The Author's Playground
Chapter 48: Betrayal (3)

Chapter 48: Betrayal (3)

On the other side...

The ghoul lunged, its elongated claws slicing through the air.

Lucian ducked in time, his breath visible in the cold mist that radiated from his sword. He then twisted his body, slamming his shoulder into the creature’s ribs, sending it staggering backward.

"Victoria!!"

Victoria leaped into the fray. The wind swirled around her hands, and with a flick of her fingers, a burst of compressed air shot forward, hammering the ghoul’s chest and sending it skidding across the dirt.

It recovered unnaturally fast, vaulting forward on all fours like a beast.

Lucian barely had time to react before it launched upon him. He raised his sword to parry, but the ghoul kicked off the blade mid-air and slammed its knee into his chest.

The impact sent him sprawling.

"I’ll cover up!"

Victoria shot forward, spinning as she dropped low.

A gust of wind spiraled around her leg as she swung her heel into the ghoul’s side, launching it away from Lucian. The moment it landed, she was already moving, dashing past it with another burst of wind, her palm striked its head with enough force to snap it to the side.

Then, Lucian pushed himself up.

Ice erupted beneath the ghoul’s feet, locking its legs in place for a second—just long enough.

He lunged, gripping the hilt with both hands, and slashed. With a final, shuddering gasp, the creature crumbled into ice and dust.

"Phew... it’s all done right...?"

Victoria sighed in relief as she turned around to face Lucian who seemed half as tired as her.

She couldn’t help but notice, compared to their first teamwork, Victoria was getting used to Lucian’s attack, and him gradually adapting to hers as well.

’Did Elijah predicted this?’

On second thought, thinking about that guy once again somewhat pisses Victoria off.

’The fuck I mean Elijah predicted this?! He betrayed us, He did! Silly me, why do I always assume that guy knew everything... Ugh, I will never forgive him!!!’

"Victoria."

Her thoughts scattered as Lucian’s voice cut through the silence. She turned to see him crouching near the ground.

"I found artifacts."

"What?! Really?!"

Victoria rushed to his side, her eyes fell upon two relics resting on the cold stone—a black sword and a white bow.

Her fingers trembled as she reached toward them. "With these..." she murmured, almost to herself, "we won’t fail the succession ceremony."

Lucian glanced at her. "You should pick first."

Without hesitation, she grabbed the bow. "I’ll take this. I’ve never learned to wield a sword, but at least I have some experience with this."

Lucian nodded. "Thank you."

He lifted the sword, giving it a careful swing. A quiet hum resonated from the blade as his grip tightened.

"...I like this."

Victoria chuckled. "That’s good. I heard the artifacts we choose here will become our permanent weapons." She slung the bow over her shoulder, eyes scanning their surroundings. "Anyway... now that we have these, how do we get out of here—"

Crack. Creak.

As if on cue, the ceiling split open.

"Eek—!!" Victoria stumbled backward as a figure crashed down from above, landing in a heap of dust and rubble.

A man—dark brown curls, a wide witch’s hat, cracked glasses. His robes bore an emblem, and on his chest, a golden badge gleamed beneath the dust.

[ Sean Favian || Mahika Instructor ]

"E-Eh?! A professor!?" Victoria gasped.

The man groaned, adjusting his glasses before spotting them. "Ah... Don’t worry, you’re safe now." He straightened, dusting off his robes. His gaze flickered between them. "Ms. De Fleur and Mr. Winterhold, correct? Have you seen Mr. Shahrazad and Mr. Nova?"

Lucian’s jaw tensed. His gaze drifted to the unrecognizable corpse nearby.

"...Mr. Nova didn’t make it." His voice was quiet, heavy. "I’ll explain everything once we’re outside."

Sean’s expression darkened. "And Mr. Shahrazad?"

"He’s with Quasolium Floryn."

The professor’s brow furrowed. "Pardon...? Quasolium Floryn?"

A voice from behind answered for them.

"Ah, Professor, allow me to explain that part."

Victoria froze.

That voice—she knew that voice.

Slowly, she turned.

A short-haired girl stepped into view, her pink hair framed a face too calm for the situation. A diamond badge gleamed on her uniform, pinned to her right chest.

[ Circe Phordes || Class S ]

Victoria’s breath caught in her throat.

"You—"

Circe smiled, adjusting her glasses.

"Hello, Victoria."

Her voice was gentle...

"I’ve been dying to have a little chat."

******

[ Beelzebub Unique Skill has been activated. ]

A deep, guttural hum filled the cave as Elijah’s hand ignited, a malevolent red glow pulsing from his fingertips.

Quasolium’s breath hitched. Her instincts screamed— ’Run, escape, or fight back’. But it was too late.

The moment his outstretched fingers touched the air between them, a terrifying force seized her body.

"You’re insane! Do you even realize what you’re doing?!"

Her scream echoed, but Elijah said nothing.

Then—

Rip.

Her flesh tore apart.

Not cleanly. Not swiftly.

It began at the edges of her fingertips, shredding like paper as unseen hands peeled her apart, layer by layer. Veins snapped, twisting violently like pulled threads, the muscle tissues of her arms unraveled.

Her left hand collapsed into dust, fingers vanishing into thin air before she could even flinch. The pain hit next.

Agonizing. Mind-shattering. Endless.

"A—AARGHHHH!!"

Quasolium’s legs buckled as her bones liquefied, her very being crushed into itself, getting sucked into the void of Elijah’s palm.

Yet, even as her body disintegrated, she could still feel everything.

The sensation of her ribs splintering apart.

Her organs shriveling.

Her skin curling like burning parchment.

Elijah’s hand trembled violently, his nose and ears beginning to bleed as the backlash from Beelzebub tore through his mind like rusted nails scraping against his skull.

Yet, he didn’t stop.

His grip over the ability only tightened, his breath hitching as Quasolium’s torso caved in, her form being sucked into him piece by piece.

Her head lolled forward, her once-mocking smirk twisted in pain.

Her voice came out broken. Torn.

"Th...That skill... HAHAHAHA... you’re using it well..."

Quasolium could do nothing now—her strength had already left her.

She couldn’t fight. She couldn’t run.

She could only feel herself melting.

Elijah’s fingers twitched. His heartbeat pounded against his ribs, his vision blurring. The strain of using Beelzebub’s ability was like a vice crushing his skull, but his lips curled into a bloodstained grin.

Quasolium let out a choked chuckle, her body—what was left of it—fading into the abyss.

"Very well... this match... you won it... But next time... the match... will be mine..."

Then, with a final, agonized gasp—

She was gone.

Only then did Elijah finally exhale, a shaky breath of relief escaping his lips. But the moment the tension left his body, so did his strength.

His knees buckled. His vision blurred. Darkness crept in at the edges.

As he collapsed, a warmth enveloped him—a steady, familiar presence.

A shoulder.

Soft. Warm.

The scent of earth and rain clung to her, the faint rustle of black hair brushing against his skin. He couldn’t see her face, but he didn’t need to.

He knew.

A weak, broken whisper left his lips.

"...You’re late..."

And then, the world slipped away.

A familiar voice was the last thing he heard.

"You’ve done well."