episode_0083

war.

Tirisia repeated in her head the words spoken by the golden girl sitting across from her.

“… ”

There were numerous possibilities surrounding that word in her mind, but she didn’t have to overthink it.

Because it was a question that I just had to hear the answer from.

“That’s… a story related to Durakal, right?”

At Tirisia’s heavy voice, Celdianne lightened the mood by hitting her folded fur fan on her palm.

“Now, before we get to the main point! I want to tell you this first!”

“What are you talking about?”

“You did a great job! A thousand compliments wouldn’t be enough for leading Kelg Durakal to the underworld! Oh-hohohoho! ”

“Well done?”

Seldianne answered with an arrogant smile at Tirisia’s questioning gaze.

“Of course, I have no intention of questioning you about the way you killed. What matters most is that you served justice.”

At those words, Tirissia let out a discouraged voice.

“No… I didn’t kill him for that reason… I just did it out of personal resentment and to change Erto’s mind… ”

But Seldianne shook her head as if she didn’t care about such things.

“You only discuss the results, lady! Whether you intended it or not, you have greatly reduced the power of Duracal by eliminating that man.”

“So…? What does that mean?”

As Tirisia looked at her with a questioning gaze as to why her actions were worthy of praise from Seldianne, Seldianne pointed to her chest with her fur fan and said.

“Since dropping out of the academy, the lady has been using the Elkonja family’s intelligence power to investigate the forces threatening this country.”

“… ”

“The structure roughly understood in this way shows that the number of noble families subservient to Durakal is much greater than imagined.”

“How much is that?”

“The area that Duracal has eroded is about half of this country… It’s at a level that can only be explained as having been moving with the intention of rebellion for a long time.”

“Half…? I don’t think there were that many people who followed that man.”

In response to Tirisia’s question, Celdianne crossed her arms and let out a light sigh.

“Hmm, of course, only a few people in the Academy obeyed Kelg Durakal. There are two reasons for that.”

“What is it?”

“First of all, he already had enough power through his contract with you. So rather than indiscriminately increasing his number of people and weakening security, he only selected those with firm loyalty and carried out the work.”

“… Okay, I understand. Then what about another one?”

“The other one is… ”

Seldianne’s expression, which had been filled with a leisurely smile, hardened slightly, and she answered in a very serious voice.

“The story is that Kelg was just a part of Durakal.”

“… Chairman?”

When Tirisia brought up the name that came to mind, Celdianne nodded as if it was the correct answer.

“The real power of the Durakal family is the current owner of the academy, the chairman… Her son, Kelg, could be said to have been the leader of the rebellion. During that time, he was lucky enough to obtain your power and his presence rose rapidly.”

“… If I hadn’t made the contract, he wouldn’t have been able to wield his power so recklessly. To Erto… To Senior Perzena… ”

“Don’t blame yourself too much. If you trace back to the root of all evil, isn’t it because Duracal put a curse on you?”

Although Celdianne tried to offer some consolation, Tirisia shook her head.

“No, fascination is just fascination… I can never say that I had no will or responsibility in this entire process.”

“Of course. But I meant to remind you that you are not the only perpetrator.”

“… Continue the story.”

“Good.”

Celdianne coughed lightly and brought up the topic of Durakal again.

“Duracal, who had eroded half of this country, led the nobles in rebellion. He had even more power in his hands, so he had nothing to fear.”

“… ”

“You said that the lady opened the curtain with your hands, but in fact, even if we had left it alone, the rebellion of Durakal would have been right around the corner. It was just that the timing was slightly brought forward because you killed Kelg.”

“… ”

“In the process of killing that man, your memories and those of that commoner senior were revealed to the world using the lady’s mirror, and thanks to that, the chairman’s true intentions were revealed, so it’s obvious that he’ll rush in with a desperate mind, right?”

“So… there’s a war?”

“To be exact, I should say it’s a civil war. A struggle between the powers that divided this country… Based on my recent observations of the nobles’ movements, that time is just around the corner.”

Tirisia asked Celdianne, who was speaking with a cold gaze, while clenching her fists on her knees.

“There’s no way to stop it?”

“The time for early suppression has already passed. The only thing left is which side will be victorious… In that sense, it can be said that it was a great thing to have eliminated Kelg, the leader of Durakal’s actions and a great force, in advance.”

“What about the chairman? If he has more power than Kelg… ”

“That is the task left to us.”

As Celdiane nodded with her eyes slightly open, Tirisia’s face turned pale.

“Who can stop it?”

To that question, Celdianne answered with a sharp look in her eyes towards Tirisia.

“Please don’t think about breaking out of prison and fighting. The state may try to use your power, but if you move before permission is given, your sentence will only increase.”

“But… if you can’t stop it… !”

When Tirisia appealed with a worried face, Celdianne quietly closed her eyes and spoke to her.

“Please believe the person you truly loved.”

“in…?”

“Erto-kun has now surpassed you. And he is preparing with his lady to minimize damage in the coming war. The chairman and his forces will be stopped by Erto-kun, so you too, do not commit any more sins and watch from there.”

“Ertoga… is going to join the civil war?”

“Have you forgotten that one of the purposes of the Academy is to train magic soldiers? Of course, Erto-kun is fighting separately from that to protect you and this land where we will live. Once we drive out Durakal, the Academy will disappear, but a new future will unfold before us.”

“Erto… haa… .”

Tirisia sighed and buried her face in her hands.

It was you who sent your loved one to the battlefield.

Such guilt weighed heavily on Tirisia’s heart.

“Did you know that?”

“… ?”

At Celdianne’s sudden question, Tirisia raised her head.

Crimson eyes looked at her face with compassionate light.

“The fact that Erto-kun was able to become so strong was because he was abandoned by you.”

“What…?”

“Think about it. The reason why Lucica Lapisle, Perzena, and you temporarily gained great power by causing the magic circuit to go out of control.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The common denominator between you is that you have been hurt. And Erto-kun, who has suffered the greatest wounds of all… has his magic circuits damaged in a way that has never been seen before. That is why Erto-kun has become stronger, I suspect.”

“That’s…that’s it.”

Betraying his lover gave him the power to overcome limitations along with despair.

In that contradictory situation, Tirisia was on the verge of laughing.

“I told you something when you came to my house the other day.”

“… ”

“The lady paid a price to atone for the wrong she did to Erto-kun.”

“… Yeah, that’s right.”

“The lady is truly grateful that she was able to change his mind at such a low price.”

“… Thank goodness you can do that.”

As Tirisia nodded weakly, Celdianne pointed at her face with her fur fan.

“And the lady told you to think about what you too must sacrifice to atone for your sins.”

“… I remember.”

“This place right now is the result of your sacrifice. Killing Kelg Durakal with your own hands… I respect that decision, and I am certain that it is the best choice for atonement.”

Her jade green eyes stared blankly at his face, and Seldianne spoke with a bitter smile.

“But that probably wasn’t enough to comfort Erto-kun’s heart.”

Tirisia nodded as if she agreed with those words.

“… In the end, it was just an act of self-satisfaction. What I thought was atonement.”

“But it’s not a bad starting point, right?”

“Huh… ?”

Knock knock-

Celdianne, who had risen from her seat, smiled arrogantly at Tirisia, who was blankly looking up at her.

“You never know. If you keep confessing in that prison, maybe Erto-kun will look at you again someday.”

“Why… are you saying that?”

“Your current situation overlaps with the lady’s past. Personally, I feel like cheering you on a little bit. If you can’t overcome your own sins, then that’s the end of the story.”

“You’ve changed a little, Elconza.”

“Then, please be at peace! Oh―hohohohohoho!”

After finishing her speech, Celdianne headed out of the interview room, letting out a loud laugh.

Tyrissia sat silently in her seat, waiting for the last person to request an interview with her.

―

After a moment of silence in the interview room,

Click,

The door opened, and the last visitor appeared in the room.

“… ”

Tirisia took in the man’s appearance and smiled faintly.

“… Tirisia.”

The boy who called her name came up to the transparent window and sat down on the chair.

“Erto… ”

The girl also called his name.

At this moment, which may be the beginning of a long separation, I make a heavy resolution.