By Zephyria 
“The reason you’re alive right now is thanks to the Elixir Newt had. You were in such a critical state that I wouldn’t have been able to save you otherwise. Even though she only had one, she readily offered it to me to use on you.”
So, to summarize….
Newt Alkabas saved my life.
The rarest cure in the world, with a manufacturing process so extraordinary that it’s incredibly difficult to make, and she readily gave away the only one she had.
“A lifesaver… I see.”
The first thought that came to mind upon hearing that story was that she must have ulterior motives.
Otherwise, there’s no way she would have so easily given away her precious, one-of-a-kind Elixir to someone she’d never even spoken to before.
As I stared intently, Newt met my gaze and sent me a sparkling look as if she was waiting for something.
But this isn’t the time to be overheard.
I wanted to ask her about her scheme right away, but I didn’t think I’d get a straight answer even if I did. So, I decided to postpone questioning her intentions until later.
When I turned my head, Newt seemed disappointed for some reason.
But I didn’t think it was behavior I needed to understand.
‘Anyway….’
I was so critical that I needed to use an Elixir.
‘A miscalculation.’
The human body is much more fragile than I expected. To think it couldn’t even last 30 seconds.
It’s a shame, but even if an emergency comes up again, it’s now a method I can’t use. Elixirs are truly rare and hard-to-find panaceas, so this time was no different than surviving by sheer luck. There won’t be a next time.
‘With this body, I need to be more careful from now on.’
Just then, Polargehen opened his mouth again.
This time, it was a question directed at me.
“Raymond. Can you tell me what happened? I heard the general situation from Herman… but you apparently knocked him out in the middle of it. What happened after that? Did you find out anything?”
“Well, the Fiend that attacked us was a Balkan of lower or middle rank, but I took care of it. The caster of the Cycle Shackling Space must have used that guy as the trigger, so I was able to get out as soon as I killed him.”
“…What? You took care of it? A Balkan, you say?”
Polargehen wore a very bewildered expression. The other students who had been listening quietly had similar faces. It was only natural, as they would normally think it was impossible.
And in reality, it would have been impossible with ordinary methods.
“Yes. But I’ll keep how I did it a secret.”
There’s no other reason, I’m just too lazy to explain. To explain it properly, I’d have to go all the way back to my past life, but I can’t exactly say that as it is. Trying to beat around the bush is just too much of a hassle.
That’s all, but the expressions on the faces of the kids looking at me changed subtly. They seemed to think I was hiding some grand reason.
“And as for what I found out… the mastermind behind this is someone else. As I said before, the guy who attacked us wasn’t a high-ranking one. In other words, there’s a separate caster of the Cycle Shackling Space.”
Furthermore, there’s a high possibility that there’s another accomplice besides the sorcerer who cast the Cycle Shackling Space.
And that accomplice is ‘inside.’
I was too flustered at the time of the attack to think about it… but otherwise, it doesn’t make sense that they forced their way in by breaking the Barrier and didn’t notice any signs.
Someone deliberately opened the Barrier.
Or someone helped so that they wouldn’t notice any signs….
“Yes. That’s right.”
Polargehen stroked his chin. He had a thoughtful look on his face.
Perhaps he’s currently harboring similar suspicions to me. If it’s a problem with the school’s Barrier, Polargehen, as a professor, would be more sensitive to it than I am.
‘Come to think of it. Why didn’t that guy try to kill me?’
It was strange to think it was simply because he underestimated me. He tried to kill Herman without hesitation whenever he saw him.
Why only me? What was he planning to do with me if he caught me?
A corner of my heart feels uneasy.
It feels like something creeping up is watching from right behind my back and trying to cling to me, but I can’t tell what it is, so it’s unsettling and eerie.
Just then, Polargehen, who had snapped out of his thoughts, sighed softly. Soon, he patted me on the shoulder and earnestly urged me.
“Anyway, you’re absolutely safe for the time being. Do you understand? I don’t know what kind of trick you used… but you’ve strained yourself quite a bit because of it. Even though the Elixir has completely restored your physical condition, you never know what might happen, so don’t use Magic for a while.”
“…I understand.”
Well. For now.
When I nodded in agreement, he seemed relieved and relaxed the frown he had been wearing.
“Well then, now that I’ve confirmed you’re okay, I’ll be on my way. I have some things I need to look into quickly. Everyone, you’ve worked hard today. Get some rest and I’ll see you again in the next class.”
With that, Polargehen left first, and a brief awkward silence followed. The other kids who had been watching carefully got up from their seats one by one. Ibelia, Clona, and Newt. Zeon, Tom, and Herman, on the other hand, seemed to be thinking of staying with me a little longer, as they just watched them get up.
Truly loyal servants, worrying about their master’s well-being.
“We should excuse ourselves now as well. I hope you get plenty of rest today. I’ll see you in the next class, Lord Raymond.”
Ibelia bowed with a noble gesture and turned around. Clona, who was following behind her, also smiled shyly and waved her hand.
After the three of them left, a brief silence fell again among those who remained.
I was the one who broke the silence first.
“Oh, right. The practical… what happened to the mission results?”
I only thought of that after Polargehen left. It was Herman who answered my question.
“The practical was suspended midway, and all the marks we gained and lost were invalidated. Well… it would have been difficult to continue the practical in a situation where someone got injured.”
“Hmm. I see.”
I nodded obediently. It was a little disappointing that all the hard work had gone to waste, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t accept. Tom was next to me, complaining that he almost died hiding.
After that, it was late at night when I was finally able to return to the dormitory with my servants. It was because the head of the infirmary had taken a firm stance, saying that she couldn’t let me go until she was sure I was stable.
When I returned to the dormitory, Herman, who shared a room with me, kept bothering me, asking if I was okay, so I couldn’t do anything and fell asleep earlier than usual.
The next day. I woke up early since I had fallen asleep early, and I was going to skip class under the pretext that I was told to get plenty of rest. Since the school was so large, there were still many places I hadn’t been to, so I thought it was a good opportunity. But that was a thought that overlooked the fact that I had an annoying guy attached to me.
“You’re going to skip class?”
“Yeah.”
“So… are you still not feeling well?”
Herman contorted his face. He looked like he was worried to death.
It was amazing that he could express so much concern for someone he wasn’t even related to by blood.
I closed my mouth. If I said no, the question “Then why are you skipping class?” would come flying, and I was too bothered to think of an excuse to make up.
Just then, Herman, who had been contemplating something with a dark face, nodded as if he had made up his mind and said.
“Okay. Then I’ll have to ditch class today too.”
“What?”
“I’m worried about leaving you alone… so I’ll stay with you.”
In other words, he was going to stick to me all day and monitor me.
It was a terrible thing.
It was obvious that this servant would bother me a lot, given his personality.
And if this guy was with me, I wouldn’t be able to act as I pleased. Of course, I would be careful, but there might be moments when he would find me suspicious.
I’d rather go to class than be in such an uncomfortable situation.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
I got out of bed without hesitation and quickly grabbed my school uniform. As I left the dormitory room, Herman, who was hurrying after me, widened his eyes and asked.
“What? Are you just going to go to class?”
“Yeah.”
“Why? Weren’t you not feeling well?”
“I’m feeling great.”
Herman tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand. I had no intention of making him understand, so I just quickened my pace, and Herman didn’t try to ask any more questions.
And so, when I arrived in front of the lecture hall in silence and opened the door.
Someone was standing in front of the door with their arms crossed proudly.
I stopped, about to go in, and raised my head. The person standing in front of me was Melicsa Cecil, who was looking up at me with a cynical gaze.
“Raymond Valentasia.”
Melicsa, who had met my gaze, tilted her head to the side and lowered her eyes. I could glimpse the freckled male student behind her with a pale face.
Herman blocked me halfway.
But her goal seemed to be solely me.
“I have nothing to say to you. Get out of the way, you’re in the way.”
“What…!”
Melicsa pushed Herman aside and strode forward, standing leaning against the doorway like a delinquent.
If she had been taller than me, it would have been a pretty threatening pose, but it was the opposite. I wasn’t someone who would feel fear from a human who was a little smaller than me glaring at me from below.
“What’s your business?”
“I heard an interesting story just now.”
Suddenly, Melicsa smirked, raising one corner of her mouth. When she was expressionless, she had a rather sharp impression, so it was a little unfamiliar, but when she smiled, it was her usual face.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the one who caught the Fiend that attacked the training grounds.”