Chapter 3: Shadows in Motion

Chapter 3: Shadows in Motion

With seven days left to go until the field exercises, the vast majority of activities that the students partook in between classes and curfew had become some form of preparation for the upcoming event. The training gyms were packed so full that they had to be reserved in advance, forcing the rest of the students to share the grounds outside as they practiced.

“It’s about time for everyone to start spying on each other,” murmured Alicia as the day’s classes came to an end. She turned to Sain in a nearby seat in the room. “Are you still training with Marni today?”

“Indeed. I’m trying to learn a new spell right now, but... it’s not easy. Recently, we’ve gone back to the top floor of the library tower to do some more reading on topics that will help me with learning magic.”

“Huh... Marni’s pretty serious about this whole mentorship thing, isn’t she?” said Alicia. There was a hint of gladness in her voice. “Well, then. Melia, we should make ourselves useful, too. Let’s go gather some information on the other teams.”

“Understood.” Melia nodded and stood up.

“Hey, should I go with you?” asked Sain as the two girls were about to leave the classroom.

“You just focus on your training, okay? I can use my power now, but you can’t exactly use yours during the field exercises, right?”

She was, of course, referring to Sain’s powers as the holy knight. There’d be a terrible uproar if he let his true identity slip during the event. Also, now that he was aiming to become the dark knight, he wanted to rely on his powers as the holy knight as little as possible.

“Uh, true, but... this feels like I’m leaving all the menial work to you two.”

“Ugh, come on. Do I really have to say this out loud?” said Alicia with a sigh. “We’re rooting for you too, Sain, and this is our way of supporting you. We saw how happy you were to have found someone who can teach you dark magic, and we know the training you’re doing right now is necessary for you to fulfill your dream.”

“Yeah, but...”

She was right, but it didn’t make him feel any better.

“Although,” interjected Melia, “it is a little fishy how you keep sneaking out of the dorm every night to go on secret dates with Miss Marni.”

“Really?” Alicia’s benevolent expression suddenly took on an ominous air. She leaned toward Sain and, her smile now showing teeth, said, “Tell me more about these... secret dates.”

“I-It’s not what you think! Honest! The only time I actually met Miss Grim was on the first night! After that, it was just me by myself! And that whole training regimen is already over!”

“...I guess it’s true that he hasn’t been sneaking out recently,” admitted Melia, with some reluctance.

While he technically had seen Marni again when she showed up to give him a demonstration, he figured he didn’t need to mention the second incident. They barely even talked, after all. Surely it didn’t count.

“Then again, I guess there isn’t too much to worry about. It is Marni, after all. She’s not exactly outgoing, and it felt like Sain was more of a nuisance to her than anything else.”

“That’s true.”

The two girls both nodded, satisfied by the conclusion they’d reached. Sensing that his reputation for innocence and integrity was no longer in jeopardy, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Anyway, we’re going to go do some scouting on the other teams. We might also head over afterward to tell you what we found, so just keep that in mind.”

“Got it.”

With that, the two girls departed, happily oblivious to what they were about to witness a few hours later.

A few hours later, Alicia stood on the top floor of the library tower with one cheek twitching furiously. She’d come to tell Sain and Marni about what they’d found out, only to witness a sight that was decidedly upsetting.

“Hey, don’t you think the two of you are... a little close?”

Sain and Marni gave her puzzled looks. After a few seconds, Sain let out an “Ahh” of comprehension. It seemed that both of them had been too focused on the content they’d been reading, and without noticing it, they’d ended up sitting shoulder to shoulder, poring over the same book. So, with this new realization, he said, “You’re right. We are sort of close.”

“Are we? I don’t really mind.”

“Neither do I.”

The pair shrugged.

“Okay, back to the book, then. So, like I was saying...”

Neither of them made an attempt to remedy the issue that had been brought to their attention. In fact, as they’d just been discussing a very important detail, Sain immediately re-focused his attention on the book. To his surprise, however, he felt Marni’s hands on his head. She pulled him closer and pressed the back of one hand to his forehead.

“M-Miss Grim?”

“You’re starting to lose focus. Hm... No fever. I must have been pushing you too hard lately. Make sure you look after your own health, okay?” she said in her usual, impassive voice. It was a simple statement of fact, devoid of any suspicious inflections that would suggest embarrassment or affection. Nevertheless, it was enough to vex their sole spectator.

“All right, you two,” said Alicia, a vein bulging at her temple. “This is... Hey. Hey! Are you even listening?”

Only after sticking her face right up against theirs did she get their attention.

“Marni, aren’t you... getting a little too friendly with Sain?” she said, a mixture of anger and disbelief on her face.

“Am I?”

“Y-Yes, you are. I mean, normally, you wouldn’t touch shoulders like that... Oh, don’t tell me... Have you two been like that all this time?”

“...Have we? I don’t know. I never paid any attention, so I don’t remember.”

Marni’s casual indifference left Alicia speechless. She sputtered a little, but her efforts ultimately failed to amount to anything meaningful. Meanwhile, Sain was wilting under Melia’s reproachful glare.

“Master Sain, should we review the definition of personal space and your failure to observe it?”

“I... But... Isn’t this how apprenticeships are supposed to be?”

“Did you lose your brains again? Of course it isn’t.”

Sain sat with his knees in his arms, curling inward more and more as Melia continued her verbal assault. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Sain,” said Marni as she turned him around, pulled open his black coat at the collar, and ran her finger along his neck. “You have a cut here... It must have happened yesterday during the mock battle. You have to take care of your injuries properly, or they might get worse. Be careful, okay?”

“Hm, I didn’t even notice,” he said as he felt around the same place on his neck. When he pressed down, there was indeed a flare of pain. “All right, I’ll pay more attention in the future.”

“N-No touching! No touching, damn it!” yelled Alicia as she pounded the table. “Sain, get over here!”

She waved him over and directed him down the stairwell, where she backed him into a corner and slammed her hands against the wall behind him.

“You haven’t, I hope, forgotten about my confession, have you?”

Her face was so close that their noses almost touched, and her cheeks were flushed with color.

“O-Of course I haven’t, but I thought we already talked about that and...”

“I know... I know! Geez! I know how you feel about it, but...” She turned her eyes downward. “I know that, um... it’s not really my place to say this, but... can’t you, you know, be a little more considerate? About my feelings? I-It’s not like I, um, gave up on you, after all...”

“Uh, well, um...”

He had no idea how he was supposed to respond in situations like these, and he fumbled for words in vain. As for Alicia, it seemed that her embarrassment had finally triumphed over her adrenaline, and she was starting to tear up. Almost by reflex, he reached for one of his usual dark knight gags, but in a moment of — by his standards — profound wisdom, he realized that it probably wouldn’t accomplish much except earn him a slap to the face. Instead, they were rescued by Melia’s voice, coming from the top of the stairs.

“Hey, we don’t have much time, so you two should probably come back soon.”

Alicia responded with a curt “Okay” and headed back up. Sain followed a few steps behind, relieved that he was no longer being held hostage at nosepoint. As he passed Melia, he whispered, “Did you see?”

“A little.”

“...Tell me, my maid. What was I supposed to do there?” he asked, his voice heavy with honest grief.

Melia replied, in a voice devoid of emotion, “Go kill yourself, please.”

“Eh?”

“Go kill yourself, please.”

It occurred to Sain at that moment that he needed to start learning about female psychology. His very life might depend on it.

Sain’s training continued.

“Dark Ray!” he exclaimed, casting the spell Marni had taught him.

A long bolt of darkness was... definitely not what flew out of his hand.

“...What the hell?”

“...What is that, even?”

The lance-like projectile he produced traveled about a meter forward before it bent downward at the nose like a limp noodle and fell weakly to the ground, whereupon it buzzed and slithered a little further along the gravel, before finally dissipating into nothingness.

“That’s what you were visualizing? Seriously?”

“O-Of course not!”

“How did you make it do that, then?”

“I don’t know, damn it! Ugh, let me try again!”

Fueled equally by determination and embarrassment, Sain quickly made a second attempt. However, no matter how many times he tried, he could only produce overcooked noodles of darkness, not the deadly spear-like bolts that he craved.

Every so often, between his attempts, he’d listen to Marni give him some advice. She explained that the spell they were learning, Dark Ray, was designed to maximize its speed and penetrating power. It had great utility: a well-aimed bolt could do wonders when mounting a surprise attack, and its blinding speed allowed it to be employed effectively in face-to-face battles as well. At the same time, the amount of energy it consumed also dwarfed that of simpler spells like Darku.

“Ugh...”

Being an F-ranker, its toll was compounded for Sain, and spellsickness quickly began to set in.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah... I’m fine. I’m just a little spellsick. I’ll get better soon,” he said with his forehead in his hand.

“Let’s take a break.”

He grunted, then nodded reluctantly.

“It looks like I’m still dead weight...” he said with a heavy sigh.

“You’ve improved compared to when we started. There’s no need to be so hard on yourself,” she replied, in her usual matter-of-fact tone.

“Thanks. I appreciate you saying that, but I’m making no progress in the mock battles either. Sometimes... I wonder if I’m really getting better.”

“It’s because I’m matching your pace of progress. As you get better, I’m trying harder, as well. That’s all. You might not feel it, but you’re stronger than you were before.”

“...I see.”

The tension eased from his shoulders, and his expression softened.

“That reminds me, does the school store sell any medicine for spellsickness?”

Spellsickness refers to the myriad symptoms that occur when too much magic is performed in too short a time. By taking certain medications, these symptoms can be alleviated or even cured.

“...They might.”

“I’ll go buy some, then. It’ll come in handy down the road for my training.”

“Sure. I’ll go get some drinks in the meantime.”

Possibly due to having caught the spellsickness early and resting, he was already feeling better; enough to walk around, at least. They parted ways, with him heading to the building’s eastern store and Marni heading to the one in the west.

“I remember it was this one that had some...”

Unlike the west store, which sold food and drinks, the eastern one sold things like medications, and he’d never been there before. As he walked down the hallway, he tried to recall the map he’d seen when he’d first come to the academy.

“The store’s a little further down that way,” said a voice to his side.

Sain turned to find a male student with a cocky grin. His short red hair was combed back, and his uniform — the one from Sain’s year — covered a tall and well-built frame.

“Sain Fostess, yeah?”

“Yeah, that’s me...”

“Rayde Eldis,” the student said, flicking a thumb toward himself. “Son and heir of Viscount Eldis. Ring any bells?”

“Ah, I remember hearing that you’re one of the candidates expected to take first place at the field exercises.”

“Hey, I’m liking you already,” Rayde said with a laugh.

Sain realized that he did indeed recognize the young noble, whose fierce appearance and bold smile had left an impression on him during practical lessons when their classes had mixed.

“As fellow members of teams that are contenders for first place, I’ve been interested in you for a while, Sain. So... What do you say? Walk with me to the eastside store? I’ll show you the way.”

“Well, sure...”

While it didn’t surprise him to know that his team was seen as a potential winner, this was the first time he’d received direct confirmation. Figuring it couldn’t hurt to talk, he followed Rayde down the hall.

“I know you make a beeline for somewhere as soon as classes end every day. What’s the deal? Training for the field exercises?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Huh... Cool. I know Alicia and Melia both seem to be pretty fond of you, so I figured there must be something to you. Looks like you’re not a lazy bum, at least.”

“Do you know them?”

“Hard not to. Especially when you’re in the intermediate division like us. One’s been knocking everyone’s socks off with her displays of sheer talent ever since school started, and the other’s been a laughingstock, a girl from the Clan of Light who can only use fire magic. Granted... I’ve heard rumors that the latter has recently graduated from the ranks of the losers. Hell, I’ve even heard rumors that she might actually be on par with me and Melia.”

While Melia’s popularity was always without question, Alicia had also been making a name for herself — in a good way, of course — recently. That was why she’d been flooded by requests to join people’s teams as soon as the teacher had finished announcing the field exercises that morning in class.

“Just so you know, by the way, you’ve got quite the reputation yourself. Probably on par with those two, in terms of how many people know about you.”

“Hah, that goes without saying. As the lord of darkness, my fame is but guaranteed.”

“Eh, more like infamy, honestly—”

“Damn it, you don’t all have to rub it in my face!” he complained angrily before muttering through clenched teeth, “Just... leave me alone...”

He was, of course, well aware that people called him the Darkness Dork.

“Gahaha! It’s just like they said! You’re a real riot!”

Seemingly amused by Sain’s frustrated groaning, Rayde let out a hearty laugh.

“Who cares what they say? Just ignore ’em. I, for one, like hard workers like you.”

Rayde’s comment had caught him off guard, and he suddenly saw the young noble in a different light. He began wondering if maybe the two of them might actually get along pretty well. That lasted all of two seconds.

“More specifically, I like fighting hard workers like you. Call it a hobby. I love the thought of going all out and butting heads at full strength.”

The red-haired noble apparently had a rather aggressive personality, as evidenced by how he proceeded to taunt Sain with a cocky grin.

“By the way...” Rayde continued, “where do you go every day after school? Not trying to spy on you or anything, but sort of curious.”

“I go to the courtyard behind the library tower for lessons with Miss Grim.”

“Miss Grim?”

“She’s also called the master of the library tower.”

Suddenly, the cheeky grin disappeared from Rayde’s face, replaced by a disgusted grimace.

“You serious? The dark elf?” he said in a low, wary tone. “Look, just do yourself a favor and stay the hell away from that girl. It’s for your own good.”

Sain’s expression darkened.

“...Are you saying that because she’s a dark elf?”

“No, I don’t give a damn about whether or not she’s a dark elf,” Rayde said, his reply catching Sain by surprise. “It’s that craven attitude of hers that doesn’t sit well with me, always hiding her face and sneaking around as if she doesn’t want to be seen or something... I like strong people, and she’s clearly a wuss.”

“That’s not her fault. People generally don’t see dark elves in a very good light, and the students and teachers of this academy are no different. What she’s doing seems like a smart decision to me. It keeps her out of trouble.”

“Bah, excuses. At least, that’s not what her sister did.”

Sain frowned. “Sister” was not a word he’d ever heard in association with Marni.

“She has a sister?”

“What, you didn’t know?” Seeing the blank look on Sain’s face, Rayde shrugged and proceeded with an explanation. “Yeah, she’s got an older sister. The two of them were both students here, until she graduated from the junior division. I did my junior division in this academy too, so I remember them well... They were both dark elves, but the older one was a hell of a lady. She was dauntless. Like you said, there’s a ton of people here who discriminate against dark elves, and she always stood up to them. The younger one, meanwhile, just hid behind her back the whole time.”

Everything Rayde said was news to Sain. For some reason, however, he had trouble taking the young noble at face value. At first, he suspected that it was simply because this was the first time they’d spoken to each other. Then, a second thought came to him and he reconsidered. It wasn’t due to unfamiliarity; it was because the Marni that Rayde described didn’t match his own image of her.

“Look, just take my word on this. Forget about your lessons. That dark elf is the kind of person who can’t even walk outside without someone protecting her all the time. What can you possibly learn from a coward like her?”

The more Rayde spoke, the more certain Sain became about his own reasoning.

She’s a girl with a kind heart.

He knew Marni. He knew why she always kept her distance from other people. It wasn’t cowardice; it was concern. She was probably worried that, as a dark elf, she’d cause trouble for other people if she was ever seen with them. Until he convinced her to take him as an apprentice, she’d refused to meet him anywhere except on the top floor of the library tower. Why? Because no one went up there and, therefore, no one would see them. And after he’d finished studying dark magic, the same reasoning applied to why she’d waited for him to head back first before leaving the tower herself. Not only was Marni a kind-hearted girl, she had the strength of character to see her kindness through.

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“What?”

“Miss Grim is not like what you said. She’s a strong and resilient person.”

Rayde’s eyes widened for a second before narrowing again.

“Huh... Oh yeah? Then let’s put your claim to the test,” he said with a toothy grin, “during the field exercises. I’ll see you then. Don’t back out now, you hear?”

“Back out? Hah. I’m looking forward to it.”

Sain matched him with an equally confident smile.

“Rayde?”

A voice came from behind the red-haired boy. He turned to find a girl approaching him.

“Huh? Yuria?” he said in a surprised tone. Then, he scratched his head. “Oh, I guess I’ve been talking for quite a while.”

“I don’t mind that, but...” said the girl before turning toward Sain. “Hm, I presume this is the famed loser of our year?”

Her attitude clearly showed that she looked down on him. Sain figured this must be Rayde’s younger sister. Though they were twins, their appearances were rather different. Whereas the older brother, Rayde, had a rough-and-tumble mannerism to him that made him feel more grounded, his younger sister, Yuria, exuded an air of elegance that was characteristic of the nobility. Her silky hair was the same red hue as her brother and reached down to her waist. There was a slight curl to its ends that caused it to fan out toward the bottom. She stood a little taller than most girls her age, and her slender frame and well-defined features ensured that she turned heads wherever she went.

“Hello, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Yuria Eldis. Things I like: strong people. Things I hate: weak people.”

As it turned out, it was just their appearances that were different. On the inside, they were pretty much the same.

“It’s about time, Rayde. We should start heading to the training gym. The other team members are waiting for us,” she said, making it clear that they were training for the field exercises after school, as well.

“All right, see you, Sain. Don’t get knocked out before I get to you.”

“Hah, right back at you.”

They had another brief grinning contest, after which Rayde spun on his heels and sauntered off. Yuria followed him, but not before she shot Sain a dark glare and said, “Don’t get your hopes up. A loser like you won’t stand a chance against us.”

Sain made no reply. He simply watched with a silent grimace as the red-haired girl took her leave as well.

“Sain?”

Just then, someone called his name. He turned around to find the familiar sight of a blond-haired girl.

“Ah, Miss Gold.”

“Those two just now... They were the Eldis siblings, weren’t they? Did something happen?”

“No, we simply had... a disagreement of sorts.”

“Huh. Did you, now?” Alicia gave him a level look. “Hey, just between us... you probably shouldn’t take what those two say too seriously.”

“Hm? What do you mean by that?”

“The Eldises were originally a family that rose up through the ranks of the military. Even after they were given the title of Viscount, they showed no interest in politics, and spent all their time pursuing military accomplishments. Those two siblings are the exact same. I guess it runs in the blood or something... Basically, what I’m trying to say is that they’re a pair of battle addicts, and coming to you at this point in time is probably just an attempt at provocation.”

“A provocation, huh...”

He thought of what Rayde had said about Marni. It seemed a little too real to be an act. Maybe he was just speaking his mind, and it ended up being a provocation at the same time.

“I thought this would just be another school event, but it looks like a lot of students really throw themselves into it.”

He glanced out a window in the hallway. Ever since the field exercises had been announced, the campus bustled with activity once classes finished. The training gyms and the field outside were filled with students engaging in all sorts of practice. Recently, many students could even be seen going to the teachers for advice after class.

“It has a pretty significant impact on our grades, after all. Most importantly, though... It’s because Jenifa’s meritocratic culture attracts the kind of people who like proving their skills in a fight. For them, the field exercises are their first chance to figure out their relative standings. Honestly, you can’t really blame them for getting so excited. Of course, being such an intensely competitive event, we do end up with missing students every once in a while.”

“Missing students? What do you mean?” he asked with a concerned frown.

“It’s not a regular occurrence, but apparently, it does happen once every few years. The field exercises take place in a very big forest. In a vast expanse of nature like that, monsters aren’t our only concern. The forest itself can threaten our lives.”

“I see... So we have to make sure we can safely survive the wilderness, as well.”

He’d heard from other people that the forest the field exercises took place in was home to some fairly hazardous terrain. There were bottomless swamps and perilous cliffs, just to name a few possible perils. Wandering around such a dangerous location without adequate preparation was a good way to get injured, or in the worst case, die.

“By the way, what are you doing here?” asked Alicia.

“I wanted to buy some medications for spellsickness from the eastern school store, and he was showing me the way there.”

“Oh, those are probably gone. People bought them all up already. With the field exercises on the horizon, it’s every student for herself,” she explained.

Just to be sure, they went and took a look around the store. Like she said, the medications for spellsickness were completely out of stock.

“...And that’s why I came back empty-handed. Sorry.”

After returning to the back of the library tower and explaining the situation to Marni, she contemplated in silence for a while before saying, “Tomorrow, meet me at the front gate after school. We’ll go into town to buy some.”

The next day, Sain and Marni made their way to the academy town.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been outside the campus at this hour.”

There were only five days left until the field exercises. Lately, Sain had been doing nothing but training after school, and his nights were mostly spent in his dormitory room. As a result, the lively bustle of the academy town felt fairly nostalgic. Unlike the campus, where there was a constant, simmering tension in the air, the atmosphere in town was peaceful. Outside a nearby flower shop was an old couple quietly browsing the arrangements. A mother passed by them, holding the hand of her young child who was pointing eagerly at a meat skewer stall.

The ambience was disarming, and Sain had to remind himself to keep his guard up... at which point he noticed that to his side, Marni seemed restless and kept looking around nervously.

“Miss Grim? Is something the matter?”

“N-No...”

She retreated further into her cloak, as though embarrassed, and continued walking, making no further mention of the matter. He shrugged and followed suit. For some time, neither of them spoke as they quietly walked beside each other. Eventually, the silence seemed to get to her, and she cracked, whispering, “I-It’s... been a while since I’ve seen any other part of the town... other than the road that leads to school, I mean...”

Sain nodded in sudden comprehension. Considering that she’d been called the master of the library tower, it was easy to imagine that she’d led a pretty reclusive life. For an indoor hermit like her, the energy and commotion of the academy town must have felt fresh and exciting. Combined with her petite stature and delicate frame, he couldn’t help but see her in the same light as the children running around the town. Ultimately, however, that was little more than his own bias. Upon closer inspection, it was easy to see the rigidity in her motions — a sign of unease that would be absent in someone who felt at home. It was as if she kept telling herself that she’d never fit in. That she couldn’t live like the others. That her true self needed to be buried deep inside her. As proof...

She won’t show her face, huh.

The cloak that she’d taken off during their training sessions was now wrapped tightly around her, obscuring her face and hair, leaving none of her skin exposed. She was hunched forward a little, and she kept her arms close — presumably to make herself appear smaller and attract less attention.

“Do you know where the drug store is?” asked Sain.

“Yes... There’s a store I used a lot when I was in the junior division. The owner was an old man, but he was a nice person and sold things to dark elves like me.”

They went straight down the main street before turning into a side alley. The store was situated just a few paces in. It was a regular stone building of unexceptional size and scale. Marni paused in front of the door, possibly feeling a little wistful about her extended absence. Eventually, she placed her hand on the door and, with a look of resolve, pushed it open and stepped in.

Sain went in after her, at which point any doubt he might have harbored about the store’s identity was erased immediately. Upon entering, he was assaulted by a thick cloud of all sorts of scents, which mixed into a complicated and rather piquant odor that tickled his nostrils. The sheer amount of herbs on the shelves took him by surprise. As he looked around, he suddenly noticed that Marni’s gaze was fixed on the figure at the back of the store.

“...The owner’s different,” she whispered.

The man standing behind the far counter wore a profoundly unenthused expression as he finished up a sale with another customer, who turned around and began walking toward them, holding a bundle of purchased drugs.

“What’s the plan? Should we leave?” asked Sain.

“...No. It’s not like we’re thieves. We’ll buy the drugs here, just like we planned,” she answered in a mildly defiant tone, before walking over to one of the shelves.

While they were no longer on school grounds, this area of town probably saw a lot of traffic from Jenifa, which would explain the large variety of drugs on the shelves meant for students. Soon, they found the spellsickness medication they were looking for.

“A silver each, huh... How many should we buy?”

“Four. Assuming you use one a day, you’ll need four more until the field exercises.”

He picked up four packages of the medication and brought them to the counter.

“These, please.”

“All right.”

The man behind the counter began calculating the total price with the same unenthused expression as before. Suddenly, his hand stopped, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously at Marni.

“Hey, you. You a dark elf?”

She froze. The long cloak over her made her look like any other girl, albeit with a small frame, but it was not a perfect disguise. Her hood could only cover so much of her face, and a careful observer could see the dark edges of her cheeks and chin.

“So what if she is?”

“...Price change, then. Five silver each.”

The curt response took Sain by surprise. For a moment, he stared wordlessly at the man. Then, a hot wave of anger rose up in him.

“G-Get out of here! Five silver? Who do you think you are?”

“Shut your trap! You think I have a death wish or something? I ain’t selling no spellsick drugs to dark elves! Who knows when they’ll go on a murder spree?!”

Unfazed by Sain’s outburst, the man shouted back, and they locked eyes, glaring angrily at each other.

Marni stepped up beside him and asked in a calm voice, “What happened to the owner who was here two years ago? He knew I’m a dark elf and still sold me drugs at the same price.”

“...He’s dead.”

Her eyes widened at the man’s answer.

“That was my dad. I heard he had a dark elf as a customer, but... You dark elves probably don’t know, but just before he died, business went into a real slump here, all because people were spreading rumors about how we were harboring dark elves in this store! Nothing good happens when you deal with dark elves! I want nothing to do with you!”

That’s not her fault!

Sain felt a tempest building up inside but, unable to put it into words, he could only express his rage through his clenched teeth and the whitened knuckles of his fists. All of a sudden, he felt Marni’s hand on his arm.

“Sain, it’s okay... I’m used to things like this.” There was no fluctuation to her voice. No hint of indignation. She simply took out her wallet from inside her cloak. “I’ll pay the extra amount. You just pay the original price.”

He looked her in the eyes, and in her eyes, he saw the truth. The repressed emotions. The unspoken pain. He shook her hand off, surprising her, and instead grabbed her arm.

“We’re leaving.”

He threw the packs of medication on the counter, spun on his heels, and pulled Marni out of the store.

“S-Sain, I... I don’t...”

He stopped, turned to the stammering Marni, and fixed her with a glare.

“Listen, Miss Grim. Maybe you’d rather keep a low profile, and maybe that’s the mature thing to do... But if someone insults a person whom I respect, then I sure as hell am going to give them a piece of my mind, maturity be damned!”

She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing but failing to produce any words.

“Let that guy spew his bile. You don’t have to take any of it. Let’s go find a different store.”

“Ah, but...”

He stormed off with her arm in tow. At first, she continued to sputter complaints, only to have them ignored. Eventually, she fell silent and allowed herself to be pulled along, a mixture of surprise and awe in her eyes as she watched the back of his advancing figure.

“...Well, we finally managed to buy some,” Sain said.

He and Marni were sitting at the edge of a fountain in the center of the town, holding a paper bag filled with medicine. In the end, they’d chosen to conceal Marni’s identity while they proceeded with the purchase at a different store. Widespread discrimination against dark elves wasn’t something he could reverse in a day, unfortunately. It made him seethe, but for the sake of Marni’s safety, it was better to keep her identity a secret when they were in town.

Behind them, the water from the fountain drummed out a rhythmic ambience, which amplified the silence between them. Ever since they’d sat down, Marni hadn’t said a word. She kept her eyes on the ground, her expression hidden by the side of her hood. Perhaps she was feeling tired. They’d done a lot of walking, after all. It had been an exhausting day, both physically and mentally.

“By the way, Miss Grim, do you have a sister?”

His question caused her to look up.

“Why?”

“I heard some rumors. And I was wondering, that first store we went to... You used to go with your sister, didn’t you?”

Though he phrased it as a question, he was already sure of the answer. The owner had said “You dark elves probably don’t know.” He’d used the plural. The other dark elf had almost certainly been Marni’s older sister.

“...Yes. I had a sister.”

She spoke in a low murmur, and she paused at times, but she slowly began to divulge her story.

“My sister is called Harti. She’s six years older than me... Until two years ago, we were both students here... The notorious pair of dark elves... The only two in Jenifa. She wasn’t like me at all. She was lively and outgoing. Even at school, she didn’t let being a dark elf get to her. It was like she didn’t even care about it. Of course, there was still a lot of discrimination, but she never ran away from that kind of thing. She stood up to the malice. She battled it head-on.”

“She battled it?”

“I guess you can say... she protested. Or, to be more blunt, she got in fights. But Jenifa Royal Magic Academy — officially, at least — opposes racial discrimination, so it was always the other students who were punished. My sister... she always protected me. I was always so weak, and I used her like my shield, hiding behind her all the time. Whenever people started bullying me, she’d show up and fight for me. We were both dark elves, but we were so different. She could do everything. And I... couldn’t do anything.”

In her story, she often spoke highly of her sister at her own expense, almost as if she felt guilty about something.

“...Your sister was a woman of courage, I see.”

“Yes, she was. Brave. Fearless. And then, two years ago... she suddenly disappeared.” She paused for a second to collect her thoughts, then continued. “It really was sudden. One day, she was gone. Just like that. I woke up in my room that morning and, like always, went outside to wait for her so we could go to school... but she never showed up. I went to her room to see what was going on and found her door unlocked. When I checked inside, it was completely empty.”

“...Did they search for her?”

“Of course. But they found nothing. Not even a single clue. Eventually, they called off the search effort... and even now, she’s still considered to be missing.”

“...I see.”

The burden of Marni’s past was far heavier than Sain had expected. He kept a calm face, but inside, he was reeling from shock. They’d known each other for some time now, but nothing she had done ever suggested that she had such a story to tell.

“But I think she’s still alive.”

His eyes widened further at the confidence in her tone.

“That’s why... I’m going to win first place at the field exercises... so I can ask the headmaster to search for her again.”

He could see the resolve in her eyes as she spoke those words. It occurred to him suddenly that she’d expressed her strong desire to win when they’d first met.

“I see... So that’s why you wanted to be the one who gets to make the request of the headmaster...”

“Yes, that’s why.”

Sain thought back to the time when they’d first convinced her to join their team. She’d agreed, but only on the condition that, should they win, they would allow her to decide the specifics of their request to the headmaster. Now, he finally knew why. It was all for this one goal.

Marni wanted to see her missing sister again.

“Don’t tell Alicia or Melia about this. I don’t want them to feel bad for me. It makes things awkward.”

“...Understood.”

After Marni finished her story, they sat in silence for a while longer. Sain wasn’t sure what to say. A few times, he began to venture a comment, only to swallow his words when he saw the sorrowful expression on her face. He remembered how the drug store’s owner had yelled so viciously at her. It had hurt her, and she’d been hurting ever since. Wasn’t there something he could do? After mulling over his options, he leaped to his feet and declared in a firm voice, “All right! I’ve made up my mind!”

He walked in front of Marni and looked down at her seated figure.

“Consider this repayment for the time you spend teaching me magic every day. From this day forward, Miss Grim, I shall take the place of your sister!”

For a few seconds, both of them remained perfectly still. She stared at him with blank shock. He stood over her with a proud grin.

As a matter of fact, Sain had been meaning to do something for her ever since they’d arrived in town. Her remark about not having seen any other part of the town for a while had been accompanied by an expression too wistful for him to ignore. It was easy to imagine that she’d enjoyed her time here in the past, when she’d lived freely under her sister’s protection. They’d probably come to the town together, browsing its stores and stalls without a care in the world. At the very least, they probably weren’t clutching tightly at their cloaks, hoping their hoods hid their faces. Marni was his mentor. As her apprentice, he had a duty and a desire to reciprocate her kindness.

“Mmhmhm, I shall be the one to indulge your willfulness today. Ask whatever you want of me. There’s no need to hold back. Come on, I insist,” he said, welcoming her demands with a confident thump of his chest.

His intention was successfully conveyed to Marni, whose expression brightened slightly.

“Thanks, but the thought is enough. You don’t have to force yourself to—”

“Nobody’s forcing themselves,” he firmly cut her off. “Was your sister forcing herself to protect you? I highly doubt that. Most likely, your sister came to your aid, time and again, simply because she wanted to. She protected you, not because of duty or obligation, but because she felt genuine affection for her little sister.”

Marni looked down at her feet for a while. Then, she nodded ever so slightly.

“I am the same, Miss Grim.”

“...The same?”

“Indeed, for I feel genuine affection for you, as well.”

“...Huh? Wha— Huh?!”

His statement elicited what was probably the biggest reaction he’d gotten from her since they’d met. She blushed scarlet and began stammering in a mild panic. Sain, oblivious to the effect he’d had on her, continued his speech.

“We are linked, you and I, by an intimate bond — the bond between mentor and apprentice — Nay, between fellow comrades in arms, about to brave the challenges of the field exercises.”

“Ah... That kind...” she mumbled in a voice so low he could barely hear before looking down at her feet again. “...Sain.”

“Huh? What?”

“...Tell me something. Do you often make girls mad at you?”

“...How did you know that?”

As a matter of fact, he’d just gotten a good scolding not long ago.

“I feel sorry for Alicia and Melia. Give them my condolences.”

“Wh-What do you mean by that? I’m pretty sure they’re doing fine... as far as I know, at least... Aren’t they?”

His rebuttal grew more and more uncertain until it just straight up turned into a question.

“Forget about taking the place of my sister,” she said as she looked at him and smiled. “Just be yourself, Sain... That alone is enough for me.”

Just be myself.

He immediately understood the intent behind her words.

“...All right. However, that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been meaning to repay you for all the help you’ve given me lately. Is there anything I can do for you?”

She took a moment to think before answering, “In that case... I want a book.”

“A book it is. To the bookstore, then.”

After seeing Marni get to her feet, Sain turned around and eagerly led the way.

Even if she couldn’t show her face... Even if she had to hide the fact that she was a dark elf... Surely, there were still ways for her to enjoy her life. It certainly wouldn’t be a comfortable way to live, but in no way was she doomed to misery and despair. That was what he wanted to convey to her.

“If we’re looking for a bookstore that will satisfy the master of the library tower, then this has to be it.”

The bookstore Sain led them to was one of the largest in the capital. It was a long, single-floor stone building, and many customers could be seen through the windows walking to and fro inside.

“Do you go to bookstores often, Sain?”

“Mmhm. The library tower does have books about dark magic, but for the newest books, the easiest way to acquire them is to buy them here.”

“...I see. You’re a diligent one.”

“I just know what I have to do. That’s all.”

There was no inflection of pleasure or pride in his voice. It was a simple statement of fact. The sincerity with which he said it left an impression on Marni, and she thought to herself, He has such cheesy build-ups when he’s trying to act cool, but the moments when he’s actually cool come without any warning.

For better or for worse, Sain was the kind of person who didn’t pay much attention to how others saw him. Though his efforts to hide his powers often obscured his merits, resulting in him appearing like a flamboyant weirdo, his close acquaintances were well aware that there was plenty of good in him to appreciate.

Then, all of a sudden, he let out a loud shriek of surprise.

“No way!” he exclaimed. “That’s... That’s... The Monthly Darkside?!”

“...The what?”

The mild heart-flutter she’d been feeling toward him ceased immediately, replaced by cold disillusionment.

“It’s a monthly magazine of a most ominous and forbidding nature, one that discusses the allure of darkness in all its forms. The depth and detail that pervade its contents show an understanding of darkness so thorough that some suspect the author is the dark knight himself... Never would I have imagined that I’d find such a gem here... But why? It wasn’t being sold here the last time I checked!”

Coming from someone who couldn’t even use dark magic properly until a few days ago, such a comment was understandably laughable. However, at this point, Marni had begun cluing into the fact that in Sain’s mind, the term “darkness” was more or less a placeholder for “something cool,” and did not refer to the actual thing.

“O-O-Owner, you must tell me! When did you start stocking that book?!”

“Eh? What? Oh, that? It wasn’t selling well, so I took it off the shelf, but an ordering error left me with another copy, so I figured I’d leave it there and see what happened.”

“I-I’ll buy it! And I’ll keep buying them, so, please! Keep ordering the newest issues! I can’t find them in any other store in town!”

“Huh? Look, I’m trying to run a business here. I can’t just—”

“I’ll pay you double!”

“...Seriously?”

The owner shook his head but ultimately agreed to the request.

“For a gem, it doesn’t seem to be in much demand,” quipped Marni.

“Hmph, no matter the age or era, those who see its true value are rarely appreciated. We are doomed to live lonely and misunderstood lives,” he replied in a tone of heroic tragedy, eliciting a sigh from her. “In any case, Miss Grim, go ahead and pick any book you want. It’s on me today.”

“...Are you sure?”

“A man of darkness always keeps his word. I don’t want to make all the help you’ve given me seem transactional, though... I just want to express my gratitude in a tangible fashion,” he said with genuine concern.

Marni looked at him, thought about it for a few seconds, then said, “I’ll take the most expensive book in this store, then.”

“Uhhh... D-Does it... have to be the most expensive one? I mean, if it really is what you want, then—”

“Relax, I’m joking,” she said with a mischievous grin before walking over to a shelf to find something she wanted.

He watched her wordlessly from a distance, feeling a warm sensation radiate from within him. Her attitude and mannerisms had softened considerably since he’d first seen her. It was a sign of trust, and he was glad to have it.

“Sain, I think I’m going to need some time to pick one out.”

“Got it.”

Her eyes glimmered with excitement as she browsed the rows upon rows of books. While avoiding contact with people was ostensibly why she’d holed herself up on the top floor of the library tower, it was also possible that she just liked books.

I should go for a breather.

It looked like they were going to be here for a while. He stepped outside and regarded the distant, reddening sky. Lately, he’d spent all his time training, but it might be worthwhile to add a few more breaks into his schedule. The one he was taking right now was certainly proving to be quite enjoyable.

“Hello.”

Someone spoke to him. He turned around to the sight of an unfamiliar woman. She was taller than him, and her voice was smooth and steady. Her face was hidden by the hood of a plain black cloak, but he caught a glimpse of a few strands of silver hair, accentuated with blood-red highlights. Her approach had taken him by surprise and, in his uncertainty, he only managed to nod in greeting. His flustered reply drew a short, amused chuckle from her.

“You’re a student from Jenifa Royal Magic Academy, right?”

“...Yes, I am.”

“I’m trying to go to the west gate. Would you happen to know how to get there?”

“Hm, in that case, you should go back to the main street and head toward the fountain square. Then, keep going west. Don’t take any side roads, though. A lot of them don’t reach the gate.”

“Thank you very much. I assumed students would be familiar with the capital city. I’m glad I ran into you.”

Despite getting the directions she’d asked for, the woman seemed in no hurry to leave.

“Are you meeting someone here?” she asked.

“No, I’m waiting for someone to finish buying something.”

“Hmm. You mean her?”

The woman pointed at the bookstore’s window, where Marni’s cloaked figure could be seen. Sain felt his breath catch in his throat. How did she know who he was waiting for?

“Yes, that’s her...” he said cautiously.

“Sorry if I surprised you. Actually, I just happened to see you two walk in earlier.”

He nodded, relieved that it was apparently just a coincidence.

“Is she your friend?”

“Mmm... She’s many things. Friend, mentor, comrade... What she definitely isn’t is just another classmate.”

She replied with the kind of “hmm” that left much unsaid.

“That girl... You do know she’s different from other people, right?”

His breath caught for the second time since speaking to the woman. What did she mean by that question? Did she know that Marni was a dark elf? He stared at the cloaked stranger, carefully selecting his next words.

“Who are you?”

“That’s not important. Answer my question.”

The woman’s voice projected a sense of power that compelled him to obey. Feeling the tension thicken in the air between them, Sain decided to forgo all the questions he had and answer her head-on.

“I do know... but it doesn’t matter. I trust her from the bottom of my heart.”

“...I see.” The woman’s posture softened, as though she was satisfied by his response. “Well, I should get going. I hope you do well during your field exercises.”

She turned and walked away. Sain watched her until her figure melted away in the distance. Only then did the peculiarity of her final words hit him.

“...How come she knew about the field exercises?”

Did she have something to do with the academy? If so, it would explain why she knew Marni was a dark elf, and the question she’d asked would make sense. In the end, however, he was left with nothing but an uncomfortable number of questions, and the woman’s identity ultimately remained a mystery.

“Sain, I’m done. Thanks for waiting.”

The bookstore’s door opened and Marni appeared.

“Did you find a book that you want?”

“Yes, it’s over there.”

They returned inside and she pointed at a book on one of the shelves.

“Huh... That’s a pretty thick book.”

“It’s used, so it’s not that expensive.”

He pulled it out and examined it. It had the kind of weight that befitted its aged appearance. A glance at the price tag revealed that it was indeed on the cheaper side. It was apparently a book about medicinal herbs.

They brought it to the counter and Sain paid for it. The staff wrapped it in a thin layer of protective paper and handed it back to them. Marni carefully cradled it like it was her baby as they walked out of the store.

“Sain... Thank you,” she said once they were outside. “Today was, um, a lot of fun... so if you have time... I’d be happy to do something like this again some other day.”

Her eyes were downcast, and her voice trembled a little. Under her hood, her face was as red as an apple.

“Sure. We’ll go shopping again some time. Assuming my wallet can handle it, of course...”

“...I’m not asking you to keep buying things for me.”

Marni pushed her lips out in a petulant scowl at Sain and his misplaced worries.

By the time Sain and Marni each returned to their respective dormitory rooms, the woman in the plain black cloak had rendezvoused with a man near the capital city’s west gate. The man was tall and skinny, and below his smooth crimson hair was a pair of amber eyes.

“That took you a while. Weren’t you just going to take a quick look?” asked the man.

“Yeah, but I ran into an interesting kid along the way.”

He raised an eyebrow at her answer but seemed to lack the interest to inquire further.

“And? How was she?”

“Hmm... Leading a better life than I thought. She looked happy.”

“Happy? A dark elf?”

“She’s found a good friend, apparently.”

The man snorted.

“None of that is going to last. You should know that well. There’s no place for dark elves. Not in this kingdom... Not even in the entire world. That’s why we’re here. To save them.”

The woman pursed her lips but said nothing back.

“She’s the same as you were. Dark elves all carry deep scars in their hearts. That makes them more susceptible to Chaos. I doubt we even have to wait the whole five days to approach her. We can bring her into the clan right now.”

“That’s... no good. We should stick to the plan,” replied the woman.

The man tsked with annoyance.

“Ugh, the plan. ‘Taking her away during the field exercises won’t run the risk of people realizing it’s a kidnapping.’ ‘They’ll assume it was an accident and write her off as a missing person,’” he said as he ran his hand back through his hair in exasperation. “I know this plan of yours is safe and all, but it sure is tedious.”

“I’ve said this before, but in the end, we’re going to let her decide and respect her choice. If she refuses, we back off. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Still... there’s no way she’ll refuse. She’s the same as the old you. A wounded heart doesn’t heal easily.”

“...Maybe not. Who knows.”

The man’s confidence was not reciprocated by the woman. The face of a young boy surfaced in her mind. True, a wounded heart did not heal easily, but maybe the presence of trusted friends could put it on the path of recovery.

“The student council president, though... Now that’s someone we have to watch out for,” muttered the man. “He’s a freaking monster, that Cain Theresia. Whatever we do, we have to make sure we don’t run into him... He was a serious handful last time, when I came to bring you in.”

“Yes, and that’s why we’re going to do this during the field exercises. To prevent him from getting in the way.”

The field exercises were undertaken by first-years of Jenifa’s intermediate division. The student council president, Cain Theresia, was from a different year and therefore would not be present. Furthermore, the event was taking place in the Trowa Forest, which was half a day by horse-drawn cart from the capital city, where the academy was situated. Even if Cain caught wind of something happening during the field exercises, it would take him some time to get there. While such details should have been unknown to these outsiders, the two of them had still somehow taken them into consideration for their plans.

“Are the Beasts ready to go?”

“Yeah, no problem. I’ve already hidden them in the area.”

“Convenient, isn’t it? That power of yours to control Beasts.”

“Hah, jealous? You don’t need to be, really. It doesn’t matter how many small fry you control. They’re still small fry. You, though... Your melding with Chaos is far deeper. Hell, you’re the reason I rose up in the clan.”

“...Second generation, was it? Doesn’t feel very special,” said the woman, placing a hand on her chest, as if she were trying to feel something inside.

“You don’t have to feel special. You just have to be special. And trust me, that power you’ve gained is nothing to scoff at. I’d wager you’re a match for even that president guy.”

“Let’s hope we don’t need to find out. It’s better that we go unnoticed.”

“True.” The man snickered. “I’ve got high hopes for your little sister, you know.”

The woman looked down at the ground. She didn’t answer.

There were three days left until the field exercises. While Sain and Marni had been training together by themselves after school, with less than four days until the actual event, their team had decided to dedicate the remaining time to fine-tuning their teamwork.

“Come on, Sain, you have to move faster! You almost ended up as collateral damage there!”

“S-Sorry!” Sain apologized to Alicia as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

It was after school, and they were practicing in the training gym Melia had reserved for them. All four of them were present, and they planned to keep refining their teamwork until sundown. During the event, Alicia and Marni would be their attackers, while Melia provided support. For the time being, Sain had been appointed to the role of team support, and he was training himself to be ready to back up any other member at a moment’s notice.

“I do admit that you’re a little less wimpy than before,” said Melia to Sain during their break.

Alicia nodded beside them.

“Yeah, your dark magic actually works now, as long as you land a hit. Plus, your footwork is top-notch. I guess we have Marni to thank for getting you in shape through all those mock battles.”

There had been a time when Alicia had literally swatted away Sain’s Darku with her hand. Fortunately for him, she actually needed to defend against it properly now. On top of that, all the battle experience with Marni had refined his positional awareness during heated combat and against a stronger opponent, drastically improving his agility and spacing. He now moved like an expert.

“But... the problem is I still have no way of landing a decisive blow,” said Sain in a dejected tone.

While Marni had been teaching him the dark elf spell Dark Ray, he still hadn’t managed to learn it properly. Currently, the only spell he could cast reliably was Darku.

“Our team has a lot of firepower to begin with. There’s no need to get caught up on how strong we are individually.”

“Marni’s right,” added Alicia. “Even if you just run around and mess up the enemy’s tempo, that’s still a big help. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be better if you could do some real damage, but, you know...”

“Compared to a month ago, I think this is pretty good progress. We can’t really expect much more. There just isn’t enough time left,” said Melia.

Both Alicia and Melia offered their own opinions regarding Sain’s concerns. They were right, of course. There just wasn’t enough time left. Even so...

“Dark Ray!”

Sain stayed behind in the training gym and continued to practice the spell on his own. A dark lance flew from his palm, shooting forward through the air. However, it only covered about five meters before it started to break apart at the tip, vanishing completely before the ten-meter mark.

“Damn it... I’m so close... I’m so close, but...”

He was almost there. The spell was taking shape. All he had to do was keep it from disintegrating mid-flight. Once he managed that, the spell would be complete. It felt so close that he had to be just one step away from success. Another fortnight or so, and he’d probably have it figured out. The problem was that he wasn’t going to make it in time for the field exercises.

Ever since being told of Marni’s wish, he’d wanted to do something for her. As an apprentice, he had a natural duty to oblige his mentor. It was more than that, though. He also just had an honest desire to fight for her. The sight of Marni during their shopping trip in town was still fresh in his memory. He remembered the way she’d hidden herself away behind both her cloak and her indifference. If her sister returned to the academy, she’d have a chance to act more like herself.

Okay, calm down. Don’t get hasty. Slow and steady wins the race.

It was already eight at night, and there was only an hour left before curfew. The practice they’d done today was physically demanding, and the team had agreed to retire early to their dormitories to rest up for tomorrow. Sain, however, was too aware of his own deficiencies to relax in his room. After returning to the dormitories with his team, he’d set out again by himself for the training gyms. Though he hadn’t reserved a space, the gyms were empty at this time in the night and could be used freely. After a while, however, he paused and considered just how little progress he was making. He simply couldn’t see himself improving enough by doing the same thing for three more days.

“...Maybe I should pay that forest another visit.”

His thoughts turned to the forest Marni had shown him. It was where he’d learned the correct way to use dark magic. Perhaps its somber atmosphere could help him master Dark Ray as well. Either way, it was worth a try.

“...Right, then.”

With his mind made up, he returned to his room again and rested until the curfew at nine. After answering the housemother’s call, he stepped out of his room and knocked on the adjacent door.

“Yes, Master Sain?” asked Melia as she opened the door. “What is it?”

“I apologize for asking so late at night, my maid, but I need your help. I wish to restart the training I used to do at night.”

“That’s fine... but are you sure your body is going to hold up? Weren’t you just practicing at the training gym?”

“...Why do you know that?”

“Because I’m your maid, of course,” she said with a polite curtsy.

Sain wasn’t quite sure how to unpack all that, but there was no time for self-reflection. He had to prioritize. After bidding her farewell, he snuck out the back door and made his way toward the forest. He followed the same path Marni had shown him, leaving through the east gate and venturing past the city walls.

Suddenly, alarm bells went off in his head.

“What the—?! This is...”

He stopped immediately and took off the necklace he wore. To the other students, that necklace was nothing more than an accessory — a perpetual reminder of his terrible fashion sense. The truth, however, was only known by a select few. The jangling trinkets he covered himself with were all magical seals used to suppress his actual power. He removed them, allowing the power of light within him to flow freely.

He quickly turned his attention to the cause of his mental warning and, after discerning its source, unleashed his attendants’ powers as well.

“Melia. Alicia.”

As soon as he spoke their names, he felt two pulses from the direction of the dormitories, signifying the unlocking of their powers of light. Then, he waited. After about ten seconds, he figured his attendants had probably calmed down from the abrupt onset of power, and spoke to them through his mind.

Sorry, we’ve got an emergency on our hands, so I had to unleash your powers. I’m currently using a power known as telepathy. It allows me to communicate with you from a distance using my mind, he said telepathically.

Using your mind? came Alicia’s thoughts. Wh-What about me? Is this working? Do you hear me?

Loud and clear, Miss Alicia. Very good for your first try.

Melia, having been his attendant for years, was already familiar with the process. Alicia seemed to have quickly gotten the hang of it as well, so he got right to the point.

I’m going to keep this brief. I sense the presence of Chaos outside the city walls. The two of you are to split up and hunt them down.

Split up? But... I can’t sense any Chaos.

Alicia’s thought-voice was hesitant.

Now that I’ve unleashed your powers as an attendant, you should be able to sense them, too. If you don’t feel anything, it’s probably because you’re just too far away. Head out past the city walls first, and then find where the Chaos is.

Master Sain, where are you right now? If you’re close, I’ll meet up with you first.

Don’t bother. I’m already close enough to engage some of them. I’ve confirmed the presence of four of them, so far... Two are just outside the east gate. The remaining two are near the north and south gates, respectively. I’ll handle the ones at the east gate, so I’m leaving the others to you two.

I’ll take the south gate, then, replied Melia.

Then the north gate’s mine. I’m going right now, Alicia confirmed as well.

Sain and Melia lived in a different dormitory building than Alicia. There wasn’t much difference between them, but Sain and Melia’s was situated a little closer to the south gate.

If Chaos is allowed to run free in a place like this, they’ll cause immeasurable damage... Don’t waste any time. Hit them hard and fast.

Understood.

Got it.

Sain kept his telepathic link with the two girls active as he fully unleashed his powers as the holy knight. The black dye in his hair bled away, revealing his original blond, and his jet-black outfit brightened into a coat of pure white.

“Found it! There’s the first one!”

With a powerful leap, he shot through the air, covering several hundred meters in the span of a breath. The creature didn’t even have time to react before Sain was in striking distance. He swung his arm in an arc, sending the glowing blade of light that extended from his palm straight through its torso.

“As I thought... a Beast,” he said, watching the two severed pieces fade into nothingness. It never even had a chance to growl.

Blood-red creatures like the one he’d just vanquished were known as Beasts of Chaos. Within the ranks of Chaos, they were small fry. Occupying the lowest position in the Chaos hierarchy, they were treated as common grunts. That did not, however, mean Beasts should be taken lightly, and inexperienced fighters were to steer clear of them at all costs. When it came to Chaos, even a common grunt was far more dangerous than a regular monster.

While normal humans had no chance against them in combat, Alicia and Melia were his attendants. Having been imbued with the power of the holy knight, mere Beasts presented little challenge to them, and they should each be capable of defeating one on their own.

“Sanctuary.”

A ripple of light extended outward from Sain’s feet, sweeping across the ground in an expanding circle that infused it with the blessing of the goddess. Though it would fade after some time, while the blessing endured, Chaos would be unable to tread upon the sacred ground.

He immediately began moving toward his second target. Against a background of darkness, wrapped in a pulsing cloak of light, his figure as he dashed across the open plains was like a shooting star in the night sky.

Master Sain, I’m done with mine.

Melia’s voice echoed in his mind as he ran.

That was quick. If you don’t sense any others around you, then go help Alicia.

Roger that.

Her thought-sentence barely finished before a swift swing of his glowing blade made short work of the second Beast. For the holy knight, vanquishing Chaos was akin to a normal person’s day job; after a while, it became routine. He didn’t even bat an eye as the Beast fell to the ground and its blood-red carcass decayed into nothing.

“Sanctuary.”

In the same fashion as before, he infused the ground around him with the blessing of the goddess.

“Phew... That should do it for the east side.”

Only the north gate remained. He was just about to head there to help Alicia when her bewildered voice rang in his head.

What... happened here?

Alicia? What’s going on?

Um... I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t know why, but, um... she said, stammering a little. I sensed a presence, so I went toward it, and... I just got here, but the Chaos thing is already dead.

Sain stopped in his tracks.

What do you mean?

I-I don’t know... But, like... there are signs of battle here. I think it’s probably from light magic, but...

Then, Melia’s voice entered the conversation.

So what you’re saying is... somebody killed it.

There was a period of silence as Sain and Alicia considered the implications of Melia’s conclusion. Somebody had killed it.

But who?

A Beast was no regular monster. The existence of Chaos wasn’t even public knowledge to begin with. Anyone who fought them thinking they were regular monsters was going to have a very bad time, but judging by Alicia’s description, the person had likely dispatched the Beast with ease.

...Let’s stop thinking about that for now. Alicia, is there any more Chaos near you?

No, it’s safe here.

Okay, then the battle is done for the time being. Sorry for calling you out so late at night. After your attendant powers are suppressed, please make your way back to the dormitories.

Alicia’s voice grew uncertain.

Are... you sure? We still don’t know who it was...

We don’t know who it was, but if they’re killing creatures of Chaos, then, at the very least, they’re probably not our enemy. The holy knight and dark knight aren’t the only ones fighting Chaos. There are others who oppose Chaos and are trying to eliminate them... While I’d love to learn the identity of our mystery fighter, I doubt we need to be too wary of this person.

...All right, then. I’m going to start heading back to the dorm.

That was when Melia chimed in.

By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, Miss Alicia... How did you get out of the dorm?

Huh? What do you mean? By the front door, of cour— Ahhhh! The housemother! Ohhh, I’m going to be in so much trouble!

...Poor Miss Alicia. Here, I’ll go with you to apologize.

Sain felt a smile creeping across his lips as he listened in on their amusing exchange. He quelled his holy knight powers and put his necklace-shaped seal back on. Coincidentally, the second Beast had been close to his original destination, the dark forest, and it wouldn’t take long for him to head there and begin his training. Just as he was about to go, though, he heard the rustle of grass.

“...Sain?”

He spun on his heels at the sudden mention of his name, only to come face to face with Marni, who stood motionless, her eyes wide with shock.

She saw.

Those were the only two words that appeared in his mind before it went blank. The conclusion of the battle had lulled him into a false sense of security, and that brief moment of negligence had led to him making a terrible mistake. He’d let his guard down. He’d let himself be seen.

What was Marni doing here? Why here of all places?

Questions flashed in his mind, fleeting and futile. He knew why, of course. It was obvious. She was probably worried about her apprentice. During their practice session today, she’d seen his frustration. She knew he was troubled by his own powerlessness. And she’d figured — correctly — that he might return to the forest she’d shown him.

“Why... How come you...”

Her voice was hoarse. Tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked them out as she turned and ran away.

“W-Wait!”

He began running after her, but stopped after a few steps. How would he explain what she saw? Even if he caught up, what could he possibly say? He stood there, watching Marni’s figure shrink more and more into the distance before it disappeared. The sky grew darker, but it couldn’t match the gloom that had enveloped his heart.

There were two days left until the field exercises. During this critical time when every team should be making their final preparations, Sain’s was instead in the midst of a crisis.

“So... You’re telling us that you blew your cover, and Marni knows your true identity now?” asked Alicia.

“...Yeah.” Sain nodded with a look of deep concern. “As soon as Miss Grim saw my true form, she dashed off as if she wanted to get away from me.”

“Well, I mean, I don’t blame her. Seeing you like that in the dead of night can really throw someone for a loop. You probably scared her off.”

“No... That wasn’t what it felt like.”

He revisited that awful memory of last night. He’d seen the moment when it had dawned on her — when she’d realized that he was the holy knight. But just before she’d ran off, he’d also seen that there were tears in her eyes. He couldn’t shake that last glimpse of her from his mind. It wasn’t fear that brought up tears. It was sorrow. Heartbreak.

“It looks like you’re going to have to talk it out with her,” said Melia.

“...Yeah, you’re right,” he nodded.

After classes finished for the day, he made his way to the library tower alone, unaccompanied by Alicia and Melia. While the two girls had argued that they were just as involved in the matter and should go with him, he convinced them to let him go by himself first.

“...She’s not here.”

Their after class mock battles were so routine that the back of the library tower had become an unspoken meeting spot for them. Today, however, Marni was nowhere to be found. He entered the tower and climbed to the top floor, where he was greeted by the same dimly-lit space. The purple phosphorescence that had illuminated their first meeting glowed unchanged. The tables and chairs they’d laid out for their studying sessions had been put away as well. Marni herself was sitting on the ground at the back of the room. Everything was just as they’d been when they’d first met, as if all the time they’d shared together had been rewound.

“Miss Grim.”

Upon hearing her name called, her eyes shifted away from the book in her hands. She looked up at him.

“What do you want?”

There was an edge to her voice. He chose his next words carefully.

“...I came to talk.”

Slowly, ever so slowly, he approached her, hoping not to provoke her in any way.

“Go away.” She held up a hand toward him, rebuffing him in both gesture and tone. “Come one step closer, and I’ll attack.”

There was the faint glow of dark magical energy in her palm. She was serious. He could feel a clear hostility from her.

“B-But why? I... I just want to tal—”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“...I apologize for keeping my identity a secret from you until now. But circumstances forced me to—”

“Get out of here!”

He flinched. That was the first time he’d heard her raise her voice — not just raised, but screamed. Marni, the girl who always wore a mask of calm indifference, had screamed at him in anger. She violently threw back the gray hood that so often hid her face, revealing cheeks flushed with color and eyes filled with emotion. Wet, teary emotion.

“You lied to me. All this time, you kept lying to me... The holy knight doesn’t need to learn any dark magic. This past month...was all just a game to you... I’m glad you had fun tricking me for your amusement!”

“What? No! It wasn’t a game at all! I was serious about learning dark magic! And I still am! I swear to you, Miss Grim, that this apprenticeship was not for my amusement!”

“Then tell me... Tell me why the holy knight is trying to become the dark knight.”

Sain’s words caught in his throat. He had no simple explanation for his goal. Even if he were to venture a response, he doubted she’d actually believe him. He held her gaze and kept his composure. As he racked his brain trying to come up with a credible answer, however, he noticed Marni smiling. It was a twisted smile, all mockery and scorn. And it was directed not at him, but herself. At that moment, he knew: his hesitation had cost him.

“...You can’t answer,” she said, shaking her head as though she thought herself a fool. “You can’t answer because there is no answer. In the end... You’re just the same as the rest of them. You saw that I’m a dark elf, and you figured you’d have some fun with me... I thought you were different... That you weren’t like them! I trusted you!”

The dam of her eyes finally gave way, and her tears overflowed. They streamed freely down her cheeks as she screamed at him with the pain and rage of trust betrayed.

“N-No, that’s not... I didn’t...”

Sain sputtered uselessly, his mind desperate but blank. What must he say? What should he do? How could he mend their fractured friendship?

“...You wanted to save the goddess, didn’t you?”

Hearing Alicia’s voice behind him, he turned to find her approaching. Melia was with her. Their expressions were sober.

“When... did you two get here?”

“Just now. We came because... Well, we figured it’d end up like this,” Melia said with a sidelong glance at the tearful Marni.

Alicia turned directly toward him and, looking him in the eye, said, “Tell her, Sain. I think Marni has the right to know.”

“...Yeah, you’re right.”

With a resigned nod, he walked over to Marni’s side and spoke in a solemn tone.

“Miss Grim, everything I’m about to tell you, I speak of in confidence. I ask that you promise me you won’t tell anyone else.”

He regarded the girl, silently acknowledging that he had indeed deceived her. He’d enlisted her help in pursuit of his dream but kept her in the dark about every crucial detail. Letting out a slow, deliberate breath, he gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

Marni deserved better. She deserved to know.

“I do have an answer to your question. I am trying to become the dark knight... because I wish for the goddess’s salvation.”

He proceeded to tell her everything.

Sain first met the goddess when he was five years old.

Will you be my knight?

As she spoke those words, there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes, and a slight trace of loneliness. He accepted her request, and thus began his life as the holy knight.

In the process of naming him her knight, the goddess conferred upon him the power of her divine blessing — a power so potent so that it made him, still a young child, a renowned hero. It granted him unparalleled mastery over all forms of light magic, and so he wielded it, using his tiny, delicate hands to save the lives of countless people.

Sain, dear, you really are terrific. You’ll be the best holy knight there ever was.

“That’s not true.”

Though the goddess resided in the heavens, she would occasionally project an image of herself to Sain to indulge in some banter. Sometimes, she would show up in his dreams. Other times, she’d appear at his side. Her image was always indistinct, so much so that he had to squint to make out the hazy outline of a faint specter, translucent and mirage-like. Her illusory appearance, however, was not to hide her presence; no one but the holy knight could see her, after all.

Therefore, in this current age, the only person who could converse with the goddess was Sain. It was a fact that did not sit well with him, and it was frequently on his mind.

One day, he and the goddess were discussing their wishes and dreams.

Sain, dear, is there anything you want? You know, a wish of some kind?

“Not especially.”

If he was being honest, he’d say that he wanted to do something for her. To repay her in some way. Ever since the day of their first meeting when he’d become the holy knight, the sight of her lonely, wistful expression had never left his mind. He was frequently reminded of it, too; in the days since, he’d seen her with the same expression on many occasions.

It was an expression he didn’t want to see on her. Not anymore. And so, he kept his silence on the matter and turned the question back at her.

“What about you, goddess?”

Me? I... Hm, well... I...

She stammered a little. Then...

I wish I could... live with somebody. Together.

It was the first time she’d ever revealed her true feelings. For as long as he could remember, she’d never said anything like it before.

Not as a goddess. Not watching from above. But together. Like any other person. As an ordinary human being... I want to live the same lifetime as someone else... To walk through life at the same pace, sharing the same seconds, minutes, and hours... It won’t ever happen, of course. I know that. But sometimes, Sain, dear, when I’m talking to you, I start thinking... of how nice it would be if this never ended, if we could stay like this all the time, and I start wishing... that I could live the same lifetime as you...

He listened carefully, etching each and every word of hers onto his heart.

A-Actually, you know what? Forget about what I just said! I was being weird! added the goddess, in a flustered tone.

He didn’t forget, though. And he swore to himself that he never would, because he now knew what he must do.

Until now, the goddess had accompanied numerous holy knights, and without exception, she had parted with every last one of them. Each parting undoubtedly took a piece of her heart away with it. That was why, when they’d first met, she’d looked at him with sorrow in her eyes. For the goddess, every pact with a holy knight was the promise of an inevitable parting.

From then on, Sain began searching for a way to grant the goddess her wish. He spared no effort, asking everyone from his attendant, Melia, to scholars and professors he met traveling from place to place during his missions as the holy knight. In the end, he reached a conclusion: he couldn’t fulfill her wish. Not as he currently was. No human could allay the loneliness of a divine being. If he wished to live alongside the goddess, he would have to become her equal.

One day, a man in jet-black garb appeared before Sain.

“You’re the holy knight, yeah?”

“Indeed. I am the holy knight. Who might you—”

“I’m the dark knight.”

Endowed with the blessings of Shartegallia, the goddess’s male counterpart, the dark knight was the holy knight’s inverse complement. Sain was well aware of the existence of his opposite twin.

“You’re trying to become the next Shartegallia?”

Though Sain didn’t know how the man obtained this information, he was correct. In order to provide the goddess with the company she sought, Sain was looking for a way to become her counterpart.

“...I am.”

“You are, huh. In that case, I’ve got a message for you from His Holiness. If you become the dark knight, then he’ll grant you a chance to take his place.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean exactly what I say. His Holiness is currently looking for a successor. By custom, the current dark knight — in other words, me — is in line to succeed him, but if there’s somebody else who actually wants to climb onto that lofty throne, then things are a little different. If you prove yourself worthy of the role, then His Holiness is willing to pass his seat to you.”

“...Wait, then what happens to His Holiness? The current one?”

“He goes poof.” The man shrugged. “What? Were you expecting something else? Sorry, buddy. There’s no retirement in the god business. Appointing a successor isn’t a ticket to paradise. It’s a ticket to oblivion. Man can become god, but god cannot revert to man. Them’s the rules... For gods, power and life are inextricably linked. To give up one is to forfeit the other.”

“...What about you, then? Are you okay with that? I’m going to be taking a role that was meant for you.”

“Me? Hah, you think I want it? Unlike you, my work involves some truly ghastly shit. It’s a shit job, and I get a ton of shit for doing it. If I could quit, I’d have done so ages ago,” the man said with a scornful chuckle. “But even so, His Holiness and I, the dark knight, are tasked with keeping peace in the world — the same as you and your goddess. We have a job to do, and the stakes are both very real and very high, so we can’t just blindly give our mantles away.”

“...What do I need to do?”

“Become the dark knight.”

Sain’s eyes widened at the man’s answer.

“That’s the minimum requirement, and it’s also your only way of proving to His Holiness that you’re worthy of his consideration. How you do so is up to you. In fact... you’re free to take the mantle from my cold, dead hands if you so wish. You feeling up to it?”

“...I’ll pass on that offer.”

“Hah! A wise choice! After all, what would the world think if their two defenders of peace went to war with each other over personal desires? So... I hope you choose your methods wisely, O great hero of light.”

The dark knight brought with his sudden appearance a wild proposal that bordered on the preposterous. Absurd though it might have sounded, Sain had no other leads, and he agreed to the man’s idea. There was now a tangible method for him to fulfill the goddess’s wish. With his objective established, he began to slowly lay the groundwork for his grand plan.

You...want to quit being the holy knight? The woman’s eyes were large and incredulous. Wh-Why? Why would— W-Was it me? Did I do something wrong?! I’m so sorry if I did...

“It’s not that. I just have a new goal now.”

A... new goal?

The young boy answered with a look of unbending pride.

“I’m going to become the dark knight!”

After finishing his story, Sain looked up to find Marni staring at him, her eyes opened so wide he thought they might pop out of their sockets.

“To save the goddess...” she murmured.

“That’s right.” He nodded firmly. “I don’t want to leave her by herself... That’s all. That’s my only reason for forfeiting my powers as the holy knight and trying to become the dark knight. Maybe it’s all nonsense to you... Maybe you won’t understand why... But I’m serious about it. I’m serious about becoming the dark knight.”

It was possible that his wish would not resonate with Marni. It was even possible that if he were to tell the world, he would not find a single sympathizer. After all, the holy knight was the only one who could interact with the goddess. His predecessor had already passed away, so he was currently the one and only person in the world who knew the goddess’s true nature.

Who would have imagined that the goddess felt the same emotions as man? Who would have imagined that such trifling matters could ail her so?

“Now that I seek the mantle of the dark knight, the glory I won through the power of the holy knight is nothing but a burden. On top of that, if word got out that the holy knight is trying to become the dark knight, there would be widespread protests. It would sow the seeds of unrest. That’s why I’ve lived under a false persona, hiding my identity the best I can. But thinking back on it... perhaps I should have told you the truth from the very beginning. You, Miss Grim, have become an indispensable figure in my quest to become the dark knight. If only I’d realized sooner... I could have prevented all this unnecessary confusion... I’m truly sorry. This was all the result of my thoughtless actions.”

Sain and Marni had become comfortably acquainted with each other, and he wanted it to remain the same way even after the field exercises. He thought of her as a friend as well as a mentor, and his respect for her was no fleeting trifle.

“...I’m the one who should apologize.”

His sincerity thus managed to win back her trust.

“I knew...” Marni continued. “I knew you were serious about it, and still... But it was so sudden, and I couldn’t think straight, and I said a bunch of things I didn’t mean... It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

She lowered her head in a deep bow. After exchanging mutual apologies, the tension in the air dissipated, and the very room seemed to brighten. The two of them looked at each other, their smiles weak but earnest.

“Well, since we’re all here, why don’t you tell everyone about what you’re after in the field exercises, Miss Grim?” Sain proposed. “I mean, I’ve already turned this into a confessional session. You might as well take advantage of the opportunity.”

“...Okay. I’ll share my secret, too.”

Marni nodded and began divulging her story to Alicia and Melia. She spoke of her sister, Harti, who had gone missing, and how she intended to ask the headmaster to conduct another search. Afterward, both Alicia and Melia let out a sigh, as if an enduring mystery was finally solved. They must have been wondering why Marni was so determined to win first place in the field exercises, as well.

“I’d heard rumors that Marni’s sister had gone missing... I see that they were true,” said Alicia. “You could have just told us, though. What’s with all the secrecy?”

“...You’d just have felt sorry for me. I didn’t want to make things weird.”

“Well, things got plenty weird anyway,” she said with a hint of exasperation. Then, she added, “Besides, friends share secrets. And I consider you my friend, so...”

She trailed off, perhaps feeling a little embarrassed to finish her sentence. Her meaning was clear though: I hope you consider me your friend, too.

“All right, tomorrow’s the big day,” said Sain. “Let’s stay focused and make sure we’re as prepared as possible.”

They all looked at each other, and four heads nodded in unison.

The day before the field exercises, Sain and Marni were both in the courtyard behind the library tower.

“Okay, Sain, use the spell again.”

At Marni’s command, Sain held out his arm and shouted, “Dark Ray!”

Dark magical energy congealed in his palm before morphing into the form of a spear. All that remained was to launch it and have it maintain its shape. If he could do that, he’d succeed.

“Hnnnnghhh...”

Keeping it in the shape of a spear was difficult. Magical energy slowly seeped outward, causing tiny streaks of black lightning to dance across its surface. He grunted in exertion as he tried to keep the spell under control, but it ultimately crumbled and scattered into the wind.

“I’d say we’re about seventy percent of the way there.”

“Damn it... If only I could figure this out in time...”

“It’s a shame that you won’t learn it in time, but this is already an absurdly fast pace of improvement, honest. Let’s call it a day for now. We don’t want you to be exhausted tomorrow.”

Though it was earlier than when they usually concluded their training, her concern was fair. With the session concluded, he took a deep breath and stretched.

“Sain.”

“Huh?” he said mid-stretch.

“Darku!”

“Augh?!”

She launched a missile at him point-blank.

“Geez! What was that for?!” he exclaimed after he barely managed to contort his already-dilated body enough to dodge the strike.

She regarded him with calm, searching eyes.

“I always wondered why you moved so well. Now it makes sense... You’re the holy knight, after all.”

“...Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“We’ve already been over this. It’s past us now. I do admit I wish you’d told me sooner, though.”

Sain bit his lip at her grievance. Just then, he heard Alicia’s voice.

“I swear, you two just don’t know when to stop... Today’s the last day, you know? Can’t you just take it easy?”

It was followed by a second voice, which spoke in a snarky drawl that could only have belonged to Melia.

“I don’t know about you, but being sore all over seems like the opposite of ‘as prepared as possible.’”

He turned to find the two girls at the entrance of the courtyard. They were, however, accompanied by a third figure — an old man whose gray hair was matched by his gray beard.

“Sir Knight, please excuse my intrusion,” said the man with a polite bow.

“Ah, Headmaster.”

“I hear that you had a bit of a scuffle last night that caught me unawares. I was wondering if I could be briefed as to the details.”

Sain had intended to report the incident immediately, but it was too late at night, and the headmaster had already left the campus. He’d sent word to the headmaster this morning that he wished to discuss something today, but it seemed that Alicia and Melia had taken the initiative and brought the man here. Furthermore, they’d already given him a summary on the way here, so it didn’t take long for Sain to fill in any remaining details and complete his report.

“Hm... Beasts of Chaos appearing outside the city walls...” the headmaster mused.

“For the time being, I put up a barrier around the capital city,” said Sain, “but have everyone stay vigilant, just in case. While the city’s interior should be safe, I can’t keep all the surrounding areas protected.”

“The merchants going in and out of the city will need guards to protect them. We’ll use the pretense of dangerous monsters being spotted nearby to announce a state of high alert... I suppose I should also ask the royal knights for assistance.”

“Do you have a map? I want to show you some details regarding where the Chaos appeared.”

The headmaster didn’t have a map handy, so he used magic to draw one on the ground in front of him. Sain bent down and began adding marks on it with his finger, pointing out high-risk areas and locations that required extra attention. His teammates watched from the side, impressed by how he handled such matters with the proficiency of a consummate professional.

“Is this the kind of stuff he deals with all the time when he’s acting as the holy knight?” asked Alicia.

“Pretty much. The job comes with... responsibilities. Lots of them,” answered Melia.

The concentration evident in his expression and the serious tone in which he spoke were features that would normally be impossible to associate with him. Right now, they were looking not at Sain the student, but the holy knight on active duty.

As Marni watched him work, she quietly whispered to herself, “If people saw this side of him... He should show them...”

None of the other students in the academy had ever seen this side of Sain. They only knew him to be an ostentatious dork. They’d never witnessed him as he was now, intently discussing matters of city-wide safety with the headmaster of their school. If he behaved like this on a daily basis, he’d surely have a much easier time at school.

“At the very least, he wouldn’t be called the Darkness Dork,” quipped Alicia.

“He is the holy knight, after all. He’s earned his fair share of glory,” said Melia.

The reason Sain never boasted of his accomplishments was because he himself did not feel proud of them. Everything he did, he did for the goddess. All his life, that had been his fundamental drive, until the day he realized that, as the holy knight, he could never offer her the salvation that she sought... From then on, the dark knight had become his goal.

“Well, then. I shall bid you farewell for now. I must make haste to the citadel.”

The headmaster turned to leave.

“Wait, there’s something I need to ask you.”

“Oh? What else would you like to know?”

Sain’s brows furrowed as he spoke.

“Last night when we were fighting the Beasts, there was one that we didn’t get to. By the time one of us got to it, it was already dead. Someone else had killed it... Do you have any idea who it might have been?”

The old man picked at his beard for a moment before answering, “I would be lying if I said no.”

“Then who is—”

“I’m sorry, but my lips are sealed on this matter. This person is a bit special, and let us just say... it’s complicated.”

“...I see.”

Seeing that he’d get nothing else out of the headmaster, Sain bid farewell to the headmaster without further inquiry.

“Well, now that just makes me want to know even more,” muttered Alicia.

“Yeah... but if he knew who it was and chose not to tell us, then we can at least assume it wasn’t anyone dangerous. That’s good enough for now.”

With one important matter out of the way, Sain let out a sigh of relief.

“It looks like we can all relax a little now. With the headmaster’s help, we should have all our bases covered, even in the case of an emergency,” said Melia.

“Right. I’ll have to thank the headmaster again, later. I did check the areas surrounding the city to make sure there were no more of them left... but there do exist beings of Chaos that are hard to detect, even with my powers as the holy knight.”

Alicia frowned.

“Does that mean there are different kinds of Chaos? Like, normal ones and special ones?”

“...Hm, that reminds me. I haven’t told you about any of this yet. There exist certain kinds of Chaos that can hide their shape and presence.”

“...Now that you mention it, I do remember you saying something like that when you saved me in the labyrinth. What was it again? Something about generations and originals?” she said, remembering the events of the past month.

“This seems like a good chance for me to set the record straight, then. Let me do some explaining about Chaos for you, Miss Gold. Miss Grim, I’d like you to listen as well.”

Figuring he might as well get everyone on the same page, he began filling in Alicia and Marni about Chaos. They were a part of this now; they needed to know.

“A long, long time ago, Chaos, in an attempt to break free of the seal His and Her Holiness had placed it under, created seven monsters. We refer to them as the Founders of Chaos. The Founders have the ability to share the power of Chaos with their subordinates. It’s likely that the Beasts of Chaos I recently fought were originally some normal monsters that had been given a portion of a Founder’s power. You can think of it as... a kind of heredity. Like us, Chaos has generations. The first generation is the Founders. The Beasts I just fought are of the fifth generation. The ability to dole out their power to their subordinates ends with the fourth generation. From the fifth and beyond, they lose their control of themselves, becoming feral beasts that act purely on primal instinct, absent any reason or intelligence.”

“Then what about the thing that got me a month ago? Was it turning me into some generation of Chaos?”

“That’s right. You, Miss Gold, were on the verge of becoming part of the fourth generation of the Founder known as Ganmei Hajun. Each of the seven Founders have been given names. Ganmei Hajun, which etymologically speaking means something like ‘Mighty Shield,’ is shaped like a massive turtle, and it perpetually deploys a special barrier around itself that disintegrates anything it comes into contact with. When you came under its influence, you also received a portion of its power.

“Each Founder is unique in its power and appearance. Senbou Kairai, for example, looks like a monkey and can freely control its subordinates. Its name is derived from the phrase ‘Thousand Puppets.’ Then there’s Fubaku Yuukai — the ‘Unchainable Specter’ — a fish-like creature that can hide itself from view. They’re such strange and eccentric beings that some consider them legendary creatures hailing from myths of old. In fact... Remember how I was saying there exists Chaos that can hide its shape and presence? I meant Fubaku Yuukai.

“Fifth-generation beasts can be considered small fry. Fourth-generation Incarnations like the one I and Miss Gold defeated last month are still manageable. But when it gets to the third generation and above, they can give even me trouble. As for the Founders themselves, numerous holy knights and dark knights in the past have fought them and lost.”

If they could defeat the holy knight and the dark knight in battle, that meant there was no one in the world strong enough to beat them. Hearing this, Marni spoke up.

“Those Founders... Are they still alive somewhere in the world?”

“Yeah, but... All existing Founders have been sealed away by my predecessors of many generations past. That’s why, these days, the holy knight and dark knight only need to hunt down their remnants.”

His explanation seemed to afford Marni some peace of mind, and she said, with a sigh of relief, “Thank the gods... I was worried you had to place yourself in a lot of danger. I’m glad you don’t.”

Sain opened his mouth but no words came. For a while, he remained still, chewing over what Marni said. She gave him a puzzled look.

“What?”

“Uh, well... I just...wasn’t expecting to hear that. I mean, my usual self is one thing, but I didn’t think anyone would worry about me knowing I’m the holy knight. It... surprised me. That’s all.”

He scratched his head and smiled awkwardly, only to freeze when he felt two iron grips on his shoulders — one on each side, one from each girl.

“So, my worrying doesn’t count, huh?”

“I’d like a refund on all my worrying, then.”

He slowly craned his neck around to find Alicia and Melia smiling at him. They had the kind of smiles that came with bulging veins in their temples.

“S-Sorry, I...”

He withered under their decidedly unfriendly smiles and spent the rest of their meeting apologizing profusely to the two girls.

There was, in fact, another lady he should have apologized to, as the goddess watching them from on high almost certainly shared the same opinion as his teammates.