Chapter 307

False backed off quietly afterward, avoiding a fight with Rize.

If he fought with Rize, he could risk his own obliteration, especially since reinforcements could arrive at any moment.

However, even while retreating, he didn’t forget to hurl insults related to me. He basically said he’d wait until I was filled with despair.

Anyway, the collapse of the Academy, which can be seen as a turning point, ended with minimal damage.

The fact that the demons’ plans got shifted to focus on me reduced the damage, but I’d say our preemptive preparations played the biggest role.

“Quick, hurry! We need to set it up again before the monsters come!”

“Wizards here! Just write as you see fit.”

“Glad there are blueprints left.”

Once everything calmed down, the monument was slowly being restored.

In fact, there’s a monument not only in the Academy but also in the cities of various nations.

What nation wouldn’t want to set one up to prevent monster invasions? They were also treated as a form of quick travel in the Soul World.

Especially the Academy’s monument stood firm from start to finish. It signifies overwhelming reliability and stability.

Although civilization has continued to develop steadily since then, the monument itself hasn’t changed much. It truly is a pioneering invention.

“But why did the monsters collide with the monument?”

“Someone said a demon was controlling the monsters…”

“A demon? Why on earth?”

The fact that those behind the Academy’s collapse were demons has been gradually spreading. However, the credibility remained low.

It was widely known that demons controlled monsters, but no one understood why they ambushed the Academy.

It was also unclear whether it was an individual act or a collective one.

Above all, the current world was too preoccupied with the ongoing conflicts to care about anything else.

It was relatively calm as the ‘Frenzy’ incident hadn’t occurred, but ironically, this was why we couldn’t afford to pay attention to demons.

“I’m glad no one was seriously injured.”

“I heard the Saint protected everyone?”

“What would have happened if the Saint hadn’t been here?”

There were also discussions about the people who played big roles. Most were related to Rize’s actions.

While Sivar and Rod engaged directly with the demons, Rize swept through the chaos saving people.

Not to mention, her massive muscles and brutal punches were etched into everyone’s minds. No one could forget, even if they wanted to.

A true supporter eliminates dangerous sprouts in advance. Thanks to that, people were busy praising Rize.

“But where is the principal?”

“Good question. Haven’t seen him at all.”

“Could there be a problem?”

The Academy was being restored without any major issues. Given that something big had happened, there would naturally be talk about the principal.

However, the Academy principal, while a principal in name, bore no real responsibility. He functioned more like a guardian of balance.

For this reason, interest in Rod quickly faded away. I suppose that’s a good thing.

Because…

“Sivar.”

“……”

“It’s already the fifth day. You should take a break.”

“Just a little more.”

Right now, Rod lay peacefully on the bed, his eyes closed.

He exhaled evenly, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.

If someone looked at him, they’d think he was merely sleeping. But he hadn’t woken up for five days.

“The Saint said you lost a lot of blood, but it’s okay now. It’s just that your body is recovering, right?”

Eli beside me spoke up. Indeed, Rod had lost a lot of blood, but he was fine now.

With the level achieved through deep blue magic, he could sustain life functions. It wasn’t unreasonable to replenish lost blood.

And that magic was directly replenished by Rize. Above all, stability was the priority.

“I’ll wait until he wakes up.”

“Sivar.”

“He’ll wake up soon.”

It was still vivid in my mind. Rod’s figure pierced by a purple spear while trying to protect me.

He somehow managed to push False back in that state, showing just how strong he truly was.

Although he lost due to a difference in levels, his sacrifice allowed Rize to arrive in time.

‘Why am I…’

It was a question I wanted to ask not only False but also Rod. Why on earth would someone go this far for me?

While False’s existence mattered to me, Rod had only built a bond in just a year. Yet, he still offered his body to protect me.

From the time we first met until now, all Rod’s feelings have been muddied. Have I ever helped him even once?

A sigh slipped out involuntarily. At the very least, I wanted to feel relief when he opened his eyes.

I at least wanted to say I’m sorry. That’s why I stayed awake, watching over him.

“Should I give you something to eat? What do you want?”

“Anything.”

“Again with ‘anything’? What if you collapse? Just wait a bit. I’ll get something tasty.”

Eli pinched my cheek and trotted off to the kitchen. I turned my gaze to her retreating figure.

Originally, I would’ve kept Rod company all alone, but thankfully, Eli was there beside me.

Others were busy dealing with the aftermath. Rize was occupied treating the injured at the hospital.

Even so, she came to check on Rod a few times a day. She would probably show up soon.

“Here. Eat this.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Hehe.”

When I sincerely expressed my gratitude, Eli smiled wide. I returned a smile and then lifted the spoon.

The dish Eli prepared was bacon. Simple, yet she had drained the excess oil completely, making it not at all greasy.

“You should eat your broccoli too.”

“What about Eli? Can’t you have any?”

“Nope. You have to eat this to grow strong.”

“Hmm…”

As soon as I heard the word ‘growing strong,’ my gaze naturally shifted to one place.

I kept that gaze and faced Eli directly, opening my mouth.

“It seems you’ve eaten a lot, huh?”

“Yep. We only had vegetables at home.”

Is it even possible to achieve this by only eating vegetables? She must’ve had milk as well.

Or maybe everything she ate just went to her chest. That’s a pretty high probability explanation.

-Thunk

While I was munching on my food, the sound of a door opening echoed from behind.

The only person who could come and go freely without knocking was one person. I turned my head back.

“How is Rod doing?”

“He still hasn’t opened his eyes.”

It was Rize, wearing her nun’s habit as always.

She immediately checked on Rod lying down and pulled back the blanket.

-Flap

As soon as the blanket was pulled back, I instinctively shut my eyes. But then, I slowly opened them and stared straight ahead.

A body seemingly carved with utmost care by a sculptor, not suitable for her age. And the various scars left all over.

Among them, the one that stood out was the wound on her side. Spiderweb-like cracks surrounded a deep wound.

Originally, the cracks emitted a faint purple light, but now they had completely faded, losing all their light.

“The curse… it seems to have been fully dispelled. That’s a relief.”

“Then…!”

I looked at Rize with color flooding my face. That’s a positive reaction.

However, Rize still wore a serious expression and expressed a slightly negative viewpoint.

“It’s not certain yet. We have no way to know if the curse reached the heart. There might even be adverse effects we aren’t aware of.”

“At that time, I…”

“A curse that reaches the heart cannot be countered even by Brother Sivar’s magic. It could even destroy the heart.”

“……”

I didn’t speak. Instead, I held onto a tiny hope deep inside me.

It was, after all, purple. Merely neutralizing a curse of that color seemed miraculous.

I wondered how Rize had such knowledge, but I could always ask about that later.

What mattered most right now was Rod’s health. As long as Rod was okay, that’s what mattered.

“Um…”

“!!”

Not long after I confirmed Rod’s state, he let out a low groan and frowned.

That signified that his consciousness was gradually returning. Upon witnessing that, Eli rushed to the kitchen to get some water.

Rize and I waited silently until Rod woke. My heart raced wildly due to tension.

“Gramps?”

“Are you coming to your senses?”

“……”

As we continuously asked, Rod’s gaze shifted towards us. His eyes appeared somewhat foggy.

He blinked a few times and slowly propped himself up. I panicked and reached for him.

If someone suddenly sits up after lying down, it could cause low blood pressure. That’s knowledge I picked up somewhere.

But is it because of the deep blue? Rod pressed his head a few times and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Why… am I lying here?”

“Water’s here!”

Eli chose that moment to come back with water. Rod gulped it down, expressing his gratitude.

Had drinking the refreshing water cleared his mind? Rod, still with blurry eyes, opened his mouth again.

“Sivar, Rize… and even student Eli… what’s going on?”

“Do you see clearly?”

“Though it’s dim, I can see well enough. It should improve soon.”

“That’s a relief. For now, you need to rest, so lie down.”

Rod followed Rize’s instruction and laid back down. He still appeared confused.

He looked like someone who couldn’t grasp the situation. This made me feel like something was off.

Rod, after all, had quite a lot of experience, overtly superior compared to others.

Yet, someone like him couldn’t figure out the situation? This was definitely an ominous sign.

“Rod. What’s the last memory you have?”

“I surely…”

Noticing this, Rize also posed the question to Rod. Rod frowned slightly, as if unsure.

After thinking for a while, he raised his head and looked around.

“Ah. Right. I was watching the bird that Luna entrusted to me, Pijon-tu.”

“……”

“And Sivar brought a raccoon. Where are they now?”

“That was… a few days ago…”

Eli hesitated, sidestepping the topic. I chewed on my lip after hearing that.

His memory is completely gone. Before the curse, he had lost too much blood, likely causing significant brain damage.

The human brain is quite sensitive. Even a minor concussion can cause memory loss.

If he were an ordinary person, he’d likely be in a vegetative state or brain-dead. Maybe it’s better than the worst-case scenario.

“It seems you don’t remember fighting the demon.”

“A demon? Ah. Speaking of, what time is it? I need to prepare quickly…”

Rod sprang up urgently at Rize’s words. It looked like he completely forgot.

But all events were already concluded. Now, the only thing left was steady rest.

“Calm down. Everything is over now.”

“Over?”

“Yes. Though you may not remember, the ambush by the demons has ended, thanks to your efforts, Rod.”

“Um…”

Despite Rize’s persuasion, Rod wore a confused expression. It was understandable, given the situation of having everything disappear from memory.

However, Rize is not someone to lie. And knowing that, Rod let out a long breath.

“Okay. Since you say so, I guess I can believe it. Are there any injuries?”

“There are severe injuries, but miraculously, no fatalities.”

“I see… then can you tell me what day it is today? As far as I remember, it was the 15th.”

“It’s the 29th now.”

Rod nodded his head. His expression was beginning to relax as the confusion eased.

Then, he stared blankly at the ceiling and mumbled softly.

“I feel like I’ve forgotten something… what could it be?”

“It seems you need some time to sort your thoughts. Since it’s getting late, it’s better to go.”

“I’ll stay here…”

“No. You need to go too.”

I wanted to stay by Rod’s side. But Eli adamantly insisted otherwise.

While I didn’t need to sleep, I had been nursing him for five long days. More importantly, I hadn’t rested properly since that day.

Maybe that’s why. I strongly felt the fatigue accumulating in my body. Following Eli’s advice, it would be wise to take a short rest.

“Then see you tomorrow, Gramps.”

“Alright. You all take a good rest too.”

Still, I was relieved. Although he lost his memory, he was just fine.

Had he lost memories spanning years, it would’ve felt like my heart was being ripped apart.

‘Oh right. I need to apologize…’

In my excitement, I even forgot about saying sorry.

Just because he lost his memory doesn’t mean I shouldn’t apologize. That’s a betrayal of conscience.

Anyway, he’s back on his feet now, so I’m thinking of bringing some black tea before my visit tomorrow.

With that lightened heart, I spent the day. Now that the Academy’s collapse was over, it was time to plan the next steps.

But…

“What in the world is this?! Sivar! When did you bring this giant bird?!”

“Uh… what?”

“Squawk?”

When I visited the next day, Rod was furious at the sight of Pijon-tu. Naturally, Pijon-tu was just tilting its head in confusion.

I was just as bewildered, so I placed the tea leaves I had brought down onto the table.

“Gramps, this is Pijon-tu. Don’t you remember?”

“Pijon-tu? What a strange name. That’s a first for me.”

“……Huh?”

Something’s off. Something is seriously wrong.

I glanced back and forth between Rod and Pijon-tu with trembling eyes. Just yesterday, he clearly acknowledged Pijon-tu.

But today, he treated it like he was seeing it for the first time.

“By the way, Sivar, you’ve once again let me down, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Where is that steel boot that student Jane and Professor Godin made? You had seized it just yesterday.”

“Uh… that was…”

That had happened long before I even introduced Pijon-tu and Neoburi. I stopped mid-sentence.

It’s wrong. It is deeply, deeply wrong. My heart started racing, and cold sweat poured down.

An overwhelming anxiety washed over me as the worst assumptions began to surface.

No, perhaps it could be worse than the worst.

With a trembling voice, I finally managed to speak. Today, my tongue felt incredibly heavy.

“Uh… Gramps.”

“Speak.”

“Do you know what day it is today…?”

Rod had said yesterday. The date he remembered was the 15th.

At that time, I thought it was due to short-term amnesia stemming from blood loss.

“Today? I believe it’s November 24.”

“……”

But it was all a misunderstanding. It’s true the curse has been dispelled.

“Wait? No, was it the 23rd?”

It was merely “Demon” that remained as a form.

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