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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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As everyone focused on Karina’s speech, a sudden melody caused them to turn their heads as if on cue.
A man with a scarred face stood playing a simple tune on a flute, a melody so basic even a child could learn it.
“What’s this? A sudden performance…?”
“What is he doing?”
“It’s…kind of catchy, isn’t it?”
The melody was so simple, it felt like anyone could play it. Yet, its repetitive nature drew people in.
One person.
Two people.
Three people.
More and more people rose from their seats, drawn to the monotonous tune, ignoring Karina’s speech, which was nearing its end.
Eventually, those still seated felt compelled to stand as well.
“What in the world…?”
Karina, interrupted mid-speech, turned towards the source of the music.
Johann Quartz.
Her knight escort.
He was playing the flute in a strange posture, a sight she, and Renny beside her, had never witnessed. They exchanged bewildered glances.
“Why is he suddenly playing the flute…?”
“More importantly, why are people drawn to that sound?”
Renny frowned, scanning the crowd. With the exception of a few individuals, everyone was swaying to the music. They looked like they were enjoying a lively performance.
But the melody was too simple, too repetitive to be considered truly enjoyable. Renny couldn’t understand the situation.
“…Ah! Renny! I think I know!”
“What?”
“That flute… It’s the one Johann took from the Theology department’s storage room! Philia’s relic…or so I heard. But what is…?”
Karina, realizing the flute’s identity, stared at Johann in surprise. He had warned her it was dangerous, but she hadn’t expected this. She flinched involuntarily as the music grew faster, more intense.
“When did he…? Karina, you should have told me.”
“I was so busy, I forgot. But that flute…isn’t it getting more intense?”
“Is that even a flute anymore?”
Renny stared at Johann’s bizarre performance, a look of bewilderment on her face. While she was fond of him, she wasn’t sure how to react to this…display.
[I won’t forgive you for playing such a dreadful tune on my flute! You’ll pay for this!]
[Contractor! Something strange is attached to me!]
‘This is insane.’
Johann’s body was being controlled by Philia’s spirit, her rock spirit, or rather, her lingering thoughts.
[It’s humiliating that the first person to play my flute in centuries is such a tone-deaf fool! Give it back!]
Following Philia’s indignant outburst, Johann’s fingers began playing a new melody, a tune he didn’t recognize.
A cheerful yet melancholic melody. A contradictory tune emanating from a flute barely two handspans long.
“My body is moving on its own…”
“Isn’t this exciting? I feel like dancing—”
The audience, caught in the music’s thrall, began to sway and tap their feet. Even the guards weren’t immune. Only a handful of individuals remained unaffected, staring at the bizarre scene in bewilderment.
Even the assassins, who had been planning to attack Karina, were caught up in the music.
They couldn’t even reach for the weapons hidden beneath their clothes, their bodies moving rhythmically along with the crowd.
“I didn’t know Johann could play so well!”
“Milia? How are you…?”
Young and old, men and women, children and elders, everyone was dancing. Karina, noticing that Milia was unaffected, looked at her in surprise, then nodded in understanding.
‘That’s Milia for you.’
Milia’s unique physiology set her apart from ordinary humans.
It wasn’t surprising she was immune to the increasingly frenetic music, which was barely recognizable as a flute melody.
“He’s brought another strange item.”
“He didn’t bring it. It’s Philia’s relic.”
“Where did he get something like that?”
Principal Merlin, one of the few unaffected by the music, looked at Karina in surprise.
Karina, with a slightly uncomfortable expression, answered his question.
“It was…abandoned in the Theology department’s storage room. Johann retrieved it.”
“Is that so? To think such an item was left unattended…”
Principal Merlin chuckled, observing the bizarre dance party.
If this had been caused by a malicious artifact, he would have been concerned, but the music filling the auditorium was clearly intended for entertainment.
“I didn’t know the flute had such power…”
“It’s a fitting power for Philia. Legend says she once opened a fortified gate with her music.”
“Shouldn’t we stop him?”
“Let him be. He has his reasons.”
The Johann he knew wouldn’t act without purpose. Principal Merlin watched Johann with a knowing smile.
“What an entertaining gift for the festival.”
‘But why now?’
While the scene was amusing, the timing was strange.
Why during Karina’s speech? It seemed disrespectful. He was pondering the reason when Renny’s mumbling caught his attention.
“Don’t tell me…”
“You have an idea?”
“There’s only one reason he would do this now.”
“The assassination attempt. Am I right?”
Renny nodded grimly. If Johann had played the flute to expose the assassins, they would be hidden among the dancing crowd.
“It would be easier to eliminate them while everyone is distracted…but I can’t distinguish them.”
The crowd, caught in the increasingly frenzied music, continued to dance. The auditorium was packed, making it nearly impossible to identify the assassins.
[I still don’t like it, but this isn’t bad!]
‘There are assassins among them, planning to attack the Saintess.’
[What?! Scoundrels targeting Sabrina’s successor?!]
Philia, seeing through Johann’s eyes, glared at the crowd. His scarred face, combined with her furious gaze, created an intimidating aura that would make even monsters cower.
Fortunately, the crowd was too engrossed in the music to notice.
[You’re right. There are vermin among them.]
‘Could you…draw them out?’
[Consider it done.]
The cheerful melody abruptly shifted to a melancholic tune. The sudden change slowed the crowd’s movements. After fifteen minutes of vigorous dancing, those with less stamina were starting to tire.
Johann’s fingers moved delicately, adjusting the rhythm.
[Let’s see who these bastards are, targeting Sabrina’s successor~]
As the melancholic tune transformed into a majestic anthem, several individuals from the crowd, as if hypnotized, began to walk forward, their faces blank.
Adults, children, women, elders…a group with no discernible commonalities. As they emerged, the flute in Johann’s hand emitted a menacing tone.
Like a predator’s roar, the harsh sound forced the disguised assassins to their knees.
‘Twelve. Just as Rue said.’
[How far has the Saintess’s authority fallen? To the point where assassins can infiltrate so easily? Hey, junior. Explain yourself.]
Johann dutifully explained the situation to Philia. The Halphas Cult’s escalating attacks, Karina’s curse, and the assassins’ presence at the festival.
Philia, after hearing the story, erupted in a torrent of curses.
[Those motherf*cking sons of b*tches! I’ll f*cking kill them all!]
Johann winced at the barrage of profanity. He knew Philia from her brief appearance in the game, but he hadn’t realized she had such a…colorful vocabulary.
He wanted to stop playing, but once the flute was activated, only Philia could end the performance.
[Should I burst their eardrums? Or make them bash their heads against the floor until their skulls crack? Or perhaps…]
‘Please, calm down. And…could you return control of my body?’
[…Tch. I’m only letting you off because you’re the Saintess’s knight escort. Learn to play properly if you’re going to use my flute.]
‘I’ll keep that in mind.’
[And give this flute to someone prettier next time. I don’t like being inside a rough-looking man like you.]
As the feeling returned to his hands, Johann quickly put the flute away. He couldn’t get used to the sensation of being possessed.
‘At least she didn’t completely take over.’
The side effects weren’t as severe as he had feared.
He had been hesitant to use the flute because of the temporary possession and the loss of control, but now that it had reverted to an ordinary flute, he tucked it away.
‘Let’s see the faces of these assassins.’
The assassins were still dazed.
Johann approached them and, without hesitation, activated his skill.
“Craft.”
Shackles emerged from the floor, binding the assassins.
“Johann? Could you please explain what’s going on?”
Karina’s bewildered voice reached his ears.
“I used Philia’s power to identify the assassins.”
“…They don’t look like assassins…”
“Assassins don’t usually announce themselves.”
“…That’s true…”
Karina looked back and forth between the confused members of the audience, who were slowly regaining their senses, and the assassins, who were glaring at her with resentment.
They might look like ordinary people who had been wrongly accused, but they were assassins. They would be carrying concealed weapons.
Johann, trusting his instincts, grabbed the face of a young man disguised as a student.
“W-what are you doing…?!”
Riiip.
The sound of tearing flesh drew the attention of the audience, who stared at Johann and the young man whose face was being peeled away.
“There’s another face beneath his skin…?”
“Why the disguise?”
“Are they…assassins?”
As some members of the audience realized the situation, the atmosphere quickly turned grim.
Johann, observing the change in mood, clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.
“On this joyous festival day, vermin have infiltrated this hall, seeking to turn it into a funeral. As the Saintess’s knight escort, I, with the blessing of Philia and her flute, have identified those who harbor malicious intent towards Karina. Behold! These are the individuals who dared to plot against the Saintess!”
The grim atmosphere intensified, bordering on frenzy. While the audience refrained from direct action, a torrent of verbal abuse erupted.
“You dogs!”
“May you be cursed!”
“You weren’t raised right!”
The insults rained down, but the assassins remained dazed, staring blankly into space. Philia’s music had severely damaged their minds.
Thinking of Philia’s violent nature, which contrasted sharply with her beautiful music, Johann peeled away the assassins’ disguises one by one, marking the beginning of an execution that would be a funeral for the assassins and a new form of entertainment for the audience.
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