Chapter 115

The situation was quickly under control.

With boldness, Simonia overpowered the man who appeared to be the chief, injected something into him, and swiftly wrapped his wounds with military duct tape.

“Alright, let’s move him.”

“Yes.”

The soldier effortlessly lifted the subdued man.

Just then, the familiar sound of police sirens rang out from outside, and cars emblazoned with white and blue, symbolizing the Fangju security forces, rushed to the boutique.

“Enter! Enter now!!”

The Fangju security team quickly formed ranks after disembarking from the vehicles and approached the boutique.

Before any misunderstandings arose, the summons of the marionettes were canceled.

“Quicker than I thought, huh.”

Addressing the soldier, Simonia raised her voice.

At her call, the soldier carrying the fanatic chief stopped in their tracks.

“Yes, Commander.”

“Take it off.”

Pointing to the soldier’s gear, the order was given.

“…Yes?”

“Do it fast! Can’t you see the security team coming? Hide that guy inside the exoskeleton.”

“Ah, yes!”

Prompted by Simonia’s urging, the soldier swiftly removed the equipment they were wearing.

The paralyzed fanatic chief was then outfitted with a full-body sealed reinforced exoskeleton just as the Fangju security team arrived.

“Security forces of Fangju! Hands up!!”

An authoritative voice.

“What? Are you giving orders to me? Can’t you see this?”

Simonia replied harshly while licking her lips.

The security team soldiers’ faces revealed a look of bewilderment upon seeing the insignia on her uniform.

“Eh?”

“That rank….”

One person pushed through the hesitant security team and stepped forward.

They too were wearing a full-body sealed reinforced exoskeleton, but his helmet bore a star-shaped insignia symbolizing a commanding officer.

“Forgive us, Commander. However, we received a report that assailants were firing weapons indiscriminately at people and have acted accordingly. We humbly ask for your understanding.”

“Hmph. Fine, I’ll overlook this rudeness.”

“Thank you.”

The commanding officer bowed their head.

The soldiers also retracted the guns they had pointed and bowed their heads to her following their commander’s lead.

“Then, could you inform us of what has happened here?”

“Drug-addled lunatics attacked the building. As the situation seemed to be escalating, I resolved it with this person’s help.”

“This person?”

“Yeah, isn’t he over there?”

Simonia pointed to me.

Only then did the security team and their commander turn their gaze towards me.

“Hey? That kid….”

“Isn’t that the young hero?”

Muttering among themselves, the security team soldiers.

The commander, who also seemed to recognize me, his eyes slightly widened before quickly returning to normal.

“Hello.”

“Ah, yes.”

I bowed my head in greeting, and the commander returned the gesture.

The security commander’s gaze then returned to Simonia.

“So, Commander, is the situation resolved?”

“It might be, or it might not. But I did take care of all the subjects inside this building.”

“Did you manage to capture any of the enemies…?”

“No.”

Simonia lied effortlessly, as if stating the truth, without any visible signs.

“Yes, that is unfortunate.”

The commander, caught off guard by Simonia’s naturally deceptive attitude, didn’t suspect her.

Whoever said she wasn’t like a snake manipulating the situation with ease.

“Is there anything else worth considering?”

“The ones we dealt with—two on the upper floor, six on this floor, and two on the lower floor; in total, all ten were here. Verify this.”

“I see, understood.”

“Ah, four are here, but the other two are inside a room over there.”

“Yes, thank you for your cooperation.”

Upon giving the signal, the security team scattered into the building.

Soon after.

Realizing the situation had been resolved, Miss Risses approached us.

“Edu, you’ve worked hard.”

“Not at all.”

“…And so have you.”

“It’s fine, I didn’t do it for hollow praise.”

Tension crackled.

As soon as their faces met, Miss Risses and Simonia began grumbling at each other again.

Before unnecessary conflict could arise, I stepped into the conversation to mediate between them.

“So, Miss Risses, how about the photo shoot?”

“We have some shots already, and I have my own tasks, so let’s postpone the rest of the photo shoot for another time.”

“Yes, I’ll contact you again then.”

Miss Risses nodded.

Coughing to clear her throat, she turned her gaze towards Simonia.

“Then, Miss Edu and Miss Nisia can go home, Simonia? Please see to it that you take them back to the academy.”

“I intended to do that anyway.”

“Yes, then Edu, see you next time.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

She turned her body towards where the security forces were, Miss Seri also waving goodbye and following her.

“Shall we go then?”

“Ah, yes!”

…

“Thank you for taking us.”

“Thank you.”

“T-Tou!”

Edu’s group bowed their heads to Simonia.

“Yeah, go on in.”

“Um, Simonia?”

“Hm? What is it?”

“What do you intend to do with that person?”

Carefully asking while looking at the soldier carried on another’s shoulder, Edu pointed to the fanatic chief hidden inside the exoskeleton.

Following her gaze, Simonia’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“Ah, this guy? We need to extract information from him and administer his punishment for his actions.”

“Um, wouldn’t it be difficult to extract information from someone like him?”

“You don’t need to worry about that, Edu. There are ways that work even with trash like him.”

Simonia licked her lips.

Edu, looking at her with slightly curious eyes, soon averted her gaze.

“Um, understood. Then, I’ll see you next time.”

“Yeah.”

Edu’s group returned to the academy.

Simonia waved back at Edu, casually raising only her right hand. As Edu’s group disappeared, Simonia’s expression hardened.

Her glowing vertical golden irises, seen beneath her raised sunglasses, were cold.

The elite soldiers of the First Legion involuntarily flinched under her icy gaze.

“Well then…how is the state of that trash?”

“Ah, understood. I’ll check.”

The soldier immediately undressed the exoskeleton.

The fanatic chief fell limply to the ground.

The soldiers rolled the fanatic chief’s body on the floor to check his condition.

“The bleeding has stopped, and he’s fine.”

“Yes, then let’s move him.”

“What do you intend to do?”

“I need to extract everything from him, every last bit.”

The fanatic chief, shaking under her chilling gaze.

But his paralyzed body was unable to move satisfactorily.

“And where exactly do you intend to conduct this?”

“That’s all taken care of too.”

Simonia grinned.

Summoning her ID, she made a call to someone.

After a moment, the connection came through.

The small stature contrasting with his long blonde hair, his gem-like crimson eyes glowing in the dark.

Ryuje appeared on the holographic screen.

“What is it, Simonia?”

A colder-than-usual tone, unlike herself.

Not affected by Ryuje’s attitude, Simonia spoke.

“I have something to say.”

“Hm?”

…

“Edu’s been stabbed?!?”

Ryuje abruptly jumped to his feet.

Somehow a dagger was already in her small hand.

The flames of fighting spirit and anger blazing from her being.

Clenching her teeth, Ryuje stormed out of the office.

“No, wait, it’s just a small scratch from a dagger -”

“I’m coming! Right away!”

“…Hey! Are you listening?! Hey!”

The line was cut.

Ryuje then called someone else, summoning her ID.

The familiar voice came through as the holographic screen lit up.

Fiery red hair, a mature figure, and protruding fangs that oozed wildness.

“Ah, President? Is there something you need?”

“Freya! Where are you now?”

“I’m momentarily at the Chronos House to discuss something, what’s the matter?”

“Edu’s been stabbed!!”

“What!? Edu?!”

…

“I’ll be there right away!!”

“Yes, let’s meet at the academy’s entrance. Hurry!”

“Yes, understood!!”

Freya cut the communication.

Coincidentally, her door was tapped then, and a man’s voice came from the other side.

“Ma’am, may I come in?”

“Yes!”

The door opened briskly.

A neatly dressed elderly elf gentleman with striking white hair entered the room.

“Then I will be with you for a… uh?”

He paused his speech and tilted his head.

“Commander, are you planning to go out?”

“Yes, something big has happened!”

“Could I inquire about what it is, if it’s not too impertinent?”

“Edu’s been slashed with a knife and has serious injuries!”

The news of Edu’s status changed as it spread through the grapevine.

Her amazing amplification skill was nothing short of miraculous.

“My stepdaughter?!?”

Harpandal was startled after hearing Freya’s words.

But it was short-lived, for a terrifying wrath surged from the elderly elf gentleman.

“What kind of scum dared…!?”

“I’m not sure yet, but we agreed to meet the President at the academy entrance; will you come with me?”

“Certainly, I’ll come.”

…

drip drip drip…

Awakening to the sound of droplets falling in the air, the fanatic chief opened his eyes.

“Uh?”

The drug’s effects must have worn off; his body felt relatively free.

Yet despite the improvement, the fanatic chief couldn’t move his body.

Instead of the drug’s shackles wearing off, new shackles had been locked on him.

“Damn it…!”

Spontaneous curses slipped from his mouth.

No matter how much force he applied, his body, tightly bound with ropes to the crude iron chair, didn’t budge.

Recalling the prior events, the fanatic chief, despite having displayed an unsightly spectacle when overpowered by Simonia, was reassured by the absence of the terrifying figure in front of him, filling him with arrogance.

Hmph, come at me if you dare.

He’s a body promised true salvation, trivial physical pain was nothing but trivial—

Bang!

The heavy iron door was violently slammed open.

Simultaneously, the fanatic chief’s reverie was forcibly interrupted.

Heavy footstep sounds inside the room.

Faced with an unseen opponent, the fanatic chief screamed wildly.

“Foolish apostates! My body has been promised salvation! No matter what you do, you cannot gather anything from me!”

A short silence.

A laughter of mockery trickled from the dimness.

“Is that so?”

Simonia’s voice.

Another different sound came from the darkness.

“Yes, that’s a very fortunate matter.”

Footsteps echoed again as someone with a small build stepped into the room.

Indiscernible due to the dim light, but a resident of Fangju would never fail to recognize that voice.

The academy principal, Ryuje Erharkenen.

The last of the vampire clan emerged from the darkness, casting a chilling glare at the head of the fanatics.

“Because that way, the meaning of breaking your corrupted mentality and overbearing pride will only increase.”

A menacing tone.

“Eh?”

Encountering that chilling gaze, the fanatic chief uttered an empty sound.

A single question spiraled in his mind.

How did the academy principal end up here…?

But that too was short-lived; before he could ponder the answer, another voice rang out.

“Thus, it’s indeed lucky we don’t need to get our hands dirty.”

A voice that seemed friendly at first glance.

But deep within it was compressed anger and irritation.

Cracking joint sounds as the figure approached him.

“The mood I’m in would make it difficult to control my strength, so it’s really, very fortunate.”

The grand commander of the Ground Recovery Army, and a terrifying woman, Freya Agria.

“E-…?”

Staring at the two of them, the fanatic chief’s eyes widened.

All his confidence and self-assurance vanished, his mind went blank.

Facing them alone had already broken his spirit, but unfortunately, another sound of footsteps reached his ears.

“Unholy wretch!!!!”

A voice brimming with anger.

Though appearing plain, the elderly elf carried as much, if not more, fiery rage as the previous two.

“Hah… ha…”

A mock laugh escaped the fanatic chief’s lips.

Finally, the sound of clicking heels echoed, and the source of his original terror, Simonia, stood before him.

A lift of her dark sunglasses.

Behind them, her eerie golden, vertically slit eyes gleamed menacingly.

“That talk about there being nothing to extract sounds really tempting.”

She licked her lips while smiling cruelly.

“Because…usually the ones boasting like that have the sweetest information.”

The fanatic chief’s eyes flickered left to right, then closed and reopened after a long while.

But the scene before his eyes remained unchanged.

Understanding that this situation was indeed real and that something had gone terribly wrong, realization dawned on him.

The fan chief’s parched lips and sweat running down his face.

“Phew…,”

After taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, the fanatic chief slowly bowed his head.

After a long pause, raising his head again, the fanatic chief’s face displayed a groveling expression, tears flowing down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry. Could you please forgive me just this once?”

Smiling faintly, Ryuje, Freya, Harpandal, and Simonia responded to the fanatic chief’s words.

As if having made a pact, the four of them spoke in unison with no room for negotiation.

“““““No.””””