“I see.”
Allen, closing her mouth, poking at the inside of her cheeks with her tongue. She moved away with a blank expression, and I took a step forward after her. At that moment, the world completely changed.
We were definitely inside the barrier, but I stepped through a snowy field. Snowflakes landed on my shoulders, and a sharp wind cut at me. Was the space around us folded, or was the ground getting closer? Whatever it was, we were driven out of the barrier.
“You’re amazing as expected.”
Clap, clap, clap.
The lines on her face were different from usual.
“Maybe it was my desire to not get caught?”
I looked at this Allen differently. However, my intuition insisted that this current Allen was like a worn mask or the top layer.
“Yeah, you’re greedy.”
“…”
At that moment, snow flared up around us. Now, the spirit Allen was subconsciously pouring out was beyond that of a master, swaying like an aura around them. Even if I used all my mana, I wouldn’t be able to touch her. I could sense instinctively that she was specialized in killing.
“But still, don’t mind me too much.”
Allen spoke, her eyes turning dark.
“Anyway, this week…”
Before she could get out another word, a group of monsters appeared through the ground.
Grrrrrr— grrrrrrr—
Blue-eyed hyenas are known as the Dark Winter. Allen spared them a second glance.
Crack—!
Their bodies twisted.
Craaaaaaack—!
It was a strange sound. Their bones were twisted, and their flesh crumpled. Then, as if caught up in a black hole, their shapes became indistinguishable.
“…This week, you’ll be killed in battle. But, that day became today. I know you didn’t mind me, but….”
Allen wriggled her toes in the snow. Then, she approached. One step, two. Her feet were heavy as they fell, a frightening yet natural sense of oppression washed over me.
“Professor, the Demon Blood are watching you.”
Allen stood mere inches away from me.
“I will always be watching you, too. This is a warning.”
Allen spoke formally, and my stiff body gradually loosened, perhaps thanks to the resistance of Iron Man.
“If the clan’s patience reaches its limit, I will not hesitate to take your life. So…”
Allen stared straight at me. The shyness and youth she showed before had vanished.
“…Take care of yourself.”
What she said didn’t match. I didn’t bother to look for her death variable.
“Were you by my side just to keep an eye on me?”
“…Yes, of course. I never thought that I would ever get caught, but since when have you known? Was it because of the report?”
I was frustrated with her questions. I shook my head.
“From the beginning to the end, you know nothing about me.”
“…From beginning to the end?”
Allen pouted her lips slightly.
“Oh really… I was going to be satisfied if I knew one or two things, oh well. That’s too
bad…”
Listening to Allen grumble, I looked back through my memories. Since when had I known what she was? It was quite a long time ago, but when I became convinced was clear.
“The train going to Bercht. It was then.”
“…?”
Then, Allen’s eyes widened.
“Since the train…?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, why…?”
Was it earlier than she expected? Allen looked down. After a moment of silence, she smiled a little.
“…Is that so? Anyway, it was fun, thanks to the Professor. It was an honor to be with Lord Yukline.”
The moment Allen smiled radiantly, I sensed a very small gap. At that moment, I moved my fingers.
“It feels like my experiences with the Professor will become part of history….”
With the momentum gained by putting my fingers together… I flicked her forehead.
Bam—!
A light blow, but Allen faltered and backed off a step. She touched her forehead dumbfounded, feeling the red bump slowly rising.
“Oh…?”
She looked at me vacantly, searching for a reason why. She wore an expression like she had been betrayed by the world.
“Punishment for deceiving your superior. Take it nicely.”
“…”
Allen stood still, letting the hem of her robe be swept around by the winter wind.
“Pfft.”
Soon, she laughed.
“…Yes.”
I nodded. Then, I walked towards the barrier. I didn’t think we needed to speak further. If she were going to leave in the first place, I wouldn’t catch her.
“Uh, Professor.”
But Allen grabbed me.
“Goodbye.”
“…”
Snowflakes brush down past her shoulders, driven by the biting wind. I called out with a name that wasn’t real.
“Allen.”
“…Yes?”
“You may not know, but there are only a few people on this continent who make me feel like myself.”
Deculein would probably have just left now with no regrets, satisfied with leaving the death variable called Allen be.
“One of them is you.”
But I’m not Deculein. I am still Kim Woo-jin, and there are certainly people in this world who make me feel like I am Kim Woo-jin.
“Not the past you, but you. This fact won’t change even if you leave.”
Allen had no words, staring at me with her deer-like eyes.
“So, Allen.”
“…”
Allen nodded for me to continue.
“Have you learned a lot during this time?”
Allen nodded again.
“Was it fun being an Assistant Professor?”
Allen nodded. I put my hand on top of her head for a brief moment.
“Then, good job.”
“…”
Allen’s eyes shook, but I continued to say what I wanted to say.
“It was you, Allen, who saved me from Veron.”
She quickly bowed her head, hiding her face from me.
“Taking the life of the one who saved mine does not match the dignity of Yukline. Whether you’re here to keep an eye on me, whether you’re looking for a chance to kill me, it doesn’t even matter if you’re part of the Demon Blood, Allen. I’m just thankful.”
“…That’s not.”
Then, Allen shook her head. Not just once, but several times. I thought she was going to deny those achievements even in this situation.
“Ellie.”
“…”
My expression became rigid for a moment, and my heart grew cold. Thankfully, Allen was looking at the ground.
“My name is Ellie.”
She said so in a low, shy voice below the starless skies.
“Ellie.”
“Yes, I’m Ellie.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“…Yes. Don’t forget it.”
After saying so, Ellie pushed my back. Her hands were strong. Stumbling a couple of steps forward, I glanced back again.
“Then, goodbye.”
Ellie disappeared.
“Ellie…”
The field where she left was empty. It didn’t matter because I already knew that she was going to leave someday. I just looked up at the sky. Dark snow was falling around me.
I looked down at my hands.
“…Ellie.”
Ellie. A Named that I knew and one of the strongest in the continent. Someone with a sad past and an overwhelming history. At the same time, she was the user of the overwhelming attribute [Space and Sense]. Was such a person cleaning up after me?
“Who did I just hit?”
I was still dumbfounded.
*****
A tree stump fell off in the dense forest. Sitting on it, Ellie was rubbing her palm against the bump on her forehead.
Roll, roll- roll, roll-
“…It hurts.”
‘It hurts. My head feels like it’s about to break. But not just because of the pain.’
Strangely, her heart hurt too.
“I should’ve told you. Not to get too close to him.”
The voice came from behind the tree. Ellie looked over to see Primienne.
“Anyhow, this is good. If it went on like this, you would have been dragged away by Elesol. Take this.”
Primienne threw a parcel to Ellie. Looking inside, Ellie found an ID card and new clothing. She modified her appearance to match the one on the ID. Keeping her form, she changed her hair color, nose, and the size of her eyes.
“What did you say to Professor Deculein?”
“…It’s a secret.”
“Okay. I can just ask Elesol later anyway.”
Ellie raised her eyes to stare at Primienne. Primienne took a closer look at her.
“You, are you crying?”
“…What? No. What are you talking about? Haha!”
Ellie quickly shook her head, laughing.
“I don’t think I could cry….”
Primienne nodded. Her eyes were moist, but there was no need to be so shocked. She was someone who had never cried once in her life. She didn’t even know how to pretend to cry.
“Then, go ahead and meet with Elesol. I have something to do here.”
“…”
Ellie looked at Primienne with dissatisfaction. She felt jealous and annoyed for some reason.
“The Professor has known for a long time now. A very long time…”
“I know.”
“…?”
Ellie came out safely, and neither of them were injured, so Primienne roughly knew. At that time, when he was eating with Betan, why did Deculein say such strange things?
“Darn mushroom soup.”
Primienne shook her head. Ellie, tilting her head, breathed out a low sigh.
“Whew… I might have used this leather for too long.”
She lifted the mirror and looked at herself. She was a man again, this time.
“It looks like my old leather… ugh. Change it.”
“…That’s because your old one was your real face. Don’t spout some nonsense.”
Primienne pushed Ellie’s shoulder. Her next stride was farther away. Ellie, now a dot on the horizon, waved.
—Yes… I’ll get going first…
“…Unbelievable.”
The more she saw her ability, the more amazing it was. It was an all-around ability that could teleport, be used for disguise, and was optimized for killing. The concept of space that Ellie used freely was quite fatal, so killing was possible just by changing the position of a person’s eye and nose. This was especially so for regular people who lacked mana resistance.
If she wanted to, she could eradicate 98% of the continent by herself…
“Hmm.”
Primienne looked up at the sky. The moon covered by clouds was now peeking through.
“…That’s amazing.”
She murmured without expression. Deculein, called a devil by the clan, was the one the Demon Blood was most scared of in the Empire. He who cold-heartedly and mercilessly hunted the Demon Blood. But, he was also the only wizard who defended the Demon Blood in Bercht.
Furthermore, when they were in danger of being discovered, he concealed the truth even though he knew that they were Demon Blood.
“I don’t know.”
Primienne didn’t know Deculein. What he was thinking, and what misunderstanding there
was. Was it a noble’s appearance, or was it just some sort of whim?
“…Absolutely.”
Then, Primienne turned around and took out a piece of a letter. It had been barely delivered from the faraway military camp, a message sent by Rohalak’s guide Carixel. It was written in a code that only the high-ranking officials of the clan could read.
[Rohalak isn’t a difficult place as you think. Professor Deculein is keeping his promise to me. There will be no gas chambers installed in Rohalak, and we are preparing for the winter with Hadekain’s troops. There are many friends to play around with. Of course, we keep a line and formality, but I think we can become close like this.
I’m crying a little while writing, but I’m not lying. I am happy here.
The Professor is like a torchlight. He brightens the darkness of the coming future…
There’s no more space, so I’ll leave it here.
P.S. Burn this letter as soon as you read it. You should never tell anyone what’s inside. The same goes for the clan. You know there are many people from the Altar spying on us, right?]
“…Hmm.”
Reading the reality of Rohalak, which was completely different from expectations, Primienne’s heartfelt fuller.
*****
…Special metals and ammunition were needed to hunt the tiger. The metal was Black Iron Sand, and the materials needed for the ammunition were Pulverized Unicorn Horn and Blois Queen Bee’s Stinger. Since the materials were hard to obtain, mass-production wasn’t possible even if the recipe was publicized. Even if the materials were already prepared, if the mixture wasn’t accurate to the gram, there was a high probability of failure.
This was also the case in the game. Therefore, I intended to properly utilize my mana and Understanding in union with Aesthetic Sense.
Firstly, melt the Black Iron Sand using Ultra High Temperature. Use Psychokinesis in place of the mold pipes that I couldn’t find to shape a bullet that fits into the revolver-
“…Is that not enough to make that little thing?”
A dainty voice came up. I raised my head calmly, feeling a sense of déjà vu as a new uninvited guest waited in the window.
“…”
I clenched my jaw when I saw her face.
“Professor, uhm, that revolver….”
The child named Lia surprisingly resembled Yoo Ara. I moved closer to her with the wood steel.
“Oh wait, just wait. Hear me first-“
Schwaaaaaa—!
“Gyaaaa!”
Several of the wood steel paused in front of the child’s face. It surrounded her without leaving any openings.
“Uhh…?”
The child shivered.
“Waaaaah!”
“Have you gone crazy? Do you want to die?”
“…No, no. I’m just…”
Lia hesitated and pointed at something on her back: a rifle tied to her by a long string.
—— [Tiger Rifle] ——
◆Information
: A rifle from the archipelago specially made for hunting tigers.
: It exerts a particularly destructive power on tigers.
◆Category
: Treasure ⊃ Special Third Stone
◆Special Effect
: The bullets fired with this gun gradually destroy the tiger’s skin and muscle tissue.
A tiger rifle. It was a hard to find treasure, even for an adventurer.
“Tiger hunting will be easier if you use this. So, together with us… ah, not Carlos. With Ganesha and us…”
“…”
“…What do you think?”
I glared at her, taking the rifle using Psychokinesis.
“This is a dangerous item for a child like you to handle.”
“…What? Child…?”
“I’m good at using such weapons.”
I opened the cartridge and checked the insides, calculating the size of the ammunition needed.
“No, I came here to ask you to fight with us. We also want to help you hunt the tiger, ack-“
The kid accidentally bit her tongue as-
Bam—!
I closed the window on her.
“Tiger rifle…”
I fiddled with the brilliant barrel of the tiger rifle and used [Midas’ Hand Level 4]. The moment I confirmed that a special effect was added, I nodded.
“…This should be enough.”
If the ammunition was made properly, my chance of winning was certain even if I was up against a Great Tiger.
Clang clang— clang clang—
Excuse me, hey— that’s a treasure that we barely got—
Clang clang— clang clang—
Give it back if you’re not going to hunt with us! I’m going to report you to the police—
The child continued to tap the glass window with an expression like she had been tricked, but I ignored her and closed the curtains. It was a face that was too much to look at for too long.
