・Epilogue

"Since ya helped me look for Kaname-chan, I'll at least have a chat with ya. ...Consider it an apology for suddenly blastin' at ya too."

"Thank you. Then—"

"What Noel-chan wants to hear about is that, right? The talk about the Headmaster."

"Yes. I thought the teachers might know things that aren't shared with the students."

"Don't go gettin' your hopes up, though."

"This ain't really somethin' I need to go outta my way to tell ya. It's common sense in Delos. —This academy don't have a 'Headmaster.'"

"To be precise, 'it's officially stated there isn't one,' right?"

"...Hmph. Noel-chan, you the type to get swept up in conspiracy theories?"

"But isn't it strange? If there really is no Headmaster—who is ruling this academy right now?"

"Dunno."

"'Dunno'?"

"When I say I dunno, I mean I dunno. Whose name is on the teacher's hiring notices? Who approves the budget? Who decides on buildin' extensions? Who maintains the Rank system? I don't know."

"...That's quite irresponsible."

"But the creepiest part ain't that."

"Which is?"

"— Even without a Headmaster, not a single soul is havin' trouble."

"Classes go on without a hitch. Goods are always flowin'. The dorms got water and power. Broken buildin's get fixed before ya know it. If ya apply for supplies, they get approved when they get approved. A teacher quits, the next one comes right away. ...Even though we don't even know who signed off on it."

"Is that really okay? Sir, your employer is unknown."

"I don't mind one bit. Delos hired me. They pay me a fair wage for the work I do. Besides."

"Besides?"

"Even if we don't know who is doin' it— everyone's got a fuzzy idea of what is doin' it. Right?"

"...By the way. This is a nice room."

"Tryin' to change the subject, are ya?"

"Not at all."

"...The academy looks after the faculty dorms for us. If I work properly, my pay gets deposited properly. It's a world away from when I was back home."

"You were born in Amatsu, weren't you, Mr. Kou?"

"Yeah."

"The room is full of Amatsu-style things, too."

"Even though I talk all kinds of crap about it bein' a garbage country with a garbage government. My taste in rooms is, as ya can see, total Amatsu-obsessed. It's embarrassin', even for me."

"I think it's lovely. In the end, you really do cherish your homeland."

"Stop it. Makes me wanna bite my tongue off. For heaven's sake, don't write that in your article."

"I promise."

"............Hey, Noel-chan."

"Yes?"

"I've spilled my embarrassin' secrets. How 'bout you tell me yours now? That secret of yours."

"Secret? I'm just the humble head of the 'Public Relations Department.'"

"Nah. You're the boss of those peepin' toms who jump on campus gossip at the speed of light."

"What a terrible thing to say."

"It's a compliment, a compliment. That's why I don't get it—why is someone like Noel-chan askin' about the 'Headmaster' now?"

"............"

"That's an urban legend whose expiration date passed ages ago. It's been the same kinda tall tales for decades."

"Isn't that exactly why it's worth investigating?"

"There's plenty of hotter topics around here. Like the steamy relationship between me and Kaname-chan, for instance."

"Ahaha. I'll pass on that, unfortunately."

"Why's that?"

"I've decided to only report news that benefits all the students."

"You say such cold things with such a sparkly smile, don't ya?"

"Besides, it would be a problem if Kaname-chan got grumpy because I reported it widely. He—she? Well, either is fine. She seems to prefer a peaceful relationship. If she ran away again, you'd be in trouble too, wouldn't you, Sir?"

"...That'd be a problem."

"Well then. Thank you for your time."

"You done already?"

"Yes."

"Who are ya gonna barge in on next?"

"Let's see... I think I'll dive in a bit."

"Ah... Stagna's place? Then can ya give 'em a message?"

"What is it?"

"'Ya gotta soak up some sunlight once in a while.'"

"Hahaha. Message received."

"—Hey, Noel-chan."

"Yes?"

"Tell me just one last thing."

"If it's something I can answer."

"This 'interview'— how many times has this been now?"

"Hahaha. Who knows?"

"Well, I guess you've got your own circumstances."

"............"

"But ya know. Every year, at the same time, the same girl, with the same notebook, sits in the same chair... Think about how it feels for the one gettin' asked the same questions. It's creepy as hell."

"............"

"And it's weird. Last year and the year before, you didn't ask 'Where do you think the Headmaster is?'"

"............"

"You didn't ask 'Have you ever seen the Headmaster?' either."

"............"

"Every time, what ya ask is the same. 'What do you think about the fact that there is no Headmaster?'"

"............"

"Are you really lookin' for the Headmaster?"

"To me, it just don't look that way. If anythin'—"