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“I can’t believe you wanted to see me first.”

The streets are filled with the scent of spring flowers. It’s a weekend, and I’m walking down the street with a guest I’ve summoned from one of the more secluded corners of the kingdom.

“Is something wrong, Elroy?”

Iris sounded displeased, her blue eyes sparkling like lakes in the spring sunlight as she turned toward me. She wore a white dress that a lady might wear on a spring day, an outfit that suited her quite well.

“Have you been busy at work? I’m afraid I might’ve called you at an unfortunate time.”

She might be as busy as I am right now. At my worried question, Iris smiled and shook her head.

“Fortunately, the post-war cleanup is going well. No one’s interfering with us, we’ve received plenty of support, and my skills have improved so that I may be useful to you.”

Iris let Holy Magic circulate through her body. The flow of mana was much more controlled than it had been a few months ago. She hadn’t been neglecting her training.

“Well, even if I couldn’t afford it, I would have come anyway.”

Without a trace of shame, Iris added. I smiled wryly and matched her stride as she began to stroll. A small chuckle escaped her lips as I neared her side.

“So, why did you call me? Are there people who need my help here?”

“Uh, yeah. Though not right now.”

The casual comment struck a chord, and Iris snapped her head toward me in surprise.

“Really? Or rather, what do you mean, not right now? Usually, I only see you when there are cultists or severely wounded patients.”

I let out a small chuckle as I looked at Iris. She frowned, puffing out her cheeks.

“Stop laughing and tell me what’s going on. I know you didn’t call me here for nothing.”

“I’m sorry, but it will indeed happen later.”

I stopped in my tracks and looked at her. She looked me straight in the eyes, then her eyes widened.

“Wait, wait, wait. Don’t tell me…”

“Sooner or later, word will spread that I’m dead.”

Iris sighed heavily and dropped her head. Her well-groomed golden hair cascaded down her neck.

“So, why are you playing dead out of the blue? Weren’t you supposed to be teaching at the Academy?”

“I’m going to stay a real corpse until the things I’ve been waiting for happen.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“Waiting for them to make a move. Once word gets out that I’m dead, they’ll have no choice but to make a move.”

“…That could work.”

Iris chuckles, but I’m sure she thinks I’m half-joking, but I literally intend to stay a corpse.

***

“How are you tired?”

The voice from the shadows carried a clear tone of reprimand. Despite the rebuke, Natalie stood expressionless, listening to it. The shadowy eyes glared at her, then clicked their tongue.

“Not much news, either from your side or the one we’ve planted elsewhere. I wasn’t expecting any sudden developments, but it’s not good to wait for weeks on end with no change.”

The voice in the shadows sounded impatient.

“Well, even so, I can’t deny that the time is near. The Meteor is close, and we must make things happen before it moves. We must hold the variables in check and make them unable to resist the Disaster–not that they could’ve done anything in the first place…Also, can you say something? We gave you a voice for a reason.”

The next few minutes were filled with teeth grinding and nails being chewed.

“It’s been a month since I got the orders from above. We can’t just sit back and do nothing. They may be testing us again. We need to create chaos from within as soon as possible.”

The voice was no longer speaking to Natalie but muttering to itself.

“Blending in is good, but don’t assimilate with them. They’ll all have to be killed later anyway. Just don’t arouse suspicion.”

“Understood.”

“Remember. You must kill the Hero. Only you can do it.”

The shadowy figure disappeared from Natalie’s room. She stared at her shadow momentarily, then flopped down on her bed face down. The beds in the dorm were soft. She was designed to need little sleep, but it had become a hobby for her.

“….”

Natalie stared at the bedspread, then turned onto her back. She could not feel drowsiness but could fall asleep whenever she wanted. Natalie stared at the ceiling and thought of the Hero’s lessons. Then, wondering how she could get her fingertips around his neck, she fell asleep.

***

“The midterm next week will not take into account your level.”

At the Hero’s words, the freshmen giggled. He stood still and waited for the commotion to subside. Recently, the lecture hall seemed to have been transformed into a training center.

“This is the arena you’ll have the test in. I’ll throw you into it and see how far you’ve come and how well you’ve absorbed my teachings.”

The Hero slashed the floor with his ever-present false sword. The scenery changed. The ground was covered in grass and dirt, and trees rose overhead. The Hero looked around and sighed.

“Monsters won’t consider your strength in the real world, and as you know, I’m not the most flexible person. Expect the difficulty level to be much higher than during the placement test.”

Each of the new students looked anxious. The Hero smiled reassuringly.

“It’s okay. You’ve all grown; you just don’t realize it yet, so there’s no need to be anxious.”

His words had a strange ring, making the students believe his words no matter how hollow. The freshmen calmed down and focused their attention on the Hero.

“Alright, enough about the test. First, let’s get on with today’s lesson. Today we’re going to learn the basics of chase and escape. How does a monster chase, and conversely, how do we track and chase in return. Now, the monster we’ll be using as an example is the Crawler….”

The class proceeded amidst the chaos. With their heads full of exams, the freshmen were trying to cram in some of the Hero’s lessons. He talked slowly and explained carefully, being considerate of the students whose minds were in the sand.

“…We won’t have the practical lesson today because I don’t think you’ll be able to do it as it is. You can use the rest of the time as you wish, whether to get a good night’s rest or study other subjects. Though those in the advanced class will have to stay.”

He looked at his watch and said. The general students looked like their souls had been saved, and those in the advanced classes reacted with joy and despair.

“Okay, non-specialized students, you may leave the classroom. Today’s theory class is over.”

The warrior said as he dismissed them. The non-specialized students hurried out of the training grounds while the advanced students looked at him nervously. Slowly, snow fell over the forest.

“Ms. Natalie, I need to see you alone for a moment.”

Natalie raised an eyebrow. The Hero had never asked to talk with her alone. Natalie pushed past Eugene, who tapped her shoulder, and Cora, who stared at her enviously, stood near the forest entrance. Looking to the side, Natalie saw the Hero staring wistfully into the forest.

“This brings back memories. I was so weak when I first set foot in the forests in the North. It must have been a difficult assignment.”

Natalie couldn’t believe her ears. As she stared at the Hero with a frown, he returned a small smile.

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Everyone grows. Of course, not only as a child who builds their power but also as an adult who knows how to use their strength.”

A snowflake landed on the bridge of Natalie’s nose.

“What I’m trying to teach you is how to use that power.”

“In what way…?”

“How to protect those who don’t have the power you have. How to stand with those weaker than you, but who will stand beside you and give you strength.”

Natalie frowned at his words. Her purpose was not to protect but to kill.

“I don’t need someone like that.”

Eugene and Cora would not help her accomplish her goal. The best she could do for them is to leave them alone.

“I’m sure you’ll learn it at some point.”

Natalie stared at the Hero with confused eyes. He was so different, so human, that she felt puzzled. Even for a girl who hadn’t learned to be curious and emotional, the feeling that comes with ambiguity is almost instinctive, so Natalie asked questions.

“How can a professor say something like that?”

“It’s because who will learn it slowly.”

“And who did you learn from?”

“From the people who have surrounded me. The people I should have saved and the people I didn’t.”

Natalie shook her head slowly.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you, either.”

“…I see.”

“And I don’t think I ever will.”

A warm liquid touched Natalie’s fingertips. It was crimson; the blood of the Hero was no different from anyone else.

“Because right now, you will die.”

Then, the forest was uprooted by an explosion.