Ch.4141. Time Bomb
by fnovelpia
●
“…Are you serious?”
Elnore asked with a bewildered voice, but the person who had prompted such a reaction simply nodded nonchalantly.
“Yes. This has already been agreed upon between the Holy Empire and Elphante Academy.”
Elnore scanned through the document that had been handed to her with a perplexed expression.
Clearly, at the bottom of it was Atalante’s signature.
‘The Chancellor isn’t someone who would agree to such madness.’
As she was thinking this, a voice came from across the desk.
“Is there a problem?”
Klein Garrison. The combat priest from the Holy Empire wearing such a nameplate spoke with a smirk. The combat priest with purple epaulettes was a high-ranking individual with military power and authority equivalent to a platoon leader among the Empire’s regular knights.
He’s far too valuable a resource to be dispatched merely as a representative of a delegation.
So it’s only natural that the topic he brought up would be even more shocking.
“Are you saying the Saint will do such a thing? This is too—”
Inhumane.
It’s hard to believe that a religious group would propose something like this first.
“Student Council President.”
His tone was certainly polite, but underlying it was a sinister energy that felt almost venomous.
“This is something the Saint herself ‘volunteered’ for. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
Who in the world would volunteer for something like this?
Rather, ‘made to volunteer’ would be much more convincing.
Suddenly, what Darwood Campbell had said earlier flashed through her mind.
‘The Holy Empire will probably make some absurd demands. I don’t know the specifics, but they’re all crazy there, starting with their Pope.’
When she first heard it, she wondered what kind of blasphemous statement that was.
It felt like he was completely villainizing the continent’s largest religious group.
But now, seeing it firsthand, she was starting to think he might be right.
This was something only madmen would demand.
“…”
“Student Council President? This matter has already been decided, so please promptly—”
“Yes.”
Elnore, who had been closing her eyes and recalling Darwood’s words, stamped the document and handed it back as soon as the other party began to urge her. The combat priest, who had been preparing to threaten her if she didn’t comply, was taken aback.
“What are you doing? I’ve processed it as you wished.”
“…Thank you.”
With a suspicious look, the combat priest scanned her up and down before tilting his head and leaving the Student Council office.
Despite being the ones who made the request, they seemed to be thinking, ‘Is it really this easy to get approval?’ Elnore rose from her seat with a slight smile.
The exam would begin soon. As the Student Council President, she also served as a proctor, so she needed to get to the exam venue promptly.
“…”
The recent situation was still swirling in her mind.
It was certainly a bizarre proposal. Her usual self would never have accepted it.
Probably.
‘Approve that. Whatever they ask for.’
She wouldn’t have done it if someone hadn’t told her to.
‘So I can cause trouble without feeling guilty.’
Recalling that, Elnore let out another chuckle as she picked up her sword.
That man is definitely planning something again.
Already seeing through the fact that the Holy Empire is going to do something at Elphante.
So.
Her job is.
-It’s related to you. We’re family, after all.
“…”
Suddenly remembering those words, she paused.
“…If I hear something like that, how can I not follow?”
What a cunning man.
Family, he says.
That’s it, right?
Hmm.
I’m not certain, but that’s the only thing that comes to mind.
‘…I might need to make some preparations on my end too.’
As she was thinking this, she met eyes with Beatrix Elfin Kilgore, who was entering the office.
“What’s this, heading out to prepare for exam supervision?”
“That’s right.”
As they were about to pass each other, Elnore suddenly turned to Beatrix as if she had just remembered something.
“Ah, right. Beatrix.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Where would be the best place to get rings made?”
“Rings? What kind of rings?”
“…The kind that a man and woman exchange as a token of promise.”
Beatrix, who had been moving documents, collapsed right there.
●
Yuria Greyhaunter’s yesterday was absolute hell.
‘Why didn’t he come today?’
The first thought that crossed her mind when she woke up in the morning was the absence of someone beside her.
Strange. He was someone who came every morning to cross swords with her.
‘…He must have been busy.’
The rational choice would be something like that. He’s not someone who lives in isolation like her; he must have his own life.
Especially if he’s talented enough for Chancellor Atalante to personally manage.
“…”
She knew better than anyone that thinking this way was rational.
But if human emotions were so easily controlled, no one in the world would have worries or concerns.
‘What if he wasn’t busy?’
Ominous thoughts truly come unexpectedly, taking root and settling firmly in one’s heart.
‘What if he’s just tired of me?’
Her hands, which were washing clothes in the nearby stream, suddenly stopped.
Despite it being summer, her face was reflected in the icy cold stream water.
A disheveled woman was there.
A shabby person far removed from the bright and sparkling students of the academy occasionally seen through the window.
“…”
The corners of her eyes drooped. A gloomy expression spread across her face.
Once the negative circuit started turning, it showed no signs of stopping.
‘…He’s definitely tired of me.’
Why would anyone want to be close to someone who slashes without hesitation when approached, can’t speak properly, and lives a life no different from a barbarian every day?
Yes, that must be it.
“…”
But even before falling asleep, she couldn’t completely let go of the hope that maybe, just maybe.
Maybe, just maybe.
He might come tomorrow morning.
“…”
But.
The next day, there was still no sign of that man.
‘…See.’
He is tired of me.
It meant he had no more business with the insignificant human named Yuria Greyhaunter.
“…”
Even though she never expected to become friends from the start.
It was going to be like this from the beginning. Why had she been so foolishly excited?
She would be alone until she died.
And as soon as she realized this.
“…Uh.”
Pearl-like tears began to roll down her eyes.
“Uh, uu, huuuk…”
The Curse of Severance prevents her from forming proper sentences.
But muffled sobs that she couldn’t suppress escaped from her tightly closed mouth.
It hurts.
Strangely, her heart ached.
She wanted to have even trivial conversations with someone. She had been isolated for so long.
If it was going to hurt this much, he shouldn’t have come at all.
Why give something only to take it away?
If only she had never known that feeling from the start.
So suddenly.
Coming suddenly, suddenly taking a place in her heart, and then suddenly disappearing like this.
‘…I’ll do well.’
Such a vow, not knowing who it was directed at, murmured from her.
‘I won’t be a bother. I’ll do whatever you ask.’
She herself didn’t know what she was saying.
Only such sentences vaguely came to mind amidst her endless sobbing.
‘Please appear just once more.’
Then, definitely.
I won’t let go.
Please.
Someone, help me.
-Alright.
It was then that a snickering voice echoed in her head.
-You called first, didn’t you?
It was an ominously chilling voice.
Yuria momentarily stopped crying and paused.
‘…What was that just now?’
Clearly.
Something had changed within her just now. She felt it.
But she wasn’t sure what it was.
As she was thinking this.
“…What are you doing?”
Startled by the question from beside her, Yuria twisted her body in surprise.
“Why are you crying? Did something happen while I was away?”
And there.
A masked man was standing there, speaking as if nothing was wrong.
“-…-!!!”
She couldn’t help but burst into even louder tears than before.
Though for a slightly different reason this time.
●
Taking Yuria to the midterm exam actually involves dealing with a lot of risks.
First of all, she shouldn’t allow anyone within three steps of her, and since she “stole and ran away with” the Holy Empire’s national treasure, there’s bound to be friction if I take her to the midterm event where the Saint and Holy Empire-related figures are almost certainly going to appear.
That’s why I haven’t even told Atalante about this, who would usually do whatever I say. She would obviously oppose it. That’s how dangerous it is.
“…”
Nevertheless, there’s a reason why I must take her.
First, most of Chapter 2’s strategy revolves around lifting the Curse of Severance placed on her.
How quickly that’s done essentially determines whether the chapter can be cleared or not.
The time limit is only about 5 days from today.
‘And…’
If I can somehow make her have even one contact with the Saint before Chapter 2 officially begins.
I can significantly lower the overall difficulty.
‘The Greyhaunter sisters.’
Sisters artificially created as “scapegoats” under the Pope’s direction. Humans forcibly manipulated to draw immense holy power at the cost of all other abilities.
The Holy Empire’s national treasure that she possesses should have originally gone to the Saint.
The reason she stole it and ran away is related to that.
‘…Anyway, it’s certain that I need to make Yuria and the Saint have at least one contact.’
And the timing for that is almost exclusively during the midterm exam.
The Saint, true to her reputation, will always be surrounded by Holy Empire-related figures, and for various reasons, this is the only time when such security becomes lax.
If my memory serves me right, that’s definitely the case.
Probably, if the worst variable I’m thinking of doesn’t appear.
“…”
It’s a low probability, but.
If that variable does pop up, the difficulty of Chapter 2 will skyrocket.
The way to deal with Yuria would have to be completely different.
But if that doesn’t happen, it’s quite a solid plan.
<System Message>
[ ‘Skill: Fatal Charm’ activates! ]
[ Target ‘Yuria Greyhaunter’s affection level rises sharply! ]
[ Affection level upgraded from ‘Interest Level 1’ to ‘Interest Level 2’! ]
[ Additional rewards are now available! ]
“…”
Somehow, I feel like my predictions are off as soon as I came to see her.
I inwardly break into a cold sweat as I scan such a window appearing before my eyes.
Unlike Elnore, with whom I clearly made some verbal mistake, I have no idea how this is happening with her.
“…Uh. Yeah. Blow your nose. Hmph.”
I push a cloth tied to a wooden stick towards her. If I were to go and wipe it for her, there would be a knife fight right there.
“So. Nothing really happened. You just cried because you were happy to see me?”
“…”
Yuria nodded silently.
It’s such a vigorous movement that it almost makes a buzzing sound.
“…I was busy with other things yesterday. It wasn’t for any particular reason.”
“…”
She wiped her tears with the cloth and sniffled again.
The look in her eyes seems to be asking, ‘Really?’
“Really.”
“…”
Only then did Yuria stop sniffling. She blew her nose into the cloth with a “pang” sound and took a deep breath, showing that she had truly calmed down now.
What’s with this reaction just because I didn’t visit for one day?
I understand she’s been living alone for so long that she’s desperately lonely.
“…”
And while I feel bad asking this in front of someone like her.
Time is a bit tight.
The exam starts tomorrow.
“…Hey, I have a favor to ask—”
[I’ll do it!]
I’m at a loss for words seeing such large letters of holy power appearing before my eyes.
From her perspective, she’s probably shouting with intensity.
[I’ll do anything, anything! Just ask me!]
I’m taken aback by the almost desperate look on her face.
No.
Was she always this kind of character?
She was always a bit timid, mindful of others, and afraid of losing connections, but.
Now, this is more like.
She seems to be anxiously worried about being abandoned by me.
“…It involves going outside. Will that be okay?”
[It’s okay!]
She agrees without any hesitation, even though it’s clearly something that would terrify her—an “external event.”
Something is definitely off.
My next words were meant to calm her down a bit.
“No, don’t push yourself too hard. I can do it with someone else if—”
And the moment I said that.
A chill ran down my spine.
Partly because the light disappeared from Yuria’s eyes before I could even finish my sentence.
[…Have you grown tired of me?]
I’m currently maintaining a safe distance from her. More than four steps.
[Can I at least know the reason? I’ll, I’ll really do anything for you—]
But.
[ A crisis situation is detected. ]
[ Judged to be a direct threat to life. ]
[ Applying skill: Dire Straits at EX rank. ]
If there’s a situation where something like this would suddenly appear, only one thing comes to mind.
It becomes even more certain when I see the “white” energy billowing from her “sword.”
Generally, the color associated with all cursed objects is “black.”
The same goes for this sword that creates the Curse of Severance. It should normally emit black energy when she starts using it properly.
But if there’s only one possibility for it to emit white energy, it’s:
‘…Demon.’
As I mentioned before, where and how a demon fragment seeps in is almost purely random.
It can seep into humans, or into objects.
But there’s a possibility that a “demon fragment” has seeped into the Holy Empire’s national treasure.
A fragment of the White Demon.
Known as the demon with the strongest “obsession” among all demons.
And due to some unknown cursed “condition” being triggered, Yuria is awakening as its “vessel.”
‘…We’re screwed.’
If it turns out like this, the clear methods become extremely narrow.
Some people would even advise resetting the game entirely when routes get tangled like this.
Why?
‘Those who awaken as vessels begin to be influenced by that demon.’
As can be seen with Elnore, once someone awakens as a vessel, they are bound to be influenced by it somehow.
In her case, only enhanced physical abilities are noticeable for now, but various other influences will soon follow.
The problem is that the “influence” received by the White Demon’s vessel spreads quickly and powerfully to the target.
[Why aren’t you answering me?]
<System Message>
[ Target ‘Yuria Greyhaunter’s affection level changes! ]
[ Affection level upgraded from ‘Interest Level 2’ to ‘Interest Level 3’! ]
[ Additional rewards are now available! ]
The Fatal Charm skill didn’t trigger. I didn’t do anything to her.
Yet, her affection level suddenly rises. Without any reason.
The obsession curse bestowed by the ‘White Demon’ is of that nature. It makes the target endlessly throw everything they have at the object of their obsession.
Emotions, reason, everything.
Until they completely possess the other person.
Using all “twisted methods” if necessary, until that happens.
I look at her approaching me with trembling eyes.
She should normally be extremely averse to entering someone else’s space. Because she knows she might harm others.
But now.
Her eyes are glazed over. It’s clear she’s not acting rationally.
If I hadn’t stepped back, she would have crossed the three-step boundary.
Of course, the Curse of Severance is still working properly. If she gets closer than three steps, she’ll swing her sword at me.
In other words.
[…Why are you trying to leave me?]
<System Message>
[ Target ‘Yuria Greyhaunter’s affection level changes! ]
[ Affection level upgraded from ‘Interest Level 3’ to ‘Interest Level 4’! ]
[ Additional rewards are now available! ]
This woman who slices anything that comes within three steps of her.
From now on, she’ll try to get “closer” to me, risking everything.
Psychologically or physically.
‘Ah.’
As I’ve been saying, the main premise for clearing Chapter 2 is whether or not I can lift the Curse of Severance on her within 5 days.
In other words, I.
Within the next 5 days.
Have to lift the curse on this ticking time bomb.
Really.
‘…This is a mess.’
It truly was.
●
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