That Aftermath
Everything had returned to normal. There was still a week until the end-of-term ceremony, but no classes remained. Why, you ask? Professor Walnut of Elemental Theory and Application had declared, "Grading's handled by the grad students, so direct all inquiries to Melwood and don't come looking for me," before promptly vanishing. Rumor had it he'd been spotted at the recent Black Auction shelling out absurd premiums layered on premiums for a "No Way Our Princess is This Cute! Limited Cover First Edition Set" and walking off hugging it to his chest.
Not just him—Professor Bedel of Introduction to Basic Swordsmanship announced a week-long class suspension, claiming he'd been neglecting his conversations with his muscles and needed some heartfelt dialogue. The professors for the other subjects had all unilaterally canceled their post-finals lectures for grading or to chase their own whims. Whatever. It was an event I already knew about—a bit of consideration from the developers. A week of leisure before "vacation," meant for maxing out the hidden pieces scattered across the school interiors that opened up at the start of Act 2 before heading outside. But that only applied to me; for the other students, it was just a week left dangling in limbo.
And the students? They erupted in wild cheers at the professors' one-sided cancellations. Some packing early for home, others self-studying, a few trembling over their impending final grades. The place devolved into a chaotic bazaar overrun by those blissfully fixated on vacation fun without a single coherent thought.
And so...
"So we can roam Salenium freely right now, right, Senior?"
"Something like that. But are you sure you're okay with this?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"Instead of touring Salenium with me, you could demand a better reward..."
"Ah, no, no! This is the best! Really!"
Millije waved her hands frantically, shaking her head before looking up at me. Huh. Unpredictable girl. Choosing a tour of the academy as her reward. Anyway, she'd apparently spent the entire finals paired with Sufle—smashing opponents with beginner spells, then intermediate ones she'd picked up from me, utterly demolishing them.
"What intermediate spell did you learn?"
"Uh... Ignis Range Field, the fire elemental one!"
Hold up. What?
"Ignis Range Field? How'd you even learn that?"
"Just like you said, Senior—I wandered the library..."
"Shelf C, fire magic section, bottom row, third from the left?"
"Yes! That's it, I saw it there."
Hmm. Ignis Range Field is basically an ultimate spell hyper-specialized for destruction. Summon a magic circle in a set area, ignite crimson flames, and torch everything in a wide radius. From what I knew, it was top-tier among intermediate spells—power rivaling high-tier magic. A hidden piece you had to snag on the magic department route. The reason it counted as "intermediate" was the insane mana cost relative to its output... One cast leaves you combat-ineffective, needing someone to carry you out.
Wait, thinking about it...
"...Explosion?"
"Ex-Explosion? Is Ignis Range Field also called Explosion?"
"Nah, just something like that. Don't worry about it. Anyway, with your mana, Ignis Range Field should've been your limit at two shots..." Ah.
Right. She'd picked up that.
"Nero's mana..."
"Ah, yeah. I didn't realize it'd guzzle so much mana. My bad—looks like I'll need three days of recovery like this."
With that, Millije pulled a black jelly blob from her pocket.
"Won't even respond when I talk to it... Sorry, I feel awful..."
Hmm. I see.
"You're getting stronger by the day."
"Yeah, thanks to you. If you hadn't brought me back here, Senior... It would've been impossible. I could thank you forever and it still wouldn't be enough."
The girl.
"You're the one and only spirit summoner I need to raise."
Yeah. So what if my prized junior's an explosion nut toting a dark spirit around?
"Right! I'm your spirit summoner, Senior!"
I'd chosen her, out of everyone.
"Then let's go. Gotta keep my promise. I'll etch the academy's layout into your brain so deep you'll never forget."
I started walking, and she bounded after me with a bright "Yes!"
Thus began our campus tour—which somehow felt like it was missing the point.
After that, I showed her around the academy's nooks and crannies. Magic department's year-wise lecture halls and annexes, over to the knight department's halls, annexes, training grounds, and so on. Student council building, central district eateries and shopping streets—we even grabbed drinks on a cafe terrace.
"How was it? Think we've covered everything."
"Amazing! I'll never forget it now. Especially since it was with you, Senior!"
Is that so. She sipped her smoothie, let out a "Pfft!" and looked at me.
"By the way... You sure you're okay with this, Senior? I know zilch about nobles or politics..."
"...Well, it'll be fine, won't it."
The proposal. After Ebnis's talk about shards and whatnot in the hospital room, I'd suggested...
—How about we all go bond over the sea, then?
Reina had lit up: "Adrian, you finally listened to me! I'll send someone right now to check beach rentals!" Completely flipping the room's vibe in seconds. A chain of enthusiastic approvals followed. Ebnis refused at first, but Reina insisted under the pretext of a Wolfgang western territory inspection, so she grudgingly agreed.
Yeah. Me, Ebnis, Kalen, Reina, Millije, Sufle, Relbrian. A seven-person grand adventure to the Wolfgang territory beach. Too bad Lijelilias had imperial succession stuff piling up in the palace over break, so next time. Sufle at Millije's request, and Reina said, "Anyone Adrian knows is fine by me!"
"Senior..."
The west. Technically Wolfgang territory, but on second thought, it's also Repelheit land. Returning to the west that cast me out? And with Ebnis, no less?
"I'm super excited! Actually, in two days I'm going swimsuit shopping with Senior Reina... I'm from the sticks, never seen the ocean or even know what a swimsuit is. Ahaha... Hope it's a great summer."
I could see Millije smiling as she said it.
"Sounds like it'll be a good summer."
"Yes!"
Well... If a wall blocks your path, that wouldn't make you a veteran. Veterans hug the walls, exploit every bug, and punch through eventually.
The next day, as promised, I met up with Millije again, Sufle in tow.
"H-hello, Senior. Looking forward to... today."
"Mm."
She bowed awkwardly, then tottered over. Sufle, the magic department's top student—the last of the Ice Witch Clan, technically a figure from centuries ago. Before her clan threw themselves into total war against the demons, they'd put her in stasis to leap centuries ahead for the clan's future. She'd awakened in this era.
...But as a side effect of the stasis, she'd forgotten nearly everything from three hundred years back. Names and faces of clanmates and comrades, every event—all gone.
Restoring her memories and resolving the trauma to move forward together was the core of the Sufle route.
"Let's go."
I took her around the same spots. Millije's eyes sparkled despite the repeat visit; Sufle showed no particular reaction. After chaperoning the two kids' field trip, I sent Millije on a drink run and had a one-on-one with Sufle.
"Sufle."
"...Yeah, Senior."
"You're the last survivor of the Ice Witch Clan. Right?"
At my words, her eyes widened a bit as she stared at me.
"How'd you... No, you figured it out anyway. And you're... a Repelheit descendant."
She nodded faintly and spoke.
"Yeah. Last of the Ice Witch Clan. Sufle... But you won't get any info from me about three hundred years ago... I don't remember well..."
I know. Nothing would come of it.
"Sufle."
"Yeah?"
"Do you want your memories back?"
"M-my memories...? I don't have any, Senior. Lost to stasis side effects..."
"Wrong."
"Huh?"
But I know. Because...
"You didn't lose them. They're sealed. Three hundred years ago—the memories you've forgotten. Want them back? The altar sealing your memories is right here on this Salenium island."
"Ah...?"
Sufle's eyes went wide as saucers. Genuinely shocked.
"Not lying. No gain for me in deceiving you anyway."
"...My memories, sealed? So I didn't lose them?"
"Exactly."
"...The Ice Witch Clan comrades... and friends... I can remember them all again?"
Slowly, but surely, she asked.
"Of course."
Of course, but...
"They're figures of the past. History says your clan, the Ice Witches, were wiped out except for you... Even if long-lived, they won't be alive now."
"Yeah..."
"Even if you recover every 'memory,' you won't meet them again."
"Mm."
"Regaining your 'memories' might unleash emotions you never felt—could drive you berserk. Think you can endure it? Even then... do you want your lost memories back?"
To my question...
"..."
Sufle couldn't answer definitively.
"Berserk... scares me. But I need to know. I'm the last of the clan... What I went through back then, what happened... So, please, Senior Adrian. Not right now if you can't, but help me. I want... my memories back."
Good. I heard that loud and clear.