episode_0131

Thud-

The chaotic atmosphere of the third training ground.

Tier, tending to patients, turned around at the sudden sound.

“This…!!”

There, a woman whose entire body was tainted with magic lay sprawled on the ground.

Whoosh—

But something was strange.

Clearly, she was a patient unable to move at all, so where did she appear from suddenly?

The question didn’t last long.

It was because the academy uniform coat she was under had a familiar name written on it.

-Narias Philbrog

Tier facepalmed.

“Again… she’s causing something.”

He sensed Nari’s presence, albeit briefly.

It must be a pretty urgent situation, so she probably just tossed the injured person aside and went back to work.

Though he felt quite unhappy about being assigned cleanup duty, Tier didn’t forget his duty.

“Seeing as she brought her to me, it seems she means for me to heal her…”

The problem was that she was wearing the same cloak as the thugs who attacked the academy.

One of the attackers? If she’s a captive, it’s quite unsettling that she woke up again and is rampaging.

However, Tier didn’t think Nari would have brought an injured person without any thought.

He decided to believe that she needed help and found him, the ‘most excellent healer’.

She immediately checked the injured woman’s condition.

“…A complete mess.”

There wasn’t a single place that was intact.

From Tier’s observation of the battlefield, the thugs all chewed on strange stones and committed suicide.

They probably contained some powerful energy, and since their bodies couldn’t withstand it, they overloaded and died.

On the other hand, this woman seemed to have endured to some extent.

However, when the strongly boiling energy began to destroy her body, if she had received treatment and rested, there would have been no aftereffects.

But she unleashed magic wildly… suffering fatal injuries like burns on top of frostbite.

Of course, her heart was still beating.

If he used all his strength to heal her, he could keep her alive, but that’s all.

No matter how much healing magic he poured into her, her body was like a bottomless pit.

Unless he properly purified this turbid energy, even if he completely healed her wounds, her body would immediately begin to collapse.

“She’s brought me a real headache… I wonder if she’ll pay me properly later.”

Beyond Tier, who rolled up his sleeves and began the incantation of a special healing spell.

The battle continued.

.

.

.

Swish- Whirrrrrr-!

Crimson flames danced in the sky, tracing lines.

Ren’s flame sword was far more refined than before.

How could he ever forget?

Even if it was a sparring match by mutual agreement, it was the first time in history that he ever unleashed a flame explosion on a princess.

Since that day, Ren completely set aside the power of his technique and began to hone only its precision.

Even during his knight trainee days, he was confident in his magic. The more precisely he controlled great power, the better it would be to use it.

After countless training sessions and accumulating experience, now as a deputy commander, he wields a magic sword more refined than anyone else.

“Kyaak-”

“H- Help—”

When the thugs in black cloaks charged towards the academy cadets and civilians, including the knights’ juniors.

Pfft- Phew- Pffft-

From within the crowd, he precisely aimed his sword only at the thugs, and they began to fall like he was sniping them.

“Are you hurt?”

“N- No… Thank you-!”

As he calmly reached out to the fallen people, helping them up.

“Kyaaak—!”

As if waiting, another thug rushed towards him like a beast, but.

Hiss- Fizz—

The next moment, he was an ice statue.

“Don’t let your guard down, Ren.”

“Showing off…tsk.”

Even though he said that, he was grateful for Luke’s help, always.

Instead of words, he gave a faint smile.

“Tend to the wounded—”

The three of them, including Pai, a healer, were all deputy commanders, having been trainees together.

They were good comrades who cherished each other more than anyone else.

“Being like this reminds me of the old days.”

“Speaking of the old days… yeah, you. Since then, every time you see the princess, your face turns red, you’re completely smitten, right?”

Ren’s face flushed as red as his flames.

“W-Wh-What, I didn’t say anything like that-!!”

“I don’t know what you mean. Didn’t I know it was your first love?”

Just as the dance of ice and fire was about to begin again, Pai stopped the two.

“This isn’t the time… hurry to your respective positions and eliminate the remaining thugs.”

“Y- Yes! I have to deal with important things first.”

“Do you mean you’ll go see the important princess first?”

Clang-!

In the end, the two swords clashed.

Regardless, as soon as Pai finished treating the injured, she unfolded a map of the academy and checked her assigned area.

The front gate, with several auditoriums lined up above.

In the center was the main building, where classrooms and other main facilities were located, and Princess Narita went to the back—

“Now, scatter quickly. Ren, lead the first unit inside, and Luke, circle the outside and check on the guards. I’ll stay here in training ground 1, so bring anyone injured.”

“I heard there’s that ‘saint’ in training ground 3 as well.”

“It’s better to go to a closer one, whatever. It’s not good for the healers to be gathered in one place. Furthermore, since we have a net spread now, we are short of troops…”

After finishing the briefing, they each commanded their units and prepared.

Ren, while checking his mana potions, tilted his head.

“Come to think of it… where did ‘that guy’ go?”

“Where else? Obviously towards the princess.”

“Ah—”

He sighed as if something came to his mind, and Luke chuckled at that sight.

“One point deducted~”

“I told you that’s not it-!!”

“Come on- what, can you even compete? That guy is completely overwhelming with madness.”

Who else would have spent nearly 10 years in seclusion training for one person?

The strongest swordsman, the second knight’s top force and the next commander.

Knowing that Aspi Lichtein went to protect the princess… all three were relieved.

* * *

It’s dark.

I can’t see anything around me.

Zzzt—

“Ugh…”

From the moment my vision was blocked, my other senses became extremely sensitive.

Among them, pain was the most prominent.

My stomach, pierced by Persona, was burning hot, and it became increasingly difficult to breathe as time passed.

It seems the magic has started to invade even the inside of my body.

“I’m screwed…”

I pulled as much ether as possible and cast a healing spell, but far from improving, the pain only increased.

If this continues… a bad ending is right around the corner.

Clutching my stomach, I walked through the darkness with all my might, and my vision gradually began to return.

A strange world.

“I was clearly pulled into the shadow created by that bitch…”

The sky was as dark as early winter evening, and there was no light around.

Like a painting drawn with black ink on a black canvas.

To put it into words—

“Welcome… to my [Shadow World].”

It would be exactly like that.

Wandering in the darkness, I even found Persona’s voice welcome.

I slowly turned my head towards her.

“Can you turn on the lights? I can’t see anything.”

“That’s the world I usually see. Dark, gloomy, you can’t see an inch ahead…”

Tap- Tap-

Footsteps brush past my ears.

“What are you thinking?”

“The darkness is like your future—”

Pffft-

A sharp blade pierced my left shoulder.

“Kueek—!”

“Again.”

“Okay… seeing it again, it’s just like your ragged pussy—”

Slash-!!

This time, it slashed down, tearing my right leg.

“Ahuuek—”

“Keep answering like that. That way I can… tear your body to pieces—?!”

“Keuhk- Haheut-”

My whole body feels like it’s burning.

A tingling pain runs up my spine and massages my brain.

If I just buy a little, a very little more time… I might see the light.

It seems I don’t have much time left.

“Why… do you like…? Heut- slicing my body like meat, Kuht- I get excited and all that…?”

This much pain, I can endure it.

But what’s really scary… is failing to get the timing right.

My heart is racing and I just blurt out anything.

“If you need to- I’ll fuck you a few times… it’ll feel good…?”

“Can’t you be a little more honest?”

Right in front of me, I felt Persona’s presence.

Pffft-

She stabbed me with a magic-imbued sword.

“I’m scared-”

“Kueek—”

Pffft-

She stabs me again.

“It hurts-”

“Kheh- Keuhk-”

Pffft—!!

She stabs the same spot again.

“You can just say what you feel…? Is that so difficult?”

As if unsatisfied that her prey wasn’t screaming in agony, she continued to mutilate my body.

Each time, magic began to slowly accumulate in my body.

At that moment.

I felt a very welcome energy.

Persona also seemed to sense something strange, and suddenly began to look around.

“What… how…”

Our eyes simultaneously turned to the ceiling.

The entrance to the [Shadow World] I was dragged into, the boundary of the barrier.

Someone from outside, having found a trace, was trying to break through the wall.

Crack- Tchit- Creak—!!

Cracks appeared in the sky, and a blindingly intense light poured in.

The barrier opened only for a moment, then was closed again by Persona.

But it was enough time for one person to enter.

Thump-

“Who are you—!!”

Persona, her nerves frayed by the uninvited guest’s intrusion.

But the newcomer, upon seeing my pathetic state, was enraged beyond comparison.

“You bitch… is this what you are…? ”

“Yes, I did it!! What the fuck are you going to do about it—!!”

I slightly raised my right arm, which still had some muscle, to wave at her, and a knight, his expression hardened, drew his sword.

“Knight Aspi Lichtein… I will kill the princess’ enemy.”