Tick-tocktick-tock
The wall clock ticked away in the room at dawn.
I laid Johanna down on the guest room bed. Her breaths were shallow and mixed with the heavy scent of alcohol.
How many bottles of spirits had she drunk?
She was quietly asleep.
Or at least, she appeared to be.
Thump
I gently placed my hand on her forehead. It was quite hot. Probably not due to a fever, though.
The longer my hand stayed, the hotter it beca.
Sigh.
I let out a deliberately soft sigh. While doing so, I tidied her disheveled hair. As if to say, I care for you, but we must part. As if to say, you too must drift away from .
As if to say we cannot be together
I then got up from the bed.
Thud, thud.
As I was about to leave, I turned back to look at Johanna. My expression was a little sad.
Most of it was calculated acting, but so of it was genuine.
The Johanna before regression had killed countless people. It was probably a world record for a single individual.
That terrible future would be erased because of .
However, the sins she committed in the present would not just disappear.
She had taken land from countless commoners for her casinos, departnt stores, for her business, or simply to possess sothing. She had taken their money, their lives.
She was a clear villain.
Therefore, my revenge was simple.
To change her, to make her face the sins of her past squarely.
To make her aware of her own evil deeds.
To gift Johanna with self-awareness and reflection.
Sleep peacefully.
I bowed to her.
Creeeak
I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
The air was dark and quiet, still tinged with the aura of phantoms.
There was no hostility from the phantoms, which was more puzzling, but I managed to walk safely back to Zias room.
Tap-tap-tap-tap
Zia glanced at while tapping away at her laptop like an octopus.
Youre back.
Yes. Miss Johanna is fine.
Thats a relief
But.
I asked while standing behind her.
lts strange. Why would phantoms appear here?
I couldn't understand the reason.
Section 0 of Aerial Garden is where the direct descendants of Libra reside. Its the most important and central place, so why would phantoms appear here?
I don't know either Its been like that since Aerial Garden was built
Suddenly, Sheron ca to mind. Her Spectrum, [FrequencyJ , might sense sothing here.
Just then, Zia took her hands off the laptop.
Miss.
Yes?
I asked her.
Do you have any mories of Lord Sherlock, the head of the family?
Sherlock.
The current head of Libra, yet a man whose face is unknown.
I do not know what kind of person he is. Despite my pride in knowing everything about Libra, I was ignorant about him.
Of course, Sherlock is going to die within the next five years, but until then, he would remain thoroughly hidden in the shadows.
Only very little.
Zia spoke with a contemplative look on her face.
Looking at , he said, You wont live long.
It was an unnecessary imitation, deepening her voice.
He said that to .
I nodded calmly at Zias words.
Is that so.
Sherlock is a man who is going to die anyway.
Zia will swallow up Libra whole within the next six years, and I will beco her second in command. Even though Sherlock is the master of the great evil known as Libra, the tilines will surely not overlap.
Why do I keep worrying about it?
S h i o n
Suddenly, Zia called my na.
Yes.
What kind of man was Shions father?
She asked about my father, whom Libra had killed.
I smiled faintly.
He was a good father.
A person I could not respect, but still love. That's what my father was to .
Why did he pass away?
He died on duty.
Do you know what mission it was?
NO. I dont know.
The truth is, I do know.
My father didn't even leave a body behind.
His flesh was torn apart first, and his spirit disintegrated, as if he had never existed in the first place.
He was the reckless vanguard of a magic space called the Hole.
Should I look into it?
Zia offered tentatively, but I shook my head.
I want to focus on the present. By your side, Miss Zia.
Zia watched closely. I also t her gaze steadily.
Just as she is a person whose heart is unreadable, I must be to so extent as well. She wont be able to read my expression. She won't be able to asure my sincerity.
Because my wish to be in your present, Zia, contains not a shred of falsehood
At the annual gathering of Libra, a dining area was set up in the garden of Section 0. mbers from collateral and direct lines, as well as the elders, were present. There were many Libra mbers I was seeing for the first ti, but I couldnt let it show.
I stood behind Zia of the direct line, statue-like. Behind Derek was Smith, behind Johanna was Vitro, Jade was alone, and Sherlocks seat was entirely vacant.
So. Are you still reconsidering your marriage prospects?
The Libras exchanged various conversations among themselves. The collateral line spoke with their own, and the elders addressed the direct line mbers.
Dont wait too long. Its always better to find an unconditional ally sooner rather than later.
Marriage was a particularly common topic. Most of the attention was on Johanna. Derek and Jade were also single.
Theres no one suitable for .
Johanna replied, biting back her irritation. Derek let out a snicker, while Jade just sat quietly.
I rember when you were little, Johanna. You were so small and adorable back then
Ahem?
During the ti when Dereks elders were teasing Johanna,
Soone approached . It was an elder with a long beard.
Are you the knight of Zia Ive only heard about from the national university?
Yes. Thats correct.
Hmm~
This elder seed to already know of .
That must an my na and face have gotten around.
The work you've done is quite impressive. Zia has found herself a fine knight. Haha. Congratulations. Youll make a good independence gift.
This is how the elders are, with their factions so clearly drawn.
Mostly concerned with Derek and Johanna, they paid little attention to Zia.
Yes
Zia smiled broadly.
I sent a ntal ssage to Grawl.
Grawl. Are you seeing this?
Currently, Grawl was looking through my eyes.
Yes!
Before my regression, there were many whose nas I knew but faces I didnt. Most of the elders and collateral mbers of Libra were like that.
Whether collateral or direct, keeping themselves hidden from the outside was the sa.
There are quite a few here worth killing.
I could step out as Raquel Dra, or simply carry out an assassination.
Either way, its a gold mine.
Well then, Im done eating.
Just then, Johanna abruptly stood up. Apparently unable to tolerate the incessant talk of marriage and romance, she strode away briskly.
Dont mind her. You know her temperant well enough, dont you?
Ask instead. I'm also in the process of preparing for a spouse.
Derek spoke mockingly of her, and Jade suddenly looked at Zia and .
He seed to notice sothing pleasing about the two of us.
In the fall, the Knight School at Edsilla National University conducts an annual exam. This test is commonly referred to as the end-of-sester exam, but in reality, its a large-scale assessnt involving students from all years, from freshn to seniors.
Passing this exam grants eligibility to participate in the [Knight Examination], and upon obtaining a knights certificate from the [Knight Examination], one is finally called a formal knight.
Pleased to et you.
Today, the venue for the final exam was an artificial magic space prepared solely for the test.
I stood in a spacious plaza, facing a passage with quite a number of knights lined up all around.
The outline of the exam is simple. Rescue and survival.
The professor spoke while projecting a powerpoint into the air.
There will be two groups: the survival group and the rescue group. The survival group will be randomly placed in extre situations, and the rescue group will be tasked with saving them from the starting point.
The ratio was 7:3.
Seven for the survival group, three for the rescue group.
The composition of the groups has been based on personality and grades thus far. Both survival and rescue will be evaluated on proper and strict criteria, so no complaints. Understand?!
Yes-
A resounding shout echoed. My ears almost burst for a mont.
Shion. Sohow, I think Shion will be in the rescue group.
Soliette poked my shoulder repeatedly.
Ah. Youre definitely survival.
Her eyes narrowed at that.
Why do you think so?
Youve missed a lot of classes.
Now, I will announce the rescue group! Those not included in this list are all in the survival group!
Just then, the professor displayed the list on the powerpoint.
Familiar nas in the rescue group were Gerkhen, Kain, Asher, and Shion.
As expected, Soliette was not there.
Ah. Really.
Soliette bit her lip in dissatisfaction, but,
The survival group will enter the passage first, proceed!
There was no ti to complain.
Proceed-
All the knight school students not in the rescue group rushed into the passage.
We will now proceed with the ribbon-cutting ceremony-
A clamorous cheer resounded, loud enough to sting the ears. Amidst the popping of firecrackers and the fluttering of confetti, onlookers bead with joy and clapped their hands.
Johanna gazed at the scissors in her hand.
After a mont of contemplation, she snipped through the ribbon before her
The applause intensified, dozens of tis louder than before.
Congratulations, Johanna!
Soon, n dressed in suits approached to shake her hand. Johanna nodded perfunctorily and looked up at the building.
Her thirteenth departnt store.
A cash cow erected on the most prized land in Edsilla's new city.
Almost every luxury brand on the continent had scrambled to get a spot inside, with the expected net profit running into the hundreds of millions of Ren.
Well done.
Johanna comnded her subordinates, patting the shoulders of those involved in the construction.
Yet, the feeling wasnt the sa as before.
When she built her first departnt store, her first casino, she was filled with excitent, a sense of purpose, and a reaffirmation of her lifes aning
She had thought that she lived for these achievents.
Why does it feel so empty today?
Is it because she has built too many departnt stores?
Should she have built a taller tower instead?
Lost in thought, she found herself already in the car.
Are you alright?
Vitro asked. Johanna glanced away and retorted.
What do you an?
Usually you would stay for at least three hours.
That was before. Now, ti is too precious. Besides, hand the tablet.
Yes.
Johanna took the tablet from Vitro. On the screen was a list of n deed suitable to be her consort.
A catalog, if you will, personally compiled and delivered by the elders.
Most had excellent lineage, had established and managed successful enterprises, and even looked like they were chiseled from stone.
All of them were dozens of tis better than Shion Ascal.
However, in Johannas eyes
[End-of-sester exam at Edsilla National Universitys Knight School begins]
An alert popped up at the top of the tablet.
Since Edsilla National University made all exam processes available to businesses or families, Johanna naturally had the right to observe.
It wasnt snooping, per se.
Hmm .
She discreetly glanced at the driver's seat as she pressed to view the alert.
A list of students unfolded before her. Among them, she searched for the na and face of [Shion Ascal].
Flicking through the scroll, she quickly found him.
Tap.
Johanna tapped on his na with her finger. The tablets screen was filled with the drones feed.
There was Shion Ascal, dressed in a rescue teams uniform, advancing through a land indistinguishable between the Arctic or Antarctic.
Johanna saw his face. A sharp, expressionless visage resembling a bird of prey. A jawline like a blade and eyes unwavering.
And then
The way he laid her down on the bed. The touch that caressed her forehead, that gently straightened her hair. The face that looked down at her, seemingly sad and distant.
1
Caught in a trance of mories, Johanna shuddered and quickly set the tablet down.
Vitro.
She urgently called out to Vitro, who was in the passenger seat.
Yes?
Take to the hospital.
The hospital, you say?
Yes. The hospital.
Johanna pressed her hand to her temple.
Lately, she found herself lacking motivation in everything.
Things that used to be fun no longer amused her, and what she liked no longer held her interest.
Instead, she occasionally felt a sharp pain in her chest, and her restless mind would wake her from sleep.
She started having strange and lancholic dreams.
Libra dical Center, no
Now, it seed she had to admit it to herself.
Take to Spring Water Hospital.
Professor Yu Hains.
It appears, just as you said, I might have fallen in love with that man.
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