Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 39
The Kantaea Academy of Magic had the dual nature of being both an obligation and a privilege for mages. Four years of toil resulted in success and recognition upon graduation. A central position in the government was guaranteed, a position that a commoner could only dream of. For those aspiring to pursue research, comprehensive support was guaranteed under the name of Escalona.
Even if your abilities didn’t qualify for national support, just being a Kantaea graduate opened doors everywhere. Because of this social atmosphere, very few mages refused admission to Kantaea Academy.
That’s why Rosiana Delconda’s denial of admission seemed all the more peculiar.
However…
“Rosiana ‘Delconda,’ don’t you want to enroll at Kantaea?”
Whether she said it or not, Rosia and Kaiden had their back-and-forths. But wasn’t their deal settled last night? Why was this guy meddling in her affairs?
Rosia forced her brows together to hide her irritation. “Well, I’m afraid of places with a lot of strangers.”
Where there are unfamiliar faces, inevitably, there are unfamiliar souls. Just as the world is filled with all sorts of people, souls come in various forms too.
Spirits helping Rosia, like Luperne, were on the friendly side. The lover spirit who came confessing day and night, and the pervert spirit who showed up every time she took a shower, were somewhat bearable compared to others.
They were easy to deal with compared to the spirits that followed her around, singing songs, pouring out unresolved grudges, and the ghastly one that hung by her feet with its neck snapped. Being haunted by these spirits made it hard for her to be willing to go to unfamiliar places.
“I don’t particularly have the urge to learn something new.”
Besides, Rosia already had top-notch instructors. She could build a city just by gathering the mages who begged to be allowed to teach a medium. Even if those mages were spirits, a Kantaean education seemed pointless to Rosia.
Besides, if Trinity’s true identity was discovered while she was still in Kantaea, she could be killed…
Hiding the truth she could never speak, Rosia said carefully, “I thought it might be better to give the opportunity to those who genuinely want to be here, rather than someone like me without any magical abilities.”
Despite Rosia’s attempts to explain, Master Calskronin’s demeanor remained cool.
“Isn’t it because there’s something you’re trying to hide?”
What’s with this guy, and who exactly is he talking to – Rosiana or Trinity? She couldn’t tell.
Rosia cautiously continued, trying to read Master Calskronin’s expression. “Master, I’m not exactly sure what you mean…”
“I just feel like you’re not telling me everything.”
Rosia swallowed hard. Seriously? Did he catch on to what happened last night? She needed a moment to understand his thoughts.
Playing with her hands, she responded with another question. “What could I possibly be hiding?”
“Why did you keep your last name ‘Delconda’ from me?”
Rosia suppressed a gasp. “Did I…?”
“When asked for a name, it’s customary to provide both the first and last names. But you only mentioned your first name.” The young master took a step closer.
Rosia instinctively recoiled, but with the admissions office desk behind her, there was nowhere else to retreat.
With nowhere to go, the man stared at her sternly. “Is it because you have something to hide?”
The Delconda couple, creators of radinium, were esteemed practitioners in magical society. Being a child of the Delconda lineage alone was enough to secure admission to the magical academy. However, to avoid any mention that might lead to uncovering Trinity’s true identity through magical connections, Rosia had deliberately omitted the last name.
But now, the man had astutely pointed it out.
He caught on exceptionally fast.
Despite Rosia’s desperate attempt to swallow the words that were about to burst out, she slowly opened her mouth. “That’s not the case. It’s just uncomfortable being recognized solely by my parents’ name. I, without any abilities, don’t want to unnecessarily tarnish my parents’ honor.”
Please, let’s leave it at that.
Despite Rosia’s fervent plea, the man persisted doggedly. “What if, by any chance, you’re hiding the fact that you’re a mage, trying to evade obligations? So, are you secretly doing something, perhaps wandering around at night?”
She couldn’t help but notice the real meaning behind the man’s question.
Did you hide the fact that you’re a Delconda because you’re Trinity?
A cold sweat broke out as she realized the nature of his suspicion. Clutching her cloak tightly, she said, “No. I just don’t know how to do magic, and I don’t think I have any, so I don’t want to force my way into Kantaea.”
“Are you absolutely sure you have no magical powers?”
The man’s unsettling question filled Rosia with anxiety, but she had no place to retreat. Rosia reluctantly nodded. “Yes.”
“Then you wouldn’t mind proving it to me?”
The man’s gaze, fixed on Rosia, carried a chilling, piercing anger. Like the February wind she felt while walking up to Kantaea, it seemed to cut through her. He was a man with an uncanny intuition, already conclusively identifying Rosia as Trinity.
Despite her sense of foreboding, she couldn’t resist asking, “How?”
“I will channel my magic into you.”
Faced with the man’s proposition, Rosia suppressed the urge to let out a gasp. In front of the man who doubted and probed her, she couldn’t even let out a small whimper.
And she wasn’t the only one surprised.
[Who does this guy think he is?]
With the looming threat of possibly losing his only disciple, Luperne’s eyes flashed with urgency.
[In the body of an ordinary mage, the clash of different types of magic can be life-threatening.]
Luperne shouted in a furious voice.
[Rosia, absolutely not.]
Listening attentively to Luperne’s words, Rosia locked eyes with Kaiden.
