Chapter 34

The sun had set, and a dim darkness settled over the world.

While most students were comfortably enjoying their leisure time after dinner at home or in the dorms,

the Academy behind it was completely empty of any human presence.

At the place commonly referred to as the back mountain by the students,

at the peak where one could view the morning sun rise most clearly, Tirisia Bruerd sat alone on the edge of a steep cliff.

At first glance, it might seem like she was contemplating a leap, but she had no such intentions.

Tirisia had come here simply to sort out the chaos in her mind.

Gazing at the full moon casting a soft glow over the ground,

she was lost in deep thought.

Having fled from the plaza, she hadn’t returned home, spending hours sitting on the edge of the cliff.

The world was silent.

There was no sign of people or even the presence of animals.

At most, the only sound was an occasional chirping of crickets, and atop that mountain, she felt like an endless loner.

“…Sigh.”

She had let out sighs countless times throughout the day, but once again it escaped her lips.

Her heart and thoughts were far too tangled.

The commotion from lunch in the plaza began replaying in her mind.

Kelg’s intended execution to push Erto away.

All the Academy students who moved as he wished.

And herself, who did nothing to intervene in that situation,

and finally, Erto, who ended up shedding tears as he witnessed her indifference.

Her heart felt a heavy pain.

Her aqua-colored eyes curled in agony.

Once again, she had committed a sin.

After the classroom where the sunset had shone, this was the second time.

She had utterly denied Erto’s heart.

“…Sigh.”

But it couldn’t be helped.

Because that was what Kelg desired.

Because that was what the man she loved more than anyone else wished for.

The feeling of love can blind people with terrifying intensity.

Even when she knew in her mind that it was wrong, all reason faded before that sweet emotion.

Family, friends, even former lovers—

they were washed away like mere sandcastles before the waves of emotion.

That’s why she could betray Erto twice.

It wasn’t that she felt no guilt.

Every time she ripped apart Erto’s heart and watched his eyes fill with despair,

Tirisia felt the same emotions.

She always acutely sensed that her actions were an unforgivable betrayal.

But—

when she sacrificed her precious things, the fruits that fell.

The cost of betrayal, like selling her soul, was far too delicious, driving her nearly insane, leaving her no choice but to follow.

Kelg Durakal.

Making him happy was now the foremost principle of action for Tirisia Bruerd.

Because she loved him.

Because she loved Kelg more than Erto.

If she had to choose between the two, her choice was clear on who she wanted more.

The feelings of sin, guilt, and self-loathing could all be ignored thanks to the powerful anesthetic of love.

That’s why she betrayed Erto. That was all.

“…I’m sorry, Erto.”

Tirisia, looking at the moon, offered an apology that wouldn’t reach her own ears, and even if it did, it would hold no meaning.

But the biggest problem right now wasn’t what Erto thought of her.

It was the massive revelation at the plaza that was birthed through the collaboration of Aisidel and Elconja.

All the students of the Academy witnessed her betrayal of Erto and her infidelity.

Furthermore, her own flaws as the only daughter of a great noble family were now laid bare for all to see.

This was not a situation that could be simply overlooked.

“Ah… What do I do?”

Tirisia murmured as she buried her face in her hands.

Unimaginable shame surged within her.

If it were merely revealing herself naked in front of people, she might have been able to laugh it off.

If it were a case of being caught sharing affection with someone she loved, while embarrassing, she could still hold her head high.

But what she had exposed before everyone was an entirely different matter.

She had betrayed her boyfriend and had been caught gasping in another man’s embrace.

Moreover, she had brazenly flaunted that moment directly in front of her boyfriend.

The vividness of the scene in the mirror felt so real that it seemed as if it had happened to the onlookers themselves.

At that time, there were hundreds of students gathered in the plaza, nearly all the students in the Academy.

No wizard could possibly erase the memory of that many witnesses.

Rumors were unavoidable. The story would spread among all the nobles and commoners alike.

And beyond mere gossip and ridicule, she would soon face direct consequences.

The nobles, as fellow members of the same class, would demand accountability and restitution for sullying the honor of the entire noble class.

The commoners, with their multitude, would widely disseminate her scandal and worsen the situation.

Living in the Academy was virtually impossible now.

And what about her family? The moment they learned about this incident, she couldn’t even begin to predict the punishment she would face.

The Bruerd family was a prestigious house known for its honor among all noble families.

How could the only daughter born there betray her boyfriend by openly fooling around with another man?

This was truly an unprecedented large-scale incident.

Given the nature of this rare situation, it was hard to gauge the size of the impending backlash.

It was also uncertain how the Durakal family would respond.

Though both parties had caused the problem, the Academy was owned by the Durakal family.

Since this wasn’t merely a matter of familial damage but an issue that arose within the Academy, it was likely that Bruerd would be held more accountable.

“Ah… Ahh!”

Tirisia rubbed her face with her palms, letting out a frustrated groan.

In an instant, everything around her was engulfed in endless problems.

Bombs of issues scattered everywhere, impossible to resolve.

That’s why she had fled to this place.

For now, she wanted to escape the reality in front of her and seek solace alone.

Something, anything, if touched among all the chaos, would undoubtedly trigger an unstoppable avalanche, like a mountain crumbling down.

Of course, just sitting quietly and letting time pass wouldn’t prevent that moment from coming.

The moment of reckoning was drawing closer by the second.

Tomorrow? Or the day after?

When would her family realize what had happened?

When would the newspapers outside the Academy be plastered with articles about this incident?

How much time remained before the whole world pointed fingers at her?

At that moment, what might Erto be thinking as he looked at himself, now a target of mockery and disdain?

Would he feel relieved? Or would he still hold on to his friendship with her?

He was the one who, even after seeing that scene, had declared he would remain friends with her.

If it were true to his endlessly kind character, perhaps it would be the latter.

“…Heh.”

As the hollow hope filled her heart, a laugh escaped Tirisia’s lips.

How had she come to this point?

Everything was her choice, yet somehow she felt a sense of skepticism.

She never imagined such a vile nature existed within her. She was shocked at herself.

If she had not loved Kelg, would all these problems have occurred?

“Ahaha!”

That was just a meaningless hypothesis.

Because even now, she still adored Kelg Durakal endlessly.

That was the only clear truth, and it was a betrayal she committed with the full intention of bearing the consequences afterwards, so she had no regrets.

It felt just like the tragic heroine fleeing the world with her beloved, leaving all else behind.

Yet, what filled her heart now was simply the weight of the situation she had to face and the irritation that accompanied it.

Yes,

she was utterly annoyed right now.

If someone attacked her, unlike usual, she would be angry.

“—Found you.”

Frizz!

On the desolate mountaintop, a chilling voice echoed alongside the sound of electric crackling.

Tirisia turned to see the guest who had arrived.

A girl with cherry blossom-colored twin tails, emitting a crimson lightning bolt, floated down before the cliff.

It was her long-time childhood friend, Rusika Rafisle.

“Hah… Hah…”

How many hours had she spent searching for her? The girl’s entire body was drenched in sweat, and she was panting heavily.

“Rusika…”

Tirisia stood up with a reluctant expression to greet her.

Though Rusika was the closest and dearest friend among the female students at the Academy, at that moment, she couldn’t welcome her visit with joy.

She understood better than anyone what she had done.

She knew exactly who had been hurt the most after Erto.

And most importantly—

“Tirisia.”

The girl, filled with sadness and regret in her pink eyes, stared at her,

making it clear that she wasn’t here with good intentions.

“Why did you do it?”

Rusika asked with a tender expression filled with a glimmer of hope as she looked at Tirisia.

Wishing for her to provide a desperate explanation she could somehow comprehend.

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