I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes

< Chapter 103: After Clearing the Dungeon >

"Are you ready?"

At Dorn's question, we nodded our heads.

Then, Dorn nodded as well.

We had taken the dungeon core and the artifact, which was our specific goal.

It was time to say goodbye to this detestable dungeon with a "Sayonara, motherfucker."

Dorn looked at the dungeon core, in the shape of a crystal orb, to escape the dungeon.

"Huh, wait a minute? The dungeon core is over there – oh, it was Bolton's head."

It could have been easy to confuse, but Dorn didn't give a single glance at Bolton's shiny bald head, instead, he initiated a staring contest with the dungeon core in his hand.

It was nothing short of a remarkable show of mental strength.

Vroom vroom vroom

The dungeon core, resonating with Dorn's mana, started making such noises.

"The call has come."

Then, the collapse of the dungeon began.

Not with a loud, physical collapse, but rather, the dungeon, being a magical space, collapsed in a magically orderly manner.

The space around us –

How should I put it?

Right.

Began to fall away.

Just like old wallpaper peels off by itself.

Through the gaps created as the space peeled away, we could see the scene of the Leolalian mansion's drawing room, where we originally were.

"Wow…"

"Pretending to be amazed."

As I marveled at this surreal sight, I heard the sarcastic snort of Miss Phibian.

"Pretending to be amazed? Did I appear to be pretending?"

"You know better than anyone."

"Miss Phibian, what is it, exactly? That heart-racing gaze. Words. My poor head can hardly understand, could you possibly make it a bit easier to understand?"

"Ha! For that, didn't you do quite well~? Meaningful, indeed.”

While this was happening, the dungeon's collapse finished, and we found ourselves in the drawing room of the Leolalian mansion.

"Ahh…! Because Miss Phibian talked to me, I missed seeing the dungeon collapse!"

I complained to Miss Phibian, genuinely upset, and she grimaced and tilted her head.

"Is that…not it?"

I looked at Miss Phibian with a face full of pity.

"Miss Phibian … What on earth did you experience in the cave to become… Are you really alright?"

"Looking at me as if I'm some sick person -… Want to check if I'm okay or not?"

Miss Phibian, bristling under my pitying gaze, raised her finger.

A small vortex appeared above it.

Aight, want to taste the wind?

Recalling the image of a certain telekinetic tyrant bipedal dinosaur, I couldn't help but lower my eyes, filled with tears.

"Anyway-"

Miss Phibian pointed at me with her index finger and said,

"You. I'll be watching you, so just know that. If you have anything to say, now would be a good time."

Anything to say?

What would that be?

Could this be the right answer?

"Miss Phibian says she will always watch over me, so I will always watch over Miss Phibian too~"

I smiled and extended my finger just like Miss Phibian.

Touching her finger with mine, I said,

"Cheers~"

"Aaack!"

Miss Phibian recoiled her finger with disgust.

"What are you doing!? Are you crazy for real?"

"Huh. Wasn't that the right answer?"

"You sound like that's the right answer!"

Miss Phibian took out a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped the tip of her index finger.

"It hurts, Miss Phibian . It hurts so much. You're not going to throw away that handkerchief, are you?"

"Miss?"

At that moment, Hallow approached and spoke to Miss Phibian.

"You went through a lot with this dungeon raid. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

Miss Phibian returned to her serious demeanor and sighed deeply.

"Well, for now."

For now.

Those words held a lot of meaning.

Hallow, knowing that meaning, smiled bitterly.

"Thinking back, it really was the first time in my life I experienced such a thing. It was practically a natural disaster. I have nothing to say but I'm glad everyone is safe. Ceylon, are you alright too?"

Before I could say anything, Miss Phibian snickered.

"Don't worry about this guy. It's only a loss for you, Hallow."

"Oh my, Miss Phibian. That's quite the statement – have you experienced many losses because of me?"

"Ever since I got involved with you, my life has been nothing but losses."

"That means, ever since you met me, you've been constantly worried about me-"

"Look. Look. Every time you open your mouth, nonsense just pours out. Just being involved with you is a loss in my life."

"Ha ha ha, what should I do, feeling so sorry? Every moment I spend with Miss Phibian feels like a gain in my life."

"Parasite human."

Watching Miss Phibian and I converse so (?) amicably, Hallow burst into laughter.

"Looking at you two makes me feel younger! Ceylon, take good care of the lady! Where else would you find a lady like her!"

"Hallow! What are you saying!? Dating!?"

"Yes!?"

"I'm going crazy! Why are you like this too, Hallow!? How in the world can you think I'd date someone like him!?"

"Uh… weren't you two friends?"

"Yes? Friends? Oh."

Phibian and I watched in silence as Hallow suddenly revved up, his emotions flaring intensely.

"Cough. So, what I'm saying is, how on earth could you think, for even a moment, that I am friends with this human! It's upsetting, so please don't make such a mistake again!"

Phibian, after clearing her throat, awkwardly expressed her anger with a somewhat diminished intensity.

"Ah, um, yes. My apologies, miss. It seems I misunderstood…"

Sigh. Youth can be so challenging.

Hallow, with his gauntleted hand scratching the back of his head, murmured just quietly enough that Phibian couldn't hear, "Anyway. Miss."

I wonder if Hallow grouping us as friends really upset her that much.

Hallow continued to speak to Phibian, who still seemed somewhat angry and was making a sullen face, "Miss, I feel I must tell you this before we embark on the dungeon raid. There was an order from Lady Pila that we must thoroughly document and report everything that happens in the dungeon."

"From my mother?"

Mention of the name of the continent's strongest wind magician made Phibian ‘s face immediately look tired.

"…"

I felt the same way.

The tired expression on Phibian ‘s face upon the mention of Pila wasn't because, as a wind magician, she secretly also had fire attributes.

It was Pila – what's the word. That. A helicopter parent.

The kind of reaction she would show if she found out that her child had been used as bait to lure an 8-star monster, thanks to the scheming of someone who claimed to be my right-hand man, was unimaginable.

Just thinking about it made my head spin.

"So, I wanted to ask you, miss, what would you want me to do?"

"…"

"???"

Phibian, with a meaningful look, turned to Hallow and said, "Mr. Hallow, I'm sorry to ask this, but can we possibly cover this up?"

Phibian!

In an unexpected turn of events, I internally shouted her name, as high as the sky.

‘Ah, of course.'

Surely.

If this matter reached Pila's ears.

Phibian would find herself in as inconvenient a situation as I would.

Of course, that's one thing, and this is another.

I felt quite grateful to Phibian for taking the trouble to make a request that would save me.

Now, the only issue left was one.

"Hmm…"

A grown-up lost in thought, drooling.

Hallow.

The request Phibian had just made to Hallow was this:

Disobeying orders.

Falsifying reports.

Given Hallow's strict and inflexible nature, it was something he would never do.

Thus, convincing Hallow, who was sure to refuse Phibian ‘s request, was going to be the crux of the matter-

"I understand."

Except, shockingly.

‘What?'

Something completely unexpected happened.

That very rigid Hallow had readily accepted Phibian ‘s proposal to engage in a cute act of rebellion, hand in hand.

"…Really?"

Phibian, too, seemed incredulous at Hallow's response, asking with a puzzled face.

"It's unexpected. I thought Mr. Hallow, of all people, would insist on sticking to the principles no matter what and would start lecturing about the reasons for that."

Oh no, Phibian.

‘Why provoke…!'

But I'm curious too.

What kind of change of heart did Hallow undergo to show such flexibility?

Hallow, feeling out of character himself, awkwardly smiled and said, "Because I'm not confident in writing a good report-…"

"Confident in writing a report? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is- um…"

After a moment of contemplation, Hallow said to Phibian, "Miss, in my view, that person was clearly a dark mage. What did you think?"

That person.

The weirdo.

He must be talking about the right hand.

"Yes, that ominous power. It was definitely dark magic."

"Right. Then, miss, I ask you. In your view, was that person evil or good?"

"Huh, Phibian, why are you suddenly looking at me-"

"Exactly. Why, indeed? Suddenly, my gaze shifts to you."

Thus, Phibian, after looking at me unnecessarily for a moment, turned to Hallow and said, "He wasn't good."

"Hm?"

"Oh-…"

"Phibian ?"

"Definitely, just like his appearance, his heart must be pitch black. And yet, he's sly – his outward appearance and inner self must differ. I'm certain of it. He's not a good person."

However.

Phibian emphasized her point by glaring at me once again.

"But does that mean he's capable of committing acts that could be deemed evil? That's also unlikely. Considering the petty and troublesome acts he's done under the guise of saving us from that monster. Don't you think? I'm sure of it. He's not evil."

Phibian looked at me and smiled.

Aren't you grateful?

Her expression seemed to convey that sentiment.

"Why, why are you asking me this…?"

"Who knows why?"

It's strange,

The way Phibian has been treating me since a moment ago.

It all seems so odd no matter how much I think about it.

‘What's going on? Why is this happening?'

Could it be?

She's figured it out?

That I'm the right hand?