Chapter 60 – While Away (2)

“Headmaster, are you busy?”

As I barged into the room, I found Lehel completely absorbed in her magical chess match. She wore a shabby robe that looked like it hadn’t been washed in a century, a conical hat pulled low over her head, and held a crystal ball in both hands. At that moment, she looked more like a dubious fortune teller or a witch than a magician.

“Oh, Louis?”

As soon as Lehel met my gaze, she hastily began undressing. For the record, I’ve never taught her to bow to me in her underwear.

“Wa-wait a moment! I’m going to bow right now….”

“No, that’s not necessary. Put your clothes back on. I just need a moment of your time.”

“O-okay… sure, but why?”

Though she agreed, her eyes kept darting back to her magical chess match. I didn’t care much about her losing money, so I got straight to the point.

“I need you to come with me.”

“With you, Louis? Just the two of us?”

“Yes.”

“Where to?”

“To the Sandalphonia Sand Canyon.”

The moment she heard our destination, her face turned pale—whiter than her usual porcelain complexion, nearly translucent.

“No, I refuse! That place is a hidden realm from the Imperial era…!”

Oh, she knows it well.

“An infernal desert where the cursed Moirai sisters are trapped… If you step inside, you might never find your body in the sandstorms…!”

She knows more than I expected. Seems like Lehel’s already tried going there.

“Have you been there? Have you met them?”

“No? I looked everywhere for that rumored goddess statue at the entrance and found nothing.”

“Perfect. Come with me, then.”

We can get acquainted with them on this trip.

“Why drag me along? Why not go alone?!”

“Because… there’s no teleportation carriages going there.”

In short, I need a <Teleport Gate> shuttle. Lehel could get us to the canyon in an instant with minimal mana cost. If I went without her, the journey to Sandalphonia alone would take about a week.

So, just as she was about to leap out the window, I swiftly grabbed her by the collar.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

“Let go! Sandalphonia is a hellish place where even water in canteens evaporates!”

“It’s more bearable than the real hell, in my experience.”

“Eek! You monster!”

Though they could be rude and cryptic, the Moirai sisters offered accurate information—if you could find them.

Before organizing the expedition to the heart of Heljeb, Wiblet had similarly learned about Nova’s presence in the Duchy of Bachran through Sandalphonia. It was impossible to navigate the demon realm without an expert guide, so they had to find a moon sorcerer who could read the stars even in pitch darkness.

“We leave tomorrow, so prepare to depart.”

“No…”

“If you run, you’ll have to deal with me. And I won’t mind seeing this tower collapse again.”

“Sniff… Sniffle…!”

After delivering a light threat, I left Lehel’s office. I still needed to inform Adela and Liv of my departure.

“An investigation on the Demon Idols…?!”

Liv was shocked to hear the reason for Louis’s departure. She had been taught that any involvement with incidents related to demons was extremely dangerous.

During field training, a mandatory part of every student’s curriculum, they were strictly prohibited from entering areas where traces of black magic had been found—be it monster lairs or shrines.

A streak of anxiety began to blossom in Liv’s heart. What if something happened to the store owner?

She knew Louis was strong, but investigating traces of Demon Idols seemed beyond what he could handle alone. The thought brought back memories of her father, who had died at the hands of demons, amplifying her fear.

“Isn’t that… too dangerous?”

“Hmm? Don’t worry about it. It’s just a little march, that’s all.”

But his nonchalant response only added to her concern. Even more absurd was Adela Silvesta’s reaction, who sat beside him, listening to the same conversation.

“So, will you bring back something tasty?”

“There’s a specialty in Sandalphonia called mud cookies. I’ll bring some back if I can.”

“Really? Wow~!”

How could she be so carefree, only thinking about souvenirs instead of worrying about his safety? Did she not care if Louis was in danger?

Liv found Adela infuriating. She hadn’t even completed the tasks she was assigned.

“Teacher, I can’t read this label properly.”

“Hmm, it just says coffee beans.”

“I don’t get it~.”

Adela kept bothering Louis with requests to help with tasks that any academy student could easily handle.

And Louis, instead of getting frustrated, would patiently and kindly guide her, just like he did when he taught her new vocabulary.

He didn’t push her away even when she clung to him, almost as if there was a deeper relationship between them.

“?”

“….”

Liv caught Adela’s eye while she was being instructed. Adela flashed a sly smile, as if to say, “Can’t do this because of your pride, huh?”

Regardless of her real intentions, Liv felt strangely envious of Adela. She wasn’t one to cling to Louis and act cute to get what she wanted.

A little later—

“So, Baroness Liv, I’m leaving you two in charge of the store from tomorrow. Take good care of things.”

“Yes…”

“There shouldn’t be anything too unusual. Since Adela’s still new at this, help her with the café when you have time.”

“I understand…”

“Hey. You go and finish cleaning up.”

“What about you, Teacher?”

“This is my place, remember? Go on, a customer just came in. Get moving.”

“…Alright.”

Only after Louis had sent Adela back to the café could Liv breathe a sigh of relief.

With the three of us working in this tight space, Louis could only stay with either Liv or Adela at any given time.

Up until now, that spot had mostly been beside Liv. She knew it was a childish feeling, but she couldn’t help feeling pleased that Louis seemed to choose her over Adela.

But then—

—Teacher! There are too many types of coffee here!

—Teacher! I can’t reach the cupboard!

—Teacher! There’s a cockroach on the floor!

—Teacher! I see my sister’s ghost outside the window!!

Every minute or so, Adela called out to Louis, shattering the peaceful atmosphere between the two of us.

And each time she called, Louis grumbled but still got up to go help her.

After lending a hand, he would come back to sit down behind the counter, only for—

—Teacher!

“Ugh… One moment.”

He’d be called over again.

With the door half-open from all his going back and forth, it was obvious to anyone that Adela was trying to keep Louis away from Liv, and it irritated her.

Ugh.

People naturally got fired up when someone next to them kept showing off their abilities, even if they didn’t think much of it initially.

Having always been at the top of her class at the academy, Liv held a considerable amount of pride, even if she didn’t show it outwardly. She didn’t want to be bested by some clueless girl, even in this silly little game of winning Louis’s attention.

So, Liv decided—though it was a bit embarrassing—to go all out, no matter the cost.

“I’m sorry. I keep having to go back and forth.”

“It’s fine.”

—Teacher! There’s a Northern Sea Kraken in the sky!!!

“What nonsense is she spouting now? There aren’t even any customers, but I’m so busy. Sigh, I’ll be back…”

“Um, Store Owner.”

“Yes?”

“I have something to say.”

Liv gulped in preparation for what was to come and clenched her stomach, summoning the courage to speak.

“I’m going to Alkaid Tower after graduation.”

As soon as she said that, Louis’s expression darkened.

The Towers. The most common path chosen by graduates of the academy.

Especially for Liv, who didn’t have any fiefdom, the Towers offered the best treatment aside from the 12th Alliance.

However, unlike the other six towers, the evaluation of Alkaid Tower, which was closest to Heljeb, was a bit different.

Geographical danger and its leniency towards black magic made it a reluctant choice for students who barely scraped through graduation with low grades.

“Why are you going there?”

“….”

Knowing all this, Louis wasn’t pleased with her decision.

Liv held herself back. When she didn’t answer or meet his gaze, his voice grew stern.

“No. Don’t go.”

“….”

His rare use of informal speech. Just hearing it made her stomach twist with a strange sensation.

But she held back a little longer. She didn’t want to lose Louis to Adela, who kept calling from the other side.

“Baroness, are you listening?”

“…Sir.”

Finally, with a trembling voice, she lowered her gaze, speaking as if she were about to leave any moment.

“It’s not something you should… concern yourself with.”

She closed her eyes slowly, taking one deep breath. Then another.

And finally, on the third—

Squeeze!

“Ngh…!”

Louis’s hand tightened around her waist.