From the moment I first locked eyes with Lily, I could tell something was off.
Her two eyes were always sinking into a deep, dark abyss.
I was sure there must be a story behind those sad eyes.
After all, who could look so forlorn without a reason?
But I didn’t ask.
I didn’t want to pry into her painful past.
I waited, hoping that one day she would tell me herself.
When that time came, I vowed to help her wholeheartedly.
But now, even a month has passed, and she hasn’t shared a word about her story.
I really want to know.
What happened to her?
I wanted to cover up the wounds in her heart.
I’ll help you.
So please, tell me, Lily.
Why do you always have those hollow eyes…?
*
“I’m sorry, Iris.”
She said with a gloomy expression.
“Oh… no, I shouldn’t have said anything. Hehe…”
Time had passed after the duel, and night had completely enveloped the sky.
As I was walking back to the dormitory with Lily, I could no longer hold back my curiosity and finally asked her.
But the answer I received was a firm refusal.
I felt slightly disheartened.
I thought we had grown quite close over the past month, but it seemed we weren’t at the level to share deep conversations yet.
‘If you only tell me, I could help…’
Though my mood dipped a little, I quickly shook it off.
That’s right.
Surely, one day Lily will open her heart!
Until then, I just need to be by her side.
“….. I’ll go ahead.”
“Yeah. You did great in the duel today. Sweet dreams, Lily.”
“Yeah, you too.”
After exchanging farewells, Lily turned her back and walked off slowly.
“I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
As I sent her off, seemingly devoid of energy today, I too started to walk back to my room through the late-night streets.
But perhaps due to my sorrowful thoughts, I only stared at the ground.
Thud-
“Yikes?”
I couldn’t see where I was going and ended up bumping into someone, causing me to fall to the ground.
As I rubbed the pain in my backside and opened my eyes, I saw a woman looking down at me.
“Oh my. I’m so sorry, Iris… Are you okay?”
A woman clad in purple robes, short black hair, and a beauty mark under her eye— it was none other than Katrina.
“Ah… yes. I’m fine. Are you okay, Teacher?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
This woman was someone I knew well—Teacher Katrina.
She was definitely the teacher of the alchemy course.
As I took her hand to get up, Teacher Katrina looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked.
“What are you doing out here so late?”
Indeed, as she said, the deep darkness and round moon were hanging in the sky.
“I was saying goodbye to a friend and was on my way back.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“And where are you headed, Teacher Katrina?”
At my question, she paused for a moment before flashing a smile.
“Just some late-night work. I’m on my way back too.”
With that, she patted my shoulder a few times.
“You should hurry home too. It’s dangerous for a girl to be out alone at this hour.”
“Ah… yes…”
“Besides, you’re a saintess, right? You should at least be accompanied by a guard.”
“I’m fine. I have the Goddess’s blessing. And surely, nothing will happen at the academy, right?”
At my words, Teacher Katrina wore an enigmatic smile.
“Well, you never know. Just be careful getting home.”
“…Yes, Teacher.”
After Teacher Katrina passed by, I could only stare blankly at her back.
Yes.
She was just worried about me.
All the teachers at the academy put their heart and soul into ensuring their students’ safety and growth.
They truly are remarkable individuals.
But why…
Why did I feel a dark energy, the kind that usually only appears around evil demons, coming from such a diligent teacher…?
*
For the next few days, I kept a close watch on Teacher Katrina.
As a saintess, I could sense evil energies very accurately.
The aura I felt from Teacher Katrina was certainly bundled with wicked intentions— the unique magical energy of demons.
I couldn’t comprehend why a power that should come from demons was emanating from her.
But I couldn’t just ignore it. Knowing it might be rude, I continued to observe her closely.
However, it was as if what I felt back then was telling me it was a lie.
After that, I couldn’t sense any trace of that dark magic around her.
Was it really just my imagination?
While I was lost in anguished thoughts, someone poked my forehead with their finger.
“Are you okay, Iris?”
“Ah.”
The finger belonged to none other than Ariel.
A girl with purple hair that resembled tulips and a calm, pleasant demeanor.
Moreover, she was rumored to be a promising candidate to inherit the position of the Great Sage.
She had received direct recommendations from the closed-off, non-interacting Magic Tower to enroll in the academy— she was truly impressive.
I heard she had already reached the 6th circle. Truly awesome!
Ariel leaned close to my ear and whispered softly.
“What are you thinking so hard about? You weren’t paying attention in class at all.”
Her words snapped me back to reality.
As I looked around, I realized that class had ended and break time had begun.
My classmates were all relaxing and shaking off their fatigue.
It was only then that I realized I had totally zoned out during the class.
I had committed a huge rudeness to the teacher by spacing out during the lesson.
I felt embarrassed with myself.
As I let out a short sigh, Ariel looked at me with a worried expression.
“Is something really wrong?”
“…Ariel, could there possibly be demons lurking within the academy?”
At my question, filled with concern, Ariel looked at me skeptically for a moment before breaking into laughter.
“Ha! Does that even make sense? The academy is so well-guarded. Not to mention the barrier set by the Great Sage himself! If demons were to enter, they’d be burned to ashes the moment they step in!”
“…Yeah… that is true…”
“Iris, stop talking nonsense. Let me show you my notes. Just take a look at this.”
“Ah..! Thank you, Ariel.”
Ariel’s kind gesture warmed my heart.
Indeed, she was right.
This academy was undoubtedly filled with truly great individuals who had passed rigorous selections to be here.
There was no way demons would be lurking in a place like Regis Academy.
But for some reason, that memory kept unsettling me.
I wanted to confide in someone, but without any evidence to back it up, who would believe that such an excellent professor could be a demon?
….Perhaps I’m being overly dramatic.
When I think about it, it really doesn’t seem like a plausible scenario.
In the end, I set aside my lingering worry in the back of my mind and started to prepare for the next class.
Having already missed one class entirely,
if I let another slip away, it could seriously impact my academic life.
I couldn’t afford that.
I need to achieve good grades.
I want to be someone impressive that Lily can rely on.
Thus, I managed to conclude the day with a bright smile.
I hope nothing unexpected happens.
*
Before me stood a grand sight— a place that could be called a small city in itself: Regis Academy.
In front of the heavily guarded entrance, the surrounding guards stared blankly at a figure before them.
A figure cloaked in a dark robe covering their entire body.
“Um… can I enter…?”
The voice that emerged from within the shadowy robe was a melodious voice, so pleasing to the ear that it was hard to determine if the figure was male or female.
“….Yes.”
The guards, as if entranced or under a spell, opened the entrance.
Normally, such a situation would never occur.
But the guards obediently allowed the woman to step inside as if they were in a trance.
Once inside the academy, the woman let out a deep sigh and gazed upon the place.
“Ugh… I really didn’t want to come… but now that I’m here, I feel excited…”
The woman tightened her robe even more as she murmured.
“I don’t know… I’ll just check to see if everyone is okay, then I’m leaving!”
With that, she walked away quietly, leaving behind only those significant words.
A woman radiating an aura of mystery.
As she turned to leave, her long, lustrous hair fluttered around her.
For a brief moment, it shone like the night sky— an incredibly dark shade.
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