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Chapter 152

“I just explained why,” said Evan, looking rather puzzled. “There are over a thousand students at Kartell Academy right now. If you add in all the faculty and staff, it’s probably half again as many people, if not more.”

“I know.”

“We’re talking about killing two to save well over a thousand. Why shouldn’t we? Unless, of course, you happen to be some kind of diehard devotee of the royal family.”

I cut off Evan’s nonsense with another heavy sigh. “And if neither of them are cultists?” I asked.

“They’re the prime suspects, but I’ve got a list of other suspicious individuals. We just have to work our way down the list.”

“By killing them?”

Evan raised both his hands in surrender, looking thoroughly bored with this conversation. “Look, I admit it’s extreme, but it’s the only way to definitely save everyone within the time we have left.”

I couldn’t help it. My shoulders slowly shook as my chuckle turned into a laugh.

Eventually, once I had calmed down, I said, “There are so many things I need to ask, but let’s get this out of the way first.”

“Go ahead,” Evan replied.

“If doing that could truly put an end to this entire ordeal, why did you ask for my help in the first place?”

“What?”

“The prince and the princess... If you wanted to kill them, you could have done it alone.”

Evan shut his mouth.

“Want to hear my guess? Killing the prince and princess is just step one of your plan, or maybe even step zero. You need my help for whatever comes after, right?”

“...”

“And if we get caught murdering members of the imperial family, no one will believe me even if I try to spill your identity. Plus, you’ll have something to blackmail me with.”

Evan smacked his lips and scratched his cheek. “Tsk.”

It was odd to see him so flustered and caught off-guard, so much like the Evan I’d known.

After a moment, he shrugged in silent affirmation.

My frustration was up to my eyebrows. For a moment, I thought about how his head would make a great punching bag... but my curiosity won out over my anger in the end.

“So what comes after?” I asked.

“You mean after we kill the high priest?”

“What high priest?”

“Whoever temporarily summoned the demon lord. I’m calling them a high priest since it\'s clear they’ve been performing rituals here.”

“...Fine, call them whatever you want,” I replied with a sigh, too tired to argue anymore.

“Technically, killing the priest is more of a follow-up to the demon lord’s summoning. Kind of like how... once a forest fire starts, putting it out won\'t bring back what burned, right?” asked Evan.

“Where are you going with this?”

“But putting out the fire prevents it from spreading further. Likewise, killing the high priest will prevent the demon lord from getting any stronger.”

“...Getting stronger?”

“Yeah. Of course, the demon lord will need a steady supply of sacrifices, but... Honestly, even at this stage, our chances of defeating the demon lord are close to zero. That means we need to kill the high priest as soon as possible if we want even a sliver of hope. So far, so good?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re on board with my plan?"

I shook my head and said, “No.”

Evan let out a long, deflated sigh. “Fine, let\'s hear your take, then. Do you have a better idea?”

“For starters, I’d like to ask something.”

“Go ahead.”

“What exactly happened to you in the research wing?”

“Mm.” Evan nodded. “Long story short... It\'s fair to say the twelve buildings in the research wing are already under the cult’s influence. During the day, they’re relatively safe, but it’s a different story after dark. Chances are high that you’ll get sucked into the Veiled Side.”

“Sucked in?”

“Yeah. My memories are a little fuzzy after that. Like I said before, it feels vague, almost like a dream... but I’ll tell you what I remember.”

What Evan said next was almost unbelievable.

He said that after blacking out, he woke up in the middle of the night to a blood-lit moon hanging over the academy.

Apparently, that was the Veiled Side he’d mentioned.

“I remember there were a lot of others there too. I don’t remember their faces, but I’m pretty sure most of them were academy students, though there were a few professors.”

“That’s... weird.”

“A lot” should mean at least dozens of people...

As I’d mentioned before, keeping track of everyone was much easier in the academy. If a student skipped a single class, it was immediately marked in the attendance. If absences piled up without reason, the instructors would notice something was off.

Evan was a special case because he could die—once—and still be alive.

“Demon Lord Hadenaihar likes to play, so I\'m sure there are rules even in the Veiled Side. Unreasonable as they may be, there must be some chance of returning to the real world.

“Hm...”

“Anyway, there were three key things I remember from that world. ‘Doll’, ‘Exploration’, and lastly, ‘the Blood-lit Moon’.”

“...Doll, you say.”

Although the image of Princess Ferith holding that doll came to mind... something felt off.

How should I put this...

By all accounts, the princess was the obvious culprit, but somehow, that obviousness was making me second-guess myself.

Of course, as Sellen had pointed out, this world wasn’t a novel.

Suspicious people were suspicious because they were acting suspicious by doing suspicious things.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the feeling of discomfort creeping over me.

“I get the gist of what you’re saying,” I said. “So your real goal—”

“Is to take out the high priest and head back to the Veiled Side. There, the two of us will kill the demon lord.”

“Hm.” I nodded. “Yeah, I think I’ve got it. But doesn’t that seem a bit too much for just the two of us?”

“I agree. The more allies we have, the better. I’d say five would be a good number, but...” Evan suddenly stared me in the face and asked. “What\'s with that look?”

I shook my head and said, “...It’s nothing.”

I’d just suddenly remembered what Sellen had said to me earlier.

—The princess wants to get five members total, though I’m not sure why.

The princess wanted five members for her club.

Evan claimed that at least five people were necessary to take down the demon lord.

Was it just a coincidence?

“Got anyone in mind to recruit? Someone trustworthy for starters, and they shouldn’t be lacking in skill. That means no Hector or Charon.”

While Hector and Charon were certainly excellent fighters on a basic level, they were certainly not ready to take on a demon lord.

The first person who came to mind was Sellen Goodspring, but...

“Yeah. There is one.”

“Who?”

“Headmaster Alderson.”

The master of this academy.

I needed to tell the Archmage of Violet the current situation and get his help.

* * * * *

* * * * *

“The headmaster is in the Tower of Trials right now. In fact, he spends most of his time there rather than in his office.”

I’d rushed to the Headmaster’s office in the main building only to be greeted by a man who appeared to be his secretary.

Normally, he wouldn’t have given out the headmaster’s whereabouts, but thankfully my distinguished student ID had pretty much forced him to give me an answer.

Evan and I promptly left the main building and headed toward the Tower of Trials.

As we walked through the darkened academy, I noticed that the streetlights were unusually dim today.

I glanced at Evan, who had followed me without a word, and thought to myself, I wonder if I can arrange a meeting with Leone.

After all, Leone had said she would share more information if I brought a vice-cult leader with me, but...

I was still unsure.

I didn’t even know why Leone was looking for another vice-cult leader.

Who knows, maybe she has sinister intentions, like trying to steal a vice-cult leader’s body.

Hmm...

Actually, thinking about it, I couldn’t fully trust Evan either.

Ugh. My head.

I sighed in frustration.

This was ridiculous.

It was said that an ordinary person could live a whole lifetime without ever seeing a cultist, let alone a high priest...

And here I was, caught between two damn vice-cult leaders. It was killing me.

Still, it wasn’t like I could just cast this issue aside. A demon lord had been summoned, and I absolutely needed Evan’s help to get out of this mess.

“Are you familiar with Headmaster Alderson?” I asked, hiding my thoughts.

Evan didn\'t seem to mind the question. “He\'s the Archmage of Violet, of course I know of him. But I doubt he\'ll take the word of a mere young hero so easily.”

It would certainly be hard for any sane person to believe that a demon lord had been summoned right in the middle of the capital.

Still...

“He’ll believe it if I’m the one to tell him.”

“It seems the Bednicker name really carries some weight, huh?” Evan said in a voice that did little to match the tension of the situation.

...Maybe I’ll just put them together without saying anything.

I figured that observing how the two vice-cult leaders reacted might reveal something I hadn’t considered.

Before long, we arrived at the Tower of Trials.

The towering structure in the middle of the night reminded me of a lighthouse standing vigil on a dark shore.

What floor would the Headmaster be on?

If he was all the way at the top, would I have to climb every single floor?

Just as that daunting thought crossed my mind...

Whoosh.

A light breeze swept by, and Alderson, the headmaster, appeared before us.

“What brings you both here at this hour?”

Though he said “both,” his gaze was fixed squarely on me.

I met his intense stare with ease and replied, “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“What is it?”

“...Could you call Leone for me first?”

Regardless of my plan with Evan and her, I wanted to ask Leone about the current situation unfolding at the academy.

“Hmm... Follow me.”

As Alderson waved his hand, the surroundings transformed.

I realized we’d arrived at the treasure vault.

He turned to me and asked, “Asking to summon Leone... can I take that to mean you’ve made some progress?”

“Some, yes.”

“Hm...”

Alderson studied me for a brief moment. Then, just like last time, he extended one arm.

Clatter...

From under his arm appeared a wooden puppet, tied with thin strings.

“Wow...” Evan murmured just as Alderson infused the puppet with his mana.

The once-blunt wooden puppet began to take shape.

Although this was my second time seeing it, it was still fascinating.

The featureless face transformed, developing eyebrows, a nose, and lips.

A moment later, the doll of Leone had an appearance more lifelike than the princess\'s own face. Her appearance was so realistic that it was nearly indistinguishable from a human.

While that was happening, I watched Evan’s expression out of the corner of my eye, intent on catching any subtle shift as he saw Leone’s face for the first time.

Contrary to my expectations, he hardly showed any reaction.

Maybe Evan was more sly and thorough than I thought?

“...Hm.”

Leona let out a snort.

She had the same striking looks, captivating eyes, and ambiguous confident smile with a hint of mystery. All in all, she really seemed more human than doll.

She didn\'t even spare the headmaster a glance. As soon as her eyes flicked open, she directed her gaze at me, then briefly glanced at Evan behind me.

“...”

For a moment, her smile seemed to deepen just a bit.

Kurrr...

"Hm...?"

Suddenly, the entire tower shook faintly.

It wasn\'t a massive tremor, but it wasn’t small enough to be ignored either.

"This... must be the armored cavalry causing trouble again."

"Armored cavalry?"

“It’s the trial of the fifth floor, another of my masterpieces. I’ll be back after checking what’s going on, and then we’ll talk. I’ll leave Leone with you."

Pft.

With that, Alderson vanished from the spot.

As soon as only the three of us were left alone in the treasure vault, Leone burst out in laughter.

"It’s been a while. You came faster than I expected."

"So you can sense the passage of time?"

"Of course. Though it flows a bit differently for me than for you."

With a chuckle, Leone walked toward me.

It was not easy for a simple stride to exude such elegance, but hers did.

After circling me once, Leone smirked and said, “By the look on your face, I’m getting an idea of the situation...”

“...”

“Child of Bednicker, do you know?”

“Know what?”

“How to distinguish a person from a doll."

What was she suddenly talking about?

As I looked at her in confusion, Leona stepped closer, almost within one breath\'s reach.

Her piercing red eyes stared directly into mine, and the corners of her eyes curved up like crescent moons.

“...”

It was then that I realized.

This girl...

She wasn’t breathing.

It was, in fact, obvious. There was no reason for a puppet without a heart, blood vessels, or respiratory organs to breathe.

“...Every worm that crawls the ground, every creature that swims beneath the sea, every weed along the roadside knows how to do one thing: to breathe. In other words, breathing is the most definitive sign of life.” Leona leaned in close to my ear and said, “I’m quite rare among puppets because most don’t even realize they are puppets. Tied-up subjects that mistakenly believe they’re moving of their own volition—oh, it’s just so laughable...”

“...”

“A young Bednicker and a vice-cult leader...” Leone hummed. “Brings back memories. How amusing. Let me give you one piece of advice.”

Her cold, breathless whisper brushed against my ear like ice.

“Question everything. Cast aside futile preconceptions. Yet, should the curtain of deception and suspicion still envelop you from all sides, continue to reflect endlessly... even with your eyes closed.”

I frowned. “What?”

I despised such vague, nebulous words.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, but Leone merely smiled brightly and created some distance between us.

There was no hint of malice in her cheerful smile.

Evan tilted his head and asked, “What did she say?” He must not have heard Leone’s whisper. But rather than answer him...

I took the opportunity to assess “Evan Helvin” as a whole.

Naturally, one didn’t typically check if others were breathing unless they were seriously injured.

“...”

The subtle rise and fall of his chest, the steady rhythm of his pulse, the airflow near his trachea...

Evan was breathing.

Pat.

Headmaster Alderson returned.

“I apologize for leaving so abruptly. The matter has been taken care of.”

“...”

“So, where were we?” Headmaster Alderson asked with a warm smile.

“Oh.”

I paused for a moment, looking at his face while pretending to organize my thoughts as I silently counted in my head.

“So, um...”

It had been five seconds since Headmaster Alderson returned.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

...Twenty seconds.

“...”

He had not breathed once.

Beneath his beard, his chest remained utterly still.

Standing beside the Headmaster, Leone smiled softly, and...

A chill ran down my spine.

There was no room for uncertainty or suspicion.

The truth was evident.

Headmaster Alderson was a puppet.

____