Earlier that day before class began, Ayaka and Mana stepped outside of the temple after completing their discussion behind close temple doors.
"Are you sure you want me to do that Ayaka-san?" asked Mana.
"Is the price right for this job?" commented the class rep with her own question back.
"Certainly, but is it really wise to hire me?" replied the shrine maiden.
"Yes, I have heard that you will do anything for money," said Ayaka.
"For the most times yes I will as long as I get paid. But for such an investigation is chump change and should not take that long," said Mana being cold with her reply.
"Then we have a deal then. Will expect instant results since it should not take long," said Ayaka as she was leaving the shrine.
Mana shook her head and went back inside the temple to change into her Mahora uniform.
Asuna decided after her paper delivery to train on her endurance and speed. She headed toward the school track field and started to stretch before she attempted any running.
Kasuga Misora, the class residential secret to most nun in training, saw her red-headed bell wearing classmate stretching and waved.
"Hello Asuna-san, mind if I join you?" asked Kasuga.
"Hello, and no I do not mind Misora-san," said Asuna catching her breathe.
"Training or just out for a run," smiled Kasuga since she knows Asuna is involved with Negi as a magic partner.
"Both I guess," replied Asuna.
"So how is our professor today?" asked Kasuga.
"Busy I suppose since I am not his keeper after all. Probably getting into trouble," snickered Asuna.
"You are not concerned?" asked Kasuga.
"He can handle himself most of the time. You saw during the festival," said Asuna reflecting on the fight between Negi and their former classmate Chao.
"He is powerful for just his age," replied Kasuga.
"Not just his age, he is powerful among the mages," winked Asuna.
After both Kasuga and Asuna were done stretching, they decided to jog together.
"How times have changed?" commented Kasuga.
"What do you mean?" asked Asuna.
"Well before he showed up we were kind of a normal class," said Kasuga.
"We were never normal to start with you know. You have been involved with magic for awhile. Zazie-san, despite her quietness, suspect she knows about magic. Eva-chan, is far from being young and ignorant, Setsuna-san is a half demon like Kotaro-kun, Konoka-san comes from a family of powerful mages, Tatsumiya-san was involved in magic before landing here in Mahora, Fei Ku and Kaede has powerful fighting techniques that could be enhanced by the pactio someday, and Yue-san and Nodoka-san have develop their knowledge very fast," said Asuna.
"True, even the rest I expect were chosen on their abilities that have not shown up yet," said Kasuga.
"Well Makie-san has that ribbon of hers that she is unaware of her capabilities. Heard Yuna's dad is a mage so she eventually will blossom into one if she chooses. Ayaka-san despite her obsessive nature over the professor, may become a gifted fighter and leader. Chachamaru, as you know is a robot, becoming somewhat human-like because of the professor. The others should be interesting to see what they chose to do if they get involved more with Negi-kun," responded Asuna.
They started to run faster with every stride competing against each other like they use to.
Laying down on the infield of the track, Kasuga looked up into the blue sky with those white puffy clouds moving slowly.
Asuna was sitting on the infield of the track next to Kasuga.
"That was a fine workout," said Kasuga out of breathe.
"Thank you I needed that workout," responded Asuna.
"No problem and anytime," said Kasuga.
"So where are you heading off to next?" asked Asuna.
"The church," said Kasuga smiling.
"Cause mischief again," laughed Asuna.
"No. By the way Asuna if I may ask a question? Why did the professor give Nodoka-san the rose?" asked Kasuga.
Takahata appeared out of nowhere and interrupted Asuna before she could reply.
"How are my former students doing on this fine day?" asked Takahata.
"Doing well professor," replied Kasuga.
"I...well...um...," stuttered a blushing Asuna who had a major crush on her former teacher.
"Asuna are you alright?" asked the former professor of theirs.
"Yes...I...am alright. You just caught me off-guard is all," replied Asuna.
"That is good to hear," said Takahata.
Kasuga got up and waved by as she was heading toward the church.
"Asuna-san can I ask you a question about something?" asked Takahata.
"Oh my God he is asking ME out. No wait he would never do that especially after the time we spent at the festival," said Asuna to herself.
"How is Negi-kun doing in class since the festival ended?" asked Takahata.
"The same as always despite the new found popularity. He still does not listen to his partners as well," said Asuna.
"And what have I heard about a rose and a certain girl in the class getting it," said Tahakata now serious with his tone of speech.
"It was a simple friendship rose to make a girl happy after being down recently," replied Asuna.
"He is just ten so I expected as such. Well I will be off and have a great day Asuna-san," said Takahata
For one of those rare times when Yue did not feel like reading anything, she was in a haze while walking around the campus of Mahora Academy. Yue ended up of all places at the World Tree plaza.
Yue gazed up at the enormous tree and felt overwhelm by a feeling of confusion about Nodoka and her ten year old professor who she fell for.
"Why could he see me like he does Nodoka-san?" asked Yue quietly to the tree. Not like the tree would respond, but Yue needed to clear her head and maybe her heart at the same time to clarify her life journey.
"If he did fall in love with me, and highly doubt he will, what will my relationship be like with Nodoka-san?" asked Yue again to the tree.
Of course the tree's branches just swayed with the breeze.
"I know studying and realizing I can be like Negi-kun gives me some enjoyment as I am close to him, but will I ever share the closeness he has with bookworm?" asked Yue for the third time to the World Tree.
Yue just sat with her back against the tree and looked out in the distance to see most of Mahora Academy.
"Grandfather, why did you send me here? Was it to find friends and maybe someday to fall in love so I could be as happy as you were in your life? Was it to fulfill your dreams and wishes that I would become a mage? Or is it the possibility that you knew Negi-kun's dad and sent me here in hope I would meet his son and fall for him? I have friends and even newer ones because of the magic. I am more happy now then I was when I started here. I am becoming a mage in training regardless if you wanted me or not Grandfather. And, I have falling in love with Negi-kun. But, so has my best friend," said Yue to herself.
Yue pulled her legs into her chest and rested her head on her knees crying.
"I vowed to never feel, to never love, and to never cry again. But, I know now in life it is never a way to dodge and cover up those emotions. Damn that professor had to be handsome and easy to talk with. I even slapped him and he told me he needed to be slapped up at the rooftop when I was alone with him. I want to be alone with him again. Just me and him on maybe a date even," said Yue reflecting on events that have happen to cause her to feel this way.
The tree lost a leaf as it blew in front of Yue's feet. Yue picked it up and looked at it.
"He is ten years old, a mage in training like me with a ton of more experiences, he acts more mature then most of our class most of the time, he is smart, and he is so cute," said Yue to the leaf.
Yue's dormant inner voice rang out and said, "So you realize you are attracted to him without a shadow of doubt, yet scared to tell him how you feel because you made the excuse that Negi-kun has too much on his plate as it is and you would not want to burden him. So you would bottle up your emotions and hide the fact that you are in love with him and lose him to your best friend rather then chose your own happiness which you rightfully deserve?"
"It is not like that. He would view me different if he turned me down like he did with Nodoka-san. She can deal with just being friends, but I know I could not. If I did tell him how I feel it would change the way he and I would act in the magic world. He may not want to train me anymore and I would feel abandon. I am happy for Nodoka-san's slowly progressing relationship with the professor and would risk losing my happiness over it," replied Yue to her inner voice.
"A lie and you know that. You are his sound reasoning when he needs it. Everyone knew during the festival that only YOU could get inside his head with your words. He respects you. Nodoka-san could have never done what you did. Asuna-san nor could Chisame-san even do what you did on that rooftop. You were so happy just to be with him during the festival that you finally admitted you had falling for him. You even tried to defy fate by running away when Paru found out about your feelings toward the professor. And Nodoka-san told you that she is fine with you in love with Negi-kun. Remember you have found happiness when happiness was least expected. Negi-kun came into your life when fate told you that you are destine to love someone again. Will you admit it already that you want him to chose you and you would be his forever until death? And can you admit that you are happy if he wanted more then a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship as you two grow older?" replied the inner voice.
"I simply want him to be happy and to help him as much as I can. Be there for him so when the day comes that, if he chooses someone to be his girlfriend, it would be me base on his true feelings for me and not an obligation because I helped him," said Yue to her voice.
"You love him and tell him already," said the inner voice as it faded away inside her head.
Mei Sakura was walking up the path to the World Tree plaza when she spotted Yue.
"Hello!" said Mei.
"Oh...hello," said a startled Yue.
"Are you not with Negi-sensei?" asked Mei.
"What? Me and the professor...no that is not how it is between us," said a blushing mage in training.
"Oh I thought you were one of his partners," said Mei.
"Ah magic partners and yes I am," said Yue.
"Thought so," said Mei as she was readjusting her broomstick in her hands.
"Have you been practicing?" asked Yue.
"Yes, trying to get stronger for onee-sama," said Mei.
"I can understand trying to get stronger for someone," smiled Yue.
"Nice meeting you. I am off to meet onee-sama," waved Mei as she quickly dashed off before Yue could say anything.
Negi and Nodoka arrived at Library Island. Inside there was simply a few stranglers roaming around here and there. Bookworm and her professor were not even spotted.
"Quiet in here," commented Negi.
"Yeah it tends to be at this time," responded Nodoka.
"Why are we here again?" asked Negi rubbing his eyes.
"I thought it would be a good starting point for our investigation," said bookworm.
"Sure, you just want to be alone with me," kidded the kid professor.
Nodoka blushed, "No that is not it. I figured we could meet here and discuss what our plan is without the others knowing about it."
"So what is our plan of attack?" asked Negi.
"Well we can ask nicely of those we consider suspects," said Nodoka.
"So the whole class then?" asked Negi.
"No I do not think the whole class cared enough. Certain individuals on the other hand cared enough maybe," said a serious Nodoka.
"Gather you know who we should be talking to then," responded Negi.
"Yes most certainly me and Yue-san did a list," said the bookworm.
"Alright start with talking to the students I guess," said Negi.
Nodoka and Negi left Library Island.
"How did I get inside this building?" asked the mysterious voice.
"All these books on the shelves makes me dizzy looking at them. Wait where am I inside this building? Great I am loss," said the voice.
At that moment a bunch of arrows darted out from some wall near the mysterious voice.
"I hate booby traps," sighed the voice.
Outside of Mahora Academy Negi and Nodoka saw Sayo floating along near the big fountain.
"Hi guys," said Sayo happy that she had someone to talk to since she been bored.
"Hello!" replied Nodoka and Negi.
"So how are you two doing?" asked the ghost.
"Fine," replied Nodoka.
"Doing well," replied Negi.
"So what brings you two out here? On a date?" giggled the ghost.
Negi and Nodoka blushed simultaneously.
"Ah no we are not on a date right Nodoka-san," said a pleading teacher.
"Yeah right!" responded bookworm wishing it was a date.
"So then why are you two out here?" asked Sayo.
"Discussing stuff," replied Negi.
"Like what?" asked the inquisitive ghost.
"Magical in nature. So complicated that you would be so confused over it," lied Nodoka.
"Ah alright well time to find Kuzumi-san," said Sayo as she hovered above the two on the ground and floated off.
"So you think Sayo-san could have been able to take it?" asked Nodoka.
"Well she has been getting better with telekinesis but I cannot see her being able to dissolve things such as a rose to get it out of a room," replied the professor.
"Twenty-eight more suspects to remove off of the list," smiled Nodoka.