"Keigan Luna. That's your father."
The Chairman's words plunged the hall into silence.
A space where noise seemed to have been extinguished. Everyone was looking only at Dekyulrein.
"……Hoo."
Sopien was no different. This situation was unexpected even for her.
A co-author, of all things. Wasn't that something completely antipodal to Dekyulrein's nature?
"We've been together for over a hundred years…… The more I peel back, the more new sides emerge."
Sopien rested her chin on her hand. She looked at the child called Ifrin. The emotions contained in that expression were difficult to dare put into words.
Ihelm spoke.
"Dekyulrein, you? You. Wh-what? Co-author?"
A voice that broke off as if chopped into pieces evidenced that fluster.
Taking the place of Ihelm, who merely flapped his lips, the Chairman asked.
"Still, I think an explanation regarding the co-authorship is necessary! Professor Dekyulrein?!"
Dekyulrein, who nodded, answered in an emotionless voice. It was a tone of narration rather than argument.
"The conception and formulation of this idea were Keigan Luna's. It was an original, genius concept that no one else could have thought of."
Dekyulrein looked at Ifrin. The corners of Ifrin's haggard eyes were moist.
"Keigan Luna established the framework of the thesis, and my part was its development and completion. Therefore, it was right that both were listed as first authors…… That is all."
"I see! Ihelm, please continue your questions!"
"……Why now."
Ihelm repeated as if his soul had left him.
"Why now of all times?"
"……Um! I'll take over instead! It seems the Ihelm faction isn't in a state to do anything right now!"
Adrienne stepped forward in Ihelm's place. She asked with a broad smile.
"Professor Dekyulrein tormenting assistants isn't something new, is it? There were many who broke down! Some even committed suicide! So why are you being considerate of a past assistant now of all times?!"
"It is not 'now of all times.' I realized it gradually. I now acknowledge my past mistakes."
"Hm~"
Adrienne nodded.
"He says so! Witness Ifrin, do you have anything more to say?"
Ifrin's body flinched. Adrienne grinned.
"Ah…… I……"
Ifrin gulped. Then she looked at Dekyulrein, Adrienne, and Ihelm in turn.
She was confused.
It wasn't some one-dimensional emotion like 'I never thought Dekyulrein would do this.'
"……"
Dekyulrein's honest words, the fact that her father would be remembered forever in the magic world as a 'co-author,' stirred far too complicated a dilemma.
She herself was so…… like a blockheaded fool.
"……No. I have nothing more to say."
"Hm! Then!"
Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!
The Chairman struck the gavel.
"We will take a brief recess! Please take your rest!"
* * *
Near the Magic Tower hearing hall, on a high floor, there was a terrace. Standing at the railing of that place decorated like a forest, the entire view of the university was visible at a glance.
Thanks to the fact that night had approached before anyone knew it.
The whole world was steeped in the light of the full moon.
Thud—!
Before long, footsteps rang out as if blatantly announcing themselves.
After waiting a moment, one person approached.
Slick golden hair swayed in the wind, and the strong scent of perfume assaulted the nose.
"……I don't know what you're scheming."
Ihelm.
The bastard who had walked over slowly asked while looking at the same scenery as me.
"Did you know? About that hidden magic formula or whatever in the thesis."
I nodded. I had found out while developing the thesis. It was quite an elaborate trap.
"What did you do?"
"I left it as it was."
Dismantling it would have been easy. It would have been a matter of adjusting the circuits one by one.
"……"
At that, Ihelm gripped the railing. Cr-ack— the sound of skin scraping was clear.
"Why. Didn't you hate Luna?"
I turned to look at Ihelm.
This bastard had once been closest to Dekyulrein. Therefore, he would know the Dekyulrein of that time better than anyone else.
"You must have hated Luna too, and Luna's daughter……"
While living as Dekyulrein.
From time to time, 'memories' I do not know approach me.
As time flows, slowly, or events triggered by some experience.
However, since they are all merely fragmentary perceptions, cross-verification is needed rather than one-sided absorption.
"……Dikaillen was not satisfied with me."
I asked Ihelm as if muttering to myself. Ihelm's crimson pupils stared at me.
"Perhaps my talent was insufficient. Perhaps I didn't grow as expected. Or perhaps that specter's greed was too great."
"……"
"Whatever the case, in those days of dissatisfaction, Dikaillen discovered it. The talent of an Archmage."
Ihelm nodded his head a couple of times, small nods. Then he answered.
"Yeah. If Dikaillen hadn't died, you would have had the Family Head position stolen by Luna. But I still wonder. Was it really that easy to seat a child of an entirely different bloodline as Family Head?"
No.
Dikaillen hadn't been trying to make Ifrin the Family Head. The bastard had simply needed a 'vessel.'
A vessel suitable for containing its own dying brain.
Ifrin.
"Dikaillen is already dead. Everything has changed."
"Even so, the you I know must have hated Luna's daughter? Must have been unable to forgive Keigan?"
"……"
"Keigan and you. Both of you had ample reason to hate each other. If that bastard hadn't been sycophantic to Dikaillen……"
I looked up at that distant sky. On the ceiling-like sea, a large full moon lay all alone.
"It's the past anyway, and this research is not yet complete. The completion of the research is Ifrin's part, not mine. Also."
"……Also?"
"His suicide is my fault."
"Wha……"
Ihelm's mouth hung agape. That expression was incredibly stupid.
"Having killed the father, I can't hate the daughter too."
"……Th-that's."
Ihelm barely opened his mouth. Cold sweat beaded on the bastard's forehead.
"So, was the wretch called Ifrin pitiful?"
"No."
"Then? Then why, why on earth did you?"
"……"
I think quietly.
If I had to guess, it is certainly not sympathy or pity.
However, it is not easily known. Because my emotions cannot be seen even with the 'Naked Eye.'
"Who knows."
But something I once read in a book.
A sentiment that any mage would feel at least once in their lifetime.
"It seems I think of that child as my disciple."
Could it be that I harbored such a heart without even knowing it.
"……"
Ihelm was at a loss for words. The strength left his hand that gripped the railing. The rushing wind cooled the bastard's cold sweat, and an empty laugh slipped through his trembling lips.
"Ha…… Ha. That makes no sense."
"What doesn't make sense?"
"A few years ago. When Gilteon tried to annihilate Luna's family. Weren't you the one who stopped it? You couldn't have harbored such feelings back then."
"Did I do that?"
It was truly a fact I hadn't known, but Ihelm furrowed his brow as if bewildered.
"……Whew."
The bastard didn't retort. He just shook his head and let out a sigh.
"You know what? This was my last stand."
Then he looked at the night scenery with a rather comfortable face.
"Co-author, of all things. There's nothing more to attack. No, there's no will to attack anymore."
Ihelm bent his waist. His limp body hung over the railing like laundry.
"……If you've changed, that is. If that Dekyulrein is no longer the Dekyulrein of old. If you're no longer the one I wanted to destroy like mad……"
I looked at him.
Moonlight seeped into those crimson eyes that had always been rotten like old cheese. An inexplicable vitality gleamed in them.
"I don't particularly want to scuffle with you. I'm the only one who loses by being tied to the past."
At that very moment.
Ihelm shouted.
"Hey!"
Flinched— A presence stirred near the terrace entrance.
"Run away quickly. Before you're caught."
Then, patter-patter—!
The sound of urgent footsteps running away.
Thud—!
Perhaps having tripped while running, the sound of knees hitting the ground.
"……"
I glared at Ihelm. Ihelm snickered and shrugged his shoulders.
"……I didn't bring her. I just told her to follow if she wanted to know. So I deliberately avoided unnecessary talk."
Ihelm moved his eyes back to the empty air. It was a gaze that seemed to fumble for events of the distant past.
"Things like Keigan not being a decent bastard, or not loving his daughter, or even resenting her…… wouldn't those be too cruel? After all, she served as my witness."
The bastard who had let out a snort turned to look at me.
"I'm a gentleman too, you know."
* * *
Beep-beep-beep— Beep-beep-beep—
The alarm clock rang. Ifrin opened her eyes blankly.
"……"
Today too, she had dreamed the same dream.
—This research is not yet complete. The completion of the research is Ifrin's part, not mine.
—His suicide is my fault.
The conversation between Dekyulrein and Ihelm that she had overheard.
—Having killed the father, I can't hate the daughter too.
Each and every word of Dekyulrein echoed in her ears.
—……Who knows. It seems I think of that child as my disciple.
Disciple.
Beep-beep-beep— Beep-beep-beep—
She turned off the still-ringing alarm clock and slowly raised her body. She glanced at a piece of paper left on the desk.
[ Letter of Withdrawal ]
Dekyulrein's hearing was still ongoing even now, three days later. But she had heard it wasn't as intense as the first day.
Perhaps Ihelm had given up too.
—A few years ago. When Gilteon tried to annihilate Luna's family. Wasn't it you who stopped it?
Ifrin thought about the relationship between Luna and Yukeurain.
It was a dilemma that continued from the moment she opened her eyes every morning until the night she fell asleep.
—If that bastard hadn't been sycophantic to Dikaillen……
If the previous Family Head of Yukeurain had truly wanted her, and her father had wished for it as well.
If Dekyulrein had been in danger of having Yukeurain 'taken' by Luna.
"……Sigh."
Ifrin let out a sigh and looked around the room one last time.
The interior was neatly organized.
Unnecessary things were all thrown away, and what she needed to take was all packed.
"At this point……"
It was enough. There would be no trouble caused by room cleaning.
She put the withdrawal letter into her bosom. She barely fastened her bulging backpack.
"Let's go~ Let's go back to our hometown~"
Muttering energetically for no reason as she tried to leave, Ifrin suddenly.
"……Huh?"
She discovered an envelope under the door crack. It hadn't been there until yesterday; an object that had suddenly appeared.
Could it have come this morning?
Ifrin picked up the thick envelope. Inside were a letter and a certificate.
She looked at it without much thought, and her heart sank.
"……Ah."
Ifrin let out a small shriek.
Her whole body stiffened. Not just her arms and legs, but her head stopped too.
Blankly, she read the contents of the certificate.
[ Magic Tower Sponsorship Certificate ]
■ Recipient: Solda Ifrin Luna
■ Amount: 100,000 ∃
The anonymous sponsorship that had continued since the day she enrolled at the Magic Tower had been renewed today.
The date this sponsorship was decided was none other than yesterday.
The content written on the letter was a single line.
—I support you.
"No way……!"
The moment she saw that sentence, Ifrin threw her backpack away. She dashed straight out of the dormitory and ran like an arrow.
Her body knew where the destination was. Her legs moved of their own accord.
Running, and running, running like mad and arriving at the Magic Tower, tapping her feet in front of the unusually slow elevator today, getting into the elevator and pressing the button for the 77th floor……
Ding—!
By the time she came to her senses, that nameplate was already before her eyes.
[ Office of the Chair Professor: Dekyulrein. ]
Dekyulrein, the Chair Professor.
Ifrin looked straight at his name. Her heart was pounding as if it would shatter.
Belatedly, she felt the tears flowing from her eyes.
—I support you.
That single sentence she had just read ripped at her heart.
"……Why."
I was going to betray you. I was trying to stand on the opposite side.
I was too hasty without knowing anything, and I still blame you to some extent even now for causing my father's death.
This hatred will never disappear.
"Why……"
Knock-knock—
With trembling hands, Ifrin knocked on his office door.
After waiting a while, the door opened by itself. It was Dekyulrein's 「Telekinesis」.
"Ifrin. You haven't shown up at the lab lately."
"……"
"That is 5 demerit points for loafing."
Toward him who chastised her as usual, as if nothing had happened.
Toward him who looked at her with that same cold face.