Chapter 76
[Rose's POV]
My business ideas had all been paying off during the festivities, but none surprised me as much as the ‘food cart’. It was something my twin brother made up to describe a fictional world as part of my bedtime stories when we were kids.
Who knew that people would be so easily baited into paying a higher price just for the benefit of not having to leave their spot?
It was so successful, in fact, that I completely ran out of stock and had to leave the arena to get some more.
Luckily, I prepared for this unlikely outcome and had placed multiple trays in my brother's dormitory.
It was mostly quiet outside, though I did notice two lovebirds making out behind the main building on my way, and Lily was loitering on her own for some reason.
But it wasn't until I made it to the dorm that I noticed something truly odd.
A familiar figure was closing the door behind her as she entered. I couldn't for the life of me remember her name, though…
She was that femme fatale-type girl who often faded into the background whenever I was visiting the dorm—a therian of some kind.
I followed in shortly after, but she was nowhere to be seen. I immediately noticed that the entire building was blanketed in an eerie silence.
Even the chirping of the birds outside seemed to have muted themselves. I may only be a support class student, but I could tell that something was wrong.
Basic manners dictated that I should have announced my presence, yet I walked forward with extra care to avoid making a noise.
“
I nearly jumped out of my skin as Tiara suddenly appeared on my shoulder. I wanted to curse at her, but I kept quiet and levelled her with a glare.
“
She read the mood and meowed much more quietly. It was odd for Rex to leave his favourite little lady alone, but I certainly felt a little more confident with her nearby.
I crept up to the kitchen, carefully keeping an ear out for any noise.
Again, I jumped in shock at the sudden noise that came from upstairs. The therian girl was still in the house somewhere… and she wasn't making any effort to keep quiet.
I decided to put a pin in my food cart idea for the day and go back the way I came.
Those damned scary stories Rex used to tell us began to surface as I approached the door. If I were stuck in one of those, then a knife-wielding murderer in a mask would come running downstairs. Or maybe the door was barred and a ghost was following behind me, just waiting for me to turn around…
Stupid brother…
I shook my head and opened the door, but what I saw shocked me more than any ghost story.
The couple from earlier were approached by a tall figure in a mask that covered the upper half of his face. It was not unlike Rex’s mask, but this one looked as if it had been carved from jade by a master artisan.
The figure carried a strange glaive with a crescent-shaped blade at the end, and he used that glaive to split the male straight down the middle.
The female was clearly screaming just before she ran, but there was no noise to be heard.
I slammed the door shut and struggled desperately to steady my breathing.
Something heavy was being dragged down the staircase, but it stopped right after I closed the door.
“...You're early.”
A female voice called out.
“Go back. We can't transport her with the elves so close. Wait for the signal.”
She clearly misunderstood something as she continued talking to herself.
“
Tiara ran to the door and pushed at it, looking back at me desperately.
I quickly reopened the door, then closed it again without leaving. Then, I held my breath as I hid behind the couch.
“Amateur…”
The voice spoke with disdain, directed at a non-existent accomplice.
The noise resumed. I could tell she was at the foot of the staircase now, and whatever she was dragging was tossed onto the very couch I hid behind.
A frightening reality revealed itself now that the object was no longer being moved. The woman who had spoken made no sound as she moved around the room. Never mind her footsteps, not even her breathing was audible
If not for the fact that she was seemingly unconcerned with loudly slamming doors, I would have thought she had just remained by the stairs.
Should I peek? Should I run for the door? Is she involved with the murder I just witnessed? What if that killer is the one she is waiting for?
My mind was racing, and I felt my temperature rising rapidly.
The long, drawn-out sound of the girl inhaling made me shudder involuntarily. I felt my hands growing sweaty, and then—
“Who's over there?”
The voice spoke, as cold and sinister as death itself.
I did not move. I did not respond. I did not even breathe.
“I can smell you… a female scent… somewhat familiar…”
The voice was growing closer.
I desperately looked for something to use for self-defence, but all I could see was a bag left on the lounge room table.
I shut my eyes tightly, but I felt a presence loom over me, only to vanish immediately.
“...tch. Stupid rat.”
The voice was suddenly further away, so I opened my eyes.
To my surprise, I was suddenly behind the kitchen counter, and I could see the owner of the voice.
She had her back to me and was shooing away Tiara with her foot from my previous hiding spot.
I made a mental note to get Tiara something special for saving my skin.
But that idle thought was quickly banished from my mind as I laid eyes on the ‘object’ that had been moved earlier.
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Fleur Sylvain. She lay on the couch with her wrists bound and mouth gagged. She appeared to be in a deep sleep, but the furrowed brows suggested it was far from blissful. Why was she still on the campus? I could have sworn she was meant to be leaving.
I quickly ducked back down before the other girl could see me.
Paris! That was her name! But why… Why was she here, and what was her plan?
I couldn't just leave, not after seeing . Think, Rose, think! What were her capabilities? What did Rex say about her?
Stealth and close combat. Favours knives. Can turn invisible…
I mentally listed what I knew of Paris as a fighter. Next, I considered my options.
Weapons in the house… Tiara can't do much without Rex, but Soot would surely be a deadly match against her.
Getting to him would be difficult, though… What else could I do? Everyone would have their equipment with them because of the tournament, so I couldn't pilfer their rooms for weapons.
My spell list wasn't particularly impressive either… Wait.
I crawled to the edge of the counter and peeked around. There! That bag on the table was definitely familiar! I had seen Rex sorting various dangerous items in that same bag before.
“
Tiara was back at my side and followed the direction of my gaze.
“
She vanished, only to immediately reappear with the bag right by me.
I contained the urge to sing her praises aloud and opened it up. To my horror, my brother’s illogical sorting had not improved since our childhood.
The phrase he constantly repeated whenever I protested this habit surfaced unbidden in my mind. And I mentally retorted.
me!?”
Why weren't the potions of water-breathing kept together? What the hell does ‘failure sample V-1’ mean!?
And why in the hell did he have that goblin's explosives just rolling around unsecured?
This wasn’t the time to criticise him, so I quickly pocketed both explosives and one vial of the ominous-looking V-1 fluid.
If I bombed her now, I could probably escape, but I can't risk hurting Fleur…
“
Tiara’s sudden hostility forced me to look upwards, just in time to spot the knife descending for my throat.
“Eek!”
I panicked and dived out of the way while throwing the V-1 vial behind me. The blade tore through my shoulder, and burning pain screamed at me as warm blood trickled down my arm.
“Gaaaaah!”
But Paris had it worse.
I do not know what horrifying chemical warfare Rex was devising, but the V-1 was eating away at Paris' face, causing her flesh to sizzle and fall off on bubbling red chunks.
I sprinted past her and grabbed Fleur, slinging her arm over my shoulder and letting adrenaline fuel me as I burst out of the dormhouse.
Paris was still screaming and clutching her face as I made my escape, but the outside world did not make me feel any safer.
“Wh-what is going on…”
I muttered.
The screams suddenly vanished as I left the building. Still, it was merely replaced with a cacophony of chaos as I witnessed elves slaughtering everyone, and Imperials desperately trying to fight back.
“
My vision spun, and I once again found myself transported elsewhere right as an arrow hit the spot I was standing a second ago.
With Tiara bringing me to my senses, I ran desperately towards Soot’s pen.
Only to find it empty.
There were multiple dead elves in a variety of macabre poses scattered about. Some were skewered. Some had their heads flattened and burst open, and some were covered in burns.
But there was no sign of their killer anywhere…
“Where are you!? I swear you'll suffer for this!”
The rear door of the dorm house burst open behind me, and Paris flew out as if possessed by a demon.
Half her face had eroded, revealing her skull and gifting her with a permanent half-grin. Her fingers were similarly melting away, and the tips of her bony fingers made her appear to me as a clawed, demented monstrosity.
Yet, I could swear the wounds were already repairing themselves at a staggering speed.
I was no athlete, and the rush of adrenaline was already wearing thin. There was no way I could haul Fleur away, let alone escape all the threats that had appeared on campus.
Paris did not so much as pause to allow me time to think. She was closing the distance at a blistering speed, two daggers at the ready. How she could hold them properly in her state was beyond me.
Thinking fast, I pulled out one of the explosive jars and threw it in wild desperation.
It spun out of my hand as I could not get a firm grip, and it wound up exploding a good five metres from my target.
A shockwave, with no flames, burst out, sending Paris flying and skidding into the air. Horrible cracking sounds accompanied her reunion with the ground, and she did not look capable of standing back up.
I reached for the second jar and froze. If I threw it, she would probably die…
Rex would be pissed if he saw me hesitating, but I was not like him… I did not spend seven years in some hellscape where freaky monsters could groom me into a killing machine.
I put the jar back and did my best to drag Fleur back inside. It wasn't easy, but with nobody actively chasing me anymore, I managed.
Once inside, I set to barricading the doors with the two lounge room couches, then dragged Fleur into the training room. The door to that room was exceptionally sturdy and could be locked from the inside. It was the safest spot in the building.
“Hey! Wake up!”
I shook Fleur, but she did not so much as stir.
“Hey! C'mon! I need your help here!”
I became a little rough, but there was still no response.
“...Mm?”
Her eyes fluttered open.
“Oh, thank every god above!”
I yanked the gag out of her mouth, but the restraints on her wrists were too tightly secured for me to unbind them.
“...the thorn… snake… ngh!”
She closed her eyes and weakly rolled her head.
“Can you stand? The academy is under attack, and that therian—Paris—was trying to abduct you!”
I shook her again just in case she was about to pass out.
“Urgh… my head… lift me.”
I got her to her feet, but the moment I took my arm away, she sank straight back down. It seemed whatever had happened to her had left her unable to walk unassisted.
“This is… undesirable.”
Fleur flourished her hand, and I felt the surge of mana circulate through her fingers, only to dissipate without effect.
“Ancestors curse her… I won't be able to call upon the spirits in this state.”
She tried to frown, but her muscles were so weak that not even her anger could be adequately conveyed.
“Sister of Rex. Explain the situation.”
Ignoring her annoying way of addressing me, I gave a haphazard recap of recent events. I was aware that I was rushing my words and skipping specific details, but the stress of everything was overriding any other thoughts.
The still bleeding wound on my shoulder certainly wasn't helping to keep my head clear either.
By the time I finished, Fleur could only grimace and face the ground.
“Brother… Why would you do this?”
It was an awkward situation. Frankly, I barely had a connection to this girl, and I found her to be stuck-up if I'm being honest. Call it racial bias or whatever, but elves always give off the vibe that they think they're superior.
I also knew nothing of her brother, beyond him being someone important in her commune. Apparently, he was the one I saw kill that man, something Fleur was sure of the moment I mentioned the glaive he held.
“At least they don't seem to be interested in this building…”
“...Hm.”
That pathetic attempt at comforting her received nothing more than a short grunt.
But then, her features sharpened.
“Quiet. Someone is coming.”
“What? I can't hear any—”
“Shh!”
I obediently shut my mouth and strained my ears. There was a handy spell I learned for the purpose of eavesdropping on local merchants, and I could think of no better time to use it.
“
With my pitiful mana capacity, even this minor spell took a lot out of me, but it had the intended effect. I began to pick up minute, distant sounds, as if they were coming from right in front of me.
A strange, rhythmic scraping sound could be heard. It took a moment to realise it was the sound of the furniture-barricade being pushed back.
Perhaps because of the silencing barrier around the dormhouse, I was unable to hear anyone banging on the door outside. But the explosive bang and splintering of wood was enough to know what had happened.
“You pathetic little worm! I will flay you alive and sssend your ssstill beating heart back to Redwater!”
The sinister voice dripping with venom no longer resembled that of Paris Vipera. She hissed in a way that made my blood run cold, and the fury, laced with bloodlust, only served to quicken my pulse even further.
Something heavy smashed against the training room door.
“I sssmell you…”
You cannot hide from me!”
The violent attacks had already begun to break down the sturdy wooden door.
I felt a sense of relief as it stopped. It seemed like she was unable to tear down more than the upper corner of the door.
But that relief fled from my mind as came slithering through and approached from the ceiling. A large, serpentine creature dangled down and brought its face an inch away from my own. The upper torso resembled a female humanoid, but was still covered in black and green scales. The eyes had turned a feral and shining amber, and they looked at me with a predatory hunger for blood.
“Paris. What have yo—”
Fleur began to speak, but Paris’ tail whipped across and sent her flying with a speed that ill-fitted the monstrosity’s size.
“I need you alive, but it’sss fine if I break you just a little.”
Paris hissed at Fleur and turned back to me.
“But you… I don’t need you at all.”
My legs gave out under me, and I fell to the ground.
I could not calm my breathing in the face of the two elongated fangs that dripped with promised death in liquid form.
She lunged at me, only for my vision to blur once more.
A familiar feeling, as that was the third time Tiara’s magic had saved me. But it was odd…
Tiara was not in the room.
A black blur exploded through the door, sending splinters flying with such speed that they became embedded in the wall on the opposite side.
“Wh—”
Paris had no time to react as the blur lunged at her chest and knocked her back.
She coiled her tail protectively and lowered her torso behind it, trying to defend herself against the unknown assailant.
But despite her efforts, she was suddenly teleported into the air, and the blur began to bounce violently from wall to wall, each leap colliding with the hovering therian before she could re-orient herself.
Scales and blood arced across the room in a new direction with each attack from the blur. It only ended when they came from the ceiling and forced Paris into the ground, destroying the floorboards with an immense shockwave.
With a temporary pause in the onslaught came the first real chance to comprehend the form of my saviour.
A panther with a coat of fur made from the night sky itself, claws made from shimmering light, and eyes like two blazing blue suns. I knew their identity, but not their form.
Tiara, my brother’s little pet, had become something more.
