#29. The Solar Society

I ran.

With stamina failing, I somehow made it to the reception room.

There I saw my father, my stepmother, and Professor Meriel.

“…What is this?”

Meriel Gardner.

Why is *she* here?

“We were just having a little consultation.”

“Pardon?”

What could the professor possibly have to consult about?

I was simply bewildered…

“Raine.”

My father called my name.

“I’ve heard everything.”

Heard everything about what?

No, whatever it was.

It unsettled me slightly that they were talking about me behind my back.

I glared at Professor Meriel, who sat quietly, sipping her tea.

The way she avoided my gaze, it was infuriating.

“Everything you’ve achieved at the Academy, your accomplishments, I’ve heard it all. Remarkable! My son.”

My father embraced me.

I was dazed, but I returned the embrace.

Pat.

Pat.

The rhythm of his hand on my back was tender.

What should I say?

It’s been a while since I’ve seen his face, since I’ve felt this embrace.

Thinking about it again, there was definitely something I wanted to say.

“…I missed you.”

“So you finally say it.”

From behind, I heard the sound of someone else approaching.

“What’s going on here?”

“…It’s as you see.”

Just from the voice, I knew it was Professor Felliana.

Where did *she* hear about this?

It seemed most of the people connected to me were gathering.

“Raine, dear.”

“Yes, Father.”

There were a lot of spectators now.

I had no desire to make this family conversation public.

I glanced askance at Professor Rachel. Ever perceptive, she gathered the others and led them from the reception room.

“You’ve suffered long enough.”

A smile blossomed on my father’s face as he said it.

It felt like more than just my accomplishments were responsible for this good cheer.

“…Is there something good happening?”

“Of course! A truly wonderful thing.”

Father chuckled heartily, turning to regard my stepmother.

Uncomprehending, I could only offer a bewildered look.

“Lein-ah.”

Father had remarried when I was around eighteen.

I wasn’t particularly at odds with my stepmother. She made an effort, and I reciprocated.

We managed to become a family.

“It seems you’re going to have a sibling.”

Right.

If we’re being precise, my parents were newlyweds.

“Pardon?”

A sibling?

…What?

My face contorted in shock.

No.

No…

It’s a good thing.

It is a good thing, but…

“You don’t have to worry about the family business anymore. I’m not saying you won’t inherit it no matter what, but you don’t need to feel so pressured now.”

I understood the implications of this disappearing shield.

He was talking about my excuse.

‘System.’

[I told you my name. ]

‘…Akasha.’

[What’s wrong?]

‘What are the odds of me being able to keep this a secret?’

[Roughly… around 12%.]

12%. The odds of succeeding 12 times out of 100.

Disgustingly low, but still, it felt manageable.

[Never mind, 0%.]

God damn it.

Why the sudden change?

[Mariel, is it? That human knows. Odds or not, it’s already failed.]

Is it Professor again?

Professor Rachel always said.

“All those magic-dabblers are shady!”

I understand that sentiment now, only now.

I ground my teeth.

I knew Professor Meriel had been growing impatient lately. I understood, since our exchanges were minimal.

I was planning to visit her soon, to ask some questions about magic, as a peace offering…

To preempt me like this?

“…Thank you, Father.”

“Thanks are nothing. You should thank your mother.”

I see the path leading away from ‘scholar’ is already blocked.

Now that the family shield is gone, His Imperial Majesty has the right to force me into research.

He’ll probably drag me into a research position as soon as I graduate from the Academy.

This damned medieval era.

An uncivilized age where you have to do whatever the Emperor tells you to.

[ Just do as you’re told, I guess. ]

Yes…

Just do as you’re told.

“Father.”

I decided to place all the blame on one person.

Very well, Professor Meriel.

I should make a decision too, then.

“I have a dream.”

Truthfully, research has become enjoyable lately.

I had even felt a profound sense of reward, to the point where I thought I could make a career out of it.

But.

“I want to do research.”

I will not be dragged along the path you desire.

“Except for magic.”

Now it’s my turn to take the initiative.

*

I continued to have a pleasant conversation with my family afterward.

About how we’d been, what we’d done, and what we planned to do.

“You can keep staying in the dormitory!”

“No, I dislike it.”

I also scheduled a time to return home.

Father had to leave due to work, unable to stay longer. I was disappointed that I couldn’t spend more time with him.

Well… I’d be seeing his face every day when I returned home, so I decided to suppress my disappointment.

As I exited the drawing room, I saw the professors waiting for me.

Professor Meriel was being scolded by Professor Pelliana, it seemed she was being reprimanded for conducting the interview without permission.

“Did the conversation go well? Why did they come…?”

For some reason, Rachel looked terrified.

“Surely, he isn’t going to, like, *take* you away or anything?!”

The reason became clear soon enough.

Rachel was worried my father had come to ‘fetch’ me.

I reassured her that wouldn’t happen.

“Professors.”

I gathered the attention of the professors, each lost in their own thoughts.

“I have something to tell you.”

I glanced at Meriel once, then slowly continued.

“I no longer need to take over the family business.”

“What?! Really?!”

Professor Rachel was ecstatic.

Feeling a commotion brewing, Felliana preemptively calmed Professor Rachel down.

“Yes… Anyway. Now that things have turned out this way, I’m going to settle on a major for certain. My schedule will need adjusting as well.”

Silence fell instantly.

It felt a little absurd to be having this conversation in the hallway in front of the reception room.

“First, I will continue with magical engineering.”

“Yes!”

Rachel pumped her fist in the air.

“And alchemy. That is all.”

“Are you, are you serious?!”

Professor Felliana and Professor Rachel embraced each other.

“…Is that it?”

Professor Meriel…

“Yes, I will not be pursuing magic.”

“…”

“If I have any questions, I can just ask Professor Rachel, so I don’t particularly want to keep it as my major.”

“Bu-but magic…”

“I’m sorry. I’m simply tired of magic now.”

Thump.

Professor Meriel slumped down.

You should’ve done a better job then.

“Then, I had something I was working on, so I will take my leave.”

[That’s harsh.]

“What is?”

[I just saw, that professor was writing a whole bunch of losing argument papers.]

“That’s unfortunate.”

[Boo you jerk.]

Ignoring the System, I headed back to the lab.

Now, it was time to look into that stone.

*

A region teeming with fiends, where a baleful aura had taken root.

A place abandoned by the tread of men.

A village no one should ever enter.

Within it, a forsaken castle.

If an ‘evil one’ sought refuge, there could be no finer haven.

“Already a month has passed since our ‘initial failure’,”

Spoke the masked elder.

Perhaps it was the emptiness of the castle, but his voice echoed with a chilling resonance.

From behind the pillars, shadowy figures emerged, one by one.

Some, like the elder, wore masks, while others did not.

This was the stronghold of the demonic cabal, ‘The Sun Society’.

“The time has come to rectify our failure.”

Every candle within the castle blazed to life.

“We should have never accepted Rien, the wench. She went in so full of herself, only to be captured without so much as an attempt to flee.”

A high-pitched voice. A woman adorned with a moon-emblazoned mask and a black robe, viciously disparaged Rien Flint.

“Had it been me, I would have torn through the Academy with ease.”

Someone countered.

“Speak not such nonsense, ‘Aurora’. Rachel Arte is not an opponent to be underestimated.”

A bulky man. His face, too, was concealed by a mask.

“Oh really? Remind me, what was your name again?”

“……’Meteor’. You wretched cur.”

As the atmosphere grew fraught, a diminutive man quieted them with a flamboyant tone.

“Seniors! The Head is watching! Please, do not fight!”

He wore no mask. Brown hair framed his round eyes. He seemed to exude the purity of a young man…

And then…

*Creak.*

*Creak.*

Something encased in armor and helmet, dragging a sword, lumbered forth.

“See! Even my ‘friend’ tells you not to fight!”

“You lunatic… Weren’t you supposed to be serving confinement, Comet?”

“Effective today, I am freed! The Head has shown me mercy!”

‘Comet’ declared.

“But I know no mercy! If you prolong this matter any further! I will make you all my friends as well!”

“Silence, all of you.”

The elder spoke again.

“A new sun will soon rise.”

Behind his mask, his eyes were visible. Bloodshot and wide, they were chilling.

“We must be ready when the moment arrives.”

A sickly trembling hand moved slowly. Moving until it touched the floor.

In an instant, a magic circle was drawn, initiating a ‘Large-Scale Spatial Leap’.

“Comet, germinate the seed. This time’s target is Rachel Artea…”

Beyond the magic circle, the target location’s scenery appeared.

“The Akashic Records.”

It was the Academy.