episode_0028

As I recounted what I had seen, I could hear Claire’s senior clapping. Naturally, as I filled my ears with the sound, I looked at Claire senior, who was smiling at me.

“You’re braver than most first-years, aren’t you? Usually, in such situations, one would run away.”

“He is a bold student, even thinking of fighting with a magician stronger than himself.”

“Multiple lives, huh? Looking at it this way, we’ve lived quite peacefully, haven’t we?”

“Claire, that’s not for you to say. Do you not remember causing an explosion during alchemy class when you suddenly came up with a new magic potion in your first year?”

“Oh, that was just for the sake of success. And I succeeded, didn’t I?”

“I’m the only one who lived quietly among the first-years.”

“Arkady, that’s not for you to say. You went into a frenzy and broke the ribs of three students.”

“…That was just because I brewed the potion wrong.”

Amidst the conversation, I simply kept silent. Not knowing what to interject, and feeling like whatever I said wouldn’t change the course of the conversation, I quietly maintained my silence, until Senior Leonar tapped the table with his finger.

“Quiet.”

At Senior Leonar’s words, the seniors fell silent, and then Isabelle senior’s voice followed.

“The testimony doesn’t seem to be false, but just in case, I’ll check once.”

And as Isabelle senior reached out her hand, a chilling sensation ran through my entire body. In an instant, goosebumps erupted, and as I tried to look ahead in surprise, my eyes wouldn’t move. It felt as if something large was pressing down on me, scanning my body from top to bottom with a gaze so discomforting that it seemed like curses would spill from my lips.

The cold sensation enveloping my body, the eerie feeling as if death were creeping up through me—was this reading memories? It didn’t make sense. The magic I knew from books didn’t take this form. It felt more like something else was being read, disassembling my body and mind.

After a brief moment, Isabelle senior opened her mouth.

“Truth be told, the person I met at the academy and the person I encountered behind the bar are the same.”

“This is serious.”

In response to Leonardo’s senior’s words, Isabelle slowly spoke.

“But thankfully, no one got hurt, right?”

Isabelle looked at Leonardo and smiled, and Leonardo looked back at Isabelle.

“But there is a spy from the Demon King in the academy. However, it’s impossible to know who that is. If you say he came in alone, that wouldn’t make sense because it’s impossible to enter the academy through anywhere other than the gate. So, either among those who guarded the gate—me, Erica, or Arcadine—or among the 5th years, or even among other grades, or among the professors, there could be a spy. It’s a fact that anyone could be suspected.”

“Of course, I agree with that. We don’t know who the spy is. But it would be difficult to suspect any one person.”

“But when this person spoke, the person I met at the academy was a doll, right? In that case, could it be that someone inside controlled the doll, or perhaps they used the doll as a diversion and entered during that time?”

“I agree with that too. The fact that there is a spy from the Demon King somewhere in this school, from the beginning, what Astan saw was a doll, and the face wasn’t revealed. We don’t know what kind of face it had, or it might not have had a face at all. Maybe they used the doll as a distraction and crossed the gate during that time.”

“No one crossed the gate. The gate was closed, so if there was a sound, it would have been heard, or if someone crossed, it would have been detected by the barrier. If not, I would have noticed, or maybe I wouldn’t have known since I was taking Astan away.”

After Erica’s words, silence fell once again, and Isabelle spoke up.

“We won’t find the answer by suspecting each other. I know what you’re thinking, and even if we talk like this, the fact remains that there is a spy in the academy, and we don’t know who that spy is.”

“It’s a difficult situation.”

“First, it would be good to inform the professor of the situation, and reinforce the academy’s protection or have the knights patrol.”

“Since we don’t know the purpose of that spy, I will relay the message to the professor for now, so let’s end the meeting here today. It seems like there won’t be any answers even if we talk more.”

Upon Isabelle’s words, the seniors nodded slowly, rose from their seats, and Erica, with a wave of her staff, released the magic that had bound me.

“Then can Astan also be sent?”

“Astan, please stay for a moment. There’s something I need to discuss.”

“We shouldn’t kill him, right?”

At Erica’s words, Isabelle smiled slightly.

“I’m not as violent as Erica.”

“How about a little duel with the Ice Queen after a long time?”

“I don’t particularly prefer fighting, but if I have to duel, I’ll accept. But… do you think I’ll win? Have you forgotten who the strongest in this academy is?”

“Shall we fight?”

“If we’re going to fight, do it somewhere other than the academy.”

“I’m confident in making a barrier.”

In the midst of such conversation, Claire clapped her hands and shouted.

“Stop it and let’s all go to sleep! I have to return to Cosmos. Leonar, did you say you’d draw a magic circle?”

“There’s a spy from the Demon Army in the academy, so it would be better not to leave if possible. If anything happens, I’ll come back again.”

“Oh… right, then I’ll just pack my things. Andris, what about you?”

“I don’t have much luggage, so I hope they open up a spare room in the dormitory.”

“For now, sleep in my room. The room you guys will stay in, discuss it with the professor.”

The seniors left the meeting room chatting, and I sat down and looked at Isabelle. As I stared into her soft black eyes looking at me, her voice reached me.

“Astan.”

“Yes, senior.”

“You’re not from this world, are you?”

“…May I ask a question?”

“I’ll answer if I know.”

“How did you find out?”

At that moment, her left iris was dyed with a purple hue. When our gazes met, I felt as if my whole body was stiffening. It wasn’t that my body was stiffening. It was more like a sense of dread was creeping over me, making my body tremble with fear.

“I can see other people’s destinies.”

“…I see, a seer.”

“It’s called the seer of wisdom, being able to see others’ destinies and recall the memories of the goddess of wisdom.”

“Did you see my destiny with those eyes of yours?”

“No, I didn’t see it. I tried to recall, but it seemed like I hit a huge wall. I’ve never been able to do that before, anyone could have seen their destiny if they wanted to. Do you remember the moment we met in the alley?”

“I do.”

“Even then, I couldn’t read your destiny, so I thought about it. Why couldn’t I read it… I recalled the memories of the goddess of wisdom and found the answer.”

“So, the answer is that I’m not a person of this world?”

“That’s right, there’s nothing the goddess of wisdom doesn’t remember in this world. So, the answer is simple, Astan, you are not a person of this world.”

I slowly swallowed at her words.

“If you couldn’t read my memories, why did you believe me?”

“I didn’t find it unbelievable. I don’t think you’re lying, and I’ve thought about it. There could be an agent of the demon lord at the academy. There could be one in Ignolia. But the person who knows that best is you, Astan. So, let me ask you.”

“Do you know what the demon lord’s purpose is?”

In response to her words, I looked at her and spoke.

“It’s Sharen.”

“Sharen… the first-year student who uses light magic, right?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a reason?”

“I don’t know either, but the demon lord’s purpose is Sharen. I don’t know the reason. But… you might not believe it, but that’s what my memory says.”

Upon hearing my words, she pondered for a moment and then smiled as she replied.

“Then I’ll believe your memory.”

“Don’t you suspect? The Demon King might have other aims.”

“I think what the Demon King is aiming for is to break the seal of the Demon King. Naturally, since it was sealed with light magic, someone using light magic would be needed to undo that magic, so they might take Sharen or aim for Sharen’s life. Since nothing is known about that seal, it’s difficult to give an exact answer.”

“Don’t the memories of the Goddess of Wisdom remain?”

“All memories from that time have completely disappeared, as if the goddess deliberately erased them.”

I nodded at her response.

“I will protect Sharen, so please find the spy of the Demon King, Astan. I know it’s a difficult request, but you and Erika are the only ones who have encountered him among us.”

“I will ask Sharen.”

She smiled at my response, then stood up and spoke.

“If you ever need help, come find me anytime.”

“Where do you stay, senior?”

“Hmm…”

She looked at me.

“Follow the cat, and you’ll find me there.”

Her words brought to mind the cat that had been at the back of the tavern.

That cat was her familiar.