Julie and her Knight Order arrived at the scene of the incident, which wasn't too far from the fourth stop. It was less than an hour away from Bercht.
"… During the first attack, Professor Deculein managed to ensure the train's safety and rescue the survivors along with Sir Veron." An officer from the Security Department explained the situation.
"But the whole carriage fell from the cliff during the second attack, and Sir Veron allegedly went down with it. The VIP carriage that Professor Deculein was in miraculously didn't, however."
"I see."
The officer's detailing allowed them to understand what transpired properly. He also showed a copy of Roen's photograph.
"Unfortunately, this place is so remote that the only eyewitness accounts are the persons directly involved. Have you seen the article?"
"Yes."
Julie had already read it and saw the picture of Deculein calmly sitting inside a train floating in mid-air.
"Well, not all of the photos were released, just like this one." He showed one more picture. It was the corpses of the knights who attacked the train.
"Maybe the Head Professor subdued them. He's essentially no different from being a one-man army. Haha." The officer added with a smirk, but the knights did not laugh. Sensing the atmosphere, he regained his composure as he continued.
"Based on the pieces of evidence we have, it appears the two of them tried to handle the situation, and Knight Veron suffered from an accident during the second attack."
"… Thank you."
"No worries."
Julie bowed politely and looked around.
The lands were white and endless, stretching far beyond the horizon. Just the sight of it was enough to send her mind to some distant memory. Rockfell sat on the tracks and mumbled like he was sighing.
"… That fool. He lived diligently, only to meet his end just by being an escort."
Julie couldn't hear him, though. Her ears felt numb and vacant.
She thought she was used to losing colleagues, but she kept remembering the poor life they lost.
Without anything to his name, he rose from the bottom at a young age and pursued his dream tirelessly, and after his countless efforts, he finally saw the light of day.
Julie asked the officer. "Did he happen to leave anything?"
"Unfortunately, he didn't."
"Then, the one behind the attack…"
"That remains unsolved. In the first place, nobody's supposed to be blamed for whatever happens throughout one's journey to Bercht. The only victim of the incident is Sir Veron, too, which makes it difficult for the higher-ups to decide whether to investigate or not…"
It was an understandable concern. Julie nodded.
—My little sister~
She heard a voice enter her ears, but she couldn't find anyone calling out to her. Surprised, Julie took out her wallet from her pocket, unexpectedly finding a crystal marble inside it.
Julie hurriedly moved away from her position. "W-what?!"
—I heard about the incident. That's why I called~
"When did you put this marble in my wallet?!"
—While you weren't aware, of course. Kekeke~
Josephine laughed.
—That aside, I heard a member of yours was attacked? Aren't you curious about the whole story?
"… Are you saying you know the whole story?"
—Of course. I'm the queen of high society. Many people out there would willingly give me anything if I asked for it.
Josephine indeed had a lot of connections, which meant she could gather as much information about any topic as she needed. She could get her hands on and absorb almost all rumors in high society if she so wanted.
"…"
—Do you want me to tell you what I know?
Julie was suspicious of her, but she had no external issues. On the contrary, Josephine's reputation was more beautiful than anyone else in this world.
"If it's illegal—"
—It's nothing like that, so you better pay attention. First of all, the wizard family of the Reok Kingdom is most likely to be behind the attack. At the conference 15 years ago, two of their Heads were killed, and my guess is they wanted to get revenge, but not really on Deculein in particular. They were aiming for any Head in the Empire, and it just so happened that he was the one caught in that trap. As you probably can already tell, our world already has quite a lot of rumors about it.
"…"
Julie was speechless. That would mean Veron was struck down blindly and was simply collateral damage.
—No matter how hard I think about it, though, there's something about it that I find strange. Roen was the one who requested Veron escort that train.
"… Roen?"
—Yup. Galak has many henchmen, and among them is Rot's little brother. Rot's a businessman and my personal connection.
Galak. Roen. Rot.
Julie frowned at the names. She knew none of them.
—You don't know them? Julie, you should at least know the name of…
Julie looked at the knights around her as her older sister continued, finding them loitering around the tracks with knotted faces.
—Galak. He's Glitheon's real brother.
"…!"
Julie opened her eyes wide.
—I'm sure you know Glitheon, and I'm honestly not surprised you don't know Galak. Publicly, it's been more than 30 years since they cut off their relationship, but they can't fool my eyes. I don't know if they fought for real then or not, but I'm certain they're helping each other right now. I'm not sure about Glitheon, but Galak definitely isn't above committing dirty deeds.
"What does Glitheon have to do with this attack?"
—I still don't know. I'm wondering why in the world would Galak request Veron to be the escort on that train myself. That's what bothers me. Anyway, that's all I've heard.
"…"
—You know the price for this, right? You should treat me some time.
"… Okay."
—Good. I'm going now.
Josephine cut off the connection.
"Giltheon…"
Julie thought about the Iliade Family Head. She knew full well about his bad reputation through Zeit.
But it had been ten years since he turned over a new leaf, making this situation closer to being a coincidence.
But…
"What the hell happened there…?" Julie looked down at the cliff, causing rubble to roll down as she pushed it with her heels. At the bottom was a distant end of the fog-covered ravine.
Her colleague's corpse was down there.
*****
The 5th-week lecture for [Understanding Elemental Properties] was naturally canceled due to the issue at Bercht, so I gave them homework instead.
—Write a thesis about one pure elemental magic.
I was certain some of them hated to do it, so I added a clause that they didn't have to do it if they didn't want to. Instead, I'd just deduct points from their grade.
After that, I enthusiastically prepared test questions in the mansion. This time, they were my original works.
Of course, they were still inspired by previous test questions, but their solutions and answers were certainly different.
I also devoted myself to magic, which in turn resulted in my success in applying [Basic Fire Control] technique to my [Beginner Psychokinesis]. As a result, 'Distant Fire Control' had become possible for me to utilize. My next target technique was [Basic Earth Control].
After about a week of cycling between training, drills, and research, the day had finally come.
"…"
I couldn't help but feel awe as I used Vision to look at the questions I made.
"… Amazing."
A golden air current was swaying around the test paper, caused by the reaction of my [Man of Great Wealth] ability.
A total of 8 items.
Numbers 1 and 2 were focused on theory, while the rest mostly focused on application and practical use.
Among them, numbers 7 and 8's level of difficulty was at least above a debutante. They would be correct if they thought numbers 1 to 6 were roughly one-variable functions, and numbers functions.
If they diligently attempt to solve them, they should be able to understand and come to the right conclusion.
As an examinee or a wizard, the insights they would gain from challenging difficult problems would further push their growth.
I came out of the separate building in a good mood, meeting Roy on my way to the main building.
"My lord. This is the result of the auction."
Roy took out a piece of paper and handed it to me. It was a cheque with the breakdown for the result of [The Flower Vase of the Master Craftsman from the East]'s auction and the payment deposit.
"… It was sold at a really high price?"
The final bid was no less than 21 million. Of course, it would only be between 13-15 million Elnes after deducting commission, tax, and other fees, but it was more than twice what I expected.
"Yes. We asked the tower to analyze the petals' components, and we received good results. The petals are excellent for fatigue recovery and have beneficial effects on the skin. Thanks to that, the majority of the noblewomen participated in the auction."
"I see what you mean. Our earnings from it are enough to finance the mansion's budget, right?"
"It is."
"Did you hear anything from Yeriel?"
"Yes."
I spent about 9 million at Bercht, yet she hadn't called me in a week. Was she cutting me some slack?
"Delivery! You have a package, Count Yukline!" A shout came from the mansion's front gate. "I came from Bercht!"
The man shouting was enveloped by a grave aura. Looking at him closely, I noticed he had an adventurer's ID around his neck.
"Please sign first!"
"… Adventurers do deliveries, too?" I asked while I approached to sign.
"Haha. We do anything as long as we're paid. I'll get going now."
The box he left was heavy. My heart was pounding, inappropriate for my pride.
"Roy, go get some rest."
"Thank you."
I went to my room at the main building, pretending that it wasn't a big deal, and confirmed my biometric information on the magic vault. As the box opened, I thought about many things.
It had only been a week. The old man didn't make it half-heartedly, did he? Or was Deculein's blood too nasty?
Despite having those concerns, I couldn't help but be captivated the moment the package finally revealed what was inside it.
———[Rockelock's Yukline Cane ]———
◆ Description:
– A cane made by the master craftsman Rockelock, dedicating it to Yukline.
– For the exclusive use of Deculein von Grahan Yukline.
◆ Category: Equipment ⊃ Cane
◆ Special Effects:
– Store a maximum of [500] mana.
– The cane itself functions as a supplementary circuit, naturally increasing the user's magical performance.
◆ Item Characteristics:
——[Steel Wood]——
◆ Description:
– Increases the user's natural wood-related abilities and properties.
– The cane's body is made out of the highest quality of wood, providing it with immense physical durability and reinforcement.
——————————
——[Self-study]——
◆ Description:
– The cane studies, understands, and deciphers the magic performed by the user to help them use and cast it more efficiently.
——————————
——[Aesthetic Item]——
◆ Description:
– This item's beautiful design is further enhanced by its ability to change its colors depending on the user's outfit.
————————————
——[Blood of Yukline]——
◆ Description:
– This cane's power excels even further when used for purging and exorcism.
————————————
Its beauty and performance were already equal to that of an artifact, and that wasn't even taking its 'Item Characteristics' into consideration yet.
Rockelock took my characteristics from ancient times. Fortunately, he only included the good ones and filtered out the rest.
"This is only 9 million Elnes…"
Did I just get a huge discount?
I fiddled with my cane, feeling the same way I did when I first bought a smartphone when I was just a kid.
"Hmm…"
It was childish to be excited with just a cane, and my next class would start in 3 days. I had to prepare for my lecture.
Of course, its format had already been set, and I already made a written proposal to borrow a classroom for the last class before the midterm exam, which was called [Combined Magical Combat Training].
*****
Wednesday, the last lecture before the midterm exam.
Epherene arrived on the 5th floor of the tower. Today's class wasn't going to be held in Class A on the 3rd floor but the 'Last Floor.'
"What else are we going to do…"
There were only three classrooms on the 5th floor. She held the doorknob of one of them and turned it.
"…"
What greeted her made her jaw drop.
Before her was an area so wide she couldn't see the ends of it. It had a hemispherical ceiling, a rectangular stage in the center, and even audience seats at the sides. It looked like a stadium.
Wizards had already gathered in it and were causing quite the commotion.
"Ah, Ifi!" The CRMC members, including Julia and Ferit, approached her. A group of commoners naturally formed around Epherene, while her antipode was Sylvia.
Nobles crowded around Sylvia, who was at the Bercht conference, an extraordinary place. Epherene glanced at Sylvia, while Sylvia didn't pay any heed to Epherene.
At exactly 3 o'clock, Deculein appeared at the entrance, causing the noisy chatters to immediately subside.
He was as confident and noble as always, but he held a cane that looked excessively luxurious in one hand this time.
He just went to Bercht. Did he buy it there?
"Welcome." Deculein headed to the middle of the stage, where he continued talking while looking down at the wizards. "Today's class is magical combat practice."
Participating in magical combat was inevitable for wizards. Even if they tried to avoid it, they would ultimately fail. The debutantes were nervous.
"Also…"
Clack—
When Deculein snapped his fingers, the veil on the edge of the stadium lifted.
"Huh?"
"W-what?"
Behind it was a crowd of hundreds of people, surprising Epherene and her classmates.
"It's an open practice."
The wizards looked around in surprise and soon caused an uproar, but they were silenced when Deculein spoke firmly about the lecture's progression and goal.
"You may utilize any magic to battle against each other, but at least three pure elemental magic must be mobilized. It doesn't matter if you win or lose. I will focus solely on the battle itself, noting down your strengths and weaknesses as I observe. I hope you develop further with the foundations I've provided. Professor Relin."
"Yes."
Relin appeared, a professor from the Department of Assistive Studies. He waved his hand, enjoying the attention of the wizards and spectators.
"Professor Relin will regulate the battles to avoid life-threatening situations or damages, eliminating the need to limit yourselves."
"Hahaha. Everyone, just trust me—"
"We'll start the class now. First one, Yurojan."
"… Yes, yes!"
Dumbfounded, Yurojan raised his hand and climbed onto the stadium.
"Pick an opponent. You can choose anyone here."
"Uh…"
He hesitated at first but soon chose one of his friends: a man named Loton. They soon stood facing each other.
"You have 3 minutes. Begin."
At Deculein's words, they exchanged magic awkwardly at first.
Yurojan's fire spread thinly like a veil and enveloped Loton, who immediately intervened in its path using mana.
Schwiiiiiiiii-!
The flames' extinguishment caused steam to appear, which Loton then froze and launched like metal spikes towards Yurojan.
Clang—!
Yurojan defended himself with a barrier.
"…"
After their first clash, their awkwardness disappeared, allowing them to become serious.
They repeatedly materialized, destroyed, and defended against each other's magic, but their bout didn't even last for a minute.
"Kukh!"
A groan marked the end of the spar. The wizard who ran out of mana first was Loton.
"Yurojan wins, but remember, your scores depend on the process of the battle itself, not its outcome."
Deculein took notes while monitoring the fights. No, to be more precise, his fountain pen was moving and taking notes by itself.
"Next, Beck."
Beck, who Epherene thought was an extremely wicked noble, smirked and chose Ferit. Ferit climbed up the sparring field in fear.
"Begin."
The two fired out pure elemental magic, but the difference in their level was clear. Ferit' support magic couldn't even withstand Beck's destructive magic for 30 seconds.
"Beck wins. Next, Rondo."
The matches progressed minute by minute.
While focusing on the debutante wizards' battles, Epherene was caught up with an idea revolving around Deculein's words, which kept bothering her.
'Pick an opponent. You can choose anyone here.'
The fights between wizards continued, causing electrical currents to thunder through the stadium and the ground to vibrate and tremble. Tiles rose, and metal surged up from flames. Even Epherene couldn't help but be surprised by the [Electromagnetic Gusts] created by combining wind and electric currents.
Watching the matches awakened her desires dwelling at the deepest parts of her mind.
"Next, Epherene."
Finally, having her name called, she went up to the stadium alone without choosing anyone.
All the wizards were looking at her strangely, but she paid no heed to them.
"Can I really choose anyone?"
"Yes."
Epherene dropped her gaze for a moment. She got a definite answer from this.
'I can choose anyone.'
'Anyone.'
"Don't take too long, Epherene."
Deculein pressured her, but something was blocking her ears and causing her insides to feel warm. She felt as if mana was coursing through her blood vessels.
Epherene slowly raised her head.
"I…"
She then stretched out her finger, revealing its scars and calluses that served as the proof of her hard work. Soon enough, its tip landed on her target.
"Head Professor Deculein."
Her ultimate goal was to defeat him with her own abilities. Naturally, she knew she still had a long way to go.
However, she wanted to determine the difference between them right here, right now, by sincerely competing against him.
She didn't care if she was years too early to challenge him. She didn't care if their fight would result in her defeat.
'I just don't want to miss this opportunity.'
Everyone in the stadium looked at her like she had gone crazy.
Even Epherene momentarily thought the same herself.
"W-what?! You crazy bitch! Hey you! Get down from there!" Professor Relin came running while screaming, but Epherene lowered neither her arm nor her gaze.
Naturally, Deculein didn't avoid her eyes.
"I…" Epherene went back to the winter four months ago, remembering her emotions when she first saw him. "… I choose the Professor."
As she uttered those words, she saw it clearly.
A faint but twisted smile on Deculein's lips.