I Became The Academy’s Joker Character

Chapter 34

—–CROW—– 

As instructed by Oz, Lucia, leading Eleanor and Baekyang, anxiously bit her nails.

‘Just what is going on?’

Around twenty agents were already infiltrated within Scientia. They were spread out, operating in their respective areas.  So, it was normal for the information they sent to vary. But not now.

- agents near the auditorium, confirm the [Dragon Emperor]’s presence. Maintain distance and observe the surroundings.

- agents near the common building, confirm the [Dragon Emperor]’s presence. Maintain distance and observe the surroundings.

- agents near the student cafeteria, confirm the [Dragon Emperor]’s presence. Maintain distance and observe the surroundings.

The information being relayed was practically identical, only the locations differed.  It applied to almost every location.  But one place was different.

- agents in the first-year exam hall, evacuate immediately.

There was no [Dragon Emperor] in the exam hall where she currently was.  She could infer what was happening to some extent.  Surrounded by the dead, it was impossible not to know. The locations the [Dragon Emperor] visited were probably in similar situations. She finally understood Oz’s words. The [Hades King] had invaded.

“Hmph!”

Eleanor swung her greatsword, cutting down the approaching dead. Baekyang restrained them by binding their feet or blocking with her shield, and Lucia was busy sniping them.

‘Because of Marie Sistus…? But why?’

Even in the urgent situation, with the dead closing in, Lucia couldn’t stop questioning. Marie Sistus was clearly behind this.  Even without confirmation, it was predictable. She was the only one from the in Scientia.  Tia’s absence from the exam hall was also somewhat expected. All the students in the practical exam hall had her magic tools, so even if they were attacked by the dead, they would naturally be transported outside. It wasn’t strange for the exam hall to be a lower priority.

But there was something she couldn’t understand.

‘Why did he send us to Marie?’

The Empire’s policy regarding Eleanor was essentially non-interference. But their mission was to protect her from the shadows.  At least until her mental state stabilized, it was best to avoid any national-level intervention.

‘Just what is Prince Oz thinking?’

So, what was Oz’s purpose?  Lucia didn’t know for sure, but she assumed it was similar to theirs.  Judging by how he had gotten angry at her before, it was only natural.

“Huh…?”

As she continued this line of thought, Eleanor, who had been at the front lines cutting down the dead, let out a bewildered sound.

“Marie?”

“N-Noah…? W-Why? H-How… are you here…?”

The moment Lucia heard that short exchange, she pulled the trigger.

*Clink!*

But the mana bullet she fired was effortlessly deflected. An absurd amount of magical energy blocked the bullet’s approach. There was no doubt.  Marie Sistus was behind this.

“Noah! Get back!”

“Huh…? Uh?”

“What are you doing?!”

*Crack!*

Baekyang grabbed the still-confused Eleanor by the scruff of her neck and pulled her back. At the same time, the spot where Eleanor had been standing caved in.  Looking closely, something translucent was enveloping Marie. It was likely an attack using that.

“N-No! Father… Please! I beg you! Not them!”

“Marie?”

Marie’s already pale face turned even paler as she pleaded.  But despite her pleas, the translucent object surrounding her became clearer.

『Daughter, why do you hesitate?』

A giant, skeletal avatar. A chilling skeleton enveloped Marie.

“Friends… Yes, they’re my friends. So please…”

『I see. Friends.』

It spoke as if understanding, but everyone could sense it, even without Marie’s explanation. This was the master of the …

『But why do you hesitate? You will all meet again after death, will you not?』

“No! Please…”

…and he had no intention of sparing them.

『There’s no need to worry. My magical energy can drag even a saint destined for heaven down to the Underworld.』

*Crash!*

The [Hades King], Thanatos, clad in a skeletal form, swung his fist at Baekyang, who was raising her shield, as if showing off.

“Baekyang!”

It was a single blow.  Even Baekyang, an SR-rank guardian, couldn’t withstand it and was sent flying.

“Ugh?!”

Eleanor caught Baekyang, who was falling in an arc, and rolled across the ground from the impact.  She tried to shield Baekyang with her body, but Baekyang was already bleeding.  Fortunately, before Baekyang could die, the cloak Tia had provided emitted a light and transported her out of the exam hall.

‘This is dangerous…’

Lucia thought, feeling her tail stand on end. With her heightened senses, she could tell.  Even in his unstable form, the opponent was dangerous.  She wasn’t sure they could escape even if they ran with all their might.

“Noah, we need to escape from here…”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Noah…?”

Lucia was surprised by Eleanor’s hostile expression. How could she be like this? The presence of the [Hades King], Thanatos, was terrifying in itself.  Even without Lucia’s heightened senses, anyone could feel it after witnessing his power.  Death was right before their eyes.  Yet…

‘How can she be so composed?’

Eleanor wasn’t afraid.  As if she knew something even more terrifying, she didn’t flinch.

“Why are you doing this? Marie is suffering, and Baekyang is injured.”

Eleanor gripped her greatsword. Lucia broke out in a cold sweat, watching her. It was a moment of choice.

‘Damn it.’

Her reason told her to abandon Eleanor and run.  But she was a soldier.  It was her duty to follow even unreasonable orders, to obey commands.

‘Even though Prince Oz isn’t my superior…’

Lucia knew that the captain of would have given the same order in this situation.  Lucia aimed her two pistols, observing Thanatos.

“Phew…”

From now on, she had no choice but to trust and support Eleanor.

“Ugh…! Please, Father…!”

『Move.』

Thanatos seemed to have a penalty besides his unstable form. He was connected to Marie, so it seemed he couldn’t move freely. While Lucia felt a slight sense of relief, Eleanor frowned, looking at Marie.

“You said you were Marie’s father.  Can you really just watch your daughter suffer?”

『Suffering always accompanies death. It is only natural.』

“I’m not asking about the principle of death, but about your relationship as a father and daughter.”

『Is it necessary to consider anything beyond the necessary with a daughter, a thing that can be easily replaced?』

“I see.  I knew it.”

Eleanor adjusted her grip on her greatsword. Her sapphire-blue eyes shone like jewels.

“Then I’ll take your daughter. I’ll treat her well.”

It was a strange thing to say, but her intention was clear.

“So get away from Marie! You damn bastard!!!”

She was declaring war on the [Hades King]. Eleanor immediately charged towards Thanatos.  Watching her, Lucia groaned.

‘This is insane.’

There was no way a warrior like Eleanor could withstand an attack that even Baekyang, a guardian, couldn’t block. And even if she dodged, it wouldn’t matter.  Even a powerful marksman’s attack couldn’t penetrate the [Hades King]’s terrifying magical energy. There was no way Eleanor’s attack would connect.

Thinking this, Lucia still pulled the trigger.  She had decided to cover Eleanor, after all.  So, she would do her best to create an opening for her.  If Oz’s judgment wasn’t wrong, there had to be a reason.

*Bang!*

Lucia’s pistol fired towards Thanatos, leaving a blue mana afterglow. The mana bullet was shredded by Thanatos’s magical energy, dealing no damage, but Lucia didn’t stop firing.

*Bang! Bang!*

She moved nimbly like a cat, firing again and again.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Her two pistols continued to paint the air with mana afterglows. The blue trails lingered in the air, etching their mark on space.

“Hah!”

After firing for a while, Lucia extended her hand towards Thanatos, and the densely packed mana afterglows took shape and flew towards him.  It was Lucia’s second active skill, a rare restraining technique for a marksman.

[Entangling Thorns]

Lucia was a rare marksman character possessing a restraining technique, despite being focused on offensive abilities. She significantly increased the party’s stability, but…

“This doesn’t work either…”

…her attack power was somewhat lower compared to other marksmen. Lucia frowned, seeing the [Thorns] she fired not even reaching Thanatos.  With rapid-fire being her specialty, she couldn’t penetrate the [Hades King]’s magical energy.

Thanatos, seemingly aware of this, ignored Lucia and attacked Eleanor, who was hopping around.

‘Dangerous…’

Eleanor was more agile than Baekyang. She could barely dodge Thanatos’s attacks, but there seemed to be no way for her to defeat him.  To make matters worse, Eleanor wasn’t wearing her cloak.  She had taken it off to avoid being teleported out when its protective magic was depleted.  She clearly had no intention of retreating.

Lucia anxiously pulled the trigger. Neither of them had a way to attack.  It would have been better if Lucia’s bullets could at least weaken Thanatos’s magical energy, but she lacked the power for a decisive blow.  Her rapid-fire couldn’t stop Thanatos, who was drawing near-infinite magical energy from his connection to the .

“Ugh!”

Meanwhile, Eleanor groaned in pain, barely deflecting Thanatos’s arm.

『Are you tired? Out of breath? Is your feeble body screaming? There’s no need to worry.  You will soon be free from all that discomfort.』

“Shut up!”

Eleanor, closer to Thanatos than Lucia, also knew the situation was extremely dangerous.  Her friend, Lucia, was doing her best, but there seemed to be no way to defeat the [Hades King].

‘At this rate…’

Her arms felt like they were about to fall off from the repeated attacks.  Her head ached from concentrating on dodging Thanatos’s attacks.  She was getting breathless.  Moreover, the extreme tension made Eleanor feel isolated.  If this continued, defeat was certain.

‘It’s okay.’

As if trying to calm her trembling body, she started stepping forward.  Lucia was there. She wasn’t alone yet. Eleanor composed herself and swung her sword at Thanatos.

*Clang!*

With a dull metallic sound, Eleanor was pushed back.  The distance she had bravely closed was instantly reset.  Despair momentarily washed over her, but Eleanor faced forward again.

“It’s okay…”

She was afraid.  Not of death. Every time she felt the ‘something’ within her, she felt a fear of loss.

“It’s okay.”

*Bang!*

Eleanor forcefully stepped towards Thanatos once again. She remembered. The promise they made on that noisy night still echoed in her ears.

-…Even if there are a lot of people, and I’m isolated among them, will you find me?

-Yes.

-…Even if I’m locked up in a dark, narrow place, blindfolded and gagged, unable to speak, will you find me?

-Yes, even if it’s in the middle of a battlefield, I will find you and talk to you.

The proof of trust she felt on her pinky finger that day eased her anxiety. Yes, one person was enough.  If that one person remembered her, that was enough.  Even if everyone else forgot her, she wouldn’t disappear.  As long as she had someone to rely on, even if her existence was forgotten, she could rebuild her connections again and again.  That was enough.

“So it’s okay!”

『Do you think anything will change by telling yourself that?』

“Yes, it will!”

Eleanor replied energetically to Thanatos’s taunt and raised her greatsword. The greatsword, beginning to glow with a golden light, pointed at Thanatos. She no longer hid or dodged.  Facing Thanatos’s incoming attack head-on, Eleanor took her stance.

“My resolve will change drastically!”

*Clang!*

With those words, Eleanor swung her greatsword, its power dyeing even Thanatos’s magical energy with its own color, and carving a scar into his bone. The power the greatsword held wasn’t mana.  Nor was it magic, magical energy, demonic energy, or even divine power.  It was the power of harmony, dyeing everything with her color.

[Key of Understanding]

Eleanor’s key opened the door, even if just a little.

—–CROW—– 

#Only READ at DarkstarTranslations