NOVPUBOutdoor banquet hall.
It wasn’t strange that Seorn had a separate area reserved specifically for nobles.
The Magic Festival was one of the largest celebrations in the entire Empire, attracting all kinds of people.
Naturally, commoners and nobles couldn’t be expected to mingle in the same space, smiling as if they were equals.
The tents and academic demonstration booths in the festival streets were mainly for commoners and merchants to enjoy.
Meanwhile, city councilors and nobles gathered like this in the outdoor banquet hall, chatting among themselves.
It felt unequal, but when it came to preventing incidents, this was the best option, so I nodded in agreement.
‘Well, it’s better for Seorn too, rather than risking something happening by putting nobles and commoners in the same place.’
Important people gathered and chatted among themselves—it was no different from the banquet hall I’d experienced that night.
No, if anything, the caliber of people gathered now was even higher.
But this time, I felt it had nothing to do with me.
‘How did I even get dragged into this?’
The last time was a welcoming party for new instructors, so I had no choice but to attend.
But I never imagined I’d end up at a place like this.
‘Is it because I won the magic duel?’
It was just an impromptu event, but the reaction had been unexpectedly intense.
Even now, I could feel glances being cast my way from every corner of the banquet hall.
It was uncomfortably distracting—even just drinking a glass of water made me the target of stares.
“Aren’t the gazes around you a bit too blatant?”
I answered the elderly man speaking beside me with a nod.
As long as they were just sneaking glances, it was fine.
But if they approached openly, this place would turn into a battlefield.
In that regard, I was benefitting greatly from this old man standing beside me.
Heibach Kadatushan.
Head of House Kadatushan, one of the Three Ducal Houses of the Exilion Empire.
With him by my side, lesser figures didn’t even dare approach.
‘Well, I do appreciate it...’
I glanced sideways at the old man.
But I had no idea what his intentions were in approaching me.
‘I can’t read this man at all.’
Heibach was a high-ranking noble who had spent decades in politics.
No matter how I tried to analyze him, it was difficult to see through the mind of someone like that.
Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, the head of House Kadatushan continued speaking with a sly smile.
“Nobles are always like that. Putting on airs befitting their status, clinging to formality, busy flattering each other. All while looking down on one another behind their eyes.”
“I see.”
Though I couldn’t speak for everything, I strongly agreed with that part, so I nodded.
Just look at what I could see now.
For example, the two men holding champagne glasses over there.
One was a mid-level noble, the other a councilor from the city of Rederbelk.
The councilor was eagerly appealing to the noble, who nodded along as if intrigued.
On the surface, it looked like a smooth conversation, but reality wasn’t that simple.
There were deeper layers of truth beneath it.
“That man’s Councilor Pretzel, isn’t he?”
“You know him?”
“Just met him once at a banquet long ago. All I remember is the name. He wasn’t particularly interesting.”
That was quite the detailed memory for someone supposedly uninteresting.
A man of Duke Heibach’s stature had surely attended countless banquets.
He was pretending otherwise, but his memory was clearly impressive.
“The noble listening to him is Count Rolaine, the one in charge of banking affairs. Curious what they’re talking about?”
I shook my head.
“Not really. At most, the councilor’s trying to persuade him to release a budget for some bill he’s trying to pass.”
The words of councilors who sought favors from nobles were predictable. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
They wanted support—plain and simple.
“Ho?”
“If it’s a bill meant to appeal to nobles, it’s probably about improving the welfare in a wealthy district like Centerford. There are plenty of nobles in the Empire who own private villas there.”
Likely, he was trying to win over the wealthy and gain votes from Centerford.
Politicians—then or now—were always chasing votes.
“Oho. You’re right. He really was trying to get funding for that purpose.”
“And Councilor Pretzel has no noble surname. That makes him a commoner. For a commoner like him to be at this banquet, he probably first gained popularity with the general public. But once he became a councilor, he changed course to pursue policies favoring the rich.”
“You can tell all that?”
“It’s easy enough if you think about it a little. But Count Rolaine doesn’t seem interested at all.”
Though Count Rolaine was smiling and listening, the emotion in his eyes was nothing but boredom.
He had instantly seen through Councilor Pretzel’s intent to curry favor and secure funds.
“His opponent is a councilor of common birth. A man of Count Rolaine’s stature—being in charge of banking—likely comes from a house with a long history. He’s probably not very fond of commoners. He’s definitely looking down on him. But since Pretzel is a councilor, he at least pretends to listen.”
“Ho.”
“Councilor Pretzel isn’t a fool, either. He knows his words aren’t swaying Count Rolaine. But he’s trying to force it anyway. He figures if he can just get the money, he’ll deal with the consequences later.”
From just those two figures, I could understand what kind of place this outdoor banquet truly was.
A place where no one is fooled—only fools try to deceive.
A tiresome battlefield of invisible swords.
“A cheap farce, through and through.”
“Correct.”
Heibach chuckled and nodded.
“To see through it all just by watching... Did you hear about it beforehand or something?”
“I just saw it.”
Deduction and analysis—skills I picked up while living under the identity of <James Moriarty>, or rather, one of my newer aliases: the private detective.
Private investigator <Eugène-François Vidocq>.
A former criminal who became the first private detective in Earth’s history.
The alias felt fitting given my circumstances back then.
“But try not to speak too harshly. A cheap farce has its own kind of charm.”
“I’m aware. It just doesn’t suit my tastes.”
“Sometimes, you have to endure works that don’t suit your tastes. Especially someone like you, teacher. People around you will keep pestering you—‘Look at this, come see that.’”
“Like right now?”
I threw in the remark as a light provocation, but Heibach just laughed instead of getting angry.
“No, no. I’m more like the one protecting you from annoying jackals.”
“One lion is much scarier than a few hyenas.”
“So that’s how you see me, huh? Well, I get it. But let me be honest—I want nothing from you.”
Nothing?
That came from Duke Heibach’s mouth, but I didn’t believe it.
“You don’t seem to believe me. But it’s the truth. Once you get to my age, you stop living for ambition and goals.”
“Then what do you live for?”
“Amusement.”
Heibach smiled mischievously.
His face was covered in wrinkles, yet the smile was paradoxically more innocent and youthful than anyone else here.
“In my youth, I burned with passion for all sorts of causes. But when you get old, the energy’s just not there. You can’t get fired up like before. That’s what aging is.”
“You don’t look like it.”
“I was worse back then.”
“That’s actually intriguing.”
“The older you get, the more indifferent you become. After going through enough shocks, you naturally start looking for stimulation. Fun things. Joyful things. That becomes the delight of life.”
It was easy to write off as the rambling of an old man, but I’d heard similar words before.
My teacher used to say things like that often.
That raising me and teaching me magic was all out of interest, after all.
“Seems I must look amusing to you, Lord Kadatushan.”
“Just call me Heibach. Using the family name is too stiff. And yes, to answer your question—I do find you amusing. Honestly, teacher, you’re fascinating. That’s why the other nobles also find you appealing. You know that, don’t you?”
“I’m well aware.”
How could I not?
Ever since that incident at the last banquet involving the Exorcism Tower, I knew this would happen.
The founder of a new type of magic.
And yet with no powerful backing—an easy target.
That’s who they see Ludger Cherish as.
“And I’m well prepared for how to act in case of any... eventualities.”
“Hohoho. You’re quite the sharp one. I’ve felt that since we first met. That’s why I’m standing beside you. I don’t want pointless trouble to arise from flies buzzing around.”
What Heibach meant was this:
He found me interesting, and talking with me helped ease his boredom.
In return, he’d fend off anyone looking to throw flirtatious glances my way.
An unspoken agreement naturally formed between us without ever being said {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} aloud.
“And I’m staying here because I agree with that purpose, Duke Heibach.”
“There, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders.”
“However.”
“...?”
“If you ever cross the line...”
I stared at Heibach with intensity.
“You’ll find out what real entertainment looks like.”
For a moment, the expression on Heibach’s face went blank—then quickly returned to normal.
“All right, all right. Geez. Young people are always so intense.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
No matter what he said, I could tell.
That fleeting smile that had crossed Heibach’s face.
In that moment, he had probably debated many things.
Wondering, Would it really be fun?
And ultimately, he suppressed that desire.
What a frightening man.
I had issued Heibach a proper warning, so he wouldn’t bother me any further.
It might’ve seemed rude for a fallen noble to speak to a duke that way, but Heibach wasn’t the type to nitpick over something like that.
At the very least, he wasn’t like the others who would fly into a rage over a bruised ego.
That’s what made him a true high noble.
‘I should drink a few more glasses of water and then leave.’
With that in mind, I raised my cup to drain it—
—and saw a familiar figure enter my vision.
Flora Lumos.
She wasn’t wearing her Seorn uniform, but a refined blue dress suited to the banquet’s formality.
She was acting strangely, hesitating and fidgeting in a way uncharacteristic of her usual self.
‘What is she doing here?’
I watched her closely.
Flora’s gaze was fixed on a group seated in one corner of the banquet.
‘The House of Lumos.’
The most eye-catching people among the gathered crowd were, without a doubt, those standing at the center.
At the very heart stood the head of House Lumos—Cayden Lumos.
Flanking him on either side were a young man and woman who appeared to be his children.
So she came to see her family.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, Heibach spoke up.
“Hm? Are you interested in the House of Lumos? Ah—didn’t you mention that one of their children is in your class?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
Flora was standing far away, nervously watching her father, unable to approach.
Just from that, I could instinctively tell what her place was within the family.
And Heibach seemed to come to the same conclusion.
“That child is Flora, isn’t she. What a pitiful situation.”
“Pitiful? What do you mean?”
“That a child born with the greatest magical talent would be ignored solely for being the daughter of a concubine—what could be more pitiful than that?”
“......”
At his words, I felt a sting in my back.
A wound I thought had long since healed.
* * *
Flora Lumos was conflicted.
Should she turn and leave the banquet now, or should she at least try to greet them once?
Just this once...
It would be a lie to say she didn’t hold any hope.
She had even changed into a proper dress for the occasion.
Since coming to Seorn, she had achieved so much.
A genius who never gave up her spot as top of her year thanks to her exceptional magic talent—that was Flora Lumos.
I’m not the same as I was when I lived in that household. I’ve changed.
Tell him.
And show him.
That the daughter he never paid any attention to has grown into someone exceptional.
She truly believed that if she did, her father would finally look back and acknowledge her.
Resolving herself, she took a step forward—only to feel her legs begin to tremble.
Her chest throbbed, and her heart tightened painfully.
Calm down.
Flora took a deep breath.
Without losing composure, she looked straight ahead and kept walking.
Don’t be afraid.
She was no longer that weak girl from the past.
Don’t be scared.
She had grown into someone worthy of the proud name of Lumos.
She was more than qualified to be a member of the family.
Don’t flinch.
But why?
Why—
Why was it so suffocating and painful?
As she crossed the space filled with stifling emotions, Flora eventually reached within speaking distance of the family head.
People around them began to recognize her one by one.
But the head of the family didn’t even glance in her direction.
Had he not noticed her yet? Or was he deliberately ignoring her?
Father.
Flora drew a breath, preparing to speak his name.
But someone beat her to it.
“Oh my, look who it is. Isn’t this the half-blood Flora?”
The voice came from a girl with the same dark blue hair as Flora.
She smiled with blatant ridicule on her face.
“Ah, right. You enrolled at Seorn, didn’t you? No wonder I haven’t seen you at the family estate lately—you ran away, didn’t you?”
“...Katrina.”
Katrina Lumos.
Flora Lumos’s half-sister—and the officially recognized legitimate daughter of House Lumos.
When Flora said her name, Katrina scowled.
“Would you not say my name so casually? It feels gross when someone of dirty blood just throws it around.”
“Oh, what’s this? Is that Flora?”
A man approached Katrina’s side.
He had loose, curly dark blue hair and a smug expression—he looked to be in his mid-twenties.
Flora greeted him with a polite bow, observing the proper etiquette for nobles.
“It’s been a while, Brother Kamal.”
Kamal Lumos.
The legitimate son of the House of Lumos—and the man set to become the next head of the family.
He let out a dry chuckle as he looked at Flora greeting him.
“You’re looking good. You wouldn’t have dared to speak up like this before. Is life at the academy that enjoyable?”
“......”
“There you go, shutting your mouth again. You’ve always gone quiet whenever things didn’t go your way.”
Flora didn’t reply.
If she refuted Kamal’s words here, he would pounce like he’d been waiting for it.
From long experience, Flora knew she had to shrink back in moments like this.
When she didn’t react, Kamal clicked his tongue.
Then, as if making sure she could hear, he turned to the head of the family beside him.
“Father. Look who’s here.”
“Hmph.”
Only then did Cayden Lumos react for the first time.
His cold, sharp gaze turned toward Flora.
“......”
In that frigid look—devoid of even the slightest trace of affection toward his own blood—Flora’s shoulders flinched.
“What is it.”
Cayden’s words were as cold and indifferent as could be.
It felt like icy needles pricking her skin.
Flora opened her mouth—then closed it again.
I... I can’t speak.
Her hand, clutching her dress, trembled violently. She had gripped it so tightly that all the blood had drained from her fingers, leaving them pale as a corpse.
She couldn’t meet her father’s eyes.
She didn’t have the courage to face that gaze that saw her not as a child but as something entirely other.
The mental chants she had been whispering to herself felt as if they had been wiped clean, like blank paper.
Why...
Why had she even come this far?
The sorrow welled up in her chest, and tears threatened to fall.
She had vowed never to cry again.
That’s why she wore her mask—so no one would see her weakness.
But here, even that small bit of resistance wasn’t allowed.
It felt as if the whole world was pointing fingers, trying to crush her.
That was when—
Someone stepped between Flora and Cayden, as if to interrupt.
“What the hell?”
Kamal frowned at the sudden intruder, while Cayden silently studied him.
“Ah...”
Flora looked at the broad back in front of her.
That was all she could see.
Broad, squared shoulders, a refined coat, and long hair flowing down.
It stood between her and the world, like a shield—a solid wall protecting her from everything.
Standing there protectively in front of Flora, Ludger calmly faced Cayden and spoke.
“Is there some problem with my student?”
