“…The Child of Prophecy, you say?” Mary's eyes shook as she repeated Elise's words.

“Yes, from what I hear, that Child of Prophecy is the one who killed Ken.”

“But… it's just a rumour, isn't it?

And even if it's true…” The story was almost impossible to believe.

Not even the Academy's professors could determine the cause of Ken’s death.

There were no traces of magic, no signs of poisoning, no hints of assassination, and not even any evidence of disease.

And yet, they say he was murdered.

‘…Someone killed Ken.’ In Mary’s heart, which had been filled solely with sorrow, a spark ignited.

Resentment and anger.

A spark of vengeance.

“…Who is this Child of Prophecy?” It was just a rumour, but it served as the perfect target for her lost emotions.

Her goal: to uncover the truth behind Ken’s death.

And to avenge him.

"I don't know either.

That's why we need to find the Child of Prophecy."

"...Understood." Mary, who had been crouching for days, stood up from her spot and left the Temple.

To find the one who killed Ken.

To find the Child of Prophecy.

Upon hearing the details, Emily felt her blood boil.

Someone killed Ken.

She felt like she was about to lose her mind to anger, but one question lingered in her mind.

The Child of Prophecy was herself, Emily.

Why Mary had come to her.

"But...

Mary, why are you asking me if I know the Child of Prophecy?" Emily asked cautiously, the tension evident in her voice, because the murderous intent in Mary’s eyes was sincere.

But Mary replied to Emily's question with surprise.

"Well, don't you want revenge too, Emily?"

"...What?"

"If that rumour is true and...

Ken was murdered." Mary's expression twisted again, and her clenched fists trembled.

"I can never forgive the one who did that to Ken.

And I believe you feel the same way, Emily."

‘...Ah, I see.’ Mary had come to ask for Emily's help, not for revenge on the Child of Prophecy, but to find that unknown assailant together.

"Next, I'm going to see Raphne.

She must feel the same way we do." Mary's visit to Emily was an act of consideration.

She wanted to share the opportunity to avenge Ken together.

She understood Emily's feelings for Ken.

However, there was something Emily needed to tell her first.

"...Mary, there's something I need to say."

"Yes, what is it?" Emily took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling hands, and spoke to Mary carefully.

"The Child of Prophecy you’re talking about...

it's me." She revealed the truth, anxious that Mary might lose her temper or suddenly attack her.

"...What?

What do you mean?" Contrary to Emily's concerns, Mary didn’t react with hostility.

She just appeared confused, unable to grasp the meaning of Emily's words.

Emily...

is the Child of Prophecy?

“Then why are there such rumours?

It's clearly said that the Child of Prophecy killed Ken….” But Mary knew too.

She knew that Emily would never kill Ken.

“Could those rumours be wrong?

You know how rumours tend to get distorted….”

“No, but it hasn't been that long…” There hasn't been enough time for the rumours to get distorted.

Even though it's been almost a week since Ken died.

No matter how much a story gets twisted….

At that moment, something bothered Mary.

'...No matter how you look at it, why the Child of Prophecy?'

The Child of Prophecy.

Mary had never heard the term until she started attending the Academy.

And she had just learned that the Child of Prophecy was Emily.

Which meant very few people even knew the title Child of Prophecy.

'...Someone is framing the Child of Prophecy as the culprit.' They are pinning the crime of Ken's murder on the Child of Prophecy.

In other words...

“Emily, I need to go for a while.”

“Huh?

Suddenly?

Where?” But Mary didn't answer and quickly turned around, running off in a hurry.

“M-Mary!” Emily, taken aback by Mary's sudden change, could only watch her disappearing figure in confusion.

‘…Quickly, before it’s too late!’ The place Mary was headed with urgency after rushing out of the dormitory was the temple, they had been at just a while ago.

The night had already fallen, and if she didn't hurry, she might miss them.

In the dim light, she saw someone ahead of her.

“…Elise!” Mary shouted her name immediately.

Elise, who had already left the temple with Siegfried and was on her way home, turned around.

Siegfried's expression twisted as he stepped in front to block Elise, upon hearing Mary shout her name and seeing her appearance.

Mary, who had been running, stopped to catch her breath.

“Haah, Senior Siegfried.

Haah, …What is the meaning of this?”

“I should be the one asking.” Siegfried’s hand moved to the hilt of the sword at his waist.

“…What’s the matter?

Calling Elise with such a murderous look in your eyes.” As he said, Mary looked as if she was about to be consumed by her anger.

The one who killed Ken.

Moreover, the one who tried to blame Emily for that crime.

"Elise, I have something to ask you." Without even using the term ‘senior,’ Mary stared at her, suppressing her anger.

Startled by Mary’s gaze, Elise shrank back and hid behind Siegfried who was protecting her.

Then Mary continued.

“That rumour you mentioned earlier, who did you hear it from?”

“…” The person who killed Ken and tried to frame Emily for it.

Naturally, it had to be the one who spread that rumour.

So, she would start with Elise, the one who first spoke of it.

By tracing it back through her, Mary could reach the origin of the rumour.

And on the other hand, there was one more possibility she considered, though she hoped it wasn’t true.

“You’d better answer quickly.” As her energy surged, the surrounding temperature began to drop.

A thin layer of ice formed on the ground around her feet.

Siegfried, on edge, exhaled, and his breath turned into visible puffs.

“Otherwise, I’ll think you’re the one who killed Ken,” Mary said, her eyes glowing a fierce blue as she glared at Elise.

“Ah, I, um, that is, I mean… Oh, uh?” Elise stammered, trying to think of an answer to Mary’s pressing question, but her confusion was evident.

It seemed she couldn’t recall the source of the rumour.

And then.

“Elise!

Duck down!!”

Boom!!

With Siegfried's urgent shout, a cold ice storm erupted, accompanied by a deafening explosion.

When the icy smoke cleared, the ground bore signs of upheaval, and Siegfried stood with his sword drawn.

“What are you doing, Mary Hyde!” Siegfried shouted; his eyes sharp like those of a snarling wolf as he glared at his opponent.

He pointed the tip of his sword at the Ice Witch.

“We lost a dear friend just a few days ago.

And now you dare to threaten Elise?”

“…S-Sieg.” Dark energy flowed into the Black Blade in his hand, emitting a menacing aura.

The Magic-Absorbing Sword.

As the magic-absorbing sword began to draw in the icy smoke made of magical power around it,

“That sword… It was made by Ken, wasn’t it?” The man standing in her way, defending her detestable enemy.

“Are you really going to protect the culprit who killed Ken with that sword?” Mary’s eyes gleamed a furious blue as her magical energy surged.

Dozens of icy blades formed around her.

All those blades were aimed at one point.

“Elise couldn’t… have done it.”

“Then just answer.

Where did you hear the rumour from?”

“…”

“S-Sieg…” Elise clutched the edge of her clothes.

Turning his head slightly, Siegfried checked on her.

The sight of her, trembling and on the verge of tears, was no different from the Elise he knew.

“Calm down, Mary.

There has to be some reason Elise can’t…”

“Don’t make me laugh!!”

Boom!!

“Ugh…!”

“Kyaa!”

Siegfried blocked the explosive storm of magical power with his sword, grimacing.

The rampaging wind pressure.

Although the Black Blade was absorbing the magic, it couldn't block the pressure caused by the aftermath.

“Calm down?

How can I calm down when the enemy who killed Ken is right in front of me!!”

Swish, swish, swish!!

The voice of an agitated Mary accompanied the surging icy blades.

‘...This is dangerous!’ Siegfried could handle it on his own.

But Elise was right behind him.

If he only absorbed the magic with his sword, he couldn't guarantee Elise's safety.

Dash!

“Kyahh!!

S-Sieg!?” Reacting swiftly to the storming icy blades, Siegfried grabbed Elise's waist and leaped.

Shing, shing, shing!!

Blades densely embedded themselves in the spot he had just been standing.

It was clear she was serious about killing them.

“If you won’t answer now, I will capture you and make you confess somehow.” A murderous intent that pricked the skin.

Siegfried steadied his sword, feeling the chilling cold that threatened to freeze him to the bone, along with her even colder gaze.

Then he took a deep breath.

Siegfried glared at the girl before him again.

“Sorry, but I swore to him when I received this sword.” She was strong.

Even more so when she had lost her reason and was consumed by rage.

“To protect Ken, and to protect those precious to me.” The raging magic might even overwhelm his physical abilities and the Black Blade.

“I couldn’t protect Ken.” If he made a mistake, he could die.

"...So, even if it means my death, I will protect Elise." A determined gaze.

A raised sword.

Siegfried firmed his resolve.

A battle where life and death are at stake.

"Then..." Mary, who had been watching him with cold, lifeless eyes, slowly raised her hand.

"Die."

Ziiing.

Magic gathered at her fingertips.

"Elise!!

Get away from me!!"

"B-but!"

"Quick!!"

"...Ugh."

Fwoosh...!

Elise retreated and hid behind a nearby tree.

Meanwhile, in front of Mary's hand, a giant Ice Spear formed.

Siegfried’s eyes remained focused on her fingertips without dropping his guard.

And then.

'...It's coming.' At the moment Mary’s fingertips twitched, Swish!!

The giant Ice Spear was launched.

The spear flew swiftly, whipping up a gale-like wind.

"Huff!"

Siegfried raised his sword and deflected the spear.

Boom!!

The spear, skimming past him, embedded into the ground with a deafening crash, filling the air with a smoke of icy crystals and obstructing his view.

'...I can't absorb all this magic.' Even with Ken's Black Blade, the sheer amount of mana was overwhelming.

Knowing the effect of the Black Blade, Mary poured an unprecedented amount of mana into her magic.

'In that case...'

Taaaat!!

Siegfried channelled mana into his thighs to enhance his muscle strength, launching himself off the ground with greater power than usual.

With the speed of an arrow leaving a black trail.

His figure, difficult to follow with the naked eye, pierced through the icy crystal smoke caused by the Ice Spear.

And flew directly toward Mary.

As he emerged from the smoke, there stood Mary, waiting with a massive Ice Hammer.

"Damn!" The strategy of closing the distance against someone whose specialty was magic.

Mary seemed to have predicted it.

She swung the giant hammer, larger than her own body, at him.

Kwooooaaang!!

Caught off guard, Siegfried met the hammer with his sword, using the impact to put some distance between them.

The shattered fragments of the hammer, cut by the sword, turned into mana and were absorbed by the blade.

Safely landing, Siegfried glared at Mary from a distance.

'...She's pushing herself too hard.' The enormous amount of mana still radiating from her.

Mary, known for her exceptional mana capacity even among ordinary people, was clearly not at normal output.

A battle where she staked her life.

The determination to fight to the death.

That resolve was transmitted to Siegfried like a wail.

As if she had lost everything and was desperately clinging onto something.

That's why her attacks were threatening.

However, as time went on, this battle would become more advantageous for Siegfried.

"...You're enhancing yourself, aren't you?" Mary said, looking at the black aura emanating from the Black Blade.

The Magic-Absorbing Sword that could absorb magic.

The sword, crafted meticulously by Ken, was designed to absorb magic and enhance the user's physical abilities.

The more Mary emitted magic to counter the blade's effects of breaking down and absorbing magic, the more Siegfried absorbed that magic to strengthen himself.

A sword with a fatal advantage against a magician.

"I'll end this now." Siegfried adjusted his stance.

Bringing the blade to his waist, he went into battle stance.

The transformed energy flowing from the Black Blade enveloped Siegfried's body.

His eyes sharpened with determination.

A final strike to end this battle.

Watching him, Mary raised her hand to summon an Ice Wall.

A wall of ice emitting a chilling cold began to rise.

Swish

Just seeing his energy, she could tell this was a dangerous attack.

Thus, Mary erected the wall in preparation for the incoming strike.

Swoosh!!

As Siegfried's eyes narrowed, the Black Blade flashed out in an instant.

As Siegfried's form closed the distance in a flash, everything seemed to move in slow motion.

Mary immediately recognized one thing.

'...This won't stop it.' An ice wall alone wouldn't be enough to withstand his attack.

It would be a fatal strike.

Thus, the anger burning in her heart calmed down.

While his sword approached, in that fleeting moment, she recalled a face she already missed.

'...Ken.' Mary felt a sense of relief.

'...Going to meet Ken wouldn't be so bad.' She pictured his face, the gentle smile he showed her.

With that image in mind, Mary closed her eyes.

KA-BOOM!!!

In an instant, a deafening explosion erupted from Siegfried's full-powered attack.

As the dust and debris began to settle, the devastation from his strike became evident.

For some reason, Mary opened her eyes to find that Death hadn't come for her.

...

”Phew, glad I wasn't too late." Amidst the dust that filled her vision as she opened her eyes, she heard the voice she had longed to hear so much.

And she saw the familiar, yet somehow different, figure from behind.

"Why don't you both stop fighting now?" Though he looked different from how she remembered him, the person who blocked Siegfried's sword in front of her was undoubtedly Ken Feinstein.

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