Chapter 164
The water spirit Wildiane was bewildered. He had finally reached the forest, but it was shrouded in dense fog.
Moreover, it wasn't ordinary fog. It had probably been created through magic and was saturated with mana.
The mana in the fog dulled Wildiane's ability to sense his surroundings. He could no longer detect where the magic battle was taking place.
(At any rate, I must hurry and defeat Hubard Dee.)
It would have been easier to travel in human form, but if someone happened to see him, it would be disastrous. Wildiane therefore moved through the forest in the form of a lizard.
This order was merely a whim on the part of his master, far removed from his master's actual purpose.
Even so, his master must want to help a girl named Monica Norton.
(His master has taken a liking to Lady Monica Norton... Is it because they resemble each other?)
The thought briefly crossed Wildiane's mind, but he stopped himself from thinking about it any further.
A mere contracted spirit had no right to trample into his master's heart.
Before long, as the fog began to thin, Wildiane spotted two figures ahead. Remaining in lizard form, he clung to a tree and watched them without moving.
(That is...)
One of the two people Wildiane had found was McLaggan, the practical magic teacher responsible for maintaining the barrier around this magic battle.
McLaggan walked along, rubbing his arms as though he were cold, while speaking to the other person.
"Hubard Dee-kun is quite skilled at magic, but he had even more talent as a magical-tool craftsman. The trouble is, he was oblivious to that talent and kept developing nothing but dangerous magical tools for use in 'hunting.' He was a real problem child, you know... Though not quite as bad as a certain someone."
"Hahaha, young people are naturally rather hot-blooded."
The man flashing a refreshing smile with his white teeth was one of the Seven Sages, 〈Barrier Mage〉 Lewis Miller.
McLaggan had said he would call in an assistant to reinforce the barrier for this magic battle, and apparently that assistant was Lewis.
A Seven Sage was an incredibly extravagant choice for an assistant, but it wasn't particularly surprising, considering that Lewis's disciple Glen Dudley was participating in this magic battle.
What was truly surprising was what McLaggan said next.
"So, how are we going to handle this magic battle? We can't exactly announce that the 〈Silent Witch〉 won by a landslide, can we?"
"Could we say that Hubard Dee's magical tool went berserk and he took himself out? We can call the match a draw, perhaps?"
(The 〈Silent Witch〉 is involved in this magic battle!?)
That was the mage whom Wildiane's master revered from the bottom of his heart.
Recently, his master had become obsessed with searching for the 〈Silent Witch〉. Whenever he found the time, he investigated whether there were any female students with an injured left hand.
Felix surely didn't want to do anything in particular after finding her. He simply wanted to meet her—the strong and beautiful witch he admired so deeply, in her unmasked form.
As a contracted spirit, Wildiane wanted to grant his master's wish. He therefore slipped down from the tree to the ground and followed Lewis and McLaggan.
"I was quite surprised when I saw Everett-kun, you know? I figured it must have been a mission, so I pretended not to notice."
"Thank you for your consideration, McLaggan-sensei."
"She's as incredible as ever. You need to hurry up and turn that advanced tracking formula into a paper and submit it... And rewriting a magical tool was amazing, too. That must really crush the pride of the person on the receiving end, huh?"
"My defensive barrier was rewritten once as well. She saw through a dummy formula I'd made with considerable effort without breaking a sweat."
"Did it hurt your pride?"
"Hahaha. If a barrier-rewriting incident occurs somewhere in the country from here on out, I've decided that I won't hesitate to suspect the 〈Silent Witch〉-dono. Yes, indeed."
Apparently, the two men knew that the 〈Silent Witch〉 was somewhere within the academy.
As Wildiane wondered whether they might let something slip about the 〈Silent Witch〉's identity, Lewis stopped and looked around.
Lewis and McLaggan were probably searching for the participants in the magic battle. Now that the battle was over, they must have come to collect them.
"...I can't seem to find them anywhere. Honestly, making adults go to all this trouble in weather this damn cold... What troublesome young people. Shall I search for them with a detection formula?"
At Lewis's words, Wildiane hurriedly left the area.
If Lewis activated a detection formula, Wildiane, a high-ranking spirit composed of mana, would be detected.
(If possible, I would have liked to confirm the 〈Silent Witch〉's appearance... But she has probably already left the forest.)
In any event, the duel over Monica Norton had ended in a draw. Wildiane no longer had any reason to fight Hubard.
For now, he had to return to Felix and report that the 〈Silent Witch〉 had been working behind the scenes.
＊ ＊ ＊
Having defeated Hubard, Monica desperately resisted the urge to carry Cyril and the others, who lay collapsed on the ground, somewhere warm and hurried out of the forest.
Now that the magic battle was over, someone was bound to come and inspect the site. Besides, it had been quite some time since she left the spectator stands. If she took too long to return, Lana and the others would grow suspicious.
As she had on the way there, Monica used the unfamiliar flight magic to return to the vicinity of the viewing area. The moment she dispelled the spell, she staggered badly.
Normally, Monica would incorporate a formula that reduced mana consumption whenever she used magic, but this time, she had been under too much mental strain to do so.
Moreover, magic that created fog or enabled flight required her to continuously release mana for a set period, so her mana consumption was unavoidably high regardless of whether she used a conservation formula.
On top of her depleted mana, several days of insufficient sleep and nutrition, as well as mental exhaustion, had pushed Monica's body to its limit.
(I... have to... go back to the spectator stands... Lana will... worry...)
After moving her heavy legs forward a few steps, Monica crumpled to the ground with a wet smack.
(No... If I stay like this, I'll cause everyone trouble again...)
Despite her determination to get up, her consciousness sank deeper and deeper into darkness. She could no longer even keep her eyes open.
"Monica."
Someone's arms lifted Monica's skinny body, thin as a stick.
(Ah... I've caused someone trouble again...)
A tear slipped free and wet her cheek as Monica murmured with lips parched of moisture.
"...I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry for causing you trouble..."
＊ ＊ ＊
Felix found Monica's body frighteningly cold when he lifted her, her cheeks sunken and her lips dry and cracked.
He had carried her before, but she was clearly lighter than she had been then. Because of the commotion Hubard Dee had caused, she had probably eaten and slept very little.
As Felix began walking toward the infirmary, Monica's lips moved faintly.
"...I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry for causing you trouble..."
Apparently, she continued apologizing to someone even in her dreams. It must have been this girl's habitual refrain.
Even over trivial matters that those around her hardly noticed, Monica apologized desperately, as though she had committed some enormous blunder.
(She doesn't have to worry about it.)
When Felix lowered his eyelids slightly, memories from his childhood crossed his mind.
'...I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry for always causing you trouble... Aike.'
The friend in his memories always said that while crying. Tears poured from her clear, pale-blue eyes as she sobbed miserably.
The girl in his arms now overlapped with the image of his childhood friend.
She was a crybaby, timid, lacking in confidence, and quick to blame herself... Yet when it mattered most, she never relied on him.
"...I really wanted you to rely on me more."
Murmuring so quietly that no one could hear him, Felix opened the infirmary door. There was no one inside. The staff were probably at the site of the magic battle.
Felix laid Monica on a bed and combed his fingers through her dry, light-brown hair.
He had a vague understanding of why he was so attached to Monica.
He couldn't help seeing his former friend in Monica.
He became certain of it at the Porter Used Bookstore. Monica's expression when he bought her the book she wanted, and the way her whole body rejoiced, overlapped with the image of his childhood friend.
...Back then, he would have been willing to endure anything, so long as he could make his precious friend happy.
Felix's blue eyes darkened as he let out a small sigh. He was aware that he was becoming too sentimental.
Felix poked Monica's pale skin with a fingertip and murmured in a sulky voice.
"...It's your fault for never relying on me."
Monica never relied on Felix. She never asked him for anything. To top it all off, she even said things like, 'I'm sorry for causing you trouble.'
That was why Monica's words and actions always stirred the emotions Felix kept hidden deep within his heart.
After he had poked Monica's cheek for a while, a voice called up from near his feet, "Your Highness." It was his contracted spirit, Wildiane.
"Hey, good work, Wil. Did you take care of Hubard Dee?"
"...I'm sorry. By the time I arrived, the 〈Silent Witch〉-sama had already defeated Hubard Dee."
"...Lady Everett?"
At the unexpected name, Felix's eyes widened in surprise.
According to Wildiane's report, the 〈Silent Witch〉 had secretly defeated Hubard Dee after intruding on the magic battle.
Wildiane had not witnessed the scene himself, but apparently McLaggan and Lewis Miller had been talking about it.
Felix had vaguely suspected that Lewis Miller was connected to the 〈Silent Witch〉, but McLaggan had been unexpected.
He would have liked to question the old teacher, but that shrewd old man was skilled at playing dumb and would never let anything slip.
(...There is no doubt that Lady Everett is somewhere within the academy.)
He had been discreetly investigating petite female students with injured left hands, but so far he had found no promising information.
Felix suspected that she might be disguised as a servant attending one of the young ladies at the academy, but if so, the investigation became much more difficult. The student council could keep track of the young ladies themselves, but even they could not possibly know the details of every servant.
As Felix pondered this, Wildiane smoothly climbed up his leg, settled into his usual pocket, and spoke.
"But why did the 〈Silent Witch〉-sama intervene in this magic battle?"
Indeed, if the 〈Silent Witch〉 was concealing her identity for some reason, why had she intruded on a magic battle where she risked being exposed?
As Felix thought it over, he looked at Monica sleeping on the bed and suddenly opened his eyes wide, as though he had realized something.
"...Could she have known that I was concerned about this girl and helped her from the shadows?"
The thought that the girl sleeping right in front of him could be the 〈Silent Witch〉 herself never even crossed Felix's mind.
He regarded the 〈Silent Witch〉 as a hero, and more than anything... he had overlaid Monica too thoroughly with the image of his 'friend.'
＊ ＊ ＊
The spectator stands were in an uproar.
According to McLaggan's explanation, the magic battle, whose visibility had worsened due to fog midway through, had ultimately ended in an accident when Hubard Dee's magical tool went berserk.
In the noisy venue, Elliott scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.
"This is a pickle. His Highness has stepped away, and Cyril's nowhere to be found..."
The student council officers were supposed to take charge of the situation, but its two leaders were both absent.
As Elliott reluctantly began to rise to take the stage, Bridget stood up and climbed onto it first.
"Everyone, please be quiet."
Her clear, dignified soprano voice rang in the ears of everyone in the venue.
Bridget waited until the students had fallen silent and turned their attention to the stage before speaking.
"It is deeply regrettable that we were unable to see this duel through to its conclusion. However, our top priority now is confirming the safety of the students caught up in the accident."
Bridget's voice was exceptionally beautiful, and her diction and timing were flawless. She was extremely easy to understand.
Like Felix, she was skilled at speaking in front of people.
"The sun is already beginning to set, so please return to your dormitories. The student council will report on the details of what happened at a later date."
When Bridget made that announcement, the students began dispersing in small groups.
The thoughtful Neil quickly took action, directing students in the rear seats to leave first so that too many people would not crowd the exits. While watching this, Bridget stepped down from the stage.
"Bridget."
Felix was walking briskly toward Bridget. Apparently, he had just returned.
Bridget turned slowly toward Felix with a faint smile on her lips.
"Were you able to find Monica Norton?"
"Yes. She had collapsed near the viewing area, so I brought her to the infirmary."
"...Oh, I see. That must have been quite an ordeal."
Lana Colette, who had been discreetly listening in, visibly sighed in relief at Felix's words.
Surely she would rush to the infirmary afterward to visit her friend Monica Norton.
"The infirmary will soon be extremely busy when those who collapsed during the magic battle are brought in. Please refrain from visiting."
When Bridget gave her that warning, Lana pursed her lips in displeasure.
Watching her from the corner of her eye, Bridget spoke with an expression as though she had only just noticed something.
"Oh, but there are only four beds in the infirmary... If four gentlemen are brought in after this, there won't be enough beds. Your Highness, if you don't mind, shall I have my servant carry Monica Norton to the dormitory?"
"The girls' dormitory would be more appropriate, and you'd be better suited to handle it. Sorry, but could I ask you to do that?"
Bridget nodded with a beautiful, perfect smile that anyone could admire.
"...Yes, leave it to me."
＊ ＊ ＊
The bedding sliding softly against Monica's cheek felt like smooth silk.
It was almost like the bed in the guest room assigned to the Seven Sages during the New Year's ceremony.
"...Mmm."
Upon waking, Monica slowly tilted her head when she realized she was lying in an unfamiliar room.
(What was I doing just now?)
Holding her throbbing head, Monica slowly retraced her memories.
She remembered finishing her battle with Hubard and hurrying back to the viewing area. But she had no memory of anything after that.
"It seems you've awakened."
When Monica turned toward the cool voice, her eyes met Bridget's. Bridget was sitting on a sofa.
The unexpected person left Monica even more confused.
"Um, uh... where... where am I?"
Her voice was terribly hoarse. When she covered her aching throat and coughed, Bridget silently offered her a water pitcher.
"Th-thank... you..."
It would have been terrible if water spilled onto such fine bedding.
Monica carefully tilted the pitcher. Its contents were not plain water, but carried the scents of edible flowers and citrus and had a faint sweetness. It tasted delicious, like diluted fruit water. As she moistened her lips, Bridget watched her drink and spoke.
"This is my room."
Why had Monica been put to bed in Bridget's room? She could understand the infirmary or the attic room in the dormitory, but she could not imagine why she had been laid in Bridget's private room.
Before Monica could ask, Bridget spoke.
"I'll get straight to the point."
Fingers covered in lace gloves suddenly clamped tightly around Monica's left wrist. A sharp pain shot through it.
"Ow!? Ah... aah...!"
Monica groaned involuntarily and dropped the empty pitcher.
Bridget placed the pitcher, which had fallen onto the bedding, on the side table with a soft clink. Then she stared straight at Monica and spoke in a cold voice.
"Monica Norton, just who are you?"