The rumors about my research with Edvard began to circulate around the academy at the start of autumn.
The light and dark interference experiments. Inter-attribute magical resonance. Information had started leaking from somewhere, even before our official presentation. When I walked the halls, I felt more eyes on me. They used to look at me with eyes that said, “I don’t want to get close,” but now, they seemed to be sizing me up.
I didn’t care.
On a Tuesday afternoon, as I was walking down the third-year building corridor, someone was standing ahead.
They stood as if blocking the way.
It was a single female student. Her nearly golden hair reflected the corridor’s lighting. Her posture was ramrod straight, and there wasn’t a single flaw in how she wore her uniform.
I stopped.
She didn’t move either. I realized she had been waiting for me.
“Rene de Croire.”
She called my name. I felt it was spoken with caution—no, with contempt.
“That’s right.”
“Selena Aldrick,” she said. “Third year. Light attribute. Second in our year.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“You didn’t?” Selena raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know me. In this academy.”
“I knew Edvard was the top student. I just wasn’t interested in you.”
That was a lie. I knew her as a game character. A rival character in Edvard’s route, his childhood friend. Jealous of Lian getting close to him, she would resort to all sorts of interference.
When she heard Edvard’s name, Selena’s eyes seemed to narrow further.
“That’s quite a way to put it.”
“I’m just stating a fact.”
Selena looked me over from head to toe. Her eyes were appraising. My uniform, the gun at my waist, even the tips of my shoes. After finishing her inspection, she gave a slight, derisive snort.
“Just as the rumors say. You have an unusual style.”
“What do you want?”
“So direct,” Selena said, crossing her arms. “It’s about Edvard.”
Edvard. As I thought, it was about him.
“I heard you’re involved in his research. That you’re researching how dark attribute magic can interfere with light attribute magic. Is it true?”
“It’s true.”
“Why would Edvard do such a thing?” Selena said, her voice sharp. “Edvard is an outstanding talent even among light attribute users. Where is the need for him to team up with someone like you, a dark attribute user?”
“He recognized the value of my research.”
“Value?” Selena let out a short laugh. “You claim dark magic research has value. You must be joking.”
“I’m not joking.”
“Do you even understand what your attribute represents?” Selena continued. “The dark attribute disrupts the magical world order centered on the light attribute. Historically, there are countless examples of dark magic causing harm to society. When it comes to dark magic, it’s been used more for mental interference, obstruction, and underhanded schemes than for straightforward attack or defense. Dirty things like that. Don’t you think researching such things itself lowers the dignity of this academy?”
“I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“If you’re bringing up historical examples of the dark attribute, there are an equal number of victims caused by the misuse of the light attribute. It’s not a problem of the attribute, but of the user.”
Selena fell silent. For a moment, she looked at a loss for words.
But she quickly recovered.
“You’re quite skilled with logic.”
“I’m just stating facts.”
“Facts,” Selena repeated. This time, she didn’t laugh. “What I’m saying is that someone like you shouldn’t be by Edvard’s side.”
“Someone like me, meaning?”
“A dark attribute user, a mage who carries a gun, belonging nowhere. Do you think it’s proper for the academy’s order for someone like that to stand as an equal beside Edvard?”
I didn’t answer.
I was considering whether it was even worth answering.
“Edvard recognizes my research. That is Edvard’s own judgment.”
“Edvard is too kind,” Selena said. “He’s always been like that. Too interested in unusual things. But he doesn’t understand that there are people who would take advantage of that kindness.”
“I’m not taking advantage.”
“It doesn’t look that way to me,” Selena said, looking into my eyes. “You’re trying to get close to Edvard to add prestige to your research, aren’t you? Since you can’t gain recognition with just the dark attribute, you’re trying to gain legitimacy by teaming up with a light attribute authority. You’re trying to use that authority. Am I wrong?”
I was about to say she was wrong.
But I paused for a beat before speaking. I felt that if I denied it emotionally, I’d be playing right into her hands.
“You’re wrong. My research was ongoing long before I met Edvard. I continued it even without recognition. Edvard knows that.”
“Whether Edvard knows or not is irrelevant to me.”
“Then why did you come to tell me this?”
“A warning,” Selena said. “Stay away from Edvard. Stop the joint research. He is not the kind of person you should be partnering with.”
The corridor was eerily quiet.
No other students were around. It was just the two of us.
“I refuse.”
“You refuse?”
“Edvard has decided to continue. I have decided to continue. You have no authority to stop us.”
Selena’s eyes changed.
They weren’t calm. They hadn’t been calm from the start, but now they were clearly angry.
“I know I have no authority. But I wanted to make myself clear,” Selena said. “I find it unpleasant that you are by Edvard’s side. That’s all.”
“You came just for that?”
“Yes.”
“I understand. Message received. But nothing changes.”
Selena paused for a moment.
“…I’ve also heard about Lian.”
My feet stopped.
“Your younger sister, right? The Saint candidate. I hear she’s often with you.”
“What about it?”
“A Saint candidate having a dark attribute older sister,” Selena said. “Don’t you think that alone could affect Lian’s evaluation? Your presence might cause Lian to suffer disadvantages. Have you ever considered that?”
“……”
“A candidate for the Saint of Light being seen together with a dark attribute sister. There will definitely be people who view her that way. If you care for Lian, wouldn’t it be better to put some distance between you?”
I couldn’t answer.
I had words to retort. But my voice wouldn’t come out.
The mention of Lian had pierced something inside me like a thorn.
“Your lack of reply means you understand, doesn’t it?” Selena said. “If you understand, then think about it. For Edvard’s sake, and for Lian’s.”
She turned on her heel.
She walked down the corridor.
Her back remained ramrod straight until the end.
I was alone.
I leaned my back against the corridor wall.
I sorted through my emotions. There was anger. But more important than the anger was the mention of Lian.
Lian might suffer disadvantages because her dark attribute sister is by her side.
It wasn’t that I had never considered such a thing. In the game from my previous life, Rene self-destructed and exited the stage early, so that problem never arose. But now was different.
I could see outside from the corridor window. There was a moon-viewing stone in the courtyard. It shone white under the midday sun.
Selena’s words remained in my head.
Your presence might cause Lian to suffer disadvantages.
I couldn’t yet judge whether that was true or not.
But I understood one thing.
The moment Lian was mentioned, I lost my voice. I could retort when it was about the research. But the moment it became about Lian, I fell silent.
That difference was telling me something.
I started walking down the corridor. I returned to the research room. And I opened a book.
Selena’s words seemed to superimpose themselves over the text.
I brushed them away with my hand, along with other distracting thoughts.
But they didn’t completely disappear.
In the evening, I went down to the library.
Lian was there.
I sat across from her.
“Big sister, you look pale,” Lian said.
“Do I?”
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing happened.”
Lian paused for a moment. “…Really?”
“Really.”
She looked like she didn’t believe me, but she didn’t press further.
I opened a book.
Lian was reading a book across from me.
Lian might suffer disadvantages because her dark attribute sister is by her side.
I heard those words again in my head.
As I listened, I looked at Lian’s profile.
Her face was focused on the book. Her lips were moving slightly. It was a habit she had when reading.
Ah, to see this face, I come here every day.
I felt that realization strongly.