Chapter 281
“Ever since the Young Master disappeared like that, most of the high-ranking officials within the Courthouse have reportedly died. They said they were going to overthrow Quelle, but the way it turned out, their real goal seemed to be escaping and dealing with the officials inside the Courthouse.”
In one of the many rooms of the Central Church.
A place where all the lights have been turned off.
Naias, sitting in a rocking chair, rocked back and forth as she spoke.
“They say the Heroes and Students suffered no damage. It was as if only the officials were specifically targeted and torn apart… But, the civilians caught in the Cardinal’s powers were said to be so suppressed that it was hard to recognize who they were.”
Moreover, it was reported that the existing Formists were completely wiped out.
The group that hadn’t been targeting the Formists, Altife’s squad, suddenly turned at some point and began killing the Formists’ followers, or the followers themselves became Altife.
Creak— creak—.
Each time the chair rocked, an annoying sound rang in the ears.
Naias, feeling a little droopy, seemed to look up at Alicia, who was scarcely responding, as if to convey an unavoidable truth.
“The Young Master has become a criminal of great treachery.”
“……”
“Well, I mean, that’s what people say among humans.”
The Spirit spoke as if it was none of her business.
Naias stood up from the chair and stretched wildly. Then she noticed the medium she had recently neglected.
An outclassed Naias.
It was the sword she barely managed to retrieve with Paula’s help, almost losing it to the Central Church.
Dust was beginning to accumulate on the sword that was always polished to a shine.
“Ah, I’m seriously going to die from boredom. At this rate, it’s no different from being in the Spirit Realm.”
Naias grumbled.
She started kicking around the objects lying nearby to get Alicia’s attention, but there was no response at all.
Alicia hadn’t eaten for days.
Naias approached her visibly emaciated figure and pulled her clothes down to reveal her collarbone.
“The markings have disappeared without a trace?”
“……”
“Whoever erased them did a splendid job without leaving a hint~. At this rate, we wouldn’t even know if there was a Curse of Fascination or not. Right?”
“……”
Naias began to bother Alicia out of sheer boredom.
Then, an ominous glint flickered in Alicia’s eyes, which had been unresponsive.
“Ugh….”
“Uh…? What’s up, are you about to cry? You suddenly burst into tears like this?”
Her thin shoulders quivered as she sobbed.
She sniffled and cried.
The Spirit, who hadn’t intended to make her cry, was taken aback. What had started as a little teasing out of boredom had escalated into a bigger issue.
“Hey, hey…! No, why are you crying…!”
A single tear that started to fall acted like a dam bursting, and tears streamed endlessly from Alicia’s eyes.
She was so sad that even her breaths trembled.
Naias, unable to do anything, felt moisture welling up in her own eyes.
“Damn it… You’re crying so pitifully that it’s making me want to cry too…!”
Suddenly, the tip of Naias’s nose turned red, and she burst into tears just like Alicia.
She sobbed like a little child.
Through her tears, Naias said, “Young Master, you awful human…! Why did you take only Arcane and leave me behind…! Waaah!”
Though she tried not to show it for the sake of her pride as a spirit, Naias was genuinely hurt.
It wasn’t just that Vargan had committed a crime; it saddened her that he had left her behind.
On top of that, Arcane, a junior, had been taken along as the ego of a staff, which only amplified the shock.
…After they had wept together for a while.
As Naias was beginning to calm down and sniffle,
Alicia’s little familiars, who had been watching, peeked their heads out.
—Kyuut?
A little fluffy white creature quickly stretched its body and climbed onto Alicia’s shoulder.
It wrapped its warm body around her neck like it was trying to comfort her not to cry.
Alicia gently moved her hand to stroke the familiar and finally managed to speak through her trembling lips.
“Is the Young Master… okay?”
“…Pwoooot! Huh? What did you say?”
Naias, using a curtain as a handkerchief to wipe her runny nose, waited for Alicia to continue after momentarily failing to grasp what she said.
“Has he been eating well…? He was hurt quite a lot, has he recovered at all?”
“Alicia….”
“Naias… I… I miss the Young Master so much. I’m worried I might go crazy….”
Alicia, who had been branded as a woman used by Vargan in the courthouse, still longed for him despite hearing the cruel results of the investigation.
“Is it wrong for me to feel this way…? Am I just a fake made by a curse…? Then, what… what should I do…!”
—Knock, knock.
As Alicia continued to let her emotions spill out, a knock was heard.
No one had invited anyone in, but a man entered as the door opened.
“Sorry to interrupt while you’re having a tough time. Alicia, I came to tell you something important. May I take a moment?”
Hero Helion.
He, also Vargan’s mentor, had come to the room where Alicia was staying.
Helion pulled a small chair from near the table and sat down in front of Alicia.
Naias, sensing something uneasy about him, discreetly slipped into her sword.
After exchanging a few words with Alicia, Helion said, “I’ve finished all the investigations regarding you, Alicia. I’ll have an airship ready for you to the Rikeion tomorrow, so you can board it.”
“…….”
“When you go, you’ll be able to meet the other students you saw at the Academia. The place is no longer called Academia, though… but there’s no other way for now. Do you have any questions?”
“……”
As Alicia remained silent, Helion stood up to leave. Just then, her question, which seemed like she was about to collapse, caught his attention.
Helion, trying to rise from his seat, was suddenly interrupted by a question from a quivering Alicia, as if she might faint at any moment.
“…What will happen to the Young Master?”
“Are you referring to how Barghan is being treated?”
“…….”
“Well…. Should I just speak plainly? You’ll find out everything eventually.”
Helion spoke as if he couldn’t relate to her sorrow, casually continuing.
“The Central Church has deemed Barghan a first-degree criminal and issued a global manhunt. Other charges are serious, but the punishment for what happened at the Academia is particularly heavy. Plus, it’s uncertain how much of Gamigin’s power can be utilized.”
“So that means….”
“Yes, Barghan is not a target for capture or negotiation; he’s a target for execution. All the Heroes will be eager to kill him.”
“…….”
Alicia’s mana reacted to the notion of killing Barghan.
She trembled anxiously but slowly stood up with a sense of determination.
Helion, aware of her intentions, spoke nonchalantly.
“However, you don’t have to step in. I’ll handle him myself.”
“……Huh?”
“The responsibility of taking care of a student falls on the teacher. From start to finish…. If you teach, you must take responsibility, right?”
Helion smiled softly.
Alicia, confused as to whether this was the right moment to smile, met his gaze.
His eyes were unfathomable.
It had always seemed that Helion operated on a different emotional wavelength than ordinary people.
“Anyhow, don’t overthink it and try to clear your mind. It might sound harsh, but Alicia, your talent is too precious to waste like this!”
Having said what he wanted, Helion stood up.
He walked toward the glowing doorway, leaving Alicia alone in the unlit room, advising her as he reached the door.
“It won’t be easy, but you’ll need to sort out your feelings about Barghan quickly. Even though you’re a victim, many will view you unfavorably for being so close to him.”
“…….”
“Well then, take care of yourself, Alicia.”
Thud—.
Helion closed the door and stood still for a moment.
Inside, the sound of Alicia’s sobs filled the space once more.
It showed no signs of stopping.
Helion slowly moved away.
“Victim… victim.”
He murmured under his breath, barely loud enough for himself to hear.
Just like Erica, whose memories had been wiped while acting alongside Barghan, Alicia, too, had been marked in people’s minds as a ‘victim.’
They wouldn’t find it strange if she were called to the Courthouse as a suspect.
…Is this truly just a coincidence?
—Barghan, before the story unfolds completely, there’s something I’d like to ask.
Helion recalled a moment from the past.
The time when they discussed the ownership of the newly acquired Judgment Artifact that Barghan had obtained…
—If you could receive a reward for the ‘Gamigin Subjugation’… what would you like to receive? I’m curious if you’ve thought of anything.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Barghan answered Helion’s question with a smile.
—If you could become my servant Alicia’s ‘teacher,’ I would appreciate that.
“…….”
Alicia’s talent was undeniable.
The power that had just come out during their conversation about Barghan was also remarkable. If he were to teach her as he mentioned, she would surely be able to grow even faster.
The power that had been revealed was certainly extraordinary. As he said, if he were to teach her, she would grow even faster.
‘But why…?’
Why was he trying to help Alicia grow?
Vargan. What was he plotting?
‘I can’t tell.’
I thought I understood him, but my disciple remained as enigmatic as ever… a criminal.
Zuuung—.
As I walked down the hallway, lost in thought,
the disposable communication crystal in my pocket reacted.
It was a high-priced item that had to be discarded after use, so a connection was unusual; it meant there was an urgent matter to report.
—H-Hey, Helion! As instructed, I’ve come to investigate the traitor Vargan’s Church Ordinance No. 31. I did come, but…!
A frantic voice.
The report was almost breathless, seemingly in chaos.
It conveyed an astonishing fact.
—Rubid Village… the village that should have been inside Church Ordinance No. 31… no, it’s as if the mountain has been torn away and vanished completely!
*
…Time passed like that.
Dates changed.
Seasons changed.
The cycle of spring, summer, fall, and winter repeated.
So quickly did things change that it barely registered.
At some point, the moment we linger briefly is what we call the present.
“Turns out it’s nothing special. No matter how strong they are, a bishop like that is no match at all, right?”
Arha was trampling on the almost lifeless bishop.
With a playful smile, she crushed his heart completely.
With that, the core buried within the bishop’s heart shattered, and Altife met his end.
Emily, watching Arha, screamed before letting out a sigh.
“I told you not to break the core…. It was our mission to take it.”
“What? That was the mission? Then you should have hidden it well. What have you been doing all this time?”
“Whose fault do you think it is that I couldn’t… sigh. Fine. Fighting with you is just a headache. It’s stressful.”
“Don’t get too stressed. You’ll lose more hair that way.”
Arha giggled, pointing to her hair, which had completely changed from before.
Her once red hair had turned a grayish color, as if it had been bleached.
“Who do you think wanted it to change?”
Emily grumbled but healed Arha’s wounds.
Whether her healing magic was exceptional or not, the long cut on Arha’s arm healed quickly.
Emily smacked Arha’s arm with her palm, signaling that the healing was complete.
Arha expressed her discontent, but with the familiarity of it, she brushed it off and walked over to another man.
He was the team leader of the group that included Emily and Arha.
“Liam, you’re not hurt, right? And by the way, don’t say a shallow cut isn’t a wound.”
“I’m fine. More importantly, Emily, if you’re tired, you should rest. Don’t push yourself.”
“It’s not pushing myself. I’m not even bothered by this!”
“Well, that’s good to hear. …So, shall we head back now?”
Liam addressed his teammates.
Even Arha, who rarely followed others’ lead, seemed discontent, moving her feet nonetheless.
It had been two years since he bore the title of Hero.
A team formed of newcomers who held great expectations.
The person taking the lead was the Hero, Liam.
