After a long, long wait, morning finally broke on the day of the Prodigy Selection Tournant.
“E-Excuse , Lady redia.”
“......?”
“Have... have you perhaps seen Lord Whitney?”
Standing in front of the grand stadium at the center of the Academy, redia frowned as the panting head of the academic affairs departnt rushed up to her and asked a question.
“Why would you ask that?”
“W-Well....”
Caught under her sharp gaze, the departnt head wiped away cold sweat and replied carefully.
“Because, well... the two of you are quite close, aren’t you...?”
“.......”
“D-Did I say sothing wrong...?”
Normally, thanks to the privileges granted by the Academy, he didn’t need to bow his head even to most high-ranking nobles—except when it ca to redia.
“Am I supposed to know Lord Whitney’s every move?”
“...M-My apologies.”
It wasn’t just that she wielded the full power of the only ducal house in the Empire—she was also the chairwoman of the Academy’s Board of Directors, responsible for a large portion of its funding. It was only natural.
“Then why are you looking for him?”
Knowing this better than anyone, the departnt head lowered his head as redia continued to glare at him, then tilted hers curiously.
“W-Well... Lord Whitney left yesterday with the three students, saying he was going to convince them.”
“And?”
“Since then... there’s been no word from any of them...”
At his explanation, redia’s eyes narrowed.
“...I thought that matter was already settled.”
“Not just Lord Whitney—the three problematic students from yesterday are missing as well...”
“Tch. What the hell are they doing now...”
Though she muttered in annoyance, redia’s expression looked faintly uneasy for soone speaking in such a tone.
“...Don’t tell the first-year horoom teacher is missing too?”
“H-How did you know...?”
When she asked the question offhandedly, the departnt head’s startled reaction caused her to bite her lip knowingly.
“...Sothing’s gone wrong with the plan.”
“D-Do you perhaps know sothing...?”
As redia muttered to herself, the departnt head hesitantly probed her thoughts with a sliver of hope.
“...I’ll go look for him. You just handle your preparations.”
“T-Thank you!”
After those words finally left her lips, the departnt head was so moved he nearly shed tears as he bowed again.
“W-Well then, I’ll be going—”
“Ah, there you are, Director.”
“...Huh!”
But just then, a cheerful voice called out from behind, and he imdiately brightened up and turned around with a smile.
“I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”
“N-Not at all! Just the fact that you returned is—guh!”
Grinning with his hands folded, he suddenly froze when he saw the students behind Whitney.
“I was up all night convincing them. That’s why I was late.”
“Ah...”
“Thankfully, all three agreed to participate in the Selection Tournant without issue.”
The departnt head stared at him blankly for a mont before hurrying over, a wide grin spreading across his face.
“As expected of you, Lord Whitney!!!”
“Haha...”
“Between this and the midterm incident—how can I ever thank you!”
But as Whitney shook hands with the overjoyed official, redia, watching quietly, seed anything but amused.
“...I don’t ask for much. But could I request a small favor?”
“Haha, of course! Anything within my power, I’ll grant it.”
“Would it be possible to bring one of my maids into the exam hall?”
Unaware—or perhaps willfully ignoring her stare—Whitney continued with a bold request.
“You see, one of the participants in the tournant is her family mber. But the spectator fees are too steep for commoners...”
“Ahh. I understand. That much is easy to arrange.”
“Thank you very much.”
With a light smile, Whitney bowed slightly, having easily secured the director’s approval.
“You three! Don’t just stand there—move it!”
“.......”
“Good grief, what slow kids.”
By then, the departnt head was already dragging the three students into the stadium with a stern glare.
“How’s that for competence?”
Watching proudly, Whitney turned to redia and asked with a bright grin.
“...Explain why I can feel black mana coming from you.”
But instead of answering, redia coldly demanded an explanation, her expression like frost.
“Uh, well... I’m not sure what you an...”
“I said explain.”
“...I an, that is...”
Caught in her silent, piercing glare, Whitney stamred for a mont, then finally tried to speak—
“Well, the truth is... kuh.”
—only to clutch his chest mid-sentence and choke back his words.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mm...”
“Do you... have so reason you can’t speak?”
redia’s sharp instincts picked up on the obvious abnormality, and she faltered mid-question.
“...You. Co with .”
“Huh...? Uh...”
Suddenly grabbing his arm and pulling him away, redia didn’t wait for a response. Whitney, bewildered, had no choice but to let himself be dragged along.
“...Would you look at that.”
“...?”
And from behind, Adel watched the scene unfold with half-lidded eyes, just as she and a visibly tense Cecil were about to enter the stadium.
***
“Haha, Lady redia... what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
Unable to resist her overwhelming strength, I was dragged all the way behind the arena. Only when we reached a secluded corner did she finally stop, and I carefully tried to gauge her mood.
“Please calm down—ack!”
“Stay still.”
“...Y-Yes, ma’am.”
But when she shoved against a pillar behind and slamd one hand against the wall in a kabedon pose, her pressure was so intense I had no choice but to shut my mouth.
“L-Lady redia...?”
“I said stay still.”
But then—when she suddenly pulled open my coat and started unbuttoning my shirt—I genuinely wondered if I should scream.
“I-I think... it’s a bit early for this kind of thing...”
“.......”
“...Or maybe not?”
I ekly protested, but when she paused and looked up, the expression on her face was so terrifying I clamd up imdiately.
Slide...
Her slender fingers brushed against the skin of my chest, exposed beneath the half-unbuttoned shirt.
“.......”
And then ca a short silence.
“C-Can you please finish quickly before soone sees...”
As I nervously glanced around, trying to speak up, redia finally withdrew her hand and asked in a low voice:
“Are you sure nothing happened?”
“O-Of course?”
“Really?”
“Whatever it is... didn’t you just check yourself?”
Despite my answer, she asked again suspiciously, then let out a sigh and murmured:
“...I guess it really was just my imagination. Sorry.”
“.......”
“It’s just... I sensed a presence similar to the curse lingering on my right hand coming from you.”
It was rare for redia to apologize, so I found it surprising—but with those words, I finally understood the reason behind her overreaction.
“I’m under a binding curse I can’t talk about freely.”
As she said this, she raised her right hand—and sure enough, it was trembling slightly.
“Well, either way, I’m glad I was wrong. For a mont, I thought you’d been betrayed by # Nоvеlight # so black mage you’d brought over to your side.”
“As if! Haha...”
From experience, I knew her right hand always trembled whenever she felt vulnerable. Not wanting to let the mood get any more awkward, I gave her my usual smile.
“I’ll have you know, I’m a white mage, thank you very much. There’s no way I’d ever be...”
Slide...
Mid-sentence, her hand suddenly touched my chest again—and I instinctively fell silent.
“I can button it myself—”
“...It was my mistake. Stay still.”
Was I hallucinating?
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
As she fixed my shirt, her eyes still pointed downward... her face looked ever so slightly flushed.
“Honestly. Don’t make deal with this kind of nonsense again.”
Thanks to that, I rubbed my eyes and looked again—only to see redia back to wearing her usual icy expression as she threw an annoyed comnt my way.
“Don’t make worry.”
“...Shut up.”
I tried to prod her a little, hoping she might be feeling slightly embarrassed, but her cold rebuke imdiately shut down.
“Anyway, there’ve been a lot of bugs buzzing around lately.”
“Bugs?”
Still looking glum, I let her adjust my clothes. She tugged especially tight on my necktie as she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.
Crackle...
Then suddenly, her jeweled eyes briefly glinted a faint red—
“Kyaa!”
A shrill scream burst from the nearby pillar. A silhouette—presumably Lady Adel—ducked her head in a panic and bolted off toward the arena.
“You know, right? If any weird scandal starts spreading, I’m canceling our contract on the spot. I’ll never tolerate anything that damages my reputation.”
“...Yes, ma’am, but I swear I didn’t do anything.”
“Hmph.”
I tried to explain myself as I watched the scene unfold, but the suspicion in redia’s eyes remained firmly in place.
“So? How’s the plan going?”
“...I got permission, so now I just need to make contact with the Saintess and bring her into the tournant.”
Grateful for the change in topic, I quickly answered, worried about how I was going to lift her mood.
“You better not expect to help like last ti. That was just... ridiculous.”
“Haha, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”
redia stared at for a mont with an unamused expression, then abruptly turned on her heel and started walking toward the arena.
“Try not to screw it up like a damn fool.”
I couldn’t tell if that was an insult or encouragent, but since it was redia, I decided to take it as a complint.
“...Alright, ti to go.”
I had to do my part and awaken Hestia into the true Saintess.
Pfft. Your fiancée is adorably possessive.
Especially since, after yesterday’s life-or-death encounter—
Still, I didn’t expect you’d be able to detect . What a surprise.
—this damn woman had done sothing to when I refused to beco her double, and now wouldn’t stop talking in my head. But maybe, just maybe, I was starting to figure out how to deal with her.
***
Not long after, in the spectator waiting room near the academy’s main building—
“Haaah... I really thought I was going to die.”
Panting heavily and trying to avoid being seen, Saintess Hestia collapsed into a chair with her legs giving out, looking utterly miserable.
“...I’d say it was tougher for , sneaking you away from among the Holy Nation’s delegation.”
“But still...”
“Look, we both had it rough. Just do a favor this ti and don’t move while I’m doing your disguise. Please, Lady Saintess.”
Bergen, who had gotten her inside despite the tight security from the academy’s holy knights, scolded her with visible exhaustion. She imdiately fell silent.
“By the way, Lunelle, was it? What happened to her?”
“W-We got separated. She said she’d rejoin as Lord Whitney’s attendant...”
“Ah, right, I rember.”
Still looking dazed, Bergen scratched his head and stood up.
“Well then, ti to prep for another round of disguise.”
“Eep...”
“You’re making that face like I’m so kind of villain—well, I guess I am. Anyway, don’t be so bitter about it. I’m doing all this for you.”
“...Okay.”
And so, it looked like the Phantom Thief Bergen’s disguise act was about to begin once again in the waiting room—
Knock knock knock...
Suddenly, a knock echoed from the other side of the door. Hestia flinched, and Bergen—midway through pulling disguise gear out of his bag—froze as well.
“It’s , everyone.”
“...Good grief.”
Relaxing the grip on his hidden knife, Bergen sighed in relief when Whitney’s voice ca from behind the door.
“Oh right, he was supposed to et us here. Ugh, my head’s a ss...”
“...No, wait.”
“Hmm?”
But Hestia’s reaction was strange. She remained frozen, staring at the door.
“T-That’s not Lord Whitney behind the door...”
“...What did you say?”
Bergen, startled by her trembling voice, instinctively reached for his knife again and gave her a puzzled look.
“Wait. Then who just spoke...”
“The one who’s... tornted all this ti...”
Before she could finish—
Creeeeak...
The door opened.
“Why’s everyone so tense?”
And standing in the doorway—looking completely normal—was Whitney himself.
“What the hell, it’s the boss after all.”
Bergen furrowed his brow and gave Hestia a skeptical glance, but her eyes remained locked on Whitney.
Been a while, hasn’t it?
No—she was staring at the black figure only she could see, the one hovering beside Whitney.
“...Y-You.”
“......?”
“Are you here... to tornt again...?”
Terror-stricken, Hestia stepped back and hid behind Bergen, her voice trembling.
“Hestia?”
“What’s with her all of a sudden?”
Whitney and Bergen both looked at her in confusion, not understanding the situation at all.
No no, I’m the one who’s trapped!
Only Hestia could hear the black shape’s voice—one that spoke with a bizarrely chipper tone.
I tried to possess her the sa way I did with you, but she ended up absorbing instead! Hah!
Despite the cheerful delivery, the aura it gave off was enough to freeze the blood—and Hestia wasn’t buying it.
“Hestia. Do you... see sothing next to ?”
“...Hic.”
“If so, I’d really like you to tell .”
Yeah, go ahead. Tell him!
That suggestion—paired with Whitney’s eerie smile—felt too much like a trap.
Which is why, in the end, Hestia said nothing.
‘They’re both terrifying...!’
No matter how she looked at it, Whitney and that black presence were both absolutely terrifying to her eyes.
Reviews
All reviews (0)