Helen followed Yuris, who was hurriedly disappearing somewhere.
She was running through the alleys without stopping, as if in a rush.
"Haa, haa, where the hell is she going?"
Unable to keep up with Yuris's near-running pace, Helen subtly used the power of spirits to follow her.
She knew from Veron.
The winning knight order held a feast for camaraderie after a mock battle.
It was time for Yuris to be celebrating with her knights after her victory.
But Yuris was heading to the outskirts of the capital.
What's going on?
Why was she rushing there with such a frantic expression?
Maybe she was hurrying to do something she didn't want others to know about?
A secret lover, perhaps.
Or maybe even forbidden drugs.
If that's the case.
"This is a chance to catch the Iron-Blooded Knight Yuris's weakness."
She felt it was a bit underhanded to seize victory by exploiting an opponent's weakness, but she couldn't just let her brother remain helplessly defeated.
The Sylvester family couldn't keep being a disgrace forever.
It was time to shed the stigma of the always-losing 2nd Knight Order leader.
"Haa, I'm suffering because of my useless brother. What is this?"
But she was curious.
What weakness did the always-perfect Iron-Blooded Knight Yuris have?
Helen knew a lot about Yuris.
A perfect woman always focused on training.
Allowing not a single flaw, as if her heart was made of iron, with no personal stories ever surfacing.
Even the knights training closest to her said she had no hobbies beyond swordsmanship.
Perhaps she'd be the first to witness Yuris's private life.
At the edge of the capital, Yuris stopped in front of a small shop.
Glancing around as if wary of being seen, she knocked on the door, her face flushed with anticipation.
-Illusion Theater.
"That place…?"
She'd heard rumors that it was a place that showed users their desires.
It was said to be a shop created by a genius illusion mage who mastered the essence of illusion magic.
She'd heard about it when it was promoted among nobles.
-Don't you want to experience desires you're reluctant to share? We'll make it happen. Since it's not reality, there's no worry of harm or exhaustion.
She remembered it didn't have a great reputation among nobles.
-Fulfilling desires? Sounds weird.
-They say only strange people learn illusion magic.
-Honestly, what can you even do with illusion magic?
-I don't want to waste my time.
It was all due to distrust in illusion magic.
Among commoners, illusion magic was rumored to be a strange magic that could warp the body if experienced wrongly.
They said things seen in illusions could manifest in reality.
Like a human who saw a werewolf illusion later becoming one and attacking people?
Helen knew it was nonsense.
Illusion magic wasn't that kind of thing.
It showed illusions by distorting reality.
That was illusion magic.
But why was the Iron-Blooded Knight Yuris there?
"Is she doing combat simulations there or something?"
As soon as the door opened, she went inside as if she'd been waiting.
With a flushed face and excited breathing.
Watching this, Helen's brow furrowed.
"Could it be…?"
She didn't go there for that kind of reason, did she?
"Not for combat simulations with illusion magic?"
She'd heard some illusion magic could slow the flow of time.
Maybe her overwhelming strength was born in such a place.
"This might be my chance to uncover a huge secret."
She summoned a dark spirit to hide her body.
"I haven't found anything yet. I'll wait until Yuris comes out."
Accusing someone based on assumptions was risky.
Helen hid quietly, waiting for Yuris to emerge.
It wasn't until after 9 p.m.
That Yuris fled from the shop like she was escaping.
Surprisingly, she was pristine.
Compared to entering the shop without even wiping the sweat from the battle, she came out impeccably clean.
"There's definitely something. Staying that long."
Going into the shop now would be pointless.
Any evidence would likely be gone.
Then a direct approach.
Observe Yuris's reaction.
Dispelling the spirit's power, Helen stood in front of Yuris as she left the shop.
"Iron-Blooded Knight, hello. Fancy meeting you here."
"W-what? Lady Sylvester?"
Helen quickly scanned Yuris's reaction.
Her startled eyes lost their way upon seeing her.
Her face turned bright red, like she'd been caught stealing.
Helen's keen senses felt Yuris's heart racing.
"Where are you coming from?"
"W-what are you doing here so late, Lady Sylvester?"
"Well, I was soothing my troubled heart with a walk, thanks to my brother's defeat. And… you came out of that shop."
"W-what?"
Asking while looking at the Illusion Theater, Yuris's panic grew even more.
"W-well, you see…"
"That shop claims to fulfill desires or something, doesn't it?"
"N-no, it's not that! The shop owner was concerned about local security…"
"A mage worried about security?"
"I-illusion mages have almost no combat power…"
"I see."
Just talking to her, it was clear.
This woman was hiding something.
She did something in that Illusion Theater.
Something she shouldn't have.
"W-well, I should get going. It's late."
"Could you escort me? It's too late for a lady to walk alone."
"Sorry, but I can't. You're an exceptional spirit summoner, Lady Sylvester. I doubt any ruffian would dare attack you."
She fled the scene.
Watching her retreating figure, Helen smirked.
"There's definitely something in there."
The Illusion Theater, run by an illusion mage.
She decided she needed to visit it to find Yuris's weakness.
"Iron-Blooded Knight, you'll never defeat anyone from our Sylvester family again."
***
-Mock battle between the 1st and 2nd Knight Orders: Iron-Blooded Knight Yuris Velitaon's victory.
-Spirit Summoner Helen de Sylvester, first academy student to contract with a high-ranking dark spirit.
-100-Minute Debate: War God vs. Hero, who would win in a fight?
I read today's imperial newspaper.
It summarized major events from yesterday in the empire.
Mostly focused on the capital, filled with "Empire's awesome!" stories, so there wasn't much to see.
Occasional gossip or interesting topics like the 100-Minute Debate, with editorials and commentaries from imperial experts, were worth a read.
Still, it was the only newspaper giving a glimpse of imperial affairs, occasionally covering wars in the provinces or the state of other races, so it wasn't bad to read.
It was practically the only daily paper in the empire.
"A high-ranking spirit…"
I looked at the news about Helen de Sylvester contracting with a high-ranking dark spirit.
I'd heard high-ranking spirits usually required professor-level skill to contract with.
You needed spirit affinity and a mana core strong enough to handle their power.
Without both, you couldn't form a contract, so more experienced summoners could contract with higher-tier spirits.
Even that was limited to the four elemental spirits: fire, water, wind, and earth.
Special spirits like dark and light were said to have stricter conditions.
Yet a mere student contracted with a high-ranking dark spirit.
"She's a prodigy."
That's why she achieved such results at her age.
It reminded me of my teacher, Meiko.
She, too, was a genius, becoming a professor at the magic academy before adulthood.
The Imperial Academy and the magic academy were practically separate schools.
The imperial court, not fully trusting mages, created separate curricula.
So mages studied at the magic academy, while all other subjects were taught at the Imperial Academy.
I'd heard some areas in the palace were restricted to spirit summoners only.
I've never been to the palace, so I don't know if it's true.
"The Imperial Academy. I'm jealous."
It must feel like a real university experience.
A fantasy version of college.
Do they have MT trips or clubs? That'd be fun.
The magic academy felt like a study-only institution, with no fun in school life.
Like a military forcing you to study until midnight.
"Ugh, whatever. Don't look at trees you can't climb."
I folded the newspaper and checked the magic circle again.
Right now, I only have one regular customer, but you never know when someone might show up, so I need to prepare.
Yuris, thoroughly satisfied two days ago, probably won't come for a while, so I need to work on magic circle research and potion-making for funds.
*Bubble bubble.*
I was heading to the workshop to make potions for the first time in a while when.
*Knock knock.*
Someone knocked on the door.
"Huh?"
A customer at this hour?
No word from the postman either?
"An actual customer?"
Could it be Yuris again?
She's been acting like she's in heat lately, but no way, right?
Thinking that, I opened the door.
"Hello. Are you the owner here?"
A beautiful woman with flowing silver hair and blue eyes glared at me, arms crossed.
Sharp tone.
High-quality fabric for an outing outfit.
And a blue epaulet symbolizing an academy student.
It was the woman I'd just seen in the newspaper.
"Helen de Sylvester?"
"Hoh, you've got some sense, at least."
"What brings a talented spirit summoner here?"
"I have a request."
A request.
What could a successful spirit summoner and noble lady want from me?
"What did Yuris do here?"
Well, that's a tricky topic to start with.