I followed ha into a small room behind the counter.
The little room, once used as a storage space, now stood empty, showing only remnants of its past.
Still, a few boxes that could serve as makeshift chairs were left scattered, and ha and I settled ourselves onto them.
“What’s going on? Did you change businesses?”
I noticed earlier that they seed to be selling drinks.
With ha in a maid outfit, was this really turning into a maid café?
“No, it’s still an academy.”
“Then what about those people over there?”
In response to my question, ha provided an unexpected answer.
“They’re here to rescue a demon mage.”
“A demon mage?”
What a peculiar notion!
Well, I suppose soone might co looking for one.
As I’ve said repeatedly, there’s no one better at finding people than a demon mage.
This place felt more like a private investigation agency than an academy.
However, from what I could see, those gathered didn’t look like they were here to find people or objects; they looked ready to charge into the Abyss at any mont.
ha provided a clear answer to my confusion.
“A new monster called an Evolver has been discovered on the first layer.”
Evolver.
Just from the na, I could sense what kind of creature it was.
“They have an incredibly strong resistance to other attacks, but interestingly, they’re weak against demon magic.”
Ah… that’s right.
The evolved bugbear.
The creature we defeated was now dubbed an Evolver.
It was a fitting na.
“Do you know about it, Roman?”
“Of course. It was the first one we caught. I found out it was weak against demon magic because of my presence.”
“Really?”
ha’s tone rose a notch.
Her eyes sparkled more than before, eager for the story.
‘Now that I think about it, I never ntioned it to ha.’
I had told Hecate, so I assud ha would know, but it seed Hecate hadn’t inford her separately.
As I shared the story about the mutated bugbear, now called the Evolver, ha responded enthusiastically, adding little comnts here and there.
“How fascinating! I’ve been to the Abyss for quite a while, but this is the first ti I’ve heard of a bugbear undergoing such a mutation.”
That was… indeed quite intriguing.
For ha, who had seen so much, this must have been sothing special.
“Roman, what were you thinking?”
“Oh, I was just wondering where you got that outfit.”
“This?”
Instinctively trying to avoid the question, I was t with ha twirling in her maid outfit.
“Dan gave it to .”
“Dan?”
“Yeah. From the potion shop.”
That guy… what’s his angle?
Plus, it looks like it fits her perfectly, which is suspicious.
“Roman! ha! Stop lounging around and help out!”
§
“It’s over…”
Hecate mumbled with a subdued voice, pressing her forehead against the counter bar.
She looked exactly like a sli in that mont.
But what drew my attention even more was the large object squished against the bar table.
“Roman.”
“Yes?”
Hecate suddenly called my na.
I flinched slightly.
“Take a break and co to the workshop later. I have sothing to discuss.”
“Ah, yes. What about ha…?”
“By herself? No, it’s fine if she cos along. That too.”
Her voice was serious, yet her posture still showed her head buried in the counter, lacking any weight.
In any case, what Hecate ant was that it didn’t matter since ha had received my mark.
If she had sothing to say, it was likely about the book and potions I had entrusted to Hecate.
Given what we knew so far, it would be about the items left behind by Cordelia, a mber of the first expedition.
In that case, it wouldn’t matter if ha went along since she had been there when we discovered them.
“ha can co with us, right?”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
I returned to the room, unpacked my things, and after a refreshing shower, I dressed comfortably and went downstairs.
Hecate’s workshop was a separate place from the basent used for training.
It was a room located towards the back of the first floor, about 15 pyeong (approximately 500 sq. ft.).
I could have gone in first, but I entered with ha, who had been waiting outside.
This was my first ti entering Hecate’s workshop.
Though the entire academy building functioned as Hecate’s domain, the workshop itself was sothing special.
“Wow…”
Bookshelves filled with all kinds of books lined both walls.
The desk at the front was covered in flasks and notes, possibly an experint table.
There were also taxidermied specins placed around, showcasing her identity as a demon mage.
The room felt so dense that it made the 15 pyeong space feel like a tiny room.
This is what a true mage’s workshop looks like.
While the academy struggled, barely holding on by selling alcohol, it managed to preserve the legacies of the past.
“Hmm? Oh, is this your first ti, Roman?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Really?”
Hecate grinned mischievously, much like a city mouse boasting about its urban landscape to a country mouse.
Yet, ironically, that city mouse wasn’t even the genuine article enjoying all the perks of the city.
“Hmm. How do you feel? Doesn’t it fill you with pride to have joined our academy? Doesn’t it inspire a deep respect within you?”
It did up until she said that, but now it felt a bit forced.
“Hecate, enough.”
“Ah… okay.”
With ha’s intervention, Hecate quickly reigned it in, pulling out a box containing Cordelia’s relics.
“I found this.”
“Oh, now I feel the respect building up.”
“Right? Hehe, well, it’s sothing like this.”
“Hecate, explain.”
“…It’s gotten a bit too cold lately, ha.”
As Hecate floundered with her attitude, she opened the box.
Inside was a book that hadn’t been there before.
“It’s a translated version.”
“A translated version?”
“I had quite a bit of trouble with this one. Not only did it use archaic magical language, but it was also encrypted. What puzzles more is where the contemporary text on the first page ca from.”
“I’m more amazed that you managed to translate it all in such a short ti.”
“Really?”
Hecate’s face relaxed at my half-hearted complint.
She shrugged her shoulders and propped her large chest with her arms, saying,
“The knowledge of demons is limitless! Those who commune with demons to uncover the truths of the world—aren’t we demon mages that very thing?”
“Academy head, you’re surprisingly scholarly.”
“Surprisingly? I’m always serious!”
I took the translated version and flipped through its contents.
“Honestly, you probably won’t understand everything, even if you read it. I translated it, but I don’t fully grasp the content either. There might be so errors.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“But I’m confident about what this reagent is.”
As I briefly closed the translation and looked at Hecate, she held up a vial containing the reagent and spoke in a heavy tone.
“Cordelia nad this Solutio. Its anings include…”
“Solution, answer, liberation, or sothing like that.”
“Yeah. But while translating the book, I gave this potion an additional temporary na.”
Vesin Serum (為神血淸).
The blood of ancient heroes used to create gods.
§
Just as I began to contemplate the significance of that na and whether I should discuss it with Seir or Lerajie, Hecate interrupted my thoughts.
“Roman, stop thinking.”
“Excuse ?”
“You shouldn’t be thinking of demons.”
Suddenly?
After all, wasn’t it Hecate who had relied on demon power to translate and uncover the nature of this potion?
“It’s different. I did a preliminary translation alone and figured it out through a one-ti deal with a summoning demon, not a contract demon. Demon magic has a lot of precautions.”
As I was unable to keep up with Hecate’s words, she asked a sowhat distant question.
“You know that thinking of a demon’s na connects you to it, right?”
“Of course. It’s one of the basic principles of demons.”
When you speak of the devil, it’s sure to appear.
It was perfectly analogous to the saying about a tiger.
“As you know, a demon’s true na carries power. Just like what the nominologists say, nas have a certain significance. A demon’s na is especially strong, and simply thinking of a true na makes them react.”
Just thinking of a contract demon’s na is enough to have them reach out to you.
“That’s fatal from the perspective of demon mages.”
“…How so?”
Wouldn’t it actually be convenient to extract information with a simple snap?
“They read your thoughts, see what you’re looking at, and know what you’re trying to do.”
There’s definitely a feeling of invasion of privacy.
But if they are truly my allies, that wouldn’t be so bad.
If they understand my situation more accurately, they can provide with opinions that would be more beneficial to .
In fact, Seir recomnding Lerajie to was in the sa vein.
“Roman, I know you’re special. You’re soone who doesn’t demand compensation from demons. You’re soone favored by demons. I was surprised the first ti I saw you. I’m sure there are many secrets hidden within you that we don’t yet know.”
Hecate’s voice was low and cautious, echoing more solemnly than ever.
This wasn’t the casual chatter of a clumsy academy head but the advice of a seasoned demon mage who had accumulated experiences and knowledge about demons over generations.
“But Roman, don’t trust the demons.”
She said it.
Demons are not your absolute allies.
They cannot be.
“They don’t lie, but that’s why they deceive people even more. Rember this. They are beings who will never side with anyone. A weapon without a guard can easily inflict wounds on the wielder.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Honestly, even hearing that, I couldn’t help but lean more towards Seir and Lerajie than Hecate.
They were the ones who breathed new hope into my life in this world and supported in being here.
But…
‘There’s no need to ignore her.’
Why do they not demand compensation from ?
Is it simply a price difference caused by our different dinsions?
Or is there sothing hidden that they haven’t revealed to ?
‘This brings unexpected heavy concerns.’
It was indeed sothing I had to think about seriously.
As I was about to express my gratitude to Hecate for her hard work and advice, she was making a lighthearted smile, her palms pressed together and spread wide.
“What’s with those hands?”
“Tuition fees.”
“…I already paid the entrance fee.”
“Hmm! This is a special class from the academy head’s vision!”
Was she really just trying to get money from ?
§
The next day.
It was the morning I was about to leave for the inn where Leif and Ray were waiting.
“Co here─!”
A custor arrived at the Telema Academy.
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