On the eve of their departure for the Miasma Forest, Belial once again spent the night in the library.
Under the veil of darkness, she combed through every record and publication concerning Gullveig, meticulously organizing the achievements and works of the renowned figure. Yet, nowhere in the countless pages did she find any mention of that peculiar little square table.
Abyss, though entirely unaware of her intent, kept her company throughout the night.
As dawn broke, Belial retreated to Abyss's dormitory for a brief nap. It was he who eventually roused her, ensuring she did not miss the assembly.
"Where did you come from?" Miller, who had been on night patrol, had originally planned to invite Belial for breakfast, only to discover she was nowhere to be found in her office.
Belial answered truthfully. "The library."
Miller, unaware of Belial's peculiar association with the spectral student who practically lived in the library, assumed she had simply gotten up early to borrow a few books before the gathering. He thought little of it.
From the First Academy of Magi and Warriors to the Miasma Forest, traveling by foot would take well over a month. Even with teleportation circles, the journey spanned five to six days, requiring at least twelve transfers. Each city maintained protective barriers that prevented direct travel, a measure against potential sieges by enemy forces.
To mitigate the risks of a prolonged journey with a large group of students, Headmaster Gullveig had, well before the holidays, negotiated with the governing bodies of the cities along the route. After extensive discussions, she had managed to establish a direct teleportation link between the academy and Defecte, a small city near the Miasma Forest.
While undeniably safer, this arrangement stripped the trip of much of its adventurous charm.
To compensate, a one-day recess was planned upon arrival in Defecte, allowing students the freedom to explore the city at their leisure.
Belial, however, had no interest in sightseeing. The moment she arrived at the inn, she collapsed into bed, sleeping straight through till noon. When she finally stirred, she merely nibbled on a piece of bread before losing her appetite.
Lilith had not joined the expedition. Parental consent and a participation fee were required, and those who opted out could either return home or stay behind for independent study.
Given her family's financial struggles, Lilith chose to return home and assist her aging grandmother rather than spend money on the trip.
In the future that Belial remembered, when she had encountered Lilith in the orphanage, her grandmother had already passed away. She only recalled that the elderly woman had sustained herself through an old-fashioned tailor shop, a skill that Lilith had inherited, making her particularly adept at dressmaking.
Determined to alter their fates, Belial located Lilith's grandmother's residence through school records and deposited a sum of money into a bank that would still exist a century later. Under the guise of commissioning custom clothing, she arranged for regular payments to be sent until the elderly woman's passing. These garments, in turn, would be delivered to the orphanage where Belial had once lived. She had already written to the caretakers, instructing them to accept and preserve the dresses, with assurances that she would compensate them accordingly.
It had been a convoluted process, but in the end, it ensured both the grandmother's livelihood and the preservation of her handcrafted dresses.
One day, when she returned to the future, she would retrieve those garments and surprise Lilith.
Belial had indeed pondered whether her interference might drastically alter the timeline, but her body and memories remained unchanged after taking action. This suggested that while the process had shifted, the ultimate outcome had not. With that, she set her worries aside.
The academy had booked two inns for the students. Belial happened to be lodging in the same inn as the senior students. While absently chewing on her bread, she spotted a pair of twins furtively tucking three apples and two bananas into their clothes, sneaking off with a bottle of juice as well. She immediately suspected that Fred had smuggled himself along for the trip.
Finishing her juice in a single gulp, Belial rose from her seat and decided to take a stroll.
The dining hall was lively, bustling with students and professors enjoying their lunch. Belial walked past Abyss with deliberate nonchalance, her arm swinging naturally at her side—just enough for her fingertips to lightly graze his back.
No one else noticed the subtle gesture. Only Abyss hesitated in his movements before quietly setting down his utensils and following her out.
Once outside the academy grounds, Belial pulled her hood over her head, obscuring half of her face. She paused outside a small shop near the inn, pretending to admire the trinkets displayed in the window. Only when she caught a glimpse of Abyss stepping out of the inn did she turn and continue walking.
Abyss trailed behind her at a measured distance. When they had put enough space between themselves and the bustling town center, Belial slowed her pace, allowing him to walk beside her.
Neither spoke. They simply wandered the streets together.
Abyss, recalling how little Belial had eaten, inquired about her preferences before taking her to a well-reviewed local barbecue house.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, Belial, thoroughly satisfied, glanced at him with curiosity. "How did you know about this place?"
Abyss replied evenly, "I overheard some students mentioning it at lunch."
He was lying. Even though the seating arrangements in the inn had forced his classmates into closer proximity, none would ever chatter so freely in his presence.
The truth was, Bard and his friends had asked the locals for recommendations and spent the morning exploring, uncovering several interesting shops and attractions.
Abyss had silently memorized each location.
Bard, quick to discern his intentions, had mockingly scoffed, "What kind of fantasy are you living in? This is a school-organized trip, not some romantic getaway with Belial. There's no way you'll get to go sightseeing alone with her."
Yet here they were. And, to Bard's utter disbelief, it was Belial who had invited Abyss out.
Struck speechless by his own miscalculation, Bard watched as Abyss guided Belial through every noteworthy spot they had discovered earlier, deliberately bypassing the ones that had left a poor impression.
Eventually, the two found themselves before the ruins of an abandoned chapel. Though long forsaken, its crumbling grandeur had an eerie charm, often drawing painters from distant lands to capture its haunting beauty.
The area was eerily quiet. Neither Belial nor Abyss found much appeal in its desolation. They were about to leave when a sudden, piercing scream echoed from behind the chapel's crumbling walls.
"Let him go!!"
Belial immediately recognized the voice—it was Caroline.
Without hesitation, she and Abyss rushed toward the source of the commotion.
There, a horned demon stood, holding Chris aloft with a single hand. Caroline clutched desperately at the demon's clothing, pleading for him to release her friend.
Chris struggled in vain, prying at the demon's steel-like fingers. He even attempted to spew fire, but the tiny flames posed no threat to his captor. Against a full-grown demon, he was utterly powerless.
Belial knew Caroline's father was a demon and assumed some old grudge was at play. Without hesitation, she severed the demon's arm, pulling both Caroline and the now-falling Chris to her side with a gust of wind.
The battle was over in seconds. The demon never even had a chance to retaliate, utterly overwhelmed by Belial's sheer dominance.
Just as she prepared to strike again, Caroline's frantic voice rang out. "Wait! He's not the enemy!"
Belial halted mid-incantation, turning to Caroline with a questioning gaze.
Chris, coughing violently from his ordeal, glared at the demon and barked, "Not the enemy? I saw him trying to take you away!"
Caroline, near tears, stammered, "He's—he's my family's servant!"
Chris's expression twisted in shock. "A servant? But… he's a demon!"
Abyss, too, was taken aback.
Only Belial remained unfazed.
Because in the history she remembered, the legend of "Caroline the Witch" spoke of her roaming the Miasma Forest with a dragon stolen from the Church.
And if Caroline had ties to this place—then her true home was likely hidden deep within the forest itself.