Loki stood calmly as Yuuki finished relaying the information. The room was quiet, the air faintly tense, as if something unseen was watching.
"I got it," Loki said at last. "I guess we'll just head there right now."
Yuuki nodded. "Alright."
Loki turned slightly, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Don't forget about our plan now."
"Don't worry about that," Yuuki replied smoothly. "You should focus on your own part."
Loki let out a quiet chuckle. "Of course."
Rain's eyes narrowed instantly. "Loki… what plan are you talking about?"
"Don't worry about it, Rain."
Rain crossed her arms, irritation clearly written on her face. "Whatever it is you're planning, it better not disrupt the balance Guy-sama has worked so hard to keep."
Loki's throat tightened.
'Tch… she's sharp.'
"Well…" he started.
Rain took a step forward, her voice rising with anger. "Loki. You better spill it."
"Some other time," Loki said quickly. "Right now, we need to leave."
He raised his hand, magical energy quietly gathering as space itself began to distort. Just as the teleportation circle was about to complete—
"Oh, Loki. By the way."
Loki paused and glanced back. "What is it?"
"You should sign up as an Adventurer sometime, if you're interested," Yuuki said casually.
"Adventurer?" Loki repeated, tilting his head.
"Yes," Yuuki continued. "We could use people as powerful as you to deal with all the monsters in this nation."
Loki fell silent for a moment.
'Adventurer… monsters… ranks.'
"Does it pay well?" he asked.
Yuuki chuckled awkwardly. "Well… it depends on the Adventurer, I suppose."
Loki smiled. "Then I'll give it a thought."
"If you decide to do it," Yuuki said, "please let me know. I'll arrange everything for you."
"Alright," Loki replied. "Got it."
Gilda straightened behind the counter and bowed politely. "Thank you for visiting. Please come back again sometime."
In the next instant, magic surged.
Rain, Loki, and Kirara vanished from the room as space folded inward, leaving nothing but fading magical residue behind.
Yuuki turned his attention to the receptionist.
"Thank you for your hard work, Gilda."
She smiled warmly. "It's my pleasure, Grandmaster."
Yuuki gave a small nod and walked away. His footsteps echoed softly through the hallway as he made his way deeper into the building.
By the time he reached his office, the friendly smile on his face had vanished completely.
The door closed behind him with a quiet click.
Yuuki walked over to his desk and sat down heavily in his chair. The room felt still, almost oppressive.
He exhaled slowly, then activated Long Distance Thought Communication.
Instantly, his consciousness connected with another presence.
"Boss, do you need me?" Kagali's voice came through.
"Yes, Kagali," Yuuka said. "We might have run into a problem."
"Oh?" Kagali replied. "What kind of problem?"
Yuuka hesitated, fingers tightening slightly on the armrest.
"Kagali… can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, boss. Ask me anything."
"Do you think there is a traitor among the troupe?"
There was a brief pause.
"What makes you think so?" Kagali asked, clearly taken aback.
"There was a very powerful demon who came to see me today," Yuuka said. "And it seemed he knew basically everything about me. Including you… the troupe… my ties to the Eastern Empire… even my skill."
"What!?" Kagali exclaimed.
"I know," Yuuka replied. "That's why I think there might be a traitor among us."
"But who could it be…?" Kagali said, her voice tense.
"I don't know," Yuuka admitted. "And I don't want to believe there is a traitor among us."
"That's true," Kagali said softly. "So what do you want me to do, boss? Should I perform an internal investigation?"
"Yes," Yuuka said. "Also, see if you can find information on a demon named Loki. Anything will do."
"I will do so, boss."
"Oh," Yuuka added, "and arrange a meeting with the troupe one week from now. We'll meet in Blumund."
"Alright."
The thought communication cut off.
Yuuka leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as silence filled the room once more.
Slowly, a smile spread across his face.
"Loki…" he murmured. "You will be a valuable pawn."
---
Back at the Freedom Academy, the afternoon sun streamed through the tall classroom windows, illuminating rows of wooden desks worn smooth by years of use. Five children sat attentively, their eyes fixed on the woman standing at the front of the room.
Shizue Izawa stood calmly, hands folded as she explained the lesson in her usual gentle tone.
"No, Kenya," Shizue said with a small smile. "I cannot beat a True Dragon."
Kenya Misaki's eyes widened. Without warning, he slammed his desk, the sharp sound echoing through the classroom.
"Why don't you believe in your own power, Sensei!?" he shouted. "I believe you could definitely do it!"
Chloe Albert puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Kenya, don't shout at Sensei like that."
Alice Rondo nodded firmly. "Yes, Kenya. That's rude."
Kenya clenched his fists. "But… it's just that I know Sensei is the strongest!"
Shizue blinked, then let out a soft chuckle. "Thank you for believing in me, Kenya. You know what? You're right. I should believe in myself more."
The tension in the room eased, and the children relaxed slightly
But Shizue's expression suddenly stiffened.
Her gaze shifted toward the academy walls, her senses flaring.
'What…?'
'What are these two incredibly powerful presences?'
In an instant, her demeanor changed. She straightened, reached for her sword, and gripped the hilt tightly.
"Kids," Shizue said quickly but calmly, "I need to go somewhere real quick. There's something I need to see to."
Ryota Sekiguchi looked up, concern clear on his face. "Sensei… is there a problem?"
Shizue smiled gently, masking her tension. "No problem at all. You just stay here and wait. I'll be right back, okay?"
Before any of them could respond, she turned, opened the door, and stepped out into the corridor.
The moment the door closed behind her, she broke into a run, moving swiftly toward the source of the presences.
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed within her.
"Relax, Shizue. This is someone who will not cause harm."
"Huh?" Shizue muttered under her breath. "How do you know that?"
"Because," Ifrit replied calmly, "I'll never forget that presence."
'What is he talking about…?'
Ifrit had always spoken like this, half-statements, riddles wrapped in certainty leaving her to piece together the meaning herself.
With her grip tightening around her sword, Shizue quickened her pace.
---
At the massive gate of Freedom Academy, three figures stood quietly.
Rain glanced around at the tall walls and carefully layered barriers. "So this is the Freedom Academy, huh."
Loki nodded casually. "Yep. Shizue should be here."
Behind them, Kirara remained silent, her gaze fixed on the academy grounds.
'Shizue… another Japanese,' she thought. 'I wonder how she'll respond to me being here.'
Suddenly—
A powerful presence surged forward.
A woman clad entirely in white came blazing toward them, sword already in hand, her stance sharp and ready to strike.
But the moment her eyes locked onto the figures before her—
She froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Bordeaux-san!?" Shizue exclaimed in shock.
'So that's what Ifrit was trying to say…'
Loki smiled, utterly relaxed in contrast to her rigid stance. He casually raised his hand and gave a small wave.
"Hey, Shizue," he said. "Oh, and by the way, it's not Bordeaux anymore."
He grinned.
"I have a name now. It's Loki."
________________________________________
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