Chapter 41: Detective Games (5)

Melena’s backyard.

Normally quiet due to lack of use, it was different today.

The ground in one corner began to tremble.

Starting as a slight tremor, it intensified, culminating in an eruption of golden energy that sent earth and stones skyward.

Five figures emerged from the newly formed hole.

“Gah! I, I thought I was going to die…!”

“I thought we were going to be buried alive…”

Leon, Elena, Lucia, and the real Professor Melena pulled themselves up, gasping for breath.

“If it weren’t for Lucia, we would have been buried…”

“You saved us.”

The shockwave from Aria and the fake Melena’s clashing swords hadn’t directly impacted them much, but it had spread outwards.

The already dilapidated basement couldn’t withstand the impact of two powerful individuals’ attacks.

Walls and the ceiling shattered, and earth poured in, but…

‘Oh no…! Luci…!’

Fortunately, Lucia had erected a holy power barrier in time, preventing them from being buried alive.

Leon’s subsequent attacks had blasted a hole through the earth, leading to their current situation.

They lay sprawled on the grass, catching their breath.

“Where’s Aria?”

“Huh? Now that you mention it…”

Lucia looked around, bewildered by Aria’s absence.

Leon and Elena also got up, but couldn’t find her.

“Don’t tell me she’s still trapped…?”

Leon’s last memory was of Aria facing the imposter.

Could she have escaped in that precarious situation?

Various scenarios raced through his mind, but he was brought back to reality by…

Crash! Bang! Shatter!

The sounds of fierce battle erupted from the direction of the house.

“We have to help her… Ugh…!”

Lucia groaned in pain, collapsing back down.

Her face was contorted in agony.

“You overexerted yourself.”

“Lucia, rest here. We’ll go help.”

“No, I can go to…!”

“As your bodyguard, I can’t let you push yourself.”

Alicia restrained Lucia as she tried to stand.

“…I guess I would only be a burden…”

Lucia finally gave up, her head drooping.

“We’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“Go and help her, quickly.”

Leon and Elena ran towards the house, leaving Lucia, the unconscious Professor Melena, and Alicia behind.

Lucia lay back, exhausted, and turned to Alicia.

“Alicia.”

“Yes, Saintess?”

“Go help her.”

“But I’m your bodyguard…”

“Please.”

“…”

Their eyes met for a long moment.

“…Alright.”

Alicia finally relented, turning away.

“Sigh… Aria…”

Please be safe…

The sounds around her faded.

Lucia closed her eyes.

The house was in ruins when Leon and Alicia arrived.

Walls were riddled with holes, and windows were shattered.

The furniture inside was destroyed.

“Where is Ar…?”

Boom

Before Leon could finish, someone crashed through the wall, landing before them.

It was Aria.

“Aria!”

“…Leon?”

“Are you alright?”

“So far, yes.”

Aria sat up, brushing dust off her clothes.

Cuts, resembling knife wounds, covered her body.

“You’re holding up well.”

Their respite was short-lived.

The fake Melena emerged from the hole in the wall.

“Even the original owner of this body collapsed instantly after being hit by that poison.”

“…Poison?”

Leon instinctively repeated the word.

“Oh, right. You wouldn’t know.”

“Be careful. Her sword is coated with poison.”

“A sleeping poison, to be precise.”

The imposter raised her sword boastfully. A greyish, translucent liquid on the blade glinted in the sunlight streaming through the hole.

“This is a rare poison extracted from a magical beast in the Demon Realm.”

“Magical beast?”

“A venomous snake-type magical beast nicknamed the Dream Serpent. I don’t know the details.”

“Night Viper…”

“Aria? Do you know this magical beast?”

Aria murmured, seemingly recognizing the name.

“It’s a magical beast that uses a unique poison. Once afflicted, the victim sleeps for months, eventually starving to death.”

“So, Stella…”

“She has people to care for her, so she won’t starve.”

Leon nodded, slightly relieved.

“Do you know what’s special about this magical beast’s poison?”

The imposter continued, her figure vanishing and reappearing in front of Leon.

Screech

The chilling sound of steel scraping against steel. The blade stopped just short of Leon’s face.

“You reacted? As expected of the Hero.”

A drop of sweat trickled down Leon’s neck. He’d have been struck if his reaction had been even slightly delayed.

Whoosh! Crack!

“Tch… So close…!”

Aria’s sword flashed silver, followed by the whistling of Elena’s arrow. Both attacks intercepted the imposter.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she retreated.

“As I was saying, this poison can put anyone weaker than me to sleep.”

“What does that mean?”

“Simply put, it works on those weaker than me.”

She spoke casually.

“And this poison comes from a high-ranking magical beast.”

“Just a scratch is all it takes…?”

High-ranking magical beasts were disasters incarnate. Even the Hero, the Divine Archer, and Class A students were no match for them at their current level.

“Leon…”

“Don’t let her get close, Elena. Aria, you be careful too.”

“Worry about yourself.”

Aria readied herself.

“The Academy will notice the commotion soon.”

“So we just hold out?”

Leon gripped his sword, focusing on the imposter.

“Do you really think you can?”

“…”

A different level of killing intent emanated from the imposter.

As if she’d been holding back until now.

Bang

An explosion erupted before Leon could react. The ensuing shockwave confirmed that Aria and the imposter had clashed.

“Don’t be fooled by her speed.”

Aria spoke without taking her eyes off her opponent.

Despite the life-or-death situation, her voice was calm.

“She’s an assassin. Speed is her forte. Focusing only on speed is a sure way to lose.”

“Really? Let’s see if it’s just speed!”

The imposter grabbed Aria’s hair.

“Ar…!”

Crash

Before Leon could react, Aria was thrown into a wall.

“Sigh, one down?”

Whoosh

“Oh? Are you next?”

The imposter dodged Elena’s arrow, turning to face her.

Leon lunged forward, determined to protect Elena.

Clang

“A gentleman, protecting a lady? How chivalrous.”

“Leon?”

“Ugh…”

The impact felt like a hammer blow.

She was strong and fast.

“You blocked that? How about this?”

One attack after another came relentlessly.

She moved so fast that she left afterimages.

But…

“Haah!”

As Aria said, she was fast, but not impossible to block with focus.

“Oh?”

Leon’s swing pushed her back, followed by a blast of golden energy.

“Pant… Pant…”

“That was close.”

The imposter reappeared, unharmed.

“Still…”

“It’s over.”

Her sword swung in a flash.

The attack, aimed at his head…

‘I can’t block this…!’

By the time he realized it, the blade was upon him.

Thud

A chilling sensation of flesh being pierced. He closed his eyes.

“Huh?”

“Didn’t see that coming, did you?”

“Aiming for the head… isn’t that a foul…?”

He opened his eyes, expecting pain, but saw familiar black hair.

“Aria?”

“You owe me one.”

A trickle of blood ran down her arm.

“Are you alright…!”

Leon saw the sword embedded in Aria’s arm, not his head. As he spoke…

“…”

Aria collapsed.