[I heard that this human puppet is going to go out of control for some time until the devil that is controlling her re-established their puppetting ability.]
Estrid's thoughts flowed into my mind as my gaze turned to her.
'So, Lars Lightbringer has information that came from the thing called game, and Estrid just directly knows the future, huh? Even I'm not sure if Isabella Rose is controlled by a devil or if she is just a golem. I wonder what is the real source of their information.'
This was the first occasion I could confirm these two individuals' information. I was pretty interested if their information was valid or not.
Yet, something stuck do my mind. Their information was a bit too detailed for their level.
'Wait, did she say she "heard" instead of "saw"?'
At first, I thought Estrid was something like an Oracle or Prophet but I wasn't sure anymore.
'Maybe she is greater than mere Prophet? Prophets can see fragmented visions of the future while Oracles get revelation from divine beings and spirits. She doesn't seem like either of them.'
'I need to read her memories as soon as possible. I hope she isn't like Lars Lightbringer, and I will be able to read her memories.'
Deciding this, I stopped thinking currently useless thoughts and focused my attention on the duel between Lars Lightbringer and Isabella Rose.
Currently, the gray-haired boy was awkwardly holding a pure white great sword, barely maintaining his balance under the heavy sword.
[Fuck! I took this hidden piece because it looked cool but I can't even lift it properly! Do I need to train after all?]
"Sigh... Idiot."
I released a sigh. It was nigh impossible for this incompetent fool to land a hit on Isabella Rose, whom I suspected being the puppet of a devil while this two weirdos strangely 'knows' she is a puppet.
Mages were at an advantage in this duel as there was a considerable amount of distance between the duelists. And because the knight students were still wet behind their ears, most of them didn't have long-range attacks.
Hence, the knight students were at a disadvantage unless they got close to the mage students — if they didn't get eliminated under the magic bombardment of the mages though. Naturally, if knight students could close the distance, their chance to win would increase exponentially.
'No,' I shook my head as I decided to not immediately conclude. 'Lars somehow has information about Isabella Rose and he also got in this class. Maybe he is a fool with lots of talent?'
Then their duel started.
Lars Lightbringer began to run toward Isabella Rose while enhancing his leg muscles with physical mana.
With the great sword in his hand, he managed to halve the distance in a few seconds after the duel started.
Yet, Isabella Rose stood still without lifting a finger or chanting for a magic spell. Her gaze didn't leave on the sight of the pure white great sword — as if she was looking at her lifelong nemesis.
[I can do it. I can do it!]
Lars Lightbringer cheered himself inside after he passed through the 3/4th of the distance.
Then, Isabella Rose lifted her pale hand and pointed her index finger to her opponent.
Immediately, Lars's face paled.
[I can't do it! I can't do it! Why is she using that move in the get-go?! Why the fuck? Damn it!]
Although he complained, Lars still continued to rush through, this time while making zigzags. The great sword in his hands stopped trembling and a clarity dawned on his eyes.
And, when Lars was about to swing his sword to send a mana slash — a skill only talented Apprentice knights that were on the verge of being Adept knights could use — Isabella whispered so silently.
"ߣøøðꞨøЯߣøøðʂ⨳ϾЯίꞨίϾ℮"
It was but a whisper but because I was focused, I managed to hear it slightly.
A sound that couldn't be spelled by humans flowed from Isabella's mouth and a dark light came from her index finger.
Blood oozed from her lips, and trickled down to her chin. Her index finger became mangled flesh and murky dark blood dripped on the dirt ground.
The dark light transformed into a black beam and flew straight to Lars.
"Fuck!"
A curse escaped from my mouth as I was about to teleport to save Lars's ass.
Now that I learned Lars's information source might turn out to be not wrong, saving him wasn't a bad idea. Maybe I could get a little crucial information by tortur– asking kindly to him. After all, my memory reading didn't work on him, who somehow possessed a corpse.
Yet, before I made my move, Lars saved himself by pure luck.
This fool was someone with lots of luck.
The pure white great sword slipped from his hands. Nonetheless, Lars managed to catch the sword's handle before it landed on the ground, however, he failed to lift the sword and fell to the ground with the weight of the sword.
"Lucky bastard." I cursed again, this time because Lars was too lucky. It was just my usual jealousy of the lucky people as an unlucky guy.
Thud!
Lars rolled on the ground with the great sword in his embrace. The black beam passed just above his head, hitting a few strands of his hair. These strands whitened in a pace that was visible to the eye and eventually turned to dust.
I quickly called forth my blue spiritual mana and the space around me visibly bent and shifted. Then I disappeared from my position and appeared right behind Isabella Rose.
In an instant darkness covered me and Isabella Rose.
"What?"
"What is going on!?"
"What was that magic?"
"Woah!"
"Pffft! Hahaha, stupid commoner!"
Students had different reactions but fortunately, the instructor realized something was wrong.
"Shut up! Don't utter any words! Don't take any steps! If you were to disobey, I will chop your limbs!" The giant-like instructor's voice boomed as all of the students stopped speaking.
Taking advantage of blocking the vision of the students, I wrapped my arm around Isabella Rose's neck and took her into a chokehold.
Isabella Rose was the sole heiress of the Rose Dukedom, I couldn't harm her body — even if she was a puppet of a devil.
So, this was the best I could do in this situation.
Literally sweeping her feet from the ground with my leg, I lifted her by her neck with my arms, and I began to prepare to teleport if I were to sense the aura of a devil.
Strangely enough, Isabella Rose didn't attack me let alone try to escape from my grasp. She quietly lost consciousness and her head dropped.
Turn
In an instant after Isabella Rose lost consciousness, I sensed a sudden spike of foul, disgusting aura.
A devil's aura.
"There you are."