Sasha looked at the boy in front of her.
Adel Bliss.
The very boy she had just been thinking about.
…She had assumed he wouldn’t come to the library anymore.
Yet here he was, as if to contradict her very thoughts.
Suddenly, she found herself noticing how much he had changed.
His neatly trimmed hair. His now well-defined features. The sharper look in his eyes.
Even the way he now wore his uniform….loosened just enough for comfort, no longer buttoned up so tightly.
“……”
He had changed.
Unlike herself, who would never change.
When she thought about it, it was only natural. He was a boy in his growing years. It wasn’t strange for his appearance to shift a bit.
People change. They correct their flaws and build on their strengths.
And in doing so, they form better relationships.
That, perhaps, is the right way to live.
She understood that it was natural.
She hadn’t disliked Adel Bliss.
They hadn’t spoken much, but seeing him absorbed in a book had made her feel less fake in pretending to read as well and she had liked that.
But the shaggy-haired boy who used to read in the corner was no longer there.
Just as he hadn’t come to the library these past few days, he would continue to change.
And eventually, he would leave this library behind.
Unlike her, who could never escape the brand of being “Koskov’s daughter” no matter what she did.
The thought lodged itself in her throat, making it hard to breathe. Her mind wouldn’t work right.
Her thoughts broke apart into fragments, each one poking at her tear ducts.
…She felt like a fool.
Her emotions were fragile. Likely because of everything that had happened recently…
Maybe that was why.
“……Answer me, Adel.”
Sasha began to question Adel’s true intentions.
Why now, of all times? Why come find her after all this time?
Why…
Why only after it became known that she was a Koskov?
She couldn’t understand why he was asking to see her student ID.
Was he trying to confirm her last name again….to humiliate her?
She doubted him.
“Answer… me….”
But no reply came.
Adel’s silence gradually became something more. A confirmation.
…It was as if time had stopped.
“……”
So that’s how it is.
Just as Sasha began to lower her head in quiet certainty—
Suddenly, he opened his mouth.
Wearing a carefree smile on his lips—
“Just wanted to borrow some books. Fifteen again, like last time.”
In an utterly calm tone, he spoke as if all he needed were some books.
As if nothing about him had changed. As if he were the same boy who used to be absorbed in his reading.
“You said librarians can borrow up to ten books, right? So let me borrow your student ID for a bit.”
“──……”
“And also, do you think you could let me enter the library even when you’re not here? It’s kind of inconvenient when it closes early during exam periods.”
“……”
“…Sasha?”
Suddenly, a tremble coursed through her body. Something that couldn’t be hidden behind a book.
Even she didn’t know why she was trembling.
It wasn’t as if she’d heard something frightening. In fact, this felt even more…
“…Adel.”
“Yeah?”
“…Please… turn around for a moment…”
“Uh…oh, okay.”
“…Just five minutes. Just wait for five minutes. Understand? Whatever you do, don’t turn back…”
“……”
***
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
That was close.
It felt like I’d barely avoided stepping on a landmine.
When she asked why I needed her student ID…
If I’d been just a little less perceptive, I might’ve answered thoughtlessly with a simple “no reason.”
She said it was a pollen allergy, but hiccups don’t exactly match that…
From the quiet hic sound I could still hear behind me, it was clear she was quite upset.
But I had no idea why.
Sasha wasn’t a playable character. She only appeared occasionally in the storyline as a supporting figure.
Even in those moments, she was tense and uncooperative. Someone more often called by insults than by name.
Does this have something to do with the student ID…? But all it should show is her name and affiliation.
Could she have figured out I’d been sneaking in without permission? No, if she had, she probably would’ve yelled at me already.
Is there something about her name…? I don’t get it.
“…You can turn around now.”
“Yeah?”
“…You could’ve just said from the start that you wanted to borrow more books.”
When I turned, I saw Sasha peeking out over the book she still held in front of her face. I pretended not to notice her reddened eyes and spoke.
“Well, yeah. I do want the books, but there’s also something I wanted to check.”
“And what could that possibly be… that requires someone else’s student ID?”
“Hmm… good point. It’s a secret, but I guess I’ll tell you. It’s something I’m aiming for!”
They say to mix in just enough truth when trying to deceive someone. But in this case, being honest seemed like the better option.
“Not that I particularly want to know…”
“Just listen. Your student ID has a kind of ‘librarian authorization’ right? That forms a specific low-level mana pattern, and the sensor on the library door uses that pattern to unlock it.”
“…Is that so?”
“So, if I could identify and replicate the mana pattern on your ID exactly… and embed the same thing into mine, wouldn’t that let me access the library with my own student ID too?”
“That’s… impossible…”
“It is possible.”
“Forging an access card right in front of the person it belongs to… you do realize how that sounds, don’t you?”
“…So, uh… how about helping me out a little?”
She seemed to be thinking for a moment. Sniffling….she sniffled without meaning to, then flinched in surprise at herself.
“Ah. It’s, uh, hay fever.”
“Right. That must be rough.”
“…You’ve already seen it, haven’t you? Thinking about it, nothing’s going to change now.”
After she said that, her student ID had somehow ended up in my hands. She’d placed the card on the desk and pushed it toward me.
[Sasha Koskov]
“If that’s really your goal, then you can take a look at it all you want. I’m just showing you my student ID, nothing more.”
“Can I touch it?”
“…Do as you like.”
Crackle—
◆ 「Total Magical Structure Analysis」 activated.
I began analyzing the student ID I’d picked up.
It was a sensation I’d grown completely used to by now. The magical structure of the object I touched, its underlying principles… everything felt as if it were right there in my grasp.
…This is—
But that’s when it happened.
As I squinted, trying to sense the faint traces of mana engraved into the student ID, my awareness suddenly surged outward like a tidal wave.
“……”
Was it the stillness of the room? Or had my repeated use of artifact appraisal begun to trigger something?
A sense that would normally have been drowned out by noise or lost in the background… lifted its head.
It felt like a bundle of sensations had exploded all at once.
That’s the only way I could describe it.
Ding—
◆ 「Total Magical Structure Analysis」 has advanced to a higher level. Activation range increased. Information capacity increased.
“……!”
A sudden flood of information rushed into my mind. A sharp, stabbing discomfort hit my temples, like being pierced with a needle.
Inhale—
Exhale.
I took a slow, deep breath.
“…Adel?”
I heard Sasha calling me. When I looked at her, a wave of dizziness hit me.
Thump. Thump—
I could see it…so clearly, too clearly. Her mana was pulsing with each beat of her heart, radiating outward.
“Ugh…”
“Adel…? What’s wrong all of a sudden…?”
“…You.”
Thump. Thump. Thump…
In the middle of that overwhelming vision—
I couldn’t help but notice it.
Her lower abdomen.
The spot where a swordsman’s mana core would normally reside.
It was completely empty.
As if her mana core had been forcibly torn out.
“…Sasha.”
That’s what it was.
Mana Core Removal. A brutal technique used to strip a swordsman of their power.
…And standing right there was a victim of a technique that, by the late game, would be abandoned and forgotten.
***
Mana does not flow through a place where the core once existed.
It remains an empty void…forever.
Which means… it becomes the perfect spot for something else to take root.
Exactly. Something else.
Something like, for example, the seed of a demon.
“……”
Now that I’ve seen that, I can’t help but think of it.
At the time of the Academy graduation, about two years from now, there’s a catastrophic incident.
The Harken Detention Center episode in the northern part of the Empire. The “Mass Demonic Possession” incident.
The root cause of it? Mana Core Removal.
It happened because the mana cores of imprisoned criminals were forcibly removed.
To put it simply, those who have undergone mana core removal are far more susceptible to demonic influence than others.
If a demon seed were to settle in the place where the core used to be, it would rapidly spread along the pre-existing mana circuits, consuming the host’s body from within.
It was the very incident that led to the ancient practice of mana core removal, which had continued since the founding of the Empire, being banned.
“…Adel? Is something wrong? Or…”
“Hmm? Oh, no. I was just comparing it to my own student ID. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“…I-I see.”
“Yeah. Actually, I might even be able to copy it.”
I have no idea why Sasha’s body is in that state. Considering criminals can’t enroll in Tane, there’s no way she committed a crime.
Which leaves two possible explanations.
One: she has a relative, a “Great Sinner”, who committed an atrocious crime.
Or two… her family did it to her in order to pass on some special talent to a future child she might one day bear.
…Whichever it is, it’s something that warrants caution.
Koskov, was it?
I’ll need to look into this.
“Sasha.”
“…What is it?”
“From today on, I’m coming here every afternoon. Where’s your dorm?”
“All of a sudden…?”
“Just answer. Where’s your dorm?”
“Sirain, but…”
“That’s not too far. You’re coming back with me from now on.”
“Wh-What?”
That’s one thing, but the immediate concern is Sasha herself.
She might not know it, but somewhere in this Academy right now, the Demon of Justice and Execution is lurking.
If I leave her alone like this, she could end up as prey for that demonic parasite.
Of course, the chances of that happening are slim… but if it does happen, it would be catastrophic.
I need to keep her close and keep a close eye on her.
That makes sense. After all, the Academy is currently under the watchful eyes of the Special Forces Knights.
If, by any chance, she gets parasitized… the moment the Special Forces discover her, Sasha will die. No questions asked….they’ll dispose of her immediately. I might be able to reverse it, but there likely won’t be any time to try.
“…I see. You must’ve known all along. Was that your way of being considerate…? I didn’t need that.”
“Have lunch with me, too. Don’t worry, I’m not saying we should eat alone. Lately, I’ve been eating with my sister. If the three of us eat together, there’ll be two girls, so…”
“…That’s not possible. Adel. If I hang around with you, your reputation will…”
This girl… she doesn’t even realize she’s standing on the edge of death.
That irritated me a little, and I raised my voice.
“I don’t care about my reputation! Sasha, from today on, all your breaks and your commute home are with me.”
“…Th-That’s…”
“Say yes. If you don’t, I’ll never give your student ID back.”
“…This is… troubling…”
“Answer me!”
“…Yes. But, if I become a burden to you…”
“Didn’t hear that last part. I’ll come to Class D during lunch tomorrow, so be ready.”
“……”
Leaving Sasha, who had lowered her head deeply, I walked out of the library.
It bothered me to leave her like that, but I wasn’t thick-skinned enough to stay after losing my temper.
“………”
Things were getting complicated.
I felt impatient, and my pace quickened. There was already a problem on Sally’s end, and now Sasha was becoming a handful too. Both of them play major roles in the scenario.
They can’t be lost.
First, I need to quickly resolve things on Sally’s side.
“…Awen.”
If I use her, I might be able to get off-campus even without using the secret passage.
I headed toward the Robine dormitory.
…it feels like there’s a time limit hanging over me.
Leave a Reply