Chapter 36: Slime punch (4)

Bianca di Monferrato.
The student who introduced herself slipped a hand into her uniform pocket.

“Ah, I know I had one left… Where did I put it… Aha!”

Finding what she was looking for, Bianca flashed a mischievous grin. From her pocket, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Taking a rolled tobacco leaf, she lit it with a flick of her lighter, savoring the smoky aroma.

“Ha, nothing beats a cigarette after a nap. Clears that drowsy haze right up, doesn’t it?”

“…”

Meanwhile, Silvia closely observed the so-called ‘Rank 10,’ Bianca di Monferrato.

Tall as most men, with short, dark-green hair cut neatly. A loosely tied tie, a black leather blazer over her uniform, light lime-green eyes, a teardrop tattoo near her cheekbone, and a piercing by her plump lips.

She exuded a rebellious aura, overwhelming in its intensity. Without the name Bianca and the presence of a skirt and stockings, Silvia might’ve mistaken her for a boy.

Strange, though.

Monferrato. The name lingered on her tongue, oddly familiar.

I’ve definitely heard that surname before. But from where? Which family?

“Hey, you. Silvia de Garcia, right? The one who chose Obsidian at the welcome ceremony.”

As Silvia scanned her outfit, Bianca spoke casually, then smirked and ruffled Silvia’s hair like she was a little sister.

“What’s a cute Garcia girl doing in Coral Hall? This place is practically deserted.”

“D-Don’t call me that! I’m not a kid!” Silvia protested, ducking out of her grasp. Being petted by Professor Anastasia was one thing, but from a stranger? Uncomfortable.

“And what about you, Bianca? What are you doing in Coral Hall? It’s still class time, isn’t it?”

Silvia had free time due to a canceled lecture, but Bianca’s situation was likely different. Why was she loitering in this eerie place?

“Me? I told you—I was napping,” Bianca said, chuckling as she inhaled smoke. Glancing at the dilapidated wall, she added playfully, “Nice weather, first day of the semester. Perfect for sneaking off to catch some Z’s. It’s quiet, great for a deep sleep.”

“Napping… in Coral Hall?”

Silvia blinked, dumbfounded. Visiting for a festival dare was one thing, but napping here? Absurd. This was a place steeped in grim rumors—Altra’s curse, blood-soaked ghosts.

“If you’re sleepy, why not sleep in the dorms? Why this creepy place?”

“The dorms? Ugh, Georgius, the dorm supervisor, is such a nag,” Bianca scoffed, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

Given her Rank 10 status, she was likely Silvia’s peer, but her demeanor screamed dockside sailor or mafia thug, not student.

“On a nice day like this, I’d rather picnic with a drink, but they keep nagging me to attend class. So I came here to enjoy spring without interruptions.”

“You mean…”

She skipped all her classes? On the first day, when it’s just roll call?

That’s when it hit Silvia. A delinquent!

Every batch had them—problem students with poor attitudes and reckless lifestyles, the kind her mother, Forte, warned her to avoid. Bianca’s flashy style hinted at it, but to think she was an actual troublemaker…

Saving her was appreciated, but getting close? No thanks.

“…Silvia?”

Suddenly, Eve stepped in front of her, shielding her as if facing a beast. Her voice hardened. “Stay behind me. Don’t come forward.”

“Eve? What’s wrong?”

“Just listen.”

Click. Eve loaded her revolver, glaring at Bianca. “You’re far more dangerous than Silvia realizes.”

“What…?”

Just minutes ago, Eve had been angelic. Her sudden iciness startled Silvia.

“Hey, Golden Leaf. Long time no see,” Bianca said, tossing her cigarette butt and smirking. “Freshman life suits you. Even brought out that hidden gun.”

Golden Leaf? Silvia frowned at the odd nickname. Eve, gripping her revolver, shot back coldly, “Don’t call me that, Bianca. It’s not for you to use. And stop acting friendly with Silvia.”

“Wow, that’s cold. I just saved you from that blob, and this is the thanks I get? Should’ve left you to die,” Bianca teased.

What? They know each other? Silvia swallowed hard as the atmosphere turned hostile. Why were two Close Miele students acting like sworn enemies?

“Heh, relax, cutie,” Bianca said, eyeing Silvia’s wary glances. Her lime-green eyes glinted like a hungry shark’s. “No need to freak out. We don’t have a personal grudge. Just…”

She shrugged casually. “…we serve different bosses, so we’re at odds.”

Bosses? What bosses? Silvia’s curiosity only grew.

“Don’t talk recklessly, Bianca,” Eve snapped, her sapphire eyes flashing. “I don’t know why he trusts a loose-lipped person like you. And he isn’t my boss. Stop projecting your standards.”

“Gods, Eve, still caught up in that ‘friendship’ nonsense?” Bianca sneered, coiling her leather whip. “Bet your ‘boss’ doesn’t see you the same way. At least mine’s got some humanity—not treating ‘friends’ like underlings.”

“…”

Eve neither refuted nor accepted the taunt, leaving a tense silence.

“Monferrato, Monferrato…” Silvia muttered, then gasped. “The Monferrato family? The admirals ruling the southern coast, amassing wealth with their fleets?”

“Well, look at that! Rank 2 knows her stuff,” Bianca teased.

Silvia didn’t respond. She now understood Eve’s warning.

The Monferrato family wasn’t renowned for wealth or heroic deeds but for being the direct descendants of the pirate king, Benito di Monferrato, and their ties to the underworld. They rose to admiral status by cunningly aiding the first Hero’s party against Altra.

Sharks and piranhas. Monferrato’s symbol—predators drawn to blood, opportunists building towers of betrayal. That was Bianca, smirking before her.

A pirate king’s heir at the academy… Silvia gripped her clothes, uneasy.

“Huh? What’s that?” Bianca’s expression soured, noticing something. “Didn’t we freeze it solid?”

“What?” Silvia turned, chills running down her spine.

The liquid monster, previously frozen, was stirring again. Hiss. Its icy shell melted, and with a crack, it broke free, oozing forward.

Gurgle!

“Tch!” Silvia fired a freezing spell, but it had no effect. The creature deflected the frost, advancing.

It’s adapted?! After surviving her magic, it had developed cold resistance.

“Then heat!” She switched to a fire spell, but the creature countered with a chilling aura, neutralizing the heat. It had absorbed her magic’s energy, showing adaptability beyond even high-tier dungeon beasts.

“Hah, what is that thing?” Bianca laughed, unfurling her whip. “Never seen a freak like this. Why’s it roaming the academy? Isn’t this the supervisors’ fault?”

Eve silently aimed her revolver.

Their only option was to fight for their lives. Magic and physical attacks were useless, but they couldn’t just wait to die.

“Eve! Bianca!” Silvia shouted, turning. “Run! Now!”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“I’ve got an idea! If you don’t want to die, run!”

Her commanding tone made Eve and Bianca hesitate but comply, lowering their weapons and sprinting. As they fled down the corridor, the monster roared, chasing them like a predator.

“Garcia girl, you sure about this?” Bianca asked, glancing back.

They could’ve fought as a trio, but running exposed their backs, risking a brutal death. Yet Silvia’s violet eyes gleamed with certainty.

“Trust me! It’ll work!”

Three freshmen couldn’t defeat it, and even if they did, one or two would likely die. The only way to survive and stop it was clear: Call the professor.

They needed to signal Professor Anastasia from outside Coral Hall. Even the academy guards would struggle, but Anastasia could handle it.

This is our only shot! Silvia thought, refining her plan as she ran, silently pleading, Professor Anastasia!

—

…Who’s talking about me?

Scratching an itchy ear, I faced Forte, the chairman, who sat with hands clasped calmly.

“As Vivian relayed, I’ll say it again, Professor Anastasia. Please submit your resignation and leave the academy voluntarily.”

“…”

Instead of answering, I studied her. So this is Forte de Garcia. A renowned mage, veteran of the crusade against the Flame Witch, an Altra kin. To me, a survivor, she was an enemy of my clan.

Yet I felt no hatred. I had little attachment to Altra’s lineage, and the Flame Witch was the family member I despised most.

Still…

She’s practically Silvia’s twin. Same features, hair color, everything. If Silvia grew her hair and wore a chairman’s suit, this would be her. The difference? Forte’s solemn, weighty presence contrasted Silvia’s playful vibrance.

And absurdly youthful. As Silvia’s mother, she should be older, but she looked barely mid-20s, more like an older sister.

“I’ll say it again, Madam Chairman. I have no intention of resigning voluntarily,” I said, chewing a lollipop. “You can’t fire me without the dean’s approval. So why come to me with this flimsy proposal, trying to sway me?”

“How rude…” Vivian bristled, but Forte silenced her with a gesture. Her charisma was palpable, though she didn’t seem intent on violence.

“You’re right. I can’t fire you unilaterally,” Forte admitted, tapping the table. “But I can make your life here miserable. That’s well within my power. If that’s what you want, I’ll oblige.”

“…”

“There’s a misunderstanding, Professor. I’m not trying to deceive you with false offers.”

Her elegant purple eyes narrowed, her face cold in a way Silvia could never mimic. “If you don’t want to get hurt, take what’s offered and leave. Before I cast you out like a sick dog, without even a scrap.”

Oh? I rolled the watermelon lollipop in my mouth, curiosity outweighing anger.

Close Miele was the continent’s premier academy, and I was appointed by the dean himself. Pressuring me openly risked clashing with Dean Roakan and Professor Bishop. Without a solid reason, such a bold move seemed reckless.

“Didn’t know the chairman was so bad at separating personal and professional matters,” I probed. “No grounds to deem me unfit, yet you’re throwing a tantrum over your daughter’s complaints? Unless you have actual evidence…”

“Oh, about that,” Forte said, smiling elegantly but with a hint of malice. “I believe you’re unfit as both a professor and dorm supervisor. And I have ample grounds.”

“What?”

Her confidence made me frown. She dropped her smile, her tone hardening. “You attacked an assistant professor with magic hours ago, in front of students, leaving him traumatized and sent to the infirmary.”

…Tch.

Playing dirty, huh?