༺ Chaos ༻
Emily, who had transformed into a blue flame with the ability to judge the dead, walked calmly toward Maalkus.
It was with a sense of tranquility that was the exact opposite of the seething rage and resentment she was feeling, but Emily had learned it through experience – rather than a sudden attack, it was way more terrifying when something you were afraid of came toward you slowly, giving your brain enough time to visualize all the possible gruesome futures that could occur in the very next minute.
In fact, she had learned it from Maalkus himself; stuck in an iron cage, every time she heard the sound of the researcher’s footsteps approaching, she always trembled in fear wondering if she, just like the other people who were once locked behind bars, might not live to see the end of the day.
Recalling those days, even the short time it took to arrive next to Maalkus was being used as revenge. This was indeed effective as Maalkus could do nothing but tremble and fall to his knees.
[I, I was wrong! I had no choice but to obey the orders of Dietros Verdi!]
[…]
[I mean… Victim! Yes! I am a victim as well! He said that if we didn’t carry out his orders, he would kill us all!]
Emily gazed down blankly at Maalkus, who was banging the ground while crying tearfully.
He screamed as he ran his hands across his chest in agitation.
[Please! I beg you, please have mercy on me… just show me a little mercy!]
It seemed that he would lick her feet if he was asked.
Emily suddenly halted and stood still.
“From where did Dietros Verdi learn about the existence of the monster called Human-Bone Centipede?”
[…]
Maalkus glared at me with his eyes as I intervened.
If I could have joked around at a time like this, I would have done so while sneering at him. But the only way I could behave towards someone like him was in a cold, emotionless manner.
“Why did Dietros choose a soul-stealing Human-Bone Centipede? There were many other monsters. Why was he desperate to choose one that required human bones and was not well-known among people?”
[De-us!!]
As Maalkus spat out my name in rage, I recited a page from Dietros Verdi’s journal like a biblical verse, ignoring him.
“On the 25th of November, a man named Maalkus approached me. He explained that the recent influx of barbarians crossing over the Norseweden Mountains was an ominous sign of war.”
“His words were so fascinating, that at one point during our conversation, I found myself caught up in them. I didn’t realize it at the time, but as I’m writing this journal, it dawned upon me that he may have been using me to fulfill his own selfish desires instead of serving the Kingdom’s cause.”
“However, why does that matter? I’ll be the one to gain from it if he succeeds, and even if he fails, it’s still the same as killing the barbarians crossing over the mountains.”
“He has the knowledge, and I have the resources.”
There was nothing more that needed to be said. After reciting that, I glanced at Maalkus, who was grinding his teeth in anger and shouting from afar.
[Damn! You Verdis will always be morons! I told him to ensure that no records would be left behind even if we failed and died! What a fool, exposing his own ignorance even after his death!]
Maalkus, who was revealed to be the real instigator and the mastermind behind the experiment, looked up at Emily.
But Emily just stood still, despite having heard the entire truth.
Observing her, I sighed with a soft smile.
“Ha.”
She was truly an amusing girl.
Her bubbly personality had even made me, who was supposedly an adult, think of her as a simple eight-year-old kid.
“What, what? Why did you just laugh?”
“….”
Findenai was surprised at my sudden laughter, while Deia made a complicated expression.
Only the flames in the shape of Emily were visible to the two of them, while Maalkus was invisible, so they couldn’t comprehend what was happening, but I had no intention of explaining it.
[Excuse me.]
Finally, Emily spoke. Maalkus trembled with fear and slammed his forehead on the ground.
[I’m repenting! I know how foolish I was! That’s why…!]
[Did you get your hopes up?]
[…W-What…?]
Like a bug, Maalkus’ pupils slowly crawled up and when they reached Emily’s face, his eyes widened in shock and his mouth gaped involuntarily, speechless.
[Ah, ah… Ahhh!]
Looking at her smile and realizing that Emily had no intention of forgiving him from the start, he let out a strange cry.
[Why, you’ve already done that to us many times, haven’t you? Giving us hope that we might be spared and then dragging us away for the experiment, a fate worse than death.]
[Ahh.]
[This is fun. I think I understand why you laughed so much while doing the same to us.]
Snap.
Emily seized Maalkus’ wrist.
[Kuaaaah!]
Maalkus screamed and thrashed around as his wrist began to burn.
For him, the delicate little girl’s palm had turned into a searing flame, and there was nowhere to escape.
[Stop it! Stop it! It’s burning! It hurts! It hurts!]
[Ah, I really like your expression.]
Smack!
Emily used her other hand to grab the struggling spirit’s flailing face.
[Gag! Ugh! Aaaaaaah! Spare me! Spare meeeeee!]
Although he felt the pain of his face and wrist being burnt, there were no external wounds, whatsoever.
Because…
[You are already dead.]
Yes, because he was dead.
No matter how much pain he felt, he would be unable to escape.
[We are already dead, you know. And since there is no such thing as an afterlife, I will not be able to meet my mom and dad, even if I do good deeds and become a saint.]
[Stop it! Ugh! Ahhhhhh!]
[So, I will pour out every last drop of this grudge onto you.]
But Maalkus seemed to have already lost his mind, his desperate screams not even ceasing for a moment.
Slowly turning away, I gestured to Findenai and Deia.
“Let’s go. It’s natural for girls to have a few sides they don’t want others to see.”
“What?”
“….”
The two of them, who still didn’t comprehend the situation, followed me outside with puzzled looks on their faces.
Before finally heading out of the room, I glanced at Emily, who was facing me with her head bowed.
“It’s not over yet. Please wait a little longer, I will prepare a ceremony for you.”
[…Thank you.]
After making that last promise…
Bang
…I shut the door.
The desperate screams continued to resound for a long time.
* * *
Loberne Academy:
“How dare you!”
The Dean slammed his fist on the desk. The letter from the Verdi Household lay crumpled beneath it.
It was a blank piece of paper sent as a reply to the letter the Dean had sent, as if there was nothing to say.
On seeing that letter, which signified that Deus had no intention of helping them, the Dean who always had a warm demeanor, like that of a stuffed bear, felt the veins on his forehead bulging out.
But it was not the reply that made him really annoyed, but the current circumstances… and his inability to do anything;
He needed Deus Verdi, despite the brazenness.
‘It’s reopening soon.’
The Academy was about to reopen soon, the new students would soon be arriving and the current students would be returning from their vacations as well.
Especially…
‘There are too many big names among this batch of freshmen.’
From the Princess of Griffin Kingdom, to boys and girls with outstanding talents, who belonged to various prestigious Households… This batch was so exceptional, that professors were already excited about seeing and teaching these students, who were already being called the Golden Generation.
He didn’t know why there were so many giants, to the point of being abnormal, among the new students this year. But in any case, the current situation was really dire.
“Is there no other way?”
While the Dean was massaging his forehead, trying to think of a solution, Professor Gideon entered the office with a knock.
A man, who could only be described as ominous, stood behind him – dressed in a black robe and with a black veil covering his face, while his hand held a staff with grotesque, sinister decorations.
“Dean, I’ve found someone who can solve this case.”
‘Oh, oh!’
It was news that he didn’t dare to expect, yet still hoped for.
The Dean stood up abruptly. Slamming the desk, as he asked with hopeful eyes,
“The person behind you?”
“Yes, that’s right. He is a Necromancer I managed to find with great difficulty.”
“Yes, yes…… Necromancer?”
The Dean immediately frowned. A Necromancer was someone who walked the path of black magic. That meant…
“Isn’t he a criminal?”
An existence that was against the laws of the Griffin Kingdom. A kind of pathogen that should not have been allowed to set foot in the Academy.
“Yes, that’s right. But, Dean, does that really matter right now? The start of the term is just around the corner. We really need to put this case to rest before the students return.”
“I’d rather call a priest…”
The Dean wondered if it would be better to hire the priest he had been thinking about since the other day, but the Necromancer behind Gideon sneered while chuckling.
“Are you talking about those morons who just get down on their knees and pray to God? Stop it. They’ll still be offering prayers even after the term starts.”
“Ahem.”
He made a valid point.
Moreover, it cost a lot of money to ask a priest to perform an exorcism, but it was impossible to get a proper confirmation on whether it was successful or not.
“I’m sure. If we just frighten and cause some pain to the spirits, they will quickly flee.”
As the Necromancer spoke with a chuckle, a strange hope began to sprout in the Dean’s heart.
‘Yes, doesn’t it make sense to bend the rules to save the academy?’
The Dean nodded and tried to shake hands with the Necromancer.
“Please help us.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get started right away. I should be done with it in a day.”
The Necromancer, who refused to shake hands, stepped outside, bumping into Erica Bright and Caren, who were coincidentally on their way to the Dean’s office.
The Dean didn’t want them to discover what they were up to, but before the Dean could say anything, Gideon smiled and spoke to them.
“The two of you can come along as well. Everything will finally come to an end now.”
“Yes?”
Erica frowned, unable to understand what he meant by that, but Caren realized what he meant as soon as she saw the man behind him.
“You’ve brought a Necromancer. They are quite a rare sight.”
“Good, your years of experience as a mercenary have made you quite sharp and knowledgeable.”
That’s how Caren and Erica ended up joining the group.
Erica stepped forward with determination and stood next to the man dressed in all black, in order to avoid standing next to Gideon.
“May I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
The Necromancer chuckled and gave a relaxed smile. Erica held in the unpleasant feeling that was surging up and asked.
“There was a professor at the academy who was aware of the circumstances even before these strange incidents began to take place.”
“….”
Upon hearing her words, the Necromancer as well as the others perked up their ears.
It was Deus’ story.
“How did that professor know about evil spirits?”
“Hehe.”
The Necromancer let out a small laugh filled with mockery.
“Sometimes, there are people who have the ability to sense the presence of the dead. But that’s all. When you think about it, they’re just third-rate trash, who only know how to flee. Unlike me, they are unable to control or suppress evil spirits. Isn’t that the very reason this Academy is still overflowing with evil spirits?”
“….Is that so?”
Erica breathed a small sigh of relief inwardly. Frankly, the deeper she dug into the situation, the more she felt that Professor Deus may have been involved with black magic. Fortunately, according to this strange man’s words, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Ha, so he sent such a letter with that insignificant of an ability?”
“Haha, Professor Deus missed out on a brilliant opportunity to be reinstated.”
Gideon laughed and sympathized with the Dean, who snorted, saying,
“It’s alright.”
Erica ignored them and continued asking the Necromancer.
“Actually, there is an evil spirit I am searching for…”
“…Stop.”
Saying that the Necromancer also stopped in his tracks.
It was exactly in the middle of the corridor of the fourth floor.
“Let’s start here. This can be considered to be the central point of the building.”
With those words, the Necromancer immediately slammed the tip of his staff on the floor.
Around him, a massive amount of mana began to explode violently. The mana squirmed like clay and soon transformed into the shape of a human palm.
But the fingers of ‘Mana Palm’ kept stretching outward and their tips also took the shape of a palm. Just like that, the magic of the Necromancer split into hundreds of palms almost instantly.
And the faces of the dead wailing in agony could be seen within those palms.
“He is a Necromancer with considerable skill. Professor Gideon, where did you find him? With this level of skill, if he decided to hide, no one would be able to find him.”
“Haha, that’s a secret.”
At Caren’s question, who had seen Necromancers several times, Gideon replied with a friendly smile and avoided giving any details.
Indeed, it was an incredible skill.
Even considering that it was a Necromancy skill, the moment Erica, who was a professor, felt that this strange man’s skills seemed to be superior to her own…
Thunk. Thunk.
…His staff fell to the ground, rolling to Erica’s foot. The palm of mana burned away and vanished into the air.
The Necromancer was staring at the professors.
His body turned stiff with his back facing them just like before, but his neck was twisted and the eyes behind his mask seemed to be blank as if frozen.
“Huh?”
Thud.
That was it.
With his neck twisted, the Necromancer let out a scream, not knowing what was happening with his mangled neck, and collapsed, rolling down the stairs.
No one could say or do anything.
Just then…
[Kekekekeke!]
…The dreadful laughter of the girl, the same laughter they had heard before, resounded throughout the corridor.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
And soon, the sound of heavy footsteps also came from the stairs.
“Why is he here…?”
The one-armed Bushi, known to appear only at the Central Corridor of the first floor, was bolting up the stairs with tremendous agility.
Crack!
He immediately pulverized the Necromancer’s body which was rolling down the stairs, smashing it into a lump of flesh.
Swish! Kwadeuk! Swish! Kwadeuk!
Then drawing his sword in an instant, he started hacking, slashing, and stomping the Necromancer’s corpse… over and over again.
