When the Serial Killer Next Door Gained Harem System

Chapter 147: Night Sirens

I slipped my boots off, put my slippers back on, and carried the boots upstairs. Once I reached my floor, I headed straight for my room and quietly stepped inside.

Ken was still sleeping like a baby.

"Hey, wake up." I gave the bunk bed a light shake. "Time for breakfast."

"Huh?" he groaned, rolling onto his side. "Okay... okay..."

He sat up on the top bunk with a groan, then immediately flopped back down and pulled his pillow over his face to block out the sunlight.

I reached up, grabbed the pillow, and tossed it onto the floor beside him.

"Come on. Get up."

"Fine, fine." He yawned and climbed down. "Ugh... gods. I’m... aw, man. I need... sleep. Lots of sleep."

"Finally."

"You’re up early," he said with another yawn. "Didn’t expect that."

He opened his wardrobe and pulled out his school uniform.

"I talked to Mio," I said, leaning against the bed frame. "She told me the wedding starts today instead of the original date."

"What? Why?"

"The Queen had business on the original day. The Merygold family wanted to make sure she’d attend, so they moved it forward."

"So... you can’t attend anymore?" He asked. "Since you don’t have the required amount of coins to even enter through the doors."

"I can. I have the gold."

"What?" His eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder. "How?"

"Well, I have my ways."

I set my boots on the floor.

"I’ll be waiting for you in the dining hall."

"Hold on, man. You have to tell me. How? That much gold in a day? Not even a day! Half a day!"

"Don’t be late."

"Guh..." He slumped his shoulders. "Fine. Be all mysterious. You jerk."

There was no way I was telling him the truth, or Mio for that matter. What I’d done with Garmonna was something I’d rather keep buried forever. I wasn’t proud of how I’d used my... power. At least she’d kept her promise.

I headed for the door.

"Don’t be late."

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

I was seated beneath the elder tree, reading a book titled ’Stilldark and Its Secrets’ in an attempt to learn more about how Ambly had managed to defeat the damn God with its power. But nothing in the book treated anything as fact. Very little was actually known about the Stilldark. What was it? Where even was it? One source claimed it was another realm, while another insisted the Stilldark had given birth to the place we now knew as the Circle, making it a part of it. No one seemed to know anything for certain.

I turned the page and read the next passage. Again, there was nothing concrete. Someone from centuries ago had supposedly entered the Stilldark and returned alive. He claimed he had seen creatures beyond human comprehension. Monsters so unnatural that simply looking at them shattered the mind. Not long after, he had gouged out his own eyes, bitten off his tongue, and choked to death on his own blood.

"Damn..."

"Whatcha reading?"

I looked over my shoulder and saw a girl with feline features. She had pointed ears, a small cat-like nose, and a long tail that lazily swayed behind her. I’d seen a few Jingi before, but she looked far more human than most of them. Aside from the ears, nose, and tail, she could have easily passed for one. Well, not easily, but still...

Her dark hair flowed down her back in soft waves, while a thick fishtail braid started at the back of her head and reached almost to her waist. Her academy uniform had been tailored to accommodate her tail, with a neat opening in the back of the skirt that allowed it to move freely. The dark jacket fit snugly over her frame, and the skirt reached just above her knees. Her amber eyes held a playful glint, and the faint smile on her lips made it seem like she already knew something I didn’t.

"Oh... it’s about the Stilldark," I replied, closing the book. "Do I... know you?"

"Nanda." She walked over and sat beside me. "B-Class. You’re Ace, right? The notorious Ambly-blessed."

I frowned. "Notorious? What did I do to earn that title?"

"You didn’t earn it." Her smile widened. "I saw you walking into Garmonna’s Lair yesterday. Spending gold like that, Ace. Very irresponsible. That’s why I used ’notorious.’"

I cleared my throat. "It was... a business trip."

"Sure it was."

"I... should probably get going."

She laughed softly.

"Relax. I actually have a favor to ask. You could call this my own business trip from my classroom to the elder tree."

I let out a quiet sigh. "What kind of favor?"

"Do you know what Night Sirens are?"

"What?"

"I figured you wouldn’t." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table while her tail lazily swayed behind her. "Night Sirens are women cursed by Ambly."

"What kind of curse?"

"They’re constantly in heat." She shrugged. "Horny, in simpler words. They hunt men and drain them until they die. Some of them can control themselves, though. They stop before it gets that far."

"And... where do I fit into all of this?"

"A Night Siren posted a request at the Guild." Nanda folded her arms on the table. "I’m supposed to bring her a Nullifying Stone. They’re incredibly rare. When someone uses one, it suppresses the curse for a while. I guess hers has gotten especially bad."

"And?"

She looked at me.

"Searching caves for a stone like that sounds like a massive pain. So... how about you come with me instead? You do your thing, calm her down, and we both save ourselves the trouble."

"I don’t have an ability like that, Nanda."

"I saw what happened with Jelda." She gave me a knowing look. "Don’t even try denying it. You have the power to bring women to their knees."

I rubbed my forehead. "Look..."

"The request pays twenty gold." She smiled. "Ten for you. Ten for me. Half and half."

Well... damn. Ten gold.

"Okay," I said. "When?"

"I knew it! I’ll let you know. Probably sometime this week."

I nodded. "It won’t be dangerous, right?"

"Nope."

"One more thing." I closed the book and looked at her. "Night Sirens... they live among everyone else?"

"Of course." She nodded. "They even have a district of their own. Most of them live there."

She stood, dusted off her skirt, and stretched.

"I’ve gotta go. Class starts soon. Thanks, Ace."

"Yeah... just don’t tell anyone about this, okay?"

She smirked. "Everyone already kind of knows, even if you keep denying it. But sure. See you later, Acey."

I groaned as I watched her walk away.

"Acey..." I muttered under my breath. "Fuck me..."

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

I looked out the window, my chin resting on my open palm with my elbow propped on the desk. The weather had finally cleared. It was a little windy, but that was about it. The rain had stopped two classes ago, though puddles still filled the uneven parts of the streets.

Professor Voss let out a quiet exhale.

"That’s it. No homework today. Be careful on your way back to the dormitories."

The students began packing their things as the professor left the classroom. I stayed seated for another moment, still staring outside. Eventually, I got up, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed out. I had to return the book I’d borrowed before leaving the academy.

When I reached the elder tree, I spotted Mio sitting beneath it with a book open in her hands. I walked over at an easy pace, and once she noticed me, she lifted her head.

"Hey."

"Mm."

"Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"The Stilldark." I shifted my bag on my shoulder. "Do you know what it is... or where it is?"

She closed her book and shook her head.

"No one really knows. Most people believe it’s another realm where nothing exists... and because nothing exists, everything exists. Or something along those lines. I don’t really know."

"Then how did Ambly use its power?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Yeah. Let’s go ask her."

I let out a sigh and slumped my shoulders. "Fair enough."

"Where are you headed now?" she asked. "The wedding?"

I nodded. "After I return this book to the library."

"Are you sure about all this?"

"I mean, yeah." I smiled. "I’d rather not get in trouble with the library."

She didn’t react to the joke. Instead, she leaned back and crossed her arms, the small smile fading from her face.

"I’m sure," I said. "Anyway, I should get going."

"Good luck. May the gods be with you."

"Thanks."

I headed toward the stairs and climbed them at a steady pace. Down below, students were slowly leaving the academy grounds. Others were making their way toward the back courtyard, probably to train for the tournament that would be held in three months.

After reaching the top floor, I entered the library.