Hestia recalled Professor Jonnas Wahyhiemhai’s Mana Refinement Technique Training lecture from last year’s second semester.
“If the Mana Flow Technique gathers mana and is involved in compressing the body, then the Mana Refinement Technique trains the body to increase the mana’s compression. To become a true powerhouse in any field, one must not focus solely on training mana or the body,” he had said.
The Grand Magician restores youth through the Mana Flow Technique by compressing mana, while the Swordmaster achieves a sword technique that slices through all mana phenomena by learning the Mana Refinement Technique.
When one achieves mastery in one, the other naturally benefits as well.
Therefore, Hestia, who wished to shrink her stature and gain a more feminine appearance, had no choice but to eye the Mana Refinement Technique as a crucial training course.
“Your goals cannot be achieved through this course.”
“Is it due to a lack of effort?”
“The Mana Refinement Technique increases the mana absorption rate relative to the body’s surface area through physical training. The problem is, if you learn refinement with your current body, you might trigger growth at a rate faster than the compression speed, leading to unwanted rapid growth.”
The Mana Refinement Technique ultimately trains the body, allowing significant side benefits in mana. It can yield effects similar to the Mana Flow Technique, which compresses mana to reduce the body’s size and regain youth, but the efficiency was comparatively different.
“Since mana is inherently a concept that humans cannot compress, practicing the flow technique shows significant results. However, for you, having trained your body to the extent of gaining fame as an adventurer, the refinement technique has only triggered bone growth through muscle compression and strengthening, not height compression.”
“…Then what will happen to my body?”
“Your bones will become denser and, relying on those denser bones, stronger muscles may develop. This will lead to growth of your body, whether upwards or sideways.”
“…”
Realizing the Mana Refinement Technique was not suited for her, Hestia felt the efficiency of the Mana Flow Technique for Maids resonate throughout her being and decided to stop her refinement training.
“You have the talent. To accept a more powerful technique, one must possess a robust body; thus both body and mana must be strong. It is optimized for Berserkers who can withstand pain. Still, will you give it up?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I understand.”
Jonna respected her decision, as she desperately sought beauty over strength.
Yet, she was aware of the shame in now boldly approaching Jonna.
But she needed him.
The only one who could help Temporary Professor Reap was Professor Jonna.
The shame of seeking help from someone weaker than herself who had abandoned her was daunting, and it frightened her to think of how Jonna would perceive it.
She could only hope that the common bond of being Oknodie’s Guardian outweighed Jonna’s wounded pride at having a disciple stolen from him.
– The apex must be so high that it can be recognized at a glance from the place reached after traversing the pond. That height need not be merely physical.
Perhaps it was the desperate hope for understanding beyond pride?
Hestia discovered an unusually low depression in her surroundings after stepping out of the pond.
In the basin stood the Confessional of the Repentant, adorned with a large cross.
“Hestia, the student? I commend you for coming here. Though this is the lowest position, there is no greater value in the attitude of Sacrifice and Service that carries the burdens of humanity and progresses than in the growth of the Mana Refinement Technique.”
“Enduring hardship opens the path to growth, so never forget the spirit of service and engrave it into your body.”
Jonna’s unfinished words fell silent as urgency filled Hestia’s face, causing her to hurriedly interject.
“Excuse me, Professor Jonna! Temporary Professor Reap is in danger. Please help!”
Jonna suddenly felt dizzy.
– It was you who threw a tantrum, young lady.
– But what good does it do to accommodate? I merely chose a spot where I could die.
– You will be punished. Your childishness means your butler must endure whatever risks. That is my punishment to you.
A precious person was in crisis.
There had been a time when he too had arrogantly prattled on about how to learn to bear witness as others faced death.
– Here. Evade the eyes of the scholarship students with this scroll that possesses only consciousness, having shed your body.
His first lady, Alice, had vanished after losing everything due to his arrogance.
– You waste of space. If you’re going to show your brash face, it should have been to the previous lady, not me.
– I truly detest you. I hate the Foundation even more. But… if I grow stronger, I can protect more, right?
– Don’t spew nonsense. I won’t use Cash as stepping stone to growth.
– A life sacrificed to save a hundred? Who are you to decide who that one person or those a hundred are?
– Cash is my friend. You are no longer my butler. Ha ha. Anyway, all you have to do is sacrifice one betrayer to uphold the benevolent intentions of the Foundation.
His second lady, Yoru, had completely spiraled out of control, refusing even Jonna’s help to save herself.
– I have acknowledged the directive to not spare any means for survival.
– Carry out the Classmate Culling operation as groundwork for the decisive battle with the Student Council.
– The primary goal of surviving at Gift Academy cannot be fulfilled. Requesting Jonna the Butler for a route reset to achieve this goal.
– Question. Shiina has become an escapee.
– Question. What should Shiina do now?
An ice-cold child shivered, not even knowing what cold was, with hands dripping from the blood of countless kin.
His third lady, Shiina, became the ideal lady desired by the Foundation, but met the most horrific end.
– Jonna. It is indeed rare for me to offer you four opportunities in a row. It signifies my expectations for you.
– Nothing in this world is eternal. Youth, friendship, beauty. All fade with time, losing their luster and becoming shabby.
– My expectations for you will wither someday. I can only hope that day will come as late as possible.
The Director offered one last chance.
Through his fourth lady, Oknodie.
And he attached the Assassin Maid, Reap, for surveillance.
Kill Oknodie’s maid.
Kill Oknodie’s friend.
Thoroughly isolate Oknodie.
Disregarding numerous directives that threatened her safety, he had barely managed to maintain balance by fulfilling high-level avenging commands.
However, a situation would soon arrive to bring that balance to an end.
– Allow the disposal of Reap.
Dispatch of saints to prevent the Saintess Alliance founding ceremony.
This was no mere coincidence.
It was a hidden blade of the Foundation, drawn in the name of Saintess.
The Foundation’s directive.
If avoided, the next directive would be explicit.
– Dispose of Reap. If not, you will face disposal.
He would become the enemy of the world working behind the scenes.
He feared not death.
Only the sin that could not be atoned for by death terrified him.
The deaths he had allowed to ensue through cowardice.
The lives of which he had been unable to protect due to his cowardice.
The thought that there were tiny, fragile beings leaning on his cowardly and ugly self pricked him like a thorn embedded in his hand.
– I merely chose a spot where I could die.
– You are no longer my butler.
– Question. What should Shiina do now?
What was the reason that he, unable to lift his head due to guilt over the lives he could not safeguard, could now whimsically hold the position as a mediocre professor?
– You see, there’s always a hidden backstory with capable characters. Like Irene, who, due to her immature magical skills as a child, accidentally froze a soldier to death with frost magic, right?
– …
– But if she grows, she’ll become a cool beauty, so we can overlook moments like that. We gain insight into the cause of her cold demeanor. Background stories really are marvelous things; how could anyone hate them?
An eccentric yet oddly intriguing lady.
The fourth and final lady, Oknodie.
Because of her, there existed a mercy not quite mercy.
“Miss has turned the Empire into an enemy to protect a friend and forced the Seonhwang into exile. The three Saintesses of the Divine Alliance. Is the Foundation’s hidden blade any more significant?”
Jonna knew the answer.
It was not.
That alone provided sufficient reason for him to step forward.
“I understand. I will depart at once.”
“Should I contact other professors?!”
“There is no one else who can aid the Foundation’s professors. You stay here and wait for the lady to return. And ensure she can’t leave without permission.”
“Isn’t that strange! Even if we’re professors, you won’t help…!”
“People can classify their kin as others according to their affiliations and statuses. If I were to cry cowardly, saying it was unfair, then even the lives that have fallen due to my actions would only be regarded as cowardly losses.”
“Professor…”
“A capable butler often carries behind the faults of being inadequate. This blame cannot be shouldered by anyone but oneself.”
Without allowing Hestia to counter, metallic bars surged from the ground, forcibly trapping her.
“Professor!!”
“It was a fault that should have faced me long ago. The accumulated debt now reaches Reap, so how can I stand proudly as a butler?”
“Remove these bars at once. You can’t do this. Oknodie relies on you so much!”
He could not retreat because he did know.
‘It’s been quite a long time since I’ve been tied up.’
His gaze fell upon the metallic name card with a suit and tie.
[Jonnas Wahyhiemhai]
The letters rapidly scattered from the metallic name card manipulated by the metal manipulation skills.
[Jonna]
Jonna removed the long chains that bound his soul.
Resolute eyes shone like a vast dark lake on the very day he decided to rather die as Jonna than continue living as Wahyhiemhai.
Today, the Foundation would lose both an old faithful hound and a secret weapon simultaneously.
