94

When I first locked eyes with Lily, I could tell.

It was because her eyes always seemed so deeply sunken, shrouded in darkness.

I figured she must have a story to tell.

After all, eyes like those couldn't exist without a reason.

But I didn't ask.

I didn't want to dredge up her painful past.

I decided to wait, hoping that one day Lily herself would open up to me.

And when that day came, I vowed to help her with all my heart.

Yet now, a month has passed, and she still hasn't told me her story.

I really want to know.

What happened to her?

I want to cover the wounds in her heart.

I want to help her.

So please, tell me, Lily.

Why do your eyes always look so empty…?

"I'm sorry, Iris,"

She said, her face clouded with sadness.

"Oh… No, it's nothing. I shouldn't have said that. Heh…"

Time had passed since the duel, and night now blanketed the sky.

Walking back to the dormitory with Lily, I couldn't hold back any longer and ended up asking her.

But her response was a firm rejection.

I felt a bit dejected.

I thought we had grown quite close over the past month, but I guess we're not yet at the point where she can share such deep things with me.

"If you told me, I could help…"

Though my mood sank slightly, I quickly shook it off.

That's right.

One day, Lily will surely open her heart to me.

Until then, I just need to stay by her side.

"I'll head off first."

"Oh, okay. You worked so hard in the duel today. Sweet dreams, Lily."

"Mm. You too."

With those final goodbyes, Lily turned her back and trudged away.

"See you tomorrow."

I watched her go, her steps unusually heavy tonight.

Then I too began making my way to my room under the late-night sky, my footsteps slow and my gaze cast down to the ground, weighed by my bittersweet emotions.

But perhaps because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going—

Thud!

"Eek?"

Distracted, I collided with someone and ended up falling to the ground.

Rubbing the ache I felt at my lower back, I looked up and saw a woman standing before me, gazing down at me.

"Oh my, I'm sorry, Iris… Are you alright?"

A woman draped in a purple robe extended her hand toward me. She had short, jet-black hair with a beauty mark under one eye, giving her a mature appearance.

"Ah… Yes, I'm fine. Are you alright, ma'am?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine."

This woman was someone I recognized.

Professor Katrina.

She was undoubtedly the alchemy teacher.

As I took her hand and stood up, Professor Katrina looked at me with a curious expression and asked,

"It's quite late… What are you doing here at this hour?"

Indeed, as she said, the sky was shrouded in deep darkness, with a full moon shining brightly.

"I was just saying goodbye to a friend and was on my way back."

"Is that so?"

"And you, Professor Katrina? Where are you headed?"

At my question, the professor remained silent for a moment, her face calm. Then, she gave me a sly smile and replied,

"Just finishing some late-night work. I'm on my way back as well."

Saying this, she patted my shoulder a few times.

"You should head back soon too. It's dangerous for a young lady to be out alone at night."

"Ah… Yes."

"Especially since you're a saintess. You should at least have an escort with you whenever possible."

"It's fine. I have the Goddess's blessing, after all. And really, what could possibly happen here at the academy?"

At my words, the professor gave a meaningful smile.

"Who knows? You never can tell with these things. In any case, be careful on your way back."

"…Yes, Professor."

As Professor Katrina walked past me and continued on her way, I could only stand there, watching her retreating figure in a daze.

Yes.

She was undoubtedly just concerned for my safety.

All the professors at the academy always put their utmost effort into ensuring the safety and growth of their students.

They are truly admirable people.

And yet…

Why?

Why did I sense the ominous energy, the 'Magi, that only appears around evil demons, coming from such a dedicated professor?

.

.

.

"Ugh…"

For several days after that, I kept a close watch on Professor Katrina.

As a saintess, I could sense malicious energies with remarkable accuracy.

The aura I had felt around her that night was unmistakably the concentrated, malevolent essence unique to demons—their 'Magi.'

I couldn't begin to guess why such an aura would emanate from Professor Katrina. But I couldn't simply ignore it, so I kept a vigilant eye on her, knowing full well that it might be rude.

And yet, as if to prove that what I had sensed was nothing more than an illusion, no trace of Magi could be detected around Professor Katrina ever since that night.

"Could it really be that I was mistaken?

While I was lost in thought, wrestling with my worries, someone tapped my forehead lightly with their finger.

"Are you okay, Iris?"

"Ah."

The owner of the finger was none other than Ariel.

She had hair of a violet hue, reminiscent of tulips, and exuded a calm and composed atmosphere. A stunning beauty.

Moreover, she was a promising prodigy, rumored to be the successor to the position of Grand Sage.

In the reclusive and insular Mage Tower, she had received a direct recommendation letter and entered the academy. Quite the extraordinary individual.

I heard she had already reached the sixth circle of magic. Truly amazing.

Ariel leaned close to my ear and whispered softly.

"What are you thinking about so deeply? You haven't been paying attention in class at all."

Her words snapped me back to reality.

When I looked around, the class had already ended, and it was now break time.

My classmates were all stretching and loosening up their tired bodies.

It was only then that I realized I had completely zoned out during the entire class.

Spacing out during class was a huge disrespect to the teacher.

I felt ashamed of myself.

When I let out a small sigh, Ariel looked at me with a concerned expression.

"Is something really bothering you?"

"…Ariel, there wouldn't happen to be a demon infiltrating the academy, would there?"

Hearing my anxious words, Ariel gave me a puzzled look for a moment before breaking into a laugh.

"Pfft. That's impossible, isn't it? The academy is such a meticulously secure place. Not to mention the barrier cast by the Grand Sage himself. Any demon that entered would be burned to ashes instantly."

"…Yes, that's true, but…"

"Oh, Iris. Stop saying strange things. I'll let you look at my notes, so at least review these."

"Ah..! Thank you, Ariel."

Ariel's kind gesture warmed my heart.

She was absolutely right.

This was Regis Academy, a place where countless talented individuals had earned their place through rigorous selection.

The chance of a demon being here was practically non-existent.

And yet, for some reason, the memory of that moment continued to unsettle me.

I wanted to confide in someone.

But without any proof, who would believe such a ridiculous claim as suspecting a respected professor of being a demon?

…I must be overreacting.

Even to myself, the idea seemed utterly implausible.

In the end, I set aside the worry lingering in the corner of my heart and began preparing for the next class.

After all, I had already lost an entire class session."

If I keep missing more classes, it could seriously impact my academic life moving forward.

That must not happen.

I have to achieve good grades.

All because I want to stay by Lily's side.

I wanted to become someone amazing she could rely on.

With that thought, I was able to end my day with a brighter expression.

Hoping no accidents would happen.

***

A place that exudes grandeur, almost like a small city in itself—Regis Academy.

In front of its heavily guarded main gate, the surrounding guards stood staring blankly at the figure before them.

A person cloaked tightly in a black robe.

"Um… May I come in…?"

The voice that emerged from the darkness of the robe was so melodious, it was impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman.

"….Yes."

As if entranced by something, the guards, with dazed expressions, opened the gate.

It was something that should never have happened under normal circumstances.

But as if hypnotized, the guards let the robed figure into the academy without resistance.

Once inside, the figure let out a deep sigh and gazed at the academy.

"I really didn't want to come here… but now that I am, I feel excited…"

Muttering to herself, she pulled her robe tighter around her.

"Whatever… I'll just check that everyone is safe and then leave…!"

With those cryptic words, she strolled away, disappearing into the distance.

The mysterious woman, radiating an enigmatic aura, left behind only the fluttering of her lustrous hair as she turned to walk.

It was brief, but the hair that peeked out of the robe was an intense, deep black—like the night sky itself.