"I thought I heard a strange noise…?"
Laura, who had gone to the Head of Food Services' office to report something, went upstairs with a dubious expression.
The structure of this central building, where the staff gathered to work, was simple. The top floor housed the Headmistress's office and the Finance Director's office, the floor below it was the department head meeting room and the Head of Academic Affairs' office.
Below that were the offices of the other department heads, such as the Head of Planning and the Head of Food Services.
However, the Head of Student Affairs' office was located in a separate building due to its unique nature, the Security Unit Captain's office was in the building near the entrance, and the Head of Medical Services was… in the infirmary that everyone avoided.
Therefore, it was strange for Laura, the youngest employee of the Food Services Department, to go up beyond the Head of Food Services' office.
Normally, an ordinary employee wouldn't have any reason to go up there.
'Are Adam and the Headmistress fighting again?'
But if it wasn't Laura Edelvine, the youngest employee of the Food Services Department, but Laura Edelvine, Adam Keynes's friend, it was a different story.
Laura had already visited the Finance Director's office on the top floor several times, and the other staff members knew about it, so they often asked her to deliver documents.
Laura, startled by the sudden crashing sound, quickly climbed the stairs.
'Adam always seems to find trouble.'
It was the same when they were at the academy. Adam didn't think so himself, but he often caused trouble.
He would persuade the professors that a building was about to collapse and have the entrance ceremony postponed, prepare for a monster attack during outdoor practice, and ask her to help him find the Regressor or whatever.
After learning that Cassandra was behind it all, she was dumbfounded by his naivety. How could he believe the words of that bogus prophet?
It was different now, but she couldn't help but chuckle as she recalled Adam from their academy days.
'Let's just check and go.'
Adam must be busy with the terrorist attack and donation issues. Even if they were friends, it was still working hours.
She could check on him after work or have a drink with him later.
Thinking so, Laura approached the Headmistress's office, where she had heard the noise, and knocked.
"Headmistress? Finance Director? I heard a noise, so I just—"
"Another dream."
"…Finance Director? No, Adam? Why are you alone? Where's the Headmistress?"
"It's a terrible dream."
Adam was inside the Headmistress's office. That wasn't strange in itself. Adam often went in and out of the Headmistress's office.
The Headmistress not being there wasn't a big problem either. She could be taking a walk outside or have gone somewhere for a while.
The problem was…
It was Adam himself, slowly getting up.
"Wait, Adam? Did you just fall? I told you, as a Rank 1, you have to take care of your body."
"Such nostalgic words."
"Huh?"
"Laura, you were always worried about me. Back at the academy, and even after I became the Finance Director."
Step.
Adam walked towards her. That was all, but…
Laura suddenly felt the back of her neck dampen.
'Cold sweat? Why?'
"You would sometimes talk about that nonsensical graduate school, but you were a good friend."
Wait, was Adam's voice always this low? It felt heavier than usual.
And why were his eyes so cloudy? As if he were dead.
And, and…
…why was she so scared?
"Laura."
"Gasp."
"That's why I hated you."
"…What?"
"Because you left after saying those words. Because you became an unforgettable memory. Because you make me needlessly cry at night, thinking of you."
Thud.
Leaving Laura, who collapsed with her legs giving out,
Adam quietly walked past her.
As if he no longer held any lingering attachment.
"If it's a memory that only brings pain…"
"...…"
"…I don't want to see it even in a damn dream."
Adam's expression wasn't sad, but rather, indifferent.
And because she couldn't understand why Adam was suddenly making that expression, saying those words,
Laura held her breath until Adam left the room.
…It felt like she had to.
***
I'm going to meet him today, no matter what.
Beatrice, determined, headed towards a certain dormitory. She was still wearing her work clothes, as if she had just finished her part-time job.
In the Magic Department, Beatrice in her work clothes was considered a local attraction, but it was different in the Administration Department. The students, who didn't recognize her at first, soon started whispering.
"Isn't that the princess of the Delphia Kingdom? Why is she dressed like that…?"
"Didn't you hear? That princess is working part-time. At a grocery store, no less."
"Why?"
"How would I know? Maybe she's doing some commoner experience or something."
There were some favorable gazes, but Beatrice wasn't viewed kindly in the Administration Department, where there were many students from poor or commoner backgrounds.
Unlike the Magic Department, where most students were from noble families and grew up in affluence, Beatrice's actions could be seen as condescending to the true commoners in the Administration Department.
On the other hand, it was also because they needed something to gossip about amidst the intense competition.
However, Beatrice completely ignored all those gazes and headed straight for the dormitory.
She was already used to such gazes.
'Compared to what I received in the royal palace, this is nothing.'
At least the students didn't belittle her by subtly saying she was useless or suggest sending her off as a concubine because of her attractive appearance.
Beatrice, who possessed a talent acknowledged by the Archmage, but couldn't utilize it due to her chronic illness, was practically a scapegoat in the royal palace.
The only one who protected her from that was her brother, Zeke, but…
'…What is he thinking?'
Crown Prince Zeke left her in the care of the Finance Director and returned to their home country.
Beatrice couldn't understand why he disguised her as an attendant during the negotiation, or the words he said, or his order to stay at the academy no matter what happened.
The current Beatrice was different from the past. She had overcome her chronic illness to a limited extent and had grown to the point where she could use teleportation magic. Naturally, her position would be significantly different if she returned to the Delphia Kingdom.
Then why was Crown Prince Zeke trying to keep her at the academy?
She didn't know the reason yet, but she decided to focus on the task at hand for now.
Beatrice, making up her mind, focused her attention on a dormitory within the building.
'Milia.'
The female student she met during the deserted island midterm exam, the one she became somewhat close to after meeting several times.
A Rank 3 mage despite being in the Administration Department, a commoner who seemed to be hiding something.
She was even invited to join the student council.
Beatrice had been trying to get closer to her to meet the student council president, her goal, but…
Milia suddenly changed her attitude.
'She avoids me when I talk to her and tries not to meet me. She makes excuses and refuses whenever I try to make plans.'
She was avoiding Beatrice very blatantly.
Beatrice hadn't been able to pay attention to it because she was busy with other matters, but it was different now.
Since she had some unexpected free time due to Zeke's matter, she came here to solidify her relationship with Milia.
Milia was practically her only connection to the student council. Otherwise, she would have to ask the Finance Director, but what could she ask of that pitiful person?
'Unless it's absolutely unavoidable…'
…Actually, the shock of being ignored by the Finance Director a few days ago was still lingering. She didn't know that Chloe and Ruth were close enough to the Finance Director to approach him so casually, but perhaps it was fortunate that they were also ignored.
Anyway, it was a bit awkward to see the Finance Director again right now.
Just as Beatrice, determined to settle things with Milia, arrived in front of the dormitory after passing through the alleyway,
"…Beatrice?"
"Oh, huh? Finance Director?"
The dormitory where Milia lived was located between the outer alleyways, so there were hardly any passersby. Most of the students who were interested in Beatrice had already gone their own way.
In other words, there was practically no one in front of the dormitory except for Beatrice and Adam, who had suddenly appeared.
Her surprise at his sudden appearance was short-lived.
"This is… the first time you've appeared."
"No, I mean, huh?"
"It's not like I had any lingering attachment to you like Laura, but you appeared in my dream. Is it a memory from that damn game? How unpleasant."
"F-Finance Director?"
"Please understand. When you're constantly wandering in nightmares, you tend to talk to yourself. Doing this… makes me feel like I'm back in those days, having a conversation."
He suddenly appeared and started spouting nonsense.
Before even trying to find the oddity in Adam's words, Beatrice stiffened and instinctively took a step back.
It wasn't because she was scared or felt threatened. That strange Adam was still just a Rank 1.
However…
'Something…'
Something ominous and unsettling was oozing from Adam's body.
Beatrice, with her innate talent for mana, could sense it.
But to say that Adam was being consumed by that something…
"Damn sword. I couldn't even use it because I wasn't qualified, and now it's only leaving these aftereffects. Don't you think so?"
"...…"
"…I thought you would say some lines from the game, but is that something I don't remember? Nightmares are truly strange."
Adam was sane. Or was he?
To be precise, Adam's ego itself was clearly present. But there was something different about him, something unlike the Finance Director.
Before Beatrice could fully grasp that oddity, that difference,
"Don't go back to the Delphia Kingdom."
"…Huh?"
"I didn't know until I played the game, but if you can't stop her from going back, that's what happens. I wanted to tell you, even though my relationship with you was only in the game."
"W-wait a minute. What are you talking about?"
"What good is being a Rank 8? That Zeke bastard is crazy too. Everyone dies in the end, whether they're Rank 8 or whatever."
"Brother Zeke?"
"Well, I guess I'm crazy too. Spouting this nonsense in a dream when reality turned out like that."
Adam laughed. It was a self-deprecating laugh, very different from his usual laughter.
It was just a laugh, but the emotions contained within it felt so heavy that…
Beatrice, though she didn't understand why, closed her mouth.
"By the way, where is this? It's a building I've never seen before… I must have seen it in passing."
"…It's Milia's dormitory."
"What?"
His expression, which was usually expressionless, sank even further. As the atmosphere quickly turned sour, even Beatrice, who had answered, was flustered.
Adam quietly glared at the dormitory.
"…Are my memories mixed up? Or is this that bitch's doing? No, this is actually better."
"Finance Director?"
"I said this before, but just call me by my name."
"Excuse me?"
"Even if it's in a dream, there's only one person who can call me that."
Adam, still spouting unintelligible words, walked towards the dormitory.
Beatrice hurriedly tried to follow him, but…
"…!!"
She could finally see Adam's back as he walked ahead.
It was the back of the Finance Director she always saw, but there was something different this time.
A sharp dagger was hidden behind his back.
Beatrice momentarily stopped in her tracks, and Adam entered the dormitory.
Slam!
As if to tell her not to follow,
He slammed the door shut.
***
"F-Finance Director? You told me to go home for the day, why are you suddenly…?"
"I thought it was the usual Dark Sword nightmare, but then the name of a bitch who shouldn't appear in my dreams came up."
"W-what do you mean?"
"Wasn't it time to play savior? That self-proclaimed Pope's tricks are pathetic."
"…Does this even make sense?"
"Chloe will probably wake you up soon, so brace yourself when you do. I'll definitely throw you into the Western Wasteland or the ruins of Delphia alive."
"The ruins of Delphia, it's real? You're really Adam Keynes."
"Is there a fake one, then?"
"No, there isn't. There's no fake. It's just that you're the Adam Keynes 'I know.'"
Milia, who had finished her conversation with the Archmage and was preparing to go home after a long day, laughed.
She, who laughed as the true Pope Milia, not the Finance Department slave Milia,
Glared at the most annoying existence, past or present.
"Welcome, Adam Keynes. I'll welcome you as your senior."
"What?"
"You're currently… 'back'."
The pupil of her one eye, filled with amusement,
Was slowly splitting in two.