After the students and heroes worked tirelessly through the night, and with the help of many citizens, the situation finally calmed down, and the students gathered in the gymnasium were ordered to disperse.
After directing the scene all night and returning to disperse the students, Eve sat at her desk in the faculty office and took out her mobile phone.
Her phone book was filled with the numbers of many influential people in the city.
Eve briefly scrolled through the screen and selected a number labeled [Non-Official], then pressed the call button.
In about 1.5 seconds, the call connected, and a man's voice, heavy with fatigue, came through the phone.
-......I've answered the call.
"Hey, it's me. Is the emergency meeting over? How's the atmosphere there? I hope it's going well."
-It hasn't ended yet. We've been continuing until just now, and we're currently taking a short break. The atmosphere, well, it's a mess. After all, this is the biggest incident anyone has experienced in their lifetime. When I mentioned that the culprit might be a witch, even Astra and Dolos, who are usually so composed, seemed very tense.
Eve smiled bitterly at the man's words.
Even the city's leaders, who are responsible for all major and minor affairs, shouldn't be so helpless.
They should be the ones to quickly grasp the current situation and prepare for the next steps, but hearing that they were intimidated by the name "witch" left a bitter taste in her mouth.
But who could scold them?
It had been 400 years since the last witch, the Gluttony Witch, was eradicated, and all the witches had disappeared.
Considering that this was the first time in the post-witch era that the city faced such a direct threat, it was unrealistic to expect them to handle the situation swiftly and accurately.
Still, if they didn't fulfill their roles, it would be problematic, so Eve asked the man.
"Did you talk about treating the injured and removing the evil spirits from the minds of those who were controlled? These are the most urgent issues that need to be addressed first."
The people who were controlled suddenly regained their senses, but the reason was still unknown.
To prevent another tragedy where people were controlled, it was necessary to thoroughly remove the evil spirits left in their minds.
-Yes, we've discussed that. We've mobilized all available personnel to treat the injured, and we plan to install magical devices with purification spells in each district to remove the evil spirits.
"That's a relief. It seems everyone is doing what they need to do despite the chaos. I'm a bit more at ease now."
-......Is that so?
The man's delayed response revealed his worry and concern.
Eve, knowing what was troubling him, smiled slightly and spoke.
"It's inevitable. Since most of them agreed, it means they think it's the best option. Don't worry too much. It will turn out well."
-......If you say so.
Eve's smile deepened at the man's hesitant answer.
Even as he grew older, he still had his adorable side.
Thinking this, Eve spoke in a playful tone.
"By the way, when we talk alone, you don't need to be so formal. It's fine to speak casually, you know."
-Absolutely not. It feels awkward even in a formal setting, so please don't. Since you seem to have no more business to discuss, I'll hang up.
The man's firm answer ended the call.
Feeling a bit better after the call, Eve leaned back in her chair and sighed. Just then, she heard someone knock on the faculty office door and straightened up.
When she told them to come in, the door opened, and two of her first-year students, Scarlett Evande and Yun Siwoo, entered.
"What's going on, both of you? You must have been exhausted last night, yet you didn't go home to rest."
Eve asked, puzzled that the two, whom she had dismissed to go home, were still at school.
Scarlett, with a serious expression, spoke up.
"There's something we need to tell you."
"You want to tell me something?"
Eve, who had been speaking with a smile, became serious as Scarlett continued.
"Stopping the people who were being controlled, that was us."
"......Can you tell me more about it?"
What followed was a series of shocking stories.
Meeting a girl who introduced herself as the Sloth Witch while helping people.
Discovering the evil spirits that were the culprits behind the control and ultimately destroying them.
The possibility that the witch behind this incident was not the Sloth Witch but another witch.
Each story was hard to believe, so Eve asked if it was true. Yun Siwoo then took out a sword emitting a golden light as evidence.
It was clearly the same light that shot up into the sky just before the controlled people stopped.
Seeing this, Eve knew that what the two had said was true.
Moreover, she knew that these two, despite the short time she had known them, were not the type to lie about such matters.
This meant that these children had essentially saved the city, so Eve bowed her head to them in gratitude.
"You did a great job. If the situation had dragged on, the damage would have been much greater......"
Eve's words made Scarlett speak cautiously.
"If you think so, can you do us a favor?"
"Of course, I'll do anything I can as a teacher."
Eve readily agreed to Scarlett's request.
Scarlett then asked, confirming something.
"Does the principal have some influence over the city's operations? As your assistant, you could ask the principal for something, right?"
Eve nodded, and Scarlett boldly made her request.
"Then, could you ask the principal if Yun Siwoo can be given the status of a hero? And please mention that it would be better if more people see him."
Eve, realizing their intention, was momentarily speechless.
When the silence stretched, Scarlett, thinking Eve might need an explanation, hastily spoke.
"I, I think it's necessary. There will be many people who are dissatisfied with the heroes. I think the city needs a new hero for people to rely on......"
Eve, feeling a headache coming on, frowned and said.
"......I understand. I get why you're asking for this."
"Then......"
"Before that, I have one question. Yun Siwoo, do you understand what it means to ask for the status of a hero in this situation?"
Yun Siwoo, standing quietly, glanced at Scarlett beside him and then nodded resolutely.
It seemed that Yun Siwoo had agreed with Scarlett's suggestion.
Eve, seeing this, sighed quietly to herself.
What should she say to a student who asks to be used politically for the sake of others?
In fact, it would be strange if she didn't bow and ask them.
The girl she called Evande, as she had in the gymnasium, often made unexpected requests.
The girl who thought such things were natural, and the boy who listened to her and decided to act on it.
Both were exemplary heroes, always thinking of others before themselves.
That's why she felt uncomfortable.
Because she had thoughtlessly agreed that it was a good idea.
Because, as a teacher, she had realized she was passing the burden to her students.
After a moment of contemplation, Eve looked at the two and said.
"......Follow me for a moment."
*
Eve led them to the front of the gymnasium.
She pointed to the gymnasium's outer wall and asked Yun Siwoo.
"Yun Siwoo, can you attack that wall once?"
Yun Siwoo, in response, drew a pure white sword from the air and aimed it at the gymnasium wall.
He then slashed downward, neither too fast nor too slow.
A single vertical cut.
Eve, watching this, remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"......You can go. I'll talk to the principal for you."
Eve watched as the boy and girl bowed to her and turned to leave the school. When they were out of sight, she approached the gymnasium wall.
The wall was marked with scratches in various places.
These were the marks left by the best students who had attacked the wall in response to the promise of early graduation.
The gymnasium, known as the "Humility Hall" because even the most confident students would bow their heads the next day, had visible marks.
The deep marks, as if pierced by a spear, were from Leon, who was the fastest.
The marks that looked like they were stabbed by sharp fragments were from Elouise, who had the best teamwork and even got married due to a speeding violation during her student days.
The indented marks were from Martina, a confident and skilled magician.
Eve gently traced the new mark that had just been added and chuckled.
"Controlling your strength to this degree, how long have you been here and become so strong...... How can I stop a student who has the right reasons, abilities, and will to leave?"
Eve took out her mobile phone and called the most recent number.
"Congratulations on your graduation, Yun Siwoo."
Looking at the straight sword mark left by the Sword of Humility on the Humility Hall wall, more prominent than any other marks,
Eve wished for the new hero's path to be filled with blessings.