[Bow down.]
“…Shut up.”
[Bow down.]
“It’s noisy…”
[Bow down.]
“Just be quiet…”
Blood trickled down from Bella’s chewed lips, hidden beneath her blanket. Her bloodshot eyes wandered aimlessly in the empty air.
Like someone offering her sweet fruit, the book on her desk whispered all kinds of knowledge to her.
From the answers to the questions she yearned to know, to the mysterious secrets that were hard to grasp. Ava, craving knowledge, greedily absorbed it.
But before accepting that knowledge, she should have thought.
That no knowledge comes free.
[Pray.]
“Pray…damn prayer…”
The beautiful woman with a hostile expression slowly lifted herself to sit on the edge of the bed. At the end of her gaze, in the center of the cover, was a magic book with an eye.
“If I just… pray…”
She clasped her hands together, folded her fingers, and closed her eyes. She tilted her head slightly.
[Think of me.]
“I… offer my prayer… *@(!# oh divine being…”
In the silent room, the quiet prayer that no one could hear was scattered by the wind.
But that alone was enough.
Because it didn’t require ears to hear prayers.
————————————
“…In three days, there’ll be a duel for the magic combat lecture.”
“Is that so.”
“I will arrange for you to observe in advance. It’s not strange at all for someone to observe a magic combat duel. Just to be safe, I’ll add a few more observers to dispel any doubts about you.”
“Thank you.”
A duel.
Who would have thought I’d watch it this way, something I experienced as a stat-boosting event in a game? I could only wear a complex expression mixed with subtle excitement and an unknown worry.
To Principal Merlin, it must have looked like a tired smile, as he patted my shoulder and spoke.
“I never imagined this old man could be of so little help. I can’t make heads or tails of it…”
“Principal…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Should I mention the outsiders?
But, is it fine to say anything?
I didn’t have that much knowledge about outsiders, but I at least knew that one shouldn’t carelessly bring up outsiders.
At least in the games I played, NPCs who tried to uncover the existence of outsiders often went mad. Since the term ‘outsider’ mostly referred to Cthulhu-like entities, it was highly likely that the same applied to this world.
If that’s the case… just seeing or hearing about them could cause a mental breakdown.
I couldn’t guarantee what would happen if I conveyed that information to the continent’s greatest archmage, Principal Merlin.
I was okay for now, but the exact reason wasn’t clear yet.
I quietly shook my head.
“It’s nothing.”
[What? Not gonna say anything?]
Someday, I’d have the opportunity to talk. For now… I couldn’t put the greatest ally against unknown dangers on the experimental table. I shook my head apologetically at Principal Merlin, who wore a face full of questions.
“…I believe there’s a reason you’re not bringing it up. At least, the you I’ve seen was someone like that. Still, will you tell me eventually?”
“I’ll let you know when some of the questions are answered.”
“…Understood. Then I’ll see you later.”
I left the principal’s office. Unlike last time, I didn’t feel any bizarre energy. After a moment’s deliberation, I decided to head to the Magic Department.
Bella had probably already gone home, but her traces should still be lingering.
“Rue. If you sense any foreign magic, let me know immediately.”
[Of course.]
I was lucky to have gotten this one. I may not know much, but it helped me feel more secure to have someone to discuss things that might be hard to share with others, and to track what seemed to be outsider magic.
[Hmm… I’m not sensing anything. At this point, it feels like it’s being deliberately hidden.]
It might be faster to trace Bella’s day instead. I exited the main building and headed toward the Magic Department. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far from the main building.
“Rue. Are you sure you can feel even a small trace?”
[What if we get closer?]
So I have to search thoroughly then. I quietly gazed at the front door of the Magic Department. Gradually, all the students had left, and only a few remained, making the building quiet.
I grabbed the doorknob and pulled. The door opened without resistance. The still-chilly spring breeze was sucked into the building. I cautiously entered.
“Do you feel anything?”
[Hmm… nothing?]
Is that so?
Let’s take a lap around the 1st floor first. I wandered through the 1st floor like it was a stroll. After checking the classrooms one by one, I spent about 30 minutes just wandering the 1st floor.
“Do you feel anything?”
[Hmm… I don’t think so.]
Then it’s to the 2nd floor.
I quietly moved up the central staircase to the 2nd floor.
On the 2nd floor, I could faintly sense some presence.
Is there a student studying? Continuing my quiet search, I detected a small hint of strangeness in the classroom at the far right of the 2nd floor.
[Faint, but this magic… someone must have used their magic here?]
I cautiously inspected the desks in the classroom. There was nothing particularly unusual, but if magic was used here, there should be other traces. I diligently searched every nook and cranny, from under the desks to above.
But there were no plausible clues.
It would be great if I could find out who sat here. If I could install something like CCTV, it would make things easier, but unfortunately, that kind of magic didn’t exist.
Tracking magic might be possible… I tidied up the mess around the desks and surveyed the nearby terrain.
Sadly, it was a bit too empty to hide and watch, so I discarded the idea of checking from a concealed spot.
I decided to search the remaining floors.
There were still 2 more floors left. However, during my rounds up to the 4th floor, the only traces that remained were from that classroom. After returning to the 2nd-floor classroom, I glanced at the fading sunset, then turned my body.
It looked like I had to go back to the principal’s office.
Without hesitation, I turned my steps toward the principal’s office.
Fortunately, the office was still lit. I knocked, and a voice from inside told me to come in, and I opened the door to find the principal again after a couple of hours.
“Is there something you need at this time? Did you forget something?”
“I found a trace. I think I need the principal’s help.”
“Oh?”
“Could you use tracking magic?”
“For you?”
“There’s a trace left in the 2nd-floor classroom. I’d like to cast tracking magic there.”
“Hm… But you know, we don’t set positions. There’s no guarantee the owner of that magic will sit in the same spot.”
“Still, it’d be better than not doing it at all. Even in a classroom without a set seat, there are students who prefer to sit in the same spot, right? If they’re the owner of such magic, they might unconsciously avoid sitting in other seats.”
“You have a point there. Then let’s do it right away.”
Principal Merlin and I immediately set up tracking magic in the corner of the 2nd-floor magic department classroom. We had one last conversation at that spot.
“I hope it gets discovered quickly. The thought that students might be in danger keeps me from sleeping.”
“We’ll find it soon.”
I also intended to lie in wait near the 2nd-floor classroom.
For now, observing next week was a priority…
But I wanted to see Bella before the observation, and without a valid reason to approach her, it was still too risky.
“Then you should head in too. It’s already getting late.”
“Understood. I’ll see you on Monday.”
I parted ways with Principal Merlin and headed to Yeomyeong-gwan.
—————
“Elisa. Do you have a moment?”
“Yes, yes…”
After finishing my meal, I quietly led Elisa toward my room. I thought it wouldn’t be necessary to go all the way to her room for a brief exchange of information.
Since my room was on the way to her room, after all.
“Have you noticed anything suspicious about Bella?”
“Um…”
Elisa dropped her small white hands, looking thoughtful, then seemed to remember something and spoke to me.
“She… looked a bit tired. Like she hadn’t slept well…”
“Hm.”
That alone wasn’t much of a clue. Being tired could have many reasons.
“Well done, Elisa. You can head back to your room now.”
“I-I’m…”
Feeling a timid grip on my clothes as she was about to return to her room, I looked at Elisa. She seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something, before finally speaking up.
“Um, uh, there’s a duel on Monday… I-I’m…”
“Are you?”
“B-Bella and I will be dueling…”
…That was unexpected news.
Amidst the uncertain information of opportunity or crisis, I placed my hand on Elisa’s shoulder and said,
“I’d like you to tell me more about that.”
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