38 - The Victim of the Academy

The Arbiter (6) The timing was flawless. The insufficient strength was compensated with overtechnology equipment acquired from Emily. After setting the stage and waiting for the right moment, there was just one chance for success. “Aha…” But the blow aimed at Tillis’s brow was easily and anticlimactically parried. Johan, being the underdog, had exhausted his only chance. “It was a perfect surprise attack. I could have been taken down if I wasn’t careful.” The attack to the brow was blocked by Mastema’s wings, shielding Tillis’s face like the hands of a tender guardian. A dagger Johan had driven in with all his might was embedded there. “However, it's unfortunate. It wasn’t the strength; it was the speed that was lacking.” A gentle smile lingered on the edge of her lips, visible beyond the wings. It was certainly threatening. Unfortunately, the discrepancy in ability between the two was too great. Even if he had managed to land the attack, Tillis wouldn’t have perished. She was, in the truest sense, a being that could be called a monster. And this fact… “Oh?” Johan was well aware of it too. From the start, Johan didn’t entertain the thought of defeating Tillis. Not even wounding her. He knew the attack would be blocked. Given his lack of power, it was better for Johan to aim for the vulnerable eyes instead of her forehead. Not doing so was because he anticipated the defense. By aiming for the brow, he hoped the wings would fully obscure her vision, even for just a moment. He had rehearsed it. He knew that in similar situations, Tillis opted for defense rather than evasion. This was the result of extensive preparation, a culmination of efforts to predict her behavior, even taking lessons to analyze her patterns. "Where…?" Tillis blinked in confusion and looked around. Johan, who had dared to ambush her along with Koran Lekias, was nowhere to be found. He had escaped. “So this can happen too…” Tillis intended not to lose track of Johan despite her vision being obscured. Yet, why had she lost him? The reason was simple. The dagger stuck in her wing still held power. Contrary to the expectation that Johan would be clinging to it, a peculiar contraption was affixed to the embedded dagger, propelling it with mechanical force. When did Johan let go of the dagger? “From the beginning…?” Surprising, indeed. It implied he never harbored even the slightest expectation of success. In a sense, one might call it self-assurance. “Haha!” Even as she rubbed her forehead, Tillis let out a laugh out of sheer incredulity. The difference in their capabilities was evident, yet she hadn’t expected it to play out like this. But… “Did he truly believe he could escape?” Tillis turned her head. Her sensory perception was somewhat inferior compared to other superhumans. Yet, even so, there was something only she could feel. “It’s all perceptible.” It was the demonic energy. The demonic energy was rushing down the mountain swiftly. Yet, it wasn’t an uncatchable speed, even in her current exhausted state. However… ‘There must be an accomplice.’ Tillis had sparred with Johan before, and she recognized that the current speed wasn’t something Johan could achieve. Furthermore, the recent dagger attack was unmistakably from Ex Machina, but it differed fundamentally from Koran Lekias’s technology. This indicated another Ex Machina, and pursuing rashly could be dangerous. “Then let's take a leisure approach, and pursue from a distance.” That didn’t mean she intended to abandon the chase. Tillis’s monstrous trait lay in her regenerative ability. In just five minutes of rest, she could recover more than half of her stamina. With this realization, Tillis pursued Johan, maintaining a strategic distance to buy time. And as expected, Tillis encountered interferences during the chase. “The resistance is fiercer than I thought…” Even as she breached the traps and mines set against her, Tillis clicked her tongue, her lips slightly pouting. Did they truly think such measures would hold her back? Though buying time was possible, complete escape was not. No matter the struggle, there wouldn’t be time to call for rescue. Tillis was keenly aware of that. Yet, the nagging persistence prompted Tillis to quicken her pace, pursuing Johan. Eventually, she closed in completely. “...?” Instead of Johan, she found a small drone levitating, scattering traps around it. As Tillis spotted a book tied to it, she realized she had been deceived. “This is…?” Reflecting on her initial meeting with Johan, there was no demonic energy felt. By their second encounter, he reeked of it, leading Tillis to assume he had formed a demonic contract. But that wasn’t the case. Johan had orchestrated a belief that he had allied with a demon. From the very start, it was all part of a grand design. “This can’t be used in this state.” As she checked the uncontracted Lemegeton’s grimoire clutched in her hand, Tillis couldn’t help but frown. Tillis could only devour demons already bound by a contract. Demons are transcendental beings, and even Tillis couldn’t bind a free demon without a contract. “Oh.” The Lemegeton’s grimoire in Tillis’s hand began to dissipate like smoke. The demon had reclaimed it upon realizing it had fallen into someone else’s hands. “Ha…” A heavy sigh escaped Tillis. She had been thoroughly outmaneuvered; the realization drained her. Yet, she was also pleased. “If Johan resisted the allure of the spirit, then he’s a good person.” Evil for evil. Goodness for goodness. According to Tillis’s straightforward moral compass, Johan Damus was now categorized as virtuous this very moment. “Well, that’s fine. Let’s be satisfied with this outcome for today.” Tillis smiled brightly. She then fixed her gaze on the drone she held in her hand. “Oh.” Distracted by the demon, Tillis noticed something unexpected. As soon as it was caught in her hand, the drone struggled to escape. “How cute.” Tillis found it endearing. Thus, she decided to take the drone as a trophy. * * * It wasn’t until Tillis and her demons were out of sight that I could finally exhale the breath I'd been holding. “Huff...!” I removed the optical camouflage cloak that Emily had crafted. In truth, I hadn’t moved a step from where I’d thrust the dagger. I was worried that being so close might lead to detection, but fortunately, Emily’s technology, combined with the environment, worked in our favor. It was a bit regrettable to have used up all the falsehoods I’d spread as contingency plans, but thanks to them, I successfully deceived Tillis. “Let’s go back.” I helped the prone Koran Lekias up and we headed toward the escape route we had secretly used before. Tillis wouldn’t even know of this exit's existence, so even if she returned to search for us, time would be against her. We made our way through the escape route when— “Huff! Cough...” “Oh dear, are you alright? You should’ve taken it easy, considering your age.” “Why did you come to rescue me?” What a deflating thing to say. Why did we bother rescuing him if that’s the first thing he says? Well, maybe if you were prepared to die fighting, you might react that way. “If you’re curious, why not ask your student instead?” “Emily...” At that moment, Emily was ahead, reinforcing the exit we were using to escape. We had reinforced the temporary supports on the tunnels that couldn’t be fully restored since they had collapsed once. Seeing the mechanical apparatus emerging from Emily’s back, Koran Lekias let out a faint laugh. “So, it was you…” He must have realized by now that Emily was from Ex Machina, just like himself. Knowing him, he’d have already figured out that Emily was a more skilled researcher than he was. “Why rescue me? I can’t possibly be worth it to you.” “...Because you’re my teacher.” “Even though I have nothing to teach you?” Sarcasm. People are like that. They might feel more betrayed at being deceived than grateful for being saved. Especially when they’re mentally and physically strained. I understand, but accepting it is a different matter. “...I’ve learned a lot from you as my teacher.” Emily replied in a calm voice. “I learned not to peek at others’ experiment logs without permission.” Even considering she was a researcher at Ex Machina, Emily possesses an understanding quite foreign to ordinary people. “I also learned that asking about the reasons for a study could be impolite.” Koran Lekias had always corrected Emily’s peculiar behaviors. I’ve witnessed it myself. “I learned how to live among others and build relationships.” “...” Emily turned to face Koran Lekias. Her expression remained impassive, but an unwavering determination resonated from her. “Emily... I’m not a good person.” “I know.” “You were just overlapping me with your deceased granddaughter.” “I know that too.” “I’m... not someone worth saving at such great risk.” “Perhaps not.” Though Koran Lekias might have a tragic background, that doesn’t justify his actions. He pushed numerous people into chaos—a criminal by all accounts. “Teacher, why did you see me as your granddaughter?” “...” “Isn’t it because I resemble her? I heard she died helping people in the slums, people to whom she had no connections.” Emily turned around again, clearing the debris in her path as she continued. “So I did the same. I learned from the way of life in you that you were proud of. I simply practiced the life methods you taught me.” “I... taught you...?” Koran Lekias’s body trembled. Though his face was unseen, I could sense he was crying as his head hung low. “Because you showed me how to treat family.” But that was okay. The thunderous noise from Emily’s machinery would drown out everything, even the old man's stubborn repentance and remorse. * * * By the time we emerged through the escape route, the world was cloaked in darkness. With an injured party and the careful movements, time had quickly slipped away. “Johan, from here, I’ll take care of things.” “...Alright.” The mechanical device protruding from Emily's back reshaped itself. It transformed constantly, morphing until it became a cart large enough for a person to lie down on. Once again, I was struck by the realization of Emily’s position as an Ex Machina executive. The mechanics left me baffled. “You did well.” “Thank you, you too.” I laid Koran Lekias, whom I’d been supporting, on the cart, and lightly rotated my shoulders. I finally felt like it was over. Of all the events that had occurred recently, this one had been on an immense scale. “I’ll have the requested items completed and sent by next week.” “Alright.” Even with the equipment borrowed from Emily for today, it was impressive. Given the effort spent on her request today, I could only hope the outcome would be worth it. “Then take care on your way.” “Yes, you too, Johan.” Even as I spoke, I chuckled internally. Who’s worrying about whom, really? Emily was, after all, an Ex Machina executive. As we were parting ways— “Johan.” “Huh?” I turned to the sound of Emily’s voice and saw her. “Thanks for today♡” She was drawing a heart with her fingers, smiling. It was her usual, incredibly awkward attempt at being playful. But… “Yeah.” This time, it was kind of cute.