Chapter 107: Snake-like Smile

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“Ah… finally… a place like this…”

In front of the girls’ dormitory.

Professor Trace accepted the box containing the venomous snake that Sugar had handed over. His expression was so somber that Sugar felt a pang of sadness.

Goodbye, Venom. Sugar was grateful for the short time they had. Though, honestly, it felt like the snake only caused trouble. And Riley, well, um, no. Sugar didn’t want to think about that.

Anyway, farewell, snake who brought chaos.

“…What kind of snake is that? Why does it cause mana overload when it bites?”

As Sugar was silently saying her goodbyes, Riley asked.

Professor Trace had closed his mouth, and just as Riley was about to ask again—

“Right now, she’s the one who’s been harmed—”

“No, no. I was about to answer. It’s fine for you two to hear this. In fact, you need to hear it…”

“Huh?”

“This is a kind of milestone. A guide for this insignificant old mage.”

“Uh… huh?”

Rather than understanding, Sugar looked bewildered and asked again. Trace took the lead.

“It seems this will be a long story. Shall we change locations?”

Sugar and Riley followed the professor to his office.

As soon as the door closed, Professor Trace began casting various barriers—soundproofing, concealment, anti-detection, and more. Riley frowned slightly. It was excessive.

“Won’t the school notice if you use so much magic? Wouldn’t that make them suspicious?”

“Let them know. Who doesn’t have secrets? This world is suffocating with as many secrets as there are living, breathing people. Don’t you think so too?”

“…”

Professor Trace, having set down his staff, sat on the sofa and gestured forward.

“Sit.”

Sugar and Riley sat facing him.

Professor Trace, the Demonology professor. Since Demonology isn’t a first-year course, they hadn’t met him before. He quietly observed them before speaking.

“So, how is Cedric doing? I heard one of you is his student.”

“What’s your relationship with him?”

“We were classmates at Steele.”

Sugar, who had been leaning weakly against Riley’s arm, widened her eyes in surprise.

“Wait… Sir Cedric graduated from Steele?”

“You didn’t know? Yes. After graduating from Steele, he went to the capital. I lost contact with him, but I heard he became a Guardian. I was quite surprised. So, how is he these days?”

“He’s doing well.”

“That’s good.”

The icebreaker was over. Professor Trace let out a deep breath, and the atmosphere shifted.

“Now then… let’s begin. I’ll get straight to the point. First, about the snake—it’s a familiar of a certain mage.”

“A familiar?”

“Yes. I couldn’t find any trace of it for a while… but then, miraculously, I encountered it.”

Its identity was unexpected. They had thought it was just a magical creature caught from some remote place.

“Is it okay to just keep someone else’s familiar?”

“Of course not. I’m still looking for its owner.”

Though he had casually mentioned that Steele was full of secrets, his expression was deadly serious.

A familiar without a known owner. Mages and their familiars are connected by mana, almost like one entity. To a mage, a familiar is like an extension of their own body.

“I called it a milestone earlier. It’s a milestone for him.”

When Sugar tilted her head in confusion, Professor Trace explained further. His voice was metallic, and Sugar stared at him intently.

“And now, I have a question for you.”

Suddenly, his gaze changed.

“Your name is Sugar, right? What exactly are you? What kind of being are you?”

Curiosity. Doubt. And anticipation.

“That snake steals mana from its targets. It slowly drains them through its bite. It collects that mana and offers it to its owner. Since the owner’s whereabouts are unknown, it’s been acting mechanically. Like how it’s bitten three students so far. All three had their mana drained. But strangely, you…”

“Maybe it reached its limit after biting three people. It absorbed the mana of three mages, so it needed a place to release it.”

Riley interrupted the increasingly strange line of questioning.

“That’s a bit of a stretch. From what I know, it could handle the mana of ten people easily. Its owner is no ordinary mage.”

“Who is the owner? Why are you searching for them in secret at Steele?”

Professor Trace had maintained a neutral expression throughout the conversation, but now his facial muscles twitched.

The expression he showed was one of longing, as if recalling something distant.

“They were once my teacher.”

But soon, his face twisted with emotion.

Years of pent-up feelings. Emotions that had festered and rotted inside. It seemed like they had glimpsed a bit of that.

“So you’re asking if I have some connection to this teacher?”

“Yes. Given your background, it’s even more unlikely. Sugar, from the Holy City.”

Ah. He’s indirectly telling them.

The ‘teacher’ is someone who couldn’t possibly be connected to someone from the Holy City.

“…What will you do if you find out where your teacher is?”

At Sugar’s question, Professor Trace’s expression softened back to his neutral face. As if it were the simplest thing in the world; like talking about eating or sleeping.

“I’ll take revenge.”

He answered as if it were the most natural thing.

“That’s why I’m so desperate. If you know anything, anything at all. Anything that comes to mind. I need to find that person. That snake didn’t bite you for no reason, it’s not like a mother feeding her child… It’s not that mechanical.”

Even though it caused mana overload. Professor Trace looked into Sugar’s eyes as he continued. Sugar then quietly spoke up.

“I really don’t know, I’m sorry. I was kidnapped by heretics when I was young, but that’s all. I was too young to remember clearly.”

“Is there anything at all that comes to mind? About the snake, maybe. Even the smallest detail would help.”

“No, nothing comes to mind. And I don’t want to think about the memories related to the heretics…”

“…I see.”

Professor Trace lowered his gaze and slowly exhaled.

“Where a hundred people gather, there are a hundred secrets. Where a thousand gather, there are a thousand secrets. It’s suffocating. Everyone has secrets they just don’t talk about…”

He fiddled with his well-worn staff, muttering as if casting a spell. At first glance, it sounded like scolding, but the nuance suggested otherwise.

Soon, he stood up.

“I understand. Thank you for listening. I’ll take responsibility for the harm caused and compensate you. If there’s anything you want, let me know. Ah, merits. I’ll give you some merit points. I heard you’ve been struggling with demerits.”

“Ah… thank you?”

“In return, keep today’s conversation a secret. At my age, I don’t want to go job hunting again.”

He said with a smileless face, seeing them off.

He continued to watch the two as they awkwardly left the office.

It was less about watching them and more about looking at something far beyond.

“…”

‘Professor Trace. You have piercing eyes. Don’t believe everything you see.’

‘What if you can’t see further than me?’

The snake-like smile still lingered, and he stood there, lost in thought.

.

.

.

“How was it?”

After leaving the office and reaching the distant sports field, Sugar and Riley huddled together, whispering secrets.

“We were caught. It’s probably some kind of lie-detecting magic.”

“Oh no…”

Riley also couldn’t quite define what kind of magic it was. Honestly, he barely even realized Professor Trace was using magic. Only because he’s skilled in detection did he manage to notice.

The position of professor at Steele is one that only the most outstanding mages from the Sky Island can hold. And they were dealing with an experienced, older mage.

“Well… the fact that he let us go despite knowing suggests he’s not a bad person. He clearly knows how to force the truth out of people if he wanted to.”

“Don’t trust people so easily, you idiot.”

“Ouch.”

Riley lightly smacked Sugar’s small head. Sugar made a crying sound but then glared at him.

“What.”

As Riley looked down, Sugar grabbed his tie and pulled him closer. Huh? What’s she planning? He went along with it, and soon their eyes were level.

Sugar smiled and suddenly hugged Riley tightly.

“You did well. Really well. Figuring out the magic was amazing. So amazing…”

She pressed Riley’s face into her soft chest and patted his head. It seemed her promise to be like a mother wasn’t just empty words as she showered him with maternal affection.

Ugh. This is really… Riley thought about just picking her up and carrying her away but decided against it.

Soft. Pressing his face against her felt nice, warm and sweet. The scent of milk and desserts. Riley took a deep breath.

The awkward position was uncomfortable, so he eventually lifted Sugar and sat on the sports field steps. Sugar naturally sat on his lap and nuzzled his face again.

“But. Even if we know he’s using lie-detecting magic, what does that change?”

“Hehe… that tickles… Riley, it changes nothing? We just learned to be careful around that professor from now on.”

Sugar giggled as she answered. Riley’s voice reverberated through her chest as he spoke.

“And we also learned how desperate he is. His teacher. His teacher…”

The snake that was friendly to Sugar.

The professor who avoided specific mentions of his teacher’s identity.

His affiliation is somewhat predictable.

‘If he’s searching in secret at Steele…’

But Sugar has no intention of joining his revenge. To be precise, she doesn’t care if he seeks revenge or not, as long as it doesn’t involve her.

Still, she’ll remember. She’s identified someone with direct hostility toward the church.

“…Who could his teacher be? Someone I know?”

“Whether you know them or not, just drop it. I don’t even want to mention it.”

“Riley’s mad…”

Sugar pinched Riley’s cheeks and lifted his face slightly. Then she leaned in close to his ear and whispered softly.

After all the stress from earlier, she felt relieved. So, without any embarrassment, she expressed her affection. To calm him down, to make sure he only feels warmth when he’s with her.

When Riley glanced at her, Sugar smiled and said, “You did the same to my cheeks earlier in the infirmary, remember?”

“Sugar, Riley. 15 demerit points.”

“Oops.”

This is the sports field. They had forgotten.

***************

When a report of heresy comes in, an investigation is usually conducted first. Evidence is gathered to determine if the individual or group is indeed heretical, and testimonies are taken.

Of course, if they’re clearly performing suspicious rituals or committing murders, if they’re blatantly causing trouble, judgment is passed immediately.

These two test subjects, at least, weren’t like that. After being investigated at the branch, they’re now heading to the headquarters.

They were found in Steele’s shopping district under the Guardian’s orders. Their minds were too damaged to give proper testimony, but it was determined that they were fusion creatures of humans and other beings, so further investigation is needed.

Lately, the Inquisition has been keeping a close eye on a certain group. A heretical group called the Cult of Unity, which promotes the bizarre idea of merging humans and non-humans. The Cult of Unity, it started as a small group in the rural areas of the kingdom.

But at some point, they started creating something real. It’s dangerous.

Especially since there’s a growing connection to the recently resurgent Shadow Cult, and these demonic fusion creatures might provide some clues—

—Screech.

The carriage transporting them came to a halt. The horses were neighing loudly, causing a commotion.

The inquisitors showed no signs of panic and gripped their staffs.

First, detection then protective barriers. Secure the prisoners and prepare for an attack.

“…I can’t detect anything.”

As one of the inquisitors attempted detection, a voice came from outside.

“Hello. You’ve been working hard today.”

It was the voice of a delicate girl.

“I understand how hard you’ve been working. I won’t make any difficult requests. Just return the test subjects, and I’ll leave.”

It’s a difficult request.

An enemy.

The inquisitors began chanting as they stepped out of the carriage.

In front of the carriage stood a girl with a hood pulled over her head. Through the holes in the hood, straight horns were visible. Transparent, gem-like horns. They shimmered in multicolored light as the sunlight passed through them.

“You have blocked the carriage of the Inquisition, which is transporting criminals. Depending on your reason, judgment will be passed. Now, speak the truth.”

“Taking them won’t be of any use. It’s a waste of time. So, why don’t you just let them go?”

“The crime of not answering the question. The crime of blocking the path of the judges.”

“I won’t harm you. Really. I want to avoid unnecessary conflict.”

“The crime of not speaking the truth. The crime of deceiving with false words.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“The crime of attempting to intercept criminals.”

“…Words. They’re not getting through.”

“With such deep sins, there’s no need to waste words.”

Faced with the stubborn inquisitors pointing their staffs, the girl surrendered first. Of course, she only surrendered the conversation, not her goal.

The girl’s eyes flashed.

Her horns began to glow in response to her will.