When I opened my eyes, I saw Sophien’s face. Warm eyes gazed down at me from above. Those eyes were damp, and somehow even benevolent.
……My hand, looking up at her, moved slowly. Before I knew it, I was caressing her cheek. Her face was so small that half of it was covered by my hand.
“…….”
The Emperor made a sound as though her breath had stopped. Belatedly, I tried to lower my hand, but hers caught it.
“Professor.”
Sophien looked at me and smiled faintly.
At that moment, a headache flashed through me.
My brow trembled, and concern spread across Sophien’s face.
“……Your body is not well. But I suppose I brought this upon you.”
The Emperor spoke as if in regret. Holding my hand, caressing her own cheek with it, in a low voice.
“Is it because I forced all those memories upon you?”
“……Your Majesty.”
I cut her off.
“How much time has passed?”
“…….”
At that, Sophien shook her head curtly, as if displeased, and replied.
“Not even fifteen minutes.”
“I see.”
For now, I raised my upper body.
For the briefest instant, 「Iron Man」 had collapsed. Traces of it remained here and there in my organs. In particular, the pain in my heart was still there.
“Thank you.”
However, that recovery was now happening on its own.
Since I could faintly feel Sophien’s mana inside my body, it was likely thanks to her.
“You have learned a wondrous art.”
At my question, Sophien gave a small laugh.
“It is Divine Tongue and Rune Tongue.”
“You learned what I did not teach you.”
“Yes. Rune Tongue is an ancient language in which mana dwells within the language itself, while Divine Tongue is merely the language of the beginning. By combining the natures of those two languages……”
Her finger tapped my solar plexus.
“I bestowed upon you the Word Spirit of 「Self-Recovery」.”
Word Spirit. A power that was virtually divine, no different from the ultimate magic of this worldview.
“However, it only takes effect when you are with me. The closer you are to me, the better it will be.”
Saying so, Sophien wrapped her arms around the back of my neck. She smiled like a fox.
“So……”
Sophien’s face touched my shoulder. As if embracing me, leaning against my collarbone, she murmured softly.
“From now on, I shall protect you. Even if I must die and vanish to do so.”
Knock, knock—
Then came the sound of knocking. Sophien’s face became rather displeased as she glared that way, and I pulled her away before rising from my seat.
—Your Majesty. The selected mages will be arriving shortly.
It was Lia’s voice.
* * *
On the way to the Imperial Palace, Sylvia sat in the back seat of a luxury sedan.
However, she was not alone. As a selected mage, she had been permitted one companion.
“…….”
Sylvia glanced at the seat beside her.
Yuri. This young knight was still glaring at some piece of paper. It was an interior map of the Imperial University.
“Is it because of that Dark Forest?”
Sylvia asked. The knight flinched.
“Yes.”
“It’s better not to go near the Dark Forest. The concentration of demonic energy has grown too dense. A lot of demonic things will happen there.”
“……I see.”
Looking at this woman, Sylvia entertained a rather absurd thought.
Could she really be Yuli?
“Did something happen there, by any chance?”
Sylvia asked. Yuli shook her head.
“No.”
It was a denial that meant something had happened, but she would not tell her.
Sylvia felt as though she knew why.
“Is it because of the Revelation and the Spiritual Fluid?”
Yuli’s eyes widened. Sylvia gave a snort of laughter and nodded.
“There are serious problems like that even within the Knight Order.”
“Y-you know about it?”
“It’s famous in the Mage Tower. Other cadets and magic students besides you probably know too. That if you pledge loyalty to the Revelation, you’ll be given Spiritual Fluid. Though there are still plenty of people who dismiss it as nothing more than a ghost story.”
Sylvia took a grade register from inside her coat.
“There are many mages in the Mage Tower whose grades have shot up. Even by ratio alone, it’s at least 27%. In the Knight Order, 25%. Seeing those who rise rapidly, more students will probably fall into temptation.”
“…….”
Yuli focused her gaze on the register. Watching her, Sylvia said,
“I’ll ask again. Did you meet someone in the Dark Forest?”
“…….”
Yuli looked up at Sylvia. Then, with a stiff face, she answered.
“Yes. I met one person.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t know who. A veil covered everything.”
“Was it yesterday?”
“Yes.”
Sylvia took a Ouija Board from her bag. Then she searched for last night’s Dark Forest patrolman.
“What is that?”
“A Ouija Board. Patrols in the Dark Forest are carried out by the faculty or active knights. Their roster is public, so I’ll look up who did it last night.”
“Ah.”
Yuli showed interest. Sylvia checked the patrolman from the previous night.
“Gawain.”
A knight named Gawain. He was a fairly famous knight, so Sylvia had heard of him before.
“Ah!”
Yuli’s eyes widened. Sylvia asked in return.
“You know him?”
“Yes. I do. I know him well.”
Of course she knew Gawain. After all, he was her ‘peer’ who had gone on missions and trained together with her.
If it was Gawain, then even his saying “well, then” as if he knew her made sense.
As expected, Gawain was Gawain.
“He truly is an upright knight.”
“Is he?”
As they were speaking, the Imperial Palace, their destination, appeared through the windshield.
Sylvia spoke in a subtle tone to the knight whose guard was completely down.
“We’re here, Yuli.”
“Yes. We’re here.”
Yuli answered very naturally. With a face that did not even realize what she had just heard.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Is this your first time at the Imperial Palace?”
“Yes.”
Yuli merely clenched both fists tightly, as if excited.
Of course, she could simply be the kind of person who did not care if someone called her by the wrong name. She might be the kind of person who would rather be called incorrectly than embarrass someone by correcting her name.
But no matter how much that might be the case, if someone unconsciously heard a different name, some physical reaction ought to show.
Yuli had no such signs.
She was accepting the name ‘Yuli’ simply as her own.
“…….”
With that, Sylvia was certain.
No matter how impossible something was, once the concept of ‘magic’ was applied, it tended to become understandable at a glance.
Epherene came to mind.
It must be that brat’s doing after all.
“Get out.”
“Yes.”
The car stopped, and the two of them got out together.
Step, step, step— The knights of the Imperial Palace approached with regular strides. Yuli’s face was tense.
……Yuli.
Sylvia looked at her and let out a small sigh.
* * *
Yuli reached the inner palace. Perhaps there had been a separate order from His Majesty the Emperor, for there was no special identity check or inspection. For Yuli, who was still using an alias, it was a fortunate thing.
“While the selected mages are having an audience with His Majesty, their companions may remain here.”
The court lady Ahan guided her to a certain room.
“Yes. Understood.”
Yuli bowed her head. Ahan left with a bright smile, and Yuli, after sweeping her gaze around the interior, blinked.
“…….”
The scenery of the Imperial Palace was so splendid it left her speechless. A crystal chandelier reflected the light, and the ceramics of the Dadohae glittered in vivid colors.
But among them were faces Yuli did not know.
There were quite a lot, about seven of them……
“Huh? Another person came!”
“Mm? Who?”
Among the seven, two minors(?) looked at her with round eyes.
Yuli did not know who they were, but she bowed her head first. Then a grin spread across one child’s face.
“Hello~! I’m Leo! An adventurer!”
The cute brown-haired child introduced himself without hesitation. On the other hand, the blue-haired child beside him only bowed his head.
“This is Carlos!”
The child named Leo introduced him instead.
Yuli smiled bitterly.
“I am Knight Yuri. I came as a companion to the Imperial Palace…… and you are?”
“We came to receive a mission! His Majesty said there was a mission he would give us!”
“……A mission?”
“Yes!”
These young children were already adventurers of a level that could receive missions from the Imperial Palace?
Feeling anew the gap of ten years, Yuli sat down on a nearby chair.
Just then.
Creeeeak——
The door opened again. One knight and two young adventurers turned to look at it.
Leo shouted.
“Lia!”
“Shh!”
A woman called Lia hurriedly put a finger to her lips. Then she called out loudly.
“Count Yukline will be here shortly!”
“!”
“!”
“!”
There were three exclamation marks rising over their heads. Not only Leo and Carlos, but Yuli as well.
Carlos and Leo quickly hid themselves, and Yuli turned her chair around. So that her face could not be seen.
“Please prepare yourselves!”
Leaving those words behind, Lia spun around and closed the door again.
Knock, knock—
Not long after, the sound of knocking rang out.
Yuli twisted her head so that her face absolutely could not be seen, while the other knights instead straightened their backs so that their faces could be seen clearly.
Creeeak—
A refined fragrance drifted in from beyond the opening door.
Deculein’s elegance surged in, and along with the sound of a cane striking the floor, his deep voice settled over the room.
“The selected mages’ companions. Five in total, correct?”
—Yes, that is correct.
Among the knights who answered, Yuli had, before she knew it, wrapped her face like a mummy. She had wound a nearby tablecloth around her face.
“……There is one peculiar person here.”
Deculein’s voice sounded dumbfounded. The other knights also burst into laughter.
Yuli quickly lowered her head.
“I apologize. I have a skin disease.”
“It is fine. The face does not matter, and in any case, I am only here to guide you through Imperial Palace etiquette and convey a few things.”
Deculein snapped—his fingers. Then the lights in the room went out.
“First. I will say only the most important thing. Guard your lives.”
“……Our lives?”
Yuli asked before she could stop herself.
To be told to guard their lives in the Imperial Palace?
Deculein nodded.
“Yes. That is the only reason companions were allowed for the selected mages. The Imperial Palace is dangerous right now. To be precise, a certain magical current is coiling around the upper and lower levels.”
Deculein continued calmly.
“Because of that incident, His Majesty personally said he had hired adventurers, yet those adventurers are nowhere to be seen.”
Adventurers. At those words, Yuli thought of Leo and Carlos, who had just introduced themselves as adventurers. The two children who had immediately hidden themselves when they heard Deculein was coming.
“There would be no need for ruffians who fail to keep their promises in the first place.”
Deculein shook his head as if scoffing, then snapped—his fingers again.
“For now. Instruction for the selected mages will continue in the Imperial Palace garden for three days. During that time, you may remain here. Whether you spar, enjoy the palace facilities, play cards, or do whatever else, I will not interfere. However.”
Deculein’s expression hardened. He swept his gaze around and said,
“At night, the mana of the Imperial Palace grows dense, and because of that, you may encounter these demonic beings. We suspect this phenomenon as well to be the Altar’s doing.”
Rustle, rustle……
Deculein’s mana rose in the dark space, and soon it formed a certain shape. It was an eerie figure with some sort of robe pulled over it.
“To be precise, they are demonic beings called ‘Messengers.’ They are the sort that will throw you into any random space within the Imperial Palace. In severe cases, they may even banish you to the ‘Land of Annihilation.’”
Demonic beings. They were not demons, yet possessed the nature of demons.
Deculein shrugged.
“So at night, avoid them as much as possible. Do not walk the corridors of the Imperial Palace either.”
Just then, someone raised a hand. Yuli turned that way and flinched in surprise.
It was Knight Raphel.
Her former senior.
“……Does it matter if we smash them?”
Raphel asked. Deculein smiled faintly and nodded.
“It does not. In that case, since you would have eased His Majesty’s worries, you would naturally be rewarded.”
“Good.”
Raphel grinned, and Deculein’s gaze fell upon Yuli again. To be precise, upon the tablecloth that wrapped her face like a mummy.
“It seems there is also one tablecloth ghost here, but I will not address it. For now, everyone, rest comfortably.”
“…….”
Feeling her entire body turn crimson, Yuli buried her face low.