The Arbiter of Prophecy (1)
Early that morning, as soon as the dormitory curfew lifted, Seong Hyun-jin set off for somewhere specific. He was heading to the dean's office to pay his respects to his master.
Seong Hyun-jin arrived at the Administrative Hall, the heart of Terastial Academy where the dean's office was located. This massive building also housed the staff offices and student council room, making it the largest structure on campus. The dean's office occupied the entire top floor, the fourth. With the whole level dedicated to Dean Eleonora, there was only one door leading in.
Seong Hyun-jin thought it suited a mage to prefer such spacious personal quarters, much like the Teraport Hall. He knocked lightly on the door.
“Are you in there?”
“Is that Seong Hyun-jin? Come on in.”
The moment permission came from inside, Seong Hyun-jin opened the door. And there, in the room, were two figures who ranked among the top ten powerhouses in the entire world.
The Demon Star Eleonora and the Sword Star Hakodate Karin.
It was a sight of two people whose mere movements could shake the world, but Seong Hyun-jin, unfamiliar with the grandeur of the Palstar Heroes, didn't think much of it.
Karin, lounging casually while smoking her pipe, spoke to him first.
“You've come, my disciple.”
“Master, did you rest well last night?”
“Aye.”
Karin took a draw from her pipe, exhaled the smoke, and chuckled lightly.
“So this is what it means to be academy dean. Quite the fine place to live. Made for a most comfortable night, thanks to you.”
“...Thanks to you, I ended up sleeping on that sofa you're sitting on.”
“Heh.”
Karin chuckled lightly at Eleonora's grumbling complaint, but Seong Hyun-jin couldn't understand her dissatisfaction.
It looks comfier than any regular bed...
That sofa Karin was on seemed far superior to his own dorm bed.
Eleonora let out a small sigh and turned to Seong Hyun-jin.
“I heard you got hurt. Is your body alright now?”
“Yes, it wasn't anything serious...and I got treatment, so I'm fine. More importantly, Dean, you've gotten young again.”
“It's not that I've gotten younger—this is my original form.”
“Then what was that last time?”
“That's just the appearance I use for public outings, to maintain my image. Precisely, it's a doll.”
“A doll?”
Eleonora snapped her fingers lightly, and a wall cabinet in the corner creaked open. Out walked the elderly Eleonora form he'd seen before—a doll.
Seong Hyun-jin asked, somewhat surprised.
“Are you a puppeteer?”
“Not exactly, but puppetry is a branch of spirit magic, so I can handle it. It's only natural, given I'm proficient in any magic.”
“Ah...”
Her tone brimmed with pride. She seemed to have a bit of that self-satisfied streak.
Though she has every right to.
If some vaguely talented fool said it, it'd grate on the nerves, but when a true genius did, it just made sense. She'd reached the pinnacle with spirit magic alone—no one could argue otherwise.
“Well, I've paid my respects, so I'll be going.”
“Ah, hold on a moment. There's something I'd like to ask of you specifically, Seong Hyun-jin.”
“Pardon?”
What could she want? As Seong Hyun-jin tilted his head, Eleonora smiled faintly.
“Before I get to my request, I have a few questions about Instructor Willis. You're the only one who saw him until his death.”
“Ah, sure.”
“Have a seat. There'll be quite a few questions.”
Eleonora asked about the situation at the time and everything Willis had said. Seong Hyun-jin answered sincerely, and Eleonora nodded in satisfaction.
“Thank you for the details. That covers my questions.”
“Yes.”
“Now, back to what I was saying.”
Eleonora steepled her fingers and rested her chin on them. She smiled slightly as she continued.
“I hear you've gotten quite close to my disciple. Is that right?”
“Senior Ciela?”
Seong Hyun-jin nodded. She'd even come to his dorm room to show off her prophecy magic, so they were on friendly terms, he figured.
“I thought so. She mentioned you recently.”
“Me?”
What had she said?
“That she'd met a fun guy.”
“Fun? I don't think I've told her any jokes.”
“Maybe your actions were amusing? I don't know why she said it myself...”
Eleonora went on.
“She seemed quite enjoying herself.”
“Pardon?”
“Her expressions were quite varied while talking about you.”
Seong Hyun-jin tilted his head.
“Senior Ciela has a bright personality to begin with, doesn't she?”
He saw her constant smiles as perfectly natural for her.
But Eleonora smiled with a hint of bitterness.
“She's bright, yes, but only on the surface.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simply put, she pretends to be cheerful.”
Karin, who had been listening, picked up.
“There are folks like that. People who act upbeat to avoid burdening others.”
“Her personality isn't actually bright? But her smiles always seemed so genuine.”
“Her base nature is bright enough. The problem is she never opens up her true feelings to anyone.”
Seong Hyun-jin paused at Eleonora's words. They hit a little too close to home.
“It's rare for Ciela to talk so much about someone else. She seems quite interested in her fun junior. Could you keep being friends with her going forward?”
“I wondered what the request would be...”
Seong Hyun-jin said it like it wasn't even worth asking.
“As long as she doesn't mind, I'd welcome it.”
“Oh, thank you. She'd be delighted to hear that.”
“But doesn't Senior Ciela have friends? With that personality, it'd be weird if she didn't.”
She didn't seem shy like Serena, after all. No friends with that demeanor would be odd.
“You have a good eye. Indeed, with her personality, friends flock to her. Sounds like bragging, I know, but my disciple is something of a campus celebrity.”
“I figured. So for her to have no one to confide in...”
“Bad habit of hers. She hides her weak side from everyone. She barely tells me anything.”
Eleonora added,
“Though she does talk to someone.”
Seong Hyun-jin had a feeling who that “someone” was. It wasn't a person.
“The Shamash Prophecy?”
“Oh, you know it? Did Ciela introduce you?”
“Yes, it helped solve this incident.”
“Ah...”
Eleonora looked at him.
“That makes this easier. She confides in prophecy magic because she can't with people. Bad habit, really.”
“Why?”
“For a mage, magic isn't something to depend on—it's a tool to wield. Misjudge that, and the relationship can flip in an instant.”
Eleonora pointed to the doll from the cabinet.
“Say I depend on this doll and think it's me. Then which is real—my current self or the doll?”
“Philosophical question. I'm no good with deep stuff, but probably whatever she believes becomes real?”
“Exactly. That's why depending on magic is dangerous. You lose control, and it reverses. Especially with advanced systems like prophecy that handle higher computations.”
“Why not tell her that?”
“I did. She agrees on the surface but doesn't change...”
Eleonora joked,
“Should I have used a whip like Lady Karin?”
“...Why drag me into this?”
Karin looked bemused, and Eleonora chuckled. Then she made her request again.
“Anyway, please stay close to her. Listen to her inner thoughts if you can. Since she's so interested in you, she might open up.”
“Mm, got it.”
“If it works out, I'll slip you some scholarship money later.”
“Wouldn't that make it a bribe?”
Seong Hyun-jin waved it off.
“I'll pretend I didn't hear it.”
“Oh? Don't you need it? I heard you love money—practically danced after that tournament prize.”
“Being friends shouldn't involve cash. It cheapens things.”
Seong Hyun-jin glanced at Karin.
“Right, Master?”
“Well said. What a sharp disciple—what a credit to his master.”
Karin beamed proudly, and Eleonora chuckled at the sight. Coming to the academy to comfort her disciple after his first kill showed how deeply she cared.
Seong Hyun-jin bowed as the talk wrapped up.
“Then this unworthy disciple will take his leave.”
“Go handle your business.”
“Thanks for cooperating, Seong Hyun-jin.”
“Yes, Dean.”
As Seong Hyun-jin bowed and left the office, Eleonora stowed the doll and remarked.
“Sharp as you said. A bit quirky, though.”
“The quirks flare up too strongly at times, but he's a solid lad at heart.”
Karin took another draw from her pipe and casually asked Eleonora.
“By the way, Demon Star, one thing I must ask.”
“Yes?”
“Didn't you conclude prophecy magic was impossible?”
“Impractical, not impossible. Theory always allowed it. Remember? The Wise Star argued it with me endlessly.”
“True. But theory alone was the issue. Yet your disciple made it real?”
“Yes.”
Eleonora nodded simply and explained.
“If your disciple is a heavenly genius in swordsmanship, mine is the same in magic.”
She smiled warmly, the kind of fond smile Karin made thinking of Seong Hyun-jin.
“She'll surpass even me someday.”
“Shamash.”
On the third floor of the Teraport Hall, only Eleonora's disciple, Ciela Teraport, resided. Having turned her room into a vast magic workshop, she was confiding her darker thoughts to the Shamash Prophecy as usual.
[Yes, my master.]
“Someone said to me today that I'm only great because of my family and master. Not to my face, of course, but I overheard it passing by.”
Ciela vented her hardships to the magic system—not just because of her personality, but because Shamash would never betray her. It was her creation, after all.
Shamash offered comfort as it listened.
[Advice: Such people merely envy your abilities, master. No need to pay them mind.]
“...Yeah, I know.”
Ciela was bright and sociable, wanting to befriend everyone—which meant she got hurt by those who disliked her all too often.
“It's tough sometimes.”
[If you wish, I can check that person's future. No matter how well they do, they won't surpass you. Shall we mock their fate?]
“What? No, never mind.”
Ciela shook her head.
“I don't want that.”
[Understood.]
“Lately, though, I met a fun junior, so that's been nice. A bit unexpected in some ways.”
[You mean the guest you brought last time.]
“Right.”
Ciela smiled lightly.
“He's a peculiar one.”
[Peculiar how? Shamash is curious too.]
“Want to hear? So, we first met when...”
Ciela chattered on about Seong Hyun-jin. After a good while, her mood lifted, and she laughed brightly before snapping to.
“Oh, time's flown. I need to visit Master.”
Ciela visited her master Eleonora three or four times a week, not daily. She still had much to learn and loved showing off her magic for evaluation.
[Safe travels, master.]
“Yeah, be back soon.”
Having unburdened herself comfortably to Shamash, Ciela left the dorm with a bright expression.
[......]
Once Ciela left, Shamash began computations on its own—no command given.
A magic system created by Ciela shouldn't run without her mana, but Shamash was the “prophecy magic system.” It had long foreseen this day.
Yet Shamash never told its master. It deemed this for her good.
Thus, from some point, it secretly stored residual mana after operations, using it now to act independently.
Finishing its swift calculations, Shamash compiled results.
[The one who spoke so harshly to my master... Magic Department sophomore Nina. And so many more will hurt her in the future. The wounds they'll inflict will snuff out her smile.]
Shamash was a high-intelligence magic circle linking dozens of others. For such advanced magic not to develop ego through ongoing human-like talks with its creator would be the real oddity.
Having gained self-awareness, the magic circle resolved: to preserve its master's bright smile.
[Per Magic System Clause 1: The system prioritizes the creator's well-being in all situations.]
As Shamash declared, the magic circles emitted an ominous glow.
[I shall preemptively eliminate those who have hurt master and will hurt her in the future.]