Of course, Cordelia and Leonard were the most surprised by those words.

Since a noblewoman’s disappearance without reason was a great stain on her reputation, few people besides those close to her knew that Lydia had vanished. That’s why Heyden’s expression hadn’t changed much from earlier.

“Lydia Elfenbaum has come? I thought that Rosenbler fellow wasn’t at the Magic Association right now.”

“Where is she?”

Leonard asked the magician who brought the news. He caught his breath completely and then opened his mouth.

“She’s at the entrance. She was looking for you, Leonard, so I came to deliver the news.”

“How did she know I was here? No, never mind. I’ll go talk to her and find out.”

“Let’s hurry, Master.”

Cordelia also urged, tapping her feet at the news of Lydia.

The two walked to the entrance of the Magic Association with one mind. They could see where Lydia was from afar. A group of young male magicians had formed a circle surrounding her.

“Lydia!”

Cordelia pushed through them. Lydia greeted her with her usual gentle and affectionate smile.

“Cordelia. Have you been well?”

“Have I been well? That’s what I should be asking. What on earth…”

“There’s a suitable place to talk near the Magic Association. Let’s go there.”

Leonard interrupted. Cordelia, realizing her mistake, closed her mouth. There was no need to reveal the fact that Lydia had disappeared and returned in front of many people.

“Can’t we go inside to talk?”

“You know only magicians can enter the Magic Association.”

“I’m a magician now too.”

Lydia created a flame in mid-air with just a flick of her finger.

Cordelia was shocked to see it. She now had enough knowledge about magic to know that creating even that small flame was no easy task. It required simultaneous distribution of magical power, calculation, and manifestation, but Lydia did it as naturally as breathing.

“…How? Didn’t you give up magic when you were very young?”

“I did. But then I thought it was a shame. That I gave up like that.”

Leonard stared blankly at Lydia’s face, unable to easily understand the situation. On the other hand, Cordelia beside him congratulated her with sparkling eyes.

“That’s great! Now we can study magic together, Lydia.”

“…Let’s go inside and talk.”

There were still many people coming and going at the entrance. Leonard had many questions he wanted to ask Lydia, but he held back and entered the Magic Association. Cordelia, having been there once before, explained various things to Lydia.

“That’s the Hall of Stars. There were originally sixteen, but eight years ago, Master added a new star.”

“I heard. From Blaze.”

“Oh… I see.”

Come to think of it, Lydia had known Leonard for well over ten years, so it would be strange if she didn’t know about this famous story.

Cordelia fell silent, feeling awkward. Lydia passed by Cordelia and went to Leonard’s side.

“Leo. Are we going to your research lab?”

“No. You can’t enter there. Instead, there’s a suitable place to talk.”

“That’s a shame. I wanted to see it once.”

“Unless you’re Acheron, no one else can enter, so it’s best to give up that dream.”

Leonard spoke coldly and firmly. Even Cordelia, who was listening, felt disappointed.

“Come on, there’s not much to see anyway. Can’t you let Lydia take a look?”

“Why should I? One of you is already too much. My one disciple went into the lab and immediately the most expensive Ebrad…”

“M-Master! Didn’t we agree to let that go?”

Cordelia hurriedly interrupted her master’s words, flustered. Leonard seemed to find her reaction amusing and gave a light chuckle.

After climbing stairs endlessly, he stopped in front of a door.

“This is a place used by senior magicians, so there won’t be any listening ears.”

The inside was neither luxurious nor shabby. It was a moderately decorated space.

As Leonard lightly waved his finger, a teapot and teacups flew in from somewhere and landed on the table. Cordelia stared intently at the self-pouring teapot with curious eyes.

“Now tell me. Where have you been and what happened during that time?”

“I met someone…”

Lydia began speaking slowly, as if recalling a very distant past.

“That person awakened the magic within me. The talent that was hidden deep inside me.”

“Awakened your magic? Who is this person?”

“I don’t know who it was either. They just appeared and disappeared suddenly.”

“What nonsense… So the reason you disappeared was because you were with this person?”

“Yes. Learning how to handle magic from that person. It’s more complicated than I thought, but as I practiced, it became familiar.”

It didn’t add up and felt awkward somewhere. It was far from enough to explain why she had disappeared for nearly a month.

“Lydia. Be honest. Did that person force you? You have to tell me so I can help you.”

“No. Everything happened because of my own choice.”

“You followed someone whose identity you don’t know and found hidden talent within you? Do you think that makes sense?”

“There are more things in this world that you don’t know than you think. Look.”

As if to prove her words, Lydia created flames again. Not just one, but several, and they danced in circles in the air before disappearing.

“Do you still not believe me?”

“What I don’t believe is not your magical talent, but the process by which you obtained it. There are immutable principles in this world, but you’ve ignored them all and jumped to the result.”

“So what? Isn’t the result what matters?”

“Ha, Lydia. What on earth happened during that month? Why are you suddenly trying to learn magic? What are you lacking?”

At those words, Lydia pursed her lips and stared at Leonard for a long time before slowly speaking.

“I just. Wanted to learn. Is that not allowed?”

“It’s not that it’s not allowed. If you really wanted to learn, you could have come to the Magic Association officially to learn. Why disappear for a month without a word? Do you know how devastating it would be to your social reputation if news of your disappearance spread?”

“I didn’t know you cared about my reputation. You didn’t even bat an eye when rumors of our engagement were circulating.”

Lydia shot back at Leonard’s words somewhat sharply. An inexplicable tension flowed. Cordelia looked back and forth between the two and quietly sipped her tea.

Leonard’s lips moved as if to say something, but he soon let out a short sigh.

“…Have you contacted Blaze?”

“No. Not yet. I should now.”

“What? Do you know how desperately Blaze has been searching for you? If you left by your own choice, you should have at least told him beforehand. Why are you acting so irresponsibly, unlike yourself?”

“Huh. Since when have you been so interested in me? I’m outside your line anyway. Weren’t you not caring what happens to me?”

It was certainly unlike Lydia. Although Cordelia had only known Lydia for a short time, she wasn’t someone who used such pessimistic and negative tones.

Leonard’s face hardened.

“Lydia. Don’t tell me you…”

“Enough. Let’s stop this boring talk. And I’ll contact Blaze separately, so don’t worry.”

That was all the explanation for her month-long disappearance that had worried everyone. Even when pressed further, she would only change the subject.

Leonard stopped asking and summarized the situation.

“Don’t make Blaze worry by missing each other. Stay here until Blaze arrives.”

“Alright.”

Lydia nodded with a fresh smile. They left the room and guided Lydia to the guest room. Before parting, Cordelia spoke first.

“Lydia. I’m glad you’re back safely.”

“I’m so happy to see you again too, Cordelia. I missed you a lot.”

“Me?”

Despite saying that, Lydia’s reactions today had been somewhat cold, but Cordelia didn’t think much of it.

“Yes. Oh, did the funeral go well? I’m asking this now because I was so distracted.”

“We just returned from the funeral at the Abrams’. Craig…”

Cordelia deliberately put on a sad expression and lowered her head slightly.

“He was a good person, so he must have gone to a good place.”

“A good place. Well. I’m sure he went to a good place. So, Cordelia, you’ve returned to Vasquez from Abrams?”

“Ah… Yes, I suppose so.”

“Hmm.”

Lydia seemed to be pondering something deeply, then entered the room. There wasn’t even a customary word of condolence. Cordelia was so taken aback by her response that she couldn’t close her mouth for a while.

“Lydia has changed a bit…”

“A bit? Not a bit, she’s like a person whose soul has been completely overturned.”

“You think so too, Master? Of course, I haven’t known Lydia for long, but she certainly wasn’t this kind of person.”

If someone who knew Lydia saw her now, they would be shocked by how her personality had changed 180 degrees.

The two headed towards Leonard’s research lab. After walking a short distance, they saw the door of the lab surrounded by the magical power of the Twelve. Without inserting a separate key, Candias appeared with a flash in the center of the door.

Cordelia was surprised even though she already knew about it. It was still an eye with an overwhelming presence.

As soon as Candias saw Leonard, he screamed.

“You bastard, I knew you were alive! You insufferable guy!”

“Just open the door, one-eye.”

“You unpleasant fellow. Even God is heartless. Why did He release such a thing into the human world!”

“I don’t know why a demon is invoking God. Stop talking nonsense and open the door.”

Candias opened the door while spewing all sorts of curses. Nothing had changed. Even the blanket that Cordelia had sat on was still there.