After hearing the long story from the male student, my impression could be summed up in just one word.
“…Wow, what a lunatic.”
I blurted out without thinking, and the male student cringed even further, letting out a high-pitched “Eeep!”
His eyes were overflowing with fear. The moisture shimmering within them testified to his unstable mental state.
They were the eyes of someone looking at a madman.
Regardless, I stroked my chin as I pondered deeply.
What on earth is going through your mind?
If I were the ‘me’ from the future, I wouldn’t know — I have no means to meddle with the Imperial Court and survive, let alone handle a situation where three months of deadline have been reduced to merely one month.
At this point, I feared what had happened to Perkus Manor.
Perhaps the sentiment of familial love is lacking within this person?
Indeed, one who abuses their past selves isn’t likely to have self-love, let alone familial affection.
But as I continued to listen to the story, another question lingered.
“Even after hearing that, you still provoked me?”
“Uh, the Imperial Court will take care of the aftermath, they claimed! And back then, when the Royal Knights drew their real swords, it was justified as self-defense. However, if you were to unilaterally assault a student now… Hrk!”
Unwilling to hear more, I struck the side of his head with the back of my hatchet.
His pupils rolled back, and his body collapsed limply to the side. Watching this, I sighed.
“You deserve more punishment.”
Even if I were to report this to the Academy, it might become an issue, but I didn’t care.
In all likelihood, it was a situation where both expulsion from the Academy and my family’s demise might occur sooner.
I had to devise a plan somehow.
While walking and standing up, my eyes caught a sudden glimpse of something.
Among the fallen students, a piece of paper stuck out from someone’s back pocket. Its familiar shape made me casually unfold the paper.
It was the academy newspaper. On the front page, my portrait was displayed prominently.
[Axe-murderer Ian Fercurus. Is there any justice at all with him? The truth behind the ‘Imperial Princess Blood Shower Incident’!]
What nonsense. So far, I’ve only killed a single Mage.
Moreover, the name ‘Imperial Princess Blood Shower Incident’ felt particularly absurd today.
I crumpled the newspaper in anger and threw it away absentmindedly.
It bounced off the head of one of the fallen students and rolled away, soaked with blood and water.
Lying behind me now were five or six males groaning or unconscious.
Violence is an efficient means, but it’s not omnipotent. The current situation was proof of that.
As I moved to attend my lecture, a group of female students blocked my way.
Trying to walk around them, they moved forward again. Turning back, they were still there.
Seeing the irritation in my eyes, they burst out giggling.
“What’s wrong, Senior Ian? You’re not going to hit us with your hatchet, are you?”
“Hey, we haven’t done anything.”
Their chuckling grated on my nerves. Their faces clearly showed no doubt that I wouldn’t harm them.
Of course, if I pushed off the ground now, it would be easy to escape from them. I wasn’t so weak that juniors could hold me back, and in fact, evasion had long been my area of expertise.
But I didn’t want to.
At the moment, there was no place for me to run. I had already antagonized the Imperial Court—would the Academy’s expulsion really be something to worry about?
Are you seriously that delusional?
My headache was already severe enough. To have them come before me and provoke me just added to my frustration. I fell into deep thought.
Should I leave a scar on their legs? No, even for just obstructing my path, causing a fracture would suffice.
Just as my hand moved subtly toward my waist,
“Hey.”
From behind the giggling females, a harsh voice interrupted.
The females turned around, puzzled.
There stood a small-sized maiden with a hooded hat, her brown hair framing sapphire-like eyes. Her appearance was doll-like, utterly adorable.
But the faces of the girls, who knew her infamous reputation, went pale.
“Why are you doing this?”
The dry swallow could be heard. It was clear that Senior Elsi’s mood wasn’t good.
One of the girls stammered.
“That, that… When we were trying to pass, Senior Ian kept blocking our way… GAAAAHHHH!”
The girl who was attempting to justify herself suddenly screamed and collapsed. There was no warning. The other girls looked at Senior Elsi with eyes widened in terror, trying to gauge what had happened.
But Senior Elsi simply smiled shamelessly.
“Why are you sitting on the ground? Did you get a cramp in your leg? Truly… Hey, are you making fun of your senior?”
“No, I…GAHAAAAAHHH!”
The girl who tried to stand up again screamed and fell back to the ground. Her legs trembled violently.
It was a clear sign of electrocution.
Senior Elsi was undoubtedly the culprit, but with no tangible evidence, the eyes of the girls flitted back and forth nervously.
“Get up, are you going to stay sprawled on the ground? How about we have tea time in this back alley? Huh?”
The girl desperately shook her head and tried to stand, albeit shakily.
But the result was the same.
“No…GAHHHHHH!”
All eyes trembled and turned onto Senior Elsi. But she showed no sign of calming down.
A cruel smile graced her lips, a smile I hadn’t seen in a while.
“Wow, these days things have improved. Your senior tells you to stand up, but you keep resisting, huh? Truly, you little… Hey, lie down too.”
Their eyes, filled with terror, met each other.
Even if they wanted to comply, the command in the middle of a broad street just felt inappropriate, but then Senior Elsi’s voice roared.
“Lie down, you bastards! Can’t you hear me?!”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the girls immediately tried to lie down on the ground. The next instant,
“Zzzap!”
A bolt of blinding white electricity struck, and screams echoed. Contracting muscles caused their faces to smash into the ground.
Convulsing bodies – clearly, they weren’t in a state to endure any lesson.
After a brief moment of observation, the onlookers hurriedly walked away, deciding that tangling with Elsi Rainelle wouldn’t be good for them.
With a deep sigh, Senior Elsi exhaled heatedly, her breath heavy with fury.
“You keep lying down when told to lie down, huh? Hey, are you challenging me?”
“No, I…KIIIIIHHHHH!”
Even trying to grit their teeth couldn’t withstand it.
In this way, the girls were rolled across the ground multiple times. Before long, the ground carried the scent of burns.
The sobbing girls, their mouths watering uncontrollably, looked to have no strength left to rise. Just as Senior Elsi was about to start up again,
“…Senior Elsi.”
At my interference, she paused.
Our eyes met. Silently, I shook my head.
It was enough.
After glaring at the girls with seething eyes for a moment, Senior Elsi muttered a single word.
“Disappear.”
The girls instantly scrambled and fled the spot like frightened animals, staggering as though they’d exhausted all their muscle strength.
Senior Elsi observed their backs retreating for a while, then quickly approached me with a jaunty step.
She flashed a smug expression and looked up at me expectantly, like a dog awaiting praise.
“Heheh… Did I do well?”
At the same time, she subtly tilted her head toward me, an unspoken plea for a pat.
However, looking at her with my icy gaze, I remained unfazed.
After much deliberation, there was only one conclusion.
With a sweeping motion, I brushed her head away with the palm of my hand. A puzzled look of disbelief crossed Senior Elsi’s face.
Impossible disbelief, unable to comprehend why I’d push her away. Her expression suggested she thought she might’ve done something wrong.
But this was the best course of action. I had the responsibility to protect those close to me, and Senior Elsi had long been one of my ‘precious people’.
She was once a comrade, a friend, and also…
Hmm, a pet?
I immediately dismissed the thoughtless idea with a shake of my head.
Calling a senior a pet was quite rude, especially given Senior Elsi’s high-ranking noble status.
Her head tilted curiously as a result of my strange behavior. I cleared my throat awkwardly.
And with a decisive tone, I began.
“Senior Elsi.”
The atmosphere was already unusual. At this, Senior Elsi immediately donned a worried expression and began hesitating.
Just watching her made my resolve waver, but for Senior Elsi’s sake, it was something I needed to firmly end.
My solemn declaration continued.
“For some time, avoid looking for me.”
Upon hearing this, Senior Elsi’s expression turned…
Exactly like a dog that had been abandoned.
I almost felt guilty.
But don’t cry.
—
—
