Last night, at Luca’s request, Herote transported Luca, Milia, and Isella to Ottbo’s dorm room.

Shoong! Shoong! Shoong!

“Uwaah!”

Startled by their sudden and unannounced appearance, Ottbo screamed.

“Young master? What’s going on!”

“Huh? Uh… uh?”

At his scream, a servant and a maid hurriedly rushed into the room.

But upon entering, they suddenly collapsed.

Thud!

“Huh?!”

“Ottbo. Can you stop making those foolish noises?”

Though the situation was absurd, Milia soon regained her composure and sighed, calming Ottbo down.

Ottbo, not understanding what was happening, alternated his gaze between them.

But at least he was no longer making strange noises.

“Phew. Luca, would you care to explain this situation?”

With a light sigh, Milia looked at Luca.

“I’m impressed you knew I was the culprit.”

“Well, it’s not like it could have been Ottbo, not with the way he’s acting.”

As Milia spoke curtly, Luca gave a faint smile.

“There’s something I need to do with all of you.”

“Before that, can you explain how you brought Isella and me here? Even for you, Luca, forcibly moving someone who possesses a Dimension Core should be impossible, wouldn’t it?”

The Dimension Core, which grants absolute authority over space.

To oppose that would require immense magic power.

“I didn’t do it.”

“I figured. Who did?”

Wondering which mage might be close enough to Luca to pull this off, Milia asked again.

Luca replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Herote Marcato.”

“?”

“……?”

It wasn’t only Milia who looked puzzled—even Ottbo, who had been watching them alternately, wore a question mark on his face.

“Um… You mean the Herote Marcato that I know?”

“Not a common name, so most likely.”

“Herote Marcato, dean of the Magic Department?”

“That’s right.”

“The one who blocked the airship?”

“Correct.”

“Why?”

Surprise and genuine curiosity bloomed within Milia, more than she herself expected.

Herote Marcato—that woman.

Her past deeds, current research, and future actions were all mysteries. A uniquely enigmatic person.

A Great Mage of the 10th tier, one of the Empire’s rare prodigies.

Even Milia, the fourth imperial princess, could not easily engage with her.

So why had someone like her helped Luca?

Luca replied, almost blankly.

“I asked.”

“… Huh?”

Milia stuck out her neck in disbelief at his brief answer.

“No, I mean, why did you—never mind. Haaa, forget it.”

But she soon looked resigned.

“Fine. You probably seduced her with that handsome face of yours again. Obvious.”

“What nonsense.”

“First, the Eccentric Pasmo Ti-e, and now this—why do so many strange women flock to you?”

Milia’s mocking words trailed off as she looked at Isella.

“Isella, I wasn’t talking about you.”

“Pardon?”

“Really, not about you.”

Isella, flustered by the abrupt comment.

Watching Milia’s brief comedy, Luca commented dryly:

“Isn’t this not the main point right now? You have a rough idea why I gathered you all, don’t you?”

“If you called us at this timing, it must be because of the terrorist attack.”

Milia answered as if it were too obvious to ask.

Luca nodded in response.

“Yes. For some reason, the terrorists seem to be getting impatient.”

“Yeah. Didn’t they originally say they’d set off the bomb on the last day of the festival?”

“That bomb likely hasn’t exploded yet. They probably plan to set it off as a grand finale.”

It was only now that Ottbo, regaining his senses, spoke up to Luca’s words.

“Yeah! If I had to guess, it’ll be at least the power of a medium magic stone bomb!”

“So it seems. Planting a bomb with that destructive power in a crowded student area… They’re out of their minds.”

Imagining the destructive force that had obliterated the model battlefield going off in the heart of the academy was simply horrifying.

“For now, our plan is to defuse the bomb in secret.”

“Hm. Do you know where it is?”

At Milia’s question, Ottbo answered promptly, as if he’d been waiting.

“Yeah! I’m not totally sure, but I think I found it!”

At his answer, Milia smiled sweetly.

“I don’t like those kinds of uncertain answers, you know.”

She was smiling, but it didn’t sound like a nice comment.

Ottbo was sweating nervously.

“I-I found it! I’m sure this time!”

“Yeah? Impressive.”

“Save your pointless lover’s quarrels for later. Let’s go over the plan now.”

Cutting off their banter, Luca began his explanation.

“The plan I’m thinking of is rather dangerous. Quite literally, we’ll be walking right into enemy territory.”

“Will you need Isella’s power?”

At Milia’s question, Luca looked at both of them.

“Strictly speaking, I need both of your powers.”

“What do you mean?”

Puzzled, Milia tilted her head.

“What I want is a stage for my revenge.”

“A stage?”

“Yes. I just need you to make it so I can have a one-on-one with them. That means I’ll need not only Isella’s power, but also yours.”

Seeming to understand, Milia nodded slightly.

“I see. But revenge?”

“… Young lady, come to think of it, one person isn’t here.”

“?”

Milia glanced around at Isella’s words, and suddenly her expression changed as she realized.

“Your maid isn’t here. Where is she?”

“……”

Luca twisted his lips.

Seeing his reaction, Milia clicked her tongue and looked at Ottbo, who seemed to know something.

“Looks like he doesn’t want to talk. Will you say it instead?”

“… Ms. Bella was gravely wounded—almost to the point of death. She’s still receiving treatment now.”

Ottbo knew how dear Bella was to Luca and couldn’t speak lightly of it.

Milia too realized from Ottbo’s tone that this was a heavier matter than she’d thought.

“Alright. Understood. I’ll make sure you get your stage of revenge.”

“Thank you.”

“My, you’re actually polite for once. Makes me want to help you even more.”

At Luca’s neat expression of gratitude, Milia chuckled softly.

Then she folded her arms.

“So, tell us the plan.”

“First, let’s figure out who our enemy is.”

Saying this, Luca waved a modified student handbook.

“We had only circumstantial evidence, but now it’s confirmed. The culprit is Miros Kisen, the eldest son of the Kisen marquisate.”

“… Is that true?”

“Yes. We’ve received word that Whistle’s description of the culprit matches Miros Kisen and his servant almost exactly.”

In the end, it was Bogus who tracked them down.

Out of several people who fit Luca’s description, only Miros Kisen controlled a masked giant.

“But this guy, I heard he skips classes and no one really knows where he is.”

“Oh?”

“I’d love to go find him and beat him to a pulp, but if that’s hard, we’ll have to lure him to us instead.”

Luca said, putting his student handbook back in his pocket.

“What they’re after is Martin Curves’ demonic eye.”

“Oh~ that thing that survived the lightning strike?”

“Right. Whistle has it for safekeeping, but is moving it near the Pia Forest.”

At the mention of Pia Forest, Milia tilted her head.

“Why there, though?”

“They’re dealing with a devil’s power, so they have to keep out of sight. Out there, no one will notice even if they use the devil’s power for a while.”

There, Luca explained further.

That without Bella, it would be hard to shake off the watchers; that they’d pretend to search for Latik to draw off suspicion; that after pretending to give up, they’d go to Pia Forest.

And what Milia and Isella needed to do when Miros and Donovan arrived.

“Alright. I understand.”

“Good. There’s one more thing I need from you.”

“One more thing?”

At Milia’s question, Luca smirked.

“A stakeout.”

* * *

Milia and Isella were hiding on the roof of the Alchemy Department building, behind the medium-sized bomb.

“Ugh… Do we really have to sit here and wait? I really hate this.”

“Milady, please stay inside that spatial pocket. I will guard this place.”

“It’s fine. It’s not so bad to do this sort of thing every once in a while.”

They were here in case the enemy tried to suddenly move the medium magic stone bomb.

With Luca using heaven’s power, they had pierced a hole in the devil’s barrier and Ottbo had disarmed the bomb.

The magic stone bomb here was now just a magic stone, nothing more.

If the enemy realized this, the plan would fall apart.

If that happened, their job was to buy time until Luca could arrive.

“What a luxurious use of resources. Using the fourth princess and a member of Night for this.”

“Quite so.”

As the two joked, someone approached.

Thud!

“M-Miros, why on earth…?”

Milia peeked out carefully at them.

‘That person is…!’

It was the bound Latik, and Miros watching him with a cruel grin.

‘They really showed up?’

Admiring Luca’s foresight, Milia then pondered.

‘Doesn’t look like they’re doing anything yet. Should we wait?’

They seemed to be speaking, but their voices were so low that it was hard to hear.

‘Magic… would be detected.’

Thinking this as she moved slightly forward, Isella grabbed her.

‘Milady, any closer and…’

Knowing they’d likely be spotted if they got any closer, Isella stopped her.

But deeply focused on Miros, Milia made a sound in sudden surprise.

Rustle.

“!”

Reacting, Donovan approached them.

Milia swallowed nervously and held onto Isella.

Shoong!

“Who’s there?!”

Just before Donovan could reach them, they made themselves invisible.

“…?”

Whack!

“Aagh!”

After that, Donovan got beaten up, Miros filmed a threatening video with Latik, and then left.

Not long after they left, Milia and Isella reappeared.

“Whew… Thought we’d been caught.”

“M-Milady! This is…!”

Isella looked slightly shocked, while Milia smiled brightly, making a V-sign with her fingers.

“How about that? I’m improving.”

“… You’re amazing, milady.”

“Hehe. Maybe not that amazing yet, but it’s a significant step forward.”

Milia grinned.

“I don’t have to be alone inside there anymore.”

She, too, was growing.

* * *

“You… what did you do to Donovan…?!”

No trace of Miros’s usual composure remained.

His face knotted in rage he could not hide.

Luca replied mockingly.

“What’s wrong? Is your servant that precious to you?”

“… Tch.”

Just seconds ago, Miros had mocked him with the maid; now Luca threw it right back.

Grinding his teeth, Miros thrust out a hand.

Voom!

Behind him, a magic circle appeared with eyes and a twisted sun sigil, and tentacles erupted forth.

Luca kicked the box containing the demonic eye up with his foot and handed it to Ottbo.

“Ottbo. Take that and retreat.”

“… Okay.”

Ottbo quickly slipped away, and Luca put a hand on his sword hilt and stepped toward Miros.

Miros floated slowly into the air.

“I’ll make you just like your maid.”

“If you can, go ahead.”

Though he spoke flatly, sweat was running cold down Luca’s back.

‘Can I really do this?’

With wounds still unhealed, fighting Miros—almost as much a shadowy player as Martin—was suicide.

But there was one, and only one, way.

Whether he could succeed in his current state was unknown.

‘… No. I must do it.’

There was no running away now.

Luca’s eyes shone brightly.

“Go!”

At Miros’s gesture, tentacles shot toward him.

Watching the incoming tentacles, Luca quietly murmured—

“A Different World.”

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep