Chapter 6: The Truth and the Malice Lurking in the Shadows

The closing ceremony of the Magic Tournament proceeded solemnly.

The students of the academy lined up in the arena, and the ceremony progressed smoothly from the opening remarks, the national anthem, the guest speeches, to the announcement of results—without a single hitch, everything was perfectly on schedule.

It was, as always, the same annual routine, rehashed every year. The only differences this time were the students’ lingering excitement due to a spectacular upset and the presence of Her Majesty the Queen at the ceremony today.

At last, Alicia stepped up to the podium. Behind her stood Zelos, the commander of the Royal Guard, and Celica, the academy’s pride and a seventh-rank mage. As bodyguards, they were impeccable. At this moment, there was likely not a soul in the world who could harm Alicia.

“Now, Her Majesty will bestow medals upon the class that achieved outstanding results in this tournament. Representatives of Class 2, please step forward. Students, let’s give them a round of enthusiastic applause.”

Applause erupted.

Envious sighs escaped the instructors of the other classes. To receive a medal directly from Her Majesty was an honor most could only dream of experiencing once in a lifetime. And of all people, it was Glenn Radars’ Class 2. Though they had fought fairly and lost according to the rules, it was hard to hide feelings of jealousy and resentment.

“Grr…!? What is this! Me, of all people… a fifth-rank mage like myself… to be outdone by a mere third-rank like Glenn Radars!? A man with no pride or shred of decency as a mage… to think I’d have to eat his dust…!?”

Halley, gnashing his teeth in frustration, scratched his head furiously.

“Halley-sensei… if you keep scratching your head like that, you’ll damage your hair follicles. Your hairline’s already receding for someone your age—”

“Shut up! That’s none of your business!”

Halley snapped at the student who had made the rather harsh comment out of concern, then began to think about the future.

Indeed, the defeat was humiliating, and losing three months’ worth of wages due to the bet was a painful blow.

He was destined to become a sixth-rank, perhaps even a seventh-rank mage—a true prodigy. To achieve that rank, he needed results, and he couldn’t afford to halt his magical research now.

But the loss from this bet had left him critically short of research funds—

“Damn it… isn’t there a Shirotte tree growing somewhere in this academy? If I had its branches, I could save on food costs… Wait, what am I thinking!? A proud mage like me, resorting to such despicable means!? Argh, damn it! Why must I suffer like this!? You’ll pay for this, Glenn Radars—!”

And at that moment.

The applause began to die down, replaced by a growing murmur of excitement rippling through the venue.

“…Oh? You are…?”

Alicia, standing at the podium, blinked in surprise as she gazed at the figures who had emerged from the crowd of students to stand before her.

It wasn’t Glenn. But they were a man and a woman Alicia recognized.

“Albert…? And Re=L…?”

“…So they’ve come.”

While Alicia hesitated, Celica muttered softly to herself.

Zelos, standing beside her, grew suspicious and whispered to Alicia.

“…Your Majesty, are those the instructors of Class 2, Glenn Radars and company?”

“No, they’re not… but…”

And at that moment.

“Hey, old man.”

Albert, with his stern face, suddenly spoke in a casual tone that didn’t suit him at all.

“How about we put an end to this farce already?”

“What did you say…!?”

Then, the man who appeared to be Albert muttered a spell under his breath.

For an instant, the air around the man and woman warped—

And when focus returned, the figures standing there were—

“Y-You lot—!?”

“Who the hell are you!?”

At that moment, Cross was shouting in blatant panic.

After many twists and turns.

With unyielding spirit and the pride of the Royal Guard, he had relentlessly pursued his target.

Even as one, then two of his comrades fell in battle, they never slowed their chase, pursuing, pursuing—

And then.

Finally, at long last, he thought he had truly cornered his target this time.

They were in a narrow, dead-end alley.

Guards had already taken positions on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings.

Nearly the entire force of the Royal Guard participating in the chase was converging here. They had been thoroughly outmaneuvered until now, but this time, there was no escape.

He thought he had finally seized the victory that had slipped through his fingers so many times—until that moment.

The two figures they had cornered at the dead end suddenly transformed, becoming entirely different people.

Faced with this incomprehensible situation, Cross was on the verge of losing his mind, ready to scream and cry in frustration.

“Are we done, Albert?”

“Yeah. Looks like we made contact successfully.”

The culprits of this chaos were muttering something incomprehensible.

“Damn it! Who the hell are you!?”

“No need to answer.”

“Imperial Court Mage Corps, Special Missions Annex, Executive Number 7, ‘The Chariot,’ Re=L.”

“…”

“…”

At Re=L’s muttered words, everyone present fell silent.

“…Do you realize what you’ve done? We’re on a covert mission. Our unit is one of the most secretive in the imperial army…”

“Yeah. I don’t really get it, though.”

As the two engaged in their bizarre comedy routine, Cross snapped back to his senses, his fists trembling.

“Court mages… No wonder… Damn it, we’ve been completely played! Squads Two, Three, Four! Seize them! The rest, report to the commander and resume pursuit of the real target—”

“No need.”

In an instant, two flashes of lightning streaked through the air.

“Gyaaah—!?”

“Guaah!?”

The guards struck by Albert’s lightning fell to the ground.

“That was a delayed activation of a pre-chanted spell… and with Double Cast!?”

“Relax. I went easy on them. You lot will be keeping us company for a while.”

Albert, frozen with his finger pointed forward, declared coldly and matter-of-factly.

“You… in this situation… with this disparity in numbers, you’re going to resist!?”

“Resist? No. I’m going to take you all down—”

“No need to take them down.”

Albert tugged at Re=L’s hair, who was brimming with belligerence.

“Even I’ll admit this numerical disadvantage isn’t ideal for a head-on fight. Besides, our role is diversion. We just need to keep them occupied as long as possible.”

“Got it. Leave it to me. I’ll cut them all down.”

Without a change in expression or the slightest flicker of emotion, Albert closed his eyes in resignation.

“…At least don’t kill them. They’re our comrades, even if from a different faction. It’d leave a bad taste.”

“Here I go! I’ll… take down the enemy! Yaaaaah—!”

Re=L crouched and launched forward like an explosion, touching the ground and instantly transmuting a greatsword.

“…”

Watching his partner charge recklessly into the enemy ranks with a cold gaze, Albert calmly began chanting support spells.

At the center of the magic arena, in the open area before the podium.

Zelos could only stand in utter shock at the sudden appearance of Rumia and Glenn.

“Impossible!? Lady Rumia, you’re supposed to be out in the city with the magic instructor—”

The guests in the stands and the students lined up in formation were equally baffled, unable to make sense of the situation, watching from a distance with murmurs of confusion.

Amid the chaos, Glenn smugly revealed the trick.

“My allies switched places with us midway. Using [Self-Illusion]. To think you’d fall for such a simple trick—maybe you should train your subordinates better, huh?”

“Tch! Royal Guard! What are you doing!? Seize the traitors!”

As Zelos shouted orders, shielding Alicia behind him, the guards patrolling the venue snapped to attention, drawing their swords and rushing to apprehend Glenn and Rumia.

“Celica, now—!”

But the moment Glenn shouted, countless lines of light raced across the ground at blinding speed.

Centered on the podium, a barrier instantly formed, encircling Glenn, Rumia, Alicia, Zelos, and Celica, its towering walls of light separating the inside from the outside world.

The guards closing in on Glenn and the others were now completely shut out by the barrier.

“~~~~!? ~~~~!?”

The excluded guards pounded on the barrier’s surface, shouting something, but their voices didn’t reach Glenn and the others inside.

“Ho? A severance barrier that blocks sound as well. Quite considerate, Celica.”

At Glenn’s praise, Celica smirked.

When had she constructed that barrier? At the tip of Celica’s outstretched left palm floated a pentagram magic circle made of light, humming like a bell as it operated—

(…As I thought.)

While everyone around was stunned and confused by the scene unfolding before the queen, Sistine alone seemed to have anticipated this development.

(Something felt off… I knew it.)

She had noticed the area around the queen’s VIP seats had been unusually hectic since Rumia’s disappearance. That alone wouldn’t have caught Sistine’s attention.

But then, Glenn and Rumia had appeared before her, deliberately disguising their voices and appearances. Their stubborn insistence on hiding their identities made it easy for Sistine, who knew Rumia’s background and circumstances, to sense something unusual was afoot.

(Black Magic [Self-Illusion] cloaks the user in an illusion that mimics transformation. You’d notice the discrepancy if you touched them… and there’s no way I’d mistake that girl’s hand.)

But here, a moment of hesitation arose. Should she forcibly pry into the situation or not?

Rumia was like a sister to her, a dear friend. If she was caught up in something, Sistine wanted to help, no matter what. She’d help even if Rumia didn’t ask. That was a given.

But… Rumia had said this:

—Believe in me.

Not “help me” or “stay out of it”… just “believe in me.”

If that was the case—then she would believe.

That was the shape of the friendship Sistine prided herself on.

(Still, it kinda ticks me off that Rumia’s relying on that guy more than me…)

Her heart swirled with an odd, indefinable emotion, but setting that aside, Sistine gazed at the figures beyond the barrier—Glenn and Rumia, facing the queen and her entourage.

She still didn’t know exactly what was happening. The barrier blocked sound, making it impossible to grasp the situation.

She didn’t understand a thing, but—

(Sensei… please, save Rumia… I’m begging you…)

Clenching her hands tightly at her chest as if in prayer, Sistine held her breath.

“Celica-dono…! To think you’d betray us at this stage!?”

Zelos, glaring at the barrier with frustration, roared at Celica in burning anger.

“…”

But Celica maintained a calm, detached expression, remaining silent.

“Damn it, what a mess…”

Zelos could only gnash his teeth, torn between rage and anxiety.

Those outside the barrier, unable to comprehend the situation, could only stare in stunned silence at the unfolding events.

“Now that the side characters have been ushered out…”

Glenn snapped his fingers and turned to face Zelos.

“Hey, old man. Why’d you do this? Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

“Guh—!”

“Your Majesty, forgive my presumption, but allow me to report. This man has falsely used Your Majesty’s name to attempt to harm an innocent girl—this girl, Rumia.”

“…”

Alicia stared intently at Glenn.

“Your Majesty, rest assured. It’s over. Rumia is safely under my protection, and the Royal Guard who were restraining you are now outside this barrier. There’s no one left to overpower you. I know this old man’s ridiculously strong, but even he can’t take on both me and Celica at once.”

“You… traitors…!”

“Idiot. Who’s the real traitor here? Anyway, all that’s left is for Your Majesty to give the order, and it’s done. Even this guy can’t defy a direct command from Your Majesty in this situation, right?”

It’s finally over—Glenn thought.

He still had no idea why things had come to this, but at least the chaos itself would end. He could get the truth later, and besides, that wasn’t his job.

As Glenn vaguely mulled this over,

“Zelos.”

“Yes… what is it, Your Majesty?”

“Kill that girl… Rumia Tingel.”

Words Glenn never expected spilled from Alicia’s lips.

“…Huh?”

“—!?”

Glenn froze. Rumia paled.

Unfazed, Alicia continued, her expression cold as ice.

“That girl is someone who must not exist to me.”

“W-Wait, Your Majesty, what are you saying…?”

Caught off guard by Alicia’s unimaginable words, it was now Glenn’s turn to falter.

“She shouldn’t exist. I never loved her. Why does that child even exist in this world…? It was my mistake—I cannot regret it enough.”

“N-No…”

Even Rumia couldn’t bear such words from her mother.

“No way… did you really feel that way? Was that your true heart…? That kindness…? That warmth…?”

Trembling, stepping back, she still clung to hope as she asked.

“Yes, it was all a lie. A whim I indulged in to distract myself when I was weary of state affairs. So, regret your foolishness in defying me and die.”

At the cruel words thrust upon her, Rumia’s head drooped, tears welling in her eyes.

“N-No, hold on, Your Majesty! Why would you say something so heartless…?”

While Glenn burned with desperation, Zelos regained his strength.

“Ha, haha, hahaha! Finally, you understand, Your Majesty! How’s that, you lowlife!? This is Her Majesty’s true will! Justice is on our side!”

“Tch—!?”

A complete miscalculation. Glenn had believed that meeting the queen directly would resolve everything, trusting Celica’s words. But he hadn’t anticipated the queen saying something like this—it was utterly beyond his expectations.

“I see… so Celica-dono never betrayed us. She trapped the traitors in this barrier! There’s no escape now, is there?”

“Damn it…”

“Now, it’s time to deal with the traitors… I’ll personally send you to your graves!”

Zelos, brimming with killing intent, drew his swords.

Holding a rapier in each hand, his dual-wielding style was evident.

With steps that betrayed no openings, he closed in on Glenn, one step at a time.

“Hey, Celica!? What’s going on!? Say something, Celica!?”

“…”

But Celica didn’t respond to Glenn’s calls. She closed her eyes, as if deaf to him, focusing solely on maintaining the barrier. The frustration was maddening, but there was nothing he could do.

(Damn it, Celica, what’s this about ‘meet the queen and it’ll be fine’!? Fine!? We’re in a life-or-death crisis here! Did she seriously set us up!?)

Glenn stepped forward, shielding the crumpled, despairing Rumia behind him.

(What do I do!? What can I do!? Zelos isn’t like those inexperienced guards—he’s on a whole other level! A real veteran who survived the war forty years ago!)

Cold sweat trickled down Glenn’s forehead.

Zelos advanced, step by step. With each step, the aura of death grew thicker, like a dense fog, chilling Glenn’s spine. It was as if the Grim Reaper himself were marching toward him.

(What the hell is this!? What’s going on!? Why did Her Majesty say something so unbelievable!? And it wasn’t like she was forced or threatened or manipulated—she said it of her own will!)

Zelos was nearly within striking range.

The moment he closed the distance, Glenn would be cut down—dead, killed.

(Damn it! There’s no way I can take on Zelos in this range! I’d be killed before I could even chant a single spell…!)

The distance between them was already within melee combat range. Even a one-verse chant was nearly impossible in this situation, let alone Glenn’s three-verse chants. What use were they? The barrier prevented retreat, and with Rumia behind him, he couldn’t back down anyway.

(…No choice but to fight…!)

With grim resolve, Glenn assumed a stance from ancient boxing.

Of course, Glenn had considerable confidence in his combat style, which centered on boxing.

He might even say he was better at it than magic.

But against a monster like Zelos, how far would that really get him…?

(Rumia… I’m sorry. I didn’t bring you here to put you through this…)

Rumia seemed to have given up. Clutching the locket at her chest, she closed her eyes tightly, head bowed as if in prayer.

The approaching figure of death, the searing flames of anxiety burning his back, and the impulsive urge to escape drove Glenn to launch a desperate charge—when, suddenly.

—A thought struck him.

(Come to think of it… why did Her Majesty say those things at this exact moment?)

—That girl is someone who must not exist to me.

—She shouldn’t exist. I never loved her. Why does that child even exist in this world…? My mistake—I cannot regret it enough.

(No matter how you look at it, that’s strange. If Her Majesty truly meant it, a single ‘kill her’ would’ve sufficed. Why go out of her way to say things that would hurt Rumia… those unnecessary words? And all lies… in this situation?)

Glenn’s eyes flicked between Alicia’s neck and Rumia’s hand.

(Speaking of strange… there’s that matching locket pendant too. Her Majesty always cherished it, but she’s not wearing it today…)

His thoughts began to race.

(There’s no doubt Her Majesty is deliberately saying the opposite of her true feelings. But why? I get that she might not speak her mind in public, but what’s the point of saying the opposite, of lying? Is she the type to do meaningless things? Is there a reason she has to lie… a reason she can’t speak the truth?)

And then, he recalled.

Those were Celica’s words.

“I’ll say it again, Glenn. Listen up. I can’t do anything, and I can’t say anything.”

“You’re the only one who can break through this situation… yes, you alone.”

Thinking back, Celica’s tight-lipped silence and her stubborn persistence in maintaining the sound-blocking barrier feel like some kind of hint. I can vaguely sense her intent to convey something.

Thanks to the barrier isolating us from the outside, I should be free to say anything without consequence, yet she says nothing. Could it be that the act of speaking or conveying something… is itself somehow dangerous?

And what is it that Celica can’t do, but I can? What could that possibly be?

Could it… just maybe—?

It was almost pure instinct.

Following the flash of insight that raced through his mind, Glenn blurted out words.

“Your Majesty, that necklace around your neck… it’s beautiful. It suits you perfectly.”

At Glenn’s incomprehensible words, Zelos froze, Rumia blinked in surprise, staring at Glenn. Celica’s eyes widened as she flashed a fearless smirk, and Alicia broke into a bright smile.

Rumia aside, everyone’s reactions were clearly off.

“Isn’t it? It’s my [Absolute Favorite].”

Alicia’s cold demeanor vanished, and she spoke cheerfully, her voice brimming with delight.

“[Absolute Favorite]… I see. But isn’t it a bit too flashy? Doesn’t it tire your shoulders? Maybe you should take it off.”

Glenn shrugged playfully, his tone light.

“Hehe, no way. I don’t want to take it off. Not at all.”

Got it. That peculiar phrasing… there’s no mistake.

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

Finally, finally, Glenn understood.

The truth behind this bizarre incident, the malicious intent that created this incomprehensible situation.

“What… are you planning, you bastard!?”

Unnerved by Glenn’s fearless grin, Zelos barked threateningly.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to take that necklace off Her Majesty.”

“What… did you say?”

“Hey, old man. How about putting that sword away? I can take that thing off, you know.”

Zelos’s brows shot up.

“Enough of your bluffing, mage! One more reckless move, and I’ll cut you down!”

“Yeah, figured you’d react like that… I was a bit slow to catch on. You’ve already closed the distance with that sword, so there’s no time to talk this out… but, you know, Rumia.”

Called out of the blue, Rumia lifted her face.

“Your mom… she really does love you.”

With those words,

Glenn shot a glance at Alicia, who stood beyond Zelos.

Alicia gave a firm nod.

Seeing this, Glenn suddenly moved his left arm with swift precision.

Time—his heightened awareness in this critical moment stretched the fleeting instant into eternity.

A mage’s left arm, closest to the heart, where magic is woven.

Sensing its movement, Zelos lunged forward like a gale, without hesitation.

“I won’t let you—!”

It was a godlike speed, leaving even afterimages behind, impossible for a human.

(Tch… so damn fast—!? Come on, make it in time—!)

Glenn broke into a cold sweat at Zelos’s unimaginable speed—

Desperately moving his sluggish left arm, painfully slow compared to Zelos’s lightning-fast strike—

—In the next instant, a brilliant spray of blood bloomed.

“I don’t know what you were aiming for… but you’re too slow, mage.”

“Gah—!? Agh…!?”

Zelos’s right sword had pierced Glenn’s left arm.

Glenn’s left hand… had failed to trigger any magical phenomenon.

And in Zelos’s left hand, another sword gleamed.

One thrust to Glenn’s heart, and it would be over—Glenn would die.

“It’s over, mage!”

“No—Sensei—!”

As Zelos drew back his left sword and Rumia screamed—

The sword’s tip sliced through the air.

A silver flash surged straight forward.

The blade aimed for Glenn’s heart—just before it struck.

At the edge of Zelos’s vision, a green light streaked from above to below.

“Wha—”

For some reason, Zelos’s eyes instinctively followed the green light.

The green light fell slowly to the ground, clinking as it bounced once, twice.

It was the emerald gemstone necklace Alicia had been wearing.

In the next moment, Zelos’s face froze in shock as he halted his sword and turned to Alicia—

Seeing her poised as if she had just thrown something—

“Your Majesty, what have you—!?”

He cried out, his face twisted in despair—

—That moment decided the outcome for both Zelos and Glenn.

“Ooooooooh—!”

A whirlwind slash.

Seizing the fleeting opening, Glenn sprang like a coiled spring, unleashing a high roundhouse kick.

With full force and no mercy, his right leg whipped into Zelos’s temple, striking with the force of a lash.

“—Gaaaaaah!?”

The sheer power sent Zelos crashing to the ground, rolling violently.

The stretched flow of time, prolonged by Glenn’s heightened senses, returned to normal—

“Heh… got him… ow, damn…”

Glenn, his blood-soaked left arm dangling limply, declared his victory.

“No matter how much of a genuine monster you are, having survived that war, you’re still human. You won’t be getting up for a while…”

“I don’t care… about myself!”

Struggling to rise using his sword as a crutch, Zelos’s legs buckled, and he collapsed, shouting in raw desperation and despair.

“More importantly! Your Majesty!? Your Majesty—!?”

“I’m fine, Zelos.”

“Wha…”

Zelos’s frantic expression faltered as he saw Alicia standing calmly, and he fell speechless, stunned.

“I’m already fine… truly fine. So, it’s alright now…”

Alicia smiled gently at Zelos.

Ignoring the dumbfounded Zelos, Glenn glared at the emerald necklace on the ground with disgust and turned to Celica.

“A conditional trigger… a conditional curse, right? That necklace was a cursed artifact, wasn’t it?”

From Celica’s smirk, Glenn confirmed his guess was correct and pressed on.

“A curse that activates upon meeting certain conditions… that kind of conditional curse is a classic, overused trick in magical history. That damned necklace probably had something like: ‘Remove it unauthorized, and the wearer dies,’ ‘After a set time, the wearer dies,’ ‘Disclose the curse to a new third party, and the wearer dies’—the trusty, traditional three-pronged conditional curse. And the condition to dispel it was likely… ‘Rumia’s death.’”

Glenn shrugged with a sigh.

“In short, someone targeting Rumia orchestrated this incident, holding Her Majesty’s life hostage. How’s that? Pretty close, right?”

“There’s some minor variation in the curse’s conditions, but… well, spot on. That’s about it.”

Celica, finally speaking, let out a low chuckle.

“To save Her Majesty, the Royal Guard tried to kill Rumia, going rogue. And you, Celica, were likely warned by the mastermind not to help Rumia, with Her Majesty’s life as leverage, right? So, That’s why you set up the barrier in a way that could be seen as trapping us.”

“Glenn, you’re such an idiot most of the time, but when it counts, you really shine, don’t you? You’re definitely my proud disciple.”

Glenn slumped to the ground, exhausted.

“Hah… couldn’t you have given me a clearer hint? I nearly died here, you know… geez…”

Celica, looking pleased, got a sharp retort from Glenn as he scratched his head in exasperation.

“But you figured it out, so it’s fine, right? I believed in you.”

“Tch, don’t act all smug… and I didn’t figure it out because of you. It was because Her Majesty went out of her way to feed me obvious lies earlier.”

“Huh…? Lies…?”

At Glenn’s words, Rumia gasped and looked at Alicia.

Alicia met Rumia’s gaze, smiling awkwardly, like a child caught doing something naughty.

“You… what did you… what did you do…? Why didn’t the curse activate…?”

Zelos, the only one still in the dark, questioned Glenn.

“Sorry, Zelos old man. The left hand was a feint. The real move was with my right.”

Glenn showed Zelos what he held in his right hand.

It was an old, weathered card.

“…An Arcane…? ‘The Fool’…?”

“This is my magical tool. By reading the spell encoded in the Fool’s design, I can completely suppress the activation of any magic within a certain area.”

“What…?”

“A curse is just another form of magic. Under the influence of my Original Magic [Fool’s World], no curse can activate, no matter the conditions. So, happily ever after, yeah?”

“…The Fool…? Suppressing magic activation…?”

Zelos’s eyes widened as if realizing something, staring straight at Glenn.

“I’ve heard rumors… the Imperial Court Mage Corps… could you be…?”

“Dunno what you’re talking about. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

Glenn turned away from Zelos with a huff.

“Alright, this whole circus is finally over… well, not quite. The mastermind behind this mess is still out there, but for now, let’s set that aside.”

Scratching his head, Glenn surveyed his surroundings. Outside the barrier, students, instructors, and guards, locked out, were buzzing with confusion, clearly unable to grasp what had happened.

“Now, how do I explain this… and can this even be cleaned up?”

Glenn racked his brain over how to handle the aftermath.

Around the same time.

In the southern district, far from the chaos engulfing the magic academy.

As the veil of evening darkness began to envelop the quiet back alleys, a lone figure moved silently.

“I never imagined it would fail…”

But there was no trace of disappointment in that voice.

It carried the thrill of an unexpected twist in a scripted game, a tone of genuine amusement.

“I even went to the trouble of holding Her Majesty hostage and sealing the unpredictable Celica Arfonia’s movements… but as expected of the Seventh Rank, quite the sly fox. And Glenn Radars… who’d have thought such a wild card was lurking?”

The woman, chuckling gleefully as she walked, suddenly stopped.

“I see… it seems the Empire isn’t entirely full of fools…”

Unnoticed until now,

Two figures had appeared before her.

“We were given two tasks. One was to monitor the Royal Guard, whose recent radical actions have been conspicuous. The other… was to investigate those close to Her Majesty.”

One of the figures spoke calmly.

“Lately, it felt like our movements were being predicted. To think it was you, the least likely suspect. Her Majesty’s chief lady-in-waiting and secretary… no, a heretic mage of the Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom, Eleanor Charlet.”

In that moment, the encroaching darkness seemed to deepen.

“Your impeccable background, flawless record, and exceptional abilities… in hindsight, the fact that your profile was too perfect should’ve raised suspicions.”

Eleanor responded to Albert’s dispassionate accusation with a chilling smile.

“Consider this: the Royal Guard only mobilized after Her Majesty left to meet Princess Ermiana, and after you made contact with Zelos and Celica. We were initially blindsided by the assumption that the Royal Guard acted alone, but…”

“Oh my, spying with far-seeing magic? What poor taste.”

“Answer, Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom. What’s your goal? If Rumia truly is Princess Ermiana… the terrorist incident at the academy before, and now this uproar… the princess has always been at the center. Yet, you tried to kidnap her before, and now you aimed to kill her. Your actions lack consistency. What is your organization plotting?”

“…[The Akashic Records].”

Albert’s brow twitched slightly at Eleanor’s cryptic response.

“Yes, we seek the great wisdom of the heavens, [The Akashic Records]… shall we say, for the sake of the princess? Hehe.”

Eleanor spread her arms, gazing skyward in rapture.

Albert’s voice grew icy as he pressed, his tone laced with menace.

“I don’t understand. This [Akashic Records], whatever it is… does the princess’s life or death not matter to your goal?”

“Of course, we’d prefer her alive, but there are… let’s call them radicals in our group, impatient types. Hehe. This time, we went to great lengths to secure a meticulous corpse retrieval route, but it all went to waste.”

“I see. So, instead of acting directly, you manipulated the Royal Guard to do it… because of that retrieval route.”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

Eleanor smiled seductively, and Re=L, standing beside Albert, wordlessly raised her already-forged greatsword, as if done with the talk.

“Enough. I’ll cut.”

“Wait, don’t kill her. We need to capture her and make her spill the organization’s secrets.”

“Don’t need. I’ll cut. No need to listen to a villain’s words.”

“…”

Albert fell silent, his expression unyielding, while Re=L readied her greatsword.

The air grew thick with the tense killing intent unique to a battlefield.

“Oh my, how frightening.”

Yet Eleanor remained unfazed, smiling with composed confidence.

“Taking on the Special Missions Annex’s two aces at once is hardly favorable… so, I’ll take my leave with a strategic retreat.”

“I won’t let you escape. I’ll cut!”

Re=L charged like a tempest, a bullet of raw force.

Albert raised his fingers, beginning a chant.

At the same time, Eleanor began her own incantation, her gestures graceful and dance-like—

In a secluded alley of Fejite, magic clashed with magic, and the shockwave of impact echoed through the night.