The first thing Ashen did after safely dealing with the series of incidents was to wake Brandon.
Brandon, upon waking, looked dejected at the fact that he had once again been of no help, but he consoled himself by making Ashen swear that if something like this happened again, they would face it together.
Thus, Ashen and Brandon, now awake, carried the subdued Theodora and the imbecilic Matthew on their backs and broke through the maze.
To begin with, compared to the two of their abilities, it had not been a particularly difficult test.
It did not take them very long to reach the maze’s exit.
Of course, because of the fight with Theodora, they had long since missed out on first and second place in their group….
But because they had rescued a fellow student, they received extra points from some of the professors and were able to earn a score comparable to second place.
The matter of Theodora’s brainwashing was not made public.
It might have been beneficial in terms of exposing the corruption of the Order to the masses, but the measure was taken out of concern that even more people would attempt to use restriction magic.
The Academy, in its own way, questioned the Order regarding the incident.
“This incident was the personal deviation of Priest Matthew, unrelated to the will of the Order, and the Order will not tolerate it. We will immediately excommunicate him.”
That, apparently, was the reply the Order sent.
The Academy did not particularly refute the Order’s statement.
Rena found that strange, but Ashen told her that there must have been some sort of deal between the Order and the Academy.
Otherwise, there was no way the Academy’s headmaster would simply let pass an incident in which a student had been reduced to a cripple.
In the end, Matthew, who had blindly believed in the Light so fervently, was made to bear all the blame and was locked in the Academy’s basement as an imbecile.
Professor Peter, who was also from the Light Order, often went down to take care of him, but judging by Professor Peter’s dark expression, things did not seem to be going very well.
And so time passed, and passed again, until a week had gone by.
**
Eleonore’s office.
Cecilia, Eleonore, and Euphoria were examining Theodora’s condition together.
“They really must have beaten you half to death.”
Euphoria clicked her tongue as she looked at the healing traces left by holy magic on Theodora’s body.
“Indeed. At this point, it is no different from your entire body having been remade.”
Eleonore, too, nodded and looked at Theodora with pity in her eyes.
‘Warm gazes from people of the Order. This feels a little awkward.’
Seeing the expressions on the two of them, Theodora gave an awkward smile.
At first, she had not been able to fully trust them because they were people connected to the Order.
‘It makes me ashamed of my past self.’
Ashamed.
How long had it been since she had felt such a sensation?
At the very least, she had never felt it even once after being raised within the Order.
‘Still, I’ll have to get used to it.’
Being ashamed of wrong choices.
Receiving the warm gazes of others.
If she was going to live by her own choices from now on, they were things she would experience again and again.
“Good. It looks like there are no more problems with your body now.”
A moment later, with Euphoria’s declaration, the two took a step back.
At the same time, Cecilia stepped forward.
Theodora met Cecilia’s gaze with a tense expression.
What they were about to do now was even more important than the physical examination from a moment ago.
“Then I’ll check what kind of restriction remains on you, Miss Theodora.”
After speaking, Cecilia placed a hand on Theodora’s chest and recited an incantation.
At the same time, mana flowed into Theodora’s body.
The mana, scattered as finely as thread, slowly spread throughout Theodora’s entire body.
It felt as though something were tickling her from the inside.
Theodora felt a foreign sensation from it, but without letting it show, she watched Cecilia.
Like that, around ten minutes passed.
Drenched in sweat, Cecilia let out a sigh and removed her hand from Theodora.
“First, let me say this clearly. Miss Theodora, your restriction is still there.”
“Ah.”
‘So that was how it was after all.’
With a hand resting over her heart, Theodora let out a bitter smile.
Well, it was a restriction that had tormented her for her entire life. If it could be resolved with just a single spell, that would be the strange thing.
She could accept that fact, but she could not help feeling disappointed.
“The fortunate thing is that the restriction won’t activate under normal circumstances. During the spell, the command that the professor and Mr. Ragnar gave you was, ‘Live freely.’ So your memories will no longer be erased just because you feel something negative about the Order.”
“That’s a relief.”
“But that doesn’t mean you’re immune to every command.”
As Cecilia said that, she placed her hand on the upper part of the War God Order’s emblem hanging in Eleonore’s room.
“Direct orders from the upper ranks of the Order will still affect you, Miss Theodora.”
“…I see.”
“That is only if we take no measures at all, though.”
“Then?”
“One year.”
Cecilia raised a single finger in front of Theodora’s eyes and put on a confident expression.
“If I research it for just one year, I should be able to completely remove the restriction. At least, that’s how it would be if it were me.”
One year….
If called short, it was short; if called long, it was long.
But compared to the yoke of the Order that had tormented her for a lifetime, it was also a fleetingly brief span of time.
“Thank you, Miss Cecilia.”
“Thank Mr. Ashen. If Mr. Ashen hadn’t mentioned it at the beginning, I never would have thought to look into restriction magic. And thank Miss Rena as well. Without her, the magic would have failed completely.”
“I will. But apart from that, Miss Cecilia, it isn’t a lie when I say I’m grateful to you.”
“Hehe, this much is only natural between friends.”
She still smiles so brightly at me.
Theodora, who had gone slightly blank while looking at Cecilia’s smile, soon smiled back.
Friends. Yes, she was their friend.
Precious friends she could not trade for anything in this world.
Just then, Professor Euphoria approached Theodora with her characteristic languid smile.
“Now then, since it seems we’re done talking about the restriction, what does our dear student Theodora plan to do from now on?”
“Hmm? How unusual of you to be kind.”
“I got curious, you see. A doll becoming a person. What do children like that do for fun? As a member of the Pleasure Order, I’m simply dying to know. Should I just dye you in my colors altogether?”
“Miss Euphoria. Doing that to a student is a violation of the school rules.”
“It’s fine, Eleonore. As long as I don’t get caught, that’s all that matters.”
“That means it would be dangerous if you were caught.”
“I’ll just….”
“Mm?”
“I think I’ll just live. Without a goal or a reason. I’m going to try living an ordinary life.”
As she said that, a smile hung on Theodora’s lips.
The brightest smile she had ever made.
**
A few days later, the day the grades were announced arrived.
Senior Rena, Cecilia, Theodora, and I all headed together to the bulletin board in the Academy square to check our grades.
Perhaps everyone was curious about their results, because many students had already gathered in the square.
“Ugh, at this rate, it’ll be hard just to check.”
“You’re right.”
Senior Rena and Cecilia looked at the crowd with fed-up expressions.
Even so, perhaps their curiosity about their own grades was stronger, because neither of them showed any intention of backing down.
“Good. I’ll take the lead. Everyone, follow me.”
Senior Rena’s eyes shone as she beckoned to us.
Soon, the unique footwork of the Kurdan tribe manifested.
Following Senior Rena as she slipped between the students as if dancing, we arrived in front of the bulletin board.
“Let’s see. My score puts me in seventh place. I’m glad I didn’t disgrace my family name. And Miss Rena is eighth?”
“Ugh, Cecilia, you beat me. I was pretty confident, too.”
“This is why you must study theory diligently. Miss Rena, you have excellent instincts, but you still need to study theory.”
“I guess I do. I won’t lose on the next exam. Anyway, what place is Ashen?”
“Mr. Ashen is third!”
Seeing my name near the top of the report card, Cecilia and Rena cheered.
Even though it was my report card, the two of them were happy as if it were their own business.
Seeing them like that, I let out a small laugh.
“Then is Theodora last? Theodora’s grade is first… not?”
“I see. Twenty-ninth….”
Cecilia trailed off as she looked at Theodora.
She was probably worried that Theodora, who had always taken first place, would be disappointed with the score she had received.
But Theodora instead looked at her ranking with an expression of relief.
“So this is what it feels like to be free from first place. Somehow, I feel lighter.”
Seeing Theodora shrug, Senior Rena and Cecilia let out sighs of relief.
Theodora giggled as she watched them, then clapped her hands as if something had occurred to her.
“Ah, now that the scores are out, how about we all have a meal together?”
“That sounds good, but what’s gotten into you? Theodora, making the suggestion first.”
“I saw a scene like that in a novel I read yesterday. I wanted to try it for real.”
Saying that, Theodora began walking toward the dining hall first.
Seeing that, Senior Rena and Cecilia looked at each other for a moment, then burst into laughter and followed after her.
Standing a little distance away, I watched the three of them.
Three people who, originally, would never have become friends with one another.
They were laughing and talking together.
‘I’m glad I protected them.’
And I would have to keep protecting them from now on, too.
Just as I made that vow in my heart and was about to quicken my steps—
“Yo, it’s been a while.”
A voice I had heard before pierced my ears.
When I looked toward where the sound had come from, a man reminiscent of a vagrant was looking at me.
“Professor Victor.”
“It’s the first time since then, isn’t it, Ashen?”
No sooner had I finished answering than Professor Victor closed the distance to stand before me in an instant.
With blue light gleaming in his eyes like will-o’-the-wisps, he whispered to me.
“Could we talk for a moment, descendant of fresh blood?”