“But that’s just like you, Senior.”

Perhaps Rubellan had anticipated this moment from the day he first kissed her despite her suspicions—the day this innocent human would look up at him with eyes clouded by fear.

“What are you?”

Behind her wary gaze remained a small gap of denial. Perhaps he could exploit that opening.

If he sweetly whispered denials and pleas for trust, this naive lamb might cover her eyes, block her ears, and choose to believe him.

“Did you… kill the professor?”

“What do you think?”

“You’re… insane.”

Rael took another step back. There was no need to check if Juletan was alive—the body barely resembled anything more than a lump of meat.

“Senior.”

Rubellan stepped forward.

“This is when you’re supposed to scream.”

Another step.

“How can I bear it when you look at me with such sad eyes?”

Suddenly right in front of her, Rubellan brushed Rael’s hair back, standing barely a hand’s width away. His cold fingers grazed her nape.

“It makes me think you might take my side no matter what I do.”

After pushing her hair aside, his hand wrapped around her neck.

“See? What if I were to twist your neck? Why are you just standing there staring?”

He wondered what to do with such a vulnerable human. She worried him almost like a child left alone by the water.

His hand moved from her neck to her jaw, cupping her cheek. His thumb slowly traced her lips.

Rael feared he might kiss her, but she remained frozen, unable to move. Her gaze drifted to Juletan rolling on the ground, prompting Rubellan to press firmly on her lower lip to recapture her attention.

“…Did you kill those people?”

Rael voiced her suspicions about the academy’s disappearances. Rubellan’s expression turned slightly bitter.

“There’s such a lack of trust between us.”

“Are you really saying you didn’t?”

“If I had killed anyone here, you probably would have been the first.”

Rael’s body flinched slightly at his words.

“But here you are, still alive.”

Rubellan felt strangely displeased saying this. He had never cared how others judged him, yet oddly, he found himself wanting not even the slightest doubt to cross those small lips.

“Don’t worry, Senior.”

Rubellan removed his hand from Rael’s face. Her cream-colored hair slipped through his fingers.

“If you turn and run now, I won’t kill you.”

Rael backed away hesitantly. She genuinely felt the need to get away from Rubellan.

“…”

“Go ahead. Run away as fast as you can.”

The moment he finished speaking, Rael turned and started running toward the dormitory, continuously questioning whether what she had just witnessed was real. Rubellan’s calm voice lingered in her ears.

The demonic image of him stomping Juletan to death continued to flash before her eyes, whether they were open or closed.

When she finally reached the dormitory building, tears streamed down her face as her suppressed shock and terror erupted.

‘This must be a dream. All of this must be a dream.’

The reality was too unbelievable, even though she had seen it with her own eyes.

* * *

The next morning, Vivien shook Rael awake.

“What’s wrong with your face? Didn’t sleep well?”

Rael was pale. Far from sleeping, she had spent the night trembling, unable to erase the scenes she had witnessed.

“Let’s go quickly.”

Practically dragged out of the dormitory by Vivien, Rael dreaded what chaos might have erupted at the academy.

‘They must be in an uproar over discovering the body.’

Rael shuddered as they headed toward the building.

“Why do you keep trembling?”

“Huh? No reason…”

“Are you sick? Should we go to the infirmary?”

“No, no!”

Rael jumped at the mention of the infirmary.

“Why are you so startled? I’m worried about you. Will you be able to attend class?”

“I’m fine.”

Strangely, contrary to Rael’s expectations, the academy was quiet, with an atmosphere no different from usual.

“Oh, looks like something’s been posted on the bulletin board.”

Rael thought the moment had finally come.

“Let’s go see.”

Vivien grabbed Rael’s arm and headed toward the bulletin board.

“Gasp!”

When Vivien drew in her breath looking at the board, Rael raised her head with tension.

“Look at the exam dates! Oh no! My magical energy is already running low these days.”

Vivien frowned at the exam schedule posted on the bulletin board.

The reactions of people around them were no different from Vivien’s. There was no mention of what Rael had been worried about on the bulletin board.

‘Could he have… disappeared again?’

If this ended up as another disappearance, should she be certain that all the previous disappearances were Rubellan’s doing?

“The students will be busy.”

Hearing the voice behind her, Rael’s body froze like ice. Turning her stiff neck, she saw Juletan in his white coat, staring at the bulletin board.

“…Impossible.”

He had definitely died. Horribly.

“What is, Miss Rael?”

His smiling face with narrowed eyes sent chills down her spine. Could she be seeing a ghost?

“Professor! Look at this schedule. Isn’t it too harsh?”

Vivien scurried over to Juletan and whined.

“Indeed. Magicians can be quite mischievous, can’t they?”

His joking manner was no different from usual.

What was happening? Why was Professor Juletan perfectly fine and present at the academy?

“…Am I going crazy?”

Either she was insane, last night was a dream, or…

“Am I seeing things?”

While staring blankly at Juletan, he caught her eye and approached. Surrounded by bustling students and unable to retreat, Rael had to face him.

“Let’s see if it’s healed.”

He seemed no different from usual. He was even concerned about her injury. Rael had to conclude that last night’s events were a dream. First sleepwalking, now confusing dreams with reality? Something was definitely wrong with her.

While Rael was lost in thought, Juletan grabbed her arm and rolled up her sleeve, revealing her pale wrist.

“It’s disappeared cleanly.”

It wasn’t clear whether he meant her wound, its scar, or that strange mark. She felt uncomfortable with his grip on her arm and tried to pull away.

But Juletan gripped her arm tighter and pulled her closer. Almost embracing her, his low, chilling voice penetrated her ear.

“Aren’t you curious about that bastard’s true identity?”

Rael froze.

Surely it had all been a dream?

Rael forcefully pulled herself free, and Juletan released her hand, slipping his own into his white coat pocket while smiling brightly.

“…Who are you?”

“I think I might be able to give you that answer.”

Dangerous. This person was definitely dangerous.

“Come to the infirmary if you’re curious.”

“…”

“Alone, of course.”

Gulp. She swallowed hard.

It was obviously an offer she should ignore. But until Juletan disappeared down the corridor, surrounded by students, Rael remained rooted to the spot, conflicted.

She could only clench her fist tightly, hoping her damn curiosity wouldn’t get her into trouble again.

* * *

Rael didn’t go to Juletan. Instead, she sought someone else.

“Rubellan.”

She wanted to confirm whether last night’s events were a delusion or a dream.

And rather than hearing about his identity from Juletan, she wanted to hear it from Rubellan himself. Perhaps this was like giving him an opportunity.

Rubellan, who remained in the empty classroom after classes ended, showed no surprise at Rael’s call.

“Senior.”

Seeing Rubellan smile gently, showing no sign of last night’s events, made her wonder if nothing really had occurred. Wasn’t his face so benevolent that it compelled belief?

“What did you do last night?”

Despite Rael’s direct question, Rubellan’s expression didn’t change at all. He simply gazed down at her steadily.

“…Let me think. I was sleeping, I suppose.”

“Really?”

Rael let out a shallow sigh.

“Alright. Sorry for taking your time.”

She turned away without hesitation, having clearly made some decision. But Rael couldn’t cross the threshold immediately. The hand gripping the doorknob tightened until it turned white from lack of blood.

“Rubellan.”

“Yes?”

Still with her back to him, Rael called his name.

“What are you, really?”

This was the last chance. The very last opportunity for him to speak the truth through his own lips.

“…”

But Rubellan’s answer never came. Finally, Rael gave up waiting for an answer and left the room.

She disliked herself for being more disappointed by his unwillingness to tell her the truth than by the possibility that he actually had some secret.

Since when had she thought they were close enough to expect such honesty? Had she become too familiar with him just because they had been intimate, as someone had suggested? Why had she tried to give him chances until the very end?

“This is maddening.”