Chapter 105

I asked, half in doubt,

“Are you seriously saying that?”

That the way to ease Winter Winslet’s condition is to be held in a woman’s arms?

Rose Bly answered confidently.

“What’s with you? Don’t you remember? You told me that yourself. Don’t tell me you forgot?”

“……”

“You said the reason you’re sick is because cold energy builds up in your heart.”

I told her I wanted to hear more details.

Though she seemed puzzled by my reaction, Rose Bly granted my request.

“You told me that your body accumulates cold energy in the heart when you use magic. The more powerful the magic, the more cold gathers, and that cold damages your heart. That’s the kind of constitution you said you have.”

“Let’s say that’s true about my body, but why would the treatment be…”

I trailed off mid-sentence.

Because I thought I understood.

A man’s body more easily accepts yang energy, and a woman’s body more easily accepts yin energy.

That was one of the rules set in Candela of Judgment.

And just as water flows from high to low ground, the cold energy built up in Winter Winslet’s body would, through intimate union, flow into the woman.

It felt like I’d been struck in the head with a hammer.

Could it be that even Winter Winslet’s infamous womanizing had a reason?

That he did all of it just to stay alive?

Considering Rose Bly’s explanation and the actions I had taken since the possession, this seemed like a fairly plausible theory.

The duel with Shannon, the lightning barrage at Lowchapel, the defense against the Caraphine explosion. I had used magic recklessly since becoming him, but not once had I had an affair.

Which meant that cold energy had been building up in my heart, yet I had never actually done anything to dispel it.

Of course, it was still just a hypothesis.

So then, how could I verify it?

The method was simple.

I just had to try out the “treatment” Rose Bly mentioned and see whether the symptoms actually improved.

…And that was the problem.

Was this really okay?

“My poor darling. That selfish fiancée of yours hasn’t even given you a moment’s comfort, has she? Come here. I’ll make you feel better.”

Rose Bly climbed onto my lap and reached out to brush my bangs aside.

Her hand moved from my forehead, down my cheek, to my chest and stomach, until it took hold of mine.

Her soft, white fingers interlaced with mine.

Our eyes met.

Then our foreheads touched.

For a moment, I was distracted by the sensation.

And in that instant, I noticed that the ring I wore on my left hand had vanished. As if by magic.

“Where’s my ring?”

“Hmph. Are you seriously thinking about another woman while I’m right in front of you?”

According to Candela of Judgment, even a frown on the most beautiful woman’s face was a breathtaking sight.

A brief kiss.

Rose Bly whispered to me.

Her voice was utterly bewitching.

“Right now, focus only on me.”

My heart started racing.

Maybe it was the chocolate I ate earlier.

The faster my heart beat, the worse my condition seemed to get.

My chest ached, my fingertips turned cold, and I couldn’t gather any strength in my body.

Which meant… I couldn’t resist.

That’s what I’m saying, anyway.

Rose Bly’s arms wrapped around my neck, and I surrendered myself to her lead.

***

Saturday night.

Jacqueline tossed and turned in bed.

She couldn’t sleep.

The events of the day had left her with a tight, suffocating feeling in her chest.

Trying to force her eyes shut, she focused on the soft breathing of her roommate, Rita. But in the end, Jacqueline threw off the covers and sat up.

Maybe I’ll go for a walk.

She carefully climbed down from the bed, making sure not to wake her roommates, slipped on her slippers, and quietly left the room.

As she made her way down the hallway to sneak out of the dorm, Jacqueline spotted someone sitting in the first-floor lounge.

Silver hair that shimmered like white gold in the pouring moonlight.

Even in the darkness, she could tell it was Shannon.

Jacqueline walked over to her.

“Shannon.”

“You came out too?”

“Yeah. I just couldn’t settle down.”

“Same here.”

Jacqueline sat down near Shannon without much thought.

It was so late that everyone else was asleep. Only the two of them were in the lounge.

Shannon turned her head toward Jacqueline, though their eyes didn’t meet.

She seemed lost in thought.

Jacqueline felt the same.

She’s probably thinking the same thing I am.

Earlier, introduced by Luke Rousseau, Jacqueline and Shannon had learned a shocking truth from the so-called “Winter Winslet Victims’ Association”. A secret group that claimed to resist the abuse of power within the academy.

“Do you think what Luke and the others said… could be true?”

“At the very least, the evidence they showed us wasn’t some ridiculous lie. I think it’s a possibility worth considering.”

“How could he do something like that…? I never thought the professor was that bad. At least not as bad as the rumors made him out to be.”

“Professor Winslet is…”

Shannon started to speak but fell silent.

Her expression was complicated.

Jacqueline changed the subject.

“Do you think we should tell Rita? We shared what we learned from the different meetings earlier today, but we didn’t actually tell her the most serious part.”

“The moment we share this, Rita will get caught up in it too. You heard it, didn’t you? What happened to everyone who got involved in this.”

Luke had said that everyone who tried to dig into “that matter” ended up suffering serious consequences from the academy.

Even the professors who had their backs eventually quit and disappeared without a trace.

Now, no one in the academy who knows about “that matter” dares to speak up. Since no one brings it up, people have simply forgotten.

“Rita works harder than anyone to get by in this school. I don’t want to put her in a situation that would make her suffer.”

“…You’re right. It’s better not to tell her.”

Jacqueline looked up at the star-filled night sky, then hugged her knees to her chest.

What was Shannon thinking about as she gazed at the stars?

The starlight she stared at blankly seemed to be pouring down like a waterfall.

Just as Jacqueline found herself daydreaming about sinking into the night sky, Shannon spoke.

“I’ve thought a lot about it. About why Professor Winslet would do something like that.”

“Whatever the reason, that’s still…”

“Unforgivable. I think so too. But Jacqueline, did you know?”

“Know what?”

“When I lived in Karaf, the school where I learned magic followed the Venizelos school of thought. My parents belonged to that school too, so of course I followed in their footsteps.”

“I see.”

“The guiding principle of the Venizelos school is transcendence. Surpassing human limits through magical achievement, evolution, liberation, and the shedding of humanity. That kind of thing.”

“……”

“And Professor Winslet stayed with our school as a guest scholar five years ago. That’s why I feel a kind of responsibility.”

“Responsibility?”

“Yes. I think what the professor did at the academy might be connected to the secret teachings of our school.”

Jacqueline shook her head.

“It’s not like your past self told the professor to do any of that. This isn’t your responsibility.”

“But I took pride in being a member of the Venizelos school. And I agreed with its philosophy.”

“Do you still feel that way?”

“Now… I’m not so sure.”

Shannon looked lonely as she said that.

But at the same time, she looked resolute.

“That’s why I want to ask Professor Winslet. Why he did ‘something like that’ as a mage.”

“What will you do after hearing his answer?”

“I don’t know. Maybe… I just want to understand him.”

“Aren’t you scared of him? Or do you hate him?”

“I think once I hear his answer, I’ll be able to make up my mind. That’s why I want to face him properly. So Jacqueline, would you come with me? To see Professor Winslet?”

“When?”

“As soon as visitation is allowed, I’m planning to go.”

Jacqueline couldn’t answer right away.

This matter stirred up so much fear and resistance inside her.

Finally, Jacqueline opened her mouth to speak.

“It’s partly my fault for not being able to resist my curiosity… but I can’t help resenting you, Shannon, for suggesting we look into the professor. I wish I could go back to when we didn’t know any of this.”

Jacqueline’s face looked like a marble statue as she spoke.

Pale, and frozen stiff.

“I still can’t believe it. That Professor Winslet conducted human experiments on academy students.”

***

Monday, late afternoon.

The sunlight filtering in at an angle through the thin curtains felt like a slowly played lyrical piece.

It made the body drowsy and dull.

If not for the distant sound of a bell marking the hour, one could’ve mistaken this peace for time having stopped altogether.

A tickling sensation near my chest broke that peace.

“Mm… What time is it?”

“Looks like it’s past 4 p.m.”

“Already? …Well, that makes sense. We only went to sleep after watching the sunrise.”

Rose Bly spoke in a hazy voice as she pressed lightly against my chest and sat up.

“Nnngh…”

Like a lazy cat, she stretched her arms, then began picking up her underwear from the floor and putting it on.

With her back still exposed, she slowly fastened her bra hook, caught my gaze, and gave a soft bashful smile.

“So? Feeling any better now?”

“Yeah, surprisingly much better.”

Rose Bly hadn’t lied to me.

There truly was a way to cure Winter Winslet’s illness.

And after dedicating myself to the treatment over the past weekend, my physical condition had completely recovered.

My breathing had stabilized, the headaches and nausea were gone, and I no longer felt chills.

Above all, despite moving almost nonstop for three straight days, I wasn’t tired in the slightest. If anything, I felt even more energized than before the treatment began.

Ironically, it was Rose Bly who had helped administer the treatment who ended up complaining of mild fatigue.