’....Joshephe.’
Ragnar’s daughter.
She stopped a few steps away when she noticed .
She had long black hair just like her mother and a slightly chubby face.
Those golden eyes filled with spirals matched her father’s eyes.
"Professor Azrael," she said politely, bowing slightly.
Her voice was steady, but I could feel anger beneath it.
"Miss Joshephe," I replied calmly. "It’s been a while."
"Yes."
She straightened, her eyes briefly scanning my face as if trying to read sothing.
"I didn’t expect to see you at the academy today."
"Neither did I," I said dryly. "But things rarely go as expected lately."
A faint pause settled between us.
Students in the hallway quietly slipped away, sensing the heavy atmosphere.
Joshephe spoke again after a mont. "Are you going to take our class?"
"....Perhaps I will," I replied calmly.
She hesitated for a long second like she was holding back from saying sothing.
"If you have nothing to say—."
"M-my mother," she cut off hesitantly. "She asked if you could et her—."
"No," I replied imdiately. "I don’t want to."
A flushed look appeared on her face as she looked up. "W-why?"
"I don’t want to," I said, walking past her. "Now, go back to your class."
I could hear her grumbling behind , but I chose to ignore her.
There wasn’t much to think about eting her mother.
’...I am sure she is well aware of my identity and wants to get sothing out of .’
Perhaps sothing related to Ragnar?
’Regardless of her intentions, I have no plans to be close to any of them.’
When I reached the second floor, I looked back at the girl.
She wasn’t alone now; a boy was also with her.
’....Arthur.’
The young boy stood there quietly, his posture straight as always while Joshephe vented her frustration.
She was waving her hands as she spoke quickly, clearly not caring that nearby students were staring at them from a safe distance.
It was sothing I had seen quite a few tis in the ga.
’I wonder if their relationship is the sa as it was in the ga.’
I kept my eyes on Arthur for a long second, and as if he noticed, he looked up.
I began walking without looking back.
’With how things are, he should have started getting the mories of Adon.’
By the ti the third ga started, he should already have had an identity crisis.
’Though, I first have to deal with that thing.’
I thought, glancing up at the white ring around Akasha.
’What a pain.’
---
[Head Base of the Three Gods Church]
After spending almost half a day inside the academy, I returned to my house.
The first one to greet was Nyria, who was sitting in the front yard.
Her long red hair spilled over her shoulder as she idly trailed her fingers around the garden.
She looked up the mont she sensed .
"Welco back," she said, smiling.
I smiled back as I walked toward her. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing," she replied. "....Just thinking about last night."
Ah, right. Iffa interrupted us last night.
I put my hands in my pockets as I looked at her.
Honestly, I felt bad for her.
After losing her mom, she had changed a lot, and that too for the better.
I stopped a few steps away from her and leaned lightly against the stone railing.
"...Thinking about what exactly?" I asked.
She didn’t answer as she quietly hid her face behind her hair.
Her fingers gently brushed the leaves of a small rose bush beside her.
"Nothing," she said at last. "...It’s nothing."
I chuckled and gently patted her head, which she gladly accepted.
"I won’t mind if you co to my room tonight as well," I said gently. "Well, if you need to."
Nyria looked up abruptly. "Really?"
Her reaction was so quick that it almost caught off guard.
"...Yes," I replied calmly. "If you need to."
Nyria stared at for a second longer, as if trying to confirm whether I was joking.
When she realized I wasn’t, her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"...I will," she said quietly.
I gently withdrew my hand from her head and looked toward the sky again.
’Well, I have other things to do.’
Leaving Nyria with her thoughts, I walked toward the main house.
When I opened the door, the maids greeted as I passed them my bag and coat.
"Lady Zenith has called you in the basent," one of them inford .
I nodded. "Thank you."
I walked down the long hallway toward the basent stairs.
The air grew cooler with every step I took.
Unlike the rest of the house, the basent wasn’t ant for comfort.
I had built it to do my work.
A faint glow of mana lamps lit the stone walls, casting long shadows that shifted slightly as I moved.
By the ti I reached the bottom, I could already sense Zenith’s presence.
I opened the main door as I walked inside the room.
Zenith was standing on the side, examining a white creature trapped in a transparent box.
I turned my gaze to Willis, who was sitting in the corner. "You already caught one?"
"It isn’t that hard," he replied proudly. "It is easy with Iffa’s help."
I nodded and looked for the girl. "Where is she?"
"Playing with the rmaid?"
"With Kana?" I asked.
"No," he replied. "The other one. Olivia is also with her."
"I see," I mumbled. "Mind keeping an eye on them?"
He nodded and walked out of the room without complaining.
Left alone with Zenith, I focused on the creature again.
’....Iffa’s barrier is as useful as before.’
I thought, keeping my eyes on the creature inside.
I had given my spirit the task to find one of them, and they hadn’t disappointed .
Walking toward Zenith, I asked, "You found sothing?"
Her eyes remained fixed on the creature.
"...Yes," she said quietly.
I stepped closer and finally got a proper look at it.
The thing didn’t have a stable shape.
It looked like white smoke forced into a rough humanoid outline.
"This thing is really disturbing," she grumbled quietly. "How can such a thing exist?"
"Well, it is in front of you," I replied, folding my arms. "...Hard to believe, but this thing actually exists."
She finally turned toward , and for once there was no sarcasm on her face...only unease.
"This thing shouldn’t be able to exist here at all."
"I know," I said, nodding.
"You don’t," she grumbled, her breathing shallow. "This thing... is really dangerous."
I imdiately noticed sothing was wrong with her reaction.
"Zenith," I said. "Are you hiding sothing?"
She flinched, but the longer I waited, the more she beca firm.
"It’s just...," she whispered. "What if they are the reason we don’t have Akasha in the future?"
"....."
I stared at her for a long second as sothing clicked in my mind.
’....Did she see the future in which Akasha isn’t there?’
Zenith hugged her arms tightly around herself. "Urgh, this isn’t good."
I gently rubbed her back to ease her feelings as I stared at the thing.
The white creature inside the barrier twitched again, its surface rippling like disturbed water.
"If this isn’t made of mana," I mumbled, glancing at her, "then what do you think it is made of?"
She thought for a long second. "I don’t know. From what you said, if it is made by the Outer Goddess, then maybe—."
"It is made of divinity," I finished her words.
Without saying anything else, I gently pushed her behind .
"Keep yourself safe," I said, looking back at her.
Zenith stood there confused as I looked at the creature.
’....Divinity.’
Perhaps this could work.
Taking a deep breath, I gently passed my hand through the barrier.
---
[Sgaeyl Household, Akasha]
"Grandma!"
In Mariam’s office, a girl walked inside with a cheerful voice.
Mariam stood up from her desk and walked toward the girl with a bright smile.
"Welco back, Izara!" she said as she picked up the girl.
Izara wrapped her arms around Mariam’s neck, giggling as her small legs kicked lightly.
"You ca early today," Mariam said warmly as she carried her toward the sofa. "I thought your lessons would last longer."
"They ended early," Izara replied happily. "Teacher said everyone is distracted."
Mariam’s smile dimd as she murmured, "I see."
Her gaze shifted outside as a woman with long blonde hair walked in.
Diana bowed slightly before Mariam. "My lady."
"Do we have news?" Mariam asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Sir Edel has already approved the ritual by the church. We will proceed in a few days."
Mariam gently set Izara down on the sofa and brushed her hair aside.
"What about Himl?" Mariam asked.
Diana shook her head.
"Is brother Himl coming back?" Izara asked, eyes twinkling.
Mariam smiled. "Yes, he will—."
Her words halted as an earthquake shook the office.
"What?"
Mariam blinked as she looked up at the sky.
"....What is going on?"
Thousands upon thousands of white creatures...
...were all writhing in pain.
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