《Akashic Records of the Bastard Magical Instructor》 Volume 1 - Prologue On a certain scene one early morning: ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to put this, but . . . I have already thought about it carefully and I think that it would be the end of me if I were to actually get a job.¡± The man said with the calm expression of a saint that had attained enlightenment after decades of ascetic training. This man¡¯s name was Glen. Glen¡¯s gaze fell upon a young woman that was sitting in front of him while languidly resting one of her cheeks on one of her hands. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you that I¡¯m alive. It¡¯s really wonderful that you are here.¡± As soon as she noticed Glen¡¯s gaze, the woman hurriedly crossed her legs and recomposed herself in an lady-like manner before continuing to sip her tea. ¡°Fuu, is that so? Then perhaps you should just die you worthless brat,¡± the slender faced woman insulted him from behind her sweet smile. ¡°Ahahaha! Celica is harsh!. . .Ah, another one please.¡± Glen just laughed it off, ignoring her insult as he thrust his now empty soup bowl right in front of the woman ¡ª right in front of Celica¡¯s face. ¡°You really are quite brazen.¡± Celica still smiled as she looked off into the distance,. ¡°usually, a freeloader who doesn¡¯t work is more humble.¡± ¡°Ah-, Isn¡¯t today¡¯s meal a little bit salty? I prefer mine to be more bland.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m so useless with the dashi¡± Celica grinned briefly¨C ¡°¡¶Well ? Anyway ? Explode¡·¡± Celica suddenly cast a strange magical spell using three runic words. The spell caused an earsplitting explosion that roared for a moment and covered his field of vision with crimson. Glen was mercilessly blown away by the magic blast Celica¡¯s chanting had created. A good part of the expensive furnishings within the luxurious dining room were instantly destroyed in the aftermath. ¡°You . . You idiot! Are you trying to kill me!?¡± Glen was on the floor covered in black char and having a coughing fit. ¡°Kill you? That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing at all. Wouldn¡¯t you say that this is just cleaning up some trash? Glen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something so harsh, I¡¯m not a child¡¯s mess to be thrown away! Can¡¯t you at least treat me like a human being!?¡± Celica¡¯s shoulders slouched as she sighed at Glen¡¯s comeback. In contrast to Glen, who was a social loser, Celica was an incredibly beautiful woman with a cold and distant appearance. She looked like she was barely twenty years old and her blonde hair was the color of an ear of wheat at dusk. Her eyes were also hue of red that could be best described by comparing it to fresh blood. If one were to look at her features up close, then they would be instantly stunned by her beautiful femme fatale like charm. Her slender arms and legs were so perfectly proportioned that even among a throng of French models they would stand out. Her outfit was quite flashy and bewitching too. She was wearing a long black dress robe. While having an air of formality, she also had a revealing neckline and her belts emphasized her body line even more. It was truly charming. ¨CCelica, in some respects, was a young woman with an other-worldly aura. The style that her appearance brought about was that of a proud, high-class noble. And on the subject of the two people who were living together, the one who was the master of the huge aristocratic mansion, that was as large as a mountain, was Celica. Glen was simply a freeloader. The difference in their social status was obvious in every single respect. ¡°By the way Glen. . . Can you stop being so irresponsible and look for work?¡± Celica said it as her deep crimson eyes stared directly down at Glen. Volume 1 - CH 1 Alzano Empire: On the northwest edge of the North Selford Continent there was a country that had been established under the ocean¡¯s temperate climate; it had wet winters and dry summers. At a southern part of the empire, in the province of Yorkshire, was a city called Fejite. The most prominent feature of Fejite was the national institution known as the Alzano Empire Magic Academy. Fejite had long since become the leading academic city in the North Selford Continent. The town of Fejite had originally been built because of the establishment of the magic academy, so it had developed alongside the academy. The roofs of the buildings, lined up one after another, were pointy and had an ancient, profound style. These houses created a very deep and vast cityscape. In another area, materials and goods related to magic were sold, and a booming economy was developing thanks to the active foreign trade and a huge demand for goods from the magic academy. As such, this area had quite a few people going in and out, and it was certainly at the forefront of domestic fashion©` As a whole, Fejite was a city filled with inspiration from not only the old, but also the new. In a corner of the city where a faint morning haze gathered, a girl was standing still under one of the street lamps that was aligned on the sides of the cobbled street. The girl was about 15 or 16 years old; her medium-length blonde hair was as soft as cotton wool, and her sapphire eyes gave an especially distinct impression. Her skin was as smooth as fine silk. Her appearance was radiant, while simultaneously giving the appearance of a neat and gentle disposition; her neat and well featured looks were like a picture of a sweet angel painted by a master painter. At first glance she gave off a fickle impression to those who saw her, but, upon closer examination, could also make those same people feel she was extremely resolute©` that kind of girl. Contrary to her beautiful features, which could make passersby turn their heads, the girl¡¯s outfit was a little bit strange. A sleek looking vest and pleated skirt with a caped robe worn over it. . . Even though it was summer in Fejite, it was still chilly during the night. For some reason, she was lightly dressed. And, for some reason, she was wearing a glove on her left hand. ¡°¡«?¡± The girl seemed to be waiting for someone. She was in a good mood, and was holding onto the belt of the leather bag she was wearing over her shoulder as she killed time by humming. And at that time: ¡°. . . Ouch!¡± The girl looked back when she heard a pained voice behind her. She saw an old man holding his finger and grimacing in pain. A metal bucket packed with leaf litter and twigs was near his foot. Then, a flint fell down. ¡°Wha- what happened grandpa?¡± Although the old man was a stranger, the girl still had a worried expression and rushed to the old man without hesitating. ¡°Oh? Oh man, hahaha. . . It seems I have shown you my clumsy side, young lady.¡± In front of the kind-hearted girl, the old man was bursting with joy while bitterly and awkwardly smiling. ¡°Actually, I was trying to burn this rubbish that I cleaned up. I, of all people, slipped and hurt my finger with the flint. . . Oh man, I don¡¯t want to get old.¡± When she looked at it, the old man¡¯s finger was bleeding and swelling a little bit. It seemed to have been hit pretty hard. It didn¡¯t seem to be a really serious injury, but it still looked reasonably painful. ¡°Good grief, I don¡¯t have my wife back at home to take out the herb and. . .¡± The girl checked the condition of the old man¡¯s finger, then looked around restlessly. She made sure no one was near, and, as she smiled impishly at the old man, placed her index finger on her mouth. ¡°Grandpa, this is a secret, ok?¡± ¡°. . . Huh?¡± The girl softly took the hand of the puzzled old man, and cast a spell in runic words. ¡°¡¶That angel¡¯s charity¡·¡± Then the girl¡¯s hand emitted a faint light, and the injury on the old man¡¯s hand was covered by the light and instantly healed. White magic [Life Up]. It was a white magic which raised the regenerative ability of the target to heal a wound. ¡°. . . Yo- yo- you. . .!?¡± The old man stared with widened eyes. ¡°Yeah, all right. So then. . . ¡¶Pups of fire ?Small flame on my fingertips ? You shall light up ¡· .¡± The girl then cast the black magic spell [Fire Torch]. A small flame lit up at her fingertips. The trash inside the metal bucket began to burn ¡°Young lady. . . That mysterious power you used just now. . . Did I just hear you speak magic?¡± ¡°Yes. The truth is, I would be punished for using magic outside the academy.¡± The old man wore an expression of admiration even though he was surprised. The girl, on the other hand, stuck out her tongue as she slyly grinned. ¡°Come to think of it, that uniform. . . that¡¯s the uniform of that strange academy. Do all the friends of the young lady use the mysterious art you used just now?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone can do a lot of things better than me, you know?¡± ¡°Whoa. . . that is really convenient. When you can use such strange techniques, a lot of things can be easily. . .¡± ¡°Ahaha, you could say that. By the way grandpa, as for me using magic, that. . . If you can. . .¡± ¡°Oooh, you want me to keep it secret? Gotcha.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much.¡± ¡°I should be the one saying that. Thank you young lady. You really helped me out.¡± The girl and the old man exchanged smiles. ¡°Lumiaaaaaa! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m laaaaaate!¡± The sound of someone running grew louder as he or she closed the distance. Another girl, who was wearing the same clothes as the young lady, could be seen running up from the other side of the street. ¡°Oh? That girl. . .young lady, is that your friend ?¡± ¡°Yes. Right now I¡¯m indebted to that girl¡¯s family , and she is a close friend of mine. Well then, grandpa, I think it¡¯s about time for me to go, right? It was nice meeting you.¡± ¡°Yeah, farewell young lady, do your best.¡± The girl finally said goodbye to the old man with a bow, and headed to her friend who was rushing over. It was early morning in Fejite, so the main street was deserted. The two girls walked side by side gracefully along the granite paved road. ¡°Hmmp, Lumia is really faithful. . . I already told you to go ahead. . .¡± ¡°Uuuu, but, but. . . I was appointed to care for you, My Lady. And I¡¯m just a humble freeloader, I would be scolded by the master and madam. . .¡± ¡°Idiot, don¡¯t joke about it. You are already part of the family.¡± ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m sorry Sisti.¡± The two girls had such a friendly and silly conversation. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s unusual, isn¡¯t it? To think that Sisti left something behind.¡± Parting with the old man, Lumia joined her friend©` she stared at her friend who was walking beside her wonderingly. ¡°Because I had to go back to the residence, I made you wait. . . I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Beside Lumia, Sistina got a little depressed as she trudged along and sighed in gloom. Sistina had long hair, colored silver like it was fused with pure silver ingots. Her emerald eyes were a little bit droopy She was about the same age as Lumia. Her skin was as white as snow, and her well-featured and firm figure as graceful as a statue, showing a proud and unyielding spirit, awe-inspiring like a fairy, really cute. Although she was a little bit depressed now, her attitude remained cool and dignified. Her demeanor can be collected from the bits and pieces of how she moved and behaved©` She was that kind of girl. Lumia and Sistina. Two girls with different styles, not in the least imitable by a simple city girl. Elegance and natural beauty©` best matched together. Wearing Magic Academy uniforms, they created an atmosphere of sophistication like that of high society in an otherwise mundane corner of town. ¡°Could it be. . . Sisti. . . As I thought. . . Were you still affected by what happened?¡± Lumia looked worried at Sistina¡¯s expression. She knew that Sistina was not a person who easily forgot the troubles of others. . . She has always been that kind of person. ¡°Perhaps. . . I am,¡± Sistina responded, smiling bravely so as not to make her best friend worry. However, she wasn¡¯t able to fully remove the gloom, and there were hints of it left on her face. ¡°Nonetheless, It¡¯s regrettable. . . Why did Professor Huey resign and leave immediately?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Even professors have various circumstances too after all.¡± ¡°Aah, It is regrettable. . . Professor Huey¡¯s lecture were easy to understand, he also answered questions properly. . . He was incredibly good. . .¡± ¡°He was also very good-looking, right?¡± ¡°Bah! What are you saying! Who cares about him being good-looking!?¡± Sistina was suddenly blushing from Lumia¡¯s teasing words. ¡°I, as the next head of the proud magicians from the prestigious Feebell family, go to the academy to study magic! I simply seek quality lessons from the professors!¡± But as Sistina kept rambling on, Lumia was giggling and smiling with a look like she knew it all along. ¡°Ah, oh yes, Sisti. Changing the subject, did you know a substitute will come today as a part-time instructor?¡± ¡°. . . I know of it,¡± Sistina responded as if not really interested. ¡°At the very least I hope that teacher is half as good as Professor Huey.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I got so used to Professor Huey¡¯s class that I felt a little bit unsatisfied with the other professors¡¯ classes.¡± It was at that that time, as the two of them approached an intersection while chatting away, that¡­ ¡°Ooooooooooooooo!? I¡¯m late, I¡¯m late uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!¡± An extremely suspicious man with bloodshot eyes, an expression like he was out to get someone, and a piece of bread hanging on his mouth, was fiercely running towards the two people on the same side of the street. ¡°. . .Eh?¡± ¡°Kyaaaa!?¡±¡± ¡°Wha- Whaaaaaaat!? Wait, you both brats move awaaaaaaaaaaay!¡± Anything moving with momentum cannot stop immediately. Following such classical law of physics correctly, the man was going to knock over two helpless girls©` but then. . . ¡°Gre- ¡¶Great Wind¡·??!¡± Sistina promptly chanted one verse, and cast the black magic [Gale Blow]. A furious squall burst out from her hand and instantly hit his body, and then©` ¡°Huuuuh!? I¡¯m flyiiiiiiiiiiiiing!?¡± The man¡¯s body flew high up into the sky that they have to tilt their heads up to see him ©` the body drew an arc ©` and fell inside the pond of the round fountain across the street. A majestic column of water sprouted from that fountain, the two girls couldn¡¯t do anything but look on with blank surprise. ¡°Umm, Sisti?. . . You didn¡¯t overdo it, right?¡± ¡°Oh, Oh well. . . Ahaha. . . My mistake. What should I do?¡± While the two of them were silently gazing at the man, he crawled out of the fountain while shaking off the water. He then went directly to the two girls and said, ¡®Whew, are both of you girls ok?¡± ¡°Er, are you alright?¡± The man was probably forcing himself to show a refreshing smile, as he didn¡¯t have time to be sad. He was a strange man. He was several years older than Sistina. He had black hair and eyes, and was tall and slim. There was nothing special about his appearance; the issue was his clothes: a well tailored white shirt, cravat, and black slacks. He was dressed quite stylishly. But, it must have been troublesome for the man to wear such clothes, as his clothes were now completely untidy. It was evident even to someone who was not fashionable that that the person who chose the clothes was different than the one wearing them. ¡°Headmaster, please reconsider!¡± an angry voice resounded in the headmaster¡¯s chamber. The plea came from a man in his mid-twenties who looked uptight and wore glasses. He wore an Owl Emblem on his robe, proof that he was an official professor of the academy. His name was Harley. In this world where numerous magicians were only able to reach the 4th rank during their lifetime, he was a genius magician who had already reach the 5th rank at a young age. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Glen Redas came from. I absolutely oppose entrusting him with the position of part-time instructor for this academy!¡± He was pounding the desk with both hands, and scowled at an elderly man sitting in front of him. ¡°Mr. Harley, I employed him because he was earnestly recommended by Miss Celica, you know?¡± When pressured by the furious menacing look, the elderly man just brushed it off. ¡°Headmaster Rick, that¡¯s impossible! You approved the proposal from that witch!?¡± ¡°Nothing is impossible. I accepted Mr. Glen as a part-time instructor at the last minute. Although he certainly doesn¡¯t have a teaching license, if he has a letter of recommendation from a professor and the aptitude for it, there won¡¯t be any problems since he was only accepted as part-time. . .¡± ¡°His aptitude is the problem! Please read this and reconsider it one more time!¡± With a bang, Harley slammed a stack of documents on the desk of Headmaster Rick. ¡°These, these are the results of Glen¡¯s magic aptitude test a few days ago! Do you know what they are? The results were appalling!¡± ¡°Hmm? I see, how should I say it? There are no peculiarities. Magic power capacity and cognizance capacity are normal, system aptitude is normal, one way or another he is just a normal magician. . . No, if you only look at the basic abilities, he is far from anything.¡± Rick picked up the stack of documents that Harley gave him and skimmed through them. ¡°Besides, his magician ranking is at most 3rd rank! Please look at all of it, including his personal history!¡± ¡°Huh? . . . Oh, was he a graduate of this academy?¡± ¡°Saying he graduated is a bit misleading. That person didn¡¯t submit a graduation magic thesis.¡± Harley snorted, showing arrogance on his face. ¡°Glen Redas. Entered the magic academy at the age of 11. . . 11 years old!?¡± Rick, who was reading through the documents, raised his voice in surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t they usually 14 or 15 years old when they enter the academy!? And he was only 11!?¡± ¡°. . . Yes. During that time, that boy was the youngest to pass the barrier and entrance exam in the history of this famous academy. It seems it made a lot of ruckus.¡± Harley was bitterly frowning. ¡°But that guy¡¯s glory is only that much. After entering the school, his results became extremely ordinary. He then graduated at the age of 15 after going through 4 years of baccalaureate magic courses. . . or I should say he dropped out. His final grades were ordinary too. There was nothing to look out for particularly.¡± ¡°Hmm. . .Somehow, it doesn¡¯t feel like. . .¡± ¡°The next problem is his career afterwards! Though that guy once styled himself as a magician seeking the truth of the supreme mystery, inthe 4 years since his graduation , he has just wasted his time, doing nothing! If, during that time, he had kept pursuing the way of magic, he should have been able to contribute so much to the development of magic!¡± If you look at Glen¡¯s personal history section, it was certainly blank. ¡°Really. . . unemployed for 4 years. . . What the heck happened to him?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you already understand it from what I¡¯ve said!? He is an unrefined magician. A low-level guy like him doesn¡¯t deserve to be an instructor at this academy!¡± ¡°Hmmm, in order to recruit a instructor for our magic academy, there aren¡¯t any background or rank restrictions, remember?¡± ¡°Those kinds of things should be implicit requirements even if it¡¯s not stipulated!¡± Harley slammed his hands on the desk once again. ¡°Please remember, we have prominent professors registered in this school! 4th ranked are the common ones, and we already have a 5th ranked; there is even a person who has reached the 6th rank! Only people who have mastered advanced magics are bequeathing research results to the school! Why should a man like Glen be standing shoulder to shoulder with them!?¡± ¡°Hmmm. . .¡± ¡°You too! You are also the headmaster! Without looking at the documents seriously, why did you accept him so easily!?¡± ¡°That is, because. . . look here. He was the man recommended by Ms. Celica, you know? It¡¯s like. . . something like that is interesting, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Rick smiled like a mischievous boy. ¡°I do not! You overestimate that witch too much! That witch is clinging to her past glory and brandishes her selfishness, a problem caused by the aging leadership from bygone times, which is destroying a system that must be followed!¡± Then: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that, Harley.¡± Harley instantly froze upon hearing the casual remark that echoed suddenly in the headmaster¡¯s room. ¡°Hehehe, well well, the snot-nosed kid I knew has become very excellent. I¡¯m happy, you know?¡± When Harley turned around, Celica was standing there in the corner of the room with an evil smile on her face. ¡°Wha. . . Since when? Celica Alfonia. . .¡± ¡°Hmm, I wonder when? The real question, professor, is who has been a b¡«ad student? Try to guess.¡± ¡°Transfer technique. . . No, it¡¯s Time Manipulation. . . I¡¯m so stupid. . . I did not even felt the surge of magic power or the fluctuation in the world law. . .¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the wrong answer. You are just a third rate magician yourself then; you still have a long way to go so show me a good effort. While we are on that subject: summarize this mysterious phenomenon in less than 300 pages as a research report. Ah, this, this is a professor¡¯s order.¡± ¡°Ugh. . .!¡± Disregarding Harley, who was shaking in humiliation, Celica bowed towards Rick gracefully. ¡°How are you doing headmaster.¡± ¡°Oh, Ms. Celica. You¡¯re young and beautiful as usual, I¡¯m so jealous.¡± ¡°Hehehe, isn¡¯t Headmaster still young and cool too?¡± ¡°Ho ho ho, really! If it¡¯s you Ms. Celica, how about getting along together? Tonight, around the neighborhood. . . How about it?¡± ¡°Ahaha, No thank you. Heck, Headmaster is as energetic as ever. Don¡¯t be irresponsibly careless.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha! I have been energetic throughout my life!¡± Harley slammed the desk and dispelled the warm atmosphere between the two. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it, Celica Alfonia! To assign that fool as an instructor¡­ I will never recognize it! I will have you take responsibility if anything happens!¡± ¡°. . . Take it back.¡± The temperature of the room plummeted as she leaked out a low mumble. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you slander me, or whether your slander him behind my back. However, I won¡¯t allow you to slander him in front of me. Take it back. Apologize.¡± Harley was very quickly imprisoned by Celica¡¯s overwhelming presence. ¡°Wha-, what in the. . . I think. . . Glen. . . Is just a worthless 3rd ranked magician. . . !¡± Dripping in cold sweat, Harley squeezed his voice out of his throat. Celica was squinting at Harley cold heartedly. ¡°I wonder if you will be able to take this?¡± Looking at Celica, she took off her left glove. ¡°©`!?¡± Harley was obviously panicked, and blood drained from his face as he recognized the implication of Celica¡¯s movements. ¡°I, I understand. . . I take it back. . . I. . . I was wrong. . .¡± The moment he pledged, Celica sweetly smiled and sneered as she put the glove back on. ¡°Shit. . . I¡¯ll remember this!¡± Harvey left the Headmaster¡¯s room with a parting threat. It took a while for the silence to be broken. ¡°Whew. You are, as usual, the tomboy. That was so scary that even I wanted to leave the room,¡± Rick sighed in amazement. ¡°However, Ms. Celica. This one suggestion of yours right now is still excessive.¡± ¡°. . . I know. I think that I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°There would be a protest if we force a magician without any achievements as an instructor. It is not only Mr. Harley. The consensus everyone in the academy has reached is probably similar to Harley¡¯s reaction. . .¡± Celica was silent for awhile, then said, without hesitation. ¡°I will take responsibility. I will take all responsibility for whatever that guy does in this academy.¡± ¡°To recommend him that much. . . What is he to you?. . . Will you tell me?¡± ¡°Oh my, Rod, look, that instructor. . .¡± ¡°Oh, unbelievable. . . His eyes are dead. . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I have seen a person so lacking in vitality. . .¡± Whispering could be heard everywhere in the classroom. ¡°So¡«¡« probably, because it¡¯s this way¡«¡«I¡¯m sure that this feeling¡«¡«And so¡«¡« It¡¯s generally this way¡«¡± The students¡¯ contempt was visibly pointed towards to the man with a magnificent bump at the top of his head. . . Glen was teaching in a very sluggish way like a zombie. ¡°Ah, Professor Huey was really great. . .¡± ¡°I wonder why Professor Huey retired. . .¡± Frankly speaking, the way Glen was teaching was the worst of the worst they had seen. At any rate, they couldn¡¯t understand the content of the lesson even though they had heard it. It wasn¡¯t explained properly. He was just reading aloud the lecture for the magic theory in a sluggish and dull voice without getting to the point. As for the students, nobody was able to understand the content of the lesson, everyone could clearly see that Glen, the part-time instructor, was tremendously unmotivated. This lesson was a waste of time to pay attention to, and opening a textbook during that time and studying by themselves was much better. Still, there was a brave and diligent student who wanted to learn at least something from this worst lesson. ¡°Umm. . . Sir. . . I have a question, but. . .¡± A certain petite female student raised her hand timidly. Her name was Lynn. She was a little timid. She was girl who carries the atmosphere of some kind of small animal. ¡°What is it you want to ask?¡± ¡°Umm. . . Some time ago, you introduced an example of a spell of runic language which was written on the third line of page 56 but. . . I don¡¯t know what the translation for this is. . .¡± ¡°Hah, I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please research it by yourself.¡± Replying to her question in such a brazen way dumbfounded Lynn. . Sistina, who was angry to being with, got angrier at Glen¡¯s response and she stood up. ¡°Please wait a moment, Sir. How can you be an instructor if you reply to the student¡¯s question that way?¡± Glen sighed heavily from the bottom of his heart at the sharp denunciation from Sistina. ¡°Look here. How can I tell you that I don¡¯t really know? How can I teach you something I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t answer the question of the student, as an instructor, shouldn¡¯t you research it later and answer the question again during the next class?¡± ¡°Ugh. . . If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t it be faster for the students themselves to research it?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the case here! What I wanted to say was©`¡± ¡°. . .Ah, perhaps you can learn by consulting the runic language dictionary. In that case, you can research it. . . Don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s so troublesome if I research it. Oh boy, unnecessary work has increased. . .¡± ¡°Guh. . . I know how to consult a dictionary! That¡¯s it, I¡¯m done!¡± Glen wouldn¡¯t change, as he doesn¡¯t have any motivation at all. Sistina took her seat furiously,her shoulders shaking in anger. Lumia grew nervous as she watched the situation. The atmosphere in the classroom got worse. The class got more irritated as time went idly by. In what should have been a memorable first class for Glen, ended in a very unproductive waste of time. Inside the women¡¯s changing room of the academy after Glen¡¯s first class, . Sistina stripped off her uniform, cape and robe, leaving only in her underwear. She threw those clothes into a wooden locker and complained. ¡°Good grief, what is wrong with that guy!?¡± ¡°Ahahaha. . . now, now.¡± Lumia laughed as she placated Sistina, whose anger hadn¡¯t settled yet. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s lacking motivation!? How was he able to fill in as an instructor of this academy, even if it is just a part-time position!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. . . perhaps you wanted Mr. Glen to work a little bit harder.¡± The next class that Sistina and the rest would be taking was alchemical experimentation. Certainly, the uniform and robe that Sistina and the rest usually wore had temperature and humidity control magic enveloping their bodies©` the black magic [Air Conditioning] was made as a permanent status effect: it would warm them in the winter and cool them in the summer. It was a very convenient item. Unlike men, women are recommended to be lightly dressed during their initial stage of mastering magic in order to develop a high affinity with the natural mana of the world. The uniform was their strongest ally. However, the students practically process magic materials by hand during alchemical experimentation and operate instruments. It was a class where they handle catalysts and reagents. Their clothes might be terribly stained depending on the contents of the experiment. There are cases in which the smell of the chemical sticks to the clothes at the end of the experiment. That is why all the girls in Sistina¡¯s class goes to this changing room. They are now in the middle of putting on a hooded robe for experimentation. The young, half-naked girls had lustrous skin. The neat and clean body lines were charming features for these pubescent girls transforming from child to adult. Everyone exposes the proof of their youth liberally. That place was an utopia of bare skin that shouldn¡¯t be seen by adolescent male students. ¡°Haa. . . If I¡¯m not mistaken, isn¡¯t that guy also supervising the following alchemy experiment?¡± ¡°Yup, he will. Mr. Glen is the substitute for Professor Huey.¡± ¡°Uuu. . .I feel like my stomach has been stabbed.¡± Sistina was frowning at that time, but then suddenly chuckled as if she had thought of something. Beside her, Lumia¡¯s clothes slid smoothly off her skin, and only her figure in underwear was left to be seen. ¡°This is. . . my needed therapy.¡± ¡°Sisti?¡± Sistina approached Lumia, who was confused, and suddenly hugged her from behind. ¡°Gotcha!¡± ¡°Kyaaaa!?¡± Sistina glued herself to Lumia¡¯s smooth back with all her might and shoved her hands to the two bulging breast of Lumia, which were wrapped by her underwear. ¡°Ah, feeling Lumia¡¯s body is really good after all, your skin is so white and lovely, so smooth.¡± ¡°Wai-, Sisti, sto-, stop it!¡± Blushing, Lumia resisted, trying to escape from Sistina¡¯s arms which were cuddling her like a kitten, but Sistina¡¯s arms ran all over Lumia like a snake, and she wasn¡¯t able to escape. ¡°Kyaa! Sisti, Ah! Stop!¡± ¡°Hmmmm. . . Lumia. You, you have been growing well I see. . .¡± Sistina furrowed her eyebrows at the soft, delicately changing sensation transmitted to her palms. Lumia¡¯s breasts weren¡¯t too big or too small. It was as though they were precisely calculated to be proportional to Lumia¡¯s height and physique. They were hills maintaining the golden ratio of an ideal shape. ¡°Haa. . . This is so pleasant. For some reason I can¡¯t move away from these breasts of nourishment. . . Ooh. . . But instead of healing me, they¡¯re making me somewhat depressed. . .¡± ¡°Wait. . . Will you stop it already, Sisti. You¡¯re doing it too hard. . . Ah, Ahn!¡± ¡°Ahh, really, I¡¯m jealous! Look here, does this feel good©`? Huh? Huh?¡± ¡°Hyaan! N-, Noo! Stop. . .¡± Somehow, all the nubile teenage girls in that place did a similar thing. ¡°You-, you¡¯re sneaky, Theresa! You, since when©¤¡± ¡°Hehehe, you¡¯re still growing.¡± ¡°Please leave me alone, this is inexcusable! Nooo! Doing it this way©¤!¡± ¡°Kyaaa! We-, Wendy!?¡± Similar seductive scene had developed in all corners of the locker room. All female students were boisterously and cheerfully making a racket. However, in front of these girls, the door of the locker room was suddenly and violently opened. ¡°Aah©`, this is so troublesome! Why is it necessary to change clothes? That bitch Celica. . . Huh?¡± Outside the door that was fully opened, a suspicious man was standing in the doorway holding a borrowed robe for doing experiments. It was Glen. Glen, Sistina and Lumia, who were closest to the door, were now eye to eye. All three froze. The paradise of half naked girls playing like fairies suddenly turned into a freezing hell. Everyone froze up and became silent. ¡°. . . Ah©`¡± Glen slowly and thoroughly looked around the room. When he confirmed that there were only female students in there, he scratched his head in a way that showed he was troubled and looked at the plate outside the locker room. ¡°It was different in my time, the locker room for boys and girls has switched places. . . Good grief, I did something uncalled for.¡± Inside that room, a tremendous thirst for blood was gradually swirling. Instead of running away from that place that he can¡¯t oppose, Glen sighed like he gave up already. ¡°Oooh my,s this the so called lucky lecher development of a guy from the popular novel aimed at young people these days in the imperial capital? Haha, I had never thought that I would be able to experience this.¡± With Sistina at the lead, all the girls slowly began to move. Glen majestically held up his hand to hold them off. ¡°Ah©`, wait. You gals calm down. I always wanted to speak out about this clich¨¦d development that is happening. Well, will you listen? Let me do this instead of my last meal.¡± All the girls stopped their movement. Having a criminal in death row to have his last words was allowed after all. ¡°I, I think. . . Aren¡¯t the protagonists of that kind of novel such stupid people? At some point in time, when the lucky lecher like event was triggered, it had already been decided that they would be beaten up by the heroine. Why would they then frantically avert their eyes and try to retract their hands away from her? Beating the shit out of him just for glancing a bit on a woman¡¯s naked body is not really fair, right? That¡¯s what I think anyway.¡± After delivering the worst speech he could, Glen bared his soul. ¡°Therefore, I©` will burn this scene into my memory!¡± At that taunt, he folded his arms and opened his eyes so wide they became bloodshot. His imposing stance and expression were those of someone at a scene of carnage. He stared at the expanse of bare skin spread out before his eyes©` ¡°¡±¡±¡±THIS©` PERVERT©`!¡±¡±¡±¡± On that day, according to the female sophomore students of the academy, a gruesome school violence had broken out because a certain part-time instructor hadn¡¯t averted his eyes. Incidentally, the alchemy experiment for that day had been postponed because the instructor in charge fell into a temporary coma. ¡°Ouch. . . This is seriously painful. . . Was it necessary to beat me up that much?. . .¡± It was already past noon, so it was time for a lunch break. Glen¡¯s clothes had become tattered, and his whole body was covered with scratches and bruises. He wandered around the halls of the academy unsteadily like a zombie with teary eyes. The students Glen passed were startled by his unsightly appearance. He didn¡¯t care anymore about the gazes of these people. ¡°However, kids these days sure have excellent development. . . Ouch, what were they eating to grow that much?. . . But there was one who hasn¡¯t developed well. Ah, oh well, I need food, food.¡± And so, while murmuring that terrible remark that can get himself killed if she heard, Glen went to visit the cafeteria of the magic academy. The cafeteria of Alzano Empire Magic Academy was located on the first floor of the academy¡¯s main school building, which was like a huge aristocratic mansion. It provided dishes that are cheap and tasty. It was traditionally popular with the students. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here©`¡± Inside the cafeteria the walls were covered with white clothes, and there were several lines of long and wide tables decorated with candle holders. Basically, the customers of the cafeteria order food at the kitchen counter at the back, where they also pay for and receive their food. Each of them then sit at a any table they choose and eat their meal. That was the system. Glen went to the counter at the back and ordered his food from the cook. ¡°Umm, grilled chicken with herbs with a side of fried potatoes. Largo sheep cheese and Elisha¡¯s sprout salad. Stir-fried Kirua beans in tomato sauce. Potato soup. Rye bread. Make them large servings.¡± Glen was a big-eater-who-stays-thin type of person. Thanks to his unemployment, which forced him to sponge off Celia, Celica didn¡¯t know how many times she told him that. He waited for his lunch to cook for a while. Glen took out several Celt copper coins from his leather wallet and handed them to the server, then received his food on a wooden tray. ¡°Now then, to look for a vacant seat. . .¡± The cafeteria was crowded with eating students , and most seats were already taken. He saw two vacant seats next to each other towards the corner of the rightmost table. He can¡¯t bear to have both seats stolen by somebody, so Glen walked towards them in haste. But¡­ he suddenly saw someone familiar. ¡°The thesis regarding the Theory of Magic Archeology that Professor Fouzelle published last year was so funny, don¡¯t you think, Lumia?¡± In front of the seat that Glen intended sit, he saw two familiar faces. ¡°According to that man¡¯s theory, [Megalius Sky Castle] was built around 4500 years BHC (Before Holy Calendar). Certainly, I can say with confidence that the ancient civilization had genuinely established the technique regarding the dimensional phase during the mid-ancient period, but judging from the excavated relics and the many murals that were discovered at the archeological site around Fejite, the [Megalius Sky Castle] seems to have been floating already by around 5000 years BHC. If we ignore this fact, I don¡¯t think it is a good idea to push this 4500 years theory because that magic was technically impossible. That man developed a new magic of determining age, but I cannot help but feel there is a technicality that misrepresented it,causing a 500 years gap! There is too much emphasis on just thinking at a desk with research documents, and it is my opinion that the current magicians too often neglect fieldwork, right? To begin with, if the dimension phase technique of the the mid-ancient period can really conceal the sky castle, shouldn¡¯t it have expired a long time ago? Judging from the atmospheric mana density, the extension limit -blah blah blah- there was also the 2nd mana winter, which caused the ancient civilization to collapse -blah blah blah- even the mana half-life level contradicts it -blah blah blah- It¡¯s evident that there are three basic classes in the branch system that evolved over time from the manifestation of ancient language in the first place -blah blah blah- In short, it was the opposition of the academic crest symbol that signifies god and religion -blah blah blah- there was even an argument on the myths of the Telex civilization, even though the ancient civilization was a unified culture -blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah-¡± ¡®Yea-, yeah, you¡¯re right. . .¡± The silver haired girl had already forgotten her lunch, and was just talking incessantly. the blonde haired girl, who was devotedly listening, Lumia, was smiling bitterly as a few cold beads of sweat dripped down her face. It was apparent that they were in the midst of an argument regarding magic archeology (although it was one-sided). Magic Archeology is the study of the history of the super magic civilization built before the Holy Calendar had been established. Among magic archaeologists, there was a group focusing primarily on [Megalius Sky Castle] called Megalians. Apparently that silver-haired girl was a typical Megalian. ¡°Excuse me.¡± For once, Glen gave the blonde girl in front of him a greeting and sat down quickly, the silver haired girl sitting across the table diagonally. The silver haired girl was finally pulled back to reality and noticed Glen. ¡°©`!? Yo-, yo-, you©`¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. You just mistook me for someone else.¡± Ignoring them magnificently, Glen began to eat his lunch. He sliced the grilled chicken with herb suitably thin and chowed down on it between bites of shredded fried potato, rye bread and sprout cheese salad. The bitterness of the sprout salad matched the fragrant fat of the grilled chicken, and he ate it all. The smell of the herbs tickling their nostrils really whet their appetites. ¡°Delicious! How should I say? This is indeed roughly the style of the empire. . .¡± He scooped a spoonful of Kirua beans in tomato sauce and shoved it into his mouth. The red pepper and garlic really bring out a good taste in the tomato sauce. Although not enough time had passed since the event a while ago, Glen¡¯s was impudent again. Seeing the situation in front of her, Sistina could only open and close her mouth in shock. The clattering sound of the tableware reverberated. Surprisingly enough, heavy silence just continued on. It was an awkward lunch scene. ¡°Umm. . . Mr. Glen surprisingly eats a lot huh? Perhaps you love to eat?¡± ¡°Huh? Well, eating is one of my few pleasures in life.¡± ¡°Hehehe, that fried food looks really delicious. It somehow smells really good.¡± Due to Glen¡¯s intrusion, Sistina became quiet and stayed quiet while completely displeased, so Lumia, for some reason, talked to Glen actively as Sistina¡¯s substitute. Unlike Sistina, who was baring her hostility openly, Lumia didn¡¯t seem to think the incident a while ago was really that bad. Speaking of which, it seems that Lumia didn¡¯t participate during the chastising of Glen. ¡°Hey, did you know? It¡¯s just the right time for some new beans to arrive at school. The new Kirua beans have a really good smell. You have to eat it now when it¡¯s in season.¡± Glen wasn¡¯t the type to willingly talk to people, but he was the type to respond properly if spoken to. Apparently Lumia¡¯s conversation seemed to have good chemistry with Glen. ¡°Is that so? I want to try eating some stir-fried Kirua beans.¡± ¡°Yeah, I highly recommend it. If you like, do you want to eat a bite to judge it?¡± ¡°Eh? Is that ok? Wouldn¡¯t that be an indirect kiss to me?¡± While laughing a little bit, Lumia impishly tilted her head to the side and placed a finger on her lips. ¡°Hmp. . . you¡¯re not a kid anymore.¡± Shrugging his shoulders in amazement, Glen gave her a plate of stir-fried beans. Lumia happily scooped a spoonful for herself and ate it. Lumia¡¯s relaxed and friendly nature always helps soften the atmosphere and will keep you smiling. Before Glen noticed it, his lips had slackened and formed a smile. ¡°. . . . . . . . .¡± However, there was one girl on that table who was giving off an oppressive atmosphere. It was Sistina. She didn¡¯t participate in the friendly chat of Lumia and Glen, she merely continued to stingingly gaze at Glen. ¡°. . . By the way, you over there. Is that amount enough for you?¡± It was indeed hard to eat and be stared at, so Glen spoke to Sistina with a sigh. When Sistina was suddenly spoken to, she seemed upset for a moment, but immediately regained composure and responded with a harsh remark. ¡°Is there a reason an Instructor is complaining about my lunch?¡± ¡°How could you say it. . .¡± Glen looked at the lunches of the two girls. Lumia¡¯s menu consisted of wheat porridge, spicy pigeon stew, and salad. . . While Lumia was eating relatively well, Sistina¡¯s menu was just only two scones with thin coats of red berry jam. ¡°You, you¡¯re still growing up right? You won¡¯t develop properly if you don¡¯t eat.¡± Glen wasn¡¯t able to say that she wasn¡¯t actually growing in that particular situation. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. I will get sleepy during the afternoon class unless I only eat this much during lunchtime. I¡¯m serious. And you,Sir, on the other hand, can not be related to the word ¡®Serious¡¯ at all.¡± Sistina glanced at the large quantity of food lined up in front of Glen. With such provocative words, the atmosphere between Glen and Sistina became heavy at once. ¡°. . . That¡¯s rather indirect.¡± Glen was continuing to eat as his voice dropped by half an octave. He was sensitive enough to sense the tension running through Sistina¡¯s expression. ¡°If there is anything you want to say, why don¡¯t you say it clearly?¡± ¡°. . . I understand. I know we don¡¯t have a good relationship to begin with. In that case, I¡¯m going to say this clearly. I©`¡± Sistina was undoubtedly scowling in front of Glen. He then interjected. . . ¡°I know, I know. I give up. Having such a frantic expression is unbecoming of you.¡± ¡°. . . Eh?¡± Glen raised both of his hands suddenly. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t expect you to torment yourself so much. . . I concede.¡± Sistina was dumbfounded in front of Glen, who scooped up a spoonful of Kirua beans and silently placed it on her plate. ¡°Come on, I know you want to eat it right? You want to say that, since I have so much, you want me to share, right?. . . Good grief, such a glutton.¡± Sistina looked on in amazement as Glen resumed eating. ¡°. . . It¡¯s, it¡¯s, it¡¯s different! That¡¯s not what I meant to say©`¡± Glen had had a terrible misunderstanding. Sistina was trembling so much in humiliation that she banged on the table as she stood up. However, it didn¡¯t matter to Glen at all©` ¡°In exchange, why don¡¯t you give me some of this.¡± Reaching out with his fork, he pierced Sistina¡¯s scone with a splitting sound and nabbed it in a blink of an eye. ¡°Mmmm, eating scones occasionally is indeed delicious. . .¡± ¡°Aaaaahhh!? Hey, why did you took it without permission!?¡± ¡°No, isn¡¯t this just fair exchange?¡± ¡°Where is the fairness!? Where!? That¡¯s right, because I didn¡¯t give you permission! Get back to the infirmary©`!¡± ¡°Aargh!? Oi, isn¡¯t this dangerous!? Will, will you please be quiet during mealtime©`!¡± Glen and Sistina began to fight each other using knife and fork over the table. Everyone nearby gazed at them. Lumia couldn¡¯t do anything aside from looking at them while bitterly smiling. Volume 1 - CH 2 Chapter 2: The Cat and the Dog Simply put, the temporary instructor named Glen Ryders was unmotivated. Inheriting the responsibilities of his predecessor, Glen had become the instructor of year two, class two for all required courses. Regardless of whether the course he taught was black magic, white magic, alchemy, summoning, holy literature, magic history, numerology, natural science, rune language, astrology, reagent studies, magic battle-tactics or magic tool creation¡­ he would go about it in an arbitrary manner. No one knew why he decided to do such a thing, but everyone had the feeling that he was doing this on purpose. Basically, in this academy that was filled to the brim with passion for magic and permeated with curiosity of the unknown, Glen was the only outlier. As a result, great conflicts often arose between Glen, the students, and other professors. In particular, the class leader¨C Sistina ¨C would ¡®have a word¡¯ with him every single day. Despite this, Glen¡¯s attitude did not improve, but rather it was getting worse with each passing day. In the beginning, Glen would occasionally explain some concepts from the textbook, and write down some important points on the blackboard; Lecture-like things. However, he seemed to have grown weary of this after a short while. So after that, he began to copy the textbook word for word on the blackboard. Then, when he grew tired of this, he simply ripped the relevant page of the textbook and taped it to the wall. And finally, when he found even this task too troublesome, he decided to nail the textbook directly to the blackboard. By then, Sistina could no longer withhold her rage. A week had passed since Glen began instructing, and this was his final lecture of the day. ¡°Can you cut it out already!?¡± Sistina slammed the table and stood from her seat. ¡°Hm? Come on, I already dealt with it like you wanted me to right?¡± Glen quickly dismissed Sistina, and continued on with his meddlesome task of nailing the textbook to the blackboard. The manner in which he held the hammer around his shoulder and the nail in his mouth made him seem like a DIY carpenter. ¡°Don¡¯t use some distorted reasoning like a kid!¡± Her rage growing with each step, Sistina marched towards the instructor¡¯s podium. ¡°Now calm down a lil¡¯ bit, you¡¯ll grow white hair you know?¡± ¡°And who do you think made me angry!?¡± ¡°Look, your head is full of white hair at your young age¡­ you poor thing.¡± ¡°This is silver hair, not white hair! And don¡¯t look at me with such pity Ah, I¡¯ve had enough of this! I didn¡¯t want it to come to this, but if you don¡¯t change your attitude, there are some strings that I can pull that will make you regret your actions. ¡°Oh? What strings?¡± ¡°I am the daughter of the magic house Phebell, which has some influence in this academy. If I had a word with my father, you¡¯d be promptly fired from the academy..¡± ¡°Eh¡­for real?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m for real! I didn¡¯t want to resort to this kind of method, but if you keep up this attitude during your lectures¡ª¡± ¡°Please tell your father I have high expectations for him!¡± A sincere smile appeared on Glen¡¯s face. ¡°¡ªWh¡± Sistina was at a loss for words. ¡°My¡ª, Thank you thank you! This way I can resign before the month is up! White-haired lady, I give you my sincerest thanks!¡± ¡°People like you¡ª!¡± Sistina was unable to differentiate whether this man really wanted to quit being a lecturer, or whether he was disrespecting the power of the Phebell family. In either case, Sistina could not allow herself to overlook Glen¡¯s behavior. In the name of Phebell, she swore that she would not allow the man before her to sully the path of magic and her family name any longer. Thus she quickly came to a decision. With Sistina¡¯s young age and immaturity pushing her forward¡ª She removed the glove on her left hand, and threw it at Glen. ¡°Ow-!?¡± The fingers of the glove hit Glen in the face, before promptly falling to the ground. ¡°Will you accept this?¡± In the silence of the classroom, Sistina¡¯s words were sharp and clear. The students who spectated the situation entered into a state of commotion. ¡°Are you¡­ for real?¡± Glen stared at the ground with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Lumia hurried to Sistina¡¯s side. ¡°S-, Sisti! You can¡¯t! Apologize to sensei quickly, and take you glove back!¡± However, Sistina refused to budge. Her heated gaze continued to pierce through Glen. ¡°¡­You, what do you want out of this?¡± Glen narrowed his eyes and returned her gaze. ¡°I want you to revise your indulgent attitude, and take your lectures seriously.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t want me to resign?¡± ¡°If you really wanted to resign as an instructor, then that kind of demand is meaningless.¡± ¡°Ah so that¡¯s how it was. What a pity. Since you made a demand, then I can make whatever demand I want you know? Did you forget this?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Hearing this reply, Glen showed a sour expression. He seemed rather amused by this turnout. ¡°¡­You, are you an idiot? As an unmarried lady what are you saying? Your parents are gonna cry you know?¡± ¡°Even so, as the next-in-line of the Phebell family, I cannot ignore someone who dirties the path of magic!¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s so hot¡­ too hot. You¡­stop¡­I¡¯ll melt¡­¡± Glen pressed his hand against his head, seemingly fed up with the situation. The onlooking students showed nervous expressions as they watched the scene unfold. Glen gazed at Sistina. Though Sistina was currently putting up a strong front, in reality, her body had frozen out of anxiety. However, no one could blame her for such a reaction. After all, according to the rules of the magical rite that they would perform, she would have no choice but to accept Glen¡¯s demand, no matter what it was. Despite all this, Sistina faced Glen directly. In this confrontation, she staked both her conviction towards magic, and the pride of her bloodline. No matter who the judge was at the moment, all would say that Sistina Phebell ¨C despite her young age ¨C was a first-rate magician. ¡°My oh my, this kind of challenge, this kind of decrepit and outdated antique of a rite still exists huh¡­ Alright then,¡± Glen¡¯s lips curved into a sneer. He picked up the glove on the ground, and threw it into the air. ¡°I¡¯ll accept this duel.¡± Then, in an attempt to look cool, he swung his hand up to catch the glove¡­and failed. With a hint of a foul mood, he picked the glove off the ground once again. ¡°However, I don¡¯t really want to hurt a kid like you, so for this duel, we will only use the spell [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. No other spells are allowed. . Got it?¡± An audible and synchronized gulp rang through the classroom as Glen explained the rules. ¡°The rules of the duel are decided by the receiving party, so that¡¯s fine by me.¡± ¡°And, hm, if I win¡­ gimme a moment.¡± Glen eyed Sistina from head to toe. Then, he leaned his head forward and curved his lips into a crude smile. ¡°Now that I look closely, you¡¯re actually quite the gem. Alright then, if I win, then you¡¯ll become my girl.¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± In that moment. In that one instant, Sistina¡¯s body shivered; Lumia¡¯s complexation turned pale, as if she was unable to breathe. Sistina was mentally prepared for this kind of demand, however, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit intimidated when she actually heard it. ¡°I-, I understand. I¡¯ll accept this demand.¡± Embarrassed by her own reaction, Sistina quickly composed herself as she uttered those words. Despite that, she still felt a bit doubtful, since she couldn¡¯t take those words back after saying them. Glen tried his best to keep a straight face as he saw Sistina desperately try to cover her anxiety and regret behind a strong mask. Suddenly, he burst out in laughter. ¡°Wahahahaha-! It¡¯s just a prank bro, just a prank! Stop looking like you¡¯re going to cry would you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I have no interest in kids, so my request is simply for you to stop lecturing me about every little thing. Now then, do you feel relieved?¡± Hearing that, Lumia pressed a hand to her chest, and released a sigh of relief. ¡°Y-¡­You did that just to make a fool out of me!?¡± On the other hand, Sistina, who realized that she had been toyed with, felt nothing but the desire to put down Glen once and for all. Her face was flushed in a state of uncontainable rage. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to the courtyard.¡± With that abrupt statement, Glen left the classroom. ¡°W-, Wait a second! Geez, I won¡¯t forgive you anymore!¡± Sistina hastily chased after Glen. A duel between magicians. This was one of the magical rites that had existed since ancient times. In reality, magicians were people who investigated the rules of the world, and through which, had managed to obtain great power. Through magic, a fireball could be created to flatten an entire mountain, or a bolt of lightning could be summoned to split the earth. If they were left unrestrained by society, entire nations would surely meet their demise. That¡¯s why there is an unspoken rule for solving conflicts between magicians; the duel. Since the left hand was closer to the heart, it was the more efficient hand for casting magic. Thus, when the glove on one¡¯s left hand was thrown towards another, it would be seen as challenging another to a duel. If the challenged party decides to pick up the glove, the duel would be established, and if they didn¡¯t pick up the glove, the duel would be called off. In a duel, the challenged party has the right to decide the rules of the challenge. The winner of the duel would be allowed to make one demand of the other party. As one could see, a duel was far more advantageous for the challenged party. Therefore ¨C unless there was an insurmountable difference in power ¨C it was uncommon for anyone to ask for a duel. Since ancient times, this was the method that magicians used to settle conflicts amongst themselves. However, due to the reformation of laws in the modern times, the rite of dueling had become nothing more than a mere formality. Modern magicians no longer needed to settle their differences through dueling, as hiring a lawyer and going to court was a far more efficient and pragmatic method. Yet, to this day, there were some pure-minded magicians who still insist on enacting this ancient rite. One, for example, would be the daughter of the revered Phebell magic family, Sistina. In the academy¡¯s courtyard, surrounded by coniferous trees, and standing on the grassy lawn¡ª Glen and Sistina stood ten paces away from each other and faced off. ¡°Hey Kaju, who do you think will win?¡± ¡°I really want Sistina to win¡­ but her opponent is someone who was strongly recommended by Professor Alfornea¡­Mm~¡­ What do you think, Sajil?¡± When the other students heard that there was a duel between an instructor and student, everyone started to gather around the courtyard. The crowd of students had formed an improvised arena. ¡°Well then, come at me anytime.¡± Glen snapped his fingers, and stared at Sistina with a confident expression. On the other side, Sistina ¨C refusing to relax in the slightest ¨C put up her battle stance. A drop of sweat trickled down her forehead. The black magic [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] was the first spell that every student would learn in this academy. The spell fired a line of electricity at a target. Although it was a non-lethal magic that was primarily used for self-defense, it¡¯s power was sufficient enough to cause it¡¯s target to become paralyzed and unable to move.. As long as the incantation was completed properly, a line of electricity would emerge from one¡¯s fingertips. Since [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] was an extremely simple magic, the one who chanted it faster would win. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s up? Are you not gonna come at me?¡± ¡°¡­Kuh-!¡± Generally speaking, magic battles employed a strategy based around counterattacking. This was due to the abundance of counterspells in the modern day. However, the man named Glen could only use [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] in this duel, and therefore, this was a contest of raw speed. Despite that, Glen urged Sistina to make the first move. There was only one way to explain Glen¡¯s actions; He had absolute confidence in his casting speed of [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. In order words, even if Sistina chanted as fast as she could, Glen would still have the upper hand from cutting segments or stages from his chant. From this observation, it could be inferred that Glen was probably a magician that specialized in magical combat. If one were to think about it this way, then the academy¡¯s appointment of an insincere instructor like Glen would make sense. After all, how could a meritless magician become an instructor at this academy? The ability to research magic and the ability to utilize magic were two entirely different skills. Looking back at history, there were a lot of low-ranked magicians that had an insurmountable might when it came to a magic battles. ¡°Oi oi, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna eat you or anything. Just come at me however you like alright?¡± From his calm demeanor, he seemed like a magician that had experienced a countless number of battles. Even though Glen¡¯s behavior was unforgivable, Sistina was beginning to slightly regret her impulsive decision. But I can¡¯t back down now Sistina glared at Glen, who remained calm and composed. As long as I am still myself, I cannot allow myself the overlook the actions of this crude man. Even if I have to dirty myself, I will bring judgment upon this man. That is my pride as a magician¡­ Let¡¯s do this! Steeling her resolve, Sistina pointed her finger at Glen and began her chant. ¡°-!¡± In that instant, a shining line of electricity appeared from Sistina¡¯s finger, and rapidly approached Glen¡ª And he proudly received it¡ª ¡°GYAAA¡ª!?¡± A zapping sound reverberated through the courtyard. Glen¡¯s body convulsed, and he fell to the ground with a thud. ¡°¡­A-, Huh?¡± Sistina remained in place, her finger still outstretched. A sweatdrop could be seen trickling down her forehead. In front of her was Glen, who lay paralyzed on the ground after being struck by her spell. ¡°This means¡­?¡± ¡°A-, Ahh¡­it¡¯s Sistina¡¯s win¡­right?¡± The spectators of the duel descended into confusion over the unexpected result. The person who had boldly said those lines and acted so cocky couldn¡¯t be this weak right? Was this person really a combat-specialized magician? ¡°C-, Could¡­ I have possibly broken some rule?¡± Seeking some form of explanation, Sistina turned her head towards Lumia. However, Lumia shook her head. She too was perplexed at how the situation turned out. ¡°H-¡­How cowardly¡­¡± And then, Glen ¨C having slightly recovered ¨C unsteadily rose to his feet. ¡°Ah, sensei.¡± ¡°You ambushed me before I was prepared¡­You did that, and you consider yourself a prideworthy magician!?¡± ¡°Eh? No, but you said that I could come at you anytime¡­¡± ¡°Well whatever, this is a best out of three anyway, so I¡¯ll give you the first round. That¡¯s enough of a handicap right?¡± ¡°Huh? Best of three? Was there a rule like that?¡± ¡°Well then let¡¯s go! Round two! This time¡¯ll be a normal showdown-!¡± Glen loudly announced the start of round two. Facing Sistina, who was still confused at this sudden development, Glen made the first move. ¡°-!¡± Sistina completed her chant before Glen. ¡°UGYAAa¨C!?¡± Exaggerated zapping sounds escaped from Glen¡¯s body, and he fell to the floor once again. Glen¡¯s body convulsed as he lay on the floor. It was a perfect replica of the initial round. ¡°N-, Not bad¡­¡± Glen staggered as he stood up. His knees were trembling, and thus, one could tell that he was merely putting up a strong front. ¡°Uhm¡­ Glen-sensei?¡± ¡°Fu. Though this is a best of five, I was playing around a bit too much. I¡¯ll need to reflect a bit.¡± ¡°Earlier, you said it was a best of three¡­¡± As Sistina looked at Glen with amazement¡ª ¡°AHHHHH¡ª!?¡± Glen suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs. ¡°Are you kidding me!? Why is the empress here¡ª!?¡± ¡°Eh-!?¡± Sistina impulsively looked at where Glen was pointing to. ¡°Fuhaha, you fell for it dumbo! -!¡± Despite the situation, Sistina¡¯s chant was still faster than Glen¡¯s.¡± ¡°BiGYaaaAa¨C!?¡± Glen rolled on the floor as he was electrocuted. Sistina pressed on her temples and said: ¡°Uhm¡­Could it be that Glen-sensei¡­¡± ¡°G-, Go back to where you were! This isn¡¯t over yet you know!? After all this is a best of seven-!¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± ¡°¡¤ With a shockwave of lightning ¡¤ Strike i¡ª¡± ¡°-!¡± ¡°ZUgyAAAA¡ª!?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Again, Glen began his chant, and again, Sistina completed hers first. Again, Glen was sent on a one-way trip to the floor. And again, this monotonous task continued. Though Glen had a colorful variety of crazy tactics, Sistina would complete her shortened and simplified chant first, each and every time. And so, at the end of the best of forty seven¡­ ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t go on anymore, please forgive me. I can¡¯t even stand up. Anyhow, if we keep up this stupid play, I might not wake up tomorrow. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Sistina released a deep sigh as she looked down at Glen¡¯s convulsing body, ¡°My¡ª, the rule to only use [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] is really super unfair isn¡¯t it~!? Ah, if only that rule wasn¡¯t there I would¡¯ve won a while ago!¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t stop blowing your own horn can you sensei?¡± She had already become immune to Glen¡¯s antics. ¡°By the way, you only used the three-stage chant¡­ Could it be sensei, that you can¡¯t use the one-stage chant for [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]?¡± ¡°Fu, Fuhahaha! I-I don¡¯t know w-w-w-what you¡¯re talking about!? Also, using the one-stage chant for the spell is wrong! It¡¯s disrespectful towards our predecessor¡¯s efforts in crafting the beautiful chant! It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t do it because I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t¡­¡± Glen¡¯s appearance was so miserable that even Sistina wanted to cry. She quickly recomposed herself, and returned to the original goal. ¡°A-Anyway, I won this duel! So sensei, you have to follow my demand starting tomorrow¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? What dya¡¯ say?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Sistina froze as she heard Glen¡¯s unexpected reply. ¡°What kind of agreement did we make? I really can¡¯t remember at all~~~. You know, because I was struck by lightning from a certain someone~~?¡± The man before Sistina¡¯s eyes was far worse of a person than she had initially imagined. Sistina was truly infuriated by Glen¡¯s words. ¡°Sensei¡­ do you mean to break the agreement between fellow magicians!? Do you even consider yourself a true magician!?¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯m really not a magician y¡¯know?¡± ¡°Wh¡­¡± Glen announced that without a hint of shame. Sistina was left at a loss for words. ¡°It¡¯s pointless to talk about a magicians¡¯ rules to a guy who isn¡¯t a magician alright~. Y¡¯know, I¡¯m kinda distressed about this~¡± ¡°You, what are you saying¡­!?¡± Sistina could not understand the man named Glen. She never thought that he ¨C who had been trained and disciplined in magic ¨C would deny that his own magical heritage. Did this man have no pride as a magician!? Does he not have any respect for the magical world, that was filled with endless mysteries and knowledge? ¡°So, on the account of today¡¯s breathtaking experience, let¡¯s call this a draw! I¡¯ll let you go this time, but there won¡¯t be a next, you got it!? Now farewell! FUWAHAHAHAHAHA¡ª! Guh-!¡± Due to the damage from the duel, Glen fell to the floor several times. Despite that, he ran off while laughing impudently . He left behind an amused audience. ¡°What was up with that idiot?¡± ¡°To think that he isn¡¯t even able to do the one stage chant for a simple spell like [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]¡­¡± ¡°Fu, that was embarrassing to even watch¡­¡± ¡°Going back on an agreement between fellow mages, what a terrible person¡­¡± As the surrounding people began to criticize Glen, Lumia ¨C with a worried expression ¨C approached Sistina. ¡°Are you alright, Sisti? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ but¡± Though Glen had disappeared from sight a while ago, Sistina looked towards where he left with a stern expression. ¡°I completely misjudged his character.¡± It sounded as if she was talking about someone that harmed her family. Despite how Sistina acted, she had some respect for Glen; After all, Glen was technically her senior in the study of magic. Though he had a lousy attitude, she thought that, at the very least, she would be able to learn something from him, who was a fellow comrade on the path of magic. However, this was the last straw. That man could no longer be forgiven, for he had insulted magic. As long as he remained in this academy, he would be her sworn archnemesis. ¡°Glen-sensei¡­¡± Lumia was at a loss. Three days after Glen¡¯s infamous dueling incident¡ª Despite everything that happened, his motivation during his lectures hadn¡¯t changed at all, and the student¡¯s opinion of him only got worse and worse. Furthermore, it didn¡¯t seem like Glen felt guilty about the incident. He merely continued through his day as he usually would. Finally, his lectures officially became a free self-study period. With their strong motivation to learn, the students decided that ¨C rather than waste their time listening to Glen¡¯s lectures ¨C it would be far more efficient to study earnestly from the textbook. Regarding this, Glen didn¡¯t have a single complaint. At some point, this kind of accommodation had become a mutual agreement between him and the students. ¡°Alright, class is starting~¡± As usual, Glen arrived late to the lecture room. With the eyes of a dead fish, he began his unmotivated lecture. The students sighed to themselves, opened their textbooks, and began to self-study. While this scene wasn¡¯t anything unusual, there were still some energetic and serious students that wanted to learn something from this unmotivated lecturer. ¡°Ah, uhm¡­sensei, I have a question about your explanation¡­¡± About thirty minutes after the start of class, a small and petite female student timidly raised her hand. It was the girl that had been brushed off on the first day of class ¨C Rin. ¡°Ah, what¡¯s up? Tell me about it.¡± ¡°E-Erm¡­Ah¡­About the translation for the spell that sensei was talking about¡­¡± As if dealing with a pest, Glen sighed. He dragged himself to the teacher¡¯s desk and picked up a book. ¡°Here, this is a rune language dictionary.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°This dictionary orders the rune language rank three and below by the order of their sound. By the way, the order of sound is¡­¡± As Glen began to explain the way to use the rune dictionary, Sistina, who had resolved to cut all ties with Glen, stood up from her seat. Once again, she could no longer overlook his behavior. ¡°It¡¯s pointless Rin, it¡¯s a waste of time to listen to that man.¡± ¡°Ah, Sisti.¡± Rin, who had innocently asked a question, was now stuck between Glen and Sistina. ¡°That man doesn¡¯t understand anything about the greatness of magic, yet, he decides to mock it. He won¡¯t be able to teach you anything.¡± ¡°B-, But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll teach you, so let¡¯s study together ok? Just leave that man alone. Let¡¯s work hard to discover the truth and magnificence of magic, alright?¡± Sistina finished comforting Rin, and discarded her smile¡ª For some reason, the man seemed to be hurt by what she had said. ¡°Magic¡­ is it really that great and magnificent?¡± Glen murmured loudly to himself. Of course, Sistina would not pretend that she didn¡¯t hear what he had just said. ¡°Hah, and I thought you were going to say something important. Isn¡¯t its greatness and magnificence a given? Of course, someone like you won¡¯t understand that at all.¡± With a sneer, Sistina completed her part. Usually, the lazy and indulgent Glen would dismiss this by saying ¡®Ah, is that so?¡¯, and end the discussion there. However¡ª ¡°What about it is great or magnificent?¡± For some reason, he didn¡¯t abandon the discussion. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Sistina was bewildered at Glen¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°What¡¯s so great and magnificent about magic? Tell me.¡± ¡°T-That is¡­¡± Sistina felt slightly irritated at her inability to form a convincing response. In truth, she herself, and the people around her, had simply repeated the phrase ¡®Magic is great and magnificent¡¯ without really thinking about it. However, she did not want to admit that. ¡°Come on, enlighten me.¡± But that was not the only reason for her admiration towards magic. Taking a deep breath, Sistina formulated an argument. Then, with an air of confidence, she said: ¡°Magic is the pursuit of the reality of the world.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± ¡°The origins of the world, the structure of the world, the rules that govern the world ¨C all of it can be explained through magic. It is the way through which we answer the eternal question of ¡®why does the world and it¡¯s people exist?¡¯, and is also the way in which we may evolve into a higher form of existence. Magic is a methodology through which man can approach the gods. That is why magic is great and magnificent.¡± Sistina felt that her response was more than satisfactory. However, she did not expect Glen¡¯s reply. ¡°¡­And how can it be used? Magic I mean.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°What I mean is, how can magic be used after we bring the mysterious truths of the world to light?¡± ¡°D-, Didn¡¯t I say that already!? So that we can become a higher existence¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by higher existence? God?¡± ¡°¡­About that¡ª¡± Sistina trembled in frustration at her inability to answer Glen¡¯s question. Glen, with an expression of annoyance, continued his inquiry. ¡°Anyway, how has something like magic brought welfare to the masses? For example, medical techniques can be used cure others of sickness, and metallurgy techniques can be used to create steel, right? If we didn¡¯t have agricultural techniques, many people would die from starvation; and if we didn¡¯t have construction techniques, many people would be unable to live leisurely. You see, the things in this world that are labeled ¡®techniques¡¯ are used to improve the welfare of the masses, yet, magical techniques aren¡¯t used in such a way. Could it be that I¡¯m the only one who thinks this way?¡± Glen wasn¡¯t wrong. The only people that benefited from magical techniques were the magicians themselves. Since the masses were unable to use magic, they could not benefit from it. Though that was just stating the obvious, it was the primary reason that magical techniques were not applied to benefit the lives of the masses. Furthermore, whilst the ideology of ¡®unraveling the hidden mysteries of magic¡¯ was one that every magician shared, pursuing such an ideology yielded no benefit for the masses. Therefore, to the masses, this kind of ideology was nothing more than a display of stubbornness. For most people, magic was a devilish, frightening, perhaps even occult power. Magic was something that the masses would never come into contact with, much less experience. The harsh reality was that magical techniques were of no practical use to the people. Though this statement may have come from a rather extreme perspective, it was the undeniable truth. ¡°Magic¡­ is not something that is used for a lowly purpose like ¡®for the people¡¯. It is used to discover the true meaning behind the existences of man and earth¡­¡± ¡°However, if it has no practical use, then isn¡¯t it nothing more than a mere hobby? It¡¯s a tedious task that brings no benefit to the people, therefore it is nothing more than self-satisfaction. Magic is nothing more than something we do for pleasure, am I wrong?¡± Sistina gritted her teeth in frustration, yet she could not bring herself to object anything that Glen said. How could she be unable to respond to this kind of secular reasoning? Did she lose to the pressure behind Glen¡¯s words? As the next-in-line of the prestigious Phebell family, Glen was currently refuting the meaning of her life ¨C which was devoted entirely to magic ¨C yet she could not find the words to deny Glen¡¯s claim. His firm ideology was nothing less than an indisputable fact. Cowed, Sistina could do nothing but shake in remorse¡­ ¡°Sorry, I was lying. After all, there is a brilliant way to use magic.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Sistina¡¯s reaction towards Glen¡¯s sudden change of heart was a given, but even the observing students ¨C who overlooked the situation with bated breaths ¨C opened their eyes wide in surprise. However¡ª ¡°Ah, an amazing way in which magic can be used¡­ is killing.¡± Seeing Glen¡¯s cold and emotionless eyes, and hearing the brutal argument that made itself known through his crooked lips, the students all froze in fear. Glen¡¯s presence¡­ was the exact opposite of his slothful self. ¡°In reality, nothing beats magic when it comes to murder you know? In the time in which a sword can kill one person, magic can kill several dozen. Heck, one squadron of magicians can easily annihilate an entire division of elite soldiers. You see, isn¡¯t this a brilliant way to use magic?¡± ¡°Stop kidding around!¡± Sistina couldn¡¯t pretend that she hadn¡¯t heard what Glen said. It¡¯s fine if he called magic worthless, but it was unacceptable for it to be called a method to commit devilish deeds. ¡°Magic isn¡¯t something like that! Magic is¡ª¡± ¡°Look at the current situation of this country would you? It¡¯s called a ¡®great nation of magic¡¯, but what does this mean to other nations? Why do you think that dangerous group called the Imperial Court Magicians get a massive amount of national funding every year?¡± ¡°T-, That is¡ª¡± ¡°Why does this ¡®duel¡¯ thing that you love so much have those kinds of rules? Why do you think that most of the elementary level spells that you learn here are offensive-type magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°What did the magic that you love so much do during the ¡®Magic Wars¡¯ two hundred years ago? What did it do during the ¡®Holy War¡¯ forty years ago? Do you know about the atrocities that were committed using magic in the recent years? Do you know how many of these atrocities happen in our nation each year?¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± ¡°Now look, in both the past and the present, magic and murder have had an undesirable but inseparable relationship. ¡®Why¡¯ you ask? Rather than for the sake of the people, a bastard technique like magic evolves and develops only for the sake of killing people!¡± Glen¡¯s conclusion was rather extreme. While it was true that magic was one of the many ways to harm others, at the same time, that was not the only way to use magic. However, in contrast to Glen¡¯s usual idiotic expression, his current expression was seething with overwhelming hatred. The pressure behind it silenced the students, and none of them dared to utter a single word. ¡°Geez I don¡¯t get you people at all. You guys are trying your best to study a technique that isn¡¯t useful for anything other than killing you know? Instead of wasting your time doing this kind of thing, why don¡¯t you guys seriously¡ª¡± A ¡®slap¡¯ cleanly resounded through the room¡ª Sistina, who had walked up to Glen, had slapped his face. ¡°Ow¡­ you damn-!?¡± ¡°No¡­That¡­Magic isn¡¯t¡­ like¡­ that¡­¡± Noticing that Sistina had begun to cry at some point, Glen went silent. ¡°Why¡­did you¡­say such cruel things¡­? I hate¡­ people like-¡± Sistina ran out of the room as she wiped her tears on her sleeves. All that was left in the room was an oppressive silence. ¡°¡ªTch.¡± Glen scratched his head and clicked his tongue. ¡°Ah¡ª, I don¡¯t really feel like it anymore. Well then, today¡¯s class is self-study. He released a heavy sigh and left the classroom. That day, Glen didn¡¯t appear for the rest of his classes. Afterschool. The sky was dyed with the gentle colors of twilight. After the incident involving Sistina in the morning, Glen had ditched the rest of his classes, and spent the rest of the day on the academy¡¯s rooftop. In this manner, he had wasted the entire day doing nothing in particular. ¡°¡­As expected, this really doesn¡¯t suit me.¡± He leaned on the metal fence, and looked blankly into the distance. Just like before, Glen could see the entirety of the academy from the fifth floor of this luxurious building. The complex scenery of the campus was composed of the stone pavements, the floating courtyard, the ancient city-like other buildings, the medicinal garden, the mysterious forest, and the ancient ruins. There was also the transfer tower; a manmade construct whose juxtaposition with the natural scenery evoked a sense of marvel. Finally, there was also the phantasmal city that floated in the sky. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way this would suit me, I mean, getting someone who hates magic to become a magical instructor? What kind of stupid joke is that?¡± Glen thought about the silver-haired girl that he gotten involved with ever since he became an instructor. Her name was¡­ what was it again¡­? It¡¯s was¡­ it was Sis¡­ah I don¡¯t remember. Well, not like it matters anyway. ¡°Man, that white-haired girl slapped me hard¡­ Good grief, she was that rude since the first day huh¡­¡± If I remember correctly, I first met her when I crashed into her at the crosswalk. ¡°¡­Just what¡¯s so great about magic? Is she an idiot?¡± I only knew her for ten days, but I get that she¡¯s really serious about magic. For the sake of learning about magic, she studies tirelessly and diligently day in and day out¡ª but¡¯s she¡¯s blind to the dark and dangerous side of magic. All she admires is the ¡®magnificent¡¯ side of it. Things like ¡®the truth of the world¡¯ are just for self-satisfaction¡­ In the end, she¡¯s just a kid. But if I call her a kid, what would that make me, who snapped at a kid? ¡°¡­A kid as well.¡± Maybe some part of me really admires that silver-haired girl. I admire her firm belief in the wonders of magic, and her willingness to devote the entirety of herself to researching it¡ª Because I don¡¯t have a passion for anything. ¡°As I thought, I shouldn¡¯t be here huh¡­¡± To be honest, Glen no longer had the confidence to say those kinds of things to her again. Since he had a deep hatred for magic, he really didn¡¯t care about what he said, but in the end, it wasn¡¯t a good thing to vocalize this hatred in the presence of those that think otherwise. He could at least understand that much. ¡°I feel bad for Serika, but¡­¡± Glen took out an envelope from his pocket. Inside was his resignation letter. It was a letter that Glen had written in secret, knowing that he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to last a month. At this moment, Glen had decided that he would somehow force Serika to support him for the rest of his life. ¡°Alright, when I get home I need to start practicing my dogeza. When Serika gets home, I¡¯ll do everything I can to beg for her forgive me¡­ forgive me for being unemployed for the rest of my life that is!¡± As Glen separated his back from the fence ¨C now possessed by the worst kind of motivation¡ª ¡°Hm?¡± On either side of the main building were the east and west academic halls. So Glen ¨C who was on the roof of the east academic hall ¨C had a clear view t of the western hall. He noticed a silhouette moving in one of the rooms through the window. ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± That room is the magic experimentation lab if I remember correctly, but there shouldn¡¯t be any students there at this time. ¡°¡± Glen closed his eyes and chanted the three-stage incantation for farsight magic¡ªthe Black Magic [Accurate ¡¤ Scope]. In the next moment, the interior of the lab was projected on Glen¡¯s closed right eyelid. It was as if he himself was inside the lab. Inside was a lone girl. ¡°That gold-haired girl is¡­¡± I remember now. It was the girl that was always stayed around that silver-haired girl like a little pup. If I remember right, that silver-haired girl called her Lumia. ¡°What is she doing there at this time of the day?¡± Lumia was looking at the textbook. Using it as a reference, she used mercury to draw a circle on the floor, and a pentagram inside it. Then, she wrote runic words both inside and outside of the pentagram, and placed a magic crystal catalyst at the spiritual point of the formation. It looked like Lumia was practicing how to draw magical circles. ¡°Hm? A revolving pentagram¡­ that is¡­ kinda nostalgic. I guess that¡¯s a magic circulation formation?¡± The magic circle wasn¡¯t anything special. It was a simple formation that allowed one to see the flow of magic as it traveled through the formation. Though it was useful for understanding the concept, it was used solely for educational purposes. Formulating this magic circle without the use of reference material was proof that one had grasped the basics of magic circle creation. ¡°However, that¡¯s no good¡­ the seventh spirit point is open you know? Ah¡­ the mercury spilled out¡­ wha, that¡¯s not the place where you put the catalyst¡­ Oh, it seems like she finally noticed.¡± It was as though he was looking at his past failures. ¡°Now that I think about it, when I was a kid, Serika and I used to play around with this a lot. Thinking back, this was the first magic-like thing that he had performed. Although this was just a simple magic formation that had no effects in particular, for some reason, it made him feel excited when he had performed it as a kid. Without noticing Glen¡¯s peeping, Lumia continued to persist through trial and error, and finally, her magic circle was complete. Then, she chanted the activation spell, but the circle didn¡¯t activate. Lumia tilted her head in puzzlement. ¡°Id-iot. That¡¯s not enough for it to activate.¡± Lumia compared the reference in the textbook to the formation countless times, and after a few adjustments, she chanted the spell again. Once again, the circle failed to activate, and she dropped her shoulders in defeat. ¡°¡­What a fool.¡± Glen couldn¡¯t bear to look any longer, and released his magic. He sighed and left the rooftop. ¡°Well, keep working hard, young one.¡± Bang! Lumia jumped in surprise as the door to the magic experimentation lab was flung open. ¡°G-, G-Glen-sensei!?¡± On the other side of the door was Glen, who showed a neutral expression. ¡°This place is just as messy as before eh?¡± He looked around the room as he murmured to himself. It was a fairly spacious room. On the racks were skeletons, vials of lizard parts, magic crystals, and variety of other magical reagents. On the table was a parchment with a magic circle inscribed on it, a laboratory flask, and a piece glassware that twisted around like a coffee siphon. Further into the lab was a set of magic furnaces and an alchemical cauldron. Smelling the strange scent of the room, Glen felt a bit nostalgic. ¡°W-, Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line. Using the magic experimentation lab without authorization is a violation of basic principle you know?¡± Glen felt that what he said was rather shameless. To turn in his resignation letter to the headmaster, he had to pass by this room; And as he passed by, he ¨C for one reason or another ¨C decided to take a peek through the gap of the door. As expected, Lumia had yet to find success and was in a state of distress. By then, without realizing it, he had flung open the door. ¡°I-, I¡¯m very sorry about this! Actually, I¡¯m not very good at magic formations, and haven¡¯t been able to follow the recent lectures¡­ Sistina usually teaches me how to do this, but she disappeared today¡­ Since I wanted to review the topic¡­ uhm¡­¡± ¡°So you snuck in here? But this room has a magic lock, so how did you get in here?¡± ¡°Eh, hehe¡­ I kind of snuck into the office and¡­¡± Lumia playfully stuck out the tip of her tongue, and took out the key. ¡°¡­You¡¯re unexpectedly naughty aren¡¯t you?¡± Glen shrugged his shoulders in a somewhat surprised manner. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll clean up right now! You can scold me all you want afterwards alright!?¡± As she frantically turned around to clean up, Glen grabbed her arm. ¡°Sensei?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just see this through to the end, I mean, you¡¯ve gotten this far already haven¡¯t you? It would be a shame to erase it now, right?¡± ¡°B-, But¡­ It didn¡¯t really work¡­and I was about to give up anyway¡­¡± A depressed sigh escaped Lumia¡¯s lips.¡± ¡°I wonder why it didn¡¯t work? ¡­It worked last time so¡­ And I didn¡¯t get the steps wrong either¡­¡± ¡°Idiot. You just didn¡¯t add enough mercury.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Glen picked up a jar of mercury and walked up to the formation. He raised the jar in the air, as if he was pouring wine, and squinted his eyes to inspect the formation. Then, he tilted the jar slightly, and without faltering, he poured the mercury. It trickled onto the formation in a fine line. Suddenly, Glen¡¯s hand began to move quickly. With mechanical precision, the line of mercury flowed cleanly onto the lines of the formation. There was not a single trace of doubt or hesitation in his movements. ¡°¡­Amazing.¡± Lumia¡¯s eyes widened, and she held her breath as she looked at Glen¡¯s movements. ¡°Those who get a teensy bit used to this begin to save too much on the ingredients, and as a result, the flow of magic through the formation is occasionally short-circuited.¡± Glen put the jar down, and re-wore his left glove. Then, he placed his index finger on the mercury formation, and with deft movements, he shifted the mercury around in order to repair the essential parts of it. ¡°Despite how much attention you guys pay to things you can¡¯t see, you guys fail to notice the things that are right in front of you. This is proof that you guys think too highly of magic¡­ There we go.¡± Glen stood up, and threw aside his left glove. ¡°Try activating this again. Say the full five verses written in the textbook. Don¡¯t try to cut out anything alright?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Lumia walked up to the formation again. After a deep breath, she began her chant. Her refreshing voice made it seem like she was singing instead. ¡°¡± In that instant, the formation became white hot, and the room was enveloped by a white light. ¡°¡ª!¡± Finally, when the light faded, the magic circle was activated with a high pitched ring. The unrestrained flow of magic through the circle emitted seven colors of light. The seven lights that shone on the mercury created an illusory spectacle. It was a mysterious visage¡ª Above all, it was an innocent and beautiful sight. ¡°Uwah¡­ how pretty¡­¡± Lumia stared at the spectacle, seemingly moved by it. ¡°My my¡­ are you really moved by something like this?¡± Glen coolly glanced at the formation. ¡°After all¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anyone¡¯s magic circle glow so brilliantly¡­ It was minutely detailed yet so strong¡­ You¡¯re amazing sensei¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be dumb, I mean, anyone can do something like this. In any case, most of the work was done by you, so it was probably due to the quality of the ingredients and catalysts that you prepared. Surely¡­¡± ¡°¡­Sensei?¡± Lumia noticed Glen leaving the room. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Ah¡­P-, Please wait a moment!¡± Lumia frantically pulled on Glen¡¯s sleeve. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± It seemed that Lumia pulled on Glen¡¯s sleeve without thinking, and her eyes appeared to turn monochromatic as she lost herself in thought. ¡°Uuhm¡­Right, sensei, are you going home now?¡± ¡°Hm? ¡­I guess so.¡± I was actually gonna go to the headmaster¡¯s office to turn in his resignation letter, but I don¡¯t really feel like going today. Well, I could always just do it tomorrow. ¡°Then, could I accompany you for a bit?¡± ¡°¡­Wha?¡± Towards Lumia¡¯s unexpected proposal, Glen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uhm¡­ I wanted to talk with sensei.¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯t want to.¡± Glen mercilessly shot her down. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Lumia, depressed, lowered her head and shoulders. Somehow, the way she looked gave off the impression of a dog being forsaken by its owner. ¡°I said that I don¡¯t want you to accompany me, but¡­¡± Glen felt a bit sorry. He felt like had seen an abandoned and pitiful dog, and now he couldn¡¯t take his mind off it after leaving it behind. And so he muttered¡ª ¡°if you want to follow me then do as you please.¡± ¡°Ah, ¡­Thank you very much, sensei! Well, it¡¯s slightly regretful, but please wait for a moment while I clean everything up, ok!?¡± Lumia smiled happily, and hurriedly move to clean the room. Seeing Lumia¡¯s innocent behavior, Glen shrugged his shoulders. My my¡­ ¡°Uwah! Sensei, look at that!¡± As the two walked on the main street of Fejiti after leaving the academy, they could clearly see the phantasmal castle in the sky. The seemingly endless downhill street allowed a broad view of the sky and the town, and from here, one could see the entirety of the sky castle. Dyed by the pink sky of the sunset, the dignified castle shined like a golden flame. If anything, the sunset served to magnify its majesty. ¡°My friend really likes that castle. While I don¡¯t have any interest in unlocking that castle¡¯s secrets¡­ after seeing how grandeur and pretty it looks¡­ How should I say this? I would also like to go to that castle someday.¡± ¡°¡­I see?¡± Unlike Lumia, whose face was hot with excitement, Glen¡¯s replies were cold and uncaring. ¡°It¡¯s because of that castle that there are idiots that misunderstand the essence of magic. Geez, I can¡¯t help but feel depressed thinking about it.¡± ¡°Sensei?¡± Despite what Glen muttered, he was not criticizing anyone in particular, rather, those words seemed to be directed towards himself. ¡°Come on, stop looking around and let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, alright¡­¡± Glen stepped forward. Lumia hurriedly moved to follow him. In this manner, two of them walked together along the street. While it could be said that they were walking ¡®together¡¯, the reality of the situation was that Glen was walking ahead without a hint of courtesy, and Lumia was desperately trying to match his pace. Although the street wasn¡¯t quite as packed as it was in the afternoon, there were still a fair bit of people walking on the streets. Glen acted as if he was alone, and set his mind on avoiding the crowd of people. ¡°Sensei¡­ you actually like magic don¡¯t you?¡± Lumia, who was walking alongside Glen, suddenly posed such a question. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°No, Uhm¡­ That¡¯s because when sensei was helping me with the magic circle¡­ you looked like you were really enjoying it.¡± Glen was at a loss for words. I looked like I was enjoying it? Did I really show a happy expression? Just because I performed some magic? ¡°Hah¡­ no way.¡± Glen chose to avoid the question by laughing. ¡°You should know this by now, but I really hate magic. I wouldn¡¯t enjoy something like that.¡± ¡°Hehe, is that so?¡± However, Lumia gently smiled with a knowing expression. Glen felt like he had been seen through. To him, this was a quite the unsavory development. ¡°But¡­ Even if Sensei really hates magic, what you said today was too much you know? Sisti¡­ You made someone like Sistina cry.¡± So the name of that silver-haired girl seems to be Sistina. ¡°Apologize to her tomorrow alright? For Sistina, magic is an important bond between her and her grandfather. More than anything, Sistina really loves and respects her grandfather, who was a famous magician¡­ ¡®To someday become a great magician that won¡¯t lose to my grandfather¡¯¡­ That was the promise she made with her grandfather before he passed away.¡± ¡°¡­I see. So I guess I did something terrible huh.¡± Even if it was indirect, if I call someone whom they respect worthless, then anyone would be angry. ¡°That aside, what¡¯s this? Did you invite me to walk with you so you could lecture me?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­ that¡¯s part of it, but it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± As if rearranging her thought, Lumia stayed silent for a while after that. ¡°Uhm¡­ could I asked you something?¡± ¡°It depends on what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Before you became an instructor at the academy, what were you doing?¡± As if he had prepared his response in advance, Glen took a deep breath, proudly stuck out his chest, and announced. ¡°I was a NEET parasite.¡± ¡°Eh? A NEET? A parasite?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a girl with a lot of authority in the academy named Serika right? She took care of me like a mother would when I was small, and borrowing that connection, I had her raise me all the way till now. Heh, amazing right?¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­. Why are you so proud about it¡­?¡± Lumia had no choice but to show a wry smile. ¡°But that¡¯s a lie right?¡± As to why she could refute him with such confidence, Glen felt a bit troubled. ¡°I¡¯m not lying alright? Do I look like the kind of person who could work seriously? Serika provided for me for the past year you know?¡± ¡°One year¡­ Then what did you do before that?¡± ¡°¡­Ah¡ª, sorry, I just wanted a sound a bit cooler. To be honest, Serika provided for me ever since I graduated from the academy. My personality isn¡¯t really suited for working you see, so ever since then, I¡¯ve been searching for my true self or something like that¡­¡± As if unwilling to accept such an answer, Lumia continued to stare at Glen. ¡°Ah¡ª, that¡¯s the end of unburying my dark history. The end! It¡¯s my turn to ask you alright!?¡± Although he wasn¡¯t interested in Lumia, there was no other choice. He desperately wished to move away from the topic of his past. ¡°You guys, why do you pursue magic so desperately? Whether it¡¯s that Sistina person or you, aren¡¯t you guys a bit too serious about magic?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± ¡°I said in class today that ¡®magic is really just a meritless technique¡¯ right? Even if we didn¡¯t have it, there won¡¯t be any real inconveniences, I mean, the more we use it, the worse things get. Why do you guys go so far out on your own volition?¡± Although Glen had only asked the question to change the topic, the girl named Lumia ¨C in a manner beyond his expectations ¨C was pondering the question seriously. After thinking about it for a brief moment, she said: ¡°I don¡¯t understand the motivation that pushes others to study and research magic¡­ but I have my own reasons to study magic.¡± ¡°Hmm, Is it ¡®that¡¯? That thing about finding the truth of the world, or the origin of human evolution?¡± ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s not the case. After all, I won¡¯t be able to work towards that kind of noble cause.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± For the first time, Glen had interest in this girl named Lumia. ¡°Well then, what motivates you to learn magic?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I want to use magic to help the people in the truest sense of word. For that purpose I want to deepen my understanding of magic.¡± Glen felt that her words were an indirect criticism of his feelings of rejection towards magic. ¡°My my, are you trying to say that ¡®the way to use power lies in the hands of the beholder¡¯? Something like ¡®the sword does not kill people, people kill people¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ my belief is just a bit different from that.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Just like how you said today, sensei, magic that could bring harm to the people is better off not existing. If magic didn¡¯t exist, then there wouldn¡¯t be people hurt by magic. However, magic is definitely something that exists.¡± ¡°¡­ I guess.¡± ¡°Under the pretense that it already exists, then it is unrealistic to hope for it to not exist. If that¡¯s the case, then we have no choice but to think of ways in which we can prevent magic from hurting people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But if we don¡¯t understand magic, then we will never manage to find such a way. If we don¡¯t understand magic, then it will forever be labeled as an unknown devil¡¯s sorcery, a criminal practice, or a tool to kill people.¡± ¡°Basically¡­ what you¡¯re saying is that, rather than turn our eyes away from magic, we should wisely find the correct way to control it, right? That we should mobilize all the magicians for such a purpose, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Though, what I don¡¯t know is how a mediocre magician like me can achieve such a thing¡­¡± ¡°You, so you want to be something like¡­ an official in the ministry of magic, or a magic sheriff?¡± ¡°Eheh, I suppose so. To walk along the path I wish¡­ That is my goal.¡± Glen sighed, and tried to remonstrate this na?ve girl. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna say this, but it could all end in vain you know? No, if you work hard you could probably become and official, but your goal is too high of a hurdle. The darkness within magic isn¡¯t something that one person could change.¡± ¡°I understand, but even so¡­¡± ¡°Why? Why do you choose to go down this unrewarding path?¡± When Glen asked, Lumia showed a gentle smile towards him for some reason. Then, she looked into the distance with a nostalgic expression. ¡°I¡­ have someone I want to repay someday.¡± ¡°Repay? What about that?¡± ¡°This was around three years ago. Back then, I was banished from my family due to some circumstances, so I moved into Sisti¡¯s home. Something happened shortly after that, and my life was threatened by a group of evil magicians¡­¡± ¡°Despite how you look, you¡¯ve lived a hard life huh? Anyway, did you say that you were banished by your family¡­? You, could it be that you¡¯re the daughter of some powerful noble!?¡± ¡°Ah, no that¡¯s not it! I don¡¯t come from that kind of exaggerated family! Honestly! We were just poor! Poor!¡± Lumia frantically thrust her arms forward to deny. However, while it was normal for poor families to abandon their children during hard times, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be called ¡°banished¡±. ¡°Wait a sec¡­ Now that I look closely, you¡­¡± Glen appeared to have suddenly remembered something, and began to stare intently at Lumia¡¯s face. The way he squinted his eyes made it seem like he was trying to look at something far away. ¡°¡­Sensei? Is something the matter?¡± Then Lumia, with an expectant expression, returned Glen¡¯s gaze. However¡ª ¡°Ah no, it¡¯s nothing¡­ then? What happened after that?¡± As if he wanted to say ¡®how could that be possible¡¯, Glen shook his head. A trace of disappointment could be felt in Lumia¡¯s sigh. Then, she continued her story. ¡°Back then, I felt insecure after being banished from my previous family¡­ Thinking ¡®why does this always happen to me?¡¯ I cried and cried, and then I gave up¡­ but then, a magician appeared from nowhere and saved me in the nick of time.¡± ¡°The heck is that? That guy was totally looking for that timing, and was totally just trying to look cool.¡± ¡°Back then, I was really afraid of the person who killed the evil magicians one by one in order to protect me. That person himself also said that it was his job to kill those magicians, yet every time that person killed someone, they showed a pained expression¡­ Even so, that person fought to the end for the sake of protecting me. Even though that person did all that, I was so scared that I wasn¡¯t able to thank them¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡ªh.¡± ¡°Though I only met that person for a short time¡­ I really thought that they were truly kind at heart. That¡¯s why ¨C even though they were hurt by what they did ¨C they could continue to fight for the sake of someone else. As long as evil magicians don¡¯t exist¡­ that person won¡¯t have to show such a sad expression ever again¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡ªh.¡± ¡°That person saved my life. This time, I want to be the one to help him. I want to be to be in a position to guide those who are led astray from the path of magic back onto the right path, and in order to do that, I need to deepen my understanding of magic. If I can walk along this path¡­ then someday, I will give my thanks to that person¡­ That person, who showed me the light as I was alone in the darkness.¡± Hearing what Lumia said, Glen¡¯s shoulders began to tremble. Then finally, he burst into laughter. ¡°Ku-, ku-, ku-¡­ Isn¡¯t this too much? This kind of shocking development that surpasses those of popular fiction won¡¯t sell you know? I mean, isn¡¯t this a bit too clich¨¦?¡± ¡°Perhaps, hehe. But isn¡¯t there also saying where ¡®reality is stranger than fiction¡¯?¡± Even though her firm beliefs were just laughed at, Lumia showed a gentle smile. ¡°Hah, that kind of saying doesn¡¯t exist.¡± After that, the two of them didn¡¯t talk about anything in particular. As usual, Glen walked at his own pace, and Lumia ¨C who was in a good mood for some reason ¨C chased after him like a little pup. Repeating this cycle, the two finally arrived at the crossroads where the two had first met. ¡°Ah sensei. I¡¯m going this way, since I¡¯m living at Sisti¡¯s house right now.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well then, be careful on your way home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine alright? It¡¯s really close to here after all.¡± ¡°I see, but you never know when something¡¯s gonna happen, so just be careful alright?¡± ¡°Hehe sensei, despite the way you act, you¡¯re a worrywart aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Idiot, that just means you¡¯re someone I have to worry about.¡± ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯ll be careful. Well then sensei, see you tomorrow!¡± ¡°¡­Mm.¡± Glen ¨C for no reason in particular ¨C gazed at Lumia¡¯s back as she ran off into the distance. She turned around several times on the way, and happily waved her hand at him. ¡°¡­Is she a dog?¡± He said so without any real intent, but it seemed to have led him to a rather interesting revelation. If Lumia was a dog, then the girl called Sistina would be a cat. Ahh, I see, I get it now, that kind of haughty and dishonest attitude is totally like a cat¡­ And so, Glen ruminated over these pointless thoughts. ¡°But huh¡­ despite how she looks, she really thought it through¡­ that girl¡­¡± For a while now, Glen had been thinking about what Lumia said. ¡°¡­¡®No choice but to think¡¯¡­huh¡­¡± Glen took the envelope out of his pocket, and raised it into the air, as if he was trying to see through it. ¡°Now then¡­ what am I gonna do¡­?¡± Volume 1 - CH 3 Chapter 3: Just a Little Bit of Motivation The next day, before the lecture bell rung¡ª Ignoring Lumia who enthusiastically reviewed the class materials, Sistina blankly stared out the window towards the ¡®Sky Castle Melgarius¡¯ that floated above Fejiti. Despite it being the iconic symbol of the town of Fejiti, no one understood why it was there, or when it had come to existence. During the brief amount of free time before class, she would always look at the floating castle in wonder. For Sistina, looking at the mysterious visage in the sky had already become a habit. ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­ [Look, my cute Sistina. That is the ¡®Sky Castle Melgarius¡¯ you see?] Was it because that lousy instructor had insulted her esteemed grandfather? Sistina¡¯s mind was filled with these nostalgic memories. [How is it? Isn¡¯t it beautiful? That castle has been floating in the sky since a time beyond which we can comprehend. Yes, several hundred years¡­ several thousand years¡­ perhaps since forever and ever¡­] Sistina remembered clearly. Whenever she mentioned the sky castle, her grandfather¡¯s eyes would light up in excitement. [Hahaha, though everyone calls me a great an accomplished magician¡­ the reality is not quite so. The reason I began to research magic¡­ Yes, it was all for the sake of entering that castle, even if it was only a single step. At one point, I want to see all of its magnificent glory. At another, I want to unlock the unknown mysteries that have been left untouched for thousands of years. That is my only reason for pursuing the path of magic.] Even though his appearance had eroded through the years. , his current expression made him seem like a young, dreaming boy¡ª [Some say that the castle is the remnant of a forgone advanced magic civilization. Others say that the castle is the throne of the gods that created this earth. According to certain legends, inside that castle lies the key to understanding everything in this world. If that was true, then who created that castle? And for what reason does it exist in the distance¡­ The greatest mystery of the world floats above my very head. Even if I think about it, I can feel the romance of it all flowing through me¡­ As a magician, how could I not challenge this mystery?] Sistina loved to hear her grandfather talk about his observations, theories, and research. However¡­ during his later years, his legs and hip became weak, and his body refused to move the way he wanted to. When Sistina heard him speak during those times, she couldn¡¯t help but get the feeling that he was truly miserable. ¡°I want to set foot on it¡±. ¡°I want to see it once¡±; all these dreams came to be spoken in past tense. The substance-less castle, which you could do nothing but look up to. Even the hope of borrowing the power of magic to one day fly to that distant castle, disappeared as if awaking from a dream. Since it was always in sight, what he awoke to was nothing but a cruel reality. Her grandfather in his later years had realized this¡ª There was no way that he would be able to step foot in that castle. ¡ªHas grandfather given up? Sistina couldn¡¯t resist the urge to ask her grandfather that. Thinking back, it was a very cruel question. [¡­It is regretful. There are many things that we are unable to do in one lifetime you know? ¡­My father, my grandfather, my great grandfather, they all¡­ were unable to find a way to that castle¡­ah-] However, her grandfather had gently rubbed her head. [It was truly¡­a shame¡­] He said. With a nostalgic gaze, he looked at the floating castle in the sky as if looking at the sun. The clear blue sky. The radiant and blinding sun. All of them gathered together to make the half-transparent castle clearly visible. In that moment, the magnificent castle ¨C and the visage of her grandfather looking upon it ¨C captured Sistina¡¯s very soul. Her grandfather¡¯s back felt so distant and his gaze looked so painful¡ª. At the same time, the phantasmal castle in the sky looked so radiant and beautiful¡ª. That was why, on that day, in that moment, her grandfather¡¯s dream became her dream. ¡ªIf that¡¯s the case, I will be the one to do it¡ª ¡ªI will become a great magician that can stand above my grandfather¡ª ¡ªIn place of my grandfather, I will unlock the mysteries of the ¡®Sky Castle Melgarius¡¯¡ª ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡°Oi, white cat.¡± Suddenly, an indifferent voice descended from above her head. Sistina jumped upright in her seat in surprise, and her consciousness returned back to the present world. However, she understood without needing to turn her head to look. The man standing beside her was that detestable temporary instructor. ¡°Oi, can you hear me white cat? Give me a response.¡± ¡°W-, White cat? By white cat do you mean me¡­? W-, What is that supposed to mean!?¡± Sistina slammed the desk and stood up from her seat. She glared at Glen and said: ¡°Don¡¯t treat people like animals! I have the name Sistina¡ª¡± ¡°Shush, just listen to what I have to say. I have something to say to you about what happened yesterday.¡± ¡°W-, What about it!? You¡¯re gonna continue!?¡± Sistina straightened her body. Her hostility could be felt in her gaze. ¡°Do you want to argue with me that badly!? Do you want to call magic something useless again!? If that¡¯s the case, I¡ª¡± In terms of speaking and reasoning ability, he has the upper hand. If we entered a debate I wouldn¡¯t be able to win, but even so, I can¡¯t back down. I¡¯m carrying my grandfather¡¯s dreams after all. As Sistina resolved to resist whatever Glen intended to say, regardless of the evident result¡ª ¡°¡­About what happened yesterday, sorry about that.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Then, hearing something completely unexpected, Sistina froze in place. ¡°Well, uh, how should I say this¡­ I guess people have things that are important to them¡­ right? I really hate magic, but¡­ uhm, about what I said to you, it wasn¡¯t really logical of me to do that. I mean, what I said was a bit too much, and like, it was kinda childish of me. Well, erm, in the end, I guess it would be that¡­ Sorry about everything.¡± Glen showed an unwilling expression, and turned his eyes away. Saying those apologetic words, he bowed his head slightly. Could he be trying to apologize? ¡°¡­huh?¡± Ignoring Sistina, who was still in a daze, Glen walked back to the instructor¡¯s podium as though he had just completed some troublesome task. Anyway, what is he trying to do now? It¡¯s not even time for class, and he arrived to the classroom on time¡­ Something is weird about this. ¡°What just¡­? Did something happen¡­?¡± ¡°Wha, huh? What¡¯s come over him?¡± ¡°How should I know¡­¡± The students in class who witnessed the scene couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. After all, Glen of all people had showed up to class on time. Just what are you planning? Sistina¡¯s hostility towards Glen was obvious to everyone in the classroom. However, the person in question merely leaned towards the blackboard, closed his eyes, and massaged his shoulders. He completely ignored the doubtful gazes that were being cast upon him. The bell rung after a short while. In a manner that made people suspect that he would sleep whilst standing, Glen walked up to the instructor¡¯s podium. However, what he said next was unbelievable. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the class.¡± The classroom erupted into a state of commotion. The students of the class all exchanged glances with one another. ¡°Now then¡­ this is the textbook for spell chant studies¡­ right?¡± Glen opened the textbook and flipped through the pages. The sufferable expression on his face increased proportionally to the number of pages flipped. Finally, Glen closed the book, and sighed loudly. In front of the confused class, Glen drifted to the classroom¡¯s window, opened it, and¡­ ¡°So-i!¡± Threw the textbook out the window. ¡®Ah, as I thought, it¡¯s the usual Glen.¡¯ Having become used to Glen¡¯s mysterious antics, the students of the class sighed in disappointment, and resigned themselves to their textbook of choice. It would appear that this class was going to be self-study again. However¡ª ¡°Now then, before we start, let me say one thing to you guys.¡± Glen returned to the podium, and took a deep breath¡ª ¡°You guys are really are idiots, aren¡¯t you?¡± And promptly spat out such condescending words. ¡°After witnessing your attitudes during class for the past eleven days, I finally understood. You guys don¡¯t know ja-ck about magic. If you really understood magic, you wouldn¡¯t have asked me to ¡®teach me the modern translation of this¡¯ and other stupid questions like that. Nor would you have copied the magic formulas word-for-word from the book.¡± The students, who were about to copy from the textbook ¨C quill pens in hand ¨C froze in place. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be told that by a third rate magician who can¡¯t even do the one-stage chant for a low-level spell like [Shock ¡¤ Bolt].¡± It was unknown who spouted such a thing, but the classroom went silent. Then, the students in the classroom began to chuckle and laugh. ¡°Well, to be honest, I don¡¯t want to admit it, but it¡¯s true.¡± In a disgruntled manner, Glen turned his head away, and picked at his ear with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s regrettable, but despite being a male, my ability to control magic and my sense for simplifying magic is lacking. I suffered a lot as a student because of this you know? But huh¡­ I don¡¯t know who said that, but whoever called [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] ¡®low-level¡¯, listen closely. It¡¯s a shame that you are actually an idiot. I mean, you¡¯ve just proved it yourself didn¡¯t you?¡± Hearing what Glen said, the class seemed to be enveloped by an irritated atmosphere. ¡°Well, whatever. Since you said that, why don¡¯t we talk about the chant for [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]? It¡¯s a good start for someone of your level after all.¡± In reaction to Glen¡¯s contemptful words, the class entered a boisterous state. ¡°At this point, even if I try to explain an elementary chant like [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]¡­¡± ¡°My my, we¡¯ve learned everything there is to know about [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] you know?¡± ¡°Here here, this is the chant for the black magic [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]~, please take a look. This writing here kind of reminds you of the embarrassing poems you wrote during puberty right? Along with that, these digits and symbols here are all written tightly in runic language. They all come together to become what you call a magical formula!¡± Glen ignored the provocations and complaints, hoisted the book, and began to talk. ¡°Since you guys can do the one stage chant, I¡¯m gonna assume you all have the basics like magic control, annunciation technique, breathing control, mana biorhythm adjustment, mental control, and memory technique completely down alright? And by that, I¡¯m also gonna assume you have the magic power and mental capacity of a standard magician. Alright, so based on those skills, you are able to perfectly recite the formula for the magic. Then, once you chant the preset phrases for it ¨C Ah! How mysterious, the magic activated just like that didn¡¯t it? This should be what you call ¡®that¡¯, you know ¡®learning the spell¡¯ or something like that.¡± Then, Glen pointed his left finger towards the wall, and chanted the spell. ¡°¡± A bolt of lightning emitted from his finger, and struck the wall. The students looked at Glen disdainfully, as he once again performed a three-stage chant. Ignoring them, Glen wrote the incantation that he used on the blackboard in runic language. ¡°Now then, this is the basic incantation for [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. People with decent control and sense can shorten this long phrase to ¡­ Well, you know this already. Then, here is the problem.¡± As he wrote on the blackboard, Glen cut up stages of the incantation. ¡°Now then, if you use this chant, what will happen? Try to tell me.¡± The class entered a solemn silence. More so than ¡®not knowing¡¯, the class became anxiously silent because they didn¡¯t know why Glen would pose such a question. ¡°As for the conditions of chanting¡­ right. A speed of twenty-four, a sound-level of three and a half, a tension of fifty, and with the mana biorhythm at a starting state¡­ I¡¯ll give you guys a break, and give you these basic conditions. Now, anyone want to answer?¡± The class continued to stay silent. Not a single person could answer his problem. Even the honor student Sistina remained silent. A drop of sweat trickled down her forehead, and she showed a vexed expression. ¡°Terrible. Is this what you call a wipe?¡± ¡°Even if you say that, an incantation that is divided like that doesn¡¯t exist!¡± The twin-tailed girl named Wendy slammed the desk and stood up from her seat. ¡°Gya¡ªHAHAHAHha¡ª!? Stop right there, are you kidding me!? HAHAHAHAHhaahha¡ª!¡± She was met with crude and mocking laughter. ¡°The spell won¡¯t successfully activate using that chant. It will certainly fail in some way.¡± The male student, who had the best grades after Sistina ¨C Gabel ¨C stood up. He pushed his glasses upward, and confronted Glen. ¡°Did you just say, ¡®It will certainly fail in some way¡¯!? PUhGy AHAHAHAHA-!¡± ¡°Wh¡ª¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s obvious that it will fail if you take the completed form of a chant and mess with it! What I¡¯m asking is, in what form does that failure appear?¡± Gabel looked down in shock. ¡°There is no way to tell what would happen! The result is completely random!¡± Wendy, unwilling to back down, shouted. ¡°Ra¡ªn¡ªdo¡ªm!? Y-, You guys, I gave you such a simple formula to work with, and I even go through the trouble of giving you specific conditions, and you tell me it¡¯s random!? Didn¡¯t you guys say that you¡¯ve completely researched this spell? Do you guys want me die lauHAHAHAHAHAH-! Stop, I can¡¯t take anymore! Save me mama!¡± Glen continued to laugh mockingly. At this moment, the irritation in the classroom reached its peak. ¡°Well that¡¯s enough. The correct answer is that it curves to the right.¡± After falling to his hands and knees due to laughter, Glen said this and stood up. Then, he chanted the four stage incantation. As he had declared earlier, the originally straight bolt, curved to right in a massive arc, and struck the wall. ¡°After that is¡­¡± He added a stage to the incantation written on the blackboard. ¡°If you use this, the range of the spell should be about one-third of what it was.¡± And it turned out to be just as he said. ¡°And then, if you do this¡­¡± He returned the incantation to the original amount of stages, and erased a part of it. ¡°The power will decrease significantly.¡± Saying this, Glen struck one of the students with the spell. However, the student didn¡¯t seem to feel anything. Rather, it cause the student¡¯s eyes to widen in surprise. ¡°Well, if you¡¯ve ¡®completely researched¡¯ this, you should know at least this much.¡± Glen showed a triumphant expression as he twirled the chalk around his finger. Though the students couldn¡¯t stand Glen¡¯s attitude, none of them said anything. After all, it was clear that this ¡®third rate magician¡¯ named Glen had a better understanding of formulas and incantations than they themselves did. ¡°Anyway, do you guys understand why this mysterious phenomenon occurs when you memorize the formulas in the book and say a couple of strange phrases? No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t that a bit weird?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s because the magical formulas interfere with the rules of the world and ¡± Towards Gabel¡¯s makeshift answer, Glen immediately rebutted. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s normally said right? I get it. Well then, what are ¡®magical formulas¡¯? These ¡®formulas¡¯ are some sequence of words or number or symbols that are made and understood by humans you know? Let¡¯s assume that magic does in fact interfere with the rules of the world. So then, why are magic formulas able to interfere with the world? Furthermore, why do we need to memorize it in order to use it? Finally, why does an incantation that doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with the formula activate the magic? Haven¡¯t you thought that this is a bit strange? Well, you probably haven¡¯t anyway. After all, to you guys, the world is ¡®something that¡¯s already obvious¡¯.¡± What Glen pointed out, was something that all the students ¨C including Sistina ¨C had turned a blind eye on for the sake of their own convenience. After all, as long as one continued to desperately memorize formulas and incantations, one¡¯s breadth of magic would limitlessly increase. All the questions that arose when studying were only limited to those regarding practicality. Overall, the basic principles of magic were secondary to its practical use. Thus, learning new spells made them feel happy and fueled their pride. For that reason, ¡®learning magic¡¯ had become a competition of who could learn the most amount of spells. Since the number of spells learned was proof of one¡¯s prestige, none of them had ever stopped to consider something like ¡®why it worked¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s why, for today, I will be using the incantation for [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] to teach you the easy-peasy basics of magic formulation and incantation. Well, feel free to go to sleep if you¡¯re not interested.¡± However, none of the students in the classroom felt even a trace of drowsiness. And so, Glen began to review one of two great principles of magic ¡®The law of equivalent interaction¡¯. It was a classical magic theory that described the equivalent interactions between the large universe ¨C the earth; and the small universe ¨C the people. In essence, it was a theory that said that ¡®an effect on the earth will be accompanied by an effect on the people¡¯. ¡°Astrology is a direct representation of equivalent interaction. By observing the movements of the stars, we can determine the destiny of people. Basically, it is a technique that allows us to read what their effect on the earth has on a person. Magic is the complete opposite of that.¡± So then, what are magical formulas? Magic formulas don¡¯t affect the world, they affect the people. By changing the human consciousness at a deeper level, they allow us to intervene with the conclusion of the respective laws of the world. That is the true form of magic. ¡°Simply put, magical formulas are a super-high level autosuggestion. That¡¯s why, about the cool sounding phrase that ¡®Magic is the way we search for the truth of the world¡¯ that you guys like to say so much ¡ª it¡¯s wrong. Magic is the study of the cogitation of man.¡± In essence, the runic language is the most efficient method ¨C with standard results ¨C that allows people to influence their deeper consciousness through autosuggestion. It is a language used specially for autosuggestion that has been developed through the long history of mankind. ¡°Hm? Does someone not believe that simple words can influence one¡¯s deeper consciousness? ¡­Man, you guys are troublesome bunch¡­ Oi, white cat over there.¡± ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not a white cat! I have the name Sistina¡ª¡± ¡°¡­I love you. To be honest, I fell for you at first sight.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­Wh¡­Wh, Whwhwhwh, you, what did you say¡ª!?¡± ¡°Alright, pay attention everyone. White cat¡¯s face turned red right? A mere phrase completely affected her entire consciousness didn¡¯t it? Comparatively, the external expressions are easy to control, yet they have been affected to this extent. Then, for our deeper consciousness that is unaffected by reason¡ª KUwAH!? Hey, you idiot! Don¡¯t throw your textbooks!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the idiot! You stupid stupid stupid idiot¡ª!¡± After a short fuss, Glen, whose face was red in bruises, continued his lecture about formulation and incantations. ¡°The most important part lies in the formulation and speed. It is the primary method through which you can change your deeper consciousness in the way you want.¡± Then, Glen explained that incantations were merely keywords for recalling the related magical formula. Through the keyword, the formula can change one¡¯s deeper consciousness. ¡°Well, basically, it¡¯s an association game. For example, if you hear ¡®White cat girl¡¯, then you will immediately think about her head full of white hair. The same applies to the incantation and the formula. By consolidating the relationship using a chant in runic¡ªOw!? Hey, I¡¯m begging you, stop throwing those textbooks already-!¡± Glen¡¯s face was filled with book inflicted marks. ¡°Basically, the laws of magic related to incantation and formulation¡­ They are the way through which we understand the syntax, and the way through which we create our formulas. Thus, they are the most important things to know as a magician. Yet, you guys completely ignored this part, and completely set yourselves on translating everything and doing whatever you call learning magic. Heck, even the textbook emphasizes that ¡®you don¡¯t need to care about the details, just memorize this¡¯.¡± This time, the students could not find a single word to rebut his statement. ¡°Basically it¡¯s this. Translating incantations and formulas in a manner that is easier to memorize is what you have called ¡®an easy to understand lecture¡¯, and desperately copying and memorizing this is what you call ¡®learning¡¯, right? Well I guess that¡¯s kinda stupid.¡± Glen shrugged his shoulders, and breathed out loudly through his nose. ¡°Now, back to the problem of magical syntax and formulation¡­ To be honest, to completely understand everything about it, your lifespans aren¡¯t quite enough¡­ Wait, don¡¯t get angry yet. This point is true. No, for real.¡± Glen, who had been in a commanding position until now, was suddenly at the receiving end of many condemning gazes. ¡°Like¡ªI¡ªsaid, I¡¯ll teach you the easy-peasy basics right? If you don¡¯t understand this, you wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the essentials for higher-level magical formulas. Well, if you guys can understand what I¡¯m about to explain¡­Hmm¡± For a short while, Glen pressed his temple in thought. ¡°¡± And then, he slowly chanted this strange incantation. However, the most surprising thing was that the spell [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] activated. The student¡¯s eyes were all wide in surprise. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s a bit weaker than I thought¡­ Well whatever, does anyone want to learn how to do something even with an improvised and changed incantation like this? Well, your precision will decrease so I wouldn¡¯t really recommend it.¡± The way the students saw Glen in their eyes changed immediately. ¡°Then after this I will explain basics of syntax and formulation. Well, anyone who¡¯s not interested can go to sleep. To be honest, this is a really pointless topic. However, as expected, none of the students in the room felt a single tinge of drowsiness. . At the same time, somewhere in Fejiti. ¡°Is the plan going well?¡± ¡°Mm, it¡¯s going well.¡± In pitch-black darkness, where not a single strand of light seeped through, a man with a gentle smile on his face replied through half of a gemstone that was pressed against his ear. ¡°And? What about that professor¡­ Huey Reysen? Where is he right now?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re talking about ¡®him¡¯? Of course he ¡®disappeared¡¯¡± ¡°Fu, hahaha, I see, so he ¡®disappeared¡¯ huh¡± ¡°¡­Yes. However, the problem is the person that succeeded ¡®him¡¯.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Glen Ryders? It was within my expectations for them to find a replacement professor, but I never thought they would do so this quickly. I heard it was that witch¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°Haha, I suppose things don¡¯t always go according to plan.¡± The man shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. ¡°However, if it¡¯s a magician that was brought in personally by that professor Alfornea¡­ Will everything be okay?¡± ¡°As for whether or not Glen will be an obstacle, I believe that he wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Ah. About this man Glen. I was wary of him at first since he was someone that was brought in by that witch but after a bit of investigation¡­ there was nothing to write home about. He¡¯s just a third-rank, third-rate magician. He is not a threat to me .¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let us¡­¡± ¡°Ah. Let us proceed with our current plan. As we had decided, we shall execute the plan on the day of the magic assembly that was mentioned earlier. On that day, the academy¡¯s main force of magicians, consisting of their lecturers and professors, will all be away. And then, on that day, only the students of ¡®that¡¯ class will be coming to the academy. It is truly a wonderful day to strike.¡± ¡°¡­And if for some reason the target is not at the academy on that day? ¡°Then abort the operation. For our organization, this plan and our worth only go to such an extent.¡± ¡°Haha, I suppose we pledged our allegiance to a difficult organization, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. That organization gave me everything I wanted¡± ¡°By that, you mean that you are on the same boat?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Fufu, then let us pray for the success of our plan. Let us find glory in the wisdom of the heavens¡ª¡± . Time passed by in the blink of an eye. Glen¡¯s lectures were not like those of supposed ¡®genius lecturers¡¯ ¡ª His strange character and unique speaking ability had enraptured the hearts of the students. Furthermore, he did not adhere himself to the student¡¯s expectations, nor did he purposely accommodate to the desires of any particular student. All that could be said, was that his lectures were genuine; He fully understood what he was teaching, and was able to simplify and explain it in a clear and concise fashion. ¡°¡­Well, That¡¯s about all there is to [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. Any questions?¡± Glen pressed the chalk against the blackboard, which was filled with neatly organized words, sectional markers, and figures. There was not a single person with a question. Whilst they felt pressured by Glen¡¯s presence, the real reason was that there was nothing left to ask about. ¡°If you guys understood what I was talking about today, then you should kinda understand how dangerous it is to cut three-stage chants to one stage. Sure, if you had good magic control and sense it isn¡¯t something that¡¯s hard to do, but you guys absolutely need to understand that, due to the chant, the likelihood of an accident occurring increases. Don¡¯t take this lightly, otherwise, you might die in some deadly accident someday.¡± Then, Glen looked at the students with a serious expression that they have never seen before. ¡°Finally, the most important thing¡­ As I explained, the efficiency of magic power of the three-stage chant will always win over that of the one-stage chant. So from the perspective of not using magic wastefully, the three-stage chant is clearly the best. That¡¯s why I strongly recommend that you guys use the three-stage chant for magic. I¡¯m not saying this cause I¡¯m frustrated that I can¡¯t use the one-stage chant ok? For real. Like I said, for real ok?¡± So he is frustrated about it¡­ In that moment, all the students understood this fact. ¡°Anyway, as of now, you guys are nothing but ¡®Magic-users¡¯ that can simply use magic. If you guys still want to be ¡®Magicians¡¯ someday, then go and take some time to think about what you¡¯re really lacking. Well, I don¡¯t really recommend doing that. It¡¯s kind of boring and a waste of your lifetime, and surely there¡¯s something more meaningful you can do with your life¡­ now then¡ª¡± Glen took his watch out of his pocket and checked the time. ¡°Woah, I went past the time huh¡­ My my, can I get my overtime pay if I apply for it? Well, whatever. That¡¯s it for today. C-ya.¡± Glen left the classroom grumbling to himself. The students absentmindedly saw him off. When the door closed with a bang ¨C as if it was some kind of signal ¨C they all began copying notes from the blackboard. It seemed as though they were possessed by something. ¡°What was that¡­ I¡¯ve been had.¡± Clutching her face in her hands, Sistina sighed deeply. ¡°To think that that guy could teach¡­¡± ¡°Mhm. I was a bit surprised as well.¡± Lumia¡¯s eyes were wide in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s frustrating¡­ and I don¡¯t want to admit it¡­ despite that guy being the worst person I could possibly imagine, he¡¯s an amazing magical instructor¡­ though he¡¯s the worst person I could possibly imagine.¡± ¡°Ah, Ahaha, there¡¯s no need to say it twice¡­¡± ¡°But¡­ why did that guy suddenly take his classes seriously? I mean, he was acting like that yesterday, so¡­ Hm?¡± Sistina who turned to face Lumia, noticed¡ª ¡°Lumia¡­ what are you so happy about? Your smile is spilling all over the place you know?¡± ¡°Fufu, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes it is. I¡¯ve never seen you this happy before. Did something happen?¡± ¡°Ehehe, nothing happened¡ª¡± ¡°Liar. Giving that expression, there¡¯s no way nothing happened.¡± ¡°Ehehehe¡­¡± No matter how many times she asked, her close friend would dodge the question with a smile on face. All Sistina could do was tilt her head in thought. The useless instructor Glen, awakens. The news shook the entire campus. As the rumor spread like wildfire, students of other classes began to attend Glen¡¯s lectures in their free periods, and all of them, without exception, were amazed at the quality of his lectures. Till now, the instructors at this academy were judged by their rank as a magician. Their qualifications, their authority, and the support of the students were all based on their rank. However, the seemingly eternal conception of ¡®authority as justice¡¯ that presided in this academy was crushed with the passing of a single night. For the instructors, this was like a living nightmare. ¡°Serika-kun, the man you brought in is amazing!¡± The excited voice of the academy¡¯s headmaster, Rick, resounded through the room. It was obvious to anyone that he was in a brilliantly good mood. ¡°I was worried about his reputation during the first eleven days, but I suppose all¡¯s well that ends well.¡± ¡°¡­Kuh¡± Harry groaned in frustration. Ever since Glen had begun to seriously teach, the attendance of his classes dwindled little by little. In other words, there were students that would ditch his classes for Glen¡¯s. ¡°Fufufu¡­ As a matter of fact, Glen is one of my disciples that I have taught from scratch.¡± Taking advantage of the moment, Serika raised her chest high in pride, and announced. ¡°What! Serika-kun, you, of all people, have a disciple!? Weren¡¯t you against the idea of disciples?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the only exception. Though in any case, his grades were quite poor.¡± ¡°Oho~ I would¡¯ve never thought. However, why did you hide this until now?¡± ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t that obvious? If Glen is truly useless as an instructor, then won¡¯t I ¨C as his master ¨C be on the receiving end of the shame? That¡¯s why I stayed silent about it.¡± ¡°Like Master, like disciple, you¡ª!¡± Harry¡¯s attempt at a retort was in vain. ¡°Don¡¯t say that Harry. Even if you praise me like that, you will get nothing out of it.¡± ¡°Shut up! I wasn¡¯t praising you, you stupid idiot of a master!¡± ¡°Oh my, from a magical talent standpoint, Glen¡¯s situation is truly regrettable. However, he¡¯s a hardworking fellow you see? Since he was a kid, I¡¯ve told him countless times that ¡®magic isn¡¯t suitable for you, go do something else¡¯, but he didn¡¯t listen to me at all, rather, he told me that he wants to become an amazing magician like myself you see? Even though he¡¯s still a third-rate magician, his abilities are at least at the level of an ordinary magician right? That¡¯s when I realized you know, that he¡¯s a kid who could do it if he wanted to. Ah, yes yes, now I remember. When I first started to teach him magic, he did something like¡ª¡± And so, she went on and on. Serika ¨C whose attitude was generally brazen and audacious ¨C showed an unbelievably gentle expression as she began to boast about her disciple. As for Harry; he did not want to hear, nor did he want to know about the top-secret information that was being leaked through the room. His shoulders were visibly trembling, and the veins on his forehead could be seen. (Damn you¡­ Glen Ryders¡­-!) As Harry trembled in frustration, he suddenly remembered the incident that happened a few days ago¡ª ¡°Oi, Glen Ryders! Oi, are you listening Glen Ryders! Respond to me!¡± That day¡ª Harry ¨C as a senior instructor and professor of the academy ¨C planned to ¡®have a word¡¯ with Glen, who had become infamous throughout the academy for his attitude and activities. Harry shouted coercively towards Glen, who lazily walked down the hallway. Then, Glen suddenly turned his head to around him, and glanced sideways at Harry for a brief moment. He tilted his head in puzzlement, promptly ignored Harry¡¯s presence, and continued walking. ¡°Hey, oi!? What is that ¡®Who the heck are you talking to¡¯ attitude supposed to mean!? You¡¯re Glen Ryders right!? It can¡¯t be anyone else but you right!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong. You have the wrong person.¡± ¡°As if! No one but Glen Ryders would have a stupid face like you! Also, I was the one who performed your employment interview!¡± ¡°Ah, and here I was thinking who you were! So it¡¯s you, my senpai instructor, Harem! Hey what¡¯s up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Harry! Harry! Are you messing with me you little brat!?¡± ¡°No no, not at all, erm, Ha¡ª something senpai.¡± ¡°You bastard, do you not want to remember my name that badly? My name is¡­¡± Though Harry was seething with rage, he continued onto the main topic. ¡°Listen well, Glen Ryders. I¡¯ve heard that your attitude has been unbecoming of an instructor, yes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to play dumb? You should realize that your current unprecedented position is a result of neither your talent nor your prowess! Rather, it¡¯s the result of what that witch¡­ what Serika Alfornea did for her own self-gratification! Know your place! Even if you have Serika Alfornea¡ª¡° ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired of saying her full name each and every time?¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t try to butt in while I¡¯m still talking! Even if you have Serika Alfornea ¨C who has reached the seventh-rank and the domain of gods ¨C backing you, don¡¯t kid yourself by thinking that you can keep up this peremptory farce on forever!¡± ¡°Exactly-! Don¡¯t you also think that Serika¡¯s been getting carried away recently!? If she keeps this up, she¡¯ll one hundred percent receive divine punishment some¡ª¡± ¡°Why are you treating this like someone else¡¯s problem!? Anyway, despite the contract period being one month, don¡¯t fool yourself into believing that you¡¯ll stay here for the entirety of it! I¡¯ll do everything I can to get you kicked out of this academy! So prepare yourself¡­huh?¡± Before Harry realized it, Glen was bowing towards him. It was a magnificently deep and well-postured bow. ¡°Thank you very much! I will be in your gracious care! I have super great expectations for you, so give it your best shot! Erm, Ha¡ª¡­? Ah, Yuri-senpai!¡± ¡°Y-, Y-, You bastarddddd¡ª!?¡± ¡­ Until now, was I being played around like a fool? That stupid fool of a man is a better instructor than I am!? I can¡¯t accept that! I won¡¯t accept that! ¡°And then you see¡ª, that guy, after working so desperately, was finally able to successfully cast that magic you see¡ª, and he was like ¡®Serika thank you very much!¡¯ while crying you see¡ª. My¡ª, he was so cute back then wasn¡¯t he¡ª. Anyway, I got a better opinion of him after that. Do you think so too? Hm?¡± Without a care for Harry¡¯s seething rage, Serika continued to boast about her disciple. This pair of master and disciple is nothing but irritating. Gununu¡­ Damn you, Glen Ryders! I will absolutely drive you out of this academy someday¡­! Mark my words¡­! Harry ¨C his face red with anger ¨C swore that he would one day overthrow Glen¡­ Sistina and the rest of year two, class two ¨C who were assigned to Glen ¨C quickly became the subject of envy for all the students of the academy. The open seats in the classroom were reduced day by day, and after ten or so days, there were even people who standing in the classroom to listen to his lectures. As Glen¡¯s reputation amongst the students rose, some of the academy¡¯s professors began to reevaluate their teaching ideology of ¡®Memorizing as much magic as possible in order to increase rank¡¯. There were even some passionate and young professors that attended Glen¡¯s lectures, hoping to learn his magic theories and teaching style. However, the person in question failed to realize the attention that was being gathered towards him, and continued to conduct himself in a somewhat unmotivated manner. Today too, he taught his lectures in a way that made it apparent that he thought this was a toilsome. ¡°¡­So, magic is divided into two types, ¡®general magic¡¯ and ¡®original magic¡¯. You guys usually mock general magic as ¡®magic that anyone could use¡¯. However, after today¡¯s analysis and breakdown of the magical formulas, I think that you guys should now understand that general magic is far more detailed, precise, and complete when compared to original magic.¡± Glen pressed the chalk in his hand against the one-stage magic that was written on the board. ¡°That¡¯s only natural. Even an elementary magic like [Shock ¡¤ Bolt], is the result of the modifications and refinements made by hundreds of magicians, whom are hundreds of times more talented than you guys, over the course of hundreds of years. You guys always say stuff like ¡®this isn¡¯t original¡¯ or ¡®this is past it¡¯s time¡¯ to the great formula-sama¡­ Geez, are you guys stupid or what?¡± The students whom thought that original magic was the greatest at the beginning of class, were now dropping their shoulders in shame. ¡°You guys tend to look at a magician¡¯s unique original magic as something holy, but to be honest, creating an original magic is nothing special. Even a third-rate magician like myself had easily made one. Now then, if we talk about the difficulties when it comes to original magic, it would be trying to overcome the difference between a general magic, the perfected fruit of the efforts of hundreds of magicians that are hundreds of times more talented; and original magic, a formula that you have pieced together on your own. Well, at the very least, an original magic must go beyond what general magic can do, otherwise it would be totally meaningless.¡± Seeing the depressed moods of the students, Glen showed a sour smile. ¡°Al-right, do your heads hurt? As you saw just now, the general magic that you guys have mocked is actually magic that has been perfected to the point where there is nothing to change for the better. Well usually, original magic is nothing more than a worse replica of general magic you know? I tried playing around with it in the past, but I never ended up with anything useful. In the end I gave up after realizing how much of an idiot I was. Haha¡­ I wasted a lot of time back then didn¡¯t I?¡± At this, half the students began to chuckle, and the other half raised an eyebrow. Whilst all of them had to admit that Glen was a good teacher, there were many who felt repulsed by his disrespectful attitude towards magic. ¡°Well, if you ever reach this stage, then it¡¯s a problem of your magic sense and talent. However, there is still meaning in learning the general magic that your predecessors have crafted. It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s to improve your own ability to structure formulas or whether it¡¯s to hide your secrets. In the future, if you plan to create your own original magic, this is all the more important. Well, in either case, I think you guys are wasting your time for something that¡¯s only for your self-satisfaction. There are more meaningful ways to live your life you know¡­ Now then¡­¡± Glen took his watch out of his pocket, and checked the time. ¡°¡­It¡¯s time. Well, that¡¯s all for today. Ah-, I¡¯m so done¡­¡± As soon as Glen announced the end of the lecture period, a relaxed atmosphere permeated the classroom. Glen picked up the eraser, and began to erase the formulas and explanations that were written on the blackboard. ¡°Ah, wait sensei! Please don¡¯t erase it yet. I haven¡¯t finished copying it into my notes!¡± Sistina raised her hand. Then, Glen showed a crude smirk. His hand ¨C as if creating clones of itself ¨C moved swiftly across the blackboard. Cries could be heard throughout the classroom. ¡°FUHAHAHAHAHAHAH¡ª! Half of it is already erased you know!? Serves you right!¡± ¡°Are you a kid!? You-!¡± Sistina wordlessly slouched her head over the desk. ¡°Ahaha, I copied it from the board already, so I¡¯ll show it to you later today ok? Sisti.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­ Well, I guess that he¡¯s a good lecturer, but there¡¯s no changing that twisted personality of his is there?¡± Sistina looked towards the blackboard. Glen ¨C as he was erasing the text on the blackboard ¨C appeared to have scratched his nails across it by accident. In pain, he pressed his hands to cover his ears. It was a pitiful sight to behold. ¡°Is that so? I think sensei is fine this way.¡± ¡°Lumia¡­ are you serious?¡± ¡°Mhm, I think he¡¯s cute when he acts like a child.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to understand your preferences¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah, sensei!¡± Lumia suddenly stood up from her seat, and ran to Glen as if she was a little pup. ¡°Uhm, would you like some help moving that?¡± One could see that Glen was currently carrying about ten thick books, and was about to leave the classroom. ¡°Hm? So it was you, Lumia. You¡¯ll help me a bunch by¡­ but these are quite heavy alright? Can you handle this?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Then help me carry these. Thanks.¡± Glen passed two books to Lumia, and as he did so, he showed an uncharacteristically warm expression towards her. Lumia, who received the books, show an ecstatic smile. Observing the scene, it felt like the two were a pair of close siblings. However, Sistina who saw this scene unfold, seemed to be fairly disinterested. ¡°P, Please wait up!¡± However, despite her reluctant expression, she still walked up to Glen. ¡°Hm? You are¡­ Erm, Sis¡­tilinna? Right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sistina! Sistina! You¡¯re not doing this on purpose are you!?¡± ¡°Alright alright alrrright, so what does Sisomething-san need from me?¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯ll help you out as well¡­ I can¡¯t just let Lumia help you alone¡­¡± ¡°¡­Oh? Then here, carry these.¡± Glen¡¯s lips curved into a dastardly smirk as he offloaded all the textbooks into Sistina¡¯s hands. ¡°Kyaa!? Wha, this is really heavy!?¡± Sistina staggered and almost fell, but managed to recover her posture. ¡°My, ahaha, it sure is nice to be hands-free!¡± Ignoring Sistina, Glen began to walk off. ¡°W-, What¡¯s this supposed to mean? Is it just me, or is there a huge difference in how you treat Lumia and I!?¡± ¡°Lumia is cute. You are feisty. Based on that¡ª¡± ¡°This stupid instructor¡­ I, I¡¯ll remember this ok¡ª!?¡± Despite being on the receiving end of the shouts coming from behind, Glen¡¯s lips curved into a smile. Afterschool. The students had already left¡ª Glen ¨C alone on the rooftop of the academy ¨C leaned himself against the metal railing, and looked off into the distance. The streets of Fejiti that were illuminated by the setting sun, and the phantasmal castle that was dyed in its colors hadn¡¯t changed at all from back then. The only one that had changed was himself. Glen thought back to the day that he had become a temporary instructor at this academy. Needless to say, those who had left a strong impression on him on that day were those two girls that he had become deeply involved with. The girl that for some reason, had become attached to him like a cute pup ¨C Lumia. The girl that for some reason, had conflicted with him like a feisty kitten ¨C Sistina. I really don¡¯t get what they¡¯re thinking, to think that they would proactively approach someone like me¡­ And despite all that¡¯s happened, is it alright for me to feel pleasant when I associate with them? There is also something I want to see. I want to see how they¡¯ll grow up, and what kind of path they¡¯ll take in the future. Lumia may make new possibilities for a useless thing like magic. And Sistina, who still carries the passion for magic that I lost a long time ago, will continue to pursue it without losing her way. The two of them are young and immature as they are now, but what will they grow up to become in the future? If I said I didn¡¯t want to help them¡­ that would be a lie. ¡°Well, how should I say this¡­¡± I still hate magic. I want throw up at the mere mention of it. It is something that should disappear from this world. This belief of mine probably won¡¯t change in the future, right? However, these peaceful days¡ª ¡°Aren¡¯t too bad¡­ Huh-¡± Glen hadn¡¯t noticed that he was smiling. ¡°Oh, oh, so now you¡¯re here to enjoy the view of the sunset. My, that¡¯s youth I suppose.¡± Suddenly, a playful voice came from behind Glen, and he turned his head to glance behind him. ¡°Since when were you here? Serika.¡± Serika silently stood there in a ladylike manner. One might call it ¡®a beautiful lady being illuminated by the sunset¡¯. Her pretty hair ¨C whose colors reminded one of a field of wheat under the setting sun ¨C swayed freely in the gentle wind. ¡°Since when was I here I wonder? Consider this as a problem from a teacher to a po~or student. Why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Since there were no magical waves, it means the rules of the world hadn¡¯t been changed. If that¡¯s the case, that means you simply snuck up here.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s correct. Ahaha, unexpectedly, no one seems to be able solve such a simple question. In particular those that think that all the mysterious phenomena of the world can be explained by magic don¡¯t seem to have a single clue.¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s prompt answer, Serika showed a satisfied smile. ¡°So what did you come here for? Aren¡¯t you busy preparing for tomorrow¡¯s assembly?¡± ¡°Oi oi, is it wrong for a mother to want to see her child?¡± ¡°What child. We weren¡¯t even related to begin with.¡± ¡°But I was the one who took care of you when you were still th~is small. Isn¡¯t that enough justification for me to call myself your mother?¡± ¡°Think about the age difference between us you witch. Rather than mother and child, it¡¯s more like grandmother and grandchild.¡± Serika appeared to be a lady who was about 20 years old. However, Glen thoroughly understood that her appearance did not befit her age. After all, Serika¡¯s appearance had not changed since the time Glen had first met her. Why didn¡¯t Serika grow any older? How old is she really? Although Serika never so much as uttered about herself¡­ according to a certain historical record, her age was in the hundreds. ¡°My-My, even though you were such a cute little boy when you were young. To think that you would become such a sophisticated man¡­Ah, the passing of time is truly cruel.¡± ¡°¡­None of your business.¡± In a sulky manner, Glen turned his head away from Serika. ¡°You seem a bit more energetic than before¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Hearing what Serika unexpectedly muttered, Glen shouted out in surprise. ¡°Have you not noticed? You¡¯ve become much livelier recently you know? Your eyes are like a fish that¡¯s only been dead for a day.¡± ¡°¡­Oi.¡± ¡°Before, your eyes were more like a fish that¡¯s been dead for a month¡± Hearing that, Glen sighed and shook his head. ¡°¡­Sorry for making you worry ok.¡± ¡°No it¡¯s fine. It was my fault after all.¡± Serika turned her eyes to the floor. In a soft voice that was uncharacteristic of her usual haughty self, she said: ¡°Surely, this is what you call being an idiot parent. I used to think of you as my pride. So¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough already. How many times have I told you that it¡¯s not your fault? That was just me being an idiot and not realizing the truth behind it all.¡± ¡°But you still loathe magic.¡± Glen was finally able to understand Serika¡¯s intentions. ¡°¡­So it was like that. You wanted me to enjoy magic, even if it was only a little bit, so you made me a magical instructor?¡± Thinking back, almost all of his happy memories had occurred when he was learning or testing magic with Serika. ¡°Geez, how old are you now? You¡¯re still unexpectedly childish. Magic is not the only way in which we¡¯re connected you know? Sure, I hate magic now, but that doesn¡¯t mean I hate you.¡± ¡°I see. Mhm, you¡¯re right¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡± Hearing what Glen said, Serika showed a warm smile. To him, it was a very comforting smile. ¡°Ah-, damnit, so that¡¯s what it was. Then hm¡­ if I had just said that to you from the start, you wouldn¡¯t have forced me to become a temporary instructor right? ¡°Stupid you, this and that are different. Just give it up already, your living costs will be earned by you and only you.¡± ¡°Ahhhh-, Ahh-, I didn¡¯t hear any~thhing.¡± ¡°This useless¡­.¡± Serika lowered her shoulders in amusement, and continued: ¡°Well, fine. In any case, your successful return to society is a great step forward. At this rate, that sickness of yours might even be cured you know.¡± ¡°Sickness? Huh, what are you talking about. I¡¯m totally healthy¡ª¡± ¡°You think that you don¡¯t have the right to have any deep associations with others, and you don¡¯t want anyone to become close to yourself. In order to achieve that, you purposely get on people¡¯s nerves and to get people angry, or you purposely try to treat them as coldly as possible ¡ª That¡¯s the ¡®sickness¡¯ I¡¯m talking about¡± ¡°¡­..u-¡± As Serika pointed that out, a large bead of sweat trickled from Glen¡¯s forehead down his cheek. Then, Serika showed a devious smirk, and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Hey Glen. Even though you have a past like that, that ¡®sickness¡¯ of yours is quite common in children you know? And to think that at your age, your sickness has gotten even worse¡­ Well, since you¡¯re returning to society already, can you just hurry up and get it cured¡ª¡± ¡°S-, Shush you¡¯re being annoying! It¡¯s none of your business ok!?¡± Shouted Glen, his face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s not my fault that I¡¯m not interested in anyone you know!? If I¡¯m so used to living with someone as beautiful as yourself, how am I supposed to be interested in other girls!? ¡°Oho? By that, you mean that you crave for your mother? Oh you big pervert.¡± Serika showed a sadistic and flirtatious smile and approached Glen from behind. She pressed her body against his back, and locked her arms around his neck. ¡°Like I would! Also, stop trying to act like my mom! Hey, get off of me! Stop pressing your chest against me, and stop blowing into my ear! It¡¯s disgusting!¡± ¡°Fufu, what a boring man. Isn¡¯t this just skinship between parent and child?¡± Seeing Glen¡¯s reaction, Serika showed a satisfied smile and let go. Turning to leave, she said: ¡°Now then, I need to prepare for the magic assembly tomorrow, so it¡¯s about time for me to go. ¡°¡­Ah. So you need to go to the capital Orlando in the north?¡± Glen replied in a discontent manner. Serika¡¯s mischievous acts weren¡¯t anything new, so it was best to act like nothing had happened. ¡°Yes. The representatives of the academy are scheduled to use the academy¡¯s teleportation circle to move to the capital.¡± ¡°The distance covered by the fastest horse in three or four days is covered in a single instant huh¡­ My my, magic sure is great.¡± ¡°Well, work hard on tomorrow¡¯s lessons ok?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Isn¡¯t tomorrow the beginning of a five-day break?¡± Glen, hearing the unexpected, suddenly became restless. ¡°I¡¯m only a temporary instructor so I won¡¯t be participating, but won¡¯t all the instructors and professors be at the magic assembly? Isn¡¯t that why there are no classes?¡± ¡°Ah, about that, the class you¡¯re in charge of is an exception. What about it? Did no one tell you?¡± ¡°Hahhh!?¡± ¡°The one that preceded you ¨C Huey ¨C suddenly went missing one day without so much as a word. Due to that, your classes are behind schedule. So in order to catch up, your class will continue during the break period.¡± ¡°Wha¡­ I didn¡¯t hear about this at all!¡± ¡°Aside from the security personnel, anyone affiliated with the academy will be off-campus ok? Try not to do anything weird while I¡¯m gone ok?¡± ¡°Like I would! ¡­No, wait a sec-¡± Glen was uncomfortable about something Serika mentioned. ¡°You said that my predecessor¡­ went missing? Hey wait, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Even if you ask me that¡­ It¡¯s exactly what it means. The professor that preceded you, Huey Raysen, suddenly went missing one day. As of now, no traces of him have been found. His whereabouts are completely unknown.¡± ¡°Oi, this isn¡¯t what you told me before. Didn¡¯t you say that that Huey person resigned for personal reasons¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just an explanation we give to the students. Either way, if he had officially resigned, the academy would¡¯ve never been in a situation where the replacement instructor may be deemed ¡®unusable¡¯ after one month.¡± Glen showed a bitter expression, and wordlessly thought about the situation. ¡°In any case, this feels a bit suspicious¡­¡± ¡°Well, there have been a lot of disturbances around here recently. If we¡¯re talking about you then there¡¯s nothing to worry about, but try to be cautious while I¡¯m not here.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Whilst the incident regarding the missing person was somewhat offputting, it didn¡¯t really affect Glen directly. There was no doubt about that. However, Glen couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit uneasy about this. It was then¡ª ¡°Ah, so you were here! Sensei!¡± The door to the rooftop balcony was opened, and a familiar two-person group appeared. One showed a wide smile, and the other showed a sour expression. ¡°Eh? Professor Alfornea, could it be that we¡¯re disturbing the two of you?¡± ¡°No, I was about to leave. What are you here for? Do you need Glen for something?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With a flowery smile, Lumia ran towards Glen. Seemingly in a bad mood, Sistina reluctantly followed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys go home already?¡± ¡°Ah, we were in the library copying each other¡¯s notes and reviewing today¡¯s lectures, but there is something that we just had to ask you about¡­ At least Sisti does.¡± ¡°Hey, stop!? Didn¡¯t you promise to me that you weren¡¯t going to tell him!? You traitor!¡± Her face now flushed red, Sistina rose her voice to protest, but it was already too late. ¡°Oho? And what is that supposed to mean, Sistichi-kun? Oh my, oh my, could it be that you wanted to ask the extraordinary instructor, the great Glen Ryders-sensei-sama a question? Hm-?¡± Glen put up this refreshing display without any hesitation. His downcast gaze and exasperating smile made one want to punch him square in the face. ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t want to ask you! Also, I¡¯m called Sistina alright!? Can¡¯t you just remember it already!?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel that your name is hard to remember. I think it¡¯ll be fine to leave it as White Cat.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡ª!¡± Sistina seemed like she was on the verge of tears. ¡°Sensei, could I borrow some of your time? Actually, about this part, I realized that I didn¡¯t fully understand it when I was reviewing¡­¡± ¡°Ah, sorry about that, Lumia. I also felt that my explanation about this wasn¡¯t quite enough. Well, it should that right? Let me see-¡± ¡°L-, Like I said before, what is this difference in treatment between Lumia and I¡­-!?¡± ¡°Lumia is cute. You are feisty. That is all.¡± ¡°Is that supposed some kind of joke¡ª!¡± Serika watched the three with a gentle smile. Then, she left the rooftop, feeling reassured. After forcing herself to lower her head in humiliation to ask for Glen¡¯s help, Sistina did not so much as try to hide her frustration and anger. Together with Lumia, she headed home. ¡°¡­Geez, what¡¯s wrong with him!¡± Contrary to Sistina¡¯s mood, the streets of Feijiti were calm and tranquil. Yet, in the midst of this quiet evening, she roughly raised her voice, and exerted her frustrations everywhere around her. The pinkish colors of the dusk merged together with the calm atmosphere of the town to create a nice and soothing scene. If anything, she seemed like an idiot for throwing a tantrum in spite of this. ¡°Lumia, you too, what¡¯s so good about that guy? I can¡¯t help but feel that you¡¯re strangely interested in him!¡± ¡°Eh? I mean, Isn¡¯t sensei a really nice person?¡± ¡°Yeah, right! He only acts nice to you! O n l y t o y o u-!¡± In a fit of irritated rage, Sistina clenched her trembling fists tightly. ¡°Normally speaking, would anyone show such obvious favoritism! The bottom line is, shouldn¡¯t he look me in the eye or at least show me some decency!? But that guy-!¡± Lumia smiled wryly, as if she was saying ¡®well well¡¯. ¡°There is absolutely something wrong about this! Right! Surely, that guy is misunderstanding your kindheartedness, and definitely has some ulterior motive! There is no doubt about it! Yea, this is right! It has to be! Ok, Lumia, when that guy is around, never leave my side ok!? That guy¡­ if he lays his hands on you, I really won¡¯t hold back anymore¡­-!¡± Then¡ª ¡°Hehe¡± Lumia began to laugh. It seemed that there was some deeper meaning to it. ¡°¡­What happened? Lumia.¡± ¡°Mm, uhm, Sisti, I think it¡¯s weird that you worry about me so much.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a given that I should be worried about you? We¡¯re family after all!¡± Towards Sistina who seemed rather angry towards what she had said, Lumia uttered: ¡°Do you still remember about what happened three years ago?¡± ¡°Three years ago¡­ that should be when you first came to my house, right? What about it?¡± ¡®Why would she suddenly talk about that?¡¯ Sistina couldn¡¯t understand Lumia¡¯s intentions. However, Lumia showed a nostalgic smile, and continued: ¡°Back then, we kept fighting with each other didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s because¡­ you acted so abjectly, and you were always crying and being selfish¡­ Erm, to be honest, I didn¡¯t understand your feelings after you were abandoned by your parents, so I was also wrong to-¡­¡± Sistina scratched her cheek in an uneasy manner. ¡°Then one day ¨C mistaking me for you ¨C some bad people came and kidnapped me.¡± ¡°¡­Now that you say it, that happened didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°After somehow getting home safely, you quickly gave me a hug.¡± ¡°¡­Mm.¡± ¡°For the entire night, you hugged me and cried together with me. You kept saying ¡®sorry¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe¡¯ didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­-, T, That was¡­Um¡­.¡± Feeling embarrassed by what Lumia said, Sistina face turned the same color as the sunset.¡± ¡°Thinking back, that was when you and I started getting along.¡± Lumia showed a warm smile towards Sistina. However, despite hearing it through to the end, Sistina couldn¡¯t understand why Lumia suddenly brought that up. ¡°¡­What¡¯s happened all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Recently, I keep thinking back to what happened in the past.¡± Then, Lumia showed a pained smile towards Sistina. ¡°¡­I wonder why?¡± Lumia asked Sistina such a question, but there was no way that she would know the answer. As for what had caused Lumia to suddenly think about what happened three years ago, she had no idea either. However, she at least understands that for Lumia, what happened three years ago was an amalgamation of unfortunate incidents, and that they were painful memories for her. That¡¯s why¡ª ¡°We¡¯re family ok?¡± She spoke her heart. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t understand why you suddenly began to think of painful things like what happened three years ago, but remember that I¡¯ll always be at your side, Lumia. That¡¯s why, uhm¡­¡± Towards Sistina, who embarrassedly said such things¡ª ¡°¡­Thank you, Sisti¡± Lumia showed a gentle smile like a spring breeze. In the townscape of Fejiti, which was illuminated by the sunset Two snuggling shadows could be seen stretching off into the distance¡ª Previous Chapter | Next Chapter A Not-So Intricate Analysis: Lumia the middleman In chapter 2 of the light novel, Akashic Records of the Bastard Magical Instructor, Lumia Tinzel briefly recalls a moment in her past, where she describes herself as having been subjected to the threat of ¡®evil magicians¡¯. Through analysis of Lumia¡¯s use of specific diction, Lumia¡¯s beliefs towards magic is revealed. Whilst Glen and Sistina¡¯s perspectives towards magic are shown directly in a debate during chapter 2, Lumia¡¯s beliefs are revealed through juxtaposition with Glen and Sistina¡¯s perspective of magicians. Glen depicts all magicians as ¡®bad¡¯, and never uses a positive nor negative adjective to describe the. The same applies to Sistina, whom sees all magicians as ¡®good¡¯. In contrast Lumia specifically uses the word ¡®evil¡¯ to describe magicians that had harmed her, and through it, shows that she believes that there is a the dualism to their existence ¨C having both ¡®good and bad¡¯ sides. Overall Lumia¡¯s beliefs are symbolic of how her personality and behavior acts as an intermediary between those of Glen and Sistina¡¯s throughout the story. Volume 1 - CH 4 Chapter 4: The collapse of normal days, the vestiges of the past The next day¡ª ¡°WOAH CRAP! Late, I¡¯m gonna be laaaaaaate!!¡± A familiar scene unfolded on the street to the academy. Needless to say, the shouts originated from Glen. This time around, the hands of his watch had not been wrong. He was genuinely late due to oversleeping. ¡°Damnit! I forgot that the human alarm clock had gone to the capital yesterday!¡± Hoisting a slice of bread in his mouth, Glen desperately dashed out of the mansion. ¡°More importantly, why do I have to teach classes during a day off!? This is why I didn¡¯t want to work! Long live unemployment!¡± In any case, I can¡¯t be late, or I¡¯ll have a slightly annoying person nagging me. For now, I¡¯ll just need to try my best to get to the academy as fast as I can. If it goes well, I¡¯ll barely make it on time. Starting from Serika¡¯s mansion, Glen dashed along the road leading to the academy, ran through several alleyways, before finally arriving on the main road. And when Glen arrived at the symbolic crossroads¡ª He felt something was out of place, and suddenly came to a halt. ¡°¡ª!?¡± It was strange for no one to be here. Although it was still fairly early in the morning, this crossroad would always have a few ordinary citizens passing through. However, not a single sign of life could be felt. Something was clearly wrong. ¡°No, this is¡­¡± There¡¯s no doubt about it. There¡¯s a faint trace of magical power in the surroundings. It¡¯s a barrier to keep people away. Though the duration of this kind of barrier is limited, an ordinary citizen with low mental-defense will avoid the center of this crossroad without realizing. ¡­What is this kind of thing doing here? My temples are burning, warning me of danger. It¡¯s been a year since I last felt something like this hasn¡¯t it? Glen focused his senses, and cautiously looked at his surroundings. Then¡ª ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± Though his voice was soft, the tone behind it was anything but that. ¡°Come out. It¡¯s pointless to hide any longer ya know?¡± Glen looked at a corner of the crossroads with a piercing gaze. And then¡ª ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯ve been found haven¡¯t I? Even though I heard you were a third rate magician¡­ Aren¡¯t your senses a little sharp?¡± The air twisted like a mirage, and from it, a man emerged. The most noticeable characteristic of the short man of unknown age, was his unkempt, curly hair. ¡°Let me first congratulate you for seeing through my magic. However¡­ why did you look over there? I¡¯m here you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Nothing really.¡± Glen turned around to face the man that had appeared behind him. ¡°Erm. May I ask who you are?¡± ¡°No no, I am not someone whose name is worth remembering.¡± ¡°Well, if you have no business with me, could you please step aside? I¡¯m kinda in a hurry.¡± ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s fine it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need to hurry you know? Please, just relax, and take your time.¡± Towards the man¡¯s continued rebuttal, Glen raised an eyebrow? ¡°Hey¡­ did you not hear me when I said that I was in a hurry?¡± ¡°Like I said, everything¡¯s fine. After all, your destination has already been changed.¡± ¡°Say what?¡± ¡°Yes, your new destination¡­ is the afterlife.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± In the instant, that Glen froze in place, the short man began chanting a spell. ¡°¡± The short man completed the three-stage incantation. And the frightening power of the spell was about to be released¡ª At the main entrance of the academy surrounded by thicket of woodland and metal fencing stood a strange entourage of two people. One of them looked like a delinquent from a large city, whilst the other, wearing a dark-colored coat, gave the impression of a gentleman. In contrast to the delinquent who carried nothing in particular, the dark-coated man carried a massive attach¨¦ case. ¡°Will that Kiarel guy be able to kill him off?¡± ¡°Of course he will. That man has never failed to eliminate his target before.¡± ¡°Kekeke. Well then, that means¡­¡± ¡°At this moment, there are no instructor-level or greater magicians present at this academy.¡± ¡°Kahahaha! So that means the cute lil¡¯ chicks of that class are the only ones left right!? Alright, come, come, and let onii-san show you his love!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just leave Kiarel to his devices. We have our own job to do.¡± The mannerisms of the two men were polar opposites of each other. If this were a normal occasion, they would surely draw a lot of gazes. However, for some reason, there was not a single person to be seen today. ¡°Aight. Brother Reick. As expected it doesn¡¯t look like we can just walk in through the front.¡± The delinquent man looked around the main entrance of the academy. Despite how empty the arch-shaped main entrance looked, there was some-sort of invisible barrier that prevented them from entering. He tried knocking on the barrier a few times, but nothing seemed to change. It was a barrier that prevented those that not registered with the academy from entering. ¡°Stop playing around Jhin. Hurry up and try the unsealing spell that man delivered to us.¡± ¡°Al-right, alright~¡± Then¡ª ¡°Oi, you people, identify yourselves!¡± A guard exited the guard post was located right next to the main entrance after seeing the two men. ¡°There¡¯s a special barrier that¡¯s been casted using the academy¡¯s terrain, so only people related to the school can¡ª¡± Then, the delinquent man called Jhin pointed his finger towards the left side of the guards¡¯ chest, and muttered a single phrase. ¡°¡± In an instant, the guard¡¯s large frame shook fiercely. It would be last phrase he heard in his unfortunate life. ¡°Erm, alright, this should be it.¡± Jhin did not spare even a glance for the guard, who collapsed like a puppet whose strings were cut. He took out a charm from his pocket, and read the runic chant that was inscribed on it. Soon, a sound like shattering glass rang through the surroundings. ¡°Ohhh-, it¡¯s just like our research said! As expected!¡± Confirming that the invisible barrier had disappeared, Jhin began to frolic around like a child. ¡°Heh, that man¡¯s work is simply perfect.¡± ¡°Well, he did spend so much time after all. Now then, let¡¯s report in.¡± The two infiltrated the academy grounds through the main entryway. Jhin took out half of a gemstone, and put it by his ear. ¡°Yea yea. Everything here is okay, okay. Feel free to close it anytime.¡± After several seconds, the sound of metal erupted from the front gate. The barrier of the academy was reconstructed. ¡°That man is really scary.¡± The man wearing the dark-coat, Reick, showed an icy smile. ¡°To think that he had completely grasped the official security system of the empire¡­¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s a shame isn¡¯t it? Hehe, this rumored magical fortress is gonna disappear off the face of the earth you know?¡± ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go.¡± The two men turned to face the academy. Directly in front of them was the main building, whose annexes looked like outstretched wings. ¡°Our target is classroom 2-2 at the second floor of the east section.¡± ¡°Yea yea¡­¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s slow!¡± Sistina gripped her pocket watch tightly. The current time was 10:55. Today¡¯s lecture was scheduled for 10:30, which means that 25 minutes had passed since the lecture was supposed to begin. Yet, Glen was nowhere to be found. Simply put, he was late. ¡°That guy¡­ recently his lectures have been really good, so my opinion of him got a teensy bit better, but this is why¡ªGeez!¡± Sistina complained in frustration. ¡°But this is pretty rare isn¡¯t it? Recently, Glen-sensei has been working hard to not be late.¡± Lumia, who was sitting beside her, tilted her head in wonder. ¡°That guy didn¡¯t mistake today for a rest day did he?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­Even Glen-sensei won¡¯t make such a mistake¡­¡­ right?¡± Even Lumia, who trusted Glen completely, couldn¡¯t deny the possibility. ¡°Ah, I should¡¯ve known, a useless person is always useless¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll have a word with him today.¡± ¡°Ahaha. Don¡¯t you mean ¡®another word¡¯ and not ¡®a word¡¯? Sisti.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pry on the details!¡± Sistina leaned her cheek against her hand and looked around the room. Originally, there were a lot of free seats in this classroom. However, now it was fully seated. There were even people standing in the back of the classroom to listen to the lecture. ¡°That guy¡­ He¡¯s become popular recently hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because sensei¡¯s lecture are really easy to understand. The content for bachelor students like us are a given, but he¡¯s even able to convey the master-level content in an easily comprehensible manner. Also, unlike the other instructors, he explains the theories that are otherwise skipped.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ Well, it¡¯s true that after listening to that guy¡¯s lecture I¡¯m even able to improve my understanding of the basics¡­ but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any more to it.¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± Seeing that, Lumia showed a knowing smile towards Sistina.¡± ¡°¡­What? What is it Lumia?¡± ¡°Sisti, you¡¯re feeling a bit lonely after Glen-sensei got popular with everyone, right?¡± ¡°Wha¡­What did you say!?¡± ¡°I mean, in the beginning, even though the two of you were just arguing, weren¡¯t you the only person who talked to sensei? But now, everyone can easily talk to sensei. So you feel like you¡¯ve gotten distant from him, right?¡± ¡°H-, Him talking with more and more girls in none of my business okay!? Lumia, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re misunderstanding something?¡± ¡°Hm? I didn¡¯t say that he was talking to girls though.¡± ¡°Gu¡ª¡± Touch¨¦. Knowing that Lumia had gotten the better of her, Sistina showed a sour expression. Though she didn¡¯t see Glen in that way, it was true that the only one to talk to Glen in the beginning had been herself. Now that that guy had become the center of everyone¡¯s attention, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disheartened. It was all the more so when he was talking to another girl. A maiden¡¯s heart was truly complicated. ¡°A-, and what do you think¡­?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yea. Weren¡¯t you interested in Glen-sensei since the beginning? Don¡¯t you feel a bit disheartened? By this situation I mean-¡± ¡°I feel¡­ happy, I think?¡± ¡°¡­Ha?¡± ¡°Now that everyone understands that Glen-sensei is an amazing person¡­ I¡¯m very happy.¡± It was what Lumia earnestly believed. When Glen became recognized by everyone around him, she was happy to the point where it seemed as though she was Glen herself. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t help but feel like there¡¯s a difference between us¡­ as women.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Sistina pressed her hand against her face and sighed. On the other hand, Lumia simply tilted her head in puzzlement. Then, the classroom door was flung open, and someone began to walk in. It was then¡ª ¡°Ah, Sensei, what the heck are you thinking!? You¡¯re late again you know!? Geez¡­eh?¡± Sistina had prepared to quickly berate Glen, but after seeing who walked in, she immediately stopped. In place of Glen, there were two people. One was a man that gave off the vibe of a delinquent, and the other was a man dressed in a dark coat. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s here huh¡ª. My, everyone, thank you for your passionate studying! Work hard you young ¡®uns!¡± Suddenly, an unknown duo entered the room and addressed the class. ¡°Ah, about your teacher. Well, he¡¯s a bit busy with somethin¡¯ right now, so we¡¯re here as his replacement. Nice to meet ya¡¯!¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Who exactly are you people? Sistina, who had a strong sense of justice, stood up from her seat, and fearlessly walked up to confront them. ¡°This is the Alzano Imperial Magical Academy. Outsider are not permitted here okay? How did you guys even get in here in the first place? ¡°Oi oi, if you wanna ask questions, ask them one by one okay? I¡¯m not educated like you guys!¡± ¡°¡­-!¡± It seemed like the delinquent man had a wild mood, and couldn¡¯t be reasoned with at all. Sistina went silent, showing a bitter expression. ¡°First, about us hm¡­ We¡¯re something like terrorists I guess? Basically, we¡¯re a group of sca¡ªry onii-sans that have a problem with the empress-sama.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± ¡°Then, about how we got in here¡­ we killed some pitiable guard-san, broke that bothersome barrier, and then came here to trouble you, you see? How¡¯s that? All o-kay with you guys?¡± A commotion began to stir through the classroom. ¡°D-, Don¡¯t joke around! Answer me seriously!¡± Sistina shouted at the man, her shoulders trembling in anger. ¡°But it was really really the truth ya know~¡± The delinquent man raised his arms into the air in a funny manner. ¡°The guards working at this school are all magicians that have been extensively trained in combat! They wouldn¡¯t easily lose to someone of the likes of you. Also, the academy¡¯s barrier is something that the best of the best magicians can¡¯t even hope to break you know!?¡± ¡°Ah-, is that true? Well than I guess this super famous magic academy isn¡¯t too big of a deal. Maaan, I¡¯m really disappointed!¡± ¡°¡­If you keep up this attitude of yours, then there are things I can consider doing alright?¡± ¡°Eh? What? What is it? What are you planning to do? Tell me tell me.¡± ¡°¡­-! I¡¯m going to knock you unconscious and hand you over to the police! If you don¡¯t want that to happen then hurry up and leave this academy¡­¡± ¡°Kyaa¡ª, we¡¯re going to be captured!? Oh no¡ªoooooo!¡± Seeing that the duo had no intention to leave, Sistina steeled her resolve. ¡°I¡¯ve given you a fair warning okay?¡± She refined her internal magic power. Using her breathing techniques and focus, she adjusted her mana biorhythm. Then, she pointed her finger towards the man¡ª And chanted the black magic [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. ¡°¡± ¡°¡± However the delinquent man¡¯s chanting completely overwhelmed hers. Sistina saw a flash of light emit from the man¡¯s finger. And at the same time, the sound of the air being ripped apart and the wall behind her being pierced by something could be heard. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡° ¡± What followed were more three flashes of light, which grazed Sistina¡¯s neck, hips and shoulders. ¡°M¡ª¡± Unable to move, Sistina¡¯s body dripped with cold sweat. Frightened, she turned to look at the wall behind her. There were small clean holes the size of coins. The wall had been pierced through so cleanly that one could see what lay on the other side. What frightening penetrating power. Needless to say, Sistina and the rest of the class understood the real form of the magic that the man had chanted. ¡°No way¡­ Could that be¡­ The spell you used just now was¡­ [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce]!?¡± The black magic [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce]. It was a military-grade offense magic that would pierce through one¡¯s target with a flash of lightning. Based on appearances, it wasn¡¯t too different from [Shock ¡¤ Bolt], however, it¡¯s force, speed, penetrating power, and range wasn¡¯t comparable. The spell [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] could pierce through thick reinforced metal with ease. Furthermore, the amount of electrical current in the spell was far greater than [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. If it was used on an ordinary person without any magical resistance, they would definitely die from electrocution, regardless of where the spell actually hit. Unlike its simple appearance, it was a spell that carried a dreadful amount of killing power. The spell¡¯s existence on the battlefield had once rendered bows, guns, and even metal useless. ¡°W-, Why¡­Such a dangerous spell¡­¡± Sistina¡¯s legs began to shake in fright. Soon, her knees failed to support her, and she fell to the ground. ¡°N-, Not the mention¡­The spell was cut to such a short one-stage chant, and it could even be repeatedly fired¡­¡± Although it looked like he was playing around, the technique that the man used required extraordinary skills. Anyone who had experience with magic could understand this. At that moment, all the students in the room understood that they could not win against the man before them. There was simply too big of a difference in combat power. Even if the entire class worked together as one, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to threaten this man. The difference in power between the two groups as magicians, was despairingly large. ¡°Could it be¡­ that you guys really are¡­?¡± ¡°I to-ld you that already didn¡¯t I? That we¡¯re terrorists. This academy is already under our control, so remember to act real mature and human okay? Ah, right right, if there¡¯s anyone who plans to resist, step right up alright? I¡¯ll give you a painless death.¡± Not a single student even considered it. . After all, [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] was a military-grade magic ¡ª a magic that was employed by army magicians for use in wars. The only thing that could combat military-grade magic was military-grade magic, and at present, none of the students amongst the class could use it. The professors and lecturers at this school had been forbidden to teach military-grade magic to the students here, since they haven¡¯t even received the qualifications of a bachelor. It was deemed that ¨C for the students who hadn¡¯t fully matured as magicians ¨C the lethality of military-grade magic was simply too high. Thus, the offensive spells that the bachelor students learned were limited to [Shock ¡¤ Bolt], which knocks it target unconscious, [Flash ¡¤ Light], which blinds the target, and [Gale ¡¤ Blow] which blows the target away with a gust of wind. They were all spells that were considered non-lethal. Using elementary-grade magic to fight against an opponent who could cast [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] with a one-stage chant, was like fighting with a water gun against an opponent armed with a handgun. As for whether or not Sistina would stay alive¡­ it could very well be decided on a whim of the delinquent man. Then, though it was late, the classroom entered a state of panic. ¡°U-, UWaahahhh!?¡± ¡°KYAAAAAA!?¡± Soon after the room fell into a state of chaos¡ª ¡°Shut up, you brats are being annoying. Do you want me to kill you?¡± The man pointed his finger towards the students and threatened them. In an instant, the classroom returned to its original silence. Feeling the genuine murderous intent of someone that had killed a countless number of people, the students went mute and shivered in fear. ¡°Oh-, good kids, good kids. As expected, a classroom has to be quiet¡ª¡± ¡°Now then, I have a question for you good kids. Will you hear me out?¡± The students off the class all lowered their heads in fear. ¡°Well in here you know, is there a girl named Lumia-chan? If you are could you raise your hand please¡ª? And if anyone knows could you please tell me¡ª?¡± Murmurs quickly spread through the classroom. ¡°¡­Lumia?¡± ¡°¡­W-, Why Lumia¡­?¡± The students of the classroom conversed each other with desperately strained voices. ¡®Why did they name Lumia specifically?¡¯ The class was troubled by this. And when the name had been called, some students unconsciously turned their gaze towards one side. ¡°Ah-, I see. So Lumia-chan is on this side of the class right¡ª? Hmpf, which one of you is it, I wonder?¡± Having noticed this, the delinquent man had walked to the section that Lumia sat in. ¡°Are you Lumia-chan?¡± The man leaned his head forwards towards Rin, who was seated two seats behind Lumia. ¡°N¡­.No¡­.¡± ¡°Then, do you know who Lumia is?¡± ¡°I-, I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Hm? ¡­Really? I really don¡¯t like liars you know¡­?¡± Rin seemed like a frog being swallowed by a snake. Her body trembled in fear, and teardrops trickled down from her eyes. At this moment, Sistina signaled to Lumia through her gaze. If she didn¡¯t do so, there was no telling when Lumia ¨C who gripped her fists tightly in resolve ¨C would stand up and admit her identity. (You can¡¯t Lumia. You¡¯re going to be killed.) (But¡­-!) (It¡¯s alright, just don¡¯t do move!) After this short conversation through eye and head movements, Sistina pressed her hands against her trembling knees, and stood up. ¡°Y-, You people, what do you plan to do with this girl named Lumia?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Seeing that the girl had once again confronted him, the delinquent man showed an amused expression. ¡°Do you know Lumia-chan? Or are you Lumia-chan?¡± ¡°Answer my question! What the heck are you guys plan¡ª!?¡± ¡°Shut up, you little brat.¡± Though he had displayed a relaxed attitude until now, his expression suddenly turned freezing cold, as if he was a viper. ¡°Hm, let¡¯s start with you then¡ª¡± Without a since trace of doubt, the man pointed his finger towards Sistina¡¯s head¡ª ¡°I am Lumia.¡± In that moment, Lumia stood up from her seat. The man paused. ¡°Eh?¡± Losing interest in Sistina, the man turned away, and walked in front of Lumia. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Realizing that she had survived by the skin of her teeth, Sistina once again fell to the floor. ¡°Ah, so you are Lumia-chan¡­ Well, actually I already knew.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I mean, investigating before we do something is just common sense right? That¡¯s why I recognized you immediately you see!¡± ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you just start with me¡­.¡± ¡°Well, if you decided not to fess up immediately, I decided that I would play a game where I would ¡®Ka-Bang¡¯ unrelated people one-by-one, until Lumia-chan admits her identity, or until someone else tells me.¡± Lumia had nothing to say in response. This man had clearly gone mad. ¡°Ah, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to do that anymore. ¡°Since Lumia-chan revealed yourself on her own, I won¡¯t slaughter them okay? To sell out your friends in order to save yourself, or to reveal yourself in order to save your friends¡­. Oh, that indecisiveness is really great ya know! That¡¯s why what you did was nice, Lumia-chan. Fine Play!¡± ¡°You fiend¡­-!¡± Angered by the applauding man, Lumia¡¯s expression twisted into a never before seen state. ¡°Playtime¡¯s over, Jhin.¡± The man in the dark coat, who had stayed silent until now, opened his mouth to speak. ¡°I will bring this girl over to that man. You continue with phase 2 of the operation. I¡¯ll leave the people in this classroom to you.¡± ¡°Ah¡ªGeez, this is really troublesome. Hey brother Reick, do I really have to use [Spell ¡¤ Seal] on all of them? I think it¡¯ll be fine either way, since they¡¯re all small fry. Even if they decide to all attack at once, they¡¯re not going to even touch me you know? Rather, wouldn¡¯t you say that they¡¯re already been totally pacified?¡± Jhin looked around the classroom. All the students avoided meeting his gaze. ¡°This is the plan we¡¯ve decided on. Don¡¯t mess around.¡± ¡°Al-right alright.¡± The delinquent man turned his head in annoyance. ¡°Would you like to follow me? Lady Lumia.¡± Reick attended to Lumia in an arrogant fashion. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice right?¡± With unwavering resolve, Lumia faced the man head on. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand.¡± ¡°¡­Could I have a word with her?¡± Lumia turned her eyes towards Sistina, who continued to tremble on the floor. ¡°Fine. However, don¡¯t try anything funny.¡± Reick did not show even the faintest hint of negligence. Lumia, feeling the full pressure of his sharp gaze, kneeled down next to Sistina, and met her gaze. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be going now, Sisti.¡± ¨C¨CDon¡¯t, Lumia. None of Sistina¡¯s cries could be vocalized. There was only the faint movement of her lips. Even so, Lumia seemed to understand what she wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Also, sensei will¡­ Glen-sensei will definitely save everyone.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why Lumia declared such a thing. ¨C¨CSensei will? Nor could she understand why she had mentioned Glen. However, there was not a single trace of doubt in Lumia¡¯s expression. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­¡± Lumia, as if she was trying to comfort Sistina, raised her hands towards Sistina¡¯s face¡­ It was then¡ª ¡°¡­Don¡¯t touch her.¡± Accompanied by an intense murderous intent, Reick lowered his sword towards Lumia¡¯s neck. There was no telling where the sword had come from. Lumia¡¯s hands abruptly stopped in front of Sistina¡¯s face. Witnessing the situation unfold, Sistina released an uncontrolled yelp. ¡°¡­Why must I?¡± Despite the sword hovering over her neck, Lumia replied in a calm and fearless fashion. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Just don¡¯t touch anybody, especially the magicians. Otherwise I¡¯ll cut your hands off immediately.¡± ¡°¡­At this point, I won¡¯t try to resist.¡± Lumia bitterly pulled her hands away. A sense of reproach could be felt in her voice. Without replying, Reick nodded his head once, as if he was signaling that ¡®I¡¯ve already let you talk, so come with me now¡¯. Knowing that it was no use to delay the inevitable, Lumia stood up. Then, Reick said something that shook her to the core. ¡°Anyway, it seems that you people have some sort of expectation for the person named Glen Ryders¡­ I suggest you give up on that sort of pointless hope.¡± ¡°Hey, brother Reick. Who is this Glen-sensei person?¡± Hearing Reick¡¯s declaration, Jhin butted in. ¡°It¡¯s the name of the temporary instructor who is in charge of this class. You should at least remember that much.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª Glen huh? It was that small fry named Glen huh, okay okay, I remember now. Kekeke, Glen-sensei really is unlucky isn¡¯t he?¡± Hearing that, Lumia remembered what Jhin said about him ¡®being busy with something¡¯. ¡°You people¡­ What did you do to Glen-sensei?¡± ¡°Ah-, about that Glen-sensei, he was killed off by one of our guys you know?¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± ¡°Our guy uses a crazy magic called Alchemy-Mod [Piercing Acid Poison] you see. Even though acid and poison are completely lethal elements on their own, that perverted guy decided to combine them out of some crazy interest. That guy is really horrifying when he deals with his prey you know? Even I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit grossed out. Well, the people of that town back there should¡¯ve discovered some unidentifiable and messed up corpse about now, and there¡¯s gonna be this hu-ge fuss about it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­ S-, Sensei¡­¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Glen was dead. Leaving aside Sistina whose heart was already in shambles, even Lumia ¨C who had put up a strong front the entire time ¨C turned pale in despair. ¡°Now then, come with me.¡± Lumia raised her head to face the man that urged her to follow. The prior despair was nowhere to be seen. It was an expression that firmly believed that Glen was safe. ¡°¡­What a tough lady.¡± With a hint of admiration in his voice, Reick left the classroom. Lumia took a deep breath, and followed behind with a firm resolve. A crowd of people were gathered at the crossroads leading to the academy. They stood a fair distance away as they murmured to one another about what was before them. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ terrible. Has the police not arrived yet?¡± ¡°Oi, what should we do? Is that guy still alive?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t really tell¡­ but if he¡¯s really alive, it might be more painless for him to just die here and now¡­¡± ¡°Mm¡­ h-, how horrendous¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ This is terrible¡­ It¡¯s just far too terrible¡­ Ugh¡­I can¡¯t look any longer¡­-!¡± ¡°Damned¡­devils¡­This must be the work of some devil¡­-!¡± At the center of the crowd of people¡ª ¡ªWas someone who had been beaten to the point where his body was full of lumps. Then, at some point, he had been stripped naked and tied in a in a turtle shell bondage. The sight was accompanied with embarrassing drawings all across his body that made the evil intentions of the culprit clear. Not only that, a fresh flower had been stabbed into his behind, stuck to his crotch was a postcard that wrote ¡®super small¡¯. It was an unconscious, short man. ¡°Tch¡ªwhat is happening!? Just what the hell are they planning to do! Goddamnit!¡± At the main entrance of the academy¡ª After confirming that the guard that lay on the floor was no longer breathing, Glen banged his fists against the ground. ¡°Even though I¡¯m supposed to be an academy personnel, this barrier is blocking me off¡­ The specifications of the barrier were changed. Just what kind of idiot would do something so damn annoying!?¡± Should this be considered lucky or unlucky? The culprit¡¯s barrier which led people away had taken effect, so there was not a single person in the vicinity of the academy. Glen chose to calm down and reevaluate the situation. ¡°Well¡­ the identity of the people behind all this is clear. It¡¯s the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society¡­ that good-for-nothing group of idiots.¡± It was something that Glen had learned after he overturned that short man¡¯s ambush, and stripped him down to shame him. Engraved on his short-sword was the insignia of a snake, and the same detestable insignia had been tattooed on the man¡¯s arm. The Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society. One of the oldest organizations that existed in the Alzano Empire. For the sake of investigating magic, any sacrifice would be forgiven. No, rather, it was necessary. ¡®The most advanced human beings ¨C the magicians of our organization ¨C should be the ones to guide the world on its course, and anyone who is not a magician of our great organization is nothing but blind, foolish, ¡®livestock¡¯ ¡ª they were a group of fiendish magicians that carried out this rotten modus operandi. In order to bring their outlandish beliefs to fruition, they waged many conflicts against the imperial government, in which bloodshed was washed away with more bloodshed. They were the worst terrorist organization, and subsequently, the darkest face of the magical world. After realizing that the man he had knocked out was part of that organization, he cast the white magic [Sleep ¡¤ Sound] to put him to deep sleep, the black magic [Magic ¡¤ Rope] to restrain his hand and feet, and the black magic [Spell ¡¤ Seal] to render him unable to use magic. Overall, the amount of restraint he had used was overkill. No matter how irredeemably evil his opponent was, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill them. That¡¯s why he had decided to kill him on a societal level. It was definitely not something he did because he got carried away. Anyhow, due to Glen¡¯s efforts, the man was powerless for the time being. When the police sees the insignia on his arm, they¡¯ll immediately hand him over to the government, whom will then imprison him before transport. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems. ¡°Then, I got a bad feeling about everything and came to school, and then this happened.¡± The guard had been killed, and the academy had been completely sealed off. Seeing that the one that had attacked him belonged to the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society, it was evident that this was no mere coincidence. Basically, the people from the organization had specifically chosen to attack the academy today, knowing that all the lecturer-level or above magicians would not be present. There were several places in the academy that were overseen by guardian golems. However, given that the academy¡¯s security system had fallen under the enemy¡¯s control, the golems won¡¯t be able to properly serve their function. ¡°But¡­ what is their goal? For what reason did they decide to attack this academy?¡± Is it the magical texts that were kept in the basement of the library? Is it the magic tools in the sealed storehouse of the museum? Sure, those things are extremely valuable, but is it something that warrant an organization like the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society to come? ¡°Damnit¡­ Even though those guys are a group of idiots, they¡¯re not something that the town¡¯s policemen can deal with¡­ the only ones with a real fighting chance would be the Imperial Court Magicians. So hurry up and pick up Serika!¡± Glen pressed half of a gemstone next to his ear, and infused magic power into it a countless number of times. It was a communication magic tool that he could use to contact Serika, however, Serika wasn¡¯t responding at all. ¡°What the heck is she doing!? Could it be that she overslept!? Oversleeping is the worst thing you can do as a proper member of society you know!? As someone with responsibility, how could you be this unaware of yourself, you idiot!¡± Glen roughly shoved the gemstone into his pocket. ¡°Now then¡­ what should I do.¡± Glen retrieved a charm from his knapsack. It was something that he had found on the short man as he was stripping him, and had taken with him. By the way, this charm was the reason that Glen rushed to academy immediately after dealing with the man. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but this is probably used to get through the sealed barrier.¡± However, based on the formula inscribed on it, it¡¯s a consumable magic tool, which means it can only be used once. Once I enter the academy, I won¡¯t be able to leave until I hunt down the culprit. So if I use this, I¡¯ll be sealed inside the academy on my own¡ª ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Not only that, I don¡¯t know anything about the enemy force. If we¡¯re talking about the magicians from the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society, then they should be absolute monsters who specialize in combat magic, and who can each take on thousands of people. Going up against them without a plan is the same as committing suicide. Then I should wait until the Imperial Court Magicians arrive. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really have any other choice do I?¡± In the first place; If I use this, then the Imperial Court Magicians are going to waste a lot of time trying to get in. No, in the worst case scenario they won¡¯t be able to dispel the barrier. After all, the one who invented this barrier is a first-rate magician whose power is at the level of a god. ¡°However¡­ how long will the Imperial Court Magicians need to get here?¡± If I rushed to the police station now, I¡¯ll probably have to convince some lazy officer who won¡¯t believe me for some reason. Then, they¡¯ll have to do the documentation for contacting the army and the ministry of magic ¡ª No matter how many times I think about it, it¡¯ll take too long. There¡¯s no guarantee that the enemies inside won¡¯t harm the students during that time. Normally speaking, the students would have value as hostages, but common sense doesn¡¯t apply to a group like the Wisdoms of the Heavens Research Society. It won¡¯t be unreasonable either to say that they took over the academy to use the students as sacrifices for some ritual. Although the students are just novices, if a couple dozen of them ¨C who each have plenty of magic power ¨C were sacrificed, then they¡¯d probably be able to summon a pretty powerful devil. They might even be able to refine high-class Orihalcon. That depraved group of fiendish magicians aren¡¯t beyond doing that. ¡°Damn¡­ Just what the heck are they planning? Should I have used mind-reading magic before knocking that idiot out¡­? Well, I didn¡¯t have the time for that, and it¡¯s not like my mind-reading technique would have an effect of a magician of that level anyway.¡± Anyhow, without knowing the enemy¡¯s objective, there was no way for Glen to form a plan of action. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. As expected, I can¡¯t make any rash moves on my own. I should go to the police office and contact¡ª¡± Just as Glen turned to leave. A beam of light cut through the air. ¡°¡ª!?¡± It seemed that the identity of the beam of light that had pierced through the walls was¡ª ¡°Is that¡­[Lightning ¡¤ Pierce]!?¡± It was not a spell that could have been casted by the students, so it had undoubtedly been casted by the enemy. There was no telling what kind of person had used such a frightening spell inside the bounds of the academy. After a short time, three more beams of [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] shot through the air. Had it been pointed at a crowded area, then dozens of people would die. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Glen stopped in his tracks. His heartbeat suddenly rose to an intense pace. ¡®Are the students alright?¡¯, ¡®Did anyone die just now?¡¯ Glen won¡¯t stop sweating. It wasn¡¯t like he had an especially deep connection with the students. The only reason he had associated with them in the first place was because of his job as a lecturer. Although he didn¡¯t really understand why the students have tried to strike up a conversation with him as often as they could recently, but that¡¯s all there was to it. He didn¡¯t even know the favorite food of a single one of them. It was like they were strangers. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely anxious. The strangest thing was that the faces of the two young girls repeatedly flashed through his mind. It was the annoying group of two that he had become involved with since he had become a temporary instructor. What if the spell just now had been pointed at one of them? What if they became like the pitiful guard who lay dead beside him? Their limbs would be like those of broken puppets, and their bodies would be thrown aside. Standing before the two corpses, what would he think? ¡°Hmpf¡­ they¡¯re not related. I should go contact the higher ups, that¡¯s the best way to do this.¡± As though he was cutting off his feelings, Glen turned his back against the academy, and ran. My destination is the police station in town. There shouldn¡¯t be any reason for me to hesitate. ¡°What¡¯s your group¡¯s goal? What use do you have for someone like me?¡± Asked Lumia. A genuine anger could be felt in her voice, as she trailed behind Reick. ¡°Why¡­ me?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you of all people know the answer to that? Lumia¡­ Or should I say, Princess Alumiana.¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± Hearing what she had been called, Lumia gasped for air. However, she regained her composure after a brief moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you learned about my lineage from, but you should understand that I no longer have any value as a princess.¡± ¡°Of course I know. In the first place, you are an existence that shouldn¡¯t be alive. However, with due thanks to the mercy of the current empress Alisha, you are still present here and now.¡± Reick turned his head and stared coldly towards Lumia. ¡°You have value because you are a person who isn¡¯t supposed to exist, yet continues to exist.¡± ¡°¡­-!?¡± ¡°Even a taboo existence like yours, which should have been discarded a long time ago, has value when given the chance. If certain people are used at the right time, then it is possible shake the very foundation of the royalty and imperial governance that is present currently. Furthermore¡­ the generals of my organization are very interested in that special trait of yours. Do rest reassured. Since you are important, they¡¯re unlikely to try anything dangerous. At the very worst, you are a target. Consider yourself lucky.¡± ¡°How could¡ª¡± An unbearable chill came across Lumia, and she reflexively held her shoulders. In the face of this man, whose morals defied that of a human being¡¯s, she instinctively felt disgusted. ¡°I understand that your objective is me. If that¡¯s the case, then no one else is related to this¡­ Sistina¡­and everyone, please release them!¡± ¡°You truly are an admirable lady. Despite hearing what I said, you still worry for others. Perhaps it¡¯s something that runs in the bloodline?¡± In a somewhat moved manner, Reick replied to Lumia. ¡°However, though it is regrettable, it is something that cannot be negotiated. Although they are mere hatchlings, we finally managed to get our hands on a large amount of young magicians of great vitality. I have a few companions who would like to use them as materials for their experiments.¡± ¡°How¡­ How could you¡­. Do you people still consider yourselves human!?¡± ¡°Human? How idiotic can you be. We are magicians.¡± As if to signal the end of the conversation, Reick didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Sensei¡­ Glen-sensei¡­¡± Lumia pressed her hands against her chest, and muttered Glen¡¯s name. ¡°Come on, over here. Hurry it up~¡± ¡°Kyaa-!?¡± Sistina was crudely thrown onto the icy, hard floor. ¡°W-, What do you want-!?¡± Sistina hands were placed behind her back, and restrained by the black magic [Magic ¡¤ Rope]. As a result, she was unable to stand up. Lying on the floor, Sistina turned her head to look up towards the delinquent man ¨C Jhin. Jhin looked at Sistina ¨C who squirmed on the floor like an earthworm ¨C with a lecherous and excited gaze. Once the dark-coated man ¨C Reick, left the room with Lumia, Jhin restrained remaining people in the class with [Magic ¡¤ Rope], and casted the magic [Spell ¡¤ Seal] on each of them, which sealed the activation of magic, thus, completely robbing them of their ability to resist. Once he had completed this task, Jhin suddenly seemed to have an idea, and dragged Sistina out of the classroom. After that, he cast locking magic of the entire classroom to trap the students inside. Finally, in a threatening manner, he brought the defenseless Sistina here. It was the magic experimentation room. It appeared that there was a magic formation experiment the day before, and a pentagram had been written on the floor using chicken blood. Sistina lay at the very center of the pentagram, as if she was a sacrifice to summon a demon. ¡°Bringing me all the way here¡­ What are you planning to do with me!?¡± As if to suppress her inner anxiety and fright, Sistina lashed out at Jhin. ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t that obvious? Since there¡¯s nothing to do, and since there¡¯s free time to kill, I decided that I would take you for a go.¡± ¡°Wh¡ª¡± ¡°I managed to find a fine gem after all this trouble, so wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to not try it while I still have some free time? Kukuku¡­¡± Jhin responded as if he was listing out his plans for lunchtime. Hearing that response, Sistina was left at a loss for words. Although the things he said were vulgar and crude, she wasn¡¯t innocent enough to not know what he meant. A cold, frightful shiver found its way up her back. ¡°Y-, You¡­ What are you¡­¡± ¡°My¡ª, I actually kinda like immature brats like you. I¡¯m like a lolicon I guess? Kya~haha, I¡¯m gonna get arrested aren¡¯t I¡ª¡± Jhin heartily laughed without a care for Sistina, who turned pale in fright. ¡°Hmpf, but do I really count as a lolicon if I have a craving for you? I mean, aren¡¯t you already of marriageable age? What do you think?¡± ¡°Stop messing around! ¡°I-, I¡¯m the lady of the Phebell house you know!? If you dare lay your hands on me¡­ my father won¡¯t forgive you!¡± ¡°Wahhh¡ª, I¡¯m so sca¡ªred. But, that doesn¡¯t really matter. By the way, what is the Phebell house? Are they really great or something?¡± ¡°Ky¡ª¡± Without a care for what the name Phebell was supposed to mean, Jhin pinned Sistina to the floor. Her body was sealed. Her magic was sealed. No matter how frustrated she was, she couldn¡¯t put up any resistance. It was as if she was actually a tribute to summon a devil. ¡°¡­Do what you want.¡± Though the tone was angry, her voice was soft. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°If you want to treat me as a tool to vent your frustration, then do what you want, but remember this. One day¡­ I will absolutely kill you with my own two hands. Even though I can¡¯t do it now¡­ but I will chase go to the ends of the world if that¡¯s what it takes to kill you. I will clear this humiliation¡­ in the name of Phebell.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Faced with Sistina¡¯s gaze that was sharp as the reaper¡¯s scythe, Jhin ¨C as if he was stared down ¨C suddenly quieted down. ¡°GYaHaHAHAHAHAHAhahaHA¡ª!¡± And suddenly, he exploded into hysterical laughter. ¡°Wh-, What, is there anything strange!?¡± ¡°Hy¡ªaHAhaha! No, you see¡ª¡± Jhin rubbed away his tears, and said: ¡°Actually, I think it would be boring to try to make fun of someone like Lumia-chan.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sistina felt uneasy towards the suddenly change of topic. ¡°Lumia-chan looks like a weak girl at first glance, but she¡¯s the type of person who can steel her resolve at any moment. No matter how much suffering, pain, or torment people like her go through, their spirits will never break. At least, not until they kick the bucket first. I can understand that much about her.¡± Why do you understand that? If she asked, she might get a bone-chilling response, so she decided against it. ¡°But, you are different.¡± ¡°What did you say¡­!?¡± ¡°You look like a strong person at first glance¡­ but you are actually hella fragile. All you are is a little kid who desperately tries to hide her weakness behind a mask. Simple girls like you are my favorite ones to break, I mean, if a delicious bottle of wine can¡¯t be opened, then all it does is make people feel bad right?¡± ¡°¡ªKu-!¡± Sistina¡¯s blood rose to her face at Jhin humiliating words. ¡°You think that I will submit to you¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, you will, and it¡¯ll probably be easier than I thought.¡± ¡°Stop screwing around! I am the prideful Phebell¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Alright alright, then how long will you be able to keep up I wonder¡ª?¡± Jhin ¨C without a single moment of hesitation ¨C ripped the top of Sistina¡¯s uniform apart, revealing the white underwear and skin underneath. ¡°¡­eh? ¡­ah¡± A hoarse sound escaped from Sistina¡¯s throat. The feeling of her skin being exposed to the chilly air gave her a vivid glimpse of the incoming development. Little by little, the fatal combination of fear and hatred welled up inside her heart. ¡°¡­¡­¡­u, a¡± ¡°Hyu¡ª! Your chest is a bit modest but isn¡¯t you skin really pretty! Oh my, it¡¯s standing up¡­Hm? What¡¯s wrong? Why did you go quiet all of a sudden? That¡¯s no fun.¡± Like I would lose to someone like him. Like I would submit to someone like him! I am the prideful lady of the house Phebell. As a magician, isn¡¯t my body is nothing but an expendable tool? Trembling on the floor, Sistina desperately tried to convince herself. However, what came out of her mouth was the complete opposite of her thoughts and reasoning. ¡°¡­Ah, Uhm¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What?¡± ¡°¡­Please¡­¡­Stop¡­¡­¡± The moment she uttered such, was the moment where there was truly nothing that she could do. Her hidden dream of giving her first time to the person she truly loved would thus come to an unreasonable end. Her body trembled uncontrollably as tears trickled from her eyes. ¡°Ah, uhm¡­ Please¡­ Only this¡­ Just don¡¯t do this¡­ Forgive me¡­¡± ¡°GyAHAHhaHAHA¡ª! You broke down a bit too quickly, just like I said! HyAHAhahahaHA-!¡± After suppressing his maniacal laughs, Jhin looked down at Sistina with a cold gaze. ¡°Sorry but no can do¡­ Since I gotten this far already, how could I stop now?¡± ¡°¡­Stop¡­. Stop¡­ Father¡­ Mother¡­ Help¡­ Somebody help¡­.¡± ¡°Ukeke, you¡¯re really the best! Now then, I guess it¡¯s time for me to dig in!¡± (Itadakimasu) ¡°N¡­Nooooooooooooo¡ª!¡± Sistina desperately moved her body as Jhin¡¯s hand rapidly approached her skin. Then¡ª KaClang¡ª The door opened in an untimely fashion. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± In the doorway stood a man. It was Glen. ¡°Uhh-huh?¡± Seeing the two bodies stacked on top of each other, Glen awkwardly shook his head. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m interrupting something important aren¡¯t I? Well then, please take your time¡­¡± Saying that, he slowly closed the door¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t just close the door and leave! Help me out¡ª!¡± Hearing Sistina¡¯s shout, Glen reluctantly opened the door and walked inside. ¡°Ah¡ª, as I thought, it was like that huh? You know, that kind of sickening development? And here I thought you consented with each other, and were about to advance into a ¡®Damnit I don¡¯t want to see this just explode or something¡¯ kind of development¡­¡± ¡°As if¡ª!¡± On the other hand, Jhin ¨C who had been surprised at Glen¡¯s entrance ¨C quickly retreated from Sistina, and turned to face Glen. ¡°Who the hell are you-!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m kinda an instructor of this academy. Also, let me warn you as a kinda-sensei. What you¡¯re doing is kinda a crime you know? No matter how popular you are, this is kinda¡­¡± Glen¡¯s way of talking was somewhat sloppy. It was a manner that made him seem as if he was talking to a delinquent student. ¨C¨CShoot Sistina remembered. She had called out to Glen for help in that moment of desperation, but his opponent ¨C the man named Jhin ¨C was actually an extremely powerful magician. Though Glen was a competent instructor, his power as a magician was lacking. ¡°Shut up-! Where the hell did you crawl out from you shit-!? ¡°Oi, don¡¯t treat people like cockroaches. It¡¯s disrespectful to cockroaches you know!?¡± ¡°No one even said that you know!? More importantly, just how deep does your self-deprecation go!?¡± If Glen and Jhin fight with magic¡­ then Glen will die for sure. Since Glen can only use three-stage chants, there¡¯s no way for him to fight against Jhin¡¯s super-high speed one-stage chant. ¡°D-, Don¡¯t¡­! Sensei, run!¡± ¡°First you tell me to help, now you tell me to run. What do you want?¡± ¡°Just hurry up and go! You¡¯re not this guy¡¯s match!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too late-!¡± Jhin, who had recovered from the shock, pointed his finger at Glen. Glen¡¯s hand hurriedly moved to follow ¡ª but it was already too late. ¡°-!¡± Jhin¡¯s incantation was completed in an instant. The bolt of lightning that protruded from his finger mercilessly¡ª ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The black magic [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] didn¡¯t activate. The bolt of lightning that should have appeared in accordance to the completed chant was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Ku¡­-!¡± Jhin chanted the spell again, but the result was no different. ¡°Wh¡­ What¡¯s happening¡­ hm?¡± It was then that Jhin noticed what Glen carried in his hand. ¡°The fool¡­ arcana tarot card?¡± Number 0 of the 22 great arcana cards. The fool. ¡°You bastard¡­ what the heck is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my special magic tool.¡± Glen showed the image on the card to Jhin, and said: ¡°By reading the magical formation created by modifying the image of the card, I can activate a certain magic. That is ¡ª- With me as the center, I can completely seal the activation of magic within a certain area.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunate isn¡¯t it? Regardless of how fast you can chant a spell, none of it matters anymore.¡± ¡°Sealing the activation of magic¡­ from a distance?¡± It was true that there was a spell that could seal the activation of magic. It was the black magic [Spell ¡¤ Seal]. However, that spell required a charm to be activated. Furthermore, the incantation for the magic would have to be written directly on the target, and had to be directly granted a magical effect. The spell would only function with this specific procedure. That¡¯s why it wasn¡¯t something that could be used during a battle. On the contrary, all Glen needed to do was glance at a sheet of paper to perfectly seal the activation of magic within the area. ¡°D-, Don¡¯t fuck with me. The hell is that!? I¡¯ve never heard of this kind of bullshit magic before!¡± ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t, cause this is my original magic.¡± ¡°Original magic!? You bastard¡­ Are you telling me that you¡¯ve already reached this level!?¡± Sistina, who had seen the entire situation unfold, shuddered uncontrollably. She couldn¡¯t help but be struck with wonder. If one could seal the activation of magic from a distance in a battle between magicians, then it was an invincible power. It was a completely one-sided game. Even if Glen could only use the three-stage chant, his win rate would still be one-hundred percent. No, if he fought with this original magic, then there wouldn¡¯t even be a need to use the inefficient one-stage chant. ¡°Gu¡­¡± Jhin began to sweat. He realized that he had been trapped inside Glen¡¯s technique. But¡ª ¡°But well, I actually can¡¯t use magic either.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sistina and Jhin widened their eyes in surprise. A mysterious solemnity enveloped the surrounding space. ¡°Well, I mean, I¡¯m in the area of effect as well aren¡¯t I? Since the magic centers around me.¡± ¡°W-, Wh¡ªWhat¡¯s the meaning of all this then!?¡± Sistina could no longer hold back her words. ¡°GyAHAHAHAHa¡ª!? Are you stu¡ªpid!? Sealing your own magic as a magician, how are you gonna fight then!?¡± ¡°Huh? I mean¡­ even if you don¡¯t have magic, you still have your fists right?¡± Glen relaxed his neck, and said something that was unbecoming of a magician. ¡°Huh? Fists?¡± ¡°Yeah. Fists.¡± Suddenly, Glen leaped forward with an explosive kick. Covering the distance between them in an instant, Glen jabbed Jhin¡¯s face is a razor-like movement with his left hand, which was immediately followed by a straight from his right. ¡°Guwaaa-!?¡± The lightning-fast one-two strike sent Jhin flying towards the wall with a thud. ¡°Eh? No way¡­ What¡ª, was that movement¡­¡± I completely missed it. Sistina looked dumbfoundedly at Glen. Glen slanted his body, slightly bent his back, and rotated the back of his hands towards the direction of his opponent ¡ª A stance that was akin to ancient martial arts. With light steps, he cautiously stared down Jhin. ¡°Y-, You shit¡ª!¡± Getting up on his feet, Jhin furiously charged towards Glen. However, Glen ¨C as if trying to cover Jhin fist from above ¨C initiated his counterattack. His punch came like a loosened spring, and with a force of a raging wave ¨C ¡°Gah¡ª!? Puh!?¡± At the instant Glen¡¯s fist once again connected with Jhin¡¯s face, Glen deftly shifted his body weight and kneed Jhin¡¯s flank. Then he grabbed Jhin¡¯s shoulder and chest and performed a sweeping kick at his feet, followed by a shoulder throw to send him flying. ¡°GyAAAAAAAAAA-!?¡± Jhin cried out as he slammed against the wall again. ¡°M-hm, I¡¯ve gotten rusty haven¡¯t I? Well I haven¡¯t done this in a while.¡± Glen murmured as he cracked his knuckles. ¡°Y-, You bastard¡­¡± Jhin ¨C his nose now bleeding ¨C rose unsteadily to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you surprised? Actually, a while back, I learned a bit of martial arts from a nearby dojo¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t screw with me! Although the arrangements are a bit strange, wasn¡¯t that the imperial army style martial arts? Not the mention that it¡¯s at fairly high-level¡­ You shit, just who the hell are you really?¡± ¡°Glen Ryders. A temporary instructor.¡± Jhin opened his eyes wide in surprise, as though he was seeing a ghost. ¡°Glen, you say¡­. you¡¯re him!? Could it be that Kiarel actually lost!? You¡¯re kidding¡­-!? How could a magician of his level¡­-!?¡± Wait, it¡¯s not impossible. Sealing the activation of all magic within an area¡­ It¡¯s something that was downright stupid for any ordinary magician, but¡­ His abnormally high-level of martial arts was most likely prepared under the pretense that he would fight using this sealing magic. Before this man, the more talented the magician, the more powerless they become. ¡°Damnit! Stop it already, stop fucking with me-! Even though you¡¯re a magician, you¡¯re settling this with a fistfight!? You shit, do you have no pride as a magician!?¡± ¡°Do you dislike being beaten by something other than magic that badly? Geez, I don¡¯t have a choice I guess. Well then, why don¡¯t I show you the legendary magic called [The Iron Fist of Magic ¨C Magical¡îPunch]? Now keep your eyes peeled.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Glen¡¯s fist rapidly approached Jhin, who was frozen in shock. ¡°The Iron Fist of Magic¡ª¡± ¡°U-, Ohhhh-!?¡± In response to Glen¡¯s punch, Jhin moved both arms to guard his face. ¡°Magical¡îPawwwnnnnch-!¡± Glen then moved his leg in an upward arc. Breaking through the gaps of Jhin¡¯s guard, Glen stuck the side of Jhin¡¯s head with a tornado-like roundhouse kick. ¡°GyAAAAAAAA¡ª!?¡± Viciously struck, Jhin fell to the floor in an exaggerated motion. ¡°Let me explain. [The Iron Fist of Magic ¨C Magical¡îPunch] is a spell that uses some magical-like force that I don¡¯t know about. It raises the power of my punch about two times, and it¡¯s force is comparable to the kick. Anyway, it¡¯s an amazing punch of magic.¡± ¡°Rather¡­ it¡¯s not a punch, but a kick¡­ right¡­¡± ¡°Damnit¡­ I of all people¡­! To a ¡­ stupid guy like¡­.-! Gaha¡­.¡± Leaving behind these last words, Jhin¡¯s consciousness faded to black. Sistina felt a bit of pity for him. Volume 1 - CH 5 Chapter 5: The Fool and the Black Reaper. ¡°And that¡¯s done.¡± After knocking Jhin unconscious, Glen cautiously waited for his sealing magic to run out, and used the spell [Magic ¡¤ Rope] to bind Jhin¡¯s hands and legs. Then, he used [Spell ¡¤ Seal] to prevent Jhin from using magic, and applied [Sleep ¡¤ Sound] on top of that. Finally, Glen stripped Jhin completely, tied him in a turtle bind, and drew atrocious drawings all over his body. To top it all off, he stuck a piece of paper to his crotch. Written on it, was the word ¡®impotent¡¯. ¡°Hah¡ª, he won¡¯t be able to do anything like this. My my, this is why it¡¯s so troublesome to take a magician prisoner.¡± Just as Sistina was thinking that it wasn¡¯t necessary to go that far, a man¡¯s shirt was thrown over her shoulder. ¡°Sensei¡­?¡± Sistina turned her head to the side, and saw Glen in a tank top. He was looking away from her, as to avoid seeing her immodest appearance. ¡°It was scary right? Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ because sensei saved me.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s good that I made it in time then. Alright I¡¯ll undo the [Magic ¡¤ Rope] right now.¡± Glen chanted the incantation for the black magic [Dispel ¡¤ Force], and dispelled the effects of [Magic ¡¤ Rope] and [Spell ¡¤ Seal] that had restricted Sistina. With her arms now free, Sistina pushed her arms through the sleeves of Glen¡¯s shirt, and buttoned it. ¡°S-, Sensei¡­ you¡­¡± Unable to bear the silence, Sistina called out to Glen. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Please.¡± And Glen awkwardly rejected her. ¡°I get it already¡­ I don¡¯t have the right to teach anyone. My hands are too dirty for me to be qualified to guide anyone¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. Uhm¡­ your pants fell off you know?¡± ¡°Ooh-!?¡± It seems like the final round-house kick had loosened the metal fastener on the belt. At some point, his pants had fallen to his feet, and his underwear was exposed to the world. ¡°Ah, geez, damnit! This is why I don¡¯t like this cheap stuff¡ª!¡± ¡°Sensei, you¡¯re really careless aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Seeing Glen¡¯s dumb appearance as he pulled up his pants, there was nothing more that Sistina could say. ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alive¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Did you say something?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± In an unhappy manner, Sistina turned her head away. ¡°¡­? Well that¡¯s fine. Anyway, tell me about the situation, White Cat. What is happening here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes¡­¡± Sistina told him about the series of events that happened¡ª Two magicians calling themselves terrorists had entered the classroom, restrained them, and locked them in. Hearing that none of the students had been sacrificed, Glen felt relieved. However¡ª ¡°Lumia was taken away?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Sistina showed a frustrated expression, and turned her gaze downwards. ¡°Why her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I see¡­ but if that¡¯s the case, was I too hasty?¡± ¡°Sensei?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª, no, sorry. I was just talking to myself. Since I managed to saved you, my judgment was correct.¡± Then¡ª The sharp sound of metals clattering against each other rung throughout the room. Just as Sistina¡¯s body froze in surprise, Glen furrowed his brows, and took out the half-gemstone from his pocket. ¡°What the heck Serika!? You¡¯re late! What were you doing this entire time you idiot!¡± ¡°Sorry about that. I was in the middle of a speech, so I turned off the receiving capability.¡± The voice that came from the gemstone was definitely belonged to Serika, who was currently at the capital a fair distance away from Fejiti. ¡°Something crazy happened over here you know!?¡± ¡°¡­What happened?¡± A stiffness could be felt in the voice coming from the gemstone. ¡°Ah, actually¡­¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡°Is that all true?¡± ¡°Like I would joke around about something like this. It wouldn¡¯t be funny.¡± Glen nervously scratched his head. ¡°Anyway, the culprits are the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society. They managed to seize the barrier and lock down the academy. It¡¯s no longer possible to get in, and there are about 50 students being held hostage, all of which have been restrained and locked inside a classroom. Of the hostages, one of them has been rescued, while another seems to have been taken to the person behind all this.¡± ¡°The Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society hm¡­ I didn¡¯t think that that group of good-for-nothings would come¡­¡± ¡°The enemy¡¯s force consists of three people, and one of whom is unknown. Of the three, two of them have been restrained. However, the last person is probably bad news. At any rate, the last person probably won¡¯t be any weaker than the two before.¡± ¡°Is your original magic [The Fool¡¯s World] not going to work?¡± ¡°My original magic will only work if they¡¯re not aware of it. The enemy isn¡¯t stupid enough to let me use it three times.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°Finally, the most important part¡­ I know that the magic security system of the academy is top-notch. However, the system has been completely put under their jurisdiction¡­ So there has to be a traitor within the academy.¡± ¡°Ah, I think so as well.¡± ¡°Hey Serika, are there any professors or lecturers on your side that went missing? Especially professors, or any lecturers of that level.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We aren¡¯t moving together as a group, so it¡¯s impossible for me to confirm whether or not anyone¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ then explain the situation and confirm it! Also, hurry up and get the imperial court magicians moving to help me out!¡± ¡°That impossible. You should already know this, but magical academies are places where various political parties fight for face and authority. If I call them right now¡­ they won¡¯t be able to get there quickly.¡± ¡°Are you retarded? Stop kidding around! The lives of students are at stake you know!? Just use your authority and do something!¡± ¡°Right now I¡¯m nothing but a normal magician. If people could freely exercise the authority of their past positions, then this nation would be in trouble.¡± ¡°Then hurry up and come back! The school has a teleportation circle right!?¡± ¡°Calm down. Do you think the people who would go to the extent of seizing the barrier would leave the teleportation circle functional? If it were me, I¡¯d have destroyed it immediately. Well, I¡¯ll try it out, but don¡¯t expect anything.¡± ¡°Ku¡­.¡± She was completely right. A teleportation circle could be used as the origin and destination for long distance transfer magic. If the circle linking the capital and the academy was still functional, then reinforcements would soon arrive from the capital. Thus, taking out this teleportation circle would be the first priority of any well-thought-out terrorist plan. Glen pressed on his head, as though he was embarrassed by his own behavior, and released a long sigh. ¡°¡­Sorry. I wasn¡¯t thinking calmly.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t really change on the inside do they? You¡¯re just the same as you were. Anyway, I¡¯ll quickly come up with some countermeasure, so don¡¯t push yourself. Just protect the students and hide with them in a safe place.¡± ¡°Ah, got it.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll hang up now¡­ Don¡¯t die ok?¡± ¡°Like I would die in a place like this.¡± Canceling the communication magic, Glen returned the gemstone to his pocket. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s up?¡± Glen noticed Sistina staring at him. ¡°No¡­ Uhm¡­ It¡¯s a bit unexpected¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I thought that¡­ uhm¡­ Sensei was a bit colder than this¡­¡± Glen turned his gaze away, as if he didn¡¯t care about what Sistina had said. ¡°Erm¡­ The person just now¡­ was professor Alfornea, right?¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°Will she be able to call for help?¡± ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be able to, hearing the conversation just now?¡± Hearing that, Sistina dejectedly lowered her shoulders. A short while later, she rose up with a resolved expression, and moved to leave the room. ¡°Oi where are you going? White Cat.¡± Glen pulled on her arm to stop her. ¡°I¡¯m going to save Lumia.¡± ¡°Stop. Are you asking to die pointlessly?¡± ¡°But¡­But, Lumia¡­ In order to protect me, Lumia¡­¡± ¡°What do you think you can do on your own? You should know already right? Be a little more mature.¡± ¡°But¡­ still¡­-!¡± ¡°¡­Be a little more mature.¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m frustrated¡­ I mean¡­¡± ¡°O-, Oi¡­ White Cat¡­?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ uu¡­ hick¡­ uwaaaan¡­.¡± All the emotions that she had held inside burst out in a single moment. In front of Glen, who was at a loss for words, she began to wail like a child. ¡°You were right sensei! Something like magic isn¡¯t anything good! It¡¯s because of this¡­ Because of this, Lumia is¡­ Lumia is¡­ hick¡­u,¨C¡­¡± ¡°¡­Stop crying, idiot.¡± Glen placed his hand gently on Sistina¡¯s head. ¡°Sensei¡­?¡± ¡°Since magic already exists, it is unrealistic to hope for it to not exist. What¡¯s important is for us to consider what to do with it¡­ That¡¯s what your best friend said. My-oh my, my ideology had stagnated for a long time didn¡¯t it? Maybe I¡¯m getting old?¡± Glen showed a gentle expression that was unbecoming of his lazy and audacious personality. Towards this unexpected display, Sistina couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious. ¡°You know, that girl Lumia, in order to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future, she hopes to rise to a position where she can guide the magical world in the right direction. Isn¡¯t that stupid? It¡¯s still admirable though.¡± ¡°Does she¡­ believe that?¡± ¡°Yeah, so she can¡¯t die here¡­ I won¡¯t let her.¡± Saying that, Glen¡¯s eyes flared with resolve. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Once I confirm the location of the two remaining enemies, I¡¯ll assassinate them. There¡¯s no other choice.¡± Assassination. Hearing Glen say that without hesitation, Sistina felt a frightening chill down her spine. However, more than that, she felt a sense of dread. Although Glen¡¯s eyes were filled with cold, murderous intent¡­ she couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was suffering. ¡°Kuha, KuhaHAHAHA¡­.¡± Suddenly, a dry laugh spread through the room. ¡°¡­Assassination, huh? Kekeke, I never thought you would say that like it was nothing¡­ at first I thought you were just ¡®different¡¯¡­ but what¡¯s this all of a sudden? You¡¯re not all that different from us in the end after all¡­Kuhaha¡­¡± Jhin had already recovered consciousness. It seemed that the effect of [Sleep ¡¤ Sound] had been too weak. Glen clicked his tongue and glanced at Jhin. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that. In the very end, I¡¯m a lowlife, just like you.¡± ¡°Hm? Then aren¡¯t you gonna kill me? Or is it because you can¡¯t do that in front of your cute little student?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t group yourselves with sensei!¡± Sistina angrily shouted at Jhin, whose comments were displeasing to her. ¡°Sensei is different from you! Compared to you, who treats people like trash, and would kill someone without hesitation¡ª¡± ¡°Kuhaha! And how much do you know about him!? To you, he¡¯s just a temporary instructor that you¡¯ve only just met, right?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s¡­¡± Sistina went silent. It¡¯s true that she had only known Glen for about twenty days. To her, she was nothing but a ¡®mysterious instructor that had been brought in by Serika¡¯. She didn¡¯t know a thing about his past. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna say this straight. This guy is definitely up to no good. Who knows how many people he¡¯s already killed¡­ He¡¯s a real devil on the inside, just like me. That¡¯s just the kind of person he is, and his eyes say it all. I totally understand.¡± Sistina hoped that Glen would deny something, anything. However, Glen remained silent. It was a silence that served as confirmation. Then, suddenly, the room began to shake from the magic power permeating through the atmosphere, and the space around them began to ripple like water. ¡°Wha¡ª!?¡± From the rippling space, unidentifiable objects began to emerge. They were skeletons, standing on two legs, and armed with swords and shields. There were about ten of them. No, rather, it would be more accurate to say that they kept increasing in number¡ª ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Nice! Brother Reick!¡± Jhin cheerily shouted. Glen and Sistina were surrounded by the skeletons in an instant. ¡°S-, Sensei¡­ this is¡ª¡± ¡°Damnit, to think that they would use Bone Golems!? Not only that, but they¡¯re all made with top-grade, alchemically-refined dragon teeth! You guys are being really generous with your cards, aren¡¯t you!?¡± The summoning magic [Call ¡¤ Familiar]. Usually, this was a magic used to summon familiars that were about the size of small animals, however, the caster of this magic was able to use his handcrafted golems as familiars, and summon them from a long distance. It was a frightening high-level ability. On top of all that, because they were made with dragon teeth, they each had abnormal levels of strength, mobility, stability, and were capable of resisting the three primary elements. It was an opponent that could not be handled by normal fighters or magicians. ¡°More importantly, is his multi-tasking ability some kind of joke!? Is he even human!?¡± There was no time to admire the caster¡¯s frightening abilities. One of bone golems swung its sword at Sistina. ¡°Kyaa-!?¡± ¡°Back off!¡± Glen immediately got between them. Using his left hand, he hit the body of the sword to deflect it, and with his left hand, he punched the golem¡¯s head with all his might. But¡ª ¡°Tch, it¡¯s hard!?¡± The impact of the strike had pushed the golem back, but there wasn¡¯t even a single scratch on its skull. Recovering its poise, the Golem swung the sword again¡ª ¡°Didn¡¯t you drink a bit too much milk!? Go and drink some soda!¡± It was nigh impossible to deal physical damage to golems made of dragon teeth, so the result of punching them goes without saying. However, even the three primary elements ¨C Fire, Frost, and Lightning ¨C wouldn¡¯t have an effect on them. In order to defeat them, raw magical force was necessary. (I need to use [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant]! Shit, I don¡¯t have the time.) Any attempt to cast magic was behind the bottleneck of three-stage chants. So it was hard to use it flexibly. Glen resolved to take about two slashes, and prepared to chant¡ª ¡°-!¡± Sistina completed the one-stage chant for the black magic [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant]. Glen¡¯s fists were enveloped in a bright light, which signified the presence of magic power. ¡°Sensei!¡± ¡°Sorry, thanks!¡± Giving his thanks, Glen swiftly dashed forward. With three quick flashes, the skulls of the golems on the left, right, and center were shattered. ¡°!¡± Following that, Sistina chanted the black magic, [Gale ¡¤ Blow]. A violent gust of wind pushed the golems blocking the doorway aside. Although it didn¡¯t do any damage, it opened a path to exit the room. ¡°Nice! Let¡¯s go, White Cat!¡± ¡°Y-, Yes!¡± Sistina ran along this path to exit the experimentation room. Two golems immediately turned to attack her. ¡°As if I would let you!¡± Glen, who followed closely behind Sistina, punched and kicked the golem aside. And thus, they barely managed to escape the room. Without a moment to rest, the two of them continued rushing down the hallway. ¡°Sensei, where are we going!? ¡°Who knows!?¡± Then¡ª ¡°Gyaaaa¡ª!?¡± From behind them came a dreadful cry. ¡°W-, Wait!? W-, Why me¡­ AHHHHHHHHHHH¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C!?¡± The sound of something sharp piercing through something soft could be heard. Accompanying it was a painful and dreadful cacophony. Sistina covered her mouth, her face pale. ¡°We don¡¯t have a reason to save him, and we didn¡¯t have the time to anyway.¡± Glen¡¯s cold voice seemed to be talking to himself. ¡°More importantly, what happens to one, may happen to us all. Here they come.¡± After dealing with Jhin, the golems rushed out of the room¡ª ¡°¡ªFu!¡± Glen fired a straight punch. And the skull of the bone golem in front of him shattered. ¡°-!¡± Sistina had once again cast [Gale ¡¤ Blow] The squall that formed around her arms blew away the bone golems that were chasing after them. ¡°This way!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Reaching the end of the hallway, the two quickly rushed up the stairs to the next floor. The bone golems insistently chased after them. ¡°Damnit, this isn¡¯t getting any better¡­¡± There were simply too many enemies for Glen¡¯s magically enhanced fists to beat. Although Sistina¡¯s magic could buy them some time, it was unable to land a killing blow on the bone golems. Thus, they had no choice but to keep running. Furthermore, Sistina¡¯s magic power wasn¡¯t unlimited. Despite the fact that Sistina¡¯s magic power was top notch from an affinity standpoint, using magic non-stop from the beginning of the ordeal would have left her reserves pretty exhausted.. ¡°Sensei! Golems are categorized as magical creatures right!?¡± Sistina shouted at Glen, breathless, as they ran down the hall. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something with your original magic!?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Glen replied immediately. ¡°My magic, [The Fool¡¯s World], only stops the activation of magic! It¡¯s meaningless to use it against magic that¡¯s already been completely realized! If I had to give an example, it would be those guys!¡± Glen cast a bitter glance towards the golems chasing after them. ¡°Rather, to deal with those guys we should be using [Dispel ¡¤ Force] to counterbalance the magic inside them.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s like that then I can do it! Should we try!?¡± ¡°Wha!? You can use it!? Isn¡¯t it a pretty high level spell!?¡± ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t learn it from the academy. I learned it from my father¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite the honor student aren¡¯t you¡­ but it¡¯s pointless. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡°Why!?¡± ¡°Even if you dispel the magic inside them, they¡¯ll just return to dragon teeth¡­ their beginning state. As long as the spell-caster sends magic power back to them, they¡¯ll just return to their golem forms and attack us. Basically, don¡¯t bother wasting your magic power.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± ¡°Just compare the amount of the magic power required to cast [Dispel ¡¤ Force] with that of what¡¯s already inside the target object. In order to function in a semi-automatic manner, each of these guys have their own built-in magic circuit. If you use [Dispel ¡¤ Force] to deal with them one-by-one, you¡¯re gonna exhaust yourself in an instant you know? Either way, the support of your magic is necessary right now.¡± ¡°Then what about Sensei, you have more ample magic power to use [Dispel ¡¤ Force]¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more pointless for me to do it. After reciting a really long incantation, and expending a large amount of magic power, I can only temporary cut down their numbers. At that point, I might as well punch them with magically-enhanced fists. The same goes for stopping them from reusing the golem!¡± ¡°But at this rate¡ª¡± Arriving at the next floor, the two once again returned to the hallway. ¡°Sensei!? Ahead is¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s nowhere to go, is there.¡± As Sistina had observed, at the end of this hallway was a dead end. ¡°W-, What are we going to do!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop them here. Go to the deep end of this hallway¡­ and improvise an incantation on the fly. ¡°Eh!?¡± ¡°The magic I want you to change is your specialty, [Gale ¡¤ Blow]. Lower the force, increase the area, and keep up its effect for an extended period of time. At the same time, limit yourself to a maximum of three-stages. Once you¡¯re done, give me the signal, and I¡¯ll do something about this.¡± ¡°B-, But¡­¡± Sistina moved closer to Glen, and looked up at him. ¡°I-, I don¡¯t know if I can do something so high-level¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Glen replied with an air of confidence. ¡°Though you¡¯re cheeky, you¡¯re outstanding, but you¡¯re cheeky.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put such a strong emphasis on cheeky!¡± ¡°If you can understand the contents of the latest lecture then you should be able to do this. Rather, you have to do this. If you can¡¯t I¡¯m gonna mark you down.¡± ¡°H-, How unreasonable¡­¡± But because Glen acted as foolishly as usual, Sistina¡¯s anxieties were eased. Whether or not Glen did it on purpose, no one would know. ¡°¡­ I understand. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Alright, then go ahead!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Glen stopped and turned around to face the crowd of bone golems. Sistina ran ahead, leaving Glen alone. ¡°Ooooo¡ª!¡± Glen¡¯s punch shattered the bone golem in front of him. And the bone golems attacked Glen like a surging wave. This¡¯ll work. I thought this might be the case when that delinquent guy was attacked, but these guys can only follow simple commands like ¡®prioritize the nearest person¡¯. Then as long as I stay alive, they won¡¯t be able to reach White Cat. I alone am enough for a barrier. Glen retreated step-by-step to dodge the countless swords swung at him. Then, taking advantage of the gaps in their defense, he destroyed the golems. However, none of it mattered in the face of overwhelming numbers. He couldn¡¯t fully avoid the blades of the bone golems that hadn¡¯t fallen, cuts began to form on his body. Tch¡­ I need to limit my movements as much as possible, and focus on dodging the fatal attacks¡­ That way I can buy as much time as possible¡­ The rest is up to you, White Cat. Arriving at the end of the hallway and catching her breath, Sistina quickly began to rearrange the incantation for the black magic [Gale ¡¤ Blow]. She could see Glen heroically fighting at the midsection of the corridor. ¡°, no that won¡¯t work, the force will¨C¨C¨C¨C ¨C¨C¨C¨C¡± Based on Glen¡¯s teachings on magic syntax and formulation, Sistina ran simulations in her mind. What were the effects of the change in runic language on her inner consciousness? Slowly but surely, she arrived closer to her desired result. On the other hand, Glen, who was in front of her, was slowly being wounded. Seeing the red trail that leaked from his body as he moved, Sistina felt a tinge of distress in her chest. Everytime Glen failed to dodge an attack cleanly, and lost balance, she felt a knot in her heart. It didn¡¯t seem like he could hold on much longer. Faced with the immense burden on her shoulders, Sistina desperately resisted the urge to hold her head in her arms and blank out. ¡°? If I want to extend the time then¡ª¡± Despite all that, Glen didn¡¯t turn and run away. Glen dove left and right to dodge the fierce attacks, all for the sake of buying just a little bit more time. Sistina noticed. His unyielding spirit and unwillingness to retreat wouldn¡¯t be possible if he didn¡¯t trust her. Though everything that came out of his mouth was nothing less than hateful, he trusted her. Glen visage, fighting in the face of despair, gave Sistina courage. There¡¯s no way I can betray his trust. ¡°Reduce the speed of the incantation to twenty-two¡­ and with a voice tension of forty-five¡­¡± Sistina wasn¡¯t strong. She only put up a strong front so that she could match up to her household¡¯s name. In reality, she was weaker and more cowardly than anyone, and in truth, Sistina had already realized that. Even if it¡¯s just for now¡­ Let me be strong like Lumia, who didn¡¯t retreat a single step in the face of the enemy¡­ Let me be strong like sensei¡­-! Both Lumia and Glen had saved her before. If it wasn¡¯t for them, she won¡¯t be able to stand here right now. If she hadn¡¯t died¡ªthen she would have been broken. That¡¯s why¡ª Let me be the ones to help them this time! Finally¡ª With a flash of spirit, Sistina decided on the runic form she was going to use. The incantation was complete. ¡°Sensei, it¡¯s done!¡± The moment Glen heard Sistina¡¯s shout, he immediately sprinted down the hall towards Sistina. It was as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Of course, the bone golems hurriedly chased after him. ¡°How many stages!?¡± ¡°Three!¡± ¡°Alright! Once I give you the signal start the chant! Give them everything you got!¡± Glen ran and ran. The golems chased and chased. ¡°Now! Do it!¡± ¡° ¨C¨C¨C¨C!¡± Glen jumped and rolled across the floor next to Sistina. During that time, the incantation was completed, and an explosive gust of wind emitted from Sistina¡¯s hand. It wasn¡¯t a concentrated flurry of wind like that of [Gale ¡¤ Blow]. It was a storm that covered the width of the corridor that was focused in a direction. If one had to give it a name, it would be the ¡®modified black magic [Storm ¡¤ Wall]¡¯. With Sistina as the origin, the magic created a wall of wind that continuously blew in an outward direction, which reduced the speed at which the golems could advance. However¡ª ¡°N-, No¡­ I can¡¯t stop them completely¡­ Sorry, sensei¡­-!¡± Since it was improvised on the spot, the force wasn¡¯t enough. The golems pushed against the current and gradually advanced. It was just a matter of time until they reached them. Sistina felt sweat trickle down her body. ¡°No, you did well. Thanks for the help.¡± Despite that, Glen rose to his feet with ragged breaths. With a pop, he flicked a small crystal into the air and caught it in his left hand as it dropped. Then, Glen tightly grasped his left hand with his right. ¡°The magic I¡¯m about to use can¡¯t be chanted halfheartedly alright¡­? Keep this up for a bit.¡± Taking a deep breath, Glen closed his eyes, and began his chant. ¡°¡ª!¡± Completing all seven-stages, the great incantation that enveloped his entire body was completed. ¡°Go! Get blown away you mobs! Modified black magic [Extinction ¡¤ Ray]¡ª!¡± Glen opened his left hand and thrust his palm forward. Then, the three magic circles centered around his hand expanded and shifted forward. In the next moment, a giant beam of light was released from Glen¡¯s left palm. Passing through the three magic circles, the beam continued in a straight line to the end of the hallway. What followed could only be called ¡®annihilation¡¯. Everything in the path of the beam¡­ the bone golems, the ceiling, the walls; All of it had been devoured by the beam of light. In an instant, all had been vaporized without a trace. Finally, the blindingly radiant sunlight settled into the empty space. Silence. Stillness. There was not a single moving object that could be seen. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± The abrupt ending of this crisis caused Sistina to enter a trance. The roof of the corridor had completely disappeared, along with the walls on the right hand side. The view beyond could be clearly seen. A long cylindrical shape had been cut from the corridor. A gentle breeze blew through the corridor that had become an outdoors area. ¡°A-, Amazing¡­ Such a high level spell¡­¡± The modified black magic [Extinction ¡¤ Ray]. It was a spell that would completely disintegrate the target to its original elements. It was the most powerful magic amongst those that could be chanted by a single user ¡ª Serika Alfornea had devised this magic in the ¡®Great Magic War¡¯ two hundred years ago in order to kill the apostle of an evil god. It was an original magic that neared the power of a true god-slaying technique. It appeared that Glen had used a magical catalyst when he chanted this magic¡­ but even so, the ability to use this magic was something worthy of praise and amazement. ¡°It was a bit overkill, there was no other choice for me¡­ guh, ho¡­-!¡± Glen threw up blood and collapsed. ¡°Sensei!?¡± Sistina rushed to Glen, and touched his body. His entire body was drenched in sweat, and his body was cold to the point where anyone would be horrified. ¡°This is¡­ mana deficiency sickness!?¡± Mana deficiency sickness was a shock-symptom that occurred after an extreme exhaustion of magic power. The source of magic power was mana inside the body, and the true nature of mana was one¡¯s life force. If mana was suddenly depleted, then it goes without saying that one¡¯s life would be endangered. In reality, magic was a double edged sword that one would trade their life to use. ¡°Well¡­ I did use a trick to forcefully use a magic that¡¯s beyond my own capacity¡­¡± Although Glen always seemed to be relaxed, right now he showed an agonizing, distorted expression. Regardless of his mana deficiency, his body¡¯s in a terrible state. He¡¯s bleeding heavily from the wounds. Though there aren¡¯t any fatal ones, there are too many of them. If he keeps bleeding at this rate ¡ª it¡¯ll be bad. ¡°A-, Are you alright!?¡± ¡°If this can be called ¡®alright¡¯, then you need to go see a doctor¡­¡± Even at this crucial juncture, he was still sharp-tongued as usual. ¡°¡± Sistina used the white magic used for healing [Life ¡¤ Up] to treat Glen¡¯s wounds. However, Sistina specialized in black magic ¨C which pertained to movement and energy ¨C and alchemy ¨C which pertained to objects and elements. Thus she wasn¡¯t proficient in white magic like [Life ¡¤ Up], which pertained to the body and spirit. With her current skills, treating these wounds would take a vast amount of time and magic power. ¡°Idiot, this isn¡¯t the time for that¡­¡± Glen wiped the fresh blood off the corner of his mouth and stood up. His knees trembled as he forced himself on his two feet. ¡°We need to hurry up and get away from here¡­. And find a place to hide¡­¡± Glen showed a bitter expression. ¡°Our opponent isn¡¯t so na?ve as to give us the time to do something like this¡­ damnit.¡± Clack¡ª From the remnants of the destruction came the sound of heavy steps. ¡°To think that you would be able to use [Extinction ¡¤ Ray]. It seems like I¡¯ve underestimated you.¡± The silhouette that could be seen across the corridor was¡ª The dark-coated man, Reick. ¡°¡ª!?¡± Sistina held her breath. This was the worst possible timing. Glen was already heavily wounded. Furthermore, floating behind Reick were five swords. There were most likely Reick¡¯s magic tools. Since they were already activated, Glen¡¯s [The Fool¡¯s World] would not have any effect. ¡°Ah-, geez, I already have bad feeling about this just by seeing the floaty swords¡­ Those swords definitely move according to the owner¡¯s will, or move automatically using the skills of master swordsmen that are inscribed on them, right? Goddamn.¡± ¡°Glen Ryders. The investigation said that you were a third-rate, third-rank magician¡­ but for you to have defeated two people was beyond my expectations. I made a miscalculation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kid me. One of them was totally killed by your hands. Don¡¯t blame it on anyone else.¡± ¡°He had disobeyed his orders, gave up on the mission, and began to do as he pleased. That was merely punishment for that. I¡¯m not a saint. I wouldn¡¯t grant charity to a dog that wouldn¡¯t listen to simple command.¡± ¡°Ah, is that right? Well that¡¯s kinda harsh.¡± Glen whispered into Sistina¡¯s ear. ¡°Oi, White Cat, still got any magic power to spare? Can you dispel those swords?¡± Sistina glanced at the swords floating by Reick. She could tell just by looking at them that each of them carried a vast amount of magic power. It was also probable that each one carried a magic enhancement circuit inside as well. ¡°Even if I use all my remaining magic power it probably won¡¯t be enough¡­ I think. In the first place, he won¡¯t give me the time to chant [Dispel ¡¤ Force]¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Suddenly, Glen pushed Sistina aside. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Sistina had been shoved towards the right side, where Glen¡¯s [Extinction ¡¤ Ray] had carved a hole ¨C as in, outside the campus building. ¡°Wa¨C¨C¨C¨CKYAAaaaaa¡ª!?¡± Accompanying the loss of balance, Sistina free-fell from the fourth floor of the building. She seemed to have casted [Gale ¡¤ Blow] as she fell in order to decrease the velocity of the fall. The only sound that could be heard from outside was that of a squall of wind. ¡°Hmph, so you let her get away.¡± ¡°I guess so. Well, with you as my enemy I can¡¯t spare any attention to protect her. So, what now? Are those conspicuous magic swords a counter-strategy against me?¡± ¡°Ahah¡­ was I found out?¡± There¡¯s no need to ask a stupid question like ¡®How did you know?¡¯. Farsight magic, sense synchronization with his familiars, reading the memory of objects¡­ There were an infinite number of ways that magicians could gather information. ¡°Seeing Jhin being defeated so one-sidedly without being able to do anything, this was the only method I could think of. Furthermore, you didn¡¯t use that strange magic against the bone golems. Basically, that means it is a special magic that seals the activation of magic. If that¡¯s the case, then as long as I activate magic beforehand, there won¡¯t be any problems¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± Reick snapped his fingers, and the swords behind him collectively pointed towards Glen. Then, they flew in a straight line towards him. ¡°I knew it¡ª!¡± Glen desperately whipped his wounded body to and fro to dodge. ¡°O¡­owowow¡­ Geez, why did he do that¡­ that guy!¡± The endpoint of her fall was the academy¡¯s main courtyard. There, Sistina lay spread-eagle on the ground. Since she had used the black magic [Gale ¡¤ Blow] to reduce her falling speed, it felt as though she had fallen five or six steps of stairs¡­ ¡°Is this the way you¡¯re supposed to treat a girl!? If I couldn¡¯t chant the magic in time what did he plan to do!? Geez!¡± Despite her shouting, Sistina¡¯s heart rapidly fell into a solemn state. Thinking about it calmly, it was evident that Glen had done this to protect her. The mass activation of bone golems, the repeated use of a remote summoning technique that was amongst the highest-levels of summoning magic, and an arsenal of magic swords. The dark coated man had revealed so many frightening techniques, all of which were far more threatening than what the delinquent man had done. Just comparing her chances of surviving if she were to be caught in the unconventional fight between magicians to her chances of surviving if she were to fall from the school building would be dumb. Though Glen had suddenly pushed Sistina without so much as a warning, it showed how much faith he had in Sistina. She understood that much, but¡­ ¡°In the end, I¡¯m¡­ just in the way¡­¡± It was true that Glen had said that ¡®the support of your magic is necessary¡¯ to Sistina. However, didn¡¯t that come with the condition of ¡®having to protect Sistina¡¯? ¡®Dodging the enemy attacks¡¯, ¡®chanting spells¡¯, ¡®Protect Sistina¡¯. If he only had to choose two from these three options then¡­ maybe Glen wouldn¡¯t have faced as many problems? If Glen had been alone to begin with, would they have been in a situation where they were pursued? In the first place, why had they been chased by a large amount of bone golems? What had caused them to be discovered by the dark-coated man? Wasn¡¯t it because Glen had saved Sistina? Furthermore, it was evident that Glen¡¯s trump-card, his original magic [The Fool¡¯s World], had been revealed due to this. Yes, everything was because of her. ¡°¡ª!?¡± From above, the sound of objects crashing against one another could be heard. It seemed that the battle had begun. If that was the case, then there was nothing more that Sistina could do. ¡°What sensei said is the only choice I¡­¡± Sistina lowered her shoulders and silently stood in place. Haven taken a mental blow from her own inability and powerless, Sistina felt like her vision fading. However, it was then that Sistina noticed¡ª ¡°¡­what sensei said?¡± She felt a slight discomfort as she thought about it. And so, Sistina stood there, pondering the true identity of that discomfort. From the left. From the right. From the front. The swords slashed one after another. The sword sliced through the air, and the blade¡¯s point drew closer¡ª ¡°Haah¡ª!¡± Glen parried one with his left, struck down another with his right, and shifted his body to dodge a third. The three swords tried to cut apart Glen. Each had skills, speed, and deftness comparable to that of a master. However, the movements were simple and inorganic, so he could somehow manage for now but¡ª Suddenly, two swords came in from directly above and behind Glen. The two swords aimed for the moment that Glen stopped moving. It was as if they had a consciousness. Although Glen turned his body to dodge, the two swords that had grasped the perfect timing cut into his back. ¡°Gah¡ª!¡± A crimson flower blossomed from his body. Since Glen had responded appropriately, the wounds weren¡¯t deep. However, they weren¡¯t anything to scoff at either. ¡°Tc-h¡ª¡± Glen jumped backwards, and leaned his back against the wall. Each of the swords took their time to surround Glen. ¡°How bothersome¡­ You bastard¡­ you can use both types?¡± Yes. The man before him ¨C Reick, controlled the five swords. Amongst them, two would act according to the will of the spellcaster, whilst the other three would move automatically using the skills of master swordsmen that had been inscribed onto them. ¡°Well said. Although the swords can perfectly imitate the skills of master swordsmen, the swordsmanship is still that of an inorganic object. In the face of a master, having five of these would still be meaningless. However, if I manually control all of them, I, as a magician, still won¡¯t be able to match the skills of a master. After assassinating dozens of knights and magicians, I¡¯ve come to the conclusion that three automated swords, and two manual swords is the strongest combination.¡± ¡°Goddamnit¡­¡± Glen was completely suppressed. In this situation, he was at an extreme disadvantage. In truth, it would be far easier to deal with five automated or five manual swords. However, the combination of automatic and manual swords made it hard to find an opportunity to take advantage of. ¡°However, you don¡¯t seem like a magician at all.¡± The movements of the manual swords showed no signs of amateurism. Rather, it would be prudent to say that they were first-rate. If this man could realize those such movements from a distance, than his swords skills were surely nothing to scoff at either. Surely, any ordinary swordsman would immediately die were they to face this man in a swordfight. In general, magicians tended to turn a blind eye towards training in the physical arts. Instead, they would focus all their attention on cultivating their mind and spirit. Thus, whilst this direction was different, this man also deviated from conventional magicians. ¡°The pointless chatter ends here.¡± Reick swung his arm. In response, the two manual swords began to close in on Glen. Although the adeptness of their skills weren¡¯t quite at the level of the automated ones, they were able to adapt to varying situations. These conscious swords seemed to be playing with their prey. Then¡ª from the corner of Glen¡¯s vision came three flashes of silver. ¡°Tch¡ª¡± While the movements were simple, their speed and sharp movements attacked Glen from his blind spots. In response, Glen moved his hands to strike two swords off their course. Then, he moved as little as he could to avoid being fatally injured by the other three that came from the side. The blades that grazed by left fresh cuts on his body. After the series of attacks ended, Glen judged that this was one of his few opportunities to counterattack. ¡°¡± Reick pointed his finger forward, and completed a one stage chant. In that moment, the fireball that was generated in Glen¡¯s left palm made a ¡®pop¡¯ sound, and dissipated into space in the form of magic power. The black magic [Tri ¡¤ Varnish]. It was a counter-spell that would forcefully dissipate fire, frost, and lightning energy, and return it to its elementary state. ¡°Too slow, magic instructor.¡± ¡°Damnit¡ª!¡± Glen ground his teeth in frustration and jumped back to avoid the five swords that flew towards him from above. Carrying the momentum, the swords embedded themselves onto the ground. ¡°There¡¯s no way a three-stage chant could beat a one-stage in a contest of chanting speed. [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] should be chanted like this¡ª¡± Reick gazed coldly at Glen, who had avoided the five swords. ¡°¨C¨C¨C!¡± As if he was aiming for this gap, Glen completed his chant. The black magic [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] appeared from Glen¡¯s finger, and moved rapidly through the air towards the center of Reick¡¯s body. However¡ª Reick had managed to recall the two manual swords, which crossed in front of him to deflect the spell. ¡°Tch¡ª it didn¡¯t work huh.¡± Glen clicked his tongue. Immediately, Reick snapped his fingers to command the automatic swords. The automatic swords pulled away from the floor and began to attack Glen once again. Using his momentum, Glen rolled and jumped aside to dodge the sword¡¯s attacks. ¡°Are you kidding me, these swords are also enchanted with [Tri ¡¤ Resist]. My¡ªoh my, you¡¯re quite prepared for this. And here I thought I was going to score at least one with that play. ¡°¡­You bastard.¡± Seeing¡¯s Glen¡¯s actions, Reick felt his tongue twist. The concept of mana biorhythm, was a measure the current state of the mana inside one¡¯s body. In its uncontrolled, basic state, the biorhythm was referred to as ¡®neutral¡¯, under control, the biorhythm was referred to as ¡®law¡¯, and the out of control state was referred to as ¡®chaos¡¯. To use magic, one most focus their mind and apply breathing techniques to get the biorhythm from the neutral to the law state. When using magic, one¡¯s biorhythm immediately jumps from the law state to the chaos state. Although there were varying extents of the ¡®chaos¡¯ state depending on the scale of magic used, on a fundamental level, it was impossible to avoid entering the chaos state immediately after using magic. Also, in the chaos state, regardless of how great the magician was, it was impossible to use magic. That was an absolute law of magic. Glen actions just now ¨C recklessly chanting [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] ¨C was most likely a trap. If Reick completed the chant for [Blaze ¡¤ Burst], then Glen would activate his sealing magic without hesitation to prevent the activation. In that case, Reick, who hadn¡¯t activated any spell, but whose mana biorhythm entered a chaos state, would momentarily lose control of the magic swords. If Glen had been able to approach in that instant, then with his outstanding martial arts¡ª On the contrary, if Reick had been too cautious of Glen¡¯s sealing magic, and had sent the swords to attack, then the result would be him getting struck by Glen¡¯s [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce]. Thinking about it clearly, Glen¡¯s reckless three stage chant for [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] was most likely a trap to create this situation. In that instant, Glen had carved two paths leading to Reick¡¯s death. Furthermore, Glen had completely grasped the amplitude of Reick¡¯s biorhythm. Beyond that, the guts and judgment to enact a plan that would lead to his demise were his timing slightly off¡ª ¡°Your name is Glen, correct? Just what kind of person are you?¡± This wasn¡¯t something that could be done by a mere magic instructor. Rather, it was something that could only be done by a battle-worn magician. Reick could no longer maintain the belief that ¡®Glen is a third-rate magician, who can¡¯t use anything faster than three stage chants, and only has an average amount of magic power.¡¯ While there was no doubt that Glen was still a third-rate magician, he was a ¡®powerful enemy¡¯ that would take Reick¡¯s life were he to make a single misstep. If he had not cast [Tri ¡¤ Resist] on his swords beforehand, then Glen¡¯s [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] would have readily penetrated through them, and he would have died. ¡°I¡¯m just a magic instructor, a temporary one at that.¡± ¡°I wonder¡­ Well, fine. Now I see, the fact that you can choose the timing to seal off magic is a bit troubling.¡± ¡°How so, I wonder? If you don¡¯t know when I¡¯m gonna use this move, then why don¡¯t you just use some spells to test it out? I¡¯m also gonna really recommend using those military-class spells of yours.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. Now that I have recognized your strength, I won¡¯t fall for the same trick twice you know?¡± ¡°Damnit, so you figured it out. I really hate people like you.¡± Seeing Glen¡¯s disgruntlement, Reick¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile. ¡°Rather, I want to show you my respect, after all, you are the first one who has matched me to this extent.¡± Glen thought the same. As Glen was his opponent, he had to remain cautious of Glen¡¯s sealing magic, and could not bring out his full potential as a result. If the opponent hadn¡¯t been Glen, he would¡¯ve hurriedly summoned all his bone golems and commanded the five swords to attack. On top of that, he could cast an offensive spell for a repeated wave of attacks. For Glen, there was no telling what Reick still had hidden up his sleeve. If that man were able to freely cast magic, just who could fight him on equal footing? Although Glen personally knew quite a few monstrous powerhouses, he couldn¡¯t think of anyone who could win against the man before him. Is Serika the only person who could fight him in a direct confrontation? If that was the case, then his opponent was truly an outrageous monster. This is bad¡­ What should I do? The effects of the spell [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant] that had been casted on his hands by Sistina were running out. The only reason he could deflect those swords with his fists was because they had been enhanced by magic power. If he hadn¡¯t been able to, he would already be long dead. Although he could reapply [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant], there was no way that the opponent before him would give him to time to perform a three stage chant. His failed, desperate attempt at [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] further drove him into a corner¡ª On the contrary, the fact the effects of [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant] is still active is quite astounding¡­ that White Cat is pretty amazing isn¡¯t she? Though she¡¯s a bit cheeky. Unlike Glen, she had been born with far more. Although Sistina Phebell was still an immature, young girl, she was undoubtedly a genius. At this point, I should get myself ready for anything¡­ Taking a deep breath, Glen rolled his hands into fists. It was his usual martial arts posture. ¡°Hmm. What are you planning now?¡± Feeling that the next exchange of blows would be the last, Reick readied his posture without a single hint of carelessness. As Reick rose his hand, the five swords pointed their ends towards Glen. Then¡ª The atmosphere became tense. It was as if the temperature of the corridor had dropped to a freezing temperature. The seemingly everlasting silence was only but a moment. Then¡ª ¡°¡ªDie!¡± Reick sent the five swords forward. ¡°<~~ ¡¤ ¨C¨C!¡± At the same time, Glen covered his mouth with one hand, and began to chant an unknown spell. ¡°You idiot! Even if that¡¯s a one stage chant, I¡¯ll still be faster!¡± It was just as Reick declared. There was no way that Glen would make it in time with a three stage chant. The five swords flew through the air like lightning . Then, the sound of five sharp objects piercing through flesh could be heard. The five swords embedded themselves deeply into Glen¡¯s chest, stomach, shoulder, hand, and foot. Although he had twisted his body at the moment the swords hit to avoid a fatal wound ¡ª the winner of this fight had already been decided. ¨C¨COr so it appeared. ¡°¨C¨CMaintaining the balance ¡¤ Return to zero>!¡± ¡°What!? It was [Dispel ¡¤ Force]!?¡± The magic that removes the magic power from the target, and nullifies it ¨C [Dispel ¡¤ Force] ¨C was activated. The swords that were embedded in Glen¡¯s body began to shine with white light¡ª ¡°Surely, if that had worked, my swords would have become normal swords, but¡ª¡± It was a poor move. The magic power required the successfully use [Dispel ¡¤ Force] was proportional to the amount in the target object. In the first place, this was a spell that was mostly used to disenchant objects. If one wanted to dispel magic tools that carried magic amplification circuits inside, then a massive amount of magic power ¨C enough to exhaust the caster in an instant ¨C would be needed. Dealing with an opponent¡¯s magic tool with [Dispel ¡¤ Force] was a poor move that defied common sense. Thus, as should be expected, Glen¡¯s [Dispel ¡¤ Force] wasn¡¯t enough to nullify the magic power inside the swords. Whilst the magic power in the swords decreased, it was not a problem for Reick¡¯s long-distance control. Once he pulled away the manual swords from Glen¡¯s body, and decapitated him using the retrieved swords ¡ª It would all be over. ¡°Your pointless struggle ends here. Die¡ª¡± Reick raised his hand into the air ¡ª it was then ¡°¨C¨C!¡± From the opposite direction, came the unexpected sound of a one-stage chant. ¡°What¡ª!?¡± At the end of the corridor was a human silhouette. It was Sistina. Sistina, who had arrived there at some point, matched Glen¡¯s attempt at dispelling the swords, and casted [Dispel ¡¤ Force] with all the magic power she had. Reick had made two miscalculations. The first was that ¨C knowing how cowardly Sistina was ¨C he believed that she would run away, and that the chance of her returning was nil. The second was that he didn¡¯t think that Sistina would have this level of ability and magic power capacity. Now, with the combination of Glen and Sistina¡¯s [Dispel ¡¤ Force], the five swords that stabbed into Glen became normal swords¡ª ¡°Oooooooo¡ª!¡± . ¡°Tch¡ª¡± ¡°Too late!¡± Before Reick could reactivate the swords by sending magic power, Glen pulled out the arcana card of the fool. In that instant, Glen¡¯s original magic ¨C [The Fool¡¯s World] was activated. In that area, the activation of all magic was sealed. ¡°Uwoooohh¡ª!¡± Glen threw the card aside, and pulled the sword on his shoulder¡ª ¨C¨CThen ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Silence. The sword that Glen retrieved was completely pierced through Reick¡¯s left chest. ¡®pi-shhhhh¡¯, a red liquid splattered across the floor. ¡°¡­Hmpf, well done.¡± Reick didn¡¯t move. Standing there, he congratulated the person who had stabbed him with the sword. He didn¡¯t think that catching one off guard was anything dishonorable, as he was a magician, not a knight. Regardless of whether it was a one-on-two or one-on-three, to him, the one who used every tactic and strategy at one¡¯s disposal, the one who made the first move, and the one remained standing was the stronger party; And to be strong, is to be justice. ¡°Tch¡­ making me do something so disgusting¡­¡± Glen did not celebrate his victory. Rather, he felt the bitter aftertaste of it. ¡°I see¡­ so it was the fool, huh. Now I understand.¡± Looking at the arcana tarot of ¡®the fool¡¯ that lay on the group, Reick appeared to have comprehended something. ¡°Until recently, there was a person amongst the imperial court magicians whose specialty was killing magicians. Although their technique was completely unknown, this assassin that belonged to the empire had a magic that could seal off magic, and slaughtered the heretical magicians that tried to overturn society. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He was active for a total of three years. During that brief period, even if I only count the number of master-level magicians confirmed to have fallen to his hand, the number still amounts to twenty-four. Furthermore, all of them were powerful enough that it would be unimaginable for them to lose. The codename of the magician killer that caused fear in any magician, was ¨C¨C¨C¨C ¡®The Fool¡¯¡± ¡°¡­ Is there anything you want to say?¡± Seeing the cold and gloomy gaze, Reick¡¯s clips curved into a gruesome smile. ¡°I wonder?¡± He left behind those last words. Reick¡¯s fell to the floor, and ceased to breathe. ¡°Now¡­then¡­¡± After confirming that Reick was dead, Glen leaned his back against the wall and collapsed. ¡°This¡­ is also it for me¡­ huh¡­¡± It seemed that he had reached his limit. As he felt consciousness escaping him, he could hear the footsteps of someone running towards him and calling out his name¡ª ¡°What¡­ a boring¡­ life¡­¡± Glen¡¯s consciousness fell into darkness¡ª Volume 1 - CH 6 Chapter 6: The reason I was unmotivated, when I was unemployed. Let us briefly talk about the man named Glen Ryders. About ten years ago, Serika, who was a member of the imperial court magicians at the time, picked up a certain boy, who had lost his family in a certain incident, on a whim. That boy was Glen. For the sake of allowing this boy to live his life to the fullest, Serika had enlightened him to ¡®magic¡¯, and ever since then, Glen had been captivated by the mysterious world of magic. Although he didn¡¯t have any special talent as a magician, he studied with a strong passion. Glen, who had loved magic from the very depths of his heart, was also showered with familial love by Serika. Finally, Glen was accepted to Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, and it was during his time there that Glen discovered his peculiar talent. For some reason, Glen had a particularly strong affinity for techniques relating to stasis or stagnation of changes. Stasis and Stagnation, such was Glen¡¯s ¡°personality¡±. However, there was no use for such a talent for magicians that set their sights on creating change. As graduation approached, Glen, who was having trouble writing his graduation thesis, used his ¡°personality¡± to create a certain original magic. Thus, [The Fool¡¯s World] was born. Glen, who was a mediocre magician, and who didn¡¯t have any particular achievements, used this technique as the basis for his thesis. However, the magicians of the world saw no use for such magic, and mocked Glen for it. The heartless professors set fire to his thesis, and at the very end, there was not a single record left of Glen¡¯s magic. Yet, there was an organization that found a unique use for his ¡°useless¡± technique, and that was the famed and prestigious Imperial Court Magicians. They were the empire¡¯s strongest group of magicians that served as the personal sword of the empress. After Glen¡¯s graduation, he was secretly taken away by the imperial court magicians. Serika was moved to tears, and gave her support and blessings to Glen, who had finally earned a splendid eminence. Glen was proud that his power would be used for the sake of the people. Then. Glen¡¯s hell began¡ª ¡°U¡­¡­Gu¡­..¡± Suddenly, Glen awoke. He felt terrible all over. His head shook uncontrollably, and a pain rang through his body as if it were fissured. However, the pain served as proof that he was still alive. ¡°Where is¡­ this¡­?¡± It seemed like he had been sleeping on a bed. The smell of antiseptic filled the air. Judging by the clear-white color of the rooms, this was the academy¡¯s medical room. ¡°Ah¡­are you awake¡­?¡± Sistina sat on a chair beside Glen¡¯s bed, and pressed her outstretch palms against his body. Her hand shined with the warm light of the healing magic [Life ¡¤ Up]. ¡°¡­T-, Thank god¡­ I thought that you might be done for¡­¡± The corners of Sistina¡¯s eyes began to fill with tears. ¡°You idiot¡­ geez¡­ You really are an idiot¡­ To do something so unreasonable¡­¡± It seems that Sistina had moved him all the way here and provided emergency treatment. Glen looked at his own body. His wounds were all covered in blood-soaked bandages. On the other hand, Sistina¡¯s condition looked worse for wear. The color of her face was nearly matched her hair¡¯s as a result of having moved the Glen, who was severely injured, all the way here. Her pretty face had been spoiled in such a manner. On top of that, it was likely that she had been casting [Life ¡¤ Up] the entire time that Glen was unconscious. Her expression was dyed in dreadful fatigue, and the cold sweat and pale face were symptoms of mana deficiency sickness. ¡°Stop¡­ that¡¯s enough¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­ already¡­¡± Seeing that Glen was trying to get up, Sistina hurriedly moved to stop him. ¡°T-, There¡¯s no way you could be fine! Your bleeding might have stopped, but not all your wounds have closed you know!?¡± ¡°To begin¡­ you used a lot of magic power to cast [Dispel ¡¤ Force]¡­ you, if you keep forcing yourself like this, you¡¯ll die you know¡­¡± ¡°And you would be dead before that! Just be obedient already!¡± ¡°B¡­ut¡­¡± ¡°Hah¡­ Geez, I¡¯m still fine alright? Usually, I store magic little by little in this magic crystal, so I still have magic power to spare.¡± Saying that, Sistina showed the crystal pendant in her hand to Glen. ¡°In any case, you¡¯re the more important one here, since there¡¯s still one more enemy¡­ so I need to do everything I can to help you recover¡­¡± Understanding Sistina¡¯s reasoning, Glen sulkily turned his eyes away. ¡°My bad¡­ I¡¯ll leave the recovery to you¡­ sorry¡­¡± ¡°Hah¡­ it would be great if you could act this way normally¡­¡± As she gasped for air, Sistina continued to cast [Life ¡¤ Up]. However, how could they continue like this? It was a strange situation where the enemy could attack at any time. If he was placed in the position of the enemy, he would definitely had taken this opportunity. Trying to break the nervous, solemn atmosphere that permeated the air, Glen murmured. ¡°By the way¡­ how¡­ did you figure out what I was planning¡­?¡± ¡°Are you talking about overlapping the ¡®dispel¡¯s? It¡¯s regrettable, but I think that I can understand sensei¡¯s ¡®rather unique¡¯ thought patterns.¡± She sighed again. It was one of the countless times she had sighed since meeting this man. ¡°If you really wanted me to run away on my own, then you won¡¯t gone through the trouble of asking me how much magic power I had left. You won¡¯t have said ¡®alright then¡¯ when you suddenly pushed me off either.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I thought that¡­ It wouldn¡¯t work¡­ seven times out of ten¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite like you to do everything you can to not say ¡®I believed in you¡¯ at a time like this, isn¡¯t it sensei¡­ Geez.¡± ¡°You really are¡­ excellent¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m cheeky?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t steal¡­ my lines¡­¡± ¡°Yes yes.¡± Sistina felt a bit relieved. If he could retort in such a way, then it showed that he was fine for now. Of course, it was still necessary to bring him to a real doctor or white magic specialist for immediate treatment. ¡°How do you feel sensei?¡± ¡°It hurts¡­ My entire body hurts really bad¡­ I want to cry.¡± ¡°This is already good by comparison you know? I adjusted the output of [Sleep ¡¤ Sound] to numb your body you see.¡± ¡°It hurts¡­ I¡¯m gonna sleep¡­ In any case¡­ I won¡¯t be able to do anything¡­ right now¡­¡± ¡°Uwah, your attitude really does change quickly doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡­ If the enemy comes¡­ while I¡¯m still asleep¡­ leave me here and¡­ run¡­ alright?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I can do that¡­ Sensei?¡± By the time she responded, Glen had already fallen asleep. It seems that he lost consciousness once again. From henceforth, the time passed peacefully. ¡®Please don¡¯t let the enemy attack at this time.¡¯ As she prayed to the gods that she normally wouldn¡¯t pray to, Sistina continued to sustain the effects of [Life ¡¤ Up]. Allowing her consciousness to zone off, she adjusted her breathing, and continued to slowly release her magic power. How much time has passed since then? ¡°¡­I wanted to be¡­ a magician¡­ of justice¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Suddenly, a small voice rung through the room. Sistina, whose consciousness had zoned off, pulled herself together once again. Turning her eyes toward Glen, she found his eyes slightly open. However, it seems that his conscious was still absorbed in some faraway land. He stared blankly at the ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s why, I thought that¡­ my dream had been fulfilled¡­ that time¡­¡± ¡°¡­Sensei?¡± ¡°The first person¡­ I was proud.¡± What kind of dream was he seeing? Glen murmured to no one in particular, and said things that no one could understand. ¡°But¡­ by the second¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but think¡­ that it was a bit strange¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­By the third¡­ I clearly¡­ realized¡­.¡± Sistina silently listened to Glen. ¡°Everyone¡­ called me¡­ a hero¡­ It¡¯s true that¡­ I saved¡­ a lot of people¡­ but¡­ I¡¯m really¡­ not suited¡­ for that¡­ kind¡­ of thing.¡± After that, Glen¡¯s murmurs stopped, and he once again fell into unconsciousness. ¡°Sensei¡­?¡± Sistina couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind what Glen said. All she could do was try to guess what he meant through the bits and pieces of information. It seems that he was once part of the imperial army, and he was a magician who had an original magic that specialized in combat. On top of that, his hate for magic was overbearing, and he had a one-sided view that ¡®magic was a tool for murder¡¯. Finally¡­ his murmurs a moment ago. ¡°Glen-sensei¡­ hmm?¡± And so, whilst maintaining the healing magic, Sistina absentmindedly thought about the irresponsible and carefree man named Glen, who failed to be serious at any occasion. How long have I been asleep? There was a sound from corner of the consciousness, that rung somewhere in the pitch-black world. It was the sharp sound that was like pieces of metal clashing against one another. Just what kind of sound was that? As if rising from the quagmire of memories, he realized the true identity of that sound. Glen, whose consciousness had been fully restored in the instant, immediately jumped off the bed. ¡°¨C¨C!? How long has it been!?¡± No one answered. Looking down, he saw Sistina, who had overworked herself, sleeping soundly on the edge of the bed. The only sound that reverberated through the room was that of the sharp metal clashing against one another. ¡°Tch¡ª¡± I¡¯ll confirm the situation later. Glen reached into his pocket, and took out the ringing gemstones that had received a call, and put it to his ear. ¡°Is it Serika?¡± ¡°¡ªGlen!?¡± He could feel the relieved voice coming from the gemstone. ¡°Thank god¡­ I was worried you idiot.¡± The voice from the stone was a bit shaky. ¡°I tried contacting you countless times, but you didn¡¯t respond¡­ so I thought something might¡¯ve happened¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. There was of trouble, but I¡¯m alive somehow.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you fight the enemy?¡± Serika¡¯s voice seemed to harden up. ¡°¡­Ah, there have been some new developments cause of that. About one of the enemy magician¡­ I killed him.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Glen ignored the seemingly apathetic voice coming from the other side, and continued. ¡°With this, all the enemies whom we know about have been neutralized. What¡¯s left is the magician that we haven¡¯t confirmed¡­ and they¡¯re probably the person behind all this. I¡¯m afraid that the student that was taken away is also with them. Any progress on your side?¡± ¡°We tried teleporting from our side, but it didn¡¯t work. As we suspected, the academy¡¯s teleportation formation was destroyed. Geez¡­ how much time, money, reagents, and catalysts do they think is need to make even one teleportation formation. It¡¯s the property of the nation, so treat it a bit more carefully¡­ Though, it¡¯s pointless to say such a thing to terrorists.¡± ¡°¡­ I see, that¡¯s a shame. If you were here then I¡¯d feel reassured.¡± ¡°That said, the imperial court magicians are finally moving. The Fejiti sub-division for anti-magic-terrorism is on the move, but, as of now, they¡¯re having a lot of trouble dispelling the barrier that¡¯s sealed the academy in. It¡¯ll be a while before they¡¯re able to charge in.¡± ¡°Those guys actually came? ¡­Rather, it seems that even the imperial court magicians aren¡¯t able to dispel it easily hmm?¡± ¡°Ah, to be honest, the instigator behind this incident¡¯s ability in this field¡­ as in their ability with spatial-type magic, is that of a genius that is hardly matched in history. Even I have to admit that I haven¡¯t studied enough.¡± ¡°For real? For you to say that much¡­¡± ¡°Well, you should know that the magic I specialize in is in the field of combat. I can slaughter a god or two, but I¡¯m not suited to intricate things like this. The seventh rank¡­ it can be reached by giving everything, even your humanity, to researching magic, but limits of magic aren¡¯t that shallow.¡± Hearing Serika¡¯s self-loathing murmurs, Glen felt distressed. ¡®Should I have come to a decision sooner?¡¯, ¡®Should I have saved that charm?¡¯ For a brief moment, Glen lost himself in thought. However, it was true that by charging in without caring for the result, he had managed to save Sistina. If he hadn¡¯t neutralized the two dangerous magicians quickly ¨C especially that inhumane delinquent man ¨C then there was no saying what would¡¯ve happened to the fifty students that were held hostage. What¡¯s done is done. What matters is what I do from here on out. Glen pulled himself together and continued to question Serika. ¡°About the possibility of a traitor in the academy¡­ did you find anything?¡± ¡°Nothing. I went through the professors and lecturers one by one but there wasn¡¯t anyone who had disappeared. All of them are confirmed as present.¡± ¡°For real¡­?¡± ¡°No, the possibility of a traitor still exists. For example, there are ways for one to steal the formula for the magic security system, and then collude with those guys.¡± ¡°In any case, the identity of the enemy that infiltrated this academy still can¡¯t be confirmed.¡± ¡°¡­Mhm.¡± My head hurts. Neither the enemy¡¯s intention nor their identity was known. So how should I deal with this? To start with, just where is that guy hiding in this academy? This academy is large. Aside from the campus buildings, there¡¯s also the mysterious forest, the ancient ruins, and the underground labyrinth. The day would be over before I could look through all of them. ¡°Damnit¡­ What the hell is their goal!¡± As Glen began to swear and shout. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s strange about this¡­.¡± Said Serika, As though she had an idea, Serika said such. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Using the monolith-type magic calculation machine in the capital, I investigated the magic circuitry through the academy¡¯s barrier¡­ and I discovered something strange.¡± ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°As of now, the barrier that seals the academy doesn¡¯t have any function to allow people to get out. The settings of the barrier were modified so that there isn¡¯t any method to do that.¡± ¡°Huh? How could that be possible? Those guys prepared keys to get in you know? Isn¡¯t it a given that they also prepared keys to get out?¡± ¡°That would normally be true, but to the very end, the barrier is set so that it is impossible to get out. From a practical standpoint, it is also impossible to forcibly destroy it.¡± ¡°Then, how do these guys plan to get out after achieving their goals?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that so¡ª¡± Then, a single possibility flashed through Glen¡¯s mind. ¡°No, wait¡­¡± Glen took his watch out of his pocket to check the time, but it seems that it had been damaged in the battle with the dark-coated man. The needle of the clock had stopped at 12 o¡¯clock. ¡°Serika, what time is it right now?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just tell me. My watch is broken.¡± ¡°¡­Right now, it just hit 5 o clock. So why do you need it?¡± In other words, I slept for about five hours. There¡¯s something clearly unnatural about this. That dark-coated man had attacked immediately after my battle with Jhin, without giving me so much as the time to catch his breath. Although it¡¯s possible that the enemy had lost track of us during all that, it¡¯s unreasonable for them to have not found us by now. ¡°Hey Serika, is the teleportation formation really broken?¡± ¡°Hm? If it can be used, then shouldn¡¯t it be obvious that it¡¯s broken? Even though we activated the formation on this side, there was no response from the one over there. Also, didn¡¯t we establish that destroying the teleportation formation would be the first thing that¡ª¡± ¡°What if they didn¡¯t break it, but changed the magical composition instead? If they changed the setting of the formation at the academy to not connect to the capital, but somewhere else, where they¡¯d already made another formation in advance, instead, then¡ª¡± ¡°Ahaha, that¡¯s impossible you know? Teleportation formations are crafted to solely teleport to a specific location. Destroying it is one thing, but to change the complete structure of a teleport formation in order to alter the settings is something that even I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°What if it was the person who took control of the academy¡¯s barrier? He¡¯s a genius of spatial-type magic that even impressed you right? If it was that guy, would it still be impossible?¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s question, Serika was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°No, how could that¡­ that¡¯s impossible¡­ but¡­ if it was that guy, then¡­¡± ¡°Serika, if you were that guy, and you could use any methods that you pleased, how long would it take to change the settings of that formation? A rough approximation is fine.¡± ¡°Mm-, if the required knowledge was studied beforehand, and the tools and reagents were all prepared in advance¡­ then, assuming I had the same skill as that person it would take about¡­ five¡­ no, six¡­ hours?¡± ¡°¨C¨CThat¡¯s decided then!¡± ¡°Ah, oi!? What¡¯s dec¡ª¡± Glen forcibly cut the connection, and return the gemstone to his pocket. Then, he found ¡®the fool¡¯s¡¯ card at his bedside, took it, and jumped off the bed. Checking the condition of his body, he could feel the pain of pulling against his closing wounds, but it was enough for him to move. If he were to move vigorously, then his closed wounds would probably reopen. However, he could only be thankful that he had recovered to this extent. ¡°Thanks, Sistina. It¡¯s good that you were here.¡± Glen ruffled Sistina¡¯s hair, and rushed out of the medical room. ¡°They probably followed this kind of scenario.¡± Pondering such, Glen dashed as quickly as he could through the academy grounds. Although his wounds reopened with each step, and he began to bleed again, he paid it no mind. ¡°First, the person behind the scenes snuck into the academy the day before, and found somewhere to hide, most likely in the underground maze. Then, last night, Serika and the other professors left for the capital using the teleportation formation. After that, the person began to make their move, and spent the entire night messing with the academy¡¯s barrier.¡± Glen turned the corner, and the courtyard of the academy came into view. ¡°Next is changing of the teleportation formation¡¯s settings. Since it would take a lot of expensive reagents and special tools to do that. It was probably impossible to move those in the day prior, as bringing in such specialized equipment would probably draw the notice of the academy¡¯s staff. That¡¯s why, they were probably brought in by the dark-coated man and the delinquent today. Following the plan, the two of them would imprison the students and secure Lumia, and at the same time, the person behind the scenes would start altering the teleportation formation.¡± Breaking through the courtyard, Glen charged through the forest path and set his sight on his destination. ¡°However, the person behind the scenes made a miscalculation, and that would be that I would suddenly defeat his three co-conspirators. That guy put his full attention into changing the formation. So the reason why they didn¡¯t come pursue me in the few hours that I was incapacitated¡­ was because they didn¡¯t have the time on their hands to do so. If they could complete the formation, then they would be able to take Lumia and retreat. So by the time the people outside unsealed the barrier, they would already be long gone. No¡­ this bout is a lot more one-sided than that. If they detonated an explosion crystal after they left and blew the gathered hostages to smithereens, their pursuers would be forced to spend a lot of time identifying the corpses, and it would make pursuing Lumia even harder. Those guys are the kind of people who would to do that, aren¡¯t they?¡± Basically, this was an abduction that targeted Lumia specifically. If they made it seem like a terrorist bombing, then they would be able to brilliantly mislead the public eye. ¡°But it¡¯s too soon to make any conclusions. There are two inconsistencies with this scenario.¡± The first is Lumia. If all they wanted to do was abduct her then they wouldn¡¯t have to go through this roundabout way. They could just do it normally. Maybe they were wary of being tracked, but this is overkill. So the real reason they¡¯re after Lumia is still a mystery. Second, is regarding the traitor from the academy. In order for this plan to work, there has to be a traitor. It wouldn¡¯t work if someone was merely conspiring with that group, as otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to clear the initial condition of ¡®infiltrating the academy¡¯. However, Serika said that there doesn¡¯t seem to be any traitors.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m rushing too much¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but feel he had made a wrong judgement. However, the most likely place for there to be a teleportation formation ¨C was the teleportation tower. That was reason enough to go confirm. Then, Glen¡¯s thoughts were abruptly confirmed. As the dignified appearance of the pure-white tower came into view, he saw a countless number of golems lined up unnaturally on the final section of the forest path. The golems were humanized giants that looked as though they were a pile of rocks. They were the guardian golems that protected the academy. These golems were usually simple stones on the roadside that became part of the academy¡¯s scenery, and would automatically form and compose itself in an abnormal situation in order to intercept any intruders ¡ª That was the kind of system that they functioned under. The fact that the golems, who originally had that sole purpose, were unnaturally gathered to defend the tower, means that¡ª ¡°Yeah, bingo! However¡­ it¡¯s always like this in the end isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Glen wanted to cry. In any case, the golems seemed hard to deal with. Noticing Glen getting closer, the golems prepared themselves to intercept him. As if it was a given, all the golems allied themselves with the enemy. Such is what it means to fully grasp the academy¡¯s internal security system. ¡°Hey, I thought this was gonna happen you know!? Move aside you mobs-!¡± Steeling his resolve Glen charged towards the mobs and began to chant. ¡°¨C!¡± The first to strike has the upper hand. The black magic [Blaze ¡¤ Burst]. Glen threw the fireball that formed in his left hand at the golems. The fireball that moved swiftly in a curved arc ¨C landed a direct hit. Accompanied by an explosion sound, the fireball that struck the center burst into wildfire and created an intense gale. The golem that was pulverized to dust, but¡ª ¡°Daah¡ª! These guys are tougher than I thought!? And they¡¯re hella heavy as well!? Ah, this is so troublesome-!¡± All of the surrounding golems were only slightly burnt on the surface. None of them had lost their balance despite the intense gale that erupted from the explosion. Although a direct hit would defeat one, originally, [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] was a magic that had low restrictions for distance. As a result, it was a spell that ¨C proportional to its force ¨C used a large amount of magic power. If he used [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] on each and every one of these golems, Glen magic power reserves would probably dry up first. ¡°Oi oi, what should I do now!? Hey, what should I do, Glen!? R-, Right, if [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] wouldn¡¯t work then I could use [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] to pierce through them¡ª As if a tiny holy like that would do anything, am I an idiot!? Then I should just use my super sure-kill [Extinction ¡¤ Ray] to ¡ª As if I could!? I¡¯ve already used the catalyst, and I don¡¯t have enough magic power to use it-! Ah geez, what should I dooo¡ª!?¡± Glen, who started to panic slightly due to his impatience, shouted to himself as he continued to charge towards the golems. The distance between him and the golems closed little by little. ¡°Calm down¡­ think¡­ I need to think. Calm down and think. There has to be a magic that would allow me to break through this situation¡­ Calm down¡­ think¡­ pfft, as if I have the time to think right now¡ª!¡± By the time he realized it, he was face to face with the golems. The golems, that boasted a body 2-3 times the size of that of a human, were within striking distance of Glen. The golems turned their eyes down towards Glen, raised their fists in unison ¡ª and swung down towards Glen. Fatal and powerful attacks, a single of which had enough power to pulverize Glen into dust, rained upon him. ¡°Gyaaaaa-! Ah I don¡¯t know anymore! I¡¯ll just break my way through somehow!¡± As he created out, Glen dodged the fists that came from above, and jumped to the side to dodge the swing of another arm from the front, and slid across the floor to avoid another attack from his flank. There was no time for petty tricks. As the gust caused by the heavy strikes pushed against him, Glen nimbly navigated through the gaps between the golems. The only things moving Glen¡¯s body were his trained sense of intuition and his controlled breathing. Crash, crash, crash¡ª The crushing sound of the stone fists striking the ground resounded through the academy. The pavement was turned inside out and formed pillars of dirt. Countless craters were formed on the grounds of the academy. The stone slabs and gravel that were sent flying under the force of the strikes, relentlessly struck Glen from all directions. One of the stone fists would occasionally graze against Glen¡¯s body and shatter his bones. Glen¡¯s body was riddled with blood and dirt ¨C yet he ceased to stop for a single moment. Facing the army of golems that came crashing like a tsunami, Glen ¨C as though he was treading on a tightrope ¨C danced through the gaps between the golems and continued to break through. ¡°Daaaaaaaaaaaaaah¨C!¡± The entrance to the tower was right before him. However, the distance seemed to stretch for an eternity. And then¡ª ¡°Ah-, geez. After this I¡¯m definitely asking the academy for work injury damages, goddamnit¡­¡± Accompanying the clicking and clacking of his feet against the floor, Glen climbed the seemingly endless spiral staircase of the teleportation tower. And at this crucial moment, his body refused to listen to his demands. ¡°Damnit¡­ why did this have to happen to me¡­ this is why I don¡¯t like working¡­ After this, I¡¯m gonna go back to being a shut-in NEET¡­ and live by leeching off Serika¡­¡± If he didn¡¯t continue to spout these idle complaints, his consciousness might fade at any moment. By some miracle, Glen had managed to break through the defenses of the golems, and successfully infiltrate the teleportation tower. However not only did his old wounds reopen, his body was also riddled with new bruises and wounds. The flowing blood slid down the stone walls of the tower to create a scarlet-colored line. Finally, Glen arrived at the end of the dim, spiral staircase. Before him was the lobby of the highest floor ¡ª the room where the teleportation formation was. ¡°Don¡¯t move-!¡± Glen kicked open the door. The inside of the room was dimly lit. ¡°I have arrived! Oi, you¡¯re here right? Stop messing around and let¡¯s bring an end to all of this.¡± ¡°¡­Sensei!? That voice is sensei!¡± Lumia voice could be heard from a dark corner of the room. ¡°T-, Thank god¡­ So you¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°If you think this is ¡®safe¡¯ then you need to go see a doctor¡­¡± With a retort, Glen strutted into the room. And his eyes gradually become acquainted with the darkness. Finally, from the darkness, emerged a delicate-looking man who looked as though he was in his mid-twenties. It was a handsome young man with smooth hair, a refreshing and cleanly face, and dark blue eyes. I don¡¯t recognize him. In my short time here as a temporary instructor at this academy, I don¡¯t remember seeing this guy even once. So it seems like there aren¡¯t any traitors in the academy, not that it manners now though. ¡°So you are the person behind all this?¡± ¡°Mhm, that is correct.¡± The young man returned an unfazed reply. ¡°¡­I do say, it¡¯s a sin to have that kind of pretty face, and you¡¯re going to add a couple more on top of that? ¡­ Even the kind and charitable Glen-sensei wouldn¡¯t take this standing up you know? For your punishment, I¡¯ll have you eat my fist. Prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Hahaha, as a fellow educator, I have to say that it is unadvisable to enact physical punishment.¡± Glen confirmed the surroundings of the young man. As for pre-activated object such as magic tools ¡ª There wasn¡¯t a single one to be seen. The young man didn¡¯t seem to have any plans. All he did was stand in place and glare at Glen. The first to strike wins, such was Glen¡¯s judgment. He took out ¡®the fool¡¯ without hesitation. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s decided.¡± Although it was anticlimactic, but he confirmed that his original magic [The Fool¡¯s World] was activated. As a result, regardless of what kind of special technique this man had in store, it would all be futile. It won¡¯t be able to activate. ¡°Shame for you, but it¡¯s my w¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI have won.¡± However, the young man announced his victory first. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is this a practical joke by the gods? To think that, in the end, it would become this kind of game.¡± ¡°Oi, what is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°To be honest, I am not a magician that is suited to battle. Originally, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win against you no matter what. However, it is because you activated [The Fool¡¯s World], that victory is in my grasp.¡± ¡°Stop messing around and answer me! What the heck do you¡­¡± Now that his eyes had fully adjusted, he was able to grasp the situation of the room. Lumia was behind the young man. She was trapped on the magic formation using magic, and her ability to use magic was sealed. The formation she was on was the teleportation formation, which settings had already been modified, and activated. It seems like the formation had a time restriction placed upon it. Once the indicated time any existence that was on top of it would be teleported to its preset destination. The shining rune-letters on the formation relentless moved towards zero. This is fine. It¡¯s still within the range of my expectations. The problem is was the young man. At his feet was a magic formation similar to the one that Lumia was on. However, for some reason, the magic power circuit ¡ª a line of light, traveled across the ground and connected the two formations. And then, after grasping the identity of the formation by reading the language, Glen was stunned. The formation was¡ª ¡°The white magic ritual [Sacrifice] ¡ª the soul-exchange ritual?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The young man showed a calm smile. ¡°In a short while, Lumia-san will be transported to my colleagues through the teleportation formation. That acts as a fuse for activating this formation, which is tied with my soul. By consuming my soul, the formation will mold a large amount of magic power ¡ª that will destroy the entirety of this academy through an explosion. Since my soul as a high affinity for magic, it will undoubtedly display that kind of force.¡± ¡°Wh¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I am a bomb.¡± ¡°W-, What do you think you¡¯re doing, you bastard¡ª!?¡± Towards the young man who said that as though it was a given, Glen couldn¡¯t help but shudder. ¡°Did you plan to die from the start!?¡± ¡°Yes, that is the meaning of my existence after all.¡± Then, Lumia painfully cried. ¡°Please¡­ stop this already! Huey-sensei!¡± ¡°Huey?¡± It was a name that he heard before. ¡°If I remember correctly, you are my predecessor¡­ the one that went missing¡­. Ah, so that¡¯s what happened!¡± ¡°Why do you have to do this, Huey-sensei! You were such a respectable teacher! Even though you¡¯re not the type of person to do this¡­-!¡± ¡°Sorry, Lumia-san. It¡¯s a shame, but I was originally this kind of person.¡± Seemingly ashamed, Huey lowered his gaze and said. ¡°Should a member of royalty or a relative of a government authority attend this academy, my task is to kill them in a suicidal act of terror. For that purpose, a human bomb was placed here as an associate of the academy over ten years ago. That is me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­ You prepared to target someone whose entry to the academy couldn¡¯t be confirmed?¡± ¡°Mhm, that is the case.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ That¡¯s right, you guys are the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society¡­ a group of idiots that would seriously do this kind of thing.¡± Glen loathsomely said this. ¡°You are correct. If Lumia-san had not attended this academy, then I would continue to freely continue my life as an instructor. So it¡¯s truly a shame that my organization set their eyes on her.¡± ¡°So what? Is Lumia actually the lady of some esteemed family?¡± ¡°Sensei¡­ uhm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to say anything. I¡¯m not interested after all. You¡¯re just you.¡± Lumia, who was about to bitterly say something, was stopped by Glen. ¡°However, isn¡¯t this a tad strange? You guys are trying to abduct Lumia now right? Wasn¡¯t your original goal to ¡®kill¡¯?¡± ¡°Mhm, that is true, but Lumia-san¡¯s circumstances and unique characteristic are a bit special. The higher-ups of my organization have a great interest in Lumia-san. That¡¯s why the plan was changed at the last moment, and that is also why this plan feels rather sloppy and understaffed. The extra condition of ¡®destroying the academy¡¯ is merely because it would cause great damage to the imperial government in the long term. Now then, that is enough explanation. Let us begin our main topic, shall we?¡± The young man ¡ª Huey, as if testing Glen, looked him straight in the eye. ¡°If the teleportation formation trapping Lumia-san is dispelled, then my self-destruct formation will not activate either. In other words, this is a game of whether or not you can dispel the teleportation formation within the given time. By the way, you¡¯ve most likely noticed this already, but killing me wouldn¡¯t do either. If you kill me, then both of these formations will activate automatically.¡± ¡°¡­ As if I would fall for that kind beginner-level magic trap.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t use [The Fool¡¯s World], then you would have been able to dispel the Lumia-san¡¯s formation with time to spare. However, you used [The Fool¡¯s World]. During its effective period, you wouldn¡¯t be able to work on dispelling the formation. In the end, you may only begin after [The Fool¡¯s World]¡¯s effects end¡­ It¡¯s quite a large loss of time.¡± Glen had realized that he had had made a large miscalculation. That¡¯s why all he could do was reaffirm the rules. ¡°I don¡¯t know your proficiency will dispelling magic, nor do I know how long the effective period of your [The Fool¡¯s World] is. However¡­ there are about ten minutes before the teleportation formation activates. Even with my experience, if I began dispelling it now, I would barely have time to spare¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°You are at a crossroad. Knowing that you don¡¯t have enough time, you can try to save Lumia-san and the other students and die in the ensuing explosion together. Or you could forsake everything and run away. There is a large labyrinth beneath the academy, and running there would yield a large chance to survive the explosion¡­ if it was only you that is.¡± It was true that, even if he left immediately to bring the hostage students and Sistina to the underground labyrinth, there wouldn¡¯t be enough time. If he wanted to be saved, then he would have to forsake them and run straight for the labyrinth on his own. However, this option never even crossed his mind. Glen raised his eyebrow and closed his eyes. Ignoring the sweat the trickled from his body, he continued to stay solemnly silent. It was extremely vexing that his own original magic [The Fool¡¯s World] was eating up the time, second by second. ¡°Sensei¡­ please run.¡± Lumia pleaded to Glen. ¡°If everyone¡¯s going to die¡­ then at the very least, you alone should¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Glen continued to stay silent. The room was silent enough that one could feel the heartbeat of its occupants. ¡°Sensei¡­ please¡­ I¡¯m begging you¡­.¡± Regardless of what Lumia said, Glen ceased to move. Then. The few minutes passed as though it was an eternity. At a certain moment, Glen suddenly opened in eyes. It was when the effect of [The Fool¡¯s World] ended. Glen immediately bit his right thumb, and dashed to the teleportation formation, where Lumia sat. ¡°Not as single trace of hesitation. How admirable.¡± Ignoring Huey¡¯s words of praise, Glen looked closely at the formation before him. Lumia was trapped in a five-layered circular formation. If he couldn¡¯t break through all of them, then Lumia wouldn¡¯t be saved. An enormous amount of magic power flowed through the formation, and it was also equipped with magic amplification circuits. As a result, it was impossible to dispel it by counterbalancing the magic power using his own through [Dispel ¡¤ Force]. In the end, the only way to dispel this is to destroy the composition of the magic itself. ¡°!¡± He chanted the spell for the black magic [Blood ¡¤ Catalyze]. By treating his dripping blood with magic power, he created a simple magical catalyst. Since Glen couldn¡¯t perform high-level control that used magic power itself to write words, he had no choice but to use his own blood to write the dispel formation directly on top of the outer layer of the teleportation formation. He shook his arm to cause blood to flow, and allowed it to trail down his hand and to his fingers. Using all five fingers, he furiously continued to write. ¡°How fast. Did you already form a route and mental image of how to dispel this in the few minutes leading until now?¡± Huey, impressed by Glen¡¯s hand movements, murmured to himself. Lumia, seeing Glen, who continued to work on dispelling the formation in a bloodcurdling display, desperately protested. ¡°Sensei, no! Run! There isn¡¯t any time!¡± ¡°Shut up and be quiet!¡± However, Glen refused Lumia¡¯s protests, and continued to write with his blood. Then. ¡°!¡± Using what was left of his magic power, Glen activated the dispelling black magic ritual [Erase]. Accompanying a metallic sound and a gust of wind, the outer, first, layer was destroyed into particles of light. Next is the second layer. I¡¯ve spent about one minute to get this far¡ª ¡°Sensei! I¡¯m begging you, please leave me and run away!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be selfish you idiot!¡± Taking a step forward, Glen roared out as he moved onto the second layer. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one! That white cat girl and the other students¡­ there are still a lot of people at the academy! How could I leave all that behind and run away!?¡± Seeing the second layer, Glen stopped his finger and grit his teeth. ¡°You bastard, the formation is clearly more complicated¡­¡± Basically, it meant that the formation would become more complicated as he progressed further, and the difficulty of dispelling it would rise proportionally. ¡°Huey was it? I¡¯ll be sure to hit you hard after all of this is over.¡± ¡°I understand. Then I will prepare myself for it.¡± Despite his abusive language, Glen continued to tirelessly move his fingers. ¡°You can¡¯t, sensei¡­ At this rate, sensei will¡­ sensei will-!¡± Lumia looked toward Glen, who worked on dispelling the formation with undivided attention. He appeared to be suffering intensely from mana deficiency sickness. No life or warmth could be felt from the color of his skin. He was already at the brink of death. ¡°If you use anymore magic, you will die!¡± ¡°Ah, then white cat will be really happy won¡¯¡¯t she.¡± ¡°No¡­ Why¡­? No one will blame you even if you run away you know¡­? You didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­¡± ¡°Ah-, geez, just shut up!! Stop distracting me and stay quiet!¡± ¡°Why? Why would you go this far? To the point where you stake your life¡­¡± Did he remember something from Lumia¡¯s question? Glen continued to work, but he remained silent. ¡°¡­ I remember.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Until I had that strange dream just now, I forgot it all. The reason why I looked up to magic!¡± Marking that the last words, Glen once again chanted [Erase]. The second layer was successfully dispelled. The shattered fragments from the broken formation scattered into the air. Glen took another step, moved towards the third layer¡­ and threw up blood. ¡°¡ªS-, Sensei!?¡± Lumia cried out. Glen ignored this, and continued to work with shaking hands. ¡°Ge-ho¡­ it¡¯s nothing noteworthy, just some childish thing! With the flying castle in the sky as the stage, the magician of justice defeats the demon king, and saves the princess¡­ There was a children¡¯s picture book similar to this right!? The reason I learned magic was because I really, really looked up to that magician of justice you know!?¡± ¡°¡­ Picture book? That¡­ could it be, ¡®The Magician of Melgarius¡¯¡­?¡± Glen¡¯s lips curved distortedly. ¡°Haha-! Isn¡¯t it really dumb!? Ah, I was really dumb! How many years of my life have I pointlessly wasted for a dreamy kid¡¯s story like that!? I really wasted it all away!¡± Glen seemed like he would spit blood at such thoughts. Whilst actually spitting blood, Glen confessed everything. ¡°Geho-¡­ guh-¡­ But in the end, I just can¡¯t give it up! My dreams have long since shattered! The magician of justice in the picture book is a huge lie! In reality, the world of magic is layered in blood! Despite that, I still can¡¯t give up! No matter how much time passes, I still can¡¯t give up on this worthless fantasy of being a magician of justice!¡± Glen stared at the formation before his eyes in disgust. ¡°What kind of magician of justice would I be if I couldn¡¯t save anybody!? If I run away now¡­ just what is my life supposed to mean!? To give my life to being a magician of justice¡­ I know it¡¯s pointless! But I just don¡¯t want to all be worthless!¡± ¡°S-, Sensei¡­¡± ¡°So stay shut! I¡¯m not doing this for you, nor am I doing this for the students! I¡¯m selfishly doing this for myself and only myself! Do you have any complaints goddamnit!¡± Make it. Make it. Make it. Glen desperately suppressed his impatience, calmly drew the dispelling formation, used the magic power in his entire body to cast [Erase]¡ª The third layer was successfully dispelled. I did it. Glen¡¯s spirits were uplifted by this result, and he was progressing at a better pace than he expected. He didn¡¯t believe that he would be able to get this far in the eleventh hour. There were two layers left. Glen triumphantly moved onto the fourth¡ª Then, it suddenly came. Because it had been going so well, he had failed to notice. Glen felt something in his body splitting apart. ¡°Gobo¨C!?¡± In the next moment, Glen threw up a large amount of blood at once. ¡°Gyaa-!? S-, Sensei!?¡± Seeing Glen collapse to the floor, Lumia cried out. ¡°¡­a¡­.Ah? Guh¡­.a¡­.Goho, Gaha-!?¡± His body won¡¯t move. His fingers won¡¯t move. His strength quickly left his body, and his consciousness began to quickly fade. His concentration had already shattered ¡ª Even if wanted to continue dispelling the formation, no solutions would come to his mind. What he was doing, what he should do. All of this became estranged in his mind as though it was veiled by a fog. What happened? To think that he would be the one whose time limit reached first. Thinking about it, he had long since exceeded the limit. How many times had he pushed himself to do things that would surely chip away at his lifespan? And once he realized this, it was all over. His couldn¡¯t move a single finger. It was the end¡ª Glen had clearly grasped that. There was no way he could catch up in this condition. ¡°I¡­ really¡­ couldn¡¯t do it huh. Hahaha¡­ I see¡­ I guess¡­ that¡¯s right huh¡­¡± Despair equivalent to that of when he realized the true nature of the magic world, took ahold of Glen¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­Sorry¡­ Lumi¡­a¡­¡± He believed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything more. He understood that he wouldn¡¯t be able to save anyone. Despite that, he didn¡¯t give up. Regardless of past or present, it didn¡¯t change. No matter how unsightly, no matter how futile, in the end, the only thing he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do was to give up. This was no longer beliefs nor righteousness. It was simply Glen¡¯s stubbornness. That¡¯s why, Glen, whose near-dead was pushed by his unshattered will, desperately crawled towards the fourth layer¡­ It was then. ¡°¡­Caught you.¡± Lumia¡¯s outstretched hands barely touched Glen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Because you didn¡¯t give up sensei¡­ I was able to catch you.¡± ¡°¡­Lumia¡­?¡± ¡°Sensei¡­ please take this.¡± It was in that moment. Suddenly, Lumia¡¯s began to shine, and the place where she touched began to heat¡ª ¡°Wh¡ª!?¡± The gentle breeze swayed her glowing hair, and the surroundings were filled with particles of light. Her gentle smile guided towards Glen made her seem like an angel¡ª Then, in the next moment. With a ¡®don¡¯ sound, Glen¡¯s body flowed with an enormous amount of magic power. The pain that dominated his body a moment earlier disappeared as though it were a lie, and his senses seemed to sharpen. He had never experience such a thing before. His body heated up, as though he were engulfed by a flame. Then, from that heat, came an overwhelming feeling of omnipotence¡ª ¡°This, is¡­?¡± His mind and body were restored. His body whose line had been cut, began to move again. He couldn¡¯t feel any magic being used by Lumia. In the first place, her ability to use magic was sealed. If that¡¯s the case, the there was only one possibility for this miracle. Supernaturals. In extremely rare cases, there were people who possessed special powers that could give birth to miracles without relying on the power of magic. However, they were believed to be the reincarnation of the devil, and were the victims of such a mindless belief even today. There were even fanatical groups that existed for the sake of hunting them down. ¡°Lumia¡­ you, could it be¡­ that you¡¯re¡­ a supernatural!?¡± Furthermore, he had heard of a rumor about this power before. With direct contact with their target, they would be able to use their will to amplify their magic power by ten or more times. The world¡¯s strongest living magic amplification circuits. Emotion Amplifiers. People who possessed extraordinary powers that alone could overwhelm a complicated magic ritual that took tens or hundreds of steps¡ª ¡°O, OOOOOOOOOHHH¡ª!¡± Glen forcefully pulled back his faded consciousness, furiously berated his previously downtrodden heart, and returned to dispel the formation. At a speed that left himself at awe, he completed the structure of the dispel-formation, and chanted the magic for [Erase]. As if it was a given, the fourth layer was successfully dispelled. Then, the teleportation began to shine, and began make sounds that foretold its activation. The transfer sequence began. ¡°S-, Sensei¡­¡± ¡°Damn, damndamndamn! Make it!¡± I don¡¯t even care if I die after this¡ª Using magic power to the extent of wearing out his brain and organs, moving his finger to the extent of crushing his muscles, allowing his blood to flow as though he were trying to dry out his body, Glen entered the final spurt¡ª ¡°Make it in timeeeeeeeeee¡ª!¡± After completing the final word, Glen immediately began to shout¡ª ¡°!¡±¡± ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡­..Then, silence. Light, wind, sound, all of them disappeared like a heinous mirage. The time indicated on the teleportation formation had reached zero. At the same time ¡ª the formation was completely dispelled. ¡°Sensei¡­¡± Lumia ¡ª was here. ¡°Haa¡ªHaa¡ªHaa¡ªHaa¡ª¡­¡­¡± In the silence that signaled the end of everything, only Glen¡¯s strained breaths could be heard. ¡°¡­Is this, my loss?¡± Breaking the silence, Huey released a short sigh. ¡°How strange. Even though the plan failed¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel relieved. ¡°¡­Hmpf. So you were scared of dying?¡± ¡°No, there is that, but¡­ I suppose that I¡¯m happy that the students came out unscathed. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°And? Is there¡­ anything else you want to say?¡± ¡°¡­ Just one.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± At Glen¡¯s urging, Huey voiced his inner problems. ¡°What exactly should I have done? Should I have died like the organization command me to¡­ Or should I die after defying the organization? Even at this juncture, I still cannot find an answer.¡± ¡°How should I know? Isn¡¯t it your fault for not choosing your own path and following what the organization told you to do?¡± ¡°To choose¡­ my own path? Is that so?¡± ¡°What I mean is that you should clean after your own messes you bastard. Although I sympathize with your circumstance¡­ Don¡¯t blame everything that you¡¯ve done on the organization.¡± ¡°¡­ How cruel. But¡­ well¡­ I suppose that it is as you say. It would be great if I had met you sooner. Right now, I can¡¯t help but feel somewhat empowered.¡± ¡°Is that right? Well, clench your teeth alright?¡± Glen swung his arm forward and relentlessly struck Huey¡¯s cheek. The force was enough to send Huey flying. He rolled across the floor several times, and fainted. ¡°¡­ My oh my.¡± Then, with a shaky, floaty feeling, Glen¡¯s vision began to fall towards the ground. With that sight as his last, Glen¡¯s consciousness faded. ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Your dreams aren¡¯t pointless you know?¡± Lying down in the pitch-black darkness, he heard someone¡¯s voice. I don¡¯t really know. ¡°It¡¯s true that¡­ your dream may have come in a different scene and form than you yearned for, but I¡¯m sure that your dream has saved a lot of people.¡± I don¡¯t even know whose voice this is. But it feels like someone I know. ¡°I am one of the many that you¡¯ve saved. Although I feel quite lonely¡­ it can¡¯t be helped that you don¡¯t remember me. However, I¡­ three years ago, from the moment we met¡­ have adored you.¡± Something is getting close to my face. I can smell a sweet fragrance. I feel a soft warmth and gentle touch against my forehead¡­ I think. As I thought. I don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t remember. ¡°Sensei¡­ thank you.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ Notes: Volume 1 - CH 7 Final Chapter: The Reason I became a Magical Instructor, even though I¡¯m Unemployed Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡¯s attempted suicide bombing incident¡ª Due to the efforts of a single temporary magic instructor, the worst-case scenario had been avoided. As a certain enemy organization had been involved, the entire incident had been quickly covered up in order to prevent public unrest, and the infrastructure damage caused to the academy had been publicly announced to be a result of a failed magic experiment. On the other hand, the imperial court magicians had used the resources at their disposal to control the flow of information, and as a result, only a select group of instructors and professors, as well as the parties involved, knew about the incident. Of course, not everything could be kept in the dark. ¡®The incident involved a legendary magician-killer who once acted behind the scenes as a personal sword of the empress, an abandoned princess that was said to be the reincarnation of the devil and who should have already been erased from existence, as well as the soul of a supposedly dead instructor¡¯¡­ Such rumors ¨C the origin of which was unknown ¨C had spread throughout the academy. However, humans were creatures that would eventually get tired of something, and so, the rumors faded away after a month. One of the students involved, Lumia Tinzel, had taken a leave of absence for unknown reasons. However, she returned to the academy after a short while. If one took to the streets early in the morning, they would see her cheerfully walking to school together with a silver-haired girl. In the end, nothing had changed about the academy, and the peaceful and monotonous days returned. Then¡ª But, well, I didn¡¯t think that Lumia was Princess Alumiania, who had supposedly died three-years ago from a disease¡­ On a clear day, after lunch. As Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡¯s ¨C no longer temporary ¨C Instructor Glen walked along the corridors of the academy, he recalled the incident from a month ago. After that incident, Glen and Sistina, as the two credited with resolving the incident, were secretly summoned for an audience with the higher-echelon of the imperial government, where they were informed of Lumia¡¯s true identity. As a result of various politics surrounding Lumia, who was a supernatural, she had been exiled from the royal family. Furthermore, for the sake of the empire¡¯s future, there was no other choice but to keep Lumia¡¯s identity a secret. Thus, Glen and Sistina, who knew about the situation, were asked to cooperate in order to keep Lumia¡¯s secret hidden. Geez¡­ they¡¯re just giving me more troublesome things to deal with¡­ That being said, nothing really changed. Regardless of whether she¡¯s a princess or a supernatural, Lumia is just Lumia. As for Sistina, even though she learned about Lumia¡¯s true identity, her attitude towards Lumia didn¡¯t change in the slightest. Even now, the two of them are getting along just as they did before. But, well, I suppose it is what it is huh. Everything had returned to normal. As Glen was considering such things in a carefree manner¡ª ¡°However, this is certainly quite surprising.¡± A voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°I thought that after that incident, you wouldn¡¯t draw any ties with magic ever again.¡± Glen turned around in response. There stood Serika, who seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are you saying that you wouldn¡¯t mind me leeching off you?¡± Glen replied in an annoyed manner. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, idiot.¡± Despite her harsh tone, Serika showed a happy yet lonely expression. ¡°But really, just what has come over you? It was beyond my wildest imagination for you yourself to say that you want to become an instructor¡­. After all, ¡®that¡¯ had happened not too long ago. Serika looked at Glen¡¯s robe, which bore the mark of an owl, the symbol of an official instructor of this academy. Neither of his arms were in the sleeves of the robe. Although such a messy way of wearing it was quite becoming of Glen, that in itself was a problem. In response to Serika¡¯s question, Glen shook his head in a slightly apologetic manner. ¡°The person from that incident¡­ Huey, was it? I don¡¯t think that his problem is really all that different from mine. Going along with the circumstances, blaming everything on the circumstances, and never once stopping to think about what we could do about it¡­ Well, in any case, I don¡¯t want to blame all of the failures in my life on magic, and perhaps I should live whilst looking to the future a little bit you know?¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± As Glen was about to say something¡ª ¡°Ah, sensei!¡± ¡°¡­ Geez, sensei-!¡± Spotting Glen, the two familiar female students ran down the corridor towards him. Glen glanced at the two with a wry smile, spread his arms apart, and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°¡­ I want to see it. I want to see what they¡¯ll do in the future, and that in itself is enough of a reason for me to continue being a magical instructor. Well, isn¡¯t it a good way to kill time as well?¡± Hearing that, Serika showed a warm smile that was akin to a mother looking after her child. ¡°I see. Then work hard alright?¡± ¡°¡­ Only if I feel like it.¡± The two exchanged a brief smile. And then, the silver-haired girl ¨C Sistina ¨C interjected at this moment. ¡°Hey sensei! I need to have a word with you right now!¡± ¡°What is it, white cat? You¡¯re gonna lecture me again¡­? You just don¡¯t get tired of this do you¡­? Hey, could it be that you¡¯re interested in lecturing others? ¡­ Like I said, you¡¯ll grow more white hair if you keep this up.¡± ¡°Like I said, this isn¡¯t white but silver hair! Ah geez! That aside, about the alchemy class just now, what was that!? What exactly were you thinking sensei!?¡± ¡°Uh-huh? Are you talking about how we used transformation techniques on the arrangement of lower-level elements to create a method to ¡®convert something into something else that looks a lot like gold¡¯? Were there any steps that I didn¡¯t clearly explain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it! The problem is after that!¡± ¡°Ah, are you talking about the method to ¡®sell the mock-gold to stupid, immoral merchants¡¯? There aren¡¯t any problems with that method you know? To be honest, when I was still a student, I used this method to get some extra change¡­¡± ¡°That¡ªis¡ªwrong! It¡¯s wrong in a different sense, but, either way, it¡¯s wrong! It¡¯s a big problem! I mean, isn¡¯t this a crime!? It practically a direct challenge to everything that the 23rd line of the magician¡¯s code stands for! How could you teach this to your students!?¡± ¡°You idiot. Just what¡¯s the problem with that? ¡®To make gold from nothing¡¯¡­ and practically speaking, ¡®to change a pebble on the roadside into a gold coin¡¯¡­ Isn¡¯t that truly the essence of ¡®alchemy¡¯?¡± ¡°Well, that might be true, but that¡¯s not the problem! Ahhhh, come on already-!¡± Then, the blonde haired girl ¨C Lumia ¨C as if to cover for Glen, spoke up. ¡°We- well Sisti, I¡¯m sure that sensei was just joking around so that everyone could have more fun with the class¡­ is that right? Sensei.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Eh? Ah, mhm, yep, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that unnatural pause supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ As I thought, Lumia really does understand me well¡­ Sensei is really happy you know¡­-!¡± Glen elegantly ignored Sistina¡¯s remarks, and forced tears of gratitude to his eyes. ¡°Ah, speaking of which. Lumia, thanks for helping me organize the tools after our alchemy lab earlier. You really helped me out there.¡± ¡°Ehehe, you¡¯re welcome.¡± Glen patted Lumia¡¯s head as if praising her. And Lumia wholeheartedly accepted that. Seeing the two, Sistina clenched her fists, and her shoulders trembled in disdain. If one looked closely enough, they could see the veins popping across her forehead. ¡°Ah-ah, if only white cat could be as cute as Lumia¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case, sensei. Sisti also has cute sides to her you know? Actually, right now, in order to thank sensei for saving her during that time, she is¡ªmmpf¡± ¡°Waah!? Hey, stop! Stop! ¡° Sistina¡¯s face flushed red for some reason, and she hurriedly moved to block Lumia¡¯s mouth. ¡°Why are you telling that to this guy!?¡± ¡°Ahaha, I mean Sisti, if I leave this be, your plan will never work because you¡¯re too embarrassed to do it. Even though mother went through all that trouble to teach and practice with you¡­¡± Lumia stuck out her tongue a little, and showed a mischievous smile. ¡°N-, No¡­ T-, That¡¯s not why I did that¡­ Uhm, I just felt that it¡¯s a necessary skill as a girl¡­ Uhm¡­uu¡­.¡± Sistina stared blankly into the distance, and began to twirl her long hair around her finger. It seems that she had cut her finger recently, as it was wrapped in bandages. ¡°¡­I have no idea what you¡¯re planning, but my judgment of you hasn¡¯t change in the slightest alright? Lumia is cute, and you¡¯re cheeky. That is all.¡± Pu-Tch¡ª Towards Glen¡¯s indelicate announcement, Sistina finally snapped. ¡°This is a different topic, but my father is a bureaucrat in the ministry of magic, and is the magical inspector in charge of the flow of all magic-related goods in the Fejiti branch.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°By the way, sensei, do you know that there are about ten years¡¯ worth of gold transaction records?¡± ¡°¡­Eh? Is that so?¡± ¡°Well, I might ask my father to thoroughly investigate fraudulent gold transactions that fall under certain conditions, you see?¡± Sistina showed a bright smile. On the other hand, sweat began to form on Glen¡¯s forehead.¡± ¡°Eh? No, ah¡­ Uhm¡­ Hey¡­ I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me¡­¡± ¡°Hmpf!¡± Sistina flicked Glen¡¯s hand that clung to her aside, and turned to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lumia!¡± ¡°Hey¡­ waiiiit!? Plesae waaaiitttt¡ª!? I give you my apologies! I¡¯m super sorry! I just got carried away for a moment¡ª!¡± ¡°Be quiet, you idiot! Just stay put in prison and enjoy the terrible food while you¡¯re at it-!¡± ¡°Noooooooo¡ª!¡± The corridor became noisy. Recently, this had become an event that routinely occurred. So much that it was deemed to be one of the many scenic views of the academy itself. ¡°My my, what a noisy bunch¡­ It must be nice to be young. Somewhat surprised, but bearing a wry smile nonetheless, Serika observed the situation unfold. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re already fine. Well, I suppose it does feel a bit lonely.¡± Despite seeing the pathetic appearance of her loved disciple, who prostrated himself in front of a student, Serika murmured to herself in a satisfied manner, and gazed out the window. Under the clear blue skies¡ª Was the ever-present castle that shined with the dazzling sunlight¡ª ¡ª¡ª¡ª. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª. ¡°Does everyone know of the fairy tale called ¡®The Magician of Melgarius¡¯?¡± A lady suddenly murmured to no one in particular. ¡°Mhm, I suppose. With the floating castle as the grand stage, the magician of justice defeated the evil demon lord, and saved the princess¡­ that is just a story for children. The people of this nation has likely heard it once or twice as a child¡¯s lullaby right?¡± With a light thud, the lady closed the book in her hands. It was titled ¡®The Magician of Melgarius¡¯. ¡°But, there are a few slightly amusing anecdotes surrounding this story. For example¡ª¡± The lady turned her eyes to the map of the world on the wall in front of her. ¡°The neighboring country, the Rezalia kingdom. The ones that rule the kingdom, the Holy Elizareth Church¡­ has designated ¡®The Magician of Melgarius¡¯ as a forbidden text, and has burned all known copies of it. It has also been said that its author has been labeled a heretic, and was burned at the stake as punishment. The lady wistfully sighed. ¡°It¡¯s quite strange isn¡¯t it¡­? Although it¡¯s just a children¡¯s tale, it has provoked such a strong reaction from an entire nation¡± The lady silently walked to the balcony of her room. ¡°Another strange part about this is that¡­ In this nation, there were once a great amount of magicians who devoted themselves to research in order to unlock the mysteries of this grand stage ¨C that is, the castle floating in the skies of Fejiti ¨C but¡­ one day, many of them mysteriously disappeared without a trace, or died unnatural deaths. Of course, not all the magicians met such a fate, however¡­ it¡¯s quite unnatural from a statistical perspective. Was this result¡­ just mere coincidence?¡± Under the clear skies, the gentle breeze swayed the lady¡¯s long hair. From the balcony, she could see the entirety of Alzano Empire¡¯s capital, Orlando¡¯s streets¡ª And in the far, far distance¡ª She could see the miniscule visage of the phantasmal castle that floated in the skies above Fejiti. ¡°Now then, as for the castle floating Fejiti¡­ the ¡®Melgarius¡¯ Sky Castle¡¯¡­ just what exactly is it, I wonder?¡± As before, the Empress of the Alzano Empire ¨C Alicia the seventh ¨C murmured to no one in particular. Previous Chapter | Next Volume Extra Notes: Volume 2 - Prologue Prologue: The Reason I, an instructor, seemed to make an effort for the magic competition Afterschool, at the headmaster¡¯s office of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡ª ¡°¡ªT-, That said, I¡¯d like to be paid in advance. If possible, I¡¯d also like to get some allowance as well, puhleaze.¡± ¡°¨C!¡± Suddenly, whirlpool of crimson flames formed, and erupted into a violent explosion. Serika¡¯s explosion spell mercilessly blew Glen ¨C who had been speaking nonsense ¨C away. The aftershock of the explosion sent the glass of the windows flying, incinerated the lace-curtains, charred the walls, and turned the carpet into ashes. The gorgeous paintings, the antique bookshelves, the polished decorative armor, the sofa, the shade lamps, and a variety of other furnishing were not spared from the same fate. The interior of the headmaster¡¯s room looked nothing like it was a moment ago. ¡°Gack-!? Ga-, Geho!? W-, What do you think you¡¯re doing, are you trying to kill me you bastard!?¡± Glen, whose burnt-black body lay on the floor, cried in rage. ¡°How annoying! You told me that ¡®the survival of a species is at stake¡¯ and said that we needed to have an important conversation, so I came all the way here, but then you give me this nonsense!?¡± ¡°What do you mean by nonsense!? If I die from starvation, then I¡¯ll go extinct right!? There¡¯s only one of me left in this world you know!? I¡¯m a endangered species you know!? Treat me with care ok!?¡± ¡°Shut up, for all I care you can go extinct! Rather, I¡¯ll personally bring an end to an inferior species like you!¡± In the room where Glen and Serika began their pointless scuffle, the owner of the room ¨C headmaster Rick ¨C continued to sit still on his work desk and observe the situation. After a brief while, he interrupted the conversation. ¡°Well well, please calm down you two. Though, your conversation is staggeringly indirect in some sense¡­ Basically, it¡¯s about Glen-kun¡¯s living expenses is it not¡­? And he primarily needs money for his food expenses yes?¡± ¡°Exactly. As expected of the headmaster, you get what I mean! My-, Serika suddenly told me to pay for my own food expenses you see-?¡± ¡°It should be a given! Your time as an unemployed bum aside, you¡¯re now a magic instructor at this academy! You should have a respectable income!¡± Serika irritatedly crossed her arms, and glared at Glen. ¡°To sum it all up, I¡¯m in trouble this month headmaster! At this rate, starting tomorrow,, I¡¯ll be partially forced into the plight of dieting¡­.¡± ¡°However, wasn¡¯t payday just one week ago? What exactly did you do with that money?¡± In response to that question, Glen showed an expression filled with grief. He walked up to the window, and turned his eyes to the scenery outside. Outside the window was the academy¡¯s courtyard which was decorated by an impressive flowerbed of a hundred colors. Beyond the metallic fence of the academy was the antiquated town of Fejiti. Finally, floating high in the sky was the grandeur, phantasmal visage of Fejiti¡¯s symbol, the Melgarius¡¯ Sky Castle. ¡°You asked me how I used the money¡­ Of course, I invested it into my future.¡± ¡°Invested in the future?¡± ¡°Yes, for the infinite possibilities that lies in what we call ¡®tomorrow¡¯, and for the sake of grasping onto a broader wish¡ª¡± In response to Glen, who looked into the distance whilst monologuing, Serika interjected with murmurs. ¡°In other words, you gambled it didn¡¯t you? Ah there¡¯s really no saving you. Just go die already.¡± ¡°Can you stop? Despite all the trouble I went through to look cool there, you just had to throw in the bucket didn¡¯t you.¡± In response to Serika¡¯s unrestrained comment, Glen sharply protested. ¡°To start with, this none of this is my fault you know? It¡¯s the three-of-hearts¡¯ fault! If I picked a card higher than that, then I would¡¯ve¡ª¡± In any case, he was the prime example of human trash. ¡°¡ªAll¡¯s said and done, please help me you two.¡± ¡°However¡­ the rules are the rules, I can¡¯t give you an advance payment.¡± ¡°Guh-, is that so¡­ that¡¯s troubling. Even the loan-sharks said that ¡®We won¡¯t loan money to someone of the likes of you who doesn¡¯t even have a stable job¡¯ and other fishy things. The food storage at Serika¡¯s mansion also uses a magic lock, so¡­¡± Glen, who seemed to fall into despair, pressed his palms against his face and took a deep breath. ¡°Hey Serika-kun. Until the next payday, could you lend Glen-kun some food expenses? He¡¯s lived under the same roof as you for a long time has he not?¡± Rick suggested such to Serika. Perhaps he was somewhat sympathetic of Glen. ¡°I refuse, headmaster. If I spoil this brat then he¡¯ll do the same thing again in the future. In the first place, he deserves everything that he¡¯s brought upon himself. Occasionally, he needs to learn his lesson. Well, until the next payday, work hard to stay alive ok?¡± In contrast, Serika¡¯s reaction was cold and blunt. ¡°If I were to only provide for his food expenses, then it will be on the basis of our former relationship. Well, that is, if I were to ¡®only¡¯ provide for his food expenses. That is the absolute condition, because I¡¯m already turning a blind eye on his rent.¡± ¡°Hear that? Headmaster. Geez, this girl, why does she have to¡­ She was always a really selfish person but¡­ my my, how troublesome.¡± Glen showed an amazed expression and sighed. Then, the corner of his lips curved upward into a sneer, and then he shrugged his shoulders and began to scornfully laugh. ¡°W¡ªh¡ªy, why are you speaking as though I have done something wrong!? The one who¡¯s wrong is you isn¡¯t it!?¡± ¡°He-, Kack!? My temples hurt! My head is gonna get crushed!? Save me mamaaaa¡ª!?¡± Serika grabbed Glen¡¯s head with her hand, and constricted her grip with the extreme force. Grinding sounds could be heard. Hearing Glen¡¯s angstful cries, Rick showed a wry smile, and suggested. ¡°Although I can¡¯t give you an advance payment, there¡¯s still the possibility of a special award, Glen-kun.¡± ¡°Special award!?¡± Glen shook out of Serika¡¯s grasp, and quickly rushed towards Rick. ¡°What do you mean by that exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the ¡®Magic Games Festival¡¯ that will be hosted by the academy next week.¡± ¡°Wh-!? M-Magic Games Festival¡­? What exactly is¡­?¡± ¡°Mhm. It is a competition of magical skills between the students here, and this will mark the third time that we ¨C the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy ¨C will hold this event. The groups will be split by class year, and the representatives of each class will compete in various magic competitions. The instructor in charge of the class that receives the best overall score will receive a special reward, as per custom.¡± ¡°The heck, are you for real!? So there was a wonderful event like this all along!?¡± ¡°It also happens that the class Glen-kun is in charge of will participate in the Magic Games Festival next week as part of the second year¡¯s group. Since that is the case, how about you try working hard with the special reward as your goal?¡± ¡°Yes, I will do my best! Well, despite that, Magic Games Festival¡­ To think there was something like this!? Keh-! If only I was told about this sooner¡­-!¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s calculating mutters, Serika pressed her temple with an amused expressed, and coldly murmured. ¡°No, you, you¡¯re an alumni of this academy right? How could you not know about this? To begin with, the second years should all be riled up about it. To add onto that, this time around, the empress herself is¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, that doesn¡¯t matter anymore! There are more important things that I must do! Tch¡ª, those guys, hopefully they¡¯re still there but¡­ ¡ª Till next time then!¡± However, Glen did not even spare a moment to listen to Serika. It seemed that he had something on his mind, but he clenched his fists tightly, and turned on his heels to leave, dashing out of the headmaster¡¯s office. Seeing Glen off, Serika released a long sigh. ¡°¡­So headmaster? In reality, what are the chances of Glen¡¯s class winning?¡± ¡°¡­ To be honest, it will be rather tough.¡± Rick responded to Serika¡¯s question with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s true that Glen-kun¡¯s class has Sistina-kun, who has the top grades of her year, but¡­ from a holistic standpoint, Harry-kun¡¯s class will more likely to come out victorious.¡± ¡°Ah, the class Harry is in charge of hm? Well, after all, his class is excessively well-matched¡­¡± ¡°Mhm. His class has many top-scoring students, so their foundations are set in stone. Even in Glen-kun¡¯s class has Sistina-kun, it would be farfetched to put her up to the task of participating in every single competition.¡± ¡°Participate in every competition ¡­hm?¡± Then, for some reason, Serika sighed disconcertedly. ¡°Is this right Serika-kun? At this rate, your beloved disciple will really starve to death won¡¯t he? Why don¡¯t you give him a hand?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to worry about that, headmaster.¡± Serika replied indifferently. ¡°Even if he has to eat grass or chew at sticks, he will surely find some way to keep on living. I¡¯ve taught him about such things in the past you see? On top of that, it seems that it would be more interesting to leave him as he is right now.¡± ¡°¡­Oho?¡± The headmaster, seemingly enticed by Serika¡¯s refusal, curved his lips into a smile. ¡°His motivation might be ¡®that¡¯, but at the very least, Glen seems like he ¡®feels like it¡¯ right now. Recently, the ¡®sports festival atmosphere¡¯ has been spreading like a disease, and I was starting to get fed up with it, but¡­ Now then, what will he do?¡± Somehow enjoying herself, Serika showed a bright smile. Volume 2 - CH 1 Chapter 1: The pretend-enthuastic instructor, suddenly appears. After classes at Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, East wing, second floor¡ª At this time, all the students of year two, class two, were surprised speechless. ¡°Al-righty, is there anyone who wants to participate in the ¡®Flight contest¡¯? Sistina called out to the class from behind the podium, but no one answered. All her classmates hung their heads downward, and only returned a funeral-esque silence. ¡°¡­Then, is there anyone who wants to participate in ¡®Transform¡¯? As should be expected, there was no response. The class continued to return an eerie silence. ¡°Hah~, this is hopeless¡­ Despite the festival being next week, we still haven¡¯t decided on our roster¡­¡± Whilst shaking her head, Sistina exchanged glances with Lumia, who ¨C as the scribe ¨C was standing in front of the blackboard. Lumia nodded once, and with a calm and unexpectedly clear voice, she called out to her classmates. ¡°Hey everyone. Since Glen-sensei told us ¡®You guys do whatever you like¡¯ for the festival, we¡¯ve been given a rare opportunity, so why don¡¯t we all try our best? I mean, for those who weren¡¯t able to participate in the festival last year, isn¡¯t this a special chance?¡± Despite that, no one said anything. Everyone disconcertedly avoided each other¡¯s gazes. ¡°¡­It¡¯s pointless you two.¡± A bespectacled young boy stood up from his seat and broke the silence. The boy¡¯s name was Gibel, who was the top performing student after Sistina. ¡°Everyone is afraid to do anything. I mean, it¡¯s a given isn¡¯t it? All the other classes will send their top-performing students to the each event, and no one wants to participate in a competition that they¡¯ll lose anyway¡­ right?¡± ¡°¡­But, now that we have the chance¡­¡± Ignoring Sistina¡¯s sullen rebuttal, Gibel continued. ¡°Not to mention, the empress herself will be spectating the magic competition for second years as a special guest. No one wants to embarrass themselves in front of the empress you see?¡± Although what Gibel said was distasteful, it truly aligned with the feelings of the class. ¡°More importantly, Sistina, isn¡¯t it about time for you to get serious?¡± ¡°¡­But I have been serious?¡± ¡°Haha, you sure are good at joking around. Right now, you¡¯re giving incompetent people the chance to compete out of sympathy, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hearing the cynical words that came out of Gibel¡¯s faintly smiling lips, the members of the class all turned their heads to face him. ¡°Look, thanks to your exorbitant suggestion, even the competent people whom were qualified to appear in the festival are cowering¡­ Isn¡¯t this enough already?¡± ¡°I-, I didn¡¯t intent to do th-!? And for you to call everyone incompetent¡­-! Raising her eyebrows, Sistina replied in a flustered manner. Gibel ignored her replies, and spoke without sugarcoating his words. ¡°That¡¯s enough lip service. Back on topic, hurry up and distribute the games roster amongst the high performers such as you and myself. If we don¡¯t do that, then against the other classes¡­ especially Harry¡¯s, we have no chance of winning.¡± ¡°Winning¡¯s not the only goal there is to this competition right? Also, we¡¯ve already done that last year¡­ I feel like doing that is super meaningless¡­¡± ¡°Winning¡¯s not the only goal? Meaningless? What are you saying, you. The Magic Games Festival is not something where ¡®meaning¡¯ matters or not right?¡± Gibel objected, and laughed scornfully. ¡°In this academy where it¡¯s rare for one¡¯s magic abilities to be compared to another, ¡®Who possesses the greatest skill in magic?¡¯ ¨C Isn¡¯t this a great opportunity to make that clear?¡± ¡°That might be true, but¡­-!¡± ¡°On top of that, a lot of graduates of this academy¡­ such as bureaucrats in the ministry of magic and imperial court magicians, will be watching this competition. For those who aim to work in the same field in the future, this is a one-of-a-kind chance to appeal to them. Thus, is it not a given that top-performers such as myself should be given more chances to prove myself?¡± ¡°Hey, do you really think that way¡­!?¡± Sistina angrily stared at Gibel. However, Gibel readily ignored it, and continued his argument. ¡°Also, the class that wins this year will have the honor of receiving their medals from the empress herself. You should understand that such a chance is priceless right, Sistina? So like I said, stop arguing just cause you feel like it, and act a little more mature by solidifying our roster with top-scoring members of our class. You could say that this is for the sake of our class as well.¡± ¡°Gibel¡­ you, that¡¯s enough¡ª¡± The atmosphere in the classroom was terrible, and Sistina, who understood that, could no longer hold her anger. As she raised her voice to speak¡ª Bom-ta-ta-ta-ta¡ª the sounds of someone dashing down the corridor leading to the classroom could be heard¡­ In the next moment, ¡®Bang!¡¯, the door to the classroom was slammed open in a showy manner. ¡°I heard about it! Leave the rest to me, the great Glen Ryders-sensei-sama¡ª!¡± Saying that, he meaninglessly brandished the coat that hung from his shoulders. Standing in the open doorway ¨C with his finger thrust high in the air, his chest raised to an unnatural level, his body twisted, a flirtatious gaze, and a proud gesture ¨C stood Glen, whose movements combined to form an interesting pose. ¡°¡­So the nuisance arrives.¡± Sistina pressed a hand against her head and sighed. In front of the students who had been stunned by his sudden entrance with unknown purpose, Glen pushed Sistina aside, took a stand at the podium. ¡°Stop fighting you guys. Nothing will come out of this¡­ More importantly¡ª¡± Glen showed a glimmering, refreshing smile, and said¡ª ¡°Are we not all comrades in arms that are united for the singular purpose of victory?¡± ¨CGross For a moment, the members of the class were united. Such was his pitiable leadership. ¡°Well, how should I say this¡­? You guys are running into problems at the roster stage?¡± Disregarding the mood of the classroom, Glen continued to talk at the beat of his own drum. Actually, this was how he usually was. ¡°Geez, what are you guys doing? Are you guys motivated at all? The other classes have already decided on their roster, and are doing special training for the festival you know? My my, this is the difference in mindset between you guys.¡± ¡°The one who¡¯s unmotivated is you isn¡¯t it sensei!?¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s overbearing remarks, Sistina barged into the conversation. ¡°In the first place, when I asked you about the festival a few days ago, you told me ¡®do whatever you want¡¯ didn¡¯t you!? So what are you trying to do right now!?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Towards the unexpected response, Glen was at a loss for words. ¡°¡­I, said that? No, I really don¡¯t remember at all.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re really are as annoying of a person as I thought you were. You don¡¯t listen to what other people are saying at all¡­¡± Faced with Glen¡¯s ever-unchanging attitude, Sistina felt extremely exhausted. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not worry about that. Since you guys can¡¯t come to a decision yourself, allow me, the grand director that leads this class, to use my decisive judgment capabilities becoming of a super charismatic magic instructor, to decide on the roster for the festival. First thing¡¯s first¡ª¡± With a burning, ambitious passion in his eyes, Glen grandly announced. ¡°If I will take on the leader position, then let¡¯s win alright? We¡¯ll go full force, and I will guide all of you guys to victory. That¡¯s why we¡¯ll draft our roster like this. Also, no playing around, remember that.¡± The classroom became noisy. Since he was usually such a cold-blooded creature, it was hard to imagine him being so heated up about anything. The students of the class all turned to look at one another. ¡°Oi, white cat, give me a list of events of the festival. Lumia, excuse me for troubling you, but could you list all the events and names in the order that I say them?¡± ¡°I told you to stop calling me a cat¡­ Geez!¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, sensei.¡± Sistina, dissatisfied, handed over the list. Lumia picked up a piece of chalk. ¡°Hmpf.¡± Glen, with a serious gaze, looked through the list of events and the rules. ¡°Hey, oi, white cat, are the events for each year the same?¡± ¡°Nope. With a few exceptions such as ¡®Battle¡¯, the list of events are pretty much completely different. Completely new events will be suddenly added to the list, and even the ones that look the same at first glance have completely different rules¡­¡± ¡°I see, so they¡¯re also testing the student¡¯s ability to adapt. Which means¡­ Hmpf¡­.¡± Looking at Glen¡¯s expression, Sistina released a small sigh. Geez, why is he suddenly motivated like this? After a variety of incidents, Glen had become the magic instructor in charge of this class. Although the quality of his classes were high, the person himself was uninterested, if not slothful, regarding all matters related to magic research. Not only that, he would belittle the revered teachings regarding magic, and often times one would need to ask him the same question several times to get their point across. Either way, he was seen as an eyesore that wasn¡¯t qualified to be a magic instructor¡­ All of this, was basic knowledge regarding Glen for members of the academy. However, Sistina knew that, although Glen was usually an annoyance, he was still someone who would stake his life for the sake of someone else when it really mattered; He was a passionate person at heart. Since she knew this side of Glen, despite how she lectured him on a regular basis, she recognized that when it came to decisive matters, it was better for her to not intervene too much. The same applied to the current situation. Rather, if he was motivated, she thought that it would be fine to let him do whatever he liked. But¡­ how should I say this¡­? This is a bit unpleasant¡­ At heart, Sistina was feeling a bit dejected. Glen had said that they would win with full force. To win with full force meant that the students with average grades would be left out, and that all the events would be monopolized by the few top-performing students of the class. In the end, the roster would be no different from last year. Hah¡­. Why does he have to be motivated at this time¡­ In reality, Sistina was undoubtedly amongst the top five of her grade. Evidently, the roster had been decided on the same basis, and she was able to participate in the Magic Games Festival for first years¡­ but it was uninteresting. It was completely different from what her father had told her. In the past, all the members of the class would participate, and everybody would be in high spirits, and a festive mood would ensue. However, at some point in time, this standard had been abandoned. That¡¯s why when she heard Glen tell her to ¡®do whatever you want¡¯, she felt relieved. If everyone could participate, then it would surely be fun. She will definitely make it a fun Magic Games Festival like the one her father had told her about ¡ª That¡¯s what she thought. However, seeing Glen¡¯s engrossed and serious expression as he looked at the list, she believed that a fun festival like her father had described would not happen this year either. ¡®Hah¡¯, as if giving up, Sistina released a solemn sigh. ¡°¡­Alright, I got it.¡± Glen raised his head. It seems that he was about to announce the roster. ¡°Alright listen in you guys. First, for the event with the highest points ¡®Battle¡¯ ¨C Sistina, Gibel, and ¡­. Cashew. You three will participate in this.¡± Eh? At this moment, all the members of the class tilted their heads. The ¡®Battle¡¯ event of the magic games festival was an actual 3-on-3 magic battle, and was the event that was given the most attention. It was a given for each class to select their three strong members. However, if the roster for the event was chosen with grades as the basis, then after Sistina and Gibel should be Wendy. So why was the spot given to Cashew whose grades were worse than Wendy¡¯s?¡± Even Cashew himself was unable to hide his incomposure. However, Glen ignored the troubled feelings that arose from his decision, and continued. ¡°Erm, next¡­ ¡®Speed Decryption¡¯. Wendy¡¯s the only possible choice for this. ¡®Flight Contest¡¯¡­ Road and Kai would be suitable. ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯¡­ Ah, Lumia has to do this one. Erm, from there, for ¡®Search and Unlock contest¡¯¡ª For ¡®Grancia¡¯¡ª¡± As the participants were listed one by one, the students noticed that no person appeared in more than one event. As usual, the high-point events were assigned to top-performing students, but the average students were also evenly distributed amongst other events. It would appear that Glen wanted all forty members of the class to appear in one event or another. Didn¡¯t he want to win with full force? Didn¡¯t he say that there was no playing around? ¡°¡ªthen, lastly, let¡¯s leave ¡®Transform¡¯ to Rin. Alright, all the roster slots are filled aren¡¯t they?¡± Glen finished announcing the participants for each event. In the end, not a single person was disregarded. At the bare minimum, each person participated in one event. ¡°Any questions?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept this-!¡± Amongst the noisy students, the twin-tailed girl that had the presence of an ojou-sama, Wendy, wildly stood up from her seat. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I chosen for ¡®Battle¡¯!? My grades are better than Cashew-san¡¯s aren¡¯t they!?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª, about that¡­¡± Glen pressed his hand against his temple, and said with a slightly bitter intonation to his voice. ¡°It¡¯s true that your spells learnt, magic knowledge, and magic capacity are all outstanding, but, you have some teensy shortcomings you see¡ª? Your ability to adapt to sudden situations is weak, and you occasionally fumble your chants.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I judged that Cashew, who has better athletic ability and situational adaptiveness despite knowing fewer spells, would be more suitable for the ¡®Battle¡¯ event. I apologize if I displeased you. In exchange, you will participate in ¡®Speed Decryption¡¯, and isn¡¯t that your specialty? In terms of ability with [Read ¡¤ Language], not a single person will complain if I say that you stand head and shoulders above everyone else. So I¡¯ll leave this to you. Please get the points for us.¡± ¡°W-, Well¡­ if that¡¯s the case¡­ Although I feel irritated by what you said¡­¡± Although angry, Wendy didn¡¯t try to argue any further, and dejectedly returned to her seat. Following Wendy, many other students raised their hands to ask why they had been chosen for a specific event. ¡°¡¯Cause in the end, [Levitate ¡¤ Fly] and [Gravity ¡¤ Control] are both gravity-control type black magic, and at the heart of it, black magic is the same as techniques used to control movement and energy. Kai, you should be able to do it.¡± ¡°Teresa, during our alchemy lab a short while back, you used [Psy ¡¤ Telekinesis] to clean up the remains of a flask that someone dropped right? You might not have noticed this, but you have an affinity for telekinetic-type white magic, especially long-range control techniques.¡± ¡°¡®Grazia¡¯ focuses far more on teamwork than individual play. Since you three always get along well, aren¡¯t you guys the best choice? Not to mention, you guys are good at Synchro-chanting.¡± However, each of the student¡¯s inquiries were met with a clear and concise answer. Basically, it appeared that though some students didn¡¯t particularly stand out, Glen had a grasp of each of their individual merits. Based on that knowledge, he had drafted the roster for maximum potential. Although no one knew why Glen was suddenly motivated, and it was impossible to deny that there were a few inefficiencies if his objective was ¡®to win with full force¡¯. However, it seemed that Glen had thought through this in his own way, and drafted what he believed was the best. Not to mention, this¡­ Sistina looked at the names written on the blackboard. Fundamentally, each of the students were assigned to the events that made the most of their individual abilities. Although a few students were assigned to an event outside their merits, it was events where their merits could be adapted to make it work. It would appear that he had taken everything into consideration. It could be said that, had he not intently observed the students and become familiar with their strengths and weaknesses, he would not be able to create this roster. Glen usually seemed like he had no interest in the students he was teaching, but it appeared that he had kept a close eye on them the entire time. Although he¡¯s pretty hopeless as a person¡­ occasionally, he can do these sort of things¡­ Looking at Glen, who responded to the student¡¯s inquiries, Sistina showed a slight smile. ¡°¡ªNow then, anymore questions?¡± Glen scanned the classroom. It seemed that at this point, there was no one who objected Glen¡¯s lineup. ¡°Then, I guess it¡¯s decided then?¡± Although he was already laughing on the inside, Glen asked once more time just in case. Fu¡ª, my, I suppose that¡¯s a job well done¡­ All said and done, Glen only had one goal ¨C to win. Regardless of what happens, he had no choice but to win and pocket the special reward, for the sake of living on. Rather, I refuse to die of starvation. If Serika says she won¡¯t help, then she really won¡¯t help, ¡®cause she¡¯s a cold hearted person. Thus, although victory couldn¡¯t be assured, he had no choice but to put everything on the table to secure the highest chance of winning. Although it was still a festival in reality, it would be troubling for him if he let everyone choose the events they wanted to participate in. For the sake of winning, he had no choice but to be sly with the roster. In this manner, he would push towards his first objective. If all forty students of his class were aiming to win, then his roster suggestion should undoubtedly be the best. Fuu¡­. Since I already pulled a few tricks, there¡¯s no value in anything other than winning, the winners are always right after all¡­ Well, if I could, I would use Sistina for every single event, but huh¡­ It was true that the roster utilized the class¡¯ talents to the fullest, but it was impossible to make up the difference in individual ability between the top-performing students. Glen understood that. At the very best, the roster was enough to be competitive in each of the events. If he really wanted to secure victory, then he would probably have to assign all the top-performing students to every event. ¡­But that¡¯s obviously against the rules huh¡­ Well, it can¡¯t be helped I guess, I do my best to use these forty people and challenge myself to maximize my chances of winning¡­ As Glen was thinking that¡ª ¡°My my¡­ Sensei, can you cut it out already?¡± One of the students relaxedly stood from their seat. It was Giel. ¡°You keep saying that ¡®We¡¯ll win using full force¡¯, but there¡¯s no way we can win with this roster right?¡± ¡°Hm¡­?¡± Could it be that you thought of a roster with a higher chance of winning? ¡®If that¡¯s true, then I¡¯ll definitely use it¡¯¡ª For Glen, this was no longer a problem of an instructor¡¯s pride and dignity, it was the difference between life and death. ¡°Oho? Gibel. That means you have a roster in mind that has a higher chance of winning? Alright, let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°¡­Uhm, sensei, are you seriously saying that?¡± Unable to hide his irritation, Gibel spouted those words. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious!? Just have the top-performing students participate in every single event! That¡¯s the standard for each year, and all the classes are doing it too aren¡¯t they!?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Eh?¡± Glen froze. Eh? What? That¡¯s alright? Although his body was frozen, his thoughts continued to ceaselessly flow. Anyhow, it seems that he now realized that he had made a terrible mistake. Ah, the heck? So you could use the same person multiple times, and it¡¯s a standard? Then let¡¯s do just that. Heh¡ª, yes¡ª, oho¡ª, hmm¡ª¡­ Having heard that, Glen was fist-pumping on the inside. Alrighty¡­. Guhehe, the current roster is sly enough as it is, but since the opportunity presented itself, I won¡¯t hold back. I¡¯ll take the slyness one step beyond¡­-! In particular, I won¡¯t hold back on using Sistina. This white cat girl might be cheeky, but she¡¯s still excellent without a doubt. As cheeky as she is, if I put her into as many events as I can, then my chances of victory will definitely jump. ¡°Hmpf¡­ I guess you¡¯re right, if we do that¡­¡± As Glen was about to approve of Gibel¡¯s suggestion¡ª ¡°What are you saying, Gibel!? After all the thought that sensei put into it, you¡¯re trying to pick it all apart? The girl that rebutted Gibel was none other than Sistina. Hey-, yo-, wh-, why are you objecting Gibel¡ª!? Without a clue of Glen¡¯s unease, Sistina faced the entire class, and pleaded to the them with a sincere expression. ¡°Everyone, look! Look at the roster than sensei has thought up! He has fully considered our strengths and weakness, and given each and every person the chance to play an active role in the festival!¡± In response to Sistina¡¯s pleading, the class entered a commotion. ¡®Now that you say that¡­¡¯, ¡®It¡¯s true that¡­¡¯. From everywhere in the classroom, such whispers could be heard. Hey¡­ You guys¡­ don¡¯t get persuaded¡­ I beg you¡­ ¡°Despite all the thought that sensei put into it, are you all just going to shrink back and do nothing!? Are you going to give a meaningless excuse such as ¡®I don¡¯t want the empress to see my unsightly appearance¡¯ to back away from participating!? Is that in itself not unsightly!? If you really believe that, how could you even possibly dare face the empress!?¡± Whatever with being unsightly or unable to face her, just please stop saying such unnecessary things¡­ ¡°To begin with, if we win by only having the top-performers compete, then what¡¯s the point of this festival? Sensei said ¡®We¡¯ll go full force, and I will guide all of you guys to victory.¡¯ had he not!? There is only a meaning to what he said if we all do this together!¡± Then, Sistina turned and said. ¡°Right, Sensei!?¡± The expression on her face was one that was rarely shown to Glen ¨C A rare, impregnable, refreshing smile. ¡°Y-, Yeah¡­.¡± He had no choice but to say this. If he were to say ¡®nope¡¯ at this moment, then he would become nothing short of a supervillain. ¡°I-, It¡¯s just as Sistina says¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right¡­ Even we¡­.¡± And then, the class¡¯ atmosphere clearly indicated that they would follow Sistina. Ah, don¡¯t back down¡ª!? Hey, wait a second you guys! This is a problem of life and death you know!? I¡¯m gonna die of starvation you know!? Do you guys even understand!? Goddamnit! At this point, he can only bet on his final safety net, Gibel. Give it your best! Don¡¯t lose Gibel-kun! Make the white cat eat your dust with a super-comeback! Glen sent an imploring gaze towards Gibel, but¡­ ¡°Fu, my my. You never change do you, Sistina¡­ Well, fine, if the class all agrees on that, then do whatever you like.¡± Gibel reseated himself, a cynical smile on his face. You bastard, aren¡¯t you a bit too weak you little herbivore of a boy¡ª!? ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what you can do then, Sensei?¡± This annoying little¡ª! There¡¯s nothing that I can show you! In response to Gibel¡¯s provocation, Glen could do nothing but scream internally. Then, to Glen¡ª ¡°Ahaha, everything turned out great didn¡¯t it? All according to sensei¡¯s plan, right?¡± Saying that, Sistina let a chuckle slip. T-, This girl¡­ Is she mocking me!? Me of all people!? She¡¯s really means it doesn¡¯t she!? Not only that, she¡¯s hitting me with irony where it hurts¡­-!? Glen could see nothing but the devil¡¯s smile on her face. C-, Could it be, that this girl¡­ grasped my plan!? If that¡¯s the case, then what a despicable person you are, blight cat¡­-! ¡°Well, since sensei seems to be finally be motivated for once, and even gave it his all to think of this roster, let¡¯s do our best everyone. I¡¯ll look forward to what you can do, sensei~¡± ¡°Y-, Yeah¡­ Just leave it to me¡­.¡± Sistina, who was in a particularly rare good mood, showed a somewhat eerie smile towards Glen. Hm¡­ I can¡¯t help but get the feeling that they¡¯re not on the same wavelength¡­ I wonder why? Lumia gazed upon them with a wry smile. In the week leading to the Magic Games Festival at Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, there was a practice period allotted specifically for the events. Fundamentally, there were only three lectures during this period, the first and second classes in the morning, and the third class in the afternoon. After these classes ended, the rest of the time was devoted to magic practice under the supervision of the instructor. ¡°Hah¡­.¡± Afterschool, at the courtyard that was filled with growing grass and surrounding by coniferous trees¡ª Glen leaned his back against a suitable tree, and gazed at his students, who were practicing for the Magic Games Festival, from afar. He seemed to be rather exhausted. There were students that chanted their spells and practiced flying in the skies. There were students that used long-range telekinetic-type abilities to play catch ball. There were students that chanted attack-type spells, and struck the trees with beams of electricity. On the other side of the courtyard, Sistina and Lumia spread a spellbook open on the bench, and ¨C with troubled expressions ¨C wrote something on the sheep skin paper. The various students surrounding them seemed to be discussing something. It seemed that the girls were organizing the magic techniques that they would use for the competition. As of now, Glen¡¯s class was silently fired up about the Magic Games Festival that was set to happen a week later. ¡°Geez they sure are passionate¡­ they don¡¯t even consider my feelings¡­¡± As if his passionate yesterday was a lie, today¡¯s Glen was nothing less than downtrodden. Since he saw it. The members that would participate in the other class that is. He used the summoning magic [Call ¡¤ Familiar] to summon a rat, which he used to scout the other teams, but as expected, all of the other classes seemed to have excelling or even famous students participating in multiple events. Against a team filled with outstanding talent, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that the students of Glen¡¯s class didn¡¯t amount to anything¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t quite that exaggerated, but simply said, there was a great difference in individual abilities. No matter how he looked at it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to win. Glen¡¯s fate of ¡®death by starvation¡¯ was no longer just a joke, it would soon become a reality. ¡°Damnit, how unfair¡­ Using nothing but excelling students. Do these people have nothing but winning on their minds!? There are things that are more important than winning right? Damn!¡± It was true that he wanted to fill his roster with nothing but top students, but that thought had already been long lost. ¡°Tch¡­ Should I do what I must and change up the roster? Within the bounds of a supervising instructor¡­¡± Right now, the devil was whispering into his heart. However, Glen glanced at his students. Everyone seemed to be having fun. Yesterday they did nothing but cower away and back down, but now, none of them seemed to sweat the small things, and were probably looking forward to participating in the festival. It was because of their liveliness that they were intent on practicing for the events that they would appear in. Seeing that, visions of his past seemed to flash through his mind. ¡°Magic Games Festival¡­ ah, now that I think about it¡­. When I was still a student here¡­ there was something like that wasn¡¯t there¡­?¡± Seeing the happy looks on the students as they practiced, Glen finally remembered. It seemed that the academy has a tradition that was something like the Magic Games Festival, but he had completely forgotten about it until now. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not force it too hard. When I graduated from this academy, I spent three years doing nothing noteworthy¡­ On top of that, I didn¡¯t ever participate in the festival did I¡­?¡± His memories as a student of this academy seemed to drift through his mind. At that time, the malpractice of separating participation in the Magic Games Festival by students¡¯ grades had already begun. Although only those who were below average were cut from consideration, Glen, who was a below average student, was automatically disqualified. Thinking back, Glen, who was three to four years younger than the students of his class, was most likely treated as an outsider by his classmates and friends. That¡¯s why, despite the high-spirits of the class and the students, Glen only spectated from afar, all alone. For Glen, these were boring and lonely memories, and as a result of having been treated the same for three years in a row, not a single shred of interest in the festival remained. Since they were such dark memories, it was more or less a given that they would be forgotten. If he wasn¡¯t in charge of a class that was participating in the games festival, he probably wouldn¡¯t have ever remembered. ¡°Tch¡­ Making me remember such things¡­¡± Hatefully murmuring to himself, he once again looked at his students, who were all giving it their best. ¡°Hah¡­ Geez, what an underhanded bunch¡­ Ah, it¡¯s impossible like this, for real¡­.¡± Winning is probably impossible. What can I do in a week? I can¡¯t think of anything. I can¡¯t think of anything, but¡ª Amongst the students that were practicing, there was not a single one that was lonesome, nor was there anyone that merely spectated. ¡°Hah¡­ My oh my.¡± Glen scratched his head and stood up. ¡°¡­Well, whatever I guess.¡± Murmuring to no one in particular, Glen showed a refreshed expression. ¡°In any case, I just gotta deal with the food problems first don¡¯t I? I can¡¯t look forward to the prize money, but I¡¯m gonna politely decline the option of starving to death. There are shroty trees growing in this academy aren¡¯t there¡­ If it¡¯s branches from those, then I can figure something out until the next payday¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t filled his stomach with anything but water since yesterday. With no other recourse, Glen decided that he would search through the academy¡¯s forest for edible wild grass or sticks. It was then¡ª ¡°You guys have been nothing but selfish this whole time¡­ Just quit it already!¡± Suddenly, angry voices could be heard from the distance. ¡°¡­What?¡± In a bout of annoyance, Glen turned towards the direction of the voices. It seems that the students of his class were arguing with the students of some other class, and started a dispute in the courtyard. ¡°¡­Oi you guys, what happened?¡± Since he couldn¡¯t leave it be, Glen sighed to himself, and walked towards the source of the disturbance. The students in question were grappling one another, and both of them seemed like they would burst at any time. ¡°Ah, sensei!? These guys came after us, but they¡¯re telling us to move away¡ª¡± One of the students of Glen¡¯s class, Cashew, agitatedly ranted. ¡°Shut up! Seeing your oversized group messing around is an eyesore! We¡¯re going to be practicing now, so go somewhere else!¡± The student that was fighting with Cashew seemed to be just as agitated. ¡°What did you say¡ª!?¡± ¡°Alright alright, STOP~¡± Glen grabbed Cashew and the other student by the nape of their necks, and forcefully pulled them apart. ¡°Ack ack¡­ O-, Ow¡­. My neck¡­¡± ¡°Uoo¡­ I-, I can¡¯t¡­ breathe¡­.¡± ¡°Christ, don¡¯t fight over such petty things alright¡­. Your EQs are way too low.¡± Confirming that the two of them were now obedient, Glen led go of his hands. Having been released from Glen¡¯s hold, the two of them fell to the floor and gasped for air. ¡°Erm, you over there¡­ Judging by that badge, you¡¯re from class one right? Are you guys gonna practice now?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ Ah, yeah. That¡¯s right¡­ Uhm¡­ this is where Harry-sensei told us to go¡­¡± After being suppressed by Glen¡¯s brute force, the two fairly large-framed students seemed to grow timid. The students of class one took a step back, and tackled the situation in an admirable manner. ¡°Hmpf, I see¡­¡± Glen scratched his head, and looked around the area. ¡°Mm, well, it¡¯s true that we¡¯re taking up too much space¡­ Sorry ¡®bout that. We¡¯ll move ourselves to one side, is that ok with you guys?¡± ¡°I-, If you can clear some space, then that¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± It seems that everything was wrapped up somehow, and the students who were observing the situation unfold were relieved. ¡°What are you doing, Craise!? Didn¡¯t I tell you to secure a spot!? So why isn¡¯t it clear!?¡± A man in his mid-twenties entered the stage, together with infuriated cries. He was a bespectacled, sensitive man that wore the robe bearing the mark of an owl, which showed that he was an instructor of this academy. His name was¡ª ¡°Ah, Yu-ray-senpai, wassup?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Harry! Harry! It¡¯s not Yuray or Harem-! It¡¯s Harry Astray-! Glen Ryders, just how many times do have I have to tell an imbecile like you my name until you remember it!? Rather, you haven¡¯t remembered my name at all have you!? Not in the slightest! Am I right!?¡± The two of them gave the impression of being old friends. Towards Glen¡¯s lighthearted greeting, Harry showed an astounding reaction. ¡°¡­So? Is, erm, Ha-¡­ something-senpai¡¯s class is coming here to practice for the festival?¡± ¡°¡­You little¡­ can you really not remember my name?¡± With clenched, trembling fists, Harry moved on to the main topic, not wanting to waste time with idle talk. ¡°Hmpf, well fine, you asked whether my class is practicing for the festival right? The answer should be more than obvious. Not to mention, my class will be taking the victory as well. Under my guidance, anything other than victory is unforgivable! Furthermore, the empress will be present as a special guest this year, and will be the one to present the medals. The only one suitable for such an honor is none other than myself!¡± ¡°Ah-ha-ha! Damn, you¡¯re so passionate about this! Well, give it your best, senpai!¡± Faced with Glen¡¯s playful attitude, Harry disdainfully clicked his tongue. ¡°More importantly, Glen Ryders, I heard about it. Do you really intend to have everyone in your class participate in the festival?¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, mhm, yeah, well, it happened didn¡¯t it¡­ it¡¯s not exactly what I had in mind though.¡± ¡°Hah! Are you throwing away your chances of winning already? Actually, have you thought of what you¡¯re going to say when you lose? Or are you just afraid of the class that¡¯s under my guidance?¡± Glen awkwardly shook his head. For some reason, this Ha-something guy is really hostile towards me. I didn¡¯t really do anything, but he¡¯s just flaming me in a one sided manner. Well, it wasn¡¯t much at first, but now that I think about it, I feel like that he started being hostile when I started to teach my classes seriously¡­ I don¡¯t really get the cause and effect behind this. Well, it¡¯ll probably be fine if I just give him a suitable response. ¡°No, that might actually be true you see¡ª I mean, after all, Ha-¡­ something-senpai¡¯s class is filled with top-performing students you see¡ª And my¡ª, it¡¯s pretty much decided that senpai¡¯s class is gonna win you see¡ª Ah¡ª, I¡¯m so jealous of the empress¡¯ medal you know¡ª¡± Seeing that Glen was set on playing the fool, Harry irritatedly grit his teeth. ¡°Tch¡­ what a coward. Well, fine, just hurry up a clear out of our practice area.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª yes yes, immediately. Erm, would it be fine if we just moved to the space over by that tree?¡± Glen took the space that each of their students needed to practice, and proposed a fairly proper distribution of space, but¡ª ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯m telling you and the rest of your class to move out of the courtyard.¡± Hearing what Harry said, all the students of class two froze up. Even Glen couldn¡¯t help but press his fingers against his temples and protest. ¡°Senpai¡­ no matter what, that¡¯s a bit too much isn¡¯t it¡­ You¡¯re being a tad unreasonable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s unreasonable about this?¡± Harry spat those words. ¡°If you¡¯re being serious about this, then I have no problem with evenly distributing the practice grounds with you. However, you¡¯re not motivated at all are you!? Not to mention, you let these poor performing students¡­ You¡¯re planning to work with these hindrances after all!¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± ¡°To begin with, your class has no plans to win, but to take over the practice space with a mob of useless small fry is nothing short of an annoyance for everyone else! If you know what I mean, then hurry up and get lost!¡± Hearing such terribly demeaning words, the expression of the students from Glen¡¯s class darkened¡­ ¡ªThere¡¯s no way we can let a failure like you participate in the glorious festival right? Glen. ¡ªIf you know what I mean, then hurry up and scram. You¡¯re nothing but a burden! The way the students overlapped with someone, from somewhere, from sometime¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ geez, come on. It¡¯s just one thing after another today isn¡¯t it? ¡­Ah¡ª, I¡¯ve had enough of this¡­¡± Glen, who suddenly said such things, ignored the students, who were unable to hide their troubled feelings, and suddenly pointed his finger at the dead-center of Harry¡¯s nose. In conjunction with that movement, he flipped the robe that rested over his shoulders. ¡°About what you said, senpai, this is the best assignment for my class. You¡¯re saying that I¡¯m motivated? That I¡¯m throwing away my chances of victory? Fu-, don¡¯t talk bullshit would you? Of course we¡¯re after it as well. Victory, that is. Well, feel free to belittle us however you like, just try your best to not let us blindside you alright?¡± Curving his lips into a sneer, Glen showed a daring smile. In response to Glen¡¯s mysterious pressure, a sweatdrop formed on Harry¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­Ku, you can say whatever you like, but in the end you¡¯re all talk. However, in reality, all you¡¯re doing is that you¡¯re making the excelling students of your class such as Sistina and Gibel play around aren¡¯t you¡­-!¡± ¡°Hm? I see¡­ Basically, erm¡­ Ha-? Something-senpai thinks that my class¡¯ composition is just for show, flimsy, or something like that right¡­?¡± ¡°E-, Exactly¡­ what else could it possibly be!? Repeatedly using your top-students is practically a formality! It¡¯s not just my class, all the other classes in every single year are doing it as well!¡± ¡°Ku-Ku-Ku¡­ So it seems that it¡¯s not just you. Rather, it seems that all the instructors at this academy are useless blockheads¡­ No¡ªway, no way, could it be that you thought that you could win just by putting top-performing students in every single even¡­? Fuha¡ªHA-HA-HA-! I¡¯m dying over here!¡± Said Glen. His laughter was somewhat villainous. ¡°Alright senpai? We will win with everybody. Everybody, got that? If we¡¯re all moving towards the same goal, then say anything you want about ¡®who¡¯s the main force and who¡¯s the hindrance¡¯, none of it matters. It¡¯s all for one, and one for all. The feeling of unity is the best strategy you know? You understand me?¡± ¡°Ku-¡­ you think that kind of illogical, spiritual theory will work¡­!?¡± However, in response to Harry¡¯s rebuttal, Glen stuck out his chest proudly and replied. ¡°Three months of wage.¡± ¡°Wh-, Wha-!?¡± ¡°My class will win, and you will give me three months¡¯ worth of wages.¡± In response to Glen¡¯s announcement, not only Harry, but even the surrounding students were bewildered. In particular, the students of Glen¡¯s class looked at him with open-mouths. ¡°A-, Are you serious, you imbecile¡­-!¡± ¡°Now then, whatcha¡¯ gonna do senpai? Will you take this bet? My, perhaps three months is a bit too much? If you lose then your research is gonna get stalled for a while isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± ¡°Gu¡­u¡­-!¡± To instructors, wages had a special meaning. Compared to professors, the amount of budgeting they got for research was nothing more than a drop in the ocean. As a result, in order to make some achievements, and for the sake of advancing their own research, instructors of this academy had no choice but to fund their research out of their own pockets. Although magic instructors had a fairly high payline, they were often just barely scraping by. Of course, Harry too, would like to avoid the risk of losing three months worth of pay. If he were to lose it, then during that period, Harry¡¯s magic research would undoubtedly be slowed. I don¡¯t believe that I would lose, but it¡¯s still a matter of chance. No one knows how it will turn out. Furthermore¡ª this Glen person¡¯s strangely confident expression, and nonchalant attitude. Does he have some sort of strategy in mind¡ª? ¡°Ku¡­ fine!¡± However, before the students, there was no way that Harry could back down. ¡°The same applies for me! My class will win, and you will give me three months worth of wages!¡± With sweat trickling from his face, Harry disdainfully announced such. ¡°Fu-¡­ As expected of you, senpai. You got guts. I like that you know? It wouldn¡¯t be the same if it wasn¡¯t like this¡­ Ku-Ku-Ku-¡­ My, I¡¯m extremely grateful, se¡ªn¡ªpa¡ªi.¡± With unmatched composure, Glen showed a intrepid smile. ¡°Tch-¡­-! I-, I¡¯ll make you regret ever messing with me¡­-!¡± With a hateful sentiment, Harry stared intently at Glen. The students observed the two with bated breath. Then¡ª ¡­Now I¡¯ve done it ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C! Although he held a firm, daring smile on the surface, on the inside, Glen already had his arms around his head. I felt a bit irritated for some reason when he was making fun of my students, but I¡¯ve actually done it this time! Oi oi, what am I gonna do? This ain¡¯t a joke anymore! There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to survive for three months without real food! I¡¯ll die you know? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the sage of the east or something¡­-! Simply put, Glen¡¯s attitude might be imposing, but he was frightened to the core. Strategy you say? Of course that doesn¡¯t exist. ¡°Damn you Glen Ryders¡­ An imbecile of a man like you¡­-! As mere third-rank third-rate magician who doesn¡¯t have a single speck of pride as a magician, you dare belittle me¡­-!¡± Uwah¡ª, he¡¯s angry now¡­ He¡¯s really really angry now¡­. A-ha-ha, shit. What am I gonna do!? Right now, Glen had nothing but regret for his reflexive words and provocations. Alright¡­ dogeza it is. In this kind of situation, I have no other choice. Right now, I will desperately and sincerely beg for forgiveness and mercy¡ª Now, bear witness to my special original magic [Moonsault ¡¤ Jumping ¡¤ Dogeza]¡ª As Glen was about to make a world record for throwing vanity, pride, and embarrassment¡ª ¡°That¡¯s enough, Harry-sensei.¡± A calm, cool voice interrupt Harry from saying anymore before Glen could prostrate himself. ¡°I will not forgive you if you belittle Glen-sensei any more than you already have.¡± The one who spoke was none other than Sistina, who had arrived on the scene at some point. Why do you have to appear with such timing, you little white cat¡ª!? Glen was on the verge of tears. ¡°You are Sistina Phebell!? The prestigious house Phebell¡¯s¡­ ku-!?¡± Harry was visibly shaken by Sistina¡¯s intervention. ¡°To start with, the way in which you dealt with the matter regarding the practice grounds was far from reasonable. However, you contempt attitude towards Glen-sensei is unjust! If you plan to continue any further, then a problem may occur with the higher-ups in the academy regarding your unfit morals as a magic instructor. Would you like that?¡± ¡°Ku-¡­!? Y-, You little smoocher¡­-!¡± In contrast to Harry¡¯s bewilderment, Sistina showed a composed smile. ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t result to such vulgar methods, Glen-sensei won¡¯t hide or run away. At the Magic Games Festival a week from now, my class will compete fair and square against yours¡­¡± Sistina, who was overjoyed for some reason, turned to face Glen with eyes full of expectation. ¡°Right, sensei!?¡± ¡°Y-, Yeah¡­¡± He had no choice but to say this. If he were to say ¡®nope¡¯ at this moment, then he would become nothing short of a supervillain. ¡°Damnit, remember this, Glen Ryders! I¡¯ll make sure to crush your class first at the combined events! Wash your face and get ready for it!¡± Why does the hurdle keep rising? Someone save me¡­ Tears began to flow from his heart¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t ever come here again.¡± In contrast, he gave Harry a thumbs down, before running his thumb across his throat in a threatening gesture. Something such as ¡®an inevitable series of events¡¯ existed in this world. Harry loudly exhaled from his nose, and angrily turned to leave. Although he avoided one disaster, another super-mega-bomb was about to drop directly on Glen. ¡°¡­ I misjudged you, just a little bit.¡± Said Sistina to Glen. The silver-haired girl combed her hair upwards, and absentmindedly turned her eyes around the area, unsure where to look. Her face seemed to be somewhat red. Perhaps she had a cold? ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you would go that far to protect our practice grounds¡­. Although I know that you¡¯re someone who will push comes to shove, but¡­ I mean, sensei is¡­ you¡¯re usually like you usually are and¡­ seeing it once again¡­ uhm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I did it for you guys or anything¡­¡± ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re being modest?¡± Of course, it was not modesty, but rather, an undeniable truth. ¡°To stake a price and compete using their own skills is a magician¡¯s¡¯ art¡­. Mhm, in the end, sensei is a magician at heart!¡± Why is she happy? This girl¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine, just leave it to me, sensei! Since sensei has this much faith in us, we will definitely win! Hey, isn¡¯t that right, everyone!?¡± In response to Sistina, everyone strongly nodded their heads. What¡¯s the basis for that response you guys¡­. You¡¯re only having fun cause you guys have nothing to lose, damnit¡­. In the end, he was merely reaping what he sowed, but he tried his best to pretend that he didn¡¯t know it. On this rare occasion, Sistina showed a happy smile towards Glen. And to Sistina, Glen returned a patient, but resentful smile. ¡°Hm¡­ I can¡¯t help but get the feeling that they¡¯re not on the same wavelength¡­ I wonder why?¡± Lumia gazed upon them with a wry smile. The days leading to the Magic Games Festival continued to pass. In the end, (due to an inevitable series of events) everyone that wanted to participate in the festival was now participating. Glen, who (appeared to have) fully considered each and every one of the students (on the surface), was a stronger unifying force for the students than anyone had expected. The students of Glen¡¯s class were all in high spirits, and for the sake of winning, they all desperately practiced and studied. They were already at the point where they had no fear of losing to the top-performing students of other classes, nor the fear of embarrassing themselves in front of the empress. For the sake of the once-in-a-lifetime, 2nd year Magic Games Festival, everyone gave it their best. On the other hand, Glen also responded to the student¡¯s passion (as there was no way he¡¯d sit idly and allow himself to starve to death). Although his passion seemed a bit ghastly, he worked hard to help the students practice and study. ¡°Erm, ¡®Grazia¡¯¡­ is a three-person event this time around huh. If there are the same number of teams as there are classes, then there are a total of ten teams. However, given the scheduling of the games festival, there¡¯s no time for a tournament style bracket. On the day of the event, lotteries will be drawn to decide thee matches, and the rankings will be calculated based on the score difference¡­ Hmpf.¡± Holding the rulebook to this year¡¯s games festival, Glen murmured to himself. Today, Glen was in the classroom giving strategic guidance to the students that were participating in ¡®Grazia¡¯, a traditional team-battle game that involved creating barriers. ¡°With those conditions¡­ Alright, listen up you guys. Use a conditional activation sequence.¡± Glen turned his eyes away from the booklet, and faced the students that were participating in the event ¨C Alf, Bicks, and Shesa. ¡°In ¡®Grazia¡¯ the most important aspect is the speed at which you can construct the barrier isn¡¯t it? That said, I used a familiar to observe the other classes a little bit, but¡­ their speed is undoubtedly faster than yours. Each class is putting everything they can into practicing barrier formation speed. If we fight them directly, then our zone will be invaded and that¡¯ll be the end of the story.¡± ¡®Then what should we do?¡¯. The students showed such questioning expressions. ¡°The way to fight against that is a conditional activation sequence. What I mean by conditional activation sequence, is a passive magic-sequence that activates when certain conditions regarding the corresponding field or object ¨C which are set at the beginning ¨C are met. We¡¯ll be using this for our strategy.¡± ¡°A conditional activation sequence¡­ right?¡± Hearing about that, the students furrowed their eyebrows with bitter expressions. Most magicians had pretty poor impression regarding conditional activation sequences. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not going to make you look cool I guess, since it is a conditional activation sequence after all. As I said in the lecture a little while ago, it¡¯s a wretched, ancient sequence that¡¯s infamous for being used in curses and geises. ¡®If X and Y isn¡¯t done, then you will die¡¯ kind of feeling¡­ Well, forget about that.¡± Composing himself, Glen returned to explaining. ¡°Let¡¯s review conditional activation sequences then. The strengths of this technique is that, if it¡¯s completed, it will automatically activate. Since it doesn¡¯t emit any magic power while it¡¯s dormant, it¡¯s also extremely hard to detect. The weaknesses is that you are unable to choose the timing at which you activate it, and the timing at which it activates is completely dependent on the action that your opponent takes.¡± Glen wrote the strategy on the whiteboard. ¡°In a three-man ¡®Grazia¡¯, the standard is to have two people on offense and one person on defense, where the two-man group occupies a position, while the one-man group destroys the other¡¯s encampments right? However, all three of you will be on defense. Focus everything into destroying the opponent¡¯s encampment using ¡®Field ¡¤ Break¡¯. Compared to creating one, destroying is a lot simpler after all.¡± ¡°But, if we do that then we can¡¯t win¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if we do that, then no matter how hard we try, we can only force a draw¡­¡± ¡°The goal is to make them think that we¡¯re going for a tie¡± ¡®I don¡¯t really want to play this kind of dirty strategy, but well¡­¡¯ thought Glen, as he scratched his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but compared to your opponents, you guys are weak. Our opponent¡¯s pride will not allow them to accept a tie, and since the rankings are based on point differences, they will try everything they can to win with a big point margin. Thus, if the stalemate continue for long enough, they¡¯ll definitely try to use ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the type of barrier that¡¯s complicated to construct, but can¡¯t be destroyed once it completed, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. To add onto that, since they want to score big, they¡¯ll definitely go for a huge scale one. That¡¯s where you guys come in. You guys will create a super-broad field that will completely control the entire area, and the condition for its activation is ¡®if the opponent creates an Absolute ¡¤ Field that is beyond a certain size¡¯¡­ in order to obstruct the opponent. Our opponents will never suspect that a team that seems like it¡¯s going for a tie, would try to turn the match on its head for a dominating victory¡­ probably.¡± With a slip of the tongue, Glen revealed his slight lack of confidence. ¡°Could it be that we¡¯re going for a ¡®Silent ¡¤ Field ¡¤ Counter¡¯!?¡± ¡°For us, such a high-level strategy is¡­¡± ¡°But, you guys don¡¯t have any other choice right? If we don¡¯t try this then we¡¯re going to lose one-hundred percent.¡± Faced with the harsh truth, the students turned silent. ¡°That said, if the opponents are calm then we¡¯ll lose either way. If our opponents go for a small ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯ to guarantee their victory, then we¡¯re out, since the activation conditions won¡¯t be met. However, we can¡¯t set the activation conditions to apply on such a small field either. The strength of the sequence¡¯s effect goes hand-in-hand with the difficulty in which the conditions are met. If we go for something too simple, then the tables will be turned in the remaining time after the field activates.¡± Clicking and clacking the chalk against the blackboard, Glen wrote out the details of the strategy. ¡°The key is to force our opponents into using this large-scale skill. Thus, the deciding factor of this strategy is how quickly we can destroy their ¡®Normal ¡¤ Field¡¯s. That¡¯s why you guys need to put extra practice into ¡®Field ¡¤ Break¡¯. Rather, let¡¯s just say that that¡¯s all you guys need to do. Got it?¡± ¡°U-, Understood, sensei!¡± From a distance, Sistina and Lumia were gazing at Glen. ¡°He sure is passionate about this¡­ Does he really plan to win with all forty of us¡­¡± ¡°Hey Sisti. From the side, sensei¡¯s serious and hard-working expression actually looks pretty cool doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sitting beside Sistina, who seemed impressed, Lumia happily laughed. ¡°¡­Not really. To start with, given how he is usually, it would be troubling if he wasn¡¯t at least serious every so often.¡± ¡°Fufu, how dishonest~¡± ¡°¡­W-, What do you mean?¡± Regardless of that, however, the two of them had an unresolved question. ¡°But, why is sensei¡­ growing paler with each passing day?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ maybe he has a cold?¡± This was the greatest mystery of the Magic Games Festival. Like this, a week passed by in a flash. Today was the opening day of Alzano Imperial Academy¡¯s Magic Games Festival. And the day that the Alzano Empire¡¯s empress, Alicia the seventh, would arrive at the academy¡ª Volume 2 - CH 2 Chapter 2: The Magic Games Festival, Begins. The first light of daybreak, which peeked from behind the hills, swept away the veil of darkness, and signaled the beginning of a new day. In this hazy, misty morning, there was a horse-drawn carriage travelling on the road that linked the northern area, Itelia, and southern area, Yolkshire. The carriage, which was pulled by four gallant horses, was decorated with gold and silver. In any case, the extravagance of it all indicated that the carriage was one that was exclusively used by noblemen and aristocrats. As if to bring the question to rest, the carriage bore the emblem of a spread-winged eagle ¡ª The mark of imperial royalty. This was the royal carriage, and only those with remarkable pedigree were allowed to ride on this carriage. All four sides of the carriage were surrounded by bodyguards, which each rode atop a military horse. Each wore a scarlet-colored surcoat that bore the insignia of shield and wings, and carried a rapier at their waist. This was the uniform of the royal guard of the imperial army, whom were primarily tasked with the defense of members of royalty. The royal guard were a group of elites that were adept in swordsmanship, and were trained in standard military-grade magic. As a result, each and every member bore the pride of being amongst the few selected to become part of the royal guards, carried a strong sense of duty, and overflowed with sharp and dominating vigor. Closest to the carriage was a military man who was worlds apart in both appearance and the spirit in his eyes. With white hair that contrasted with his black beard, sharp gaze, and a body that was riddled with ancient scars, he gave the impression of a veteran who had experienced countless battles. He was the commander of the royal guard, Zeros. Although he was already well past his prime, his martial spirit that had been forged during the God-reverence Wars forty years ago still burned bright. Suddenly, a metallic ringing noise resounded through the area. Hearing that, Zeros reached into his waist pocket, retrieved half of a gemstone, and pressed it against his ear. ¡°Report.¡± Said Zeros, with a stern and overbearing tone. ¡°Yes sir! The fifth and sixth unit are about 1-kilometer ahead, and are patrolling the surroundings. For now, we have not seen any traces of bandits or magic-beasts.¡± He heard about the situation of the advance group from the gemstone. ¡°Mm, well done. However, don¡¯t get careless. Although we are in an era in which the army will police the streets, an era in which the citizens can travel without bodyguards, right now, we are escorting the Empress. Do not forget that, and earnestly carry out the task that you have been entrusted with.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Cutting the transmission, he returned the gemstone to his pocket, and continued to cautiously observe the surroundings. He would execute any suspicious individuals that drew too close, and if necessary he would use his body as a shield. He carried such a clear and firm conviction. Under the watchful protection of Zeros and the royal guard, it was unthinkable for any harm to befall the important figure residing in the carriage ¡ª Such a thought would naturally appear in the minds of the bystanders looking upon the grandeur appearance of the escort. The lady residing inside the carriage ¨C the Empress of the Alzano Empire, Alicia the seventh ¨C looked through the laced-curtain at the gallant figures. Alicia was a lady with long golden-hair, and a gentle gaze in her eyes. She bore a noble presence that would make others naturally straighten their backs, as well as a calm temperament that would not back down from any circumstance. Although she was already in her late thirties, her appearance, which had once been called ¡®The White Lily of Alzano¡¯, had not withered at all. Rather, it seemed all the more refined. However, Alicia was not wearing the royal dress that symbolized the authority and dignity of the royal family, but rather, a simple black and beige colored dress that was suitable for the going outdoors. Despite that, it was still impossible to suppress the grace and dignity within her. ¡°We will soon arrive at Fejiti, won¡¯t we, your majesty.¡± Sitting next to Alicia, was a lady in her mid-twenties. She wore a headdress, apron, and garter-belt ¨C which combined into a servant¡¯s costume ¨C and had black hair and black eyes. Her name was Elenora. She was a talented woman that was tasked with taking care of Alicia as the head maid, assisted with governmental affairs as the chief secretary, and even acted as Alicia¡¯s bodyguard. Once ago, she had graduated at the top of her class in Alzano Imperial College political-economics division, and reputed to have first-rate skill in both swordsmanship and magic. Based on her abilities, she was chosen to be the assistant to the Empress. As of now, she carried the official rank of ¡®lower-fourth seat¡¯ that was a cut above high-nobles, and became an existence thatsupported the Empress regardless of whether it was personal or work. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Elenora. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to that academy.¡± Showing a gracious and gentle smile, Alicia looked out the window of the carriage, in the direction of its destination. Past the vast grassy pasture and the gentle meandering of the road, she could see the walls of Fejiti ¨C More symbolic than that, was the majestic appearance of the phantasmal castle in the sky. ¡°However, if the academy¡¯s teleportation formation wasn¡¯t destroyed by that resentful group, your majesty wouldn¡¯t have to exert yourself so greatly¡­¡± A teleportation formation was a magic facility that was assisted by a super-high level ritual-type magical technique, and allowed one to travel a great distance in mere moments. Since the formation had to be laid on ground that carried spiritual veins, it couldn¡¯t be freely created anywhere in the world. Aside from the large amounts of time and money that was required to create one, the people that were able to use the formation were limited to those that were adept at control magic ¨C only magicians, and that in itself was the greatest shortcoming. However, in this inconvenient world where travelling was limited to horse-drawn carriages, walking, and boats, such convenience was unparalleled. Although a railroad powered by the recently invented steam engine was amongst stipulations that the government was currently invested in, but it was still far from practical use. So as of now, there was no substitute for a teleportation formation. There used to be a teleportation formation that linked Alzano Imperial Magic Academy and the Imperial Capital Orlando, but it was destroyed in the terrorist incident a month prior, and had yet to be restored. As a result, the Empress had no choice but to spend several days to travel to Fejiti on a horse-drawn carriage. ¡°This is nice occasionally.¡± Hearing Elenora¡¯s anguished words, Alicia showed a mischievous smile, placed a finger across her lips, and winked. Although she was already of fair age, it was oddly suitable for Alicia, who currently had the unexplainable presence of young girl. ¡°Leaving the castle, staying away from politics, and seeing the outside world has been very enjoyable. Also, it¡¯s not bad to occasionally take a break from the annoying yapping of those grandpas.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ your majesty¡­ if Lord Edward heard that, he¡¯d burst into tears.¡± In public, Alicia was cold-hearted, serious, strict, and authoritative ¨C a remarkable figure without weaknesses; however, Elenora was one of the few who knew that her master was unexpectedly mischievous and childish. ¡°In any case¡­ you seem to be in a good mood, your majesty.¡± ¡°Fufu-, you can tell?¡± Alicia looked distantly at the destination of the carriage. ¡°My daughter¡­ after three years, I might get to see her again.¡± ¡°Her highness princess Alumiana¡­ yes?¡± However, in response to Alicia¡¯s anticipation, Elenora remonstrated her with an apologetic tone. ¡°Your majesty, I understand how you feel, but¡­¡± ¡°I understand. It goes without saying that I should avoid direct contact with her. From a distance¡­ From a distance, if I could see that child¡¯s lively appearance for just a little bit, that would be enough¡­¡± ¡®But¡­ if possible¡¯ ¡ª muttering those words soundlessly, Alicia grasped the locket-pendant that hung from her neck. For a member of the main line of the royal family, this oval brass pendant was rather simple. Alicia opened the locket, and inside was a monochrome portrait that had been taken by a camera. It was a harmonious picture of Alicia and two young girls from which vestiges of Alicia could be seen. One of the girls had been exiled by her own hands three years ago. ¡°Your majesty, that is?¡± ¡°I really just can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t throw this away. Even though I¡¯m the Empress who has no choice but guide the nation in the right direction, even though I had no choice but to forsake that child, I¡­ am unqualified to be an Empress.¡± Said Alicia in a self-deprecating manner. ¡°There is no such thing. Your majesty has skillfully suppressed the political factions and schemes from the den of thieves known as the imperial government. If it wasn¡¯t for your majesty, this nation wouldn¡¯t be able to stand on its own feet. Also¡­ while you are the Empress of the Alzano Empire, you are also a mother¡­¡± ¡°¡­But, I¡¯m sure that that child hates me.¡± Lightly sighing, Alicia closed the locket. Seeing that, Elenora continued with a faithful attitude. ¡°I understand that this may be disrespectful, but may I speak, your highness?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That locket-pendant¡­ if some rare extenuating circumstances were to occur, then it may cause problems, so during our visit to Fejiti, I would like to store it somewhere.¡± ¡°I suppose so. The world will not always go our way¡­ However, what should we do? Is there any accessory that we can replace it with¡­ Elenora?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. I will go look for a suitable replacement.¡± Elenora retrieved a jewelry box from under the seat, and started to look through it. After a short while, Elenora retrieved a necklace from the box. It was a golden necklace that was fitted with a jade-green jewel. ¡°Fufu, your majesty. How is this?¡± ¡°Ah, how pretty, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it. Where did this come from?¡± ¡°Yes, this is a top-of-the-line article that is suitable for her highness. I bought this a few days ago from a jewelry store that I am acquainted with. I¡¯m sure that it is a suitable accessory for your majesty.¡± This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¨CShe saw, a dream. To Lumia, this was a dream that she had already seen many times. That¡¯s why, ahh, this dream again¡­ Such a thought appeared in her disordered mind. ¡°Hick¡­ uu¡­ Mother¡­ Mother¡­¡± A beam of light shone through the pitch-black darkness, at her young, crying self. ¡°No¡­. Don¡¯t throw me away¡­ I will be a good kid¡­ I will be a good kid so¡­. I wouldn¡¯t be selfish anymore so¡­ please don¡¯t hate me¡­¡± When I was young my mother meant the world to me. So when she abandoned me, I believed that I was hated by the entire world. ¡®I¡¯m a child that no one wants¡¯ ¨C That¡¯s the feeling I had. Despite that, I would timidly look at my surroundings, as if I was looking for my mother, who had glared at me coldly as she exiled me, as if I was looking for someone who would be my ally. However, in place of that what came into view was¡ª ¡°Hiii¡ª!?¡± Corpses. Corpses that were spilling with fresh blood were scattered around me. Because of my inferiority complex that formed from being abandoned by my mother, I would throw a tantrum at the family that took care of me every day. One day, I was suddenly faced with the corpse of an evil magician. Surely, this person was sent by my mother who hated me, in order to kill me, the bad child that she had abandoned. I don¡¯t know why those magicians were now dead, but¡­ That view was like a message from the world itself ¨C that ¡®there is not a single person who would be your ally¡¯¡­ As though it was giving me a subtle hint about my future. ¡°A-, A-, A-, Ahhhh¡ª!?¡± I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared. My emotions spilled from my body. The grief of being abandoned. The fright of being kidnapped. The disgust towards the bloodied corpses. To me back then, everything had pushed me past my breaking point. ¡°I don¡¯t want this anymore! I can¡¯t take this anymore ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C!¡± Burying my head in my arms, I began to cry. ¡°Why¡­-!? Why does this only happen to me!?¡± As I screamed in the darkness¡ª ¡°¡­ Stop crying. Calm down.¡± From behind me, came a dark, low, and cold voice. I reflexively turned towards the source of the voice. Standing there was a black-haired, black-eyed, black-coated ¨C completely covered in black ¨C man. He looked down at me with stone cold eyes. ¡°¡ªHeeeeiii!?¡± I thought that my heart had stopped. My mind, which had rejected the situation until now, suddenly understood everything. Yes, this is the person that killed those evil magicians. When this person took out a strange piece of paper, for some reason, the evil magicians were all unable to use their scary magic¡­ Then, using a fearsome gun-like weapon, he slaughtered them. Even though they were begging for their lives at the end, this person didn¡¯t show a hint of mercy. And ¨C Surely, I was next. ¡°N-, Nooooooooooo-!? No, help!? Someone, someone help me!¡± ¡°Uwah, I messed up!? D-, Don¡¯t cry!? I¡¯m your ally! Your ally!¡± ¡°Liar-! There is no one who would be my ally! There is no one in this world who would be my ally! Even my mother, even my mother abandoned me ¨C¨C mmpf!?¡± He suddenly pushed me down on the ground, and pressed his hand against my mouth. At that moment, my heartbeat rose so much from my fright that I thought that my heart would break. The freezing, painful chill that ran across my back felt as though a sword of ice had been embedded in it. My consciousness, which was like a boat being tossed about by a heavy storm, quickly became a blank, stagnant slate. I desperately struggled in a bout of insanity, but since my hands and legs were pressed down, there was nothing I could do. I¡¯m going to be killed. I¡¯m finally going to be killed. I don¡¯t want to die. Help, someone help. I don¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t want to die alone in this kind of place. I don¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t want this¡ª ¨CBut. ¡°I. Am. Your. Ally.¡± Slowly, word-by-word, he tried to persuade me. He urged me on with a desperate, but sincere gaze. Little by little, my tensions faded like a receding tide, and I calmed down. ¡°¡­¡­-¡­¡­-¡­¡­¡­-!¡± Even so, my fears didn¡¯t disappear. The wrenching, crackling beat of my heart ceased to stop. Tears would not stop streaming from my eyes, because the person in front of me had killed those people in cold blood. I¡¯m scared of this person. It¡¯s unbearable. I¡¯m so scared that I feel like I¡¯ll die. However, to me, who was trembling in fear, the person looked at me with eyes full of sorrow for a mere moment. Then, he said. ¡°Please. There are still enemies outside. We can¡¯t make it out with the way you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡ª!¡± ¡°Be afraid of me as much as you like, I don¡¯t mind. However, if you could stop crying ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C ¡­.¡± This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Lumia¡ª? Come on, you need to get up¡­¡± ¡°¡­Munya?¡± Being shaken gently, Lumia awoke from her dream and returned to reality. ¡°Huh? ¡­¡­Erm¡ª¡± Lumia opened her sleeping eyes to the room of the Phebell residence that she shared with Sistina. In the room lay a glamorously designed carpet, a candle-stand on the wall, and shiny, oaken chairs and tables. Although the room was decorated conservatively, each and every ornament was a high-class product. Wearing long and comfortable negligee, she hugged her feathered blanket and lay sprawled out on the bed. Next to the bed stood Sistina. In addition to her usual academy-attire, she also wore a sword belt around her slender waist. Attached to the belt was a beautiful rapier with a curvaceous handle, which was the traditional battle attire for magicians. The reason she wore this was probably due to the opening of the Magic Games Festival later today. Turning her eyes to the mechanical clock on the wall, the time was already past seven. The warm, morning light shone through the windows, and was accompanied by a gentle, refreshing wind that lightly shook the curtains. It seemed that the weather today would be quite fine. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re early, Sisti.¡± ¡°I mean, well, I, erm, have something I have to do¡­ More importantly, today¡¯s the day of the Magic Games Festival isn¡¯t it?Father and Mother don¡¯t have work to do either. You should get up soon.¡± ¡°Mhm, you¡¯re right¡­¡± With a soft ¡®fuwah-¡® yawn, Lumia rose from her bed. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting downstairs¡­ Don¡¯t fall asleep again alright?¡± ¡°¡­ I wouldn¡¯t~¡± ¡°Well, even though I say ¡®again¡¯, it¡¯s already happened three times before.¡± ¡°Ahaha, did that happen?¡± After exchanging a wry smile, Sistina left the room, and Lumia sluggishly crawled out of bed. The soft fur of the carpet made her feet feel slightly itchy. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that dream hasn¡¯t it¡­¡± In her slightly disoriented mind, Lumia thought about the contents of the dream. About three years ago, she completely forsook the identity of ¡®Alumiana¡¯, which she had lived with until that day, and was forced to continue living as ¡®Lumia¡¯. She was then taken in by the Phebell family. Stemming from the feelings of self-loathing caused by her abandonment by her mother, she had been unable to believe in anything. She believed that there was no ally in this world, that she was alone, that she was the most unfortunate child in the world. It had been a ruinous, stormy period of her life. Having been mistaken for Sistina, Lumia had been kidnapped, and then, she met Glen¡ª ¡°Why is it that even now, I dream of what happened that time¡­?¡± She had already put all that behind her. Thinking further about it, the results of her mother¡¯s doing was not all bad. She had been able to become friends with Sistina, and most of all, she had been able to meet her savior, Glen. Although she was dissatisfied that Glen had no recollection of the time, regardless, she was able to live life facing forwards. Unlike the time as the caged bird Alumiana, she was now able to find a new goal in life. She was sure that she had already put that all behind her. ¡°¡­Mmm, I¡¯ve put it behind me¡­ or at least, that¡¯s what I think¡­¡± In any case, she knew full well why she saw that dream. It was because that person ¨C the one who had forsaken her once upon a time ¨C would be at the academy. The culprit behind everything that unfolded in her dream would be at the academy on this very day. It would seem that that fact was more of a burden then she thought it would be. ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± Lumia reached for the oval brass locket that had been placed on a small round table next to the bed, and opened it. There was nothing inside. No, to be precise, there had been something pasted inside it in the past, and there were traces of something being ripped out. For a brief moment, Lumia looked at the pendant without uttering a single word. Finally, as if to shake something off, she lightly shook her head, and closed the locket. Her two hands grasped the chains of the locket, and connected them behind her neck. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it my best.¡± With a single motivational cheer, Lumia moved towards the closet containing her clothes. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me Finally, the reception for the Empress would soon begin. In order to welcome the Empress, the members of the academy huddled around the front gate. A human wall was naturally formed around the path that stretched from the front gate to the main building of the academy. The royal guard which had arrived ahead of time looked intently at their surroundings and pushed the overflowing students back. Right now, the members of the academy gathered here were all waiting nervously for the Empress¡¯ arrival. ¡°Anyway¡­ is the Empress really gonna come today?¡± Standing at a corner of the frantic human wall, Glen alone was no different from usual, and tried to play the funny-man. ¡°You, just what stupid things are you trying to say now!?¡± Sistina, who stood to the left of Glen, exasperatedly yelled at him. ¡°Ahaha, she should be coming around now alright? The Empress is very mindful of these sorts of things after all. I mean, she often goes out to various places of the empire in order to observe the people.¡± Lumia, who stood to the right of Glen, could only smile wryly in response. ¡°No, I mean, isn¡¯t the capital really far from here? The teleportation formation can¡¯t be used right now¡­ If I were the Empress, I definitely wouldn¡¯t come cause it¡¯d be too much of a pain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t compare a house-sitter like yourself to the likes of the Empress! That¡¯s just plain rude isn¡¯t it!?¡± With a ¡®puh¡¯ sound, Sistina hit Glen square in the back. Although she hadn¡¯t used much force, Glen staggered forward from the blow. ¡°¡­Sensei!?¡± Lumia hurriedly moved forward, and put her arm under Glen¡¯s shoulder to support him. ¡°Ugh¡­ Sorry. Anyway, if she¡¯s gonna come I hope she hurries up¡­ Even if I¡¯m just standing like this, I¡¯m reaching my limit¡­ Hah, my stomach¡­¡± It was then¡ª ¡°Make way for the Empress~! Make way for the Empress~!¡± Guards on horses quickly moved through the human corridor whilst shouting. Hearing that, the music group began their welcoming marching-parade. The rest of the students erupted into a series of cheers and applause. The explosive volume of the crowd silenced everything else. Finally, an extravagant carriage surrounded by guards composedly travelled through the human corridor. Empress Alicia the seventh stuck her body out the carriage¡¯s window, and waved her hand in response to the student¡¯s cheers and applause. In turn, the volume of the crowd increased even more. As though she alone had been thrown into an alternate dimension, Lumia looked distantly at the scene. Regardless of whether it was the cheers of praise for the Empress or the energetic clapping of the crowd, it all came on deaf ears. Lumia subconsciously reached for the locket that hung from her neck, and opened it. Inside was ¨C as expected ¨C nothing. ¡°Is that¡­ a locket? ¡­ But there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything inside.¡± In response to Sistina¡¯s gaze, Lumia flusteredly closed the locket, and shook her head. ¡°A-, Ahaha, it¡¯s nothing, there¡¯s nothing really.¡± As if glossing over the topic, she turned her eyes to the welcoming parade. ¡°Anyway, the Empress is as popular as ever isn¡¯t she¡­ Not to mention she¡¯s really pretty as well¡­ I can¡¯t help but look up to her¡­¡± Seeing Lumia¡¯s unnatural attitude, Sistina confirmed her suspicions. ¡°Lumia¡­ As I thought, you¡­¡± Lumia Tinzel was not her real name. Lumia¡¯s real name was Alumiana Eyl Kel Alzano. Carrying the legitimate bloodline of the royal family, she was formerly second-in-line to succeed the throne ¨C Simply said, she was the princess of the Alzano Empire. Originally, Lumia was an important figure that would not meddle in this sort of thing. However, three years ago, it was discovered that she was born with supernatural ability that made her an ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯. Thus, due to various political circumstances, she had succumbed to sickness on paper, and her very existence had been erased. The situation was extremely complicated. The founders of the Alzano Empire¡¯s royal family shared the same genealogy as that of the royal family of the neighboring nation Rezalia kingdom. As a result of this, the Alzano Empire and the Rezalia kingdom would often have disputes regarding the legitimacy of rule and the ranking of authority between each nation. To make matters worse, the Imperial Church, which guaranteed the legitimacy of the royal family¡¯s rule, had branded the inner circle of the Holy Elizareth Church, who were the legitimate successors of the Rezalia Kingdom, as heretics. As a result of this, the relations between the two churches were strained. In the midst of these circumstances, a demon spawn, or in other words, a supernatural, was found amongst one bearing the royal bloodline. If by some chance, Alumiana¡¯s existence was leaked to the outside world, then it would be impossible to avoid political turmoil. The dignity of the royal family as the supposed descendants of god would fall to ruins. Furthermore, if this were to be known by the Rezalia Kingdom and the Holy Elizareth Church, which often tried to annex the empire, then it might lead to a second God-reverence war. Regardless of whether the Alzano Empire was good or bad, it was a nation whose people firmly believed in the royal family¡¯s divinity. Thus, Alumiana¡¯s existence was a vicious plague that could shake the empire at its very core. To avoid this, it was announced that Princess Alumiana had died from sickness, and it was decided that she would be dealt with in secret. The Empress and Imperial government, who were obligated to support the nation and protect its people, were forced to make a painful decision. At the very end of the road filled with ulterior motives and dastardly schemes, Princess Alumiana ¨C now Lumia, found herself at Sistina¡¯s side. Until recently, Sistina had not even a hint of knowledge of Lumia¡¯s grand identity. However, as someone who was credited with resolving the incident a month ago, and someone who was close to Lumia, Sistina had learned of Lumia¡¯s true identity from the upper echelon of the government in absolute secrecy. After that, she had been asked to cooperate in order to keep Lumia¡¯s identity a secret. Finally, because she knew of Lumia¡¯s identity, Sistina was able to easily imagine what was going through Lumia¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey Lumia¡­ Are you alright?¡± Sistina stuck close to Lumia, so that no one else could hear their conversation. ¡°Hm? What do you mean by that, Sisti?¡± Lumia, who responded with the same soft voice, seemed no different from usual ¡°Erm¡­ I mean, your real mother is¡­ you know¡­¡± It was impossible to tell if there were any vacant ears nearby. Since they were in a public area, Sistina could not say anything affirmative, so she spoke in an ambiguous manner. ¡°Thanks for worrying, Sisti, but, mhm, I¡¯m fine. After all, my current parents are Sisti¡¯s mother and father.¡± ¡°¡­Right.¡± With an expression of mixed feelings, Sistina looked at the side of her friend¡¯s face. ¡°Then Lumia¡­ you, erm, don¡¯t have any feelings for your real mother¡­ anymore?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ I mean, I¡¯m really blessed you know? I¡¯m with Sisti and mother and father, and they¡¯re all really nice people¡­¡± Lumia grasped the locket tightly and showed a fleeting smile. ¡°Lumia¡­¡± Overcome with an unbearable feeling, Sistina was at a loss for words. The person in question said that they felt really blessed, so Sistina couldn¡¯t find anything to say. Glen silently observed the two. It¡¯s not that he read the mood, but rather, if he were to say anything, the only sound that would come out was the sound of his empty stomach. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me The Magic Games Festival would be held at the magic stadium situated northeast of the academy grounds. The stadium was built with stone, and was constructed in the shape of a circular arena. At the center was a grassy field that was used for competitions. The three-story spectator stands were situated so high that it seemed disconnected from the stadium itself. From a bird¡¯s-eye view, the stadium must¡¯ve looked like a fukazara. The stadium itself was also outfitted with various magical gimmicks. Using a unique governing-spell from the control room of the stadium, the field could be filled to the brim with water to create a pool, become overgrown with trees to create a forest, be engulfed in a sea of flames, or simply be a stone-formed stage. Simply put, it was a stadium that could fit the requirements of a variety of competitions. Right now, the spectator stands of the stadium were overflowing with people and their energy. Flowing into the stands were not only students, but also parents, alumni, and various people connected to the academy. At the balcony-style VIP stand located at the highest point of the already high stands, where the view was at its best, the Empress¡¯s silhouette could be seen. In a nation where the usage of magic was restricted in public areas, a competition of magic skills was an irreplaceable entertainment for magicians, regardless of whether they were participants or spectators. This year too, spectators came en masse from in and out of the academy, and the stadium was filled with bustle and activity. The Magic Games Festival, which involved competitions between classes of the same year, were held three times annually. It was divided between first, second, and third-years. This time around was the competition for second years. Fourth-years were often busy with their graduation-related research, so a competition was not held for them. The only ones who would receive public recognition at the very end were the members of the class that placed first overall. There was no meaning in second or third place. It was all or nothing. It was a method of recognition that followed right in the footsteps of the orthodox principle of magicians: ¡®To use everything at one¡¯s disposal¡¯. To add onto that, limited to this time¡¯s second year¡¯s games festival, the Empress herself would attend the awards ceremony to personally bestow the medals upon the victors; An honor that would be envied by any citizen of the empire. As a result all the students involved in the Magic Games Festival, and the instructors of each class, would to anything in their power to win¡­ Such passion was involved in the second year¡¯s Magic Games Festival this time around. Amidst all this, there were rumor going about the academy regarding year two class two, that is, the class Glen was in charge of. For whatever reason, despite the circumstances, all the students were to participate in the competition. Regardless of their grades or academic performance, all the students would get their fair chance to participate. ¡®Glen doesn¡¯t care about victory or defeat does he? As should be expected of a man without a single hint of the pride or attitude of a magician. However, I¡¯m sort of jealous that all the students of Glen-sensei¡¯s class would get to participate¡­ No wait, isn¡¯t it disrespectful to the Empress if he didn¡¯t at least try?¡¯ ¡­In the one week leading until now, such murmurs could be heard all around the academy. Amongst the rumors going about, the one regarding Glen picking a fight with Harry, and putting three months¡¯ worth of wages on the line was a particularly hot topic. That said, although it had drawn curious eyes, no one had any expectations of Glen¡¯s class, nor did anyone think that Glen¡¯s class would be competitive at all. Finally, the time arrived. The students, in their traditional battle attire that consisted of the rapier that hung form their waists, proceeded towards the center of the field, and lined up into organized columns. The opening ceremony began. The opening words, the national anthem, the ceremonial address from those involved, the oath of the student representatives ¡ª all the formal rites proceeded strictly and smoothly. Finally, with a word of encouragement from the Empress, the Magic Games Festival finally began. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¡ª¡ª-. The exterior of the stadium were lined with poles placed at regular intervals. The players, who were stationed just outside, activated their flying magic, and cut through the wind. For this event ¡®Flight Contest¡¯, two people would form a team, and would take part in a repeat baton-pass relay consisting of twenty laps through a set-course on the wide academy grounds. And now, the race was entering its last legs. Due to the unexpected developments, the students sitting on the spectators stands cheered on the players that were currently making a large turn towards the stadium. ¡°And now they¡¯re turning the last corner-! Road-kun from class two, Road-kun from class two has¡ª! O-, Overtaken¡ª!? What is this-!? Could it be, could it be that class two will¡ª What on earth¡ª!?¡± The live commentator using a sound broadcast spell, Earth from the Magic Games Festival Planning Committee, excitedly rose his voice and made strange noises. Putting aside the teams that came in first and second, he seemed to have some attachment to the team from Glen¡¯s class two. ¡°And they reach the goooooaaaalll¡ª! What is this!? Class two has placed third in ¡®Flying Contest¡¯! That class two has placed third¡ª! Could anyone, could anyone have anticipated such a resuuuuuuult¡ª!¡± The sound of applause and cheers flooded forth like an open dam. The source of the applause primarily came from those who weren¡¯t able to participate in the games festival. Although they were not from the same class, they seemed to be excited nonetheless. ¡°Class four, which was in the running for a ranking, was overtaken at the very last moment! What a great turnaround¡ª!¡± The class that placed first was of course, Harry¡¯s class one. However, since it was a given that class one would win, the valiant efforts of Glen¡¯s class two, whose loss seemed set in stone, caught the attention of the spectators instead. On the other hand, in the standby area for participating classes¡ª ¡°We did it! We got third place, sensei! Road-kun and Kai-kun got third place you know!?¡± Really huh¡­ Ignoring Lumia, who gleefully clapped her hands, Glen¡¯s gaze drifted towards nowhere in particular, and dazed out. Somewhere along his line of sight were Road and Kai, whom had fought bravely against the flying magic experts, and exchanged a high-five in the air in celebration ¡­T-, To think that they would get this far¡­ That said, if one thought through it calmly, it could be said that this was an expected result. The flying magic was performed using a specialized flight-assist magic tool that the players carried on them. Although there was a time where magic was cast using a broom-shaped magic tool that control airflow, it was now mainstream to use a ring-shaped magic tool that controlled gravity, which was activated using the black magic [Levitate ¡¤ Fly]. The competition that utilized this flight magic was aptly named ¡®Flight Contest¡¯. This time around ¡®Flight Contest¡¯ was held on a 5 kilometer course on the academy grounds, and the two-man team would relay-race for a total of twenty laps. If the race was just one lap, then explosive flying speed would¡¯ve been the key to winning. However, since the race was twenty laps, the exhaustion of magic power and stamina turned the race into battle of endurance. Originally, flight magic ¨C which was hard to sustain and control ¨C required sharp concentration to perform. In order to achieve great results under these circumstances, players would have to practice the course countless times beforehand, and create a strict racing-pace to adhere to. Compared to someone who practiced this event exclusively, someone who was practicing for multiple events or couldn¡¯t find time to practice would definitely find themselves at a disadvantage in terms of experience and precision with pace-planning. In reality, Road and Kai were fundamentally at a disadvantage compared to their opponents, and had fallen to last pace in the first half. However, in the second half, all the unpracticed players from the other class, as a result of having vigorously fought for first-place, began to lose speed due to incompetent pacing, and led to their own demise. There was even a case where someone dropped out mid-way due to the exhaustion of magic power. It was probably a disaster caused by the player¡¯s experience with the short-distance ¡®Flight Contest¡¯ from last year. Due to the accumulation of various circumstances, class two managed to take advantage of the power-struggle between other classes, and achieve excellent results. No, well, if I remember correctly, I did say ¡®It¡¯s impossible to raise your flying speed in a week, so let¡¯s practice pacing exclusively¡¯ or something like that¡­ But he hadn¡¯t thought that it would work this well. ¡°This is a good omen isn¡¯t it, sensei!¡± The blood rushed to Sistina head as she excitedly spoke to Glen. ¡°When I heard that you told them to ignore flying speed and only focus on pacing, I was wondering what the heck you were doing¡­ but could it be that this was all part of your plan?¡± ¡°¡­O-, Of course.¡± In any case, if Sistina, who was usually like an annoying sister-in-law, had shown such feelings of admiration, then he had no choice but to reply in such a way. ¡°The reason I did this was because I¡¯d already grasped the widespread knowledge regarding ¡®Flying Contest¡¯¡­ Well in any case, the ¡®Flying Contest¡¯ this time around is using the spell [Levitate ¡¤ Fly], in a 5-kilometer, 2 man, twenty-lap relay race. If it was only once then explosive flying speed would be even more important, but¡ª¡± All in all, Glen finally managed to notice the trap that had been laid for this event, and he explained it to everyone else as though he had known it since the beginning. Though, it was not like his social standing could really get any worse. ¡°¡ªSo basically all we needed to was wait for the people who didn¡¯t pace to destroy themselves you see? That¡¯s why, as a matter of fact, my instruction was actually pretty simple. ¡®Abide by the set pacing even if it kills you¡¯ right? ¡­ Fu-, easy does it when it comes to leadership huh?¡± With his back leaned against the chair, legs crossed, a calm and composed expression covered by his clasped hands, and an intrepid smile that could be seen in the gaps of his fingers, Glen seemed to look like a grand strategist. And then, the students who listened to Glen¡¯s post-matter excuse seemed to form a complete misunderstanding. They gazed at Glen with awe and admiration. ¡°C-, Could it be that we¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I thought that there was no way¡­ but if we have Sensei with us, could we possibly¡­¡± Stop that you guys. Please don¡¯t look at me with gazes filled with such pure and genuine hope. It hurts my conscience. Then, from alleyway in the spectator stands, the students of class four ¨C who had lost at the eleventh hour ¨C and the students of class two began to squabble. ¡°¡­Tch! You just happened to win by chance so don¡¯t get ahead of yourselves¡­-!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t chance! This is all part of Glen-sensei¡¯s plan!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right that¡¯s right! After all, you¡¯re just dancing in Glen-sensei¡¯s palm!¡± ¡°W-, What did you say!? Ku-¡­ curse you class two, talking smack like that-! We¡¯ll take the initiative from class two soon enough, and then we¡¯ll crush you guys! You better prepare yourself-!¡± ¡°Try not to let the tables get turned on you again alright!? Cause we have Glen-sensei with us!¡± ¡°Ah, as long as we have sensei with us, we won¡¯t lose!¡± Stop that you guys. For real, please stop. If you guys keep doing that the hurdle will only keep rising, so please. Internally, Glen was sweating buckets. ¡°Uhm¡­ sensei? Your face looks a bit pale you know? Uhm, are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah, Lumia¡­ You are the only oasis for my heart¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± In response to Glen, who seemed to be haggard and exhausted for some unknown reason, Lumia puzzledly tilted her head. ¡°AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA¡± The academy¡¯s magic professor, Serika, had been given the honor of seating in the Empress¡¯ stand. However, due to the unexpected conclusion of ¡®Flight Contest¡¯, she completely forgot that she was in the presence of the Empress, and began to laugh hysterically while slapping her knees. If this had been any other situation, it would been considered a vulgar act where it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to be executed on the spot. In actuality, the head maid Elenora, who waited behind the Empress, wrinkled her forehead in restrained disapproval. On the other hand, the commander of the royal guard Zeros, who was vigilantly guarding the V.I.P. area, viciously glared at Serika. However, to the greatest female magician on the continent who always went about her way uninhibited and self-centeredly, this hardly mattered. ¡°That¡¯s improper of you, Serika-kun. You are in the presence of her majesty you know? Is laughing like that not disrespectful?¡± The academy¡¯s headmaster Rick, who also sat in the V.I.P. stands, released a sigh and reproached Serika. ¡°Ah-, no, sorry sorry. My bad, highness. Forgive me alright?¡± However, Serika didn¡¯t seem to have reflected in the least ¡°Serika-sama, even for you, speaking to her highness in that sort of manner is rather¡­¡± Unable to turn a blind eye to this, Elenora presented her honest opinion, but¡ª ¡°It¡¯s fine, Elenora.¡± The Empress ¡ª Alicia didn¡¯t seem to mind Serika¡¯s outrageous behavior; rather, she showed a gentle smile. ¡°She and I are old friends, and she has taken great care of me since I was a child. Furthermore, this time around, I¡¯m not visiting as the Empress of the Alzano Empire, but rather, as a decorated citizen of the Empire, Alicia, who is here to bear witness to the young ones who will support the future of this empire. There¡¯s no need to be so strict alright?¡± ¡°That may be so your highness, but this concerns the dignity of our academy you see¡­¡± ¡°You received me not with a welcoming ceremony for a national guest of honor, but rather as a V.I.P. right? I mean, for today, I am not a prominent figure that you have no choice but to treat with formal respect alright?¡± ¡°N-, No, but your venerable¡­ mmph¡­¡± Rick worriedly pressed on his temples. ¡°You seem to be having fun, Serika.¡± ¡°Mhm, I am, Alice.¡± Serika replied to Alicia with the pet name from her childhood. ¡°I was just feeling very relieved. Recently, the Magic Games Festival has all been about gaining power and authority by winning, and this sort of trend was just getting on my nerves. Only sending the students with the highest grades to compete¡­ well what can I say? It¡¯s stupid. Geez, why do they think this is a ¡®Festival¡¯? Why can¡¯t they just use their dim-witted brains a little?¡± As if she couldn¡¯t hold it any longer, Serika burst into laughter again. ¡°However, I must say that the instructor named Glen has an eye for strategy.¡± ¡°No~~way. That guy probably didn¡¯t think through any~thing at all.¡± Serika swiftly replied in the negative. ¡°Using all forty members of the class and the strategy of putting an emphasis on pacing were all just pure coincidences. Not to mention that those coincidences just happened to turn out well. Why? That¡¯s cause that guy is a completely ordinary person at his core. His only redeeming factor is that he works hard enough.¡± Serika continued. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s plain and ordinary, that he¡¯s definitely nothing more than ordinary, so why is it that he always manages to pull off something unexpected? Maybe it was because he was born under that star. He was like this since back then, wasn¡¯t he? Your majesty the great Empress.¡± Saying that, Serika shot a wink towards Alicia. Receiving Serika¡¯s words that had some profound meaning behind them, Alicia, as if to choose her words carefully, quietly contemplated for a brief moment¡ª ¡°Mm, that¡¯s right. Yes, he was this kind of person¡­¡± And showed a nostalgic smile. After that, Glen¡¯s class¡¯ streak miraculously continued. The preliminary result of third place from the decidedly average students seem to have an extraordinary effect. ¡®Even we can do it, we can fight¡¯. As if embodying the belief that morale was more important than anything, the students of class two continued to rally. Furthermore, in comparison the top-performers from the other class had to conserve their magic power for the remaining events, the students of Glen¡¯s class could go all out without reserve, and it proved to be an advantage. Glen himself might not have noticed, but compared to the other instructors who rejected the importance of such a mentality, were obsessed with appearances and formalities, and employed decidedly irrational strategies, Glen, who had once lived a long military life where there was no certainty towards life or death, appeared to have taken the importance of mentality to heart. Yet, when victory was concerned, Glen would relentlessly employ rational strategies without reserve. Due to various factors, the differences in ability between Glen¡¯s class and the other classes closed. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¡°Ah, it hit¡ª!? The contestant from class two, Cecil-kun, has managed to strike down a disk from three-hundred meters away with an impressive [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]¡ª! With this, Cecil-kun has managed to lock down fourth place in ¡®Magic Shooter¡¯! What a great upset this issssss¡ª!? ¡°I-, I did it¡­ It¡¯s just as Glen-sensei said. ¡®Don¡¯t aim for it directly, but aim for where it will be and wait for it to come¡¯¡­ If it¡¯s like this, then¡­-!¡± The average students fought more fiercely than expected¡­ This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¡°Now, the text for the last problem has been projected into the air using magic ¡ª This is¡­ Wait, oi oi, could it be that this is ¡ª W-, What in the world-!? It¡¯s in draconic¡ª!? The draconic problem has come¡ª!? This is quite the nasty problem isn¡¯t it!? Even though second-level divine dialect and early-ancient dialect have appeared in this event, this is far beyond that-!? Did the person who designed this problem make this to shut the contestants out!? Now, the contestants from each class have chanted [Read ¡¤ Language], but this is probably too mu¡ª¡± ¡°I got it-!¡± ¡°Ohoh!? The first one to find an answer and ring the bell is contestant Wendy from class two! She¡¯s been on a roll, but can she do it-!? Could she possibly decode this¡ª!?¡± ¡°¡®The knights who bear the principle of courage, shall only speak the truth!¡¯ It is a verse from the Mayros¡¯ poem is it not!?¡± ¡°There it is¡ª!? The fanfare for a correct answer has been played¡ª!? Contestant Wendy has crushed the competition in ¡®Decryption¡¯¡ª! She is without a doubt unmatched for first place¡ª!¡± ¡°Hmpf, I won¡¯t lose when it comes to this field. That being said¡­ ¡®When faced with a divine language problem, don¡¯t translate it to the common language immediately, but rather, reword it into the new-ancient language first¡¯¡­ I¡¯d like to thank sensei for this piece of advice¡­¡± The top-students continued to handily top the ranks. When class two took the field for a competition, the audience would also get riled up. Rather than watching the teams composed of otherworldly top-students from the other classes, it was easier to get more passionate about watching Glen¡¯s class, who hit closer to home. Although he was the one leading that class, there were also countless positive and negative rumors about the newbie instructor. At any rate, class two became a focal of this second-year Magic Games Festival. But¡ª Well¡­ the basic differences are just too big, huh¡ª At the standby-spectating area for class two; whilst the other students of the class were in celebratory high spirits, Glen silently observed the situation alone. Glen gazed at the scoreboard that was to one end of the stadium. As of now, Glen¡¯s class placed third out of ten classes. Harry¡¯s class was in first place. Although the difference in point between first and third wasn¡¯t large, but it was impossible to deny that his class was trailing further and further away from Harry¡¯s. To be honest, I never thought that they would be able to hang on for this long Ordinarily, they would have cemented a spot in last place. You guys have performed admirably. You believed in what I had to say, and you all gave it your best in this past week¡­ Thinking back, Glen initially held zero interest for the Magic Games Festival. He, despite having once attended this academy, had already forgotten about the entire thing. To add on to that, the passion that he showed for the competition was purely for money. This was nothing but the pure and unfettered truth. However, seeing the class united, their merry attitude, their desperate contention for victory, their support for one another, and their passionate appearances¡ª ¡°¡ªGeez, this makes me wanna win as well¡­ ah, what a pain.¡± Without catching anyone¡¯s attention, Glen complained to himself. But what should I do now? Being able to get this far was just a fluke ¨C well, more like some sort of miracle ¨C but the difference in raw ability is pretty clear¡­ Although it wasn¡¯t obvious with the way it was going, but as the competitions continued, the differences in raw abilities would start to take its toll, and the scores would most likely begin to pull apart. The singles-events primarily took place in the morning and the higher point team-events would start from noon onwards. If there was any time for a comeback it would be then. In order to achieve that, morale had to be maintained at the highest. Glen¡¯s class was currently in third place. Before noon, he hoped to rise by one place. If that was achieved ¡ª then there would be the possibility of an upset in the afternoon. ¡°If I remember correctly, the next competition is the last one in the morning isn¡¯t it¡­ Erm, what was it again¡­?¡± Glen opened the program itinerary that was at hand. Staring at it for a short while¡­. ¡°¡­I see. In this case, it might actually be possible.¡± Glen let slip a crude smile. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me During the free time before the last event of the morning half of the Magic Games Festival¡ª ¡°Hey, sensei¡­¡± Sistina, who seemed to be worried to death, anxiously spoke out to Glen who was sitting next to her. ¡°Uhm¡­ even though it is a bit late, could you consider switching Lumia with someone else?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡®What the heck are you saying?¡¯ With an expression that screamed such, Glen turned towards Sistina. ¡°I mean, the event that she¡¯s in¡­¡± Sistina turned her eyes to the central field. There, the students who would be participating for the next event stood on standby. The ten contestants stood evenly apart at their designated positions as if to form a circle. Amongst them, Lumia loitered around with a somewhat nervous expression. ¡°¡®Spirit Defense¡¯¡­ I think such a rigorous event is too much for her¡­-!¡± Sistina¡¯s desperate plea fell on deaf ears. The event ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯. One of the essential skills for magicians would be a method to handle spiritual corruption attacks, and this competition was forged to test that ability. From a general standpoint, this was a competition where the contestants would use the white magic [Mind ¡¤ Up] to increase their mental strength to resist attacks. Then, slowly but surely, the power of the spiritual corruption attacks would increase. It was an elimination-type test of endurance where the last person with a normal mental state would be the winner. ¡°Look! The contestants from the other class are all guys aren¡¯t they!? The only girl there is Lumia you know!?¡± As Sistina had pointed out, amongst the tough looking male students, Lumia was the lone flower. ¡°O-, Oi¡­ Look¡­ is she gonna be alright¡­?¡± ¡°To send a girl for this event¡­¡± ¡°Just what is the instructor of that class thinking¡­?¡± Sistina wasn¡¯t the only one who sensed a disparity in Lumia¡¯s appearance, even the audience seemed to be bewildered. Could he not read the mood? Or had he? Although Lumia had gathered a countless number of trouble gazes, she gave a small wave towards her classmates sitting in the stands and gleefully smiled. ¡°Haha¡­ you¡¯re a terrible person, sensei.¡± The sarcastic remark that came from behind Glen was accompanied by an equally cynical laugh. Sistina turned her eyes in the voice direction, and found Gibel, who laughed with twisted lips, sitting there. ¡°You weren¡¯t here during the festival last year, so you clearly didn¡¯t know. In last year¡¯s ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯¡­ people entered a coma for three days due to mental collapse came one after another you know? Did you not investigate this at all?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Glen didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°And take a look at the guy standing next to her.¡± Gibel pointed towards the student standing to the right of Lumia. There stood a student with a seemingly overwhelming presence. His un-magician-esque physique was easily two or three times bigger than Lumia. He had red-dyed hair and tanned-black muscles. Combined with his somewhat aggressive look and irritated expression, if he were to run into a girl in the middle of the night, no matter whom they were, they would be practically guaranteed to burst into tears. With the way he wore rings, necklace, piercings, and bracelets, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that he was filled to the brim with silver-crafted accessories of which none had any magical effects. To add onto that, his sleeves were rolled up in a manner that laid to bare the tattoo on his shoulder and the muscles of his arms. If he walked on the street, even the most infamous delinquents would yield and give way. The name of the student with overwhelming presence and pressure was¡ª ¡°Jaihir from class five is well known as the head of an uncouth organization formed from the second and third sons of collapsed noble and merchant families. He often causes trouble for the police, and is involved in a seemingly endless amount of bad rumors.¡± ¡®Fuu¡¯, Gibel provokingly exhaled from his nose. ¡°Despite that however, he came out on top in last year¡¯s ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯. Not to mention that the difference was so big that no one could even so much as trail behind him you see? Well, even if I didn¡¯t say any of that, you can probably tell that he¡¯s the real deal when it comes to mental strength.¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s true¡­ He sure seems to have a lot of fighting spirit doesn¡¯t he¡­¡± Sistina groaned in understanding. From a general point of view, in an academy that was filled to the brink with intellectual-types, Jaihir¡¯s conspicuousness was practically dazzling. ¡°Well, him aside, sensei, it¡¯s quite cruel of you to send Lumia out to face him, especially since this is her first time she participating in this event.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, most of the classes gave up on the event when they saw that Jaihir was participating in it. Heck, even Harry-sensei¡¯s class made an exception for this event and sent some kind of low-performing weakling. Well, I guess it¡¯s a logical choice in the end. You can only score points if you get first in this event, and it wouldn¡¯t do any good if they sent out their main force just to have them be ruined.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I had an inkling of what you were up to, but¡­ sensei¡­ are you planning to use her as a sacrificial pawn?¡± Hearing Gibel say this, Sistina vigorously turned towards Glen. Glen¡¯s hands were joined together to prop up his chin, and he leaned his elbows against his knees. In such a manner, Glen remained silent. ¡°Ah, I see. Although she¡¯s adept at healing-type white magic, she doesn¡¯t have any particular talents beyond that¡­ I see, so that is what it was. Since there isn¡¯t any event that requires the use of healing-type magic, in order to preserve the strength of the rest of the group, it would be logical to use her here¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Haha, my my, you sure do have an eye for strategy don¡¯t you sensei? It¡¯s to the point where I feel sick in the stomach.¡± Glen remained silent. For a while now, he had kept his eyes closed and refused to say anything. That silence¡­ was an eloquent affirmation in itself. ¡°Sensei¡­ that¡¯s a lie, right? There¡¯s no way that sensei would do something like this, right¡­?¡± Sistina anxiously called out to Glen. However, it appeared that Glen had no intention to reply. Although she wanted to believe in Glen, his attitude made it hard for her to do so. ¡°Sensei, please say something¡­ Sensei¡­ Sensei!¡± Sistina impatiently shook Glen. ¡®Gakun¡¯, Glen¡¯s body tilted to one side. ¡°zzz¡­¡­¡± Looking closely, Glen¡¯s lips drooled with saliva. At some point in time, he had entered a deep and comfortable sleep. He hadn¡¯t listened to anything they had to say. For the few bitter seconds that followed, they remained speechless as a collective rage began to encroach upon them. ¡°You little-, get uppppppppp¡ª!¡± ¡°Guhbuwhaaaa¡ª!?¡± Sistina¡¯s body blow splendidly connected with Glen¡¯s flank. ¡°W-, What the heck are you doing you pesky white cat-! I finally managed to enter my energy-saving standby mode!?¡± ¡°Shut up! And don¡¯t say such stupid things either-!¡± Then, Sistina pointed towards the faraway Lumia and began rattling away. ¡°More importantly, is what Gibel said true!? Did you really send Lumia into this event to use her as a sacrificial pawn!?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s true¡­ I won¡¯t ever forgive you for doing this, even if it¡¯s you, sensei¡­-!¡± As her shoulders began to slightly tremble in rage and anxiousness, she stared down Glen. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really get what you¡¯re saying, but¡­¡± Glen tiresomely shook his head, and said. ¡°Lumia as a sacrificial pawn? ¡­Hah? Just what the heck are you guys saying?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me Ahh, I can¡¯t help but feel a little nervous¡­ During the brief period preceding the event, Lumia looked through her surroundings to kill time. Looking closely at the spectator stand where her classmates were seated, she could barely make out the familiar view of Sistina hitting Glen in the side. What happened this time? Sisti¡¯s as dishonest as ever isn¡¯t she¡­ Lumia smiled to herself as she thought that. ¡°¡­Oi, girl over there.¡± A feral voice snapped at her. Lumia turned to face the origin, and was met with Jaihir¡¯s sour expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, but you should give up now.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°This event isn¡¯t a tea party; it¡¯s not suitable for a childish girl like you¡­ If you don¡¯t want to lie in a bed and be treated with spiritual cleansing magic, get out of here.¡± For any normal girl, his intimidating presence would cause them to reflexively flinch, but in addition to that, he cast a piercing beast-like glance towards Lumia. However¡ª ¡°Ahaha, erm, if I remember correctly¡­ you are Jaihir-kun from class five right? Are you worried about me? Fufu, how kind of you.¡± ¡°¡­Ah?¡± Jaihir was dumbfounded by the unexpected response and felt troubled. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. My classmates are also cheering for me as well. So I have to try my best.¡± ¡°Tch¡­ ah, that right? Well don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Also¡­ Jaihir-kun¡¯s class five is in second place right now right?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmpf, it¡¯s meaningless either way. So what about it?¡± ¡°My class is currently in third¡­ so if I were to beat you¡­ our ranking will swap wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Saying that, Lumia pressed a finger to her lips and mischievously winked. ¡°¡­Interesting.¡± Jaihir showed a ferocious smile that was akin to a wolf that had found a rabbit for his prey. To be honest, Jaihir bore no interest for the class¡¯ victory or defeat.He didn¡¯t really care about whether the Magic Games Festival was held in the first place. The reason he was standing here right now was because of the timid and tumorous pestering of his nasty instructor and his classmates. Since it would be a pain to deal with, he decided that he might as well participate in this. However, despite everyone fearing to even so much as get close to himself, this weak-looking girl had clearly issued a ¡®challenge¡¯. The fighting spirit of the smoldered, hungry wolf was ignited. ¡°Ah-, ah-, broadcast system testing, testing. Eh-, it¡¯s about time. The event ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯ will soon commence!¡± Hearing the broadcast, the audience rose up in cheers. ¡°Now then, now then, allow me to introduce this man again this year! Please come forth! Magic professor of the academy, and the authority of spirit-type magic! Of the sixth-rank, Baron Twest!¡± With that announcement, a cloud of smoke burst forth from the center of the circle formed by the students. An elegant bearded man who wore a tailcoat and top-hat emerged from the smoke. ¡°Fu-, how do you do ladies and gentlemen? I am Baron Twest Lu Norwhal.¡± Using a rather simple transfer magic, the man who made a dramatic entrance gave his greeting. ¡°Now then, let us quickly begin the event. To what extent will the contestants this year be able to bear the might of my magnificent magic¡­?¡± ¡®Gulp¡¯. The contestants swallowed their saliva. ¡°Let the first round begin! If you please, Baron Twest!¡± ¡°Now then, as is custom, let us begin with a mild [Sleep ¡¤ Sound] shall we¡­? Here I go!¡± Like this, the event ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯ began. ¡°¡± Twest chanted the white magic [Sleep ¡¤ Sound]. ¡°¡± At the same time, the students chanted a spell to resist: the white magic [Mind ¡¤ Up]. Immediately after the students completed their chants, Twest dispersed the magic towards the ten students surrounding him with equal force. A sound akin to a tuning fork being struck enveloped the surroundings. As the spell¡¯s force began to disperse¡ª ¡°H-, He fell asleep¡ª!? The first one to drop out is from class one, Harry-sensei¡¯s classsss¡ª!?¡± Looking at the students that lay fast asleep on the ground, the audience couldn¡¯t hold back their laughter. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s totally a sacrificial pawn isn¡¯t he¡ª!? Isn¡¯t this a bit too lazy of you Harry-sensei-!?¡± ¡°Mhm, but I would¡¯ve liked for him to last a little longer if possible¡­¡± ¡°Well, the dominator of last year¡¯s event, Jaihir from class five is here I suppose¡ª, so I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s just a strategy to conserve the main forces¡¯ energy. Well, his victory is practically set in stone, so going at this in a rough manner won¡¯t bring any results. Anyway, as a commentator, I would like to see how far the single flower from class two, Lumia-chan, will get¡­ This is quite a highlight is it not, Baron?¡± ¡°Fu, I suppose so. Just how long will this pitiable girl last against my spirit-control magic? Just how will the innocent and tender heart of this young girl be corrupted? I¡¯m quite looking forward to it¡­ Fuhe, fuhehe¡­¡± Showing a smile that failed to hide his ill intentions, the Baron cast a glance at Lumia. Even Lumia of all people began to break into a cold sweat, and she took a step back. ¡°Woah¡­ the Baron just cast a grand reveal of his unpleasant fetish didn¡¯t he¡­ Rather Baron, were you always such a perverted person?¡± ¡°What are you saying? I am obviously not a pervert-! It¡¯s just that whenever I see a young girl that is in an absent-minded stupor, experiencing an ill of heart, in a state of frantic disorder, or in the midst of developing an intense fright; I merely feel a soul-striking excitement-! That is all!¡± ¡°PERVERTTTTTTTTT¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!? ¡®I think I¡¯ll dismiss him¡¯. Without a hint of knowledge that the headmaster Rick had already decided such, the Baron continued throw out his spirit-control magic of increasing potency one after another. In return, the students desperately chanted [Mind ¡¤ Up] to resist the effects. Each round steadily proceeded. ¡°Baron Twest has decided to use the white magic [Confusion ¡¤ Mind]¡ª! Woah, this might be bad! The contestant from class eight wasn¡¯t able to endure iiit¡ª!¡± ¡°Abababababababababababa¡­ Hot! Hot!¡± ¡°GYAAAAA¡ª!? Hey you! I¡¯m not happy in the slightest that you boys are stripping alright!? Either way, it should be Lumia-kun who¡ª¡± ¡°Oi, stop! Try to keep your desire under wraps a little you idiot Baron! Rescue team, hurry up and bring class eight¡¯s contestant away! Purify his mind! Purify his mind quickly!¡± ¡°Next up is the white magic [Marionette ¡¤ Dance]! It will turn everyone into my puppets! Now, dance!¡± ¡°Puh! Da-hahaha¡ª!? The contestant from class ten has begun to dance¡ª! Rather, don¡¯t make the men do such a sexy dance you idiot Baron! It¡¯s creepy you know-!?¡± ¡°¡­Tch¡± ¡°Tch? Baron, why exactly are you clicking your tongue at Lumia-chan!? Stop messing around already you dirty perverted old man!¡± The spirit-corruption magic swept through the stage like a tempest. It appeared that this year again, ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯ would eventually unfold into a hellish pandemonium. However, compared to the heated battle on the field, the spectators initially yielded a cold reception. That was because the event was plain and simple from an onlooker¡¯s perspective. On top of that, it wasn¡¯t too hard to guess who would come out on top. Jaihir from class five would win. That was the blatantly clear prediction to make. As of now, in spite of the ever-increasing fore of the spirit-corruption magic, Jaihir had yet to budge. He merely plainly faced forwards with a cold gaze. ¡°B-, Baron¡­ I¡¯ve actually been in love with you since forever, and you know¡­¡± ¡°GYAAA¡ª!? NOOOO¡ª!? T-, The rashessss¡ª!¡± ¡°W-, What a degenerate¡ª!? The Baron has set his mind on using a full power [Charm ¡¤ Mind]! But it backfired on him completelyyyy¡ª! Rather, can someone, someone, do something about this perverted criminal deviant of a noble! Rescue team, hurry up and purify the contestant¡¯s mind! While you¡¯re at it, do the same for the Baron if you please! Hurry!¡± ¡°Allow me to now use the white magic [Phantasmal ¡¤ Force] to make you bear witness to some indescribable and blasphemous illusions! Tremble before my fascinating and universal menace!¡± ¡°aAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH¡ª!? NOOOOOOOOOOOO¡ª!?¡± ¡°UWAHHHHHHH¡ª!? Stop¡ª! Anything but that¡ª!¡± ¡°Ah, in the mirror!? In the mirror¡ª!¡± ¡°The contestants have lost their sanity and entered a state of disarray! Hey, isn¡¯t this too much, Baron!? Rescue team, purify their minds as quickly as you can! Rather, I think this every year, but why isn¡¯t this event banned!?¡± However, as the rounds continued to proceed, the spectators steadily entered a state of noisy commotion. It was because Lumia from class two, who the audience expected to be immediately eliminated from this rigorous event, was still standing on the stage. To add onto that, whilst the other contestants tore their hair and bit their nails in a desperate struggle, she remained completely calm and composed, exactly like Jaihir who stood next to her. Huh? Could it be that¡­ No way¡­ The doubts of the spectating students steadily grew¡ª And that soon changed into a renewed sense of anticipation¡ª This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me ¡°Class nine has been eliminated¡ª!? What in the world, who would¡¯ve expected such a development¡ª!? With this, the event is now a one-on-one between Jaihir-kun from class five and Lumia-chan from class two¡ª!¡± At some point in time, the unexpected developments caused a rush of excitement to surge through the audience, whom were now cheering loudly. ¡°N-, No way¡­¡± Observing Lumia from the spectator stand, Sistina was dumbstruck. ¡°To think that¡­ she was this strong¡­ at this¡­.¡± Despite displaying a cool and cold attitude on a regular basis, Gibel was unable to hide his discomfort. And to those two, Glen tiresomely said. ¡°The white magic [Mind ¡¤ Up] is a spell that enhances one¡¯s mental fortitude, so for someone who already possesses an exceptional amount of mental mastery¡­ Well basically, the spell has an amplified effect on people who already have nerves of steel. That being said, there¡¯s no one in our class who has mental strength equal to Lumia. ¡°She has¡­?¡± ¡±Mhm¡±. Glen nodded. ¡°If we were to compare her resolve to that of a normal person, then hers would definitely be in an entirely different dimension. It¡¯s like she always possesses the readiness to die at any moment so to speak¡­ In some sense, she¡¯s an abnormal kind of person. If we were to compare mental tenacity alone, then there¡¯s no one who can match up to Lumia.¡± ¡°A-, And that¡¯s why you had her participate in this event¡­?¡± The terrorist event from one month ago suddenly flashed through Sistina¡¯s mind. Thinking about it, Lumia hadn¡¯t yielded a single step to the vile magicians of that terrorist organization, and stood with firm resolution in the face of adversity. She did so in spite of the fact that she would possibly be killed if she ever made the slightest mistake. ¡°But well, how should I say this¡­ That Jaihir guy is pretty much the same deal. Just what kind of carnage has he experienced? That guy¡­¡± Glen looked in awe towards Jaihir, who matched Lumia step-for-step thus far. ¡°I thought that this would be an easy win if I left it to Lumia, but I guess it can¡¯t be helped. If it comes to that then¡­¡± Sitting beside Sistina, who was rooting for her close friend, Glen formed a silent resolve. This chapter is translated by yuNS translations @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me Meanwhile, on the field, the Baron was feeling uneasy towards the unexpected developments. ¡°Hm, what is this¡­ To think that not only Jaihir-kun, but even Lumia-kun would be able to persevere through all this¡­ To be frank, even I am astounded¡­ Tch.¡± ¡°¡­Hey Baron, why is it that you seem slightly frustrated?¡± ¡°Now then, It¡¯s about time to use the white magic [Mind ¡¤ Break] I suppose.¡± Magnificently ignoring the ongoing commentary, Baron Twest announced the next spell. ¡°It¡¯s finally come down to this! From the twenty-seventh round onward, He will be using [Mind ¡¤ Break]¡ª! This spell will temporarily strip one of all ability to think and reason, and is amongst the most dangerous spells of the spirit-control branch of white magic! It is a terrifying spell which if not carefully used will instantaneously turn its target into a vegetable¡ª!¡± ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t plan on taking my chant to that extent. I¡¯ll keep it to the level where they¡¯ll be in a coma for about three days or so! Should Lumia-kun fall, please leave her treatment and care all to me!¡± ¡°¡­What about Jaihir-kun?¡± ¡°¡ªNow let¡¯s begin!¡± Then, Baron Twest solemnly chanted [Mind ¡¤ Break]. In response, Lumia and Jaihir chanted [Mind ¡¤ Up]. When the Baron activated the spell, a loud clang reverberated through the surroundings¡­ ¡°Hmpf, are you two alright? If you are then please say some¡ª¡± ¡°¡­Tch, this ain¡¯t much.¡± ¡°¡ªYes, I¡¯m fine.¡± The two of them replied immediately, their eyes clear and firm. ¡°What¡¯s this? They were even able to endure [Mind ¡¤ Break]¡ª!? Amazing! These two are truly amazing¡ª!?¡± In response to the heated development, the crowd¡¯s blood boiled in excitement. Amidst the flooding applause and the tempest of claps, Jaihir spoke to Lumia. ¡°Hmpf. You¡­ for a girl you sure have some guts. Even amongst the guys and scoundrels that I know, there aren¡¯t many who have a fighting spirit that¡¯s comparable to yours.¡± ¡°I-, Is that so?¡± ¡°Hmm? But you¡¯re almost at your limit aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re sweating you know?¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­ you can tell? Mhm, it¡¯s true that this is quite hard for me¡­ and I felt dizzy there for a moment¡­¡± ¡°You wanna give up now? You won¡¯t like to fall into a three-day coma would you?¡± ¡°Thanks for worrying, Jaihir-kun, but¡­ no. I can¡¯t afford to lose here.¡± Lumia showed a stout-hearted smile. Regardless of who looked at it, one could feel a strong sense of perseverance. ¡®My oh my¡¯. Jaihir could only shrug his shoulders. ¡°Hah¡­ I don¡¯t get it. Be it this person or that person, everyone is obsessed with stuff like appearances and fame, just like the entirety of this pointless Magic Games Festival¡­ So why exactly do you have to go this far?¡± ¡°Sensei said that ¡®We will win with everyone¡¯. That ¡®it¡¯s all for one, and one for all.¡¯¡± ¡°Sensei? Ah, that rumored idiot instructor huh? Hmpf, I really don¡¯t get it. Just where are you getting that stupid sense of obligation from¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± Jaihir was silenced by Lumia¡¯s frank response. ¡°Working together with everyone united towards one goal is very fun you know? Jaihir-kun, it¡¯s because of sensei that I was able to experience this feeling for the first time. So I have to try my best as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Hmpf, that so?¡± After that, Jaihir didn¡¯t say anything more to Lumia. He had nothing to say towards a worthy opponent who bore firm beliefs. That¡¯s probably what it was.¡± ¡°Now then, coming next! The twenty-eighth round¡ª!¡± Finally, the event was entering its climax. The spectators were getting more and more fired up. The excitement that flowed through the stadium was so heated that there was no telling if it would ever dissipate. ¡°Now then¡­ I shall increase the potency of [Mind ¡¤ Break] just a little bit more. Are you two ready!? Here I come!¡± Baron Twest carefully adjusted the force of the spell, and began his chant. As the two, three-layered spell was being formed, Lumia and Jaihir chanted [Mind ¡¤ Up] to resist [Mind ¡¤ Break] once more. The twenty-ninth round followed shortly, as did the thirtieth round. The number of close-calls steadily increased¡ª Finally ¡ª in the thirty-first round, the stalemate began to crumble. ¡°Ahh¡ª Ohh!? Lumia-chan has staggered¡ª!?¡± Compared to the first instance of [Mind ¡¤ Break], the stupefying metallic ring was remarkably sharper, and as it rung through the stadium¡ª It would appear that it had penetrated the defenses of [Mind ¡¤ Up]. Accompanied by violent shaking, Lumia¡¯s body tilted to one side. ¡°¡­!¡± Her balance now lost, Lumia fell to her knees, and speechlessly faced the ground. ¡°On the other hand, Jaihir-kun is still standing firm! I-, It¡¯s seems that the winner has been decided¡ª!¡± ¡°Are you fine¡­? Do you give up?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­No.¡± It seems that her consciousness was a bit faint. After her delayed response, Lumia rose her head with renewed conviction, and rose to her feet. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine. I can still do this!¡± Her eyes burned with spirit as she spoke these powerful and reassuring words. ¡°What¡¯s this¡ª!? She has chosen to continue¡ª!? It seems that this is still anyone¡¯s game¡ª!¡± The announcement caused the spectators to rise in cheers. With the lone girl choosing to fight fiercely to the bitter end, the tension of the stadium was at its peak. At this point, everyone wanted to see it ¨C The scene of the frail girl overcoming the seemingly indomitable man. The stadium whirled in anticipation, and as if to reply to that, the voice of the announcer rose ever more¡ª Now then! Let us vigorously continue! The thirty-second¡ª¡± ¡°We withdraw!¡± Suddenly, a loud shout enveloped the stadium. As if throwing a cold bucket over the heated stadium, the spectators grew silent. ¡°¡­Eh? Sensei?¡± Hearing that, Lumia turned towards the origin of the voice. There stood Glen, who had climbed onto the field at some point in time. ¡°U-, Uh? What did you say? Glen-sensei from class two¡­¡± ¡°We withdraw. Withdraw. Class two will withdraw from this event after clearing the thirty-first found. Don¡¯t make me say it again.¡± A wave of solemnity swept through the stadium. ¡°W-, What¡¯s this¡­ Lumia-chan from class two, will withdraw¡­ What an abrupt end to this event¡­¡± In the moment following the announcers regretful murmurs¡ª Are you kidding me? Just let them see it through to the end, you idiot instructor! The tempest of ¡®boo¡¯s sprung forth from the stands. However, without a care for the escalating situation, Glen placed a hand on Lumia¡¯s head, and consoled her, who was still in an absent-minded stupor due to the abrupt end of the competition. ¡°You did well, Lumia.¡± Returning to her senses immediately, Lumia protested Glen¡¯s decision. ¡°N-, No way sensei! I can still¡­¡± ¡°No-o, this is enough. You should know better than anyone that you¡¯re already at your limit right? You won¡¯t last through the next round.¡± ¡°¡­T-, That is¡­ uhm¡­¡± It seems that it was right on the mark. Lumia could only lower her head. ¡°But, to win¡­ If I don¡¯t win here¡­¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s regrettable, but when all¡¯s said and done, I¡¯d rather not have you do something that¡¯ll leave you in a coma for three days. My, you really did well¡­ but your opponent was too much.¡± Glen closed his eyes apologetically. Then, he cast a glance towards Jaihir, who remained in his imposing stance. ¡°I thought that you would surely win without any trouble, but that monster was completely beyond my expectations. It must¡¯ve really hard on you¡­ sorry about this, really.¡± In response, Lumia showed a smile and lightly shook her head. ¡°No. It really wasn¡¯t, sensei. I had a lot of fun you know? It¡¯s a shame that I lost in the end, but¡­ that¡¯s because I wanted to fight for my own and everyone¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°¡­That so?¡± Leaving the two aside, the announcer moved onto the live interview. It seems that he was desperate to draw the spectator¡¯s minds off booing. ¡°Er¡ª, now then, a word with the now two-time winner of ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯, the representative of class five, Jaihir kun.¡± ¡°Fu-, truly well done, Jaihir-kun¡­ Hm?¡­Jaihir-kun?¡± Thinking there was something strange about Jaihir¡¯s complete lack of movement or speech from beginning to end, Baron Twest took a closer look at Jaihir¡¯s expression. The hue of the Baron¡¯s face changed in an instant. ¡°Oh? Is something the matter, Baron?¡± ¡°J-, Jaihir-kun has already¡­¡± ¡°Eh? Did something happen to him?¡± ¡°H-, He might be standing, but he¡¯s unconscious¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Huh?¡± The boos that gushed forth like a tempest towards Glen from the stadium were silenced. ¡°Erm, that means that¡­¡± ¡°Lumia-kun wins right? Because even though she withdrew, compared to Jaihir-kun who had failed to get past the thirty-first round, Lumia-kun had somehow managed to get through. Within a few moments¡ª ¡°¡­W-, What¡¯s thisssss¡ª!? What a turn of events! The winner of this event is the lone flower amongst the contestants, Lumia-chan from class two¡ª!¡± The stadium burst into cheers. ¡°¡­S-, Sensei?¡± ¡°¡­For real?¡± In response to the sudden events, Lumia and Glen¡¯s eyes seemed to go blank in disbelief. ¡°You did it! You really did it, Lumia!¡± ¡°Kya-!?¡± A bear hug enveloped Lumia from behind. ¡°Sisti?¡± ¡°Geez, don¡¯t push yourself so hard! I told you that if you can¡¯t take anymore then be mature and withdraw didn¡¯t I you stubborn girl!? ¡­But, congratulations, and I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± Taking a closer look, the students from class two jumped from their seats and rushed directly towards Lumia. Surrounding her, the students began to praise her for her valiant efforts. Seemingly overwhelmed, Lumia cast a glance towards Glen, who observed the situation unfold from faraway. Glen replied by bending his lips into a smile and shrugging his shoulders. Lumia nodded once, and turned to face her classmates once again¡ª ¡°Thank you, everyone!¡± She released an ecstatic smile¡ª An unclouded and griefless smile that was akin to a flower¡ª ¡°¡­¡­Feeling relieved now? Alice.¡± Serika spoke out to Alicia, who had observed Lumia¡¯s display with such intensity that it seemed like she would devour the scene in its entirety. ¡°¡­! ¡­Yes.¡± Alicia, remembering that Serika and Rick, who were in charge of her reception, had learned the top-secret truth of Lumia¡¯s identity in the aftermath of the incident a month prior, nodded her head. ¡°That girl is blessed with a good teacher and good friends. Being able to see her with such a smile with my own two eyes¡­ it feels great.¡± ¡°Geez, if you really love her that much as a mother, then why didn¡¯t you say anything to me? I could¡¯ve done something about it¡­¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say such overbearing things, Serika-kun. I¡¯m sure that even the Empress has certain circumstances.¡± Rick butted into the conversation as if to rebuke Serika. ¡°I get it you know? It¡¯s a danger to the authority and legitimate rule of the royal family right? ¡­I just feel sick hearing that a mother and daughter have no choice but to separate due to such a pointless reason.¡± ¡°¡­You might be right. I¡¯m¡­ unqualified to be a mother.¡± Alicia lowered her head with a regretful expression. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to but the blame on you alright Alice? To be honest, you went through a lot of trouble in order to save that girl didn¡¯t you? In order to make it look like she succumbed to sickness you did a crazy amount of work, not to mention that there were a lot of arrangements to make regarding her adoption¡­ Also, I heard from that guy about this, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ It¡¯s fine.¡± Alicia placed a finger over her lips in a ¡®Shh~¡¯ gesture, and showed a smile. ¡°No matter how many things I did under wraps, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I abandoned that girl for the sake of the empire¡¯s dignity¡­¡± Hearing Alicia say that, Serika didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied today. Having worried for so long, I was finally able to see her in good spirits, even if I could only look upon her from faraway. From here on out, I probably won¡¯t get another chance to see her again will I? ¡­I¡¯m sure I will be fine with it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can only pray for her happiness in the future. I feel like this is a great burden that has been taken off my chest. Fufu, from tomorrow onwards I¡¯ll be able to perform my governing duties without concern.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, if there¡¯s one thing I can ask for, I want to see her when she becomes a bride¡­ I probably won¡¯t be able to though. It won¡¯t do for the Empress to attend a normal citizen¡¯s wedding ceremony after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, right, speaking of marriage¡­. When Glen intervened in the competition, wasn¡¯t the way she looked at Glen a little strange? Could it be, that that girl is¡­ fufufu.¡± As though she had already accepted everything, Alicia continued to monologue. ¡°¡­Are you fine with this? Alice.¡± Serika struck the core of the problem directly. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°Merely looking from faraway, without having a single conversation¡­ Are you really fine with this?¡± ¡°That is¡­ But, I can¡¯t do that¡­¡± ¡°Geez, really now, who do you think I am?¡± Serika shrugged her shoulders in an ¡®oh dear¡¯ manner. ¡°I am the famed seventh-rank magician of the northern continent, Serika Alfornea you know? I am all-knowing and omnipotent ¨C well not really, but there are many things I can do alright? For example, I can fool the eyes of the royal guards to give a separated mother and daughter a chance to meet, or something like that. ¡°¡­Serika.¡± ¡°So, what are you gonna do? Alice. Do you want to meet your daughter? Or would you rather not?¡± Hearing Serika¡¯s temptations, Alicia was at a loss for what to do. ¡°Just for today, for this short moment, why don¡¯t you be more honest with yourself, your Highness?¡± Unexpectedly, the one who pushed Alicia¡¯s lost ship to port was Elenora, who had quietly listened to the exchange from beginning to end. ¡°Elenora?¡± For a brief moment, Alicia eyes widened in surprise. Alicia never thought that Elenora, who had vigilantly kept the locket for safekeeping, of all people would say that. ¡°It will be fine. Serika-sama is the leading magician of the continent. I¡¯m sure that nothing bad will happen.¡± ¡°Come on now, even your servant is saying that you know?¡± Serika smiled mischievously as things turned out as she wanted. Witnessing Serika¡¯s overbearing and high-handed methods, headmaster Rick showed a secret, wry smile. Volume 2 - CH 3 Chapter 3: An encounter between Empress and Princess At the Magic Games Festival stadium bustling with activity, in a corner leading to the spectator stands¡ª Standing there were a strange boy-girl duo who wore matching black-themed suits and overcoats. One was a young male who appeared to be around twenty years old. Beneath his indigo-tinted black hair were a pair of hawk-like sharp eyes. His tall, slender, and well-proportioned body appeared to be rather emaciated , but it was definitely stout. As for his general demeanor, rather than merely calling it calm, it would be more accurate to say that he gave off a marked air of cool indifference. It was as though a knife so sharp that it was fatal-on-contact was hidden somewhere ¨C That was the kind of impression he exuded. The other was a young girl that was in her mid-teens. Her disheveled blue hair flowed freely with the single exception of a knot behind the nape, and her azure-colored eyes gave the impression that she was constantly sleepy. Her small, delicate, yet lavish figure reminded one of an antique doll. It would most certainly be charming if she were to smile, but nothing remotely close to an expression could be found. It was impossible to read any traces of emotion. The coats that the two wore were decorated with metal plates and rivets, which were reinforced with runes that were engraved upon them. It was clear that these were robes used for magic battles. In the bustling crowd of students and spectators alike, the two were rather conspicuous. Their outfits were of course a factor, but they also seemed to have a rather unscrupulous presence. However, the two didn¡¯t seem to draw any suspecting glances. As though they were pebbles on the roadside, it was hard to notice that they were there. ¡°¨CThat¡¯s Glen, right?¡± The young man murmured impassionately. ¡°¡­Mm, it must be Glen.¡± The young girl replied emotionlessly. Their gazes were focused on the field where the event ¡®Spirit Defense¡¯ had just taken place. Specifically, they were focused on Glen, who stood between and conversed with the blonde and silver-haired girls. ¡°He left without telling us anything¡­ but to think he¡¯d end up here.¡± The young man¡¯s gaze looked as though he was a raptor that had spotted his prey. The girl beside him speechlessly moved towards the central field, towards where Glen was. ¡°Wait.¡± With a threatening voice, the man reached out and grabbed the girl¡¯s hair. With a jerk, the girl pulled backwards into an incline. ¡°¡­What are you doing, Albert?¡± The girl flatly asked the man. ¡°That¡¯s what I should be saying. What are you planning to do, Riel?¡± Maintaining his threatening glance, the man rebutted. Immediately, the girl called Riel replied, as if the answer was already obvious. ¡°It¡¯s obvious¡­ I¡¯m going to settle the score with Glen.¡± Immediately, the young man ¨C Albert ¨C pulled on Riel¡¯s hair. ¡°Ow. Why are you pulling on my hair?¡± Contrary to what she said, Riel spoke with a calm demeanor, as though the action hadn¡¯t hurt at all. ¡°Don¡¯t cause unnecessary trouble. Have you forgotten our mission?¡± ¡°Mission?¡± Riel considered the question briefly. ¡°¡­To settle the score with Glen?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. The two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°¡­ This time, we have been assigned two missions. One of them is to monitor the movements of the Empress royal guard.¡± ¡°Why? They¡¯re our allies.¡± ¡°We are not one cohesive body. There is royal bloodline faction, the royal collateral-bloodline faction, the anti-royals, the right-wing radicals, the conservative-feudalists, the Macbeth-progressivist left-wing, the imperial church right-wing¡­ not the mention the noble-born and the common-blood factions¡­ Simply put, the Alzano Empire is a den of chaos occupied by various factions holding their own beliefs and political agenda. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Again, the two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°The head of the right-wing faction, the royal guard, have recently received some troubling intel. It was made especially clear when they introduced a new policy during the round-table conference regarding the treatment of supernaturals.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Generally, the people view supernaturals as the reincarnation of a devil. Furthermore, the law was proposed by the Empress herself. Simply put, if supernaturals were to be protected in the Empress¡¯ name, it would damage the authority of the supposedly holy royal family.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Once again, the two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°So, that¡¯s why we¡¯re monitoring the royal guard. Although the chances are slim, it still remains a possibility that they will take advantage of the Empress¡¯ visit to the academy to put some plan into action. If such an event occurs, then a conflict between the upper-factions of the government is probable.¡± ¡°I see. I get it now.¡± Riel nodded her head. ¡°Basically, I have no choice but to settle the score with Glen¡­ right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. Again, the two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°¡­Mm, I will do my best.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± As Riel gestured to move, Albert once again pulled mercilessly on her hair. ¡°Does Albert not want to meet Glen?¡± Having been stopped once again, Riel calmly asked. ¡°¡­That goes without saying, there are many things I want to say to that man.¡± Albeit a slip-of-the-tongue, a trace amount of irritation and anger could be felt behind Albert¡¯s words. ¡°Okay. then I will go hit Glen. Albert can go tell Glen what you have to say.¡± ¡°Did I not tell you to wait? It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t meet him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Having not seen him for awhile, it feels like the world he¡¯s living in is¡­ It is different from the blood-stained darkness of ours.¡± The two turned their eyes to the stage once again. For whatever reason, Glen prostrated himself at the silver-haired girl¡¯s feet. It appeared that the blonde-haired girl tried to say something to smooth things over. ¡°That guy belongs over there. In a world that shines with light, Glen will surely be able to live his life to the fullest.¡± ¡°Beneath a girl¡¯s feet? That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. Once again, the two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°¡­?¡± Looking at Albert, Riel slightly tilted her head. In the end, odd silence continued. The Magic Games Festival was split into morning and afternoon sessions. Between the sessions was a one hour break. The students split into three groups ¨C those who would eat at the cafeteria, those who would eat at the food stalls nearby, and those who had prepared their own lunchboxes ¨C and went their separate ways. Glen¡¯s class was no exception. ¡°Hah¨C¡­ Now then¡­. What should I do¡­?¡± An extremely haggard Glen murmured to himself, as though on the verge of giving up entirely. He was hungry, if not plain-starved. In all seriousness, it was starting to feel like his stomach was stuck to his back. Several of Glen¡¯s students, as if showing off, opened their boxed lunches and began to dig in. Staying would probably be too much for his mind to handle. Either way, no money meant no food. Helpless, Glen rose from his seat to begin his tactical retreat from this area filled with alluring aromas. Today again, he would go seek his ration of shroty tree branches. ¡°U-, Um¡­ Sensei¡­?¡± Turning his head in response to the sudden call, Glen saw a small-statured girl that had the presence of a small animal. She was one of Glen¡¯s students, Rin. ¡°¡­What¡¯s up, Rin?¡± ¡°U-, Uhn¡­ I have something I want to¡­ talk to you about¡­ and¡­¡± ¡°Talk to me about?¡± Glen looked through his surroundings while scratching his head. ¡°¡­Is it something you can¡¯t talk to me about right here?¡± ¡°Eh? Erm, yes¡­ If possible, I¡¯d like to talk about this somewhere with less people around¡­¡± To be honest, this was a painful situation for Glen. The little energy that remained in his mind was extremely precious. However, looking at Rin¡¯s teary eyes, even the world-class douchebag Glen couldn¡¯t find it in himself to refuse. ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s go somewhere else then.¡± Glen led Rin to the academy¡¯s courtyard behind the stadium. The verdant green grass, the well-kept trees, the multicolored array of grass, all of this had become a familiar sight. Usually, there would be a lot of students eating lunch here, but due to the Magic Games Festival, a majority of the students ate at the stadium. Thus, the courtyard was peaceful and quiet. ¡°So? What did you want to talk to me about? If it¡¯s not about money, I¡¯m willing to listen.¡± ¡°U-, Uhm¡­¡± Rin briefly collected her thoughts, and nervously uttered. ¡°U-, Uhm, I¡¯ve been entrusted with the ¡®Transform¡¯ event¡­ but I¡¯m not confident I can do well.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been giving it my all to practice transformation magic¡­ but it¡¯s already today and I¡¯m still nervous¡­ I really don¡¯t think I can do this¡­ So I was hoping you could switch me out for someone else¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°S-, Since everyone in our class is finally working together and doing what they can to win¡­ I¡¯ll feel sorry if I end up holding them back¡­ So¡­ Uhm¡­ Have someone else take my place¡­ please¡­-!¡± With trembling shoulders and teary eyes, Rin pleaded Glen. Glen scratched his head a few times and sighed. ¡°¡­Are you alright with this? You really don¡¯t want to participate?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Please be clear, otherwise I can¡¯t really make a decision¡± For a brief moment, Rin remained silent, recollecting her thoughts and clearing her mind. Then¨C ¡°To be honest¡­ I really want to¡­ but¡­ I don¡¯t want to trouble everyone else¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s decided.¡± Glen placed his hand on Rin¡¯s head. ¡°Go and do it. There won¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°Eh!? B-, But if I do this event, I¡¯ll just be troubling every¨C¡± ¡°Hey, the Magic Games Festival is a ¡®Festival¡¯ you know. How can you be holding someone else back in a festival?¡± ¡°But everyone is fired up to win¡­ even you said that Sensei¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah-, I see. That was just to get you guys worked up¡­¡± Glen began to slightly regret his own carelessness. ¡°Actually, I had some personal reasons to say that you see? Well, either way, that doesn¡¯t really matter anymore. What¡¯s most important is that you guys are happy. It¡¯d be amazing if we can win on top of that, but don¡¯t let it bother you alright?¡± ¡°¡­So¡­ it¡¯s like that?¡± ¡°Yeah, so instead of worrying about holding others back, just go out there and have fun. You really like transformation magic right?¡± ¡°Y-, Yes¡­ I¡¯ve¡­ always been a bit timid and indecisive¡­ but when it comes to transformation magic, uhm¡­ It makes me feel like I can become someone different¡­ ¡° ¡°Then it¡¯s fine isn¡¯t it?¡± Despite Glen¡¯s counseling, it seems that Rin was still uneasy. ¡°¡­Well then, why don¡¯t we have a take a little time for a special lecture?¡± On a whim, Glen decided to meddle further into Rin¡¯s affairs. Surprised by Glen¡¯s suggestion, Rin rose her head to face Glen. ¡°¡­Special¡­ lecture?¡± ¡°Mhm. Well Rin, let¡¯s start with a bit of review. Transformation magic is split into two types, [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] and [Self ¡¤ Illusion]. Do you know the difference between the two?¡± After briefly considering the question, Rin replied. ¡°E-, Erm¡­ [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] is white magic, whilst [Self ¡¤ Illusion] is black magic.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯ll only get you 60 points.¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯m sorry¡­ E-, Eh¡­ U-, Um¡­ [Self ¡¤ Polymorph]¡­ Uhm, is a transfiguration magic that restructures the body¡­ and [Self ¡¤ Illusion] is a illusion magic that controls light to give the impression of a transformation.¡± When Glen rejected her answer, Rin hurried to correct herself. ¡°Well, that¡¯s about right. [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] is white magic which controls the mind and body, whilst [Self ¡¤ Illusion] is black magic which controls movement and energy.¡± Glen rolled up his right sleeve, and chanted a three-stage spell. Immediately, his right arm began to change. The muscles became more pronounced, rough black fur began to grow, and his nails began to extend¡­ In the blink of an eye, his arm became the front leg of a wolf. ¡°The effects of [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] are decided by its formulation. If you want to transform into a wolf, then you would use corresponding chant for [Self ¡¤ Polymorph]. If you want to transform into a dragon, again, you would use corresponding chant for [Self ¡¤ Polymorph]. To add onto that, although there¡¯s a risk of being unable to return to your original state, you can get the abilities of what you¡¯ve transformed into. If you transform into a horse, then you would have the swiftness of a horse. If you transform into a dragon, then you would be able to breathe fire.¡± Glen chanted the spell again, and his arm returned to its original state. ¡°On the other hand, [Self ¡¤ Illusion] isn¡¯t able to go to that extent. All it does is manipulate light to make it appear that way. Regardless of whether you transform into a horse or a bird, you wouldn¡¯t be able to run fast or fly. In this case, as far as raw transformation magic goes [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] is better¡­ but you can¡¯t say that for every case. Erm, right¡­ for example¡­¡± Glen pressed a finger against his temple, and chanted [Self ¡¤ Illusion]. Then, the area around Glen began to blur¡­ and his visage began to lose focus¡­ When he reformed and came into focus again¨C ¡°L-, Lumia¡­-!?¡± The figure that appeared was not Glen, but rather Lumia who had her arms crossed and showed a triumphant smile. It didn¡¯t seem like an illusion at all, as though the Lumia standing there was the real deal. ¡°Well, it¡¯s something like this.¡± Even the voice was Lumia¡¯s. It would seem that the wavelength and frequency of the voice had been manipulated to achieve this effect. ¡°Unlike [Self ¡¤ Polymorph] which requires an exact chant to achieve the transformation, [Self ¡¤ Illusion] only requires that the user have a clear image of what they want to transform into. Basically, as long as you can imagine it, you can transform into anything you¡¯d like, albeit only on a surface level.¡± Maintaining Lumia¡¯s appearance and voice, Glen explained the concepts in a plain and simple manner. ¡°In conclusion, if you can¡¯t transform into what you like using [Self ¡¤ Illusion], it means that you still don¡¯t have a clear image of what you want to transform into. On the flipside, as long as you have a clear image, I can guarantee with my life that you¡¯ll be able to get it done.¡± Saying that, Glen, still in Lumia¡¯s appearance, showed a bold smile. ¡°So Rin, you¡¯re planning to use [Self ¡¤ Illusion] during the ¡®Transform¡¯ competition right? What are you gonna transform into?¡± ¡°Eh? Erm, I was hoping to transform into an angel¡­ ¡®The Angel of Time¡¯ Lahtirika-sama¡­¡± ¡°Geez, so the original is a mythical being all along? That¡¯s a bit of a tough choice now isn¡¯t it¡­ Well, that¡¯s fine. If you¡¯re going to do that then you should go to the academy¡¯s library and borrow some holy depictions and artworks. Keep looking at it until the competition arts and you should be fine.¡± ¡°A-, Alright, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Then, Glen, who was still transformed into Lumia, quickly replied to Rin. ¡°Hey Rin, you¡¯ll be fine since it¡¯s you after all. You¡¯re much better than you think you are, and all you¡¯re really lacking is confidence. I can attest to that.¡± ¡°S-, Sensei¡­¡± ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t work out don¡¯t let it bother you too much. I did say that ¡®we¡¯ll win¡¯, but this is a festival you know? A festival. It¡¯s not like anyone will die ¡®cause of it, so no one can really complain either way. If we lose and someone blames you for it then I¡¯ll make sure to give them a good beating alright? So take it easy, got it?¡± Then, Rin suddenly curled over, and began to giggle uncontrollably. ¡°¡­What¡¯s so funny?¡± To be met with this reception despite finally acting serious for once, Glen couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sulky. ¡°I-, I mean, despite using Lumia¡¯s appearance and voice, you¡¯re saying such manly things¡­ It¡¯s just really weird¡­¡± ¡°Hmpf¡­ S-, So that¡¯s what it was huh¡­ Well, you¡¯re not wrong¡­¡± That hit right on the bullseye. If I really wanted to talk serious business then I should¡¯ve first released the spell. Glen scratched his head, and prepared to release the spell. It was then that¨C ¡°Geez Lumia, so you were here all along. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± At some point in time, Sistina had arrived at the courtyard. ¡°Ah Sisti, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Rin, who had noticed Sistina earlier, asked. ¡°Ahaha, I just wanted to talk to Lumia about something.¡± ¡°Ah, no, I¡¯m¡­¡± Without giving time for Glen to explain, Sistina smiled towards Glen and said. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and eat lunch shall we? Lumia, didn¡¯t I tell you that I would make your lunch as well today? Not to mention, it¡¯s your favorite tomato sandwiches.¡± ¡°Eh¡­? Lunch¡­?¡± Now that Sistina mentioned it, Glen noticed that she carried a large basket. Does that mean that inside this is¡­!? Hearing that, Glen reflexively gulped. ¡°There¡¯s that guy¡¯s part as well¡­ but where did he go¡­?¡± Sistina was murmured something to herself, but Glen decided that now wasn¡¯t the time to care about that. Sistina, who had packed a wholesome lunch, seems to have mistaken the transformed Glen for Lumia¡­ Does that mean that this is a huge chance to score?¡± If he handles the situation well, wouldn¡¯t he be able to lay his hands on those sandwiches? ¡­Don¡¯t be stupid now,, calm down, Glen Glen entered a cold sweat and tried to internally laugh off the mischievous thoughts. As an educator, how could I fool my students and steal away their lunches? That¡¯s a bit too evil isn¡¯t it! I¡¯m not quite that depraved yet right!? I won¡¯t allow myself to fall that far! ¡°Lumia?¡± Sistina slightly tilted her head, confused as to why Glen, in Lumia¡¯s appearance, was pressing his arms against his head whilst murmuring to himself. To start with, I reap what I sow, don¡¯t I¡­ If I push all the consequences onto my students, do I even have a right to call myself an instructor or a man? Heck, can I even call myself human at that point? I know that this chance has fallen right into my hands, but I should really come clean here and release my transformation magic, like any mature adult would¡­ But then¡­ Guuuuuu~~ Glen stomach roared loudly. ¡°Pu-, ahaha! Were you that hungry Lumia?¡± ¡­Mm, then again, I can¡¯t get past this dire situation without making some sacrifices now can I? I should just sell my soul to the devil. So then, Glen, in Lumia¡¯s appearance, drew closer to Sistina, and placed his hands on her shoulders. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s hurry up and chow d-¡­ have lunch then white c-¡­ Sisti! I¡¯m hella¡­ No I mean, I¡¯m really starved! Aha, ahahahaha¡­-!¡± ¡°W-, Why do you seem so desperate¡­¡± Sistina couldn¡¯t help but sweat a little in response to ¡®Lumia¡¯s¡¯ uncharacteristic pressuring. ¡°Ah, but could you wait a minute? We need to look for that guy first.¡± ¡°Eh? That guy?¡± ¡°Yep, that guy. Uhm, well¡­ while I was making our portions, I ended up making some for that guy as well¡­ No really, uhm, I just decided on a whim that I would make some extra while I was at it, so¡­¡± Sistina, who had dragged the conversation into a different direction, appeared to be in denial. Her forehead seemed to be a little flushed as well. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter alright! I don¡¯t really know who that guy is, but we really don¡¯t need to go look!¡± ¡°Lumia?¡± ¡°If we happen to come across Lumia while we were at it, then¡­ No! I mean, my stomach is practically empty at this point you know! I feel like if I don¡¯t hurry up and eat something I¡¯m gonna drop dead! So¨C¡± ¡°Uhm¡­Sensei¡­?¡± Seeing Glen¡¯s overbearingly desperate act, Rin, who stood behind Glen, butted into the conversation. Immediately, Glen turned around and clung onto Rin, and whispered. (Please Rin-sama! Show me some mercy! Turn a blind eye to this alright!) (No, that¡¯s not it¡­) (It¡¯ll be fine! Of course, I won¡¯t eat all of Lumia¡¯s portion. Just one or two slices will do! I just want a little share! So please I beg you just do me a favor this one time! Just this one time will dooo~~~!) (Uhm¡­ it¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but¡­ The real Lumia is¡­) ¡°¡­Eh?¡± As Glen hardened up in shock. ¡°Ah, Sisti, you were here?¡± From behind him, came a familiar voice. ¡°Sorry for making you wait. I had to go do something¡­ Huh?¡± Seeing someone with her own appearance, Lumia, who had just entered the fray, tilted her head in confusion. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ All that this encounter resulted in was an uneasy silence. ¡°What¡¯s happening here¡­ Why the heck¡­ Ah, Why are there two of me!? I-, I wonder who the fake is¡­ ah how troubling indeed! We both look so much like the real thing, so I can¡¯t really tell who the fake one is¡­¡± ¡°¡± Sistina softly chanted [Dispel ¡¤ Force]. The magic Glen was sustaining was neutralized, and his false appearance was stripped off. ¡°¡­Well, that happened.¡± Glen, who was now exposed, showed an emboldened smile, swept his hair up with one hand, and then immediately turned tail. ¡°Glen-sensei shall now make his cool exit alrighty?¡± As Glen tried to casually escape the situation¡­ ¡°You idiot¨C!¡± Sistina¡¯s [Gale ¡¤ Blow] mercilessly swept him away¡­ ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡ª!?¡± With a dreadful cry, Glen was blasted off into the horizon. ¡°Like I¡¯d believe you! Scum! It¡¯s unbelievable that a teacher would ever try to steal a student¡¯s lunch! And to think that I woke up to do all this¡­ Hmpf! I don¡¯t care anymore!¡± Sistina screamed with a flushed face. Rin merely sighed to herself. On the other hand, Lumia, who didn¡¯t quite understand the situation, blinked a few times in surprise. After recovering from the damage done by the spell, Glen quickly went to get lunch. That being said, it was impossible for Glen, who had no money, to have a normal lunch. In recent days, the only lunch Glen has had are the branches of shroty trees. Shroty trees are a species of deciduous trees with broad star-shaped leaves. The saps contained within the young branches had a high glucose content. If one were to suck on these branches, it was possible to extract a fair amount of glucose from it. Since discovering the shroty tree near the entrance of the ¡®Mysterious Forest¡¯ situated in the northern expanse of the academy, Glen would often go to the tree before meals to gather branches for the sake of sustenance. ¡°Despite that¡­¡± After retrieving the branches that would be today¡¯s lunch, Glen sprawled exhaustedly on the bench as he chewed on a branch. ¡°Man, I can¡¯t help but feel that I¡¯ve really fallen as a person¡­ Damnit¡­ I¡¯ll never gamble ever again¡­ *slurp*¡± Glen sucked on the shroty branch as his eyes moistened with tears of regret. ¡°Hah¡­ dirt keeps getting in my eyes today¡­¡± As Glen rubbed his eyes, his stomach erupted into a growl. Then¡ª ¡°Ah, sensei~¡± A fair distance away, Lumia appeared to be looking for something. When she spotted Glen, she hurriedly rushed over. She seemed to be holding onto something important. ¡°¡­Oh Lumia, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I have some refreshments for you.¡± ¡°Refreshments?¡± As Glen looked on in surprise, Lumia handed the cloth bag over. ¡°Here are some sandwiches, sensei. Recently, it seems that you¡¯ve been going hungry, so if you¡¯d like¡ª¡± ¡°You have my gratitude oh my dear angel! Then I shall accept your gracious blessings without delay¡ª!¡± Glen ecstatically received the bag from Lumia, and hastily opened it. What lay inside wasn¡¯t really anything special ¨C just plain tomato sandwiches ¨C but for Glen, this was nothing less than first-class cuisine. ¡°Uwaaahh!? To be alive is a beautiful thing¡ª!?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s quite an exaggeration¡­¡± Glen engrossedly sunk his teeth into the sandwich. The sour taste of the juicy tomatoes, the moderate saltiness of the seasoned ham, and the stringent texture of the thinly sliced cheese, all converged into an extravagant harmony. The pleasant fragrance of black peppers only served to further accentuate Glen¡¯s overflowing emotions Lumia took a seat beside Glen, and gazed at Glen as he gobbled down on the sandwiches with a wry smile. ¡°By the way¡­ did you make these?¡± ¡°Yes, I made it just for you sensei¡­ or so I would like to say, but I didn¡¯t actually make these¡­¡± Saying that, Lumia showed a playful smile. ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m really clumsy, so I¡¯m not very good at cooking¡­¡± ¡°Is that right? Well then, who made these?¡± ¡°The person in question asked that to be kept a secret¡­ Let¡¯s just say that a cute girl in our class made these alright?¡± ¡°Hm, well, I guess that where these came from doesn¡¯t matter too much to me.¡± ¡°Actually¡­ that cute girl woke up early in the morning and tried her best to make these as she wanted to repay a debt to a boy that she was slightly bothered by. She isn¡¯t really honest with herself, so she wasn¡¯t able to hand these to him in the end¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is, but that¡¯s a shame¡­¡± Glen sighed sympathetically. ¡°You know, that guy is a bit¡­ well, I mean, the girl went through the trouble of making the lunch, so he should hurry up and notice already¡­ Geez, he¡¯s a lady-killer I guess, but he¡¯s hella dense isn¡¯t he? Well, he¡¯s probably some kind of indecent jerk anyway. Oh dear oh dear, that girl really doesn¡¯t have an eye for men.¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­¡± Lumia began to sweat a little for some reason, but Glen didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°W-, Well, let¡¯s not talk about that for now. Since it seemed like she would throw it away, I decided to take it and bring it to you.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ am I a trash can or something? Well, I don¡¯t really mind. Thanks for everything again.¡± Glen audibly exhaled from his nose in a sulky manner, and continued to munch on the sandwiches. ¡°Hey sensei, how are the sandwiches? Do they taste good?¡± Hearing this question, Glen briefly considered the flavors that run rampant in his mouth ¡°Yep.¡± Frankly replied Glen. ¡°It¡¯s not too complicated and carefully made. Also, while it¡¯s a bit on the orthodox side o f things, it¡¯s super delicious.¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s reply, Lumia showed a sweet smile. It was as if her own cooking was being complimented instead. After a short while, the bag that once contained the sandwiches was now empty. ¡°Hah¡ª, I¡¯m full I¡¯m full¡­ Thanks for the meal.¡± ¡°Hehe, glad you liked it¡­ Well, I shouldn¡¯t be the one to say that actually.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been given three more days to live now¡­ Hm, I should be able to keep on going now¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Unable to understand Glen¡¯s murmurs, Lumia tilted her head slightly in puzzlement. ¡°Well then, now that I¡¯m feeling a tad better, let¡¯s get back to the stadium shall we?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Glen and Lumia rose from the bench. Then¡ª ¡°Excuse me, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you are Glen? Uhm¡­ May I have a bit of your time?¡± As the two were about to leave, a female voice suddenly called out to them. Glen, as if dealing with a nuisance, turned around to face the voice¡¯s source. ¡° ¨¦. As you can see, we¡¯re to-tally not free right now, so ¨C Huh, eh, EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH¡ª!?¡± Once Glen released the identity of the person behind him, he immediately began to scream. ¡°Y-, Y-, Y-, Your Majesty¡ª!?¡± The person standing there was none other than the Empress of the Alzano Empire, Alicia the Seventh¡­ ¡°Now then, I wonder if Alice made it?¡± Sitting at the balcony shaped V.I.P. stands, Serika sipped on black tea, passing the time in a graceful manner. ¡°That scene was quite a masterpiece wasn¡¯t it!? Did you see the looks on the royal guard¡¯s faces when they realized that Alice wasn¡¯t here!?¡± Serika¡¯s shoulders trembled in her attempts to hold back her laughter. ¡°As one would expect of you, Serika-kun. Even the gods would be afraid of you¡­¡± Seeing Serika¡¯s carefree attitude, Headmaster Rick was nothing short of amazed. ¡°Hahaha, what are you saying headmaster. Compared to humans, gods are far less scary you know. Gods only have overwhelming and insurmountable power compared to humans. All they are is ¡°strong¡±. On the other hand, humans¡ª¡° As Serika, who was clearly in a good mood, continued to chime on¡ª ¡°Serika-sama¡­¡± Elenora approached her with a somewhat heavy expression. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Something terrible has happened¡­ I hope that you could spare a moment to hear the details.¡± ¡°¡­What happened?¡± Seeing Elenora¡¯s serious expression, Serika¡¯s straightened up. And then¡ª ¡°Actually¡­¡­¡­.¡± Elenora whispered the details to Serika. ¡°W¡ªWhat!? How could that have happened¡ª!?¡± Serika¡¯s face turned pale. Her eyes, wide in surprise, were fixated on Elenora. ¡°W-, W-, Why is someone of your caliber here in a commoner¡¯s area without your bodyguards!?¡± In response to the sudden appearance of the Empress, Glen couldn¡¯t help but shrink in fear. ¡°Ah, no, uhm, I sincerely apologize for my disrespectful conduct earlier¡ª!¡± His usual arrogant and audacious attitude was nowhere to be seen. Glen fell to his trembling knees, and prostrated himself on the floor. ¡°Please raise your head, Glen. I am not here today as the Empress Alicia the Seventh, but rather, as a mere citizen of the empire, Alicia. Now stand.¡± ¡°No, even if you say that, uhm¡­ T-, Then if you would excuse me¡­¡± Glen timidly rose to his feet. ¡°Fufu, it¡¯s been a year hasn¡¯t it Glen. How have you been?¡± ¡°Ah, pretty well I guess. Y-, You¡¯re still the same as you were, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°¡­I have been meaning to apologize to you for a while now.¡± Saying that, Alicia closed her eyes. ¡°Ah, apologize¡­? No¡­¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯ve given your life for my sake, even though you¡¯ve given your life to this nation¡­ you ended up being discharged from the Imperial Court Magicians in such a shameful manner¡­ I truly cannot find the words to express how ashamed and sorry I am for allowing that to happen¡­¡± ¡°No no please, I don¡¯t really mind at all! No really! I mean, honestly speaking I quit because I came to hate work. I just got really lazy alright!? For real!¡± Shaking both his head and his hands, Glen adamantly refused Alicia¡¯s apology. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ All I ever did was rely on you, so I never understood how hard it must¡¯ve been for you¡­ I¡¯m a failure as an Empress. Now that I think about it, three years ago too¡­¡± ¡°No no no no no no no! I can¡¯t let the Empress lower her head to a societal degenerate like myself! What are you going to do if someone sees this!?¡± Glen cautiously surveyed his surroundings. The circumstances were fine for this occasion ¨C perhaps too fine; There was not a single person to be seen, though Glen himself hadn¡¯t noticed this. ¡°So Your Majesty¡­ Uhm, what are you doing here¡­?¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s right, I came here to¡­¡± Trailing off, Alicia turned her gaze sideways. Her eyes now rest upon Lumia, who stood frozen in blank surprise. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while, Alumiana.¡± Alicia warmly greeted Lumia. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lumia wordlessly stared at Alicia¡¯s nape where the jade gemstone of her golden necklace rested. Then, for reasons unbeknownst, Lumia closed her eyes. ¡°Have you been doing well? My my, in the time we¡¯ve been separated, you¡¯ve grown quite tall. Fufu, you¡¯ve also grown up to be quite beautiful, just like when I was younger, totally?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Ah¡­¡­m¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are the Phebells treating you well? Are you uncomfortable in any way? Have you been eating well? Don¡¯t force yourself to diet too hard or else you won¡¯t grow properly alright? Also, no matter how busy you are, remember to take a bath everyday okay? You¡¯re a girl of marriageable age, so you have to be careful about these things¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah¡­.U-, Uhm¡­.¡± Without noticing Lumia¡¯s petrified state, Alicia continued to happily rattle on. ¡°Ah, I feel like I¡¯m dreaming. I never thought that I would get the chance to talk to you again¡­¡± Then, Alicia reached to grab ahold of Lumia. ¡°Elumiana¡­¡± However¡ª ¡°¡­If you would allow me to speak, Your Majesty.¡± As if escaping from Alicia¡¯s hand, Lumia dropped to one knee. ¡°!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Uhm, excuse my manners, but I believe that you are mistaking me for someone else.¡± Lumia said softly. Alicia, who had been in joy, froze in shock. ¡°I am Lumia. Lumia Tinzel. I¡¯m afraid that Your Majesty has mistaken me for Princess Eyl Kel Alzano who passed away three years ago. Your Majesty¡¯s governing duties must be straining, so I implore that you treat yourself with care¡­¡± Lumia¡¯s well-planned speech left Alicia and Glen at a loss for words. ¡°¡­Yes¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± Showing a lonely, shallow smile, Alicia closed her eyes and continued. ¡°That girl¡­ Alumiana passed away three years ago to sickness¡­ My, how could I have possibly made such a misunderstanding? Fufu, I¡¯m getting old aren¡¯t I¡­¡± Listening to Alicia¡¯s sorrowful words, Glen scratched his head with a troubled expression. Lumia on the other hand, simply continued in a plain fashion. ¡°Although it was a mistake, I cannot find the words to express my gratitude for Your Majesty¡¯s overflowing sincerity that has graced a lowly peasant like myself with such affection¡­¡± ¡°No, I should be the one to say so. I apologize if I have caused you any trouble.¡± For what felt like a long moment after that, the area was draped in a heavy solemnity. Lumia did not say anything more. Alicia opened her mouth to say something¡­ but soon closed it in resignation. The cycle repeated itself until¡ª ¡°¡­It¡¯s about time for you to go.¡± As if trying to do away with lingering regrets, Alicia turned towards Glen. ¡°Glen, please take good care Alu¡ª¡­ Lumia alright?¡± ¡°¡­As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± Under the gaze of Glen, who wanted to say something, Alicia left the area. Finally, Alicia could no longer be seen from the courtyard. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lumia, who remained in a half-kneel, did not once raise her head to look at the departing figure¡­ ¡°Of course she wouldn¡¯t accept me as her mother¡­ yes that¡¯s right¡­¡± Alicia lowered her shoulders dejectedly as she walked back to the stadium. Although Alicia walked the well-trodden path, not a single soul seemed to realize that she was there. This was the effect of Serika¡¯s warding magic. ¡°Alumiana¡­¡± Alicia thought back to when they were about to touch, and how her child had avoided her by treating her as if she were a stranger¡ª No matter the reason, it remains true that I had betrayed my daughter, that I had abandoned my daughter. As I pronounced the girl named Alumiana to be deceased, her life as Alumiana had been denied from her. Alumiana is a smart girl. I¡¯m sure that she has figured out why I did that as a mother and as an Empress, but even if she understands that in her mind, she cannot accept that in her heart. Alumiana was still young when she was exiled. From what I understood from the reports, for a brief period after she was exiled, her emotions were unstable. She was at an age where she required her mother¡¯s love, yet she was driven away in such a manner. Surely, the result would¡¯ve been the same no matter who it was. Even so, she has grown into a gentle girl that is loved by everyone. However, it was not because she continued to live as Alumiana whose mother had abandoned her, it was because she had chosen to live her new life as a member of the Phebell family. Of course, if one thought about it in such a manner, then the young girl that had been kneeling before Alicia was not Alumiana, but rather¡­ Lumia. ¡°¡­What a shame, really¡­¡± ¡®If I knew that I would end up so miserable and pained, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Serika and Elenora¡¯s suggestions, and allowed myself to be content with looking from afar.¡¯ Such thoughts floated in Alicia mind. However, it was not the Serika nor Elenora¡¯s fault. In the end, the wish to meet her daughter was hers alone. The two had merely noticed her feelings and acted accordingly. As Alicia gloomily headed back towards the stadium¡ª ¡°¡­Your Majesty.¡± Hearing someone call out to her, Alicia raised her head. Looking around her, she spotted a familiar face under the shadow of one of the trees of the forest path. It was the commander of the royal guard, Zeros. For some reason, he looked ghastly and severely distressed. Huh, that¡¯s odd, how did he manage to recognize me? Serika¡¯s magic should still be in effect¡­ Carrying curious thoughts, Alicia called out to her devoted guard. ¡°My, I¡¯ve been discovered haven¡¯t I? I¡¯m sorry that I went out on my own, Zeros. By the way¡­ What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you, Your Majesty.¡± Zeros soundlessly exited the shade, and stood in front of Alicia. Then, he rose a hand into the air. It seemed to be some kind of signal. ¡°¡ª!?¡± A large amount of guards suddenly appeared and surrounded Alicia. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Unfazed by the sudden turn of events, Alicia softly asked. ¡°Please excuse our actions, Your Majesty. For now, we here will do all that we can to keep you restrained. However, I assure you that our disorderly actions are not in opposition to you or the nation. We are doing this out of our devotion for you and the nation, and we ask for you understanding. Please endure this for now.¡± ¡°Zeros¡­¡± Alicia was not powerless. Although not quite at the level of Serika, she was a magician of considerable rank. If it were just a mob of bandits, she would have no trouble defending herself. However, in situation where she was surrounded at this distance by numerous guards that were geared with anti-magic equipment and adept at close combat, there was nothing she could do. ¡°¡­I understand. Let¡¯s first hear what you have to say. Alicia resigned to the situation, and obeyed Zeros. ¡°¡­Unbelievable¡­¡± The calm and composed manner through which Albert announced his thoughts seemed to contrast with its contents. ¡°What happened? Did you see something with your farsight magic?¡± ¡°The royal guards have¡ª¡­ ¡®moved¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­? What¡¯s wrong with that? They¡¯re living people aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. The two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°¡­The royal guard have forcefully placed the Her Majesty under their supervision. In reality though, this is closer to house arrest. However, commander Zeros¡­ As far as I remember, he did not seem to be of the imprudent type, although I may need to reform my impression of him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hearing what Albert had to say, Riel started walking away without hesitation. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Albert grabbed tightly onto Riel¡¯s hair. ¡°I am going to cut down all the enemies of course.¡± ¡°Wait, there are too many enemies. It¡¯s a bit too much even for you.¡± ¡°If the enemies have more forces, then we just need match them.¡± ¡°With reinforcements?¡± ¡°No, with spirit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. Again, the two had a brief moment of silence. ¡°¡­The imperial royal guard is the head of the orthodox right-wing and their members are the ones who are most loyal to the Empress. It¡¯s inconceivable to think that they would do anything that would directly harm Her Majesty, so there must be some special motive behind their actions. What we will do is find the reasons behind these reckless actions, and then move to put the situation into order¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Silence. With the man still holding on to the girl¡¯s hair, it was truly an odd stillness. The first one to break the silence was Riel. ¡°I have a plan. I will charge the enemy from the front. Albert will then charge in from the front after me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Albert, whose grim expression was not fazed in the least by her answer, decided to say nothing more. As usual, the two had a brief moment of silence. The afternoon section of the Magic Games Festival began. The first event of the afternoon was ¡®Remote Weightlifting¡¯, which pertained to the field of telekinetic matter manipulation. In this event, contestants used the white magic [Psy ¡¤ Telekinesis] to lift bag fill with lead into the air without direct contact. The rule of simple; the more weight one lifted, the more points they would get. After the secret meeting with Alicia, Glen led Lumia, who seemed to be in low-spirits, back to the stadium. Unlike the rest of the class who were still in high-spirits, Glen gazed absentmindedly at the weighted bags that were being lifted into the air. Of course, the reason for Glen¡¯s absentmindedness was due to what unfolded between Lumia and Alicia. In aftermath of the incident a month prior, Glen had been one of the few who learned the secret of Lumia¡¯s true identity and the complicated circumstances surrounding her. Despite knowing full well of her position as the Empress, as well as the possibility that her relationship to Lumia might be revealed, Alicia took the risk to meet Lumia. I get how she feels, and I sort of get how Lumia, who had rejected Alicia, feels as well. I get it, but¡ª ¡­Man, what the heck should I do? All said and done, the only ones who can solve this problem are the two people involved. Regardless of how anyone else interferes, it won¡¯t make a hell of a difference. The problem isn¡¯t about reason or causation, but rather feelings. At the end of the day, it doesn¡¯t really matter how much I try to argue, suggest, or counsel them. ¡°¡­Geez, what a mess.¡± Glen released an exasperated sigh. Problems kept occurring one after another that there didn¡¯t feel like there was even time for him to catch his breath. The excited and rowdy students of his class seemed to exist in a different world altogether. In this manner, Glen returned to his absentminded world. Then¡ª ¡°¡­Sensei.¡± Sistina, who seemed to have something on her mind, sullenly approached Glen and called out to him. ¡°Woah!? W-, What¡¯s the heck white cat!? You lookin¡¯ for a fight or somethin¡¯!?¡± Remember their exchange during afternoon break, Glen reflexively readied himself for a fist fight. ¡°¡­Lumia is missing¡­¡± ¡°H-, Huh!?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it¡­ Since she went to go meet you and came back, she¡¯s seemed a little off.¡± ¡°Huh? The heck? You knew that Lumia and I met?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Yikes! I¡¯m sorry!?¡± Having been suddenly yelled at, Glen pathetically curled into a ball. ¡°Sure, she doesn¡¯t have any events in the afternoon, but she isn¡¯t the type to skip out either, so I think it¡¯s a little strange that she suddenly disappeared without saying anything.¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Like Glen, Sistina was also one of the few that knew of Lumia¡¯s circumstances. However, she didn¡¯t know that Lumia had just met her mother ¨C the Empress ¨C in secret, so no one could blame her for these misguided thoughts. Since Sistina was also involved, Glen thought that it would be better to tell her what had unfolded. ¡°Oi, white cat, bring your ear a little closer would you?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Then Glen relayed to Sistina, who seemed a bit suspicious of his intentions, about what had occurred between Alicia and Lumia. ¡°So that happened¡­¡± Now that she knew the circumstances, she couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled. ¡°So, the reason she¡¯s disappeared is¡­¡± It¡¯s probably what you¡¯re thinking. If I was in that situation, I¡¯d want some peace and quiet as well. ¡®Dear lord¡¯, thought Glen as he let out a sigh. ¡°Well, I get why she¡¯d want to be alone, but it¡¯s probably for the best that we don¡¯t let her deal with everything herself. It might not change the reality of the situation, but having a few friends to talk to won¡¯t hurt right? Well, it¡¯s not like holing yourself up somewhere will change anything either. Let¡¯s go look for her and bring her back.¡± Although he scratched his head as if he was annoyed, Glen quickly stood up from his seat to get going. ¡°White cat, you coming?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll¡ª¡° Sistina reflexively nodded¡­ ¡°¡ªNo, I¡¯ll wait here actually. You go look for her sensei. I¡¯ll look after the class while you¡¯re gone.¡± For whatever reason, she decided on that. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that a bit cold of you? Aren¡¯t you guys like best buddies?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re best buddies¡­ I really want to go¡­ but in times like this¡­ the person she¡¯d want beside her the most would be¡­¡± She turned her head to the side and murmured something. She seemed to be angry, resigned, sullen, sulky, jealous; all in all, she seemed to be going through a complex range of emotions and thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but just leave this to me. You alright with that?¡± Then, as Glen left to go look for Lumia¡ª ¡°¡­Hey, wait a second.¡± Sistina suddenly called out to him. ¡°What is it now?¡± Glen turned his head slightly to look at Sistina, but like before, Sistina seemed a bit dejected. ¡°There one thing I want to know. Sensei¡­ Did you get something from Lumia?¡± ¡°Ah-? I got some sandwiches from her you know. I think that she got them from someone who was about to throw this all out. What about it?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ How was it? The sandwiches I mean.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It was terrible right? Hmpf¡­ Thank you very much for doing a service to the community by being a pitiable garbage disposal I guess.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? No, but really now, it was super delicious.¡± For whatever reason, Sistina immediately turned away from Glen. Seeing Sistina¡¯s reaction, Glen furrowed his eyebrows, scratched his head, and proceeded to give his honest opinion. ¡°¡­Hey, if that¡¯s what you think then that¡¯s fine, but isn¡¯t that a bit rude to the person who made those sandwiches? It¡¯s really not like you at all. You¡¯re usually pretty kind to anyone that¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°I-, I get it already! Just hurry up and get going, geez!¡± Man, if she¡¯s gonna yell at me like that would it hurt to say it to my face!? I don¡¯t get what she¡¯s so angry about, but from what I can see, her face is red to it¡¯s roots. ¡°Ah¡­ Oh dear.¡± I seriously don¡¯t get her at all. How should I know what she¡¯s thinking anyway? Not to mention, she gets angry easily. If she was at least one percent as cute and understandable as Lumia, my life would be sooooo much easier. Though, perhaps that was too much for him to ask. In this manner, Glen left the stadium. Glen didn¡¯t find Lumia at the courtyard. With no clues to follow, Glen could only rely on his instinct. ¡°This is bad¡­ Where the heck did she go¡­?¡± First, Glen looked through the academy¡¯s main, west, and east buildings once through. Then, he quickly skimmed through the academy¡¯s library and the plaza in front of it, and scoured through the area near the mysterious forest¡¯s entrance, the medicinal garden, and the magic experimentation tower. However, Lumia was nowhere to be found. Not discouraged by this, Glen continued to aimlessly search through the academy¡¯s grounds, which felt rather empty due to the people gathered at the stadium. The search seemed to stretch on endlessly. At this point, even Glen was starting to feel impatient. Then, at the southwest end of the academy grounds, near the fencing that surrounded the academy, under the shadow of one of the evenly-planted trees, he finally found a glimpse of familiar, golden hair. ¡°¡­Finally found you.¡± Glen walked towards the shade of the tree. At his destination sat Lumia. Leaning her back against the tree, her eyes fixated on something she held in her hands. ¡°¡­Lumia? Whatcha¡¯ lookin at? ¡­Ah, a locket? Although Glen hadn¡¯t intended to peek, due to the angle and direction through which he approached Lumia, he happened to catch a glimpse of what she had in her hand. She then opened the locket, and peered at it ¡°There¡¯s nothing inside¡­¡± Noticing Glen approach, Lumia closed the locket, and grasped tightly onto it. ¡°I have a feeling that there were portraits of important people inside¡­ but it disappeared some time ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Lumia showed a lonely smile to Glen, who remained silent. She connected the ends of the locket¡¯s chain behind her neck, and slipped the locket under her clothes. ¡°This isn¡¯t particularly valuable¡­ but even now, I keep it close to me. Weird isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing weird about that.¡± Glen looked away, scratched his head a little, and replied in a blunt fashion. ¡°I don¡¯t know circumstances as to why or what¡¯s gone, but even now there¡¯s something important to you inside this thing isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Sensei¡± As if focusing her resolve, Lumia sharply asked. ¡°Do you know? ¡­About me and the Empress.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, I heard it from the big guys of the government after the incident a while back.¡± Then, Glen turned his back to Lumia. ¡°But who cares really. Oi, let¡¯s go Lumia, everyone is waiting for you. The happy-go-lucky magic games festival¡¯s second half is gonna start.¡± And began to walk away. ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re always just you aren¡¯t you, sensei?¡± Lumia couldn¡¯t help but smile a little. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to say some kind words to the depressed girl right now you know.¡± ¡°To be real, I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m supposed to say.¡± Glen said without weaving his words. Seeing Glen like this, Lumia began to giggle, although it seemed that she was trying to hold back. ¡°Uhm¡­ Then could you accompany me for a little longer?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Lumia leaned her back against the tree again, and Glen stared aimlessly at the sky with his back faced to her. And so, Lumia began to talk. What Lumia spoke of was truly unreserved. It was about her time as the princess. Her gentle mother who, despite being busy with governing duties, would always set aside time to play with her. Her kind sister who would always look after her. Although her life as a lady of the legitimate royal bloodline truly bore no inconveniences, it was definitely an inconvenient life. Despite that, she recalled the memories of those days where she felt that she was truly blessed¡ª But having been stripped of her title of princess, having been chased away from the palace, Lumia of House Phebell did away with all these memories. Yet, in the end, what should have been forgotten, but ultimately hadn¡¯t been, continued to flow forth from the depths of her heart. ¡°¡­Just what should I do?¡± Having said all that she had to say, Lumia softly asked Glen. ¡°I understand the reason why the Empress abandoned me¡­ For the sake of the royal family, for the sake of the nation¡¯s future she had no choice but to do what she did. Even so¡­ somewhere in my heart, I can¡¯t forgive the Empress for doing what had to be done¡­ Maybe I¡¯m just angry¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s cause it¡¯s unreasonable.¡± ¡°Despite everything, I want to call her ¡®mother¡¯ again, I want to hug her again¡­ A part of me still thinks so¡­ I really am unfair¡­ aren¡¯t I¡­?¡± ¡°Well, that is pretty unreasonable.¡± ¡°But if I call her my mother, then I would be betraying Sisti¡¯s mother and father, who took me in a treated me like their own child¡­ I can¡¯t do that to them¡­¡± ¡°Uhuh. Well, of course that¡¯s unreasonable.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand anything anymore. What¡¯s the right thing to do? What should I do to make things right again¡­¡± Lumia closed her eyes. In a seemingly annoyed manner, Glen released a sigh. ¡°This is just my opinion ok? When making each and every choice in their lives, humans, as living beings, tend to think about how they might regret it, how they might be hurt by it. Then the natural choice to make would be the one that they would regret the least right? Well, I can guarantee that those are all lies¡­ or actually, impossible. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Glen nodded his head and continued. ¡°Don¡¯t¡¯ you think god is a really evil guy? If you see two paths before your eyes, then no matter how long you worry or think about it, you eventually have to choose one. But after all¡¯s said and done, whichever path we chose just leaves us with the thought that ¡®I should¡¯ve chosen the other one¡¯¡­ God just keeps making people who always regret what they¡¯ve done in the end don¡¯t¡¯ you think? No matter how meticulously you try to avoid making a choice, the fact that the choices exists always comes back to haunt you. What a shitty job he¡¯s done.¡± Then, Glen thought back to his own past. Once ago, Glen had admired the magicians of justice that appeared in picture books, and set his sights on becoming one himself. Yet, all that he was left with even now was the extreme regret of having chosen this path on a whim. ¡®The path that I chose was wrong.¡¯ ¡®I should have chosen differently.¡¯ These thoughts repeated in his mind countless times. However, if he had forsaken his dream and walked a different path, would all his troubles and suffering disappear? No, ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have given up on my dream and tried my best¡¯¡­ If he hadn¡¯t chosen that path, then he would surely suffer from that decision as well. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to be true to yourself .¡± ¡°¡­True to myself?¡± ¡°Mhm, if you¡¯re going to regret either way, I¡¯d be just a tad bit better if you choose the path you really want don¡¯t ¡®cha think? Regret it all you like later, but at the end of the day, don¡¯t you feel like you can keep moving forward down the path you chose?¡± ¡°B-, But¡­ I don¡¯t understand how I really feel¡­¡± In response, Glen scratched his head as he said. ¡°I used to be a magician of the Imperial Army¡­ I know it might be surprising, but¡­¡± Unable to understand the intent behind Glen¡¯s words, Lumia felt uneasy. ¡°For work reasons, I had a lot of opportunities to visit the Imperial Court you see? And you know that important thing you were looking at just a moment ago? I¡¯ve seen a certain important person of wear the exact sample thing there¡­ You get what I mean?¡± ¡°¡­-!¡± Taken aback, Lumia reflexively pressed her hands against her chest. ¡°About the matching thing that you¡¯ve kept with you all this time, haven¡¯t there been plenty of chances for you to throw it away? ¡­If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t the answer already clear as day?¡± ¡°The answer¡­¡± ¡°You can hate, grudge and complain for all I care, but let¡¯s start with being honest with yourself okay? If you keep running away like you did just now, nothing will ever get resolved. Well, I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t sound convincing when I do the same thing all the time¡­ but let¡¯s leave that aside for now.¡± For a brief moment, Lumia stayed silent. As before, Glen had his back faced towards Lumia as he silently waited for her answer. Then¡ª ¡°I¡¯m¡­ scared.¡± Lumia murmured. She spoke so softly that was seemed like her voice would disappear any moment. ¡°The day before I was exiled, she was still so kind to me. Yet, on that day, when I was called out by her on that day, everyone there looked grim and horrified¡­ And all she did was look at me with such a cold gaze¡­ It was as if she had transformed into someone else¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°She was kind to me a moment ago¡­ but what if she suddenly turns to look at me with that gaze again¡­? Just thinking about it¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­ that¡¯s why¡­ uhm¡­¡± Having already decided, Lumia looked up towards Glen. ¡°Would you stay with me, sensei?¡± ¡°¡­Dear oh dear, what can I say? I didn¡¯t think you still had such a childish side to you.¡± Shrugging his shoulders with an amused smile, Glen turned to face Lumia. ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­If I lied to you here I¡¯d simply be a terrible person.¡± ¡°Geez, sensei~¡± As Glen sighed, annoyed, Lumia laughed in a weird fashion. And so, Glen accompanied Lumia and they left for their destination. The two of them shared a tranquil and soothing atmosphere. ¡®Now then, now that I¡¯ve said all that, how should I actually make this happen?¡¯ Noticing that he brought the trouble upon himself, Glen began to rack his brain. But¡ª ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Then, Glen noticed a strange group that ahead on the path that he and Lumia were walking on. All the members of the group were covered in armor on the important areas of the body, wore a scarlet colored surcoats, and carried a rapier at their waists. There were five of them in total. Grouping into a crescent-shaped formation, they swiftly pressed down the path towards Glen. ¡°Those surcoats¡­ are they from the royal guard?¡± The best of the best of the Imperial Army. Composed of the troops that were greatly devoted to the Empress, they stood as the guardians that placed the royal family above all else; that was the royal guard. As the Empress was currently visiting the academy, it was a given that they patrol the vicinity of the Empress and carry out their bodyguard duties, but¡ª ¡°What the heck are they doing leaving the Empress behind and coming all the way over here?¡± As Glen tilted his head in puzzlement, the royal guards arrived and stopped in front of Glen. As if to surround Glen and Lumia, the guards silently and deftly spread apart. ¡°Lumia Tinzel¡­right?¡± The person standing in front of the two, who appeared to be the leader of the squad, asked in a hushed voice. Glen and Lumia exchanged a glance. ¡°¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are Lumia Tinzel right?¡± ¡°Eh? Y-, Yes¡­ that¡¯s right¡­¡± As the question was repeated again as if recited from a script, Lumia perplexedly replied. In the moment that Lumia replied¡ª Like springs being released, the guards drew their swords and charged towards Lumia. ¡°¡ª!?¡± Suddenly faced with numerous blade edges, Lumia instinctively flinched. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the meaning of this, you guys?¡± Glen, stood in front of Lumia and covered for her, questioned the guards with an intimidating voice. ¡°Listen closely. We are the agents carrying the Empress¡¯ will.¡± The guard who appeared to be the leader turned a disdainful glance towards Glen, and boldly announced such. ¡°Lumia Tinzel. You have schemed to assassinate Her Majesty Empress Alicia the Seventh, and planned to overturn the empire. There is no vindication for you! For your L¨¨se-majest¨¦ against her Majesty and your acts of treason to the nation, I hereby sentence you to death by my hand! This is the imperial order handed down by the Empress!¡± In the face of the reality that seemed to stray from reality itself¡ª Glen and Lumia couldn¡¯t help but freeze in place. Volume 2 - CH 4 Chapter 4: Nostalgic Comrades-in-Arms The heavy silence yielded an inexplicable pressure. The surrounding emptiness disconnected them from the outside world. Despite being a part of the games earlier, the tumultuous cheers and commentation suddenly felt so distant. At a corner of the academy where no one could be seen other than Glen, Lumia, and the guards that surrounded them¡ª. ¡°I-¡­ I¡­ planned to assassinate her Majesty¡­? Execution¡­?¡± Lumia¡¯s shoulders trembled in shock. ¡°We have all the evidence we need, criminal scum. There is no chance of a pardon nor any need for explanation. Surrender now and be cut down by my blade.¡± Said the captain to the trembling girl. The drawn sword gleamed with sinister light and murderous intent. This wasn¡¯t a joke, not even in the slightest. ¡°I recommend that you do not resist. If you plead guilty to your crime and accept the punishment, I will allow you to have a painless death. I will guarantee that I will put an end to your life as quickly as I can.¡± Lumia began to drip with cold sweat. She lowered her head speechlessly, her face pale from shock and fear. The captain then spoke to Glen, who had moved to shield Lumia. ¡°And you, that girl is a criminal. If you insist on trying to protect her, then I am left no choice but to punish you for the crime of treason against the Empire. Now, hand that girl over.¡± ¡°¡­ If this is a joke, then it¡¯s of bad taste.¡± Glen rose his voice to adamantly bite back at the soldiers and stared them down. ¡°Lumia is trying to assassinate the Empress? Don¡¯t make me laugh. If you¡¯re serious, show me some proof would you?¡± ¡°We have no obligation to disclose evidence to outsiders. This is a highly political problem that common citizens like you needn¡¯t know about. Faced with the soldier¡¯s oppressive attitude, Glen grew exasperated, and snapped back. ¡°Don¡¯t screw with me! You¡¯re saying that you¡¯re going to punish her without a trial or warrant!? What sense does that make!? Since when did the Empire reduce themselves to a group of savage barbarians? How about I read you the imperial charter from the beginning you stupid retards!¡± ¡°Insolent peasant, you are the one who needs to read it. Her Majesty the Empress is the highest authority of the nation. Her words are above the law, and are of utmost priority.¡± ¡°Huh-!? For your knowledge, I don¡¯t intend to start debate with you about how law works!¡± ¡°Hmpf, the same goes for me. I don¡¯t know what kind of dirty place you come from, but if you plan on continue to defend this felon, then I shall hand down my punishment on both you and the criminal. ¡°¡­ The hell? Have you gone nuts or something?¡± ¡°In any case, your rude manner of speech against myself, a loyal subject of her Majesty the Empress, is no different from insulting her Majesty. I believe I¡¯ve made a more than fair case for L¨¨se-majest¨¦?¡± ¡°Stop screwing with me you shit¡­!¡± As the scene gradually heated up and both refused to back down, the atmosphere became progressively more hostile. The first person that attempted to calm the situation was Lumia. ¡°Please wait, sensei!¡± Having made her decision, Lumia shouted out. ¡°¡­I will do as you say.¡± Said Lumia firmly, as she clasped her trembling hands before her chest. ¡°¡­Huh? O-, Oi¡­¡± Glen fretfully and perplexedly turned his head towards Lumia. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that this is the Empress¡¯ Grudge. Thinking back, I embarrassed her with my disrespectful conduct. I will atone for that with my life, so I hope you can show some mercy. Sensei is¡­ He is unrelated to any of this!¡± ¡°You idiot! What are you sa¡ª Glen cried out in rage, but¡­ ¡°You can¡¯t, sensei.¡± His protests were silenced by Lumia, who had taken the initiative. ¡°If you keep trying to cover me, you¡¯ll become involved in my troubles as well¡­¡± ¡°No! You know that it¡¯s not true! How can the stupid stuff he¡¯s saying be true!? There has to be a misunderstanding! Isn¡¯t that right!? So why are you you accepting it¡­ DAMNIT!¡± Glen raised a fist into a fighting stance. Recognizing that he intended to obstruct them, the guards instantly turned towards Glen. ¡°D-, Don¡¯t do this sensei! Please stop!¡± ¡°Sensei¡­? Oho? So you¡¯re a magic instructor at this academy? Hmpf, your resistance is futile, instructor. Do you think you can fight all five of us at once? We¡¯re all battle-experts you know?¡± ¡°Huh? So what? We won¡¯t know unless we¡¯ve try right? So what are you guys waiting for? Scared?¡± Glen ran his mouth and taunted the guards. In the next moment, the five brandished silver blades rung as they cut through the air. By the time Glen realized it, the five swords that flew faster than the eye could follow were pressed against his neck and throat in all directions. ¡°¡­mgh.¡± Glen reflexively suppressed his voice. The coordinated move of the five soldiers was certainly well practiced, if not perfect. If the distance between them and Glen was a bit farther, or if it had been a one-on-one, then it would¡¯ve been a different story altogether, but their synchronized timing of their strikes had left no room to even attempt to dodge. ¡°A bluff won¡¯t work. Just what can a magician do at this distance? Besides, we¡¯re all equipped with magic-resistant armor. Against us, the tri-elemental assault and mind corruption spells you magicians like so much won¡¯t work. That said, do you still want to fight? You alone against five elites?¡± Glen clicked his tongue in frustration. There¡¯s nothing I can do at this distance and situation. Even if I¡¯m prepared to die for this, I can take down one or two of them, but then the rest would skewer me alive. Then I wouldn¡¯t be able to save Lumia. ¡°And it¡¯s not just the five of us you know? We have split ourselves into groups to order to search for this girl, so our total forces amount to far more than this. Even if you manage to break through now, what would you do then?¡± ¡°¡­-!?¡± ¡°Back down now, magician. This is my final warning.¡± Sweating, Glen glanced at the guard¡¯s surroundings him as if to look for an opening. ¡°Please sensei¡­ It¡¯s fine now, it¡¯s fine now, so please¡­ If you keep doing this, even you will¡­¡± As Lumia tearily pleaded, Glen finally came to a halt. The fists that were so eager moments ago now hung powerlessly at his side, as if representing his crestfallen will. Seeing that he no longer intended to resist, the soldiers slowly withdrew their swords from Glen. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± To Glen who was now haggard and stricken, Lumia showed a firm smile. ¡°¡­I guess this is goodbye.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°This happened so fast it doesn¡¯t seem real.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡± ¡°Please take care of Sisti.¡± ¡°¡­Let me just say this.¡± ¡°Hey sensei¡­ Actually, I l¡ª¡° ¡°This is important.¡± Glen raised his head towards Lumia, and with a sincere expression, he said. ¡°¡­At the very least, close your eyes when the time comes. If you do that¡­ then there won¡¯t be anything to be afraid of.¡± In the next moment¡ª ¡°¡ªGah!?¡±¡± A soldier struck the back of Glen¡¯s head with the hilt of his sword. Glen fell to his knees, and fell to the floor, where he remained silent and still. ¡°Ahhh-!? Sensei! W-, What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Rest assured, he is only unconscious. It would be troublesome if a magician were to resist.¡± As Lumia clung onto the fallen Glen, one of the soldiers grabbed ahold of Lumia¡¯s arm. ¡°Now more importantly, criminal, come here! Hurry it up!¡± The other soldiers pointed their swords at Lumia as she was taken away. ¡°Alright, this is fine! Now stand still!¡± Lumia was brought under a tree, where her hands were then tied behind her back. With swords pressing against her neck from every direction, it was impossible to move an inch. Then, the captain, who appeared to be the one who would carry out the sentence, raised his sword into a stand in from of Lumia. ¡°Relax your body, and don¡¯t move. If you make any sudden movements, it will only extend your suffering.¡± For a while, Lumia stared at the point of the blade with a distant, hollow gaze. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± She took a deep breath of air, and adhering to Glen¡¯s parting words, gently shut her eyes. Lumia Tinzel had long been prepared for this day¡ª Originally, I should have died three years ago. If my existence were to be made public, it would cause chaos both inside and outside the country. In order to protect this country, I was meant to be killed without anyone knowing. This wasn¡¯t anything special. Between the battles for the succession of the throne, the conflicts between the several factions involved with royalty, and the sacrifices to be made for the sake of empowering the nation; there have been a countless numbers of times where members of royalty were killed for different purposes. I had been merely one of those many. Yet, I¡¯m still alive. Alicia had taken pity on me, and forced a path where I would continue living. I surely had no choice but to accept my death, but I¡¯m still alive here and now. I have truly been lucky. Thus, Lumia came to the realization that the reason she lived to this day was nothing but pure and simple luck. ¡®A day like this would eventually come¡¯¡­ She would often think. Although she had been reduced to a mere commoner, Lumia¡¯s existence within the Alzano Empire itself was an unstable bomb waiting to blow. As the Empress whose duty was to support the nation, her mother would someday be forced to come to the decision to deal with her¡­ So she always carried that resolution in her heart. The sudden announcement of her execution, was probably¡­ just another scenario through which her final moments would be carried out. That¡¯s why even Lumia herself felt that she was unexpectedly calm when the inevitable moment had actually arrived. Yet, despite that¡ª ¡­It¡¯s scary, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve been prepared for this, but in the end, the thought of dying still scares me. I can¡¯t stop shaking, my heartbeat won¡¯t slow, my chest hurts, I can¡¯t breathe, I can¡¯t even think straight¡ª More than that, there¡¯s Sisti who treated me like a real sister, her parents who treated me like their real daughter, the classmates that I get along with, and¡­ ¨C Glen. It¡¯s sad that I have no choice but to say goodbye to everyone like this. ¡®Someone save me¡¯, she thought. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die¡¯. She wanted to curl into a ball and weep. In the end¡­ I still don¡¯t want to die¡­ I want sensei to teach me many things. I want him to remember¡­ how he saved my life three years ago. I still want to do so much, see so much, and talk about so many things with Sisti. And finally, just once more, with my mother, I¡ª ¡­Ahah, that¡¯s right¡­ She had finally realized it. Finally¡­ I want to meet her one more time¡­ She could feel the tears trickling down her cheeks. Glen was right. I already knew what I really wanted since the beginning. If only I had been a bit more honest to myself¡­ Why was I being so obstinate back then¡­? However, it was all too late. Too late¡­ for anything. ¡­Goodbye. Tears rolled from the corners of her eye and down her cheek¡ª Translated by yuNS @ w w w.crimsonmagic.me Then came a flash¡ª And with it, an explosion-like sound echoed above her head. ¡°Ugyaaaaaahh¡ª!?¡± In exchange for the burning pain that would mark her death, Lumia¡¯s ears were struck with a ear-wrenching shriek. ¡°¡­-!?¡± Out of surprise, Lumia inadvertently opened her eyes. ¡°U-, AHHH¡­-!? My eyes, my eyes¡ª!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I-, I can¡¯t see¡­ I can¡¯t see anything¡­-!¡± All Lumia saw were soldiers who had dropped their weapons on the floor with their hands pushed up against their eyes as they cried out in pain. What? Lumia blinked her eyes and¡ª ¡°See? It was good that you closed your eyes right?¡± With a thankful expression on his face, Glen, who had gotten up at some point, ran up to Lumia. ¡°Geez, that hurt¡­ knocking me on the head all sudden like that. Well, it didn¡¯t work in the end cause he thought I was just a normal magician. My forte is actually close-combat, so a hit like that won¡¯t do me in.¡± Then, he glanced at the soldiers who panickedly clasped their eyes. ¡°Also, against enemies that direct spell attacks don¡¯t work on, you can use this sorta method to deal with them.¡± ¡°S-, Sensei¡­ W-, What exactly¡­¡± As Lumia was unable to comprehend the turn of events, Glen proudly replied. ¡°I used the spell [Flash ¡¤ Light], and let it burst on top of your head.¡± The black magic [Flash ¡¤ Light]. It was a elementary self-defense spell that released an intense flash of light to blind the opponent¡¯s eyes. Of course, it didn¡¯t contain any lethal force, but¡ª ¡°If you use it right, it¡¯s actually pretty strong¡­ and heave-ho-!¡± ¡°Guah-¡° ¡°Ah-!?¡± Glen struck the necks of the guards around him with hand-chops and knocked them out one after another. ¡°Y-, You bastard-! To use such an underhanded method¡­!¡± The captain who was the last man standing picked up his fallen sword and put up a stance. However, since his vision wasn¡¯t restored, his body swayed to one side. ¡°Pfft! ¡®I¡¯m covered in magic resistant equipment so tri-elemental assault and mind pollution spells won¡¯t work¡¯, you said? Puhahaha, you idiot! Do you think those are the only weapons that magicians have!? Did you swallow the army¡¯s textbook or something!? Your actual combat experience is seriously lacking.¡± ¡°Guh, damn you. You should know that an insult to us, is an insult to the Em¡ª Gah, ugh¡­!?¡± Before he could finish, Glen threw his right fist straight at the center of the soldier¡¯s nose. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna wait and listen idiot. By the time you finish you¡¯ll probably have your vision back¡­¡± Glen looked down disgustedly at the guard that face-planted on the floor with a plop. ¡°Now then, let me release you from those, Lumia.¡± Glen took out a small folding knife and cut the ropes that bound Lumia¡¯s hands. ¡°S-, Sensei¡­ what did you do¡­ You attacked the royal guards¡­ Just why did you¡­?¡± After being freed, Lumia stood silent in shock for a brief moment. However, after grasping the severity of the situation, befuddled voice. ¡°Wellllll¡ª, erm, how should I say this? My tongue kinda slipped, then my hands slipped as well! Whatever should I do?¡± ¡°¡¯Whatever should I do?¡¯¡­ Did you not think this through!? At this rate you¡¯ll be charged with treason as well, sensei!¡± ¡°Ah, mm, erm¡­ I guess that¡¯s pretty bad.¡± Despite his tone, the discomfort on Glen¡¯s expression was obvious. His forehead trickled with cold sweat. Seeing that expression of his, one could tell that he hadn¡¯t put much consideration beforehand. ¡°Please run sensei! If someone sees you here¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure there are some people who are willing to talk amongst the royal guards. Let¡¯s find him first¡­¡± ¡°Found them¡ª! Over here¡ª!¡± Suddenly, the angry voice from a third party rang through the area. Looking in the direction, Glen saw a new group of soldiers heading towards them. ¡°L-, Look! Our allies were killed!¡± ¡°Damn you, nefarious criminal scum! I swear to put you down with my blade!¡± ¡°I shall clear the regrets of my comrades who have fallen in their duty!* In their vigor and misunderstanding, the soldiers exuded high levels of malice. At this point, it seemed like there was no longer any room for negotiation. As the soldiers quickly approached and drew their blade, Glen¡¯s expression of discomfort seemed to pale. ¡°You guys, did you moms not teach you that you should let people finish what they have to say?¡± ¡°W-, What should we do sensei!? At this rate, you will¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time for ¡®should¡¯, we just gotta roll with it¡ª¡± ¡°Kyaa-!?¡± Glen picked up Lumia into a princess carry and dashed towards the fences that surrounded the academy. ¡°-!¡± Chanting the three-stage spell, Glen took a running jump. Then, with power that human legs could not possibly achieve, the two flew through the air. The black magic [Gravity ¡¤ Control]. By using the spell to weaken the effects of gravity, their bodies became as light as feathers. Lumia and Glen, who carried the former, leaped clear of the fence and outside the academy. Cancelling the spell and landing on the ground, Glen made a mad dash towards the town. ¡°T-, They got away-!?¡± ¡°After them! Don¡¯t let those rebels escape¡ª!¡± The voices shouted after Glen, but he had no time . ¡°Ah, come on already damnit! Why is it just one thing after another today!? I said I friggin¡¯ hate workinggggg¡ª! WOOOOO! Hurray for shut-in life¡ª!¡± Amidst a spectacle where a raging torrent of men relentlessly pursued him, Glen¡¯s grievous and heart-spoken cries echoed far and away. In this deadly game of tag, Glen seemed to have found his first victory by using the terrain to his advantage. Reaching a certain deserted back-alley, Glen confirmed that he had finally lost his pursuers, and set Lumia down. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Geez, this has become a real pain in the ass¡­¡± Glen leaned his back against the alley wall, and gasped for air whilst wiping his sweat. ¡°Now then, what are we gonna do about this¡­¡± As Glen caught his breath and considered the options, Lumia asked. ¡°Sensei¡­ why¡­?¡± Lumia¡¯s expression didn¡¯t betray her bitter feelings regarding the sudden turn of events. She was probably deeply regretting getting Glen involved. ¡°Do you understand that if this goes on, you will¡­¡± ¡°No, I mean, if I leave you alone White Cat¡¯s gonna give me a hell of a scolding. Her lectures hurts my damn mind so I would rather not honestly.¡± Despite the situation, Glen was still joking around; even Lumia of all people felt irritated by this. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to joke around! If you don¡¯t think seriously about this, you¡¯ll be killed for treason against the nation you know!? Sensei!¡± ¡°Mhm, that would be pretty bad wouldn¡¯t it¡­ I wonder if I¡¯ll be let off the hook if I use my past accomplishments as a bargaining chip¡­ Would that work¡­? Probably not I guess¡­? Hmm¡­.¡± Despite the severity of their situation, Glen attitude was the same as always. His impudence and shamelessness seemed to know no bounds; one could say that his attitude was actually refreshing. It was to the point where it made her feel stupid for treating the situation so seriously. Lumia could only release a long sigh. ¡°Hey sensei. I only have one question, so please answer to this honestly.¡± Asked Lumia. It was as if she had given up on trying to change Glen¡¯s mind. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Why did you save me? Right now, you¡¯ve been put in a really dangerous position you know? It wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were killed. Why did you go so far for my sake¡­?¡± Depending on his reason, there might be some room to plead mercy for extenuating circumstances. So Lumia hoped above all else that Glen would be able to answer her honestly¡ª ¡°Ah-, who knows? Maybe I¡¯ve fallen in love with you or something? You know, it¡¯s the kind of stupid thing where a man will go to the ends of the earth for the woman he loves or something like that? Doesn¡¯t that happen a lot throughout history? So anyway, you get it now? If you get it then shush. I have a lot of things to think about.¡± ¡°Sensei, please answer seriously!¡± Towards Glen, who failed to treat it seriously to the point where he made it seem like it was someone else¡¯s problem, Lumia raised her voice in agitation. Glen glanced towards Lumia, whose shoulders slightly trembled in reigned anger as she looked straight into his eyes with a heavy expression. Then, he scratched his head awkwardly and murmured with a subdued voice. ¡°¡­It¡¯s cause I promised.¡± ¡°Promised?¡± Lumia pressed onward, unable to understand Glen¡¯s answer. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothin¡¯¡± Although he shrugged it off, Glen had surely said that ¡®he promised¡¯. ¡®What kind of promise was it?¡¯ ¡®Who did you promise?¡¯ Lumia wanted to continue, but Glen placed a hand on her head and patted her, as if to stop her from continuing. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry about it. I didn¡¯t do it on a whim, so it only seems like I¡¯m being reckless¡­ Well, even if it wasn¡¯t on a whim, that might¡¯ve still been reckless of me¡­¡± ¡°Sensei¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. The Empress¡­ No, your mother would never do something like punish you without so much as a trial. For an execution order to suddenly be given¡­ There has to be something going on behind the scenes. Trust me.¡± ¡®Why was he so sure?¡¯ Lumia couldn¡¯t quite understand Glen¡¯s confidence. ¡°Our victory condition is pretty simple. As long as we¡¯re able to avoid the guards and reach the Empress, we win. Once we meet her, she¡¯ll be able to resolve the misunderstanding.¡± ¡®Why was he able to say it so definitively?¡¯ Lumia still couldn¡¯t understand. However, blind to Lumia¡¯s doubts, Glen continued to brainstorm. ¡°The problem is how we¡¯ll get to her, but¡­¡± The Empress was currently in the magic academy in northern Fejiti. As of now, Glen and Lumia were currently in the west area. Surely, by now, the royal guards would have placed all the town gates under lockdown, and began a sweep of the entire town. Not to mention, it was a given that there would also be guards stationed around the Empress for her protection as well. Even if they ran back, it was practically impossible to get an audience with her. ¡°¡­Huh? Are we donezo?¡± Now that he thought about it calmly, Glen couldn¡¯t help but break into a cold sweat when faced with the inevitable tightrope that he would have no choice but to walk. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s no need for us to go meet her directly now is there!¡± Whilst wincing about his own stupidity, Glen took a half-gemstone out of his pocket. ¡°Sensei, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic tool used for long distance communication. If you split a gemstone into two pieces and imbue it with magic, sound can pass from one stone to the other and be used as a means of communication. The other piece is with Serika, so if I use it I should be able to talk with her.¡± Of course, Serika had been the one to make it. Given Glen¡¯s skill it wasn¡¯t possible for him to make such a high-level magic tool. ¡°Well anyway, Serika should be with the Empress at the V.I.P. stands right now. If we talk to the empress through Serika, we should be able to put an end to the royal guard¡¯s rampage.¡± Glen hurriedly chanted the spell to activate the communication magic tool. The sound of metallic resonance rung from the gemstone. Then¡ª ¡°¡­Glen?¡± Serika answered from the gemstone. ¡°Ah Serika! Al-right alright, you actually answered the first time around! I was wondering what the heck I was gonna do if you didn¡¯t like that other time a while ago!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± For some reason, Serika remained silent. It was probably out of a distaste for the other person¡¯s manner of speech. ¡°¡­Serika? Well, whatever. Hey, so I need some help right now. Actually, I¡¯ve been mercilessly dragged into a kinda troublesome incident, and¡ª¡± Before Glen could continue¡ª ¡°I can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± The immediate reply came in the form of a blunt refusal, the intent behind which could not be read. ¡°Oi, wait, I haven¡¯t even said anyth¡ª¡° ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t say anything, Glen.¡± ¡°Hah? What¡¯s your deal? Hey quit the bullshit you idiot! I¡¯m being serious h¡ª¡± Losing his patience as one would expect, Glen began to rapidly rattle his complaints. ¡°I¡¯ll say this one more time alright Glen? I can¡¯t do anything, and I can¡¯t say anything either.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± Glen finally noticed that there was something strange about Serika¡¯s current circumstances. At the very least, it appeared that this sequence of events wasn¡¯t an open-and-shut case; contrary to his expectations. ¡°¡­Hey Serika, just answer what you can. Do you know what kind of situation I¡¯m in?¡± ¡°¡­I know the gist of it.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t do anything about it?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Is the empress with you?¡± ¡°¡­Mhm.¡± ¡°What happened? Why are the royal guards running amok?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± The question was met with silence. ¡°Why did the Empress ostensibly put down the imperial order to ¡®Kill Lumia¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± This question too, was met with silence. It seems like this is part of what she ¡®can¡¯t say¡¯. What kind of situation is this? What the heck is happening? Serika is the leading seventh-rank magician of the continent. What happened to restrict Serika to this extent? Damnit, I don¡¯t get it at all¡­ What the hell is this¡­? Glen showed a bitter expression as he pressed a hand to his head in distress. ¡°Let me tell you one thing Glen. You¡¯re the only one.¡± ¡°What? ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can break through this situation. Yes, you¡¯re the only one.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that exactly¡­?¡± ¡°Think through what I mean Glen, and do whatever you can to come before the Empress. If you can get here I can do something about the guards¡­ It¡¯ll be risky to keep talking, so I¡¯m cutting the connection.¡± ¡°O-, Oi!¡± Leaving behind nothing but ambiguous words, Serika cut the connection on her side. Regardless of how many times I cast the spell and activate the gemstone, it doesn¡¯t seem like Serika will reply. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it¡­ Even if you tell me to come¡­ how the heck am I supposed to get all the way to the Empress on my own¡­ Damnit!¡± Each and every one of the royal guards carried armed might and technical prowess, but since their primary duty was to act bodyguards, they were lacking in real combat experience. Also, the magic that they used were limited to military assault and healing spells. With Glen¡¯s wealth of experience in the past as an Imperial Court Magician and the extensive amount of spells that he knew, as long as he devoted himself to running away, he would probably manage somehow. However, trying to invade an area was a different matter altogether. With the difference in numbers, there was a despairingly large difference in combat potential. Not to mention, the bodyguard that would be positioned closest to the Empress was probably the royal guard commander Zeros. In the God-Reverence War forty years ago, he had fought evenly against the general of the Holy Elizareth Church¡¯s Knights of the Chapel, the ¡®Sword Saint¡¯ Johannes, and was indisputably a mighty veteran. His abilities couldn¡¯t be compared to his peers. No matter how I think about it this is beyond what I can do. I need allies¡­ if I at least had one or two allies¡ª As Glen hit the wall in frustration, it was then that¡ª He felt a chill down his spine. It was a deathly chill that felt as though a blade of ice had been run across his back. ¡°¡ªBloodthirst!?¡± This all too familiar sensation made Glen reflexively turn towards its source. On the room of a building stood a boy-girl duo. The duo were undoubtedly looking straight down towards Glen. Glen recognized the distinct clothing and figures of the two. The two, who had risen from the depths of his sea of memories, were¡ª ¡°Riel!? And Albert too!? Why are you¡ª No way, could it be that the Imperial Court Magicians were also mobilized!?¡± The moment Glen noticed their presence¡ª Riel kicked off the roof like a bullet and ran down the walls the nearby buildings. The moment she touched the ground, she began saying something and pressed her hands against the floor. Then, sparks of lightning burst from the ground, in mere moments a cross shaped claymore came forth from Riel¡¯s hands. In exchange, the stone paving beneath her arms disappeared. Riel, who had made a steel claymore from the stone pavement, readied the blade on her shoulder, and charged towards Glen¡ª ¡°Tch! Your specialty alchemy combination of [Phenotype Transformation] and [Elemental Rearrangement] for high speed weapon synthesis already!? And it¡¯s friggin¡¯ fast!¡± As usual, there was no time to be surprised by their skill. There was no doubt about this; as of now, Riel and Albert ¨C Glen¡¯s former comrades ¨C were enemies. Like the royal guards, they had come to hunt them down. A despairing sense of fretfulness seemed to burn at Glen. He never thought that of all people, they would¡ª ¡°Stop damnit! If you don¡¯t stop then I¡¯m gonna have to take you down!¡± However, Riel, unfazed by Glen¡¯s threat, and continued to rush forward. The space between them was closing in an instant¡ª ¡°¡ª-!¡± Glen completed the three-stage chant without hesitation. In the next moment, a swirl of frost gathered in the palm of Glen¡¯s outstretched left hand. The resulting blizzard became a frozen tempest that caused the temperature to rapidly decline. The overwhelming frost caused the moisture in the air to freeze into abundant amount of ice shards, which flooded towards Riel. The black magic [Ice ¡¤ Blizzard] was a military grade assault spell. If one were to be struck by the blizzard without any magical safeguards, their blood would freeze in an instant, and their heart would be stopped. Furthermore, the impact of the countless number of ice shards would cause the frozen body to shatter into small pieces. Normally, one would come to a halt before the blizzard. Magicians whom were experienced in combat would immediate raise a magical safeguard and retreat away from its area of effect. Either way, they would stop. Despite this, Riel did not. Ignoring the tempest and unafraid of the shards of ice that struck her, she raised her arms to protect her eyes and continued to madly rush forward. ¡°Are you a friggin¡¯ pig or something¡ª!?¡± The blizzard¡¯s low temperatures were resisted using the black magic [Tri ¡¤ Resist], but there was no way for Riel to defend against physical attacks from the ice shards that flew towards her. For her to be able to push through it was nothing but a testament to her unusual tenacity, which one would not be able to gauge from her appearance and idiocy. ¡°Lumia-! Get down-!¡± Clicking his tongue, Glen threw away the robe that hung on his shoulders, and began to chant another spell. What he casted was the black magic [Weapon ¡¤ Enchant], which imbued his fists with magic power. Engaging that girl in close combat barehanded would simply be asking to die¡ª ¡°Haiiiiiiiyaaaa¡ª!¡± As Glen finished the chant, Riel, who dashed forth like a gale, had reached striking distance. In nearly the same instant, she raised her claymore above her head. Then, she swung her sword downwards. The resulting strike was like a flash of lightning. It was a decisive, straightforward, rough, yet elegant strike. ¡°Tch¡ª!?¡± Glen crossed his fists above his head to meet the severe blow. Just where did Riel find such brute strength in her small arms? The moment Glen received the strike, overwhelming shockwaves that seemed like they would crush his body burst from the clash, and the pavement beneath his feet was crushed. ¡°Gg¡ªAAAHHH¡ª!?¡± Throwing up blood, Glen resisted the strike with all his strength so that he would not be crushed. ¡°Sensei-!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment, Glen!¡± Riel pulled her sword back and swung it down again. The claymore, which should¡¯ve been considerably heavy, was swung around like a willow branch, and flashed towards Glen twice, thrice, and again without a moment¡¯s rest. The thunderous blast of each swing was accompanied by the sound of the air being torn. ¡°Tch¡ª!?¡± Glen ducked left, right, and back to narrowly avoid the steel tempest. Sparks would fly whenever he parried the blade with the back of his hands, which shone with magical energy. However, the force of the unstoppable impact would crash into his body, and the tremendous force behind the blade would cause a gale to violently blow in all directions, tormenting his protesting body. ¡°Iiiiiiiiiyaaaa¡ª!¡± With a lion-like roar, Riel continued to swing again and again. The aftershock of each strike would gash the walls, pulverize the pavement, and send the resulting wreckage flying through the air. In the brief engagement the alleyway had already been reduced to a hellish landscape. Riel¡¯s visage of unadulterated force and violence was akin to a tornado. ¡°Guh¡ª!? H-, Hey wait-! Riel! Can you just listen to me for a bit-!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point! Kill!¡± No matter what Glen said, all he would get in reply were vicious strikes. Shit¡­ Shit¡­! Albert is behind her¡ª! On a faraway rooftop, the young man gazed up the situation with eyes that were sharp like a hawk, patiently waiting for his chance to strike. The mere sight of the man pushed Glen¡¯s uneasiness to its limit. Albert was a master at magic sniping. Even in the midst chaotic battle, he would be able to avoid hitting his allies and snipe his enemies with unparalleled accuracy. It could be called a superhuman feat. Furthermore, he was capable of ¡®Double ¡¤ Cast¡¯, a high level magic technique which allowed one to activate a magic twice with a single chant. Shit, my original magic [The Fool¡¯s World] doesn¡¯t work against these guys¡ª! Executor #17 of the Imperial Court Magicians Special Forces, ¡®The Star¡¯, Albert. From the same unit, Executor #7, ¡®The Chariot¡¯, Riel. The genius magician who could snipe from outside the effect radius of [The Fool¡¯s World], Albert. The genius magic swordsman which rendered [The Fool¡¯s World] meaningless with her mastery of close combat, Riel. When Glen had been known as Executor #0, ¡®The Fool¡¯, during his time with the Imperial Court Magicians, they were the most reliable comrades he could ask for¡ª At the same time, however, they were also the worst enemies he could possibly face. ¡°How is it Glen!? This is the power of my magic!¡± ¡°Can you even call that magic!?¡± Glen shouted as he rolled to the side to dodge a sweeping slash which destroyed the wall behind him. ¡°Of course it¡¯s magic! I used alchemy to make this sword!¡± Pushing her body to her limits, Riel flew towards Glen and brought down her claymore in an exaggerated overhand strike. The claymore barely missed Glen, who had managed to jump away, and demolished the stone pavement where he was a moment ago, blasting away fragments and leaving a crater in its wake. ¡°And I shall firmly reject your explanation!¡± Despite the seemingly playful rebuttal, Glen had no room to play around. At the corner of the vision, he could see Albert pointing his finger towards him. Impossible. Dodging Albert¡¯s ¡®Double Cast¡¯ sniping whilst fighting Riel at the same time was far within the range of impossibility. It was simply beyond the scope of a human¡¯s capabilities. Furthermore, Riel, who pursued Glen like a hunting dog, showed not even the slightest trace of fatigue. He was completely out of options. Damnit, sorry Lumia¡ª! Slipping past the tempest of destruction, Glen helplessly clenched his teeth¡ª At the same time, Albert released the black magic [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] from the time of his finger¡ª The supersonic beam of lightning shot through the air in a straight line in Glen¡¯s direction¡ª Ku¡ª!? With no way to dodge, Glen prepared himself for the worst¡ª ¡°Kyan!?¡± The black magic [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] struck the back of Riel¡¯s head. Riel quickly fell to the floor, and where her body began to twitch and spasm. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± The seemingly endless chorus of destruction quickly came to a halt. It was almost as if it had all been a joke. As Glen stood shocked, Albert who jumped from the roof lightly landed on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Glen.¡± ¡°Ah, Ahh¡­¡± The calm and condescending tone of voice behind his former comrade¡¯s greeting made Glen feel a little perplexed. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else. Follow me.¡± Albert, dragging Riel behind him, walked deeper down the alley. Unable to understand the situation, Glen and Lumia exchanged a glance and obediently nodded. Then¡ª ¡°You stupid idiot! What the heck were you thinking!?¡± Glen¡¯s shout reverberated from deep within an alleyway at the western area of Fejiti. ¡°You wanted to settle a score from all the way back when I was still in active duty!? Think about time and circumstance a little idiot! Musclebrain! Thanks to you I almost friggin¡¯ died!¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡± The force behind the [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] that had struck Riel had been substantially controlled, and her natural tenacity had also lightened the impact. She had already recovered by now, and her emotional state returned to its usual meager state. That said, she seemed to be a little dispirited. ¡°S-, Sensei¡­ Who are they?¡± Lumia stayed a little further away, and looked uneasily at Riel and Albert. ¡°Ah, these guys are my comrades from back when I was still in the army. We can trust them, so rest easy¡­ or at least I think we can. After what happened just now¡­¡± ¡°Yep. Using military assault magic in the middle of town¡­ That was careless of you Albert. I mean look, even that girl is scared of¡ª¡° ¡°It¡¯s your fault isn¡¯t it? Your fault!¡± Glen clawed Riel¡¯s head in his hands, and violently shook her back and forth. ¡°¡­Geez, you haven¡¯t changed in the least¡­ hah¡­¡± Ignoring Riel, who maintained her sleepy-looking expressionlessness whilst dizzily shaking back and forth like a metronome, Glen released a long sigh. ¡°¡­Can we get back on topic? As it stands, the current situation is rather grave.¡± ¡°S-, Sorry, keep going.¡± Despite reuniting with Glen after a long time, Albert¡¯s attitude was still rather cold. Due to this, Glen replied in an uneasy manner. ¡°From the information that I¡¯ve gathered with my farsight magic, Her Majesty the Empress is currently being detained by the Royal guard. The royal guard are moving independently to eliminate that girl ¨C Miss Lumia ¨C over there.¡± ¡°Yeah I get that. Those guys got an order that the Empress would never ever give. So, what¡¯s her situation right now?¡± ¡°The Empress is currently at the V.I.P. stands. However, all the core elites of the royal guards are stationed around her perfectly, so there aren¡¯t any openings to exploit. From the looks of it, the Empress is unable to move elsewhere either. Anyone who gets remotely close will be met with hostility¡­ so it would rather difficult to break through.¡± ¡°What about Serika? You know, the former #21.¡± ¡°She is currently next to the Empress, however, she doesn¡¯t appear to be planning anything.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. Given Serika, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t be able to protect the Empress and break through the encirclement¡­ Anyway, do you get why the royal guard are targeting Lumia?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. However, if what you said is true, that Miss Lumia is the rumored ¡®Abandoned Princess¡¯¡­ Then let¡¯s say that the royal guard heard about this. To protect the royal family¡¯s honor, they would run rampant out of loyalty, and eliminate her¡­ I suppose that is a possibility.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t they going a little too far? There¡¯s a saying that says ¡®the truth is bound to leak eventually¡¯, so let¡¯s assume they somehow got ahold of this confidential information. Even then, they don¡¯t have to do this while the Empress is still here, and there isn¡¯t a solid reason to do this right now. I just don¡¯t get why the royal guards are going so far as to commit L¨¨se-majest¨¦ themselves to get this done.¡± ¡°You make a fair point. If the royal guards needed to do this, it would¡¯ve been better to do this in secret.¡± As the two thought about the truth behind the incident, Glen showed a gloomy expression, whilst Albert maintained his calm indifference. When the two seemed to reach a standstill in their thoughts, Riel suddenly butted in. ¡°That¡¯s enough. There are things that you wouldn¡¯t understand no matter how much you think about it.¡± ¡°¡­No, wouldn¡¯t it be better if you used your head a little more?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I thought of a plan to break through this situation. If you¡¯re here, Glen, we can pull off a slightly more advanced strategy.¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it then.¡± ¡°First, I will charge in from the front. Then, Glen will charge in from the front. After that, Albert will charge in from the front. Everything should be fine that way¡­ What do you think?¡± ¡°Can you stop thinking with your muscles already!?¡± ¡°Ow.¡± Glen, who was shocked and astonished, clutched Riel¡¯s head from both sides, and grinded his palms against her head like a turning screw. ¡°Do you understand the hardships I¡¯m going through now that you¡¯re gone, Glen?¡± The words that Albert said in a matter-of-fact tone seemed to bite at Glen. ¡°¡­Mhm, sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°Now is not the time to listen to why you left us without saying anything, nor is it the time to ask you to come back, however¡­ I will have you explain it all to us someday. It is something you must see through to the end.¡± ¡°¡­Mhm.¡± Towards this, Glen, in rare circumstance, nodded obediently. ¡°And then, you will settle the score with me someday. It is something you must see through to the end.¡± ¡°No way in hell!¡± Towards Riel, who refused to give up, Glen rebutted in a fed-up manner. ¡°Right. I don¡¯t want to settle the score someday either. Then, how about right now¡ª¡± ¡°Why do you see it like that!? Give me a break already! Hiiii!? S-, Stay away!¡± Riel readied the giant sword, and drew closer with an expressionless stare. Glen sweat like a waterfall as he fearfully shifted backwards. ¡°Anyway, why are you so fixated with fighting me!?¡± ¡°In a duel between magicians, the loser must heed a request from the winner¡­ I heard.¡± ¡°Ah, so there was a molding tradition like that!? And what about it!?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s desperate and somewhat resigned question, Riel was at a loss of words for a brief moment. ¡°¡­It¡¯s because¡­ more than anything ¡­ I want you to come back¡­ Glen.¡± Although she didn¡¯t usually show emotion, for the brief moment where mutters were nearly drowned out, there was a slightly sorrowful undertone behind her voice¡­ or so it seemed. ¡°¡­Tch, you idiot. If I die ¡®cause of that then aren¡¯t you just putting the cart before the horse¡­?¡± ¡°Glen won¡¯t die so easily.¡± ¡°Are you serious¡­¡± Lumia, who silently observed the situation thus far, let a chuckle slip. ¡°Albert-san and Riel-san¡­ right? Hehe, they¡¯re both good people aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Huh? Good people? These guys? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡± At this point, Glen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Well anyway, if we can directly meet the Empress, we should be able to break through this situation. For one reason or another, I have to get to where the Empress is.¡± ¡°Why is that, Glen?¡± ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s what Serika said anyway. What she said was not really music to the ears, but she wouldn¡¯t say that without a good reason. There has to be a reason why I must get to the Empress. Since the situation gonna turn worse if we sit around doing nothing, why don¡¯t we give this a try?¡± ¡°Can we trust her?¡± ¡°Well at the very least, I know I can trust her.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. If you say so, then I will put my trust in her too.¡± Albert silently closed his eyes and nodded. ¡°To get you two to the Empress¡­ what should we do?¡± ¡°Hmm, I wonder¡ª¡± Glen thought about it for a brief moment¡­ and returned a certain suggestion to Albert and Riel. Volume 2 - CH 5 Chapter 5: Fervent Outside, Turbulent Inside The fervor in the stadium showed no signs of dying down. Rather, dramatic developments that did not allow the spectators to put their minds at ease happened one after another, driving the stadium into a state of wild enthusiasm. ¡°¡­What¡¯s taking so long?¡± murmured Sistina. In contrast to the lively crowd, she was feeling uneasy. ¡°Has he still not found Lumia?¡± A fair amount of time had passed since the afternoon events began. Even with Glen missing, the students of class two struggled as hard as they could and managed to keep their rank from plummeting any further from fourth place. However, given that the class¡¯ aim was to win, they now found themselves in a rough situation. Without a leader at their helm, the difference in raw ability was starting to show. ¡°As expected, without sensei here¡­¡± The class¡¯ morale plummeted without Glen¡¯s presence. ¡®I don¡¯t think we can do it. We can¡¯t win without him.¡¯¡­Such sentiments permeated through the air. Even Sistina herself was getting trapped in thoughts such as ¡®We had fun¡¯ and ¡®We tried our best¡­¡¯¡± ¡°Just where did those two go¡­ Ah, he¡¯s not doing anything indecent to Lumia is he?¡± Sistina grew frustrated and angry at her helpless ignorance. Then, sensing a presence of someone behind her, she quickly turned around. ¡°Took you long enough! You¡¯re late as hell sen¡ª H-, Huh?¡± She thought it had been Glen and Lumia, but her eyes fixated on an unfamiliar boy-girl duo instead. One was a young man with long hair who carried a piercing hawk-like gaze. The other was a doll-like girl with blue-hair, a color rarely seen in the empire, whose bearings bore no resemblance of emotion. The two each wore a black-themed suit and cravat with a pair of white gloves, a combination widely recognized as the empire¡¯s formal wear. Although the attire seemed rather formal for the occasion, it wasn¡¯t particularly rare or special. For some reason though, the attire felt slightly out of place. ¡°You guys are class two right?¡± ¡°Y-, Yes¡­ b-, but who are you people¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an old friend of Glen Ryders, Albert. The girl with me is Riel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Sistina¡¯s question was answered by the young man who called himself Albert. The girl who was introduced as Riel speechlessly lowered her head in what appeared to be a greeting. ¡°We were invited to the academy by Glen to supposedly rekindle our old friendships after the festivities today. Of course, we have entry passes. Albert then retrieved a card that bore a silver-print of the academy¡¯s owl emblem from his chest-pocket. It was a magic talisman that was distributed to official guests of the academy after a strict inspection, and allowed its bearer to pass freely through the barrier surrounding the academy. ¡°However, it seems that he had some sudden business to attend to.¡± The students of class two began chattering amongst themselves in response to the sudden visitors. ¡°¡­While the abruptness of this news may be troubling, it seems that he will not be able to return for a while, so he has entrusted this class to me. Thus, I will be taking over as the leader of this class from hereon. Now then¡ª¡± In a corner of the town a large distance away from the academy¡ª A young man wholeheartedly ran whilst carrying a blonde-haired girl in his arms. He recalled the conversation he had moments ago with a former colleague. ¡°Lumia is an emotion amplifier, but in order to break through this situation, we can¡¯t use her powers.¡± ¡°Well, you should understand this already, but if her identity as a supernatural is discovered then we¡¯ll never see the end of it. She¡¯ll be persecuted, loathed, and if we make a misstep in further political matters, executed. If the news of her being a supernatural is spread, then the unofficial weaponized orders with come out of the woodwork to purge her under the god¡¯s name. It¡¯s game over if we catch their attention.¡± ¡°So on top of having to hide Lumia¡¯s real identity, we can¡¯t use her powers, and we won¡¯t get the chance to explain the situation to anybody either. In this kind of sticky situation, the only way we can get to the Empress unobstructed is if my class wins the Magic Games Festival.¡± ¡°This time around, the winning class¡¯ instructor, as the representative of the class, will receive their medal directly from the Empress. Given the strict security around the Empress right now, this will likely be our only chance to get past the royal guards and come into contact with her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause for the brief moment that the festival ends and the Empress stands on winner¡¯s podium, the royal guard will have no choice but to release her from their thorough supervision. If they prevent her from bestowing the medals to a commoner in the name of the Empress, then the Empress¡¯ authority and honor will be damaged. Given the pride that the royal guards have as a right-wing faction, they definitely won¡¯t do such a thing.¡± ¡°So I have an idea to get close to her without being suspected, that¡¯s¡ª¡° ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C. ¨C¨CTo be honest, this is a steep gamble. However, it¡¯s true that we have no choice but the play this hand to break through this situation. ¡°Found them¡ª!¡± an angry voice called from behind. Without slowing down, he took a fleeting glimpse behind himself¡ª ¡°There they are¡ª! After them¡ª!¡± He saw a group of royal guards at the crossroad a fair distance behind him. I can¡¯t be caught here. ¡°¡­Hmpf, what a bother.¡± Exhaling briefly through his nose, he picked up the pace¡ª ¡°You¡¯ll take over¡­ and help us win¡­? But why?¡± Sistina and the other members of class two could not hide their doubts regarding the man named Albert, who claimed to be Glen¡¯s old friend. Just who is this guy anyway? Well, the academy has a barrier that prevents any outsiders from getting in. So, given that this guy has an official entry pass, he should at least be trustworthy¡­ As Sistina tried to come to a judgment, the small statured girl standing next to the man who introduced himself as Albert walked up to Sistina and clasped Sistina¡¯s hands in hers. ¡°¡­Please believe in us.¡± Sistina peered into the girl¡¯s eyes from a distance where they could feel each other¡¯s breaths. Then, she turned her eyes back and forth between the man and the girl. ¡°You two are¡­¡± As if to reorganize her thoughts, Sistina fell silent for a brief moment. Then she said, ¡°¡­Alright. I will leave the command and supervision of our class to you, Albert-san.¡± With this announcement, Sistina became the focus of her class¡¯ bewilderment. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, I think we can trust these two. Even with a different person in command, we¡¯ll still be doing what we can to win right? Everyone wants to win right?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right¡¯, the students exchanged glances with one another as if to share this sentiment. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the heck Glen-sensei is doing right now, but¡­¡± Sistina took a fleeting glance at Albert for a brief moment, and announced to her classmates. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten this far already, so let¡¯s win! We¡¯ve gotten this far thanks to sensei haven¡¯t we!? Aren¡¯t we just a teensy bit away!? It¡¯s too early to call it quits!¡± ¡°U-, Uhuh¡­¡± ¡°Well about that Sistina¡­¡± ¡°Without sensei¡­ we¡­¡± Sistina tried to rouse up her classmates, who had given her a weak response. ¡°You know¡­ if we give up just because that guy isn¡¯t around, I¡¯m certain that he¡¯s going to be all like ¡®Gyahahahah! You guys are totally useless without me aren¡¯t you! Ah right~, big sorry you guys, for dropping out midway~ Teehee ¡î¡¯ or something like that¡­¡± Clink, Clack, Crack¡ª Acknowledging that such a development was possible, the classmates¡¯ emotions were set alight. ¡°That would be irritating¡­ That would most certainly be irritating¡­¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s all that that idiot says, I won¡¯t be able to endure the shame¡­¡± ¡°Ah, shit! I feel angry just thinking about it! Alright, let¡¯s do this then!¡± The extinguished fire was reignited. ¡°¡­This should be fine I guess.¡± Sistina, who had succeeded in riling up the class, sent another fleeting glance towards Albert. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see what you can do, Al-ber-t-san?¡± In response to her taunting, the man could only grimace and scratch his head. ¡°It¡¯s about time for the Magic Games Festival to go into full swing! Class two put up a good fight in the first half, but are they already out of gas¡ª!?¡± Like before, an energetic voice was broadcasted throughout the whole stadium. ¡°Next up is ¡®Transform¡¯¡ª! If class two drops the ball, then they can kiss their hopes of victory goodbye! Now then, what will class two do in this dire situation¡ª!¡± ¡°U-, Umm¡­¡± Next to the circular stage set-up in the contest field of the stadium, in a standby test for contestants awaiting their turn, Rin anxious grasped the sides of her uniform¡¯s skirt and trembled out of nervousness. ¡°If I lose¡­ Then the class will¡­ our class will lose¡­¡± ¡°WOOO¡ªOOOAAAAAHHHH!?¡± Rin jumped in surprise from commentator¡¯s sudden outburst and the following applause. ¡°Setah from Harry-sensei¡¯s class one has transformed into an impressive dragon¡ª!? Amazing!¡± Rin fearfully turned her eyes towards the stage. Standing there was a creature with scales that gleamed with black luster, wings that were broad and mighty, fangs that glowed with sinister light, and a massive figure that seemed like it would crush anything in its path. The pressure exerted by the creature was so great that it seemed like it could be mistaken for the real deal. ¡°Hyii¡ª!?¡± In reflexively cowered away from the frightening figure. ¡°The judges have given high scores across the board! 9, 9, 10, 9¡­ for a total of 37 points! Has the winner been decided¡ª!?¡± ¡°W-, Wahah¡­ W-, What should I do¡­¡± As Rin reached her wit¡¯s end and her face began to pale, someone grasped her shoulder from behind. ¡°G-, Glen-sense¡ª¡± Turning her head around¡ª ¡°I mean¡­ A-, Albert-san¡­¡± Standing there was the mysterious young man who had introduced himself as Glen¡¯s friend, Albert. ¡°Ah¡­ U-, Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I made a mistake¡­¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve done quite a bit of image training haven¡¯t you?¡± Albert had turned his eyes towards the collection of holy artworks that Rin hugged to her chest. ¡°Eh? Ah-, yes¡­ Glen-sensei told me to¡­¡± ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have any problems.¡± Albert vigorously nodded his head. ¡°You were called Rin right? You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re far more excellent than you think you are. The only problem I see is that you seem to be lacking a bit in terms of confidence. I hear from that guy Glen all the time that thinks that you have genuine ability.¡± ¡°Albert¡­-san?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fret too much if it doesn¡¯t work out. Even if I said that we gotta win, this is still a festival. No one¡¯s gonna die from this, and no one will complain either. If we happen to lose and people start blaming you for it, I¡¯ll give ¡®em a good spanking, so don¡¯t sweat it alright?¡± It was as if he was taking the words out of someone else¡¯s mouth. Rin thought to the relief and calmness that she had felt the first time she heard those words. Taking a deep breath¡ª ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Rin determinedly nodded. ¡°Now, next up is the slightly well-known person in the academy in regards to transformation magic, Rin-chan from class two! Just what kind of transform will she show us today¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Albert silently nodded, and Rin left for the stage. ¡°Oh? If we want to be victorious we have to win here, but then you say it¡¯s okay to lose?¡± said Sistina as she watched Rin leave with a smile. Looking at that expression, Sistina herself showed a knowing smile. ¡°Albert-san, you¡¯re quite a dauntless person if I say so myself.¡± ¡°¡­If those above are seen to be calm, those below can act to their full potential. This is especially true for someone with her personality. Whether to scold or encourage depends on the person.¡± ¡°I see I see, you really understand quite a lot. It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve always known her. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then¡ª ¡°I- It¡¯s an angel¡ª!? An angel has descended upon this academy as if flying out of a holy painting¡ª! How beautiful! What a wonderful transformation Rin-chan from class two has shown us¡ª! Now then, how do the judges think¡ª!?¡± The emerging figure had a halo that resembled the face of a clock. On her back were 3 pairs of pure-white wings. Her pure-silver hair flowed freely in the air and her lightweight silk gown bounced gently off her skin. A seemingly endless amount of golden chain coiled loosely around her delicate figure. Connected to the chains and held by her slender arms was a giant golden key, symbolizing the Angel of Time. The beauty of the figure was akin to a precisely crafted sculpture. It was Lahtirika, the Angel of Time. The divine presence on the stage seemed like living proof of the angel¡¯s descent in religious tales. Amidst the rupture of applause and cheers that captured the stadium, the devout reflexively fell to their knees and performed the sign of the cross before the majestic descent of the angel¡ª ¡°Damnit, where did they go¡­!?¡± A veteran of the royal guard, Cross Fahrus, grew impatient. He had been given the mission of protecting the noble Empress during her visit to Fejiti and carried his role with great pride and gave it his undivided attention. However, without any precedent nor notice, he had been ordered to execute a certain girl by Zeros. He had also been courteously provided a monochrome picture of the girl. Just when did Zeros prepare such a picture? Also, the fact that they were to execute her immediately after her capture was also strange. Even if the girl was guilty of L¨¨se-majest¨¦ and was a traitor to the nation, the methodology through which the punishment was carried out was unnatural enough to be conspicuous. Although this was a truly distasteful mission for Cross, he had been put in charge of it, and so he began to pursue the girl and the man who was escaping with her. A considerable amount of time had passed since the chase began. Cross had split his team into tens of units to search through the vicinity of Fejiti. Then, the unit led by Cross had spotted the aforementioned girl being carried by a man as the two continued to run. They had already contacted the local authorities ahead of time and sealed off all the walls of Fejiti. The duo were nothing more than birds trapped in a large cage. Actually, Cross team were already progressively going about their capture. After all, their capture was a merely a matter of time. Or at least it should have been, but¡ª We can¡¯t catch them. Regardless of how close we get, we haven¡¯t been able to even touch them. I¡¯ve coordinated to the other units spread out throughout Fejiti using the magic tool, set up an encirclement, and continued our pursuit, yet they always somehow manage to precisely choose the correct path and break through the weakest part of the encirclement. North, East, Center, South, West¡ª they¡¯ve run rampant all over the place. We¡¯re practically on a wild goose chase at this point. It¡¯s like had a bird-eye eye view of the town. They have a complete grasp of both the structure of the town and our movements. It even feels like our communications are being tapped somehow. What I don¡¯t get is that the second we lose sight of them, they suddenly pop up in front of us again. It¡¯s like they¡¯re playing around. ¡°Damnit¡­ Are you looking down on us¡­!¡± Alongside his colleagues, Cross continued to feverishly chase after the man tens of steps away¡ª ¨C¨C. ¨C¨C¨C¨C. ¡°After getting the highest possible score in the ¡®Transform¡¯, it seems that class two is back in business! With their equally great performance in ¡®Familiar Control¡¯ and ¡®Investigate & Unlock¡¯, they have climbed up to third place and are now in prime position to win! My, this Magic Games Festival is one for the books isn¡¯t it!?¡± The most heated competition is one with an uncertain result, is it not? Seeing class two return to their earlier form, the spectator¡¯s spirits were roused up once again. Their excitement was at its peak ¡°With this in mind, we are now entering the climax of the traditional magic game, ¡®Grazia¡¯! Right now, Harry-sensei¡¯s class one and Glen-sensei¡¯s class two are trading blow-for-blow in this conquest battle!¡± ¡®Grazia¡¯ was played on an elliptical field where the contestants of each team would wear different color bibs to signify their affiliation. Participants would desperately chant spells to set up spirit-points, which would then be connected to create territorial boundaries. Walls of light were erected along the lines that connected the points to signify ownership of a territory, and the field would be split in a dazzling display of vivid colors¡ª ¡°Supposedly, but what is class two doing! Since the beginning they haven¡¯t made any fields! All they¡¯re doing is destroying the opposing team¡¯s territory fields!¡± Just like the announcer said, class two ignored creating their own fields, and focused all their resources and attention to disturbing and destroying class one¡¯s fields. ¡°Damn you insolent pests¡­! Aiming for a draw aren¡¯t you!? You class won¡¯t get any points, but knowing the difference in our class¡¯ abilities, I guess that¡¯s the best you people can hope for!¡± Standing outside the field, Harry, who was commanding his team, grit his teeth in frustration. The contest field had been forced into a stalemate. Although the contestants of class two ¨C Alf, Vicks, and Caesar ¨C were definitely worse than their class one counterparts, for some reason or another, they were strangely adept at destroying fields. Thus, neither side had been able to gain any points. Whenever class one got any points, it would almost immediately return to zero. The final rankings were determined based on the difference in scores attained by each class in their respective matchups. The case of class two aside, if this continued any longer, class one would soon find themselves in a chasm compared too many of the other classes. Faced with this situation, Harry lost his patience and gave his next command to the team. ¡°Damn it, there¡¯s no time! In this situation¡ª Ah right, ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯! Hurry up and make an ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯! Have these pests know the difference in our abilities!¡± Hearing the instruction, the members of class two began creating a field that shone red. This type of field took a lot more work to create compared to a normal field. Furthermore, if it was destroyed during its creation, the team that attempted it would receive a large point deduction. ¡°Ahh¡ª, class one is making an ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯! If it¡¯s completed then class two won¡¯t be able to force a draw! Class two have hurriedly started making a ¡®Normal ¡¤ Field¡¯, but as expected, class one is fast to react! Class one¡¯s defender, Null-kun, quickly dismantled the attempt¡ª!¡± The three member of class two desperately attempted to erect a field to secure the upper hand, but class one¡¯s defender put a wedge in their plans. At the same time, class-one¡¯s ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯ was nearing completion. ¡°Fuhahahahaha¡ª! You can try as many little tricks as you want class two, but this is checkmate! And with this victory, we will cement our place at the top! It¡¯s over!¡± As Harry triumphantly shouted his victory speech, class one¡¯s ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯ was completed¡ª and class one¡¯s loss was also cemented. ¡°T-, This isssssssssssssssssssss¡ª!? In the face of the result that defied all expectations, the stadium was filled with angry roars. As the red field was completed, a field of yellow light suddenly appeared and enveloped it. ¡°¡¯Silent ¡¤ Field ¡¤ Counter¡¯¡ª!? What in the world!? Class two has prepared a ¡®Silent ¡¤ Field¡¯ with that activates under the condition that class one completes an ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯¡ª!¡± In ¡®Grazia¡¯, a field that is completely surrounded is worth no points, and all the points are given to the team with the outermost field, meaning¡ª ¡°N-, No way¡­¡± Harry fell into a stupefied daze. ¡°A ¡¯Silent ¡¤ Field¡¯¡­!? Even amongst experts, this is a high-level strategy that¡¯s hard to execute¡­ And these small fry managed to pull it off!? On top of that, the activation requirement was an ¡®Absolute ¡¤ Field¡¯ of this scale¡­ It¡¯s a useless strategy that dooms the user if they make a single misstep¡­! What utter nonsense¡ª¡± The contestants of class one began to panic. Never in their wildest imagination would they think that their opponents, who they had thought were so much worse in terms of ability, would be able pull off such a high-level strategy, not to mention that it had created such a large point differential. In amidst the chaos, class one lost their ability to think rationally about the situation. ¡°¡ª!? You idiots! What are sitting around for!? D-, Destroy it! Go and destroy it!? Just a little bit is enough, so hit the damn field¡ª¡± Then, as the referee mercilessly sounded the whistle, Harry covered his face with his palms. ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s time¡ª! Who would¡¯ve thought that we¡¯d see such great comeback¡ª! With this, class two closes the gap between them and class one, who are currently in first place¡ª! The result is still up in the air! Class one¡¯s place in first had been all but confirmed, but this result has brought in a wildcard factor¡ª!¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Albert, who gazed upon the same field as Harry, nodded to himself. ¡°Wow, we actually won¡­¡± Beside him, Sistina, who was in charge of documentation and timekeeping, stared on in amazement. ¡°In theory, we would lose nine times out of ten. We just managed to pull out the win on the first try.¡± ¡°Even so¡­ You¡¯re quite amazing, Albert-san.¡± ¡°Amazing? Me? The ones who are really amazing are the ones from your class isn¡¯t it? They managed to pull it off against much stronger opponents.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ but Albert-san, didn¡¯t you give my classmates detailed instructions using hand signals throughout the event? I can understand since I¡¯ve been keeping a record of everything; the instructions you gave were so perfect it was almost scary.¡± ¡°¡­Uhuh?¡± ¡°Yep, the reason they were able to pull off that counterattack is all thanks to you, Albert-san.¡± ¡°Nope. Albert firmly denied Sistina¡¯s praise. ¡°In order to make the counter work, all the members of your class worked together to modify the barrier creation spell so that it was easier to use right?¡± ¡°Huh? How did you know that?¡± ¡°¡­I heard from Glen. Anyway, your class¡¯ victories belongs only to you guys and no one else. I¡¯m only helping you guys shore up a few weaknesses.¡± ¡°Hmpf, well, if you say so, I won¡¯t argue.¡± Sistina combed her hair upwards, and showed a knowing smile. ¡°Now then, we¡¯ve finally reached the finale of the Magic Games Festival! I¡¯m up next for the highly anticipated event, ¡®Duel¡¯!¡± ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± ¡°¡­-! Yes, please do!¡± Sistina seemed to go blank for a moment in response to Albert¡¯s words, but then she showed a dauntless smile. ¡°Hah¡­Hah¡­-! We got him! We finally have him cornered-!¡± Cross confirmed his victory with ragged breaths. The detestable man carrying that girl, without losing speed somehow, is just in front of us in this narrow back-alley. He may have used the white magic [Physical ¡¤ Boost], but to be able to outpace us thus far despite our combat training is something that is deserving of praise and amazement. However, this is the end of the road for them. That man is running straight towards the formation that my colleagues have set up ahead of time. ¡°Pincer them! You may have managed to break through previously, but I won¡¯t allow it this time-!¡± In front of the escapee, several soldiers stood ready to intercept. ¡°Halt! If you refuse, then you leave us no choice but to display the might of our magic-!¡± a waiting guard warned. Cross felt that the pursuit, which seemed to be something from a drama, would finally come to an end¡ª ¡°W-, What-!?¡± Carrying the girl in his arms, the man continued to recklessly charge towards the waiting group of royal guards¡ª ¡°D-, Don¡¯t say we didn¡¯t warn you-!¡± The guards simultaneous began to chant. -!¡± The black magic [Blaze ¡¤ Burst]. It was a military-grade assault spell that gathered and compressed heat energy into a fireball and fired it towards a target. Whatever it struck would be engulfed in a fiery explosion, and anything without magical defenses would be reduced to dust. Its attributes made it an excellent suppressing spell. It was impossible to evade such a great number of [Blaze ¡¤ Burst] within the confines of the narrow alleyway. Even if [Tri ¡¤ Resist] was used, the sheer volume would penetrate that defense and send the two to their graves. The black magic that returned the energies of the three elements to their natural state, [Tri ¡¤ Vanish], would also be insufficient for dealing with the sheer volume. If black magic that erected a powerful magic barrier, [Force ¡¤ Shield], was used, the man would have to stop moving, which meant that the two would become an offering to royal guard¡¯s blades. All the guards believed that it was finally over, and launched the fireballs towards the man. But then¡ª The sturdy stone walls of the alleyway suddenly changed form as if it were clay, and formed a wall between the man and the spells launched by the guards. Immediately after, the properties of the wall began to change. The moment the wall of stone became a wall of water, the numerous fireballs collided with the wall. After absorbing the fireballs, the wall of water was instantly vaporized. The expanding steam gushed outwards in the narrow valley, burying soldiers¡¯ vision in its wake. ¡°Guwahhh¡ª!?¡± With their vision obscured, none of the guards dared to move carelessly until the scorching stream of steam receeded. Finally, when the vision cleared¡ª the two were nowhere to be seen. The only change was that stone wall that had been used as a catalyst to the subsequent events was now gone. The two had most likely escaped through the hole that was formed. ¡°Shit, what was that? ¡­Was that alchemy? No damn way¡­-! What in the world was that synthesis speed-!? How could that possibly be human!?¡± It seemed like the pursuit drama would continue on. Helpless and tired, Cross chased after the man¡ª ¨C¨C. ¨C¨C¨C¨C. ¡°Now then, we¡¯re finally reaching the end of the second year¡¯s Magic Games Festival! Today¡¯s final event ¡®Duel¡¯ will soon begin-! The rules will be the same as last year¡¯s; a three-on-three team-competition tournament! Which class will be left standing at the peak!? Let¡¯s find out!¡± The participating teams were gathered on the circular battlefield in the center. ¡°Gathered here are the three strongest members of each class! All of them will fight a fair and square battle with the honor of their classes on the line! To add onto that, if today¡¯s star, Glen-sensei¡¯s class two, manages to be the last one standing in ¡®Duel¡¯, they will overtake Harry-sensei¡¯s class one for an underdog victory! How will this turn out! I can¡¯t wait¡ª!?¡± This event would decide everything. Will the side that used all their member¡¯s merits come out on top? Or will the side that sent forth their strongest grasp victory? For better or worse, this one anticipated event would decide the ending of the second year¡¯s Magic Games Festival¡ª ¡°Now, let¡¯s get it started. First up, for the first battle, we have class six versus class four! Both sides, please send your starter forward¡ª!¡± In contrast to the boisterous stadium, the V.I.P. stand became the set of flurry and impatience. For a while now, soldiers had been restlessly coming and going. Whenever one entered, angry remarks were sure to fly. ¡°Not yet!? You still haven¡¯t caught them-!? Zeros frustratedly shouted at the soldier that had come to report. ¡°B-, But¡­ there¡¯s someone helping our target escape. I apologize for repeating this, but that man is far more formidable than we expected¡­-!¡± ¡°You fool! Is he not just a plain magic instructor!? And yet you¡¯re still unable to catch a single magician! Do you still consider yourself as a member of the proud royal guards!?¡± ¡°M-, My apologies!¡± ¡°After them! Do everything you can to kill lady Lumia! If we¡¯re unable to¡­ you understand yes!?¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± ¡°However, your excellency, our opponent is truly powerful. I am doubtful as to whether or not we can complete the task with just our abilities. Let us reveal the truth and ask the academy for suppo¡ª¡± ¡°We cannot!¡± Zeros angrily silenced the soldier¡¯s suggestion. ¡°That alone, we cannot! Have you forgotten!? Us aside, if we do that, the Empress will¡ª We absolutely must avoid doing that!¡± ¡°R-, Right¡­ my profuse apologies!¡± ¡°Once this comes to an end, I shall bear responsibility take my own life if I must! It doesn¡¯t matter if I die an irredeemable mutineer to her Majesty, but we must protect her Majesty at any cost! That is why¡ª¡± The young soldier limply lowered his head. ¡°Your excellency is willing to go so far¡­ I understand, we shall hurry and capture lady Lumia and the man assisting her escape.¡± ¡°I must apologize as well¡­ for forcing such a villainous role on you. Bring a portion of her Majesty¡¯s guards to support you if it may allow you to capture them even a moment sooner. Yes, this is all for her Majesty¡¯s sake¡ª¡± Suddenly, the alleyway burst into crimson flames, creating a shockwave that swept over the area. ¡°Gaaaahhh¡ª!?¡± A soldier had caught on fire fell to the floor and rolled rapidly. ¡°A-, Are you alright!?¡± Cross hurriedly dashed towards his colleague who had been engulfed in flames. ¡°I-, I¡¯m fine¡­ The fire wasn¡¯t that powerful¡­ But because of the explosion and aftershock, my arm¡­¡± Once the fire was put out, the soldier got up from the floor with a painful groan and clutched his arm with an anguished expression. ¡°Damn it¡­ it¡¯s the black magic [Burn ¡¤ Floor]¡­ another magic trap!¡± They had managed to avoid fatalities from the countless magic traps thanks to their armor which had been enchanted with [Tri ¡¤ Resist], but the damage wasn¡¯t so light that they could shrug it off either. Using healing magic one-by-one to treat wounds also ate at their magic power, resources, and time. Due to these factors, Cross¡¯ group had to be constantly be wary of magic traps and as a result, they hadn¡¯t been able to close the distance between them and their target. To add onto that, their opponents weren¡¯t placing traps at random, but rather, as the chase dragged on, their opponents seemed to wait for their patience to run thin and their guard to be lowered before taking the opportunity to set up traps. The way they did so was ingenious, if not miraculous. As a result, despite Cross¡¯ group knowing that there were traps, they had managed to trigger the traps a countless number of times. Cross couldn¡¯t help but tap his feet in frustration in response to the turn of events. ¡°Honestly what the heck? Just who are these people that we¡¯re chasing? They seem to be rather experienced in combat¡­ They¡¯ve practically been leading us by our noses this entire time! Not to mention they¡¯re not killing us either¡­ what the heck is happening!? Isn¡¯t the person helping that girl escape just a magic instructor!?¡± ¡°Cross-san! More importantly, we¡¯ve successfully made contact with unit three! Right now, those two are in East Area Second Street, advancing south towards Tortol!¡± ¡°Understood! Alright let¡¯s move everybody!¡± ¨C¨C. ¨C¨C¨C¨C. The ¡®Duel¡¯ event continued. Lightning beams, fiery arrows, and frozen gusts flew across the dueling ring. The fifth battle, class two versus class four¡ª ¡°-!¡± Sistina completed her chant of the black magic [Gale ¡¤ Blow] before her opponent could complete the counter-spell and struck her opponent with an intense gale of wind. ¡°U-, Ugaaah¡ª!?¡± Unable to resist, the opponent was blown away. ¡°Ooh!? Contestant Ridory wasn¡¯t able to complete the [Air ¡¤ Screen] spell in time¡ª! She is out of bounds! Class two defeats class four with three consecutive wins¡ª! They are strong without a doubt! I thought that first-up Cashew-kun would run into trouble, but this team is simply overwhelming!¡± Amidst the crowd¡¯s cheers, Sistina and Cashew exchanged a high-five. ¡°An overwhelming victory as expected, Sistina! Totally different from how I won through a messy fight.¡± ¡°What are you saying Cashew? A win¡¯s a win. You did well.¡± Sistina and Cashew exchanged compliments with smiles. ¡°Hmpf. Well I guess that was alright Sistina, but aren¡¯t you a bit too soft? If you weren¡¯t so worried about injuring the opponent, you should have even less trouble winning.¡± ¡°You never change do you, Gibel¡­?¡± The class was roused up, but Gibel alone maintained his cold, cynical, and snarky attitude. Sistina could only sigh, unamused. ¡°There¡¯s no time to chit-chat you guys.¡± Albert put a wedge into the team¡¯s conflicting views. ¡°The next duel is starting. Pay attention to how the other contestants fight and think of how to deal with it. Also, listen closely to what I say next. Albert turned to Cashew, and pointed to one of the contestants that was currently on the stage. ¡°Isaac from class seven over there will probably be your next opponent. From what I¡¯ve observed, his [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] cast speed is insanely fast. With your abilities, you won¡¯t be able to counter it with a vanish spell. Taking this into account, you can put up [Tri ¡¤ Resist] and [Force ¡¤ Shield], but you¡¯ll likely be forced funnel everything into defense. ¡°T-, That¡¯s right I guess¡­ With my abilities¡­¡± ¡°Stop and listen Cashew. Do not use [Force ¡¤ Shield], and only use [Tri ¡¤ Resist] for the first exchange. Using it more than once is forbidden.¡± Cashew opened his eyes wide in surprise. ¡°Hmpf, another reckless command¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of a magic battle that forsakes defense.¡± Gibel exhaled loudly from his nose and shrugged his shoulders in a mocking manner. Ignoring this, Albert continued. ¡°Cashew, between the three of you, you have the best athletic ability and a sturdy physique to go with it. Utilize that athleticism and stamina and find some way to withstand [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. Either way, Isaac has a habit of doing five consecutive chants, after which his mana biorhythm will be thrown out of order and you¡¯ll have a great opening to exploit.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Use [Tri ¡¤ Resist] to take on the first four shots, and find some way to avoid the fifth. If you can do that, then you win. You¡¯re a man right? You should be able to resist a little pain when it comes down to it.¡± ¡°¡­A-, Alright, I¡¯ll try it!¡± Cashew nodded obediently as he was taught his winning condition. ¡°Next is you, Gibel. Your opponent is¡­¡± ¡°Hmpf, don¡¯t trouble yourself. I can do without your advice.¡± ¡°Just listen up. Your opponent is¡ª¡± Despite the curt response, Albert patiently forced his advice onto Gibel. ¡°¡­Hmm¡± As Sistina looked at Albert¡¯s profile, a sense of knowing could be felt in her gaze. In the southern area that was filled with a variety of street stalls and stores¡ª Splitting apart the countless number of pedestrians, Cross¡¯ group rendezvoused with the other two units. ¡°Damn, they¡¯ve disappeared into the night-time crowd¡­! What about over there!?¡± A colleague quickly replied to Cross¡¯ shout. ¡°I don¡¯t see them! My apologies!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way, declare martial law in this area and drive the civilians ou¡ª¡± As Cross shouted orders to his colleagues¡ª ¡°Gyaa-!?¡± One of the gathered soldiers¡¯ bodies rapidly convulsed, and then he fell to the floor with a scream. ¡°What!? What happened!?¡± ¡°W-, We¡¯re being sniped!¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± As Cross trembled in shock, a beam of [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce] flew past his vision. The beam, along with the many that soon followed, flew in an arc to strike his colleagues one after another. ¡°Gyaaah-!?¡± ¡°Guahah!?¡± Bzzt. As flashes of electricity burst from the soldier¡¯s bodies, the area soon became a stage for an ensemble of screams¡ª ¡°What the hell!? Are they serious!? They¡¯re magic-sniping through this crowd!? Ku-! Hurry and spread apart! Find some cover to hide behind!¡± Realizing they were being sniped, the guards frantically spread apart and jumped behind alleyways and buildings for cover. ¡°Tch, what¡¯s happening!? Our equipment should be reinforced with a [Tri ¡¤ Resist] enchantment¡­ We shouldn¡¯t be getting taken out in one hit¡­-!¡± ¡°A-, About that, it seems like this area is under the effect of a [Dispel ¡¤ Force] field¡­ At some point, it neutralized the enchantments placed on our equipment!¡± ¡°Have we played into their hands again¡­!? Damnit! Give me a sitrep!¡± ¡°Four have been hit! However, it seems that they¡¯ve held back as far as the force goes! Our fallen allies have lost consciousness after being shot in the leg, but their lives aren¡¯t in any danger! No civilians have been caught in the crossfire!¡± ¡°Ku¡­ They¡¯re only targeting us huh¡­ Not to mention, they¡¯re haven¡¯t killed any of us either¡­ Just who are they¡­¡± The sudden collapse of the soldiers caused the plaza to fall into chaos. People panickedly surged in all directions as they tried to escape the scene. The commotion would undoubtedly suppress the movements of the guards. If this is what they were aiming for¡ª Cross couldn¡¯t help but tremble in fear in face of his opponent¡¯s frightening skill in magic sniping and their ability to calculate the outcome of the situation. ¡°It cannot be helped! Units three and four guide the civilians to shelter and pass on the order for martial law! Unit two go heal the collapsed! Unit five, we¡¯ve figured out where the sniping is coming from! Go and pursue them!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Once the orders were given out, the royal guards set off to perform their duties¡ª ¨C¨C. ¨C¨C¨C¨C. ¡°After eliminating class five and defeating class eight, class two have climbed their way to the finals¡ª!¡± Cheers erupted from the crowd. The excitement in the stadium was at its peak. ¡°Their opponents¡ª As if by some twist of fate, are their fated adversaries, Harry-sensei¡¯s class one! This will be a direct face-off between the classes! Whichever class takes home the victory here will also become the victors of this year¡¯s Magic Games Festival! Well, despite all the twist and turns, the endgame has turned out to be quite a simple¡ª!¡± The development that everyone was hoping for was now unraveling before their eyes. However, in contrast to the rest of the stadium, a certain corner permeated a heavy mood. That being, the V.I.P. stands of the stadium. Surrounded by several elite guards, Alicia bore an expression of prayer as she said softly¡ª ¡°Please, my lord¡­ I beg you¡­ Please protect that girl.¡± Alicia seemed to get increasingly haggard with each passing moment. Serika, who sat next to her, murmured apologetically. ¡°Sorry. I let such a thing happen right under my nose¡­ Damn it.¡± ¡°¡­Serika, it¡¯s not your fault¡­ To start with, this was because I¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s still hope though.¡± Serika cast her gaze downwards towards the stage, where Sistina¡¯s group of three and Albert, who was in charge of strategy and instruction, were. ¡°¡­Have some faith in Glen. If it¡¯s him¡­ he¡¯ll surely find some way to get through this.¡± ¡°Glen¡­ you said?¡± ¡°Yep, wasn¡¯t he always this sort of guy even back then? Alicia contemplated for a brief moment, and then vigorously nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, if it¡¯s him¡­ If it¡¯s him then surely¡­¡± The finals of the ¡®Duel¡¯ event. This intensity of the match did not betray its stakes. First round: Class two¡¯s Cashew vs. Class one¡¯s Enna. As both sides fought to the best of their ability in an close extended match, Eina managed to complete the alchemy spell [Paralyzing Mist Field] to immobilize Cashew, resulting in his defeat by a narrow margin. The score was 0-1. Continuing to the second round: Class two¡¯s Gibel vs. Class one¡¯s Kreiss. Both seemed evenly matched at first, but as time went on the difference in abilities began to show. Gibel summoned an ice elemental using the spell [Call ¡¤ Elemental], which then captured Kreiss using its two arms. Kreiss then surrendered. The score was 1-1. All the stakes fell to the deciding round, where the general of each class, Class two¡¯s Sistina and Class one¡¯s Heinkel, would clash. ¡°¡­Nicely done, Gibel.¡± Sistina congratulated Gibel, who returned to the standby area with a carefree expression. ¡°Hmpf, I¡¯ve returned the score to a tie. I hope you don¡¯t mess this up.¡± ¡°At least say ¡®the rest is up to you¡¯¡­ You are always so insensitive.¡± Sistina pressed on her temple, unimpressed. ¡°¡­Sorry Sistina. If I won earlier, this would already be over¡­¡± Cashew regretfully grumbled. ¡°Well, for a poor student, your performance was satisfactory¡­ Just leave the rest to our general.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah. Geez, why do you have to be like that¡­?¡± Sistina lightly bit back at Gibel, who continued to run his mouth, and headed towards the stage. As Sistina left, Albert briefly said. ¡°¡­The rest is up to you.¡± Without turning to face Albert, Sistina outstretched her right arm horizontally, and gave a thumbs up. Then, carrying the hopes of her entire class, she stepped onto the dueling field. The cheers of her classmates reached her from the stands. Before her was her opponent in this clash between generals, Heinkel. Heinkel, as an excelling student who was comparable to Sistina, often competed against her for the class year¡¯s first seat. If the match came down the magical prowess alone, the odds of winning were about 50-50. ¨C¨CPlease win. Sistina thought back to Albert¡¯s words. ¨C¨CPlease believe in us. Sistina thought back to Riel¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Geez, why do they have to be so indirect¡­ Well, fine. I¡¯ll just do it then!¡± Bam, Sistina struck a fist against her palm to pump herself up. Then, she removed the glove on her left hand. Both sides abided to the formalities of traditional magic duels, and then¡ª ¡°Let the general battle begin¡ª!¡± Sistina and Heinkel made their move immediately as the round started. ¡°-!¡± Heinkel swiftly cast [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]. ¡°-!¡± Sistina immediately followed with [Tri ¡¤ Vanish] to neutralize her opponent¡¯s spell. The remaining magic energy of the spells burst in the center of the field. In that moment, both parties started to move around the circle while maintaining their distance. ¡°-!¡± ¡°-! Both continued to chant as they ran. The tempest brought forth by Sistina¡¯s [Gale ¡¤ Blow] crashed into Heinkel¡¯s enclosure of air. The resulting force sent gusts flying all across the stadium. In their first bout, the two were evenly matched¡ª ¡°Do your best¡ª! Don¡¯t you dare lose Sistina!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all yours! Keep going¡ª!¡± The classmates above cheered. ¡°Damn you class two! To think that you would hang on this long¡ª! Heinkel, finish them! Losing to such a conglomeration of small fry will be a stain on your life as a magician! Anyway, just win¡ª!¡± Harry hysterically shouted. ¡°OOOOH, both sides do your best¡ª!¡± ¡°Good! Go get ¡®em!¡± The crowd¡¯s spirits were fired up from this amateur magic battle. The Magic Games Festival of ups and downs seemed like it would soon come to an end¡ª ¡°-!¡± Heinkel cast the spell [Fire ¡¤ Wall], creating a radial wall of fire that expanded explosively. ¡°-!¡± Sistina countered with [Tri ¡¤ Resist] and stepped aside. The blazing tempest brushed against her body, causing her hair and coat to blow intensely. ¡°¨C¨C!¡± And chanted the black magic [White ¡¤ Out]. The spell would fire an icy shock wave that could immobilize its target by stealing away the limb¡¯s sense of touch. Vision was limited to the whiteness of the frosty air¡ª ¡°¨C¨C!¡± However, Heinkel shrewdly countered with [Gale ¡¤ Blow]¡ª The intense gale overcame the icy shock-wave in the clash of forces, and swept up Sistina¡¯s body¡ª ¡°Ku¡­ ¨C¨C¡± As she was blown off her feet by the wind, Sistina used the black magic [Gravity ¡¤ Control] to increase her weight temporarily in a desperate attempt to bring herself back to the ground. She used her arms to cover her eyes, and lowered her center of gravity in order to resist the gale. Her prided long, silver hair, which had been tousled by the wind, violently fanned behind her¡ª He¡¯s strong¡ª Although she was astonished by Heinkel¡¯s chanting speed, magic power, and decision making, she continued to carefully regulate her mental state and her mana biorhythm¡ª ¡°-!¡± As Heinkel broke through the white field and came into her vision, Sistina immediately pointed her index finger towards him and fired a bolt of lightning, which pierced straight through the wind¡ª ¡°T-, This intensity of this showdown is beyond all expectations¡ª! Both contestants refuse to yield a single step!¡± Countless assault and counter spells were exchanged without reserve. The duel only allowed spells with low lethality that the students were taught, but the deftness of the offense and defense had departed from the realm of mere students. A match of this caliber couldn¡¯t be seen very often. ¡°¨C¨C!¡± ¡°¨C¨C!¡± A seemingly endless amount of spells were ceaselessly cast. The spectators who, without exception, watched this match with cheers and exception, gulped as battle continued on¡ª ¡°You¡¯ve may have given us a hard time till now, but now you have nowhere to run scoundrel!¡± Cross and his colleague rushed down a narrow alleyway, believing that victory was within their grasp. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that your use of magic and your sniping ability are outstanding¡­ But revealing your sniping position was your fault! You¡¯ve exposed your location! You¡¯re not getting away this time!¡± ¡°Cross-san! Unit one, seven, eight, and nine have arrived at their designated points, and are now converging towards the target along the assigned route!¡± ¡°Is that so!? Good! With this, we¡¯ve eliminated all their possible escape routes from their sniping position. They are no more than cornered rats!¡± It¡¯s over. It¡¯s finally over. With this conviction, Cross and his colleagues triumphantly traversed the complicated alleyways, and arrived at an empty area surrounded by buildings on all sides¡ª ¡°Wha¡­¡± They stood there in astonishment. Before them, there was nothing but a dimly-lit wasteland that was teeming with weeds. It was far detached from the hustle and bustle of the town. There were not even stray cats, much less people in this area. ¡°Hm!? Cross¡¯ fifth unit!?¡± ¡°What happened!? Where is the enemy!?¡± ¡°What is this absurdity!? Are you saying they got away!?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible¡ª!? All the escape routes were covered¡ª¡± Seeing no traces of their enemy, the soldiers fell into disarray. Ignoring his panicked colleagues, Cross noticed something awry in this area. Namely, the four walls that surrounded this empty space. It was covered all over¡ªwith something odd. ¡°¡­Mirrors?¡± I can feel the traces of magic power. This is probably the product of alchemy. The shape-transforming alchemy technique, [Phenotype Transformation] was probably used to make parts of the wall into flat surfaces. The trait-alter technique, [Elemental Rearrangement] was likely applied after that to cause a silver-mirror reaction to form a makeshift mirror. For some reason though, the surfaces of the mirrors were treated with magic These mirrors were placed at varying angles on the walls facing this empty area. This is surely the work of the enemy. Now the problem is¡ª Why did they do such a thing¡­? ¡°No¡­ That can¡¯t be¡­!?¡± He completely understood. Cross had long understood the intent of the enemy. It was because he understood, that he felt a devilish chill across his body. The opponent¡¯s strategy couldn¡¯t help but make his blood feel cold and his body feel uneasy. Cross¡¯ mind went blank for a few seconds, delaying his warning to his colleagues. He simply did not want to admit that there existed a person who could pull off such an absurd feat. He simply did not want to accept that such a nightmare would soon become a reality. All the sniping done until now was merely toying with us. They had never fired at us directly¡ª They¡¯ve been firing from somewhere far-away at these mirrors using [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce], and using the ricochet to hit our arms and legs with pinpoint accuracy¡ª ¡°EVERYONE, GET AWAY FROM HEREEEEE¡ª!¡± Cross cried out with all his might. At the same moment as his cry¡ª Beyond one of the alleyways leading to this empty expanse, far away from the avenue leading into it¡ª Came a flash of light. Several bolts of lightning cut through the darkness and struck Cross¡¯ defenseless team one after another¡ª ¨C¨C. ¨C¨C¨C¨CHalf an hour since the beginning of the duel. In the end, it seemed that Sistina, who had experienced a life-or-death magic battle during the earlier incident, had a slight edge. As both had reached the limits of their hand of spells and the bottom of their reserves of magic power¡ª ¡°¨C¨C!¡± Sistina skillfully took advantage of the delay between spells caused by the fluctuation of the mana biorhythm to pull out her final trump, her own modified spell, the modified black magic [Storm ¡¤ Wall]. ¡°Huh¡ª!? What is that spell¡ª!?¡¯ Faced with an unknown spell, Heinkel immediately erected an [Air ¡¤ Screen] in response. However, the wide-area wall of wind still completely sealed his movements. His own impatience and quick-handedness had robbed him of the time he would have had to consider his spell options. To ensure her victory, Sistina mustered up the last of her magic power, and chanted [Gale ¡¤ Blow] with all her might. ¡°Take this! ¨C!¡± The force of [Storm ¡¤ Wall] in addition to [Gale ¡¤ Blow] managed to barely break through Heinkel¡¯s sturdy [Air ¡¤ Screen]¡ª ¡°U-, Uwaaaaaaaaaahh¡ª!¡± Heinkel¡¯s body was immediately blown away from the stage. ¡­¡­¡­ There was a brief moment of silence¡ª ¡°I-, it¡¯s over¡ª! Out of boundsssssssssss¡ª! What in the world, what in the worlddddd¡ª!? Class two, that class two has wonnnnnnnn¡ª!¡± In the following moment, the audience rose into a standing ovation. There is was no longer a matter of enemy and ally, winners and losers, or classes and years. This was pure applause for the spectacular duel that had just taken place. Harry, the only person unsatisfied by the outcome, dropped his shoulders in mortification. ¡°Hah¡ªHah¡ª F-, Finally¡­¡± After the close victory, Sistina powerlessly fell to one knee due to the vicious exertion and fatigue. ¡°We did ittttt¡ª!¡± ¡°Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah¡ª!¡± The students of class two flew out of the seats and ran towards Sistina. ¡°Eh!? Ah, kyaa-!?¡± Her rowdy classmates tossed her into the air without a care for her bewilderment. The students ecstatically celebrated Sistina¡¯s victory. ¡°¡­Well done.¡± Albert observed Sistina and the class from afar, and murmured in a voice no one else could hear. ¡°My, could anyone have expected such a turnout!? This Magic Games Festival was truly filled with many twists and turns, back and forths! And so, with the end of the ¡®Duel¡¯ event, today¡¯s Magic Games Festival for second years has come to an end! To the guests here today, thank you again for coming so far to attend! To the students, well done all of you! After this will be the closing ceremony and the awards ceremony. The commentary has been brought to you by me, Earth from the executive committee. Thank you all for listening¡ª!¡± In contrast to the lingering excitement in the stands, the V.I.P. stand was solemn as a wake. ¡°The festival is over now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Alicia called out to Zeros, who kept a watchful eye. ¡°¡­So it appears.¡± ¡°I have the duty to present the representative of the class with their commendations¡­ Would you allow me to do that?¡± ¡°¡­Of course I do not mind. However, I must accompany Your Majesty there, for I must act protect Your Majesty from any extenuating circumstances¡­ And Serika-dono.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Would you like to come with her Majesty and I?¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf, you don¡¯t need to ask me.¡± Serika rose from her seat with a languid expression. ¡°Hey, Zeros.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I understand your loyalty, but¡­ could you please stop this?¡± ¡°I cannot.¡± Zeros firmly refused. ¡°The nation must not be allowed to lose its Empress. For that cause, the sacrifice of others is a fair price to pay.¡± ¡°¡­But¡­¡± ¡°I understand that how much this pains you, Your Majesty. However¡­ I cannot comply. For Your Majesty¡¯s sake, for the nation¡¯s sake, Your Majesty¡¯s daughter¡­ Her Highness Princess Alumiana must be killed.¡± ¡°¡­-!¡± Alicia bitterly closed her eyes. ¡°Now let¡¯s us go Your Majesty, to recognize the efforts of the young ones who will uphold this empire¡¯s future.¡± Alicia fell silent. Serika, who sat next to her, whispered to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Alice.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°¡­ Glen¡­ Believe in him.¡± Receiving Serika¡¯s words of encouragement, Alicia nodded her head and rose from her seat. Volume 2 - CH 6 Chapter Six: Truth, the veiled malice. The closing ceremony of the Magic Games Festival proceeded in a solemn manner. The students were assembled into neat rows on the field, the opening words of the ceremony were said, the national anthem was sung, the congratulatory address by visitors was given, and the results were announced¡­ Not a second was wasted as the itinerary was gradually completed. The general sequence of events were no different from that of the previous years. However, there remained one factor that brought forth the excitement of the students ¨C the Empress¡¯ participation in the ceremony. Finally, it was time for Alicia to present the awards. Behind her stood Zeros and Serika, the commander of the royal guard and the academy¡¯s prided seventh-rank magician. There was nothing to complain about when it came to the choice of bodyguards. In this moment, there was probably not a single person who could harm Alicia. ¡°Now then, Her Majesty the Empress will hereby bestow the medal to the class with the greatest performance in this festival. May the representative of class two please come to the stage. Please give him a round of applause.¡± The sound of applause came from the crowd. The instructors in charge of each class sighed in envy. A personal bestowment of rewards by the Empress was a once in a lifetime honor. On top of that, Glen Ryders from class two would be the one to receive that honor. Even though he had followed the rules and beat them fair and square, the other instructors could not hide their jealousy. ¡°Gungngngng¡ª!? How could this happen! I¡­ A fifth-rank magician¡­ lost to the third-rank Glen Ryders¡­-! I lost to that man who doesn¡¯t even carry a shred of pride as a magician¡­!?¡± Harry gritted his teeth and tore at his hair in frustration. ¡°Harry-sensei¡­ If you keep clawing your hair like that you¡¯ll damage it you know? Considering you¡¯re at an age where your hairline¡ª¡° ¡°Shut up! Keep your mouth shut if you¡¯re just going to say something unnecessary!¡± Harry loudly rebuked the students who were about to say something rather cruel and distasteful and began to think about what to do after the competition My loss is rather humiliating, but the loss of three months of wages also hurts. I will surely become a remarkable figure who will eventually become a sixth, if not seventh-rank. However, I need to bring results deserving of a promotion. I cannot allow my magic research to be stopped in its tracks like this. However, thanks to my loss in this bet, my research funds are grievously insufficient¡ª ¡°Damnit¡­ Where do the Shroty trees grow in this academy? I can relieve my meal expenses if I can find some of those branches¡­ AH, what am I of all people thinking!? How can a proud magician like myself be allowed to drop so low! Ah damnit all! Why has this happened to me! Damnnnnnnnit! I won¡¯t forgive you, I won¡¯t forgive youuuuuu Glen Ryderssssss¡ª!¡± Then¡ª As the applause began to die down, the sounds of murmurs and whispers began to spread. ¡°¡­Huh? Those two are¡­?¡± As Alicia looked down at the stage, her gaze attached itself to the figures weaving through the crowd. It was not Glen, but rather, a familiar boy-girl duo. ¡°Albert¡­? And Riel¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve come.¡± Ignoring Alicia¡¯s perplexment, Serika uttered those few words. Doubtful about the situation, Zeros then whispered to Alicia. ¡°¡­Your Majesty, is that man the instructor of class two, Glen Ryders?¡± ¡°No he¡¯s not¡­ but¡­¡± Then¡ª ¡°Hey old man.¡± The cold-expression bearing Albert suddenly said such in a tone not befitting of his appearance. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®bout time to bring an end to this stupid mess.¡± ¡°What, did you say¡­?¡± Then, the Albert-lookalike softly chanted a spell. The air around the boy-girl duo suddenly distorted¡ª When the two came into focus again, what appeared was¡ª ¡°Y-, You bastards are¡ª!?¡± ¡°Y-, You bastards, who the hell are you two!?¡± shouted Cross in disarray. A few twists and turns had happened after that. With indomitable spirits and unparalleled willpower, the royal guards continued their pursuit. Even if the members could no longer fight, their feet never stopped. They continued to chase, chase, chase¡ª And so¡ª Finally, after all this, they had surely cornered their target, they thought. They had reached the dead-end of a narrow alleyway. On the surrounding rooftops there were several soldiers already lying in wait. The royal guards who later participated in this pursuit had gathered all their forces together. Even though they had been defeated in every encounter until now, this time, their target definitely had nowhere to run. They would finally grasp victory which had eluded their hands until now, they thought¡ª But then¡ª The two cornered figures suddenly transformed and became different people. In the face of this inconceivable turn of events, Cross wanted to cry from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Is it ok now? Albert.¡± ¡°Mhm. In any case, it seems the other side has managed to make contact.¡± The cause of his vile torment said even more things that he could not understand. ¡°Damn it all! W-, Who the hell are you bastaaaaaaaaaaards!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason to answer.¡± ¡°Imperial Court Magicians special operations sect, executor #7, Riel of ¡®the Chariot¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel¡¯s soft murmur silenced everyone in the area. ¡°¡­Do you understand what you¡¯re doing? We¡¯re here on a classified mission remember? Even within the Imperial Army, the existence of our group is one that is highly confidential.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, but okay.¡± In front of the duo who began a strange comedy-skit, Cross recomposed himself and clenched his trembling fists. ¡°Court magicians¡­ no wonder¡­ Damnit, we fell for it so easily!? Unit two, three, four! Seize these two! The rest of you report to the commander and begin tracking our real target¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for you not to.¡± Suddenly, two bolts of lightning burst through the air. ¡°Gyaa¡ª!?¡± ¡°Guha-!?¡± The guards struck by Albert¡¯s magic fell to the floor. ¡°T-, That was a delayed activation of a chanted spell¡­ and double cast!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I held back. Let us play for a bit.¡± Albert, who stood still with his outstretched finger, coldly announced. ¡°Y-, You¡­ You¡¯re planning to resist¡­ in this situation¡­ with this difference of numbers?¡± ¡°Resist? No. I will b¡ª¡° ¡°It¡¯s better to not beat them up.¡± Albert held the warlike Riel back by her hair. ¡°With this difference in numbers, we would be at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation. Not to mention, our job here is to be a decoy. So we should treat our opponent accordingly. We just need to stall for time.¡± ¡°I got it. Leave it to me. I will cut them all up.¡± Without a change in complexion nor expression, Albert closed his eyes in resignation. ¡°¡­ At the very least, don¡¯t kill them. They¡¯re not related to the faction pulling the strings and they¡¯re still our allies. They just haven¡¯t opened their eyes to the truth yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going! I will¡­¡­ beat¡­ our enemies! IIIIIIIiya¡ª!¡± Riel crouched and burst forward in an explosive rush. As she dashed, she placed her hand on the ground and created a large sword in an instant. ¡°¡­¡± Coldly watching her charge off into the enemy without another word, Albert calmly began to chant a protection spell. At the center of the Magic Games Festival¡¯s center stage, in the open area in front of the awards podium¡ª Lumia and Glen¡¯s sudden appearance from the distortion prompted Zero¡¯s reflexive shout.. ¡°How could it be!? Lumia-dono, right now, you should be in the middle of town with that magic instructor¡ª¡± The guests who sat in the stands and the students who stood in neat lines couldn¡¯t quite understand what happened. All they could do was look onto the stage from afar in confusion. Amidst the commotion, Glen proudly revealed his trick. ¡°We swapped with my buddies earlier using [Self ¡¤ Illusion]. Man, they were really taken for a spin with such a simple trick. You should really educate your subordinates a little more, no?¡± ¡°Ku-! Guards! What are you all waiting for!? Arrest these insurgents!¡± Zeros covered Alicia behind him and yelled out an order. Immediately, the guards stationed at the stadium perimeter regained their senses and collectively drew their blades, charging forward to seize Glen and Lumia. ¡°Serika, please¡ª!¡± At Glen¡¯s cry, countless lines of light flashed across the ground. A barrier was instantaneously erected at the center of the stage, enclosing Glen, Lumia, Alicia, Zeros, and Serika within. The towering barriers of light cut off the inside from the surroundings and kept the soldiers from approaching Glen. ¡°~~~~~~~~-! ~~~~~-!¡± The soldiers outside pounded the walls of the barrier with their fists and shouted something, but their voices could not reach those who were enclosed inside the barrier. ¡°Oho? An isolation barrier that even screens out sound? That¡¯s quite thoughtful of you, Serika.¡± Serika showed a wide grin at Glen¡¯s praise. When had the barrier been constructed? From Serika¡¯s outstretched left palm appeared a pentagram formation built with lines of light. Sounds of a ringing bell could be heard from the hand¡ª ¡­ As I thought. Everyone but Sistina, who had foreseen the development that unfolded on stage, failed to hide their bafflement and surprise. I thought something was a little strange¡­ She had thought that the Empress¡¯ V.I.P. stands had been unusually busy since Lumia had gone missing, but if that had been the only abnormality, then Sistina wouldn¡¯t have given it any more thought. However, Glen and Lumia had returned with changed appearances and voices, obstinately hiding their true identities as they approached Sistina. Since she knew of Lumia¡¯s history, it wasn¡¯t difficult for her to imagine that some peculiar situation had arisen. The black magic [Self ¡¤ Illusion] creates an illusion to transform the user¡¯s appearance. Touching it directly would allow one to feel that something is out of place¡­ Not to mention, I definitely wouldn¡¯t mistake how her hands feel. Yet despite having unraveled the mystery, there remained a decision to be made. Should I force them to tell me? Or should I not? She and Lumia were friends that were close enough to be sisters. If Lumia was involved in some sort of trouble, she naturally wanted to help her. She would help even if she wasn¡¯t asked to. That much was a given. However¡­ Lumia had told her this. ¡ª¡¯Believe in us.¡¯ It was not plea for help, nor was it a request for involvement¡­ she had merely been asked to ¡®believe in us¡¯. In that case, she would believe. That was form of the friendship she took pride in. Still, I feel a little annoyed that Lumia would rather ask that guy for help than me ¡­ Whilst she couldn¡¯t quite understand the gloomy feelings that arose in her heart, she looked distantly towards the two on the other side of the barrier, where they confronted the Empress. Sistina couldn¡¯t form a concrete understanding of what was happening in the moment. Furthermore, with the barrier preventing any sound from passing through, she couldn¡¯t even try to get a grasp of the situation either. Even so¡ª Sensei¡­ Save Lumia¡­ Please¡­ She joined her hands together in front of her as if she were praying. ¡°Serika-dono¡­ Do you intend to betray us now!?¡± Zeros scornfully gazed at the barrier, and howled at Serika with seething fury. ¡°¡­¡± However, Serika remained silent and aloof. ¡°Damn, how did it come to this¡­¡± Zeros couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth in frustration. The people not involved in this incident could only stare in puzzlement, unable to understand the situation. ¡°Now that the side characters have taken their leave¡­¡± Glen snapped his fingers and turned towards Zeros. ¡°Hey old man, what¡¯s the deal with all this? Do you get what you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°Gl¡ª¡± ¡°Your Majesty, forgive my presumptuous attitude, but let me tell you what this old man has done. He misused your authority in an attempt to bring harm to an innocent girl, that being, Lumia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Alicia stared at Glen. ¡°Rest easy Your Majesty, everything is over now. Lumia is safe and sound, and the royal guards who were keeping you restrained are stuck outside the barrier. There isn¡¯t anyone here that can hold you down through force. I know that old man is stupid strong, but he isn¡¯t really a match for both Serika and I if we were to go up against him.¡± ¡°Damn you traitors¡­-!¡± ¡°Dum-bo, just who is the traitor here? Anyway, this will all be over once Your Majesty gives the word. Hey, you wouldn¡¯t ignore an imperial order given personally by Her Majesty would you?¡± This is finally over ¨C Glen thought. I still don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s going on, but either way, the problem itself is resolved. I can take my time to ask questions later if I really need to. Heck, this wasn¡¯t really my job to begin with. As Glen lost himself in these thoughts¡ª ¡°Zeros.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ What is it, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°By my command¡­ That girl, Lumia Tinzel, is to be executed.¡± Alicia uttered these unexpected words. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± Glen froze up. Lumia turned pale. Regardless, Alicia continued to show an ice-cold expression as she calmly continued. ¡°With regards to my position, that girl is someone who mustn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Your Majesty, what are you saying¡­?¡± As Alicia spouted unimaginable words, this time, it was Glen¡¯s turn to fall into disarray. ¡°It would be better if she were never born. I never once loved you. ¡®Why must this child exist in this world?¡¯ I¡¯ve often thought¡­ This is a regret I will never live down.¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s¡­¡± Even Lumia couldn¡¯t withstand her mother¡¯s statement. ¡°Do¡­ Do you really believe that? Is that what you truly feel¡­? What about the kindness you showed me¡­? What about the warmth you¡¯ve given me¡­?¡± Her body trembled as she drew away, but even so, she asked those questions as if clinging on to dear life. ¡°Mhm, all of it was a lie. With how toilsome and tiring these governmental duties are, sometimes it¡¯s nice to play around with something for a change of pace you see? That¡¯s why, you should die with the regret of having been so foolish and disobedient.¡± Subjected to such cruelty, tears welled up in Lumia¡¯s eyes as the strength left her body. ¡°N-, No, wait a second Your Majesty! Why are you saying such heartless words¡­?¡± In contrast to Glen¡¯s growing unease, Zeros regained his strength. ¡°F-, Fuha, Fuhahahha! So you finally understand, Your Majesty! How¡¯s that, scum!? This is Her Majesty¡¯s true will! Justice resides with me!¡± ¡°Tch¡ª!¡± I totally miscalculated. I thought that if we could meet the Empress, the situation would resolve itself. I¡¯m here ¡®cause I believe in Serika, but it was completely beyond my expectations for the Empress to say this. ¡°I see, now that I think about it, Serika-dono did not betray us¡­ because the traitors are trapped within the barrier! There¡¯s nowhere for you to run now, is there?¡± ¡°Goddamn¡­¡± ¡°Now then, the only thing left to do is to dispose of the traitors¡­ I will personally perform the final rite!¡± Zeros¡¯ body filled with murderous intent as he drew his swords. With a rapier in each hand, it seemed that Zeros employed a dual-blade style. His footwork didn¡¯t seem to leave any openings to exploit as he approached Glen one step at a time. ¡°Oi Serika!? Do something would you!? Hello Serika, you there!?¡± ¡°¡­¡± However, Serika didn¡¯t reply. She closed her eyes and solely focused on maintaining the barrier. No matter how frustrated Glen was, all he could do was grit his teeth. Damnit Serika, didn¡¯t you friggin¡¯ say that everything would be ok if we got to the Empress!? Are you sure you didn¡¯t mean to say that we¡¯d find ourselves trapped in a desperate pinch instead!? She¡¯s not actually trying to screw me over is she!? Glen stood in front of the grief-stricken Lumia, who had fallen to her knees, in an attempt to protect her. ¡­What now!? ¡­What should I do!? Zeros is different from the other soldiers who are lacking in combat experience! He¡¯s survived the frontlines of the war forty years ago, the real deal! Sweat trickled town Glen¡¯s forehead. Zeros approached Glen with steady steps. With each approaching step, the presence of death grew progressively thicker like an encroaching mist. Glen could feel the pressure running down his spine. The way in which Zeros approached was like the relentless advance of a death god. What the hell is this anyway!? What¡¯s happening!? Why is Her Majesty saying such impossible things!? Not to mention, she¡¯s not being asked, threatened, or controlled. She really means it! Zeros would soon be within striking distance. In the next moment after that, Glen would be cut down ¡ª Dead, Killed. Shit! There¡¯s nothing I can do at this distance against this old man! If I try to start chanting now I¡¯ll just be killed before I can finish¡­! The distance between the two was already within close-quarters range. It would prove hard enough to complete a one-stage spell, but just what could Glen do when he could only use three stage spells? The barrier behind him blocked his retreat, not to mention, he couldn¡¯t back down with Lumia right behind him. ¡­I¡¯ll have to do something don¡¯t I¡­!? With grim resolve, Glen raised his fists into a traditional fist-fighting stance. Undoubtedly, Glen had a held a lot of confidence in his hand-to-hand combat ability. If he had to put it into words, he would say that he was better at it than any aspect of magic. But even so, would his combat skill be of any use against this monster¡­? Sorry¡­ Lumia¡­ Even though I brought you here to get rid of those loathsome thoughts, it turned out like this¡­ Perhaps Lumia had already given up. She grasped tightly onto the locket that hung around her neck, closed her eyes, and lowered her head in a stance of prayer. As the god of death continued to approach, Glen felt a wave of anxiety surge across his back. Although he felt a strong impulse to immediately run away, Glen took a step forward to attack with reckless abandon¡ª It was then that a flash of realization passed through Glen¡¯s mind. Now that I think about it¡­ Why did the Her Majesty choose to this moment to say such things? ¡®With regards to my position, that girl is someone who mustn¡¯t exist.¡¯ ¡®It would be better if were never born. I never once loved you. ¡®Why must this child exist in this world?¡¯ I¡¯ve often thought¡­ This is a regret I will never live down.¡¯ It¡¯s strange no matter how I think about it. Even if Her Majesty really believed that, she could have just said ¡®Kill her¡¯ and that would be the end of story. Why did she have to go out of her way to hurt Lumia¡­ Why did she have to say such unnecessary things? Not to mention, all of it were lies¡­ Why did she have to do it in this situation? Glen looked towards Alicia¡¯s nape, and then to Lumia¡¯s joined hands. If I had to say what was strange about this¡­ what about the matching lockets? Her Majesty treated it like a treasure, but she isn¡¯t carrying it around today¡­ Glen¡¯s thoughts began to race. There¡¯s no mistaking that none of what she¡¯s been saying reflects how she really feels, but if that¡¯s the case, then why? I understand that she can¡¯t say how she actually feels in public, but did she really have to go out of her way to say the exact opposite? What are her lies supposed to mean? Is Her Majesty someone who would do pointless things? Or does she have no choice but to lie¡­ Maybe¡­ there¡¯s some reason as to why she can¡¯t say the truth? Then, he remembered. He remembered what Serika had told him. ¡ªI¡¯ll say this one more time alright Glen? I can¡¯t do anything, and I can¡¯t say anything either. ¡ªYou¡¯re the only one who can break through this situation. Yes, you¡¯re the only one. Now that I think about it, there has to be some reason why Serika refused to tell me anything. She must be also hinting at something with the way she¡¯s stubbornly maintaining the soundproof barrier. I get that she wants to tell me something, but what is it? Since this barrier is cutting us off from the outside world, this should be a situation where anyone can say whatever they want, but they¡¯re still not saying anything. They¡¯re still trying to convey something through their actions¡­ which in itself means that the current situation is pretty dire isn¡¯t it? And there¡¯s something I can do that Serika can¡¯t¡­ What is it? No way¡­ Could it be¡ª? In truth, it was mostly a hunch. The moment the thought flashed through his mind, Glen immediately spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, that necklace of yours¡­ is quite pretty. It suits you quite well.¡± Zeros froze in place in response to Glen¡¯s odd statement. Lumia turned her eyes towards Glen, Serika opened her eyes and revealed a broad triumphant smile, and Alicia¡¯s cold visage warped into a warm smile. Lumia aside, everyone¡¯s reactions were strange. ¡°Is that so? This is my ¡®favorite¡¯ so to speak.¡± Despite her coldness moments prior, she now spoke in a merry and serene manner. ¡°Your ¡®favorite¡¯ huh¡­ I see I see. Isn¡¯t it a bit gaudy though? I mean, don¡¯t your shoulders feel tired? Won¡¯t it be better to take it off?¡± Glen rubbed his shoulders in a joking manner. ¡°Fufu, that won¡¯t do. I don¡¯t want to take this off. Not at all.¡± I get it now. This odd manner of speech that she¡¯s using¡­ There¡¯s no mistaking it. ¡°¡­Gotcha¡¯, Your Majesty.¡± Finally, finally Glen understood. The truth behind this incomprehensible incident, and the malice that had caused this cryptic situation. ¡°What¡­ are you trying to do¡­!?¡± Glen showed a fearless smile and Zeros, finding this uncanny, shouted to intimidate him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? We¡¯re gonna get that necklace off.¡± ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± ¡°Hey old man. Could you like, put you swords back? There¡¯s no need to use those against me.¡± Zeros raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your bluff is too shallow, magician! Try anything funny and I¡¯ll cut you down right here!¡± ¡°Well, of course you¡¯d react that way huh¡­ I realized a little too late didn¡¯t I? Now that I¡¯m already within range I don¡¯t have any time to convince him now do I¡­ but first¡­ Hey, Lumia?¡± Hearing her name called out without warning, Lumia raised her head. ¡°All said and done¡­ Your mom¡­ she really does love you¡ª¡± said Glen. He then looked behind Zeros and exchanged glances with Alicia. Alicia firmly nodded in response. Receiving that gesture, Glen quickly moved his left hand. The brief moment was extended endlessly as the mind was pressed to its limits¡ª Magicians wielded magic using their left arm which resided closer to the heart. Zeros, who noticed that action dashed forward like a gale without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I won¡¯t let you¨C!¡± He left behind a afterimage where he was. It was a godspeed step that didn¡¯t seem possible for the human body. Glen broke into a cold sweat in the face of Zeros¡¯ haste, which seemed to push the limits of reality¡ª He desperately moved his left hand, but its movements were dull in comparison to Zeros¡¯ lightning speed¡ª ¡ªIn the next moment, a flourish of blood came forth. ¡°I do not know what you were attempting¡­ but you are too slow, magician.¡± ¡°Ga¡ª!? Agh¡ª¡­-!?¡± Zeros thrust his right sword forward, which pierced through Glen¡¯s left arm. As for Glen¡¯s left hand¡ª there were no traces of any magical phenomenon. There was still one more sword in Zeros¡¯ left hand. Should the sword go on to pierce Glen¡¯s heart, it would all be over ¨C Glen would die. ¡°This is over, magician!¡± ¡°N-, No¡ª Sensei¡ª!¡± As Zeros readied his blade, Lumia cried out¡ª The blade point cut through the wind, generating a shrieking noise in its wake. The silver steel gushed out towards its target. Just before it could pierce Glen¡¯s heart¡ª In the corner of Zeros¡¯ vision, a flash of green light fell from above. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± For some reason, Zeros¡¯ eyes intently followed the path of the light. The light leisurely fell to the floor with a ¡®clink¡¯ sound, bouncing once, twice, before falling to rest. The true form of the light was Alicia¡¯s jade gemstone necklace. In the following moment, Zeros¡¯ sword came to a halt as he looked on in shock. He turned to face Alicia¡ª And confirmed that Alicia had thrown it¡ª ¡°Your Majesty, what have you done¡ª!?¡± His expression twisted into despair as he cried out¡ª ¡ªThat action became the deciding factor in Glen and Zeros battle. A momentous whirlwind sprang forth. In the brief moment of Zeros¡¯ loss of composure, Glen, without hesitation, unleashed a roundhouse kick in a motion that was akin to a loosened spring. Mustering all the strength he could, Glen leg mercilessly struck the side of Zeros¡¯ head with his right leg, knocking Zeros aside as he followed through with the kick. ¡°¡ªGAAAAAAH¡ª!¡± The vehement blow sent Zeros tumbling violently across the floor. The time that seemed to extend forever returned to normal as the rush of adrenaline subsided. ¡°Heh¡­ It¡¯s over now¡­ Owowow¡­¡± Allowing his left arm to hang from his shoulder, Glen announced his victory. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a complete monster that survived that war, as long as you¡¯re still human, you shouldn¡¯t be able to get up for a while after eating a hit like that¡­¡± ¡°M-, My condition¡­ does not matter here!¡± Zeros attempted to stand up by using a sword as a cane, but he found himself unable to muster any strength from his hips and once again fell to the floor. As he fell, he cried out in agony and despair. ¡°M-, More importantly, what about Her Majesty-!? What happened to¡ª!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Zeros.¡± ¡°Wh¡­¡± Zeros ghastly looked at Alicia¡¯s bright and cheerful visage, and was left at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m fine already¡­ I¡¯m fine, alright? So that¡¯s enough¡­¡± Alicia gently smiled. Ignoring Zeros, who was taken aback by the turn of events, Glen hatefully peered at the jade necklace on the floor, and asked Serika. ¡°This is¡­ a conditionally activated curse right? And that necklace is the carrier for the curse?¡± Judging from the grin that formed on Serika¡¯s lips, Glen confirmed that his speculation was correct, and continued. ¡°Curses that activate when certain conditions are met¡­ Conditional curses are a rather orthodox method used in the history of magic. That said, this crappy necklace probably has the conditions ¡®Kill the wearer should it be taken off¡¯, ¡®Kill the wearer should a set amount of time pass¡¯, and ¡®Kill the wearer should the information be disclosed to a newly introduced third party¡¯. These three together make a reliable and traditional trifecta set of conditions for a curse. Last of all, the condition for lifting the curse is most likely ¡®Kill Lumia¡¯¡­¡± ¡®My my¡¯, Glen seemed to say as he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°So basically, whoever is targeting Lumia used the Empress as a hostage to achieve their plot. Well? How¡¯s that? This should be pretty close to the mark, right?¡± ¡°There are a few differences in the fine details of the curse conditions¡­ but well, it¡¯s more or less correct.¡± Serika, who finally spoke, smiled as if trying to hold back a chuckle. ¡°So, in order to save the empress, the royal guards went nuts trying to kill Lumia. As for you, Serika, you were probably forced by the culprit behind all this to not extend any direct help to Lumia, as otherwise, the Empress¡¯ life would be endangered. That¡¯s why you created a barrier that seemed to trap us in at first glance, am I right?¡± ¡°Oh Glen, you¡¯re usually so slow and stupid, but why is it that you¡¯re so sharp now? Ah, you really are my prized disciple.¡± Glen, spent and exhausted, slackened his body and fell backwards to take a seat on the floor. ¡°Hah¡­ Hey just saying, but couldn¡¯t you have given me a better hint¡­? I nearly died out there you know¡­? Geez¡­¡± Glen vented his frustration to Serika, who appeared to be rather happy, as he scratched his head with a displeased expression. ¡°But you still understand what I meant so all¡¯s well isn¡¯t it? I ¡®believed in you¡¯ you see?¡± ¡°God, you¡¯re so shameless¡­ And anyway, it¡¯s not because of you that I understood what was going on alright? It¡¯s cause Her Majesty kept saying those lies that weren¡¯t really possible coming from her, got it?¡± ¡°Eh¡­? Lies¡­?¡± Lumia reflexively uttered as she heard Glen¡¯s explanation. Taken aback, Lumia turned to face Alicia. Making eye contact with Lumia, Alicia returned an ambiguous smile akin to that of a child who was scolded after their misdeeds were discovered. ¡°You¡­ What¡­ What did you do¡­? Why didn¡¯t the curse activate¡­?¡± Zeros, who was still unable to grasp the situation, asked Glen. ¡°Sorry about that, old man Zeros. My left hand was just a feint, what I really wanted to do was done through my right hand.¡± Glen showed Zeros the object in his right hand. It was an old-fashioned card. ¡°¡­Arcana¡­? ¡®The Fool¡¯¡¯s¡­ ¡°This is my magic tool. By reading the magic formula created by converting the design of the fool, I can completely seal the activation of any magic within a certain area. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Even curses are a type a magic. Under the effects of my original magic, [The Fool¡¯s World], the curse will not activate even if the conditions are fulfilled. Well, I guess this is one of those times where ¡®they all lived happily ever after¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­T-, ¡®The Fool¡¯¡­? Sealing¡­ the activation of magic¡­?¡± Zeros opened his eyes as if realizing something, and looked Glen straight in the eye. ¡°I-, I heard rumors of this¡­ In the Imperial court magicians, there was¡­ Could it be, that you are¡­?¡± ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m have no idea about what that is really.¡± Glen abruptly turned his back towards Zeros. ¡°Now then, this dumb mess is finally ov¡­ Ah wait, we still have to deal with the person behind all this¡­ But well, I guess we can leave this aside for now.¡± Glen look around whilst scratching his head. The students, instructors, and soldiers who were kept outside the barrier didn¡¯t seem to understand what was happening and merely looked on in confusion. ¡°Now then, how do we explain all this¡­? Actually, how are we even supposed to bring this situation under control?¡± Glen racked his head trying to think of ways to deal with post-matter events. At approximately the same time¡ª Far away from the chaos of the academy, in the southern area. In a deserted alleyway shrouded by the curtain of dusk, an inconspicuous silhouette skirted silently along. ¡°My, what a shame, I never thought that it would actually fail¡­¡± However they didn¡¯t sound disappointed in the least. Rather, it was as if they had found enjoyment out of wildcards that appeared in the midst of a perfectly planned game. ¡°Even though I finally managed to take Her Majesty hostage and seal the movements of the singularity Serika Alfornea¡­ I suppose her title as a seventh-rank is not just for show, she is certainly quite cunning. Then, there is the matter of Glen Ryders¡­ my, he is quite the awful joker.¡± Then, the giggling woman suddenly came to a halt. ¡°Oh¡­ It seems that there is more to the empire than just idiots¡­¡± At some point, two shadowed silhouettes had appeared before the woman. ¡°¡­We were given two missions. The first, was to observe the royal guards, whose movements have become more radical as of late. The other¡­ was to perform a secret investigation on the close associates of Her Majesty the Empress.¡± One of the figures calmly said. ¡°Recently, I felt that our movements were being tracked, but who would¡¯ve thought the culprit would be the person whom I suspected the least? The head maid and secretary of Her Majesty the Empress¡­ or rather, heretical magician of the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society, Elenora Schalet.¡± Immediately, the surrounding darkness began to thicken into a black cloud. . ¡°A clear upbringing, an outstanding history, and unparalleled abilities¡­ Looking back, your flawlessness in itself was suspicious.¡± As Albert exposed the truth, the woman, Elenora, showed a chilly smile. ¡°Given a second thought, the royal guards began to move as soon as Her Majesty the Empress left her seat to seek out Princess Alumiana, when you made contact with Zeros and Serika. I was occupied with the notion that the royal guards were running amok, so I had failed to realize it then¡­¡± ¡°Oh dear, were you peeping at me with farsight magic? You certainly have some distasteful hobbies.¡± ¡°Answer me, Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society member. What is your organization¡¯s goal? Assuming that Lumia is indeed Princess Alumiana¡­ The terrorist incident in the academy and this incident¡­ were both centered around the Princess. Furthermore, the previous incident was an attempted kidnapping, whilst this incident was an attempt at her life¡­ I fail to see the consistency in these actions. What exactly is your organization plotting?¡± ¡°¡­¡®Akashic Record¡¯¡± Albert slightly raised an eyebrow at Elenora¡¯s cryptic response. ¡°Yes, our goal is the wisdom of the great sky, the ¡®Akashic Record¡¯¡­ Perhaps¡­ I will say that the Princess is necessary for that purpose¡­ so to speak¡­ chuckle chuckle¡± Elenora raised her outstretch arms and looked towards to sky as she spoke in a drunken manner. Faced with Elenora¡¯s mannerism, Albert resisted the urge to pick apart her words and threatened. ¡°You make yourself hard to understand. I don¡¯t know what this ¡®Akashic Record¡¯ is, but your goal has nothing to do with the life or death of the Princess¡­ Is that right?¡± ¡°It would certainly be better if she were to live, but even we have a radical faction¡­ There are also those in the organization whom are too hasty to act¡­ Fufu, I went through the trouble of planning a route for the retrieval of the corpse, down to the minutely fine details, but all that effort has all gone to waste it seems.¡± ¡°I see. So the reason you did not perform the deed yourself and instead manipulated the royal guards into doing so¡­ would be because of that ¡®route¡¯?¡± ¡°I shall leave that to your imagination.¡± Elenora said as she smiled sweetly. Faced with such a smile, Riel, who had stood silently beside Albert until now, deciding that she had enough of this needless discussion, and brusquely synthesized a great sword. ¡°Enough. Kill.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t kill her. Capture her and force her to spit out the information on their organization.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to. Just kill. There¡¯s no need to listen to a villain¡¯s words.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Albert, whose expression was not fazed in the slightest, decided to say nothing more as Riel readied her sword. In an instant, the alleyway had blossomed with killing intent. ¡°Oh dear, how frightening.¡± However, Elenora did not move and smiled placidly. ¡°Even so, fighting two aces from the special operations division will prove to be too much¡­ This time around, it would be prudent to retreat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting away! Kill!¡± Riel shot forward like a bullet, leaving a vortex in her wake. Albert raised a finger forwards and began to chant a spell. At the same time, Elenora moved her hands as if dancing, and began to chant a spell¡ª In an unknown alleyway in Fejiti, magical energies clashed against one another, accompanied by the sounds of heavy impact. Volume 2 - CH 7 Final Chapter: To that person, three years ago. The incident was wrapped up without any further issues. With Zeros¡¯ surrender, the rampaging royal guards were calmed down. After that, Alicia herself addressed the students about the events that befell her. About how a terrorist organization that opposed the empire had entrapped her in a cruel ploy, and about how she had managed to survive thanks to the efforts of a brave magic instructor and a student. It was also fortunate that Serika¡¯s barrier had prevented Glen and the Empress¡¯ discussion from leaking to any others. Alicia addressed the national crisis in a seemingly casual manner and emphatically beautified the few grandeur moments. In the end, the Empress that challenged the world had used her masterful tongue to splendidly fool everyone that was present. Although everyone was temporarily taken by unease and insecurity, the enthralled audience all calmed down in a matter of moments. Finally, after the incident was fully addressed, the Magic Games Festival came to a peaceful end. And then¡ª ¡°¡­Thank god it¡¯s finally over¡­ They keep pestering me to accept a third-rank medal imprinted with the silver falcon sword, but I just don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s like, you know, come on already¡­¡± Glen trudgingly walked through the streets of Fejiti under the curtain of darkness. After the incident, the academy administration called for an emergency meeting, where they discussed the schedule for the bestowal of decorations for the ones who resolved the incident as well fine details of the matter concerning the royal guards. A long time had passed since then. ¡°Ugh, wasn¡¯t I supposed to be the victim in all this¡­? So why do I have to be summoned to a hearing at a later date? What a pain.¡± Without no attempt to hide his discontent, Glen grumbled and groaned. Lumia, who stood beside him, could only wryly smile. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Nothing can change the fact that we were the central figures in this incident.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong¡­¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it great that everything turned out nicely?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right I guess. No one was really hurt in the end.¡± All said and done, I¡¯d say that the royal guards who went nuts got a pretty light sentence compared to what they did. Now that I think about it, the judged was handled by the Empress herself, so no one could have really argued against it. Well, either way, it was Elenora¡¯s betrayal that caused the chaos on the authoritative side of things, and the soldiers of the royal guard were simply following their orders from Zeros. The official stance on Zeros, the commander of the royal guards, doesn¡¯t seem to be too strict on paper either. He acted out in protection of the empress, so there¡¯s a whole lot of room for mercy and negotiation. That being said, that doesn¡¯t mean all the loose ends have been wrapped up¡­ The most important piece in this incident is the one pulling the strings, Elenora, the head maid and secretary to Her Majesty the Empress. Albert and Riel chased after her, but it seems like she got away in the end. The head maid under the Empress huh¡­ Not to mention, this means that the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society have encroached as far as the ¡®lower-fourth seat¡¯ of the noble hierarchy¡­ This knowledge will probably be the spark that ignites a disturbance in the government. Just how deep do their roots go¡­ To be honest, Just this incident alone is scary enough. Also¡­ Lumia, what are you exactly¡ª¡­? Glen turned to glance at Lumia who walked alongside him. Lumia¡¯s supernatural ability is ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯. A living magic circuit that can super-enhance a person¡¯s magic power and ability through touch. It¡¯s a rare and extraordinary ability for sure. But¡ª Would a magic association on the scale of the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society really go this far to seize her? I heard about the details from Albert earlier, and one way or another, that group wants secure her body above everything else. Her life and death doesn¡¯t really matter to them. ¡­¡¯Emotion Amplifier¡¯ is a rare ability, but Lumia definitely isn¡¯t the only one out there. If they took the time to look for it they¡¯d surely find another. With their resources, finding another wouldn¡¯t even be that hard. To start with, if they wanted to simply enhance the power of their magic, they could use rituals or formations. Okay sure, it¡¯s rare, but in magic terms, it¡¯s not something that holds absolute value above everything else. Despite that, they¡¯re still after Lumia. Just what do they want with her? Her life or death isn¡¯t a problem for them either. I just don¡¯t get it; if she¡¯s dead, doesn¡¯t that mean she can¡¯t use her power? That much should be obvious. There must be something about Lumia in particular. Whatever the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society is looking to get their hands on, Lumia has it. But what is it¡­? No matter how hard I think about it, I just don¡¯t get it. ¡°¡­Geez, as if I needed another entry on my list of troubles¡­¡± ¡°Sensei? Is there something wrong?¡± Lumia raised her eyes with concern. ¡°Ah no, it¡¯s really nothing. Well, I guess I can think about those annoying problems some other time.¡± For now, I¡¯ve protected what I wanted to protect. I¡¯ll just keep protecting them from here on out. That¡¯s fine isn¡¯t it? ¡°Ah sensei! I see it! That¡¯s the place we¡¯re going to.¡± Pulling himself together, Glen turned his eyes towards where Lumia pointed to. It was the restaurant that acted as the purveyor for the academy¡¯s food. The restaurant had a fair reputation in the northern student district and was often the venue for banquets amongst the students. A large number of the students came from a wealthy background, but the restaurant gave the impression of being able to handle their vast needs to utmost satisfaction. ¡°Ah, so this is where our class is holding the celebration party?¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s what Sistina said.¡± Although they had encountered some trouble near the end, a win was still a win. As a result, Glen had won the prize money as well as the bet with Harry. With his ego and purse both bloated, Glen had then told the class that ¡®It¡¯s my treat, so do whatever you like and party as you guys see fit¡¯. ¡°They should¡¯ve called it a night by now right? Wouldn¡¯t they be at home already?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s take a peek just in case, sensei.¡± ¡°I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check.¡± Glen and Lumia entered the store together. ¡°¡­I guess they¡¯re still at it.¡± It was hard to put the following scene in words. The interior of the store was decorated with a vast amount of polished oak furniture. On top of the linear assortment of round wooden tables, across from the austerely designed counter seats, was an orderly arrangement of glasses and alcohol. The flame of the candle glowed brilliantly as it shook under the gentle winds, the lighting inside the store was neither too bright nor too dim, creating a rather unique atmosphere. Glen¡¯s students had booked the entire venue and were in the midst of an extravagant banquet where they continued to eat and shout. Although that incident had occurred at the closing ceremony, it hadn¡¯t extinguished their excitement from the victory in the Magic Games Festival. Everyone carried a glass or snack in their hands as they talked about the various events of the festival. ¡°Yo, sensei!¡± Noticing Glen¡¯s arrival, Cashew raised a hand and called out to Glen. ¡°Sorry we started before you! Hey, sensei! How was my match today!?¡± ¡°Oh geez, didn¡¯t you get wrecked in the finals? Do you really want me to say it?¡± ¡®Hey man don¡¯t say that¡­¡¯ Cashew seemed to say as he turned to Gibel, who was seated beside him, with an insufferable expression. ¡®There there¡¯ Cecil said as he tried to comfort Cashew. ¡°Ah, sensei¡­ thanks you very much for everything you¡¯ve done today¡­¡± ¡°Well, I suppose thanks are due. Uhm¡­ Either way, thanks to your support and advice, we managed to win today.¡± Rin showed a bashful smile towards Glen, whilst Wendy embarrassedly turned her head to face away. The other students all called out to Glen as well. The situation which was noticeably different from when he first started as an instructor, made Glen reflexively open his mouth¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Glen picked up a bottle that was on the table beside him. He finally recognized the old-fashioned label on the bottle. ¡®Ryu Safeelay¡¯, a wine produced in the Safeelay region from the highest quality, hand-picked grapevine trellises. The flavors were not only refined and vibrant, but they were also clear and easy on the tongue. Even the most prominent of nobles could not hold their praise for this wine. Well, simply put, it was expensive. Very, very expensive. Thus, the countless number of empty, but identical wine bottles that littered his field of vision was nothing short of nightmare fuel. ¡°T-, This is¡­ That famous, super-duper expensive wine¡­ right?¡± Noticing the bottle in his hand, Lumia retreated a few steps. ¡°¡­Oi, this is¡­ What is, how, but why?¡± As his blood curled, Glen managed to squeeze out a few murmurs. All the students immediately looked away. ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­ Someone must¡¯ve made a mistake! Someone must¡¯ve mistook this for grape juice, drank it and got all giddy-giddy, and the next moment¡­ whaddya¡¯ know? Tada, it¡¯s empty!¡± ¡°Uhm, am I allowed to run away? Hey, can I just leave?¡± As his heart began to freeze over, Glen counted the numerous bottles that rolled across the ground. Conclusion. The expenses of this venture would amount to the value of Glen¡¯s special reward today, as well as three months¡¯ worth of wages. Simply put, despite all his hard work today, his net return was definitively 0. I wanna cry. ¡°Goddamnit all!! Who did this!? Who in the heck¡¯s world chugged this stupid expensive wine!?¡± As Glen cried out with a full ensemble of teary eyes, quaking body, and paling visage¡ª ¡°Sensei~!¡± ¡°Woah!?¡± Glen desperately resisted the force that suddenly crashed against his flank. Turning his eyes to his side, he saw Sistina. Whatever the case, it seemed to she had hurled herself onto Glen, and was currently hugging him. ¡°Ahaha-! You¡¯re finally hereeee¡­ Senseiiii¡­Ufufufufufufu¡­.¡± To say the least, she appeared to be rather drunk. Her upturned eyes brimmed with moisture, her face was beet red, and her legs failed to support her body as she threw all her weight onto Glen. ¡°What are y-, oh god you friggin¡¯ stink! Wait, so you¡¯re the culprit!? You damned hooligirl!¡± In his immediate surroundings, the only one who seemed even remotely drunk was Sistina. At this point, it was all too obvious. Rather, it would be better to say that this was the surprising yet irrefutable truth. ¡°Geeeee~~¡­ Where did you go~`¡­Sensei~¡­ Wif¡­out you here Sensei¡­ I was really lonle~~~¡­ It¡¯s ruuu¡­ to make a girl¡­ wait¡­¡± ¡°Ah, come on! Get off me already! Don¡¯t snuggle against me! Your face is too close! Why are you always so annoying!?¡± It was hard enough to find the words to lecture someone so drunk, there was probably no point in even trying. Glen resigned himself to his fate as Sistina continued to press on. ¡°I¡­ Today¡­ Senseiiii¡­ See you in different light¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Youuuu¡­ pay more attenshun to us¡­ than I ever thot¡­ you would¡­ And I don¡¯t really get it¡­ but youuu¡­. helped Lumia¡­ Soooo¡­ Sensei¡­. you¡¯ve tranfuhmed or something¡­ right? Actually¡­ I undershood everthing¡­ but I read the muuud¡­ and pretended not to notice¡­! Aren¡¯t I amashing?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah yeah, you¡¯re soooo amazing.¡± To be honest, Glen didn¡¯t really understand what Sistina had said through all her slurs and mumbles. He simply chose an answer that couldn¡¯t go wrong.¡± ¡°Ufu, fufufufu! You¡¯re also amazhing! I will¡­ give you the right¡­. to marry¡­ Lumia¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hah?¡± ¡°If possibulll¡­ Uhhh¡­ I want you¡­ to choose me¡­ Eh, what are you making me sayyyyyyy, geeez! You idiot! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!¡± Sistina motioned to send Glen flying, but she instead tumbled across the floor. ¡°¡­Ah, what a pain.¡± Glen looked amusedly at Sistina, who continued to smile as she curled into a ball. ¡°Oi Lumia. What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get her into a seat at the very least. If she sleeps on the floor she¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m gonna go get some water or something. I¡¯ll leave her to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Sensei is going away¡­ even thuh he jus got here¡­.¡± ¡°Mhm mhm, it¡¯ll be fine. Sensei won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°¡­Reallly? Really, really¡­?¡± ¡°Geez, you really like to be pampered, don¡¯t you Sisti?¡± With his back turned on the intimate sisters-like exchange, Glen left the store. The energy in the hall faded in a naught but a fleeting moment. Glen¡¯s students seemed to be no exception. After the banquet. ¡°Hah¡­ Finally some peace and quiet¡­¡± Glen sat at one of the seats on the counter with his head in his arms as he let out a long sigh. The students formed their own groups and left for home. The bustle in the restaurant moments ago seemed as if it had been made up given how quiet it currently was. Although it was already past closing time, the bartender had taken notice of Glen¡¯s lateness and made an exception. Thus, despite the fact that the kitchen, storage room, and wine racks were locked, the store remained open. The store had also lent a blanket for the drunk Sistina. The bartender instructed that once Glen had emptied the brandy bottle he used to drown his sorrows, he should leave through the back door. Only the stores in the student district would be so lenient however. Glen took a fleeting glimpse behind him. Covered with a blanket, Sistina slept with her body leaned on the table in front of her. It seemed that she was having some sort of wonderful dream, sleeping soundly with a bright smile. ¡°¡­Hmpf.¡± Clang¡­ the glass in Glen¡¯s hand rang. Although it was some sort of cheap alcohol that he couldn¡¯t even remember the name to, he was unable to get drunk. No matter how much he drank, he couldn¡¯t get his mind off of today¡¯s bill, sundries, and the colorful variety of impending problems. ¡°¡­Good work today, sensei.¡± After finally putting Sistina to rest and taking care of her needs in a thorough manner, Lumia returned. ¡°May I sit beside you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Receiving Glen¡¯s permission, Lumia seated herself on right side beside Glen. The warm light of the lamp on the table illuminated the two through the faint darkness. Lumia tactfully took the bottle and refilled his cup little by little. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°¡­Terrible.¡± Lumia could only show a wry smile at Glen¡¯s sulky reply. The time of peace and quiet passed by in a serene manner. After all that had happened today, it was as if they had been given this gentle time to relieve the burdens of the heart. Finally¡ª ¡°Say¡­. Have you sorted things out between you and your mom?¡± Glen said as he lightly put down his glass. ¡°Yes¡± said Lumia, showing a gentle smile. ¡°After that, I talked with her about many things. What I¡¯m unsatisfied with, what I¡¯ve always wanted to say, everything¡­ After all that, I felt refreshed. Hehe, I¡¯m an idiot aren¡¯t I? Why did I act so stubborn back then?¡± ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t anyone have done the same?¡± Clang. Glen shook the ice in his glass. ¡°Everyone has things they can¡¯t let go. Until recently¡­ you know, before I was occupied by the stuff that has happened one after another, I¡¯d stopped thinking for myself¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? But¡­ it¡¯s thanks to you that my problems now solved.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything.¡± Saying that, Glen pushed the empty glass towards Lumia. Lumia refilled the glass with the amber alcohol with a smile. Then¡ª ¡°Hey sensei¡­ when did you remember? About how you saved me¡­ about what happened three years ago.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Although Glen had only taken smalls sips, he was now drinking by the mouthful. ¡°Promise.¡± Lumia uttered a single word in response. After emptying the glass, Glen quietly placed in on the counter. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about back then¡­ then there¡¯s only one thing I remember clearly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In that moment, the two recalled the same event from three years ago. When Lumia had been exiled from the royal family, when she had been taken in by the Phebell family¡­ When she had been kidnapped by the group of heretic magicians. ¡ªPlease. There are still enemies around. We can¡¯t make it out with the way you are. ¡ªBe afraid of me as much as you like, I don¡¯t mind. ¡ªHowever, if you could stop crying¡­ I¡¯ll be your ally. ¡ªEven if the world is your enemy, even if everyone hates you, I will definitely be your ally. ¡ªNo matter when, where, forever and ever. ¡ªSo please¡­ don¡¯t cry. ¡°I know it was just a means of getting me to stop crying, but I never thought that you would continue it all this time. Sensei, should I call you faithful, or perhaps tactless¡­¡± ¡°¡­A promise is a promise.¡± Glen turned his head to the side, pouting in discontent. ¡°But you know, it¡¯s not as impressive as you think.¡± Resting his chin in a hand, Glen noisily played with the glass again. ¡°When you were caught up in that kidnapping scheme that time, I was part of a sorta special sect of the imperial court magicians. Your mom¡­ Her Majesty the Empress cried and begged for me to do it you know. ¡®Please save her. I know I have no right to say this, I know it¡¯s wrong to push you into such danger, but please save her.¡¯ she said. I was just seeing it through.¡± Yes. Only for her daughter who she had sent faraway, would the bold and resolved Empress shed tears. That was why Glen had known the Empress had lied. ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding me a little¡­ It was just my job you know. I¡¯m not a magician of justice nor a hero. I¡¯m just¡­ a lowlife murderer by profession.¡± ¡°Even so.¡± Lumia look at Glen¡¯s visage, which had been overcome with anguish, and said. ¡°Because of that promise, I was saved. This time too¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s unfair sensei¡­ in many ways.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things I don¡¯t understand.¡± With a bemused sigh, Glen poured himself a drink. As he was doing so¡ª ¡°Hey Sensei.¡± Lumia shifted herself closer to Glen, and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°¡­Lumia?¡± Glen stopped his raised glass and cast a quizzical gaze. ¡°Just tonight.¡± With a mutter, Lumia silently closed her eyes, and as if whispering¡ª ¡°Just tonight¡­ let me be spoiled like this¡­ sensei¡­¡± ¡°¡­Do as you like.¡± The gentle flow of time trickled silently. The shaking flame, the wavering shadows. The young girl¡¯s silent breath and the warmth of her body. The intermittent clanging of the glass. Perhaps he was finally drunk. The depths of his mind went numb with a faintly hot sensation. It was a very comfortable feeling¡­ It seemed to make him believe that there was nothing to regret in what he had done today¡­ A great relief for his tired body. Volume 3 - Prologue Translation: yuNS Typeset: yuNS Redrawers: yuNS (cover), Kato (ToC, Color Illusts) Editors: Hocchibi Prologue: The reason I accepted a transfer student ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! Please forgive me! Headmaster Rick! Serika-sama!¡± The headmaster¡¯s room at Alzano Imperial Magic Academy. Glen, who had been called to the headmaster¡¯s room, suddenly performed an impressive somersault, landing elegantly, prostrated on the floor. There was naught for Serika and Headmaster Rick to do but take in the sight. ¡°Oi Glen, what the heck are you doing?¡± ¡°It was just a slip of the hand¡­ Just an honest mistake, I swear-! Of course, it would only be natural for esteemed figures such as yourselves to be angry! This young one hereby expresses his humble and earnest apologies~!¡± Serika and Rick exchange a short glance as Glen solemnly continued. ¡°I mixed up the types of fertilizers, so the Kharlet plants in the medicinal garden have all withered. I am very, very sorry¡ª!¡± Rick calmly replied to the terrified Glen. ¡°Hahaha, Glen-kun, raise your head. It certainly troubles me that you mistake this meeting as a punishment hearing. Anyway, I did not summon you here for that. There¡¯s something we need of you.¡± ¡°Ah, what the heck? So it¡¯s like that? A-Aha-ha-ha! Geez, don¡¯t scare me man!¡± Glen relaxedly rose to his feet. ¡°I knew it! I totally destroyed all the evidence of it, so how could anyone have possibly found out! A-ha-ha-ha!¡± Glen laughed cheerfully. ¡°Fufufu, you are too careless, Glen-kun.¡± The headmaster said with a cheerful laugh. ¡°A-ha-ha-¡° ¡°Fufufu¡± The two laughed in unison¡­ ¡°That being said Glen-kun, a wage deduction is due.¡± ¡°Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡ª!? I knew ittttt¡ª!¡± The headmaster lay down his judgment with a cheerful laugh as Glen clasped his head with his hand and cried out in agony. ¡°Ugh, damnit all¡­ If my wages get cut any further, I¡¯ll practically be paying the school¡­¡± Faced with a just yet uncompassionate reality, tears fell from Glen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ Thank god I won that bet with Ha¡­ something-senpai during the Magic Games Festival¡­ Wait a second, didn¡¯t I get all pretentious and stuff and treat the students to that meal¡­! Why!? Why am I so stupid!?¡± ¡°Shameless as you are, do you not think what you¡¯re doing is a bit too disgraceful¡­? Do you not feel any regret?¡± Serika turned her eyes in disbelief towards Glen, who had crawled and curled into a ball in a dark corner of the room. ¡°To start with, if you¡¯re going to complain about your wages being cut, why don¡¯t you change your work attitude a little? You¡¯re fairly serious when it comes to your lectures, but other than that you¡¯re much too carefree. Would it kill you to have a bit of self-awareness as a magician¡­¡± ¡°Tch¡­ Shush shush. Yeah yeah yeah yeah, I didn¡¯t hear any¡ªthing.¡± ¡°Well, whatever you¡¯re guilty of, just remember to keep yourself clean and stay quiet¡­ like I do. Though, you have always been rather sloppy when it came to ¡®wrapping things up¡¯.¡± ¡°Thank you for your sage advice! As expected of my great master! Truly deserving of my eternal respect!¡± Glen brought Serika¡¯s hands into his own, and looked towards her with admiration and respect¡ª ¡°Oh, why did I ever hire these people¡­¡± Bearing witness to the grandeur occasion of the bonding between master and student, Rick cast a distant gaze through the window of his office. There, was the usual sight of the academy grounds that were brimming with nature, enclosed by a metal fence which isolated the academy from the wide expanse of Fejiti. Distant and above was the grandiose mirage castle ¡ª Melgarius¡¯ Sky Castle. ¡°Back on topic, Glen-kun, the matter I wanted to discuss with you is regarding a transfer student.¡± ¡°¡­A transfer student?¡± ¡°Mhm. As of tomorrow, the academy will admit a new student who will be enrolled in Glen-kun¡¯s class.¡± ¡°Tomorrow? This seems a bit urgent doesn¡¯t it¡­? Not to mention that admitting someone in the middle of the term is a bit strange in and of itself.¡± ¡°¡­Regardless, you have no say in the matter.¡± The headmaster pushed the object in his hands across the table. It was scroll-envelope, the cover to which had already been opened. Upon closer inspection, the envelope did not have any address printed on it. Furthermore, the casing for the envelope was made of high-quality leather. On second thought, it was likely that the envelope had not been sent through any government agency, but rather, had been delivered directly to the academy via a liaison. Also this traces of the seal¡­ Isn¡¯t this the seal used by the imperial army? Glen opened the cover to the envelope, retrieved the fine goatskin paper, and unrolled it. The contents of the letter had been written in compact, small, and precise script. At the end of the letter was a gold-engraved emblem of a hawk. ¡°A hawk? That means¡­ that this is a document that¡¯s been authorized by the Empress herself¡­ and the contents are treated as highly confidential¡­. Hey wait a second! Isn¡¯t this a top-secret document regarding the transfer of military personnel!?¡± Glen eyes widened in awe as he stared at the goatskin letter. ¡°Mhm. In more common terms, this is a document decreeing that you must accept whatever transfer student is coming tomorrow into your class; an imperial missive chartered by Her Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°¡­-, could it be that¡­¡± The unusual time, the sudden transfer student, and the specification that it must be in his class¡­ ¡°Headmaster, this transfer student is¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s as you suspect. This transfer student is a member of the Imperial Court Magicians sent here to act as Lumia-kun¡¯s bodyguard. If she is in the same class as Lumia, it would be easier for her to perform her duties ¡ª That was the judgment agreed upon by the government and the army. ¡°¡­-!¡± Lumia Tinzel. A female student in Glen¡¯s class. Although her grades in theory classes were excellent, she wasn¡¯t good at putting magic outside the realm of white magic into practice. Thus, her overall grades were about average. Aside from her excellent looks, she was a normal young girl and student who was nothing to write home about. However, she was the central figure of a complex web of secrets. First of all, she bore the lineage of the Alzano Empire¡¯s royal family and was a full-fledged princess. Secondly, while being a princess, she was also a ¡®supernatural¡¯, who were widely believe to be demonspawn by the general populace. As a result of various political circumstances, she was stripped of her place as second-in-line for the throne, and was exiled from the royal family. Thirdly, for reasons unbeknownst, the ¡®Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society¡¯ ¨C a terrorist organization which cast a dark shadow across history in various bloody struggles against the government ¨C were after her. Lumia¡¯s so-called ¡®supernatural ability¡¯ was called ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯, which bolstered one¡¯s magical abilities and powers through physical contact. While certainly a rare and perhaps rule-breaking ability, it shouldn¡¯t be enough to cause such great movements from an infamous organization such as the ¡®Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society¡¯, nor was it powerful enough for them to desire it. If all they wanted was simply the enhancement of magical abilities and powers, then there were various methods and techniques that were easily accessible to them using today¡¯s methods. The only reason I can think of would be that they want to use Lumia¡¯s standing as a former princess to drive some political movement, but twice now they¡¯ve said that her life wasn¡¯t of particular importance. So it¡¯s unlikely that they want her for political reasons. So just what is so special about Lumia? Why do the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society want her? I just don¡¯t get it. Well, even if we don¡¯t know what they¡¯re planning, the government have more or less decided it wouldn¡¯t be good to let Lumia be taken by them. If Lumia is taken by them, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to imagine that something bad will happen. That being said though, if they gave special treatment to a former princess like Lumia, she will definitely become the center of people¡¯s attention, and that would be an unnecessary risk to the peace of the Empire as a whole. If word goes out that the holiest of holy royal family has a ¡®supernatural¡¯ in their ranks, the foundations of this nation would be crumble in an instant. In a certain sense of words, she¡¯s a bomb to this nation¡¯s security. So their last resort is to send an elite from the Imperial Court Magicians to this academy to guard Lumia in secret¡­ At least, that¡¯s probably the gist of it. ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s pretty reassuring.¡± That was what Glen honestly believed. Glen was once a member of that group, so he had a very clear understanding of what it meant for one to be sent here. The Imperial Court Magicians were the undisputedly the strongest group of magicians of the Empire, the elites amongst elites. It would be fitting to say that each member could fight an army on their own. Their strength was so great, that even Glen himself wondered why a third-rate magician had been allowed to join their ranks. A gathering of monsters in a different dimension of its own. Ever since Lumia had become the clear target of the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society, Glen couldn¡¯t help but be worried about her safety every day. However, now that there was to be an Imperial Court Magician by her side at all times, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that a great burden had been taken from his shoulders. ¡°Glen-kun¡¯s class is soon scheduled to go on a mandatory outing as part of the academy¡¯s curriculum, that being, the ¡®Field Study¡¯. Would it not be very reassuring to have this transfer student there for that?¡± What Rick said was correct, so Glen had no reason to object. ¡°I got it. I will happily accept this transfer student.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so? Very well then.¡± Hearing Glen¡¯s reply, Rick satisfiedly nodded. ¡°Right right, this document contains the details of the transfer student. Please read through it for reference.¡± ¡°Gotcha¡¯. Eh wait¡­?¡± Glen picked up the document and glanced over it. Sent from the Imperial Court Magicians¡­ Regardless, this is considered a special mission, so the person sent here is probably from the special operations sect. The role that the Imperial Court Magicians played in the army was that of a symbol of magical might. Amongst them, there was a special group that specialized in dealing with cases and incidents related to magic ¨C the ¡®special operations sect¡¯. With that in mind, someone whose magic is suited to bodyguard missions and wouldn¡¯t feel out of place as a transfer student would be¡­ Christoph of ¡®The Pope¡¯? If that guy comes, I¡¯ll feel a bit¡­ With due certainty as to the identity of the transfer student, Glen read through the document¡ª Riel Rayford. He thought he had seen this name¡­ in the name column of the document regarding the transfer student¡­ ¡°¡­My my.¡± Glen exaggeratedly turned his head away from the document and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Haha¡­ I guess I¡¯ve been a bit burnt out recently¡­ For a moment there I thought that I saw a name that shouldn¡¯t be there¡­¡± Glen took another look. Riel Rayford. He hadn¡¯t been wrong in the slightest. The name was printed in fine script in the corresponding column. ¡°Oh shit¡­ I think I¡¯m starting to see things. I might have some serious visual impairment¡­ or maybe I¡¯m going crazy?¡± Glen took another look. Riel Rayford. ¡°¡­Oi oi, Glen, calm down, keep yourself together. Riel? That Riel of ¡®The Chariot¡¯? ¡­No way in hell right? That brute of a musclebrained boar-of-a-girl? That natural-born god of destruction? That ever-dejected angel of reaping? The girl whose eternally number one in the ¡®people I don¡¯t want to be on a mission with¡¯ ranking? The foremost authority in ¡®coordinated efforts are useless¡¯? The same Riel to which several branches of the army have said that ¡®strategy is pointless when Riel¡¯s here¡¯? That Riel?¡± Glen rubbed his shoulders as sweat drenched his visage. ¡°HAHA- NAI-SU JYO-KU. Isn¡¯t bodyguard-ing a pretty delicate mission? And they would leave a special mission that requires a good ability to assess the situation to Riel? Pfft, nice one! A-ha-ha! The special operations sect aren¡¯t that stupid, and it¡¯s not like they¡¯re lacking the personnel¡­¡± Glen cast another fleeting glance at the document. With half-opened eyes filled with unadulterated fear, he carefully read the name letter-by-letter. Riel Rayford. No matter how he looked, no matter how he read it, he could only see the words ¡®Riel Rayford¡¯. Suspecting that this was an anagram of some sort, Glen broke down the spelling and restructured it, but not matter how hard he tried it didn¡¯t seem to work. Then perhaps the paper might respond to heat? Glen tried to toast the paper in the fire of an oil-light, but the surface of the paper didn¡¯t seem to change. ¡°¡­¡± Glen fell silent for several seconds as his gaze once again fell on the name inscribed on the goatskin paper¡­ Faced with an unchanging, uncompassionate, and mercilessly cruel reality¡ª ¡°Hey wait a seconooonnnnddddddddddd¡ª!?¡± Glen¡¯s cry echoed through the headmaster¡¯s room¡­ Volume 3 - CH 1 Chapter 1: The Transfer Student Arrives with a Tempest ¡­I have a white memory. A retina-burning white ¡ª Even now, I remember that moment clearly. Like a fish living in an arctic lake, slowly being encased in a coffin of ice. On that day, in that moment ¡ª My heart, my body, were slowly dying. ¡°Hah¡ªHah¡ªHah¡­¡± I remember that there were a sparse number of conifer trees were spread across the area in a disorderly fashion; that I was in a forest somewhere. What first came to mind was the cold. A piercing frost that froze my breath. A freezing chill that numbed my skin; that could be felt down to my bones. A world below the freezing point that denied the existence of life. What I remember most vividly was the whiteness. It was a fastidious shade of pure white. Whether it was tree branches, undergrowth, or the floor, all was covered in dizzying white snow; a cruel and beautiful silvery-white world. The snowflakes that fell as if dancing bestowed small, faint, white noises in my field of vision, dying my world with whiteness, with coldness. ¡°¡­Hah¡­a¡­Hah¡ª¡± Stepping on the soft snow that buried my knees, I continued to wander aimlessly. Step¡­ after step. . Slowly¡­slowly. I dredged my dull body along, without the strength to even shake off the snow on my head and shoulders. I pushed through the flawless snow, dying it scarlet in my wake. Blood trickled from my body without end. In the perfectly white world dyed with a streak of scarlet. My life fell into nothingness like a hourglass. ¡°Geh.. Hah¡ªHah¡ªa¡­aa¡­¡± An ear-piercing silence rang through the air. There was only the sound of trodden snow and the echo of fiery breath. However, that was soon buried in the tranquility of the deep snowscape as the heat dispersed without a trace. I could not feel my arms and legs. Even the pain of my deep wounds could barely be felt. But I could feel the fire within me being burnt out. ¨CIt¡¯s about time. For what reason did I continue to push on to the very end like this? For what reason did I continue pushing through the snow, despite knowing that my life would soon reach its end? ¡°Guh-¡­ Even though¡­ I¡­ already¡­ have¡­ nothing¡­¡± Yes, I have nothing. No reason to live. No goal to live for. No right to live. I am a ¡®cleaner¡¯ of a certain magic organization¡­ That is to say, a killer. The organization took my brother as a hostage. In exchange for a guarantee that he would live, I followed the organizations bidding as a ¡®cleaner¡¯ and continued to kill those who opposed them. I had no other relatives. My kind brother was all that was left, he meant everything to me. For his sake ¡ª I will dye my hands red as many times as I need to. I¡ª ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­But, my brother ¨C my everything ¨C died. He was killed by ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. My brother was gone. Then shouldn¡¯t I, who continued to kill for the sake of my brother, disappear? Shouldn¡¯t I, who continued to soil my hands with blood over and over again for the sake of my brother, have no right to continue living on? Yet, I didn¡¯t stop. Even though I knew there was nothing but death ahead of me, even though I knew that it was all pointless in the end, I continued to walk forward, hoping for some miracle. Ah, how deceitful. How hypocritical. I had said that it was for my brother¡­ but in the end, it was only for myself. I merely used my brother as a shield to defend myself from my sins. How could god possibly bestow a miracle on such a hypocrite? ¡°u¡­!? ¡­a-¡° When I came to, I found myself fallen on the cold snow. Strength had left my body. I tried to rise to my feet, but my hands brushed the snow in futility. My body would no longer listen to me. ¡­I reached my limit. In the beginning, I was fatally wounded by ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. After that, I made my escape, fighting pursuers from the organization many times over until I made it here. My body was marked with countless wounds. It was a miracle that I had made it this far. Thus, after falling on the slow, my body dramatically approached its end. Heat¡ªcontinued to trickle from my body. My life plummeted towards zero as the bloodstains continued to blossom on the field of snow. ¡°a¡­ A¡­ I¡­ am¡­¡± Turning my body over with great difficulty, I raised my left hand¡­ towards the sky. As if the capture it in my palm. Without a thought¡­ Without a meaning¡­ On the wrist of my trembling left arm was a bracelet. My brother had given it to me somewhere. It matched with his own. [Hey ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. Someday, let¡¯s run away from this organization¡­ and wind up in some peaceful place to live with just the two of us.] With a flash, the nostalgic memory of my brother rose to the surface. Now, it¡¯s but a shallow, distant, fleeting dream. ¡°¡­Save¡­ me¡­ br¡­ other¡­ I¡­¡± As my overflowing tears blurred my vision¡ª it happened. ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Suddenly, the sounds of someone dashing through snow drew near. Soon after, a man appeared from behind the trees. ¡°¡­-! You are¡­!?¡± The man looked down in shock upon finding me. He was tall and lean with black hair, black eyes, and wore a black coat. He seemed to be a few years older than me. He aimed a percussion-style revolver at me. But my eyes were not fixated on the weapon, but rather, his appearance. His face¡­ his figure¡­ were like that of someone. ¡°¡­ Br¡­ other¡­?¡± No. They looked very alike, but he isn¡¯t my brother. My brother was already dead. ¡°¡­Sorry, you must have been through a lot to get here.¡± After confirming my appearance, the man who looked like my brother lowered his gun and apologized. ¡°If only I could have made it here sooner¡­¡± After a brief moment of silence, the man asked me a question? ¡°Hey you¡­ what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My¡­ My name is¡ª¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ and you¡¯ve picked up something troublesome again, haven¡¯t you Glen? That girl has been ¡õ¡õ by the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society¡¯s ¡®¡õ ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡¯ to ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ right? ¡­You¡¯ve done something unwise if I say so myself.¡± My consciousness suddenly became clear. ¡°I-, I mean it can¡¯t be helped now can it¡­? I was asked by that guy¡­¡± ¡°And do you have any reason to oblige his request?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡­ but¡­ that guy¡­-!¡± ¡°Hmpf. There you go pretending to be a ¡®Magician of Justice¡¯ again. You really are beyond help.¡± When I opened my eyes, the snowy scenery was gone. It was no longer cold. It was warm. Sleeping on the white bed, I was alive. By my bedside was two men. One was the person I had met in the snowy world. I did not know the other person. ¡°Oh, the sleeping beauty finally woke up. Oi Albert, could you put off the lecturing till later?¡± ¡°Tch¡­ Do what you want. This time will certainly mark the last time I act so civil with you.¡± ¡°Haha-, you say that, but this is already the tenth time. Oh, Al-chan, what a tsundere you¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. Could you please lower the lower the finger you have pointed to my chest? And could you please not look like me like I¡¯m trash? It¡¯s honestly terrifying.¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf.¡± The stranger sullenly exhaled and left the room. The moment the stranger left, the person I met in the snowy world lost his liveliness. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± With a sufferable sigh, his expression twisted into agony. ¡°¡­To save each and every person¡­ The ¡®Magician of Justice¡¯ in the picture book¡­ I know¡­ I know that it¡¯s all a lie¡­ but I¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Finally, he noticed me staring at him. He released a sigh while awkwardly scratching his head, and turned his eyes down towards me. ¡°Yo, we meet again. Well actually¡­ this should be first time we¡¯ve met isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You are¡­ the person that saved me¡­ from that snowy world¡­?¡± I wonder why? For a moment, the person¡¯s expression seemed to be overcome with sorrow. It was as if he was trying to hide his guilty conscience¡­ As I thought, he does look somewhat like my brother. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Suddenly, I noticed. There was something odd about my left hand. I pulled my left hand out from the blankets, and gazed at my wrist. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­ My¡­ bracelet¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s¡­ uhm¡­¡± For some reason, the person seemed hesitant to continue. ¡°¡­Mm, it¡¯s been confiscated. It¡¯ll kept by the Imperial Court Magicians for safekeeping.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t¡­ give it back?¡± ¡°No can do, and I can¡¯t explain why either¡­ Sorry, but I recommend you give up on it.¡± Hearing that, I felt a sense of loss that was akin to a part of my body being cut off. That bracelet was a gift from my brother. No matter how harsh the times are, no matter the hardships I had to face, it made me¡­ feel as if my brother were here with me. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± That person apologized to me once again. Once back when we first met, and once again now. Why is this person apologizing to me without a word? I only stared at him. ¡°Call me Glen.¡± He suddenly introduced himself. Of course, his name was different from my brother¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Could you tell me again?¡± Name. My name. I feel like I¡¯ve already told this person my name before. But why is it that I feel like I need to tell him again¡­? Following this feeling, I told the person named Glen my name. ¡°Riel¡­ My name is Riel.¡± ¡°That¡­ so. Riel, huh?¡± Puh That person ¨C Glen ¨C placed a hand on my head with a wide smile and said. ¡°¡­Nice to meet you, Riel.¡± This was how the person who looks like my brother¡­ Glen and I met¡ª ¡­¡­ ¡­ ¡­Sway and sway¡­ Sway and sway and sway. I feel something shaking. ¡°Little Miss¡­ Hey Little Miss, we¡¯ve arrived~¡± I feel like someone is calling for me from faraway. ¡°¡­¡­ng¡± My fuddled mind which had been wandering the days of the past returned to the present time. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re tired, but could you please wake up Little Miss?¡± I slowly opened my eyes. I was currently in a stagecoach; a small horse-drawn carriage. I was lying down on one of the two leather benches that faced one another, wrapped in a blanket. It seems like I was sleeping until now. ¡°¡­?¡± I slowly propped myself up from the bench. Although I felt a bit tired, it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. ¡°So you¡¯re finally awake. Good morning, Little Miss.¡± After getting up, I saw the coachman looking in from the other side end of the open door. ¡°My, it must¡¯ve been rough for you to travel all the way from the imperial capital Orlando to the academia town of Fejiti, missus.¡± During the journey, the coachman had also played the role of a travel companion. He offered his hand with a smile. I silently grabbed his hand and he gently helped me off the stagecoach. Outside, a faint morning fog permeated the air. The surroundings were still dim. While this was a given for the porter station which lay outside the town, I could tell from faraway that the town of Fejiti, which was lined with rows after rows of pointed roofs, was still asleep. ¡°Missus, that uniform¡­ is the uniform of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy right? I see, so you¡¯ll be studying there after this?¡± The coachman conversed with me in a relaxed manner as he carried the luggage in the stagecoach to me. I nodded my head. Then, I received. ¡°A-h-ha, work hard on your studies alright, Little Miss?¡± Leaving behind words of encouragement, the coachman returned to the driver¡¯s seat of the stagecoach. ¡°Now then, thank you once again for choosing our company¡¯s stagecoach services. We look forward to seeing you again¡­ And don¡¯t forget to eat well ok? ¡­Have a good day.¡± The coachman recited the business phrase in a joking manner as part of his farewells and slightly tipped his hat. Then, he used the reins of the horse to steer the stagecoach towards the parking area located near the station. I stood there for a while, idly seeing him off, before turning my gaze towards Fejiti. Although I¡¯ve been here recently, I can¡¯t help but feel that this is a nostalgic homecoming of sorts. It¡¯s probably because Glen is here. ¡°¡­¡± I closed my eyes. I thought back to the recent Magic Games Festival, where I reunited with Glen after a year. I understand that this made me feel just a little excited. As for the mission I¡¯ve been tasked with¡­ I don¡¯t really get the details, but all in all it means that I¡¯ll be close to Glen. I think that¡¯s a very good thing. Ever since Glen suddenly left me a year ago, I¡¯ve been somewhat uneasy. I don¡¯t understand why, but I often feel a discomfort in my chest. But ever since I met Glen by coincidence not long ago, that ever-present unease and discomfort were blown away all at once. I can be with Glen again¡­ I understand that just thinking this puts my heart and mind at ease. I don¡¯t understand why, but I know that my chest fills up with a pleasant feeling. ¡°¡­mm¡± I want to see him sooner. I opened my eyes and began to walk towards Fejiti¡¯s urban area. For some reason, I¡¯d forgotten to bring a map of Fejiti¡¯s districts. The parts of the town that I memorized during my recent visit had also been forgotten. ¡­Well, I can probably do this somehow¡­ by instinct. ¡­¡­ ¡­ As of recently, a student of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, Sistina Phebell, has been carrying a secret. For Sistina, it was a secret that couldn¡¯t be shared to anyone¡­ or rather, one she didn¡¯t want shared. And so, the time had come to temporarily put this secret into action. ¡°¡­M¡­hm.¡± The town was still a dimly lit landscape. The time was prior to daybreak. Sistina, who lay on the bed in her room, suddenly opened her eyes. Sistina was no stranger to mornings. She was the sort of person that would remind herself to wake up early before sleeping. She would then carry wake up organically through force of will when the time came. This special skill of hers played a big role in keeping her secret. Now awake, Sistina, hair still slightly messy, glanced around her room. Although the room was teeming with refinement, there were as many furnishings as one would expect. The most conspicuous piece of Sistina¡¯s room was undoubtedly the large wooden bookshelves that was filled with books on magic and archaeology. The other furnishings in the room consisted of a chair, table, lamp ¨C all objects of practical use. For a young girl¡¯s room, it was considerably tasteless. It was not like Lumia¡¯s room across the corridor, which seemed much more like a girl¡¯s. The place where Sistina, the daughter of two prominent officials in the ministry of magic, lived, the Phebell residence, had half a century of history behind it. It had been built with both traditional flair and strict architecture, and was unmistakably the mansion of a splendid noble family. As prominent officials within the Ministry of Magic, Sistina¡¯s parents would often be away at the empire¡¯s capital for business trips. As a result, she and Lumia were practically the only ones who lived in the residence. The maintenance, management, security, and other miscellaneous tasks were often left to helper-fairies living at the mansion and which had been summoned at a prior time. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Sistina silently crawled out of the bed, walked to the closet, and hastily dressed herself. She slipped out of the sleeping gown and into an outfit that was easier to move in, before covering herself with a coat to keep warm. Finally, she put her favorite glove on her left hand. Completing her preparations, Sistina opened the door and left her room. The room across hers was Lumia¡¯s room. Lumia was likely none the wiser to what was happening as she drifted along dreamland. Unlike Sistina, she was exceptionally weak to mornings and under normal circumstances she would fail to wake up. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± As usual, Sistina quietly apologized through the door, and left the mansion. Although it was still dim outside, Sistina discreetly left the Phebell residence and headed towards the appointed meeting place. The meeting place was one of the many nature parks that were scattered about Fejiti. The nature park, which belonged to the northern student district, was a popular location for leisurely walks, recreation, and relaxation. However, given that it was still the early morning, the park was currently empty. As if to break this deathly silence, Sistina noisily paced across the carpet of leaves which crackled and crumpled under her feet. She weaved her way through the forestry to finally arrive at her destination. The secret meeting place was a brief expanse beneath a large Siebold¡¯s beech tree. The person she was meeting was already waiting there. ¡°¡­You¡¯re a bit late today hm? That¡¯s not like you.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Erm, sorry¡­ when I was going to sleep last night¡­ I was thinking about our meeting today¡­ so uhm, I was a bit nervous and I couldn¡¯t fall asleep¡­¡± Sistina¡¯s face grew a little flushed as she awkwardly turned her gaze away. ¡°¡­Haha, so you were looking forward to this? Quite the masochist aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-, No I¡¯m not! I-, It¡¯s not like that you idiot¡­!¡± Glen showed a wicked smile. Although Sistina had hurriedly denied what he said, there was no power in her voice or her words. ¡°On another note though, you¡¯re no goody-two-shoes either aren¡¯t you, White Cat? You¡¯re not engaged to anybody and yet you¡¯re meeting me every day behind their back¡­ If your parents hear about this, who knows how long they¡¯ll be crying about this?¡± ¡°E-, Even if you say that¡­ there¡¯s no other way¡­ After all¡­ I¡­ uhm¡­¡± ¡°Well whatever. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no one here today, so we can do what we want to without having to worry about others. Let¡¯s get started then, shall we?¡± As if losing his patience, Glen approached Sistina. ¡°¡­W-, Wait¡­ My¡­ heart isn¡¯t ready for this yet¡­!¡± Sistina slowly retreated away from Glen However, she didn¡¯t intend to run away, her steps back were slow and hesitant. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m more of the hasty type.¡± Glen continued to advance. ¡­Closer and closer. ¡°A¡­Ah¡­¡± Finally, Sistina stopped moving away, prepared for what was to come. She clutched her trembling arms and murmured whilst facing downwards. ¡°Uhm¡­ Please be gentle¡­ so that it won¡¯t hurt¡­¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t guarantee that.¡± Glen revealed a broad, seemingly sadistic grin. ¡°You¡¯re the type that¡¯s fun to tease, after all.¡± ¡°Uuu¡­ you brute¡­¡± Then¡ª In a world with no one but them, in a world that they would tell to no one else¡ª The two began their secret activities together. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­ How long had it been since then? ¡°Hah¡ª¡­ Hah¡ª¡­ Hah¡ª¡± The sun had finally broken past the horizon, and the morning sky had begun to light up. Sistina lay exhausted and limp on the carpet of leaves. Her clothes were unkempt, her face was flushed bright red, her body rolled with beads of sweat. Her gaze grew hollow and vacant as her mind and body could no longer focus on what was in front of her. Her gushing hot gasps of air would not afford her slender throat even a moments rest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sensei¡­ Please forgive me¡­ I-, I¡­ can¡¯t go on¡­ My hips are¡­¡± Hearing Sistina¡¯s incoherent mutters, Glen straightened his loosened necktie and bemusedly looked down. ¡°What? You¡¯re done already¡­? Well, I guess you are a sheltered lady so you wouldn¡¯t have had any chances to do this before. It¡¯ll probably be like this until you get used to it.¡± ¡°¡­What, what do you mean by used to¡­? You can get used to this?¡± Her head felt numb and her mind was in a daze. Her vision was foggy and she couldn¡¯t form any concrete thoughts. The core of her body throbbed with pain and her hips, which had taken the brunt of the load, seemed to crumble even when she lay down. The fatigue accumulated in her limbs from vigorous bodily activity made it feel like her body was drifting into nothingness. This¡­ I don¡¯t think I can get fully used to this no matter how many times I repeat it. ¡°Sure you¡¯ll get used to it. To be honest, you did pretty well today considering it¡¯s your first time. You¡¯ll improve in the future.¡± ¡°Improve in the future¡­? But you were doing as you pleased with me the entire time¡­¡± ¡°Stupid, it¡¯s a hundred years too early for you to even try leading me around the nose.¡± ¡°¡­Well, you sure are experienced.¡± Seemingly displeased and unsatisfied, Glen said to Sistina, who stared at him. ¡°Here, you¡¯ll get cold. Be careful alright? Regardless of what¡¯s happened, you¡¯re still a girl.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Glen wrapped his coat around Sistina¡¯s shoulders. Sistina caught off guard by Glen¡¯s sudden act of kindness. Perhaps she was being led around the nose¡­ or so, she strongly felt. ¡­u¡­It smells like him¡­. Sistina, who wore Glen¡¯s coat on her shoulders, carried uncharacteristic feelings of embarrassment as she regulated her breathing to normal. The moments after fatigue were far more pleasant. The cool morning air seemed fresh like never before. It made one want to indulge themselves in this swelling aftertaste forever. But¡ª ¡°Hey sensei¡­ I¡¯ve been wonder, about this, but¡­¡± Sistina stood up from the floor and inquired about a question she could not figure out no matter how much she racked her brain. ¡°You said you were going to teach me about magic battles¡­ but why is it that we¡¯re practicing boxing¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I thought it was about time for you to ask that.¡± Yes, they were doing a special morning practice on magic battles. This has been the secret between the two as of recently. Sistina was one of the few that knew about Lumia circumstances. Although she excelled at magic, she was still far too inexperienced in a variety of ways if she wanted to fight to protect someone. Knowing that, she had asked Glen to teach her the basics of magic battles, so that she would be able to protect Lumia if it ever came down to it. At first, Glen had been reluctant to instruct Sistina on magic battles. However, as time when on, Sistina¡¯s unending enthusiasm chipped away Glen¡¯s reluctance and the two began their morning one-on-one practices. Despite that¡­ since that day, all their morning practices have solely been on sparring with their fists. After briefly touching on the basic techniques and styles of boxing, the two wore leather gloves used for boxing so that they wouldn¡¯t hurt one another. Under the rule that Glen would stop right before hitting Sistina and just tap her lightly, and that Sistina could strike with the intent to actually hit him, they continued their endlessly spar each and every day. Thus far, Sistina had failed to touch even a single hair on Glen with her fist, while Glen had relentlessly tapped her countless times already. Usually, when Glen was acting like an idiot, Sistina would have no trouble sending him flying with her fist, but when Glen ¡®felt like it¡¯ and put up the proper stance, she found herself miraculously unable to land a single blow. In the face of Glen¡¯s nimble footwork, she could only repeatedly fling her fists at the air in front of her. Each and every day, Sistina would exhaust herself from her own movements alone, and fall to the floor unable to rise. Perhaps she may have been unaccustomed to the movements of martial arts, but as of recent, the muscular strain on her shoulders and hips was enough to hurt intensely. Of course, Sistina had been prepared to start from the fundamentals. However, she thought that she would practice to increase her magic power capacity, learn new skills, or learn to shorten her chants. She had thought that it would be at least something along those lines. However, when the practice actually began, this was the result. She really couldn¡¯t understand the reasoning behind it. ¡°It¡¯s cause the logic behind boxing and magic battles are the same.¡± Glen said before Sistina could voice her dissatisfaction. ¡°You get the various patterns that you can use to hit an opponent with your fist right? Move faster than your opponent, take advantage of their mistakes, and feint to make them expose their weakness. The key is to aim for the beginning and end of the opponent¡¯s action and find the appropriate counter. Now do you see how it¡¯s a lot like magic battles?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose you¡¯re not wrong.¡± ¡°You can call magic battles a harder and more complex boxing. Regardless of the situation, you can engrain the basics of magic battles in your body by practicing boxing and feel the flow of offense and defense.¡± Was it really effective? Sistina had never heard of anyone practicing magic through boxing. ¡°As long as it¡¯s an anti-personnel martial arts, it could¡¯ve been swordsmanship or whatever really¡­ but I¡¯m better at boxing so that¡¯s that.¡± ¡°Ugh-¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯m being tricked¡­ I feel like you¡¯re just taking advantage of this moment to release your pent-up grudge from my scolding¡­¡± ¡°Of course there¡¯s that as well.¡± ¡°There was!?¡± Guroar! Sistina pounced on the question as if threatening Glen. ¡°Hey hey, don¡¯t be angry alright? It¡¯s true that boxing helps train your ability to make decisions during magic battles. This training method was personally inherited from Serika you know? She made me do this kind of stuff all the time when I was still a kid.¡± Glen gazed up towards the sky with a hint of nostalgia. Glen would normally never show such a calm expression on his face, so it didn¡¯t seem like he was lying.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Although Sistina couldn¡¯t fully understand it, but she was already prepared to continue following Glen¡¯s guidance, so she would obediently accept his training methods. ¡°But hey¡­ are you really fine with this? You¡¯re a lady hailing from a noble household, so should you really be doing such uncivilized training? Although Swordsmanship isn¡¯t really that different from boxing, it¡¯s practically the standard for nobles and gentlemen isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How many times have I told you that I¡¯m fine with it? I don¡¯t want something like that to happen again¡­ When it came down to it, I wasn¡¯t to help Lumia at all.¡± ¡°Mhm, I guess that¡¯s true, but why did it have to be me? I mean, don¡¯t you like totally hate me? Given your personal connections you should have no problem finding a teacher in and out of the academy.¡± ¡°Er¡­ About that¡­ Uhm¡­¡± Sistina couldn¡¯t quite find the words to answer. It was true that she wanted to protect Lumia, to become stronger for her sake. It was undeniable that she bore those thoughts. It was also undeniable that she bore those thoughts when she had lowered her head to beg Glen to teach her. However, why did she had she chosen Glen in particular¡­? It was true that Glen was a third-rate magician¡­ but he was a first-rate battlemage. If she were to find someone to teach her how to fight, then there would be no better choice, but was that all there was to it? ¡°Well, whatever, since you went out of your way to beg to me like that, it shows just how much Lumia means to you. Either way, it saves you a lot of talking if you asked someone who knew about Lumia¡¯s situation anyway.¡± ¡°O-, Of course! That¡¯s it! It was be too troublesome to explain myself to anyone else!¡± Sistina had said this, but she couldn¡¯t help be feel that something was out of place. To start with, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a thorn in her chest whenever Glen said that she hated him. She was practicing for Lumia¡¯s sake, yet, why was it that she felt guilty whenever Lumia was brought up? There should be nothing to feel guilty about. What was the reason for this feeling and pain¡­? She obsessed on this train of thought. ¡°Well, with boxing training as the core, we¡¯ll keep building your stamina and instincts. Once you get to a certain point, I¡¯ll teach you how to use military-grade magic.¡± ¡°M-, Military grade¡­ magic.¡± The purpose of military-grade magic was as its name implied; high power spells used in battle for the sole purpose of killing the opponent. Compared to the general-purposes magic being taught at the academy, the power of military-grade magic was on a whole other level. Sistina had once witnessed the power firsthand¡­ and thinking back on it even now, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble at the thought of the fiendish magic. ¡°Scared? But if you really want to do protect Lumia if it ever ¡®comes down to it¡¯¡­ then you¡¯ll definitely need ¡®power¡¯. You¡¯re too na?ve if you think reality will be so forgiving otherwise. When you came to ask me to teach you how to fight, I only decided to indulge you because I thought that your thoughts and feelings towards Lumia were genuine. If you feel afraid when you hear about military-grade magic¡­ then I believe that you won¡¯t allow yourself to be controlled by the other face of magic, and be able to use that ¡®power¡¯ correctly.¡± ¡°Well, it would be for the best if there never comes a time where you are forced to use that ¡®power¡¯¡­¡± Glen had his back turned towards Sistina, so she wouldn¡¯t know what sort of expression he had. However, the feelings she held towards that back¡­ was undoubtedly that of respect. ¡°From here on out as well¡­ I¡¯ll be in your care and guidance, sensei.¡± She straightened her back and bowed towards Glen as if it were the natural thing to do. After the morning practice, Sistina stealthily returned to the Phebell residence. After stripping her sweat-stained clothes in the washroom, she entered the connecting bathroom and prepared a light bath. After piping in water from the tank, she adjusted the temperature using a coal-fueled heater and washed away her sweat and fatigue. As the refreshing post-bath feeling began to set in, Sistina put on the uniform she had prepared in advance and walked to the kitchen. When her parents were out, the chores would be split naturally. Sistina would prepare breakfast as Lumia was typically still asleep, while Lumia would prepare dinner as Sistina would often be busy studying magic at night. In accordance to that schedule, Sistina nimbly prepared breakfast with the helper fairies. After preparing breakfast, Sistina returned to her room before going to wake up Lumia. ¡°Come on Lumia, it¡¯s already past seven you know!? If you don¡¯t get up now we¡¯ll be late-¡± ¡°¡­Mmpf, Mnya¡­?¡± Lumia drowsily ate her breakfast and prepared to set out for the academy. Today, they left the Phebell residence slightly before eight, which was fairly normal. Like any other day, the two happily talked about trifling topics as they steadily walked to towards the academy. In the past, this would continue until the two arrived at their destination, but¡­ ¡°Ah, good morning sensei!¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, you¡¯ve set another record for consecutive days where you haven¡¯t been late.¡± A familiar figure waited at the crossroad in front of them. It was Glen. ¡°¡­Mornin¡¯ you two.¡± As the two approached, he greeted them with an expression that screamed ¡®I want to sleep¡¯. ¡°Ahaha, Sensei¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about me. It¡¯s alright for you to just take your time in the morning.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine. I like going for walks in the morning anyway. Once in a while, I just happen to take the same road you guys use to go to school and coincidentally bump into you guys along the way.¡± Glen moved several steps behind them and began to follow. Once it became clear that the ¡®Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society¡¯ were after Lumia, Glen escorted Lumia to and from the academy to the best of his ability. However, Glen was an instructor and Lumia was a student. In the eyes of the students and faculty who didn¡¯t know the circumstances, Glen appeared to be meddling in her matters far more than necessary as an instructor. Thus, inconsiderate accusations of him being a stalker and him being perverted scum flew about the campus. To begin with, Glen was a polarizing type of person; if people liked him, they liked him a lot, if they hated him, they hated his guts. So for those who saw Glen as an eyesore, this was an excellent chance to strike. Furthermore Lumia was an extraordinarily pretty girl. Unlike Sistina whose temperament made her hard to approach, Lumia bore a gentle demeanor and kind attitude that made it easy instead. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why she was very popular amongst the male students at the academy. Yet, in the face of Glen¡¯s over-involvement, she didn¡¯t seem at all dissatisfied, which resulted in jealousy and annoyance among her fans. This only further spurred their dislike for Glen. As for Glen¡¯s students in class two, they had once been on the receiving end of his help, so they had a deeper impression of him and didn¡¯t shun him like many others. Even so, he had unexpectedly become the enemy of many male students of the academy. However, Glen treated the slander and spite as no big deal. He did not attempt to justify himself or voice his objection, he just continued to do what he thought he needed to. His bold attitude and determination to never stray from his course was akin to saint willing to be a martyr. Not only Lumia, but even Sistina, who saw everything occur as a bystander, could not help but show their honest respect for his actions. Although Lumia felt pained that she was the source of the criticism onto Glen, she wouldn¡¯t tell him to stop. That would be belittling Glen¡¯s conviction. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be in your care today as well, Sensei. Thank you for everything.¡± That was why, as usual, Lumia did nothing more than express her gratitude as clearly as she could. ¡°A-ha-ha. What for? I don¡¯t really know.¡± And as usual, Glen pretended to be none the wiser. The three continued walking towards the academy¡ª ¡°Ah, by the way sensei, don¡¯t we have a transfer student joining our class today?¡¯ ¡°Ah, right, try to get along with them alright?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s pretty rare for someone to transfer in this time of the year¡­¡± Even with the addition of Glen, the atmosphere had not changed, and the three continued to discuss trifling topics on their way to the academy. However¡ª Today, there was something abnormal intruded into that normal scene. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Sistina noticed. There was a young girl dressed in the academy¡¯s uniform standing idly on the slope leading up to the campus¡¯ front gate. The feature that drew Sistina¡¯s attention was the girl¡¯s vivid pale-blue hair, which one could easily distinguish even from faraway. Pale-blue hair was exceedingly rare within the empire, yet Sistina had no memory of such as distinguishable student. Could that girl be the transfer student¡­? She¡¯s wearing the uniform so¡­ As Sistina made her guess, the blue-haired girl seemed to sense their presence and turned around to face them. In the next moment, she murmured something and placed her hand on the stone pavement, before pulling her hand upwards. ¡­Eh?) The girl suddenly pulled a claymore from the ground. Her gaze was undoubtedly fixated on the three of them¡ª Almost immediately, the girl raised the sword and broke into a dash. Cutting through the air in a straight line, she closed the distance between them at a staggering speed¡ª Faced with the sudden crisis, Sistina¡¯s mind went blank. N-, No way, is that girl a¡ª Sistina could only think of one group that would attack them in broad daylight. The mysterious magical association known as the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society. Is she an assassin sent by them¡ª? I can¡¯t let her do what she wants¡­ Lumia¡­ I need to protect Lumia¡ª Sistina prepared herself to protect Lumia. For that purpose, she had asked Glen to teach her how to fight. I will¡­ protect¡­-! However, her body refused to listen. It was as if time had stopped. With the sudden appearance of an enemy and the sinister gleam of a blade, Sistina could not bring herself to move a single step. ¡°Sisti!¡± Lumia stepped in front of Sistina to cover her¡ª In the same moment, the blue-haired girl kicked off the ground with a thump and leaped high into the air. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± The young girl leaped right over Lumia and Sistina and continued forward. Then¡ª ¡°DohWHAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!?¡± Hearing the hysterical scream, Sistina came to her senses and looked behind her. The girl swung her greatsword down at Glen who narrow managed to catch it with his bare hands. ¡°W-, Wh-, What the hell are you doing¡ª!? Are you trying to murder my ass!?¡± Glen¡¯s visage turned deathly pale. His eyes filled with moisture and his body began to quake as he roared at the girl that attempted to cut him in half. If she were an assassin, this situation was a bit too strange. ¡°I wanted to meet you, Glen¡­¡± she murmured. The girl made such a statement while pressing down on the sword; her eyes filled with drowsiness and her face expressionless. ¡°Stop being a pain in the ass! Answer my question, Riel! What the heck are you trying to do!?¡± Glen shouted as he released his grip on the sword and leaped to safety. ¡°A greeting.¡± ¡°You call this a greeting!? Well how about you go open up a dictionary and look up what ¡®greeting¡¯ means would you!?¡± Hearing what Glen said, the girl showed a hint of doubt. ¡°¡­Was it wrong?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°But that¡¯s what Albert told me. He said that comrades that haven¡¯t met in a while should greet each other like this.¡± ¡°And you just up and believed him? Not to mention, all this is that guy¡¯s fault!? Damn you Albert, do you hate me that much!? I¡¯ll get back at you one day! Mark my words, damn it!¡± ¡°¡­Ow. Stop.¡± Glen shouted as he twisted his fists against each side of the girl¡¯s head. Whatever the case, it didn¡¯t seem like they were fighting an assassin. ¡°Uhm¡­ Sensei? That girl is¡­¡± Lumia showed a mixed smile. ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t she the girl from the Magic Games Festival¡­?¡± Lumia suddenly came to a realization as to who the girl in Glen¡¯s hold was. ¡°Mhm, she is. I¡¯m surprised you still remember. Anyway, have I told you guys about my time in the Imperial Court Magicians?¡± ¡°No, but¡­ I had a feeling¡­ that you were somehow involved with them¡­¡± Sistina mumbled, unsure how to answer. ¡°I see. Well, the details don¡¯t really matter. Basically, Riel¡­ this girl over here, is one of my colleagues during my time as a battlemage. Lumia has met her before, but you should be familiar with her appearance, right White Cat? That being said though, the person you met that time was just Lumia who had transformed into her.¡± Sistina calmed down and took a closer look at the blue haired girl¡­at Riel. Now that Glen had reminded her of their previous meeting, she did indeed recall the girl¡¯s appearance. ¡°I¡­ I see¡­ so she isn¡¯t an assassin¡­ right? T-, Thank god¡­¡± Perhaps due to the sudden release of tension, Sistina fell on her knees as she released a long, relieved sigh. ¡°Well¡­ you guys have probably noticed by now, but this is the rumored transfer student, or at least, that¡¯s how it looks like.¡± ¡°¡­How it looks like?¡± Lumia said as she tilted her head. ¡°Mhm, the Imperial administration have decided to provide Lumia with an official bodyguard. So, they seemed to have decided to send someone from the Imperial Court Magicians, which is this girl over here.¡± ¡°S-, so that¡¯s what it was¡­ But you¡¯re telling me this girl is a battlemage¡­ that¡¯s pretty impressive¡­¡± Sistina stared in wonder at Riel. The Imperial Court Magicians were an elite group that consisted of the empire¡¯s top magicians. Despite appearing to be around the same age as herself, Riel was already a member of such a group. With that in mind, the curt and petite girl in front of her seemed more reliable than ever. ¡°Your name is Riel¡­ yes? It¡¯s been a while¡­hasn¡¯t it?¡± Lumia quickly went to greet her. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Let me reintroduce myself okay? I am Lumia, Lumia Tinzel, and this girl here is my friend, Sisti¡­ Sistina. It¡¯s reassuring to have someone like you from the Imperial Court Magicians here with us. I¡¯ll be in your care from now on, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Mm, leave it to me.¡± Saying that, Riel stuck out her chest just a little, and expressionlessly followed. ¡°Everything will be alright. I will protect Glen.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Riel casually made an outrageous statement. Lumia and Sistina could only stare blankly at her as they attempted to comprehend what she had said¡­ ¡°IT¡¯S NOT MEEEEEEEEEEEE¡ª! What¡¯s the point in trying to protect me you idiot!¡± Glen noisily grinded his fists against the temples of Riel¡¯s head. ¡°Ow. Stop.¡± ¡°OH REAAAAALLLLY NOW¡ª!? Hey, do you understand why you¡¯re here!? No really Riel, do you understand what your mission is!? It¡¯s to protect that girl over there, you see her!? Yes her! That cute blonde haired cute girl Lumia-chan!? Yeah, you got that? Give me an okay!¡± ¡°¡­? Why?¡± ¡°Why? WHYYYY!? Don¡¯t give me why! Did you even read the briefing!?¡± ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t get it. I want to protect Glen more than Lumia.¡± ¡°Shut it! Do you think they sent you here to choose, dumbo!?¡± Glen scratched his head as he cried out of grief. ¡°More importantly, why did they end up sending Riel of all people!? Oh, maybe it¡¯s cause her age is pretty close or whatever. HELLLLL NO! No matter how you think this is a mistake! God bless! Bless the dear lords for their grace! Just what are those guys in the spec ops thinking choosing her for this! Have their minds kicked the bucket or something!?¡± Before Lumia and Sistina, who stood still with their mouths wide in surprise, Riel stood there with drowsy apathy whilst Glen continued to aggressively make a fuss about the events happening around him. ¡­Will this be¡­ alright¡­? In amidst the scene, Lumia couldn¡¯t help but feel a smidgen of unease. ¡°So anyway¡­¡± The scene shifted to a different place. Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡¯s year two class two¡¯s classroom. ¡°A new student joining us starting today. Her name is Riel Rayford. Well, just get along with her okay guys?¡± The student¡¯s voices rose in unison when Glen led Riel to the classroom. The students ¨C particularly the males ¨C grew excited as the new student took to the podium. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°¡­H-, How lovely.¡± ¡°Wow, her hair is so pretty¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s sort of like a doll isn¡¯t she¡­¡± A doll. It was true that this was a fitting analogy for Riel¡¯s appearance. Riel was about the same age as the other students of the class, but her facial features were much more babyish than one would expect from someone her age. Combined with her small stature, Riel looked younger than she actually was. Her hair was a rare pale-blue, and her marine blue eyes looked as if it were on the verge of succumbing to drowsiness. Yet, not a trace of emotion could be seen. However, her features were certainly elegant and she didn¡¯t make any unnecessary movements either. Her tranquil, sculpture-like presence served to validate the doll analogy. Despite her excellent features, the person in question didn¡¯t seem to be at all interested in her own appearance. Her free-flowing hair was uncombed and unkempt, with the only semblance of care being the hair band that held her hair together near the back of her neck. Her pale beautiful hair that inspired jealousy was treated in a remarkably crude manner. Even if one were to dock points for that¡ª ¡°R-, Riel-chan is quite cute isn¡¯t she¡­?¡± ¡°Rather, aren¡¯t the girls of this class pretty high level overall¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I was never part of a faction, but I¡¯m going to join the Riel-chan faction from here on out¡­ Kai, what about you?¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right Road¡­ I guess I¡¯ll join the Riel faction as well..¡± ¡°Hmpf¡­ I have no eyes for anyone else but Wendy-sama! I will not switch!¡± ¡°Hey you guys over there, quit yapping for a second would ya!?¡± Although it was all expected, upon seeing the new transfer student ¨C particularly one as outstanding and uncommon as Riel ¨C the students of the classroom, especially the males, began a clamor . Oh geez, it¡¯ll only get harder to keep things under control if things go on like this¡­ Glen internally released a long sigh. Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand how they feel. As long as Riel keeps her mouth shut, she¡¯s most definitely a pretty girl with nothing to complain about¡­ but again, that¡¯s as long as she keeps it shut¡­ ¡°Ah¡ª, well, anyway guys.¡± Glen forcefully interrupted the ongoing conversations and pulled the student¡¯s attention back. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys are all curious about the new student joining us today, so I¡¯ll let her do a self-introduction. ¡®Kay then, the stage is yours, Riel.¡± After that, the classroom fell silent. All the gazes gathered onto Riel. Everyone was listening intently. But¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡­Silence. Even with all the gazes latched onto her, Riel remained standing there motionlessly. The uneasy silence seemed to infect the whole class as well. ¡°¡­Hey, oi.¡± Unable to take the silence any longer, Glen stuck a finger out and poked the Riel¡¯s head from the side. ¡°Did you not hear me? Or are you doing this on purpose?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Riel revealed a glimmer of puzzlement as she turned to glance at Glen. ¡°Uh¡­ May I bother you to introduce yourself? I¡¯m kinda clenched for time already, so pretty please?¡± ¡°¡­Why? What should I do to introduce myself?¡± ¡°Just hurry up and do it! I¡¯m begging you already! Isn¡¯t there usually some sort of routine or script or something for this!? Just do that okay!?¡± ¡°¡­Mhm. Okay.¡± Riel lightly nodded her head, and took a step forward. Then¡ª ¡°¡­Riel Rayford.¡± She recited her own name and lowered her head slightly. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡­Silence. ¡°¡­Go on?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s over.¡± The silence returned for a few seconds. And then¡ª ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say your name!? Heck, didn¡¯t I already told everyone your name when we first started!? Are you messing with me!? Even some brat in the smack middle of their adolescence who loves to say ¡®oh look at me I¡¯m so cool not giving a friggin damn about stuff¡¯ would have introduced themselves a bit more seriously¡ª!¡± Glen held Riel¡¯s head in his clawed hands and shook her back and forth, her hair scratching loudly against his fingers. ¡°But Glen, I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s fine, you know, like hobbies, special skills, that sort of thing! Anyway, just say what you can think of about yourself that would let everyone get to know you better! Got it!?¡± ¡°¡­Mhm. Okay.¡± Riel nodded her head and stepped forth again. ¡°¡­I am Riel Rayford. I serve in the Special Operations sect of the Imperial Court Magicians, a wing of the Imperial Army. My rank is junior knight captain, and my codename is ¡®The Chariot¡¯. My mission is¡­¡± ¡°DAaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH¡ª!¡± Glen suddenly released a strange cry, picked Riel up under his arm and flew out of the classroom. ¡°Uhm, what did Riel-chan say just now¡­?¡± ¡°Mhm, I couldn¡¯t hear her really well¡­ but something about the Imperial Army¡­¡± Due to Glen¡¯s shout, the students of the class couldn¡¯t hear most of what the soft-spoken Riel had said. However, the students could hear Glen, who had left the classroom, furiously shouting ¡®You idiot!¡¯ and ¡®What the heck were you thinking!?¡¯. Then, a few minutes later¡ª After discussing something, the two returned to the classroom. ¡°¡­I hope to join the Imperial Army in the future and I came to this academy to learn magic. That¡¯s what it is now. I¡¯m from¡­ erm, somewhere in Itelia¡­? My age is probably fifteen. My interests are¡­ I think¡­ reading. My special skills¡­ what am I supposed to say here again, Glen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡± Glen groaned as veins bulged from his temples. After listening to Riel¡¯s half-baked introduction, the students could only stare in bewilderment . Turning a blind eye to the bafflement of the students, Glen pushed the conversation forward. ¡°And that was Riel Rayford¡¯s introduction! Ahaha, oh my, she really is a normal student you can see anywhere isn¡¯t she!? You guys, I know Riel¡¯s super-duper bland and totally normal, perhaps even too normal, but get along with her okay!? Okay!? Well then, let¡¯s get into our lecture for today¡­¡± ¡°Before that, may I please ask a question?¡± One student, the twin-tailed noble lady named Wendy, raised her hand. ¡°I have a question for Riel. Do you mind?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª, Riel¡¯s just got here after a really long journey so I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s tired. You¡¯re tired right? Of course you are. Mhm, that being the case, why don¡¯t we leave the question for next¡­¡± With an expression that laid his unpleasant feelings bare, Glen tried to brush the topic off, but¡­ ¡°¡­Mm, ask me anything.¡± ¡°Hey you! Would it kill you to read the mood just a teensy tiny bit!? Or what is it now!? Do you have some grudge against me or something!?¡± Then, in frustration, Glen scratched away at his hair and turned his head towards the ceiling. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, then I hope you answer. If I remember correctly, you are from the Itelia area yes? What about your family then?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°¡­Family?¡± Hearing the question, Glen peeked open his eyes, whilst Riel¡¯s eyebrows shifted slightly. ¡°¡­I had¡­ a brother¡­¡± ¡°I see, so you have a dear brother. Fufu, what kind of person is he? Where is he right now? What kind of work does he do?¡± There was nothing wrong with Wendy¡¯s question. Family-related questions were generally the most frequent ones after self-introductions. However, for some reason, Riel body became rigid upon hearing the question, as if she had been caught off guard¡­ ¡°My brother¡¯s¡­ name is¡­¡± Her expression twisted into a frown, and she pressed her hands against her head as if looking for an answer¡­ Her lips trembled as she lost herself trying to find the syllables¡­ ¡°His name, is¡­. His name¡­ name ¡­ is¡­¡± For some reason, Riel stagnated when asked for the name. Her wrinkled brows and downcast head seemed a bit agonizing, even. ¡°Sorry. Please avoid questions related to her family.¡± Carrying an uncharacteristically grave expression, Glen cut into the conversation. ¡°Actually, she has no relatives as of now¡­ so could you guys let this one go?¡± ¡°Eh!? No way¡­ but she did say ¡®had¡¯ and not ¡®have¡¯¡­ I¡¯m very sorry, Riel-san, I didn¡¯t know¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to do that¡­¡± Feeling ashamed, Wendy cast her eyes downward and apologized to Riel. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no problem.¡± Riel murmured. Riel¡¯s was usually deadpan, but on this rare occasion, an abyssal perplexment filled her expression. ¡°T-, Then what about this!¡± A hero rose his hand as if to blow away the deathly atmosphere that permeated the room. It was the student who often took on the role of the leader among his peers, Cashew.¡± ¡°Riel-chan, what kind of relationship do you have with Glen-sensei? You two look like you know each other and seem to be really close. If you don¡¯t mind, I would you very much like to know.¡± With that question, Cashew served as a proxy for all the members of the class (especially the males). ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I was really curious about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too! We should take to chance to clear this up shouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°For a while now I thought that with the way you two act you don¡¯t seem to be just normal acquaintances¡­¡± The class worked hard to follow up on Cashew¡¯s lead. The previous hustle and bustle quickly returned to the classroom. ¡°¡­My relationship, with Glen?¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡­ A-, About that¡­¡± What should I say? Should I play the standard ¡®distant relatives¡¯ card here? Glen hesitated for a mere moment to choose his words carefully¡­ ¡°Glen is my everything. I¡¯ve decided that I will live for his sake.¡± However, that moment of hesitation would cost him gravely. ¡°Say what¡ª!? Riel, you¡ª Glen, startled, was not even given the chance to deny¡ª ¡°KYAAAAAAAA¡ª! How bold~! How passionate~!¡± ¡°GAAAH! I fell in love at first sight, but my heart is already brokeeeeeennnnn¡ª!¡± Female shrieks erupted alongside male outcries, lowering the classroom into a state of chaos. ¡°Forbidden relationship! It¡¯s a forbidden relationship between a teacher and student~! Kya¡ª! Kyaaa¡ª!!¡± ¡°Ho? Not bad, sensei!¡± ¡°O-, Oh my what are you suggesting, Cashew-san!? This is a proooblem! It¡¯s a big proooblem¡ª!!¡± ¡°Damn it sensei¡­ Despite how you are I respected you in some way¡­ but that¡¯s all over now¡­ I haven¡¯t felt this way in a while¡­ How about we take a step outside¡ª!? (cry)¡± ¡°You better watch your back when you¡¯re out at night¡ª! (sob)¡± The female student who were fired up at the thought of this forbidden relationship. The honor students who thought the forbidden relationship was a problem. The greater part of the males who hoped to approach Riel at some point exuded a maelstrom of hatred. The imagination of the students collectively took flight to pioneer unjust suspicions of the relationship between Glen and Riel. The classroom became a massive free-for-all of shouting and screaming. Then¡ª ¡°Quit being noisy, Glen Ryders! Why in the world would you let your students freely partake in such idiotic antics!? Are you trying to interrupt my lectures!? Damn you, just how far are you going to go to ruin me¡ª!?¡± Even the instructor of the neighboring class one, Harry, rushed over with a complexion that was actively changing hues¡ª ¡­The situation was already beyond control. ¡°AAAAHHHH!? I¡¯ve had enough! How did it come down to thhhhiiiiissssssssssssssssss¡ª!?¡± A scream that came from the depths of Glen¡¯s soul resounded throughout the academy. Then, amongst the pandemonium of agonizing cries that seemed to come from hell itself, there was one person. ¡°¡­?¡± Riel alone looked on in absentminded puzzlement as the scene continued to unfold. Volume 3 - CH 2 Chapter 2: The Day-to-Day Life Falls into Chaos ¡°Ah, damn it all¡­ Why is this happening to me¡­¡± After skillfully coaxing Harry, who had stormed into the room and challenged him to a duel, to calm down, Glen also managed to clear up the misunderstanding regarding Riel (or so he thought). The series of feuds had caused an inordinate waste of time, which meant that the lectures for today had fallen far behind schedule. Without much choice, Glen decided to change the plans for today and began the practical lesson immediately. Although the decision was made in a hurry, Glen had also considered that moving the class outdoors and having Riel work together with the other students would allow her integrate into the class better. If Riel could quickly get used to the class, then it would also make her bodyguard duties easier. With that in mind, Glen brought the class to the magic-practice field. Luckily for him, no other class was it during this class period. Here, they could fire off their magic without restraint. ¡°¨C!¡± Sistina¡¯s clear voice spread through the vast field. With vigor, she pointed the index finger of her outstretched left arm forward, and a trail of lightning shot forth. The bolt flew two-hundred meters through the air and directly struck the human-shaped bronze golem. These golem each had six circular targets on them. One on the head and chest, two on the legs and arms respectively. Sistina had struck the Golem¡¯s head dead center, leaving a small coin-shaped hole in the target. ¡°I did it!¡± Sistina reflexively struck a small victory pose. Cheers could be heard from the spectating students, amazed at Sistina¡¯s skills. ¡°Amazing¡­ You can¡¯t really expect anything less of Sistina¡­¡± ¡°Man, noble ladies from prestigious households really are different¡­¡± With gazes of admiration stuck to her back, Sistina returned to Lumia¡¯s side. ¡°That was amazing Sisti! You hit all six of your shots!¡± Lumia was overjoyed as if she had been the one to do it instead. On another note, Lumia had hit three out of six. She had managed to hit the chest and the right hand, hitting the left leg by accident when she had missed another target. ¡°Oh? Not bad white cat. It really is pretty impressive that you got all six from all the way over here.¡± Glen, impressed, marked down the results on the board. Sistina appeared to be delighted when Glen had praised her, but her mood seemed to swing in the other direction immediately after as she turned her face away. Despite that, her cheeks were tinted slightly red. ¡°Mmmpf¡­ D-, don¡¯t flatter yourself into thinking that you¡¯ve won, Sistina!¡± Wendy frustratedly bit on her handkerchief as she sent a stern glare towards Sistina. Wendy had hit five out of six. She had smoothly struck down the targets one after another, but sneezed when she fired her last shot.¡° ¡°I can¡¯t accept it! Not when I was made to miss in such a fashion! Sensei, let me have one more chance! If I¡¯m able to bring out my true abilities, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t lose to Sistina!¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, I got it I got it¡­ Everyone¡¯s waiting for their turn so line up in the back okay miss clumsy?¡± ¡°MMMMMmmpf¡ª!¡± After smoothly pacifying Wendy¡¯s hysterics, Glen moved the program forward. ¡°Alright, next up is Cashew.¡± ¡°Yup! That¡¯s me!¡± It seemed that the relationship between Glen and Riel no longer weighed on the student¡¯s minds. Since they were currently competing against one another, such thoughts were secondary at best. Everyone was focused on how they would demonstrate their skills at magic sniping. ¡°Erm¡­ Zero out of Six¡­ That said, you just barely missed every time¡­ Hey Cashew, aren¡¯t you a tad unfocused¡­?¡± ¡°H-, Huh¡­? That¡¯s weird¡­?¡± Cashew, having been unable to convert his abilities to results, dejectedly returned to the crowd of students. ¡°Well, if you missed by so little, it means you have talent. The rest just depends on practice really.¡± Glen didn¡¯t forget to follow up as he marked down the result on his board. ¡°Mm¡­ I¡¯ll work hard¡­¡± The fortuitous large-figured boy who had performed magnificently at the Magic Games Festival was now uncharacteristically dispirited. A sneer and chuckle escaped the mouth of a certain member of the class. ¡°Perhaps the delicate application of magic really is too much for someone with a personality as crude as yours?¡± ¡°S-, Shut up! If you have nothing useful to say then just leave me alone! Or are you looking for a fight you asshole!?¡± Cashew, seemingly disgruntled by the provocation, angrily shouted at Gibel, who showed a condescending smile as he pushed his glasses upward. ¡°C-, Calm down Cashew! And Gibel, watch your words would you¡­¡± The lady-faced boy, Cecil, flusteredly butted between the two in an attempt to defuse the situation. On one side was the lone-wolf Gibel. On the other was the sociable Cashew. Given their opposing personalities, arguments between the two were commonplace. Despite Gibel¡¯s attitude towards Cashew, it didn¡¯t seem like Cashew actually hated him deep down. No one could grasp whether the two truly got along well or not. ¡°¡­Man, what about you then, Gibel? Hm? Are you really that confident in yourself?¡± ¡°Hmpf. Just shut up and watch.¡± ¡°Oi, you¡¯re up next Gibel. Come over here.¡± Upon hearing Glen¡¯s timely call, Gibel calmly stepped up to the designated sniping position. ¡­.. ¡­Then¡ª ¡°Damn, he really did get six out of six¡­ His skills are as detestably good as always.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still behind Sistina, but his grades really aren¡¯t just for show¡­¡± Cashew sulkily complained, while Cecil spoke out in admiration. Shouldn¡¯t my performance be a given? an expression that laid that feeling bare, Gibel¡¯s test ended without further ado. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After marking Gibel¡¯s result on the board in his hand, he looked over the student¡¯s scores once over. Sistina and Gibel are performing great as usual. Wendy missed one shot, but she definitely has the skills. As with today¡¯s result though, she doesn¡¯t seem to be able to carry it through when it matters. I don¡¯t really understand why, but if she performs like she usually does she wouldn¡¯t lose out to those two. Amongst Glen¡¯s class, the performance of these three were particularly outstanding. As for the rest, they¡¯re more or less the same. As a whole, the class averages about three out of six; Lumia performance is also around that. She¡¯s good at white magic, especially healing spells. The rest of her skills are also good enough to not be a problem. That said, Cecil¡¯s performance is pretty surprising. He¡¯s the kind of student that does well in lecture, but has trouble putting that performance into practice. Ever since the Magic Games Festival though, his performance in magic sniping has improved by leaps and bound. His ability to focus on his studies is probably helping him out on this end. The real worry is Rin, who has the same problem as Cecil. One out of six huh¡­ She has a habit of closing her eyes just as she fires. Even if she¡¯s capable of hitting the target, it¡¯ll be hard to bring those skills out with this habit of hers. As for Cashew, his skills just need a little bit more polish. His sense for this is pretty good, so I don¡¯t think I needed to be worried about him. Rin will probably need a bit of guidance. ¡°Well then¡­¡± After marking that down and summarizing his thoughts, Glen turned his eyes to the next student. As if following his lead, the other student¡¯s gazes focused on the next student. Finally, it was time for the star of this event to take the stage The student who was given the task of switching the target golems raised a hand to signal that everything was in place. Seeing that, Glen called out to the last student. ¡°Alright Riel, it¡¯s your turn. Do it.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡± ¡°Listen up. Don¡¯t hit the same target over and over again okay? You can only attack each target once. This is a rule for this test. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Mm, okay. I just have to destroy the targets with assault spells, right?¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Leave it to me then.¡± On Glen¡¯s prompt, Riel walked up the designated position. ¡°Now then¡­ let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± ¡°I wonder how many Riel-chan will hit¡­?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯ll be good at this. She seems really cool-headed and focused all the time¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that reminds me, she said that her goal was to join the imperial army¡­¡± The class paid close attention to Riel¡¯s every movement. Their reaction was given. Just what kind of skills did this newcomer have¡­? Everyone was curious. Despite being the focal point of the class, Riel looked at the golem two-hundred meters away in a drowsy fashion¡ª ¡°¡± Riel murmured through the chant and raised a finger in a deadpan manner¡ª The bolt of lightning flew two-hundred meters through the air. However, the bolt fired past the golem, far off to the right. ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±¡±¡±¡± Silence quickly overcame the class. My¡­ now that I think about it I¡¯ve never seen her use black magic during my time in the army¡­ But I never thought that she would be this bad¡­ Shocked, Glen¡¯s mind went blank. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead. It was already obvious by the first shot. Riel was the worst at magic sniping in the class by a long shot. ¡°¡± Unable to read the mood in the slightest, Riel indifferently chanted the spell again. This time, the bolt went wide to the left. Needless to say, the bolt did not scratch the golem. Rather, it didn¡¯t even seem like it was going in its general direction. Moments ago, the student¡¯s gazes were busy critiquing Riel, but now it was as if they were looking after a small child with great care. ¡°Riel-chan, relax! Relax!¡± ¡°Your stance is far too rigid. Relax your arms and stretch them out¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up! You still have four more shots!¡± ¡°Haha, isn¡¯t this great Cashew? It seems like you will have someone joining you after all.¡± ¡°¡­Hey, do you really hate me that much Gibel¡­?¡± Riel continued the challenge. However, the result was still the same. One it was fired to the sky. The next struck the ground¡­ Despite the advice of her classmates, it didn¡¯t seem like Riel¡¯s [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] would scratch the golem¡¯s anytime soon. Then, of the six shots allowed, she was down to her last. ¡°¡­Oi Riel. I really have to give it to you. How have you managed to survive to this day like that¡­?¡± Glen murmured, amused at the fiasco. It was then that Glen noticed. ¡°Hm?¡± Riel tilted her head slightly. It was only a little bit, but it seemed like Riel was dissatisfied by her performance. ¡°What¡¯s up, Riel?¡± ¡°Mm, I have a little question¡­¡± Riel turned to face Glen and asked flatly. ¡°Hey Glen. Do we have to use [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] for this?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say you have to¡­ but there aren¡¯t really any other assault spells that would reach the golem from all the way over here.¡± Glen looked at Riel doubtfully, having been asked such an odd question. ¡°So rather than having to use [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] for this test, there aren¡¯t really other spells that students can use that are actually effective at this range.¡± ¡°Basically, it doesn¡¯t matter what spell I use?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so¡­¡± ¡°I got it. Then I will use my forte.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Oi, I don¡¯t think I have to remind you, but military-grade magic is forbidden okay/¡± ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Riel turned to face the golem two-hundred meters away. ¡°Do your best! This is your last shot!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up!¡± The class gave their warm encouragement as Riel chanted her spell. ¡°¡± Whack. Riel bent down and touched the floor, which erupted into a flash of lightning. The next moment¡ª ¡°¡°¡°¡°W-, WHHAAAAAT¡ª!?¡±¡±¡±¡± A long cross-claymore appeared in Riel¡¯s hands. A cross shaped cavity could be seen in the ground beneath her. Using high-speed synthesis from the field of alchemy, she created a steel greatsword from the earth of the practice field in an instant. ¡°O-, Oi¡­ Riel, what are you¡­?¡± Glen managed to voice his unease, but it was all for naught¡ª Riel raised the sword above her head and¡ª ¡°HAAAAIIIIIIYAAAA¡ª!¡± Giving it her all, she slammed her foot down¡ª Using her body as a charged spring, Riel flung the sword that exceeded herself in height. The sword cut through the air with a sharp thunderous noise. With the spin of a gathering storm, it flew two-hundred meters in what seems like a instant¡ª BOOM! The sword crushed through the golem¡¯s chest with intense cacophony. Of course, nothing was left of six targets on the golem. ¡°¡°¡°¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±¡±¡±¡± The class stood there with eyes wide and gaping mouths¡­ ¡°Mm. Six out of six.¡± Although her drowsy expression remained unchanged, Riel murmured to herself with a hint of pride. ¡°¡­Um-, Hey Riel¡­ I did say you have to use assault spells right¡­¡± ¡°Mhm, it was an assault spell¡­ I used a sword I made from alchemy no?¡± ¡°Wrong¡­ Your explanation is wrong on so many levels¡­¡± Glen, stupefied, could only look to the heavens for advice. As one would expect, the students now looked towards Riel with fear. Even though Glen had gone through the trouble of setting this up, it was all in vain. Thus¡ª Riel¡¯s debut to class two ended just like that. Riel had made quite an explosive entrance. In the end, the first impression the students of class two had of Riel were ¡®she¡¯s a weirdo¡¯, ¡®she¡¯s a freak¡¯, ¡®she¡¯s dangerous¡¯, and other similar comments. As a transfer student, her assimilation was undoubtedly an absolute failure. To begin, Riel was extremely inexpressive, so it was hard to read how she was feeling. Furthermore, her half-open drowsy eyes made it seem like she was somewhat angry or displeased all the time, so it was hard to approach her. Finally, Riel herself would obviously not approach others for conversation. Thus, after witnessing that scene of raw destruction that caused the hairs to jump off their skin, none of the students dared to even approach her. ¡­That being said. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± The afternoon break period. Riel remained in her own seat, isolated from the rest of the class as if it were normal. She didn¡¯t do anything, not even move her body in the slightest. She absentmindedly sat in her seat, and nothing more. ¡°Oi¡­ Why don¡¯t you go say something to Riel-chan¡­¡± ¡°B-, But I mean¡­ isn¡¯t she kinda scary?¡± ¡°Either way¡­ Isn¡¯t she kind of weird? That strength of hers can¡¯t possibly be human¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t that the students wanted to ignore her. It was just that her doll-like expressions made it intimidating to approach. Combined with the monstrous strength she had demonstrated earlier, it was easy to see why it was hard to talk to her. No one was able to grasp the opportunity to start a discussion either. ¡°¡­That idiot.¡± Seeing Riel isolated from the rest of the class, Glen released a long sigh. There wasn¡¯t much that Glen could do about the situation. Riel grew up in a rather special environment, so her ability to socialize with others was below a child¡¯s. She had caused a lot of trouble¡­ but she was unable to grasp that fact. That said¡­ Seeing Riel all alone in such a lively classroom was a cause for sorrow for others. They couldn¡¯t help but think that she was rather pitiable. Riel likely felt nothing about her current situation¡­ but leaving her all alone wouldn¡¯t sit well with Glen. ¡°¡­I guess I have to.¡± Despite the current situation, we were comrades some time ago. It¡¯s not like my reputation at the academy can get any worse either way. One or two more rumors about me won¡¯t hurt. Glen moved to invite Riel to lunch¡­ ¡°Oh?¡± Someone else moved to Riel¡¯s side before Glen. ¡°Nice to meet you, Riel.¡± It was Lumia. Sistina followed shortly behind her. ¡°¡­?¡± Riel glanced at Lumia. She didn¡¯t move her body at all, merely turning her eyes upwards to meet Lumia¡¯s gaze. The intensity of Riel¡¯s stare was rather frightening. However, Lumia calmly matched her gaze, and showed a smile. ¡°It¡¯s the afternoon break period right now¡­. What are you planning to do about lunch?¡± ¡°¡­Lunch?¡± Riel turned her eyes away, and fell silent for a short moment. Then she turned her eyes up to face Lumia again, and said: ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll be fine even if I don¡¯t eat for three days.¡± ¡°Eh? Y-, You shouldn¡¯t do that¡­ It¡¯s bad for your body okay?¡± Lumia wryly smiled. ¡°You have to eat well. I mean, it¡¯ll get in the way of your work won¡¯t it, Riel?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Rather than just her eyes, Riel abruptly turned her head upward to face Lumia in a more upright fashion. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what to eat. I wasn¡¯t assigned any rations for this mission. I ate the rations I saved up from my other missions on the way here.¡± ¡­She really does have a serious problem, thought Glen as he looked on from faraway. The rations Riel referred to were undoubtedly the portable foodstuffs that the army used for field operations ¨C a mix of beans, barley, potato and various grains that knead and cooked into hard blocks. Heck, just what kind of idiot organization would have full-time bodyguards eat nothing but field rations anyway? More importantly, what was Riel planning to do about food then? Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve never seen her eat anything other than those shitty tasting rations¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­ did she eat nothing but that all this time? ¡°Ah, if you don¡¯t know what to eat¡­ then why don¡¯t you come with us to the cafeteria? We were just about to head there.¡±¡± ¡°¡­Cafeteria? ¡­What¡¯s that.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ somewhere you go to eat¡­ I guess? So, do you want to go?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel fell silent. It was hard to tell, but it seemed like her eyes were blinking faster. It seemed like she couldn¡¯t quite come to a decision, perhaps due to her inexperience with eating meals with girls of the same age. ¡°Hey Riel, you don¡¯t have to force yourself¡­ alright?¡± Sistina spoke out, unable to stand the silence. ¡°It¡¯s just that we¡¯ll be together for a long time from now onwards, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to get to know each other more? Not to mention, meals are more enjoyable with others.¡± ¡°¡­Enjoy? ¡­ I don¡¯t really understand¡­¡± Riel ruminated on the thought for a while, before glancing towards Glen. Glen raised his chin, gestured for Riel to go. Seeing that, Riel nodded and stood from her seat. ¡°Mm. Okay. I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Fufu, great. Let¡¯s go going then, shall we?¡± Riel followed Lumia and Sistina¡¯s lead, as murmurs started to shoot around the classroom. The students that remained in the room watched as the group gestured to leave. ¡°L-, Lumia is really brave¡­¡± ¡°Will they be alright¡­? Inviting that girl to lunch¡­¡± Ignoring the discussion going on in the classroom, Lumia and Sistina moved towards the door to the hallway, passing by Glen in the process. ¡°¡­Riel¡¯s all yours.¡± Glen whispered as Lumia passed by. ¡°Yes.¡± Replied Lumia with a sweet smile. ¡°¡­Geez louise.¡± After seeing the three of them off, Glen scratched his head and sighed. Man, I really can¡¯t tell what¡¯ll happen from here. As a bodyguard, Riel should¡¯ve found some reason to approach Lumia first, but here it turned out to be the other way around. Even for crappy bodyguard this should¡¯ve been common practice. I really think the people who chose her for this mission are nuts. But¡­ ¡°¡­On second thought, this might be a good chance.¡± Despite the hardships the situation wrought, Glen had to admit that. Riel¡¯s never had a normal upbringing. Even at her age she¡¯s serving as a battlemage of the Imperial Court Magicians. Of course, there are a lot of complicated issues that force her to be involved with them¡­ but it can¡¯t be denied that it has hindered her growth as a person. Although her personality wouldn¡¯t make it impossible to keep on living like this, there¡¯s definitely something missing. However¡ª If her mission forces her to associate with a lot of people, then it might be good for her in the long run. This might be a good chance for her to grow, spiritually and mentally. If she could get along well with Lumia and Sistina, then in the future¡­ Glen carried such hopes. Hmm, thinking about it that way, this mission might be most suited for Riel in terms of her needs, but that doesn¡¯t take away from the fact that the people who decided on this have a screw loose. If I ever see those people I would want to slap them a few hundred times. ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s almost time for the ¡®Field Study¡¯ isn¡¯t it¡­¡± This will probably be the first time Riel will go out to play with people her age. I just hope that something will come out of this for her¡­ thought Glen. ¡°Well, I should also go get something to eat.¡± After the three left, Glen also prepared to head to the student cafeteria. He could¡¯ve just gone to the canteen to get something simple to fill his stomach, but he felt like going to the cafeteria today. ¡­It¡¯s not like I¡¯m really worried about them. With a fleeting thought, Glen excused his behavior to no one in particular. Glen quietly hurried to the cafeteria. ¡°This is Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡¯s cafeteria.¡± As planned, Lumia and Sistina led Riel to the academy¡¯s cafeteria. ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it big? Were you surprised?¡± Riel blinked blankly as Lumia introduced the cafeteria with a delightful smile. The wide cafeteria was lined with long tables covered in white cloth. The tables were also decorated with candle stands, which gave the cafeteria a classy feel. A large group of students crowded the kitchen counter, where they waited for their orders to be served. After retrieving their food, they would find a seat and engage in friendly conversation with their peers. Today too, the cafeteria was filled with energy unique to lunchtime. ¡°There are a lot of people¡­ and something smells good¡­¡± ¡°The food here is cheap and delicious. It¡¯s quite popular amongst the students here.¡± Sistina explained as she brushed her loose hairs aside. ¡°People who come from wealthier backgrounds¡­ such as the sons and daughters of conglomerates and high nobles, tend to choose to eat outside the academy in more luxurious restaurants. On the other hand, there are those who come from more humble backgrounds that prepare their own meals instead. That said, more than half the students of the academy use the cafeteria on a regular basis.¡± On that note, as someone who came from a famous family of magicians and belonged in the upper-echelons of society, Sistina would have no monetary troubles eating luxurious meals outside the academy on a regular basis. However, having grown-up eating her mother¡¯s handmade meals, she bore a commoners palate that preferred simpler tastes. Although a rarity amongst nobles, she would mostly go to the cafeteria for lunch. Returning to the topic, it appeared that Riel had not paid attention to Sistina¡¯s explanation. In Riel¡¯s mind, food was merely rations of energy to be taken in the midst of a bloody battlefield; a necessary chore for bodily maintenance. So the appetizing scent and harmonious scenery during meals was a first for her. Riel seemed overwhelmed by this unknown landscape. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go make our order, Riel?¡± Lumia pulled Riel by the hand through the crowd of people and headed towards the counter. On the other side of the counter, they could see the large number of chefs preparing meals as if it were a battle. ¡°Mm, it seems like there¡¯s a lot of good food today¡­ What should I get?¡± Lumia looked at the menu written on a board set up next to the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll have the usual.¡± Said Sistina with disinterest. She didn¡¯t even bat an eye at the board. ¡°Two scones again? You¡¯ve only been having that for lunch recently Sisti¡­ It¡¯s not good for your body if you don¡¯t eat well okay?¡± ¡°Y-, You don¡¯t have to tell me that¡­ I¡¯m fine with eating just that!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even close to fat though, Sisti¡­ You might even be too skinny¡­¡± ¡°T-, T-, That¡¯s not the problem! It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried about getting fat, I just don¡¯t want to feel sleepy during afternoon lecture okay¡­-!¡± Sistina vehemently tried to explain herself as Lumia received it with a wry smile. ¡°By the way Riel, what are you getting?¡± Lumia turned to ask Riel. However, she didn¡¯t get a reply. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± On closer inspection, it seemed like Riel¡¯s eyes were glued to a nearby table. More precisely, what a certain girl was eating. In the girl¡¯s hands was a strawberry tart. Whilst talking to her friends, the girl happily munched down on the strawberry tart. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel¡¯s appeared to be captivated by the glamorous appearance of the tart. Although her drowsy expression remained, her eyes seemed to shine with curiosity. ¡°Riel¡­ Would you like to eat that?¡± Lumia took the opportunity and asked Riel. Riel turned her eyes to look at Lumia. ¡°Can¡­ I eat that?¡± ¡°Yup, if you order it you can have it. Let¡¯s go order okay?¡± Riel seemed to be thinking deeply about it and fell silent for a brief moment¡­ Finally, she nodded her head. ¡­After a while. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Near a corner of the cafeteria, Riel nibbled on a strawberry tart with great focus. She carried the strawberry tart in two hands, treating it with great care and ignoring Lumia¡¯s question. She silently partook in the strawberry tart, which, rather than greedily devouring, she gnawed it little by little like a small animal eating a berry¡­ ¡°It looks like she likes it¡­¡± Sistina shrugged her shoulders slightly, before delicately cutting a scone with a knife and feeding it into her mouth with a fork. After that, she took another glance at Riel. Actually, this was already Riel¡¯s sixth tart. She had been hesitant to bite into her first, but she hadn¡¯t stopped eating since, as if she had been possessed by the tart. The first was gone in a blink of an eye. After that, she asked for more and more. ¡°¡­I-, I¡¯m jealous.¡± Sistina couldn¡¯t help but murmur that as she compared the scones on her plate and the tart in Riel¡¯s hands. ¡°Hm? What the problem, Sisti?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ No matter how much you won¡¯t get fat, rather, all those calories effectively become ¡®growth¡¯ for you, so I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t understand what I mean, Lumia¡­¡± Sistina enviously compared the compared Lumia¡¯s chest and Lumia¡¯s meal. Lumia¡¯s meal consisted of a small piece of bread, roast beef, cheese salad, and corn soup. It must have something to do with our metabolisms. No matter how much Lumia eats, she never gets fat at all. Not only that, the ¡®parts¡¯ that I¡¯m jealous of grow steadily as a result. Chances are I can¡¯t eat as much as her without having to worry. If I did eat that much, I¡¯ll probably grow in the places where I want it the least, like my waist or my arms. God really is unfair. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Sistina glanced at Riel and sighed. I want to stuff myself with sweets without having to worry about gaining weight like Riel. I want to eat until I¡¯m full like Lumia. Eating at the same table as the two gluttons grinded down on Sistina¡¯s mental fortitude. ¡°Even so¡­¡± Sistina, resting her chin in the palm of her propped up hand, took a second look at Riel. Riel was still dreamily nibbling away at a tart. ¡­She¡¯s just an innocent girl after all. Such a thought crossed Sistina¡¯s mind. To be honest, she had been afraid of Riel. She had suddenly swung a sword at Glen, and there was also the incident at the practice field earlier today. Although she only knew a little bit of magic, there was nothing that Sistina could do about her brute force that seemed like a calamity in and of itself. After that showing earlier, Sistina wondered how Lumia could approach Riel as if nothing was wrong. But after seeing her innocently nibble on the tart¡­ Sistina thought that she was dumb for having been so afraid and cautious of Riel this entire time. ¡°¡­Do you want one?¡± Then, noticing Sistina¡¯s gaze, Riel raised her head to face Sistina. ¡°¡­Ah, well, not really, but¡­¡± ¡°I can give you some if you¡¯d like.¡± Saying that, Riel split the tart she was eating in half¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Then, she reflexively stopped her hand. She stared at the tart in one hand with her drowsy eyes; the hesitation could be felt in her eyes. Her forehead seemed to be a bit scrunched as well. Sistina showed a knowing smile to Riel¡¯s obvious reaction. ¡°Ah¡ª, you don¡¯t have to force yourself. You want to eat all of it right?¡± ¡°¡­Can I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If I really wanted to I can just go buy it myself.¡± Riel seemed to calm down after that and returned to nibbling on the tart. She¡¯s certainly not a bad person¡­ She¡¯s just kind of weird, that¡¯s all Although Riel was a bit¡­ cold, so to speak, she didn¡¯t explicitly do anything to gain other¡¯s enmity. Rather, she seemed like the sort of person whose actions would bring a smile to others faces given enough time. ¡°Geez Riel¡­ You have cream all over your face¡­ Pay attention when you¡¯re eating¡­¡± With a sigh, Sistina took her handkerchief out and reached her hand across the table towards Riel¡¯s face. Lumia happily observed the two. ¡°Don¡¯t move okay? ¡­ There, that¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ thanks.¡± If I had a little sister, maybe she¡¯d be someone like her? Sistina mind idly drifted towards such a possibility. ¡°There aren¡¯t many empty seats at the cafeteria today¡­. What shall we do?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Wendy¡­ There¡¯s some seats over there.¡± ¡°Oh my, I see it. Let¡¯s go there then.¡± Familiar voices approached Sistina¡¯s table. Sistina turned around to look¡­ ¡°My? Sistina?¡± ¡°Wendy¡­. and Rin.¡± Wendy and Rin each carried a tray in their hand. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you here, Wendy. I didn¡¯t think that you of all people would use the cafeteria.¡± Sistina, as if seeing the unexpected, blinked her eyes a few times. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the standard for those who go outside the academy to eat at luxurious restaurants? And for Rin to be with you¡­ What¡¯s come over you today?¡± ¡°Hmpf, occasionally inspecting the commoner¡¯s dining situation is the duty of nobles.¡± ¡°I-, I, uhm¡­ happened to meet Wendy at the entrance to the cafeteria, so¡­¡± Wendy boastfully raised her chest whilst Rin nervously explained the circumstances. Then, a good idea seemed to flash in Lumia¡¯s mind, and she clapped her hands together with a smile. ¡°Right! Would you two like to join us for lunch? You can also get to know Riel better.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be more fun and enjoyable to eat with more people.¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­Uhm¡­¡± However, the two seemed hesitant to accept Lumia¡¯s invitation. The two snuck glances at Riel, who sat across from Lumia. The scene of Riel¡¯s display of superhuman strength and the following destruction was probably playing through their minds. Wendy¡¯s usual composed expression that befit a noble seemed to crumble a little and sweat could be seem forming on her forehead. Rin, who was more timid, seemed to hide behind Wendy. In the end, the two couldn¡¯t choose between ¡®Yes¡¯ or ¡®No¡¯ and remained silent¡­ ¡°¡­You can¡¯t?¡± Lumia showed a slightly sad smile. It was then that¡ª ¡°Yo, cuties! If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll be joining in as well!¡± A cheerful voice came from behind, which, although out-of-place, blew away the tension in the air. ¡°It¡¯s rare for the pretty girls from our class to be gathered together in one place! How could I let this chance go!?¡± ¡°Ahaha, geez Cashew. Would you all mind if I joined as well? I have something I want to talk to Riel about.¡± The big-statured Cashew and female-faced Cecil arrived on scene. ¡°My, I don¡¯t see you two here very often. Cecil aside, I didn¡¯t know that you used the cafeteria, Cashew.¡± Sistina looked on in puzzlement as her classmates, who didn¡¯t frequent the cafeteria, showed up one after another. ¡°I got a payday from my part-time at the transcription store yesterday, so I thought I might splurge a little today.¡± Cashew and Cecil¡¯s hands were completely occupied with filled plates. Ignoring Wendy and Rin, Cashew dropped his plates next to Lumia, directly across from Riel. Cecil followed suit by sitting down next to Cashew. ¡°Yo, Riel-chan!¡± Perhaps startled by Cashew¡¯s vigor, Riel turned her eyes away from the tart and blinked her eyes blankly at him. ¡°In class just now, you made that crazy sword and sent in flying through the air¡­ That was pretty amazing! Just how did you do it?¡± ¡°Amazing? Me?¡± ¡°Mhm. I¡¯ve never seen magic like that before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that you used body enhancement magic along with raw physical strength to send the sword flying¡­ but you used alchemy to make the sword didn¡¯t you? The speed at which you synthesized it was super fast. Where did you learn to do that?¡± Cashew and Cecil fired off questions one after another. ¡°Hey, could you teach me how to do that!? If I could learn to synthesize stuff that quickly, I might be able to use it for other things!¡± ¡°I¡¯m more curious about what kind of synthesis form you use.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel, as if pondering something, fell silent for a brief moment¡­ ¡°¡­Mm. I¡¯ll teach you two if I have time.¡± ¡°Ooh! Alright! Thanks a ton!¡± Cashew then turned around to look at Wendy and Rin, who remained frozen in place. ¡°Hey Wendy, Rin, do you guys want to learn it too? I¡¯m sure that learning this will help us rise through the magician ranks.¡± The two glanced at each other for a brief moment before nodding their heads, and asked¡­ ¡°It¡¯s true that your synthesis speed is frightening, Riel¡­ but how do you explain your ability with [Shock ¡¤ Bolt]?¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­ It¡¯s not like I did any better though¡­¡± Wendy and Rin sat down around Riel. ¡°I never really learned black magic.¡± ¡°Oh dear¡­. [Shock ¡¤ Bolt] is the very basic of black magic assault spells is it not? If you don¡¯t practice it thoroughly, how do you expect to raise your magician rank?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ oh, it hurts¡­!¡± ¡°Well, if you would like, I wouldn¡¯t mind teaching you, Riel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Hearing Wendy¡¯s suggestion, Riel turned to glance at Lumia. Lumia replied with a delightful smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright Riel. I think it would be great if she teaches you.¡± ¡°¡­Okay. Teach me.¡± Although Riel would never initiate a conversation, her replies to others were generally clear. Although her attitude was a bit cold, she was unexpectedly able to hold a normal conversation. ¡°Thanks, Cashew-kun.¡± As Riel became the center of conversation, Lumia voiced her thanks to Cashew. ¡°Well, she¡¯s a bit weird, but if I seem a new classmate getting ostracized like that I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to live it down if I ignore it¡­ so there¡¯s really nothing to thank me for.¡± Then, with a know-it-all smile¡ª ¡°If you¡¯d like to thank me, would you mind going on a date¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll have to politely decline. Sorry, Cashew-kun.¡± Lumia declined with an angelic smile. Having been ruthlessly rejected, Cashew placed his head face first into the table with a thud. ¡°Ahaha, you just got rejected didn¡¯t you, Cashew¡­ what a shame.¡± ¡°Shush~ Just leave me alone¡­¡± Cashew replied sulkily to Cecil¡¯s consolation. ¡°Even so, I¡¯m happy that other people are willing to approach Riel.¡± ¡°W-, Well¡­ to be honest, I was actually scared of her¡­¡± Cashew uneasily admitted. ¡°But I saw you guys talking to each other¡­ and even though it was a bit weird, she didn¡¯t seem like a bad person either¡­ I mean, just look at her.¡± Riel continued to silently gnaw at a tart whilst listening to Wendy and Sistina¡¯s petty arguments. ¡°¡­Cute isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yup, it¡¯s pretty cute.¡± Lumia couldn¡¯t help but smile. Cashew quickly agreed with her. ¡°Why was I ever scared of such a cute girl I wonder¡­ Not to mention, if Sistina could accept her, that means she¡¯s definitely not a bad person. The rest of the class were all scared of her, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be able to understand in time.¡± ¡°Cashew-kun¡­¡± ¡°The ¡®Field Study¡¯ is starting in a bit isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be more interesting with more people.¡± ¡°Yup, that¡¯s right. I hope that everyone can have fun.¡± The two said with a smile. ¡°Man¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like I need to do anything huh.¡± In the cafeteria, Glen released a relieved sigh as he observed Lumia¡¯s group from out of view. Although the passing students looked at Glen with disdain, he didn¡¯t really mind at all. ¡°How should I say this¡­ My students are all really good people at heart¡­! Mm¡­ I¡¯m truly blessed to have students like them¡­-!¡± Glen covered his eyes as if overcome with emotion. ¡°Alrighty, now that that¡¯s settled, Glen-sensei shall coolly slip away¡­¡± Immediately after, Glen remembered something very important. ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t eaten lunch yet haven¡¯t I!? Shit, I was so busy observing them that I totally forgot! O-, Oh shit!? How much time do I have until break en¡ª¡± Glen was immediately interrupted by the loud growl of his stomach¡ª At the same time, the academy¡¯s bell, which announced the end of afternoon break, cruelly rung. ¡°WH-, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT¡ª!?¡± Glen¡¯s cries of despair and the bell formed a loud ensemble¡­ ¡­¡­¡­ ¡ªI saw ¨C a dream. It was a fragment of my childhood days. It was during the time where I was trapped by the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society. ¡°Sniff¡­ Hick¡­uugh¡­¡± ¡°What is it, ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ? Did something happen?¡± My brother tried to comfort me as I cried, curled up into a ball hugging my knees. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ killed¡­ her¡­. Lida¡­ The organization¡­ordered me to¡­-!¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°Fuck! What the hell is this!?¡± My brother¡¯s close friend, ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ, who stood beside him, loudly struck the wall. ¡°The organization is probably holding those shitty ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ practices aren¡¯t they!? For high speed synthesis of weapons and their secret assassination blade techniques¡­ Shit! I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d force comrades to kill one another¡­!? Are we really just throwaway tools to them¡­! Goddamnit!¡± ¡°Calm down, ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ.¡± ¡°¡õ¡õ¡õ-!? But¡­-!¡± ¡°Without the organization¡¯s support, orphans like us would have nowhere to go¡­ That much is true.¡± With a sorrowful expression, my brother turned towards his close friend ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ and shook his head. Then, he looked me in the eye. ¡°It must¡¯ve been hard for you, ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. While I¡¯m sorry about what happened to Lida¡­ As my only blood relative left, I¡¯m glad you were the one who lived in the end¡­ So¡­¡± ¡°B-, Brother¡­ I-, I¡¯m scared¡­.¡± Back then, I could only remain sane by telling my brother all about the swelling anxieties I had. ¡°I feel like¡­ my heart¡­ is dying, little by little¡­ I feel like with each passing day, I¡¯m becoming more and more like a doll¡­ Recently, even that feeling¡­ is starting to fade¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be okay¡­ Everything will be okay¡­¡± However, my brother always encouraged me and supported me. ¡°One day, we¡¯ll leave this organization for good. I will do whatever it takes. Then, we¡¯ll be free to live our lives. Until then¡­ Until that day¡­ Please, ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. Work hard¡­ do whatever it takes¡­¡± ¡°Brother¡­ ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡­¡± Yes. The reason I managed to keep living back then¡­ was due to my brother. Because my brother is here¡­ I can keep on living. ¡°Hey ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. If, you¡­ are able to escape this organization, what do you want to do?¡± However, what I remember is all ¡®white¡¯. Maybe it was too long ago, the backgrounds were white, and dialogues were white. Everything was a blank slate of white. Even my brother¡¯s face seemed to be hidden behind a white fog. I can¡¯t quite tell. Everything was already vague and fuzzy, I can¡¯t quite remember. It was a vestige of a time long past¡ª ¡ªA white memory. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Hey Riel. I know I don¡¯t have the right to say anything since I fell asleep on my first day here¡­ but would you mind acting a bit more like a student¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± My mind which was visiting the past returned to the present. After waking up, I slowly raised my head. It seems like I fell asleep on the desk. I rubbed my eyes whilst looking at my surroundings. This was a classroom in Alzano Imperial Magic Academy. It seemed like the lecture had ended some time ago and we were now in a break period. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom. Some students were busily chatting with one another, while others left the room. Overall, it was noisy. Glen stood next to me with an amused expression as he released a sigh. He looked down at me. I stared at Glen¡¯s face. ¡°¡­What is it? Is there something on my face?¡± ¡­This might be the reason I saw that nostalgic dream. Somehow, Glen seemed very similar to my brother, whose face had been hidden by some sort of fog. ¡°¡­Geez¡± Glen released a long sigh as Riel rubbed her eyes. It had been a week since Riel arrived at the magic academy. With her actions on the first day, Riel had splendidly formed a mental barrier that distanced herself from the other students of the class. Just what would Riel pull off in her following days as a student¡­? This was a question that weighed heavily on Glen¡¯s mind at the beginning. After all, given Riel¡¯s reckless and headlong tendencies, which were closely followed by episodes of heroism, she had undoubtedly made a name for herself at Imperial Court Magicians, for better or for worse. Not to mention, these episodes were too many to count. For example¡­ One: If the enemy is more numerous than oneself¡¯s, then cut them all down through spirit. Two: If the enemy¡¯s defenses cannot be crushed by one¡¯s blade, then destroy the defense through spirit, and then cut them down. Three: If the enemy is faster than oneself, the make yourself go faster than the enemy through spirit, and then cut them down. Four: If the enemy has placed a trap, then cut down the trap along with the enemy through spirit. ¡­And such. That was one of numerous trusted and traditional examples from Riel¡¯s art of war. Yet, the worst part of her disposition was the fact that she had the unparalleled power and dexterity to carry out her unintelligible brute force strategies. Thus, she left a clear-cut combat record. The heretical magicians that Riel had defeated in the past, were probably scratching their heads in hell wondering why they had lost to such a girl. Yet, the only conclusion there appeared to be was that they had been Riel¡¯s opponent. In any case, Riel was abnormal in various ways. To make matters worse, her mind was estranged from the common sense of the world. It wasn¡¯t exactly strange for any sort of trouble to occur when she was around. However ¡ª in the end, these were all needless anxieties. ¡°Riel, it¡¯s afternoon break now. Would you to come to the cafeteria with us again?¡± ¡°¡­Lumia? Sistina? ¡­Okay. I¡¯ll comme.¡± ¡°Hey Riel. Are you going to eat strawberry tarts again? Don¡¯t you get tired of it? I¡¯m hardly one to talk, but your diet isn¡¯t balanced if you eat like that. You¡¯ve been eating nothing but strawberry tarts since you came haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sistina, because¡­ strawberry tarts¡­ taste good.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ That¡¯s not a reason. You can¡¯t be this picky with your food.¡± ¡°Ahaha, ever since I recommended the tarts to her, she¡¯s become its captive, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Like every day, Glen saw the three off as they left for the cafeteria. The reason Riel hadn¡¯t encountered any great trouble yet¡­ was most likely due to Lumia and Sistina. Regardless of whether it was in or out of the academy¡¯s grounds, the two would follow Riel (who, as a result, fails as a bodyguard) and cover for her when problems arose due to her lack of common sense. ¡°Hey Riel, Why don¡¯t you try to eat something else today? I¡¯m sure there are tasty dishes other than strawberry tarts.¡± ¡°But¡­ I want to eat strawberry tarts.¡± For Lumia, Riel was a benefactor who (sort of) protected her. On top of that, given Lumia¡¯s personality, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ignore Riel, who wasn¡¯t able to get used to life as a student. ¡°You really are a stubborn girl aren¡¯t you¡­? Listen Riel, you can¡¯t be so picky with your food at such a young age okay? If you don¡¯t eat a healthy and balanced diet, your body will suffer as a result.¡± ¡°Yup¡­ that said though, Sisti, you can¡¯t really lecture someone else on that¡­¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯m fine as I am! Don¡¯t mind me!¡± Sistina didn¡¯t really bear any goodwill towards Riel at the beginning, but after having approached Riel with Lumia, she seemed to think of her as a troublesome little sister of sorts. At some point, the three of them being together became the norm. ¡°Oh, you guys are together again? You sure get along well!¡± ¡°My my. By the way, Sistina, we¡¯ll be tending the medicinal gardens for our next lecture period. Try not to be so involved in your chatting that you arrive to lecture late like you have previously.¡± Cashew and Wendy¡¯s acceptance of Riel also contributed greatly to Riel¡¯s transition into school. The other students began to open up to Riel more under the lead of the class¡¯ central figures. Since they had managed to accept a maverick like Glen as well, it demonstrated that the class as a whole was fairly bighearted. Although Riel would occasionally make some outrageous announcements regarding Glen, she was meshing together with the class slowly but surely. R-, Riel of all people¡­ might actually have a fairly normal school life¡­ Glen was surprised, but at the same time he was also moved. However, of course, not everything went so smoothly. An anomaly like Riel leading a normal life would surely have some negative influences. ¡°So then¡­ it becomes this¡­ Then, you perform Markious¡¯ operation on the elemental array here¡­ like this¡­ After that, you do this to calculate the origin¡¯s elemental values for Flamea, Aques, Soilre, Airel, and Etherio and return those values individually¡­ Then here¡­ You can do this to reorder the origins¡­ and then restructure the physical material¡­.¡± Afterschool¡ª Several students were huddled around Riel¡¯s table. Under their intense gaze, Riel pushed a feather pen across a sheet of paper. Written on the numerous sheets of paper was a set of extremely complicated synthetic formulas used to switch the order of elements as well as the magic formula used to control the synthesis. It was Riel¡¯s alchemy ¨C a magic formula for high speed weapon synthesis. After today¡¯s final lecture, alchemy, the students that stuck around gathered together to chitchat. Eventually, they moved onto Riel¡¯s alchemy technique that she had displayed on the first day. Finally, after a series of events, they had her attempt to explain it to everyone present. ¡°¡­Understood?¡± Riel lowered her feather-pen. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t get it at all.¡± Cashew, who had given up halfway through, cheerfully said. ¡°Amazing Riel, I lost track of what you were saying at some point¡­¡± Lumia agreed with a wry smile. The students present more or less bore the same thoughts as Cashew and Lumia. ¡°It¡¯s incredible¡­¡± ¡°What is this¡­ Just who made this formula¡­?¡± Cecil, who was excellent in theory classes, and Sistina, who stood at the top of her class year, could understand Riel¡¯s explanation to a certain extent, but they were still at a loss for words. Magic formulation and functions were not the focus of the general curriculum at the academy, so were it not for Glen¡¯s maniacal lectures on how to create formulas and functions using rune-language from scratch, the two would likely have not been able to understand Riel¡¯s explanation in the slightest. ¡°What can I say¡­? No matter how hard I thought about how to create a Damascus steel sword in such a short amount of time, I couldn¡¯t figure it out¡­ but who would¡¯ve thought that a bug in rune-language could be utilized in such a fashion¡­¡± Sweat trickled from Cecil¡¯s forehead as he voiced his admiration. Damascus steel was created by adding layers of carbon in a cyclic fashion throughout the composition of ordinary steel elements. It was far more rigid and sturdy compared normal steel. In the empire, those who possessed the forging skills to manufacture Damascus steel were far and few between, which led to annually production being equally low. Ongoing research attempted to manufacture large quantities Damascus steel through alchemical means. However, that it was extremely difficult to achieve permanence in a synthesized product. Even if the synthesis was successful, the composition could only be maintained temporarily. With the added difficulty and complexity of the elemental array, it would probably take an extreme amount of time to properly synthesize the product¡­ This was the common knowledge that had been publicized by the Imperial Magic Academic Society regarding the research of Damascus steel. Although Riel¡¯s formula did not resolve the issue of impermanence, its speed was in a different league of its own. It was nothing less than shocking. Even if the formula was submitted to the Academy Society, it would probably be seen as an impossible, bogus theory, and quickly be brushed off with a laugh¡ª unless Riel were to demonstrate the usage and control mechanisms firsthand. That was the extent to which the alchemical sequence appeared to be formed on baseless assumptions. ¡°I can see why this wouldn¡¯t be used in the Imperial army either¡­¡± Cecil exasperatedly exhaled. ¡°Riel¡­ Do you use this all the time?¡± Sistina looked at with great concern. ¡°If you mess up even a single step, your brain¡¯s processing capacity will overload and you¡¯ll probably become a vegetable you know?¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know.¡± Despite Sistina¡¯s stern warning, Riel didn¡¯t seemed fazed in the slightest. She maintained her usual drowsy expression immaculately. ¡°Gosh¡­ That said, just what is this nonsensical way of utilizing the user¡¯s deeper consciousness!? Aren¡¯t there zero considerations for the user¡¯s safety!? It¡¯s obvious that whoever made this formula views the users of this as nothing more than disposable objects!¡± Voicing her anger, Sistina vigorously turned towards Wendy. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think so too!? Wendy!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± Wendy, who had been dazed by Riel¡¯s explanations, came to when Sistina called her out. ¡°O-, Of course! Sistina is completely correct in that matter! A formula with no considerations for its user is unbefitting of a noble¡­ I realized all this in the beginning!¡± For some reason, sweat could be seen forming on Wendy¡¯s forehead and her articulation was also unclear. ¡°Now now.¡± Lumia interrupted the conversation and attempted to calm Sistina down. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s impressive that Riel is able to use such a complicated formula.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I practiced a lot.¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯m amazed you¡¯re still alive.¡± Sistina¡¯s cheeks stiffened upon Riel¡¯s indifference. There¡¯s a question that needs to be answered. I heard from Glen-sensei that Riel had been a part of the Imperial Court Magicians, but does that mean that the army is forcing their soldiers to carry out life-endangering practices? There¡¯s something wrong with this. To start with, Cecil said that Riel¡¯s formula wasn¡¯t used anywhere in the Imperial army. So where did Riel learn this magic? ¡°Don¡¯t try to mimic this magic alright everyone? Using this would require an incredible talent and sense with alchemy. For Riel to be able to utilize this magic to her extent means that this is practically her Original Magic.¡± Sistina sensed that it would be foolish to pursue the matter any further. Thus, she tried to direct the conversation away from such a question. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can even try to do that¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone other can Riel can do it¡­¡± ¡°W-, Well, I have faith that I would be able to do it if I try, but¡­ Fu, fuun, I suppose it is a formula that is lacking in grace required for a noble¡­ Therefore, it is unsuitable for someone of my like!¡± Then¡ª Baam! Someone roughly exited their seat. The loud noise echoed throughout the room. ¡°¡­Gibel?¡± The origin of that noise was none other than Gibel, who sat a short distance away from Riel and had not contributed to the conversation. ¡°O-, Oi Gibel, what¡¯s up with you, why did you suddenly¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m going home. Rather than waste time messing around with you people, would it not be better to go home and strive to make an effort to study magic?¡± With great irritation, Gibel shoved his textbooks, notes, and other belongings into his bag. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t have to say it like that¡­¡± Cashew, who was used to Gibel¡¯s abrasive attitude, amusedly scratched his head. ¡°Hmpf.¡± However, Gibell ignored Cashew, turned around, and headed for the exit. Then¡ª Tug, Gibel¡¯s sleeve was pulled from behind. ¡°Wha¡­ Y-, You¡­!?¡± The one who pulled on his sleeve was Riel, who had approached him without him noticing. No one felt her movement nor her presence, it was as if she had teleported right behind him. Everyone blinked their eyes blankly as if bewitched. ¡°¡­Here.¡± In Riel¡¯s hand was a feathered pen. ¡°You dropped this.¡± ¡°~~~~-!¡± Gibel¡¯s face flushed red with hostility as he swiped the pen from Riel¡¯s hand. He then rushed out of the room with great strides. ¡°¡­?¡± Riel¡¯s hand remained outstretched as she stood still like a statue. The remaining students had their mouths open wide in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s with him recently?¡± Sistina was half-confused, half irritated. ¡°Well, I suppose that he has been rather irritated ever since Riel joined our class¡­¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Isn¡¯t he just jealous of Riel-chan¡¯s amazing alchemy skills?¡± ¡°D-, Don¡¯t say that Cashew. You might unexpectedly turn out right. Gibel has always held absolute confidence in his alchemy¡­ He¡¯d even say that he won¡¯t lose to Sistina.¡± In the deserted hallway just outside the classroom¡ª Glen leaned against a wall with his arm crossed and lightly sighed as he saw Gibel, who hadn¡¯t noticed his presence, run off. ¡°Well, can¡¯t really blame him. Not everyone can so readily accept someone as weird as Riel¡­¡± Thanks to Lumia and Sistina, Riel¡¯s integration into the class has been going pretty smoothly, but there are people like Gibel as well. Anyhow, it¡¯s because Riel¡¯s abilities exceed common sense. Even in the Imperial Court Magicians, her unmatched kill-count of heretics makes her the pride and ace of the special operations sect. Such power isn¡¯t something that can be easily hidden. Someone like Riel would naturally make many of the other students afraid. Glen had been afraid of this, so he hadn¡¯t allowed his class to partake in magic battles¡­ but if it ever came down to it, no one in his class would be able to win against Riel. Furthermore, the one who would have crushed them in that instance would have been an irregular than was incapable of even using elementary magic. Surely, the difference between Riel and the rest had been made clear when she had smashed the golem into dust with the greatsword during the first lecture. Someone in their hearts, everyone should have understood that they were not Riel¡¯s equal in a true magic battle. As magicians it would be a blow to their pride, even more so for those as young as the students. ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s not much I can do but let it resolve itself in time I guess¡­¡± Suddenly, Glen noticed Riel preparing to leave the classroom. Everyone must¡¯ve been preparing to go home together. Glen scratched his head, and quickly left the hallway. Problems like this did not solely exist due to the hidden discord in the class. Of course, they existed in Riel as well. This is a tale of a certain time. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel carried a stack of books and papers in her hands as she walked down a hallway of the magic academy. Hiding behind her in a corner of the hallway ten meters behind¡ª Riel¡­ I know you can do it if you try¡­ Sensei is proud of you¡­-!? After tasking Riel with delivering some documents, Glen stealthily followed behind her to observe her progress. Although there was no real meaning in following her, Glen could feel the corner of his eyes heat up. The passing students all sent dubious gazes towards Glen as he looked at Riel down the hall with a strange sense of warmth¡­ ¡°Glen Ryders! I¡¯ve heard it all! During your black magic lecture, you slandered the spell I improvised as ¡®impractical and inefficient¡¯ did you not¡ª!?¡± Harry suddenly approached Glen and threw a glove at him in anger. ¡°In my life you are the only one to disrespect to this extent and take me for such a damned fool! I can¡¯t turn a blind on you any longer Glen Ryders! Let us settle this in combat!¡± Glen¡¯s face turned pale in anxiety and turn his neck as far as he could to face Harry. ¡°U-, Uhm¡­. Now¡¯s¡­ a bad time¡­ Due to some very¡­ special and complicated circumstances, challenging me to a duel may turn out very very badly for all of us¡­ So uh¡­ forgive me¡­?¡± ¡°Hmpf, you scared punk!? It¡¯s too late to ask for my forgiveness! Hurry up and pick up the gloves! Allow me to witness what you call ¡®practical magic¡¯ would you!? And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sure to not accidentally take your life!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª, No¡ª, Uhhhhhhh¡ª, oh, it¡¯s not my life¡­ but yours, senpai¡­ It¡¯s veeeeeerry much like a candle in the wind I guess¡­Uhh¡­ If you don¡¯t hurry up and take back your challenge¡­ Our very peaceful academy might be the stage for a gruesome tragedy or something like that¡ª¡± Glen tried his best to avoid in the imminent tragedy, but it was already too late. ¡°¡­Hm? Glen, is he¡­ an enemy?¡± ¡°S-, She¡¯s heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeereeeeeee¡ª!¡± Riel suddenly appeared beside Glen, who immediately hugged his head in fright. ¡°Ha-, Ha-something senpai-!? Please run! Pretty pleaseeeeeeeeeee-!?¡± ¡°What are you here for, girl. Are you the rumored transfer student? Listen, I won¡¯t take your attitude¡ª¡± As Harry entered his arrogant airs and began to scold Riel¡ª Pssht. The air was cut by the flash of a fiendish greatsword that quickly approached Harry. The pressure behind the blow not only shattered the surrounding glass windows, but also left a fissure on the stone walls. Fortunately, Glen had managed to kick Harry¡¯s legs to upset his balance so that only his hair had been displaced. If he had been even a moment late, it would have been his head instead. ¡°W-, W-, What¡ª!?¡± After Harry, whose head now shined like polished glass, recovered from his fall, he looked up in terror at Riel, who carried the gigantic sword with a single hand. Riel, as usual, carried a drowsy, emotionless expression as the aftershock of her swing collapsed the walls around her. ¡°KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!? Despite Harry-sensei¡¯s young age, he¡¯s already encountered the great strife of balding. Now his hair is all gone¡ª!¡± ¡°W-, What the!? The wall! What happened to the wall!? What the heck happened just now¡ª!?¡± The students in the hallway entered a panicked frenzy. ¡°Shut up! And keep my hair out of this while you¡¯re at it! More importantly, y-, y-, you!? W-, What kind of magic did you use just now!? D-, don¡¯t tell me that sword¡­ No damned way!? Going by common sense, no sword could generate such force!¡± ¡°Common sense just doesn¡¯t apply to her! Like I said already, just hurry and run!¡± Ignoring Harry and Glen¡¯s fright, Riel entered her specialty greatsword stance. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t run away¡­ Just leave it to me Glen. I will¡­ destroy your enemies.¡± ¡°Hey Riel, waaaiiiiitttttttt! Calm down pleaseeeee!¡± ¡°HIEEEEEEEEEEE!? S-, Save meeeeeeee¡ª!¡± ¡°Let me go Glen. I can¡¯t destroy him like this.¡± ¡°Shush you! Don¡¯t go around making murder incident in the middle of school would you!? Aghh! Where is Lumia and the White Cat when you need them!? Come and help me out pleaaseeeeeeeeee!¡± ¡­Riel would more than occasionally do things like that, which were lacking in common sense or fine sensibilities. Thus, the days during which Glen could not relax would continue. Yet, despite everything, if one were to ask whether those flurried days had a positive or negative influence on Riel, the answer was obvious¡­ Everything she saw and heard during this time were all full of fresh experiences. During some fleeting moments, Glen would see an expression that he had never seen her have before¡­ For him personally, these times were surely not as bad as he would have others believe. Volume 3 - CH 3 Chapter 3: The Field Study Trip, Sets Off. ¡°What is the meaning of this¡­-! How is that any different from rejecting my membership¡­-!¡± That day. The chief of the Imperial Platinum Magic research institute, Bacchus Braumon angrily struck his desk. ¡°Do you have any idea how many sacrifices I¡¯ve made for the organization, woman!? Do you not know how much tribute I¡¯ve given and continued to give!?¡± Bacchus was around forty to fifty years old. Befitting of his age, his skin was wrinkled, his head was bald, and the remaining hairs on the corner of his lips and beard wee a shade pale white. However, his eyes alone gleamed like a carnivore finding prey in the darkness. ¡°Even then, do you not accept my membership!? Do you not desire the power of my magicks!? Do you mean that my abilities and sacrifices are not enough to enter the Adeptus Order, or even the Portals Order!? Am I forever to remain a probationer and nothing more!? Answer me, Elenora-dono!?¡± Bacchus wildly howled across the desk. ¡¯ and ¡®First Company ¡¯> ¡°Please be calm, Bacchus-sama.¡± However, his anger was brushed aside. Elenora, dressed in servant¡¯s clothes with a headdress and apron, eluded the question with a cheerful smile. Elenora, the heretical magician from the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society, was dressed in the same clothes as she had used during her time undercover in the imperial government. Since it continued to be her primary choice of clothing, it seemed that she favored the clothes quite a bit. ¡°You believe that our great sage and the Heavens Order do not accept your induction¡­ however, it is actually quite the opposite. With your abilities, surely you will jump beyond Portals Order and be assigned into the Adeptus Order¡ª Furthermore, you will be assigned a high ranking within that order. It¡¯s just that¡­ we are unable to confirm whether your loyalty to the order is true, so our great sage has offered you a test.¡± Elenora maintained her prim smile and continued. ¡°Yes¡­ [Project: Revive Life]¡­ When you complete this magic project once again, you will officially become a member of the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society, one of us.¡± ¡°Like I said before, how is that any different from rejecting my membership-!¡± It was evident that Bacchus was starting to burn with anger at Elenora¡¯s attitude as he continued to shout. ¡°I, Bacchus Braumon, am the highest authority in platinum technique in the entirety of the magic empire Alzano! Do you think I do not know what [Project: Revive Life] is!?¡± ¡°No no, not at all.¡± ¡°That ritual magic is the ultimate forbidden art that was only able to succeed due to the extraordinarily talented alchemist Shion!¡± ¡°Oh? So I take it that you are implying that your abilities are worse than Shion¡¯s?¡± ¡°Impossible! I am undoubtedly a genius! One that is surely beyond the likes of Shion! However¡­ [Project: Revive Life] is a different story¡­¡± Bacchus glared at Elenora whilst gritting his teeth. ¡°Like I previously said, [Project: Revive Life] was only able to succeed due to the alchemist Shion¡­ Essentially, that forbidden art is something nearing the realm of original magic. No, it would be better to say that it is Shion¡¯s original magic! So it would be impossible for anyone other than Shion to succeed in performing it! It is because you people did not realize that fact that you all neglected her! Even though the project was so close to succeeding, you all allowed it fall apart! So what do you mean that I must clean up after someone else¡¯s mess!?¡± Having said all this in one go, Bacchus took deep burning breaths. His eyes were bloodshot and his rage showed no signs of receding. ¡°Your affirmation pains me, but that is certainly true. It would be correct to say that [Project: Revive Life] is akin to Shion¡¯s original magic given its level of sophistication as a ritual magic. Given that Shion has now passed away, it was impossible to complete the art¡­ until now, that is.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± Bacchus gazed at Elenora with doubt after hearing her cryptic words. ¡°A new prospect has risen. A prospect that would allow the project to complete.¡± ¡°Hmpf, leave your dreams for when you sleep. What is it? Do you mean to bring back Shion using [Project: Revive Life]? Fuhaha-! Is that not putting the cart before the horse!?¡± Elenora ignored Bacchus provocations and continued. ¡°¡­¡¯Emotion Amplifier¡¯¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Soon, a group of students will be coming to this magic research institute on their ¡®Field Study¡¯, am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that pointless activity. What of it?¡± ¡°Amongst those students is an ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯. If you use that student¡¯s power¡­¡± As she was saying this, Bacchus spit in contempt. ¡°This exactly is why I hate brainless amateurs! Do you think I haven¡¯t already tried that idea ages ago!? Listen! Emotion amplification is a supernatural ability that solely strengthens the magical techniques and magic power! It does not make magic that does not work in theory succeed! I bought an ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯ from the black market and done everything from hook them up to cut them up! This was my conclusion! It¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°Oh my, Bacchus-sama¡­ you seem like such a serious and sincere person, who would have fought that you would dirty your hands with such inhumane and illegal prospects¡­? Fufu, how scary.¡± ¡°Hmpf! I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, heretic. It fairly humane compared to what the likes of you do.¡± Bacchus looked at Elenora with disdain as she chuckled to herself. Normal people would be unable to understand their mad behavior, but they were fairly sane. ¡°However, that will not be a problem. The ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯ this time is rather ¡®special¡¯¡­ Do take a look at this.¡± ¡°¡­This is?¡± ¡°You will understand once you take a look.¡± Bacchus reluctantly opened the seal and spread open the document. After scanning through the document his eyes open wide in astonishment. ¡°I-, Impossible¡ª! T-, This is¡­ H-, How could this be¡­-!?¡± ¡°Fufu, how is it?¡± ¡°Mmpf¡­ H-, However, is this true¡­!?¡± Bacchus complexion turned pale in shock. His rage moments ago was the last of his worries. ¡°Do take a look at the emblem stamped at the bottom of the document.¡± ¡°The seal of the thaum¡­ Could it be that this is personally penned by the great sage¡­!? If so, then what¡¯s written here is¡­!?¡± ¡°True, no doubt.¡± Click. With a snap of Elenora¡¯s fingers, the document in Bacchus hands was spontaneously set aflame, turning to ash in mere moments. Bacchus did not appear particularly surprised. Rather, he appeared to be lost in thought. ¡°Our organization has taken a positive outlook regarding the matters concerning [Project: Revive Life], and I would like to also inform you that the Heavens Order has great expectations of you.¡± ¡°B-, But¡­¡± ¡°Do not worry. If you are concerned about the matter of capturing this ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯ I have already made some ¡®arrangements¡¯ in advance. Although there are there are some rats from the Imperial Court Magicians circling around this ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯, they will not be a problem. Although me to introduce your best collaborator to you.¡± ¡°¡­Collaborator?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Click. Elenora snapped her fingers. The windows of the room opened, and in came a young man. The man wore a white robe and had blue hair that was rarely seen in the Alzano Empire. ¡°Glad to meet your acquaintance, Bacchus-san.¡± The young man gave an elegant bow. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh? Do you not remember who I am? I believe that if you know well of the matters regarding the extraordinary alchemist shion, then surely you would know of me¡­ Well, I suppose there are times where it can¡¯t be helped. My name is¡ª¡± ¡°No, do wait¡­ You seem familiar¡­¡± Bacchus gazed at the young man as if he were looking at a ghost. ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the documents that the organization circulated regarding Shion¡¯s [Project: Revive Life]. There were pictures in the documents detailing the magicians associated with it¡­ Yes, if I remember correctly¡­ No way, you are¡­-!? Uhm, you were the one who was working as Shion¡¯s partner¡­-! You¡¯re still alive¡­-!?¡± The blue-haired man lips curved into a cheery smile. ¡°I am but a second seat of the Adeptus Order, so I will of course do anything it takes to assist you, Bacchus-sama.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Bacchus fell silent. He could admit it. The special ¡®Emotion Amplifier¡¯, Shion¡¯s partner, and the full assistance of the Wisdom of the Heaven¡¯s Research Society¡­ The conditions that could not be achieved before were now all met. [Project: Revive Life] didn¡¯t seem quite as impossible. ¡°So what will you do? Will you accept? You desire to gain a seat within our organization¡­ Yes? A new world governed and ruled by the chosen magicians¡­ And the knowledge of the great skies ¨C the Akashic Record¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please come to a decision. All the glory and knowledge is before your eyes, Bacchus-sama, and you have the qualifications and right to grasp it.¡± In front of Bacchus, who remained silent¡ª Elenora, with a great smile on her face, gave a courteous bow. ¡­In a different place. Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, classroom for year two, class two. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Homeroom time after class. Glen stood at the instructor¡¯s podium with an annoyed expression. ¡°So we¡¯re going to have a guidance session for the field study you guys will be attending soon¡­ But what is this ¡®Field Study¡¯ anyway? No matter how I think about it, this is an ¡®Outing Vacation¡¯ where you go out and play with the class and stuff¡­¡± ¡°Could you please take this a little more seriously, sensei!?¡± Sistina jumped out of her seat immediately in response to Glen¡¯s unmotivated attitude. ¡°The ¡®Field Study¡¯ is neither playtime nor vacation! It is a mandatory seminar where we students visit magic research institutes operated by the Empire to learn about the operation, latest advancements in research, and¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, so that¡¯s how it is. Thank you very much for the explanation.¡± Sistina immediately entered lecture mode to which Glen hanged and scratched his head, feeling as if the whole occasion was too tedious. The goals of the Field Study were as Sistina said. Glen¡¯s class were second years, where it was a mandatory credit required to advance to the next grade. However, as Glen had attempted to point out, there was a lot of free time between lectures and tours of the facility, so it was hard to deny that there was a hidden element of leisure within this seminar. That being said, there was also the intent of forcing the students who generally holed up in the academy and Fejiti to widen their view of the world. By the way, the ¡®Field Study¡¯ seminar was generally held in different times and places for each class. The lecture progress of the each class, the affairs and research of the magic research institutes, as well as the number of people at the institutes available to receive guests would all be taken into consideration. After all, they could not have all year two students intrude on the same facility at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m sure the place we¡¯re headed to is busy, but they still put aside time to receive us. You¡¯re the leader of our class for this trip, so would you mind having a bit more self-awareness of your position¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. I got it, I got it already¡­! Give me a break¡­!¡± While Glen was busy being scolded by Sistina, the remaining students began to lively chat about their upcoming Field Study. ¡°Cecil, where are we going for our ¡®Field Study¡¯ again? Err, was it the Gold magic¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha, nope. We¡¯re going to the Platinum magic research institute.¡± ¡°Oh right, that¡¯s it. Man, I¡¯d rather go to the Military Magic research institute in Cantahre than there¡ª¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not our choice Cashew. If I could choose myself, I would go to the Magic Engineering research institute in Itelia.¡± Although the academy had a census of the broad number of locations that the students of each class wanted to go, they couldn¡¯t fulfill everyone¡¯s desire. Whether or not they would go to the research institute they desired for the ¡®Field Study¡¯¡­ was mostly left to luck. Regardless, it was unavoidable that there would be members of the class that would say ¡®I¡¯d rather go here¡¯ or ¡®This is better¡¯¡­ When the class became engrossed in such discussions, it was then¡ª ¡°Hmpf¡­ Boys over there, you¡¯re too na?ve if you¡¯re thinking like that.¡± Glen called out after hearing the complaints and voices of dissatisfaction in parts of the class. ¡°You¡¯re thinking that ¡®My luck is bad¡¯¡­ ¡®I want to go somewhere else¡¯¡­ but let me tell you guys this ¨C you guys are really lucky. I would even go as far as to say that you guys have undoubtedly been given the blessing of the goddess of luck herself¡­-!¡± ¡°Eh¡ª¡­?¡± ¡°Think through this calmly. Where is the Platinum magic research institute located¡­?¡± As the name suggested, the Platinum magic research institute was a facility that researched platinum magic. Platinum magic was a compound technique that utilized white magic and alchemy that, in this case, was used to research the mysteries of life. In order to conduct this research, a large quantity of clean water was necessary. Thus, the Platinum magic research institute was established in a place where it would be easy to retrieve large quantities of clean water, Saineria Island¡­ ¡°¡­Hah-! Isn¡¯t Saineria Island famous for their beach resorts¡­-!?¡± ¡°C-, Could it be¡­!?¡± Cecil showed a wry smile, while Cashew and many other males¡¯ eyes shined with excitement. ¡°Fu¡­ So you guys have finally noticed. During the Field Study we¡¯ll have quite a lot of free time. While we¡¯re still a bit away from prime season, thanks to the ley lines around the Island its warm all year round, so playing in the water is very feasible¡­ On top of that, our class is filled with high-level beautiful ladies¡­ Now, are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°S-, Sensei¡­-!¡±¡±¡±¡± ¡°Say no more, just follow my lead.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Yes, sensei!¡±¡±¡±¡± At this moment, a mysterious bond of empathy and friendship was forged between Glen and (a small portion of) the (male) students. ¡°Ugh, is our class filled with nothing but idiots¡­¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Sistina unamusedly sighed, while Lumia showed a wry smile. Riel, who sat behind the two of them, tilted her head in puzzlement. After a short interim, the day of class two¡¯s ¡®Field Study¡¯ finally arrived. At a time where the sun had yet to fully rise, the morning fog afloat in the air, and the skies dimly lit, the class¡¯ students, wearing their uniforms and carrying their luggage, gathered at the courtyard of the academy. ¡°Fu, it¡¯s finally here¡­ I can¡¯t help but get excited!¡± ¡°Hmpf, you never change do you, Cashew? We¡¯re not going there to play, understood?¡± ¡°Geez, and you¡¯re a mood-killer as always, Gibel¡­¡± ¡°What kind of place is the Platinum magic research institute¡­?¡± ¡°I know they do magic research related to life systems¡­ but can¡¯t really say anything else until we get there.¡± ¡°Hey¡­ I think I¡¯m going to confess to the esteemed Wendy-sama during this trip¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Alf. I¡¯d says that she¡¯s out of your league¡­ Remember, the higher you climb, the harder you fall.¡± Although it was still the wee hours of the morning, the students were full of passion and energy. Unlike his students, Glen seemed to be in a daze. He did roll call in a rather impersonal manner. ¡°Everyone here? Everyone¡¯s here right? Okay then let¡¯s go.¡± Under Glen¡¯s lead, the students boarded their assigned carriages¡ª several large stagecoaches used for travelling between cities ¨C and set off from Fejiti. The carriages exited from the west gate and proceeded down the highway leading southwest. The carriages rumbled as they tread on the pavement. The students were soon greeted with a vast meadow with filled with gentle undulations. A carpet of yellowish fresh grass thickly covered the meadow all the way to the series of small hills, overgrowth, and lush woodland that created a horizon of its own. The white balls of cotton that appeared on various points of the meadow were sheep whose wool coats had yet to be sheared. The round fluff balls gathered in groups and raggedly munched on the fresh grass. When a sheep strayed too far from the herd, the shepherd¡¯s dog would bark it back onto its path. The early morning was still rather chilly, but it was accompanied by serene, fresh air and clear weather. The cotton-candy like clouds slowly drifted through the air. It gave one the feeling that the time too, was moving slowly. The idyllic and peaceful scenery seemed to go on forever. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s nice to take it easy¡­¡± Resting her body on the windowsill, Sistina looked out and took in the view. Sistina rarely ever left Fejiti, so her chances to see such scenery were few and far between. ¡°Mhm¡­ At the academy we¡¯re always busy doing one thing after another, so this is a nice change of pace.¡± Lumia sat with her hands clasped together on her lap, which gave an impression of refinement. She gaze at the scenery beyond the window with a gentle demeanor. ¡°Is it? I don¡¯t really get it.¡± Riel, who sat beside Lumia, drowsily murmured. ¡°Do you leave town often, Riel?¡± ¡°¡­Mm, all the time.¡± Hearing an unexpected answer, Sistina reflexively continued. ¡°Oh? Why do you leave down? Could it be for trips?¡± ¡°No, to fight.¡± Sistina immediately cursed herself for her thoughtlessness. Despite her age, Riel was a Court Magician. It was easy to predict Riel¡¯s answer with just a little bit of thought. ¡°When I leave town¡­ it is when I receive a mission or an order.¡± Riel maintained her usual expression, so it was hard to read what she was feeling at the moment. Did she think that her days as a soldier were bitter? What did she really think about that¡­? It was impossible to tell. So Sistina didn¡¯t really know how to follow up on Riel¡¯s reply. She could only remain silent to avoid making the situation any worse¡­ ¡°Ah! So is this your first time leaving town for something other than missions and orders?¡± Lumia clapped her hands energetically. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Then you should look forward to it Riel. I¡¯m sure this time will be fun!¡± Lumia¡¯s carefree smile and words seemed to evoke some response from Riel, whose eyes seemed to blink slightly faster¡­ ¡°¡­Mm, okay.¡± Riel curtly replied. ¡­As expected, I¡¯m still lacking compared to Lumia. Sistina gazed at the two with a strained smile. Some students enjoyed the scenery. Others lively conversed with other students. There were also those who engrossed themselves in card games, and those who dozed off. The carriages steadily proceeded down the path. Stations were placed at set intervals across the road, where the carriages would come to a halt for a short break. Horses would be replaced and all those involved would take a brief rest, before continuing on their journey. Eventually, the sun set and the night arrived. The carriages would continue to sway and shake as those inside entered a deep sleep¡ª Although the students slept, the carriages continued down their path¡ª Then in the afternoon of the next day, the carriages arrived at the port town of Seahawk, southwest of Fejiti. The scent of the ocean drifted about the port town. The town served as a front entrance to the Yorkshire region of the Alzano Empire, and would often be teeming with ships coming in and out from various coastal cities and the surrounding islands. Furthermore, many of the ships from other coastal areas of the empire and foreign shipments would also enter the town. A vast majority of the goods and products to be distributed across the Southern Yorkshire would gather in this town, which led to it becoming an important economic hub for the empire. After arriving at Seahawk, the students of class two temporarily split up at the carriage station. The students were free to form their groups and do their own activities for around one hour. At the end of this free period, they would gather at the harbor where they would board a scheduled ship heading towards Seineria. Then¡ª ¡°¡­He¡¯s late!¡± Before Sistina¡¯s eyes was the vast, boundless sea and a large sailboat anchored to the harbor. Sistina glanced with irritation at her mechanical pocket watch. ¡°Isn¡¯t it already past the time we decided on! Where the heck did he go!?¡± ¡°Well, Sisti, it might be past the time, but it¡¯s only five minutes¡­ Not to mention, it¡¯ll still be a while before the ship is scheduled to depart¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem! The problem is that he¡¯s not showing up at the time we all agreed on!¡± Lumia tried to calm Sistina down, but she wasn¡¯t hearing any of it. Taking a look around, it appeared that all the students had already arrived. They had even performed roll-call autonomously; only Glen had yet to appear. Once it was evident that he was nowhere near, Riel seemed to get restless. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go look for him.¡± Riel muttered. As she prepared to walk away, Lumia caught her hand. ¡°Wait, Riel. The town isn¡¯t exactly large, but you can¡¯t go looking for him on your own. It¡¯ll be more problematic if you happen to miss him when he comes back, so why don¡¯t you just wait here with us?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± A tinge of dissatisfaction appeared on her drowsy expression for a fleeting moment. Since she arrived at the magic academy, the frequency at which she carried out a plan of action without thinking it through had decreased. However, if this continued on, it seemed as though she would run to go look for Glen nonetheless. If Riel was truly intent on it, there was probably nothing that Lumia and Sistina could do to stop her. ¡°Ah come on already! To start with, isn¡¯t it common sense for any self respecting member of society to arrive ten minutes beforehand!? Do I really have to beat this into him¡­!?¡± Feeling Riel¡¯s growing impatience, Sistina couldn¡¯t help but cry out¡­ ¡°He~y ladies~? Do you have a moment~?¡± a frivolous called out from behind Sistina¡¯s group. The three turned around to look, and saw a young man putting up a snobbish pose. The man¡¯s long blueish-black hair was tied in a ponytail and extended behind his back. The man wore a pair of tinted glasses and a top hat, and was dressed in a somewhat stylish frock coat. He also carried a cane in his hand that complemented his dandy ensemble. The man had the airs of wealthy nobleman who didn¡¯t know the definition of hard work. The insincere smile could be likened to that of a pick-up artist. ¡°Hey hey hey~ Did you hear me?¡± As the man placed his hand on the perplexed Lumia¡¯s shoulder with overfamiliarity¡ª ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± Sistina quickly knocked aside the man¡¯s hand and but herself between the man and the other two, gazing at the man with displeasure. ¡°Oh my~ aren¡¯t you ladies cute~? Ah! Those uniforms are from Fejiti¡¯s magic academy right? Hey hey? So what are you ladies doing here~?¡± Although the man¡¯s attitude with discomforting, Sistina followed the proper etiquette and replied. ¡°We¡¯re here our Field Study. We¡¯re waiting to board the scheduled ship for Seineria island.¡± ¡°Oh~? Is that right~? So you ladies are waiting for the boat? Hmmm~? What a coincidence~, I was just about to go to the island for business you see~? Ahaha, does this not feel like destiny~? What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­Not at all.¡± Despite her blunt reply, the man continued to push onward. ¡°My, isn¡¯t our meeting something like fate!? Don¡¯t you still have a while till you go? Why don¡¯t you have a chat with me? I can even treat you to something if you¡¯d like?¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Ahaha, hey~ don¡¯t be so cold~. It¡¯ll just be a little moment of your time~¡± Just quit it already. There¡¯s a limit to my patience. To start with, Sistina disliked people who treated girls in such a fashion. A part of her mentally prepared herself to blow away the man with magic while she prepared to shout at the man¡ª Then¡ª ¡°Okay~, stop right there.¡± Glen suddenly appeared and pulled the man by the collar of his coat. ¡°Geh!? W-, What¡¯s your problem!? D-, Don¡¯t get in my way! This is a private moment between me and the ladies¡­¡± Ignoring the man¡¯s protest, Glen exchanged a glance with Lumia and Sistina. ¡°Ah, sorry I¡¯m late White Cat. You can lecture me when I get back or something.¡± ¡°S-, Sensei¡­¡± ¡°I just need to have a little ¡®talk¡¯ with this guy here. I¡¯ll be back before the ship departs, so look after the class for me for a bit okay?¡± After saying that, Glen began to slowly drag the man away by the collar. ¡°Gyaa¡ª!?¡± H-, Hey don¡¯t be violent! Ladies, save meeeee¡ª!¡± The man pathetically scream as he and Glen disappeared into an alleyway. ¡°Hah¡­ Just what¡¯s wrong with him? I guess there are weird people no matter where you go¡­¡± Unsure whether to be astounded by the man¡¯s behavior or pathetic exit, Sistina released a long sigh. However, noticing Lumia¡¯s blank expression, Sistina called out to her. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong, Lumia?¡± ¡°Mm, how should I say it¡­? I feel like I¡¯ve seen him before¡­?¡± Then¡ª At a dim, somewhat humid deserted alleyway. ¡°W-, What are you planning on doing to me!? P-, Please stop! It¡¯s not good to resort to violence! H-, hieeee-!? Please don¡¯t hit me! Not even my father has hit me before!¡± Glen sighed to himself and said to the man, who keeled over and trembled in fright. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that anymore okay? ¡­So, what brings you here, Albert?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± With that, the man¡¯s attitude fearful shivering and pathetic appearance disappeared without a trace. The man stretched out his back as if it were natural, cast away his top hat and glasses, and released his tied hair from its binds. In doing so, the entire atmosphere of the alley seemed to change. Although the temperature hadn¡¯t dropped, it felt as though it were several degrees lower. The removal of the superficial tinted-glasses revealed a pair of hawk-like eyes with sharpness that seemed to gaze into the depths of the human heart. Those eyes new stared at Glen with a piercing gaze. The man¡¯s appearance was now unmistakably that of Glen¡¯s former comrade in the Imperial Court Magicians, Special Operations Executor #17, ¡®The Star¡¯, Albert. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while, Glen. The last time we met was when the royal guard was running amok during the Magic Games Festival, correct?¡± Albert¡¯s manner-of-speech was the same as ever, that of intense rejection of others ¨C enough to feel a penetrating chill in his voice. Those who were not used to his voice would probably feel unnerved. However¡ª ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ you know¡­¡± Glen placed a hand against his head and leaned against the wall of the alleyway. ¡°I know that if it was for the mission, you could act as anything from a well-mannered gentleman to a shallow playboy, or even a notorious delinquent if necessary¡­ but after such a long time, seeing the gap between your act and your nature makes me feel a little dizzy¡­¡± ¡°Hmpf, you¡¯re just weak. You need more mental training.¡± Albert coldly declared. Heck, why are you a battlemage anyway? Why not just go an act for a living¡­ Glen resisted the urge to say this and changed the topic. ¡°Ah, now I get it. Now that I know you¡¯re here, I get why Riel of all people was chosen to be Lumia¡¯s bodyguard¡­ She¡¯s just a decoy isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Correct. By placing someone who is full of openings as a bodyguard, we hope that any possible assailants will become careless. The Princess¡¯ true bodyguard is me. For your knowledge, this is a top-secret mission that only few know about in the military. I guard the distance from a fairly long distance and notice the enemy ahead of time. Then, I silently eliminate them. Furthermore, the operation carries the hope that the enemy will reveal further whereabouts. That said, I don¡¯t think that the organization we are dealing with will fall for the ploy this easily.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, it¡¯d probably be better if they didn¡¯t do anything at all¡­ On the other hand though, that means that there isn¡¯t anything else that you guys can do for now¡­¡± Even so, in terms of the distribution military strength, there were two ace-level battlemages from the special operations sect (albeit one incredibly unsuited to the task) on this mission. Were it for an average town-resident, one could easily say that this was incredibly overkill, after all, neither side had an infinite amount of assets. ¡°But knowing this is really comforting. It really really is. For a moment, I thought that the special operations sect was actually crazy and desperate enough to send Riel alone¡­¡± Since that¡¯s the case, I can understand why they sent Riel here to be the bodyguard¡­ But was there really no better way? Glen tiredly sighed, complaining internally. ¡°¡­So? Let¡¯s get to the real question. Why did you show yourself in front of me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°From what you said, the core of your mission is ¡®to have no one notice your presence¡¯. Put it another way, you have to fool both your allies and your enemies completely. So why did you put that aside and approach me?¡± When Glen asked, Albert briefly fell into a heavy silence¡­ ¡°¡­Be careful of Riel.¡± He finally said. ¡°¡­What? Riel?¡± Glen responded with an amused expression. ¡°Oi oi, I¡¯ve already taken that to heart you know? How much effort do you think I¡¯ve put into keep her under control¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. Riel¡­ That girl is dangerous.¡± Glen raised an eyebrow at Albert¡¯s lack of hesitation. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not funny man. Isn¡¯t Riel one of us?¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s right. However, you and I alone should know the danger that Riel poses.¡± ¡°¡­-!¡± Glen fell silent as Albert sharply pointed the issue out. ¡°¡­That¡¯s already in the past isn¡¯t it? Riel¡¯s¡­ just Riel now. The ace of the special operations sect that¡¯s cut down a countless number of heretical magicians. She¡¯s no one other than that.¡± ¡°Is that not just what you want to believe? Let me tell you this ¡ª Even now, I believe that Riel needs to be dealt with. She should be sealed off.¡± ¡°Oi¡­ Stop right there. Even if it¡¯s you, I won¡¯t hold back if it comes down to it, okay?¡± The air seemed to grow colder by the second after Glen¡¯s threat. Without out yield a single step, Glen and Albert stared intently into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­Hmpf, as na?ve as ever, Glen.¡± After what seemed like an eternity, the first to fold was Albert. Of course, it was not because of Glen¡¯s pressure, but rather, he judged that it would be unwise to waste any more time. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this matter aside for now, but don¡¯t forget my warning, Glen. I hope that you will not hesitate when the time finally comes.¡± Albert coldly said. After saying his parting words, he gathered his glasses, top-hat, and frock coat off the floor, and put them on once again. Looking at Glen, Albert quickly tied his hair back. ¡°Well then scary brother~! See ya!¡± ¡°¡­Mm, a sight for sore eyes as always. I have to say, I respect you for that more than I¡¯m amazed.¡± With a broad smile and flippant speech, Albert left the scene. Seeing that, Glen was overcome with dizziness again. Class two boarded a liner headed southwest. The seven large sails tied to the wooden masts were fully opened. The scent of the ocean filled the ship that sailed under the clear blue skies. The faraway marine horizon shined brilliantly, outlining the seemingly endless expanse of the ocean. The warm and comforting winds blew gently against the hair and skin¡ª ¡°Woah¡­¡± Sistina, who had few experiences on ships, seemed to be overwhelmed by the magnificence of the ocean. She leaned with her body on the railing of the bow of the ship, holding her windswept hair down with her hands, and gazed at the grand view. The ship cut through the raging waves and proceeded ever onward. Looking out towards the sea like this gave an odd sense of piety¡ª however. ¡°UUgghbleeeehhh¡­!¡± ¡°¡­And it¡¯s gone.¡± Seeing the beautiful ocean scenery filled with white-crested waves be corrupted by puke, Sistina curled her hands into fists; her temples tremored. ¡°Hey, sensei! Stop ruining this moment! ¡° A short distance away from the bow, Glen lifelessly leaned his body across the railing like a garment on a washing line. He raised his voice to rebut the accusation. ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s not like I can help it! Uuupuhh¡­¡± The pale-faced Glen wore a hateful expression as he protested. However, he was soon forced to hold his mouth and lean out towards the ocean. ¡°W-, Will you be okay, Sensei?¡± Lumia, who huddled next to Glen, worriedly rubbed his back. ¡°¡­To be honest, I don¡¯t think so¡­ I wanna cry¡­ Ugh, damn this stupid ship¡­ this is why I hate them¡­ Which idiot thought it was a good idea to make this anyway¡­..¡± After empty his stomach, Glen seemed to feel a little better. He limply reclined his back against the railing. ¡°Take this sensei. The crew gave it to me just now.¡± ¡°¡­An apple?¡± ¡°Yep, they said it would help with seasickness? Why don¡¯t you have a bit?¡± ¡°¡­Honestly, I don¡¯t the appetite right now¡­¡± Lumia tried her best to support Glen, who became a bit croaky. Sistina sighed as she observed the two from a distance. ¡°That¡¯s an unexpected weakness¡­ It doesn¡¯t really suit him¡­ especially with that shameless personality of his.¡± ¡°Sistina.¡± Having been called out to, Sistina turned to see Riel. Riel appeared to be a bit irritated. She still didn¡¯t have any expression, but recently, Sistina found herself able to understand what Riel was feeling a bit better. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong with Glen? Does he¡­ have a fever?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit different from that. What, are you worried about him?¡± Riel nodded ever so slightly. Sistina was only able to see it because she was watching closely. Seeing Riel like this, Sistina smiled to herself and said to comfort Riel. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Riel. He¡¯s just seasick.¡± ¡°¡­ I see. I don¡¯t really get it¡­ but it¡¯s the ship¡¯s fault?¡± ¡°Yep, well, I guess you can say that.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I got it.¡± Having fully grasped the problem, Riel quickly turned around. ¡°I will sink this ship.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Without stopping, Riel proceeded down a set of stairs headed towards the bilge of the ship¡­ ¡°Wait¡ª S-, Stop right there Riel!? Hey, someone go and stop her¡ª!¡± A large commotion erupted onboard the ship. A few hours after departing from Seahawk, the ship finally arrived to Saineria Island. ¡°¡­So this is Saineria Island¡­¡± Together with the students of the class, Sistina descended the ramp from the ship onto the pavement of the harbor which was made of tightly packed hewn stones. She looked mesmerizingly at her surroundings. Strong coastal winds blew through the harbor. Sistina pressed one hand down on her windswept hair and another on her fluttering clothes as she looked up towards the skies. She listened to the gallant roars of the seas and the wails of the seagull above. The time was already dusk, and the sun that rested on the horizon dyed the earth in golden light. Sistina turned her gaze towards the heart of the island. The mountainous curvature of the island¡¯s central area formed many complex ravines, all which were teeming with greenery. The majority of the flora of the Empire¡¯s mainland were coniferous, but the island¡¯s vegetation was uniquely composed of broad-leaved vegetation instead. This small detail greatly amplified SIstina¡¯s impression that she had come to a faraway land that was far-detached from home, which flooded her heart with emotion. She traced her vision to her sides. Starting at her feet, she gazed upon the seemingly endless white beach line that was filled with mellow twists and turns. Peering as far down the beach line as she could, Sistina spotted a small town that appeared to be littered with all sorts of somewhat stylish buildings that were most likely established for tourists. It was then that¡ª ¡°Take your time, sensei¡­¡± ¡°Agh¡ª¡­Ugh¡ª¡­¡± Lumia and Riel supported Glen as he staggered down the ramp from the ship. The dissonance brought forth by his exceptionally groggy appearance once again crushed down on Sistina¡¯s rekindled sensations and emotions. ¡°Gosh¡­ I can¡¯t you take joy in breaking the mood, or if you¡¯re just lacking in delicacy¡­¡± ¡°S-, Shut it¡­ White Cat¡­ You don¡¯t understand my suffering¡­ euugh¡­¡± Glen was looked rather pathetic, so the other students could only look on with forced smiles. ¡°To start with, we humans are creatures live as one with the land from our moment of birth! Human are children of the land! Without the almighty land, there is no human life! We are fated to dig our roots into the earth, live together as one, and eventually, return to the earth¡­! Is this not simply divine providence!? Is this not the cycle of life itself!? Yet why do we board these thin pile wooden sheets that we called ¡®ships¡¯ and drift away from land!? To depart for sea as a human, as a living being, is a mistake¡ª!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s awfully grandiose for something as simple as seasickness.¡± To spout such sophism from nearly nothing was an impressive feat in itself. ¡°Sensei¡­ If you¡¯re this bad with ships, you should have just chosen a different location for our Field Study¡­ For example, if you choose the Military Magic Research Institute in Itelia instead, then we would have rode a carriage for the entire trip.¡± Lumia said with a somewhat forced smile. A month prior, they had conducted a survey in class to form a list of destinations for the Field Study seminar. After that, they conducted a final vote on the remaining candidates, where the class¡¯ votes was found to be evenly divided between the Military Magic Research Institute and the Platinum Magic Research Institute. The deciding vote was thus left to Glen. Glen replied to Lumia, who tilted her head in curiosity, with an unprecedentedly serious expression. ¡°Seeing beautiful girls in swimsuits takes priority over everything. Is that not a given?¡± ¡°Ooh¡­¡± the surrounding male students cried out with admiration. Ignoring Lumia, whose smile seemed to strain, Sistina, who looked on amusedly, and Riel, who remained sleepy-eyed, Glen swept the robe that rested on his shoulders so that it floating behind his back and distantly gazed towards the setting sun on the burning horizon. His gaze seemed to harbor great affliction. ¡°Even if this were to be the frontline of a conflict between three nations¡­ this would be the place I choose.¡± Facing the horizon with a coat floating in the sea breeze, Glen looked pointlessly cool. ¡­It was, without a doubt, pointless. ¡°S-, sensei¡­ you are a real man¡­¡± ¡°I will follow you to the ends of earth, Sensei¡­-!¡± Glen¡¯s appearance seemed to strike at the tear glands of a small portion of the (mostly male) students. It was as if Glen had become a martyr for the creed in which he believed in. A portion of the students seemed to be overcome with emotion as passionate tears flowed down their cheeks. ¡°Ugh! Is this group is filled with nothing but idiots!? Also, haven¡¯t the guys in our class become a bit weird since Sensei came!?¡± Sistina could help but feel a smidgen of unease about the current state of her classmates. ¡°Come on Sensei! If you have the energy to spout such ridiculous things, let¡¯s hurry up and head to our lodgings already!¡± Sistina led the other classmates away at a brisk pace. Their lodgings was a straight path along the shore, so there was no need to worry about getting lost. ¡°Oi oi, you¡¯re going too fast. I practically have one foot in the grave right now, so would it hurt to cut me some slack¡­?¡± With a sigh, Glen sluggishly followed¡­ Then¡ª Lumia approached Glen¡¯s side and whispered to him. ¡°You chose this place because you didn¡¯t want us to get involved in the Military¡¯s magic right? ¡­Thank you for your consideration, Sensei.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Whatcha talkin¡¯ about. I just wanted to see you guys in swimsuits, that¡¯s all.¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Glen turned his head away as if in abrupt peevishness. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not really possible of me, but let¡¯s say that this was the one in million chance that that was the case. Isn¡¯t it egoistic of me to be pushing my ideas onto all of you? It¡¯s honestly nothing worth writing home about either way.¡± ¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you were thinking of us.¡± ¡°¡­Like I said, that¡¯s not it.¡± Lumia gleefully chuckled. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll take you on your word.¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf.¡± Glen snorted, his expression sullen and discontent. Lumia looked at him as if he were an evasive younger brother. For the Field Study, the students were scheduled to stay at an inn located at a corner of the island¡¯s wharf. The inn had been built using ¡®Waltoria Style¡¯ architecture, which had once been popular in the Empire¡¯s lengthy history. The inn was split into a main building and a single annex ¨C neither of which failed to incorporate the pomp and splendor of the many country houses owned by local nobles of the island. At the same time, the olden architectural style brought upon a sense of nostalgia. Unlike the new ¡®Sassan Style¡¯ that predominated Fejiti, characterized by its pointed rooftops, the ¡®Waltoria Style¡¯ was characterized through the use of constructs like arches, spires, and pillars. The magic academy was built using ¡®Waltoria Style¡¯ architecture. Luxurious chandeliers hung from the ceiling of the inn¡¯s entrance hall. The railing of the oaken spiral staircase were exquisitely sculpted with flowers and fruits. The paintings that lined the hallways, the gold-wrought candle stands, the carpets beneath their feet¡­ Cashew restlessly walked to his assigned room, excited by the glamorous interior design that was a breath of fresh air compared to the Magic Academy¡¯s buildings. The moment he stepped into his room, he vigorously threw himself onto the bed. ¡°Yahoo! Woah!? This bed is amazing! What the heck, how could it be this soft!? This is heaven compared to my bed in the place I rented on the student street back home!¡± ¡°Geez¡­ quiet down would you? There¡¯s no need to get so excited.¡± ¡°Ahaha, people will get angry if you¡¯re too loud, Cashew.¡± Gibel showed an astonished expression, whilst Cecil showed a forced smile. The two were Cashew¡¯s roommates for their stay at this inn. The academy¡¯s students had been split into groups of three or four for rooming. ¡°Hey Gibel, what¡¯s on the schedule for today?¡± Cashew asked as he rolled on the bed. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you look it up yourself on the itinerary?¡± Gibel replied with annoyance as he adjusted his glasses. ¡°Ah, I left it at home¡­¡± ¡°People like you¡­¡± Gibel released a resigned sigh. ¡°There aren¡¯t any more plans. We¡¯ll eat at the reception hall, take a bath, and be done for the day.¡± ¡°Oh? ¡°There actually aren¡¯t any real plans for tomorrow either. Including the day of arrival, for the first three days, the scheduling is a lot looser to account for climate and other differences. Although the itinerary says that we¡¯ll be looking at the ecosystems and ley lines of the island, it might as well be free time.¡± ¡°Oho?¡± ¡°In truth, the Field Study only really begins on the fourth day. The main feature of our trip here ¨C visiting the research facility ¨C is on that day. On the fifth day we¡¯ll be having lecture and talks and on the sixth we have free time again. If you want to stroll around town or visit tourist sites, you can do it on the sixth day. After that, on the seventh, we¡¯ll be going back the way we came from.¡± That was the essentials of Field Study seminar for Glen¡¯s class. Ten days give or take was rather short for a ¡®Field Study¡¯, as, depending on the distance from the facility, with travel time included, some Field Study seminars could take up to half a month. ¡°I see I see¡­ I got it now.¡± Saying that, Cashew showed an intrepid smile. I heard that getting to the facility and back is a real pain in the neck, so we¡¯ll need to go to sleep early to get enough rest¡­ The same can be said for the lectures on the fifth day¡­ But waiting to till the sixth day is a bit late¡­ Essentially, we only have today to make our move¡­¡± ¡°¡®Make our move¡¯? What are you thinking, Cashew?¡± The small-stature lady faced boy, Cecil, raised his head in puzzlement. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re gonna sneak into the girl¡¯s rooms at night and play around! It¡¯s a tradition of every Magic Academy¡¯s Field Study, is it not!?¡± Cashew pumped his fists, whilst Gibel and Cecil tilted their heads in puzzlement. ¡°W-, Was there such a tradition¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf, up to your meaningless antics again I see.¡± ¡°¡¯Meaningless¡¯? What about this is ¡®meaningless¡¯? Is this not a man¡¯s romance!? Do you know how many costs I cut to prepare the card games and board games for this very day!?¡± ¡°But what are you going to do if you get caught? I¡¯m sure sensei isn¡¯t that strict of a person, but you¡¯d still be in trouble.¡± ¡°Fu¡­ You worry too much, Cecil. Why does it matter if I get caught¡­? If so, then I would have already done what I wanted. I¡¯d rather regret doing it, then regret having never done¡­¡± Cashew seemed prepared to die for his ambitions. ¡°So, you guys with me?¡± ¡°Hmpf, you jest. I¡¯d rather not be dragged down with your foolishness.¡± ¡°I-, I¡¯ll pass as well¡­ I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°Tch, fine fine. It¡¯s not like you guys were interested in this sort of thing anyway. Well, I¡¯ll guess I¡¯ll go see if Road or Kai are interested in coming along then¡­¡± So, after the students gathered in the living hall for dinner, taken turns in the bath, and clock struck bedtime¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s begin the operation.¡± Cashew announced in the thicket between the main building and the next. ¡°There exists a connecting corridor between the annex where we, men, live and the main building where the women are¡­ However, we cannot tread this path. The risk of being sighted is far too high. The seven male students behind Cashew, including Road and Kai, and nodded their heads in agreement. ¡°Thus, we are left with no other choice. We must circle around the back through the forestry and use the surrounding trees to infiltrate through the windows. Rest assured however, as I¡¯ve already surveyed the routes to get into each room beforehand.¡± ¡°W-, When did you¡­¡± ¡°A-, Amazing, Cashew¡­ This plan is flawless.¡± The others could not help but voice their respect and admiration for Cashew¡¯s handiwork. ¡°B-, But what about the possibly that Glen-sensei is patrolling the area¡­?¡± ¡°There no need to worry about either. One of the girls assisting me has probed out his movements. The chances of sensei patrolling this area in the next thirty minutes are practically zero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­ Y-, Your plans are too refined¡­¡± ¡°W-, We¡¯ll be in your care, boss.¡± ¡°Hmpf, don¡¯t thank me yet. It¡¯s still too early¡­¡± Cashew showed a wide smile. ¡°Thank me after we make it in and have the night of our dreams, alright?¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m¡­ actually going to be up all night playing board games with Riel¡­¡± ¡°Hey what!? That¡¯s unfair Kai, let me join in!¡± ¡°Caesar, I¡¯m gonna play cards with Lumia!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right Bicks. I¡¯m gonna talk all night with Rin-chan about all sorts of things!¡± ¡°I want Wendy-sama to berate me saying ¡®You insolent fool!¡¯¡­ I want to become the slave in the king¡¯s game and do all sorts of things¡­¡± ¡°As for Sistina¡­ Well actually nevermind. She¡¯ll probably just spend the whole night lecturing us or something.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Mhmmm.¡±¡±¡±¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s get a move on! Have you all steeled your hearts!? Eden is before us!¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Yeah!¡±¡±¡±¡± With Cashew at the helm, the boys advanced with enthusiasm. ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­The plan was truly splendid. Cashew had gone as far as to sacrifice his meal to survey a route. From the results, none of his sacrifices had been for naught. To infiltrate through the rear through the forestry beyond what one would expect from mere students. The planning and pathing might make one think that he was a part of the Imperial Army¡¯s covert operations group instead. It was all for the sake of a single night. A night where they would chitter, chatter, and play games with cute girls. A night where their persistence would finally be rewarded with the full release of their youthful desires. However¡ª ¡°I-, Impossible¡­!¡± En route to their destination, at a small circular open area in the midst of the forest¡ª ¡°W-, Why are you here of all places, Glen-sensei!? As if to express that he had been waiting all along, Glen stood upright with his arms crossed in the middle of the area. ¡°Na?ve¡­ Too na?ve. You guys are as na?ve as chocolate dipped in fresh cream and honey with a finish of powdered sugar¡­ I¡¯d already seen through your shallow plans since the very beginning¡­ After all¡ª¡± Glen showed a bold smile, lording over the students with an air of superiority. ¡°If I were you, I would have chosen this route, with this timing, to go meet the girls!¡± ¡°Why of course.¡± After Glen¡¯s declaration, Cashew released a sigh. ¡°Well, now that it¡¯s game over for you guys, scurry back to your rooms would you? These are the rules after all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°W-, What¡¯s with the look? Don¡¯t worry I wouldn¡¯t report this to the academy for something so minor. I¡¯ll pretend I never saw anything. So¡ª¡± Glen turned his back towards the boys and waved a hand dismissively in the air. ¡°We can¡¯t do that, sensei¡­¡± The burning determination felt behind Cashews words gathered the gazes of those around him. ¡°There are times where men can¡¯t back off no matter what¡­ To us, this is ¡®now¡¯¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Glen¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°I see¡­ So you guys have ¡®prepared¡¯ yourselves, huh?¡± Tension filled the air. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but as your instructor, you leave me no choice but to resort to force.¡± ¡°Sensei¡ª!¡± Cashew cried out desperately towards Glen, who had curled his fists into a fighting stance. ¡°At heart, aren¡¯t you one of us!? Of all the adults at school, you¡¯re the one that understands us the most! You should know the reason why we strive to reach ¡®Eden¡¯! So why!? Why do you stop us!? Why must we fight each other¡ª!?¡± Cashew cries out from the depths of his soul, struck Glen¡¯s heart. ¡°You idiots! Of course I understand¡­ of course I understand how you all feel! To be completely honest, I want to be the one at the helm of the journey to the forbidden land! But you know¡ª!¡± Bam! Glen struck the tree beside him with his fists as passionate tears trickled down his face. ¡°It¡¯s already too late for me¡­ I can¡¯t return to your side¡­ I am but an instructor, a slave of the institution¡­ If the academy were to know that I allowed you to arrive at ¡®Eden¡¯¡­ My already cut pay will reach the negatives and I¡¯ll end up having to pay them instead¡­¡± After scrubbing his tears, Glen released a soul wrenching cry. ¡°We humans do not devote our lives solely to bread! But! Without bread, there is no life!¡± Glen¡¯s angst echoed through the forest. This time, it was the student¡¯s hearts that were struck. ¡°You all understand don¡¯t you? That the world is the lord¡¯s garden¡­ The garden called ¡®Gehenna¡¯¡­¡± ¡°It is because we tread on ¡®Gehenna¡¯¡­ that we humans must strive towards ¡®Eden¡¯¡­ You are saddened by this sensei¡­ but even so, you will not allow us to pass¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Mhm.¡± Hot tears of passions trailed down the faces of all those present. Then¡ª As if a prelude to a deathmatch, the nighttime forest fell silent. ¡°I¡¯ve understood this since the beginning, sensei¡­ That you are a wall that we have no choice but to overcome¡­¡± ¡°If our positions were different¡­ If we had been born in a different area¡­ Perhaps I would instead be standing on your side, with ¡®Eden¡¯ in my sights¡­ Though, none of that matters now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Tension continued to gather in the air¡­ Then¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone! Follow after me! Together we can beat Glen-sensei!¡± ¡°Hmpf¡­ Come at me, you shits! I¡¯ll beat the fact that chanting speed isn¡¯t absolute in a magic battle into you all!¡± The boys spread out with Cashew at the center, whilst Glen began chanting a three-verse spell. ¡­Looking on from a distance. ¡°¡­Boys will be boys huh?¡± A girl rested her cheek on the palm of her hand, which was propped up against the railing of the terrace of the roof of the main building, It was Sistina. Having just exited the bath, hot air exuded from her skin under the negligee. She had originally come to cool off after her bath¡­ but had sighted the ongoing charade upon looking out from the terrace. ¡°Did something happen, Sisti?¡± ¡°An idiot and a group of idiots are fighting over some pointless matter is all.¡± Lumia, who had just come to the terrace, looked down towards the forest below and saw beams from [Shock¡¤Bolt] flying about, accompanied by a variety of shouts and cries. ¡°W-, Why can¡¯t we hit him!?¡± ¡°Damnit! Stop moving around¡­!¡± ¡°Fuhahaha! It doesn¡¯t matter how fast you chant if you can¡¯t hit me!¡± Cashew and his group fired a relentless assault of one-verse spells. However, as one might expected from a veteran battlemage, Glen weaved his way through the forest jumping, rolling, and immediately jumping again with the momentum ¨C relying only on his physical abilities to dodge the spells with the smallest margins before firing back with his own. Having been struck by the counterattack, one of the students cried out in agony before falling to the floor. ¡°A-, Alf¡ª!? Hey, hang in there, Alfffffffff¡ª!¡± ¡°C¡­ Cashew¡­ I-, I¡¯m already done for¡­¡± ¡°You idiot! Your injuries are light aren¡¯t they!? Aren¡¯t we both aiming for ¡®Eden¡¯ together!? How could you allow yourself to fall in this place!? Get up!¡± ¡°P-, Please¡­ Cashew¡­ for ¡®Eden¡¯¡­ for the ¡®Eden¡¯ that resides in all our hearts¡­! Step over my corpse¡­ And see¡­ my share of Eden¡­ in my stead¡­¡± ¡°Alfffffffff-! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh¡ª! Just what¡ª! Just what have I been fighting for all this timeeeeeeeeeeee¡ª!?¡± Cashew cried out as he held Alf¡¯s powerless body in his arms¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll die from [Shock¡¤Bolt] or anything. He¡¯ll probably come to in ten minutes at worst.¡± Despite the passionate scene unfolding before her eyes, Sistina apathetically looked on. ¡°That aside¡­ He¡¯s really putting on a pointlessly good performance isn¡¯t he? A magic battle is strongly skewed by a numbers advantage but he¡¯s not having any trouble at all¡­ Geez, why is he only serious at times like these¡­¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­ It¡¯s just like him to do that¡­¡± Lumia forced a smile. At the same time, Sistina noticed Riel stretching her body out on the terrace on her tiptoes, staring at the ongoing scuffle. ¡°Ah hey Riel? Uhm¡­ Don¡¯t jump in alright? Cashew and the boys are just er¡­ How should I say this¡­ They¡¯re not really sensei¡¯s enemies¡­ they¡¯re just sort of playing I guess¡­?¡± Recalling the event where Riel nearly cut Harry in two, Sistina couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. However, unexpectedly¡­ ¡°¡­Mm, it¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t do anything.¡± Riel replied. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything bad from Cashew¡¯s group.¡± At the very least, it didn¡¯t seem like anyone opposed to Glen would be cut down regardless of who they were. It seems that she was just particular sensitive to ill intent, hostility, and the like. Sistina reflexively release her tense nerves with a long breath, and looked down towards the forest once again. ¡°Hahaha! What¡¯s wrong!? Is that all you guys g¡ª Hey wait! Wait a second, isn¡¯t it against the rules to charge me head on like¡ª YEEOOOWWW¡ª!? Ow that hurts! Ow!¡± Geez, what are they doing. As Sistina sighed¡ª ¡°It¡¯s the first time¡­ I¡¯ve seen Glen that happy.¡± Riel murmured. ¡°Huh? But isn¡¯t he always like that at the academy?¡± ¡°He was a bit¡­ darker back then.¡± ¡°¡­Riel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to stay beside him and protect him¡­ That¡¯s what I had thought¡­ but¡­¡± Although Riel¡¯s expressions were as absent as ever, Sistina felt that there were some feelings behind what Riel said, but she couldn¡¯t quite decipher it. Lumia, who was more sensitive to such minute changes in emotion, appeared to have no heard what Riel had said, and merely continued to watch over Glen and the group with a bright smile. ¡°Uhm¡­ Riel?¡± Although she couldn¡¯t quite find the words, Sistina still wanted to say something to Riel, but it was then that¡ª ¡°My my, you were here? I¡¯ve been looking for the three of you for quite some time.¡± The door to the terrace swung open and Wendy appeared. ¡°Ah, what¡¯s the matter Wendy?¡± Lumia peeled her eyes away from the charade and looked back towards Wendy. ¡°Mm, the girls were about to gather in my room and play some card games. I was wondering if you would like to join us.¡± Then, Wendy turned to face Riel with a smile.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Riel, what about you? Would you like to also come play with us?¡± The awkward tension when the two conversed was no longer present. ¡°Cards? Play? ¡­Me?¡± Riel¡¯s drowsy eyes seem to glow with curiosity. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°¡­Mm, okay. I don¡¯t really get it¡­ but I¡¯ll play.¡±¡± ¡°Fufu, well then, would you like to come with me?¡± Wendy gracefully turned around with Riel following suit. ¡°Isn¡¯t this great¡­? Riel¡¯s already become a full part of the class hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Eh?? Ah¡­ Mm¡­ So it seems¡­¡± Sistina vaguely replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get going to, Sisti.¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡± Hmm¡­ Just my imagination¡­? I must be thinking too much¡­ It¡¯s because she seems a bit too obedient¡­ or something like that. Sistina felt a little uneasy about Riel for a while now. She couldn¡¯t identify why she felt that way¡­ but Sistina could only remind herself to not think too much about it. Volume 3 - CH 4 Chapter Four: The Beginning and End of Fun Times Some joked and played through the night to their heart¡¯s content. Some spent the night amidst a fierce battle. Some retired to bed early to prepare for the coming day¡­ People spent the night of the Field Study in different ways. Then¡ª The sun shined brilliantly in the endless blue skies, basking the white sands with blinding light. The roars of the seas were accompanied with countless hues of waves which advanced and withdrew all along the coast. On the beaches of Saineria Island were numerous boys and girls. The students of Glen¡¯s class. ¡°Yaho, Sisti~¡± Lumia, in her swimsuit, called out from amidst the waves. She was dressed in a cute bikini decorated with ribbons and frills. Water trickled down the elegant, captivating curves of her bodyline. The breeze swept along the surface of the sea, carrying along droplets of water that refracted the shining rays of the sun. The colorful scene around Lumia, who waved her hand with an innocent smile, served to make her all the more eye-catching. ¡°The water feels great! Come here, Sisti, Riel!¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯m coming right now!¡± Sistina arranged her belongings in a corner of the beach alongside the rest of the class, and removed the long towel that tightly covered her body. In doing so, she revealed the modest curves that accompanied her slender figure. She was dressed in a fashionable two-piece swimsuit consisting of a flower-patterned bikini top and pareo sarong bottom ensemble. Her pure white, springy, healthy skin was revealed without reserve under the shining sun. Her porcelain skin made one feel faint¡ª Sistina, dressed in her swimsuit, energetically ran across the beach towards Lumia. On the way, she stopped next to Riel, who sat at the beachline with her arms crossed around her knees, staring at the tide as it came and left. Sistina stretched a hand towards Riel. Riel was also in a swimsuit, but unlike the glamorous swimsuit of the others, Riel¡¯s was without any affectation whatsoever. Her swimsuit was an uncouth one-piece dark blue swimsuit (the academy¡¯s swimsuit for water sports). However, when worn by someone whose curves were even less adventurous than those of Sistina, the modesty of it all was instead emphasized. Unlike Lumia and the others, Riel¡¯s appeal was that of purity and peace. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go swim, Riel!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Mm¡± After staring at the outstretched hand for a while¡­ Riel timidly grabbed onto Sistina¡¯s hand. Splish splash. The splashes of the waves looked like and array of white gems. ¡°Lumia, Riel, you¡¯ve both remember to enchant yourselves with [Tri¡¤Resist] right? ¡°Of course¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to get sunburnt after all.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s troublesome.¡± Riel said plainly. Sistina immediately turned to lecture Riel. ¡°You can¡¯t do that Riel! You shouldn¡¯t forgo it just because it¡¯s troublesome.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no problem if I get sunburnt.¡± ¡°But then your pretty skin will be ruined wouldn¡¯t it? Even if you wanted to get tanned, if you don¡¯t treat it with medicines first you¡¯ll just be damaging your skin¡­ Here, I¡¯ll do it so stay still okay?¡± ¡°¡­Mm.¡± Then, from a short distance away from the three¡­ ¡°The three of you over there, do you have any interest in playing beach volleyball with us?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be more fun if we play together¡­¡± Carrying a ball in her hands was Wendy, whose body was balanced and well-proportioned. Next to her was Rin, who, despite her small stature, seemed to be growing well overall¡ª Of course, the two of them were also dressed in swimsuits¡ª ¡°¡­Eh, ¡®Eden¡¯ was here all along¡­-!?¡± Cashew, Road, Gai, and some of the other male students in the class gazed upon this scene, and could not stop the tears of joy that trickled from their eyes. ¡°¡®As long as we stay calm, ¡®Eden¡¯ will eventually appear before our eyes, so retreat for today¡¯¡­ it was all as sensei said¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sensei¡­ We were¡­ We were mistaken all along¡­-!¡± ¡°Despite everything, we kept showering sensei with the pain of our spells¡­-! We were blinded by what was before our eyes¡­-!¡± ¡°Thank you sensei¡­ May you find peace in the other world¡­ Please watch over us from now on¡­¡± As the boys looked up into the blue skies, an illusion of Glen shot a refreshing smile back at them¡­ ¡°Hey guys, I¡¯m still alive.¡± Glen disgruntled voice called out to the boys who were absorbed in their own world. Unlike the boys who were dressed in their swimsuits, Glen was dressed in his usual shirt, trousers, and tie, with a robe hanging off his shoulders. He laid limply on a sheet set up under a beach umbrella. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend that I¡¯m dead. Rather, do you guys really hate me that much?¡± ¡°No, it was just¡­ uh¡­a spur of the moment¡­¡± ¡°By the way sensei, are you not going to swim?¡± ¡°Idiots, even if I wanted to go swim body hurts too much for it¡­ You know, my body still feels kinda numb in some places¡­¡± Glen had lowered the output of his [Shock¡¤Bolt] to knock the students out without leaving any lasting damage on the students bodies. However, the students rose to their feet countless times through sheer force of will and, as if they were prepared to die for it, and relentlessly struck Glen with their own unaltered spells throughout the night. Had Glen used his original magic [The Fool¡¯s World], he could¡¯ve easily wiped the floor with them without breaking a sweat, but he bore no desire to use a bloodstained assassination magic with which he had eliminated countless heretical magicians on simple students. His duel with Sistina in the past had also stemmed from this will. ¡°Geez, did you guys really have to go all out¡­ Would it have killed you to hold back just a little¡­? It should¡¯ve been non-lethal magic, but I honestly thought I was gonna die for a moment you know?¡± ¡°A-, Ahahaha¡­ I¡¯m sorry about everything¡­¡± Glen spitefully emptied his can of complaints. The boys could not bring themselves to object whatsoever. ¡°Well whatever. Today is a rest day so the entire day is free time. Go and play around however you like. Hah¡­ I¡¯ll just sleep here¡­ If anything happens¡­ wake me up¡­¡± ¡°We got it! Sensei!¡± The boys charged towards the roaring tides. At the same time¡ª ¡°Are you not going?¡± Lying down, Glen turned his gaze towards the shade of a nearby palm tree. ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t come here to play around.¡± Gibel rested his back against the base of the tree. He ignored the other students playing about, and focused on the textbook in his hands. As if it was a matter of course, he wasn¡¯t dressed a swimsuit, but rather his school uniform. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit too uptight¡­? It wouldn¡¯t hurt to let loose once in a while¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hmpf. Mind your own business.¡± Gibel snorted out his nose and immersed himself in the textbook. ¡°Oh dear.¡± Glen wasn¡¯t bothered enough to say any more. He closed his eyes and prepared himself for a long slumber. Then, at that moment¡ª ¡°Sensei~¡± Flip-Flap. Glen could feel someone approach. ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Although he could tell who it was by voice alone, he opened one eye to confirm. As expected, it was Lumia, who waved her hand as she clumsily ran across the sand¡­ Behind her was Sistina, who pulled Riel by the arm. The usual trio. ¡°What¡¯s up you guys? Oho? I have to say, you three are quite a sight for sore eyes¡­¡± Glen showed a wicked sneer. ¡°C-, Could you not stare so much¡­¡± Sistina hugged her arms around her body as if to hide it, a sullen expression on her face. Her cheeks were faintly red. ¡°Ahaha, sensei¡­ How do you like this? Does my swimsuit suit me?¡± Lumia, dressed in her frilly swimsuit, performed an innocent twirl in front of Glen. ¡°Mhm, it suits you crazy well. You look super cute.¡± ¡°Fufu, thank you sensei.¡± Lumia smiled happily. ¡°And White Cat, your clothing sense isn¡¯t all too bad either. I like it.¡± ¡°S-, Shut up! I-, It¡¯s not like I bought it for you to see¡ª¡± At Glen¡¯s random praise, Sistina¡¯s mind appeared to have short circuited for a brief moment. She could only reply uneasily as her face flushed red. The swimsuits which Lumia and Sistina had purchased for this day were at the forefront of trendy fashion in the Empire. Accompanied with their excellent looks, wherever they went was like a gathering place for angels and fairies ¨C eye catching and out of the ordinary. Even Glen couldn¡¯t quite bring himself to employ his usual routine of sarcasm and jeering. Then¡ª Riel, after taking a glance at Lumia and Sistina, walked up in front of Glen and stared at him. ¡°¡­Hm? What¡¯s up Riel?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Riel stuck her chest out a little and continued to stay silent. It seemed that she was expecting something¡­ ¡°¡­Oi, how am I supposed to know what you want if you don¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Saying that, Riel dejectedly walked away. It might¡¯ve just been an illusion, but she appeared to be somewhat disappointed. ¡°¡­?¡± Glen tilted his head in confusion at Riel¡¯s ambiguous actions. Then, he turned towards Sistina who puffed in anger, and Lumia forced a smile and tried to calm her down. ¡°By the way¡­ what are you guys doing here? Weren¡¯t you playing with the others?¡± ¡°Ah, about that. We¡¯re were about to play beach volleyball and were wondering if you¡¯d like to join us.¡± ¡°Beach Volleyball?¡± Glen didn¡¯t seem very interested. ¡°Beach volleyball huh¡­ Well, it¡¯s not like I dislike it, but you know¡­ I¡¯m kinda tired from dealing with the group of stooges last night¡­ so I¡¯m feeling a bit sleepy is all¡­¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­ thanks for the hard work sensei. Well, in that case, would you mind being the referee? I think I would be more enjoyable for everybody if we all participated¡­ and I wanted to play with you too¡­¡± Perhaps persuaded by the sweetness of his student, Glen scratched his head and lazily rose from the floor. ¡°Geez, it can¡¯t be helped huh. If you¡¯re going to go as far as to say that¡­ I don¡¯t really feel like it, but I can at least be the referee¡­¡± Then¡ª At a makeshift volleyball court made in the sand. ¡°DOOOOOORYAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª!¡± Jumping high above the net with an explosive jump, Glen curved his body in an arc like a bow ready to be released. Then, he discharged all his power through his right hand, smashing the ball from the air. The ball instantly spiked into the enemy field without mercy. Although Road had jumped to block the ball, the ball was too high for him to reach. Kai instinctively dove to save the ball, but he couldn¡¯t make it in time. ¡°¨C!¡± Teresa pointed towards the ball and chanted the spell. The ball that was about to strike the sand abruptly flew into the air¡ª ¡°Geh! She caught that!?¡± ¡°Riel-chan, go!¡± Cashew calmly set the ball. As would be expected of someone of his level of athleticism, it was placed in prime position¡ª Not particularly motivated, Riel timed her jump¡ª ¡°Ei¡± Bwong! The dull sound of the ball distorting could be heard as she struck it. Boompsshh¡ª! In the next moment, a large pillar of sand erupted on Glen¡¯s side of the field. Taking a closer look, it could be seen that half the ball was submerged into the sand. ¡°¡­Now what do we do?¡± Glen¡¯s expression curled. In contrast to their cheery opponents, who had Riel as their core, Glen¡¯s team was as solemn as a wake. ¡°¡­Damn! She¡¯s hits the ball like she¡¯s swatting a fly, but why is there so much force behind it¡­!?¡± Gibel click his tongue in frustration. His usual composure was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps due to the scorching sun, the game became more and more heated as it proceeded. ¡°This really is too much¡­ Our opponents are too much of a mismatch¡ª¡± Sistina said with a forced smile. She was ready to give up the match, but¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t joke around! I¡¯m not going to admit defeat just like this!¡± Sistina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise to Gibel¡¯s unexpected outburst. ¡°Sensei, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to catch the next shot, so quit screwing around! Your attempts at scoring have been lackluster at best¡­ With that performance, can you still consider yourself our teacher!?¡± ¡°Heh¡­ Now that¡¯s the spirit¡­¡± Glen said with a sneer. Magicians were generally passionate on matters regarding victory and defeat, and it seemed that Gibel was no exception. The members of the class were certain who the winner of the match would be, but¡ª ¡°The game¡¯s just getting started.¡± Glen dug the ball out from the sand and served. ¡­ ¡°Give it to them, Riel-chan!¡± ¡°Ei.¡± Riel fired a murderous spike. The ball veered towards Glen¡¯s side of the court like a cannonball. ¡°It¡¯s coming, Gibel.¡± ¡°Ku¡ª ¡ª!¡± In response, Gibel drew upon all his magic power and chanted the spell. Even if Riel didn¡¯t pay attention to where she was hitting the ball, it was practically a given that her spike would easily smash through the opponent¡¯s defense regardless of where it landed. However, based on Gibel¡¯s observations, Riel had only been striking the smack center of Glen¡¯s field. Knowing that, Gibel could devote all of his attention to that single spot and prepare his spell beforehand¡ª ¡°¡°¡°¡°W-, Whattt¡ª!?¡±¡±¡±¡± Riel¡¯s spike was successfully intercepted by Gibel¡¯s spell. The ball stopped moments behind hitting the sand and flew upwards¡ª This was the first time that Riel¡¯s attack was stopped, so Cashew¡¯s group was late to react¡ª ¡°Sensei, it¡¯s all yours!¡± In their opponent¡¯s brief moment of hesitation, Sistina quickly set the ball¡ª ¡°Take this¡ª!¡± Glen leaped into the air and slammed the ball. With a splash of sand, Glen¡¯s spike slammed into their opponent¡¯s court. Oohs and Aahs could be heard from the spectating class as they rose their voices in astonishment. ¡°Nice shot, sensei!¡± ¡°You got that right!¡± Glen and Sistina exchanged a high five. ¡®How do you like that¡¯ Gibel¡¯s intent stare towards Riel seemed to say, his breaths ragged. Riel blinked blankly. It appeared that she hadn¡¯t once thought that her spikes would be stopped. ¡°You too, Gibel. Nice play.¡± Glen gaves a thumbs up towards the instigator of the play. ¡°¡­Hmpf, to think that it would take this much effort to finally get a single point¡­¡± Gibel said as he turned his head away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Well, here comes the next one. Let¡¯s get ready.¡± In response to Gibel¡¯s attitude, Glen and Sistina showed strained smiles. Then, Cashew served the ball, which arc toward¡¯s Glen¡¯s side of the court¡­ ¡°Hah¡ªHah¡ªHah¡ª¡± ¡­After the match. Gibel crouched a short distance away from the court, his body drenched with sweat and covered in sand. As he hadn¡¯t changed into his swimsuit, his overall appearance was rather awful. Unexpectedly however, Gibel didn¡¯t seem bothered in the least. Another match had begun, and the class¡¯ attention were glued to it. Away from the rustle and bustle, Gibel quietly caught his breath¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± Feeling a presence, Gibel turned his head upwards. His eyes met with Riel. ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± he asked bluntly. ¡°You were good. It was a nice play¡ª¡± Riel murmured. Her expression was the same as ever as she offered Gibel a cup of refreshments. Gibel silently gazed at the cup. If this had been yesterday, then he would have slapped the cup out of her hand without a second thought. Although the eccentric transfer student reeked of amateurism, her ability as a magician towered far above his own. In his eyes, she was an enemy. From the moment he witnessed her high-speed synthesis, he recognized that his abilities could not even compare to hers. He was frustrated. He could not bring himself to accept it. But well¡­ perhaps I had let the heat of the moment affect my judgment. Bearing that thought in mind, Gibel meekly accepted the cup and grumbled. ¡°Hmpf¡­ I won¡¯t lose to you¡­ You may have won this time, but one of these day¡­¡± ¡°¡­Mm, I see.¡± A breeze swept through the beach, leaving a soothing sensation on the skin that had been exposed to the warm sunlight. That day, the class played to their heart¡¯s¡¯ content. After leaving the coast, the group visited the tourist district. Then, when sunset approached, everyone noisily gathered together by the beach for a barbecue. The fun times flew by like an arrow. Then¡ª ¡°Now then¡­¡± Late at night, past bedtime for most; the sky dark. Most of the students, having played throughout the day, had already retired for the night. ¡°Ugh well¡­ I just want to go out and relax for a little bit¡­ No one will mind.¡± Glen ventured towards the tourist district, murmuring to no one in particular. The streets were illuminated by oil-fueled lamps and were no dimmer than it had been during the evening. Although not much compared to the gas lamps that were the craze amongst the technologically savvy members of the upper class, the luminance provided by the oil-fueled lamps was already quite substantial. The shaking yet dazzling lights of the countless orange flames casted shadows intermittently throughout the street, which mimicked the shaking of its source. The earthen walls of the architecture and the roadside trees exuded an exotic ambiance. Although incomparable to the tides of people earlier in the day, the people who had come to enjoy the nightlife continued the festive mood of the tourist district. If it was already this boisterous during the off-season, it was hard to imagine what it would be like during the prime time. The streets were packed with open-cafes and bars, each of which were filled with tables and customers. Every customer had drinks and food at hand, talking away the night with those whom they were acquainted, as well as those they had just met. Amongst the many public enterprises were individually-run food stalls which had settled themselves in the spaces between the storefronts. As modest as it seemed, it did not lose to the enterprises in the slightest. It offered fried potato, various skewers, smoked sausage, freshly made seafood soup, shrimp fritter, hot wine and many other inexpensive delicacies which made people instinctively reach out their hands, selling incessantly to anyone passing by. The booming business was not limited to just restaurants. Some stores exotic-looking clothes, others sold strange accessories and wooden carvings. There were also some slightly dubious street vendors that set up stalls beneath eaves that drew customers with vigor and spirit; speaking and selling to potential customers who stopped to view their rare goods. Glen bore no interest towards the bustle of the streets, heading straight towards the outskirts of town. Eventually, the pavement beneath his feet had become the white sands of the coast. There was not a soul around, only the beating of the waves and the scent of the sea. The waves surged and receded without end. The bubbles that formed on the wet white sands that glowed pale blue under the night sky were like pearls being washed ashore. The sea and horizon were tinted dark blue. The crescent moon shined silvery white in the night sky. The intervals of the waves that refracted the beams of moonlight glistened like diamonds. The perfect scenery for an eventful day. ¡°¡­Hah¡ªMan¡­ I¡¯m really fried¡­¡± Glen sat down beneath an adjacent tree and opened the cap of the palm-sized bottle of brandy that he had bought at a stall on the way here; downing his evening drink little by little. What lay before him would be the pairing for his drink, and he was perhaps starting to feel a little drunk from the sights. He would sleep with peace of mind ¡ª That was the reason for his outing tonight. Although Glen was not type to enjoy sightseeing as a pastime, but he felt that it would have been a loss of a lifetime had he not viewed the scenery that now laid before his eyes¡­ He continued to take short sips from his drink. As if valuing what was left of his drink and of the moment, Glen drank enough at a time to moisten his lips whilst reflecting on the events of the trip thus far; his gaze never leaving the scenery. Then after what seemed like an inordinate amount of time¡ª ¡°¡­Hm?¡± He noticed the presence of others. Even an absolute homebody like himself had gone out of his way to come here. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for others to also be here. However, the problem was¡ª ¡°Come on Sisti, hurry up!¡± ¡°Hey Lumia¡­ I¡¯m um¡­ not too sure about this¡­¡± The distant voices were somewhat familiar. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine as long as we head back soon. That aside, let¡¯s hurry towards the sea. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be beautiful.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already had all day to look at the sea haven¡¯t we? ¡­Ah, geez, you really are mmpf~!¡± All was as he had suspected. The figures that appeared on the beach were Lumia and Sistina. Also¡­ ¡°¡­What are we doing here?¡± Riel followed closely behind the two like a baby bird. ¡°Fufu, I wanted us to see the nighttime sea. The moon is really clear today, so I was sure that it would be super beautiful.¡± ¡°¡­I see. I don¡¯t get it though.¡± The three hadn¡¯t noticed Glen, who was concealed in the shadow of the tree where he sat. Then¡ª ¡°Uwah¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Standing on the waterfront, Lumia and Sistina were overwhelmed by the grandeur, seemingly fantastical sight of the nighttime scenery. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty¡­¡± ¡°¡­Mhm¡­ I would¡¯ve never imagined that the sea on a moonlit night would be this pretty¡­¡± The gentle tidal breeze shook the girl¡¯s hair and the hem of their clothes. ¡°Hey Sisti, it¡¯s a good thing we came, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Um, t-, that¡¯s, well¡­ You¡¯re not wrong¡­ but this and that are different, Lumia! To sneak out of our rooms to come to the sea is just a little¡­¡± Lumia warmly smiled towards Sistina, who seemed slightly disturbed. ¡°Ahaha, in the end didn¡¯t you come with me anyways? Be honest, you really did want to come didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­U, gu.¡± It seems that Lumia had hit the bullseye. Sistina couldn¡¯t muster any reply. Having not even tried to stop Lumia and following her all the way here meant that she too was guilty. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit it. Hah¡­ Well, we¡¯ve already broke the rules and come all the way here, it¡¯d be a shame to not enjoy it¡­¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ For as long as I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯ve always been more mischievous than your looks suggest¡­¡± ¡°Fufu, sorry about that Sisti.¡± Lumia playfully smiled. ¡°But still, it really is beautiful no matter how long I look. I wish Wendy and Rin would be here to see it¡­¡± ¡°Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped I suppose, those two seemed to be really sleepy anyway¡­¡± Then, the two resumed to have their hearts captured by the view. Finally¡ª The two seemed to remember that Riel, who hadn¡¯t said anything until now, was here with them. ¡°¡­Riel?¡± Feeling uneasy, Lumia turned around to whether or not she was still there. Those worries were quickly eased, as she saw Riel standing there, her expression the same as ever. ¡°¡­How do you like it? Bored¡­ or perhaps not?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lumia asked nervously, but she didn¡¯t receive a reply. She merely stayed silent. Lumia began to feel uneasy again at Riel¡¯s cold-shoulder, but then¡ª ¡°¡­Not¡­ at all.¡± Riel murmured. Riel voiced an unexpected reply. ¡°¡­Eh? Riel¡­¡± ¡°This is¡­ the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this¡­ What is this feeling¡­? I don¡¯t, really get it¡­¡± She said, seemingly lost. She looked for the words to voice her feelings. Desperately, word by word, she spun her sentence. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get tired¡­ of looking.¡± Lumia took a closer look at Riel¡¯s expression, which was illuminated by the moonlight. She found that Riel¡¯s usually half-closed, drowsy eyes were opened wide and clear, her gaze focused with great intensity on the boundless nighttime sea. Seeing Riel¡¯s expression, Lumia finally let her tensions loose. With an affectionate smile, she then said. ¡°I think I¡¯m very blessed to have met you Riel.¡± ¡°¡­Blessed? To have met me? ¡­Why?¡± Riel gaze seemed to shake in slight disbelief. ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t really know why either, but it¡¯s not something that can be explained with logic I guess¡­¡± Although somewhat anxious, Lumia¡¯s smile never wavered. ¡°I¡¯m very happy to have you as my friend.¡± ¡°¡­Friend¡­?¡± Riel seemed to go rigid, having been caught off guard. ¡°Yup. That¡¯s right. Ah, of course Sisti is as well.¡± ¡°Hey, Lumia¡­ Did you really just mention me offhandedly like that?¡± ¡°Ahaha, sorry.¡± Lumia stuck out her tongue a little, whilst Sistina sighed lightly in disbelief. Riel casted sidelong glances towards the two. ¡°¡­Friends¡­ I don¡¯t really get it.¡± She paused for a brief moment. ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t dislike it.¡± She murmured, her expression as placid as ever. Her gaze returned to the sea. Lumia smiled brightened at Riel¡¯s bluntness. Then, with some idea in mind, she began to remove her shoes and socks. ¡°¡­Lumia? What are you¡­¡± Ignoring Sistina¡¯s question, Lumia paced into the sea. ¡°Wait, I said wait Lumia! What are you doing!?¡± Only when her slender feet already submerged in the sea did she turn around to face Sistina, her arms drifting in a large arc with her movement. The golden tendrils of her hair and the hem of her clothes floated lightly in the wind. With her back towards the starry sky, the girl smiled innocently as she stood in the sea whose surface reflected the moon. It was a scene so full of sanctity and mystique that it seemed hard to intrude upon¡ª ¡°Fufu, the water feels great¡­¡± ¡°H-, Hey Lumia! Come back! Your clothes are getting wet aren¡¯t they!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay Sisti, I brought a change of clothes anyway.¡± ¡°T-, That¡¯s not the problem¡­¡± How do I convince her? In Sistina¡¯s moment of hesitation¡ª A spray of shining silvery water flew through the air. ¡°¡­Kyaa!?¡± Sistina let out a cry as water rained down upon her. Through the cold sensation, Sistina immediately realized that it was seawater. ¡°Ahaha-!¡± Lumia had splashed the water by her feet at Sistina. The culprit looked at Sistina with a mischievous smile. ¡°N-, Now you¡¯ve done it! I hope you¡¯re ready for this!¡± Annoyed, Sistina kicked off her shoes and flung her socks aside. Then, after some hesitation at the water¡¯s edge, she stepped into the water as if casting away her doubts¡ª ¡°Take this!¡± ¡°Kyaa-!¡± Sistina began to splash water at Lumia. More so than angry, her expression seemed happy and lively. ¡°¡­?¡± Riel, having witnessed the interaction between the two, looked on in puzzlement. Noticing that, Lumia called out to her. ¡°Come on Riel, come play with us?¡± ¡°¡­Play? I don¡¯t really get it¡­ but I just need to splash the water?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°¡­Mm, okay.¡± Then, Riel, without any hesitation or constraint, stepped into sea with her shoes and socks still on. She wildly kicked water in Lumia and Sistina¡¯s direction. Riel¡¯s utilized the raw strength that allowed her to swing a greatsword like a twig ¨C unimaginable from her slender limbs ¨C and let forth a surge of water. ¡°Kyaaaabububu-!?¡± Water flowed down Sistina¡¯s head, as if a bucket of water had been poured directly on top of her. ¡°K-, Kuuuuuu¡­. Y-, You¡­!¡± In just a brief moment, Sistina had become soaked from head to toe, much more so than Lumia. Sistina¡¯s shoulders and fists trembled vigorously¡­ ¡°¡­.?¡± [1] ¡°Ahahaha-!¡± Riel stared blankly at Sistina, whilst Lumia curled and held her stomach in her arms, unable to hold back her laughter. ¡­After that, the girls immersed themselves in their little game of water splashing. Happy laughs. Angry cries. The occasional yelp or scream. The incessant sounds of splashing water. It was like the playtime of pups and kittens, boisterous yet inviting a smile. Such was the spectacle of the playing girls. The shining beads of water jumped through the air. As if they were dancing amidst the waves¡­ ¡°¡­Geez, what a hopeless bunch.¡± Glen had his back against the tree, his legs stretch across the floor where he sat. He gazed absentmindedly at the scenery. Suddenly, he raised his hands with both thumbs and index fingers in a ¡®v¡¯ shape, and but his hands together in front of his eyes so that they formed a rectangular window. On the other side of the window was the three girls playing. ¡°¡­A perfect composition¡± His lips slackened and he moved both hands behind his head, and leaned his head back to face the sky. His gaze was met with a dark expanse illuminated by the stars that shined like silver. ¡°¡­I wish I brought my camera now¡­¡±[2] A camera was a device would burn the image seen through a set of lens onto a board covered with a special silver reagent. Using light-control magic and a few tricks, even a dark scene like this could be captured. Well, I can¡¯t really capture this scene well with how much those girls are moving around, and it¡¯s not like I had the space or energy to spare to carry around that bulky box. But even so, I want to capture this moment in some physical form and treasure it well. ¡ªThose were his honest thoughts that had been evoked by the scene. ¡°¡­Alrighty then.¡± I do kinda feel guilty about about peeping¡­ But well, each and every day of this trip will be hard work after more hard work, so I guess it¡¯s okay to consider this a side benefit of the job. Having selfishly arrived at such a conclusion, he picked up the brandy bottle he had set aside and began to take short sips from it once again. ¡­This really is a little odd. I couldn¡¯t even be bothered to remember the name of this cheap ass brandy, but in this moment it goes down as smoothly as quality wine. So¡ª Until the drenched girls finally had their fill of playing around¡ª Glen, with minor drunkenness, decided that he would continue to watch the scene. ¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡­ ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Glen came to his senses, waking up to the sound of waves rolling in and out. . He quickly inspected his surroundings, his mind groggy from sleep. There was no sign of anyone else at the shore. His back was against the tree. ¡°¡­Ah, I ended up falling asleep¡­¡± Unlike the empire¡¯s mainland, which was constantly under the cooling effects atmospheric winds that flowed from the eternally snowy mountain range to the northeast, Saineria Island had warm air currents in its immediate vicinity as well as ley lines that passed through the island itself, so it was quite warm even in the nighttime. The warmth had perhaps been too comfortable, and he had fallen into a deep sleep. ¡°Oh dear, what¡¯s the matter with me today¡­¡± He could only admit that he had been too careless. It had only been a small amount, but the alcohol had definitely taken its toll. If he had done such a thing in Fejiti, his body would be shivering uncontrollably from the cold. ¡°Oh shit, it¡¯s already this late? Ugh¡­ Can I even get into the inn at this time? I¡¯d rather not sleep outside¡­¡± After confirming the time on his pocket watch, Glen hurriedly stood up and paced with hurried steps. It already fell past midnight. The boisterous streets earlier were now dead silent. The shining lights were now sparse and dim. The only sounds that could be heard were those of insects. Glen fervently rushed down the path leading to the inn. However¡ª Noticing someone on the path, Glen came to a halt. Glen focused his gaze on the figure in front They weren¡¯t hiding their presence, nor did they seem to have any hostile intent, so they didn¡¯t appear to be dangerous, but¡­ it was unnatural for someone to be here at this time of the night. Although such an evaluation seemed rather hypocritical, Glen tried his best to play dumb. Glen remained cautious as the figure approached. Finally, the figure that emerged from the darkness was¡­ ¡°¡­Riel?¡± It was Riel, her expression drowsy and no different than usual. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Riel stopped several steps from Glen and said. ¡°You weren¡¯t in your room so I was looking for you.¡± ¡°No¡­ My room is in an the other annex isn¡¯t it? How did you¡­¡± ¡°I snuck in. Infiltration is my forte.¡± Liar. You¡¯re not good at infiltration, you¡¯re good at breaking in, assault, and stuff like that. As much as he wanted to say that, Glen instead inquired calmly. ¡°¡­My room was locked right? If you don¡¯t get a reply, won¡¯t you normally think that I was sleeping? How did you confirm that I wasn¡¯t in my room?¡± ¡°¡­Mhm, it was locked. That¡¯s why I cut the door apart.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ I see.¡± There goes my wages again. Glen held back his tears, and pretended to be calm as he walked past Riel. Riel, like a duckling following its mother, followed closely behind. ¡°What about Lumia and Sistina?¡± ¡°They¡¯re sleeping.¡± ¡°Geez, didn¡¯t I tell you to always stick with Lumia? You¡¯re a bodyguard remember?¡± ¡°I know¡­ but I wanted to meet Glen.¡± Riel¡¯s murmurs were as inexpressive as ever and the same could be said about her drowsy faced expression. No charm or interest could be derived from her voice. However, Glen could only sigh to himself. Even if it was Riel, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to get angry after hearing that. Normally, this was an extremely concerning situation, as she had sidelined her task as a bodyguard to go do something else. Leaving her protectee was something she should never ever do. However, now that he knew that there was a true bodyguard ¨C Albert ¨C he didn¡¯t have to treat this mishap quite as seriously. Even now, Albert was definitely hiding somewhere on the island, protecting Lumia from afar. Everything will be fine as long as he¡¯s here. That was how comforting Albert¡¯s presence was. Well, there¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be any problems as long as we head back quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°¡­Mm.¡± The two began walking back. Under the silver light of the brilliant moon in the starry skies, the two¡¯s shadows followed one after another. ¡°¡­Hey Riel.¡± He himself thought that this was a tasteless question. But still, he turned his head and shoulders towards Riel, and looking over his shoulder, he asked. ¡°Having fun?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Riel tilted her head slightly in confusion. ¡°Sorry. Let me fix that a little. Lumia, Sistina, the rest of the class¡­ Are you having fun being with them, playing with them?¡± Riel walked silently for several steps, before murmuring. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t, really get it.¡± Her expression was unfazed. There was no color to her expression, it remained transparent, emotionless¡­ But there was a hint of anxiety, confusion¡­ ¡°Do you feel anything when you¡¯re with them? Does anything come to mind when you¡¯re together?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what expectations you have for me, but¡­¡± As if choosing her words carefully, searching for her thoughts and feelings, she fell silent once again. ¡°¡­Just a little¡­ I want to be with those two¡­ with everyone, just a little longer¡­ That¡¯s what I think.¡± Hearing that, Glen¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what it feels like to have fun. Hold it close alright?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really get it.¡± Well, it¡¯s too soon for her to understand it, her mind is even more childlike than her looks after all. She might look like a baby-faced fifteen year old give or take¡­ but for various reasons her mental age isn¡¯t quite there. However, if she can come to understand the complexities of the human heart little by little¡­ Then perhaps even Riel, whose head is barely afloat above the dark side of the magic realm, might be saved. Maybe she can lead a brighter, more upstanding life. That¡¯s why. ¡°Hey Riel¡­ Now that you have the chance¡­ Would you like to leave the Imperial Court Magicians and start anew?¡±[3] Glen suddenly suggested. ¡°Well, it might a messy process, but Serika and I will do something about it. For example, you could enroll in the magic academy as a genuine student instead of a bodyguard. That way, you can be with Lumia, Sistina¡­ You can be with them for however long you want.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Riel¡¯s expression appeared to be shaken just a little bit¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t need to involve yourself in such a bloodied, strifeful realm any longer. I¡¯m sure your brother wouldn¡¯t¡­ that person wouldn¡¯t¡­ wish for that either.¡± ¡°That guy¡­? Who do you mean?¡± ¡°No, sorry. Just a slip of the tongue, don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Uninterested, Riel didn¡¯t inquire about it further. ¡°Anyway, the reason why you¡¯re an Imperial Court Magician is because you defected from that organization and then went with the flow right? You have no duty or obligation to be battlemage any longer. Isn¡¯t it about time to rid yourself of that and lead a normal life as a student? I¡¯m sure those two would be happy as well.¡± Hearing that, Riel¡¯s steps came to a halt. Noticing that, Glen stopped and turned around towards Riel. Then¡ª ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t do that.¡± Riel quietly murmured. Her expression was the same as always ¨C sleepy, expressionless. ¡°¡­B-, But why?¡± Glen returned, a hint of disappointment in his voice. ¡°I¡­ have to keep on fighting¡­ for you.¡± ¡°Riel¡­?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve decided¡­ that I would live for you ¡­¡± Usually, such a saying would be a honeyed phrase. For you. There was no man who wouldn¡¯t be happy hearing that, even it had been from a young girl like Riel. However, Riel was¡­ Hearing this from Riel at this moment left an overpowering sense of off-putting dissonance. I have to keep fighting for you. I would live for you. Glen could only attribute this feeling to ¡®danger¡¯. ¡°For me¡­ but I¡¯ve already¡­¡± Quit the Imperial Court Magicians. As if shoving these words down his throat, Riel continued with a strong heft behind her words that was unbefitting of her. ¡°That¡¯s why Glen, come back. If you¡¯re not here¡­ I¡­ what do I have to live for¡­? What do I have to fight for¡­? I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Riel turned her gaze away¡­ her voice extinguishing with each passing word. Her expression was no different, but her figure gave the impression of a duckling that had lost its mother. ¡°One year ago¡­ I left the Imperial Court Magicians without saying a word to you or Albert. I apologize for that. There are no excuses for what I did, after all, I selfishly decided to abandon my comrades who were fighting with their lives on the line and ran¡­ I¡¯m the worst kind of human trash.¡± With an expression filled with bitterness and distress, Glen blandly continued. ¡°I have no right to say this and I have no right to criticize you for wanting me to come back. However, this is something I have to say. You¡­ don¡¯t want us to fight side by side again, and of course you don¡¯t have any special affection for me, you just¡­¡± Then, he abruptly stopped, hesitating to continue¡­ ¡°You just want to use me as a replacement for your deceased brother.¡± Gathering his resolve, Glen finally let these words loose. Riel¡¯s shoulders jumped for an instant. ¡°When you were still involved in that organization¡­ you fought to protect your brother, didn¡¯t you? But in the end, you failed. That¡¯s why ¡®this time¡¯ you will succeed¡­ with me in place of your brother. This doesn¡¯t serve your will or wishes, only your obsession with your past, your delusions and habits.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°To start with, you said that to protect me, you want to be involved in a world that¡¯s filled with danger¡­? Such a thought is fundamentally wrong. Aren¡¯t you putting the cart before the horse?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So it¡¯s time to stop your twisted way of living. I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve said this, but your brother won¡¯t wish for that. I¡¯m sure that your brother and¡­ No, your brother¡­ wished for you to lead a life full of happiness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably not too late to step away. There¡¯s no need for you to keep living in a world involving that sort of magic. If you can lead a upstanding life with those guys then¡­ So¡­¡± However¡ª ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get it.¡± Riel¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­ I don¡¯t get it.¡± Her shoulder trembling, her fists tightly clenched¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get it¡­ I don¡¯t get it at all, Glen!¡± Riel was agitated like never before. Shit. By the time Glen could clench his teeth, it was already too late. What he said to Riel just now¡­ must¡¯ve triggered something within Riel. ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything about what you¡¯re saying, Glen! Why not!? Why can¡¯t you!? What¡¯s wrong with me wanting to fight to protect you!? Why¡­ why aren¡¯t you willing to be with me!? Why Glen!? If you aren¡¯t here¡­ I¡­ I¡ª!¡± Her expressionless face twisted in rage, grief, and insecurity, her thoughts and feelings flooded out of her mind towards Glen¡ª Glen, while surprised¡­ felt a deep sense of regret. ¡­It goes this deep? Her hearts and mind were already this twisted¡­? In the year Glen had not been there to replace her brother, Riel¡¯s had likely been undergoing inner turmoil. The gloom that had built up over all this time within was now explosively surging forth in the form of unadulterated words. ¡­I was¡­ too na?ve. The feelings Riel bore towards Glen were not of faith nor goodwill. They were a fixation of her own existence and an over dependence of others. However, those feelings mustn¡¯t be viewed as a weakness to be ridiculed, for if they weren¡¯t in place then Riel, who had naught but the memories of her time where that organization had taken anything and everything from her, would be unable to affirm her own existence. So now. Glen was at a standstill, not knowing what to say to Riel in her current state¡ª ¡°¡­Could it be, that it¡¯s them? It¡¯s their fault?¡± Riel¡ª ¡°Lumia, Sistina¡­ is it because of them¡­? Are they why you can¡¯t come back¡­? It¡¯s because of the academy¡­ that Glen can¡¯t¡­?¡± Her thoughts veered in the worst direction¡ª ¡°Did they¡­ take Glen from me?¡± ¡°Wait! How did you get to that conclusion!?¡± Glen, unable to ignore what Riel had said, hurriedly cried out. The good intentions behind his earlier suggestion had now flipped on its head. He couldn¡¯t help but lose his bearings, as unsightly as it was. However, it was all too late. ¡°Shut up shut up shut up-!¡± Riel vigorously shook his head, rejecting Glen¡¯s words. ¡°I¡­ I hate them¡­ I hate them all!¡± Screaming that, Riel ran away with frightening speed. ¡°Wait, Riel!¡± Glen stretch his hand out towards her, but her figure soon disappeared from sight. She had not run in the direction of town. It seemed that she had no intention of returning to the lodgings tonight. ¡°Riel¡­¡± Glen stood there in a daze, his hand outstretched, unable to give chase. Riel really is¡­ a lot like myself, when I lost my goal to be a magician of justice, when I could only face magic with nothing but despair. We both relied on one thing to keep us afloat. In her case those¡­ the problem goes a lot deeper. ¡°¡­A magician of justice, huh.¡± The fairy tale hero that used magic to punish the evil demon king and bringing happiness to all the people. The most powerful magician that existed in the tale ¡®The Magician of Melgarius.¡± He had once wished to be that kind of ¡®magician¡¯¡­ To be like the ¡®magician¡¯ in the fairy tale who brought salvation to all and would never allow sadness nor strife. Looking up to such a grand figure, he vigorously studied magic, believing that he would become like that one day. Then he became an Imperial Court Magician¡­ However, what Glen found there was the bloodied and woeful ¡®reality¡¯ of magic¡­ No matter how hard he worked, no matter how desperately he outstretched his arm, there were those he could not grasp, there were those he could not save¡­ Such was boundlessly cruel, yet natural ¡®truth¡¯. There was no ¡®Magician of Justice¡¯. ¡°It never goes as planned¡­ huh¡­¡± He murmured quietly. Glen¡¯s shoulders dropped as he released a long sigh. [1] Illustration really doesn¡¯t make sense, considering the actual scene, but it¡¯s where it is in the book, so¡­ [2] Japan uses a separate term and it is clearer that the type of camera Glen is referring to is a Victorian style, box-shaped camera. More specifically a Dagguerotype Camera. English refers to both as just ¡®camera¡¯. The same term is featured in volume 2 when the portrait in Lumia¡¯s locket is mentioned. [3] Glen¡¯s choice of wording strongly says to ¡®clean herself¡¯ of the Imperial Court Magicians, but it doesn¡¯t translate well. Volume 3 - CH 5 Chapter 5: Riel The next day; the day where the class tour of the research facility finally arrived. After a light breakfast, Glen¡¯s class set off departed from their lodgings. The class moved in a loose trail as they headed towards the Platinum magic research institute located in the center of Saineria Island. Although the coastal area in the northeast, where the sightseeing district was, underwent a fair amount of development and expansion, most of the island was still an expanse of untouched vegetation and woodland. There were still areas of the island that had yet to be seen. The full extent of the ecosystem in the unexplored areas had yet to be grasped as well. Whenever a Magic Academies or Imperial Universities sent teams to perform scheduled surveys, they would almost discover new species of flora, fauna, and magic-beasts. Aside from the northeastern coastal area and the several zones assigned for use in outdoor activities, the island¡¯s grounds were restricted to ordinary members of the public. The destination for this time¡¯s ¡®Field Study¡¯ was the Platinum magic research institute, located at the center of such an island. Glen and the group continued down the stone footpath connecting the coast and the central area. The path which cut a line through the dense woodland was surrounded on both sides by luxuriant primeval overgrowth. The tree branches that were easily an arm¡¯s length above their heads created vast amounts of shade, causing the path below to be decorated with lights of various shapes and sizes. Although there was a stone path, the quality of it was worlds apart from the pavements of the delicately crafted streets of Fejiti. The natural undulations of the earth were left unattended and the stones were disorderly and misaligned. Never before had they walked atop a path more difficult to traverse. There were portions of the path where no stones had been laid and there were also sections that could only be considered a ¡®footpath¡¯ in name alone. Aside from Glen, who had a long military career, and a few of the students that came from the rural countryside, the students, who generally came from metropolises, were all running on fumes. ¡°Hah¡ª, Hah¡ª, uugh¡­¡± ¡°Huu¡­ Huu¡­¡± ¡°Hey Rin, you okay? I¡¯ve still got energy to spare so I can carry your stuff if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­T-, Thanks Cashew¡­ As expected from someone who wants to be an adventurer in the future¡­¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s just cause I¡¯m a country bumpkin.¡± ¡°Keeh¡­ Why¡­ does a noble like me¡­ have to do this¡­-! Call for a carriage¡­-! I need¡­-!¡± ¡°Hmpf¡­ That¡¯s¡­ quite the sloven look¡­ you got there, isn¡¯t it¡­ Wendy? Perhaps¡­ this was too much¡­ for a spoiled lady¡­ like you?¡± ¡°How ironic¡­ to hear that from you¡­ What of your usual¡­ sharpness¡­ Gibel?¡± Lumia¡¯s group was no different. ¡°Hah¡ª¡­Hah¡ª¡­Hah¡ª¡­¡± Lumia wiped her sweat with ragged breaths, but even so, she continued to walk forward with all the strength she could muster. Sistina called out to her with concern. ¡°¡­Are you okay, Lumia?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not feeling¡­ too great¡­ What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing alright, it¡¯s tough¡­ but I can push through one way or another¡­ I guess¡­¡± In accordance to her words, Sistina¡¯s movements displayed her considerable fatigue, but her heft of her breaths were lighter compared to the rest of the class. ¡°You¡¯re strong, Sisti¡­ I¡¯m pretty worn out¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit odd¡­ You and I shouldn¡¯t have much of a difference in terms of stamina¡­ Maybe the thing I was doing day after day is having an effect¡­?¡± ¡°¡­? What thing?¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, no no! It¡¯s nothing really!¡± Lumia tilted her head in puzzlement in response to Sistina¡¯s frantic head shaking and denial. ¡°W-, Well, the stronger one here¡­ is by far her.¡± Avoiding the topic, Sistina turned her head behind her. Her gaze met with Riel, who followed closely behind Sistina. Riel¡¯s expression was unfazed. Whilst the members of the class showed differing extents of fatigue, hers was still drowsy and uninterested. Her breaths were calm and there was not a single drop of sweat to be seen. The sense of tranquility exuded by her made it seem as though she wasn¡¯t breathing at all. ¡°¡­She really is an Imperial Court Magician¡­ A soldier¡­¡± Sistina whispered so that only Lumia could hear her voice of admiration. ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s safe¡­¡± When the topic shifted to Riel, Lumia remembered the events that transpired this morning. ¡°When we woke up, Riel was gone¡­¡± ¡°Despite everyone causing a mess we still couldn¡¯t find her, but then she suddenly showed up a few moments before we were about to leave.¡± Recalling the events, Sistina let out a sigh, and turned back towards Riel and said. ¡°Don¡¯t do something like that again okay Riel? If you keep this up you¡¯ll become like Glen-sensei in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Riel replied to Sistina¡¯s warnings with silence¡­ It was then¡ª ¡°-!?¡± The messy paving had a part where it seemed to crumble. Riel, despite having happened to step on it, didn¡¯t fall over, but she still crumpled onto one knee. It was a rare faltering from someone of Riel¡¯s physical prowess. ¡°Riel!?¡± Pressing her fatigue aside, Lumia rushed to Riel¡¯s side. ¡°¡­Are you okay? The footing is pretty bad here, so let¡¯s be careful alright?¡± Worried, Lumia stretched a hand towards Riel to help her up¡­ Smack. Riel smacked Lumia¡¯s hand aside. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Lumia was bewildered, unable to understand why Riel had acted this way. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Riel said with hostility behind her voice Riel stood up and brushed past Lumia and Sistina, who were still frozen in place from shock. ¡°¡­Stop right there, Riel.¡± Unable to overlook Riel¡¯s actions, Sistina stretched a hand out and caught Riel by the arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened, but wasn¡¯t that a bit rude? She was just worried about you¡­¡± However¡ª ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Shut up I said shut up!¡± Towards Riel¡¯s sudden shouts, the entire class stopped in their tracks and turned their eyes towards her. None had thought that the soft-spoken Riel would raise her voice in such hostility and fervor. Everyone¡¯s face displayed their disbelief. ¡°Just leave me alone! Leave me alone already! It¡¯s so annoying!¡± ¡°¡­-!?¡± ¡°I¡ª I hate you, I hate you all!¡± After shouting and screaming like a child, Riel flung aside Sistina¡¯s arm and ran away with her backs towards the two, her shoulders seething with fury and irritation. Overcome with shock, Lumia and Sistina were at a loss for words. ¡°¡­W-, What was that¡­?¡± ¡°The three of them¡­were getting along quite well yesterday weren¡¯t they¡­?¡± ¡°I thought Riel had opened up to them, but considering what happened just now¡­¡± ¡°¡­What do you suppose happened between them?¡± The students quietly conversed amongst themselves with the occasional uneasy glance towards Lumia. ¡°¡­-! What the heck was that!? Riel, what is that supposed to mean¡ª¡± With the blood getting to her head, Sistina dashed after Riel with the intent to protest¡­ ¡°!¡± Her arm was caught by Lumia. ¡°Lumia?¡± Turning back, she found Lumia shaking her head in sorrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened¡­ but let¡¯s leave her alone for now okay?¡± ¡°¡­If you say so.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t just lay down and accept the situation as it was, Sistina took long breaths in an attempt to calm her mind. ¡°But what was up with her? Her attitude took a 180 compared to yesterday¡­ I don¡¯t understand it at all.¡± ¡°¡­Sisti¡± Lumia said, her expression colored in grief and anguish. ¡°Do you think that maybe she really does hate me¡­¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Riel¡­ lives in a different world from us¡­ but I decided to lead her on anyway¡­ Maybe she was forcing herself to stick with us all along¡­? Was I meddling too much..?¡± Lumia said with great sorrow. ¡°Not at all.¡± Came a sudden, yet blunt reply. Lumia and Sistina, caught off guard, quickly turned their heads towards the source. There they saw Glen, who stayed at the back of the group in case anything happened. Since the entire group had come to a halt due to the earlier incident, he had now caught up. ¡°Sensei¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, I have to thank you two for sticking with that miscreant girl for this long; zero societal skills, cooperativeness, or common sense and all¡­ Thanks a lot really.¡± ¡°But¡­I only¡­¡± ¡°Though, at the same time, I have to apologize. Actually, yesterday night, I said something unnecessary to Riel and she got really angry because of it¡­ so she¡¯s a little unstable now¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°¡¯Sorry¡¯¡­? So you¡¯re the reason that Riel¡¯s like this!?¡± Then, with a flash, Sistina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re also the reason behind her being missing this morning aren¡¯t you!? Just what kind of tactless things did you this time!?¡± Connecting all the dots, Sistina rained down on Glen. However¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°H-, Huh¡­?¡± Glen, unlike his usual childish self, didn¡¯t try to twist his faults with sophism nor did he try to make any excuses, he meekly and apologetically accepted Sistina¡¯s judgment in silence. Seeing Glen¡¯s downcast expression that could be likened to a scolded boy, Sistina couldn¡¯t muster her anger. ¡°¡­You know, she¡¯s really just a kid.¡± Glen softly said. ¡°She¡¯s not all that different from you in terms of appearance¡­ but spiritually and mentally she¡¯s really just a little kid. She was made to be like this because of her special upbringing¡­¡± ¡°Upbringing¡­ By that you mean¡­?¡± Before Sistina could finish inquiring¡ª ¡°It would be better if we didn¡¯t know, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lumia judged. ¡°Thanks for that. I¡¯d rather not lie to you guys, especially since you get along with her.¡± Hmpf. Although Sistina wanted to pry further into Riel¡¯s past, hearing Lumia and Glen¡¯s exchange made her think better of it. ¡°¡­Hm? What¡¯s up White Cat?¡± ¡°N-, Nothing at all!¡± ¡°¡­? Alright then, so that¡¯s what it is. This might be a bit much to ask¡­ but uhm¡­ I hope you guys can look over what just happened and remain friendly with her¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Lumia said with a smile, as if to ease Glen¡¯s worries. ¡°We got along all this time, so her rejection came as a bit of a surprise to us. I won¡¯t hate her over something like this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine sensei. More importantly, shouldn¡¯t you go make it up to her? Honestly, whenever you try something you always seem to bring the trouble to us¡­ Ugh.¡± Sistina puffed a cheek and turned her head the other way. Although her words didn¡¯t free Glen of responsibility, her clumsy display of concern was much appreciated. They¡¯re good girls aren¡¯t they, though¡­ one could stand to be a little less cheeky. It might be self-serving for me to still think this, but rather than swing her sword and magic in such a bloody and dark world, it¡¯d be better for her to live out her life in a brighter place with these two. That¡¯s all I want for her. Although he hadn¡¯t a clue as to how to carry it out, that was what he truly thought. From then, two hours passed. Treading through the steep snaking path next to a cliff, crossing over a valley on a suspension bridge, pacing through a ravine which flowed with clear, chilly water¡­ the group finally arrived at the Platinum magic research institute. ¡°¡­Christ, why did they build this research institute in such a remote place¡­¡± Even Glen cursed under the weight of fatigue as he looked up at the entrance of the facility. To the rear of the structure was a steep cliff that neighbored a stunning waterfall. To its sides were the dense virgin forests that covered much of the island. The building¡¯s immediate surroundings made the facility seem more like a temple instead. The floor of the plaza in front of the facility¡¯s main entrance was defined by square tiles, which were spaced at regular intervals regardless of direction. Aquatic vegetation lived in the gaps between each tile, through which pure, clear water flowed without pause. The faint sounds of trickling water and the light mist from the waterfall¡¯s vapors that floated near their feet reflected the dazzling rays of the sun, decorating the hall in with the vivid spectrum of the rainbow. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for the picturesque scenery to be a tourist landmark. ¡°Really, with how unworldly this seems, I feel like I came for an archaeological survey rather than a field trip¡­¡± Glen blurted out upon seeing the exquisite view. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­ No more¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fried from all that already¡­¡± His students were exhausted to say the least. Some opted to sit down, while others removed their shoes dipped their feet in the flowing water. Riel stood a short distance away from the group, doing nothing in particular. ¡°Erm, one, two, three¡­ Everyone¡¯s here right? No one got left behind or anything?¡± Glen took attendance again just to make sure, it was then¡ª ¡°Welcome, visitors from Alzano Imperial Magic Academy. It must¡¯ve been a long journey for you all.¡± A robed man appeared before the group. The man was about forty to fifty years old, on the hem of what could be considered elderly. The top of his head was bald, and a fair amount of his remaining hair and facial hairs were some shade of white. However, he had the demeanor of a friendly old-man and had an oddly approachable presence. ¡°My name is Bacchus Braumon. I serve as the chief of the Platinum magic research institute.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re Bacchus-san.¡± Glen wiped the sweat from his forehead and straighten his posture to face Bacchus. ¡°I¡¯m Glen Ryders, in charge of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy¡¯s year two class two. Allow me to express my gratitude for taking time out of your day to host my class¡¯ ¡®Field Study¡¯. For a research-focused magician like yourself, Bacchus-san, it must be somewhat irritating to have a bunch of chicks running around the facility. Well, there¡¯s no changing that, so I do ask for your continued patience and understanding in the following two days.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to worry about that.¡± Although Glen¡¯s casual tone left something to be desired, Bacchus received him in a cheerful fashion. ¡°Those that are here are the eggs that will uphold the future of the Empire. If this experience can nourish their bodies and minds, then there is nothing that I would want more.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re quite a man of character aren¡¯t you? If I were you I¡¯d have called this off cause I¡¯d think it¡¯d be too troublesome.¡± Glen shrugged his shoulders with a forced smile. ¡°Well then, let up go shall we? Glen-san, could you have the students follow my lead? I shall show them the institute¡¯s facilities.¡± ¡°Hah? Wait¡­ Are you saying that you¡¯ll personally act as the guide for the field study?¡± Glen gazed at Bacchus with surprise. ¡°No, how could we ask that much of you¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯re quite busy with your research¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better for one of your employees to handle this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. To be frank, it is quite depressing to bury my head in magic research and research alone. Socializing with youngsters once in a while is good for the mind and body. Given my authority in this institute, the group can also visit areas that would otherwise be restricted as well. I would like to give the youngsters which uphold the Empire¡¯s future the greatest experience possible at my institute with the hopes that they can absorb as much knowledge as they can.¡± ¡°¡­Re¡­Really!? I would¡¯ve never thought that you would go so far for a mere group like ours¡­ I can¡¯t find the words to express my gratitude. Thank you very much, truly.¡± Even Glen couldn¡¯t help but feel thankful for Bacchus¡¯ sincerity. As for Sistina, who had watched the scene unfold in close proximity, rushed to talk to Lumia with restless glee and excitement. ¡°Hey hey Lumia, did you hear that? It seems like our ¡®Field Study¡¯ is going to be amazing! We¡¯re so lucky to be able to see the latest in magic research, don¡¯t you think!? You know, even if its labeled the latest, usually all we get to actually see is stuff from one or two generations of research ago!¡± However, Lumia remained silent, an uneasy expression on her face. ¡°¡­Lumia? What¡¯s up? Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­Eh? No, nothing¡¯s happened really. Nothing at all. I was just a bit surprised at how well the reception is. Bacchus-san is a really great person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Amongst pure-research magicians, there aren¡¯t many with such modest and forthcoming personalities you know?¡± Mhm, that¡¯s right. Maybe I¡¯m just overthinking this¡­ Lumia convinced herself. Lumia had heard of Bacchus¡¯ name in essays and theses regarding magic, but was not at all acquainted with him. This was the first time she¡¯d ever met him. That¡¯s why¡ª The ice-cold gaze that Bacchus had for a brief moment when he was conversing with Glen¡­ I must¡¯ve just been imagining it. I can¡¯t make Sisti worry about such a baseless, irrational fear when she¡¯s looking forward to this tour either. Lumia convinced herself that it must¡¯ve been a figment of her imagination and worked to forget the incident. Under Bacchus¡¯ lead, Glen and the students examined the operations of the Platinum magic research institute. Based on their experiences, it would be appropriate to call the place ¡®the temple of water¡¯. Regardless of whether it was a room or passageway, waterways stretched throughout the entire facility. The clear flowing water filled the building with the scent of clean vapors. Despite the facility being indoors, trees and shrubbery were allowed to grow without restraint; the vitality that filled each room could be felt on the surface of their skin. There were luminous moss amongst the flora that lived indoors as well. Despite there being no lamps or windows, there interior of the building still managed to maintain strangely lit. At fixed intervals, they would come across monoliths that shined with black luster. On the surface of these monolith were some glyphs. They were too complicated to read, but it was likely that they were used to maintain the environment and ecosystem within the building. ¡°Platinum magic¡­ is a composite technique derived from white magic and alchemy[1]. The main topic which this field concerns is, as you should all know, life. Thus, our research usually requires that the area be filled with the mana that is derived from fresh life and organisms. That is why the condition of the building is as you can see. Despite the troubles, it is quite charming is it not?¡± With that, Bacchus led the class through various research rooms. In a room grew a variety of medicinal herbs with a range of effects. The research taking place was focused towards cultivating better medicinal herbs through selective breeding. In a room, boulders and crystals were piled on top of a magic circle, with the hopes of developing mineral life forms. In a room, large amount of plants and animal were crammed into a giant glass cylinder, where the biological makeup of the organisms were studied. In a room, several plants and animals were combined together conduct research on chimera creation. In a room, there were several magic computing units used to gather and analyze the genetic and soul information of humans and animals. ¡­Working in each and every room were likely the leading researchers of the magician elite, who didn¡¯t look away for a moment as they immersed themselves in their research. ¡°¡­Wow, amazing.¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ Yeah.¡± ¡°This is¡­ quite incredible.¡± Due to the unique environment and facilities required, for the students, this research was in an entirely different realm. Coming into contact with this research that they would scantily see, let alone touch, the students were all overwhelmed. ¡°¡­This is really something else. I¡¯d have never thought that people would be able to do this much¡­¡± Of course Sistina was no exception. Moments earlier, she had watching intently as a research era spell to precisely operate a pipe organ-like magic apparatus to control organisms at the cellular level. Next to the apparatus was a towering slab made of magic crystal which projected the results of the cellular shift using light magic. Sistina eyes clung to the projection and spoke to Lumia. ¡°I did say I want major in magic archaeology¡­ but seeing this¡­ gives me second thoughts really¡­ What about you, Lumia?¡± ¡°Well, erm¡­ I¡¯m planning to become a magic bureaucrat and not a researcher.¡± Then, Lumia said in a voice that could only be heard by SIstina. ¡°Also¡­ Seeing makes me feel a little¡­ scared honestly.¡± ¡°¡­Scared?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ like¡­ should we really be tampering with the lives of living organisms however we see fit¡­?¡± Hearing Lumia¡¯s honest thoughts, Sistina reflexively gulped. The rest of the students probably recognized this as well¡­ Surely, this was a question they would all like to avoid. It was also true that not everything they saw at this facility was all beautiful or mysterious. They could certainly accept creatures being brought to life, but when they had been brought to a homunculus specimen that had no choice but to live out its life in a glass cylinder, they all felt a sense of indescribable dread and guilt. There were also grotesque lifeforms that they had instinctively looked away from. Surely, those biological specimens came as a result of some failure to recreate life. Although frozen at the current time, there had also seen a large number of military-use chimeras that were likely created solely as murder machines. The summary, chronology, and results of such research were displayed in the showroom. Tampering with life was against her virtues. It was a blasphemous act; prideful, arrogant. It was only natural for Lumia to feel scared about such research. Yet, despite that, the mysteries of life had been a pervasive, omnipresent theme of magic. If they even once touch that forbidden fruit, then as a human, and above all as a magician, they would become unable to suppress their covetous thirst for knowledge. There was no more going back. The research on the mysteries of life could not be halted once it began. Even Glen, who served as a champion for the hatred of all things magic, found himself unable to resist the urge, and fixed his eyes on the open research. Sistina was unable to hide her surprise. ¡°I see¡­ So when someone becomes too engrossed in this they¡¯ll descend into the realm of heretical magicians¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about our thirst for knowledge, we¡¯re human after all, but we can¡¯t allow ourselves to go too far. We can¡¯t allow ourselves to forget what we¡¯re doing, and for what purpose¡­¡± ¡°¡­Mm, we need to be careful to not lose ourselves in our own desires.¡± To calm her nerves, Sistina released a long breath. ¡°How should I say this¡­? It¡¯s expected, but they really are doing ¡®that research¡¯ here¡­ Well, it should be more or less a given anyway.¡± Sistina jokingly commented, hoping to change the heavy mood. ¡°¡¯That research¡¯, what do you mean Sisti?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª, mhm. It¡¯s, well¡­ research to resurrect and revive the dead. A while back, the Empire started a massive magic project under its banner, if I remember correctly, its name was¡­ Ermm¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ [Project: Revive Life]¡± suddenly came the voice of a third-party. Sistina and Lumia turned around in surprise. Standing there was the ever-warm and friendly old-man Bacchus. ¡°I¡¯d never thought that I would hear about this from students¡­ You¡¯ve studied well, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure an excellent youngster like you will bring light to the future of the Empire.¡± ¡°No, how could I¡­ It¡¯s just a coincidence! Excuse me for my discourtesy!¡± Sistina shrunk in a panic. Although unable to understand why Sistina apologized, Lumia voiced her question. ¡°Uhm¡­ Bacchus-san. Would you mind explaining what this [Project: Revive Life] is¡­?¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean by that miss?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ In class we learned and discussed that it was impossible to bring the dead back to life¡­¡± ¡°Fufu, you must be talking about the derivation of Marvel¡¯s Cosmozone theory. Death cannot be reversed, yes?¡± Bacchus continued with a smile. ¡°Certainly, it is as you say. The structure of life is divided into three essential parts; the [Material Body], which makes up the physical body, [Astral Body], which makes up the mind, and [Aether Body], which makes up the soul¡­ When a living being passes on, the three essentials come apart and each return to the cycle from which they came from. The [Material Body] returns to the cycle of nature, the [Astral Body] returns to the collection of unconscious in the Eighth World¡­ the sea of consciousness, and the [Aether Body] returns to the cycle of reincarnation, the wheel of providence. Thusly¡ª¡± After a short pause, Bacchus looked directly into Lumia¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°After life, the [Astral Body] dissolve in the sea of consciousness and the [Aether Body] will reincarnate into its next life. As a result, bringing back the dead is impossible ¡ª These are the irreversible circumstances behind death. As of now, there are also no spells that would allow this barrier to be overcomer. Which brings us to our resurrection plan [Project: Revive Life]¡­ The name [Re¡ª¡± ¡°[Project: Revive Life], at its core, takes the three essentials of life that Bacchus-san just mentioned and tries to replace them with something else in an attempt to bring the dead back to life.¡± Suddenly Glen butted into the conversation as if to take the spotlight. ¡°With the ¡®Gene ¡¤ Code¡¯ taken from the hereditary information of the person you want to revive as a basis, you can create a substitute body using alchemical means. Then by taking the soul of another and formatting it clean using several methods, you can create an [Alter ¡¤ Aether] to use as a substitute for the soul. Then you can take the spiritual information from the person you want to revive and convert that into [Astral ¡¤ Code] to use as a substitute for the spirit. Finally, you can combine the substitutes of the three essentials together, and bring about the revival of the person¡­ That about sums up the technique¡­¡± ¡°Hey sensei! Thanks for the explanation, but Bacchus-san was talking wasn¡¯t he!? It¡¯s rude for you to butt in!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. The topic seemed interesting so I just¡­¡± Glen flippantly attempted to calm Sistina¡¯s ange. ¡°Ah¡ª, sorry about butting in, Bacchus-san¡­¡± ¡°No no, I don¡¯t mind in the slightest. On the contrary, your explanation was commendable, as expected of a current instructor of the academy. Not only was your reasoning was logical and cogent; it was much faster to allow you to explain in my stead. The friendly Bacchus-san said with a laugh. Glancing at Glen, who forced an awkward smile, Lumia pondered to herself. Plan to resurrect the dead, [Project: Revive Life]. Basically, it takes a copy and a copy and a copy, and puts them together to create a copy of a person. If all the components are copies then the revived product will share nothing with the original. ¡°But¡­ could that still be called resurrection?¡± ¡°Certainly, with this method, the person that is revived is not strictly the same as the original. However, to the others around them, a person that was supposed to be lost has returned with a completely identical appearance and the recollections of their persona¡­ That in itself is quite useful is it not? If this is successful, than even if a great hero or talent passed away due to unforeseen events, it would be possible to immediately bring them back with the same abilities and form¡­¡± Lumia got goosebumps at the thought of it. If she were to die¡­ And then appeared a her that wasn¡¯t herself that was treated by Sistina and everyone else as ¡®Lumia¡¯. Then it was as if she was the copy instead¡­ The more she thought about thought about it, the more twisted and frightening it became. ¡°I understand your unease. After all, what you are surely feeling right now was a topic of heavy debate from the beginning to end of the project, and was also a great cause of discussion for the priests of the Empire¡¯s church. There was even a time where the Holy Elizareth church of the Rezalia kingdom participated in the discussion.¡± That was of no surprise. The doctrines of both the new and old sects of the Elizareth church advocated that life was a gift from god; Blessings for when one¡¯s life came to an end, and wishes for when they moved on to the next. The contents of this research directly opposed their doctrine. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that this was a cause for conflict and chaos between those that advocated for research and those of the devout orthodox. ¡°However, do rest assured. From a results perspective, this researched ended with decisive failure. This was because as the research proceeded we encountered the functional limitations of the magic language ¡®rune¡¯, which served as an absolute barrier that we found no way to overcome. As a result, the project was, albeit all too soon, fated for abandonment.¡± ¡°¡­Functional limitations?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Do you mean that the techniques and formulation methods at the time weren¡¯t enough?¡± Lumia asked curiously. ¡°Lumia, do you remember that Rune language is based off from the timbre of the first soul in this world¡­ ¡®The sound of origin¡¯?¡± Hearing that, Lumia replied to Glen was another question. ¡°Ah, yes I do. It¡¯s because Rune is a similar language to [The Sound of Origin] that the chanting of spells require special enunciation techniques. Although we, at a conscious level are unable to understand the meaning, we are, however, able to clearly derive its meaning at a subconscious level, right? However, even if it¡¯s said to be close to [The Sound of Origin], it is first and foremost a creation of the people, so it¡¯s fairly incomplete compared to the language of angels and dragons¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve remembered it well. So, back on topic, the grouping of Rune creates the functions of magic, and the grouping of these functions creates a magical technique¡­ This lead us to the problem. No matter how you use Rune, there¡¯s no grouping of functions or methods that would allow us to combine the three essentials of life into one. It¡¯s not that the formulation techniques of the time weren¡¯t enough, but rather an underlying problem with an incomplete magic language like Rune. Given Rune¡¯s potential and specs, it was proved that it was impossible to bring the technique to competition. That¡¯s what he means by the functional limits of the magic language Rune.¡± Having explained this much in one go, Glen shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Essentially, regardless of how capable a blacksmith is, given steel, it¡¯s impossible for the blacksmith to create a sword that is harder and tougher than steel itself. Thus, that sword cannot easily cut a shield made of mithril.¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha-, that is quite the explanation, Glen-sensei.¡± ¡°On top of that, there is one key problem. Perhaps this problem is greater than the functional limits of Rune.¡± Ignoring Bacchus¡¯ praises, Glen plainly continued. ¡°One of the three essentials needed to perform resurrection¡­ About the substitute for the soul [Alter ¡¤ Aether]¡­ Other than taking the extracting the souls of various unrelated parties, then processing and refining them, there is no other known way to create it.¡± ¡°Eh!? By that¡­ you don¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. To revive a single person, many others will certainly die. There is no way that this would be allowed. We humans aren¡¯t gods, we have no right to choose who lives or who dies.¡± ¡°My my, you¡¯ve certainly taken all of the glory for yourself. Anyway, due to the plethora of issues you have kindly brought up, the project was sealed in the end.¡± With a beaming smile, Bacchus supplemented Glen¡¯s uninvited explanation. ¡°Apparently, some magic society had stolen some documents related to the project and, using some extraordinarily talented alchemist, somehow brought the project to fruition¡­ Though, I must say that these are fake anecdotes at best.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard those rumors as well, but those are an urban legend at best.¡± ¡°¡­Sensei?¡± Lumia noticed a graven expression on Glen¡¯s face for a mere moment as he then fell silent. ¡°¡­No, It¡¯s nothing.¡± Glen turned his head away. Lumia, hoping to disperse the awkward mood that Glen had created, threw a question at Bacchus, albeit in form only. ¡°Uhm¡­ Just out of curiosity¡­ in order to make [Project: Revive Life] work¡­ what else is necessary? That is, assuming that the problem of sacrifices is already solved¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Do you wish challenge [Project: Revive Life], which has been branded as absolutely impossible?¡± ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s really just out of curiosity¡­¡± Lumia quickly denied the statement as she waved her hands. ¡°It¡¯s fine. That said, people like myself are already trapped by our great general knowledge of the magic realm, so it becomes impossible for us to re-evaluate such a problem from scratch. To be frank, I am quite jealous of the point of view of you youngsters.¡± ¡°A-, Ahaha¡­ No way¡­¡± Before the bashful Lumia, Bacchus placed a hand to his lips and pondered for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose¡­ for [Project: Revive Life] which is said to be impossible, there are roughly two ways to make it succeed. The first is original magic. ¡°¡­Original magic?¡± ¡°Yes. Original magic refers to a person¡¯s unique magic affinity[2]¡­ It is magic that applies the current state of the soul. There have been incidents where original magic has allowed techniques that were impossible in theory to succeed. If there were someone who bore a magical affinity that was peculiar to [Project: Revive Life]¡­ Then I believe that they would bring success. ¡°But the chances of such a person appearing are astronomically low is it not?¡± Sistina reflexively butted in. ¡°Hahaha, perhaps so. As for the other possibility¡­ is through the use of a language that is closer to [The Sound of Origin] than Rune. For example, the language of dragons or angels. Those languages are overwhelming closer to [The Sound of Origin] than the language we use, thus I believe that the chances of success are very high if that were the case.¡± ¡°But, people aren¡¯t able to use the language of dragons or angels as a magic language¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. However, if another language appears that can be used as a magic language beyond Rune then¡­ Well, perhaps that is too much of a tangent in and of itself.¡± Bacchus followed with a light cackle that seemed to bear some sentiment. ¡°E-, Excuse me for asking such a pointless question¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Talking to youngsters like you makes me feel young again. Of course, that is all the more so with beautiful ladies such as yourselves.¡± ¡°N-, Not really¡­¡± ¡°Ahaha, and you have quite the tongue for flattery, Bacchus-san.¡± Lumia and Sistina bashfully replied. ¡°Now then, I suppose it¡¯s about time we keep moving. There are still many places I would like you all to visit¡­¡± A countless number of mysteries were unveiled one after another; there appeared to be no end to surprises. For the students, who were all aspired to work in the some realm of magic in the future, this was certainly a meaningful time. Time flew by quickly. By the time the tour ended, it was already nearing sunset. The class reluctantly returned home. The students, in their undying excitement, seemed to forget their fatigue as they traversed the ill path from which they came, passionately discussing magic all along the way. When they arrived at their lodgings in the northeastern coastal area, the skies were already dark. It was now free time. Those who still had strength went to town for food and to browse the roadside stalls. Those who didn¡¯t retired for the night. The students formed their own groups and went about their own things. Riel stayed away from the groups, but with no real purpose, she idly stood outside the building. Her figure seemed even smaller than usual. Unable to bear the sight, Lumia called out to her. ¡°Hey Riel, we¡¯re going to town to get some food. Would you like to come with¡­¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t want to.¡± However, Riel bluntly refused and turned around to leave. ¡°Riel¡­¡± Lumia looked at Riel¡¯s back with sadness. Sistina glared at the same back with irritation. Then, someone quickly moved to intercept Riel. ¡°Oi, that¡¯s enough Riel.¡± It was Glen. Even he couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to this. Not getting along was one thing, but at this rate, Riel¡¯s attitude would interfere with her primary duty as a bodyguard. Mentally preparing himself for a scolding if necessary, Glen pulled on Riel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How long are you planning on sulk¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± However, Riel flung Glen¡¯s arm aside and quickly ran away. Pushing away everyone in her way, she dashed into an alleyway and soon disappeared from sight. ¡°¡­Tch, that idiot¡­¡± Now then, what do I do now? Glen thought of how to deal with Riel. ¡°Go after her, sensei.¡± Lumia called out to Glen. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. Riel¡¯s more important right now. If we go after her, it¡¯ll probably have the opposite effect¡­ For now, I think it¡¯s best that you be with her.¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry about this.¡± Glen couldn¡¯t allow himself to leave Riel alone when she was in such an unstable state either. ¡°I¡¯ll go have a word with her.¡± Saying than, Glen dashed after Riel. ¡°Hah¡ªHah¡ªHah¡ª¡± The scenery flew past her as quickly as it came. Riel, in a burst of impulse and emotions, continued to run, with no end-goal in mind. Why? Why does my head hurt? Why is it so hard to breathe? Why does my chest sting? Why do my eyes burn? Am I sick? Questions for which she could not the find the answers to stormed within her and showed no signs of receding. Lumia looked sad. Sistina looked angry. When they look at me like that¡­ Why does my chest feel heavy? Why do my eyes feel hot? Why does it feel so unpleasant? Did I make some mistake? ¡­That doesn¡¯t matter¡­ It¡¯s because of them that Glen left my side. I can¡¯t be with people who robbed me of Glen. They¡¯re the bad ones. It¡¯s their fault. That why I¡¯m sure I hate them. That¡¯s why I¡¯m sure that all these good feelings I¡¯ve had with them are lies. That¡¯s why I¡¯m sure that this pain in my chest is just my imagination. It must be. ¡­But¡­ ¡°Why¡­ Why does it hurt so much¡­?¡± Repeating these thoughts many, many times over, Riel continued to run. She ran with all her heart. As if she were running away. As if she were trying to break through the dead ends of her thoughts. She ran, and ran, and ran, with all her might. ¡­And then¡ª Riel continued to run further north, having already left the northeastern sightseeing district. Soon after, she arrived at the former developmental landscape. The area had previously been planned for future development into a new sightseeing district, but due to a multitude of complications, the development had been abandoned. At present, it was a ghost town with only Riel present. There was not a single lamp to illuminate the darkness of the night. Riel wandered through the dead town with no goal in mind. Finally, her loitering brought her to what was formerly a harbor. The waves splashed against the wharf, becoming a spray of droplets before returning to the sea. The cold sea breeze swept mercilessly against Riel¡¯s skin. She looked down into the pitch black abyss of the sea. It wouldn¡¯t seem strange if a monster appeared from its depths. The domain was completely hidden by the darkness, evoking a primal fear. Why? When I had come to see the sea with Lumia and Sistina yesterday, it had been so pretty. But now¡­ my knees won¡¯t stop shaking at the sight of the sea. It¡¯s scary, like a monster. Will I never be able to such a beautiful moonlit sea again? As Riel¡¯s mind wandered upon that thought¡ª ¡°¡­u¡± For some reason¡ª ¡°¡­sniff¡­uu¡­¡± Tears¡ª ¡°Why¡­ Why¡­?¡± Spilled from the edges of her eyes, and she began to weep. She did not cry out, but the tears would not cease, flowing uncontrollably down her cheeks. Why is this happening? What is this pressing feeling against my chest? I¡¯ve becoming strange. Ever since this mission. Ever since I went to the academy and met those two, I¡¯ve become strange. I¡¯ve become out of place. Even though I¡¯ve never felt this way before¡ª Riel softly cried by herself. ¡­Then. It came all too suddenly. ¡°¡­You crying, Riel?¡± A voice came from before. It was a voice that she had heard somewhere before. I didn¡¯t even notice them approach until they called out to me? ¡­Just what is wrong with me right now? ¡°¡ªWho is it!?¡± Riel quickly turned around. At the same time, she bent down and pressed her hands on the floor, synthesizing a greatsword on the spot¡ª In an instant, the tip of the blade quickly whirled around with a roar and found itself pointing towards the young white-robed man. The man¡¯s hair was a pale blue rare seen in the empire. ¡­Eh? I think¡­ I¡¯ve seen this person before¡­ ¡°¡­W-, Who are you!? What are you!?¡± But I can¡¯t remember. Riel thought hard and sifted through her memories, but it was as though her mindscape was blurred by an opaque white fog. She could not grasp the man¡¯s identity. Feeling an unknown, yet creeping sense of impatience, Riel pressed the tip of the trembling blade towards and shouted for him to name himself. ¡°That¡¯s terribly rude. How could you not know who I am¡­? Well, I suppose it¡¯s been quite a while, so it¡¯s understandable.¡± Answer me! You¡­ Who are you!? Why do you know who I am!?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± In contrast to Riel, who seemed like she could burst into a frenzy at any moment, the man showed warm and serene smile. It was as though he believed in Riel would not hurt him¡­ from the bottom of his heart. ¡°You should know who I am. Take a moment to think¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Riel gazed deeply at the man¡¯s face. His face. His gestures. His expressions. I¡¯ve definitely seen them before. But when? Where? ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. ¡­Then. The answer suddenly appeared from the depths of her heart, like bubbles bursting above the surface of water. ¡°¡­Brother? Is that you¡­ Brother?¡± In disbelief of even her own murmurs, Riel gazed at the man. The man showed a wide smile¡­ ¡°Of course, Riel. It¡¯s been a while hasn¡¯t it¡­? I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you.¡± And said such. ¡°¡­Tch.¡± In the depths of the forest, submerged in the darkness of this slightly foggy night, was a man wearing all black, with his arms crossed and his back leaned against a tree ¨C Albert. Although unintentional, he made his annoyance clear through the loud click of his tongue. Albert was currently west of the sightseeing district, inside the forest that belonged to the restricted area. He simultaneously used multiple farsight spells to monitor Lumia¡¯s group from his current position[3]. He had also been keeping an eye on Riel, who had separated herself on the group, but¡­ ¡°¡­So they¡¯ve come.¡± Doesn¡¯t seem like the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society will let this chance slip by. Yet, to think that they¡¯ve drawn plans this time around as well. The reaches of their influence never fails to scare me. ¨CIt¡¯ll take a while before Glen catches up to Riel. ¨CIt¡¯s better for me to make a move. Coming to that decision, Albert turned towards the sightseeing district, but¡ª ¡°¡­Hmpf. You¡¯re quite quick on the move. No, perhaps I was too na?ve.¡± Albert immediately came to a halt and cautiously observed his surroundings. At some point in time, a rather conspicuous people-warding field had been placed in the area. It seemed like a sound-blocking barrier had been tagged on as well. No one else would notice what happened within the bounds of the field. There¡¯s no reason for anyone unrelated to wander into such a remote area at this time of day. The person behind this is rather prudent. ¡ªThen. ¡°Fufu¡­ Are you alone tonight? Albert-sama¡­¡± A dangerously heated, yet bewitching female voice rung through the area. ¡°Then how about you be my partner tonight? My body feels so hot today that it feels as though it burning¡­ If you would like to join me¡­¡± A female figure appeared from the shade of a tree behind Albert. ¡°I can offer you a burning, passionate summer night¡¯s dream. A moment unvirtuous, decadent, yet filled with ecstasy¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately¡ª¡° Albert turned in a polished, efficient motion, pointing his left hand forwards. Utilizing delayed-activation, he instantaneously fired a spell which he had pre-chanted long beforehand, [Lightning ¡¤ Pierce], towards the female figure. The shining beam of light pierced through the darkness. The woman lightly jumped out of the way, and elegantly landed on the branch of a large tree. ¡°I have no interest in easy women like yourself. Disappear.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s rather cold of you¡­ Not to mention, quite rude. For your knowledge, you should treat women as gently as silk.¡± ¡°I never would have thought that you would personally involve yourself in this matter, one wing of the Wisdom of the Heavens¡¯ Research Society¡¯s Adeptus Order, heretical magician Elenora Charlotte.¡± ¡°My oh my? Even my rank has been exposed? The army is certainly not just for show I suppose.¡± Albert¡¯s hawk-like eyes fixed themselves on the Elenora, who showed a ghastly smile as if to dye the night a shade of red. ¡°Your presence here means that your group has another deplorable plan involving the princess, does it not? Let¡¯s end it here. I will have you take your leave.¡± ¡°My my, would it hurt to be more patient? Selfish men who have no respect for a woman¡¯s advances will find themselves on the receiving end of their distaste. There¡¯s truly no need to hurry¡­¡± Elenora chanted a spell under a breath and then snapped her fingers with a loud click. Suddenly, several figures burst and pulled themselves out of the ground, surrounding Albert. The air in the area was filled with the scent of rotting flesh and dead. Decayed skin, exposed bones; it only took a glance to affirm that these figures were human corpses. Furthermore, all these figures were female. Albert couldn¡¯t understand why, but understood that Elenora was the mastermind who had summoned them. The corpses seemed to express the twisted madness within Elenora. ¡°As you can see, we are all dressed up and ready to serve to your hearts content¡­¡± ¡°¡­Necromancer, huh.¡± Albert scornful gaze pierced through Elenora. ¡°Fine, heretic. I shall keep you company¡­ Fair warning, my taste in women is quite picky.¡± ¡°Fufu, then I shall do my utmost to provide service that is to your pleasure¡ª Let us begin.¡± Then, Elenora quickly chanted yet another spell. Responding to Elenora¡¯s spell, the corpses charged towards Albert in unison. ¡°Hmpf, ¡ª¡±[4] In response, Albert swiftly chanted a one stage spell. Flames flared from Albert¡¯s left arm¡­ In the next moment, a giant tower of flame burst above the trees of the dark forest. ¡°No way¡­ Brother¡­ But¡­ How¡­?¡± With surprise and shock¡­ Riel¡¯s gaze latched onto the man in front of her. The person she had wanted to protect, but hadn¡¯t been able to¡­ The goal she had lost and sought a replacement for¡­ was now before her very own eyes. ¡°You¡­ Brother¡­ but¡­ you died¡­ you were killed by that person¡­¡± ¡°¡­That person? Who do you mean by that person?¡± ¡°¡­T-, That¡¯s¡­¡± Riel fell silent. Who was ¡®that person¡¯? ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. I can¡¯t remember. That memory is just a shade of white. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore who killed me. What most important to you is that me, your brother, has once again appeared before you¡­ right? Am I wrong?¡± That¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t remember who ¡®that person¡¯ was. ¡°Brother¡­ Why are you still alive? I remember that you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. My plan for us to leave the organization had been leaked. On that day, I had been attacked by them. Perhaps you may not have noticed in the heat of the moment, but I was actually still breathing.¡± Yes. The day that my brother died¡ª That day¡ª ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õhad ¡õ¡õ¡õ my brother, and I ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ¡õ. ¡°Guu¡­¡± My head hurts. My memories feel empty. It¡¯s strange. Glen always told me to not think too much about the past, but even if I did, my head would begin to hurt, so I couldn¡¯t think about it even if I wanted to¡­ It¡¯s all so strange. It all happened only two years ago¡­ How could I completely forget it all? ¡°A-, Are you okay Riel? What happened back then must¡¯ve been very shocking for you¡­ If it¡¯s uncomfortable to think back on it, it¡¯s okay not to.¡± ¡°M¡­mm¡­¡± Under her brother¡¯s concern, Riel tried to rid her mind of these thoughts. No, I have to remember¡­ Such an alarm rung in the depths of her heart, but due to the headache, she decided to ignore it. Not to mention, to Riel, her brother¡¯s word was more important than anything else. ¡°S-, So brother¡­ what are you doing here¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? I came here to meet you of course, Riel.¡± Her brother said with a warm smile. ¡°Two years ago, you miraculously found your freedom with the Imperial Court Magicians. However, I failed¡­ Even know, I¡¯m nothing but a slave of the organization.¡± ¡°No¡­ way¡­¡± Hearing her brother¡¯s words, Riel felt the crushing weight of guilt striking against her chest. If what brother says is true¡­ Then what have I, who promised to protect him, been doing all this time? ¡°B-, Brother¡­ I¡¯m¡­ s¡­ sorry¡­ I¡­ didn¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. This wasn¡¯t your fault. Though, if you think you owe me, then¡­¡± The man continued, as if pleading. ¡°¡­Help me out, Riel.¡± Riel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Help you?¡± ¡°You should know right? What happens to traitors of that organization¡­ I can¡¯t take it any longer¡­ The reason they let me live all this time is because I still have some value to them¡­¡± ¡°B-, But¡­ how should I help you¡­ What can I do?¡± Riel, unable to hide her anxiety, timidly asked. ¡°Lumia Tinzel.¡± ¡°!¡± Hearing her brother¡¯s answer, Riel¡¯s complexion turned pale. ¡°As of now, the organization is attempting to commence a certain plan. For it, they require the girl named Lumia Tinzel¡­ That, and the magic instructor protecting her, Glen, is too much of an obstacle. He must be eliminated first.¡± Even Riel could understand what her brother meant. ¡°Cooperate with me, Riel. Since then, I¡¯ve abided by every order for two whole years¡­ and now they have given me a chance. As long as I bring them Lumia and see the plan through to completion¡­ they will give me my freedom.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ a¡­ a¡­.¡± In essence, he was asking her to betray Glen and Lumia. If she accepted her brother¡¯s offer¡­ Then there would likely be no going back. ¡­Why. Glen¡¯s shock, Lumia¡¯s sadness, Sistina¡¯s anger. Their expressions appeared in her mind. Why do I feel so afraid? For my brother, I should be willing to do anything. That¡¯s how I lived in the past. What am I afraid of now? Glen was just a replacement because he was a little similar to brother, Lumia was just someone I had to accompany for my mission, Sistina was nothing more than an extra person to deal with. If so, then why? Why do I feel so afraid of betraying them? Did I not promise to live for my brother¡¯s sake? Wasn¡¯t nothing else supposed to matter? ¡°U¡­ah¡­ ah¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± Riel buried her head in her arms and slowly retreated away from her brother. Her feet felt as though they had crumpled and collapse. Looking into her brother¡¯s eyes, she felt her sense of self disappear¡­ Then. Seeing Riel¡¯s hesitation, her brother murmured with great sadness. ¡°Riel¡­ Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to protect me? Are you planning to ignore me and leave me behind again¡­?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing that¡ª Riel felt something in her heart shatter and break. ¡°¡­I-, I will¡­¡± As words of her decision were about to leave her mouth¡ª ¡°Riel! Get away from him!¡± Suddenly, a sharp desperate shout rung forth. A figure dashed in between Riel and her brother like a gale. The figure, with a robe with hanging from his back, confronted her brother. ¡°¡­-!? Glen Ryders!?¡± A mix of surprise and fright appeared on the brother¡¯s expression. Seeing this Riel gazed at the intruder. ¡°Oh? So you know who I am¡­ Are you from the Wisdom of the Heavens Research Society?¡± Hearing his name spoken, Glen raised an eyebrow. With a daunting, low voice, he questioned the man who had approached Riel. ¡°N-, No¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make up excuses. In the first place, you¡¯re wearing the ceremonial clothes of that idiot organization¡¯s Portals Order. I¡¯d never mistake such a shitty uniform. Not to mention¡­¡± Glen glared at the man expression, as if seeing right through him. ¡°If you are part of that organization then you should have a tattoo of a snake coiling around a dagger. If I have to, I¡¯ll use force to confirm whether it¡¯s there. If it¡¯s not I¡¯ll prostrate myself and apologize.¡± ¡°U¡­¡± The man¡¯s face turned pale at Glen¡¯s declaration. He was obviously losing his bearings. The man¡¯s incomposure only served to confirm Glen¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Geez, you guys are way too passionate about your work. You¡¯re still going about your stuff even at a time like this? It won¡¯t hurt to skip out once in a while won¡¯t it? This time around though, you were too careless. Glen already had the arcana of [The Fool] in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were trying to sell Riel on, but you failed when you gave me enough time to rush here, heretic.¡± Glen had already activated his original magic [The Fool¡¯s World], a magician-slaying spell that sealed all activation of magic within a fixed area around Glen. Despite only being able to shorten his chants to three stages at best and possessing the magic capacity of a third-rate magician, it was this magic that allowed him to be one of the aces of the Imperial Court Magicians. Before [The Fool], all magicians would become nothing more than powerless children. Judging from the man¡¯s reaction, he wasn¡¯t a combat-type magician that generally dealt with more violent matters¡­ but negligence was forbidden. ¡°I don¡¯t know what tricks you have up your sleeve, but it¡¯s all pointless now. Everything you have will be nullified. The Portals Order is only the base level of the organization, so someone like you probably won¡¯t have any useful information, though, it won¡¯t hurt to be careful. Riel, let¡¯s catch that guy.¡± Glen placed the arcana of [The Fool] back in his pocket, and closed the distance between himself and the man. At this moment, Glen had no doubts about his tremendous advantage in this fight. Currently, the activation of all magic was sealed. On top of that, it was a two versus one. Amongst the Imperial Court Magicians, he and Riel were the most outstanding at close range combat. Not to mention, Riel had already synthesized her sword. The opponent didn¡¯t possess any weapons, nor was there any trace of any magic tools that had already been activated. That¡¯s why¡ª ¡°¡­Eh?¡± He was unable to comprehend the sudden impact that assaulted him from behind, and the burning sensation that oozed from his body in the following moment. ¡°Geh¡­¡± Glen choked as the taste of steel flooded his throat. ¡°¡­ Ri¡­ el?¡± Glen turned his head around with shock towards Riel. This, has gotta be a joke. ¡°¡­¡± Riel, whose eyes were hollow and lusterless, had thrust the greatsword in her hands deeply through Glen¡¯s back. The naked blade cleanly pierced through Glen¡¯s right chest, and forming a dark-red protrusion on the other side of considerable length. ¡°Guh¡­!? ¡­Gah¡­ Wh¡­ W-, Wh¡­y¡­!? Fresh blood poured from his mouth. It was already a pointless question to ask. ¡°¡­Y¡­ You¡­ can¡¯t, be¡­ !? That¡­ ca¡­ n¡¯t¡­ be¡­ ?¡±¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. Such thoughts and feelings poured out of him. ¡°¡­That you for everything.¡± Riel¡¯s bloodied face was blank and hollow as she gave her thanks. ¡°But, I¡¯ve¡­ decided to live for the sake of my brother here.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? ¡­Brother?¡± It was then¡ª Glen eyes widened, as if seeing something he never thought was possible. ¡°¡­R-, Riel¡­ you¡­ what are you saying¡­-!?¡± ¡°¡­Goodbye.¡± Riel casually swung the greatsword that had skewered Glen. Glen¡¯s body spun in an arc, blood spraying from his body with every motion. ¡°¡ª!?¡± The force flung Glen off the sword, his body flying through the air in a parabola. Sprays of red decorated the sky like the petals of a fallen flower¡­ Then, with a column of water, the body fell into the darkness of the sea. Glen¡¯s body was devoured by the raging tides, never to appear again. ¡°¡­¡­¡± With eyes like orbs of glass, she stared at Glen as he sunk into the sea. She didn¡¯t say anything, nor did her eyes reflect any emotions. There was only the sound of the cold tidal winds blowing through Riel¡¯s emptied heart. ¡°¡­Riel.¡± Riel¡¯s brother expressed his thanks towards Riel, who stood still and silent. ¡°Thanks¡­ for protecting me. It must¡¯ve been hard, Riel¡­¡± ¡°¡­No. I¡­ just¡­ did it for you¡­¡± Riel said with a spectre-like voice. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why¡­ this is nothing¡­ it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Yes, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just returned to how it was before. For my brother, to protect my brother, I kill, I wear away at my life. It returned to how it was before. That¡¯s why this crushing feeling against my chest must be a lie. An illusion. Lumia and Sistina¡­ The feeling that they¡¯ve now gone far, far away; this sense of loss, must also be a lie, an illusion. That¡¯s why, the tears that fill my eyes and roll down my cheeks must be a figment of my imagination. Interlude I: When the Ephemeral Dream Ends ¡°Hah¡­¡± Lumia was alone in her room. Sitting on the sofa, she released a long sigh. The room, located in the main building of the inn, was shared by Lumia, Sistina, and Riel. However, not only had Riel run away, Sistina was also not present. Sistina had said that she would visit the sightseeing district and buy a simple takeout meal for their dinner, so she should return soon. In truth, Lumia had wanted to join the large group of classmates to get dinner, and they had invited her too. However, knowing that Riel could return at any moment, she had decided to stay. As Lumia had refused, Sistina had defaulted to joining her. Sistina¡¯s good nature meant that she couldn¡¯t leave Lumia behind and have fun on her own. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t help but feel a little sorry¡­¡± Although Sistina probably wouldn¡¯t mind too much, it weighed heavily on Lumia¡¯s mind. ¡°Riel¡­¡± She began to think about the girl whose personality changed drastically today. What had put her in such a bad mood? Perhaps her attitude until now had all been an act? Maybe her rejection of others was her true personality? To begin with, the worlds in which the two each lived in were far too different. There was probably too much that Lumia could not understand. ¡°But¡­¡± She thought back on the fun times where she, Sistina, Lumia, and the rest of the class were together. Beside the beautiful night time sea, Riel had once claimed that she did not dislike being friends. I want to believe¡­ I want to believe that those words were not lies. There must be some reason that she was unable to bear this kind of life, that she decided to reject her surroundings. There must. That¡¯s why, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll meet Riel, talk to her, set things right, and apologize to one another¡­ Then it¡¯ll all be over. Those noisy but fun times will return ¨C¨C That was what Lumia believed. ¡°First, I¡¯ll have to be able to meet her.¡± But, there¡¯s no need to worry about that. Because Glen went to find her. If it¡¯s Glen, then I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find Riel and bring her back. What I need to think about is what to say when I meet Riel again. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Lumia tried to piece together her words. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Riel got angry, but saying ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ all of a sudden would be strange¡­¡± Just doing that wouldn¡¯t make her forgive me. That would just be smoothing over the problem to keep up appearances. I don¡¯t want to do that. Facing a problem more complex than imagined, Lumia lost herself in thought¡­ it was then that¡ª BAM! A loud noise suddenly burst from the room¡¯s balcony. Lumia¡¯s shoulders jumped in surprise at the shrill noise. In the next moment, she heard someone enter the room. ¡°¡­Eh!?¡± Lumia quickly turned towards the source of the noise. The door leading to the balcony had been kicked apart from the outside. The remains were scattered across the floor of the room. Next to the swaying remains of the hinges of the door¡ª Was a specter-like girl. ¡°¡­Eh? ¡­Riel?¡± The figure and appearance was undoubtedly that of Riel, but Lumia, for a brief moment, was unable to recognize her. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Something about her right now is off-putting. She seemed like a doll the first time I met her, but it doesn¡¯t compare to how she is now. Her body looks normal, but I can¡¯t shake this ominous feeling. It¡¯s like she¡¯s a puppet whose limbs have been broken and twisted. ¡°¡ª!?¡± The light of the room¡¯s lamps revealed Riel¡¯s appearance, which Lumia had confirmed with some delay. It was then Lumia¡¯s mind went blank. Blood. Riel¡¯s face and hands were soaked in fresh blood. Whose blood was it? ¡ª Who had gone searching for Riel, and who did she then meet? ¡ª Lumia didn¡¯t want to think about it. In Riel¡¯s small hands was a sword. The cross claymore dripped with fresh blood. The steel gleamed with sinister light. Who had been sacrificed to the blade? ¨C The mere thought made Lumia tremble. ¡°¡­Riel, what did you do¡­?¡± However, Lumia shoved the thought to the back of her mind. Suppressing the growing, ominous feeling in her chest, she managed to keep herself together and ask the question. Her steadfastness was worthy of praise. Though¡ª All her steadfastness was for naught. ¡°¡­ Sorry.¡± Riel uttered as she readied her sword. I don¡¯t know her reason, but I have to run now. Following her instinct, Lumia retreated backwards. Lumia¡¯s opponent, however, was too much for her. Accompanied by the sound of parting winds, Riel swiftly closed to distance between them. It had only taken one step and one instant. ¡­ Lumia wasn¡¯t able to react in time. There was no way she could have. ¡°Ah¡­¡± By the time she realized it, Riel was already swinging the greatsword. S-, Sensei¡­ In the next instant, the blade fell like lightning. Help¡­ The crescent swing was burned into Lumia eyes¡ª Lumia vision then went to black. A crash echoed through the inn¡ª The shockwave from the swing pushed a vase from its resting place¡­ from where it then fell and broke.