“I believe we should expel them at once.”
Darwin Streek’s voice cut like a knife through the headmaster’s office.
Darwin was one of the instructors at the academy, mainly in charge of the magical combat class.
He had long black hair and a gloomy aura, as if his whole body was shrouded in darkness. Only his piercing eyes shone brightly from his visage like daggers.
“We have no need for the incompetent at our noble academy. Rix Frestat and Shino Whytenight should both be expelled immediately, Headmaster,” Darwin said as he glared reproachfully at Rix and Shino, who had been summoned to the headmaster’s office.
“…Hmm.” Headmaster Jake was seated at his desk, with his hands folded before him; he seemed to be deep in thought.
Eeeeek! Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! Rix thought.
He was trembling with fear like a small animal in the clutches of a hunter.
“…”
Shino, on the other hand, looked entirely disinterested as usual.
Their Spheres couldn’t be unlocked. After this discovery, Rix and Shino had been subjected to all kinds of medicinal concoctions under the supervision of many different instructors, over and over, in order to open their Spheres.
They had also been tested with a number of strange magical methods.
But in the end, it was all futile; Rix and Shino’s Spheres weren’t budging.
“If their Spheres still haven’t opened after all we’ve done, I believe it is certain,” said Darwin. “These two do not have the qualities necessary to become mages—that is, unlocked Spheres. In which case, it is only logical that we should expel them, correct?”
“Hmm, you may be right! Unfortunately, that would usually be the case!” Headmaster Jake replied, unbothered.
Rix felt ready to cry.
But—
“However, these two are scholarship students! That means they must possess some kind of extraordinary magical ability! I don’t think it’s appropriate to run them out of the academy before we figure out what those extraordinary abilities are, do you?!”
“Perhaps there is some kind of issue with the magic tool used to select the students? It is quite old, after all.”
Rix blinked in confusion as he watched the back-and-forth between Headmaster Jake and Professor Darwin.
Professor Anna, who was also present, whispered into Rix’s ear. “Every year…scholarship students are selected using a special magic tool called the Annals of the One-Horned Goddess.”
“‘Annals of the One-Horned Goddess’?” Rix repeated.
“Yes. And that tool…intervenes with fate,” she added. “The Annals seek out rare magical talents that, without intervention, are destined to be lost without ever standing on the front lines of history, and it brings them forward. The Annals do not tell us the nature of those magical talents, but we use these three years at the academy to investigate them carefully.”
So that had been the circumstances behind Rix’s selection.
For the first time, Rix learned why a mercenary like him, who’d never had any involvement with magic, had received that special admission invitation to the academy.
But still…Shino and I can’t use our Spheres, which are essential in using magic… Maybe that old book thing was wrong after all, Rix thought as he tried to process everything.
“And yet the Annals of the One-Horned Goddess has a long and successful record! Every individual who has been chosen by the book has gone on to become a great mage who will go down in history!” the headmaster boomed. “Bearing this in mind, we cannot simply ignore that it was Rix and Shino the Annals chose on this occasion!”
“Then what are we to do? We’ve already tried everything we could think of to open their Spheres,” said Darwin, who remained cold and emotionless. “And while I’ve always hated Fools who decide to become mages, I haven’t cut any corners. As such, I believe the possibility of their Spheres opening is hopelessly low. And as long as their Spheres remain unopened, the two of them will be unable to keep up in their classes. I think it would be in their best interest to expel them as soon as possible.”
The other instructors in attendance seemed to agree. They eyed Rix and Shino sympathetically.
So this is the end, huh? Welp…the dream was nice while it lasted…, thought Rix, sliding into a funk.
“Hmm, in that case, allow me to ask: What do you two wish to do?” Headmaster Jake suddenly said to Rix and Shino.
“Huh?!”
“What do you wish to do going forward? What is your hope?” he asked. “But let’s not get too hopeful—in all likelihood, I don’t think it will be possible for you! If your Spheres still haven’t opened after all that effort, I don’t believe you will be able to become mages! However, in the face of the possibility that it may be hopeless or futile…under such uncertainty, would you still dream of being rewarded for your efforts someday and aim to become mages?! Or would you rather make a clean break and give up now and choose to walk a different path?! What, exactly, do you want to do?! I want to hear your honest wishes!”
“…!”
Rix peered deep into his heart.
But he didn’t even need to look for the answer—it was right there.
“I…I want to become a mage. I threw away everything I had for that very purpose. I can’t give up now.”
In response…
“I see! In that case, I will put a temporary hold on your expulsion! Please keep striving toward your dream!” Headmaster Jake declared.
Darwin sniffed disapprovingly.
“Huh?! You’ll let me off so easily?! You don’t need to ask my reasoning or my goal or anything?!” Rix said.
“Ha-ha-ha! No need! Such things are meaningless,” Headmaster Jake told him. “Each person’s values are different. One person may have a reason that seems ridiculous to another—but if it is genuine to that person, then it is genuine! Accordingly, what is most important is your own will! And you have expressed your will! I need nothing more!”
Next, the headmaster looked at Shino.
“Now, Shino! What shall you do?! What is your will?!” he demanded.
“…”
For a while, Shino continued to sit silently.
Then she finally whispered, “I—”
“I think she feels the same as I do!”
For some reason, Rix reflexively shouted over Shino.
“!”
Ignoring Shino’s vaguely surprised expression, Rix continued, “She’s always saying how she loves magic! And how she’s always aspired to be a mage! So there’s no way she’d rather be expelled! She can’t give up yet!”
He wasn’t really sure why he was yelling this. But he had a feeling that if he didn’t say something, Shino might—
“…I want her to stay, too, Headmaster. Please,” Professor Anna said, bowing her head. “Shino was one of the students nominated by the Annals of the One-Horned Goddess…so she must possess some fantastic magical ability! I’ll take responsibility myself and see to it that she opens her Sphere! So please allow her to stay!”
“Hmm… These two want you to stay, but what do you say, Shino?” Headmaster Jake looked back to Shino.
For a while, her silence continued, and her blank gaze wandered.
Then finally, she breathed a sigh as if she had at last reached a decision.
“…I…want to become a mage, too,” she said.
After the conversation was over, Rix and Shino left the headmaster’s office.
When they exited the school building, the sky was burning with the light of the setting sun. The castle-like school building, its soaring towers, and the vast courtyard were all dyed red and gold.
Somehow or another, Rix and Shino ended up walking through the school grounds together toward the White Class’s dormitory.
“Stay out of it,” Shino said out of nowhere.
This girl, who was usually so expressionless, now sounded slightly angry and resentful.
“I knew it. So you were going to let yourself get expelled? I had a feeling,” said Rix.
“If you knew, then why did you butt in? It was none of your business.”
“Hmm… Honestly, even I’m not quite sure why…” Rix scratched his head as he tried to explain. “It’s like…I just had a feeling you were thinking that you didn’t really want to leave the academy.”
“…!”
At that moment, Shino’s expression clearly wavered.
Then she muttered in frustration, “…On what grounds?”
“Just a feeling. And I’m usually right. Thanks to that, I’ve survived this long.”
Shino grew unusually enraged, glaring at Rix as if he were a pile of garbage.
“Gross! You’re seriously disgusting! What’s with you?!”
“Oof! Urgh! Ack! O-ow… That hurts so bad… Worse than any wound I’ve had on the battlefield…!” Rix groaned. “But…heh-heh… What a shame. Just when I was finally starting to feel better… Urgh!”
“You’re vile…” Shino was visibly disgusted.
“By the way, I have proof. For some reason or another, you made the effort to come to this faraway academy, and in the end, you chose to stay,” said Rix. “If you really, truly wanted to quit, you wouldn’t have done that, right?”
“Hmph. You don’t understand anything. It just would have been more trouble to withdraw. I don’t have anything else to do, so I figured I might as well stay. It was the path of least resistance… Don’t get the wrong idea.”
“I—I see…”
“Ugh, what rotten luck, getting involved with a pervert like you. Makes me want to puke.”
“Ah, what a treat, more insults. Thank you so much.”
Shino shot Rix a look of utter disgust before turning away.
Then she whispered, “…Hmph. You’re…just like him.”
“Hmm?” Rix peered at Shino’s face, but she ignored him.
He was pretty sure she wasn’t going to elaborate on what she’d meant by that whisper any time soon.
So he put it out of his mind for now.
“Anyway, let’s both do our best here, starting tomorrow! Right, Shino?”
“…Be quiet. Don’t get all chummy with me. It’s gross.”
Then the White Class dormitory, which looked like some kind of noble’s mansion, came into view.
And—
“Heeey! Rix! Shino!”
“How was it?! I mean…do you get to stay?!”
—Randy, Annie, and Serephina, who had been waiting for the pair, ran toward them with worried looks on their faces.