Chapter 19
This is a fictional story by realTensai
Upon entering the library, the delightful aroma of books immediately embraced Alvis. He closed his eyes, taking in the whispers of turning pages as the subdued perfume of literature trickled his nostrils. A warm wind grazed his skin, melting his soul.
I love this place.
With a smile on his face, he started his research. However, he had learned from his past mistakes. Instead of wandering through this labyrinth, somehow trying to find the book he searched for within this near-endless collection, he immediately asked for help.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Alvis asked, this time with a way friendlier voice. "I'm looking for books on hypnosis. Do you know where I can find them?"
The librarian looked over her glasses, examining Alvis with a careful look. However, without even having to look at her digital pad, she answered.
"Just take this corner and then go straight," she said, describing the way with her arm. "You will find the mind spells and hypnosis section there. However, some books are only available for certified mind mages, so you won't be able to read them."
"Okay, thanks."
He turned on his heels and followed her description. It only took him five minutes to see the Mind Spells hologram floating in the air.
That's it.
With his fingertips already tingling, Alvis threw himself into the vast ocean of books, hoping he would find what he needed.
——
Alvis exhaled, closing the book he had just read. His head wasn't burning, which was a good sign, at least. However, this wasn't due to Alvis becoming overly smart, but because the complicated books were sealed, and only available for mind mages. He sighed, the knowledge he was missing out on feeling like the premium version of a game he couldn't afford.
This doesn't matter for now.
He shook his head. Rather than focusing on what he didn't have, he would focus on what he had found out. Straightening his back, he leaned forward on his couch.
The hypnosis spell that had rendered him unmovable was an ancient vampire technique. It wasn't something one could learn if one wasn't born with it. It was so rare that only one of 100000 vampires possessed it. And because of its rarity, most people, just like Alvis, didn't even know it existed.
"Emerald eyes."
Vampires who possessed those eyes could also cast the ancient hypnosis technique. Considering the color of his assassin's eyes, it was obvious that she had hit him with it. And the only vampire Alvis knew with green eyes was Lia. Her being only half-vampire made it even more impressive.
His face darkened, Lia solidifying her spot as the assassin.
I will still wait for Victor's information before making a final decision.
However, in the meantime, he had to prepare himself. Finding out about this technique was good, yet what he would do against it was the real question. In less than two weeks, the assassin would attack again.
If I don't want to die, I have to become stronger.
Alvis clenched his fist, gathering his resolve. The mana within his core boiled as his brain thought of spells he needed to learn.
——
The water of the fountain sprinkled on Alvis' neck as he sat there on the bench, waiting for him to come. As a way to pass the time, he went over different incantations in his head of spells he had learned within these two weeks.
In his last fight against the assassin, he couldn't even defend himself. However, now he had learned a mind-protector spell that should keep him safe from the powers of the emerald eyes.
I hope the struggles are worth it.
He sighed, remembering all the times he almost rage-quit because of the complexity of the spell. Yet he couldn't complain, considering it was an advanced spell with an estimated learning duration of one month. It was times like these that Alvis noticed his human brain's advantage. He could understand why god chose not to give humans mana too. They would be way too op.
"Here I am."
Those words pulled Alvis out of his thoughts and made him face him. It wasn't even sunny, yet he wouldn't take off his sunglasses. Have I ever seen him without them?
"Took you long enough, Victor. I even worried you wouldn't make it in two weeks."
"Well, you gave me a heck of a task. I'm not gonna lie."
"But you made it, didn't you?"
"Of course," he said, his lips curving up. "I'm the goblin who knows everything, after all."
Victor sat down on the bench next to Alvis and leaned back. Alvis just took out the money, not wanting to waste more time. He handed it to Victor, who counted it and then grinned.
"100 unions, exactly as agreed."
Alvis didn't hesitate to use up his money. He would just have to sell one item to make the money back. However, this wasn't the only reason. If he were to fail in this loop, he would get his money back by respawning and still have the same information.
Doesn't this make me a scammer?
However, he just shook his head. It wasn't like he would want to fail this loop on purpose.
"Spill out what you have found out."
"Alright boss," Victor said, taking a seat. "You asked me to get every bit of information about Lia that was out there. No matter how small or indifferent it may seem. I should also focus on her life outside of school, her family situation, and what she did during the summer break."
"Yes."
Alvis knew he probably seemed like a stalker right now, wanting to find out so much about her. Yet he didn't care what Victor would think. Victor himself didn't care as long as the payment was good.
"As I made my investigations, I didn't find out much since not a lot is known about her family situation, her past, or her life outside of school. This alone was suspicious enough, considering that she is one of the most popular girls in the school and also has a ton of friends. I dug deeper and found rumors that said her parents were dead, though I couldn't confirm them. The one noticeable thing was her social life and family were kept hidden. Almost artificially so."
Alvis just listened, not wanting to interrupt him
"However, she still would have had to send someone for the parent-teacher conference. Following this hint, I found something interesting. The person who was her 'father' was a vampire wearing all red. At first, I just found that odd, but later I found out that Lia had been sighted numerous times with people wearing all red. I'm not sure who those people are, but I bet they are some type of organization or some."
Alvis' body froze, his eyes widening. Cold sweat overcame him as he remembered him.
A vampire wearing all red.
Flashes of his deaths and those of his loved ones started coming back up, and Alvis almost vomited. He bit his tongue, calming down his staggered breathing.
"Everything alright Alvis?"
"Y-Yes."
Alvis took one deep breath in and out, trying to get his heart to beat slower. He had to face what he just heard. Lia was seen multiple times with people wearing all red. And her 'father' was a vampire who wore all red too.
He tried his best to find other solutions, yet the answer was obvious. Even Victor knew they were some kind of organization. And Alvis knew what kind of organization they were. They were the ones who sent the vampire after him, after all.
They were assassins!
So it was Lia, after all.
His face darkened, memories of the night in which he had been killed by her appearing in his mind. The image of the perfect girl from school shattered, leaving no pieces behind. Even the last bits of doubts that had clung to his heart got swept away.
"Thank you, Victor. That's enough."
Alvis stood up, his fists clenched. There was nothing more he needed to hear. Now he just had to face her.
I won't let you kill me, Lia!
——
The sun had already switched shifts with the moon, its cool light not reaching every corner of that abandoned alley. Yet it was better that way. The things that would unfold there may even reach a higher scale, as on that day, Alvis faced the vampire assassin within that same alley.
However, unlike last time, Alvis didn't have to pinch his nose so he could endure the garlic stench. Nor did he have a UV flashlight or a wooden pole. If Lia had been a full vampire just like the first assassin, he would have bought those things, yet this wasn't the case. With her being half-vampire and half-elf, she didn't have to worry about the weaknesses of one of these races.
Taking only the good things from both races is a good way to live your life.
Alvis chuckled. He then proceeded to glance at his watch.
She will come soon.
He still had the rough timing of her last attack in mind. Instead of waiting for her in his bed, he chose to confront her here in this alley, the advantages of that being self-explanatory. He had spent this entire loop preparing for this confrontation, even neglecting his level's mission by doing so.
Saving a girl should be his top priority, though this was hard with death breathing down one's neck. Even if he were to save the girl, if Lia killed him afterward, everything would be for naught, anyway. Besides, he still couldn't shake off the weird feeling of Lia being the girl he had to save. It made no sense and was totally unreasonable, yet because it was so absurd, it could very well be. Alvis shook his head, all these possibilities having his mind spinning.
I'll have to find this out in our encounter.
And as if answering to his thoughts, an icy pressure seized Alvis. His hair stood up as if wanting to run away, his heart following their lead as it pounced against his ribcage. He swung his head from left to right, sweat flowing down his face while doing so. Then he saw her.
A girl coated in red.
Before his gaze landed on her enchanting green eyes, he cast his mind protector spell. Her eyes flashed up, and Alvis didn't even wince, staring right at them. However, he twitched his finger, proving to himself that his hard work paid off.
"It's not working?" she mumbled.
A satisfied grin appeared on Alvis' face.
"I came prepared, you know."
He observed her every move, yet she stayed indifferent.
Hmm, no reaction.
She just raised her hand, wind gathering around her palm.
"Stop it, Lia!"
Her eyes widened, and the wind around her hand vanished.
"W-Who has leaked information to you?"
"That doesn't matter."
"You are right. It doesn't."
She raised her hand again, this time even more wind gathering around her palm.
"Wait, why do you even want to kill me?"
"That doesn't matter."
A wind arrow morphed into existence, ready to be fired off. Alvis just clicked his tongue. He activated his skill mastermind, increasing his intelligence by ten stat points for one minute and ten seconds. With his increased intelligence, the difficulty of the spells he could cast also increased, taking his spell casting to the next level.
As the bloodthirsty wind arrow pierced through the air coming straight for Alvis' heart, he erected an earth wall. Upon clashing with the arrow, the earth wall shattered into dust, yet Alvis was unscathed.
"It's just like they told me…. you can cast spells."
"Thanks for the flowers," Alvis said, cold sweat trickling down his neck.
However, Lia just raised her hand again, this time with more than one wind arrow floating before her palm.
"You really want to kill me, Lia?!"
Alvis' desperate shout didn't even make her wince. Like a machine, she fired off her arrows.
Alvis shot mana into his legs, jumping to the side to avoid death. A loud boom resounded in the alley as the arrows blasted several trash containers.
"Is this the real you?" Alvis asked through gritted teeth. "Isn't it tiresome to put on such a facade in school?"
"Shut up!"
The next barrage of wind arrows came flying and Alvis immediately raised up an earth wall. However, it wasn't strong enough.
Shit!
The earth wall crumbled upon the mighty assault of arrows, leaving Alvis without guard. He threw himself on the ground, just barely escaping his doom.
This was close!
His heart pounded, his breath being the only sound he heard. Yet he bit his tongue, forcing himself to calm down. The fight wasn't over yet.
"Lia! Why are you doing this?" Alvis said, picking himself up. "Don't you have a heart? We are classmates!"
For the first time, Lia didn't instantly raise her arm. Her cold eyes trembled, even if just lightly.
"You will be my last kill," she said, her voice low. "After that, I will end everything."
Her remorse-filled voice reached Alvis' ears. Yet it was Alvis' heart that felt her pain.
"So you don't even want to do this? Then just stop already and don't kill me."
"I can't grant you that wish."
Her eyes turned cold again, and she raised her arm. However, Alvis raised his arm too, fire dancing around his palm.
"I won't let you kill me."
Yet before Alvis could even fire off his attack, the ground beneath him shook as plants emerged and trapped him. The tendrils suffocated him, making moving even an inch impossible.
So she has plant magic too?!
Alvis erased his flames, not wanting to set himself on fire. As his gaze landed on Lia once more, several wind arrows flew around her. And in the next second, they charged at him.
"I'm sorry."
These were the last things Alvis heard before the wind arrows pierced through his existence.
[YOU DIED!]