I defeated the Spade Paladin Zenon and gained 1 level.

The newly acquired 4 stats were all invested in [Vs Human Combat Power].

Therefore, the total stat points currently allocated to [Vs Human Combat Power] were now 80. It remained Grade A, but now, whenever I recognized a human as an enemy and engaged them in combat, my level would temporarily increase by 40.

Now, it was truly beyond the point where I could make excuses using something like the buff I got from Zhonya's Staff.

While ascending the stairs, I glanced outside the building using [Clairvoyance]. It was truly a scene of chaos.

Fortunately, the academy's combat forces and the Imperial Knights had a well-established battle system prioritizing survival. That was why they were able to respond to the Paladins and Trump soldiers without any casualties.

Moreover, since Trump soldiers were reverse-summoned upon receiving fatal wounds, it seemed relatively easier to win than in the game. It was essentially a numerical advantage.

In front of Bartos Hall. It seemed to take more time for Kaya to defeat the Tiger Dragon, Bandersnatch. The Trump soldiers and Jubjub Bird had disappeared, indicating that she had likely finished them all off.

Dorothy was still continuing her battle against Nightmare Dragon Jabberwock and Phantom Cat Cheshire.

As expected, Luce also intervened, fighting against Shera Hectorica, Heart Jack, and Trump soldiers, wearing the Ring of the Abyssal Queen. Shera’s forces could not win.

Before I knew it, I had reached the entrance to the rooftop of Bartos Hall. It was an arched doorway.

The surroundings were dark and eerily quiet.

A barrier that stopped the time of everything that made contact with it was deployed on the rooftop. This was likely why even sounds were blocked.

I felt the sensation of an immense amount of mana pressing down on my skin as if I were under a hydraulic press.

A forbidden spell that defied truth was about to be cast before my very eyes.

As I touched the door, Alice's voice resonated in my head.

─ Isaac, would it be okay if you stayed the night with me?

As mentioned before, in ❰Magic Knights of Märchen❱, Alice was a character shrouded in mystery.

The only question about Priestess Mei in「Act 8, Priestess of the Red Lotus」 was why she suddenly acted out, but when one thought about it, she was clearly portrayed as a sociopath. Therefore, there was already a unanimous opinion on the answer to that sole question.

That wasn’t the case for Alice.

How she knew the times of the demons' appearances, why she helped revive the Evil God, why she had to commit suicide in the end... none of it was known precisely. It was all a mystery.

The Forum often speculated that Alice might be a Regressor, a common trope where characters go insane after repeatedly facing despair through many returns. This even provided a plausible reason for how she knew when the demons would appear.

However, now there was no point in worrying about that...

Since the answer laid beyond this door.

I opened the door.

Creak.

A radiance engulfed my vision, making me squint from the brightness.

Soon, the scene of the rooftop, painted with golden mana, came into view. A uniquely shaped golden magic circle filled the rooftop, emanating an eerie mana.

Numerous clock shapes floated around in a powerful barrier deployed in the vicinity.

In the middle of the rooftop, a mysterious monolith that I had never wanted to see again was about two-thirds of the way complete.

In front of it floated an alien pocket watch, hovering in the air.

An astronomical amount of mana seemed to tear through space, flowing from the pocket watch and stitching up the monolith.

The mana, even possessing physical force, flowed like a gentle wind, softly fluttering my hair.

"...Alice."

The female student with light gold hair who was staring at the [Obelisk of Eternity] turned her head toward me.

Her expression was cold, her eyes hollow as if she hadn't slept at all.

"Hello, Baby."

She greeted me calmly.

Despite her shadowed and tired face, her voice was the same as usual, the same voice I got to know as the one of Alice Carroll's.

"Did you come because you missed me?"

"I came to stop you."

"Heh, I see you're not planning to use honorifics anymore?"

"You're not my senior anymore."

Now, Alice was not only facing expulsion but even the possibility of execution.

Why would I use honorifics with someone I'm in conflict with?

"That's right. Indeed..."

Alice looked down with a regretful expression, then looked up at me again.

"So... are you the Black Monster, Baby?"

After pulling out a magic cloak of disguise from her magic pouch, she briefly wore a mask and then removed it.

For a moment, I must have appeared to Alice as the Black Monster, The Nameless Hero.

Alice blinked heavily, perhaps lost in thought.

"So it was true... You won't ask why I did all this?"

"More importantly, I have something to ask. Did you manipulate the priestess?"

Alice nodded.

"Do you hate me?"

"...Alice."

Whether or not I should resent Alice would depend on how she answered.

I pointed to my neck.

"Take off the choker."

Alice showed no change in expression, nor did she question the intent behind my words.

If my thoughts from last night were correct, that choker wasn't worn just for style.

It must have been worn “to hide something”.

Just like the mother of Snow White, who always wore dresses that covered her neck whenever she tried to assassinate her.

How could White's mother have passed on a pocket watch containing the worst kind of demon, The Abyss?

And who was the one unleashing The Abyss?

Click.

Alice swept up her hair and unfastened the choker.

"...You knew."

A strange mark, glowing with dark red mana, was wrapped around her neck like a wave.

* * *

There existed a demon that embedded fragments of its power and personality into others through contracts.

This demon marked the neck of the contractee as a token of the agreement, embedding fragments of its power and personality within, as it did with the mother of Princess Snow White.

The demon exploited the weaknesses in the mind and drew out the evil nature hidden within. Alice used the power implanted by the demon to amplify the malevolence of Priestess Mei.

How about the contradiction of Alice reverse-summoning her own minions to prevent their deaths, unlike what Isaac had seen in the Trials of Frost or the game?

The sole difference was that “Alice hadn’t committed murder after coming to the academy”.

If Alice killed innocent people and felt extreme guilt over it, the demon would exploit the vulnerabilities created by this guilt to heighten Alice's evil.

However, Alice had not killed anyone at the academy yet. Therefore, she was able to maintain her sanity without being consumed by malice.

The correct answer was often the simplest. The timing of the demon's appearance, and involvement with Leafa the Illusive, it was all possible simply because “that demon” who could communicate with the Evil God told them.

Phantom Cat Cheshire's perception of Alice's heart, too, was shrouded by the fragments of that demon's power and personality, like the moon obscured by dark clouds.

The source of mana within a human body was structured in such a way that it couldn’t become the subject of a familiar or minion contract, as if it were a contract made by a god.

Therefore, human familiars or minions could not exist.

However, there were demons in this world who were born with the power to manipulate even the laws governed by contracts and were capable of making absolute agreements.

The final boss of the Semester 1 Year 3 of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, and an agent of the Evil God.

Mephisto the Contractor.

In addition to being cautious in order to eliminate the nuisance named Ian Fairytale, the demon also searched for ways to summon his master, the Evil God Nephid, a bit more quickly.

Eventually, he discovered an item called the Phantasmal Clock, which was located in Wonderland.

Therefore, he took the citizens of the Heart Kingdom hostage and made a contract with Alice.

Alice just had to complete one of two tasks.

Either help the demon handle Ian Fairytale or if she failed, the citizens of the Heart Kingdom and Alice's dear friends would all be annihilated, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Heart Kingdom. It was an unfair contract, equivalent to a threat.

Alice was the hero of Wonderland and a human. To Mephisto, there was no other candidate as suitable as her.

However, Mephisto could not control Alice's will as he wished. This was generally why he tried to delve into the minds of beings to draw out their malice.

Therefore, to ensure Alice faithfully fulfilled the contract, Mephisto whispered in a sweet voice.

"After all, the world where the Evil God will be resurrected is a completely different world from Wonderland. Only that world will be destroyed. If you just faithfully fulfill the contract, you can return to your ordinary lives."

That day, Alice became Mephisto’s henchman.

─ On the contrary, I want to return home.

Isaac recalled what Alice had said.

Alice attempting to resurrect the Evil God to protect something dear to her was no different than killing all the innocent people in this world in order for her to ensure the survival of her own people.

No matter how much Alice and her subordinates were forced to do such heinous acts, the facts didn’t change.

“You’ve taken on a lot, haven’t you?”

“I can’t tell you the details. It would be a big problem if I did.”

If the contents of the contract with Mephisto were disclosed, there would be a terrible penalty. Knowing this, Isaac did not probe any further.

Soon, Isaac swallowed his saliva.

If the Evil God was resurrected, it wouldn’t just be this world that was destroyed. Alice was unaware of this fact.

Could Wonderland be an exception?

Calming his emotions, Isaac asked in a calm voice.

“What will you do if, even if you succeed this time, the result is the same as if you had failed?”

He couldn’t be sure. Wonderland might be a blind spot that could escape destruction.

But Isaac couldn’t shake the thought that Wonderland too would be destroyed.

“Baby.”

Alice looked down.

“If you really are the greatest Archwizard of this era, can you break this cursed contract and help me?”

“…”

It was already the exerted power of the demon. If the contract with Mephisto had already been made, Isaac could not break its bond.

The only way to forcibly terminate the contract was through death.

Thus, he remained silent.

Alice looked back at Isaac as if she had expected this.

"If that's difficult, then don't say such things."

Alice had no intention of losing her motivation over a few words from Isaac.

She was well aware that she and Isaac stood on opposite sides.

The only thing she could trust was the contract with absolute binding power.

Even if she ended up looking foolish and guilty as a result.

Alice intended to resurrect the Evil God in order to protect what she wanted to preserve.

"...Yes."

Boom.

Isaac grasped a dagger in one hand and slammed Zhonya's Staff onto the ground. From the tip of the staff, ice spread forth.

Whoosh!

He emitted coldness from his whole body and unfolded five magic circles.

The mixed emotions inside him began to regain order.

"I have no choice but to stop you first."

Ultimately, Isaac's emotions reached a point of determination.

He resolved to stop Alice with his own hands.

Because that was what he could, no, must do now.

There was a practical consideration as well. No matter how strong Alice was compared to him, she was extremely exhausted from constructing [Obelisk of Eternity] and summoning her minions and familiars.

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, the Nightmare Dragon had helped Alice, making the difficulty higher. But now, since Dorothy was dealing with the Nightmare Dragon, he wasn’t an issue.

Furthermore, since Alice had to fight while protecting the Phantasmal Clock, Isaac thought it was a battle worth trying.

"Thank you for understanding."

Alice smiled very kindly, as if it were her last, and soon lowered the corners of her mouth.

In the air, faint red mana blossomed, forming the shape of a divine sword.

When Alice grabbed the handle of the sword, mana flowed from the blade, enveloping her body and forming armor.

The hero's sword, the Vorpal Sword, which had subdued the Nightmare Dragon - Jabberwock.

Alice swung the sword, scattering beautiful faint red mana.

"It's been fun."

"Likewise."

No matter how hard one tried, there was no guarantee that life would bloom beautifully.

However, that was not a reason for Alice to resurrect the Evil God and become a mass murderer of humanity.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced in Isaac's mind. It was the scene of Alice committing suicide.

After being defeated by Ian Fairytale and his companions, she, with a hollow smile, slit her own throat.

Why did Alice choose to commit suicide after losing the battle?

Is it to atone for the innocent people who died?

Or did she make that choice out of a sense of despair?

Or is there a reason she felt she had no choice but to commit suicide?

Isaac intended to win the duel with Alice and learn the whole truth.

No one yet knew what end it would bring.

Boom!

Isaac leapt towards Alice.

[Status] Name: Isaac Lv: (165)