The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
chapter-132

༺ Alice (3) ༻

When it came to information warfare, I was bound to gain an advantageous position.

Alice, as the Student Council President and a member of the Truth Investigation Committee, must be testing me with her informational advantage. After all, the information she mentioned earlier was not something an ordinary student would know.

But…

‘How could I not know?’

I had studied every piece of information related to ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.

The method to retain all that information was simple. Ever since I transmigrated into this world, I had been meticulously revisiting each and every detail on the parchment I had written the game’s setting on.

And of course, it was natural for me to pay attention at every moment to ensure that what I knew was not mistaken.

The phrase ‘there were only four people’ that Alice deliberately mentioned must be bait to corner me. I shouldn’t bite like a fish. If one excluded Kaya, Lisetta, and Ian, I was the only suspect left for being the Black Monster.

In other words, if I simply agreed or said ‘I’m not sure’ to that statement…

It would be like handing over the opportunity to corner me with assumptions like ‘You were the only one who could be suspected as the Black Monster at that time,’ or ‘Aren’t you the Black Monster?’

There was a risk of getting played by Alice’s wordplay. Even for someone who acted well like me, the probability of making an unexpected mistake increased.

That was why I objected to Alice’s words with a subtly aggressive tone, saying ‘Senior… had no reason to lie to me.’

This way, I could counter Alice’s indirect interrogation, cut off the topic in one fell swoop, and in turn, probe her reaction.

Alice’s smile faded, seemingly displeased.

“…Why do you think that?”

“It’s just… Because the number of people I saw and heard about easily exceeds four.”

Alice made a perplexed expression as if she didn’t understand.

There was a flaw in Alice’s words.

In the hunting evaluation of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, besides Kaya, Lisseta, and Ian, there were more who reached the core area.

‘Keridna, Ciel, Tristan, Irene, and Doji.’

Among those who reached the core, I only met Lisetta, but the rest also had the skills to reach the center of Elt Island, before the underground giant demon appeared, without any issues.

It was just that I didn’t see them.

The Truth Investigation Committee also found out during their investigation that they reached the core. I discreetly inquired and found out that they knew about this during the investigation of the hunting evaluation incident with Lisetta.

The reason I had to pay attention even to such minor details was…

‘Because I must survive.’

In a situation where I must struggle to survive with my poor intellect and strength against the Evil God capable of destroying the world…

Ensuring that nothing different from what I knew happened, constantly reviewing and preparing, was one of the best efforts I could make.

Alice’s pink eyes moved to the top right, indicating deep thought.

Soon after…

“…It seems I was mistaken. There have been so many incidents, I must have confused it with something else.”

Alice took a step back.

Then, we engaged in small talk until we reached the dorm. We headed towards the men’s wing of Briggs Hall, the dorm I belonged to, which was for the middle-lower ranks.

“Have you recovered enough to rely on your familiar? I can’t enter the men’s dorm.”

“I think I’m fine now. Thank you, Senior.”

I smiled broadly, pretending to be moved by the senior’s kindness.

Alice looked at my smile calmly.

“We’re almost there.”

Just as we were about to reach the main entrance of Briggs Hall.

Suddenly, a sinister killing intent enveloped my entire body.

Alice seemed to have felt the same because she slightly lifted her umbrella to clear her field of vision.

In the corner of the main entrance of Briggs Hall, a female student with a blue umbrella was glaring this way.

Rose-gold hair. Butterfly hair ornament. A beautiful girl who, even at first glance, could elicit exclamations of admiration.

However, her expression was emotionless, and not a hint of vitality could be felt in her oceanic eyes.

“Luce?”

It was Luce Eltania.

[Luce Eltania] Lv: 158

Race: Human

Elements: Water, Lightning

Danger: ??

Psychology: [Strongly jealous of Alice Carroll.]

There’s still about 30 minutes left until the appointed time… right?

“She must be her. The first year top seat I saw at the social gathering.”

“Um, yes…”

“Then, I should take my leave here.”

Even if I were Alice, I wouldn’t particularly want to reach the entrance of the men’s wing of Briggs Hall, filled with Luce’s murderous aura.

“Thank you, Senior.”

“Me too. It was fun, Baby.”

Alice made a sweet, kind smile.

“Let’s meet again.”

She left, still holding her umbrella.

With every step she took, her light gold hair moved like a wave. Uniquely, the tips of her hair had strands of black and white, which caught my eye. I remembered that monochrome represented Alice, and this realization struck me anew.

Soon, Alice’s [Telekinesis], which had aided me, faded away. I almost stumbled, but fortunately, I didn’t fall. I felt some strength returning.

Anyway.

“Phew.”

…I thought my heart would burst from trembling. It’s over now. What a relief.

“Isaac.”

“…!”

No, it was only just the beginning.

Luce, who had approached me from behind without being noticed, covered me with her umbrella and whispered in a deep, resonant voice close to my ear. It was a voice that relaxed my whole body and drained my strength in an instant.

“Who was that?”

“The Student Council President. She helped me on the…”

I turned my head towards Luce to answer, but her expression made me flinch for a moment.

“…Way.”

Luce, who often felt aversion towards others due to her social phobia, was emitting a strong sense of wariness, particularly towards Alice’s retreating figure. Notice the shadow around her eyes.

The only person Luce has opened her heart to was me. In a way, it could be seen as a possessive emotion.

Every time my social circle expanded, Luce would be distressed, thinking that it meant less time for her and me to be together.

Of course, she didn’t express such feelings openly. I would notice it through her changing expressions and by using [Psychological Insight].

“Haa.”

Luce sighed, stood on her tiptoes, and rested her chin on my shoulder. A faint fragrance emanated from her.

“She helped you? Did you overdo it again, you fool?”

“It’s not something new, is it?”

“You can’t help but work hard, but if you need help, can’t you call me instead?”

Luce turned her head from my shoulder and looked straight into my eyes.

Her pale cheeks looked soft and chewy, like a mochi pressed down.

Her beautiful rose-gold hair cascaded down as if it would entangle my clothes.

“I can provide you with a good time.”

She said it as if it were a service.

Her lips pouted. It seemed like she was quite displeased that I sought someone else’s help instead of hers when she was right there to help me.

“…”

Staring intently at Luce, her image suddenly overlapped with what I saw during the Trial of Sandstone. This happened time and time again.

Her face was as pale as a corpse. Her lips were blue with fear. The way she lost her right arm and bled profusely was starkly different from how she looked now.

“…”

“…Why have you been looking at me with pity lately?”

Of course, she wouldn’t know about my tender feelings.

“I was just looking.”

“I don’t like it.”

Luce once again rested her chin on my shoulder and leaned her head slightly towards mine.

* * *

The heavy snow that had been falling for two days was gradually slowing down. Alice walked through the snow with an indifferent expression.

Suddenly, a cold wind caressed her skin, and as gray mana gathered, a fat purple cat appeared.

Chesire appeared wearing a small bowler hat.

[How was it?]

The strange creature waddled after Alice and asked.

[Does Isaac seem like the disruptor?]

“…I’m not sure.”

Is Isaac the disruptor?

There was no evidence, and the circumstances seemed to indicate that he was not the disruptor.

Would a person as significant as the Black Monster train so hard and get hurt like that? He was someone who single-handedly dealt with the Floating Island. It was incredibly difficult to believe he would be in such a condition just from training.

Even the weakly casted [Telekinesis] had an effect. Despite the mana field that pushed against mana in living beings.

It was proof that Isaac was extremely low on mana.

What would The Black Monster have to do to be almost completely depleted of that immense mana? It was simply unimaginable.

So, rationally thinking, the idea that Isaac was the Black Monster just didn’t make sense.

“Something is odd, though.”

But a person had intuition.

Alice’s intuition seemed to suggest that Isaac was the disruptor. She didn’t like such uncertain factors.

However, after talking with Isaac, she couldn’t control the feeling that her intuition was loudly shouting.

Chesire grinned. Being Alice’s familiar, he was able to sense her feelings.

Therefore, Cheshire realized that Alice’s interest in Isaac had actually deepened.

[So, what will you do? Planning to delve deeper into Isaac?]

“I’ve already prepared a mechanism to pressure the disruptor.”

Someone who possessed the ice element, a first-year student from the Department of Magic deeply involved in the Elt Island incident, and a man who returned two days after the black tower demon was defeated.

There were such suspicious circumstances, but in the crucial parts, there was evidence that Isaac was not the Black Monster. It was rather these points that were again suspicious.

“I’ll have to see how that boy turns out.”

Therefore, without stopping her investigation into the identity of the Black Monster, Alice decided to keep an eye on Isaac, who remained a suspect.

The gray clouds that had been pouring down snowflakes calmed down.

Alice closed her umbrella and shook off the snow.

With every step she took, deep footprints were imprinted on the snow-covered garden path.