Chapter 56 - I Lost

"Are you awake?"

With an emotionless voice, Shin Gayeon opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. It was a familiar ceiling.

The ceiling she always sees when waking up in the morning. The 2-person dormitory where her sister gave up a higher grade dormitory to live together because of her.

Why am I here? Such thoughts came for a moment, but soon her memories returned.

"Ah."

"What's wrong."

"....."

She caused a magic outburst in front of all those people. For the first time since entering this academy, it was because of a desire to do well.

'I should have just used swordsmanship.'

Even if she used swordsmanship, winning was uncertain. That's how strong the opponent was. 

As expected there was a reason he chose that opponent!

While thinking of Lee Seonghoon's smug smile, Shin Gayeon soon pulled the blanket over her head.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know."

The reason is simple.

Because she remembered. The man slowly walking with a scythe.

Walking leisurely through people who couldn't take any measures because of her inside, easily suppressing the magic outburst, and saving her.

"─!!!"

"Unnie. Are you crazy? Are you embarrassed?"

"No─!!!"

It's embarrassing. Though she's crazily embarrassed, the reason Shin Gayeon is burying her face in the blanket and twisting her body wildly isn't that.

'What should I do.'

Her heart beating like crazy. It's because this guy won't calm down.

She can feel it. Her face must be extremely red right now. Not just red, but bright red.

Shin Gayeon who was causing a commotion inside the blanket for a while soon calmed down.

"Chaeyeon. What should I do."

"You won't die just because you had a magic outburst. Dad will probably forgive it once or twice."

"That's not it..."

Shin Gayeon who now poked her face out between the blanket had a crying face. She looked at her sister with a meaning of wanting comfort but.

Her sister's expression was cold. She just sits beside her reading a book.

"Why."

"....Never mind."

She couldn't help disliking such a sister. To her sister who showed no interest even when she made a sulking face

Bleh─

She stuck out her tongue once then put her face back inside the blanket.

"Unnie."

"What."

"The opponent was just bad. I would have lost too if I fought."

"..You're lying."

"It's true."

Thud─

Along with the sound of closing a book, the blanket Shin Gayeon was wrapped in lifted. Light from the softly glowing bedside lamp enters.

"So don't be so embarrassed. Everyone experiences magic outburst at least once right?"

"...U-um."

She's really being considerate. Shin Gayeon felt a bit sorry at her sister's comfort she'd never seen before.

She couldn't say it out loud.

She couldn't say the reason her face is so red and she's gloomy is because she couldn't become some man's maid.

Somehow it felt like she would look at her with contempt so she absolutely couldn't say it out loud.

'Let's just say I'm frustrated.'

That should be fine. Well.

They say a good thing is good.

'More importantly what should I really do.'

I want to be a maid─!! Shin Gayeon caused another commotion inside the blanket. Though her sister's gaze was sharp, she wasn't someone who would stop because of that.

***

The next day.

According to Sophia. 'It's going well. It seems like she'll fight well tomorrow if only you don't come close.'

Since yesterday? You're being too harsh to me. And you know.

Shin Gayeon is really bothering people too much.

I saved her cleanly, and she lost in the ranking battle so we're strangers now right?

We've become people who don't know each other right?

"It's today. The moment our future home is decided!!"

"You're excited. Excited. What are you going to do if you lose."

"If we lose there's nothing we can do. Should we ask Ishia to buy us a house and commute? The warp gate is free anyway?"

Wow. How can she say such things so confidently. I looked at her while putting the runes Raphael and Lachesis produced all night into my inventory.

Continuously with a gaze like looking at a strange person.

Then Raphael seemed to sweat as if it wasn't the reaction she expected, then covered her mouth with her fist and coughed.

"Ahem!! Just. I was just saying!"

Yes yes. I'm sure you were. I ignored words changing the topic like she's looking forward to the new house, tell her to buy delicious things when we move, and came outside while organizing my inventory.

When I opened the door and went out, she followed chirping constantly like a baby bird so I messed up her neatly styled hair.

I'm surprised every time I do it, but no matter what I do to this one's hair, it returns to its original state soon even if just slightly twisted.

Is it magic hair? What is it?

"Anyway, if I lose in today's match I'll sleep with two beds put together so you sleep on the sofa. If you don't want that then win! Got it?!"

That much is whatever. When I didn't answer, Raphael who took it as a positive expression skipped happily.

She jumped out in front of me and spoke with her hands behind her back, then put Lachesis on her head and spun around.

Is moving that exciting? While walking with an angel drinking kimchi soup before even winning.

I saw something strange in the distance.

A posture like waiting for something while leaning her back against the wall.

Blue hair, blue eyes, hair tied in a ponytail. A face smiling brightly after spacing out looking at nearby flowers then hearing footsteps and looking this way.

"Ah. Headache."

I grabbed my temple at the headache already felt. Raphael stopped walking and tilted her whole body, which seemed to be a trigger as she waved her hands wildly and ran over.

"Ah. That person came again."

"Seonghoon-nim~~"

"Nim?"

The headache got stronger. What is she saying. As I frowned and stood still, she soon arrived.

Then she looked up at me hesitantly but I'm not sure what she wants me to do.

"We made a promise right?"

"What promise?"

"That you can be a maid if you win. We clearly promised right?"

"Ah!"

Shin Gayeon who seemed to remember just now clapped her hands and smiled broadly. I couldn't help but smack my head at the words coming after her meaningless smile.

"I said I won't be a maid, but I didn't say I won't follow you!!!"

Oh my god. What invincible logic is this. Certainly. Is she using Napoleon's famous saying?

I immediately grabbed Shin Gayeon's shoulders. From 2 days of experience, this one listens well to words.

"Hey."

"Eek! Y-yes!!!"

"Stay still here for 10 minutes."

"Huh? Yes!!!"

She doesn't even say things like why? It's just yes. This is crazy. Where does this loyalty come from. Even our elite maid starts with why? when ordered such things.

I left her smiling while stopping her movements as is.

"What are you doing? Seonghoon. Prepare for the match─!!!"

I grabbed Raphael's nape and ran away. After leaving her sight. I ran wildly through alleys so I wouldn't even know where I was going.

"Where are we going?!"

"I don't know!!"

"What does that mean!!!"

I really don't know. After running wildly through complex paths for 10 minutes I collapsed in grass by the road.

"She won't find us here."

"Why me too?!"

I don't know. Be quiet. I approached a nearby vending machine while catching my breath. I'm thirsty from running too much.

"What do you want to drink."

I was about to insert a bill to buy cola for the blonde who answered my question and water for myself─

A snow-white hand inserted money first. I looked up while watching the bill being sucked in.

I had an ominous feeling for some reason, but that can't be. Is it Ishia? With such thoughts I raised my head.

"You'll drink water right? And cola? But why did you tell me to stay still for 10 min─ Eek!!"

I almost fell over in surprise but barely held on by grabbing her shoulder. I glared at Shin Gayeon whose face was red from running and spoke.

"H-how did you come. No. No. That's not important. This time 20 minutes. Stay still for 20 minutes."

"Huh? What game is this?"

It may be a game to you but not to me─!! I grabbed the nape of the damn blonde sprawled on the ground and ran again but.

"Is it 30 minutes this time?"

The next time too.

"This is getting fun as we do it!! It's like playing hide and seek!!"

And the next.

"This time should I be it─ Huh?"

Eventually I collapsed on the ground and got hit by Raphael.

I have nothing to say because I'm sorry as she hits me saying things like please stop─!!

"Hey."

"Yes?"

I called Shin Gayeon while breathing roughly. She wasn't even panting once. What unfairness is this.

While thinking things like I should have not saved her yesterday─ I had no choice but to open my mouth.

I'll die at this rate. Since I can't keep running away like this let's just suck out her bone marrow. Such thoughts.

I didn't know it was true that people can't think normally when their body is tired.

"I lost. Be a maid. Just. No. Please be a maid. Please."

"Really? Really?!"

I didn't even have energy to answer so I just nodded roughly. I caught my breath while she screamed things like Eek!! and rejoiced.

I heard a broadcast. It was heard even if I didn't want to since it rang throughout Justitia.

[Student Lee Seonghoon. Student Sophia Blandid. Please come to the investigation room.]

[I will announce again. Student Lee Seonghoon. Student Sophia Blandid. Please come to the investigation room.]

What is it.

***

Since Ishia and Lucy's fight will start soon, I left Raphael to Shin Gayeon. Of course I came to the investigation room.

I thought on the way. Not the faculty office but the investigation room.

Sophia and me.

There's only one thing I can think of. The man killed then.

The guy who became a lower vampire after being bitten by Silvia (presumed).

I knocked on the door of the investigation room with almost certainty. Then I went inside while hearing the sound of the iron door opening.

Then I saw three people.

Homeroom teacher Shin Kiha. An uncle I've never seen. Sophia with a pale face.

I sat in the chair following the uncle's instructions indicating where I should sit with a chin gesture.

I felt it as soon as I sat down. Trembling. Sophia sitting beside me was shaking her body like crazy.

Her face is pale, and her red eyes are shaking as if there's an earthquake. There's no life in her eyes and her head is almost one with the ground.

"Well. You know why I called you right?"

"Yes."

I answered Shin Kiha's question. Shin Kiha who was smiling kindly stepped back with a bitter smile at the restraint of the uncle beside him.

Seems that uncle is in charge.

"Well. I'll ask directly. Your classmate. A student in the same class disappeared. After the apostles attacked."

Sophia flinched and trembled at those words. Her gaze couldn't stay still and was restless.

"At first we thought he was caught by apostles. Since you become an apostle if bitten by one. The civilian damage was no joke. To the point Justitia's work was completely paralyzed for a day cleaning up."

I listened quietly. Sophia looked at me then looked at the ground, fidgeted with her fingers, and tried to bite her nails so I stopped that.

"But thinking about it, it was strange. Not a civilian but a Justitia student to mere apostles? So I looked into it a bit and there were eyewitness accounts. There were people who saw you fighting him while running away."

He says that then looks at us. A gaze like 'Did you kill him during the commotion?'

Sophia hesitated then tried to open her mouth. I could tell just by looking at her mouth shape.

She probably tried to say something like it wasn't us!!

"I killed him."

So I spoke first. Then gazes gathered. Sophia with a surprised expression. The uncle with a calm expression. Shin Kiha with a subtle expression.

I made a V with my hand to Sophia. Grinning is a bonus.

"I killed him. He became a vampire and was attacking Sophia. I beheaded him with one strike from behind."

I spoke calmly. Before anyone else could say anything.

I'm not even lying from the start, so there's nothing to catch on.

I spoke continuously. For some reason he became a lower vampire. He had red eyes unlike his original eye color and sharp fangs. He was attacking Sophia for blood sucking.

So I killed him while passing by.

The end.

After that well. I just answered questions as they were, wrote a few statements and it was over. We were released easier than expected so even Sophia seemed surprised as she looked at me with round eyes.

"Why did you do that there. I told you. That it's okay to kill."

"Because I was flustered..."

I walked while Sophia fidgeted with her fingers apologetically behind me. Of course they didn't believe right away.

They kept questioning, and only started believing bit by bit when my answers were consistent.

I understand Sophia's feelings too. I would have done the same if I was flustered.

"It's okay. We'll be late for Ishia's match. Let's go. Ah. Am I not allowed to watch?"

"There's no way. Let's go."

Ah. She smiles like that again. Smile like that normally too.

I went to watch Ishia's match with brightly smiling Sophia.

***

"Hmph."

Ishia is in a really bad mood right now. "Magic Chant Breaking" is working properly. She doesn't know why. It only didn't work when Lee Seonghoon came close so she told him not to come, but now it's working fine.

"You don't have to not come watch the match just because of that."

Ishia who came out to the arena looked around but couldn't see the black-haired guy.

Ah she did see him. It just wasn't Lee Seonghoon. She felt like she might cry a bit.

"Idiot. Stupid."

As she walked towards the center of the arena pouting, she heard laughter. A woman covering her mouth with a fan and laughing in front of her.

Purple hair and purple eyes. Purple fan.

A woman who could be called Pororo is laughing loudly. Are you picking a fight when I'm already in a bad mood?

"What."

"No. Don't tell me your lips are like that because that man didn't come?"

"What? That's not it? I'm just in a bad mood?"

Ishia muttered while looking at Lucy saying things like let's go with that~

It's really not that.

Hmph.