Volume 2, Chapter 15 – Night Talk atop the Spire

Atop the highest spire of Lilith School, the night wind was bitterly cold.

Wave after wave of indescribable darkness, like wind sweeping through the willow trees beside a mud-brick house, ceaselessly battered Katerina’s pitch-black robes.

Her entire body was icy cold, from the depths of her heart all the way down to the soles of her feet.

At this moment, Katerina felt as though she had just watched a warm sun sink beneath the horizon, leaving her behind to shiver alone in the cold dew of twilight.

Sudden sorrow rippled through her black eyes, while her lips trembled like red leaves frostbitten by the autumn wind.

“Yo, my dear Vice Principal.”

A purple magical crystal quietly appeared before Katerina, gradually projecting the tired yet faintly teasing face of Gehenna Jelansika.

“From what I can tell, your magical power fluctuations seem a little unstable… What happened? Did you just finish some strenuous exercise?”

“…Why are the corners of your eyes a little red and swollen? You look like you just cried. Or was the wind this high up so strong that it blew sand into the eyes of our iron-willed potion professor?”

Gehenna leaned closer to the crystal, lightly toying with Katerina’s emotions as though tickling her.

“Even your makeup is a tiny bit smudged, you know? I’d love to call it some trendy new smoky-eye look, but it looks more like… messy tear stains?”

“Your imagination.” Katerina coldly interrupted her.

She elegantly turned to the side, avoiding Gehenna’s gaze.

“If you contacted me at this hour merely to discuss such pointless trivialities, I’m hanging up.”

“Don’t be in such a hurry to hang up. Your attitude really is as cold as ever.”

Gehenna smiled with her chin propped in one hand. She was not angry in the slightest, though the amusement in her eyes only grew stronger.

“Since you don’t want to talk about yourself, how about we talk about something else?”

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“For example… how do you feel?”

“…How do I feel about what?” Katerina frowned slightly.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” Gehenna’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “You know what I’m talking about. The child I entrusted to you, Stella. Her eyes. Her power.”

“According to my estimate, you should be immersed in the joy of being a teacher right about now.”

“Joy?”

Katerina froze.

A feeling of sorrow, almost akin to jealousy and regret, instantly filled her heart.

“Gehenna, your twisted sense of humor is truly disgusting. You made me teach her? Made me look at that face of hers?”

“For me, that could never be joy. It’s torture.”

“The fact that I hate her will never, ever change.”

Gehenna merely listened quietly with a meaningful smile. Whether it was the delight of taking pleasure in Katerina’s misfortune or the indulgence of someone who had expected all of this from the start, Katerina could not tell.

“Finished?” Gehenna paused, her tone becoming suggestive. “So that means you absolutely won’t help her later, and you certainly won’t care whether she lives or dies?”

“Of course!” Katerina answered decisively. “If I could, I’d strangle that…”

“Alright, alright, I get it. I know you don’t want to help.”

Gehenna nodded perfunctorily.

She waved a hand, while noisy arguing and the sounds of fighting came from somewhere in the background.

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“Since you hate her that much, I won’t force you. In any case, I’m currently stuck at the Nexus Council in the Abyss and won’t be able to return anytime soon. The matter with the former Vice Principal has made those old demons wary. No matter what I say, they insist on sending an investigation team to station itself at the school. I really can’t stop them.”

“Your responsibility,” Katerina snorted. “You’re the Principal.”

“Yes, yes, my responsibility.”

Gehenna sighed, then abruptly changed the subject. Her languid gaze suddenly sharpened.

“However, even though I can’t return, my intelligence network hasn’t been sitting idle.”

“Katerina, although you extremely, mm… hate that child, I still have to remind you of something. Some filthy rats slipped into the school while I was away.”

Katerina frowned again.

“Rats?”

“The Valentine family’s Blackthorn Guard,” Gehenna said indifferently. “An entire squad of fully armed deathsworn. Just now, they crossed the school’s barrier.”

“Their target is very clear. It’s that student you absolutely don’t want to help~”

“…”

Katerina fell silent.

The Blackthorn Guard.

The cleaners specifically used by the Valentine family to purge their own ranks. Once deployed, they would not sheathe their blades until they had drawn blood.

Katerina had heard the rumors about them. They were excellent in every respect and exceedingly professional in their work.

Their only flaw was that they acted far too swiftly and decisively.

“Oh my, how terrible~” Gehenna sighed with exaggerated pretence. “I’m far away, and the only Vice Principal here hates my student to the bone and wishes she’d hurry up and die. It seems poor, helpless little Stella is destined to be chopped into pieces in despair tonight…”

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“What a shame about her SSS+ talent. What a shame about her beautiful silver hair. What a shame about her skin as white as frost and snow. Oh… especially those eyes. Every frown and smile is full of charm.”

“Such a lovely little girl. Sigh, and she’s about to die young.”

“…Hmph.” Katerina said nothing more.

She turned around and walked away, her long black hair hiding her expression.

The wind grew stronger.

“Katerina.” Gehenna called after her.

“What?”

Katerina stopped and stared at Gehenna, only to find the corners of her lips slightly raised, still carrying the lingering trace of a smile.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing,” Gehenna said. “Mm… could you stop putting on an act for just a little while? Just a little?”

“…If you’re the Principal, then stop making these snide remarks.”

Katerina coldly rolled her eyes at her and turned to leave.

Snap.

The communication cut off.

Gehenna stared at the vanished image and finally could no longer suppress her wicked grin.

“What a stubborn woman with a soft heart.”

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“Hmph. I’ve lived this many years. How could I not know exactly how to handle her?”

She picked up her quill again and casually signed her name on the document before her titled 《Resolution on the Formation of a Special Investigation Team to Be Stationed at Lilith School for the Thorough Investigation and Elimination of Infiltrating Ash Drinker Forces.》

“Then I’ll leave it safely in your hands, my… Vice Principal,” Gehenna murmured softly. “Look on the bright side. Maybe you’ll find some long-lost joy in all this?”

‘Mm… joy.’

Gehenna leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

“Besides, if it were me instead…”

Several scenes flashed through her consciousness like streaks of rain passing through a beam of light on a rainy night, leaving nowhere to settle.

She felt a sorrow almost like blood being drawn from her veins.

The sorrow did not last as long as she had imagined, and her shame faded just as quickly.

Gehenna opened her eyes, gazed at the gray, hazy dome of the Abyss overhead, and let out a soft sigh.

“I’m afraid… I’d be even more of a mess than you.”

Translator Note

Uwahh… Both Principal and Vice Principal are loving and hating Stella at the same time because she looks like Vilpana, their dearest student and lover respectively TvT