The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 194: Corruption (3) (End Part 1)

Chapter 194: Corruption (3) (End Part 1)

To be honest, I think of you as a pushover.

Saint? Bodhisattva? They call these types of people pushovers where I came from. Idiots who couldn’t look after themselves.

You believe that people are naturally good, so you didn’t give up until the end.

And most of all, you realized a lot of things during the Great War. Was it alright to just go along with the Demon King’s purpose. Was it okay to take revenge on other races because we had been oppressed first. Was there not a single trustworthy person in the world.

Was there no way to break the curse. Why couldn’t the Golden-Eyed use magic compared to other races. Where did the ironization curse come from. What was the nature of humans, and how did one learn about it.

Lastly, what should one do after finding that out.

So the Goddess sent me to you.

Because I didn’t trust anyone. Because I was skeptical. And because even after a long time, I still only gave minimal trust.

Deep relationships, superficial relationships. We were similar, and at some point started resembling each other.

You becoming like me, me becoming like you.

And now it was time to put our heads together, not just our hearts. What are we to do here. How should we move forward.

- So you want to make an offer?

We will inevitably be rejected by people. It can’t be helped as that’s how we’re born.

- And the control of the body?

You take it. But, you can take over right away under the condition that you make one more agreement with me.

- Interesting. Speak.

After you’ve decided that they used up their thousandth chance. After we’ve been labeled as a complete monster.

If there is still someone who sees us as who we are and understands even after that.

Then I will take your body back.

- Aren’t you a funny one. A bet? Fine, it seems interesting. Do as you will. It will not matter anyway.

Alright.

- Because this one will burn down the world before it happens.

It wasn’t over yet.

**She had endured everything.

However.

- She isn’t a Beast. Don’t touch my pupil!

Professor Heerlein. As soon as she saw her fall, she felt the blood drain from her head.

Was it ‘me’ or ‘Aether’.

She didn’t know whose will it was. But when she came to her senses, she was swinging her staff.

“Kugh...!”

“Now you show your true colors. Everyone attack!”

One by one, Aether dealt a blow to the order that had arrived.

In any case, they were weaker than the Imperial’s elite. Rather, she had to watch her strength.

Her head hurt. It was neither because of the rain, nor that she caught a cold. Only that she needed somewhere to take out this anger.

Fucking fools, I knew this would happen.

Things went awry after all. Although she’d expected it, it was disappointing. The girl’s eyes reddened.

“Urgh...!”

“Ughh...!”

About thirty elite mages were taken down all together. An overwhelming difference in force. Mössbayer was shocked.

“What, aren’t humanoid types supposed to be mostly weak...?”

Then there was only one possibility.

Cataclysm.

The word popped up in everyone’s minds. People soon fled, scrambling.

The attempt to restore order failed. The Academy instantly turned into a scene of chaos.

Thwack! Having knocked out the last mage of the House of Totzfel, Aether spun her staff fiercely.

The heavy chunk of metal cut through the air. Whip, whip! A sharp sound. It was an agile movement that was different from before.

Fwip.

Aether pointed at Mössbayer with the tip of the caliper.

“......I will give you one last opportunity.”

“O-opportunity...?”

“Take back everything you just said and plead your guilt. Ask for forgiveness, then I will forget that this happened.”

Although she said that, she already knew. That she couldn’t live here anymore.

It was sealed from the moment she hit Totzfel. The humans already perceived her as a Beast, and there was no way to turn things back.

But she still gave an opportunity on purpose.

Because just in case.

“Correct it with your own words, that this one is not a monster.”

“What is this monster saying...! After beating all those mages....”

Of course, her other ego knew. That people weren’t going to listen.

The people were already stirred up as much as they could be. They didn’t say ‘three men make a tiger’ for nothing.

But that ego had already stepped back. Now it was only ‘Aether’. She had to decide everything alone.

It was a foreign sensation, controlling her body for the first time since using the ‘Lantern of the Dead’.

She gave it to her at a time like this and left. It was herself, but what a bastard.

“The Elementals here have already spoken. That one is unmistakably a Beast!”

Aether chuckled, an empty, mocking laugh.

“I see, so you’re going to be like that until the end... then.”

Haa, Aether sighed. It was a reaction of disbelief.

“Look at all these morons who don’t know their place.”

Aether walked towards Mössbayer, mud mixed with blood squelching.

“S-stay away!”

Mössbayer quickly stepped back, but soon tripped over a rock.

Clack, clack. The remaining mages adjusted their grips on their staff.

The Elemental Mages finished getting ready to manifest the Goddess’ representatives into the world. It took time for ‘Spirit Summoning’. They casted summoning spells all around and the density of mana suddenly increased.

Aether dropped her head. Her shoulders slumped like a crumbling castle.

She aimed at Mössbayer. At the same time, the other mages aimed at Aether from all around.

“......I will give you time to reconsider.”

In this moment, the girl thought to the very last.

The people here didn’t have time to realize the situation. Everything happened so suddenly, and they wouldn’t have known what was going on.

The thousandth chance. It was too much a shame to waste it like this. She wanted to be understood a little more.

However.

The world wasn’t such a nice place.

“E-everyone, get ready for battle...!”

As soon as she heard that, it felt like something snapped.

Her shoulders trembled, while her arms tensed. It felt like there was water in her throat.

Rainwater dripped from her hair, and the first thing she thought was ‘thank goodness’.

“You, are truly, digging your own graves.”

The girl’s eyes were wet. Her voice sounded like it was drowning in a flood.

There definitely were mages who hesitated at that voice, mainly the ones who knew Aether.

On the other hand, those who had no contact with her frowned. The veterans who had been on the frontlines for a long time thought differently.

They shouted towards the ones who were hesitating.

“Do not be affected by her crying! Humanoids behave like that right before they show their true colors!”

“......She’s showing signs. Everyone, prepare for a sudden attack!”

Heh, the girl twisted her lips. It was an incomplete smile.

In the next moment.

Booom! A red flash shot right into Aether’s face. It was some kind of Advanced Fire Magic.

The name of the spell wasn’t important. The girl just stood there and took the hit from the spell.

It was a direct hit to the face. With a blam, ash-colored smoke wafted.

Everyone thought it was an effective blow.

Of course, as it was an Advanced Magic. If she was a Calamity, then using an Advanced spell would at least leave a scratch.

“...My god.”

But the result was completely different. The girl’s head that had been knocked back by the spell snapped back like a spring. She returned her feet that had been lifted slightly off the ground back to their place.

Boom!

A shallow crater formed where they girl stepped.

“...Haah.”

With a sigh, Aether dusted off her hair. There wasn’t a single singe mark on her snow white skin.

“It can’t be....”

That was what the ones who didn’t have field experience said. On the other hand, the veteran mages’ bodies prematurely broke out in goosebumps.

“So you even waste the last chance that this one gave you. The modern age is overflowing with foolish wretches.”

Screee! Aether twisted her staff.

The shot out like a flash. A moment to draw. And a strike.

Blam! Lightning struck the world.

There were a lot of puddles as is. Electric currents flowed through the electrolyte-rich waters. It was simply one strike with the staff, but the mages were subdued with that single strike alone.

Heerlein, Freyr. Except for them, the nearby mages were all electrocuted. Without even being able to scream, they shuddered, then collapsed on the spot.

“Th-that....... Deflecting an Advanced spell like it was nothing....”

Thwack!

“Eyaaaaargh!”

Aether dug the staff into Mössbayer’s arm. As he screamed, he yanked forward.

Whack! She dropped him with a kick. Mössbayer rolled on the ground. With the sound of choking on his breath, he passed out.

“You vile thing. This will be your grave.”

Aether lifted her staff high once more.

“Hey, hey...! Stop it!”

Just then, Freyr ran over and clung to her. Aether stopped in the middle of delivering the final blow and turned around.

“E-even so.... You shouldn’t try to kill people. That’s bad!”

“......Get off me, brat. You’re in the way.”

“You are being weird! Why are you like this all of a sudden! Snap out of it...!!”

Looking at Freyr, Aether clicked her tongue.

This one was a friend of the other self. She had nothing to do with her. It wouldn’t matter if she just pushed her away.

Still.

The brat under the care of Autumn Heaven, is it. It wouldn’t be good to mess with her.

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She lowered the caliper and took a step back. All the mages in the front row had fallen.

[I can’t stand this.]

[There is the instruction that the Goddess always gives–that if a malicious Beast comes down from the Elankayas, to subdue them without mercy.]

[Is it around three hundred Intermediates, twenty Greater, and three Elites? Good, then we have more than enough of a chance!]

Shing, the Elementals who finished descending pulled out a chain.

A chain of light with a hook at the end. It was a tool that extracted a Beast’s core at once. If she got caught by mistake, it was instant death.

Aether pondered.

My body isn’t warmed up yet. I will lose if I fight here.

There were even three Elites. This mess was because she was switched during the exchange program.

Clack, she clenched her teeth.

Is a breakthrough possible. No.... Before that, is there anywhere I can go?

She was completely alone, and the fact was disappointing. Aether stepped back even further.

“......Kid, it’s time to say goodbye.”

“Wh-what...?”

Freyr’s face filled with despair. In that time, Aether sliced her wrist with the caliper. It was to tell her the truth before leaving.

Black blood like waste water dripped. Expression freezing, Freyr sank down on the spot.

She covered her mouth, looking as if she learned what she wasn’t supposed to. With a bitter smile, Aether spoke.

“I apologize for having lied to you all this time.”

Freyr cried.

**[SYSTEM : WARNING. WARNING.]......Damn it. Am I, alive...?

He twisted while hearing the System Window’s alarm. His entire body ached like it’d been beaten up.

[SYSTEM : Notice - After fainting, the ‘Song of Healing’ has been applied for 10 minutes and 8 seconds.]He looked around with a still blurry vision. There was a strange sound in his ear. The smell of something burning entered his nose.

Stat Window.

Vermel turned on the stats and scrolled down. He immediately went into the Stress Management window.

Soon, he snapped to his senses.

[Check Stress Level][Aether : 65 - ‘Corrupt’ Status]Corrupt.

The word that he could see clearly.

N-no.

He got up while holding his throbbing head. Although he looked around, there was no one standing.

“N-no....”

The word that he’d been thinking blurted out.

Unconscious people. Sparks flying from here and there. The ashen sky that was darker than before.

“This can’t be.......”

Duchess Totzfel who had fainted, foaming at the mouth. Mössbayer with a dent in his head. The ruined palace in the distance.

Freyr who was crying while holding Heerlein, and even the halved body of the chairman.

[SYSTEM : The Fourth Trial ‘Dark Day’ begins.]

[SYSTEM : Tip - The item database has been updated. ‘Elixir of Rest and Peace’.]

Vermel fell over on the spot.

Then.

Wailed.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh─!!”

The game wasn’t over yet.