Chapter 2: After the Storm

"Are you all right, Roak?" Leia asked.

"Yeah. But what about you, Leia? Are you holding up okay?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm fine as well," she replied.

She gave a reassuring answer, but with bandages wrapped around her arm and adhesive strips plastered over her face, she was still a painful sight to behold.

"I really am fine. They're just a few minor scratches," she added.

Noticing where my eyes were lingering, Leia managed a small, reassuring smile and lightly touched the bandage on her arm.

She's probably not lying, but still...

"Well, if you say so. Just don't push yourself too hard," I cautioned her.

"He's right. After fighting so hard to survive that battle, the last thing you want is to overexert yourself and make your injuries worse," Gareth chimed in.

"Understood. Thank you very much," Leia replied politely.

Following up on my words, Gareth offered his own thoughtful advice, and Leia bowed her head with a word of thanks.

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Good job staying alive, everyone," Lily said.

"If you mean that, try putting a little more feeling into it," Gareth countered with a wry smirk.

Lily was slumped forward with her upper body sprawled over the desk in an utterly lethargic heap, prompting Gareth's amused critique.

"How rude! I'm practically brimming with heartfelt emotion," she shot back.

"Are you now?" Gareth asked, unconvinced.

"Truly, truly," she insisted.

"...Jokes aside, I really am glad all of us survived," I murmured.

Looking around at Gareth, Lily, and Leia, a profound sense of relief washed over me. I was grateful from the bottom of my heart that every single one of them was safe.

A week had passed since our desperate battle against one of the Four Perils. With our wounds finally healed, we had gathered inside a classroom at Yutrea Academy.

Under normal circumstances, loitering around an empty classroom like this would have earned us a scolding from someone. Right now, however, Yutrea Academy had temporarily suspended all lectures. Most of the faculty had been deployed to aid in the reconstruction of Galadea, which Apeps had left in ruins.

As a result, there were practically no instructors on campus. The student body had largely dispersed as well—most were either waiting quietly in their dorms, returning to their family homes, or pitching in as volunteers for the restoration efforts.

Of course, having directly engaged Apeps just days earlier, we were strictly barred from volunteering and ordered to recuperate, which was why we were idling away our time here...

"Haaah... I really wish I could've fought Apeps, too..." Akari Tsukikage lamented.

Akari, who had joined us alongside Leia after finishing her morning volunteer shift, let out a deep sigh of utter disappointment upon hearing the full account of our clash with Apeps.

"You heard everything we went through and that's your takeaway?" I asked, staring at her in disbelief.

"Well, come on, it's a legendary Evil Spirit!" she argued. "Who wouldn't want a chance to fight something like that at least once in their life?"

"...I mean, I can't deny it was a rare experience, but still," I muttered.

Reflecting on her words, I couldn't completely deny that part of me had felt a thrill at fighting a villain straight out of legend.

Even so, it wasn't an ordeal I ever wanted to go through a second time...

"That said, we didn't actually finish Apeps off," Gareth noted somberly. "Speaking for myself, I'd rather pass, but there's a very real chance we'll have to cross blades with it again."

"...Yeah, you're right," I agreed quietly.

Feeling the atmosphere grow heavy at his sobering reminder, I gave a quiet nod.

He was right. Apeps hadn't been unsummoned. It had undoubtedly suffered grievous wounds in our battle, but it had still retained more than enough strength to operate on its own without issue.

The battle had only been broken off because Azi Dahaka had revived. Had it dragged on any longer, we undoubtedly would have been the ones wiped out.

This time, we had survived purely through sheer, unadulterated luck.

"...Things have spiraled into a truly terrifying mess," Gareth murmured with a heavy sigh.

"......"

No one had any words to offer in response to his heavy sigh, and an oppressive silence settled over the room.

It was the harsh reality. Despite all our resolve and bravado, we had failed to defeat Apeps, and Demon Dragon Azi Dahaka had been unleashed upon the world.

We had survived, yes, but the outcome was nothing short of catastrophic...

"...Where could Apeps have disappeared to?" Leia asked, her expression clouded with anxiety.

Evidently unable to endure the stifling quiet, she broke the tension with an anxious look, voicing the question weighing on all our minds.

It was certainly something I wanted to know as well, but...

"It definitely went somewhere with a spiritual vein to restore its Spiritual Power, but..." Lily trailed off.

"Even if that's the case, there are way too many possibilities..." I replied.

Close by, the Forest of Judecca came to mind, but locations matching Lily's criteria numbered in the dozens across the Kingdom of Romus alone. Expand the search beyond our borders, and the list became practically infinite.

Without knowing Apeps's true objective, pinpointing its current location was nearly impossible.

"We need more clues to narrow it down. Is there anything else?" Lily asked.

"You say that, but..." I muttered, scratching my head.

Everything I knew about Apeps amounted to what was written in ancient texts and the firsthand knowledge that it was absurdly powerful. I didn't have any secret insights beyond that...

"...Ah, wait. Right after it revived, it seemed to have formed a Temporary Contract with Haunted to replenish its Spiritual Power," I recalled.

Racking my brain frantically, I managed to dredge up that tiny scrap of information from the chaotic battle.

Whether that tidbit was actually useful, however, was another matter entirely...

"...Hmm."

Yet Lily seemed to find something in that detail. She fell into deep contemplation, muttering softly under her breath.

"Well, Apeps's whereabouts are definitely important, but more than that..." Akari began.

Setting the topic of Apeps aside for the moment, Akari fixed her eyes squarely on me and spoke up in a measured tone.

"...I'm a lot more curious about that winged girl, and what your relationship with her is, Roak."

"......"

As another heavy wave of tension swept through the room, I stared back at Akari in silence.

Her eyes burned with fierce resolve, signaling that she wouldn't let me squirm out of answering. Glancing to the side, I saw Leia leveling an equally expectant stare in my direction, drawing a wry smile to my face.

"Well, it's complicated, but to put it simply... she's a relative of mine," I admitted.

"A relative?" Akari echoed, her eyes widening.

"Roak," Gareth cautioned, sounding uneasy.

Holding up a hand to stop Gareth before he could intervene, I gave him a reassuring nod. "It's fine," I told him.

"...I know I'm the one who asked, but is it really okay for you to talk about this?" Akari asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. In fact, it's something I probably ought to explain," I replied.

Judging by the conversation between Lilith and Haunted at the Ruined Temple of Biblia, there was undeniably some sort of connection between them.

It still didn't feel entirely real to me, but Lilith was, after all, my sister.

Now that she was tangled up in this entire incident, I had an undeniable responsibility as her blood brother to see things through.

To bring this crisis to an end, holding back secrets would do more harm than good. I needed to lay everything out on the table.

"That said, like I just mentioned, the situation is pretty convoluted. Do you mind waiting until Misha and the others arrive so I can explain the details all at once?" I asked.

"I don't mind waiting that much, but what's the student council president up to right now?" Akari inquired.

"She's in a conference," Leia answered. "She's meeting with her father, the headmaster, and other officials to decide on our future course of action."

When Leia answered her question, Akari grimaced with a sour groan. "Ugh..."

"I thought I heard voices... So this is where you all were."

"Loxley," I greeted him.

The front classroom door slid open, and Loxley walked in, wearing his usual armband as the Disciplinary Committee Chairman.

"Are you back on your feet already?" I asked.

"Yeah. I just finished helping out with the volunteer relief efforts, in fact," he answered.

"Impressive as always," Gareth remarked.

Loxley should have been utterly exhausted after that ferocious battle, yet he had recovered enough to move about without trouble by the very next day.

Like Gareth, I could only marvel at his stamina.

"Though they sent me packing almost immediately, telling me I was fresh off the sickbed," Loxley added dryly.

"Figures," I chuckled.

I had tried to sign up for volunteer work yesterday myself, only to be flatly rejected and chased away.

If anything, the fact that they had let him participate at all was what surprised me.

"So, what are the rest of you doing in here?" he asked, looking around the room.

"Nothing in particular. Just killing time and shooting the breeze," Gareth answered with an easy smile.

At Gareth's reply, Loxley let out an exasperated scoff. "Carefree as ever, I see," he muttered, pulling up a nearby chair and taking a seat.

"Half of the Four Perils have been revived. Don't you think you ought to have a greater sense of urgency?"

"Of course we feel the urgency," I countered. "But realistically, what can we actually do right now?"

With both Apeps and Azi Dahaka completely missing, there were no leads to act upon. Besides, when it came down to it, there was very little mere students like us could accomplish anyway.

The most we could do was volunteer for the relief effort, but we were currently forbidden from doing even that. There was genuinely nothing on our plates.

"...Fair enough. I suppose that's true," Loxley conceded.

"Besides, even if someone pinpointed where the Four Perils were, the Kingdom's Spirit Master Division would be the ones dealing with them," Gareth added. "I doubt we'd be called to the front lines."

As Loxley nodded in understanding at my point, Gareth chimed in with his own pragmatic assessment.

He wasn't wrong. Now that the situation had escalated to this magnitude, the kingdom would undoubtedly mobilize its full might to subjugate the Four Perils.

In all likelihood, our turn would never come.

"Ehhh?! We don't get to fight anymore?!" Akari cried in protest. "I'm still totally pumped up, though!"

"Such a hopeless battle maniac..." Lily murmured.

As Akari whined and pouted at Gareth's words, Lily, having finally surfaced from her sea of contemplation, muttered with a slightly exasperated grimace.

Nodding in silent agreement with Lily's sentiment, I glanced sideways at Leia.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief, which didn't escape Akari's notice. "Relieved, are we?" she teased in a playful singsong tone.

"Wha—! That's not it at all!" Leia sputtered, blushing.

"Oh really? You totally let out a massive sigh of relief just now."

"Th-that's because...!" Leia stammered.

Leia tried to formulate a comeback to Akari's teasing, but caught flat-footed, the words caught in her throat.

"There's no need to hide it," I interjected gently. "It's a completely natural reaction."

"B-but for a Spirit Master of the kingdom to feel relieved about not fighting an Evil Spirit..." Leia trailed off, hanging her head as though ashamed of herself.

Despite my attempt to comfort her, she hung her head low, muttering in self-reproach.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone facing monsters of that caliber would feel the same way," Loxley spoke up firmly.

"Loxley..." Leia murmured, looking at him with wide, astonished eyes.

She clearly hadn't expected such leniency from him, her expression a mix of surprise and disbelief.

"Now that's a surprise. I never thought I'd hear words like that from you... I fully expected you to bark, 'What a pathetic coward!' or something along those lines," Gareth said, mimicking Loxley's stern cadence.

Evidently taken aback as well, Gareth put on an exaggerated impression of Loxley's usual drill-sergeant persona.

For what it was worth, the impression was shockingly spot-on.

"Just what kind of monster do you take me for?" Loxley demanded, glaring at us.

"A demon," Gareth said.

"A fiend," Lily offered.

"A cold-blooded Disciplinary Committee Chairman who knows neither mercy nor tears," I added.

"Why, you little..." Loxley growled.

As Gareth, Lily, and I rattled off our unfiltered impressions one after another, a vein bulged on Loxley's forehead, his cheek twitching violently.

Whoops. Maybe we were a little too honest.

"...Then again, given my past conduct, I suppose I've given you every reason to think so," Loxley sighed, closing his eyes as if reflecting upon his actions.

For a second, it felt like he was about to blow his top, but he closed his eyes and let out a defeated sigh, seemingly reflecting on his own stern reputation.

"I am a human being with blood in my veins, you know. I'm not cruel enough to scold someone for feeling fear when pitted against an Evil Spirit like the Four Perils."

"Fair point. If someone told me not to be terrified of the Four Perils, I'd probably lose my temper," Gareth agreed with a nod.

As Loxley defended himself, Gareth nodded thoughtfully in agreement.

If someone hit me with unreasonable expectations like that, I'd definitely be furious... Yeah, actually, I'd be absolutely livid.

"And for the record, I don't go around throwing irrational tantrums at my subordinates. Don't get the wrong idea."

"Nobody said you did that," Gareth said.

"Persecution complex," Lily chimed in.

"Yeah, we wouldn't go that far," I agreed.

"......"

When Gareth, Lily, and I chimed in again in unison, Loxley fell into a stunned silence, wearing an expression that defied description.

In the first place, if he were truly that unreasonable, nobody would have ever followed him.

In truth, I had never heard a single bad rumor about Loxley from the Disciplinary Committee members, which spoke volumes about how much they genuinely respected him.

"Pfft... Ahaha!"

"......"

"Ah... I-I'm so sorry!" Leia stammered, bowing frantically as the whole room turned to look at her.

Evidently finding our banter hilarious, Leia had burst into laughter, only to quickly duck her head in embarrassment when all eyes turned to her.

"...Well, we got wildly off track, but my point was simply that you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself," Loxley concluded, steering the conversation back on course.

"Th-thank you so much!" Leia replied with a bright, respectful bow.

The mood had grown rather awkward and anticlimactic, but as Loxley wrapped up his thought, Leia gave him an earnest, grateful nod.

"Besides, if you hadn't started teasing her in the first place, the mood wouldn't have gotten weird like this. Reflect on your behavior," I said, glaring at Akari.

When I fixed Akari with a stern glare and chided her, she offered a languid "Fiiine," before turning to Leia with an apologetic bow.

"Sorry about that, Leia."

"N-no, it's quite all right! I didn't mind at all," Leia hurried to reassure her.

As I watched the two underclassmen make amends, the classroom door swung open once again, and another figure stepped inside.

"So this is where you were all gathered. I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Oh, Sena," I acknowledged.

The newcomer was Sena Tiedor, the Student Council Secretary.

Exhaustion was etched deeply into her features, with dark circles under her eyes making it painfully obvious she hadn't slept in days.

"You look completely wiped out. Are you holding up okay?" I asked.

"If you're asking whether I'm fine, the answer is an emphatic no. But under the current circumstances, none of us have the luxury to complain," she answered weakly.

Her voice was completely devoid of energy. When I instinctively urged her not to push herself too hard, a faint, weary smile crept across her lips.

"There's no need to worry about me. I'm certainly in far better shape than you were," she replied.

"Well, I mean..."

"Compared to you... no, compared to what all of you accomplished in repelling one of the Four Perils, my fatigue is nothing."

With those words, Sena bowed deeply toward us.

"Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart. As a resident of this academy city, allow me to express my deepest gratitude once more."

"Sena..." I muttered, caught completely off guard.

At a loss for how to respond to such sudden and heartfelt praise, I glanced toward Gareth and the others, only to find them just as tongue-tied and silent.

Akari, for her part, looked distinctly uncomfortable, muttering under her breath, "I wasn't even there for the fight against Apeps, though..."

...Well, she isn't wrong. She really wasn't there.

"...At that moment, everyone simply did what had to be done. There is no need for such formal gratitude," Loxley spoke up after a moment of silence, providing an adroit response.

With Loxley breaking the awkward quiet with such a graceful reply, the rest of us nodded vigorously in agreement.

"...Thank you," Sena murmured, lifting her head after offering one final word of thanks.

Raising her head after thanking him once more, she suddenly seemed to recall her original errand. "Ah, I nearly forgot," she said.

"I bring a message from Her Highness. She requests that everyone come to the student council room."

"Misha?" I asked.

What does she want to see us about?

Exchanging bewildered glances, we looked at one another with puzzled expressions.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming," Misha greeted us.

"Hey there," Traluus said with an easy wave.

Upon stepping into the student council room, we were met with the sight of Misha seated in the high-backed chair at the far end of the room, while Traluus lounged comfortably on one of the guest sofas.

"What are you doing here, Traluus?" I asked, blinking in surprise.

"I was summoned as well, you see," he replied with a wry shrug.

"I see..."

"Please, take a seat over there. Standing will only tire you out," Misha offered gently.

Seeing Traluus confirmed that she had summoned those who fought against Apeps, but what could she possibly need from us?

As I sank onto the sofa with that question lingering in my mind, Misha's gaze shifted past me toward Akari, who was hovering in the back.

"Oh? Tsukikage-san is here as well, I see."

"Yeah. We were together earlier, and she threw a fit demanding to tag along," I explained with a sigh.

"I didn't like feeling left out of the loop, so here I am!" Akari declared unabashedly.

Akari hadn't been on the guest list for the student council room, but she had thrown such a stubborn tantrum about wanting to come that I'd had no choice but to drag her along.

"Was that a problem?" I asked.

"No, I was merely surprised. Since you're already here, you are more than welcome to stay," Misha replied, shaking her head before casting her eyes over our group.

Shaking her head to dispel any concern, she looked across the assembled group.

"Please, there is no need to be so tense. I asked you here simply because, as comrades who survived the battle against the Four Perils together, I felt it best to share our information with you as early as possible."

Sensing the rigid tension stiffening our shoulders, Misha gave us an assuring smile, prompting a quiet sigh of relief to escape my lips.

Given the state of affairs, I had braced myself for some disastrous development, so it was a huge relief to know nothing terrible had happened just yet.

"By the way, how are all of you feeling physically?" Misha asked.

"Yeah, I'm doing fine now," I answered.

"Nothing wrong with me either," Traluus said, rotating his shoulder.

Following my response, Traluus rolled his shoulder to demonstrate that he was in good health as well.

After each of the other members confirmed that they were in good condition, Misha murmured with a relieved smile, "I'm glad to hear that."

"First of all, thank you all for your hard work," Misha began. "The threat remains, but we can safely say we've made it through the worst of the crisis. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who lent us their strength. My father asked me to pass along his words of thanks as well."

"...No, we haven't achieved anything worthy of gratitude from His Majesty or you," Traluus replied. "After all, we allowed a second member of the Four Perils to be revived."

As Misha expressed her appreciation and praised our efforts, Traluus hesitated for a beat, his expression hardening as he responded.

That was exactly what had crossed my mind when Sena offered me her thanks earlier.

Of course, I believed I had given it everything I had, but looking strictly at the outcome, I couldn't bring myself to accept words of gratitude so easily.

"Even so, we managed to avert the worst-case scenario where we were wiped out and the academy city was destroyed," Misha insisted. "More than anything, successfully repelling Apeps dealt a massive blow to the enemy's forces."

"..."

"It certainly wasn't the ideal outcome, but I believe our achievement leaves us with hope for what comes next."

"...Well, if that's how you see it, that's what matters most."

Hearing Misha's words, Traluus murmured, the tension around his mouth softening just a touch.

Feeling my own chest lighten slightly at her words, I sank back against the cushions of the sofa.

I had thought as much the last time I visited the student council room, but this sofa really was remarkably comfortable.

"Now then, let's move on to our current situation," Misha said, shifting the topic.

Feeling the relaxed atmosphere instantly tighten at her announcement, I focused my full attention on Misha once again.

"First, regarding the whereabouts of the Four Perils. The Kingdom's Spirit Master Division is conducting an all-out search with the cooperation of the Draconia Kingdom, but the reality is that the results haven't been very promising."

"You haven't found a single trace?" I asked.

"...They seem to have detected traces of Spiritual Power belonging to Azi Dahaka, but as for Apeps, there's still nothing."

"Well, we are dealing with the Four Perils," I replied. "It's hardly surprising."

Apeps in particular had wielded Spirit Arts capable of linking two entirely separate spaces during our fight. It wouldn't be at all surprising if it had already relocated somewhere far, far away.

"However, precisely because there are no traces, we cannot rule out the possibility that Apeps is still lurking nearby. Therefore, a state of maximum alert will remain in effect for the time being. Classes at the academy will also be suspended for the foreseeable future."

"Does that mean we'll basically be on standby at the academy?" Gareth asked.

"Yes, generally speaking, that will be the plan."

Nodding at Gareth's question, Misha added, "However..." as her gaze swept over all of us.

"You are among the few Spirit Masters who have faced Apeps and successfully driven it back. With their whereabouts unknown and so many personnel tied up in search efforts, the reality is that the kingdom is very likely to need your strength as well."

"..."

In other words, Misha was telling us that depending on how things developed, we might be called upon to face the Four Perils once again.

With forces stretched thin between search operations and city defense, and with our targets being none other than the Four Perils, it was only natural that manpower was running short, but even so...

"With that in mind, as a princess of the Romus Kingdom, I have a request for you all."

With that, Misha lowered her head as her eyes swept across the room.

"...Would you please lend your strength to this kingdom once more?"

"—!"

Every single one of us recoiled in shock at Misha's unexpected gesture.

"Of course, I have no intention of compelling you," Misha continued. "We were fortunate enough to survive this time, but there is no guarantee we will make it through the next battle. In fact, the odds of losing our lives are far greater. Even so... knowing that... will you please lend your strength once more to defend this kingdom?"

"..."

After hearing Misha's desperate plea, silence lingered in the room, none of us speaking a word, until Kei finally broke it.

"Even without you asking, I fully intended to take them on again," Kei said with a light shrug. "A clash with a legendary Evil Spirit gives me more artistic inspiration than I know what to do with."

"That's your reason...?" I muttered under my breath.

Just as I was mentally calling him out for such a self-absorbed motive, Gareth chimed in. "I'll fight too."

"As a Spirit Master of House Orot, being able to wield this magic sword in the kingdom's hour of need is the highest honor imaginable," Gareth declared. "I'll gladly fight."

"In that case, count me in!" Akari added. "Since I couldn't participate last time, I'll more than pull my weight now."

Following Gareth, who rested a hand on the pommel of his magic sword as he spoke, Akari chimed in, fighting spirit blazing brightly in her eyes.

"I will simply carry out my duties as always," Loxley stated plainly.

"I'll do my best," Lily agreed quietly.

While Loxley and Lily each made their declarations of resolve, my eyes fell upon Leia, who kept her head down, unable to offer an immediate answer.

From our earlier conversation in the classroom, I knew full well how deeply her fear of the Four Perils ran.

Putting her on the spot to make a pledge here would be far too cruel.

"I..." Leia began hesitantly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but do you mind if I say something?" I cut in.

Cutting off whatever Leia was about to say, I raised a hand to ask for the floor.

"What is it? Are you squeamish about facing the Four Perils?" Traluus teased.

"That's not it. I mean, if you ask whether I want to, of course I don't... but that's beside the point. While everyone's gathered here, there's something I need to tell you all."

Answering Traluus's teasing jab, I stood up from the sofa, and every set of eyes in the room instantly locked onto me.

"Roak," Lily called out gently.

Lily spoke up as if sensing what I was about to address. Giving her a silent nod, I took a breath and began.

"What I want to talk about is my connection to Haunted... and the girl who was called forth from Azi Dahaka's summoning circle."

"...Ah, come to think of it, she did call you 'Big Brother,' didn't she?" Traluus murmured, recalling the incident.

Hearing my confession, Traluus nodded thoughtfully, recalling what had transpired back then.

"Right. That's the matter at hand."

"There were certainly a few words tossed around back then that couldn't easily be swept under the rug," Traluus said. "However..."

Traluus trailed off, his silent gaze pressing me with a question.

Are you really sure you want to speak of this?

"...It's something I should say... No, it's something I have to tell you," I replied firmly.

With those words, I looked around at everyone in the room.

"Will you hear me out?"

Once I saw everyone nod in agreement, I took a beat and began to speak.

My upbringing, the fact that the girl who appeared—Lilith—was my younger sister, and that she played a role in reviving the Four Perils... I laid it all bare without hiding a single detail.

To be honest, my entire body felt heavy and my heart hammered violently against my ribs the whole time, leaving me unsure whether I was even explaining things coherently.

If anything, I felt like my speech had sounded completely bizarre in places.

"—And that's the whole story," I finished.

Even so, having managed to get through it, I bowed my head with profound gratitude toward everyone present for listening with such earnest expressions.

"So part of the blame for this crisis undoubtedly lies with me. I know an apology won't make up for it, but even so, I am truly sorry! I am fully prepared to accept whatever punishment comes my way!"

As my apology came to an end, silence fell over the room once more.

Feeling an unbearable heaviness in that silence as I kept my head bowed, a gentle voice reached my ears. "Please raise your head."

Obeying the instruction, I looked up to see Misha offering me a warm smile.

"You did well to tell us, Roak Areas."

"..."

The sheer warmth in her voice left me momentarily speechless as she offered words of gratitude.

"I know it must have been incredibly difficult to talk about, so thank you for being completely honest with us."

"No... it was something I needed to tell you," I replied.

At the very least, it was far too critical a piece of information to withhold simply because of my own personal reluctance.

"First, as for any punishment, there will be none whatsoever. You did nothing wrong yourself, and we certainly have no reason to punish someone who played a central role in driving off Apeps."

"But Misha, I..."

"I understand that your relative is aligned with their faction, but that in no way makes it your sin, Roak Areas," Misha said gently.

Her smile remained steady and reassuring as she spoke.

"As a princess of the Romus Kingdom, I hereby declare that you bear no guilt."

"..."

"I am certain my father would have reached the exact same judgment were he standing here today."

As I stared at Misha in half-dazed wonder, feeling the crushing pressure that had weighed upon me melt away, she turned her gaze toward the others.

"Does anyone else have an opinion on the matter?" Misha asked.

"No, nothing from me," Traluus said.

"Likewise," Loxley added.

Traluus and Loxley answered with a shake of their heads, followed by Lily, who also shook her head in silence to show she had no objections.

"I feel a strange sense of kinship with you now," Akari noted with a grin. "Having an eccentric sibling is tough on both of us, isn't it?"

"...I feel the same as Misha-sama," Leia said softly. "I don't believe you bear any guilt at all."

Beside Akari, who voiced her sympathy with evident amusement, Leia looked directly at me just as Misha had and assured me I had nothing to atone for.

"Naturally, I don't have any objections either," Gareth chimed in with a grin.

"...Gareth."

When our eyes met, Gareth gave me a dashing wink.

Feeling the emotional gravity of the moment slightly undercut by how pointlessly dashing he was being, I nonetheless bowed my head to everyone.

"Thank you, everyone," I said sincerely.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Well then, I'll take my leave first," Traluus said, standing up.

After I finished speaking, Misha gave a brief overview of what lay ahead before moving to dismiss the meeting, prompting Traluus to rise from the sofa and depart the student council room.

The other members filed out after him, but just as I turned to follow, Misha called out to me. "Could you wait just a moment?"

"Is something the matter?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.

"No, there's just something I'd like to confirm with you."

At her words, I paused, told Gareth and the others to go on ahead, and turned back to face her.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Regarding what you told us just now, the truth is that some of that information is difficult for me to handle on my own," Misha explained. "Of course, I won't disclose it to anyone who has no need to know, but would you mind if I discussed it with the headmaster?"

"Ah, that? Of course," I replied. "Feel free to share the information with anyone you think needs to know."

I nodded in agreement.

I had no doubt she would put the information to good use without me needing to worry.

"Thank you. In that case, I was hoping to speak with the headmaster right away. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Wait, me too?" I blurted out.

"Yes. I believe things will go much more smoothly if you are present. Is that a problem?"

"No, it's not that, but..."

Put that way, it made complete sense, but the prospect of speaking directly to the headmaster filled me with a different kind of tension altogether.

"Wonderful. Then let's head over right away."

"S-Sure."

Following Misha out of the student council room, we made our way down the long hallway toward the headmaster's office.

With the vast majority of teachers and students gone, only the click-clack of our footsteps echoed through the eerily quiet building.

"..."

As we walked, I glanced to the side and caught sight of the courtyard.

A place that should have been bustling with people was now entirely deserted, filling me with an indescribable sense of desolation.

"You don't need to worry. It will only be like this for a little while," Misha said.

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by her sudden remark from ahead, I blinked as she stopped and turned to look back at me.

"...Was it that obvious on my face?" I asked, touching my cheek.

"Yes," she replied simply.

Misha nodded gently as I rubbed the side of my face.

It seemed I had made her worry over nothing.

"Everything will be all right. We will get our normal daily lives back soon. I promise."

"...Yeah. You're right."

Encouraged by Misha's resolute words, I patted my cheeks to psyche myself up and started walking again.

Continuing straight to the end of the hallway, we arrived before a door bearing a plate reading: Headmaster's Office.

"Well then, let us—"

"Yeah... Wait, huh?"

"—?"

"—"

Just as she was about to knock, the sound of someone conversing inside reached our ears.

"Is someone in there?" I asked.

"No, there weren't supposed to be any guests scheduled today..."

A visitor was apparently unexpected for Misha as well, and she looked momentarily taken aback, but she quickly composed herself and knocked on the door.

"Headmaster, it's Misha."

"Ah, come on in."

A voice laced with both warmth and dignity answered through the wood.

As my body stiffened unconsciously at the sound, Misha said, "Excuse us," and stepped inside, prompting me to hurry in behind her.

"Welcome, both of you."

Stepping into the room, my eyes fell upon an elderly man stroking his white beard as he greeted us—Headmaster Orpheus Gunbeil.

"Oh? Misha-sama, and Roak as well."

While I stood overwhelmed, seeing the headmaster up close for the first time since the entrance ceremony, a familiar voice drifted in from the side.

"Master..."

"Ah, so it was you who was visiting," Misha noted.

My master, Owen Libria, looked momentarily surprised by our entrance, but upon turning his gaze toward me, an expression of realization crossed his face.

...He probably figured out why I came here.

"Roak, you..." Owen began.

"Roak Areas, should we explain things to Libria-san as well?" Misha asked.

"Yeah, of course. Though honestly, you already have a pretty good grasp on the situation, don't you?" I asked him.

"...I suppose so. Assuming it matches what I've deduced, for the most part."

Master nodded in affirmation at my words.

Master had interacted with both Haunted and Lilith. He had likely already pieced the details together and understood the baggage I was carrying.

"Hmm? It appears I am the only one being left out of the loop here. Just what are you talking about?" the headmaster inquired.

"Well, you see..." Misha began.

"Wait, please," I interjected.

Misha looked surprised at my interruption, but once I told her I wanted to explain it myself, she understood and stepped back.

"Headmaster, there's something regarding the Four Perils incident that I need to share with you."

"...Will you enlighten me, Roak?" the headmaster asked.

At the mention of the Four Perils, the headmaster's demeanor turned grave as he urged me to continue.

Giving a firm nod, I explained everything about myself and Lilith, just as I had to my companions earlier.

The headmaster listened with his eyes closed, and when I finished, he let out a slow exhale and murmured, "I see."

"Roak."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

With that single word, the headmaster fixed me with a piercing, unwavering gaze.

Showing not the slightest cloudiness or decline from age, his eyes possessed such immense power that they might even rival Zell's, leaving me utterly overwhelmed.

Yet that lasted only for an instant.

"You have been through quite an ordeal," he said gently.

"Huh?"

The sudden words of sympathy, delivered as the corners of his eyes softened, caused me to let out an embarrassingly dumbfounded squeak.

"A sudden reunion with family from whom you were long separated, only to discover she had joined hands with a faction of Evil Spirits... It must have come as an extraordinary shock."

"...Yes, sir. To be honest, it still hasn't completely sunk in."

Coupled with the fact that I only learned of my mother and sister's existence very recently, my head was still spinning trying to process it all.

"I imagine so. Everything has unfolded far too abruptly."

"...Um, Headmaster. I—"

"What I said first is all there is to it. Besides, you've been shocking me since long before this, what with commanding an Evil Spirit during the rank advancement matches."

"W-Well, that's..."

Now that he mentioned it, he was entirely right.

Come to think of it, I was already a problem child from day one.

"Well, if I were to say anything else... it would simply be that you did remarkably well."

"I did... well?" I echoed, blinking.

When I wondered what he meant, the headmaster nodded and answered, "Yes, indeed."

"While I was overseeing the evacuation and rescue of the city's populace, you accomplished the monumental feat of driving Apeps back. I am profoundly grateful to you and Misha, of course, but to Owen as well. Truly, thank you."

"No, please, there's no need..." I stammered.

"We merely did what had to be done," Master stated in a calm tone.

As I flailed and frantically shook my head at the sight of the headmaster bowing his head in thanks, Master answered in a composed tone from behind me.

"However, Roak, the matter of your younger sister cannot be set aside so easily."

"—!"

Doing an abrupt turnabout from his gentle demeanor, the headmaster addressed me with a stern, grim expression.

"Whatever her circumstances may be, so long as she stands with that organization, the kingdom will show no mercy. If things continue down this path, your sister will be branded a traitor to the realm and annihilated alongside the rest of their syndicate."

"That's..."

It was something I should have understood if I had thought about it for even a moment.

Up until now, I had been completely absorbed in my own feelings, but as long as she was allied with that band of Evil Spirits, the kingdom would recognize Lilith as an enemy that had to be eliminated.

It was obvious. All too painfully obvious.

"Are you prepared to accept that?" the headmaster asked.

"..."

At the headmaster's words, I fell involuntarily silent.

To be honest, a part of me truly could have answered that I was fine with it.

Combined with the fact that having Lilith as my sister still didn't feel real, my impression of her right now was essentially just some unhinged lunatic claiming to be my sister.

"..."

Even so, calling her an outright enemy didn't sit right with me.

To begin with, there was still far too much I didn't know about Lilith.

She was my flesh and blood, my own family. If at all possible, part of me wanted to sit down and talk things through.

"I..."

"You don't have to force yourself to say you're fine."

As I faltered, Master stepped in, having watched my hesitation with a keen eye.

"She's your flesh and blood. You can't just brush that aside so easily—and personally, I don't think you should, either."

"Master..."

Patting my shoulder gently, Master turned to offer a mild protest to the headmaster. "Please don't pick on my disciple too much."

"...It is not as though I take pleasure in saying this," the headmaster replied. "I only caught a brief glimpse of her from afar, but she is still just a child. Most likely, she can scarcely tell right from wrong."

His expression softened slightly, and he leaned back into the comfort of his chair before continuing.

"Still, as I mentioned earlier, this is no simple matter. What's more, your sister is somehow commanding Azi Dahaka, is she not? Hard as that is to swallow."

"The fact that she—Lilith—is a demon undoubtedly plays a major role in her ability to command Azi Dahaka."

Master provided his answer to the headmaster, who still looked dubious about the notion of Lilith controlling Azi Dahaka.

"Come to think of it, that rogue mentioned something about that," Misha chimed in. "Regarding the relationship between demons and Evil Spirits."

"...That all Evil Spirits are born from demons, was it?"

Prompted by Misha's words, I cast my mind back and recited the exact claim Haunted had made.

"It's true that demons and Evil Spirits have long been said to be connected," Master noted. "Even the teachings of the Spirit Worship Religion treat demons as abominations to be shunned right alongside Evil Spirits. That said, I never imagined Evil Spirits were actually spirits born from demons."

"Speaking of which, Master, it seemed like you already knew something about demons."

From how he immediately recognized Lilith's technique as magic at first glance, as well as his exchange with Haunted, it seemed he possessed no small amount of knowledge about them.

"I don't know nearly as much as you think," he replied. "It's just that when that fool...when Albert was researching Evil Spirits, he let me take a look at his materials."

"...Albert-sensei."

The moment that name slipped from Master's lips, an indescribable emotion welled up inside me.

He had betrayed us and nearly killed me, yet he had also taught my classes and looked after me during the Rank Battles and the Great Spirit Martial Arts Festival.

I simply couldn't bring myself to despise him.

"...Come to think of it, what happened to Albert-sensei after he contracted with Apeps?"

Our battle with Apeps had broken out immediately afterward, and since I lost consciousness the moment the fight ended, I hadn't been able to confirm Albert-sensei's fate.

Even if it was only a Temporary Contract, bonding with one of the Four Perils had to place an immense strain on the body. Was he all right?

"..."

"...Master?"

When Master fell silent instead of answering, I tilted my head in confusion.

It was a rare reaction from him. Thinking it strange, I opened my mouth to ask about Albert-sensei once more, only for the headmaster's words to cut in first.

"...He passed away."

"...What?"

Did I mishear him?

Thinking my ears had deceived me, I turned to look at the headmaster, only for him to repeat those exact same words: "He passed away."

"His body was likely unable to withstand the strain of contracting with Apeps. He was discovered in a battered state among the rubble of the Ruined Temple of Biblia."

"...No way."

Albert-sensei is...dead?

Really? Not a joke or some cruel trick?

Dazed with confusion, I glanced sideways at Master and Misha, only to see the somber, grief-stricken expressions etched onto their faces.

"...I...see."

No, if I stopped and thought about it, it was only natural.

The fact that every single one of us had survived that battlefield without losing anyone was nothing short of a miracle. Casualties were to be expected, and given what Albert-sensei had done, one could easily call it poetic justice.

"...I won't say I feel no guilt at all. I took my teaching duties at Yutrea Academy seriously, and I never disliked the students who listened eagerly to my lectures. I genuinely liked my life here."

Even so...despite all that...

"..."

"He was a tragic loss. Without a shadow of a doubt."

The headmaster spoke softly, as though giving voice to the grief churning inside my silent heart.

Traitor though he was, Albert-sensei had been a teacher of Yutrea Academy, a Spirit Master respected by students and colleagues alike—and the headmaster mourned his passing as well.

Feeling my heart lighten just a fraction at that realization, I gave a quiet nod. "Yes..."

"...Let us return to the subject at hand. We cannot wallow in sentimentality forever."

With that quiet murmur from Master, the sentimental silence that had hung over the headmaster's office lifted, and the room regained its original atmosphere.

"As I mentioned earlier, the reason I know anything about demons is because I borrowed and read through some of his research materials. When it came to anything related to Evil Spirits, he truly investigated with incredible thoroughness."

"...Did you discover anything?"

Albert had thrown away everything for the sake of Evil Spirits, so I figured he must have dug into all kinds of secrets. When I asked, Master nodded.

"No, unfortunately, I didn't find anything particularly groundbreaking. However, I did turn up several pieces of information that corroborate Haunted's claims."

"...What sort of details?"

"Namely, that demons possess the property of drawing Evil Spirits to themselves."

Misha and I both tilted our heads dubiously at Master's words.

"Albert theorized that this was either a homing instinct or that they were being drawn to the demons' mana."

"A homing instinct... That certainly ties into what Haunted told us."

"Right. Considering what he said about the origins of Evil Spirits, it makes sense that demons would carry such a trait."

"..."

While I nodded along to Master's explanation, Misha rested a hand against her chin, falling into contemplative silence.

"Misha, is something the matter?"

"...Oh, no. I understand the nature of demons, but it made me wonder what this power known as mana actually is in the first place."

"Huh? Well, that's..."

...What actually is it?

Now that she pointed it out, I realized I had no real understanding of what mana itself was.

My grasp of it was painfully vague—something along the lines of "some incredible power that demons wield."

"Master?"

"Don't look at me like that, I don't know either," Master replied with a helpless shrug. "It's hardly my field of study, and that battle was the first time I'd ever seen mana with my own eyes."

...Yeah, fair enough.

Come to think of it, his specialty was history. Expecting him to know that was asking way too much.

"...Well, while I might not know the fine details, one thing can be said for certain: it is a power similar to, yet fundamentally different from, Spiritual Power."

"Similar yet distinct..."

I murmured, casting my mind back to the chain magic Lilith had unleashed.

The force that comprised those chains was presumably mana, but it hadn't felt all that alien to me.

"..."

—No, in fact...

"To begin with, Spiritual Power is a fundamental building block of this world," the headmaster explained. "Spiritual veins take root throughout the earth, releasing spiritual energy into the atmosphere, which living beings absorb to produce Spiritual Power."

"Indeed. The Primal Spirit Realm, where spirits are born, is likewise composed of vast concentrations of spiritual energy."

"Yes, but mana is different," Master said. "Mana is a power unique to demons—one that only they possess and manipulate. I don't claim to know everything about this world, but even so, one cannot help but call it an anomaly."

"..."

Heresy.

Master had chosen his words tactfully, but listening to him, that single heretical word flashed across my mind.

"...Roak Areas."

"Yeah?"

Misha addressed me with a troubled expression, offering a preface before she spoke. "This is only a possibility, but..."

"Could you have used mana once before?"

"Huh?"

Used mana? Me?

"No, that's impossible..."

"During the final event of the Great Spirit Martial Arts Festival, the defense match against Yuma Schleft... The final technique you unleashed against him—weren't you using mana back then?"

"The Great Spirit Martial Arts Festival..."

Stunned by her utterly unexpected remark, I listened as Misha pressed further with the circumstances, sending my memories hurtling back to that desperate, life-or-death duel against Yuma.

Back then, after Spirit Arms Misha was defeated and Kuro was taken down after being summoned...what was the final technique I used to bring Yuma down...?

"...Mistilteinn."

"Mistilteinn? Ah, do you mean that wood spirit I handed you?" Master asked.

Mistilteinn. A wood spirit that possessed the trait of devouring its contractor's Spiritual Power to grow endlessly.

The spirit Master had entrusted to me as a trump card for the Great Spirit Martial Arts Festival—that was what I had used at the very end.

"...That's right, Mistilteinn! In the end, I tried to defeat Yuma with Mistilteinn, but I ran out of Spiritual Power to feed it...and I...!"

"I'm not following. What on earth are you talking about?"

"The presence radiating from Mistilteinn, the spirit Roak Areas used at the end, was strikingly similar to magic," Misha explained. "At the time, I simply thought the elemental affinity of the infused Spiritual Power was exceptionally dense, but looking back now, it was undeniably distinct from Spiritual Power."

"From Mistilteinn...?"

"Hmm. That duel against the student council president of Libel Academy, the one who contracted with an Evil Spirit, you mean?" the headmaster mused.

While Master and the headmaster listened to Misha with furrowed brows, I frantically dredged up my memories.

"That's it... How...how could I have forgotten until now?! Back then, someone gave me power, and that's how I was able to use Mistilteinn!"

As the memories rushed back with vivid clarity, an urge to punch myself for my own sheer stupidity surged through me.

That voice echoing in my mind back then, and that overflowing power... There was no mistaking it.

"It was Lilith. Lilith gave me mana!"

Having channeled it once before was why her magic hadn't felt alien to me—if anything, I had felt a strange sense of familiarity.

"Lilith gave mana to you?"

Master asked for confirmation, his face a blend of shock and suspicion. I nodded firmly. "Yes."

"I'm certain of it. And now that I think back on it, Yuma said something like that, too. At the time, I had no clue what he was talking about, but..."

"I see..."

Having heard me out, Master folded his arms and sank into deep thought.

"Indeed, now that you mention it, she interfered when you attempted to form a contract with an Evil Spirit as well."

"...Hm? Hold on just a moment. Did I just hear something rather alarming?"

The headmaster called an abrupt halt to the conversation over Master's slip of the tongue.

I whipped my head toward Master, who immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, wearing a look that screamed he'd just realized he stepped right into it.

—You've really done it now, Master.

"You two... As if a Temporary Contract wasn't reckless enough, you attempted something that dangerous?"

"Uh, well, you see, haha...about that..."

Any resentment I bore toward Master vanished in a flash as panic seized me under the headmaster's interrogation.

During the questioning after the Rank Battle against Traluus, I had gotten terrified and fudged the truth, lying that I'd only formed a Temporary Contract and hadn't actually attempted a full Spirit Contract.

Since no one had pressed me any further after that, I had let my guard down completely.

To think my lie would get exposed at a time like this...!

"...Good grief. Normally, I would interrogate you thoroughly on this matter, but now is hardly the time. We will deal with it later."

"..."

I let out a soft breath of relief at the headmaster's exasperated reprieve, only for him to shoot me a stern glare. "I will be demanding the full details later." All I could do was offer a quiet, compliant nod.

"Regardless, whatever we attempt to theorize, we simply lack enough information at present."

"Indeed. In truth, we've been trading in nothing but speculation for a while now."

The Four Perils. Demons.

Both were ancient entities rarely found outside ancient texts, making substantial information virtually impossible to gather.

"...Let us bring this to a close. I have other commitments scheduled soon."

As the headmaster muttered those words, exhaling as if venting his fatigue, I voiced my gratitude. Misha and I bowed and prepared to leave the office, only for his voice to halt us. "Wait a moment."

"One final matter. Regarding your sister."

"...Yes?"

I replied, turning around to face the headmaster.

"We will do everything within our power to settle matters as peacefully as possible on our end, but given the circumstances, I must ask you not to get your hopes too high."

"I understand. Honestly, thank you so much just for considering it."

By rights, she would normally have been branded a traitor and executed without a second thought.

The fact that he was willing to show this much consideration was more than I could have ever asked for.

"Unfathomable demon though she may be, she is still just a child. As an educator, my honest sentiment is that I want to help her somehow."

"From what I saw, rather than actively cooperating, it felt far more like she was being skillfully manipulated by Haunted," Master chimed in. "I believe there is more than enough hope."

Hearing the genuine desire to save Lilith laced throughout the headmaster's and Master's words, I bowed once more. "Thank you very much."

"No, it is nothing you need to thank us for. Forgive me for detaining you for so long—go back and get some proper rest."

Offering a bow at the headmaster's warm parting words, I finally stepped out of the office alongside Misha.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Still, to think you would actually take on an apprentice."

Once Roak and Misha had departed from the headmaster's office, the headmaster...Orpheus Gunbeil turned his gaze toward Owen as he spoke.

"That troublesome brat of the past has grown quite respectable."

"Could you please stop dredging up the ancient past?"

Orpheus's teasing prompted Owen to pull an awkward, sheepish grimace as memories of his past blunders resurfaced.

"What, embarrassed?"

"At my age, I'm painfully aware of just how much of an idiot I was back then."

Owen muttered, overcome by an urge to punch his younger self, who had rampaged wherever his curiosity led him, strutting around cockily without a shred of consideration for the chaos he inflicted on everyone around him.

"Hahaha! So even you've become an adult, have you?"

"Just how many years do you think it's been since then?"

Owen retorted with an exasperated sigh.

Former Yutrea Academy student or not, that was ages ago. He really wished his former teacher would stop treating him like a child.

"More to the point, what do you plan to do?"

"Well now, what indeed...?"

Orpheus pondered, grasping the precise meaning behind Owen's subjectless inquiry.

"I put on a brave front before the students, but to be completely honest, no viable solution comes to mind."

"We don't even know their whereabouts or their true objective in this situation, after all."

As Orpheus stroked his beard with a wry smile, Owen nodded in troubled agreement.

Unavoidable though it was, every move they made was forced onto the defensive.

"Still, it's not as though you're completely without a lead, are you?"

"No, though I can hardly call it concrete information."

Owen nodded at Orpheus's probing question.

He had held his tongue earlier to avoid dragging Roak and Misha into the fray, but by cross-referencing Albert's research with his own, Owen had formed several hypotheses regarding the enemy's goals and movements.

"I have a meeting with the Kingdom's Spirit Master Division shortly. Would you mind letting me hear your thoughts before then?"

"Of course."

At the request of his former master, Owen gave a quiet, resolute nod.

＊＊＊＊＊

"Well then, I shall take my leave."

"Yeah. Thanks for coming along and helping me out."

As we parted ways after concluding our audience with the headmaster, I offered Misha my gratitude, only for her to shake her head with a wry smile.

"I didn't do anything worth mentioning."

"No, thanks to you, I was able to speak with the headmaster directly."

Honestly, I had been scared out of my wits the entire time, but I was genuinely glad I got to talk with him face-to-face.

It had lifted a massive weight from my chest.

"If you feel that way, then making the suggestion was well worth the effort."

"Yeah. You really saved me."

Expressing my gratitude once more, I turned my back to Misha and began walking toward the dormitories.

"Roak."

"...!"

Startled by hearing just my first name rather than her usual formal address, I turned around to find her looking at me with a soft, gentle smile.

"Your sister... Let us make sure you reconcile with her, without fail."

"..."

Her heartfelt words caught in my throat, rendering me momentarily speechless.

Master had told me I didn't need to brush it aside, but was that truly all right?

Was it really acceptable to drag uninvolved people like Misha and Master into danger just so I could reconcile with Lilith?

What if Lilith was a villain so far gone that there was simply nothing we could do to reach her?

Doubts swirled endlessly through my mind, preventing me from giving her an affirmative answer.

"..."

As if seeing right through the turmoil in my heart, Misha closed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace.

"Wha—?! H-Hold on—!"

"It will be all right," she whispered softly. "She is your sister, after all. Deep down, I know she must be a kind girl at heart."

"...!"

My fluster at her sweet fragrance and soft touch lasted only a split second before her words hit me, making my eyes widen in sheer shock.

"...Aren't you giving me a little too much credit?"

"Perhaps I am. But that is how much I believe in you. And in your sister, of course."

"..."

She could very well have been killed by her, yet here she was, placing more faith in Lilith than even I could muster. For a long while, I found myself completely lost for words.

And yet, after taking a moment to realize the sheer depth of Misha's trust in me, I slowly voiced my gratitude.

"...Thank you," I said softly. "For believing in me... and in my sister."

"You are very welcome," she replied with a gentle smile.

Listening to her response, I realized with a start that I had been wrapped in Misha's embrace, overwhelmed by a strange sense of relief, prompting me to murmur in a slight fluster, "I'm all right now. Thank you."

"My, are you quite sure already?" Misha asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine now. Really, I'm good," I stammered.

At my words, Misha slowly unwrapped her arms from around my back and stepped away.

Giving myself a mental reprimand for feeling a twinge of regret at the loss of Misha's warmth as she pulled away, I offered her my thanks once more.

"Thank you, Misha. You really cheered me up."

"Is that so? Then I am glad," she answered warmly.

Misha turned and began to walk away as she said this, only to immediately pause with a soft "Ah," turning back as though something had just crossed her mind.

"If your spirits ever drop again, please do let me know. I shall gladly hug you once more."

"......Huh?"

By the time my brain caught up with the meaning of Misha's words, her retreating figure had already vanished from sight.

"...Guess I'll head back," I muttered.

Having stood there dumbfounded for a while even after Misha was gone, I muttered those words and began walking down the hallway.

ToC