Celin has gone missing.
Immediately after hearing the news, I headed straight to my bedroom to pack my things.
The gravity of the situation was immense.
It had already been several weeks since I last saw Celin. Although I hadn’t forgotten her, I wasn’t particularly worried.
I assumed she was focusing on her training at the Academy, after all.
But suddenly, to hear that she was “missing”…
It was a fact that was difficult for me to accept.
The Academy had a high population density.
It meant that rumors of sightings would inevitably circulate. Moreover, wasn’t Celin a celebrity known as the flower of the Swordsmanship Department?
Additionally, there were plenty of security personnel who patrolled the Academy regularly.
Given it was a place where the continent’s best talents gathered, the security was also thorough.
Even if she wanted to leave on her own, the routes would be exposed at the Academy. The possibility of a “missing person” incident occurring in such a place was extremely low.
That was why I had no choice but to push Neoris to respond.
“Missing? How could Celin possibly have a reason to disappear?”
“That’s why it’s a missing persons case! In fact, it’s still ambiguous to call it a disappearance…”
The more I listened, the more lost I became.
If she was missing, then she was missing. What did it mean for there to be ambiguity about calling it a disappearance?
At my incredulous gaze, Neoris hesitated to add further explanation.
“It’s already been two days since she’s vanished!”
“Two days isn’t too long, right? Celin might just want some time alone.”
My counterargument was valid.
While there are many who target women walking alone at night, that was a story limited to ordinary people.
Celin was bright enough to pass the Academy’s entrance exam.
It meant she was a formidable opponent even seasoned mercenaries would struggle against.
The chance of her getting into danger just by wandering around alone was minimal.
In fact, it would be the foolish ruffians who might get hurt if they go and provoke her.
Of course, Neoris couldn’t have failed to anticipate this rebuttal.
“That can’t be. Celin has been training all day recently… But I can’t see her anywhere in the places she usually trains.”
“A swordsman must train both the body and the mind. Perhaps she went off to meditate after catching a clue…”
“The last person she met was from the Alphenhausen Clan, right?”
That statement rendered all previous discussions meaningless.
I stood frozen in place, forgetting even to breathe. My distrustful eyes were directed towards Celin.
The Alphenhausen Clan.
One of the five noble families of the Empire, they were the ones who brought disaster to Haster Territory.
Noble families referred to as “great nobles” in the Empire had to represent something.
Yuridina in the North represented military power.
Rufemion in the East represented knights.
Findleston in the West represented information.
Arahorn in the South represented magic.
And the central Alphenhausen was believed to hold wealth in gold.
Celin claimed that the reason the Alphenhausen Clan plundered the Haster Clan was related to this gold.
Specifically, it was a gold mine discovered one day in Haster Territory that was the cause.
Many clans fought fiercely over that enormous interest. In the end, Alphenhausen emerged as the last victor, swiftly controlling the trade routes leading to the Haster Clan, leaving the territory in a state of decline.
It goes without saying what happened next.
Baron Haster succumbed to his anger and fell ill, and the Haster Clan’s remaining nobles were being exploited at the mines.
It was a truly terrible tragedy for the young only daughter of the Haster Clan.
Since that day, Celin swore vengeance against Alphenhausen.
Her resentment and inferiority complex towards the higher nobility originated from that pain.
However, there was one question that I couldn’t overlook.
“If she is indeed the lady of the Alphenhausen Clan, then the twin? They’ve already graduated, right?”
That’s right.
If it was the lady of Alphenhausen, there were only those two.
The twin seniors who took the first and second places in the Department of Social Sciences.
They were seniors to Senior Delphine and Senior Elsi by a year, and since the Academy had no system of “flunking,” both of them were already graduates.
It was hard to imagine a reason for them to come all the way to the Academy.
Surely they didn’t make a special trip just to meet Celin.
As for this, Neoris also couldn’t give a satisfactory answer.
“I don’t know the details. I heard they returned in the capacity of invited professors, but would people of that level move without any purpose?”
Hmmm, even after swallowing my hesitation, I couldn’t find any particular clues.
After all, this was information I couldn’t know right now. I decided to put my worries aside.
I could inquire further about the details when I returned to the Academy.
What I needed to deal with first was something else altogether.
“Neoris, you go ahead towards the warp gate first. I’ll greet the remaining people before joining you.”
“You’re leaving immediately?”
“What else can I do? Celin’s gone missing. I’ll keep my greeting brief, so don’t worry… By the way, what did Reto say?”
At the question I recalled as if it had just come to me, Neoris paused for a moment in silence.
Her golden eyes turned towards the ceiling. After her finger tapped her lips a couple of times, I finally heard a proper reply.
“…He told me to be careful.”
I had heard that line countless times already.
Usually before stepping onto the battlefield, from my companions or the “me” from the future.
But it was the first time Reto had said it.
I pushed aside Neoris’s subsequent explanation and stepped forward once more.
“They say politics has begun at the Academy.”
It meant it was time for me to confront my most vulnerable area.
Of course, at this moment, it didn’t particularly leave an impression on me.
One thought dominated my mind.
Celin, where have you gone?
I had to hurry back to the Academy.
Given how sudden my decision was, the reactions of the women who glanced at me were varied.
First, there were many who couldn’t follow me due to their own circumstances.
For instance, Senior Delphine, Seria, and the Lady Virgin Saint were among them.
Senior Delphine was the woman who would become the head of Yuridina. Naturally, she would only be able to return after finishing her affairs, and Seria’s circumstances were no different.
Of course, Seria had shown her determination to follow me, despite that.
“I’ll go back with you.”
“Seria, you still have work to do at the forefront…”
“Well, that’s for you to handle on your own.”
There was a chill in Seria’s voice as she spoke those words.
At least she wasn’t calling me a “dog” anymore. This was the result of my persuasion over a few days.
What kind of retainer calls their lord a “dog”?
It would have a negative impact on both Delphine and Seria.
Preventing such a situation was best.
Ultimately, I sighed and decided to appease Seria.
As my hands gently rested on her shoulders, she flinched as if startled, her eyes wide with surprise.
“I’m saying, Seria, Delphine is precious to me.”
At my calm confession, blue flames sparked in Seria’s eyes.
I could hear the sound of her teeth clenching tightly. Her hands were already filled with strength.
It was a fearsome power.
In the blink of an eye, she seemed like a different person.
I had anticipated this reaction.
I remained calm and gently persuaded Seria.
“And you are equally precious. I know it’s selfish of me, but I hope the two of you won’t argue with each other.”
“But…”
“I won’t abandon either of you.”
It was an incredibly brazen statement.
If Marquis Yuridina had seen me saying I would take both sisters, he might have collapsed out of shock.
But what could I do?
This was also the price for the Marquis Yuridina having allied with the Dark Cult.
All domestic discord originated from him.
Thus I tried to ignore the voice of my conscience and said,
“At least until I am released from my obligations… so, Seria, can you try to wait until then?”
It was a cowardly request.
Seria had no choice but to follow my will. After all, she had said that life itself held no meaning without me.
If I said I wouldn’t abandon either of them, then Seria also had no choice but to comply with my wishes.
However, Seria was braver than I expected.
“…Alright.”
Seria said to me with a cold smile.
“I’ll show you just how useless that ‘dog’ is… The only good point she has as a woman is her good looks and body, right? I’ll prove it while Senior Ian hesitates.”
It wasn’t the answer I was hoping for, but at least I was relieved she understood me.
I forced down a sigh and nodded.
At least I felt relieved.
It didn’t seem like the conflict between Senior Delphine and Seria would escalate to extremes.
As I turned to leave and greet someone else, a voice called out to me.
“Um, um… Senior Ian!”
I turned back with a question in my eyes.
Seria looked hesitant, her characteristic bravado completely vanished.
It didn’t take long for the girl’s face to turn bright red as she bent at the waist.
“C-could you give me a piece of clothing?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected request, I stood there in shock as Seria blurted out, her ears turning scarlet.
“Um, the longer I wait, the harder it gets! So, um, for the efficiency of business promotion… isn’t it… necessary?”
I looked around Seria’s room in silence.
It was still the same.
Dolls resembling me and items related to me were displayed around.
Eventually, I shrugged it off and took off my coat, feigning nonchalance.
It was an embarrassing act, but it was fine.
My beloved junior wore a beaming smile all over her face.
For Seria’s sake, I could be as embarrassed as I needed.
There were others who insisted on following me as well.
The Lady Virgin Saint was among them.
Despite the numerous individuals who needed immediate treatment, she insisted on tagging along.
Nevertheless, she was the Lady Virgin Saint.
No matter how much she wanted to follow me, she couldn’t abandon the groaning patients.
With a look of resignation on her face, she said,
“…I’ll gather my things and join you within a week.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
I gave a wry smile at the Lady Virgin Saint, who looked terribly disheartened.
It was something I wouldn’t have understood in the past, but after experiencing women a few times, I started to get it.
The Lady Virgin Saint held affection for me.
She was a person who could reasonably allow herself to be physical with me. In my opinion, her heart had already crossed that boundary.
So, I felt more conflicted.
It would eventually become necessary to have that conversation.
About the complicated relationships involving Senior Delphine, Seria, and even Emma.
But it was something I couldn’t even begin to consider right now, so I chose to put it off for later.
The troubles could be postponed for my future self.
After that, I didn’t have to go through any extensive persuasion with the others I met.
Senior Elsi and the Imperial Princess said they would accompany me, while Neoris had to carry out her duties as part of the Intelligence Department.
However, Senior Delphine only left behind a cryptic remark.
“It’s already begun.”
“…What?”
I could only reply with a befuddled question at her unexpected words.
Regardless, Senior Delphine leaned her chin on her hand with a bored expression.
“It’s a play for the next throne. The Yuridina family has only me as the legal heir, so it doesn’t matter for me, but the other five top noble families will have the heirs compete. Depending on which imperial successor they align with… and who becomes the next Emperor, the position of the clan head is decided.”
“Does that include the Alphenhausen twins?”
“Absolutely.”
Senior Delphine, clad in armor after a time, spoke in a quite serious tone.
“By the way, the Alphenhausen twins are on the side of Princess Iris. I don’t know what purpose they have in returning to the Academy, but… be careful, my lord.”
After that, the usual proceedings followed.
I shared a kiss with Senior Delphine, engaged in some heated moments, enjoyed a brief time of intimate contact, and then left the office.
Afterward, on the way to the warp gate.
I was walking while holding Emma’s hand.
Emma’s complexion was already bright red, as if it would burst.
“I-Ian… you don’t have to—this is too embarrassing for me…”
“No, I have to. You still have lingering effects from your illness.”
My words were a bit more exaggerated than intended, but I meant it sincerely.
Even now, the image of that day was embedded deeply in my mind.
The woman in the Intensive Care Room, pale and struggling for breath.
It may have been because of that, but I was particularly sensitive about Emma’s health.
Just like now.
“Once we arrive at the Academy, make sure to rest. Don’t worry about your luggage; I can carry it or send someone for it. Or I could even hire a caregiver…”
As I continued to ramble on with my unnecessary worries, Emma’s gaze fell even lower.
Of course, I remained oblivious to it.
I wasn’t even aware of what was happening behind my back.
I vaguely sensed that Senior Elsi was exchanging glances with the Princess, throwing something strange at Emma and me.
On the day we returned to the Academy, a bomb was about to be placed between us.
Senior Elsi continued to observe Emma afterward.
Always.
