novelraw Chapter 181: Kill Me Now!
Chapter 181: Kill Me Now!
***
The healer wiped her hands on a white cloth as her Divinity finished settling around Ignotus.
The bleeding had stopped, and the bone-deep aches faded second by second. Ignotus rotated his shoulder a few times before standing up, finding his body functioning as normal.
"Thanks."
The healer blinked as if expecting something more, but no. That was all she was getting.
He casually walked back to his place in the lecture hall, the massive amphitheater buzzing with whispering students who kept pretending that they weren’t staring at him like he’d grown a second head.
His people sat like how they always sat, or well, they tried to, at least. Right now, the only one acting normally was Eris, who hopped straight into his lap the moment he returned. ’Good job.’
She purred in his mind, sounding very smug.
Ignotus scratched behind Her ear in thanks.
"Yeah."
And that was that.
The lecture resumed, the professor droning on about tactical Divinity circulation during mass-Rune and spell engagements. Blah blah formations. Blah blah regulations. Blah blah exhaustion curves. Ignotus had listened for exactly six seconds before mentally tapping out.
’Hmmm...’
He leaned back, one hand idly resting on the curled-up Eris, his mind lost in thought.
Somewhere in his fuzz between boredom and strategic thinking, the professor suddenly announced—
"The Saint Academy Festival will officially be held next month!"
The class erupted into excited murmurs that a blinking Ignotus didn’t bother to hear a word of.
’A festival? Now of all times?’
That was his first thought before he quickly shook his head.
’No, now’s exactly the time.’
Eris nodded at him, as if listening in to his thoughts.
’You’re right. This isn’t anything unusual. The Great Houses need this soon so they can pretend that everything is fine and that we aren’t rushing into war.’
Indeed, it was a neat distraction technique, a necessary performance to hide or at least downplay the war, as expected of nobles and their kin.
’It’s only aimed at the nobles, though.’
Eris yawned on his lap, perhaps in agreement.
"...calamity."
Ignotus chuckled and glanced sideways, only to notice that his people weren’t there.
All their seats were empty.
"...what?"
He looked around, thinking that they might have changed seats for some reason, but no, they were definitely gone.
’Where did they go?’
He hadn’t even noticed them leaving.
That meant they left quietly, because even if he were lost in his own world, he’d have noticed them move.
’Maybe seeing your result pushed them to train even more.’
Eris’s amused remark came through.
’Huh. Yeah... probably.’
He lifted Eris gently and placed Her onto his shoulder. She wrapped Her tail loosely around the back of his neck, anchoring Herself.
While the class continued, Ignotus stood up, stretched lazily, and walked out of the hall. Every student in the room tracked him with their eyes, like nervous prey watching a predator wander through the grass.
They seemed almost thankful that he was gone.
He, of course, ignored them. The moment he stepped outside, fresh air hit him in the face, and so did a loud voice:
"You there, Ignotus!"
A tall second-year student marched straight up to him, his chest puffed, and his eyes blazing with insecure anger. The perfect combination for stupidity.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
He declared, projecting his voice so half the building heard.
"You’ve been growing far too haughty lately!"
Ignotus tilted his head and silently stared.
"..."
He stared more.
"..."
And more.
"..."
Until finally, he asked:
"...Are you related to my brother?"
The second year blinked.
"What are you talking abou—"
Smack!
Ignotus’s hand moved faster than the guy’s thought process. The slap sent his head twisting sharply to the right, his hair flying.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The hall returned to its silence.
The second-year slowly looked back at him, stunned.
"Why—"
Smack!
His face snapped in the opposite direction.
"But—!"
Smack!
"I—!"
Smack!
"You—!"
Smack!
"STOP! STOP IT! FUCK!"
Ignotus lowered his hand.
The second-year breathed heavily, his eyes watering; whatever dignity he had was shattered.
"You should never forget this."
Ignotus nodded wisely.
"Your future is that of a soldier... boy."
He turned around and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, the second-year stood there, frozen, holding his cheek with both hands like he was trying to gather the broken pieces of his pride.
"What kind of duel was that...?"
"A duel of hands, heh."
The whispers of students arrived, but they were heard by no one but themselves. The pitiful boy was too stunned to perceive the world around him, and Ignotus was simply long gone.
His room wasn’t all that far. A few hallways, one spiral staircase, and a corridor later, he reached his door.
He grabbed the handle, opened it...
’Hm?’
And stopped.
Mer was inside.
She was on all fours, crawling around on the floor with her nose practically touching the ground.
Her tail swayed behind her as she circled the table, circled the bed, peeked under a cushion, and then crawled toward the wall.
Ignotus remained by the door, staring at her.
Mer continued crawling.
He stared harder.
She paused only when she noticed his presence a full minute later, slowly lifting her head.
Her face paled once her eyes met his.
Ignotus pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I almost lost my mind earlier. Please don’t make me lose my sight too."
Her Soul left her body.
"W—WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"
She scrambled backward and tripped over her own tail.
"...It’s my room, you idiot."
Her face turned bright red.
She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and then finally let out a strangled noise that sounded like: "Nnnnnn—!!"
Ignotus entered the room, closed the door behind him, and pointed at the floor.
"So tell me, why were you crawling around in my room? Are you trying to compete with my Calamity? Or was it Alba? Sorry, my companion spots are full; you’ll have to find someone else if you want to be their pet."
Mer held her face with both hands, her ears shaking furiously as she screamed internally.
’Kill me now!’