The next morning, as Rael headed to class with Vivien, they encountered Edwin.

“Rael!”

He approached with a worried expression as soon as he saw her.

“I heard you got hurt. Are you alright?”

“Yes, it’s all healed now. I’m fine.”

In truth, her arm wasn’t what was bothering her. It was a more intimate area she couldn’t mention to anyone.

“You’ve never had an accident like that before. What happened?”

Magic circle class was one of the few subjects Rael actually excelled in.

“I guess my mind was elsewhere. The academy’s been so unsettled lately.”

“There’s a time and place for daydreaming. Be careful.”

Vivien and Edwin’s nagging continued for quite some time.

“Your dormitory is on the first floor, right?”

“Huh?”

“Yes, we’re on the first floor. Why?”

With the women’s dormitory damaged, some female students were assigned rooms on the first floor of the men’s dormitory, while others were placed in temporary accommodations in the main building. Rael and Vivien were among those in the men’s dormitory.

“Another student from the main building accommodations went missing yesterday.”

“What?”

“Another disappearance? Do you think something sinister is happening? First the monster attack, now students vanishing.”

“…Why would there be?”

An uneasy feeling crept over Rael. Yesterday of all days. She had wandered the corridors like a sleepwalker last night—she might have become one of the missing if not for running into Rubellan. Was meeting him actually fortunate?

“Have they found the students who disappeared earlier?”

“They’ve searched everywhere with no luck. Seems like they’re truly missing.”

“What in the world is going on?”

The academy was genuinely unsettled. Missing students, monsters, and…

Rael’s gaze drifted to the building behind her. She spotted a man sitting on an open windowsill. From the angle of his face, she had the illusion that their eyes were meeting.

‘Rubellan.’

Yet why did she have the nagging feeling that all these incidents might be connected to him?

The small events happening around her seemed to be forming into something larger, like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place with an ominous creak. His sudden appearance, and these mysterious incidents.

“…Surely not.”

She hoped that the dull intuition her friends often teased her about was wrong this time too.

Their gazes remained locked in a precarious tug-of-war across the empty space.

* * *

[Lord Juletan seems to have caught on.]

Joseph returned with news about Rubellan’s brothers.

[Lady Sezl visited the Demon King’s Castle just days ago. The information must have leaked from there!]

Rubellan had four siblings. Born fifth among the previous Demon King’s children, Rubellan had become the Demon King himself by surpassing his brothers through sheer power alone.

Moreover, Rubellan was born from a lower demon’s womb, unlike his pure-blooded siblings, which made him a constant target of their vigilance. Even after becoming the Demon King, his siblings remained hostile, constantly sharpening their knives to remove him.

Rubellan had a fatal weakness related to his bloodline. Until he resolved it, he would never escape the threat his brothers posed. That was why he had infiltrated Tensibla Academy, disguised as a human.

“Keep a close watch.”

[But I need to find the key…]

“I’ll handle that.”

[Oh! Yes! I’ll be off then!]

Joseph rejoiced. He had been searching the academy for the key without success, and this was the perfect opportunity to gracefully abandon the task.

He darted away as quickly as a stinging bee.

Rubellan watched as Rael and her companions disappeared from view outside the window.

He never expected so many things would happen here. Nothing had shaken him like this in hundreds of years.

Whether it was that woman or his foolish brothers, this situation was giving him a thrill beyond mere amusement.

* * *

“We ask all students to exercise extreme caution…”

Another announcement from the principal today. With more students disappearing from the academy, they were being asked to refrain from going outside or moving around alone.

“What a mess.”

“Do you think the academy might shut down?”

“Your grades might shut down first if you don’t focus on class.”

Vivien made a comical face at Rael’s biting remark.

“But how can I study when the academy is in such chaos?”

“You weren’t studying hard even when things were calm.”

“Waaah.”

Rael shook her head at Vivien’s mock crying face.

After the announcement, Rael and Vivien left the auditorium. With no morning classes, they decided to sit on a nearby bench and have the apples and juice Rael had brought, since they’d skipped breakfast.

“Don’t you think apple juice with apples is a bit much?”

Vivien complained about the menu combination in her hands.

“Apples help with digestion in the morning.”

Vivien teased Rael about her peculiar taste, but not for long. Hungry, she crunched into the apple with gusto. After taking a refreshing gulp of juice, Vivien turned to Rael.

“By the way, where did you go last night?”

“Ack! Um, what?”

Rael nearly choked on her apple at the question.

“Last night, you left in the middle of sleeping. I have a sixth sense for cold air coming in.”

Vivien’s innocent eyes sparkled, unaware of Rael’s growing anxiety.

“I was… hungry…”

“Huh? Is the cafeteria even open that late?”

“Well…”

“You didn’t go to the cafeteria because you were hungry, did you?”

Rael wanted to slap herself for such a poor lie. She stared intently at the apple and drink in her hands, her brain working overtime.

‘Should I say I wasn’t feeling well? Couldn’t sleep and went for a walk? Exercising in the moonlight?’

It was amazing how many thoughts could race through her mind in such a short time.

Just then, the apple juice in Rael’s hand was smoothly taken away.

“I met the senior wandering around hungry and shared my emergency rations with her.”

Rubellan took a sip of the juice and spoke to Vivien with gently creased eyes.

“Oh my! Really? You two met last night?”

Vivien’s eyes lit up.

“Yes. I fed her quite thoroughly.”

Rubellan’s gaze shifted to Rael’s stomach, and his choice of words seemed to suggest something other than food, making her face flush.

“If I’d known you were going to run into Rubellan, I would have asked you to wake me up too.”

Vivien playfully poked Rael’s side.

‘Good grief… then the three of us would have…’

Rael shook her head at the inappropriate thoughts that surfaced. She primly snatched back the juice from Rubellan’s hand and gulped it down, her throat suddenly parched.

“Rubellan, have you heard about the disappearances?”

“Yes.”

Rael’s gaze settled on Rubellan’s face. A faint suspicion was blooming again. She felt a chill at the thought that she might be the next to vanish.

“Be careful. What if someone kidnaps you because you’re so handsome?”

“Shouldn’t the seniors be more careful then?”

“My, my, I didn’t know Rubellan could say such things!”

Vivien laughed cheerfully at Rubellan’s smooth talk. Usually, Rubellan was kind to everyone but not particularly warm. He typically maintained a rigid distance when people tried to get close. This attitude was unexpected.

“Be careful.”

Rubellan placed his hand on Rael’s shoulder as she sat. His face moved close to her ear. He whispered so quietly that Vivien couldn’t hear.

“Don’t wander around like you did yesterday.”

As memories of the previous night flooded back, Rael pressed her lips tightly together. Rubellan smiled and added:

“Though I don’t mind devouring a senior like that.”

The juice pack in her hand crumpled. Rael shook off Rubellan’s hand from her shoulder.

“Vivien, let’s go now.”

“Huh? But I haven’t finished eating yet.”

Vivien made a sad face as she chewed the remaining pieces of apple. However, as the preliminary bell rang, she got up with a pout.

“Rubellan, enjoy your class.”

“Yes.”

Rubellan waved as Rael hurriedly grabbed Vivien’s hand and disappeared.

* * *

When night fell, Rael became afraid.

‘What if I have sleepwalking symptoms like yesterday?’

She worried that if she fell asleep, she might end up wandering the corridors again.

“Vivien.”

“Mmm…”

She wanted to ask the sleeping Vivien to stop her if she tried to leave, but Vivien was deep in slumber, merely turning over in response.

So much for that sixth sense for cold air. She couldn’t even wake up with this much shaking.

Finally, Rael sighed and decided to try reading a book.

Rustle, rustle.

After just two pages, her head began to nod.

“Oh!”

Fearing she would fall asleep, she quickly got up from the bed and grabbed a cardigan.

‘I should take a walk to clear my head.’

She had heard this morning that security had been increased in the evening, so she could feel somewhat safe. Rael carefully left the room.

The corridor was quiet—a different kind of quiet than during the day. She walked slowly to the garden in front of the dormitory.

“The night air feels nice.”

Though it was a bit dark and scary, touching the safety whistle she had brought just in case made her feel more secure.

“Do I really have to stay up all night?”

Rael muttered gloomily, dark circles already forming under her eyes.

“Miss Rael?”

Just then, someone called out to her.

“Professor?”

It was Juletan. He looked strange in casual clothes—all black instead of his usual white coat.

“Out for a walk?”

With his black hair and clothes, only his red eyes stood out vividly.

“Ah… yes. I couldn’t sleep.”

“You look quite sleepy to me.”

Juletan laughed softly. Rael felt embarrassed that her lie had been so easily exposed.

“Would you like to sit?”

“Ah… yes.”

When Juletan sat on the bench and offered the space beside him, Rael awkwardly perched on the edge.

“Having nightmares, perhaps?”

His red eyes, gleaming in the moonlight, were somehow frightening. Not knowing how to respond, Rael fidgeted with her hands.

“Actually…”

She concluded that if she was sleepwalking, it would be better to consult the health teacher.

“I think I might be sleepwalking.”

“Sleepwalking?”

“Yes. Yesterday I found myself outside while sleeping.”

“Hmm.”

Juletan’s smiling face shifted to a more serious expression.

“Have you had this condition before?”

“No. I usually sleep like the dead once I fall asleep.”

Perhaps it was just a one-time occurrence.

“Could it be something that happens just once and then stops?”

“It’s possible. However…”

She worried about being treated strangely. The academy atmosphere was already tense enough. She didn’t want to be misunderstood because of sleepwalking.

“How about getting a detailed examination?”

“Pardon?”

“I can take a look at you.”

“Like, psychological therapy?”

“Something like that.”

“Ah…”

She worried this might become a bigger issue than necessary.

“I’ll let you know if it happens again in the next few days. It might have been just a one-time thing.”

“Very well.”

As he gracefully withdrew, Rael felt awkward, unsure what else to say. Meeting a teacher outside the infirmary felt uncomfortable.

“I should be going now.”

“Take care.”

Juletan waved, and Rael immediately stood up from the bench. Whether it was the moonlight or his unnerving red eyes that made her tense, she turned around hurriedly.

“Ow!”

She scraped her knee on a protruding nail at the edge of the bench. A fairly deep wound formed, and blood dripped steadily.

“Oh dear…”

Juletan, who had been leaning against the bench since Rael stood up, let out a sympathetic sigh.