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Despite the not-so-great content coming from Sion’s mouth, we momentarily set aside our worries and focused on his introduction.

We decided to wrap up our tour at the Research Building of the Divine Faculty, and one by one, we explored the Knight and Priest faculties. Following the enormous road where carriages and people maintained their order, we headed first to the Knight Faculty.

Meanwhile, while Shione mulled over Sion’s words about the academy not being as safe as she thought, she eventually broke the awkward silence that had fallen between us.

“Sion, could you elaborate on why you think the academy isn’t that safe?”

“About that… Well, it’s not yet a story that’s surfaced beyond the academy, but there has been an incident that has begun to spread within its walls. It mainly happened in the Divine Faculty.”

I couldn’t help but feel irritated by Sion’s words. Of all places for a disturbance to occur, it had to be where we would primarily stay—the Divine Faculty. Most of the time, such troubles ended up involving Shione and me.

Neither Shione nor I could take Sion’s words lightly.

“A few students from the academy have gone missing recently. One from the Knight Faculty and four from the Divine Faculty. Quite a few, right?”

“…Five people have gone missing, and this news hasn’t spread that much?”

“The missing individuals were all commoner students without any connections. They were focused solely on their classes and didn’t have significant friendships.”

It’s one thing to be reported missing when you have no connections. It’s hard to think of it as anything but something more sinister.

However, since this mainly involved commoners amongst the students, I thought it wouldn’t hit Shione and me too hard. But such naive thoughts were soon shattered.

“Moreover, while the academy is trying to keep this a secret, recently… a professional wizard from a noble house who was investigating got seriously injured and collapsed.”

“…The wizard who was in charge of the investigation got injured?”

A wizard dispatched to the scene surely wouldn’t be just an average student in terms of magic.

Moreover, if their actions were obstructed, that would confirm this is definitely not a simple missing person case.

“But Sion, how do you know about this hidden situation at the academy?”

In response to that question, Sion shook his head as if it were no big deal.

“I found that injured wizard. I was drawn by a strange sensation, went over, and found them collapsed. I quickly performed first aid and reported it to the authorities… They asked me not to speak of it for a while.”

“Then, is it okay for you to tell us about this?”

“It’s not like I made an oath, and no one’s going to blabber about it. Besides, I do care about my family, you know?”

To think that it was Sion who discovered that injured wizard.

I came to the academy under the pretense of enjoying a break with Shione.

“To think someone could injure an experienced wizard and disappear without anyone noticing.”

Finding that wizard sprawled in a desolate area was nearly just good fortune. And seeing the long gash on their chest suggested that the attacker could have approached them before they sensed any threat, indicating that someone skilled in ambush and assassination might be lurking within the academy.

Thanks to Sion’s words, I finally started to feel the weight of the protection we were supposed to provide.

“Whether there’s a connection to demons or not, the Status Window remains quiet for now…”

Still, just in case, I thought it would be good to have Orna check if there are any strange individuals around. Besides, raising my closeness and magical proficiency with Orna might turn out to be quite beneficial.

As soon as Sion finished his brief advice, we once again focused on taking in the unfamiliar academy.

“That building over there is the exclusive building for the Knight Faculty. Recently, since my mother has reached the level of a master, there has been talk of erecting a statue in her honor.”

“That’s the Divine Faculty. There’s a massive church that ranks high even in the kingdom. I recommend you take a look when you have time.”

“And over there—”

Aesthetically grander than any other building, yet hidden beneath its splendor was an unsettling and gloomy ambiance.

“That’s the main building of the Divine Faculty. In this building, you’ll find the professor who will oversee your magical studies.”

The atmosphere there was entirely different from the passionate vigor of the Knight Faculty, filled with students fervently engaged in their studies, and the Divine Faculty, which exuded holiness and warmth.

Well, it’s not surprising that a wizard’s hideout would have such a feeling. Wizards tend to withdraw from society, focusing only on alchemy and new magical theories, often being quite eccentric.

Be they seasoned wizards who chose deeper studies to become professors, or those studying magic to reverse their fortunes or carry on their family legacies, those in this place were inevitably consumed by their magic until they were practically bald.

“That’s enough of the tour for today. If anything else comes up, please come find me at the Divine Faculty dormitory.”

“Thank you for the guidance, Sion.”

Without a word, Sion shrugged his shoulders, turned to leave, and then paused.

“Oh, and one more thing. It’s better for the Deputy Commander to come find me at the dormitory instead of you, sister.”

“Better for Ray to come find me, huh… Guess that’s because it’s the boys’ dormitory. Got it.”

“That is part of it, but it’s also because there’s someone in the same building who you might find uncomfortable running into. That friend said they’d stay at the academy instead of returning to their family, so it’s best to be cautious.”

“…Someone I might feel uncomfortable running into?”

Shione and I couldn’t immediately think of such a person.

Our Shione didn’t have any friends, and the only ones she somewhat interacted with were Diolia and Eunice Kalia. So, there wouldn’t be anyone she could really consider an uncomfortable acquaintance.

At our reaction, Sion let out a small sigh.

“Your former betrothed is in the same building.”

“…Evan Feiosha?”

“Yes, I hear he seems to be doing well since he recently got re-engaged… Still, it could be an awkward encounter if he and my sister run into each other.”

“…….”

Evan Feiosha. The former intended match for Shione, who got swiftly turned down thanks to her bold request to break off the engagement.

“I can still vividly recall how Shione requested that annulment.”

Now that I’m engaged to Shione, I’m thankful that Evan was cast aside without doing anything.

Yet, Sion’s and Diolia’s shock at witnessing Shione’s style of breaking off an engagement had felt like a golf club smacking them on the back of their heads.

“She set the mood with the flower language of the baby’s breath before abruptly declaring the annulment.”

The flower language of baby’s breath symbolizes a young girl’s love.

Creating that atmosphere, and then suggesting the annulment.

Later, when Evan asked if there was a flower that could symbolize Shione, I distinctly remember the hesitation before he got the quick response of ‘balsam flower.’

Of course, the meaning behind balsam flower is a childlike heart and ‘don’t touch me.’

“At that time, Evan did say that his ties with Shianella were not completely over.”

The Feiosha family was a powerful marquis family, and it was said that Evan would enroll in the Divine Faculty at the academy, capping off their last conversation with Shione’s name. It seemed all his hints had brought us to this point.

In fact, it’s not like Sion has casually mentioned Evan; instead, it appears that Shione has indeed formed a bond with him.

“As Sion said, he mentioned starting a new engagement. He seems invested in his academy life as well.”

It wouldn’t be anything beneficial if Shione and he crossed paths.

When the sudden topic of Evan came up, I sensed Shione’s desperate gaze turn toward me.

“Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll take the initiative to visit.”

“Sure, Deputy Commander. It’s no intrusion; you’d always be welcome as my Deputy Commander.”

With that, once our conversation came to an end, Shione and I saw Sion off and stepped into the building of the Divine Faculty.

As we took in the long corridors and well-kept stairs of the building, looking for the head professor’s office, the topic we needed to discuss was, of course, set.

“I never expected to hear about Lord Feiosha from Sion.”

“He mentioned he’s joined the academy. If it’s due to the strife between our families from the annulment, we probably won’t have to face each other until the end of our stay. So, you shouldn’t put on that worried face.”

“…….”

“Plus, since I’m here with Shione, right?”

“…The annulment was clearly going to happen, so I had no lingering feelings. Just thought, ‘Well, here it goes’ when the family scolded me. And with you around, I wouldn’t be thinking about some lord.”

Shione’s expression seemed to grow increasingly hurt but also carried a hint of regret.

“The issue is the engagement.”

Shione dramatically puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms.

“While that lord has managed to get engaged again over the years, it’s been ages since we’ve even started discussing our own engagement. I’ve been too laid back, totally missing the most important thing.”

“…….”

“I need to have a chat with Lady Diolia about the engagement…”

Shione’s only concern seemed entirely focused on our engagement.

*

The room was filled with notebooks decorated with various magical formulas and scattered magical devices.

In that room, a woman had her head buried in a thick book filled with challenging magical equations. Finally, she closed the book with a mix of intrigue and dissatisfaction.

After a moment of contemplation with her eyes closed, she opened her ash-gray irises.

“Yawn─”

After sitting for so long, her body felt cramped.

As she stretched and relaxed her tense muscles, she murmured.

“That swordswoman has a similar aura… I guess she’s finally arrived.”

For her, Ainel was merely a remarkable swordsman and friend.

The professor’s magic began to transform her personal space dramatically, and the playful manifestation of magic showed no signs of stopping.

“Shione Shianella, along with a guard, has arrived as per the letter. Professor, may I come in?”

Before the daughter of her dear friend arrived.

 

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