"Nocty, while in the Labyrinth, where was Mikel?"
Mister Nocty paused at the question. His mouth parted, but no voice came out. Now that the question was raised, it felt like a slap back to reality.
Seeing his reaction, the headmaster was slightly confused. "What is it, Nocty?"
"I left him behind," Mister Nocty whispered as he lowered his gaze. "I left him all alone to fend for himself because… I couldn't control my emotions."
No matter how deep the illusion was, Mister Nocty knew one thing. He had left his student to alleviate his own guilt for something that had already happened. The right word for it was foolish, and he knew it. But now, this new guilt seemed to have found a comfortable place on his shoulders.
The headmaster observed him quietly. He had initially assumed that Mikel and Mister Nocty were separated by the labyrinth, or that Mikel had left him. Or perhaps, he had lost him. Any of those could explain some things that had been on his mind.
