Book 3 Chapter 9

Episode 58

It was already Thursday, and the student council room was filled with the rustling sound of papers being turned. As the long holiday had just ended, a considerable amount of work had piled up.

“President, a formal document has come down, instructing us to begin the budget review for the seasonal festival scheduled in three months.”

At the words of Vice President Felix Drake, who worked harder than anyone else, Valensidis nodded.

“We’ll proceed the same way as last year. First, send official notices to each club and set a meeting date.”

If Felix worked diligently, Valensidis worked flawlessly. One could say his work process was fast and accurate, without a single flaw.

As I glanced at it, my eyes met Valensidis’s directly.

Then, Valensidis, who had lightly rested his chin on his fist, let out a cynical, unreadable smirk.

“……”

I had a feeling something was terribly wrong, but for now, I should focus on my work. It was then, as I was looking through the mountain of documents piled on my desk again.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

Sandra Kepel, who had been loafing around as if bored, approached with a look as if she’d caught something good. This person does less work than anyone else.

“Is it a girl problem?”

“If I were to classify it primarily, then yes.”

“What, what, what’s with that reaction? Tell me properly. I perfectly understand a woman’s heart, you know?”

Rein, as always, was searching among the various proposals submitted to the student council for those worthy of being put on the agenda.

“Senior, actually……”

“Actually?”

“I’ll just not say.”

“What?! No, after making someone curious! Aren’t you going to tell me quickly?!”

Do your work, please…….

Because I couldn’t possibly say those words, I just quietly brought up a question I had.

“Senior, do you know Kasena Page?”

“Kasena? Of course, I know her! She was such a bright and cute little kid… But it’s strange, I haven’t seen her at all lately.”

“Why?”

Then Sandra, about to say something, suddenly closed her mouth and fumbled for a smile.

“Well, I wouldn’t know either.”

Has a gag order been issued about her falling off the wall, hmm?

Rather, the fact that she was originally a bright and cute child bothered me a little. The Kasena I saw was a girl with nothing but sorrow.

Just like Rein, who wandered the slums 300 years ago…….

- What’s your name?

The dean-aunt approached me first in that state and showed me a light called magic. Is that why I couldn't just leave Tureina alone 300 years ago either?

- Get lost, get lost…….

And similarly, the reason Kasena Page’s voice won’t leave my ears right now… No, that’s not it.

‘It’s merely a problem that needs to be solved to clear the false accusation against my aunt.’

In the journey towards truth, there’s no time to spare for things like pity. This is just a transaction.

It was around that time, as I was thinking that. The president’s secretary came to the student council room and called Rein out separately.

The secretary didn't even briefly explain the reason, but simply took Rein to the president’s office. Uncharacteristically, Madelia, who had been pacing by the window, immediately brightened her eyes.

“I’ll ask you directly. Kasena, what happened with that child?”

Just like when my eyes met Valensidis’s, I felt that something was terribly wrong.

Surely, she hasn't falsely accused me of doing something strange, has she? Am I now in a situation where I might lose my head?

I must proceed carefully, I must cautiously get out of this situation.

“I just… explained the utility of magic to her. And then I was immediately kicked out. There was really nothing strange that happened.”

“That can’t be!”

“Why are you acting this way, if I may ask? Could I know what the young lady said about me?”

Then Madelia, as if making a fuss, energetically held up a rolled-up letter from the desk. And then she uttered something utterly unbelievable.

“This letter just arrived from the mansion. Rein, it says she wants to meet you again. Kasena, that child, herself!”

* * *

“The seasonal festival is scheduled after the final exams, so I’d like you to prepare for it step by step starting now.”

Student Council President Valensidis handed documents to Joen, the president of the Local Development Magic Club.

“Yes, I will do my best to showcase excellent magic.”

Valensidis smiled broadly and seemed about to turn away, but oh, he just turned his head slightly back again.

“I heard there were some problems at the beginning of the semester, so it’s a relief that everything is alright.”

“Ah, you mean that. It was resolved well thanks to Young Master Rein.”

Lately, it was a name frequently heard not only in the light but also in the shadows. Valensidis raised an eyebrow, showing curiosity.

“Rein Ludwig?”

Then Joen nodded his head as if he had heard a welcome name.

“I heard he joined the student council this time! It’s a bit disappointing that he couldn’t come to the club, but I’m sure he’ll be able to accomplish more in the student council.”

“Calm down, you almost sound like a devotee.”

Valensidis was able to hear the full story of the incident from Joen that had occurred at the beginning of the semester. At that time, the third-year students were away on a magic tower experiential learning trip.

Valensidis’s credibility was enormous, especially among the common people. Though he was merely a commoner, he had never missed being at the top of his class.

Not only that, but he was also someone who always wholeheartedly looked after his classmates and juniors.

If Valensidis had been there at the beginning of the semester, Logan’s eccentric actions would have been dealt with by him.

“That fellow did such a thing……”

A strange question arose in Valensidis’s mind as well. In a not-bad sense, he was different from ordinary nobles.

Even though he, who was merely a commoner in his currently fabricated identity, had poured out such rude remarks, didn’t he show any sign of displeasure?

And he seems to have great popularity wherever he goes…….

“He truly was someone worth keeping an eye on for a while.”

As Valensidis muttered in a cold voice, Joen tilted his head.

“Excuse me?”

“No, just talking to myself. See you later then.”

* * *

“You can make me walk?”

That was the first thing Kasena said in 30 minutes. Until then, Rein had been cowering like a child waiting to be punished in the corner of the room.

“I don’t believe you! You’re the same age as me!”

“Is that a problem?”

“Yes! You can do something that even my mother, the best magician, couldn’t? You? At best, you probably only use some 2-star magic?”

*Crack*, I felt a vein slightly bulge on my temple.

“Because each magician has a different field of expertise.”

“Hmph! And I don’t believe that you made me walk here either. It was a trick, wasn’t it? You used illusion magic, didn’t you? You’re actually a shoddy magician.”

A shoddy magician? It’s truly been a long time since someone delivered such an excellent provocation against me…….

In Rein’s time, he could just cause a ruckus and be done with it, but his current status as the heir to the Ludwig family ties his hands.

Therefore, he raises the stakes to an absurd level that the opponent can’t help but be overwhelmed by.

“What would it take for you to believe me? How about I let you stroll through the city once?”

At that moment, Kasena’s face lit up brightly as if she had been waiting for these very words, then she quickly pulled up her top to cover her face as if to hide that expression.

No, she’s not a sparrow or anything…….

Then, as if her flushed expression had subsided, she deliberately cleared her throat and nodded her head with dignity.

“Alright. Let me walk through the city once. Then I’ll hire you, a shoddy magician, as my tutor! A shoddy magician, but specially!”

No, he’s taking this?

Did he make a self-defeating move?

But his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down here. Otherwise, she would immediately say, ‘See, making me walk was all a lie, wasn’t it?’

“Alright. Then please wait a moment. I’ll go get permission from the president─”

“─That’s not allowed!”

“?”

As I tilted my head in disbelief, Kasena looked down with melancholic eyes and spoke.

“If I report it to my mom… a lot of guards will be assigned to me! Then people will point fingers at me. ‘Look at that, it’s the Page family’s young lady, they say she can’t walk…….’”

So that was it.

For a moment, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship. It was the same look of disdain I often received when I had just joined Rista’s party.

“More than anything, I want to see the city as it is! Not like that, where guards clear a path and everyone stares.”

“Then how do we get out?”

I ask with a sigh. The Page family is on a completely different level from other magic noble families.

There exists a magic guard corps composed solely of elite battle mages, and this corps was guarding the tower where Kasena resided as if it were an iron fortress.

To deceive them with illusion magic and escape, the problem is that illusion magic is not Rein’s specialty.

There is also the option of fighting and defeating them, but there’s no way I could control my power against such opponents. It would be all too easy to kill someone and become a murderer.

“That’s…”

Kasena mumbled. She probably hadn’t thought that far.

The disappointment that what she had hoped for wouldn’t happen as expected, spreading as moisture in her eyes, was truly pathetic.

It seems only troublesome things keep piling up. Just as I was about to feel a hint of annoyance, a voice brushed past my ears.

- Promise me. That you will return as an adult who can share the light of magic with others.

I know, I know, Auntie.

A sigh escaped me once more… but it’s not like there’s absolutely no way.

“The young lady’s room has a really big window. Big enough for two people to stand side by side.”

Perhaps to prevent Kasena from attempting suicide, the window sill was even higher than Rein’s height, but it was still quite large, possibly designed for using a celestial telescope.

“I can’t go out through there… My mom put up a barrier.”

“No problem.”

Bell Quirius.

The silvery-white flower blooming in eyes that burned blood-red, removed the meticulously carved 2-star telekinetic barrier on the window.

As the semi-transparently glowing darkness that had confined her in a cage was suddenly lifted, Kasena blankly blinked her eyes.

“W-what. How could this……”

The problem was that Madelia was also a thorough person, and had set up an contingency.

No sooner had the barrier forcibly disappeared than an alarm began to blare throughout the mansion.

*Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum,* the mansion’s defensive barrier began to glow madly.

“No time to explain. Come on, let’s go.”

Rein stepped onto the windowsill.

This was a gamble.

Considering Madelia’s attitude previously, it seemed Kasena, not Madelia, held the upper hand.

Perhaps he might earn Madelia’s distrust through this, but conversely, he would gain immense favor from Kasena.

“Me, me too!”

Kasena, lifted by Rein’s telekinesis, stood beside him.

Then, as the early summer wind carrying warmth swept in, Kasena’s pale purple hair beautifully caught the twilight.

“Wow……”

What unfolded before the boy and girl was a magnificent vista, the golden city, stretching endlessly into the twilight beyond the grasp of a single glance, displaying its grandeur.

<Goldenrose>.

In front of that scenery, which she hadn’t seen in a long time, Kasena trembled and let out an exclamation. After waiting for a while, Rein spoke to her.

“The view is really nice, isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about? You just got here, and you’re acting like you know it all! This is my city.”

“Ah, yes……”

It was then. The door, which had been firmly sealed as a temporary measure, burst open, and a guard squad led by a guardian knight rushed in.

“Young lady!”

“Rein, you impostor, what are you doing!”

In the eyes of the guard who had shouted that, the emotion that flickered the next moment was an indescribable bewilderment…….

The young lady was standing on her own two feet.

With such a happy expression.

As if to seal that incomprehensible sight which had even stunned the seasoned guards, Kasena smiled brightly.

“I’m just going for a short walk. It’s a secret from Mom!”