Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter.
Outside the restaurant window, a midsummer downpour was pouring down, and Ephrin pecked at her meal, steeped in melancholy.
"Why is it, I wonder. Life sometimes veers so far off course. So much so that it cannot be turned back."
"......."
"When despair comes out of nowhere, I think that hope to overcome it in a single breath might come too, but reality is not so easy. Something to compensate for such despair...... is not common."
Ephrin, who had been twirling her chopsticks, eventually set all her utensils down on the table. The tears pooling round and glossy in her eyes were pitiful.
"Wh-why? It's delicious."
Lethe and Endel, Sylvia's maids, were bewildered. To them, this steak was plenty delicious too.
"This kid likes a different pig."
Sylvia ate composedly. To her, it mattered not whether it was rice balls or fried rice, pork or beef.
"Why...... Why today of all days......"
But Ephrin muttered miserably. It was because the 'Pig's Flower' was closed today.
No matter how much she thought about it, Ephrin could not figure out the reason. She would have to ask Julie about it later.
"Stupid Ephrin."
Sylvia twisted her lips as if to say 'serves you right' and rose from her seat. Ephrin didn't have the strength to retort.
One of the three maids left the restaurant with Sylvia, while two remained seated, looking at Ephrin.
They spoke to Ephrin, who was completely drained of strength.
"It's the first time."
".......What?"
"Since the Mistress passed away, the young lady has never, not even once, brought a friend to the mansion."
"Ah......"
Ephrin smiled bitterly.
In truth, Sylvia was so famous that information regarding her household and family relations was practically public. So not only the people of the Magic Tower, but even ordinary university undergraduates knew that Sylvia's mother had passed away.
Such was the hardship of a celebrity.
"That's why we were overjoyed when you came to visit in person, Ephrin-nim. You even came all the way to the mansion without reserve."
"Ahaha...... I did have some reservations about that......"
To be honest, she had been loitering outside, caught their attention, and been dragged in. But the attendants were so hospitable that before she knew it, she had even taken a shower.
"Not at all. It truly was the first time. Everyone finds the young lady intimidating, and the young lady has never twisted someone's nose like that either?"
"I-is that so?"
"Yes~ So what I'm saying is...... Will you continue to get along with Lady Sylvia in the future as well?"
At those words, Ephrin found it difficult to answer easily. Of course, these two didn't know, but the relationship between Illeid and Luna could not be called good even as empty flattery.
"Is it not possible.......?"
".......What? No, no. We should get along. Yep."
Ephrin forced a smile and picked up her fork and knife. Then she began to eat the half-finished steak again.
*
Sylvia returned home before the night grew late. Deculain's exam was next Friday, so she had much to prepare. Of course, she would have to revise her application too.
"My child."
However, in the drawing room of the darkened mansion.
Right in the center, an unexpected figure was waiting for her.
It was Gilteon.
"Oh my. Lord. When did you co-"
"Lethe, you are to wait outside."
The atmosphere was quite cold. The air had sunk heavily.
"Ah...... Yes. Understood."
The attendant Lethe was worried, but soon left outside, leaving Sylvia behind.
Sylvia tilted her head and approached him.
"What is it?"
"......."
Gilteon wordlessly tapped the application on the desk. Sylvia's eyes opened wide and round.
"Why did you look at it without permission?"
Sylvia hurriedly approached and reached toward the application. Gilteon, his face stiff, blocked her and asked.
"My child. Do you truly intend to apply under Deculain's command?"
".......Yes. Only for six months."
At those words, Gilteon clenched his molars. He merely looked at Sylvia.
She was a daughter who looked exactly like his wife.
".......Sylvia. I wished for you to grow up hearing only good things, seeing only good things. Unlike me, that is."
His gaze reached the picture frame of his wife, placed in one corner of the drawing room.
Celia, who had left the world long ago. Her brightly smiling face.
"The conflicts between Mage Houses. The providence of mages as cold-blooded beasts. I thought that world was still too early for you."
Gilteon's expression slowly crumbled.
This was not an act.
Though he had come to put on an act, in this moment alone he could not control the emotions that flared up like wildfire.
"What are you saying?"
".......Sylvia. Do you know the relationship between Ukrain and Illeid? Do you know that tenacious ill fate?"
Sylvia did not answer. Gilteon, having cast aside his usual mask, felt unfamiliar to her. It was frightening.
Gilteon watched mutely as Sylvia backed away.
"Celia."
The name of the person Sylvia had loved most in the world—her mother's name. Sylvia's shoulders trembled feebly.
"She was a beautiful woman. A wife too good for me, and a good mother."
Gilteon sprang up and approached Sylvia. He grabbed her shoulders so she couldn't flee and gazed into her eyes.
"Listen well, Sylvia."
As if chewing over each word.
He spoke clearly and deliberately.
"Ukrain killed Celia, whom you loved, whom I loved."
Sylvia's eyes slowly opened wide. The enraged Gilteon was reflected in her widening pupils.
In that instant, it felt as if the world was receding into the distance. Sylvia's ears rang, and she was afraid. Gilteon seemed as if he were not Gilteon. He was like surging flames.......
"It was Deculain who killed Celia."
At those words, Sylvia came to her senses. She was not a young child who would freeze in the face of fear.
"That is the relationship between Illeid and Ukrain. You must know tha-"
Gilteon was still continuing his words, but a certain 'conviction' had already taken root in Sylvia's heart.
"A lie."
"......."
Gilteon's face contorted. Sylvia pushed away Gilteon's hands that were gripping her.
"I know. The reason Mother left her homeland."
"What?"
"Mother hated you, Father."
".......Sylvia."
"And yet, you lied even then."
"......."
Gilteon let out a hollow laugh.
Suddenly, Deculain's face came to mind. That arrogant face that looked down upon the entire world as if he alone was noble.
And the Ukrain before Deculain, that damned cunning weasel.
The entire House of Ukrain stirred Gilteon's fury.
".......In that case, one need only ask directly."
The tone in which he muttered that was icy.
"He will never be able to say my words are false. Therefore."
Gilteon looked at Sylvia. Sylvia was doubting him. She was casting a distorted gaze toward her own father—toward me.
Just like Celia of days gone by.
"After asking directly! You will know how foolish a thing you were about to do—!"
He shouted loudly and tore Sylvia's application to shreds.
It was a face he had never once shown the child until now.
The surprised Sylvia bit her lips tightly.
"Feel it with your own heart. Then you will know."
Leaving those words behind, he stormed out of the mansion. He opened the front door as if to break it. The attendants who had been restless outside bowed at the waist.
Gilteon ignored them and got straight into the car.
-......Will you be alright.
A small voice flowed from the crystal ball in his bosom. Gilteon answered, breathing raggedly.
"I have let my guard down until now. No matter how peaceful the times, I should have honed her character as harshly as possible."
—Brother, isn't your child-rearing too harsh? She's still a young child. It might be hard on her.
"Ha."
Gilteon thought of his past. At merely seven years old, he had nearly become a tiger's snack; at thirteen, he was forced to kill his closest friend; and by the time he turned twenty, he had lost his mother after being caught up in a war.
"If she cannot overcome even this much, she is not an Illeid."
Even so, Gilteon did not blame his fate.
Because these adversities and hardships were, in the end, Illeid. Because the ambition of Illeid was a conflagration that devoured that entire life like firewood, burning ever more madly.
"There is no need to worry. Sylvia will not disappoint me. Even if she falters once, in the end she will soar again, brilliantly."
Gilteon's eyes, murmuring such words, were sinking coldly.......
*
Early Friday morning.
"Mmmmmm~"
Ephrin yawned as she exited the dormitory.
Now, required major courses such as "Utilization of the Destruction Branch," "Conversion of the Support Branch," and so on, as well as liberal arts courses like "History of the Empire," "Pursuit of Crime," and so on—almost all exams were over.
All of them, every single one, she seemed to have aced.
The only remaining exam was Deculain's "Understanding of Pure Elements."
"This is the most important, the most important."
The final exam for a 5-credit course. Its importance went without saying.
If she messed up this one exam right now? Even getting A+ in three major requirements would be useless. The Solda exam, to receive a professor's recommendation, unconditionally required—at minimum, second place was essential.......
Walking with such determination, she spotted blond hair in the distance.
No, simply calling it yellow could not express its mystique. Sylvia's hair was that special.
A radiance as if pure gold and sunlight had been mixed together. A luster that flowed as naturally as a waterfall.
That most beautiful blond hair in the world was the symbol of Illeid, envied by men and women, young and old.
"Sylvia!"
Ephrin approached her from behind and called her name. Sylvia flinched, but soon faced her with her usual scorn.
"Today...... Huh? What's with your face?"
"......."
Ephrin flinched in surprise upon seeing Sylvia's countenance.
She was haggard. Her dark circles were pronounced, and her cheeks were sunken.
"Did you do badly on the exams? No, that's not it. You got full marks on everything. I heard all about it?"
Sylvia said nothing and brushed past Ephrin. Ephrin was bewildered, of course, but she didn't let Sylvia out of her sight.
"It's the 40th floor, right?"
She got on the elevator with Sylvia and pressed the button for the 40th floor. Even then, the girl was silent.
".......Giving me the cold shoulder all of a sudden? How mean. 'Cocky Ephrin'—are you not going to say it?"
"......."
Ephrin pouted her lips, feeling unnecessarily hurt.
For reference, the Magic Tower had something called 'Special Floors.' Spaces rarely permitted to Debutants, divided roughly in units of ten floors.
The 10th, 20th, 30th, and 40th floors, like so.
Among these, the 40th floor was a natural landscape artificially created by magic, called the 'Forest of Rokeil.'
Ding—!
The elevator doors opened.
In that instant, both Ephrin and Sylvia were surprised.
It was a forest everywhere. Perfect greenery. The vegetation burst with fresh colors, and intense sunlight shone down vividly.
"Wow...... So this is a Special Floor."
The two stepped into that forest.
After walking a while, they saw Debutants.
Lucia, Bekkeu, Jupereun, and other noble cliques, as well as club members of the Ordinary Magic Tower Exploration Club including Julie.
"Epi!"
"Julie!"
Without realizing it, Ephrin ran and hugged them. The nobles' stinging gazes poured in, but she paid them no heed.
"Julie, you found out too!"
"Yeah! Ah, I only barely found out. It took about two weeks, you know?"
Even while chattering with them, Ephrin glanced at Sylvia. Sylvia appeared to have no interest in anyone in this space.
—Then.
"Welcome."
At the voice that rang out, everyone flinched in surprise and straightened their posture.
On the forest hill, beyond it, Deculain was looking down at them.
"Congratulations. The Debutants who found the exam location are you 117."
"......."
Sylvia's gaze toward Deculain was blank.
'Can he really be that great?' Ephrin smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"Today's exam theme is the fusion of theory and intuition."
It was a theme that looked difficult at a glance. Ephrin and the mages quickly grew tense and focused.
"I have likely said this time and again. Without theory, intuition falters; without intuition, theory is merely an empty shell."
As he spoke, Deculain manifested magic. It was Transmutation. Dirt and wood mixed together, and a luxurious chair rose up.
Deculain's uniquely elegant magic was wondrous to behold no matter when one saw it.
“In this Locale Forest, magical disasters and phenomena that overturn theory and intuition will occur frequently, but your objective is to complete the assignment without wavering. Allen?”
Having finished speaking, Deculein sat down in his chair. Allen appeared after him. Allen was smiling as always, but for some reason, he looked drained.
“Now~ everyone, take your exam papers~”
[1. Manifest the three spells recorded below in order and preserve them.]
[2. Gather the eight attributes of the pure elements together and preserve them.]
[3. Describe the magical phenomena witnessed in the Locale Forest.]
[4. Interpret and manifest the formula of the following magical disaster.]
[5. Prove the following reactivity of pure elements in this forest.]
Five questions in total. The moment Epherene saw them, she let out a sigh. The other mages wore similar expressions.
However, it was precisely at times like this that mental management was essential.
If it was difficult for me, it was difficult for everyone else. That was the mindset she needed.
“Some spells may require materials to manifest. You can obtain those materials in this Locale Forest. But be careful! The Locale Forest is a special layer! A special layer is special because it’s dangerous!”
“What’s the time limit?”
Epherene asked. Allen sneezed once—achoo!—and answered.
“Ah, excuse me. There is no time limit! Also, if any danger should arise, please ask Professor Deculein for help~”
After saying that, Allen trotted up the hill. Then he spread out a cloth beside Deculein and sat down demurely.
Professor~ Would you like a cup of tea? a small voice could be heard asking.
* * *
Sitting by the stream, Sylvia glanced up at Deculein on the hill. He was still reading a book.
—Deculein is the one who killed Cielia.
Gilteon’s words replayed in her ears. They flowed in endlessly.
Every time she looked at Deculein, her father’s face, full of rage, overlapped with his.
“……”
Sylvia shook her head.
A lie.
It had to be a lie.
Sylvia repeated that to herself, over and over.
Perhaps the bad blood between Iliade and Yukline—
Only that was true, and the rest was lies. Her father always exaggerated and deceived.
“……The exam.”
Sylvia simply focused on the test. She crouched down and looked at the question sheet.
Tak—!
But suddenly, a cold pain shot through the crown of her head.
“Ah.”
Clutching her aching head, she looked up to see hail pouring down from the sky. Sylvia quickly made a tent.
[1. Manifest the three spells recorded below in order and preserve them.]
After that, she began solving the questions in earnest.
Manifest the three spells in order and preserve them.
There was nothing difficult about it.
Just, just, just……
—Why not ask him yourself? That bastard will never be able to say my words are false. So……
“My head hurts.”
Sylvia muttered as if she were about to cry, clutching her head.
Those words would not leave her mind.
Deculein, visible in the distance.
Her muse.
The person she admired…… and perhaps liked.
Her father had said that Deculein killed her mother.
Why?
“……Right.”
After suffering from the headache for a long while, Sylvia soon nodded.
Let’s finish the exam and ask him.
After completing this exam perfectly first.
—Sylvia. Once again, you got a perfect score.
After hearing those words, she would ask Deculein.
Then he would surely answer that it was a lie. He would say that Gilteon had misunderstood.
“I can do it.”
Having steeled herself that way, Sylvia began solving question one.
It was a problem far too easy compared to Sylvia’s ability, but only five minutes later—
She realized something had gone wrong.
“……Ah.”
[1. Manifest the three spells recorded below in order and preserve them.]
Three spells that used the pure element “water,” ‘in order.’
But Sylvia had ended up ‘fusing’ those three spells.
Ironically, it was a mistake committed because her talent and mana were simply too brilliant.
Three medium-scale spells had suddenly merged together, so the backlash was only natural.
“No.”
Immediately after she whispered in a small voice—
Paaaaaaaaaah—!
The spell exploded, and a current of water erupted. A tremendous torrent, water and wind magically intertwined, surged upward.
Without even a chance to escape, Sylvia was swept away in an instant.