Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

When Allen turned his head, he saw a man with round glasses and green hair smiling underhandedly.

"Hey, you don’t wanna say hi to your senior?"

Allen looked at him calmly.

Green hair, round glasses, with thick hair covering his yellow eyes. He spoke with a standard accent. His smile was nefarious, and his breathing was steady.

Even by Allen’s standards, his skills were pretty good, too.

"I’m Benjamin. 10th place in the sophomore class."

One of the names he’d seen in the information that Inellia gathered up and sent to him. Also the name of the person with whom Julius’s first incident would begin. 

"What, do you think I'm a commoner or something? You can't introduce yourself to a commoner? Huh? Or does it go against etiquette to talk to people with blood lower than yours?” 

Other seniors sat on both sides of Heisel, pressuring him as well. He was debating whether or not to make a move.

Allen concentrated his own magic onto the bracelet around his wrist.

It was a relic that could transmit telepathic communication within a one-meter radius.

⟬I'll take care of this.⟭

Hmm? Heisel turned his head and looked back at Allen.

Allen sent another thought his way. ⟬I'll deal with this on my own. You don't have to step up.⟭

Heisel was about to try refuting his words, but then nodded.

"Hey, are you ignoring me? You don't get what I’m saying? Ha!" Benjamin smiled, unaware, and flexed his arm. His rough words stood in stark contrast to the delicate movements of his mana.

Freeze.

A surprisingly pure force prevented him from standing up.

"You guys must be missing something. This isn’t your territory. Get it now? The shit that used to work outside doesn't work here."

When Allen looked around coolly, he saw that only a few sophomores and juniors remained sitting around them.

Allen understood the situation now.

"Frustrating, huh? You can do anything with your Daddy’s power outside, but not here."

Usually, upon suddenly facing verbal abuse and insult, the recipient did one of two things: get angry with an underlying sense of humiliation, or settle for a feeling of despondency.

If your opponent is stronger than you, you tend toward the latter.

"But here, at Galshdin Academy, your skills are everything—”

"I’d ask that you please stop."

But that wasn’t the case for Allen. 

"—What?"

"I understand your intentions, so you can stop."

"Huh, what the fuck— Uh…”

The upperclassman, Benjamin, flinched back. He turned his head to face his opponent as he ridiculed him, yet grew silent upon seeing Allen’s countenance—a much more peaceful atmosphere than expected.

"Even without the extensive warning, I don't intend to run wild, so you can cut the act."

"No, who do you think you are—”

"Is it not an attempt to subdue the current freshmen?"

That was the reason.

‘They’re trying to show those who haven't yet adapted to the social climate of the Academy.’

That this place was different.

That it wasn’t some place where they could run wild.

When Allen glanced around him, he saw several freshmen looking at them with embarrassed expressions.

"We'll play by the rules, so you don't have to act like that."

Allen took advantage of the upperclassman’s shocked, rigid stance and removed Benjamin’s arm from his shoulder.

‘With this amount of mana… he should be around Rank 4?'

Then again, he wasn’t a sorcerer, so perhaps his skills were different.

"You all don't actually want to create unnecessary conflict with us either, do you?"

"Uh, uh, no… Well, that's true…"

As soon as he nodded, the ones surrounding Heisel sighed.

"No, dude. You can’t just drop the shtick like that…”

"Ah, my bad… I didn't know they'd catch on so fast."

Benjamin scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed, as if entirely incapable of saying and acting as he just had.

His expression quickly turned meek, his eyes glancing down and away.

"I think they already get it, but make sure you cover all of it.”

Regardless of his class year, their opponent was still seated 10th in the sophomore class. No matter how talented of a student one was, it’d be hard to beat another talented student who’d worked for a year longer.

Of course, Allen and Heisel weren’t just ordinary students, so it didn't apply to them, if they’d decided to fight back.

That said…

'Reputation is important.’

Allen looked toward the future rather than the present.

“The matches coming up in a few days are a part of that, too, right?”

Those who participated would demonstrate the difference in skill and experience between freshmen and upperclassmen.

At Allen's confident words, the people waiting nearby—two boys and one girl—approached.

"Hey, it's working. Just go ahead and drop it. We’re doing this for the kids in the supplementary class, too, right?”

"Wow… you're smart, 2nd place."

"Vice President, I think that at this point, it'd be better to just focus on fostering some harmony between the upperclassmen and the new underclassmen.”

They were members of the Galshdin Academy student council.

'I did suspect they’d make their entrance at some point. Good thing I got it right.’

From behind them emerged the figure Allen had been waiting for.

"I guess you’re right."

His words revealed an indisputable dignity.

"Let's use a more careful approach when dealing with the supplementary class kids."

A beautiful, gray-haired man came up to them with a refreshing smile. Looking at Allen and Heisel, he began, "Nice to meet you. My name is Elijah Habueron, the second heir to the Aldenian empire.”

Before his return, a man who had lost his brother, lost his father, lost everything he had.

"I’m the current student body Vice President."

A man whose destruction came about by Julius’s hand.

"I’m happy to make acquaintances with a talent such as yourself."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you, too, Your Highness, Elijah."

Allen finally met him.

* * *

* * *

That afternoon, after attending all the regular classes, Allen walked into Philosopher’s Hall.

Once they had realized that the operation had failed, the group of upperclassmen quickly apologized and left. As they were going, Benjamin said he was sorry and asked to meet privately later.

Allen was satisfied that he had successfully met Elijah.

Heisel watched with interest while Allen was talking to him, saying not even a word, and then returned to the classroom by him when their conversation came to an end.

As if he didn’t want to be involved any more than at all necessary.

"Hey, did you hear? I heard there was a fight earlier."

"What? Where?"

"In the supplementary class. I heard that this freshman fought with an upperclassman and that they’re going to compete no-holds-barred in three days. "

"Oh, I missed it. Damn.”

Rumors circulated among the groups of students leaving the main building. Since it was common for students from multiple grade levels to take the same class, it was inevitable that the rumors would circulate through each class quickly.

As he approached the dormitory, Allen began, "So."

Allen lifted Vestla up to look right at her.

"Do you know anything about what Heisel was talking about?"

⟬W-well, I'm not really sure.⟭

As promised, Vestla had told him about the situation after returning from the Heavenly Forest.

"Didn't you say that after dying during the war with the dragons, he opened his eyes and found himself with the sword?”

⟬……⟭

Allen also told her that he was trying to save his brother, possessed by a demon.

"And when Heisel talks, there just seems to be something more…”

Vestla trembled, as if to manifest her agitation.

"You really don’t know anything?"

⟬Ha, ha. Could it be that that man… was wrong?⟭

Allen stared at the sword without saying a word.

Vestla sidestepped his question with silence. They remained like that as the moments passed.

By the time they could hear someone else's footsteps approaching, Allen had already begun to take his own steps, too.

"Trust can only be reciprocated with trust. I’ll see if he can keep silent after hearing my secrets.”

⟬……I see.⟭

His room was on the fourth floor of Philosopher’s Hall—the third from the far right.

His dormitory was divided into three rooms, a living room, and a kitchen.

It was narrower than that in the manor, but it was enough considering that he was essentially living alone.

When he entered the room, Inellia was waiting for him with tea prepared.

Allen began to speak as soon as he sat down. "How was it today?"

"We have confirmed a total of 11 auctions since dawn, but there were no items listed related to soul tracking or space tracking.

"…Is that so?"

He didn't think it would be easy to find, but he was disappointed that they hadn’t found even a trace yet.

"If you hear of any rumors, please report them to me immediately."

"Yes, sir. But as far as the items involved in the demon expulsion go…”

"If you can get it, get it.”

She knew that his brother was possessed by a demon, so it wasn’t a strange proposal for her to make.

"Oh, yeah, how’s Linbelle doing?"

"She told me that what you asked her to do was going smoothly, but…"

"What?"

"…She’s a maid in name, but she has no time to fulfill her duties as such…”

Allen remembered her grumbling with a bitter smile. "Let's talk about it again this weekend. I have something to do first."

"I see. Then I'll continue searching again."

“Be safe.”

There's nothing dangerous about the situation, considering her skills, but just in case.

Inellia smiled happily for a moment, turned into a shadow, and left the dormitory.

"Well then…”

Plop.

He opened his book.

「He was disappointed that there were no clues to guide him in finding his brother. After Inellia disappeared, the book linked to ◯◯◯◯…」

One page back, and then one more.

The alarms that rang out when he talked to Heisel…

「The book linked to ◯◯◯◯ detects danger in ◯◯! ◯◯◯◯ reacts to ◯◯!」

They had still yet to disappear.

* * *

Heisel walked out the door and onto the street. It was crowded with folks of all kinds. Elves, humans, and those other predominant races—even demi-humans, including the occasional lizardman.

Going on daily walks around the city to people-watch was his hobby.

He felt a sense of ‘otherness’ on these walks, like the world just wasn’t the same as he remembered it. Nevertheless, he also felt something that warmed his heart, instead. Here, such a vibrant level of civilization had been attained once more.

‘So they call it the ‘Great Fall’.’

Considering he was someone who knew some chapters of the true story behind the event, he thought it was a pretty good name for it.

He had died there. The greatest warriors of their generation had died there. The world had collapsed.

If he hadn't heard that the Holy Sword was located here, he would have looked far beyond the outer reaches of the sea just to find it.

"Don't you think so, too?”

His hidden opponent stiffened as Heisel’s voice pierced the air. A sound rumbled from over the wall marking a dead-end.

"I know you're hiding, so hurry up and come out."

As he smiled his usual light smile, a person walked out from the alley from which he’d entered.

One with blue hair, a confident expression, and a very different air about him than the person who Heisel had been with at lunch.

Julius appeared to be a little excited. "I definitely thought I was hiding myself well…"

"It's because I'm just a little sensitive to the gazes of others."

To the point where one could almost call him neurotic. 

"Well, well… It’s nice to meet you…”

The main character, huh?

Heisel grinned. A little whisper came out through his throat. "The main character.”

"Huh? What did you say?"

"So, what brought you out here?"

No matter the reason, no matter the sort of business, no matter how good the idea—Heisel was, the Demon King was, he was.

"I thought you'd be interested in my story.”

"I don't think it'd be particularly interesting."

He didn’t want to involve himself in anything. Or with anyone. He wouldn't have enough time to enjoy it. 

"I know, but I think you’ll change your mind once you hear it.” Julius nodded as if he already knew. “I know you have the ability to find demons.”

"So?"

It was no wonder he was so capable, since he was involved with those fuckers.

But, so what?

"I can feel the demon, but does that have anything to do with me?”

Only once in Heisel's life did he trigger a demon, a few months ago.

It was a nearly unconscious reflex, caused by the reaction from his proximity to the Holy Sword once it detected his presence. 

"It doesn’t. But I found it."

Keep your distance like Allen did.

"Whatever you find, it has nothing to do with me…”

"I found a gate connected to demons.”

"What?"

But it didn't take long for that thought to be derailed.

Julius took a second to quell his excitement before he calmly opened his mouth to speak. However, he still could not hide his joy that Heisel had given him a response.

"I found the gate where the demons come from."

When he said that, Heisel looked appalled.

Julius went over the story in his mind.

‘It's only half a year left now until the gate reappears…’

If it could be stopped, then shouldn’t it be stopped now?

If they left it alone, it’d all just build up and be more of a hassle when the gate breaks.

‘That girl with cancer… Has she gotten to the Magic Tower yet?'

It didn’t matter, though. Even if she came, he wouldn’t let that kind of future come about.

‘This kind of ending is good enough.’

This was the word he was planning to live in, so he would be in trouble if something so bad were to happen to it.

Heisel bowed his head. Julius approached him cautiously. He was sure that Heisel must be happy, too.

"I think this is going to take a while. Shall we continue inside?"

Heisel looked up. "…Yes."

"Let's go to my dorm."

Julius laughed.

"Alright. Let’s hear it. What's the story?"

Heisel laughed, too, with his whole heart.