Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Talent Will Out (3)

The grotesquely corrupted classroom returned to normal.

Even the bloodstains left by the lumps of flesh vanished without a trace.

"...Huh?"

"W-what is this?"

"It's disappearing?"

"Why? Did you think I was actually trying to hurt you? Hah. The way you panicked was quite the spectacle."

After watching the students' reactions, Instructor Dave let out a derisive snort.

"You're all far too afraid of demonic power."

Instructor Dave slowly swept his gaze across the classroom.

"Those of you who tried to run the moment you saw demonic power are third-rate. Those of you who even drew on Holy Power and tried to stand against me are second-rate."

He shook the empty flask in front of the students' eyes.

"A demon grants power to its contractor based on the price the contractor offers. And the price I just offered that demon was my fingernails. With a paltry offering like that, it can't seriously harm Holy Power users like you."

The students, having realized that this had been a sort of test, shifted awkwardly.

"You lot were this shaken just because I used a little demonic power. And you dare call yourselves clergy with the power to stand against demons?"

As Instructor Dave's gaze passed over the classroom, it suddenly stopped dead on me.

...Huh?

"Still, this is unexpected. To think there was a first-rate student here who didn't fear demonic power at all."

The other students followed the instructor's gaze, and naturally, every eye in the classroom turned toward me.

Ah, for fuck's sake.

"Everyone else in this room tensed up the moment they saw demonic power. Unlike you, who immediately grasped that the price for using the power was merely fingernails and remained calmly seated at your desk."

Damn it, I hated getting noticed by that instructor more than anyone else.

As someone who had spent many years as an instructor at Necropia, Instructor Dave was highly likely to realize I was Aron Bayonel just from the way I carried myself.

If I knew too much about demons... he might start suspecting that I was actually a Black Mage.

There was no need to attract his attention on purpose.

"What is your name?"

"......"

I kept my stiff, frozen expression exactly as it was.

"Hey, student?"

"Fuuuhaaa......"

I deliberately let out a long breath and rubbed the back of my neck.

"...Were you just too startled to move?"

"Ah... my apologies."

A few of the students in the classroom snickered.

For fuck's sake, even acting was work.

"Right... well......"

"Haah... forget it. Perhaps I expected too much."

Yeah, and that has nothing to do with me.

Seeing the interest in Instructor Dave's eyes go cold, I inwardly rejoiced.

"What a pity. I thought there might be one useful one among you."

With those last words, Instructor Dave... or rather, Dave Professor now that he had become a professor at Saengterminum, left the classroom.

***

Lunch break.

"Ughhh......"

"So that's a demon......"

"That was terrifying. Seriously."

As the freshmen who had experienced demonic power firsthand trudged outside, utterly drained, I fell into brief thought.

Who would have imagined that Instructor Dave would come to Saengterminum as a professor?

Someone of Instructor Dave's caliber being invited to Saengterminum was not strange in itself.

The issue was that in the previous timeline, he had never come to Saengterminum as a professor.

Even if he had received an invitation, he must have declined it of his own accord because he preferred remaining an instructor at Necropia.

Then what was different in this timeline?

The answer was already obvious.

'I'm different.'

I had crossed the border between Necropia and Saengterminum and hidden my identity.

After confirming the facts, the Dark Empire had judged that there was a high probability I was hiding somewhere within Saengterminum, and that was why Dave had accepted Saengterminum's invitation.

Whew, was this what they called the butterfly effect?

In that case, I needed to find out how Professor Dave intended to search for me within Saengterminum.

There was no way he had come here as a professor without setting some kind of plan in place.

"W-wait a second!"

Just as I was about to leave the classroom, Viole stepped in front of me.

Ah, I was in a hurry.

"What is it?"

When I answered curtly, she blinked in flustered confusion.

"N-no, yesterday in the Artificial Rift, you stepped in and blocked that mid-rank monster for me, right? So I wanted to thank you for that... and maybe ask if you wanted to have lunch together......"

The freshmen leaving the classroom also glanced at me and Viole, wondering what was going on.

Normally, I would have accepted, but right now it was a bit difficult.

"Later. I'm busy right now."

"Huh? H-hey!"

Leaving Viole's voice behind me, I exited the classroom.

The moment I stepped out, I headed straight for the classroom marked 'First-Year Black Magic Department.'

Since I had been a freshman in the Black Magic Department in the previous timeline, it was not particularly difficult to find the room.

Besides, the classrooms at Saengterminum Academy were arranged close to one another by year.

At the entrance to the classroom, I quickly spotted Lloyd.

That was because the Black Magic Department freshmen were leaving the room in a cluster centered around him.

Lloyd, having recognized me, spoke first.

"You're the one I saw yesterday in the Artificial Rift?"

"Among the Black Mages invited to Saengterminum this time... a man named 'Dave Boris' came to the Holy Magic Department as a teacher. Tell me what you know about him."

At the sight of me cutting straight to the point without any preamble, he let out a disbelieving breath.

"Absurd. A Holy Power user seeking advice from a Black Mage out of nowhere. What in the world are those Holy Empire bastards thinking?"

The moment he realized I was from the Holy Magic Department, the freshmen standing around Lloyd began whispering in agitation.

"Really? I don't know anything about that."

"Hm?"

"I only awakened to Holy Power recently. Yesterday was the first time I'd ever properly drawn it out."

"...The first time? So you're saying you're not even from the Holy Empire?"

"That's right."

Of course he would be surprised.

Even if this guy had no deep understanding of Holy Power, he would still know that instantly creating a Holy Light Spear of that size was no easy feat.

Even if it was all thanks to the Sacred Mark.

"...In that case, this changes things a little."

After swallowing a brief groan, Lloyd told the freshmen around him to go on ahead.

The looks on their faces as they stared at me like I was some kind of freak while walking away were truly something to behold.

"Why are you asking about that instructor?"

"Even if he came by invitation, he's still a professor, right? I figured it would be good for getting on his good side if I knew more about him."

That was, of course, a lie.

The information I actually wanted from Lloyd was the reason Instructor Dave had accepted Saengterminum's invitation.

I already had a rough idea, but this was the sort of thing best confirmed properly.

"And why should I tell you anything about the instructor?"

"I'll buy you a meal."

"Hah. Listen here. Do you truly think you can bribe me, a son of one of the Dark Empire's Four Great Houses, with something as trivial as a single meal?"

That was fair. 

Normally, offering to buy a meal was nothing more than a polite formality. 

But with this guy, it was different. 

And I had already expected him to react this way.

You think I've only seen you once or twice?

"Do you happen to know where the best restaurants are inside Saengterminum?"

Lloyd's eyes wavered a little.

The truth was, for someone who looked so refined, this guy was surprisingly serious about food.

Not in terms of quantity, but quality. His tastes were incredibly refined.

"...Of course I know."

"You don't mean the restaurants listed in those little recommendation pamphlets, do you?"

Lloyd fell silent, having been struck right in the center.

"Ha, honestly."

I shook my head and curled my lips.

"The real places don't advertise themselves like that."

"That sounds as though the place you know is different."

"If it weren't, why would I be saying this?"

Who was I? 

A student who had attended Saengterminum in the previous timeline.

And if I'd attended the academy before, would I not know the hidden food spots tucked away in its alleys?

"You, a freshman, know a place like that?"

"You can judge after you've eaten there, can't you?"

"Then guide me there."

"Gladly."

***

To start with the conclusion, it was a success.

"Hmm... impressive. How did you even find a place like this?"

Having cleaned his plate completely at the restaurant I had brought him to, Lloyd savored the tea served as dessert.

"Oh, I have my ways. A friend with ridiculously refined tastes told me I had to try this place."

"That fellow clearly knows his food."

That's you. 

You are the fellow.

To begin with, this restaurant was one Lloyd himself had discovered in the previous timeline.

There was even a legendary story from back then about Lloyd using an undead summon to track upperclassmen around the academy just to find this place.

Because it was one of those hidden restaurants tucked away in a remote alley within Saengterminum, a place known only to those in the know, Lloyd and I were the only first-year students among the customers there.

"The cooks here are beastfolk with keen senses of smell. That's why they're so good with spices and sauces and things like that."

I also sipped at the cocoa that had been served for dessert.

As expected, nothing was better for getting your brain working than something sweet.

...Enough small talk.

"So? A place like this seems to have satisfied you well enough."

"Mm, good. I'll tell you what I know, to the best of my ability."

At last, Lloyd began speaking about Dave Boris.

Starting with the fact that he had been a veteran of the Argent Great Rift in the Dark Empire.

That he was one of the instructors who had mastered the Summoning Type, the Demonic Armament Type, and the Descent Type, thereby attaining Triple Class.

That among the instructors at Necropia, there was no one who could surpass him in teaching ability or pure combat strength.

These were things I already knew, so I only listened with half an ear.

None of that was the important part.

"...That is about the extent of it. Isn't he an impressive man? Back when I was at Necropia, I was taught by that instructor myself."

Lloyd looked ready to end it there, but the real part started now.

I picked up where he left off.

"But something about it is strange."

"Hm?"

"From what you're telling me, he sounds like one of the more capable Black Mages out there. He spent years just fine as an instructor at Necropia... so why would he come to Saengterminum as a teacher?"

"That isn't something you need concern yourself with."

"Even if I try not to care, I can't help caring."

I set my cup down and fixed my eyes on Lloyd.

"That Professor Dave came this time to look for Aron Bayonel, didn't he? I heard there's a high chance he's hiding here in Saengterminum."

"...You like conspiracy theories more than your appearance would suggest."

Lloyd's movement stopped for just a brief moment before he returned to his usual composure.

As a son of one of the Four Great Houses, he must have already heard through his family that I had crossed the border into Saengterminum.

"And why are you so certain that just because he crossed the border, that man would still be here in Saengterminum?"

"I heard it from Yulia. She also told me what kind of dangerous bastard this Aron fellow is."

"What?"

"Looks like the Holy Empire even gave her information on Aron and told her to be careful."

"Could you perhaps tell me what was written in it?"

So I told him what I had heard from Yulia.

Even as I spoke, I could not help feeling it sounded suspiciously close to introducing myself.

"Tch, that holy knight bitch again....... The bastards of the Holy Empire really do move fast."

"The information they gave her didn't seem all that wrong."

A short silence passed before Lloyd spoke.

"Even if your deduction is correct, what would change just because you knew?"

"Nothing much, probably. Honestly, more than anything, I just want to catch that lunatic bastard."

I laid the bait.

"...You want to catch him?"

"Of course, don't I? I like this academy. But hearing that some madman who ran from the country he was born in has slipped into this academy city and is hiding somewhere around here? That's unsettling in all kinds of ways."

Self-deprecation really was a strange experience.

Well, whatever. 

If I wanted to insult myself, that was my business.

"It'd be dangerous in a lot of ways if Aron Bayonel, while hiding in Saengterminum, ended up turning into a 'Black Sorcerer.' That's not something I want either."

The moment the term Black Sorcerer left my mouth, Lloyd's expression twisted slightly.

In the Dark Empire, a person who used Black Magic was called a Black Mage.

But that title only applied to those Black Magic users who had been officially recognized by the Dark Empire as Black Mages.

And 'Black Sorcerer' was the term used for Black Magic-using criminals who had not received official recognition from the Dark Empire.

"You said you want to catch Aron Bayonel?"

I waited as Lloyd sank into thought.

And at last, he gave me the answer I had wanted.

"It's not as if there's no way to catch him."