Chapter 3 Part 3
“Her Royal Highness?”
“Yeah, don’t you know, Yuuki?”
Xellos nii-sama peered at my face
“Her Royal Highness is going to be a trainee in the ‘Magic Guild’”
“Understood”
I nodded.
“‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ is a place where high-ranking nobles attend. That’s why the royal family also learns magic there as trainees. In other words, Her Royal Highness has already decided to become a trainee there to learn magic. So you mean as someone who is representing on the guild’s behalf, she is coming here to check on Xellos nii-sama’s abilities, right?”
“T-That’s amazing. You’re very perceptive, Yuuki”
“I’ve heard Xellos nii-sama and Kachel-sensei talked about it many times”
This matter was previously discussed so many times ever since tutor Kachel arrived at the mansion.
‘As a result of my guidance, Xellos-sama will be studying ‘Ancient Magic’ in Lindbel Magic Guild at the royal capital. It’s not a place for Yuuki-kun though’.
“But Her Royal Highness went out of her way to come here? To the territory of a Baron?”
“It was worth writing all of those recommendation letters. Of course, if you didn’t have as much magic power as Xellos-sama, it would have been a waste of time even if I did make all that effort”
said Kachel while snorting.
“The Magic Guild is a place that manages and maintains ‘Ancient Magic’. A high level of magic aptitude is required to become a trainee there. The 8th princess, Iris Restia-sama, has a very high aptitude for magic and is already a member of the guild. That’s why she’s been chosen to be in charge of the examination this time”
“This is indeed a very rare occurrence”
“I suppose that just go to show how much of Xellos-sama’s abilities are being evaluated”
Having said that, the tutor, Kachel, looked at me.
He then took a sideways glance at Father and cleared his throat—
“On the day Her Royal Highness arrives here, I’d like Yuuki-dono to remain inside the mansion”
“Eh?”
“The illegitimate child cannot be seen by Her Royal Highness. I want you to close the curtains and conceal yourself without making any noise and don’t leave the detached building”
“Sensei!?”
“Kachel-dono!? Are you serious!?”
“Please be quiet, Baron-sama!”
The tutor, Kachel, patted Xellos nii-sama on the back.
“Come on. Xellos-sama, please tell this to Yuuki-dono as well”
“M-Me?”
“How can you master magic if you can’t even get your illegitimate younger brother to listen to you!? Or do you want to introduce Yuuki-dono to Her Royal Highness? This younger brother of yours who is also an illegitimate child? Are you treating this illegitimate child as an equal? Does Xellos-sama really want to get the cold shoulder from the other people in the guild’s educational institution too!!?”
“……Uh”
Xellos nii-sama started to come forward.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Xellos nii-sama face to face like this.
Nii-sama has blond hair and blue eyes. He got his hair from Father and the eyes from the first wife.
He looked a lot like Father.
That’s why I can’t come to hate Xellos nii-sama.
“Yuuki…do not appear before Her Royal Highness”
“Yes. Xellos nii-sama”
“Her Royal Highness is a person of royal blood in this country. As an illegitimate child…you’re not permitted to appear in front of her. You…you…”
“Xellos-sama”
Suddenly, the tutor, Kachel, tapped Xellos nii-sama on the shoulder.
“How can you show your dignity as an older brother by speaking in such a manner?”
“……Sensei”
“Say it clearly. What do you think of Yuuki-dono, go on!”
“……Yuuki”
Xellos nii-sama seemed to hesitate for a bit, then looked straight at me.
“You, the child of an unknown woman, was made by Father while he was out on the battlefield. Such a person could never be seen by Her Royal Highness. Listen, you are absolutely not allowed to leave your room on that day! Do you hear me!?”
“Sure, I’d be happy to comply”
“……Eh?”
“As I said, I’d be happy to comply”
Why would I want to meet a princess?
I was once called the Demon King, albeit it was a mistake.
Dean Nosferatu was feared (unilaterally) as the ‘Immortal Mage, Lord of Nosferatu’. I’d want to keep as much distance as possible from anything related to royalty.
After all, they were quick to hand over the adventurers coins and tell them to subdue the Demon King.
A self-proclaimed Hero also came to me in my previous life.
She was starving, so I fed her a meal and told her I was harmless, and she understood.
After that, she worked hard and became a guard for ‘Fila Village’. Incidentally, she was Lyle’s grandmother.
At any rate, things like royal families and princesses are an interminably annoying existence.
I don’t want to get involved with them even after I’ve reincarnated.
“Rest assured, Xellos nii-sama. I will never appear before Her Royal Highness. As nii-sama said, I will close the curtains and make sure that I’m not seen”
“If you’re still worried, I’ll stay at an inn in town on that day. That way, I definitely won’t be in the sight of Her Royal Highness. With Father’s permission, I’d be happy to travel somewhere far away, too…”, I continued.
“……Yuuki”
Eh? Father…why are you wiping your eyes?
“……I’m sorry. To think that I…I had made you say that”
“Father?”
“I wonder if I had made a mistake? In order to join the ranks of the high-ranking nobles, I have cornered my child to this extent. I…”
“……Yuuki. You…”
Xellos nii-sama clenched his fists and glared at me.
“I only told you not to show your face during the examination. But going to town or going on a trip…is that sarcasm!? Are you protesting on my examination, Yuuki!?”
“I don’t mean that”
In fact, I’m rooting for you, nii-sama.
I’ve longed for it in my previous life. An older family member.
So I don’t want to be misunderstood. Let’s get things straight here.
“I’m just not interested in the ‘Magic Guild’ or Her Royal Highness”
“Wha-!?”
“I’m content with just being able to live with the Baron’s family. I don’t want to push it to meet Her Royal Highness. I just want to live within my own means”
“………”
“As a princess, she would have learned etiquette that even Father doesn’t know of. I don’t want to become a disgrace to the family when interacting with such a person. We’d be a laughing stock to the other nobles”
“………grr”
“If possible, I’d like to go to a public school. I want to learn more about human society by learning and interacting with the general populace. Honestly, I don’t really care about things like ‘Ancient Magic’. With the destruction of the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’, it shows that power alone can’t solve anything”
“………grrrr”
“In short, I really don’t think that there’s any value in me meeting the Princess. So there you have it, my response to Father, Xellos nii-sama, and Kachel-sensei. I pray that nii-sama can join the guild and learn ‘Ancient Magic’”
It’s not sarcasm or anything that I want to hide when the princess comes, I do mean it when I say I don’t want to meet the princess.
Of course, I don’t want to interfere with Xellos nii-sama either. He’s a very important family member after all.
If I said that much, I’m sure nii-sama would understand—
“D-Don’t make fun of meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”
“Xellos nii-sama!?”
“Pushing it!? Beyond one’s means!? Becoming a laughing stock to the other nobles!? Are you saying that I’m overdoing things!? Joining the ‘Magic Guild’ is beyond my ability, is that what you’re saying!!?”
“How did you end up with this argument, Xellos nii-sama!!”
“You should be grateful just by being able to stay in this mansion! You illegitimate child! You’re the child that Father made while he was out on the battlefield!! And yet, how dare you look down on me!!”
“Stop it, Xellos!!”
“Father!?”
“Yuuki didn’t mean to belittle you! Cool your head, Xellos!!”
“In that case…Father. Please give me the chance to show Yuuki my abilities!!”
“Your abilities?”
“Father should know how strong I’ve become. Please let me prove the power of ‘Ancient Magic’ that was taught to me by Kachel-sensei to Yuuki!!”
“……Hmm”
“Baron-sama. I have the same opinion, too. Please grant Xellos-sama permission”
The private tutor, Kachel, stepped forward. He was glaring at me with a side glance.
“Yuuki-dono probably doesn’t know the value of ‘Ancient Magic’. Therefore, I think it’s necessary to drive into him the power of ‘Ancient Magic’ so that he wouldn’t be disrespectful in aristocratic society in the future”
“Please. Father!!”
“I understand. Let’s find out just how strong Xellos is”
Father looked up and nodded.
Chapter 3 Part 2
On my way to the library in the main building, I saw tutor Kachel.
Kachel noticed me. As if annoyed, he immediately averted his gaze from me and proceeded to walk away.
“I’ve been expecting you. Yuuki-sama”
The butler, Neil, was waiting for me in front of the library.
Neil has served the family for a long time, and it also seems that he had fought alongside Father on the battlefield with their swords.
He wears his silver-rimmed glasses and half of his hair is white, but he’s still good-looking like a warrior.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. This way, please”
“Was Kachel-sensei here just now?”
“What the private tutor does is none of my concern”
With a blunt answer, the butler, Neil, opened the library door.
As I entered the library, I saw a built-in bookshelf.
There are only a few books on it.
These books are valuable, and the Baron Grossalia family aren’t that wealthy.
“What kind of books are you looking for, Yuuki-sama?”
“Books about the history of this country…aah, this is it”
“You can read that!?”
“Sort of, I think”
“The spine of the book only has the words, ‘Kingdom’s History’, on it but it was written in the old writing style…and you can read that? That’s amazing, Yuuki-sama”
“May I borrow a chair to get that book?”
If it’s a history book, surely there would be a record of the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ in it as well.
Maybe it would also tell me something about ‘Fila Village’ and what happened to Lyle and Alice.
After I got on a chair, I reached for the door of the bookshelf and started pulling on the handles.
“…It won’t open”
The bookshelf door doesn’t budge at all.
This is weird.
I got permission from Father and I’m sure the butler, Neil, knows that, too.
“Um, I can’t open it”
“I’ve unlocked the bookshelf”
“But it won’t open?”
“I’ve unlocked the bookshelf. That’s all I can say”
The butler, Neil, looked away.
I followed his gaze and saw a small piece of metal plate stuck under the bookshelf.
The door wouldn’t open because it’s in the way.
I got off the chair and brought my face closer to the metal plate to inspect it.
The surface of the metal plate is smooth, and there are characters engraved on it. It won’t come off even when I try to scratch it with my fingers.
This is a magic tool used to lock the door.
“Well, this is all I can do, so I’ll be off then. Please call me when you’ve finished reading.
The butler, Neil, left the library.
No use complaining to Neil about it.
He must be thinking that if he goes against the tutor, Kachel, then he will put the Baron family in a bad position.
Humans are truly troublesome. Especially nobles.
Even if I read these books, there’s no demerit to tutor Kachel.
Why does he have to go through all this trouble and use a magic tool just to get in my way? I don’t really understand humans.
It can’t be helped. It’s been a while since I’ve tried to dispel a magic spell.
“‘Magical Blood’ Erosion, [Mistel Blood — Hacking]”
I cut my finger with a dagger.
The blood-soaked finger is then pressed directly against the magic tool.
I was born with blood that is rich in magic power, and the blood that flows out is also connected to me through my magic power, like an extension of my body.
Therefore, I can interfere with magic by letting my blood seep into it.
In my previous life, when Lyle’s daughter, Alice, contracted the ‘Death Crest Disease’, I gave her my blood. |TL Note: Changed ‘Death Disease’ to ‘Death Crest Disease’, this change will be made to all the previously posted chapters, too|
While my blood was flowing throughout Alice, she was connected to me by magic for some time.
That’s why I was able to eliminate all the pathogens of the ‘Death Crest Disease’ inside of her with the power of ‘Purification’.
This time, it’s the same principle as when I purify Alice.
Let my blood seep into the magic tool and then modify the magic.
All I have to do now is to analyze the magic and destroy it or stop the flow of magic that powers it.
“——Breaking into the exterior of the magic. Continue erosion to the magic”
Internals of the magic——Analysis Complete.
Confirmation of adhesion magic on the bookshelf door. Interference to magic supply begins.
Confirming the usage of magic has stopped——Successful.
*BAM*
The metal plate that was stuck to the door of the bookshelf came off.
“I’ll put this back later”
‘That’s amazing. Master!’
A voice came from outside the window.
I looked closer and saw a black bat hanging from a tree in the courtyard.
“Oh, you’re here. Dick”
‘Yes, Master. I’m here to report that there are no abnormalities in the mountains so far’
“Sorry, but I’ll be busy reading now”
‘All right! At any rate, that was amazing, Master! I’ve never seen magic that cancels out other magic before!’
“It’s a boring trick. Dick”
Even if I could use such a technique, I still couldn’t beat the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’.
‘…Master. Someone is coming!’
“Got it”
I opened the bookshelf and took out the book.
It’s impossible to reattach the ‘now normal’ metal plate to the bookshelf door again, so let’s just let it lean against the bookshelf.
“Excuse me, Yuuki-sama. I’ve brought you some tea”
“I’ll have to say no to that tea. After all, I don’t want to get the book dirty”
“Is that so…”
The butler, Neil, is looking at the bookshelf.
…T-This is bad. Why is the magic tool upside down?
I was in a hurry when I put it back. I wonder if Neil is suspicious of it.
“Even the private tutor makes mistakes too, huh?”
“Aren’t you concerned with what the private tutor does?”
“I’m talking to myself. I just thought that Kachel-sensei also seemed to be in a hurry”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m just talking to myself here…but back then when I was on the battlefield, I received a similar talisman with the same seal that was stuck to the bookshelf there. It took three mages to remove it, so there shouldn’t be anyone here who can break such a seal. I guess Kachel-sensei had made some sort of mistake”
“Neil-san, do you mean that Kachel-sensei harassed me?”
“It was a slip of the tongue”
The butler, Neil, coughed to clear his throat.
“There’s no way Baron-sama would hire someone who did such a trivial thing, right?”
“Kachel-sensei is a member of the ‘Magic Guild’. Supposedly, he wouldn’t be harassing a child now, would he?”
“…The actions of the private tutor are none of my concern”
*Rattle Rattle Rattle Rattle*
…There was the sound of someone running off in a hurry.
“Then I’ll continue reading. Neil-san, please return to your duties”
“Thank you for your kind offer. Yuuki-sama”
Neil left the library.
Let’s start reading in earnest now.
—An Hour Later—
“…Haa”
I closed the book.
So in conclusion, the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ was destroyed.
I’m truly at a loss for words.
The ‘Ancient Artifacts’ they excavated were scattered. In other words, they’re gone.
“What were you doing, humans”
This isn’t funny.
I really wonder what they were doing. Both the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ and the humans.
The ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ in my previous life, was a powerful magic organization.
They called the ‘Capital of Ancient Magic Civilization, Elysium’ that they found, a ‘Sanctuary’. They also used the excavated ‘Ancient Magic’ and ‘Ancient Artifacts’ there as weapons and sent capable people to the hearts of other countries.
Bishops, Priests, and Holy Knights.
In every country and province, they were involved in politics.
Not even the Kings of the countries could oppose them.
However…after my death as ‘Dean Nosferatu’ in my previous life, and after having caused so much trouble to the human world, they were destroyed.
“…Compared to the ‘Immortal Mage, Lord of Nosferatu’, aren’t you causing more trouble to the humans…O ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’”
According to the history book, after my death, there was a war among humans.
It was originally a territorial dispute between small countries, but the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ intervened.
At the time, there was a power struggle within the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’, and it was divided into several factions.
Each faction started to favor the Kings of these countries and got them on their side.
The countries that had ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ on their side, started to launch a full-scale war.
They seemed to think that it would be an easy victory if they had ‘Ancient Magic’ and ‘Ancient Artifacts’.
However, when they actually fought, the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ were useless.
The causes of it were unknown.
They didn’t know if it couldn’t be activated or if it wasn’t working.
The countries that started the war with the backing of the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ in mind could not back off and resulted in a very complicated war.
After the war ended, people’s resentments were directed towards the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’.
With all the forces against them, ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ was destroyed.
Most of the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ they had, went missing, too.
“I thought that people in this era will replicate the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ and live life comfortably.”
Like the items that bring out hot water when you turn on the faucet, or the blankets that keep you warm when you go to bed, and so on.
In the end, that didn’t happen.
So the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ was destroyed while they excavated the Holy Sword and other artifacts? That sounds ridiculous.
I didn’t find anything on ‘Fila Village’.
The history book ends with the destruction of the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ and the creation of the peaceful ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ afterward. |TL Note: Changed ‘Rindobell’ to ‘Lindbel’, this change will be made to all the previously posted chapters, too|
The ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ was organized to properly educate mages, and to ensure that ‘Ancient Magic’ is managed by responsible hands, so that people do not make the same mistakes as the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’.
“So far this is all that I know”
The only way to know more would be to go to the royal capital.
After all, there’s a large library in the royal capital, and research historians, too.
Let’s go there someday and find something on ‘Fila Village’. I want to know what happened to Lyle and the others.
I put the book back on the bookshelf and rang the bell on the desk. The butler, Neil, came over not too long after.
After we left the library, Neil locked the door. I thanked him and went back to the detached building.
Back in my room, I was thinking about what I am going to do.
There are two paths that I can take.
One is to leave the mansion and enroll in a public school.
I can’t take over the Grossalia family.
So, I’ll enroll in a public school in the royal capital to first learn the common sense of this world. After that, I can become an adventurer and make a living. This is one of the paths that I thought of.
The reason for this is that adventurers don’t need to have their background be known to others.
If I move from town to town every few years, I’ll probably be able to lie about my age, too.
Another path is to leave the mansion and search for ‘Fila Village’.
The war broke out soon after my death. If I can find Alice’s descendants, I might be able to get some answers.
“……Or perhaps both?”
On second thought, I didn’t have to take only one path.
I could just look for information on ‘Fila Village’ while casually going to school.
That’s it! It has been decided then. Let’s discuss it with Father later.
As I was thinking about it——
“Congratulations! Xellos-sama!!”
I heard voices and looked out the window. There, I saw Father, Xellos nii-sama, and Kachel in the courtyard.
A carriage is parked outside the gate. A red box-like carriage. It’s the mail coach.
I see. So today was the day for the mail coach to come.
Mail coaches are the country’s most important lines of communication. They carry letters and packages from town to town.
It seems that a letter was delivered to Xellos nii-sama.
Aside from Kachel-sensei who is laughing loudly, both Father and Xellos nii-sama have a big smile on their face, too.
“Ooh, Yuuki. Join us. Honorable news has reached Xellos”
“…Y-Yeah. I wish Yuuki could hear the news, too”
Father beckons me. Xellos nii-sama has a slight subtle expression on his face.
I headed for the front door and walked out to them.
“Listen, Yuuki-dono. You should be proud of having such an incredible brother! My student, Xellos-sama, has received wonderful news from the ‘Magic Guild’!”
Kachel-sensei was in the best mood I’ve ever seen him in.
He held Xellos nii-sama’s hand and looked at me with a smile on his face.
“Yuuki, you also heard of the ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ too, right?”
Father explained on those two’s behalf.
Father looks happy. So that means….
“Could it be that nii-sama became a trainee at the ‘Magic Guild’?”
“That’s not it, Yuuki”
Nii-sama held out his chest proudly.
“The 8th Princess, Her Royal Highness, Iris Restia, has decided to see my abilities!!”
Xellos nii-sama exclaimed with a huge grin on his face.
Chapter 2 Part 1
Chapter 2 – A Story About The Decisive Battle For Humanity’s Strongest That Broke Out At The Entrance Ceremony
—And so it is time for the entrance ceremony.
This is the building used for the ceremony.
A red carpet was laid out in a space the size of a gymnasium, and chairs were lined up everywhere.
It is said that this place is sometimes used to invite important figures from various countries. With chandeliers and such that can take one’s breath away, the interior looks quite luxurious.
I was born as a member of the Duke’s family, but I’m not a child of the first wife, so in a sense, I’m actually more of a commoner.
Well, like the son of a reasonably wealthy merchant type of commoner.
Incidentally, in my previous life, I was the eighth son of a fallen and poor noble. I was almost sold to a debtor, too.
Anyway…this is the kind of place where the commoner’s hard-earned money would disappear to.
And then there are the Honour Students class, the Children of Nobility class, and the rest of the classes. Looks like each class has their own seats.
The Honour Students class is at the front, the Children of Nobility class is behind them, and the commoners class is behind the latter.
The red carpet laid on the floor is only up to the Children of Nobility class. We can catch a glimpse of a blatantly class-based society here as well, huh….
I felt melancholy as I turned my gaze towards the VIP seats in the frontmost row, left of the ceremony hall.
“Anastasia?”
“Ah, yes. What is it?”
“To me, it looks like Headmaster Merlin is taking quick glances at me. What does it look like to you?”
“I think so, too”
I knew it.
Hmmm…well, I forced myself to run away for no real reason….
In hindsight, I could have just made the excuse that I just happened to look similar back in the office.
Let’s take the initiative and go talk to her to clear up the misunderstanding after the entrance ceremony has ended.
No, it’s not a misunderstanding, Merlin thinks I’m a blood relative of the Emperor of the Thunder God…well, I suppose I really can use the ‘I look like him’ route.
It’s just that I actually have the same presence, and I was like this when I was younger.
Then why did I run away? I mean, in this day and age, Demons are superior to Humans in the field of magic, and it seems that if you’re the leading figure of the demon race in magic society, you’ll be a target of tremendous amounts of respect and awe.
Hmm, that’s right.
How about this as a cover-up plan?
First, I was surprised when I was suddenly spoken to by such an important person. So not knowing what to do, I ran away.
Then, later on, I realized how rude I was and decided to talk to her to apologize.
After that, I will just say the first thing that comes to mind. ‘Whoa, it’s such an honor to resemble Merlin-sama’s Master, the Emperor of the Thunder God (in a monotone voice)’, and that’s how I’ll push through using this ‘I look like him’ route….
Yeah, it’s the perfect plan, if I do say so myself.
Ignoring my thoughts there, the entrance ceremony proceeded.
It wasn’t too long before the ceremony moved on to where the representative of the new students was supposed to give a speech, and I was called up by the headmaster.
“Now, representative of the new students—student Ephthal Alcott”
“Yes!!”
And that’s where I started feeling uncomfortable.
I mean…I knew it…this is bad. Absolutely bad, right?
It would be bad if I stood up and replied, “Yes”, when someone called Ephthal Alcott, wouldn’t it!?
It would be bad if I, who has the same name as the Emperor of the Thunder God, stood up and replied, “Yes” in this situation where Merlin is paying attention to me, wouldn’t it?
And so, while heading towards the podium, I cautiously looked at Merlin in the VIP seat with a sideway glance—she’s not just taking quick glances anymore, but she’s now gazing at me.
Well, that’s the current situation, isn’t it?
I mean, she’s looking at me as if she’s leaning forward with all her might. She’s really into it right now and is gazing at my face like she’s devouring me.
Ahh…this is not good.
So I finished my new student representative’s speech and returned to my seat.
While I was returning to my seat, I could still feel Merlin’s fervent gaze. And just like that, Merlin continued to stare at me until the ceremony was over….
Well, guess I’ve caught Merlin’s interest, haven’t I?
Chapter 3 Part 3
Well…my self-introduction took a little longer than expected, but the following ones went on without any issue.
“I’m Lara! Everyone, please let us all be friends!”
“I’m Marise. Nice to meet you all”
Among all the self-introductions, Lara and Marise were the ones who attracted the most attention.
Guess it can’t be helped.
In the exam, Lara and Marise’s magic was clearly head and shoulders above the rest.
That’s probably why they’re getting so much attention.
“Well then. Now that all 30 of you have finished introducing yourselves, there’s something that I need to tell everyone here. Let’s talk about that for today then call it a day”
Putting her hands on the lectern, Erika-sensei continued in a more serious tone.
“I suppose all of you are also aware that there’s a dungeon called 《Treasure Labyrinth》 on the grounds of this school”
A Labyrinth, huh…that sounds nostalgic.
“The 《Treasure Labyrinth》 is an underground dungeon. There are different types of monsters living there and many treasures that no one has touched yet. Even though you’re first-year students, if you have met certain conditions, then you can challenge the 《Treasure Labyrinth》 and train your skills there. This is one of the main selling points of Rosanlila Magic Academy”
said Erika-sensei proudly.
These dungeons called Labyrinths existed a thousand years ago, too.
I often went into these dungeons to collect materials for making magic tools and to kill some time.
For example, in my previous life, the 《Sorlahese Great Labyrinth》 that I’ve traversed and spent three days in there, has 1000 layers underground.
It was just a Labyrinth, but it was quite enjoyable at the time.
“It’s said that the 《Treasure Labyrinth》, which is classified as a ‘Great Labyrinth’, has up to 100 layers. Moreover, no one has ever set foot in the lowest layer. It’s a Labyrinth that’s still shrouded in mystery”
For me, a Labyrinth with just 100 layers is a rather small Labyrinth, but…well, let’s just keep my mouth shut here, and not make a scene again.
“In two month’s time, within that same 《Treasure Labyrinth》, an exhibition game will be held with the Disaria Magic Academy from the Empire’s imperial capital. Do any of you know about that?”
When Sensei asked, about half of the students in the class raised their hands.
Among them was Marise.
“Then allow me to elaborate a little on the exhibition game. To put it simply, it’s a friendly competition game with the Disaria Magic Academy. Each magic academy will have three representatives and dive into the Labyrinth as a team. Those teams will then compete with each other to see who can obtain the most materials and treasures within a time limit”
Oh? There’s an event like that?
“Basically, it’s held for the purpose of having a good competitive spirit and strengthening the relationship between us…but for the past few years, we, the Rosanlila Magic Academy, have been losing to Disaria Magic Academy from the Imperial Capital. If we lose this year as well, it will be the first time in our history to have a 10-time losing streak”
So, they keep losing, huh?
Anyway…the Empire’s imperial capital was destroyed by the demon, Vonbax, 1000 years ago.
But seems like, over the years, they managed to succeed in their restoration efforts.
There were many nobles that I disliked in the Empire, so even just remembering them made me feel sick.
“We want to win at all costs this year! Let’s put an end to this disgraceful losing streak! That’s why we need everyone here to help out too!”
With fervor, Sensei slammed her hands down on the lectern.
But—a question started to arise in my mind.
“Isn’t it a little strange to have so many consecutive losses? Is the standard between the Rosanlila Magic Academy and the Empire’s Disaria Magic Academy really that far off?”, I asked.
Hearing that, Sensei clenched her teeth and replied,
“No…I don’t think there’s that big of a difference in the skills itself…it’s just that, we couldn’t win due to unfortunate circumstances”
Unfortunate circumstances?
Somehow, this is kind of fishy.
It’s the cowardly Empire after all. There’s the possibility that they did something.
…No, my conventional wisdom about the Empire being cowardly is from 1000 years ago.
They may be different in this era. Besides, it’s not good to be prejudiced.
“But, I think we can win this year. After all, this year’s batch of first-year students is excellent. Everyone…let us win the upcoming exhibition game!!”
“Are the first-year students going to be selected as the representatives?”
“Most of them are in their third-year…but if there are any outstanding first-year students, they’ll be selected. And for this year, I think one of them is definitely going to be selected”
While Sensei was talking, I noticed she took a glance at me.
Oh well, I guess that’s fine.
To become a representative, I’ll have to accumulate achievements first.
And I have no intention of losing.
She said it’s for the sake of having a good relationship with the other magic academy, but a competition is still a competition.
Only a complete victory will be considered a win.
After Sensei’s talk was over, I was about to leave the classroom but then, Lara came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.
“Kurt! May I have a moment?”
“What is it?”
“I have a favor to ask of you. Please…teach me some magic!”
said Lara as she has her clenched fist in front of her chest while giving me an intense gaze.
“What made you suddenly say that?”
“After listening to what Sensei said just now…I’m motivated now like a fire has been lit! And besides, it was all thanks to Kurt for helping me with the exam. I don’t think I’m strong enough yet…”
“I don’t think that’s true”
“It’s true! That’s why…I want to learn from Kurt to hone my skills in magic. So—please, Kurt! No matter how hard the training is, I’ll endure it!
Hmm.
She’s a good child of great ambition.
I don’t hate children like her.
“Include me as well, please”
Just as I was thinking about my reply, Marise also came over and asked something similar to Lara’s.
“Marise, too?”
“Yes. I’ve yet to give up on my goal to graduate from this school as a valedictorian. So I thought it would be best to learn from you”
“So, you’re trying to imply that…you want to steal my knowledge on magic from me?”
“You can think of it that way, too”
There seems to be a fire in Marise’s eyes as well.
“Hmm”
Great, I’m in trouble.
A thousand years ago, no one would dare tell me that.
Even if they did, they were only pretending so that they could cut off my head when I slept.
That’s why—when someone makes requests like these two, I get confused and uncertain on how to respond.
Because of that,
“I don’t think I can do it?”, I replied.
Was I too quiet?
Lara looked up at me with an uneasy look on her face and her head tilted to one side.
“But…”
“Will it be better if we display our abilities?”
Marise who was standing at the side intervened.
“Whether we deserve to have you teach us magic or not…. We fought against each other in the entrance exam, but if you can’t tell by that alone, I’ll show you my full capability. With that, I’m sure I can convince you”
“Me too, me too! I’m not confident…but I’ll do my best!”
Apparently, this has become a misunderstanding as they thought I’m thinking it’s not worth teaching them magic.
“Kukuku…”
“Why are you laughing!?”
Isn’t this interesting?
“All right, I understand. Let’s have a little test. And if the two of you pass, I’ll teach both of you magic”
“Yay!! I’ll do my best”
“What’s the matter with you, Lara? He hasn’t decided to teach us yet”
“Ehehe, you’re right”
Marise calmly interjected, but Lara’s cheeks were already forming at the end of a broad smile.
“So…what’s the test?”
“I’m thinking of going to the 《Treasure Labyrinth》 that Sensei was talking about earlier. So I’ll take a look at your aptitudes there”
At those words, Lara and Marise’s expressions tensed up.
“Eh…in the…《Treasure Labyrinth》…? Isn’t it dangerous for us to suddenly go in there as first-year students?”
“As long as I’m around, you’re safe. And didn’t you hear? Three representatives will be selected for the exhibition game. Therefore…no, from now on, I want Lara and Marise to join me as a party for subjugating the Labyrinth”
““EH?””
They both exclaimed in unison.
It’s more efficient to train Lara and Marise this way, so let’s add them to the party anyway. I prefer this over being in a situation where I don’t know who I’ll be partnered with.
Besides, I’ve gotten tired of subjugating Labyrinths all by myself 1000 years ago
In that case—it might be interesting to try subjugating a Labyrinth with a party in this era.
“It kind of surprises me”
“What does that supposed to mean?”
“You don’t seem to like company, parties, or anything of the sort. I thought you’d prefer getting everything done by yourself”
What is she talking about?
It’s not like I like being alone.
I also wanted to make friends in my previous life, but that failed.
Fearing my power, the people around me all left.
“I’ve yet to decide if I’m going to party with you two…but for the time being, we’ll be working together. And therefore, nice to meet you”
“Yeah! Likewise, nice to meet you, Marise-chan!”
said Lara, offering her hand out to Marise, but—
“I-I don’t need friends! But…if I could form a party with Kurt, I could see his magic up close. I also don’t want to form a party with a liability from here on out…just for clarification, we are not friends, I’m just joining you guys because of the benefits. Please don’t misunderstand here”
said Marise coldly, turning her back on Lara.
“I-I see…I guess we won’t just suddenly get along. At any rate, let’s make lots of fun memories from now on as we get along with each other!”
Hmm. Marise is a very ambitious child as well, huh?
With that being said, Lara is also mentally strong. It’s a valuable trait to have her maintain such a cheery tone, even when Marise acted like that to her.
“Anyway…the forming of the party will have to wait until the test is over. So come on, let’s get going!”
“Eh? Where to?”
I think that should be obvious by now.
“It’s the Labyrinth”
Chapter 3 Part 1
Chapter 3 – The Former Demon King, Begins His Behind The Scenes Operations
The next morning.
After returning to the detached building, I took a quick nap and then headed out through the window of my room again.
A short time later, I returned to the mansion with the rabbit meat.
Going through the main gate of the mansion, it looked like I had just returned from a hunt.
But of course, the prey was hunted at night and I had the bats watch over it.
“What’re you doing there, Yuuki-dono!!”
The moment I walked through the gate, I heard someone call out to me.
Kachel Mieghem, dressed in a gray robe was looking at me.
That’s what I had expected.
“I see you’ve gone out. Can you tell this Kachel where you were and what you were doing?”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m in charge of Xellos-sama’s education. I am obligated to maintain an appropriate environment within the Baron’s household for him. If you have done anything wrong, I must report it to Baron-sama”
“……I was hunting”
I showed him the ‘Large Rabbit’ on my back.
“I went to check the trap that I had set up in the mountains behind the mansion and found out it had caught something, so I brought it back. I’m going to have my maid in the detached building to cook it”
“Why would you do that?”
“There’s not much meat to eat in the detached building. I thought I’d treat me and my maid with it”
“Oh, how selfish of you, illegitimate child!”
The tutor, Kachel, looked up at the sky and exclaimed.
“An illegitimate child is no better than a servant. If the servant managed to hunt down prey, it’s common sense to present them to Baron-sama, right!? But to use it to curry favor with the other servants…I can’t believe it!”
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to deal with the meat now”
I ignored Kachel and started to walk away.
“Please wait, Yuuki-dono!!”
“What’s going on? I thought I heard Kachel-sensei’s voice…?”
Father came from the courtyard.
Short blonde hair and a muscular body. He had a wooden training sword in his hand.
My Father, Baron Georg Grossalia.
“Ooh, if it isn’t Yuuki? Where have you been!?”
“I went hunting in the mountains”
“Please listen to me, Georg-sama. Yuuki-dono is planning to keep all the prey to himself”
Kachel interrupted me and told Father.
“This is Baron Grossalia’s household. If a servant has hunted prey, it’s natural to present them to Georg-sama, master of the household, but to keep them to oneself, this Kachel has nothing more to say!!”
“If Yuuki has hunted it, then the prey belongs to Yuuki, right?”
Father laid down his wooden sword and stroked my head with his big hand.
“Even so, two ‘Large Rabbits’, huh? Hmm, you’ve set traps, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Father”
“Isn’t that amazing! When I was a child, all I could do was swing a wooden sword! I’ve heard that ‘Large Rabbit’ are extremely wary, thus very difficult to catch. But…to have successfully hunted it down and what’s more, there’s even two of it, well…I must say, that’s quite a feat! You’re very talented, Yuuki!”
“Thank you very much. Father”
Father won his peerage due to his distinguished service in the war.
That’s why he never misses his morning practice.
I also like seeing him practice hard, him sweating all over his body as he continues to swing his wooden sword. |Editor’s Note: MC says no homo fast!|
In my previous life, I didn’t have anyone to call as my father.
“But don’t be reckless. There are powerful monsters in the mountains, too. If you are going there alone, you can only go to the foot of the mountains. If you get hurt, we’ll all be worried about you”
“That’s no good! Baron Georg-sama!!”
cried Kachel.
“How can you praise an illegitimate child’s selfish behavior instead of reprimanding it! Is that the right way to be a nobleman!?”
“Don’t be so stubborn, Kachel-sensei”
Father scratched his head as if he was troubled.
“My son was successful in his hunt. What’s wrong with praising him for that?”
“Baron-sama seems to have forgotten the terms and conditions for hiring me”
Kachel sneered and looked at both me and my father.
I know what this guy is going to say.
For three years now, Kachel has been using these words to silence anyone in the household.
“I’ll do my best to make sure that the legitimate son, Xellos-sama, becomes a trainee at the ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’. In return, Baron-sama would not object to my methods. Wasn’t that a condition for hiring me?”
“……I-I know. But……”
“The mage training institute of ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ is a place where members of the royal families and high-ranking nobles also attend. Even though Xellos-sama is aiming to be in the ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’, what are you going to do if the Baron’s family can’t even abide by the discipline? A legitimate child always stands above the illegitimate child. Baron-sama does not need to speak to the illegitimate child more than necessary. I told you that’s the rule in aristocracy”
“I know…I know…, but Yuuki has a great talent!”
Again, Father stroked my hair though bitterly this time.
“Isn’t it a parent’s duty to nurture their children’s talents?”
“Very well. Then I’ll return to the royal capital. This Kachel has done everything in his power to get Xellos-sama into the ‘Magic Guild’, but it seems to be in vain”
“W-Wait a minute! This and that are a different story!”
“If you become a trainee in the ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’, you’ll often meet children from the high-ranking nobles. I thought the Baron’s family name would rise when those children and Xellos-sama get to know each other, but it’s a shame, really. If the head of the family, Baron Georg-sama, continues to be this way, at this rate……”
“…………”
“This is for you, Father”
I held out the ‘Large Rabbit’ to Father.
“In return, will you listen to my request?”
“O-Oh. Do tell me!”
“I’d like to request permission to enter the library in the main building”
“The library?”
“Yes. As Kachel-sensei said, I lack understanding of the rules in this country and of my own standing in society. So, to not offend nii-sama and Kachel-sensei, I want to learn about the system and the history of this country”
“……Amazing. You’re thinking that far ahead, huh……”
I’m sorry, Father. This whole situation was all according to my plan.
I knew that if I brought back prey from a hunt, Kachel would surely complain about it.
That’s why I boldly entered through the main gate while carrying the ‘Large Rabbit’.
Tutor Kachel knows that Father trains with his sword in the courtyard every morning.
If I do anything right then and there, Kachel-sensei would make a fuss so that Father could hear him.
This person has always been like this. After three years of doing the same thing over and over again, I’d at least remembered that pattern of his.
So I decided to take advantage of it and gain access to the library.
Why? You might ask. By going through the books in the library, I’ll be able to find out what has happened to the world since my death in my previous life.
“Again, as Kachel-sensei said, I need to know my own standing in society. For that reason, I want to make up for the knowledge which I lack. Please, Father, give me the right to read the books”
“Of course! It’s great that Yuuki want to do some self-study”
“…………”
“Yuuki said he wants to understand his standing. Is this against the rules of the aristocracy? Kachel-sensei”
“N-No. Not a problem at all!”
With that, the tutor Kachel went back to the mansion.
Father let out a small sigh.
“Forgive me, Yuuki”
“No, I don’t mind”
I understand that Father is trying to protect the Grossalia Family, and I can’t get in the way of that.
“Regarding the library, I’ll tell the butler, Neil, about it. So feel free to use it”
“Thank you very much, Father”
After doing a quick bow, I headed towards the main building.
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Chapter 3 Part 2
“Kurt in a school uniform! It really does suit Kurt, you look so cool in it!”
Soon after checking out the results, the uniforms of Rosanlila Magic Academy were handed out to the successful candidates, so I quickly put them on.
Hmm. Looks like it’s made of pretty good material for this world.
“It looks good on you too, Lara”
“Thank you! Look at me~ Look at me~”
Her skirt fluttered as Lara spun around.
I didn’t mean it to be flattery or anything, but I did think she’s really cute.
Well, there’s also that. Maybe the shirt wasn’t the right size, but the buttons were about to pop from Lara’s bountiful chest.
“Frolicking in your uniforms, are you guys still kids?”
Marise, who is also dressed in her uniform, let out a sigh.
“But Marise-chan, you look happy as well?”
“T-That’s not true! Wearing this uniform means that we will be seen as a student of Rosanlila Magic Academy. We have to act properly outside so that we don’t bring shame to the Rosanlila name. In the first place, you guys are……”
Marise lectures to Lara.
However, Marise also looks pretty good in her uniform.
With her neatly dressed, she’s just like Rosebella, the Goddess of Beauty that I saw 1000 years ago. |TL Note: The ‘Razebara’ name is subject to change if there’s a better version – Update: changed to ‘Rosebella’. Credits: Peregrine|
“I think Marise looks good too. You look beautiful”
Maybe that’s why such words came out of my mouth naturally.
“Eh——?”
Marise’s cheek blushed a bright red.
“If you’re s-s-saying t-thi-things like that again, I’m going to…….”
She looked away from me in embarrassment.
…Well, let’s put the uniform matter aside.
We then started heading to 《First》 class.
“I’m glad to be in the same class as Kurt”
“I’ll get to see your magic a lot more often while we’re in school. I’ll catch up to you soon, so be prepared for that!”
Apparently, I’m in the same class as Lara and Marise.
I’d be lonely if I had no company with me, and besides, these two are talented in magic.
Thinking ahead, perhaps it could be said that I’m lucky to be in the same class as them.
When we arrived in the classroom, including us three, there were about 30 students in 《First》 class.
“First of all, everyone. Congratulations on your successful enrollment. I’m Erika, the homeroom teacher of this 《First》 class”
Sensei told everyone so as soon as we took our seats.
Although she is a woman, she seems to be a strict teacher.
“You can affectionately call me ‘Eri-chan’”
……….
Silence envelops the classroom.
“A-Ahem”
As if trying to cover up that awkward silence, Erika-sensei cleared her throat.
“All of you will be spending the next three years in this school. It’s up to you to decide how you want to spend your three years here. You could use them for rigorous magic training, or you could be diligent in your research. But let me tell you one thing. For those who dilly-dally for those three years, even if he or she manages to graduate from the magic academy, they would have a bleak future ahead of them. I want all of you to keep that in mind and have a fulfilling life for the next three years”
The atmosphere in the classroom became tense after that.
“Nice to meet you, Eri-chan!”
“M-Mm. Nice to meet you”
Only Lara waved her hand and called out Sensei’s name in a cheerful voice.
Erika-sensei also looked happy to be called Eri-chan.
“Well then, let’s start with a self-introduction. First, the top student, Kurt”
She looks at me.
……Damn.
What should I say?
Well, I don’t have to be like Erika-sensei, trying to be funny.
Let’s end this peacefully.
With that thought in mind, I moved back my chair and stood up.
“I’m Kurt. Kurt Lepracta. I hope to live a peaceful and happy life in this school. Nice to meet you all”
After finishing my introduction, a weak applause followed, and the students began whispering to each other.
“Kurt who passed as the top student…. Ahh…he was the examinee 99, right?”
“I heard he broke all 10 Mud Dolls in one fell swoop”
“That’s not all. In the practical exam, he was able to make a huge ‘Holy Sword’ appear, and he seems to have won against Desmond-san, too”
“But I heard that he has the ‘Defective Magic Power’? It all just sounds so unreal! I didn’t watch the fight…but it must be a lie!”
I wonder if it’s because I was being a little too conspicuous during the entrance exam?
Even though it’s only my first day at school, it’s like I’m already famous.
“Excuse me! May I ask a question, Kurt-kun!”
One of the girls raised her hand and stood up.
“Kurt-kun has an exam score of ‘∞’, right? Full marks are supposed to be 300 points…so what does that ‘∞’ mean?”
“You can ask the examiner about that”
I shrugged.
Seeing that, Erika-sensei decided to reply on my behalf.
“It means exactly as it is. Kurt does not fit into the 300 points category”
“He doesn’t fit into……the 300 points category……?”
“To be precise, we couldn’t score him. That’s just how it is. Ah, right…Kurt. Can you try to solve this problem?”
said Erika-sensei as she writes out a magic formula on the blackboard.
Hmmm..….it looks like this is the magic formula of Ifrit Flare.
In my previous life, it was a high-ranking magic.
I never thought I’d be able to see something like this in this era….
“……Hm? But that’s……”
There are far too many errors.
As it is, it will go out of control and the magic won’t be able to activate properly.
“Sensei. Isn’t that magic formula wrong?”
“Oh? It’s wrong? Then please write down the correct magic formula for me”
I didn’t expect that she would suddenly set me up.
“You may use this piece of chalk”
“No, I don’t need it. I can write without it”
“What do you mean—Wha-!!!”
Sensei’s eyes widened in surprise.
Before she could even blink, a new magic formula has been written all over the blackboard.
“What is going on here……??”
“I didn’t want to start from scratch, so I just projected the magic formula in my head directly onto the blackboard. Is there a problem?”
“N-No, it’s not that, but……”
Erika-sensei quickly adjusts her glasses and takes another serious look at the magic formula I wrote.
“WOW……! Amazing!! This one is certainly more logical and beautiful!! I don’t think I have enough magic power to materialize it…but I really didn’t think it was possible…!!”
For some reason, she looked very excited.
“Sensei?”
“I-I’m sorry. It seems like I was overly excited”
“Then…is it correct?”
“Hmm…”
Sensei nodded and then replied,
“It’s not correct”
Eh…?
Does that mean I’m wrong…?
“There’s no correct answer in the first place”
“What do you mean by that, Sensei?”
“This is one of the ‘Lost Magic’ which has been lost in the annals of time. There’s no one in this school—or even in the entire world who can handle this”
Seriously?
Even if it’s a high-ranking magic, anyone who could use a little bit of magic, can cast it continuously, right?
It’s the kind of magic that’s suitable for attacking a large area.
If the enemy hadn’t set up a barrier, an entire city could be blown away easily. And after the magic revolution happened a thousand years ago, it was common to have this level of magic that can destroy entire cities.
For that reason, it was a common practice to set up barriers that cover entire cities.
“However, the remaining descriptions of the ‘Lost Magic’ in the old literature……we tried to decipher and restore it as much as possible, and the result was the magic formula that I had written earlier……but the formula written by Kurt is much better. It’s on a different level”
Sensei muttered to herself.
In contrast, the students who were watching as this whole event unfolded,
“Is a magic formula supposed to be that long?”
“Wouldn’t it take an hour to set up that magic formula during a battle? And what’s with the structure of the chant?”
said the students.
“……So everyone understands, right? In the exam, there was also a similar problem like this. After much consideration, we had no choice but to give him an ‘∞’ score. Needless to say, he’s the undisputed top student”
Upon hearing this, nobody argued that statement.
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Chapter 3 Part 1
“What do you guys think of this year’s examinees?”
‘—Inside Rosanlila Magic Academy’s conference room—’
The staff had gathered there to discuss this year’s exam results.
“It’s pretty good”
One of the staff members said.
“First of all, coming from a distinguished family of mages, the daughter of the Sizenosna family, Marise Sizenosna. Despite having ‘Inferior Magic Power’, her talents are amazing. She used the highest-ranked magic during the practical exam. She is considered by far the most outstanding one among the examinees”
“That girl, Lara, is incredible, too. Even though she couldn’t hit the Mud Dolls, but she was able to unleash powerful magic. She will get stronger with training”
Everyone in the conference room looked excited as they talked about their notable examinees one after another.
“…………”
At the far end of the room, the headmaster folded her arms and listened to all the chatter in silence.
The headmaster—she has the appearance of a young girl.
However, there seems to be a thick solemn atmosphere around her, as if she had been through many experiences.
“Hmm. I understand what you guys are trying to say. But there is only one boy with abnormal power, isn’t it? A boy called Kurt”
When the headmaster mentions that name, the examiners, who have been talkative, immediately stop.
The magic of that boy, Kurt, was too overwhelming.
So much so that it was as if they were witnessing a fantastical dream.
“What are Kurt’s exam scores?”
“As one would expect, he has exceeded the passing score for both the target and battle exams by a large margin”
“What about his written exam?”
“His written exam was excellent, too. The magic formula he drew was several levels higher than what we had anticipated, especially that last question”
“The last question…. Ohh, is that the question that was made based on the premise that it wouldn’t be possible to solve by just anyone?”
“That’s right, it’s a question based on the long lost magic theory from a thousand years ago. What he wrote on his answer sheet was evidence that supports the aforementioned theory of lost magic, which many would regard have been impossible with our current understanding of magic”
“What did you just say…?”
“If we present it to the ‘Institute’, a revolution will occur. It has that kind of content. But even if we try to use it now, it still won’t be up to par with our current capabilities” |Editor’s Note: That ‘Institute’ is subject to change|
The staff member shrugged.
Upon hearing this, the headmaster was at a loss for words with the sudden arrival of such great talent.
However, if it’s Kurt—he might be able to achieve the ‘Revolution’ that the headmaster had very much desired for.
“Then it has been decided. He has passed the entrance exam”
None of the staff members disagreed.
◆ ◆
After the practical exam ended, there was some free time before the day of the results was supposed to be announced.
“I’m nervous”
I wandered aimlessly around the city until the day of the announcement of the results arrived before heading towards the magic academy.
Lara ran up to me and said, “Kurt! Let’s go see it together!”.
There is no particular reason to refuse, so we decided to check the results together.
We proceeded to the location where the numbers of every candidate who passed the entrance exam are posted.
As I observe the surrounding area, everyone looked very nervous.
In the midst of this,
“AH!”
Just as I thought I heard a voice, a girl rapidly approached us.
“You’re…Kurt Lepracta!”
“And you are—Marise, right?”
“—! So you remembered my name”
Marise’s cheeks blushed momentarily from happiness.
However, she quickly shook her head.
“O-Of course! We did fight hard in the practical exam after all! Though there was a slight difference in our abilities……”
She was muttering to herself.
Marise, huh…. During that low-level exam, she was the only one who used the intermediate level magic, Holy Sword.
As for Lara, I noticed she has good talents, too.
“Besides…it’s so shameless of you to have a girl accompany you on the day of the announcement of the results!”
“Shameless?”
“I mean, isn’t that true? What a pity! I don’t know if she is your girlfriend or maybe not, but to lose to such a guy…how could I…”
said Marise, looking really frustrated.
“Whoa, Kurt and I don’t have the kind of relationship that Marise-chan is thinking about!”
“Though that is what I’m hoping for eventually…”
Lara mumbled.
“Marise-chan. I’m Lara. Nice to meet you!”
“Likewise, nice to meet you—wait, I didn’t come to this academy to make friends!”
Marise with a pouty face immediately folded her arms and looked away.
However, she seems to be a tad bit delighted. I don’t really understand this girl’s emotions.
“Oh. They’re finally going to post the notice of successful candidates”
As we were having our conversation, a person who seemed to be a staff member came and started to post up a big piece of paper on the notice board.
There were the examinees’ number and something that looked like scores written next to it.
“The exam scores for each of the written, target and battle exams are 100 points respectively, totaling to 300 points. The passing score this time will be 170 points and above”
The staff member announced
“Eh?? 170 points!? But it was just 140 points last year……”
“Does that mean the standard is higher this year?”
cried the people around me.
I don’t know about last year, but what matters is now.
Let’s see…I wonder what’s my score.
I doubt it, but I didn’t fail, did I?
When I looked up, it was written in a prominent place, right at the top,
‘Examinee Number 99 ∞ Points’
There it is.
99 is me.
“Ah, there it is! I made it!”
“T-There’s mine, too! Though it doesn’t seem to be the top spot that I was aiming for……”
It looks like Lara and Marise had passed as well, and they are quite happy right now.
“Hmm, looks like I’ve passed, too. I’m glad that I didn’t fail. I would be the only one among the three of us if I did fail”
“Obviously! There’s no way Kurt would fail”
“That’s right. More importantly, what do the ∞ points mean? Even I, in second place, only have a score of 285 points…”
That’s what I want to know as well.
—At any rate, I’m now a first-year student at the Magic Academy.
<< Manga >>
Chapter 1 Part 4
Side: Proctor
“Now then, I wonder what this year’s rookies have in store?”
I sat down on a seat provided at the side of the battle stage.
I mean, this is really an appealing job.
It’s like getting rewarded for defeating a few monsters without risking your life, and this proctor job is highly contested among the high-ranking adventurers every year.
And the reason I was able to win this impartial lottery must be due to my good conduct.
Moreover, I’ve observed over two hundred damn kids in my career, and I’ve never seen a single diamond in the rough.
It’s really just a cushy job of watching the kids play.
Good, good, it looks like the battle royale has begun as I instructed.
“……That’s”
I couldn’t help but reflexively clasps both of my hands together in prayer.
For a wimpy guy and a slender girl are being surrounded by the other examinees.
Well, it’s a battle royale after all, so it’s standard practice to defeat the weakest bunch first.
“With this, two people are eliminated now, huh?”
It looks like this is going to be a smackdown for those two.
Perhaps they’ll surrender or get knocked off the battle stage and lose by ‘Ring Out’.
Right then and there, one of the examinees started to make a move on the black-haired boy and—
—The attacker danced.
No, that person—was flying through the air.
Every time the boy swings his sword, people would fly, and when he kicks, people would still fly.
The boy seems to be protecting the girl behind him and didn’t move from his spot.
“Without moving a step…? Is that how overwhelming the difference in ability is?”
This time, several examinees tried to jump the boy, but—as a result, they could only be seen flying through the air.
“What have I just witnessed……?”
That boy…isn’t his swordsmanship and physical ability strengthening techniques even more terrifying than mine?
Such monstrous strength is something that even an A-rank adventurer probably couldn’t compare.
“……Is she…going to activate a Level 3 Magic…behind the boy?”
The girl finished chanting the magic and a Level 3: Wind Blast, Sylphy’s Kiss, was activated.
A fierce gust of wind raged on the battle stage, and the ten or so people who had surrounded them were blown right off the stage.
Hey! Hey! What the hell is going on here? This isn’t the magic of a mere examinee, now is it?
That girl…why is she here to take the Magic Academy entrance exam?
“Anastasia? You can use Level 3 Magic?”
“Um, uh…yes. I’m good at magic”
……I don’t think it’s as simple as being good at it or anything like that. It’s a Level 3 Magic after all, you know? |TL Note: This part is the Proctor’s perspective, so these are all the Proctor’s thoughts|
“I see…but what’s the point of chanting?”
“Eh?”
The girl was surprised as I was too.
The boy however wasn’t surprised at all, on the contrary, it’s like casting magic without chanting is the norm for him.
What…what is it with these people?
“Look, this is what I mean. Level 4: Violent Gale Blast, Sylphy’s Lovers’ Kiss”
Roughly half of the remaining examinees were also blown away.
“Amazing…. Chantless magic…”
The girl sighs in admiration, but I more or less sigh in disbelief.
Is this some kind of a sick joke? To cast a Level 4 Magic right before enrolling!?
“Now then, shall we clean up the rest as well? Parallel Activation. Once more…Level 4: Violent Gale Blast, Sylphy’s Lovers’ Kiss”
Just as the boy said, the rest of the examinees were blown away.
With that, I ended up with snot starting to drip down my nose.
Oi, oi, oi. Wait a minute here—
—Parallel Activation with a Level 4 Magic!?
Where is this famous University of Magic that has announced its findings! How is that even possible!
Parallel Activation is something that the elites of Ephthal School has just started making progress on, you know?
“Well…I’ll teach you some magic next time”
“Ah, yes. Master used a Level 6 Magic back then, right? It was amazing”
Errr……….
I heard something strange just now…but I must have misheard it, right?
Level 6 Magic, she says…. No, let’s just say that I misheard her. I’m rather susceptible to the ‘smell of danger’ due to my previous line of work.
—Don’t get involved with them. No matter what happens, let’s just turn a blind eye to it. And…fade into the distance.
My sixth sense, as a veteran adventurer, is sounding alarms in my head.
So, the boy and the girl who had sent all the other examinees flying around them waved at me.
“We’re done over here, so what’s your verdict?”
Trying not to provoke them, I nodded and said with my best smile.
“Examinee number 447, examinee number 448…passed the first stage of the exam!”
Side: Ephthal
Well, I finally got the chance to take a proper exam, but the second stage of the entrance exam…or rather, the final stage of the exam is a lecture-based exam.
The venue for the first stage of the exam is part of the sports ground’s facilities.
In fact, the examinees aren’t even allowed to enter the main school building during the first stage of the exam.
Right now, I’m in a lecture hall……but as this is a prestigious school where the children of nobles attend as well, so it’s a magnificent school building.
The lecture hall is brimming with examinees, and the atmosphere is akin to a bustling festival.
As someone who grew up in the countryside, it’s a bit of a ‘culture shock’ for me.
No, I’ve experienced crowds in my past lives as well, but this and that are different.
Incidentally, this is a totally different topic, but in my previous life I was relentless in my pursuit of knowledge, so much so that I was given the nickname, ‘Scholar Emperor’.
Or rather…it’s because I didn’t have any talent, so I had no choice but to develop a lot of innovative magic theories to catch up with the other three Emperors even for just a little bit.
But the new theories that I had discovered would later become obsolete in a few years, too, so in the end, talented people had all the advantages after all….
I sighed. This is not good. The flashback of these unpleasant memories from my previous life is making me feel dizzy.
“Right!”, I yelled as I slapped my cheeks with both hands.
What’s my past stays in the past——and what’s now is now!
“The Academic Entrance Examination will now begin”
And so the four-hour-long exam began.
—Four hours later—
*Ding-Dong Ding-Dong Ding-Dong*. The exam ends with the sound of a bell.
I noticed something quite peculiar as I was taking the exam, there were an awful lot of questions.
But as ‘Scholar Emperor’, those questions were nothing but mere child’s play to me.
Inevitably, I was able to solve them with ease.
But it took me until just before the 4-hour time limit was up to finish all of the questions.
Nearing the end, I was in a hurry, so I skimmed through reading the questions and abbreviated my answers.
Nevertheless, I used to be a scholar.
Well, even when I take into account any careless mistakes and the hastily written and abbreviated answers, in the end…I guess I got about 95 points?
☆★☆★☆★
“How was the Academic Entrance Exam, Master?”
The exam has already ended, but Anastasia still asked me that in the cafeteria.
I mean, her gaze is always looking towards the ground, because of that, her bangs will constantly hide her face. She’s a beautiful girl, but all that beauty is really wasted since it is hidden.
“Well, I guess it was fine? What about Anastasia?”
“Ah, yes. I had received a proper education before…so I was able to do it. Maybe I can score about 270 points”
“Hmm? 270 points? What do you mean? Is the exam not based on a 100-point scale grading system?”
“……There were 200 questions in total, weren’t there?”
“Yeah. That was a lot of questions”
“There were 150 questions for Western Magic and 50 questions for Eastern Magic. It was then further divided into different categories: Offensive Magic, Recovery Magic, Support Magic and even Alchemy for enthusiasts. Overall there were around 20 genres with 10 questions each”
“Yeah. There were so many different genres, from all eras, countries and cultures. I was in a hurry towards the end because I didn’t have enough time. The questions were so easy that it would be my loss if I didn’t answer all of them…so I did my best to solve them with great haste”
Hearing that, Anastasia’s expression turned pale.
“Eh…? You…answered all the questions?”
“Yeah. Pretty much all of them. Though, there will probably be a lot of careless mistakes made due to the lack of time”
“Err…you know…”
“Yeah?”
“This exam uses a selective system, you know? And if you can even answer around 30 percent of the questions…then I think that would be more than enough to pass”
“……Come again? Selective system?”
“Err……the objective for this exam is to solve questions which involve your field of expertise in magic and then answer them. There are examinees who have only been brought up in Eastern Magic oriented families. There are also some, where they were raised solely in using Western Magic…so basically, mages who don’t know any other magic theories outside of their own field of expertise…they could only answer the questions that they know and are good at. That will help them reach a passing grade”
“In other words?”
“To answer all of the questions…is not even within the expectations of the exam setter. The highest possible mark you can get is 1,000 points…but if I…uh…can score 270 points out of 1,000 points…I would think that I’m already far better than the usual standard”
After that little clarification, I started to think about my predicament here.
I didn’t intend to stand out unnecessarily.
For the time being, I just want to become a student at the Magic Academy. Even if the goal is just to gain access to the academy’s facilities. I don’t want it to become difficult.
I could discreetly sneak out of class or use the facilities like the library after school to research on the magic aptitude and make breakthroughs on it.
That would be my ideal life at the Magic Academy.
Of course, it can’t be helped if I stand out, but I don’t think you can stand out too much by performing well in the entrance exam.
However….
If scoring 270 points is considered above standards and I got about 950 points….
Wow, I thought to myself.
“I…just did something…absurd…, didn’t I…?”
In response to my enquiry, while still looking down, Anastasia said this with her bangs still obscuring most of her face.
“Ah, yes. Probably…I think”
☆★☆★☆★
Inside the Headmaster’s Office of the Magic Academy
Each of the academic staff was holding a report in their hands and was stunned by its content.
“Examinee 448: Anastasia……282 points. This is unprecedented”
The headmaster nodded with satisfaction at those words.
“Even the other brilliantly known examinees only scored about 150 points. She seems to be a genius”
“Yes, I’m a little concerned about her demon lineage—but it appears that she had received an elite education”
“Speaking of the Demons, they are just like the Elves, but with slightly longer ears. Other than that, they are physically not that different from us Humans. Basically, demons are way better at using magic than the rest of us, and we should be thankful that she came to us instead of going to the Demon Academy”
“Even though Anastasia is outstanding…”
“Hmm?”
“There’s one person who is the exception”
“What do you mean?”
Puzzled, the academic staff turned over to the next page of the report.
“Examinee 447: Ephthal. We’ve got ourselves such an absurd student”
“Ephthal? To have the same name as the Emperor of the Thunder God……his parents are rather bold. For those of us who aspire to be mages, this is exceedingly blasphemous……”
“Yes, I agree. However, this examinee might really be the second coming of the Emperor of the Thunder God”
“The second coming of one of the legendary Four Emperors? Haha! Don’t be ridiculous!”
“Don’t be surprised when you hear this, headmaster. This child scored 958 points on the Academic Entrance Exam. It’s the highest score achieved since the implementation of the entrance examinations”
“958 points, you say!?”
“He answered all 200 questions and got over 95 percent of them correct. Of those correct ones, about 40 percent of them have the academic staff trying to comprehend the solutions. It’s just that the only thing they do know is that the answers are correct”
“What…did you just say? He gets more than 95 percent correct? No, that’s not the problem here…but to have answered all the questions…how is that even possible?”
“Yes, I couldn’t believe what I saw either. The handwriting was messy and the answers were almost illegible at the end, so I guess he was pressed for time. Maybe if he had more time, he probably would get them all correct”
The headmaster’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“And as for the first stage of the exam…out of 100 points…”
“How many points did he get?”
“It’s unmeasurable”
“Unmeasurable!? What do you mean by that?”
“Looks like he handled a Level 4 Magic alone”
“That’s already at the level of what the University of Magic teaches, isn’t it!?”
“Furthermore, it was a ‘Parallel Activation’ magic. It seems like he used two Level 4 magic at the same time”
“You’ve got to be kidding me, right!?”
“If we believe what’s written in the report is the absolute truth, then there’s no mistaking it”
“No, no, no, no!! Parallel Activation of Level 4 Magic, you say!? Even if I were to search for all the academic staff here, I doubt I will even find someone who can do that!?”
“In any case, I’ve been informed that his movement was not of any ordinary person during the exam”
“Hmm…well…the examinee 448: Anastasia…can be said to be amazing as well”
“Yes, normally the entire academic staff would be overjoyed for the admission of a talented child such as her, but…”
“That child called Ephthal is giving off some bad vibes…I can’t be excited about it at all”
After a moment’s thought, the headmaster started speaking.
“But…isn’t that…strange? There’s nothing for us to teach this child, Ephthal, is there?”
“……I feel the same way”
And so they all sighed deeply.
Everyone feels the same way on the matter.
Wondering—
—Why did such a troublesome person come to take the exam….
☆★☆★☆★
The next day.
The announcement of the entrance examinations’ results is to be displayed on the main notice board of the magic academy.
I was on my way to the notice board with a slight feeling of uneasiness……or rather, I was really anxious.
—No matter how I look at it, I definitely overdid things.
At any rate, I seem to have gotten an absurd score in the Academic Entrance Exam.
There’s nothing good about sticking out like a sore thumb, I just wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible….
Well, what’s done is done, right?
“Master is truly amazing”
said Anastasia bashfully, with her head still lowered, and her bangs hiding her face.
“No, it was a mistake. I’ve overdone it. Well, let’s leave that aside, and just check our exam results first”
We arrived in front of the main notice board.
“Let’s see…number 447…number 447…”
Hm?
That’s weird. I’m pretty sure I did well in all of the exams….
Even if I made some mistakes in the Academic Entrance Exam, that shouldn’t result in me failing.
I take a deep breath and try to look for the number 447 again.
This is really weird. I can’t find it at all.
Suddenly, Anastasia spoke up.
“Um, there…there it is. I’ve been accepted as an Honour Student”
Well, it seems like she did well in the Academic Entrance Exam, so that’s to be expected.
And as for me….
“Um……Master?”
“My number……is not on the notice board”
Ah, yeah. That’s it. Looks like I got rejected.
—Despite being one of the Four Emperors, It appears that I have failed.
Is it because I overdid it in the battle exam?
Or did I forget to write down my name during the Academic Entrance Exam?
“Uh…protest…let’s protest it. This doesn’t quite add up”
“No, let’s not do that because it’s rather disgraceful to do that”
Well, maybe I forgot to write my name down or something like that.
If that’s the case, then that’s just the way it is.
Anyway, for the time being, I’ll have to register with an Adventurer’s guild or something to earn a living. While having such thoughts, I could hear Anastasia gasped.
“Hm? What’s the matter?”
“Um…Master…what’s your full name?”
“It’s Ephthal…Ephthal Alcott. Why?”
Then, with a trembling finger, Anastasia pointed to the far end of the notice board—not the part where the examinee’s number is shown…but the part where various details regarding the examinations’ results.
Under that section, a note has been placed—
—It should be noted that Ephthal Alcott, who came first overall in the entrance examination, will pass and due to special circumstances, will become the main representative for Honour Students.
“Ah……”
I couldn’t help but make that sound.
Uh-oh, this is bad.
This will definitely make me stand out.
Unexpectedly, I was mentioned by name that I passed the entrance examination.
☆★☆★☆★
“As expected of Master, but I didn’t expect them to mention you by name that you pass…that’s really amazing”
For some reason, Anastasia said it proudly.
With her modest chest held high, she nods repeatedly to her satisfaction.
As for me, I can’t help but get a headache thinking of the many difficulties that lie ahead.
With that said, right now, I’m heading to the office which handles the registration for Honour Students in the academy.
“Uh…Master? It looks like the office for Honour Students is this way”
The direction Anastasia is pointing to does indeed have a sign that says Honour Students Affairs Office.
“Um…Master?”
“Hm? What’s the matter?”
“The main representative of Honour Students…sounds like it’s a big deal. Please take a look at this”
I took a look at the Admissions Handbook that Anastasia gave me.
“I see. This is fantastic”
It seems that there are several benefits.
・Free Tuition Fees
・Free Dormitory Fees
・Free Meals
・Payment of Wages and Special Allowance
In any case, it seems that the main representative of Honour Students is treated as academic staff.
Apparently, the representative acts as the face of the academy and is compelled to attend other academies’ entrance ceremonies, meet and greet political figures, and other public events.
While they are students, they are also required to perform various other official duties for the academy and that’s why they get paid.
Incidentally, according to the Admissions Handbook, there seems to be no way to decline this position. No, I should be grateful for this, I’m truly grateful.
—But this is far from my original goal. Especially when it comes to being forced to do official duties are a bit…. That just sounds like it would make me very busy.
Oh, and it seems that all Honour Students share the same benefits as well except that they don’t get paid, but I no longer have to worry about Anastasia’s living expenses for now.
And so, when I was about to walk up to the reception desk for the Honour Students Affairs Office….
“…Master? I think you should head over there”
Hm? I wonder what she means by that?
While thinking so, I looked towards the direction Anastasia was pointing at, and….
—Ephthal Alcott Reception.
A special corner was set up.
“What!!! Ephthal Alcott Reception!?”
Furthermore, the counter for the ‘Ephthal Alcott Reception’ is strangely the only luxurious one.
To add to that, a small banner can be seen hanging down from the counter with, “Welcome to the Magic Academy!!”, on it.
Um, yeah, my reception desk is clearly the only one out of place.
It’s attracting a lot of attention in ‘Who’s Ephthal?’ kind of way.
This is already….
Feeling dejected, I dropped my shoulders.
—Haa…I’m completely screwed….
Well, guess it can’t be helped, so I headed straight for the ‘Ephthal Alcott Reception’ desk.
On the way there, I casually glanced into the office and saw a certain face…………and that made me speechless.
I stopped right then and there. After thinking for a while, I stared at Anastasia.
“Anastasia?”
“Yes. What is it?”
“You’re Merlin’s…no, I mean Merlin-sama’s…”
I guess it’s strange to attach ‘sama’ to my apprentice’s name. Hmmm……what should I call her?
“Anyway, you’re Headmaster Merlin’s relative, aren’t you?”
As one of the best mages among the demon race right now, I heard that she is the headmaster of a prestigious Magic Academy for demons. So this would probably be the best way to put it.
“In a manner of speaking, yes I am”
“There’s a lot of relatives, but how far back does yours go?”
“Um…er…my…ten generations ago, the head of the family was the former Demon King-sama. And since Merlin-sama…is the daughter of the Demon King…so we’re related in a way”
Whoa, that’s so far back, rather it’s so distant that you two are practically strangers, isn’t it?
Then I turned my gaze to the office again and smiled wryly, “If you’re that far away, then you don’t really resemble Anastasia, do you?”
As expected of a half-vampire. She ages slowly, or rather, she maintained her youthfulness for a long time.
Based on the calendar, I’d say she’s about 430 years old, but she looks to be in her early 20s.
Somehow…my heart is beating fast.
Her chest has grown a lot, but she still has the same appearance as that time.
Either way, the person that’s walking around like she’s observing the inner surrounding of the office—that’s Merlin.
“Anastasia? Have you ever seen Headmaster Merlin?”
“Er…I’ve never seen her before”
“Hmm. Then let’s change the question…is it possible that Headmaster Merlin is walking in the office of our Magic Academy?”
“In the sense of friendship between humans and demons, I think it’s possible for them to overcome the racial barriers…and be invited in preparation for the academy entrance ceremony”
I see, so she was invited to the ceremony, and is now touring the academy, I guess.
That’s when Merlin glanced at us—
—She looked at me twice, or maybe thrice, and from there, her eyes went wide and she started to gasp.
Um, yeah.
Well, this is bound to happen.
After all, I do look a lot like I did in my previous life.
I’ve been reincarnated as a descendant of my own lineage, so that’s not strange. And that’s why I think I’m pretty much exactly alike in terms of presence.
People who knew me in the past would know what I used to look like when I was younger. So in that sense, they would get the impression that the current me looks exactly the same as I was in the past.
So it’s only natural that Merlin, who adored me so much in my previous life, would be surprised to see me now.
And that’s when I began to think—
—Now, what should I do…?
If I tell her that I’m the reincarnation of the Four Emperors here, it would be a disaster.
It’s true that I must tell Merlin about the situation at some point.
But this is definitely not the right time and place to say that, now is it?
Merlin came toward us with great haste, and the first thing she says is—
“Let’s get straight to the point. Are…are you…related to the Emperor of the Thunder God?”
In response, I smiled at her and said—
“Eh? What are you talking about? Ah, Anastasia! I’m starving…that’s right! Let’s go get lunch!”
Somewhat……or rather, forcefully, I took Anastasia by the hand and hurriedly ran away from my former apprentice.