“Tina! Did you hear the news? They found the door to the Secret Archive!”
“…I have heard, but isn’t it just a ridiculous rumor?”
Martina looked at Shuri, whose tail was waving excitedly, and couldn’t help but smile wryly. It was the latest hot topic, and rumors tend to spread rapidly, but this was a different case entirely.
‘Suddenly finding a door to the Secret Archive? It doesn’t make sense.’
Since the academy was built, no one had found that door. And now there were rumors about it showing up? Not just any rumor, but one with a pretty clear location!? A rumor so detailed that anyone with curiosity could go take a look at it seemed suspicious. So, Martina suspected someone was spreading it intentionally.
‘What could be the source of such a conspicuously detailed rumor?’
The Secret Archive had been the subject of whispers among students for a long time, but hearing rumors about its location was a first. Martina couldn’t help but worry that it was some kind of trap.
“I’ve heard it too. But a rumor is just a rumor. We should be careful not to get swept away by it.”
“But wouldn’t it be nice to check it out at least once?”
“Are you really that curious?”
“But it’s the first time such a clear method has come out! Don’t you want to at least try? If it doesn’t work, we can just turn back!”
Martina glanced down at Shuri, whose tail was shaking uncontrollably. It seemed like she was eager to go, and Martina thought that if she didn’t agree, Shuri would sulk.
“Let’s stop by on our way home. Elisa should come too.”
“Great! We have to take Elisa with us!”
Martina mentioned Elisa, who had been going home late these days, and glanced at the empty seat next to her with a worried look.
‘She’s late today.’
What could be going on?
As worry was clear in Martina’s eyes, Shuri cheerfully said, “Maybe something came up, and she’s running late?”
“…That’s probably true.”
But why did she feel so uneasy? Even though it was just a few minutes late, it shouldn’t be a big deal, but for some reason, anxiety sprouted in her mind. Instinctively, her gaze scanned the entire classroom.
‘Mari, Kenneth, Royan, Victor…where did Bella go?’
Swoosh-
A chill ran down Martina’s spine. Of all times, Bella and Elisa were absent. What an unsettling combination, she thought as she stood up unexpectedly.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to meet Elisa.”
Martina hid her anxiety under her usual graceful smile.
———-
“Oh my, what a coincidence! Meeting you here.”
“B-B-Bella?”
As lunchtime was coming to an end, Elisa, who was quietly heading to the classroom for the next lesson, jumped back in surprise upon encountering someone.
A sharp-looking girl with a prickly personality—Bella approached Elisa with an elegant smile. She surveyed Elisa from head to toe and grinned as she spoke.
“How’s your romance class going?”
“Uh…?”
“It seems you haven’t really made any progress.”
Why was she suddenly bringing this up? Elisa tilted her head down, unsure how to respond to Bella’s unexpected intervention. Bella let out a long sigh, seeming almost as if she were reprimanding her.
‘How did I lose to this brat…’
Bella didn’t like her. Sure, she could accept that Shuri had insane talent, but losing to this gloomy girl was hard to accept. As someone striving to be the best, Elisa was even less likable than Shuri.
If only Elisa were more like Shuri, openly showcasing her genius, it wouldn’t have bothered her much. But the thing was, Elisa had remained under the radar, just one of those students who was hardly noticed until grades were posted.
An unnoticeable student.
Knowing she was beaten by someone like that made Bella endure stress throughout the first semester.
‘Being outdone by a girl who struggles to cast even third-tier magic—this is just ridiculous!’
She absolutely couldn’t comprehend why professors consistently gave her higher marks on practical exams. No matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t make sense.
Hence, Bella couldn’t bring herself to like Elisa.
“If you keep progressing at this slow pace, you’ll be overtaken by someone else.”
“Overtaken…?”
Bella pretended to be concerned as she poured a little oil on Elisa’s flickering flames of doubt. After observing Elisa for the past few days, she grasped her situation, already knowing how to shake her feelings.
‘What a world where that guy has so many rivals.’
When Bella considered the people around Elisa, she was in disbelief. How could a guy who wasn’t even good-looking or charming have four girls entwined with him?
Among those rivals, even a Saint was included. From any angle, it seemed like Elisa’s odds were close to 0%. Bella concluded she could take advantage of this timing and chose to approach this timid girl.
After all, with Martina in the classroom and other companions during most lessons, Elisa only had time to wander alone right after lunch.
“Think about it. Do you think there aren’t people around you who like him? Do you think you can seize love, pushing everyone else out of the way?”
Bella, throwing out unsolicited advice, slowly oiled Elisa’s heart with doubts.
With her many relationships clouding her mind, Elisa began recalling familiar faces.
Karina, Millia, Renny, Sif, and recently suspicious Viola…each one of them posed a significant challenge. Although Millia was the only one actively competing with her, she was quite close to Johann, as they shared the same room.
“Do you really think you can claim love with such a stagnant attitude?”
“B-but…”
Bella’s words sting like a dagger in the timid girl’s heart. Although Bella’s words were harsh, they weren’t completely false. Elisa knew very well that she couldn’t survive the competition by merely tagging along like this.
“To win in this competition, sometimes you have to take risks.”
Bella deliberately wore a gentle smile and uttered the sweet nothings to her. Despite looking fierce due to her appearance, Elisa was slightly swayed by Bella’s words because of the soft smile.
It was too sweet to ignore.
Her guilt over forgoing it also played a role.
‘So naive.’
Seeing the change in Elisa’s demeanor, Bella suppressed a sneer. And that sneer became fuel, igniting a fire inside her.
“This girl…”
“…Huh?”
“It’s nothing.”
Hiding the deep-seated inferiority complex and rage, Bella put her mask back on. It was something she had become adept at. Feeling the time was ripe, she finally made her move.
“Did you know? There’s an item in the Secret Archive that grants wishes… if it’s you, Elisa, it might be worth a try.”
Negative emotions have a way of spreading like wildfire.
Bella knew that better than anyone.
“Th-the Secret Archive…that’s just a rumor, right?”
“The Secret Archive really exists. I’m telling you this because I feel sorry for you. Given Johann’s nature, wouldn’t showcasing your abilities be more advantageous than half-heartedly trying to appeal to him?”
“B-but…”
“Or will you let yourself fall behind? Sometimes, to get what you want, you have to be willing to use any means necessary.”
At her words, Elisa’s body froze.
The struggle of unrequited love was already painful enough, but what if she couldn’t even reach for it? As negative emotions, which she had been ignoring, began to sink in, her heart raced.
Lost gaze.
Dazed expression.
Bella turned quickly, delivering the final blow.
“Go to the northwest area of the library when the scarlet and black intermingle. There’s a purple book there with nothing written on it. Open page 231, and the door to the Secret Archive will reveal itself.”
‘She’ll probably tell Martina.’
After all, that was the only thing she could do.
Bella purposefully didn’t wait for a response from Elisa and vanished beyond the corridor.
All that remained was Elisa, standing there with a complex expression as she stared at Bella’s retreating figure.
“Elisa? What are you doing here?”
“M-Martina…”
Martina appeared, as if perfectly timed to swap places with Bella, looking concerned as she scrutinized Elisa.
Elisa couldn’t hide her complicated feelings and spoke to her.
“W-well…”
——————-
“Johann! Where are you going?”
“I have somewhere to go for a bit. You all can head home first.”
“Can’t I go with you?”
“No.”
“Tch. Have a safe trip.”
As I opened the front door while being seen off by Millia, a slightly chilly night breeze brushed against my cheek. Perfectly cozy weather.
I headed straight for the workshop, entering the hidden tunnel. According to today’s rumors, either Shuri or anyone else would break into the Secret Archive within the next few days. Before that, I planned to set up monitoring devices I had bought at a high price to analyze the situation.
Actually, placing Rue there would have been the simplest and most convenient…
[Are you trying to put me in that dirty, damp tunnel?!]
…and since she protested, I abandoned that method.
That would’ve been the easiest way. Of course, during class time, I would have to work a little harder.
Anyway, I quickly arrived at the tunnel dug into the library.
The tunnel entrance was located in the west area of the library, meaning I had quite a distance to cover until I reached the entrance to the Secret Archive. I slightly opened the door to the hidden passage and scanned the interior.
Alright. Nothing here.
I leisurely opened the library’s corridor and stepped inside.
Perhaps it was because it was midnight, but the vast library emanated a chilling atmosphere. I didn’t expect any ghosts to pop out, but I needed to hurry. I had to start my guard duties early tomorrow. So I planned to quickly install everything and get out.
Tiptoe. I observed my surroundings quietly as I approached the location of the Secret Archive I remembered.
There should be a purple-covered book on the bookshelf that acts as the door to the Secret Archive. If I attach the signal device nearby and wait…
Huh?
I stared blankly at the purple book that scattered blue light.
It was a blue light visible only to those eligible to enter the Secret Archive.
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