Chapter 186

‘Will he really talk?’

I was pessimistic.

I knew that the blind loyalty of the Red Rain members was comparable to that of fanatics.

“Ugh.”

As if to prove my thoughts right, Professor Karen frowned.

“How stubborn. To commit suicide.”

Black blood poured from the saber guard’s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

It seemed like a deadly poison had instantly taken his life.

‘It must have been a suicide pill.’

Judging that there was no escape, he probably took his own life by activating a poison pill he had prepared in advance.

As soon as Professor Karen realized this, she moved quickly.

She swiftly swung her left hand down.

And a moment later,

Something fell rapidly from the broken roof.

Since only the longsword guard had been launched upwards, it was obviously him.

Professor Karen stopped his descent with an outstretched palm.

But.

“Sigh… It’s already too late, isn’t it?”

Professor Karen shook her head with a disappointed expression.

As she said, the longsword guard was also dead, black blood flowing from his orifices.

“It can’t be helped, Professor.”

I spoke up.

“Anyway, thank you so much for saving me. I’m alive thanks to you, Professor.”

“It’s only natural for a professor to save a student in danger. However…”

Professor Karen’s gaze turned to Headmaster Ricardio, who had become a corpse due to the surprise attack.

Her expression was filled with regret.

“I feel bad that I couldn’t save Headmaster Ricardio.”

“That’s not your fault, Professor…”

“No. I should have moved first, even if it was rude, instead of just watching.”

Professor Karen blamed herself, but I thought differently.

She had been observing the situation from afar at my request.

Even if it was my word, her beloved student, she must have been half-doubting.

So she couldn’t have moved rashly.

She must have sensed something was wrong only after the guards barged in and moved, but by then, it was definitely too late to save Headmaster Ricardio.

Seeing her blaming herself, she was definitely a good person.

Someone I could trust and rely on.

Anyway.

‘It’s a shame for me too.’

Headmaster Ricardio had brought up a rather important topic.

But he lost his life before I could hear him out.

However.

I had already memorized it in my head.

‘A vengeful ghost of a fallen nation, a Master slayer, Killstein…’

With these keywords, I should be able to gather information.

I was planning to start a full-fledged investigation once I returned to Lepheria.

If all else fails, I could ask the person directly, but I wanted to avoid that.

Because I couldn’t predict what kind of reaction I would get.

“First, we need to tell the others outside…”

Just as I was quickly organizing my thoughts and about to speak to Professor Karen,

I saw people related to Schwarzfeltz rushing towards us from beyond the window.

‘It won’t be necessary.’

There would be chaos, but it wasn’t our job to clean it up.

It was their problem to deal with.

* * *

“Tsk, those useless fools failed at that.”

A middle-aged man clutched his head with both hands.

Because the target had unexpectedly become the best student, an easy way to handle things had presented itself.

So he had mobilized the pawns he had planted.

But instead of succeeding, they had failed miserably.

He couldn’t understand it.

For Karen Mayfield to appear there…

It was impossible unless she had sensed something beforehand.

“Could it be… that the information leaked?”

The middle-aged man’s eyes wavered.

This matter was top secret.

Those who could know about it…

“What are you doing?”

A voice suddenly rang out.

It was a strange, echoing voice, unclear where it was coming from.

The middle-aged man’s body trembled at the sound of that voice.

“J-Just a moment… Messenger! I have something important to tell you…”

“I told you to die if you failed.”

“I-I think the information leaked from somewhere! We need an urgent investigation…”

“Die.”

Thud!

A large hole appeared in the middle-aged man’s chest.

His flesh and bones had evaporated.

His heart too.

Thump!

The middle-aged man collapsed dead, unable to even scream.

And a moment later.

A faint figure appeared, like a mist.

Its form was too unclear to make out.

Could this hazy figure be the ‘Messenger’ that the dead middle-aged man had mentioned?

It was someone else who confirmed it.

“You come here first without even greeting, Messenger.”

The speaker was a girl with a frail, beautiful face.

It was Riviera.

“I have urgent business, Witch.”

The Messenger replied calmly.

“It seems so.”

Riviera glanced at the corpse of the middle-aged man with a hole in his chest and said,

“He said something strange before he died.”

“Why does that matter?”

“I was wondering if you might have any idea, Witch.”

“None.”

Riviera answered curtly.

A moment of silence.

The Messenger spoke again.

“Even if you didn’t break the rules, that doesn’t mean you’re free from responsibility…”

Words spoken with intent.

Red Rain executives have almost unlimited freedom, but there are naturally limits.

One of them was the rule that they shouldn’t directly interfere with another executive’s actions.

So indirect interference wasn’t a violation of the rules.

But strictly speaking, it wasn’t an act without responsibility.

The Messenger was trying to point that out.

Because he was displeased.

But before he could finish his words…

Riviera’s eyes turned a chilling blood red.

A terrifying killing intent that even suppressed the surrounding air.

Grab!

“G-Gah…”

Riviera’s small hand, which had grabbed the Messenger’s neck, was also stained red with blood.

“Say that again.”

“Gah…”

“Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again. Say that again.”

Her chilling voice, unlike her usual tone, echoed repeatedly.

“Ugh…”

The Messenger groaned in pain, seemingly suffocating.

“Can’t even speak?”

Riviera threw the Messenger to the ground.

Thump!

The Messenger landed face down in an unsightly manner.

Finally able to breathe, the Messenger gasped for air.

“Huff, huff, huff, huff…”

Riviera’s blood-red killing intent had also disappeared.

“Don’t say things you can’t take responsibility for.”

“…”

“Answer.”

“I… I understand.”

“Then stay or leave, whatever.”

Riviera’s figure vanished instantly.

Even so, the Messenger couldn’t get up for a while.

He seemed to be in shock from what had just happened.

“To think she’d be this much…”

Number 2’s concerns weren’t unfounded.

No, they were an understatement.

The Witch had definitely changed.

She was clearly different from before.

She had just acted emotionally.

She had released her true killing intent emotionally.

Even if he had provoked her by bringing up rules and responsibility, she wouldn’t have reacted so emotionally.

It means there was a reason.

And that reason was probably…

“…Max Celtrine.”

The Messenger got up.

He needed to report this.

Absolutely.

The Messenger’s figure soon disappeared.

* * *

The shocking incident of the headmaster’s assassination.

Our stay was extended for a few more days, unintentionally.

For the investigation.

However, with the culprit and the murder weapon clear,

The investigation regarding us didn’t take long.

But it was clear that it would take a long time to uncover the truth.

The dead can’t speak.

I thought it might never be revealed.

Because that organization was behind it.

“Phew, you’ve been through a lot, Team Leader.”

Allen comforted me.

“Heh, it was nothing.”

I responded with an indifferent expression.

“B-But you almost died!”

“No, not at all. Professor Karen’s back was very warm.”

“Wh-Wh-What? What do you mean Professor Karen’s back was warm, h-h-how…?”

Allen stuttered, his face flushed red.

I clicked my tongue.

“Hey, don’t you even know figures of speech? It’s a metaphor, a metaphor.”

“Gasp… S-So that’s what it was. I-I thought Team Leader was extending his evil clutches to Professor Karen too…”

“…What do you think of me?”

“A beauty hunter who only targets beautiful women. The enemy of all men.”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

“N-No, that’s not me!”

My coughing and Allen’s denial came out at the same time.

It was because of Riviera, who had suddenly interjected with those strange words.

…What the hell is a beauty hunter?

Don’t change the game genre like that!

“Right, love rival?”

And why are you asking Elaine for confirmation?

“Th-Th-Th… Wh-Wh-What should I say…”

Why can’t you just deny it?

…And why are you stuttering?

I can’t handle Riviera, seriously.

I opened my mouth with an expression of giving up.

“Alright, alright. I’ll admit it, so just pack your things and get ready to leave.”

“Hmm, then I’m a beauty. And so is love rival.”

“Why is the conversation going like this…?”

“Because beauty hunter Max is always eyeing you.”

“…Do you think I’m a beast? Always eyeing, what are you talking about?”

“Your voice is trembling.”

“A-Ahem. Wh-When did my voice tremble?”

Why is my voice doing this?

“Team Leader, as expected…”

Allen chanted a silent prayer with a resigned face.

“I-I… I-I wouldn’t mind being targeted… N-No, that’s not what I meant…”

Elaine babbled, her head bowed low, her face flushed red with embarrassment.

…Why are you doing this too?

“Alright, alright, what are you doing there? Let’s hurry up and move before we’re late!”

Professor Karen saved me.

Thank you, noona.

* * *

We arrived at the Holy City of Lepheria.

But before arriving, we heard strange news.

Another body had been found in Schwarzfeltz.

This time, it seemed to be a professor from Schwarzfeltz.

A mysterious chain of deaths.

Leaving that question behind, everyone was relieved that the body was found late.

Otherwise, the investigation would have been prolonged.

‘It must be related to that incident, but it doesn’t matter.’

I just brushed it aside.

Since I already suspected Armin was behind it, it didn’t matter who was involved in the middle.

However.

I was concerned about Riviera.

It was a clear fact that she had indirectly helped me.

I don’t know much about the rules of Red Rain, but if that fact were to be known, I didn’t think it would be overlooked.

‘It’s become a strange relationship.’

Originally, she was the protagonist’s enemy.

And a named boss at that.

It means she’s a character who can only be dealt with by one of us dying.

But now, that character had actually helped me escape a life-threatening crisis.

‘Could it be because I’m not the protagonist?’

I thought.

But I didn’t think that was the only decisive factor.

The actions I had taken towards her so far.

Each and every one of them must have accumulated and ultimately had a decisive impact on our relationship.

How would this changed relationship affect the future flow of events?

It was completely unknown, but at least I didn’t think it would be bad.

No, it wasn’t just that, it might even allow me to access parts I couldn’t reach before…

Of course, it’s just a feeling for now.

But still.

“I should take care of her.”

I muttered with a faint smile.

And.

I started walking again.

Because I had somewhere to go.

The information broker.

Find out what needs to be found out quickly.

That was my creed.