“Don’t you have anything else?”

[Anything else?]

“Like a family treasure only you know about, or a secret place?”

[No.]

“Ah. Right.”

Tch.

Watching Camilla’s shoulders droop, Hersel burst into laughter again and again.

What a curious girl. In moments, her temperament showed itself sly and foxlike, and yet when you just watched her, she was so childishly guileless and frank.

Hersel fell quiet for a time and simply looked at Camilla.

[Child.]

“Do you have something else you want to make me do?”

Why is he calling me in that gentle way again.

Camilla’s gaze sharpened with wariness at once. Was there something more to do besides the Guardian’s egg?

Skk.

“...?”

His hand rose over her head.

Camilla flinched for a moment, but realizing he was patting her hair, she stayed still.

She couldn’t feel his touch directly, but looking at his face gave her a strange feeling.

That was exactly the look Jihyun’s grandmother wore when she used to look at Jihyun.

[Thank you.]

It was a very short word of thanks, but she could feel the sincerity packed inside it.

In that instant, Hersel’s body began to blur and was wrapped in a gentle light.

Camilla knew well what this signified, and she held his image fully in her eyes.

This is the end.

At last, he was letting go of all grudges and departing.

Looking at such a Camilla, Hersel smiled brightly. There were no further farewells.

Camilla saw him off until Hersel’s figure vanished completely. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

****

‘I need Black Mages.’

Having come to the Academy, Camilla was still turning things over while holding the black ore in her hand.

To use this ore properly, she needed the power of Black Mages, and there was only one place in the entire Empire where they were organized.

‘And that one place is the problem.’

In the end, unable to find a use for this ore, the Duke of Sorpel sells the mine to the Duke of Jevillan for a pittance.

Because from the beginning, the Duke of Jevillan had shown great interest in that mine.

And a year later, having finally discovered the ore’s use through Black Mages, the Duke of Jevillan amasses a great fortune.

There’s no need to even say how he flipped the Duke of Sorpel’s insides over this at every turn.

‘I’m the one who has to do that this time...’

As expected, there’s only that method, isn’t there?

‘Head-on breakthrough!’

Seated in the classroom, Camilla sprang to her feet.

She left the room and headed not for the floor where the second-years lived, but for the floor where the third-years were.

“Huh?”

“Mm?”

At her appearance, students’ gazes gathered from the corridor.

Camilla met those looks one by one and headed for her target, Class 3-C.

Clack.

When she opened the door and stepped in, the low murmur of the classroom gradually faded.

‘Well, someone like me is a spectacle wherever I go.’

But the eyes that had turned to Camilla soon shifted as one. It wasn’t the first time she’d made an entrance like this.

Where they looked, Petro was there.

It had been rare lately, but until not long ago, Camilla had hovered around Petro during every break—to meet him.

Naturally, the students assumed her purpose today, too, would be Petro Jevillan.

But...

Tap, tap.

The place Camilla headed for held someone unexpected.

Faces tightened quickly as students saw where she walked.

Thap!

Heading for the farthest corner desk, she set her hand lightly on the desktop of the one seated there.

“...”

The one who had been indifferent to everything in the room slowly raised his head.

Meeting the black eyes that chilled the air in an instant, Camilla smiled softly.

Then she leaned in a little closer to him and, in a gentle voice, spoke.

“I’ve got something good. Want to take a look?”

At Camilla’s merchant-like smile and her matter-of-fact words, everyone wore expressions of shock.

Even Petro, who had been quietly watching from the side, shot to his feet with startled eyes.

“...”

Because the person she addressed was the Duke of Sephra’s son—Arsian Sephra.

Chapter. Arsian

The organization where Black Mages gathered: the House of Sephra.

Every head who led the House of Sephra was a Black Mage with powerful mana.

The House of Sephra’s strength was immense in changing perceptions of shunned Black Mages and gaining them recognition as one of magic’s pillars.

‘In other words, to sell this ore properly, I absolutely need the help of the House of Sephra.’

The heir of the Duke of Sephra, Arsian Sephra.

‘I really hate this too.’

If there’s anyone who values their life as much as I do, come out and say so.

Camilla knew Arsian’s cruelty well. She’d personally seen what he did when crossed.

Approaching him required no small measure of courage even for her.

But in the face of money, all sellers are equal.

If it’s something that must be done sooner or later, there’s no need to hesitate more. Fear doesn’t resolve itself just by letting time pass.

‘And I do have one small thing to rely on.’

Even if I’m only a lady in name, would he really blatantly kill a duke’s daughter?

Even so, Camilla was gripping the bracelet Ravi had made for her.

Under the gazes of students looking at her like she was insane, she held her smile firm before Arsian.

Her insides were burning up, but she wasn’t so green as to show it on her face. It wasn’t for nothing that she’d chosen actor as her profession.

“...”

“...”

Why is he giving me no reaction?

If he didn’t like it, he could tell me to get lost, or if he was interested in what I mentioned, he could show a hint of it—some little reaction would let me continue...

‘Why so silent?’

Arsian only kept his mouth shut and watched her quietly.

Scrape.

At that moment, he stood. The sound of the chair scraping rang unusually loud through the classroom.

Everyone in the room flinched and held their breath.

Honestly, Camilla flinched too. She thought he was about to hit her. Of course, none of that showed on her face.

But...

‘Huh?’

Arsian walked straight out of the classroom. Without any response at all, he just left.

“What the—”

Was I just completely ignored?

Camilla stared, dumbfounded, at the space Arsian had vacated.

‘He... he just left?’

‘What’s with him?’

Meanwhile, the other students in the room sat slack-jawed.

Because Arsian never let it slide when someone pestered him or got in his way in front of others.

He didn’t go easy because the other party was a woman, either.

‘I thought there’d be an incident...’

‘Tell me about it.’

For him to disappear without any reaction—that was a first.

“Tch!”

Unaware of any of that, Camilla, who’d briefly lost her mental footing and recovered it, at once went after Arsian.

Since she’d started, she intended to show him the goods today and get a firm answer.

“Miss Camilla.”

Someone caught her as she strode quickly out of the classroom.

The one who gently took her by the arm was Petro.

“What is it?”

“What is it—?”

“It looked like you had some business with Arsian.”

“That’s right.”

Camilla gave a small nod and moved to hurry off again.

But her brows drew together slightly. Petro still hadn’t let go of her arm.

“May I ask what business?”

“No.”

“...”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

When Camilla glanced at the arm he held, Petro finally let go, slowly.

“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll convey it to Arsian in your stead.”

“Why?”

“Pardon?”

“Why should you go out of your way to pass along something I can deliver myself, Lord Petro?”

Momentarily wrong-footed by an answer he hadn’t expected, Petro soon regained his smile.

“It may be a bit forward to say this... but you could be putting yourself in danger.”

“Ah. Thank you for the concern.”

“Then I—”

“Good day.”

Camilla turned and left the classroom. She hurried, quick-quick, toward where Arsian had gone.

“...”

It was like this before, too.

Recalling anew how Camilla had ignored his suggestion of a garden stroll and left then as well, Petro stared, a little blankly, toward where she had disappeared.

****

“Where did he go?”

It had been only a moment, and yet there was no sign of Arsian.

[Looking for Arsian? I know where he went. Want me to tell you?]

“Really? That would be grea—”

At the voice, Camilla turned gladly—and then, at the speed of light, turned away again.

I didn’t see anything...!

[I knew it! You can see me, can’t you?]

Damn.

It was a ghost. And one she knew by sight.

The girl ghost who always sat in the very back seat and attended class with them.

‘I thought she was a bound spirit—but she’s not?’

Because she sat in the classroom every day, Camilla had assumed she was a ghost who couldn’t leave.

She hadn’t expected her to come up and speak directly like this, so she’d let her guard down.

[Sometimes it felt like our eyes met. I wondered, but you really could see me.]

“Ah, where should I go find this guy?”

[You know it’s no use pretending now, right?]

Can’t I just ignore you to the bitter end?

With a short sigh, Camilla finally faced the girl ghost head-on.

“So what? What do you want to say?”

[My name is Amy.]

“Mm, nice meeting you.”

Camilla moved to leave at once.

[I really do know where Arsian is.]

Camilla, who had been about to walk off blindly, stopped.

Turning back, she finally took the time to study the face of the girl ghost, Amy.

They’d crossed paths in class every time, but she’d never really looked straight at her.

Short bobbed hair. Not a striking beauty, but a pleasant, cute face.

Seventeen, maybe eighteen? The clothes she wore didn’t look particularly fine.

Camilla’s gaze settled at her neck. After staring there briefly, she turned away again.

[Hey? I said I really know.]

“Yeah, you really do seem to know.”

[Then why just go?]

“Because I don’t want to get entangled with you.”

[Why? Because I’m a ghost?]

“Yeah. I’ll just «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» find Arsian on my own.”

With that, Camilla quickened her pace. It felt like Amy was following behind, but she ignored it.

‘Places he frequents...’

He’s the type who hates crowds, so the odds were high he’d be somewhere secluded and sparsely traveled.

[Not that way.]

“Maybe over there...”

[Not there, either.]

“No. I should try this way.”

[That’s really not it.]

“...”