The woman reached out a slender hand, her movements as fluid and elegant as a serpent. "Allow me to introduce myself. Hishiri Adashino, of the Clock Tower's Department of Policies."
'It's over!'
Hearing that familiar name sent a wave of dryness through Wayland's throat.
'I've really done it this time. I've stepped in it deep.'
Department of Policies, Bureau of the First Principle.
Warm morning light filtered through the white gossamer curtains, casting soft shadows across the bed where Wayland lay. His eyes were closed, his breathing even and steady, with the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips.
Hishiri Adashino turned a key in the lock and pushed open the door.
Wayland didn't stir.
Turning slightly toward the woman standing behind her, Hishiri spoke with quiet deference. "Lord, he won't be waking up for some time."
The woman appeared even younger than Hishiri. She was dressed in a pristine white tailcoat and crimson boots, her hands encased in silver gloves that glinted with a metallic luster. A decorative ribbon, tied into a festive knot like a corsage, rested at her chest.
Her eyes were clear and brilliant; her face radiated an innate sense of dignity and noble poise.
Sitting in a nearby chair, she fixed her gaze on the sleeping Wayland and spoke one simple command: "Begin."
"Yes, my Lord."
Hishiri took several steps forward, her expression turning unnaturally solemn. Her voice shifted into a rhythmic, commanding chant. "Thy form is the serpent's will, thy eyes the bewilderment. Magecraft as the lead, my words as the Spiritron."
Wayland suddenly bolted upright, though his eyes remained tightly shut.
"Your name."
"Wayland."
"Who gave you your admission letter?"
"I don't know."
The Lord's brows furrowed. She turned to Hishiri. "Are his memories intact?"
"They are," Hishiri replied, her own expression one of bafflement. "If his memories had been erased, there would be a mark left upon his soul, regardless of the technique. Furthermore, memory erasure has always fallen under the jurisdiction of the Department of Policies. No other department has the right to perform it. When it comes to erasure magecraft, we are the foremost experts in the field. There is no possibility of error. Unless..."
She hesitated, glancing at the younger woman. "Unless it was a Grand Rank magus. Since the Department of Policies has never encountered a Grand Rank magus performing such a technique personally, is it possible they could leave no trace behind?"
"No. Because I cannot do it."
The woman shook her head, her face expressionless.
Hishiri understood. She turned back to Wayland and continued the interrogation. "Do you know Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg?"
"I don't."
"Do you know Kay?"
"Kay?" Wayland's voice faltered for a fraction of a second. "I know... no, I know of him."
"Tell me everything you know."
"Kay... he was the third seat of the Round Table in Britain. The foster brother of the King of Knights, Artoria Pendragon. A sharp-tongued, unruly knight. Merlin entrusted the five-year-old Arthur to Kay's father, Sir Ector. Kay grew up alongside Arthur, training with him and eventually serving as the seneschal of Camelot. He fell in battle just before the Battle of Camlann."
"Wrong!" The woman suddenly stood up, her voice sharp. "You are lying to me."
"I am not."
Wayland remained in his dazed, trance-like state, his expression vacant.
Hishiri felt the air in the room turn thick and viscous with magical pressure. She spoke in a low, warning tone. "Lord, with his level of ability, it's impossible for him to resist the Charm magecraft."
The woman remained silent for a long time before eventually sinking back into her chair.
"Should I continue?" Hishiri asked, awaiting further instructions.
"Forget it. There's no point."
The woman tapped the armrest with a slender finger. "Have you identified the person who cursed him this morning?"
"He was merely a freelance mage-for-hire, acting on someone else's payroll. Since he was dead by the time we arrived, we couldn't interrogate him. However, his death was... unnatural. His soul should linger for a while yet. I've already contacted Lorelei Sherry from the Department of Spiritual Evocation for assistance."
"And what about Marisbury Animusphere, the Lord of Astronomy?"
"He's still obsessed with Rayshifting and the possibilities of temporal travel. Over the last two years, he's been aggressively conducting test-tube baby experiments in search of individuals with high Pseudo-Spiritron Transfer Aptitude."
"Boring."
The woman let out a cold snort, her disdain for the experiments clear. "And what about his reaction to Wayland holding an admission letter from the Astronomy Department?"
"He did react. He ordered Wenzel Clarendon to conduct an entrance exam, but the results were underwhelming. Olga Marie, Marisbury's daughter, rejected Wayland based on his mediocre magical aptitude. However, Wayland chose the Department of Modern Magecraft himself and has become a disciple of Lord El-Melloi II."
The woman walked over to Wayland and, without a word, rolled up his right sleeve. She placed a hand over his arm. As if encountering a natural predator, Wayland's Magic Circuits flared into life, his prana surging forth in an automatic response.
"A shrine..."
The woman stared at the lightning-like spear-cage with an unreadable expression. After a moment, she released his arm and turned back to Hishiri. "Though he may be ignorant of it, those events are destined to find him. Since he has become Waver's disciple, he is technically under the protection of the Noble faction. Let him stay at the Clock Tower and learn."
"Yes, Lord Barthomeloi."
When Wayland finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
He let out a long yawn and scanned the quiet, unfamiliar room.
"Irigal, do you feel like something's... off?"
Irigal didn't respond.
'This damn system! Sleeping again.'
"Hey! Wake up! You're a system! It's embarrassing to be waking up later than me, isn't it?" Wayland shouted into the mental void.
[System booting up... Self-protection mode deactivated.]
The icy, mechanical response was quickly replaced by a cheerful, youthful voice. ["What is it, Master? Everything seems perfectly normal to me!"]
"That woman brought me here and then just... disappeared. I've been in this room for over ten hours and not a single person from Policies has come to see me."
["Maybe they're just busy?"]
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]