[Quest Complete! You have received the ‘Ring of Reflection’ as a reward.]

[Due to a system anomaly, distribution has been delayed.]

[Time remaining until system recovery: 01:23]

‘Now that the quest is done, there’s no reason to linger. This place only leaves a foul taste in my mouth.’

So I figured I’d prepare to leave as soon as the system recovered. That was the plan, until…

“Michael. Might I have a word with you alone for a moment?”

Of all things, right before I was about to head back, I caught the Holy Emperor trying to lure the Protagonist. Well, I already knew his goal was to see the kid’s face, but…

“Huh? Oh, yes. If His Holiness the Holy Emperor has something to say to me…”

Look at that, just look. The kid’s got his eyes wide as saucers, completely oblivious to what’s about to hit him!

The description of the Holy Emperor route suddenly circled through my mind. If things went sideways, he might actually end up as one of those blindly-loyal-to-the-Holy-Emperor types or whatever.

‘Ah… damn it.’

[System recovery complete.]

[Chris Dotten’s recognition normalized.]

[The status window can no longer be damaged by any item. Please take note.]

Right on cue, both the system window and my recognition had recovered. Time for a dramatic entrance, shall we?

First, I struck a pose—arms crossed, leaning against the wall. The importance of this pose in maintaining one’s persona cannot be overstated, even if I said it a hundred times.

Next, I assessed the lighting to make sure I’d appear to step out of the shadows just right.

Making sure my voice wouldn’t crack—check. Now all I needed was to deliver my line.

“Distasteful hobby you have there. Trying to whisk away a child without consulting their guardian.”

“…T-Professor?!”

“Ah, Chris… so you were here. You were, weren’t you. How strange. I’ve just realized that for a moment, you didn’t come to mind at all. Please forgive me.”

The genuinely startled Protagonist and the Holy Emperor, tilting his head with leisurely ease.

I let out a short sigh and stepped between them.

“If you have something to say, go through me. I’d rather not deal with unnecessary complications.”

“My, my. Aren’t you being a touch overprotective of your student? Or is it a matter of trust in me…”

“You’re deeply mistaken on both counts. Is this something I need to defend myself against?”

“Well, fair enough. Excellent. I had business with you as well. Michael, I’m sorry, but let us have tea another time.”

“…Yes.”

The Protagonist’s gaze shifted uneasily between me and the Holy Emperor. Whether he was worried I’d punch the Holy Emperor, or worried about the reverse, I couldn’t tell.

Soon the Protagonist left with a look that said, ‘I trust you, Professor,’ and the Holy Emperor naturally guided me to the reception room.

“Sit wherever you like. Let’s see… First, I owe you my thanks, Chris.”

“…”

“The holy relic theft incident—you resolved it, didn’t you? I haven’t the faintest idea how, but then again, you’ve always been exceptionally peculiar.”

The Holy Emperor was indeed the Holy Emperor. His perceptiveness was infuriatingly sharp. He even made remarks that suggested he knew the Real Chris. How on earth had she lived her life?

“I briefly interrogated Beryl, and he confessed he acted out of jealousy toward someone. The name escapes me, but he said it was the first outsider I had ever been so eager to meet…”

The Holy Emperor let out a low chuckle. For someone who must have lived an incomprehensible number of years, the way he looked like a child in moments like this was terrifying.

“When I heard that, I thought it was nonsense. But if the target of that jealousy was you, Chris, then it makes perfect sense. Beryl does have good instincts, at least. He must have noticed that I hold you in special regard.”

So the reason that Beryl fellow tried to frame me was because he was jealous that I received the Holy Emperor’s affection. Oh… I’m getting chills. You can keep all that love to yourself, you zealot.

I made no effort to hide my displeasure, letting it show plainly.

“If you’re that grateful, express it through compensation. I crawled all the way here for it, after all.”

“Weren’t you supposed to receive that from Lily Bedallua?”

“Resolving the theft is a separate matter. It happened because of your negligence, didn’t it?”

“Hmm, I can’t argue with that…”

The Holy Emperor stroked his chin, then shrugged.

“Very well. Tell me what you want.”

As expected, a man with deep pockets. If I asked for gold, he’d give enough to paint two carriages and then some. If I asked for magic stones, he’d give enough to keep my entire class going for three years without running short.

But those were material things I could obtain through the Principal. If there was a reward I wanted from the Holy Emperor, there was exactly one—something only he could provide.

I voiced the answer I’d already prepared.

“…What? That?”

The Holy Emperor’s eyes widened. A rare sight of genuine surprise. Then he burst into roaring laughter, throwing his upper body back.

“Ah, truly maddening. Chris, you never fail to defy my expectations! Where on earth does that bizarre audacity of yours come from?”

Uh, I didn’t think it was that amusing a request. His reaction was so over-the-top that it actually made me feel awkward.

He laughed a few more times, clutching his stomach, then wiped away tears and answered.

“Haa… Fine, alright. I can show something else at tomorrow’s banquet. But without my touch, it won’t have any effect whatsoever. Are you fine with it being a mere decoration?”

The hell it’s fine. If anything, the fact that the effect still persists is the problem.

When I nodded, the Holy Emperor laughed once more and beckoned me to follow.

At the end of that walk lay what I had wanted.

Hello. We’re old acquaintances, aren’t we?

* * *

After Chris had departed, having thoroughly claimed her reward, the Holy Emperor rubbed his still-stiff cheeks.

‘Ah… I nearly died laughing.’

He was certain. There was no one else besides Chris with the audacity to demand a holy relic as a reward. In effect, wasn’t it no different from her having stolen one?

‘Then again, she was never one to covet material things, so she’d have no reason to desire a holy relic.’

In truth, the holy relics themselves were not as precious as outsiders imagined. They were simply objects imbued with the Holy Emperor’s divine power to gain specific functions, nicely packaged. Once separated from his hands, they were nothing more than useless trinkets.

‘She must have wanted it for that reason. For her student.’

The holy relic ‘Purity’ served to filter out impure beings such as monsters and demons. He had thought using it on a boy named Michael would surely produce interesting results.

‘But she’s already seen through it all, so it can’t be helped.’

Was she that opposed to her student’s identity being revealed? Fancying herself a teacher, was she?

“Overprotective as always, Chris. A single holy relic won’t hide that bloodline forever. It’s merely buying time.”

The rumors had already spread everywhere they were going to.

Everyone simply wished to maintain the delicate balance sustained by the boy’s immaturity. When the time came, Michael would undoubtedly emerge at the center of conflict.

“Let’s see if you can protect your cute little student to the very end…”

The Holy Emperor’s gaze settled on the retreating figure leaving the Holy Kingdom. He was still smiling.

“And just how far you’ll go for that purpose—I look forward to it. Until we meet again.”

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the carriage departing the Holy Kingdom.

I found myself in a rather troublesome situation.

‘Ugh, my ears are suddenly itching like crazy. Is someone talking behind my back?’

There were too many candidates to even guess. I couldn’t exactly scratch my ears in front of everyone and ruin my persona—it would be the death of me.

[Ex-Purity: Why is your brow so tense? Are you feeling unwell?]

Oh, he’d been silent the entire time we were leaving the Holy Kingdom, so I thought he might have died. But he’s perfectly alive.

Besides, the prefix ‘Ex’(前) attached to his nickname suggested he’d already shed his identity as a holy relic. So it should be fine for him to be in my hands now, right? Talk about escaping a time bomb.

Just in case, I’d tucked him into Lion’s arms—Lion being among the purest souls here, brain included.

[LawfulPlayer: Ah, my ears were just a bit itchy.]

[Ex-Purity: Ah, I see… Then let me ask you one thing.]

After a brief pause, a message appeared.

[Ex-Purity: Why did you bring me? Without the Holy Emperor’s touch, I’m no longer a holy relic. I lose all functions. I’m nothing more than a talking bead.]

Was he quiet all this time because he’d been agonizing over this? What a funny guy. I mentally shrugged.

[LawfulPlayer: ¯_(ツ)_/¯ (shrug emoticon)]

The fact that even this was rendered—what an impressive system indeed.

[LawfulPlayer: I needed a partner. Due to my circumstances, I don’t have anyone I can open up to and chat with.]

Above all, I needed my own personal expert.

As a Transmigrator, my knowledge of this world—especially common sense regarding magic—was absurdly lacking. The kids would grow by leaps and bounds as they advanced through the years, and I couldn’t stay silent forever.

I could use an assistant. Or should I call it a co-teacher?

‘Since I’m the only one who can communicate with a holy relic, where else would I find a more useful partner than this?’