From now on, the vampire girl escapes from the world

Pullman drew back, as if somewhat disappointed by this answer.

"Then why do you want to know? ... To be honest, I don't need to tell an outsider what happened that day."

Pullman stared at Lily.

Lily frowned. Perhaps this sentence had some special meaning.

For most people, for a little girl like Lily to be exposed to such things is dangerous and incredible enough.

But Pullman showed no such emotion.

It's more like, having this conversation as equals.

If Lily answered the question honestly, the professor would be sure of his idea.

"You're dangerous. In school, too."

"What danger? Where does it come from?"

"..."

"Don't you want to talk?"

Looking at the silent Lily, Pullman snorted.

"If you don't tell me clearly, I can only regard it as a trick you are playing and kick you out."

Pullman turned around and shouted to the outside of the door: "Moira! Moira!..."

It was as if if Lily didn't explain the situation right away, she would ask Moira to leave immediately.

"Click——"

The door to the ward opens.

But this time, the person who came in was not Moira herself as the professor expected, but a boy.

"Teacher. Do you need to call Senior again?"

The boy placed the bouquet in his hand on the table and looked at Pullman lying on the hospital bed with a faint smile.

Pullman frowned:

"…Machi?"

"Teacher, I'm here to see you. We made an appointment last time, right? Did you forget again?"

"I told you not to bring anything fancy like this."

"If the teacher doesn't like flowers, buy some fruit next time. But it's not so easy to go out now when we're at school."

The boy shrugged and turned to see Lily sitting on a small stool.

"Are you... a student from the preparatory department?"

Lily nodded her head in response.

But her eyes still did not move away from the boy, as if she had seen something worthy of curiosity.

Pullman on the bed snorted again:

"If you have something to say, just tell me."

"The main reason is that I want to come and see the teacher."

The boy rubbed his hands and just looked at Lily, somewhat hesitantly.

It seemed like he wanted Lily to leave for the time being.

"If you have anything to say, just say it."

"Well, nothing happened..."

The boy hesitated for a while before speaking:

"This time, I came here mainly to ask the teacher to help me look at my thesis... I brought it with me."

The boy took out a stack of papers from his clothes and held it in his hands.

Under Pullman's gaze, the boy stood up, walked to the bed and handed over the paper.

Just as Pullman was about to reach out and catch it.

"…I'm sorry, teacher."

Words come out.

Lily suddenly noticed a faint halo under the boy's stack of papers.

The moment Pullman took over.

The papers of the so-called papers in the hands of the two people flew up and down in the room.

A brilliant light blooms on the boy’s hands!

"Machi!?"

Pullman on the bed had no time to dodge and screamed.

But I saw that halo was about to sink into Pullman's body——

“…Hmm?!——”

The boy suddenly paused and staggered.

He covered his heart with his left hand, and the brilliant halo of his right hand slowly dimmed.

“…How…How is it possible?! No…!”

The boy seemed to be trying his best to stand upright, but his body was limp and powerless.

He tried his best to stretch out his hand, whose magic had not yet faded, but the body of his target Pullman was getting farther and farther away from his sight.

Gradually it became blurred and disappeared below the field of vision.

The boy slowly lay on his back.

"……younger sister--"

A hoarse voice uttered two repeated syllables that were vague and unclear.

The large body fell to the ground with a thump, and the halo on its hands disappeared.

The object in the hand fell to the ground with a snap as the weak hand spun in a shrinking circle, and finally came to rest under a pair of tender legs.

The little black-haired girl had been standing behind the boy without him noticing.

It was quiet all the time, as if nothing had happened.

Lily withdrew her hand that had just touched the boy's back, bent down and picked up the thing on her feet.

It was a brown block of wood shaped like a carved pattern with dark red gems inlaid in it.

It was as if the halo that had not been completed just now was all its power.

……

Lily placed the object in the sunlight and observed it for a long time before looking up at Pullman.

But Pullman lowered his head and looked at the boy lying on the ground.

No roaring, no trembling.

There is no feeling of relief for surviving a disaster.

He just looked down, but his expression was very sad.

Only at this time, this feeling is the strongest.

Lily then remembered that this professor had changed a little since the last time they met.

The color of your hair? The depth of your wrinkles? Or your expression?

Lily suddenly realized that the person in front of her, no matter what his identity and status, was just an old human being.

"It was the same last time."

Pullman spoke.

Realizing that it was talking to her, Lily pricked up her ears.

"I stayed in the lab at night. In the middle of the night, the door of the lab suddenly opened. I was surprised because the only people who could open the lab were me, my assistant, and my students. But the students should have stayed in the dormitory at this time."

"The person who came in was my student. I knew her. She was promoted this semester and was a very serious and down-to-earth girl. The result was totally beyond my expectations - just like what happened just now. I almost lost my life. Fortunately, someone stayed in the lab with me, so I barely survived."

"Later, someone came to investigate. I learned that she was originally from Erit. Ten years ago, the kingdom marched into the Vaele Swamp and captured a group of women and children from Erit border villages. She followed the returning army into the country of Silander, and was later redeemed by a great noble and became an adopted daughter. An adopted daughter was only a tool for marriage, and came to the military university just for a degree and status... So when she wanted to continue her studies, her family was very opposed. Later, I came forward to talk to her parents several times, and finally they reluctantly agreed to let her stay."

"...I stayed in the university afterwards. Some people wanted me to go out and hide away from the limelight, but I refused. Only a few people knew about this...The one who came to visit just now was one of them." Pullman was silent for a while, and then added:

“…He is also my student.”

The professor's voice was hoarse, like an old man who was seriously ill in bed.

Lying in bed, maybe it’s not because of the injured body.

Pullman picked up the papers scattered on the bed and gently stroked the corners of the papers.

Lily could vaguely see the neat handwriting on it.

"So, where is she now?" Lily asked.

"He lost consciousness. He was taken away."

"Who protected you?"

"…It's Moira." Pullman was silent for a while before answering the question: "That's the girl who brought you in just now."

Lily wasn't surprised.

Or rather, it had been anticipated.

The old professor was looking out the window. I didn't know who he was talking to, but he started to speak:

"We are all chess pieces. Once we jump into the chessboard, we can't get out. The god of fate is not here."

"And what about you? A pawn, or a player - or just a mere spectator?"

"Think carefully before you step in. Otherwise, you will just be a pawn, with no way to retreat except to charge forward."