The Worldview Where Everyone is Destined to Die

Chapter 7: Stage Without Actors (4)

Even while walking with muffled footsteps, Arthur didn't let his guard down.

'Surrender...'

It would be alright if I did something wrong, but the word surrender wasn't even right at this moment.

Moreover, in a situation like now where various circumstantial evidence has been fabricated to frame me.

"No turning in."

"Why?"

"Because I am involved too."

Arthur, who felt like he would snatch and hand me over to the Student Union, kept silent as if this reason was enough.

He seemed surprisingly obedient, and it bothered me that he seemed so conscious of Theodore, but now I really wasn't in a condition to care.

"Arma. Do not worry."

Judith, who was walking ahead of me as if to protect me from Arthur, spoke like this was no big deal.

In fact, I didn't have much to worry about as long as a swordsman like Judith took my side.

But it's unfortunate that it was only limited to the safety of my body.

Instead of worrying about the killer who disappeared, leaving behind this huge amount of blood, might change his mind and come back to kill me. I decided to think about why I had turned into the center of this scandal.

"..."

"Arma?'

"Ah, sorry. Don't worry..."

It seemed as if the drug was making my mind go back and forth.

"According to the actual plan, you should have gone back to the dorm."

As I mumbled with regret, Judith let out a light chuckle without turning her head.

"Do you think I would have left without doing anything?"

"... Oh."

"Because you are the suspicious student now. And I am used to such things."

I wasn't sure if I should smile or cry at this bad joke, which took advantage of my situation, but Judith's laughter was contagious which made me smile too.

And took a close look at the dorm building of Crown of Thorns Class which was in front of me.

The straight, large body of the building and the sharp, spire-shaped roof gave the viewer a tremendous sense of intimidation.

Everything felt so grandiose.

In particular, as you approach the dorm building, the vertical patterns of the new pillars and the round window frames which decorate the front of the dorm building are so delicate that it is hard to imagine that they were made by humans.

"There are no lights, so follow closely."

"Yes."

We entered quiet dorms, which were not affected by noise yet.

Unfortunately, the cloudy weather today kept hiding and revealing the pale moonlight.

As we entered the complex dorms building along the long colonnade surrounding the garden, it was Arthur who took the lead this time.

"Arthur."

"What can we do now-- go to your room? Instead, go to the stable or maybe the academy. Didn't you get involved too?"

Arthur had a point, but Theodore shook his head.

Perhaps the years they spent together had made them realize each other's inner thoughts that couldn't be said out loud, but Arthur eventually sighed and turned around.

Arthur was behaving oddly, as if he didn't even fully know if he wanted me to run away or turn myself in because Theodore was also involved in this.

"Huh."

Judith looked at him with a disapproving look, but the atmosphere wasn't as charged as when we first met, and Arthur didn't say a word until we reached the door of his dorm room.

And without much explanation, the door opened, with him letting us into his room.

'So dark.'

Arthur's room felt like it was taken over by shadows.

Basically, everyone will be assigned a dorm room of a similar type, but I wasn't sure why Arthur's room had this atmosphere.

Was it because of the turquoise silk walls with black floor?

Moreover, the thick hardcover books around the desk looked as if they were one with the moonlight, creating a solemn atmosphere.

"There is a cabinet around there, so be careful."

Well, the wooden floor was a darker shade of color than the wallpaper, and we couldn't see any decorations that were supposed to be around.

The only light in the room was from the faint moonlight from outside of the window, and so our eyes naturally turned to the desk, which was illuminated by the moonlight.

On the desk, a bible with a decorated border and a book in the process of being copied were spread out side by side.

The amazing harmony created by the intersection of black, red and blue ink was so high end crafted and it made the Bible look exclusive, but it also had a value as an art work.

'Bible? Such a unique hobby.'

Although the printing seemed to be done using some metal, the means to print hadn't yet caught up with the current advanced technology.

Since most printing had to be done through the hands of mages, copying through magic is common for such things and technical books.

Even so, paradoxically, doing something himself when it could be done by a mage was frugal-looking but looked like an amazing hobby too.

"Wait."

Arthur silently approached me again and cleaned the desk as if he didn't care.

And then, as if concerned about anyone looking in from outside, he drew the curtains in.

However, if Arthur hadn't done that, I truly would have criticized Arthur's choice of taking the limited edition red ink and copying tools from the Capital Magic Workshop that held them.

As the only source of our light vanished, we all fell into darkness.

Soon after, Arthur found a candle and a candlestick and lit them, and when he turned, the room turned bright.

"I didn't know that dorms with mages would also use candles."

Every time the candle flame moved, the light ahead of us would tremble too.

Even though it was the Wooden Cross class where the cadets from arts and physical education fields were gathered, I had no idea that the cadets of Crown of Thorns class, who had a confirmed graduation, lived in darkness.

"The provisions regarding the use of magic are a lot more strict than those for the Wooden Cross class."

Theodore took one of the candle holders, which had already been doubled and pulled a chair and tea table with a familiar motion.

Arthur quickly cleared the two books and inkwells that were scattered near the desk, and made space for the candles, and walked to us.

"Please understand that it is dark here because I don't want to show that I am awake to anyone."

Arthur said, gesturing to the fireplace.

Arthur's jawline, which could be seen through the shadowed light, was defined and had the appearance of an adult, creating a strange atmosphere.

Arthur is now one year older, and when he turns 24, he will be a senior in the academy. If he manages to successfully complete the two year courses, he will graduate as a sword master in reality.

But even if he graduates, he wouldn't probably reach that high...

"Arma."

Judith warned me as I was losing concentration again.

After arriving at the dorms, I sighed softly in front of Theodore who had completely let go of the communication, and Arthur, who was showing signs of discomfort, troubled.

"I will ask you again."

Arthur began to speak politely, as if he was deliberately trying to be more formal.

"I think it is right for Senior Arma to voluntarily appear in front of the student council."

Actually, the words of Arthur were honest enough for me to not feel disappointed. If there is anything unfair, one can clear up the false accusations there, and moreover, it might give us clues about where the missing body is.

But the reason I didn't do it was because I had an instinctive premonition that I cannot be caught in this situation.

There was clearly a reason why I shouldn't stay in the place any longer, a reason why I should leave this place with Theodore.

'And it's strange to say, but... the most important intuition I felt must be in line with my dream.'

As I left the chapel, the warnings in my head faded away and I even felt much more at ease as I crossed the cliff in this straight line and managed to come over to the dorms.

Since I had roughly planned out the next moves from here, it was almost time to show up there and surrender myself, like Arthur said.

"Pretend you didn't see me for one day."

"... One day."

There was something I definitely wanted to check by stopping at the chapel, where the incident happened.

"I will show up on my own tomorrow; Judith also had a hard time; it's alright now, so head back to the dorms."

Judith, who was close to me, will get summons from the student council, but for today, they wouldn't search the dorms.

This is because the evidence that they collected for committing the crime was too weak for them to step into the personal space of an elite family member.

"Fortunately, Theodore didn't encounter any cadets at the scene of the incident. You can go back to your daily life."

Theodore just stared at me without denying it or nodding his head.

As someone who had little experience with Theodore, I couldn't figure out what that meant, but it didn't seem like he disliked it.

"Now, now. Thank you for gathering here. I will never forget this help. And Arthur, please give me one of the chairs in the corner."

"... Ah."

The handsome man with ruffled hair laughed like he found this absurd.

And he nodded, opening the door.

There was a bit of a scuffle before Judith, who seemed uncomfortable, was quietly being sent, but the situation resolved quickly.

As I watched Arthur putting the tea utensils away and pushing the table to a different space between the bed and wall, I began to clear the doubts.

"You can use the bathroom."

"Yes."

My head was in a mess but I couldn't stay looking bloody, so I followed Arthur's words and headed to the bathroom.

Theodore stayed where he was, as if he still had some business to do with Arthur.

"Then I will go take a shower. Theodore, sleep well, let me know in advance."

"Yes"

In the bathroom, there was a pair of a shirt and pants which Arthur seemed to have prepared in advance.

At first glance, it looks like the length and width were half a size bigger than mine, but I couldn't be picky now.

After washing off the dried up blood with cold water several times, I, who seemed like a human, broke into cold sweat as I could see with my own eyes the traces that couldn't be erased.

I didn't realize it when I was in trance, but when I touched the water, I noticed a particularly bitter and slippery wound which seemed like a red seal.

"... Magic circle?"

The red thing near my heart was clearly a magic circle, if I wasn't wrong. It didn't come off despite rinsing it with water.

'Damn it...'

Outside the shower, there is a mage and a sword master with whom I have had a proper conversation for the first time.

On the other hand I just sent away Judith, my most reliable ally, to her dorm, and I had no weapons.

Cold sweat ran down my freshly washed back.