Tool
Emilla sat alone on the infirmary bed, staring blankly into space, her shoulders trembling faintly.
Yeon Bennet—now her master—had already left the room.
Yet the lingering presence she had left behind, and the crushing weight of the life Emilla had glimpsed through the Records, still pressed down upon her.
I’m sorry for living a life like that…?
If she had never seen Yeon’s life with her own eyes in the Akashic Records, Emilla would have been certain the girl was mocking her or putting her in her place.
But that pure, flustered look in Yeon’s eyes, the way she had spoken as if she were truly sorry…
And knowing the personality Emilla had witnessed in the Records…
She could tell Yeon had never meant those words with any malice.
If anything, the way Yeon had failed to grasp the situation and apologized simply for having her pain seen…
It only made Emilla’s chest ache all the more.
Just a short while ago, Emilla had finally stopped crying and offered Yeon a sincere apology.
Yet as she listened to that desperate plea, Yeon had merely let out a deep sigh and told her it was fine.
“No, Professor. I practically deceived you. If anyone’s at fault, it’s me.”
Spoken so casually, as if she were talking about someone else entirely.
Not a trace of resentment or anger toward Emilla could be felt.
“But… the suffering you endured, Miss…!”
When Emilla faltered, unable to finish, her face twisted in pain, Yeon gently cut her off and said once more that it was all right.
“I’m really fine, Professor. It doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve always been… not very good at feeling pain, you know.”
Yeon Bennet’s offhand words and faint smile refused to leave Emilla’s mind.
She must have lived so long amid unimaginable agony that she had finally grown numb even to her own suffering.
Emilla felt a sharp ache in her chest as the thought settled.
Having glimpsed that life through the Records, she felt she could finally begin to understand Yeon’s strange personality and behavior, if only a little.
A girl who had shouldered every malice and misunderstanding the world could throw at her, yet had never once grasped any of the recognition or reward she so clearly deserved.
As a result, her self-worth had sunk past rock bottom into something that barely existed at all.
That was why she could forgive those who insulted and wounded her without a second thought—and even sacrifice herself for their sake.
Because she saw herself as worthless, she accepted others’ malice as only natural and never spared a thought for her own well-being.
Emilla recalled the early portions of the Records.
At first, Yeon too had felt the same sorrow, rage, and resentment anyone would under cold stares and insults.
But the further the records went, the less of those human emotions remained.
It was as if feeling itself had been worn away; Emilla could sense nothing at all.
It had been the same when Emilla herself had beaten and humiliated her.
She had felt no resentment or anger from Yeon whatsoever.
Something was wrong.
No matter how harsh a life one lived, how could a human being change this much?
It was as if some invisible force were guiding her to act this way…
Suddenly, the words Isaac Bennet had screamed at Yeon in a voice thick with madness rose in her mind.
A tool of the Transcendents.
The phrase cut through Emilla’s thoughts with a chilling premonition.
What if—what if those words were true?
What had the Transcendents done to her?
Had they worn away her emotions, rendered her numb to pain, and turned her into a tool that existed only to sacrifice?
Then… had Lady Dorothy known all of it and simply watched?
Her thoughts tangled into a knot.
The truth still lay hidden behind a veil of fog.
…For now, my new master’s orders come first.
Emilla forced the tangled thoughts aside.
This was no time to drown in such worries.
She had a new lord now, and that lord’s commands had to be carried out.
She placed her hand on the small crystal orb resting on the desk and began to focus her mana.
A faint light rose as the orb floated into the air; names flickered across its surface, appearing and vanishing in turn.
She carefully selected several of them—all witches of exceptional skill among the clan, ones who would share her purpose.
“…I have a message for all of you.”
After finally calming the weeping Emilla, the place I arrived at was the Academy’s headmaster’s office.
A space steeped in countless memories with my master.
A place where I had been scolded for pranks, comforted, and sometimes held serious conversations…
Her warmth had always lingered here.
But now, seated before the massive desk where my master had always sat reviewing documents, was a stranger.
Dazzling golden hair, beauty so perfect it barely seemed human, and a grotesque pair of wings with one side torn away as if ripped off.
The new headmaster of the Academy, guardian of Tera, former Celestial God—Elaha.
It felt uncomfortable. Awkward.
The very fact that such a being now occupied my master’s empty seat sat poorly with me.
But what choice did I have?
She was the master of this Academy now, and I was merely one student among many.
So when her summons came after my conversation with Emilla, I couldn’t dare refuse.
“This is the first time we’ve met alone like this, Yeon Bennet.”
Elaha spoke first.
“…Yes, Headmaster.”
I answered as politely as I could.
There was nothing to gain by ruffling her feathers.
“Please, speak freely, Headmaster. I’m just an ordinary Academy student, after all.”
At my words, Elaha tilted her head slightly and stared at me.
Those blue eyes were deep and sharp, as if trying to pierce straight through me.
With an expression that seemed half-doubtful, half-probing, she said,
“Oh, I could never do that. You are the one who has sealed the Evil God’s power in your own body in our place and is saving humanity. How could I possibly treat you casually?”
Her voice was soft, but the meaning within it was anything but light.
“Ah… yes…”
I could only mumble awkwardly.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
…So she knew after all.
“First of all, thank you for protecting me from the Rapellasia family, Headmaster.”
Expressing gratitude seemed the best move in the present situation.
Elaha smiled faintly at my words.
“In my heart I wanted to keep them from laying so much as a fingertip on you… but I imagine you actually wish to go to the Rapellasia family, don’t you? It seemed you had business to settle there.”
…She knows even that?
My real reason for wanting to go to Rapellasia.
To heal Elise’s younger sibling and prevent the family’s destruction.
How much did she know?
A chill ran down my spine.
As if savoring the change in my expression, Elaha added leisurely,
“You’ve always been that sort of person, after all.”
“…….”
Always that sort of person? Has she been watching me from somewhere?
“In any case, the reason I called you here is nothing complicated.”
Elaha got to the point.
“I simply wished to let you know that while you remain at the Academy, if there is ever anything you need help with, you may come to me freely. Within the range of what I can do, I will support you as much as possible.”
Her offer was unexpected.
I was a little flustered, but offering thanks first was the proper order of things.
“…Thank you, Headmaster. Just hearing that is a great comfort.”
Ugh… honestly, I’d rather she just lost interest in me.
That was what I was really thinking.
In the game, her ultimate goal had been merciless revenge against the System Administrator who had sealed her and the other Transcendents who had stood by and let it happen.
No matter how many humans died in the process, she never so much as blinked—a cold, ruthless being.
And that same being was showing me goodwill?
She definitely had some other scheme.
What the hell are the other Transcendents even doing? Someone who burns with hatred for them is sitting pretty as Academy headmaster, and they’re just… doing nothing? What are they thinking? Sigh.
While I was turning these thoughts over, Elaha suddenly fixed me with an intense stare.
It was a powerful, persistent gaze, as if she meant to look straight into my core.
I tensed without meaning to.
Without answering any unspoken question, Elaha slowly lifted the teacup from the desk.
With elegant movements she took a sip of the fragrant tea.
The picture she made was composed and lofty, and yet…
…Huh?
Had I imagined it?
For the briefest instant, the fingertips holding the cup seemed to tremble ever so slightly.
But the next moment she set the cup down with an expression that said nothing was wrong.
Must have been my imagination.
“You may leave now, Yeon Bennet.”
At her words I asked nothing further, gave a light bow, and left the headmaster’s office.
The moment the door closed behind me, the tension drained away and a deep sigh escaped.
…What the hell was that just now?
Thud—
The moment Yeon Bennet left the headmaster’s office and the door shut, deep silence settled over the room once more.
Left alone, Elaha stared down at the teacup for a long while without moving.
Then, a moment later, her shoulders began to tremble—ever so faintly at first.
The tremor grew until her entire body was shaking uncontrollably.
The composed, arrogant front she had shown Yeon Bennet only moments before was nowhere to be found.
Now her face was etched with raw terror and unease.
“…It should have… taken only one finger.”
Elaha muttered in a trembling voice.
It was less a statement of certainty than an anxious whisper meant to soothe herself.
That weak, pathetic creature who had stood before her eyes just now.
Yes—if it were the girl as she was at present, even a tiny fraction of Elaha’s power should have been enough to erase her like dust in an instant.
And yet… and yet her body simply would not move.
A terror so complete she could not so much as twitch a finger had bound her will.
Because she knew all too well what that monster was capable of.
She must not be deceived.
Even this current appearance might be nothing more than one stage of a process.
The risk of touching her directly was far too great.
She needed a safer, more certain method.