Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Assistant (3)

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Carlisle sighed heavily in his mind and spoke.  

‘Is the Hero nearby by any chance?’  

[They’re following from a distance.]  

…No.  

He suddenly thought of jealousy and the like, so he asked, and it turns out it’s real.  

It’s strange to feel jealous just because they’re with another female student, but considering the target is Elena, who openly picked a fight with them, it makes sense.  

It must feel like watching someone who was on your side cozying up to the enemy.  

‘…Originally, what I’m doing now is for the public good.’  

Thinking that, Carlisle looked at the student sprawled out before him.  

The student he had just mercilessly beaten with the Holy Sword was gasping for breath on the ground.  

‘I wonder if it’s okay to go around doing this kind of thing.’  

[Well, no need to pity them.]  

The Holy Sword added indifferently.  

[These are just pawns planted by the demon worshippers. If left alone, they’d disguise themselves as normal students and spread poison throughout the academy.]  

The reason Carlisle is beating these people without question is to prevent that in advance.  

In fact, as those words were spoken, a dark energy slowly seeped out of the fallen student’s mouth.  

Though it was so faint that only Carlisle, who had been forewarned, could notice it.  

This is the ‘mark’ placed on the student by the demon worshippers without their knowledge.  

A vicious method that subconsciously compels them to perform ‘certain actions’.  

These students, unaware, had this implanted at some point and were being used.  

Carlisle attacking them and beating them with the Holy Sword is the process of extracting it from their bodies.  

…It might seem excessive to beat them to remove it, but the Holy Sword says there’s no other way.  

[To root out insidious schemes, it’s important to methodically dismantle the opponent’s plans from the ground up. This is part of that.]  

It may not have an immediate major impact, but drops of water wear away stone. Cutting off the root is important.  

‘But how are we going to clean this up later?’  

Skipping classes from the very first day and going around beating up other students.  

No matter how good the intention, it’s hard to see this in a positive light.  

Causing unnecessary trouble and drawing attention is the last thing I want.  

[Ah, no need to worry about that.]  

‘Huh?’  

[These guys all have shady backgrounds if you dig into them. That’s why the demon worshippers targeted them in the first place. Just use that to spin a lie.]  

‘…’  

[Claiming they picked a fight would be the simplest, no?]  

This guy’s insane.  

I’m the one dragging random people into alleys and beating them without question.  

[But it’s the fastest and most effective way to stop their schemes.]  

‘…Hmm.’  

[Besides, after a beating like this, they won’t even remember what happened. We can just manipulate the details later.]  

‘…Hmm.’  

[It’s not like we’re doing purely evil things. If left alone, these people would face summary execution under imperial law.]  

Those who collaborate with demon worshippers can be killed first and questioned later. Considering that, this is practically a good deed…  

Listening to the Holy Sword’s calm explanation, Carlisle stroked his chin for a moment.  

What to say?  

It’s all true.  

‘Should we just call it a necessary evil?’  

[Necessary evil it is.]  

Well, stopping them from doing far worse things without even realizing it balances things out, I guess.  

“Hey, why are you doing this…?”  

Seems there’s one person who disagrees.  

Elena, standing beside him, had pupils trembling at a terrifying speed.  

From a commoner’s perspective, what Carlisle is doing must be unbearable.  

Then again, to someone who doesn’t know about the ‘mark’, it just looks like Carlisle is randomly dragging people into alleys and beating them.  

“It’s necessary, so I’m doing it.”  

Carlisle said that while slinging the Holy Sword onto his back.  

Explaining demon worshippers and such would just lead to more trouble if she asked how he knew.  

Best to gloss over it.  

“But I swear on the lady’s honor, I’m not tormenting people without reason.”  

…Not sure if Gray even has ‘honor’, but being the Hero, the name should carry some weight.  

Hearing that, Elena’s eyes widened before softening.  

Who knows what she’s thinking, but she then grinned and poked his side repeatedly.  

“Oh, is that it? You should’ve said so!”  

“Huh?”  

“This is like a dominance thing, right? ‘She’s mine, so hands off’?”  

“…”  

How pink must her brain be to jump to that conclusion immediately?  

“It’s not like there’s just one or two idiots obsessed with that monster. She’s beautiful and the Hero, after all. I heard even the guys you beat were weirdly fixated on her.”  

“…”  

“You must feel the same way, huh? That’s why you’re going all out preemptively?”  

“…That’s absurd.”  

[System Message]  

▶ Target ‘Gray’ is displeased!  

▶ The ‘Jealousy’ trait of the ‘Wariness’ characteristic has increased!  

“…”  

Even without seeing, he could imagine Gray’s face twisting somewhere while watching this.  

‘Seriously, come on.’  

Gray would obviously hate being tied to him ‘that way’, so why does denying it outright make her upset?  

[Well, rejecting someone and being rejected are two different things.]  

‘God, she’s so damn picky.’  

[…Just know that for now.]  

‘…?’  

No idea what that means, but anyway.  

‘Seems like something else to worry about.’  

What Elena just said can’t be ignored.  

The fact that all those marked by the demon worshippers were obsessed with the Hero is too coincidental.  

[I don’t remember them having this trait. Strange.]  

Even Gray, who remembers every single one of the demon worshippers’ pawns, says this. So it’s even more suspicious.  

Which means:  

‘There’s a difference.’  

It’s still a small detail, but something’s twisted.  

No idea how it’ll play out, but that’s all the more reason to be thorough.  

Gotta reinforce what we can, firmly.  

“Who’s next?”  

Saying that, he pulled out the next description the Holy Sword provided.  

Well, this one’s supposedly the last.  

“Uh, that’s… Um…”  

Elena immediately recognized who it was and where they’d be.  

…Pretty capable.  

Wide connections, quick thinking, good memory.  

For someone acknowledged by the Hero as skilled in swordsmanship, she’s oddly timid, but that somehow makes her seem less likely to cause trouble.  

‘And you cut this person’s head off?’  

[…A lapse in judgment.]  

Even the Holy Sword conceded without argument when Carlisle jabbed at it.  

Anyway, sparing her was probably the right call. Maybe even lucky.  

“…What is it?”  

“…”  

Retracting that statement.  

Lucky? No way.  

His luck must be terrible.  

“Do you have business with me?”  

The politely-spoken but oddly shaky voice made Carlisle think that instinctively.  

The description wasn’t particularly special, but the ‘family crest’ on the male student’s uniform was the problem.  

Carlisle skimmed over it.  

‘House of Grimbalt…’  

Not comparable to the Grand Duke Chasefield family, but still a prestigious military family. The guy in front of him is a member.  

[Leon Grimbalt… I remember him.]  

‘Anything useful besides the name?’  

[Forgot. He was insignificant.]  

‘…’  

[Just remember he was a pawn of the demon worshippers. Killed him the moment I found out and moved on.]  

‘…Ah, right.’  

[Well, even if he’s from a noble military house, he can’t fight you right now. You took down a Templar in one hit.]  

‘There’s a big problem, though.’  

[What?]  

‘I can’t fight anymore.’  

[…….]  

If the Holy Sword had a face, it’d probably be staring at him in disbelief.  

But channeling the Hero’s magic through Carlisle’s body is already pushing it.  

After beating several people in a row, fighting this guy too was straining him.  

As he thought that, Leon Grimbalt walked right up to him.  

His face wore a polite smile, but his eyes held a condescending glint.  

“—Ah, you. I remember you.”  

His voice dripped with undisguised hostility.  

“The guy clinging to the Hero at the royal banquet, right?”  

“…”  

“Acting all high and mighty like you own her?”  

The blatant provocation made Carlisle blink.  

‘Why’s this guy so worked up over that?’  

[Probably had his eye on me. I was kinda popular.]  

‘…’  

[…It’s actually true. At least pretend to acknowledge it.]  

‘Shut up.’  

Carlisle frowned.  

Well, whatever.  

Even if he can’t fight right now, he’s not letting this guy walk away.  

No telling what kind of trouble he’ll cause later, so it’s best to deal with him ASAP.  

So then.  

‘Hero.’  

[What?]  

‘Is the Miss still tailing us?’  

[Still there.]  

‘And she doesn’t know we’ve noticed?’  

[Obviously. What do you take me for?]  

Got it.  

Carlisle sighed inwardly.  

[Got a plan?]  

‘If you can call it that. Just can’t leave him be.’  

Gray must’ve noticed something off too, hence the stalking.  

So, gotta smooth things over before she gets too upset.  

‘Let’s see…’  

A way to handle this situation and appease Gray.  

There must be one.  

‘Hero.’  

[Yeah.]  

‘Do you remember how much they can take before dying?’  

[…….]  

…Might get a bit extreme, but.