Editing Rental Magica Volume 11: Chapter 4

===Inquisition of a Magician===
====Part 1====
====Part 2====
The regular meeting ended, and the ethers in the hall increased.
 
Many new magicians appeared one after another to attend the meeting, and the magicians who were invited by the <Association> shone their Ethers into the hall of the <Academy>.
 
On a side note, the official language used was English, but the occasional private banter had French, German or even Arabian mixed in it. If Itsuki is around, he’ll definitely feel awkward here. Honami found it quite hilarious to think about such a scene.
 
Amongst them, there was a familiar figure.
 
(Mr. Jerome.)
 
Honami lifted her face.
 
It was unknown if the man detected her stare. He met the girl straight in the eyes for an instant, and immediately looked away.
 
“…Is that so.”
 
There was a soft muttering.
 
Beside her, Adelicia seemed to realize the significance behind this as she could not help but gulp.
 
(So that means Mr Nekoyashiki…can’t make it…)
 
This was an expected outcome, but it was still hard to bear.
 
After making their decisions, the two girls steadied their breathing.
 
The basic crux to both magic and negotiations were the same. They required both a strong sense of will and a soft delicacy—simply put, it would be determined by whether they could remain calm in any situations.
 
“Do you want to rest at the back, Honami? It might be better to stand around as a lifeless puppet than to be a shaken ally.”
 
“Humph, I’m not used to this kind of big event like a certain person.”
 
Both of them were squabbling, seemingly thinking that this was the last chance.
 
And then, they both looked down at the same time.
 
“Then—let’s begin the inquisition of <Astral>.”
 
At the center of the hall, Darius Levi declared.
 
☆
 
—At the same time.
 
In a forest located on the outskirts of the <Academy>, southeast of London.
 
There was a narrow path nearby.
 
There was a torrent of rain just like how it was inside the city, and a vague silhouette appeared on the concrete floor.
 
That silhouette was the only thing standing on the path. It was likely due to the extremely heavy rain that there were no signs of any vehicles nearby, and the road was practically flooded.
 
“Really…this kind of rain…isn’t very good…for the health…”
 
Ack ack, the silhouette coughed after saying that.
 
That was a youth with blueish-white skin, and he had thick bags under the eyes.
 
He was wearing a unique black hat and a yellow robe over the well-made tunic, and this appearance was just like a doctor in the Middle Ages. If it were anyone else wearing it, it could only be considered a spectacle, but this clothing really fit this youth.
 
Or rather, he looked like an ancient phantom that was attracted by the rain.
 
“Yes…yes…looks like…the bleeding is successful…it’s been tough…really tough on you…<Yesod>…”
 
The youth stared at his palm.
 
His hand was holding onto a small bronze figure.
 
No,
 
In fact, the figure was shaking on its own.
 
The figure in the youth’s hand was moving on its own like a live animal.
 
It was a weird looking snake that was biting its own tail. This snake-figure that had a ‘∞’ shape was called Ouroboros in a certain style of magic. It was wriggling its snake body and widened its eyes suddenly.
 
“Yes…in that case…there will be no problems…”
 
The youth smiled as he held onto the snake figure.
 
“Come…let’s begin.”
 
He was one of the “Ophion” members.
 
This youth who called himself Melkiore moved on to the melancholic grey forest—the <Academy>.