Chapter 85: The Lord is With Us (6)
Chapter 85: The Lord is With Us (6)
The Academy is vast.
It was so large that even students who stayed there year-round couldn't truly grasp its scale.
Most freshmen, in their attempt to learn the geography, only managed to memorize the areas around the Academic Buildings they frequented. Students who knew the rest of the grounds were rare.
By their second year, students usually began to discover the Academy's secret spots. This was either through word of mouth from seniors or because particularly inquisitive students spent their time poking into every nook and cranny.
It was around this time that groups of friends began to develop their own shared "movement paths."
By the third year, students would unhesitatingly duck into shortcuts and the narrow alleyways between buildings. This was the stage where one finally mastered the Academy's layout.
Since fourth-year students spent more time on internship dispatches than they did on campus, the third-years were effectively the ones who knew the Academy's geography best.
Reto and I were third-years. While we hadn't been particularly aggressive in exploring the grounds, we still knew our way around several secluded spots—like the "Alleyways" that branched out like a spiderweb.
The heart of the Academy was packed with all sorts of buildings. Consequently, there were inevitably sections where the gaps between structures were exceptionally narrow. These places were dubbed the "Alleyways" because of how much they resembled backstreets.
Rumor had it that a club of eccentrics had hidden the entrance to their clubroom somewhere in there, but I didn't find that particularly interesting.
Reto and I used the Alleyways for only one reason.
Because they were secluded and dim, they were the perfect place to have conversations we didn't want others to overhear.
Today was no different. Leaning against the wall of a damp, pungent alleyway, I stared at Reto in silence.
He was also scrutinizing me, looking me over from head to toe. Soon, he nodded, his expression one of satisfaction.
"Good. You're the Ian I know."
At those words, I let out a dry, hollow laugh and shook my head.
"Who else would I be if not Ian?"
"There was someone else, though."
It was a cryptic answer. My mouth snapped shut again. I stared at Reto blankly, silently asking what he meant.
He didn't beat around the bush. Shrugging his shoulders, he stated his conclusion flatly.
"First off, you said you lost your memory, right?"
"Yeah, I did."
"That was definitely a possession."
Silence. I had no suitable answer to give.
Inwardly, I had hoped for a twist—perhaps a split personality—but based on Reto's words, that didn't seem to be the case. When he spoke with such certainty, it meant he had the evidence to back it up.
To begin with, that 'other me' had used secret techniques I had never even learned. The possibility of it being another personality was nothing more than a product of an overactive imagination.
I gazed at Reto, demanding a more detailed explanation. He clicked his tongue as if telling me not to be too discouraged and added more.
"To be more precise, it's your future soul temporarily possessing you."
"…Is that even possible?"
"It shouldn't be impossible, considering letters are flying in from the future."
However, his voice dropped into a serious register, signaling that wasn't the end of it.
"Of course, it's not a simple story. Now, listen."
And so, Reto's story began.
It happened a few days ago, when he ran into 'that guy.'
*
Reto was drinking a beverage that day as well. It was a tea known for clearing the mind, something Magic Department students usually drank at least once a day.
They had to; otherwise, they couldn't endure the workload.
Magic Department students suffered from migraines caused by sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue. If they didn't force their brains into a state of alertness, they couldn't even keep up with the daily amount of study required.
It was then that a man caught the eye of the hollow-eyed, trudging Reto.
Black hair and golden eyes. He looked like a refined young master, but rumors were rife that he turned into a beast the moment he picked up a hand axe.
It was his close friend, Ian Percus.
Reto immediately raised a hand and greeted him.
"Whoa, look who it is! If it isn't the winner of the Hunting Festival, Sir Ian Percus. How's the preparation for the final exam substitute practical going—"
But in that moment, Reto fell silent as he met those golden eyes.
They were eyes filled with a terrible, crushing exhaustion. They were eyes that bled a sorrow so profound that even death would have been welcomed as a form of solace.
Reto's face immediately hardened. It was a look he had seen somewhere before.
"…Yeah. Hello, Reto."
Only after hearing that dry, parched voice was Reto certain.
It's that guy from last time.
He had been unsure back then, but after hearing Ian's testimony about losing his memory, he knew now. At the very least, he knew the man wasn't in a normal state.
Reto hesitated for a moment.
Should he just ignore him? If it was a possession, there was no telling what the soul occupying Ian's body might do. Provoking him unnecessarily was a poor move.
But leaving him be was equally risky, as there was no telling what this 'Ian' might do next. Hadn't he already committed the eccentricity of beating that Yurdina brat to a pulp?
Several possibilities flashed through Reto's brilliant mind like sparks. His choice was as follows:
"Right, Ian. By the way, did you hear about that?"
"…About what?"
His weary gaze turned toward Reto. Reto merely wore his usual inscrutable smile.
"What, you still haven't heard? Tsk, you're always so slow with information. Come with me for a second."
"No, I'm not particularly interested—"
Regardless of what the man said, Reto dragged him along. After a brief moment of resistance, the man sighed as if he had no choice and followed obediently.
They arrived at the Alleyways. There, Reto asked the man:
"…Who are you?"
The man's golden eyes stared at Reto. No emotion could be read in them. This was the best Reto could do.
If he caused a scene in a public place, the possessing soul might think its identity had been compromised and take extreme measures. But now, it was just Reto and the man, alone.
Even if Reto discovered his identity, they could negotiate to keep it hidden. Of course, there was still a chance he might turn violent, but the probability was low.
During the past week when Ian had lost his memory, this 'Ian' had managed to navigate daily life reasonably well. That meant he was in a state where reason preceded instinct.
And if it was a vessel he had put so much effort into possessing, he wouldn't want to give it up just because one person found him out.
Of course, this was all mere deduction. It was why Reto's hands were trembling. His palms were already soaked with cold sweat.
If things took a turn for the worse, he needed to subdue him immediately. Reto thought of the scroll tucked in his robes, prepared for just such an emergency.
It was an item that cost hundreds of gold per sheet, but he figured he just had to accept the misfortune of having a troublesome friend.
Reto watched the man with a tense face for a long time.
Finally, a sigh escaped the man's lips.
"…It's me, Ian Percus."
"Don't give me that bullshit."
Reto's voice in response was ice-cold. His green eyes were sunken deep with hostility.
"Ian doesn't walk with such a stable posture; he's lighter on his feet… and he's a guy who's so interested in rumors he'd practically interrogate me for details. But when I asked if you'd heard, you didn't show a shred of interest?"
The man remained silent. Despite being under Reto's sharp gaze, his demeanor remained calm.
He let out a second sigh.
"But it's the truth. I am Ian Percus. Though I might not be the Ian you know."
It was a clue. And in reality, it was no different from a confession.
Saying he wasn't the 'Ian' Reto knew implied he was a different entity from the Ian Reto had been friends with.
Reto's eyes grew even sharper.
"…What kind of dogshit is that? I didn't come here to investigate Academy ghost stories."
"If you're that suspicious, go ahead and verify it."
The man's voice was flat. His attitude was entirely unhesitating. Reto narrowed his eyes slightly and immediately began the verification process.
"What age was Celine when she last wet the bed?"
"Twelve. Though Celine would swear up and down she never did."
"The reason I broke up with Eriel in our second year."
"You got caught cheating with her older sister at a pub. Eriel was so embarrassed she kept it from becoming a rumor."
"Then how much money did I blow at the gambling den as a freshman?"
"200 gold? You said you lost two years' worth of allowance, so it should be around that much."
Tsk. Reto had no choice but to grimace.
Based on the answers alone, it was definitely Ian. These were memories shared between inseparable friends. There was no way they could have leaked to an outsider.
As confusion clouded Reto's eyes, the man spoke again.
"I told you, I'm Ian Percus. Just from a bit further away…"
"…Are you from the future, by any chance?"
It was a question he threw out on a whim. However, the man couldn't answer. He simply stared at Reto in silence.
Reto felt it instinctively.
He really is from the future. Goosebumps erupted across his skin.
If he had heard this a while ago, he would have dismissed it as nonsense. But there was the 'letter' Ian had mentioned before, and the current situation.
If the future Ian had possessed his past self, it wasn't impossible. As a mage, it was like stumbling upon an incredible miracle. The mere fact that such a thing was possible gave Reto a research topic he could devote his entire life to.
Reto's breathing grew ragged. He couldn't speak for a while. Then, after a moment.
Standing before the embodiment of that great miracle, Reto opened his mouth with a pounding heart.
A trembling voice escaped his lips, and then—
"…Hey, you bastard! Even if you're from the future, you still stole my friend's body!"
It quickly turned into a shout filled with intense fury.
Unable to contain himself, the agitated Reto finally swung his fist.