Ch.7878. Volta, Son of Hernu

*slurp*

Erika drinks the beverage Elenoa brought while casually glancing around the research lab.

She had visited other professors’ research labs a few times, but since Erika Bright wasn’t in charge of first-year students, there hadn’t really been any point of contact.

“Hmm.”

After finishing her drink, Elenoa asked with a slightly pleased, light smile.

“You don’t seem to be on very good terms with your fiancé, do you?”

“……”

Erika’s gaze sharpens at the rather rude question. Nevertheless, Elenoa crosses her legs without losing her princess-like dignity.

“I thought you might have at least one photo hanging up.”

As she asks with a shrug, Erika answers flatly.

“Not all fiancés in the world hang pictures of their lovers in their rooms.”

“Really? I think I would.”

Elenoa shrugs, strangely confrontational. Erika didn’t understand why she was asking such things.

After all, she knew nothing about Elenoa and Deus Verdi’s relationship.

She only knew that Elenoa didn’t have particularly negative feelings toward him, based on how she had defended Deus to the dean previously.

“I’ll be straightforward.”

In the end, it was Elenoa who drew her sword first. Her eyes had changed from those of a student peacefully enjoying a nap to those of a decisive, noble princess.

“I have feelings for Deus Verdi. More than you might think.”

“…?!”

Erika’s icy expression cracked in surprise at such a direct statement.

Elenoa didn’t miss this opening and continued to press forward.

“I already heard from Deus that it’s an engagement designated by your families. I don’t think there’s much affection between you two.”

“……”

“Someone like Professor Erika could meet plenty of good men. I could even find some for you through my royal connections.”

Elenoa’s words, filled with fiery determination, began to heat up the research lab.

It was beyond shocking.

A princess of a nation.

And not just any princess, but Elenoa, the only remaining blood relative of King Orpheus, wanting Deus.

But equally…

Erika’s eyes grew calm and settled. If the princess’s emotions were hot and passionate courtship…

Then her fiancée was something cold like a chill that could freeze everything.

“Student Elenoa.”

She doesn’t address her as princess.

Even Elenoa felt her emotions suddenly cool at the icy voice.

“Do you realize what line you’ve just crossed?”

Elenoa Luden Griffin had grown.

She had overcome nightmares, integrated her personality, and stood firm despite the pressure of being a princess.

That was clearly due in large part to Deus Verdi’s influence, but…

“Even forgetting your position as a princess, as a mere student, you’ve said things that shouldn’t be carelessly spoken.”

Erika Bright was also no longer her former self.

She was not the person who had been blinded just to save one man. She was not a fragile woman controlled by her family.

To become a woman worthy of being seen by the man she loved.

Erika Bright had returned to her brilliant and beautiful self with unwavering conviction.

She continued coldly.

“Whatever my private relationship with Deus Verdi may be, that’s irrelevant. An engagement arranged by families? What does that matter?”

Erika’s frozen, expressionless face sharply pushed back against Elenoa.

“I am his fiancée. If it becomes known that you said such things in front of me, the world’s criticism will pour down on you, Student Elenoa.”

“……”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it. I’ll consider it the immature emotion of youth.”

Erika slowly returned to her seat and began looking at documents.

There wasn’t anything particularly urgent, but it was clearly a dismissal.

She also subtly blocked the bottom drawer of her desk with her foot.

It was locked, and inside was the document dissolving her engagement with Deus.

“……”

Elenoa bit her lip, clenched her fist, and lowered her head.

She herself knew best how unreasonable she was being.

But she wanted to be unreasonable.

To the extent that she would fully exploit her position as princess.

That man had taken up too much space in Elenoa’s heart.

“Think about it the other way.”

Slowly rising from her seat, Elenoa turned her head toward Erika, who was still looking at documents.

“The fact that I, a princess, am sincere enough not to care about the eyes of the world.”

“……”

Erika slowly raised her head, as if unwilling to let it go.

Their gazes met directly.

“I won’t give up.”

As Elenoa turned and walked out with steps filled with determination and resolve.

Erika, though tense, watched her back and answered inwardly.

‘Neither will I.’

And so.

Just as their battle of wills seemed to end.

The door opened with a clatter right in front of Elenoa. The startled princess stepped back, and the person who entered was a woman with striking long black hair.

Aria Rius, who had departed from Greyford, had just arrived at the academy.

“P-Professor, I heard you were here?!”

Seeing her reaction, both women couldn’t help but sigh at the awkwardness.

* * *

“Hmm.”

After completing another business trip request to Robern Academy, I headed to a village called Fernan in the west.

I wasn’t moving alone; Mage Judges accompanying me for warping were also in charge of my protection.

Normally, I should have brought Findenai, but she was better suited to running wild than protecting someone, so I just left her in Greyford.

She’s probably keeping the church’s assassins busy as they pace around the city regularly.

With her flashy antics, their attention would naturally be drawn in that direction.

‘The discussion with the academy is finished.’

Through conversation with the dean, I arranged to start lecturing after the summer vacation.

Even though I had become a Spiritmaster chosen by the king, I had no intention of leaving the academy where the protagonist Aria attended.

And by then, I thought the commotion would have died down enough that accepting me wouldn’t be difficult.

“I’ve brought her.”

The Mage Judge brought an old woman with wrinkled skin, a hunched back, and dirt under her fingernails.

She looked like she hadn’t eaten properly, with bones protruding, and her eyes were swollen with sadness.

“U-um…”

The old woman trembled, avoiding my gaze. I carefully approached her and asked.

“I am Deus Verdi, Spiritmaster of the Griffin Kingdom. Are you Hernu, Volta’s mother?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

Perhaps because I mentioned her son.

Hernu looked at me with an expression that seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment.

“I’ve heard about the incident. May I see your son briefly?”

At my words, Hernu’s eyes widened, and though hesitant, she nodded.

It seemed the news had been delayed, and she didn’t know much about who I was.

Well, since I came secretly, it would be strange if she knew much about me.

She believed I was affiliated with the royal family only because of the Mage Judges present.

I followed Hernu into the village. The western part of the Griffin Kingdom was connected to the sea, so many people worked in fishing-related occupations.

Because of this, the village smelled strongly of salt, fish, and entrails.

Unlike Greyford, where passionate debates about me were ongoing, this was a peaceful village.

Watching people focused on their work to the sound of seagull cries made me feel strangely peaceful.

Of course, the golden robes of the Mage Judges following me did attract attention.

Anyway, I entered Hernu’s dilapidated house. A black shack that looked like it might collapse at any moment.

It felt like a place where sunlight never reached.

“H-here he is.”

And what Hernu showed me was a man carefully placed in a cleared corner of the dirty front yard.

With both arms and legs severed.

Volta, Hernu’s son, divided into five parts.

The important thing was that each part of the corpse was in a different condition.

The left hand still had flies buzzing around, eating it and laying eggs.

The right hand, on the opposite side, was swollen and thick. Beetle-like insects were clinging to it.

The left leg had the most insects gathered around it with a stench, with what looked like maggots wriggling.

The right leg had no flesh left at all. It was just bones, as if a long time had passed.

And finally, the torso.

The head was severed and missing.

It felt warm, as if just killed. Though not breathing, it seemed like the pulse of life could be felt at any moment.

“Hmm.”

The important thing was that I had learned about this case before the Great Debate.

One of the unsolved cases I mentioned at the Great Debate.

A young man living in a fishing village.

Hernu’s son, Volta.

He was killed by someone one day. Looking at just this, it could be seen as a simple murder case, but.

The important things were the location and condition of the corpse.

Body parts scattered across the east, west, north, and south of the Griffin Kingdom.

And the corpse showing different times of death, yet not changing beyond that.

“W-will you solve my son’s injustice?”

Hernu asked, sniffling. Normally, I should have waited quietly now and proceeded with negotiations with the church.

After all, assassins trying to kill me would be coming frequently.

But I couldn’t just let this case go.

Even amid the threat of assassins, I judged that it needed to be resolved quickly.

“Yes, I’ll try to solve it.”

I nodded and looked down at Volta’s corpse, which seemed to have many stories to tell.