The word "deviation" holds a peculiar magic to it. Strolling alone in the rose garden of Ophelius Hall under the night breeze, and swimming through the crowd at the faculty building without a single escort—it was utterly exhilarating. For Clarisse, all of these were acts of deviation.
Though seemingly trivial, these small freedoms were incredibly special to her. In less than a week, she had thought countless times how glad she was to have come to Silvenia.
"The saint always carries the protection of the Holy Law, so there is less worry," Archbishop Verdier remarked with a concerned gaze as Clarisse left the grandiose Cathedral of Saint Ode.
"But please, always be careful not to reveal your true identity and carry the magical items I provided." The disguise spell cast by the magicians of the cathedral was so effective that even Clarisse was startled upon seeing her reflection.
Her silver hair, usually glowing like glass, was now dyed a cozy chestnut, similar to that of a marten—making it look as if she had physically changed her appearance.
Her eyes, as red and shimmering as rubies, retained their color, but without her usual accessories, she looked like any other ordinary student, "Student A."
This was much more effective and convenient than a clumsy disguise. "No one would suspect looking at you now, Verdier," Clarisse said, half-jokingly.
"The magicians of the cathedral are unquestionably skilled," Verdier replied with a lingering worry.
"But you never know how things will turn out, Saint Clarisse. Even with a perfect disguise and the Illusion spell, you can never be too cautious." Verdier was worried as he watched the excited saint before leaving for Silvenia, but decided to ease his concerns since the staff of the Cathedral of Saint Ode were not incompetent.
"We've taken multiple precautions… Unless someone is informed beforehand, they wouldn't notice." Clarisse nodded, smiling faintly at Verdier's words.
She was grateful to the people of the cathedral. For her to live as an ordinary student, they had put in a lot of effort—a truly precious experience.
What does an ordinary academic life entail? Being revered as a saint, everyone bowing at mere eye contact, aged bishops confessing to her, and places quieting down at her mere presence—it was surely far from ordinary.
Having only been on Akensum Island for a short time, with few places visited, each day was filled with novelty and romance. Though it was still vacation, and thus less crowded, to Clarisse, even this relaxed academic scene felt bustling like a marketplace.
She wandered alone through the lively residential area, buying various dazzling items herself, and sitting in a corner of the student library to read materialistic romance novels that she could never dream of inside the Cathedral of Saint Ode.
If the characters in the books so much as overlapped lips after overcoming tragic trials, she felt her spine heat up uncontrollably, burying her nose in the book spine, feeling unnecessarily guilty as if she had committed a crime.
Sitting on a bench along the roadside of the faculty building, no one paid her any mind. No one bowed or looked up in awe; everyone was just hurriedly going about their ways. This fact alone quickened her breath, filling Clarisse with immense satisfaction.
No one recognized her identity. Blending in with the crowd as just another student felt incredibly liberating. With someone else already convincingly playing the role of the real saint in her academic life, who would suspect Kylie? Certainly, no one in Silvenia could guess Kylie's true identity.
That much was clear. And now… A howling tempest ensued. Nothing could be heard over the flapping of clothing and the piercing wind. Sitting amidst the altar covered by the wind, Ed Rostailer looked down at Kylie with an indifferent expression.
A deep, thunderous roar echoed from the gaping maw of a wolf. Unlike a typical wolf's high-pitched howl, it was closer to the growl of a lion or tiger. The sound wave pressed against the chest, trembling the heart and stimulating human instincts to flee.
"Are you out of your mind…? That's obviously a high-level spirit…!" Even students who had spent their lives training in spirit magic couldn't handle a spirit of such caliber. It was beyond even a graduate level.
Veteran spirit mages who could handle five or six mid-level spirits in active research and combat were in awe of anyone who could command a high-level spirit. That's why Enika Palelover was renowned as a genius spirit mage.
The status of a high-level spirit in magical academia was truly significant. "We need to think rationally, Tanya! No matter what, this is insane…!" Kylie shouted, her voice trembling. In reality, if Ed had indeed summoned a high-level spirit, the correct response would be to flee without looking back. Tanya had once faced Enika's high-level fire spirit, Takan.
It felt less like confronting a spirit and more like unleashing a monster. The trauma from that encounter began to resurface. However, Tanya stood firm, gripping her trembling legs, forcing herself to maintain her composure and not let go of her rational thoughts. High-level spirits were magical power devouring monsters.
Handling them and using spirit formulas required maximizing magical efficiency through "Spirit Resonance." But that was easier said than done; ordinary resonance abilities were nowhere near sufficient. "I know how skilled my brother was two years ago… To develop that level of magical power in just two years is utterly unrealistic!"
Tanya's insight was cutting to the core. Regardless of the immediate reality, rationally thinking, it was implausible for Ed to handle a high-level spirit. "Whoooosh!" A giant wolf, coiled around a gravestone, leapt into action. The blowing wind threatened to sweep everything away once again.
The high wind spirit, Merilda, barely managing to stabilize itself, landed in front of Tanya and Kylie with a thunderous crash. The impact alone carved out the marble floor, sending fragments flying towards Kylie's face, causing her to stagger in shock.
A mere shake of its tail and a brushing of its body generated gusts of wind, nearly knocking Tanya and Kylie off their feet. However, Tanya miraculously overcame her fear and took a step forward, gripping Kylie's wrist tightly and sprinting to the side.
"Listen to me, Kylie!" Kylie, shaken and trembling, instinctively followed Tanya's lead.
"There's a chance!" Though Tanya's legs also threatened to tremble in fear, her actions took precedence.
No matter how formidable and fierce the opponent appeared, she refused to give up without even trying.
She was tired of being conditioned to accept defeat. For Tanya, Ed had always been an insurmountable wall blocking her path.
Ed's position as a successor had made him that formidable wall. But now the tables had turned. She could no longer afford to cower in fear as she had in the past.
"There's… a chance?" "I don't know about others, but I do! That person can't possibly handle a high spirit!"
To an outsider, Ed might seem like a person who achieved great feats through innate talent and grueling effort, but Tanya, with her background knowledge of Ed, thought differently.
There's realism even in achievements. She vividly remembered him from two years ago. With depleted magical sensitivity and only a meager amount of magical power, it was impossible for him to have grown to this extent.
"There must be some trick or knack to it!" Her insight was spot on. Though Ed used Glast's ring to draw upon magical power, Tanya couldn't possibly know the full circumstances.
However, she could infer the situation.
"He's not using his own magic at all! He's only fighting using the power stored within a magic stone, which he's not even familiar with! There's always a reason for forcibly using such difficult power!"
Merilda's gaze shifted towards Tanya as she fled towards the perimeter. With a light leap and a swipe of its paw, the spirit could easily subdue Tanya, but it chose not to.
Instead, it seemed to heed Ed's direction, shaking its head and letting out a light howl.
"Even so, Tanya! There's no way we can defeat a high spirit!"
"No! In fact, by him summoning the high spirit, we've got a chance!" Before she could even question what that meant, Tanya pressed forward, looking towards Ed who still sat casually at the altar.
His eyes were downcast, not showing panic but certainly an unexpected situation. The main reason Tanya saw an opportunity was… Ed appeared exhausted.
His rolled-up sleeves were scorched, his body covered in dust and dirt with minor cuts, and signs of repeated magic use were evident. He had drawn upon his strength to its limits from repeated battles. There had been no sense of determination from the start.
His demeanor suggested he was eager to chase Tanya and Kylie away and conclude the test. That was the gap she needed to exploit.
"The goal from the start… to make him lose the will to fight by demonstrating overwhelming power! If he really wanted to fight, he wouldn't have released a monster that inefficiently devours chunks of magic… he would have tried to subdue us directly!"
"Then…!"
"He's already at his limit!" The freshman allocation test. Who among the students would earn the prestigious placement in Class A? Grading criteria vary widely depending on the professor.
But with the situation as it is, Tanya felt she could now provide a clear answer. No matter how high and daunting the barrier, those who dare to make a move first, knowing they may not win, are the ones who deserve it. This surely related to Tanya's life.
Having lived under oppression, always watching for an opportunity, Tanya had unknowingly soaked herself in defeatism.
She was used to measuring, estimating, and giving up if something seemed impossible. If there was not a 100% chance of victory, she would not even gamble.
If she saw a precipice in her vision, she would first imagine herself falling. Living in a high position, one always carries the fear of falling. However, this could never be the right thing to do.
The issue transcends position and status. In life, one must occasionally take blind steps into dangerous and precarious situations.
"This is the time…!" With clenched teeth, Tanya stepped forward boldly.
Seeing Tanya's face, Kylie nodded. Suddenly, her own fearful demeanor seemed shameful.
"He doesn't want to fight with his own body anymore, so he summoned the spirit forcibly! We don't need to subdue the high spirit! Even if we can attack the exhausted real body just once…!"
"Whoooosh!"
"Crash!"
The fear of death swept past Tanya's back.
The wolf's paw had just slammed down where Tanya and Kylie had been. Broken rock fragments flew everywhere, and the wind also surged, pushing them back.
"Yaaah!" Fluttering in the breeze, Tanya and Kylie were suddenly near the outer wall.
Tanya quickly conjured a basic wind spell to minimize the impact, but her right hand trembled with fear.
"So… we just need to get close to the real body once?! Through that wind wolf!"
"Yes, exactly! If we can just create an opening…"
"Then I'll play the bait!" Tanya couldn't believe her ears. Acting as bait against such a wolf was almost like declaring a death wish.
"But I've told you, I have a slightly unusual constitution… unless it's a special case, I usually don't die!"
"But wouldn't that still hurt you a lot?!" Kylie shook her head.
"Not at all! I won't even get hurt! You can trust me!" Under normal circumstances, this would be dismissed as nonsense. However, Tanya had witnessed it on the way up to the altar.
The then second-year combat division chief, Clevarius Nortendale, had swung his sword at her in earnest… but he was knocked back by an inexplicable brilliance, losing consciousness on the spot.
'The Protection of the Holy Law'. Among the holy techniques that borrow the power of the deity Telos, it's considered the highest form of protective skill.
Even the commander of the Cathedral Knights would need a lifetime to master similar holy techniques, but Kylie had been born with it. She was the girl who monopolized the love of deity Telos.
There was no need for a bodyguard as the laws of the world itself protected her. The Protection of the Holy Law repels all hostile entities attempting to harm Kylie with mid-level or higher holy techniques.
It reacts so swiftly that people don't anticipate the counterattack because Kylie appears to be a frail girl. Kylie herself can't control this, so she generally avoids antagonizing others.
Of course, Tanya couldn't know these detailed facts. There wasn't time to inquire thoroughly. But she had to take a chance based on Kylie's confident expression.
"Are you really sure?!"
"Don't worry, if I can create an opening with the wolf… strike back! You said he's a terrible person, didn't you..!"
"Terrible person." With that, Tanya felt a firm resolve. There was no point in trembling with fear after coming this far.
Through the legs of a giant wolf letting out a resentful howl, I can see, far in the distance, a boy sitting on an altar with his head bowed in defeat. He looks utterly exhausted, like he doesn't wish to move anymore.
Isn't this the perfect time to strike him properly, I wonder. As Tanya nods in agreement, Kylie charges towards the wolf without hesitation, without even a word.
Tanya is impressed by what seems like courage, but she quickly shelves that thought when she hears the scream:
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The sight of Kylie, screaming half in tears and rushing forwards, is the very picture of fear.
Even if one believes they won't get hurt, hurling oneself into the embrace of such a massive wolf seems like a suicidal act. Moreover, the assurance was 'unless some special exception applies,' not that one absolutely won't get hurt. If there's even the slightest possibility, the fear still lingers.
Nonetheless, Tanya had to admit, the sheer willpower Kylie showed in rushing forth demanded respect.
She quickly dashed in the opposite direction. She couldn't predict how big a gap Kylie might create for her, but for now, she had to seize the opportunity presented.
The Wind Wolf is startled for a moment.
After all, it was just an exam for class placement for new students. There's a big chance that there was no real intention to hurt or kill the opponent.
So what should it do with a girl who charges in as though it's a suicide run? Using those massive paws to press down and crush her would cause serious backlash.
But it can't just stand there; even at the risk of causing some injury… Merilda swings its front paw lightly.
However, the one who ends up wounded is Merilda.
– Boom!
A cloud of smoke billows, but Merilda's front paw couldn't even scratch Kylie.
Kylie's adorable but reckless charge… leaves a deep wound on Merilda.
Cuts, as if stained with claws, appear on its belly and flanks. Distinct traces of blood are visible on the ground.
– Roar!
Merilda, confused by the unexpected attack, releases a shrieking cry.
The roar momentarily shakes the air, a sound of panic. But the frail Kylie is thrown back by the shock alone.
"Ahhh!"
Her pale and slim limbs are not optimized for battle; just rolling on the ground a few times has drained her of all strength, rendering her useless.
– Clang!
In the meantime, the sound of something falling from Kylie's body is heard.
Somehow, relying on just the protection around her, she succeeds in pinning down Merilda's movements for a moment.
This brief window was all the time Tanya had to struggle one last time.
She was already charging towards Ed. The range of Tanya's basic magic is extremely short.
But, considering that the already battle-worn and magic-drained Ed — from summoning high spirits — is now before her, even a single blow would be fatal.
The sight of the boy on the altar, completely drained and sitting down, was getting closer.
Kylie overcame her terror to create this brief window of opportunity; Tanya couldn't afford to waste it.
The basic Wind magic 'Dispersion.'
It's one of the few spells Tanya has mastered properly. It creates a strong wind centered on the caster, disrupting the movement of enemies nearby, and if powerful enough, can knock them flying.
She pushes Ed away from the altar and swiftly offers up the magic stone. This was the last gambit.
As Tanya, panting heavily, reaches the altar, Ed's figure comes fully into view.
Tanya clenches her teeth and shouts.
"You thought I'd give up…?!"
There was always a sense of rebellion in her. The defiance in her voice was tinged with chills.
The surge of magical wind becomes her final spear. It shatters the overwhelming disparity of power; Tanya's last stand.
Ed looks down at her coldly, with no trace of panic in his eyes. What's truly terrifying is that gaze.
Such an unshaken gaze, as if nothing is wrong. But it's too late now for Tanya to be intimidated by that look. The dice have already been cast.
The surrounding wind magic hits Ed, and with him not even flinching, he falls from the altar and disappears.
"Gasp… Gasp…"
Ed, who has now completely disappeared, was a sign that magic had taken effect. Tanya felt a moment of elation rising in her chest…
But the fact that he 'disappeared'… made Tanya feel an eerie discomfort.
– Whish!
Arrows. However, their forms are blurred. Several magic-formed arrows hit the ground and disappeared without a trace.
"Ah, help!"
Startled, Tanya stumbles backward and falls to the ground. And then, it's then that she notices scattered around the altar floor, "Illusion Discs" – magic engineering supplies.
It would be challenging to create such advanced tools with basic magic engineering knowledge, but it was possible to modify burner versions to manifest at least a 'mild illusion.'
Although not as potent as the illusions that the purple discs could conjure, they could still undermine the reality to a degree.
Especially considering Ed's current battered state, this level of illusion wasn't too difficult to implement.
Tanya, with little knowledge of the magic engineering involved, couldn't even guess whether Ed had such knowledge.
The only thing she could surmise was that probably many students had fallen victim to this tactic.
So where is the real Ed?
Tanya's eyes moved in the direction from which the arrows had come, towards trees unnaturally draped around the direction of the altar.
Among them, a boy jumps down from one.
Ed lands with difficulty and gets up, brushing himself off. He looked more severely beaten than the illusion had suggested; it was surprising he could still move.
In one hand, he holds a makeshift bow.
The ends of a branch suitable to serve as an arrow shaft were tightly strung by a bluish magical thread.
'Does that even work…? How much magic sensitivity training has he done…?'
'Or… he knows how to use a bow…? The same person who couldn't even properly hold a sword's grip…?'
Tanya tries to get herself up, desperation filling her as her legs refuse to do their job.
She attempts to stand up, but fear has already pushed her limits to the edge.
Thud Thud, Ed walks closer, though Tanya's legs have completely given up.
– Roar
Suddenly, that giant Wind Wolf has returned to Ed's side after overcoming Kylie.
Looking up from her seated vantage point, the image is complete with the wolf's shadow, signaling that Tanya no longer has any chance of victory.
"Eek… Eeek…!"
Ed, now right in front of Tanya, gazes down at her.
His battered body is covered with bruises and scrapes all over. Flecks of blood are even visible.
He's covered in dust, utterly exhausted, yet still showing no sign of struggle.
The cold gaze downward reignites Tanya's trauma.
The villain of the Rothtaylor family's appalling deeds, the dagger handed to them, the screams of the pained servants, and their terror-filled eyes.
Memories flicker past Tanya's mind as if on a reel.
A chill as cold as the gaze travels down Tanya's spine, she shakes uncontrollably.
And as Ed extends his hand, Tanya closes her eyes tightly.
"I'm sorry, you must have tried in your way. We have our reasons on this side too."
– Whoosh!
As a gust of wind blows… the next moment, the giant wolf's figure has disappeared.
In Ed's hand is the magic stone Tanya had brought.
Her body trembling, Tanya opens her eyes to see Ed smashing the stone, marking her failure in the exam.
"Even if you're kin, I can't just let it slide. If that were the case, knowing your temperament, you would have been even more furious, right?"
"What…?"
"But then again, I've seen you now, Tanya. You do have that side."
Ed releases the magic of the makeshift bow; the magical thread snaps, and the branch reverts to being just a stick, which he casually tosses aside.
Ed sighs and looks up at the high sky. The sun sets gently; the new student class allocation test is gradually coming to an end.
The Tanya Rothtaylor that Ed knew was just a villain playing on her family's prestige, only to show off her arrogance in the student council elections and then exit the stage.
He thought she would run away with her tail between her legs at the sight of a high spirit but… she surprisingly showed resilience.
"If I had been in that position, I would have run without looking back. But the fact that you, exhausted as you were, still tried to subdue me with tactics… that's really something. Not just anyone can do that. You can take pride in that. You're pretty amazing."
"Uh.. uh…"
Already collapsing from the situation, the moment Tanya realizes the ordeal is over, an incomprehensible wave of emotion starts to rise within her.
"Ah… Ugh…"
Feeling awkward about the reaction he got, Ed hadn't foreseen this outcome.
Regardless, the examination time was over. Tanya's magic stone was destroyed.
With no desire to fight further, he contemplated some consoling words…
"Don't come any closer!"
A girl suddenly rushes between Tanya and Ed, her face covered in dirt as she bravely stands up to Ed.
She stands with arms widespread, trembling, apparently having rushed over out of fear that Tanya might be harmed.
"Let me tell you… if you… if you treat me as an enemy and attack… something bad will happen! I mean it! Don't… don't move!"
She begs as if pleading to be believed, shaking so much it's hard to tell who is threatening whom.
Ed, with no intention to harm, just sighs deeply.
But his gaze drifts downwards, and in an instant, his pupils dilate.
For the first time since the test began, Ed appears shaken, and he starts scanning the surroundings.
Even though she's apprehensive of the change in Ed's demeanor, the girl doesn't let her trembling hands down, keeping focused on him.
"The exam is over! Ed! Come here and help! Clevius totally knocked himself out…!"
"Professor Claire, can you update the score first…! There's a mountain of stuff to take care of…! The student council president elections are just at the start of next semester…!"
Suddenly, from the altar entrance, Professor Claire's voice is heard. The voices of Anis and Yenika suggest that they are starting to tidy up after the examination.
Ed tosses the last magic stone towards the altar. As magic swirls around him, a small flame bat rises above his head.
"What are you doing…! The exam is over…! What are you trying to do now…?!"
The girl's voice shakes as she calls out, but Ed pays no mind and sends the flame bat into the altar's clearing.
There's no more reason to fight, is there? The faculty seems to be making their way up, so all that's left is to stand guard and protect Tanya until they arrive.
The girl believes that but then she feels a sudden change.
Quickly glancing down at herself, she realizes what that sensation is. The tips of her chestnut hair begin to tarnish, as hints of silver swirl around.
The 'Illusion Magic' given by the clerics of Saint tower is maintained by the 'Crescent Moon Brooch,' a semi-permanent magic engineering tool brought from Sylvania. It must be always carried to keep its effect ongoing.
– Clatter!
The sound made when she was thrown back by Merilda, she now realizes what it was. It was the sound of the Crescent Moon Brooch rolling on the ground, which she always kept close.
"This is…!"
The faculty are just about to burst in.
The girl feels a creeping horror as her heartbeat intensifies and her breathing quickens. She swiftly turns her head towards the clearing.
But the flame bat, sent off by Ed, had already fetched the brooch.
The brooch in his grasp, Ed quickly stuffs it back into the girl's chest.
"Be careful not to lose your stuff… be careful."
It was her first experience having such a large hand in her chest. Overwhelmed by the moment and the current experience, she takes a step back in shock.
Breathing in and out at an uneven pace, merely looking at Ed makes her feel as if her head is filling with blood.
The subtle light from the brooch again radiates, and the girl's hair, which had started to turn silver, regains its original color.
"Uh… Uh…"
The situation was so sudden that she couldn't muster a response. She just stood there, unable to react as the words got stuck in her throat.
"I'm coming now!"
"My goodness, Ed! Why, why are you so hurt..!"
As Ed gathers the elements and struggles to move towards the faculty with his injured body, the girl can only remain standing.
Fortunately… Tanya seems too disoriented by the situation to grasp what just happened.
The girl… is just left standing there…