NOVPUBThe Philosopher’s Stone exists.
At such an abrupt statement, I was momentarily at a loss for what to say.
“Are you surprised?”
“It was a bit sudden, yes.”
If the Headmaster had smiled and said, ‘Just kidding,’ it would have been easy to dismiss it as a joke from a superior.
But judging by her reaction, she was dead serious.
“Hmm. I suppose I should begin by explaining what the Philosopher’s Stone is.”
As she said this, the Headmaster lightly flicked her finger.
A gesture so casual, so effortless.
But the result was anything but.
A surge of immense and clear magical energy radiated from her fingertip and began to form a shape before me.
It looked like a hologram suspended in the air—a stone, unmistakably.
To manifest magic in such a way... As expected of Seorn’s Headmaster.
It was a stunning sight, but I kept my expression steady and studied the projected stone in detail.
Though she called it the Philosopher’s Stone, it looked less like an ordinary rock and more like a raw gem—uncut and rough.
“As you can see, this Philosopher’s Stone is real. It’s existed for a very long time—so long, in fact, that it’s difficult to even guess its age. It contains a power of mystery and the unknown that remains unexplained to this day. The world has a name for such things.”
“A relic.”
A relic. In other words, an ancient artifact.
A term used to describe old objects imbued with mysterious power.
“So you already know.”
“Yes. I’ve heard a thing or two.”
Relics are different from artifacts.
Artifacts are man-made magical tools created for a specific purpose—practically enchanted crafts.
Relics are not like that.
Unknown origin. Unknown era. Unknown function.
No one knows who made them, how they were made, or how they actually work.
And yet their effects and power are often hundreds of times greater than those of an artifact made by a grand mage.
In some ways, each one is practically a strategic weapon requiring careful supervision.
That’s what a relic is.
Naturally, with such immense power, relics are extremely rare—so much so that they’re barely found anywhere on the continent.
And there’s a relic like that at Seorn?
“Since you already know the basics, this will be easier to explain. Yes. The relic known as the <Philosopher’s Stone> is here at Seorn. More precisely, it’s been stored at Seorn for a very long time.”
“Is that so.”
I nodded for now.
Well, if she says it’s here, there’s no reason for me to act all surprised and shout, ‘Impossible!’
The only issue is why the Headmaster is telling me this.
No matter how I look at it, this seems like classified information.
“I need your help, Professor Ludger.”
“What exactly are you asking of me?”
“There are already rumors about the <Philosopher’s Stone> spreading among the students. In fact, word is that nearly everyone at Seorn has heard something by now.”
I nodded.
That question Aidan had thrown at me after today’s class—that was about this too.
At the time, I brushed it off as nonsense and told him to focus on studying.
Never expected it to be true.
Now I just feel awkward.
“And what’s the problem with that?”
“The problem is that this rumor should never have gotten out in the first place.”
Ah. So that’s how it is.
“If a relic that’s supposed to be kept secret is being talked about, it means someone leaked the information.”
“You’re saying someone failed to keep the secret properly.”
“Yes. Though, if I had to name a reason, there is one. The Philosopher’s Stone is such a powerful relic that its storage location needs regular maintenance.”
In short, according to the Headmaster:
The Philosopher’s Stone—a relic that grants wishes—emits such a strong magical force on its own that it has to be stored in a secret location, away from prying eyes. However, due to the relic’s inherent power, its containment measures—be it the storage box or the location itself—start to fail over time.
‘Of course routine maintenance and repairs would be necessary.’
So while they were repairing the storage site, the relic had to be moved temporarily. And during that process, the information leaked.
Which eventually became a rumor circulating among the students.
Too convenient to be a coincidence—and ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) the Headmaster seemed to treat this matter quite seriously.
“Someone is deliberately leaking the information.”
“I see.”
“The reason I called you, Professor Ludger, is because of this situation. I need your help.”
Help, she says.
Even without asking, I already know what kind of help she means.
She wants me to help root out the one leaking information—an infiltrator within Seorn.
Or perhaps to ensure the relic’s safety during this period.
I nodded without hesitation.
“Understood.”
“You’re taking this more easily than I expected.”
The Headmaster blinked in surprise, as if she hadn’t anticipated such a swift agreement.
I get her reaction. Normally, this would be the point where someone says, ‘Why are you telling me all this?’
But I didn’t ask that.
There was no need to.
‘If I ask why she’s involving me, it would be the same as expressing doubt in the trust she’s shown me.’
Honestly, I know the truth.
She didn’t assign me this task out of pure trust.
My fabricated background paints me as a former military officer, and my composed demeanor probably made me seem suited for this kind of work.
But she’s still suspicious of me.
There’s a high chance she’s using this as an opportunity to dig into my secrets.
‘Rather than giving her a reason to be suspicious, it’s better to simply go along quietly.’
If I start questioning her, it’ll only come off as resistance—or worse, a refusal to cooperate.
If I want to earn her trust, I have to show that I trust her first.
Trust is never one-sided—it’s something that’s built mutually, step by step.
By agreeing without hesitation, I was effectively saying, I am not your enemy. I trust your words.
‘In the long run, maintaining a good relationship with the Headmaster is the smart move. If I can earn a favor now, I can cash it in later.’
That’s why I answered right away—with calculations running in the background, of course.
Naturally, I kept that hidden behind a façade of a dutiful soldier carrying out orders without question.
“Professor Ludger, please keep an ear out for student gossip. If anyone behaves suspiciously, report it immediately. Also, we’ll need your help during the relic’s transport.”
“Understood. When should I be ready?”
“The sooner, the better.”
“Are there any other faculty members involved in this?”
“Yes, but they’re handling separate tasks. You’re unlikely to cross paths.”
“I see.”
A way of saying: don’t concern yourself with them.
Even so, for her to single out a new teacher like me...
She must really be wary of me.
I even helped crush Hugo’s faction in that bet with Professor Chris, but I guess that wasn’t enough.
“For now, please act as you normally would. There’s still time before we transport the relic.”
“Understood.”
If something were to happen, it would be when the relic is moved from its secure location.
That’s when the group that spread the rumors would likely make a move.
And the prime suspect behind it all... was almost certainly the Black Dawn Order.
‘Things are getting interesting. Having me—nominally the First Order of the Black Dawn—hunt down members of that same organization?’
Now that’s rich.
Call it fate’s joke.
Coincidence? Or a deliberate setup?
If it’s the latter, maybe the Headmaster is thinking, If he were truly a traitor, he wouldn’t accept this mission.
But that’s a miscalculation.
‘There’s no one more eager to expel the Black Dawn from Seorn than me.’
To me, those bastards are chains around my neck.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
You never know when or where they’ll suddenly go off the rails.
If they find out I’m a fake, they’ll kill me no matter what it takes.
‘Might as well use this opportunity to see just how dangerous the Black Dawn really is.’
Whatever the case, one more task has landed on my plate. That much hasn’t changed.
Good thing I recruited a teaching assistant in advance.
Although it’s ironic that said assistant is one of the Black Dawn’s lackeys.
“I’ll be in touch later.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Rising from my seat, I gave the Headmaster a polite nod and exited the office.
* * *
After Ludger left the Headmaster’s office.
Headmaster Elisa Willow paused from organizing her paperwork at the sound of a knock.
“Come in.”
With permission granted, the door opened quietly.
Wilford entered, holding a silver tray in one hand.
On the tray were freshly brewed tea and some cookies.
“Please, take a break and have some.”
“Ah. Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. This is part of my duties.”
Elisa stretched to relieve her stiff muscles, then immediately picked up a cookie and popped it into her mouth.
“Whew. No matter when I try your cooking, old man, it always hits the spot.”
“You look rather tired.”
“Well, I suppose I am.”
Though she was rarely one to show her emotions, Wilford was an exception.
He had served loyally by her side for many years.
“So, did Professor Ludger Cherish accept the proposal?”
“Yes. He nodded in agreement more easily than I’d expected.”
Even now, Elisa found it strange.
She’d assumed he would at least ask a few questions out of surprise.
But the moment he heard the situation, he understood it immediately and accepted it without issue.
“Truly the image of a soldier who follows superior orders without question...”
At first, she had suspected Ludger Cherish.
After all, there had been signs that suspicious individuals had infiltrated Seorn.
And their methods were so crafty that one couldn’t tell whether they were servants, students, or teachers.
That’s why Elisa had placed the newly hired instructors under suspicion—especially Ludger, whose past was comparatively vague.
But seeing how he behaved over time, she couldn’t help but revise her opinion.
“It’s a bit surprising that my sight magic didn’t work on him. I suppose that speaks to the strength of his mental fortitude.”
The students also held an overwhelmingly positive opinion of him.
Especially the magic he’d created called “Source Code”—just hearing about it from others had been enough to pique Elisa’s curiosity.
If she weren’t burdened with the title of Headmaster, she would have been the first to visit him herself.
“Heh. Didn’t I say so? He’s someone worth trusting.”
“You were skeptical at first too, weren’t you, Mr. Wilford?”
“Well, up until I personally picked him up from the station, yes.”
Even Sedina hadn’t trusted Ludger initially. But now, she thought it was okay to place faith in him.
After all, he had put Hugo’s faction—those constant thorns in her side—squarely in their place.
That alone had been enough to blow off a year’s worth of accumulated stress from running this school.
Still, complete trust wasn’t something she could grant yet.
That’s why she’d given him this mission.
‘Professor Ludger... This will be the last test. I do hope you exceed my expectations.’
Muttering to herself, the Headmaster crunched into another cookie.
* * *
Knock knock.
While reading a thesis in the faculty office, I looked up at the sound of knocking.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Sedina, sir. I’ve finished organizing the assignments and came to report.”
“Sedina? Come in.”
With my permission, Sedina opened the door and stepped inside.
Her face was marked by the fatigue of organizing the work of eighty students, but there was also a sense of pride from having accomplished it.
“Here’s the compiled document.”
“Good. You’ve done well.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I removed the rimless glasses from my face and reviewed the materials Sedina had brought with careful eyes.
Sedina, a somewhat blank expression on her face, simply stared at me.
“Hmm. No issues here. Nicely done.” 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
“O-oh, no. It was easy since it was just organizing.”
“Is that so? You’ve earned your rest, then. I’ll be leaving shortly myself.”
“Ah, yes! Thank you for your hard work!”
Sedina’s face lit up at the compliment and she exited the office with light, excited steps.
Left alone again, I neatly stacked the assignment bundles she’d sorted and turned to gaze out the window.
The sun had already set, and the sky had turned dark.
The stars scattered above sparkled so brilliantly, far more dazzling than what I’d ever seen back on Earth.
Night already, huh.
‘In a few days, the Headmaster will likely call on me again.’
The relic stored within Seorn.
And the Black Dawn Order, the organization that’s targeting it.
The Headmaster had sensed their presence long ago. This might be the first real clash between Seorn and the Black Dawn.
And now I was caught in the middle of it.
‘I don’t yet know what task she’ll give me, so I can’t make assumptions. But one thing’s certain—this is a major turning point.’
Still... even for the continent’s greatest magic academy, I never imagined they’d house a relic.
Relics are not just “things.”
They’re imbued with immense mystery, beyond the understanding of even today’s mages.
Click, click.
I opened a pill case and threw one into my mouth.
A refreshing sensation spread as mana surged within me, and then—something surfaced in my mind.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small object.
The Headmaster probably thought I’d heard of relics because of my military background.
But in truth, that wasn’t it.
There was only one reason I hadn’t seemed surprised when she brought up relics.
‘A relic, huh.’
What I pulled out from my pocket—
A shard that looked like it had broken off from some round object. A fragment of indeterminate metallic composition.
‘Never thought I’d come across something like this here.’
Because I, too, possessed a relic.
More precisely, a fragment of what once was a relic.
