Chapter 188
The Witch After School, having taken a hit, fell to her knees and let out a sorrowful voice.
"Kyokyo......"
"Why... is it you...?"
Eric muttered in shock as he stood before the powerless, kneeling witch.
The Witch After School's mask shattered from a blow delivered by a sword imbued with magic.
Beneath that mask was the face of a student council officer—her face.
They didn't know her name. But... now, everyone present realized that she was the true identity of the Witch After School.
"You, hey... what the hell are you doing!"
"Why are you attacking us...?"
"Huh? But wasn't it the monster that took her away earlier? So, was that a fake?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected development, the other three main characters were also confused.
They had all witnessed the Witch After School taking her away from the library.
The idea that the two were the same person... was unthinkable under normal circumstances.
"Reina, what's going on?"
"......I don't know. But she's probably the real one."
Clael and Reina, too, were baffled by the situation.
The only plausible explanation... was that the Witch After School before them was a fake.
Or perhaps... the version of her taken from the library had been an illusion.
"You... answer me. Why are you doing this... who are you?"
"Kyo......"
"Tell me... your name, what is it...!"
As Eric questioned her, he took a step, then another, toward her.
There was no accusation in his tone. Truly... he just wanted to know the truth.
"Kyo... ah, aaah!"
But... her face twisted in fear.
Her eyes opened wide to the limit, and from them flowed tears of blood.
"Aaaaaaah... Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
She screamed.
A shrill cry burst from deep in her throat, slicing through the crimson air.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"You... wait, stop! Don't do this!"
Eric tried to rush over—but before he could, the shadow at her feet began to writhe like a living creature.
Countless eyes emerged from the black shadow, moving grotesquely with a goggling motion.
The shadow, now bearing innumerable eyes, turned into tentacles that went berserk and attacked the main characters.
"Eric, get back!"
"No... at this rate, she'll...!"
"Prince Eric, if this keeps up... Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?"
The tentacles coiled around the four of them.
Their limbs were bound, and they were lifted into the air, left hanging.
"Damn it... ugh, my sword...!"
"My magic's being drained... I can't cast spells...!"
Apparently, those tentacles had the ability to absorb magic power.
The four main characters caught by the tentacles couldn't resist and were left helpless.
The only ones who escaped the tentacles were Clael and Reina, who were farther away.
"This is... seriously bad...!"
Clael grimaced and groaned.
For enemies to take down those four—who were supposed to have grown stronger—so easily... maybe it was best to retreat and regroup.
"Reina, let's pull back and reorganize..."
"Lord Clael, please step back."
"Wha...?"
"This will be over soon."
At last, Reina stepped away from Clael.
Ignoring Clael's surprise, she calmly walked straight toward the black tentacles.
"Reina, wait!"
The black tentacles closed in on Reina.
Clael hurried over, trying to pull Reina back.
"It's okay... I'm not afraid."
The tentacles seized Reina's body at the same moment Clael grabbed her arm.
"............!?"
In that instant, Clael's vision was filled with pure white light.
Beyond the white light... he saw the forms of Reina and someone else.