Chapter 41-45: I'm the Saintess's Younger Sister

Chapter 41: Detective Games (5)

Melena's backyard.

Normally quiet due to lack of use, it was different today.

The ground in one corner began to tremble.

Starting as a slight tremor, it intensified, culminating in an eruption of golden energy that sent earth and stones skyward.

Five figures emerged from the newly formed hole.

"Gah! I, I thought I was going to die…!"

"I thought we were going to be buried alive…"

Leon, Elena, Lucia, and the real Professor Melena pulled themselves up, gasping for breath.

"If it weren't for Lucia, we would have been buried…"

"You saved us."

The shockwave from Aria and the fake Melena's clashing swords hadn't directly impacted them much, but it had spread outwards.

The already dilapidated basement couldn't withstand the impact of two powerful individuals' attacks.

Walls and the ceiling shattered, and earth poured in, but…

‘Oh no…! Luci…!’

Fortunately, Lucia had erected a holy power barrier in time, preventing them from being buried alive.

Leon's subsequent attacks had blasted a hole through the earth, leading to their current situation.

They lay sprawled on the grass, catching their breath.

"Where's Aria?"

"Huh? Now that you mention it…"

Lucia looked around, bewildered by Aria's absence.

Leon and Elena also got up, but couldn't find her.

"Don't tell me she's still trapped…?"

Leon's last memory was of Aria facing the imposter.

Could she have escaped in that precarious situation?

Various scenarios raced through his mind, but he was brought back to reality by…

Crash! Bang! Shatter!

The sounds of fierce battle erupted from the direction of the house.

"We have to help her… Ugh…!"

Lucia groaned in pain, collapsing back down.

Her face was contorted in agony.

"You overexerted yourself."

"Lucia, rest here. We'll go help."

"No, I can go to…!"

"As your bodyguard, I can't let you push yourself."

Alicia restrained Lucia as she tried to stand.

"…I guess I would only be a burden…"

Lucia finally gave up, her head drooping.

"We'll be back as soon as possible."

"Go and help her, quickly."

Leon and Elena ran towards the house, leaving Lucia, the unconscious Professor Melena, and Alicia behind.

Lucia lay back, exhausted, and turned to Alicia.

"Alicia."

"Yes, Saintess?"

"Go help her."

"But I'm your bodyguard…"

"Please."

"…"

Their eyes met for a long moment.

"…Alright."

Alicia finally relented, turning away.

"Sigh… Aria…"

Please be safe…

The sounds around her faded.

Lucia closed her eyes.

The house was in ruins when Leon and Alicia arrived.

Walls were riddled with holes, and windows were shattered.

The furniture inside was destroyed.

"Where is Ar…?"

Boom

Before Leon could finish, someone crashed through the wall, landing before them.

It was Aria.

"Aria!"

"…Leon?"

"Are you alright?"

"So far, yes."

Aria sat up, brushing dust off her clothes.

Cuts, resembling knife wounds, covered her body.

"You're holding up well."

Their respite was short-lived.

The fake Melena emerged from the hole in the wall.

"Even the original owner of this body collapsed instantly after being hit by that poison."

"…Poison?"

Leon instinctively repeated the word.

"Oh, right. You wouldn't know."

"Be careful. Her sword is coated with poison."

"A sleeping poison, to be precise."

The imposter raised her sword boastfully. A greyish, translucent liquid on the blade glinted in the sunlight streaming through the hole.

"This is a rare poison extracted from a magical beast in the Demon Realm."

"Magical beast?"

"A venomous snake-type magical beast nicknamed the Dream Serpent. I don't know the details."

"Night Viper…"

"Aria? Do you know this magical beast?"

Aria murmured, seemingly recognizing the name.

"It's a magical beast that uses a unique poison. Once afflicted, the victim sleeps for months, eventually starving to death."

"So, Stella…"

"She has people to care for her, so she won't starve."

Leon nodded, slightly relieved.

"Do you know what's special about this magical beast's poison?"

The imposter continued, her figure vanishing and reappearing in front of Leon.

Screech

The chilling sound of steel scraping against steel. The blade stopped just short of Leon's face.

"You reacted? As expected of the Hero."

A drop of sweat trickled down Leon's neck. He'd have been struck if his reaction had been even slightly delayed.

Whoosh! Crack!

"Tch… So close…!"

Aria's sword flashed silver, followed by the whistling of Elena's arrow. Both attacks intercepted the imposter.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she retreated.

"As I was saying, this poison can put anyone weaker than me to sleep."

"What does that mean?"

"Simply put, it works on those weaker than me."

She spoke casually.

"And this poison comes from a high-ranking magical beast."

"Just a scratch is all it takes…?"

High-ranking magical beasts were disasters incarnate. Even the Hero, the Divine Archer, and Class A students were no match for them at their current level.

"Leon…"

"Don't let her get close, Elena. Aria, you be careful too."

"Worry about yourself."

Aria readied herself.

"The Academy will notice the commotion soon."

"So we just hold out?"

Leon gripped his sword, focusing on the imposter.

"Do you really think you can?"

"…"

A different level of killing intent emanated from the imposter.

As if she'd been holding back until now.

Bang

An explosion erupted before Leon could react. The ensuing shockwave confirmed that Aria and the imposter had clashed.

"Don't be fooled by her speed."

Aria spoke without taking her eyes off her opponent.

Despite the life-or-death situation, her voice was calm.

"She's an assassin. Speed is her forte. Focusing only on speed is a sure way to lose."

"Really? Let's see if it's just speed!"

The imposter grabbed Aria's hair.

"Ar…!"

Crash

Before Leon could react, Aria was thrown into a wall.

"Sigh, one down?"

Whoosh

"Oh? Are you next?"

The imposter dodged Elena's arrow, turning to face her.

Leon lunged forward, determined to protect Elena.

Clang

"A gentleman, protecting a lady? How chivalrous."

"Leon?"

"Ugh…"

The impact felt like a hammer blow.

She was strong and fast.

"You blocked that? How about this?"

One attack after another came relentlessly.

She moved so fast that she left afterimages.

But…

"Haah!"

As Aria said, she was fast, but not impossible to block with focus.

"Oh?"

Leon's swing pushed her back, followed by a blast of golden energy.

"Pant… Pant…"

"That was close."

The imposter reappeared, unharmed.

"Still…"

"It's over."

Her sword swung in a flash.

The attack, aimed at his head…

‘I can't block this…!’

By the time he realized it, the blade was upon him.

Thud

A chilling sensation of flesh being pierced. He closed his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Aiming for the head… isn't that a foul…?"

He opened his eyes, expecting pain, but saw familiar black hair.

"Aria?"

"You owe me one."

A trickle of blood ran down her arm.

"Are you alright…!"

Leon saw the sword embedded in Aria's arm, not his head. As he spoke…

"…"

Aria collapsed.

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Chapter 42: Detective Games (6)

"Aria? Aria!"

"Aria!"

"…"

Leon's calls went unanswered.

Only a chilling silence remained.

"I really didn't expect this…"

"You…!"

The blood flowing from Aria's arm was the only proof of what had just transpired.

Fortunately, faint breaths indicated she was still alive.

"Sigh… Calm down, Elena."

"But…"

"She's not dead yet."

If he'd heard correctly, the poison was a soporific, not lethal. He found solace in the fact that she wasn't dead, though he wasn't happy about the situation.

"Well, not yet."

The imposter shrugged, unconcerned.

"But will she stay that way?"

"What?"

"Unlike you, with the Empire, the Church, and the Great Forest backing you, she's just a commoner, right?"

"…"

"It wouldn't be a problem if she died, would it?"

Her words were a provocation, and despite knowing this…

"It would be better to just kill her now…"

"Leon!"

Leon lunged forward.

Clang

Sparks flew as their swords clashed.

"Charging in blindly is a demerit in combat."

"…"

"Or are you still a novice who hasn't experienced real combat, despite being the Hero?"

She spoke leisurely, contrasting with Leon's tense focus.

"Or maybe they don't teach these things anymore?"

"Elena!"

As Leon spoke, an arrow flew from behind him, but the imposter effortlessly dodged with a graceful spin. Her sword flashed towards Leon's face.

Clang

"Ugh…!"

The force of the impact rattled his bones. She was stronger than anyone Leon had ever crossed blades with.

No, was she?

A formidable opponent in front, Elena supporting him from behind… Leon felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Something similar had happened recently.

‘Leon, let’s subdue her and talk.’

The girl they'd encountered while pursuing Elena's younger sister, Lena.

The day he and Elena, the Hero and Divine Archer, first encountered a true obstacle.

Although the fight had been inconclusive, they would have lost without Alicia and Lucia.

"Leon!"

Alicia entered through the hole in the wall before Leon could finish his thought. She surveyed the scene, her gaze settling on Aria.

"Aria…?"

"Yes?"

"She's been hit by a sleeping poison on that sword."

Alicia's gaze shifted to the imposter, her expression hardening as she saw the poisoned blade.

"What should I do?"

"Just hold out until the professors arrive. Help me."

"…Understood."

Alicia drew her weapon.

"I thought I'd finished one, but another appears? You're quite popular with the ladies, aren't you?"

"…"

"Is that how Heroes usually are?"

She spoke mockingly. Receiving no response, she attacked again.

As their swords clashed, Alicia struck, exploiting an opening in the imposter's defense.

"Tch…"

The imposter deflected Alicia's attack, but Elena's arrow followed close behind.

The situation was similar to that day.

"Haa!"

"What…?"

Unlike then, when he'd been on the defensive, Leon now held a slight advantage in strength.

He pushed the imposter back, creating an opening for Alicia.

However, Leon had forgotten something.

"Tch, how annoying!"

The imposter suddenly charged, not at him, but past him.

"What?"

"Don't tell me…"

Leon and Alicia swung their swords, but she leaped over their attacks, crashing through the wall and ceiling behind them.

Leon suddenly remembered something he'd forgotten.

That day, Aria's first target hadn't been him…

"Elena, dodge!"

…but the archer at the back.

"What…!"

Elena fired an arrow, creating distance, but the imposter closed the gap rapidly.

That day, Alicia had been there to protect Elena. Not today.

He and Alicia rushed towards Elena, but they couldn't match the assassin's speed.

The imposter dodged the arrow, grabbed Elena's face, and slammed her into the ground.

Boom!

Elena's body crashed through the floor. Leon and Alicia rushed through the dust cloud, but it was too late.

"Ugh…"

"Elena!"

"Elena!"

Thud

"Now, that's two."

The poisoned blade was embedded in Elena's abdomen. Her struggles ceased as she went limp.

The imposter turned back to them.

"I'm out of time. Let's finish this quickly."

She spoke with an annoyed tone.

Then, she vanished.

"Ugh?!"

Clang

Sensing something amiss, Leon and Alicia raised their swords. Sparks erupted in the air.

Their defenses, caught off guard, were ineffective. They were sent flying backward.

"I didn't want to use this technique, it takes a toll… But, this is the end."

The voice came from behind them.

Leon turned, heart pounding, to see the imposter standing there.

"What…?"

Thud

A collapsing sound beside him.

It wasn't him.

"Alicia?"

Alicia lay unconscious on the ground, a cut on her shoulder.

Leon's head swam.

He stumbled, barely managing to stay upright by planting his sword in the ground.

"You're still standing? As expected of the Hero."

A voice reached his fading consciousness. He finally understood what had happened.

Magic? Teleportation? No. She was simply too fast for his eyes to follow. She hadn't been using her full power.

"That girl was quite impressive too, you know? She fought me for several minutes after being cut by this sword."

She… endured the poison for minutes?

He, the Hero, still relatively weak, had some poison resistance due to the Goddess's blessing. But even he felt the poison's effects immediately.

"Well, it seems she's reached her limit."

"…"

"Now, let's end thi… Oh? You…"

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was…

"How is she up?"

"…?"

…Aria, somehow standing up.

"How is she up?"

"I wonder… Are you curious?"

F questioned Aria, her eyes flickering with surprise before regaining their composure.

"…It doesn't matter what you did. I just need to finish you off."

"Finish me off…"

F lunged at Aria, sword raised.

Unlike before, when Aria had merely blocked, the outcome was different.

Crack

F's sword froze mid-air.

"…What?"

"You asked how I woke up, right?"

Aria's hand, now enveloped in darkness, gripped F's blade inches from her face. It held the sword firm, unyielding.

"The reason is simple."

Aria's eyes glowed red. F's instincts screamed danger.

"I'm. Stronger."

No. It wasn't an illusion.

As darkness enveloped the surroundings, the remaining light intensified.

Starting from Aria, the floor, walls, and ceiling were consumed by her shadow, as if the room were a bottomless abyss.

"That's all."

"Y-You… Who are you…?"

"Shh, now's not the time for questions."

Aria smiled, placing a finger on her red lips.

F realized, looking at that beautiful yet terrifying sight, that this girl…

"Let's start again."

…no, this something…

"A fight to the death."

…was a predator far above her, perhaps at the very top of the food chain.

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Chapter 43: Detective Games (7)

"What… what is this…!"

"You don't need to know."

The pressure was entirely different now.

If she had been the predator before, the roles were now reversed.

Click

"What are you waiting for?"

Click

"Aren't you going to attack?"

Click

"Like before?"

Each step Aria took sent shivers down F's spine.

It felt like countless blades were pressed against her skin, making even the slightest movement difficult.

"Just who… are you?"

This thing couldn't be a mere Academy student.

The pressure was so overwhelming that she questioned whether Aria was even human.

The Headmaster, whom F had considered the most dangerous individual, paled in comparison.

"Well, if you're just going to stand there…"

Thud

Aria vanished with a single step.

F was momentarily stunned by the speed, too fast for her eyes to follow.

"···!"

"…Shall I make the first move?"

Aria reappeared right in front of her.

Boom!

"Gah…!"

Despite her defense, Aria's attack landed squarely. F was sent flying backward, crashing into a wall.

"Impossible…"

"Well, that's what you think."

"···!"

A voice responded to her muttered words.

Not from the front, but from right beside her ear.

"Die…!"

"Aha…"

Whoosh

Aria effortlessly dodged F's close-range attack with a tilt of her head.

F's ribs felt broken, pain lancing through her with every movement, but survival took precedence.

"Pant… Pant… Why is a monster like you at this school…!"

It felt unfair. This wasn't mere bad luck.

"With this level of power, you could have taken me down earlier. Why…?"

Aria had collapsed after being impaled.

Why hadn't she used this power before? The question gnawed at F.

"It wasn't the right time."

"The right time?"

"If you had simply stabbed me, I would have stayed down. But you aimed for my head."

"You're telling me you were faking it because of that?"

"Because of that?"

Even with superhuman abilities and holy power's healing properties, death was still possible.

If the head or heart were destroyed, that was the end.

Glesia had survived due to a combination of luck and strength.

Leon wasn't on that level.

"What… is your purpose…!"

"Ahaha, that's a question usually reserved for villains. It feels strange hearing it directed at me in this situation."

Aria chuckled.

Her next words shocked F.

"I… don't know."

"What?"

"I don't know. What I want. What I should do."

Her eyes held no deception, only genuine confusion. F was speechless.

"Crazy, crazy…"

"Well, I think so too."

Aria had long since abandoned the notion of sanity. She had merely learned to maintain a semblance of reason within the madness.

Succumbing completely meant death.

That vacant gaze, devoid of emotion, as if having witnessed unimaginable horrors…

It terrified F more than anything.

"Are you going to continue fighting? I don't have much time."

Fight? Against that?

That was suicide.

"The professors will be here soon…"

"…I…"

"…Yes?"

"…surrender."

Aria's eyes widened in surprise.

"A-Aha… AHAHAHAHAHA…!"

Comprehension dawned, replacing shock with hysterical laughter.

F stared in horror.

"A…haha…ha… It seems I misheard you."

"What?"

"I didn't mean surrender. I'd prefer if you ran away."

"…"

F couldn't comprehend Aria's intentions anymore. Trying to find logic in a madman's actions was foolish. There was a reason they were called madmen.

"Let's make a deal."

"A deal?"

The word "deal" brought demons to mind.

F had never made one or witnessed one, but what else could this be called?

"If you accept, I have one condition."

Deals with demons were said to be tempting, irresistible offers that preyed on one's deepest desires.

"The Thing you seek…"

"How do you…!"

"I'll tell you."

"So, what's your answer?"

F was silent for a moment.

"Who… are you…?"

The same question, yet entirely different.

Before, it was fear of a powerful being. Now, it was the terror of the unknown.

"How… do you know about that?"

Information known only to her boss, the only one who could give her orders within the organization.

And now this unrelated girl knew about it.

"I don't think we have time for that."

"So, what's your answer?"

"I…"

"Let's hurry…!"

"Yes!"

A man and a woman ran across the Academy grounds.

Students stared in surprise, but they ignored them, picking up speed.

"Please be safe…"

They were Professors Lian and Glesia.

They were heading to Melena's house.

"Why is it so far!"

Glesia cried out, her voice laced with anxiety and impatience. Lian understood and didn't reply.

"What exactly happened?"

"We'll have to see when we get there, but…"

They had been working when a report came in.

A professor reported a massive explosion and sounds of battle. Sensing something serious, they'd rushed over immediately.

"I believe it's highly likely this is related to Aria."

"What?"

Aria had requested to go out to gather information.

The incident had occurred the very next day.

Lian was certain the two were connected.

They finally reached the house.

"What the…!"

Glesia gasped at the sight of the half-destroyed, smoking building.

"This seems quite serious."

"Let's go… Hm? Is that…?"

Two figures caught their attention.

They couldn't mistake the girl with distinct white hair, even covered in dust.

"Saintess!"

"Lucia!"

"M-Mm…"

Lucia opened her eyes as they reached her and shook her gently. She recognized them and grabbed their arms.

"Professor Glesia!"

"What happened here…?"

"Quickly! Please help them!"

"What?"

Glesia was startled by Lucia's urgency.

"Leon, Elena, and Aria are still inside…!"

"!"

Glesia cursed and bolted towards the house.

"What exactly transpired, Saintess?"

"Well… We came here to investigate a lead…"

Lucia began explaining the events to Lian, who nodded in understanding.

"Shouldn't you go help?"

"It will be alright."

"But…"

"She's currently our strongest asset, aside from the Headmaster. Unless the opponent is a Legion Commander, Professor Glesia will be fine. Don't worry."

" please be alright…!"

Glesia raced towards the house. Debris blocked her path, but…

Crackle…

…it froze solid and shattered into icy dust.

She didn't slow down.

After breaking through several walls…

"Am I too late?"

She saw Elena, slumped against a wall with a wound in her abdomen, and Leon and Alicia lying unconscious nearby.

Glesia bit her lip.

"Where's Aria…?"

She extended her senses, detecting two presences. She ran towards them.

"Already…!"

She arrived to see the attacker, sword in hand, turning and vanishing.

"Gah… Ugh…"

Aria collapsed, coughing up blood where the attacker had stood. The blood spread across the floor.

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Chapter 44: Detective Games (8)

"Did I…"

Glesia's voice was cold, but those who knew her well would recognize the tremor beneath the surface.

"Did I hear that correctly?"

She was shaken, more so than usual.

"Yes. You heard correctly."

The woman before Glesia was Elenore, the Academy's theology professor and head priestess.

"It seems there's nothing more I can do."

"…"

Elenore had been tasked with healing Aria, and the rest of the Hero's party.

"Aria…"

Only one person, Aria, couldn't be healed.

"Holy power doesn't seem to affect her."

"What…? Don't tell me she's a demon…!"

In the Empire's history, only demons were immune to holy power. If what Elenore said was true, then Aria was…

"No, that's not what I mean."

"What? Then what…?"

"She's simply unaffected by holy power."

Not just healing, but all effects.

"As you know, Professor Glesia, holy power is akin to the Goddess's blessing."

"I know."

"If holy power is water, then magic is fire."

Opposing forces that reacted upon contact. Holy power was deadly to demonic energy.

"But Aria… she's like oil."

Completely impervious to holy power.

"It's like pouring water through a sieve. No matter how much I try, it just flows through."

"Is that even possible?"

"Well…"

Elenore trailed off.

"If such a case existed, there would be records, but I've never encountered it before…"

"Sigh, I understand."

Glesia sighed, ending the topic.

"Can she recover?"

"I've administered all possible treatment."

"If holy power doesn't work, what about potions?"

"I've already used them, but without high-grade potions, immediate recovery is unlikely."

The Academy professors were high-ranking priests of the Church. Ironically, this meant the Academy had few potions.

No one had anticipated encountering someone completely immune to holy power.

The Goddess had existed since creation, and holy power was her blessing, her love for humanity.

Anyone like Aria would have been branded a heretic in the past.

"So, what's Aria's current condition?"

"Her natural healing is fast, but it will take time for her to wake up."

"Sigh… Alright."

Glesia stood up.

"I'll try to acquire some potions."

"I'll do everything I can for my patient."

"Thank you."

They left the room.

"Hello."

Blue eyes were the first thing Aria saw upon waking. A white-haired girl leaned close, their breaths mingling.

"…"

"What? No reaction? How disappointing."

The girl grumbled at Aria's silence.

"Is that all you have to say to your sister after so long?"

"You're a fake."

Lucia.

"Who are you calling a fake!"

She snapped, but Aria's attention was elsewhere.

‘Her appearance has changed?’

The last time Aria had seen her, she'd looked like a seventeen-year-old girl. Now, she appeared fully mature, closer to her real-world age.

"Ah, this?"

The fake Lucia seemed to read Aria's thoughts, smiling.

"I changed it a bit for you. How do you like it?"

The smile held an unpleasant edge.

"It's pointless."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"So, why are you here this time?"

"Well…"

Because you looked too happy.

"What?"

Me? Happy?

What nonsense…

"I know. I know~ You're only approaching me because of your mission~"

"…"

"But…"

The more we see you interacting with others, the more we hate you.

The surroundings began to shift.

The hospital room transformed into a rooftop overlooking a burning city.

"It must be frustrating, not being able to call me sister."

"…"

"How about it? You can call me sister now."

"I don't remember, and I don't miss it."

"That's a cold response, even if you've forgotten."

Well, that's what we want.

"Why don't you stop pretending to be my sister? It's pointless."

"No."

"As expected."

Ghostly figures materialized around them.

Aria glanced at them before turning back to the girl.

"It seems you're the one who's forgotten."

"Hm?"

"You've died countless times already."

The building beneath them crumbled. Sword in hand, Aria plunged downwards.

"Sigh…"

Aria opened her eyes to a white ceiling. Sitting up, she realized she was alone in what appeared to be a hospital room.

"Hnn…"

A dull ache throbbed through her body. The pain, though familiar, was unexpected, and she groaned involuntarily.

"Was I injured?"

She looked down to see bandages wrapped around her torso.

A familiar sight. She dismissed it.

"How long has it been…?"

Her sense of time was hazy after being in the dream world.

As she looked around for a calendar, the door opened.

Thud

Something fell to the floor. Aria turned to see Lucia, who had dropped a basket, and Alicia standing beside her.

"A…ria…?"

What timing…

"So, I've been unconscious for three days?"

"Yes. We were worried because you wouldn't wake up."

Lucia recounted the events after Aria collapsed.

Three days had passed.

‘Three days…’

A Legion Commander was a high-ranking force in the Demon Realm. They weren't deployed often.

This meant their deployment signified a significant event.

Aria had fought countless battles while injured, so three days of unconsciousness was unusual. The Zeroth Legion, despite its small size, required more potions than other legions.

"What happened with the incident?"

"That's the first thing you ask about?!"

Lucia sounded annoyed. Aria stared at her, and Lucia sighed.

"…The truth has come out, and the professors are handling it."

"The culprit?"

"When Professor Glesia arrived, the attacker had already escaped, leaving only you injured."

"I see."

So, F had escaped after their deal.

"What about the others?"

"Their injuries weren't serious. The theology professor healed them."

"That's good."

The conversation felt strangely normal.

But Aria had noticed the emotion in Lucia's eyes.

"What do you want to say?"

"H-How…!"

"Your thoughts are written all over your face."

"…"

Lucia was speechless. It was obvious she wanted to ask something.

"Alicia, could you go get a professor?"

"What? They'll be here soon…"

"Please."

"…Alright. Five minutes?"

"Yes, that's enough."

Alicia, initially puzzled, seemed to understand Lucia's intention. She nodded and left.

"So, what is it?"

"…Aria."

Lucia addressed her, her voice firm.

"Are you really my sister?"

It came down to this question.

A voice echoed in Aria's mind.

‘Because you looked too happy.’

Had she already distanced herself from the others?

"No."

"…"

The answer came without hesitation.

Lucia flinched, but Aria continued.

"As I said before, I'm not your sister, Lucia."

Lucia lowered her head.

A moment later, she murmured, but Aria heard her clearly.

"…You're lying."

"It's the truth."

"You're lying!"

"Baseless accusations…"

"They're not baseless!"

Lucia stood abruptly, tears welling in her eyes.

"You're immune to holy power."

Aria was momentarily startled. Had they discovered it during her treatment?

"After joining the Church, I searched for any cases of immunity to holy power."

"…"

"But there were none. No matter how much I searched. I checked every book I could access."

As the Saintess, Lucia held a position almost equal to the Pope. The books she could access represented the entirety of the Church's knowledge.

"It could be an unrecorded case."

"You're lying again…"

Lucia murmured, ignoring Aria's denial.

"You know?"

"What?"

"You said I wear my heart on my sleeve."

"And?"

What was suspicious about that?

"Even Alicia, who's been with me for years, and no one else in the Church can accurately read my emotions or thoughts from my expression."

"…"

"No one, except my sister."

Lucia's voice was filled with conviction.

"And…"

A cold sweat trickled down Aria's back.

"Not just her, I could read her expressions too."

"…"

"Just like now."

"So tell me, Aria. Are you really not my sister?"

"No."

"Ha… Haha…"

Lucia laughed, a hollow sound.

But Aria sensed the emotion beneath the laughter.

"Ha… Ha… Hic… Sniff…"

The laughter turned into sobs.

"I finally… found you… I finally…"

It seemed this sister wouldn't let her go easily.

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Chapter 45: Epilogue (1)

"So… how long am I stuck here?"

"You need to rest for at least another day."

Aria lay in bed, Lena sitting beside her.

"Aren't my injuries healed already?"

Glesia's potion had completely healed her, but…

‘Rest a bit longer.’

Glesia had firmly refused to discharge her.

‘You need more rest, Aria.’

‘We’ll help you with anything you need, so don’t even think about getting up.’

The Hero's party had also insisted she stay in bed.

So, despite being fully recovered, she remained confined.

"Did something happen with the Saintess?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well… she seems to be in a bad mood lately…"

Ah, that.

The incident with Lucia the previous day had ended with Glesia entering the room.

‘So, the patient is awake?’

‘I’ll… I’ll come back later…’

‘Lucia? Lucia?!’

Lucia had fled the moment Glesia arrived. Alicia, startled by Lucia's tearful state, had followed, but neither had returned.

"…I don't know."

"Oh, okay."

Lena gave Aria a suspicious look before replying. She seemed about to say something else, but…

"It seems we have a visitor."

"Huh?"

The door opened as Aria spoke.

"May I speak with you for a moment?"

Glesia entered.

"Did something happen?"

"Yes."

Glesia's serious expression told Aria this was important.

"Lena, could you excuse us for a moment?"

"If you please."

"…Alright."

Lena left, and Glesia closed the door behind her. She sat in the chair Lena had vacated.

"We've identified the assassin who attacked the Academy."

"Really?"

"Yes. She doesn't use a name, but her codename is F. She's an assassin belonging to an underworld organization called White Blood."

Aria feigned surprise, though she already knew this.

"What about tracking her down?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Several professors, including Professor Lian, managed to infiltrate the underworld organization."

"Past tense?"

"They infiltrated successfully, but that's all."

"Don't tell me…"

Were they all captured?

Surely the underworld didn't have the power to wipe out a group of professors…

"No one was killed, so you don't have to worry."

"Then…?"

"The problem arose after they entered the organization."

"What happened?"

Glesia paused before continuing.

"They were dead."

"What?"

"All the organization members. Every single one of them, dead."

"…A cover-up?"

Glesia shook her head.

"Cover-ups are usually initiated by the client, not by wiping out the entire organization."

"Then what was it?"

"One person. One body was missing."

"Don't tell me…"

"Yes."

The assassin, F.

"Her body was nowhere to be found."

"But with her disguise skills, couldn't she have been overlooked?"

Even as she spoke, Aria knew better.

F was a Master-level assassin. Concealing one's presence in death was impossible. The professors would have sensed her if she were among the dead.

‘So, she made that choice.’

The information Aria had given F as part of their deal. That must have been the cause.

‘Not that it’s my concern.’

"Only one body among them had Master-level skills. And that was the male boss of the organization."

"So, F betrayed them?"

"It seems so."

"What about tracking her?"

"We're trying, but it's practically impossible."

Glesia sighed.

"What about the accusations against me?"

Aria's involvement had been solely to clear her name, not necessarily to catch the culprit.

"There was some resistance from the nobles, but they seem to have accepted it."

"Aren't you from one of the Five Great Noble Families yourself?"

"Hmph, those are none of my business."

Glesia, despite being from one of the Five Great Families, despised the nobility due to past events.

"There were suggestions to interrogate you, suspecting manipulation…"

"What happened?"

"The Headmaster intervened, and they backed down."

Glesia muttered about their cowardice, but Aria didn't care.

"When can I be discharged?"

"Perhaps tomorrow, if all goes well."

"Finally."

Being bedridden was more tiring than her usual routine of daily combat.

"I want to thank you for what you did, on behalf of the professors."

"…"

"It can't be done officially, as this needs to be kept quiet."

"It's fine."

Aria preferred it that way.

"Prepare for the exams after you're discharged. Rest until then."

The exams.

Two months remained until the official exams.

"You'll have to work hard to catch up."

"There were classes despite the incident?"

"We had to maintain a semblance of normalcy."

Practical skills comprised seventy percent of the Academy's grades. Aria could maintain her position in Class A with her practical skills alone, but that would attract unwanted attention. She needed decent written exam scores as well.

Some, like Lian, already suspected her true strength. She didn't want to draw further attention.

"Rest for now. I won't give you special treatment during class."

"…Alright."

Glesia left. A moment later, the door opened again. Aria kept her eyes closed.

"Thank you for leaving, Lena."

"I'm afraid you've mistaken me."

A man's voice, not Lena's.

"Really? My mistake."

Aria opened her eyes, turning towards the door. A man stood there.

"You're the one from the infirmary."

"Indeed."

He smiled, responding politely. Aria felt a sense of unease.

"Lena is asleep. I gave her a sleeping draught. It'll take a while for her to wake up."

"…"

"I couldn't introduce myself properly back then, given the circumstances…"

She'd forgotten.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lucifer."

Another 'rat' lurking in the Academy.

"It's Aria now."

"Understood, Aria."

He corrected himself immediately.

"You came to see me because you have something to say, right?"

"That's right."

"It seems I won't be resting after all."

"…"

He smiled at her words. Aria simply said,

"Let's close the door first."

This conversation would take a while.

The door closed.

Silence filled the hallway.

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