My Past Life is Riddled With Many Sins - Chapter 40
Regina glared at the spot where Fathom had disappeared. She clicked her tongue and gathered her mana. The golden aura that had wrapped around the butter knife dissipated into the air.
“Was it a space movement magic then?”
The Imperial Academy was a magic-restricted area. Except for the practical rooms where magic lectures were held, magic circles were installed everywhere to halt the flow of magic, ensuring the safety of the students. Only those with professor-level skills could use magic properly in these conditions.
“He had confidence in his escape plan.”
Of course, someone posing as Prince Iskanda wouldn’t approach her without a backup plan. There must have been a collaborator, a quite high-level wizard who could rescue him from any danger.
“So, he wasn’t completely hopeless.”
While Regina was curious about the identity of this collaborator, it was more urgent to uncover how Rupert from the Gilagon Peninsula knew Prince Iskanda’s weaknesses.
If he had met the reincarnated Prince Iskanda and extorted information through blackmail, she wouldn’t have let him off easily. How dare he trouble Prince Iskanda, known for his fragility and sensitivity.
If not, well, she can’t just ignore exposed secrets. She had to identify the collaborator and deal with both.
They were all students of the same academy, after all. There was nowhere to run.
‘Let’s end this today. Giving them time will only allow them to prepare.’
For hunting, it’s unnecessary to know every move of the prey. Just one thing is essential, where they rest.
As night fell and the curfew began, Regina stealthily infiltrated Henexis Hall. She had forcibly enhanced her physical abilities to Swordmaster level with raised mana.
Henexis Hall housed most of the second-year and a few third-year male students. A minority of second-year male students were assigned to the first-year male dormitory, and Regina could only hope Fathom wasn’t among them.
‘If he’s not there, I’ll have to check the first-year dormitory too.’
Despite the curfew, she must stay cautious. Students often broke rules to sneak around. One never knew when someone might burst out of their room.
‘At times like this, I do envy magic.’
Regina had learned the art of stealth, but she was no match for a wizard capable of complete invisibility. If push came to shove, she’d have to knock out anyone she encountered on sight. It should be better to ensure they lost consciousness before their brain could process the information recognized by the eyes.
While checking each dorm room’s nameplate one by one, Regina quietly moved through the corridor. Eventually, she found the door marked ‘Fathom’.
Regina grasped the doorknob, preparing to enter. If the door was unlocked, she’d enter. If locked, she’d break in using mana.
Just as she was about to make up her mind to exert force, voices came from inside. Listening closely, it seemed to be two people having a conversation. One was undoubtedly Fathom, and the other seemed like a visiting friend about to leave. Sure enough, after bidding farewell, footsteps approached the door.
The third party needed to be gone first.
Regina hid herself around a corner and watched. She was driven by curiosity more than necessity, to see who would emerge. As the door opened, there was the illusion that the hallway seemed to brighten. There was an astonishingly handsome man. Yet, what truly disoriented Regina wasn’t his ridiculous beauty.
It was Prince Iskanda. It had to be Prince Iskanda.
The realization drained the strength from Regina. She almost dropped the butter knife she was holding. She managed to catch it mid-air to prevent it from hitting the floor, but the effort caused her to make a noise.
“Is someone there?”
Prince Iskanda seemed to have heard the sound and called out. Regina panicked.
What to do? Should she ambush him into unconsciousness when he approached? But it was Prince Iskanda. Could she really leave Prince Iskanda unconscious on the cold hallway floor?
As the approaching presence grew closer, her mind was torn with conflict. Suddenly, a large, firm hand covered her mouth from behind.
“Shh.”
Regina instinctively prepared to retaliate, but stopped at the whisper in her ear. It was a voice she recognized.
The mysterious figure wasted no time and swiftly pulled Regina into his room.
By the time Darien rounded the corner, the hallway was already immersed in silence. He had heard the sound of a door closing but couldn’t discern which room it was from. If he had been a physically adept knight, he might have detected the faint trembling of the nameplate, but unfortunately, he was a wizard.
His eyes narrowed.
“I was sure she would come.”
Knowing her secret was exposed, Regina wouldn’t just leave Fathom be. Believing in the best defense is a good offense, she would act without giving him a chance to prepare.
Anticipating this, he had stayed in Fathom’s room, waiting to catch her off guard. He was ready with defensive magic in case the Empress attacked. He planned to enjoy a pleasant time after binding her with a mana-sealing restraint to prevent her from escaping. So he was excited at the sound of footsteps beyond the corner.
Was it a misjudgment? She hadn’t come, and perhaps it was just a rat scurrying back to its hole. Or maybe…
“Someone intercepted her.”
Darien’s gaze lingered on the door plate marked ‘Valen’.
* * *
When she turned her body to lean against the wall, Regina faced the man who had dragged her in.
Even in the dimly lit room, where only the night lamp was on, his features were strikingly clear. The faint light cast upon his sculpted face created dramatic shadows, making him look like a piece of art.
There couldn’t possibly be another man like him in the world.
Friedrich’s reincarnation. They had briefly met before while coming to the academy to take the exam, only to be separated amidst the chaos caused by the unexpected assault.
Her heart sank at this unexpected reunion.
“Why are you here, Young Master…?”
“You shouldn’t address me that way at the academy. ‘Senior’ might be more appropriate.”
He corrected her gently.
Regina’s head felt like it might explode.
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