Chapter 132: Preparing for Act 5

Aisha’s matter was safely concluded thanks to Beganon’s intervention.
She had previously suggested that we go to the next Demonic Palace Expedition together.
Once again, Aisha gladly accepted.

“Come to think of it, Aisha, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes, feel free to ask.”
“What do you think of Midra Penin in martial arts class?”

Midra Penin, the second-ranked student in the first-year martial arts class.
At the mention of his name, Aisha tilted her head.

“Well, if you ask me that…”
Aisha slowly stroked her chin.
“Honestly, we’re not particularly close, so I don’t have much to say.”

I see, that figures.
I had always been aware of Aisha’s circle of friends.
At first glance, Aisha could be difficult to approach. The aura of the Bizbell family was evident in her presence.

“Though I did spar with him once before.”

It was no surprise. As the top and second-ranked students in martial arts, encounters like that would naturally happen at the academy.

“His swordsmanship is oddly difficult to follow.”
“Aisha, you found it hard to follow?”
“Yes. I’m not sure if he’s intentionally holding back or what, but he uses a strange style. I don’t think even you, Hanon-senpai, would understand until you experience it yourself.”

A strange style of swordsmanship, huh?
I leaned back in my chair, lost in thought.
Midra was an unsettling presence.
Our only connection was through the student council, but he continued to linger in my mind.

“Shall I look into it?”
“No, Aisha, that kind of thing isn’t really your forte.”

Aisha was a girl who loved wielding her greatsword like a windmill.
Investigation wasn’t exactly her strong suit.

But then, Aisha suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Senpai, I can do it.”

She looked at me with serious, determined eyes.
Why was she so eager about this?
It felt like I had somehow stirred something within her.

“…Well, if you’re sure, then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes, just trust me.”

I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.
But with that, Aisha was now officially part of the team.

Afterward, I picked up my chair and set out to find someone from another class.
My next destination was Poara.

Poara Silin, a spirit lord contractor.
He looked puzzled at the sight of me carrying a chair, but his face soon brightened when I explained my proposal.

“Of course, if it’s you asking, Senpai!”
“Are you sure? First-years are allowed to join this Demonic Palace Expedition, so you must have made some friends.”

Aisha tended to intimidate her peers, so few dared to invite her to a team.
But Poara had a gentle and delicate appearance.
He must have received countless invitations.

“Ah, hehe, but I turned them all down because I wanted to go with you, Senpai.”

This innocent and adorable junior.
I happily welcomed Poara to the team.

With me, Seron, Aisha, and Poara, we now had four members.
The remaining members were already decided.

Without hesitation, I strode toward the special department building.

Climbing the stairs of the special department building at a brisk pace, I soon arrived at a familiar classroom.
Without bothering to knock, I slid the door open.

“Grantoni.”
“Ugh.”

At the sound of my voice, a loud crashing noise echoed from inside.
Curious, I peeked inside and saw Grantoni sprawled on the floor under a chair.
He was lying face down, pressed flat against the ground.

“Grantoni, did you decide to start dating the floor or something?”

At my question, Grantoni slowly turned his head, still face down.

“Hehehe, no, I was just practicing facial expressions.”

Facial expressions?
With that skeletal face of his, what kind of expressions could he possibly be practicing?
I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

“Oh my, why are you holding a chair, darling?”

Just then, a familiar voice spoke from behind me.
It was Vinesha, wiping her hands with a handkerchief.
As usual, she was dressed in an outfit adorned with numerous ribbons.
A precious-looking pendant hung around her neck.

“Vinesha, are you still calling me that?”

Vinesha was well aware that the feelings she once had for me weren’t love.
There was no reason for her to continue using that title.
Yet, she covered her mouth with her sharply manicured, long nails and giggled.

“But it just rolls off the tongue now. Or would you rather make it official and really become my darling?”

“Even though you have no intention of making that happen?”

“If it’s my darling who once saved my life, I’m ready to marry you anytime.”

Vinesha seemed far more relaxed than before.
It was clear that the recent events had brought significant changes to her heart.

“Anyway, Musica mentioned you’d be coming tomorrow. You’re early.”

“I wanted to make a team proposal to Grantoni for the Autumn Demonic Palace Expedition.”

With Grantoni on board, this Autumn Demonic Palace Expedition would be a breeze.
That’s why I was determined to recruit him for the expedition.

“Ah…”

At my words, a hint of hesitation flashed across Vinesha’s face.
Noticing it, I tilted my head.

“Vinesha?”

“Darling, I’m afraid there’s a problem. Grantoni is…”

“I’ll explain.”

Before she could finish, Grantoni cut in.
He clumsily got to his feet.

“My soul-bound partner, my spirit arts are currently out of commission.”

“Out of commission?”

That was completely unexpected. My eyes widened in shock.

“Is it because of the aftermath of the otherworldly realm?”

“Bingo.”

Grantoni casually flicked his skeletal hands.

“Being separated from my body for so long must have thrown things off balance. My soul needs time to settle. I reckon I’ll need about a week.”

A week.
That meant he wouldn’t be able to enter the palace.

‘That floor would’ve been perfect for Grantoni without the Flames of Determination.’

I gazed at him regretfully but quickly understood.
I couldn’t force him to use a power he no longer had.

“Alright, that’s fine.”

“But I can’t give up so easily for my soul’s partner!”

Just as I accepted the situation, Grantoni suddenly stood up on the chair.
True to his eccentric nature, his energy was through the roof.

“It may be impossible alone, but with two, it’s possible!”
“With two?”

“Vinesha, sis.”

When Grantoni called her, Vinesha nodded.
Soon, light flowed from the pendant around her neck, and her eyes turned blue.
Musica had entered Vinesha’s body.

“Hello, hello! Long time no see!”

Musica greeted me with a cheerful smile, using Vinesha’s face.

“We saw each other just yesterday.”
“Even a day can feel pretty long, you know?”

It was hard to believe this was the same person who had once been devoured by the Abomination.
With her bright smile, she spoke to me.

“The ‘two’ Grantoni mentioned just now — that’s me! I can fill the part of his soul that hasn’t settled yet.”

Finally, I understood what Musica meant.

“Of course, I know this isn’t an ordinary thing. Anyone with knowledge of soul arts would call it dangerous.”

Even though I hadn’t said anything, Musica kept talking.
Before I knew it, she had moved to stand beside Grantoni.

“But guess what! I have an incredible secret that no one else knows! Ta-da!”

Grantoni spread his arms dramatically behind Musica, waving them like a dancer.
He flailed enthusiastically, making it look like a choreographed routine.

Using him as a backdrop, Musica confidently placed one foot on the chair and formed a V-sign over her chin.

“I am none other than the reincarnation of one of the heroes — Aquiline!”

With a loud burst, confetti rained down.
Upon closer inspection, I saw that Grantoni had summoned spirits to scatter the paper confetti.

“How about that? Amazing, right?”

Musica beamed at me with sparkling eyes.
After a moment of silence, I clapped my hands.

“Truly astonishing.”

There wasn’t much to be surprised about — I already knew.
More importantly, I realized that this was the story Musica had been trying to tell me yesterday.

‘So, Musica has also become aware of the memories engraved in her soul.’

Vinesha had awakened her soul’s memories in the otherworldly realm.
Unlike Vinesha, Musica had been much more exposed to combat.
During that experience, she must have regained her memories as Aquiline.

I had somewhat expected this.
The Watcher of Souls, Aquiline, was a master of soul arts.
With Aquiline’s knowledge, supporting Grantoni would be more than possible.

This was reassuring.

“Your reaction is pretty underwhelming. You knew we were reincarnations, didn’t you?”

When Musica said ‘we’, she was referring to the other heroes.
And she was right. I was aware of their reincarnations.

“The timing of the prophecy matches now. If there was anyone worth the Abomination’s desperate attempt to kidnap, it would be Aquiline’s reincarnation.”

“Amazing deduction! Then, do you know who all the reincarnated heroes are?”

Musica’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
To her, those heroes were her companions from another life.
Of course, she would want to know who they were now.

“No.”

But even I didn’t know them all.
More accurately, I knew everyone except one.

Even after playing through the entire game, one figure remained a mystery.
The Great Hero — Wolfram.
His reincarnation was never revealed.

However, aside from him, I knew who the others were.

“One of them… well, Musica, you probably already have a guess.”

At my words, Musica slowly gave a wry smile.

She was currently residing in Vinesha’s body.
Since Vinesha’s memory center had once been destroyed, her memories spilled out unpredictably.
Through this, Musica must have glimpsed parts of her memories.

And among those memories, there was one reincarnated hero.

Vinesha had already met a reincarnated hero.
A hero who had twisted their past memories for selfish gain.

The Fallen Flame
Rosli

A mystic who revered the unknown, seeking to shroud the world in endless mystery.
The leader of the Mysticism Cult.

The final boss of Act 5
Vulcan Zebra

He was none other than the reincarnation of Rosli.