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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Michelle gathered the materials and wandered around the academy.
Unorganized writing utensils still floated around her.
“My mood is down.”
And her mood was truly foul.
The reason she specifically mentioned her mood was… because nothing was more important to the girl than her mood.
As she walked around the campus, Michelle muttered to herself.
‘Why is he taking care of Charlotte so much?’
Michelle’s small wish was for everyone to be treated equally, whether they were disliked or liked.
It was strangely bothersome, or rather, very bothersome, when stronger feelings of dislike or affection were directed at someone other than herself.
She still couldn’t understand the reason why he’d suddenly pushed Charlotte forward as the Mana Sprint representative without any warning.
There might have been something, whether it was potential or something else, that only the professor could see… but even so, wasn’t this too difficult to understand?
“I’ve arrived.”
Lost in these thoughts, she arrived at the academy cemetery.
Since she had looked around all the other facilities, this was the only place left.
If she couldn’t find Adrian here, she intended to give up on this whole thing.
With Charlotte being uncooperative, if she couldn’t communicate with Adrian, she felt like she was just making a fool of herself.
“Hmm.”
Perhaps because the sun was beginning to set, it wasn’t too hot.
The sun scattered the sunset hues, and the light shimmered as it touched the tombstones.
Why had she arrived here at this exact time?
The perfect alignment of time and place gave her goosebumps.
Would it be alright to be here without even a single flower?
Well, she hadn’t come to mourn anyone anyway, so it should be fine.
Michelle slowly began to walk along the neatly swept path.
She walked past the names of great mages she had heard of at least once in her childhood.
Although her mother wasn’t buried here, the girl suddenly thought of her.
It had already been ten years since her mother passed away.
She was a mage worthy of being buried at the academy, but according to her wishes, she was laid to rest in the Meinens family estate.
“What will happen to me when I die?”
It had been quite some time since she’d suffered the unprecedented accident that broke her leg.
And it still hadn’t fully healed.
“Will I be able to overcome this? Will I be able to elevate the Meinens family name, be remembered as a great mage, and be buried wherever I want…?”
Being buried in the academy cemetery was a great honor.
But her mother had proudly refused it, and that was incredibly cool in the girl’s eyes.
“I wish Professor Adrian would pay more attention to me. I know I’m prickly. But at least I’m not dense and I don’t get the wrong idea. I’m confident I can do well if he just gives me a chance…”
Michelle continued to mutter, even though no one was listening.
Perhaps it was because no one was listening that she could mutter these things.
“…He even touched my body, and now he’s being irresponsible. He should at least make me a representative or something out of guilt. Of course, I understand. I’m just too perfect. He probably thought there was no need to do anything more. Sigh.”
After muttering that much, Michelle let out a deep sigh.
Even she thought her grumbling was ridiculous, but the fact that she felt strangely comforted after venting her frustrations bruised her pride.
“He’s not here either. Why did I do something so foolish when my leg hurts?”
Her leg was starting to ache.
Normally, she would have supported it with her telekinesis, but that was difficult now that she was carrying the materials.
Just as she was about to turn around without any hesitation…
“Huh?”
Under the twilight, a tall streetlamp stood.
Actually, it looked like a streetlamp, but upon closer inspection, it was a person.
The tombstones reflected the light, but he didn’t.
The man calmly absorbed the light.
A man she never expected to encounter in a place like this, but the man Michelle had been searching for was here.
Adrian.
He stood still before a tombstone.
“……?”
She became curious whose tombstone it was.
It looked more neglected than any other grave she had seen in this cemetery.
It wasn’t difficult to examine the tombstone with a little mana.
“…Forte?”
Forte was Charlotte’s family name, wasn’t it?
Michelle realized that the grave Adrian was looking at was related to Charlotte.
The man’s expression was more serious than ever.
Whatever the story was, he seemed deeply moved.
It was clear, as everything swayed in the wind, he alone remained still.
Tears welled up in his empty eyes.
“Huh…?”
Was he capable of tears?
She had experienced many surprising things in her life, but this was one of the most astonishing.
Whoosh!
Her telekinesis faltered, and the materials scattered in the air like fallen leaves.
The rustling of paper against the wind was not quiet, and she was discovered.
Adrian, wiping away the traces of tears, abruptly stood up.
“…Michelle.”
“I apologize.”
Michelle apologized first.
There were times in life when one had to apologize before fully grasping the situation, and this was one of those times.
“I was looking for you, Professor, but I wasn’t looking for you to see this. I was looking for you to ask about the materials you threw at Charlotte.”
Flustered, Michelle looked around needlessly.
Adrian naturally followed her gaze.
“Did other students come too?”
“No. I came alone. I just didn’t want to make eye contact.”
Perhaps it was a small blessing in disguise.
Adrian sighed, placing his hand on his forehead.
“Sigh.”
Michelle had worried that Adrian would be furious with her, but he wasn’t particularly angry.
Every second was precious.
It was better to escape from these deep thoughts as quickly as possible.
That was what he was thinking.
“Let’s go back. We can talk in my office.”
“Yes.”
But Michelle couldn’t move.
Adrian was still standing there motionless.
“…Professor?”
“Ah.”
Adrian only reacted when Michelle called him again.
“Shall I lead the way?”
“No, no. There’s no need.”
Adrian shook his head.
It seemed like he was trying to shake off some thoughts.
Then, he started walking forward, stumbling slightly.
He seemed a little broken.
Michelle thought this for the first time as she looked at Adrian.
It was a side of him she had never imagined.
But soon, a strange sound reached Michelle’s ears.
-Why are you interrupting?
“……?”
She had to stop walking.
It sounded as if someone was standing right next to her, talking.
-Papa is not feeling well. Why are you interrupting and bothering him?
“…Who is it?”
She looked around, but no one was there.
Instead of answering who it was, the voice continued to lash out at Michelle.
-Why are you interrupting!
-Why are you interrupting!
-You’re not needed!
-Die!
“Why… why are you doing this?!”
Michelle covered her ears with both hands, but it was no use.
-I’ll kill you.
-I’ll kill you.
-Yes, I’ll tear you apart. I’ll make you a friend.
A moment later, a violet rift appeared in front of her, and skeletons began to emerge, rattling their bones.
“What, what is this… Skeletons?”
“What is this?”
Adrian was equally bewildered.
“Michelle.”
“Yes?”
“Run.”
Adrian didn’t know what words had been spoken to Michelle, but he could sense that Lepista was behind this.
Adrian stepped forward.
Michelle naturally found herself looking up at his back.
An ordinary student would have asked what was going on, but fortunately, Michelle’s nickname was “genius.”
“…Is that the best course of action?”
“Yes. Stay in my office.”
“Understood. I’ve deciphered the code.”
“Good job. I’ll remove the penalty points I gave you.”
“It’s fine.”
She didn’t want to receive extra points related to Charlotte.
Michelle then started running, supporting her leg with all her might.
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›Radiant Dragons possess mana that relies on brute force, which Lepista’s spirit finds most uncomfortable and fears the most…
This was the information Vivian had recently gleaned from her studies.
“Hmm.”
So, to help the current Jekkiel, sending a Radiant Dragon would be a good decision.
“But then again… the only Radiant Dragon capable of suppressing Lepista’s power is Regita.”
Then sending Regita would be the best method.
That’s true… but.
She suddenly recalled a passage she had studied in the past.
“What should I do… Tsk…”
“Heehee… Hehehehe…”
Before Vivian’s eyes, the woman once called the Radiant Dragon was drooling and laughing.
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[Lepista is a MENACE lmfao]
