Chapter 281: The Exploding Shuraba Domain |
The season had arrived when even the gentle breeze blowing against one's face felt somewhat hot and unbearable, and the sunlight was scorching and dazzling.
The area around this building, which they reached after walking for more than half an hour from the antique streets of the royal capital, was no exception.
The time was a certain afternoon in July.
Mi’e brought Iris to the entrance of the Happy Group.
“Iris, this is not a place for a party. This is a company, so you have to follow me closely!”
Mi’e placed her hand on the door, not forgetting to turn her head back to instruct Iris.
“I know, Mi’e!”
Iris seemed to be too bored in the royal palace.
So much so that when Mi’e wanted to come to the Happy Group to brew some potions, Iris insisted on coming along.
However.
She saw the scene in the hall.
The next second, she slammed the door shut.
Mi’e held the doorknobs with both hands, her mind slow to recover as if processing complex information.
“What’s wrong, Mi’e?”
Iris asked in confusion.
“I just remembered that my task is actually already completed. Let’s just go back today.”
Cold sweat began to form on Mi’e’s head.
“But we’re already here…”
“Iris, listen to me. I’ll take you to other fun places.”
“Okay.”
Hearing Iris' obedient reply.
Mi’e finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The moment she had pushed open the door, she had seen a scene so bizarre that she decisively concluded it was a forbidden domain that must not be entered.
“What the hell was that…”
Mi’e muttered in a barely audible voice, pinching the bridge of her nose as she walked down the road.
She only remembered that in the hall just now, there were a total of six conspicuous main characters.
At the top of the stairs leading from the second floor to the first.
Cornelia was lovingly hugging Dekan.
And Dekan was trembling with fear.
In the first-floor hall.
Cloix’s forehead was dripping with cold sweat, and he kept sending pleading looks to Dekan for help.
Beside Cloix, his childhood friend Claire was standing with her head tilted back, wailing, heartbroken.
Ice Snow Princess was singing on the second floor. No one knew what she was thinking, or why someone was singing right now.
And the former Holy Knight Commander, Judith, stood at the center of the storm, looking completely bewildered.
The scene was extremely chaotic.
Everyone was acting as if they had gone mad.
However.
Based on the conditions of the several people, Mi’e confidently deduced that this was not the effect of 【Three Corpses Berserk】.
But she could not for the life of her figure out what had happened to lead to this situation.
She only knew that leaving was the best policy.
Curiosity killed the cat…
I’d better ask Tata later…
……
As for why this happened, we have to go back to the afternoon of the previous day.
Let’s turn back time by twenty-four hours.
……
The academy library during the vacation was much emptier than usual.
It was just like any other ordinary day.
Dekan and Cornelia were sitting at that small round table.
Occasionally, Cloix and Mi’e would also be there.
But they did not come today.
Cloix, who had finally graduated smoothly, was now wholeheartedly busy with his company’s affairs.
After all, the previously agreed upon Kingdom Federation’s Hero Festival was approaching.
The girl group under the Happy Group was also scheduled to perform, so a lot of work was waiting for Cloix.
Mi’e, on the other hand, was almost inseparable from Her Highness Princess Iris.
Iris seemed to be very bored now that the vacation had started.
She needed Mi’e to accompany her every day.
In a few more days.
Everyone would set off together for the Filowen Kingdom in the south, which was also the venue for the 【Kingdom Federation’s Hero Festival】.
But right now, Dekan and Cornelia still had one more thing to prepare for.
After Dekan finished his report, they had to face the final exams they had missed due to the Shadow World.
When such absences occurred, the school would arrange a special examination time for the students.
After tomorrow’s exam, Dekan and Cornelia would truly be on vacation.
Cornelia had already reviewed thoroughly before entering the Shadow World.
Now was just an extra review session.
Dekan observed that Cornelia had almost finished flipping through the pages of her notebook. After waiting for a few seconds, he opened his mouth and asked:
“Cornelia, are you free after the exam tomorrow?”
Cornelia raised her eyes and looked at him:
“Yes.”
“Can you accompany me?”
“Okay.”
The two did not stay in the library for much longer and left together.
……
The next day at noon.
On the back hill of the school.
Under the sunlight, the flowers and grass glowed with a bright luster as usual.
Dekan and Cornelia sat on the grass, leaning against that familiar large tree.
Dekan had originally wanted to first ask Cornelia how her exam went.
But then he thought about it.
The moment he saw Cornelia’s expression as she came out of the examination hall, he knew she had done quite well.
Asking about it would only make it seem like he was shrinking from something.
After a long silence, Dekan spoke:
“Although…”
“Hm?”
The whisper that slipped from Dekan’s mouth made Cornelia naturally tilt her head.
“Although, I haven’t reached a conclusion yet…”
“Yes.”
“But I’m slowly figuring it out.”
She quietly waited for him to continue.
He thought and thought, then said intermittently:
“I think, I probably, want to be with you always, only you.”
Dekan knew.
Some words were just like that.
When facing someone truly important to you.
Something that might have seemed easy to imagine in your mind would become incredibly difficult when it reached your throat, then get stuck as if you were choking.
Whenever he watched Cloix’s romance with the mindset of an amused onlooker with a god’s-eye view, it always seemed incredibly simple.
Now that he actually thought about it, Cloix seemed to be much braver than him.
In fact, Dekan had not truly figured out what kind of change he hoped would happen in his relationship with Cornelia after he said what he wanted to say.
Perhaps he did not expect any change at all.
He just did not want the days he spent with Cornelia now to be destroyed.
That was all.
The Resurrection Church.
The northern countries or the Empire.
The 10th-rank Shadow World.
Dealing with them was all for the sake of protecting the peaceful days of himself and his friends.
And the most important part of his daily life—the girl before him.
“Is that so.”
In Cornelia’s eyes, Dekan looked just like a dazed young boy right now.
She could not help but laugh for a moment.
Because she finally understood how Dekan felt when he first met her.
So that was how she looked in Dekan’s eyes back then.
Although he spoke hesitantly.
He could surprisingly understand what the other person meant.
But she was no longer the same as when she first arrived at Heavenlit Academy; she could clearly express her thoughts.
“Okay, I will stay by your side until you reach your final conclusion.”
Cornelia’s mood became very relaxed, light, and full of joy.
Although Dekan’s expression was vague.
She had already completely received Dekan’s signal.
She would wait for Dekan to figure everything out, resolve all the troubles, make all the preparations, and then firmly and straightforwardly tell her the answer.
Dekan nodded quietly.
“…Let me ask you something, Dekan.”
Cornelia’s pulse was pounding very fast.
“…What is it.”
“Is there anything else you want to tell me today?”
When she asked this, Dekan immediately fell silent.
Cornelia: “Ah, of course, if you don’t want to say it, then forget it…”
“…Actually, I have done something to deceive you.”
Dekan slowly shook his head at Cornelia, who had added that sentence, and said,
“But I didn’t mean to deceive you.”
“My initial motive was just that I didn’t want you to be in a low state before entering the Shadow World and then get hurt…”
“Later, I gradually couldn’t find a chance to confess to you. The more I looked at you, the more I didn’t know where to start.”
That was the only reason.
Dekan whispered.
Dekan fell silent, seeming to wait for Cornelia’s reaction.
Cornelia sighed.
“—Although I am very angry.”
What silly things are you saying? I obviously won’t blame you, she complained.
Although she thought this inwardly, she did not act so gentle towards Dekan, but instead spoke in a somewhat chiding tone:
“But next time, and the time after that, as long as you tell me, I will understand you.”
Her words still contained sincere feelings.
“—So, I won’t hate you for this.”
She still could not help but show a shy smile like a blooming flower bud.
“That’s good…”
Dekan breathed a sigh of relief.
Being in the wrong, Dekan’s personality was exceptionally gentle.
If the Cat Teacher saw this Dekan, he would definitely shout: “Where did you hide the real Dekan, meow?!”
Unfortunately, Dekan had sent the Cat Teacher away early today.
“But—I haven’t forgiven you.”
Cornelia continued, feigning anger,
“You deceived a girl’s feelings, you know.”
“Then…”
Like a fist without any malice, Dekan could not dodge it.
Cornelia’s reproachful words, which did not sound angry at all, made Dekan feel even more in the wrong.
He looked at Cornelia.
Although he did not speak.
The expression of giving up all resistance on his face seemed to say, “I’ll do whatever you want.”
Seeing Dekan become like this, just as the Cat Teacher had predicted, Cornelia could not help but reveal a cunning smile. She took a deep breath and said:
“I want you to become Little Gray and accompany me for a whole day.”
Dekan: “Huh???”
“Is that not okay…”
Seeing Dekan freeze up, Cornelia shook her head in disappointment,
“If Dekan is unwilling, then let’s just forget it…”
“If I agree to this request, will you forgive me?”
Dekan asked through gritted teeth.
He never would have thought that the request Cornelia would make would be this.
After confessing, the nature of becoming Little Gray had changed.
Without a doubt, this was a form of execution for him.
Cornelia definitely would not have come up with such a wicked idea.
There must be one, no, perhaps even several dog-headed strategists giving her ideas!
“Yes, then this matter will be written off.”
Cornelia nodded affirmatively.
“Fine.”
With utmost reluctance, in front of Cornelia and under her gaze, Dekan used 【Transfiguration: Elf Cat】 to turn into a gray Elf Cat.
This feeling of a lowered line of sight and a light body now felt like torture.
Cornelia quickly and happily picked up Little Gray.
“It’s a promise, you are my Little Gray for the whole day today. You’re not allowed to run away.”
The last four words Cornelia added seemed to show that she was still bothered by the fact that Little Gray always ran away before.
“Okay, meow…”
Dekan replied helplessly.
Just turning into a cat.
It should…
Not cause any problems, right…
Dekan comforted himself in his heart.
……
So that afternoon.
Cornelia happily carried Little Gray out of the campus and walked along the streets of the royal capital.
It was much better than Dekan had imagined.
He just needed to act like a gentle cat.
Yes, it was more like a date.
It was just that even when he and Cornelia went out together before, they would not be so intimate.
After strolling for a while, it seemed that this was the time when the sun was at its strongest. Wanting to wait for the evening glow to appear before continuing to wander the streets of the royal capital, Cornelia came to the Happy Group’s mansion.
In summer, this place had a global cooling artifact created by Ice Snow Princess.
It was a rare cool place.
As soon as they entered the mansion, the scorching heat under the royal capital’s sun felt as if it had been stripped from their bodies. It was so comfortable that Little Gray could not help but roll over.
However, it immediately became alert.
It was a cat now!
It had nothing to do with Dekan!
Cornelia had just carried Little Gray into the first-floor hall.
Her good friend, Morion’s younger sister, the genius idol girl Flora, came running over, hopping and skipping.
The shy and tiny Tata followed behind her.
“Cornelia, is this the Little Gray you were talking about?”
As soon as Flora reached Cornelia, she eagerly stretched out her hand, wanting to pet Little Gray.
“!”
Cornelia abruptly turned sideways, holding Little Gray protectively like a mother bear with her cub, not letting Flora touch him.
“Wuwuwu… Cornelia, you’ve changed.”
Flora was a little sad.
Although she did not actually cry, she was already making the motion of wiping away tears.
“S-sorry, Little Gray doesn’t like being touched by others. He only doesn’t dodge when I touch him…”
Cornelia quickly stretched out a hand, wanting to check if Flora was really crying.
Although what Cornelia said sounded very much like an excuse.
It was indeed the truth.
Other than Cornelia, any girl who tried to rashly touch Dekan would cause him to dodge and be on high alert.
“So that’s how it is… I’m sorry, I scared Little Gray.”
When Flora heard Cornelia’s explanation and saw the slightly bristled Little Gray, she was immediately relieved.
So Flora and Cornelia chatted as they walked up the stairs to the second floor.
“Speaking of which, Little Gray is truly amazing…”
Flora exclaimed.
Other than the Cat Teacher, she had never seen an Elf Cat willing to be so close to Cornelia.
Other cats were not afraid of ordinary people, but they were afraid of Cornelia.
Only this Little Gray, he was not afraid of Cornelia, but he was afraid of other people.
Eh, looking closely at Little Gray’s expression, it seemed like he was not afraid, but rather disgusted…
Although Little Gray would not let her touch him.
It was still okay to look.
So, Little Gray, feeling like life was not worth living, was watched by Flora and Tata as Cornelia declared her sovereignty over him.
What kind of public execution was this.
Dekan closed his eyes and thought in agony.
Fortunately, no one knew that he was Little Gray.
PART 2
Only the Cat Teacher, Mi’e, Cloix, and Ice Snow Princess knew.
The Cat Teacher, as the main culprit, already had an absolute confidentiality agreement with him.
Mi’e had directly seen the gray cat Dekan and the Cat Teacher in Dekan’s dormitory and quickly guessed that this was Dekan transformed.
As for Cloix, he had witnessed Dekan turn into Little Gray when Dekan was fighting Isabel outside Tristine City.
Mi’e and Cloix were his best friends; they would not betray him.
He had saved Ice Snow Princess' life, so she probably would not either.
Wait!
It seems there’s one more person.
Dekan suddenly remembered a serious problem.
Back when he defeated Ivans in Tristine City, Dekan had once demonstrated 【Transfiguration: Elf Cat】 and 【Blood Purification】 to Judith in the lord’s manor to prove his innocence.
At that time, Dekan had not thought too much about it.
Because he thought there was no way Judith would see him transformed into Little Gray.
But.
At this moment, this loophole unintentionally left behind back then had become the greatest threat to Dekan’s social life!
If Judith saw Cornelia holding a gray Elf Cat with blue eyes…
No matter how slow her reaction was, she would immediately realize that this cat was Dekan!
Then it would truly be all over!!
Little Gray began to shrink his head in fear.
He disguised himself as a gray furball with no visible cat head.
I absolutely cannot run into Judith…
Dekan prayed in his heart.
However, Cornelia seemed to sense the reaction of the little cat in her arms.
“Little Gray, are you cold?”
Cornelia lowered her head, moved closer to Little Gray’s ear, and asked softly.
She thought the temperature in the mansion was too low, causing the cat discomfort.
However, Little Gray did not respond.
In front of the younger sister group, Little Gray did not dare to speak.
Just assume I’m cold.
Dekan thought.
“Flora, how do I turn up the temperature?”
Seeing no response from Little Gray, Cornelia looked at Flora.
“Um, just find Ice Snow Princess. She should be in that room.”
Flora pointed to the room at the top of the second-floor staircase.
This room seemed to be a soundproofed room for practicing singing.
Due to the existence of a sound insulation barrier.
Even knocking on the door from the outside would not be heard by the person inside.
So Flora went to the door and directly deactivated the room’s sound insulation barrier.
Instantly, Ice Snow Princess' singing could be clearly heard from outside the room.
“Ice Snow Princess! Can you please turn up the temperature a bit?”
Flora shouted.
However, Ice Snow Princess seemed to be concentrating fully on practicing this song.
After the sound insulation barrier was turned off, the room was still filled with the accompaniment from the speakers and Ice Snow Princess' own voice.
Ice Snow Princess did not hear what Flora was saying outside.
“Let’s just wait for her to finish this song.”
Cornelia said, listening to Ice Snow Princess' singing coming from the room.
Ice Snow Princess seemed to be singing a somewhat sad love song.
She was fully concentrated, pouring her emotions into it.
It made one reluctant to interrupt her.
So, the three of them and one cat stood outside the door, enjoying Ice Snow Princess' moving singing.
Cornelia: “She’s really amazing, to be able to sing so well in such a short time.”
Flora: “Yes, Ice Snow Princess is very serious about everything she does. Flora likes her a lot.”
Tata: “Me too!”
Just as the three of them were chatting.
Ice Snow Princess finished a verse, sighed to herself, and lifted her head.
However, the next second.
Her gaze was attracted by the three people outside the glass window.
It seemed someone was waiting for her.
Just as Ice Snow Princess was about to stop her singing practice and leave the room.
Before she could even stand up.
Her gaze was fixed on the gray furball in Cornelia’s arms.
This wisp of gray made her unable to help imagining things.
However, she immediately realized she was overthinking.
But, on second thought, why did Cornelia come, but Dekan did not?
And Cornelia was holding a gray Elf Cat.
She used a bit of her magic power to probe.
With a simple magic analysis, she discovered…
This was the familiar elf magic—【Transfiguration: Elf Cat】.
Which meant.
This gray cat was not a real Elf Cat.
“Hiss…”
In an instant, Ice Snow Princess figured everything out.
The cat in Cornelia’s arms was indeed Dekan…
They were indeed already inseparable…
Ice Snow Princess' eyes turned slightly red.
Although she wanted to quickly look away from the little gray cat, knowing that every extra glance was torture, she could not help but take another look.
It was a kind of envy, and also a kind of helplessness.
“I can only watch your life like a passerby, feeling heartbroken that your joys and sorrows are not for me…♫”
Ice Snow Princess picked up the microphone again, holding back her tears, trying her best not to feel the soreness in her nose, and continued to sing.
For her, the best choice was to pretend she did not see anything.
Otherwise, if Dekan realized that she had discovered his true identity.
He would be embarrassed.
And in her current state, she was not sure if she would cry when she really saw Cornelia.
Ice Snow Princess chose to avoid it.
“Even liking you can only be done in secret…♫”
As she sang.
The already heart-wrenching sad love song, now tinged with Ice Snow Princess' helpless, choked sobs, was exceptionally tear-jerking.
“Ice Snow Princess, why did she change her tune?”
“It’s all emotion, casting aside all technique. Has Ice Snow Princess finally reached this realm?”
The three of them, Flora and the others, stood outside the door, admiring Ice Snow Princess' moving singing.
For a moment, they closed their eyes, even more unwilling to leave.
Although Dekan did not know why Ice Snow Princess' singing level had suddenly sublimated.
He only felt that every minute and every second was agony.
The longer he stayed here.
The greater the probability of encountering Judith.
If he didn't encounter Judith today, it would truly be the end.
And Ice Snow Princess' singing sounded so heart-wrenching.
He really did not know what she had been through to be able to interpret the song like this.
It made the already suffering Dekan even more tormented.
Just as Dekan was finding every second to be an eternity.
The door to the first-floor hall was pushed open.
Cloix and Judith returned.
They seemed to have just gone out together.
They were talking and laughing as they walked in.
It’s over…
Dekan felt his body turn cold.
In the end, he still could not escape this calamity?
This is karma…
However, when Cloix walked to the center of the hall.
He looked up at Cornelia and the others at the top of the second-floor stairs.
He frowned.
He seemed to have noticed the Little Gray in Cornelia’s hands.
And the way it was curled up into a ball, trembling.
Cloix instantly understood the whole situation.
Dekan needed rescuing!
“Judith, let’s go for another walk outside!”
Cloix hurriedly said to Judith.
He absolutely could not let Judith see the little gray cat up close!
Dekan on the second floor heard Cloix’s words from the first-floor hall and instantly felt a hope like being reborn.
Good brother!
I have to rely on you to save my life!
“Don’t you think the weather is a bit hot? And listen to Ice Snow Princess' singing, it’s so beautiful.”
However.
Judith had already been captivated by Ice Snow Princess' singing. She had no desire to go out under the scorching sun and only wanted to stay in this cool mansion. She was already walking quickly towards the stairs.
Cloix felt that his brother was done for and had a stroke of genius.
“Wait!”
It was unknown whether Cloix had always been this brave.
Or if it was to save his brother.
He suddenly reached out and took Judith’s hand, pulling her closer to him.
Until he held her in his arms.
It took Judith about a second to react.
“You! What are you doing!”
Her face instantly turned bright red.
She clearly had not expected Cloix’s forceful action.
Cloix had always been polite and courteous to her before.
An absolute gentleman.
Although they had long been enjoying pleasant conversations, they had never even held hands.
What’s more, now, when Judith realized the situation, she found herself already in Cloix’s arms.
The two of them were this close.
It even felt like in this atmosphere.
Even if Cloix were to kiss her.
It would just be going with the flow.
Judith’s heart pounded.
Although reason told her that she should push away this 7th-rank mage whose strength was far less than hers.
In the end, as if bewitched, she closed her eyes.
Now the difficult problem was passed to Cloix.
He had not originally expected the situation to develop to this point.
Just as Cloix was hesitating whether to kiss her or not.
A sound attracted his attention.
CLANG.
It was the sound of some object falling at the entrance.
At the doorway, Claire, who had just entered, stood with her hands held up, empty.
She stared blankly at Cloix and Judith, who had either just finished kissing or had not yet started.
The small iron box that was originally in her hands had already fallen to the ground.
……
Dekan secretly raised his head to look at the first floor.
This scene.
It was the second playthrough.
And it was even more exciting than the first.
Cloix was truly his sworn brother.
He was practically taking a nuclear bomb for him.
Although Dekan felt very sorry for Cloix and his childhood friend Claire.
After the first floor of the mansion plunged into a shuraba, the endangered Dekan on the second floor would naturally be ignored.
Presumably, Claire would run away crying in a moment.
Then Cloix would continue to attract Judith’s attention.
Judith would have no time to pay attention to this side.
A repeat of the classic program from last time.
Dekan’s crisis would be completely resolved!
However.
On the first floor.
Claire bit her lip, seeming to hold back tears, and bent down to pick up the small iron box.
Then.
Step by step, she walked over to Cloix and Judith.
She stood there with her head down in silence for a while.
Seeing Claire so close, Cloix really could not continue holding Judith.
Or perhaps Judith also felt too embarrassed and pushed him away first.
Seeing the two finally separate.
“This, this is from your father, Uncle Border Earl. He, he gave it to you. He heard you reached the 7th-rank and, and aren’t going back for the holidays, so he asked me to, to bring this to you…”
Tears streamed down Claire’s face, but she still finished the whole sentence intermittently, like an aggrieved child.
Cloix’s father seemed to have been in favor of the marriage between Cloix and Claire for a long time.
So after learning about Claire’s situation.
He still wanted to help Claire a little.
“Claire… what’s wrong with you…”
Cloix asked in a flustered and confused manner.
He had never seen Claire like this before.
She, who had always had a tough exterior, could actually appear so soft and fragile.
Cloix’s gentle question made Claire’s heart ache even more.
She knew it was not Cloix’s fault.
She was filled with more regret.
She wanted to say something, but felt as if an ocean of guilt was drowning her, not knowing where to start.
And it felt as if there was no air in her lungs, and she could not utter a complete sentence.
“Huu—”
Claire tried to take a deep breath.
At least, she did not want Cloix and Judith to see her in this disgraceful state anymore.
“I’m really, actually fine…♫”
Claire, who had originally wanted to compose herself.
Heard Ice Snow Princess' singing coming from the second floor.
That heart-wrenching voice, like a blizzard’s cold wind, howled and buzzed in her heart.
It was as if this song was being sung for her.
The singer’s voice was full of stories.
Just hearing this sound, Claire felt the emotions surging to her heart, and she could no longer control them.
Instantly, Claire completely lost control of her tear ducts and started crying like a child.
“This…”
This completely stumped Cloix.
He finally realized.
He had wanted to save Dekan.
But he did not realize that he himself was a clay bodhisattva crossing the river—unable to save himself!
Now look.
The good brothers were going to die together!
And so.
In this mansion.
A nightmarish cycle began.
Cloix frantically signaled to Dekan for help; only Dekan could save him now.
And Dekan, growing more and more afraid of Judith’s attention, started acting like an ostrich, curling up into a ball in Cornelia’s arms and trembling.
Cornelia, mistaking it for Little Gray being cold, held him even tighter.
Ice Snow Princess, through the window, saw Cornelia holding Little Gray with such love. The tears welling in her eyes finally fell, and she sang while crying.
And Claire, listening to Ice Snow Princess' heartbreaking song, completely broke down emotionally, crying more and more fiercely.
Judith stood in the middle, looking at everyone with a face full of question marks, and could only stare at Cloix for an answer.
To Cloix’s left was his childhood friend, who was crying like a child and would break at a touch. To his right was Judith, who was staring at him. His mentality gradually shattered, and he could only look anxiously at Dekan to continue asking for help…
……
“…”
Flora and Tata looked at each other.
Although they did not quite understand the origin of this hellish scroll painting.
But Flora knew.
When two shurabas meet, it is generally not terrifying.
But if the two shurabas collide and produce a chain of chemical reactions.
Unpredictable.
Direct explosion.