---

The discussion between Sion and the Headmaster was quickly scheduled for the day after he sent the letter. Unfortunately, it seemed that Shione and I wouldn’t be able to join the meeting with the Headmaster. He had evidence confirming that the defeated foe was a demon, along with recordings of testimonies from me and the escort knight who participated in the battle to save Sion.

Before the solo discussion took place, after much preparation, Sion finally set out to meet the Headmaster. Meanwhile, Shione and I were looking through the freshly printed morning newspaper together.

─Five missing persons. Headmaster directly criticizes the sluggish investigation.

─We will heavily punish the criminal organization within the Academy.

─If you discover the relevant insignia, report it immediately to the Academy…

The headlines of the newspaper dramatically highlighted everything that had transpired. The Headmaster was also frequently seen in other articles, inspecting the investigation teams and troops. Two days before the discussion with Sion, she was doing everything she could to prevent any further mishaps.

‘It’s only natural for her to act like this.’

Considering the impact of the headline that grabbed the most attention in this newspaper, one would have to run as if their feet were on fire.

“Ray, take a look at this article.”

“Looks like it’s a big deal.”

─The Count’s house was attacked. One of the victims this time was Shianella Young Adults.

The most sensational article of all.

Within the piece, it detailed how an investigator injured in a previous fight was rescued and provided emergency care, and how it faced a crisis due to the attack. Furthermore, it included my testimony confirming the involvement of cultists and demons, as well as a portrayal of an outraged Sion.

With three celebrities from the Marquess’ lineage throwing a fit, the Academy had no choice but to act decisively to salvage its already tattered reputation.

‘It seems the public announcement was successful.’

Isn’t the current Headmaster a person appointed by a royal family filled with fear and hatred for demons?

Gossip tends to inflate and grow in size as it passes through people’s mouths. If they weren’t exceptionally skilled at their jobs, there were certainly numerous wizards and scholars within the Academy capable of eradicating any enemies.

As I tried to turn my attention to another part of the newspaper, one article caught my eye.

─What will happen to the ongoing joint training camp in light of recent events?

However, as soon as I scanned the text略.

“Once Sion returns, we should hear more details. By the way, Ray, can I now use other magic as well?”

Since Shione appeared eager to ask quickly, I took my gaze off the newspaper and looked at her confidently gathering mana.

“Besides making wind, have you learned something new?”

“Maybe I’ve just learned some basic stuff till now. But it seems like I’m getting the hang of it.”

“Mastering the basics with ease is what we call talent. Perhaps you have talent not just for archery but for magic as well.”

“Talent? I confirmed at a young age that I was terrible at magic. It must be thanks to my ancestor’s arrangements. Anyway, look at this.”

Fwoosh….

A small sphere filled with bright light formed in front of Shione.

She soon became engrossed in honing her senses.

“Now I can make this little light! Oh, wait…!”

Boom!

Realizing that a strong flash of light was about to burst out, I panicked and quickly turned my head and closed my eyes.

I never expected she would pull off such a crazy stunt right in front of me, setting off a flashbang in the room.

During the brief standoff with the light, I could make out Shione sneaking up on me.

‘Did she practice just to play this prank on me?’

Shione had approached me unnoticed, as if trying to kill my senses with a burst of strong light while approaching quietly.

It looked like she was doing this to see me get flustered. Wasn’t it more amusing to prank me in such situations?

Seizing the opportunity to catch her off guard, I covered her face with my hands so she couldn’t escape. Now, there was no way she could twist away and attack my eyes with that sudden light.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Shione, who was bewildered, her mouth agape in surprise.

“R-Ray? Could you let go of my hand for a moment—”

What could she do when she was already captured?

Out of a sense of indignation, I bumped my forehead against hers, causing a sound, and her magic dissipated.

Shione quickly backed away, rubbing her forehead, while I also stood up and said.

“By the way, the time for my meeting with Epheana is coming soon, so we should start getting ready. By the time today’s magic improvement session wraps up, I’ll also have a chance to hear from Sion.”

Epheana Alenarr had finally made some sense of the direction for her improvements, and it seemed she’d been researching magic as much as possible after our time together. I was hopeful for some good news today.

As I turned to look at Shione, also likely sharing the same sentiment.

“Are you not getting ready to go?”

She muttered something to herself and shot me a sharp glare when I called her.

“…I should have just left you as a slave.”

*

Epheana Alenarr welcomed us just as she usually did.

With a sharp impression, northern nobles typically wore a façade of icy coldness, but today’s Epheana felt a bit different from the ones we had previously met.

Noticing Shione’s confusion, Epheana smiled brightly as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Young Lady, do you still remember why I was appointed as the head professor back then?”

“Of course. I heard it was because you were recognized for your combat and magic theories.”

“Actually, it was not just typical magic, but through ancient magic for combat techniques and theories that I managed to achieve that. Now, take a look at this.”

A sheet of paper filled with complex phrases and equations.

Epheana’s shoulders seemed to quiver, suggesting it contained quite significant content… but for someone like me, who didn’t have a deep understanding of magic, it would need to be comprehensible for Shione and me.

After staring at the paper for a while, Shione spotted one figure that had been drawn on the notebook.

“This… is one of the magical formations I had in my spell book.”

“Correct. A lot of ancient magic, especially regarding ours from the kingdom, has been lost. I thought it would take quite a long time, but luckily, I managed to find one that could maximize its effect and harmonize with other spells.”

Her voice was filled with excitement. Epheana paused briefly to collect her emotions.

“So today, I would like to have a practical application session of this spell with you, Young Lady. How does that sound?”

“That sounds great! I’m already looking forward to it.”

“And… there’s also some rather unfortunate news for both you and me.”

Epheana picked up a paper that had been casually tossed aside on her desk.

“I received a letter from the Headmaster himself.”

Rather than calling it a letter, it seemed more like an official document with a formal tone.

Quickly skimming through the contents of the paper, Epheana sighed softly and shook her head.

“It seems the Headmaster has suddenly called for a meeting with the professors, so if a request comes in, I would have to attend.”

It was an unexpected request from the Headmaster.

“If it’s you and your position… you must already have a rough idea of the situation─ it seems I might have to get involved in something. There’s a chance that I might need to reschedule.”

Moreover, this was all information that Shione and I already knew.

This basically indicated that the professors had been summoned to address the cultists, and now that the Headmaster was calling in even combat wizards, it was strongly indicative that he was preparing the Academy for a war against the cultists.

Upon hearing Epheana’s words, Shione nodded attentively.

“There’s no other choice. The Academy will have to make its own decisions too.”

“I’m glad you understand. Even if the Headmaster calls me, it shouldn’t take too long to take away your time, Young Lady.”

Her tone was filled with conviction. Through this, one could sense the pride of a seasoned battle wizard.

“Before we head to the practice area… I did mention that there might be something beneficial for you. It seems that your spirit magic proficiency has reached a considerable level… So, perhaps, wouldn’t you be curious about how to gain the upper hand in a battle against battle wizards?”

The method to seize victory in a fight against battle wizards.

To be honest, fighting against similarly skilled battle wizards in close combat could be quite a troublesome affair. They would shake the terrain, distort space and air to launch attacks, all while wielding swords.

Even when I was accompanied by two spirits, I didn’t particularly enjoy fighting against them. They were adept at minimizing my strengths and often used magic to prevent me from drawing my bow easily. When facing a battle wizard, I often found myself relying on both swordsmanship and spirit magic.

 

---