[{ "Zoe, it's fine. Don't worry… the headmaster will take care of it." }]
[{ "Really…? Won't it be a problem if he erases memories of all these students and creatures? There are even some people from the outside so, won't there be any problems?" }]
[{ "Nah. The people outside are no problem. As for the students and creatures here, the existence of a crystal butterfly master, or just the lone existence of a crystal butterfly is considered a world-level experience. There's no way he would risk the leaking of such information when the crystal butterfly and you, dear, technically are part of the academy for now." }]
A being like the crystal butterfly, something that cannot exist without the presence of something else's origin, was one of the rarest creatures in this world.
There were only eight people known to have a crystal butterfly as their familiar, five on the western continent, one on the north, and two on the eastern continent. There were three more people who were speculated to possess a crystal butterfly but, they were just speculation.
In truth, there were three people other than me who possessed a crystal butterfly as their familiar in this world, and now, Zoe was the ninth known person to possess a crystal butterfly. This was in no way a small news.
The world would be shaken if the news of this got out, which, was no good to her, or the academy, mainly, the headmaster couldn't have something to be known to the outside world just yet.
'He's an absolute neutral figure in this world and holder of a very important position.'
If it was known that a student of the academy now possessed a crystal butterfly, someone that belonged to the empire, and was a daughter of the empire's one of the central noble families, then not only politically, the balance of the current world would be shaken economically, politically, spiritually, as well as socially.
The world governments would become an absolute mess just because of this and, the worldly powers, as well as our own empire, would do anything in their power to capture the person known as Zoe to secure their new standings in this world.
'The headmaster promised me he would protect her from anything in exchange for me joining the academy as the council member. So, he couldn't have this news get out of this giant garden.'
Just the symbolic meaning of a crystal butterfly was on par with some countries having the protection of a divine beast. These creatures were that important and special to this world.
Every known person to possess a crystal butterfly held an important place in this world and society.
The Pope of the [Temple], the Emperor of our empire, one of the only three archmages, in this world, a hero who was still going around, slaying the demons that polluted this earth, the guardian of a holy sword said to be the weapon of the future chosen one, the central figure considered to be the real president of this world and things that happened behind the curtains, and the other like them.
Every single person with a crystal butterfly as their familiar was either a very prominent figure, or, even if the world didn't know about them yet, they were the pioneers and maintainers of many important things going on in this world, as well as the places beyond this world.
The fact that Zoe also had a crystal butterfly was changing the balance of the world that had been maintained for the last hundreds of years. But, the disruption of balance was the last thing the headmaster could allow.
'He was The Headmaster. He had some of the heaviest responsibility to maintain the world balance, which was ultimately m, winning the balance of everything on this sky island.
Things happening in the academy and the island affected the world on a very deep level and things happening outside the island affected the island in a very deep way too.
'He couldn't possibly let the world know the things that happened here at this moment, about the crystal butterfly and Zoe, so, he used his [Authority] on not just the garden, but on the entire sky island, and altered the memories of everyone who had witnessed the crystal butterfly's true form.'
[{ "Ah, right, big brother, his name is Ray. We will call him Rayray~." }]
I heard everything she talked about with that crystal butterfly through our connection. And, I was just as surprised as her.
Master told me her partner Crystal Butterfly had passed away a long time ago. And, back then, I did question her how could an origin beast familiar could 'pass away'.
The familiars and their masters are bound with unique connections, especially the origin beasts.
Their origins become one so even if they get destroyed, as long as the master is alive, the familiars come back to life in a short while after their powers are recovered.
They are connected with the masters so, how a familiar nearly immortal being could pass away was beyond me at that time.
However, after I confirmed the fact that she was, in fact, a phoenix, it was clear to me that her death at one point, meant the death of the master that familiar butterfly had bonded with.
'Now technically, since the origin remained unchanging, the familiar should have been able to come back to life as well. But, it didn't.'
I didn't know what the reason could be but, I always had this feeling that someday in the future, I will find that out on my own.
And, now, after all these years, the one who had been with my master for the longest turn of her life, was back to her… well, to her daughter, but, it was back.
And, perhaps, this Rayray was one of the oldest of any other crystal butterflies in this world, or not. I don't know much about it for now so I couldn't tell.
'But, to protect this Rayray, the headmaster used his authority and made an illusion so strong that the way he had replaced the memories of his crystal butterfly with a rare (Flame redtail), was something I am thankful to him.'
It was better. Now, thanks to him, neither Zoe nor I will have to deal with this situation.
"We should thank the headmaster later."
"Obviously. Ah, right. Did you ask what [Skill] Rayray had?"
Things could have been more complicated than I can think about. Things could have become far more difficult if he hadn't done that actually.
The downside was that aside from Zoe, Rein, and me, almost everyone else had forgotten the fact that Rayray was actually a crystal butterfly. But we can deal with that later.
The first question right now was, what power did this unique being that my master had praised and cursed to no end for hours possess?
"Hmmm? Ah, I did. He said it is called [Perfect support]. He says he has no offensive power, which I doubt is true. But, he said he can do many unique things that we will find interesting."
"Ah I have no doubt he's telling the truth. He really has no offensive power. From how much I know about his powers and him from master's stories, his ability takes away all his offensive powers but, in exchange, he has support skills unparalleled to anything or anyone we could find.
Master has praised and cursed his ability to no end, sometimes she just wanted on it for hours after drinking her unique dragon wine even though she wasn't drunk.
Anyway, since his Skill is the same, I think he really is the same being that he had been previously.
So, the question remains… what happened to him? And how is he back now?"
"Yes… I want to know too. But he won't say anything. I don't know why but since the moment I came back, he hasn't been saying anything. And, I feel like he is tense and afraid for some reason. Can you please talk with him? He wanted to say something to you previously."
This Rayray… was an interesting creature.
I knew about him and didn't at the same time.
I had heard many things about him but this was our first meeting.
He had said that he knew about me… no, he said he knew about master's greatest wish.
Let's not talk about this.
Her greatest and last wish was the most painful moment I had lived through. I didn't want to remember it once again.
So, that aside, I connected Celes's link with the creature… with Rayray, and started our first-ever, conversation while the others in the garden, who had become stunned for a moment, returned back to normal and the summonings returned to what it had been like, with Carla's turn approaching rapidly.
[{ Aghhhhhhhh! What are you?! }]
Hmmm? Now why was this guy shouting like that?