Chapter 26

"Mr. Neil, there's something I want you to do."

Before the current 'time' began.

In the world before the time reversal, the boy Shulk told Neil Drought, whom he met, this.

"…What? What do you want me to do? I'll do anything."

The boy in front of him was much younger than Neil.

At least ten years younger. But the 'content' was different.

He said that his life was the 'third time around.'

If things went wrong, his mental age might be higher than Neil's, who was a school teacher.

Only because he knew the theory of time reversal magic.

Neil Drought treated the boy in front of him with the respect due to an 'adult.'

"I don't want you to do anything flashy. I want you to do a much more mundane job."

"Mundane…?"

"Yeah. Mr. Neil, I want you to become a fair teacher."

"…Huh?"

A fair teacher.

Neil was taken aback by these words, which seemed out of place in this grand situation.

"What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, it's a mundane job. But I think it's necessary."

"Why?"

"Why? Of course, to clear Lady Angelina's name."

"…!"

Until he visited this magic tower, Neil had thought Angelina was a wicked woman.

This was denied by Shulk in front of him.

He understood and accepted it intellectually. It was a reasonable conclusion.

If he looked at it calmly, it was true.

But at the same time, the current Neil was also the Neil who had acted out of his affection for Melk.

Regret and doubt mixed together, and Neil's heart was filled with frustration.

"…Shouldn't you focus more on gathering evidence?"

"Yeah, well, if you plan to live in this time, that's fine too.

But probably, at this stage, it can't be stopped, right? By Prince Leonhardt and the others."

"That's…"

The current Leonhardt was filled with anxiety and anger.

Because Melk had been framed. And because his wishes were not being fulfilled.

Would such a person listen to Neil's advice to calm down?

Especially, would he listen to words pleading for Angelina's innocence?

"…Mr. Neil, they won't accept Lady Angelina's innocence. Well, there are some promising people, but even if you appeal to them while they are together or exchanging information, it will only lead to a negative outcome. Even those who might be saved will be tainted and dragged into it. Moreover, the situation will worsen. They are very stubborn. They will become even more obstinate, dislike us, and distance themselves, harming Lady Angelina. That would be the worst-case scenario, right?"

"That's… but. Then, what about me? Why did you tell me this?"

When Neil asked, Shulk smiled mischievously, as if he were a naughty child.

"Mr. Neil is on the promising side. At the very least, if we make a mistake here, we might fall into an eternal prison of time… an infinite loop. You share that sense of crisis, right? That's why you are listening to my story sincerely."

Promise. The life the boy in front of him had lived.

How he had viewed his former self.

There must have been unimaginable hardships. For such a person to judge him this way.

"…I see."

"Yeah."

"Then, what does it mean to be a fair teacher…?"

"Literal meaning. To protect Lady Angelina from false accusations. But that doesn't mean you should take her side. I want you to maintain a neutral position. Even if time rewinds again. I want you to spend the time from the past to the future earning the trust and respect of the people around you."

Trust, respect.

"Why…?"

"If you say it, if Mr. Neil Drought testifies, then Lady Angelina is innocent. …When the time comes, to convince those around you. I want you to protect Lady Angelina from a fair position. Therefore, you shouldn't take her side. You shouldn't be hostile to Melk or Prince Leonhardt. You shouldn't be swayed by the factions of the nobility. To gain the trust of those around you, you need to continue interacting with the teachers and students."

"……"

"Correct the mistakes of the students. If someone is about to go astray, stop them. If someone is accused of a crime, testify from a fair position and act only for the truth. I want you to aim to be such a school teacher. This is, surely, the right thing, Mr. Neil."

Such a thing. Such a trivial thing, Neil thought. He was about to say it.

In the face of the great problem of time reversal and its loop, such a measure.

But.

"Don't say such a thing, Mr. Neil. Because you… you couldn't even do such a thing. You're a useless teacher now."

"Ugh…!"

Neil's face turned red with shame. It was true.

He had twisted the facts with his preconceptions and… his affection for Melk, and participated in robbing Angelina.

No, a 'student' of her future.

Such a person had no right to trivialize becoming a fair teacher.

"…Well, I'm not sure if I should be judging others. But I'm the only one who can say this to you now."

"Ah…!"

Neil clutched his head and groaned. His heart was filled with shame and regret.

"Why did I…! Why did I get so infatuated with a student! Such…! What a fool I am…!"

"Ahaha… Why? Melk seemed very attractive. I don't hate him now either. But I wonder if it was worth going that far. It's not funny because of the Angelina incident…"

"Ugh…!"

He wanted to start over. Truly. Not for Melk, but for himself.

He wanted to make amends to Angelina. But if he were to make amends… it shouldn't be in this time.

"Angelina… in this time…"

"…Unfortunately, Prince Leonhardt won't wait for you to go to the border and return. It should take at least a month for a round trip. The royal family won't put the Melk case on hold that long. In this case, they will act quickly. They might force her to marry someone else. Prince Leonhardt won't allow that. If you head to the border, Prince Leonhardt will likely reverse time before you return. …In this time, you can't make amends to Lady Angelina."

Neil's expression was filled with despair. As a teacher, he had robbed a student of her future, and now he wasn't even allowed to apologize or make amends.

"If time reverses, this time will…"

"That's… I don't know either. Because we can't recognize the previous time after the time reversal."

"Does it disappear?"

"I don't know. It might disappear, or it might not."

There was no way to get an answer. At the point where time rewinds, 'they' are not there.

Therefore, no matter what, his sin could not be atoned for. It was too late.

All Neil was allowed to do was to regret.

"…Why until today? Even though you knew this much…"

"…Sorry. I don't think this action is right either. But I wanted to build up what was necessary. Solidly. I needed accurate answers and accurate information. …So I gave up. This time. …And the last time. To discern. Mr. Neil, if you have a sin, then I have a sin too."

Shulk and Neil acted for the 'next' time.

They didn't tell everything to Leonhardt and the others.

To prevent the situation from worsening.

To prevent those who could be saved from falling into ruin.

Also, Shulk was aware of the 'limitations' of the time reversal magic.

If it wasn't for the right cause, like in the case of Melk, it would lead to some kind of 'failure.'

The memory would become vague, leading to that outcome.

And so, they rewound time. Their consciousness returned to the 'present' time.

Neil, as promised to the young mage, tried to be a fair person.

Neither siding with Angelina nor Melk.

For the sake of the coming time.

He tried to remain a just person.

He lived to gain the trust of the teachers and students.

Of course, it wasn't just that.

"–Carlos Steizen. Can I have a moment?"

Neil spoke to the eldest son of the ducal family.