Chapter 29: Read the flow

Arie’s chilling interrogation continued.

“Huhu, it seems you know a lot about transcendence.”

“Huh? No way…. This is my first time facing a transcendent, and my first time meeting the Academy Head since enrolling.”

“Was it your first time meeting Paeren too?”

“I don’t know why his name is coming up, but… I don’t recall meeting him.”

‘Though I have met him while concealing my identity…’

Arie slightly furrowed her brow, scribbled something in a small notebook, and continued her questions.

“Hmm… So, what do you think of the Academy Head?”

“I think she’s a good person.”

“What’s her preferred accessory? Like a necklace, for example…?”

“I haven’t really thought about it, so I don’t know.”

“What’s her favorite color?”

“Pink…?”

Despite her continuous questions, I only chose answers that had as little connection as possible to ‘that’ identity.

By mixing a bit of truth with lies to create more confusion, it would be even harder for Arie to judge.

As I didn’t bite the bait she diligently cast, she eventually sighed and shook her head.

“It seems I’ve misjudged….”

“Excuse me, Boss… What exactly were those questions you just asked?”

“……Just consider it a survey of preferences. Huhu…”

Arie, seemingly a little disappointed, chuckled in a low voice and brushed it off like that.

Seeing her quickly drop her suspicion to the point of being anticlimactic, it seemed she wasn’t seriously suspicious, but rather conducted the interrogation just in case.

‘Right, why would a transcendent disguise themselves as a student and come to the academy, logically speaking…?’

I feigned ignorance and awkwardly smiled with a look that said, ‘Why is she acting like this?’

‘Is it because I’ve revealed myself too much recently?’

‘It seems I’ve aroused suspicion.’

I was tense for a moment, but thankfully, it seemed to have passed smoothly.

‘Besides, I’m not Elisha; there’s no way I’d be careless enough to fall for such simple questions and answers.’

Just as I was inwardly scoffing at Elisha, a familiar voice came from behind.

“You were here, Holy Maiden.”

“Oh, you’re already here?”

The owner of the voice was Yulia, who wore a somewhat annoyed expression.

‘It’s obvious without even looking…’

‘I wondered why Yulia wasn’t around; it seems Arie left her again and came to find me.’

“Haa… I wish you’d give me a heads-up before you go anywhere.”

“Then Yulia would just follow along, wouldn’t she?”

“Well, of course, I’m the Holy Maiden’s escort, so…”

“Huhu, no one can interfere with my work.”

“……”

‘You’re really going through a lot, too.’

‘Though I feel bad for her, it’s a separate matter, and I don’t want to get caught in the crossfire, so I should slip away during this opening.’

“Oh, since Yulia’s here, would you like to have a quick chat with the practical combat teacher?”

“……”

‘If only the Holy Maiden, who gets unnecessarily quick-witted at times like these, hadn’t grabbed me.’

‘Did she really become a transcendent?’

Yulia, who had been momentarily dazed after hearing Arie’s words, then seemed to finally notice me and greeted me hastily.

“…Ah, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, it’s been a while for you too, Yulia.”

Unlike the last time I saw her, I didn’t feel any negative gaze indicating dislike or caution towards me.

It seems Arie skillfully coaxed her and raised her affinity when I wasn’t around.

“Teacher…? Ah! The practical teacher…?!”

‘…Or not?’

‘Surely she hadn’t just completely forgotten about me, right?’

‘Of course, it is a power used with that very aim, but…’

‘No, never mind.’

I stopped my useless thoughts and clapped my hands to get their attention.

“Since you’re both here, I’ll give you some homework to do during the break.”

“Homework…?”

“Huhu, I’m looking forward to it.”

Conflicting reactions.

Yulia had a look that asked why I was making them do such a thing, while Arie, conversely, seemed interested and showed curiosity in what I was saying.

‘This time it’s really simple, so it’ll be awkward if she expects too much…’

It’s a shame I can’t meet Arie’s expectations, but since both of them still lack basic skills, I have no choice but to start with something simple.

– Whoosh!

I cupped my hands together and generated a sphere of condensed magic above them.

“This is…”

“It’s a regular magic sphere.”

‘For now, that is.’

As I slowly channeled magic into the sphere, the size of the magically glowing sphere in my palm gradually expanded.

It simply grew in size.

Arie and Yulia still wore puzzled expressions.

This was because it was a simple level of magic manipulation that they could easily create themselves.

Of course, I had no intention of stopping there.

– Flash!

Instantly, the magic sphere I created emitted a faint light.

Arie and Yulia squinted for a moment but continued to observe the sphere.

And soon, upon seeing the perfectly spherical orb, they wore a different kind of puzzled expression than before.

“Oh?”

“This is… strange.”

Simultaneous reactions.

Since it was an expected reaction, I was ready to answer any questions they might have.

“Did you… stop supplying magic?”

“That’s right.”

“Then how is its form perfectly maintained?”

“I just made it with careful attention.”

To explain in a bit more detail, I perfectly aligned the flow and circulation of magic so that it wouldn’t leak out.

‘Reading the flow is a very important matter even for a transcendent…’

I plan to make them somewhat accustomed to it before they become transcendents.

After I gave a rough explanation, excluding content related to transcendents, Yulia spoke with a serious expression.

“This is truly useful information. I didn’t even expect it, but…”

“What did you say?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Yulia desperately avoided my gaze, perhaps thinking she had made a slip of the tongue.

‘…Didn’t you decide to trust me now?’

‘I thought Arie had persuaded her well…’

I was about to make a dumbfounded expression but decided to let it go.

I didn’t want to nitpick over such things, and most of all, I felt it was natural for Yulia not to trust me yet.

Now that I think about it, I’d never properly shown her my true self as a practical instructor.

As for classes, I hadn’t been able to do any since that one brief taste…

In fact, it’s surprising that I haven’t been fired yet.

While Arie’s desire for me played a part, it was also thanks to Yulia’s patience.

I’m worried she might get so much pent-up frustration that she’ll suffer from a stress-induced illness first, but…

“Still, her body is sturdy, so…”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, this is the homework I’m giving you.”

Changing the subject, I extended the magic sphere, which maintained its perfect form without scattering, towards them and spoke.

“You just need to practice until you can create magic in a form similar to this sphere.”

“……?”

“The deadline is before the end of the break.”

“???”

I thought as I watched Arie and Yulia’s astonished reactions.

‘They should be able to do at least this much easily for things to be comfortable later…’

****

After seeing Arie and Yulia off, Elisha approached me as I was walking for a bit.

As soon as she spotted me, she handed me a blue sphere.

“Here.”

“…A sphere? What is this?”

“It’s nothing much. Just keep it on you, and if anything dangerous happens, don’t hesitate, just smash it!”

It was clearly no ordinary item.

Before I could say anything, Elisha tenderly cupped my hand, which held the sphere, with both of her own.

Her warm touch spread through my slightly cold hand.

Her actions conveyed that she absolutely wouldn’t allow a refusal.

To me, frozen with a flustered expression and unable to say anything, she smiled and spoke.

“I’ll get going now, have a good break. Take care of yourself…”

“Ah, yes… You take care too, Elisha.”

With that, Elisha left, leaving only a small sphere and a warm sensation in my hand.

Left alone, I stood still for a moment, then carefully placed the sphere in my pocket.

Even if it was an item I didn’t need, I didn’t want to carelessly handle something she had prepared for me.

As various thoughts raced through my mind, I had a conversation with Hestia, who came to see me last.

“Have a good break.”

“You too, Hestia.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“If you have something you want to say, feel free to speak comfortably.”

“Ah, yes, then…”

Hestia, who had been hesitating, then cleared her throat and cautiously asked me, as if trying to extract an important secret.

“By any chance, where do you plan to stay during the break?”

“I’ll be staying at the academy.”

“Do you have any other plans?”

“No, I’ll have plenty of free time for a while.”

‘Elisha is busy traveling around, and Arie has returned to the Holy Kingdom, so…’

‘Unless I secretly follow them, there’s nothing I need to worry about during the break.’

Instantly, a faint flush of delight appeared on Hestia’s face upon hearing my words.

“By any chance… would you be able to accompany me during the break?”

“Accompany you?”

Although I noticed that subtle change in her expression, I pretended not to and waited for her to continue.

“Recently, I’ve felt that the power I’ve cultivated is insufficient.”

“Oh come on, Hestia, if you say things like that, what does that make ordinary students like me?”

“Ah, well…”

“Just kidding, just kidding… Anyway, so?”

“……I’m thinking of taking on mercenary work outside the academy for a while.”

In other words, Hestia planned to keep beating up monsters without resting, even during the break.

Although she didn’t elaborate, considering those she had recently faced, I could guess why she made such a decision.

Elisha, who was so strong she couldn’t possibly be considered an ordinary student.

Pascal Myers, who, with the help of the core, managed to withstand a combined attack from Elisha and Hestia for a moment.

And Kal Myers, who would have met a terrible end without Arie’s help…

In this suddenly expanded world, Hestia felt her own inadequacy.

It was a concern that other students would have cursed as being obnoxious if they had seen it.

Well, there probably isn’t anyone brave enough to openly say such things in front of the Hero, though.

“But I’m so unfamiliar with worldly affairs… and most of all, it’s my first time doing mercenary work not under the Empire’s orders, so I think I’d get lost a lot on my own.”

“So, you need a companion, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If it’s mercenary work, you’ll often be staying outdoors, so wouldn’t it be better to go with a friend of the same gender?”

“The others refused, saying they were busy…”

‘Indeed, Elisha would be even busier during the break, so it couldn’t be helped.’

“Would you come with me? I’ll pay you properly.”

“Hmm…”

“Of course, you can comfortably refuse. If you feel the amount isn’t enough…”

‘Haha, keep it, keep it.’

‘I’m not someone who lacks money, so…’

‘And besides, to begin with…’

“Sure, why not.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. I was wondering what to do during the break too.”

“Then… I look forward to working with you…!”

“I look forward to working with you too, Hestia.”

‘I never had any intention of refusing.’