Academy’s Genius Swordsman

“Well, did I mess up again?”

Abel clicked his tongue as he opened the door. The stench of blood had been noticeable even from the hallway, and he wasn’t surprised to see the room transformed into a nightmarish hellscape. The room, which had been prepared for Iril, was now something out of a horror story.

“Quite the spectacle.”

The guards and attendants had been torn to pieces, their blood and entrails decorating the room. The finest furniture and clothing, painstakingly prepared, were now ruined, soaked in blood.

In the middle of the room, Iril was kneeling, sound asleep. Her pale hair and skin made the bloodstains on her even more visible. In her delicate hand, she held a small fruit knife.

There was only one survivor besides her—Bishop Olivia, who had been ordered to care for Iril alongside Retancier. Olivia was huddled in a corner, staring at her severed wrists and sobbing. Abel spoke.

“You’ve done well, Olivia.”

“Kh… Lord Abel…!”

Olivia staggered to her feet. The wounds on her body were not limited to her severed wrists; deep cuts that reached the bone marred her flesh.

Iril, unconscious, had massacred everyone in the room and mutilated herself within seconds. Through her parted lips, Olivia’s voice emerged, filled with despair.

“That… that thing is a monster. Completely uncontrollable… What do you plan to do with it…?”

“Calling my niece a monster? That’s a bit harsh.”

“We have to kill her. If we leave her be, she will become an enemy of the Order. Yes?”

Abel didn’t respond. He had claimed he would make Iril the Order’s Saintess, but Olivia, now a maimed wreck, wasn’t in a position to think about that. Abel finally spoke.

“If she doesn’t lose consciousness, she’s just a normal girl, isn’t she? Honestly, this is probably your fault. You must have pushed her too hard, causing her to black out, which led to this disaster. Isn’t that right?”

“I… I didn’t do anything…”

“Then what about the handprints on my niece’s neck? Hmm?”

Abel’s voice turned icy. Olivia’s face stiffened. Indeed, there were clear handprints around Iril’s neck, as if someone had strangled her.

“F-Forgive me. She was struggling so much that…”

Before Olivia could finish her excuse, a red line appeared on her neck, and her head fell to the ground. Splat! The blood from the severed neck sprayed onto Abel’s face.

“Sigh… Just a little more, and everything would have been fine. Why does no one listen?”

Abel sighed. He shook the blood off his sword and sheathed it. Though the story of the final chapter was progressing smoothly, the work itself was exhausting.

“Haaak, hak!”

“Are you awake?”

A raspy coughing sound came from behind him. Abel turned his head. Iril had woken up and was clutching her neck, coughing violently.

“Cough, cough… W-What is this?!”

“It’s your handiwork. It seems blood doesn’t lie.”

Iril looked around, gasping. She didn’t seem to realize she was the one responsible for this massacre. Instead of scolding her, Abel gave her a kind smile.

“I’ll call the physician right away. You mustn’t let your body get cold, so wash up and change into new clothes. I’ll have a new room prepared for you, so don’t worry.”

“I have nothing to say to you… Please let me go.”

Iril’s voice trembled. She was reaching her limit. She didn’t need anything; she just wanted to be with her younger brother. Tears streamed down her face as she unconsciously murmured.

“Ronan…”

“Of course, I’ll let you go. Once all of this is over. But don’t be so hasty. Listen to me, Iril. The world is coming to an end soon.”

Suddenly, Abel began to stroke Iril’s hair. His touch was as gentle as if he were handling a precious treasure.

“Normally, everyone would die in fear and despair, but with you, things can be different. You can offer them a peaceful death. Don’t you want to embrace the world with the same kindness you’ve shown your brother and those around you?”

“I… don’t understand what you’re saying…”

Iril slowly shook her head. She could never understand a word of what this man was saying. Abel continued, unfazed.

“You can do it. With your power, that is. Now, the item that will complete you as a Saintess has been finished.”

“…What?”

Iril tilted her head in confusion. Snap! Abel snapped his fingers, and the door, which had been closed, opened. Archbishop Retancier walked in, carrying something carefully.

“What’s that…?”

Iril’s eyes widened. Retancier was holding an elegant cushion, upon which a small tiara gleamed brilliantly.

The gems embedded in the tiara sparkled with a cool, white light, reminiscent of the stars in the night sky. Though beautiful, it didn’t give her a particularly good feeling.

—

“So, the Savior’s location wasn’t discovered. It was just bad luck, then.”

“Yes, we were fortunate. It seems the investigation was launched because a high-ranking official like the bishop died.”

Elcia nodded. The two of them were catching up on missed conversations while they waited. The current topic was why Archbishop Pasagarde had ventured all the way to the Sea of Wraiths.

‘Such a persistent fool. Just like a damn cat.’

Ronan clicked his tongue in irritation. The pursuit led by the Archbishop had been dispatched to investigate the sudden death of the Varca messenger. If Elcia hadn’t intercepted them quickly or if she had been defeated, the Savior would have undoubtedly been killed.

“…Looks like it’s almost over.”

Elcia muttered as she gazed out at the snowy expanse. The chaos caused by the Archbishop’s attack was quickly being brought to an end.

The remaining members of the Nebula Clazie were being methodically exterminated by Elcia. Agonizing screams echoed sporadically through the cold air.

“Please! Spare me!”

“Lady Elcia, have mercy… Guh!”

There were so many spirits at her command that Ronan didn’t even need to lift a finger. The spirits, made manifest in icy forms, ruthlessly tore apart those who begged for their lives or tried to flee.

‘This woman is no ordinary person.’

Elcia’s face remained completely expressionless as she watched the carnage unfold. Despite her delicate appearance, she showed no mercy. It was clear why she had once been a high-ranking member of Nebula Clazie. Meanwhile, Sita was circling above, absorbing the blood splattered everywhere.

“Kya-haha!”

Sita, its belly full and in high spirits, let out a burst of laughter. Given the unending stream of blood droplets it was producing, it seemed this would take some time. Elcia, who had been watching Sita, finally spoke.

“Dream Eater… You’re keeping a rare companion.”

“Well, it just happened that way.”

Ronan nodded. It had been a long time since he had heard the term “Dream Eater.”

“It has a very unique appearance and abilities. Do you know anything about its origins?”

“I don’t know much. It was birthed by Marpez, a small furry creature, but Marpez wasn’t anything like this monster.”

Ronan shrugged. It had been almost three years since he first met Sita, yet its origins remained shrouded in mystery.

The Dream Eater, a supreme fantasy creature born from the influences around it. Despite his efforts, Baren’s research into the Dream Eater had yielded no results, and its secrets remained elusive.

‘I suppose it’s something worth investigating.’

Ronan smacked his lips. If the opportunity arose, it might be a topic worth delving into. Just then, one of the ice golems, which had been busy with restoration work, waved its hand toward them.

“Grrrr!”

“Ah. It seems they’ve finished.”

The ground that had been crushed by Ronan’s sword energy was now completely restored, without a single scar remaining. As a summoner capable of freely controlling elemental spirits, Elcia had made this possible. She pointed to the makeshift entrance and spoke.

“Let’s go in quickly. We don’t have much time.”

Elcia quickened her pace, and Ronan followed her without a word.

The small passageway, intentionally left open, closed the moment Elcia and Ronan entered the ruins. As they descended the steep staircase, Elcia spoke.

“How did you get into the ruins? Did you destroy the entrance?”

“Of course not. I just entered the code and walked in.”

“…You mean the 24-digit code?”

“Yes. Not to brag, but I happened to see you input it last time.”

Ronan scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. Elcia was left speechless. The important thing wasn’t that he had seen the code.

“…I see. In any case, it’s a good thing you arrived in time. The Savior’s condition has been worsening recently.”

“What do you mean?”

“At this rate, it would have been difficult for him to survive another month. I’m so relieved that you came…”

Elcia’s voice was filled with a mixture of sorrow and relief. She explained that the Savior’s condition had deteriorated significantly over the past month.

The reason she had been overpowered by Pasagarde, an opponent she could normally defeat, was due to her tireless efforts to treat the Savior. Ronan asked.

“What caused this sudden decline?”

“Maybe Abel has grown stronger. But still, for it to affect a wound from over a thousand years ago… If this keeps up, it’s dangerous.”

“Can the Savior be saved?”

“If this is truly Abel’s blood.”

Elcia nodded. Even amidst the whirlwind of emotions she was experiencing, her eyes were filled with certainty. Soon, the two of them arrived at the Savior’s chamber. With a hiss, the iron doors slid open.

“…Damn it.”

Ronan cursed under his breath at the sight of the Savior. He was still trapped inside the glass chamber. As Elcia had mentioned, the wound on his chest had visibly worsened. The spreading stain had now covered his entire upper body.

Honestly, he thought the Savior was dead. Fortunately, the bubbles coming from his nose and mouth indicated he was still breathing. Elcia, dressed in a white lab coat, began activating various machines.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

She didn’t seem like she was going to waste even a single second. Whether it was because of the Savior or out of consideration for Ronan’s situation with his sister being taken, he couldn’t tell. Seeing the determined expression on her face, Ronan nodded.

“I trust you.”

Taking a deep breath, Elcia immediately started the treatment. As Ronan had expected, the procedure wasn’t much different from last time. Abel’s blood, along with the drug she had developed, flowed through the tubes into the Savior’s body.

“Please…”

Elcia bit her lip. Ronan clenched his fists as he glanced at the Savior again. You’ve slept long enough, old man. Your daughter has been taken.

Just as the last drop flowed into the Savior’s body, his eyelids, which had been shut tight, quivered. Slowly, his sunset-colored eyes opened. Elcia took a step back, startled.

“S-Savior… can you hear my voice?”

Her slender shoulders trembled. Elcia’s voice shook as she asked, her eyes glistening as if tears could fall at any moment.

There was still no response. Ronan gritted his teeth, suppressing his emotions. It was the same as last time. Just as Elcia was about to speak again, the Savior’s lips, which seemed like they would remain sealed forever, began to part.

“…I don’t know… what to say.”

“Ah…”

Elcia’s eyes widened. The tears she had been holding back suddenly streamed down her face. Ronan rushed to her side, catching her as her legs gave out.

“Damn it, are you alright?”

“I… I…!”

Elcia began to sob. Ronan hadn’t realized she was capable of such a range of emotions. Even as he supported her, his gaze remained fixed on the Savior. Suddenly, the Savior met Ronan’s eyes and spoke again.

“It’s been a while… my son.”

At that moment, Ronan froze. His mind went blank, as if struck by lightning. What was he supposed to say in a moment like this? After a brief hesitation, he lowered his head.

“…Hello.”