Chapter 49: Classroom Visit

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It was around the time when the summer heat was gradually fading away from the Royal Harvest Academy of Magic.

Even in the “Forest of Sinners,” occasionally, a refreshing breeze would blow.

Amidst this, the sole resident of the forest, Mulberry Marmelard, was trembling as she held a cup of tea at home.

“S-Sachi-chan hasn’t come back…”

Although the summer vacation at the magic academy had long ended, Mulberry’s beloved disciple, Sachi, hadn’t visited even once during that time.

Mulberry had been eagerly waiting every day, hoping that Sachi would return during the summer.

“I heard that the magic academy has summer vacation. So maybe when it’s around that time, she’ll come back here once,” Sachi had muttered before starting her enrollment.

However, there was no sign of her returning.

Mulberry had been at the academy nearly a decade ago, and if the timing of the summer vacation had shifted since then, it would be understandable.

But it was hard to believe that such a significant change could occur in just ten years.

If that’s the case…

“Why isn’t Sachi-chan coming back? C-Could it be that something happened to her…?”

Restlessly, Mulberry paced aimlessly around the house.

Eventually, she came to a halt in front of the window, and a bad premonition flashed through her mind.

“No way…!”

Mulberry murmured as she gazed at her reflection in the window glass, almost as if she were talking to herself.

“S-Sachi-chan, could it be… She’s having too much fun at the academy and has completely forgotten about me!”

In Mulberry’s imagination, Sachi, surrounded by a crowd of friends, would laugh and say, “I’m sorry, Mulberry-san! I got so caught up playing with my friends that I completely forgot about you!”

Mulberry knew that Sachi wasn’t that heartless. After all, she was the kind of girl who went to the magic academy to become the world’s strongest national magician in order to free Mulberry from the Forest of Sinners.

However, Mulberry, being a worrier, could only think of the situation in a negative light.

“At least, let’s pray that nothing bad has happened to Sachi-chan,” Mulberry quietly muttered to herself, clasping her hands towards the window.

Just then, as if her prayer had been heard…

Tap, tap, tap!

The window was suddenly knocked.

“Hoo hoo.”

“Oh, it’s Hoo Hoo-san.”

Looking out the window, Mulberry saw an owl perched on the ledge.

Quickly, Mulberry opened the window and invited the owl inside.

The owl, whom Mulberry had taken to calling “Hoo Hoo” without permission, was a carrier pigeon sent by the government, which regularly delivered letters to the Forest of Sinners.

It mainly brought letters addressed to Mulberry.

When she was confined here, she had been granted permission by the government to receive letters as part of their agreement.

In return, she was supposed to report on the current situation in the forest, changes in her condition as a mage, and newly discovered incantations derived from magical essence. However, Mulberry had been neglecting most of it.

Part of it was simply because she found it troublesome, but she also felt uneasy about being manipulated by the government.

Why did she have to do so much just to receive one letter?

Moreover, she could see through the government’s intention to exploit the power of mages, so Mulberry only provided monotonous reports each time.

Naturally, she hadn’t reported anything about Sachi to the government.

“I guess this much will do this time…”

Mulberry hastily prepared a report that resembled scribbled notes and tried to fit it into a small tube tied to Hoo Hoo’s leg.

Then…

“Hmm?”

Inside the tube, there was already another piece of paper.

“Hoo hoo.”

“Oh, there was a letter inside. I forgot to check.”

Usually, Mulberry would check the contents of the tube first, but she was too anxious about Sachi, and it slipped her mind.

She took out the paper again and checked its contents.

It seemed to be a letter addressed to Mulberry, and the sender’s name was…

“Oh, a letter from Sachi…!”

It was as if the timing was spot on, as if Sachi had accurately sensed Mulberry’s unease.

Mulberry was surprised but delighted to receive a letter from Sachi. Every time she received a letter like this, Mulberry would blossom into a smile and read its contents with tears welling up in her eyes, regardless of what it said.

The happy days spent with Sachi would flash through her mind, and she would be moved to tears, regardless of the content.

Expecting to be moved to tears once again, Mulberry checked Sachi’s letter.

However, it moved her to tears in an entirely different way.

“I want to focus on my life at the academy during the summer vacation, so I’ll come back some other time.”

Silent, Mulberry summarised the letter, omitting some parts.

Looking at the contents again, Mulberry’s eyes welled up with tears, and she slumped to the ground.

“Hoo hoo?”

Hoo Hoo tilted its head owl-like and looked down at Mulberry as she hugged her knees.

She had planned to make a special meal when Sachi came back, or go on a walk in the forest together after a long time.

Now that she understood Sachi wouldn’t be coming back once again, Mulberry couldn’t contain her sadness.

“Ugh… Uuu…!”

As her mentor, she knew that Sachi wouldn’t be proud if she saw Mulberry in such a miserable state.

However, loneliness was a lonely feeling.

While grieving in such a manner, Mulberry suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, by the way, it’s almost time for the Starry blossom Festival…”

In that case, it wasn’t unreasonable for Sachi not to come back. If she had to focus on her studies and other activities there, she wouldn’t have time to come back here.

She must be busy with training for the competition and various preparations.

“I can’t be selfish, can I?”

After wiping away her tears, Mulberry thought of Sachi’s determined efforts and changed her mindset.

For now, she decided to patiently wait.

With that in mind, as she carefully placed Sachi’s letter on a shelf, she suddenly made eye contact with Hoo Hoo by the window.

“Hoo hoo?”

“…”

At that moment, in Mulberry’s mind, a white angel and a black devil appeared.

The white angel was persuading Mulberry, saying, “You shouldn’t do such a thing,” while the black devil was tempting her, saying, “Go for it, go for it.”

Mulberry pondered for a few seconds, debating whether this was something she could allow or not. Eventually, she made a pact with the devil, just a little bit.

“Hoo Hoo-san, can you ‘lend’ me your body for a little while?”

“Hoo?”

Mulberry pleaded, clasping her hands together.

Hoo Hoo tilted its head, observing her, but eventually gave a response upon seeing Mulberry’s serious expression.

“Hoo hoo.”

Nodding in agreement, Hoo Hoo showed a positive reaction.

Moved by its intelligence and kindness, Mulberry replied with a grateful “Thank you!”

She had always thought Hoo Hoo was a smart creature, but she never expected they could communicate to this extent.

Now that she had obtained permission, Mulberry held her right hand to herself.

“[The evening meal is finished—time for sleep—though my body is still awake]—[Dreaming Trance Change].”

For a moment, a blue light flickered around Mulberry’s body.

However, it ended there, and Mulberry herself didn’t undergo any significant changes.

Nevertheless, she nodded in understanding, and next, she brought a chair over and sat down, holding her right hand towards Hoo Hoo.

“[The haunted dwelling—wandering soul—temporary lodging is right before me]—[Soul Night’s Stay].”

This time, a proper transformation occurred.

Mulberry suddenly felt as if the thread of her consciousness had been cut, and she slumped over in the chair, exhausted.

Meanwhile, white light emanated from Hoo Hoo’s body, and the atmosphere changed drastically.

In Mulberry’s field of view, she saw her own slumped figure on the chair.

(It seems to have worked.)

Mulberry, from within the body of the owl, gazed at her own form.

Using the magic called “[Soul Night’s Stay],” she had separated her consciousness and transferred it temporarily into the host’s body.

With this, she could borrow Hoo Hoo’s body and go meet Sachi.

Her own physical body would remain in the Forest of Sinners, so it wouldn’t be considered an escape from the forest.

(It sounds a bit convoluted…)

At that moment, Mulberry’s physical body, even though her consciousness had detached, raised its head on its own.

Its vacant eyes focused on a cup on the table, and it began to drink from it.

While possessing Hoo Hoo’s body, Mulberry’s original body would be defenseless.

That’s why Mulberry decided to entrust her unconscious self to a specific magic.

A magic that allowed the body to move automatically when consciousness was lost—”Dreaming Trance Change.”

(This way, leaving my original body behind won’t be a problem.)

To maintain a healthy state of magical essence, it would automatically take care of daily life.

When consciousness returned to the body or a certain amount of time passed, the effect would wear off. However, the duration depended on the magical power level, and with Mulberry’s magical power, she could entrust it with activities for two to three months.

(Then, Hoo Hoo-san, please take me to the capital city.)

“Hoo hoo.”

In general, Hoo Hoo retained control over its body, and if Hoo Hoo resisted, Mulberry’s consciousness would immediately return to her original body.

While it was an extremely unstable state, Hoo Hoo didn’t reject Mulberry, keeping her consciousness intact as it swiftly took flight.

And so, aiming for the city of Blossom, the capital where the government was located, Hoo Hoo flapped its wings.

A special barrier was placed around the Forest of Sinners, and when Mulberry escaped, there should have been an alarm. However, with only her consciousness departing, there was no particular response.

(Just wait for me, Sachi-chan!)

In order to witness her beloved disciple’s school life and her achievements at the Starry blossom Festival, Mulberry had left the Forest of Sinners with only her consciousness.