国产午夜亚洲精品AⅤ

Chapter 252

Thinking back, Reinhart had definitely acted strangely. Suddenly breaking into a cold sweat, he had begun to cautiously survey his surroundings, then clung tightly to her as they returned to the Temple, tense and wary.

Ellen knew that she had advanced perception, as she had even sensed Loyar’s intent to kill, yet she had felt nothing.

Reinhart had felt a murderous aura that she herself hadn’t.

No matter how she thought about it, she believed it to be unlikely, but Reinhart was convinced.

He seemed deeply troubled lately, always on edge. He only exerted minimal effort during training, trying to conserve his own energy.

Ellen felt confident in her own ability to protect herself. She wanted to help Reinhart.

Although it wasn’t apparent, she knew she was already helping.

Reinhart was in danger, and she wanted to do something, anything to help him. To reassure him that there was no assassin, to bring back the old Reinhart.

If there was indeed an assassin, she wanted to deal with them herself.

It was the weekend, and while she had told Reinhart to avoid dangerous situations, Ellen found herself outside the Temple.

What was dangerous for Reinhart did not pose a significant risk to her.

Ellen’s capabilities had already far surpassed that of an ordinary human. At her current level of skill, she could easily cut down dozens of mediocre assassins.

However, she didn’t know what to do or where to start.

Ellen wanted to alleviate Reinhart’s anxiety somehow. She wanted to assure him that there were no assassins and make him feel safe, and so she had ventured outside the Temple without a clear plan.

Ellen believed there were no assassins. It would be better if there weren’t. It was better if Reinhart was being overly cautious rather than being truly in danger.

However, Ellen had left the temple to make sure of it.

She had moved with the conviction that there might indeed be an assassin or a group planning an assassination, although she didn’t exactly have a clear plan yet.

That thought was unsettling, but it was unavoidable.

How would someone go about killing Reinhart?

There were two things to consider.

Was it someone from within the Temple, or someone from the outside?

Logically, it was more likely an outsider.

Reinhart hadn’t behaved strangely inside the Temple.

If there was indeed a threat, it was more likely from the outside.

Reinhart had sensed a murderous intent at that time, even though Ellen had not. If the assassin had indeed been present back then, why didn’t they strike?

They would have wanted to carry out the assassination under optimal conditions, and the timing back then would have been perfect. Ellen had been exhausted, and Reinhart had been carrying her.

But Reinhart had noticed it somehow, which might have made the assassin cautious.

It would have been best to conduct the assassination in a secluded location without witnesses around. Once they were surrounded by people, the assassin did not make a move.

Now that Reinhart no longer left the Temple, there were no optimal conditions for assassination.

‘Is it impossible to carry out an assassination within the Temple, though?’

Standing at the entrance to the Temple, Ellen surveyed her surroundings.

“...”

Without an entry pass, one couldn’t get past the Temple’s security gate. It was a similar setup to entering a magic train station, though much stricter.

Ellen tried to believe that an assassin existed, and tried to trace their steps.

She entered the Temple admission control office without hesitation.

She presented her student ID as she entered the control office. Although she was in uniform, she didn’t want to arouse undue suspicion.

“I’m Ellen, Royal Class, first year, number A-2.”

“Oh, what’s the matter?”

“Is it possible for someone without an entry pass to get into the Temple?”

“... Huh?”

The staff member at the control office tilted their head at the unexpected question from the Royal Class student.

“Of course not. Why...?”

“Is it absolutely impossible?”

“Why? Are you worried about the Temple’s security?”

“I’m just curious.”

Ordinarily, there’d be no reason to answer a student’s queries about security, but this was a Royal Class student.

The staff, though a bit taken aback, kindly pointed to the Temple’s gate.

“You seem worried about people climbing over the wall, but that won’t happen. The wall is too high for a normal person to climb, and it’s surrounded by a barrier. If someone tries to cross it, alarms go off, and they’ll be paralyzed by automatic defensive spells until the guards arrive. The barrier forms a dome around the Temple, so aerial intrusion is also impossible. To be precise, any flying object that is detected is dealt with.”

“What about forging entry passes?”

“Impossible. Each pass is magically unique.”

“Couldn’t someone use another person’s pass?”

“Hmm... I see where you’re coming from.”

A student suddenly inquiring about the Temple’s security issues...

The staff member didn’t know why, but Ellen appeared very serious.

“If someone uses a stolen entry pass and is disguised or using illusion magic, it would be hard to detect, but we conduct a dispel check at the entrance gate. Any illusions would be dispelled. We also continuously monitor the place with biological signal analyzers, so even if the person is disguised, they would be caught eventually.”

“The Temple isn’t just made up of teachers and students, is it?”

“Well, not everyone within the Temple is perfect. But the Temple adheres to the same standards that the imperial palace uses to hire royal staff when it comes to hiring employees or inviting in those who run shops and businesses within the Temple itself. Although, problems can still arise occasionally, the Temple prioritizes student safety above all else when it comes to these matters.”

‘Clearly, Temple security has almost no loopholes.’

Ellen understood that.

However, almost no loopholes meant that some might exist. Checking for illusion spells using a dispel spell means someone with a physical disguise could pass through unnoticed.

While biological signal analyzers could identify individuals, magical devices were never perfect. Ellen knew that someone well-versed in magic could easily disrupt such detectors.

Someone could potentially bribe a staff member or student. There were many people in the Temple; bribing one of them was definitely feasible.

It wasn’t entirely impossible for an outside organization to assassinate Reinhart within the Temple.

In a place like the Temple, which was filled with people, absolute safety was never a given.

It wasn’t a matter of the Temple’s laxity, but of the inherent issues with securing such a large and populated place.

“Thank you.”

With that, Ellen left the security office.

Ellen had learned that, while the Temple might be safer than other places, it wasn’t absolutely secure.

Unlike some of her classmates, Ellen didn’t possess immense power or influence; she only had her physical abilities and her intelligence.

Thoughts and actions—those were her only tools.

If she were the head of an assassin organization and had received a contract to kill a Temple student, she would have missed the first chance because the target had noticed and the attempt failed.

Now, the target was staying within the Temple.

There were two options left: either assassinate the target within the Temple, or wait until the target leaves.

To assassinate Reinhart within the Temple, they would need someone with an entry pass. Bribing or stealing an entry pass, then disguising themselves as that person to enter the Temple was a possibility. The challenge would be bypassing the biological signal analyzer, but while difficult, it wasn’t impossible.

However, gaining entry into the Temple wouldn’t solve everything. The infiltrator would also have to breach the Royal Class dormitory.

While the Royal Class dormitory didn’t have a dedicated security detail, it did have teachers on duty at all times. Though it wasn’t impossible to gain access, any stranger appearing suddenly would undoubtedly raise alarms.

The Royal Class was full of elites. Trying to infiltrate and assassinate someone there was overly risky, and the likelihood of remaining unnoticed was very slim.

Infiltrating the Temple wasn’t out of the question, but assassinating Reinhart and escaping unnoticed seemed extremely difficult.

They would want to assassinate him without detection.

If assassination within the Temple was impractical, they had only one choice left.

To wait until Reinhart left the Temple.

“...”

By thinking along the lines that the assassin was real, Ellen realized an obvious truth.

The Temple entrance had to be under constant surveillance by the assassin.

They wouldn’t know when Reinhart might leave, so they’d remain vigilant, waiting for an opportunity to arise. For these people, patience would be second nature.

Standing quietly at the Temple’s entrance and watching the flow of teachers and students, Ellen surveyed her surroundings.

Somewhere in the vicinity, the assassin’s eyes would be searching for Reinhart.

If it was true that an assassination had been attempted the last time, the assassin would have surely noticed that Reinhart had been carrying her on his back.

The information about her would have already been shared among the assassins.

They would all know that she was Reinhart’s friend.

At that moment, if any assassins were around, they would certainly be watching her too.

Ellen had sensed Loyar’s killing intent the previous time she had tried to kill her. It hadn’t come from any observation of her expression or demeanor, but from something more primal.

She had just instinctively known it. It was instinct, as if she’d been born with the ability to sense that kind of thing.

She tried to sense hostility towards her, in order to sense any murderous intent directed at Reinhart.

This was a different realm from Mana Attunement.

Ellen reached out with her senses, trying to feel it.

‘Who’s watching me? Is there truly an assassin here?

‘Is this how Reinhart feels when he tries to use Mana Reinforcement?’

However, she felt nothing. Sensing killing intent had always been instinctive; she didn’t know how to consciously tune into it.

Quickly, she began to understand how Reinhart might have felt, and started to feel a bit guilty.

“...”

Then, Ellen sensed it.

Not a gaze exactly, but the sense of being watched.

It was the first time she had been astonished by her own senses.

To be able to do even something like this... It wasn’t killing intent precisely, but the distinct feeling of being observed.

‘What am I truly capable of? Why can I sense even this?’

Both terrified and amazed at her own senses, Ellen began to walk, feeling the watchful eyes on her without actually looking around.

She only felt this sense of being watched coming from a single source.

Ellen continued to walk.

The observer wasn’t on the main road but in a nearby cafeteria, watching her without visibly staring.

Without directly looking in the observer’s direction, Ellen “observed” them back and moved away from the Temple entrance.

As expected, when Ellen moved, the watcher followed.

‘Reinhart,’ Ellen thought, ‘I’m sorry for not believing you.’

Though terrified by this uncanny ability that went beyond human norms, she would do anything for Reinhart.

‘Still, I will protect you.’

She would become whatever was necessary, even a monstrous being beyond imagination.

That was Ellen’s resolve.

She would endure becoming a monster if she could feel that world-conquering joy when Reinhart had said he would die for her again.

Ellen trusted in her instincts.

She did not have to wait long.

In an alley in the Eredian district...

Bang!

“Ugh!”

Ellen, who had been hiding, immediately tackled the stalker from behind as soon as he entered the alley.

Her eyes, usually as serene as the surface of a calm lake, gleamed, but her actions were anything but serene.

“Argh! Agh!”

Ellen pried open the mouth of the fallen stalker, stuffing a piece of cloth she found on the ground inside to prevent him from making any noise.

“Uck! Urgh!”

Ellen’s calm eyes bore down on the stalker.

“Who are you? Who sent you? Why did you follow me?” Ellen looked at him with a chilling expression. “If you answer these three questions, I’ll let you live.”

“Urk!”

“If you understand, nod your head.”

Ellen remained expressionless, but killing intent surged within her.

However, she was taken aback by the sudden bizarre phenomena occurring right in front of her eyes.

Squish! Crackle!

Thick blood vessels began to bulge grotesquely from the man’s face.

Splat! Splat!

The blood vessels burst, spraying blood. Ellen quickly used Mana Reinforcement to shield herself from the splattering blood, but the situation was unfolding rapidly.

“U-Ugh! U-Uuh! Uungyaaah!”

She stared, dumbfounded. “What... is this?”

Crack! Thud!

As suddenly as the man’s blood vessels had swelled, his eyes rolled backwards and he died right in front of her.

Ellen stared blankly at the corpse.

Swish! Splurt!

Then, from the swollen veins of the corpse, something began to emerge.

‘Worms...?’

Hideous black worm-like creatures crawled out through his veins, only to disintegrate into dust and disappear.

She didn’t understand.

She couldn’t comprehend it.

The swollen blood vessels of the dead man closed up again..

Even the wounds from which the worm-like creatures had burst out healed. The man looked as though he had died without any visible cause.

Though Ellen couldn’t make sense of what had just happened, she understood what it meant for her.

At this rate, she would be blamed for killing him.

Staring down at the corpse of the man who had suddenly died, Ellen pondered her next move.

‘Should I go to the guards? Given my status as a Temple student, explaining the situation might lead to a quick investigation and release.’

But... It was bound to take time.

Ellen, though not proficient in magic, was certain that this had involved magic.

With the corpse in front of her, she coldly analyzed the situation.

The dead man appeared to have been controlled by some kind of parasite..

‘Is this some kind of spell? Would the security measures at the Temple’s gates be able to dispel this kind of magic? Could someone controlled by this parasite get into the Temple?

‘Probably not. If that were the case, someone controlled by the parasite would have already tried to kill Reinhart inside the Temple.’

Someone who could use a parasite to control people was behind the assassination attempt. But the ones being controlled by the parasite couldn’t get into the Temple.

The Temple was still safe.

Ellen had proof that there was indeed an assassin, and had acquired a significant clue.

She had to make a choice. Should she notify the guards and report this incident? That would mean spending a lot of time proving her innocence regarding the man’s death.

Days... She would need to be prepared for days of interrogation because of the suspicion of murder.

She couldn’t afford to waste precious time.

Ellen looked down at the dead man.

There were no witnesses in the alley.

She hadn’t killed him.

He had been controlled, and had likely been an innocent person originally.

‘I’m sorry.’

Feeling guilty about leaving his unjust death unresolved for now, Ellen resolved to find the person responsible for this.

She stood up.

First, she needed to check on Reinhart.

She had to ensure he was safe.

As Ellen ran back to the Temple, leaving the corpse behind, guilt gnawed at her heart.

***

“Reinhart!”

“Huh, yeah?”

Reinhart was sparring with Cliffman in the Royal Class dormitory’s training grounds.

He seemed a bit on edge, but otherwise, nothing had happened.

“What’s up? Why are you sweating so much? Where did you go?” Reinhart asked.

“Oh? Ah... Nowhere, just.”

‘There really is someone trying to kill you. I don’t know what happened, but that person died on their own. I left the corpse behind and rushed here because I was worried about you.’

Ellen almost said all of this, but stopped herself.

If she told him about it, Reinhart would once again try to handle things on his own. If he found any leads, he would certainly take dangerous actions alone.

He was that kind of person. He would put himself in danger again.

“Want to train?”

Reinhart offered her a practice sword.

Normally, she would have accepted, but not this time. Not that day.

Reinhart knew nothing, but he was aware of the danger he was in. That’s why he did not go outside the Temple.

“No, I have something to do today.”

It was better for him to stay in a safe place, oblivious to all of this. Ellen walked out of the training grounds and down the corridor.

She had to find out what was going on.

She had to find them.

‘I’m going to find them and...’

Her mind was boiling over.

‘I’ll kill them.’

Ellen surrendered to her quiet fury.