Scratch, scratch, scratch.

The office of the Arcane Science Dean.

Only the sound of writing something on paper could be heard there.

"......"

Herote, a mage in navy blue, was filling out documents with a frown, looking as if she was dissatisfied with something.

'I'm already short on time for research, and yet I have to do these chores.'

She was dealing with matters related to the festival.

For her—a mage among the top three on the continent—being assigned these menial tasks was, as Milia once said, "too much of a waste".

'There's even the vice-headmaster, so why do I have to do this?'

Originally, she secluded herself in the lab and didn't handle chores.

However, since the current Headmaster, Eltima Cross, was absent, she was handling academy affairs in Eltima's place.

—Right now, you're the only one at the academy I can trust.—The vice-headmaster is a good person, but can't respond perfectly in urgent situations.—Please help make sure the students can enjoy the festival safely and happily.

The request she received was to help students fully enjoy the festival.

It seemed the vice-headmaster, too, was informed by Eltima and left everything regarding the festival to Herote, taking care of only the remaining work.

'Eltima's judgment was right, but...'

Just as Eltima Cross predicted, there was almost a serious incident during the festival's eve, even before the festival began.

If it had been another teacher instead of her, they might have stopped the airship but wouldn't have been able to manage the student chaos.

'To become so frenzied over such a trivial matter. The students these days are appalling.'

Herote furrowed her brow and let out a sigh.

'Ha... forget it. Let's endure just until Eltima returns.'

The reason she, one of the greatest mages, was at Hernan Academy.

It was because of Eltima Cross.

Eltima had promised to help Herote pursue the research she longed for.

She had given up a new magic tower, a new duke's title, and even complete freedom—all for that research.

'But... what is that?'

Something was bothering her senses.

A boy and a woman, along with a creature, were entering the Arcane Science Department building.

Originally, Herote had wanted to use magic to monitor the whole academy, but the headmaster, Eltima, had forbidden it with: "I cannot allow anything that infringes on the students' freedom."

Yet as a 10th-tier archmage, even if she didn't want to, she inevitably sensed anyone within a certain radius.

She had gone so far as to suppress even that, limiting her detection range to just the Arcane Science Department building.

But something had entered that area.

And what annoyed her the most was the "creature".

Herote clicked her tongue.

'Something like that exists, huh. As I keep saying, we need more surveillance magic inside the academy.'

But then she sensed the boy heading straight to the dean's office and made a puzzled face.

'Did he come to see me? Why?'

The boy's magic power circuits were not those of a mage.

'A martial artist—more precisely, a swordsman. A magic power circuit from the Traverse family, not yet fully disciplined.'

Even Herote, who was only interested in research, knew about the Traverse family's magic power circuits.

Of course, that was because of Wylde Traverse.

He always took part in major events.

'Come to think of it, the Traverse family's second son was said to have enrolled.'

She didn't interact much with others, but she did exchange words from time to time with headmaster Eltima Cross and vice-headmaster Ethylen Basta.

Through them, she heard a bit about the outside world—including tidbits about Luca Traverse.

'Wasn't he said to be a troublemaker on par with his older brother?'

Apparently, it wasn't just a positive reputation.

When Luca stopped in front of the dean's office door, Herote opened it without so much as lifting a finger.

Bang!

"......"

Luca showed no surprise that the door opened without him knocking; his face was calm.

Without lifting her eyes from the paperwork, Herote spoke.

"What is your business here, second son of the Traverse family?"

* * *

'She knows me?'

Luca was surprised.

So famous was the name Luca Traverse.

'Even that woman knows me. What popularity, Luca Traverse.'

In the original story's early Academy arc, Herote was depicted as someone who took little interest in individual students.

She was a person who only cared about the academy's existence and advancement.

'Or maybe, since she's not the headmaster yet, she has a different personality from the original.'

Just look at Kryphi and Ottbo—they were also quite different from what he remembered.

Luca gave a slight bow.

"I apologize for visiting you so late in the evening, head of Department Herote Marcato. The reason I came today is..."

"Is it a long story, or a short one?"

Herote snapped, cutting off his words irritably.Luca twisted his lips.

"... It's a bit long."

"Hoo... Is that so."

Herote let out a heavy sigh and put the documents down.

She couldn't hide the annoyance in her eyes.

'She's definitely different from the original. The description was of a cool-headed person who never showed her inner thoughts.'

Now, though, it seemed she didn't even try to conceal her emotions.

Suppressing his rising agitation, Luca spoke.

"So..."

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Pardon?"

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The setting changed in an instant.

Without incantation, gesture, or any visible sign of magic power, she had transported them from the dean's office to the Arcane Science Department lounge.

Luca and Bella found themselves seated on a sofa by some unseen force.

"?!"

"There's quite a variety in the cabinet. May I bring anything?"

"Water... will do."

As soon as he answered, a glass filled with water appeared before him.

Luca and Bella wore bewildered expressions.

Neither had ever experienced anything like this.

'Is this a transcendent mage? I really feel bewitched by magic.'

He had braced himself for this not to be easy, but it was still startling.

Though one might feel uncomfortable about being propelled through events against their will, the sheer difference in ability only inspired awe.

Before they knew it, Herote had brought over steaming tea and crossed her legs, sitting before him.

"So, what is it you want to say?"

"... It seems there are people who want to ruin the festival."

"That happens every year."

Herote lifted an eyebrow mockingly and took a sip of tea.She exhaled slowly, savoring the taste.

"So. Who is it this time? Some fearless first-year? Or a delinquent upperclassman?"

"I don't know."

"I thought as much. If you knew, you wouldn't have come to me."

Nodding, Herote set down the teacup and extended her hand.

"You must have something to show me. Give it here before I take it myself."

"... Here it is."

Watching her speak as if she saw through everything, Luca twisted his lips.

But having no better option, he handed her the notice.

Herote scanned it briefly, then furrowed her brow.

"I'll give you some credit, at least."

"Excuse me?"

"You've come to the person most suited to handle this. That judgment deserves praise."

Crumple.

Herote gripped the notice tightly.

"To think someone would play such tricks at Hernan Academy. I can't just let this go."

With her brow deeply creased, she seemed quite angry.Luca said flatly:"It won't be easy. You can't find a devil's barrier by ordinary means."

"I know."

At her words, "I know", Luca narrowed his eyes.

"Do you have a method?"

"Even I can't find a devil's barrier unprepared. No—I could, but it's a method that would provoke a lot of backlash, so I'd rather not."

"Backlash?"

Luca looked puzzled, but Herote didn't bother to explain.

"We can find the magic stone bombs by indirect means, and in doing so, naturally identify the culprit."

"Indirect means?"

"You wouldn't understand if I explained, so let's move on."

"......"

"More importantly, second son of the Traverse family, you should stay here in the Arcane Science Department. It'll be dangerous."

Herote half-ignored his response.

Luca looked at her expressionlessly.

At his stare, Herote arched a brow.

"Any complaints?"

"... There won't be any danger for me."

"Oh, really? Is that little bird going to protect you?"

Herote replied sarcastically.

Luca responded in an indifferent tone.

"I'm not the target anyway."

"Then who is?"

"The headmaster."

Clink!

Suddenly, the water glass and teacup before them shattered.

Water and tea splattered, but then seemed to freeze in midair, suspended as if time had stopped.

And Herote's eyes were chilling.

"What did you say?"

"Their target isn't me, but the headmaster. Their goal is probably for an incident at the festival to take place, making the headmaster responsible."

The airship parade and the headmaster Eltima Cross were both present a year before the protagonist arrived.

It wasn't hard to guess why both would vanish in just a year.

The Demons must have used the festival incident as grounds to expel her from the academy.

'There must have been other incidents elsewhere too, but this was likely the decisive one.'

He couldn't be certain, but there must have been several problems caused by 'Martin Curves'.

With the devil's barrier and his use of the demonic eye, causing such incidents would have been nothing for him.

'Martin Curves was the one who drove a wedge into the darkness of the academy, but because of me, he's already gone.'

Many things must have changed because of that.

'I don't know what kind of coincidence it was, but Senior Mika watching over me turned out to be huge.'

Luca wouldn't have known.

It was because Mika Welch, Wylde Traverse's friend, was keeping an eye on him at the entrance ceremony (when Luca didn't attend) that he survived Martin Curves.

"Your evidence?"

Unusually, at Luca's assertion that the target was the headmaster, Herote paused for a few seconds before finally asking to hear his reasoning.

It was only natural—she wouldn't have reached that conclusion based on her own information.

Luca shrugged.

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"... Don't joke with me. I may not regard the Traverse family's second son as a 'student' from now on."

In the original, she at least saw students as students.

The chill gave Luca goosebumps, but he held his ground.

"Then can you promise? That no matter what I say, you'll believe me. If you doubt me, there's no use explaining."

"... I promise. No matter what you say from here on, even if it turns out to be a lie—I'll believe you, for now."

"It's not quite the answer I wanted... but all right."

Luca took a deep breath, then spoke carefully.

"Do you know of a group called Demons?"

Suddenly, Bella hugged him and rolled to the side.

At the same moment, the sofa where he had been seated was ripped up and floated in midair.

Herote let out a faint sound of admiration.

"Oh. Pretty quick."

Bella hurriedly checked Luca's complexion in her arms.

"Master! Are you all right?"

"... Tch."

His uniform was slightly torn.

Clicking his tongue, Luca looked at Herote.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm not going to kill you. Just..."

Herote spoke, her eyes laced with murderous intent.

"I intend to make you reveal everything you know."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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