The return stone carried me back to the Academy in a flash of light—only for the medical staff to seize me before I could even breathe. Kyle's regeneration had kept me alive during the mission, but it had only patched the damage, not repaired it. The moment the healers examined me, they declared a week-long hospitalization.
Lanius was given the same. The professor, who had stood toe-to-toe with the monstrous giant to buy us time, was ordered to stay for three weeks.
The next morning, Sina dropped by, staring at my test results with a mixture of disbelief and horror.
"Your arm muscles are swollen, the ribs were shattered and reattached like someone glued them together, and your organs… I don't know what kind of treatment this is supposed to be. What happened out there?"
"A lot."
I gave the answer as lazily as possible. Sina might be annoying, but the fact that he came during lunch instead of waiting for class to end proved he cared.
He peeled an apple for me—clumsily shaped, but surprisingly sweet—and scolded me the moment I sank deeper into the bed.
"Connor, sit up. We're studying."
"Why?"
"Because if you lie here for a week doing nothing, you'll fall behind."
From his bag came a thick textbook. Apparently, he had already accepted his fate as my self-appointed tutor.
"…No," I said, turning my head away.
"Why not!? I'm trying to be nice!"
"I didn't ask you to be."
Sina's face crumpled, but not even that could sway my heart. Only Myael had that kind of presence.
"…Fine! I'll read it anyway. If you don't want to hear it, cover your ears."
He cracked open the textbook and began lecturing with dramatic indignation. I decided to listen—ignoring someone who visited during lunch felt wrong.
But before the lesson could continue—
Knock.
The door opened, and perfume drifted into the room like a soft breeze. Sky-blue hair followed.
Myael entered with her usual elegant smile.
"Oh my. I didn't realize you had company."
A cold shiver ran down my spine. Judging from how stiff Sina became, he felt it too.
"H-hello… Princess Astaroth…"
"Hello, Mr. Palluen. It has been some time since the entrance exam."
Sina nearly folded himself in half with a bow. Meanwhile, Myael walked gracefully toward us, her expression unreadable.
"Sina Palluen."
"Yes!!"
"As one of Connor's group members, I'd like to speak with him privately. Could you step out for a moment?"
There was zero hesitation. Sina grabbed his bag, bolted outside, and shut the door behind him.
Kyle made a single comment.
[Poor guy.]
[Yeah.]
Myael sat in Sina's vacated chair and glanced at the apple slices.
"Is that an apple?"
I nodded. "Sina brought them."
"You two must be close."
"We've known each other since before entering the Academy."
For a moment, my forehead tingled—the faint sensation of future sight—but Myael still wore her gentle smile. Nothing happened.
"…Are you feeling well?"
She finally asked the obvious question.
"I can move fine, but the doctors say a week before full recovery."
"That's a relief."
She plucked up one of my apple slices without hesitation.
…That was mine.
"Connor," she said softly, seriousness replacing her smile. "I want to ask you two questions. Just two."
Her tone made it clear these weren't questions I could avoid.
"Go ahead."
"The giant we faced during training—the one my magic sword couldn't harm. How did you defeat it?"
My thoughts stopped for a moment.
The giant had been a Meteor—one with a Gift. An insane Gift: immunity to all attacks except those infused with earth mana. I'd only learned that thanks to the fractured memories from the mask. And I defeated it by using the second power of my future self—the Symbol of the Sword.
Too dangerous to explain. Too many red flags.
My silence must have said enough.
"…Is that connected," she asked quietly, "to why you can use swordsmanship from the future?"
Her intuition cut like a blade.
This wasn't something a clumsy lie could fix.
"…Yes."
"Then—"
"But I can't tell you the full reason. Not yet." I met her gaze steadily. "I'm sorry."
She didn't push. She didn't frown. She simply waited.
"But I promise this: one day, I'll tell you everything."
Kyle clicked his tongue.
[What are you doing?]
[I can't hide everything forever. We're going to fight together again.]
He had no answer to that.
Then came her second question.
"Connor. Where did you hear the name Mayu?"
"…Huh?"
The shift in tone was so abrupt that my brain lagged.
"That name," she continued slowly, "is very, very important. Please tell me."
She leaned forward. The scent of perfume grew sharper. Our noses nearly touched.
"I heard it from Kurhan."
"…From Kur?"
Her expression twisted in disbelief.
"When, where, and how?"
"Is that necessary?"
"Yes."
I explained—how during Lanius's request for help, I spoke with Kur in the hallway and overheard it. She listened with unwavering focus.
"Kur has been absent," she murmured afterward. "He left the Academy and has not returned yet. He said he would come back tomorrow, but no one knows where he went."
Kyle spoke in my mind.
[…He's looking for proof. A basis for judgment.]
Proof of the future.
Where would one even look for such a thing?
Before I could ask, Myael spoke again.
"Connor. Did Kur tell you what the name Mayu means?"
"No."
"I see."
She stood, expression unreadable, though her movements were smoother now—almost relieved.
"Thank you. You answered more than I expected. I'll visit tomorrow as well. It must be lonely in here."
"Thanks."
She walked halfway to the door, then paused and turned around.
"Connor… may I ask one small request? A wish, really. You can ignore it if you like."
"Okay… what is it?"
Her voice softened as if she were stepping onto thin ice.
"Next time… if we are alone… could you call me Mayu?"
Heat surged through my chest before I could stop it.
"…Sure."
"Thank you."
She left with a single elegant smile.
I stared at the chair she had used—then realized the plate of apple slices was empty.
Sina's apple had quietly disappeared.