"Simon, that...""What?"She twisted her legs, speaking in a very shy voice."The glasses suited you earlier.""Really? Haha, thanks."The two headed to the cafeteria together.It was lunchtime, so there were many people.They waited at the very end of the line, then leisurely ate lunch for about an hour, and even enjoyed dessert at a cafe to lift their spirits."The chocolate frappe was so delicious!"Kamibarez said with a continuous smile.Simon thought she seemed unusually excited today.Normally, she was quiet, perhaps conscious of those around her and trying not to make mistakes, but Kamibarez chattering in the cafe today was a new sight.'Ah, maybe not new?'Come to think of it, he had seen Kamibarez this excited only once before.The night he first met her in group class, when they went to the Forbidden Forest together, she had been just as excited."We have about 30 minutes until the next class."Simon said, checking his wristwatch. She smiled brightly."Then, shall we go into the classroom early?""Sounds good."The two walked slowly, strolling through the campus."Simon, I have something to ask you.""What is it?""Well, it's about the Sadam club I joined~ There's a group of first-years I hang out with.""Yeah.""We're really, really close. Everyone seems so happy to be part of this group. But... if two people in the club, well... start liking each other..."Her face flushed as she looked up at Simon."Will the people in that club group be able to maintain the same atmosphere as before?""...Hmm?""Ah, it's just that! My friend seems to be watching me for no reason...!"Simon scratched the side of his head."That's embarrassing. I've never dated anyone either, so I don't really know... but isn't it inevitable for the atmosphere to change?""Y-You think so too?""If two people start dating, they'll unconsciously prioritize their partner over their other friends, right? Others will also start to become a little more conscious of the couple, and the atmosphere won't be equal for all four.""..."Her face stiffened slightly as she clasped her hands together."But human emotions aren't something you can control."Simon stretched, letting out a long yawn."I think it's a natural thing.""Ah, yes! You're right!"The two chatted about various things as they headed to the 'Magic Bullet Firing Range' where their Hemomancy class was held.Just then, Kamibarez gasped in surprise and rummaged through her skirt pocket."What's wrong?""Oh no, I left my notebook at the cafe!""I'll go get it...""No, no! It's my item, so I'll go quickly! Please go into the classroom first!"She shouted that and ran quickly towards the campus cafe.Simon sat down on a nearby bench, intending to wait for her.'Haaah.'The wind blew gently, rustling his hair.It was incredibly peaceful.'Being like this reminds me of the old days.'In Reshill, he used to lie in the grass and stare blankly for hours. Simon tilted his head back and looked up at the sky, just like he used to.'...?'The color of the sky was slightly reddish.Opening his eyes wide, he saw a reddish membrane spread out. It was because of the color of this membrane that the sky appeared blood-red.'A barrier? I heard Kizen has a defensive barrier.'But this was the first time it was visible to the naked eye like this. Simon frowned as he looked up at the sky.'But why is the barrier suddenly visible to the naked eye?'Anxiety.OrA premonition.Suddenly, he felt the hairs on his body stand on end, and an unknown sense of unease slowly crept in.There was no basis, no reason. But he had an instinctive gut feeling that something big was about to happen.Just as Simon was about to get up from his seat.Kwoooooooosh—A massive explosion echoed.A colossal explosion, unlike anything he had ever heard, reverberated, and a tremendous headwind spun Simon's vision around before it landed on the dirt ground.Whirring—His ears rang, and he heard a buzzing sound. He felt dizzy. A massive vibration also came from the ground, making it impossible to steady himself.Simon struggled to his feet and raised his head.A pitch-black explosion cloud. The Magic Bullet Firing Range building, which he would have already entered if Kamibarez hadn't left her notebook, was being blown to smithereens by the explosion.'...What is this?'Perhaps because such an unrealistic scene was unfolding before his eyes.Simon felt his cognitive ability to process the situation significantly drop.Whir— Whir—The ringing in his ears wouldn't stop.Starting with the Magic Bullet Firing Range, an explosion occurred on the opposite side as well. The building located behind the Toxicology building where he had just been.This time, the Magic Technology Hall exploded.'...Mei-rin!'Simon sprang to his feet.But before he could do anything, the explosions didn't stop. This time, a loud bang came from the dormitory, and an explosion occurred in the first-year learning center.The world surrounding Simon was covered in pitch-black smoke, turning into a thick darkness.The clear sky was covered in ashes.Screams tore through the air everywhere. Flames shot up from buildings in the smoke, and students lay bleeding on the ground."Ah..."Simon's pupils trembled.What is this?What on earth is happening?What about Mei-rin? Dick? And.'Kami!'The moment he thought of her, the blood in his entire body felt like it was chilling.Simon ran like a madman.He kept coughing from the smoke, and his head was dizzy, but all he could think about was running.There was a friend nearby, someone he might be able to save right now.Simon, frantically stumbling through the smoke, his eyes widened."Kami!"Kamibarez was lying on the ground, bleeding from her forehead.Her skin was discolored, tinged gray, and she was coughing violently."Are you okay? Snap out of it!""Si...mon?"Fortunately, she opened her eyes."W-What's happening? Suddenly, there was an explosion...""I don't know either!! It's dangerous here! Can you walk?"She nodded and stood up. All he could think about was somehow getting her out of Kizen.Simon grabbed her wrist and pushed through the smoke.What on earth happened? Is this really real? What on earth...Thwack.The sound of flesh tearing.An intense pain, felt even in a state of extreme adrenaline.Blood gushed from his mouth."Simon!!!"Simon lowered his head. Something pitch-black, as if made of pure darkness, had pierced through his chest.It was a cross.His chest had been impaled by a cross.All strength drained from his body, and he collapsed to the ground. Kamibarez burst into tears and knelt beside Simon."Simon! Simon!! Are you okay? Please! Please! No! Don't do this! Simon!!!"Click-clack.Click-clack.In a world of smoke and ash, someone was approaching.Simon desperately moved his head to look at where the footsteps came from.'...!!!'Blood-red hair, and a black scarf fluttering with flames.It was a woman in a black suit.[Excessive curiosity kills the cat.]Simon's eyes were filled with horror at her demon-like smiling face.[You should have left Kizen then.]That's right.Damn it.That's right.'Francesca... Professor...!'Francesca was a Priest.She was the spy.She killed all these students!He had to stop her.He had to tell them.To Kazhan, to Lorraine, to the professors, to Neptis-nim.He had to tell them...!He felt the strength gradually draining from his body.His consciousness dulled, and his blood-soaked vision blurred.Above Kamibarez, who was sobbing and screaming, he saw countless black crosses spreading across the sky.'Run.'His voice wouldn't come out.'Run, Kami.'The crosses fell.With a dull thud, Simon's vision darkened.Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.He heard the sound of a clock's hands moving in his ears.He was still conscious. Simon lowered his gaze and saw Neptis's artifact, hanging on his necklace, emitting a bright light.'...!'The pain disappeared. The highs and lows of emotion also disappeared.Francesca, Kamibarez, and the burning Kizen were all gone, and Simon found himself in a world of only black and white.There, a tall woman with flowing silver hair stood. Around her, countless clocks ticked in the air as she spread her arms.Her face was shadowed. He thought she was a stranger, but somehow she looked familiar.Some features were embedded in her appearance.'...Neptis-nim?'With that last sight, Simon's consciousness faded.***"Simon, Simon.""...""Simon, wake up! You'll get in trouble."Whoosh!Simon woke up with a start.The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Kamibarez, eyes wide, next to him.Simon's lips trembled.'What is this?'He looked around.It was a classroom. Dick and Mei-rin were visible, taking notes.All the other Class A students were fine, moving their quills with scratching sounds. A cool breeze came in from the window.A scene completely opposite to before.It was incredibly peaceful.'Everyone... is alive?'A deep shiver ran through his spine and spread throughout his body, vibrating with relief.Was it a nightmare?No, it wasn't a dream.It was definitely real.He looked at his desk and saw the Toxicology textbook. He raised his arm and checked his wristwatch.'Ah...'That's right.He had returned to a few hours before that terrible incident.He looked down and saw that Neptis's artifact, which he wore around his neck, was completely shattered.-You'll know when you truly 'experience death'. Just know that for now.Kazhan's words about the artifact echoed in his mind.Was this what experiencing death meant?He couldn't calm down."Simon, are you okay?"Kamibarez looked at Simon with a worried expression."You look pale.""..."The moment he met Kamibarez's worried eyes, Simon almost lost his composure completely.He wanted to scream, grab her shoulders and shake her wildly, burst into tears and shout:'Run! You have to run away from here right now! Please! Please!'But he bit his lip, forcing those voices back down his throat with difficulty.Not now.It was dangerous.Because something more dangerous than the explosion was right in front of him.'...'Simon finally gathered his courage and looked forward.Now, he had the courage to face it."Kakeus's Poison is classified as a vascular toxin. It destroys blood vessels and blood cells, preventing bleeding from stopping and slowly draining the prey's strength..."On the podium.Francesca's figure was visible.Thump- thump- thump- thump-The source of all this was right in front of him.His heart pounded like crazy. His face flushed crimson.Was this how a detective felt when facing the culprit? He wanted to jump up right now and shout that this woman was a Priest.But how would he prove it?How would he prove that she was a Priest and that she would blow up Kizen in three hours?'...Calm down, calm down. Please.'His butt twitched. His legs trembled unsteadily.He imagined himself kicking the desk and rushing out to subdue her countless times....It was a foolish thing to do.If he started a fight now, the students, who were moved by her speech, would side with Francesca.And he had seen her power enough in the Forbidden Forest. Without the power of a Legion Commander, he couldn't defeat Francesca now.No, could he even win if all the students in this class attacked her?Madness.His opponent was a ruthless Priest who had executed a plan to blow up Kizen.Students who dared to attack would be killed one after another.'...Stay calm. If I die here, it's truly over.'The artifact made with Neptis's power was destroyed. It was probably impossible to turn back time twice.It was right to assume this was his last chance.He couldn't mess things up with reckless actions.He had to figure out how to prevent the foreseen catastrophe.Trembling, trembling.His legs trembled. His mouth felt parched.'...I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.'Finally.Simon exhaled slowly, successfully regaining control of his mind.First, he poked Pier's sub-body with his fingertip.'Pier. Bring the entire Legion to Kizen right now. Bring Erzebet too. Right now! As fast as possible!''Boy? Your psychological state is extremely unstable. Is something wrong?''I found a Priest. I'll explain the details later, but please come quickly!''Hmm, understood! I'll be right there!'The communication with Pier was cut off.'Phew.'Toxicology class wasn't over yet.Provoking her was dangerous.He had to endure until the Legion arrived, at least.Simon put his trembling hand inside his clothes.Then he took out Kazhan's glasses and put them on, trembling.'...'Even now, Francesca's face showed no change.There was no scar on her cheek.Her face was just as it was...Just as it was...? 'Ah.'For a brief moment.Simon witnessed a terrible, nightmarish sight.On Francesca's face, as she guided the students, another face suddenly appeared. Eyes, nose, and mouth were visible where her cheek should be.No, no.It wasn't that another face appeared; she had simply turned her head while wearing a biological mask.The reason Kazhan's glasses couldn't see it earlier was because she had worn a biological mask modeled after her own face, so the outer and inner faces perfectly matched.But now, a crack appeared in that face.Francesca's true face, hidden beneath the biological skin, was smiling.Specifically, it was staring this way.'...!'Her eyes were raised, and her lips were stretched into a demonic smile.It was the exact same smile she had given him when she killed him a few hours later.On her cheek was a very faint scar, seemingly inflicted by Simon.A shiver ran down his spine, but Simon desperately maintained his composure.He endured.No matter how she looked at him, he pretended to be unaffected and listened to the class.And in his heart, he raised his fighting spirit.He swore.That he would stop her, no matter what. 'Phew.'The hardest part of the class was when her gaze turned towards Kamibarez.Kamibarez was undoubtedly included in her priority kill list.Simon finally took off his glasses.Lest he couldn't bear it any longer.Lest he actually jump out of his seat.'...'And so.The truly long period of patience ended."Attention. Bow to the professor!""Thank you for your hard work!""You worked hard. Let's meet again next week."Students were leaving the classroom. Some students went to her and offered words of comfort, and Francesca kindly smiled and chatted with them.The hypocrisy was sickening.'For now, I'll follow her.'During class, Simon had considered countless scenarios.What was certain was that confronting Francesca right now was madness.The professors who could fight her head-on were all at the 'Mausoleum'. Since there was no evidence that she was a Priest, persuading TAs or others to cooperate would take time.More importantly, in about two hours from now, massive explosions would occur throughout Kizen. Considering the remaining time, it was highly likely that she had already installed the explosives in the school.Even if he could somehow run to the Mausoleum and persuade the professors to come, if Francesca felt threatened by their presence, she could simply detonate the explosives remotely, and it would be over.'Calm down.'Only he knew this tragic future.Therefore, the best course of action was to find out what explosives she had installed, how she activated them, and then secretly disable them.For now, he had no choice but to gather more information."...Simon?"Kamibarez approached him with a worried look."Simon, you really are a bit strange. You're not acting like yourself."Simon lowered his voice as much as possible."Kami, a Priest has appeared."Her face turned pale."Kizen will be blown up in a few hours. Gather Dick, Mei-rin, and anyone else you can persuade, and get out of Kizen."Just then, Francesca left the classroom. Simon left the petrified Kamibarez and quietly followed her.Click-clack. Click-clack.She was walking slowly down the hallway. Simon also lowered his footsteps and walked, blending into the crowd leaving the classroom.'If I get caught tailing her, it's over.'She crossed the hallway and went down to the first floor. He thought she might leave the Toxicology building, but she kept walking towards the building's basement.'...I remember. The Toxicology building basement.'The fact that dangerous chemicals were stored in the basement of the Toxicology building was basic knowledge for Kizen students.And it was also the duty of the 'Kizen Toxicology Professor', the continent's top toxicology expert, to manage them.Now, the pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together.The Priest killing Lang wasn't just to separate the professors from the students during Erebos' Night.'If she became the Toxicology Professor, she could freely handle the items in that basement. She used the explosives from there. It must be.'Her footsteps were clear. He could hear the click-clack of her footsteps as she descended the basement stairs.Pier hadn't arrived yet, but there was no time to wait.Just as Simon was about to follow her down the stairs.Grab!Suddenly, two arms reached out from behind, covered Simon's mouth, and pulled him back with immense force. And then.Click-clack! Click-clack! Click-clack! Click-clack!Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rushing up the basement stairs like mad sent shivers down Simon's spine.Suffocating fear.Francesca, with bloodshot eyes, came up to the first floor and looked around like a madwoman.'...C-Close call.'Simon was pressed against the opposite wall, his mouth covered by an unknown person.If he hadn't been pulled away by this person, he would have definitely been caught by her.Francesca was just one wall away.Simon held his breath and waited. Just as she was about to walk forward, students came rushing down the stairs."Classes are back to normal starting tomorrow, right?""Yeah. But I guess they'll skip the duel evaluation this week?""You haven't been at Kizen for a day or two."Her steps halted as the group of students poured out.Francesca looked around frantically again, but fortunately, she turned her back and went down the basement stairs again.'I-I'm alive.'Simon finally felt the tension drain from him.But who was this person? The grip on his body was so strong that he couldn't move at all."Quiet."A familiar voice came from behind him."She hasn't dropped her guard yet.""...!"Simon quickly shut his mouth. After holding his breath for about a minute, he heard the click-clack of footsteps descending the stairs again.Finally, the person who had pulled Simon released him, and Simon, freed, turned around."...Kazhan!!"Simon's eyes welled up.In this suffocating situation where he couldn't rely on anyone, one of the people he desperately sought had appeared.Simon clung to him and said,"Kazhan! Kazhan! It's a hard story to believe, but you have to trust me! I actually...!""I believe you."Kazhan raised his index finger, signaling him to lower his voice, then tilted his finger to point at the shattered Neptis artifact around Simon's neck."You saw the future, didn't you?""...!""There was an additional mission from Neptis-nim."Kazhan took out a pendant from his pocket that looked similar to the one Simon wore around his neck.It too was shattered into pieces."It's your escort mission."Kazhan continued in a calm tone."When your artifact is destroyed, this brother artifact is also destroyed, and it outputs your location information. I ran here as soon as I confirmed the artifact's damage.""...Ah!""Calm down. From now on, I will believe whatever you say."Kazhan lowered his stance and placed a hand on Simon's shoulder with a serious expression."I promise. No matter what terrible future awaits us, we can stop it if we work together."A calm expression, a confident voice, and a trusting smile.Simon instinctively knew."Tell me what future you saw."
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