Chapter 157: The Academy’s Great Sage (3)
“Emilio.”
Dietrich spoke.
“Mm,” Emilio murmured. After taking a sip of black tea, he looked at Dietrich.
“Do you know that man?”
Dietrich was staring at Abel.
Well. Should he say he knew him, or that he did not? Emilio shrugged. He had never spoken with him directly. He had only heard that the man had purified the black magic that had invaded his body.
More than that—why was it? There seed to be an inexplicable wariness in Dietrich’s gaze. Sitting upright in his wheelchair, Dietrich was sharpening his previously lifeless eyes as he watched Abel.
“I have heard of him.”
Emilio whispered toward Dietrich’s ear, careful not to let his voice carry.
“I heard it from the Vice President. She said he treated . That he perford an Exorcism Ceremony. Is that not incredible? I heard Exorcism Ceremonies are not easily approved…….”
That alone was astonishing, but— to think he was conversing with Märchen Blackmore, the sage among sages, as if they were close acquaintances. Emilio had heard that even mbers of the Imperial family did not dare treat Märchen Blackmore lightly…….
“…Amazing.”
As Emilio clenched his fist tightly at the thought,
“I see.”
Dietrich nodded calmly.
Abel and Märchen were engaged in a private exchange. Their voices were too low to make out the details. So Dietrich rely watched in silence. Tap, tap. He drumd his index finger against the armrest of his wheelchair.
“Professor Argento… that man is probably…….”
He murmured very softly.
Abel and Märchen looked identical. They could not help but look that way—because Märchen had taken Abel’s form. Not only his clothes, but even his voice had been imitated.
If there was a difference, it was in their expressions. Abel looked irritated, while Märchen was smiling the entire ti. Abel’s body seed rigid, as though carved from stone, while Märchen’s body looked translucent, as if only a soul remained.
“He must have lived a very long ti.”
Dietrich shook his head.
It does not matter either way. The two are alike. Thinking that, he muttered,
“Perhaps as much as my father…….”
“That is wrong.”
In an instant, Abel’s gaze shot toward Dietrich. Abel rose from his chair and stepped forward until he stood directly before him.
“I have lived longer.”
It is not as if there is much of an age difference between us, is there? Compared to the years we have lived, I an. Märchen laughed hollowly as she said it, but—
“You…….”
Abel ignored her outright.
He simply looked down at Dietrich. It was not difficult to guess the boy’s lineage. The twin brother of Lizer Leinhart, the mage among the Mother God’s Right Hand. Abel had already heard that such a child was staying at CIAR.
“What is your na?”
“……Dietrich Leinhart.”
Dietrich lowered his head and answered Abel’s question.
“You must know Lizer Leinhart. I have heard that you worked together abroad. I am Lizer Leinhart’s younger brother, and…….”
“I am a first-year student of the Departnt of Elental Studies,” he added in a small voice.
“Why are you a first-year? Your brother will graduate when spring cos.”
“……Because I was held back.”
“I see.”
Abel nodded.
Then he whispered to Dietrich,
“You are living well.”
Dietrich’s eyes trembled.
In a quiet voice, he asked,
“What do you an by that?”
“It ans nothing. You simply looked as though you were living. It is admirable, and at the sa ti lantable.”
Dietrich closed his mouth.
He t Abel’s gaze and fell silent. Inside, he turned the question over and over.
Did he notice? My physical condition.
“──P-Professor Argento!”
Suddenly, Emilio raised his voice.
Abel’s dark blue-black eyes turned toward him. Emilio Mackenzie, a third-year in the Departnt of Elental Studies. Abel had business with this boy as well. He needed information about the boy’s father.
“I am Emilio Mackenzie from the Departnt of Elental Studies! You helped before!”
“Yes.”
You are living well too. Murmuring that, Abel extended his hand.
“You have endured much.”
Tap, tap. Abel patted Emilio on the shoulder.
“Thank you! I really… it was so hard… I thought I was going to die…….”
Emilio grabbed Abel’s hand. Squeezing tightly.
“Thanks to you, I am healthy now. How should I repay you? I could clean… I could clean your office every day…….”
[That is already my responsibility.]
There is not much to clean to begin with, Fabien muttered as he glanced around the bare office.
“……That is right. There is no need for repaynt.”
Abel tensed his arm, trying to pull free of Emilio’s grip.
“Then… shining your shoes? I can use basic life magic too! I can clean off stubborn gri and…….”
Emilio did not back down. Still holding onto Abel’s hand, he continued asking.
“That is also sothing Fabien handles well.”
[Of course. I am the latest model of Golem.]
“Then what should I…….”
How can I repay you? As Emilio desperately clung to Abel’s hand—
“……Later.”
Abel shook off Emilio’s grasp. His grip is surprisingly strong, Abel thought as he brushed his hand off.
“There will be sothing I need from you later.”
The timing was not right. Märchen intended to et the Chancellor. Very few knew that the Chancellor of CIAR was a Dragon, Lar-Prasriti.
Abel could not bring students along to et him. There were matters of secrecy, and the possibility of placing students in danger. A Dragon’s temperant was unpredictable.
“When the ti cos, help .”
For now, accompanying Märchen took priority. With that thought, Abel turned around.
Märchen was sprawled atop the round table— or rather, floating so that she appeared to be lying on it.
Abel let out a sigh.
He was well aware of Märchen’s lack of patience, but seeing her sprawled out while wearing his face was intolerable.
“Get up, you worm.”
He muttered as he started walking.
“I will humor you for half a day.”
***
RATTLE.
The sound of chains engaging. The old elevator began to descend.
“I am tired of this.”
Abel spoke. He leaned against the elevator wall and glared at Märchen.
“How long do you intend to keep that appearance?”
I was copying you. Murmuring that, Märchen bowed her head. She glanced over her translucent body and shrugged.
She then raised a hand, and wiped the grin from her face.
Märchen’s voice gradually changed, returning to her own, not Abel’s.
“We are not friends.”
Märchen shrugged.
She had already returned to her original form. She was still translucent, but because Märchen’s appearance itself felt unreal, it seed strangely fitting. Her waist-length white hair refracted into iridescent colors, and her sharply focused eyes glead gold.
And her attire— a pure white robe fluttered beside Abel. It looked less like clothing and more like wings.
“You are still unpleasant.”
Abel tossed out the remark.
“I am referring to your appearance.”
Märchen’s looks were excessively ornate. To the point of seeming fantastical.
No, that would be unpleasant too, would it? Märchen muttered, then continued.
“He has beco quite influential.”
“I will not deny it. He seems to be taking himself far too seriously.”
“Are you planning to receive a title?”
Märchen laughed, covering her mouth.
“That would be disastrous.”
There was no doubt about Märchen’s ability. Among all the mages Abel had encountered through countless regressions, she was unparalleled. It made sense—Märchen had endured nearly as long as Abel himself.
However, her competence as a teacher was another matter. At least, that was how Abel saw it.
“You did not co to et the Chancellor simply to beco a professor. What is it you seek from the Dragon?”
THUD.
The elevator ca to a stop.
A Dragon’s lair shaped like a cavern. Beyond the iron grating, the deepest part of CIAR was revealed. Calling it a lair was generous. Once, it might have been filled with all manner of treasures, but in the nest of a lone surviving Dragon, nothing remained but heavy silence.
With that, Märchen stepped forward. Curiosity flickered in her clear golden eyes.
Unlike Abel, who did not relish eting a Dragon, Märchen looked delighted, as though she were about to examine a marvelous device.
Abel followed behind her. His expression remained indifferent, but his entire body felt it.
A killing intent. A ponderous presence pressed down on him.
Märchen felt the sa presence Abel did. She stopped and stared ahead. Pitch-black darkness spread before them.
Soon, crimson-black light flared open in the middle of the void. It was unmistakably a Dragon’s gaze.
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