Chapter 102

About a week ago, a bomb exploded at the Caldera Imperial Academy.

No one knows who set it off, when, how, or why. Because there was not even a speck of information available, ordinary rumors didn’t even spread among the students.

However, one thing was certain: the Main Building was significantly damaged. That was a fact that could not be hidden.

Since it had happened early in the morning, students also heard the explosion that shook the Academy Main Building. The traces of destruction, clearly shown everywhere, remained intact on the outer wall at the back of the Main Building.

“When do you think it will be fixed….”

“Right? The Annex classrooms are inconvenient.”

Due to the closure of several classrooms in the damaged Main Building, students had to attend classes in the Annex classrooms.

“Doesn’t anyone know who did this?”

“I don’t know? My friend is in the newspaper club, you know.”

“That’s a bit surprising. Even the newspaper club doesn’t know?”

Overhearing the grumbling of students heading toward the Annex, Chloe and Elin also moved forward.

“Ugh…. I hate the rainy season….”

“Haha….”

– Whoosh—

The pouring rain was anything but ordinary. Chloe awkwardly smiled at Elin, who was shaking off her wet uniform after stepping into a puddle, but soon opened her mouth cautiously with a serious expression.

“…You know, Elin.”

“Yes?”

“Is Professor Antorelli… okay?”

At Chloe’s question, a momentary look of surprise appeared on Elin’s face. She smiled casually and gave Chloe’s shoulder a light tap.

“What are you talking about…. He was like that for several days because of it?”

“…….”

“Well… it’s true that we haven’t seen him since the day of the bombing. Oddly enough, all the theology classes have been canceled since last week….”

Professor Antorelli, who had already canceled a class once before. Back then, it had been just one class canceled, but this time felt different.

The bombing incident at the Academy took place last Monday. While the Tuesday class scheduled for the following day could be overlooked, it was strange that he did not hold classes even after being assigned a classroom in the Annex.

“…Still, he canceled classes last time because he was unwell, right? So maybe he’s a bit under the weather again.”

Right. Logically speaking, Elin’s assumption would be correct.

However, Chloe’s intuition was suggesting something different.

‘Professor Antorelli… suddenly appeared in the Main Building, searching for Lady Adelheit….’

Professor Antorelli was urgently looking for Laura von Adelheit. And the sight of him heading into the Main Building with the unidentified individuals in black suits and the Adelhaid Duke.

That was the last image Chloe had of him. Since then, she hadn’t met Professor Antorelli even once.

She didn’t know whether Laura was safe, what Professor Antorelli had experienced, who those people in suits were…

And why the Adelhaid Duke had gone into the Main Building with Professor Antorelli. Chloe had no answers. Even Sister Sofia, who had returned with them to the Auditorium, was in the same position.

The only ones who went into the Main Building with Professor Antorelli were Professor Esther, the Adelhaid Duke, and those dressed in black suits.

The strange aspect of this was that both Laura and Professor Antorelli, involved in the incident, had not shown their faces for several days.

Professor Antorelli had turned all his classes into cancellations, and Laura was being marked as absent from every class without appearing.

Although Professor Esther had not canceled her classes, she had been looking somewhat drained since that day. It was also unusual that she occasionally showed surprise as if startled.

Among them, the cancelation by Professor Antorelli and Laura’s absence had become quite a hot topic, causing a division of opinions among the first-year students for some time. That controversy was still ongoing, but….

“So, are we going?”

Chloe looked at Elin. Elin’s gaze demanded an answer.

“…Yeah. But let’s take Professor Esther and Sister Sofia too. Lady Adelheit said she returned to her family home for a bit, so that can’t be helped….”

“Mm… That’s definitely a good idea.”

“Right?”

Where could Professor Antorelli and Laura be right now?

Professor Esther had been avoiding mentioning Laura and Professor Antorelli, but surely she would understand if they were going for a visit.

Chloe thought this as she walked with Elin toward the Annex.

– Splash. Splash.

Today, the rain was pouring down unusually hard.

* * * * *

A pool of blood mixing with rainwater.

On top of that sticky puddle lay a man. A single red rose blooming from his head…

“…”

And beside him, lying in a daze, was Laura von Adelheit.

“…Huh?”

Laura’s thoughts stopped. Her mind was refusing to comprehend the current situation.

With a sticky sensation, something flowed down Laura’s cheek. Subconsciously, she wiped it away with her hand.

And in that moment, as she realized the nature of the sticky substance. When she brought it to her eyes, holding it in her hands.

“Ugh, what…?”

That crimson substance, saturated with the smell of iron, was.

In different words…. it was a petal.

A petal from the bright red rose that bloomed on the head of the man lying in front of Laura. One of the many scattered petals fluttering around.

The warmth still felt fresh, making the sensation all the more chilling.

That faint warmth coming from the petal reached deep inside Laura, forcefully and against her will.

So, it was a petal. It must be.

The warm sensation and this creepy feeling, along with the faint peach color visible here and there….

All of it must be Laura’s delusion. That’s what she believed.

No, she wanted to believe it. Otherwise, she felt like she would truly go insane.

…But perhaps.

“Ah, ugh….”

Perhaps she had already lost her mind. Wasn’t that so?

– Bleep—

How could she explain the ringing in her ears that continued to sound unless she lost her mind?

How could she explain not knowing where she was without struggling on the boundary between reality and delusion?

And how could she explain that the flesh she held in her hands looked like the petals of a red rose without losing her mind?

…Wait. Flesh?

“Ah, haha….”

Flesh. Yes, it was flesh.

Not the delicate petals of a beautiful rose, nor some mysterious something. It was just flesh. Presumably human flesh.

So, perhaps it was flesh that had loosely been attached beneath the chin? Laura stared blankly at the piece of flesh with bone fragments sticking to it.

Laura’s focus, which had been concentrated on the flesh in her hand, shifted elsewhere. It had slipped beyond her control.

And where her gaze landed.

Unlike before, filled with deep rage, now held only emptiness—the light of life that had burned fiercely and consumed itself, extinguished.

The bright hazel eyes faded away, leaving behind blood vessels that had burst. The right eye, now helplessly drooping.

Buried within that remnant, which could no longer be called a face, was looking at Laura, Laura von Adelheit….

From the place where there used to be a mouth, blood was dripping, speaking.

– This is my revenge.

This was the last revenge he was delivering.

His hatred, which had been clear in direction, ironically spread outwards. It reached Laura too, and….

“Ah, ah…!”

To another person’s voice, Laura awoke from her stupor. Her head throbbed painfully.

The hot waves rising in Laura’s mind gripped her consciousness tightly, yanking her back into the harsh, suffocating, pungent reality filled with the smell of iron.

In a daze. Just dazedly staring ahead. Before Laura’s eyes was the man who had just held her captive.

That is, Cesar. Cesar Li.

He was dead. Becoming cold. His body was spasming intermittently; however, Laura could not find in that convulsion any trace of a living being.

He was dead. He had put the gun to his chin and committed suicide.

“Ah, ah…! Ahhh!”

Again, the sound of wailing echoed. Hearing it, Laura instinctively turned her head.

Where her gaze fell. There stood an unfortunate man, similarly drawn into reality.

Professor Antorelli, mouth agape.

Tears streamed from his eyes, and his wide-open eyes were bloodshot.

His glasses lay shattered on the ground.

With his hair in disarray, he gazed at Laura.

No, he was looking at Cesar, who lay motionless beside her.

“Ah, ah! Aaaah!!”

This was not the sound of a human. It was a sound closer to a beast’s wail. No human could produce such a sound. No, no human should have made that sound.

Yet, the almost mournful wail was emanating from Professor Antorelli’s mouth.

“Ah! Aaaah…! Aaaaa—!!”

Like a person who had forgotten how to speak. As if mute individuals were shouting meaningless words.

Stumbling, teetering as if about to fall at any moment.

“Ah, ah, no…! Ahhh!! Aaaaah—!!”

He cried out.

That sound of beast. Something almost resembling a dying moan. Neither a scream nor a cry, but the soul’s lamenting that tore through the air.

He let out such a sound.

Laura, who was watching it, faced with Cesar’s corpse right before her….

* * * * *

“Gasp—!”

With a hurried intake of breath, Laura sat up. Her rapidly rising and falling chest trembled precariously.

“Gasp…. Hah….”

Laura sat up but froze in place. Her sweat-soaked pajamas clung to her body uncomfortably, but she had no time to worry about that now.

“…Ugh!”

Feeling an unbearable wave of nausea, Laura instinctively crawled out of bed and ran straight toward the bathroom. She tripped over the blanket in her hurried steps but didn’t care.

“Ugh—! Ugh…!”

Leaning over the toilet, she expelled all the food she had eaten just hours earlier. The small amount of food, only partially digested, floated pathetically in the toilet bowl.

“Ugh, huh….”

Once there was nothing left to regurgitate, Laura slumped helplessly to the bathroom floor. Her shoulders trembled intermittently.

“……”

I’m tired. I’m in pain.

So…. I’m distressed. Each night since that day brings her to this point, making Laura feel as though she wanted to die from the pain.

However, the most distressing thing was that. It was more distressing than the nightmares Laura had.

“Ugh….”

The screams filled with despair that echoed vividly in her dreams, the cries that contained sorrow.

Knowing that Professor Antorelli had been experiencing pains far greater than the agony Laura was currently enduring for years in silence was unbearably tormenting, and it left her heart cold.

Laura gasped amidst the tears welling up, and she staggered to her feet. Her weak steps led her to the center of the room.

– Laura! Are you okay? There was a loud noise…!

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang from outside her door. Upon hearing it, Laura couldn’t help but contort her face.

“…Father. Please, leave me alone.”

– B-but….

“I don’t want to hear your voice, so go away—!!”

After a brief hesitation, the presence of Duke Adelhaid faded away with weak footsteps. Unable to suppress the surging emotions, Laura collapsed onto the spot, crying.

“Ugh…! Hah…! Huh….”

Had there ever been a time when knowing was as painful as this? Laura began to vaguely understand the curse hanging over her.

“Ugh…! Hah…!”

Cursed with consciousness.

To know was hell.