Azrael stares at Rose with half-open eyes. The intensity of his stare causes her cheeks to glow red, like an apple. "Uhm... Professor... Azrael, I..." She drops her head and continues, "Can you... stop patting my head like that? It's... embarrassing."
Azrael pauses, then smiles. "Sorry, I was lost in nostalgia. Anyway, I need to head out now."
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, I must rendezvous with someone. An ally in our cause. The person... rather, the people behind the attack on Magus Academy may be connected to the trouble Alora and Arthur ran into. With this ally, I will speak to Amanda and try to uncover their identity."
"You're going to speak to Amanda?"
"Again, yes. When I spoke to her earlier today, she refused to cooperate." Not to mention her lying about the second traitor. "I'm not expecting much from another confrontation." Azrael looks down at Rose. Her gaze peers through Azrael and he continues, "I'm not taking you with me."
"What? I didn't—"
"It's written over your face. Rose, what I'm about to discuss with Amanda is not something anyone from Class 1A must hear. I suggest you stay far away from this situation until it is dealt with, do you understand?"
"Why? What is it you're going to say to her? Amanda is a student of Class 1A; if we speak to her as her friends—"
"Then you will accomplish nothing because you are not her friends. At least, that is what I see. She used Class 1A to accomplish her long-desired wish."
"Her long-desired wish?"
His brow sinks and his mouth straightens, "Amanda wants to die, Rose."
"She wants to... what? That can't be? Why would she want to...? Wait..." She jerks her head up, "You're not going to—"
"I'll do what I must. If she gives me no choice, I will not show her any mercy."
"But she's—"
"An enemy of the academy. Did you forget she attacked your friends? She attacked the staff. The higher-ups will not forgive her actions, nor will the grieving parents. Your friends' parents. Nobles with patience as short as a mayfly's lifespan. Your feelings on this matter pose no threat to their grudges."
"I... get that. But... I can't allow this to happen. Without Amanda, we are not Class 1A."
As Rose nearly breaks into tears, Azrael sighs. "'You're never going to get anywhere with those thoughts'."
"What?"
"That was something I was often told when I was adamant about protecting humans. My siblings said that. My friends said that. My... subordinate said it. Everyone around me said the same thing. Their voices drowned in my head and I never considered giving up on humans. I told myself I would never judge their entire race without them proving, not to me, but to themselves that they are worth more than the sum of their parts. They haven't proved their worth yet, but I know they will."
"What does that have to do with—"
"Your tenacity is similar to my own. Despite everyone being against you, you still choose to believe in Amanda. For that, I will grant your wish. I will do everything in my power to convince her." Her face beams and before she can say anything, Azrael says, "However, I cannot say for certain that she will listen to what I have to say. And if I determine that she will never give up on her wish, I will have to break this promise. With that in mind, do you trust me, Rose?"
She remains silent momentarily, then says, "If you did everything you could... everything you could, and Amanda does not change her mind," she clenches her fists, "then I will not hold anything against you, Professor Azrael. If her desire to die is stronger than any possible future she may have as a Class 1A student, who are we to hold her back?"
With that question, she fights back the tears and takes her leave from the hospital room. "She's gone," says Azrael. Arthur's eyes slowly open and his body rises like a zombie from a grave. "Tell me, what did you find out?"
"Not even surprised that I'm alive? How cold can you be, Lord Azrael?"
"Enough with the Lord Azrael formality. I said you are allowed to call me Azrael."
"And I told you, I am not worthy of calling you that. But your stubbornness exceeds any I could muster so I will cave... as always."
Azrael looks over his shoulder, and his eyes fix on Alora's unconscious body, "Is she a traitor like Amanda?"
"At first I thought so too..."
"But?"
"But it seems Alora was under someone's control—a female assassin."
"A female assassin? Was it Apostle?"
"Apostle?"
"Sorry, you wouldn't know the name. She was a female assassin I caught fleeing the scene rather hastily. I disposed of her soon after."
"I see." Arthur's eyebrows twitch and he looks around the room like he has lost something. "What about Rasui's body? What did you do with it?"
"Rasui's body is in a safe place."
"A... safe place?"
"Remember Marchioness Atalante whom I mentioned last night?"
"The woman you were wary of, yes."
"She has pledged her loyalty to me."
"She what!? Does she know you're the God of Death? And if so, how did she find out?"
"Her ability lets her see the truth. Also, she was someone my aura interacted with several decades ago."
"Can you trust her?"
"For now."
"What about later? Surely if her ability is as useful as you make it sound, she can be a great asset to our team. She's also one of the Ten Wands and someone who has experienced a God's aura. She will be much more experienced in a battle than I am."
"But she is not my hero candidate. You are. And your Sealing Magic will be key to our fight against Azazel."
"You say that but I don't think I can learn such a complex spell."
"If anyone can do it, you can. I believe in you. And it's about time you do too."
"Still, a spell of that calibre... I fail to see something that dangerous existing. If anything goes wrong, you will—"
"Nothing will happen to me. Or you. The theory has been thought out but it's never been executed. If this works, we will have full control in this war." Yes, if we can master that spell, the Seal of Yahweh will be of no concern.