”Selene’s Letter!”
Erica cheered as she rummaged through the mailbox.
Just as she was anxiously waiting, the letter she had been longing for arrived.
Selene was the daughter of a low-ranking noble family associated with Lichtenburg.
While attending Battle Magic classes, Erica couldn’t monitor Schlus Hainkel, so she sent Selene to deliver reports, and as requested, the letter arrived even during practice.
*”Well, there isn’t much, but…”*
Schlus was usually meticulous, revealing no emotions even on his face.
There surely couldn’t be anything significant.
Still, the thought of hearing from Schlus after a long time made her grinning.
*”Urgent Breaking News! We’re sending this via Falcon Express to arrive as quickly as possible. Schlus, tonight, on the first night of practice, had a nosebleed—uh oh?”*
Erica’s eyes widened as she sipped her tea leisurely, spraying it all over the floor.
A nosebleed, then spitting out thick blood?
What even was this?
*”Schlus only mentioned it’s a chronic condition without elaborating. The judgment is up to Lady Erica…”*
As Erica read through the letter, tiny cookies kept sneaking into her mouth.
It seemed she couldn’t calm down without something sweet.
The attendant watching her sighed deeply, thinking, “Here we go again.”
When Erica entered that state, she’d have to eat a whole box of cookies to be satisfied.
*”It’s just like last time…”*
Of course, she hadn’t actually seen him bleed back then.
Just the blood smeared on the floor.
And Schlus looking haggard.
But this letter detailed how Schlus had vomited blood, grew pale, and had to be supported and taken away.
He called it a chronic condition himself.
That couldn’t be entirely wrong.
If it was a chronic illness obtained by selling off his lifespan.
*”Is it perhaps Mana Energy erosion?”*
Certain areas of Whist Forest had a significantly high concentration of mana.
Thus, Erica suspected mana poisoning, but after reading through the letter, she concluded it wasn’t the case.
Professor Sergei personally confirmed that no residual mana was detected.
*”Schlus wouldn’t want to show this to others…”*
There was no benefit to revealing that his lifespan had shortened outside.
Schlus must’ve worked hard to hide the symptoms of vomiting blood from the outside all this time.
Last time, she discovered it because she sneaked into his Single Dorm Room.
But this time, it was in front of many students.
*”It must be getting worse.”*
He probably couldn’t hold back anymore.
Schlus’s end was drawing closer.
That meant there wasn’t much time left.
At this rate, he would sacrifice himself to save others again.
If that happened, Schlus would become a hero and die.
*”No way!”*
Erica shouted and slowly read the last part of the letter.
Then her pupils dilated.
An unbelievable phrase was written there.
*”Schlus has a large supply of Mana Energy Antidote…?”*
Mana Energy Antidote.
If he were to go to the mana-rich Whist Forest, preparing such supplies would be reasonable.
Of course, if it were just a few vials.
But if it was a considerable amount…
That seemed like he predicted a mana flood and prepared to save people.
Unless…
*”Ha! You crazy fool!”*
He must be planning to artificially induce a mana flood.
Erica felt the latter was a bit more plausible.
In a situation akin to a mana flood, having a large quantity of Mana Energy Antidote would surely provide countless ways to become a hero.
Thinking this way, Erica started to doubt whether the recent incidents like the day of magic terror or Henderson’s infiltration of the dormitory weren’t just Schlus’s orchestrations.
No, maybe not…
After all, they had been verified by Chairwoman Alexia and Professors Sergei and Ludwig.
*”But I still need to check!”*
*”Huh?”*
*”Oh, sorry!”*
As Erica suddenly stood up and turned around, she collided with her attendant carrying a cookie basket.
She gave a casual apology and rushed out of the room.
Every moment was urgent.
*”To the Imperial University!”*
*”Uh…”*
Erica shouted as she climbed into the carriage after leaving her house.
The coachman was about to say she needed an attendant with her to go out alone but—
*”What are you doing? Hurry!”*
*”Yes. Understood.”*
He sighed and set off in the carriage.
After all, Erica wouldn’t listen to any advice from a servant.
Since her lord was absent, Erica was like a queen in this mansion.
Taking the noble preferential road, it didn’t take long to reach the Imperial University.
The moment they arrived, Erica jumped out of the carriage and swiftly disappeared inside the front gate.
Watching her, the coachman sighed deeply.
*”Ah, Lady Erica. Hello—”*
*”Hello, hello! Nice to see you!”*
*”…? “*
Normally, she would greet her fellow students politely.
But now, she didn’t have the time to spare.
Quickly reaching the dormitory building, Erica climbed the stairs and stood before a door.
– Iris von dem Flechette
The nameplate on the door read that way.
*Knock knock knock!*
*”Iris! Are you there?”*
*”Hmm…? Erica?”*
*”You’re there! Open up! Hurry! I’m in a rush!”*
*”If it’s the bathroom, there’s a shared one…”*
*”No, it’s not that urgent!”*
Sighing could be heard from inside.
Then, shuffling footsteps approached and the door creaked open.
When Erica peered inside, she couldn’t help but be surprised.
Iris looked different from usual.
*”What? You were studying?”*
*”Yes, well…”*
Iris turned her head slightly, seemingly embarrassed.
She wasn’t in her usual nun attire but in a loose t-shirt and short pants.
Plus, she was wearing glasses.
She looked entirely different from her usual self.
*”I’m embarrassed if others see me like this. Come in quickly.”*
*”Uh! Sorry!”*
Erica hurriedly stepped in.
She had hardly seen Iris like this when they were kids.
Surprised, Erica slightly regretted not just staying in the dorm.
*”So, what’s the matter?”*
*”I need you to see a future!”*
*”The future?”*
Iris extended her neck, looking puzzled.
She didn’t mind believing that Erica had Future Sight…
But she never expected Erica would come asking for her own selfish desires.
*”I’m sorry, Erica. I decided to only use this ability to save people. I won’t do it for money or to harm someone—”*
*”No, no! It’s not like that! It’s about Schlus!”*
*”Schlus?”*
Only then did Iris’s expression turn curious.
Erica felt a bit envious too.
It seemed Iris only took an interest in Schlus.
*”You might not know, but… Schlus actually has an illness.”*
*”An illness? What kind?”*
*”I don’t know. Just that it’s certainly an illness that won’t let him live long. So far, I’ve witnessed Schlus vomit blood and collapse twice.”*
*”Blood…?! “*
*”So I suspect Schlus sold his lifespan to a demon to gain power… Though that’s just baseless speculation, let’s move on. Schlus going to Whist Forest is suspicious. Very suspicious.”*
*”Suspicious, how?”*
*”It’s hard to say… Anyway, it’s suspicious. So I’d like you to see what Schlus’s future is.”*
To explain how she knew Schlus had a large supply of Mana Energy Antidote, Erica had to explain about Selene.
Iris likely wouldn’t approve of such tactics as planting spies in other classes, so Erica decided to keep quiet.
*”Does that mean he might be in danger?”*
*”Yes, exactly.”*
*”Sorry, but my Future Sight won’t show me the future just because I want it to.”*
*”Then what should I do to see it?”*
*”I don’t know that either. There’s no pattern, so for now, we can only judge it as random.”*
*”Ha…”*
It was disappointing that she couldn’t see the future when she wanted to.
Thinking she might have to stay at Iris’s dorm Room until the future became visible, she pondered.
*”Oh?”*
*”What’s wrong?”*
*”It’s showing. The future.”*
Iris gazed vacantly into the air.
Is this what Future Sight is!
Erica was a bit in awe and grabbed Iris’s hand.
*”What do you see? What is it? Huh?”*
*”Could you be quiet for a bit…? I can’t concentrate, or it will be interrupted.”*
*”Ah! O-Okay! Sorry!”*
Erica fell quiet and didn’t move a single finger.
Lying that it would cut off if she couldn’t concentrate.
Peeking at Erica with a smirk, Iris returned to looking at the scenery revealed by her Future Sight.
*”A carriage is arriving.”*
*”…… “*
*”It’s the carriage that went for practice. Battle Magic students are getting off.”*
*”…… “*
*”Oh.”*
Iris’s expression suddenly stiffened.
Seeing this, Erica could no longer keep her mouth shut.
*”What is it? What did you see?”*
*”It’s a coffin… A coffin was lowered by Professor Sergei, Aintz von Wiegenstein, and a student with green hair. That’s where the Future Sight ended.”*
*”Aaaaah! Did I interrupt it?”*
Erica tugged at her hair in guilt.
But it wasn’t that her interruption caused the Future Sight to end.
That was just the limit of what this vision could show.
*”So it’s Schlus who’s dead, right?”*
*”…… “*
Iris couldn’t answer Erica’s question.
It was still too early to say for sure.
After all, she hadn’t seen inside the open coffin.
But it was a fact that Schlus was absent from that procession.
And if a serious incident were to occur, Schlus was the type to sacrifice himself alongside Professor Sergei.
However, since Professor Sergei was alive, it naturally meant that who had died was…
*”Should we chase after them?”*
*”We can’t. Even if we leave now, it’ll be too late…”*
Iris bit her lip in frustration.
What she saw in Future Sight wasn’t definitive.
It could change, and she had confirmed that several times recently.
But this time felt different.
To change the future, at least someone who knows that future had to intervene.
But clueless Schlus was in Whist Forest while they were here at the Imperial University.
The future wouldn’t change.
*”We can only pray. That it’s just an empty coffin.”*
Iris could only helplessly accept a future where someone would die.
