Tech Hero in Another World

Inside the main Student Council Chamber, tension hung in the air like invisible smoke. The room featured ornate wooden walls, a large window draped with thick velvet curtains, and a long obsidian desk belonging to the council president, Leonus Arvent. He sat composed, arms crossed atop the desk, staring sharply at the two students before him—Erick Greyson and Kiriya Asano.

The only other presence in the room was Sara Banflord, vice president of the student council. With cascading purple hair streaked in silver at the tips, she wore the academy's formal robe, noticeably loose at the shoulders, lending her an air of elegant maturity. Her voice was soft and enchanting, and her expression ever calm—like that of a relaxed young mother in the face of chaos.

"Ara~… It's rare to see you here, Sir Greyson," Sara purred with a small, teasing smile.

Erick folded his arms, irritation clear on his face. "Miss Banflord, believe me, I would never have set foot in this room… if only someone knew how to deliver a message without following me around for three whole days!"

Sara moved to lean casually against Leonus's desk. "Ara~? So that someone was…" Her eyes shifted to Kiriya. "Was it you? Nice to meet you, I'm Sara Banflord."

Kiriya responded without hesitation. "Kiriya Asano."

"Just call me Sara~" she chuckled.

Leonus, long silent, finally spoke. His voice was heavy, authoritative—commanding full attention.

"Both of you. I expect a good explanation why part of the academy's back grounds nearly collapsed because of an unsanctioned personal duel."

Erick quickly replied, his tone defensive. "I was only defending myself, President Leonus. He's the one who followed me for days—surely I had the right to be cautious!"

Leonus turned his gaze to Kiriya. "And you? Assassin, wasn't it?"

Kiriya inhaled deeply. "That's my job class. But I didn't come to kill—I only wanted to talk. The matter is… very personal. My approach was wrong."

Sara narrowed her eyes, her smile sharpening like a concealed blade. Then, with a quiet, playful laugh, she said, "Ara~... Assassin, huh? A rare job for our academy. And your name, Kiriya Asano… sounds unfamiliar. Tell me, are you from Eldoria? More precisely… from one of those hero groups summoned from another world?"

The comment struck like lightning on a clear day. Kiriya straightened instantly, a slight squint in his eyes. He paused briefly before responding.

"Yes… that was sharp of you."

Sara grinned in satisfied triumph, looking like someone who'd just solved a complex puzzle. "Fufufu~… Indeed. This isn't the first time Starford Academy has enrolled a human from another world seeking a way home. Still, I always welcome surprises like this."

"Sara…" Leonus warned from behind his desk, voice low and firm.

"Oops~ My apologies, President," she said, leaning back and pressing a finger lightly to her lips—clearly enjoying the revelation.

Leonus turned his neutral gaze to Kiriya. "We've already received direct notification from the Headmistress about your background. I know you've tried to hide some information. While that may be your right… it doesn't make us blind."

Kiriya clenched his fist at his side. There was no point denying—especially once Elanor, The Golden Witch, had been named in this context.

"I didn't expect you to make it into this academy by recommendation from the Golden Witch herself," Leonus continued, his eyes piercing. "Whatever your ties to her, Elanor isn't insignificant—she is a living legend."

Erick, who had been standing with his arms crossed the entire time, suddenly turned toward Leonus, his expression shifting drastically. "Wait, President. You're not joking, are you? You mean… that Elanor? The legendary witch from two centuries ago who mastered all 12 primary schools of magic?"

Leonus gave a single nod. "The Headmistress herself told me directly. I have no reason to doubt it."

Erick slowly shook his head, jaw slightly ajar. "It was already insane that he's from another world, but the fact he's connected to a monster like Elanor... That's crazy."

Sara chuckled lightly, crossing her legs as she peeked at Kiriya through her flowing purple hair. A mischievous smile played on her lips, as if she were hiding something sweet behind every word.

"Ne~ Kiriya-kun, you just keep getting more interesting. I don't think I'll be bored with you around," she said, biting into a small cookie that had somehow appeared in her hand.

Kiriya narrowed his eyes. "Sorry—am I just entertainment to you?"

"Fufufufu~ Of course," Sara replied without a trace of guilt. "The student council can get quite dull, so someone like you… is a breath of fresh air."

Leonus shook his head slowly, glancing briefly at Sara before shifting his gaze back to Kiriya. "Don't let it bother you. That's just how Sara is. Now, I want to hear it directly from you, Kiriya. Why did you follow Greyson around to the point of causing this kind of disturbance?"

Erick immediately cut in. "Hey! That was purely self-defense, okay!? I was responding to a real threat!" he said, pointing accusingly at Kiriya, clearly still not over their clash.

Kiriya closed his eyes briefly, inhaled deeply, then let out a slow breath before speaking. "I… just wanted to learn more about the mass teleportation tragedy that happened in the Greyson region five years ago."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room shifted. A quiet tension blanketed the space.

Erick's face, once burning with anger, dimmed. His eyes lowered, and his jaw clenched. The expression that followed wasn't one of rage—but of bitterness.

Leonus observed the change and nodded slightly. "I understand. That incident… still baffles many, even today. But I'll be honest with you, Kiriya. Erick doesn't know much. Even we at the academy, and the central mage tower, haven't been able to explain what happened in any concrete way."

He folded his arms on the desk. "The event was earthshaking. An entire region torn out of its reality, and those who returned… were never the same. But it's been five years, and public interest has faded. Sadly, much of the data is gone or twisted by rumors."

Kiriya looked directly at Erick, eyes full of quiet determination. "That's alright… Even a glimpse, a throwaway sentence—anything might be a vital clue. Sometimes, the smallest fragments can lead to the truth."

Erick was silent for a moment. His face tensed, and for the first time since they met, Kiriya saw a raw, bitter expression on the noble youth. He took a deep breath, then spoke in a low, heavy tone.

"…I don't remember everything clearly. But… I did see something."

Kiriya leaned in slightly, absorbing every word.

"There was a massive object floating in the sky. I didn't know what it was—its shape was hazy, almost like a shadow. But when it exploded, flooding all of Greyson with light and overwhelming pressure… I caught a glimpse, just for a split second, of a giant figure…"

Erick swallowed hard, his voice nearly trembling.

"It was bound by chains between massive pillars that reached into the heavens. I couldn't see its full form… but I felt it was conscious. Its eyes—even in that instant—pierced straight through me."

Sara and Leonus were both silent now, fully focused.

"Then… everything went white. And when I came to, I was in the Orresck continent. Eastern side. It took me nearly two years to make it back… only to find ruins. The Greyson family declared wiped out. Nothing left."

Kiriya nodded slowly, his gaze heavy yet shining—something was beginning to connect in his mind.

"I'm sorry for your loss… But even so, thank you. That gave me something to work with. A direction, at least."

Leonus looked at the two of them, then leaned back in his chair. "Alright, Mister Kiriya. Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes, President. I won't resist further."

"Good." Leonus crossed his arms again atop the desk. "Because you both now have a task."

Erick immediately protested. "Eeh!? Me too? I was the one who got attacked first!"

"No exceptions, Sir Greyson," Leonus replied flatly. "Consider this shared responsibility for the damage caused behind the academy."

Sara smiled sweetly, clearly enjoying Erick's frustration.

"Your task is simple. There's an ongoing experimental magic research project—one with… questionable risks—being conducted by a certain female student in the Third Tower. She's extremely reclusive, difficult to approach, and has rejected every offer of assistance. That's why I want the two of you to become her unofficial companions. Observe, assist if needed… and if possible, become her friends."

Kiriya frowned. "Her name?"

Leonus leaned back in his chair, his gaze sharp yet calm as he looked at the two students standing before him. "Velna Astreia. She's known as the—'Stillness Witch'."

At the mention of the name, Erick's expression changed instantly. He clapped his hands slowly, as if something important had just clicked. "Ah… I've heard about her. If I'm not mistaken, she's someone highly favored by Headmistress Olivia."

Sara, who had been sitting cross-legged while sipping tea, responded with a light nod. "Erick's right… Velna is a distant cousin of the Headmistress. They're related through her mother's side. Over the past two months, that girl's been conducting some rather dangerous magical experiments… and not on just any object."

Kiriya leaned in, attentive. "Experiments? With what?"

"A mysterious artifact," Leonus replied, his tone now far more serious. "The item doesn't belong to the academy. It's the personal possession of Headmistress Olivia."

"A personal artifact?" Kiriya narrowed his eyes. "Doesn't the academy have strict protocols for handling ancient magical objects? Especially unidentified ones?"

Leonus let out a long breath before answering. "Yes, it's supposed to. But the problem is, the item was brought in personally by the Headmistress. She acquired it from a black market auction a few years ago."

Sara added, "The artifact was reportedly discovered in the ruins of Northland—one of the coldest and most dangerous regions on this continent. There are no official records of how it ended up in that auction, but what we do know is that its magical signature is highly unstable."

Kiriya turned to Erick. "And now her cousin is… studying it alone?"

Erick shrugged. "That's what makes it so strange, right? Normally the academy would have a dedicated team for handling potentially dangerous magical relics."

"Exactly," Leonus said quietly. "If the artifact were academy property, it would've been processed by protocol. But since it's the Headmistress's personal item, there's not much we can do. Even I, as student council president, don't have the authority to oppose her decision."

"In other words," Kiriya concluded, "as long as it's labeled 'personal property,' the academy turns a blind eye."

Sara folded her arms and gave a gentle nod. "Correct. And because of that, Velna was assigned directly by Headmistress Olivia to study the artifact. But... she's too reclusive. Too silent. I'm afraid she doesn't fully grasp how far the risks might go."

Leonus looked at both of them, his gaze now serious and unwavering. "Your task is to keep an eye on Velna. Try to get close to her. If possible, assist her with the research. But above all… make sure she doesn't lose control of that artifact."

Kiriya and Erick exchanged glances, then nodded in unison.

"Understood, President."