Episode 86
Three weeks later.
The final exams were just around the corner.
Elonia and Garnethia, huddled in a corner during Caroline’s practical magic class, were whispering.
“You haven’t seen Olivia since that day either, right?”
“No… I wonder if she’s okay…”
She had to be okay.
Elonia remembered Olivia’s words from three weeks ago, when she had suddenly visited Elonia’s room.
“I can’t be friends with you anymore.”
Despite her cold tone, Olivia had seemed anxious, her hands clenching and unclenching nervously.
And just like that day, when she had fled Elonia’s room, Olivia’s name had disappeared from the attendance list for their shared Academic Department elective.
Professor Theodore had said she had dropped out.
It had been three weeks since Elonia last saw Olivia.
Not only that, she hadn’t seen Lucius or Simon either.
The academy wasn’t that big. They used to run into each other so often. It was clear they were avoiding her.
It was probably because she had discovered Dianne’s true identity.
And judging from the reason Artius had contacted her, Llewellyn must have told him about the incident as well.
‘Of course, both Dad and Llewellyn deny it, but who are they trying to fool?’
Every time she did something, they would report it to Artius, making a big fuss. She couldn’t focus on her own tasks, let alone secretly investigate House Rossi, with them constantly checking up on her.
“Haah…”
Elonia sighed, and Caroline approached them.
Most of the students were already practicing their spells after receiving individual guidance.
Caroline, her voice gentle as always, said,
“Garnethia, why don’t you try the spell we learned today?”
“Y-yes…!”
Garnethia jumped up, her hands clutching her staff nervously.
She was good at formulas and magic circles, but for some reason, her mana control was terrible.
Elonia watched anxiously, and as expected,
Fizzle.
A weak spark flickered, then vanished.
Garnethia’s face crumpled, tears welling up in her eyes.
Even Caroline, however, didn’t tell her to give up. She patted Garnethia’s shoulder comfortingly.
“Oh dear, Garnethia, don’t cry.”
“B-but…”
“Your approach to formulas is excellent. But your mana control is lacking. You’re a bright and hardworking student, Garnethia, so let’s work on improving your weaknesses.”
“Yes…”
Garnethia’s shoulders slumped, her hands still clutching her staff tightly.
The final exams included a practical component, and its weight was higher than the midterm exams.
No matter how well she had done on the midterm, a poor performance on the final exam would drag down her overall grade.
Before Elonia could offer any words of comfort, it was her turn.
“And finally, Elonia. Let’s see what you can do.”
“Yes, Professor.”
Elonia raised her rapier.
She was in no position to judge Garnethia.
Garnethia’s problem was her weak mana, while Elonia’s problem was her excessive power.
The other students, already keeping their distance, moved even further away as she prepared to cast her spell.
It was a common occurrence now.
Elonia, trying to be careful, focused on her rapier and gently infused it with mana.
But she still caused an accident.
“Fire! Fire!”
A student, known for his dramatic reactions, screamed.
Flames erupted from the tip of her rapier, threatening to engulf the entire training ground, but Caroline quickly extinguished them with a flick of her staff.
Caroline, tired of repairing the buildings, always prepared a defensive spell whenever Elonia used magic.
Thanks to her quick thinking, there was no damage.
Caroline chuckled heartily.
“You shouldn’t try to destroy the Magic Department building just because you don’t like it.”
“…I know, Professor.”
“Anyway, great power is a blessing. It must be difficult to control such immense mana at your age, but I believe you can do it, Elonia.”
“…Yes, Professor.”
Caroline ruffled Elonia’s hair, then addressed the other students,
“That concludes today’s class. Class dismissed.”
“Thank you, Professor!”
Since it was their last class of the day, the students quickly left the training ground, heading towards the dining hall.
Elonia and Garnethia slowly gathered their belongings.
She had never used magic at such a young age, even in her past life, so her lack of control was understandable. But this was ridiculous.
She felt ashamed of her past self, who had boasted about being an Archmage and a near Sword Master.
‘Come to think of it, I mostly used area-of-effect spells that didn’t require precise control…’
Chelon, at ten, had learned through trial and error, but Elonia, at nine, had ten years of experience.
She had thought she would be better at controlling her magic, but ironically, she had even more mana now than she had as Chelon, making it even more difficult to control.
Joining the Magic Department had been the right choice.
Otherwise, she would have become a mage who could only use area-of-effect spells, unable to control her own power.
Garnethia, having packed her bag, said,
“Elonia, shall we go?”
“Wait a moment.”
“…?”
Elonia approached Caroline, who was cleaning up.
Caroline asked cheerfully,
“Oh, Elonia, do you have a question?”
“I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“Talk to me? About what?”
Caroline’s eyes widened in surprise, then she nodded readily.
“I also have something I wanted to confirm. Come to my office after dinner.”
“Yes, Professor. I will.”
Elonia bowed her head and hurried back to Garnethia.
Garnethia asked,
“What did you want to talk about?”
“…I’m worried about Olivia. Professor Caroline is close to Professor Theodore, and Olivia is in the Academic Department.”
“Ah… then I…”
Elonia knew what she wanted to ask.
“I’ll tell you what I find out.”
“Thank you…!”
Garnethia’s bright smile made Elonia smile as well.
She pushed aside her worries about her friend, who was clearly hiding something, and headed towards Garden Fleur with Garnethia.
After dinner, Elonia went straight to Caroline’s office.
“Professor Caroline, it’s Elonia.”
“Come in.”
Elonia entered the office.
Caroline, as always, greeted her with a cheerful and slightly over-the-top welcome.
“So, Elonia, what brings you to my office? Have you finally decided to skip a grade?”
“I told you I’m not interested.”
“That’s a shame. It’s a valuable opportunity.”
“…I have something more important to discuss.”
Elonia’s firm tone made Caroline drop her playful facade. She gestured for Elonia to sit down.
While waiting for the tea to be served, Elonia fidgeted, clutching her robe, her mind filled with worry.
She was unsure how to bring up the topic, and she was also hesitant to confide in Caroline.
Caroline was the only person she could trust at the academy, but she didn’t know how she felt about Heilan.
‘She said she admired Chelon, but it was probably because of her magic.’
A teacup landed gently in front of her.
Caroline sat down, sipping her tea, her gaze inviting Elonia to speak.
Elonia had decided to trust her, considering even Artius, who had become so cautious, still trusted Caroline. But she couldn’t reveal everything she had heard.
The presence of a Heilan spy at the academy meant there was a collaborator among the faculty.
Elonia started vaguely,
“I’m worried about the Heilan students.”
“Hmm? Why ask me? I don’t teach them.”
Caroline’s question was valid, and Elonia recited the prepared line,
“I-I admire you the most, Professor…”
No, she couldn’t do it.
She couldn’t bring herself to flatter the professor who kept bombarding her with assignments.
Caroline, as if reading her mind, burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha! You’re such a terrible liar. I’ve never met a student so worried about their social life after graduation.”
“…And I’ve never met a professor so concerned about a student’s future.”
Caroline, amused, burst into laughter again.
Elonia glared at her, and Caroline, wiping away a tear, finally spoke,
“I understand your concern, Elonia, but you don’t have to worry too much. Olivia is doing fine.”
“…I wasn’t just asking about her.”
“You can’t fool me.”
Elonia had rekindled her friendship with Olivia, but they had agreed to keep it low-key, meeting only in their dormitories or in private rooms at Garden Fleur.
But it seemed like people still knew.
Elonia gave up on pretending.
“…Did Professor Theodore tell you?”
“The Heilan students are under close observation. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
That was a relief.
Elonia’s face relaxed, and Caroline, her expression puzzled, asked,
“You, Olivia, and Garnethia seem quite close. Is there a reason for that?”
The fact that Olivia was her former sister was a special reason, but that wasn’t the only reason they were friends.
Caroline’s question seemed to imply disapproval of her befriending a hostage, which felt strange, coming from someone who had praised Chelon Heilan.
Elonia, staring at the tea leaves swirling in her cup, asked quietly,
“Professor, do you think the hostage system is justified?”
“Hmm? I don’t understand. It’s His Majesty’s decision.”
“But still… it’s unfair.”
“I thought you, of all people, would understand the consequences of abolishing the system.”
“I do, but…”
How could she stand by and watch her siblings, her friends, treated like this?
Elonia, unable to voice her true feelings, lowered her head, her hands clenching into fists. Then, she heard an unexpected response.
“I understand your concern. In fact, I’m glad you’re thinking about this.”
“…?”
She had sounded disapproving earlier.
Elonia looked up, confused.
Caroline’s blue eyes were warm and gentle.
“Such noble concerns will help you grow and make the world a better place. You’re truly His Majesty’s daughter. The future Empress is such a kind and compassionate person, the Empire’s future is bright.”
Sudden praise? She was always talking about dreams and hopes, but this sounded like something out of a fairy tale.
And it wasn’t a noble concern.
She was simply burdened by guilt, feeling responsible for her siblings, for the innocent children who had been dragged into this mess because of her.
Elonia, her insecurities exposed, retorted defensively,
“…I’m just uncomfortable with the situation. And kindness and compassion alone can’t solve everything.”
“Oh, still so pessimistic. Elonia, as you said, you’re the princess. You have both kindness and power. You can change anything you deem unfair.”
Caroline’s words of comfort only made Elonia confront her own hypocrisy and insecurities.
Her words tumbled out in a jumbled mess,
“I… I don’t know yet. I want to abolish the hostage system, but I know it’s not possible right now… and I don’t even know where to begin.”
She felt pathetic, unsure of what to do.
Caroline, who disliked incompetence, would surely criticize her.
But Caroline’s voice was gentle and encouraging.
“Elonia, it’s natural to be lost and confused.”
“…”
“Even the most carefree traveler hesitates at a crossroads. And you’re the future Empress. It’s only natural to hesitate when faced with such a heavy burden. Your choices will affect countless lives, and once made, they can’t be undone.”
Caroline’s wrinkled face softened into a warm smile.
“But don’t be afraid. Even the choices that make you question yourself, the choices that make you feel inadequate, will nourish your growth. What matters is whether you have any regrets when you look back on your past. So take your time. You still have plenty of time.”
Elonia’s head snapped up, her mouth agape.
She hadn’t expected such thoughtful advice.
Caroline, despite her eccentric exterior, was surprisingly insightful and kind.
Elonia was glad she had confided in her.
The fog in her mind seemed to be clearing.
She wanted to take action, to do something productive instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Elonia, her heart lighter, stood up.
“Thank you, Professor. Can I talk to you again next time?”
“Of course. And one more thing.”
“What is it?”
Elonia stopped, turning back to face her.
“I’m glad no one was hurt, but next time you try to hit someone in the back of the neck, please use physical force, not magic.”
“…!?”
Elonia froze.
What had she just said?
The gentle and comforting atmosphere vanished, replaced by a chilling tension.
Elonia swore she had only tried to hit someone in the back of the neck once.
“There are more eyes than you think at the academy, Elonia.”
Caroline’s face was hidden in the shadows.
Elonia’s gaze fell on a familiar black object on a shelf in her office.
It was a prayer altar.
“…One more question before I leave, Professor.”
“Go ahead.”
Elonia licked her dry lips and asked,
“Why do you have a prayer altar dedicated to the Calamity God, Professor? You’re the head of the Magic Department.”
Caroline grinned.