Chapter 94 - Shadow (17)

After waiting in the lobby for about thirty minutes, the researcher finally came out.

He handed me a glass bottle containing black viscous liquid and said, "You said it was for alchemy research purposes, but I sincerely hope you won't add it to potions for consumption."

Seeing how he repeatedly emphasized not to eat it, it must be quite toxic. Even the color suggested it wasn't something meant to be drunk.

"You don't need to worry about that."

"I hope you achieve good results with what you're planning."

"Thank you."

Now all the ingredients were gathered. All that remained was to have the Maladirut absorb the Doppler's blood and wait a day or two. I hoped it would show proper effects.

"Thank you for your help. Ah, could I go down to the basement for a moment?"

"For Miss Luna? You won't be able to talk with her as she can maintain consciousness for only a short time."

"That's fine."

With the researcher's permission, I went down to the basement where Luna was.

Luna's appearance through the iron bars was just as I had seen before. Pale face. She was so still, like a dead person, I couldn't tell if she was breathing properly. Seeing her, I couldn't shake off my complicated feelings.

Because the seeds of pain the Dark Mage had left still hadn't been completely removed.

I don't know why the Sword of Light fell to me. However, it surely wasn't given to me without reason. It had a use, a purpose.

Though no ancient texts, holy books, or encyclopedias properly specified the reason for my sword's existence, I was gradually feeling it through my body… I knew what needed to be cut down with that sword.

It wasn't something like logic or reason. It was closer to a spiritual resonance.

The reason I was fixated on Luna's case was because I felt there were still things I needed to cut down.

I took out a leather pouch from my waist. I took out the Maladirut from inside and dipped its roots into the bottle containing the Doppler's bodily fluid.

It would be fine even if Zverev's recipe didn't work. Whatever happened, I would eventually find a way and tear to pieces those things that had massacred the librarians and pierced through Luna's and my belly.

***

Trisha came to the main gate earlier than the promised time and got into the carriage. She laid down on the carriage seat with her head slightly raised, waiting for Damian. And when she saw his figure in the distance, Trisha pretended not to be waiting by covering her face with a script.

Damian entered the carriage showing a somewhat depressed spirit. Then, he silently closed the door and started the carriage.

Trisha muttered lines while holding the script. While doing so, she kept glancing at Damian's face.

He was lost in deep thought, just like in the morning.

No evening greetings, no casual conversation.

Trisha waited for him to speak first but finally couldn't stand it and spoke first, "Stupid Damian."

He turned his head slightly toward Trisha and after staying quiet for a moment, said, "...Were you calling me just now?"

Trisha answered curtly, "No, I was just talking to myself."

"...Why?"

"Don't know... but did you meet Senior Cecil?"

"Yes."

"What did you talk about?"

"We parted without talking about anything special."

Hearing that nothing happened made her feel a bit better. 

Is his depressed mood because things hadn't gone well with Cecil?

Trisha couldn't hide the smile on her face as she answered, "Things didn't go well with Senior Cecil, right?"

"..."

"See, she doesn't deal with you well? I told you Senior Cecil is really prickly with people she's not close to."

When Damian maintained silence, Trisha teased him while acting like an adult.

"Oh, our poor Damian, making friends isn't easy!"

"...Why are you so excited?"

"I'm not excited at all?"

Trisha turned her eyes back to the script and hummed cheerfully. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she called Damian again, "Oh right, do you know?"

"What?"

"That the day after tomorrow is the first day of joint class? Have you prepared?"

"...No, I just found out."

"Geez, if not for a friend like me, who would tell you these things. Right!"

"Yes, thank you."

Trisha lowered the script covering her face slightly and said while watching Damian's reaction, "Anyway, so... have you decided who you'll group with?"

"...What about you?"

"I'm with Senior Cecil and the alchemist Bertrand. And spirit summoner Senior Martha. We four decided to group together. So what about you?"

"Nothing. I'll just work with whoever's left."

This suggested he didn't care at all who he ended up with. Trisha narrowed her eyes and responded in a tone creating anxiety, "Hey, aren't you being too careless just because you ranked first in the entrance exam? I heard some Combat Department students are training with fire in their eyes to take the top spot!"

And everything Trisha mentioned about Combat Department students was true. Formidable competitors like Victor and Gail were desperately sharpening their swords and recruiting group members. Not to mention Sion.

"..."

When Damian looked down at Trisha's face, she covered it with the script.

"Ahem! Anyway, I heard teamplay is really important this time. Shouldn't you find teammates you work well with so you can be comfortable for the next group practices?"

"...I should find some soon."

Damian brushed his hair back once and sighed silently. Whatever he was preoccupied with, he gave the impression of having no time to worry about the joint class right in front of him.

Trisha lowered her script slightly again and watched Damian's reaction.

"So... Would you consider joining our group?"

"Didn't you say you already have all four members?"

"Since Senior Cecil will definitely be the leader... I wanted to ask about maybe removing Bertrand and adding you... Our team needs someone who can use a sword too..."

"Do you not get along with this Bertrand?"

"No! But it's really uncomfortable being around him. Senior Cecil knows our relationship is awkward and deliberately keeps us separated. Anyway... will you come? It would be comfortable with me there too."

Damian showed an inscrutable lukewarm expression.

***

Bertrand seated Martha and Cecil, his group members, across the table. Cecil slumped against the chair back, seeming exhausted.

"There's a reason I called you all. This is important information. This joint class is actually more about alchemy than spirit arts."

Cecil asked, "Why?"

"All the professors in charge of that class are from the Alchemy Department. And the group leader must be an Alchemy Department student. Strictly speaking, this group formation is centered around Alchemy Department students with other department students attached. The group's plans and activity direction are all handled by the Alchemy Department leader."

Hearing his words, Cecil and Martha showed sour expressions. Cecil really disliked having to make an untrustworthy person the leader.

Cecil pressed her temple with her finger and said, "I don't like this class. What's with these restrictions?"

Martha added a comment too, "Do we really need an alchemist? We could do without one."

"Hey hey, I know you don't trust me, but given my position, I'll do my best. And there's one variable in group formation."

"What is it?"

"Every time you change group members, the group leader and that member lose points."

Cecil objected, "...Then, doesn't that not apply to us? We won't need to change anyway."

Bertrand shook his head.

"No, since the initial group formation is determined by drawing lots for everyone, point deductions can't be avoided."

***

Luna slowly opened her eyes. Her physical sensations were subtly different from before. It had been a really long time since she'd woken up from sleep this refreshed without fatigue.

She felt good too. She didn't know why. Had they administered some new potion while she slept?

Perhaps she had a happy and peaceful dream and its memory evaporated upon waking. It felt like the substance had disappeared leaving only an inexplicable emotional afterglow.

Letters sent by her friends lied at her bedside. Only some of Luna's family knew her situation, and her friends knew nothing. Though she only had three friends. They were good people who understood Luna's nature.

Her friends believed Luna was living happily at Eternia.

They were delighted to hear she ranked first at Eternia and wanted to hear stories about her time there.

What kind of people she met, what classes she took, what wonderful things happened, how enjoyable life at Eternia was.

They couldn't imagine she would be here with her body ruined by a curse, limbs bound by iron chains in a cell where not even sunlight entered, let alone attending classes.

She leaned against the bed's headboard and took out parchment. She calmly wrote replies to her friends.

What Luna wrote down were stories of dreams.

She wrote down things she had long dreamed of as if they were real stories.

That Eternia's beautiful scenery was fresh every day, so she occasionally went walking in the student plaza and Mount Grace.

That there were endless funny and absurd incidents because of eccentric Magic Engineering Department students doing strange experiments.

That though not as much as them, she was living an energetic school life meeting bright and vibrant classmates.

She wrote that though he wasn't particularly handsome or talented, she was gradually learning how to open her heart to the opposite sex while interacting with someone who had many wounds like herself.

That she was so happy now.

Ironically, her body and soul were already in ruins.

She didn't write that she went to sleep each day trembling in fear, feeling abandoned by the world.

After writing the final period, Luna wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face. Her body trembled when thinking about her situation.

Part of her waking hours passed like this, struggling to erase her pain.

Just then, Luna suddenly felt faint mana flowing from somewhere.

She slowly turned her head.

Something unfamiliar sat alone outside the pure white iron bars.

Had someone visited where she was?

A glass bottle. And inside it, a plant spreading its roots could be seen.

It seemed strange to see it attaching roots to an empty bottle without even water.

And above the bottle's mouth, a flower emanating faint mana poked out its head.

A strange and beautiful dark red flower she had never seen before in her life.

It was fresh and full of vitality, as if it had just opened its bud.