Epilogue: What He Once Saw

“Sensei!”

Near the entrance of the old church, Sistine, cloaked in a gust of wind, rushed toward Glenn, who stood panting heavily.

“…D-did you defeat him?”

Hiding cautiously behind Glenn’s back, Sistine nervously asked as she glared toward the depths of the chapel where Glenn’s eyes were fixed.

“Nah… a guy like that isn’t gonna go down quietly with just this…”

Glenn jerked his chin forward.

“!”

Beside Jatice, who lay collapsed in the depths, an angel stood as if protecting him.

It was the Tulpa Jatice often used as a means of transport.

The expressionless angel, moving mechanically, calmly removed the cross pressing down on Jatice and lent him a shoulder to help him stand.

“…Haha, well… I’m in quite a pinch, aren’t I?”

Leaning on the angel’s shoulder, Jatice shakily stood and wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“…To think that you two would push me this far… I didn’t see that coming.”

Though he brushed the dust off his clothes with irritation, Jatice still seemed oddly in high spirits.

“I see… Glenn, you’ve gained a new kind of strength, haven’t you? As expected. No matter how close I think I’ve gotten, you’re always out of reach, soaring higher. That’s exactly why… you’re the only one I must kill with my own hands… the only human worthy of being defeated with my entire soul… It has to be you…”

“Tch… Getting fawned over by a creepy pervert like you is the worst…”

As if utterly fed up, Glenn clicked his tongue and raised his fists.

“Alright, let’s finish this, Jatice…!”

But upon seeing Glenn’s stance, Jatice—

“No, that’s enough… I admit defeat.”

Jatice spoke suddenly.

“…Huh?”

The abrupt, incomprehensible declaration left both Glenn and Sistine dumbfounded.

“My ultimate technique, the symbol of my justice… the Idol [Lady of Justice, Justia] was broken. This time, I’ll acknowledge my loss and withdraw obediently.”

After causing such chaos, this was his response to having just one technique thwarted.

He was, as always, an utterly incomprehensible man.

“Fighting you is a sacred ritual for me to transcend my current self… but simply overcoming you isn’t enough. You understand, don’t you?”

“…What? You think I’m gonna let you escape? A lunatic like you is getting tied up and handed over to the Imperial Army, no question. Just accept your fate and let yourself be sealed away.”

“Hmph… Don’t get cocky, Glenn. Your current advantage… it’s thanks to that girl, isn’t it?”

“…!”

As he pointed that out, Glenn finally realized and glanced at Sistine’s face.

Sistine’s face was deathly pale, her breathing deep and ragged, with beads of cold sweat covering her forehead. The trembling of her body wasn’t from fear or cold—it was something else entirely.

“Mana Deficiency—!?”

Improvising spell modifications consumed an enormous amount of mana. Since the process lacked the optimization of mana efficiency, it was inevitable.

Moreover, Sistine had been casting spells capable of countering Jatice’s Tulpa nonstop. No matter how exceptional her mana capacity was, depletion was inevitable. After all, she was still an inexperienced fifteen-year-old girl.

“…You get the situation now, don’t you, Glenn? It’s not arrogance—I still have strength to spare. But her? Can you fight me without her support in your current state?”

“Tch…”

Glenn gritted his teeth.

Jatice was right—pushing Sistine to use magic any further was dangerous.

“This time, I’m withdrawing out of respect for her valiant effort, which showcased your newfound strength. You should be grateful.”

Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed.

Jatice’s angel had smashed through the chapel’s wall.

“Sistine… I look forward to your growth from here on out… And…”

Jatice turned on his heel and leisurely walked toward the large hole in the collapsed wall, heading into the alley outside.

“We’ll meet again someday, Glenn. And when we do… my justice will surely defeat you.”

“Shut up. Don’t ever show your face again, you bastard.”

Glenn glared at Jatice with a biting gaze.

Jatice, with his usual mix of madness and rationality in his contradictory eyes, smirked…

And with that, accompanied by the angel, he quietly vanished into the depths of the alley.

Silence settled over the area.

The sun had set, and the curtain of night was beginning to fall.

“…Is it over?”

Sistine mumbled softly.

“Yeah, it’s over.”

“I see…”

Perhaps relieved by those words,

Sistine’s slender frame began to collapse—

“…Whoa.”

Glenn swiftly caught her in his arms, supporting her.

“I… I was so scared…!”

Held in Glenn’s arms, Sistine trembled, her eyes brimming with tears.

“I was really scared…! It felt like I was scraping away at my lifespan or my luck or something, forcibly pulling out more than I was capable of…! I absolutely can’t do that again!”

Glenn looked down gently at Sistine, who was frantically shaking her head.

“Haha… You did great, White Cat. Thanks… You saved me again.”

“…‘White Cat’…?”

At that moment, Sistine’s frantic head-shaking stopped abruptly.

“…Now that I think about it, I’ve been getting saved by you over and over, haven’t I? I can’t thank you enough… Wait, huh? White Cat… Why do you look so grumpy all of a sudden?”

“…No reason.”

Sistine turned away with a sulky, sidelong glare.

“…? Well, whatever. By the way… can you stand?”

“Uh… no, not yet… My legs still feel a bit weak…”

“I see… I pushed you a bit too hard, didn’t I? Sorry…”

“…”

And so,

In the twilight, where faint darkness began to mingle,

Glenn carried Sistine on his back, walking through the deserted redevelopment district.

Silence.

For a while, neither spoke, simply feeling each other’s warmth.

…Eventually,

As the endless redevelopment district neared its end,

Just before they would return to the familiar Fejite, to the world of everyday life…

“Hey… I…”

Glenn suddenly muttered under his breath.

“Am I really… fit to be your sensei?”

“…”

“You might not know this, but… I’ve definitely… done things I’m not proud of…”

As if to interrupt Glenn’s words…

“…You’re such an idiot.”

Sistine gently layered her words over his, tightening her arms around his neck with a soft squeeze.

“The fact that I’m here, by your side… isn’t that answer enough?”

“…”

After that,

Glenn asked no more questions.

From her position on his back, Sistine couldn’t see Glenn’s face.

But somehow, she felt that right now, Glenn’s lips were curved into a faint smile.

Surely, Glenn hadn’t completely let go of his past just yet.

The struggles he carried weren’t so shallow that they could be resolved by some naive little girl acting like she understood something.

But the fact that Glenn was still here, by their side… for now, that was enough.

“Ah…”

As she was gently rocked on Glenn’s broad, warm back,

A sudden, overwhelming wave of drowsiness hit Sistine.

(…Sensei…)

Too much had happened today. The wedding, the feud between Glenn and Jatice, the mention of Sera, who resembled her… and Leos, who was likely no longer in this world.

There was so much she needed to think about.

The reality thrust upon Sistine was far too harsh.

Especially Leos.

No matter how things had turned out… he was her childhood friend.

They’d had their differences, taken different paths, and become irreconcilable… but she had genuinely liked him, in her own way. The memories they shared, the happy moments they’d had together… those were undeniable truths.

He wasn’t someone who deserved to be toyed with by a selfish madman like that.

When she later faced the reality of his loss… would she cry, after all?

(…No… I’m too sleepy… My body’s heavy… My thoughts… won’t come together…)

For now,

Just for now,

She would rest in this man’s warm arms.

To wake up later and face the painful reality.

For now, in this comforting peace—

She would drift, she would doze.

To bring rest to her tired body and heart.

Just for this moment—

…

…

“Yo, you guys. Came to pick us up?”

“Sensei! Sistie! Thank goodness, you’re safe…”

“Glenn… the city’s in an uproar with all the bodies being found… What happened?”

“Well… Yeesh, how am I supposed to explain this one? as usual…”

…

And—at that time,

In a grove on the outskirts of Fejite,

“Soar, [Her Left Hand]—!”

“《O golden thunderbeast, race across the earth, dance and soar in the heavens》!”

A storm of lightning clashed against countless golden swords raining down like meteors, weaving freely in all directions.

A flickering field of vision.

The heavens and earth screamed.

Jatice, who had left Glenn and the others, was now locked in a magical duel with Albert.

“There’s an opening, Albert!”

Aiming for the moment Albert finished casting, [Her Messenger: Beheading] brandished an executioner’s sword and closed in on Albert’s back with ferocious speed.

The sword slashed horizontally, aiming to cleave Albert in two.

“Tch—”

At the last second, Albert dodged with a backward somersault, taking a breath.

Instantly adjusting his Mana Biorhythm—

He triggered a delayed [Lightning Pierce] from a pre-chanted spell.

From an upside-down position, he shot through the angel’s head at point-blank range—

Then, flipping mid-air, he pointed at Jatice—casting another lightning bolt with a Double Cast.

“Kuh…!?”

Jatice hurriedly deployed [Her Right Hand].

The lightning bolt, tearing through the air, was deflected, and Jatice leaped back two, three steps.

Albert landed and simultaneously retreated, putting distance between himself and Jatice.

The battle returned to a stalemate…

“…A draw, huh? As expected, Albert. You’re as strong as ever.”

“…”

“But you’re not enough… Because you’re likely one of those so-called ‘heroes.’ The kind who are strong enough to uphold their justice as a matter of course. Defeating you would be meaningless. It has to be Glenn…”

Albert remained silent, as if refusing to entertain the ramblings of a madman.

The area around them was a veritable hellscape.

What kind of magical onslaught had occurred here? The ground was scorched and gouged, trees blazed fiercely, and a whirlwind of sparks swirled around them.

“But I’m in a bind… To think you’d catch me here, of all places…”

“Hmph. You caused that much chaos and have the gall to say that?”

“Even so, I should’ve been able to slip out of Fejite before you caught up… That was the plan, at least.”

Contrary to his words, Jatice showed no sign of panic.

He even seemed to be enjoying the unexpected turn of events.

“I’ve still got a long way to go.”

“I won’t ask why you’re still alive. For a mage, there are countless ways to cheat death. We were fools for being deceived, that’s all.”

Albert’s icy, piercing gaze bore into Jatice.

“But answer me one thing. A year ago, why did you cause that incident?”

“…”

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though the shadow cloaking Jatice grew darker.

“Formerly of the Imperial Court Mage Corps’ Special Missions Annex, Executive No. 11, [The Justice]. True, you were a problem child with harsh words, self-righteous beliefs, and a willingness to sacrifice anything for your goals… but even so, you weren’t the kind of man to pull something like that.”

“Was I, now…?”

“In fact, you hated The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom more than anyone. But after that day, you turned against the Empire and Her Majesty.”

“…”

“What happened? What changed you so drastically?”

Amid the relentless exchange of magic, with both sides running low on options,

As they probed each other’s hands, searching for the next move, words were exchanged…

“…[Akashic Records]…”

At Jatice’s muttered words, Albert’s eyes sharpened further.

“Albert, you don’t know the truth hidden in this country, the secret buried in the royal bloodline… You don’t know why that sky castle floats in the heavens.”

“…”

“Pursue the [Akashic Records]. Then, you’ll eventually reach the truth. And you’ll understand that my actions are just. The one and only absolute justice.”

His expression was filled with unshakable conviction.

“Especially you, Albert. I believe that when you touch the truth, you won’t fall to corruption and will surely stand by my side.”

“Don’t screw with me, you fiend. To begin with, what even are these [Akashic Records]?”

“No good, Albert. It’s not something that can be explained with words.”

“What’s that?”

“To understand… you have to touch the truth yourself. That’s all I’ll say.”

Then, Jatice snapped his fingers.

With a rustle of wings, an angel descended from the sky, landing beside Jatice.

“Well, it’s about time.”

“Wait, Jatice. We’re not done talking.”

Albert pointed his left hand at Jatice.

“No can do. Knowing you, the ever-cautious one… they’re coming soon, aren’t they? [The Hierophant] and [The Hermit], who were investigating the city’s chaos separately. I’m done playing along with your stalling.”

Jatice shrugged playfully.

“But really, they don’t need to worry so much, do they? I’m happy to pile up as many sacrifices as needed to achieve my goals, but I don’t bother with unnecessary ones. The addicts who served their purpose will self-destruct on their own when their time runs out… I’m not doing anything else bad, you know?”

“…You…”

Albert’s eyes blazed with fury at Jatice’s fundamentally warped perspective.

“…Well, honestly, my stock of Pseudo-Etheric Particle [Para-Etherion] powder is running low, so I’ll just tuck my tail and retreat for now.”

Without hesitation, Albert fired a [Lightning Pierce].

A split second faster, Jatice grabbed the angel’s shoulder with one hand, and the angel flapped its wings, soaring into the sky.

The released lightning bolt sliced through empty air in vain.

And so, Jatice, having secured altitude, glided off somewhere into the distance.

“…”

Albert didn’t pursue, silently lowering his hand, watching him go.

In this situation, he knew that if a mage of Jatice’s caliber focused entirely on retreating, there was no catching him. He had no intention of wasting effort on futility.

“Tch… the [Akashic Records] again, huh…”

Lately, that term had been cropping up far too often.

Just what were the [Akashic Records]? The mystery only deepened.

But somehow… from Jatice’s words, Albert could vaguely discern that it was tied to the empire’s truth, the royal family, and the enigma of the Sky Castle.

Perhaps, unexpectedly, there had been some progress after all.

“The truth of this nation… the royal blood, huh. Looks like it’s time to dig into it.”

Albert turned on his heel.

And quietly departed the scene.

…And so.

The nightmare caused by a single person using Angel Dust came to an end.

The final tally of victims claimed by Angel Dust: eighty-four, with countless others missing.

Considering this was the work of just one individual, it was an unbelievably monstrous, unforgivable act of evil.

Jatice Lowfan.

The name of the one who caused a great tragedy in the imperial capital a just over a year ago still lingered fresh in people’s memories.

His return struck terror into every citizen of Fejite, leaving the surviving families to choke on directionless rage and grief.

Leos Kleitos was one such victim.

To protect the honor of the Kleitos earldom, it was widely announced that all of Leos’s actions were manipulated by Jatice’s [Angel Dust]. It was fabricated that Jatice’s goal was to have Leos seize control of the Fibel family and claim the Kleitos fortune—a reasonably clear and convincing motive.

Leos’s forceful attempt at a wedding with Sistine… it was a necessary measure to prevent the Kleitos earldom’s name from falling into ruin and to avoid conflict with the Fibel family.

Thus, the story went that the Kleitos family, having foreseen Jatice’s scheme, personally requested Glenn to intervene, abduct Sistine, repel Jatice, and preserve their family’s honor… Glenn wasn’t thrilled, but at their fervent insistence, that’s how the tale was spun.

The Kleitos family formally issued this statement through government media, even presenting Glenn with rewards and a medal. As a result, Glenn’s tarnished reputation from the duel fiasco with Leos was restored. From a despicable man chasing a rich bride, he was suddenly hailed as a model teacher who risked himself to protect his students.

It wasn’t entirely wrong… but it wasn’t exactly something worth being commended for either.

In the end, Glenn’s fight from start to finish had been a personal vendetta.

Glenn could only gaze at his undeserved reputation with mixed feelings.

And then—some days passed since Jatice’s incident—

One day.

“Sorry! I’m late! Teehee☆”

Glenn appeared in the classroom without a hint of remorse.

“Heyyy!”

Naturally, Sistine stormed over to Glenn, scolding him fiercely.

“What were you even doing!? Half the class time is already gone!”

“Well, y’see, I was lost in thought and, uh… whoops?”

“You haven’t been late in a while! As expected, you lack the fundamental awareness of a proper instructor! Listen, an instructor should blah blah blah…”

And so, the usual lecture-and-excuse battle commenced…

“Now, now, Sistie. If you keep nagging, we’ll run out of class time…”

“Fighting, bad.”

Rumia stepped in to mediate, while Re=L mumbled sleepily…

“Man… after everything that’s happened, it’s back to the usual scene, huh…”

“Indeed. It’s oddly comforting, isn’t it?”

“I’d prefer if he grew up a bit, though…”

Kash, Wendy, Gibul… all the students in Glenn’s class watched the familiar scene with a mix of exasperation and wry smiles.

“Anyway, what were you thinking about!?”

Ignoring her classmates, Sistine crossed her arms, grilling Glenn irritably.

“Well, y’know…”

Glenn lowered his tone, whispering so only Sistine could hear.

“I was just… thinking about when I first came here, kinda…”

“!”

Sistine’s eyes widened slightly, and she fell silent.

“Back then, sure, I didn’t wanna work, and it all felt like a hassle… but more than that, I think I just felt… out of place. That was the biggest thing.”

“Sensei…”

Sistine looked at Glenn with a solemn expression.

“Do you… still feel that way?”

“Dunno… not sure.”

Glenn shrugged, putting on a playful grin.

“But whatever I think, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m probably out of place here… considering everything I’ve done. That’s gotta be the cold, hard truth, right?”

“…”

Sistine didn’t know what to say. Denying it would be easy, but it’d just be empty words. Glenn wasn’t the type to want superficial comfort like that.

As Sistine lowered her eyes sadly…

“Still…”

Glenn glanced around the classroom.

“Yo, Sensei! Sistine! How long you gonna keep this up!?”

“It’s nice that you two get along, but can we start the lesson already?”

“Honestly, we’re already behind because of that recent mess…”

Facing the students grumbling at him, Glenn smirked softly and whispered to Sistine.

“…Guess I’ll be counting on you from here on out.”

“…!”

Sistine snapped her head up, staring at Glenn in a daze for a moment…

“Right, same here. I look forward to your guidance and discipline, Sensei!”

Sistine smiled.

And so, as always, the noisy class began—