As I ended the class, the students stood up, walked down the stairs, and headed toward the door.
The rustle of their movements and the tapping of their footsteps filled the room.
Cara: "Professor Arthur."
A group of three individuals approached as I was organizing papers into a file.
I hooked the file onto my keychain belt as I replied.
Arthur: "Yes?"
Cara: "The class was very informative. We're looking forward to the next one. Right, Darla?"
She turned her head toward her friend, her short hair swaying.
Darla: "Absolutely."
Darla beamed.
Darla: "To feel the magic through our surroundings... imagining the world like a pool of energy, as if we're submerged in it—like being in the middle of the ocean. I never thought of cosmic energy that way."
+
[Several Nubeculas are looking in your direction.]
+
Haris: "Right. I always thought it was all about raising one's stats."
Well… it is all about stats in the end, honestly.
Arthur: "It was only a metaphor. The 'sea' doesn't refer to magic itself—it refers to matter. The source of cosmic influence that's always around us, shaping our souls."
All three of them widened their eyes, as if they had just gained enlightenment.
Cara's lips parted to speak again, but I spoke first.
Arthur: "Try using your skills afterward. Feel them and seek a better understanding. That will help you raise their rank."
In the Cloud continent, people refer to levels more as ranks.
My words made Cara halt mid-sentence.
Is she really shy? I wondered, since she usually initiated conversations.
Setting that thought aside, I noticed most of the students had already left the room. I took a step toward the door, picking Hekate up in my arms.
The three of them bowed slightly toward their headmaster, then I marched out of the room.
A few steps into the hallway, I came across Ducas talking with Valerie. Persephone was also there, gazing out the window.
Ducas: "Ah. Sir Arthur."
+
[The Nubecula 'Gumiho' is looking in your direction.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Raziel' has shifted his eyes toward you.]
+
Oh? He's back.
He must be watching Ducas again. Ducas had attracted Raziel's attention unexpectedly—though, honestly, it wasn't that surprising.
A question was forming in my mind. Why were they in the Basics class?
…But, I'm not really curious.
They can do whatever they want. It's not like I'm their father.
Arthur: "What are you both doing here?"
I asked, curious why they were simply standing in the hallway.
Valerie: "Sir Arthur, Ducas wanted to attend the first class you taught. So we came."
Valerie spoke with a teasing tone directed at Ducas. It might not have shown on my face, but I felt an urge to frown.
I wasn't asking why they attended the class—students were allowed to attend others freely anyway, I couldn't say anything about it anyway.
Shifting my eyes to Ducas, who was surprisingly silent, I felt an awkward atmosphere. The silver-haired boy was looking intently into my arms. I traced his gaze and saw Hekate also looking at Ducas.
Sparks seemed to pass between the cat's blue eyes and the man's blue eyes.
Valerie followed my gaze, noticed the exchange, and smiled awkwardly.
At this point, I half-expected a remark from Persephone but heard nothing.
Hekate jerked her head and rubbed her face against my sleeve, looking quite pleased.
Ignoring that, I glanced sideways. Ducas, meanwhile, released a comically threatening aura toward the innocent-looking cat—or rather, toward the fearsome god she actually was.
Oblivious, my eyes wandered to Persephone standing at the window, staring outside. During the lecture, she had gotten bored and left for some fresh air.
Now, watching her rest her cheek against her palm, sunlight reflecting off her fair skin and dark hair, her feather-laced black gown flowing gently… she was beautiful.
My gaze lingered on her, since she is attractive.
But feeling drawn to a woman with such experience, unfathomable power, and an existence far beyond mine felt… stupid.
Ducas and Valerie followed my gaze, likely assuming I was looking outside.
Valerie: "You're concerned about her too, right, Sir Arthur?"
Her question stumped me. I looked at her, full of doubt and confusion, my face slightly furrowed as I searched for answers.
+
[The Nubecula 'Gumiho' comments: "Yes, you must be concerned."]
+
[The Nubecula 'Gumiho' is looking at you with pity.]
+
Concerned? About what? Can they see Persephone? Or sense her?
+
[The Nubecula 'Who Likes Cigars And Candy' comments: "Yeah, concern. A hero has to be concerned about everyone."]
+
Shut it, I roared internally, sensing the sarcasm immediately.
+
[The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds For Heartbroken' is looking at you with concern.]
+
Ducas and Valerie looked at me with strange expressions—something close to pity.
Ducas: "Are you concerned about her, Sir Arthur?"
Concerned about Persephone? Absurd. Is there a reason? Even if I were, what could I do for the Goddess of the Underworld?
I couldn't help but have these thoughts, but my biggest question was: How can they see her?
Valerie: "It's alright, Sir Arthur. You don't have to hide your real feelings."
Taking my slight frown as emotional restraint, Valerie tried to comfort me.
Ducas suddenly stepped forward toward the window.
Hey—where are you going?
Can they really see her? Why didn't they say anything before?
With no answers and growing unease, I followed him, with Valerie behind me.
We reached not the window itself, but a spot slightly to its left, in front of a vintage notice board. It was brown with flower patterns chiseled along its border. Ducas unpinned an article and turned to show us.
At the top, written in bold letters, was the word: MISSING
In the center was a picture of a beautiful, smiling girl with long eyelashes, an ornament on her left ear, and a white shirtdress under her cloak.
Amanda Kirt.
It seemed a girl named Amanda Kirt had gone missing recently.
Realization washed over me. They weren't talking about Persephone. They were talking about a missing person.
Valerie: "It's strange… she vanished just last night from inside the Trivia. If she is kidnapped, she must be terrified."
Valerie looked genuinely distressed. Despite being in her late thirties, she appeared no older than twenty. She looked pitiful enough that I almost patted her head—if my hands weren't full with a cat.
Ducas: "Her loved ones must be even more scared."
Ducas uttered the words unconsciously, it seemed, as if he didn't realize he'd spoken aloud. Perhaps he was thinking of his own family.
They both looked at me, but after seeing the poster, I was lost in thought, still frowning slightly.
This girl... hmmm...
Arthur: "Go back to your dorm rooms. And don't stay out late at night."
As I spoke, another odd, pitying look crossed their faces, making me uncomfortable.
I turned and walked toward the stairs.
—I'm leaving. Are you coming?
Persephone: "Sure~"
****
:: ALISON BROWN
Sitting at my desk, I went through the material taught in today's class.
Alison: "Four basic elemental magics…"
I whispered as I read the notes I had taken during the "Basics of Magic lecture."
When Professor Eddie used to teach the class, I had been content with his lessons.
Perhaps it was because, even though I love to gain knowledge, I had little to no understanding of magic itself.
So, when I heard he would be leaving for personal reasons, I worried the replacement might not teach as well.
But when Arthur—no, Assistant Professor Arthur—walked into the classroom, I was ecstatic, thinking Professor Yates himself might be taking over. That hope was crushed when he announced he would be teaching us.
That's why I stood up.
I want to learn about magic and its existence. I am well-versed in Phiodora's politics and geography.
I know the names of every important figure across the Marquis territories; anything found in a common library, I likely know already.
But magic, Cosmic power, its influence on the soul—nothing I've read is concrete.
Then I learned someone with little experience, younger than me, would be my teacher. Me, who spends most of my time learning—what could he possibly know that I don't?
…And yet.
He was amazing. Confident, knowledgeable, and unbearably handsome.
Suddenly, the memory of his smile—when he offered me his hand—flashed in my mind.
Feeling heat burn my cheeks, I blushed and shook my head, trying to dislodge the image.
Sigh.
I sighed, pushed the desk back, and my chair scraped across the floor.
Drrrrr…
Alison: "I should go to the library. A change of surroundings might help."
Saying that, I stood up, hoping that being in a crowd would stop me from thinking about him.
I walked to my closet and opened its door.
After looking through my dresses, I selected a moss-colored polo dress with two white stripes on the collar and laid it over the cushioned stool.
Standing before the mirror in my nightgown, I picked up a blush brush and applied light makeup.
Then I put on the polo dress beneath my uniform cloak. Nearly ready, I fastened a golden earring to my left ear.
Satisfied, I picked up my golden band—the symbol of Phiodora royalty—and placed it on my forehead, parting my dark raisin-colored hair down the middle. It's not as dark as Arthur's.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, reminding myself not to think about him constantly.
Then, releasing another sigh, I headed out.
Leaving the female dormitory, my footsteps echoed against the tiled marble floor as I walked through the garden.
Passing the long, flowery grassland under the dark sky, shimmering with stars and a high moon, I reached the main building.
Ascending the stairs, I saw two girls descending. Our eyes met, and we nodded to one another.
?: "Hey that's Alison, right?"
?: "Mm-hmm."
I overheard their whispers as they passed behind me.
?: "I heard she stood up against Professor Yates's assistant."
?: "Yes, and then she stumbled in front of him, landing on her butt."
?: "Heh. That must've been embarrassing."
I ignored their remarks and continued heading my way. Their words meant nothing—they hadn't even been in the class.
But now, that incident resurfaced in my mind. That frightening feeling I had felt.
When Arthur looked down at me, his gaze locked onto mine.
I didn't know what the others felt, but it must have been something—because the whole class had gone silent the moment he spoke my name
.
For me, it felt as if he covered the whole world around me. I was terrified, yet unable to look away from his cold eyes. In that moment, my own existence felt meaningless.
All I wanted then was a deep breath of fresh air. Maybe that's why his smiling face afterward felt so enchanting.
Creak.
Just as my mind filled with thoughts of him again, a sudden sound pulled me from my reverie.
Blinking, I looked around.
A dark hallway stretched farther than I remembered. To my right, a series of alternating doors and wall paintings, while tall windows ran along the left.
Only the moonlight came from the windows. Peering outside one, I realized I was already on the fifth floor of Trivia.
How lost in thought had I been? I hadn't even noticed walking through the main building's door, taking the stairs, and ending up on the highest accessible floor.
Embarrassed and confused, I looked both ways down the hallway.
Alison: "The Library is on the first floor."
I hushed, speaking to myself.
I needed to find the staircase to go down, but the hallway stretched so far in both directions that I couldn't see an end.
Which way led to the stairs?
Since I had stopped thinking about Arthur, I knew the windows were on my left, and I must have walked straight. I decided to turn and walk in the opposite direction.
Fushhhh—
Suddenly, a sound like something cutting through the air came from the far end of the hallway behind me.
I jerked my head, peering down the dark corridor and narrowing my eyes. I couldn't see anything. I waited a few seconds, still staring, then turned back, deciding it must have been the wind.
Thud!
Then a sound of a heavy crash echoed through the hallway—like a chair being hurled with violent force.
I spun around, now certain something was happening.
Alison: "Who's there?!"
I called out, but no answer came.
The silence was suffocating, as deep as a graveyard, without even a whisper of wind.
Yet, I wasn't alone. That much was clear.
Annoyed that someone was here but refusing to respond, and fearful of the uncertainty, I decided to walk toward the other end of the hallway. I am from a Marquis Family of Phiodora; I won't cower because of unexplained sounds.
I walked and walked. The hallway seemed impossibly long, as if stretching with each step, and the silence grew heavier and denser.
This is all his fault, I grumbled internally.
I had been comfortable reading in my room. Why did he have to occupy my thoughts?
If not for him, I wouldn't have come to the library just to clear my mind.
If he hadn't filled my head yet again, I'd be sitting in the library right now.
Instead, I'm on the fifth floor without even remembering how I got here.
While blaming him in my head—though not truly meaning it—I reached the end of the hallway.
A large, latched door came into view. Strangest of all was a word beautifully carved into its side:
{Library}
Confusion washed over me.
Alison: "Was there a Library on the fifth floor, too?"
I had never heard of one.
But then again, the fifth floors of all the wings are reserved for faculty. There'd be no reason for a student to come here, even in the central wing. It made sense that there might be a private library here for them, I deduced.
Curiosity overtook my caution.
I lifted my hand to touch the door. My fingers were centimeters from its wooden surface, close to the leather handle, when—
Thud!
Another loud crash echoed behind me.
My whole body jerked at another loud thud. My breath caught in my throat.
Alison: "The Hell…?"
Annoyed, I mumbled, taking a deep breath.
Withdrawing my hand, I looked to my side towards where the sound had come from.
My brows furrowed again. What came into view was a staircase leading upstairs. The sound was coming from above—more precisely, from the sixth floor.
Who snuck into the sixth floor? I wondered.
The sixth floor was off-limits. No one is allowed there. To my knowledge, there is only one staircase leading there—it must be this one.
But who could it be? I wondered.
Alison: "Seriously, some people are so childish."
Just like a child who is told not to do something becomes drawn to doing it, some people can't help but break rules.
Even though I was curious, going upstairs—even if someone else was already there—would mean breaking them myself.
I was just about to turn back when suddenly, a light illuminated on the staircase.
A small flame flickered at the first landing. It hovered there, unmoving, as if someone were intently looking in my direction, standing before the window behind them.
After a moment of gazing, the flame swayed as if a breeze had blown across it, then moved, turning on the stairway and ascending further upward.
Despite having decided not to go up earlier, the bizarre sequence of events overwhelmed me with curiosity. I took a step forward.
As I ascended, the light from the flame was no longer visible. Once again, the only illumination came from the window at the first landing ahead.
With the flame gone, guilt for breaking the rules surged within me.
What if a faculty member finds out I'm on the forbidden floor? What if I'm seen? What if a faculty member is the one upstairs? Thoughts flooded in.
What if Arthur finds out? What if Arthur sees me breaking the rules? What if Arthur is upstairs? The thought shifted, attaching a name to my fear.
I reached the first landing and took the same turn the flame had, ascending again.
Will everything be alright?
Will I be able to explain myself?
Will he believe me?
Step by step, I soon reached the sixth floor.
A long, balcony-sized area opened up, and at the far end stood a massive door, nearly three meters tall.
In place of handles, two oversized hands—twice the normal size—were turned toward each other, clasped as if shaking hands.
Heavy chains wrapped around them, heavy padlock at the center.
Cosmic energy oozed faintly from within—an aura that felt abandoned, lonely, and sealed away.
I took a step toward it, confused. There was no flame, no one making a sound.
These facts made my thoughts run wild.
There's nothing here. What will I tell Arthur if he finds out I broke the rules without reason? What if he detests me? What if I lose all credibility in his eyes? What if he hates me?
Alison: "I don't want that."
?: "What don't you want, Miss Alison?"
A deep, husky voice came from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts—like being pulled from a hypnosis, clearing my head.
And how could I not recognize that authoritative tone? It carried concern. I turned around—hopeful and terrified all at once.
A pale, almost ethereal face came into view—effeminate yet undeniably masculine. Deep black hair framed his features, and his eyes were darker still. It was so close to mine I wasn't sure there was any distance between us at all.
Flustered, I backed away. Arthur stood straight, now almost a head taller than me.
Alison: "Arthur… what are you doing here?"
I swallowed as I spoke—but the moment the words left my mouth, I panicked—I had just called him by his name.
Alison: "I—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have referred to you like that."
Arthur: "It's fine."
He stepped closer. Raising his hand, he gently pushed a strand of hair resting over my shoulder aside, his fingers grazing my neck.
The touch may have been accidental—but it sent a sharp, electrifying sensation through my body.
Arthur: "You can call me whatever you want."
Giving me a slight nod and looking into my eyes, he reassured me he meant what he said.
Feeling trapped yet freed from all burdening emotions, I was at a loss for words.
He placed the same hand that had grazed me into the pocket of his black pants, then lifted his gaze to take me in completely.
I felt embarrassed. Was my dress okay? I hadn't put on that much makeup, right?.
Arthur: "So, Alison—may I call you that? Since you're calling me by my name as well."
He smiled, tilting his head slightly, narrowing his eyes in a gentle, questioning manner.
Alison: "O-of course."
You stammered! How can a royal of Phiodora stammer? You idiot! I scolded myself.
Arthur: "Right. So, I see you were also drawn by the mysterious curiosity of the sixth floor of this mansion. Whoever runs this place has clearly done a terrible job of keeping people from taking interest in it."
Alison: "Wait. So, are you saying there's actually a reason this floor is locked?"
Arthur: "Yes, there is."
Alison: "I thought it was just left untouched as a storage room, or maybe for future development.."
Arthur: "Well, you could call it a storage room."
He said calmly,
Arthur: " The secrets of this mansion are stored beyond that very door."
He gestured with his eyes toward the door—its bizarre handles and strange aura unmistakable.
Alison: "Secrets? What kind of secrets?"
Even as I asked, my eyes refused to leave him. His reply came in a husky whisper.
Arthur: "Magical ones."
It felt as though he was sharing a secret meant to be kept between us.
Arthur: "Would you like to see?"
He withdrew his right hand from his pocket and held it between us, just below his chest, exposed by the two undone buttons of his maroon shirt.
Alison: "But… wouldn't it be against the rules to go inside?"
Heat crept up my cheeks as I spoke.
Arthur: "It'll be fine. I'm with you."
Closing the distance with a step, he extended his hand toward me, gently brushing my cheek with the back of his finger. My eyes closed at the sensation.
Alison: "But it's locked."
I clung to my conscience, making one last attempt to resist.
Arthur: "No, it isn't."
I turned my head toward the door behind me. There were no chains. No lock. Even the handles—once shaped like clasped hands—had transformed into a normal door handle.
As I looked, Arthur's left hand cupped my right cheek and turned my face back to his.
His face was close, mine tilted up toward him, both cheeks held in his hands. With sincerity, he spoke.
Arthur: "What do you say? Together. I'll hold you—never let go—and we'll explore."
His words felt like a promise. A promise bound to life itself. A promise that could only be severed by death.
The girl who was a royal.
The girl, praised as the smartest in her household, known to be rational and intimidating, who stood up when she felt a voice needed to be heard.
That same girl melted beneath his gaze, charmed by his words and, above all, unable to refuse him, no matter how irrational it seemed.
Alison: "Of course."
My voice came out in a whisper. Deep down, as soon as I heard his earlier words, I knew they were what I had most wanted to hear.
Smiling softly—the same smile he had worn when he offered me his hand in class—he released my cheeks. His hands slid down my arms before intertwining with mine.
Arthur: "Then let's go together."
He walked toward the door, and holding his hand, I walked with him. Though his hand felt cold, a warm sensation welled up inside me.
He pushed the door open with his free hand. A pitch-black darkness lay beyond.
The darkness was so absolute that I couldn't tell what lay ahead—a room, a corridor, a hall, a floor, or nothing at all. I am not sure.
Sensing my hesitation, he squeezed my hand and turned back to me. His expression wasn't reassuring—but concerned, silently asking if I was okay.
Warmth filled my heart for sure this time. I nodded, then took a step into the unknown with no care. Once inside, the door shut behind us on its own.
….
….
….
….
….
….
….
Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!
The sound of a girl screaming.
?: "Shuhhh… huh?"
Gasping as if deprived of air, his eyes snapped open. He held the air he had sucked in, staring at the ceiling where a message hovered.
+
[The third branch skill of your attribute has been deactivated.]
+
:: Arthur Xanders
The message lingered for a moment—then vanished. It was the first time I had seen it.
My mind, however, was still flooded with the dream I had just experienced.
Alison—the girl who stood up to me in class today—had suddenly decided to go to the library, but walked in a daze to the fifth floor, then ascended to the sixth, finally going through the door on that floor.
Her scream had woken me, but deep down I was sure it wasn't just a dream. It was real, like the dream I had at Bob's house, like the dream when Felicity left...
I wasn't sure then, but I am now. It was real, and because of one of my skills.
I hadn't known before—perhaps because the message appeared and vanished immediately, and I had woken up peacefully—but this time my eyes snapped open and I caught the message before it disappeared.
Damn it. Why do all my skills insist on playing hide-and-seek?
Persephone: "You're awake?"
I didn't respond. Pushing myself upright, I took deep breaths. Alison's scream still echoed in my ears.
Tilting my head back, I inhaled deeply—then exhaled slowly.
Arthur: "So… it's started."
'The disappreances.'
Persephone sat up as well. Her hair was perfectly arranged, while mine was completely disheveled—as expected after waking abruptly.
Persephone: "What are you mumbling about?"
Arthur: "It seems you were right."
Persephone: "Why are you stating the obvious?"
Arthur: "…Right. It can't be leisurely after all."
+
[Some Nubeculas are wondering what you're talking about.]
+
[The Nubecula 'Guhimo' comments: "What has started? Tell me!"]
[The Nubecula 'Who Likes Cigars and Candy' comments: "You're damn right—it can't be leisurely."]
[The Nubecula 'Whose Heart Bleeds for the Heartbroken' comments: "You can do it."]
+
[2300 total points have been donated.]
+