Give Me Your Hand
Aria found herself filled with questions upon reuniting with Yohan. After everything strange she had witnessed, it was only natural.
Even a casual list brought them to mind: the corpse, the bizarre object found in the forest, the dagger. Countless things that raised endless question marks. Yet among all those doubts, the single most peculiar one was this.
The way Yohan would occasionally behave as if he were speaking with someone.
“There’s more to it.”
A nod. A tilt of the head. The kinds of gestures people made when responding to another person in conversation.
Aria had watched Yohan for a long time. At first she had dismissed those movements as nothing important. But not anymore.
“How could I fail to notice it? Of course you knew as well.”
In the beginning she had simply wondered why he was acting that way. Now she was certain it was something else entirely.
Yohan was carrying himself as though something more existed in this space.
She had no idea what that something was.
“At first I examined his body because I suspected some abnormality.”
What she discovered was entirely unexpected.
It was a formula engraved deep inside Yohan’s body.
The instant she found it, one thought rose above all others.
“He couldn’t possibly have had time to research anything on this level.”
Aria tilted her head.
Considering the time he had spent at the academy and the periods he had been away, the achievement was excessive. Moreover—
“Why embed it in his own body?”
This was not a formula or spell designed to be implanted. Its original design had never been created for that purpose.
Whatever reason Yohan had for unraveling it, the formula was, strictly speaking, a method to locate a god that was supposed to have vanished from the world.
Which meant there was no logical reason for it to reside so deeply inside a human body.
Therefore, Yohan must have had a compelling reason to do this.
If not, then he had already met the god.
“There is definitely something.”
He had a counterpart he was conversing with. If not conversation, then some form of interaction. Whether that entity was a god or something far stranger, she could not tell.
……Haa.
“I cannot touch this recklessly.”
Because the formula had not been developed to be placed inside a body, she could not predict what might happen if she interfered with it now.
For the moment, she needed to understand exactly how the formula was functioning within him.
“I don’t know how it happened, but holding his hand even while he slept was worth it.”
Thanks to that, she had discovered it faster.
……Of course the transmission method raised the caster’s risk, but that burden meant nothing to her.
……She had not survived alone all this time for nothing.
Tap, tap. Aria lightly tapped Yohan’s body with her fingertips.
Most of the formula’s interpretation was complete. With a little more time she would be able to activate it herself.
All the effort she had poured into this had borne fruit.
“I’ll have to ask him directly, but it doesn’t look like it will be easy.”
This tangled, knotted sensation. She had not felt anything like it since a very long time ago.
“……Haa.”
Aria sighed and withdrew the hand she had placed near Yohan’s heart. Still holding his hand, she sat beside him and quietly studied his face.
His hair had grown longer than when she last saw him at the academy. The strands now brushed against his eyes; he seemed unable to smooth away his frown.
“We’ll need to trim this too.”
With careful fingers Aria swept the hair aside.
“It wasn’t this bad with Leo or my sister.”
Having withdrawn her hand from his body, Aria murmured softly.
“Same face, same mannerisms.”
……They looked exactly alike.
And their habits were eerily similar.
“Let’s talk properly once your eyes have healed.”
Aria lay down beside Yohan once more and slipped into sleep.
Of course Zeno, who had heard every word, sank into thought.
The sound of a book closing echoed through the chamber.
“Nothing here either.”
The speaker was Kassian Delmar, Chancellor of the academy. Deep inside the forbidden archive, he spoke in a low, heavy voice thick with displeasure.
“And that was the last one.”
It had been the final book among those stored in the archive. No more remained to be examined.
“……Tsk.”
Kassian clicked his tongue and swept his gaze across the room. For days he had come and gone at Aria’s request, searching for information. Seeing the chaotic piles of books, he narrowed his eyes.
These were the traces of his solitary struggle to fulfill her demands.
Yet despite everything, Kassian had learned nothing of value.
“I’ll need to confirm whether this is information that exists only outside human records.”
The academy’s forbidden archive existed to collect knowledge pertaining to humans. Since the entity’s identity could not be determined, limiting the search to humankind alone would be foolish.
Tap, tap. Kassian tapped the cover of the final book, returned it to its shelf, and turned away. There was no longer any reason to remain.
He snapped his fingers. The scattered volumes rose obediently and slid back into their proper places, one after another, until the archive stood in perfect order.
“It seems I will have to see and judge for myself.”
No matter how urgent the Magic Tower Master’s request might be, he needed to determine whether it was truly necessary to abandon the academy and return to the Nest.
……Ugh.
In Aria’s bedroom, Yohan opened his eyes after a deep, heavy sleep. It felt as though he had been unconscious for an eternity. He sat up, his body noticeably lighter and more comfortable than before.
Yes, I’m awake. But where is the professor?
The familiar presence against his hand had vanished. It meant Professor Aria was no longer holding it. As always, Yohan asked Zeno.
……Hmm. Magic Tower business?
Yohan tilted his head. Given the time they had spent together, it was possible she had accumulated work. The position of Tower Master could hardly be leisurely.
……And she probably hadn’t wanted to wake someone who was sleeping.
So she has that considerate side as well?
She had never seemed particularly attentive before—at least not the elf he remembered. ……Hmm.
Still, the fact that she had come and gone while he slept…
Huh?
Zeno, it feels as though I slept an extremely long time. What time is it now…?
Yohan asked urgently, sensing the discrepancy.
Aha……
Wait—what?
The door opened with a click.
“You’re awake? You woke up rather early. I told you to sleep properly.”
Yohan shot upright. Professor Aria had returned.
“Let me check your eyes.”
Aria guided him back onto the bed, fetched a chair, and sat directly in front of him. Their knees touched. Yohan flinched and tried to draw back, but she caught both his arms in a firm grip.
“Where do you think you’re going? Stay still.”
Having secured him so he could not move, Aria began a serious examination of his eyes.
“Can you see anything when it’s this close?”
She moved her finger back and forth right before his eyes, testing for reaction. Yohan blinked. Something was passing across his vision. He narrowed his eyes.
Yes. Definitely.
There was a clear change. Previously he could not even discern faint shapes; now, even within the blurry haze, he could vaguely sense the presence of objects.
Beyond a certain distance I still cannot see, but at this range I can at least tell that something is there.
For instance, he could perceive the white, slender shape of a finger appearing and disappearing before him. He still could not make out Aria’s full appearance, but this was enough.
This must be a sign of proper recovery.
Yohan thought so.
Yes, it does.
It was indeed fortunate. Such progress in a single day meant full recovery was only a few days away.
……In a few more days he would be able to see her clearly.
Now that I think about it.
Does the professor usually remain in her elf form?
Or does even her assistant not know?
……Hmm.
When my eyes heal, will she show me her true elf appearance again?
That was rather curious…
Tap.
……Ow.
When Yohan remained silent, Aria flicked his forehead and spoke in a stern voice.
“I asked if you can see.”
……How am I supposed to answer…
Yohan pondered a way to explain his condition. Finally he pointed at his own hand.
……Please give me your hand, Professor.
There was too much to convey; he needed her hand to write properly.
“Hm? Why are you pointing at my hand?”
Communication did not happen instantly, of course. In the end Yohan had to reach out and take Aria’s hand, following Zeno’s guidance.
“……Ahem. It is good to see you again, Student Yohan. We meet again sooner than expected.”
Huh?
……Why is the chancellor here?