzzing noise, like the fluttering of insect wings, shook her mind.

Her thoughts fragmented, and her uniform clung to her body, soaked in cold sweat.

‘I really didn’t want to do this…’

Facing that innocent face alone drained her mental strength.

If this continued, she might really faint.

Overwhelmed by vague fear and a sense of crisis, Regina reluctantly resorted to her last resort.

A final method she hadn’t dared to try, even while suffering from nightmares and hallucinations.

She activated her Supernatural Ability at maximum output. Everything her body produced was a drug. Even a single drop of sweat could be transformed into a drug. So, Regina converted the blood flowing through her veins into drugs.

The blood circulating through her body, driven by her heartbeat.

As all that blood turned into drugs, the effects appeared immediately.

It was only because Regina had a tolerance for drugs that she could endure it; it was already far beyond a lethal dose.

She had avoided this method because even she couldn’t predict the side effects, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

A mild headache accompanied a slight clarity in her consciousness. No, it was the opposite. Her mind had softened slightly. But thanks to that, the metallic smell and nausea were greatly alleviated. Good, with this, she could maintain a poker face in front of Lucia.

“Hey, Regina?”

“…What?”

Regina answered Lucia’s question as naturally as possible. Did she seem strange? Honestly, she didn’t know. She couldn’t objectively evaluate her current state. She could only hope it was okay.

“Are you alright? You don’t look so good. Are you sick?”

“I’m just… a little sleep-deprived. I’m tired, so don’t worry about it.”

“That doesn’t seem to be all…”

Lucia stepped forward without hesitation. Before the startled Regina could step back, Lucia’s hand touched her forehead. She gently stroked it. It was soft but slightly lukewarm.

“See, you’re burning up! Your face is pale too. Are you really okay?”

As Lucia said, Regina’s physical condition wasn’t great. She hadn’t been able to eat properly for days, vomiting whatever she consumed.

She had spent every night wide awake, suffering from extreme stress. It would be strange if she were okay. Moreover, she was currently injecting herself with a dose far beyond lethal. A fever was a natural reaction.

“It’s good to focus on training, but you should prioritize your health. As a student of the academy, taking care of your body is essential, right?”

Regina couldn’t respond to the genuinely concerned voice.

“You can’t attend classes in that state. I’ll take you. Let’s go to the infirmary first.”

Lucia took Regina’s hand and started walking ahead.

Regina, without even thinking of resisting, followed, led by her hand.

Regina looked at Lucia’s back with trembling eyes.

They overlapped.

Like filters overlapping.

The past version of her overlapped with the present.

The neat uniform turned into blood-soaked rags, unrecognizable.

The vibrant hair turned into a matted mess of dried blood.

The soft, warm voice turned into suppressed screams.

By the time the hallway’s scenery turned into the reddish secret room.

Regina roughly slapped Lucia’s hand away.

Lucia looked stunned, bewildered by the sudden action.

‘Yes, that expression was better. Don’t look at me with concern. Don’t approach me kindly. Don’t smile.’

Regina staggered and turned away.

“Re, Regina?”

“…Don’t worry about me. I’m a nuisance.”

She quickened her pace.

Regina walked as if fleeing.

A frantic voice followed her.

“Where are you going? Let’s go to the infirmary first…”

“I know my own condition better than anyone.”

“But…”

“Stop bothering me and go on your way. Go find your own damn business.”

Her breathing grew increasingly ragged. Regina’s steps quickened, and before she knew it, she was running.

Her head felt like it would explode. It was hard to breathe. She couldn’t face those innocent eyes anymore.

Afraid that Lucia might chase her, she forced her exhausted, starved body to move.

But perhaps she had exhausted all her remaining energy by pretending to be fine in front of Lucia.

Regina had to stop after only a short distance. Her legs trembled pitifully. When was the last time she had eaten anything?

Her stomach hurt. Her throat stung. Her headache had thrown off her sense of balance.

Staggering, she leaned against the wall with her hand. She desperately urged her legs, which felt like they might give out at any moment.

If it were Lucia.

That clueless girl.

Even if she refused, she might still chase her.

No, she would definitely follow out of concern.

So she couldn’t stay here. She had to escape. Regina gasped for breath and quickened her pace.

Fortunately, she had already passed all the classrooms while running. She didn’t need to worry about the other students’ gazes.

Just a little further, and she’d reach the end of the hallway. At the end of the hallway was a staircase.

She would climb the stairs to another floor, then jump out of a window to avoid Lucia’s gaze. No matter what method she used, she just wanted to escape this unbearable anxiety.

Staggering, she headed toward the staircase. Her body felt numb. The buzzing auditory hallucinations gradually turned into more concrete sounds. The sound of a saw tearing through flesh. The sizzling sound of flesh burning. Screams. The sound of blood droplets falling.

They were hallucinations. All fake.

“Haa, huff…”

She couldn’t breathe. Her breathing wouldn’t work. No matter how wide she opened her mouth, she couldn’t draw in air. It felt like something was blocking her throat.

Regina clutched her chest. Her neck veins bulged, and her purple eyes turned red with bloodshot. Her legs gave out on their own. Regina leaned her shoulder against the wall and coughed.

She couldn’t afford to collapse here.

She had to get out of the academy.

First, she’d return to the dorm.

Use perfume, yes, perfume to numb her nose.

To escape this unbearable metallic smell…

The auditory hallucinations…

Thud.

The floor rapidly approached and filled her vision.

That was the last thing Regina saw before losing consciousness.

◈

Regina had collapsed.

No wonder her pale face didn’t look good.

It was good that I followed her.

I approached the unconscious Regina and placed my palm on her forehead.

It was hot. Not just warm, but scorching hot. A high fever. I didn’t have a thermometer, but it must have been over 40 degrees.

For an ordinary person, this level of fever would be dangerous, but for a Supernatural, it wasn’t that serious. Their bodies were naturally sturdy, after all. These were superhumans who fought monsters from other dimensions—a fever wasn’t a big deal.

It was rare for Supernaturals, who were immune to most diseases, to suffer from illness.

Unless they had sustained severe injuries that weakened their immune system, overexerted their bodies and abilities, or suffered a mental shock that weakened their powers, they wouldn’t collapse from a fever.

I smiled wryly as I picked Regina up.

Her overly nervous reactions.

Her inability to look me in the eye.

Her desperate attempts to get away from me.

It seemed my suspicions were correct.

‘That day, the person who tortured me was indeed Regina.’

Ahem, Lucia is quick to notice things.

I had already figured out that the torture methods had changed at some point.

Since the blindfold obscured my vision, my other senses had become incredibly sharp.

The faint groans.

The voice that apologized while sobbing.

At the time, my mind was hazy with pain and pleasure.

So, I considered the possibility that it might have been a misunderstanding.

But now, Regina’s reaction confirmed it for me.

The culprit was Regina.

‘Hehe, it felt really good…’

Just remembering it made my legs weak.

I didn’t know Regina had such skills.

I kind of wanted to experience it again.

‘But when did Regina fall into Astaroth’s grasp?’

The Red Fox Mask controls living beings.

Monsters, humans.

It brainwashed them equally.

While I was being cautious based solely on the “novel”, Regina had become Astaroth’s slave. Seri was probably the same. Remember when she came with Regina and tried to hypnotize me? As for Carlos… hmm, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check later.

While I suspected that Astaroth’s influence had reached Class D, I didn’t act rashly. For one, I had no way to break the brainwashing. I didn’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest.

If I destroyed the Red Fox Mask, I could probably break the brainwashing…

But how would I know where the mask is hidden?

It’s the core of the brainwashing, so it must be well hidden.

Of course, I didn’t plan to just sit back and do nothing. Once I confirmed Astaroth’s involvement, I intended to take action. I knew a way to break the brainwashing without destroying the mask. I couldn’t do it, but someone else could. If I can’t do something, I’ll leave it to someone who can.

Anyway, I never expected to encounter Regina like this.

I had been thinking of ways to approach her naturally without revealing my suspicions, but… all that worrying was for nothing.

Break time was almost over, but Alice hadn’t returned. Not just Alice, but Eugene and Arin were also absent. Something felt off. I started to worry that if I left things as they were, Alice might misunderstand something ridiculous. So, I went out to look for them… but I never expected to run into Regina as soon as I left the classroom.

If you’re going to hide, do it properly. Hiding so clumsily just makes it obvious.

I still needed to find the three of them, but I couldn’t leave the unconscious Regina here.

When I weighed the priorities, the scale tipped decisively to one side.

I’d take her to the infirmary first, then go look for them.

“Huh? What the…?”

But that worry turned out to be unnecessary.

As I carried Regina and headed to the end of the hallway, I noticed something unexpected. I rarely used this path since it was far from the classrooms, but there was a staircase here. The infirmary was on the upper floor, so I planned to take these stairs.

As I turned the corner without much thought, I was met with an unexpected sight.

“Alice?”

Blue hair and a small frame.

A petite girl that could be mistaken for an elementary school student.

I wouldn’t mistake her for anyone else.

“Eugene? Arin? What are you all doing here?”

Moreover, Alice wasn’t alone.

The people I was looking for were all here.

Hehe, I’m really lucky, aren’t I?

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
If you call for a tiger, the tiger will come.

Regina kept thinking about Lucia, so Lucia naturally came to her.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Yeah that’s definitely how it works…

Anyway, free Astaroth, she done no wrong.