Occasionally in life, you come across such people.
Parents at places like cafes, laughing and chatting animatedly, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere.
However, their smiling façades are just masks; in reality, their world is more intense and ruthless than any battlefield, their own private warzone.
The topic of their discussions never changes.
Whose child is more successful?
When one person starts the conversation, the others immediately jump in to boast about their children’s careers.
“My son discovered a new spell while studying freezing magic, and the head of the Blue Magic Tower sent an invitation for residency once the news spread.”
“My daughter came first in her entire school at Krassia Academy in the northern continent.”
“My son ended up getting engaged to a countess after they hit it off.”
Their mouths spout all sorts of stories, but ironically, there exists a magical word that can instantly halt these discussions.
The Solaris Empire’s most prestigious educational institution: Lumere Academy.
If someone mentions that their son or daughter has been admitted to Lumere Academy, the meeting disperses immediately without further ado. And the person who brought the topic up will no longer be invited to future gatherings, out of sheer envy.
Just by being admitted, the student becomes the ultimate pride of their parents, and if they graduate successfully, their brilliant future is assured.
For students of Lumere Academy, tackling a D-rank Goblin dungeon was nothing more than an easy way to earn pocket money.
Had it not been for the appearance of Demons from the higher tiers, it would have been even simpler.
“AAAuuuuuuuuugh!!”
A-rank Demon: Werewolf, and S-rank Demon: Beastman, an upper species of Demons that walk on four legs, with their entire body except their face covered in fur. They use their sharp fangs and claws as primary weapons and only appear during nights with a clear moonlight. They are perpetually hostile towards humans.
Under the pale light of a crescent moon.
He fought for me, risking his life, when I had expended all my mana.
Even with his flesh torn in multiple places by sharp fangs, his body covered in blood, and finding himself in a desperate situation where he couldn’t move a single step, he continued to fight.
Not with the aim of winning but in order to protect.
“Why… Why go so far?”
In a life-threatening situation.
His reply was calm, as if it were nothing significant.
“I’m not entirely sure myself.”
An extended period of time had passed to the point that the memory had somewhat faded, but I revisited that day’s memory countless times to ensure I didn’t forget.
So is that why? I feel like I understand now.
The reason why the man who protected me that day could remain calm even in a dangerous situation.
He wasn’t calm; he was pretending to remain calm for me, because I was scared out of my mind.
To lessen the tension for me in any way possible.
I’d irritated him a lot with church-related issues.
I was sure he was a fake preacher who deceived his followers for monetary gain, and I had always considered him a constant adversary, watching him closely.
However, after being helped by him, I occasionally found myself thinking this: “He’s a kinder and more considerate man than I thought. Maybe I should be a bit nicer to him.”
Even though he had already saved my life, if he had given me back my vision too, I would have committed my entire body and soul to him.
But this would never happen, assuming, of course, that this man even accepts me.
But the man who brought the panacea wasn’t him; it was someone else.
Yuren Star Dust, the first son of the Star Dust Dukedom and the top graduate of Lumere Academy.
Though I was a little disappointed, as long as I could regain my sight, it didn’t matter who had done it.
So I decided to let go of my feelings for him and instead follow one man, the one who gave me back the ability to see, much like a prince coming on a white horse.
This was why I loved Yuren, and why, until I discovered the truth, I completely forgot about Mate Daylight.
Shirai arrived at the branch an hour ago.
Muse Fairfield has eyes and ears everywhere within the school. Upon hearing from her subordinate that the two had separated, Muse immediately set off without hesitation.
“Long time no see, Shirai.”
And thus, the contact succeeded.
Muse revealed to Shirai that she hadn’t forgotten their previous encounter and used the excuse of catching up to bring Shirai to the branch.
It was a long-standing connection. There was enough justification for conversation, and trust between them was sufficient. Therefore, it was as easy as falling off a log to bring Shirai to the branch upon contact.
After bringing Shirai to the branch office, Muse handed her over to one of her subordinates and returned to the Academy to gather the rest of the people.
Xyah, Judit Mundersturm, Mate Daylight.
And the self who had returned to the branch entered the office with these three and dispatched the order to bring Shirai into the office.
“However, absolutely do not let her inside. Do you understand?”
“Are you telling me to have her eavesdrop on the conversation through the door?”
The subordinate appeared to have understood Muse’s intent, prompting her approval with a nod.
Their employment within the Preliminary Association was made possible due to their competency. Muse would never tolerate incompetence.
The subordinates faithfully carried out the tasks commanded by Muse, and as a result, everything went as Muse had planned.
“All those memories… you remember them?”
Shirai wore an expression of disbelief, but life has a way of being cruel.
Proving that Mate’s memories were intact was the main intention of this gathering as planned by Muse.
Shirai swayed dangerously, as if about to lose her balance, but Muse’s competent subordinate would never leave a distinguished guest to fall.
Shirai was safely guided to the sofa with the enthusiastic help of the staff. However, her demeanor remained as withered as a plant lacking water, unchanging.
The conversation between Mate and Shirai that began when they entered the academy together had ceased, and silence reigned.
Muse Fairfield, who orchestrated all of this, alone maintained a quiet smile amid the atmosphere that made her body feel numb.
“Finally, we’re all here.”
Muse’s subordinate left the office.
Siyah, who was about to leave, sighed and returned to her place upon seeing Shirai who had been eavesdropping.
Shirai still had a shocked look on her face.
Silence enveloped everyone except Muse.
Once again, Muse seamlessly opened the conversation.
“Unfortunately, it seems Yuren has completely forgotten. We had one of our staff monitor him, but we didn’t detect any suspicious signs.”
Muse glanced sideways at Judit, who was casually sitting cross-legged with her arms crossed, smirking as if to say, “Isn’t that convenient?”
“So, you mean you had us all surveilled?”
Muse nodded without denial, looking coolly as though there had never been an intention to deny.
“This group consists of people who realized that time has been reset, that is, those who didn’t lose their memories from before the regression. In matters of such magnitude, we need absolute, absolute confidence.”
The five that Muse judged had preserved their memory, using her hundreds of eyes and ears, included us.
All of us share a common keyword:
“Member of Yuren Star Dust’s party.”
By this point, everyone had already figured out as much.
“Is it not odd to you all that time has been rewound overnight, and only we remember?”
“Is our rewind somehow linked to us?”
“It’s not just linked. What I am getting at is, um… let me put it this way.”
Muse gave her that look as if to say, “You are in the palm of my hand, ready to be manipulated at any time,” with her ever-present fox-like smirk.
“If, by any chance, one of us here is responsible for the rewind?”
“Are you on drugs or something? That’s not normal.”
“Judit, I’m serious. Now that time has been reversed, we can’t outright dismiss the possibility I’ve raised.”
Muse Fairfield, the official intelligent character from “How to Ace Romance at Academy.”
I knew she was so cunning and competent that she nearly succeeded in a national-level revolution in the previous timeline.
It might have been because I stopped her from fully succeeding in that revolution that I let my guard down a bit this time.
I admit it.
I underestimated Muse’s brilliance all this time.
“I understand what you’re saying, but having someone with such supernatural powers defies logic.”
“What about the resurrection ability of the person standing in front of you, Xyah Stella? Isn’t that supernatural?”
“That’s different. Reviving someone versus reversing time? Their significance differs entirely. Compare apples to apples.”
Judit sighed and uncrossed her arms as she spoke.
“No, the fact that you brought this up makes me suspect someone.”
“I can’t deny that.”
“So, who is it then? The person you suspect?”
“At first, I thought it was Yuren. I figured he lost his memory to cover up the fact that he reversed time.”
Muse scanned the four of us with her eyes, as usual, that cold, snake-like gaze trying to read people’s minds.
After the quick back-and-forth gaze ended, Muse smirked and twirled the ends of her hair while saying,
“Still, I’m unsure.”
“What?”
“We’re comrades who faced life and death together. I care more about everyone’s feelings than about who reversed time.”
Muse’s gaze naturally shifted to Shirai.
“Are you okay?”
“…”
“Haven’t you been living in a misconception for quite a while? About the person who made the panacea?”
The man who created the universal remedy wasn’t Yuren.”
Since the start, Shiya had been subdued but now couldn’t conceal her astonishment. She looked back and forth between me and Shirai, unable to hide her bewilderment.
“Everything from preparing the ingredients to the actual creation was done solely by Mate. The rest of you probably thought Yuren did it.”
Shirai’s hands gripping her knees trembled as if they were holding back some profound emotions, like a kettle waiting to boil over.
“So, she regrets having her soul tied with Yuren.”
“Is it really true? Did you actually make the panacea?”
Annoyed, Judit slammed the palm of her hand down on the table and stood up.
I close my eyes. The office is abnormally bright, yet strangely pitch black.
In the dark, there are two chairs and a table.
Me and Muse sitting across from each other, each holding a certain amount of cards, playing “One Card.”
Muse offered a card with the image of the universal remedy on it with a mysterious smile.
The moment I was about to push the card forward in deep consideration,
“So?”
Shirai said, looking calm, as if she had sorted out her thoughts.
“Is there anyone else but me by Mate’s side?”
While showing disturbingly red eyes.
“The past doesn’t matter. The present does.”
Everyone in the office thought.
That Shirai might have been feigning blindness.
Shirai walked straight to where I was and sat by me, although her sight was supposedly lost.
Then, she covered my right hand with her left and smiled in a way more chilling than Muse’s laugh.
“Will you not leave me?”
“…”
Only Shirai and me know the situation with the Daylight Church.
I realized the meaning of Shirai’s words while staring into her crimson eyes like blood.
