"That would never happen if I stayed on the post and is quite shameful of me – this will not happen again, I will make sure that you are safe, just like every single one of my students.

"

The man straightened his back and declared with enough power and strength in his voice as if he was at least the headmaster and not a brand new employee.

"Thank you…!

"

But even so, his reaction was exactly something that the blond-haired girl needed – she clenched her hands together and bowed her head gratefully filled with hope.

"Oh, teacher – I have a favor to ask…

"

"!!!

"

"…?

"

But then, suddenly, someone called out at the two of them from the end of a hallway, making the girl flinch and turn the surprised teacher's head.

Burushi leaned to the side and saw the approaching short brown-haired girl in a butler's uniform approaching – as far as she could recall this was a former attendant of the first prince Hroeo and the current attendant of Miriette.

Judging by the girl's expression she was approaching with something serious too…

"…

"

…and for whatever reason the dark-haired man seemed to be tensing up at her sight, making the blond girl anxious too…

"Student Burushi – wait for me a little bit, I will hear her out and escort you back to your room.

"

Banemor glanced at the worried girl and smiled reassuringly, motioning at the corner of the hallway, before turning to the approaching female attendant.

"…?

"

The heroine nodded her head and trotted away – but not before peeking over at the brown-haired girl and getting shocked when the attendant stared her down as if she was her sworn enemy…

——

"Teacher – here – sir Zoemi told me to show it to someone, apparently is bad news.

"

Teo didn't waste any time for pleasantries and simply reached out her fist towards the concerned dark-haired teacher.

"…alright…?

"

The shadow corpse puppet raised his brow, reaching out his hand to receive the item.

A moment later an intricate but otherwise unassuming earring fell onto Banemor's palm.

"What is supposed to be wrong with it…?

"

"I will now leave if you may, you seem to be preoccupied with some tra… other business.

"

The corpse puppet looked at the piece of jewelry and then raised his head to question the brown-haired attendant – but the girl had already turned right around and walked away angrily once or twice glaring over her shoulder behind the Banemor's back right at the blond girl disappearing behind the corner.

"…no, seriously, what is it supposed to be wrong with…?

"

It was an odd enough situation for even Aspakeony – who unfortunately was out of the office, fresh after finishing talking in person with one of her old acquaintances about a certain very important matter concerning one of her students – to frown in confusion, she then made Banemor look back at the earring…

…which suddenly turned into a mass of perfect silk-like darkness and spilled all over his hand…!

"!!!!!!

"

The necromancer's eyes widened in panic and she tried to instantly cut off the connection with the shadow corpse puppet, but she was too late.

The darkness spread like a lightning-fast disease – it followed the trail of her death attribute mana and the next moment, Aspakeony together with all of her corpse puppets was pulled into the darkness without any chance of defending herself or warning anyone about what was happening.

———-

"…

"

Burushi was patiently waiting for the dark-haired teacher to either call for her or come for her, just like he said.

But then a minute has passed…

And then another…

And then it turned into five minutes…

"…?

"

Burushi furrowed her brows in confusion – teacher Banemor seemed to be a responsible person, if the matter that the attendant came up to him for was so urgent that he would have to leave, he would have at least told her that he needs to go, right…?

He wouldn't have left her waiting for him forever…

…right…?

"

"…

"

Deciding that it was better to be rude and make herself look as if she was eavesdropping was better than just waiting there forever like an idiot, the blond heroine walked back the way she came and turned readily turned the corner…!

*thump*

"U-kyaah…!

"

…and ended up running into somebody and she bumped off of that person as if she was a beach ball hitting a rock.

"Ow…! S-sorry, teache…!

"

Burushi said standing up and massaging her butt she fell on, fully expecting that it was teacher Banemor who finished talking with the female attendant, but…

"Oh…? Well, well, well. Isn't that just perfect?

"

The heroine froze after hearing the disgustingly mocking voice dripping with fake sweetness…!

The blond girl instantly started trembling.

"You saw something that you shouldn't have, didn't you? Do you know what happens to a commoner that sees a noble doing something that might damage their honor…?

"

The owner of the voice laughed and the ghastly-pale girl who slowly, very slowly, looked up at the brown-haired student of the second year at the Aspakeony Academy and one of the capture targets… …Xeonith…

"H…Hel…! UMPH!

"

The blond heroine wholeheartedly tried to call for help but Xeonith brutally blocked her mouth without batting an eye or changing his expression, while the poor girl was almost knocked out with that single move.

…which turned out to make enough of an impact to cause the crimson blood to start flowing from the girl's nose…

"Clay forming.

"

The brown-haired boy said and a softish slippery substance suddenly appeared and wrapped itself around Burushiitto's lips and jaws, hardening almost instantly and making it impossible for the girl to articulate anything.

"NNNNNN! MPFGHHHHHH!

"

The blond girl tried to scream through her nose to get the attention of either the dark-haired teacher or the brown-haired female attendant, but to her absolute horror neither of them were in the hallway anymore – actually – the closest people to her and the aggressor, were students and teachers watching the duels outside with no way of knowing what was happening in the building…

…not a single person was able to help the girl…

"The answer is simple. A commoner who saw too much will simply disappear.

"

"NGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHGHGHGHGHHHH!

"

Xeonith's grin made Burushi whizz out in pure primal fear.

She tried to struggle her way out, kicking and punching at the boy, but Xeonith's body was already glowing with the powerful earth enchantments, rendering all the attacks useless – or rather harmful for the blond girl herself…

"Hmph.

"

The brown-haired capture target scoffed at the girl's attempt and grabbed her hand with a cruel smirk – he then turned away and pulled the struggling girl with him.

"Did you know that the Aspakeony Academy served as a military facility during the previous war? That's why it has a dungeon – and as every good dungeon, it doesn't only have cells, it even has a nice torture chamber. Although the tools are long gone because of obvious reasons, I think we can manage without them – thankfully both buildings are connected with the dungeon itself so there is no risk of us getting spotted, so… shall we…?

"

"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

"

Xeonith looked over his shoulder and showed the terrified heroine the cruelest, most evil grin that she ever had the misfortune to witness.

Then, while she continued to struggle to break free, the brown-haired capture target forcefully raised her hand and grabbed her index finger with his free hand.

She couldn't even properly react to that, he was too strong.

*CRUSH*

First, she heard the sickening crack, then she felt the nauseating pain that made her kneel down, and only after that did she see her index finger, broken and twisted in an unnatural direction and she started screaming.

"NNNNNNNGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"

Well, she tried.

The heroine's scream ended up being only loud wheezing through her nose.

As if it was completely nothing, Xeonith grabbed Burushi's middle finger and smiled at her.

"Worthless commoner.

"

Xeonith scoffed, smiling over the girl's squirming…

*CRACK*

"HGHGHGHGHGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"

…and broke her middle finger too before half-dragging her with him….