Fantasy Libary 56

Title: The Truth Revealed

This wasn’t the first time Ark felt something was off about Claudia.

He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it started, but his impression of the Student Council President of Seidoukan Academy had shifted. On the surface, Claudia remained the same as always: mature, composed, graceful, and undeniably beautiful. Yet, Ark had a nagging feeling that her attitude toward him had subtly changed.

Sometimes, he caught her gaze lingering on him, only for her to look away before their eyes could meet. Other times, she seemed on the verge of saying something to him but always held back, acting as if nothing had happened.

Her behavior was perplexing. At one moment, she would draw closer, attempting to bridge the distance between them. The next, she would deliberately pull away, maintaining a careful gap. It was a complicated situation, a mix of intimacy and separation that kept Ark constantly guessing.

Although Claudia tried to hide it, Ark was no longer naive. As time passed, he became increasingly aware of her oddities. What confused him even more was how, in front of others and most of the time in general, Claudia appeared completely normal, giving no reason for suspicion.

It was baffling.

Determined to uncover the truth, Ark decided to investigate further.

“Why did you invite me, President?”

Ark asked this directly.

After all, the invitation had come rather suddenly. From Ark’s perspective, even if Claudia wanted company, he wouldn’t be the obvious choice. Their relationship wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly close either. They had only known each other for three months, and their interactions were limited to official matters. Without a clear reason, Claudia shouldn’t have sought him out for a one-on-one meeting.

Simply put, they didn’t seem like the type to naturally get along.

So, Ark voiced his thoughts.

“I think if you needed someone to accompany you, you should’ve chosen Riessfeld. That would make much more sense.”

Although Julis often treated Claudia with a dismissive attitude, the two had known each other for quite some time. Claudia, as the daughter of a high-ranking official in the Galaxy Branch of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, and Julis, as the legitimate daughter of a small kingdom, had met at various social events over the years, forming a friendship.

“At the very least, you should’ve invited Amagiri, not me, right?” Ark continued.

“…Why do you think I would invite Amagiri-kun?” Claudia’s smile remained, but she averted her gaze.

“Because you’ve known him for a while, haven’t you?” Ark replied, careful not to reveal his knowledge of the original storyline. “Although Amagiri is a Special Scholarship Student with comparable skills, his abilities have been sealed. Under normal circumstances, he can’t display his true power.”

“In other words, before transferring here, he would’ve appeared completely ordinary to the outside world.”

“The seal suppressing his power and his choice to avoid the spotlight would make it difficult for the Academy’s talent scouts to notice him, let alone invite him.”

So, why did Ayato accept the Special Scholarship invitation?

The answer was simple.

“It was you, President. You personally went through the Academy’s recruitment process and offered him the invitation, didn’t you?” Ark stated bluntly. “And to ensure he accepted, you even revealed that his sister had once attended the Academy.”

Of course, Ayato was concerned about his missing sister. Although he didn’t actively express a strong desire to find her, his decision to come to the Academy was tied to its connection with her—that was a fact.

“You went through so much trouble to bring him here, so it’s only natural for me to assume you care deeply about him.” Ark concluded. “That’s why I thought it was more likely you’d invite him rather than me.”

Claudia didn’t respond immediately. She gazed at the stage outside their private booth, where another speaker was passionately addressing the audience. Only after a brief silence did she speak.

“You really know a lot, don’t you, Ark-kun? Especially about me.”

Ark didn’t say anything in response.

Fortunately, Claudia didn’t press further. She let out a soft sigh.

“It’s true. I used to care deeply about Amagiri-kun.” She admitted. “But now, I’m… not so sure.”

“…May I ask why?” Ark ventured.

Claudia didn’t answer right away. Instead, she retrieved a pair of activation devices from the holster at her waist.

They were Pandora’s activation devices.

“Ark-kun.” Claudia said as she gently stroked the devices. “You’ve done something to this child, haven’t you?”

Ark’s brow furrowed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Instinctively, he averted his gaze.

“You should know exactly what I mean.” Claudia’s smile persisted, her tone light yet probing. “I can’t think of anything else that could cause such a drastic change in this child.”

“At first, I thought it wasn’t working.”

Her tone shifted sharply, almost mocking.

“I’ve spent over a thousand days and nights with this child. I know how cruel it is, how it revels in my pain and suffering.”

“Suddenly, it stopped tormenting me and instead started giving me happiness? That’s completely unlike it.”

“Even if it planned to destroy my happiness at its peak, it should’ve acted by now.”

“Yet, it hasn’t. It keeps making me dream of happiness.”

To someone unfamiliar with Pandora or its horrifying price, Claudia’s words might have been confusing or dismissible.

But Ark understood.

“I’m sure this has never happened to anyone else before.” Claudia said, her gaze sharp as she turned back to Ark. “This child’s nature is vile. What’s happening now isn’t normal.”

Her meaning was clear.

“Why has this child suddenly become so different?” Claudia mused aloud, her eyes seeming to gaze into the distance. “When I thought about it, the first person who came to mind was you.”

Connecting the dots wasn’t difficult.

“When we first met, this child reacted strangely to you.” Claudia continued, observing Ark closely as if trying to unravel a mystery. “And Ser-Veresta—at first, it seemed indifferent to you, but something changed. The sword started to like you immensely, even surpassing the critical compatibility threshold, something that’s never happened before.”

Taking these factors into account, Claudia concluded that Pandora’s sudden change might have something to do with Ark.

“Although I don’t know the exact reason, I’m certain you possess a unique ability to alter Orga Lux in ways others can’t even imagine.”

“Am I wrong?”

Claudia’s tone wasn’t accusatory. She seemed more intent on confirming her hypothesis than demanding an answer. She also didn’t seem to expect a confession, merely voicing her thoughts aloud.

“To be honest, it was because of this child that I paid so much attention to Amagiri Ayato.” Claudia murmured, almost to herself. “I wanted to use it to fulfill one of my desires.”

She shifted her gaze, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“But now, I don’t know what to do.”

Hearing this, Ark fell silent.