Chapter 23: The Eldritch Godness and Peril Strikes Again

After leaving the director's office, we gathered outside the library.

Klaus was piecing together what we'd learned from Director Erich.

"If that grimoire's contents are true, then that underground shrine must have been a place of worship for a heretical god—the so-called 'Rotting Queen.' But why would a deity from an Eastern land, worshipped over 1,500 years ago, be enshrined beneath our academy...?"

"...Distance and time may be trivial matters to such beings..."

Felix muttered this under his breath, his expression darkening.

"Felix? You look pale..."

"No, it's nothing. Just... I felt like I heard something down there. That what seems an eternity to humans is but the blink of an eye to higher existences."

"Heard something? There was nothing down there but rats."

"Exactly. That’s why I said it felt like I heard it. Not that I actually did."

Oh no. His memories are starting to resurface.

"Ah! That was probably me talking! Just thinking out loud, you know?"

"Was it...?"

"Yes, yes! Who else would’ve said it? There was no one else down there!"

"...I suppose you're right."

Felix wore the expression of a man half-convinced—Maybe...? Could be...

"A-anyway!" I quickly changed the subject. "We've learned what we can from the grimoire, but where do we go from here? There doesn’t seem to be much else to investigate..."

"True. For now, let’s disband."

"If you notice anything unusual around the academy, report it to Klaus or me immediately."

With that, Klaus and Felix took their leave.

"Understood. I’ll let you know if I find anything."

I waved them off, then turned to head home.

Adventure was fun, but time to call it a day—

"Aah... Aah...!"

A corpse-cold hand suddenly seized my wrist from behind. I yanked free and spun around—

"At last... At last, I stand before one so magnificent! A being beyond mortal comprehension! My faith, my devotion, my yearning—finally rewarded! Hehe... Fufufu!"

The voice belonged to a young female librarian—or at least, someone wearing the uniform. Her cheeks were sunken as if ill, and her overgrown bangs nearly swallowed her eyes. Unsettling didn’t begin to cover it.

"Who... are you?"

"Your humble worshipper! One who seeks the knowledge you bring—who strives to lift humanity from its ignorance, from its wretched meat, to glimpse the truths veiled behind this world...!"

"O-oh. Well... good luck with that?"

A cultist! Inside the academy! And she’s targeting me!

"So... what do you want from me...?"

"We’ve prepared an offering in your honor! Please, accept this tribute of flesh and blood! Surely it will please you—just as it did before! Kekeke...!"

"An offering...? You mean a sacrifice?"

"You accepted it once and bestowed wisdom upon us! Grant us knowledge again! Show mercy to we lowly, foolish creatures...! Fuhihihi!"

This is bad. Really, really bad.

"...Tell me. What exactly is this offering?"

"The little girl you whimsically took under your wing... and that insolent one who dares call herself your friend. We've captured them both. Soon, they shall be ready for offering. First, we'll extract their organs while they still draw breath. Then, we'll scoop out their brains as they scream in awareness. Finally, we'll toss their hollowed shells to a swarm of writhing insects! Fuhihihihii!"

Ugh. I felt bile rise in my throat.

Harvesting organs and brains from living victims? That wasn’t madness—it was pure, unfiltered monstrosity.

"I don’t want that. I refuse. Stop this now."

"It’s far too late. The gears are already in motion..."

With those words, the librarian vanished into the library’s shadows.

"...I should probably tell someone about this."

This wasn’t just suicide or an attempt anymore—this was murder. A full-blown, premeditated murder plot.

Come to think of it, Claudia did warn me about 'meddling in unnecessary things.' How annoying. Why can’t they just leave me alone?

And these fanatics? Useless. Even when their so-called object of worship—me—orders them to stop, they don’t listen. I’ve had it with them.

"Milady."

My family’s maid suddenly appeared beside me. Gah!

"Wh-what is it?"

"A matter requiring your attention. Your classmate, Frieda, has gone missing."

"...What?!"

For a moment, my mind went blank.

Frieda’s missing? Why? Was she caught up in something?

...What did that zealot say earlier? Something about sacrificing my 'friend'...?

Oh no. This is very bad. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?! They’re planning to kill Frieda!

"We have to find her! Any leads...?!"

I racked my brain.

We’d already searched the underground shrine, and faculty were guarding it now. Performing a ritual sacrifice there seemed unlikely. But were there any other locations on campus suitable for such horrors? Some hidden cultist stronghold...?

"The dormitory!"

It hit me—there had been traces of cult activity there before.

"We need to get to the dorms—now!"

I sprinted off with the maid in tow.

Logically, I should report this first... but bringing others risks another incident like what happened to Felix in the shrine. Better to just take the maid.

We raced across campus.

The dorms weren’t far—a 30-minute run from the library. Frieda had shown me around once, so I knew the way.

But even if we made it in time, could we find whatever hidden facility the cult was using? What if they’d taken Frieda somewhere else entirely?

Doubt and dread gnawed at me, but there was no other choice.

"No running in the halls!"

"Sorry!"

Despite the teacher's scolding, I burst into the student dormitory.

The dormitory was as old as the original school building, resembling a minor noble's estate. Frieda had once mentioned it could house up to 200 students—just how spacious it was.

"This time, I'll trust my instincts."

If I truly am a bona fide evil god, then I should be able to sense where they intend to offer sacrifices in my name! ...Should!

I closed my eyes and sharpened my senses, focusing every fiber of my being.

"Hm! This way!"

Something called to me—a whisper of my name in the dark.

I sprinted toward the presence. Fortunately, the dorm was nearly empty, so my intrusion went unnoticed.

"The aura is coming from underground... But where's the entrance?"

As I scanned the open rooms on the first floor, the maid noticed something odd about a bookshelf. Though empty, it bore telltale marks.

"Milady. Look. These scrape marks suggest it's been moved repeatedly."

"Aha!"

Just like in those puzzle games! We shifted the shelf along the grooves on the floor, revealing a hidden passage behind it. A gaping maw of darkness greeted us, exhaling a faint, rotting stench.

"We have to hurry!"

We plunged into the passage, descending deeper underground with the maid's conjured flames lighting our way.

Soon, a chanting voice echoed from below—an incomprehensible, guttural noise closer to a beast's snarl than human speech.

"This is definitely the place...!"

I was certain of it.

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