How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

✦ Chapter 117 – Ellie (2) ✦

「Translator – Creator」

𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝

The location Ellie mentioned was in a mid-sized town called Haros, situated roughly halfway between the academy and the capital. It took a full day’s ride by horse to get there.

By the time I arrived, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Lanterns flickered to life, casting a warm glow on the cobblestone streets.

The inn called ‘The Scarred Donkey,’ mentioned by Ellie, was easy to find.

As I approached, I noticed a burly, middle-aged man guarding the entrance. He held up a hand to stop me.

“Hold it right there… I mean, please wait. Our company has rented out the entire inn for the night. There are other lodgings available nearby. If you wouldn’t mind…”

“I’m not here to stay,” I explained. “I’m here to meet a friend. I’ll be on my way as soon as we’re finished.”

The man’s demeanor softened, as if something clicked.

“Could you tell me your friend’s name… uh, please?”

“Ellie.” I hesitated. “Brown hair… about my age…” 

“My apologies. You’re our lady’s guest then. Please wait a moment.”

Without changing his posture, the man knocked on the wooden door with just a twist of his hand. Though his knock seemed light, the door rattled violently as if about to break. Soon, the door creaked open.

“I told you to knock lightly! What if you startle them when they’re already on edge…”

A young woman emerged from inside, glaring at the middle-aged man and chiding him in an irritated tone.

“I’ll be careful. In the meantime, Kisha, could you check on this guest? He says he’s our lady’s friend.”

The woman, Kisha, finally acknowledged me; turning her head sharply in my direction, she muttered something under her breath, clearly displeased.

“Tsk…! No wonder Lady Ellie’s so enamored. If you’re Master Edwin, you must have some proof. Show it.”

Her tone was far from welcoming, but now was not the time to fuss over such trivial matters.

I retrieved the token Ellie had included in her letter and presented it to her. Kisha took it and channeled her mana into it.

“…Yes, this is one of mine. Alright, this checks out. Now, pardon me for a moment.”

Before I could even question her, Kisha performed her next action. She casually waved her hand in the air, and her mana enveloped me. Each of my body’s orifices was sealed by her mana, making it incredibly hard to breathe.

“Hold still.” Her voice was calm, almost bored. “It’ll be over soon. Irregular flow… none. Abnormal alterations… none. External interference pathways… none. All clear.”

As Kisha withdrew her hand, the suffocating sensation vanished instantly. She must have projected her mana as part of some security procedure.

Controlling mana without any visible gestures… completely taking over the mana flow within my body in the blink of an eye… She was incredibly skilled. It made me wonder why someone like her would be working for a merchant company, calling Ellie ‘My Lady’.

Something wasn’t right. An unsettling thought began to bubble up from the depths of my mind.

“Come with me.”

Kisha opened the door to the inn, gesturing for me to follow. As I followed her inside, the middle-aged man patted my shoulder reassuringly, his gaze tinged with what seemed like…pity?

SLAM—!

“For heaven’s sake, not so hard… That man is just…”

Kisha’s exasperated sigh echoed through the inn as the door slammed shut.

“Where’s Ellie?” I asked, looking around.

“You’ll see her soon enough.” She adjusted her sleeves. “But first, there are… others who wish to speak with you.”

“Others?”

“……………..”

She remained silent, but I soon learned exactly who these ‘others’ were as she led me through the hallway and into the main hall of the inn.

Despite the late hour, the spacious room was dimly lit, only a handful of candles flickering on the scattered tables. At one of those tables, shrouded in shadows, sat a man and a woman.

The man, who had brown hair streaked with silver and a neatly trimmed beard, rose to his feet as we approached. His eyes, a startling emerald green, mirrored Ellie’s.

“Master Edwin Reed.” Kisha bowed her head respectfully. “I’ve brought him.”

“Thank you, Kisha. You’re dismissed. I’ll call for you if we need anything else.”

“As you wish.” She dipped into a curtsy, vanishing as swiftly and silently as a phantom. The man stepped closer, his features illuminated in the flickering candlelight. A shadow seemed to cling to him, darker and more profound than the shadows cast by the meager light.

“Nice to meet you… I mean, ah…”

“Please, speak comfortably. I don’t want such formalities with my friend’s father.”

“…Thank you for understanding.” He nodded gratefully. “I am Varion, Ellie’s father. And this…” He gestured to the woman beside him. “Is my wife, Clythinae.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Edwin Reed.”

“A pleasure to meet you…” Ellie’s mother acknowledged me with a small bow of her head. Her hair and eyes shone with a golden light even in the dimly lit room. But there was a profound sadness in her voice, a deep sorrow that even her beauty couldn’t mask.

Clythinae… she looked vaguely familiar. Ellie had definitely inherited her mother’s beauty, a stark contrast to her father’s rougher features.

“You must be surprised to find us here after receiving Ellie’s letter,” Varion said, his brow furrowed with concern. “I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.”

“It’s fine. But where is Elle?”

“She’s… upstairs, in one of the guest rooms. You’ll see her soon. But before you do…” His face darkened, the shadows around him seeming to deepen. “There’s… something you need to know.”

“Aah…”

A choked sob escaped Clythinae’s lips, her composure finally breaking.

None of this was normal. All the ominous possibilities I’d tried to suppress came rushing back, my heart pounding in my chest.

Varion hesitated, his face etched with a deep, agonizing sorrow. Finally, he spoke, his voice a tortured rasp.

“…The healers… They say Ellie doesn’t have long. Three days at most.”

The weight of his words felt like a massive stone crashing down in my chest.

* * * * *

“What… does that mean…?”

I could barely form the words, but Varion seemed to understand my unspoken plea for an explanation.

“…It’s just as I said. She’s been poisoned. We’ve tried everything, but… there’s no known antidote…”

“Sniff… Oh, our dear girl…”

Clythinae broke down completely, her sobs echoing through the silent hall. Varion tried to comfort her, but his own grief was palpable.

“Ellie is struggling even with the slightest movement. When the wind brushes against her skin, she writhes in agony. Just getting here was an excruciating ordeal for her. As her parents… we are accompanying her on what may be her final journey…”

“Poison? How did this happen…”

Varion clenched his jaw, unable to speak further. Clythinae was on the verge of hysteria. But there was something else I needed to know.

“Do you know… what kind of poison it was? If not the exact name, then… anything about its color, its smell…?”

“…I’m sorry, but… I’m afraid that’s…”

“It was basilisk venom,” Clythinae choked out, her voice thick with tears.

“Clythinae…” Varion started, shooting her a warning glance.

“Our daughter is dying!” she cried, her voice cracking. “What’s the point of hiding it anymore? This boy deserves to know…”

Ellie’s words, the message in the letter, her parents’ grief…  It was all too much. The joy of our reunion was quickly eclipsed by the looming shadow of farewell.

But as I registered Clythinae’s words, a glimmer of hope sparked within the suffocating despair.

Basilisk venom…

If Ellie had indeed been poisoned by basilisk venom, it made sense that they believed there was no antidote. According to my memory, the venom was thought to be incurable, proportional to its difficulty to obtain.

But…

I knew of a cure. A cure for even the deadliest of poisons. And by some incredible stroke of luck… I had a vial of it tucked away in my pocket.

I always carried a vial of Elixir, just in case. It was a habit I’d picked up from the game, something I did without thinking.

The thought of having left it behind sent chills down my spine.

I couldn’t fathom how Ellie had ended up in such a dire situation. However, those questions would have to wait until after she was saved.

At that moment, my only thought was to free her from her pain. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much she had suffered.

“Take me to her. Before it’s too late.”

“Go ahead. She’s in the last room up those stairs…”

Varion nodded, pointing to the staircase. Climbing the steps, I noticed a woman standing at the end of the corridor, guarding the door to the last room. Her appearance was familiar.

She was Ada, the one who had delivered Ellie’s letter to me two days earlier.

Recognizing me, she gave a slight bow.

“…The lady is waiting for you inside.”

Ada knocked on the door twice. She then gently turned the handle, and the door opened silently. The room was engulfed in pitch-black darkness, not even a single candle flickering within.

As I stepped into the room, a familiar yet feeble voice greeted me.

“…Edwin…?”

“Ellie!”

Her breathing was shallow, labored.

— End of Chapter —

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