Although many big and small events had occurred since arriving in the Imperial Capital, Xiliya had never forgotten her most important goal: finding clues related to her mother.
Her mother’s letter had mentioned the “Dekareya Family,” which should have been her mother’s birth family, and it was currently the most direct lead.
Xiliya had already tried investigating in Camberlan City, but it had yielded no results. There was no such family in the Roland Empire at all now.
Perhaps it was a reclusive mysterious family, or maybe an ancient lineage that had already declined. Xiliya’s intuition told her that the Dekareya in her mother’s surname was definitely not that simple, so she turned her investigative gaze toward the academy’s library.
The library of the Imperial Capital Magic Academy preserved the oldest and most complete records of the empire’s hundred-year history. Almost all major and minor families in the Roland Empire over the past century were documented there, making it the most reliable source of clues Xiliya could think of at the moment.
It was said that specific areas in the rare books section even held diaries left behind by the Great Sage Gandalf, but those areas were not open to ordinary students. After much deliberation, Xiliya had decided to do something the academy couldn’t refuse in exchange for access to the rare books section—the Mist Forest had been a perfect opportunity.
Moreover, Xiliya had specifically guarded against the person hiding in the shadows who had hired Ximo to assassinate her, so she insisted on borrowing books from the library every day to pretend she was actually a studious grind.
Speaking of which, helping Ximo recover her memory was also a method. Ximo might remember who had sent her to assassinate her… Xiliya glanced at Ximo and then dismissed the thought.
Forget it. Ximo had just recovered, and she should rest well now.
“Ximo, tomorrow is the weekend. Want to go out and stroll around? Once you start classes, you might not have as much free time.”
“Sure, I don’t mind…”
Before Ximo could finish speaking, the assassin’s sharp intuition detected a gaze from nearby.
Stare…
There were only three people in this dorm, so the source of the gaze was self-evident.
“Where are we going tomorrow? Out of the academy?”
Stare…
“Tomorrow…”
Stare, stare, stare…
Ximo couldn’t take it anymore and turned around to look at Mira, who was sitting at the desk. The latter immediately pretended to be seriously reading a book.
“You come along too tomorrow, how about it, Mira?”
Xiliya spoke somewhat helplessly. These past couple of days of interaction had slightly changed her view of Mira. This arrogant young lady was actually quite easy to get along with, provided one found the right way to interact with her.
“Fine, since you’ve invited this young lady so sincerely… I’m reluctantly agreeing only because you’re so earnest about it.”
“Alright, alright, whatever you say,” Xiliya replied perfunctorily. “Oh, right, there’s also Melrose. Though I really don’t want to admit it, that woman did save your life in the Mist Forest after all, and defeating the Forest Lord was entirely thanks to her too. We should find an opportunity to properly thank her…”
Melrose? Relying on her to defeat the Forest Lord? Ximo was slightly stunned. Although she didn’t remember the events back then very clearly, hadn’t defeating the Forest Lord been because of… Right, the crystal ball! Where was her crystal ball?
Only then did Ximo realize that all her belongings, including the crystal ball she had bought earlier, were gone.
“How… was the Forest Lord defeated?”
“Hm? Wasn’t it Melrose who used the secret treasure left to her by the royal family? What’s wrong, Ximo? Did that woman lie about something?”
“Hey! Don’t be so rude to Princess Melrose! How could Princess Melrose possibly lie?”
Xiliya’s words immediately provoked Mira’s righteous indignation. Ximo silently shook her head and decided not to tell Xiliya about it for now.
After this brief interaction, Ximo’s first impression of Melrose was still decent. She planned to ask Melrose directly about what had happened and why she had concealed the truth.
Thinking about it, it made sense. The area under the Forest Lord’s domain was completely magic-sealed, which meant the academy’s surveillance methods couldn’t function there. Thus, the details of the events could only be heard from the people involved. Clearly, while she had been unconscious, Melrose had already explained what had happened.
…
At that moment, Melrose was sitting in the Student Council President’s Office, tilting her head as she toyed with the crystal ball in her hand.
She had originally thought Ximo would come looking for her that afternoon. Could it be that Ximo had something more important to do in the afternoon?
Melrose shifted her position, crossing one leg over the other. The usually dignified and graceful Princess Melrose would absolutely never make such a leg-crossed pose in front of others.
Tch, ever since Senior Weila graduated, it had been a long time since she had sat in such a comfortable “chair.”
That said, over these past two days, she had studied this strange crystal ball thoroughly. Now, it was just like an ordinary crystal ball with no further activity. Could it only function properly in Ximo’s hands?
Recalling the power of this thing in the Mist Forest back then, Melrose was certain that the crystal ball’s effects resembled those of a Saint-Level Magigear she had seen in her family’s ancient texts. However, over these two days, she hadn’t even detected a formed magic circuit on it.
Just like the appraiser at the auction house, Melrose also thought this crystal ball was practically worthless. Yet she had witnessed its power with her own eyes.
Interesting. Melrose narrowed her eyes slightly. She really wanted to claim this crystal ball for herself—ideally along with Ximo…
But now wasn’t the time yet.
Did Ximo know what this thing really was? If she could have Ximo at her feet, obediently spilling everything…
Melrose imagined the scene, and the corners of her mouth curved into a pleased arc.
“President, are you in?”
“Come in—”
By the time the person outside pushed the door open and entered, the sight that greeted them was already of Melrose sitting properly at the desk, handling her work.
“It’s like this, President. The analysis results on those magic beasts from the Mist Forest are out. The Principal has urgently summoned the deans from each division for a meeting.”
The Imperial Capital Magic Academy had a tradition: when the academy held meetings, the Student Council President also attended as a student representative, which was a way for the academy to incorporate student voices.
Melrose had attended some academy management meetings before, but today was different—this was the first time she had encountered an emergency meeting urgently called by the Principal.
And it was about the Mist Forest… Melrose knew the academy had been investigating the magic beasts in the forest these past two days. Could those magic beasts have some serious issue?
