novelraw Chapter 159: Frail Back
Chapter 159: Frail Back
***
Ignotus had technically been supposed to give this speech two months ago. Back when all first years had their grand introductions, group assignments, orientation—that whole Academy opening week nonsense.
He, of course, had skipped all of that.
Some were optional, some were mandatory; he didn’t give a damn.
So now, as he floated in the center of an empty courtyard, where many pairs of eyes stared up at him like he was some mysterious figure that had been often mentioned in passing whispers, he found himself quite annoyed.
Below him, the courtyard was packed full of first-years, ones that had long since split into factions, and they certainly whispered.
"What was his name again?"
"Sixty Second Fool!"
"He’s been in our batch?"
"I thought he was a second year."
"Yeah, I heard some nasty rumors about him."
"He’s the guy with Gaia?"
"I heard he killed a student."
"He did... some poor guy."
"Wait, they’re married?"
"No way—that’s Lady Gaia’s—"
Lothar floated beside Ignotus, his arms crossed, looking like he wanted to leave.
Ignotus didn’t look at him even once, only down at everyone else.
With this speech, he planned to shut down their interest in him.
"As you’ve all known for the past month, maybe even longer..."
A wicked smile crept up his face.
"I’m the Stellae... Saint Academy’s Star."
The courtyard rippled with noise, though he gave them no face and kept going:
"Don’t worry about the leaderboard. I’m the strongest first year here, and that is no misunderstanding."
He tapped his temple with a knuckle.
"But listen... I’m not exactly right in the head."
The whispers died instantly, and some unconsciously stepped back thanks to his Will.
’Good.’
Ignotus flicked his gaze across the sea of students.
"Don’t test me. You’re all too weak for that anyway."
He certainly made his annoyance known.
"Adding even more lives to my conscience isn’t a hobby I like."
Rubbing his neck, he turned to his cohort, bowed slightly, and said with complete sincerity:
"Thank you."
It made absolutely no sense to the crowd.
Why did he thank them out of nowhere?
But to his people?
Well, it could only mean one thing.
Ignotus had just located his target.
Indeed, while he scanned the crowd earlier, he saw the intruder.
His antagonizing of the students wasn’t just to make them hate him.
Yes, he didn’t only want to tick them off... he wanted to use their reactions to find who the Demon amongst them was. Ignotus was sure that he’d come through once hearing that the one who ruined their plan was making a speech.
Sure, he could try to find another way to find the Demon, but...
Well, it was for the love of the game.
He enjoyed being hated.
And sure enough, right in the middle of the crowd, one presence had twitched.
One reaction had been just a little too startled.
That was the Demon.
Judas’s father.
And Ignotus’ smile widened.
They were to hunt some Demons~.
Ding!
—
╔═════════╗
║NEW QUEST!║
╚═════════╝
[Objective: Hunt The Intruding Demons!]
—
’A hunt indeed.’
Descending from the sky, Ignotus landed in the very center of the courtyard.
The instant he did, students swarmed in, rushing past Lothar.
But strangely, once they were upon him...
"..."
"..."
"..."
None of them said a word.
They crowded him with wide eyes, stiff shoulders, and half-open mouths but not a single voice. Not even a dumb question; they just stared while Ignotus glanced around.
’They understand that I wasn’t joking. Good.’
And besides that fact, his people weren’t far away.
Gaia, Lykos, Ulv, Mer, Aur, and Nora were within earshot, watching him closely while pretending to be cool. So the crowd didn’t dare act brave, not when one stupid comment could get them involved.
Though before any of them could even fully process the situation, the sea of bodies began to cleanly split open towards Ignotus, like a knife slicing through cloth.
Someone important was walking in.
Rosa.
The Student Chief.
His damned older sister.
Ignotus exhaled slowly.
"Oh... great."
Lothar took that as his cue to escape, floating off at high speed.
’Coward.’
Rosa didn’t say anything and simply walked straight toward him.
At the same time, the crowd pulled back even further.
"You want to talk, yeah?"
Ignotus gave her a flat look, then jerked his head.
"Follow me."
She listened, and they walked through the Academy grounds, passing training fields, stone walkways, and a few first-years who nearly tripped over their own feet trying to pretend they weren’t staring.
Ignotus didn’t slow down.
He took her to a quiet corner where the walls were high, and the wind barely reached. A place where nobody but a certain someone could eavesdrop. A place he could escape if things got heated.
Rosa stopped a few steps behind him.
Ignotus turned around and stared at her.
"..."
"..."
His silent stare made her shift slightly, obviously uncomfortable despite being the one who wanted to talk.
’Hm.’
Something that pushed Ignotus to proceed:
"What do you want?"
Rosa’s lips pressed into a thin line.
"...What happened to you?"
He blinked, confused by the question, and she stepped closer.
Her eyes were searching him, perhaps trying to find a piece of her memory inside the person in front of her.
"How did you change so much? Mother might scoff it up to stress of Ascention but I know better. You were never like this, never this cold, never this—this violent, this... distant."
Ignotus didn’t move or answer, and she kept going, her voice growing tight:
"During the first Trial... I thought you were just angry that we... a-abandoned you. I thought your change was stress, pressure, fear—anything. I told myself that it was temporary, but the second time—" her voice cracked a little, "—I realized I didn’t recognize you at all."
He stared at her blankly.
Rosa’s hands curled into fists.
"And now... seeing you speak like that, in front of everyone... I just—" She shook her head. "I don’t understand. Who did you talk with? What did they do to you? What happened to make you turn into... this? Are you the brother I know? Should I... still hate you?"
"..."
Ignotus, of course, remained silent as a breeze passed between them.
She looked like she desperately wanted him to say something; even a lie would’ve probably comforted her, but Ignotus didn’t bother.
Eventually, he watched her swallow hard, her composure slowly cracking.
"Ignotus... please."
"Just—just say anything."
"Did you... did you... do something worse?"
Her eyes wavered, and Ignotus inhaled.
"So that’s what this is."
Rosa froze.
He tilted his head slightly.
"You think I made a deal with Demons? Is this supposed to relieve you from guilt?"
"I—I... you..."
She couldn’t form a sentence, making him sigh.
"Like I told our father, I’m still your brother. But the one you knew is dead."
Rosa stiffened.
"Either accept yourself as guilty of his murder, or do the smart thing and care as little as Acer, our dear dumb bastard of a brother. Seeing you be so wishy-washy is annoying; it only makes hating you an arduous task."
"..."
Her eyes lowered, and her shoulders sank.
Rosa looked much smaller than he remembered.
After a while of staring at him, she slowly turned around.
"I—I’m sorry."
Her back, usually proud and disciplined, looked fragile as she walked away, as if she might crumble at the slightest touch.
’I’m sorry, sister.’
Ignotus watched her leave without emotion.
’Guilt doesn’t revive the dead.’