episode_0039

For now, the situation has been somewhat sorted out.

Shadi’s rampage was subdued, and Elisha’s injuries were treated before they worsened.

Soon enough, the Academy will sense something amiss and send people over.

With such a massive magical explosion, they must have realized by now.

All the shadows around have been taken care of.

It’ll take about 10 minutes for reinforcements to arrive here.

In these games, after all the incidents are over, people show up. There’s no avoiding it.

Well, it’s fortunate that things seem to have ended well somehow.

However, there’s this lingering unease for some reason.

No matter how successful the attacks were, Shadi wasn’t someone who could be easily caught like this.

It was just luck—there’s no other way to explain it.

Summoning magic from the inventory itself was beyond common sense.

And my flames weren’t compatible with hers.

While fighting, I felt it too; her flames were different, alien in a way.

There’s no proper way to understand that, but it wouldn’t hurt to investigate.

Anyway, leaving that aside.

First, I need to figure out how to deal with this one.

Shadi lies defenseless on the ground.

She had ruby-like red eyes and, despite one being broken, quite impressive horns adorned her head.

On closer inspection, she seemed threatening, though not as much as before.

As a boss encountered for the first time, she needed to exude power.

Designed as a sharp and chic woman.

But looking down at her now, she didn’t quite fit that description.

At this moment, she appeared more like a fragile girl, a far cry from the boss of the first chapter.

“Well, she’s probably around the same age as the protagonist…”

Turning my gaze back, I quickly scanned her body.

The shadows draped around her resembled full-body tights.

Either her clothes were burnt off, or they were torn, revealing patches of bare skin.

“Seems like she didn’t get burned.”

As I sighed deeply, Shadi struggled to breathe heavily.

“Ha… Ha… Ha…”

Has she almost depleted her mana?

Her mana pool wasn’t that large.

Moreover, was she writhing in pain due to her shoulders being trampled, struggling to move?

Is this really the dignity of a boss that mows down newbies?

“It’s really… not easy.”

Not only does she have no memory of her rampage, but the blonde knight captured as a prisoner is speaking as if nothing happened.

It’s hard not to sigh at this.

When encountering her while playing the game, she truly possessed an unbelievable strength.

Yes, it’s like the first wail of despair that newbies face.

The patterns weren’t too complex, but facing her as an underdeveloped character was a disaster.

Dodging the clones’ erratic attacks and managing the blood loss.

Still, once you get used to her patterns, she isn’t that difficult.

With significant wind-up actions and gaps after attacks, there was ample time for dealing damage.

The design was set up so that breaking through the second phase was possible.

Anyway, when first meeting her, she could easily be called a newbie exterminator.

A formidable opponent for players encountering her for the first time, unlike the monsters coming out of dungeons.

Seeing her like this under my command is making my head spin.

First things first, interrogation.

“Hey, you. Just one question. What did you do with the people who stole the shadows?”

“Ha… I can’t tell you that.”

“In simpler terms, answer my question.”

I pressed harder on her shoulders and conjured blue flames at my fingertips.

“Ah… Is there still that much mana left…”

Is the memory gradually coming back?

“Hurry up and answer. Your right to life is in my hands. It would be best for you to answer obediently.”

“Huff, I didn’t kill them. I kept them locked up in an abandoned building. They should have been released by now. It’s that kind of magic…”

It’s fortunate. It seems like no harm has come to those who had their shadows stolen.

“Well then, here comes the second question.”

“Just one… You said just one.”

“Shut up.”

If I say I’ll ask more questions, you’ll answer.

You’re enduring because I might hit you more.

Information gathering comes first.

“Tell me the number of personnel stationed here, besides you.”

“…I can’t say..!! Just kill me instead…!!”

….”

I lowered the foot that was pressing down on her shoulder and knelt down, reaching out towards her.

“Hah..”

Perhaps the girl, unable to do anything with the mana ring, was frightened by my touch, as she kept making strange noises.

Ignoring such Shadi, I grabbed her chin and spoke.

“You’ve endured a lot. Good. I understand your loyalty well.”

In reality, it might be not loyalty but rather a struggle to avoid being cut off.

Requiem is like a last lifeline that can help with her revenge.

Shadi herself isn’t inherently evil.

She’s a case that got twisted due to the pain she experienced in her childhood.

According to what the developers said, if she hadn’t lost her family in the war.

She would have been a girl living happily with her family.

In truth, she just needed a place to escape to.

War is where people kill and get killed.

Both demons and humans slaughtered countless of each other.

In a place where there are no winners, only losers, she lost her family to a human knight.

The day her family all died, she might as well have died too.

Wanting to escape from the brutal reality, she created revenge as her only refuge.

For her, revenge and hatred might have become natural, necessary parts of life.

If even that were taken away, she might not be able to endure it.

So, she must be leaving Requiem, which took away her sole purpose in life.

Of course, that doesn’t justify her actions.

Not only did she harm Elisha, but she has committed many wrongs already.

It might be too late for her to seek forgiveness.

However, making mistakes is part of being human.

Learning from mistakes is how we progress.

But that’s not my concern.

Regret your mistakes later; answer now.

I let go of her chin and took something out of my inventory.

“That is…”

“Yes, because you’re using dark magic. You know it well.”

I began writing something on what I took out of my inventory.

“Don’t… Please don’t. Just kill me instead!! This is an insult to me!! This is absolutely unacceptable..!!”

“It’s happening.”

If you won’t speak, I have no choice but to make you.

I made a small cut on my finger with the knife, and soon blood started flowing.

Then I cut Shadi’s finger too, making her bleed.

I clasped Shadi’s resisting little hand with mine, forming the same bond as before.

Yes, it’s the hand gesture children make when they promise each other.

Something Silia and I did too.

Our blood mingled, and finally, the bond was formed.

“No, this is not right!! Do you know what this oath entails?!”

“I do. This oath is very dangerous but also very powerful. That’s why it’s necessary.”

I stamped the seal on the signature line on the parchment.

Then I forcibly brought Shadi’s delicate finger to the signature line.

Now, once the oath engraved in blood is burned, it will be over.

I burned the parchment with fire, completing the pact.

Having had the experience once before, I was able to finish quickly this time.

The ashes of the burnt parchment seeped into my right wrist just like last time.

Of course, they were also absorbed into Shadi’s body.

It may not be visible due to the full-body tights she wore.

Nevertheless, another mark appeared on my right wrist.

The mark wasn’t that large, so no one would likely notice.

If I do this a few more times, it could get quite tricky.

Anyway, the contract staking our souls is now over.

Since the terms of the contract were written to be as advantageous to me as possible, Shadi now has no choice but to obey my every word.

She can no longer attack me or exercise her rights.

However, I cannot harm Shadi’s life either.

For every merit, there must be a demerit.

That’s how it works best.

What I did with Silia was possible because the terms of the contract weren’t extensive.

Besides, Silia was quite lenient.

Anyway, Shadi can no longer evade giving an answer.

“Well, Shadi. You can answer now.”

“Wait, how did you know my name..?”

“Don’t ask again. How many others are enrolled in this academy besides you?”

“T-There are… around 30, including me. Mostly low-ranking…”

Oh, impressive performance.

No wonder I prohibited the pact.

It was incredibly dangerous.

If abused, it could easily ruin someone’s life in various ways.

After this is over, I need to use it cautiously.

“I see. Then where are they located?”

“The location changes frequently, but mostly at Burk’s Tavern…”

Ah, the gathering place for leftovers remains unchanged.

That tavern is already quite dangerous, not even in the city but in the underground city.

“Sigh… Ha… Ugh…”

Shadi struggling, perhaps due to the compulsion of the pact.

Let’s wrap this up here.

Elisha needs to rest properly now.

“Alright. Then, one final question.”

“Father, no. What is the head of the family doing right now?”