————


    Chapter 101: Winds of Change (3)


    The time was in a past life.


    It was when the Ushif Empire was on the verge of a full-scale war with the Garam Kingdom.


    Boris visited Cyan, who was sharpening his sword in a secluded ce as usual.


    “Ah, there you are. I’ve been looking for you. Lord Cyan.”


    “What brings you here, Boris?”


    It was a somewhat unexpected visit.


    Boris Ruchelheim, the head of the Ushif Empire’s Magic Society.


    Cyan thought there was no reason for him to visit since he was supposed to be busy preparing for the war.


    “It’s not that I have something urgent. I just wanted to have a chat with Lord Cyan before embarking on something big, shall I say?”


    He approached Cyan slowly with an innocent smile, devoid of any malice.


    Cyan’s gaze was indifferent, but it wasn’t friendly either.


    In the first ce, Cyan had no intention of having a friendly conversation with him, as he was thinking of assassinating him at any time, if only not for the fact that this man was Aschel’s close associate.


    “If you have something to say, please do.”


    Despite Cyan’s stern demeanor, Boris maintained his smile.


    “If it’s not too much to ask, could you show me your mana sphere, Lord Cyan?”


    “…My mana sphere?”


    At that moment, a hint of suspicion, which had been somewhat suppressed, surfaced a bit more.


    “No need to misunderstand. Your magic level is around 6th rank, isn’t it? I understand there hasn’t been much advancement in your rank for a while, but I wanted to see if there might be any issues with your mana.”


    Cyan’s feelings became quiteplicated.


    To think that a man, who had reached the 9th rank in his early thirties and was considered a genius mage of the era, would ask to see his mana.


    Whether it was pure-hearted intention or some sort of impudence, Cyan didn’t feel like showing him.


    – Wheee


    However, contrary to his feelings, Cyan created his mana sphere and handed it to Boris.


    Of course, it wasn’t aplete sphere of mana.


    Boris, upon receiving the sphere, showed a very interesting reaction.


    “Indeed, it must be an extraordinary attribute value. As expected, you’re quite remarkable!”


    “…Do you really see that just from my mana sphere?”


    “I’m just analyzing the mana emitted from the sphere in my own way. It’s just a trivial skill.”


    Cyan’s officially recorded magic level was 6th rank.


    But that was just a record.


    In reality, Cyan could freely manipte magic up to the 7th and 8th ranks, and even master 9th rank magic rted to dark attributes, which could be considered the highest rank of magic.


    Of course, most of the people who witnessed this were no longer in this world.


    “Let’s see… Even though the mana is scarce, the potential contained within it is tremendous. I see infinite possibilities!”


    It sounded like something a newly admitted genius freshman to the academy might hear.


    Rather than sounding like apliment, it sounded more like mockery to Cyan, who felt somewhat ufortable.


    “I apologize for this intrusion. To think that I, would speak of infinite possibilities for you, the greatest knight of the empire… If my words were bitter, I apologize.”


    “It’s fine. It’s a sign that I shouldn’t settle and should strive for further development. Besides, if it could be of more help to brother Aschel, wouldn’t that be great? Please don’t worry about it, Boris.”


    Unexpectedly, when Aschel was mentioned unintentionally by Cyan, Boris’s lips twitched ever so slightly.


    “Every time I see you, Lord Cyan, I can’t help but find it very intriguing.”


    “What do you mean by that?”


    “Although I have sworn allegiance to Lord Aschel and received his grace, frankly speaking, I don’t think I can match your loyalty to him. Isn’t Lord Cyan’s heart towards Lord Aschel more than just friendship and loyalty?”


    Cyan responded indifferently.


    “There’s nothing special. I simply believe it’s where I ought to be, and therefore, I should rightfully be there. Isn’t that the case for you too, Boris? Whether it’s me or you, our worth truly shines when we’re by Lord Aschel’s side, wouldn’t you agree?”


    “You speak truly. However, I must say, Lord Cyan seems to be somewhat distant from the light…”


    For a moment, Cyan’s gaze became sharp and piercing.


    Internally, he felt extremely ufortable, but he didn’t express it outwardly.


    He knew that eventually, he would meet his end at Cyan’s hands, and that fact wouldn’t change.


    All he could do was hope that moment woulde sooner rather thanter.


    “…”


    At the time, it passed like that, but as time went on, Cyan came to realize something.


    That man, from the moment Cyan handed over his mana sphere, or perhaps even long before that, knew everything about him.


    * * *


    There was a smell.


    Certainly not a pleasant one.


    It felt like the sudden appearance of garbage that had been left unattended and was now making itself known.


    So, I went out.


    And there it was.


    That face that I wouldn’t mind tearing limb from limb and feeding to the beasts.


    Boris Ruchelheim.


    The head of the Imperial Magic Society of Ushif, and the right hand of the Emperor.


    The very same man who shook hands with the devil and stabbed me in the back.


    Still, it wasn’t as intense as facing Aschel, so I managed to momentarily suppress the surging anger.


    But that suppression didn’tst long.


    The moment I saw some foolish princess trying to hand over her mana to him,


    the anger I had restrained now erupted, apanied by a will to act.


    -Grraaah


    The grip of my right hand, which held the princess’s arm, grew tighter.


    Touching none other than the princess herself so recklessly,


    If this were not the academy but the pce, I would have been dragged away as a criminal.


    Indeed, even if they were to truly draw their swords and hold them to my neck, it wouldn’t matter.


    Compared to the dozens or hundreds of des aimed at my throat, this one human in front of me was more threatening.


    “C-Cyan! It hurts! Let go!”


    The moment she cried out in pain, the strength in my wrist naturally loosened.


    Turning my gaze away, I saw red marks left on her delicate white skin by my hand.


    “Are you, are you okay, Your Highness?!”


    Ressimus rushed over anxiously.


    “Y-yeah, I’m fine…”


    Although not heavily injured, she seemed quite startled.


    Ressimus’s gaze immediately turned to me.


    “What is the meaning of this, Cyan? How dare youy hands on Her Highness…!”


    The stern gaze of the knight, not quite sixteen, pierced me deeply.


    “No, it’s okay, Ressimus!”


    The princess quickly interjected.


    “I think there was a misunderstanding, Cyan! Was it because I reached out to a stranger? This person is Boris, the new instructor at the academy!”


    “Instructor?”


    I frowned, feeling like I might have misheard.


    “I-I think this is all my fault! I simply wanted to examine the mana of the esteemed Princess, no, esteemed student Arin, but it seems I unintentionally caused a misunderstanding with Cyan!”


    What a joke.


    A hollowughter erupted from within me.


    “Why would an instructor need to confirm a student’s mana?”


    “Pardon?”


    “After all, wouldn’t it all be recorded in the academic records? What’s the need to personallye and check?”


    “W-Well, you see…”


    An awkward smile mixed with confusion.


    But I know.


    That such childish and inadequate behavior was thoroughly staged.


    “Enough, Cyan! The teacher can verify a student’s mana, right? No need to get worked up like this!”


    The princess now held my hand, urging me to stop.


    No need to get worked up?


    Does she know what kind of situation she could have been in?


    I couldn’t even find words to retort to such absurdity.


    “Did you say Cyan, the student?”


    He called out to me.


    “I wanted to make some time to talk with Cyan and get to know him better, but it seems today might not be the best day. When Cyan has calmed down, would it be alright for me to visit him officially?”


    There’s a significant point to note here.


    Boris Ruchelheim.


    The man who wouldter be the head of the Imperial Magic Society and Aschel’s right-hand man.


    However, during my time as a student at the academy, he had never been appointed as an instructor.


    A new instructor?


    That’s not important.


    Changes in instructors weremon, happening every semester.


    The faces of those who came and went several times were not memorable to me.


    But this man is different.


    I firmly believe that Boris did note here by mere coincidence.


    If I know that, then I must also know everything about him.


    “Please do so.”


    Boris disappeared from my sight like that.


    Even after he left, I couldn’t seem to move from my spot.


    Once the excitement subsided, I finally looked around at the others.


    “…”


    Why is everyone still here?


    “As expected, he was quite a forceful man, senior.”


    Luna, who had been thought to remain confined to the society for a while, said with a strange look in her eyes.


    Well, she seems sharper than before, and there don’t seem to be any side effects from detaching the Heart Curve.


    “Uh, it’s been a while, Cyan?”


    In the midst of it all, Arin, the princess standing next to me, greeted me cheerfully.


    Instead of responding, I simply bowed my head to her.


    “I apologize for the rudeness just now. I think I misunderstood the situation.”


    The princess waved her hand in dismissal.


    “No, it’s okay! If the misunderstanding is cleared up, then that’s all that matters! Y-You were just worried about me, that’s why you did that!”


    For a moment, my mind went nk.


    It wasn’t like I acted based on that thought, but…


    Or should I say it was?


    If I had witnessed the sight of someone other than the princess trying to hand over her Mana Sphere to Boris, would I have stepped in and stopped it like I did just now?


    At least judging by the circumstances, it seemed usible.


    “Wasn’t that a bit unexpected? It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen Cyan so worked up.”


    Well, I can’t recall ever being worked up in front of this woman, but it’s true that she smoothly defused a potentially awkward situation.


    But.


    “Please refrain from doing so next time.”


    “Huh?”


    “I mean, showing or giving away your mana sphere to others, Princess.”


    She tilted her head in apparent confusion.


    “I-I don’t see anything wrong with it? I mean, it’s just showing my mana sphere to someone. What’s the problem with that?”


    “It’s not about the mana sphere itself, but rather the fact that the Princess seemed willing to give something away so easily. Shouldn’t the Imperial Princess hesitate to freely disy her possessions to just anyone? Regardless of how trivial it may seem, she should receive something in return.”


    The princess looked bewildered and even seemed to feel unfairly treated.


    Of course she would feel that way.


    I know it’s forced.


    Still, I wanted to convey this one thing.


    If you don’t want your life to get messed up, don’t get too close to that guy.


    I mean, she probably won’t fully ept it either.


    She’ll probably just dismiss it as nonsense…


    “Okay, I understand…”


    Her voice sounded resigned, devoid of energy.


    “I should have remembered that I am a princess before I am a student. I was too naive…”


    What?


    She’s admitting it that easily?


    No, she should at least deny it once, so that I can…


    “…!”


    It feels like something inside my head just went out like a candle.


    What’s with that face?


    Even though she’s desperately suppressing her emotions, it’s tantly obvious to me.


    I’m sure if I say another word here,


    she’ll definitely burst into tears.


    ———