CHAPTER 46: THE IMPOSTER IN STUDENT COUNCIL

A few days later, while Ard, Eva, and their classmates were in class, an instructor entered to see Minerva, who was teaching magic and element fusion. The instructor whispered something to Minerva. Seeing the change in Minerva’s face, which went from calm to suddenly shocked and panicked, Ard and Eva immediately turned to look at each other, sensing that something was wrong.

After the instructor left, Minerva turned to face the class. She put down her book and took a deep breath.

"Prince Edmund, the Crown Prince of the Orthus Empire, has disappeared from the academy. Since all the instructors are busy looking for him, we will end class for today," Minerva said.

Ard, Eva, and the others fell silent, then began to pack up their books and writing materials. Minerva then walked out of the classroom, leaving her students. Ard turned to look at Eva, who appeared confused and was deep in thought, her brow furrowed. Ard moved closer to Eva.

"What is it, Eva? Did this happen in one of your nine past lives?" Ard whispered.

"No, this kind of thing is only happening now," Eva whispered back, still thinking.

"I figured. The night our campsite was attacked, big brother Abel said that Prince Edmund was acting a little strange. Maybe this is what he meant," Ard muttered quietly.

"Hmm... where did that idiot go? It’s not because I’m worried, I just feel like he’s plotting something," Eva replied in a whisper.

"That’s right. I’ll try to talk to my big brother after this," Ard said.

After that, they all left the classroom together to return to their dorms. But when they were almost at the academy building’s exit, they saw the student council members: Mirea, Nikolai, Claudia, Oliver, Cecilia, and Daniel, the latter two of whom Ard, Eva, and the others had just met. Their faces looked tense, and it seemed they were tasked with guarding the school building’s exit. Ard immediately told everyone to stop and approached Mirea.

"What’s going on, Mirea? Are we not allowed to leave the academy building?" Ard asked.

"For now, students are advised to remain inside the academy premises because the search for Prince Edmund is being conducted outside," Mirea replied.

"Oh, I see," Ard responded.

"What exactly is going on?" asked Eva, who came forward with the others.

Mirea and the other student council members immediately fell silent. Then Claudia turned to look at Eva.

"My apologies, Princess Eva. We, the student council, the instructors, and the academy head, discovered Prince Edmund’s plan for a rebellion to overthrow Emperor Ellard III and his involvement with a dark cult within this academy," Claudia said.

"Hey, Claudia, that information is confidential!" Cecilia warned.

"I believe Princess Eva should know about this," Claudia countered.

"Claudia is right, Princess Eva really needs to know this. The reason why academy students are advised to stay inside the building for now is because we are conducting an investigation into the students in 3rd Grade Class A," Mirea added.

"Wait, you mean Prince Edmund was planning a rebellion here? In this academy?" Beatrice asked.

"Exactly, Princess Beatrice. Coincidentally, Daniel found a secret room in this academy that they were using as their meeting room and operational headquarters. My younger brother Julius is also involved," Nikolai replied.

"From that room, we confiscated several potions that we are still investigating their use, several sheets of paper with magic circle drawings used to summon demon troops... and many notes of their plans for the kingdoms around the world," Oliver said, reading from a board he was carrying and adjusting his glasses.

"I see," Ard replied briefly.

Ard glanced at Eva, who was staring intently at Cecilia. Cecilia seemed to be avoiding Eva’s gaze. Ard then turned to look at Cecilia, who appeared nervous and slightly scared compared to the others, but was trying to remain calm. Then he turned his attention to Daniel, who was standing next to Cecilia. He looked at Daniel, who seemed nerdy, with bowl-cut hair, a slightly thin and somewhat hunched body, a calm expression, but whose eyes kept glancing at Eva, who was standing next to Ard. Ard immediately stepped forward, blocking Daniel’s view of Eva, and turned to look at Daniel.

"Can you show me the room?" Ard asked.

Daniel flinched slightly in surprise, then he turned to look at Mirea and Nikolai, who nodded at him.

"Alright, come with me," Daniel said.

"You guys wait here, okay?" Ard said to Eva and his friends.

"Huh... why?" Alicia asked.

"It’s nothing, I’m just going for a moment. You all wait right here," Ard answered casually.

"Alright, we’ll wait here," Eva said.

"Oh, talk to Cecilia, will you? You know each other but have never really talked, right? Who knows, maybe you can become close," Ard said, winking at Eva.

Eva, who seemed to understand Ard’s intention, immediately nodded and told Ard "Okay." After that, Ard left with Daniel, walking down the corridor, followed by the stares of his friends. After Ard and Daniel were out of earshot, Alicia and Milia immediately approached Eva.

"Eva, what was that wink from Ard about?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah, why did he wink at you?" Milia asked.

"We all saw it, you know," Ainsley added, pushing up his glasses.

"Yeah, that’s right," Patricia added.

"Princess?" Irwin asked, seeing Eva remain silent.

Suddenly, Eva opened her dimensional storage and pulled out Exelion, aiming the tip of the sword directly at Cecilia’s face.

"Who are you?" Eva demanded.

"Huh?" Everyone was immediately shocked. Eva’s classmates instantly stepped back and became alert, as did the student council members, who quickly moved away from Cecilia. Of course, seeing the tip of Exelion right in front of her nose, Cecilia immediately raised both hands.

"What is this, Princess? Don’t you recognize me? We met a few times when we were kids, didn’t we?" Cecilia asked.

"Yes, that’s right, but the Cecilia I know has blonde hair and is blind in one eye. That’s why I’m asking who you are, because your hair is black, and you can see with both eyes," Eva stated firmly.

Everyone immediately fell silent, and all eyes turned to stare at Cecilia, then back at Eva. All their faces were confused because, in their view, Cecilia looked blonde and wore an eye patch, which signaled she was indeed blind in one eye—clearly different from what Eva had said. Finally, Cecilia lowered both hands and looked down, but a sinister smile was visible on her face.

"Very impressive, Princess Eva. I’m impressed, truly impressed," Cecilia said in a deep, chilling voice.

Suddenly, Cecilia’s body emitted a bright, dazzling light that made everyone in front of her cover their eyes, except for Eva, who still held her sword pointed forward. Black mist began to swirl around Cecilia’s body, making the atmosphere even more terrifying. "Grek," suddenly the sound of snapping and disjointing joints could be heard. Eva started to brace herself.

After the light disappeared, everyone opened their eyes and immediately looked up, mouths agape, because standing before them was a large, eight-legged, hairy spider with the upper body of a woman, long arms, a pair of straight horns on her head, large hands with claw-like fingers, dark skin, four eyes, sharp teeth, and long black hair.

"Black Arachne, Xeria," Eva muttered.

"Exactly right, her highness Evelina, or should I call you Esmeralda? It’s been a long time," Xeria said.

All of Eva’s classmates and the student council members immediately prepared for battle, seeing the huge demon that had appeared before them.

***

Meanwhile, in the corridor, far from the entrance, Ard was following Daniel but noticed the desolate surroundings. He finally stopped.

"Hey, stop pretending.," Ard suddenly said.

Hearing Ard’s words, Daniel stopped. Then he turned to look at Ard, who seemed relaxed and was smiling with a hint of vengeance.

"So you know who I really am?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, take off your disguise," Ard replied.

Daniel immediately raised his hand and removed the mask on his face. He instantly transformed into the figure of Edmund, the one being searched for by the entire academy.

Ard noticed something wrong with Edmund’s face: he saw that Edmund’s eyes looked red and unfocused, constantly darting left and right like someone who was extremely anxious, even though his body stood casually.

"Hmm... who are you, really?" Ard asked.

"What do you mean? I am Edmund, Crown Prince of the Orthus Empire," Edmund replied proudly.

"Who are you, really? You are clearly not Edmund," Ard asked once more.

Edmund fell silent and looked down. Ard immediately opened his dimensional storage and pulled out Exgrandal. Seeing Exgrandal in Ard’s hand, Edmund, or the one impersonating Edmund, immediately studied Ard’s face, then smiled.

"So you’re curious about who I really am, huh? How did you know I wasn’t Edmund?" Edmund asked with a terrible, raspy voice and a sinister smile.

"Because Prince Edmund is weak, and I can feel a strong energy aura from your body. Plus, according to my big brother, Edmund’s behavior has been strange lately. It looks like you killed Edmund and took his place, right?" Ard asked, holding Exgrandal.

"Hahaha... correct," Edmund replied in a horrifying voice.

Suddenly, Edmund’s body glowed and was enveloped by a bright light. Black mist emerged, surrounding his body from bottom to top. Ard continued to stare, unaffected by the light. A moment later, the light disappeared. Ard saw the figure of a man dressed like a male servant but with red eyes, sharp fangs, a single straight horn on his forehead, and pointed ears. Ard smiled, seeing the man standing before him.

"How are you, Shapeshifter Vampire Baalbel?" Ard asked.

"I am well, Your Highness Azroth... or should I call you Ashton?" Baalbel asked.

Finally, Ard and Eva had to face figures from their past lives: the demons who were once generals of the Demon God Malekh.