Finishing the Ruincrest 4

Alice left.

Even with a small war involving treason, the Ruincrest layer would continue its daily life as always.

Originally, it was a layer of treason, so it wouldn’t have been strange if not only Perdain and Arbentaine but the entire layer had burned down, but most of the noble families and Academy students were living their lives without even realizing what had happened.

“Alice Arbentaine of A-1 class has applied for a long-term leave of absence from the Academy for personal reasons, starting today.”

“Ehhh-”

“That’s a shame.”

“Oh my, oh my. I wonder what happened?”

“I was going to confess to her after the exam…!”

“The successor of a merit family suddenly leaving the Academy?”

Alice was quite mainstream in this A-1 class.

She was also a student at the very top of the caste system, whom one had to be on good terms with.

As the successor and adopted daughter of a merit family, it was only natural, but aside from that, quite a few students were fascinated by Alice’s appearance and strength.

Above all, compared to the previous Arbentaine successor, the scoundrel Dehite, she was like a fairy, an angel, a goddess, so it was only natural that the students had a good impression of Alice.

“That’s unfortunate. Taylor, have you heard anything?”

“…About what?”

“About Alice. You’re her sister, so I thought you might have heard something. And Fion Dunhill, who used to hang out with her, isn’t around either? There were rumors that she was a bastard of the Dunhill Family, so I wanted to talk to her at least.”

“……”

Thanks to Alice getting Taylor close to the other kids in the class when she was here, Taylor now maintained close relationships with several noble young ladies, including Britney.

Naturally, it was only natural for the other kids to ask Taylor about Alice’s whereabouts.

Even though the matter of the rebellion had passed quietly on the layer level, those from noble families with good sources would have heard about the hidden turmoil.

“…She’s gone far away. She won’t be back to Ruincrest for a while.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a shame. I wanted to invite her to the tea party again.”

Alice hadn’t abandoned the name Arbentaine, and she was only temporarily leaving Ruincrest Academy in the form of a leave of absence, but Taylor knew.

Alice was an Overseer, and probably for a long time.

Maybe she would never come back.

Before parting, she had said something to comfort her, as if to meet again, but Taylor wasn’t young enough to believe that it would really happen.

“Ah, then Taylor. Will you come?”

“To, to what…?”

“Of course, to my birthday party. It’s in a week.”

Britney smiled brightly, but Taylor found it hard to hide her gloomy mood.

It would be splendid.

A noble girl’s birthday would be a grand and lavish party, and if she went with Alice… no, if she went not only with Alice but also with Pyon, it would have been an unforgettable memory.

‘But now they’re both gone. Not only Alice but also Pyon was said to be an undercover Overseer…’

Haa.

“I was originally going to invite Alice and Taylor together, but since things have turned out this way, I’ll have to invite only Taylor. Do you have any other partners or friends you’d like to bring?”

“…No.”

“Ah, I see. Then I hope even just Taylor will come and brighten up the party. Alice praised Taylor so much.”

Haa, what am I.

In the past, I had to keep my head down just because of my scoundrel brother. And I’m just an Academy student who can’t compare to Alice….

“Oh, you used to hang out with another kid, didn’t you? Her name was Pyon Dunhill, wasn’t it? There were rumors that she was a collateral of the Dunhill Family, so I was going to try to talk to her, but are you close to Pyon, Taylor?”

“Pyon, how do you know that name…?”

“I’ve heard quite good things about Pyon? The other young ladies and female students in my Familia were blushing, saying they wanted to invite Pyon to the party we’re hosting, so do you know much about Pyon, Taylor?”

“I know her. I know her well…”

“Even though she’s from a commoner background, she has a good reputation and is on good terms with the female students in A-1 class, so it’s okay to invite her to the party our family is hosting. If you don’t have a partner, how about coming with Pyon?”

“…”

In the end, Taylor left to go to her liberal arts class, saying that she would deliver the invitation if she saw Pyon.

‘Haa, it was so much better when the three of us were together…’

They had only been together for about three months, but she had become too attached.

Perhaps because she was lonely from birth and had lived in an environment where she couldn’t trust her own family, Alice’s absence felt too great to Taylor.

‘Haa… Pyon probably won’t be here either.’

And Pyon had most likely left this layer as well.

In fact, Taylor felt a great sense of betrayal not only towards Alice but also towards Pyon.

Not only the days she spent with Pyon, but Taylor and she had been in the virtual dungeon together…

No, not only the virtual dungeon, but Pyon and Taylor had been in intimate contact beyond simple skinship in secluded corners of the Academy or empty classrooms, even sharing warmth and skin.

And she was incredibly good at it.

It was really good.

She felt like she had discovered a whole new world.

She thought they had built up enough affection and friendship, but now it turned out that Pyon was also an Overseer like Alice. Since Alice was leaving, it was clear that Pyon had left as well.

“Ta-da, Taylor~!”

“…?!”

But as soon as she came out to take her liberal arts class, Taylor’s face hardened at Pyon, who clung to her as if she had been waiting.

“You, you, why are you here…?”

“Ah, you mean me? Well, I have to take responsibility for the kids I’ve touched, you know?”

“What do you mean? You’re… an Overseer, right?”

Taylor looked around and spoke in a small voice that only Pyon could hear.

“Oh my, oh my. Did you perhaps want me to leave completely and never come back? Waaah… that’s so sad….”

“No, it’s not that… I just don’t understand….”

“Well, that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that I’m here, right?”

Pyon.

No, Fira Dunhill is the masterpiece of the Dunhill Family and the manifestation of Beelzebub.

It’s nothing for her to separate a part of the hundreds of heterogeneous maggots that make up her body and detach a body like a clone.

Originally, the layer where the rebellion was plotted needed a major purge and cleanup.

Since the rebels’ legacy and their accomplices would still be there, even if Alice’s mission was to destroy the core of the rebellion, Fira, as a senior Overseer, needed to thoroughly clean up the remaining legacy of the rebellion.

But she didn’t want to stay with her main body.

Fira’s true desire was to follow Alice, regardless of the legacy of the rebellion.

So Fira gathered all the maggots that felt affection for Taylor and the female students of the Academy and molded a new body.

Well, to put it simply, she created a clone that was no different from the main body and continued to attend Ruincrest Academy.

“Oh! I heard that our Taylor also wants to follow in my and Alice’s footsteps? You want to become an Overseer, right?”

“Where did you hear that…?”

“Hehehehe, it’s written all over your face?”

Pyon still took Taylor’s hand with a gesture that was very elegant and dignified for a commoner.

“Taylor, what do you think is most important for an Overseer?”

“Well, it’s strength, right?”

“Oh my, you’re wrong.”

“Not strength?”

“Strength is important, but if you’re at our level, there are plenty of ways to gain strength. What’s really important is trust.”

“Trust…”

“Yes~ Trust! If you’re someone like Taylor, who feels affection for me and Alice, you wouldn’t sell us out for personal gain, including money, after becoming an Overseer, and we can trust you to have our backs~”

Pyon held her hands together and looked at her as if she were looking at a pretty younger sister.

“Just hurry up and graduate. You’re a prospective blue choker with connections to a First-Class Overseer.”

“…Can I, can I become one?”

“The Arbentaine Family’s secrets, Code Liberation, and the family’s support, there are plenty of materials left to strengthen you. The reason I stayed on this layer is perhaps to take care of a pretty child who might become my junior~”

At those words, Taylor’s eyes changed as if she had made up her mind.

From whining like a child about being lonely, she now had a clear and distinct goal.

“Then me too. Can I do it?”

In fact, Taylor was envious.

Of Alice, who freely roamed the entire layer.

Of the Overseer, who solved all kinds of incidents and maintained the important peace and order of the Ark.

To Taylor, Alice was someone who shared warmth, but she was also someone who made her yearn for all kinds of freedom and adventure, away from this suffocating layer.

Even though she had shown her almost nothing.

Even though it was only a glimpse over her shoulder, it was enough for the young Taylor to have aspirations.

“Someday, I’ll be able to follow in your footsteps. No, can I walk right next to you?”

“Well, you’re still young, so first, you should enjoy your youth with me~”

Still, if she received the care of Beelzebub, she would soon be able to achieve what she had dreamed of.

“Well, anyway.”

Pyon wrapped her arms around Taylor’s waist.

As if they were lovers, even though other students were passing by.

As if she was used to it, blatantly.

“Are you going to the liberal arts class today?”

“……Yeah.”

Taylor vowed not to leave Pyon’s side in the liberal arts class.

★

★

★

★

★

Alice was riding the layer elevator she had first boarded when she entered the Ruincrest layer.

“Marlang!”

“Malaaang…”

“Pour sauce…”

“It’s cramped.”

“Kueee…”

For reference, there were a lot of Marlangs on board.

Alice had the command, and the combat homunculus, including the Marlangs, were strictly Marlangs with the minds of young girls.

If she took her eyes off them for a moment, they might suddenly cause a huge commotion like they did in Ruincrest, so Alice had to lead the Marlangs.

“Oh, what’s this.”

“…Let’s take the next elevator.”

“Why are there so many kids on the layer elevator that only public officials can ride?”

“Shhh. You’ll get hurt if you know. There’s talk that they’re combat homunculus…”

People who were trying to get on the elevator from other layers had to step back because of the crowded Marlangs.

It goes without saying that Second-Class Overseers are busy.

First-Class Overseers are still deployed to the most dangerous missions where the peace and order of the Ark are truly threatened, but Second-Class Overseers are relatively sent here and there, not only to places where rebellion is ‘suspected’ like this Ruincrest layer but also to all kinds of areas for various reasons.

Moreover, Alice was a direct Overseer – blue choker – who had been given a blue armband by Rilstia.

Unlike other Overseers who were busy playing, Alice was immediately given a new mission as soon as the work in Ruincrest was finished.

“Ughhhh… my noble young lady life is over….”

Of course, regardless of the mission, Alice was already starting to miss the luxurious diet, clothes, and the cool Victorian-style layer scenery of Ruincrest.

【I see. The human is experiencing mental fatigue due to the collapse of her approximately 8-year-long ultra-long-term infiltration as a noble young lady. I offer my deepest condolences.】

“No, Theresa. Think about it. I’m a Second-Class Overseer! And I stopped a huge and terrifying conspiracy called a rebellion, so shouldn’t I be able to enjoy a luxurious life?!”

【Why are you telling me this? Complain to Rilstia if you’re unhappy.】

“No, but to the person who gave me a job and authority…”

【Where did the Demon King you used to be go, and how far have you fallen?】

Well, if you put it that way, I have nothing to say….

Of course, that doesn’t mean Alice was just playing around.

Alice closed her eyes and spread out her neural network.

The neural network of the dolls waiting in the lower layer immediately accepted Alice, and the scenery of the lower layer, where the red ideology was spreading diligently, was revealed in Alice’s vision, which had reactivated the visual sensors.

Alice could share her consciousness and neural network with the dolls and Marlangs, and even the Marlang Legion of combat homunculus that had been produced in Perdain’s breeding facility this time.

【The completion of the Governor-General’s audience room has been completed.】

【The production of 83 layer excavators has been completed.】

【Case number 953, reselling of supplies has been detected. Tracking the seller.】

【A disturbance has occurred in the 24-1 demon district.】

‘What’s the cause?’

【It is presumed to be a hate crime committed by former lower layer criminal organizations.】

‘Arrest and detain all suspects.’

In this way, Alice could simultaneously take care of and check on the lower layer even while she was in the Ruincrest layer.

For reference, three weeks ago, there was a rebellion in the lower layer to take the Governor-General’s seat since Alice wasn’t there at all.

The lower layer basically has a scale of several Korean peninsulas overlapping, so even if Alice develops and remodels the lower layer, there are bound to be places where her gaze doesn’t reach. In those places, those who reject Alice and the great and solemn red ideology gather as criminals.

Of course, most of them are caught immediately by the dolls or Sabrina’s demon police force.

‘I understand that you reject my rule, but I can’t let you cause trouble for innocent citizens or commit terrorism.’

Well, good.

Today, I have completely protected the red ideology of the lower layer.

Alice, having finished her work as the Grand Governor of the lower layer, looked again at the Marlangs filling the elevator.

There were so few seats that they were sticking to her face and body.

Well, her thighs are soft.

Come to think of it, I heard that the inside of their thighs is weak?

“Heeeuuuuuup!!!”

“Gasp.”

Wow, the reaction is stronger than I thought.

I just brushed up with my finger like sweeping with a broom….

【I am seriously disappointed. Human. I never knew you had such a blatant and vulgar fetish.】

‘No, I didn’t do it on purpose…’

【Don’t lie.】

Leaving Theresa’s contemptuous reaction behind, a hologram appeared in front of her.

As the mission area approached, the Ark intranet automatically sent a notification message to her electronic neural network.

[Monitor the ritual of the maiden who gives birth to insects and death.]

-If necessary, you are authorized to burn down the entire layer.

Wow, what kind of mission is it that’s so brutal from the start?