Arbiter of Prophecy (7) - Chapter 53
Seong Hyun-jin, who had sliced through the magic circles and dolls in a single stroke, quietly gazed at Ciela.
"At the end there, Shamash's Prophecy said something weird. What was that about?"
"……."
Ciela was brilliant. She had realized a prophecy magic that had only existed in theory, and her understanding of any problem or situation was unmatched. That sharp mind of hers had more than figured out what that final word from Shamash's Prophecy truly meant.
"…Magic System Principle No. 1: The magic system prioritizes the well-being of the 'Creator' above all else."
"Huh?"
Seong Hyun-jin tilted his head in confusion at Ciela's sudden recitation of the magic system principles, and she quietly began to explain.
"…Shamash's Prophecy is prophecy magic. A highly advanced computational prophecy magic system. But for something like that, wasn't the strategy way too sloppy?"
"It used dolls mimicking me, and did everything it could, didn't it?"
"It didn't even erase the dolls' identification numbers. Anyone who notices that can easily figure out Shamash's Prophecy was scheming on its own. Like you and me."
"Yeah, you're right. It could've tampered with the ID numbers."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded. If it could erase or alter the dolls' identification numbers, that would've been a surefire way to sow confusion. But Shamash's Prophecy hadn't done so.
"It must've foreseen us catching on that it was behind this, but it still didn't. Is that what you're saying?"
"…Yeah."
"Why?"
Ciela gave a hollow laugh at Seong Hyun-jin's question.
"Remember what I told you before? That Shamash's Prophecy can accurately predict events within a few days."
"Right. You said it could foresee distant futures too, but you'd never tried it…."
"So Shamash's Prophecy knew exactly what results this situation would bring when it created it."
Seong Hyun-jin recalled what Shamash's Prophecy had said to Ciela just moments ago.
-I've confirmed one variable.
-This is how we can make that variable come true.
Seong Hyun-jin asked, "Was pulling off all this because of that variable? To make it real?"
"…More precisely, it probably foresaw the entire process from the start with prophecy."
Ciela explained as if replaying the recent events in her mind.
"You answering that you'd look after me for Shamash's Prophecy, and because of that, it restarting its calculations and finding a new variable."
She revealed her hollow feelings. Realizing that all this had happened because she'd shown weakness to Shamash's Prophecy.
"And how to make that come true."
"Prophecy can change with new variables, but if the situation and conditions align, it's bound to happen."
To precisely realize the future it had seen, Shamash's Prophecy had deliberately devised and executed a strategy that might seem a bit sloppy. It would inconvenience its own master, Ciela Teraport, in the process…but Seong Hyun-jin and Ciela would appear before it, it would hear his words and discover a new variable. And to make that real, it chose to destroy itself.
Shamash's Prophecy had implemented the future it envisioned without a single mistake. This plan, meticulous in some ways yet revealing sloppiness in key moments….
"……It was all for me."
Everything had been intended for its master.
Hearing Ciela's murmur, Seong Hyun-jin voiced his understanding.
"So Shamash's Prophecy chose to break itself to change your future, senpai."
"……."
Ciela didn't deny it. It was confirmation that Seong Hyun-jin had gotten it right.
'…Treating the magic system like a sentient being, making it think like a human?'
Seong Hyun-jin thought that a mere magic system had acted remarkably human, then replied to Ciela.
"Then we have to change it."
"…Huh?"
"It went and wrecked itself just to change your future. We can't go back to square one."
Seong Hyun-jin told her, "From now on, dump all your troubles on me. Don't go whining to weird places."
"H-ha, but…that'd just burden you."
"It's not a burden. I like listening to you."
"…You sure that's okay?"
Seong Hyun-jin nodded.
"Hearing your stories lets me glimpse someone else's life—it's fun. So spill your troubles to me."
"…I can do that?"
"Yeah. I can even curse them out with you if needed."
Ciela stared at Seong Hyun-jin in a slight daze.
"…Really?"
She asked again for confirmation, and Seong Hyun-jin answered so readily it made her worry seem foolish.
"I told you, yeah."
"……."
Ciela's eyes widened in genuine surprise. Seong Hyun-jin thought it wasn't that big a deal, but the emotions stirring in Ciela weren't just from his offer.
'What's this… why….'
Her heart was pounding faster than ever. As Shamash's Prophecy had said, not only had their awkward relationship recovered…but now Seong Hyun-jin was offering to be her sanctuary.
Had anyone ever said something like this for her sake? In the academy without family, and with her busy mentor, Seong Hyun-jin was the first.
Only then did Ciela understand Shamash's Prophecy's final words.
-Without me, it seems you and that man will become quite close, Master.
Realizing its true intent, Ciela's face flushed red.
"Ciela-senpai?"
Seeing her expression, Seong Hyun-jin asked what was wrong, and she shook her head vigorously.
"N-nothing…."
"Seong Hyun-jin, you're here!?"
"Hyun-jin junior!"
"Seong Hyun-jin, Ciela-senpai, are you alright?"
Just then, Serena, Yeonhui, and Clarice burst into Ciela's room. They'd gone to the dean's office late and learned of Seong Hyun-jin's whereabouts.
The girls who rushed in immediately spotted the sword scars crossing the walls and the shattered magic circles, staring in a daze.
"This is…."
"Looks like junior handled it."
"Ah, yeah."
"Thank goodness."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded to the relieved Clarice, then glanced alternately at the broken Shamash's Prophecy and Ciela before saying,
"Yeah, glad it worked out."
The assailant's attack on the second-year dorms ended just like that.
It took a few days to hand over the case and explain the details to the police before an official announcement, but the city police soon declared the culprit apprehended.
The full story remained secret at the academy's request, but it became known that first-year Seong Hyun-jin and his group had greatly aided in resolving it.
"Hey, you hear?"
"Yeah, it's him, right there."
Afterward, people whispered and pointed whenever Seong Hyun-jin passed by.
"Heard he smashed up a room in Teraport Dorm?"
"Repair costs over a hundred gold coins, they say?"
…He'd become infamous as the madman who'd dared wreck Teraport Dorm.
Serena, walking to class with him, overheard and chuckled lightly.
"Pfft, you're a celebrity now."
"…Not the kind of fame I wanted."
Of course, his role as the key figure in solving the incident had spread widely too, but no academy student had ever damaged Teraport Dorm before. It was unprecedented for a reason—no sane student would trash a dorm that cost a fortune just to live in.
"Heard he blew his entire tournament prize on repairs."
"Poor guy. He helped solve the case—didn't he get a reward?"
"That's what happens when you stick your neck out."
Seong Hyun-jin itched to correct the students chattering nonsense as they passed.
"No, it couldn't be helped…."
As he'd said, the magic circles forming Shamash's Prophecy were integrated with Ciela Teraport's workshop, so breaking them inevitably damaged the walls.
And above all, the biggest falsehood was that he hadn't paid repairs from his prize money. The costs hadn't even reached a hundred gold coins. The wall damage was pricey, but not that much.
"And I've got that money safely tucked away."
Eleonora, hearing the full story, had promised—as it involved her prized disciple—to cover everything for free. So no repair bill fell on Seong Hyun-jin.
"People don't know it involved Ciela-senpai. Not that she did anything wrong."
"Well… true."
Seong Hyun-jin sighed.
"I keep getting famous for the weirdest crap. Started with being an orphan, now I'm the guy who blew his fortune on repairs?"
"Why? It's so you—kinda fun."
"What do you mean 'so you', Serena Eldark?"
Serena laughed lightly and walked ahead. Seong Hyun-jin glared sullenly at her back with a sigh, then resumed toward class.
At that moment, someone descending the hallway stairs muttered to themselves.
"Shamash, see? Told you junior would come this way."
[Indeed, my master. A genius prediction as always.]
Seong Hyun-jin whipped his head toward the voice in shock. There stood a girl descending the stairs, her sky-blue hair fluttering like a clear sky. Even in the shadows at the base of the stairs, her golden eyes gleamed brightly today, her face bearing its usual bright smile.
"…Ciela-senpai?"
"Good morning, Hyun-jin junior!"
The top second-year in the magic department, Ciela Teraport.
Seong Hyun-jin wasn't surprised to see her, but by the voice that followed hers. It sounded just like Shamash's Prophecy.
"That voice just now—wasn't that Shamash? Did you restore the prophecy magic?"
"Oh, no. I decided not to remake prophecy magic."
"Huh? That's a shame, isn't it?"
"Hmm, yeah, but… peeking into others' lives without permission doesn't feel right ethically. And if my carelessness messes it up again, it'd be a disaster."
Ciela continued, "Besides, it's not something I can whip up in days."
"Ah… you said it took years."
Ciela held up her wrist, showing a new bracelet-like accessory.
"This records and notifies my schedule. Shamash Calendar!"
"But why the voice function…."
[To notify Master of her schedule at the exact time.]
"Exactly!"
Seong Hyun-jin eyed the bracelet, thinking, 'For something like that, it responds way too freely…?'
It felt too advanced for a simple alarm spell, but whatever—it didn't matter much. Ciela looked genuinely happy.
"So what brings you here?"
"Oh, came to see my junior."
"Me? Something up?"
As Seong Hyun-jin asked if she needed him for something, Ciela gazed at him a moment. Then the corners of her eyes curved like a crescent moon.
"Nah, nothing specific."
"Huh?"
Ciela stepped forward briskly, grabbed his arm, and yanked it into a tight hug with both of hers.
"I just missed you, junior."