Chapter 540: Jealousy is My Power (40)
Chapter 540: Jealousy is My Power (40)
Every society is built upon context.
From simple encounters to deep discussions, there is no situation where context does not exert its influence. Therefore, it goes without saying that the ability to read the "context" is vital in social life.
The seed of tragedy, however, lies in the fact that the context each person occupies is different.
These differences create subtle fissures in communication. If even those living in the same era cannot avoid this, how much worse must it be for those who have lived through entirely different timelines?
There was surely an unknowable reason behind the "sudden outburst" of Senior Elsie from the future.
The only problem was whether the other party could actually accept it.
The Great Witch’s reaction did not deviate from my expectations in the slightest.
"……What kind of nonsense is this?"
She tossed the words out along with a puff of tobacco smoke.
The Great Witch was lying on a wide dais with a somewhat annoyed expression. The gaze she directed at me while resting her chin on her hand was filled with undisguised doubt.
"Senior Elsie" remained silent, merely tapping the floorboards for no reason.
The bravado she’d shown just moments ago, when she was grabbing the Great Witch by the collar and demanding answers, had long since vanished. This was despite the fact that she was currently being interrogated about the very words she had shouted then.
‘How could you not recognize me!’
Elsie had barked those words, and now the Great Witch was demanding a proper explanation.
In the end, was it my job to clean up the mess?
It was a role I had always played, so I didn't particularly mind. My head just throbbed because I was at a loss for what kind of explanation to add.
I tried to spin a story that was as plausible as possible.
"Senior Elsie recently suffered a great shock, so she’s having some mental issues……."
"How interesting. I suppose these days, developing a mental illness allows one to handle an entirely new system of magic?"
And my own unique style, at that.
The Great Witch didn't say it out loud, but that question was written clearly in the look she gave me. My forehead was already drenched in sweat from my rising body temperature brought on by embarrassment.
It was far too sophisticated to be dismissed simply as "mental illness."
There was the way Senior Elsie had unraveled the Great Witch’s barrier, and then there was me, possessing secret techniques I had never been taught.
At this point, it was safe to judge it as destiny rather than coincidence. The Great Witch was no exception to this realization, and the gaze she leveled at me grew increasingly sharp.
What should I do?
I closed my eyes tight, agonizing over my options.
Should I just tell the truth? But how could I possibly make her believe such a far-fetched story?
It wasn't entirely impossible.
As absurd as it seemed, it was the only story that could explain all these mysteries.
However, "Disciples from the Future"……
It was a phrase that would make one question an author's naming sense even if it were used as a novel title. I had no idea how the Great Witch would react.
It was just as I was struggling to meet her eyes, unable to offer an easy answer.
"……Hmph. I suppose you can't even recognize your own spell formulas?"
Senior Elsie muttered, pouting her lips.
Her tone was so obviously sarcastic that I widened my eyes and sent her a desperate look.
It was a signal to please stop.
Indeed, the Great Witch let out a "Hmph" and puffed vigorously on her pipe. It likely meant her mood had soured even further.
Despite this, Senior Elsie’s rampage did not stop.
No, it would be more accurate to say she was bristling her fur as if to show off. Like a teenage girl rebelling against her parent.
"It’s your own secret technique, isn't it? Who else but you could have passed it down?"
"Like I said, I never passed down any secret techniques……."
"Then stay out of my business!"
The words hissed through her gritted teeth as she lowered her stance.
At this point, the Great Witch couldn't even form proper words. She just let out a hollow laugh, her face a mask of sheer absurdity.
Regardless, Senior Elsie continued to act as she pleased.
"I was alone anyway… I’ll just keep doing things on my own from now on."
"No, listen, kid. It seems you haven't understood your position, but I am the one doing the interrogating……."
"Hmph!"
Senior Elsie dismissed the Great Witch’s claim by sticking out her tongue.
The way she turned around with a huffy expression was so natural. For a moment, I wondered if the Senior Elsie from my memory had returned.
In the end, the Great Witch and I remained speechless for a long time.
Even until Senior Elsie’s back disappeared as she walked away with brisk, rhythmic steps.
The only thing that finally broke the silence in the room was the Great Witch’s low sigh.
Before I knew it, the Great Witch was leaning her head on one hand. The tobacco smoke, exhaled at more frequent intervals, spoke for her state of mind.
My head felt like it was throbbing.
I cautiously tried to defend "Senior Elsie."
"That… that was strange. She’s usually a very mature senior, I don't know why she’s acting like that all of a sudden……."
"How should I know?"
Her voice was laced with exhaustion.
I had no choice but to shut my mouth at that retort. After all, wasn't I the one who had dragged a reluctant Elsie here?
I wouldn't have had an excuse even if I had ten mouths.
The Great Witch exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, venting her frustration.
Was this what they called "all the responsibility with none of the reward"?
I somehow felt sorry for her.
"Regardless, her skills are the real deal. It’s impossible to even escape this building, let alone enter it… yet I can no longer sense her presence."
"……Shall I go find her?"
"Forget it."
With a disinterested voice, the Great Witch turned her pale green eyes toward me.
"Don't we have more important matters at hand? We are on the verge of finding my pathetic older sister… though it bothers me that we have to rely solely on information with no clear source."
She was right.
Even though I was getting information from "Greed," there was no way to fully trust one of the Dark Cult’s highest-ranking officials.
It would be better if we had a more reliable informant.
As I chewed on that regret, my eyes inadvertently swept over the spot where Senior Elsie had been standing.
And I saw it.
A bundle of papers fluttering as they slid across the floorboards.
A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I reached for the documents. As I did, a note I had kept tucked away in my shirt swirled out, neatly gathering the surrounding papers.
Information left behind by Senior Elsie.
As expected, Senior Elsie was still "Senior Elsie." Even while angry, she had left behind all of her findings.
I gave the Great Witch a wry smile as she looked on with a slightly puzzled expression.
"……In that case, would you like to go for a stroll with me?"
The Great Witch looked stunned for a moment, then—
"Hmph. That’s a terribly outdated pick-up line… but fine. I’ll let it slide this once."
She chuckled as she gave her answer.
It seemed she had taken the words she’d heard from the Sword Duke to heart.
She was a surprisingly sensitive woman.
The hot afternoon sun was beginning to set.
After leaving the building, I walked along with a relaxed gait. I still had a few people left to meet.
I had an appointment tonight, after all.
Also, I was worried about my juniors who had fainted.
This was a path I had walked for several years now. In particular, the "Temple," my destination, was a place I had frequented often lately, so I walked toward it without hesitation.
The only problem was the immense interest directed at me.
The Sword Duke had been shielding me until now, but the impact of the Vampire’s barrier on the Academy was profound. Even now, with every step I took, there were mountains of students watching me, looking for a chance to confess.
On the flip side, some sent me glares of jealousy.
Caught between praise and condemnation, I had already stopped caring about public opinion and decided to simply close my ears.
It was a temporary phenomenon anyway.
No matter how much I tried, insults still hurt, but I knew well enough that those weren't their true feelings.
At least in the Temple, I could escape these worries to some extent.
The Temple, where the density of Divine Power was highest, naturally possessed resistance to mana. It was especially resistant to the power of the Evil God Omeros.
Inside, I wouldn't have to worry about those looks of love and hate.
However, the sight waiting for me at the Temple made my head throb in a different way.
It was right after I arrived and went to the Princess’s sickroom.
"……And so, the child, lost in despair after losing her grandfather, came to the Academy alone. That’s why I, the representative of the Academy’s first-year class, decided to take care of this poor child!"
I immediately recognized the owner of that boastful voice.
It was Cien.
She must have suffered a great psychological shock, so I was relieved to hear her sounding so energetic already. With a wry smile, I pushed the door slightly and peered inside.
There were surprisingly many people standing there.
In addition to the Princess, there was a cold-looking beauty and a woman with silver hair and silver eyes.
It was Cien, Iris, and Senior Sienne.
Senior Sienne wore an expression so confident it almost looked foolish. I was starting to get curious about the source of that overflowing self-assurance.
"Fufu, how warm-hearted of you… Now that I look closely, she looks just like Your Highness Cien. Anyone would think you were real sisters."
As she spoke, the corners of her eyes curved into crescents, looking both cunning and yet somehow devoid of any ulterior motive.
Unlike Senior Sienne, who was tossing out such common observations, Princess Iris remained silent. She merely let her frost-like blue eyes glow with a faint light of wariness.
Was this an inappropriate time for me to intervene?
It was just as I was debating this.
A somewhat familiar voice began to exchange words with Cien.
"Ah, now that you mention it, it’s true?! Maybe we were destined to meet!"
"T-That’s right… big sister."
My head tilted at that girlish way of speaking.
I had definitely heard that voice before.
It was then that my eyes met the girl’s.
With her flowing dark blue hair and blue eyes, she truly did resemble Cien. Her eyes, slightly misty with embarrassment, were lovely enough to make any man’s heart flutter.
Except for mine.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, the girl brightened and shouted excitedly.
"Perfect timing, Ian! Come here and explain……!"
But I simply turned pale and took a step back.
Tears pricked my eyes as I realized the girl’s identity.
"E-Elder… surely not."
Did he cross the river of no return in the meantime?
The girl looked puzzled by my reaction for a moment, tilting her head, but then her face turned beet red as she screamed.
"……I told you, it’s not like that!"
It was ironic how even that shrill voice sounded so much like a young girl’s.