Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

The situation was resolved relatively swiftly and smoothly.

With the appearance of Gaillon the Beast King, the battlefield was quickly settled. Jaqnelle rescued the professors in the meanwhile. The adults’ faces had all turned pale—to the point where it looked reasonable for any one of them to faint at any moment—but fortunately, none of them had died.

As soon as the faculty came to their senses, they signaled the Academy for help.

The Academy also dealt with the incident quickly.

Soon after making contact, a large number of medical staff from the Academy teleported there, generously supporting the injured with precious potions.

Thus, the total number of casualties came to 72.

23 had died.

It was surprising that more than half of the 141 people who had come to the megaruins had exited with injuries, but the statistic was quickly accepted upon seeing the size of the dead monster’s body. However, many aristocratic families were shocked by the event.

"You'll have to give a proper explanation for this incident!"

"It's normal to have casualties, but isn't this far too many?"

In principle, when one enrolled in the Academy, it was expected that casualties may occur by the very nature of the educational circumstances, with the possibility of various safety accidents and unexpected coincidences. However, it was up to the Academy to investigate and evaluate the difficulty and various perils of prospective ruins before assigning practice-raids.

Many claimed that the Academy was, thus, responsible for the situation and demanded a proper explanation.

The Academy's response to such strong backlash was simple.

"We accept full responsibility for the unfolding of this unfortunate incident. As such, we arranged a secret investigation of the incident, revealing the intervention of an independent culprit.”

The culprit singled out by the Academy was the former family of Jaqnelle the Shield of Heaven.

"According to our investigation along with Jaqnelle's cooperation, the Queen of Darkness, a former member of the Top Eight, lured out Jaqnelle in an attempt to regain her former glory, using numerous sacred relics to isolate the on-site professors from the students, and using…”

The news released by the Academy fueled the aristocrats’ hunger for drama.

"What? The Queen of Darkness has returned?"

"That’s crazy. I thought she retired with an injury…”

"…What if she has other targets?” 

The Queen of Darkness.

Up until just three years ago, she had reigned over the shadows, sending fear into the hearts of all who knew of her. 

The news of her return caused such uproar that the deaths of the Academy students were regarded as a small matter in comparison. Once the focus was sufficiently shifted off the casualties, the Academy once again announced shocking news.

"As a consequence of the violence they have committed, the Academy will not forget this incident, and Jaqnelle the Shield of Heaven has declared that he shall administer the proper punishment. In this endeavor, the Academy has pledged to assist Jaqnelle. Rest assured, he will not receive nor seek any additional form of compensation…”

A member of the Top Eight himself would take it upon themselves to punish the culprit.

In other words, it was an apparent declaration of war.

Under normal circumstances, the empire or other members of the Top Eight would have intervened, but this time, no one stepped forward, knowing that the damage done was too great. 

Also, even though the royal family was disgraced, they were still royalty. Those who viewed them as a source of social disruption were, likewise, more than happy to welcome them with open arms. 

Within three days, Jaqnelle set the scene for his battle, which lasted less than half a day. Rather, there was no battle whatsoever.

Their punitive sentence was executed as outlined in his proclamation.

The family’s possessions were divided accordingly and delivered to the families of the deceased students. The parents of commoner students received a satisfactory sum in compensation.

Jaqnelle’s remaining former family members were all executed at his hands.

“In addition, the leader of the survey team, who failed to carry out a proper assessment of the megaruins prior to the practice-raid, shall be imprisoned in the dungeon after failing to uphold the code of conduct, resulting in this tragedy. The remaining members of the survey team shall be dismissed, and the rights they have enjoyed until this point shall be revoked.”

No one disputed the Academy’s declaration.

In a way, it was only natural that the entire site could not be thoroughly examined in just one sweep by the team. Thus, the event culminated with them receiving minor punishment.

That was the level of worth to which the death of so many students amounted.

The freshmen class was given a temporary break for a few weeks. Mostly because their professors couldn't proceed with the class due to the repercussions of using archmagic.

"…We remember those great students, those talented individuals who looked with hope and expectation upon their journey and lifelong commitment to the Academy. We shall not forget those who have passed on…”

The late students were buried in a park-like cemetery within the Academy.

It was one of the benefits that Academy students could enjoy.

The students whose assigned practice-raid took place in a different site than the megaruins were relieved that they hadn’t ended up there, while the friends of the deceased remained in a perpetual state of mourning.

Allen stared at the graves for a while before moving on. He had no destination in mind, just walking wherever his feet took him.

Moving in such an aimless manner, his eyes suddenly caught sight of something by the corner of the park.

A figure with long, ivory hair.

Rachael was crouching over, looking off somewhere in the distance with her hands resting under her chin.

Allen moved toward her and sat beside her. "What are you doing here?"

She replied in a subdued voice, "I'm here because I'm depressed."

In the direction where she was looking, a small tombstone stood.

"If you're depressed, then wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere else other than here?"

"When I'm depressed, I want to let myself feel that way, rather than watching something funny to cheer me up. How about you?" Her serene sky blue eyes gazed at him. "You weren't in very good shape earlier either. Are you feeling better now?"

"I… Yes. Though, ‘better’ might be a bit of an overstatement.”

"Then…”

"But—" Allen shook his head as if he were trying to convince himself of it, too. "I'm fine.”

"Allen, it's not your fault. It was just a terrible accident. The space-shifting trap was just…”

"I know. Trust me, I know."

Nevertheless, it was a fact that it had all happened because of him.

“It’s hard to make yourself really believe that, though, isn’t it.”

“…Yeah.”

She leaned into him with a sullen face, as if she knew that there was nothing she could do to help him overcome that feeling.

"Still, you'll get through it, right? Because you’re you."

She looked up at him as she spoke in a soothing tone. Her sky blue eyes were filled to the brim with concern for him.

Allen answered with a small smile, as if to assure her that she didn’t need to worry. "Yes, I’ll get there eventually. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do…”

Rachael straightened his disheveled collar as he stood.

"I’ll see you this weekend. At the north gate."

"Yes." Allen nodded.

‘Will I really reach that place eventually?’

Was it possible to forget?

Allen smiled and shook his head.

It wasn’t an easy task.

He knew that it was one he wouldn’t be able to accomplish.

As he turned around and began to walk back, a fire lit in his heart once more. The flames burned brighter than before.

* * *

* * *

Fsshh.

The hot water pouring down from above soaked his hair and washed his body. Allen doused himself to clear his thoughts.

It was one of his oldest habits: to allow himself to get lost in thought under boiling hot water.

Drops of steaming water trickled down his skin.

Allen reflected on what he had done so far at the Academy.

With the help of the black book, he orchestrated a resolution to the aftermath of Benjamin and Julius's confrontation, and used the opportunity to strengthen his relationship with the second heir of the Aldenian Empire, who would later become one of Julius’s enemies.

He treated Benjamin, who would have succumbed to his circulatory injuries before the regression, and raised funds by selling the recipe of the elixir to the Alchemy Mage Tower.

Even before arriving at the Academy, he supported the Sindri siblings, who had lived a difficult life before his intervention, with Cathleen’s help. Through them, he secretly contacted Circulation.

He rarely spent a long time away from the Academy’s great library, and rarely missed even the smallest of auctions thanks to Inellia’s hard work.

‘Were the things I did just not enough?’

He had done plenty. And yet, it wasn't enough.

Allen had done everything he could to prepare given his circumstances.

As proof of that, Acanders and Karik would now be finishing up their organization's setup and would arrive in Elpis in a few days time to begin their activities, and the time had come to settle the tasks entrusted to Linbelle.

However, Allen's actions up until this point were only thoroughly prepared with respect to countering the actions of the future Julius he knew of from his past. He didn’t imagine that Julius would turn into the person he was at present.

'So now what? What can I do to prevent the schemes of the present Julius? Even if I stop him now, will the real Julius come back?’

That wasn't it.

His goal was to gather together those who had sought out vengeance against Julius.

He had vowed at the Chimera Sorcerer's workshop that he would accept the consequences, living with himself and his victims.

Even so, he thought that so long as they were within his reach, he would not turn away like he had with Benjamin.

'But then, why?'

Hadn’t he been determined to do anything to get Julius back?

Squeak.

He turned the shower faucet, and the temperature of the water increased even further.

Even then, his inner anxieties still lingered.

However, there was a problem. 

'Yes, it’s not just about the fact that he killed them.’

The problem was that he had gotten too close to them.

They were his first equals, the first relationships he’d ever had where he felt like they were on equal-footing. Realizing that, he had given them too much affection. And he had fallen too deep into attachment.

To the point where it felt like a deviation from the plan.

Now, would Allen feel as upset as he should over the death of a stranger by Julius’s hands?

Would he feel the same anger as he did now?

'No. I would have gotten a grip, then contacted and recruited any vengeful survivors.’

After all, he’d never change his behavior. Not then, and not even now. Hadn’t he always known that the pile of corpses he’d stacked before his regression was as tall as a mountain? He’d seen this time and time again in his reports.

It was just that this was the first time he’d ever experienced it in person.

Squeak.

He twisted the shower faucet. The water grew even hotter.

'Yes, this can be used as an opportunity.’

Once he brought together all those who were plotting vengeance against Julius, he’d now be able to better empathize with them, offering a sense of genuine connection—of shared experience.

Squeak.

He twisted the faucet again. A giant's flesh wouldn’t burn at this temperature.

‘We were only going to be together for about a month, anyway.’

Actually, wasn't it a good thing—that he’d been able to discover such a strong persuasive tool in just a month’s time?

He would just have to be a little more careful from now on. So that he would never allow this to happen again.

He’d be sure of it.

Squeak.

The stakes had gotten higher. Could he really afford to give in now? Could he find a different game to play?

‘No, that’s not possible.’

He’d already poked the dragon. The ending would be one of two things: either he got eaten by the dragon just like anyone else, or he conquered the dragon. 

"—en!"

Squeak.

His vision had blurred. Perhaps it was the influence of remaining in such a hot space for so long.

“—ir Allen!”

Squeak.

But even now, he wanted to raise the temperature just a little more. Maybe there was something wrong with the pipes today—the water just wouldn’t get hot enough. Maybe he could try just one more time—

Thud.

"Sir Allen!"

The bathroom door rattled open, black hair fluttering past. As she stepped closer, her purple eyes met Allen's.

"…Linbelle? Why are you here…?”

"I was worried! You didn't come out for three hours. Ah! This water is so hot!”

She rushed to swing the faucet back, the water ceasing its flow. She then began to care for him, bringing him a large towel as if it were second nature. Allen was surprised at first, but found he was used to her care.

Only after he was fully clothed did he ask her. "What brings you here?"

Linbelle had been working on Allen’s assignment for her over the last three months, making her an almost obsolete figure in his life. In the near future, he was going to call upon her to carry out what she had been preparing for, but for now, she was here.

"…Hehe. I was worried about you, and my mom told me to come in her place. She couldn't be here because of the auction schedule."

She began to fix his hair with a sheepish smile, like a child who wanted to hide a mistake.

"Hmm… Well, what’s done is done, so it’s fine."

When she noticed that he didn’t mention her disobedience, she moved the scissors carefully with a bright expression.

“It grew a lot while I was away, huh? You like it like this, right?”

"Yes, that's enough."

"I know everything about you."

She finished up his hair, looking smug. Even though they hadn't seen each other in months, she appeared to have become even more proficient.

"Your skills seem to have improved. Have you been practicing on others?"

"Yes! She’s so messy all the time, so I… Oh.” She stiffened for a moment, suddenly remembering something. Then, she continued her task and cautiously opened her mouth to speak. "There's someone I'd like to introduce to you."

"Who would that… No way."

Nodding her head as if Allen's guess had been correct, she shouted at the door. “I forgot too, so I’ll call her right away! Eliana!”

When she finished calling, the door of the dormitory opened and a girl appeared. A pale, gray-haired girl with pointed ears and fangs protruding from her lips walked slowly in, looking at them with an unreadable expression.

“My name is Eliana. I’m from the engineering department.”

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