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"Finance Director, what in the world happened?"
"…I'd like to know that myself."
Leaving the faculty office, I entered a room in the building across the street. The Headmistress was waiting there.
No matter how weak Milia was, being only Rank 3, and despite all the precautions I had taken with Aura and other measures, I had to completely eliminate any threat to my safety.
That's why the Headmistress was hiding in the building across the street, ready to intervene in case of an emergency.
But nothing like that happened. Yet…
That wasn't the issue now.
"How did Milia bring up the attack plan first? It's as if…"
"She read my mind."
At that point in the conversation, I was simply questioning Milia about her relationship with the Wish Cult, with no indication of instigating anything. Even though that was my ultimate goal, I hadn't shown my hand.
Yet, Milia accurately mentioned the attack. It was impossible unless she was reading my mind.
"Headmistress, did Milia use some kind of mind-reading magic? I'm not familiar with…"
"She wouldn't be able to deceive me at her level, Rank 3, though it might be possible for a Rank 7. Milia didn't use any magic."
The Headmistress's assertion was filled with conviction. Indeed, if a mere Rank 3 could deceive the Headmistress, that would be a problem in itself.
However, doubt lingered in the Headmistress's expression.
"But there was something strange."
"Yes?"
"Behind Milia's chair… I felt something odd. How should I put it, a very ominous magical power."
Ominous magical power?
'Behind Milia's chair…'
Was she talking about that shadow? The place where Milia seemed to trip over something in thin air?
Come to think of it, that shadow did feel a bit strange.
"You don't know what it was either, Headmistress?"
"If I had thoroughly scanned the room with my Aura, I could have figured it out, but I couldn't risk letting Milia know I was watching her."
"I see."
"But I can say one thing for sure. It was the most dreadful and ominous magical power I have ever felt."
"…You, Headmistress?"
"I've encountered countless powerful and immense magical powers. But what I felt just now, how should I put it, it was filled with malice…? You don't usually feel that kind of magical power from monsters."
Milia, the Wish Cult.
A magical power that even the Headmistress described as most ominous.
Could it be?
'Dark Sword?'
Dreadful and ominous magical power. This was a phrase often used to describe Dark Sword in
If even the Headmistress described it as ominous, it must have been Dark Sword.
'But Dark Sword doesn't exist yet, does it?'
This wasn't simply a matter of it being strange for them to bring Dark Sword outside the cult, or that it wasn't an item for personal use.
It was that Dark Sword simply didn't exist yet. To be precise, it hadn't been fully constructed.
That's why the strategy guide said it couldn't be obtained until at least the middle of the second part of the game.
No, wait.
Even if it wasn't Dark Sword itself, what if it was a remnant of it? What if it was someone high-ranking enough to access the not-yet-fully-constructed Dark Sword and utilize its power frequently?
"…It seems that Milia isn't the only spy the Wish Cult has sent."
"What? Are you saying there was someone else in the room?"
"I can't think of any other explanation. And that ominous magical power you felt, Headmistress, must have been that other spy."
"But if they were able to avoid my detection… Don't tell me."
The Headmistress's face turned pale as she finally reached the same conclusion as me.
Even though she was some distance away and focused on protecting me without being detected by Milia, the Headmistress was Rank 8. If someone was hiding with ordinary concealment methods, she would have detected them.
Someone who could avoid the Headmistress's eyes, even when she wasn't fully focused, and possessed an ominous magical power presumed to be a remnant of Dark Sword…
"The archbishop of the Wish Cult?"
"Or perhaps even the cult leader."
Decades ago, the archbishop who infiltrated the academy with a detachment was Rank 7.
It was hard to imagine that the Wish Cult's power had diminished since then; if anything, it had expanded. More importantly, since they possessed Dark Sword, their most important sacred treasure, they could create a Rank 7, even if imperfectly.
And the cult leader, whom I knew nothing about, would also be around Rank 7. Rank 8? If the cult leader was Rank 8, they would have already challenged the fallen Holy Nation.
It was highly likely that it wasn't Milia who mentioned the attack as if reading my mind, but the archbishop or the cult leader.
"What if the archbishop or the cult leader infiltrated and used the power of the sacred treasure to conceal themselves?"
"As I said, Milia can't hide anything from me. But if there's a spy who's at least Rank 6, at the peak, or even Rank 7, it's a different story."
"That actually makes more sense."
Come to think of it, there was no way the Wish Cult would send only Milia as a spy. Especially considering her incompetence.
I wondered if that unknown memory I saw at the end was also the Wish Cult's doing. It seemed like something had changed in Milia after that.
'Come to think of it, didn't she say the cult had fallen?'
I vaguely remembered Milia saying that when she got worked up, but now that I thought about it, it was a ridiculous claim.
If Dark Sword had disappeared, it might be a different story, but with a Rank 6 or higher individual possessing a remnant of Dark Sword as a spy…
It was all a lie to deceive me, and it seemed her seemingly incompetent behavior was indeed an act. Even if it wasn't, Milia was being pressured and cornered, so perhaps the other spy intervened indirectly.
If things had gone wrong, I might have been ambushed by that guy in that room. I wouldn't have died thanks to the Headmistress's protection, but it sent shivers down my spine.
"But Finance Director, that sacred treasure you mentioned earlier is…"
"Dark Sword."
"So that was the source of that ominous magical power. If I had known, I would have captured and tortured one or two of them instead of killing them all back then."
"That was decades ago. Don't worry about it too much."
In the end, the contact with Milia yielded some results, but it also left an unsettling feeling.
As I had hoped, I made contact with the Wish Cult and drew them out, but while I was flustered by the unknown memory, they read my mind about the attack.
It was probably the doing of the spy presumed to be at the archbishop level. A mage above Rank 6 would be capable of such a feat.
'So that unsettling memory was also illusion magic.'
I couldn't think of any other cause. It was easier to just assume that and move on.
…Or maybe I was deliberately avoiding it. My head hurt too much.
"Anyway, it seems I'll have to meet with Milia and the other spy again."
"Can't you go right now?"
"I already tried to summon Milia again, but she didn't come. Besides, they said they would see me again, so they will contact me somehow."
If the Wish Cult knew that even the Headmistress was involved in this, they would immediately go into hiding. I had to be the only one who appeared on the surface.
The Headmistress would eventually intervene, but that would be later.
At least until the final exams started, until the attack occurred, I had to be the only one who contacted the Wish Cult.
While the Headmistress was deep in thought, I got up from my seat.
"Well then, I'll excuse myself."
"Finance Director?"
"We can't just keep worrying like this. We have a lot to do."
Unlike the Wish Cult, the Headmistress and I couldn't afford to just worry about countermeasures for this incident. We had to handle it while also dealing with countless paperwork and financial matters.
Of course, I would discuss things with the Headmistress before Milia and the other spy approached us, but for now, I had a lot of work piled up.
The Headmistress sighed and stood up as well.
"Then I'll visit the Finance Director's dormitory after work today."
"Can you be there before midnight?"
"Hmm, I don't think that's possible."
"I guess studying is out of the question today. Alright."
I would somehow manage with military stimulants and the Headmistress's Aura to stay awake, but it seemed like another long night was ahead.
Times like these made me miss the deserted island midterm exam. That week was a truly sweet respite.
As I was about to leave the room, the Headmistress suddenly spoke to me.
"Finance Director, are you leaving first? Let's go together since we're both heading to the office."
"I apologize, but I have an appointment before that."
"…An appointment? Is that what you have to do?"
"It's not skipping work. It's something I should have met about a long time ago, but I'm only now getting to it."
That damn junior only replied right before the festival, and during the festival, I was busy with the hair loss potion leak and other things.
Now that the festival was over and things had calmed down a bit, this was the perfect time. If I delayed it any longer, I would be swamped with the Wish Cult and the attack.
So I said,
"I'm going to meet Student Ruth."
"Ah."
Finally. Truly finally.
I could finally keep the promise I made with the protagonist over a month ago.
…He must be angry, right? I would be angry too.
'It's a good thing I asked to meet at my dormitory.'
I should go there early and prepare something.
I really didn't want to deal with an angry Rank 6 student.
Ruth was a man, so if I apologized sincerely, he wouldn't be petty about it, right…?
***
"Gasp… gasp…"
Running. Running and running.
Concealing herself in the darkness, not letting go of Dark Sword in her hand.
Ruth, who had been running continuously, entered a secluded alley.
And then…
She collapsed.
"…"
Ruth covered her ears. But the words and thoughts she had just heard continued to torment her.
Adam meeting with Milia. And the attack.
This fact was hurting Ruth.
'Is Adam really…?'
Milia's final declaration, that she would carry out the attack, was so abrupt, yet Adam didn't seem too surprised by it.
Of course, he was surprised, but in a different way. He was more surprised by 'how she knew' than by the mention of the attack itself.
…Ruth, who had lived in the dormitory with Adam for over three years, could tell. By observing Adam's gestures, movements, expressions, and voice, she could somewhat discern his true intentions.
That's how she knew right away that Adam's fall was real when they first met at the Burning Hill.
That Adam could be on the same side as the great evil that was the Wish Cult. That they could attack the academy together.
The mere possibility of it made it difficult for Ruth to breathe.
She was afraid that the Adam she had known was all an act, that he had been corrupted from the beginning and had deceived her.
'But, but.'
It wasn't certain yet. Nothing was confirmed.
After all, Adam had never been the one to bring up the attack first. Even if she had known Adam for a long time, she couldn't completely understand the human heart.
She couldn't jump to conclusions before seeing clear evidence. Ruth barely managed to escape from the worst-case scenario.
But if Adam was truly planning to attack the academy with the Wish Cult,
What could be his reason?
'…Adam.'
Was the you I knew really you? Was that kindness, those words you said to me, all lies?
Was it a side effect of Dark Sword? Or was it because of my deteriorating mental state?
Ruth, who had been squatting quietly in a familiar corner,
"…Ah."
Suddenly realized something and slowly stood up.
She had briefly forgotten because of Milia and Adam, but today…
Was the day she was supposed to meet Adam.
'Yes, let's go meet him and confirm.'
The promise they made over a month ago. The promise she had despaired over, thinking Adam had forgotten.
But Adam had contacted her just yesterday. The message contained insults towards the student council president, an apology for making her wait, and a request to meet today.
The words she had read over and over again, smelled countless times, and reread with relief.
Proof that Adam hadn't abandoned or forgotten her yet.
She had to confirm it.
'I'll go and make sure.'
Come to think of it, her attitude towards Adam was too ambivalent. She thought she had to draw a clear line, yet she longed for Adam's warmth. She tried to hate Adam, yet she couldn't take her eyes off him.
Living alone in Adam's old dormitory. Thinking about the memories with Adam. Remembering Adam's words.
She had to make a choice. If she continued to be ambivalent, she wouldn't be able to reach a conclusion.
And she would decide today.
"…Let's go to Adam."
The letter included directions to the dormitory. Oddly enough, the route involved going around in circles through alleys, and it was said that the dormitory could only be reached this way.
Adam used to be quite wealthy as the Finance Director. She didn't know why he was living in a different dormitory than before, but she assumed it would be a decent one.
The reason for the change in dormitory, and today's incident.
Ruth, determined to find out about both, started walking. Once she made up her mind, she felt as if things would work out.
'Yes, come to think of it, there's no reason for Adam to attack the academy, is there? He said he was close to the Headmistress, it doesn't make sense.'
She wondered if she had overreacted. If Adam was being manipulated by the Wish Cult, she had to help him somehow.
Speaking of the Wish Cult,
'That Milia mentioned some kind of mine.'
That the collapsing cult invested in a mine and suffered a huge loss.
Was it something that happened before? Coincidentally, there was only one mine that came to Ruth's mind.
'The rock salt mine… No way, right?'
There were countless mines on the continent. Would the Wish Cult really have invested in the same rock salt mine that Ruth was involved in?
But if it was true, it was a good thing. She had unintentionally dealt a significant blow to the Wish Cult. The thought of messing with those fanatics made her feel better.
With her mood slightly improved, Ruth, who had been going around in circles through the alleys,
"Huh?"
Arrived at an extremely old, shabby, and tiny,
Gray dormitory that didn't seem like anyone lived in.
"Ah, Student Ruth. You're here?"
"…Finance Director?"
"Come in. It's a humble place, I'm embarrassed."
Adam's words, welcoming Ruth with a bright smile, were not empty.
Faced with Adam's life, so different from before, Ruth…
Felt her heart sink.