‘First, calm down.’

Sedina did not act rashly.

It wasn’t certain yet, so she couldn’t jump to the conclusion that she was being tailed.

‘First, I need to confirm it.’

Sedina resumed walking, making sure not to show any sign that she had noticed.

‘It really is a tail.’

Someone truly was following her.

She deliberately changed directions and even passed through crowded areas, yet the presence did not disappear.

Quietly, Sedina folded a piece of paper in her palm and let it fall with a light tap to the ground.

The sheet of paper landed, then began to scuttle along like an insect, slipping toward the pursuer in secret.

Origami magic.

Sedina shared her vision with the paper creation and observed the stalker’s form.

He was a man dressed in an ordinary way, the kind of appearance one could see anywhere.

But the very fact that he evoked such plainness was proof of his skill.

He followed Sedina without drawing suspicion, even after several of her attempts to shake him off. The most she achieved was widening the gap slightly, never fully losing him.

‘Who on earth has latched onto me?’

Sedina thought it over.

The first thought was that it might be someone tracking the Black Dawn Society.

But she hadn’t done anything as a Black Dawn member that would get her tailed.

‘No. It might even be someone from within the Society.’

If it were an order from Nikolai’s faction, that would be more than enough reason for someone to follow her in secret.

Nikolai was currently at odds with John Doe—Ludger Cherish—so it was natural he would try to seize on any weakness.

‘If not that, then maybe someone else is targeting me?’

There was also the fact that she carried the Roschen name.

Even if her family had treated her like discarded baggage, the surname Roschen was not one to be taken lightly.

Plenty of people would attempt a kidnapping to ransom someone from such a wealthy house.

Of course, ever since she had joined the Black Dawn and enrolled in Seorn, those kinds of threats had disappeared.

‘Whatever the reason, it’s clear that I’m being targeted.’

Sedina considered turning the tables and capturing her pursuer.

But she quickly changed her mind.

Ludger had asked her not long ago if she’d noticed any suspicious gazes or presences.

That meant he already knew something.

So this tailing could very well be connected.

‘In that case, instead of recklessly trying to handle this alone, it’s better to report to the professor and come up with a proper plan.’

Sedina held back.

She discarded any thought of solving this with her own strength.

In the past she might have overreached, desperate for recognition, but now was different.

There was no need to be so greedy anymore—and Hans’s advice had also been a great help.

—If you notice even the slightest strange sign, run.

Hans had repeated that to Sedina until his mouth was dry.

—We’re always careful, but you never know when something might happen. If you think, “Maybe I can handle this alone,” then don’t hesitate—pull out.

Hans focused on gathering information thoroughly.

If you’re being followed, don’t cling to pride. Withdraw immediately.

He even told her not to feel ashamed of it, but to take pride in surviving.

Sedina chose to follow that teaching.

‘Right. Even if they’re tailing me, they don’t look ready to make a move. And besides...’

She shifted her gaze.

She cast suspicious glances at the other passersby.

‘There’s no guarantee the pursuer is the only one.’

Whoever had caught her trail clearly knew at least some of her personal information.

She was, after all, a Seorn student and a mage.

Would they really send only one pursuer?

When she broadened her thinking, faint signs began to appear.

‘So that’s it. I’ve already been surrounded.’

It didn’t look like they had planned this for today specifically.

Rather, they had been waiting for days, and today just happened to be the day she walked into it.

‘In this case, I need to head back to the hideout and call for help.’

If she tried taking a carriage back to Seorn, she would likely be snatched on the way.

The distance between Seorn and Rederbelk was short, but the gap between the two places was enough for someone to vanish.

The problem was how to change her route naturally.

As she worried over this, Sedina ran into someone.

“Ah.”

“......”

Seeing Julia Plumehart, Sedina let out a sound before she could stop herself.

Julia, too, seemed startled to meet her here, her eyes widening in uncharacteristic surprise.

Then Julia quickly composed her face and spoke.

“A coincidence, huh? I didn’t expect to meet you here.”

“......”

Sedina shifted her gaze.

More than the pursuers, Julia was an uncomfortable presence.

She felt guilty and awkward because of the wrongs she had committed against Julia.

But at the same time, Sedina realized this was her one chance.

“...I was surprised too. I didn’t expect you to be out on the street.”

Julia’s lips trembled slightly—perhaps surprised that Sedina, who usually ignored her, had answered at all.

Then she smiled brightly.

“Since we met like this, why don’t we walk together?”

“...All right.”

The moment she began walking with another Seorn student, the tailing pattern changed.

The pursuer, as if caught off guard, followed a while longer—but once Julia and Sedina left Rederbelk, he vanished completely.

The other presences disappeared as well.

All the while, Sedina and Julia did not exchange a single word.

They simply walked quietly together.

Julia said nothing, and Sedina mirrored her silence.

Julia finally spoke only once they arrived safely at Seorn.

“Be careful.”

She would not have said such a thing for no reason.

Sedina realized then—Julia had known she was in danger and had helped her.

Should she thank her?

She had been helped, so it was natural to express gratitude.

But the words stuck in her throat.

If she said “thank you” here, it felt like the distance she had barely forced open between them would close again.

Julia was a precious friend. That truth hadn’t changed from before to now.

And because of that, ironically, Sedina wanted Julia to stay away from her.

It was selfish.

Even in this situation, even after being helped, she could not bring herself to say thank you.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

Julia left without waiting for Sedina’s reply.

As if there was no need to hear it.

But Sedina knew the truth.

Julia acted that way on purpose, so as not to burden her.

‘You haven’t changed.’

In Julia’s figure, Sedina saw the same person from the past.

Julia might insist she had changed, but to Sedina she was the same.

The only one who had changed was herself.

To the point where there was no going back.

With a heavy heart, Sedina headed toward the faculty office.

She had decided to report this incident to Ludger.

* * *

“So that happened.”

“Yes.”

After hearing Sedina’s report, Ludger fell silent in thought.

The fact that she had naturally extricated herself and returned to Seorn safely was praiseworthy.

It was far better than stirring up a hornet’s nest.

What mattered now was the next step.

Who exactly had been tailing Sedina?

“Did you get a look at their appearance?”

“Yes. I did, but they were all people I’d never seen before.”

“Any notable features?”

“I felt like the lack of features was itself a feature.”

“Professionals, then.”

Ludger recalled the Shadewarden trackers.

Could it be they had discovered Sedina’s true identity and aimed to abduct her?

‘But knowing their temperament, it’s strange they didn’t attack immediately.’

Perhaps it was simply because it wasn’t nighttime.

“I understand. I’d like to tell you to refrain from going out as much as possible, but that would be difficult, wouldn’t it.”

For safety’s sake, the right choice would be to remain inside Seorn.

But if the pursuers were tied to the Black Dawn Society, then even Seorn could not be considered completely safe.

Their informants were still hidden here as well.

“If you must go into the city, I’ll assign you an escort.”

“An escort? You don’t need to go that far for me...”

“This is just a precaution. Don’t think of it as a burden. And we also need to identify those tailing you as quickly as possible.”

The first priority was to determine who the pursuers were.

Who had sent them, and for what purpose.

To that end, the next step was to obtain intelligence from Bellaruna, who had headed for the capital.

‘Should I tell Sedina as well?’

Ludger hesitated on whether to warn her that elf trackers might be after her.

Sedina was of the Plante bloodline.

The problem was, Sedina herself had no awareness of this.

Her current family name was Roschen, and she harbored deep resentment toward her own lineage.

There was no doubt her family circumstances were complicated.

Even if he suddenly told her, “You are the heir of a very important bloodline,” would she accept it?

‘Maybe I should quietly ask Hans to look into it.’

As Ludger pondered, there came a knock at the faculty office door.

He exchanged a glance with Sedina, then responded.

“You may enter.”

The one who stepped inside was a servant of Seorn.

He bowed respectfully to Ludger.

“Professor Ludger. A distinguished guest visiting Seorn has requested to see you.”

“A distinguished guest? Who is it?”

“Th-that would be... the Queen of the Yuta Kingdom.”

“What?”

Ludger was taken aback by the sudden news.

The Queen of Yuta—wasn’t that Yekaterina?

What was she doing here in Seorn now?

‘Wait. She did mention visiting Seorn in relation to natural resource mining...’

They had spoken about it, yes, but he hadn’t expected her to suddenly appear like this.

Even at the fastest pace, he had thought it would take at least three months—perhaps even a year.

A head of state visiting was no small matter.

There should have been countless schedules to arrange and matters to prepare.

‘That troublemaker.’

Ludger let out a small sigh, realizing he had underestimated Yekaterina’s ridiculous spontaneity.

“Understood. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes, sir.”

After the servant left, Ludger slowly rose from his seat.

“Professor... the Queen of the Yuta ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Kingdom, is it truly that Queen?”

“Yes. Yekaterina Volsbaya. She’s come to Seorn.”

As agreed beforehand, Ludger would now have to serve as her guide during her visit.

* * *

“So this is Seorn.”

Yekaterina Volsbaya.

Walking the halls with her escort knights, she looked around the academy with a quiet murmur of admiration.

Indeed, the rumors that this was the continent’s foremost magical academy were no exaggeration. Seorn’s grandeur was undeniable.

It wasn’t just large in scale.

All the facilities for staff, teachers, and students were fully equipped.

The academy contained nearly everything necessary within its grounds.

And whatever it lacked could be easily found nearby in Rederbelk—making it virtually self-sufficient.

So little waste of space.

Yekaterina was already seriously considering constructing an educational facility like Seorn in the Yuta Kingdom.

If her young citizens were to receive proper education, they would need an excellent institution.

Since she had come all this way, she intended to tour Seorn thoroughly.

‘But first, that man needs to arrive.’

Yekaterina waited impatiently for Ludger to come greet her.

At that moment, the door to the reception room opened.

Had Ludger arrived already?

Yekaterina straightened her expression and turned toward the door.

‘Who is this?’

Instead of the black-haired young man she was expecting, in walked a plump, middle-aged man.

Yekaterina’s eyes immediately sharpened.

“And you are?”

“H-heh. It is an honor to meet the Queen, praised as the Torch of the Yuta Kingdom.”

Hugo Burteg.

As a noble, he bowed with courtesy and greeted her.

The moment he had heard that the Queen of Yuta had arrived at Seorn, he had rushed here ahead of anyone else.

“I asked who you are.”

“I am Hugo Burteg. Head of the renowned Burteg family, and vice headmaster of Seorn.”

“Vice headmaster? There’s such a position here?”

Naturally, no such position officially existed.

It was a title Hugo had once used for himself back when he led a large faction.

Now that his power had collapsed and his influence greatly diminished, he was little more than an ordinary instructor.

But so what?

What mattered now was that a queen with the power to raise him back up had come as a guest to Seorn.

“Since I’ve held some influence here, I am sometimes addressed so. Hahaha.”

“I see. So, what business do you have with me?”

“I heard a noble guest had visited Seorn. I thought perhaps I could offer myself as a guide.”

Hugo’s first priority was to build rapport with the queen.

Though she was a queen, the Yuta Kingdom was still a nation only recently out of civil war.

Its reconstruction demanded vast resources and manpower.

For her to personally come to Seorn meant she surely desired something here.

‘This is an opportunity. If I can just accommodate her, I’ll gain powerful backing.’

He would first need to soften that wary gaze fixed on him.

Hugo resolved to flatter her however he could.

And perhaps it worked—Yekaterina’s ice-cold expression quickly melted into a faint smile.

‘So I’ve passed the first impression test?’

Then it was worth trying.

So Hugo thought—until he noticed something odd.

Her eyes were not actually fixed on him.

Not quite. They were looking past him, just slightly off.

‘She’s not looking at me?’

She was looking at someone behind him.

Confused, Hugo turned around.

“Ugh.”

And froze on the spot.

“Lu... Ludger Cherish...”

The very man who had once reduced the untouchable Hugo Burteg to this pitiful state.

Ludger Cherish stood behind him.

“Professor Hugo Burteg. What business do you have here?”

Ludger’s voice was cold as he addressed the man blocking the doorway.