episode_0008

“Hmm. Then, as a teacher, I will ask my student a few questions.”

Liz cleared her throat awkwardly and said with a bright smile.

Why are you suddenly saying that you are a disciple? I don’t remember having a teacher who was half crazy like that.

“Who is your friend?”

“Huh? Who knows, the Cain in front of me, Confucius Jeon, is my disciple.”

“… Ha.”

What does ‘Jeon’ Confucius mean?

He still says that in a tearful tone, but I think he’s doing it on purpose to pick on me.

“Hmm? Right? Because I tell you and you learn. But why does our ‘former’ Confucius sigh?”

Seeing how he puts so much emphasis on the word ‘Jeon’, I feel like he’s gone too far in irritating people.

“Hu… Just call me Cain. Or do you call me a disciple?”

“Good! Then, since I have acknowledged you as a disciple, I will now officially become your teacher and ask you a few questions.”

“… Like that.”

It is said that people who are not normal are obsessed with meaningless titles like that.

To be honest, I don’t care about such a superficial relationship, so I think it would be mentally easier to just leave it as an illusion.

“Hmm! Why does our student want to learn hermeneutics?”

It’s a reason to learn.

How much does she really know before asking such a question?

Did you ask purely out of curiosity?

Or does he know that I am studying hermeneutics in order to lift the spell that is hanging over the club room?

-Hi-Hi

What is so good about her face that the waves of laughter never stop?

I still couldn’t catch anything in it. Her smile looked so dull that I wondered if there was anything to catch in the first place.

“Why learn? Are there other reasons for learning hermeneutics? To interpret magic.”

“So what kind of magic do you want to interpret?”

“Barrier magic.”

I simply chose to attack head on.

If she already knew anyway, there seemed no benefit to me lying.

“If it’s barrier magic… Are you really talking about the club room? The club you were in a long time ago. That damn barrier over there?”

“… That’s right.”

“Why do you want to solve that? Is there something there? ah… No way!”

–match!

She puts her hands together as if she has discovered something great.

The applause was so unexpectedly loud that I thought I was going crazy. Maybe it was because I was somehow afraid of what she would say next.

“That’s it? The criminals reappear at the crime scene..? That’s right, right?”

‘… ‘I’m really crazy.’

But fortunately, the words I was worried about did not come out.

What she uttered was a reasoning that was purely indicative of her eccentricity.

Is even that appearance really just an act to deceive me?

If that were really the case, she should have quit her job right now and gone to the capital’s theater district to become an actress.

“That’s like when I was a suspect. Because I am already a sinner… That statement is a bit absurd.”

“Huh? Is that so?”

“… … .”

“Well, if you are, that’s probably the case. Because the criminal knows better the criminal’s position.”

“Ha… .”

When you see him slyly irritating people like that, you can’t help but think it’s just acting.

It’s really difficult.

Has my social skills regressed because I haven’t interacted with people for a long time? Or is it just because I treat this person like her alone?

Anyway, I couldn’t lose control of the conversation.

If you react naively, you could end up giving her your liver and gallbladder.

“Then I’ll ask you something too.”

“What?”

“Since you asked me one, it would be fair to do the opposite as well.”

“It’s unfortunate, but this teacher doesn’t intend to give his students the right to ask questions… .”

“What are you? Are you an academy cadet?”

she asked before she could say no in full.

He even gave me a look. If you don’t answer, I won’t say anything either.

“What… good. Are you curious about this teacher? Then I’ll give you a special chance!”

“… … .”

“Try to guess it yourself. Who am I? You only have 3 chances.”

3 times…

Anyway, the answer I would give was decided.

As far as I know, she is definitely not a classmate.

Even though I didn’t know about other grades, I knew as much as my classmates. Even if I didn’t know their names, I could tell if they were classmates by looking at their faces.

“Kya! Truly, there is no one as generous as me! You gave me 3 chances!”

And since I didn’t want to look at that narcissistic idiot for too long, I answered right away.

“Are you a first year student? Freshmen?”

“Ding! I’m a bit old. why? Should I call you senior? Or is it your brother?”

“… 3rd grade?”

“Ding Ding! Aren’t you just spitting it out too thoughtlessly?”

“4th grade… ?”

“Ding Ding Ding! Wrong.”

So, are you really saying they are classmates?

However, no matter how much I remembered, it was the first time I had seen her face in the library before.

If I had already encountered her, there was no way I would have forgotten her unique mask, even if it had only been a few months since I had been to the Academy.

“Then what is it?”

“Beep beep! The opportunity is now over! So that you can find out the answer yourself. And since I couldn’t get the answer right even after writing all 3 times, the student is now prohibited from asking questions!”

What kind of absurd logic…

“Now, shall we ask our student the next question?”

But before I could even form a rebuttal, her barrage of questions began.

And the offensive was unstoppable.

As if she didn’t want to give me any chance, her mouth kept spitting out questions. Of course, I hardly ever answered properly.

Are there so many things you are curious about about me? Or maybe he doesn’t want to tell anyone anything about himself?

So her barrage of questions continued until the sun completely set.

**

“You’re late today too. Did you have anything fun at the academy?”

It was still Cecile who greeted me, tired from dealing with weirdos all afternoon.

And that face, as always, is nothingness. I felt really empty and felt no emotions.

When was the last time you saw her expression?

The memory was so vague that it was difficult to grasp clearly.

What was the last expression she showed towards me?

Was it anger, regret, or betrayal? Maybe it was sadness.

“… Is there something on my face?”

I guess I ended up staring at her face without realizing it.

I asked politely, but it sounded like I was telling him to look away because he was offended. Well, I ended up feeling a little sorry for her.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Did you have a meal?”

“… I ate it.”

Actually, I didn’t eat anything after lunch, but I wasn’t particularly hungry.

Even though I expended a lot of mental power in the battle with Liz, I lost my appetite because there was no harvest.

And even if I hadn’t eaten, I couldn’t imagine her preparing a meal for me.

――Quick!

I immediately lay down on the bed.

It wasn’t bedtime yet, but I wasn’t in a state of mind to do any productive activities.

“Are you not studying today?”

But Cecile suddenly asked me.

Perhaps he was asking because he saw me reading a book on hermeneutics last night.

“… Not really. Because I’m tired.”

“I see.”

“But why?”

“It’s nothing. just… It’s amazing.”

Her afterword did not continue.

However, if I had to guess, I wouldn’t say that studying is amazing.

Previously, when I was imprisoned in a mansion, I just sat around all day and wasted my time.

However, since she was reading the book as soon as she came to the academy, it seemed surprising from her perspective.

Maybe she thinks I suddenly have the will to study again?

If so, I think that illusion would be very useful.

If she thinks I’m purely studying, I don’t think she’ll bother me.

I just hope you don’t question why I’m studying hermeneutics.

If that were possible, it would be like removing one variable from the future.

Moreover, since Cecil was by my side every day, that could also be said to be a huge variable.

“… … .”

As I closed my eyes and thought of ways to deceive Cecil, I fell asleep without realizing it.

**

“Simple. It’s simple.”

The sunset seen from the window of the old school building here was always beautiful.

The person who spoke softly while bathed in that captivating red light was none other than Liz.

Cain, the man who had recently begun to intrigue her, had just left here.

Liz already knew him well.

From his past actions to the fact that he was falsely accused.

So I was full of expectations.

I hope he will come here again. And in fact, he reappeared as soon as his suspension was lifted.

I couldn’t bear it because I had so many questions about him.

The original plan was to have him come to Liz himself… It seemed like it would take too long, so I went there myself.

The sight of him in reality was not much different from what she expected.

Although he acted as if he had completely escaped the nightmares of the past, he was still in a pitiful state, suffering from memories.

And there was one thing that was certain to be dark in his eyes: revenge.

From his point of view, it has to be that way.

How unfair it must be to have been falsely accused. Thanks to that, everything about him has collapsed, so there will be nothing to see.

“Simple and… It’s a bit disappointing~”

But Liz was a little disappointed in him.

If he truly wanted revenge, I thought he would have investigated more thoroughly and come to the academy.

But it wasn’t at all.

It was already a disaster when he didn’t recognize me in the first place.

Because they are so lax, they are being framed.

Instead of digging into loopholes, you expose your own weaknesses… I wonder if this is the only way I can properly take revenge.

“Still, I have to look forward to it~”

Nevertheless, he was still a creature that aroused her curiosity.

I was curious.

How far can he go?

How can you not be excited when you can watch it right next to you?