...in the Abyss.

Oswald said quietly.
Saeki listened to the conversation in silence.
Sabrina no longer objected to Oswald's muttered words.

I learned about the Abyss when I became headmaster of Fischanatica," he said. "I learned about the Abyss when I became the headmaster of Ficianatica," he said. The magic that Kyle showed me back then was true...

What is it?

That is the abyss. That is the abyss," he said. The headmasters of Heilkwaite and Ficianatica learn about the abyss upon taking office. And the former headmaster tells them to keep an eye on the abyss. That is the truth and the law of these two schools. It's all about attracting and monitoring the fools of the Abyss.

'Wait a minute. What is an abyssal fool? .....

Then Oswald replied, without hiding it.

'--in Nito,'

What?

Nito this is the Fool of the Abyss. A talking stick and an extraordinary power, an abyss without a doubt. The characteristics of the abyss vary, but according to the archives of the headmasters, the abyss reflects both the surface and the depths of the host, and in most cases the abyss is odd and has strange vibrations. Most of the time they are oddly shaped and have strange vibrations that cannot be detected by ordinary people. But in the case of Nito, I think the reason we can't detect it is because of its magic.

But such an explanation would not help him understand the abyss.
Saeki was left with a question mark on his face even after hearing the explanation.

''That........are you talking about intermediate or advanced magic or something like that?　Are you saying that the magic Nito uses is even better than that?

It's a bit of a different story. I've said before that her magic is even more advanced than the wandspeak level. You're not going to be able to get it right.　I want you to think about it. I want you to think about why the name 'Wandspeak' was created in the first place.

What do you mean by that?

The wand will not open its mouth and speak back. I'm sure the magic defined in this way is that far out of whack. But Nito naturally carried the talking wand, which should have been outside of the norm. Do you understand what this means?

....

I have never seen a talking stick before. We are told to guard the Abyss, but we are told little of its true nature. "The Abyss resurrects darkness and the fool who is swallowed by it will lose love and bring chaos to the world. ...and a talking stick. It's all in this world, my dear boy. But the talking wand is real.

'Well ... but what does it matter?　It's only a cane, isn't it?

"It's just me..."

Oswald doesn't know how to explain it any further.
Teaching what you don't know is a difficult story.
The fact that the talking wand is real is something that Oswald himself has only recently learned.

"Follow Master Arthur, Saeki, and learn from him, for there is no such thing as a talking wand in the world. There are many descriptions of the Abyss in the world, and you must learn them. But the word 'abyss' is not found in many of them. But when you think about it, however, they are all things that make you think that there is a connection to the abyss. There are many such stories and history books. We don't even know who wrote them. But you can read a meaning in them all.

Meaning?

Well, there are different forms, but there are ideas that emerge when you read them. And they are common to many books.

Well what's that?

Abyssal betrayal is the only thing that matters.

Betrayal?

I do not know what this means. But the people who left them to posterity must have known more about the abyss than we do. And mothers teach their children to read them to their children and to cherish their friends and people.

Oswald doesn't say much.
That's why Saeki is only able to get through to him in bits and pieces, and it's even more confusing.
But as Oswald also said, we don't know about the abyss.
Even Oswald, who has seen it firsthand, doesn't know much about it.

'Well, I was thinking, sir, you could kill Nito, couldn't you?　Because the doctor once...

I can't.

Oswald answered immediately.

'Impossible?'

He's so different, he can't even hold a candle to my magic. Have you seen him?　Even the demon army lagged behind me. I was too old to defend the mage while defending him. If it was a one-man battle, I might have been able to get past the old man to the top brass, but I doubt I'd be able to get past Brahms, since I'm no match for him. One thing is for sure, I'm not as good as the Demon King. Nito buried it easily. The dimensions are too different.

However, Brahms was fighting at that time while looking at Ichijou and Fiora.
However, if he was dealing with a monster with low intelligence, but when it was a demon race, and that was an executive class, stalling was the limit.

''I see........''

That means he can't be killed.......Saeki's hope is again dashed.
Saeki's hopes and possibilities for himself begin to crumble.

"I have not given up yet.

Eh....

Victoria, the Academy of the End, is sending her grandson, Zelos, to meet you there. But no one can get to the Academy of the Ends, not even the headmasters of Fischanatika and Hailukuwait. Even the principals of Fischanatika and Hailukuwaiti are not allowed there. I'm not even sure if they will give me a good answer. But I have not yet given up hope.

Saeki doesn't know any information about the "Academy of the End".
But all Saeki has heard is Oswald's words, "I will not give up.

"I have not informed the king of this. "The king has not been informed of this, nor has he. Therefore, please keep this between us.

That being said, then why did you tell yourself that?
Saeki's insides were full of questions.

"Be strong, Saeki, and be strong. "The time will come," he said. Of course, we can only hope that nothing will happen while we fear, but in the world, everything happens when it has to. Just as I am now the headmaster of Ficianatica, who saw the abyss.

That's the perspective of one who has lived long enough.
Oswald had a view of what lay ahead.

-- and at the center of it was Nito.

Yes, Oswald was sure of it.

'It's Saeki,'

Yes, sir.

The brave men I know will destroy the Demon King. And I hope that one day you will be our hope for the world.

Oswald smiled gently at Saeki, whose expression was puzzled.
What is the meaning of that smile?
But Saeki somehow understood what it meant, though he could not put it into words.

Then Oswald took a single robe from the cupboard.
It's a national treasure (History) class robe that Oswald had previously told the students about.
It will be sent to the three students who are chosen to represent the school against the school.
Oswald had forgotten to give them to the three of them due to the matter of the abyss and all the other things that were going on.

There are certain realms in this world that should not be touched. There are certain things in this world that should not be touched. It's not something that can be held in the hands of man...

Oswald said with a neatly folded robe in his hand as he reformed.

His son's magic and Nito's magic.
Different degrees, but the same abyss.
Oswald was fed up with the abyss.

When Oswald killed his son, the concept of 'justice' that he had in his mind until then collapsed.
It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can see the darkness of this world more clearly.

--It was a disease of sorts.

The world had never been the same before, nor has it ever been the same since, because Oswald had killed his son.
There was always light and darkness.
But since then, all Oswald can see is darkness in his eyes.
His ascension to the position of headmaster had come at the end of that time.
Then Oswald met the Eightfold King and immersed himself in more darkness.
There is no longer the pure justice there that he once had.

'It is late, but I give you this. It is my deepest pleasure to represent you.

When Oswald handed him the robe, for a moment, his expression looked somewhat sad.

Saeki took it and gazed intently at Oswald's face, as if to check it out.
But what was there was the headmaster's face, thinking of his students.

'Masterful...'

Yes.

Oswald finally.........smiled.





o





　After Saeki left, there was still a dark cloud hanging over the place.

And after a while, the door of the room opens again.

'Grandfather--'

Then a robed and hooded figure appears.
As soon as he or she enters the room, the person removes the hood.
Then a beautiful woman with short, red hair that covered her face appeared.

'Zellos, you're back.'

The grandson of Oswald appeared there. -- it was Zelos.
Jerusel had stepped down as student council president for a while and was away from school for a while.

And how do you like it?

I've got a message and a message for you.

Nice work.

In Zelus's hand was a sheet of folded parchment and a small vertical box.

Then Oswald took them, placed the box on the table and opened the parchment.
Then he followed the words written on it with his eyes.

''This ... is ...''

Oswald choked on his words as he finished reading the letter.

'I did not go in. They gave me this at the gate, and I went straight back.

Well, I see. Victoria is closed to the public. You will not be allowed in and, once in, you will not be allowed out.

Therefore, although the location of the 'Victoria of the End Institute' is known, no one knows the inner workings of it.
Even the great mages are foolish to break in, and no amount of powerful magic can keep them away.

Oswald then picked up the box he had just placed on the table and opened it and took out the contents.

''Is that ... a wand?''

Sabrina asks with interest.

'Not like that...'

Then Oswald put away his wand.

"Zellos, get ready. I'll be out in a minute.

Yes, sir.

Then Oswald magically lit the fireplace and took out the parchment and the box he had put away, and then threw it into the fireplace and burned it.

'Oswald, what was there? .....

Sabrina asks for the contents of the sayings.
But.........

'Sabrina, take care of the school. I'm ready to do something.

To do? .....

Sabrina is left with a question mark in her mind.
Oswald does not say what the letter says.

If I leave the school suddenly, the kings will think it was me. "If I leave the school abruptly, the kings will suspect me. Then you will be next in line of suspicion. Or....

So I won't tell you the content.
That's what Oswald says.
And or ... or ... or ... run.
Oswald was prepared to do so.

Schneizel told him to leave the Nito matter to himself, he said.
There was no need to stir things up unnecessarily, he explained.
But Oswald was not convinced.
To Oswald, who had seen someone swallowed by the abyss before his eyes, the matter of Nito was not something so easy to leave to others.
But even with Schneizel, nothing was an easy decision.

So where do you go?

Then Oswald put on his extra robe and hood.

"-The world! I've got to go. Xellus, are you ready?

Yes, Grandfather.

Then a magic circle appears at Oswald's feet.

'Oswald....'

Sabrina didn't understand, she was confused.

'I'm not going to go digging a grave, but do you think you'll get back the justice you lost that day by killing your son now?

In the nick of time, Oswald smiled weakly.

'Sabrina, I'll take care of the rest. Take care of your students--

At that moment, the figures of Oswald and Zelos disappeared with the light.
At the same time, the fire in the fireplace also went out.

''........''

There, Sabrina was left alone in the dimly lit room.