Chapter 4: The Beginning and End of a Joyful Moment

Some indulged in lively chatter and play late into the night, others engaged in fierce struggles until dawn, and some rested early to prepare for the next day… Each person’s night during the field study expedition passed in its own way.

And then—

An endlessly blue sky. A brilliantly shining sun. A scorched white sandy beach.

With the pure sound of the tide, waves rolled in and out—ever-changing in color.

On the beach of Saineria Island, there were several figures of boys and girls.

They were the students of Glenn’s class.

“Yahoo, Sistie~!”

With a splash, Rumia emerged from the sea in her swimsuit.

A cute bikini adorned with ribbons and frills.

Water dripped down her alluring body, tracing its graceful curves.

Water droplets danced in the sea breeze, catching the sunlight and sparkling, beautifully accentuating Rumia as she waved her hand and smiled innocently.

“The water feels amazing! Come on, Sistie, Re=L, join me!”

“Got it! I’m coming!”

Sistine, who had been organizing everyone’s belongings, gathered in a corner of the beach, swiftly pulled off the long towel wrapped around her body.

Suddenly revealed was her slender, refined figure, with modest curves exuding an air of elegance.

A stylish separated swimsuit, with a floral pareo wrapped around her waist.

Under the bright sun, her translucent, healthy white skin was bared without reserve. That porcelain skin was simply dazzling—

Taptaptap— Sistine, in her swimsuit, energetically dashed across the sand toward where Rumia was swimming.

She stopped by Re=L, who was sitting at the water’s edge with her knees hugged to her chest, staring at the ebb and flow of the waves, and extended a hand to her.

Re=L was also in a swimsuit, but unlike the vibrant ones worn by Rumia and the others, hers was a plain, somewhat dowdy navy-blue one-piece— the kind used for the academy’s swimming drills. Yet, on Re=L’s even flatter figure, it emphasized her lack of curves, highlighting a different kind of innocent, pure charm unique to her youth.

“Come on! Let’s swim together, Re=L!”

“…Mm.”

For a moment, Re=L stared at the offered hand… then, hesitantly, she took Sistine’s hand and stood up.

Pulled along by Sistine, she stepped into the sea.

The waves splashed like white jewels.

“Rumia, Re=L, have you properly enchanted yourselves with [Tri-Resist]?”

“Of course. …I don’t really want to get burned, you know.”

“I didn’t. …Too much hassle.”

At Re=L’s mumbled words, Sistine immediately launched into a lecture.

“No way, Re=L! You can’t just skip it because it’s a hassle. You have to enchant yourself properly!”

“…A little sunburn’s no big deal.”

“That’ll ruin your beautiful skin, such a waste! Even if you want to tan, you need to apply the right stuff, or you’ll just damage your skin… Come on, I’ll enchant you, so stay still.”

“…Mm.”

And then, approaching the trio…

“Hey, you three— how about joining us for some beach volleyball?”

“Um… I think it’d be really fun if we all played together…”

Wendy, with a perfectly balanced figure, holding a ball, and Lynn, whose petite frame showed surprisingly decent development, came over— naturally, both in swimsuits.

“…Could it be… ‘Eden’ is right here…!?”

Kash, Rodd, and Kai, the boys from the class, couldn’t hold back tears of awe at the sight.

“No need to rush— ‘Eden’ will reveal itself to us in time, so for now, we retreat… Everything, just as Sensei said…”

“Sorry, Sensei… We were… We were wrong…!”

“And yet, we kept hurling spells at Sensei, hurting him…! We could only think of the moment…!”

“Thank you, Sensei… Please, rest in peace in the afterlife… Watch over us always…”

As Kash and the others looked up at the blue sky, Glenn’s refreshing smile seemed to float like a mirage…

“Oi, I’m alive, you know.”

Glenn’s sulky voice cut through the boys, who were lost in their own world.

Unlike the other boys in swimsuits, Glenn was in his usual shirt, pants, cravat, and robe slung carelessly over his shoulders. He lay sprawled on a sheet under a sunshade umbrella set up on the beach.

“Don’t just kill me off. Geez, do you guys hate me that much?”

“No, it’s just, like… we got carried away…”

“By the way, Sensei, aren’t you going to swim?”

“Idiot, I’d love to swim, but my body’s too sore to move… I’m still feeling numb all over…”

Even though he’d gone easy with Black Magic [Shock Bolt], carefully knocking out the students without causing lasting harm, they’d kept coming back with relentless determination, attacking him all night long.

Using his Original Magic [Fool’s World] would’ve made it easier, but as expected, he couldn’t bring himself to use the blood-soaked assassination magic— which had taken down countless rogue mages during his military days— against his students. It was the same when he’d accepted Sistine’s duel before; it was a matter of Glenn’s pride.

“Tch, you guys went all out… Couldn’t you have held back a little? Those were non-lethal spells, but I seriously thought I was gonna die.”

“Haha, uh… sorry about that…”

Faced with Glenn’s grumbled complaints, the group clearly had no room to argue.

“Whatever. Today’s a free day, a whole day to yourselves. Go have fun. Yawn… I’m gonna nap here… If something comes up… just call me…”

“Got it, Sensei!”

With a patter of footsteps, the boys eagerly dashed toward the sea.

Meanwhile—

“You’re not going?”

While lying down, Glenn glanced toward the shade of a nearby palm tree.

“Obviously. We didn’t come here to play, after all.”

There sat Gibul, leaning against the tree trunk.

Ignoring the playing students, he was engrossed in some magic textbook. Naturally, he wasn’t in a swimsuit but in his usual academy uniform.

“Man, you’re so stiff… Relax a little, will ya?”

“…Hmph. Mind your own business.”

Gibul snorted and buried himself in his book.

“Yare yare.”

Glenn didn’t press further. He closed his eyes, ready to slip into a proper nap.

Just then—

“Sensei~!”

The sound of someone running toward him.

“…Hm?”

He knew who it was by the voice but opened one eye to check.

As expected, it was Rumia, clumsily running over while waving, and Sistine, pulling Re=L along by the hand. The usual trio.

“What’s up, you guys? Well, well, aren’t you all looking eye-catching…”

Faced with the trio’s captivating appearances, Glenn grinned mischievously.

“D-don’t stare like that…”

Sistine hugged herself to cover her body, squirming uncomfortably, her cheeks faintly flushed.

“Haha, oh, Sensei… What do you think? Does this swimsuit suit me?”

Rumia, in her frilly swimsuit, twirled innocently in front of Glenn.

“Hell yeah, it suits you like crazy. Super cute.”

“Hehe, thanks, Sensei!”

Rumia beamed happily.

“White Cat, you’ve got some good taste too. I like it.”

“S-shut up! It’s not like I bought it to show you—!”

At Glenn’s casual praise, Sistine’s face turned so red it seemed like her brain might short-circuit from embarrassment.

The swimsuits Rumia and Sistine had specially bought for this day were cutting-edge designs from the empire’s latest trends. Combined with the girls’ exceptional charm, the scene felt like a dazzling gathering of angels and fairies.

Even Glenn, faced with such a sight, couldn’t muster his usual sarcasm or sharp-tongued remarks.

Just then—

Re=L, who had been watching Rumia and Sistine, stepped forward for some reason and stared intently at Glenn with a meaningful look.

“…Hm? What’s up, Re=L?”

“…”

Puffing out her chest slightly, Re=L remained silent. There was a hint of expectation in her demeanor, but…

“…Oi, I can’t tell what you want if you don’t say anything.”

“…It’s nothing.”

Re=L retreated, looking faintly dejected.

“…?”

Puzzled by Re=L’s cryptic behavior, Glenn turned to Sistine, who was facing away and puffing up in anger, and Rumia, who was soothing her with a wry smile.

“So… what’s the deal? Weren’t you all playing together?”

“Oh, right! We were talking about playing some beach volleyball together… Want to join us, Sensei?”

“Beach volleyball?”

Glenn muttered, sounding distinctly unenthusiastic.

“Beach volleyball, huh… Not that I hate it or anything, but I’m kinda wiped out from dealing with those idiots all night… Plus, I’m sleepy…”

“Haha, thanks for your hard work, Sensei. But if that’s the case, how about just being the referee? I mean, it’s more fun if we all play together… and, well… I kinda want to play with you, Sensei…”

At his student’s adorable request, Glenn scratched his head and stood up with a sigh.

“Tch, fine. If you’re gonna say that… I’m not thrilled, but I’ll do the ref thing…”

And so.

On the makeshift beach volleyball court set up on the sand.

“Doryaaaaa—!”

With an impressive leap soaring high above the net, Glenn arched his body like a bow, channeling every ounce of his strength into his right arm, slamming it into the airborne ball.

In an instant, a bullet-like spike rocketed mercilessly into the enemy court.

Rodd jumped to block, but the spike was aimed over the block.

Kai dove instinctively to intercept the spike, but naturally, he couldn’t reach it.

“《Invisible—”

Cecil pointed at the ball’s landing spot, chanting White Magic [Psy-Telekinesis]— a spell for remote object manipulation— to try and catch the spike, but it was too late.

The ball hit the sand with such force it seemed to explode, bouncing within the court.

“Game set! Sensei’s team wins!”

“—Hell yeah! How’s that—!?”

At Rumia’s referee call, Glenn struck a triumphant pose, while Cecil gave a wry smile.

“…What happened to ‘just the ref’? You’re totally into it…”

Sistine, as usual, shot Glenn a deadpan look, exasperated by his childish enthusiasm.

Glenn was covered in more sand and sweat than anyone else.

“Hah! Nice assist, White Cat! Gibul! Victory’s ours, yeah!?”

“Hmph, obviously. With me supporting, it’s no surprise. I’m not as athletic as Kash, but I can hold my own—”

Pushing up his glasses smugly, Gibul got that far before—

“—Wait, why am I doing this!?”

Gibul’s shout echoed across the beach as he realized he’d been roped into playing volleyball.

“Eh, it’s fine, it’s fine. We needed the numbers.”

A team consisted of three players— an attacker, a supporter, and a receiver— with positions rotating each game. Receivers could use White Magic [Psy-Telekinesis] to catch opponent spikes… That was the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy’s beach volleyball rule.

“Tch, we didn’t come here to play! If I’ve got time for this—”

As Gibul, shoulders tense, started to storm off—

“Oh? Running away?”

Glenn tossed out a provocative taunt.

“Well, can’t blame ya. The next opponents, thanks to the goddess of luck’s cruel prank, are a cheat-tier team, even among our class. If you’re scared of losing, retreating’s a valid choice—”

“S-shut up! That’s not it! Fine! If you’re gonna say that, I’ll stick it out to the end! My team’s obviously gonna win anyway!”

“Alright, alright, both of you… We’re having fun, so no fighting…”

Honestly, such kids.

Sistine sighed, stepping in to mediate between Glenn and Gibul.

“But the next team’s gonna be tough…”

Sistine glanced at the opposing team.

First was Re=L, with her superhuman physical prowess.

Second was Kash, the most athletic in the class, aside from Re=L.

And the third—

“Please go easy on us, okay?”

Teresa, the class’s gentle big sister, smiled softly, clasping her hands.

At first glance, she seemed unrelated to sports, but her skill with psychic-type white magic, like White Magic [Psy-Telekinesis], was unmatched in the class. In fact, she’d shone brightly at the recent Magic Tournament, and in this volleyball game, no one had scored against her team when she was the receiver.

“Yeah, they’re a real challenge…”

Glenn looked at Teresa, who sent him a warm smile, in her bikini.

Teresa was… well-developed. Hardly believable for a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old, her healthy, alluring, and voluptuous figure was striking. Every time she jumped or moved, her perfectly proportioned, curvaceous body was so distracting that the opposing boys froze, unable to do anything, and ended up losing.

“Could it be— is that some kind of mental attack or time-manipulation magic—?”

“…Where are you looking?”

As Glenn, with the serious face of a mage analyzing an enemy’s secret technique in a life-or-death battle, pondered, Sistine shot him an irritated, deadpan glare.

“…W-what?”

Glenn shifted his gaze from Teresa to Sistine, staring bluntly…

“…Haaah~”

And let out an exaggerated sigh, shoulders slumping.

“W-w-w-what’s that supposed to mean—!?”

…And so, the match between Glenn’s team and Teresa’s team began.

“Sensei!”

Sistine gracefully stretched her body, tossing the ball up.

“Sha! Ora! Dieeee—!”

Glenn leapt, slamming an absurdly intense spike into the enemy court.

But—

“《Oh, invisible hand》—!”

As Teresa pointed at the ball and chanted, it floated upward just before hitting the sand—

“Tch!? She caught it again!?”

“Re=L-chan, go!”

Kash calmly tossed the ball— his athletic skill making the toss perfect—

Re=L, looking uninterested, jumped to meet it—

“Ei.”

Zudogomu! A dull sound as the ball was crushed.

Dozaaaa! A massive pillar of sand shot skyward.

Before anyone noticed, the ball was embedded halfway into the center of Glenn’s court.

“…What am I supposed to do with that?”

Glenn’s cheek twitched.

While the enemy court, centered around Re=L, erupted in cheers, Glenn’s side felt like a funeral.

“…Damn it! That swatting motion like she’s smacking a fly— what’s with that power…!?”

Gibul clicked his tongue in frustration. His usual aloof demeanor was gone; whether it was the sunny atmosphere or the game, he was getting fired up.

“Maybe it’s hopeless… They’re just too strong this time—”

Sistine, with a wry smile, seemed ready to give up early, but…

“No way! I’m not gonna let us keep losing like this!”

Gibul’s unexpected outburst made Sistine blink in surprise.

“Sensei! I’ll block it no matter what, so finish this already! What’s with that pathetic performance… Are you really our teacher!?”

“Heh… That’s the spirit.”

Glenn grinned.

In any competition, getting heated was a mage’s nature. Gibul was no exception.

While the class assumed the match was already decided—

“The game’s just getting started.”

Glenn dug the ball out of the sand and prepared to serve.

……

“Alright, finish it, Re=L-chan!”

“Ei.”

Re=L unleashed a killer spike.

The cannonball-like shot rocketed straight toward Glenn’s court—

“Here it comes, Gibul—”

“Kuh—《O Invisible Hand》—!”

In response, Gibul chanted the spell with all his might, pouring every ounce of magical energy into it.

Even if he spread his attention across the entire court to be ready for anything, Re=L’s spike would easily pierce through and score. However, after observing for a while, it was clear that Re=L only aimed for the dead center of the court. Knowing that, if he focused all his attention there from the start and prepared his spell—

“““What the—!?”“”

Re=L’s spike was caught by Gibul’s spell, barely deflected upward at the last moment—

It was the first time Re=L’s spike didn’t score, and Kash and the others’ reactions were delayed—

“Sensei, now!”

Seizing the moment, Sistine swiftly tossed the ball up—

“Take this—!”

Glenn leaped, slamming down a spike.

With a cloud of sand rising, Glenn’s spike smashed into the court.

Ooooh! The entire class watching from the sidelines let out cheers of awe.

“Sensei, nice one!”

“Hell yeah!”

Glenn and Sistine high-fived, while Gibul, panting heavily with a smug look as if to say How’s that?, shot a glance at Re=L. Re=L, who probably never expected to be stopped, blinked in surprise.

“You pulled off a nice play too, Gibul.”

Glenn gave a thumbs-up to Gibul, the key player in that moment.

“…Hmph. We only took back one point…”

Gibul turned away curtly, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Look, they’re coming again. Get ready already.”

Glenn and Sistine exchanged wry smiles at Gibul’s attitude.

And then, Kash’s serve landed in Glenn’s court…

“Haa—haa—haa—”

…After the match.

Gibul, drenched in sweat and covered in sand, was crouching a short distance from the court. Since he hadn’t changed into a swimsuit, he was in a truly sorry state.

Yet, strangely, he didn’t feel bad.

Another team’s match had already started, drawing the class’s attention.

As Gibul quietly caught his breath, away from the commotion…

“…?”

Sensing someone’s presence, Gibul looked up.

Standing before him was Re=L.

“…What do you want?”

Gibul asked gruffly.

“You were amazing. Probably, nice play.”

Re=L mumbled sleepily, holding out a cup with a drink.

Gibul stared at it.

Until just a few days ago, he would’ve swatted it away without hesitation.

This quirky transfer student, who reeked of amateurishness in everything yet was likely far superior to him as a magician, had been his enemy. The moment he saw her high-speed greatsword conjuring, something in him knew he couldn’t match her, and that simple frustration and resentment had festered.

But, well… maybe he’d been swept up in this sunny atmosphere too.

With that realization, Gibul muttered, accepting the cup quietly.

“Hmph… I won’t lose to you. …Not now, but someday…”

“…Mm. Okay.”

A pleasant breeze brushed against his flushed skin.

That day, the entire class played to their hearts’ content.

After leaving the sea, they wandered through the tourist town.

When night fell, they noisily gathered on the beach for a barbecue.

The fun times flew by in a flash.

And then—

“Well, then…”

It was well past midnight, long after bedtime, and the world outside was cloaked in darkness.

Most of the students, exhausted from the day’s activities, were already asleep.

“So, yeah… just a little break. …Cut me some slack for this.”

Muttering to no one in particular, Glenn strolled alone through the night tourist town.

Oil streetlamps and lanterns burned brightly across the town, making it feel almost like evening. Even gas lamps, favored by novelty-loving elites, couldn’t compare to the brilliance of these oil lamps.

Countless flames flickered in orange, casting ever-shifting shadows across the town. The clay-walled buildings and street trees of Saineria Island’s tourist town created an utterly exotic atmosphere.

Though the crowds were thinner than during the day, the night town buzzed like a festival with people eager for more fun. For an off-season period, the liveliness was remarkable; the peak season’s vibrancy was unimaginable.

Open-air cafes and taverns lined the main streets, with guests clustering around tables outside, drinks and food in hand, chatting animatedly with companions or fleeting friends.

Not to be outdone, countless small stalls filled the gaps between shops, peddling fried potatoes, skewers, smoked sausages, fresh seafood soup, shrimp fritters, and hot wine—cheap, tempting dishes sold nonstop to passersby.

Food wasn’t the only draw. Vendors selling exotic clothing, bizarre accessories, and carved wooden trinkets set up shop, their wares spread out under awnings as they energetically called to customers. Curious passersby stopped, thrilled by the unusual goods.

Glenn turned away from the town’s bustle, heading outward.

The cobblestone path gave way to sand, eventually leading to the white sandy beach.

No one else was around. Only the sound of the tide and the scent of the shore drifted quietly.

Waves rolled in and out endlessly. Bubbles rising on the faintly glowing white sand looked like a scattering of pearls washed ashore.

The sea and horizon were dyed dark blue. A crescent moon gleamed silver in the sky.

Moonlight sparkled on the waves like diamonds, creating a purely fantastical scene.

“…Haa, man… I’m beat…”

Glenn sat in the shade of a nearby tree, opening the cap of a palm-sized brandy bottle he’d bought from a stall and sipping slowly. With this exquisite view as his appetizer, a touch of liquor would put him in a great mood for sleep—that was the plan.

Normally, Glenn wasn’t the type to indulge in something as sentimental as enjoying scenery, but this view felt like something he’d regret missing out on in life.

Sip, sip.

Savoring each drop, wetting his lips with brandy, Glenn gazed at the scene, idly reflecting on the journey so far.

How much time had passed?

“…Hm?”

He sensed someone approaching.

Well, if even a homebody like him came here to unwind, it wasn’t strange for someone else to show up.

But the problem was—

“Come on, Sistie, hurry up!”

“Hey, Rumia… this is, um, a bad idea…”

The voices coming from a distance sounded oddly familiar.

“We’ll head back quick, so it’ll be fine. Come on, let’s see the sea! It’s gotta be absolutely gorgeous, right?”

“We saw the sea plenty during the day, didn’t we? …Ugh, you’re such a handful!”

Sure enough, as expected.

Emerging onto the beach were Rumia and Sistine. And…

“…What are we doing next?”

Following them like a chick was Re=L.

“Hehe, we’re gonna look at the night sea together. The moon’s bright tonight, so it’s bound to be stunning, right?”

“…Okay. I don’t really get it.”

The three didn’t seem to notice Glenn, tucked away in the shade of a tree.

And then.

“Wow…”

“…Oh.”

Rumia and Sistine, reaching the water’s edge, were overwhelmed by the majestic, fantastical beauty of the moonlit sea.

“It’s gorgeous…”

“…You’re right… I had no idea the sea under a moonlit night could be this beautiful…”

A gentle sea breeze tousled the girls’ hair and the hems of their clothes.

“See, Sistie? Wasn’t it worth coming?”

“…Ugh. Well, yeah… I guess… But that’s beside the point, Rumia! Sneaking out of our rooms to see the sea like this…”

Sistine spoke with mock anger, but Rumia just smiled calmly.

“Haha, you couldn’t stop yourself from coming along, could you, Sistie? You wanted to see it too, didn’t you?”

“…Ugh, guh.”

That hit the mark. Sistine faltered, at a loss for words.

She was already guilty for not stopping Rumia and coming this far.

“Fine, fine, you win. Ugh… Well, since we broke the rules to come here, we might as well enjoy it…”

“Yup, exactly!”

“Geez… Rumia, you’ve always been such a mischievous little troublemaker, despite how you look…”

“Hehe, sorry, Sistie.”

Rumia grinned impishly.

“But seriously, it’s so beautiful. I wish Wendy and Lynn had come too…”

“Can’t be helped. Those two looked super sleepy…”

The two were once again captivated by the scenery.

Then, suddenly.

They seemed to remember Re=L, who hadn’t said a word and had been silent the whole time.

“…Re=L?”

Worried, Rumia glanced back at where Re=L should be.

Her concern was unnecessary—Re=L was there, looking as usual.

“…What do you think? Was it… boring for you, Re=L?”

“…”

Re=L didn’t respond to Rumia’s cautious question, remaining silent.

Just as Rumia began to feel uneasy again at Re=L’s aloof demeanor—

“…It’s not… like that.”

A single, unexpected phrase slipped from Re=L’s lips.

“…Re=L?”

“I’ve never… seen anything like this… I don’t know… what it is…”

Hesitantly.

As if searching for words.

Re=L carefully wove her thoughts, word by word.

“…This scene… I can’t get enough of it.”

Peering closely at Re=L’s face in the moonlight, her usually sleepy, half-closed eyes were wide open, fixed intently on the moonlit sea.

Seeing Re=L like that, Rumia smiled with relief and affection, saying:

“I’m really glad I got to meet you, Re=L. That’s what I think.”

“…Glad? To meet me? …Why?”

Re=L’s eyes flickered with a hint of curiosity as she asked.

“Hmm, I don’t know? It’s not something logical…”

Rumia laughed, a bit troubled.

“I’m just so happy that we got to become friends like this.”

“…Friends…?”

Re=L froze, as if caught off guard.

“…Me… and you, Rumia… friends…?”

“Yup, that’s right. Oh, and of course, Sistie’s included!”

“Hey, Rumia… what’s with that afterthought vibe?”

“Haha, sorry, sorry!”

Rumia stuck out her tongue playfully, while Sistine sighed in exasperation.

Re=L glanced sideways at the two.

“…Friends… I don’t really understand…”

She paused, as if puzzled.

“…But it doesn’t feel bad.”

With her usual unreadable expression, she muttered this and turned her gaze back to the moonlit sea.

Rumia beamed at Re=L’s blunt response.

Then, for some reason, she eagerly began taking off her shoes and socks.

“…Rumia? What are you…”

Ignoring Sistine’s question, Rumia splashed into the sea.

“Hey, hey, Rumia! What are you doing!?”

When the water reached her slender calves, Rumia spread her arms wide and spun around.

Her golden hair and the hem of her clothes flared out gracefully.

Against a backdrop of countless stars, the girl’s innocent smile reflected on the moonlit sea—a scene filled with an almost sacred, untouchable mystique.

“Hehe, the water feels so nice…”

“H-Hey! Rumia! Get back here! You’re getting your clothes wet!”

“It’s fine, Sistie. I brought spare clothes.”

“Th-That’s not the point…”

As Sistine hesitated, unsure how to scold her—

Silver droplets sparkled, dancing through the air.

“…Kyaa!?”

Sistine squealed as the droplets hit her.

The cold sensation told her instantly it was seawater.

“Haha!”

Rumia had scooped water with both hands and flung it at Sistine, laughing mischievously.

“Y-You little—! You’re done for!”

With a mock-angry gesture, Sistine kicked off her shoes and socks.

She paused briefly at the water’s edge, hesitating, but then shook off her doubts and stepped into the sea—

“Take this! And this!”

“Eek!”

Sistine began splashing water at Rumia. Far from angry, her expression was lively, almost joyful.

“…?”

Re=L watched the two playfully tussling, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Noticing, Rumia called out to her.

“Come on, Re=L, join us!”

“…Join? I don’t get it… Just splash water?”

“Yup, exactly!”

“…Okay. Got it.”

Without hesitation or restraint, Re=L stepped into the sea, still wearing her shoes and socks.

She waded in roughly, kicking up water, and joined Rumia and Sistine.

“Mm.”

With the same incredible strength that could swing a massive sword like a willow branch—a power unimaginable from her slender arms—Re=L sent a torrent of water flying.

“Kyaaa—pfft!?”

Sistine took the full brunt of what felt like a bucket of water dumped over her head.

“Kuh… you…!”

Now soaked worse than Rumia, Sistine trembled with clenched fists and shoulders shaking…

“Hahaha!”

Re=L blinked in confusion, while Rumia clutched her stomach, laughing.

And then…

“Hey, both of you, line up right there—!”

…

From then on, the girls lost themselves in a frenzy of splashing.

Joyful laughter.

Mock-angry shouts.

Occasional squeals.

The ceaseless sound of water lapping against the shore.

A scene both lively and heartwarming, where girls frolic together like playful puppies or kittens.

Glimmering beads of water dance through the air.

As if swaying gracefully amidst the waves…

“…Jeez, what a hopeless bunch.”

Glenn, leaning against a tree with his legs sprawled out, gazes absently at the scene.

Almost unconsciously, his hands move. He spreads his thumbs and index fingers into a ‘V’ shape, framing them together in front of his eyes to form a rectangular window with his fingers.

Through that window, he looks again at the three girls playing together.

“…Nice composition.”

With a faint smile, he lets the finger-frame dissolve, clasps his hands behind his head, and looks up at the sky.

A starry night, like silver dust sprinkled across a dark curtain, welcomes his gaze.

“…Should’ve brought a projector, huh…”

A projector is a box-shaped device that uses a lens to capture a scene onto a plate coated with a special silver reagent. Combined with light-manipulating magic, it can, with some skill, capture images even in this darkness.

Though, it’s hardly suited for photographing moving subjects like those girls, and besides, there was no way he could’ve lugged such a bulky box along.

Still, he wanted to capture this fleeting moment, to preserve it in some tangible form.

—It was a scene that made him feel that desire sincerely.

“…Well, then.”

It feels a bit like peeking, stirring a faint pang of guilt… but after all the relentless hardship he’s endured lately, isn’t he entitled to a small perk like this?

Glenn arbitrarily decides so, picks up the small bottle of brandy beside him, and begins sipping from it slowly.

…It’s strange. This was supposed to be cheap liquor, not even worth remembering the brand, yet somehow, it tastes like the finest vintage right now.

And so.

Until the drenched girls, looking satisfied, finally depart from the shore.

Glenn, with a slight buzz, continues to watch over the scene.

…

…………

…………

…

“…Hm?”

The gentle sound of waves tickling his ears stirs Glenn awake.

Shaking off the foggy haze in his mind, he looks around.

An empty shore. Himself, still leaning against the tree.

“…Oh, I must’ve dozed off…”

Unlike the mainland of the Alzano Empire, including Fejite, where chilly air masses from the northeastern perennial snow peaks dominate, the area around Saineria Island is warmed by ocean currents and the ley lines passing through it, making even the nights comfortably mild. That warmth must’ve lulled him into a deep sleep.

“Tch, me of all people…”

Carelessness, plain and simple. Even that tiny bit of alcohol was a mistake.

If he’d done this in Fejite, he’d probably be shivering uncontrollably from the cold by now.

“Ugh, crap, it’s already this late? …Damn, will I even make it into the inn? Sleeping out here is the last thing I want…”

Checking the time on his pocket watch, Glenn hurriedly stands and starts walking briskly.

The night has grown deep.

The clamor from the town, audible earlier, has now faded into silence.

The bright lights that once blazed are now sparse and unreliable.

All that can be heard is the chirping of insects.

Glenn presses on toward the inn.

But then, suddenly.

Sensing a presence ahead, Glenn stops in his tracks.

“…?”

He squints, focusing on the path ahead.

The presence isn’t bothering to conceal itself, and there’s no hint of hostility, so it doesn’t seem dangerous… but still, it’s odd for someone to be wandering around at this hour. Of course, he conveniently ignores his own hypocrisy.

As Glenn cautiously tracks the approaching presence,

Emerging from the darkness, as if materializing…

“…Re=L?”

It’s Re=L, her usual sleepy, expressionless face unchanged.

“What are you doing here?”

Re=L stops a few steps away from Glenn and says,

“You weren’t in your room, so I came looking for you.”

“Wait… my room’s in the annex, isn’t it? How did you…”

“I snuck in. I’m good at infiltration missions.”

Yeah, right. Your specialty’s more like charging in or ambushing, isn’t it?

Swallowing the urge to retort, Glenn asks calmly,

“…My room was locked, wasn’t it? If I didn’t answer, I could’ve just been asleep. How’d you know I wasn’t there?”

“…Hm. It was locked. So I cut the door down.”

“Heh… I see.”

Another pay cut, huh?

Holding back tears, Glenn maintains a cool facade and brushes past Re=L.

Re=L follows him like a chick trailing its mother hen.

“What about Rumia and Sistine?”

“They’re fast asleep.”

“Tch, didn’t I tell you to stick by Rumia’s side? You’re a failure as a guard.”

“I know. But… I wanted to see you, Glenn.”

Muttering softly, Re=L’s sleepy, blank expression remains as devoid of allure as ever.

Even so, Glenn lets out an exasperated sigh. When she says something like that, even if it’s Re=L, he can’t bring himself to stay mad.

Normally, this would be a serious issue. A guard getting distracted and leaving their charge is unacceptable.

But knowing Albert, the real protector, is out there somewhere on this island, watching over Rumia from afar, Glenn isn’t too worried.

Albert’s presence carries an unshakable sense of reliability.

As long as he’s around, everything should be fine.

“Come on, let’s get back quick.”

“…Mm.”

And so, the two begin walking.

Under a sky of twinkling stars, with the silver moon shining brightly, two shadows move side by side.

“…Hey, Re=L.”

Feeling a bit tactless himself,

Glenn glances over his shoulder at Re=L and asks,

“Are you having fun?”

“…?”

Re=L tilts her head slightly, as if puzzled.

“Sorry, I skipped too much context. Those guys… Rumia, Sistine, and the rest of the class. Is it fun hanging out with them, playing together?”

After a brief pause, Re=L murmurs,

“…I don’t really know.”

Her expression remains transparent, devoid of emotion, but there’s a faint air of… confusion.

“You don’t feel anything being around them? No thoughts at all?”

“I don’t know what you expect from me, Glenn.”

Choosing her words carefully, as if sifting through her heart, she pauses again before continuing,

“…Just a little. I want to… stay with those two… with everyone, a bit longer. That’s what I thought.”

Hearing that, Glenn’s lips curve into a soft smile.

“That’s probably what ‘fun’ feels like. Hold onto it, okay?”

“…I don’t get it.”

Well, expecting her to understand right away is unreasonable. Despite her appearance, Re=L is incredibly young at heart. She looks like a slightly baby-faced mid-teen girl, but her mind, shaped by various factors, remains painfully immature.

But if she can slowly, bit by bit, grasp the nuances of human emotions,

Maybe, just maybe, Re=L can step back from the dark world of magic she’s been submerged in. Maybe she can live in a brighter place.

So,

“Hey, Re=L. Why don’t you just… quit the Imperial Court Mage Corps?”

Glenn finds himself making that suggestion.

“It’ll be a bit messy, sure, but Celica and I can handle it somehow. How about becoming a full-fledged student at the Magic Academy? That way, you could stay with Rumia and Sistine… with them, all the time.”

“…!”

For a fleeting moment, Re=L’s expression seems to waver… or so it feels.

“There’s no need for you to stay in that blood-soaked world of conflict. Your brother… and that guy… they wouldn’t want that for you.”

“That guy…? Who’s that?”

“Oh, sorry. Just a figure of speech. Don’t mind it.”

“…Okay.”

Re=L brushes it off, uninterested.

“Anyway, you’re only with the Mage Corps because you defected from that organization and it just happened, right? You don’t have any real duty or obligation to keep doing it. It’s about time you washed your hands of it and became a proper student. Those two would be thrilled, you know.”

Suddenly, Re=L stops walking.

Sensing it, Glenn stops too and turns to face her.

And then—

“That’s… not possible.”

Re=L mutters softly, her usual sleepy, emotionless expression unchanged.

“…Why not?”

With a hint of disappointment, Glenn presses.

“Because… I have to fight. For you, Glenn.”

“Re=L…?”

“Yes… I decided to live for you, Glenn…”

Normally, those words would be a killer line. For you. No man could hear that and not feel something, even from a young girl like Re=L.

But with Re=L,

With her alone, something feels fatally, fundamentally off.

I have to fight for Glenn. I live for Glenn.

All Glenn feels from her words is an overwhelming sense of danger.

“For me…? I’ve already long since…”

Left the Imperial Court Mage Corps.

Before he can finish, Re=L, unusually, cuts in with a firm tone.

“So, Glenn, come back. Without you… I don’t know… what I’m living for… what I’m fighting for…”

She murmurs, averting her gaze, her voice barely audible.

Her face remains that same sleepy, blank expression.

Yet, somehow, she resembles a chick that’s lost sight of its mother hen.

“A year ago… I left the Mage Corps without saying anything to you or Albert. I’m sorry. There’s no excuse for that. I abandoned my comrades, who risked their lives fighting for others, for my own selfish reasons. I’m the worst kind of scum.”

With a face full of bitter regret, Glenn speaks plainly.

“I don’t have the right to say this. I can’t blame you for asking me to come back. But let me say this anyway. You don’t want me as a comrade to fight alongside, and it’s not like you’re harboring any affection for me. You’re just…”

He hesitates for a moment, his words catching…

“You’re just trying to make me a substitute for your dead brother.”

With resolve, Glenn declares it.

In that instant, Re=L’s shoulders flinch.

“Back when you were with that organization… you fought to protect your brother, didn’t you? But you couldn’t save him. So, ‘this time.’ …I’m just a stand-in for him. There’s no hope or will of your own in that. It’s just an obsession with the past and inertia.”

“…!”

“Wanting me to stay in a dangerous world to protect me… that logic is fundamentally backward. It’s completely upside-down.”

“…!”

“Stop living such a warped life. I’ll say it again—your brother wouldn’t want this. Your brother… no, your brother… he’d want you to live happily.”

“…!”

“You can still come back, I think. You don’t need to live in that world of magic. If you spend ordinary days with them… so…”

But.

“…I don’t understand.”

Re=L…

“I don’t understand… I don’t get it.”

Her shoulders tremble, her fists clenched so tightly they might break…

“…I don’t get it… I don’t get it, Glenn!”

She’s more enraged than ever before.

Damn it. By the time Glenn grits his teeth, it’s far too late.

This conversation… it must have touched Re=L’s deepest nerve.

“I don’t understand anything you’re saying! Why is it wrong!? What’s bad about fighting to protect you!? Why… why won’t you stay by my side!? Tell me! Without you… I… I—!”

Her usually expressionless face twists with fury, sorrow, and confusion as she hurls her overflowing words at Glenn—

Glenn, shocked by her outburst, is gripped by deep regret.

(…It’s this bad? She’s this broken…?)

For the past year, Re=L must have been struggling with Glenn’s absence, the one she saw as a brother. All that pent-up frustration has finally exploded, triggered by Glenn’s careless words.

(…I underestimated her.)

The feelings Re=L holds for Glenn aren’t kindness or affection.

At their core, they’re an all-consuming obsession, an extreme dependence on another.

But don’t mock it as weakness. Without clinging to something this desperately, Re=L, burdened with memories of a past where that organization stole everything from her, couldn’t hold herself together.

And.

While Glenn hesitates, unsure how to respond to her—

“…Is it them? Is it because of them?”

Re=L—

“Rumia, Sistine, and the others… are they why you won’t come back…? The people at the academy… because of them…?”

Her thoughts twist in the worst possible direction—

“They… they took you away from me…?”

“Wait! How did you jump to that conclusion!?”

Unable to let it slide, Glenn raises his voice in a shout.

His well-meaning advice has backfired spectacularly, leaving him scrambling.

But it’s too late.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

Re=L shakes her head frantically, rejecting Glenn’s words.

“I hate them… I hate them all!”

With that final cry, Re=L bolts off at incredible speed, disappearing into the distance.

“Wait, Re=L!”

Glenn reaches out, but her small figure vanishes from his sight in an instant.

The direction she ran isn’t toward the town. It seems she has no intention of returning to the inn tonight.

“…Re=L.”

Forgetting to chase her, Glenn stands frozen, hand still outstretched, stunned.

Re=L… she’s so much like him. Like him, who lost sight of his dream to be a Mage of Justice and fell into despair over magic. They’re alike in their dependence on something. Though… Re=L’s case is far more severe and deeply rooted.

“…A Mage of Justice, huh?”

The hero of fairy tales who defeats evil mages with magic and brings happiness to all. The greatest mage who truly existed in the story of The Magician of Melgalius.

Once, Glenn wanted to be that kind of mage… like the mage in fairy tales, saving everyone equally, ensuring no one suffered. He believed that if he learned enough magic, he could become that incredible being. That’s why he joined the Imperial Court Mage Corps…

But what was thrust upon him was the brutal, blood-soaked reality of magic… and the cold, merciless truth that no matter how hard he tried, no matter how desperately he reached, there were always those he couldn’t save, slipping through his fingers.

A Mage of Justice—there’s no such thing anywhere.

“…Nothing ever goes smoothly, does it…”

Muttering softly to himself,

Glenn slumps his shoulders, letting out a deep sigh.