"Did Miro look lonely?"
"I asked the same thing back then, but Miro said that gods do not feel loneliness."
"Gods do not feel loneliness..."
A shadow passed over Alpheas’ face.
Perhaps Miro had wanted to convey that message to him through Shirone.
’Or... was it meant for them?’
Shirone carefully studied Alpheas.
What could have happened for him to look so serious? But since he had promised not to pry too deeply, he couldn’t ask outright.
"If you’re that concerned, Headmaster, I won’t investigate the ruins."
Alpheas snapped out of his thoughts. He had called Shirone here, only to get lost in contemplation for too long.
"Hm? No, it’s fine. The Kergo Ruins are a tourist attraction. If you get the chance, you should visit. At the very least, you’ll get an idea of the world Miro lived in."
"So, there really is a secret hidden there? But it’s a tourist site, isn’t it?"
"Heh! It wouldn’t be fun if I told you everything. Just remember—never let your guard down. I’m allowing this investigation because I trust your judgment."
Shirone could sense the weight behind his words.
It was a place anyone could visit, yet that wasn’t the whole story. The difficulty of exploration would depend entirely on his own investigative skills.
"Understood. I’ll do my best."
After leaving the faculty building, Shirone met his friends waiting at the entrance.
"Shirone, what did you talk about?"
"About Miro, the person I told you about before."
"Ah, right! You were curious about him. The Kergo Ruins, was it?"
"Yeah. But after talking to the Headmaster, I’m even more intrigued. I’ll make time to go check it out."
"Too bad. We’d go with you if we could."
"No, you should spend your break with your families."
"Tch, it’s not like we’re kids. The problem is if we don’t go home, we’ll be half-dead."
Nade clicked his tongue, looking disgusted just at the thought.
Iruki wasn’t in a much better situation. As the son of the leader of the Dragon Knights, he had to maintain his composure at all times.
"Still, it’s fascinating. Miro was the first president of our research society. That means he’s technically our senior. You think he might have been watching us?"
Iruki shattered Nade’s expectations.
"Shirone already told us. Without entering the Immortal Function, there’s no way to make contact. He’s probably in some interdimensional space between this world and the other."
"Aww, I wanted to meet him and say hello."
"Well, maybe you will. You just have to die first. Anyway, it’s time for us to part ways. Take care, everyone."
Iruki gestured toward the three waiting carriages. One of them stood out—the opulent twin-headed carriage sent by the Mercodine family.
"Wow, first-class nobles really are on another level."
"Shut up. It’s a waste of money. Besides, that thing is annoyingly slow."
Standing before their carriages, the three exchanged looks.
Though they would reunite in a month, now that the moment had come, the farewell felt unexpectedly bitter.
"Shirone, Iruki... I’m going to miss you. I’ve never hated a break this much before."
Iruki asked worriedly, "You gonna be okay? Can you handle it?"
Knowing the circumstances of the West family, he could easily imagine how much fear Nade was feeling.
But contrary to expectations, Nade grinned brightly.
He was different from last semester. He was carrying cherished memories of his time with Shirone, and that gave him strength.
"I’ll be fine. I just need to head home, regroup, and then next semester, we’ll have even more fun. Stay healthy, guys."
The three who had shared joy and sorrow for half a year waved as they walked toward their carriages.
"Alright! See you in a month!"
Like other swordsmanship academies, Kaizen Sword School had just concluded its first semester of training.
Rian had received the worst report card, but being naturally optimistic, his steps remained light.
Ideally, he would have returned to Creas immediately, but he had to stop by his sister’s house in the capital to pick up his belongings. There was no avoiding it.
’Damn it. I have to see that witch again. If I’d known, I would’ve left my stuff at Grandpa’s place. She’s going to kill me when she sees my grades.’
Hoping Reina was out, he opened the mansion door.
As expected of an artist recognized by the royal city, the mansion was grand and luxurious. But to Rian, it was just a ridiculously long escape route.
Sneaking across the hall like a stray cat, his hopes were crushed by the unmistakable sound of a piano.
The volume of the notes drowned out everything else. Reina sat at the grand piano in the corner of the hall, completely absorbed in her playing.
Ever since she became the apprentice of Märchen, the Virtuoso of Melodies, her skills had advanced dramatically.
Her Skima sensitivity was so refined that she could detect the faintest changes in air pressure, and her hands moved so fast across the keys that they were barely visible.
Even the most esteemed royals praised Reina’s performances.
But to Rian, who had spent sleepless nights as a child due to that very sound, it was nothing more than torture.
"Damn it. The witch has leveled up. But humans don’t die from noise alone."
Reina seemed oblivious to everything.
Her signature pout meant she was in deep concentration. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes hollow. And she was only in her undergarments—a clear sign that her stress had reached its peak.
She had been playing for seventeen hours straight.
The piece was one of the most notoriously difficult funeral dirges on the continent, and she had been struggling with a roadblock in her progress.
To an artist, such obstacles were both a curse and a blessing.
They signaled an imminent breakthrough, and Reina often stayed up for days, relentlessly pushing past her limits.
Seeing an opportunity, Rian dared to hope.
If he could sneak into his room, grab his stuff, and escape through the window or even punch through a wall, he’d be free.
’Alright. Stay calm. Just get home. ’
Carefully, he moved along the blind spot of the grand piano. If he could reach the stairs without being noticed, he would succeed.
’Almost there... she didn’t notice—’
Then, the music abruptly stopped. Hope vanished as Reina’s voice cut through the silence.
"What are you sneaking around for? Does the sword school teach comedy now?"
Rian clicked his tongue.
"Tch! If you saw me, you should at least pretend to be happy. And what’s with that look? A grown woman playing piano in her underwear? That’s an insult to art."
"Oh, you little—! Looks like you need another beating."