『Behavior Observation Report No. 17』
『Subject: ■■■■』
『The results of the physical examination have already been attached to Report No. 16.』
(omitted)
The subject has been rapidly expanding their social circle since meeting Princess Nicasia. This behavior is highly unusual, as it has never been observed before. However, considering that this is the first time the subject has made friends in the academy, it is not particularly surprising.
(omitted)
Until now, the subject has shown no interest in the academy’s classes, but attendance has recently begun to increase. Contrary to expectations, the subject is performing excellently, suggesting that the issue was not a lack of understanding but rather a lack of motivation. Professor Marea’s evaluation is attached separately. Please be sure to check it.
(omitted)
The subject prevented the summoning of a nightmare that had parasitized Esme Bloodberry. Nightmares are spirits whose knowledge is extremely restricted due to their danger and peculiarity.
Frankly speaking, it is impossible for the subject to have accurate knowledge about nightmares. We thoroughly investigated the possibility that Professor William’s testimony was exaggerated, but it matched all the evidence left at the scene.
It is most reasonable to assume that the subject knew exactly how to stop a nightmare, but there are no books in the academy’s library that record knowledge about this spirit.
The subject currently understands knowledge and magic that cannot be learned in the academy’s classes and is refusing private tutoring.
『Based on the above changes, we will reassess the subject’s danger level.』
【Danger Level: B+】
『To eliminate this entity, support must be requested from the royal mages of the Magica Kingdom or the Mage’s Tower.』
“This really… doesn’t seem like a report a professor teaching children would write.”
Professor Aiaie, who had just put down her ink-stained pen, sighed deeply and reached for her cold coffee.
“If only we could evaluate potential for growth rather than danger. This child has infinite potential…”
Though this was the 17th report she had written, Professor Aiaie’s heart was always heavy and uneasy. She was of a different nature from the nobles who would smile with joy upon receiving this report.
“A decent adult should wish for a child’s happiness and well-being, not their ruin.”
Muttering to herself, Professor Aiaie gazed at an old photo placed in the corner of her desk. This old memory, preserved by demon technology, was her last light.
“Pull yourself together… I have to protect my family.”
It had already been five years since she last saw her family.
* * *
“Esme must be busy today.”
“Seems so. I didn’t see her in class yesterday either.”
Esme didn’t show up for breakfast. To be precise, she didn’t come to the dining hall at all.
Did the gift I gave her yesterday have no effect? It would have been nice if the three of us could have eaten together; it would have significantly increased her affection and made it easier to move on to other events.
“Did you attend history class?”
“No.”
“Really…? What about art class?”
“No.”
Answering Nicasia’s questions, I realized something was off. Esme hasn’t attended any classes today, has she?
It’s almost time for the last class… The problem is that it’s Professor Marea’s annoying martial arts class.
“Esme… didn’t attend any classes today?”
“Yeah, Esme didn’t attend any classes today. That’s why Murmur asked.”
If this were a game, I could have opened the map to check which class a character with a completed affection level was attending or where they were. But this is reality, so there’s no choice.
I had to ask Nicasia, like digging a well for water.
“Esme is known for being diligent, despite her personality…”
“Are you saying her personality is bad?”
“…She’s not exactly easygoing.”
Nicasia coughed awkwardly, covering her mouth with her fist.
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way! Everyone has their own personality.”
She’s apologizing as if she’s been gossiping. How childish.
“Is she talking to her aunt?”
“Maybe? I don’t think so…”
As we walked down the hallway, Nicasia suddenly stopped and covered her mouth with her right hand. Following her gaze, I saw Esme staggering towards us.
“Esme… why does she look like that…”
Nicasia’s shock was not an exaggeration.
Esme, staggering weakly, was a mess. It seemed she hadn’t washed properly; her brown hair was tangled, and her right cheek was red and swollen.
And she wasn’t wearing the stockings she always wore.
“Esme, what happened…?”
“Hey, what’s wrong? Did you get in trouble? You didn’t attend any classes today.”
“I heard a woman called her aunt came…”
The children’s whispers weren’t unfounded this time.
Esme’s exposed thighs were red and swollen. No, that’s too gentle a description. There were red marks from being beaten with a cane, and the scars were clearly visible, twisting my stomach dangerously.
“Esme! Esme! Who…! Who did this to you?!”
Nicasia rushed to Esme in shock, but Esme didn’t answer and staggered towards me.
I already knew the answer.
Even if Esme didn’t say anything, I knew.
“Aunt Colette, please forgive me… Esme will do better from now on. Aunt Colette, please forgive me.”
Esme, with a hoarse voice, slowly approached me.
What happens next is obvious.
Esme’s age and the atmosphere are different, but it’s something that could happen in the high school chapter.
Esme Bloodberry kills Murmur. She appears with the ‘heirloom’ given by Colette Bloodberry and starts stabbing.
“I won’t be friends with her… I won’t pretend to know Murmur… Please forgive me. Don’t hit me anymore. It hurts… It really hurts…”
In Esme’s small hand, still only in elementary school, was a dagger filled with deep darkness. No, I can’t say she was holding it.
A blood-soaked bandage was wrapped around Esme’s hand and the dagger. She wasn’t holding it; it was forced into her hand.
“Mur… Murmur! Run away!”
Nicasia, with good instincts, turned pale and shouted at me. At the same time, she reached out to grab Esme’s shoulder.
“Don’t…! Don’t come near me!”
Esme moved in an unnatural way, avoiding Nicasia’s hand, and screamed with a tearing voice. Seeing Esme’s tear-filled face, Nicasia stepped back, trembling.
“I… I will… kill Murmur…!”
Trembling, Esme approached me.
One step.
Two steps.
The outcome of this event is predetermined.
Esme stabs me. She will definitely kill me. In the main story, it’s because she hates me so much; here, it’s because Aunt Colette pushed her.
“…Ugh!”
I have no intention of running.
I had already anticipated the worst. Using summoning magic, I could block Esme’s attack at least once.
The problem is what comes next. Should I ask Nicasia for help? Nicasia’s strength could easily subdue Esme once she relaxes after stabbing me.
She could probably do it now, but she’s too shocked and frozen in fear.
“Mur… Murmur…!”
Esme approached, tears streaming down her face.
“Esme…”
Please.
Don’t do this.
Don’t say that my gift, my actions, were all meaningless.
“Murmur…!”
Esme, holding the dagger, finally reached me.
Was it all meaningless?
The overwhelming helplessness was chilling, and Esme’s hand finally thrust towards my heart.
Was all the effort to increase her affection in vain?
“…I knew it!”
No way.
All human efforts are rewarded.
Even if not in the desired form, effort is always rewarded.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!!”
Esme, holding the ‘dagger’ that tore through my uniform and slightly pierced my skin, trembled and cried.
Her actions weren’t to stab but to pull the dagger away.
“I don’t want to…! I don’t want to kill Murmur!”
“Esme!”
“Murmur is my friend…! My friend! I… I absolutely don’t want to kill her!”
Esme screamed hoarsely, desperately struggling.
The dagger in her hand dug a little deeper into my clothes, but it doesn’t matter. Esme is trying!
The reason she was staggering was because of the dagger’s power!
“Nicasia! Help Esme!”
To help Esme, I grabbed her wrist and started pushing the dagger away from my body. Pulling away is meaningless.
The dagger’s tracking power will only get stronger!
We have to end this now!!!
“Help… me?”
“The dagger Esme is holding has a spell to kill demons! It’s moving on its own!!”
Nicasia’s eyes widened, and she rushed to Esme. Finally noticing the bandage forcibly wrapped around Esme’s hand, she urgently grabbed Esme’s wrist and pushed her hand towards her stomach.
As expected of her strength. Or maybe it’s just Nicasia’s strength that subdued her in an instant.
“Murmur! What should we do next?”
“Murmur will handle it! Nicasia, just hold Esme’s hand!”
“No!! No! Murmur, you’ll get hurt! Don’t do it!”
“It’s okay!”
I reached down and roughly grabbed the blood-soaked bandage.
“Esme tried her best! Murmur can do this much too!”
Though the bandage was inscribed with runes, its structure was simple, so I could easily break and tear it apart.
“Ugh…!!”
The dagger, freed from Esme’s hand, flew like a missile towards my heart. Nicasia, without hesitation, caught it with her right hand as if swatting a fly.
“Your Highness!”
Blood dripped from Nicasia’s palm, but she didn’t seem to be in pain and patted Esme’s back with her left hand.
“You did well, Esme. You really did it. This is your achievement.”
The blood from Nicasia’s palm stopped within a minute. As a royal, such a wound was nothing, healing almost instantly.
“But… I tried to… kill Murmur…”
“You didn’t. You tried to protect Murmur. You came here because of that cursed dagger.”
“But… but!”
“It’s okay. Murmur is happy to have a friend who tried so hard to protect her.”
“Ugh…! Sob, sob…!”
Esme suddenly burst into tears and clung to me.
“Murmur…! I’m really sorry…!”
“No. You did it.”
“I… I was so scared! It hurt! My aunt was so scary, but…! But…!”
Esme cried loudly in my arms, hiccuping and staggering.
“I didn’t want to… lose my friend!”
She must have used all her remaining strength to speak. Esme’s shoulders shook as she sobbed for a while before slowly quieting down. She must have fainted in my arms.
“Murmur, did you know about this dagger? I’ve never seen it before.”
“Yeah, it’s a famous dagger from the Bloodberry family… used to kill demons.”
“Then that means…”
Nicasia gritted her teeth.
“Did she… order her niece to commit murder? And even abused her? Her thighs, her cheek… I can’t even imagine how much violence she endured.”
“She probably got beaten on her butt too. Esme has been having trouble sitting for days.”
“I can’t forgive this.”
Nicasia clenched her fist.
“This is…! Not the behavior of an adult!!! I’ll go protest!”
“No. There’s no need.”
Esme did her best. She tried so hard.
She struggled desperately to stop the dagger’s power, which was said to kill demons. She did her best to protect her friend, Murmur.
My efforts to get closer to Esme, my gifts, all came back as warm rewards.
Then, there’s only one thing I need to do.
“Murmur has something to say to Aunt Colette.”
『A new event has been confirmed!』
《Destroy Colette Bloodberry》
《Time: After School》
