These days, an interesting piece of news was circulating around the floating islands. It was a fresh new wind wrapping around the island that had grown dull with boredom.
“······Deculein, that man?”
“Yes.”
Creto, the Emperor’s younger brother, smiled in surprise as soon as he received the report.
“Huh······ So······ Problem No. 6 will be solved soon?”
“They say the Seat of Proof has been prepared.”
A symposium, the “Seat of Proof,” was not held unless the answer was persuasive—no, unless it was almost close to being the correct answer.
Therefore.
The fact that the Seat of Proof had been prepared meant that the solution to Problem No. 6 was not far off.
“Impressive.”
Creto was purely amazed.
Of course, it was not yet certain that it had been solved, but as something of a fan of Deculein, Creto had faith.
“Well, it was about time for him to soar.”
Creto still could not forget Deculein’s midterm exam. Its lingering impression had stayed in his heart for a long time, rekindling the passion he had nearly lost.
That was why, when he heard that Sophien had come to receive Deculein’s instruction, he had secretly felt envious. He had nearly even said, “Let me join those lessons too.”
“However, there are also some unsavory rumors.”
“Unsavory?”
“Yes. They say ‘that place’ has its eyes on him.”
“That place.”
Not only ordinary mages, but even Creto’s bodyguard knight, Passbender, never spoke the name of that “volcanic region” aloud.
For “Ashes” was that vulgar a derogatory name.
“Those bastards do make a habit of picking fights with successful mages······ Well, it likely won’t matter. Deculein’s strength is famous in the secular world these days.”
A powerful combat mage. Deculein, who had supposedly fought Rohakan on equal footing, matched like dragon and tiger—though the Imperial Knights had classified the anecdote—was something Creto knew well.
“At any rate. When that Seat of Proof is prepared, secure me a seat. No, that is an order. Make certain you get one.”
The competition for tickets would probably be insanely fierce. Any high-ranking mage worth their salt would be there.
“Yes. There will be no issue.”
At Creto’s request, Passbender answered reliably.
······.
Meanwhile, at the same time, on another floating island.
The upper levels of Mejiseion.
“How fascinating! He really submitted it!”
Chairwoman Adrienne read the letter from Wizard Academic in her private residence.
Its contents stated that “Deculein’s paper is exceedingly reasonable, and the possibility that it is the answer is extremely high, so we request verification.”
“I heard it was Problem No. 6.”
“Yep! It really is Problem No. 6!”
The chairwoman was conversing with someone.
A mage with long black hair tied back like a horse’s tail. Compared to the youthful, short chairwoman, she was a secret guest with a cold, mature impression.
“By the way, do you know that Deculein has been put in danger because of you?”
“Hm? Why Deculein?”
Chairwoman Adrienne was a progressive person. At the very least, she did not discriminate against people based on things like “origin” or “current affiliation.”
Adrienne’s only criterion was “whether or not they are harmful to me.”
“There are many who are aiming for Deculein. Starting with Gerek, that mad bastard, then Glipper, Helgun······ Even in the Ashes, his name comes up quite often.”
Gerek, the multiple personality.
Glipper, the murderer.
Helgun, the living corpse.
All of them were famous figures in the Ashes.
“It is all because you went around saying Deculein was strong.”
“Eh?! Why is that my fault? Sia, you lost to Deculein too!”
“······.”
Her real name was Cynthia.
Her current alias was Al Roth.
About ten years ago, at the mere age of fourteen, she had caught Adrienne’s eye and become her prized disciple, taught unofficially. And one month ago, she was also the culprit who had installed the barrier in the Third Dormitory Hall of the Mage Tower.
“At the time, I was a doll. Had it been my main body, I would have won.”
“What a lie! If it had been your main body, you would’ve died there instead~”
“I had no intention of killing any mage then.”
Ten years ago, Cynthia had not quite been the material of an archmage, but she had possessed enough talent to aim for the peak of a particular field.
Adrienne, having seen through that quality, personally educated the orphaned girl.
“But why does that matter?”
“······I was merely telling you to be aware that the Ashes has placed a bounty on Deculein’s head.”
“Got it! More importantly, where’s my doll?!”
Al Roth took a puppy out of her bag. It was an adorable small dog.
“Waaah! So cute······! Oh, right, its lifespan will be long, won’t it?!”
“Yes. That is also why I deliberately made the body small. As long as mana is guaranteed, it will live far beyond a hundred years······ It will likely continue living long after you die. But why are you so fixated on lifespan?”
“Who knows~?”
Adrienne merely gave a faint smile.
“Living a long time is nice!”
She knew her own bloodline. She also knew her own lifespan.
For a fairy, time was far too long to love someone.
A fairy lived twice as long as the longest-lived humans—no, three times as long—and never aged.
But a doll, only a doll that could live and move for a long time, could share her time with her.
In other words, the history of Adrienne discovering the talent of “Al Roth” and teaching her personally was by no means a coincidence.
Al Roth, unaware of that fact, sometimes could not understand Adrienne’s actions. However, though her master was playful, mischievous, vexing, and spiteful, she was still her master, so Al Roth could not help but respect her.
“Could I perhaps take a look at that paper······”
Al Roth slowly reached out an arm.
“No! It’s iris-locked!”
The chairwoman widened her eyes and tucked the paper into her arms. Al Roth grumbled as she withdrew her hand.
“Hmm. He solved No. 6, did he······”
She suddenly recalled her first meeting with Deculein.
—Trash worse than filth. Vermin rejected by society. A maggot whose composition is insufficient to be called human, yet with not even a remotely endearing trait to be called a beast. Your only talent is wriggling, and your lowly, filthy roots are beyond salvation.
That murderous tone. The curses and abuse he had poured out in fury.
Of course, she knew very well why they hated the Ashes.
“······The more I think about it, the angrier I get.”
The more she chewed it over, the more heat rose to her face.
Someday, if they met again, she would pay him back properly then······
“Ah! It’s moving! It’s moving~!”
The chairwoman made a fuss. Al Roth also glanced over.
The small dog, having accepted Adrienne’s pure mana as life force, was scampering after her with little yips.
Pfft—
Al Roth laughed softly and left her residence.
* * *
Monday, the Yukline mansion.
I installed a blackboard in the annex. It was an object identical to the one in the Mage Tower lecture hall.
───「 Twin Blackboard 」───
◆ Information
：A blackboard made from mana stone. A pair forms one set.
：Its resonance has been increased due to 「Midas’ Hand」.
◆ Category
：Apparatus ⊃ Communication
◆ Special Effects
：Anything written on this blackboard is transmitted identically to the other blackboard.
：This connection cannot be severed by any magical effect.
[ Midas’ Hand: Level ４ ]
────────
It was an object I had personally made so two-way communication would be possible from inside and outside the barrier, and had even upgraded with 「Midas’ Hand」. If I wrote characters on the blackboard in this annex, identical characters would be inscribed on the blackboard in the lecture hall as well.
With this, I could communicate with the debutants.
[ Grade 5 Mid-Boss Event: Baron of the Ashes ]
All of it was preparation for this Grade 5 boss battle.
Of course, I did not know when the Baron of the Ashes would appear. Moreover, since a professor could not interfere in that event, there was no room for me to be involved any further than this.
“With a little help, they should take care of it themselves.”
Fortunately, two of the debutants were certainly clever.
Unlike myself, who could not even act conceited without help from system traits, Epherene and Sylvia were named characters with historically exceptional growth potential······
—Knock, knock. It is Ren.
I opened the door. Ren entered with his head slightly bowed and handed over some documents.
“Master. There are rumors that Count Zeit intends to take over the Prenheim Knights. I have recorded various other pieces of information as well.”
“······Zeit?”
“Yes. There is already a rumor that he has reserved a wedding hall.”
It was a somewhat troublesome report.
For now, I read the documents first.
“Hmm.”
The level of detail exceeded my imagination. Although their “range” was still lacking since the only staff members were Ren and Enen, the accuracy of the information related to the people around me was sufficiently satisfactory.
“Good work.”
If it was like this, then the salary was not a waste.
Also, I held out a book to Ren. It was [Yukline: Understanding Elemental Magic], which I was currently revising.
“This is······?”
I spoke to Ren, who tilted his head.
“Recently, I have occasionally heard the sound of magic from your quarters. It must be the doing of your younger sister, Enen.”
“······.”
Ren looked as though he had no idea at all.
Of course. Like Yeriel, Enen must have been secretly studying magic.
“I apologize. I will educate her properly.”
“That book will do the educating. If my subordinate has talent, that is rather a good thing for me. Tell her to learn.”
“······.”
Ren looked at me as though this was unexpected.
However, that kind of reaction irritated me instead. If I said to do something, he should do it. If I said to accept something, he should accept it. Why show an expression saying he was grateful, or that it was unexpected, or anything of the sort?
“I said, take it.”
“Yes. Thank—”
“Just get ready to leave.”
“Yes.”
I went outside with Ren.
However, in the parking lot, a familiar face was waiting for me.
It was Luina.
“Boss. I was waiting for you.”
“Shall I drive her away?”
Ren asked. I shook my head.
“Leave her be.”
“Yes.”
Then Ren wordlessly walked over and opened the rear door. I got in first, and Luina quickly occupied the seat beside me.
Today, she looked tired.
“What is it?”
“You must be on your way to teach His Majesty.”
“Yes. Weren’t you tomorrow?”
“That’s right. I just have some information to deliver······”
Luina shrugged and took a bundle of papers from her briefcase.
“To be honest, I had intended to ask all of this at the ‘Seat of Proof.’ I have already delivered it to the symposium judges as well.”
“And?”
“But if I do, it might be a violation of our contract, and you gave me a chance too, Boss. So I also want to give you a chance to give up, even now.”
Listening closely, it sounded like some sort of cute threat. I calmly asked in return.
“A chance to give up.”
“Yes. Take it and read it, Boss.”
Luina presented the documents with feigned courtesy.
I accepted them without a word.
As expected, they contained an analysis of my answer to Problem No. 6.
I read with concentration for three minutes.
“······Luina.”
“Yes?”
Luina hid a smile. I stared steadily at her.
“These are good questions. Ask them at the Seat of Proof exactly as they are.”
“······What?”
Luina’s eyes widened. However, she soon furrowed her brow as if frustrated and said,
“No. Boss. Think for a—”
“Luina.”
“······What is it?”
Ahem. I cleared my throat a couple of times.
It seemed she truly did not want to acknowledge it, so I decided to give her a certain degree of plausible reasoning so she could accept it.
“Listen carefully. ‘This interpretation of the runes,’ ‘was, of course, fortunate,’ ‘but let me speak more clearly.’ ‘I am not,’ ‘the Deculein,’ ‘of the past.’ ‘This idea,’ ‘is the result of my own realization.’ ‘This command of language is the proof.’”
“······?”
Luina looked as if she had no idea what I meant. No, she looked as though she had not even understood the languages I had just spouted.
“I just spoke in nine languages.”
“······What?”
“It would be correct to think there is no language in this world that I do not know.”
Of course, on the continent, “Imperial” held the status of a common language like English in modern times, but every kingdom had a proper mother tongue of its own.
In addition, various tribal tongues, ancient languages, dead languages, and so on······ I had acquired those numerous and diverse languages solely for the sake of reading.
“I guarantee it. Even a language I have never seen or heard in my life, I can learn in ten days.”
Perhaps due to Deculein’s unique vanity, there had been many books written in foreign languages in his library, and it had been far too bothersome to find and read translations one by one.
Because of that, I learned the languages themselves, and became able to speak almost every language on this continent at a native level.
“And runes are a kind of language as well. Of course, because they are runes, it did take a long time. Do you understand now?”
“......”
Ruina silently gaped. Then she let out a hollow laugh.
Ha— hahaha— ha— It was like a robot forcing itself to laugh.
“Well...... I certainly didn’t know. To think you had a talent for languages, Boss.”
Muttering palely, Ruina leaned against the window.
Her slender shoulders drooped, and her empty gaze followed the scenery.
“Why are you so disheartened over something like this?”
“......Something like this?”
Ruina wrinkled the tip of her nose and asked back. I nodded.
“Yes. It is merely ‘problem-solving.’ You are four years younger than me, aren’t you? You still have plenty of room to grow, so time is certainly on your side.”
“......”
“And I promise you once more. In five years, neither will you be an obstacle to me, nor will I be an obstacle to you.”
The main quest was not long. I had already spent half a year in this world, so even at most, there were about four years left.
At that, Ruina smiled weakly.
“......If five years is enough to cut off this ill-fated bond with you, that’s quite cheap, Boss. But why exactly five years?”
“You don’t need to know. You’ll come to know naturally.”
“We’ve arrived.”
Ren spoke just then. I looked out the window and saw our destination. In the distance, the outer walls of the Imperial Palace stood firm and imposing, as though pressing down upon everything.
I got out of the car and said,
“Ren. Take Ruina to the Magic Tower.”
“Yes.”
“......Thank you for the consideration, Boss.”
Ruina waved from inside.
Vroooom—
And so the car departed, and I walked toward the Imperial Palace.
*
......Ashes germinate within deep darkness.
The parasite that devours emotion digs into emotional deficiencies, into scars.
It drives all of the host’s thoughts toward malignancy,
and at the moment the self, eaten away by every kind of negative emotion, painfully shrivels,
it begins with the most vulnerable part, and in the end, takes over the entire body......
Ruina staggered back to the Magic Tower. Today, in particular, the whole world seemed to sway, making her dizzy.
She pressed the elevator button for the 23rd floor.
The 23rd floor.
Her office.
She sat blankly in the chair of that shabby space.
Deculein had said five years.
Five years.
A mere five years.
She could endure that easily.
So why did she have to suffer this?
“......”
Suddenly, Ruina saw the letter placed on her office desk. It seemed someone had opened the door without permission and delivered it all the way inside.
It was a note left by the Magic Society.
[ Notice of Expulsion from the Magic Society: Monarch Rank Ruina ]
Ruina stared blankly at the sentence.
It was a transparent severing of ties.
The bastards who had incited her were abandoning her and trying to cling to Deculein again.
Thump—
Her heart beat.
Thump—
Her entire body burned. All kinds of unbearable dark emotions pounded against her skull. It felt as though a burning awl was stabbing into her temple.
These fucking bastards.
These filthy sons of bitches.
“......”
Ruina closed her eyes. Ash rose from her shoulders.
The pitch-black particles spread like a spiderweb, swallowing the entire office on the 23rd floor.
*
The 20th floor, a study room in the Magic Tower. Sylvia’s team was in the middle of checking their assignment.
“I’ve checked everything. Nothing wrong on this side. You?”
“Nothing.”
Just as Epherene and Sylvia were intently examining each part,
the door opened and Eurozan came in. His hands were full of snacks. It was the signal for a break.
“I was just getting hungry. Thanks.”
Epherene immediately reached out and pulled out some squid.
Eurozan said,
“Maybe it’s because exams are coming up soon. The study rooms, the library, and even the magic training rooms were all packed. It looked like every Debutant had gathered.”
Epherene had expected as much, so she had reserved seats in the Magic Tower library starting at four in the morning.
“Ah~ Since there was all that chaos, this final should be a bit easier, right?”
“Who knows. Anyway, what are you doing during break?”
“I have to go back to my territory. I don’t think I’ll be able to stay at the Magic Tower long either. Our territory needs quite a few mages.”
The three men chatted among themselves, and Epherene was cooling her overheated head while chewing on a squid leg when—
Thud—! Thud—!
A dull sound rang out. It was noise transmitted through the wall.
“What is that? Is someone fighting?”
Thud—! Thud—! Aaaaaargh—!
“!”
The reverberation was soon followed by a scream. Startled, Epherene and the team members immediately opened the study room door and came out.
“Wh-what is it!”
The corridor outside the study room. Some mage was standing with his back turned. Judging by the back of his head, he seemed to be their fellow Debutant, Roton.
Epherene crept toward him.
“Roton? Is that you? Are you okay? Were you fighting with some—?”
At that moment, Roton whipped around. He had no pupils, and black ash poured like vomit from his wide-open mouth and ears.
“Aaaaah!”
Before she knew it, Epherene released magic and pushed him away. Then she immediately fled back into the study room.
Bang—!
As soon as she shut the door, she asked urgently,
“D-did you guys see, see that, see that?! You saw it, right!”
“......”
The remaining four were also standing there blankly.
The scene just now had been that shocking, so they needed a moment to think.
“What in the...... Aha~”
Epherene, looking at them, gave a faint laugh. As if she had realized something.
“I must be dreaming right now. I probably fell asleep because I got tired studying. Right?”
“......Dream.”
“Yeah. Isn’t it a dream? I haven’t slept a wink since yesterday. Because I was training.”
At that, Sylvia moved. She did not hesitate in the slightest. She stretched out her hand and slapped Epherene across the cheek.
Slaaaaap──!
A tremendous sound cleaved the air. A swing that used the snap of her wrist. Epherene was pushed back awkwardly, her neck bent to the side.
“Ah......”
In that state, she only turned her eyes to look at Sylvia.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
When a person was in too much pain, they could not even scream.
Her lips merely opened and closed— opened and closed— opened and closed—
Aggrieved and hurting, she simply glared, her eyebrows trembling.
“Y-you, you......”
“It hurts.”
“Of course it hurts! You hit me that hard!”
As Epherene shouted, Sylvia nodded.
“Sorry. But they say if it hurts, it isn’t a dream.”
“......”
“I was letting you know.”
Epherene shut her mouth in disbelief, and Sylvia turned to look at the other three men.
“What about you.”
Not wanting to be hit, they answered hurriedly.
“R-right, right. It’s definitely not a dream. How could this be a dream, Epherene?”
“You have to say things that make sense!”
“Mm.”
......It had already been five days since Sylvia had taken Deculein’s advice and begun exercising. Feeling that her physical ability had improved somewhat, Sylvia looked out the study room window.
She was a little tense as well. Roton’s grotesquely transformed appearance had been rather bewildering even to her.
“I really feel wronged...... Ugh, I’m so annoyed and it hurts so much...... Is saying one thing wrong a crime? Is it a crime......?”
She ignored Epherene, who was glaring at her tearfully.