Despite heading down to the first floor belatedly, Asrein was nowhere to be found. Had something else come up? While looking around, I happened to encounter the headmaster who had been conversing with Asrein earlier.

It was too late to avoid eye contact, so I bowed my head first. After staring at me for a while, the headmaster let out a delayed “Ah” of recognition.

“Aren’t you Professor Asrein’s disciple?”

“Pleased to meet you, Headmaster.”

“Yes. What brings you rushing about like this?”

“I’m looking for the professor. Have you seen him by any chance?”

Being the last person to speak with him, I thought he might know roughly where Asrein had gone. As expected, the headmaster nodded lightly and said:

“Professor Asrein went to greet an important guest. Is it urgent?”

“No, it’s not urgent. Thank you for letting me know.”

So Asrein, with his extensive connections, was indeed busy without a moment to spare during the academic conference. Since there was nothing that needed immediate attention, I decided to catch him later. After politely greeting the headmaster, I headed out to the garden just as the bell rang three times.

It was the ceremonial signal announcing the start of the Magic Academic Conference. As previously announced, I headed to the outdoor examination site where the magic department’s entrance exams were taking place.

Despite being quite far from the main building, many people had come solely to witness the Magic Academic Conference.

Taking a detour to a less crowded area, I was greeted by Jin and Iris who had arrived earlier. Unlike Iris who had woken up in the meantime, Jin looked like a well-groomed skeleton.

He must have skipped meals and sleep while I hadn’t seen him, appearing so gaunt it was concerning. Seeing him dressed in formal attire despite his condition made me frown involuntarily.

“Jin, are you alright?”

“Uh… yeah. Well, once today is over… I’ll manage somehow.”

Ha-ha-ha. His staccato laughter couldn’t have sounded more awkward.

“How’s your submission going?”

“Many people are looking at my potion, but it’s still quiet so far. All the graduates this year are formidable.”

“Don’t worry. Professor Beinhart said it was good too. Someone will definitely recognize your skills.”

“I suppose so? I’m just getting anxious for some reason…”

When I patted his shoulder reassuringly, Jin let out a deep sigh. Having lightened his burden somewhat, Jin asked with a more relaxed expression:

“Do you know which number Lord Sezan is?”

“Since they go by year, he should be early in the order…”

Iris responded with awkward formality instead of me, who didn’t know the order.

Afterward, the Magic Academic Conference began with opening remarks from the headmaster, whose hair had turned completely white. Just as Iris had explained, a visibly young student entered the examination site.

Jin and I, both fascinated by magic, leaned against the fence to watch closely. Most of the early participants were freshmen, so similar spells followed one after another.

Then suddenly, a tent on the opposite side of the examination site caught my eye. A total of five guards—two in front and three surrounding the perimeter—were protecting the tent.

Behind the thin veil that hung down like a curtain, the silhouette of a person was faintly visible. Clearly someone extraordinary, I discreetly pointed with my eyes rather than my finger.

“What’s that tent for?”

“That’s where His Highness the Crown Prince is.”

“What? When did he arrive?!”

“Oh, right before you came, he personally graced us with his presence.”

No wonder… I had wondered why no one was occupying the golden spot with a perfect view of the examination site. It seems that even at Angelus University, where revealing one’s status is forbidden, the ‘Crown Prince’ is an exception.

The spectators, deliberately avoiding looking at the discordant tent, were all likely thinking the same thing.

“Better be careful not to accidentally face His Majesty and suffer some consequence.”

At Iris’s words, I too averted my gaze. Could it be that the important guest Asrein went to greet was… I glanced at the tent again, but there was no sign of him. I could only stare endlessly at the tent interior I couldn’t see.

Just then, Jin, who had been intently watching the examination site, said:

“Oh, it’s Lord Sezan!”

Immediately turning my head, I saw Sezan walking out in full uniform. His tall stature and broad shoulders were more suited to the martial arts department than the magic department. Moreover, there was something at his waist that didn’t match the magic department at all. Seeing it, the spectators began murmuring all at once.

“What’s that… a sword?”

Iris, who had been watching the academic conference with boredom, showed interest for the first time. Understandably so, as Sezan had ostentatiously come out wearing a double-edged sword. He was worlds apart from other students who carried books inscribed with prayers.

What could he be thinking? Everyone held their breath watching Sezan. Perhaps feeling the stares, Sezan, who had stopped in the middle of the examination site, showed visible signs of tension.

Eventually, he slowly regulated his breathing and drew his double-edged sword up to his chest. Then, he recited a prayer while slowly running his hand along the blade, seemingly imbuing it with magical power.

That’s when it happened. Following his sturdy hands, the sword began to emit light. 

Woong—the resonating vibration of magical power sounded like an echo in a cave. In the blink of an eye, the situation concluded. Sezan leaped toward a rock in one breath and slashed diagonally with his bluish glowing sword. The solid rock was cleanly cut in two.

“Ohhh…!”

As soon as the rock pieces fell to the ground with a thud, applause erupted simultaneously. He had compensated for what might have been criticized as insufficient magical power with his confident swordsmanship.

Only Sezan—no, only Sezan in this university—could attempt such a method. It was a particularly meaningful performance, combining abilities inherited from his mother, skilled in swordsmanship, and his father, excellent in magic.

“That’s Lord Sezan for you.”

“I knew he’d do something like this. He was probably already planning this method when he was complaining to us about not having any good ideas.”

“Haha… quiet people are often the most formidable.”

Iris clicked her tongue briefly and shook her head. While the next student prepared their magic, Sezan circled around the audience area to approach us. Perhaps because his demonstration was over, he looked much brighter than during the examination.

“Well done, Lord Sezan. That was a method I couldn’t have imagined.”

“I merely imitated the Imperial Knights.”

“That’s only possible if you have the ability!”

When I brightened my eyes full of admiration, Sezan gave a shy smile. Jin and Iris soon joined the chorus of praise.

“It’s true. Everyone’s reaction was great too.”

“You might even get an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“It’s not that significant. You’ll be amazed when you see the graduates’ skills soon.”

Sezan didn’t know how to handle the continuous stream of compliments. Amid this, a young man appeared from the crowd and whispered something to Sezan. Receiving the message without surprise, Sezan immediately lowered the ends of his eyebrows slightly in apology.

“My parents wish to see me.”

“Oh, I see. You should go then.”

After Sezan left, Jin shrugged his shoulders and said:

“I should go back too. There might be people interested in my submission.”

“That’s right. It’s better to be present.”

As I promptly nodded, Iris suddenly asked me:

“I need to go somewhere briefly too. Will you stay here alone?”

“No. I need to meet Professor Asrein, but I don’t know where he is.”

I looked around the tent area again, but Asrein was still nowhere to be seen. As I scanned the surroundings, Jin clapped his hands together and said:

“If you’re looking for the professor, I saw him heading to the back garden earlier.”

“The back garden…?”

“Yes. He was going alone.”

The headmaster had definitely said Asrein had a guest to greet. So I naturally assumed he had gone to the main entrance, but the back garden…?

It almost seemed like a secret rendezvous. While I was lost in thought, rolling my eyes around, Jin and Iris said their goodbyes.

“Then I’ll be going now!”

“Don’t cry because you’re bored.”

“I’m not going to cry. See you when it’s time.”

After waving them goodbye lightly, I also began walking. As I approached the back garden, the number of people noticeably decreased.

This made sense since the back garden had little to see compared to the main garden and hosted no exhibitions. But why had Asrein headed specifically to the back garden of all places?

With this question in mind, I reached my destination. Two sturdy men were standing in the small forest between the back garden and the main building.

The atmosphere they exuded was so menacing that tension naturally set in. As I approached making noise by stepping on fallen leaves—rustle—a pair of narrow, slit eyes turned toward me.

They looked ready to draw their swords at any moment if I couldn’t prove I wasn’t suspicious. I immediately nodded slightly and revealed my identity.

“…Hello. I’m a student at this school, and I have business in the back garden.”

Fortunately, they didn’t draw their swords. But they firmly blocked my path.

“You cannot proceed beyond this point.”

“…Pardon?”

“You cannot enter any further. Please turn back now.”

Even when I asked for a reason, the same answer came back.

“Is something happening?”

“We cannot tell you, no matter how prestigious your family might be.”

Only then did I notice their attire. Armor wrapped around their shoulders and arms, and swords at their waists. Though I had only seen them from a distance, it was clear. They were dressed the same as the knights guarding the tent earlier. Belatedly discovering the eagle emblem engraved on their sword handles, I took a step back.

“…I apologize for the intrusion.”

The Crown Prince was in the back garden.

Knowing that getting involved would only put me in danger, I turned around without argument. Shortly after, I sensed movement in the distance. The knights’ gazes that had been following my back all turned toward the direction of the voices.

I should have just continued on my way, but unconsciously, I hid behind a tree and eavesdropped on the conversation.

“You rarely show your face these days. You used to visit frequently before.”

The Crown Prince, Evgenia Deu Kalion, who monopolized the succession rights after losing his younger sibling in a childhood accident, was in the same space. His voice, neither high nor low, sounded pleasant thanks to his precise pronunciation. Following that, a familiar voice was heard.

“It seems unnecessary rumors are spreading because I frequent the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“Is that so? I thought I had everyone’s lips firmly sealed…”

As expected, Asrein was with him. But something was strange. The Crown Prince, of all people, was using honorifics. It was rare for a Crown Prince, who feared no one except the Emperor, to use respectful language to a count, not even a duke.

Was it respect toward the Asrein family for their achievements in past wars? It didn’t seem that simple.

“How is your health these days? Are you showing the same symptoms as before?”

“Nothing worth your concern.”

“I can’t trust Abel since he never takes care of himself.”

Abel… An affectionate nickname derived from Diabel, Asrein’s name. Of course, I had heard that Asrein had connections with the imperial family, but seeing their attitude in private, they seemed closer than I had imagined.

I suddenly became curious about why the Crown Prince had recommended Asrein for a professorship at Angelus University.

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about His Majesty?”

“I suppose so. But His Majesty still refuses to even show his face. All I get are occasional updates from the physician who attends to him daily.”

A physician who attends daily. And an Emperor who doesn’t show himself not only in public but even to his son, the Crown Prince. So the rumors about the Emperor’s poor health were true after all.

The Crown Prince continued to address Asrein in a consistently friendly tone.

“Still, thanks to Abel’s advice, I’ve been able to gradually involve myself in state affairs more easily.”

“You should start preparing soon.”

“I don’t know. I wanted to postpone it as long as possible… but nothing goes according to plan.”

The voices were gradually getting closer, and I was about to turn away. However, due to their direction, the Crown Prince and Asrein unwillingly entered my field of vision. The Crown Prince, who matched Asrein’s height, had his head turned away so I couldn’t see his face. But I could see Asrein clearly.

“You will handle it well, Your Highness Kalion.”

A gently curved eye-smile was directed at the Crown Prince. The moment I saw that smile, my heart sank with a thud.

Asrein, who had always been cold to others, had permitted a smiling face to me alone. So I had been under a misapprehension.

“When Abel says so, it puts my mind at ease.”

I had thought I was the only one who could enter the enclosure Asrein had set up. But the grapes high up in that tree were not meant for a fox merely crawling on the ground…

“Ah, right. Abel, if you ever have any difficulties, just tell me.”

I had been arrogant. I thought that smiling face was a privilege only I could possess. That only I could make him smile. So I thought it would be okay to harbor feelings for him. That night when Asrein escorted me home, I had imagined… just maybe… that I could confess these feelings.

“If it’s Abel of all people, I’ll help as much as I can.”

“I’m honored.”

It was a foolish delusion. Being constantly in the same place as Asrein, I had momentarily forgotten. He is a count who earned merits in war. Someone close enough to be called by a nickname by the Crown Prince—someone far beyond my reach.

“Freedom of delusion is fine, but… one should know their place.”

I realized it clearly. How distant and unreachable Asrein was to me.

And if I wanted to remain by his side, even just as a “disciple,” I absolutely had to maintain that final boundary.