Surviving as a Con Artist at the Academy

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Chapter 48. Do I Have to Step Up Again?

Luska has Angela captive in a hidden room of Aligieri Tower. It’s their secret base prepared by Enviel.

Enviel lures Prince Totema with sweet words and awakens his hidden powers.

Using that power, Angela goes berserk… and as Luska watches, she finds herself resonating with Angela.

Through this, Luska catches a glimpse of Angela’s memories.

Those memories are from when Angela was imprisoned as a test subject, but Luska thinks they have nothing to do with her, until suddenly she catches a glimpse of a figure that looks remarkably like her mother.

At that moment, Enviel makes a cryptic remark, “Oh… have you seen something?” and attacks Luska. It’s as if he’s trying to silence someone who has witnessed some secret.

Unable to hold her ground against that power, Luska scatters smoke and retreats. Given the overwhelming gap in power, there was no other wise choice.

Luska then hides in the woods on the outskirts of the village until the day of the plan. She had expected to be discarded at least once, but a hitch in the plan wouldn’t change anything. After all, if she could achieve revenge, that would be enough.

As a result, she doesn’t run away to check if the plan progresses smoothly.

In the first place, dying wouldn’t bother her.

“Yes, this is the main story I know.”

Seeing Luska in the woods confirmed that everything was going according to the main story. Of course, she hadn’t intended to run into her here.

But she soon realized that something unexpected had occurred.

“What on earth happened here?”

“That’s what I want to ask! How did you get here?”

In the forest, there was an abandoned cabin. It was where she was hiding until the plan was activated.

I had been led there by chance. I ran into Muto while chasing, but the atmosphere was too tense for me to just ignore it. Besides, there was something to address.

“I ended up here while chasing spirits during the test… but do you know what the strangest thing is?”

“What is it?”

“Why is she here?”

I pointed at Crona Delaware, who lay slumped in the corner. She should have been at the starting line of the exam, yet here she was, suffering in such a shabby place.

“…….”

Luska was silent for a moment. Her expression said she needed some time to sort things out.

Certainly, from her perspective, it must be quite a dilemma. To explain, she would naturally have to reveal the plan.

To me, it looked like Crona had gotten involved in this mess. But why?

“Are you sure you won’t be surprised by what I’m about to say?”

“Of course not.”

“This is because it’s you. I owe you a debt.”

And thus, Luska started her lengthy explanation. Since I already knew most of the details, I just had to not get bored listening—except for one variable.

“Crona knew where you were hiding?”

“Probably because she came to save that Angela girl. I was shocked too about how she found her way there.”

Why? Why would Crona, who should have been checking conditions for the exam at that time, be slacking off?

So, I directly asked Crona herself, who painfully lifted her sick body and explained everything.

I felt dumbfounded like I had just been hit in the back of the head with a hammer the entire time I was listening.

“You followed me because you suspected something was going on between me and Jenny?”

“That’s right! Jenny is someone who must never be taken away by a man like you. Because… she’s the only one for me… Gah!”

Originally, Crona was quite obsessed with Jenny. If this game had come from her perspective, wouldn’t it have turned into a yuri story?

She probably went out quietly so as not to draw attention from the others. Her obsession with Jenny was definitely no small matter.

“Anyway, my Sun Red sensed Angela’s presence in front of that tower. Once I realized that, I couldn’t just stand by.”

Was that the reason?

If only she hadn’t approached Aligieri Tower at that time…!

“So now it ends up like this.”

“……. I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t that she just rushed in upon sensing her presence. She had spent days investigating that tower and finally mobilized the investigators just four days before the final exam.

To make matters worse, the mastermind was Elder Enviel, and she had been caught in his trap.

“I saw it then. Prince Totema was using strange magic on Angela… and she transformed strangely. I couldn’t just stand idle, but my body…!”

Currently, Crona could barely move. If spirit creatures consume one’s mana for too long, it results in severe aftereffects.

Among those creatures, there are many that devour mana. Once caught by them, one would find it challenging to use magic for days.

“Even if you move, it will all be futile. No one can stop Enviel.”

“Don’t talk like it’s someone else’s problem…!”

“More than anything, I have no intention of interfering. You probably heard why I enrolled in the academy, right? Crona Delaware.”

Upon hearing that, Crona clicked her tongue in disbelief.

It seems a few days had passed since they had been together, and she was aware of everything by now. There had been ample time to share information.

“Luska Mad Eye. I still can’t understand you, no matter how many times I think about it. While I can accept your desire for revenge, how can you allow unrelated people to suffer?”

“…….”

“Moreover, despite having that thought, why did you save me?”

– You saved me?

When I asked that, Crona shared why she was hiding here. I needed that supplementary explanation anyway.

“I was caught by spirits back then and nearly fell victim… and it was Angela’s doing. But she was the one who saved me then.”

Luska Mad Eye, who took part in the crazy act of awakening Angela into a Nine-Tailed Fox. She should have been the one to kill Crona directly to prevent information leaks.

However, at that time, Luska was already discarded, so it wouldn’t have mattered if she acted impulsively.

“At that time, Elder Enviel said to her…”

“Oh… have you seen something?”

Those were the same lines as in the main story. Except for Crona’s intervention, there wasn’t a particularly sensitive part.

“I don’t know why you saved me, but that woman’s ultimate goal is Angela’s rampage. Is it okay that I am still alive while opposing that? That’s why it’s hard for me to understand!”

It’s reasonable to question actions that demand such curiosity. Still, one must consider that Luska has an untrustworthy nature.

On the surface, she poses as a cold-blooded person, yet she quietly helps out from the shadows.

If her growing environment had been favorable, she never would have chosen a path of extreme revenge risking her life.

“Wait, thinking about it, today is the day of the practical exam! What’s happening now? Radon Crawler.”

“As you can see, it’s been underway for quite some time now. It’s been about 40 minutes already.”

“We can’t just sit here! We need to hurry… ow ow ow…!”

Crona Delaware tried to rush to her feet, only to collapse again.

If they stayed still, they would be excluded from the final evaluations, leaving big red marks on their scores. It’s natural for her mind to be unstable since she hadn’t even taken the written exam.

But right now, she needed someone to help her move. Luska was nearby, but she wouldn’t likely assist.

Because…

“The exam? You don’t have to worry. It’ll be canceled soon.”

As Luska said, the exam would soon go awry. A Nine-Tailed Fox would break into the exam course shortly.

Thus, the final exam would be postponed for two weeks. During that time, there would be a chance for Crona to retake the written test, so she could relax.

Essentially, all she had to do was stay put. Having successfully absorbed Muto, she no longer had a purpose to pursue.

“So what do you plan to do from now on?”

“What else?”

When I asked Luska to gauge her next move, she stood up as if it was time.

“I’ll have to watch everything till the end.”

“Are there no concerns? Anything you might be missing?”

“That’s specifically what I’m going to check now. Especially Radon, you should stay here as much as possible. Going to the exam site would be of no help at all.”

“…….”

“Oh, and…”

-Thank you.

Shortly after, Luska exited. She spoke as if this was the last time they would meet.

Her destination was the inspection department, two kilometers east from the village square.

That place primarily identifies the components of materials or detects mana to track the presence of beings.

The founder is a professor from the Alchemy Department who has retired from active duty and operates it together with her graduated apprentices.

If we were to compare, it’s like a CSI forensic science agency.

Luska had the money to commission an inspection. After all, she had extracted a lot from Enviel, including tuition fees beforehand.

Even if Luska had nothing to lose, why would she seek that place?

The reason is due to the memory of Angela that resonated with her at that time.

Why did she catch a glimpse of her mother’s figure in the memories of that girl who should have nothing to do with her? What was the meaning behind Enviel’s cryptic statement?

It probably bothered her for some reason.

She had also retrieved one tail of that girl she had cut off. Now, three days have passed since she secretly handed it to the inspection department. It’s time to capture some leads.

That girl, who had only been a tool for revenge, Angela… what kind of existence was she to her?

“She’s gone.”

“Can you get up?”

“Excuse me, but my mana hasn’t returned yet. I can’t even fight; I’m more of a hindrance now.”

While it seemed everything was progressing smoothly from Luska’s perspective, I couldn’t relax entirely.

Nine-Tailed Fox – Angela Whitegreen.

Demon Worshiper – Enviel.

These two characters could be called the final boss of this chapter.

As for Enviel, Lyman will handle the boss fight atop a volcano. An entity even stronger than Principal Keiten, he will absorb the volcano’s mana and become an even stronger monster.

Excluding Lyman, who has opened his powers to some extent, there is no one who can contend with him.

Naturally, the transformed Nine-Tailed Fox would face other playable characters besides Lyman.

However, even if she were stronger than Enviel, she would by no means be an easy opponent.

Upon her appearance, she transforms into a gigantic fox monster, casting a curse field over the entire village, causing everyone to faint.

Even for professors, standing became burdensome without any resistance.

The characters capable of moving are Jenny Chain Silver, Mary Ryudshiel, Luska Mad Eye, Crona Delaware, Baimon Dreadnote, and Riplain Hale.

These lucky students possess enough resistance. If even one of them were to be absent, the party would likely face annihilation.

Yet here… one of them had gone missing. Crona Delaware.

In the main story, Sun Red protected her from the curse and ensured she wouldn’t faint. Furthermore, the “Flame of Rebirth” that Sun Red emitted would burn away the evil mana of the Nine-Tailed Fox, raising their slim chances of victory.

They had thus lost a means to exploit the boss’s weak points.

‘It looks like I need to step in…’

As had always been the case, if I took charge for Crona, things seemed likely to resolve. My specs had grown lately too.

But I lacked the power to burn that evil mana.

Thanks to acquiring spirit power, I wouldn’t faint in the field set by the Nine-Tailed Fox. However, I would be unable to resist the mana and would be entranced and have my soul taken.

The game patterns reflect this setting, and the monster was equipped with immunity to normal damage.

‘What am I supposed to do…’

Gurgle—

In the midst of deep contemplation, I heard a sound. It wasn’t mine; it came from Crona’s stomach.

“How on earth have you not eaten enough if your stomach roars like a dragon?”

“I don’t know! Luska Mad Eye fed me cheap rice balls from the village, and I still feel like I’m starving!”

“At least you should be eating properly…”

Huh? Wait a minute. Did I just hear “food”?

“Eureka!!”

“What?”

“You stay here and rest.”

“Hey, wait a second…!”

A solution had come to mind, and I dashed out of the cabin. Though Crona was scared and told me not to leave her, I paid no mind.

It was time for the Nine-Tailed Fox to awake. I had to hurry.

Before that…

“I wonder if there’s any food left at home?”

*

The first ones to break free from the shackles of the thunder were none other than the top students of Class A.

As soon as they stood, they stepped over the starting line and dashed ahead. While passing through the woods, monsters blocked their path, but they were no match for them.

Especially those students of Class A, enraged, were beyond anyone’s capacity to handle.

“Radon, you sneaky little rascal! What? ‘Goodbye, everyone’? Don’t joke with me!”

“No matter how much we’re friends, I won’t forgive you! I’ll shave your hair off! You on board with that, comrade?”

“Absolutely! Let’s give it a makeover in a style we like!”

Feeling slightly betrayed, Jenny and Mary ran forward. Having known each other since childhood, they matched each other’s spirits effortlessly.

Their eyes, blazing with determination, were more passionate than any other A class students.

“Wait! I’ll chase you to the ends of hell!”

“Kyahaha! It’s war!”

The path they yelled down was littered with the corpses of spirits. They were in such a state they couldn’t even distinguish fear anymore.

The single presence, Radon, had turned them into this.

Letting out a loud battle cry, they had already passed through the tower’s barrier and entered the uphill of Purgatory Mountain, but their strength began to wane.

“But… aren’t we getting tired? Let’s take a break.”

“Ugh, it’s suddenly so hot! This is annoying!”

Considering they had stepped on a volcano, it was indeed quite hot, but this was a dormant volcano. Nonetheless, today the ground felt exceptionally warm.

“Why is it suddenly like this? Don’t tell me it’s about to erupt?”

“Let’s just sit here for now. I wonder if there’s any water nearby…”

Mary made a long sigh as she sat on a rock. Jenny also sat down, reasoning that the students behind were probably too tired to keep running by now.

However, the rock felt slightly hot too. It was as though they had been plunged into a boiling pot.

Wondering where Radon, who had dashed ahead, had disappeared to… that was when they heard a sudden voice.

“Long time no see… sisters.”

As the unexpected voice rang out, they turned their heads. There stood a woman.

They thought for a moment that maybe she was an obstacle in the exam, but there was an inexplicable eeriness just from looking at her.

With only her long white hair, she evoked a strange sense of discomfort.

“Die by my hand… everyone…”

Moreover, they felt extreme chills to the point of forgetting the heat.

Beast ears and multiple tails were sprouting from the woman’s head and back.