A black figure squeezed out of the crack in the wall, like a stride of ink on the floor, and it began to rise until it covered the room.

Frightened, Hernie took a few steps back, she couldn't see the creature in the black ink.

Hurriedly took out a box of matches from his bosom and was about to light it.

Just polished a trace of fire, and before she could raise her gaze, the flame was instantly extinguished by the darkness.

"Why...... Here we go again......"

"A ridicule or two...... Isn't that enough? ”

Herney asked, her mood now a little broken.

The dark ink shadow fell silent, just staring at her quietly.

That's right, just staring at her.

It seemed to see through Heny's thoughts, and cracked open its inky mouth, and it spoke, and the voice seemed to be a magic sound that poured into Hernie's ears.

"I know what you need, little girl."

"You're right here, waiting for me."

The sound stopped abruptly, and the darkness in the room instantly dissipated with the sound of stopping.

The whole office was silent again.

Hernie looked up, and she knelt on the ground weakly, and there was no sadness or joy on her face.

……

Soon, the ink shadow that had just disappeared returned.

The suffocating black ink returned and filled the house.

It was like a gust of wind, coming and going in and out of the mage tower at will.

Hernie looked up at the ink shadow, and was suddenly stunned.

Only then did she realize that this was the Mage Tower.

Only those with permission are allowed to come and go as they please.

This ink shadow, why is it here?

Before she could think about it for a while, the silhouette of the ink shadow in front of her unexpectedly appeared.

She couldn't make out what was in front of her, but she could vaguely see that the monster grinned wide, thrust its arms into its throat and stirred it.

After a grunting sound, Ink Shadow stretched out a giant hand.

It pulled out three balls of light from its stomach pouch, like a ray of hope in Hernie's despair.

"Little girl," Ink Shadow began, followed by a strange voice, "Hmm...... Vomit...... Let's ......."

"You need strength, don't you?"

"I ......"

Hernie trembled slightly, she didn't even know what was going on, and she didn't even care how disgusting what was in front of her.

"Come on, this is the power you need."

"Touch it and it's yours."

Hernie felt very bad, but every word of the ink shadow in front of her seemed to be full of strong temptation.

She reached out and touched the ball of light.

Ink Shadow's smile widened.

……

Early the next morning, Victor got out of the carriage and stood at the gate of the academy.

He's back.

Returned to this academy after a long absence.

In fact, if it weren't for Leah's angry yelling to kick him out early in the morning, Victor would have been ready to stay at home for another morning.

'Should we drive her back to the realm?' ’

Victor thought to himself, turned his head and gave up on the idea.

Even if she is driven back, because of business matters, Liya will definitely keep going back and forth from the royal capital and the territory.

When the time comes, it will be inevitable to quarrel with him.

Victor walked into the academy and felt a gaze scan over him.

That's the principal's spell - [Natural Sparrow]

When he was a third-order mage, Victor could not feel this force of nature.

After advancing to the fourth rank, he visibly captured the discordant flow of magic in the air.

Victor looked up to the sky, and countless natural finches shuttled through the academy.

The dean's gaze shrouded the entire academy.

The gaze quickly left his body, presumably confirming his identity.

A notice has been issued from the royal family, acquitting Duke Rivi and Victor.

Of course, the events from the almost eruption of the volcano to the end of this series of events are known only to a few nobles.

So Victor's return did not cause a sensation in the academy.

Victor walked down the road naturally, completely oblivious to the gazes of those around him, completely contemplating how he should hand over the following lesson.

The students who passed by Victor were all happy to welcome the new day, but they saw Victor with a 'stagnant face'.

Immediately froze in place, and it was not easy to speak.

Victor was completely unaware of what kind of cognitive refresh his presence had caused the students around him.

"Who's that? What a horrible sense of oppression......"

"yes, I almost thought I was going to be drained of my magic by him......"

One of the students jerked the others away, lowered his voice and said fiercely:

"Are you crazy!? That's Victor Kravenna! Don't let him hear us speak ill of him! ”

He ...... It's that notorious bastard mage!? ”

"It's scary......"

Victor walked around the campus, keeping a poker face on his face and breathing in the fresh air of the campus.

Soon, something unpleasant happened to him.

The riots at the front attracted his attention.

There are student dormitories.

A group of students gathered at the door, and three dark-faced, unconscious students were carried out from inside.

"Something isn't right."

Vega reminded in Victor's ear.

"These unconscious students have lost their 'magic'."

Hearing Vega's words, Victor needed a source, and he saw a man in a white coat.

That's the college's school doctor.

The surrounding students felt a chill, and only saw a figure walking past.

"What happened?"

Victor's voice sounded, and the school doctor turned around and saw Victor, and was suddenly startled and his glasses fell off.

Victor bent down to pick it up for him and handed it to him.

The school doctor naturally knew who Victor was, not to mention his infamous reputation, and the extremely influential incident that had been circulating among the nobles of the royal capital recently was related to him.

However, this man, whom everyone considered guilty, was actually acquitted by the royal family.

Many mages who don't know the truth can't accept it.

But it's still a small life that matters, and on the surface you have to be polite to Victor.

"Victor...... Professor, why are you here? ”

"Answer my question."

Victor's expressionless face made him shudder again.

The school doctor explained in a panic: "There is nothing wrong with the physical examination of these students, but they are just unconscious, and it seems that they are in a state where it is difficult to wake up. ”

"These three people are in the same dormitory, no one knows what happened, and when they were found by the classmates in the dormitory next door, they were already like this."

"We're going to send them to the clinic for a magic check to see if there's anything wrong."

Victor nodded, moved away, and the other party hurriedly left as if relieved.

Obviously, these people don't know what's going on. ”

There was no one around, Victor explained to Vega beside him.

"Absorbing other people's magic, this dirty means can easily remind me of that filth."

"It seems that they penetrate very quickly."

What Vega said, naturally, were those demons.

Victor was also helpless, and he encountered this kind of big job as soon as he returned to the academy.

But.

"If the demon appears, then let's solve it."

Not to mention that the filth of demons can make people feel low.

This thing, at all, is also experience value.

Victor stopped paying attention and returned to his office with Vega.

[Identity Authentication Successful - Professor Victor, Welcome Back to the Mage Tower]

Authenticated in front of the Mage's Tower, and as the teleportation circle lit up, Victor stepped into his office.

The office was not much different from when he left, the only difference was that the pot of flowers on the windowsill was missing.

It was the flower that Hernie had given him, and in fact Hernie liked the pot of flowers, and often wanted to help Victor water the flowers as a reason to enter and exit the Mage's Tower.

"Did you bring it back to the dormitory?"

Victor hasn't come back these days, and Henny naturally doesn't have to work to look for him.

Frequent access to the Mage Tower, the distance is also relatively long, bring the flowers back to raise, at least you don't have to toss back and forth.

He sat in his chair with a few books missing from his desk.

In the same way, that is also Hernie left here, and in her spare time, she always holds the books that she has read I don't know how many times, and flips through them.

Victor didn't care, just like the pot of flowers, Victor also made a good reason for the disappearance of these books.

Hernie didn't need to come to the office, so she took the book back with her.

He took out the magic book he hadn't finished yesterday from his backpack and passed the time as he read it.

He sat until noon.

The pages were silent.

Vega was standing on her desk and dozing, when she suddenly hit her head on the table and woke up.

"What? Oh, I didn't come......"

This is the time when Henny comes to the Mage Tower most often.

Almost always she would bring that thick book with her, and happily tell Victor what kind of lesson she had written today.

Every time, he would wake up Vega who was sleeping.

So waking up at this time is almost already Vega's habit.

And this time, Hernie didn't come.

Vega glanced at Victor, who didn't lift his head, turning the pages of the book, as if immersed in his own world.

Vega suddenly remembered that the little girl shouldn't have known about Victor's return to the academy.

It didn't care, felt sleepiness welling up, and took a nap again.

The time that passes after falling asleep is always surprisingly fast.

In the afternoon, the sun's glimmer shone obliquely through the window, elongating the shadows.

"Vega, it's time to go."

"Huh? Where to? ”

The awakened crow blinked, and in a daze, saw Victor put away the book.

"It's class time."

"Uh-oh."

Vega flapped her wings and stood on Victor's shoulder.

To be honest, it's looking forward to the afternoon.

When the time comes, how will a timid little girl react when she sees Victor?

Like a frightened fawn running away in fear?

Or will you be shy to avoid your gaze?

Or maybe he was very excited to gather around Victor, jumped up happily, and said the sentence:

"Professor Victor! You're finally back! ”

Either way, it seems to be interesting to Vega.

The teleportation circle landed on Victor's body.

A man and a bird disappeared into the Mage's Tower.

When they reappeared, the two had already reached the hallway of the school building.

The hallway was empty, and from time to time the sound of other classes was being heard.

Victor's footsteps are crisp in this environment.

Da-da-da-da-da-

"So, on the basis of this circle, we ......"

Suddenly, Victor's footsteps stopped.

His eyes looked deep ahead.

It was the location of the first class, and the same sound of the professor's lecture sounded inside.

Vega also didn't squint, staring ahead with one eye, and his voice was emotionless.

"It's not good—"

Da-da-da-da-da-

The footsteps sounded again, but this time, it was heavier than the last time.

Finally, Victor walked to the door of the class.

The sound inside appears clearer.

He pushed the door open.

Suddenly, the whole room fell silent.

"Who ...... without knocking on the door during school hours"

The sound stopped abruptly, as sharp and unpleasant as a duck strangled.

Victor looked at the source of the sound.

His eyes were fixed on the man standing on the podium.

"It's like a pig......"

Vega whispered in his ear.

Victor didn't respond to it, perhaps acquiescing.

His face was expressionless and his tone was flat.

But people can't help but feel the unspeakable anger in his voice.

"Think about it, your name, Devon......"

"Devin Reeser, right?"