“…An egg?”

In the spot where Sally had vanished, there was now an egg, glowing with a warm orange hue.

It was as if the egg itself was proof of being a fire spirit’s egg, radiating a comforting warmth.

“The contractor, that…!”

When I turned my head, I saw Cynthia and Gemut looking unusually serious.

“Why is this here?”

“Don’t you know, contractor?!”

Their eyes grew even wider, almost comically so.

…Am I the only one who doesn’t know?

“It’s an egg. An egg! A spirit’s egg!”

To be honest…

Yeah, I really have no idea.

“…Even the contractor doesn’t know something?”

“How could I possibly know everything?”

I mean, I might be a genius, but that doesn’t mean I know everything in the world.

Is it really that shocking to Cynthia?

“Wow. How many times has this happened? Meeting the contractor and finding something they don’t know?”

“Not often, really.”

“I thought the only thing you didn’t know was how to use a rice cooker.”

You just pop instant rice in the microwave, right? Why bother with a rice cooker?

To me, the mystery of this egg is far more important.

New knowledge, after all!

“The contractor not knowing something….”

Sure, spirit studies might be one of my specialties, but it’s still a field with much to explore.

“So, why is this here?”

“Oh.”

Finally snapping out of her thoughts, she began to explain.

The explanation was simple.

When a spirit dies, it usually vanishes completely. But some spirits leave behind a trace and can return….

“In the spirit realm or when spirit affinity is at its peak?”

So that’s why I didn’t know.

I’ve been to the spirit realm, but I’ve never seen a spirit die there. And I’ve never met anyone with maximum spirit affinity.

It’s not common for spirits to die, after all.

‘Hmm? Wait a minute.’

I turned to Cynthia and asked, “Then why did this appear?”

Sally’s egg.

This isn’t the spirit realm.

So it must be the latter….

“Exactly. That’s why I was surprised!”

Cynthia exclaimed, looking at Kim Ina.

“Can Eclipse really raise spirit affinity that high, contractor?”

“No way. It’s an innate ability, like mana affinity.”

Even if Eclipse uses some mysterious technique, reaching the maximum is impossible.

“Then… hmm….”

Cynthia pondered for a while, then finally gave up with a frustrated, “I don’t know!”

“What? You’re not going to think about it anymore?”

“If I can’t figure it out, I’ll just ask the Spirit King later.”

“Is the Spirit King your friend?”

“No, right?”

“…Can you just say that so casually?”

Cynthia shrugged her shoulders.

“He’s not here, is he?”

You’re definitely going to get in trouble for that someday….

Just make sure it doesn’t affect me when it happens.

– Clang. Clang.

As the situation was wrapping up, the sound of clashing metal approached rapidly from a distance.

Armor clinking.

I had a pretty good idea who it might be.

And as expected, Jin Siwoo soon appeared.

“…Here….”

His helmet moved slightly from side to side.

Though his expression was hidden….

‘Is he surprised…?’

For some reason, that’s how it seemed.

Jin Siwoo looked at the two fallen students, the spirit, and then me, before slowly removing his helmet and approaching.

“There was definitely… a dark spirit….”

Seeing Jin Siwoo’s usual expressionless face, I felt a surge of irritation.

Come to think of it, weren’t they stationed at the school to stop the dark sorcerer?

They let Eclipse slip away and only arrived after the dark spirit incident was over?

They made me so anxious, and yet they missed the real threat!

These incompetent fools!

…I wanted to lash out, but instead, I said, “…You’re a bit late.”

I decided not to get angry.

The situation was already resolved, after all.

What’s the point of getting mad?

Besides, I thought it best not to make an enemy of Jin Siwoo.

Just in case, though it shouldn’t happen, if he ever found out I was the dark sorcerer….

If we’re on good terms, maybe he’d hesitate a bit…?

Even if not, it’s better to maintain a good relationship with someone I’ll keep running into.

“I’m sorry. I was busy evacuating the students.”

“Evacuating?”

“Yes.”

Now that I think about it, despite all this chaos, the only students I’ve run into are Shin Haeryeong and Kim Ina.

“The dark spirit incites aggression in nearby spirits.”

“So no students were hurt?”

“Yes. Except for the two here.”

“That’s a relief.”

I hadn’t been able to keep an eye on the other students while dealing with Han Hyejin and the dark spirit.

In any case, it seems I owe them some thanks.

…Though I’m still annoyed they only showed up after everything was over.

“The dark spirit….”

Jin Siwoo’s gaze shifted to Kim Ina, where the dark spirit had been, and then back to me, startled.

“It’s you again.”

“…What do you see?”

This is really fascinating.

Last time, he immediately guessed I was the one who took down the dragon.

“Yes. I can see the aura. Larger than the Pope’s.”

…Is it okay to keep comparing me to the Pope?

I can’t keep up with what this guy is saying.

He skips all the explanations, so there’s no way I can understand.

“Then the magic from earlier….”

His silent gaze gave me a strange feeling.

It was similar to what I felt in the lab last time, so I knew right away.

Ah, this is proselytizing.

“The weather is, uh… Where are you going?”

“I have things to handle! Please take care of the students, team leader!”

Sorry, but I’m really, really, really not interested in religion.

The whole “Brother~ Brother~” thing from the Dark Church gives me the creeps.

“Let’s go, Cynthia! Gemut!”

“Huh? Oh, okay!”

Before Jin Siwoo could grab me, I hurried to leave.

Cynthia quickly followed, but Gemut seemed rooted to the spot like a tree.

“What are you doing, Gemut? Aren’t you coming?”

“…”

Jin Siwoo’s gaze turned to Gemut.

The earth spirit was muttering to himself.

And the dark spirit that had just appeared.

I had a pretty good idea of what Jin Siwoo was thinking, and I slapped my forehead.

“…It’s the dark spirit’s influence.”

As if.

“Since you’ve exerted yourself, please step back.”

Jin Siwoo looked ready to pounce on Gemut, so I quickly ran over and grabbed his shoulder.

“Uh, team leader?”

“Yes.”

“Do I look like the host of a dark spirit?”

“…No, you don’t.”

Only then did he lower his sword.

“But then, what about his condition?”

Following his finger, I approached Gemut.

Gemut was definitely in a trance, muttering something repeatedly.

“Gemut?”

“The contractor….”

Gemut looked at me with a shocked expression.

“…The contractor. Doesn’t know something.”

“…?”

“That can’t be….”

For a moment, Gemut’s eyes overlapped with Jin Siwoo’s madness, so I turned my head and silently headed deeper into the forest.

***

Gemut’s near-religious faith in me.

And Jin Siwoo trying to spread his faith in the Celestial Church to me.

After dealing with the dark spirit, my already weary heart felt even more drained as I headed to where Han Hyejin was confined.

I had used a wide-area spell I’d never tried before, severed the contract without harming the host.

Normally, I’d be thrilled to have used such a powerful new spell, but I didn’t have the energy for that now.

Even though the full moon wasn’t out, I had faced an opponent comparable to Baran and then had to deal with the dark spirit.

No matter how much mana I drew upon, my body couldn’t be in perfect condition.

So I needed to retrieve the cube and hand Han Hyejin over to Jin Siwoo for questioning.

…That was my plan, anyway.

“Get away! You stupid mutt!”

[A dragon protecting a dark sorcerer. How absurd.]

The voice nearly made me lose my mind.

It wasn’t hard to deduce what the dragon and mutt in that conversation referred to.

Ahead, I saw Liz waving her arms frantically, with Gerard perched on her head.

In front of her was Baekrang, covered in wounds.

And watching them with a lazy expression was Bae Jaeho, inspecting the cube.

[Dragon, this is my domain. Your mere presence here is an affront. I’m tolerating it because of the school’s lessons, but don’t provoke me further.]

“What are you babbling about, you stupid dog!”

[…That was even more disrespectful.]

I seriously considered for a moment.

Was it the right choice to go over there now?

I was too tired and exhausted to mediate between Liz and Baekrang.

I just wanted to rest….

“Aren’t you going to stop them, contractor?”

“…”

I looked at Cynthia with a hint of resentment.

Even though she wasn’t the cause.

“I should.”

If Liz and Baekrang fought, it would be a headache.

And I still had things to learn from Han Hyejin.

I needed to find out who else she had influenced before she lost her memory, so I could save them.

If Baekrang killed Han Hyejin, it would be troublesome in many ways.

I slowly walked over to them.

Liz was the first to notice me.

She urgently shouted, “Teacher! This dog is trying to break the cube!”

[You’ve arrived, sorcerer.]

Was it because we were in front of students?

He didn’t call me a dark sorcerer.

“So, can you explain the situation?”

Liz and Baekrang both started talking at once, and all I could make out was “this stupid dog!”

So I turned to Bae Jaeho.

“Jaeho.”

My question was directed at Bae Jaeho, who was fiddling with the cube.

He let out a big yawn before slowly standing up to speak.

“…I figured there must be a reason why you only imprisoned the dark sorceress.”

The fact that Han Hye-jin is a dark sorceress.

And that I was the one who imprisoned her.

Bae Jae-ho not only figured out both of these facts but also understood my intentions perfectly.

“…So?”

“You want to kill the divine beast, and Liz wants to stop you.”

“Right. Thanks for the explanation.”

I found myself once again curious about Bae Jae-ho’s true identity, but for now, I decided to focus on resolving the current situation.

I slowly approached and stood in front of Liz, looking at Baekrang as I spoke.

“Could you step back this time?”

Baekrang was covered in wounds, with mana seeping out like smoke, yet his presence remained as sharp as ever.

[Step back? That dark sorceress invaded my territory and attacked me. And you want me to retreat?]

Oh, why the hostility?

“Yes.”

[Hmph, how presumptuous.]

“Isn’t that just how sorcerers are?”

Baekrang glanced between me and Liz.

There was clear hostility in his eyes, but…

[…Fine.]

He soon let go of that hostility.

[Since it’s your request, I’ll comply, sorcerer.]

“Thank you.”

[You saved this forest while I was trapped. The divine beast is not one to forget a debt.]

With a dignified turn, he added,

[Though it seems you let one slip away.]

“Looks like it.”

The look on Han Hye-jin’s face when she saw the dark spirit was telling.

There’s a dark sorcerer who turned Sally into a dark spirit.

I don’t know who it is or how they escaped, but…

[I’ll leave that to you as well.]

With those words, the wolf shook his body.

His silver-white fur, tinged with a blue glow, still bore visible wounds, but his noble demeanor remained unscathed.

Turning his back completely, he howled towards the sky.

Mana mixed with the sound, spreading out.

The forest began to slowly restore itself.

And shortly after, still with his back turned, he looked over his shoulder at me.

[…Sorcerer. Come alone next time. I have something to tell you.]

“Alright. I’ll wrap things up and come.”

[I’ll be waiting.]

With those final words, the wolf slowly disappeared into the forest.

“Whew.”

I couldn’t let my guard down until the very end.

There were still many issues to resolve, but at least things wouldn’t escalate further.

Finally relaxing, I sat down on the spot.

Gemut skillfully created a stone chair for me to sit on.

“Good job, both of you.”

I said, looking at Bae Jae-ho and Liz.

If it weren’t for them, Han Hye-jin would have died, and that would have certainly led to an amnesiac.

“Hehe. It was nothing!”

Liz was as spirited as ever, even in front of the divine beast.

I shifted my gaze to Bae Jae-ho.

‘Even if Liz is a dragon… but this kid…’

A mere high school freshman standing confidently before a divine beast?

Calmly deducing the identity of the magic caster?

“You…”

I had my doubts but decided to swallow my words.

It wasn’t the right time, especially with Liz watching, and it didn’t seem appropriate for a teacher to question a student’s identity.

He’s not an enemy, after all.

In fact, he’s been helpful every time.

I’ll find out someday.

“Wow. You’re that guy from before?”

Liz was now poking Gemut’s cheek, her face close to his.

“…You know me?”

“Yeah~ I saw you sleeping once.”

Ah, the shopping mall incident.

Knowing Gemut’s wary nature around strangers, I quickly called Liz over.

“Liz, you’re quite something.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Calling a divine beast a puppy or a dog…”

“Huh?”

Liz tilted her head, placing a finger under her chin, then exclaimed with wide eyes.

“Where’s the divine beast?!”

What is she talking about?

“…It was right in front of you just now.”

You even fought it.

“Umm~?”

Liz and the spirit both tilted their heads in confusion.

I, too, was left with a question mark in my mind.

“…Liz.”

“Yes, teacher.”

“That thing earlier. It’s a divine beast.”

“Oh. …Huh?”

“It’s a divine beast. That wolf.”

I expected Liz to be surprised at this point, but she wasn’t.

She simply laughed with a nonchalant expression.

“Oh, come on, teacher, you’re joking!”

I’m not joking.

“How could that be a divine beast! My dad has three of those at home!”

“What?”

“We have three dogs like that at home! You’re so funny, teacher!”

“Uh…”

I doubted my ears and asked her again.

“What?”

***

I knew Liz was a dragon.

And that dragons are celestial beings.

But do celestial beings usually keep divine beasts as pets?

‘…I guess I can’t really talk, having done it myself.’

Though it wasn’t intentional on my part.

‘Hmm.’

After handing the cube over to Jin Si-woo, I headed straight to the infirmary where Kim Ina was.

I was quite worried about her condition.

All I had heard from her was “unlucky, handsome,” and even then, the emphasis seemed more on the former.

But she’s still my student.

If something went wrong with the magic, I’m the only one who could handle it.

In fact, Kim Ina hadn’t opened her eyes for over an hour.

‘Could something have gone wrong…’

“…Ugh.”

At that moment, Kim Ina opened her eyes and sat up, easing my worries.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she looked down at her hands.

The sadness that flashed across her face was too intense to ignore.

The reason was simple.

How would this child cope with losing the power she had and even her spirit?

I wondered if she might give up on magic altogether.

That would be a shame.

Magic is such a remarkable thing.

Teaching these kids magic and guiding them into the future.

If that’s my job as a teacher…

‘Then I know what I have to do.’

In that fleeting moment, I gathered my thoughts and spoke to her calmly.

“Oh. You’re awake?”

The only thing I could offer her to keep her from giving up on magic was hope.