Rune of Resurrection♥

It floated midair, rotating counterclockwise like a beautifully carved ruby. A rune composed entirely of the Stigma of Vitality♥, capable of reviving the dead.

With a condition, of course—only those whose survival was still within reach.

In other words, it couldn’t bring back a body whose head had been severed, or one that had been completely destroyed. Even if decomposition had begun, it was no use. A rune that was both miraculous and limited—but I bought it anyway. Because Rebecca had gritted her teeth and tried to get it. In short, I had no need for it, but bought it just because. I plan to resell it, obviously.

And with this, I fulfilled the 100 million Hika minimum purchase required for VVIP access.

I spotted someone walking out far beyond the auction hall. The reason I’d been lingering here was to talk to that person.

Rebecca.

“Stop right there.”

As I approached, someone leapt out from the air and pointed a sword at me, then froze.

“Professor?”

It was Layme of the Shadow Guard.

“What are you doing here...”

A beat later, Rebecca turned her head and saw me.

Then she froze.

“.......”

“.......”

It was our first reunion since I’d left Hiaka Academy. It had only been a month or two, but felt like ages.

She was silent for a moment, then frowned.

“...Don’t tell me you were Number 231?”

“I was.”

Rebecca looked like she was about to say something, then shut her mouth. As if in resignation.

“.......”

Only the length of the exhale through her nose told me anything.

***

We went to a café.

At my signal, Layme stepped back.

After a long silence and some wrinkling of her brow, Rebecca was the first to speak.

“You’re alive. Not dead.”

“Somehow found a way.”

“.......”

In truth, from the moment she left the Academy and the Dormant Dragon Cadets, Rebecca had nothing to do with me. I also had no plans to reconnect.

And yet, I went out of my way to meet with her.

Because as the auction progressed, I’d noticed several strange things about her.

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“The value of the auction items.”

“That’s your first question after meeting again?”

“Well, we’re not exactly the chatty type, are we?”

“......”

Rebecca clicked her tongue and looked away.

“Because I can see it.”

“See what?”

“The value of things. Roughly.”

“You even bid on [Unappraised Items]. How did you know those?”

“Those show up too. Sort of.”

“Since when?”

“Always.”

That made it even stranger.

According to the setting, not even [Challengers] can know what’s inside unappraised items. The curse of the demon race obscures the options.

“And you, Professor—how did you know? You only bid on things that would sell for profit.”

“I can see it too.”

“...The mana particles?”

In my case, it was the bugged status window. No need to explain that.

Still, her mention of “mana particles” stuck in my ears.

“Something like that. By the way, didn’t you say you joined the Virgin Church? What brings you here?”

“......”

Rebecca turned her gaze back to me.

“...Are you interrogating me now?”

Her tone was slightly raised.

“If I am?”

“If you meet someone, aren’t you supposed to talk like a person?”

“And you’re one to say that—looking at people like they’re bugs?”

“Excuse me?”

Rebecca frowned.

“Forget it. If you’re going to be like that, then drop it. I came out all flustered thinking someone died, and now this...”

I didn’t understand that part.

She shook her head and spoke again.

“So the answer is yes. I’ve devoted myself to the Virgin Church now.”

“To become a cardinal?”

“You think a royal princess would join the Church to be a lay believer?”

“Do they allow cardinals who kill people, like you?”

“Professor. Watch your words. I don’t kill people anymore. ...I’ve been reborn.”

This time I turned to her in surprise.

Even she seemed a little embarrassed after saying it, glancing away.

To be “reborn” meant she’d received a religious mission—but Princess Rebecca?

“...Is that something just anyone can do?”

Rebecca frowned again and looked back at me.

“Excuse me? Professor Dante? Is picking a fight all you can do after meeting someone for the first time in ages?”

“I’m asking seriously.”

“Anyone can do it? Kneeling on the stone floor of the pulpit like a dog every morning for two hours—is that easy for you?”

“......”

“Holding hands with unwashed beggars covered in piss and praying with them? You think you’d last three days doing that? You don’t know anything. You’re just pissing me off...”

At that moment, I felt something strange—Rebecca seemed a little different.

Before, even if her mood soured, she’d keep up the pretense. But now, she was more honest.

Though her language was still rough, her tone and expression had lost their former venom.

The ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Virgin Church is truly amazing.

They’d managed to turn this insane tyrant into something resembling a person?

Not that her awful personality had gone anywhere.

“So answer my question.”

“...What now.”

“A princess who smashes her knees at dawn and holds hands with beggars—what brings her to the Empire’s auction house?”

Rebecca made a sour face.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t? Didn’t you come to buy the rune?”

“I said I don’t know. I just felt like I had to come. And once I got here, it looked good, so I bid on it.”

“That’s the ‘gut feeling’ you mentioned before?”

She nodded.

Rebecca,could read the value of unappraised items through mana particles,and when Bomiteka accelerated the main story, she just “felt like she had to come.”

Rebecca had previously displayed this kind of startling intuition or instinct on several occasions. For example, when she insisted that Adele needed to be killed the moment she saw her—even before we had confirmed the 『Curse of Instant Death』.

The only person who realized it at a glance back then was Eternal Constellation ∞, Song Chien. And Rebecca, who wasn't even a Constellation, was able to do that?

This isn’t something covered in the setting of “Hiaka Academy: Assassination Department.”

This is...

Suddenly I recalled that there was a matching setting in “Hiaka Academy: Magic Department.” It was a level 9 trait called 「Master of Mana」.

“Is the interrogation over? I must be innocent then?”

Maybe because I’d been lost in thought.

Rebecca stood up abruptly.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Where. Back to the auction hall?”

“No need for that damn auction anymore. I didn’t know why I even came here in the first place, but I’ve seen everything I needed to. Time to go hold hands with some beggars.”

“The rune—don’t need it? If you cover the commission, I’ll give it to you.”

“Don’t need... Are you acting like this is some favor now? Use it yourself. Throw it away. Do whatever you want.”

“So you’re just going to leave like that?”

I tried to hold her a bit longer because I still wanted to talk more about her abilities.

“Don’t concern yourself. After all...”

Her sharp gaze stabbed into me.

“We’re not exactly the type to have a friendly chat, are we?”

With that, she started walking away with quick, irritated steps, grumbling as she went.

Why the attitude?

Ah, right. That’s just who she is.

But suddenly, I had the feeling I should test her.

I didn’t call out to her. I simply cast [Illusion].

『World Forgery: Form Forgery [Door]』

Then I observed Rebecca. After descending the stairs to the first floor, she paused in front of the fake door I had conjured, glanced up at me, and frowned. She even bit her lower lip.

When I kept staring, she scowled like she was about to smack me with her chin. “Princess?” Layme, who had quietly approached beside her, looked confused for a moment. Rebecca, without a word, pushed open the real door embedded in the blank wall and walked out.

Ah.

A lightning bolt struck through my mind.

Holy shit.

Rebecca had just seen through my level 9 [Illusion] with her bare eyes—without any supernatural ability!

Which means—

...Rebecca’s true identity is...

At the same time, an alarm went off in my head.

If the idea forming in my brain was correct, I couldn’t let Rebecca leave like this. If she returned to the Church, she’d just be locked up in a monastery again.

So I hurried out of the café toward the plaza outside. I was following Rebecca.

While I habitually scanned the 【Script】, an unwelcome thought crossed my mind.

【Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: “Found her. Princess Rebecca.”】

Nibelung Matriarch’s personal guard?

Why was that name showing up here?

Reflexively, I cast [Illusion] to conceal my face and checked the [Minimap].

On top of that container. He’s using [Stealth].

But why would the Nibelung family be at an imperial auction?

【Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: “The Church’s tip was right. She really came to the Empire with just a single Shadow Guard escort.”】

【Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: “Tch, she really is the type to walk into her own trap. If she’d just stayed put at the Church, this wouldn’t have happened.”】

The guy was transmitting something.

Probably to the Matriarch herself.

【Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: Yes.】

【Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: Understood. Only one Shadow Guard escort present. No problem.】

After roughly guessing his intentions, I quickly turned my eyes to scan the area around us.

We were in the heart of the Empire.

A busy public plaza.

An open space.

All the conditions for not fighting were in place, but none of that meant anything in front of the [Stigma] of Black Star⚉.

【Guard No.3 has activated 『Black World』.】

Of course. A black mark appeared in the air and spread outwards like a dome.

The entire plaza, surrounding Rebecca and me, fell into darkness.

“Wha!? Whoa—what the hell!”

“I can’t see anything!”

“Who turned out the ligh—huh??”

The crowd erupted in panicked cries.

I couldn’t see anything either. I had no supernatural ability to pierce through the [Stigma]’s darkness.

“Ugh! What is this... Light, come forth!”

At that moment, Layme—trained in magic—must’ve attempted to release a burst of light. But I couldn’t see it. Normal light doesn’t work inside [Stigma] darkness.

【Nibelung Guard No.3: “Kukuku.”】

【Nibelung Guard No.3: “It’s useless, Shadow Guard. No matter what you do, you won’t be able to see anything now.”】

Same went for me. Light made from [Illusion] couldn’t shine through the [Stigma]’s darkness.

【Nibelung Guard No.3: “There’s no need to hide from another’s eyes. Just block the eyes themselves. Ultimately, it symbolizes the state of being unperceived. Once that’s achieved, all humans are nothing more than brains trapped inside skull-shaped jars.”】

【Nibelung Guard No.3: “Even if you’re a royal Shadow Guard, the moment you allowed me to ambush you, the result was already decided.”】

Shlak- thud!

“Ugh!”

“Lady Layme!”

It sounded like Layme had been struck by a shuriken. The nearby civilians flailed helplessly, afflicted by [Slow], [Weaken], and [Blind] debuffs.

But just then, I completed the formula I’d been working on.

Right after identifying the enemy, I’d hurriedly memorized the entire layout of the area—a divine move.

⋮

『World Forgery: Perception Forgery [Street]』

⋮

In an instant, the darkness vanished from my vision.

The street’s scenery emerged. There was Layme. The crowd, collapsed in place. Rebecca. And up on the rooftop—the bastard forming hand signs with both hands.

【Nibelung Guard No.3: “......??”】

The guy looked stunned, seeing me striding toward him.

As soon as I had the direction, it became my [Illusion] domain.

⋮

『World Forgery: Phenomenon Forgery [Black World]』

⋮

In that moment, he too became just a brain trapped in a jar.

“Khrrgh...!!”