How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

✦ Chapter 90 ✦

「Translator – Creator」

As the torture began, Russ, without even asking a question, pulled out all the nails from Sarah’s ten fingers. Then he brought the crude pliers towards her toes.

Perhaps to hear an answer, he left her teeth alone, but that wouldn’t be much comfort to Sarah.

Even as he calmly carried out the heinous act, there was no personal emotion in Russ’s movements. Instead, he occasionally frowned, showing only a very slight displeasure.

Sarah’s silence did not last long. When her thrashing forced Russ to remove the gag, she soon poured out everything she knew. It was just before the big toe of her left foot was about to be pulled out.

Belying her usually sunny disposition, Sarah harbored deep-seated hatred and darkness.

Sarah hid her true nature and was faithful to her role as a maid until the time was right. It was when I had just returned from the Academy.

During the day, she cleaned and unlocked the window latches, and smeared an unknown fragrance on the door frame. And at dawn, she came in after blinking the torch twice in front of the ventilation hole in the hallway.

But the plot failed when Adele came to me, sleeping through Sarah’s intended window of opportunity. And one of the maids who had a cold was unable to take the sleeping potion, so she was caught as well.

“Why didn’t you run away even though the plan failed?”

“Where can I go… and if I run away, I’m just confessing I’m the culprit…”

Russ probed, earning a sardonic smile from the exhausted Sarah.

Sarah was a refugee from a family that had been driven out of her hometown by the local lord’s tyranny. Her father died of illness, and her beautiful mother was forced to become the lord’s concubine. Her siblings, who were driven out with her, died on the streets.

Left alone, Sarah wandered the streets until she was lucky enough to become a maid in a noble house. She received a recommendation letter there and applied to our family, who were looking for new maids. Roberta, moved by Sarah’s hardships, took her in.

Looking at Sarah’s regret-filled face, her story seemed true. However, it appeared she used her past suffering for her own ends. The local lord who expelled young Sarah, the noble house where she first served, and the lord’s family that mysteriously died shortly after Sarah joined us, were all named Malone.

“Your plight stirs pity, but why are you taking it out on the wrong person? You know better than anyone how well the Count treats his servants.”

“…His benevolence differs little from scraps fed dogs and swine…”

After that, Sarah confessed everything she had done or knew, but she didn’t say a word about who ordered it.

However, it was clear that it was not something that a single maid could have planned, and in the end, Russ resumed the torture.

And just before the last nail on her little toe was pulled out, Sarah finally opened her mouth with a resigned expression.

“This…was…kkhhh…kkhhh!!”

But at that moment, thick black blood poured forth from Sarah’s mouth in a torrent, staining her pitiful gasps.

Between Sarah’s open mouth, a very dark black pattern was clearly visible on the tip of her tongue. The highest grade of the Seal of Silence, with two snakes intertwined.

Sarah didn’t choose not to speak, she couldn’t.

“What is this…Laurel! Pass me a potion, quickly!”

Though Russ urgently attempted treatment, no restorative could undo the consequences of Sarah’s violated Oath.

“…I despise you mana-wielders…I hate the damn gods too… What good is that mana’s grace… Cough!”

Spewing hatred for the world until her last breath, that was how Sarah died.

Only a bitter aftertaste and the stench of blood lingered after the interrogation’s conclusion. 

“Ugh…”

Though it felt like ages had passed in that underground cell, barely over an hour had elapsed topside. 

As I swayed unsteadily by the stairs, Russ reached out to steady me.

“My lord, are you well?”

“…Yes, just dazzled by the brightness…”

“You appear decidedly unwell, my lord…”

Russ’ words stung with uncomfortable truth. The bright sunlight was not my only discomfort.

The cloying reek of iron and Sarah’s haunting screams still clung stubbornly within me.

In stark contrast, Laurel and Russ seemed unfazed – as if nothing untoward had occurred.

While unsurprising for Laurel’s calloused mien, Russ’ stoic demeanor struck me as unexpectedly jarring. Who could have foreseen such cold ruthlessness lurking behind that perpetually sunny smile?

“Why did you have to witness such unpleasantries? I did warn it was too soon for you. At the very least wait until graduating from the Academy, and…oof!”

As Laurel appeared on the verge of another chiding lecture, Russ characteristically muzzled and dragged her away.

I tried to calm down for a moment while walking in the courtyard, but the questions that arose would not let me go easily.

Sarah’s case was not particularly special. There must be many of them, even though they are of noble birth, but most of the demon worshippers tend to spread around such alienated and desperate people.

But who on earth ordered Sarah? Was there anyone among the enemies I remember who was active in the south? Or is it a completely new person I don’t know?

The south was a region that rarely appeared in Eugene’s stories, and of course, what I knew about the south was only a very small part of what I knew.

However, what is certain is that I cannot return to the Academy comfortably until I catch the bastard who is messing up Madehaven now.

But can I catch the mastermind with just the little information I have and my current knowledge? Just thinking about it makes my head hurt.

“Found you!”

While I was continuing my fruitless thoughts, someone suddenly came up to me and patted me on the back. It seemed like they had gathered all their strength, but it was not enough to make me stagger.

A young female’s voice…but not Adele’s. But then who?

I turned around and saw a woman with ashen hair and sky-blue eyes that had lost their color.

“Edwin!”

“…Cecila?”

A foreign student from the Holy Kingdom appeared in the south out of nowhere.

* * * * *

Although it had been a long time since the awkwardness of our first meeting had dissipated, my relationship with Cecila remained ambiguous. She was not a complete stranger, yet we were not particularly close either.

Therefore, while I had exchanged deep regrets about our parting during the semester break with Ellie and Selene, I had no such emotional exchange with Cecila.

We just shook hands and exchanged light farewells on the day of the graduation ceremony.

Just like now, back then Cecila was all smiles.

“…Why are you here?”

“That’s a bit of a hurtful question, isn’t it? Who in the world asks why someone is here when they called them themselves?”

“Huh? Wait, so…”

My father had clearly said the Inquisitors would be arriving today.  

I had thought perhaps Lazarus might come, but Cecila was unexpected.

“Cecila, were you an Inquisitor by any chance?”

“Well, I’m not an Inquisitor per se, but I guess you could say something similar…”

Without losing her smile, she muttered evasively without giving a proper answer.

When she and I returned to the main residence, there were five unfamiliar people standing there. If I didn’t know their true identity, they would have looked like humble pilgrims draped in plain robes.

Apparently having heard our approach, the one who seemed the leader of the group approached us.

“I am Dante of the Westford Diocese. You must be Lord Edwin Reed? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You must be tired from your long journey. But… are you alright? You seem quite fatigued…”

Despite his welcoming greeting, Dante’s face was indeed heavy with weariness; dark circles were visible under his eyes.

“Haha, this is nothing. It’s because Lady Cecila urged us to hurry our pace…”

When I looked at Cecila, she averted her gaze pretending not to notice. Come to think of it, Dante’s attitude towards her was rather peculiar.  

His face was full of discomfort, yet he never lost an excessive deference when addressing her.

Just what is going on…?

“Cecila, are you perhaps from some prominent noble family in the Holy Kingdom?”

“Oh please, prominent? I’m just ordinary.”

She waved her hand dismissively as she muttered those words. The moment the word ‘ordinary’ left her lips, I could have sworn I saw Dante’s body flinch ever so slightly.

“So what’s the real reason?”

“What do you mean?” 

“I’m talking about why you came to our territory. You said you weren’t an Inquisitor earlier.”

“Originally, it’s the norm for the Holy Kingdom’s children to do this. We need to accumulate experience in these kinds of activities so that we can get to high positions later. Dante. Right?”

“Yes…? Ah, yes! Lady Cecila speaks the truth. It happens often… often… haha…”

“You hear that? But I came here because I heard there was a request for help, and it just happened to be the territory of my ‘friend’. So I thought it was a good opportunity and came here.”

Cecila glared at Dante lightly, then spoke casually as if it were nothing. Come to think of it, my father had said that Archbishop Timothy had also worked as an Inquisitor in the past. Cecila’s actions must be similar in context.

“That said, I have to admit our lands aren’t entirely peaceful right now. What you might call ‘heretics’, perhaps? We may have to deal with such types. But you’ll be alright with that…?”

In response to my cautious inquiry, she gave me an incredulous look, “Why worry about such useless things… Dante. Please tell him for me.”

“Yes? Haha, of course. Lord Edwin. You can trust Lady Cecila’s words. On the contrary, having her here might make it easier to catch those guys.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Dante, as if he had become her spokesperson, replied, sweating profusely.

“Um…but are you two perhaps…”

“Oh please. I said on the way, we’re very close friends. Dante, how do we come across to you?”

“What are you doing?”

To the flustered Dante’s bewilderment, Cecila suddenly lightly grasped my arm. Then turning to Dante, she asked him.

As she did this, Dante’s face inexplicably drained of color.

“Lady Cecila…that…the arm…uh…”

“Dante, I clearly told you not to read into such things…”

*Crash!*

Just as Cecila was about to fire back at Dante, a sudden shattering sound like breaking glass came from behind.

Turning around, there stood Adele silently, staring at us with a dumbfounded expression. 

At Adele’s feet lay a shattered glass, the beverage it had contained spilled across the floor – presumably meant for me.

“Oh my, isn’t she adorable. Edwin, who is this young lady…”

“Hunh…huwaaaaah…!”

The moment Cecila started towards Adele, a heartbroken wail suddenly echoed through the courtyard.

— End of Chapter —

Author’s Note:

I thought about describing the torture in more detail, but I thought it might be too tiring to read for the readers, so I shortened it…

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