Chapter 6
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“Looks like all communications with the outside have been cut off.”
That was what Elnore said after fiddling with various devices around them.
“Don’t worry too much. The academy is surely taking measures as well.”
The students weren’t all that flustered despite the situation, thanks to Elnore calmly keeping everyone under control.
Actually, rather than calm, Elnore hadn’t changed her expression once this whole time, to the point of being almost frightening. Did this woman even have emotions?
“Then are we supposed to just wait here?”
A small-framed student who had been particularly fidgety asked. Judging by the tiny wand and robe, they were probably an applicant to the Department of Magic.
“No. I don’t think so.”
Elijah, who had been silently watching the situation with arms crossed, answered.
When Elnore turned to look at Elijah, Elijah continued with a sunny smile.
“I think we could be in serious trouble if we don’t move soon. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“What do you mean?”
“I think the president has noticed too, but we’re not the only ones here.”
Elnore’s expression twisted slightly at that.
Judging by Elnore’s reaction, while the other students looked confused, these two had already figured out roughly what was going on.
...
How’d they do that?
I had the quest window, so that was one thing, but were these people detecting killing intent in advance like masters in some martial arts novel?
Guess being the protagonist and final boss really isn’t something just anyone can do.
“It’s obvious they don’t have friendly intentions, right? Especially with the student council president here.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re from a prestigious family, after all. I’d say there’s plenty of reason to make a move with you as the target.”
On the surface, that sounded like a reference to a crime targeting the child of a high-ranking noble, but it was a dig at Elnore.
Trouble was happening because Elnore belonged to House Tristan, whose people committed shady deeds as casually as breathing.
Elnore seemed to interpret it that way too, since her gaze turned cold in an instant.
“You’d do well to choose your words more carefully, freshman.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it.”
But seeing Elnore’s mood turn hostile, Elijah smiled again and played innocent.
Come to think of it, Elijah was pretty cunning in the original, too. A real expert at needling people like this.
“Anyway, wouldn’t it be better to move somewhere than just wait here?”
“...I think that’s right.”
The largest male student in the group said in a deep voice.
Judging by his clothes, he was probably a barbarian from the Empire’s eastern regions. The huge axe strapped to his back was striking.
“The atmosphere is definitely ominous. We don’t know what might happen, so we should move to terrain more favorable for combat.”
At his words, the other students’ expressions gradually changed.
Though they looked more determined than afraid.
Seeing how quickly everyone accepted that something dangerous was happening and started looking for a way to overcome it, they really were top-group students.
And a closer look at the group made it clear they weren’t just a bunch of people you could lump together under that label.
Warrior Luca, mage Falco, healer Trisha, archer Grid. And, of course, Elijah, the party leader and Hero.
‘This is the original protagonist’s party.’
It was their first meeting here, if I remembered the scenario correctly.
They’d shown great teamwork during the entrance exam, formed a bond, and become partners who fought together all the way to the ending.
In other words, everyone here except me was a noteworthy character in the scenario.
...
Hmm, in that case.
I could just do what I’d planned.
“Then the central hall seems like the best option.”
When I spoke up, everyone’s eyes turned toward me.
Regardless, I pointed at the building map beside me and continued.
“There should be all kinds of equipment and first-aid supplies inside, and more importantly, it’s spacious. It’ll be much better than a hallway where we could easily be ambushed.”
Everyone nodded seriously at my words. Well, it was the most reasonable option. They’d all agree up to that point.
The problem was this.
“And I’ll head over this way.”
When I confidently pointed to a completely different location on the map, silence fell over the group.
It was a heavy silence, so much so that it took a long time before someone could ask in an incredulous voice.
“...Why are you going over there alone?”
“Because I need to.”
“I mean, why?”
“There’s a reason.”
I must’ve looked like a lunatic. With a fight liable to break out at any moment, I’d suddenly announced I was going off on my own.
But I wasn’t going to tell them why. I had no intention of doing so.
Why?
Because I was making a run for it alone.
...
No. Of course, the event itself was about protecting Elnore.
But let’s think about this reasonably.
‘Who’s supposed to protect whom?’
Here we had the entire original party, including the protagonist, plus the final boss herself, who could cut down every assassin on her own.
Did I really need to risk my life sticking with this crowd when all my stats were F?
Why not just herd them all into the central hall, let them draw the assassins’ aggro, and hide somewhere until it was all over?
“I can’t explain it right now, but it’s important. I promise I’ll explain later.”
I declared that in a serious, pleading voice.
Yeah. It wasn’t a lie, either.
What could be more important than saving my own life?
●
“So it worked.”
I muttered that as I walked down the dark corridor.
I’d been a little worried whether this would work, but it seemed my fame from knocking Elijah out with a single blow had done the trick. Guess credibility comes from your track record.
Now all I had to do was stay hidden until the event ended. The assassination target was Elnore to begin with, so there was a good chance they wouldn’t pay me any attention.
I’d quietly find somewhere to relax and kill time—
“Wait, student!”
—but that didn’t seem likely.
That’s just my luck. I never have any.
Thinking that to myself, I looked toward the voice.
A gaunt, middle-aged man was hurrying toward me.
“Thank goodness, you’re alive...!”
He stopped in front of me and began rattling off something or other.
He wore a staff ID badge on his chest. Apparently, his eyesight was poor in the dark, and he’d had trouble walking around in a place like this.
It was true that he seemed to have difficulty moving.
“So, could you help me? If you just take me to the place I tell you, I’ll ask the others for help.”
“...But the power’s out throughout the entire building.”
“Oh, come now, that’s a trivial matter. I can fix it in no time. We just need to restore the power first, don’t we?”
I stared at the staff member without answering.
Hmm.
About this guy...
[ A crisis situation has been detected. ]
[ No direct threat has been sensed yet, but a clearly hostile intent has been identified. ]
[ Skill: Life-or-Death is being applied at F rank. ]
He’s really good at lying without batting an eye.
Shit.
‘This guy’s an assassin, isn’t he?’
If anyone in this situation could have ‘hostile intent’ toward me, it had to be one of them.
No, I’d gone to all that trouble to get everyone else grouped together so I wouldn’t draw aggro, so why did I have to run into a guy like this?
What incredible bad luck.
“...Is that so.”
I answered with a fake smile.
Still, well.
I think I can handle it.
If my guess is right.
●
‘This is going more smoothly than I expected.’
Hasmed thought as he looked at the student in front of him.
He looked like a perfectly ordinary student with not a single distinguishing feature. He seemed a little simple-minded, too, since he’d fallen for Hasmed’s lie without suspicion.
Of course, even someone fairly perceptive would be easily fooled by his acting, so it wasn’t as if he could blame him.
Hasmed of the Crescent Moon.
The leader of the assassin squad deployed this time.
He was also a famous assassin known for stealing the appearance of those he killed and perfectly imitating them.
And his next target was this student.
‘If it’s a fellow student, even that Tristan girl will let her guard down.’
He’d heard the advance team deployed earlier had already been wiped out after running into that devil of a woman.
Though she was supposedly still an academy student, she was an opponent he couldn’t afford to underestimate.
But even someone like that wouldn’t be difficult to deal with if her vigilance was lowered.
The moment he disguised himself as a staff member, even this student had fallen for it so easily.
“So, this room up ahead is the utility room.”
Hasmed gave a sinister smile to himself as he watched the student say that.
He’d deliberately had this student guide him so he could gauge his skill up close.
A professional assassin of his caliber could easily tell someone’s level just by watching them move.
And this kid was a complete novice.
The sort of person he could torment to his heart’s content before killing, just like he usually enjoyed.
‘I’ll take over this kid’s body, then kill the Tristan girl.’
From what he’d heard over the comms, the Tristan girl had gathered at the central hall with the other students.
While his men deployed with him attacked that area and everyone was distracted, he’d approach from behind in this kid’s form and launch a surprise attack. It would be easy.
“Is that so?”
Hasmed smiled and drew a hidden weapon from his clothes.
“Well, thank you for your help. I should give you a reward.”
He raised the blade and spoke in a sinister tone.
Of course, the reward was to die and hand over his skin.
At this point, a typical victim would feel confusion and bewilderment, then deny what was happening, and finally be consumed by fear.
And what he liked most was watching those reactions and enjoying—
“Ah, thank goodness. So it really is you, Hasmed.”
“...”
The student in front of him said that in a relieved tone.
It was clear he felt neither fear nor even confusion or bewilderment.
In fact, he sighed and ran a hand over his forehead as if genuinely relieved.
“It could’ve been dangerous if you were only moderately strong, so I’m really glad.”
“...What the hell are you talking about?”
“I thought it was you no matter how I looked at it, but I wasn’t sure, so I kept watching. Someone who tries to subdue me without being strong enough could actually be more dangerous. If you were just some mediocre assassin, I was going to run right away, you know?”
“What?”
“But your slight nasality, the way you twitch your fingers, your bowlegged gait... They’re all just like the habits I remember, so I’m relieved.”
“...!”
Hasmed’s face stiffened.
While he’d been observing this brat, had the brat been examining him too?
This was completely unexpected.
He, who had always been in the position of thoroughly hunting others, was now being seen through by his prey!
‘I can’t kill him too quickly.’
He would make the kid confess everything about how he knew those things, then kill him.
Having made up his mind, Hasmed charged at once.
It didn’t matter if the kid knew those things; his combat ability was still no better than a weakling’s. He’d finish this in an instant!
“Let’s see, Life-or-Death is applied at A rank...”
But this seemingly deranged brat was still muttering something incomprehensible even as Hasmed charged.
He even picked up some random stick lying on the floor nearby, as if he could do something with it.
‘Unbelievable.’
He let out a sneer to himself and swung his hidden weapon. It would probably be a fatal blow as it stood.
But.
What unfolded next was completely beyond anything he’d expected.
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