Chapter 72 - Entrance Ceremony of Blood (7)

When he denied being in first place, Cecil opened her eyes wide and said, "I'm curious about something."

"What?"

"Why are you refusing the first place? Everyone poured their blood and sweat trying to reach that spot, but the person who actually got first place is kicking it away and doing other things."

"..."

"...Did you come just to watch the entrance ceremony?"

He nodded.

Cecil crossed her arms and thought for a moment.

"I don't like that. Even if it's not my business... do you know Eternia gives rings to the top students of each department every year? With just one of those, you could live comfortably anywhere. Don't you want that?"

"..."

"Fine. You know Duchess Gainax of the Principality of Ulysia is attending too, right? Though they haven't openly declared why they're visiting Eternia, there are rumors that the House of Gainax is looking for a suitable son-in-law. The Gainax family has hereditary diseases, so they desperately need physically strong bloodlines."

He tilted his head slightly, as if not understanding Cecil's intention.

"Right now all the boys are dressing up nicely and puffing out their chests, hoping to catch the duchess' eye."

He showed little interest in Cecil's words. Talk of duchess and princes seemed like stories from a different world to him.

"Don't such stories stir up any manly ambition in you? Think about what incredible benefits you'd receive by going on stage as the student representative. Even the most prestigious nobles don't get opportunities like this. You'd make a proper impression on both the Principality and the Empire. With a little sweet talk, you could secure massive sponsorship too."

"That's nice."

"Why did you come to Eternia? Wasn't it to be respected by people, make money, and live well?"

To a question any Eternia student would agree with, he did not affirm.

"I have enough already."

It was hard to guess his true thoughts. Whatever his circumstances, he showed no regret about the first place going to someone else, even though it should have been bitter.

Cecil stared intently into his eyes.

He didn't give off an empty, pessimistic atmosphere like someone who had given up everything.

It was as if something was already so fully formed inside him that there was no room for desires like ambition or honor to rise.

That appearance strongly stimulated Cecil's curiosity. But for now, she had no way of knowing what that something was.

"Alright. Just in case, you don't have a fiancée waiting far away in your hometown or something, do you?"

"...No."

After carefully observing his reaction, Cecil showed a faint smile and said, "Then that's fine. The entrance ceremony is about to start."

When Cecil hesitated as if reluctant to leave, he cut her off firmly.

"Go. The Magic Department's top seat shouldn't be hanging around strange places."

"Hmph, fine. I'm going."

Cecil turned around without any particular farewell. After walking a few steps, she turned back as if remembering something to say.

"...We'll see each other again in class, right?"

"Yes. Very occasionally."

She imagined the ridiculous sight of him attending classes alone wearing a mask but somehow felt that wouldn't happen.

She had many questions, but it was obvious she wouldn't get the answers she wanted from him.

"Alright, I won't pry anymore."

****

She hadn't even realized she'd dropped her handkerchief.

It wasn't an illusion. That man was really there.

He had never once had a proper conversation with Lilith.

Yet unlike how he had been cold to her from start to finish, the two of them were talking like old friends. Seeing that felt like being stabbed in the chest with an awl.

She felt so hurt by that man that it developed into an indescribable sorrow. It was a pain she had never felt before in her life.

There was nothing Lilith could do. She couldn't casually approach and talk to him, nor could she push away the fox-like Cecil.

As Cecil had said, Lilith only received from him, having no ability to help him.

Caught up in impulsive emotions, she cursed all her past that had made her current self. She terribly hated herself for being useless and burdensome.

Lilith stood still, continuously wiping away flowing tears.

"I'm... a useless woman."

***

Matthias belatedly went looking for Lilith.

His mind was in turmoil. It was the first time he had seen Lilith cry so sorrowfully. He had thought he at least held the position of friend, but she hadn't confided in him. Yet when he mentioned finding the masked man, she had run off like an arrow, which also pained Matthias.

He couldn't understand why she was so desperately searching for this eccentric who wore a mask. When Lilith had asked him to find that man, it had bothered him. It was very unusual for Lilith to chase after a man with such dedication.

It felt like his insides were turning over, seeing her maintain emotional distance from him while pouring all her attention into that man.

He had been able to relax when he realized while helping her that Lilith didn't know the man's name or face. He could be certain it wasn't tied to romantic feelings.

It was impossible to harbor romantic feelings for someone whose face, name, and status were unknown. This was especially true considering the status of the numerous men, including Matthias, who pursued her.

Even as he searched for Lilith at the ceremony venue, he believed this. That it couldn't be about romance.

Finally, pushing through the crowd, Matthias spotted Lilith's back.

She stood alone in the middle of people, her shoulders shaking.

"Lilith, Lilith!"

Though Matthias called out loudly, she seemed too focused on something to hear.

Even when he approached and grabbed her shoulder, she showed no reaction to Matthias.

On the ground, her cherished handkerchief laid like a rag, trampled multiple times by the crowd.

Matthias picked up the handkerchief and checked Lilith's face.

She had fixed her gaze on one spot and was pouring out tears pitifully. Matthias also fixed his eyes where Lilith's gaze was directed.

In a distant corner, the masked man stood with Cecil Fontar, the most famous student in the Magic Department, pressed close to his side.

All these circumstances spoke to just one thing. Finally, he sensed it all.

That all of Lilith's actions had been related to romance. And that romance was directed at the masked man.

Though Matthias stood beside her, Lilith continued sobbing pitifully without taking her eyes off the masked man for a moment.

On the other hand, Matthias couldn't understand.

Why?

He couldn't comprehend how it was possible to harbor romantic feelings for someone whose face, name, and status were unknown. Though Lilith had spoken as if he was incredibly skilled, the man wasn't even first or second in the Combat Department, nor even the next ranks after that.

It was obvious he had disturbed Lilith's heart through improper means.

What's so special about that guy?

He had taken such care of her, helped her, and spared no expense in trying to look good to Lilith, yet he couldn't understand why he had been pushed aside.

The more he chewed on this injustice, the more jealousy and anger toward the man rose in Matthias's inner being.

***

"We don't understand anything. The black something the butler mentioned isn't visible anywhere."

Even with the entrance ceremony approaching, some professors remained in the conference room, urgently discussing.

Dean Dunkel frowned at the Spirit Studies professor's powerless words.

Luna was in a comatose state. Though the butler had come personally to explain her condition and request help, even several professors working together couldn't determine what was tormenting Luna.

Dunkel asked, "Are you saying it might be a thought entity issue rather than spirits?"

Thought entity problems couldn't be solved immediately. Not only were talents that could detect thought entities extremely rare, but all of Eternia's personnel with such abilities were in the North.

"Though she is a girl with special talent enough to sense beyond spirits to thought entities, Eternia isn't a place where thought entities can freely come and go, so it's probably not a thought entity problem either."

The Alchemy Department's associate professor said, "It could be hallucinations from potion addiction. Her condition is serious. I don't know what she did, but strictly speaking, her physical condition is no different from a drug addict."

It was terrible. Dunkel felt sick thinking about what could have happened to make such a talented, diligent young girl turn to addictive potions.

"There is one peculiarity that makes it hard to view this simply as potion addiction."

Dunkel pressed his temples with his hand and asked.

"What is it?"

"Her mana is depleted. It's not that her mana capacity is small or her recovery is poor, but no matter what we try, her mana won't recover."

Dunkel sighed.

This could happen when the hierarchy of spirit binding was reversed.

Spirits manifest in the world and exert power by receiving mana from their contractor. And the contractor must maintain dominance in the binding to control and handle spirits. In extremely rare cases where spirits gain dominance, they can drain mana as they wish, ignoring the contractor's will.

However, a girl with genius talent in spirit arts wouldn't make such a mistake. Moreover, if something was draining all of Luna's vast mana, there should clearly be some spirit rampage phenomenon, but no abnormal phenomena had been observed within Eternia.

Just then, urgent footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor.

The footsteps approached the conference room, and finally, someone flung open the door.

It was the maid who had been nursing the comatose Luna.

Panting for breath, she shouted at the professors.

"Luna, Luna has disappeared!"