Chapter 6 - A Sanguine Example
While Jae found himself amidst the worst of the turmoil yet, things weren’t too dissimilar for everyone else.
‘What? Why? I already know my Status.’
‘Yeah, what if I don’t want anyone else to know about it?’
“......”
Overhearing an uproar of suppressed whispers from his surrounding classmates, Jae unconsciously clenched his fists. Easing the hard gritting of his teeth that he hadn’t even realised he was doing until that point, he began to hold a faint flicker of hope that his peers’ objection to the ongoing scenario might lead to a positive change in the flow of events.
“...There must be those of you who have already discovered the ‘Status’, and to those who this may apply, I offer you my personal, sincerest commendation."
But then, evidently having also picked up on their worries, the princess quickly began to speak as if to answer the students’ questions.
Jae glanced around at her words, and, as if by intuition, he felt like he knew where the situation was leading.
No... No, please shut your mouth...
"Figuring that out in the short time before the ceremony is alone proof of your potential. However, do not worry; if any of you do not wish to disclose your Status to the other Heroes, then I swear on my honour and title as Second Princess that it will be kept secret."
Fearing that she just might persuade them all to calm down with her eloquent manner of speaking and uniquely silvery voice, he too had his attention grabbed by her words.
Fuck, it doesn’t matter if it’s kept secret from these guys or not, does it? You're the threat here, not them...
After all, it was inevitable that if someone had to know, it would be the ones who summoned them here in the first place. But, of course, they were exactly the ones Jae wanted to avoid finding out the most.
Despite his wishes―his internal plead for her to stop―the Princess continued.
“Furthermore, you will all be granted the minimum of a rare-grade weapon that befits your personal style and Status in order to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of your growth. They shall be prepared as the Heroes' training program and schedule are confirmed and put into place.”
A weapon...?
Just then, the instant an idea popped into his head, he erased the thought without hesitation.
No, that’s stupid. Even if they were foolish enough to give me one here and now, there’s no way I would be able to use it properly. With all these knights here, too... It’s just impossible.
“Alright, then. Let us get started. First of all, I would like a representative of the Heroes to step forth. Any one of you would do, but let the process be hastened as we do not want to waste any further time than required. An example should be set quickly.”
Something about the princess’ words seemed off just then, but Jae simply chalked it up to him being stuck in “ultra-paranoia mode”. Turning his head to the side, he watched as someone bravely approached the gallows, their steps sounding heavy; weighed down by the chains of duty.
“My name is Christopher Greene. As the sole adult here, I will participate as the representative to set a leading example.”
As the sole teacher of the class, the man must have felt as if he had to take responsibility for these kids in such a wild series of events as the one and only of-age person from Earth present.
Welcoming him up to the front stage, Eleanor only smiled.
“...How gracious of you, Sir Greene. I understand the reception must have been rather shocking, and perhaps dismaying for an established tutor such as yourself, but it is nevertheless courageous and welcome of you to come forward instead of your students. I’m sure they all look up to you and appreciate your dependability in such an unpredictable and bemusing situation. Well then, without further ado, please stretch out your hand above the ranking plate.”
Silently doing as he was told, Eleanor pricked Greene's finger with the small ceremonial knife in her dainty yet astoundingly nimble hands and let but a single droplet of blood fall onto what she called the ‘ranking plate’ in the robed elder’s hands.
Consequently, the plate emitted a dim, almost imperceptible light before rapidly fading in under a second.
It was such a faint and fleeting moment that no one aside from the aforementioned three individuals was able to notice anything happening at all.
...What was that? Did they even do anything?
The princess and the elder both stared at the ranking plate for a short while before glancing discreetly at each other. She seemed to mutter something under her breath with unnoticeable lip movements, although no one was anywhere close enough to hear it.
Raising her head from the object, she cleared her throat.
“This individual..."
And made an announcement.
"...Is corrupt.”
Jae’s body shuddered; before anyone had time to process it...
Shiinggg~!
Splatter-!
Obstructed from view beyond the stiffened bodies of classmates that blocked the way, all Jae knew was the sound of sharp metal scraping, followed by what resembled the blood-curdling toll of a butcher; the cutting of meat and flesh.
...Thud-!
Something hit the ground as if collapsing, and along with it, a dark shadow descended on all the students' faces.
“...Uh...?”
'It' caused Jae to subconsciously let out a small voice, but he was not alone. Horrified gasps, ghastly shrieks, suppressed wails of shock; the sound of restrained terror subtly resounded throughout the hall as a thick, bloody air settled around them.
What hit them immediately afterwards was the wafting smell.
A stench of something sweet and metallic flowed through the air, brushing by their noses ever so lightly as if to tickle and provoke their senses.
It didn’t have to be explained or described for its identity to be known, but that same unspoken truth was what made it all the more sickening.
Only those standing at the front of the class, those with a height advantage or those who had curiously peeked through the narrow chinks in the defence were able to glimpse what atrocity had occurred.
Like a blur, a sudden movement from a knight to the princess’ side, followed by the colour red dancing through the air in an arcing wave.
Mr Greene―the teacher’s head had rolled to a halt along the floor as the precious sap of life spurted from the severed neck, briefly spouting all over with the force of the initial swing, and the body crumbled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Badump- Badump- Badump- Badump--!!
All the students present could hear the repeated rumblings of an alarmed heartbeat, but the tale of whether it belonged to that of their own or their equally panicked neighbour could only be told by the subconscious shivering of their knees and the goosebumps lining their skin.
Jae’s self mirrored their stories, but only for a brief moment.
The instant he realised a human being's life had very well been stripped from its owner right in front of him; the very moment he felt his body acclimatise with the dread of the situation’s severity...
Skill 「Mental Abnormal Status Nullification」 has activated
At that moment, a notification appeared.
“......”
All of a sudden, he felt calm.
Serene; not to mention the roaring waves of an ocean, but even the ever-faint ripples disseminating across the water’s surface couldn’t be sensed within him.
“Ueeghhh...!”
Subconsciously, he turned his head to the noise; his unfocused eyes settling on a classmate who had fallen to their knees, supporting their gravely heavy body with one hand and covering their face with the other as they echoed empty retches.
It was the first instance of many, but seeing this, a thought occurred to him.
...No wonder they decided to carry it out before breakfast.
It was something he had only belatedly realised, but it made sense considering the situation. Moving on, his attention snapped to his newfound and refreshing mental state.
Ah... My mind feels so clear; is this really what the skill does?
It had clearly activated in response to his flaring emotions, but when he looked back on it now, Jae found it unfathomably challenging to comprehend exactly how he was feeling just a few seconds ago.
Since he was able to regain some semblance of his previous lucidity, there was certainly nothing to complain about being in this state of utter composure, but it felt no less than odd.
I think she said something about being ‘corrupt’, right? In that case, what I was worried might happen came true―just not to me... Does that mean Mr Greene had some kind of similar Status to me?
Despite the undying curiosity, there was no time to be selfish and stick around to find out. Foregoing such thoughts for now, he turned his back to the rest of the class and everyone else in the hall and walked towards the pair of knights guarding the very door they entered through.
“Excuse me... I’m gonna throw up. May I use the toilet..? Please...”
One of the knights, who were already eyeing Jae suspiciously as he approached them, seemed to ponder for a moment before replying with a smirk and a nod.
“Hmm... Sure. Well, as long as one of us is there to keep a watch on you, I don’t see a problem with that.”
Hearing his response, the other knight jerked his head towards him with a frown.
“Oi, we aren’t supposed to leave our stations. God knows I’ll get flogged in front of the first prince's eyes if I explain that you just up and left in the middle of the Hero ceremony. No, in the first place, it’s a Hero themself that you’re taking away from the ceremony; I’ll be bloody hanged! Will you take responsibility for that?”
“Hah. Then, are you going to be the one to explain to Dorothy why she has to clean up some kid’s intestines from the floor later on?”
“What?! You sly bastard, that’s why you’re doing this! You just want to gloat to the maids that you lessened their workload to get them into your bedchamber! Lustful deviant...”
“I have no idea what you might be talking about. So, are you going to escort the lad or should I? Oh, that's right; I remember Mariah mentioning being particularly disgusted by cleaning up vomit when it stains the marbled flooring...”
“......”
Is it because they're soldiers that they don't seem fazed in the slightest? Or, is that just how the culture of this place is... I know the Middle Ages were a time when life was generally cheaper than in the modern day, but was it really to such an extent...?
Turning his eyes away from the bickering guards, Jae looked back towards where the ceremony was taking place.
One by one, he watched his classmates waddle up to the princess like lambs to the slaughter. Thankfully, there was yet to be a second incident of someone being called ‘corrupt’, but instead they were ranked with an alphabetical classification. B, C, D, et cetera; it was fairly obvious what the meaning behind them was―gradings, just like the kind they had used in school back home.
It wasn’t clear what the gradings indicated precisely, but it wasn't hard to gain a general idea of the purpose.
I guess it’s safe to assume they’re related to how “good” everyone’s Status is. I’ve yet to see what someone else’s Status looks like, so maybe if they decide to share, I’ll catch a glimpse.
Recalling hearing a rumour on the way to the hall that it was possible to show one's Status to others if the owner simply willed it, Jae thought he might be able to get an idea of where he stood compared to the rest of the class.
Even then, I don't think it's even possible to have a worse one than mine in this situation...
He paid complete attention to what was going on over there as the two knights behind him fought over who would be the one to escort him.
“Greetings, Sir Chris. Please hold your hand above the ranking plate.”
Soon, it became Chris' turn to step up, and once he did, a commotion was soon to break out―Eleanor and the mage elder donned expressions of ecstasy.
The plate in the elder's hands shone with an intense, golden light, more extraordinary and fantastical than every other classmate’s had been so far and as if the embodiment of the star in our daytime sky had descended unto the world. It was such a sight that, had it been placed in a comparison alongside the initial Mr Greene’s light, the only suitable response would be to laugh.
The astounded magician exclaimed with great excitement.
“Your Highness, this couldn’t be...! From the legend foretold...?!”
Following the abrupt and surprising spike in the elder's spirit, murmurs sprouted all around the hall.
“Special Rank... And this colour, too... Just wonderful...”
The brightest, purest gold imaginable. To them, who lived in a world where colours and hues couldn’t be seen anywhere other than with the viewer's own eyes, perhaps it was the most brilliant thing a person could witness.
Glancing over at the king, his expressionless, almost bored face didn't seem to possess even the slightest change. Simply resting his chin on his hand as he rested on his throne, he observed the spectacle with those unchanging, piercing eyes.
“Uh, ex-excuse me... Princess?”
Chris opened his mouth with an awkward smile, as if unsure how to handle the unexpected situation. Remaining evidently shaken up from the earlier execution, he seemed to want to use this chance to confront her about it.
“Yes~? What is it~? Oh, and feel free to spare the formalities. Someone of such calibre as you, Sir Chris, may not feel burdened by the likes of flashy titles and etiquette.”
Meanwhile, Jae watched the spectacle with dry eyes.
...Wow. How much of a snake can you be? Her attitude sure changed after finding out Chris was S-rank, huh... Damn. Does he not realise what she’s doing, or is he just pretending...?
”Right... But, anyway. Was that... Was it really necessary...? I just... Princess. I’m sorry, but I can’t bring myself to believe under any circumstances that it was the right thing to do...”
Clenching his fists, he tightly closed his eyes as if re-envisioning the savage scene over and over.
What? Are you joking? What reasonable, logical explanation could there possibly be? She said beforehand that the point was to set an example, right? Probably so that no one after that would try to resist.
Perhaps it was because he was the only one capable of thinking straight at the moment, but witnessing the course of events twist and turn so horribly made Jae want to tear his eyes out.
“Why, of course, it was necessary! I didn’t state it beforehand so as to not arouse any potential worries, but what the ranking plate reveals is how virtuous a person is as well as their Status! So, as much as I would never wish to tell you this... Chris-- no, everyone. Your teacher, he... Put simply, was a corrupt, immoral being."
"......"
Jae knew.
If he stayed here for too much longer now, then undoubtedly, his story would too meet a swift end.
"Sooner or later, that man would have surely committed one or perhaps a series of heinous crimes... Of course, there is no blame on the rest of you all; this is simply an unfortunate side effect of the summoning ritual. So, please, fear not anything unnecessary, for no harm will come to those who test safe during the ceremony. I plead for your understanding.”
Seeing the fright-fuelled tension of not only Chris but the class as a whole begin to pacify and settle, Jae had a strange feeling arise within. Looking into the princess’ radiant eyes, candescent with the heat of momentary passion like those of an otherworldly being, they seemed to give such an impression with an invisible, almost ethereal glow.
Is she... Using magic...?
There was no system notification to confirm or deny the thought, and despite the bizarre sweetness of her ‘aura’ not being this vivid for the first time, it didn’t feel entirely wrong.
If only due to his heightened focus as allowed thanks to Mental Abnormal Status Nullification, it only became more and more apparent that this seemingly random claim might indeed be the case.
After all, if not for that, how else would she be capable of swaying the hearts and minds of so many to her own desires and in such a short span of time?
Besides, even if he didn’t have a notification of the skill activating, he could certainly feel the effects of it coursing through his veins―a refreshed coolness like that of a transcendent.
If only I could see her Status, I could probably confirm it for sure... Wait, that’s right; Lucas!
Spinning his head, Jae searched around for his classmate.
...There.
Landing his eyes on the person in question, Jae naturally had no thought of approaching him to ask what he saw, but even just examining the expression on his face indicated to him that his idea was most likely correct.
Shit... What's he seeing...?
The subtle frown Lucas wore as he stared with narrowed eyes at the princess was not a good sign, but at least it gave him some confidence in his idea.
Then, apparently having settled on a decision on who would go, one of the knights tapped Jae on the shoulder, “Okay kid, make it quick. We’ll get in some serious trouble if we come back late, but the trip isn’t far, so we still have enough time to go and return before the end of the ceremony.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Finally...
The knights quietly opened the grand doors ever so slightly ajar that no one would notice, and they were just about to make a break for it when someone abruptly shouted from behind.
“Everyone, listen up!”
Ah, shit. What is it now...?
It was Chris.