Inquiries

Separate from Anastasia’s absence from the Academy, the expressions of other students weren’t particularly bright either.

Ophelia had resolved to leave rather than let students face difficulties because of her existence.

Believing they could overcome the initial hardships quickly.

If there was one mistake she made, it was underestimating her own significance.

It was like surgery to remove the pain from a wound, but she never anticipated the aftereffects would be this severe.

“Eileen. Let’s go out to eat something…”

“No. I’ll stay here.”

“…Haven’t you been saying only that for days now? You need to get some fresh air.”

“It’s fine. If I leave and Teacher returns to an empty room, I’d feel sad.”

“Sigh…”

Stella let out an unrestrained sigh.

How many days had passed since that day?

The state of the counseling room regulars was beyond description.

…To be honest, Stella felt equally unsettled.

Hypnosis. Her head ached because she couldn’t trust herself to distinguish truth from lies anymore.

From breathing to blinking – doubting every tiny action had become mentally exhausting.

She felt chaotic, unable to trust herself.

Based on everything she’d seen of Teacher Ophelia until now, she clearly wasn’t someone who’d deceive us meaninglessly.

Given her personality, she must have had circumstances forcing her to lie. Stella kept believing that.

But she couldn’t trust herself.

What if her assessment of the teacher was wrong?

What if her perception had twisted, making her think the exact opposite of reality?

The fact that Teacher counseled students and treated people kindly was true.

But she couldn’t bring herself to believe in that kindness. She wanted to, but kept doubting herself.

Thus, while believing Teacher Ophelia wasn’t that kind of person in her heart, she hesitated to act on the thought of finding her.

Was this truly her own will, or a thought forced upon her by the goodwill Teacher Ophelia had implanted?

Such thoughts wouldn’t leave her.

“…I’ll come again tomorrow.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

Stella wanted to tell Eileen:

That Teacher Ophelia wouldn’t return on her own.

That if she truly wanted to see her again, she shouldn’t just wait blankly in the counseling room but go search herself.

But the words wouldn’t come, so Stella quietly left the counseling room.

“Sigh.”

“Ah, hello… What are you doing all of a sudden?!”

“Thought seeing your reaction might improve my mood. …Feeling better now.”

“What about my will?!”

“If you accepted it, I wouldn’t get to see that reaction.”

“That’s so mean…”

The moment she spotted the familiar-looking boy by the door, Stella silently cast a buff on him.

Ignoring the suddenly feminized boy’s panicked shouts, Stella spoke to him in passing.

“Don’t go in there. I just finished talking with Eileen.”

“…Is she still like that?”

“Yes. She was.”

Leo’s expression darkened as he scanned the surroundings, looking to see if anyone else might come.

“…Back then. I should’ve gone too.”

“Hmm?”

“I hid because showing this form felt embarrassing… Even like this, I should’ve asked Teacher directly. Whether she’s really that kind of person.”

“Doubt it would’ve changed anything.”

“Still, if I’d confirmed it myself, maybe I could’ve accepted it. Like this, I just can’t.”

Leo smiled bitterly while looking at the counseling room, perhaps recalling its former liveliness since he’d only heard about everything after it ended.

Unlike Eileen listlessly waiting for Teacher Ophelia, or Anya who seemed to avoid remembering by going to church.

Unlike Orca who glared whenever Teacher was mentioned, Leo appeared not to believe the accusations, still busily searching for where Teacher went.

“Can I ask one thing?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you trying to find Teacher Ophelia? She’s a hypnotist. Even this desire to find her could be…”

“It might not be manipulated.”

“…”

“Just, well… I know there’s no basis, but I want to believe. That Teacher isn’t that kind of person.”

As if unsure whether he should say this, Leo scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

Soon after, he removed his hand from his hair as if bothered by its length.

“…I see. Then you should go to Grandma.”

“Grandma…?”

“The principal. She must know something. Teacher Ophelia was staff here.”

“…!”

Stella wondered if she should really suggest this.

If Teacher Ophelia truly was a bad person-

Wouldn’t this mean permanently losing a hard-won friend?

Despite these thoughts, Stella told Leo the method she’d been too afraid to attempt herself.

“Th-thank you! I’ll definitely tell you the results!”

“Wait, ho-… He’s gone.”

Watching Leo rush off, Stella thought:

He didn’t forget he’s still buffed, right?

That Grandma would be extremely sensitive with all these incidents happening.

She worried what reaction he’d get asking sensitive questions as an unfamiliar student.

…He’ll leave after the buff wears off, right?

***

“I don’t know.”

“What?! Why?!”

“Before discussing that, may I ask one thing first?”

Veronica stared intently at the student who’d barged into the principal’s office demanding Teacher Ophelia’s whereabouts.

“I don’t recognize you. What’s your purpose?”

“As I explained, I want to speak with Teacher Ophelia. I know it’s rude, but I need to know where she went.”

“No. That’s not what I’m asking.”

“Huh?”

“I know all student information. But you’re not an Academy student.”

Not a student?

Confused by this absurd claim, Leo tilted his head-only for his lengthened hair to tickle his eyes.

As he reflexively frowned and brushed it aside, he finally realized why the principal said he wasn’t a student.

“Ah, this is… Well… This isn’t my original form… I-I’m really an Academy student!”

“…Then tell me who you are.”

“Uh.”

“If you don’t speak, I’ll treat you as an outsider.”

Say it now?

Like this?

Leo’s pupils trembled like his shaking emotions.

Did he really have to say this? Seriously?

He couldn’t imagine how she’d react.

…But staying silent meant bigger trouble.

The principal already looked half-suspicious.

At this rate, he might be treated as an intruder.

Worst case-she might use force…

The moment this thought struck, Leo urgently spoke.

“Leo! I’m Leo!”

“That child is male. And taller than you. Stop lying…”

“Princess! Princess Stella’s buff made me like this!”

“…What?”

“It’s like this…”

Leo frantically began explaining unnecessary details to prove his identity.

Starting from the morning he fought the crown prince with Princess Stella.

“So sometimes Her Highness changes me like…”

“Enough. I understand.”

“Thank goodness…”

“Thought you were a cross-dressing pervert, but apparently not.”

At this outrageous slander, Leo desperately shouted to correct the principal’s misconception.

He didn’t want to be seen as a cross-dressing pervert.

“That’s too harsh?!”

“Joke. Now I see why Stella plays these pranks. Your reactions are amusing.”

“You’re really mean…”

Am I really that easy to tease?

Come to think of it, since receiving Princess Stella’s buff, he’d been teased strangely often. Leo’s expression darkened.

“Anyway. About your question-I can’t tell you.”

“…Why?”

“I already said I don’t know. I don’t know where she went either.”

“B-but…”

“Frankly, I’m too busy covering up this attack incident to leave here. No time to check Teacher Ophelia’s whereabouts.”

“…”

Teacher Ophelia was behind the incident.

She manipulated everything.

He’d heard the principal herself blew off the terrorist’s head as they spread these claims.

She’d want to confirm the truth more than anyone.

Yet the principal was busily working for the Academy.

“Having a traitor early in the semester was bad enough. We must suppress news of another dangerous element at all costs. …Don’t tell anyone. Officially, the terrorist tried framing someone who’s now in hiding.”

“…Is it okay to tell me this?”

“You helped that insolent girl, so I’ll tell you.”

The principal sighed.

What emotions filled that sigh? Leo couldn’t begin to guess.

“I only know what Stella told me, so I can’t say more. …If I recall anything later, I’ll tell you. For now, you should go.”

“…Understood. Thank you.”

Faced with this clear dismissal, Leo retreated in defeat.

Even the principal didn’t know. Then where could she have gone?

It felt like his visible path had suddenly been blocked.