I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

31 – Reunion (1)

A few more days passed.

Finally, I was completely recovered and could tidy up the bed and get up.

And that meant my staff had returned as well.

I took a deep breath and tightened my grip on the staff.

Though my connection with Ariel had already been severed, I couldn’t bring myself to let go of the gifts she had given me.

Perhaps it was because memories of the past were resurfacing.

It didn’t really matter now. What mattered to me at this moment wasn’t such things.

I drew upon the magic. The circuits of magic, dormant and damaged for a while, ignited.

“Devourer.”

A fifth-circle high magic. The spell I had used to barely close the gap with the Twilight Eyes, a magic that had almost cost me my life, was now being invoked.

A bitter laugh escaped me. Whether crossing the barrier had been forced or not, I had somehow become a high expert without realizing it.

As evidence, my senses of perceiving the surroundings had changed.

The movement of magic flowing through the entire world felt more detailed, and the life force of living beings was strongly sensed.

… A high expert who couldn’t even handle all fourth-circle magic. That’s why I wasn’t even half a high expert, not to mention a quarter.

But, it didn’t really matter. Achieving the status of a high expert was sufficient for climbing up the ranks.

I might have ended up becoming a puppet on a string, but as long as the goal was achieved, it didn’t matter.

I came to the north to obtain magic stones, gathered many (omission) and achieved the research results. Wasn’t that good enough?

I chuckled to myself while thinking that. Then, I noticed Vanessa.

“Oh, Vanessa.”

I greeted her, and she nodded in response.

“I couldn’t properly thank you for helping me when I was out of sorts. Thanks to you, I’m fine now. Thank you.”

“…Oh, no. It was the efforts of the priests, after all.”

Vanessa tapped her fingers. I smirked at her gesture.

“More importantly, now that you’ve recovered…”

“You should go. Now.”

“Ah…”

Vanessa let out a disappointed sigh. I smiled at her cute expression.

Well, even if it started off on a sour note, considering the outcome, everything seems fine now. I looked at Vanessa with that thought in mind.

Vanessa hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“…Then, before you go, the name… can you really not tell me?”

…Vanessa kept asking for my name. And, as for me, nothing came out except for the awkward acknowledgment.

But, well… even if I don’t tell her now, she’ll find out anyway.

“…No, still can’t.”

Vanessa lowered her head upon hearing my words. I looked at her like that, smiled, and said,

“Still, well… we’ll probably see each other again at the academy. It might not be particularly pleasant, but tangled fate, you know?”

Upon hearing my words, Vanessa widened her eyes and looked at me. I smiled and stretched.

“Well, I should start getting ready to leave. There’s still work to be done. See you again at the academy. Whether you’ll want to see me is another question.”

Upon hearing my words, Vanessa firmly held my hand and said,

“We’ll definitely meet again!”

…Well, I wonder if there’s anything good about seeing someone like me. I had a bittersweet feeling, but at the same time, I found comfort in her words.

By the way, my hand is starting to hurt. It looks slender on the outside, but the grip is surprisingly strong.

And so, I left the North.

After a few weeks of life in the North, I headed back to Derin’s mansion.

There wasn’t any specific reason. Just, if I had to pinpoint a place I could call home, it would probably be the mansion where Seris is. Seris greeted me enthusiastically when I returned, but upon seeing me, she furrowed her brow.

“…Your attire has changed, hasn’t it? The mask is gone too…”

Seris buried her face in my chest, sniffed, and said,

“There’s a different woman’s scent too.”

What’s with that? I haven’t had any contact with another woman for a few days, how does she know?

“Well… wherever you go, you seem to get entangled with women… what should I do…”

I heard her mumbling softly.

I awkwardly ignored the slightly creepy shivers in my arms and smiled.

Seris embraced me and spoke.

“Well, what brings you here?”

Her voice was so sweet that it could evoke the illusion that my brain was melting.

Strangely, though, it felt colder than ever. I said to her,

“Um… I was hunting monsters and collecting mana stones, but I got injured. So, I came to get some treatment and change my clothes.”

Upon hearing my words, Seris instantly returned to her original demeanor and said,

“Oh, you’re hurt? Are you okay? Is there anywhere that hurts? Did I keep you standing for too long? I’m sorry, I apologize!”

I grabbed her shoulders and said,

“Oh, no. It’s just a minor injury that happened somehow. I’ve received treatment, so now I’m perfectly fine. Look, I took a while because I was collecting mana stones.”

…Even though it might have been a stretch to call it the truth, I believe I made the best choice.

Seris, reassured by my words, let out a sigh with a relieved expression.

“Well, I’m glad. Are you really okay?”

I forced a smile and replied,

“Yeah, I’m really fine. See? If you want, I can even show you that I’m completely fine, even naked. I’m really in perfect shape.”

Upon hearing my words, Seris widened her eyes and suddenly smiled brightly.

“That sounds good.”

“…Huh?”

With an unchanged bright smile, she spoke,

“Go inside and take off your clothes. It’s best to check for myself.”

…Hey, your gaze is quite dangerous.

Despite the outward cheerful smile, the rough breathing, flushed face, and unmistakably suggestive eyes combined to give a very dangerous impression.

I had never felt such pressure from Seris before.

She continued to murmur, then suddenly came to her senses and lowered her head.

“Sorry, I apologize. That was an inappropriate comment to make to the lord who came. I got too carried away.”

If we were to be precise, she held a higher position than me now, so there was no need for her to apologize like that.

And perhaps, it stems from loyalty towards me.

…Isn’t that right? I want to believe so.

Nevertheless, with a clear mind, Seris looked at me and spoke.

“So, where are the gathered mana stones?”

Upon hearing that, I began to contemplate.

Would she believe me if I said I used them all surviving against the Black Ocean? Common sense dictates a more plausible story. And even if she believes, knowing Seris, she would express tremendous concern.

With a smile, I extended my hand widely.

“Oh, I used them all. Instead… look.”

I tightly gripped the staff in my hand and activated the Diviner. Seris let out a wow in response.

…Of course, this, too, was a statement quite different from reality, but what can you do? It’s the best option.

With a gleam in her eyes, Seris congratulated me, “Congratulations! You really did well!”

She made a sound of awe, then grabbed my arm and led me.

“It’s not the time for this. Since we can’t have you standing here forever, let’s get inside quickly. A High Expert… we should at least have a modest celebration.”

I chuckled at her words.

Indeed, she’s a truly grateful person. Is there anyone else who cares for me as much as she does?

…Though sometimes, it feels like her concern is a bit too much.

With a smile, I followed her guidance into the mansion.

I’m back.

…

Returning to Derin Mansion, I took a deep rest.

While I did spend most of my time in the North in rest, excluding the forced breaks for healing injuries, this was a true and meaningful break.

How did this place become so comfortable to me all of a sudden? I smiled.

For someone who had lost everything, just having a place that felt as comforting as home was a miraculous thing.

As I enjoyed this leisure, I received some very negative news.

Seris looked at me with a perplexed expression, unsure of what to do.

“So, Arielle came looking for me? Without any prior notice?”

Seris nodded, bowing her head slightly.

No way, this can’t be…

I was dumbfounded by the inexplicable feeling.

Was Arielle really such a thoughtless person?

Sure, she had escaped first, but now that I thought about it, she seemed quite impulsive.

I bit my lip.

Of course, I had been looking for the Maesek as well, but the main reason I headed north was to avoid meeting Arielle.

But now, in this situation where a forced reunion seemed inevitable, cold sweat ran down my back.

However, I couldn’t escape. She had already found me, and there was no way to run away.

In the end, I found myself facing the situation I least wanted to be in.

“…Long time no see.”

Arielle’s face appeared.