114 — A Brief Gathering

1

The day’s events had come to an end.

The results would be announced on Wednesday, in the middle of the week.

The next event was scheduled for early next week, exactly one week from now.

Anais and Kael had performed excellently in their duels against the assistant instructors, and they were quite hopeful.

There were a total of four candidates.

They would compete again to prove, through sheer might, who deserved the position of Student Council President.

Of course, there could be others more capable than the Student Council President.

But those people chose not to pursue power.

Only those with courage could make a name for themselves in this world.

“You did well. That was incredible. It was like watching my father.”

“I still have a long way to go. You were amazing too, Anais.”

Kael was genuinely surprised.

She had always thought Anais’s talent lay solely in her overwhelming firepower.

But to think she could handle magic with such precision.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.

“You’ve been training hard with Senior Manus, haven’t you? I’m so jealous.”

“…You don’t know how it was for me there, do you? I almost died.”

“Really? Even so… The things he teaches are valuable.”

“Yeah, when your life is on the line, it all sinks in. I never knew I had this kind of talent.”

Kael gave a bitter smile.

Why? Why did these emotions keep bubbling up inside her?

Feeling a strange emotion, she lightly patted her chest.

Anais noticed the shift in Kael’s mood.

“If you’re that upset, you can always go see him. Haha, it’s funny. It’s like our roles have completely reversed from before.”

“Yeah, I think I will.”

Kael steadied her resolve at Anais’s suggestion.

Yes, if she wanted to see him, she could just go.

If she had something to ask, she could go ahead and do it.

Better to act than to stew in indecision.

With that, the two decided to go find Manus.

Srrrk—.

Right at that moment, Aden appeared in front of them.

“Both of you, well done today. Lord Manus has asked that everyone who is available gather in the club room.”

“Did something happen?”

“Yes, he was quite disappointed to have missed your match, Kael. He had to leave to meet the Chairman urgently.”

“Oh…”

Kael’s lips twitched.

Seeing her trying to hold back a smile was so endearing that Aden couldn’t help but smile herself.

Did Manus even realize this young girl’s feelings for him?

Knowing him, that indifferent person probably noticed but chose to ignore it.

Aden put aside her thoughts and bowed her head slightly.

A gesture that was not excessive, yet conveyed sufficient courtesy.

Kael and Anais’s eyes lit up with positive acknowledgment as they watched her natural movement.

“Can we go now?”

“Yes. You two are the last ones.”

“Then let’s go together.”

“Haha, I shouldn’t be seen mingling too freely with the students… I hope you understand.”

Both of them nodded.

It was perfectly understandable.

As the Head Maid, her role was to assist from the shadows.

Being seen socializing with students could create an undesirable impression.

Aden slipped back into the shadows, while Kael and Anais turned toward the main building.

Why was Manus calling for them?

Aden’s expression had been quite serious, so it must have been an important matter.

“Let’s hurry.”

“Yeah.”

The two quickened their pace.

2

“So, why did he call us?”

“Not sure. We still don’t know. Where could he be—?”

The club room.

The members had gathered after receiving Aden’s message.

Since Manus himself had not yet arrived, they were speculating about various things.

Discussing unconfirmed rumors was always entertaining.

Especially Nia, who voiced all kinds of conjectures.

Her mutterings sank into the ears of Alano, Guillermo, and the rest of the first-year students.

“No way… But then again, could he be up to something already… I haven’t heard anything yet—.”

“…Should we stop her?”

“Hmm… maybe it’s better to just let her be?”

Pearson and Melanie whispered to each other.

Alano wore a wry smile, while Guillermo remained expressionless, busy polishing his shield.

Emerson was absent today due to family matters.

They waited for some time.

Finally, the stars of today’s show, Anais and Kael, appeared with the click of the door.

Everyone’s eyes turned to them, and the lively atmosphere of the club room buzzed even more.

“Kael! Anais! My friends! Wow—good job today! Anais, you were so cool! When did you learn magic like that? And Kael, it felt like you were firing a cannon! Am I the only one always falling behind?”

“G-good job, both of you.”

“You both did great. I’m sure you were nervous, but you handled it well.”

Pearson, Melanie, and Alano showered them with praise.

They say compliments can make even a whale dance.

Their words brought smiles to Anais and Kael’s faces.

Guillermo also made a brief comment.

It was quite a rare occurrence.

“…It’s something to be cautious about.”

“Thank you, Senior.”

Anais smiled sweetly and bowed her head.

Pointing to Anais’s hair, Pearson commented.

“Oh, but your tied-up hair looks really good on you! It really makes your face stand out!”

“R-really? I tied it up because it was in the way… Maybe I should change my style like Kael?”

While Anais was fiddling with her hair, Melanie suddenly interjected.

“Anais, um, s-so, are we climbing the tower together now?”

“Huh? O-of course! I think I was just a bundle of inferiority back then. Sorry, everyone.”

Anais bowed her head.

It was a sincere apology, only possible for someone who had met their true self after shedding past insecurities.

Smiles appeared on everyone’s faces.

Kael also bowed her head quietly.

“I’m sorry too. I could have handled it better, but instead, I ruined the atmosphere.”

“Hey—it’s all good if it ends well! We’re all rooting for both of you, so don’t fight anymore, okay?”

“Of course.”

Anais beamed with the same face as before, now brimming with cheerfulness.

Just as the atmosphere lightened, Manus finally entered.

Behind him was someone none of them recognized.

After acknowledging the greetings from the members, Manus spoke.

“I will be leaving the academy for a few days.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Is something wrong?”

Questions poured in.

Manus set a serious tone to instill a sense of urgency.

Taking a moment to pause, he made eye contact with each person, creating an air of impending events.

“In about a month, the full moon will rise. You all know this.”

“-Yes.”

“The day of the full moon is closely related to erosion. This has been passed down through oral tradition.”

“I remember… ‘The day when the two moons become complete is the day the God of Death watches over all creation.’”

Everyone nodded.

It was a well-known fact.

Stories spread like folklore had led people to stay indoors on such nights.

But what if it wasn’t just a superstition?

Surprise spread across their faces.

If that was true, what would happen to the world, and how should they respond?

Faced with a new subject, a new wall, they began to feel concern and unease.

“On that day, Eresis will move. I’ve received information from my family and will be going out to investigate.”

“-Alone?”

“Yes.”

“That’s too dangerous. If something happens to you—”

Kael stepped in to dissuade him.

She had felt like she’d taken a step closer to him, but now he was leaving again…

It felt like she was always out of sync with Manus.

Yes, of course, they weren’t anything to each other, and she knew that Senior Manus didn’t have any personal feelings for her—

Still, she couldn’t hide her disappointment.

It wasn’t just romantic feelings; even as a junior, it hurt.

“It’s fine. My sister from the family will be helping me.”

“Your sister…?”

“Caeser Invidea. You’ve heard of her, I’m sure.”

“Ah—”

A genius mage.

The shining star of the Caeser family.

The one destined to be the queen of the mage world.

She had many titles.

Only a few years ago, she had attended Mythos Academy as well.

Nia, who had been listening quietly, clapped her hands.

“Senior Invidea! I remember her. She was incredible.”

“Oh, Senior Nia, you were in the same grade as her?”

“Yeah, when I was in my first year, she was in her fourth. She was a legend. At one point, she was my goal.”

Nia recounted stories about Invidea as if she were a school legend.

Her golden eyes were filled with awe.

Building on Nia’s testimony, Manus reiterated his point about leaving alone.

“The Chairman has only allowed me to go alone. Kael, Anais, focus on the Student Council President selection.”

“-Okay.”

Both of them couldn’t hide their disappointment.

How had they become so attached already?

Seeing their expressions, Manus realized he had grown quite close to them.

He took a step forward and lightly placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

A touch that was courteous and light, leaving no sense of discomfort.

The warmth from his hand eased their expressions, even if just a little.

While waiting, Manus decided to plant a small goal for them.

To make the waiting time pass more quickly.

“I understand how you feel about me. When I return, I’ll watch your magic once. Until then, think carefully about the questions you want to ask.”

“Uh—we—mmph!”

Melanie quickly clamped her hand over Pearson’s mouth before he could blurt out something inappropriate.

Now was not the time to ruin a good mood.

Ever perceptive, Melanie signaled Manus to continue.

“You must do well, even without me here. That’s why I’ve helped you. And…”

Manus trailed off.

Red and blue eyes looked at him.

Eyes so captivating, like a sculpture cherished by the gods.

Realizing this, the two students blushed.

Manus saw their reactions and smiled slightly.

His face, breaking into a smile, was more beautiful than anyone’s.

“…Thank you for your concern. You’ve done well today.”

With those words, his expression returned to its usual stoic state.

The gentle breeze that had briefly passed through turned back into the cold wind, teasing only their hair before disappearing.

Perhaps that fleeting warmth is so precious because it’s so rare.

“Keep climbing the tower steadily. Soon, the enemies will come.”

“-Yes.”

Kael and Alano.

By splitting into two teams for exploration, their teamwork would naturally improve.

The 100th floor.

Manus’s first goal.

Before the full moon rises, at the time of the new moon, they needed to conquer that place.

There was something important there.

With their current abilities, they were more than capable.

Manus himself had made sure of that.

Now, with about two months to go.

The wings of a creature far larger than a butterfly had begun to stir.

For it wasn’t just the world that was about to change.

–TL Notes–
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