The moment I stepped into the magical studies lecture hall—my feet stopped.

  ...No way.

  Actually, thinking calmly, it was only natural.

  In the front row of the hall, at the edge of the commoner section—sat Delio Garon. Oscar had said he was academically excellent. Then it wasn't strange at all that he'd be taking Professor Maxwell's magical studies. Rather, not encountering him here would be unnatural.

  His red hair was unkempt as before—but his posture and demeanor were clearly different.

  Straight-backed, chatting with surrounding students with a bright smile. Above all—that dark, warped atmosphere from the original was nowhere to be found. He was like a completely different person.

  'Dylan, you're freezing up again?'

  Lou's carefree voice snapped me back. Standing stupidly at the entrance, I'd attracted several puzzled glances. Rumors about Erna and me still smoldered. I didn't want to draw more strange attention.

  I hurriedly took a nearby seat. A position where Delio's red hair was visible at the edge of my vision. Not too close, not too far. A wry smile almost escaped at my stalker-like behavior.

  "Um, may I sit here?"

  Looking up at the voice, a slender youth stood there. A familiar face—the youth I'd greeted at the Spirit Society.

  "Ah, of course... Master Roy, wasn't it?"

  "You remembered. I'm honored."

  Roy smiled happily and sat beside me. He'd said he contracted with a lower water spirit. A noble with a gentle demeanor.

  "It's been a while since the Spirit Society. How are things with your spirit contract going?"

  "Ah, well... going well, I suppose."

  'Very well! Extremely!'

  Ignoring Lou responding energetically in my head, I answered vaguely.

  "That's good. Actually, I'm still not used to communicating with my spirit... If you have any tips, I'd appreciate the advice."

  Roy showed a troubled smile. His serious personality showed in his expression.

  Tips, he said—but that was difficult. My spirit was the exception among exceptions, talking constantly even when left alone.

  'Dylan, Dylan! A chance to make friends!'

  Like this.

  But—Lou's next words were surprisingly practical.

  'Ah, that's easy! Just go to places the spirit likes!'

  Places they like?

  'Spirits become more active in environments they're familiar with. Water spirits near water, fire spirits by furnaces, etc. Call to them in such places and they'll respond more easily.'

  An unexpectedly clear answer. Who knew she could give such sound advice?

  'Incidentally, mine is the church! So I'd be happy if you visited about once a day!'

  Casual self-promotion. As expected of a former saint goddess, her attachment to the church was genuine. That said, for someone like me who had led a life far from pious, daily church visits honestly didn't appeal.

  "Try going to places connected to the spirit? For a water spirit—"

  "Near water! I see, that makes sense. Thank you, Master Dylan!"

  Roy's face brightened. An honest, unpretentious reaction lacking the typical noble pressure. Perhaps because everyone I'd dealt with so far had been troublesome characters, Roy's straightforward type felt refreshing.

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  As I relaxed slightly, Roy's gaze shifted forward. I followed it. There—Delio Garon's figure, talking with those around him with a bright smile.

  "That person... that's Master Delio Garon, right?"

  "...You know him?"

  "I happened to pass by the practical exam grounds recently and saw him."

  "The entrance exam?"

  The academy's entrance exams were open to outsiders. The practical exams, especially, were used as opportunities for nobles to identify excellent examinees early.

  "Yes. It was basic magic practicals, but—his magical control was perfect, and he recited his incantations without the slightest hesitation. The examiners were nodding in approval."

  Roy's eyes held pure admiration. As rumored—no, better than rumored. I doubted deception would work before Luminas Academy's examiners.

  ...Is he really a different person from the Delio I knew?

  Complex emotions. I should probably be glad he hadn't taken a bad path. But somehow it didn't sit right. I felt disgusted with my habit of immediately suspecting any fragment of the original story.

  The ringing of the opening bell echoed through the hall.

  Heavy doors opened, and Professor Maxwell appeared in deep navy robes. Gray-streaked beard, sharp eyes. The third-ranked court mage's presence instantly changed the hall's atmosphere.

  "Let us begin."

  A low, resonant voice. Chatter vanished; silence reigned.

  "Last time we performed magical power detection on magic circles. Structured magical power with clear intent—so to speak, 'textbook magical power.'"

  Professor Maxwell paused and walked to the hall's center.

  "Today we'll change our approach slightly."

  Only the professor's footsteps echoed in the quiet hall. Students held their breath, awaiting the next words.

  "Magical power isn't limited to magic. People, objects, land, and spirits—even when not activated as magic, magical power constantly exists."

  The professor stopped, indicating five small wooden boxes placed at the hall's center. Plain wooden boxes with their lids shut.

  "Inside these are magic stones. Not high grade—insufficient for magical tools."

  Students quietly gathered their gazes.

  "Now then, everyone. Using sensation rather than sight, tell me which box contains a magic stone."

  The hall fell utterly silent. No one tried touching the boxes, maintaining distance while sharpening their senses.

  Indeed, they seemed to be quite weak magic stones. A presence so slight it would be pushed outside consciousness if you weren't paying close attention. Furthermore—Professor Maxwell standing nearby radiated magical power like the sun, obscuring the faint stones' presence. There was no malice in it—just the natural byproduct of the professor's mere presence.

  But—it wasn't a complete absence. Sharpening my consciousness, I felt something was definitely there.

  A box subtly "warping" the space. Second from the left.

  This much I could answer with confidence—

  "Professor."

  Before I could voice my answer, a clear voice broke the silence. An unhesitating, pure sound.

  My heart jumped. I didn't need to look.

  Delio Garon.

  "Hmm. Then, you there with red hair. Answer."

  Professor Maxwell's gaze flew to him. Delio stood soundlessly. His bearing held neither servility nor arrogance. Only sharpened, quiet confidence.

  "The second box from the left."

  A concise answer.

  ...Correct.

  The exact same box I'd sensed.

  Murmurs ran through the hall.

  "Correct."

  Professor Maxwell opened the box lid and displayed a small, faintly glowing magic stone.

  "Well perceived."

  A matter-of-fact evaluation. But in those brief words lay the professor's acknowledgment. Delio bowed once and quietly returned to his seat.

  —That man's magical power detection was real. Not the lucky precision of a guess. Undisturbed by the professor's magical power, he'd accurately picked up only the faint stone's presence.

  The same answer as me. The same speed as me.

  I heard Roy quietly murmur, "Amazing..."

  The professor surveyed the hall, looking over everyone.

  "In this exercise, I was testing only two things."

  That one statement tightened the atmosphere.

  "Whether you could sense the presence of magical power, and whether you could isolate it from other elements."

  Several students showed startled expressions.

  "Strength doesn't matter. Attributes don't matter. This time—I only had you observe presence or absence."

  The professor paused, then continued.

  "While easily lumped together as 'magical power,' most of what you sense isn't magical power itself. Air flow, temperature, pressure, sound—all merely the 'results of changes' caused by magical power."

  Murmurs ran among the students.

  "Therefore, magical power detection is both the technique of measuring power—and the technique of discerning the cause of changes produced by magical power."

  Just as I thought the professor's lecture had concluded—Professor Maxwell's gaze briefly turned this way.

  No, precisely—after looking at me, his eyes returned to the entire hall.

  "Now. I never said there was only one correct answer. Does anyone understand what that means?"

  The hall buzzed.

  ...I knew it.

  I was convinced internally. Actually, the "strongest response" had simply been the second from the left—

  I expanded my awareness. All five boxes had a faint but definite magical power presence.

  All the boxes contained magic stones.

  Looking around the hall, only a handful had noticed. Most students were confused—"the second was correct, but there are more?"

  Glancing forward, Delio showed no particular surprise; he simply sat there, quietly facing the front.

  Had he noticed too? Or simply lost interest?

  I didn't know. I knew absolutely nothing.

  I sighed softly at the doubts swirling within.

  Whatever that man was—I was chasing the original's shadow too much. I couldn't see the person standing right in front of me for who he truly was.

  That was probably—the worst thing to do.