The time when even the sun has set and darkness has descended. Aira Merlin was patrolling the newly constructed building this time.

She was in a very dangerous situation not too long ago.

However, many professors defended her, and as a result, she was able to regain her normal life, although it was limited to ＜Skientia＞.

‘I have to work hard for the people who worked hard for me!’

Ira promised.

This new building was said to be a building that Tia had brought in for an alliance with the Empire. It is like the first step towards a change in ＜Skientia＞, where Tia had to handle everything alone all along.

Of course, I don’t know what exactly this building was for, but that didn’t matter. The important thing is that Aira made up her mind.

but… … .

“indeed. After all, Professor Aira was there too.”

The ambient temperature seemed to drop further. When I turned my head to that cold voice, I saw blue eyes that evoked a much colder feeling than the voice.

Oz Quo Vadis.

“Eh… … .”

Ira knows.

He’s helped a lot by Oz, so he knows what he looks like when he’s in a bad mood.

He is infinitely cold… … . It looks like a condescending look.

Yes, it is now.

“why… … ?”

Why do you become like this as soon as you promise yourself?

For the first time, Aira became curious about the identity of the building she was patrolling.

“Oh, oh, don’t come! Mr. Oz. W, students are not allowed in here!”

“I know.”

“Ah, also… … !”

Ira cried, wondering if it might have come by mistake.

what the hell did you do wrong? Why do we have to endure such an ordeal like this natural disaster?

“I-I’m also an elder-level wizard.”

“I know. Because I was there too.”

Oz stepped forward, ignoring the appearance of Aira, who was starting to show signs of anxiety.

In the first place, he had no reason to fight. So I was able to relax, but… … . Every time his foot fell, Ira trembled like an aspen tree in fear.

“I didn’t come specifically to fight Professor Aira.”

Contrary to what he said, however, Oz’s eyes gradually began to grow stern.

Oz only activated [Contemplation] to capture the invisible appearance of Discre, but Aira saw it differently.

The incident during the entrance exam flashed back, and I had no choice but to tremble in fear.

“… … He intends to test me like that again!”

There’s something she’s been through all this time.

Even that was mostly her illusion, but there was a feeling that it was too late for Aira to get out of the swamp of illusion.

The trauma of the past was too deep.

“Everyone, don’t come closer.”

“Then I’ll just go back… … .”

“Don’t move!”

“Yes, I stopped. So calm down and talk… … .”

“lie! You’re trying to test me like that again?! you know? I know now! I won’t be caught off guard anymore!”

“… … What do you mean?”

Oz looked at Ira, who was in a state of panic as he aimed his cane, and quietly raised his hand.

It doesn’t look good when you touch someone in that state.

In the first place, Oz had a justification, but he is not even in a state where the opponent can listen to it.

‘The plan went wrong like this?’

This is an unexpected direction. The opponent’s mental state was abnormal.

I never thought that I would be in a state where even the normal judgment of listening to the story would be impossible.

It was a time when such a tense confrontation continued.

“Oops, it’s a little late. Professor Ira. Student Oz came because he had something to meet with me.”

“Professor Discre… … ?”

Discree appeared and began mediating between the two.

“… … okay. So you’re trying to test me again?! This time, even Professor Disrae joined in!”

“… … .”

But Aira’s anxiety transcended that.

She was quite devastated at the thought that she would have to live in ＜Skientia＞ for the rest of her life from now on.

“Both of you don’t move! i can do it! Because you can?”

“What do you mean?”

“anything!”

Are you saying you want to shoot?

Oz thought that there was nothing good to be said by any more useless words.

‘… … I didn’t know that discrees would come out for real.’

In any case, the plan to confirm the location of the discree was as successful as he appeared in person.

I had to drag the time anyway, so Professor Aira’s panic could have benefited from it.

“Have you moved now?”

“… … Nope.”

If there is a little problem, is it anxiety? Oz couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat when he saw Ira overreacting to even the slightest reaction.

If there is anything that can rectify this situation, it is only Professor N who has worked with her for many years.

“Wow?!”

However, Discree’s actions were bold. He approached Ira in an instant and knocked her out while she focused on Oz.

Discree moved the collapsing Aira to a corner and moved toward Oz.

“I didn’t expect you to come out for real.”

“Aren’t you the kind of person who will just go away just because I don’t come out? The Prince of Oz.”

“Those who know that well… … .”

Oz glared at Discre with cold eyes.

“Did you hit me on the back of the head like that?”

From now on, you must not be careless even for a moment.

* * *

he’s a stupid guy

Professor Aira’s mental state was unstable, so I never thought I’d be able to knock her out like that.

No matter what, he’s an elder-level wizard. It is quite difficult to outwit such a mage.

But Discre did it.

I can’t help but admire the power of action before asking if I can do it. If I’m not careful, I’ll be the same as Professor Aira.

“Leaving the back of my head aside, there was no explanation.”

“There’s nothing I can do other than say I’m sorry. sorry. I couldn’t help it because I couldn’t refuse the princess’s order.”

“It happened, yes, I understand. But is there no minimum compensation? Is it your way to run away without even making an excuse?”

Fit my image as much as possible. Arrogant and self-righteous. As if that was natural, he only complained.

It should appear that I am not having other thoughts.

“You’ll save face, but shouldn’t you at least explain what happened?”

“… … .”

Our eyes meet with Discree’s insensitive eyes. It was an extremely businesslike attitude, but I could feel the slight heat in those eyes.

There is something. It was a rough statement, but there was a definite reason.

“The agent who caused trouble with his arbitrary actions this time will be dismissed. And if you have any information you want, we will do our best to cooperate. And lastly, we will never leak any information.”

“What?”

“Are you lacking this much?”

“I have no interest in Lucia’s dismissal. Would you rather see me in person? If that’s what you said, it’s an arbitrary act, you should meet the person involved. is not it?”

“no.”

It is a firm answer.

As expected, Discre has no intention of letting her meet Lucia.

I don’t know exactly what the reason was right now, but if things go on like this, it’s certain that Lucia will leave ＜Skientia＞.

That’s how Discre protects Lucia.

“Should I just step back because it doesn’t work like you said earlier?”

“… … .”

“You would have told me? Please give me an explanation. Will I be satisfied if I say no to everything like that?”

look at the discrete Check each action without missing it.

If he attacks, it will be a moment. If you don’t catch that moment, you’ll be smashed right in the first place.

This distance is advantageous to Discre. That said, if you keep the distance, you may lose sight of him, so you have no choice but to accept it.

What’s sad is that it’s not me. I have to hold him.

“okay… … .”

Squak-!

By the time I thought I had moved, the action had already taken place.

Discre’s sword was swung at me. It was a frontal attack that cut deeply through the oblique line.

attack to kill. However, the attack had nothing to do with it.

I didn’t think that my opponent would be able to kill me with this attack in the first place. That’s why I boldly proved it.

“It was your purpose to keep me here.”

transcendental magic

[Prometheus]

It passed through my body transformed by the black flame of the discreet.

It is absurd courage. What would I have been thinking if I hadn’t prepared [Prometheus] in advance?

“I tried to hide it well, but it seems that you noticed this again.”

“You seem arrogant, but surprisingly meticulous. Did you think you wouldn’t know that?”

“Well, bluffing against an intelligence organization can’t work.”

Set your posture right.

A battle cannot be avoided unless caught. Even if the other side had no intention of doing that, considering the time limit I had, I had to fight to overcome it.

“diversion… … . The other must be Princess Eleanor.”

“Yeah, this case needs to be finished by the parties, Eleanor and Lucia. I’m just helping with that. Of course, I’ll say the same thing.”

“It is a childish idea. It was way too reckless.”

“What about actually being young?”

Eleanor’s way of relying solely on her emotions. I don’t know what the outcome will be.

Usually, if you crash into it without thinking, it will only make things worse… … .

“Isn’t it the guardian who is responsible for that? If you really think of Lucia as a family… … .”

Discree is a bit coercive.

“You have to be able to count a little bit.”

At least I did.

I was thinking of understanding Eleanor’s feelings, and finally decided to help with that.

“… … His Majesty the Emperor intends to use Lucia for His Highness Stasia.”

“It’s a way of talking about things.”

“That’s right. His Majesty the Emperor is such a person.”

now i get it The reason Discree was wrapping up Lucia so tightly wasn’t because of Eleanor.

It’s just a combination of bad conditions.

“This is also an opportunity. If we use this incident as an excuse, it will be possible to keep Lucia away from Her Highness Stasia.”

He wants to keep Lucia away from ＜Skientia＞, where Stasia will be incorporated, in order to keep her safe.

It was his own judgment that Lucia was still immature. In reality, Lucia was still immature and Discre was using her best judgment.

“If you stay the same, then you are the same as the Punisher family.”

However, Lucia’s determination was not there.

The only time Lucia thought and made a decision on her own was when she asked me for help in the past.

Discre’s method ignores Lucia’s feelings. He may be better than the others, but he is a member of the Punisher family after all.

“you’re right. I am not very different from them. But isn’t Lucia different? He will be able to live a normal life unlike us.”

He limited Lucia as the target to be sent out of the water.

yes, not myself

Because she doesn’t yet know how to live like a human like Lucia.

“Where does your stubbornness come from? I really wonder what the hell brought you to such a halfway state.”

“As a family, it’s natural.”

“It’s funny. What a funny thing to say. Do people who force unilateral sacrifices these days be called family?”

Time is about 5 minutes or so.

If that time passes, the duration of [Prometheus], which burns with all my mana as fuel, ends.

Of course, at that time, there would be no mana left in my body, so it would be impossible to hold out against Discre.

“The funniest thing is that you don’t even understand what an ordinary life is and you’re forcing it.”

I don’t know about discrees.

Running away in this state would be the worst thing for Lucia. Right now, he’s just making people from the Punisher family like himself.

“If that was your purpose, then you should have left Lucia alone.”

“If left alone like this, Lucia might become a mere loser.”

“That’s what you mean by an ordinary life.”

What is an ordinary life?

Is it a normal life to go to a secluded place in the countryside and build a farm?

“Life is not knowing when, where, or what will happen.”

For example, when I open my eyes, I am in a different world.

“It is up to each person to deal with it. It’s not like someone forced you to.”

If you have to save the world, it must be your own purpose.

“Your job is to be there to help, not force it. If you intend to approach Lucia as a family rather than as the head of an organization, at least you should leave the judgment to yourself.”

The flames of [Prometheus] begin to fill the surroundings.

The source of this power is displayed when you want to be someone’s guide.

Of course, what I do may also be one-sided coercion. I’m not perfect, so this may not be a guide, but a meddling.

“If you don’t understand what I’m saying, that doesn’t matter. Besides accepting it, in the end it is your decision.”

But I at least look at the other person and interfere.

It’s not that I ignore everything the other person is doing, I just look at them and convey my own judgment.

“Discrete Punisher.”

It doesn’t matter if all my actions are regarded as one-sided self-righteousness.

“Do you know what to do if we disagree?”

“Conversations and discussions and deals. And if you can’t understand each other even with that.”

outside, or

“It is a war.”

I think we should at least give them a chance to talk.

“Yes, it is a declaration of war. Tenebris. Tonight, ‘Phantom Thief Chrysos’ asked me to tell her that he will take Lucia away.”

“Sounds not even funny… … .”

“right? I can’t understand that bastard’s sense.”

Still, when he does, he does.

“But when you were looking away, he was just staring. Maybe they know more than you, my family.”

Eleanor is the complete opposite of Discre. The only thought in his head was going to Lucia.

I will only think of that one.

I don’t think about the political purpose or the aftermath.

Eleanor is a person who can throw everything for one person.

“That bastard will be able to turn even the Empire into an enemy for Lucia’s sake? So, do yourself a little too. The only difference between you and Eleanor is that you are the same black cat.”

“That’s a beast-hating word choice. You’d better be careful with your remarks. The successor of the King of Darkness.”

“… … From what you’re saying, it’s clear that the two of you are a family.”

It’s very fussy.