NOVPUBProposer: Hugo Burteg.
The moment I saw that name, I sensed his ulterior motive behind the event involving a public duel between faculty members.
‘He’s disguising it as a “refreshing new event,” but in reality, he’s just trying to further solidify the position of the noble faction he leads.’
He likely used the headmaster’s abrupt change to the schedule as a pretext to raise an issue.
Didn’t they say not long ago that Hugo and the other noble-aligned faculty had gone to protest to the headmaster?
I wasn’t there at the time, so I don’t know the details, but this proposal probably came out of that meeting.
‘Just looking at it, they’ll probably pit noble-born instructors against commoner-born ones. The main targets would obviously be those teaching first- and second-year students.’
Since external guests would be visiting on festival day, they’ll smile and laugh on the surface while the duel takes place.
But beneath that facade, Hugo Burteg clearly intends to use this opportunity to cement the authority of noble-born instructors within Seorn.
‘This is going to be a bit of a headache.’
In events like these, it’s a given that new faculty members are expected to participate.
No matter the organization, the youngest or newest always has to step up first — an unchanging truth.
In this case, newly appointed instructors would definitely be required to take part in the duel event.
‘And this, right when Esmeralda, a First Order member, might be making a move during the festival?’
Honestly, I’d rather not waste my time on this kind of thing.
But it’s not like I can just refuse an event that’s already been decided. That’s the sorrow of being the newcomer.
‘Might as well fight lightly in the beginning and then let myself lose — that’s probably the best choice.’
Once the festival kicks off for real, even finding time will be a struggle.
Faculty will be patrolling in pairs, taking turns on shifts.
‘Because no one knows when or where something might happen.’
Since Seorn is an academy that trains mages, the frequency of incidents during the festival is incomparable to normal times.
And these aren’t just ordinary incidents — many are tied to magical experiments, so the slightest mistake could result in casualties.
There are protective and safety enchantments in place, of course, but one must always assume the worst-case scenario.
‘At least there will be some free time granted... I’ll have to use that moment to somehow stop Esmeralda.’
Only one week remains until the festival.
I had to make thorough preparations as well.
* * *
“So, Rine — you’re saying you don’t have any memories related to your parents?”
A clearing in the woods adjacent to the park grounds.
Though Freuden had originally created it, the place had since become a regular dining spot. In that clearing, Erendir furrowed her brow as if deep in thought.
“That’s strange. But I’m sure of what I saw — it was definitely the past you.”
“Are you absolutely certain it was me that you saw, senpai?”
“Of course. There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize that hair color. And Memory Storming is based on the subject’s mana, right? Since I saw it using your mana, it has to be your past.”
“But you said you saw it from the perspective of my... um, mother, not mine.”
“Right. That’s what’s weird. It should normally be from the perspective of the mana holder.”
“In my case, I also saw your past from your point of view, so that’s not wrong, technically.”
As the story of when Erendir was a first-year came up, she hurried to change the topic.
“Anyway! What I saw was definitely different from the usual case. Don’t you think so too?”
“Hmm. That may be true, but I don’t think we can say for sure either. The phenomenon of Memory Storming isn’t widely understood yet, so an exceptional case might have occurred.”
Rine dismissed it.
Because she had no memories related to her parents at all.
“Rine. You really don’t remember anything from your childhood? Not even a little?”
“No. All I remember is that when I became conscious, my mentor had already taken me in and raised me.”
“Your mentor?”
“Yes. The person who taught me magic before I enrolled at Seorn.”
“What kind of person was he?”
“Just... an old man. He was cranky and kind of frivolous in some ways, but he was still a good person. He treated me like a granddaughter.”
“Hmmm.”
Erendir stroked her chin.
No matter how she thought about it, it was strange that Rine didn’t remember her own past.
Humans are creatures of forgetfulness.
It’s not incomprehensible to forget things from childhood.
Still, even when memories are hazy, most people can recall something from when they were young.
Even fragments of memories count — if any exist, then they are indeed remembered.
But Rine had none.
Or rather, more accurately — she couldn’t remember.
Her memory was cut off, as if someone had forcibly severed it.
“No matter how you look at it, it’s strange. No memories of your parents? It’s impossible that you were born without them.”
“Maybe before I came to my senses, I was sold off somewhere. Things like that still happen, even now.”
It was still a common practice for poor commoners to sell their magically gifted children to mages.
“No. Even if that were the case, the fact that you don’t remember anything at all is strange.”
“That’s true.”
“And in the past I saw, you seemed to be living very happily with your mother. You looked around nine years old then.”
“...Nine years old.”
“Rine, what’s your earliest memory?”
“I think it’s from when I was around ten.”
“So about nine years ago, then. Don’t you think it’s odd? How can someone have no memories at all from before they were ten?”
“...You’re right.”
Until now, Rine had never really questioned her own past.
Thinking about it rationally, it certainly was strange.
No memories before age ten, and from then on, being raised by her mentor.
The shocking part was that even when Erendir pointed it out, Rine herself hadn’t thought it strange at all.
Perhaps now realizing the severity of the situation, her expression stiffened.
“You said your memories start from when you lived with your mentor, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then I can’t help but think that your mentor might be involved.”
“Huh? My mentor?”
“Rine, even if he was your mentor, you shouldn’t trust him blindly. The whole situation is just too suspicious. Judging by your reaction, he probably treated you well, but what if that was all an act?”
“...”
Rine couldn’t answer.
Because just as Erendir said, her mentor might indeed be connected to her erased memories.
Could he have been the one who erased her memories? Or was he tied to someone else who did?
If so, then why did he put so much effort into teaching her magic and raising her so carefully?
‘I don’t know.’
She didn’t know anything. Not the lost memories, not the mother Erendir mentioned.
“The only way to find out more right now would be to do more Memory Storming.”
“But didn’t we already use it all?”
“Exactly. So we can’t use it again, realistically. But if Professor Marie Ross is right and talismans start circulating more widely, then we might be able to check again then.”
As she spoke, Erendir looked at Rine’s downcast face and reached out to hold her hand.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s going to be okay. And who knows? Maybe your parents are still alive somewhere.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course. Absolutely.”
The sincerity in her words seemed to ease Rine’s heart, and her expression lightened a bit.
But even as she watched Rine, Erendir couldn’t shake her unease.
‘There’s no doubt that Rine losing her memories is strange. Some incident must’ve caused it. But that’s not the only strange thing.’
Erendir had seen Rine’s past through her mana.
But what she actually saw wasn’t Rine’s perspective — it was the perspective of Rine’s mother.
‘How could I see her mother’s memory through Rine’s mana?’
Is that even possible?
Mana is inherently personal. The basic rule is that no one can use another person’s mana.
That rule had been shattered.
And at the same time, Erendir sensed that Rine carried a massive secret — one even she was unaware of.
‘If I dig a little deeper, maybe I can grasp the shape of it.’
Should she go ask Professor Marie Ross for another talisman, just in case?
But even if she used it, there was no guarantee that the lost memories could be fully retrieved.
‘What should I do...’
Rine was the first friend she’d made since arriving at Seorn.
Erendir wanted to do everything she could to help Rine regain her memories.
‘To think someone would erase the memories of such a kind girl... Whoever it is, I’ll make sure they pay the price!’ 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
As that firm resolve burned inside her, a new visitor appeared in the clearing where the two had been alone.
“...You’re here again, Third Princess.”
Freuden Ulburk.
He responded as though he’d half given up on bothering to point out how often Erendir came here anymore.
Freuden suddenly noticed that Rine and Erendir’s expressions were unusually serious.
“Rine. Did something happen?”
“Ah, that’s...”
“There’s nothing wrong.”
It was Erendir who cut Rine off.
She quickly sent Rine a glance. The conversation they’d just had was not something others should know yet.
Rine picked up on the signal and closed her mouth.
“...I see.”
Though Freuden found their sudden silence odd, he didn’t dig deeper.
Mainly because a bothersome person had followed him here.
“Wow. What’s this? Even Her Highness the Third Princess Erendir is here? What a weird combination~.”
A handsome man with slanted eyes and long crimson hair tied back in a ponytail.
Henry Presto popped out from behind Freuden.
“Henry-sunbae?”
“Rine. Good to see you. Been a while.”
“Henry Presto? What are you doing here?”
Erendir glared at him.
The Presto family, Henry’s household, was a traditional retainer family that had long served the Ulburk Ducal House — one of the Empire’s three Great Ducal Houses.
Each of the three Great Ducal Houses of the Exilion Empire had a knightly retainer family.
Such families often carried more weight than their formal titles would suggest.
The Wagner family follows Lumos, symbolized by the eagle.
The de Ville family serves Kadatushan, symbolized by the mountain goat.
And lastly, the Presto family serves Ulburk, symbolized by the wolf.
“For someone as frivolous and loose-lipped as you.”
Of course, if he were just a retainer, Erendir wouldn’t be so wary.
But Henry was particularly shady even among them.
Unlike someone like Cheryl, who often accompanied Flora, every incident that erupted at Seorn seemed to have Henry’s fingerprints on it.
He had a grasp of everything happening at Seorn — like the entire school fit into the palm of his hand.
For a model student like Erendir, he was someone who had to be watched.
“Your Highness is being very harsh. What exactly did I do to deserve this reputation?”
“...As if I could not be on guard around you.”
Erendir had a very particular reason for being especially wary of Henry.
“Don’t tell me you’re still holding a grudge over that first-year incident? I told you then — I wasn’t the one who spread the rumor.”
“Silence!”
Because it was Henry who’d spread the embarrassing story from her first year — her black history.
Henry gave an awkward smile and scratched his cheek with his index finger.
“Well, I can’t exactly prove my innocence...”
“Even if you didn’t spread the rumor yourself! I’m sure you at least threw a log or two on the fire!”
To share a noble lady’s humiliation with others — where were his manners, his empathy?
And this Henry was Freuden’s friend.
This was precisely why Erendir disliked Freuden.
If they were friends, then Freuden had to be the same kind of person!
“...So that’s why you’ve been wary of me?”
Freuden finally realized the reason Erendir had disliked him, and for once, his voice held rare bewilderment.
“Anyway! ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) This is a matter between girls, so don’t butt in.”
“...I wasn’t interested to begin with.”
“Oh, but I am interested. Could you tell me what you were talking about?”
Shaak!
Erendir hissed like a stray cat, and Henry flinched, raising both hands and backing away.
He waved toward Rine, who was looking at him curiously.
“Hi, Rine. Been a while since back then, huh?”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
“W–Wait, Rine! Don’t tell me you know this sly snake of a man?”
“A sly snake? Your Highness, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“Silence!”
Rine nodded hesitantly.
“Yes. I just happened to pass by him before and got a little help.”
“Help? He didn’t demand anything in return, did he?”
“Hey, Your Highness, even I have feelings, you know. That hurts. I didn’t ask for anything in return.”
“Is that true?”
“Henry-sunbae’s telling the truth. He just recommended me for a really good part-time job, that’s all.”
It had been excellent work — great pay for a small amount of time.
All she had to do was quietly serve at a banquet hall.
“Now that I think about it, that was the same banquet hall where that terrorist attack happened.”
Rine said it casually, as if it were just an afterthought.
But the moment she said it, Erendir’s eyebrows flared with alarm.
“You said nothing happened! I knew you couldn’t be trusted!”
“Wha? Wait—”
Henry broke into a cold sweat at Erendir’s furious glare.
Honestly, he was innocent this time.
Henry turned to his friend Freuden for help.
“Let’s leave it at that. I’m sure Henry here didn’t have any bad intentions. Probably.”
“...Hey, Freuden? Probably? Really? You’re going to do this too?”
Freuden said no more — as if to say he’d helped as much as he could.
Sheesh. Not a single ally here. Henry shook his head with a sigh.
Outwardly, he looked troubled, but his sharp gaze gleamed like a snake zeroing in on prey.
“Oh, right. Rine. You know the festival’s coming up soon, right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes.”
Henry’s sudden change of subject made Rine blink in confusion.
“You’re a first-year, so this will be your first Magic Festival, right? Want me to give you a hot tip?”
“A... tip?”
Rine looked a bit wary.
And rightfully so — hadn’t she nearly died at that part-time job Henry recommended?
Seeing her reaction, Henry frantically waved his hands.
“Seriously, I had no idea that would happen back then. I swear. But this time it’s festival season — there’s nothing dangerous. Really!”
“Still...”
“Hmph. If you’re not interested, I can’t help it. A shame, really. I was going to recommend a part-time job with more than triple the pay of last time~.”
“I’ll do it!”
Rine’s eyes sparkled as she jumped at the offer.
In that moment, she had completely forgotten about her missing past.
