Chapter 83

Professor Esther joined us, and after finishing lunch as usual,

Sofia Sub-priest and I returned to the Professor’s Office. With summer vacation just around the corner, we needed to prepare for the first exam of the first-year students for the next semester.

Since there are no exams in the first semester, there won’t be any summer classes offered this time.

That was a huge relief. I absolutely loathed the idea of commuting to the Professor’s Office through the sweltering heat or the pouring rain of the monsoon season.

Moreover, if Sofia Sub-priest had to come to work in that humid heat as well?

“It would be hell.”

It was closer to hell. Even before the full summer set in, Sofia Sub-priest would sweat profusely and gasp for breath every time she stepped out of the air-conditioned comfort into the heat.

If summer classes had been scheduled, Sofia Sub-priest might have fainted. The scorching sun of summer was a season that worried me about her health.

“Sofia Sub-priest.”

“Yes?”

Calling out to Sofia Sub-priest, who was sitting at her desk, she lifted her head.

This was the new desk we had acquired. Thanks to the academy supporting the budget under the guise of research funding, we enjoyed this convenience.

The budgets for each department at the academy were determined by student evaluations of the classes, and it seemed the students in first-year Class A found my class more satisfying than I had imagined. I was surprised at the amount of research funding provided.

Anyway, I asked Sofia Sub-priest, who was peering at me from behind her desk.

“Is it still hot?”

“No, it’s fine now.”

I was truly glad that the academy’s air conditioning had been repaired. Sofia Sub-priest looked much more comfortable than when she was complaining about the heat.

“That’s good. By the way, how did the task I asked you about go?”

“Ah… you’re talking about the faculty advisor for the club, right?”

The faculty advisor for the club. This was another headache for me.

Thanks to Daniel unilaterally putting my name down for the advisor position for the Occult Research Club, I had to approach the head professor of the first years to seek a solution.

However, the response I received was cold.

“The forms have already been submitted, and there are no empty advisor positions in other clubs. Besides, all professors are required to oversee at least one club… That’s what the head professor said. So…”

“…So, in the end, I have to oversee the Occult Research Club?”

“Umm… yeah…”

I covered my face with both hands. My future felt dark.

As I repeatedly splashed cold water on my face, Sofia Sub-priest awkwardly smiled and said.

“Still, the students are all nice, right? During the Grade-by-Grade Duel last week, they didn’t cause any trouble.”

“…….”

“Since it’s come to this, let’s think positively! An elite club with only the top students from each grade! How about that?”

“…That sounds wonderful.”

“Really wonderful, right?”

“Yes. It feels like a dream.”

Right. Let’s think positively. Originally, my plan was to stop keeping an eye on Chloe, but…

‘…I suppose I have no choice.’

Since it has come to this, I’ll just alter my plans. I wouldn’t cut off my interest in Chloe. That was the conclusion I reached.

‘In the last Grade-by-Grade Duel, I unexpectedly performed well, and it seems the Adelhaid Duke is secretly trying to get closer to me… it might be best to observe closely from the nearest position.’

While I was organizing my thoughts, Sofia Sub-priest added.

“Oh! By the way… the head professor mentioned that we need to submit the summer vacation activity report for the Occult Research Club by next Friday.”

“Activity report… you mean?”

“Yes. If we are going to conduct club activities outside the academy during this summer vacation, we need to report in advance. I haven’t received the details yet, but I believe the paperwork will be passed to us once the Head Priest’s intention is confirmed.”

I mulled over Sofia Sub-priest’s words.

The summer vacation activity for the Occult Research Club? I hadn’t even brought up such a thing, and now, out of the blue?

‘…Could it be that Daniel did something strange again?’

It wouldn’t be an unreasonable thought. The current members of the Occult Research Club, including Daniel, all had some peculiarities.

The rumors circulating at the academy certainly didn’t paint them in a good light. Thanks to Daniel and Vivian, who frequented the secluded and deserted—let’s say—’places that seem likely to be haunted,’ the perceptions of other students toward the Occult Research Club weren’t particularly favorable.

To be precise, it was like a gathering of weirdos. While they were all naturally talented, they had joined a bizarre club like the Occult Research Club.

Some even remarked that it was a waste when they could have joined academically relevant clubs that would actually help with their studies. After all, they were supposed to be top students, and it was often said they were too busy having fun to care about their studies.

Daniel, having connections among the second-year students, fortunately had not allowed serious bad rumors to circulate…

‘…But I feel a bit uneasy.’

I looked back at Sofia Sub-priest. Her emerald eyes were directed toward me, waiting for my answer.

“I will discuss that with Daniel and get back to you.”

“Alright. I will inform the head professor as well.”

“Please do. Thank you.”

After responding, I immediately stood up. Sofia Sub-priest’s gaze, which was still focused on her work at the desk, turned toward me again.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m just going to smoke for a bit.”

“Oh… Okay. See you later.”

As I watched Sofia Sub-priest focusing on her work again, I made my way out of the professor’s office.

“…Hmm.”

I felt a mysterious note in my pocket.

*

The students were attending afternoon classes, so the courtyard was as quiet as any other afternoon. The people wandering the academy grounds at this time were mostly staff managing the academy.

Cleaners, gardeners, and maybe the cooks working in the school cafeteria.

I sat on a quiet bench. An ashtray was placed next to the bench, and an apricot tree stood nearby, making this one of my frequently used smoking spots.

I took out a cigarette pack from my pocket and habitually put a cigarette in my mouth.

– Click.

As I brought the match to the tip and lit it, the refreshing mint aroma knocked the stuffy feeling from my head. The cool and invigorating sensation was excellent.

Exhaling the smoke, I glanced upward at the apricot tree, where fruits were starting to show. Even in the scorching sun of the afternoon, the large shade provided by the apricot tree made it bearable enough.

That was another reason I frequented this spot. I exhaled the smoke again and slipped my hand into my pocket.

The neatly folded note I had received from Sofia Sub-priest before lunch rested in my hand. Holding the cigarette in my other hand, I briefly looked around.

“…….”

There was no one around. The closest person was a maintenance worker repairing a lamp post in the distance, far too far to overhear me.

I felt relieved and put the cigarette back in my mouth, gripping the note in both hands.

– Rattle.

The adhesive that had been holding the papers together easily came apart, and the sealed note began to unfold slowly.

I wondered who it was from. Meijhem? Dennis? Or perhaps, Damian?

Or maybe it was just someone from the Occult Research Club playing a prank. Holding the cigarette and exhaling the smoke, I began to look over the note.

[ In front of the Academy Main Building courtyard. Ashtray bench under the apricot tree. Come after lunchtime. ]

“…Hmm?”

What could this mean? I continued to read the note.

An ambiguous phrase. Below it was a single letter.

[ Li. ]

“……”

I stared blankly at the letter.

Li. It seemed like some kind of code, its meaning difficult to interpret. Having read that single letter, I immersed myself in thought.

“…Li.”

Li. One single letter. It didn’t seem to be a code, as it bore no hidden intent.

I flipped the note over. On the back, there was nothing but my name and the crease from where the paper had been folded.

I turned the paper over again. Then, I reflected on the phrase written on the note.

The courtyard in front of the Academy Main Building and the ashtray bench under the apricot tree. This clearly pointed to a specific location. I furrowed my brows as I considered it.

“…It’s here.”

The place noted was the very spot where I was smoking. I took a deep drag on the cigarette that was burning in my hand and exhaled the smoke as I read the sentence that followed.

The instruction to come after lunchtime. That too was quite clear in its meaning.

After lunchtime meant precisely now. All the sentences I had read up until this point pointed to the bench I was sitting on and this very moment.

[ Li. ]

If so, what is this enigmatic writing?

Typically, one would write the sender’s name at the bottom of a letter. Keeping that in mind, I contemplated this ‘Li’ once more…

……

“…Li.”

I muttered quietly. It was not just because I knew I was alone.

It was an involuntary utterance, one that emerged clearly through a conscious mind. Li.

It was not a difficult code to decipher. It was neither a place name nor an organization’s title.

It was simply a person’s name. The name of the individual who sent me the note.

And, among my memories, the only figure whose name includes ‘Li’ is but one.

“Li… Cesar Li.”

I called that name somewhat absentmindedly. As if recalling a presence that I thought had already vanished into the void. As if summoning a ghost that no longer existed in this world.

– Pat. Pat.

Then, I felt someone place a hand on my shoulder.

I was too afraid to turn my head. I swallowed dryly.

You are certainly dead. As far as I know, the person who bore this name has disappeared from this world.

In the scorching flames, I heard the agonizing cries of your dying moments. I heard them clearly.

Then, then…

“Lucio.”

Whose voice do I hear from behind me?

It was familiar yet strangely different from what I remembered, a voice sounding as if it were full of phlegm.

Hearing that voice, I ended up turning my head.

“It’s been a while.”

There stood the ghost from my past, someone I had thought was already erased from this world.

And there she was… very much alive.