“Lo…Lope?”

The moment I kicked the door open, a familiar voice called out to me. I couldn’t say I was glad to hear it, but it wasn’t a voice I particularly dreaded either. Feeling somewhat relieved, I called out the person’s name.

“Roman.”

“It was…it was you. What were you doing in here?”

“Just looking for someone. More importantly, what’s with all the screaming and commotion? It’s already a madhouse as it is.”

“Well, that’s…true, but…”

“What. Something happen?”

“Well…”

He’d apparently been barking orders outside, but when I emerged confidently, Roman stuttered. Then, with a somewhat subdued attitude, he spoke again.

“Things were just getting a bit chaotic, so I said a few words. I didn’t know you were inside…”

“Still not sorted out? I thought we’d pushed in pretty deep.”

“The resistance is tougher than expected. And especially…the underground is too quiet. A fair number of guys went down there, but not a single one came back up.”

“The underground, huh.”

He said it casually, but there was an undertone suggesting he wanted me to go check it out. Given the nature of the underground, it was understandable he’d be reluctant to go himself.

The urge to pass it off was palpable, but it wasn’t a bad proposal. For someone who wanted to quietly slip away unnoticed, the underground—where no one ever came—was the perfect place.

I pretended to mull it over for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“I should go take a look. I came all this way, so I might as well do my part.”

“Oh…really? I’d appreciate it if you did. With you, I’d feel more at ease…”

“Then we have nothing more to discuss? I’ll be going.”

“Should I? I…I guess I should. Thanks, Lope.”

Roman gave me an awkward wave before quickly disappearing in the other direction. All things considered, he was a convenient one to exploit.

“Hu…”

After confirming he’d moved far enough away, I headed toward the underground without looking back. Roselia’s subordinates who stood behind me stared stupidly at my retreating figure. Beside them, I could also see the man who had finally exhausted himself and gone limp.

Leaving all of that behind, I walked until the path to the underground came into view. I confirmed once more that no one was following me, then set foot toward the stairs.

As I sank my heavy footsteps into the darkness of the underground, a lukewarm warmth instantly enveloped my entire body.

“…”

The hemorrhage of darkness, pierced through a virgin by the holy relic of light, was deep and viscous. Just a single step down from the surface, and the entire surroundings were submerged in darkness so thick I couldn’t see an inch ahead.

“Huuu…”

With each step I took down the stairs, the stale dust characteristic of the underground seemed to suffocate my breathing. A small sigh to expel the dust that had burrowed deep into my lungs did nothing to help. I felt like I’d become a drowning man in a sea of dust if I went any further.

Even so, when I forced my steps to the very end, the bottom of the staircase pounded roughly against my soles. Having descended without being able to see ahead, the sudden contact with the floor felt so jarring I nearly stumbled. I barely caught my balance and looked around.

It was a futile effort, of course. My poor vision still couldn’t pierce through the darkness.

I eventually closed my eyes and leaned my body against the wall. The absence of any sound from my surroundings suggested I was the only one in this space. Had everyone who came down here, as Roman said, met with disaster?

Or maybe they’d already escaped. Either way was fine by me. I could just kill time here and leave once things quieted down. In the meantime, I could chew over what had just happened.

…

What should I do now…

I carefully removed my glove and looked at the mark on the back of my hand. Even in this darkness, the mark glowed an unwavering blue. I felt as though even if every light in this world were extinguished, this mark alone would proudly emit its color.

It was an exaggeration, of course, but one thing was certain—it was an object of immeasurable value. And yet, there was so much I didn’t know about this mark. Only recently, I’d even considered using it as a bargaining chip.

Looking back on it now, it was an incredibly naive thought. What on earth could I possibly trade something like this for?

Especially when the only person who’d accept it was Roselia at this point.

“Hmm…”

How long would it take that crazy bitch to learn the truth about the mark?

I couldn’t even begin to guess. A month? A week? Or perhaps a mere two days? I didn’t know how frequently she communicated with the Empire, so I had little basis for speculation. She seemed to be brushing it off for now, thanks to her characteristic arrogance, but given Roselia’s nature, she’d notice something was off before long.

And when that time came, much would certainly change. Roselia wouldn’t stay quiet any longer, and my relationship with Lena would shift too. Yes, I was especially curious about what would happen to Lena. Would Roselia bother telling her the truth? She was probably escaping this place right now, hand in hand with Roselia, completely oblivious.

Come to think of it, I couldn’t even imagine how the Academy would change by tomorrow, let alone anything further.

…

My head ached. Scheming apparently wasn’t my strong suit.

“Huuu…”

For now, I should probably ask Saya more precisely about this mark. That seemed like the most pressing issue. Getting out of here quickly was the priority, after all.

Having settled on a course of action, I felt somewhat refreshed. To keep from losing that fleeting sense of relief, I immediately lifted my head.

“Things should be quieting down by now…”

My guard had slipped, and I’d carelessly muttered to myself. I flinched and quickly pulled out the glove I’d removed. As the mark on the back of my hand was once again concealed beneath the black cloth, it spilled its last rays of light against the wall.

And thanks to that, even if belatedly, I was able to discover the blood-soaked stains on the wall.

“What the…”

In my horror, more words slipped out. It wasn’t simply because I’d seen blood. I’d seen more than enough human bloodstains over the past two months to be desensitized. The problem was the pattern.

The scars looked as though someone had dipped a slender brush deep inside a person’s throat, then splashed it freely across the wall. The trail continued unbroken until a pool formed where a body had fallen—only then did the marks reach their final period.

These were patterns that could only be painted with a blade.

“Son of a…”

Only then did the corpses catch at my feet. Most were attackers, but among them were frail girls as well. I had no idea who this killer was, but they were certainly an equal-opportunity murderer.

At that point, I could narrow the suspects down to a handful. And half of them were people I knew. I swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape and walked slowly, following the bloodstains along the wall.

“…”

The end of my hushed footsteps brought me to yet another door. But this time, it wasn’t a large lecture hall—it was a narrow storage room. It seemed barely large enough for a single person to stand and swing a sword.

Excellent choice of location. I admired it quietly as I lowered my gaze. My eyes, now accustomed to the darkness, revealed the shapes of corpses piled beside the door. Even at a glance, it was clear that only vital points had been severed—the unmistakable handiwork of an expert.

I couldn’t guarantee victory against such an expert. Moreover, the opponent had already taken position, so charging through the door first would be foolish.

At times like this, I had no choice but to gamble on familiarity. I braved the risk and carefully raised my voice.

“Excuse me.”

“…”

“Are you perhaps someone I know?”

“…”

But the other side didn’t take the bait. I could clearly sense a presence, but no answer came. It seemed I’d have to guess who it was.

I stood beside the door and raised my sword above my head. Then, with desperate hope, I placed a single name on my lips.

“Ms. Rebecca?”

“…”

Still no answer. I couldn’t tell whether I’d guessed wrong or guessed right but was being ignored. I didn’t want to do it, but it seemed I’d have to open that door to find out.

“Hu…”

I finally steadied my breath and drew my sword. Then, gathering every remaining ounce of air in my lungs, I kicked the door with all my might. A solid crack rang out as my knee connected, and the door burst wide open.

And in that same instant, the sharp tip of a blade flew straight toward my throat.

“…!”

It was a trajectory that would have slit my throat had I not raised my sword in time. Our blades tangled in an instant, throwing sparks as they licked against each other’s steel. Only then could I see the face of the killer who had been crouching in the darkness.

The exact features were still indiscernible. But in that pitch-black room, one thing was unmistakably clear—the terrible burns and blade scars that covered where the opponent’s eyes should have been.

In that moment, I called out the name of the one person in this Academy I could call my junior—that blind girl.

“Haru!”

“…!”

For the briefest moment, the tip of her sword wavered. It didn’t withdraw completely, but that alone was enough.

“Heup…!”

I drove the tangled blades forward to the limit, then slammed my body against hers while reaching upward. The hilts naturally twisted, sending both swords pointing skyward, and in that instant, I released my sword and threw my arms around Haru’s thigh with all my strength.

“…!!!”

Haru read my intent and belatedly threw her sword in response, but it was too late. As I lifted the thigh I’d grabbed, she lost her balance and crashed to the floor. Her slender back struck the ground hard, and for the first time, a groan escaped her lips.

“Ayuk…!”

“Haru! It’s me…!”

Startled by that groan, I called her name once more. But that hesitation was more than enough opportunity for a counterattack.

“…!”

“Euk!”

Haru didn’t miss the opening. In a flash, she seized my arm, slithered up like a snake, and locked her legs around my neck. It was a textbook-perfect hold—I was immobilized without even a chance to resist. As her legs compressed my carotid artery, my vision blurred instantly and my head swam.

At this rate, I’d pass out cold. As I desperately searched for a way out, the sword lying nearby caught my eye. I reached toward it with everything I had.

“Euk…Aaagh…!”

“…!”

“Eu…euuu…!”

Thanks to my superior size, my frantic thrashing managed to get my hand to the sword. Just as all consciousness was about to fade, I reached toward it with every last ounce of strength.

And instead of the hilt, I grabbed the blade, slicing open my own palm.

“Kkeuk…!”

Blood burst from my palm with a wet pak, and red rivulets streamed down jureureuk. I flung it directly at Haru’s face. It wasn’t to blind her already sightless eyes.

But the droplets fell, just as I’d intended, hududeuk onto her nose. Haru tilted her head and quietly parted her lips.

“Huh?”

“Haru…please, just…!”

“Oh my.”

In that instant, my body was flipped with a hwik and my back slammed against the floor. While I groaned from the fresh pain, Haru mounted me. She pressed her nose against the arm she’d seized and began sniffing it like a dog.

“Mmm…mmmm…”

“Easy…go easy…”

“Mmhm.”

After rubbing her nose diligently against my arm and even tasting it with her tongue, Haru finally released me. Then, with a bright smile, she greeted me.

“My goodness, Senior. Hello.”

“…Yeah. Good to see you too.”

I groaned, clutching my arm that felt like it might be broken. In the midst of all this, Haru added something in an incredibly cheerful voice.

“Did you finally come to fuck me?”