Chapter 34: Slime punch (2)

“D-don’t come any closer!”

The liquid mass, its surface area greatly expanded, approached her.

Seeing this, Silvia desperately tried to flee.
But even that was difficult due to the weakness in her legs.

“Help! Is anyone there? Help me!”

She desperately cried out, dragging her legs.
But no matter how many times she called, no salvation came.

Only a heartless echo returned in vain.

“Sob, Mom! Mom-!!”

Overcome with fear, she even called out for her mother, Forte, but of course, there was no response.

“Agh!”

To make matters worse, she failed to look where she was going and tripped over a stone.

Screech-!!

The monster, which had reached right in front of her, twisted its body with a grotesque sound.
Just as it was about to pounce on Silvia.

Bang-!

Splat-!!

“Huh?”

A single gunshot suddenly rang out.

Then, the writhing liquid mass exploded in all directions.
It was a phenomenon similar to when Silvia had planted an explosion spell.

‘W-what happened?’

While she was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.

“Miss Silvia! Get up!”

A clear shout from behind.
But it wasn’t a voice she had heard for the first time; it was strangely familiar.

Silvia quickly turned her head and found…

“Eve… Vellam?”

The stray cat who had stolen Professor Anastasia from her before the class cancellation.
The woman who was the professor’s acquaintance, and Silvia’s fellow Obsidian student.

“Quick, this way!”

Eve Vellam, who had coolly thrown off her school uniform jacket, was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt for easy movement.

The weapon in her black-gloved hand was none other than…

‘A pistol?’

A special firearm made of gold, peridot, and orichalcum.
It was a six-shooter used only by the Gunslingers of the Ankraz, a minority ethnic group in the Vǫlsunga Empire.

Guaaak-!

Just then, the monster, which had finished regenerating, let out a furious cry.
Just as it was about to pounce on Silvia again.

Bang-!

Splat-!

A loud gunshot rang out, and the liquid mass’s body was shattered into pieces once more.

Click! Eve cocked the hammer of the pistol and urged her.

“What are you doing! Come here quickly!”

“Ah, yes!”

She belatedly came to her senses and scrambled to her feet.
As Silvia rushed over, Eve hid her behind her back and aimed at the target.

“Th-thank you! But how did you get here…”

“I had some business nearby! I’ll tell you the details later!”

After finishing her words, Eve boldly pulled the trigger and shattered the monster that was regenerating.

Watching the scene before her, Silvia finally realized how Eve had stopped the monster with a single bullet.

‘Mana Cluster Bullet!’

She had read about it in miscellaneous books.

A unique technology of the minority ethnic group Ankraz, with a different lineage from the magic engineering of other countries.
A bullet made through this, which operates by infusing special magic power.

It was a versatile bullet that only a few with exceptional talent could use freely.

‘This woman… was that rare Gunslinger?’

As a new realization dawned on her and she gaped.

“Run! That way, quick!”

“Kya!”

Eve suddenly snatched Silvia’s wrist.
Then, she ran at full speed towards the Coral Hall, in the opposite direction of the monster.

“W-what if we go to the Coral Hall? That place is practically empty too! We should go to the main building where there are more people…!”

“That monster is blocking the way! If we get caught, we’ll both die!”

Eve said, firmly guiding Silvia.
A forcefulness that was hard to associate with her usual gentle and kind personality.

It was a decisiveness that showed she hadn’t just eaten away her time as an investigator.
“Let’s go to the Coral Hall first and shake it off!”

Click-clack. She checked the number of remaining bullets in the magazine and explained her plan.

“The structure is complicated, so if we hide well, it won’t be able to find us! We’ll escape to the main building after shaking off the pursuit! Got it?”

“Ah, yes! I got it, S… Eve!”

I almost called her older sister without realizing it.

Silvia muttered, unconsciously touching her lips.

The person in front of her was supposed to be the detestable stray cat who had stolen Anastasia.
But for some reason, for a moment, she felt as reliable and cool as Professor Anastasia.

Of course, compared to the professor, it was just the tip of the iceberg.

By the way…

‘Of all places to run, do we have to go to the Coral Hall?’

A place where people died in droves because of the curse the witch Altra had written on the wall, or an ominous place built on the site where the bodies of dead soldiers and demons were secretly buried.

Wasn’t it a place haunted by all sorts of rumors since the school’s founding?
But Silvia also knew well that she was not in a position to be picky.

The green lump was already writhing menacingly.

After the two girls had left the place.

Guaaak-!!

The monster, which had just finished regenerating, let out a slimy, grotesque cry.
Then, it chased after the prey who had witnessed its existence with tremendous momentum.

To silence them so they couldn’t testify about the monster that had infiltrated the academy.
And at the same time, to devour the two girls and use them as nutrients and materials for disguise.

And while a tense chase between the two girls and the monster continued.

“…What?”

In the Coral Hall, not far from the annex, where Eve and Silvia were rushing towards.

“Was that… a gunshot just now?”

A mischievous ‘shadow’ that had been peacefully napping was waking up in confusion.

“The reason we asked to see you today is simple, Professor Anastasia.”

In the ‘Canary’s Song’, a cozy and peaceful cafe near the main building.
A place where young couples who want to enjoy a quiet date, or students tired from consecutive classes, come to replenish their caffeine.

The meeting place of the person of interest, Warlock Anastasia, and the members of the board of directors was also there.

“Please read this. Then you will be able to grasp the situation quickly.”

So saying, Vivian handed over a document.
A small letter written in the chairman’s own hand, with the seal of the Klomes Academy Board of Directors stamped on it.

Although it formally added rhetoric for the sake of politeness, the core was…

“…Asking me to step down from the podium?”

“This is not a proposal made with empty hands, Professor. If you’re not a fool, you’ll understand if you have eyes.”

Vivian, habitually touching her glasses frame, drew a firm line.
I had heard that she was a somewhat disrespectful person, but even considering that, I didn’t like her attitude.

Just her presence alone would make most professors tense up, that was the power of the board of directors.
And Vivian had even brought a letter written by Chairman Forte herself.

A normal professor would have shrunk back and accepted it with a bow.

But this impertinent rookie professor, not only did she keep her head held high, but…

“And ‘step down’ is informal, Professor Anastasia.”

Vivian’s eyes flared as she gave a low warning.

“This is a letter written by the academy’s chairman, of all people. If you are a faculty member, I expect you to show the corresponding manners.”

“Hmm.”

Professor Anastasia responded with a small snort instead of a direct answer.
It was very unpleasant, as if she was mocking the warning Vivian herself had given.

‘But I didn’t come here to have a petty argument.’

“As you’ve already confirmed, the board of directors will promise various compensations in exchange for your resignation from the professorship.”

Vivian calmed herself and went straight to the point.

“Not only financial compensation, but we can also arrange another job for you if you wish. A much more comfortable place than the position of a dormitory housemaster. You can trust us, as it is the chairman’s promise.”

“I don’t understand. If you didn’t like me, you could have just objected from the beginning.”

Anastasia countered coldly, placing the letter on the cafe table.
She asked, looking at Vivian with her somewhat mysterious yellow eyes.

“I know the board of directors didn’t object when Dean Roakan announced my appointment. The semester has already begun, so is there any reason to do this now?”

“Unfortunately, the problem is different from then, Professor.”

Vivian replied with a heavy sigh.

“It’s about Miss Silvia, Chairman Garcia’s daughter.”

“…Pardon?”

Warlock Anastasia asked back, frowning.
Seeing her impertinent attitude, Vivian seethed with anger inwardly.

‘Playing innocent on purpose? You detestable btch.’

She was already sick of her natural attitude, as if she knew nothing.
They said she was a cunning woman who talked behind people’s backs, and the slander from the Carnelian and Topaz housemasters seemed to be true.

“I’ll be direct, Professor Anastasia.”

Sip. Vivian savored her warm black coffee and stated her purpose firmly.

“Please don’t hang around Miss Silvia anymore. This is not a recommendation, but a clear ultimatum.”

Chairman Forte de Garcia, the mother of the rising star Silvia de Garcia.
As a long-time operator of the board of directors, she was a tolerant person with a relatively open mind.

That’s why she had tolerated Dean Roakan’s somewhat willful school management.
And she had remained silent when he had said he would appoint a black mage from the Northeast as a professor.

But on the day the freshman celebration banquet ended, Chairman Forte’s thoughts had changed 180 degrees.

‘No doubt. This woman seduced Miss Silvia with her wicked sweet talk.’

Vivian’s shallow reasoning, representing Chairman Forte’s feelings.

Silvia had definitely agreed to choose the Jade dormitory before entering the school.
There had been talks between Forte and Housemaster Javir, and Silvia had not expressed any particular dissatisfaction with her mother’s decision.

But on the day of the celebration banquet when she was supposed to choose her dormitory, Silvia had impulsively chosen the Obsidian dormitory.
Just for the trivial reason that a black mage named Anastasia was the housemaster.

And at the dinner with her mother before entering the dormitory after the celebration banquet?

Anastasia, Anastasia, only Anastasia.
Hadn’t she made Forte anxious by praising the warlock every time she opened her mouth?

Therefore, Forte de Garcia became convinced.

That this cunning woman, Anastasia, had cast some kind of spell and completely bewitched her daughter.
And that she was continuously having a negative influence on her daughter’s future.

“We don’t want to take the form of chasing you out shamefully, Professor. So please voluntarily leave the academy.”

Although she was threatening her now, it was true that Dean Roakan favored this professor.
Wasn’t he an optimistic old man who was eccentric in a good way, and a bit lacking in a bad way?

No matter how much the board of directors pressured him, the dean would not decide to fire her.

So, it was best to coax her into quitting on her own.
Since Professor Bishop was still at the academy, she could have her fill in for the black magic defense course for a little while longer.

It was then.

“Hmph.”

Professor Anastasia sighed in annoyance and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Then, in a very small voice.
She muttered something that was somewhat hard to understand.

“Silvia, you damn btch.”

“…?!”

I must have… misheard, right? Yes, I must have misheard.

Silvia de Garcia was the only daughter of the chairman who wielded immense power.
Unless she had a death wish, she wouldn’t use such harsh language in front of the board of directors’ members.

“Ahem, ahem. Anyway, that’s all from our side, Professor Anastasia.”

She cleared her throat, calling her by the title that would soon be her former one.

“We won’t ask you to submit your resignation today. However, we would appreciate it if you would seriously consider our proposal and give us an answer as soon as possible. Then the chairman will also, as promised…”

“I don’t want to.”

“…Pardon?”

Vivian’s eyes widened at the sudden answer.
Looking back at her, Professor Anastasia replied coldly.

“I said I don’t want to submit my resignation. Miss Vivian from the board of directors.”