Forty-Ninth Chapter
Iridescent Collar
Unexpectedly, the mock battle had been at an incredibly high level, the likes of which had never been seen before. And it didn’t take long for discussions about Alus and Elise’s match to spread throughout the Institute. A lot of students had been witnesses, so it exceeded mere rumors.
There was nothing he could do during the remainder of the first day of the festival, so Alus retreated to his lab. But even the next day there were no signs that the commotion would die down.
That said, he couldn’t exactly give up the security job he’d accepted. As the ranked No. 1, no matter how much of a hassle it might be, abandoning his mission because of the rabble whispering would affect his dignity. However, he couldn’t help but feel it was difficult to do anything with all eyes on him. He knew too well that trouble often came at times like these.
It was now midday of the second day of the campus festival. Alus kept a close eye on the stalls lined up at the front of the main building. He was unusually enthusiastic about his security mission.
I’d steeled my resolve, but this is just... The position of the highest rank was a difficult one. Their being cautious of him and staying away was fine. That was still what he would consider peaceful.
But today was obviously abnormal. The first thing he noticed was the crowd in front of the main building.
He could tell they weren’t just simple visitors by the fact that they weren’t moving along the main route. Sometimes they would stop and send meaningful looks his way; other times they whispered to each other and wandered back and forth in a suspicious manner.
He understood what was going on, and a shadow fell across his face. Alus felt dark clouds gather over his future. The overall number of visitors hadn’t changed much from the first day, but the area around him clearly had an unusually large number of people. Of course, the cause of that was Alus himself.
I thought I pulled it off pretty well, but I guess there’s still a price to pay. Alus forced his twitching cheek to stop and swallowed his urge to complain. His wish to at least finish his security assignment was beginning to look problematic. All I did on the first day, helping people out during the first few hours and then resolving some trouble in my own class... No, that was because the prize cost too much, so I guess I caused that problem? And then...there was guiding someone around campus and lunch with Feli...which probably doesn’t count. Which means...
The “mock battle” against Elise at the end, and the following discussion with the principal afterwards were bad. Felinella had actually asked him if he was sure about coming out today, but he’d pushed on anyway. Aside from his pride, Alus had a one hundred percent completion rate when it came to missions, so he figured this would be an easy one, but it seemed his presence made it more troublesome.
What to do...
The students mixed in with the crowd stared at him with far more interest than before. It was a kind of envy, or admiration.
Yesterday’s overwhelming match gave the novice Magicmasters—who couldn’t have imagined the infinite potential of magic—a glimpse into what a first-rate Magicmaster was capable of.
“... Well, I guess it would be impossible to hide it.” Alus sighed, and moved away from the front of the main building. And when he did, the students followed after him like chicks following their mother. With a strange line in tow, he made his way towards the cafeteria terrace.
Since the terrace area was reasonably large, he figured that he’d at least have some space to himself. It put him some distance away from the main building that would see the most traffic, but it couldn’t be helped.
However, even when he reached the terrace and sat down on a nearby chair, the situation didn’t change at all. He felt a headache coming on.
Even now he could hear rumors being whispered in the background. Those involved in the circle of whispers had probably witnessed yesterday’s events, or heard the rumors about them, and wanted to get close to him in some way.
If possible, they would surely have loved to confirm his ability and rank. Many probably wanted to form a connection with him, or at least receive some advice on magic.
But that was the outcome Alus least wanted. He wanted to avoid being regarded as a hero by random people whose faces he didn’t even know and have them put unreasonable expectations on him.
The reason they kept close but not too close was because of their own hesitation. They didn’t know what attitude to take with someone who’d been their classmate or just some first-year yesterday, and who now all of a sudden was the center of attention. They couldn’t treat him like they had up until yesterday, but suddenly flattering him to the sky felt odd too.
But there was a fearless fighter among them. Alus could tell how strong-willed she was just by seeing her expression.
“Hello, Alus. I believe this is the first time I’ve properly greeted you.” Her blonde hair swayed as she walked up and stopped in front of Alus’ chair. She had short-cut bangs, but they didn’t make her look young. Instead, they emphasized her lovely facial features.
Unlike the onlookers who were somewhat intimidated, she stared straight at Alus with a strong glint in her eyes. Alus recalled Tesfia mentioning that she had transferred in after the Friendship Magical Tournament. His intuition told him that she wasn’t to be regarded lightly.
“My name is Lilisha Ron de Rimfuge Frusevan,” the girl boldly introduced herself with a graceful smile.
Based on the length of her name, it was clear that she was nobility. Not only was she neat and clean, she also had an atmosphere that attracted men. Every time her body moved a little, a sweet scent was released, creating a seductive atmosphere. Her powerful presence came not only from her good looks but also from how her uniform was arranged.
“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rimfuge... or should I call you Lady Frusevan?”
“You jest. You are close to not only the Fable family’s daughter, but also the Socalent family’s Puppet Orchesis, are you not? I dread the thought of what might happen if you only gave special treatment to me... So please, feel free to just call me Lilisha. We’re in the same year, so your consideration is unnecessary.”
Although it was their first meeting, Lilisha smiled elegantly as she sensed an awkwardness in Alus that was quite unlike him. And she skillfully carried on the conversation.
But Alus felt that was suspicious. Like it was all just an act... he astutely picked up that her smile wasn’t for him, but for the other students around them.
“You seemed to be absent before the campus festival. Were you perhaps ill?”
He’d heard a similar phrase before. And he’d gone through a difficult experience with Tesfia, so it was only appropriate to answer without slipping up.
Lilisha had already become a person to be wary of. For a normal student she was strangely familiar with Alus’ circumstances. She probably had a channel to the military, but Alus felt this blonde girl had the power to fully destroy his already partially-destroyed daily life.
Maybe I should rake her over the coals like Loki suggested once? he thought, in between their casual chatter, but he couldn’t afford to do anything rash in front of the other students.
More importantly, there was something bothering him. Lately, it felt like she was at the center of rumors. And of course, not because she was a person of interest. If anything, she was the one starting the rumors.
The speed at which unconfirmed rumors spread was certainly fast. But on the other hand, people would lose interest just as quickly. However, lately, new information and topics would pop up again immediately, so the strange atmosphere never fully died down. And Alus suspected that Lilisha was the source of it all. He didn’t know where she got it from, but she was always on top of the news. And she even took the initiative to gossip and further the mood in the Institute.
“Yes, maybe I got a little too overzealous during the Friendship Magical Tournament, so I didn’t feel so well afterwards.”
“Were you perhaps injured? I happen to know a good doctor.”
“No need, I’m all better now. You don’t need to speak so politely. We’re classmates.”
“Yes, that’s true. If we were just classmates, there wouldn’t have been any problems. And I wouldn’t have had to come and introduce myself.”
“...” Her words were suggestive and sudden, possibly laced with the pride and arrogance of nobility. Alus hesitated on how to answer for a moment.
As he did, Lilisha gracefully bowed and brought her lips next to his ear. “Are you perhaps tired of...military service?” she whispered sweetly, her tone one of sympathy.
However, the words had a ring to them that etched them into Alus’ mind. So that’s how it is. At the same time he felt a burden drop from his shoulders. It was a little annoying to Alus to have to pose as a student.
In this case, he didn’t need to be so sociable and hold back. Pushing the surrounding noise out of his mind for a moment, he sent a chilly stare Lilisha’s way.
Lilisha accepted his cold stare with a smile, and slowly raised her body. She maintained the smile, but Alus dropped his false mask. “I’m not even trying to get involved with you guys, so why do you keep sticking your nose in my business? How exactly do I look to your eyes clouded by a noble’s pride?”
“Now, don’t say that. From a personal standpoint, I am not your enemy.”
“But you’re not my ally either, are you?”
“Hmm. It’s a bit of a shock to have you treat me so cruelly...” Lilisha’s smile suddenly turned troubled. Her expression was that of a weak female student inviting pity. “It’s our first time meeting...and I don’t think I’ve done anything to make you dislike me... If I’ve done anything that offends you, then...” The entire atmosphere seemed to change as she spoke.
“It’s that kind of trickery I don’t like. Using underhanded methods as naturally as breathing, and you don’t even feel any reluctance about using them... That’s why I’ll have to use what power I have.”
Hearing Alus’ tone full of disgust and resignation, Lilisha looked up and gracefully smiled. “This isn’t so much about nobility as a lady’s etiquette. But I feel like I’ve gotten to understand you a little. I think we’ll be able to ‘get along.’”
Before Alus could ask what she was talking about, Lilisha spun her delicate body around. With her back to Alus, she glanced at the onlookers and curtsied. Her movements were graceful and refined, and, while the boys disagreed, the girls didn’t look too favorably on her. It wasn’t like she’d gotten a head start on them, but she’d practically monopolized the opportunity to approach Alus.
Paying the stares no heed, she pulled a paper from her pocket and read it out in a clear voice. “Alus Reigin has used a spell akin to a taboo, unfit for use, during a mock battle at the Second Magical Institute’s training grounds. Not only did this shock and put the students at risk, it invited chaos into the Institute and disrupted order. As such, Alus Reigin is hereby placed under temporary house arrest. From the Second Magical Institute Principal, Sisty Nexophia,” Lilisha loudly declared in the principal’s name.
Her polite and businesslike tone gave everyone listening the impression that the judgment was the truth. The students, and even Alus, looked completely dumbfounded.
Confusion spread at first, but then the students began to complain. And that was only natural. Alus had gone toe-to-toe in a mock battle against a last-minute entrant who was most likely related to the military and was currently the talk of the campus. To the students he was practically a hero, and now he was being given a sentence based on something that felt like a false accusation.
Lilisha’s voice echoed out and completely changed the atmosphere in the cafeteria. Her expression seemed to say that everything had gone just as she’d planned. Even Alus, staring at her back, could pick up on the elation she was feeling in her entire body.
“This is a decision from the principal, and this letter was entrusted to me to deliver to Alus. And the end of the letter carries the principal’s seal, as you can see for yourself,” Lilisha continued, explaining it to Alus as well, as she held the paper high to show the students. “Alus’ actions were unfortunately a little too excessive, so this suspension was inevitable. After all, he is rendering his assistance in military affairs.”
Her final statement left the students shocked and astonished.
Now you’ve done it. With no other way to vent his resentment, Alus gave her a sharp glare.
“This decision has already been made by the principal. I’m sure that you’re all curious about Alus being related to military affairs.”
Lilisha gazed around, seeking the students’ approval. They were all watching with bated breaths, wondering what she would do next. But whether it was unexpected or not, the confusing situation was controlled by Lilisha, and the students’ attention was entirely focused on her.
Alus murmured to her back, “You little busybody. Should I ask who sent you?” It was strange even for Sisty to leave such an important signed document to just any female student. If anything, Felinella would have been a better pick. Then there was her mysterious charisma, as well as her transferring in during the off-season, if Tesfia was right. With so many factors at play, Alus could definitely sense something.
“... I’m sure you’ve already guessed by now,” Lilisha whispered behind her, telling Alus his guess was correct.
And if that was the case, he had a hunch. “... Well, it’s not like I can be sure.”
Alus had a sour look on his face, but Lilisha continued whispering, “You won’t be able to hide it all in this situation. So we’ll offer up the bare minimum of information as a decoy to hide the most important thing. It won’t hurt much, I promise.”
Having regained some calm, he understood that Lilisha was moving in a beneficial way for him.
“You were scouted for your potential and have been secretly working with military affairs... Or that’s what we’ll say. There’s plenty of third-years who have jobs in the military lined up, but you’re an exception as you’re in your first year.”
Alus could follow what Lilisha was after. She was putting out the fire by releasing a small dose of information. By falsifying a part of the truth and publicizing it in a plausible fashion, they could hide the critical part. It was far better to reveal his connection to the military than expose his rank and full extent of his power.
And indeed, it would explain his strength, which went beyond a simple student’s, and even though some questions would remain, it was likely that nobody would question it any further.
Thinking of that way, Lilisha was a kind of collaborator this time, regardless of whether or not she could be trusted. “Berwick, then.”
Lilisha answered Alus’ question with a wordless smile. Then she called out to the students in a theatrical voice, “I will represent everyone here and ask Alus the truth, so I ask you to please remain silent for a moment.”
By the time she turned to face Alus again, she’d already taken off the mask of the daughter of a noble family, and switched it for a stern military expression. “The orders handed down to me were meant to be the task your partner was supposed to fulfill. A surveillance mission.”
“Well, you failed that the moment you revealed it to me.”
“I never imagined I would be able to elude your eye. I would have been found out when establishing my position anyway.”
“Still, why would you do this?” If she’d been given a surveillance mission, she had no reason to make any public moves. Even if she was discovered, all she had to do was observe Alus from afar and report what he did. Standing right in front of him and attempting to accommodate him was the complete opposite.
“Information will need to be revealed in stages... this has become unavoidable, Sir Alus. Though the schedule itself has fallen apart because of the irregular situation. But I will attempt to fix it.”
The irregularity she referenced was most likely yesterday’s attack on the Institute. Or rather, Elise, who’d come to attack Alus. That incident was the trigger for this situation. That battle to the death, dressed up as a mock battle, had ruined his peaceful Institute life.
Even as they spoke in low voices, Lilisha didn’t forget to keep her attention on the students. Unlike magic, the ability to read the atmosphere and control the flow of events was a result of her noble birth and cultivated by her environment. Though Lilisha may or may not be related to the military, the fact that she was from a noble family as Tesfia had said certainly seemed to be true.
Once they were done whispering to each other, Lilisha continued making a report blatantly meant for the students. “The truth is... Alus is allowed to serve in the military because of special treatment. As I’m sure you are all aware, skilled third-years are scouted by the military early on, and brought on for training. In Alus’ case, it was kind of like skipping grades. As you saw in yesterday’s mock battle, his abilities as a Magicmaster are exceptional. Enough for even the military to want to immediately add him to their forces.”
She skillfully stated things in a way that gave the students some truth, left the rest to the imagination, and stopped them from prodding any further. “It was kept hidden to avoid any unnecessary confusion. I heard rumors of Alus’ power when I transferred in, but it seems this was the truth behind them.”
As she spoke, the students began recalling the same rumors. Lilisha wasn’t just being eloquent. She had a clear voice and a captivating inflection. She appealed to emotions and wore an expression that invited sympathy. The students were naturally drawn into an atmosphere that seemed to turn even a lie into the truth. “It must have been a difficult situation for the principal. Exceptional as he might be, Alus is still just the same age as us. Even if the military has a need for him, he is still a fellow student of the Second Magical Institute. So it would be a disservice to him if you make this into a bigger scene than it needs to be...”
Lilisha suddenly paused, and stared at something in the crowd. She’d spotted some red hair out of the corner of her eye. Struggling to get out of the crowd, being pushed back and forth by people, the vivid red hair visible through the gaps in the crowd gradually made its way over.
Eventually the person reached the terrace and vigorously jumped to the front row. “Whoa—phew, I thought I was going to die.” Wiping the sweat off her brow, the redhead Tesfia Fable put her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath.
All eyes turned to her, and having been interrupted, Lilisha closed her lips, which then formed a small smile. The Fable family’s... Good timing, I would love her assistance in this.
As if to say how convenient, Lilisha turned a soft, charming expression towards Tesfia. “Thank you for your time. You’re not hurt anywhere, are you, Ms. Tesfia?” She purposefully walked up to her and held a hand out.
“N-No. Thank you. I’m fine, just a little tired.” After a moment of hesitation, Tesfia took her hand. Despite having a noble’s pride, her strong point was being able to get along with anyone after recognizing them, but this time she acted with caution.
As she’d explained to Alus, Lilisha’s family, the Frusevans, was a line of Magicmasters on par with the Fable family, so Tesfia was aware of her. The Frusevans were, strictly speaking, a branch family of the Rimfuge family, who were without a doubt one of the most prestigious families in the nation.
Though it was a branch family, it was unique in that it wasn’t subordinate to the main Rimfuge family. Nor were they affiliated with the other three major noble families. Her mother Frose might be well versed in noble affairs, but Tesfia didn’t know the depths of the situation.
In noble society, power struggles and conflicts were inevitable, and no family could escape from factions and connections. Yet the Frusevan family had chosen to isolate itself, and was still able to maintain a certain level of influence. Though Tesfia didn’t know why that was, she felt mistrust and uncertainty towards Lilisha’s family.
That’s why—perhaps as part of a conditioned reflex—she wore the mask of nobility so as not to reveal her feelings. But as she rose up and saw Alus, the mask dropped. “I didn’t want to believe it... but you were really here?! It’s all unfolding just like Feli said it would.”
On the second day of the campus festival, Felinella herself would take part in the mock battles. She’d proposed that Alus take things easy today, which he had firmly refused to do. Having become worried, but unable to do anything herself, Felinella had sent Tesfia over in her place. Seeing Alus’ indignant face and the onlookers, Tesfia looked exasperated.
Lilisha, on the other hand, put on a cheerful expression and gathered everyone’s attention through subtle gestures and body movements. “Ms. Tesfia, if possible, would you like to help clear up any doubts about Alus? With your performance in the tournament and as a friend of his, I’m sure your words will help convince everyone.” On the surface, her expression was friendly and intimate. “How about it?”
Tesfia forgot about her caution from before, and looked down at her hand that was wrapped in two soft hands. “Mmm... W-Well, Feli asked me to give my support too.”
“Thank you. I thought you would say that!”
“...?” Although she felt a little uneasy about it, after getting a brief rundown from Alus and Lilisha, with the important part of Lilisha’s identity left out, Tesfia accepted her request.
But Alus, who watched the two, had a bad feeling about it. “Why you?” he asked, implying that this kind of thing was Loki’s job.
“What’s that supposed to mean?! Phew... Because of what happened yesterday, Loki didn’t participate in the expected number of mock battles. So she’s working hard together with Feli.” With a weary smile, Tesfia continued, “Well, leave it to me. I’ll do something about it.”
Hearing that kind of phrase—that only the most unreliable people would say—Alus’ bad hunch transformed into despair.
“So what’s the situation?” As expected, she had no idea what was going on.
“...” Lilisha was speechless. Alus could see the exasperation in her face. When it came to Tesfia, it was only natural to misjudge her personality by only relying on her family name. But seeing someone as skilled as Lilisha get dumbfounded amused Alus.
That said, it would be Alus who would suffer any real damage. You made the call, so you do something about it, Alus signaled to Lilisha with a stare, so she explained things to Tesfia in a whisper.
“We need to calm things down in order to prevent anyone from realizing Alus’ rank or special position, and especially not his Single Digit status. It would be difficult to hide that he helps with military affairs, so I’ve at least explained that ahead of time.”
“—!!” Lilisha had given some details before, but Tesfia didn’t expect she would know that much. Realizing that she did, a startled expression appeared on her face.
This prompted Alus to scratch his head and speak. “She was apparently sent over here by the Governor-General. No wonder she transferred in at such a strange time.”
“Huh? The Frusevan daughter is serving the Governor-General?” Alus had implied that Lilisha wasn’t just an ordinary student, but Tesfia seemed slow on the uptake. She fell silent, gradually understanding the situation, before finally nodding.
Seeing that Tesfia had generally grasped what was going on, Lilisha took a step forward and spoke to the students again. “... So why don’t we have Alus’ friend Ms. Tesfia explain things. I’m sure she’ll be able to clear up any questions we have.”
Despite everything, one couldn’t forget that Tesfia was one of the finest first-years, as well as the daughter of the renowned Fable family. It seemed her appearance was far more effective than Alus had expected, as all the students were silently waiting for her to speak. “I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll give it my best,” she whispered to Alus, before stepping forward.
Glancing at her profile, he could see the dignified expression of a noble lady. But he still felt uneasy. I guess the die is cast. Even if the worst happens, I’ll be fine as long as I can finish my guard job.
With a look of resignation, Alus stared at her somewhat small back with a slight smile. In his mind, his daily life had already collapsed. If she was going to follow up on that, however clumsily, he felt it might be fine to leave it to her.
It was clear she was going to be bombarded with questions, but she showed no hesitation as she stood before everyone. “I’m Tesfia Fable. I will answer any questions you have from here. Anyone with a question, please raise your hand.” It seemed she believed she might slip up if she was the one who started talking, so she adopted a waiting approach.
Eventually one student, and then two, hesitantly raised their hands. After that, the momentum picked up with question after question, but Tesfia dealt with all of them with a firm and decisive attitude. It wasn’t like she was stupid; having grown up in noble society, her ability to handle others was surprisingly high. Since she came from a renowned family, she might indeed have been a better fit than Alice or Loki for this.
Fortunately, the majority of the questions centered around Alus’ position in the military and the rights and wrongs of the principal’s decision. Any questions Tesfia couldn’t handle were swiftly dealt with by Lilisha, and Alus was presented as someone who assisted the military with some jobs, and that the military had high hopes for his future.
The level of the mock battle between Alus and Elise actually far exceeded the level of excellent, but fortunately the level of skill put on display was too high for most to understand, so it was possible to deceive the students.
Moreover, it was decided that Tesfia would talk with the principal about shortening his house arrest and restoring his honor.
From Alus’ point of view, it seemed all of the problems had been resolved at minimum cost. Now he only had to return to his guard job. But there was one last thing to confirm. “Can you really keep this up?”
To him it was a poor plan full of logic holes that he could never accept. And he asked his collaborators if that would be enough to permanently convince the students.
Lilisha said, “This is just how these things work. This is kind of how it has to work. What they actually want is the atmosphere of something hidden. A source of rumors. They partly want the truth, but if a new topic arises they’ll naturally turn towards that. That’s just what people their age do.” She explained everything with a know-it-all look. One might think she’d enjoy the thought of having people dance in the palm of her hand, but she seemed almost envious of their simplicity.
That was certainly a problem that was hard for Alus to understand. He’d been raised in a completely different environment, so who could blame him? Even now there were times when he couldn’t follow Tesfia’s and Alice’s sensibilities.
“By the way, where did you learn about Ulhava?” Alus murmured quietly to Lilisha’s back. She was standing behind Tesfia, as Tesfia continued her explanation to the students. The question was nagging at him in the back of his mind, and he felt like he had to resolve it.
When Alus and Loki had returned to class, Lilisha had mentioned that name. It was the reason she had left a strong impression on him. If she was simply sent here to observe him, there was no way she would have known a truth that only the ruler, the Governor-General, and a handful of others knew. For what she claimed her role was, Lilisha knew too much.
She also had a tendency to bring out small amounts of truth to control a situation. That was something that exceeded the limits of a surveillance mission. She was simply too active. Not to mention how skillfully she’d controlled the atmosphere.
It was that suspicious side of her that made Alus conclude that—while she might not be an enemy—she wasn’t quite an ally either.
“... It’s something you could look into if you wanted.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. No matter how much you looked into it, you wouldn’t find anything conclusive. Even though you kept things ambiguous, from the sound of your voice it was clear you were saying it with conviction.” Alus’ tone remained unchanged. But there was a strangely tense atmosphere between them.
“That’s just your imagination...is what I’d like to say, but it’ll be harder for me to carry on if you find out, so very well. I asked my brother to help me find out more about you. My bloodline, as my name suggests, is both Rimfuge and Frusevan. Rimfuge has five families, and Frusevan is the original bloodline. They’re all said to be branch families, but there’s not much of a hierarchy. However, in truth the different families operate under different chains of command. That’s why they don’t appear to have any deep relationships or interactions with one another.”
“I see,” Alus said. “So which family are you from now? And what do you mean by different chains of command?”
“There are things I just can’t tell you. Not to mention that this doesn’t have anything to do with you in the first place. Military service is certainly important, but I also have my own reasons,” Lilisha sent a cold glance to the side as if to divert the topic.
As Alus observed her attitude, he was convinced. He’d felt something off about it. Especially in her respect towards him. It was natural for anyone in the military to pay a degree of respect to a Single. But she was a little different.
No matter how well she hid it, Alus had the impression that her manners were only superficial. She claimed to be affiliated with the military, but there was no sense of duty in her eyes. “Feel free to act as usual. I’m sure that’ll be easier for you. You don’t have to be considerate around me.”
“—!! What makes you think that?”
“I suppose it’s a dislike of similar people. I’m like that, so I can tell. I’ve been shunned for a long time, after all.”
“... How careless. I was trying to be focused on my work, but it seems I can’t hide it. But I do at least respect you. It’s just not that high up on the list.”
Alus couldn’t help but smile wryly as she said that to his face. He wasn’t sure if it was because they were the same age or not. “That ‘at least’ was unnecessary. Well, don’t worry about it. I’m not childish enough to get upset over wording.”
Having realized it was pointless to put on appearances before Alus, Lilisha suddenly ruffled her hair. Her long blonde hair looked disheveled as she shook it, but she showed no sign of caring. “Then I’ll take you at your word. Ahh, this kind of thing tires me.”
It seemed the mask of a noble lady was heavier than she expected. She stretched, as if a weight had fallen off her shoulders, looking relieved. However, she didn’t appear to be as casual as she made it sound. Despite being freed from some tension, Alus could tell that her movements were still somewhat refined. Meaning that she was probably still not her full real self.
What a complicated woman, he thought.
“I did say that I couldn’t answer. But with your power, you could surely bring a single woman to her knees... If you turn to violence I’ll have no choice but to confess.” As she gave him a provocative smile, she seemed out of her element, like a sensitive girl trying to act tough.
Alus sighed. “Fine, I’ll give up on asking any more... If Berwick’s involved, there’s no need for me to step in.” Any further attempt at discussion would be fruitless. Besides, when he thought about why she’d been sent to the Institute to begin with, he could sort of see what Berwick was after. “If I’m going to be watched anyway, it’s just as well that I take you in.”
“Ahh, I never thought about that. I see, so a Single Digit Magicmaster is going to take an innocent young girl for himself.”
He couldn’t overlook that. “... Why do nobles love to make such heavy jokes?”
“That’s a prejudice. If anything, I think not making full use of a Single’s privileges is strange. If you did, you’d never struggle with women.”
“Now that’s a real bias. As if such a privilege exists! Anyways, if you’re not going to cause any trouble for me, I’m not going to complain.”
“... What to do. I’m not your ally, but I suppose I’ll handle it for now.” It was hard to tell if she was joking or not with that answer. However, she showed him a troubled expression paired with a small smile, as if to say that she couldn’t become an ally because of her position, regardless of her own will—but she wasn’t an enemy either.
Alus took that as an expression of her true opinion, and sighed as he put a stop to their discussion. For now he’d just have to trust her. He couldn’t see any bright future in doubting her. It’s not like I expected Berwick to make no moves at all. He might even be a little late. Well, as long as it’s just surveillance it’ll be fine.
He didn’t really think the Governor-General’s supervision was any of his concern, but he’d made a deal to go to Rusalca and cover his credits. He was also curious about Lilisha. It must have meant that Berwick had been looking for a replacement for Loki.
Still... Rimfuge and Frusevan... He glanced over at Lilisha. Then he got a dubious look on his face. “Hm?”
Tesfia, in the middle of her explanation, had stopped. And so had Lilisha.
Wondering what was going on, Alus noticed that there was a huge swell of emotion spreading among the students. It seemed they were extremely moved by something, and were shouting to each other about it.
The next moment, they all took off running towards the main building at the same time, like a disciplined army.
“What?” Tesfia was completely dumbfounded, the confusion clear on her face. She had no idea what was going on. Only she, Lilisha, and Alus remained. That big crowd had cleared out in a matter of seconds.
Alus was likewise baffled. Either way—“Looks like I’ll be able to get back to work... What did you tell them, Fia?”
The red-haired troublemaker turned around at his voice.
“For example...did you tell them that the principal will remember them and it will influence their grades if they keep prying further into my business?”
“I wouldn’t do something so malicious!”
He’d thought that maybe Tesfia would go that far, but it seemed that was an unfounded worry. “So what happened? I don’t get it.”
“Mmm, I think I heard someone say that somebody really looked like somebody.”
“Boring,” Lilisha interjected. The shallow word seemed to be a clear expression of the woman herself. Alus was thinking the same thing, having been swept up in something so trivial.
Lilisha then gazed in the direction the students had run off in. “What a pain... It looks like there’s a commotion in front of the main building. Not that I know the details.” She furrowed her brows.
“Hmm, so some sudden trouble made your plans fall apart?”
“You could say that... but you’re also going to get affected by that, Alus. I might not be an ally, but I’m still pretty cooperative.”
Letting out a sigh, Lilisha turned to Tesfia. Being stared at by those big round eyes made her twitch and shrink back for a moment. “Thanks for the help. You were somewhat useful, Fia. I got you involved because I thought you’d be convenient, so good thing you were from the Fable family. You were honestly the most uncertain element around Alus, so this was a nice result.”
She smiled, but her words were frank and unreserved. From an outsider’s perspective it would have been seen as a mixed message.
But to Tesfia, her attitude was so different that she was surprised, and didn’t know how to react. She figured maybe Lilisha was just making a strange joke, so it was only natural that she looked dumbfounded.
“Well, frankly, it was just on the level of being more useful than I expected.”
It was then that Tesfia finally got Lilisha’s malice. She raised an eyebrow. “... That’s quite the manner of speaking. Maybe you lack manners because your family is isolated and doesn’t even maintain the most basic interactions with any influential family? You seem pretty naive yourself,” she said sarcastically.
“Pfft, I was joking, Fia. Let’s get along as people who know who Alus really is. Besides, it’s my job to ensure his treatment at the Institute. So let’s stay on good terms, okay?”
“...You say now.”
“Don’t worry. I’m just taking Alus at his word and have stopped being considerate. It’s not like I need to put on an act anymore. It’s seriously a pain to put up with students from time to time. You think so too, don’t you, Fia?”
“...It’s about time you stop looking down on people! Who do you think you are?!”
Alus had gotten sick of this, but he felt like he’d missed his chance to escape. Tesfia had stopped hiding her distrust and was staring at Lilisha with raised eyebrows, but Lilisha simply wore a provocative smile.
Judging from the atmosphere between them, it was hard to imagine that they’d get along. Alus felt the way Lilisha was treating Tesfia was particularly immature. It was also starting to make Tesfia get heated, and it looked like things were about to devolve into a childish argument.
With no other choice, he stepped between them, intending to put his hands on their heads to push them apart and mediate. “Geez... Cut it out.”
He touched Tesfia’s head without a problem, but his other hand grasped nothing but air as a sharp shriek rang out.
Lilisha had crouched down and was holding her head with both hands. Seeing her so frightened, Alus didn’t know what to say. “It’s not like I was going to hit you.”
She was cowering and trembling. He felt a slight twinge of remorse. At the same time, he realized that what he usually did with Loki maybe wasn’t all that normal.
“Pfft, what a scaredy cat.” Tesfia looked down at Lilisha and covered her mouth as she laughed.
“—!! S-Shut up, idiot!” Lilisha shouted with a red face, as she came to her senses, trying to pretend otherwise, but it was too late for that.
“I’m good now,” Tesfia said, looking like she might start laughing again at any moment, so Alus bonked her somewhat hard on the head. “Ow!”
“That’s enough. She’ll probably be working more with us going forward.”
Next, Alus reached out to Lilisha. “Sorry about her. Still, that surprised me. You would have caused some misunderstanding if anyone had been watching.”
Lilisha sulkily took his hand and stood up, returning to her usual firm attitude. It was too late to put on a false front by now, but that was a noble’s pride for you. “I wasn’t surprised, and I wasn’t scared either! The Fable family really is just so...vulgar!”
“You’re the one who—”
Seeing how the two were about to clash again, Alus intervened. “Cut it out. If you do something stupid again, I won’t cooperate with you. And Fia, if you want to continue being taught, then be quiet. Anyways, if you try to get me into any more trouble, I might just talk to the Governor-General and have you disappear... from the Institute, that is.”
“If I disappear, it’s only going to be inconvenient for you!” Lilisha was undaunted.
However—“Should I use a Single Digit Magicmaster’s so-called privilege?”
Lilisha let out a lengthy sigh, perhaps signaling her resignation, and no longer tried to fight back.
Tesfia was visibly dejected, but still managed to squeeze out some words. “Fine, I understand. If your identity as the ranked No. 1 is completely exposed, you won’t be able to stay at the Institute. That would be bad for me and Alice...” She averted her eyes, as if to say she had no other choice.
Lilisha smirked. “Yes, so let’s ‘get along.’ As a way to earn your trust, let me tell you something.”
Suddenly, all emotion seemed to disappear from her face. “Like Alus said, I was dispatched at Governor-General Berwick’s orders. I suppose you could say my mission is his personal protection. I look forward to your cooperation in all sorts of ways in completing it.”
By sharing military secrets, she was trying to meet Tesfia halfway. That being the case, Tesfia was the kind of girl who would respond in kind. Not to mention that they both wanted to protect Alus’ secret.
“Fine, I get it. I’ll help in whatever way I can,” Tesfia answered honestly, having had a complete change of mood.
Lilisha looked nonplussed. “... Uhm, I look forward to working with you, then,” she replied with an awkward wry smile.
Alus, who’d been watching the two, suppressed a sardonic smile. At the same time, he felt like praising the redhead’s airheadedness and her inability to pick up on subtleties in these kinds of cases.
Indeed, she was oblivious to them. Lilisha’s “all sorts of ways” had been intended to keep her in check. Not only did she want them to “get along,” she also implied that Tesfia shouldn’t do anything on her own when it came to this.
Yet Tesfia had completely ignored it, innocently taking it at face value. Lilisha was way off the mark. She thought she’d figured her out just based on the Fable family name. But that was a big mistake.
At the very least, it was clear that Lilisha was trying to protect Alus’ position in the Institute. At the same time it looked like she would try to take control of everything behind his back. To be honest, he didn’t feel very good about it. With that in mind, having Tesfia around made things much more interesting for him.
In other words, Lilisha’s worst obstacles are unexpected developments and people who stir things up without realizing it. Any irregularity that moves outside of her plans... And the prime suspect, Fia, also knows about my identity. That’s why she tried to drive her point home.
“Well, this is the kind of person she is. Besides, I’m not a big fan of you skulking around without my knowledge,” Alus said, putting his hand on Lilisha’s shoulder, causing her to shrink back again.
He then turned his back on her and called out to Tesfia. “Fia, don’t trust her too much. She’ll probably prioritize monitoring over protecting me.”
“Monitoring...?!”
“—!!” Lilisha probably hadn’t planned on revealing that much to Tesfia. She glanced at Alus with a complicated expression, but kept smiling, despite a twitching cheek.
“It’s just insurance. As long as I can’t trust you a hundred percent, you’ll have to deal with it.”
“Wow, talk about twisted. Well, I guess it’s within permissible limits...just barely though.”
“I’m going back to my job now,” Alus said, and began walking off, but instead of returning to the main building he headed for the auditorium next door. It was close by and also on his patrol route.
Meanwhile, Tesfia and Lilisha were left behind. “I’m going to remove the source of the commotion...” Lilisha said, shrugging. “Things are going to get busy,” she muttered, as she started towards the main building. Her tone of voice was impatient.
“W-Wait a minute. What is monitoring supposed to mean...? Uhm, you know, Feli left things up to me! Al?!” Tesfia panickingly looked at Alus, and then Lilisha, before deciding to chase after Alus.
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