Vrrrm-.“Hoho, how is it, everyone? Doesn’t it feel nice to be outside?”“Yes!”Voltimir Territory.When Professor Isley said today’s Spirit Studies lecture would be replaced with field practice, the students cheered with both hands raised.Leaving Alvheim Hall, the students basked in Voltimir’s verdant nature.A cool breeze blew and birds chirped beautifully in this heaven-sent landscape.Given the nature of Spirit Studies, many students were elves or beastkin with superior affinity for the natural world, so they were especially sensitive to Voltimir’s clean air and splendid scenery.Isley scanned the delighted students, then asked after me.“Sir Loen, are you feeling better now?”“Yes, thank you for your concern.”“I recall you were ill at the start of the term as well—please take good care of yourself. You’re still young, so you may not realize it, but health is everything.”“I’ll keep that in mind.”Having collapsed from the backlash after ingesting Bell’s mana orb, I had to miss all my classes for three days.I barely used up the remaining sick leave, so my attendance grade wasn’t hit too hard, but going forward it’ll get docked for sure.I should take better care not to get sick.'…Ciel warned me too.'Scratching my cheek, I recalled the last few days.While I rested in the Student Council President’s office for about three days to recover, Ciel scolded me plenty.She said it was good that I’d been working hard lately, but not to overdo it.And if I ever intended to conduct a dangerous experiment, I should give advance notice so she could prepare to respond at any time.Every word was right, so I had no choice but to sit and listen to the lecture.'Even aside from Ciel’s warning, this mustn’t happen again.'This time, Ciel arrived in time and things passed without incident, but if it happens again, who knows what will happen.If my luck’s bad, I could really die; and if another student found me and I got taken to the infirmary or the Holy Knights by mistake, my Half-Human, Half-Demon nature could be exposed.I should be more careful with my conduct from now on.While I was talking with Professor Isley, Kiriel, who had been pricking up her ears from a distance, sidled over like she was looking to pick a fight again.But after hesitating for a moment, instead of picking a fight like before, she asked cautiously,“You… are you okay?”“Are you worried about me? I’m moved.”I’d thought she’d be happy to hear I’d been sick, but apparently she’d been concerned.Maybe she felt a little disappointed when her rival suddenly vanished.I shrugged.“Regrettably, I’m very healthy. No need for you to worry.”“W-what are you talking about? Worried, my foot. That’s not it at all. But were you really sick? You used «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» to take sick leave all the time and goof off.”“Think whatever you want.”“And I heard you were hanging around the port lately? Where’ve you been sneaking off to this time~? Going out and rubbing shoulders with weirdos? Like gangsters, or thugs.”“……”Pretty sharp.“Gangsters” is a fair enough way to describe people from the Underworld.Probing into my relationship with the Chairman regarding my appointment as Student Council President, too—she’s foolish, but surprisingly sharp sometimes.“You sure care a lot about other people’s business.”“Of course I do. If I want to kick you out of that seat, I’ve gotta dig up a lot of info. Look forward to it.”Kiriel warned me with eyes full of hostility.Watching her teal ponytail swish in front of me, I only shrugged.If she put even half of that hostility toward me into her academic achievement, that’d be nice.Well, to be honest, I can’t picture Kiriel studying hard, so it’s just wishful thinking.And the current situation isn’t all that bad for me.Even if Kiriel digs into my past, she won’t find anything game-changing, and as long as she keeps pouring her energy into weird angles like this, it’ll be easier for me to win the Wish Ticket we agreed on.'What should I make this cocky elf do with the Wish Ticket…'While I was pondering the optimal option, a thought struck me.'Perhaps…'Fixing her with a serious look, I asked,“Kiriel, you remember the bet we made before, don’t you?”“W-what… bet?”“That we would compare all theory performance assessments and test scores up to midterms, and the winner would get a Wish Ticket.”Even if she pretends not to know, I’m not letting it slide.When I brought up the past, Kiriel sounded a bit pricked as she answered curtly,“O-of course I remember. What do you take me for? Do I look like someone who breaks promises and wipes my mouth like you?”“That’s not what I think. However…”Tilting my head, I murmured just loud enough for her to hear,“Since winning by test scores is difficult, maybe you intend to get me expelled beforehand to nullify the bet entirely… It was just an impure thought.”“!”Her body flinched, and her ears sprang upright.Looks like I hit the mark.“Let’s hope it’s a needless fear.”“Needless… what?”When Kiriel tilted her head blankly, her aide whispered,“He means a needless worry.”“R-right. Yes, it’s a needless worry. Mind your own business.”Apparently not wanting to continue this topic, Kiriel turned to Professor Isley.“So what’s today’s lecture, Professor?”“Hm, nothing in particular. Exactly as I said—an outing. I prepared a rest time for you all, who are tormented daily by performance assessments and pop quizzes.”“Oooh!”The students murmured with excitement.If Isley meant what he said, they could rest comfortably for these two hours of Spirit Studies—a truly sweet break.Isley nodded with a smile, as if affirming their expectations.“Yes, please enjoy the abundant natural energy in this Jikbakguri Garden to raise your spirit affinity. And—”Through the spirits, Isley distributed baskets that had been floating behind him.“Mats and light refreshments I prepared. It would be nice to gather cozily for a tea time. For reference, I made the sandwiches and strawberry juice myself. Please don’t be too harsh in your reviews.”***Here, where refreshing nature breathes. A gentle hill nestled in the middle of a lush forest.Students spread mats on the green lawn, sitting in small circles to enjoy a picnic.It looked like a painted scene, but there was no spot for me.I didn’t have anyone particularly close in Spirit Studies.Hakone, who’d been my teammate during the practical exam, invited me to join them, but the other students with her would likely feel uncomfortable with me, so I politely declined.I can’t just wedge myself into a group of kids having fun and ruin the mood.That said, being unable to join a group and wandering around alone didn’t necessarily feel bad.Since I’d come all the way to Voltimir, there was something I needed to handle.Chomp-.Leaving the crowd, I wandered the forest alone, munching on the sandwich Professor Isley had personally crafted with his “four hooves.”The fluffy bread paired with crisp cabbage. Several fresh ingredients seasoned for elves with soy meat and plant-based dressing.A bright, refreshing flavor spread through my mouth—this sandwich had serious craft behind it.Professor Isley is over a hundred years old; the number of sandwiches he’s made for his students must far exceed ten thousand.I chewed and swallowed the sandwich and washed it down with the fresh strawberry juice I’d received.Both items could be sold at a high-end café on Traum Street without shame.Grateful for Professor Isley’s thoughtfulness, I walked on until I reached my destination.'Here.'A secluded area quite a distance from where the students were gathered in Jikbakguri Garden.Squeeek-.With a loud squeal, something’s red eyes flashed within the bushes.Rustle, rustle—emerging from the thicket was a plump, ruddy brown wild boar.It might seem odd that wild boars live on Academy grounds, but sightings of ordinary predators like lions or tigers are frequent within the Voltimir Territory, so it isn’t that strange.Squeee-!The boar—feeling as big as a house—charged straight at me the moment it saw me.Of course—Thump-.Its charge was blocked by the transparent armor guarding me, turning it into a wasted effort.Having rammed its head into the Aegis Shield, the boar reeled, groggy.Staggering dizzily, instead of attacking again, it kicked off the ground and fled in a hurry.Tat-tat-tat-.Its shadow zipped off into the distance.I didn’t bother chasing.It had likely run into me while fleeing from something else anyway.Chomp-.Finishing the rest of my sandwich, I pulled gloves from my pocket and slipped them on.Milia’s Mana Gloves, gripping my hands like they’d been custom-made, with a soft, perfect fit.I opened and closed my hands, savoring the feel.Taking a combat stance, I waited briefly—Rrrr-.With an unpleasant growl, a massive creature pushed through the brush.Thoom-.I lifted my gaze quietly to the huge black-red boar before me.Several times larger than a normal boar, with razor-sharp tusks thrusting up like spears into the sky.A monster—“Crazy Boar”—a wild boar that had evolved after contact with a Dark Magic Stone.True to its name, it was more ferocious and aggressive than a normal boar, madly rampaging through its surroundings.If the automatic golems that maintain the territory’s ecosystem hadn’t eliminated it, then it must not have been long since it changed after touching a stone.'Lucky me.'If I take it down, I can get a Dark Magic Stone worth many times more than a Dark Rat’s.Rrrr—I reached toward the beast staring down at me like prey, hot breath steaming from its snout.Shrrrip—.The Mana Chains memorized in Milia’s gloves fired toward it.The chains swirled around the Crazy Boar, coiling around its forelegs and neck, its waist and hind legs, then anchored into the ground.Clack-.Bound like a prisoner, tied tight in mana chains, the beast couldn’t move.I twisted my grip on the Mana Gloves, adding pressure to the constricting chains.Grrrk-.The chains pressed in, crushing the beast’s thick hide.Rrrr—I thought I could restrain it like this, but then its red eyes blazed and its muscles surged—Crash—.“!”The chains coiled around its body shattered into motes of mana.Kuoooo!The Crazy Boar bellowed as if such magic couldn’t possibly harm it.Normally, a mid-tier monster like a Crazy Boar should be subdued by Mana Chains—this was odd.'…No helping it.'I’d meant to go easy, but if that’s how it is, I’ll have to beat it down myself.I was about to pull enhancement stones from my coat and begin earnest combat when—Shra-shra-shra-!Suddenly, giant vines burst from the ground and wrapped around the Crazy Boar.Like my chains earlier, the huge vines cinched the beast’s entire body.At the same time—Gloop-.The grassy ground instantly transformed into a swamp, and the bound Crazy Boar began to be swallowed.Squeeek! Squee-!So much for its thunderous roar; it squealed like a pitiful pig begging for mercy.But the green vines coiled around it showed no mercy, dragging it beneath the bog.Squeeee-!With a final death cry, it dissolved into bubbling foam and vanished under the swamp.Once it had been sucked below, the bog returned to normal ground as if nothing had happened, and the giant vines dissipated into mana motes.Swoooosh-.Left behind where the Crazy Boar vanished—a coin-sized Dark Magic Stone.Whip-.In an instant, as if snagged, it was pulled behind me.Turning my head, I saw a figure arrive to the beat of hoofsteps.“That was a bit dangerous, Sir Loen.”“…Professor Isley.”Professor Isley, the head of Spirit Studies.Adjusting his glasses, he smiled at me.When my eyes went to the stone he’d taken, he shrugged.“I’ll give this to you, Sir Loen. You were collecting Dark Magic Stones for the General Student Council’s business, weren’t you?”He summoned a vine to hand me the stone.I placed the Dark Magic Stone he gave me carefully into a glass vial.“Thank you for your cooperation.”“Good. But, Sir Loen, how do you plan to dispose of the stones you’ve collected?”“I intend to incinerate them safely all together. The Chairman will supervise the process.”I couldn’t exactly say I was feeding them to Kavelthar, so I used the Chairman as cover and improvised an answer.There’s nothing more suspicious than a spirit that hatches by taking Dark Magic Stones as offerings instead of mana.“Aha. I see.”Then Professor Isley nodded easily—and cautiously asked,“By the way, Sir Loen. Could it be that your task of gathering Dark Magic Stones is related to the spirit you summoned?”

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