episode_0055

The hell continued.

Succumbing to the relentless violence, the three men—including the slit-eyed man—no longer even screamed, merely enduring the pain inflicted upon them in silence.

For them, there was nothing else they could do but wait out the storm, bearing it all quietly.

“Hmm. Broken already? Didn’t expect them to stop screaming altogether.”

“Maybe the cycle of breaking and healing was too fast? I’ve never had to heal someone this many times in such a short span before. I’m not even sure how well I controlled the divine energy…”

“You think these scum would stay quiet over something so trivial? These are the same trash who openly tried to rob Academy students in broad daylight. If it were me, I’d assume there’s another reason—not that you messed up the healing. For example—”

Whoosh.

The slit-eyed man’s limbs reattached as if they had never been severed in the first place.

“Wouldn’t it be more reasonable to think they’re plotting something?”

Kristin said this without hesitation before driving her hand sharply into the back of the slit-eyed man’s neck.

“G-GAAAHHHH?!”

Ignoring the man’s grotesque scream, Kristin mechanically rummaged through the back of his neck with an indifferent expression.

Had an ordinary person done this, the man would have died instantly—but Kristin’s near-perfect mana control ensured he writhed in agony instead.

A bizarre sight: a raven-haired beauty, barely taller than the man’s shoulder, casually digging through his body.

“Found it.”

Pfft—

Kristin pulled out a tiny orb from the back of his neck.

“What is that?”

“A cursed artifact. You wouldn’t know much about these filthy things, given your clean background, but they’re not uncommon in the back alleys.”

Kristin smirked bitterly at the bloodstained orb. In her previous world, when the tide turned against them, many had abandoned their comrades to surrender or submit to the enemy.

And among them, those like the man beneath her feet—entangled in the underworld—had been the first to grasp the demons’ hands.

“A cursed artifact? It’s incredibly small for something like that.”

The pinnacle of convenience, allowing one to wield miracles without risk or burden—that was how most, including Cecilia, viewed cursed artifacts.

But to those who knew the truth, this orb was nothing short of revolutionary.

“Yeah. You’re right. It can barely hold mana, let alone refine it.”

The quality and function of a cursed artifact depended on how much mana it could store and how efficiently it could utilize it. The more mana stored, the more versatile its applications.

Yet the mana within this orb was pitifully weak—barely capable of discharging, much less repurposing.

“See how the mana’s leaking out?”

“The barrier formula’s so shoddy it’s practically crude. Of course it is.”

“The important part isn’t why the mana’s leaking—it’s where it’s going. Cecilia, has the mana density in this barrier changed at all? You’d notice, right?”

“I’m not sure. The density feels the same—ah!”

Only then did Cecilia look at Kristin with wide eyes.

“That orb itself was functioning as a transmitter?”

“Exactly. No need to actively use mana—just its leakage was enough to send these scumbags’ status to their allies. I’m still alive, it says. If this guy dies, the mana-powered orb stops, and then… you get it, right?”

“I see what you’re implying. But is there really someone who’d go this far for people like them?”

Cecilia’s doubt was cruel but fair. To her, the slit-eyed man and his two hulking companions were barely stronger than ordinary civilians. Their mana reserves were decent by common standards, but that was it.

To her and Kristin—who had fought through hellish battlefields and slaughtered countless demon generals in past iterations—their strength was negligible.

“They must have something they’re counting on. Even if it’s just discharging mana, it’s being continuously transmitted to a fixed location. Like you said, these guys are worthless—but surviving long in the back alleys isn’t easy, you know?”

“So there’s someone behind them.”

“Right. In fact, if they’re using a cursed artifact this expensive so casually, there’s only one person I can think of.”

“Ugh, please say it’s not her. Just the thought of that gloomy bitch makes my skin crawl.”

“Relax. I’m not rushing in either. Let’s finish what we started first. Charging in now would be a waste. So for now…”

Kristin grinned brightly as she looked down at the men, their hope utterly drained.

Moments later, staring at the three men—now completely lifeless, their eyes hollow—Kristin spoke.

“The geas is in place… You understand, right? Nothing happened here.”

“H-Hhh…”

“Stop, Kris. They can’t even hear you anymore.”

Watching the men stagger away into the back alleys, Kristin clicked her tongue.

“Maybe I should have killed them. Letting them go like this is just as suspicious.”

“Even so, there’s a big difference between them returning alive and disappearing without a trace. If we’d killed them inside the barrier, it’d just become an unsolved mystery. That’d make it easier to narrow down suspects. Worst case, the President might even step in.”

“Ugh, good point. The President getting involved… I don’t even want to think about it.”

Kristin shuddered slightly. The Student Council President, Rin Saisi, was their steadfast ally and confidant—and that hadn’t changed in this world. But if her focus turned toward them, it’d be nothing short of exhausting. Once the President started investigating, she’d turn everything upside down, leaving everyone drained. The only saving grace was that she limited her interference to Academy affairs.

“Let’s move Eric first.”

“Right. So, about carrying him back—should we switch?”

“No thanks?”

“Oh, come on. I’m being considerate. How long do you plan to keep carrying him? Managing healing and the barrier must be tiring. Let me take over on the way home.”

“Your ulterior motives are showing, Kris.”

“Hmph, look who’s talking.”

“Just lead the way. Seems like it’s better if we stick together from now on.”

“Oh! I was about to say the same thing.”

“I figured, so I said it first. Did you think I wouldn’t know? Hah, saying that makes me sound a bit like Elia.”

—

“Ugh…”

Blinking groggily, I saw a familiar ceiling.

An ornate chandelier hung above, only one of its lights still on.

It was my room’s ceiling.

Wait—my room?

I bolted upright. Just moments ago, I’d been walking with Cecilia and Kristin when—suddenly, a sharp pain at the back of my neck—

“Ah, Oppa. You’re awake? Thank good—”

“Don’t come any closer!”

I slapped Kristin’s reaching hand away and quickly backed toward the window.

An illusion? Or a mental attack?

Either way, a near-death shock should break it. Even if this was reality, something was still off.

“Oppa. Calm down and just listen—”

“What did you do to those people?!”

“Those people?”

Cecilia, who had been bringing a wet towel, rushed over in alarm when she saw me awake.

“Eric! Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

“Cecilia? Why are you—”

I turned to look out the window. The sky outside was already dark, stars scattered across it.

“What… what time is it?”

“Dawn. You suddenly passed out on our way back after dinner—don’t you remember?”

“Dawn?”

So they’d brought me back and been nursing me all night?

“This isn’t an illusion or a barrier, is it?”

“A little skepticism is good, but too much is just paranoia, Eric.”

Cecilia clapped her hands lightly, and a wave of detection magic swept through the room.

The most reliable method—but I still wasn’t convinced.

“……”

The room remained unchanged.

“See?”

Snap!

Ignoring her, I cast a self-dispel. It was a tricky spell, but I’d used it enough times to know the formula. The mana cost was negligible—a small price to confirm my doubts.

Whoosh—

A gentle breeze passed through, but the room—and the quiet night outside—stayed exactly the same.