96

A Fiery Scene.

"In… incredible! I never heard the hero was this strong—"

Slash—

A demon with two wings and a pair of horns was effortlessly cut down by the blade.

The sight of their comrade vanishing without a trace under the holy sword's edge caused the surrounding demons and monsters to shift into defensive stances.

"If you won't come to me, I'll come to you."

In less than a second, the hero lunged forward, slashing horizontally through the gathered beasts.

The monsters were cleaved in two, along with the space around them. As the hero shook off their blood from the sword, a man appeared, flying to his side.

"You're working hard, Hero Student."

"Chairman."

The speaker was the academy's strongest: the chairman.

An elderly man with hair white from age, yet his power was undeniable—perhaps even equal to that of the hero's own master.

"Those damn demons. After staying quiet for so long, they suddenly stage an attack like this."

"Did something happen to the barrier?"

"No. Someone from inside opened a passage. There's a traitor in the academy."

The chairman clicked his tongue in visible frustration.

The idea of betrayal within the academy he held with such pride seemed to gnaw at him.

The demons' attack wasn't random; they had drawn resources away from the royal palace to strike here. This was clearly a calculated plan targeting something—or someone—within the academy.

It wasn't hard to guess what the demons might be after: either the hero or the saintess.

"…Iris."

The ever-bright girl who always approached the hero with a radiant smile. Though her excessive kindness sometimes felt burdensome, the hero had grown fond of her company.

With the goddess's blessing upon her, no demon could harm her—but still, an unease began to settle in the hero's heart.

'I need to check on her.'

Gripping the holy sword tighter, the hero turned and headed deeper into the academy.

***

A searing pain exploded in my abdomen, so intense it felt like I would burst. When she pulled out the blade, I crumpled to the ground, powerless.

"Ah… the blood of a saintess… Just imagining it excites me."

Katrina, the teacher, looked down at me with a rapturous expression. I clutched my abdomen, trying desperately to stem the blood pouring onto the ground.

"Gh…ah…"

As time passed, the pain I had tried to suppress began to overwhelm my body.

This was my mistake—I should never have let my guard down.

But it's fine.

Despite the agony, I forced myself to speak to Katrina, buying whatever time I could.

"Was it… you who brought the demons here?"

At my question, Katrina's wicked smile deepened.

"That's right. I placed magic stones all around the academy to open the passages. It took a while to work in secret, but it was worth it."

Her brazen confession made me scowl. Anger surged, threatening to take over, but I held it back.

'Just a little longer…'

I could feel the wound in my abdomen beginning to heal. Thanks to the goddess's blessing, I had the power to regenerate from most injuries, as long as they weren't fatal.

Another minute, and I'd be fully recovered.

For now, I needed to keep her talking.

"Why… would you do something like this?"

Katrina tilted my chin up with the tip of her shoe, her cruel smirk widening.

"Because of you, Iris."

"Me…?"

"Yes, you."

Soon, she covered her face with both hands and began laughing wildly, shaking violently as if she had gone mad.

"I am an alchemist. My profession is to live with the desire to explore new combinations endlessly."

As I silently stared at her, she continued speaking.

"I've always been curious. What kind of precious potion could be created by combining the blood and bones of a saintess?"

"…What did you just say…?"

"From the very first day you entered the academy, I was captivated by you. It felt like a first love, you see. Haha…"

"I've always wanted to dissect you as soon as possible. Using a saintess as a material—no one but me could come up with such a brilliant idea."

Her horrifying words made my body tremble uncontrollably, and a chill ran down my spine.

"Of course, I couldn't act on it. If I dared to touch a saintess, I would face punishments worse than death. So I had no choice but to endure this tormenting desire."

Her face, which had shown a hint of regret, twisted into a grotesque smile.

"But one day, Lord Melum approached me."

Amid her outrageous words, I heard a familiar name.

The Third Legion Commander. The Undying King, Melum.

A monstrous being in the form of a lich, with the power to survive even after having his heart gouged out or his head severed.

"Yes, he himself! He said he would help me. Lord Melum also recognizes the truth of alchemy! Hahaha!"

"Then… the commander who attacked the royal palace, could it be…"

"You're quick to catch on. That's right. The Great Lord Melum reached out to me."

She was utterly insane.

I could no longer call Katrina—no, this person—a teacher.

"Just for something like that… you caused so much harm to the students?"

I questioned her in disbelief, but she retorted angrily instead.

"Something like that? You fools. You know nothing about how great alchemy truly is."

Crack—

Her distorted logic was incomprehensible, and I felt a surge of uncontrollable rage.

'No… Not yet, Iris…'

Clenching my teeth so hard that it felt like they might bleed, I barely managed to suppress my emotions.

My wounds had healed completely.

All I needed was to catch her off guard and land a surprise attack.

Even though my holy power was amplified against demons and beasts, it was more than enough to subdue a single human.

Just as I was about to speak again to draw her attention…

"Did you buy enough time?"

With a twisted smile, she swung her blade once more.

But this time, it wasn't my stomach that she targeted.

It was my neck.

A horrifying pain shot through the area.

"Gah… kuh…"

The feeling of being unable to breathe was suffocating me.

When I clutched at my neck with my hands, blood gushed uncontrollably from the wound.

"Iris, did you think I was a fool?"

She looked displeased and gripped her blade tightly, stabbing into my body repeatedly.

Stab.

Stab—

"!!!..!..!!"

The pain was so excruciating that I wanted to scream, but with the gaping wound in my throat, all I could do was silently gasp.

Stab—

Stab—

Each time her blade pierced my body, it felt as if my insides were twisting apart.

'It hurts…!! It hurts…!! It hurts so much!!!'

But no matter how much I screamed in my mind, no sound came from my throat.

Tears streamed down my face as I clung to her ankle.

"Where do you think you're putting those bloody hands?"

With a disgusted look, she kicked me away, and I collapsed helplessly to the floor.

"Guh… hngh…"

I was in danger.

Beyond this point, even the goddess's power could not save me.

If I sustained any more injuries, not even the goddess's blessing could heal me.

Standing on the threshold of death for the first time, my body trembled like a leaf.

"Hah… I feel so ecstatic I could go mad… If the saintess is the ingredient, I could even create an elixir capable of resurrecting the dead."

She stood before me with her blade raised.

Overwhelmed by primal fear, I couldn't resist at all.

"Well then, Iris. Die for me now."

"You're saying… I'm going to die…?

Die…?

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Please save me.

I don't want to die.

Please, someone help me.

I looked so pathetic, but…

I had no choice but to desperately plead for someone's help like a child.

This isn't right.

A saintess shouldn't fear death.

But… I was so scared.

I had only just begun making friends.

I had only just started enjoying life at the academy.

Lil…

I wanted to get closer… with Lily… even more.

"Ugh… hic… ngh…"

A wretched, sorrowful cry that couldn't even be called a sob escaped my lips.

Perhaps she couldn't stand my ugly cries any longer. The woman raised her sword high.

She would probably strike my neck any moment now.

Overwhelmed with fear, I tightly shut my eyes.

I quietly awaited death, but…

"What is that? A crow?"

Suddenly, a black-feathered bird appeared in front of her.

Irritated by the bird's incessant flapping before her eyes, the woman effortlessly struck it down.

Like smoke, the bird dissolved into dust and scattered into the air.

"Wait a second. This-"

Sensing something off, the woman frowned slightly.

But before she could make any move,

BOOOOOM!!!!!

It was a sound like a massive bomb going off.

In an instant, someone appeared before me.

And the woman's body like a balloon burst and scattered everywhere.

As I blankly stared at the scene, the figure, cloaked in a black robe, rushed toward me.

"No, no…!! Iris…!!!"

A melodious, beautiful voice.

She hurriedly approached, sobbing, and helped me up.

As the figure came closer, I could see her face under the robe.

"Because of me… what should I…?"

She inspected my condition, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing her face revealed under the robe, I muttered blankly.

"G…Goddess…?"