Deception: A Tactician's Card

End of the Dawn Edge Incident

"Tch! The heck is happening!?"

I stared lazily at the enraged guy.

He could only travel from this room to the entrance, and the whole scene will still be the same. What he's in, this place I set up... everything in here is just within my rune card.

"You b***h! I swear...I'll murder you after I escape this place! GODDAMMIT!"

He's still cursing at someone who's innocent.

I think he's referring to Snow. Of course, she's the only one I knew that's being ditched in this place. He kept on running towards the "exit" in hopes of getting out of here.

As if I'd let that.

After an hour of constant running, he's starting to feel tired. Who wouldn't get tired after a long period of mobilizing? Not to mention, his mental distress is rising to the the roof. He's breathing heavily; his legs are staggering.

What I've been doing may be against the chivalry code I don't care at all. This is what it means to finish the mission successfully.

This is how I fight.

Most people in this world love to clash against each other and see who's superior in terms of strength, agility, and perhaps even rune prowess -- how fast one can cast a rune card -- and rank them accordingly. They often do that in tournaments.

My style in battling wasn't shown in public eye. It's not that I'm not interested in entering tournaments, but I'm pretty compatible with battles outside the entertainment field. This ability of mine was meant for real battles...for war.

But then again, I am a bonafide pacifist. I don't want to resort to violence. That is why I mostly contribute in the sidelines -- formulating tactical plans to defeat the enemies.

The fake director sat down to catch his breath when I decided to approach him. Where I sprung from is the part of the room that is dark enough for anyone to stay hidden under normal circumstances.

"Getting tired?"

"What the f-- Who are you!?"

"Who I am? You didn't know who you are? That's utterly disappointing, me."

I appeared as the same as him, added with some grosteque display of intestines and any other internal organs dragging on the floor. It may be just an illusion, but for him to see his innards in full display, it's an unpleasant thing.

My offense aren't in a form of physical attacks. I always attack the person's psyche.

What happened next is a series of psychological t*****e, damaging the mental health of this not so pitiful victim.

•••

"Well, isn't that great. I am relieved to know that the rune card used on you is deactivated, Snow."

"Yes, sister. I'm sorry if I made you worry so much. How's his condition?"

"Well, he's still not in a good condition. The doctor said that it might take months for him to fully recover."

I'm currently in the hospital with my sister Michaela.

The case finally ended with the prisoners being freed and the hypnotized ones to be quarantined and be treated by deactivating the rune card being casted. The supposed boss of this mess, the fake director -- real name, Gran Pox -- is found unconscious despite his eyes being lit. He's not dead, but also not alive... I know Yukti was behind that miserable state of his. I don't pity Gran, and I somehow feel better seeing him like that. I know it's rude, but the real victims here are the students of the institution.

The school was closed for good. The Bureau prepared the necessary documents to allow the students, after being treated from hypnotism, to be considered as a special case and could enroll to a higher grade level after a qualification test. As the sole student who's unaffected, I'm the only one that got the permission to transfer and continue my studies as a freshman in my sister's school. I'm happy for that part.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the closed school, as well as the faculty staff, were hold liable of the mess that had happened, a mess that lasted more than a month. Therefore, some of the faculty were suspended.

The news about the situation spread like wildfire, and the public is in disarray. Investigations are conducted, and it was discovered that the rune card being used for hypnotizing a large number of people is a part of the Taboo series, the rune card [Absolute Puppetry]. The Taboo rune card series were supposed to be sealed for good, but for some reason someone got it and used it to the civilians. The investigations about the case are still ongoing, and other school institutions buffed their security in order to not experience the similar scenario.

The chairman, who's my sister's lover, is still on the hospital bed, recuperating. As for me, I got treated immediately after being rescued by the medical team awaiting at the school entrance. The four secretaries are also recuperating, but were now conscious and well. I knew that those ladies were my sister's close aids, but I didn't tell them that I'm their boss' younger sibling.

After the incident, I haven't heard a single news about Yukti, something that left me a big question mark on my mind.

He's pretty secretive...or something like that.

He didn't even said goodbye to me after that incident. As soon as he defeated the fake chairman (I don't know how he did it, to be honest), he called my sister to state that the infiltration was successful and me, with the other four, were safe. My sister Michaela did even said that he did that for FREE, an action he did that made me dumbfounded.

"...hey, Snow? Are you listening?"

"Ah! S-sorry sister. Would you please repeat what you said again?"

"Geez, listen to me this time, okay? Since you'll be in my school starting next week, I want you to make the necessary preparations -- you'll be my student secretary."

"You didn't have one?"

My sister scratched her head and nodded before continuing the conversation.

"Well, you seeeeeeeee... You remember Yukti, right? I made him the student secretary temporarily in order to get you guys out. After that, I relieved him out of his service and he agreed on that."

"Just who is he..."

"You'll learn soon enough. For now, you better head home and rest. You'll stay with me in the meantime. I'll assign a tutor for you."

I just nodded and went outside. As the cool breeze gently collided with my cheeks, I raised my head, looked at the starry night while still thinking about a particular person.

"Yukti...just who are you?"