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Thanks to the invention 'Davian's Recorder,' the aftermath was resolved without much difficulty.
Even though the opponent was a Marquis and a Marcher Lord guarding the border.
Murdering a fellow noble to obtain a woman and intimidating the widow Countess Alice Portis using loan sharks from behind were blatant crimes worthy of everyone's condemnation.
The Marquis confessed all these facts directly into the recorder, and Douglas, the loan shark Davian captured, also revealed everything, starting with his relationship with the Marquis.
The academy completed the initial investigation and sent the report to the royal family.
Even though it was an incident where a mere academy student dared to kill a Marcher Lord appointed by the royal family.
The facts of the crime and the cause-and-effect relationship of the revenge were crystal clear.
In any case, it was an incident where the kingdom's Marquis was murdered.
The royal family expressed their intention to bring Bonita into the palace for a separate trial and punishment, but.
All the nobles who valued honor and faith sided with Bonita.
At the forefront were Duke Iven Meridiem and Marquis Espin Ellaina.
Portus City, Espin Marquis's Castle.
Whoosh.
Light burst from the personal warp magic circle, and Marquis Espin Ellaina appeared.
"Lord Marquis, welcome back."
Espin Ellaina answered, tearing open the tight uniform buttons.
"Anyway, the royal-hosted noble meeting is incredibly boring. I only went because Davian asked me to; otherwise, I would have refused to attend."
"You have to sew on new buttons every time; how about gently unbuttoning them once in a while?"
"Buttons are best torn off. Just sew them back on. It's also a job creation."
"You must be the only nobleman with a dedicated button-sewing employee."
The person who dared to nag Espin was Javier, the head butler of the Marquis's castle.
He was the one who oversaw the Marquis's castle from the time Espin first came to Portus City.
In the beginning, he barely survived a few near-death experiences.
Eventually, he succeeded in gaining the trust of Espin Ellaina.
And.
He also succeeded in becoming the only person in Portus City who poured out nagging at her.
Espin asked, heading to the dressing room to change clothes.
"Anything unusual while I was gone?"
"There was nothing special. Ah, the woman locked in the dungeon is not eating."
"Still?"
"Yes. It's been almost a month since she was locked up, and she still hasn't eaten anything but water."
"That monster-eyed wench. I spared her life, and she's trying to starve to death? I'll go down and see for myself."
"Yes, Lord Marquis."
Inside the dungeon of the Marquis's castle.
Creak.
The thick stone door of the square stone cell opened.
Espin Ellaina entered the prison.
Inside the prison, the monster-eyed Solvere Linea sat cross-legged, playing with silver threads.
If someone didn't know better, they might think she was playing.
But Espin could see that Solvere was practicing fiercely to improve her skills.
Espin, who had been watching the movements of the silver threads for a moment, opened her mouth.
"Diligent, monster eyes."
"Because my skills are not yet sufficient to take revenge."
"I heard you're not eating."
"Because I'm not even worth eating for as I am now."
"Then you'll die before you even get to take revenge. Then there's no point in having you locked up here after going through the trouble of a fake public execution."
"I'm grateful for saving my life. But I'll take care of my revenge and my body."
Espin slowly walked towards Solvere.
Solvere's pupils shrank.
"Marquis. I know you're strong, but you don't seem to be afraid of my silver threads at all? Even though I completely dominate this space."
Thwack.
Espin flicked one of the taut silver threads with her finger.
"Not yet."
"Please leave now, as you're interfering with my training."
"These silver threads..."
Espin stared at the silver threads that were taut and loose, dominating the space.
"Aren't they ultimately for cutting people? Then you can say they have the same essence as a sword."
"It's our family's secret technique. If you want to insult it, you'll have to face me, who will attack you at the risk of my life."
"Insult?"
"It's not a weapon to be compared to ordinary swords."
"You're the one insulting my sword."
Shing.
Espin drew her sword.
Solvere's pupils, the professional killer of all evils, widened rapidly.
Thud.
The tip of Espin's sword touched the taut silver thread.
"Are you saying that all weapons except silver threads are insignificant? Then what is this ordinary sword of mine that has defeated your silver threads?"
Solvere's mouth slowly opened.
"I didn't... didn't mean to insult it."
It wasn't because Espin was afraid.
Solvere respected Espin's sword.
She was Solvere Linea, who would never think of belittling her sword.
"If you don't eat dinner tonight, I'll execute you for real this time. Then your revenge and everything else will be for nothing."
"I can't tell if you're threatening me or looking out for me."
"It's both. And..."
Espin turned her back and headed for the prison entrance.
"Don't be deceived by the movement of the silver threads. In the end, all you want to do is cut. That's all. What I meant by saying it has the same essence as a sword was that."
Creak.
Espin left, and the prison stone door closed firmly again.
Solvere's gaze, which had never left the silver threads, shifted to the stone door where Espin had left.
Solvere sat and stared at the direction Espin had left for a long time.
"Essence..."
Elton Academy.
Healing magic class.
Medium Frill said, looking at the few healing magic sub-major students.
"Alright, that's it for today's class. We have some time left? Then let's have a simple Q&A session."
Out of over 100 magic major students, only 12 students take the healing magic sub-major.
12 students sit in the front row of the wide lecture hall, listening to Medium Frill's lecture.
"As you've learned so far, the role of a healing mage in a party-scale battle is clear. What is it?"
A male student raised his hand.
"It's to quickly heal comrades when they get hurt so they can rejoin the battle!"
Another student also raised his hand.
"It's important to quickly rejoin the battle, but it's also important to heal perfectly so that there are no later complications or aftereffects."
Medium Frill nodded.
"Everyone's right. That's the role of a healer. So, what's the biggest difference in large-scale battles?"
Luna Puella raised her hand.
"Yes, Luna."
"Healing mages are few in number even among mages, and healers are hopelessly insufficient when you add swordsmen, archers, and other combatants! So, the healer's judgment is important in large-scale battles. I've heard that in fierce battles, healers have no choice but to choose and focus!"
Medium Frill smiled and nodded.
"Excellent. That's not even in the textbook. Who did you hear that from?"
"My father always emphasized that point. He said that constant choices are the most difficult thing for a healing mage."
"You have a good father indeed. Luna is right. Healers must always be able to judge the situation calmly. As Luna said, in large-scale battles, you have to face the moment of choosing who to heal first, how much to heal before sending them back to the front lines, and..."
Medium Frill's expression became serious.
"Who to give up and who to save. If you haphazardly run around trying to save everyone, you might face a situation where everyone dies due to defeat in battle."
The healer's fate.
The expressions of the students listening to Medium Frill also became serious.
"Sometimes, even if it's someone of high rank, a close colleague, a lifelong friend, or even family... there may come a moment when you have to give up healing for the sake of victory in battle."
The students' minds became complicated.
Could they really do it?
Even though colleagues, friends, and family are dying before their eyes.
Could they turn a blind eye to them for the sake of victory and prioritize healing others?
It was a problem that was dizzying enough to make them want to retch just by thinking about it in their heads.
For victory.
Even though they can heal them sufficiently.
A job where you have to turn a blind eye to the death of someone close to you.
That's a healer.
While the students' minds were in turmoil.
Someone also came to Luna's mind.
Davian Naone.
She was confused.
Following her respected father.
Following her role model, teacher Medium Frill.
She had to become a great healer.
'If Davian gets hurt, can I make a different choice for the sake of victory?'
She had to.
If she lost her composure and was swayed by affection.
As teacher Medium Frill said, they might face a situation where everyone dies.
But.
In the mind of eighteen-year-old Luna.
She couldn't easily picture herself ignoring a dying Davian and healing someone else.
"So, what should we do now? To prepare for such a day."
The male student who had raised his hand and answered first said.
"We must simulate and mentally prepare for when and in what situation we must make what choices."
Medium nodded.
Another student answered.
"We must try to have a cold heart."
Medium nodded.
"Everyone's right. But what I asked was, 'What should we do' to prepare for that day."
Then.
Luna raised her hand.
"We must... we must try harder! We must hone our skills and work harder to heal more people."
Medium Frill came down from the platform and stroked Luna's head.
"That's the answer. Choosing is something you can do when the time comes, and a cold heart is not something you can get by trying. What we need to do now is to learn even harder so that we can widen the range of choices even a little when such a situation arises. Increase the number of people you can choose from 3 to 5, then 10, then 50. Then the number of people I have to give up will decrease by that much."
Medium looked down at Luna.
"Luna, you chose telekinesis magic as your second sub-major, right?"
"Yes? Yes."
"I did too. Should I show you?"
Medium Frill stretched out her left hand.
At the same time as telekinesis magic was activated from her fingertips.
Screech!
The desk of the student sitting on the far left was pushed to the side.
Medium Frill stretched out her right hand this time.
The student's body was pulled straight towards where Medium was standing.
"How is it? Wouldn't it be possible to heal even one more person on the battlefield in a large-scale battle? Is that why you chose that difficult telekinesis magic as your second sub-major, Luna?"
"Yes?"
Luna's face turned red.
'T, that's not it...'
The reason she chose telekinesis magic as her second sub-major was.
Just to have at least one class with Davian.
Because telekinesis magic is Davian's second sub-major.
Luna raised her head and looked at teacher Medium Frill.
A bright smile.
Medium was looking down at Luna with the expression that she had a very excellent student.
She couldn't possibly answer that she chose telekinesis magic because of a man.
"Y, yes..."
Medium patted Luna on the shoulder and went back to the platform.
"It's not that you have to learn telekinesis magic. There are also other ways to expand healing magic to a wider range. The important thing is that we must make every effort we can. So that our choices will be a little less painful later."
The students nodded.
To make the choice a little less painful.
You have to develop your skills a little more.
"Alright, that's really it for today's class. Don't worry too much about what I said at the end, you guys just need to follow the class diligently. Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Ah, Luna. Can you tell Davian to come to the infirmary if you see him?"
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