episode_0065

It was a voice like a crawling insect. A terrible noise echoed in his ears, like hundreds of centipedes simultaneously scraping the ground. A strange feeling of a creature without human vocal organs forcibly speaking like a human.

Considering his existence, it wasn’t particularly strange. Originally human, but twisted into something having received the grace and favor of a demon. A monstrosity, or a bizarre collective beyond that.

Birshia personally found him to be a man so unclean that she didn’t want to go near him. However, now that they were intertwined in the conclusion of the Magic Kingdom, it had been a long time since they became an inseparable relationship. This relationship had to be maintained at least until Enna died.

[Have you been well? It seems like almost 30 years since I’ve seen both of your faces together.]

“Ailes.”

[Hmm. It’s good to meet you too, Miss Birshia. I’m glad you look healthy.]

“……Let’s stop this talk that isn’t like you.”

Birshia said with a deep sigh. Ailes sat in an empty seat and picked up one of the foods placed on the table, then lightly tapped his stomach. Then, the skin of his normal abdomen suddenly split open, and a giant spider sprang out and gnawed at the food.

It was a dish of a whole roasted chicken, but it disappeared in an instant. While rubbing his abdomen which had closed again, Ailes wore a satisfied smile.

[It’s delicious. As expected, the food here is the best in the Empire.]

“Shut up and tell us the main reason you called us.”

[Your impatient nature hasn’t changed. Anyway……]

Ailes trailed off his words and rubbed the sauce on his hands onto his clothes to wipe it off. Then, he opened his mouth wide and spat out two small insects from inside.

Insects in the shape of a vertically split mouth with sharp teeth clustered tightly. They crawled across the table and approached Birshia and Zervil respectively.

Although they were insects with a disgusting appearance, the two people focused their gaze on the pattern engraved on the insects’ tongues rather than concentrating on the insects themselves.

An engraving in the shape of dozens of spiders rushing towards a throne. Although it was a delicate form, as if it had undergone considerable painstaking craftsmanship, what was felt from the engraving was the 魔氣 (demonic energy) unique to demons. Birshia immediately felt it and twisted the corners of her mouth into a smile.

“No way.”

[That ‘no way’ is probably correct.]

Ailes replied with a wide smile.

[My master, who was killed by Gaebyeok, has returned.]

“Ha…!”

[Although he has not yet emerged from the cocoon, it won’t be long now. If the consciousness left behind in the labyrinth of the past simply grows, it’s possible for him to manifest as his true self.]

“With that, let’s kill Enna?”

[It’s not an unreasonable idea. And even if we don’t kill her, if we simply shake her mind and put her to sleep, can’t you take the position of the King? Then all preparations will be complete. A forward base for the great ones will be created.]

“I will do the killing myself.”

Birshia stroked her stomach and muttered as if chewing and spitting it out.

“Burn all her organs, carve out her brain and crush it myself. Ah, before that, I’ll have to cut up and feed him that proud disciple of hers.”

[Your statement is quite tiresome. Well, I have a similar thought myself, though.]

“But Ailes? It’s good that the conversation is moving smoothly, but why did you call me? I am someone who has no connection whatsoever with the Magic Kingdom.”

Suddenly, Zervil said that. Ailes replied while retrieving the insects that had crawled out.

[I heard there was a conflict with Gaebyeok a few years ago. And…… weren’t you not on very good terms with her since your time living in Weiham?]

[That’s why I called you. It’s not a big reason.]

Ailes smiled faintly.

[We will close the sky. Will you join us?]

“Closing the sky, huh……”

Are they planning an extermination war against the mages operating in the open? The moment Zervil narrowed his eyes at the unheard-of declaration, Ailes continued speaking.

[It doesn’t matter if you refuse. Personally, I wish you would join us, though.]

“Hmm.”

As if he had finished contemplating, Zervil replied with a smiling face.

***

“The very next performance is after the midterms and the inter-year competition ends. It will probably be right before the final exams.”

“It’s quite tight.”

“It can’t be helped. No one came to the academy just to join a club. We have no choice but to focus more on academics.”

Reine said that and carefully opened the practice room door. Then, she peeked her head out beyond it and asked.

“Hey kids~ Do you have a moment?”

“Oh, Senpai! Of course, we do!”

The students inside the practice room greeted Reine with bright expressions. After replying, “That’s good~”, Reine gestured for Celene and Asel to come in. The two awkwardly entered the practice room.

“Wow……”

Inside the practice room, one wall was a mirror. The floor used a material with good grip for easy movement and a marble ceiling. The high-grade magic lamps hanging below gently lit the inside of the practice room. Celene exclaimed in admiration at the room that clearly felt like a lot of money had been invested in it at first glance.

“Senpai, who are these kids? New club members?”

Then, one theater club member with their hair tied back tightly looked at the two and asked. Reine replied with a smile.

“They came to observe. This is already the third time today~”

“Ooh……! Our club is really popular, isn’t it?”

“Other clubs average five times~”

“Ooh……! The future of our club is dark, isn’t it?”

Asel left the two people having a comic dialogue and examined the magic installed in the practice room.

There was nothing particularly special. Only basic soundproofing magic was laid here and there. It was a rather crude spell formula to have been activated through a scroll. It seems a magic department student belonging to the theater club laid it themselves.

‘Should I mend it a bit?’

Asel roughly added the deficient parts to the soundproofing spell formula, or completely rebuilt it to further amplify the spell’s performance. With this, hearing sounds from inside the practice room from the outside would be almost impossible. He nodded, wearing a satisfied smile at the result he had created.

At the same time, a woman with a cute impression suddenly thrust her face into Asel’s line of sight. Asel flinched and pulled his head back. She giggled and leaned her upper body slightly forward.

“You’re the top student in the Magic Department, right? I remembered you because your face is to my liking.”

“……Yes, I am Asel.”

“I’m Leonah Part! I’m a second-year in the Magic Department. Just call me Leonah Senpai. Shall we become close?”

The moment Asel wore a wry expression at her friendly attitude, Celene pulled at his collar repeatedly. When he turned his head, he saw her pointing towards the mirror with her finger. Asel gazed at where her fingertip was pointing and muttered lowly.

The man and woman playing the main roles danced to the music they had put on. They whispered love to each other and melted acting into their expressions, tone of voice, and everything. High-level acting that would be believable even if it were a professional job rather than a club. Seeing that, Celene unconsciously burst out in admiration.

“Wow……”

Her eyes twinkled like stars.

More like a girl suited for her age than a mage. It seemed she had yearned for activities like that since she was young. That must be why she is showing such a bright appearance.

Swish.

The theater club member playing the female role held their skirt as if wearing a long dress and spun around in place. Following her, the man clung to her, and the atmosphere of the song gradually reached its climax. Asel purely admired the scene while watching it.

Just like that, before long, the song ended. Matching that, the theater club members who had been embracing each other wiped off their sweat and smiled brightly.

Clap clap clap!

Reine and Celene clapped at the same time. Asel, who was standing quietly beside them, also joined the atmosphere and clapped. The theater club members bowed their heads towards the three people, thanking them, and wiped away the sweat they had shed with towels piled up in the corner.

“How was it?”

Reine asked, looking at Celene. Asel wore a wry smile seeing Celene’s sparkling face.

It seemed her club was decided.

***

By the time he finished the club tour with Celene and came back, the time had already well passed evening. Celene thanked him for going around with her, then returned to her dormitory. Asel bought something to eat for dinner at a nearby shop and went into the dormitory.

He glanced towards the training ground and saw Ellen and Grace sparring. The sight of Ellen wielding a halberd much larger than her height and Grace dodging the spearhead with strange footwork while thrusting her sword was quite impressive.

Asel considered acknowledging them, but thinking he might unnecessarily interrupt the sparring, he just went up to his room.

Pitter-patter.

As he stood in front of the door, he heard footsteps coming from the opposite side. Asel let out a small laugh and abruptly opened the door.

Beyond it, Enna, in a simple shirt, stood in front of the entrance and waved with a smiling face.

“You’re here?”

“Were you waiting?”

“I was wondering when you’d arrive.”

Enna took the packaging Asel was holding and said. What was inside was nothing more than a simple sandwich to eat easily.

“Is this dinner?”

“Yes. If you don’t like it, I can cook for you myself.”

“No. I’ll eat it well.”

She smiled faintly and placed the packaging directly on the table. Asel took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack, then took out a sandwich from the packaging and chewed on it with crunching sounds. He wasn’t someone who left food, but he wasn’t a big eater either, so this alone was enough to fill his stomach. Enna was originally someone who ate little.

Although it’s annoying that the food expenses are double the usual, since Enna gives him pocket money by that much, his wallet only gets heavier instead.

‘Since she doesn’t seem to have any intention of returning yet.’

Enna, who said she would return to Weiham when the academy started, was still settled in Asel’s dormitory. Whether she is satisfied with life here, or has no reason to return. She continues to stay here without even thinking of leaving.

For Asel, it was something he didn’t particularly care about, so he was just living together with her. Since they originally lived together in the mansion, there was nothing particularly bothersome. They were also using the bedroom in turns, so sleeping arrangements weren’t a problem either.

In many ways, things were going smoothly. Now he was used to cohabitation.

“……Oh.”

Asel leaned against the window, eating the sauce-dripping sandwich, and looked down at the training ground.

Just now, the tip of Ellen’s spear grazed Grace’s cheek and passed by. Although it wasn’t the double-edged axe she usually used, it seemed she had no difficulty handling the halberd, perhaps being accustomed to long-range weapons.

However, even though her cheek was slightly scratched, Grace, far from being flustered, instead surged forward and struck Ellen’s abdomen down with the pommel. Ellen grimaced at the sensation of her breath being cut off, and Grace’s blade, twisted bizarrely at the tip, stopped near Ellen’s neck.

The winner was decided. Ellen smiled bitterly and dropped the halberd she was holding.

“I lost.”

“Whoa……”

Grace collected her sword while steadying her ragged breath. Ellen stroked her aching abdomen and plopped down onto the dirt floor. Asel looked at the two of them without thinking, then noticed a bird flying towards him and tilted his head.

A bird of a familiar form. A magical machine whose entire body was plastered with metal of high magical conductivity, and which moved solely by using magic as its power source.

It was Weiham’s carrier pigeon. Asel stopped right in front of him, narrowed his eyes as he watched the carrier pigeon flapping its wings.

Chirp chirp!

While Asel’s carrier pigeon resembled a dove, the machine in front of him looked like a sparrow. Its body was small, and its wings weren’t that large either.

Considering that the carrier pigeons used in Weiham all took the form of doves or hawks, this was quite an unusual appearance. But before Asel could even question it, the moment he read the first sentence of the paper the sparrow spat out, he burst into hearty laughter.

You almost died, you idiot!

The completely familiar crooked handwriting. Enna, who had placed her chin on Asel’s shoulder, mumbled as soon as she saw it.

“Evelyn sent it.”

Do you really want to see your sister go crazy!!!! How would I live if you die!

Asel wore a wry smile seeing the following sentences.