“Tell me in detail.”

Nigel said with a cold face, showing no traces of sleep except for her slightly swollen cheeks.

Noah inadvertently stared at Nigel’s plump cheeks, then quickly regained his composure, fast enough for Nigel not to notice, and opened his mouth.

“It was around 3 AM yesterday. That person was sleeping soundly and then suddenly got up, so I pretended to be asleep and watched what he was doing.”

“And then?”

“He carried a large bag like yesterday, going around the room taking care of magical creatures and plants. Then, as if noticing I was awake, he approached me and fed me something. Given there are no side effects, it might have been a simple sleeping pill.”

“Still, you should go to the healing ward in case there are after-effects. …Ah.”

Nigel, who was seriously advising, suddenly realized her own ability she had forgotten about.

“Come here.”

At Nigel’s call, Noah approached her with a tearful face but obediently.

“Good boy.”

After a quick healing, when Nigel spoke playfully as if dealing with a child, Noah once again bowed his head deeply.

“Nigel… You have the dagger with you, right?”

“Yes.”

Tired of his strange behavior of avoiding her since yesterday, Nigel personally took out the hidden dagger from its sheath. And she held the sharp blade right in front of Noah’s eyes.

Contrary to Nigel’s expectation that he would be frightened, Noah greatly relieved and showed his characteristic pretty smile.

“…Are you done with all the weird stuff? Then let’s get our act together and go find that vagrant.”

“Yes!”

Hearing Noah’s energetic answer, Nigel felt a strange sense of defeat.

Nigel and Noah, who left the annex, first headed to the dormitory without disagreement.

After thoroughly washing their unpleasant bodies and putting on neatly ironed uniforms, the two wandered around the academy in the early morning.

Various people, like the cafeteria lady, janitor, and security guard, whom they hadn’t seen in a while, recognized Nigel and struck up conversations.

“Nigel, you’re quite popular among the staff.”

“Well, I guess so.”

Noah asked with an innocent smile how she had built such friendships.

Though the bright smile bothered her, Nigel couldn’t bring herself to say that she had become acquainted with them when she got lost at the beginning of the semester, so she just brushed it off.

“I think it might save time if we split up to search?”

Nigel said, looking up at the clock tower where the short hand pointed to 7.

“But…”

Before Noah could finish speaking, Nigel held out a teleportation stone.

Only then did the look of concern disappear from Noah’s face.

“Then I’m relieved. Let’s meet here at 9 o’clock sharp, Nigel.”

“Alright.”

The two then separated to search for the man. But despite searching the clock tower, greenhouse, training grounds, classrooms, storage rooms, and even the hallway of the dean’s office, there was no trace of him.

“If that person had left dust and debris everywhere like yesterday, it would have been easily solved.”

“Right. How can he not be anywhere?”

Wondering if they might be under an illusion spell, they went back to the annex basement once more, but the intact magical plants, creatures, and five cushions proved that yesterday’s events were real.

Time had passed, and now it was time to attend the opening ceremony.

“I think it’s better to attend the opening ceremony first and then explain the situation to the professors.”

Nod.

Having quickly agreed, Nigel and Noah walked towards the auditorium where the opening ceremony was to be held.

Nigel glared at the golden dragon, the symbol of the imperial family, as she did without fail every day, before entering the auditorium.

Students in red and green uniforms greeted Nigel and Noah warmly, a stark contrast to yesterday when they had been chasing around as if possessed by something.

The central seats they found themselves in again, just like during the entrance ceremony.

Sid and Noah still flanked Nigel on either side.

“Good morning, Sid. Everything alright?”

“Of course. Everyone quieted down as if nothing had happened when the dorm supervisor returned. I wonder if they’re not really Sienna students, not a single one showed any sign of what happened yesterday.”

Sid answered Nigel with a sardonic smile.

“I expected as much. That’s the Sienna spirit of cooperation after all.”

Nigel’s sarcastic comment was met with light laughter from both sides.

“Sid, was Allen okay?”

“Huh? Oh yeah. He was acting strange, but he kept smiling all the way to the dorm saying something good had happened. More importantly, did nothing happen to you two last night? I’m glad you and Ars seem fine on the outside at least.”

“I’m also very glad about that, but unfortunately, we lost the biggest thing.”

“No way…”

“Yes, that ‘no way’.”

Sid’s expression darkened instantly.

“Noah and I searched every corner of the academy, but he was nowhere to be seen.”

“This is serious. If that person were to release magical plants or creatures in the academy, it could be irreversible.”

“Indeed.”

As they continued their conversation, the opening ceremony began.

The usual boring talk about studying hard and health being the most important. Telling the third years to finish their last semester without regrets. Advising the second years to think about their future as it’s an important time. Telling the first years that proper department classes, not joint classes, are starting so they should work hard.

And crucially, the plea not to stake their lives on department scores.

Of course, the students of the Imperial Sienna Academy applauded dryly without even blinking.

‘So this is what it means to be an exemplary senior setting a good example for juniors.’

Nigel, who had completely given up expectations for Sienna, admired in a different sense.

Just when she thought it should be over by now, Widrun didn’t leave the podium but opened his mouth instead.

“…Lastly.”

There it was, the magic word.

Whether this word is equally disliked regardless of era and world, the faces of the students who had maintained their composure visibly darkened.

Nigel heard a snickering sound from the nearby professors’ seats.

When she turned her head, Roneh, who was covering her mouth, waved slightly at Nigel.

Reminded of their worst reunion at the auction house, Nigel wanted to turn away immediately, but seeing Heres smiling warmly at her next to Roneh, she softened and nodded slightly.

“Don’t worry. It will really end quickly, and today’s lunch has been specially ordered to welcome the students back from vacation.”

The students’ faces, which had been crumpled like paper, instantly smoothed out at these additional words from Widrun, who, unlike other chancellors and principals, had a quick ability to read the atmosphere.

“This semester, I’d like to introduce a professor who will be in charge of a new subject in the magic department.”

The auditorium buzzed at the chancellor’s words.

Because it was an imperial academy with the emperor himself as the chairman of the board, the appointment of professors tended to circulate even faster than high society rumors.

Nigel looked at Noah and Sid, who were big shots in high society.

At Nigel’s face asking if they knew anything, the two just looked at each other puzzled.

Nigel turned her head towards the podium without any gain.

“Now, let me introduce. From this semester, teaching the subject of magical creatures and plants…”

At that moment, the top three first-year students felt uneasy and looked at each other simultaneously.

“Professor Nubilus!”

Step, step.

A familiar footstep sound, light yet weighted, was heard.

And on the podium stood a person with vine-like hair neatly braided into two, a spotless white lab coat, a neatly ironed shirt and black pants, and square black-framed glasses that gave an intelligent impression on a clean face.

Although it was clearly the face they had seen yesterday, an unfamiliar person who didn’t seem like that stood on the podium.

As he walked closer to Widrun, he noticed Nigel’s group and smiled brightly.

“Professor Nubilus has spent nearly 10 years traveling to magical creature habitats to research magical creatures and plants. Please welcome Sienna’s new family member with a hearty applause!”

The man called Nubilus gave an impeccably polite bow.

“…I’m not dreaming right now, am I?”

Sid said dreamily.

“Someone pinch my cheek. …Ah, not you Ars, you do it Beselion.”

Meanwhile, Nigel quickly lowered her hand that she had raised.

Noah pinched Sid’s cheek with a little force, but unfortunately, Sid’s vision remained unchanged.

This was reality.

“…What did we call him yesterday?”

Sid muttered weakly.

“A crazy… vagrant?”

“There’s no chance a person who has researched magical creatures and plants for nearly 10 years didn’t hear that, right? Ah, of course not. He even noticed you pretending to be asleep, Noah.”

Nigel asked and answered herself blankly, just opening and closing her mouth.

“Professor Nubilus will conduct elective classes for 2nd and 3rd year students this semester, and specially, common classes for 1st year students. I hope it becomes a special opportunity to broaden your experiences.”

Nubilus winked his left eye while looking directly at the group.

We’re doomed.

The children’s faces turned pale, drained of blood.