I Became a Murderer in the Academy.

Chapter 74

Strictly speaking, the main gate of the academy was not a place Iria frequented.

Rather, it’s a place she’s never been to except when figuring out the school’s internal structure. There was no particular reason; it was just that the back alley where she resides was close to the back gate.

As usual, Iria was about to walk towards the back gate out of habit, but she stopped. Today, she had agreed to meet Sera at the main gate.

Iria turned her body and headed towards the main gate.

As she approached, she saw Sera waving from afar and Ariel quietly bowing his head.

“Ah! Over here!”

Seeing them, Iria walked towards Sera. Although she was also overflowing with energy today, her gaze fell on Ariel.

He, who always looked blunt, was watching Iria’s reaction today. The sight of him scratching his cheek with an expression of not knowing what to do was quite a sight to see.

For a while, an awkward atmosphere flowed. Sera closed her mouth to give Ariel a chance to speak directly, and Iria was not a very talkative either.

Ariel thought about what he had to say in his head for a while, then carefully opened his mouth.

“About the other day, I’m sorry. I should have been more careful, but I guess my control was lacking. Are you okay?”

“...”

Iria nodded her head.

Iria was sensitive that day because she was affected by an unknown substance, not because she was particularly angry with him.

Rather, she was also responsible for trying to forcefully make him reveal what he was hiding. Wouldn’t this be considered as reaping what she sowed?

Iria considered what happened that day a rare instance. Since it may be difficult to fully convey her intentions through nonverbal signs, she answered clearly.

“I don’t really mind. The wound has healed completely.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? If the wound gets worse later, please make sure to tell me. I’ll compensate you to the extent I can.”

“...”

Ariel apologized to Iria once again, but instead of feeling burdened, she felt uncomfortable. He kept apologizing for something that she, too, bore responsibility for.

It was nauseating beyond being burdensome.

‘In the end, that incident occurred because I was a monster.’

“Then, can I ask you for one favor?”

So, Iria spoke up to lighten his burden and to get insurance for her safety.

“Of course. I’ll listen to you as long as it’s something I can do.”

Ariel’s expression brightened greatly. It was definitely different from before when his expression was heavy.

Ariel is definitely a good person. Although Iria couldn’t read his memories, his character stood out even from small actions.

At least he doesn’t seem like a human who would lie.

Around that point, she continued.

“I would appreciate it if you could keep what happened that day a secret. Especially from the professors.”

Ariel seemed to think of what happened that day as an overload reaction of the starlight, but the reality was different.

In a short moment, Iria visually confirmed the radius of the starlight bursting out. It was wide enough to cover a large number of students, including her.

However, she was the only one who was injured. It was fair to say that the substance called starlight reacted hostilely only to her, leaving all other humans untouched.

Ariel, who still didn’t understand his own power, didn’t seem to grasp all the details of the incident.

That’s why Iria hoped this incident would be concluded as a simple happening. It was a sensitive issue that could potentially reveal her identity.

And,

“Huh?”

Sera, who was listening next to Iria, was startled. Ariel’s reaction was similar to hers.

He looked at Iria slightly dumbfounded. Although she said it was a request, the content was less than he expected.

The full moon rising in the darkened forest created a dreamy atmosphere. Iria stared blankly at the sky.

As expected, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Except for the fact that she wanted to commit murder for no reason because her instincts as a monster became honest.

Ariel sat down next to her like that.

Sitting next to the back alley monster on the night of a full moon, how brave.

Iria was about to grab him and bite his neck like she did in the back alley, but she stopped. It’s because she was a patient monster.

Ariel opened his mouth quietly, as if whispering, while sitting next to her. He had a bitter smile.

“I lost again today. As expected, Iria is strong.”

“If you had taken out the starlight, I would have lost. Because I’m not the strongest in the academy.”

A trivial conversation continued.

The more Iria watched, the more Ariel was a very suitable person to be the protagonist. An upright character, the hero’s bloodline, the background of being the strongest in the academy, and a plausible story.

It was so appropriate that it couldn’t be a coincidence, so she was almost certain he was the protagonist.

Then, what is the purpose of the protagonist in this world? For what reason does he shed sweat and blood?

Iria asked him. Really, as if it was nothing.

“What is Ariel’s goal? Something you want to achieve or anything like that.”

And Ariel’s expression became complicated.

The full moon rising in the forest sometimes made human emotions honest. This was the case now.

Ariel slowly spoke while inhaling the night air.

“Actually, I am the son of a hero who is said to have subjugated the Demon King in the past.”

Iria already knew this from what she heard from Sera. But she didn’t show it.

His words were not finished yet. He was trying to tell more. The rest of the story would probably be something she didn’t know.

She sat still and waited.

“The Demon King died and left fragments, and peace never came to the continent. Rather, some people claim that we faced even greater chaos.”

“...”

“So, I want to succeed my father. I want to end the war the previous generation couldn’t finish with my hands.”

“Specifically, how?”

“It would be to eliminate all the Demon King’s seeds.”

“...”

Even his purpose is like a protagonist.

Suspicion solidified into certainty. Coincidence becomes inevitable if it continues.

He is the protagonist of this world. Unlike her, who plays the role of a villain.

Sitting side by side with Ariel on the hill, I only turned my head to look at him.

He was still looking at the rising moon.

Ariel, who had put down his sword, was defenseless. Coincidentally, there are no witnesses now.

If it’s now, there will be no problem even if I take out magical energy.

This is a mountain ridge behind the academy where there are few people. It was also a good environment to kill a person, almost too good.

So.

‘Should I kill him?’

It was a night with a full moon.