After agreeing with Alia von Braveheart to investigate students and teachers suspected of involvent in the mysterious disappearances of several students, we wasted no ti and began our operation the very next day.
Alia and I focused on monitoring the students who were believed to have so connection to the case. Most of them were senior students. For weeks, we observed their behavior, disguised ourselves to tail them, and even eavesdropped on their conversations. Despite our relentless efforts, nothing suspicious ca to light, so we gradually eliminated them from our list of suspects.
Eventually, it was ti for us to split up and act independently. I took responsibility for observing Instructor Morgan and Aisha, a half-elf who happened to be Milly’s friend. I attended every one of Morgan’s classes and kept a close watch on his movents at night. However, when I failed to find any incriminating evidence against him, I shifted my focus to Aisha.
Aisha’s routine soon beca familiar to . After school, she often dedicated her ti to rigorous athletic training. In the evenings, she would go for long jogs, and in the mornings, she was a regular sight, running laps around the campus track. It was clear she took her fitness seriously. Her physique reflected her dedication—athletic and, uh... highly admirable. Yes, purely admirable.
One thing beca obvious to during my surveillance: Aisha was captivating. Her long pink hair frad her sharp elven ears perfectly, and her cheerful energy seed infectious to everyone around her. She didn’t co across as soone who would dabble in Dark Magic or involve herself with demons.
In fact, she reminded of those radiant isekai heroines you’d find leading a tribal village or inspiring an entire kingdom with her charisma. But I couldn’t ignore the stark contrast between her present self and the ti she slapped . Back then, her flustered, embarrassed, and utterly furious deanor had been seared into my mory—my cheek still tingled with phantom pain every ti I thought about it.
One evening, as part of my surveillance, I decided to shadow her on her usual jog. Disguised as just another jogger, I maintained a safe distance behind her, blending in with the environnt. At first, everything seed normal—her steady rhythm and asured breathing showed her focus. Then, without warning, she picked up her pace. Sothing felt off. I matched her speed, keeping up with her every step.
Before I knew it, the situation escalated into an unspoken race. Aisha was fast—much faster than I had anticipated. Her lithe fra practically glided across the ground, but there was no way I would back down. I pushed myself harder, determined to stay on her tail.
Suddenly, she yelled, "Nooo! Soone’s chasing ! A pervert! Help!"
Her scream struck like a thunderbolt. What?! How did things escalate to this?
"Hey! I’m not a pervert! Stop running and listen to !" I shouted, trying to clear up the misunderstanding.
"No pervert ever admits he’s a pervert! Do you think I’m stupid?! And besides, you’ve already stolen my bra before! Even if you’re Milly’s brother, I’ll never forgive you!" she scread, her voice filled with a mix of outrage and determination as she accelerated again.
What the—?! "Damn it, Milly! What kind of nonsense have you been spreading about ?!" I groaned, sprinting to catch up with her. Once I was close enough, I reached out and grabbed her wrist, clamping my hand over her mouth to stop her from shouting.
"Hey, Naoki, you idiot," Envi, chid in with his ever-so-helpful sarcasm. "You do realize this looks exactly like a predator silencing his victim, right? Good job making yourself look even guiltier."
I froze for a split second. Oh no, he’s right.
Aisha struggled fiercely, twisting and kicking with enough force to throw off balance. I quickly released her, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Wait, wait, Aisha! Just listen to for a second! I’m not trying to hurt you! The incident at the girls’ dorm was a total misunderstanding! Didn’t Milly explain everything to you?"
Her face turned red as she hesitated, her body still tense and ready to bolt. "Y-Yes, Milly explained. She said her brother only likes girls with, um, small chests." She trailed off, hiding her face in her hands.
"What the—?!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I swear, I’m going to teach that little sister of mine a lesson! She’s out here ruining my reputation!"
Taking a deep breath, I tried again. "Listen, Aisha. I don’t discriminate based on size! What matters to is the person I love!" I declared with conviction, gripping her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye.
She stared back, her face growing redder by the second. Then...
"Don’t touch , you jerk!"
SLAP!
For the second ti, her hand t my cheek with alarming force. Ouch.
When she finally cald down, I let her leave. Unfortunately, I had gained nothing from the encounter besides another red mark on my face.
However, one thing was clear: Aisha didn’t exude any trace of dark or demonic energy, not even when cornered or enraged. That set her apart from Professor Morgan, whose aura was... questionable. For now, I decided to set Aisha aside and focus on him instead.
That night, as I made my way back to the male dormitory, the stillness of the evening was shattered by a piercing scream.
"That voice... Aisha?!"
The sound wasn’t coming from the direction of the won’s dormitory, where she should have been. Instead, it echoed from the school gardens. My heart sank, and without a second thought, I sprinted toward the source.
When I arrived, I froze montarily, stunned by the scene before . Aisha was caught in the clutches of Dark Magic. Shadowy figures with glowing red eyes encased her, their forms humanoid but utterly unnatural. They were pulling her into a glowing circle of arcane symbols—a teleportation spell.
Envi’s voice broke the tension. "Naoki! this is a teleportation circle. Aisha appears to be the subject of abduction. Hurry up! do imdiate intervention."
"Aisha! Hold on!" I shouted, pushing my legs harder.
Her wide, terrified eyes found mine. "Naoki-senpai!" she cried, her voice trembling with desperation.
She called by na. For the first ti.
I reached her, grabbing her outstretched hand with both of mine and pulling with all the strength I could muster. The shadows resisted, their grip like iron chains.
"Envi, what do I do?!"
"Hmm..The shadows’ form is sustained by the spell’s energy. Standard strength will not suffice. You can use Dark Magic to cleare it!"
Damn. That ant using it.
"Aisha, close your eyes!" I warned, my voice sharp with urgency.
She hesitated but obeyed, squeezing her eyes shut. With a deep breath, I called upon the forbidden power I’d vowed to keep locked away—Dark Magic of my own.
Energy surged through my arm, searing hot and cold at once. It pooled in my hand, forming into a jagged, obsidian blade of raw magic. I swung the blade at the shadowy figures.
The first slash sent them recoiling. The second severed their connection to the teleportation circle entirely. The symbols on the ground flickered and vanished, leaving nothing but scorched earth.
The shadows dissipated into a black mist, releasing Aisha. She stumbled forward, and I caught her as she fell. She was shaking like a leaf, her tears soaking into my uniform.
"It’s okay. You’re safe now," I said softly, holding her close.
Her sobs quieted as the adrenaline began to wear off. When she was steady enough to stand, I explained everything: the disappearances, the Dark Magic at the root of it, and the connection to demons that Alia and I were investigating.
"I’ve heard whispers... rumors... but I never imagined..." Her voice broke as she hugged her arms around herself. "Why would anyone target ?"
"They’re targeting more than just you," I said gently. "This is bigger than either of us. But you’re not alone in this—we’ll stop them."
She nodded faintly, her fear still evident but now mingled with determination.
With reluctance, I escorted her back to the won’s dormitory. My stomach churned at the thought of stepping foot there again after my last humiliating encounter, but Aisha clung to my sleeve as if her life depended on it.
When we reached the dorm entrance, she hesitated. She turned to face , her gaze shy and uncertain.
"Naoki-senpai..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I’ve already forgiven you... about before. I was just... embarrassed."
Her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she continued. "And... thank you. For saving ."
Before I could respond, she spun on her heel and disappeared into the dorm, leaving stunned.
Her words echoed in my mind, bringing an unexpected warmth to my chest. At least one misunderstanding had finally been cleared.
Later that night, I made my report to Alia. I described the shadows, the teleportation circle, and Aisha’s narrow escape. We discussed the implications and agreed to et in the morning to devise our next move.
But one thing was clear: all evidence was pointing to Instructor Morgan.
The case was tightening around a single suspect. The danger was far from over, but now, we had a lead.
Whatever dark forces were at work, I was determined to stop them.
..
...
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