episode_0033

It’s natural for attention to be drawn to sudden noises.

What’s more important is to first make sure Claire isn’t hurt.

If any shards from the broken teacup happen to pierce her foot, it could be a big problem.

“Claire, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?”

As I tried to check for injuries on her foot, Claire withdrew her foot and without paying any attention to me, she opened her mouth while looking at Helena.

“I’ll clean up quickly.”

She went inside, brought cleaning supplies, and quietly swept up the shards.

Surprisingly, Syneria watched silently but then helped Claire clean up.

“It’s my job, so you don’t have to help. I’d feel too sorry if you did…”

As Claire expressed gratitude nervously, Syneria smiled and looked towards Claire while helping clean up together.

“Don’t be too thankful for such a trivial thing. I’ve heard a lot about you from Yukal. He cherishes and relies on you the most. You can just call me Ria unnie comfortably.”

“Thank you, Ria unnie. But I’ll clean up, so please sit down quickly. It’s my responsibility, so I can’t let you do this… I’ll just accept your grateful heart.”

Despite Claire’s objections, Syneria helped clean up until the end and continued to look in our direction while speaking.

“I was glad to meet Yukal after a long time. I want to stay longer, but there seems to be someone eagerly waiting to see me. Let’s meet alone next time since I’ll come to visit again.”

Smiling, she gently patted my head and slowly left the cafe.

Finally, as the tension that had been building up since meeting Syneria was released, a sigh of relief escaped me, and I felt sweat trickling down my back.

“She’s truly a monster. I definitely can’t beat her.”

Before entering the reception room without knowing she had come to find me, and from the moment she left the cafe, no matter how much I wanted to sense Syneria with heightened senses, she couldn’t be found.

I thought I had become stronger, but perhaps because she is the main villain of the latter part of the Academy Assault scenario, the comparison doesn’t hold.

Instead, the difference between us feels sharp now that my level has risen.

If Syneria still intends to harm me or other academy students, I wonder if I can stop her even once.

Even if Principal Iris and the professors mobilize now, the Black Moon organization members won’t stay quiet.

“By the way, who on earth is so eager to find Syneria?”

Apart from the latter part of the Academy Assault, Syneria hasn’t appeared here early on, so I can’t grasp any clues.

Yukal prayed that no mysterious body would be found at the academy.

Leaving the dessert cafe, Syneria headed towards the forest located on the outskirts of the academy, where student access was still restricted.

Guards rotated to ensure students couldn’t enter freely, but no one noticed Syneria.

Slowly making her way past the guards, she soon arrived at the center of the forest, where only dark remnants remained as if the surrounding area had completely vanished.

“Hmm~ Now that you’ve distanced yourself from precious students as you wished, wouldn’t it be appropriate to show yourself?”

At Syneria’s words, Han Inyoung emerged from behind a tree.

The owner of the beautiful green hair that reminds one of nature and the visually striking appearance of the odd-eyed Odai is Iris, the headmistress of Ardente Academy.

Since capturing Syniria’s appearance at Ardente Academy, she had been sending warnings continuously.

Maintaining her distance, Iris quietly opened her mouth while casting high-level magic.

“So it’s you. The leader of the scavengers who dared to intrude into Ardente Academy without fear and monitored the students.”

Syniria, as if ignoring Iris, quietly picked up a black fragment from her surroundings.

“Many of my precious subordinates died here. You probably know better since you handled it directly.”

“Hmph! If those scavengers hadn’t set foot in this academy, I wouldn’t have had to do that either. Isn’t everything that happened under your command?”

Still looking at the black fragment instead of Iris, Syniria spoke softly.

“It was really difficult to retrieve this. Seeing that you went to such lengths to use this, you must have judged that you couldn’t survive me and decided to send at least one person to inform me.”

“What exactly are your people? It’s been quite some time since we agreed not to use mass-murder magical weapons on the continent. Even though it might have less impact on mages, they are not immune, willing to endure even being engulfed in magical explosions. I’ve never encountered such ruthless individuals.”

Finally responding to Iris’s question, Syniria looked at her while clutching the fragment in her arms.

“I don’t know. Just borrowing your words, they’re nothing more than a group led by the scavenger chief.”

“If you don’t reveal your identity right away-”

Raising her output to dispel the cast magic, Iris was quickly interrupted by Syniria.

“You should thank our Yukali. In fact, today I came here thinking of erasing the Ardent Academy from the capital. Right now, 0th and 3rd units that went outside are all waiting near the academy, waiting for my signal.”

“….”

“I have a duty to repay the blood of subordinates who died here. I was about to confirm and sweep Yukali away for the last time, but saw something interesting, so I decided to endure it for now. I am generous.”

Seeing Iris grow colder at the mention of Yukali, Cynaria added further.

“Instead, I will accept two conditions as compensation for the lives of the deceased subordinates.”

Iris just stared as if to say, “Say it once.”

“First, allow my subordinates to watch over Yukali as before. I’ll make sure they don’t harm other students as much as possible. Second, allow me to occasionally come see our cute Yukali when I want.”

“I reject. I am more convinced talking to you. How much of a stake do you have in the countless scars of souls engraved on him? There is no negotiation, you villain.”

As blue magic charged in Iris’s hands, Cynaria sighed helplessly.

Finally, two powerful brain shocks hit Cynaria, but when the dust settled, she stood there unharmed.

“Why can’t our headmaster think straight?”

“What are you talking about!”

“If I attack now, can you handle it? I see now, you look quite unstable. Our cute little headmaster was a half-baked mage. Is even maintaining your body a challenge right now?”

“….”

“I could win just by keeping you here when I can’t even guarantee my victory against myself, right? Even if you manage to bring me down after spending a lot of time with that body, there won’t be anyone left alive in the Ardent Academy.”

Unable to refute Cineria’s words, Iris could only glare like a mute person who had eaten honey.

“If you’re willing to face all those risks and fight me, I’ll do whatever you want. But all the consequences of your choices will be your responsibility. Perhaps it would be better to die by my hand? Rather than watching students and professors die like insects while you live on alone.”

After agonizing for a while with a pained expression, Iris finally had to speak up.

“…I accept your conditions. I just have one question. Why are you fixated on and tormenting that child, Yukal?”

In response to Iris’s weary question, Cineria looked at her for the first time and smiled as she spoke.

“You managed to recognize me just by hearing my voice. Initially, it was intriguing, but now I suppose I want to capture you in this way. And to clarify, I have never tormented that child, Yukal.”

“Do you expect me to believe that, seeing how you never let your guard down for a moment when around me?”

“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Oh, and I promise not to harm the students, so it would be best for you to obediently follow my conditions.”

Cineria walked away slowly, disappearing from Iris’s detection just like when they entered the forest.

Releasing the spells she had been preparing to respond at any moment, Iris muttered quietly.

“Yukal, what kind of fights have you been through… facing these kinds of opponents repeatedly.”

Her small words never reached Yukal.