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With just one last farewell remaining, I awkwardly wrapped my hands around the sword’s hilt. It was a sword I bought in preparation for whatever unforeseen circumstance might arise, determined to change from my old self.

Ideally, it would have been a sword that only conveyed the former meaning, but in the end, it carried both meanings. I now had to head toward Selian with this sword in hand.

If only I could convey my feelings through words, but as a cowardly and fearful liar, every time I tried to confess, my words only circulated in my mouth, unable to escape my lips.

So, instead, I would swing the sword toward her, making her realize the truth: that I was an assassin. If I did that, she would understand that she was targeted by an assassin without me needing to say a word.

Well… I didn’t know whether she would take my life with her sword or show mercy and only confine me, but ultimately, how things unfolded afterward would no longer be my concern. The important thing was that she survived, and nothing else mattered.

Of course, I had to act well while wielding the sword. A feeble attack would greatly increase the chances of my act being exposed, and if I attacked with all my strength and caused her to get hurt, it would turn everything upside down. However, with my lack of adaptation to the new sword and my genius acting abilities paired together, it wouldn’t be too worrying, I thought.

Though I left my room a bit early compared to the time I had told Selian, I headed to the empty lot to prepare in advance. As I passed by Selian’s door, I could hear her softly rustling about inside. She must be busy changing out of the clothes she wore for the closing ceremony.

For a moment, her face flickered in my mind, causing my steps to halt, but I gritted my teeth and hurried on, forcing myself to think of something else.

“It’s almost time for roll call, where are you going?”

Just before exiting the dormitory, the dorm manager, who was preparing for roll call, caught me.

“I was thinking of taking a quick trip to the empty lot behind…”

Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, I was momentarily flustered, but then I assessed it as not so bad. Since I didn’t know how Selian would react, I could only guess how things would unfold, and I wouldn’t make it back before roll call.

If the dorm manager went looking for Selian and me for skipping roll call, maybe it would minimize the chances of her getting hurt by my sword.

It could be dismissed as just a dorm manager, but considering this was Griffin Academy, she was quite a formidable talent, powerful enough that facing her with my current skills felt daunting.

“Hm… Since Elysia hasn’t caused any trouble until now, I suppose I can trust you? Just make sure you return before it’s too late.”

Having lived discretely and behaved well to avoid being detected as an assassin, she surprisingly let me leave without raising any suspicions. Sorry to her, but I broke the rules for the first and last time. Goodbye to the model student, Elysia.

I bowed my head as a greeting and stepped outside, where the night air had become crisp, heralding the arrival of autumn. Breathing in the cold air deeply brought me back to reality from the emotions that had engulfed me moments before. Of course, I wasn’t planning on running away now. It was just a moment to steel my resolve once again.

Standing in the center of the empty lot, I quietly scanned my surroundings. Perhaps due to the time and place, there was not a soul in this secluded spot as I had intended. Only a few fireflies welcomed me. It felt oddly strange to think this could be my grave.

Thud.

A cold sensation suddenly landed on my cheek. As I brushed away the moisture from my face and tilted my head back to look at the sky, drops of rain began to fall one by one. I contemplated whether to go back and grab an umbrella but decided against it, thinking it pointless considering what was to come. The rain wasn’t coming down heavily, and it almost felt like the sky was crying for me, which provided a small comfort.

Plop.

A presence finally entered the empty lot, accompanied by the sound of footsteps. I looked up, hoping it was Selian, but the owner of the presence was not the one I had been waiting for.

“What’s going on?”

It was the all-too-familiar presence of the Third, a presence I found to be quite tiresome. It seemed like they didn’t plan to hide their presence at all, slowly walking towards me as they made their way onto the lot.

Could they have caught wind of my plan? Worry crossed my mind, but since I had never shared it with anyone, there was likely no need to be concerned. Of course, from the perspective of the Third and the Assassin Guild, my actions might seem suspicious in multiple ways, but since the Guild Master had given me until today as my last chance, I figured it should be fine since I hadn’t yet crossed the deadline.

“Honestly… this is disappointing. To throw away even the last chance you had.”

Was it because of their twisted personality, or was it just how the Third worked? Either way, even with time left, they made a point of coming to mock me, which brought back memories of how insufferable they could be.

“Well, at least I must commend you for inviting her to a deserted lot for the last time.”

Watching the Third dismiss me and ramble on made me realize something felt off, but it was hard to pinpoint what exactly was wrong.

“Thanks to you, however, things will be easier for me.”

“…There’s still time, right? Are you intending to interfere with my mission?”

It appeared that even though it wasn’t yet midnight, they seemed eager to meddle in my plans on their own. If that’s the case, using this as an excuse to deal a final blow to the Third wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Oh, foolish Third. You always did act out of place, didn’t you?”

However, I was completely caught off guard by what came next.

“I clearly said until the closing ceremony, didn’t I?”

Unlike their usual mocking tone, their voice was chillingly cold. I recognized that voice, knew it intimately.

“…Master?”

The Third slowly brought a hand to their face and, with a swift motion, peeled off a layer of skin. It wasn’t actually the skin being pulled off, but rather a fake skin often used for disguise.

The Third wasn’t just a petty annoyance. Rather, it was the Guild Master hidden in plain sight. This revelation cleared up my confusion about how the Third had been able to freely roam the academy despite their apparent lack of skill.

But it was not the time to be impressed. The situation had turned drastically worse.

Before I could say anything or reach for my sword, the Guild Master produced a piece of paper from their breast pocket.

It was a magic scroll I had come to despise over the ten years I’d spent growing up in the Assassin Guild. A scroll inscribed with my Master-Servant Mark.

“Stand still and act as bait to draw the target’s gaze.”

As soon as he spoke, my hand, which was reaching for the sword, froze, and my mouth grew shut, no longer able to utter a word. All I could do was stand stiffly, listening to his words.

“How disappointing. I was looking forward to this sword, but it’s already starting off so awkwardly. I’ll have to adjust it again when I get back.”

With that, the Guild Master melted back into the darkness that enveloped the empty lot. The only traces of their presence left behind were my rigid form and the single set of footprints leading away.

Damn it!

How could I make such a blunder? This was my last chance to save Selian, yet I squandered it with my foolish antics. If this continued, the very actions meant to save her could instead condemn her to death.

Biting down on my tightly sealed lips, I tried to move my body, yet oddly, not even a single finger would budge. Each raindrop grew thicker and soaked my eyes, and yet I couldn’t blink even if I wanted to.

Just when I was wrestling alone with my predicament, I felt a new presence near the entrance of the lot. The figure slowly walked in, holding the familiar umbrella I often used.

As Selian’s footsteps approached me one by one, my heart raced more and more. The moment she came right in front of me, if she caught sight of my strange appearance and became distracted, the Guild Master would strike for her neck, aiming for her heart. I needed to stop her, yet my mouth remained mute, and my body was still nothing but a mere puppet.

She finally reached right in front of me.

Selian slowly extended her hand, inviting me into her umbrella.

“Why are you just standing here without an umbrella? If it rains, just come under with me…”

She had yet to notice anything wrong about me, speaking with her usual cheerful face and gentle voice.

I felt tears welling up for what was to come, but my body, now beyond my control, wouldn’t allow a single drop to fall. Only the raindrops flowed down my face in place of my tears.

“Eli?”

Noticing my lack of response, Selian tilted her head, calling my name.

And at that moment, from the darkness, the Guild Master’s presence was felt again. A very faint sense, possibly because he was an assassin like me. Selian seemed unaware, maintaining her calm demeanor.

Slowly, slowly… the presence began to close in on Selian.

Finally, it reached right behind her. Though I caught glimpse of the Guild Master just behind her, she continued to remain oblivious, standing with her back to him.

I could see the Guild Master’s dagger heading for her heart. As if time had frozen, the raindrops started falling so slowly I could see them individually, highlighted by the blurred vision obscured by her frame as the dagger approached her chest.

Move, move, move, move, move, move, move, move…

Move, dammit!!!

I felt a slight jolt.

In the stillness of the world, my finger somehow twitched ever so slightly. Just moving a finger sent a wave of violent pain coursing through my whole body, centered around my lower abdomen. But what did it matter? Even if my body was truly set ablaze, it wouldn’t compare to a single drop of her blood.

One finger became one hand, and one hand became an arm, pushing her away from harm’s path.

One arm became two, and my other hand lunged out to grab the Guild Master, keeping him from escaping.

I could see an expression of panic swell on his face. The look of the Guild Master—one I had never seen—brought me a sense of satisfaction.

“Eli…?”

Yet Selian, still not comprehending the situation, simply called my name with a tone drenched in concern. I knew I wouldn’t last long, so igniting the last ounce of my strength, I squeezed out her name.

“Selian!”

Thankfully, when I called her name, she was startled, immediately drawing her holy sword and charging at the Guild Master.

“Ugh…!”

But the Guild Master reacted quickly. Seeing her sword aiming for his neck, he raised a second dagger with his left hand and swiftly severed the wrist of my left hand that was holding him.

Even in this desperate situation, he knew it was better to cut off his own wrist than to let my grasp hold.

Whoosh!

As the Guild Master ducked away, Selian’s sword sliced through the air with a chilling sound.

The Guild Master attempted to fade into the shadows once more, but Selian, now fighting boldly, didn’t seem the type to let him escape.

Clang, clang—intense sounds of combat echoed, but I figured I could afford to feel relieved.

Perhaps with her current abilities, she couldn’t defeat the Guild Master, but she at least had enough skill to hold him at bay. Soon, the dorm manager would notice our absence, coming to search for us. If we could just hold out until then, it would mean victory for Selian and myself.

However, with my vision gradually fading, I couldn’t help but question whether I would hold on till that time. I felt incredibly disoriented from everything happening.

The pain that felt as if I were going to burn up melted away, replaced with a softness akin to preparing for sleep. Is this what it feels like to die?

“…Eli! Eli! Eli!”

A warm voice cut through my gradually dimming senses.

Had I briefly lost consciousness? In the midst of battle, Selian had somehow made it to my side.

As her hand reached for the dagger sticking into my heart, and as she gently caressed the raindrops flowing down my cheeks, I could feel each tremor of her touch.

“Please… don’t. Don’t die. If we hurry to the infirmary now…”

“…Selian.”

In her choked voice, she spoke hurriedly. But as I resisted her attempts to lift me, I slowly called out her name.

That would likely be my last words to her.

Thinking of it as a final statement brought me a sense of emptiness. What should I have said for the last time? I pondered deeply, but instead of what I wanted to say, there was something I yearned to hear from her.

“Selian… will you call my name…?”

Just one single name of mine.

Even if it wasn’t mine, it was the last name I had shared with her.

I wanted to hear it from her lips.

“Elysia….”

Hearing my name roll off her tongue allowed a semblance of a smile to grace my face, tiring as my body was.

“Selian… look at me smiling… how could you be crying?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, unmistakably shadowing the raindrops that had flowed over me. I could sense the moisture touching my skin wasn’t just rain—it was her tears.

Selian tried to force a smile at my words, but the expression turned out odd instead. That sheer absurdity only made my grin widen.

It was regretful as her image faded to a blur. I wanted to remember her as is, so I could tease her later…

But I could no longer hear her voice as she continuously called my name.

My eyes gradually closed, and I felt consciousness slipping away.

In the haze of fading awareness, I swallowed the words I’d never had the chance to say.

Selian. As you can see, I am a liar.

I could deceive even Goddess Serena.

‘I hope they won’t suffer because of me.’

No, I wish they would suffer just a little because of me.

‘You can curse me if you want.’

No, I hope you’ll speak kindly to me.

‘You don’t have to remember me at all.’

So… I wish you would remember me.

I may be a liar who tells only falsehoods, but one thing remains true.

I only wish for their happiness…

 

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