"Pftt... Kh."

Aoife held onto her mouth, trying her best to not laugh. She wasn't doing a very good job at it.

"Weren't you drunk?"

"...I was until I puked it all out."

"Oh."

That's a thing? I wasn't too sure since I never really got drunk to the point of puking in my last life.

"My head hurts, though."

Walking up to the common room desk she retrieved several pills and shoved them down her mouth.

"This also helps."

"Right..."

I shifted my gaze away from her and onto the floor where a young girl lay, her eyes blank while she stared at the ceiling.

Gaze: Betrayal always comes from those you trust the most.

Right, yeah. There was that... I took my gaze away from her. It wasn't really her fault since I could pretty much guess what had happened, but seeing the looks everyone was giving me, I decided to hold onto giving her the rewards for now.

These damn...

"Hm?"

It was right in the midst of my thoughts that I noticed something.

'Where is Delilah? I could've sworn that she was just here a few moments ago.'

Frowning, I looked around the common room but she was nowhere in sight. When I turned to Leon, he just shook his head at me.

'Don't ask me.'

'What? I didn't even...'

Hold on.

I paused, taking a step back.

'Has our eye communication transcended to a new level again?'

To be able to guess my thoughts like that...

"What? Why are you making that face, Leon? Are you also drunk? Here, take some pills."

Closing my eyes, I decided to ignore what was happening around me. For my mental health, this was for the best.

'Since she left, I'll just head back to my room.'

While I was curious why she decided to come with me and suddenly leave, I didn't dwell on the situation for too long. Perhaps she had something urgent come up. Feeling tired, I went up the stairs and arrived before my room.

Click!

"Huam."

As I let out a small yawn, the trace of a silhouette appeared by the end of the room. "Ha."

Why didn't I think about it before?

I paused mid-step, noticing Delilah seated on my chair with her back to me. Shaking my head,

I slipped off my blazer and hung it on the side.

"So you were here. No wonder I couldn't find you."

Strangely, she didn't respond. Usually, she would respond immediately.

What exactly was she so absorbed with that she didn't even notice me? I tried to call out for her again.

"Delilah?"

"Uht."

Her shoulders trembled as a weird sound came out of her mouth.

Uht...?

I looked at Delilah. She seemed as expressionless as ever, but... what exactly was that sound?

I squinted my eyes.

"Delilah."

"...Yes?"

"Can you look at me?"

"I am."

Her head slowly turned to face my direction. There didn't seem to be any difference in her. So,

I slowly relaxed and continued.

"Right, you said that you wanted to-"

"Uht."

Her shoulders trembled once more, and her head flicked away. I paused before opening my

mouth again.

"So... As I was-"

"Uht."

"..saying..."

"Uahut."

Uahut?

"If you want to laugh, just laugh."

"No, it's fine."

Smacking her face with both hands, Delilah let out whatever she was holding back before returning to her usual expressionless self. I sat down next to her.

"It's about Theresa, isn't it?"

Her head flicked away from me again.

Right, that was all I needed to know. She had indeed seen the entire thing. Still, I was surprised. I didn't think Delilah was capable of laughing. It felt rather fresh.

"Okay. I'm good."

Delilah reached out for her chocolate and took a bite. Then, she handed me one.

"Want one?"

"....Fine."

I reached out to grab a cube when Delilah suddenly paused. Then, with her eyes squinting, she moved the bar back. Her action left me surprised.

Wasn't she...?

"Eh?"

"Before that."

Delilah's entire demenour changed, suddenly feeling rather intimidating. My mouth grew dry

at the sight of her. What happened? Why is she acting like this?

Before I could figure out her thoughts, she extended her hand forward and coldly spoke,

"Give it back."

Give it back...? What-

"Give me back what you stole from me?"

"Ah?"

***

It was late into the night when Delilah returned.

The gentle 'click' of a heel resounded as she appeared in her office. Her hands pressed against

her stomach, and she held onto several wrappers. Within the wrappers were single cubes of

chocolate.

With a satisfied look, Delilah dropped the wrappers on her desk.

Yes, this is how it should be.

Delilah nodded in satisfaction.

It was a bit of a struggle to collect them all back but they were finally back to her. Although

she had indeed left them for Julien back then, she had run out of them.

As a result, they automatically became hers again.

Delilah didn't waste a second and reached out for one cube and immediately plopped it in her

mouth.

"...."

Her eyes squinted in delight.

The soft and chewy texture. The warm and...

"Oh."

Opening her eyes, she recalled something. Heading for her desk, she sat down and opened up

her drawer where she took out a familiar-looking diary.

Flipping it open, she dabbed her fountain pen and started writing on it.

Scribble~

A flicker of satisfaction crossed her features as the pen glided across the paper.

"Done."

By the time she was done, she happily nodded.

The book was becoming more and more complete.

[⚫ He likes feeding me.]

***

The next few days passed by in a breeze.

With everything held on pause, nothing eventful occurred and everyone was able to have a

few days of rest.

Early in the morning.

To Tok-

I woke up to the sudden sound of someone knocking on the door. Checking the time, I

groaned. The days of the festivities were over. Today was the day when the Confessional Hearing would be held.

With it having been delayed for a few days already, the major members of the churches were no longer present. According to the announcement, it was going to be done by the Priests in charge.

I didn't particularly care so it didn't affect me much. The same couldn't be said for those who

were extremely religious.

To Tok-

Ignoring the knock, I sat up and headed to the bathroom to wash my face.

Feeling the cold water trace down my face, my mind refreshed. Pushing my hair back, I

glanced at my ring and closed my fist.

"The mana consumption is nothing to joke about.'

In order to keep Julien sealed into the ring, I needed to constantly inject mana into the ring.

The moment that I ran out of mana was the moment where the effect would die down and he

would take over once more.

This was also why this wasn't a permanent solution but just a temporary one.

I needed to be on the constant lookout for my mana.

To Tok-

I still ignored the knocking and started to get changed.

"Get out."

A muffled voice reached me from the other side of the door.

It was Leon.

"Hurry up."

I continued to take my sweet time.

Yes, I was doing this on purpose. "....Fucker."

I slowed down further.

Buttoning my shirt from the bottom up, I went over them once more, fastening each one from

top to bottom. Yes, it was all about the order. I couldn't mess up the order.

"Hurry."

Bending down, I laced up my shoes.

I tried a couple of knots until I got the one that I was satisfied with.

"I will throw you out of the-"

Clank!

Only then did I open the door. Greeting me was Leon whose face was cold and indifferent.

"Morning."

I walked past him and made my way down the stairs.

'It's good to have a knight.'

With what had happened recently, Leon was forced to stay next to me when accompanying

me. Since it was his job, this wasn't something he could disagree with.

I took full advantage of the situation and had him accompany me all the way to where the

members of the Church of Oracleus were gathered.

"....We're finally here."

The best part of it all was the fact that Leon didn't even belong to this church.

He had to go back to his own place which was on the other side of the Academy. Feeling his

glare, I lowered my head and thanked him.

"You may go."

"What a great morning."

I stretched my back and turned my attention toward the grand building that loomed in front

of me. While it wasn't supposed to be a church, from the outside it looked like a grand

cathedral made out of dark stone.

The Milton Hall.

Looking around, I made my way into the building.

"Welcome."

A few priests greeted me at the building's entrance, their familiar robes flowing as the scent

of incense lingered in the air.

Behind them was a long hall with wooden doors by each side.

'Is that where the hearing will be?'

As far as I was aware, the hearing was a one-on-one meeting with one of the priests of the

church.

I greeted the two priests at the entrance and handed over my student ID which they took a quick look at.

Their expressions flashed for a brief moment before they pointed toward a certain room.

"Over there."

"....Thank you."

While I did notice the peculiar looks on their faces, I didn't think much of it. After all, I was

quite famous after what had happened at the Summit.

"This one?"

Arriving by the door that they had pointed at, I looked around to make sure it was the right

one before reaching out for the knob and turning it.

Clank!

I was met with the sight of a dimly lit room, about a quarter the size of mine, sparsely decorated and filled with the intense scent of incense. As the candles flickered on the side, my attention fell on the aged figure that sat in the middle of the room.

He was garbed in a strange white cassock, and his presence felt strange.

It was...

"...What?"

I looked down at my hands, noticing the faint tremble in them. My expression changed but by

the time I realized that something was wrong, the door smacked close.

Clank!

My body froze on the spot and the figure turned his head, displaying his murky white eye.

"I knew I wasn't wrong."

His voice spread across the room, gently tickling my ears. As his head turned, a tear traced

down his cheek.

Drip!

Extending his hands in my direction, his voice shook.

"I knew I'd see you... My g-god."