[24] A Cold Boy and a Hot Girl (3)
Jake felt as if his blood were running backward. The hours he'd waited to meet Amy felt insulted.
"You—some girl like you…! Ugh!"
Jake snapped his mouth shut and hunched down. Amy had already entered her Spirit Zone. Probably a Sabang-style, target-type.
"You—some girl? All talk and no substance, and you think I look ridiculous? If you're that mad, come at me. I'll burn you to ash right now."
Jake ground his teeth. He'd been wrong to think she was just a model student who buried herself in study. She, too, had been a street brat from a young age.
"Using magic at this hour is against the rules."
"You were the one who used magic first, weren't you? While you were warming that thing—some civet or whatever."
"Are you insane? You can't equate that with the Sabang-style—!"
"Ha!"
Amy couldn't help laughing. What a petty little man. A blowhard until someone actually opened up their full power, then shrinks back in fear. Most of the men she'd met were like that.
"Do you know why I took Shirone's coffee for him? That kid takes responsibility for what he does. Before you start yammering about family and rules, he does what he can. If you don't disappear right now, I'll burn you. Won't even leave a trace."
Jake was sure she wasn't lying. He'd only heard rumors about the Carmis family's crimson eyes, but now her large pupils flared red.
"If you kill me—"
"I don't care. I'll take responsibility for what I do too."
Jake bit down until his jaw hurt. He'd never felt such humiliation.
But faced with the intimidation radiating from those crimson eyes, even a notorious thug like Jake had no choice but to back away.
He was caught in Amy's Sabang-style. If she was top of Class Four, she could burn him with near certainty.
"Just you wait, arrogant girl!"
Jake ground his teeth and strode out of the library. Only after he vanished did the crimson light fade. Amy staggered for a moment, rubbed her eyes, and muttered.
"What a pain. What rotten luck."
She'd planned to rest after a long time, only to waste it on a lousy human. That was unbearable—lost time couldn't be recovered.
Why were all the clingy boys the same kind of jerk? She wondered if something was wrong with her personality.
A short, amused laugh escaped Amy.
"Well, yeah, I've got my issues."
Suddenly she felt a twinge of guilt toward Shirone.
* * *
Shirone, freed from Amy's servitude, found each day blissful. There's a saying: you don't miss what you have until it's gone. Realizing how precious the hour Amy had taken was made studying all the more enjoyable.
Because he'd been involved in a scandal with the haughtiest girl at school, he had to endure people's stares, but in the library no one bothered him. That kind of academic zeal was the driving force that made Alpheas School of Magic prestigious.
After class today, Shirone hummed and headed for the library. Near the faculty dorms he spotted a familiar face.
It was Amy's friend, Portis Seriel. Seriel paced as if she urgently needed the restroom, clearly uneasy, and Shirone turned back.
They only exchanged greetings during integrated classes, but Shirone liked her. Unlike Amy, who snarled whenever she saw him, Seriel always offered encouraging words. He still didn't know exactly what she was encouraging him about, though.
When Seriel saw Shirone approaching, her eyes widened. As if she'd seen a ghost, she froze for a beat, then dashed over, out of breath.
"Senior—hello…."
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Seriel grabbed Shirone by the collar and shook him.
"Why are you here? If I'd known, I wouldn't have sent Amy!"
Shirone tilted his head. He knew she usually went straight to the library after work.
"What's the matter? Tell me."
"Read this! You really weren't involved in anything?"
Seriel shoved a crumpled piece of paper at him. Shirone took it silently and unfolded it. It was a short warning from a group calling itself Black Magister.
Thirty minutes earlier—
A man blocked Amy and Seriel on their way to the library.
He was an over-aged repeat student in Class Five, over twenty-three. Shirone had been in the same class a year before, so he knew the name, but the man's sullen demeanor had kept them from ever talking.
"Good day, senior. Still making great strides, I see."
The man spoke with a smarmy politeness. Amy snorted and tried to move past.
"We're busy. Move. We have nothing to say to you."
"Oh, you can't be like that. We used to be classmates. Spare a moment."
"Am I the only one who was your classmate? Hundreds passed through Class Five. Go find someone else."
Although he used respectful speech out of deference to age, the barbs in his tone were plain. Amy disliked him. Class Five students weren't without talent—they just let their heads wander. What conversation could she have with a man who'd settled for a comfortable spot and preyed on junior girls?
"Ha! Still rude as ever, Amy."
Killing intent rose in Amy's eyes.
"What? What did you just say?"
He was trying to climb higher on her good graces, but the man, confident in his backing, casually handed her a note.
"The boss wants to see you. You'd better do as he says, if you don't want to trouble the prince."
"Prince? What are you talking about?"
Amy frowned, snatched the note, and read it.
We have Shirone. Bring him to Training Ground 14 by 6 o'clock—bring him before we break him. If you tell the teachers, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Do as you're told.
—Black Magister
Then the man crumpled the note.
"So what? Shirone has nothing to do with me. Even if he did, do you think I'll obey you?"
"Heh heh, that's for you to decide. I'm just the messenger."
Having completed his task, the man smirked and sauntered off.
Furious, Amy threw the note to the ground. Seriel picked it up, read it, and her hands trembled.
Black Magister. Its identity was unclear, but among students it was notorious as a vicious delinquent circle.
"Amy, what do we do? These guys are really vicious. I heard Taira dropped out last month because of them."
"Taira?"
Taira, a Class Four student, wasn't a graduating senior but kept above-average grades. If they'd threatened someone like her, they must have either been numerous or used cowardly tricks.
"We have to go. Shirone was taken because of me."
"Better tell a teacher. Shirone's safety matters, but you could be in danger too."
"A teacher? Hmm…"
Amy hesitated. Her own past was one thing, but Shirone had a secret about his origins that would be disastrous if exposed.
If the incident escalated, rumors would spread across the school and Shirone's school life could be ruined. She knew nobles' sense of privilege better than anyone.
"I'll go first. If I'm not back by seven, tell a teacher."
"What? No—you have to tell them now!"
"Sorry. There's a reason. I'll tell you everything when I return, okay?"
Seriel was flustered. Amy, who always acted confident, had never asked like that before.
"Then come with me. We don't know how many there are."
"You should stay to be ready for anything. Don't worry. The leader is probably Jake. Not even his skill can touch me."
Seriel knew Amy's genius better than anyone. The barrier of being in the graduating year aside, even within Class Four levels varied wildly. Amy had never lost her lead among them.
"All right. One hour only. If you're not back by seven, I'll tell the teacher."
"Okay. I'll trust you."
Hearing the whole story, Shirone was stunned. He'd been surprised the Black Magister existed, but more so that Amy would risk herself for him.
"So you went because of me? Then what are you doing here?"
"I don't know! Amy told me to wait no matter what. Why are you even here?"
Shirone understood. The one-hour reprieve showed confidence she could handle it herself. And her actions were motivated by protecting his secret. Leaving Seriel as the messenger had been a stellar choice.
"I have to go! Senior, please do as Amy says."
Shirone ran toward Training Ground 14. He had thirty minutes until the meeting, but distance was the issue. Training Ground 14 was deep in the mountains where live combat was held.
Suddenly the scenery wavered and buildings were shoved backward in an instant. Turning his head, Shirone found Seriel gripping his side.
"How are you going to get there on foot? I'll come with you."
It was the short-range teleport, an essential spell for mages. It was banned on campus because of collision risks, but there wasn't time to quibble.
The popping noises made students look up. Seriel, holding Shirone, blinked in ten-meter jumps toward the mountains.
They reached the mountain's base and ran up on foot. Teleporting in the mountains was as efficient as it was dangerous—one mistake could be fatal.
They arrived at Training Ground 14 before six, but Amy was nowhere. There wasn't even a sign of the Black Magister.
"Amy! Amy! What happened? Why isn't she here?"
"Maybe they took her elsewhere. Since the note exposed the location, they might have expected us to tell the teachers. Maybe we were set up."
"How could this happen? Where's Amy?"
Knowing how meticulous Black Magister was, Shirone was convinced they meant real harm.
"Go down the mountain and tell a teacher. You'll get there much faster without me."
"Amy said to wait until seven no matter what. She said there was a reason. What if she's disappointed later?"
"That reason is because of me, so go now! I said I'm fine—there's nothing to worry about!"
Seriel stared, stunned. Amy's desperation had been for Shirone.
"Really? What's your relationship with her? Are you secretly dating without telling me?"
"Not now! If we're late it could get dangerous!"
"All right, all right! Stay put and don't wander off!"
Seriel turned and ran back the way she'd come. In any case, if Amy wouldn't suffer, there was no reason not to report it.
Shirone went into the forest to search for Amy. Having spent half his life in the mountains, the dense woods felt familiar.
He expanded his Spirit Zone as far as he could to search for her traces. Ten minutes up the mountain, the first footprint reached him via his empathic sense.
"Here!"
But there were no more traces. Judging by the bent foliage, she'd flown up into the sky.
Then there was no way to find Amy. Shirone circled helplessly for a long time. Then, from the sky beyond, a spatial rupture sounded. Shirone's head snapped toward the source of the noise.