Chapter 228

With every new semester, new worries were bound to arise.

For teachers, there might be an increase in troublesome students. On the other hand, for students, they might end up meeting ill-tempered professors and suffer through an entire semester.

For parents, there was the burden of covering a semester’s tuition and living expenses for their child, and sometimes, wounds were left on the heart when new relationships became twisted.

Of course, Maria was no exception. Even though she had been tempered over the years working under Aaron as the Chief Secretary of the Stingray Foundation, this time, there was nothing she could do.

This was her first time facing such a situation.

“I don’t want to go! I said I don’t want to go!”

“Evangeline.”

“If I don’t want to go, then I don’t want to go! Why must this body go to such a place!”

It was none other than sending Evangeline to school.

One of the things I had resolved to do this year was to send Evangeline to school.

Of course, just like now, I could take her with me to the Academy, let her play alone all day in the playroom (formerly the lounge), and take her back home after work. That was not a problem either.

Not only Aaron, but even the staff of the Academy branch of the Stingray Foundation adored Evangeline, and for me as well, keeping her by my side was comforting in many ways.

However, no matter how much she was my precious child (not actually), the time would come when she had to be sent out. We could not spend forever nestled together, watching magical girl animations and enjoying nothing but happy days.

Suppressing the heart-wrenching feeling of coughing up blood, I spoke firmly to the tearful Evangeline.

“We agreed that starting this year, you would go to school, didn’t we?”

“That was something Maria decided unilaterally! Why must this body interact with other brats!”

Because you are a child.

The words rose all the way to my throat, but I barely swallowed them. The issue of ‘age’ was Evangeline’s reverse scale.

Of course, I had heard from Aaron that Evangeline was not an ordinary child but a ‘witch,’ and that before losing her power, she had been an adult woman. At times when she showed a mature demeanor or boasted vast magical knowledge, I could not help but be startled.

Especially when we had watched the ‘Magical Girl Rubia’ series together last time, and Evangeline harshly criticized it, saying, “Such magic does not exist,” I was shocked in more ways than one.

Half of me thought, ‘She really isn’t a child,’ and the other half was saddened, thinking, ‘Why doesn’t magic like that exist!’

But as if proving that the mind could not completely follow the body, Evangeline in her daily life was a child through and through. Aside from magical knowledge, she actually lacked even more common knowledge than children her age.

Therefore, I judged that if Evangeline was to continue living here in New Valhalla City—not as a ‘witch,’ but as a ‘human’—then she needed at least a basic education.

So I had prepared everything to send her to elementary school starting this year, but when the first day of school arrived, Evangeline began to resist violently.

“I won’t go! I won’t! I said I won’t go!”

“Evangeline.”

“I’ll tell Aaron everything! This body knows it all! The person you fear most is Aaron!”

“I have already received permission from Young Master Aaron.”

As if I had expected that, I answered calmly.

Rather, this matter had first been brought up by Aaron himself. Whether it was an academy or private tutoring, anything was fine—but shouldn’t we at least teach Evangeline various things so she could live as a ‘human’?

Upon hearing that, Evangeline looked as if she had been betrayed by someone she trusted. With a face that seemed ready to cry out, ‘Brutus, you too……!’ she shouted, “W-What!” making a sound as if her heart were collapsing, before finally falling to the floor in despair.

I carefully approached her and gently tried to persuade her.

“This is all for your sake, Evangeline. If you want to continue staying with Young Master Aaron, you need to attend school and learn various things.”

“Did I not say I refuse! This body is not a child! There is no need to learn—I already know everything! What do you take the Scarlet Witch for! How impudent!”

“Evangeline.”

“What!”

“What is 9×9?”

“…….”

Her expression froze.

She began counting numbers diligently on her tiny fingers.

But unfortunately, humans only have ten fingers. Even including her toes, calculating nine multiplied by nine was difficult.

As the calculation did not go as she wished, her brow furrowed.

She looked so unbearably adorable that I nearly embraced her without thinking, but with the heart of a lioness pushing her cub off a cliff, I maintained a hardened expression and watched her.

Then Evangeline realized I was staring at her and flinched, hurriedly hiding both hands behind her back.

And in a hesitant voice, she gave her answer.

“……18?”

“You will have to attend school.”

“……Was I wrong?”

“Yes. Completely wrong.”

“Waaah!”

In the end, Evangeline burst into tears.

“Why have I become like this! It’s all because of that damned bald monk! This body is not a child! Waaah!”

“……Evangeline.”

“I hate everyone! I hate Maria and Aaron too! Why does everyone treat this body like a child! Waaah! I don’t care! I’m going back! I’ll run away from home!”

“W-Wait!”

In that instant, Evangeline released a large amount of mana.

Before I could stop her, her body was enveloped in a brilliant white light. And in the next moment, when I opened my eyes again, Evangeline had vanished from the room.

I hurriedly activated the Mana Scanner Module and traced her residual energy. The trail was heading toward the entrance.

“Ah……!”

My face turned pale.

Checking the clock, I realized there was not much time left before work. There was not enough time to chase after Evangeline like this.

Moreover—

Rumbleee!!

Today, Anti-Rain Level 3 had been scheduled. If Evangeline left the house, she would inevitably be caught in that rain.

This was bad.

The thought filled my head completely. But only for a moment—I calmed myself. Had I not overcome countless crises as Aaron’s exclusive secretary? Just as I always had, I would skillfully resolve this situation as well—

Rumble—!

[Breaking News. Anti-Rain Level 4 escalation.]

[This is breaking news. A large group of orcs has been discovered near the northeastern region of New Valhalla City. Accordingly, the Meteorological Administration has raised the originally scheduled Anti-Rain Level 3 to Level 4—]

“Evangeline!”

At the weather news that suddenly popped up in my vision, I flung open the front door and ran out.

I ran away from home.

It was the first time in my life I had ever done such a thing.

“H-Hahaha……!”

For some reason, I barely managed to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside me. Covering my mouth with both hands, I stifled the escaping giggles.

“I-I did it!”

I had succeeded in doing something I would never have dared to dream of normally.

No matter that I had once been a great witch, at present I could only use magic at the level of an apprentice witch within this child’s body. No, I could use other spells too—but their power was limited to about that level.

In any case, that was nowhere near enough to escape the eyes of Maria, who ranked among the strongest even in New Valhalla City.

Of course, I had never even thought about doing such a thing before…… but in any case, there was a vast difference between not doing something despite being able to, and being unable to do it at all.

‘It seems she cannot track this body because of this rain.’

Wearing a chick-yellow raincoat, I looked up at the raindrops falling from the sky. As the Anti-Rain began soaking the ground, its distinctive sharp chemical odor unpleasantly spread through the air.

I frowned without realizing it. As a Mystic, the smell of Anti-Rain was even more nauseating to me than to ordinary humans.

‘Uuuugh…….’

I felt like I might vomit at any moment because of the stench, but I barely endured it. After making up my mind and shaking off Maria’s pursuit, it would be far too disgraceful to start retching before accomplishing anything.

‘……First, I should avoid the rain.’

After a moment’s thought, I reached that conclusion.

Of course, when I first ran out of Maria’s house, I had briefly considered leaving the city altogether and returning to the lands I once ruled—but now, that was impossible.

‘In my current state, I cannot live without Aaron.’

Because our souls were connected, I could not go too far. Even if I did, after a short while, my condition would deteriorate by the minute.

At least until this small body grew further and I regained my former power enough to sustain myself without Aaron, I would not be able to leave this city.

Thinking that, gloom washed over me again. It was true that I liked Aaron, but the reality that I could do nothing without him was a separate matter entirely.

‘But where should I go?’

During the past half year living in this city, I had learned various bits of knowledge about it.

Roughly speaking, the city was divided into Elysium, and Sectors A, B, C, D, and E—and from Sector D onward, public security was very poor.

Maria’s home was a luxury officetel located in Sector A, and Aaron’s mansion was in ‘Elysium,’ floating several kilometers above Sector A. Beyond that……

‘I don’t know.’

I knew nothing else.

The only thing I could recall was how the magical girl ‘Rubia’ defeated villains in the previous episode. I did not even know how to board a bus or subway.

I did not know where to go.

Around me were nothing but high-rise buildings.

Most of them were buildings owned by megacorps, or mansions and apartments inhabited by the upper class. Naturally, entry by outsiders was strictly controlled, and I could not simply walk in just to avoid the rain.

Nor could I enter ordinary shops—I had no money. In this harsh city, without ‘Credit,’ one could do nothing. I knew that very well.

‘There’s no choice.’

I would walk for now.

If I kept walking, surely I would find a place to avoid the rain and stay for a few days. Maria’s warning that I might get lost briefly came to mind, but I paid it no heed.

‘This body is an adult!’

Even if I got lost, I could always find my way back.

And if I disappeared for a few days, both Aaron and Maria would surely reflect on what wrong they had done to me.

‘Let’s go!’

I began moving forward vigorously through the increasingly heavy rain.

However, I did not know that the direction I was heading was toward Sector E.

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