Elio sipped on his glass of wine while he sat across from Sophia. "...There are quite a few players on the board tonight, Sophia."
The Headmistress sighed and sipped on her own glass of wine. "...It appears so. And both your niece and sponsee are not making things better."
Elio let out a helpless smile. "Love makes fools of us all, I suppose."
The banquet was in full sway. While on the surface, it appeared to be lively and normal, anyone with half a brain could see that the attention was focused on Alex and Evelyn.
Elio didn't fault them.
Although no one publicly spoke about it, the truth was that the Emperor's current situation was unknown. For all intents and purposes, the Eternal Empire was run by Elio's nephew, Crown Prince Maximilian.
But that was the problem.
Maximilian held the title of 'Crown Prince,' but behind closed doors, the Emperor had already stated that the throne would pass to Evelyn the moment she proved ready.
In short...
'My brother is playing games again without caring for consequences.'
There needed to be a Crown Prince because it was tradition. But at the same time, the Emperor apparently wanted to be progressive and break that tradition.
But traditions held sway for a reason.
Even though Evelyn possessed the legendary
But it seemed like his foolish brother who thought himself wise believed otherwise.
"You seem troubled, Leo."
Elio blinked. Then he realized that the Headmistress- No.
Since it was just them at the table, it was Sophia.
Sophia had called out to him, using her old nickname for him.
Elio let out a wry smile and said, "I thought you said 'that girl' had her dreams of a normal life crushed long ago. Are we feeling nostalgic tonight?"
Sophia sipped on a glass of wine, watching Alex fuss over Evelyn. "...A little." She let out a faint smile when she saw Eve lean into Alex. After that, she shifted her rainbow eyes to Elio, mixed emotions within her gaze.
Elio sipped on his own glass of wine, staring back into Sophia's eyes. As he did, he recalled the past.
Friends who said they would always have each other's backs. An unexpected betrothal between them. Both, giving up that betrothal to pursue a dream.
Her, having discovered exceptional talent in magic. Enough to change the world.
Him, realizing his abilities allowed him to chart the unknown gates, making the world safer overall.
And then the woman who had been the friend to them both, and who ended up breaking all of them apart.
Elio slowly set his glass down and said, "Phi. Do you ever think about the past?"
Sophia set her glass down as well. "...I used to not. But these days... I can't help it." She let out a bitter smile. "Maybe it's because I'm getting older. Maybe it's seeing so much love in the air. But... I do wonder." She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and gazing into Elio's eyes. "...If at that time, I said to choose me. If I hadn't quietly let you go... Would you have stayed?"
Elio was quiet.
"...No. Don't answer." Sophia chuckled and said, "Some things don't need-"
"Yes."
Sophia froze.
Elio didn't meet her gaze, looking into his glass instead. "...I chose 'her' back then. I've been saying it was the right choice and stubbornly holding onto it. But..." He shifted his gaze to Alex, who was audaciously clinging to Evelyn and feeding her a cookie.
Evelyn looked so much like her mother. That smile, that laugh, the way she teased Alex back.
And that had been why Elio had been so adamant about pursuing Tartarus.
Evelyn's mother would have been over the moon to see her daughter this happy. And Evelyn herself was a wonderful young woman who deserved to have her in her life.
But...
"...Maybe I was just someone addicted to the fantasy of being a savior."
Elio shifted his gaze to look into Sophia's eyes.
Sophia froze, her glittering rainbow eyes shimmering with tears.
Elio took a deep breath.
Seeing his sponsee be so bold. Seeing Alex dare to love Evelyn and make the world his enemy...
It made Elio's heart shift. The steely resolve he had to save someone he thought had died unjustly cracked. And the truth he'd been burying beneath his mission started to bloom.
That was...
"...Phi. If-"
Before Elio could finish, a pillar of blood-red flames erupted in the distance.
Sophia's eyes widened and she quickly stood up, swiping out her hand to summon her staff. "Elio."
"Yeah." Elio stood up as well, his eyes already tracing out the
Nobles screamed out in shock.
Students reached for their weapons, only to remember they were ornamental and then rushing towards the nearest equipment rack.
Guests panicked and ran towards Heroes or Imperial Guards.
But Elio disregarded all of that. Instead, he shifted his gaze back to Maximilian, Alex, and Evelyn.
The Crown Prince's guards immediately moved into formation, surrounding him.
Evelyn jumped to her feet, drawing her ornamental rapier, channeling mana through it to make it a viable weapon.
And Alex...
He just pulled Evelyn back down and onto his lap, watching everything like it was just a part of the show.
'...You sly young man.'
Playing the part of the fool while simultaneously creating the uncertainty of whether he knew what was going on.
The players that mattered would hesitate.
The players that didn't would try to provoke him in the future.
The players that mattered would encourage that.
But all in all...
'Buying time with inaction alone while calming and loving my niece in the meantime...'
Elio shook his head.
He could marvel and interrogate Alex later.
For now...
Elio glanced at Sophia.
Sophia nodded and then moved out to address the crowd.
Meanwhile, Elio dashed out of the hall, chasing the
===
Roland kicked aside a swordsman wearing all black and then glanced at the pillar of bloodred flames erupting all over the courtyard and evaporating the freshly fallen snow. "...You think that's part of their plan, Mari?"
Marisa lowered her staff, letting the winds around her die down. As they did, a half-dozen black-robed figures crashed onto the ground with a sickening crack. But she ignored them, staring at the flames. "...No. I don't think so."
There were definitely multiple parties in play tonight at the gala.
Some looked to be assassins from various nobles. Others, that mysterious underworld association that the spy she and Roland had discovered earlier in the semester belonged to.
And, although she couldn't confirm it, Marisa felt like there were quite a few Imperial covert operators in the mix as well.
But regardless of their affiliation, everyone in the area was shocked by the flames.
"...If it was, they wouldn't give us this opening."
Even as Marisa had been lost in thought, she hadn't stopped casting. And as a result, more people were dragged into the open.
Black-robed men carrying overcharged mana stones that Marisa disarmed. Well-trained men in plainclothes that had been sneaking around, subtly mapping the area. And then more than a few students who were carrying suspicious artifacts that reeked of unstable mana.
With another wave of her staff, she created a vacuum and forcibly knocked them unconscious.
...They may also be suffering from ruptured eardrums and lungs, but nothing fatal. What mattered was that they were out of the picture for the moment.
Roland stuck close to Marisa's side, his blue eyes sweeping the surroundings.
Marisa did the same, her emerald eyes taking in the current situation.
They were in the courtyard under the pretense of getting some fresh air.
Surprisingly (not), there had been quite a few others who had the same idea.
Some were normal students and guests.
Most were not.
Those who were not, and who had been outside at the same time as Marisa and Roland were currently in the heap before them.
That was settled at least.
But now...
Marisa shifted her gaze to the towering pillars of crimson flames.
'...What is that?'
It wasn't a spell or an Art.
The flames, whatever they were, didn't use mana at all.
But even so, they didn't fade. And they weren't illusory. No, the heat from those pillars of fire was real.
Marisa watched, thinking that it might just be some new weapon. That it was something like a modified Greek Fire or an artifact from a gate.
But the flames didn't weaken. If anything, they intensified as time passed.
"...A Talent? No, a domain?"
That was the only explanation.
Whatever it was, it wasn't magic so much as it was an authority being enforced upon the world.
...The question then was who was doing it, and why.
The flames were destructive and intimidating. But they were also controlled, walling people in but not attacking anyone.
Roland held his sword at the ready, scanning the area. As he did, he said, "A domain? Like in the mid-term? You think they sent a ridiculous guy to cause chaos?"
"...I don't know. But." Marisa noticed some people in the distant discreetly pulling out communication artifacts to make reports. "...I DO know that this is just the start of it."
Night had just fallen. The moon was high in the sky, shrouded behind clouds and drifting snowflakes.
And because of that, it was far from over.
"Let's go." Marisa started jogging back into the building. "We're done here. But we need to check. There might be bombs or other hazards planted."
"What?! ...No, of COURSE there are." Roland clicked his tongue. "...I guess we'll find out if my grandfather's sword style can cancel explosions."
"...Let's... leave that hypothesis for another day. Just keep the men off me, Rolo."
"Of course, Mari. Leave it to me."
"...Tch. Not even flustered. Do you not think of me like that at all?"
"P-Pardon? What are you talking about?"
"Men? Keeping them off me?"
"...Of course I'll do that." Roland gave Marisa a confused look. "...Are you concerned I won't?"
"...Forget it."
Alex was right.
'I might really need to just lock him in a room and..."
Marisa felt her face heat up at the thought.
Roland glanced over. "Are you alright? Your face is red, Mari-"
"DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT! FOCUS! THE MISSION!"
"Y-Yes, Ma'am!"