"You know, Reien was originally a sister school to a famous British academy," Akaza explained. "Though the British school has closed, Reien remains. The principal wanted to hire only British teachers, but it was too costly, and their Japanese wasn't great."
"So, they found Satsuki Kurogiri?" Touko mused. "Why does that name sound familiar…"
Maybe Touko was too focused on magecraft at the Clock Tower back then, Aoko thought. Satsuki Kurogiri was a minor celebrity even at the Clock Tower—how could Touko not know?
"Yes," Akaza nodded, continuing, "Not only is Professor Satsuki Kurogiri licensed to teach English, but also German, French, even Japanese… The students privately call him the translation machine. He's an oddball, and I'm not good at dealing with him…"
"How hard is he to deal with? Is he just socially awkward?" Aoko asked in perfect German, stunning Akaza into silence.
"Alright, alright, we all know you're talented with languages, Aoko. No need to show off in front of the others!" Touko said helplessly.
"What's the point of learning so many languages if you can't show off?" Aoko said cheerfully. "Having ability but not showing it isn't my style~"
Are all magi this kind of extreme genius…?" Akaza was beginning to doubt life. German was hard for her, but Aoko spoke it so fluently that Akaza could only look up in awe. "Is Alice-senpai like this too?"
"Alice was born in the UK," Aoko said, putting her arm around Alice, which caused whispers among the female students nearby. "She's more fluent in English than Japanese."
"Huh? So, Alice-senpai is…?" Akaza looked Alice up and down, making some guesses.
"…My mother is British," Alice answered calmly after a short pause. Aoko was surprised at how straightforward Alice was with Akaza, but Alice subconsciously felt that Akaza was a bit like Aoko, so she was direct.
"We should be almost there," Touko recalled her school days. "I remember the English teacher's office was in a corner on the first floor. Has that changed?"
"No," Akaza shook her head. "Professor Satsuki Kurogiri's office is still in that room—the same one Hayama Hideo used."
As the only real student among them, Akaza stepped forward and gently knocked on the door.
"Come in," came a calm young male voice. Akaza opened the door to find a short-haired, bespectacled man in a plain suit with his back to them.
The four entered. Satsuki Kurogiri's hand moved quickly across the papers he was grading. After finishing the last few words, he turned around with a flourish and smiled at them.
"You must be Kokutou-san?" he said. "You're just as I'd heard. The others I'm not familiar with—your friends? Please, have a seat."
He gestured for them to sit. They pulled chairs close to him, ready for the next conversation.
"You're here to talk about Class 1-4, right?" Satsuki Kurogiri smiled. His slender build and mild speech gave off a harmless air—like a man without thorns, too gentle for his good.
"Excuse me, do you know why those two students fought?" Akaza asked. The other three stayed silent, watching the English teacher. Both Alice and Touko sensed something off.
"Hm…" Satsuki showed a troubled expression. "According to other students, I stopped them from stabbing each other, but I don't remember it myself. Though I consider myself forgetful, losing all memory of the incident is a first… It may be my fault."
He's telling the truth, Aoko thought. Even if she didn't remember the plot of the original timeline, she judged Satsuki wasn't lying, though he might not be telling the whole truth.
"You shouldn't blame yourself, sir," Akaza quickly reassured him. "All the students saw you were just trying to stop the fight."
"That's not how it works, Kokutou-san," Satsuki said in a teacherly tone. "When confirming your memories, you can't rely on others' memories. Only recollections can determine the past… That's always been my creed, which is why I think it might be my fault."
If you didn't know better, you'd think this was just a righteous teacher's speech. But combining it with the fragmented plot in Aoko's memory, she knew there was more to his words.
"As much as I'd like to keep talking, this is a waste of time," Aoko suddenly stood up, looming over Satsuki. "Let's be honest, Book of False Gods."
Satsuki's pupils contracted slightly as if he were about to speak—but Aoko was ready and faster.
"Hold Person!"
A 15th-level metamagic Hold Person spell was not something a second-rate magus like Satsuki Kurogiri could resist. Satsuki froze, as if time had stopped, mouth open, a pale purple magic circle appearing under his feet, slowly rotating.
"What's happening?!" Akaza was stunned by the sudden development, but Touko and Alice looked as if they'd expected it.
"Touko, do you remember this guy?" Aoko asked. "He's famous, you know."
"Book of False Gods …" Touko said slowly. "The Book of False Gods —I remember now. He was sealed at the same time as me. I didn't expect him to hide here."
"If he's the Book of False Gods, then the fairy incident at Reien is probably connected to him," Aoko said with mock seriousness. "Let's see what he's been up to."
"Stop! What are you doing to the teacher?!" Just as Aoko's hands reached for Satsuki's head, a girl's voice called out from behind them. It was a tall beauty with long black hair and sharp, dignified eyes—the student council president, Misaya Ouji.
But most important was not that Misaya Ouji had caught them attacking Satsuki, but that behind her, a group of half-transparent, golden-glittering fairies was fluttering in the air.