The First Thought That Came to Mind Was Joy
Yohan was thrown into confusion.
‘⋯⋯What the hell is going on?’
It was an understandable reaction. Especially when he considered how their last encounter had ended.
‘Why is the assistant who should be at the academy⋯⋯.’
⋯⋯No way.
—Exchange event. Let’s call it that and swap personnel.
Yohan suddenly recalled the words Aria had spoken in her office a few days earlier. It had been a strategy to keep the board in check while the chancellor was away from the academy. At the time, the idea of exchanging personnel between the academy and the Magic Tower had definitely come up.
⋯⋯Of course, he hadn’t heard what came after that.
Now that the situation had actually arrived, the picture became clear.
‘It looks like Assistant Serafina ended up participating in the exchange event.’
In truth, there was no other possibility.
But then—
‘There must have been a lot of people who wanted to come, right?’
It was an exchange event with the Magic Tower, after all. If such a notice had gone out inside the academy, applicants would have lined up. Yet out of all those people, Serafina was the one who came?
The board would have tried to send someone from their own faction no matter what. How had she blocked that?
Yohan mulled it over for a long time until Zeno, apparently tired of waiting, spoke up.
Ah.
Yohan snapped back to attention at Zeno’s words. He had been lost in thought far too long. Moreover, unlike with Professor Aria, he needed to be careful about his visible reactions around Assistant Serafina.
So.
⋯⋯So he needed to have a conversation.
‘But how do I even communicate?’
Using the same method as with the professor felt a little… Well, it probably wouldn’t go smoothly, but he should at least ask for some paper.
Still pondering, Yohan wriggled the hand clasped with hers, trying to signal that he wanted something.
“Is there something you need?”
Serafina noticed the gesture and asked. Yohan nodded his head vigorously up and down.
Then, with his other hand, he slowly pointed at his throat and mouth before mimicking the motion of writing something in the air, clearly expressing his desire to talk.
“You want to say something.”
Serafina nodded in understanding.
‘Yes, Assistant. So please give me some paper.’
Yohan earnestly hoped she would bring him paper and a quill pen.
But Serafina simply loosened the grip of their clasped hands for a moment, then carefully took hold of them again. It looked as though she had made up her mind about something.
“Actually, the professor taught me a method for conversation⋯⋯.”
Her voice was trembling.
Yohan was seized by a wave of unease.
⋯⋯Oh no. Surely not. Professor?
Serafina took Yohan’s other hand and placed it on her open palm.
“She said this would be the most comfortable way to talk.”
It was exactly the same method as with Professor Aria—writing letters on the palm with a finger.
Damn it.
‘⋯⋯I’m going to lose my mind.’
If both his hands hadn’t been occupied, Yohan thought he might have dragged a hand down his face in frustration.
As time passed, Yohan noticed something.
While holding his hand, Serafina couldn’t hide the faint trembling in her fingers. From the way she acted, it seemed she wasn’t even aware she was shaking.
That was why, even though he could feel the tiny tremors, Yohan pretended not to notice and began conversing with her.
⋯⋯Because he had a pretty good idea why.
‘She confessed thinking it would be the last time⋯⋯.’
Seeing someone like that again—right now, the kindest thing he could do was show no particular reaction.
Yohan slowly nodded.
He had just heard Serafina’s explanation about the exchange event, and his expression showed genuine surprise. The content itself wasn’t entirely unexpected, but when considered carefully, it was nothing short of revolutionary.
‘The professor really used her head on this one.’
The exchange event worked like this:
Two people—including Professor Aria—would come to the Magic Tower, while two high-ranking mages and several magic tools would head to the academy under the pretext of being loaned out.
At first glance, it looked like a loss for the Magic Tower and an offer the academy had no reason to refuse. But in reality, it wasn’t a complete loss for the tower.
⋯⋯After all, the Magic Tower already sold magic tools. Sending a few of those to the academy wouldn’t cause any immediate problems. In the end, the public consensus that the tower’s tools were superior would remain unshaken.
On top of that—
‘Yes, exactly.’
An exchange event was essentially an opportunity for both sides to gauge each other’s strength. However, because Professor Aria had included herself in the visiting party, it was fair to say that only one person was truly coming from the academy to the tower.
‘The high-ranking mages must have been briefed on the situation as well.’
In fact, it might even give the Magic Tower a chance to closely examine the academy’s internal affairs. After all, the board would surely greet them in person for the sake of appearances.
It was an excellent way to keep the board in check, and if it became known that Chancellor Kassian had orchestrated the whole thing, he could gain the support of several key figures. By putting the academy’s exchange with the Magic Tower front and center, it was an opportunity to solidify his position even further.
‘Yes.’
It really was. He just hadn’t expected it would lead to meeting the assistant again.
But why did it have to be her who came here?
“The reason I was chosen is because I am Professor Aria’s direct assistant.”
Serafina continued as if she could read his thoughts.
“It’s known that this exchange event began with the Tower Master wanting to invite Professor Aria to the Magic Tower.”
Aha.
⋯So that’s what happened during her outing—she must have met the Tower Master.
From the rest of the explanation, it seemed the chancellor had been the one to turn that invitation into a full exchange event. Since approving the professor’s outing was also part of the chancellor’s duties, even those who usually resented him had no choice but to admit that his decision had produced good results.
⋯⋯Of course, it was a suspicious-sounding story, but with the Tower Master’s own endorsement and the actual arrival of high-ranking mages at the academy, there was no choice but to believe it.
“By the way, before I came to this room, the professor told me that she is the Tower Master. She said she only informed me within the academy. I heard that Student Yohan already knew— is that correct?”
Yohan nodded.
It was definitely something that needed explaining before entering this room. More precisely, it was something that needed explaining upon arriving at the tower. There would be too many moments while moving around inside the tower where the fact that Professor Aria was the Tower Master would become obvious.
“And the professor asked me to keep Student Yohan company while she is away.”
⋯⋯Excuse me?
What was that supposed to mean⋯⋯.
‘Wait, didn’t she only just learn that the professor is the Tower Master right before coming to the tower?’
The assistant was in the magic department too. She must have been incredibly excited about the research that would take place here⋯⋯.
Was this really okay? Didn’t she feel burdened?
Yohan looked at Serafina with worried eyes.
Since they were holding hands, he could roughly tell where they were in the room.
And then—
Serafina spoke in a trembling voice.
“Ah, I’m fine. Actually, when I heard those words⋯⋯.”
The first thought that came to mind was joy at being able to see you again.
Serafina swallowed the rest of her words and smiled softly.
“You’re here.”
In Aria’s office, Kassian greeted her as she opened the door and stepped inside.
Having finished giving all the necessary instructions within the tower, she looked at him.
“Yeah. Are you ready?”
Aria took out her staff, and Kassian nodded.
She then placed her hand on Kassian’s shoulder. Some degree of physical contact was necessary for teleportation magic.
But—
Kassian sensed something different in the gesture.
⋯⋯Although her hand rested on his shoulder, she was gripping the hem of his clothes as if it were unpleasant.
‘⋯⋯Hmm. The treatment really is different from how she handles Student Yohan.’
It was clearly different. With Yohan, her touch felt completely natural.
⋯⋯Though she herself didn’t seem to notice the difference.
By the way—
“By the way, Celestia. Did Student Yohan and Assistant Serafina meet properly?”
“Probably? I gave Serafina a rough explanation, so she should handle it well. I just dropped her off in the room.”
⋯⋯Hmm?
Kassian blinked at her words.
What?
“You just dropped her off?”
“Yeah. There wasn’t anything else needed, right? Oh, I told her to write on his hand like I do since talking is difficult. I also said to ask Claire if they need anything.”
Wasn’t that enough? What was the problem?
Faced with her gaze that seemed to ask exactly that, Kassian dragged a hand down his face.
⋯⋯Explaining it now would clearly be pointless; she wouldn’t understand.
“Never mind. Let’s get moving.”
“You’ve been acting strange lately, you know?”
Aria spoke casually as she moved her staff. Kassian looked at her and swallowed a sigh.
‘⋯⋯I’ll need to have a talk with Student Yohan later.’
And so, a sudden meeting with the chancellor had been scheduled for Yohan.