After Flora left, Rudger recalled the conversation he had just had with her.
'I asked how she found me, but it was because of the smell.'
Flora Lumos was born with her constitution to feel magic in a different way. When she sees the same magic, she sees different colors and feels different smells.
I was skeptical about her at first, but her reaction to Klein's disease convinced me.
'There was a loophole in my 「Ater Nocturnus」.
It was not possible to avoid everyone's gaze by simply erasing my existence. Flora felt the very subtle magical reverberation that flowed in the magic water and found him.
She perceives magic through her senses of smell and sight. Indeed, there must have been a reason for being number 1 in the 2nd year. It's understandable that she made fun of several teachers so far.'
If so, what to do next?
From Flora's reaction, it was as if she had not seen what Rudger had done in the Silent Forest that day. She had a slightly suspicious gaze, but there was no solid evidence.
'The opponent is a daughter of the duke family that the Empire is proud of. If I touch her, it will be troublesome.'
Still, the academy is buzzing thanks to the recent events, and I can't do anything over the top. However, it seemed necessary to keep an eye on Flora more closely than usual.
'I'll let Hans do the background check. Even so, I'm sure I'll find someone with that kind of constitution in Theon.'
After all, this is the best academy that teaches magic. Both teachers and students are extraordinary people. Even those whom I have seen so far were only a small fraction of this academy.
Do I have to live in a place like this for 2 years?
'It's been a while since I've worked here, and two big incidents have already occurred. How many more will it happen?'
It was then that I felt a presence in front of the door.
"Come in. The door is open."
As Rudger said that, he felt a shudder through the door, and then the door opened cautiously. A girl with dense facial features, clear blue eyes and gray hair that is hard to find in Theon poked her face through the half-open door.
"Is it Rene?"
"Yes."
"What did you come here for?"
"The book……I finished it."
"Book…….."
Rudger recalled that he had handed Rene a book about non-attribute magic. With only her face sticking out, Rene entered the office with her careful steps. She looked as if she couldn't make the slightest mistake.
"I thought I should give it back to teacher."
"You mean that?"
"Yes, Mr. Rudger."
Rudger shook his head and said.
"The book is not mine. I, too, am only giving further what I have received."
"Then this book……."
"Keep that book with you."
"Yes?"
"You may have read it many times, but you will always need it. Sometimes you won't remember parts of it so it's better to have it just in case."
"Still……."
"Some things show their value only when they have a suitable user. The book about non-attribute magic will shine more when you have it than if it is in my hands."
Rudger took a moment to catch his breath and took off the rimless glasses he wore on his face.
"I believe that you will take good care of it."
"……."
Rene couldn't say anything because Rudger's words cluttered her head.
'Do you believe in me?'
Rene was dizzy as Rudger's words kept echoing in her head.
'Why do you believe? Do you have a good reason for that? Or is it simply because I am the owner of non-attribute magic?'
She suddenly had a thought.
Rudger knew the previous owner of this book. If so, did he hear something from him?
"I……."
"What?"
"That, so……."
Rene couldn't help but ask. Even when she opened her mouth, only unlisted languages come out. It was because of Rudger's outspoken words that her head was not spinning properly.
"If you have nothing to say, just leave. Classes are starting soon."
"……Yes."
In the end, Rene gave up and was forced to leave the office. She walked down the hallway with staggering footsteps as her head was still a mess.
* * *
'Oh right.'
It was only after she wandered aimlessly and reached her sparse garden that Rene finally regained her sanity.
'I was going to ask about the assistant position as well.'
She was so embarrassed and out of context that she didn't even think of asking.
'By the way, it seems that senior Flora also came to see Mr. Rudger. Did she come here for Mr. Rudger's assistant position too?'
As a senior in the second year who holds the title of genius, which is rare in Theon Flora Lumos was pretty popular even among the freshmen.
Although she comes from a great family, she does not belong to a faction unlike other nobles and stays with her childhood friend.
'No. Let's stop paying attention for now. I have to start preparing for the next class at the library during the rest of the time.'
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard a conversation coming from over the trees in the garden.
'Uh?'
Rene had no choice but to stop her steps when she saw the students who had finally appeared. They were students from aristocratic families that stood out even from afar. Also, she doesn't get along well with them as usual.
'Ah…….'
Among them there was a man who left a great impression on Rene when he approached her and wanted to date her as if he was doing her a favor. In the end, Rene relentlessly pushed him away, and naturally he began to harbor a grudge against Rene.
'I really hate it.'
In addition to that, a group of people who were jealous and secretly quarreled after seeing Rene getting along with the 3rd princess recently joined the situation.
'I didn't know she was going to meet them here.'
There was no way they would leave her alone. It was better to avoid any clashes and Rene has realized through her past experiences. She immediately turned her gaze away.
'Let's go inside.'
Rene headed deeper into the garden. Since the site of Theon is so wide, even the size of the garden was different. There were marble fountains, colorful flower fields, and a long avenue of trees. Even some artificial forests or small open spaces have been created, and sometimes the students used them to socialize outdoors.
Some say that there is a secret place in this large garden that other people don't see, but she didn't know that.
'Let's hide for now.'
Rene moved immediately and went inside the garden.
Vines and beautiful pink flowers grow to block the sunlight, creating a long tunnel of arched pergola.. As she walked through it, it was as if she were passing through a door to another world.
As she exited the pergola, she saw the lush greenery.
'There was a place like this?'
She had just entered this place and was still not familiar with the geography or structure, so whenever she encountered a new place, she was simply amazed.
Rene pricked her ears and listened to the situation outside.
'Did they go?'
She could still hear the soft chatter between them. Are they thinking of staying here?
'I don't think they'll come this far.'
Killing time in this area in moderation, avoiding the noble students, and going back through a detour were Rene thoughts when she leaned her back against a suitable tree and suddenly turned her head in one direction.
'Is this a song?'
A voice came from inside the forest.
'Who is inside?'
It was something she could just ignore but Rene was curious. Some of the songs are good to listen to, but it's because she felt a sense of déjà vu as if she had heard it somewhere.
'It feels similar to when I got the book from Mr. Rudger.'
Rene was curious and unwittingly moved her steps towards the source of the sound.
'Let's just check.'
There's still time until Rudger's class anyway. With that in mind a small open space that greeted Rene, who was heading into the forest. It was not a natural place since the vacant lot was very neat as if someone had been managing it before. Besides, there was even a small flower bed nearby.
'Who is it? Did the gardener do it?'
With that thought in mind, she slowly walked towards the center of the vacant lot. The melody that had been heard a while ago was no longer heard.
"Who are you? This is a place no one comes to."
A voice came from behind her back.
Rene looked back in surprise and saw someone sitting on a thick branch and looking down at her.
"Who are you?"
"Well?"
The young man, who seems to be the owner of the flower bed, questioned her reaction and eventually realized that he had just come here by chance.
He let out a small laugh, then jumped off the tree and landed lightly in front of Rene.
Rene's eyes widened at the quick movements.
"Did you come here by chance?"
"Oh that……."
Rene was belatedly able to recognize who the other person was. He was a sophomore and above all, the dark blue hair color he had was easy to recognize.
"Senior….. Freuden?"
Freuden Ulburg, the eldest son of the Ulburg family, who symbolizes the wolf, one of the three duke families of the Exilion Empire. He is also a student who is regarded as the head of the noble faction in Theon.
'Is this the flower bed that senior Freuden was managing?!'
Rene realized that she had entered the tiger's den.
The rumors about Freuden had already spread among other students and his notoriety among the commoners grew because he is the leader of a faction made up of noble students who openly despise and harass commoners.
He was also the eldest son of the Freudian family, unmatched by anyone except the imperial family, so commoner students were afraid of Freuden. The fact that aristocratic students looked down on and harassed commoners was to the extent that it was even said that this man had given orders from above.
For commoner students, Freuden was the final boss to be wary of and fear more than anyone else.
To see such Freuden Ulburg alone in a place like this.
'No, it's ruined.'
Rene thought about whether she should run away right now.