Reincarnated as the Weakest Shadow Queen in the Academy-Chapter 42: A Surprise Greeting

They never made it to heal Quia’s Summon.

Only two hours left until the opening ceremony, and they decided to head to the academy first, which was placed in the Bastion’s centre.

The air on the street felt stuffy as they walked. Nonhumans gazed at them with gratitude, a burden on the new saviours of the town.

Those were fine. Ciel sighed, but it was the two arguing on both her sides that was the problem.

"Elf." Shire shut her eyes, relaxed. "Do you perhaps have a problem with me that I don’t care about?"

Quia winced at Ciel’s left, staring across her shortie’s shoulders towards Shire. "Have some self-awareness. The moment I blink, you could have torched Ciel just for fun."

Shire didn’t speak a word.

And instead, she merely raised her intertwined hand with Ciel, giving it a flaunting shake.

"You-" The elf seethed her teeth, then turned her anger to someone else. "Ciel. How come did you know a crazy bitch like her?"

Ciel tilted her head. "Crazy?"

"Like," Quia spread her arms wide. "This crazy! Burning off that merchant’s head was not the first thing I heard from Shire."

It didn’t deter Ciel’s firm grasp on Quia’s hand, though.

’Someone’s been famous. Then, was I considered connected to a celebrity?’

If Miss Dragon heard the audacity of Ciel’s thought now, the ’punishment’ she would give would not be limited to her neck.

The elf dodged the Quia’s amused stare as she continued. "It’s but a rumour all proven. One night, due to the dispute between the Goldwrym Merchant Guild and the Lirene Family, this Shire... well-"

A few, terrified chuckles burst out from the elf’s lips. "Stroll up the main headquarters, pretend to have a secret consultation, and then-"

"I burn the face of the guildmaster and his goons." Shire’s other hand waved in dismissal. "Please, it’s not exactly a secret."

"Then," the elf squinted. "What about the rumours you enslaved the merchant guild leader, extorted money from the guild daily, and kicked your father in the groin so hard he took a sick leave from his count position?"

"That count title," Shire groaned. "Might as well not exist. And my so-called noble family is dirt-poor, so why not get some pocket change?"

Ciel’s memory flowed.

The post-apocalyptic world of Lethandial, which left behind a third to a tenth of the habitable areas, naturally created a shortage of living space.

Thus, the human and nonhuman races were divided into the East and the West, respectively.

Capitals, currencies and noble titles meant nothing as multiple nations converged. In the end, there were only two ways to survive.

Make alliances. Or be so strong that you can be on your own.

And Shire did both.

Ciel gave an approving nod. "I don’t think Miss Shire is the type to strike first."

Quia, and surprisingly, Shire too, gave Ciel a weird look.

The little Queen added. "Extortion is but a means to an end. I’d do... well, something similar too."

A silence dragged between the three of them, breaking only when Shire chortled loudly.

The red-haired noble leaned back, scanning Ciel’s calm, distant features.

"You gave yourself too much credit."

Ciel shook her head. Has Shire misunderstood her?

Her eyes, meeting with Shire’s, were an abyssal, lifeless black.

"Maybe," Ciel laid it out. "Though I’m not the type to hesitate."

The space held a flicker of intimacy between them, turning the pull irresistible.

A grudgeful grumble echoed, interrupting the momentary connection.

Ciel then felt a yank on her right arm. Her balance tipped over, falling to press into the irritated elf.

"Well," Quia huffed. "I am not either."

The elf set off ahead of Shire, seizing Ciel away from Shire.

Quia’s grip on her wrist burned, but Ciel didn’t hate it.

It was then Ciel realised her claim was all too broad.

When peace arrived and her life was no longer in danger, she became too complacent. With herself, with Miss Dragon. With Miss Quia.

Perhaps if her heart opened more, Ciel would get herself killed one day with this hesitation, new yet all too addicting.

For now-

Ciel hung her head, watching as Quia led ahead.

She was all too happy that another’s grasp came before hers own.

—----------

Unsurprisingly, Shire remained stuck close to them. The reason?

"I’m bored. Entertain me more, elf."

"Stop. Calling. Me. Elf!" Quia shouted behind. "I have a nickname for a reason, you pyromaniac!"

Shire shrugged. "It sounds weird."

"Said the weirdo."

"Said the Quia."

They were surprisingly childish. The oldest one in the trio thought.

Noises and arguments flew, and they soon arrived upon a towering, tall academy wall, made of solid blacksteel. Magic circles adorned every inch of its surface, each pulsing with incredible power.

And may Ciel emphasise, each. The academy’s defence was not messing around.

They traced the wall to its right.

No students passed them by as it was still 2 hours before the ceremony.

Ciel regretted she couldn’t explore the city further, but that also meant more excuses to go on a date with Summer.

Eventually, an equally large gate emerged from the distance.

The terrain was open with trees lining the main road, each trunk standing to their right as the wall loomed closely to their left.

Ciel blinked.

She didn’t expect a certain encounter here.

Bang!

A brown-haired girl with freckles across her cheek cried out against the daunting iron gate without a guard in sight.

Tears adorned the villager’s robes she wore, making her identity crystal clear.

’The freckled girl from back then?’

They stopped a few steps away from the one who was betrayed by her childhood friend a week ago, or at least what used to be him.

As if the rustles awakened something, the freckled girl’s whimpering eyes snapped to Ciel.

For a moment, those teary brown pupils looked just as hollow as Ciel’s did.

"You’re..." The freckled girl’s mouth gaped, as if memories of betrayals stuck her tongue to silence.

Awkwardness lingered. Quia, the more sociable one, chuckled while scratching her chin. "Hi? What’re you doing here?"

The question rang, and the freckled girl jolted awake.

"Please!" She screamed, clutching her chest as if trying to keep her breath stable. "Some barrier blocked me from opening the gate! You have to help me here!"

Ciel frowned.

Then one more glance at the villager’s uniform made Ciel realise it.

She hurriedly asked. "Were you not a student?"

The freckled girl’s head shook frantically. "No... no, I’m not. I didn’t even receive an envelope like the others..."

Then, both the girl’s hands clutched onto her convulsing head. "I only realise...much later... we, we promise to get into the academy together. We-"

"..."

Ciel allowed the girl a moment.

Then, the freckled girl’s trembling just... ceased.

"I... have to get in..."

Vigors returned as the freckled girl glared at them, filled with murderous intent.

A frown crossed Ciel’s face as her hand wordlessly stretched aside.

And without any warning, the freckled girl’s hand flicked and sent a hidden dagger towards them.

The attack was sudden and unprovoked.

And Ciel’s summoned staff snapped up.

Blue shield rose. The blade hit and bounced off, sending it flying mid-air.

But with the staff briefly lowered, the girl’s figure was nowhere to be seen before the gate.

Only the lining of trees swayed to their right.

Ciel’s clench on the staff hardened, not taking the freckled girl as an assassin type.

A scoff, brief in expressing its discontent, echoed from Shire.

The red-haired noble, under Quia’s warning gaze, strode ahead of them with nonchalant steps.

"Oi, wait!" The elf’s hand stretched, yet Shire slapped it away without a glance, retorting.

"The gate is just right there, so why should I?"

Shire continued to trace the wall, her figure closing into the academy’s entrance.

Unbeknownst to her, the silhouette beneath her feet twitched.

Once she broke away from Ciel and Quia, Shire’s shadow spat out the freckled girl.

’Shadow Mastery.’ Ciel concluded that her staff’s aim faltered because she was unable to aim at a moving target.

With Shire’s back exposed, the freckled girl lunged and stabbed. The blade burst into the shoulder, blood staining the uniform’s fabric.

And Shire’s hand merely shot upward, her stance unfaltered as she caught the freckled girl’s wrist, holding her in place.

"You!"

Shire merely gave a bored sigh. Her hand nudged and dragged the dagger deeper into her flesh, anchoring the girl in place.

The red-haired noble turned her head. "You’re all too late."

A gasp tore through the freckled girl. Shire was not speaking to her.

The assassin’s body wailed to attempt an escape, but a moonblast met her foot first.

Her fall afterwards was helpless and pathetic, the hole in her leg dragging her sideways on the stone road.

Quia ran up. Mana circle flickered as a red potion fell into her palm, before she hurriedly opened it.

Shire scowled. "Don’t touch-"

"Shut it!" Quia merely clutched onto the noble’s arm before pouring the red potion over the bloodied shoulder.

Shire’s face, despite the supposed pain, remained dull and flat.

Casting a conflicted look at them, Ciel walked up to one responsible for Shire’s wound.

"I promised... promised..."

The sharp mumble from the freckled girl was a tune short of a whisper.

Ciel’s gaze loomed over her. Despite the small stature, the little Queen seemed infinitely taller.

She asked. "What have you been doing here?"

The freckled girl shook.

An intensity burrowed into her features. Tears already dried from her eyes, but her glare at Ciel was hauntingly unyielding.

"The academy..." She gritted her teeth. "They contained his body... they separated me from seeing him."

She pointed at Ciel. "You! You were the one who blasted his head off!"