When Solon was in his final year of magical school, he said he was going to be an adventurer.
　He also told me that he was going to the east of the Empire.

　That meant that he would be separated from me, a professor at the Imperial School.

　I slammed my desk in the lab and crowded Solon.

'If you're going to be an adventurer, you can do it near the Imperial City!

''The ruins in the eastern part of the empire are far superior in number and quality. Most of the more difficult ruins are in the east, and the treasures that can be obtained from the ruins are much greater.

But....

''We want to build the strongest adventurer party in the Empire. In order to do that, we have to go to the East.

　The "we" Solon was referring to was Solon, Sophia, and Creon.
　Naturally, I'm not included in that.

　Solon's resolve seemed to be firm.

　I was very much tempted to quit my job as a professor at the School of Magic and say that I would follow Solon.
　I'm a high-ranking sorcerer, and I might be able to be of some use to Solon.

　But neither my aristocratic family nor the school of magic would allow me to stop being a professor.
　I was considered one of the best in the school of magic, and the government had given me a tremendous amount of grant money for my research.

　I couldn't even abandon the lab that Lilla-sensei was in at the time.

　Sophia and Creon might not even accept me joining the party as a much older person.

　Besides, what Solon needed was me as a mentor.
　Not me as a companion.

　Solon will graduate from the magic school now, and when he does, he won't need me as his mentor.

　I didn't have the courage to say that I was going to follow Solon, or that I liked him.
　Solon accepts me as his master, but Solon might reject me for not being one.

　All I could finally say was, "When you come back to the Imperial City, make sure you show up.

　Solon smiled and replied, "Of course.
　With that, Solon was gone from my presence.

　In the lab with Solon gone, I looked up at the ceiling in a daze.
　I was alone again.

　Sophia was a sweet girl, and at fourteen she was looking more and more dainty.
　Surely Sophia would get Solon.
　The thought of that made my heart ache.

　I was so envious and jealous of Sophia's ability to be beside Solon that my heart was breaking.
　I went back to my days of studying magic.

　Then a few years passed.
　I heard a rumor that Solon was doing a great job as the second-in-command of the Order of St. Sophia.
　Truly, Solon had created the strongest group of adventurers in the Empire.

　I was proud to see my apprentice play an active role, and I also missed him.
　Solon was fine without me.

　It was then that I made the acquaintance of Filia, the Imperial Princess.
　My aunt was a girl who was supposed to be the emperor's queen and his daughter-in-law.

　To my surprise, Filia knew of Solon.
　She had even met him in person and had been taught magic.

　Filia spoke of Solon with sparkling eyes and then begged me to tell her about Solon.
　When I told her about Solon in my memory, Filia seemed to be really happy.

　And every time I talked about him, I knew that he was invaluable to me.
　When he was there, even the most ordinary days seemed to shine through.

　There was no way he would ever come back to the side of me again.
　I thought so.

　But Solon was banished from the Order and returned to the Imperial City.
　I couldn't believe it when I heard that Sophia and Creon had banished Solon.
　The two of them had relied on Solon so much.

　Solon had laughed at me, saying he had no choice, but I was furious.
　I had been thinking about Solon so much, even though we were apart.
　Sophia and the others cut him off, saying they didn't need him while he was next to Solon.

　I couldn't forgive them, but at the same time I couldn't hide my joy.
　Solon is going to be in the Imperial City for a while.

　Maybe I would be able to be with Solon again.
　In order to do so, I need to make sure that this time Solon does not leave me.

　I am tempted to keep the important things with me.
　Maybe I'm not a good teacher.
　Still, I wanted to get my hands on Solon.

　Unlike before, now Solon doesn't have a clear goal in mind.

　Then I can guide Solon.
　I'm Solon's mentor.

　First, I made Solon a tutor for Filia.
　If I become Filia's tutor in the Imperial Palace, Solon will never leave the Imperial City.

　But this is only a temporary measure.
　Once Filia is on her own, Solon will stop being her tutor.
　If not, Solon might find a bigger goal for himself and leave the Imperial City.

　What should he do?

　It was then that Letitia, once a classmate of mine at the School of Magic, invited me to join her plans for the Free Alliance.
　To put Princess Filia on the imperial throne, and to stop the reckless war against the Alemany Farren Republic.
　That was the plot of her and the Free Alliance.

'Your mentor, Lilra, should have been killed by the Imperial Government. You hate the government, don't you?

　Laetitia said and smiled darkly.
　It was true that I was not happy with the way the Imperial government had killed Dr. Lirra.
　Dr. Lilla was killed trying to stop the war, Letitia told her.

　An opportunity for revenge, Letitia said.
　But revenge won't bring Dr. Lirra back.
　What was important to me was the Solon in front of me.

　But Leticia's next words made a strong impression on me.

'Your Highness Filia is your cousin. And your apprentice, Solon, is Filia's master. The two of you and Solon can guide His Highness Filia.

"Me and Solon will lead Filia?

That's right. Lead a new Emperor and stop the war and bring peace to the Empire. Save the Empire from reckless warfare. Then Lucy and Solon will be heroes in the truest sense of the word.

　Me and Solon save the Empire.
　That seemed appealing to me.

　I could fight alongside Solon as a companion rather than a master and apprentice.
　And I could give Solon the goal of saving the empire.
　I don't think there is a bigger goal than this.

　So I won't have to worry about Solon finding a new goal and leaving me.

　I'm sure that responsible Solon will join me in my plans if I tell him it's for the good of the Empire.
　Filia would be the emperor and Solon would be a minister, so it would be good for both of us.

　I was so enthralled by this idea that I said I would join the plan immediately.

　This time I would be truly needed by Solon.
　I will not give Solon to anyone.

　I have stepped into the grand conspiracy of the Free Alliance to get Solon.


☆


　After I finished talking that much, I looked at Claire standing in front of me.
　Claire is staring back at me, too.

　I am now locked up in a dimly lit dungeon.
　The plans of the Free Alliance have been uncovered, and I've been captured by Claire, a second lieutenant in the army.

'Does this mean that Professor Lucy participated in a conspiracy to abolish the Emperor in order to get her hands on Miss Solon?

Yeah. You think that's funny?

I'd say it's funny, but I'm not one of those people. It must be the same for me. Professor Lucy and I both want to have Solon, and we both want to have her. The reason we didn't get it is the same for both of us.

Well....

'For the first time, I think I understand Professor Lucy a little better. The professor has changed since meeting Mr. Solon, hasn't he?

'Yes. I would not be where I am today without Solon as my disciple. If it wasn't for Solon, I don't think I would be where I am today.

　Claire smiled kindly at me for the first time.

'I've never had a good impression of Professor Lucy.

'I'm sorry if I said something awful during my entrance exam. I was so immature back then.

I understand. I forgive you.

　Claire giggles and unhooks the chain from my hand.
　Then she holds out her right hand.

'Let's shake hands.'

I'm a prisoner and you're a jailer?

But they are rivals for the same Mr. Solon.

　I squeezed Claire's hand back.
　That hand was cool and cold, just like Solon's.

　Maybe Claire would be willing to help me.
　Somehow, I had a feeling that she might.
　A little bit of hope of escaping this situation, I think.

　Just as I thought that, the door to the dungeon opened.
　As we ran our eyes over the door in surprise, we saw an old man dressed in black standing there.

　He wore a golden cross on his chest.
　He was a clergyman of the Imperial Church.

　Claire stiffened her face.

''Father Gapon........!

Hi. I knew this is where Professor Lucy was being held.

What does an agent of the Third Division of the Czar's Office want?　The Military Intelligence Agency is taking responsibility for the professor's safety. It's not your place to interfere.

Things have changed.

Yes?

Although the Empire has acquired the Demon King Aka Manaf, it has not been able to begin using him for military purposes. That's because the Demon King has become a dwarf and is in too precarious a state. Now, how can we make the Demon King truly come back to life?

　I was taken aback by the priest's question.

'No way--'

"Lucy, a former professor at the Imperial Academy of Magic, will be a sinner and will be the Demon King's deputy.

　Saying that, the priest pulls out a sword and releases it.
　The blade of that sword was transparent and shining blue.