By midnight, Vanitas arrived at the magitrain station, ready to head back. Or rather, to the university tower.
His office was his temporary home for now.
“Platform five. The next train leaves in twenty minutes.”
“Thanks.”
Vanitas took the ticket and turned away, making his way through the station.
As he walked, his eyes scanned the crowd. Travelers hurried about, some dragging luggage, others chatting quietly.
He paid little attention until something familiar caught his eye.
“….?”
A head of snow-white hair.
It was Margaret, who was sitting alone on one of the benches, seemingly waiting for something—or someone.
There was no mistake. It was her. Dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit, she sat with her legs crossed as she rested her hands on her lap.
Vanitas walked to a vending machine, bought a drink, and approached her from behind.
Without a word, he pressed the cold can against her cheek.
“Hieeek—!” Margaret flinched, jerking away from the cold, then turned to glare. “Who—”
Seeing Vanitas, she blinked in surprise.
“….Vanitas?” she said, hesitating before taking the drink from him.
“Hey.” Vanitas sat down beside her.
Margaret glanced at him as if hesitating before speaking. “You’re back…. Are you okay now? Should you even be up and walking?”
“I’m fine,” Vanitas replied. “The doctor wouldn’t have let me leave if I wasn’t.”
“Ah, I see.”
An awkward silence followed. Margaret looked like she wanted to ask something, but stayed quiet.
Vanitas broke the silence moments after.
“It’s Platform Five,” Vanitas said, holding up his ticket.
Margaret blinked. “Yes? Why are you telling me? I didn’t ask.”
Vanitas said nothing, opening his drink and leaning back on the bench.
Margaret stared at him for a moment before standing up. “….I’ll be right back.”
Vanitas watched her walk off without a word. Moments later, she returned and sat back next him, acting like she hadn’t just bought a ticket.
“I was in the bathroom.”
“….Right.”
Another awkward silence stretched between them until Vanitas finally spoke.
“Can’t believe you were waiting for me.”
“I wasn’t,” Margaret said quickly, not looking at him.
“You just bought a ticket.”
“I did?”
“Right.”
Silence stretched between them, neither sure what to say next.
The truth was, Margaret had been waiting for him all afternoon, worried for his health. If he were to be discharged today, he’d probably head back to Valenora, and she wanted to make sure he was alright.
She had almost left, thinking he wouldn’t be discharged until another day, but then he suddenly showed up.
In reality, they hadn’t seen each other in nearly three weeks.
Vanitas had been caught up in the Gambino Family’s affairs, while Margaret had been busy handling her own business in Millin City during the same week he returned.
“The train’s here,” Vanitas said, standing up.
“Yes.”
They boarded the magitrain and sat across from each other, neither speaking to one another.
Margaret looked to be exhausted, and as the train ride stretched on, her eyelids grew heavy. She was close to dozing off.
Vanitas, on the other hand, pulled out a book he had bought before heading to the station.
Specifications of Demonic Hieroglyphics.
To the people of this world, demonic language probably looked like ancient hieroglyphics.
But to him, it was different.
The book was more or less, an intricate study of the demonic language—an attempt at translation.
But in the end, it was all incorrect.
If Vanitas were to share his knowledge with the world, he would undoubtedly become the most valuable person in existence. However, at the same time, he would also become the prime target of dark mages.
It was too much trouble.
He had cancer, and his mana reserves weren’t something he could confidently rely on.
If he revealed his ability to read demonic language—or rather, Korean—he wasn’t sure he could handle the consequences that would follow.
His thoughts drifted back to the demonic seal on the MGS artifact.
‘Don’t die, Professor.’
Professor. Who was the message meant for? Which demon had written it? Was it referring to him?
It seemed like the most logical answer, considering he was likely the only person in this world who could read Korean. The message felt too specific to be a coincidence.
But then again…. who?
A demon trying to communicate with him?
No, could it be….
“….Another player?”
***
With everything in place, his passive income from the vineyard, shares in the Gambino winery, investments in other businesses, monthly debt collections, the rising value of his auctioned item, and his salary as a professor, Vanitas had finally secured a stable income.
It took five months of effort, but nevertheless, he was satisfied.
“Nnh….”
Despite all his wealth, he still woke up in his office, waiting for the construction of his new home to finish.
It had been two weeks since he started staying here. To most people with his level of wealth, staying at a luxury hotel or renting an apartment would be the obvious choice.
But for Vanitas, having all his work, papers, and documents within reach was more important.
“Hnnh….”
He sat up, stretching with a tired sigh. The neatly stacked piles of books and reports on his desk were proof of how busy he had been.
There was the preparation for the first-year students’ second exam, the confirmation of his publication licensing, and then….
“Haah….”
Too much work.
Vanitas stood up from the couch, tidying it up before stepping outside. At this hour, students weren’t allowed inside the university tower yet—unless there was an event.
For context, it was 3:40 AM.
He made his way to the men’s restroom, took a quick shower, and returned to his desk, diving straight back into work.
Time passed quietly until a sudden knock on the door broke his focus.
To— Tok.
“Come in,” he said without looking up.
The door slowly opened, and Charlotte stepped inside.
“Good morning, Vanitas.”
“Morning,” he replied, still focused on his paperwork. “Sit for a bit. I’ll finish this soon.”
“Okay.” Charlotte nodded and sat on the couch, quietly swinging her feet.
This had become their routine for the past two weeks—Charlotte would always have breakfast with him.
“….”
Vanitas glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Despite what was written in the original Vanitas’s diary, he felt no sense of disdain or resentment toward the kid.
Instead, he felt something completely different.
Affection.
Affection that felt natural, as if she truly were his younger sister. It was strange, considering everything the original Vanitas had written about her.
After a while, Vanitas set his papers aside and stood up.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.” Charlotte smiled, standing up.
***
Clang——!
Sparks flew as the sound of clashing metal filled the training grounds. Two Crusade department students exchanged blows in quick succession. They swung, parried, and countered, leaving the onlookers in awe.
“Enough!”
Moments later, their instructor called for a stop. Both duelists stepped back, breathing heavily.
“Haaa…. H-haaa….”
“Haah…. Good match.”
Margaret, standing nearby, observed them closely.
“Results, satisfactory. Grade: B.”
“….”
The students exchanged surprised glances.
“Eh? Satisfactory? But Miss Margaret….” one of them protested, wiping sweat from his brow.
Margaret nodded. “I’ve clearly emphasized maintaining form and stance at all costs before.”
“But it was only for a second,” the other student argued.
Margaret crossed her arms. “And yet, look at how tired you both are. That alone tells me how much you broke form.”
She walked slowly, glancing at their postures.
“I’ve said this time and time again, proper form constitutes efficiency. Even a brief lapse leads to wasted energy, unnecessary movement, and potential injuries. Your stance is the foundation of your balance and stability.”
The students listened attentively as Margaret continued.
“Breaking form means losing control. It forces you to compensate with muscle strain, delayed reactions, and increases openings for your opponent. A single second is more than enough for your enemy to exploit.”
Margaret had been instructing these students for nearly two months now, yet some still struggled to grasp the basics of swordsmanship.
Despite likely having trained with a sword their entire lives, they stubbornly held onto bad habits and completely skimmed over the most important aspect of swordsmanship.
To them, Margaret’s lessons probably sounded like the same old advice they had heard countless times from their past instructors.
Perhaps some of them had even made it through high school by relying on flashy moves, completely neglecting fundamentals.
Margaret sighed. “If you still don’t get it, I’ll show you.”
She turned and pointed to a student standing among the crowd.
“You there.”
“…Me?” the student asked, pointing at himself.
“Yes. Spar with me right now.”
The student hesitated. He was considered one of the most talented in the group, but Margaret intended to use him as an example.
“I…. I don’t think this is necessary, Miss—”
“Don’t worry,” Margaret interrupted. “I don’t intend to humiliate you, but I need to make a point.”
The student looked around uncertainly, but after a moment, he nodded.
“Alright.”
They stepped onto the sparring ground. The crowd of students gathered closer and watched eagerly.
The duel began.
Clang——!
The student moved swiftly. His swordplay was fast and eye-catching. His blade danced through the air, and twirled as he slashed impressively.
“….”
Margaret, however, remained calmed. She used only the most basic movements. Simple footwork, clean parries, and necessary counterattacks for the situation.
Each of his flashy strikes was effortlessly deflected. Every spin and flourish he attempted left him open, and Margaret exploited every gap without hesitation.
Within moments, she had him completely overwhelmed.
A decisive strike from Margaret disarmed him, sending his sword clattering to the ground.
“See?” she said, stepping back. “Flashy moves might impress a crowd, but without a solid foundation, they’re useless in a real fight.”
The student stood there, breathing heavily.
“Proper form and fundamentals will always win,” Margaret continued. “Flashy techniques come later, only when your basics are solid enough to stand on their own, just like what I just showed you.”
“….”
The crowd remained silent, absorbing the lesson.
It wasn’t the first time Margaret had used someone as an example, and while some students were eager to learn, others were still too confident in their skills and chose to ignore her teachings.
And who could blame them?
Since Margaret arrived, all she had focused on were the basics.
Some students were clearly frustrated. Having a visiting instructor from the Crusade of the Round Table was a privilege only available to first–years, lasting only three months.
Yet, their time so far had been spent on fundamentals. Things they had already learned growing up with the sword.
Realizing the tension in the room, Margaret sighed and leaned on her sword.
“I get it. You’re wondering why I keep hammering the basics instead of teaching you advanced techniques.”
She paused, then continued.
“Let me tell you a story. Back when I was just starting out in the Crusade, I was eager, just like you. I wanted to learn all the flashy moves, the big, impressive techniques. Basics felt like a waste of time, and I thought I had them down already.”
A few students perked up, curious.
“Then I got into my first real battle. Against a bandit, of all people. He wasn’t a knight, or even formally trained, but he had experience. And guess what? I lost.”
“….”
“I lost,” Margaret repeated, “because I relied on fancy moves instead of proper footing. Because I didn’t grip my sword the right way. Because I didn’t pay attention to the small things that really matter.”
She straightened up, looking each student in the eye.
“So, I’m not teaching you the basics to waste your time. I’m teaching you because I’ve seen what happens when you ignore them.”
The crowd fell silent. Some students shifted awkwardly, while others nodded in understanding.
“Even if you don’t get it now, you will sooner or later,” Margaret said. “You’ll thank me once you start tackling advanced swordsmanship in your curriculum.”
She was confident that day would come.
“Ah, did I forget to mention?” Margaret continued with a knowing smile. “This batch of first-years has the second highest performance record in the last five years in just the first four months alone.”
——Really?
——….Is that true?
The students blinked in surprise.
At the start of the school year, they had been average.
Crusade department instructors were always strict, and many had been put through tough lessons before, just like Margaret was doing now.
But two weeks after her arrival, things had started to change.
It wasn’t a coincidence.
It was due to Margaret.
***
“This is?”
“It’s a proposal for a club trip, Professor,” Astrid said, placing a form on Vanitas’s desk.
“A club trip?”
“Yes.” Astrid nodded. “As you know, Professor, Zen’s Comet orbits around the sun every 128 years, and this year, it’s finally going to be visible again.”
Vanitas glanced at the form “And you want to take the club to see it?”
“That’s right. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and the club members are really excited about it.”
Vanitas sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I assume you’ve thought this through?”
“Yes.”
Zen’s Comet.
Another magic phenomenon that happened every 128 years. On that day, mana levels in certain parts of the world would rise by 43%.
It was believed that mages in those areas would gain a boost in power, with some even claiming their mana capacity increased.
These special locations had been identified and spread across 119 places around the world.
“….”
Vanitas looked at the paper in front of him.
Astrid’s proposal suggested a trip to one of these locations. It was a land owned by the Imperial Family.
The place had everything they needed, including lodging and other commodities. It was deep in a forest, somewhere west of Aetherion.
Vanitas glanced at her for a moment before picking up the form.
“Shouldn’t you be focusing on your second exam and the upcoming festival instead of planning this trip?”
Astrid answered right away, as if she had been expecting the question.
“Yes, but I’ve already made a study plan to stay on top of my exam preparations, and the festival committee has enough people handling things. I can manage my time well, Professor.”
“Is that so?”
Club trips were important to foster collaboration, and Vanitas wasn’t one to take that away from them.
Besides, staying on land owned by the Imperial Family made the trip even more promising.
“It will need the Headmaster’s approval, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you.”
Vanitas set the paper down and was about to continue his work when he noticed Astrid was still standing there.
“Is there something else?” he asked.
“Well, um…. Professor,” she said, looking a bit bashful. “I was hoping you’d come with us.”
“Me?” Vanitas raised an eyebrow. “Trips like these usually need supervision, but since it’s in a secure location, I think the club president is more or less suited. In other words, you, Astrid.”
“Yes, but…. you’re our club moderator.”
“Ah, I see.”
Astrid hesitated before speaking again. “Are you… still upset about what happened last time?”
“Upset?” Vanitas paused, remembering the incident where his input was dismissed. “Oh, no. Don’t worry about it.”
“It would be nice if you got to know the other members better. I know what they said before was disrespectful, but they’re not bad people. They just don’t really know you, Professor.”
Vanitas pondered about it for a moment. He was well aware about this event. In the early parts of the game’s narrative, several magical events like this happened.
They were a great way to give the player a small but permanent boost in stats.
In the first place, he had already planned to visit one of these locations anyway.
“I’ll see if I can free up some time in my schedule.”
Astrid’s face lit up with joy. “Does that mean you’ll come?”
“I’ll think about it,” he said. “But don’t get your hopes up just yet.”
Astrid nodded excitedly. “That’s more than enough for now. Thank you, Professor!”
Vanitas raised an eyebrow. “For what?”
“Ah, nothing,” she said quickly, looking a little shy before hurrying out of the room.
As the door closed, Vanitas looked down at the form.
In the game, any time the player went to see Zen’s Comet, trouble had always followed.
But this time, things were different. Astrid had never formed a club in any of the possible narratives. Perhaps she had visited her family’s land to see the comet alone, but bringing a whole group—especially Ezra—was something entirely new.
And now, he was part of it too.
“I should start my own preparations too.”
Just in case.
A few moments later, his communication crystal rang.
Riririing—
Vanitas picked it up and answered, “Yes?”
On the other end was an informant he had hired to track someone down.
“You’ve found her?
After a brief pause, he nodded.
“Alright.”