Ch…36
In a temporary barracks guided by the knight, I sat across from her and exchanged a brief greeting.
“I am Hailey Gardwin, Captain of the 4th Royal Knights.”
“Edith Crowell.”
…No wonder the Royal Knights arrived so quickly. It was the Gardwin family. It seemed that Yan Gardwin had survived and personally summoned the Royal Knights, which worked in my favor.
When she removed her helmet, the lines on Yan Gardwin’s face appeared slightly deeper, revealing a soft, charming woman’s face.
She didn’t ask me much.
She only inquired about what happened during the extermination practice, the circumstances of the incident. I gave a concise statement just enough to make sense of the puzzle pieces.
Hailey Gardwin seemed to consider even that sufficient.
She focused particularly on the appearance of the mutated monster and the fact that the monster’s core could be used to heal the body to some extent.
‘If things stay like this, there won’t be any suspicion.’
I wrapped my hands around the warm tea she had a knight serve me and sipped it.
It was slightly sweeter than the tea Camilla Guinevere had given me, but similarly calming.
As I quietly drank, I watched her organize my story on parchment.
‘…I used to open my eyes around this point.’
The starting point of my return was gradually coming back.
And much had changed.
Hailey Gardwin rolled up the parchment and tucked it under her arm, smiling gently.
“Thank you for cooperating despite the hardship. The healing ability contained in the new monster’s ‘core’ is quite mysterious as well.”
“I wouldn’t have known without Prince Behemoth.”
At this point, humility. I couldn’t afford to draw more attention.
Unpredictable elements like Therion could appear again at any moment.
However, Hailey Gardwin, as if aware of my intentions, responded with a relaxed smile.
“Perhaps soon, an official notice from the Mage Tower will be sent to Miss Edith Crowell.”
And she was not wrong.
A week later, almost all the students returned to the academy.
I had carefully watched, anxious that the “resurrected” professors, knights, and students might somehow act strangely, but unlike the corpses revived by necromancers, they lived with true intelligence and self-awareness. My worries were completely unfounded.
Students returned in sequence depending on the severity of their injuries, with those in the reconnaissance squad returning slowly.
Three days ago, Yan Gardwin returned, two days ago, Camilla Guinevere. And today, Ethan was said to be coming back.
I couldn’t use the temple like other students.
The cost was high, and if a priest noticed my body and realized I had made a contract with a demon, it would be over.
So instead, I used the elixirs that Yan and Camilla had gifted in heaps as compensation to heal my injuries and rested at the academy.
Therion, who was responsible for roughly half of those injuries, stuck right beside me, chattering.
“Miss Edith, are you really okay with that?”
“Yes. I think I’m completely fine now.”
I removed the bandage from my cheek, frowning.
‘…That stings.’
The wound across my cheek had healed.
I had received it during this return, so indeed, a stormy few days had passed.
During that time, the way people looked at me had changed considerably.
Cain Guinevere’s group’s petty provocations had noticeably decreased, and influential families like Yan Gardwin and Camilla Guinevere’s had taken my side, naturally shifting the balance of power.
Especially that guy—Chester or Casterne—who drew his sword demanding I yield my chance in the extermination practice, ran off as soon as he saw me. Apparently, he thought I might gouge his eyes out.
‘Kids, really…’
Eyes followed me wherever I went in the academy. Perhaps that’s why Therion didn’t stop his weak act.
“I still feel dizzy…”
“……”
Just then, a bird with burning feathers flew down from the sky, circled above my head, and lightly perched on my shoulder.
‘…This bird.’
It was the magical messenger used by the Mage Tower to send official notices. The phoenix handed me the parchment it held in its beak.
“To Miss Edith Crowell.”
‘…No way, really?’
I cautiously opened the parchment, and just as Hailey Gardwin had predicted, it was indeed a summons from the Mage Tower.
*“To Miss Edith Crowell,
We intend to conduct research on developing a healing treatment using the cores of the mutated monsters you discovered. We wish to invite a promising student to participate.”*
In short, it said that since I seemed remarkably talented at a young age, perhaps I should leave the academy life behind and devote myself to research at the Mage Tower.
Had I not experienced this return, I would have accepted immediately.
Therion glanced at the letter, whispering softly.
“Will you go?”
“Hmm….”
What should I say?
Just then, a dark shadow suddenly fell ahead.
“……?”
What?
Looking up, Ethan was standing there.
“Ethan?”
He had arrived as expected on his day of return.
Without asking permission, he glanced at my parchment.
“…Are you going to the Mage Tower?”
Why are you curious about that?
I didn’t answer deliberately and instead asked about his condition. I was more curious.
“You’ve returned. Are you well enough not to rest more? Why did you come….”
At that moment, a faint memory flashed through my mind. You… don’t tell me.
“You said we’d do physical training after the extermination practice.”
“…That was serious?”
“Of course. And…”
Really?
Ethan Behemoth truly was another kind of madman. He remembered something like that after all we went through…
Ethan opened his mouth again, as if his business wasn’t finished.
“….”
He glared at Therion with a displeased look.
Even I could feel the sharp gaze directed beside me.
Therion, who usually acted weak, tilted his head slightly and stared back at him with a cold smile.
For some reason, a chilly tension passed between the two of them.
Ethan continued.
“…Can we talk for a moment? Just the two of us.”
The emphasis on “just the two of us” was unmistakable.
I glanced at Therion. He shrugged and smiled lightly, as if telling me to go ahead.
…I had an idea. I straightened my voice and nodded. Finally, it’s here.
“Yes. Let’s.”
We quietly walked toward a bench near the fountain.
It was the same spot where Ethan had once applied ointment to my cheek.
Some students were already seated, but upon seeing us approach, they blushed and hurriedly left.
Why are they like that?
Once seated and the surroundings quieted, Ethan began.
“I heard you’ve been close to Rimos Therion recently.”
“Yes.”
“If I’m not mistaken… didn’t he command monsters in the canyon that time?”
My heart sank, but I shook my head firmly, hiding my expression.
“You must be mistaken.”
Right, I already had an explanation ready.
Ethan tilted his head in doubt.
“Really?”
“…Yes.”
“Then what was that? Surely….”
“There are several monsters that mimic appearances besides mimics. That was it. When I later compared Rimos Therion’s memory with the event, he couldn’t have been there.”
I rattled off my prepared excuse.
I’m quite good at lying, but for some reason, standing before Ethan Behemoth, who seemed to trust me absolutely, my lips went dry.
“I see.”
“Besides, how could a Holy Mage control monsters?”
I added that, wetting my dry lips with saliva. My breath came in short gasps.
Finally, Ethan nodded, seemingly convinced.
“Almost got myself killed, huh.”
……
A chill ran down my spine. He had really intended to act. Well, he was an action type.
After a brief pause, Ethan asked again.
“So, are you going to the Mage Tower?”
What a miraculous topic change.
Being so persistent, there was no point in dodging.
I swept my hair back and answered leisurely.
“…No.”
There’s no reason to go to the Mage Tower right now. Because…
“Then starting tomorrow, you and I will do physical training—”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
I pulled out another letter from my pocket.
It was thick, high-quality paper with a red crow-shaped seal carefully affixed.
A long letter had arrived as urgent news right after the extermination practice and first aid a week ago.
It was from my beloved younger sister, Diana Crowell.
“She asked to see me because she was worried at home. I plan to return home briefly to recover.”
Normally, the academy did not allow long outings for new students, but exceptionally, students included in the recent extermination practice and reconnaissance squad were allowed to leave for recovery.
I thought my plan to return home had been ruined since the academy wasn’t destroyed, but this opportunity had appeared.
I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of meeting my family.
‘Diana at this time must be so adorable. Mother and Father are safe too.’
Ethan, who couldn’t take his eyes off my slightly upturned lips, suddenly asked.
“…Can I accompany you?”
“…Excuse me?”
Why do you want to come to my home?
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