Chapter 1: The Transfer Student Who Arrived with the Storm

…Within me lies a white memory.

A white so searing it burns the retina—I still vividly recall that moment.

Like a fish dwelling in a far northern ice lake, slowly becoming entombed in a coffin of ice.

That day, that moment—my heart and body were languidly slipping toward death.

“Ha… ha… ha…”

I recall it as a sparse forest of coniferous trees, standing haphazardly.

What comes to mind is the cold. A piercing chill that freezes even breath. A numbing frost that seeps into the skin, an arctic cold that chills to the bone. A subzero world that denies all life.

Striking is the whiteness. An immaculate purity. The treetops, underbrush, and bare earth, all adorned in dazzling white snow—a coldly beautiful silver world.

Snowflakes falling gently, like a dance, cast faint, delicate white noise across my vision, dyeing my world white and cold.

“…Ha… ha… ha…”

I wade through soft snow piled up to my knees, walking aimlessly.

One step… then another. Slowly… so slowly.

Dragging a body as heavy as lead. Without the strength to brush off the snow accumulating on my head and shoulders.

Tainting the pristine snowfield with scarlet as I walk.

Blood ceaselessly flows from my body.

Each time vivid red decorates the white world in vibrant hues, my life spills away like sand in an hourglass.

“Cough… ha… ha… ha…”

A piercing silence resonates. Only the sound of crunching snow and my fiery breaths echo, quickly fading into the serene depths of the snow, dissipating as they lose their warmth.

I no longer feel my hands or feet. Even the pain of the deep wounds carved into my body is barely perceptible.

I keenly feel my life burning out.

—To begin with.

Why am I struggling to stay alive like this?

Knowing I’ll soon die, why do I keep wading through the snow, pressing forward?

“Cough… I have… nothing… left…”

Yes, I have nothing. No reason to live. No purpose. Not even the right to exist.

I was a ‘cleaner’ for a certain magical society… plainly put, an assassin. With my brother held hostage by the organization, I killed their enemies as a ‘cleaner’ in exchange for his safety.

For me, with no other family, my kind brother was my only kin, my everything.

For his sake—no matter how red my hands became, I—

…

…But my brother, my everything, is dead. Killed by □□□□.

My brother is gone.

Then shouldn’t I, who killed for his sake, disappear as well?

Shouldn’t I, who justified staining my hands with blood for him, cease to exist?

Yet my steps don’t stop. Knowing I’m heading toward inevitable death, knowing it’s futile, I keep moving, hoping for some miracle.

Oh, what deceit, what hypocrisy.

In the end, claiming it was for my brother… I was just being selfish. Using him as an excuse to justify my sinful self.

No god would grant a miracle to such a hypocrite—

“Ugh…!? …Ah!”

Before I realized, I had collapsed into the cold snow. My body no longer had strength left.

Struggling to rise, my hands only clumsily scraped at the snow, my body refusing to obey.

…I had reached my limit.

First, □□□□ dealt me a fatal wound, and during my escape, I clashed repeatedly with the organization’s pursuers, leaving countless wounds etched into my body. That I moved this far was a miracle in itself.

And by collapsing onto the cold snow, my body hurtled toward its end.

The warmth—drained from my body.

Life spilled from me at a tremendous pace, blooming more blood flowers upon the snowfield.

“Ah… I… I…”

Barely managing to lie on my back, I reached out with my left hand…

As if grasping at the sky. Unconsciously. …Meaninglessly.

On my trembling left wrist was a bracelet. A matching item my brother had given me long ago, somewhere.

‘Hey, □□□□. Someday, let’s escape this organization together… and live quietly, just the two of us.’

Suddenly, my brother’s nostalgic words resurfaced in my mind. A dream now far too faint and fleeting.

“…Help… me… Brother… I…”

My vision blurred with overflowing tears—then it happened.

“Who’s there!?”

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps crunching through the snow drew near.

Soon, a man emerged from the depths of the trees.

“…! You…!?”

Spotting me, he looked down with a shocked expression. He was a tall, lean man with black hair and black eyes, clad in a black cloak. A few years older than I was. He held a percussion revolver aimed at me.

But more than that, I was transfixed by his appearance.

His features… his build… they felt familiar somehow.

“…Brother…?”

No. He’s very similar, but different. Besides, my brother was already dead.

“…I’m sorry. It must’ve been tough.”

Confirming my state, the man resembling my brother lowered his gun and spoke words of apology.

“If only I’d arrived a bit sooner… huh.”

After a brief silence, he suddenly posed a question.

“Hey, you… what’s your name?”

“I… my name is—□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□

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“…You’ve picked up quite the troublesome thing, Glenn. That girl is the □□□□ that the Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom ‘□=□□□’ and □□, isn’t she? …What a foolish thing to do.”

Suddenly, my consciousness awakened.

“Tch, what was I supposed to do… I was asked to help her…”

“You had no obligation to heed that request, did you?”

“Sure, but… she…!”

“Hmph. As usual, playing the ‘heroic mage’ like always? You’re hopeless, as ever.”

I opened my eyes. The snowy landscape was gone. It wasn’t cold anymore. It was warm.

This seemed to be a room somewhere—a clean white room filled with the smell of disinfectant.

I was lying on a white bed, alive.

Beside the bed were two men. One was the man from the snowy world. The other, a stranger.

“Oh, the sleeping princess finally awakens. Hey, Albert, save the lecture for later.”

“Tch… do as you please. This time, I’m truly done with you.”

“Haha, that’s the tenth time you’ve said that, Al-chan, you tsundere… Sorry, please lower that finger pointing at my forehead. Don’t glare at me like I’m trash. It’s seriously scary.”

“…Hmph.”

The stranger snorted irritably and left the room.

In that instant, the man from the snowy world dropped his lively demeanor.

“…Damn.”

He let out a heavy sigh, his face twisting in pain.

“…Saving everyone equally… the ‘heroic mage’ from a storybook… I know… it’s just a fantasy… But I…”

“……”

Eventually, he must’ve noticed me staring.

Scratching his head awkwardly and sighing, he looked down at me.

“Yo, we meet again… Or is ‘nice to meet you’ more appropriate in this case?”

“You… in that snowy world… you saved me…?”

For some reason, in that moment, his face was tinged with sorrow. His expression, hiding a trace of guilt, somehow reminded me of my brother.

“Ah…”

Suddenly, I noticed something. My left hand felt strange.

Pulling my left hand from under the blanket, I stared at my wrist.

“Something wrong?”

“It’s gone… my bracelet…”

“Sorry. That… well…”

He hesitated for a moment.

“…It’s been confiscated. It’s now under the management of the Imperial Court Mage Corps.”

“…Can’t you give it back?”

“No can do. I can’t explain the details either… Sorry, but you’ll have to give it up.”

Hearing that, I felt a sense of loss, as if a part of my body had been torn away. That bracelet was a gift from my brother. In tough times, in painful times, it let me feel his presence… a precious item.

“…I’m sorry.”

He apologized again.

The first time we met… and now again.

Why does this man, who resembles my brother, keep apologizing to me?

As I silently stared at him, he spoke.

“I’m Glenn.”

Suddenly, he introduced himself. Naturally, a different name from my brother’s.

“And you? Mind telling me again?”

My name. My name.

I felt like I’d told him before.

But somehow, I felt like I needed to tell him again…

So, I told the man named Glenn my name.

“Re=L. …My name is Re=L.”

“I see… Re=L, huh.”

Pat.

The man—Glenn—placed his hand on my head, giving a wistful smile as he said,

“…Nice to meet you, Re=L.”

This was—my meeting with Glenn, the man who so resembled my brother—

…

…

…Shake, shake. …Shake, shake, shake.

I felt a tremor.

“Missy… Oi, missy, we’re here!”

I sensed someone calling from far away.

“…Nnh.”

My hazy consciousness, wandering through days past, slowly returned to the present.

“I get that you’re tired, but could you wake up, missy?”

I slowly opened my eyes.

This was the stagecoach I was riding—a small coach’s interior.

On one of the two leather seats facing each other, I was curled up, wrapped in a blanket, apparently asleep.

“…?”

I sat up. I felt a bit tired, but not bad.

“Yo, you’re awake. Morning, missy.”

Through the open door, I saw the coachman who driven this carriage.

“Man, from the capital Orlando to this academic city Fejite, that’s quite a journey, missy.”

The coachman, a companion on this trip, laughed and extended a hand.

Silently, I took it, stepping out of the carriage with his kind escort.

Outside, a faint morning mist lingered.

It was still dim.

The area around this stagecoach station on the outskirts of Fejite, and even the town with its sharply angled rooftops in the distance, remained asleep.

“That uniform… it’s for the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, right? So, you’re heading to that academy, huh?”

Chatting casually, the coachman retrieved my travel bag from the carriage and handed it to me.

I nod once and accepted it.

“Haha, study hard, alright, missy?”

Offering words of encouragement, the coachman climbed back onto the driver’s seat.

“Well, thank you for choosing our stagecoach service today. We look forward to serving you again… Oh, and eat properly, yeah? …See ya.”

With a playful sales pitch and a tip of his hat, the coachman maneuvered the reins, guiding the carriage toward a nearby stable.

I watched it go for a while, then turned my gaze to the town of Fejite.

I was here just recently, but it felt like returning after a long time.

Probably because Glenn was here.

“…”

I closed my eyes.

I recalled Glenn’s face, seen after a year at the recent Magic Tournament.

I could feel my mood lift just a little.

This mission… I didn’t quite understand the details, but I’ll be near Glenn.

That feels like a very good thing.

A year ago, when Glenn suddenly left my side, I was constantly uneasy. An inexplicable discomfort always lingered in my chest.

But when I unexpectedly reunited with him recently, I remember that unease and discomfort vanishing instantly.

(I can be with Glenn again for a while…)

Just thinking that soothed my rough heart.

Though I don’t know why, a pleasant sensation filled my chest.

“…Nnh.”

I wanted to see him soon.

Opening my eyes, I started walking toward Fejite’s city center.

I forgot to bring a map of Fejite, and I didn’t remember the town’s layout from my last visit.

…Well, it’ll work out somehow. …By instinct.

…

…

Sistine Fibel, a student at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, recently acquired a small secret.

A secret she couldn’t—didn’t want to—share with others.

And today, that secret moment was about to begin.

“…Nnh…”

Before dawn, when the veil of twilight had yet to fully lift.

Sistine woke up in her bedroom.

Sistine was a morning person. If she firmly decided the night before to wake early, her eyes open naturally. This talent is invaluable for keeping the secret she now held.

Waking, Sistine scanned her room with a slightly groggy mind. The room had a noble elegance but lacked many furnishings. Prominent were a large bookshelf stuffed with magic and archaeology books, a chair, a desk, a fireplace—practical items only, making it somewhat stark for a girl her age. It’s a stark contrast to Rumia’s room across the hall, which was unmistakably girlish.

Sistine, whose parents were high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic, lived in the Fibel estate, a grand aristocratic mansion that, even after half a century, retained its dignity and prestige.

As an aside, her parents were often away in the capital for work, leaving the house frequently empty. Thus, life at the Fibel estate was mostly just Sistine and Rumia, with the vast mansion’s upkeep, security, and chores handled by helper fairies summoned to reside there.

“…Alright.”

Sistine quietly slipped out of bed and headed to her closet to prepare. She slid off her thin silk negligee, donned comfortable clothes, and threw on a cloak. She then slipped on her favorite gloves on her left hand.

Ready, Sistine opened the door and leaves her room.

Across the hall was Rumia’s room. Rumia, likely unaware of everything, was probably still dreaming. She was notoriously weak in the mornings and rarely woke early.

“…Sorry.”

As always, she murmured a soft apology through the door and quietly left the mansion.

In the dim pre-dawn, Sistine slipped out of the Fibel estate and hurried to the usual meeting spot.

Her destination was one of Fejite’s many natural parks. Located in the northern student district, this park was a haven where residents enjoyed forest bathing and strolls during the day.

But at this early hour, the park was deserted and silent. Breaking the stillness, Sistine crunched through a carpet of fallen leaves, weaving between sparsely standing trees until she reached the spot.

The secret meeting place: the base of an especially large beech tree.

Her contact was already there.

“…You’re a bit late today. That’s unlike you.”

The contact—Glenn—greeted Sistine with a slightly irritable tone.

“Ugh… I’m sorry… Last night, when I was going to bed… I kept thinking about meeting you today, Sensei, and… well, I got so nervous that I couldn’t sleep…”

Blushing faintly, Sistine averted her gaze awkwardly.

“…Haha, so you were looking forward to it, huh? What a masochist you are.”

“Wha—Idiot! I-It’s not like that…!”

Sistine hurriedly denied Glenn’s teasing smirk, but her words lacked conviction, trailing off weakly.

“Still, you’re a sneaky one, White Cat. A proper young lady like you, sneaking around behind your parents’ backs to do this with me every day… If they found out, they’d be in tears, you know?”

“I-It’s not like that… I mean, I don’t have a choice… I…”

“Well, whatever. Lucky for us, no one’s around here. We can do this without holding back. Let’s get started.”

As if losing patience, Glenn closed the distance toward Sistine.

“W-Wait… I’m… I’m not ready yet…!”

Sistine backed away, as if trying to escape from Glenn.

But perhaps she wasn’t serious about fleeing, as her movements were slow and hesitant.

“Sorry, I’m not the patient type.”

Glenn kept advancing toward her.

…Closing in.

“Ah… augh…”

Finally, Sistine stopped moving, as if resigning herself.

Her shoulders trembled with tension as she looked downward, mumbling softly.

“Um… please don’t hurt me… Be as gentle as you can…”

“No promises.”

Glenn grinned, his smile carrying a hint of sadistic amusement.

”Gotta say, you’re just too fun to tease.”

“Ugh… you demon…”

And then.

In a world where it was just the two of them, with no one else around.

Their secret, known only to them, began once more.

…

…How much time had passed?

“Haa… haa… haa…”

As the faint darkness finally began to give way to dawn.

Sistine lay sprawled on a carpet of leaves, utterly exhausted.

Her clothes were disheveled, her cheeks flushed bright red, and beads of sweat glistened across her body. Her eyes, slightly unfocused as if unable to find their mark, were dazed. Heated, longing breaths spilled endlessly from her slender throat.

“I’m sorry… please, Sensei, have mercy… I-I… I can’t… my hips…”

Muttering deliriously, Sistine was gazed down upon by Glenn, who retied his loosened cravat with an exasperated expression.

“What’s that, so sloppy? Well, I guess a sheltered ojou-sama like you wouldn’t have had much chance to do something like this. It’s probably normal to be this worn out at first.”

“…G-Get used to it…? You can get used to this…?”

Struggling to sit up, Sistine looked up at Glenn with feverish, glistening eyes.

Her mind felt numb, as if shrouded in fog, her vision hazy and her thoughts incoherent. Her core burned with a throbbing heat, her hips felt shattered from the constant strain, and her exhausted limbs seemed to float weightlessly in the void.

This kind of thing… no matter how many times she went through it, she couldn’t imagine ever getting used to it.

“Oh, you’ll get used to it. You’re already a lot better than when you first started, you know.”

“Better…? No way… All this time, you’ve just been toying with me, Sensei…”

“Idiot. Thinking you could outplay me? You’re a hundred years too early for that.”

“…So experienced, huh?”

Sistine shot Glenn a glare, her expression a mix of displeasure and frustration.

“Come on, you’ll catch a cold like that. Be careful. You’re still a girl, after all.”

“…Ah.”

Glenn draped his robe over Sistine’s shoulders.

This fleeting kindness always caught her off guard. It made her painfully aware of how easily he could wrap her around his finger.

(…Ugh… It smells like Sensei…)

Wrapped in the robe, Sistine waited for her breathing to steady, a strange sense of embarrassment lingering.

The exhaustion felt oddly pleasant. The crisp morning air was refreshingly clear.

She wanted to linger in this afterglow forever.

—But.

“Hey, Sensei… I’ve been wondering for a while, but…”

There was one thing she just couldn’t make sense of, so Sistine stood and posed her question.

“I asked you to teach me magical combat… so why are we training in fist-fighting…?”

“Yeah, I figured that question was coming sooner or later.”

Yes, early morning special training for magical combat.

This had become their recent secret, just between the two of them.

Sistine was one of the few who knew about Rumia’s circumstances. But as she was now, Sistine lacked the strength to protect Rumia like Glenn could. Despite her exceptional magical talent, Sistine was still too inexperienced in every sense to fight and protect someone.

That’s why, to be ready to protect Rumia in a crisis, Sistine had asked Glenn to teach her magical combat.

At first, Glenn had been reluctant to train Sistine, no matter how much she pleaded.

But as Sistine persistently begged, Glenn finally gave in, agreeing to coach her one-on-one in the early mornings.

However… since that day, their morning training had consisted entirely of fist-fighting sparring.

After briefly reviewing fist-fighting techniques and forms, they’d put on leather gloves to avoid injuries. The rules were simple: Glenn would only tap Sistine lightly, holding back, while Sistine would go all out, aiming to land hits on Glenn. And so, they sparred endlessly, day after day.

Sistine’s fists never even grazed Glenn, while his jabs pecked at her relentlessly—tap, tap, tap, tap.

Normally, when Glenn was in his usual dopey state, Sistine’s punches and kicks could land easily. But once Glenn got serious and assumed a fist-fighting stance, her attacks mysteriously never connected. Against his agile footwork, her strikes swung through empty air, missing every time.

Eventually, Sistine would exhaust herself just from her own movements, collapsing to the ground each day. The unfamiliar fist-fighting motions left her shoulders and hips aching with intense muscle soreness lately.

Of course, Sistine had been prepared for foundational training from the start. But she’d assumed it would involve things like enhancing her mana, learning new spells, or practicing shortened incantations—things like that.

Instead, it was this. She couldn’t help but feel utterly dissatisfied.

“They’re the same at their core, fist-fighting and magical combat.”

Glenn preempted Sistine’s complaints with his explanation.

“You get that there are several ways to land a punch on an opponent, right? Overwhelm them with speed, exploit their openings, use feints to create gaps, target the start or end of their movements, counter their attacks, and so on. Sound familiar? It’s just like magical combat.”

“Well… maybe, but…”

“You could say magical combat is like a more complex, advanced version of fist-fighting. At the very least, practicing fist-fighting builds the foundation for magical combat—it hones your sense of offense and defense.”

Was it really effective? She’d never heard of using fist-fighting to train for magical combat.

“If it’s about martial arts, swordsmanship or anything else would work too… but, well, I’m better at fist-fighting.”

“Ugh… I feel like I’m being tricked… Like you’re just taking out your frustrations from all your usual lectures on me…”

“Of course, that’s part of it.”

“It is!?”

Hiss! Like a cat bristling in threat, Sistine snapped at Glenn.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, calm down. It’s true that fist-fighting helps improve your sense of timing for offense and defense in magical combat. It’s a training method Celica taught me directly. I went through it a lot when I was a kid.”

Looking up at the sky, Glenn spoke as if reminiscing fondly about the past.

That rare, gentle profile didn’t seem like he was lying at all.

“Mmm…”

Still unconvinced, Sistine had resolved to follow Glenn’s lead on this. If that was her decision, she had no choice but to silently accept his training methods.

“But… are you sure about this? A refined ojou-sama like you, doing something so barbaric? I mean, fist-fighting is technically considered a gentlemanly pursuit alongside swordsmanship, but still.”

“I’ve told you before, it’s fine. I hate feeling helpless, like during that incident… I want to be able to help her—Rumia—when it matters.”

“Oh, right, that’s what you said. But why me? Didn’t you hate me? With your connections, you could’ve found plenty of better mentors inside or outside the academy.”

“W-Well… that’s… um…”

Sistine faltered, unable to respond. It was true—she wanted to protect Rumia, to grow stronger for her sake. That conviction was genuine, as was her decision to beg Glenn for training. But why had she chosen Glenn? Why him?

Sure, Glenn might be a third-rate mage, but as a combat mage, he was top-notch. He was an excellent choice to learn fighting from. But was that all there was to it?

“Whatever. For you to go out of your way to ask someone you hate like me, Rumia must mean a lot to you. Plus, it’s easier to work with someone who already knows Rumia’s situation.”

“Y-Yeah! That’s it, exactly! Anyone else would just complicate things!”

Even as she said it, Sistine felt a strange dissonance. Every time Glenn mentioned her supposed dislike for him, her chest ached faintly.

And why did she feel so guilty toward Rumia, even though she was training to protect her? She wasn’t doing anything wrong, so why this unease?

As she pondered the source of this discomfort and pain, lost in thought…

“For now, we’ll focus on fist-fighting to build your stamina and combat instincts. Once you’ve got a decent handle on that, I’ll start teaching you military magic and how to use it.”

“M-Military… magic?”

At Glenn’s offer, Sistine swallowed hard, a chill running down her spine.

Military magic was exactly what it sounded like—powerful spells designed for war, created purely to kill and injure. Compared to the general magic taught at the academy, its destructive power was on an entirely different level. Sistine had witnessed military magic before, and even now, recalling its ferocity sent shivers through her.

“Scared? But if you truly want to protect Rumia in a crisis, you’ll need power. That’s the harsh reality that allows no excuses. The day you begged me to teach you how to fight, I saw how genuine your feelings for Rumia were. That’s why I agreed to train you. And because you can feel fear at the thought of military magic, I believe you can wield that power correctly, without being consumed by its darker side.”

“Sensei…”

“Of course, the best outcome would be if you never have to use that power—if that ‘crisis’ never comes.”

Sistine couldn’t see what expression Glenn wore as he turned his back to her.

But the emotion she felt toward that back… it was unmistakably respect.

“Please… continue to guide and train me, Sensei.”

Bow.

Sistine straightened her posture and naturally bowed toward his back.

After morning training, Sistine quietly returned to the Fibel residence. In the washroom, she stripped off her sweat-soaked clothes and took a quick shower in the adjoining bathroom. The water, piped from the storage tank and heated by coal, was just the right temperature, washing away her sweat and fatigue refreshingly.

Feeling invigorated after her shower, Sistine slipped into the academy uniform she’d prepared and headed to the kitchen. With her parents absent, duties at the Fibel residence were naturally divided: Sistine, who was better in the mornings, handled breakfast, while Rumia, who took over in the evenings when Sistine was busy studying magic, prepared dinner. Following this routine, Sistine quickly prepared breakfast with the help of the household fairy assistants.

Once breakfast was ready, Sistine returned to her room to wake Rumia.

“Come on, Rumia! It’s past seven already! Time to get up!”

“…Mmm, mnya…?”

After eating breakfast with a sleepy-eyed Rumia, they got ready to head to the academy.

They left the Fibel residence just before eight, as usual.

As always, they walked to the academy, chatting about trivial things, side by side.

In the past, it would’ve been just Sistine and Rumia until they reached the academy…

“Oh, Sensei! Good morning!”

“…Hmph. Another day without breaking my streak of not being late.”

At the familiar crossroad ahead, a familiar figure was waiting.

It was Glenn.

“…Morning, you two.”

As they approached, Glenn greeted them with a scowl that practically screamed, I’m insanely tired.

“Haha, come on, Sensei… You don’t have to worry about me. You could sleep in a bit more, you know?”

“…Nah, it’s not that. I just like morning walks. It just so happens that my route overlaps with yours, and our schedules coincidentally line up.”

Glenn fell into step a few paces behind Sistine and Rumia, walking along with them.

Ever since it became clear that Rumia was being targeted by the Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom, Glenn had made it a point to escort her to and from the academy whenever possible.

However, Glenn was a teacher, and Rumia was a student. To the other teachers and students unaware of the situation, Glenn’s constant involvement with Rumia looked like excessive meddling. Rumors began to spread, calling him a stalker or a sleazy teacher preying on students. Glenn was the type who was fiercely loved by those who liked him but equally despised by those who didn’t. For those who already disliked him, this was the perfect ammunition.

Rumia, with her striking beauty and gentle demeanor, was vastly different from Sistine, whose sharp personality contrasted with her own good looks. Rumia’s kindness and approachability made her immensely popular among the male students. The fact that she didn’t seem to mind Glenn’s overprotectiveness only fueled the jealousy and resentment toward him.

The students in Glenn’s Class 2, who knew him well and had been saved by him, didn’t buy into the gossip. But Glenn had unwittingly made enemies of many male students across the academy.

Yet, Glenn brushed off the slander and malice without a care.

He offered no excuses or rebuttals, simply continuing to do what he believed was right. His resilience, almost like a saint devoted to a cause, earned genuine respect from both Rumia and Sistine, who watched from the sidelines.

Rumia felt guilty that Glenn was being criticized because of her, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to stop. Doing so would be to dismiss his convictions.

“So, I’ll be counting on you again today. Thank you, as always, Sensei.”

Instead, Rumia expressed her gratitude clearly, as she always did.

“Haha, no idea what you’re talking about!”

Glenn played it off with his usual theatrics, as always.

And so, as always, the three of them headed to the academy together—

“Oh, by the way, Sensei, we’re getting a transfer student today, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Be nice to them, okay?”

“It’s kinda rare, though, isn’t it? Coming in at this time of year…”

The familiar scene unfolded, filled with casual chatter as they walked to school.

But.

That day, something unusual slipped into the familiar routine.

“…Huh?”

Sistine suddenly noticed.

At the base of the hill leading to the academy’s main gate, a petite girl in the academy uniform stood with her back to them. The first thing that stood out, even from a distance, was her vibrant, pale blue hair. Such a rare color was unheard of at the academy; Sistine had no memory of any student with hair like that.

(Could she be the transfer student…? She’s wearing the uniform…)

As Sistine speculated about the girl…

The girl, perhaps sensing their presence, turned sharply to face them.

Muttering something under her breath, she crouched and touched the cobblestone path, then pulled upward.

(…What?)

Sistine’s mind froze.

In the girl’s hand, a massive cross-shaped greatsword—a Cross Claymore—had suddenly appeared.

The girl’s gaze locked onto them with unmistakable intent—

In the next instant, she raised the sword, kicked off the ground, and charged.

She barreled toward them in a straight line, moving at a terrifying speed that seemed to warp the very space around her—

Sistine’s mind went blank at the sudden turn of events.

(No way, is she—)

There was only one group Sistine could think of that would attack them so brazenly in broad daylight.

The mysterious magical society—the Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom.

Was this girl an assassin sent by them—?

(I can’t let this happen… Rumia… I have to protect Rumia—)

Sistine had resolved to do this. That’s why she’d asked Glenn to teach her how to fight.

(I have to… protect Rumia…!)

But her body wouldn’t move. It was as if time itself had stopped, leaving her frozen.

The sudden appearance of an enemy. The menacing gleam of the greatsword in the girl’s hands.

Sistine couldn’t take a single step—

“Sistie!”

Rumia stepped forward, shielding the paralyzed Sistine—at that moment.

The blue-haired girl charging toward them stomped the ground with a loud thud and leaped high into the air.

“…What!?”

The girl soared over Rumia and Sistine’s heads, landing behind them.

And then.

“Dwoooaaaaaahhh—!?”

Hearing that absurdly comical scream, Sistine finally snapped back to reality and turned around.

There stood Glenn, barely managing to block the girl’s downward swing with his hands, catching the blade just above his head.

“W-W-What the hell are you doing, you maniac—!? Trying to kill me!?”

Pale and trembling with teary eyes, Glenn roared at the girl who’d swung the sword at him.

For an assassin’s attack, something felt… off.

“…I missed you. Glenn.”

The girl, her eyes half-lidded as if sleepy, spoke emotionlessly.

“Shut up! Answer the question, Re=L! What’s the big idea!?”

Still shouting, Glenn released the sword and quickly leaped back.

“A greeting.”

“A greeting!? Go look up the word ‘greeting’ in a dictionary a million times!”

The girl’s expression shifted slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.

“…It’s not?”

“Of course it’s not!”

“But Albert said that’s how you greet a comrade you haven’t seen in a while.”

“No way in hell! Wait, this was Albert’s doing!? That bastard—does he hate me that much!? Just you wait, Albert! Damn it—!”

“…Ow. Stop it.”

Glenn, still yelling, locked the girl’s head in a tight headlock, grinding his arm against her.

Somehow, this didn’t feel like an assassin or a battle at all.

“Um… Sensei? Who’s that girl…?”

Rumia flashed an ambiguous smile as she questioned Glenn.

“Huh? Now that you mention it, that girl… she was at the Magic Tournament the other day, wasn’t she…?”

Rumia suddenly realized that the girl Glenn is holding onto looked familiar.

“Yeah, you remembered her, huh? By the way, did I ever tell you guys that I used to be part of the Imperial Court Mage Corps for a while back in the day?”

“No, I… well, I kind of had a feeling that was the case, though…”

Sistine, unsure how to respond, mumbled her reply.

“I see. Well, whatever. So, Re=L… this girl was my colleague from my mage days. Rumia, you’ve met her directly, and White Cat, you’ve at least seen her face, right? Though, the one you met was Rumia in disguise.”

Sistine calmed herself and carefully studied the blue-haired girl… Re=L.

Come to think of it, she did look familiar.

“W-What… so she’s not an assassin… phew, that’s a relief…”

As the tension drained from her, Sistine collapsed to her knees, letting out a sigh of relief.

“So, here’s the deal… you’ve probably already guessed, but this girl is the rumored transfer student. At least, that’s the official story.”

“…The official story?”

Rumia tilted her head in confusion.

“Yeah. Apparently, the imperial government has officially decided to provide protection for Rumia. So, they dispatched this girl, a mage from the Imperial Court Mage Corps.”

“I-I see… and this girl is a mage… that’s amazing…”

Sistine stared at Re=L with wide eyes. The Imperial Court Mage Corps was an elite group of the empire’s finest mages. Despite looking about the same age as them, Re=L was already a member of such a group.

Thinking about it, this curt, petite girl suddenly seemed incredibly dependable.

“Re=L… right? It’s been a while… I guess?”

Rumia promptly turned to Re=L to greet her.

“Mm.”

“Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Rumia, Rumia Tingel. And this is my friend Sistie… Sistine. It’s really reassuring to have someone from the Imperial Court Mage Corps here. I look forward to getting to know you!”

“…Mm. Leave it to me.”

Re=L puffed out her chest ever so slightly and, still expressionless, says:

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect Glenn.”

“Huh?”

“…What?”

Re=L’s utterly nonsensical statement, delivered as if it were the most natural thing in the world, left Rumia and Sistine frozen, their eyes reduced to dots…

“Not meeeeeeee—!? What’s the point of protecting me, you idiot!?”

Glenn grabbed Re=L’s temples with both fists and ground them hard.

“Ow. Stop it.”

“Listen here—!? Re=L, do you even understand your mission!? You’re supposed to protect her, her! This adorable, golden-haired Rumia-chan!? Got it!?”

“…? Why?”

“Why!? Don’t give me that! Did you even listen to the mission briefing!?”

“…I don’t really get it, but I’d rather protect Glenn than Rumia.”

“Shut up, you loudmouth! Who cares about your nonsensical demands, you moron!?”

Glenn scratched his head furiously, wailing in frustration.

“Seriously, why did it have to be Re=L of all people!? Ugh, no matter how you look at it, this is a total casting mistake! Thanks for nothing! What the hell are those Special Missions guys thinking? Are they insane!?”

In front of the dumbfounded Rumia and Sistine, the sleepy, expressionless Re=L stood as Glenn ranted and raved at her in an endless one-sided tirade.

(…Is this… really going to be okay…?)

Even Rumia, usually so optimistic, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease at the scene unfolding before her.

“So, that’s the deal…”

The scene shifts.

At the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, in the classroom of Class 2, Year 2.

“Starting today, this is your new classmate, Re=L Rayford. Get along with her, alright?”

When Glenn entered the classroom with Re=L, the students let out an excited “Ooh!” The class—especially the boys—buzzed with excitement at the sight of their new classmate standing beside the podium.

“Whoa…”

“…S-She’s so delicate.”

“Wow, her hair’s so pretty…”

“She’s kinda like a doll, isn’t she…?”

A doll. That might indeed be the perfect way to describe Re=L’s appearance.

In terms of physical age, Re=L was about the same as the students in this class, but her babyish face and petite frame made her seem younger than she was. Her hair, a rare pale blue, shimmered, and her lapis lazuli eyes were always half-closed, as if sleepy, revealing no hint of emotion. Yet her features were strikingly refined, and her serene, statue-like stillness, devoid of unnecessary movement, truly earned her the “doll” comparison.

That said, the girl herself seemed utterly uninterested in her exceptional looks. Her hair, left to grow wild, hadn’t even been brushed, with a single section loosely tied with a string at the nape of her neck and left to drape down her back. Her treatment of her stunning blue hair was, frankly, quite careless.

But even so—

“She’s insanely cute, isn’t she, Re=L-chan…?”

“Man, the girls in this class are just on another level…”

“I’ve decided. I was neutral before, but I’m Team Re=L-chan now… Kai, you in?”

“Yeah, you’re right, Rodd… I’m Team Re=L-chan too…”

“Hmph… I’ve got no eyes for anyone but Wendy-sama! My loyalty remains unshaken!”

“Quiet down, boys!”

As expected, the arrival of a new transfer student—especially a girl with otherworldly beauty—caused a stir in the classroom, particularly among the boys.

(Ugh, this is gonna get out of hand if it keeps up…)

Glenn sighed inwardly.

Not that he didn’t get why they were so excited. As long as she kept her mouth shut and stood there quietly, Re=L was undeniably a breathtaking beauty… as long as she stayed silent. It was no wonder the teenage boys were losing their minds.

“Ahem, anyway.”

Glenn forcibly drew the attention of the buzzing class.

“I’m sure you’re all curious about your new classmate, so let’s have Re=L introduce herself. Go ahead, Re=L.”

The classroom fell silent, all eyes focusing on Re=L.

The students leaned in, eager to hear her words.

…But.

“…………………………………………………………………………………………”

…Silence.

Despite the entire class’s attention fixed on her, Re=L remained utterly expressionless, not even twitching, and stayed completely silent.

Awkward silence begins to dominate the room.

“…Hey.”

Unable to bear the tension, Glenn nudged Re=L’s head with his finger.

“Did you not hear me? Or are you doing this on purpose?”

“…?”

Re=L glanced at Glenn with a faintly puzzled look.

“Could you, like, please introduce yourself? This silence is killing me.”

“…Why? What’s the point of introducing myself?”

“Just do it! Please! It’s, like, tradition or something! That’s just how it works in these situations!”

“…Alright. Got it.”

Re=L gives a slight nod and stepped forward.

And then.

“…Re=L Rayford.”

She muttered softly, bowing her head just a fraction.

“………………………………………………………………………………………………”

…Silence.

“Hey, what about the rest?”

“…That’s it.”

Another few seconds of silence.

And then.

“All you said was your name!? I already introduced your name at the start! Are you messing with me!? Even the most angsty, ‘I’m-so-cool-and-edgy’ teenager in the middle of puberty would give a better introduction than that—!”

Glenn grabbed Re=L’s head with both hands and shook it back and forth.

The class watched this incomprehensible comedy routine in stunned silence.

“But, Glenn, I don’t know what else to say.”

“Anything! Hobbies, talents, whatever! Just talk about yourself so everyone can get to know you!”

“…Alright. Got it.”

Re=L nodded faintly and stepped forward again.

“…Re=L Rayford. Member of the Imperial Court Mage Corps, Special Missions Annex, under the Imperial Army. Rank: Knight-Lieutenant. Codename: ‘Chariot.’ My current mission is…”

“Nooooooo—! Aaaaaaaaah—!”

Suddenly, Glenn let out a bizarre scream, scooped Re=L up in his arms, and bolted out of the classroom at top speed.

“Uh, Re=L-chan, what did she just…?”

“Hmm, I didn’t catch it clearly, but something about the Imperial Army…?”

Thanks to Glenn’s bizarre outburst, the students couldn’t make out what Re=L had said in her soft voice.

Ignoring the confused students, Glenn’s angry shouts of “You idiot!” and “What were you thinking!?” echoed from outside the classroom.

And then, after a good few minutes.

The two, who had been arguing outside, finally returned…

“…I came to this academy to study magic with the goal of joining the Imperial Army in the future. My hometown is… uh, the Iteria region…? I’m probably fifteen. My hobby is… I think… reading. My talent is… uh, what should I say, Glenn?”

“Don’t ask me.”

Glenn groaned, his temple twitching.

The half-hearted, slapped-together introduction left the class dumbfounded.

Ignoring the bewildered atmosphere, Glenn pressed forward.

“And that was Re=L Rayford, folks! Haha, what a totally normal, average student, right? So, everyone, make sure to get along with this utterly ordinary, painfully plain, almost boringly normal Re=L, okay? Now, let’s get to today’s lesson…”

“Just one question, if I may?”

One of the students raised her hand. It’s the twin-tailed ojou-sama, Wendy.

“I have a question about Re=L-san. May I ask?”

“Uh, Re=L’s probably exhausted from her long journey here. Right? You’re tired, aren’t you? Definitely tired. So, let’s save that for another time…”

Glenn tried to brush it off with an obviously reluctant expression, but…

“…Mm. Ask anything.”

“You—! Could you at least read the room a little!? Or what, do you have a grudge against me or something!?”

Re=L’s immediate agreement made Glenn clutch his head and stare at the ceiling.

“If it’s not too personal, I’d like to know. You said you’re from the Iteria region, but what about your family?”

“!”

“…Family?”

At the question, Glenn’s eyes widened slightly, and Re=L’s brows twitched just a fraction.

“…I had… a brother…”

“Oh, you have a brother? Hehe, what kind of person is he? Where is he now? What does he do?”

Wendy’s questions weren’t particularly unusual.

Questions about family were standard when someone introduces themselves.

But for some reason, Re=L froze, as if caught off guard by the question…

“My brother’s… name was…”

She furrowed her brow slightly, pressing a hand to her temple as she tries to answer…

Her trembling lips moved, hesitating as she searched for words…

“His name… name… n-name…”

Yet, for some reason, Re=L stumbled over the name.

Her face, now downturned with furrowed brows, looked almost pained…

“Sorry. Can you avoid questions about her family?”

Glenn stepped in, his expression unusually serious.

“The truth is, she doesn’t have any family left… Can you read between the lines?”

“W-What!? Oh no… and she did say ‘had’ instead of ‘has’… I’m so sorry, Re=L-san! I had no idea… I didn’t mean anything by it…”

Wendy lowered her eyes, visibly apologetic, and bows to Re=L.

“…It’s fine. No problem.”

Re=L responded softly, but her usually blank expression showed a rare hint of confusion, as if she were grappling with something unresolved.

“Okay, then!”

A bold voice cut through the awkward atmosphere as another student raised his hand. It was Kash, the class’s big-brother figure.

“So, Re=L-chan and Glenn-sensei, what’s your deal? You seem like you know each other pretty well, and you’re super chummy. Come on, spill the beans!”

Kash’s question perfectly captured what the entire class—especially the boys—was dying to know.

“Yeah, exactly! That’s what I was wondering too!”

“Totally! You gotta tell us straight!”

“No matter how you look at it, you’re not just casual acquaintances…”

The class jumped on Kash’s lead, eager to lighten the mood.

“…My relationship with Glenn?”

“…Uh… well, that’s…”

How was he supposed to answer?

Guess he’ll go with the classic, uninspired “distant relative” excuse?

Glenn hesitated for a split second, fumbling for words…

“Glenn is my everything. I’ve decided to live for him.”

In that brief moment, Re=L delivered a fatal blow.

“W-Wait—!? Re=L, you—!”

Before a horrified Glenn could protest—

“Kyaaaa—! So bold! So passionate!”

“Gaaah! I fell in love at first sight, and now I’m already heartbroken—!?”

The girls’ squeals and the boys’ wails threw the classroom into chaos.

“A forbidden romance! A teacher-student forbidden romance! Kyaa! Kyaa!”

“…A teacher and student being involved raises some ethical concerns.”

“Not bad, Sensei!”

“What are you saying, Kash-san!? This is a problem! A serious problem—!”

“Damn it, Sensei… I respected you, but now I’m pissed… It’s been a while, but let’s take this outside—! (Sobbing)”

“Watch your back at night, you hear—!? (Sobbing)”

The girls swooned over the forbidden romance, the goody-two-shoes students clutched their pearls, and the boys who’d hoped to get close to Re=L seethed with jealousy. The students let their imaginations run wild, spinning tales of Glenn and Re=L’s scandalous relationship and shouting whatever came to mind in a massive uproar.

And then—

“Shut up, Glenn Radars! What’s with this ridiculous commotion!? Are you trying to disrupt my class!? You bastard, how far will you go to—!?”

Even Halley, the instructor for Class 1 next door, burst in, red-faced with fury—

…There was no hope of calming this mess now.

“Gaaaah!? Why does it always end up like this—!?”

Glenn’s soul-shattering scream echoed through the academy.

And in the midst of this hellish pandemonium, one person alone…

“…?”

Re=L gazed at the scene, her expression one of quiet bewilderment.