NOVEL WEB Chapter 86
The day after my headache-inducing conversation with Silina.
Stella was absent from the Academy, possibly on sick leave, which made me worry unnecessarily. But then, Pina entered the classroom looking nonchalant.
Not only that, she checked to confirm that no one was around me and rushed over cheerfully, holding out a Device.
[Miss Eliaernes! Good morning!]
“Yeah. Good morning.”
I gave her a casual greeting and just stared at Pina.
“Eek…?”
Upon meeting my gaze, Pina shrank back.
I firmly grabbed her shoulders and leaned in closer to scrutinize her.
Our bangs touched, tickling our foreheads. A refreshing scent of grass mixed with an oddly savory aroma wafted through the air.
“Eek, eep… Eek!”
With Pina’s startled breath brushing my nose, my eyes widened even more.
“Open your eyes.”
“Eek…”
I glared at Pina’s brown pupils as if I could pierce right through them.
There was nothing particularly odd about her… No signs of demonic presence, and none of that uneasy, wobbly feeling typical of mental matters either.
…Was I just worrying for nothing?
Watching Pina’s lips quiver, tears welling in her eyes, made the tension that had gripped me all night ease a little.
But just in case…
“Pina.”
Cocked head…?
“Where did you go last night?”
Her lips twitched as she fiddled with the Device.
[I went for supplementary class.]
“Out?”
Pina’s eyes widened.
[Yes. But how did you know? Did you see me leave?]
“Ah… well, it’s just a feeling.”
It felt awkward to mention that someone posted in the community that they saw her.
“Who did you go with? The professor in charge of [Mana Manipulation B]?”
[Yes, that’s right. I wasn’t able to keep up in class, so Mr. Paid Haberon took me for supplementary lessons.]
Her expression was brightening, so it seemed nothing was wrong…
“Then, do you have that professor’s lecture again today?”
[Yes. Twice a week, on Thursday and Friday. That makes it two days.]
“Hmm… Alright, I get it.”
I handed Pina the macarons I was going to give to Stella.
“If anything happens, don’t just stew alone. Tell me, okay?”
[What kind of thing? Like what are you talking about?]
“Uh… you know, if someone’s bothering you, or if the professor does something weird or anything like that.”
Upon hearing my words, Pina stared blankly for a moment, then started shaking her arms and legs going ‘Huff! Huff!’
Then, she nodded vigorously and smiled brightly.
Such a transparent smile.
Just looking at it made my back tingle with embarrassment. Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek and settled back into my usual seat.
The sunlight knocked on the window, carrying the scent of spring, while the cool breeze sneaked in through the slightly ajar window.
I looked up at the stunning blue sky.
The weather was nice, the sky was clear. The sunlight was warm, and the wind was cool.
The fragrance of spring and the unique crisp scent of the Academy made me feel relaxed.
“Hmm…”
But it felt empty.
At this time of sitting by the window, I should have been hearing the cheerful voice of “Young Lady!” But it was silent.
Maybe that’s why a sense of longing lingered on my tongue.
I didn’t feel this way back at home.
Was it because I’ve been sticking around with them lately?
“Indeed… my personality has become strange.”
I thought about whether Yurasia arrived safely.
I smiled bitterly.
*
“Oh my… Miss Eliaernes is coming to me first today?”
“Yes… I have something to ask.”
“Hehehe. Please, ask away!”
After the usual morning assembly, I went straight to Adelia’s private office.
I had business with Adelia.
“Um… can I attend a class that isn’t on my timetable?”
“Are you talking about auditing a class?”
“Auditing? Uh… yes, I suppose that’s it.”
“Hmmm? Which class do you want to attend?”
“The [Mana Manipulation B] class by Professor Paid Haberon.”
Adelia’s eyes widened.
“If it’s Professor Paid’s class… well, that’s fine, I suppose? You won’t be able to earn credits separately, though. Is that alright?”
“Yes, I don’t mind.”
I truly did not.
Today, I just wanted to observe Paid Haberon and find out what kind of person he was.
If I could attend the lecture he conducted and see who he really was, I felt it might help dispel the strange unease I had.
“Hmmm…?”
Bouncing her chin on her hand, Adelia looked at me with a peculiar gaze.
“Why do you want to take that class? You’ve reached the 5th Rank now, so you don’t need to take magic manipulation classes, right?”
“I have a reason I can’t tell you.”
“Oh my? If you can’t divulge it, then I can’t grant permission, you know?”
She giggled, poking fun at me.
“Don’t give me that look. If I don’t know the reason, it’s really impossible for me to submit an audit application, you know?”
“Umm…”
The reason, to be honest, I could give a vague explanation.
Adelia knew me well.
She wouldn’t think I would properly explain this.
Yet, saying this kind of thing…
It was just to tease me.
Damn Dark Mage.
I clicked my tongue and blurted out the words that came to my mind.
“I feel lonely since I have no friends.”
“…Oh my?”
“U, Yurasia has gone home too, and my classmate Stella is on sick leave today… I’m alone.”
Adelia, who had been staring at me wide-eyed, began to smirk.
“Isn’t Silina also among your friends?”
“Si, Silina is… very uncomfortable.”
“Hmmm—?”
A teasing tone of laughter brushed past my face.
My face heated up, my fists clenched, and my heart raced thump-thump.
“Well, I guess that’s valid. It could be considered an adjustment issue at the Academy. It’s a common occurrence for teenagers entering the Academy. Hehehe…”
With a cheeky laugh, Adelia conjured up a sheet of paper from thin air and swiftly wrote something down.
The audit application was written out in no time.
With a thud, Adelia stamped it with her seal.
“Miss Eliaernes is in [Mana Crafting F], right? The instructor is… let’s see, Chief Professor Wivir Arkand. I’ll inform him, so you can just head straight to the lecture you’ll be auditing.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
I received it and was about to leave immediately.
“Miss Eliaernes.”
But Adelia caught me.
Of course… I expected that.
She wouldn’t let me go just like that after doing something so suspicious.
I sighed and turned my back.
“…Yes.”
“I’m your homeroom professor, Miss Eliaernes. And I’m also one of the special class professors at Karela Academy. That’s not all, you know? You seem to dislike Dark Mages, but I’m also referred to as the next master of the Black Magic Tower, alright?”
“…So?”
“If anything happens, feel free to consult with me. I won’t pry into things you want to hide.”
Adelia smiled sweetly.
I stared at her.
Well, if Adelia were an ordinary homeroom teacher, I might have consulted her about minor stuff.
But Adelia was not ordinary.
Adelia Baros was a Dark Mage.
Dark Mages are nothing but bastards.
So Adelia was that bastard.
Moreover, she was the top bastard among those bastards.
So I couldn’t trust Adelia’s words.
Of course, her previous actions did align with what she had just said.
She hadn’t pried into my secrets, and they had provided me with relevant information when I needed it.
What did she want? Well, other than teasing me, she didn’t seem to have any particular motives in mind.
That made it even more suspicious.
A goodwill without a cost?
Even if the Demon King disappeared and absolute peace settled in this world, there could be no such goodwill. At least, from what I’ve seen of humanity.
That’s why I can’t trust Adelia.
And this matter needs to be dealt with alone.
If the Royal Family finds out, it’ll immediately become the Empire’s property, and if Eustetia discovers it, they’ll reclaim it as a relic from our ancestors.
And Muyeong, too, will ultimately likely reclaim it as part of Eustetia.
As for any other person who could help me… well, Leona was one option.
But this time, I can’t involve her.
She is the most dangerous in this situation.
Perhaps those things are set by Arisa, who would become Leona’s mentor.
I also saw something with scribbles presumably by Arisa left among those illusions.
If Leona happens to find it, she’d surely lose her mind.
Well… if I feel like it’ll be seized by that little snake down in the basement, I might immediately reach out to Muyeong or anyone else I can think of for help.
For now, though, I want to figure this out by myself.
On the surface, it might seem reckless.
But if that guy is a 7th Circle Dark Mage…
I won’t lose.
If it’s an 8th Circle… then, we’ll think about it when we get there.
I don’t know. Let’s just worry about that later.
At the very least, I’m sure I won’t lose.
I gave a casual nod to the still-smiling Adelia and exited her private office.
*
Pina, sitting right next to me, looked at me with sparkling eyes.
It’s a lecture we usually shouldn’t attend together, yet here we were. Did I somehow score divine favor?
Her tail puffed up and her ears perked; she was expressing her excitement with her whole body—bam bam!
What should I say to her?
For now, I decided to stay quiet.
Watching her fidgeting with a desire to speak was quite enjoyable.
Plus…
The state of the students sitting in this classroom seemed weird in itself.
So right now, I intend to focus a bit and observe their conditions.
What can I say?
There didn’t appear to be anything overtly wrong.
Yet, there was a strange sense of unease.
Pina was normal.
I was normal too having attended this class.
But the other students here, apart from us—including both Signia and Frunt’s students—seemed off.
What could be causing that?
Click click—I rolled a mint candy in my mouth while cautiously heightening my vigilance.
Then, some time later.
Drreeeak—The classroom door opened.
“Hello everyone.”
Professor Paid Haberon stepped inside the classroom.
His first impression… was rather average.
His physique showing through his robes appeared to be frail and feeble, like most mages.
Yet, he had a gentle demeanor rather than the sharp air typical of mages. His voice was quite pleasant too.
Thud-thud—
He hadn’t undergone any physical training; his gait was uneven and slightly offbeat.
Absolutely a genuine mage.
Standing at the front of the class, Paid briefly glanced at the audit application I had placed earlier and then directed his gaze straight at me.
His pitch-black pupils stared straight at me.
There was no flare of mana.
No peculiar signs.
His eyes were simply filled with curiosity about what kind of student I was.
That made me even more uneasy.
The people who had seen me until now.
Those who had looked at Eliaernes Eustetia had never held such a gaze before.