Chapter 32

Whoosh――

The square, which had been heated by madness, suddenly fell silent as if someone had splashed cold water on it.

The people there were all focused on a girl standing tall in the center of the piled-up crowd.

Haidiera Aisidel.

Her name was unfamiliar to many.

Despite her appearance—more than 180 cm tall with long, flowing black hair, which should have been quite eye-catching—her presence in the Academy was remarkably faint.

No matter how unique one’s appearance might be, those who can’t blend in with others and struggle to start conversations fade from the students’ memories.

So, while there may be those who have seen her walking around the Academy, the majority had no idea about her personality or what her voice sounded like.

Most of the students gathered here had never even heard the name Haidiera before.

They merely thought of her as a quiet and awkward typical loner.

However, their thoughts got completely turned upside down by the brief commotion that just occurred.

A voice that shook the space, like a declaration from the heavens.

With pure strength, she forced the ground to tremble.

And there were her proud amethyst-colored eyes that seemed unafraid of anything.

As she exploded with anger and sadness, Haidiera made everyone in the square realize she was anything but ordinary.

I realized the same.

I had never seen her display such intense emotion before.

“Haidiera…”

Her amethyst eyes looked back at me, filled with regret and sorrow.

“I’m sorry, Count Erto. I won’t stop now.”

With a fierce glare, Haidiera strode confidently toward Seldienne, whom she usually ignored and feared, standing tall in front of her.

Feeling the intimidation from her enormous height, Seldienne covered her mouth with her fan, looking flustered.

“What do you think you’re doing, Aisidel?”

“I’m here to reveal the truth. However, I’ll need your cooperation in this matter, Count Elconja.”

“Your… cooperation?”

One of Seldienne’s eyebrows twitched.

“Hey! This isn’t a place for an outsider like you to interfere!”

“A mere noble from the fringes should know their place!”

Miu and Jury, who had been standing behind, raised their voices, but—

[Shut up, you little twits!]

Bang!

The overwhelming energy that Haidiera projected with her voice sent both of them recoiling, covering their mouths in fear.

After backing her subordinates away, Haidiera looked back at Seldienne.

“I know your mirror has the power to reflect the memories of others, am I right?”

“No, how…how do you know about our family’s secret…”

As Seldienne gasped, folding her fan, Haidiera grabbed her shoulder and said:

“I need that mirror right now, to clear Count Erto’s name. Will you cooperate with me?”

“Why would you do such a thing? The matter’s already settled!”

“Get a grip, Count Elconja!”

Shaking her shoulder, Haidiera yelled.

“I’m not asking you to save Count Erto! Rather, everyone here has the right to witness the proper truth! I can tell that truth, but I need your strength to do so!”

Seldienne sneered and turned her head.

“Hmph! How ridiculous! You’re standing here representing the nobles! Why should you participate in defending that commoner?”

“Is that what you think a noble is?! Count Elconja!”

Boom!

Dark magic flared from Haidiera’s body.

“Is it noble to wield power and authority while ignoring the truth right in front of you? Can you really call such beings dignified?”

Seldienne staggered backward, caught off guard by the pointed words.

“I…I told you! You can’t act for that commoner!”

Haidiera let go of Seldienne’s shoulder and calmly said:

“This isn’t just for Count Erto alone. If you truly wish to be a role model for all, then you must uphold the right for every student present to know the truth. I won’t ask you to judge anything. What happens after we unveil the truth is our collective responsibility.”

“The right to know the truth?”

“Yes. By judging Count Erto without knowing the truth, you prevent all of us from committing an irreversible crime. So please… I’m asking you.”

…!

A mix of bewilderment and tension shone in the trembling crimson eyes fixed on my face.

I met her gaze with a look devoid of expectation.

The choice was entirely hers.

“…Ugh.”

Seldienne stared at me for a while before swallowing hard, as if she had reached a decision.

“I-I’ll do it!”

Then she pointed her fan at Haidiera and shouted.

“I, as a representative of the noble alliance, accept your proposal, Aisidel! Now let’s see this so-called truth laid bare for everyone here! If everyone here agrees afterward, I won’t tolerate any further opposition!”

“That’s enough. Truly… thank you, Count Elconja.”

With a heavy nod, Haidiera turned her cold gaze toward Tirisia.

“Count Bruerd.”

“Ah, um…”

Tirisia answered the call with a stiff expression.

In her aquamarine eyes lay the unmistakable hint of fear towards certain possibilities.

Haidiera lowered her voice almost like a warning.

“You too shall bear your share of the weight of Count Erto’s burden.”

“Aisidel… what are you…”

“Just stand there and watch.”

Haidiera stepped back and showed her palm to Seldienne.

“Now, please commence, Count Elconja.”

Seldienne took a deep breath and stepped into the center of the crowd.

“I never expected to reveal our family’s vision in front of all students… but as the representative of Elconja, I will find out what you truly wish to show us!”

Fwoosh―!

Seldienne raised her fan to the sky and unleashed golden magic.

The particles of light transformed into a structure above the square, forming a crystal-like mirror.

“Memorialscope, eye that reflects memories!”

The small crystal absorbed Seldienne’s magic, quickly growing larger, creaking as it took the shape of a massive circular structure.

“Make it as large as possible so everyone can see clearly!”

“I know without you needing to say it!”

Craaaack―!

Eventually, a gigantic mirror shining with brilliant golden light emerged above the square, large enough to resemble a giant screen.

Surrounded by a golden aura, Seldienne extended a hand toward Haidiera.

“Now, come over and grab my hand, then recall the memories you want to share!”

“Understood. Now…”

Haidiera grasped Seldienne’s hand, closed her eyes, and shouted to everyone.

[Everyone, open your eyes wide and bear witness! This is the true heart of Count Erto that you have overlooked!]

And then—

The mirror floating in the sky began to reflect her memories with a blinding light.

*

It was an afternoon in the Academy, enveloped in tranquil silence.

Though familiar, the space where I spent every day looked odd, painted by the sunset washing through the windows and its walls and floor, giving it an unfamiliar, surreal atmosphere.

There walked a man in the hallway.

With black hair and an unremarkable height.

A plain back without any remarkable features.

The man reflected in the mirror was none other than—

“That’s me…”

It was me, Erto.

On that very day,

On that very day, it was me, Erto.

I could recognize the familiar figure and the surroundings at a glance.

How could I forget?

How could I ever shake it off?

The memory of losing the person I love in the worst possible way.

“Erto…?”

Tirisia also recognized me in the mirror, covering her mouth in shock.

Step by step—

He walked down the deserted hallway after class, heading somewhere.

It felt like he had been summoned by someone.

That someone could be easily identified by her own words.

[Tirisia… why did you call me here?]

This was my figure heading to the classroom where my girlfriend was, unexpectedly hearing her sudden summons.

But something felt off.

“Whose point in time is this…?”

The Erto in the mirror was viewed from a third-person perspective, as if someone else was watching me from behind.

If this was someone’s memory, it meant that there had been someone watching me at this moment.

And the owner of this memory… was Haidiera.

I looked at the black girl standing beneath the mirror.

Haidiera, with her eyes closed, concentrating on her consciousness.

Why was she keeping an eye on me from that day?

I had no idea, yet the memory in the mirror kept moving toward the predetermined future.

[Hmm…?]

As I got closer to the promised classroom, faint voices began leaking from within.

It was a woman’s voice, panting heavily.

[Tirisia…?]

Erto felt something was off and hurriedly approached the classroom door.

The closer he got, the louder the panting voice became.

Finally, Erto reached the doorway and clearly recognized whose voice it was.

[Hah… hah…]

Erto’s breath became jagged as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He hesitated for a moment before finally placing his trembling hand on the doorknob.

The owner of the memory watched this sequence of events from behind.

[Hah… hah… hah…!]

Breathing heavily, Erto pushed the classroom door open.

And the scene inside came into view.

That day filled my eyes,

The scene that had drilled a huge hole in my heart,

The sight I could never forget finally appeared in the mirror.

Gasp―

Everyone in the square held their breath.

Seldienne, her subordinates, nobles, commoners, even Rusika standing in a corner,

All stared at the mirror with eyes wide in disbelief.

What was unfolding inside was something that should never have happened.

[Hey—my boyfriend.]

Kelg Durakal sat in a chair, with Tirisia sitting on top of him, facing my way.

The two bodies were intertwined, and

Tirisia appeared just as she was born, completely bare.

Holding that alabaster body in his arms—Kelg Durakal spoke to me.

[I’m sorry, but your girlfriend is now mine.]

The Erto in the mirror spoke with a voice that seemed about to break any second.

[T-Tirisia…]

Watching the person I loved being one with another man, I reached out with trembling hands.

That futile gesture seemed like it was trying to grasp something unreachable.

[Erto…]

The woman in the mirror replied, her face flushed and melting as she looked toward her boyfriend.

[I’m sorry… I… can’t be with you anymore…]

Erto staggered, as if struggling to keep his composure, pressing a palm to his forehead as he stumbled backward out of the classroom.

[Ah… ah…]

He released a sound that couldn’t quite form into words, hesitating before fleeing at full speed.

Tap tap tap―!

The mirror’s view followed his retreating figure.

A mocking voice called out from behind.

[Ha ha! Coward! I’ll take good care of your girlfriend!]

―

The memory ended there.

Crack!

A shard of ice that had flown in from the ground shattered the mirror into pieces.

“Agh?!”

“Cough?!”

Both Seldienne and Haidiera let out startled sounds as the magic cuts out.

“?!”

Everyone in the square turned to look at the person who had thrown the ice.

“Hah…! Hah…!”

There stood Tirisia, her face pale and her breaths coming in gasps as she held one hand out.

“Tirisia…”

Her trembling aquamarine eyes gazed at my face.

She wore an expression of infinite dread for the events unfolding.

Gazing at the only person she could rely on, she sought help with her expression.

But—

I could no longer offer her any excuses or defense, so I merely shook my head quietly.

Everyone in the Academy had witnessed that day’s scene vividly.

It was as if they had experienced the memory themselves.

“So this is how it ends, huh?”

I murmured softly to myself with a bitter smile of self-deprecation.

The bucket was now entirely spilled.

There was nothing left to scoop up.

Now everyone in this place had to venture into a future no one could imagine.

[Did everyone see that? This is the truth.]

In a resolute voice, Haidiera proclaimed to everyone.

[Count Bruerd betrayed Count Erto and had an affair with Kelg Durakal!]

“Wait, just a moment…!”

Tirisia attempted to say something with wide-eyed horror, but Haidiera ignored her and shouted to the crowd.

[Count Erto did nothing wrong! He is simply a victim, don’t you all get that now?!]

Seldienne questioned with disbelief on her face.

“W-Wait a minute…! Aisidel, how do you have such memories? Something’s off here! That’s definitely Count Erto’s memory!”

[That’s also something I have to expose to unveil this truth, so I’ll reveal it here.]

“What do you mean…?”

[The magic my family practices involves projecting consciousness onto shadows. That memory is a depiction of when Count Erto’s shadow housed my consciousness.]

Shadows.

Hearing that explanation finally made sense.

The perspective watching me from within the mirror had always been linked to my shadow.

But why exactly had Haidiera’s consciousness been present at that moment remained a mystery.

“Haidiera… what have you done?”

I asked in a daze, and she lowered her head with a dejected expression.

“I’m sorry, Count Erto. I am such a person. A stalker unable to control her affectionate feelings, always watching the one she loves, wherever and whenever… that is precisely what I am.”

“So, you’ve been clinging to my shadow all along?”

“Yes… I never anticipated witnessing that situation together, but it was an unspeakable crime, so I won’t make excuses. However, I think it’s fortunate, at least at this moment, that I could share that memory with you. If you want to resent me, feel free.”

“Ah, no… wait… I can’t keep up with all this…”

As I struggled to sort through my complex emotions, Seldienne interrupted again.

“More importantly, why have you been hiding this from us, Erto? What exactly were you trying to accomplish by doing this?”

“Don’t you get it? Count Elconja.”

“Huh…?”

Haidiera walked over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Count Erto, even after being subjected to such dreadful betrayal, still sought to preserve Count Bruerd’s honor! As her childhood friend! As the one who loved her! He bore the ripped heart, shouldering the ugly truth all alone!”

“That kind of…! Ah…”

Seldienne’s shocked face reached her forehead with the back of her hand.

Haidiera pressed on, relentlessly.

“How can someone like that hold a grudge and devote themselves to training? If he wanted revenge, he could have just revealed the truth inside that mirror! But Count Erto chose another path; he sought to prove his worth and reveal that Count Bruerd didn’t love a worthless person at all!”

――

Suddenly, the square erupted into chaos.

“Everyone! Do you now see how this judgment has been nothing but a staged play? The person who forcibly took Count Erto’s lover has now wielded great malice, erasing the last traces of their friendship! Open your eyes! This is the truth! Judge for yourselves who has truly sinned!”

Having proclaimed this to the crowd, Haidiera approached me and snatched the withdrawal application form.

“The one who must pledge on this paper is not Count Erto!”

She moved toward the now quiet Tirisia, holding the paper up in front of her face.

Her amethyst eyes sparkled, and a chilling voice escaped her lips.

“Count Bruerd. You, who betrayed your beloved and committed unspeakable acts within the Academy, do you not deserve to be here? Is anything I say wrong?”

“I—I…”

“I will not force you to act. But as stated earlier, now you too must bear your share of Count Erto’s burden.”

Fwoosh!

Haidiera tore the paper in two with both hands.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

As she tore the withdrawal application into tiny pieces, scattering them into the air, she spoke to the crowd.

[The play is over! If no one else disputes Count Erto’s continuation at the Academy, you may all leave! What happens next is something we all need to carefully consider!]

―

“L-Let’s go.”

“Yeah…”

At those words, the students gathered hastily started to leave.

They broke into groups, whispering among themselves as they disappeared.

Having witnessed such a shocking sight, it seemed fleeing was their best option.

“…”

Seldienne also wore an expression filled with deep thought.

She squeezed her eyes shut, let out a sigh, and opened her fan.

“Everyone, it’s time to go back! This matter will likely require a more extensive discussion going forward!”

“Yes, let’s go, Count Elconja!”

With that, the students of the noble alliance departed as well—

And all that remained in the now empty square were five individuals.

“Erto…”

Haidiera approached me, standing dazed, and bowed quietly.

“I sincerely apologize for eavesdropping on your life. Please, do punish me.”

“…Please, just leave me alone for now.”

So much had happened today.

My mind could no longer withstand any more fatigue; I simply wanted to go home.

“Understood. I’ll take my leave and let you rest.”

“…Haidiera.”

Before leaving, I managed a weary smile toward her.

“But I will say this: I don’t hate you. I still consider you a precious friend.”

“Ah…”

A glimmer of emotion welled in her amethyst eyes.

“Thank you, Count Erto.”

“Hah… today has been a whirlwind of nonsense. Ugh, my head hurts.”

Senior Perjena, standing next to me, thumped her head dramatically and grimaced.

I smiled at her and bowed my head.

“Thank you so much today, Senior. It would have been much worse without you.”

“Eesh, fine. At least it seems we’ve managed to save you from the withdrawal. But…”

The senior squinted at the silver-haired girl standing in the middle of the square.

“Well, it’s up to her now. I’m leaving.”

“Yes, go in safely, Senior.”

After seeing off the senior, I approached Tirisia, who stood there like a nailed-down post.

“Tirisia…”

“…”

Tirisia, who was lost in thought, finally recognized my face and stammered, “Ugh.”

In the blink of an eye, she vanished from her spot.

Watching that, Haidiera tapped my shoulder.

“Let her be, Count Erto. This matter will surely be a hot topic within the Academy now.”

“Ah… yeah…”

As I finally glanced at the completely empty square, I could finally take a step toward home.

And just as I was about to leave, I noticed one last person standing in front of me.

“Rusika…”

“Hah… hah…”

Breathless, with both hands over her mouth, stood Rusika Rafisle.

Filled with shock, she trembled as she looked into my eyes before an “Eep―” escaped her lips.

In a hurry, she turned and ran toward the Academy.

I had no desire to stop her.

Now, everyone would have to reflect on this incident.

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