episode_0192

Chapter 194 – Consumed by Fire

Murmuring!

In the early morning, the academy was abuzz with commotion from the festival’s events, starting from the main gate.

“No way, I can’t believe Eunrang would do something like that…”

“Does this mean the Crown Princess’s position will become vacant?”

“It seems the rumor that the Crown Prince’s dick is as small as a pinky finger is true!”

“Heh heh! How can a person’s dick be as small as a pinky finger?”

Amidst the torrent of truths and all sorts of rumors about the incident, new information I hadn’t known was also mixed in.

“Did you hear? Remian Herana is dead!”

“Really? Why? Wasn’t she dragged to prison?”

“They say she mutated into a monster during torture? Perhaps the Golden Ghost made it so she couldn’t reveal their identity?”

“Anyway, you have to give it to those Dark Cultists, don’t you? They’re cruel bastards!”

In fact, it was somewhat an expected outcome.

Since I’d already confirmed that she was injected with a near-lethal dose of high-ranking demon’s serum, mutation would have been a matter of time even without torture.

That’s why Ethan and I didn’t get rid of Remian, who was crucial evidence, in the first place.

Otherwise, we would have killed Remian without worrying about adding to our infamy or anything else.

Anyway, it seemed I didn’t need to worry about this anymore.

‘Is there only one thing left?’

As soon as I thought of someone’s face, Alisa appeared from the hallway far away.

She had been walking with her gaze fixed on the floor, but as the distance shortened, she seemed to sense someone’s presence and lifted her head, meeting my eyes.

Her exhausted, sunken, blood-red eyes widened in surprise for a moment.

I prepared for what was to happen next.

“…”

But Alisa seemed to stare at me for a moment, then turned her gaze away and passed by without a word.

That was a very strange action.

‘What’s going on?’

If it were Alisa, she would have surely realized that I was Eunrang, yet I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t doing anything.

I’d expected her to at least rampage, tearing off an arm or a leg of mine.

Her acting like that somehow feels more ominous.

“I’ll have to prepare even more thoroughly.”

Perhaps, after acting like that, she might come to my dorm room in the middle of the night and start a stabbing spree.

I organized my thoughts about Alisa and entered the classroom.

Creak─

As I opened the door, the gazes that had converged for a moment scattered in all directions again.

Among them, one pair of eyes watched me.

“Ruan. Good morning.”

Her sparkling, starlit violet eyes curved beautifully as she greeted me.

I simply gave a brief nod.

At my unusually cold attitude, she flinched in surprise, then quickly turned her attention to her friends who were talking to her.

As soon as I sat down, I immediately put my head down on the desk.

‘Just endure for two more weeks.’

Anyway, winter break is coming soon, so once it’s here, I won’t have to force myself to avoid Deborah like this.

If there’s no interaction for about three months until spring, our distance will naturally grow.

That will be the end of it all.

“Sigh…”

Another sigh, one of countless, escaped.

Regina, who was scribbling on the student council’s year-end settlement documents, subtly gazed at Isis.

‘She seems to have a lot on her mind?’

Well, it’s understandable.

How could she be fine after discovering that her beloved younger sibling is a possessor and a wicked rapist?

Isis’s mind is probably a tangled mess of all sorts of worries right now.

What if I used this opportunity to tell her about being raped by Ruan?

‘I might be able to separate them!’

And if I seize that moment to subtly and stealthily approach Isis, there’s a chance she might come over more easily than I think.

But this is no different from a double-edged sword.

It would be great if she came over, but if she still defended Ruan, saying she loved him, then I couldn’t hope for even a shred of hope in the future.

Indeed, it’s not time to openly confess yet.

Instead, I decided to indirectly probe Isis’s true feelings.

“Isis. Is something wrong?”

“Huh?”

“You keep sighing. What’s bothering you?”

“Well, actually…”

A myriad of emotions crossed Isis’s face.

Even if they were close, she debated whether she should tell Regina this.

The deliberation was brief.

“It’s just about Remian Herana. I heard this morning that she died.”

“Oh, that? I heard it too. They say she mutated into a monster, right? Was it the Golden Ghost? Typical of a Dark Cult apostle. A truly wicked fellow.”

“Yes. I never imagined they would have such a device in place.”

Successfully lowered her guard through empathy.

Regina, who had been ranting about the Golden Ghost for a while, turned her aim towards Ruan.

“But honestly, I think Eunrang is more of a scumbag than the Golden Ghost.”

“E-excuse me? Eunrang?”

“Yeah. How could he commit such a humiliation while it was being broadcast nationwide? Was there really a need to go that far?”

“…I suppose so.”

Isis dejectedly agreed.

Even for her, who tried to understand everything about Ruan, that was the one thing she couldn’t accept.

Regina went further.

“Besides, they say he’s a possessor, right? So the original soul that occupied that body must have disappeared, didn’t it? He’s a completely different person.”

“A different… person?”

“Yeah. If I were that person’s family, I wouldn’t forgive him. It’s virtually the same as killing them, isn’t it? Don’t you think so, Isis?”

“…”

Isis’s eyes wavered ceaselessly.

Her agitation was so great that it was almost as if the chair and desk she sat at were trembling.

Regina secretly smiled.

‘Yes. The younger sibling you love is already gone.’

With this, a crack appeared in Isis’s love as well.

Instead, she would harbor hatred for the wicked possessor who stole her sibling’s body and toyed with her feelings at will!

While inwardly rejoicing, she pretended outwardly to know nothing.

“Isis? What’s wrong? You look troubled.”

“E-excuse me? Oh, no! It’s just that my head suddenly started hurting a bit…”

“Really? Should I take you to the infirmary?”

“It’s okay! I can go by myself.”

“Hmm… Well, if that’s the case, then there’s nothing I can do. Go ahead.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

Isis left the student council room after apologizing.

Regina, who had been watching her back, waited until the door closed and she had completely vanished from her sensory range, then curled the corners of her lips into a grin.

“Good. Things are going well.”

If I keep subtly shaking her like this, Isis’s love is bound to crumble eventually.

She awaited that moment.

*

After school, I left the classroom and looked for the Saintess, intending to observe the movements of the church.

A vague excuse about not feeling well would be sufficient.

With that thought, I went to the infirmary, and an unexpected person greeted me.

“R-Ruan?”

“Oh, Noona? What are you doing here?”

Isis, who had just finished her examination and was opening the door to leave, saw me and her eyes widened.

She seemed quite flustered.

“I-I came because I had a headache. What about you?”

“Me? I… I also just wasn’t feeling well.”

“Not feeling well? Where does it hurt? Are you badly injured?”

Isis anxiously examined my entire body.

She treated me like a severely ill patient, almost to an excessive degree.

“No. It’s just a slight fever. You don’t have to worry.”

“Really? If you hurt anywhere, you must tell me. Okay?”

“Alright. More importantly, the priestess is calling Noona. You should go.”

“Oh, okay! Got it. See you later.”

“Yes. Go carefully.”

After exchanging greetings, I turned my back on Isis and started towards the counter.

“R-Ruan. Wait a minute!”

That is, if Isis hadn’t stopped me.

At her desperate yet urgent call, I hesitated and stopped.

“Yes? Do you have something else to say?”

“Ah, w-well…”

Something was making her hesitate so much, as she opened and closed her mouth, reluctant to speak.

Finally, just before my patience ran out, Isis’s mouth barely opened.

“N-no, it’s nothing! I just called your name.”

“Just? No way. You clearly wanted to say something, didn’t you?”

“Oh, I said it’s nothing! It’s really nothing. I was going to ask something, but then I thought it wasn’t appropriate to ask you, so I’ll just ask other people.”

Her lying was too awkward.

It was more like she was appealing for me to keep asking.

My eyes naturally narrowed.

“Hmm… Suspicious. Did you perhaps do something wrong to me?”

“W-w-wrong? There’s nothing like that!”

“Then tell me quickly. Otherwise, I’ll assume you did something wrong.”

“Ugh, ugh…”

As I pressured her, Isis fidgeted, then squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.

“W-what do you think about virgins?”

Virgin.

That word was deeply etched into my mind.

Her widely spread shout instantly drew the attention of the surrounding priestesses.

Fortunately, there were no other visitors in the infirmary, and all the priestesses happened to be women. If there had been a man, he might have gotten an erection from the words that came out of the beautiful student council president’s mouth.

In fact, if I hadn’t forcibly controlled my blood flow, my dick would have almost stood up.

I barely managed to regain my composure and asked.

“…W-what are you talking about?”

“Huh? Oh, that, I mean… S-sorry! I asked something unnecessary!”

As if reason had returned belatedly, Isis’s face flushed crimson, and she writhed in shame.

She covered her face and blurted out an excuse.

“W-well, you see? I heard that m-men dislike virgins! They apparently prefer someone with a little experience. So, I just wanted to hear your opinion, Ruan. I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have asked you something like this!”

Isis was talking utter nonsense; who on earth had gaslit her?

‘Men dislike virgins?’

People prefer gifts wrapped in packaging, so why such nonsense is circulating is beyond me.

It’s possible to like a non-virgin woman, but it’s not because she’s a non-virgin, is it?

If there are guys who like non-virgins, they either just see the person for one-night stands, or they’re perverts with a fetish for sluts.

Besides, even those guys end up marrying pretty, young virgins.

Anyway, I’ve gone off-topic, but the important thing is that virgins are usually preferred.

I firmly reprimanded Isis.

“What! Noona. Listen carefully.”

“U-uh?”

“I like virgins.”

“…Really?”

Isis’s face brightened at the statement, which contained 10% sincerity.

I nodded gravely.

“Yes. Virgins are unconditionally the best. So don’t listen to strange things and misunderstand. Understood?”

“Oh, okay! T-thank you for telling me!”

“Alright. Then I’ll be going now. I have urgent business.”

“Got it! See you later!”

And so, having corrected Isis’s mistaken notion, I left her behind and headed towards the counter.

By the way, the Saintess was not present.

“Oh, the Saintess? The Saintess has gone to the Holy Land to meet His Holiness the Pope.”

“The Holy Land?”

“Yes. She probably won’t be back today.”

“…I see.”

It seems there was a big commotion within the church due to what happened yesterday.

I came all this way for nothing.