Chapter 9 - Licht part 1

January is almost over.

The day was beautiful, a student was in his room drinking tea.

"It's a great day as always."

The student was Squall, he was relaxing until the door was opened.

"Holis~ Squall-kun. how are you feeling?"

A blue haired, close eyed boy walked in as if he was your typical childhood friend walking into your house as if it was his own.

His name was Flynt Algrin.

"What's wrong Flynt, for you to come so early?"

Squall was acting normal, something like this was normal for him.

Flynt walked to a nearby seat.

After sitting down, he grabbed a cookie and popped it into his mouth.

Squall poured him some tea to go with it.

After drinking the tea, he spoke.

"Thank you, I came to inform you that there was a problem."

"Problem?"

"That's right, yesterday I was informed that another base of the lower ranking executives was attacked. There are no survivors."

Squall touched his chin out of curiosity as to who was responsible.

"Attacking lower ranking executives base or subordinates is a no brainer, there is something else isn't there?"

Flynt was very serious when he said the following.

"Yes. Today I was informed that three mansions of high ranking executives were attacked."

Squall stood up in surprise.

"I beg your pardon!"

"I was informed that the houses of Morris, Alfred and Kevin were destroyed."

Squall broke into a cold sweat.

"I don't know who's responsible, but somehow he's been attacking the bases and hideouts of many of the members, including the houses of bishops and important nobles."

Squall looked out the window of his room.

"The chief himself has requested that the knights be put on alert and search for any suspects."

"We can't let that son of a bitch or those sons of bitches get away with this!"

"Huh? Squall-kun, do you hear me? Hey."

Flynt stood up to observe what his friend was looking at.

"Don't you think it's funny, Flynt?"

"...?"

"The day of the exam I switched my answer sheet with her."

"Oh! You're talking about that commoner, aren't you?"

"Yes. I had to get a score of 100 or else my father would take away my financial livelihood. Fortunately, no one noticed that I changed the names, the entrance exams for all the students are the same type, I just had to put erase that she was going to be a new student for the second year I was going, hehe, it's funny."

"I understand, but what does that have to do with looking at her?"

Squall laughed.

"My dad told me he needs more merchandise to sell in the lawless city. I was wondering if there were any girls from poor or indebted families to look for, and there are several, but I'm mainly interested in this one."

Squall and Flynt looked at Lily who was happily walking along with her clothes in a basket to take to the laundry.

"It's rare for a commoner to go to a place for nobles. I'm sure it will fetch a good price."

"Oh, I get it! So, when are we going to do it?"

"Tonight, I'll contact my father to lend us a place to take her, have fun beforehand, and then give her to him to sell."

"I understand. I'll think of a method so no one will see us."

Flynt was leaving the room as Squall licked his lips in a very morbid manner.

◇

It was a day Saturday like any other.

All normal and boring.

Yesterday and today in the early morning I went with Leila to hunt for members of the black crows.

I am very exhausted.

I told Leila to rest until further notice, as for Amy, she seems to be writing a new book.

You can tell she is excited as there are several rivals to defeat.

I also left her alone.

My friends wanted to go somewhere today, I told them no.

Cid went with them.

So I'm alone, it was supposed to be like this, but the guest in my room won't allow me a free moment.

"Are you really not doing anything today, Razel-kun?"

Lily came to my room.

She had a magic board game.

I call it magic since the pieces' float and move on their own.

Being on my bed, she would move the piece after rolling the dice.

She was excited about this simple juice.

Wouldn't you enjoy hanging out with the gallants more?

Today is supposed to be a date with Lambert.

I asked her curious because she didn't do anything about the romantic events.

"Are you sure you don't have anything to do today?"

She looked a little thoughtful, then said.

"No. I don't have anything."

"I see..."

It's certainly none of my business what you do with your life. But, if you want to help the demon king you must have a partner. That's what the game says, but romantic events don't matter to me.

Come to think of it, the romantic events in this game were so simplistic that they were very easy to finish, the only problem was Lambert who was very hard to conquer.

I once read on a forum, that the developers of this game put more effort into the romantic events to the other game they were helping.

I can't imagine a romance-themed rpg game. No seriously, how bad must that game really be?

"Hey, Razel-kun, will you be free tonight?"

Lily was asking me somewhat curiously.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

She looked nervous for some reason.

"Y-You see, there's a festival starting tonight in town. I don't have anyone to go with, so I'd like to know.... if you'd like to join me?"

"Huh?"

"Y-You know, as friends!"

Wait, why do I have a feeling something like that sounds familiar? I'm not talking about the festival which, yes I knew, I'm talking about the line he said.

It sounds very familiar....

"Well, I have nothing to do, of course I'll go with you if you like."

Lily brightened up at what I said.

"I'll be waiting at the academy gate at 7 pm sharp!"

Even if it's a weekend, the academy sets a curfew.

She said goodbye and I, put myself to sleep.

◇◇◇

The evening came, Lily changed into a beautiful short skirt dress.

The students were long gone to various places.

No one was guarding the gate where she waited.

The guards said they would go to the bathroom, so Lily was left waiting for Razel.

It was almost 7 pm.

"I'm really early, so it's okay if he's a little late."

"Hello."

Lily heard a voice, as she turned to see who she was waiting for with a smile.

"Huh? Sorry, who are you?"

She wondered as an unfamiliar boy stood in front of her.

"I was wondering how to make things easy, but you made it so easy, hehe."

Suddenly, some boys appeared from behind her.

Lily was startled.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Relax, it'll be over soon."

The boy, Flynt, pulled out a spray bottle and sprayed it in her face.

Moments later, Lily's consciousness faded.

"This was too easy."

Just then, the guards arrived.

"Oh, guys, good job, remember you didn't see anything."

Flynt tossed a white gold coin to each of them.

The guards smiled as if it was the easiest job in the world.

"Now, boys, let's take it to the right place."

Flynt and his henchmen rode up with Lily in a limousine.

The guards watched the luxury car drive away.

◇

I was changed into semi-formal attire, arrived at the door, it was 10 minutes past the appointed time.

"I can't believe a girl would keep a guy waiting. The cliché of being late doesn't seem to be working this time."

I smiled about how I had inadvertently eliminated another cliché.

But it was weird.

Lily wasn't around.

◇

I'm freaking out, it's after 8pm and no sign of Lily.

I went to her room, but no one was there.

I went looking for her in every corner of the academy, but I couldn't find her.

The teachers who were here said they haven't seen her.

This is bad, I'm getting scared.

"Hey, kid, what's wrong with you?"

One of the guards was approaching me.

I'll ask him, in any case.

"Excuse me, have you by any chance seen a beautiful blonde girl passing by?"

"Umm, there are a lot of beautiful blonde women in this academy passing by this door boy."

That's right, my bad.

"Sorry, let me be more precise."

"Have you seen a young girl waiting around the gate or outside the gate?"

The guard looked confused, I was as clear as I could be, wasn't I?

"Hey, I bring news."

Another guard was arriving.

I inadvertently listened to their conversation while biting my nails.

"What's up?"

"I was talking to Squall-sama, he says he arrived a while ago. How he thanks us for the job."

"Oh, that's nice, I hope he keeps asking us for help, hehe."

Huh?

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

What did he say?

"Excuse me, did you say just in case 'Squall-sama'?"

The guard who was asking me what I was doing here calmly replied.

"Yes, by?"

(I'm such a fucking moron! Why didn't I realize this before?)

Unbelievable, I can't believe this is true.

Apparently, the event where Squall was kidnapping Lily was happening, but.... This event was only happening in the middle of the year! Why jump ahead?

It doesn't make sense, but more important than that....

"Hey."

"Hah?"

The guards were lighting cigarettes.

In less than a second, I punched one very hard in the stomach.

If cigar fell to the ground, then I went straight for the other one who was about to draw his sword.

There was no one around or outside, I must extract the information fast.

My fingers were embedded in his thick neck.

They were slowly piercing the skin and flesh to get to the inside.

"Answer me you fucker."

My tone was hostile as I was annoyed.

"There was a blonde girl here wasn't there?"

The guard couldn't speak, so I stopped squeezing his neck a little.

"Hah, hah... You won't get away with this stupid!"

"I see. No use asking you then."

My fingers pierced his skin and grabbed his bone.

In a split second, a loud sound of something breaking was heard.

My fingers were covered in blood and the body of this idiot on the floor.

I turned to look at the remaining guard.

"So, you want to be a foolish guy too?"

Unlike this fool, this guy spoke.

"I don't want to die, I'll tell you everything! You're in a big black building, the son of the Iscariot Household was going there, it's located in the center!"

"I see..."

It seems that the problem this time, is not something that can be solved so easily.

I must go change into my other self, Licht, and go rescue Lily.

"Thank you, you can rest in peace."

"Huh? Per ... I told you everything I knew!"

"For that reason I thank you, it will end long and painlessly."

"That's not fair!"

"Not fair? Don't make me laugh, it's not fair what you guys did to a poor helpless girl, you should feel grateful that your sins will be washed away by my hand."

"That doesn't have-!"

I was done in a split second with the guard's life, there was no one watching. Let's go rescue Lily.

◇◇◇

In the center of the imperial capital, there was a long, large black building with covered windows so that the outside could not see or hear what was going on inside.

The security was private and internal.

There were strong knights and adventurers guarding it.

The place was a first class hotel.

In the most expensive suite, there were three people.

One of them was Lily who was unconscious.

Another was Flynt who was at an arcade playing games.

Squall was sitting in a long black armchair with his feet resting on a glass table.

In his hand he held a bottle of whiskey and a glass.

From the age of 15 onwards young people could drink, they were legally adults.

"Hey, Squall-kun, how long are we going to wait?"

Flynt asked in a disinterested manner.

"Soon, my dad hasn't called yet, he must be doing something important."

"But, I already want to try it."

"You'll have to wait until I manage to find out if the client wants a virgin girl or not."

"By the way, is she a virgin?"

Squall was curious, so he lifted Lily's skirt to see her panties.

"They're white with decorated bears."

"Oh, that's very good, we have a very pure girl!"

"Hopefully the client doesn't want her a virgin."

"Let's hope so."

The conversation between these two was very sinister.

They spoke as if Lily was a piece of meat and not a person.

For nobles, this treatment was normal.

"Oh, I'm out of my soda, I'll go get another one."

"Bring me one of my equal."

"Understood~"

◇◇◇

Flynt came down the elevator whistling.

He reached the lobby to get some drinks from the vending machine.

Inserting a few coins several came out.

For some reason, the lights were almost off.

He thought he was lounging around.

No guests so it didn't really matter if they did.

After placing the refreshments in a bag, he approached the receptionist.

"Hey, Lawrence-san, shouldn't the others be wasting their time. Any minute now the boss might come and they'll have a hard time, hehehe. Here, to take the edge off your sleep."

Flynt handed him an energy drink.

When his hand touched the counter, a strange slimy feeling stuck to him.

"Huh? What is this stuff?"

Flynt turned on the light of the desk lamp.

He was terrified by what he saw.

A large amount of blood covered the desk.

To scare him further, Lawrence's head was stuck on a broom near his chair.

"What the fuck is this!"

Flynt was frightened, the dull lights came on and then he looked around.

It was a scene out of a horror movie.

A large bloodbath covered the floor.

Bodies of knights, employees and adventurers were piled up in one place.

Flynt wanted to cry.

Soda cans rolled, then, one was stopped by a foot.

"I can't get into the top without a key, you wouldn't happen to have one, would you?"

Flynt turned around as he shivered.

Behind him stood a mysterious man dressed in black with a strange mask.

The instant he saw him.

"Earth magic: mud wall!"

Flynt activated his magic power and created a mud barrier that hardened after a few seconds.

Flynt shouted.

"Well, that-"

His words were cut off by watching as the wall was cut through and destroyed in seconds.

"Give me the key if you have it, don't make this worse for yourself."

"Uwaahhhhh!"

Flynt shouted as he quickly fled to the elevator.

The figure didn't stop him, just looked at him.

After entering, he closed the door and pushed the button until he reached the top where Squall stood.

"Hah, hah, what the fuck!"

His breathing was heavy.

After reaching the top, he ran up to what appeared to be a steel door, put in the security code, and a magic circle appeared to open it.

After doing so, he ran up to the room where Squall was.

"Squa-"

He only took two steps, before he took the third, a small electrified knife pierced his neck.

Squall was shocked, but then calmed down and set his drink down on the table.

As Flynt bled out, he listened to what they were saying.

"Who are you?"

"Licht. I'm your worst nightmare."

Flynt's consciousness slowly faded.

"How did you get in here? You're protected, and the guards?"

"They're all dead. One by one I hunted them down for almost twenty minutes."

"What do you wish?"

The man's hand pointed to Lily.

"Her."

Squall looked quickly at Lily and then said.

"... If I do, will you set me free?"

The mysterious man smiled.

"Of course not."

Squall smiled as well.

"I see. I guess only one of us will get out of here alive."

At that moment, Flynt's consciousness faded.