It had been a delightful weekend.

A phrase that might belong in an elementary school diary, yet it perfectly captured my current mood.

– Swish, swish.

I gently polished the gun in my hand with a soft cloth.

The silver gleam of the gun-shaped magic weapon, Draconix, brought a smile to my face as I recalled finally acquiring the coveted artifact.

“With this, dealing with bishop-level opponents will be a breeze. No matter what creature shows up under the next full moon, it won’t be a problem.”

And to think I got it for free.

What a beautiful sound that is.

Saving money?

To me, it was as good as saying, “More funds for research.”

The full moon would soon rise, but what did it matter? I was already prepared.

“Hmm hmm~”

Hana, wearing the new clothes we bought over the weekend, seemed to have settled into school life quite well. Though staying in the lab all the time might be inconvenient.

“After the full moon, I should check if there’s a spot in the dormitory.”

I was keeping Hana in the lab because the full moon was approaching. The dark cult would surely target us relentlessly, and staying in the dormitory could endanger other students. Besides, considering the traps I’d set up in the lab whenever my mana recovered, it was the safest option for now.

“Alright, let’s do it now, Hana.”

“Yes!”

At my words, Hana quickly came to my side. I pulled out a prepared sheet of paper.

A paper inscribed with a memory-reading magic circle, though I’d altered the lines from the original design.

“I’m ready.”

I stood beside Hana, who was waiting with her hands politely clasped.

– Shhh…

The magic circle began to activate, a thin blue line extending to Hana’s head.

“Will there be any traces today?”

Since meeting Hana, I’d been modifying the magic circle, trying to read new memories. She resembled my late sister, Min Hae-jin, and I believed that if I could unlock her memories, I might uncover the connection between Min Hae-jin and the dark cult.

“Though there haven’t been any results yet.”

No new memories had surfaced despite multiple attempts. But today, I had a glimmer of hope. During the last attempt, I discovered a sort of lock in her mind.

“It was definitely magic.”

A memory-themed magic, one I had never encountered before. Whoever it was, the dark cult had someone quite clever.

“Wasting such talent on dark magic… what a shame.”

Regretting the wasted magical talent, I focused on the magic’s progress.

– Srrr…

Memories began to flow from Hana, who had her eyes closed. Most were the same as before. But then…

“There it is. The memory lock.”

I found the memory lock I’d named and pulled out another sheet of paper.

“I’ve already tested for side effects.”

I had already developed the magic to unlock the memory lock. It just took longer to ensure there were no side effects, given that Hana was the subject.

– Shooo!

The second magic circle activated, two blue lines extending toward Hana’s head once more.

[Everything’s fine, Contractor. You can continue.]

If I were alone, it might have been riskier. But with Cynthia, a master of mana, assisting, the risk was virtually nonexistent.

– Click!

With the sensation of turning a key, I unlocked the memory lock in Hana’s mind. Even with memory-themed magic, it couldn’t erase memories entirely. It seemed to have sealed some memories using a combination of sealing and memory-themed magic.

And then, new memories began to flow.

A familiar laboratory. Two low-ranking dark mages were activating several magic circles. Though I couldn’t grasp the exact situation, Hana seemed to be restrained.

“Is the sacrificial experiment proceeding well?”

A figure with their face obscured by a robe. But the bat emblem on the robe indicated they were of bishop rank.

“Ah, Bishop Baran. It’s going well. Much more stable than with the second and third sacrifices.”

“It seems humans are more suitable subjects.”

“Honestly, it’s beyond expectations. Such results…”

“I agree. Who knew Venomous’s experiments would be so beneficial… Keep up the good work.”

This…

“Are there other sacrifices besides Hana?”

Bishop Baran approached the bound Hana and reached out, seemingly removing something from her mouth.

“Brother… it hurts… please stop…”

“Even that is penance. The demon will surely forgive your sins.”

Despite her pitiful voice, he smiled unpleasantly and silenced her again.

“Then, brothers, continue. If the ability settles properly in the first sacrifice… we can replace the missing fourth sacrifice.”

Though he smiled, the two dark mages seemed tense under his pressure.

And as the memory ended…

– Clang!

With a sound like a metal dish falling, one of the mana strands connecting to Hana’s head snapped and scattered.

“Damn. Is there another memory lock?”

I wanted to unlock it immediately, but I couldn’t. It was structured differently from the previous lock.

“No choice.”

I couldn’t see everything, but at least the memories were gradually returning. It was only a matter of time before I learned about Min Hae-jin.

“I’ll lock this memory again.”

I quickly drew a magic circle on the paper to reactivate the lock I’d just released. There was no need to leave such painful memories unsealed.

Once I confirmed the memory was securely locked, I ended the magic. The blue mana lines connecting to Hana disappeared into the air.

“Is it done?”

Hana opened her eyes and asked as the magic ended.

“Nothing significant.”

“Oh, really?”

“You’ll find out soon. Don’t be disappointed. Do you have the envelope I asked for?”

“Oh, yes! Here it is.”

“Could you deliver it now?”

“Yes!”

Hana answered energetically and left the lab. I immediately summoned Cynthia.

Cynthia spoke with a serious expression.

“…Contractor, I can’t forgive them.”

“Right?”

“To do that to such a small child…”

Cynthia was trembling with anger.

“What will you do?”

“The lab. We can’t find it with just this information, can we?”

“Yeah… I think so.”

Of course, we couldn’t find it. The information was just fragmented memories from Hana’s perspective. Finding it would be stranger.

“Still, let’s look for ways to track them down.”

Cynthia nodded and placed a hand on her chin.

“By the way, what do you think they meant by ‘ability’?”

Now that she mentioned it, there was something about that.

“Ability… huh.”

Settling an ability? Could it be…

“Is it related to what happened ten years ago?”

A thought crossed my mind.

Ten years ago, dark mages had conducted experiments to embed non-verbal magic into specific magical artifacts. So that non-verbal magic could be used even on nights without a full moon.

“It failed, though.”

Thanks to the intervention of inquisitors and various organizations, the experiment was thwarted.

“Does that mean Hana can use some kind of ability?”

If so, I need to find out what Hana’s ability is. She should at least be able to defend herself against dark mages. And if she can help me, even better.

“Alright. Let’s stop here. Thinking about it more will just give me a headache.”

Still, we’ve taken a step closer to the dark cult. There’s no rush. This life will be different from the last. I won’t fall into the trap of becoming a wraith by recklessly researching dark magic.

“It’s already getting dark.”

At Cynthia’s words, I spun my chair to look out the window. Despite it being March, night had fallen surprisingly quickly.

I looked up at the sky. The moon was already quite full.

“About four days left.”

When the full moon rises, the dark cult will surely come.

“I’m ready.”

From Draconix to the mana granted by the divine beast. And more.

“This school is my domain now.”

With all the traps and my understanding of the terrain, whether they come in hordes or as an elite few, when the full moon rises and they enter the school, they’ll learn exactly what it means to step into a mage’s domain.

And at that moment…

– Bang!

Hana returned to the lab, slamming the door shut.

“Teacher!!!!”

She shouted louder than I’d ever heard her before, louder than all her previous words combined.

Startled, Cynthia and I quickly turned our heads from the night sky.

“What, what is it?! Hana, what’s wrong?!”

Cynthia rushed to Hana, flustered.

“Ah! Contractor! Look at this!”

She waved her hands so vigorously that they made a ‘whoosh’ sound, calling me over.

“What is it?”

I got up from my chair and approached Hana at the door.

And then…

“…?”

I furrowed my brow, trying to understand the situation.

– Whoosh, whoosh.

Hana held her hands together in front of her chest. Above them, a small portal was emitting a faint breeze.

“…Spatial magic? Did you do this?”

Hana shook her head at my question.

“Well… I was delivering the envelope… and saying goodbye… when it suddenly appeared…”

Hana stood there, looking utterly bewildered, and suddenly it hit me.

“Could it be…?”

The memory of what I had seen earlier flashed through my mind.

– If the power settles properly in the first vessel…

That’s what the bishop, Baran, had said in my memory.

In other words…

“Did Hana inherit spatial magic?”

Venomous had been obsessively fixated on Hana.

It made sense to assume the power transfer had already succeeded.

“Hana, can you turn it off?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Cynthia, fascinated, kept putting her hand in and out of the portal.

And Cynthia’s hand…

“Wow, look at this! My hand’s coming out of the ceiling!”

…was emerging from a hole in the ceiling.

“Definitely spatial magic.”

“W-What should I do?”

“Stay calm, Hana.”

“Yes, teacher…”

“This portal is definitely your ability.”

A third-level spatial magic. Creating a portal required a significant amount of mana and a magic circle.

“Take a deep breath.”

“Inhale… exhale…”

“Visualize it.”

Closing a portal isn’t too difficult. As long as the caster wills it, it can be done.

“Focus on the image. Imagine closing a door.”

“Closing… a door…”

Hana closed her eyes tightly, furrowing her brows as if trying to picture something.

Finally, with a determined “Ugh…!” she concentrated.

– Whoooosh…

The portal that had formed above Hana’s hand slowly faded away and then vanished with a pop.

“I did it! I did it, teacher!”

“Good job. Do you think you can open another one?”

“I’ll try…!”

“This time, imagine opening a door. The entrance on your hand, the exit on my desk over there.”

“Okay…!”

Hana furrowed her brows again.

And then…

“Wow, contractor! It worked!”

With Cynthia’s excited exclamation, a portal appeared above Hana’s hand.

“Hold still for a moment.”

I reached through the portal and felt around the desk.

“Ah, here it is.”

I grabbed something and pulled my hand back.

“Now, try closing it.”

– Whoooosh…

Was it because it was her second attempt? Hana closed the portal much faster this time.

“Impressive. This could be really useful.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

Spatial magic is the easiest among the seven great challenges. But portals are a different story.

“Let’s practice this ability more starting tomorrow, Hana. It’ll definitely come in handy.”

“Really? I can be of help to you, teacher…?”

Muttering something to herself, Hana beamed with a bashful smile.

“Oh, and here.”

I handed Hana the item I had picked up from the desk.

She took it with both hands.

“A candy…?”

“Yes. It’s a reward for doing well.”

It’s important to give students a sense of achievement with rewards. It might be a small gesture, but it’s a start.

‘Though it was something Liz left behind.’

The ability to open portals at will would surely be useful.

Was it because of the memory that suddenly opened, or was it the approaching full moon?

‘Either way, it’s good news for me.’

With Hana’s ability added to our already perfect defense against dark magic, I felt like we could even take on the archbishop.

Not that I wanted the archbishop to actually show up.

‘Wait a minute.’

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Was it Baran? What did that bishop say again?’

– Who would’ve thought Venomous’s experiment would be so useful…

Venomous’s experiment.

I had brushed it off earlier, but now I had a hunch.

‘No way.’

I recalled the last time I had faced him.

– I am no longer bound by a human body. Yes, my body has transcended death!

Hold on.

What he had been researching was definitely…

‘That would explain it.’

Why Hana had an appetite beyond human limits.

And why she had no memory before entering the lab.

Even if the latter was due to a memory lock, the former was undeniable.

‘Could it be true?’

I turned to see Hana smiling contentedly, seemingly satisfied.

And as I watched her, I pondered the realization that had dawned on me.

‘Hana… is a homunculus?’