Magic Academy's Bastard Instructor Chapter 210: Monster [4]

"It’s really quiet..."

Just as Ezra said, the university had been unusually still lately, and they all knew the reason.

"I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss the professor."

It had been a month since Professor Vanitas resigned. As those words left Ezra’s mouth, Silas and Cassandra both turned toward him.

"Don’t you work for him?" Silas asked. "Or did he finally fire you?"

"Really?" Cassandra tilted her head. "I didn’t know you and the professor were that close."

"He’s like the professor’s protégé," Silas added, leaning back against the bench. "Probably already got a job lined up after graduation."

Ezra didn’t respond and just looked away. It had been a long ti since the three of them had gathered together like this ever since Charlotte’s death.

Her absence had left a hollow space in each of them. For reasons they didn’t always say aloud.

And this mont, with Cassandra joining them after hours, was sothing rare. She used to go ho imdiately after lectures, but not today.

Today marked exactly one month since Charlotte’s death.

"Ah, sorry I’m late. I just got back yesterday, and there were a lot of things I had to settle."

The one they had all been waiting for finally arrived. It was Astrid who had just returned from the academic conference

"Shall we go?" Astrid asked, gesturing with a slight tilt of her head.

In the distance, a sleek black sedan parked. Her personal driver was seated at the front. Without needing another word, everyone nodded and entered the vehicle one by one.

As the car pulled into motion, the atmosphere inside grew more relaxed. Everyone sank into their seats/

"By the way, I saw the professor the other day," Astrid said.

"Really?" Silas turned toward her imdiately.

"Yup." Astrid nodded. "He was invited as a panelist. I didn’t expect to see him there, honestly. I was really surprised."

"I’m glad he’s doing well," Cassandra said, a wistful expression across her face.

"Will he be coming?" Ezra suddenly asked.

A pause.

"I don’t think so," Astrid replied after a mont. "I don’t think he’s left Estelle yet. He might be really busy. And honestly, it’s understandable... I’ve heard stories about people throwing themselves into work just to cope with grief."

"That’s—" Silas began, but Astrid was still speaking.

"When I spoke to him... I tried so hard to lighten the mood, to communicate with him, to make him smile even just a little. He looked like his usual self, but... it was like sothing vital had been torn inside him."

She paused, glancing down at her hands folded on her lap.

"And I kept wondering, if I could’ve said sothing more. If there was sothing I missed. But when I saw his face, how hard he tried to pretend nothing was wrong, I just knew. He’s hurting more than he lets on."

No one spoke for a while as Astrid’s words sank in. Cassandra looked out the window. Ezra sat in silence, deep in thought. And Silas exhaled a sigh, resting his elbow on the doorfra and leaning his cheek against his knuckles.

That day, when the news of Charlotte’s death had been confird, it had been Silas who had lashed out.

He couldn’t hold it in. His fists had clenched, his voice had broken, and all of it had poured out of anger and grief. Ezra had been the one to calm him down.

He had reminded him that Charlotte Astrea was Vanitas Astrea’s beloved little sister.

And that Vanitas, he had been the one hurting the most.

So much so that he had waged a war by himself against the Church and the cult responsible.

Thinking about it now, Silas couldn’t help but feel a bitter sting of sha. That day, when he lashed out, when he let his emotions overflow without thinking, Vanitas hadn’t said a word to him, hadn’t co to find him, or reach out, not even once.

The next mont, they arrived at the cetery.

There had never been a formal funeral for Charlotte. Her body had never been found. And Vanitas had refused to hold one.

Still, sothing remained.

It was the head maid, Heidi, the woman who had practically raised Charlotte, who had taken it upon herself to create a small mory of her.

Alongside the rest of the Astrea household staff, they had made a morial in her na with Vanitas’s permission under the pretenses of ’Do whatever you want, I’ll cover the cost.’

"Huh?"

"Who’s that?"

As they neared the grave, they noticed soone already standing by it. A lone figure, clearly a woman, was standing before the morial. She wore a wide-brimd hat, and her long silver hair spilled down her back, gently swaying with the evening breeze.

"Wait, guys, I think that’s—" Ezra was just about to speak, but Astrid had already stepped forward.

"Karina Maeril."

It was none other than the assistant professor who had vanished a year ago. Karina Maeril.

For a mont, she said nothing. Then, slowly, she turned to Astrid.

"Princess. It’s been a while. You’ve grown."

Astrid clenched her fists. "How shaless of you to—"

But Karina didn’t acknowledge the accusation. Instead, her eyes shifted to the others behind Astrid ad she gave a slight nod.

"Ezra. Silas. Cassandra. It’s nice to see all of you as well."

"...."

"...."

"...."

No one responded.

They didn’t know the full story of what had transpired between Professor Vanitas and Karina. But what they did know was that when Karina vanished, all the responsibilities had fallen squarely onto Vanitas’s shoulders.

The sudden increase in his workload and the look in his eyes when her na ca up all pointed to sothing more than just a colleague’s absence.

And the fact that Vanitas never once spoke ill of her, never voiced resentnt, and only ever made excuses on her behalf made it clear to them who had truly been in the wrong.

"It seems I’m not welco here," Karina said. "But I, too, cherished Charlotte."

No one answered. But even in their silence, there was a silent acknowledgnt. They could at least respect that much.

Karina stepped closer to Astrid, eting her gaze. Once upon a ti, Astrid had been taller. Now, they stood eye to eye.

"Princess," Karina began, "there’s more to everything than ets the eye. I’m still in the midst of investigating, but once I’ve confird everything, I’ll co find you."

"What are you—" Astrid began, but Karina cut her off.

"Don’t trust Vanitas Astrea."

She turned her eyes to the others, as if conveying, ’So should all of you.’

After saying her piece, Karina adjusted her hat and turned away.

"I’ll be taking my leave now."

* * *

At first, Selena was baffled by Aston’s sudden statent. Leave the Theocracy? What was he talking about? Even soone like Selena, who often had revelations in tis of looming tragedy, couldn’t quite grasp the Sword Saint’s words.

Yet after his seemingly frivolous explanation, she understood now why he was reacting this way.

"Shall we go for a walk, Saintess?"

"Yes."

Naturally, no one else knew. Not the clergy, not the priests, not even the pope, Telos Alexander IX himself.

Under the simple pretense of a walk, the two stepped outside the grand cathedral of the Theocracy, a towering structure with centuries of history to its na.

They strolled around the cathedral’s vast garden until their path eventually led them to the city streets.

And the mont they erged, several passersby recognized them and waved. The Saintess and the Sword Saint were icons of reverence and admiration.

In the eyes of the Theocracy, the Saintess was their Holy Maiden, their Princess, while the Sword Saint was their guardian, a symbol of hope and strength that safeguarded the Theocracy’s long-lasting prosperity.

"Where do you want to go first?" Aston asked.

"The orphanage."

Of course, that was her answer. Selena wanted to visit the place where she had grown up. The orphanage was located on the rural outskirts of the Theocracy.

But with the Sword Saint by her side, there was no need for an escort. Her safety was already guaranteed, and with her reputation, their travel remained peaceful.

The mont they arrived, the sound of laughter filled the air.

"Big sister!"

Children who had been playing outside dropped everything and rushed toward Selena with bright faces. She visited often enough that even the newer children recognized her.

And as for the older ones, those who knew exactly who she was, who understood the importance of her title in the Theocracy, they still embraced her without hesitation.

"Hey now, one at a ti," she laughed, crouching down as several small arms wrapped around her. "You’re all getting so big..."

Aston stood a few paces behind, watching the scene. It was rare to see Selena smile so openly, so naturally.

One of the boys tugged at her sleeve. "Did you bring candy again?"

Selena smiled warmly. "Of course I did."

She reached into her bag and pulled out wrapped sweets, handing them out to the growing crowd of excited hands. The noise grew louder.

Behind her, Aston quietly stepped to the side and leaned against the old wooden fence, arms crossed. For a while, he simply watched without intruding on the mont.

His gaze wandered from the laughing children to the warm expression on Selena’s face, a look that seed foreign to the public image she had in the capital.

As Selena knelt down, hugging the children tightly, one of the sisters overseeing the orphanage froze the mont her eyes landed on her. The air around her grew tense out of reverence.

Especially the new sister.

The mont she caught sight of the man standing a few steps behind, her eyes widened, and she rushed over imdiately, lowering herself into a respectful bow.

"Your Holiness... Sword Saint," she stamred. "We weren’t inford of your arrival."

Aston gave a polite nod. "We ca unannounced. No need for formalities."

Still kneeling, the sister seed overwheld, not daring to lift her gaze.

"It’s alright," Selena said gently, rising to her feet and helping the sister up by the arm. "You’re new, aren’t you?"

The sister nodded quickly, still flustered. "Y-Yes, Saintess. I arrived only three weeks ago."

Selena smiled. "Then welco. This place... it ans a lot to . Please, don’t be nervous. Everyone here is my family."

The older sister who had been watching from the doorway finally stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her habit.

"It’s good to see you again, Saintess Selena," she said. "The children always talk about you when you’re gone."

"I’ve missed them too," Selena replied, glancing back at the kids still swarming around her with bright eyes and sticky fingers. "And I wanted to co ho, for a while."

Her face darkened, just slightly. Aston noticed it but said nothing.

The older sister must’ve caught it too. "Is sothing the matter?"

Selena hesitated, then offered a smile. "Not today. Today, I just want to be here."

"Then co," the sister said. "We’ve just finished preparing lunch. You must be tired from the journey."

Selena nodded and turned to the children. "Co on, everyone. Let’s eat together, alright?"

But the mont those words left her lips, a chilling mory surged within her vision.

——Why did you kill us?

The sound of children’s weeping accusations echoed. Their voices laced with sorrow, with betrayal.

——!

And in a flash, the orphanage, engulfed in flas.

That revelation, that nightmare, the premonition that had haunted her a year ago.

"...."

Her breath caught in her throat.

For the briefest of seconds, Selena stood frozen as the past and future collided into a single image in her mind. The charred wood, the screams, the thick smoke in the air.

And those eyes.

Those innocent eyes staring back at her with grief.

"Big sister?"

The children tugged at her sleeves, calling her na, and just like that, the vision faded.

Selena blinked.

The world returned. The sky was blue, and the laughter was real. The orphanage was still whole.

"...Yes. Let’s eat."

....At least, for now.