“...Let’s just make the report.”

Diret, having given up, changed the subject.

Since the matter had been resolved well, it was time to deliver the good news to Bulserec, the owner of the manor.

When a servant ran off to deliver the news, Bulserec immediately came rushing out.

“Really? The demon has been dealt with?”

“Yes. You don’t need to worry anymore.”

“Thank you so much...”

Bang!

Bulserec, who had forgotten all dignity in his joy and was about to express his gratitude, flinched when the manor gate suddenly burst open.

Could there be a demon we missed?!

However, it was not a demon that entered.

It was Princess Yukbeltire, breathing heavily.

“...”

“...”

Diret and Stedal Nago subtly averted their gazes. Princess Yukbeltire’s fingertips trembled.

“What, what’s going on?”

Cohorti, unable to grasp the situation, asked in bewilderment.

Why had Princess Yukbeltire come separately?

“Why did this mage come alone just now?”

“Probably got lost. Don’t mind it.”

At Diret’s words, Princess Yukbeltire’s fingertips trembled even more violently. Stedal Nago also chimed in.

“The capital is chaotic, so it’s easy to get lost.”

“I see... I should have assigned you a guide. I apologize.”

The dark magic school students murmured at the unexpected conversation.

“Senior Yukbeltire got lost?”

“I never knew that.”

Taking advantage of the friend being temporarily paralyzed by rage, Diret moved quickly.

If the payment was not received and distributed now, it was impossible to imagine how troublesome things would become later.

“Thank you for the payment. Here. I’ll distribute it now.”

“Huh? You could put it all into the school treasury. You practically did everything, Senior.”

“What are you talking about, Dirimpa? And you can’t do anything in the capital without money.”

“I don’t really have anything to spend money on, though. If I just do magic in my room...”

“...”

“...”

Cohorti and the other students sent pitiful looks.

Their eyes said that, unlike Dirimpa, they needed gold coins.

“...I understand, so everyone hurry up and take your share.”

“Th-thank you!”

“Why are you thanking me so much? Here.”

Bulserec watched the mages’ conversation with a pleased expression.

Although the incident had happened because of his own mistake, seeing the Einroguard mages warmly share the compensation made his heart feel proud.

“I was worried because of the rumors about dark mages... but Einroguard’s dark mages are truly polite and sincere people!”

“...Wh-what are those people doing over there?”

At the voice from behind, Bulserec turned his head.

Raphadael, a distant relative of the family and a young prodigy, was looking into the manor with a shocked expression.

“Ah. Raphadael! You’re here! It’s nothing serious. Everything has been resolved.”

“No... but... why... are those people...?”

Raphadael stammered.

In fact, the fact that Raphadael belonged to the dark magic school was not widely known within the family.

Only close family members knew, and since Raphadael did not particularly reveal being from the dark magic school, the other relatives did not really know which school Raphadael belonged to.

“Right. Since you’re also from Einroguard, you might have met these people before. Even if you’re from different schools, you’re from the same academy!”

That guy...

Didn’t tell them.

The dark magic school seniors looked at the junior with understanding eyes.

If one belonged to a family that cared about appearances, it could be a little embarrassing to reveal that one was from the dark magic school. The seniors understood that feeling very well.

“Let’s help out. Still our junior.”

“We should match our stories. But then, what school did Raphadael say it was?”

While the seniors were whispering, Bulserec also asked as if suddenly remembering.

“Come to think of it, Raphadael. Which school did you say you were from?”

“Well...”

Raphadael blinked repeatedly at the flustering question.

The situation was so unexpected that the mind went completely blank.

Was it all right to hide being from the dark magic school? Would the seniors be offended? What would happen if the truth was revealed? More importantly, why was that bastard Wardanaz there in that identity?

Unable to watch any longer, Cohorti spoke up.

“Our junior is from the enchantment magic school.”

...The problem was that Cohorti was not the only one who spoke.

“Divination magic school.”

“Transformation magic school...”

The other seniors also came up with school names they thought were decent in order to help their junior.

Thanks to this, the surroundings suddenly fell silent. It was a very awkward silence.

“...”

“...”

“N-no. Can you attend that many schools like that? Raphadael? What if you go crazy from that??”

That’s a bit harsh.

Lee Han was inwardly indignant.

Raphadael looked at the seniors. Then Raphadael looked at the disguised friend.

A determined light sparkled in Raphadael’s eyes.

“...I’m actually from the dark magic school!”

“What? You’re attending all those schools!?”

“N-no... just the dark magic school...”

***

Fortunately, Bulserec did not feel ashamed or anything of the sort about the family prodigy learning magic at the dark magic school.

Rather, he was surprised that these people were direct seniors and insisted on treating them properly.

“Wow. Such a good person.”

“Right. That’s great.”

“...”

Raphadael was sitting with head hung low, embarrassed for no reason. Lee Han tried to offer comfort.

“Lift your head, Raphadael. That’s a good relative.”

“Why are you acting like that in that state...”

“It’s a long story.”

“...”

Cohorti asked as if this was incomprehensible.

“We tried to package you as being from a good school, so why did you specifically reveal that you’re from the dark magic school?”

“But why the enchantment magic school? Divination magic school would have been acceptable too.”

“Transformation magic school would be better...”

“The enchantment magic school is better. Look at the income.”

“But being connected to Professor Verdus comes attached as a tag.”

As the seniors began arguing over something truly pointless, Raphadael hurriedly said,

“I have something I’ve worked hard to learn until now, and I didn’t want to hide it.”

“...!”

“That guy...”

The upperclassmen sent slightly moved gazes.

When Raphadael first entered, the junior had stubbornly insisted it was to counter dark magic, but now there was such affection for the school.

Cohorti thought, not understanding.

Why does our school have such good relationships despite having no money compared to other schools?

Stedal Nago was also moved and placed a hand on Raphadael’s shoulder.

“Excellent. Mage.”

“...Please stop...”

Raphadael swatted the hand away with clear displeasure and asked,

“More importantly, what brings you here?”

“I came to deal with a demon summoned at the manor. It has been captured like this.”

“?!”

Raphadael was shocked by the unexpected words.

However, the surprise was only beginning.

“But that demon came with an angel, so we had to negotiate with the angel, which is why Senior Yukbeltire is here too...”

“?!!!”

“Mr. Nago helped us as well.”

“Mm.”

“...”

Raphadael stared at the disguised same-year friend with mouth agape.

What the hell had this bastard been doing?

“You negotiated with an angel?!”

“Ah. Come to think of it, House Gral has angel blood mixed in.”

Lee Han belatedly recalled his friend’s bloodline.

Wasn’t it said that angel blood had entered through the ancestors?

“Mr. Nago truly knows everything!”

Cohorti rubbed both palms together while flattering. At that unsightly display, Raphadael turned left and right, looking at both sides once each.

What the hell is this situation?

Wardanaz...! What are you really doing...!

However, there was not a single change in Lee Han’s—no, Stedal Nago’s—expression. Raphadael was thrilled by that cold expression.

Does one need this level of composure to be the year’s top student?!

“Do you have any advice regarding angels?”

“Advice is... well...”

Raphadael suppressed the urge to shout, Stop the disguise, you bastard! and focused on thinking.

What stories related to angels had been passed down in House Gral?

“...First of all, most celestials are close to single-minded.”

“That did seem to be the case.”

“While there is usually no occasion to make contact, in very rare cases, contracts do happen. Our family’s ancestor was one such case...”

Contracts with spirits, angels, and demons left traces, large or small, on the soul.

Depending on the depth of those traces, characteristics would manifest in descendants.

“In that regard, the most important thing would be the first impression.”

“First impression?”

“As I said, celestials are stubborn. If you want to contract with them, you need to persuade them properly at the first meeting. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult...”

“...What about the opposite?”

At Stedal Nago’s question, Raphadael hesitated.

The meaning was unclear.

“The opposite?”

“I mean, if you don’t want to contract.”

“You would need to clearly convince the angel at the first meeting that you have nothing to do with the angel’s purpose...?”

“What if that fails? What should you do the next time you meet?”

“...If that failed, wouldn’t it already be over? I think the angel would keep chasing until a contract was made.”

“...”

Lee Han, not getting the answer he wanted, became serious.

This bastard. Knows nothing at all.

That inner thought seemed to reach Raphadael as well. Raphadael cried out in an aggrieved voice.

“No, even with spirits, once a contract fails, it’s practically impossible to contract with the same spirit again, so why do you expect that kind of thing only from angels...”

“Hey! Raphadael! What rudeness is this!”

When Cohorti pretended to scold the junior, Raphadael nearly went mad.

No, this graduate really!

Unable to watch any longer, Diret stepped in to mediate.

“Everyone stop. More importantly, what brought you here?”

“Ah. I came to prepare items to bring in for the new semester. You said you’d give me some unused magical items...”

“Items to bring in? How are you planning to bring them in?”

The upperclassmen were puzzled.

Unless one was at about fifth-year level, no one could speak so confidently about bringing items in for the new semester.

One could be caught smuggling at any time and have everything confiscated.

“Wardanaz agreed to bring them in for me.”

At Raphadael’s answer, the upperclassmen fell silent.

And thought.

These second-years are really damn lucky!

No matter how much they cherished a junior from the same school, seeing the second-years live so happily thanks to one friend made an unidentifiable jealousy surge in their hearts.

Why didn’t we have such a friend in our time???

***

As the end of vacation gradually came into view, the second-year students slowly began preparing their luggage one by one.

As always, no matter how many supplies they prepared to bring into Einroguard, it was never enough. Items that made them think, I should have brought that! kept appearing.

“??”

Eandurde and Alhild could not understand the upperclassmen’s behavior.

Surely outside supplies were prohibited from being brought in, so why were the upperclassmen preparing so calmly?

“Excuse me, I have a question.”

Alhild, spotting Gainando passing by, spoke up.

Gainando was startled and sent a wary gaze. He was worried that this sharp first-year junior might ask a difficult magic question.

“Wh-what is it? Just so you know, I’m busy.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll ask briefly. Do you upperclassmen have a way to bring these items in?”

“Huh? Yeah. Lee Han agreed to bring them in for us. I heard he found a new smuggling method? He said there’s plenty of space.”

“Th-that’s... amazing. Is this a favor because you’re from the same tower?”

“No? He does it for guys from other towers too.”

“...I’m truly surprised. Indeed... Is this only for this time? For an expensive price?”

Alhild threw out questions, trying somehow to protect the world in Alhild’s head.

However, Gainando, unaware of the desperate junior’s feelings, answered honestly.

“He did it last time too, you know? He just did the smuggling for free. He charges money for cooking, but smuggling is just...”

“...”

“...”

Gainando did not notice that the two juniors’ gazes were changing to jealousy and hatred.