Mage Manual

Chapter 103: Chapter 96 Ash Heath Must Die

In the backstage of the Starfall Auditorium, Sonia rehearsed her script silently, glancing at the cue cards. But as she mulled over her lines, she couldn’t resist heading toward the back door, only to be quickly stopped by Lois.

“Bathrooms aren’t that way!”

“I think I’d be better off with a warning!”

“Didn’t you just make up your mind a moment ago? Why are you backing down now?”

“Because I’ve realized that I’m not as confident as I thought, I’m scared!”

Just then, a handsome young man in a deep blue evening gown approached Sonia to greet her, “Miss Sevi, good evening. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Mr. Cage, good evening,” Sonia quickly greeted, “You’ve arrived just in time. I need you to hold back my roommate Lois, as she’s preventing me from fleeing.”

This young man was Arsen Cage, Sonia’s co-host, a second-year student from the Wind Magic Department, renowned as the ‘Sword Grass’ of the sophomores. His handsome appearance even spurred the female students to spontaneously form a fan club for him.

If it hadn’t been for Felix going undercover to keep things in check, Arsen would undoubtedly be the arch-enemy of all the male students in the school.

“That won’t do, a gentleman cannot partake in the ladies’ games.”

Arsen laughed, “Professor Librom sent me to remind you that the gala starts in ten minutes. Please handle your personal issues quickly and then get ready behind the curtain. This is our first collaboration, if I make any mistakes, please forgive me, Miss Sevi. I hope we can become friends after tonight.”

Sonia shook her head, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely cause a sensation that you won’t be able to smooth over. I hope you won’t end up hating me after tonight.”

The other party was stunned for a moment, “Miss Sevi, you really are… quite humorous. Well, I’ll go wait for you then.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ɴονǤο.с0

After Arsen left, Sonia pleaded, “Please let me leave, Lois. I’m really scared, my heart’s racing, I’m bound to stir up big trouble!”

“No way, no way!” Lois shook her head repeatedly, “What about your ambitions? Don’t you want to become Dedarose? Are you content with just being a Sword Master for the rest of your life?”

“I understand all the big principles, and I know I’ll regret it if I leave, but I still want to go!”

While the two were entangled, Ingrid and Adelle entered through the back door. As soon as Adelle walked in, she excitedly said, “There’s a star hanging mid-air outside, you guys should come see!”

Ingrid looked at Sonia, who seemed on the verge of tears, “What’s wrong with her now?”

Lois said helplessly, “She’s getting cold feet again and now she wants to run away.”

“It’s odd, the Sonia I know is a Sword Master who dares to challenge Felix and Reonie. Why so hesitant?”

Ingrid thought for a while and then clapped her hands, “I get it. Sonia is the impulsive kind who performs better under pressure. We just need to push her onto the stage.”

As her number one fan who witnessed Sonia’s rise from the start, Ingrid’s words gained unanimous agreement. So, the group pulled Sonia to the preparation area behind the curtain, where Professor Librom and others responsible for the evening event were waiting.

Seeing Sonia arrive, Librom nodded slightly and turned to the staff, “Prepare to lift the curtain, we can begin now.”

By now, Sonia had no way to retreat.

She took a deep breath, smoothed the wrinkles on her dress, exchanged a look with Arsen, and said, “You take the spotlight when we’re out there. Avoid too much interaction with me. Remember this advice: the more I talk, the more likely things will go wrong.”

This was the first time Arsen had heard such a request.

He was the host of last year’s gala too, where his partner had tried every trick in the book to upstage him, adding lines and flamboyantly competing for attention. Arsen had been a bit worried whether he would face her again this year, only to find that his partner had changed to a first-year junior.

Yet, his greatest expectation for Sonia was merely for her to cooperate a bit. He had not expected her to willingly step back, which indeed seemed quite strange to him—after all, every host of the gala aimed to become a league host and sought to impress the professors for their endorsement.

Was Sonia simply there to play the role of a host? Or had she accompanied a friend to the selection only to find herself unexpectedly chosen, and thus was not too enthusiastic about it?

Many thoughts flickered through Arsen’s mind, but outwardly he nodded slightly, “I will try to accommodate your request.”

Librom then announced, “Ten seconds until the curtain raises. Get into position; the stage belongs to you two now. Remember to turn on your mics.”

Arsen went onto the stage first. Sonia, facing the long-awaited platform, suddenly felt calm in her heart.

“Observer, are you there?”

Sonia knew there would be no response, but somehow, she felt suddenly filled with courage. Her eyebrows relaxed, her lips curved slightly upward, and a smile gleamed in her eyes.

Observer, are you fighting a lonely battle too?

If I make a mess of things, you better compensate me well.

“Doodooroo—”

With the orchestra’s prelude and the lights on, the curtain rose.

Facing the gaze of students and teachers from both schools, Sonia fully stepped into her role.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I am the host for tonight’s gala, Arsen Cage.”

“I am host Sonia Sevi.”

…

…

In the dormitory of Shattered Lake Prison, Ash’s room.

The white-haired Hunter Gerard sat on the edge of the bed, holding a book borrowed from the library. The title read “Basic Concise Guide to Simulated Lightning Magic (Third Edition),” clearly a textbook Ash couldn’t get into after entering university.

After a while, Gerard rubbed his eyes and turned his head to look at Ash, who was also reading on the edge of the bed.

But unlike him, Ash was reading a manga titled “It’s My Fault I Like the Married Woman.”

It was said to be a popular romance manga in Kaimon City, and Gerard had even seen Emi reading it when she had spare time.

It was said that this manga was about to be adapted into a drama, and the actor playing the male lead, Ron, was a fellow member from the same research institute as Gerard—except Ron was an adored movie star who attracted fans wherever he went, while Gerard was a Blood Frenzy Hunter feared by all and whose presence made people flee as if a coffin had opened.

Noticing Gerard’s gaze, Ash raised his eyebrows, “Do you want to read it? I highly recommend this manga. Its depiction of emotional humanity is very unique, surpassing racial and temporal limitations. But it’s best read alone, lying in bed, because sometimes it’s so sweet you’ll find yourself writhing like a worm on the bed, and other times you’ll feel such sorrow that your stomach aches.”

“I thought you were just putting on an act for me,” Gerard said, “It’s hard to imagine you reading romance manga.”

“What do you imagine me to be then?”

“Probably a madman who’s always pondering how to overthrow the Blood Moon, and I figured the books you’d read would more likely be ‘The Crowd’, ‘How to Manually Trigger a Storm in the Void Realm’, ‘Criminal Law’—books that would be useful for your career prospects.”

“I told you I’ve lost my memory; I’m not some cult leader,” Ash sighed, “All I want now is to live quietly, facing the sea with blossoming spring flowers, and spend the rest of my days in peace.”

“That’s interesting,” Gerard laughed, “You don’t seem to be afraid of me. I thought you wouldn’t dare come back to the dorm tonight and would hide out in someone else’s room.”

“Why would I be afraid; it’s not like you’d do anything to me.”

“Not so,” Gerard replied, touching the long sword leaning against the bed frame, “The shackles are only on you guys. My authority rules are very clean; there are no prohibitions. In other words, I could behead you at any moment if I wish.”

“Then I have even less reason to fear,” Ash replied calmly, “After all, you could attack anytime, and the prison is not that big; I couldn’t escape even if I wanted to. Staying in my own room, I can at least die with dignity.”

“Besides, I don’t believe you’ll lay a hand on me. I’m just a death row inmate chased by the Blood Moon Judgement now, barely clinging to life each day. You’d gain nothing from killing me; I can’t think of any reason you’d have to kill me.”

Gerard touched the hilt of his sword, then let go.

“Indeed, that is the correct approach for scum—killing doesn’t create value. Better to let you all rot away slowly in this prison, amusing the terrified citizens like clowns, dying a hideous death to extract whatever value is left to atone for your sins.”

“Honestly, I quite agree with that,” Ash retorted, “If only I weren’t a permanent resident here.”

“Yet you seem quite relaxed,” Gerard’s pupils flashed with bloodlust, “I’ve been to this place more than once—many of the people I’ve brought in recently become extremely unstable, hysterical, repentant, begging, all sorts. I’ve never seen anyone as naturally at ease as you though.”

“Do you already have a way to leave this prison?”

Ash and Gerard looked each other in the eye, “Yes, I do. I’m waiting for you to realize you’ve caught the wrong person and have a conscience attack and let me go.”

Gerard burst into laughter, pulling a bottle of alcohol from his chest pocket and taking a swig, “I did wonder if I had caught the wrong person, but hearing you say that, I’m reassured.”

“What?”

“I hadn’t imagined you actually had a way to escape!”

Clang!

In the instant Gerard’s sword swung down, Ash thought about using his “Cut Me A Miracle,” pulling out sweet words and a hidden dagger to fight Gerard desperately. But he resisted the impulse—even if he used Cut Me A Miracle to deactivate the chip restriction, with his One-winged silver level of strength, Gerard could easily crush him even if he let him use both hands and feet!

The blade kissed Ash’s neck, leaving a shallow trace of blood.

Gerard’s nostrils flared, and the blood red in his pupils deepened.

“Why do you conclude that?” Ash asked.

“Intuition,” Gerard stated flatly, “And I think I’ve figured out your method of escape.”

Ash’s heart thudded wildly—Could it be possible? They hadn’t even started acting yet, and he’d been exposed?

Was this the power of the Blood Frenzy Hunter’s squad captain, a Three-winged Holy Sanctuary Mage?

Or was there a traitor?

“You must be planning on the Gods of Four Pillars to come and save you, right?”

Ash’s eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape, as if he had seen someone throwing themselves to the ground in a fake accident ten meters away from a car.

After a brief silence, he said with difficulty, “I haven’t read the Law, but I believe the criminal process here should be ‘the benefit of the doubt.’ Even if you want to frame me, at least provide some evidence so I can die with some satisfaction rather than sentencing me based on your assumptions!”

“Captain Gerard, you’re a busy man with important matters. Is it necessary to trouble yourself with a petty prisoner like me?”

“Because actually, I’ve come especially for you, Ash Heath.”

Ash was startled.

Gerard continued, “Someone told me you were planning an escape. He hoped I would stop you and directly eliminate this root of trouble… He even expended a significant favor just to get me to come to Shattered Lake.”

“Killing a prisoner is actually a severe crime. In Kaimon City, aside from a very few individuals, no one can be exempt from such a crime, and I’m one of the few.”

The shadowy name nearly jumped out of Ash’s mind instantly, a chill running through his body, the murderous intent from the blade making him feel like he had fallen into an icy abyss.

But still, he asked, “Who?”

“Selin Dore,” Gerard said quietly, “He said that the remnants of the Four Pillar Gods’ cult must not continue to live.”

“To stop the Four Pillar Gods and for the glory of the Blood Moon, Ash Heath must die.”