Chloe couldn’t understand the situation at all.
She had only entered the forest to check the basement at the request of the Finance Director.
So why was an unidentified stranger blocking her path?
──The site that needs investigation is inside that forest. As a Rank 1, it’s a bit tough for me to go in alone… Please.
Due to its artificial creation, the flow of magic in the forest was twisted.
It wasn’t a huge problem for mages like Chloe, but for those of Rank 1 or 2, it was difficult to even approach.
Just as the Finance Director said, it was impossible for him, but he could easily borrow the power of a student like Chloe.
‘There was no need to be overly competent.’
She felt a bit upset realizing that was just flattery, but anyway.
The summoning ritual conducted by professors in the basement had already ended. They said that today, the Academy’s Guard Force had caught them.
All the books and documents in the basement were retrieved, with their magic completely erased in case the summoning magic circle activated.
They hadn’t removed it entirely because it had to be checked by the Finance Director in the end.
──It’s formal, but we need to check if there was any financial damage or losses and report to the Headmistress.
Well, considering he was a close aide to the Headmistress, it wasn’t strange for a high-ranking official like the Finance Director to be in charge of a significant issue like summoning magic.
She felt quite displeased the moment the Headmistress was mentioned, but she let it slide as she was next to the Finance Director… No, it was driving her mad.
Anyway, after receiving permission from the guards at the entrance, she intended to find the basement she’d heard about, take some recording magic, and head back immediately.
But what the heck was this situation?
[Speak quickly. How do you know about the summoning magic?]
A distorted and grotesquely modified voice. It was clear someone was using an artifact to alter their voice.
On top of that, they were completely cloaked in a black robe with the hood pulled down deep.
How could she not notice such a suspicious figure? She had been on guard with magic just in case.
‘…It’s either a Rank 5 specialized in concealing their presence or a Rank 6.”
It couldn’t be a Rank 7, as there was no overwhelming aura. From Chloe’s experience, the stranger in front of her was likely a Rank 6.
Of course, even if they were Rank 6, it was almost impossible for Chloe to win alone. What mattered more was that this stranger had slipped past the guards outside the forest.
At first, she thought maybe it was a trap set by the Finance Director, but if they could mobilize such a strong figure, there was no need to deal with it in a forest like this.
Moreover, since she had heard this was something initiated by the professors, if they knew about summoning magic—
“You’re an Academy associate, aren’t you?”
[You’re long-winded.]
Swoosh!
As she tried to draw a conclusion and probe further, the stranger swung their sword gently, and a tree nearby was sliced in half.
‘That was… no sign of the sword’s movement at all.’
At this level, they were definitely a Rank 6. If they were at the beginning stages of Rank 6, she might have had a shot, but judging from that sword technique, they seemed quite proficient even among Rank 6s.
With skills like that, they could garner respect anywhere, leading her to believe they were more likely an insider hiding their identity than a stranger from outside the Academy.
‘An Academy associate. Could they be one of the professors involved in this incident who hasn’t been caught yet?’
If they were Rank 6, she could think of professors, guards, and exam supervisors as possibilities.
At that moment, she recalled the Rank 6 she’d met a few days ago and chuckled to herself. They wouldn’t even know such an incident was happening, and logically, the professors wouldn’t collaborate with students to construct summoning magic.
While Chloe’s mind was racing, the stranger pointed their ominous sword at her again.
[You still don’t want to speak?]
“Now’s not exactly the time to be shouting. If I unleash one spell here, all the guards will come rushing, right?”
[That’s true. But I could slice your neck before that happens.]
It was annoying, but the issue was that statement wasn’t wrong.
Chloe slowly began to gather her magic while secretly preparing her mentor’s escape scroll, focusing all her attention on the stranger’s sword.
‘What’s with that sword?’
The blade had a crossguard, and the hilt was entirely black.
Just looking at it felt alien and ominous, with a sinister magic contained within. It even felt like the sword was more dangerous than the stranger.
But why was that?
The tip of that sword felt somewhat familiar, making her neck tingle just a bit…
[This is your last warning. Tell me how you know about the summoning magic, what you know about that basement, and who’s behind you.]
“………….”
[3.]
“Eat dirt!”
Whoosh!!
[Dancing Flames]
Chloe’s fingertips glowed, and the flames spun as they danced towards the dark, cloud-filled sky.
They exploded magnificently.
Boom!!!
Since it was dark around due to the cloud cover, it would have been clearly visible even from afar.
Chloe sent a signal with the most spectacular magic and immediately tried to activate the escape scroll from her pocket───
[I knew you would have it.]
“What…!?”
──The moment she tried to activate it, the scroll was sliced in half.
Clearly, the sword had sliced her escape scroll in her pocket, yet her clothes and body were unharmed.
It was a miraculous skill that could selectively cut what the opponent desired. It was proof that her opponent’s prowess far exceeded Chloe’s.
With such a level of skill, they likely knew she was preparing [Dancing Flames], and they could have easily sliced it mid-casting, canceling it out.
‘Are they toying with me? Or do they not care if they get discovered?’
A Rank 6. Strong, but that was all. If a Rank 7 such as the final exam supervisor or the chief guard, or especially the Headmistress came to the scene, there would be no hope, so why were they doing this?
Chloe was puzzled, and the unknown figure’s intent was revealed just after.
[I won’t let you go this time. But I will keep an eye on you.]
“What do you mean?”
[I’m not completely certain yet. For folks like you who won’t easily spill your secrets, this method tends to be more effective based on my experiences.]
“………….”
[You’ll have to continue to fear me. You can always tell the Academy to send you protection. But you won’t make it through that night.]
──There they are!
──Hurry, run! Save the student!
Hearing the urgent voices of the guards approaching, Chloe quietly glared at the stranger, who had the sword pressed to her neck.
Tap.
The sharp sword brushed her neck just enough not to draw blood.
[If you change your mind and want to spill everything, just shout at any time. I’ll always be able to hear it.]
“……Get lost.”
[May you make a wise choice.]
The sudden appearance of the stranger vanished just as abruptly, melting into the shadows.
Moments later, the rushing guards shielded Chloe with their bodies and quickly spread out around her.
“Student, are you okay!?”
“Search the area! Secure the student’s safety!”
“………….”
Amidst the commotion of the guards, Chloe’s eyes were smoldering with intensity.
*
“So, Chloe.”
“……Yes, Finance Director.”
“You checked the basement as I asked, and on your way back, you were startled by the sudden appearance of a pest and accidentally cast magic into the sky?”
“………I’m sorry.”
“That was dangerous, Chloe. As you know, the forest is filled with mana-rich plants, and fire magic is prohibited.”
“I’m truly sorry.”
Why did this happen suddenly?
She had sought a high-ranking individual to enter the forest that she couldn’t access, waiting idly on a nearby bench.
And Chloe had brought the guards instead of using recording magic.
And that was because she had misused fire magic due to that bug.
‘Does this make any sense?’
If it were any other student, she would understand, but this was Chloe Pisty we were talking about.
It was hard to believe she would be scared of something like a bug; she seemed like the type to squash it without a care.
What’s more, Chloe was quite sensitive regarding her grades and evaluations; she wouldn’t be unaware that casting fire magic in the forest would earn her demerits. Even a Rank 5 mage ‘accidentally’ casting magic into the sky?
‘I’m sure it was that flash from the sky earlier… It looked a lot like [Dancing Flames].’
And [Dancing Flames], while not particularly powerful or efficient, was a magic well-known for its flashy explosions and often used for signaling.
What a coincidence it was that she chose [Dancing Flames] among all sorts of fire magic.
The guards also had questions about that.
“Student, are you really sure nothing happened?”
“Really! As you can see, I’m not hurt at all! I’m truly sorry to everyone in the Guard Force for the trouble.”
“Well, if that’s what you say…”
Seeing Chloe speak so assertively made it awkward for them to press further.
I waved the guards away, giving them a signal, and shifted to the main topic.
“Chloe, what about the recording magic?”
“That’s fine. Would you like to see it right away?”
“Please.”
It was obviously clear that something had happened, but she didn’t want to discuss it.
However, if the Guard Force thoroughly searched the forest and basement, the situation would likely come to light. I decided to put off prying into Chloe’s involvement for later and prioritize checking the recording magic first.
“Hmm……….”
“Is it okay?”
“Yes.”
It looked completely normal.
A report from the Chief of the First Guard about unusual magic being felt in the forest of the field of magic not long ago.
A guard-magic-using patrol had sensed suspicious magic during their rounds, so they dispatched the entire guard force to investigate the forest, where they found the basement. Such facilities were often made secretly by students or had simply been forgotten after being created, so they weren’t fully aware of what was there.
Thus, they finished investigating the basement, discovered traces of summoning magic, and ended it by capturing the professors who had come to the scene.
It was extraordinarily smooth and efficient. After all, the guards were filled with seasoned veterans experienced in such matters.
‘By the way, if you conduct research on summoning magic, wouldn’t you typically purchase an artifact to conceal the mana or something?’
If the guard-magic-using patrol had missed it during their rounds, they probably wouldn’t have realized it. Still, isn’t that what the guard force is actually there for: to detect such things and catch them?
Anyway, since summoning magic is prohibited by both the empire and the kingdom, they should have exercised extra caution.
Especially since the magic circle used was nothing but cheap substitutes rather than actual magic stones. Why wouldn’t they just buy magic stones or artifacts instead?
‘…Money?’
Could it be that they had already had their salaries cut? It’s only been one year since their pay was reduced; could they really be that low on funds already?
Thinking back, Chloe seemed to have the same issue; was it that the magic professors were just extravagant, or did they perhaps not save at all because they earned so much in the first place?
This time, three professors from the magic department were caught, and all of them were men: two of them were associate professors, and one was an assistant professor.
‘None of them had problematic statements. They just said they wanted to research summoning magic.’
In truth, if it’s forbidden, people tend to want to see it even more, right? Even if the empire and kingdom forbade it, research into summoning magic was something that existed in the shadows.
Nonetheless, they had been caught, so all three would be fired. The only unusual detail was that—
‘They gave off the impression of having something to rely on.’
All three seemed unfazed, as if being dismissed wouldn’t matter.
An assistant professor might be one thing, but an associate professor should have been working at Grandis Academy for quite some time. They could have qualified for a full professorship, yet they chose to research summoning magic, which held significant risks.
‘Well, they’ll be handed over to the royal prison, and if there’s anyone behind this, they’ll find out there.’
After all, we were an educational institution, not a torture house or court. If the professors were hiding something, it would be up to the royal torturers or interrogators to discover it.
Since the results would be shared by the royal family anyway, I ended my ponderings there and concluded the recording magic.
“Thank you for your help, Chloe. Grandis Academy will not forget your dedication.”
“Ah, yes….”
Hmm.
Normally, that would be the end of it.
But losing such a high-ranking individual here feels disappointing.
“Chloe, would you be able to assist me further? This time, I promise to offer a reward.”
“I, I can certainly do that!”
Awesome.
I had to make good use of this.
“Thank you. Then, please rest for today, and let’s meet tomorrow.”
I needed to draft a report based on the recently concluded recording magic and discuss it with the Headmistress.
As our conversation wrapped up, I rose to leave, and Chloe tried to follow suit but stumbled slightly.
What was wrong with her?
“Oof!?”
“Whoa there. Chloe, be careful. You look rather exhausted; you should get some sleep.”
“………Yes.”
I helped her up as she placed her hand on her forehead, presumably suffering from a headache, and after bidding each other farewell, I headed toward my office.
I wanted some sleep too…
*
Again. That dream again.
The Finance Director leading the way, and I following behind.
And then the voice came through.
──Why won’t you look at me?
Ugh.
This was getting tiresome. The jerk I met today likely crossed paths with this dream in a bid to resolve it.
But more than that, my body had been feeling oddly lethargic and my head aching since earlier; I just wanted to forget the dream and everything else.
I felt an impulsive desire to escape it all with forgetfulness magic.
──Adam, look back. I’m right behind you.
──Always following you, always watching you.
──Do you value that dead woman more than the me who’s here now…?
But why was I speaking in my own voice in the dream?
Why am I being so pathetic? Why am I obsessing over the Finance Director?
Just forget and leave, or find a better man. Or just go back to the magic tower!
I could even reach out and grab the Finance Director. How frustrating.
“Why do I keep acting so ambiguously…?”
That was.
A muttered soliloquy in the dream, and it was the first time I heard my own voice.
──The reason is simple.
“………Huh?”
──I can’t be sure of Adam’s feelings by just capturing him. There could still be room in Adam’s heart for that woman.
A voice resonated from within.
The same voice that had always repeated the same lines.
For the first time, it spoke differently.
It was responding to Chloe’s soliloquy.
──But if Adam looks back at me first, he’s decided to let that woman go from his heart. He’ll only cherish me.
“Uh, uh…?”
──That’s all it is.
The voice ringing inside gradually transformed into words spoken aloud.
The Chloe following behind Adam had suddenly collapsed.
Not the grown-up Chloe seen in the dream but her original self before sleeping.
And when she quickly propped herself up—
“Should I say this is our first meeting? What you’ve been seeing up until now was merely a fragment of memory.”
“………You.”
“I never imagined the influences of the Dark Sword and regression would manifest like this. To be honest, I couldn’t have imagined waking up again like this.”
“W-what…?”
“Not that I want to, but let me introduce myself first.”
“………….”
“Hello, it’s me.”
The Chloe who had always been following Adam, who continuously thought of ‘me’ in the dream.
For the first time, she turned to face ‘Chloe,’ eyeing her with a bewildered expression, contrasting sharply with Chloe’s own stunned demeanor.
The original Chloe and the grown Chloe.
The two of them faced each other with bewildered and vacant eyes as the dream began to shift.
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