······One week before midterms.
Back when he had been helping Julia with her assignment.
Drent had found himself bothered by Epherene’s assignment lying on the desk in the clubroom.
The very reason he had helped Julia with her work in the first place was to see if he might gain some unexpected inspiration. After all, he had been suffering from difficulties in structuring his thesis—difficulties severe enough to be called a slump.
But Julia’s paper had not been particularly useful as a reference, and while she stepped away, saying she was going to the restroom, he looked at Epherene’s assignment.
In that instant, he felt a shock spread through his mind.
It was an idea far too valuable to remain in the hands of a commoner. In any case, it was a record that would have been wasted on a mere assignment.
In the end, Drent took Epherene’s idea as his own inspiration.
······However.
“As you appear not to know, I will let that pass. I shall ask about something a little easier. The spell you just manifested, 「Protective Fireball」······.”
Deculein manifested the 「Protective Fireball」 Drent had just cast. Though he had only seen it once, the flame was far denser than Drent’s own.
“Can you truly be certain that this magic will not distort in the depths of the sea, at any altitude, or even underground?”
“Yes, yes. That is correct.”
Drent came to his senses and answered. He had not had enough time to fully master the thesis, but he did possess some degree of knowledge······.
“Then what is the reason? Given that the formula of this 「Protective Fireball」 is as follows.”
The fireball formula Drent had described in his thesis floated in midair. Deculein pointed to the core of the magic circle.
“Which circuit in this formula serves the role of ‘protection’?”
“Uh······ that is······.”
Drent was at a loss for words. Deculein merely gazed at him in silence. That stillness swept through the area like a cutting wind.
“······.”
No matter how long they waited, Drent could not answer.
At last, Deculein’s cold voice settled over the hall.
“I could ask hundreds of questions derived from this thesis.”
A gaze that stared him down as if he were pathetic. Lips twisted with contempt.
Deculein continued, his words crushing him down.
“And yet you cannot answer even a few of them. Can such a thing truly be called your thesis?”
Drent clenched his teeth. Anger surged up within him. Just as he was about to shout something, Deculein stopped his mouth with a single sentence.
“Above all, I will leave aside the worst folly you have committed.”
“······!”
Deculein grasped the thesis in one hand.
“Try again. With your own strength.”
Whoosh······ The thesis caught fire. The thick stack of papers soon died away into pitch-black ash and scattered.
A small commotion arose in the audience. Even Sylvia’s eyes went round.
“······.”
Drent could not say a word.
Only a hollow laugh escaped him, like a sigh. He had no strength left to retort.
Deculein knew.
He knew everything.
Drent walked off the stage, step by step.
The hall the mage left behind was filled only with silence.
“No, that’s insane. Who could answer that?”
Julia whispered in an indignant tone. Epherene felt much the same, but something, something about it was strange.
─The, the second mage.
The host, too, seemed flustered as he stammered.
There were still twenty-two mages remaining at the public hearing.
─Please maintain silence. The second presenter is Mallon, a fourth-year mage of the Solda rank.
The next mage appeared.
Already frightened, he trembled, pale as a sheet. If it were possible, he must have wanted to be pushed back to a later turn.
“I-I-I am M-Mallon of the S-Solda rank······ The, the thesis I have written is······.”
Mage Mallon soon explained his thesis, and this time as well, Deculein listened closely before asking a question.
His words precisely struck only the core of the thesis.
“Yes. The reason I designated that magic as a manipulation-type spell is······.”
Mallon succeeded in answering despite his stammering. At that, Deculein nodded as if satisfied.
“That will suffice.”
Having seen the previous thesis burned to ash up close, he bowed with the feeling that he had been spared by a miracle.
“Thank you!”
* * *
As soon as the thesis conference ended, I went up to my office.
Knock, knock─.
It was Allen’s knock. He entered with some documents clutched in one hand, his face brighter than the sun.
“Professor! This time, I carefully selected them myself.”
“Selected?”
“Yes. They’re mages who wish to come under your command, Professor.”
“······Leave them and go.”
“Yes!”
Allen placed the documents on the desk and left. I skimmed through the papers.
“Chloen······ Groan······.”
There was no one outstanding, nor anyone famous. They were all merely those who would be unable to remain in the University Magic Tower unless I took them in.
“Am I supposed to use them as laborers?”
Just then, as I threw the roster aside—
Vmmmmm─
A small vibration arose from inside my coat.
It was the crystal sphere.
When I infused mana into the sphere, the communication connected and a voice came through.
─Are you there?
“Speak, classmate.”
─······.
Charlotte was silent. She seemed to hesitate for quite a long while.
─Ha······.
After letting out a troubled breath, a dry, cracked voice flowed in.
─We have to leave now. There is no time.
“Understood.”
I immediately took out a map. I had already investigated a reliable route long ago.
“Can you follow my plan?”
─What is your plan?
“We will cross Crevasse Canyon.”
─······Are you serious?
“Crevasse Canyon” was a harsh region swarming with demonic energy. It was also an abandoned passage that belonged to no nation.
It was an extremely rugged and dangerous canyon, all but synonymous with terror in the world, but it was Charlotte’s only way out.
“It is a shortcut to the Duchy of Yuren. Since no one owns it, Reok will have no pretext to create a diplomatic dispute.”
─I know. I considered it as well, but—
“I will guide you personally.”
─······.
Crevasse Canyon was not particularly far from Hadekain. It could be reached in three to four hours on horseback.
Moreover, since I happened to be the one with the authority to decide the mages’ MT, if I set the date of action to overlap with the MT, we would be able to pass through safely without wasting time.
─You, personally?
“That is correct.”
─······I heard that the Kingdom of Reok attacked you in Bercht.
I furrowed my brow.
The Kingdom of Reok had been behind the attack?
But to think Charlotte knew information I did not. Clearly, I needed to establish and supplement a new intelligence network.
─Was that attack so hateful that you would move personally?
“Charlotte.”
─What?
“I am an extremely political person. In intelligence, insight, or whatever else you name, I am likely far superior to you.”
─What? That conceited—
“I want your princess to survive and become a benefit to my family and territory.”
─······.
“This is a deal, not goodwill. Why try to place personal feelings on that scale? Are you truly so foolish?”
I had merely found Charlotte’s probing tone irritating.
Yet perhaps it had been a good answer instead, for Charlotte replied in a voice that held a little more conviction.
─······Understood. If you carry out the mission, the Princess will grant you any favor.
“Then the deal is struck?”
─We rendezvous at the entrance of Crevasse?
“Correct. If she cannot even make it there, I will judge that she has no value worth surviving for.”
─Understood. I hope your abilities are as certain as that mouth of yours.
The communication ended there.
Sitting in my chair, I murmured quietly.
“······Is this an opportunity to test it?”
Of course, Crevasse Canyon was a dangerous region. The demonic energy there was so dense it was closer to a den of demons, or even a dungeon, and demons appeared there whenever they pleased.
However.
The trait granted to my bloodline, 「Yukline」.
──「Yukline」──
◆ Grade
：Bloodline
◆ Description
：A bloodline that exhibits power in the eradication of demons.
：When facing demons, or when the concentration of demonic energy in the atmosphere is dense, the surrounding demonic energy can be purified into one’s own mana and used.
：The quality of mana purified in this way increases by [ 1 stage ].
──────
This bloodline inversely utilized the aura of demons—that is, unrefined demonic energy—as an energy source.
In a space filled with demonic energy, where an ordinary human would find even breathing difficult, the restrictions on my mana would instead be released.
Therefore, terrain overflowing with demonic energy such as Crevasse was no different from home ground for the Yukline family.
“······I remember the route precisely.”
Thus, Crevasse Canyon would certainly be the correct method. I had cleared it this way in the game as well.
Charlotte, too, had probably been keeping Crevasse in mind somewhere in a corner of her heart.
Knock, knock─
It was then. Along with a knock, the door immediately opened.
The massive body that shoved its way in as if to break down the door was, unexpectedly, Zeit.
“Professor Deculein!”
“······Lord Zeit. What brings you here?”
“Let us have dinner together today!”
Zeit spoke with a hearty hahahaha laugh.
I looked at the clock.
Three in the afternoon.
It was far too early to have dinner.
“Ah~ I simply thought I ought to arrange a meal at least once a month. I hear you have not been seeing Julie at all lately. We will go ahead and prepare, so you just need to bring Julie with you!”
There was a certain “suspicion” dwelling in Zeit’s gaze and voice as he said so.
For a man built like a bear, he had the instincts of a fox.
* * *
Six in the evening.
Julie was preparing to go out from the mansion. Since Zeit had strongly insisted on today’s meal, there had been no way for her to refuse.
From now on, I will come up every month to monitor your progress─ Those had been Zeit’s words.
Julie let out a sigh and put on her light armor and cloak. Then she looked at herself in the mirror.
“······.”
Fatigue was written across her face.
These days, not only had she been investigating the Veron incident, but the heavy workload following the Emperor’s death had overlapped as well, and she had not rested even an hour a day.
Such days had continued for no less than over two weeks.
Since she did not want background investigations, the Thieves’ Guild, or even requests to an adventuring party, she had borne all of that burden alone.
Knock, knock─
A servant spoke along with the knock.
─Mistress! It is time!
Julie nodded and went outside.
She had intended to go by horse, but what was this?
From the far side of the mansion, a gleaming car was approaching.
When she narrowed her eyes to look, it was indeed Deculein.
As Julie approached, the window opened.
“Get in.”
“Did Lord Zeit perhaps tell you to—”
“He suspects the relationship between you and me.”
“······.”
“Get in.”
Julie hesitated, then nodded. After telling the servants she would be back, she got into the car.
The car set off at once.
Inside, the two of them were awkward for a while. Julie wondered if the promised month had already passed, while Deculein looked out the window.
A single sentence broke that long silence.
“······Are you still investigating that incident?”
“······.”
Julie did not answer. Deculein looked at her and continued.
“It would be better not to. You will damage your health—”
“I am fine.”
Julie cut him off firmly. It was a clear refusal.
Deculein said nothing more.
It was quiet.
The luxury car moved silently along the neatly polished road.
It was peaceful, and comfortable.
“Julie. You truly are frustrating.”
Around that time, Deculein let those words pass by.
“······.”
No matter how long he waited, there was no answer. Deculein tilted his head slightly and looked at her.
“······.”
Julie had her eyes closed.
Her back was straight, and both hands were placed neatly atop her knees.
In that proper posture, unable to overcome the fatigue of the days past, she had fallen asleep.
Deculein gave a faint laugh and looked at her face.
Her steady breathing was gentle. A strand of her swaying hair was about to slip into her mouth, so he reached out and brushed it away.
Feeling somehow unsatisfied, he also lightly pinched her cheek. It was soft.
As he moved it this way and that, her face trembled faintly.
Belatedly coming to his senses, Deculein took a book out of his briefcase.
Not a single word entered his head, but he turned the pages anyway. After remaining like that for a while, he spoke to the driver.
“It will take about half a day to arrive.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Thanks to the driver’s clever driving, the car circled the same road over and over, and it became eight o’clock.
Their appointed time of seven had long since passed.
I read a book in comfort, looked at Yulie, read again, then checked the clock—it was already nine.
It was an astonishing speed.
Today, time seemed to have been chopped into pieces, breaking off in fits and starts.
And finally, when it became ten o’clock at night.
“……Mm.”
Yulie woke from her sleep. With eyes still heavy with drowsiness, she looked around. Startled by the scenery outside the window, she flinched like a spring.
“……!”
“You’re awake.”
“It’s, it’s night……”
“It’s already late.”
Deculein spoke to her as she clung to the window. He took out his pocket watch, and at the same time, the car stopped.
The driver said it seemed there might be a problem with the car for a moment—and gave them some privacy.
“Ten-thirty. Dinner must have ended long ago. This is the first time I’ve ever broken an appointment.”
“Why, why did you not wake me……”
“Because, rather than an awkward meal, being absent together is more suitable for erasing suspicion.”
“……”
Yulie pondered what that meant, and her face flushed red. Deculein gazed steadily at her. His eyes were quite serious.
“Yulie.”
“……Yes.”
“Thinking it over, it seems our contract has acquired a deadline.”
Yulie’s large eyes became like a deer’s.
“Zeit is suspicious, so it likely won’t last more than a year. You must become a Guardian Knight within that year. You will only be thirty next year, so you must become the youngest in the history of the Empire.”
As Deculein said so, he reached out. He straightened Yulie’s hair, which had been mussed from sleep.
Yulie did not reject his touch. More than that touch, the emotion contained in Deculein’s voice was deep.
“If you cannot become a Guardian Knight within that deadline, we may have no choice but to marry, even by force.”
“……”
“So, do not remain in one place.”
Yulie silently met his eyes. She had something to say, but for a moment she searched for the words.
After thinking for a long while, she soon asked the things she had wondered about until now.
“Why do you show such feelings to me?”
“……”
“There are many women more beautiful than I am. There must be many women whose hands are not ugly from holding a sword like mine, who are not as frustrating as I am, who are not as stiff-minded as I am.”
Deculein silently turned his gaze outside the window. Moonlight filled those blue eyes.
“……Yulie.”
He spoke as though smiling.
“I utterly despise things such as fate ordained by God, or astrology.”
“……”
“But at times, I feel that something I cannot defy truly exists.”
As he said that, Deculein was looking at the moon in the sky.
“For me, that is you.”
Yulie understood his meaning. But at the same time, she was puzzled.
The Deculein of before would not have been like this.
“……Is that so?”
What had he experienced to change so much?
Deculein spoke again.
“So, so that I do not return to my former self, it would be better for both you and me if you kept as far away from me as possible.”
Deculein leaned forward.
At first, she thought he was going to do something. Startled, her whole body stiffened, and without realizing it, she took a stance to counterattack.
Click—
Deculein had merely opened the door for her.
“Rest comfortably today. Though you missed dinner, if we say we were together, Zeit will be pleased as well.”
“……”
Yulie stared at Deculein blankly.
“Get out.”
“……Yes. Please go safely.”
Soon, she nodded and stepped out of the car.
A clear wind blew. She did not know how long she had slept, but the world was dark, and her heart was calm.
Not far away, she could see her own mansion.
“Ah, are you finished?”
Deculein’s driver climbed back into the car.
The car soon started off with the sound of its engine. Yulie watched him reflected in the rear window for a moment, then returned to the mansion.
“Ah, Master, you’re back?!”
The servants in the living room greeted her. Yulie did not keep them at a distance. So, she smiled faintly and said,
“I’m hungry. Prepare some dinner for me.”
“Ah, yes! Understood!”
The servants moved busily. Since it was the first time in nearly two weeks that she had requested a meal at the mansion, they put their utmost effort into cooking.
That night.
Yulie ate a delicious meal and slept soundly. For the first time in a long while, she lay in bed without thinking about work.
Suddenly, his words came back to her ears.
‘But at times, I feel that something I cannot defy truly exists……’
She felt that tonight, she might be able to avoid having nightmares.
……On the way back by car.
“Shall we circle a little longer?”
The driver asked. I shook my head.
“Return to the mansion.”
“Yes.”
A sigh escaped me. A hollow laugh slipped out as well.
Today, I thought that I should keep Yulie at a distance. Because as time passed, I would come to love every part of her.
Of course, I knew that the process of growing distant would be painful. That was why Yulie absolutely had to become a Guardian Knight. So that Yulie herself would move away from me……
“We have arrived.”
“Good work.”
I got out at the mansion.
On the path through the garden, atop the branch of a shrub.
A single hawk was watching me.