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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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How many times in life do you witness someone die right before your eyes?
For Violet D’Crescent, raised as a sheltered only child, the first time was during the Scarlet Ash subjugation, where she saw a comrade die.
The experience was deeply shocking. There had never been any casualties in the training exercises or operations she participated in.
However, she was a student aspiring to be a hero. She couldn’t afford to waver any longer.
“Kyaa!”
“…!”
As Melissa screamed, the man who had been a Clarice Guardian… was no longer human.
Violet made a swift judgment. This situation was dangerous. Now wasn’t the time to question the manner of his death. And when the committee chair deemed it an emergency, combat between students was permissible.
Dash.
“….!”
She quickly distanced herself from Kaelan and fired a volley of arrows.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Her movements were fluid and precise. The Archer’s Gloves, worn since childhood, embraced her hands. And the D’Crescent family’s honed Sealing Arrows rained down on Kaelan.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
“!”
Kaelan deflected the main projectiles with a reverse-grip sword drawn with one hand.
Clang!
However…
Thud! Thud!
“Oh.”
He let out a short exclamation. Smaller arrows, hidden among the larger ones, pierced his side. The arrows took effect.
Sizzle!
The D’Crescent family’s blessing, specializing in restricting and isolating targets with even a single hit, activated. It was a declaration that the D’Crescents were always hunters, and their targets, mere prey. But…
“Interesting.”
Drip…
Feeling his nerves shutting down one by one, as if poison was spreading through his body, Kaelan threw off his cloak.
Whoosh!
“!”
A thick fog, laced with black mana, erupted from the swirling cloak and engulfed the area. As the black wind surrounding Kaelan vanished…
Thud. Thud.
…the embedded arrows lost their power and fell to the ground.
… The two faced each other in a standoff. Violet kept her bowstring taut and spoke.
“You… You’re a half-demon.”
“Hmm~. I’m so busy. This is such a bother.”
“Both of you, step away from him.”
He’d already demonstrated demonic power twice; only a fool wouldn’t notice. But this man was different from a typical half-demon.
While ordinary half-demons lost control and went berserk when consumed by black mana, he wielded that power with the same ease as mana, even maintaining his composure and engaging in conversation.
“K-Kaelan can’t be a half-demon…”
“Sir Kaelan, a half-demon? What do you mean?!”
The two women, still in denial, cautiously approached Kaelan.
“Melissa, kill her.”
“Huh? Kill…?”
Melissa’s face contorted in confusion at Kaelan’s blunt command.
“What are you saying…?”
“…”
“Oh, you didn’t know, Kaelan… Senior Violet is the Head of the Archery Department. It seems there’s a problem with the selection exam, so we should listen to her…”
“Sigh. Please… Melissa, please!!”
“…!”
Melissa wasn’t fully under Kaelan’s control yet. He had only established a mana circuit connection, allowing him to drain her life force, but not to give direct commands like with a subordinate or the Curse of Obedience.
“Kaelan…? No, right? Senior Violet… this joke has gone too far… Kaelan, a half-demon…”
“…I’ll say it again. Step away from him.”
As Melissa struggled with her confusion, something snapped in Kaelan’s mind. Everything was a bother. Trying to resolve this with words was so repulsive it made him nauseous.
‘Right, Melissa was a sheltered princess.’
Snap!
He snapped his fingers.
“Huh? Wh-What?”
Excruciating pain shot through Melissa’s body.
“Hngh… Aaagh!”
Conversely, Kaelan’s mana began to surge.
Violet, witnessing this, spoke, “What did you do to her? Stop it this instant…!”
“Shut up. I’m training her.”
“Guh… Aaagh! Stop… Stop it!!”
As Melissa writhed on the ground, Kaelan looked down at her with cold indifference.
“Such a fuss…”
Just then, an urgent message arrived on Kaelan’s magic tool.
Area 3 has been breached. There’s no time to waste, move. Activating the magic tower takes priority.
‘Breached…?’
Cerberus, the three-headed dog, was guarding the bridge between Area 2 and Area 3. Had they already defeated that monstrous familiar of Yelodi?
“H-Help… K-Kaelan… Hngh… Aaagh!”
Snap.
Kaelan snapped his fingers again, and Melissa’s agonizing screams subsided.
“Haa… agh…”
Sweat beaded on her forehead, plastering her bangs to her skin.
“Gasp… Pant… Pant…”
“Miss Melissa, are you alright?! Calm down!”
Unfortunately, Melissa had lost all semblance of aristocratic dignity. Only the instinct to survive remained. Gasping for air, she hyperventilated, then…
-Urp…!
…vomited on the ground, likely from the sheer pain.
“Disgusting.”
Kaelan grimaced.
“Melissa, from now on, you will restrain her. If you disobey, I’ll give you a punishment far worse than this. Consider this a taste.”
“K-Kae… Urp…!”
He then walked towards Abelline.
“S-Sir Kaelan, I’ve done nothing wrong…!”
“Idiot.”
“Why are you doing this…!”
“Idiot. You’re just…”
“Sir Kaelan…?”
Slash!
“Cough!”
Kaelan swung his sword, slicing Abelline across the stomach. Her divine power momentarily resisted the black mana, but it was no match for Kaelan’s precise strike.
Her white stomach was exposed, and crimson blood welled up along the wound.
“As expected… the demonic sword loves the blood infused with a virgin’s holy power…”
-Hum…!
Kaelan’s sword began to absorb Abelline’s blood greedily.
“A-Abelline!”
“S-Sir Kaelan…”
“A virgin, huh? Too bad I can’t even enjoy you properly… Well, with a man’s body and flat chest, you’re not much to look at anyway.”
Violet could no longer stand by and watch.
Whizz!
Her arrows flew towards Kaelan again. She had to take down this madman and tend to the injured. However…
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
His hand movements were faster than her arrows. This time, Kaelan didn’t allow a single hit.
‘…This won’t be easy.’
Defeating this monster was practically impossible. She could only buy some time. But who would come to their rescue? Even that was uncertain. However, running meant certain death. That much was clear.
As Violet nocked another arrow, Kaelan lowered his hand and smiled leisurely.
“Senior, I’m a busy man. She’ll play with you instead.”
“?”
Melissa immediately rose to her feet, her face smeared with tears and snot. She hardly seemed sane.
“Melissa, keep our Senior entertained until I return. I plan to turn her into a wax figure for my collection.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“See you later~.”
With that, Kaelan disappeared from her sight.
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In front of the bridge in Area 2, where a commotion seemed to have taken place…
“…This is serious.”
“Indeed.”
Retired Professor McClon and former instructor Sylvester.
Lev, please. The two had arrived on Mystic Island at Professor Cinatis’s request. By the time they reached the scene after receiving Bella’s emergency alert, it was already over.
“The monster’s aura has disappeared.”
“Meaning?”
“Someone defeated it.”
“…”
Sylvester spotted what appeared to be a party of students in the distant darkness.
‘Could it be…?’
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“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Aria, having finished her conversation with Liris, walked ahead without looking at me. As we were about to enter the wasteland of Area 3, Sylvester and Professor McClone approached.
Professor McClone should have died protecting the students during the Clarice festival in Chapter 3, but… my intervention, defeating Boone, had allowed him to survive.
“Did you… defeat the monster?”
“…”
McClone looked at us with a bewildered expression.
“Ahem! Lily was a big help!”
Lily answered for me.
As Sylvester and McClone remained stunned, Lily added, “But Grandpa, didn’t you retire?”
“Yes. I’m no longer a professor, just an old man.” He patted Lily’s head affectionately and looked around.
“We’re late again. I apologize… But thanks to you, further damage seems to have been prevented.”
McClone took off his hat and bowed his head.
“Professor!”
Aside from his occasional playful demeanor, he was generally a gentleman, always polite, even to those much younger than him.
Sylvester also bowed slightly before continuing, “Lev Denec, do you remember what I said about proving yourself with results?”
It was during the positioning phase, wasn’t it?
As for your skills… demonstrating them with results would be more convincing. I did remember hearing that.
“Including the previous attack drill, you’ve proven yourself. I apologize for my hasty judgment.”
“No, now isn’t the time for this…”
“Indeed! As expected of Lev, the man Lily acknowledges!”
All eyes were on me after Lily’s pointed praise. Sylvester, with his characteristic squinted eyes, observed me closely.
“However, we still need to verify your abilities. So, let’s return. Professor Cinatis requested your presence.”
“Is everyone alright? Dustin and Scarlet said they’d come to help with the aftermath, so let’s leave together.”
I didn’t know what Sylvester meant by verification, but I sensed their genuine concern. They were trying to take responsibility, as adults should. But it was too late. The tide was about to turn in favor of the demons.
“I refuse.”
“?!”
Sylvester’s eyes widened, just like the day I insisted on being the archer. I spoke carefully.
“Our party will proceed to Area 4.”
“Lev Denec, that’s dangerous. You should return to Clarice…!”
“Is there a reason?”
McClone interrupted Sylvester and asked. Short on time, I offered a plausible excuse.
“The Head of the Archery Department, Violet D’Crescent, is stationed in Area 4. I plan to rescue her.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“Student Lev, I understand your intentions, but it’s too dangerous to rescue her. The demonic energy is intensifying…”
At that moment, the surroundings began to brighten, despite it being nighttime. A translucent purple veil began to spread across the sky.
“This is…”
“What is it?”
The temperature dropped sharply, as if the seasons had changed.
‘It’s begun.’
Kaelan had activated the magic tower.
“There’s no time. We’ll all die if this continues.”
“…”
McClone and Sylvester fell silent at my resolute words. They understood what the demonic barrier spreading across the island meant.
“Therefore, I have two requests.”
“Tell us.”
“First, please take Lily… to a safe place.”
“Huh?”
While I’d prefer to take Sylvester and Professor McClone with me to deal with Kaelan, I couldn’t.
‘There might be unforeseen circumstances…’
With the demonic barrier activated, monsters would pour out, and someone had to protect the students who hadn’t escaped the island.
“Lev! Lily said she’s going too~! Lily’s not scared!”
Despite her words, her bare legs were trembling from the unfamiliar demonic pressure and the cold. Sylvester nodded in agreement.
“That won’t be a problem. So, what do you plan to do now? You’re not going to force your way through with just four people, are you?”
“Half right, half wrong. It’s hard to explain, but I know where to stop the magic tower’s activation. And Professor McClone, you’re lauded as the closest to achieving the Archmage realm, aren’t you?”
“…What’s the connection?”
“Then, please send us to Area 4.” Professor McClone’s expression turned grave.
“You seem to know more than I thought.”
Indeed, I did. According to the setting, Professor McClone was a master of illusion magic, but due to his long-standing feud with Boone, he had secretly researched Boone’s dimensional travel ability.
And he had now mastered the technique of opening dimensional gates even in demonic territories, not just sanctuaries. With the war over, he had no use for it, so he kept it hidden. After a moment of silence, McClone spoke heavily.
“Alright.”
“Professor McClone?! The students’ safety should be the priority…”
“Quiet.”
He brushed off Sylvester’s objection.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll do what I can.”
Perfect. We weren’t too late.
All that remained… was to give Kaelan… a surprise party.
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