100CIM - Chapter 242



Today was a very special day for Jane.

She was assigned to guide a first-generation necromancer from a foreign country and was able to become friendly with her and have conversations with her.

And that's not all? What a wonderful experience it was to be able to see with her own eyes the true nature of the Mana of Death, something she had never seen before in an educational institution, in the training hall.

It will definitely help Jane improve her skills.

“Come on, Jane, didn’t you say that after the sparring session, we have free time?”

“Oh, yes! Unlike the academy, here you just have to take the classes you’re assigned to, and after that, you can spend your time freely.”

“Are you going back to the dormitory, Miss Jane?”

“Yes! I think so. I guess I’m a bit tired after the sparring class. What about you, Simone?”

Simone smiled at Jane's question.

“I have someone to meet. See you tomorrow.”

Simone turned around without a second thought and walked away from Jane. She had just fought eight people and turned the training ground into a mess, but she had finished the training without a single scratch on either herself or her opponent.

'How can you be so cool?'

If I were by your side, would I be able to emulate you?

The ease and beauty that comes from strength. Jane turned around to look at Simone with an excited face.

“Ahh!”

Then she stepped back in surprise.

“I, I...”

A distance where even their breaths could touch. Reina was standing close to Jane, smiling and looking at her.

Jane asked, awkwardly pulling away from her.

“..What’s going on, Reina?”

“Jane, do you like it when it breaks from the head or from the legs?”

“...Yes?”

What is that...

Anyone who heard it got goosebumps at the question that seemed abnormal. What kind of creepy question is this?

As Jane, feeling something strange, slowly backed away, Reina quickly reached out and grabbed Jane's wrist tightly, pulling her.

“Ah, it hurts, Reina. This... please let go!”

“Aren’t you going to answer? Do you like instant death or a slower death?”

Why on earth would she be asked such a scary question? Jane, who was trembling with fear, suddenly remembered what Simone had said before the duel.

“Is Reina a real person? Not a ghost?”

“You never know. There might be ghosts among our friends. And even if there are, we’re necromancers, so wouldn’t it be hard to tell them apart?”


Ghost.

Jane's eyes sparkled. Who else but a ghost could give off such an eerie aura?

“No, I don’t like either of them. I don’t want to die.”

Reina tilted her head as she watched Jane answer with a pale face.

“That’s not the answer. Do you like it when your head gets smashed when your leg bones snap and explode in all directions?”

“I said no!”

Jane used all her strength to slap away Reina's hand and ran away from the training ground.

She almost reached the dormitory, but her heavy breathing and pounding heart showed no signs of calming down.

She has never felt this kind of fear before.

'Tomorrow... I'll tell Simone.'

Maybe Simone could give her some advice about Reina.

And it would be a good idea to tell Chairman Sena too.

Jane looked back in the direction of the training grounds and hurried to the dormitory building, not even noticing that Reina, standing on the rooftop railing of the training grounds building, was pointing at her with her hand.

***

At the end of a perfectly happy and special day, Reina's appearance made Jane feel a little bad, but after eating with Simone and Sena, she was able to think of it as nothing special.

“By the way, regarding Lady Simone’s escort.”

“Escort? ...Ah, Abel.”

Jane's roommate, Carol, nodded to Simone with sparkling eyes.

“His name is Abel? What a name!”

“Why Abel?”

“No, isn’t he secretly handsome? It would be a shame to keep him as a bodyguard. If he was a noble, he would definitely be popular at social parties!”

Jane chuckled. Carol had been quiet lately, but it seemed like she had fallen for Simone's escort.

Actually, when she first saw Jane, she couldn't help but look at her because her appearance was just as striking as Simone's.

“He’s guarding Simone’s side with such a devoted appearance! How wonderful it is! Simone, would you mind bringing him to our mansion party this weekend?”

Simone raised the corners of her mouth with an incomprehensible expression at Carol's seemingly rude suggestion.

“Well, I don’t really like parties. Abel would rather focus on his sword training than join parties.”

It was a rejection that didn't even come close.

“It’s too bad... My party was really fun.”

Normally, Carol would have been more encouraging, but Simone nodded obediently as if it was still difficult for her.

The conversation continued in a friendly atmosphere for a while.

In general, students at the educational institution asked about the story of the Luan Empire or Simone's daily life, and Simone asked about the temple of the God of Death or information about the Demon King and Anasis that the people of the Serk Empire knew.

'As expected, you are truly an amazing person.'

Simone seemed very adept at getting information, and she was very good at throwing out topics that could easily become heavy, such as the Demon King or Anasis, at good times.

Time passed quickly and night fell, and the students who had gathered in the lobby to share refreshments headed to their rooms one by one.

Soon, Carol and Sena, who had remained until the end, also returned to the room, leaving only Simone and Jane at the table.

“Should we go to sleep now?”

As Simone stood up, Jane, who had been hesitating for a while and watching her, quickly grabbed her by the collar.

“Hey, Simone!”

"Yes?"

“I have something to say...”

Simone stared at Jane and then slowly sat back down.

Jane opened her reluctant mouth, feeling newly moved that Simone was willing to listen to her.

“Actually, I met Lady Reina after I parted ways with Lady Simone at the training ground earlier.”

“Reina?”

Jane nodded.

“And I understood what Simone meant. What you meant when you said she was a ghost.”

“...What happened?”

“That’s... what Reina asked.”

Simone's face darkened as Jane spoke about what had happened with Reina.

She thought that if Raina was going to touch someone, it would definitely be Simone herself.

If she had asked such a question that was so blatantly suggestive of death, Jane might be in more danger than Simone.

‘Why all of a sudden to Jane...’

Simone sighed and rummaged through her pockets. For now, all she can do is wait and see, so let's give Jane an amulet.

Actually, ghosts can be quite a threat to necromancers, so having an amulet may not help.

“First of all, this... Huh?”

Simone looked at the amulet in her hand with a start.

'When was this...'

When did it become so rotten? The amulet of Marcel, who had asked for a friend who had died before, and the amulet of Jace, who had gone to the academy, were in the same shape.

A burnt and rotten appearance as if in a place with too much curse or death energy.

Why is this? There isn't that much energy here...

'Ah. The morgue.'

She was there earlier, by the way.

Rustle- 

Simone lowered her hand, crushing the amulet she was holding.

She gave all the talismans she had to her party, thinking that they could just be made again. Who would have thought that something unsettling would happen so quickly, just a day after arriving?

It's easy to make a talisman, but since the mana consumed by sparring is quite high, it seems like it would take at least a day's worth of recovery to make it.

Simone hesitated for a moment and then sighed deeply as if she had no other choice.

“If possible, don’t go out and stay in your room tonight. You should be careful not to meet Reina.”

“Yes? Yes.”

There is no sense of duty to protect them unconditionally like the servants of a mansion.

Jane is not an ordinary person, she is also a necromancer, so she should be able to protect herself.

If the situation gets really serious, Simone can step in. Until then, let's just wait and see.

“Please be careful.”

“Yes, I’ll be careful!”

Jane nodded, her expression uneasy, and the two of them parted ways and headed to their respective rooms.

She thought the day ended safely like that.

***

Rustle- rustle-

In a quiet room, Jane slowly woke up to a strange sound in her ears.

Sagrak- Sagrak-

“...Hmm?”

What does this mean?

Is Carol snoring loudly again? Or is it the curtains fluttering in the wind?

As she felt her consciousness slowly fading away, she tried to move her body to lie down. Jane's eyes flashed open.

Uh?

Her body wouldn't move. Her upper body wouldn't lift at all as if something heavy was pressing down on her.

Jane tried to raise her body again using her arms, which were relatively free to move but suddenly felt something strange and stopped dead in her tracks.

In an instant, a cold sweat formed.

This feeling.

It wasn't as if her body was still moving on its own; it was as if someone was actually holding her down.

Jane looked down at her upper body, her eyes trembling and flinching.

“Ugh...”

The blanket was strangely bulgy.

It was as if someone was lying on top of Jane under the covers.


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