Became The Adopted Daughter Of A Family Of Assassins

Chapter 43:

Please, Save Me

 

A familiar sensation echoed in his mind.

 

Pythonus.

 

“Pythonus?!”

 

Riche looked around frantically.

 

But the corridor revealed nothing to Riche’s eyes.

 

Disappointed, just then Pythonus called out to Riche again.

 

“Here!”

 

“Where?!”

 

Still, nothing was visible.

 

“Here!”

 

A frustrated sigh burst out from a window.

 

Surprise filled Riche’s face as he finally found the source of the sound.

 

“…Pythonus?”

 

Fiery red mane, intense orange eyes.

 

Broad shoulders, muscular torso in perfect harmony, gleaming skin.

 

A man exuding confidence from head to toe stood there.

 

However,

 

“Long time no see, contractor.”

 

Though smaller than Riche’s palm.

 

***

 

Once upon a time, stars were gods.

 

Strong or weak, they existed alongside planets for hundreds of years, even billions.

 

But nothing remained eternal in the flow of time.

 

Life was born, died, civilizations rose, fell.

 

Gods existed, worshipped, forgotten.

 

Forgotten gods became stars, unable to maintain their existence in the human world.

 

Stars sought a world where they could maintain their existence, known as the Grave.

 

“The god of battle. An ancient tale.”

 

Riche’s room.

 

Pythonus lay sideways on a cushion, tapping his ankle.

 

The man with red hair resembled Pythonus’s original appearance. Despite the unfamiliar exterior, his casual tone and behavior were just as Riche remembered.

 

“It’s Pythonus.”

 

Riche couldn’t help but smile.

 

Feeling proud of his stumbling contractor, Pythonus nodded.

 

Of course, it’s me.

 

Because I’m so amazing. Whatever.

 

“Then, did you completely come out of that glass jar? What about the squirrel body?”

 

“Well, it’s a bit ambiguous.”

Pythonus rose to his feet, crossed his legs, and leaned back, folding his arms.

 

“I’m still in an ethereal form. So, what you see now is an illusion created by cognitive manipulation. I haven’t regained my physical form yet. Oh, but I did fully emerge from the glass jar.”

 

“Hiken… What happened to him?”

 

Riche hesitated to call out his name, realizing it might reveal Hikenka’s location.

 

“Call him Yellow. That name should suffice for that brat.”

 

Though “Yellow Eyes” might suit him better, could Riche bring himself to speak so harshly to his own contractor?

 

“Shall I tell you what happened to the dog?”

 

With a satisfied expression, Pythonus explained how he managed to escape. A month ago, on the day Ian fell into the water, Pythonus, who had emerged from the glass jar, deceived Hikenka with his cognitive manipulation ability. After making Hikenka believe he had been confined again, Pythonus slipped into Philip’s body, which was asleep inside.

 

“He possessed Philip?”

 

“No, it was more like relocating within the jar. It wouldn’t have been possible without being ethereal.”

 

Luck was on his side. If Hikenka had used his eyes that day, he might have seen through Pythonus’s cognitive manipulation. Hikenka seemed oddly distracted that day.

 

“So, while in the knight’s body, Yellow Eyes waited for an opportunity to possess me. Now, he’s sleeping after I drained all the power he had accumulated.”

 

Thanks to that, Pythonus was now brimming with power, enough to manifest his original form to some extent.

 

“Have you been well, contractor?”

 

“Yeah…!”

 

As Pythonus inquired about his well-being, Riche nodded eagerly.

 

He then recounted everything he had experienced, starting from Hikenka’s demise in prison to his time at the academy, mentioning Philip becoming a knight, saving Ian Dwaine, purifying Blake’s infection, and enrolling in the academy… until he recently overheard Professor Rumbler’s conversation with Blake and Deon.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Pythonus exclaimed, impressed.

 

“Banning magic because they can’t control what they have? How dare they, humans? To my contractor?”

 

“True, but…”

 

Riche fidgeted with his hands.

 

Since the incident at the training ground, he had attempted some simple spells using magic stones, but they had all failed miserably. The sudden appearance of a mysterious giant tree overnight, corridors so clean they dazzled, and a fountain appearing in the artificial lake were all the results of his failed magic.

 

“That’s understandable.”

 

Pythonus shook his head.

 

If he had known Riche wanted to learn magic, he should have told him earlier.

 

It was his fault. He couldn’t do anything without me.

 

There was a clear reason why Riche acted the way he did.

 

“Contractor. You used human spells, right? Those tediously long ones.”

 

“Magic spells? Yeah.”

Riche nodded.

 

Because magic required incantations.

 

Pythonus clicked his tongue, saying he thought as much.

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“What do you think?”

 

Pythonus grunted dismissively.

 

How many times had his contractor been surprised? Now, even saying these things felt tiresome.

 

“You’re saying I’m a monster.”

 

* * *

 

“Ian Dwaine, please follow me.”

 

Class was over. Ian began to rise to follow Professor Rumbler, who had already left the classroom.

 

Zeekbert, his classmate, grabbed Ian’s shoulder.

 

“Why? Zeekbert.”

 

“Come with me.”

 

To go together. Was he referring to the dorm?

 

Ian turned his head towards the classroom door, where Professor Rumbler stood each time a student left.

 

“Sorry. Professor Rumbler asked me to bring you along.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Zeekbert nodded.

 

Then, he transformed into a small red-furred chipmunk and hopped into Ian’s shirt pocket.

 

“Zeekbert?”

 

Meanwhile, Professor Rumbler, who had entered the classroom with Ian and Zeekbert, urged them along.

 

“Ian Dwaine.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Did you really use your abilities?”

 

The room fell silent at her question.

 

Sensing the tense atmosphere, the headmaster approached Rumbler with a chuckle.

 

“Professor, His Excellency is here too. What if Ian Dwaine is telling the truth? Such suspicion—”

 

“The distinguishing feature of the Gerwer family’s ability users is their golden eyes that see through everything. Although it’s not well-known, when using their abilities, their eyes emit a faint glow. However, Ian Dwaine’s eyes have never lit up.”

 

Upon hearing this, the professors looked at Ian, then at Riche, and then glanced at Blake.

 

Ah, here we go again.

 

“Please, Rumbler… spare me!”

 

The headmaster wanted to cry. He really did. What a stubborn case.

 

Whether Ian Dwaine uses his abilities or not, what’s the difference? He’s a genius from the Tariye Ludwick family, and his father is Blake Ludwick.

 

“Ludwicks are known as an assassin family…!”

 

Although Blake said he would end it with his generation, it was still Blake’s era. That meant—

 

“I’m done for!”

 

In the warmth of his bed, he slept through the next day, and the next, and the next… Even in the morning sunlight streaming through the window, there was no hope of opening his eyes.

 

Meanwhile, Rumbler continued conversing with Ian with a stiff, unyielding attitude.

 

“But, Professor Rumbler, not all ability users experience the same phenomena. My father’s eyes light up when he uses his ability, but mine don’t.”

 

“Then try using your ability on me. I’ll judge after experiencing it.”

 

Ian replied nonchalantly, but it didn’t satisfy Professor Rumbler.

 

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Even the professors hesitated to intervene, and Blake, who was about to step forward, was halted by—

 

“I, Professor Rumbler.”

 

Riche, who had been silent until then, spoke up.