The field exercises came to a close in an unprecedented fashion — suspended after numerous reports that unidentified monsters had appeared up in Trowa Forest. According to the students, the monsters were dark red, almost like blood, and their substitute pendants failed to protect them against the monsters’ attacks. As soon as this news reached the teachers’ ears, they quickly decided to call off the field exercises. Jenifa enrolled a number of children from noble families, after all, and the academy had much preferred for them to remain alive.
“Sir Knight, you have come to our aid again. I sincerely apologize for the trouble,” said the academy’s headmaster.
Sain shook his head.
“Don’t worry about it. Dealing with Chaos is my job.”
They were seated in the headmaster’s office, and Sain had just finished telling him about the events that had transpired.
“I very much appreciate your understanding. Allow me to deal with the cleanup, then... Still, I must say, who’d have thought that Harti would align herself with Chaos?”
“...What kind of student was she?”
“A good one. Serious-minded, with a strong sense of justice. It must have been the circumstances surrounding her identity as a dark elf, and the duty she felt to protect her sister, that drove her to walk this path. Amongst her peers here at Jenifa, she was a rare breed, one who helped up the weak and stared down the strong. Her grades were exceptional, as well. Every bit the equal of your attendant, Melia, in fact... And yet, she never made a big show out of it. Never flaunted her strength. Truly, she was a wonderful student in every regard.”
Sain nodded. Judging from the headmaster’s description, Harti was not one to hurt others without reason. Even after gaining the power of Chaos, that part of her personality seemed unchanged. It was, of course, also what had caused her to let down her guard, giving Cain a chance to strike.
“And the student council president? Who is he?” asked Sain. “When I told you someone else had killed one of the Beasts of Chaos that appeared outside the city walls, you told me that you had an idea who it might have been... I assume it was him.”
The headmaster quietly confirmed his suspicion.
“...That is correct. I’m terribly sorry, Sir Knight, but I must again decline to comment further. To be honest, I’m not privy to much of the details myself... but there is one thing I can say for certain.” He looked Sain in the face. “He hates the holy knight.”
Sain’s eyebrows went up in surprise.
“He... hates the holy knight?”
“Indeed. Granted, the holy knight he hates might not be you, specifically...”
Sain recalled the pressure he’d felt from Cain when they clashed in Trowa Forest. He remembered the hatred in Cain’s eyes. At the time, he’d wondered if it was just his imagination. Now, he knew it wasn’t.
“...Still, I’d advise some caution on your part,” the headmaster continued. “I assume you haven’t blown your cover yet?”
“Not yet. I probably gave him a lot of reason to be suspicious, though...”
“I’ll do what I can to help.”
Sain thanked the headmaster and took his leave.
Cain Theresia...
It was likely that the student council president already saw him as the most probable candidate to be the holy knight. The presence of Alicia, Melia, and Marni at the scene had all but guaranteed that. Being the last member of their group, his obvious absence was nothing but a red flag.
As he walked down the hallway, he found a pair of students walking toward him in the opposite direction. One was the vice-president of the student council, Emilia. Beside her was the president in question. Neither made a sound as they approached. Then, just as they passed him...
“Are you the holy knight?”
“What are you talking about?”
Cain’s question was brief and sharp, like the swing of a sword. Sain parried it. Their gazes, parallel and opposite, never met.