After completing the training, he repeated his life of maintaining the facilities of the institute for a few days.
　The life I had gotten used to was changing a bit. This is because a test will be given in the next practical training.

　It was announced in advance, so the surprise didn't exist, but for the students, it would be a stomach-churning problem. The students cannot escape from the test, because there is no escaping it. It's not an exaggeration to say that their grades will almost always be determined by this, so they can't neglect their preparations.

　Perhaps that's why there were more students than usual gathered at Lace's place. The Wraiths are also working, so they have to answer questions from each of the students in a very polite manner, but the amount of heat and number of students is amazing. I'm sure it's a group of brilliant people, but there are almost no unserious students as far as the Wraith knows.

　It's a pleasure for the Wraith to be relied upon, but it's hard to spend much time outside of practice these days due to the maintenance of equipment. It was a vexing problem.

'Eei, can I be a little late getting home...?'

　Nevertheless, Wraith couldn't bear to leave the students who were desperately trying to learn, so he went out of his way to take time out of his practice. As a result, the sunset was peeking into the sky by the time there were no more students to ask questions.

　Normally, he would have already left by now, but since he had also taken on a maintenance job, that wasn't possible. Although Wraith felt tired, he quietly proceeded with the maintenance of the ground.

　There is a test coming up in the next exercise. There is no better way to keep it as clean as possible. When I was working alone for a long time, I noticed a presence behind me.

　Suddenly, she feels a presence behind her.

　Recalling a similar experience recently, Wraith secretly prepared himself. After she was ready, she turned around, but there was no one there. Wraith, who had been expecting Nicola to be there, tilted her head.

　Well, if there's nothing there, that's fine.

　So he thought, and tried to work again. However, Wraith's eyes were caught by a certain part of the ground.

　The ground was slightly gouged in that place.

　At first glance, it seems to be a mark that was gouged out by magic just like the rest, but upon closer inspection, I can see that it's a little different. There is a mark on a part of the soil that looks like it was scratched by a claw.

''Footprints...?''

　I can't be sure, but it's a gouge in the soil that looks like a footprint. However, considering their size, they are not human. Since alchemy practice isn't the only thing that takes place on the ground, it may be a mark made by another class. But even so, it's a strange mark.

　Is this academy keeping some kind of animal? But I've never heard of such a thing. I looked around again, but there wasn't a single human being, let alone a shadow of an animal.

''........well, never mind.

　Wraith quickly abandoned his thoughts and returned the soil to a flat surface.



　******



Oh, Mr. Wraith, welcome back!

　It was Raffy and Sylvia in their aprons that greeted Wraith when she got home to the workshop later than usual. Lurimes, who was spending his slack time with Rotia, who was sleepily swaying back and forth, hadn't heard that the girls were coming today, as usual.

　Nevertheless, Wraith has said that he doesn't mind having them come at any time, and Raffy and the others have confirmed with Lurimes that they can come at any time.

　Wraith is not particularly surprised and takes a seat.

　The food was already laid out on the table. It would go without saying who had made it.

'You're here, both of you. I was pretty late getting home today, and it was nice of you to cook dinner for me.
It's worth it if you're lucky.
'Good work, Mr. Wraith!

　Raffy and Sylvia laugh at me when I say that. By all means, Lurimes would love to learn from them. Lace couldn't help but wish that.

　They were just waiting for Lace to get home, or maybe they were just waiting for her to get home and start eating before the food got cold. Normally, she only cooks her own food, so it was nice to have a mouthful of food prepared by others like this once in a while.

　It tasted exceptionally good, partly due to the fatigue of labor.

'How are you doing since then?'

　For a moment, Wraith wondered what Raffy was talking about, but he soon realized that she was asking about the academy. It was true that the last time Raffy and the others had been here, it had seemed like the end of the world. Eventually, though, they had reopened up and burned out.

'With a little help, I'm doing just fine now. I've been staying late today answering questions because I have a test next.
Well, he's a pretty good teacher.

　Seeing Raffy smiling, Wraith feels a bit embarrassed. When asked if she is that good of a teacher, she tilts her head, but it is also true that she is doing a good job at it.

''Ya-ya, isn't that a good job, Lace-sensei?''

　Grinning, Lurimes said that to her in a teasing way, and an itchy sensation hit her whole body.

　That's exactly why it felt extraordinarily so, since the name "Ray-kun" had been a fixture from Lurimes for so long that Wraith couldn't remember it anymore.

　After all, I can't get used to the word "teacher".

''Stop it I get goosebumps.''
Is it enough?

　The Wraiths rubbed their arms incessantly and shook their shoulders with a bobbing motion.
　Lurimes looked at his apprentice with admiration, wondering if a single word could have so much effect.

''I like it a lot, though - Wraith-sensei!

　Sylvia says that with a cheerful smile.
　She didn't mean any offense, and it was probably a follow-up.

　However, Wraith's brain half-reflexively emitted something resembling a rejection of the word 'teacher' after his name.

''Gu........what is this......a new kind of attack?''

　He holds his chest and growls in pain.

　As expected, it's an overreaction, but for Wraith, it's almost a kind of mental attack that pierces his chest with a gusto.

　Aside from Sylvia, who was gasping and panicking, Raffy turned her white eyes to Wraith.

''No, well, you might not be used to it, but what kind of reaction is that...''
'Rather seriously, it's pretty tough. For example, how would you feel if I started referring to Raffy as Raffy's big sister?
Well that's definitely creepy, that is.

　The words were released after a long pause, and Wraith felt a shock as if he was hit.

　In terms of damage, the word 'Wraith-sensei' is several times greater than the word 'Wraith-sensei'.

　It's not even a critical hit.
　The knife of the word is a direct hit to the heart.

''I don't know why, it makes me want to cry...''

　Wraith, who had taken lethal damage to his heart after bringing up the example himself, shed a single tear in a bittersweet way.

''Come to think of it, that flow of magical power is gone, isn't it?
Is that right?

　Rulimes popped her hand as if she remembered Sylvia's words.

'Oh yeah, it's kind of suddenly gone...'
What's that? You don't know what it is after all, do you?
'Well, yeah. But it's gone, so I guess it's okay.
That's so random.

　It's a change that Wraith, who can't sense the flow of magic power, didn't notice. It's a little strange to feel that what was there before suddenly disappears. It is even more so since we don't even know the cause.

"I wonder when it was today, I was really surprised that the flow of magic power suddenly returned to normal!
The flow of magic is so busy being disrupted and restored.

　It's not that magic power is not a living organism, so it doesn't move by free will. That's why it's a puzzling phenomenon.

''Speaking of which, what does the test do?''
Creating a golem. Apparently, the evaluation items are modeling and durability. .... though I'm not that concerned about it.
Wraiths don't do anything?
Well, I'm a substitute teacher. It's not my job to evaluate tests or anything.

　The only thing Wraith does is to help prepare for the test and see if there are any accidents. Well, even as a Wraith, I'm not complaining because I'm interested in the test. On the other hand, I just don't want to be asked to evaluate them.

''Also, lately, I've started to improve the facilities at the academy.
...I thought you were a teacher?
No, well, yeah, I mean, yeah, I guess so.

　Sure, I'm a teacher.
　But if it's for money, it can't be helped. That's why I originally went to the academy for that reason.

''Speaking of maintenance, I also ran into Nicola-san for some reason.
Nicola-san...

　It would be impressive for Sylvia. After all, he was the one who grabbed her by the shoulders for the first time and started breathing hard. There was no way she would forget him.

　Most recently, they had acted together during the 'Royal Dragon Festival'.

''Haha, such a coincidence...''

　Rulimes, who has known Nicola for a long time, returns the interminable voice with a drink.

'Well, if things are going well, that's a relief. Keep up the good work.
Thank you. I hope nothing happens.
'Haha, well...'

　Tests are coming up, which means her temporary teaching job is almost over. It's a good job, but Wraith doesn't think it's the right one for him.

　I want to finish my teaching job without any problems.