Quit The Hero Party

EP.40 Look-alikes (1)

A night has passed since the terror caused by the betrayer.

Many things happened in that short time.

The knights were busily moving around the academy until dawn. The extermination of beasts had already concluded. The problem was whether there might be beasts that had given birth or laid eggs.

Of course, it was highly unlikely that beasts could reproduce in such a short time. The chances were minuscule.

However, it couldn’t be overlooked.

Even the slightest possibility couldn’t be dismissed.

This place was the heart of the royal capital, and it was an academy where noble beings studied. It had to be perfect.

“Strive for perfection upon perfection.”

Under the leadership of Guard Knight Habel, the knights searched every corner of Apuria. As a result, no beast eggs or offspring were discovered.

However, there were indeed some findings.

“…What is this?”

In the corridor of the research building where the professor’s office gathered.

At the entrance of that corridor, the knights gathered. They had arrived only at dawn after clearing away the ruins.

Gulp.

The knights swallowed dryly.

‘It looks like a beast went wild here.’

The walls were collapsed, and the floor was cracked. In the deep pits scattered here and there lay the corpses of beasts.

Drip.

The blood of beasts flowing from the pits stained the corridor a deep red.

‘How horrific.’

Habel clicked his tongue briefly.

“…The beasts do not shy away from kin slaughter, do they?”

The headless corpse seemed as if someone had bitten into it. In any case, it was a gruesome sight.

Habel shook his head and walked down the corridor.

Sweat dripped from the hand gripping his sword. Any beast that could cause such devastation was not to be taken lightly.

‘No presence detected.’

Until reaching the end of the corridor, Habel sensed no particular presence of beasts. Only a single corpse lay at the end.

‘What is this?’

It was an unidentifiable beast’s corpse. A grotesque form that seemed to mix several beasts. Habel examined the headless beast’s corpse.

‘It was… torn apart?’

The neck’s severed edge was not clean.

To begin with, it was hardly right to call it a severed edge—it looked as though it had been brutally torn apart.

‘Could a beast with tremendous strength have been rampaging here?’

Habel gazed at the end of the long blood trail.

In that place, amid the chaos, stood a door that showed no signs of disturbance.

“Ugh.”

A foul odor wafted from beyond the door. The stench of decay pinched Habel’s nose.

‘Is there a powerful beast in there?’

He strode up to the door.

Creeeak.

Withstood the foul smell, Habel opened the door. Pinching his nose, he looked inside, but there was nothing visible. Only an empty chamber without any beast corpses.

‘What on earth is this place?’

He couldn’t identify its nature.

“This is…”

Just.

“Bone fragments?”

There, on the floor, rolled some bone fragments.

That was all Habel could discern.

2.

On the 4th floor of the Central Academic Hall.

Ayla was rolling around absentmindedly on the bed. Her guard knight, Habel, had asked her to stay in the room until things settled down.

“Ugh.”

Lying on the bed, hugging her pillow, Ayla stared at the ceiling. Being cooped up in this room brought back memories.

‘It was like this back then too.’

The betrayal of Court Mage Gelic.

After the terror incident was resolved, Ayla had to remain confined in her room under the escort of numerous knights for a while.

“Has it already been 7 years?”

That was a story from when she was ten years old.

Ayla closed her eyes gently. Just recalling that day, the images vividly came back.

There was no way to forget.

She must not forget.

‘Because I promised.’

She closed her eyes and listened.

The cries of the beasts that had chased after her that day echoed in her ears like an hallucination. The sound of knights’ armor blocking the savage beasts, the laughter of Gelic that had chased her with light steps lingered in her ears.

– Come this way, Your Highness.
– If only you come, they can be saved.

A chilling laughter.

– If you bring her, that person will promise me an immortal army. Can you imagine? An immortal army, an army no one can counter!

A mad voice.

– Your Highness, this way…

– Don’t listen, Your Highness.

And then the knights who had stood in their way.

– We will handle this.
– Please escape.

At that time, Ayla didn’t think to look back. She was too busy running away in fear. She couldn’t even see the faces of those who had died defending her.

Remembering that time still makes her heart race.

Cold sweat flowed down her nape.

She ran and ran. When the sound of knights’ armor had ceased, Ayla found herself in the library.

There stood a man.

– Your Highness?

With ashen hair.

Bright blue eyes shining between sharp features.

Raniel van Trias.

The man tilted his head as he looked at Ayla. And that gaze shifted to the mage standing behind Ayla. The eyes of the two mages met in midair.

– So you’re that notoriously known mage.
– Court Mage Gelic? What happened to him?

– Move aside, young mage. I don’t want to increase unnecessary sacrifices.

The ashen-haired mage did not budge.

He stood there and pulled Ayla’s hand.

– Excuse me for a moment.

He took off his robe and handed it to Ayla.

– Please wear this from behind. For now, I’ve drawn a circuit, so it will protect you from the shock.

Ayla slowly nodded her head.

Then, she hid under a desk and pulled the robe over her head. The ample robe was enough to conceal Ayla’s body.

And then, the shock began.

The library started to shake.

Huddled beneath the robe, Ayla curled up her body. Like pulling her knees into a blanket, she bowed her head.

She closed her eyes and blocked her ears.

After that, her memories became hazy. The ground shook several times. Even with her eyes closed, light seeped through. Noise flowed in between her hands that covered her ears.

Something shimmered.

A sound of something breaking could be heard.

How long had it been?

Thump.

Someone prodded the robe. Ayla flinched and shuddered, but soon realized there was no malice in that touch and slowly lifted the robe.

Ayla looked around.

Bookshelves were toppled. Books were scattered across the floor. Numerous beast corpses.

And.

The body of Betrayer Gelic, with a gaping hole in his chest.

The black blood oozing from him stained the floor.

Ayla raised her head.

– ………..

There stood the man.

He was bent a little as he looked down at Ayla.

– Are you alright?

His ashen hair was dirtied with soot. His once transparent blue eyes were now dulled with a faint haze. It couldn’t be called fine even as a courtesy.

A tattered appearance.

Yet the man stood firm on his two feet.

– Let’s get up.

He extended his hand.

– Your Highness.

He spoke in the same voice as always and smiled at Ayla. She recalled that smile.

She thought back to the feelings she had at that time.

…Was it because of the flooding sunlight?

Or could it have been the first glimpse she saw as Stella?

That day, Ayla saw the man.

The one who would later be called the Ashen Mage, Raniel, looked just like a shining star.

“Huff.”

Recalling that time made her chuckle inadvertently.

Ayla slowly opened her eyes. Slightly shaking her head, she brushed off the rising memories.

Looking back now, it was a funny story.

It could even be called a childhood embarrassment.

‘Back then, I thought it was a crush, right?’

At that time, she thought it was love at first sight, blind with infatuation. However, now thinking of the things the man, Raniel, accomplished…

‘That must have been my first glimpse.’

That was probably a glimpse as the Child of Stars.

That’s how Ayla perceived it.

“Nevertheless, it was quite a first love.”

Pouting her lips, Ayla murmured.

“I wonder what he’s doing now?”

No one knows his whereabouts.

There were tales that he was recruited by an ancient mage, and rumors that he was invited by ancient elves.

In any case, they are just rumors.

There have been no sightings of the Ashen Mage at all.

‘Still, there’s someone who looks like him.’

Raniel, the Ashen Mage.

When she pictured the man, another figure kept flickering in her mind.

Rania van Trias.

It might be quite rude for that professor, but Ayla felt the traces of Raniel in her.

‘The feeling is similar.’

It’s not just because of the characteristic appearance of ashen hair and blue eyes. In fact, it would be difficult to relate the two based on looks.

The Raniel Ayla remembered was sharp.

He looked prickly, sensitive, and had the impression of being on edge.

In contrast, what about Professor Rania?

While her gaze might be slightly sharp, she doesn’t look prickly or sensitive. Rather, she has a softer demeanor.

‘She looks a bit detached too.’

In any case, their appearances did not resemble each other.

Of course, aside from just their looks, there are many connections. The fact that she is Rosel’s disciple and adopted child, being an excellent mage, having dismantled Skebal’s barrier, etc.

There are many points of connection.

Yet, they are not decisive enough to overturn Ayla’s intuition.

Ayla’s eyes were convinced that Raniel and Rania were not the same person. Even the stars confirmed that conviction.

‘So, they must indeed be different individuals…’

But why?

Ayla continually felt that the two were alike.

It simply felt that way.

This is different from intuition. Perhaps it is simply her making a mistake due to experiencing similar situations.

“Probably just an illusion.”

Ayla smiled bitterly.

After all, the idea of a man becoming a woman itself is absurd. Gender reversal is an insult and rebellion against the star that blesses the body from birth, not polymorphism.

“Hoo…”

Ayla sighed and rolled her body.

At that moment, suddenly, a voice was heard from outside.

– Your Highness.

“Yes, what is it?”

– Professor Rania has come to visit.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly?

“W-Wait a moment!”

Ayla hurriedly got up from the bed. She brushed through her messy hair, draped a shawl over her shoulders.

“You can come in now!”

– Yes, understood.

Before long, the door opened.

Ayla brushed back her hair falling around her ears and glared at the person entering the room.

Professor Rania.

With a subtle scent of soap, she entered the room. It looked as if she had just come out of a bath, with her skin looking fresh.

However, what caught Ayla’s attention was something different.

Her attire was somewhat different from usual.

Instead of her usual neat robe, she wore what looked like casual clothes. Ayla tilted her head.

‘Huh?’

It wasn’t the robe she had gifted her. But then Ayla remembered there might be a reason.

‘She might be washing it because it got dirty.’

After all, it had been soaked in the blood of beasts. Remembering that fact, Ayla nodded slightly.

“What brings you here, Professor Rania?”

“Um, well… It’s nice to see you, Your Highness.”

“…?”

Something feels strange.

Unlike usual, her tone of response seemed very awkward. She also seemed unable to make eye contact.

“…What’s wrong?”

“No, um. It’s just…”

She hid something behind her back.

Ayla narrowed her eyes.

“What is that?”

“Eh?”

“That thing you just hid behind your back. What is it?”

“Ah, um…”

Ayla slightly tilted her head to the side. Rania instinctively took a half-step sideways.

“…What are you doing?”

“Umm…”

After a moment’s hesitation, she finally revealed what she held in her hand.

‘…Clothes?’

It was a white shirt.

Seeing the golden embroidery on the collar, Ayla recognized it as the one she had given as a gift.

“Why do you have that…?”

“Uh, well, here…”

She pointed to one side of the shirt.

There was a torn mark at that spot. And a shabby stitching was visible as well.

“…It’s torn?”

Ayla’s eyes narrowed.

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