“Your eye… It’s Mizi, isn’t it?”

Zoemi’s face became serious as he motioned at the murky-black eyeball of the blue-haired young man.

“…! Yes. Mizi saved me by merging with the mana crystal that was serving as an additional mana pool.

Devios flinched and raised his hand towards his face before stopping himself and nodding.

“Cherish the life that one of my children saved.”

Zoemi declared in an ice-cold voice that even Devios and Metavcero couldn’t handle.

“That said… You were seriously using an artifact to hide your gender because of your messed up family, huh?”

The black-haired man breathed out as if trying to get rid of the dark emotions that got a hold of his heart and turned towards the brown-haired girl with green eyes who was keeping herself away from him as if too ashamed to approach him.

“…I’m sorry…”

Reo murmured, lowering her head apologetically, not daring to raise her head.

“No. I’m sorry. I tried to hook you up with yourself?! Why didn’t you say anything?!”

Zoemi leaned forward and ended up hiding his face in his hands as if embarrassed over the things he said and done without knowing the real appearance of the Reo Serentii Moyena.

“I… I didn’t know how you would react and… you know…”

Reo stuttered, inching towards the door as if she wanted to escape semi-stealthily.

“I didn’t know and still don’t know! Hell, Xeonith! You were Reo’s childhood friend! Did you know that she was a girl?!”

The black-haired man groaned, shaking his head before suddenly straightening his back and calling out to the young brown-haired earth magician, Noex.

“No! Not at all! Didn’t even suspect a thing! All those years I thought that he… she didn’t like sleepovers or just was a bit strict with her sleeping schedule. And she revealed herself only a… uh-oh…”

Noex shook his head and groaned, throwing his hands up as if relieved that he had someone who finally understood his anguish – before he froze realizing that almost all magicians from the group are staring at him, including Reo who seemed to be especially shocked.

“…master Zoemi.. why did you call Noex with Xeonith’s name…? Didn’t he die back in our second year at the Aspaekony Academy…? And… Noex.. why did you answer as if it was normal and… how do you know about me chasing people out of my room at night?”

Reo tensed up and backed off until her back touched the doorframe as she lowered her head without looking away from the pale younger boy.

“…that’s what I get for not pulling you to the side and explaining everything…”𝒪𝗏𝔩xt.𝗰𝐎𝐦

Noex bit his lips, looking to the side in shame and sending Zoemi an apologetic look.

“Noex. Do explain. I wasn’t a student then but the news of lord Xeonith Zarble Derizno’s death at the hands of a vicious killer targetting the aristocrats… Zoemi… is it the same thing as with my family…?”

Devios straightened his back and sent the younger-looking boy a worried look before glancing over at the upset-looking black-haired man.

“No. Xeonith, or rather Noex here, isn’t a result of a borrowed-time sentinel.”

Zoemi shook his head, leaning back into the chair and supporting the side of his head with one hand.

“And do not be angry at him, I fully understand why he would prefer to keep his previous incarnation a secret while living his new life.”

He finally declared without changing h upset expression.is

“Previous incarnation…?! Then… it is Xeonith?!”

Reo clenched her hands together and cowered, even more, putting up her shoulders defensively while staring at the ashamed brown-haired boy.

“No. He is the unique shadow of the dead Xeonith that I brought back with necromancy and who then ended up forced into a dead body he now made his own.”

Zoemi shook his head and explained – although judging by the expressions of his listeners, almost no one seemed to understand what was the difference.

“Noex you… you were Xeonith this whole time and…!”

“…”

Reo gritted her teeth and took a step forward which caused Noex to lower his head, even more, backing for a choice selection of berating words.

There was no doubt in his mind that others will think of him as some creepy undead puppet playing alive. A mere spell that isn’t human and only looks and sounds like one…

“You absolute moron! You never told me that you were okay! I cried so much after you were murdered, even after everything you did, but you just decided it was okay to just shun me?! Weren’t we friends?! I thought my heart would break! Stupid! Bastard! You even had the guts to act as if boarding the ship to this continent was our first meeting!”

*whack* *thump* *whack* *smack*

“!!!”

The brown-haired girl rushed at the shocked boy and began slapping the exposed back of the head and shoulders of the shameful boy while crying, extremely upset.

“You’ve already changed back when we became second-year students, but this is too much! Letting me cry so much even when you were back! What, am I that untrustworthy that you thought that I would expose you?! Heartless bastard! You were my only friend for so long and still…!”

Reo poured her heart out while continuing to smack the brown-haired boy but her attacks were getting weaker and weaker the longer she spoke and the longer she shed tears.

“…”

“…!”

*THUMP*

Finally, she backed off, with her chin trembling uncontrollably, and glared at Noex until he raised his head and looked back at her – and when he did, she ran away, slamming the door behind her back.

“…I apologize… I will need some sort of medkit before I excuse myself.”

Noex sighed and bowed his head towards his fellow students and then informed Zoemi.

“Whoa, did she hit you that hard?”

The yellow-haired young man with sharp teeth gasped in disbelief without changing his expression, approaching the brown-haired boy and slouching down to put his arm around his shoulders, treating him exactly the same as before the revelation.

“No. This body is way sturdier than normal – she is the one who got hurt.”

Noex shook his head and smiled softly at his friend.

“I am not deaf nor stupid. I heard clearly why she is upset with me. It will be best if I explain myself as soon as possible.”

The brown-haired boy added and his smile became a bit warmer.