"Huff… huff…"
'You can stop running now. Adam… can't follow you.'
"I know, I know. But still."
But still, just in case.
Chloe swallowed her words. Adam was Rank 1, and there was no way he could catch Chloe, who had run away using teleportation magic and sprinting. Even though adult Chloe's words were definitely true, Chloe couldn't feel at ease.
Because something unbelievable had just happened.
'Just now… what happened? Adam heard your voice, right?'
'…It seems so.'
'How is that possible?'
It wasn't simply a matter of rank. If Adam couldn't hear adult Chloe's voice because he was Rank 1, then the Headmistress and the Archmage, who were Rank 8, would have heard her voice long ago.
Of course, her master, the Archmage, noticed that there was an unknown mental entity within Chloe, but he didn't know exactly what it was or what it was saying.
Chloe had also assumed as much. The Elven Archmage might have reached the pinnacle of magic on the continent, but his magic, which utilized his 'eyes,' was something that broke the common sense of magic.
But in Adam's case… it was something she had never even imagined.
That's why Chloe ran away without a second thought.
'He couldn't have been listening all this time, could he?'
'…He wouldn't have. You saw his reaction earlier.'
'Then you're saying he suddenly became able to hear it!? Does that even make sense?'
The last time she met Adam was at the charity ball about ten days ago. Did something special happen after that?
The students were rebuilding the academy for extra credit, classes were proceeding normally, and since the terrorist attack only affected the outer areas, they had returned to their everyday lives.
What could have happened to Adam in the meantime?
Even if she wanted to ask, approaching Adam again wasn't an easy decision.
'Okay, let's be optimistic and assume that's the case. Adam suddenly became able to hear your voice for some unknown reason.'
'And your confession failed.'
'…You sound strangely happy?'
'It's your imagination.'
'Anyway, if that's the case, he heard all the embarrassing things you said earlier!!'
'I didn't say anything embarrassing…'
'You did!? You were very embarrassing! It was so embarrassing that even I was cringing!'
That was why she ran away right there and then.
Even though it had only been a few months since they started coexisting, adult Chloe had shown Chloe all sorts of things. And if Adam had really heard everything adult Chloe said…
That meant he heard all the things she shouted about the ring, the confession, and everything.
Even if it was her future self, Chloe couldn't bear the embarrassment.
'What if Adam asks me about it later? What should I say… Should I say it was all a delusion?'
'…I won't say anything in front of Adam.'
'Of course! And why are you so calm now when you said you couldn't even speak properly because you were so shy in the future?'
'In the end, you're the only one who can see me. Knowing that only I can see you gives me a strange sense of courage.'
'You bitch!'
Even though she was technically cursing herself, Chloe couldn't stop the insults. As expected of Chloe Piste, she was an expert at getting under people's skin.
The two of them bickered for a while, but then adult Chloe sighed.
'So, what in the world happened?'
'I don't know. Adam mentioned Master earlier, is it related to that?'
'Are you saying Adam received eyes from the Archmage? That can't be possible.'
'What else could it be?'
'More importantly, what you said earlier about him not liking you…'
'Just shut up. Are you trying to cheer me up or curse me?'
'...…'
That was true. Adult Chloe was just a mental entity, and they had agreed that the current Chloe was better than Adam falling for the Headmistress, their greatest enemy.
Chloe, who was initially indifferent, was gradually showing strange feelings for Adam. She should be happy since things were going according to plan, but…
Adult Chloe was both helping Chloe and rejoicing in her misfortune.
Chloe, pointing out that contradictory attitude and silencing adult Chloe, had a serious expression on her face.
'First of all, it's not the eyes. I didn't see any magical signs from Adam. It's the same for you, isn't it?'
'…That's true. But the Archmage could deceive both of our eyes.'
'That's true, but there's no way Master would care that much about Adam, who isn't even a Piste. If he's not trying to make him a living familiar… Ah.'
The 'eyes' of Chloe's master, the Elven Archmage, were very special. Even if the recipient was of low rank, even if they weren't a mage, they could use the magic recorded in the eyes.
Strictly speaking, it was similar to an artifact, but its power and efficiency were incomparable. That's why the Archmage's eyes were only given to carefully selected individuals.
Those were the Pistes, the family that the Elven Archmage spoke of. Originally, Chloe would have also received the eyes if she hadn't escaped to Grandis Academy due to the political strife within the Magic Tower.
But sometimes, he would give the eyes to those who weren't family.
And that was a bomb disguised as a favor.
'Could it be for monitoring the Headmistress?'
'It's not impossible. The Archmage isn't directly hostile towards that menopausal woman, but he still considers her a threat who could kill his entire family.'
'But if he's caught turning Adam into a living familiar, it will provoke the Headmistress's anger.'
'He was probably trying to use it to restrict Adam, not turn him into a full-fledged familiar. Of course, since he could be caught by the menopausal woman, he probably just suggested it.'
'…But in the end, whether he was offered it or not, Adam didn't accept the eyes.'
'So the reason Adam can hear my voice must be something else.'
Adult Chloe's expression twisted. Seeing that she had a hunch, Chloe urged her.
At her insistent gaze, adult Chloe hesitated, unlike her usual self.
'It's too absurd of a hypothesis.'
'Just tell me.'
'…Adam also came into contact with Dark Sword.'
'What? So you're saying the current Adam might not be Adam?'
Coming into contact with Dark Sword. Wasn't that the same process through which Chloe met adult Chloe?
Adult Chloe was a peak Rank 7 mage, and since she didn't want it, she was able to divide her consciousness and coexist, but…
It was different for Adam. If he truly came into contact with Dark Sword, one of his personalities would have disappeared.
And it was obvious which one it would be.
Although she didn't hear the details, she could tell from the context that the future Adam was more powerful in many ways than the current one.
'No, that's not it.'
'You said he came into contact with Dark Sword? Then Adam's personality, like me…!!'
'If Adam also regressed, then…'
'Then?'
'…There's no way he would be so calm seeing his past self. That's how it would be.'
'...…'
It wasn't a rational or logical statement, but closer to an emotional assertion.
A belief based on the relationship between adult Chloe and the future Adam, which the current Chloe didn't fully understand.
Even adult Chloe herself seemed unsure, but it seemed like that was what she wanted to believe.
And Chloe could somewhat understand that feeling.
'So you built that kind of relationship with Adam, even though you were shy, overshadowed by the Headmistress, and couldn't even properly confess?'
'…That hurts.'
'I'm saying I understand.'
Just ten days ago, wasn't it the same? The desire to occupy a part, preferably a large part, of the heart of the person you love is a universal desire.
Just as you want them to look for you when you're gone, just as you want to prove that you're an indispensable existence to them.
'Then, what state is Adam in right now?'
'I don't recommend approaching Adam hastily. Even if the regressed Adam sees me… he might not feel anything.'
'Stop saying that. Anyway, it's clear that Adam is in a strange state right now. I felt something unsettling from him.'
'Unsettling?'
'Didn't you feel it?'
'Not at all.'
'You didn't feel anything despite being Rank 7? It's faint, but there's an ominous feeling from Adam himself, anyway.'
Chloe, after countless thoughts,
Finally seemed to have made up her mind and clenched her fist.
'Let's go to Ruth Spero.'
'What?'
'Anyway, regression happens because of Dark Sword, right? We should go to that cross-dressing bitch and try to find out if she's had any recent contact with Adam.'
It didn't matter if Ruth Spero couldn't hear adult Chloe's voice.
They didn't have a reason to visit or a close relationship, but they could just pretend it was a coincidence.
Just as Chloe, making up her mind, was about to use detection magic to find Ruth,
She felt a sense of unease and looked at adult Chloe.
'What are you doing?'
'Th-that's…'
'Why? Is there something over there?'
'…No, no. It must be my imagination.'
'How strange.'
Adult Chloe, answering with a puzzled tone herself, was looking towards the center of the academy.
To be precise, where the Headmistress and Adam's offices were located.
***
In the end, what was that earlier?
Leaving Chloe, who suddenly disappeared, behind, I started walking down the street again.
I was curious about that strange voice and Chloe suddenly running away, but I could ask about it later.
More importantly, there was something I had to do since I was already outside.
'First, I need to go further away to avoid being caught by the Headmistress.'
And I had to meet the slave who could most reliably explain my past four days.
I had gotten used to the alleyways, so I reached the old dormitory through the shortest route. It was still a much better place than where I lived.
This was where Milia, the unofficial slave of the Finance Department, lived.
'Asking Milia would be the most reliable way.'
I was curious why she didn't wake me up while I was sleeping, but she must have at least come to work. She wouldn't have skipped work until now just because I told her to go home before she fell asleep, would she?
Thinking so, I knocked on the dormitory manager's office on the first floor and entered.
"Ah, Finance Director Adam! I apologize for not being able to greet you during your last visit. If you had just contacted me, I would have come to greet you."
"Last… visit?"
"Oh? Wasn't it you? I heard you entered Student Milia's room about four days ago."
"…I understand. But I'd like to meet Student Milia."
"Excuse me? Wasn't Student Milia with you?"
"Huh?"
"Student Milia suddenly disappeared from her room four days ago, so I naturally assumed she was out on official business because of the scholarship… Don't tell me…?"
"Can I have the key to her room?"
"H-here you go!"
Putting aside the fact that I apparently came here four days ago…
Milia wasn't in her dormitory room for four days? But she wasn't in the Finance Director's office when I woke up either?
That could only mean one thing.
'She skipped work after seeing me asleep!?'
Now I understood why Milia didn't wake me up. She didn't even come to work in the first place! Was this why our ancestors preferred solgeo nobi (slaves owned by the government) over oegeo nobi (slaves owned by individuals)?
Since things had come to this, I should remodel the storage room next to the office into Milia's on-call room. If she didn't like it, she could become Finance Department equipment. If she was unhappy with that, she could give up her position in the cult.
The dormitory manager, seeming to agree with my thoughts, hurriedly brought the key. I took it and headed to the top floor where Milia's room was.
"Have you ever entered her room?"
"No, I knocked and looked through the window, but she wasn't there… I avoid entering students' rooms without permission."
Then it was fine for me. It wasn't a student's room, but a slave's room.
There was no need to even knock. I inserted the key into the doorknob and swung the door open!
Burst!
"Student Milia!"
"Milia…?"
"...…"
Inside the room, well…
Normally, a girl's room wouldn't be as tidy and organized as one might imagine, but even so, the room was in a rather messy state. Did they have a fight or something? They should clean up a bit.
And more importantly, Milia was sitting on the bed.
But I had no intention of questioning the dorm manager about it.
"No, Student Milia!"
"Adam Keynes, you—"
"How did you get so injured!? And what are these cuts!?"
"…?"
No.
Who dared to reduce the labor power of our Finance Department slave? It's a good thing it was her face, what if it had been her hands!
Which bastard did this!?