Chapter 6: Breakthrough

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────. ……

“──Sen…sei! Sen…sei…!”

As always, consciousness rises from the darkness.

“──Sensei! Sensei! Sensei, I said! Senseii, come on!”

As always, Sistine’s voice pierces his ears.

“Ugh! Come on, just wake u──”

Gadan!

Glenn, snapping awake, surges to his feet and glares at Sistine.

“Shut up, be quiet.”

Sistine flinches, chilled to the core by Glenn’s icy voice and dark gaze.

From a short distance, Rumia, Re=L, and the students of Class 2, who had been chatting moments before, stare at Glenn in shock.

“Ah… I-I’m… I’m sorry! I was a bit too harsh…”

“…Ah.”

Seeing Sistine’s faint fear, a wave of guilt surges within Glenn.

“No… I’m the one who’s sorry… Damn it! What the hell am I even doing!?”

Glenn clutches his head, berating himself. Goh! He slams his fist against the blackboard.

The students of Class 2 exchange confused glances, unsure of what’s happening.

“…Sensei…?”

Sistine gazes solemnly at Glenn’s tormented profile.

And so, another monotonous week of the selection tournament begins.

Glenn goes through the motions, as if it’s a task he must complete──he has no choice but to keep going.

 

──It’s been a considerable amount of time since Glenn became aware of this repeating week.

Unable to confide in anyone, unable to make contact with Ellen.

In such dire circumstances, Glenn, in his own way, has desperately searched for a way to break the cycle.

The root cause of the loop is, without a doubt, that mysterious clock Ellen possesses.

Thus, Glenn has tried every possible method to reach Ellen.

He’s wracked his brain for ways to steal that clock from her.

But, in the end, it was futile. The moment he makes a move, that grotesque mechanical girl appears, sensing his intent instantly. Before her enigmatic attacks, he’s utterly powerless.

[Tri-Resist], [Force Shield], [Body Up], [Air Screen]… no matter how robustly he prepares his magical defenses, it’s all in vain.

Glenn finds himself with a gaping hole in his chest, and it’s over in an instant.

Facing that sensation of death has pushed him to his mental limits, and in recent cycles, Glenn has completely given up on confronting Ellen.

In the end, with no progress made, the number of loops only continues to grow pointlessly.

(…The only change in this endless loop… is Ellen, huh?)

Yes, surprisingly, it’s Ellen.

Ellen alone has been changing slightly with each cycle… and in the worst possible way.

(In the last few cycles… Ellen’s performance in the selection tournament has been visibly declining.)

Magical power status and combat performance are deeply influenced by one’s mental state.

Depending on the day’s physical and mental condition, mana capacity, mana density, and combat outcomes can vary significantly. It’s an obvious truth, hardly worth mentioning.

Lately, Ellen’s results have been worsening with each cycle.

(In other words, Ellen’s reaching her limit too. She probably had a moment in this closed week where she was certain she’d reached her peak performance… but then, most likely, White Cat crushed her effortlessly… Her spirit’s starting to break…)

Once it reaches this point, it’s like rolling downhill.

For now, Ellen is still managing to keep her scores in the upper ranks, but…

 

“As expected, the top contenders for Main Wizard are Sistine Fibel from Alzano Academy and Levin Kleitos from Kleitos Academy, right?”

“Yeah, Ellen was impressive too, but compared to those two, she’s just a step behind!”

“Tomorrow’s mock magic battle has a match between Sistine and Levin, doesn’t it!?”

“Yup! I’m already excited to see who’ll win!”

 

It’s currently the fifth day.

At the spectator seats of the magic arena, where the All-Out magic duels are being held.

Conversations like these among the students can be heard all around, a sign of how much Ellen’s performance has slipped. In future cycles, her condition will likely deteriorate even further.

“…This is hopeless.”

Glenn, who had been observing Ellen’s match today, lets out a sigh.

Ellen, due to careless mistakes, suffered consecutive losses to Rize and Jaill, and now sits in a corner of the field, hugging her knees, looking so exhausted it’s almost pitiful.

(I don’t want to wish for this, but… hoping for a miracle where Ellen beats White Cat and claims the Main Wizard spot… even that’s out of reach, huh…)

Glenn lets out a heavy sigh and scratches his head.

No matter what actions he takes, no matter how much information he gathers and analyzes.

The undeniable truth that becomes clear is as follows:

──He’s completely cornered. Utterly at a dead end. There’s nothing he can do.

(If I could at least figure out what Ellen’s clock is… or the true nature of that bizarre monster it transforms into, I might be able to come up with a countermeasure…)

But he can’t even get close to Ellen.

Unable to probe any further, investigating the clock or the monstrous entity is absolutely impossible.

(How many more times? How many more loops until this week “completely closes”?)

“Damn… it…!”

Unable to hold back, a curse slips from Glenn’s lips.

Gan! His fist slams into the seat.

The sound echoes through the surrounding spectator seats, drawing the students’ attention to Glenn.

“W-What’s wrong!?”

“Glenn, are you okay?”

Rumia and Re=L, seated beside him, blink in surprise, looking at Glenn with concern.

“Shut up, it’s nothing!”

“Ah!? Sensei!? W-Wait, please──”

Shaking off Rumia’s attempt to stop him, Glenn bolts from the scene, fleeing.

(What do I do? What do I…!?)

As the scenery rushes past, Glenn’s thoughts wander endlessly through a maze of despair.

(How much time is left? Has this spacetime, as Nameless said, already been torn apart? Is there no way for us to move toward the future──ever?)

In a darkness where he can’t see an inch ahead, only his anxiety smolders and grows──

(At this rate, the future of those students will…! It’ll end in this pointless, closed-off week of a world! What do I──what do I do!?)

But no one answers Glenn’s questions, nor is there anyone who can.

Truly, there was nothing he could do.

Enduring the loop, struggling toward a future, all of it feels utterly futile.

And so, the cycle continues──continues──continues──

 

────.

 

“──Sen…sei! Sen…sei…! Sensei──… wait, huh? You’re awake? Huh? I thought you were asleep just a moment ago…?”

“…Yeah, well.”

How many cycles has it been? Glenn has long stopped counting.

So, as always, he wakes to Sistine’s voice.

As always, he’ll go through the motions of the welcome exchange event on the first day.

As always, Sistine and Levin will clash at the venue.

Then, starting tomorrow, as always, the mana measurement on the second day will begin.

The day after, as always, the academic exams on the third day will start.

As always, as always, as always.

And then, as always, the All-Out Duels will begin on the fourth day──…

 

────.

 

In a certain cycle, on the second day.

Glenn, as usual, was heading to the venue where the mana measurement was being held.

Normally, he’d be accompanied by Rumia and Re=L on the way to the venue.

But for some reason, this time, the group was a bit different.

“──And that’s why. I absolutely want to become the Main Wizard, Sensei.”

“Hmm. Main Wizard… huh.”

It was Sistine. For some reason, Sistine was with them.

In the usual cycle pattern, Sistine would already be at the venue preparing for the mana measurement, so she wouldn’t be acting alongside Glenn at this point.

And yet──

“It might sound arrogant, but I want to catch up to my grandfather…”

Sistine was by Glenn’s side.

Perhaps because of this, the information about Sistine’s deep investment in the selection tournament, which he usually hears on the first day, was being shared at this odd timing.

This was a first.

“That’s why, for my own sake, I want to become the Main Wizard. I want to see with my own eyes the same sights my grandfather saw when he competed with his magic on the world stage…”

While talking, Sistine kept stealing glances at Glenn’s expression.

“…Why?”

Glenn could only throw that question at Sistine, puzzled.

“Huh? Well, like I said, for my grandfather──”

“No. That’s not what I mean. White Cat, why are you here?”

Come to think of it, it wasn’t just Ellen whose actions had gradually changed. Sistine, too, had been acting differently toward Glenn, little by little.

“This selection tournament is a big deal for you, right? It’s tied to your future goals. If it’s that important, didn’t you have things you needed to do?”

Exactly. Normally, at this time, Sistine wouldn’t be here.

She’d be at the venue early in the morning, voluntarily preparing with mental focus, mana refinement, and other self-training exercises, ensuring she’s in peak condition.

So why, right now, was Sistine by his side?

Glenn couldn’t help but find it strange.

To Glenn’s question,

Sistine, after a brief silence…

“Because… I couldn’t just leave you alone.”

She murmured softly, with a hint of sadness, a touch of frustration.

“Sensei. Have you looked in a mirror? Your face right now… it’s awful.”

“……”

“And it started so suddenly, from the moment I tried to wake you up yesterday… even though I wasn’t dozing off or anything. Up until then, you were fine… you were the usual Sensei.”

Apparently, his face this time was the worst it had ever been.

So much so that Sistine changed her plans to prioritize checking on Glenn.

“It’s only natural to worry that something’s wrong, isn’t it? And it’s not just me… Rumia, Re=L… everyone in Class 2 is worried about you.”

“……”

Glenn glances back silently.

Sure enough, as Sistine said, Rumia and Re=L are watching him with anxious, hesitant expressions.

But Glenn just lets out a small sigh, averting his eyes petulantly.

He can sense Rumia and Re=L lowering their gazes sadly, but… right now, Glenn can’t do anything about it. Even dealing with the three girls feels like an overwhelming burden.

He simply didn’t have the mental energy──

“Shut up, it’s none of your business… Just leave me alone, please.”

“You won’t tell me anything, huh?”

“……”

Glenn quickens his pace, escaping Sistine’s gaze.

He knows, rationally, that this mindset is no good, but he can’t help it.

His heart──was exhausted. Heavy.

(At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before my mind breaks completely…)

Glenn was thinking such thoughts as if they belonged to someone else when it happened.

Zah! Someone stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

“Hmph. I’ve been waiting for you.”

As always, Fossil Lefoy Ertoria, the magical archaeology professor, appeared before Glenn.

“I’ve heard about you. You’re Glenn, right? Come on, hurry up. Follow me.”

And, as always, Fossil rudely grabs Glenn by the collar.

“Tch──”

As usual, Glenn moves to mechanically throw Fossil off──

But at that moment.

“…F-Fossil-sensei…? You’re back!?”

A sudden voice of surprise rises beside him, causing Glenn’s hand to freeze.

Sistine is blinking rapidly, staring intently at Fossil.

“Hm? You’re Sistine Fibel, aren’t you? What is it? Do you need something from me?”

Fossil glares back at Sistine with an air of superiority.

“What is it!? Don’t play dumb! I haven’t forgotten, you know! That time I volunteered for the ruin exploration you planned, you nitpicked my thesis with petty complaints and unfairly disqualified me from the expedition team!”

Sistine glares back at Fossil, her eyes blazing with anger.

“Hmph. You’re a girl, aren’t you? There’s no way I’d let a girl take on such dangerous tasks. Women should stay quiet and safe, doing housework or something. Risking life is a man’s role.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying is outdated! In this day and age──”

And just like that, the heavy atmosphere from Glenn’s earlier conversation with Sistine vanishes.

Sistine and Fossil launch into a heated argument.

Faced with this completely unprecedented turn of events, Glenn, for the first time in a while, forgets his gloom and blinks in stunned disbelief.

“Good grief… As noisy as ever, kid. I’m busy. I don’t have time to deal with you. Look at this statue.”

Fossil pulls a statue from his pocket and shows it to Sistine.

“Ah! T-That’s──”

The moment she sees the statue, Sistine’s indignant expression transforms, her eyes sparkling like a child’s.

“That statue… could it be, a kin of The Celestial Taum──!?”

“Ho? You recognize it? Not bad.”

“Of course I do! For anyone studying magical archaeology, it’s basic knowledge! The Celestial Taum is the greatest key to the mysteries of ancient civilizations!”

“…Ho? Interesting. Fibel, it seems you’re one of the rare ones who ‘gets it,’ despite being a girl. Though, to the general public, our views are apparently heretical?”

“Hmph! That’s obvious! The world is the one that’s wrong!”

“Exactly, that’s right! We──”

“We──”

““Are gods!!””

 

“…What’s with this vibe…?”

“A-Ahaha…”

Glenn could only stare with deadpan eyes, while Rumia offered a wry smile, as Fossil and Sistine performed their bizarre skit before them.

“──Anyway, I’m heading to the academy’s attached library to research this statue in detail. Don’t get in my way.”

“Thank you for your hard work! Please, let me read your paper once it’s done!”

“Hmph, look forward to it. This one’s going to be incredible.”

“Oh, but sometimes your papers are so forced and poorly argued, Fossil-sensei, so when that happens, I’ll send my usual critical letters, as always!”

“What!? Damn it! So you’re the one who’s been sending those harassing, nitpicky anonymous letters!?”

“Yeah, yeah, you two have fun…”

With that exchange behind him, Glenn urges Rumia and Re=L along, walking away.

“──Wait a second, Glenn-sensei! We’re not done talking!”

Not letting Glenn slip away, Fossil quickly grabs his shoulder.

“I need your help. The truth is, this time I’m using the library’s sealed archive without permission. Honestly, I’m 100% confident I won’t make it back. Pretty impressive, huh?”

“Why do you sound so proud of that…?”

Glenn, utterly exasperated, could only slump in defeat.

“Find someone else. I’ve got the mana measurement to deal with…”

“Please, I’m begging you! I’m not afraid of dying or getting fired, but I can’t stand the thought of not finishing my paper! This paper will shake the magical archaeology society to its core! So──”

“Argh, shut up! Be quiet, you good-for-nothing!”

Then.

Sistine, watching the exchange between Glenn and Fossil, spoke up.

“…Hey, Sensei.”

“What?”

“I know it’s impossible right now, but… after the mana measurement, how about we help Fossil-sensei together?”

For some inexplicable reason, Sistine suddenly suggested something utterly baffling.

“Oh, you’ll help me!? Fibel!”

“…Huh? Wait, White Cat… what are you suddenly talking about…?”

“Professor Fossil, despite being thirty-seven years old, completely lacks the composure or sophistication of an adult, is still single, throws everything else aside for magical archaeology research, and yet his papers are so incoherent that no one understands them. On top of that, he’s selfish, willful, stubborn, and utterly hopeless as a person, destined to be a lifelong loser with no prospects…”

“Hey, White Cat, that’s too much! Professor Fossil’s getting teary-eyed over there.”

“…Even so, losing this man would be a loss to the Magical Archaeology Society, technically.”

With that, Sistine Fibel shrugged her shoulders with a “yare yare” expression.

“B-but… I don’t have time for this kind of thing right now—…”

Then, Sistine looked straight into Glenn Radars’ eyes and said,

“What you need right now, Sensei, is probably a break.”

“Huh?”

“You’re too wound up, or rather… you’re so desperate that you’ve lost all sense of composure. That’s the vibe you’re giving off. When you’re in that state, nothing you do will go well, you know? It’s best to try something different, something out of the ordinary.”

“…”

As Glenn stood there, dumbfounded, Sistine smiled and continued,

“I won’t ask what’s been troubling you anymore, Sensei. But if you keep going with this mindset, you’re going to burn out. So, how about it? Why don’t you take a breather and help me assist Professor Fossil for a bit? It could be a nice change of pace.”

“…”

“Of course, I won’t force you. If you have something important to do, feel free to prioritize that. I won’t mind at all.”

“Something important… I don’t have anything…”

Rather, he didn’t even know what that “something important” was supposed to be.

“In that case, what do you say? Want to join me? It might actually be pretty fun, you know.”

Glenn gazed at Sistine’s radiant smile.

It was a refreshing sensation. Like cream being smoothed over a heart that had grown dry, cracked, and worn out from endless loops, restoring just a hint of moisture.

Sistine was always there, forcefully grabbing his hand and pulling him forward whenever he hesitated or stalled. Her presence felt impossibly precious to him.

He had done everything he could, convinced that no change was possible, sinking into despair—yet this girl had effortlessly brought about a shift, her brilliance almost blinding.

“…Alright, fine…”

He had nothing to do anyway. Spending a day messing around with something unrelated wouldn’t hurt.

Making that excuse to himself, Glenn couldn’t help but agree.

“Hehe, Sistie… take care of Sensei, okay?”

“Mm. Look after Glenn, Sistine.”

“W-what!? N-no, I didn’t mean it like—!”

Glenn vaguely overheard the three girls’ banter behind him, letting it wash over him.

 

And so, after the mana measurement was complete—

“Hmph. Thanks, Glenn-sensei, Fibel.”

The air was thick with inky darkness and the scent of old books in the underground archive section of the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy’s library.

Glenn and Sistine walked through narrow aisles lined with bookshelves, following Fossil’s lead.

Relying only on the faint magical light glowing at their fingertips, Glenn and his group ventured deeper into the darkness.

By the way, Sistine’s application for access to the sealed archive had been approved without a hitch.

Glenn, notorious for his frequent scandals, would never have gotten permission, so his pride as an adult was thoroughly crushed.

“Speaking of books, I’ve actually authored quite a few myself. They’re factual documentaries chronicling my grand achievements in exploring ancient ruins, and naturally, they’re all massive hits.”

“Yes, exactly, Sensei! Professor Fossil’s books are incredibly fascinating! I’d even consider certifying them as my rivals—cough cough!”

“Prepare to be amazed. The series has achieved a record-breaking total of 1,000 copies sold.”

“Wow, that’s amazing! That’s a whopping 50 more copies reprinted since last time, right!?”

“Indeed. In today’s publishing world, there’s no one who doesn’t know my name.”

“That’s a colossal flop, isn’t it?”

Glenn couldn’t keep up with Fossil and Sistine’s enthusiasm.

“I’ve been getting fan letters nonstop too. ‘Die,’ ‘Boring,’ ‘The author’s insane,’ ‘Please stop writing,’ ‘A waste of paper resources’…”

“Hehe, everyone’s so tsundere, aren’t they?”

“Quite right. They’re just shy folks who can’t openly praise something exceptional.”

“No, those are their honest opinions, aren’t they?”

Once again, Glenn couldn’t keep up with Fossil and Sistine’s vibe.

“But for some reason, every bookstore seems too intimidated by my greatness to stock my books, and readers, out of consideration for sharing them with others, quickly pass them off to secondhand shops.”

“Right? Those books describe ancient ruins with such obsessive, almost paranoid detail—it’s only human nature to want to keep them close! The refined sensibility of the Alzano Empire’s people is practically a virtue!”

“I’m pretty sure it’s purely for commercial reasons.”

“Oh, Glenn-sensei, as a thank-you for helping, I’ll give you signed copies of all ten-plus volumes of my series later.”

“Wow, lucky you, Sensei!”

“Yay, how thrilling! I won’t have to worry about toilet paper for a while!”

With such lighthearted banter, the three continued deeper into the underground archive.

Honestly, Glenn wasn’t entirely opposed to the mood. For the first time in a while, he felt truly alive.

“An unfamiliar development.” In the midst of ordinary daily life, something so mundane was profoundly precious, and Glenn realized this anew.

 

And so, they finally arrived at the forbidden sealed archive—

“Hmm, I see… so that’s it… these ancient characters… symbolically speaking… yes, I might be able to adapt the decryption method used for the Moria Dynasty’s royal secret scripts…”

At the center of a reading desk sat the statue in question, surrounded by towering stacks of documents.

Fossil was engrossed, comparing the statue to the texts, analyzing them with intense focus.

Apparently, Fossil had stolen this statue, which was modeled after an ancient god’s kin, and his current goal was to discern the true name of the kin it represented.

Relying on the faint glow of a lamp on the desk, Fossil rifled through the documents with fervor.

“Hey, Glenn-sensei! There should be a copy of The Old Ancient Great Rune Forbidden Dictionary on that shelf over there! Go grab it! Hurry!”

“Sensei, Sensei! The Secret Book of Ancient Symbolism! Find it, please! Quick!”

“…Yeah, yeah.”

Glenn, roped into being an assistant, obeyed Fossil and Sistine’s orders with a listless expression. To put it bluntly, they were using him ruthlessly.

“…Damn it! My hypothesis was wrong. Something’s off. Which kin are you, exactly?”

Fossil glared at the statue, roughly flipping through document pages.

“An unlisted, lost kin—that’s romantic in its own way, but it won’t be that easy. I’ll uncover your true identity, mark my words…”

“By the way, Professor Fossil, we’re currently approaching this from a sculptural and symbolic perspective, but wouldn’t analyzing the statue’s material magically help identify it?”

Contrary to her usual cool demeanor, Sistine’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she rapidly flipped through documents, proposing the idea with a hint of enthusiasm.

“Hmm, not bad for a girl. That angle’s worth considering…”

“Yes. And if we cross-reference the excavation catalog by era…”

Suddenly, Fossil swept the towering stack of documents off the desk with a loud crash, clearing space.

“Alright, I’m heading to the magical geology section!”

“Then I’ll dig through the Class A confidential excavation catalogs!”

“Oh, Glenn-sensei! Clean all that up! We don’t need it anymore!”

“And make sure to organize them by catalog number when you put them back! It’s proper etiquette!”

“I wanna punch these guys…”

Glaring at the chaotic pile of books with half-lidded eyes, Glenn clenched his fists.

Already regretting coming here, he reluctantly began tidying up.

“Geez, White Cat… you said this was for my sake, but you just wanted to geek out over magical archaeology yourself, didn’t you? Ugh…”

Glenn couldn’t follow Fossil and Sistine’s magical archaeology debates at all. It was completely out of his field. As a result, he’d been reduced to their errand boy.

“Seriously, what’s the deal with this creepy statue?”

While cleaning, Glenn’s attention shifted to the statue sitting alone on the desk.

It was a blasphemous figure, as if a human girl had been crossbred with a bird.

Honestly, just looking at it made him nauseous, its sinister aura unsettling.

(…Huh? Wait, this statue… doesn’t it feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before…?)

Feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, Glenn tilted his head and picked up the statue.

“Oh? Interested in the statue, Sensei?”

Sistine, having returned, was stacking a tower of books on the desk as she addressed Glenn.

“Nah, not really…”

“I see! Then allow me to explain it step by step! Let’s start… Sensei, are you familiar with The Celestial Taum!?”

It was clear Sistine was just itching to talk.

With her chest puffed out proudly and chaotic excitement swirling in her feverish eyes, Sistine looked at Glenn, who gazed back with half-lidded eyes but reluctantly played along.

“I know that much. It’s the supreme deity in the ancient civilization’s primary religion, Star Worship, right? Twin sister goddesses.”

“Yes. Now, in our state religion, the Church of St. Elizares, the highest-ranking Seraphim include the sister angels La’tirika《Angel of Time》and La’falia《Angel of the Sky》, correct? There’s a theory that these sister angels are actually The Celestial Taum.”

“Huh…?”

Glenn sighed at Sistine’s bold claim.

“The loyal, holy agents of the omniscient, omnipotent Supreme God, equated with the supreme deity of a heathen faith? You’re lucky we’re in the Alzano Empire. Say that in Rezalia Kingdom next door, and you’d be burned at the stake…”

“W-well, maybe, but there’s evidence to support it. By analyzing ancient myths and religious systems scattered across regions, tracing the mainline Star Worship as it transitioned over time into the Church of St. Elizares, and following the sequence of changes in its rituals and compilations, the answer becomes inevitable. In other words (abridged)—the etymology of the names La’tirika and La’falia (abridged)—(abridged)—(abridged)!”

“Alright, alright, I get it! So, Star Worship is deeply rooted in the ethnic customs of the North Selford Continent, right!? That’s why the Church of St. Elizares had to incorporate Star Worship deities into its proselytizing, but since the heathen gods were more popular than their Supreme God, it was an unwilling and dishonorable act they’ve kept hidden… Got it! I get it, so stop!”

Glenn forcefully summarized to halt Sistine’s endless rant.

Exasperated, he continued,

“So what!? What does this creepy statue have to do with any of that!?”

At that moment—

“You don’t get it? This is why amateurs…”

Fossil returned just then, dumping a massive stack of books onto the desk.

Who’s supposed to clean this up? Glenn stared at the towering pile with exasperation.

“Exactly… after all this explanation, you still don’t get it…”

“Quite right. Ignorance has its limits.”

Sistine and Fossil shrugged in unison, casting disdainful looks at Glenn.

I really wanna punch these guys… Clenching his fists tightly, Glenn waited for their words.

(What’s with White Cat!? I knew she got weird when magical archaeology was involved, but this much…!?)

“In short, this statue is likely a kin of La’tirika《Angel of Time》, one half of The Celestial Taum.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Glenn responded to Fossil’s words with a disinterested tone.

“But there are countless kin of great angels. If you want to push the idea that The Celestial Taum equals La’tirika《Angel of Time》, you need to pinpoint which kin, with what true name, and tie it to her with symbolic and summoning-based evidence. Look at the statue’s form and impression—there are too many commonalities. From a religious symbolism perspective—”

“No, I don’t get it. Commonalities? Where?”

“Ehhhh!? You can’t hear the voices of the ancients carved into this statue, Sensei!? You can’t feel the pulse of history!? Its form, material, era, inscriptions, impression, craftsmanship—it’s a treasure trove of ancient civilization’s information!”

Sistine let out a shrill, incredulous cry, looking at Glenn as if he were a complete fool.

For someone as versed in magical archaeology and related fields as Sistine or Fossil, certain truths were probably evident. But to Glenn, it was all gibberish.

“Hmph. If we can prove this fact, it’ll turn the Church of St. Elizares’s theological society and the Magical Archaeology Society upside down. It’ll show there’s no god! In other words, I am god!”

“No, I’m god!”

(I don’t get it… I genuinely don’t get it…)

Meanwhile, Fossil frantically flipped through document pages, and Sistine, vying to keep up, scanned texts with her eyes moving at a dizzying speed.

“Come now, what’s your name, little kitten…? Your name, forgotten by all in the flow of time… I’ll be the one to guess it… Heh heh heh.”

(Well, it’s been a decent distraction, I guess…)

Yawning, Glenn stacked and organized the books scattered on the floor.

Despite everything, bantering with Sistine and Fossil about incomprehensible nonsense was far better for his mental health than being stuck in a desperate dead end.

“‘Arkio’… still too recent… ‘Aakio’… still too recent… Older…”

“What about ‘Le Kill,’ referencing the ancient Nas tribe’s linguistic conventions?”

“Nice, Fibel. That’s close. Very close. But given the excavation era, there’s still a gap of nearly a thousand years in linguistic evolution…”

“I see. Then we need to go back further, right?”

“Yes, so… Damn it! This document’s useless! It’s unreliable!”

Sistine and Fossil tossed aside the books in their hands, rifling through the surrounding shelves with reckless abandon.

(Seriously, these guys need to chill…)

Glenn, exasperated, began picking up the books raining down onto the floor.

And then—

“This is ittttttttt—!”

Suddenly, Fossil slammed an open book onto the reading desk.

The impact sent the towering stacks of books around it crashing to the floor. The area Glenn had just cleaned was once again buried in a flood of books, leaving no space to step.

(I seriously wanna punch him… Can I? Please?)

But Fossil, utterly oblivious to Glenn’s anger, gazed at the statue and the document as if reuniting with a beloved, murmuring dreamily,

“‘Le Kill.’ I see, that’s your name, isn’t it? A fine name.”

“Bingo! Professor Fossil, that’s got to be it! Congratulations!”

In that instant—

Glenn’s hands, reluctantly picking up the scattered books, froze.

(Huh? …Le Kill? …Le Kill, you say?)

That name… he’d heard it somewhere before… hadn’t he?

 

—…What’s that? ‘Le Kill’? What’s this about?—

 

“—That’s it! Le Kill!”

Like a flash of lightning in his mind, Glenn recalled it. Dropping the armful of books he was holding, he rushed to the strange statue on the desk.

“Hey, Glenn-sensei! Treating the crystallization of our predecessors’ sweat and effort, these books that grant us profound wisdom, like that!? Have you no shame!?”

“Exactly! Show some respect for books!”

“Don’t you dare say that! No, forget that—Le Kill! Ellen had that weird clock with ‘Le Kill’ written on it in ancient script! With everything going on, I completely forgot!”

Oops. Glenn clapped a hand over his mouth. If he carelessly spoke, Fossil and the others could end up dead.

But based on past experience, as long as he didn’t try to make them aware of the world’s looping, it should be fine. It was pure luck, like manna from heaven, but he’d finally grasped a faint thread. He needed to tread carefully here.

“Hey, White Cat, Fossil. What’s this Le Kill?”

“Oh? Have you finally noticed the allure of magical archaeology?”

“Just tell me, please! Hurry up!”

Fossil, stroking his chin, began to explain.

“Then we must start with the existence of gods in this world.”

“Huh!? That’s got nothing to do with it! Just tell me about Le Kill already—!”

“Shut up, amateur. I’m saying it because it’s relevant.”

“—!?”

Fossil’s commanding tone silenced Glenn.

“Now, Glenn-sensei, let me ask you. ‘Does a god exist in this world?’ No need for religious or faith-based arguments. From a mage’s theoretical perspective.”

Perplexed by the bizarre question, Glenn frowned but answered,

“From a mage’s theoretical standpoint, strictly speaking, there are no gods, angels, or demons in this world.”

“Exactly. Gods, angels, demons—they’re entities we created in our imaginations, shared widely in our collective deep subconscious, gaining universal existential reality as ‘conceptual entities.’”

“…”

“Indeed, we mages sometimes summon these conceptual entities from beyond the veil of consciousness, manifesting and commanding them. But are they entities with tangible existence in this world, like humans? No. Gods and demons are merely what we wished them to be, existing and defined by us. If humanity were to perish, they would perish too. …Understand? They’re facets of our psyche.”

“Yeah. Hence, ‘gods don’t exist.’”

“Correct. …But in this world, there are a select few… ‘True Gods.’”

“…Wait, you’re flipping your stance already?”

“Just listen. These True Gods aren’t conceptual entities born from humanity. They’re transcendent beings with distinct, tangible existence. Calling them ‘Gods’ might be a bit misleading. Humans often label incomprehensible monsters as ‘Gods.’ These ‘True Gods’ are singular entities, so even if humanity perished, they would persist eternally in this universe.”

“…”

Initially, Glenn listened to Fossil’s words with disinterest.

But soon, a realization clicked in his mind, and Glenn’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“…Wait. Are you saying that The Celestial Taum… La’tirika《Angel of Time》and La’falia《Angel of the Sky》are these ‘True Gods’?”

“Spot on. Furthermore, I believe the evil gods that emerged during the ‘Great Magic War’ two hundred years ago were also a type of ‘True God’… kin to The Celestial Taum.”

“You just picked a massive fight with the Church of St. Elizares! You’re lucky we’re in the ‘lenient’ Alzano Empire, or you’d be in deep trouble!”

“Picking fights with the church is my family’s tradition.”

Tradition? What’s that supposed to mean?

Before Glenn could dwell on the fleeting question, Fossil continued.

“Now, let’s return to the topic. According to the results of my research, it all began in the distant past, during the dawn of humanity. The Celestial Taum, from far beyond the skies… likely from an outer cosmos different from this world, arrived here. They laid the foundation for the super magic civilization in ancient times and granted their protection to the one who became the first ‘king’ in this world—‘Sage King Titus Cruo,’ lending him their inhuman power.”

“…Titus Cruo…”

“What kind of divinity The Celestial Taum possessed requires further excavation and study, but it’s certain they had the power to ‘grant their abilities to others.’ To aid the ‘king’ they blessed in managing this world, The Celestial Taum created and bestowed many kin. One of them was Le Kill.”

“A kin of La’tirika《Angel of Time》, one half of The Celestial Taum… huh.”

At that moment, Glenn recalled something trivial. Come to think of it, Celica Arfonia used the name La’tirika for the magical clock that activated her Original Magic.

“Anyway, tell me more about this Le Kill.”

Snapping back to focus, Glenn urged Fossil on.

“If you want to know about Le Kill, these should do the trick. The La’tirika Inscription Copies, Volumes I through VI…”

With a thud, Sistine placed several ancient tomes on the desk.

“Oh! That’s the definitive collection of copied ancient inscriptions about La’tirika’s kin! Many of their true names are unconfirmed, listed only by epithets, but now that we’ve identified Le Kill’s true name, reverse-searching its meaning should be straightforward! Well done!”

“Oh, Sensei, ancient scripts are both ideographic and phonetic. Their grammar, like a cipher, shifts meaning based on the recorded era, so the same character sequence can have multiple meanings and readings. Thus, knowing the reading—the true name—allows us to pinpoint the meaning and era—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know! I know that much! Just hurry up!”

As Glenn pressed, Fossil swapped and flipped through the documents relentlessly.

“Uh, that… it’s a genuine manuscript, right? …Can you read it?”

When Glenn peeked at the document, incomprehensible ancient characters danced across the page. It was likely a direct transcription of an inscription found at a ruin, barely translated.

“Of course.”

Fossil responded as if it were only natural. Judging by the speed at which he flipped through the pages, he seemed to be skimming rapidly. Truly a monster.

After a while—

“Hmm… ‘The Wings of Ruinous Wind.’ …This is it?”

“Oh, I see. ‘The Wings of Ruinous Wind’… Indeed, it can be read as Le Kill. The dates match perfectly too.”

Fossil spoke while glaring at a particular page of the manuscript, and Sistine responded with deep emotion.

(I… I can’t keep up…)

“Oh? Le Kill… According to the third Atarask inscription, among the kin created by《The Angel of Time》La’tirika, Le Kill was said to possess the greatest power. Like La’tirika, Le Kill had the ability to manipulate time… though only to a limited extent.”

“…Time…!?”

He was on the verge of grasping something. His fingers were brushing against the core of the truth.

With his heart pounding wildly, Glenn urged Fossil to continue.

“Le… Tell me more about Le Kill.”

“Ho? Glenn-sensei, have you finally awakened to the wonders of magical archaeology? Very well. Hmm… According to the texts, the legends of Le Kill are particularly well-preserved in the Krytos region.”

“Krytos region? Never heard of it… Where’s that?”

“Ah, that’s the ancient pronunciation from the early pre-ancient era. Krytos is what we now call Kleitos. The name of the Kleitos earldom traces its origins to that ancient regional name.”

Kleitos. At the sudden mention of that word, Glenn’s eyes narrowed.

Was this a coincidence, or a miracle?

It felt as though the pieces were falling into place.

“Come to think of it… that statue, didn’t you steal it from Kleitos territory?”

“Don’t be rude. I merely borrowed it… for life. According to the legends scattered across Krytos, for reasons unknown, Le Kill, created by La’tirika for the Sage King Titus Cruo, rebelled against that king. Enraged, the king transformed Le Kill into a clock imbued with a certain magical function.”

“In other words, from a divine kin to a mere magical device… no, perhaps a magical artifact? How cruel… Poor thing.”

“‘Titus Cruo’ was called the ‘Sage King,’ but also the ‘Demon King.’ His reign was a dark era that simultaneously reached the heights of glory and despair. It’s said he served as the model for the evil demon king in ‘The Magician of Melgalius.’ Such an act would be par for the course for him.”

“……”

Glenn listened silently, absorbing Fossil and Sistine’s analysis.

“And the function of this《Le Kill Clock》… Haha, the magical artifacts crafted by the ancients are usually absurdly overpowered, but this one’s on another level. ‘Rewinding time,’ no less.”

“Here’s a reproduction of a mural depicting the《Le Kill Clock》.”

Sistine pointed to an illustration in the manuscript.

Following her lead, Glenn turned his gaze to the diagram.

The illustration depicted a pattern resembling a blueprint of a clock—and its distinctive shape was eerily familiar to Glenn.

“…Bingo.”

Indeed, the clock depicted in the diagram bore a striking resemblance to the one Ellen carried.

(So it was that clock…! Ellen’s clock is the root cause of this damned loop…!)

The truth behind the situation was finally coming into view.

The Kleitos Magic Academy was renowned for housing a vast collection of magical tomes and artifacts amassed by the first Lord Kleitos.

Le Kill, with the power to manipulate time, was transformed into the《Le Kill Clock》—a powerful magical artifact capable of controlling time. Ellen was using it to repeat this week, trying to achieve her desired outcome. That was the true nature of this repeating week—

(But damn it! Even though I’ve gotten this close to the truth, I’m at a dead end!)

Yet Glenn could only clutch his head in frustration.

(In the end, I can’t get close to Ellen! If I try to do something about the clock and approach her, I’ll definitely be killed by that clock’s guardian—it’s impossible to stop it directly!)

The loop and Ellen were protected by that guardian.

(Damn it, I’ve come so close to the truth! But in the end, I can’t lay a finger on Ellen, the mastermind… Ellen will keep repeating this loop forever with the power of the《Le Kill Clock》… Knowing the loop’s true nature is meaningless if I can’t do anything about it…)

As Glenn let out a frustrated sigh… something caught his attention.

“…Hm?”

Glenn felt a slight sense of unease as he looked at the diagram of the《Le Kill Clock》that Sistine and Fossil were examining.

“…What’s this? This unease… This clock… It feels off somehow…?”

While it was natural for there to be discrepancies between the real thing and hearsay, this was an unease he couldn’t ignore.

For a while, Glenn compared the clock in his memory—Ellen’s clock—with the one depicted in the diagram. Then, it hit him.

“…The clock in this diagram… It has a crown.”

A distinctly shaped crown was clearly drawn in the diagram.

The crown was an essential component for operating and adjusting a clock’s functions.

However, Ellen’s clock had no crown. Where the crown should have been, there was an unnatural hole.

“Hah, so what? It’s just a crown.”

Glenn brushed off his own unease with a scoff.

“It’s an ancient artifact, right? The crown could’ve fallen off and been lost somewhere…”

As he thought this… Glenn fell silent.

The crown. The component that operated and adjusted the clock’s functions.

Suddenly, a hypothesis flashed through Glenn’s mind.

It was an outlandish hypothesis, but—

(…Could that be it? Is that why Ellen keeps looping so stubbornly? Anyone with a shred of sanity would’ve given up long ago under this mental strain… Yet she’s still repeating it? It’s not that she won’t give up… She can’t give up?)

If that hypothesis were true, it would explain Ellen’s unnatural behavior.

If so, the true mastermind… the real orchestrator of this loop…

“……”

As Glenn fell silent,

“Well, the《Le Kill Clock》is fascinating, but that’s not today’s goal. Next, we’ll explore what can be deduced from this statue—”

Fossil slammed the manuscript about the《Le Kill Clock》onto the reading desk.

Grabbing the statue, he started heading deeper into the sealed archive.

“Wait, Fossil.”

Glenn called out to stop him.

“Please. Can you analyze the functions of the《Le Kill Clock》using that diagram?”

“The《Le Kill Clock》?”

Fossil snorted, clearly uninterested.

“It’s intriguing, sure, but that’s not today’s objective. Another time.”

“Please, Fossil! I’m begging you!”

Glenn chased after Fossil and bowed his head.

“!”

Sistine’s eyes widened in surprise at Glenn’s desperation as she stared at him…

“I refuse.”

As expected, Fossil curtly rejected Glenn’s plea.

“Hmph. I enjoy making others do my bidding, but I despise following someone else’s orders.”

Displaying an impressively deplorable attitude, Fossil turned to leave.

But then—

“…I’m asking too, Fossil-sensei.”

To everyone’s surprise, Sistine also bowed her head.

“W-White Cat!? Y-You…?”

Glenn, shocked, glanced at Sistine, who gave him a subtle look before addressing Fossil.

“Please, listen to Glenn-sensei’s request.”

“Hmph, you too? Honestly… What’s so important about a clock that’s not even here?”

As Fossil predictably resisted, Sistine played her trump card.

“Of course, I’m not asking for free. The Fibel family possesses a collection of rare manuscripts, inscriptions, and unpublished papers by my grandfather, Redolf Fibel.”

“…What’s that? The work of Redolf-dono, the one person I ever respected?”

Fossil’s expression visibly changed.

“Yes. My grandfather’s lifelong magical archaeology research, including secret documents not even found in this annex library. In exchange, I’ll grant you access to them. …How about it?”

“H-Hey!? White Cat!?”

Glenn was stunned.

Sistine’s dream was to become a renowned magical archaeologist and unravel the mysteries of Melgalius’s Sky Castle. Her grandfather’s secret collection of books and papers was a vital resource for that goal. To share them with someone else—

“Don’t be stupid! Stop this reckless nonsense and take it back!”

Glenn hurriedly scolded Sistine.

“But… the《Le Kill Clock》is probably tied to whatever’s troubling you deeply, right? And… it’s something incredibly important, isn’t it?”

Sistine looked back at Glenn with conviction and trust.

“You haven’t told me anything… No, I’m sure you can’t tell me. But even so, I can tell! I want to help you, Sensei… That’s why—”

But before Sistine could finish,

“Hmph, don’t underestimate me, Sistine Fibel.”

Fossil’s voice turned cold and sharp with anger.

“Do you think I’d accept such charity? I’ll unravel the mysteries of ancient civilizations with my own hands… That’s what I’ve dedicated my life to. I’d never stoop to stealing someone else’s achievements. Don’t insult me.”

“—!?”

It seemed Sistine’s offer had touched a nerve, striking Fossil’s pride.

Fossil glared at Sistine with narrowed eyes, and she lowered her gaze apologetically. But—

“…That said, I admire your resolve to sacrifice precious documents for Glenn-sensei’s sake. Fine, I’ll do it for free.”

“Huh?”

“Hmph. If I get serious, the《Le Kill Clock》’s functions will be laid bare. Watch me.”

With that, Fossil turned back.

Crash! He roughly knocked over a tower of books on the desk, opened the diagram, and faced it head-on.

“Tch, it’s written in an unnecessarily complex ancient script… Secret priest glyphs… No, could it be a metaphorical variation of the holy royal script? Even for me, decoding this will be a challenge… Hey, you two! Grab every copy of the third-era Dik Stone manuscripts you can find! I need references! Hurry!”

Spurred by the scholar’s fervor, Fossil barked orders, and Glenn and Sistine hurriedly dashed between the narrow shelves to gather materials.

“Uh, well… Thanks, White Cat…”

As they ran side by side, Glenn mumbled and glanced at Sistine…

“Hehe.”

Sistine responded with a bright smile.

 

——

—Day three. The day of the written exam.

The exam itself proceeded smoothly, as always.

As usual, the results were announced, and the students rejoiced or despaired over their scores.

But that no longer mattered to Glenn. The real issue came after the written exam ended.

“……”

In the quiet faculty room, Eve was, as always, busily preparing for the All-Out duel battles starting tomorrow.

Glenn silently watched Eve from a distance.

He glanced down at the pocket watch in his hand.

…It was time. Without a word to Eve, Glenn quietly left the faculty room.

Engrossed in her work, Eve didn’t notice Glenn’s departure.

Leaving the faculty room, Glenn walked leisurely through the academy’s halls, climbing the stairs one step at a time.

His destination—that place.

At this time, that person would be there—

(Yeah, if I think about it calmly, there’s no way Ellen could be operating that magical artifact clock… After all, that clock…)

As his footsteps echoed while climbing the stairs, Glenn reflected.

Recalling the information about the《Le Kill Clock》that Fossil and Sistine had researched yesterday, he mentally organized it while ascending the academy’s stairs.

(I was fooled by the fact that Ellen carries the clock and retains her memories across loops, and by this abnormal repeating situation. I was blinded by the intense emotions Ellen showed Sistine. I assumed Ellen was the mastermind behind this loop and overlooked simpler possibilities… Those were all just noise in my thinking. If I’d thought more straightforwardly, it’s a simple, almost cliché story—)

Thinking back, during one of the loops, when Glenn accidentally let slip about the loop to Eve, and she was killed by the clock’s monster.

Just before that, hadn’t Eve started to say something?

 

—Now, if what you’re saying isn’t just a jab at me but actually true… The first thing to investigate isn’t Ellen or the clock, but—

 

(Yeah, she was right. If you think about it, assuming Ellen is the mastermind feels right but doesn’t add up. Even I, with only a few loops’ worth of memories, am already mentally fraying. There’s no way Ellen could keep looping of her own free will. So—)

As he pondered, the stairs came to an end.

Before Glenn now stood the door leading to the rooftop.

Glenn gently placed his hand on the heavy door, pushing it open with force.

(…This is it. Time to steel myself.)

Glenn’s focus was entirely on what lay beyond the door, on the impending battle he sensed was coming.

So—he didn’t notice.

“……”

The presence of a girl who had been silently trailing him from a distance—

 

“That’s the way, my dear granddaughter! You’ve finally done it! You’ve grown into someone worthy of bearing the Kleitos name! I’m proud of you!”

“Yes… Thank you, Grandfather.”

Bam! The rooftop door was flung open with a loud crash.

The people already there turned in surprise toward Glenn, who had pushed the door open.

“…Ah.”

There stood Ellen—and—

“What!?”

—Gaysorn Le Kleitos, the headmaster of Kleitos Magic Academy.

Glenn strode boldly onto the rooftop…

“Time to end this farce, huh?”

He declared to the stunned pair.

“Glenn-sensei!? Are you trying to get yourself killed again!? Go back!”

Ellen snapped irritably at Glenn, but…

“It’s fine. I’ve figured out the《Le Kill Clock》’s functions. Downgraded from a divine kin to a mere clock, the current Le Kill is just a puppet that automatically executes its master’s programmed commands. In other words, unless I interfere with your actions… unless certain conditions are met, it won’t move.”

…Glenn responded with eerie calm.

“S-Sensei…?”

“Besides… I’m not here for you this time.”

Turning to Gaysorn, Glenn spoke sharply.

“It’s you, Gaysorn Le Kleitos.”

“—!?”

Ellen’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What’s that, you insolent brat!? What business do you have with me!?”

Gaysorn bristled, as if utterly baffled by Glenn’s words.

His reaction didn’t seem like an act, but Glenn pressed on regardless.

“If you think about it, there’s only one person who benefits from making Ellen loop without inheriting the memories of each cycle. That’s you, Gaysorn. The head of the Kleitos family. So, I’ve only got one thing to say to you… ‘Hand over the crown.’”

At Glenn’s words, Ellen muttered in a daze.

“How…? How did you know, Sensei…?”

Ellen pulled the clock from her pocket and showed it.

The clock—lacked a crown. Where the crown should have been, there was a small hole.

“How did you know that the one holding the clock’s crown… controls this clock, this loop…!?”

“If you think it through, it’s simple.”

Glenn shrugged and explained.

“A clock-shaped magical artifact… If it’s designed like a clock, it’s obviously meant to be operated like one. Otherwise, there’d be no point in making it clock-shaped. So, that damn clock’s magical functions are likely controlled by its crown, just like a regular clock.”

Indeed, a clock is a tool “operated by adjusting the hands or winding the spring with the crown.”

“But then I remembered. Your clock doesn’t have a crown. There’s an obvious hole where a crown should be, but no crown. So how do you operate that clock? Why is the crown separated from the clock in the first place? ‘What if someone who took the crown from the clock is remotely controlling it?’”

“T-That’s…”

“I confirmed it. I had that bastard Fossil investigate the《Le Kill Clock》’s structure. As expected, the clock’s magical functions—operation and control—are all tied to the crown. The crown is used to rewind time and control the downgraded Le Kill, the clock’s guardian.

The magical enchantment that allows memory retention, however, is in the clock itself. So, Ellen, you’re not causing this loop of your own will. You were given that clock by someone and dragged into this loop as a victim, right?”

Ellen’s expression shifted.

“But even realizing that left a question. If the crown’s holder can’t retain cycle memories, what’s the point of doing this?

Oh, there is someone who benefits. Someone likely to have that crown. The Kleitos family is known for owning a vast collection of ancient magical artifacts, right, Gaysorn-san, current head of the Kleitos house?”

“What!?”

Gaysorn froze, eyes wide, as Glenn glared at him and continued.

“What you want is simply ‘the fact that Ellen is chosen as the Main Wizard.’ The memories of the process don’t matter. In fact, for your mental hygiene, they’re unnecessary.

You keep rewinding time with the crown until the seventh day of this selection event yields your desired outcome. In the end, the only reality you face is ‘Ellen being chosen as the Main Wizard.’

It seems roundabout, but for you, it’s a brilliant move. From your perspective, without cycle memories, everything wraps up perfectly in just seven days. No need to get your hands dirty with scheming or staging accidents to eliminate rivals. …As long as you turn a blind eye to your granddaughter Ellen suffering in a hell she’s unaware of.

It’s disgusting. Makes me sick. It’s even worse than dirtying your own hands with scheming. …What the hell do you think your granddaughter is?”

“Nonsense! What are you blabbering about so rudely!?”

Gaysorn erupted in anger.

“I don’t understand a word you’ve been saying, you fool! To begin with—”

But Gaysorn froze, swallowing his words, as Glenn suddenly pointed a pistol at him.

“The pieces are already in place, you octopus. The fact that you’re still alive in the face of my grand exposé is the ultimate proof that you’re the mastermind!”

“Huh!? What’s that supposed to mean—!?”

“The《Le Kill Clock》is the guardian of the loop. To keep the seven-day cycle running smoothly, it ‘eliminates those who obstruct Ellen’ and ‘kills any third party who learns of the loop’… That’s the command spell set for the Ruler to ensure this seven-day loop continues infinitely and efficiently, isn’t it? If you were just an unrelated third party, why haven’t you been killed?”

“I-I don’t understand what you’re talking about! Ruler!? What’s that!?”

“Shut up. It’s time for a body search. I’m going to have every inch of you checked. You must be hiding the crown gear somewhere. Unfortunately, you don’t have the right to refuse—…”

Ignoring the flustered Gaysorn, Glenn readied his pistol and advanced toward him.

Then…

“…Yare yare, unbelievable. To think someone actually saw through my schemes. And not just that—to reach the truth to this extent.”

…Suddenly, Gaysorn’s expression changed.

It shifted into something chillingly cold, yet vulgar and utterly base.

Then, Gaysorn pulled something from his pocket and held it out for Glenn to see.

It was a small gear-like component. It glowed faintly with a mysterious magical light, flickering with phosphorescence as it floated above Gaysorn’s outstretched palm.

“The crown gear…! …So it was you, after all…”

“Exactly. I intended to use this Kleitos family treasure, the《Le Kill Clock》, entrusted to Ellen, to repeat these seven days until Ellen was chosen as the Main Wizard.”

At Gaysorn’s utterly remorseless demeanor, Glenn roared with disgust.

“Intended, my ass! You’re already repeating it, you bastard!”

“I suppose so. For a dropout like Ellen to gain such power, and for an unexpected variable like you to show up… I can’t perceive the loops myself, but we’ve probably repeated quite a few times, haven’t we? A hundred? Two hundred? Or perhaps even more? Kukkukkukku…”

“…You bastard…!?”

Facing Glenn’s burning anger, Gaysorn shrugged irritably.

“Hmph, a lowly commoner like you wouldn’t understand. The Kleitos family is a noble lineage dating back to the empire’s founding. We have a duty to bring further prosperity to this house, passed down through generations.

But what’s this? To set aside Ellen, the pure blue blood of the direct Kleitos line, and make that filthy Levin brat, tainted with commoner’s red blood, the head of the family? Utterly deplorable! Isn’t that right, Ellen!?”

“Y-Yes… Grandfather…! Th-That’s exactly right…!”

At Gaysorn’s furious shout, Ellen nodded fearfully.

“Good answer! That’s why you must defeat Sistine Fibel, Levin Kleitos, Rize Filmer… the top magicians of your generation, openly and honorably in front of the masses at this selection tournament, become the Main Wizard, and prove to everyone that you have the strength worthy of leading this family!”

I see, Glenn thought.

That’s why Ellen didn’t use underhanded tactics to eliminate Sistine.

Even if Ellen had become the Main Wizard that way, Gaysorn, who demanded absolute victory, would never have accepted it and would have forcibly triggered another loop. Or perhaps, if Ellen resorted to such dishonest means, the Ruler would have activated, killing even Ellen to restart the cycle.

Truly, how convenient for him that he doesn’t retain memories across loops, letting him do whatever he pleases.

“Who was it that looked after you, a dropout, in place of my unfortunate son Graham, who died young, and my grandson Leos…? Who protected you, Ellen?”

“Th-That… of course, it was you, Grandfather…”

“Exactly. So you must repay that debt to me. You must inherit the Kleitos family and pass down the pure, noble blue blood of Kleitos to the next generation… Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes… I understand…!”

Ellen trembled violently, her voice squeezed out as if wrung from her.

“It may be harsh, but you’ll endure this trial, won’t you?”

“…Y-Yes… I’ll endure… I’ll do my best…!”

Tears welled in Ellen’s eyes as she whispered in a hoarse voice.

“Oh, what a good girl you are, Ellen. I love you, my dear granddaughter…”

Then, as if he’d achieved his goal, Gaysorn turned back to Glenn with a smirk.

“How’s that? You heard her, didn’t you? Ellen has willingly accepted this situation. So you, an outsider, have no right to interfere. That said—”

It was at that moment.

Glenn’s right straight, fueled by a ferocious dash, slammed into Gaysorn’s face.

“Gugyaaaaaaa—!?”

Blown away, Gaysorn tumbled across the ground.

To him, Glenn roared, no longer able to contain himself.

“Don’t screw with me! Love her, you say!? Making your granddaughter wear that expression, making her cry, and you dare say that!? All you love is the family! The ‘glorious Kleitos family’ you’ve built up in your head! Die, you old fossil!”

Then, Glenn turned his wrath on Ellen.

“And you! Are you really okay with this!? Following this shitty old man’s orders, repeating this forever!? Hating your dear friend White Cat… Sistine, resenting her, all to fulfill this geezer’s pathetic wishes!?”

“—!? Th-That’s…”

“You know it, don’t you!? In this closed-off week, you’ll never beat Sistine! You’re already broken! No matter how many times you repeat, it’s just a downhill slide from here! You know that, don’t you!?”

“But… I have no choice…! I have to keep repeating…!”

“Stop treading in place! Struggle toward the future!”

“—!?”

At Glenn’s rebuke, Ellen forgot to breathe.

“Everyone in life struggles toward the future to fulfill their wishes! No one grabs glory by standing still! Sure, you’ve got more handicaps than most… but even so, you’ve got to grit your teeth and keep moving forward, step by step! Blaming your birth, your environment, your talent—even if it’s true—changes nothing! No one’s going to change it for you! This world is harsh!”

At Glenn’s words, Ellen fell into a solemn silence.

“I’ll ask you one more time, Ellen… Are you still going to keep up this pointless loop?”

Then, in response to Glenn’s question…

“…No… I don’t want to…”

Finally, Ellen…

“I’m done with this loop… I hate it… I HATE IT—! It’s driving me insane! I’m at my limit… Someone help me… Please, someone help me—!”

Clutching her head, she poured out the emotions that had piled up in her heart.

“Heh… Got it.”

Accepting her words, Glenn walked toward the fallen Gaysorn.

He grabbed Gaysorn by the collar and yanked him up.

“Oi, hand over the crown gear. I’ll use it to cancel the clock’s power. I won’t let this stupid loop happen ever again…”

Then, Gaysorn’s lips curled into a sneer.

“Geho… goho… Guha, guhahahaha…”

“…What’s so funny?”

“Honestly, young people these days… Treating their respected elders with such behavior and attitude… Truly deplorable. What will become of the empire in the future…?”

“…Keep talking, fossil. Young people have the right to choose who they respect.”

Then, Gaysorn said with contempt.

“You’re mistaken about one thing, Glenn-kun.”

“What?”

“You think the《Le Kill Clock》’s Ruler is just a puppet that follows pre-set commands… Are you sure about that? The crown gear operates and adjusts the clock’s functions… You said so yourself, didn’t you? So why didn’t you consider this possibility?”

“—!?”

Realizing it at last, Glenn’s eyes widened. Unbeknownst to him, the crown gear floating in Gaysorn’s hand was now surging with ominous magical power, spinning furiously.

“Tch—!?”

It was almost instinct. Instantly, Glenn leapt to the side.

In that moment, he felt a faint breeze graze his right shoulder—

Boom! Glenn’s right shoulder suddenly exploded, a flower of blood blooming.

“Gaaaaaah—!? Damn it!?”

As Glenn let out a cry of agony, the next moment—

“Sensei—!?”

Bam! The rooftop door was flung open by someone.

“Wha—!? W-White Cat!?”

It was Sistine who appeared.

“Sensei! Hang in there!”

Sistine rushed to Glenn, hurriedly casting a healing spell on his shoulder.

“Oh, what a terrible injury…! What is this, how did this happen…!?”

“Y-You…! Were you following me!?”

“What’s going on here!? Ellen’s here too… What’s happening…!?”

“Idiot! Now’s not the time to worry about me! Get out of here!”

Ignoring Sistine, Glenn stood and turned around.

At the end of his gaze—

“A-Ah… Aaaaaa…!?”

A stunned Ellen. And above her head, the《Le Kill Clock》she held was floating, radiating tremendous magical power.

Then, in midair, the clock began to transform.

It was the reverse of a process he’d seen before.

The clock opened, its parts unfolding, unfolding, unfolding. Arms and legs formed, a torso took shape, and wings like scrap metal unfurled—constructing a grotesque, humanoid figure, a hybrid of human and machine, bound tightly by restraints.

That monster was the Ruler of the《Le Kill Clock》, which had killed Glenn countless times with mysterious means—a tragic being once demoted from a divine servant to a mere clock.

Le Kill.

The fallen divine messenger now manifested before Glenn once again—

“Ellen! What is that monster!? What have you done!?”

“Sistine… N-No… Run… Run away—!”

“Ellen…!”

Even Sistine could only tremble and stand dumbfounded.

“Hmm… An unexpected intruder, but no matter.”

Ignoring Sistine, Gaysorn spoke.

“Did you see her? Yes, with this crown gear, I can control Le Kill at will… That’s why Ellen could never defy me.”

“You bastard…!”

Glenn glared at the manifested Le Kill.

Yes, it was hard to tell with its half-mechanized body bound by restraints, but now he understood. If all the machinery and restraints were removed from that grotesque Ruler… what lay beneath would surely be—

“Yes, that’s right… It’s identical to the statue Fossil stole… the Le Kill statue! So, as the legends say, that clock is Le Kill itself…!”

“Well deduced. Le Kill, the divine servant who manipulates time, was reforged into a magical artifact with limited time manipulation abilities—that is the《Le Kill Clock》. The Kleitos family’s treasure, passed down only to the head of the main house. This clock, capable of rewinding time at will, has brought immense benefits to the Kleitos family.”

With a vulgar grin, Gaysorn’s crown gear spun, spun, spun in his hand—

“Naturally, we know better than anyone how to use this clock… Like so!”

In response to its rotation, the restrained Ruler—Le Kill—began to move.

Its scrap-metal wings, bound by chains, flapped, stirring up a gust—

At that moment, words from Sistine and Fossil flashed through Glenn’s mind.

(—‘The wings of wind that bring destruction (Le Kill)’—!?)

Instantly connecting those words to the phenomenon that had blown off his shoulder earlier—

“White Cat—!”

“Kyaa!?”

Glenn pushed his physical enhancement magic to the limit, grabbed Sistine, and leapt to the side.

Sistine narrowly escaped the range of the gust—but the wind stirred by Le Kill’s wings grazed Glenn’s side.

“Gobu—!?”

Boom! Glenn’s side exploded. …A fatal wound.

Blood poured from the wound, dripping heavily as he clutched it.

“Kyaaaaaa—!? W-What!? What just happened!? How did such a severe injury happen in an instant!?”

“Sh-White Cat! Just… r-run…! Leave… me…!”

Spitting blood, Glenn stood to shield Sistine behind him.

“There’s no way I could do that!”

But Sistine, tears in her eyes, refused to comply and kept casting healing spells on Glenn.

Watching their exchange, Gaysorn laughed loudly.

“Fuhahahahahaha! What’s that, your student? Quite a beautiful teacher-student bond, isn’t it!? Hahahahahaha—!”

“Y-You… bastard…! Shut up, damn it!”

“Don’t get so angry, relax! It doesn’t matter if you die here, does it? After all, we can just rewind time, and you’ll be revived!”

The possibility of rewinding time seemed to have numbed Gaysorn’s sense of morality.

“But… a sharp, clever guy like you is a nuisance. So I’ll make you understand what happens when you interfere with me! So you’ll never dare meddle again!”

As Gaysorn focused his will, the crown gear spun faster.

Le Kill stirred the wind again—

“Gu—! 《O shining wall・block the march of calamity・protect me》—!”

Blood dripping from his mouth, Glenn chanted Black Magic [Force Shield].

A sturdy magical barrier unfolded before him, blocking the approaching wind—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The wind struck the barrier, punching massive holes through it—

(Damn—! As expected, this isn’t a phenomenon caused by physical destructive force!? It’s a higher-dimensional ‘destruction’ operating on some other principle—!)

In other words, there was no stopping it.

“Ku—”

“Sensei—!?”

“N-No more! P-Please, Grandfather, stop—!”

“Haha, hahahahahahahahahaha—!”

“It’s no use, it’s breaking—then, 《Rush forth, wind・dash through・strike down》—!”

Glenn dispelled [Force Shield] and chanted [Gale Blow].

A ferocious gust shot from his outstretched hand, countering the approaching wind of destruction.

“Geho… As expected… wind against wind…!”

Yes, the logic was unclear, but one thing was certain: touching the wind stirred by Le Kill’s wings meant unavoidable destruction.

Glenn’s snap judgment paid off.

But—the relentless wind of destruction began to gradually push back Glenn’s gust.

“Damn, it’s heavy…! My magic can’t hold it… gho! W-White Cat! Lend me your strength! Your specialty, wind magic!”

Glenn spat blood as he pleaded, but…

“W-What are you saying…!? If I stop the healing spell now, you’ll die, Sensei…!”

Pale with fear, Sistine tearfully refused.

“It’s fine! It’ll be fine! So—!”

“B-But… but…!”

It was no use. Sistine didn’t know this week was looping.

There was no time to explain, no time to make her believe, no room to maneuver. A complete deadlock.

“What’s wrong, young man!? I’m even holding back Le Kill’s power quite a bit, you know!? Come on, come on!”

Laughing mockingly, the crown gear spun faster in Gaysorn’s palm, accelerating further.

Le Kill’s wingbeats intensified, growing stronger—

The force of the wind of destruction surged without limit—

“Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit—!”

“Fuhahahahahahahaha—! How’s that!? Had enough!? You insolent fool standing in the way of our Kleitos glory! Bow before its majesty—and die!”

And then, it happened. It was abrupt.

Snap. Le Kill’s wings stopped, and the wind of destruction ceased.

Crack. A fissure appeared in the restraints and chains binding Le Kill.

“Wh-What…?”

“Huh?”

The utterly unexpected event left Gaysorn and Glenn momentarily frozen.

“W-What’s happening…? Hm? …What’s this?”

Then, Gaysorn noticed something amiss.

“The crown gear… it’s moving on its own…? N-No, stop… Stop it…!? Why!? Why won’t it obey my control!? I’m the one registered as the clock’s master!”

In Gaysorn’s frantic palm, the crown gear began spinning with unprecedented speed.

The momentum was so intense that the space around it seemed to warp.

“Impossible… Something’s happening…!? This has never happened before…”

As Gaysorn panicked, the crown gear’s furious rotation gained even more speed… and in response, the restraints binding Le Kill shattered one by one.

Finally, all restraints except the collar and its chain were destroyed.

“Hii—!? What in the world—… Hebu!?”

Gaysorn’s shocked words were cut short.

Le Kill, now almost free, stirred a ferocious wind with its wings, blowing Gaysorn to smithereens, leaving not a speck of dust behind.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!? G-Grandfather!?”

“W-What…? A person… just vanished…?”

Before the screaming Ellen and stunned Sistine—

“FINALLY… FINALLY…”

Le Kill spoke.

Its form was… utterly wretched and ghastly.

With the restraints removed, its body was even more exposed—over half mechanized, with gears and machinery biting into its flesh. It was like a broken, defective marionette.

(That’s the demoted divine servant…!?)

At the horrifying sight, Glenn involuntarily swallowed and broke into a cold sweat.

That Le Kill, with jerky movements, embraced the terrified Ellen from behind.

“Hii!?”

“Your… shadow, Ellen… because you kept repeating… always, always repeating… I was able to become free…”

“Ah, ah… stop, stop… please stop…!? I don’t know… I don’t know anything…!”

“Just a little more… if we repeat just a little more… I can become completely free… so… let’s repeat even more, together, Ellen…”

“No… I don’t want to repeat anymore…”

“This one week… we’ll repeat it forever… forever… forever… forever and ever and ever…”

“Noooo—!”

While witnessing this exchange between Ellen and Le Kill…

…Glenn, finally exhausted, sank into a pool of his own blood.

“S-sensei! Sensei! Please, hang in there! What’s going on? What is this situation… I don’t understand…! Sensei…!”

Sistine clung to him desperately, but Glenn’s body no longer responded.

(Damn it… damn it… damn that old hag…!)

As the world gradually darkened, Glenn ground his teeth in frustration.

(Sure, any clock, no matter how sturdy, will wear out and break if you use it too many times…)

The phenomenon unfolding now was simple. It was easy to predict.

Le Kill, who had been transformed into a clock, must have had her powers suppressed and sealed.

That’s why she could be used as a tool to exercise limited time-manipulation abilities through the crown.

But the limit of her endurance had finally been reached. By repeating the closed loop of one week thousands of times and continuously using Le Kill’s power, the seal binding her had begun to unravel.

“Forever—we’ll repeat. This one week. Yes, forever—we’ll repeat—”

(That’s one dangerous thing!)

Glenn could only feel exasperation.

(She seems weakened, but that thing’s the same kind of entity as those insane evil gods from the Great Magic War two hundred years ago… what a nightmare to let loose… what do we do now?)

And then, the familiar sensation he’d experienced countless times… the feeling of death dragging him away, and the strange disorientation, like his sense of balance was going haywire, as time began to rewind, started swirling through the world.

Thus, with no means to resist…

The world went dark. His vision spun. Time cycled, and everything rewound—

Everything reached its end (Ω) and returned to the beginning (Α)—

“What… what’s happening… the world…!? Sensei… Ellen…!”

Sistine stood in the center of the darkening world, utterly bewildered.

“…It’s okay.”

But Glenn, with his last ounce of strength, gripped Sistine’s hand tightly to reassure her.

“S-sensei…?”

“Don’t worry… it’s okay… it’ll be fine…”

Hearing those words, Sistine blinked and gazed at Glenn.

“…Don’t worry, White Cat… trust me…”

“B-but… but…! There’s so much blood… and the sky is falling—!”

“Gah! It’ll go back to normal soon… everything repeats… Ω returns to Α…”

“…Sensei…?”

“The ‘next’ time… I’ll save your friend and smash this damn world to pieces… I’ll protect your future… so… don’t worry…”

With hands that could no longer muster strength, Glenn squeezed Sistine’s hand tightly…

At that moment, as if everything clicked into place, Sistine nodded.

“…I understand. I believe you.”

With tear-soaked eyes fixed on Glenn, Sistine gripped his hand back firmly.

“So that’s how it was… this is what you’ve been carrying, isn’t it, Sensei…? You’ve been fighting alone for us again, haven’t you…?”

And with a serene, trusting smile that shone with unwavering faith, she looked at Glenn…

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘next,’ but… if there is a ‘next’… then please, let me stand by your side…”

Yes, Glenn thought, relieved. With just this one sentence from Sistine, he was convinced that enduring the futile loops hadn’t been in vain.

His parched, frayed heart began to regain its moisture.

At the same time, Glenn’s consciousness, and the world itself, plunged into darkness—