Doggone Academy

When he denied being the valedictorian, Cecils eyes widened with curiosity.

Ive got a question.

What is it?

Why are you turning down the position of valedictorian? Everyone else is killing themselves to secure that spot, pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into it, but the person who actually came in first is kicking the opportunity aside to do something else.

Did you come to the entrance ceremony just to spectate?

He nodded.

Cecil crossed her arms and thought for a moment.

I dont like that. Even if its none of my business Did you know that Eternia gives a ring to the valedictorians of each department every year? Just owning that ring can make life easier anywhere you go. Dont you want it?

Fine. Youre aware that the Lady of Ganax from the Duchy of Ulyssia is attending here, right? Though she hasnt declared it openly, its rumored shes here looking for a suitable son-in-law for her family. The Ganax family has been suffering from a hereditary disease for generations, so they urgently need robust offspring.

He tilted his head slightly as if he didnt quite understand Cecils motives.

The boys are all dressed up, puffing their chests out trying to catch the ladys eye.

He showed little interest in Cecils words. Talk of ladies and princes felt like a story from a different world to him.

Doesnt that stir up any ambition in you? Think of the incredible benefits youd get if you represented the new students on stage. Even the most illustrious nobles dont get opportunities like this. Youd make a mark not just in the Duchy but in the Empire as well. With a little persuasion, you could even score substantial sponsorship.

Sounds great.

Whats your reason for joining Eternia? Is it not to gain respect, earn money, and live well?

To a question any Eternia student would agree with, he did not affirm.

Im content with what I have now.

It was hard to fathom his inner thoughts. Even though it must have been painful for the valedictorian title to go to someone else, he showed no regret.

Cecil gazed intensely into his eyes.

He did not radiate the air of someone whod given up on everything, nor was he cynical. It was more like he was already filled to the brim with some crusted burden inside, blocking any rise of ambition or desire for recognition.

This intrigued Cecil greatly. However, right now, she had no way to uncover what that burden was.

Well, just to make sure you didnt leave a fiance or something back home in your distant hometown, did you?

No.

Cecil scrutinized his reaction and then spoke with a faint smile on her lips.

Then thats all I need to know. The entrance ceremony will start soon.

Cecil hesitated as if reluctant to leave, but he firmly spoke up.

Go on. The valedictorian of the magic department shouldnt be caught loitering in strange places.

Hmph, all right. Ill go.

Without another farewell, Cecil turned sharply to leave. A few steps away, something else came to mind, and she turned back to add,

Well see each other around school, right?

Yeah. Occasionally.

She imagined the ridiculous sight of him attending classes alone in his mask, yet somehow she felt that such a thing was unlikely to happen.

There were many things she wanted to know, but it was clear she wouldnt get the answers from him.

Alright, I wont pester you anymore.

***

She didnt even realize that she had dropped the handkerchief.

It wasnt an illusion. He really was there.

He had never given her a proper conversation.

Yet, unlike with her, where he had been cold from start to finish, the two of them were chatting like old friends. The sight seemed to stab her heart with an awl.

The feeling of being wronged by that man was so strong it quickly turned into an indescribable sorrow. It was an agony she had never experienced in her life.

Lilith realized there was nothing she could do. She had no power to approach him casually as if nothing was wrong or to push away the foxy Cecil.

Just as Cecil said, Lilith had only been an asset without the capacity to truly help him.

She cursed the past that had made her the person she was now, all the impulse-driven moments. She found her incompetent, burdensome self utterly loathsome.

Lilith stood still, continuing to wipe away her flowing tears.

Im useless.

***

Matthias belatedly set out to find Lilith.

He was in turmoil. It was the first time he had ever seen Lilith cry so desperately. He thought he had at least secured the status of a friend, yet she had not confided her innermost feelings to him. And yet, upon mentioning the masked man, she dashed off like an arrow, which stung Matthias pride.

He couldnt understand why she was so intent on finding the eccentric with the mask. When Lilith had asked him to locate the masked man, it had been irritating. It was highly unusual for Lilith to chase after a man with such zeal and passion.

While feeling distanced from Matthias, she poured all her attentiveness into that man, which felt like an affront.

He could finally relax, knowing that Lilith did not know the masked mans name or face. Thus, he felt assured that her feelings were not born of romantic affection.

It seemed impossible for her to harbor feelings for someone whose face, name, and status remained unknown, especially considering the statures of the many men, including Matthias, who pursued her.

Even as he headed to the entrance hall in search of Lilith, he held onto the belief that it had nothing to do with affection.

Matthias finally caught sight of Lilith from behind amid the crowd.

She stood alone among the people, her shoulders heaving.

Lilith, Lilith!

Despite Matthias shouting her name, she seemed too absorbed in something else to notice.

He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, but she showed no sign of acknowledgment.

On the floor lay her treasured handkerchief, now trampled by the crowd, looking like a piece of rag.

Matthias picked it up and saw Liliths face: she was anchored to one spot, crying hopelessly. Following her gaze, Matthias too looked to where she was staring.

In a distant, secluded spot was the man with the mask, and beside him was the most famous student from the magic department, Cecil Pontar, standing close to him.

The whole situation spelled out only one thing. It was then that Matthias realized it all.

All of Liliths behaviors were tied to feelings of affection. And those affections were directed at the man with the mask.

While Matthias stood by her side, Lilith continued to sob painfully, unable to take her eyes off the masked man for even an instant.

On one hand, Matthias couldnt understand it.

Why?

He couldnt comprehend how she could harbor affection for an unknown man who lacked face, name, or status. Lilith had spoken of his distinction with high regard, but in fact, he was not the valedictorian or salutatorian or even close to the next ranks.

It was clear that he had unscrupulously unsettled Liliths heart.

Whats so special about that guy anyway?

Matthias couldnt fathom why, after so much care and assistance, she preferred to be caught up in that mans shadow.

As the sense of injustice festered within Matthias, jealousy and anger towards the man grew inside him.

***

I dont have any leads. The darkness the butler mentioned is nowhere to be found.

Even with the entrance ceremony upon them, some professors remained in the conference room, engaged in urgent discussions.

Dean Dunkels brows furrowed at the spiritology professors words, brimming with helplessness.

Luna was in a comatose state. Her butler personally sought help, describing her condition, but even with a few professors efforts, the cause of Lunas torment remained elusive.

Dunkel inquired,

Are you suggesting this could be an issue with a psy-entity, not just a spirit?

Psy-entity problems couldnt be solved immediately. The talents who could sense psy-entities were extremely rare, and all of Eternias related staff were up in the north.

Given her exceptional talent with spirit binding, its a possibility. But Eternia isnt a place where psy-entities should arbitrarily come and go, so its unlikely the trouble comes from a psy-entity.

The adjunct professor from the department of alchemy said,

It could be hallucinations due to potion poisoning. Her condition is grave like a drug addicts, regardless of what shes taken. She may have a serious potion addiction.

The terrible news deeply troubled Dunkel; a bright and diligent girl, succumbing to addictive potions, was a sentiment too bitter to swallow.

Theres another particularity thats hard to write off as just potion addiction.

Dunkel pressed at his temples and asked,

And that is?

Her magical energy is depleted. Its not that she has a low capacity or poor recovery, but no matter what we do, her magic doesnt replenish.

Dunkel swallowed hard.

Such a symptom could occur when the hierarchy of a spirit contract was reversed.

Spirits manifested their power in the world using their contractors magical energy. A contractor must dominate the hierarchy to control and subdue the spirit. Rarely, a spirit might assert dominance, drawing magical energy as it pleases, regardless of the will of its contractor.

However, for a girl with such a genius for spirit magic to make this mistake was preposterous. Furthermore, to totally deplete Lunas vast magical energy would likely spark an outbreak of a spirit. Yet there had been no unusual occurrences in Eternia.

In the midst of this, urgent footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor.

The footsteps reached the conference room door, which swung open abruptly.

The person who entered was the maid tending to comatose Luna.

She gasped for air, shouting at the professors,

Luna is gone, Luna has disappeared!

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