“Alright. Show me what you’ve got. Something I couldn’t do even if I were to die and come back to life.”

Roneh bared her teeth and laughed heartily.

“Allen. Let’s begin.”

“Okay.”

At Nigel’s signal, the two closed their eyes and began to concentrate.

Gradually, a warm light began to seep out around Nigel and Allen’s bodies.

The privilege of those who have manifested mana.

It was the emission of mana.

Roneh and Noah held their breath and watched the light of the two.

Then, as the range of light emitted by Nigel gradually widened, the entire room was suddenly covered in light.

“This is…!”

Even Roneh, who had not manifested mana, could clearly feel the change in concentration within the room.

A powerful yet non-threatening, gentle, and warm force filled the room.

This feeling was like…

‘…the Princess?’

Roneh quickly erased the fleeting thought.

No matter how much she missed the Princess, it was presumptuous to think of her while looking at Nigel.

Swoosh.

Even Allen, who was emitting mana together, lost concentration due to the vast power and opened his eyes. And he stared only at Nigel as if time had stopped at the amazing sight before him.

“The children’s faces…!”

At Noah’s exclamation-like whisper, Allen and Roneh came to their senses and looked around.

“Everyone… their complexion is gradually returning.”

Nigel’s mana was entering the bodies of the girls who had been completely pale, helping them regain their original vitality, their life.

“It’s like… the Saint.”

Allen muttered as if in a dream.

“This… is really something? Replenishing the depleted mana of over thirty children in such a short time? If we’re just talking about sheer mana quantity, it seems even more than Heres.”

Roneh let out a hollow laugh.

At that moment, the door opened and several soldiers in uniform appeared.

“We came after receiving a report! First, the child who urgently needs to go to the temple…”

The soldier at the front soon trailed off at the unbelievable sight before his eyes.

“S-Saint…?”

The soldier behind blinked his eyes.

“…No, just an Academy magic department student. With a bit more mana than others.”

Then, as the light receded, Nigel’s voice was heard. A voice with a tone of bewilderment.

“Nigel! Are you okay? Are you dizzy? Should we go to the villa right now?”

Allen quickly approached Nigel.

“No, I don’t think we need to go to the villa.”

Nigel clenched and unclenched her fist a few times. Perhaps because it was right after emitting mana, she felt even more refreshed than before the emission.

“But… why is the atmosphere like this?”

“Ah, no. We’re just amazed that the children’s complexion has returned.”

Allen spoke, stammering.

“Really? I’m glad the mana worked well. By the way, Beselion, why is your face red? Did you overdo it earlier?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

Noah hurriedly turned his back.

Nigel frowned, wondering if he could properly catch demons with such a weak body and mind.

And finally, Nigel looked at Roneh.

She must have given up by now.

“Nigel, you…”

‘Yes, give up just like that.’

“You must come to the swordsmanship department. It’s too much of a waste of talent to stay only in the magic department. Yes, I’ll ask the dean about it, so how about trying a double major!”

Roneh completely missed Nigel’s expectation. Far from giving up, she was even more fired up.

“I’ll pass.”

“Come on, don’t play hard to get.”

“I’m not playing hard to get, I’m sincerely declining.”

While Nigel and Roneh were arguing, Allen opened his mouth.

“Ah, I wanted to ask, how did you two meet?”

“We met by chance.”

At Nigel’s unhesitating answer, Allen let out a sigh of relief.

“Right? I thought you had contacted Professor Roneh and brought her here because you didn’t want to get demerits.”

“Did you really think I was that obsessed with demerits?”

Nod.

Noah and Allen’s heads moved simultaneously.

“Forget it. …Let’s go to the inn with Andy now. For dinner.”

At Nigel’s words, the corners of their mouths rose simultaneously as they faced each other.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…dy. Andy. Andy? Are you coming to, child?”

As Andy slowly lifted her heavy eyelids, familiar faces she saw every day came into view.

“Mom… Dad…?”

“Andy! Where on earth did you go without saying a word!”

“Do you know how worried your mother was?”

The two shed tears as they looked at Andy.

Not understanding the situation, Andy blinked her eyes and then suddenly opened them wide.

“…Ah, that’s right! Liz! What happened to Liz?”

Creak.

Just then, Andy’s room door opened. And Andy’s eyes opened even wider vertically.

“Miss Andy…! You’re awake?”

“We just got back from taking Miss Liz home~”

“…W-who are you and why are you in our house? You’re so handso… Ah, no, that’s not it.”

Swish.

A familiar face appeared among the beautiful boys who looked like they could be in her favorite gossip magazine.

“…Nigel?”

“…Andy.”

Nigel awkwardly waved her hand.

“Ah, I was wondering who it was, it must be Nigel’s friends. But why are you he… re…”

Then Andy’s eyes took in Nigel’s appearance.

Unlike usual, her hair was all messed up, her dress hem was wrinkled and frayed, and her eyes looked tired.

“Did… did Nigel save me?”

“…”

Nigel silently turned her head.

“What? You never did that in front of us, Nigel… are you embarrassed?”

Allen proudly told Andy’s family about what had happened today.

Julie and her husband cried throughout Allen’s story.

And… Andy held back her tears and firmly grasped Nigel’s hand.

“Nigel… thank you… for saving me… for saving Liz… for allowing me to meet my mom and dad again. …Thank you so much, Nigel…!”

Andy finally couldn’t hold back her tears and began to sob while speaking.

Nigel felt both comforted and conflicted by Andy’s warm touch transmitted through her hand.

If it weren’t for me.

You wouldn’t have gone through this.

If it weren’t for me.

Nigel bit her lip firmly and patted Andy’s back.

Rustle.

The letter in her pocket made its presence known, continuing to confuse Nigel’s thoughts until the end.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ah, what time is it now?”

Andy, who had stopped crying, asked with swollen eyes.

“It’s 11 PM.”

When Noah answered with a gentle smile, Andy flinched, her face reddening as she avoided Noah’s gaze.

“…W-what day is it?”

“It’s Wednesday.”

“What??”

As if she had never been shy, Andy let out a loud shriek.

“There’s only an hour left until the festival! I was looking forward to the square dance so much…!”

Whack!

At that moment, a crisp sound echoed through the room.

“You! You’ve just been through a life-and-death situation, and you’re still going on about that dance?!”

Julie came out to the hall, pausing her enthusiastic cooking.

“But mom, you know! I’ve been waiting for this since last winter!”

Andy said, rubbing her back where Julie had hit her.

Even after Julie went back to the kitchen, Andy’s lips remained pouted, with no intention of stopping.

Thump thump.

Suddenly, Nigel sat down on Andy’s bed, bending her knees.

She then took off the flower bracelet she was wearing and tied it around Andy’s arm.

“Nigel…!”

“…You seemed so disappointed.”

Nigel said awkwardly, turning her head away.

Noah, who had been watching Nigel intently, smiled broadly and approached Andy’s side.

He then took out a handkerchief and slipped the purple flower ring inside onto Andy’s finger.

“It suits you well, Miss Andy.”

Andy’s face instantly turned red.

“Me too, me too!”

Allen quickly brought the flower crown he had left at the inn and gently placed it on Andy’s head.

“You look absolutely beautiful, Andy!”

Andy, now adorned with flowers all over, smiled brightly.

“You said you wanted to dance at the ball. There’s still time for one dance, so who do you want to dance with?”

Nigel said, still avoiding eye contact with Andy, as she pushed Allen and Noah forward.

Smirk.

Andy’s hand passed by Noah and Allen… and reached for Nigel between them.

“With Nigel.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Are you leaving already after just eating? It’s late, it would be good if you stayed the night…”

“I’d like to, but we have classes first thing tomorrow.”

Nigel said, quickly covering Allen’s mouth as he was about to answer.

“I see, come visit again anytime. Nigel, Noah, and Allen too. Auntie will cook something delicious for you again.”

“Yes!”

The three, who had fallen in love with Julie’s cooking at first bite, answered energetically.

“Kids, hurry up and get in!”

As Roneh, who had returned after resolving matters with the guard, shouted loudly from inside the carriage, Nigel moved to step forward.

Whoosh.

No, just as she was about to move, Julie hugged Nigel tightly.

Andy followed Julie’s lead and hugged Nigel from behind.

“…You must have been scared, you’ve been through so much. …Thank you, thank you, Nigel.”

“…It’s really nothing, Julie, Andy.”

Nigel silently patted Julie’s back until she let go, then got into the carriage.

[This is the timeline separator]

After safely escorting the children to the dormitory, Roneh walked with light steps towards her room.

By the way… Cledian’s contemptuous face as he looked at the late children and herself was quite a sight to see.

Ah, among them, Nigel’s shocked face after receiving demerits from Cledian was the best.

Roneh entered her room, chuckling.

And as soon as she entered, she turned on the power of the communication stone.

Soon after, the communication stone lit up.

“Ah, yes. I just returned after successfully resolving the Histen incident. During the resolution process, the new students… Ah, you’ve already heard. Yes. They got involved while searching for a missing friend. Fortunately, the children returned without any injuries.”

Roneh listened to the other person’s response and then spoke again.

“Ah, especially ‘Nigel Ars’, she acted calmly and well, and even emitted her mana, which is like life itself to a magician, to replenish the depleted mana of the kidnapped girls. Please give her high praise when you meet her next time. …Yes. I’ll contact you again. Have a peaceful night, Lord Widrun.”