'How savage.'

At some point, Bella had pulled out a small dagger, preparing to fight. Herote, sitting on the sofa, looked down at them with an intimidating air.

Luca was watching nervously, clinging to Whistle between them.

"Young master. Shouldn't we run? Shall I try something?"

Whistle whispered to Luca, glancing at Herote.

"Stay put. If you step in, we'll actually have to fight."

With that, Luca shook his head and turned to Herote.

"I intend to tell you everything, so please calm down."

"And why should I trust you? What if you're lying?"

"If we're talking guarantees, there's also no proof that what's in my memory is really the truth either. When the dean opens up my mind, there's no guarantee that the memories revealed aren't ones manipulated by Demons, is there?"

Herote fell silent for a moment at Luca's words. If Herote truly knew about Demons, she would understand that was entirely possible.

"... Fine. Let's hear it. What do you know about this group called Demons?"

With those words, Herote gestured to the sofa in front of her.

The glass of water on the table and sofa, which had previously been disrupted, were somehow restored to their original position.

Luca tried to head for the sofa, but Bella grabbed his sleeve.

"?"

"...."

Bella's eyes were telling him to run. Luca slowly shook his head. Now was not the time to retreat.

He went and sat on the sofa; Bella hesitated briefly, then stood behind him, in case they needed to run at any moment.

Once the atmosphere settled a bit, Luca began to speak.

"I don't know precisely what they do or what kind of organization they are. But I do know they are a group associated with the devils."

"I wasn't looking to hear such obvious remarks."

"...."

Her tone was still irritated, but her speech ending with a polite "yo" again indicated that she was somewhat calmed down.

Luca slightly pursed his lips, then continued.

"Their goal is to completely dominate the academy and, in the process, remove the current headmaster, Eltima Cross. That's their number one objective."

"Those scumbags dare say they'll oust headmaster Eltima?"

Herote sneered. Luca replied nonchalantly.

"It's less about eliminating her physically and more about removing her from her post as headmaster."

"I know."

"... Anyway, their means involve the students."

He shook the forewarning note, already half-crumpled by Herote.

"They must really have it out for me, going as far as to stage this farce."

"I think I get the gist now."

Hearing up to there, Herote propped her chin on her hand, elbow on her knee.

"So that wasn't a warning but a notice, then."

"Yes. Even if I found this, it wouldn't stop the explosion. Rather, I'd probably be framed as the culprit behind it."

"Interesting."

Herote smirked slightly and looked at the notice in Luca's hand.

"The evidence is probably the 'demonic eye' mentioned there, right?"

"... Yes."

Luca was impressed inwardly. She saw through more than he expected. Thanks to that, the conversation progressed quickly.

"The original owner of the demonic eye written in that notice was Martin Curves. He was an agent of Demons who infiltrated the academy."

"Because of him, headmaster Eltima is away right now, right?"

She seemed to have a rough idea about Martin as well. Luca nodded as he replied.

"I don't know the exact reason, but Martin was targeting me."

"Targeting you, huh."

Herote lightly furrowed her brows, trying to guess the reason, but it was impossible – not even Luca knew.

"Three students have already died in front of me because of him, and three others nearly did."

"... I wasn't really interested, so I didn't pay attention, but it's true that something like that happened, isn't it?"

When he said students had died and almost died, Herote made an ambiguous expression. Only she could know whether it was out of pity or interest.

"Martin didn't know that I had Whistle."

"You mean that bird?"

"Yes. Whistle possesses the power of the sky, which can resist the devils' power. Thanks to that, I was able to kill Martin."

At the mention of 'power of the sky', Herote's face became intrigued for a moment, but she soon shook her head.

"So you say you heard information from this Martin?"

"He tried to control me with the power of the demonic eye. Before that, he babbled about his plans."

Luca paused for a second to take a sip of water, then continued slowly.

"He said the academy was already almost under their control. That all that's left is to get rid of the bothersome master. Once that's done, they could make the academy theirs and then conquer the empire from there."

"That's quite a leap."

"He didn't say it exactly that way, but he spoke with a similar nuance. And also..."

Luca shook the notice.

"With things like this arriving instead of just toying with me before taking my mind, I'd say it's not all lies."

"It's a little thin as evidence, but not something one can dismiss either."

Herote half-closed her eyes. After a moment's silence, she spoke slowly.

"I've heard you out. There are a few unsatisfactory points, but I guess it's worth listening a bit more to you."

"Then..."

"But, there's one thing we should clarify."

As she spoke, Herote raised two fingers.

"One: Where exactly is this demonic eye they keep talking about? It seems pretty important to them, so I need to know what it really is."

"I am keeping it safely with me. If I show it, it could be taken, so let's leave it at that."

"... Fine. Then the second."

Herote met Luca's gaze.

"You are far too calm."

"..."

"A mere first-year. Speaking as if you've planned it all out. Trying to persuade me like this?"

Woooong!

A magic circle appeared in Herote's eyes.

'Damn it.'

Luca tried to close his eyes immediately, but his body wouldn't move. At the same moment, his consciousness blurred and his mind became a jumble. Then Herote's voice echoed.

"I'll figure out your true identity."

― Mental magic, mind Scan.

Herote's consciousness dug into Luca's mind. At that moment, something blocked her.

― Get lost, witch.

"?"

Slash!

With the sensation of being cut, Herote's mind was expelled from Luca's.

The magic circle split in half and disappeared, and blood tears welled up in Herote's eyes. Luca staggered and collapsed at the same time.

"Ugh!"

"Young master!"

Bella quickly caught him as Luca gasped for breath. Herote, covering her eyes, shouted,

"You... you! What have you hidden in your mind?!"

"... Please don't violate my privacy, witch."

Within his hazy consciousness, Luca recalled the lines his 'inner Luca Traverse' had told him, and managed a forced grin as he mocked her.

Herote bit her lip, then raised both her hands.

"Fine. I was a fool for wanting to listen to you. I'll just restrain you and extract everything from your mind myself!"

"Young master! Leave this to me and just run away!"

"Master! I'll buy you some time somehow!"

As Bella immediately took a combat stance, Whistle was already summoning the power of the clouds.

In this urgent situation, Luca's mind spun desperately.

― So, demon of wisdom, this is the crystallization of my magic.― Amazing. This is... the most beautiful blasphemy that a human can ever perform!― It's not blasphemy. This is the greatest ode possible to humanity through magic.

Suddenly, Herote's end came to mind. There, he found a solution.

"... Herote. Do you believe in God?"

"What?"

Herote paused as Luca's words caught her off guard, but she regained composure as if nothing happened.

"Trying to distract me with weird words..."

"You wouldn't believe. If you believed in God, you wouldn't have done that kind of research in the first place."

Luca cut her off and spoke in a hard voice.

"Ideal Magic."

As soon as those words left Luca's lips, Herote's expression turned vicious.

The air instantly froze. Magic power erupted from Herote, pressing in on the entire room.

Those were words that never should have come from another's lips. And yet, for them to spill from a mere first-year student?

At some point, countless magic circles had formed behind her.

'I'll just restrain him, get everything out of him, and take care of this before headmaster Eltima returns.'

As she thought so, Herote met Luca's gaze.

Wooong!

"!"

As if nothing had happened, the trembling of the air vanished. The magic circles disappeared as well. At the same time, the scenery suddenly changed.

She was immersed in a beautiful night sky. Before her eyes was a lake shining with transparent light. Her own reflection watched her from its mirror-like surface.

"What is... this...?"

It wasn't magic. As a great mage of the 10th circle, Herote would have noticed any spell.

To forcibly transport her like this without magic—the power was on another level.

'This isn't reality. Is it some kind of mental world?'

Regaining her reason quickly, she began to search for a way out of this strange space.

But soon she saw her own reflection in the lake.

"...."

It was herself, face fierce, blood tears streaming.

The sight instantly quelled her boiling emotions. Seeing her pitiful state, she somehow felt ashamed.

Whoosh!

At the same time, the scenery returned to normal. Now, what she saw was a pair of blue eyes shining as transparently as the lake.

Luca's eyes stared at her, not trembling in the least.

'Those eyes... Is that what Demons is after?'

She slowly half-closed her eyes. Regaining her composure, she instinctively tried to understand the situation.

'How on earth did this boy figure out my research?'

Countless possibilities surged like waves, only to burst like foam and disappear. Only a faint watermark remained.

The only trace was the word 'God' that Luca had uttered.

Herote spoke in a bitter voice.

"How do you know about that? I sealed off all information."

"... Would you believe me if I said that God told me?"

"I'll have to. If not, there's no other way you could know."

God told him. Herote concluded that there was simply no other way Luca could have known about her research.

'It's not like headmaster Eltima would have told him.'

Her research was handled with the strictest secrecy. Only Eltima Cross and Herote herself knew the truth.

Others merely assumed it was because she didn't want to share her research.

Herote's research could only be kept confidential.

That's because researching the "Ideal Magic" required using 'life force', something both magic and alchemy classified as taboo.

Originally, she intended to hide away and do the research alone.

But obtaining enough life force was difficult.

The only ways were either to kill humans and take their life force, or to collect tiny amounts from people with strong life force in places where such people gather.

Even Herote did not want to kill for research.

The alternative was to gather traces from humans with strong life force—but finding a place filled with such people where she could research without suspicion was no easy feat.

In that sense, the academy was ideal for researching ideal magic. Every year, a fresh supply of children with overflowing life force came in.

Their mere presence provided all she needed for her research.

And the pretext was perfect.

Eltima Cross, the hero praised throughout the continent, hired a great mage as a professor to make Hernan Academy the best!

Even if people cocked their heads at Herote's selection, no one would doubt her motives.

After all, Eltima Cross saving Herote's life was a famous story everyone knew.

The research lab was well stocked, and the heroic Eltima Cross protected her, so suspicion was minimal.

For her, it was the best place to study.

'And my lab is protected by dozens of magic barriers. No mage on the continent could breach them.'

Even a 10th circle archmage wouldn't easily breach those wards. For it to be found out... unless it was by God, it made no sense.

Herote spoke as if resigned.

"So why did God tell you about my research? To punish me for violating a taboo?"

"If there were punishment, there are people more suitable than me to deliver it."

"Heh. I suppose so."

Herote burst out laughing. The boy before her was too weak to deliver divine punishment. So what did God want?

"There's a point where what God wants and what you want intersect."

"... That's true."

Herote wiped the bloody tears from her eyes.

"Capturing Demons. That must be what God desires."

"Yes. That's what I intended to talk about in the first place."

"Do you think I'd easily believe you if you started talking about Demons out of the blue? Not being suspicious would be more strange."

Herote muttered and sighed, then leaned back against the sofa, crossing her legs.

"Talk. Let's hear your plan."

They'd come full circle, but finally arrived at the destination.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=I'm wondering how Kirius will be connected in all of this?And it seems Herote isn't an agent of the Demons.【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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