Evidence (5)
A victory banquet granted by the Grand Duke's decree—a rightful reward for those who had braved the subjugation campaign.
To Senia, however, the lavish celebration was nothing short of irritating. What the public believed was utterly, completely wrong.
The one who had contributed the most to bringing down Shanberesh was not Team Tembris, but Junon. Yet despite knowing the truth, Senia was forced to keep her place in the hall. It was a secret known to only a rare few.
"What's the matter, Senia?"
"...It's just stuffy in here. I think I'll step out for some fresh air."
"Want me to go with you?"
"Don't worry about it, Michel. It's not like I'm prone to getting lost like a certain someone."
Goden flinched at the barb and cleared his throat awkwardly. He mumbled some excuse about not being familiar with the Principality's geography yet, but that only made him an easier target for his teammates' teasing.
"Oh, right. Senia, why didn't Cain come?"
"Isn't it obvious? He's probably with Lumia."
"Ha! Well, fair enough. Those two do dote on each other terribly."
"Why don't we drop by later together and bring them some food or gifts?"
"I like Charlotte's idea. Let's do that."
Boisterous laughter and high spirits filled the table around her. Even so, Senia rose without the faintest trace of a smile. She simply couldn't bring herself to blend into an atmosphere built on a lie.
What she needed was a quiet space to be alone. Leaving the hall entirely would solve the problem easily enough, but duty compelled her to remain for now. She cast her gaze across the grand room, searching for a secluded corner.
Someone's drawing all the attention over there, so that spot should be wide open.
Thanks to Renias, the terrace on the far side was deserted. Heading that way seemed like the best bet. But just as Senia reached the vacant balcony doors, the hall's chandeliers suddenly flickered out.
What's going on?
Only a single beam of light illuminated the pitch-black ballroom, focusing squarely on the center of the dais as if an important address were about to begin. Naturally, every pair of eyes in the hall snapped toward that radiant spotlight. Before long, a figure worthy of such an entrance stepped forward.
"Professor Muniher...?"
A man notorious for avoiding public functions and ceremonial gatherings had actually shown up. Wondering if some monumental announcement was at hand, Senia paused before the terrace doors to listen.
"To all of you who threw your bodies on the line to defend our Principality during this campaign, I personally requested this banquet from the Grand Duke. Are you washing away your weariness well?"
— Yes, sir!
"Judging by the sound of your voices, you don't seem to be having much fun. Or is that merely my imagination?"
— No, sir! We are having a blast!
A thunderous roar shook the grand hall, ringing in everyone's ears. Only then did Professor Muniher offer a warm, hearty chuckle. When lecturing, he was more rigorous and stern than anyone alive; on the battlefield, an awe-inspiring commander whose sheer charisma seized control of whole armies, earning reverence from all. Seeing such an imposing figure laugh so casually was a rare sight indeed.
Or perhaps this was only natural. A wise educator knew that striking with the whip alone never fostered growth; offering the carrot was just as vital to keeping people driven.
After a brief, formal address, he told the students to enjoy themselves to their hearts' content—so long as they didn't cause any trouble.
Is he stepping down already? No, if that was all, there'd be no reason to kill the lights.
It was a pleasant speech, but plunging the entire hall into darkness simply to deliver a routine pep talk felt excessive. And just as Senia suspected, Professor Muniher remained standing upon the dais, his deep voice carrying once more over the crowd.
"Forgive me for drawing this out, but there is one more matter you all ought to know."
Whispers rippled through the gathered students.
— Is there more?
— Who knows? Doesn't sound like he's angry, though.
Professor Muniher swept his gaze across the vast hall, his eyes searching, a faint hint of regret lingering in his expression before he looked away. To an ordinary observer, he seemed merely to be taking in the crowd, but Senia could tell: he was looking for someone.
"I speak of the hidden contributor of this campaign—a hero whom none of you properly recognize."
Senia's eyes widened.
Professor... don't tell me... You know?
The 'hidden contributor' could refer to only one person. But the deepest secrets—such as Junon being an otherworldly Calyx and the one who had truly slain Shanberesh—were known only to herself and Cain. And Cain would never breathe a word of it; he would keep his mouth shut if only for Lumia's sake.
Just how much did Professor Muniher know? Senia swallowed hard, waiting for his next words.
"While many academy students fought admirably in the main force, the rear guard was comprised of greenhorns who could barely manifest the first-stage Mirage-type Magic Armament. Yet, conversely, that very rearguard suffered the lowest rate of infection from the plague."
...Wait. That was it?
Not a word about Junon being a summoned Calyx, nor about him taking down Shanberesh single-handedly. What the professor was addressing was—
"Even after being cut off and isolated, that unit did not suffer a single casualty. I imagine very few of you understand why."
The conversation was heading down an entirely unforeseen path.
Was he really presenting a battlefield tactical review—specifically concerning the rear guard—at a victory banquet? It seemed bizarre, but stripped of complications, this was clearly an effort to give someone rightful credit.
"My name is... Doyle Ragas."
As if confirming her suspicions, Professor Muniher summoned a student up to the platform. The young man stood before the crowd, detailing which squad and position he had held in the rearguard, and describing the harrowing sequence of events they had endured. Several other students in attendance began nodding along, murmuring that they had witnessed the very same thing.
"In the end, the reason our infection rate was so low was that we never came into contact with the bodily fluids released by the Devourers' self-destructions. It was because we fought with physical weapons instead of our Magic Armaments. And the one who ordered that was—"
So that was his intention all along. Senia let out a quiet breath, a gentle smile touching her lips.
"Junon. It was all his command."
A collective murmur swept through the room.
The foul rumors that had spread so rampant—claims that Junon had abandoned his comrades and fled—could not withstand such raw, firsthand testimony.
"And as the commander of the main force, allow me to add one thing," Professor Muniher interjected smoothly. "Had the swarm of Devourers heading for the rear turned toward our main body instead, we would have been entirely surrounded. It was the valiant struggle of the rear guard that held the line."
With that single addition, the crucial importance and valor of the rearguard struck everyone in the hall like a hammer blow. The hidden savior of the subjugation campaign—the true hero who had kept the army from ruin—was the very person they had been slandering.
Senia didn't know what had prompted Professor Muniher of all people to orchestrate such a revelation, but with the banquet finally bathed in its rightful light, she turned toward the terrace with a satisfied heart.
"Ah, the night air feels nice."
It was not a season of crisp, cool breezes; the wind outside was still thick with summer humidity. Yet even the balmy air felt refreshing, perhaps because a heavy knot of resentment in her chest had finally come undone.
After about five minutes on the terrace, a voice drifted from around the corner.
— Sunbae, where are you going?
"Now what on earth is this?"
Peering over, Senia spotted Renias and Junon together. Having fled the overwhelming attention inside the banquet hall, Renias had run straight into Junon by sheer coincidence. And in the span of just a few moments, an amusing little drama began to unfold before Senia's eyes.
From their initial encounter, to Renias ducking behind Junon's back to hide from the approaching nobles, to the delicate psychological tug-of-war between a girl trying to cling and a boy desperately trying to flee—it was so funny that Senia had to clamp both hands over her mouth to stifle her snickers.
"Hmm~ the mood's getting interesting. Should I give them a little push?"
Watching this promised to be infinitely more entertaining than any banquet.
"Damn it all...! This is humiliating!"
"Ugh... why did it have to be him of all people?"
"Tch... just you wait. The next person to take the spot as Lady Renias's partner will be me!"
...What in the world was going on?
I had fully expected everyone to spit curses in my face the second they laid eyes on me, but this reaction made no sense. And setting that aside, where had the hostility gone? Just moments ago, these aristocrats had been grinding their teeth, practically frothing at the mouth, yet the moment Renias named me her dance partner, they backed off with nothing more than bitter groans.
No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't reach a conclusion.
Did the rumors about me abandoning people during the Lemterte Plague not spread? No, that can't be it.
Even considering other possibilities, there was virtually nothing tilting in my favor. At best, a handful of people like John or Noel who knew me personally might have doubted the slander. But if you asked me whether this entire pack of noble snobs could have shared that goodwill, my answer was a flat, resounding no.
Yet every single face in that crowd had been a stranger. Something had definitely shifted since earlier.
Well, whatever. It doesn't matter.
A crowd had gathered, but no blood had been shed. All I needed to do was slip away quietly.
"Ahem. Well, that's that, right? Looks like we tricked them and threw them off your scent, so I'll be taking my leave now."
Yet Renias didn't loosen her grip on my arm in the slightest.
"...What now?"
"If Sunbae just walks away like this... then I'll become a liar."
Good grief. Was she implying she wanted it not to be a lie? Dance in the banquet hall? With Renias? Right in front of those people?
Absolutely not!
"Look, Renias. I just want to rest. Please? I told you, my body hurts all over."
"Liar. You're walking around just fine right now, so what's the problem? It's just one little dance."
"I have never danced in my entire life... Frankly speaking, what if I step on your feet?"
"I can't dance either~ So we can just step on each other's feet, right? Hehe."
"Hey..."
My worst fears materialized into an absurd trial. Renias was wearing that smile. The mischievous grin of a little imp who had made up her mind to drag me into pure misery.
"Hmm... Besides, Sunbae is acting awfully suspicious today, isn't he? It's like you'd rather die than step inside that hall."
"Huh? N-No! It's just that I'm... you know... that is..."
"Stop lying! Just come quietly, okay? You're my partner tonight, after all! Hehe."
"R-Renias? Wait just a second...!"
Clutching my arm tightly with both hands, Renias dragged me toward the banquet hall, her face glowing with pure, radiant delight. Things had truly spiraled out of control. I felt ready to burst into tears.
Teasing Junon Sunbae was always an absolute joy. Whenever the chance arose, catching him off guard and watching his flustered face never failed to brighten her mood. The urge to treat him this way—so differently from everyone else—was certainly no whim.
There were those who approached her with hidden motives, scheming to gain an advantage.
There were those who sought to elevate their own prestige by expanding their circle, treating people purely as stepping stones of influence.
And there were those who groveled at the mention of her family name, hoping some scrap of nobility would fall into their laps.
None of those descriptions fit Sunbae in the slightest. He belonged to an entirely different realm from the people she had encountered earlier. His reactions were pure and unvarnished; he treated her simply as 'Renias', and nothing more.
That was why she treated him unlike anyone else. An unfamiliar spark of mischief bubbled up inside her, making her want to tease him for the first time in her life. Seeing that perpetually stoic face crumble into flustered bewilderment brought her unmatched delight.
I know, Sunbae. Beneath that indifferent expression, you're hiding something you can never put into words.
She wanted to shake that composed mask and see just a little more of this kind-hearted senior's true self. Just like right now. That was the sole reason Renias allowed her playful side to show before only one person.
"Why do you keep trying to run away? You're my partner, you know. Hmph."
"R-Renias? Don't tell me... you're not actually planning on dancing with me... right? Come on, we're already out on the terrace. Isn't this enough?"
Junon Sunbae clearly wanted to escape this banquet hall for reasons of his own. But even putting all her playful impulses aside, tonight was a night where he deserved to stay and stand as the guest of honor.
Well, it can't be helped then.
After much deliberation, she made up her mind. Tonight, she was going to teach Sunbae how to dance!
"Fine, fine. But you'll at least escort me until we leave, right?"
With a pained groan and a defeated sigh, Sunbae finally offered his hand. Renias seized it without hesitation, pulling him close as she wrapped something around his neck.
"Uh...? Wait, what is this..."
"A present. A little gift."
What she had wrapped around his collar was an elegant men's cravat. But in truth, that was merely a smokescreen.
"...Then could you care to explain why our fingers are laced together?"
Junon's lips trembled in desperate denial. Once again, he had fallen right into Renias's trap.
"Well, I have to teach you the proper posture, don't I? Hehe."
"Oh, God..."
"Your other hand goes right here. You get the idea, right?"
"That's not the point. I'm exhausted right now—"
"It's my first time dancing with a man, too. Sunbae, you'd better take this seriously, or else!"
"What? Then why does your first dance have to be with... Ugh, seriously! How did things end up like this?!"
Cutting him off mid-sentence, Renias played an ace that rendered any escape impossible. She beamed brightly, her smile brimming with triumph, while Junon scratched his head in sheer exasperation.
In the Principality, an old superstition held that a young woman's first dance was tied to her future happiness—even if clumsy, it must never be broken partway through. And if the man chosen as her partner ruined it and fled, he was doomed to become a disgraceful scoundrel. Though it was merely folklore, stepping through the terrace doors and leaving her standing there would have earned him a public lynching of a very different kind.
"I told you I'd teach you well, so just follow along. Besides, we're out on the terrace! The doors are closed, so nobody can see us anyway. Don't worry!"
Right on cue, a soft instrumental prelude began drifting from inside the hall. It was the perfect moment to begin.
Realizing resistance was futile, Junon resigned himself to his fate. With the most satisfied expression she had worn all evening, Renias gently took the lead, guiding his stiff posture with graceful steps. In the fluster of the moment, a spare projection lens slipped from Junon's pocket and tumbled quietly onto the stones. Naturally, neither of them noticed.
Wow. Talk about a jackpot.
In truth, the terrace door had not been shut all the way. Junon had pulled it closed in haste, but the rebound had left a narrow crack. Resting right by that sliver of space was the dropped lens.
While the two continued their quiet dance under the moonlight, Senia stepped forward with a delighted grin and picked it up.
"That's right. Moments like this need to be kept as evidence."
A private interlude between Junon and Renias.
Within the frame of the recording lens, their fleeting time together would remain frozen forever.