Editor : Amethyst00



Rustle, rustle—

The sound of footsteps treading on grass echoed.

Wearing transparent cloaks, Carl and Eliza cautiously exited the clock tower dormitory and arrived at the communal garden.

The season had already shifted to late spring.

As summer was gradually approaching, it wasn't too chilly even at night.

Nonetheless, the empty communal garden somehow gave off a chill.

"Don't you think it feels a little spooky?"

"What does?"

"I mean, the atmosphere feels like something might just pop out."

"Pop out? What could possibly pop out?"

"A ghost or something."

At Carl's words, Eliza let out a snort.

"There's no such thing as ghosts."

Ghosts.

Beings said to wander the earth, lingering because of regrets left behind.

Of course, there are things similar to ghosts in this world.

Undead—revived corpses using necromancy, which borrows the power of the Lich King.

And spirits—summoned beings brought forth through spirit summoning, a branch of summoning magic.

But both spirits and the dead only appear in this world through contracts.

Moreover, they are personalities reconstructed through traces left in mana, not actual souls.

Of course, it remains true that the self remembered in mana is still that person.

However, according to the conclusions reached by scholars of magic and summoning, ghosts—naturally occurring and semi-permanent existences—do not exist.

Carl shrugged as he watched Eliza scoff.

"I'm just saying, the vibe really is like that."

The inside of the dorm earlier was like that too.

And now the garden.

Perhaps because the moonlight was hidden by clouds, the atmosphere felt eerie.

Like glimpsing the underside of a familiar place without realizing.

On top of that…

"That blood-soaked knight from earlier."

Carl shuddered as he recalled the blood-drenched knight muttering about killing mages and summoners.

"Thinking back, wasn't that really strange?"

"When has Lumene Academy ever been without a few lunatics?"

Eliza dismissed it as just some knight department student acting out a weird concept.

"He looked dangerous though…"

"Professors patrol the area every night. You think someone dangerous would be wandering around the dorm? The only danger at night is Leo Plov's strange summons."

"…True."

Just as Carl was about to agree and take a step forward—

Grab—!

Eliza grabbed Carl by the back of his neck.

"What?"

"Crouch."

At her words, Carl immediately crouched down.

Eliza also knelt beside him.

Ssshhhhhh—

The wind began to blow.

A moment later.

A familiar face appeared in the garden.

'Abad.'

Carl held his breath.

'Did he notice us?'

He had used the bracelet that Dweno gave him to suppress his presence.

But that function wasn't perfect.

The bracelet's presence-suppressing feature was just one among many support functions.

If a skilled mage used detection magic seriously, they could be found out.

As Carl tensed up, Abad opened his mouth.

"Why don't you come out already?"

At those words, Carl glanced back.

Eliza was smirking.

Seeing that combative look, Carl let out a small sigh.

'She's going to fight, huh. I'll just stay neutral.'

As a magic department student, he couldn't help Eliza.

But Eliza was still his partner in conquering the garden maze.

So it was hard to choose sides.

'Abad's the type to hold a grudge. Is he going to get pissed because I didn't help?'

Carl clicked his tongue at the thought of his persistent friend.

Then—

"Oh my?"

A voice came from behind, and both Carl and Eliza nearly screamed.

"How did you know?"

Without a trace of presence, Chen Xia had appeared beside them and walked past.

Even as she walked right by, there was no sense of her presence.

It felt like a ghost had passed by.

"The wind felt off. I've been followed since the dorm entrance."

"Wow. Sharp senses, Abad?"

Chen Xia smiled sweetly as she looked around.

"But for you to act clueless all the way here… means I've walked into a trap, doesn't it?"

"That's right."

Abad nodded.

In a one-on-one between a knight and a mage, knights typically have the upper hand.

And this wasn't just any knight—it was Chen Xia, one of the three monsters of the knight department.

Plus, it was night—Chen Xia's prime time.

Overall, the situation was unfavorable for Abad.

But mages do have a way to gain an advantage in one-on-ones with knights.

By fighting in their own territory—fortified ground.

And today.

Abad had embedded magic stones throughout the garden.

As he drew his staff—

Whoooooosh—!

A violent wind began to swirl within the garden.

Carl and Eliza barely managed to escape Abad's zone.

"Well, this is troubling."

"You don't look troubled at all."

Abad shook his head and swung his staff.

The swirling wind surrounding them suddenly surged toward Chen Xia.

Whoosh—!

Chen Xia twisted her body, dodging the gust.

But Abad's attack didn't end there.

Whooosh—!

The wind blades descended like guillotine blades upon Chen Xia.

From the left, right, below, and above.

Wind blades attacked from all directions.

One could easily lose their balance in such a relentless barrage, but Chen Xia dodged them like flowing water.

Whoosh—!

Finally, she spread her arms and legs wide and stuck close to the ground, narrowing her eyes.

"Hmmm?"

Swoop—!

Chen Xia leapt and spun midair.

A wind blade just barely grazed the top of her head.

Softly—

Landing gracefully, Chen Xia showed no sign of sweat despite her intense movements.

"I'm getting the pattern now."

"Oh really?"

Abad grinned as he raised his staff.

"Want to test that theory?"

Chen Xia gave a faint smile and vanished on the spot.

And within Abad's zone, the wind surged like a storm.

"This is our chance. Let's go."

Eliza nodded at Carl's whisper and moved.

Having escaped the battleground, Carl clicked his tongue.

"Intense. Seriously intense."

He looked back toward the fight.

Despite the fierce battle, there wasn't a sound.

True silence.

It was only possible because of Abad's perfect control over the wind and Chen Xia's stealthiness.

"She scared the hell out of me!"

Eliza irritably kicked a small pebble.

Her heart was still racing from Chen Xia's appearance earlier.

"Chen Xia's like a freaking ghost!"

"…Weren't you the one who said ghosts aren't scary?"

"Shut up!"

Eliza glared.

"Still… Chen Xia is scarier than any ghost."

Usually calm, but terrifying when angry.

Rumble… KA-BOOM—!

"…!"

"…!"

Suddenly, a red pillar of fire shot up from where Chen Xia and Abad were fighting.

Carl's mouth dropped open.

"Who the hell is causing such a ruckus in the middle of the night?!"

"Judging by the flame's color, that's Phoenix fire."

"Fiora? But Leo said his summons don't attack people."

"It could be Celia Zeldingar."

"Celia's not the type to cause trouble like that."

"Then maybe Leo Plov himself?"

"Come on. Leo wouldn't just randomly attack students at ni—…"

Carl stopped mid-sentence.

If it were the old Leo, maybe not.

But now?

'He used to go easy on us, but lately he's gotten way more intense.'

It felt like he was seriously training those around him now.

Considering Leo's true identity, it made sense.

'So… he's not treating us like kids anymore.'

Carl made a sorrowful face.

"I don't wanna grow up."

"What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?"

As Eliza frowned—

The two of them had already arrived at the entrance to the maze.

They took off their cloaks after entering.

Eliza looked up at the sky.

The towering garden trees blocked the view.

"Trying to break through these would be reckless, right?"

"Some kids tried. It triggered a magical barrier."

"Hm."

Eliza crossed her arms.

"Definitely suspicious."

"Right?"

Carl grinned.

Step—step—

They walked deeper in.

Because of the tall trees, neither moonlight nor starlight entered the maze well.

It wasn't pitch black, but a strange fear lingered.

Eliza, leading the way, suddenly stopped.

She couldn't summon her beast.

If she used spiritual power, passing students might notice.

'Seriously. Why is it so pointlessly dark?!'

Eliza grimaced.

She claimed otherwise, but darkness really did scare her.

It was a primal fear.

If she could use a summoned beast, it wouldn't be too bad, but that wasn't possible now.

Then—

"Wheeehehehehehe."

"Don't."

Eliza muttered lowly as Carl chuckled behind her.

Tap—

"Wheeehehehehehe."

"I told you to stop…"

About to snap, Eliza turned to smack Carl.

And screamed, "KYAAAAA!" when she saw Carl shining a magic lamp upward under his chin.

Carl quickly covered her mouth.

After calming down, Eliza furiously kicked Carl over and over with a red face.

"Die! Just die already!"

"Wait, I was just trying to ease the tension…"

Carl crouched to shield himself as Eliza attacked.

A moment later.

Having stolen the magic lamp, Eliza stormed ahead.

"Uuuggghh…"

"I'll kill you for real!"

"It wasn't me!"

But then came a weak, strangled moan, and Eliza glared menacingly at Carl.

Carl frantically waved his hands.

At that moment—

"Uuuurrrrggghhh…"

Squelch—squelch—

Something wet was crawling from the darkness.

Eliza and Carl froze.

They slowly turned to face forward.

Squelch—squelch—

The wet crawling sound grew louder.

Eliza gulped and shone the light further.

And then…

"My… my legs… give me… my legs…!"

A Lumene male student was crawling toward them—his lower half completely missing.

It wasn't an illusion spell.

There was no trace of dark magic either.

"My… legs… give them back…"

"Eliza."

"Yeah."

"Let's run."

"Okay."

Without hesitation, they turned and bolted.

"MYYY LEGSSSSS!"

The student began crawling at near-running speed after them.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

"KYAAAAAAAHHH!"

Carl and Eliza's screams echoed.

The next morning.

"Ghhooosssttt?"

Chelsea gave an exasperated expression.

"Pathetic! You call that an excuse? You two are just making up stories because you got caught and penalized by the professors!"

Arms crossed, she scoffed as the 3rd-year magic students looked resentful.

A penalty stamp was marked like a brand on their foreheads.

"I swear! We saw it! A blood-soaked knight was wandering around!"

"Probably some knight department freak in costume! There are always weirdos over there!"

"Honestly… we were the weird ones…"

"Shush!"

Chelsea glared, and the penalized students shrank back.

"He seriously swung his sword like he was going to kill us!"

"Then you should've blasted him with magic just as seriously."

"We did! But it went through him!"

Chelsea frowned.

Rumble—

The central hall doors of the clock tower dorm opened, and Professor Harrid entered.

The noisy central hall instantly fell silent.

But when students saw the two people walking behind him with their heads bowed, the murmurs returned.

"Huh? Why are they coming from outside?"

"Why are their clothes all messy?"

"No way…?"

As the students whispered, Leo approached Harrid.

"Professor, what's going on?"

Harrid turned back with his usual icy smile.

"They snuck out of the dorm and stayed out all night."

Leaving the dorm during curfew was serious enough—but they even slept out?

And got caught by Professor Harrid?

The outcome was obvious.

"These two will spend two days in the punishment room. Follow me."

Carl and Eliza were dragged away.

Once they disappeared down the hall, the students exploded with chatter.

"What?! What?! What are they!?"

"They spent the night together?!"

"OMG!"

Even Leo looked stunned as he stared down the hallway.

"Carl amazes me every time."

Chelsea approached Leo, tongue clicking.

"How'd he bag that high-and-mighty Eliza?"

Leo gave her a flick on the forehead.

"Ow! Why?!"

He clicked his tongue at her whining.

"Don't say stuff like that."

Pouting, Chelsea suddenly asked,

"By the way, Leo oppa. Did you set up some ghost-like trap or something?"

"What?"

"The others keep blabbering about seeing ghosts."

Leo shook his head.

"Nope. Nothing like that."

"Knew it. Just nonsense."

She clicked her tongue as Leo frowned.

'Ghosts, suddenly?'

Magic students claiming to see ghosts.

'Did they imagine it?'

It crossed his mind, but there's no way all Lumene students hallucinated together.

As he pondered, Leo remembered something from last night.

Something he'd tried several times with Artienne's help.

'Spirit evoking…'

With that thought, Leo began walking.

"Leo oppa, where are you going this early?"

"I need to ask Professor Artienne something."