Ariel and Sera were taken somewhere to receive immediate emergency treatment. There were skilled priests and clerics among the academy’s faculty.

 

They would likely receive appropriate treatment.

 

I approached the monster’s corpse to retrieve the fragment.

 

Its huge body and high concentration of magical energy – no matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t an opponent who would be defeated so easily.

 

Even Albert, at full strength, would have had difficulty securing victory against the monster.

 

It was probably as strong as Sword Saint Freya.

 

‘Ariel surpassed the Sword Saint?’

 

No matter how strong starlight was, it didn’t make sense how he, who was weaker than the chief knight, grew in an instant.

 

Freya was a woman who cut off Iria’s arm with just a single sword. Is Ariel now stronger than that woman?

 

It was hard to believe, even after seeing it with my own eyes, witnessing such rapid growth from a student’s level to humanity’s strongest.

 

But that wasn’t it. As Iria approached the monster’s corpse, the questions in her mind gradually resolved.

 

When she got close enough, the residual starlight on the monster’s body attacked her. Of course, it hurt.

 

Platinum starlight.

 

The hero’s starlight exists to kill the Demon King.

 

Starlight is poisonous to beings with even a fraction of the Demon King’s power.

 

Ariel wasn’t stronger than Freya, but when facing a Seed of the Demon King, it was a different story.

 

‘He will become my natural enemy in the future.’

 

“… I’ll wait for you at the end.”

 

Iria collected the last fragment from the academy before leaving.

 

***

 

After some time passed, the barrier covering the academy completely disappeared.

 

As the barrier vanished, reinforcements from the knights arrived at the academy, but they were too late.

 

By the time they arrived, everything had already been resolved.

 

Many people died or were injured in this incident, including both students and professors.

 

Given that it was an unprecedented crisis with several Seeds appearing at once, the consensus was that they were lucky it only ended like this.

 

Considering the presence of several Seeds and the remnants of the Demon King’s Army, it was amazing they weren’t completely annihilated.

 

While there were many injured, there were a lot fewer deaths than expected.

 

It’s unknown what factors led to such a result.

 

In any case, after the incident, Sertia received the most criticism.

 

The number of people calling out her incompetence in protecting the academy and Empire increased.

 

Even though there were fewer deaths compared to the scale of the incident, the dead wouldn’t come back.

 

Sertia, who was in the highest position, was also the easiest target for criticism.

 

Some raised their voices, saying her abilities were no longer what they used to be. Though she had protected the Empire for a long time, they said it was time for her to step down from the position of headmaster.

 

Sertia mostly accepted the criticism directed at her in official settings.

 

And,

 

She gave up her position as the academy’s headmaster.

 

***

 

During the three hours of chaos when she was incapacitated due to her poor physical condition, many people were injured or died.

 

 

Sertia felt immense guilt about this fact, almost too great to imagine.

 

It was because of her incompetence that she couldn’t protect people.

 

Now, her body couldn’t even repair the damaged barrier. A body that just uselessly rotted away, unable to do a thing.

 

Sertia used the wealth she had accumulated to compensate the bereaved families.

 

Money couldn’t heal the hearts of their families, but it was the least she could do.

 

If she didn’t do at least this much, she felt like she would crumble.

 

Both of Sertia’s eyes were dyed red. She had become something that couldn’t even be called human.

 

A monster that was neither human nor anything else.

 

“Elion……”

 

Standing at the edge of a cliff, she utters the name of her old comrade.

 

It was to ask him what to do in times like this, he who had always walked the right path.

 

But unlike the past, he no longer exists in this world.

 

Is it time for her to die too?

 

After all her comrades died and she was left alone, her life had become nothing but pain.

 

Death no longer scared her.

 

“…Still, I’m a little afraid of being forgotten.”

 

Maybe she should have died together with her comrades.

 

Then, the names of the three would have been remembered as legends.

 

And with this incident, Sertia has tarnished the name of the first hero’s party.

 

As an incompetent woman who did nothing while her students were dying.

 

“Kek!”

 

Sertia suddenly coughed up black blood from the intense pain that came over her.

 

Pain caused by the Demon King’s curse, binding her body.

 

Now, there really isn’t much time left—at most two weeks. The exact amount of time was probably even shorter.

 

She wiped the blood from her mouth as she looked at the view from the high place.

 

Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to fall and die here now.

 

Sertia unconsciously started to step beyond the cliff but stopped.

 

There was still something she needed to do before her time came.

 

She still hadn’t apologized to that child.

 

Sertia turned her steps around.

 

***

 

After the incident, the academy’s atmosphere was heavy with grief.

 

Several professors had lost their lives, and some students had lost friends or siblings.

 

Even those who hadn’t been directly affected felt the weight of it. They had just survived by sheer luck.

 

It could have been them who died that day. Those who survived were ultimately protected by someone. They were alive now because someone had made the sacrifice.

 

Although there weren’t many deaths, the number of injured was high. The academy’s infirmary was at maximum capacity, and the priests and clerics worked tirelessly, casting healing magic day and night.

 

The air was thick with gloom.

 

Despite classes resuming, there were noticeably many empty seats. Some classes were canceled due to professors’ absences.

 

As expected, things weren’t running properly, though it was anticipated.

 

Iria walked through the academy grounds, which now resembled a wasteland. The garden that used to be her favorite path had been reduced to ashes.

 

Still, many hands were working to restore what was destroyed. Nuns and priests purified the lingering magical energy, while professors used their magic to rebuild collapsed structures.

 

Iria sat on a bench, watching the scene.

 

“This way! Everyone, please come this way!”

 

A girl with silver hair was directing the priests.

 

It wasn’t Iria. There was another woman with the same silver hair as her.

 

Natural silver hair.

 

Seeing someone with the same hair color as herself, Iria’s gaze instinctively shifted toward her.

 

Generally, a person’s hair color reflects the color of the mana they manifest.

 

That’s why black or silver hair was rare. Mana doesn’t usually manifest in black or white.

 

But what about humans without mana?

 

A minority of humans manifest holy power from birth.

 

Priests and holy women are such people.

 

There was a rumor that silver hair sometimes appeared among holy magic users.

 

‘Is that the rumored saintess?’

 

The news that the Empire’s church had revealed this generation’s saintess was widespread.

 

It was so famous that even Iria, who usually ignored rumors, had heard about it. For days, all sorts of newspapers covered this story.

 

In any case, the saintess’ power was incredible.

 

With just a few waves of her hand, she purified all the lingering magical energy stuck in the garden. Golden holy power spread over the area, erasing the magical energy.

 

She restored the garden and treated the injured. That one person could accomplish so much made Iria feel her power was truly astonishing.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Iria, however, didn’t like it that much.

 

A bit of holy power splashed onto her hair as she sat on the bench.

 

Her body reflexively reacted with rejection. Ultimately, Iria had no choice but to leave as if fleeing.

 

Disgusting holy magic users.

 

She wished they would step in dog poop on their way out.

 

Rushing out of the garden as if escaping, Iria wasn’t looking where she was going, so she bumped into someone.

 

It wasn’t a hard collision, instead producing a soft, cute “pak” sound.

 

It was the sound of Iria falling backward.

 

“……”

 

A blue-haired man reached out his hand to her. He seemed intent on helping her up.

 

But Iria didn’t take it.

 

Because the man offering his hand was Albert.

 

She had no particular desire to accept.  She had too many emotionally charged incidents with him.

 

Ultimately, Iria got up on her own and dusted off her clothes.

 

Albert was severely injured, but unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be life-threatening.

 

Normally, he should be lying in the infirmary, but due to the lack of beds, he gave up his place to others.

 

As a professor, no matter how hurt he was, he still prioritized his students’ well-being over his own.

 

Albert asked in a low voice.

 

“Have you calmed down a bit?”

 

“……”

 

How can he be so composed in front of the perpetrator?

 

Is it because there are so many eyes watching?

 

It doesn’t matter either way.

 

She didn’t particularly want to get involved with him.

 

Iria turned to leave, but Albert lightly grasped her sleeve.

 

Iria shot him a sharp look.

 

“Let go.”

 

“Can you spare a moment?”

 

“Why?”

 

“I want to have the conversation we couldn’t finish that day.”

 

“Do you want to die?”

 

“If you still feel the same after hearing me out, you can do as you please.”

 

“……”

 

He was more troublesome than she had expected.

 

Yet, she was curious.

 

She wondered why he didn’t show hostility despite knowing everything, and what his reaction that day meant.

 

That day when the rain was pouring so hard it soaked their hair.

 

‘Should I listen?’

 

She couldn’t spare much time, but he had bet his life on this one conversation.

 

He said with his own mouth that if she still felt the same after hearing his story, she could kill him.

 

“Fine, let’s go somewhere private.”