The moment Kael saw Aion, he frowned.
He looked as though he had seen an insect.
“What? You were summoned too?”
“More or less.”
Kael gave a snort and muttered,“Hmph… Of all people, they had to summon me together with this bastard.”
Raven, who had been watching them, gave a faint chuckle as he organized the documents.
“I am glad to see the two of you get along so well. This witness interview should be easier than expected.”
“Ha! Who? Me and this guy?”
Kael let out a hollow laugh as though the very idea were absurd, but Raven did not respond. Instead, he exchanged a look with the black dog lying at his feet—Bark.
Grrrr….
As Bark gave a low growl, Raven placed a small magical device on the desk.
“We will now begin the witness interview. All questions and answers will be recorded by this magical device, so please answer carefully.”
Hummm.
A blue light began to emanate from the unidentified device.
Swish—
Raven interlaced his fingers and opened his mouth.
“Upon arriving at Exion, I visited the scene of the incident. I inspected the entirety of Hazel Hall.”
“You went to that place? The place that could collapse at any moment? …You are insane. You are far too fearless.”
Kael muttered in disgust. Raven, however, did not so much as blink.
“I have heard that before, but it does not seem particularly important at the moment, student Kael Pyron.”
Raven set the documents down.
The air in the room changed with that single action.
The smile he had worn as though greeting guests had vanished from his face.
“From this point forward, it will be quite inconvenient if you interrupt me.”
“…….”
…Gulp.
Kael’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably. It appeared he had taken the position of an inspector far too lightly.
“Good. I like well-behaved people, you see. I sincerely hope you are that sort of young man as well, Kael.”
Raven smiled gently again as he changed the subject.
“Do you know about a mage’s aptitude? Ah, you may answer this one.”
“……I understand that every mage has a different field of magic they specialize in, and that their rates of growth differ as well.”
As Aion answered evenly, Raven nodded.
“That is correct, Aion. In that sense, I should tell you what my own aptitude is.”
Raven raised his index finger and tapped his temple.
“Memory.”
“Memory……?”
Leaning back in his chair, Raven continued slowly.
“Memory Magic. It falls under the category of illusion magic, but it is not particularly useful in combat. It allows me to read the residual thoughts that have seeped into objects and places. It is rare, so there are many who do not know of it.”
Aion slowly considered the meaning of those words.
If Raven had read the memories remaining at the scene, he would have gained a considerable understanding of what had happened there that night.
There was a reason he had summoned only the two of them separately.
“I read the memories left at the scene. The fire’s impact prevented me from obtaining as much as I wanted, but I found enough.”
Raven’s gaze passed over Aion and settled on Kael, who sat beside him.
“I prefer to verify the suspicious parties first.”
Silence descended for a moment.
While Kael stiffened, unable to predict what was coming, Raven slowly opened his mouth.
“Kael Pyron. Why did you do it?”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Why did you turn a blind eye to those who needed rescue at the fire scene?”
“……!”
Kael’s pupils shook. The fingers resting on his knees slowly curled.
“W-what are you talking about…?”
Raven did not answer. With his eyes lowered, he flipped through the papers and read as though checking an account book.
“It says here that you are a student of considerable talent. Why, then, did you not save the students trapped in the small auditorium?”
He paused briefly, then raised his head to look straight at Kael.
“They cried out desperately for help. You could have aided them easily enough, could you not?”
“I-I never heard anything like that! There must be some mistake! The sound of the building collapsing was too loud—I could not hear anything!”
Kael’s voice steadily rose. Perched on the edge of his chair, he leaned forward.
“I—!”
Woof—!
Woof, woof—!
Bark suddenly began barking fiercely. Kael recoiled in surprise.
Clicking his tongue, Raven stroked the dog’s scruff.
“Enough, Bark. We are in the middle of an interview.”
Whine….
When Bark calmed down again, Raven nodded.
“I see. Then perhaps there truly was a misunderstanding. You did not hear them, is that it…?”
A cold smile appeared on Raven’s lips. Rather than press him further, he turned his gaze away.
“Then, Aion.”
Raven’s eyes shifted to Aion.
“Did you not see Kael at the fire scene? Near the small auditorium, I mean.”
Raven’s eyes shone sharply. For an instant, Aion searched his memories.
In front of the small auditorium’s blazing entrance.
Kael’s retreating back as he hesitated and fled, even while cries for help rang out from inside.
It had left quite an impression.
…But.
“I did not see him.”
Aion answered calmly.
Woof!
Woof, woof—!
Bark barked again. This time, the sound was louder and sharper than before.
“Tsk…. I told you to be quiet, Bark.”
Raven restrained the dog with a deliberately stern expression. Then he rolled his pen between his fingers and muttered,“I see. Let us call this another misunderstanding as well.”
“H-Haha…. See? I never went anywhere near that place in the first place.”
Kael crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. The color had already returned to his previously pale face.
Regardless, Raven wrote something on the document and asked again.
“Next, Aion. Is there anything you wish to tell me? Anything at all.”
“Something to tell you….”
Aion considered for a moment before reaching into the inner pocket of his robe.
His fingertips touched something rough.
“I found something like this.”
What he placed on the desk was a blackened fragment of stone. It was a rune that had been completely drained of mana and turned into an ordinary rock.
Raven narrowed his eyes.
“This is…?”
“I found it at the fire scene. I kept it in case it might be a clue.”
Taking the rune, Raven looked at Bark. The dog merely panted this time and did not bark.
“I see. Understood. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Raven put the rune into his pocket and rose from his seat.
“Ah, Kael. You may leave now.”
“……I am not the culprit, am I?”
Kael asked hesitantly.
“Of course not. I will keep the possibility open, but for now, I consider it unlikely. You may go.”
“Hmph. Calling people around and making such a fuss for nothing. What a waste of time.”
Grumbling, Kael left his seat. Silence filled the reception room until the iron door had closed and his footsteps had faded completely.
Only Aion, Raven, and Bark’s rough breathing remained.
Thud.
Raven pulled out a sack from beneath the desk and overturned it.
Clatterrr—.
Dozens of stone fragments spilled across the desk. They were all spent fire runes identical to the one Aion had submitted.
“These are other fire runes found at the scene.”
“……There were this many?”
Aion clicked his tongue. Now, he understood why the flames had spread through the entire building so quickly.
“What do you think about this case, Aion?”
“……I believe it may have been arson.”
A grin spread across Raven’s lips.
“I think so too.”
Flicking one of the runes with his finger, Raven stared intently at Aion.
“But why did you lie?”
The blunt question did not make Aion so much as blink. Instead, he asked,“…Is Bark able to discern lies?”
Raven’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh? Why do you think that?”
“He only barked when an answer contained a lie. And whenever you asked a question, Inspector, you watched Bark’s reaction rather than the answer.”
Raven’s expression vanished.
As though every smile and every trace of coldness he had shown until now had been fabricated.
“…You are a clever student, Aion.”
Raven nodded as though impressed.
“That is correct. Bark has the ability to discern lies. He is my personal assistant.”
He leaned forward, closing the distance between himself and Aion.
“Then let me ask again. Why did you say you had not seen Kael? You clearly saw him in front of the small auditorium.”
Raven’s eyes were full of certainty. Having read the memories of the scene, he must have understood Aion’s movements as well.
“Are you protecting him? If so, why?”
“That is….”
Aion fell silent for a moment before answering slowly.
“If I revealed that I knew the truth, he would bother me.”
Raven looked at Bark. Bark merely wagged his tail lightly and did not bark.
The truth.
Resting his chin on his hand, Raven looked at Aion. His eyes were filled with deep interest.
“…Is that all?”
Aion hesitated briefly.
Kael Pyron. Why had he gone out of his way to protect that arrogant, unpleasant young master?
He did not need to think deeply to find the answer.
“The way he shrank back after being cornered… was unpleasant to look at.”
Yes. That sight had been unpleasant to look at.
Raven looked at Bark again. Bark still did not bark.
“Pfft… Pwahahahahahaha!”
Throwing back his head, Raven burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
“Good. That is a good answer. I like it.”
He wiped away his tears, then immediately turned serious and spoke in a low voice.
“I, too, believe this case was arson. And….”
Raven’s gaze passed over the runes piled on the desk and turned toward somewhere within Exion.
“I believe there is a strong possibility that the culprit is an insider at Exion.”
***
Once the iron door shut, only a heavy silence remained in the corridor.
As Aion trudged back toward the temporary quarters, he turned Raven’s final words over in his mind.
— The culprit is among the insiders.
“An insider….”
Aion murmured under his breath.
As though they had been waiting for it, the voices of the Terminuses erupted in his mind.
【Flame: That many fire runes would not be easy to obtain.】
【Arcana: The motive is difficult to determine. This may not have been the work of an individual.】
Aion slowed his steps.
“…This is not something we can easily jump to conclusions about.”
After organizing his thoughts, he asked,“Do any of you have someone in mind?”
【Flame: There are a few who come to mind, but they are not people whose names I can bring up lightly.】
Earth’s voice immediately cut in.
【Earth: Did you not hear what Arcana said? If we start talking about things that have not even happened, we will only bring disaster upon ourselves sooner!】
The Terminuses were in agreement.
Wait and see.
No matter who the culprit was, this was not the stage for Aion to act.
If he acted on careless speculation and created a butterfly effect, he might bring about a disaster that should never occur.
“…Understood. For now, I will focus on taking care of myself.”
【Water: That is the proper conclusion.】
Having reached that decision, Aion entered the lobby of the temporary quarters.
That was when it happened.
“Student Aion Iskar?”
Someone called out to him again. This time, it was another employee from Exion’s Office of Academic Affairs.
Aion furrowed his brow slightly.
“…Another interview?”
“Pardon? An interview? Ah, no.”
Waving both hands, the employee held out a document.
“It is about your dormitory reassignment. Given this incident, there were instructions to give student Aion priority placement.”
“Ah, finally….”
The employee tilted his head.
“Pardon?”
“It is nothing.”
The temporary quarters had been uncomfortable from the start. It was not a proper private space, after all.
“Please come with me. You can decide after you see the options.”
At the administrative office’s consultation counter, several choices were laid out before Aion alongside a map of the academy.
“Vertaron is currently full, so the places available for immediate move-in are Sirwen, Lumenia, and Nocturna. Those are the three options.”
The employee indicated the three locations with a pen.
“Most of the students who stayed in Hazel will probably want to remain in Lumenia. Each dormitory has its own culture, and it takes time to adjust….”
The employee appeared to assume that Aion would naturally choose Lumenia. However, Aion rested his chin on his hand and could not make the choice so easily.
“May I take a moment to think?”
“Ah, of course. Please take your time deciding.”
After asking for permission, Aion stepped out onto the terrace outside the administrative office. The night air was cold.
Leaning against the railing, he quietly closed his eyes.
“Which would be best?”
At his question, the Terminuses began offering their opinions.
【Flame: Lumenia is an appealing place. If not for the fire, I would have had more good memories there.】
【Life: I agree. I have never seen anyone as kind as the students of Lumenia. It looks like there is a vacancy in Maple Hall, where I stayed.】
【Earth: You all know Vertaron is closed-off, right? Tsk. I would not go to a place like that even if they paid me!】
【Lightning: Heeheeheehee! Nocturna! Nocturna is the best!】
His future residence was not easily decided. Since it would directly affect Aion’s growth as well, he had no choice but to be careful.
At that moment—
【……G…o.】
The voices of the Terminuses abruptly stopped.
【Flame: What was that?】
No one answered. Aion held his breath as well.
【…T…here.】
It came again. A faint, fragmented voice, as if it were carried over from somewhere far away on the wind.
【Flame: Speak properly. Yggdrasil cannot recognize you. Who just spoke?】
Silence followed. The Terminuses clearly seemed to be looking to one another.
【Water: It was not me.】
【Earth: Was it not you? It was not me.】
【Arcana: Who is playing around?】
【Lightning: Heeheeheeheeheehee!】
【Life: …Was it none of us?】
If all six Terminuses claimed it was not them, then who was speaking?
Aion’s hand tightened around the railing.
【Flame: Could this be….】
【Earth: It is that fellow!】
The faint voice tickled Aion’s ear.
【Wind: Let us go… t…here….】
For the first time, the Wind Terminus—who had remained silent until now—spoke to Aion.