“…Sylvia currently resides on the island she created.”
The base of the [Sylvia Surveillance Team] established by the Intelligence Bureau in coordination with the Security Bureau was an ordinary house. One of the red brick complexes on Beijin Street where the Imperium bureaucrats lived. Its interior and furnishings were also extremely common-place, matching the outside.
“There is a mansion under her family name on the Floating Island, but it appears that she doesn’t visit them often.”
I sat on the couch in the living room and glanced at the surveillance team. The Deputy Chief of Public Security Lilia Primienne and the intelligence agency Named member Lukehall. In addition to these two, there were six agents said to be exceptional in their respective fields.
“What about the monster Sylvia’s unconscious created?”
“It has disappeared, but according to eyewitness testimony, it looks like this.”
A tall, pale woman with a large shark-like mouth full of teeth.
“It looks insane. And the place called Anonymous Island, the achievement that promoted her to Monarch?”
An agent of the intelligence agency injected their mana into the crystal ball. The crystal projected the landscape of the island.
“Hmm…”
Primienne crossed her arms without saying anything further for a moment. The red-haired agent Lukehall broke the silence.
“What do you think, Deputy Director Primienne?”
“…I can understand why she became a Monarch in three months.”
The other agents nodded in admiration, but the mood of the island was familiar to me. Rice ears and leaves were swaying in the breeze above them; the sun was shining intensely like a scorching fire. It was a technique from an exam I gave. Sylvia had transplanted Van Gogh’s canvas onto that island.
“…She learned well.”
Primienne and the other agents turned to face me.
“Are you pretending that you taught her that, or did you really teach her?”
“If you are curious, buy my exam paper and look at it. There are occasional re-auctions on the Floating Island.”
“…Auctions?”
Primienne glanced at Lukehall, who gestured to another agent. The agent immediately left; perhaps he was heading to the Floating Island.
“Professor Deculein.”
Lukehall caught my attention.
“What level should be assigned to the surveillance operation? Please give us your opinion.”
Surveillance level. Simply put, it was to judge the subject’s risk, and the order was, from top to bottom: black—red—blue—green.
“We are thinking of the red grade.”
Primienne nodded her agreement.
“Five people have been victimized by the monster Sylvia created. A red rating would suffice.”
The definition of red was a close-range armed surveillance that recognizes that the subject is dangerous. I shook my head.
“You don’t have to. Green is enough.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Green, on the other hand, simply meant remote monitoring. Primienne and Lukehall both wore expressions of disbelief.
“Is there a reason as to why you think so?”
“There’s no way the one who created that island wouldn’t notice that someone near her was watching. Abnormalities in blue grade monitoring have the potential to cause stress.”
“But-“
“And.”
I interrupted Lukehall, staring at him with soft, sunken eyes.
“She’s a good girl.”
“…”
This time, the eyes of all the agents focused on me.
“We just have to watch from afar. How much will Sylvia grow, and how far will she go.”
“…What?”
“There is no need to treat a child who is not a monster like one.”
I stood as Lukehall scratched his head and nodded.
“Well, it’s the expert opinion, so we’ll do that. For now, we will assign her the green grade.”
“Then, thank you.”
I calmly left the house with Deputy Director Primienne following me.
“…Do you feel any guilt toward that child?”
Primienne’s characteristic dull and dry voice reached me. I continued to walk as I thought about Sylvia. Had I grown attached to her without noticing? Was I feeling sorry for our shared past?
Or…
“She’s a pitiful girl.”
Compassion was not a good feeling, and as Deculein, I hardly felt it. However, that was simply the case. Sylvia’s past hadn’t been a smooth one. She was a child who suffered too many wounds in too short a time. She grew up after being left high and dry, killing herself in an attempt to grow.
“There is no need to bother her anymore.”
“…”
Primienne offered nothing further. She walked by my side and, at some point, split off to go her way.
••••••
Meanwhile, the wind spell invented by Sylvia reached the far-off land she sought. She hadn’t even granted the magic a name. It was just a wind that, regardless of the distance, regardless of obstacles, transmitted the world’s sounds through her mana.
—She’s a good girl.
That was what she heard through the wind transmitting to her.
—We just have to watch from afar. How much will Sylvia grow, and how far will she go…
Even as time continued, Deculein’s attitude and way of speaking appeared likely to last forever.
— There is no need to treat a child who is not a monster like one.
Sylvia eavesdropped on it all, monitoring those distant lands from thousands of meters in the sky.
—Do you feel any guilt towards that child?
Another person’s question, not Deculein. Deculein answered after a pause.
—She’s a pitiful girl.
She clenched her fist; her heart set pounding loudly. Such compassion, but she never once asked for it. She just…
—You don’t need to bother her anymore.
His every word pierced her heart. Sylvia clenched her teeth, quiet curses flowing out.
“…Mean bastard.”
“?”
At the tea table near her, Idnik, who was preparing tea, turned to look at her. Sylvia appeared on the verge of crying. Idnik clicked her tongue and walked over to her.
“Sylvia. Are you trying to hate him?”
Sylvia glared at her in response. Idnik, with a smirk, handed over a cup. Then she sat by her side and looked out over the scenery of the island. It was as beautiful as an oil painting. The familiar flying over the rice and the running through the wheat fields created a peaceful image.
Only Sylvia appeared sorrowful in that space.
“Stop looking so down.”
“…Don’t mind me.”
“Mind? Sylvia. There is such a thing as getting a certain expression stuck on your face in this world.”
“I don’t believe in that.”
“It’s not a belief; it’s a phenomenon.”
Idnik tilted her eyes and looked into Sylvia’s face. Sylvia frowned and pushed her away.
“Facial expressions come from the heart. If your heart rots, your expression rots too.”
“…”
“If an expression rots for too long, that rotten pattern is engraved on one’s face. You are carving that expression into your face right now.”
Sylvia stood without a word and went into the house; it was the oil painting mansion that she had made herself.
“Okay. Take a rest.”
Idnik spoke to herself with a quiet smile.
* * *
Night, as the old crescent moon hangs in the sky.
Epherene returned to the dormitory for the first time in what felt like forever, bringing along three slices of bread she had bought. Her sole reason was that the moon looked like bread somehow.
“Sigh…”
She let out a small sigh as she put down her backpack and the bag of bread. She then leaned down and stretched out her hand under the bed to produce an old suitcase that came with a tight fit. After fiddling with the latch a few times, it popped open.
“…”
Her father’s letters were hidden inside. Epherene recalled her past when she read these numerous papers, sometimes with joy, sometimes with resentment. The times when she hoped that he would come back someday, and maybe they would be happy together.
“…Achilles heel.”
Ihelm said she was Deculein’s Achilles heel. He said that Deculein’s kindness to her was only a form of conciliation. However, the future self she met in Locralen — even though the memory was now faint — did not treat Deculein like an enemy.
“I don’t know…”
Whew-
Her sigh pushed her bangs up slightly. Epherene, feeling like procrastinating, suddenly took out her sponsorship certificate from the drawer. It was proof that she was supported by Deculein. She placed the [Testifier Application] from Ihelm next to it.
“…Dad, I don’t know.”
Epherene mussed her hair, groaning.
“What…”
However, no matter how much she thought about it, there didn’t appear to be many other ways forward. It was almost the only way to know the true meaning of Deculein and the past between her father and him. She held up the [Testifier Application] and looked out the window to the moon.
“…”
A moon that looked like bread. Epherene opened the paper bag and took a bite of her croissant.
* * *
…The next day.
I ordered a mirror from the island’s artisans and built a tower of mirrors in the backyard of the Yukline mansion. It was all to train this new talent in earnest.
“Master. Do you need anything else?”
The Butler Ren asked, but I shook my head.
“No. This is enough. Let no one in.”
“Yes.”
After Ren bowed, he opened the door to the mirror tower to reveal a space where numerous mirrors along the sides reflected the interior. Standing in the middle, I nodded with no small amount of satisfaction.
“…Surely.”
I felt like my body and my mana were growing lighter. The meaning of the mirror origin was that the mirror’s properties, attributes, and characteristics were all my talents. And just like that, I felt that I was in my element when around them. I could describe it as a very simple sense of belonging.
“…”
I took out the wooden steel.
Snap—!
When I flicked my finger, they rushed in a straight line. At the same time, it deflected to the right. The single-piece moved like two.
“If I add more mana to this….”
The wooden steel moving in a straight line swelled into dozens, flashing. This time, I used reflex.
“The lethality is excellent.”
A very useful function when dealing with humans or monsters. The mirror as a medium was still essential, but with a little more polishing, reflection and refraction would be possible in a place without a mirror. That is, using the polished surface of wood and steel itself as a mirror.
“Hmm.”
However, even this was only a stepping stone. The ultimate goal was to apply this origin to the Snowflake Obsidian. That clear and transparent metal had the properties of a mirror, so it wasn’t impossible.
“…Again.”
I resumed training.
Clank-! Clank, clank-!
In the Mirror Tower, I repeated refraction and reflection training with the wood steel, honing the movement of Psychokinesis to be sharper than ever. After consuming 90% of my mana, I finished training.
◆ Memorize Status
: Beginner/intermediate Psychokinesis (96%)
┏ Beginner/Intermediate Fire Control (72%)
┣ Beginner/Intermediate Fluid Manipulation (71%)
┗Metal Reinforcement (95%)
“This much is…”
The completion of Metal Reinforcement, as well as Intermediate Psychokinesis, weren’t far away. With that, I could be a bit more relaxed until the winter’s monster wave appeared. I wiped the sweat from my body with Cleanse and walked out. It was already night.
“Oh. Are you coming out now?”
But an unexpected person was waiting for me.
“Nice to see you~.”
Josephine was sitting at the tea table. She took a sip of her coffee and waved for me to join her.
“I was waiting for you to come~.”
“…You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
I straightened out my clothes, including my tie, and approached her.
“Why are you here?”
Josephine smiled brightly.
“I’m going to tell Julie that we have retrieved Veron’s body. Then she will bury him again.”
“…”
“All the Knights of Freyhem will attend the funeral. I will do what you want there.”
I nodded silently, causing Josephine to pout and grumble.
“But is this the right way? If Julie suddenly dies from shock—”
“It’s the correct way.”
Eternal winter? I knew that trait better than Julie herself.
“…Okay~.”
Josephine began to draw letters with her finger on the tea table.
“I have no choice but to believe in you. I knew it. There is no cure for Julie’s curse.”
Her fingers were writing out a single word again and again. Curse. Curse. Curse. Curse. Curse…
Then she raised her eyes to stare at me.
“Well, since it happened while protecting you, you have to take responsibility.”
Her eyes staring at me were as clear as empty ice, and her voice was equally as frozen. It felt like staring into a pure abyss where no emotion existed.
“Trust me. Julie will get better.”
“Yes. I’ll believe you. But… if she doesn’t get better, I don’t know how I will change.”
Then, Josephine smiled again. She stood and faded away like a mere shadow within seconds.
“…Crazy bitch.”
The Named Josephine was the most dangerous madwoman in this world. Mumbling those words with sincerity, I entered the mansion. Ren approached as if he had been waiting as soon as I entered.
“Professor, Assistant Professor Allen visited.”
“Allen?”
“Yes.”
Ren pointed off to somewhere, and I noticed Allen was dozing off on the couch in the living room.
“Allen.”
“…!”
When I called, she opened her eyes and stood. Then, groggily, she smiled at me like a puppy.
“Professor~.”
“What’s going on?”
“Oh! This is not the time, the class preparation! How will you prepare for class? The second class is soon!”
Class preparation. I answered without any hesitation as I had a pre-determined schedule.
“I’m going to have them take a note test.”
“A note test? Our class, didn’t we just have one session so far?”
“Those who don’t understand the first-class don’t deserve the next one. Follow me.”
“Yes!”
I walked with Allen to the study on the third floor. With Allen standing still beside me, I pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer.
“Solve it. It’s something I came up with on my own.”
“Yes, yes.”
Allen took the problem with a slightly nervous look on her face. And…
* * *
Wednesday arrived for Deculein’s bi-weekly lecture. Epherene took the elevator to the 80th floor of the Magic Tower. Entering the classroom, the cat next to Kreto caught her eye.
“Is this the cat that you’re raising? He is very cute.”
“Oh, it’s not mine. It’s the cat entrusted to me by Her Majesty.”
“…What?”
Startled, Epherene quickly removed her hand that was tickling the cat’s chin. Munchkin seemed to say ‘Hmph’ and stared at her as if asking, ‘How dare you?’
“…I’m sorry.”
She slowly retreated and sat down. Meanwhile, the rest of the students arrived, and noon approached. It was at exactly 12:00:00 when Professor Deculein appeared without a single seconds error.
“Nice to see you.”
“Oh, um, professor! Is that the cat that turned off the display in class last time?”
Immediately, Rose Rio pointed to the red cat. The other wizards joined her in staring at the red-haired Munchkin with rather harsh looks. However, the cat only wagged its tail as if sneering at them.
“Wow, look at that. Cheeky-“
“Quiet. Sit down.”
Deculein stopped them with a wave of his hand. Rose Rio pouted but sat down.
“I’m going to start class.”
Assistant Professor Allen came into the classroom. Allen’s complexion was a bit haggard, with thick dark eye circles as if he had not slept, and his hands were trembling. For some reason, he wore an ominous expression.
“Today’s lecture is a note test.”
“A note test?”
During the second class, it was a note test. Epherene tilted her head and looked around. The other students also wore slightly bewildered expressions, but what? Everyone knew that the Deculein class was special and had its way of doing things.
“Allen.”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
Allen turned over the test papers with trembling hands and distributed them. Epherene glanced at the paper she received. They appeared to have no magical treatment.
“Everything has been distributed.”
At Allen’s words, Deculein nodded. He stood in the middle of the classroom, holding a timer.
“Let’s get started right away.”
The timer started with a click, and Epherene quickly turned her test paper over.
“…What is this… an alien language?”
There were only two questions in the noted test. However, the content was incredibly confusing. In the first problem, there wasn’t even a single word marked in the official language of the Empire. Only formulas and operations. To the students, with their mouths wide open, Deculein continued.
“You can discuss with each other as well as use your books. However, if there is a fight like before, everyone will be eliminated.”
“…”
Epherene slowly raised her head and felt out the atmosphere around the classroom. Like herself, countless eyes were searching for a savior.
