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161st Chapter. An Unexpected Reunion

I only applied because I had a reason to support. Although it’s a high-difficulty mission that might take a while, I need to understand the external circumstances even a little.

Right now, it’s the prologue of Chapter 5. Everyone is busy with preparations for the festival or studying for exams.

Princess Mirona, who has taken the position of student council president, is passionately working on her tasks, while Lyman coaches her to ensure she stays on track.

Jenny, Luska, Angela, and Crona are also kept busy with their own responsibilities.

Particularly, Jenny and Luska are participating in the main event of the Magical Banquet, called “Tactical Martial Arts.”

Because of that, while playing as the two of them, they become competitive and stop worrying about trivial matters.

So, I shouldn’t expect to be involved. Instead, it’s Crona and Angela’s responsibility to take care of them.

Other characters, including Kent, also have their own way of spending time.

Among those key characters, there’s only one girl who seems to have a lot of free time. That’s Mary Ryudshiel, who is sitting beside me, gazing out the window.

While everyone else is busy with their studies or various responsibilities, she is completely in her own world. It’s just Mary… explaining further would only give me a headache.

“What brings you here?”

“Huh?”

“You should be outside playing with the bugs and fish by now. So why did you even apply for this?”

Mary turns her head from where she was peering into the windy space to face me. She doesn’t seem to appreciate me asking something she had just answered moments ago.

Was she this negative of a person? That’s why I couldn’t help but ask again.

“Um… I just felt too stifled being inside the Academy. So I wanted to step outside and get some fresh air!”

Mary forced a bright smile as she said that. It seemed she was trying to portray her usual wildness but looked quite weak instead. It felt more like she was mumbling for the sake of it since a friend asked.

To be honest, even if she pretended to be okay now, she didn’t look bright. Even when she had just cut off Riplain’s hair, although it was largely due to pointing out her complex, there didn’t seem to be a need for such a cold reaction.

“Huh? Friend? Why do you ask that out of the blue?”

“Are you really just feeling stifled?”

“….”

This time, when I asked in a flat tone, Mary hesitated. The truth is, it’s hard to imagine Mary feeling stifled. The reason she had to undertake this mission seemed to be a makeshift excuse.

“Do you have anything troubling you these days?”

“Troubling? No, nothing like that!”

She’s lying, but internally, it’s likely she’s suffering quite a bit. She has realized what has been implanted deep within her.

That existence was enough to turn even the once-passionate Mary into someone with such gloom.

“But… Friend.”

Mary called to me with hesitation. As she turned her head from the window frame, the carriage slipped out of the woods.

The sunset, previously hidden and dull behind the trees, now shone brightly on the carriage. The yellowing sunlight kissed Mary’s pink hair, and bathed in a modest glow, she smiled and said,

“We’re still friends, right?”

That silly Mary, who only knew how to giggle like a fool, now bore a flower-like smile against the backdrop of the sunset.

The carriage rolled forward, bringing occasional breezes. The sunset hues danced amidst her pink locks.

In an instant, the girl who had appeared forever young suddenly looked mature. A girl who could change for the sake of a friend. For Mary, this moment felt like it was about to clash against some kind of existence within her.

She had to confront the dormant entity inside her. Otherwise, the people around her might be in danger.

Realizing that existence, Mary could no longer play the fool. So I had to respect her wishes.

“What would I be if I’m not your friend?”

When I said that, Mary slid off the window frame and slowly moved closer to me. Then, with her fiddlehead-like hands, she grabbed my wrist and leaned her head on my shoulder, whispering softly.

“Thank you. Friend.”

There was no falsehood in my words. Therefore, the erosion rate remained unchanged.

Knowing what Mary would go through after peacefully dozing off against my side, I had to refrain from making frivolous remarks. Now, I could no longer tolerate her feeling stressed.

Her smile was as radiant as sunlight… but with that brightness came dark shadows beneath.

Mary’s shadow was enormous, enough that its depth was unfathomable. For within that shadow, the “Demon King” was sleeping.

*

Thirty years ago, the Demon King Beelzebub of Paris plunged the Empire into a pit of terror. That demon wielded vast magic, trampling people and, if necessary, devouring his own kind.

It is said that he was beheaded in a coordinated effort by the Grand Mages’ Alliance and the previous Saint. However, what if he were truly alive… or if it was revealed he had reincarnated in a new body?

If that’s the case, the world would undoubtedly be thrown into chaos. The wounds inflicted upon the Empire by that Demon King have yet to heal.

Crops rotted due to the insect armies he summoned, and countless lives were lost—families and lovers.

The tide of insects brought forth by the Demon King was a significant trauma for the Empire’s citizens. The Grand Mage organization that defeated him, along with the previous Saint, became objects of gratitude.

The magic organization bolstered by that tremendous achievement eventually came to be known as the “White Magic Tower.”

And most citizens of the Empire became followers of the Holy Cross Sect, offering gratitude to the Saint who beheaded that demon.

The tremendous influence of Beelzebub still looms large. He had not yet vanished from this world. The being reborn had taken on the body of a brilliant magical girl.

And now that girl was walking beside me, smiling.

“We’ve arrived~”

We only managed to reach the scene of the incident as the afternoon neared sunset. As soon as Mary got off the carriage, she stretched out and let out an exclamation.

Even though the existence inside her was a source of discomfort, she was trying hard not to forget her original intent. By her side, Senior Trisha stayed close.

“It’s been a while since we’ve traveled together like this. Have you been well?”

“Yeah. I’m doing great! It’s been a while since the first-year final evaluation mission.”

“It feels like we keep running into each other on every mission. How about we deepen our friendship while we’re at it?”

“What are you talking about? We’ve been friends all along!”

“Haha! That’s very sweet.”

As soon as they arrived in the village, their chemistry walking to the site was quite good. Perhaps it was because their personalities were pretty similar. Trisha affectionately ruffled Mary’s hair, beaming with a bright expression.

“Should I gift you a new novel record later, dear sister?”

“Wow! Thank you so much!”

Has she gone mad? What genre of rubbish is she trying to recommend to mess with Mary’s mind further?

I wanted to yell and prevent that shady deal, but… Mary’s eyes were sparkling too brightly.

I worried that if I interfered, the flames of the White Magic Tower might accidentally spill over to me.

“That girl is the daughter of Tailly Ryudshiel.”

Riplain Halo, walking beside me, said while looking at Mary. His intriguing expression still shone brightly.

“It’s an honor to be conducting a mission alongside the bloodline of the Grand Mage who took down the Demon King with the previous Saint. Are you close to that girl?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“How enviable. If only the Art Department’s schedule wasn’t so tight, I could have built a friendship with her.”

“Doesn’t her precious hair getting shaved make you feel negative about her?”

I couldn’t help but feel angry that the principle behind it was beyond me. After all, it’s not easy to grow out hair.

If it were me, I would have felt devastated as if I had squandered all my wealth.

“I told you before. Hair can grow back. Besides, isn’t it already pretty cool? Right?”

Cool? That?

Is he serious?

“Ah, yes… it’s really cool.”

[Erosion Rate Decrease: -1%]

[+100 Credits]

“I’ve seen it for a while now, but it’s definitely beyond what someone like me could ever imagine or possess.”

[Erosion Rate Decrease: -2%]

[+200 Credits]

“That’s a bit over the top, but still, thank you. But let’s not laugh and joke too much. We’ll soon arrive at a scene where laughter won’t be appropriate.”

According to Riplain, we arrived at the location where the site was set up at the outskirts of the village. The sight of the magical train needing to charge ahead now lay in shambles before us.

There, knights dispatched from the Royal Family, law enforcement officers, and hired mercenaries were investigating the scene.

“Those uniforms… Are you students dispatched from Aligieri?”

“That’s correct. I am Riplain Halo, representing them.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Morax, in charge of this scene.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Morax.”

Riplain skillfully completed his first encounter with the person in charge. Morax welcomed us with an interesting gaze towards his hair.

“I heard you’re forming a team to track the prisoners.”

“That’s correct. Our office is analyzing the cause of the train derailment and predicting where they might have escaped.”

Apparently, there was no issue with the control room. Also, the wheels were fine, and the tracks were not damaged.

Therefore, it was suspected that the prisoners had suddenly caused a ruckus.

“Were the prisoners perfectly restrained? They must have been wearing magic-suppressing handcuffs in case they were skilled.”

“In addition, several experienced knights were guarding each compartment of the train. How in that situation could they have caused such a disturbance?”

With no problems in the vehicle and only the prisoners there obediently, it made no sense that even if there had been an argument, it could escalate to a level where the train would derail.

It certainly seemed like a third party had intervened.

“What about the driver and knights? What happened to them?”

“All of them are missing. I suspect the prisoners have taken them hostage.”

Overhearing that, I glanced toward the train. Inside the overturned train, the seats were ripped out, and wooden boards lay torn on the floor.

I couldn’t shake the thought that anyone inside must have surely perished.

“I suppose at least some corpses must have been found, given the train’s condition?”

“No, there were no corpses. Not even a trace of blood.”

That unexpected statement made me turn my head sharply. It sounded like there were no casualties despite how horrific the derailment appeared.

“Moreover, there were even survivors. Can you see over there?”

The mercenaries surrounded a group of people chained together. Clad in tattered clothes that looked like they hadn’t been washed in days and marked with numbers, they were definitely prisoners.

Unfortunately, it seemed neither the driver nor the knights were among them.

“Can I take a look at them?”

“Huh?”

“Oh. I’m Radon Crawler from the combat department of second-year Aligieri. May I check their faces?”

“I’ll allow it, but it’s best not to have high expectations. I interrogated them, but it was of no use.”

“But I’m fine with that.”

Ignoring the official Morax’s advice, I approached them. There might be someone I was looking for among them.

He was Haidern, the former vice principal of Aligieri. I had definitely seen his name on the prisoner list.

If Haidern were among them, he might have insight into this situation. Despite being caught up in an enormous incident, the prisoners remained only moderately injured.

At the moment I felt disappointed that he wasn’t among them, I suddenly heard,

“Ughhh!! You, you are!”

One of the prisoners who spotted me suddenly had a fit.

I felt taken aback the moment I saw his face.

“Radon Crawler!! You bastard, I’ve found you!!”

He called out my name, revealing a deep-seated grudge.

 

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