After the Three Sacred Beasts were defeated, three cards of red, blue, and yellow light flew out of Instructor Claire's body. At the same time, dozens of souls belonging to various researchers and their Duel Spirits also emerged from the cards.
Seeing this, the Headmaster waved his hand. The three Sacred Beast cards flew to him, and from the multitude of souls, he guided the spirits of Instructor Claire and the two researchers who had appeared with her—a man and a woman—back into their bodies.
"Headmaster!!"
"Grandfather!!"
Aleister turned around to see the remaining conscious teachers and students rushing out of the academy building toward him. Leading them were Professor White and the first-year student Autrys Bredt.
Aleister nodded slightly, then said sternly, "You needn't concern yourselves with me. Professor White, organize the students immediately. Aid the injured and unconscious within the building and bring them to the infirmary at once!"
"Yes, sir!!" Professor White stood at attention immediately.
"Professor Lejes, take a few teachers and head to Site No.3: Ancient Ruins. Retrieve the bodies of the other researchers. I'll return their souls and Duel Spirits to them myself. Hurry—I fear prolonged separation between body and soul could lead to dire consequences!"
"Yes, Headmaster!" The middle-aged man named Lejes straightened sharply and left at once.
Then Aleister turned to Autrys. "Autrys, gather your people and report everything that just happened to the King. Tell him to send the Royal Knights to guard the academy at once."
"Yes, Grandfather!" Autrys said steadily, while Carl beside him looked excited and Chuck appeared calm as ever.
Finally, Aleister's gaze settled on the strongest student in the third year and the Grand Princess of the Kingdom—Sera Bredt.
"Sera, take all third-year students who can still fight and secure the academy's perimeter. I won't have opportunists invading us in our weakened state."
"Yes, Headmaster," Sera replied coolly, her tone calm and disciplined.
"Good. Everyone, go do what you must!" Aleister waved them off, and all quickly departed to carry out their assignments.
Professor White glanced toward Alicia, who was still standing nearby, about to call her over for assistance—when Aleister spoke again.
"Miss Alicia, stay where you are. I have something to ask you."
At that, everyone turned to look at the girl.
Being stared at by so many people at once, Alicia grew tense. And Aleister's next words only made everyone's expressions grow even more solemn.
"Miss Alicia, yesterday you successfully passed the entrance test I set for you. Then, today, during the Three Sacred Beasts' invasion, your Spirit detected their presence in advance. You even came to me before they could cause greater harm to the academy, preventing their attack on our faculty and students!
"For that, I must thank you for your contribution to Saint Fusion Academy. I'll report this to the King and see you rewarded properly—and the academy will grant you due recognition as well."
"Ah, um… uh!!"
Faced with such a formal commendation, the girl didn't know how to respond. Yuui quickly whispered instructions, and Alicia bowed slightly. "Headmaster, you flatter me! I only did what any student of Saint Fusion Academy should do. Thank you for your kind words."
"Not arrogant, not timid. Good!" The Headmaster nodded approvingly, then frowned slightly at the others still standing idle. "Well? What are you waiting for? Time doesn't wait! If any teacher or student misses their chance at rescue, it will be too late to regret it!"
Startled back into action, everyone bowed and hurried off to their assigned duties.
Yet before leaving, they all turned once more to look at Alicia—trying, it seemed, to etch her image into memory.
Alicia: "Yuui-san, does this mean… I'm going to be famous now?"
Yuui: "Famous, definitely. But trouble will follow too. Still, no one will dare bother you like that second-year woman did yesterday. After all, in a sense, you saved the entire academy. If you hadn't discovered the Three Sacred Beasts in advance, who knows how many would have lost their souls… or worse.'
Alicia: "I see! Still, it was really Yuui-san who did everything. It doesn't seem fair that all the credit goes to me!"
Yuui: "Don't worry about that. I'm your Spirit; what's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine. There's no difference between us."
Alicia: "Ahhh (๑´ㅂ`๑), I see! Then, Yuui-san and I… we're one and the same! Hehe!"
Yuui: "(￣ー￣) Stop giggling. Focus on the Headmaster. He's not done talking."
Hearing that, Alicia immediately refocused on Aleister—only to realize he was smiling at her, which made her blush even harder.
"Ah, um, sorry, Headmaster! I zoned out!"
"It's fine," Aleister said casually. "Good communication with your Spirit is a positive sign… but be mindful of your surroundings."
"Y-Yes, sir!" Alicia's face turned even redder.
Seeing her flustered appearance, Aleister raised a brow and waved his hand. Instantly, all the dust and dirt vanished from her clothes, and even the small tears from her earlier fall mended themselves.
The girl looked down at her now pristine uniform, shock and joy lighting her face. At least now she and Yuui wouldn't need to worry about fixing it later.
"Good. Now you won't dirty my sofa," Aleister remarked offhandedly. Then, raising his staff, a massive blue magic circle appeared beneath them both.
"This isn't the place to talk. Come with me to my office, Miss Alicia."
Before she could reply, the magic circle activated. Light enveloped them, and both vanished.
At that moment, on the roof of the academy building, a lone shadowed figure finally stood up. He took out a slip of paper, hastily wrote a few lines, and dropped it into his own shadow.
Watching it vanish, the figure exhaled slowly and murmured, "Alicia… Her Spirit… can detect the presence of the Three Sacred Beasts?"
...
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