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They are busy with the repair work, pulling carts filled with shovels and bricks across the training field.

Those who went to repair the fortress each carry sacks on their backs as they ascend the stairs.

It was a truly pleasing sight, and a satisfied smile crept across my face.

“But, young master, why are you here? The repairs aren’t even finished yet.”

Selly asked while placing a dish on the table.

I took a bite of a cookie, glancing around the café.

Judging by the overturned pots, broken dishes, and damaged furniture, it seemed that this place, too, had been ravaged by the undead.

Aside from the table I was sitting at, most of the furniture was in shambles.

Though the café was temporarily closed, I could still use it comfortably thanks to my connections.

“This is the only place where I can quietly have tea and think.”

I answered nonchalantly, and Selly half-closed her eyes.

She seemed displeased about being asked to work on her day off, but soon, she spoke as if it didn’t bother her.

“Well, it’s actually a good thing. I was going to check if there were any usable materials left anyway. Enjoy your time.”

Selly approached the pile of scattered debris.

I sipped the fragrant tea and closed my eyes.

Three days had already passed since the end of the first boss fight.

The professors were frantically tracking the movements of Luon and Felia, but as expected, it was in vain.

By now, they must have already left the academy grounds.

No one knows this place better than Felia, after all.

It’s frustrating.

There’s probably no way to recover the Crimson Magic Book either.

I’ve almost given up at this point.

Still, there’s a nagging feeling, as if there’s a missing puzzle piece that I haven’t figured out yet.

“…How did Felia survive, anyway?”

If I were to summarize the events:

Her original fate was to have her head cut off in a sneak attack by Bellen, while she closed her eyes under the old tree.

However, according to Bellen, just as she was approaching cautiously to strike, Felia suddenly opened her eyes, and they ended up in a chase.

After that, Bellen, having used up much of her aura to fend off a dragon’s attack, was too weak to kill Felia, who still held the Crimson Magic Book.

At that moment, Luon fell from the 12th floor and joined forces with Felia, and they managed to escape by using something hidden in the fountain.

“Hmm.”

Now that I understood the sequence of events, it was time to figure out the cause.

Originally, Felia and Luon’s relationship should have been strictly professional.

But their actions suggested otherwise.

I recalled something Felia said at the restaurant, which might offer a clue.

– “To Luon, weren’t you like a mentor?”

Whether Luon actually sees Hersel that way, I’m not sure.

But in Felia’s eyes, Luon seemed to remind her of herself.

This likely stems from what happened in the labyrinth.

– “It’s my turn to ask now. What did Luon whisper in your ear that day?”

Her question implied that she had been there at the time.

When Luon spat harsh words into my ear in a fit of emotion, Felia must have witnessed it from afar.

Seeing that, did she project her younger, envious self onto Luon?

Suddenly, a thought struck me, and my mouth dropped open.

“Ah.”

Could the unease I felt at the restaurant be related to this?

No, perhaps I’m overthinking it.

I looked at Selly, seeking confirmation.

Though Felia and Selly shared the same gender, what was more relevant was that they were both psychopaths.

“Selly, let me ask you something. If you felt a connection with a man, as if he were like you, how do you think you’d feel?”

Selly carefully placed the intact dish she had found on the table and answered.

“Are you talking about a sense of camaraderie? I suppose I’d be quite conscious of him.”

“And maybe… you’d end up seeing him as a romantic interest?”

Selly put her finger to her chin, lowering her gaze, and let out a thoughtful hum.

She seemed to be pondering deeply.

“Hmm. What does this man look like?”

Luon is known as the “Mad Noble.”

Though he’s a bit unhinged, the title of “noble” carries implications of dignity, and of course, a handsome face.

“He is quite good-looking.”

Selly giggled as she responded.

“Then I’d probably fall for him.”

“Really?”

“Of course. For women, just brushing against a handsome man can make their heart race.”

No wonder she seemed so excited whenever she talked about Luon at the restaurant.

“…So, it all comes down to looks, huh.”

“Honestly, whether it’s men or women, if someone has a dazzling appearance, they tend to overlook a few steps in the relationship process, don’t they?”

“And how would you know? You’re just a kid.”

When I rebuked her sharply, Selly grumbled quietly while wiping a cup with a cloth.

It seems that Felia’s obsession, which was originally about erasing her memories and being reborn, had shifted to Luon.

Maybe that’s why she opened her eyes during the process of creating a new body.

She must not have wanted to erase Luon along with her memories.

“This seems to be the most plausible explanation.”

“But, young master, aren’t you going out to watch tonight?”

“Watch what?”

When I asked, Selly looked out the window.

“I heard that from today, the season of the green spectacle begins. It’s a view you can only see briefly after early summer.”

The green spectacle? It seems that starts today.

Every summer at Frost Heart, a magnificent sight unfolds.

Around the time the snow melts, fireflies as big as rabbits come out to mate, and it’s said that their light is more beautiful than the radiance of emeralds, leaving an unforgettable memory.

It’s not exactly a festival, though.

People simply gather on the city walls, built to repel monsters, and watch it casually.

I’ve always wanted to see it with my own eyes. Should I go take a look?

***

The night was cool, and the city walls were crowded with people.

Among them, there was even a food club with a mobile stand selling snacks, which was so popular that people lined up to eat.

It almost felt like a night market.

“Is it because there have been a lot of recent job requests? Everyone seems to have deep pockets.”

When I said that, Aslay sniffed the air and showed interest.

“Skewers.”

“If you want some, you’d better get in line quickly.”

Aslay left, and Limberton, seeing a couple nearby, grumbled.

“I could’ve been like that today, too, if it weren’t for what happened at the banquet…”

“Oh, you mean that woman who came up to talk to you? Forget about her. She looked like she was just trying to get some coins out of you.”

“No way.”

Limberton shook his head but then glanced at me suspiciously and asked.

“But was it really not a bone dragon?”

Ah, here we go again.

I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked this question.

Not just by Limberton, but also by Ricks’ crew and the guys from Adele Hall.

I’m getting sick of it.

“How many times do I have to say it? It was an illusion created by magic. You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? There was an unidentified mastermind behind it.”

The professors, unaware of Felia’s existence, had tentatively concluded that an external intruder was involved.

Of course, this wasn’t made public to avoid causing unnecessary confusion, but most people had vaguely caught on.

Given the scale of the incident, it was too much to believe that it was orchestrated by a few rich students.

Thanks to that, all kinds of speculations are circulating among the students.

“Then what about Ms. Bellen? I saw her get thrown far away by the flames, with blood even trickling from her mouth.”

“As I said, it’s because she drank too much as usual. She didn’t realize it was an illusion and got hit by the hidden mastermind’s ambush.”

The stream of lies came easily, and Limberton seemed convinced, his suspicious look fading.

Then he rubbed his stomach.

“Hmm. I’m getting hungry. Want me to grab something for you?”

“No, I’m good.”

Limberton went off to join the line.

I glanced at the professors mingling among the students.

They claimed it was for supervision, but it was obvious that Rockefeller had stationed them here just in case.

As I stood around waiting, Professor Gomon approached.

“Well, well, look who it is! Hersel, you came out to watch too?”

“Yes, something like that.”

With his usual jovial grin, he brought up the Easter egg I had told him about before.

“Right at midnight, just like you said, it gave me chills when that long-haired girl wearing the necklace stared at me.”

Feigning surprise, I responded in a slightly astonished tone.

“That’s interesting. I didn’t expect that story I picked up would turn out to be true.”

“Aw, come on. I thought you were full of insider knowledge, but I guess you just heard rumors like the rest of us. There’s always something weird going on, isn’t there? Even back when I was a student, I poked around all over the place, and I’m still discovering new things.”

Professor Gomon’s hobby is digging into the secrets of Frost Heart.

I secretly wished he’d stop doing that.

He’s bound to mess with the wrong thing and cause trouble someday.

“Recently, I’ve been digging around suspicious areas with Stone Bear, too.”

Just then, a nearby couple interrupted Gomon’s words.

“Isn’t that special division kid, Luon? They still haven’t found him, right? I hope he doesn’t come back and cause more trouble.”

“Shh, Professor Gomon is right over there.”

Professor Gomon suddenly glanced around, then whispered quietly in my ear.

“I heard Luon was your friend? It’s awkward to say this to a student, but I’m sorry. We didn’t handle the situation well…”

“Have you given up on the search entirely?”

“Pretty much.”

Professor Gomon made an uncomfortable expression.

“Ah, should I even be telling you this? Oh well. I trust you, Hersel, so keep this to yourself. Luon Al Vanas… he became the first person to successfully escape. Because of him, there’s now an official fugitive list and a whole new set of punishment regulations. If he’s found, he won’t just end up in the punishment division. They’ll make an example out of him in the worst way possible.”

The first escapee…

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Just in case you have any way of contacting him, I’m telling you to cut ties completely. Oh, and I don’t mean to doubt you or anything. I’m just warning you because you might get caught in the crossfire.”

Judging by his voice, Professor Gomon seemed to be genuinely concerned for me.

But really, what could possibly happen?

Increased surveillance means Luon will be restricted in his actions. He’ll probably hide out somewhere quiet for the rest of his life.

“Oh, it’s time.”

Professor Gomon pointed toward the forest.

At first, there was nothing visible in the dark, but soon enough, tiny glowing insects began to blend into the foliage, as if the Milky Way itself was descending from the sky.

Those small light sources merged with the stillness of the night, softly illuminating the entire mountain range in a gentle green glow, like mood lighting.

Feeling the cool breeze prickling my skin through the fabric of my clothes, I quietly muttered to myself.

“…’Green spectacle’ is the perfect name for this.”

It seemed like everyone else was feeling the same way.

They were all murmuring words of admiration, their eyes captivated by the scene.

For the first time since entering Frost Heart, I thought to myself that maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

Enjoy it while you can, because this peace won’t last long…

***

Below lay a dizzying cliff.

They had come here because Felia insisted that they had to see this place.

“How is it? It’s a special spot only I know. Isn’t the view amazing?”

Hetherson, grinning with satisfaction, spoke as he admired the scenery.

“Well, the struggle to get here was worth it. No wonder the old man bragged about it.”

Luon couldn’t take his eyes off the breathtaking view, his mouth slightly agape.

He was probably thinking of that man right now.

After all, he had wanted to see this with him.

‘We finally made it.’

Just then, Felia suddenly jumped in front of him, blocking his view, and asked, “Are you thinking about him right now?”

Luon stared at Felia, her expression as if she already knew the answer.

Lately, it felt like she had somehow learned mind-reading, because it seemed like she could read his thoughts.

“I was just lost in the scenery for a moment.”

“Liar. To you, this forest full of flying bugs barely registers.”

When Luon stayed silent, Felia smiled brightly and grabbed his hand.

“Shall we go?”

At her words, Hetherson stretched.

“Ugh! Let’s head to the nearest village. Once we get there, the rest will be easy. Our people are everywhere, even in the smallest of backwater towns.”

Luon tore his gaze away from the green spectacle and followed Felia and Hetherson.

“So, what exactly do the Shadow Wardens do?” Luon asked.

Hetherson glanced at him with a mischievous smile.

“What else would they do but bad things?”

“Stuff like gangs would do?”

Their activities included things like contract killings, drug distribution, prostitution, and running illegal gambling dens.

But Hetherson snorted as if that were trivial.

“Those are just small fry. You’ll be playing in the big leagues.”

“The big leagues?”

Hetherson suddenly stopped, his expression turning serious as he asked, “Are you interested in treasure hunting?”

Treasure hunters.

While pathfinders and adventurers also do such things, it would be different if the hunters were part of the Shadow Wardens.

They would be more like a band of thieves.

“It sounds intriguing.”

Luon replied as he turned his back on the white fortress of Frost Heart.

***

In a certain imperial region, the fog was so thick it even obscured the horizon.

In a secluded farmhouse, the elderly warned that monsters roamed the area, urging people to stay away.

However, middle-aged folks, a bit more cynical, had been gossiping for a while that there was a secret imperial base hidden there.

It turns out, the middle-aged were right.

In an office at the Pathfinder headquarters, a woman adjusted her glasses and reviewed the documents in front of her.

Her eyes darted across the pages, and then she froze, causing her glasses to slip down again.

She adjusted them and even read aloud to herself, but the information was the same.

“The scar on his mouth and the facial features match. The sword in his possession as well, and traces of Viper Silus venom were found in his blood…”

A chill ran down the woman’s spine.

It made sense, considering the “Venomous Snake,” who had earned a notorious reputation for hunting countless Pathfinders.

And this man was killed by a mere student?

‘Impossible. That guy…’

When his head was brought to headquarters, most had scoffed.

Even the woman had dismissed it as people getting worked up over someone who merely looked similar.

But the verified results were now staring her in the face.

She blinked several times, but the words on the page were clear.

“Wow, I never thought I’d see something like this in my lifetime.”

The woman grabbed the stamp sitting on her desk.

Once it was pressed onto the document, that student would be awarded a medal.

Just as she was about to stamp it with a resounding thud, the noise outside grew loud.

“What brings you here?”

Though the voice was filled with tension and respect, it unmistakably belonged to her superior.

For that conceited man to sound so deferential, it seemed someone of even higher rank had arrived.

“I heard this department handles the medals, so I thought I’d stop by. I was considering delivering it personally.”

“Really? You mean directly? Oh, um, please, come inside.”

The superior, sounding startled, opened the door.

The woman stood from her seat, and when she saw the figure in a black robe adorned with blue embroidery, she couldn’t help but gasp.

And the golden compass badge hanging on his chest.

There was no doubt.

It was a symbol that only an Elder at the core of the Pathfinders could possess.

“W-Wise Elder. What brings you to this humble place? No, wait, I’ll fetch some tea right away.”

As she hurried toward the kettle, the middle-aged man removed his hood and revealed a grin, showing his white teeth.

“No need for tea. Have you prepared the rewards yet?”

“I-I was just about to prepare them according to the regulations.”

The smile vanished from his face.

The woman, afraid she had made some mistake, was ready to bow in apology, but the middle-aged man stopped her and smiled again.

“No need to worry. I came here because I have something to say to him, and I thought I’d deliver the medal personally.”

The woman cautiously raised her head, trying to read his expression as he continued speaking.

“So, according to the regulations, what rank is it?”

Medals have different ranks.

The highest is the platinum dragon emblem.

Next are the lion, wolf, eagle, and so on.

Hersel was supposed to receive the eagle rank.

“Fourth rank. We were going to award him the eagle.”

But the elder’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Hmm?”

“…But, since you’re personally delivering it, it wouldn’t be appropriate. We’ll raise it to the third rank, the wolf.”

Even a fourth-rank medal is an honor that experienced Pathfinders might receive once in their lifetime.

If a mere student were to receive a third-rank medal, they would be set for a high-ranking position upon graduation.

With the right momentum, they could easily outrank their superiors, who would now be nervously standing beside the Elder.

And all this for a mere rookie.

“Don’t think this is breaking the rules. In fact, the Imperial family seems to have taken an interest in him, so we need to be prepared.”

Now that he mentioned it, there had been whispers that the Imperial family was making unusual moves.

Killing Berme and retrieving the relics must have left quite an impression.

In the end, it was a competition between the Imperial Knights and the Pathfinders for talent…

“My, my, the Tenest family sure produces a lot of gifted individuals.”

The woman swallowed the words, “Indeed, they even have Mircel in their lineage.”

The difference in status was too vast for her to speak so freely.

“Anyway, I’ll take the third-rank medal with me.”

The middle-aged man pulled his hood back up and approached her superior, who seemed eager to guide him out.

But just then, the man turned back and smiled wryly.

“Ah, I hope my presence here hasn’t caused any discomfort? I’d hate to be a bother.”

The woman forced a polite smile and shook her head.

Words that contradicted her true feelings slipped from her mouth.

“No, it was an honor. How often do I get the chance to meet an Elder?”

She nearly died of shock from a heart attack.

“Oh, really? That’s a relief. It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I’ve always thought you all found me uncomfortable, so I’ve been avoiding coming around. Perhaps I should visit more often?”

“…Yes, that would be wonderful.”

No! Please, don’t!

Whenever someone of higher rank visited, her superior would always nitpick about the state of the office, complaining about dust and all sorts of nonsense.

And this time, it wasn’t just any high-ranking official but the Elder, standing at the pinnacle of power.

Even a surprise visit like this was enough to send the lower ranks into chaos.

“I’m sure the professors would be thrilled if the Elder visited them, too.”

If just living in the same building was a nightmare for her, the professors would surely have it worse.

The woman thought that, in the end, the real victims here were the professors of Frost Heart.

Just the idea of him visiting would turn the academy upside down.

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