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Chapter 2 Part 4

☆★☆★☆★

I was at a loss for words, my mind wandered for a while, but it was not long before my consciousness returned to me.

I mean, just what am I supposed to do in this situation?

Merlin is shedding tears. Anastasia has a twinkle in her eyes and an ecstatic look that just screams “As expected of…Master…!”.

And, to make things worse, the whole place is full of onlookers ──

── They stood there frozen with their mouths agape like their jaws were about to come off.

Hundreds of people are gathered here, but the whole place is in complete silence.

No-no, I was the one…who cast a Level 10 Magic without giving it a second thought, and just like that, I exited the stage. Though this situation right now…seriously, what should I do? 

Well, it can’t be helped, so I asked Merlin.

“Um, Merlin?”

“Yes, what is it, Ephthal-sama?”

“Um, it’s a bit of a long story. But it’s just that I’ve got a lot of research to do at the Magic Academy”

“Hmm. Well, I suppose it’s something complicated, isn’t it?”

“And now…there’s no way I’ll ever be able to have a normal academy life…”

“Well, that’s to be expected, isn’t it?”

Yeah, well…as I thought, Merlin thinks so, too.

“That’s why I feel so troubled”

“If Ephthal-sama is troubled, that means I’m troubled, too. Because a Master’s distress is also an apprentice’s distress”

Thus, both of us began to brainstorm for ideas ──

“For now, I have a plan” 

“A plan?” 

“Ephthal-sama, you’ve been taking the exam without revealing your background, right?”

“Well, I didn’t want to bother my family. So other than my name, most of the information I revealed is fake”

Hearing that, Merlin broke into a smile.

“── In that case, let’s get out of here now!”

To Merlin, who was still smiling, I exclaimed ──

“EEEHHH!? What do you mean by that!?”

── With a perplexed look on my face.

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Chapter 2 Part 3

☆★☆★☆★

“Let’s start with a quick test, Merlin-san ── Level 6: Flame Array’s Zenith, Flare Burst!”

Merlin smiled bitterly.

Well, that would happen if a child right after entering a Magic Academy could handle Level 6 Magic as a quick test.

Even I’d be surprised by this.

“I see ── so that’s your so-called quick test, huh!? Fuhaha! You’re good! Level 7: Absolute Durability, Perfect Wall!”

‘Absolute Durability, [Perfect Wall]’ defended from the blaze of ‘Flame Array’s Zenith, [Flare Burst]’.

After blocking my magic, Merlin grinned.

“Level 6 Magic, this level of proficiency at your age…huh? I can’t help but shudder and be amazed, too! Fufu, that person…Ephthal-sama has been doing all sorts of mean things to surprise me since his death, hasn’t he…!?” 

“Mean? What kind of mean things did the ancestor do to you?”

Right then and there, Merlin’s face turned red and shook her head from side to side.

“…A lot of things. That person really gave me a ‘mean’ education…. I’ve been embarrassed more than once or twice later because of that education”

I mean…I’ve spouted a lot of ridiculous and stupid things other than the ‘kissing could make a child’ spiel.

Well, as for Merlin…I may have teased her a little too much.

I had a lot of fun spouting those lies because she firmly believed them and when she had a ponytail hairstyle, I would often playfully pull her hair. 

Yeah, to put it mildly, I love you, Merlin.

Dear me, I’m really starting to miss a lot of things.

Merlin shook her head again from side to side to calm her body down from trembling.

“But I can’t lose to you, at least not at your current age. No, I absolutely can’t lose to you! I also have some pride in myself, Ephthal-kun! You may be the thirteenth generation of the family, but I am the first favorite apprentice of Ephthal-sama! I’m proud to say that I’m the original who has received Ephthal-sama’s magic in person!”

Merlin was tiny and cute at the time.

Now she’s a sexy, dynamite sister…. Since I’m kind of like a foster father of hers, so I’m really emotional about a lot of things.

And as I was thinking that, Merlin’s expression changed to a Rakshasa.

“You’re dealing with me now…why are you grinning at me!?”

…It’s exactly as she said.

I can’t deny that I was a bit too carefree, remembering the past.

On another note, I’ve never seen Merlin with this expression before. I need to brace myself a bit, or she might pull the rug out from under me.

“Then allow me to return the favor. I’ve judged that it’s unnecessary to go easy on you. Don’t let me down by getting hurt! Level 6: Flame Array’s Zenith, Flare Burst!”

I see. She has returned my ‘Flame Array’s Zenith, [Flare Burst]’ with another ‘Flame Array’s Zenith, [Flare Burst]’ of her own.

It seems that she has always had an unquenchable desire to compete, or rather, hate to lose, just as in the past.

“In that case, I’ll also return with an Absolute Durability, Perfect Wall!”

Once again, ‘Absolute Durability, [Perfect Wall]’, defended from the blaze of ‘Flame Array’s Zenith, [Flare Burst]’.

Normally, it would take time to transmute mana into high-ranking magic again. Therefore, with that in mind, battles are built on the assumption that there will be a pause until the next magic.

But I know. No, we both know.

── That we could barrage each other with magic without a moment’s pause.

For we are kin who have inherited the same craft.

That’s right, if one mastered the craft of the Ephthal School, which I developed, you can perform high-level magic without chanting and consecutive magic attacks.

Originally, I was even worse at handling super high-level magic compared to the other three Emperors.

No, to be precise, when I was using Level 10 Magic, the cast time was too long compared to the three of them due to my magic aptitude.

To make up for the disadvantage, I established a strategy of consecutive attacks using Level 7 ~ 8 Magic, and of course, Merlin inherited the trump card that I established. 

“With this, it seems like you won’t be injured even if I go up a level, right!? Level 7: Absolute Freeze, Cocytus!”

“…I knew you could do it in no time…but you’re constructing your magic formula just way too fast, you know!?”

“You’ll get hurt if you talk too much!”

“Huh!? Me getting hurt? Just who do you think you’re talking to…you greenhorn!? Level 7: Absolute Durability, Perfect Wall”

“The magic formula is insufficient. Even though they are the same level, that won’t stop my Absolute Freeze, Cocytus!”

“Guu…such proficiency in the magic formula…eeii! Level 7: Absolute Durability, Perfect Wall ── Parallel Activation!”

My ‘Absolute Freeze, [Cocytus]’ completely fended off by the two large magic walls.

And there, due to the adverse effects of magic intoxication from having two high-ranking magic activated at the same time with Parallel Activation, Merlin seems to have suffered a mild concussion.

Yeah, it’s exactly as I thought…she’s losing consciousness. I can tell by her complexion that she is pale.

Merlin staggers and her eyes which are watching my movements become hazy for a moment.

“When using Parallel Activation, you could lose your consciousness to the magic formula construction! Didn’t the ancestor teach you ── never take your eyes off your opponent? Level 6: Degraded Thunder God, Lesser Ephthal!”

“Evasion…is impossible! Eeii! Level 8: Spatial Transfer, Teleport!”

Merlin appears behind me, and I also activate Level 8: Spatial Transfer, Teleport.

I did that because I was sure that I would be attacked from behind with a series of consecutive attacks.

“Level 6: Flame Array’s Zenith, Flare Burst!”

As expected, the space where I was located just a few moments ago had been burnt by Level 6 Fire Magic.

Speaking of me, I appeared five meters beside her, and Merlin immediately turned towards me.

“What’s the matter, Merlin-san? Why are you smiling…?”

“I’m smiling…?”

Merlin placed her hand over her mouth and made a surprised expression.

“You’re right, I’m smiling…”

Merlin shrugged as if she had given up on something, and then gave a little nod.

“Ephthal-kun, I apologize for my rudeness”

“Rudeness?”

“I looked down on you since you’re just a child. But without a doubt, you’re quicker to construct magic formulas and also have more proficiency in magic than me. I was only able to counter you with Parallel Activation during the Level 7 Magic clash”

“……”

Merlin again nodded at my silence.

“Would you care to join me for a little old tale?”

“…An old tale, huh?”

“My Master was trying to be the strongest”

“Yes, I know”

After all, I’m still aiming for it.

“And I, too, was chasing what my Master aimed for, these two words, ‘The Strongest’. Every single day for the last 400 years, every single day of my life, foolishly. No, to be precise…that’s what I thought earlier till just now” 

“Thought, as in the past…?”

“Earlier…I smiled in the middle of a battle in which I was at a disadvantage. Why do you think I smiled?”

“…I don’t know”

“I felt a sense of vexation that the skills of my Master that I had been honing for 400 years…were being beaten by you who was handling the same skills”

“Well, I suppose it’s natural that you would have such a feeling”

“And I…had a feeling of nostalgia and delight in seeing you handle your skills, exactly like my Master”

With an indescribable expression on her face, Merlin shrugged again as if she was in over her head.

“Then as my emotions and feelings conflicted, I smiled. As I look at you, who is exactly like my Master…rather than regret…I remembered the old days…and I smiled. It reminded me of those evenings when I played the game of magic with my Master, long, long ago…I was happy…and now it just feels nostalgic…”

Merlin looks like she’s about to start crying any moment now.

“I wasn’t trying to be the strongest. I just cherished and treasured the toy called magic that my Master had left behind for me, the toy I used to play with him…the toy he gave me as a gift. I understood that as I saw you”

“……”

“It felt really strange to me, too. Why do I have these strange feelings about you? Even though you’re no doubt the descendant of my Master…but you’re not my Master…you’re not Ephthal-sama”

Um…yeah, thank you.

Merlin loved me that much.

How should I put it…yeah, I’m really glad to see her again. Aren’t I getting a bit teary here?

“With that said, I still have my pride after all. Now, Ephthal-kun? Can you take it? The next secret technique I will unleash is my trump card. If you can overcome this…I’ll admit defeat”

Merlin was cladded in the Ephthal School’s forte, Lightning Qi. 

“Level 8…Thunder God’s Strike, Thor’s Hammer, huh? Do you think that would work on me with the exchanges we’ve had so far?”

“Yeah, it probably won’t, right? That’s why I said ── it’s a secret technique”

Now, what should I do?

After all, Merlin is my favorite apprentice. 400 years have passed since then, and she developed a so-called secret technique….

With the utmost caution, I build up my magic power so that I can construct the magic formula as fast as possible.

“I see. So you haven’t given up on the game?” 

“It looks like you’re ready to return the favor on your side. Then let’s do this, Ephthal-kun”

“Yeah, no problem”

Merlin shot out lightning from her raised right palm.

“Level 8: Thunder God’s Strike, Thor’s Hammer!”

After confirming that I was about to cast a Level 7 Defense Magic, Merlin raised her left palm.

“Parallel Activation! Level 8: Thunder God’s Strike, Thor’s Hammer!”

Parallel Activation, huh? I’ll also have to construct my magic formula as soon as possible, otherwise ──

And that’s where I felt a cold sweat run down my spine for the first time today.

“Three…Parallel Activations in a row?”

Merlin raises her right leg high ── high above her head as if a hammer was ready to be swung down.

“Parallel Activation! Level 8: Thunder God’s Strike, Thor’s Hammer!”

This isn’t good.

I’ll also have to use Parallel Activation on my Defense Magic, otherwise…and that’s where I, no…I….

“Hahaha!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing in spite of myself.

Next is ── her left leg.

Again, Merlin raised her left leg high above her head as if a hammer was ready to be swung down.

“Four Parallel Activations?” 

“Parallel Activation! Level 8: Thunder God’s Strike, Thor’s Hammer!”

As expected…that seems to be the end of it.

The recklessness of using four Parallel Activations ── Merlin, who should have been suffering from severe nausea due to the effects of overworking her brain, fell to her knees on the spot with a pale complexion on her face.

I mean, even back in my era, there was no such thing as four Parallel Activations of Level 8 Magic.

“I see. That’s one amazing feat. As expected of my favorite apprentice, Merlin. It would be too much for a little Ephthal boy to handle. In that case, I’ll give it my all!”

This secret technique of hers is exclusively Merlin’s own original magic.

In that case, I’ll return the favor by revealing my original magic as the Emperor of the Thunder God.

Otherwise, it would be too rude to this child’s 400 years of effort.

“Well, it’s not bad to see my apprentice grow up, isn’t it? Not bad at all!”

I raise my hand above my head. And ── 

“── Level 10: Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal!”

Thunder reverberated with a thunderous roar.

“Haha…hahaha…I see…so this is…an illegitimate child…with the power of the original bloodline…”

Merlin could only laugh weakly at the sight before her.

It’s like all she can do is laugh in dismay. Well, as it should be.

After all, the four Lightning Qi that Merlin cast were instantly swallowed by the extreme Lightning Qi from my Level 10 Magic.

And so, in the next moment, I canceled my magic formula construction before the Level 10 Magic could cause any damage to the surroundings.

This isn’t just an ordinary Level 10 Magic after all. It is a Level 10 Magic where the precision of manipulating magic power was handled at its peak.

In other words, after absorbing the Level 8 Lightning Qis, I canceled the magic formula construction at that very moment, and safely dispersed the electricity into the air.

Whether or not Merlin can manipulate magic in the same realm as me, the answer to that is ‘yes’.

── However, as long as the magic is of Level 5 or so difficulty….

And that’s when I noticed Merlin’s expression had changed.

It’s the same gentle smile that she once directed at me when she was a child…a little spoiled Merlin as she was back in those innocent days…. 

“Well, you noticed, haven’t you?”

In the first place, it was Merlin who mentioned reincarnation.

Moreover, the current Level 10 Magic can only be used by those who have constructed the magic formula from the very first conception of the theory such as at the level of a classroom lecture, that is.

My own original magic, Level 10: Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal. If it wasn’t someone who knew everything about it…my performance earlier would not be possible. 

In other words, there is no one else in this era who can handle ‘Emperor of the Thunder God, [Ephthal]’ magic other than me.

“I didn’t actually intend to reveal myself here, but…”

I smile and walk towards Merlin.

“I’m sorry for being so mean and lied to you, Merlin. Those words that you asked me…if I knew about reincarnation…?”

“It can’t be…Ephthal-kun…you’re…”

“Yeah, it’s me. Looking at the ‘Emperor of the Thunder God, [Ephthal]’ magic just now, you should know that it can only be handled by none other than the original. Me, right?”

“A-A…Are you really…the reincarnation of…Ephthal-sama?”

“You know best, Merlin, that there is no other explanation for it, don’t you? Also…looks like you haven’t been slacking off. That was splendid all right. You surprised me”

“I’m just a superficial imitation of Ephthal-sama…who even after 400 years, has yet to reach your back”

“That’s not true, you’re the real deal. Even I don’t know if I could cast four Parallel Activations of Level 8 Magic at the same time. You’ve done well, Merlin. I’m very proud of you, my apprentice”

I turned to Merlin who was on her knees ── grabbed her head in an eagle grip, and stroked her head intimately as I used to do in the past. 

“With those words…I…my…my four hundred years have been rewarded”

“Don’t cry. What are you, a child?”

Before I knew it, tears started to well up in Merlin’s eyes and she almost collapsed to the ground from her kneeling position on the spot ──

“I’m sorry. But it seems that in front of Ephthal-sama…I’ll always be a child”

── And so I supported Merlin who had broken down crying and gently hugged her.

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Chapter 4 Part 1

After that.

Just as I declared, I headed to the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> with Lara and Marise.

“A-A-A-A-Are you really sure it’s okay!?”

“There are monsters in the Labyrinth, you know!? Coming here all of a sudden…i-is an act of suicide!”

“Don’t worry”

It seems that if you meet certain conditions, you can challenge the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> right away.

When I asked Sensei, she replied, “If Kurt is there, I have no complaints”, and so I was able to get her permission.

When I stepped into the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>, I could smell the peculiar scent of magic elements.

Mmm, I miss this scent.

This burnt scent reminds me of the time when I explored more than 100 Labyrinths in my previous life.

“It’s gloomy…but there’s nothing I can’t see. Why is it like this even though it’s all pitch black in here?”

“And it looks spacious. It’s amazing that something like this span across the underground of the Royal Capital…”

“Ah. About the Labyrinth, it’s like an alternate dimension, so there’s nothing strange about it”

““?””

They both tilted their heads at the same time.

“Listen. The Labyrinth has magic elements that can distort dimensions”

“Dimensions…?”

“Yeah…well, you can think of it as another world that has been stretched outwards”

For example ── let’s say it looks like it’s only about the size of a house from the outside.

But once you get inside, the dimensions are distorted and you’re transported to a location where it looks like another world.

As such it’s more spacious than it looks…some of them have layers inside the Labyrinth that are bigger than the Royal Capital itself.

Furthermore, due to the different magic elements getting mixed, the treasures within the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> can be replenished after a certain period of time, even if they are taken away.

That’s one of the reasons why the Labyrinth is also called a ‘Resource’ and is useful in some cities.

“Thus, magic elements are essential to the Labyrinths and Dungeons. I don’t know all the details, but I do know more about the Labyrinth than the two of you”

“Kurt…who on earth are you?”

“How do you know so much about it even though we are the same age?”

“If you think about it, there’s also the crucial details that I do not know of”

“Yeah, that’s right”

They curiously asked me.

“…Would you two believe me if I told you that I’ve reincarnated from a thousand years ago?”

“What are you saying, Kurt?”

“That’s right. Isn’t something like that impossible?”

Both of them have a stupefied expression on their face.

As I thought, they wouldn’t believe me, huh?

Well, that’s fine. It’s not like it would be a problem even if they don’t believe me right away.

With that in mind, we proceeded towards the first layer of the Labyrinth.

And as soon as we step foot in the first layer. 

“Wah! It’s a monster!”

A small Lizardman suddenly appeared from the front.

“It’s a monster that lives in the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>. That being said, if it’s just a mere Lizardman, I think both of you can handle it. Let this be the first test. I’ll show you a demonstration first, then you can try to defeat it in the same way”

I draw my sword.

Those who challenge the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> are provided with a weapon. And right now, I’m using that weapon.

Quick Move and Rise Power were activated simultaneously. I then launched an attack on the Lizardman. 

The Lizardman’s head was severed in one fell swoop.

“What do you think? Easy, right?”

“It’s not easy!”

“It was too fast to see…”

Both of them retorted.

“Truth be told, Lizardman isn’t that big of a deal as a monster. Both of you need to be brave…. Look, the Lizardmen are here again”

“Now there’s even two of them!”

“You’re right. This is my first time fighting against monsters…but I’ll definitely defeat them!”

Marise was the first one to hold up her hand.

“Gather yourselves together in these hands, O flame. Be a spear, pierce the enemy and burn them!”

She unleashed an attack.

The Fire Spear that was released was a direct hit. It hits the Lizardman, toppling it. 

“Let’s finish them in one go!”

“I-I can’t lose either. Gather yourselves together in these hands ──”

It was a pleasant sight to see them successfully defeat the two Lizardmen.

“I did it! Thank you, Marise-chan!”

“W-We did it! Likewise, thank you very much!”

Even though they had only defeated a Lizardman, they were holding hands and jumping with joy.

But as soon as Marise noticed that, she let go of her hands.

“O-Of course! I’m going to graduate from the Magic Academy as the top student after all! So I have to be able to do at least this much!”

She said that while trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Now…it seems that there’s no stronger monster than the Lizardman on the first layer ── hmm?”

“What’s the matter, Kurt?”

From the moment I entered the Labyrinth, the Detection Magic was kept activated.

And right now, a certain reaction is being caught.

“Oh? This is interesting”

“Kurt?”

“Could you two come over here for a moment?”

I lead them to a dead-end.

“It’s a dead-end, you know? What are you planning to do?”

“Has no one noticed it up until now?”

“Eh?”

“There’s a path ahead”

Instead of answering the dubious looks on their faces, I cast Fire Spear onto the wall of the dead-end.

*Ker-bonk*

The wall crumbled with a loud bang.

“The wall!”

“What is the meaning of this! A Labyrinth wall can never be destroyed. That’s why we have no choice but to conquer it slowly…at least that’s what I’ve read from some books”

“That common sense is wrong. As you can see”

It also depends on the strength of the wall, but there’s absolutely no such thing as a wall that can’t be destroyed.

“Does the path continue?”

With a common sense as wrong as that, we will not be able to discover the path beyond the wall.

“Whoa! There are so many Lizardmen!”

“They are coming at us!”

A horde of Lizardmen at the other side of the path can be seen coming right at us.

There are about 20 of them in total.

Because of the reaction coming from these Lizardmen, I knew that if I destroy the wall, there would be a path here.

This is a bit too much for the two of them, I guess.

“This is just the right time for a warm-up”

With my back facing the frightened Lara and Marise, I took a step towards the horde of Lizardmen.

And then sprinted.

I went into the middle of the horde and deployed lightning magic.

“Thunderstorm”

Lightning appeared from my hands and was promptly aimed towards the Lizardmen.

When the Lizardmen saw the danger and tried to escape, it was already too late for them as my lightning magic chased them down.

Eventually.

“All right. It’s over”

In the blink of an eye, the Lizardmen were all electrocuted to death.

I looked at the Lizardmen lying on the ground and patted some dust off my hands.

“Kurt, that was amazing!”

“As I thought, you really are a ridiculous person. To have defeated so many monsters in an instant…”

They seem to be in high spirits, but I wish they wouldn’t praise me for this level of magic.

We continued walking on the path for a while, but this time we were at a real dead-end.

“This is a…magic stone?”

A magic stone had fallen there, so I picked it up.

“It’s a small magic stone, but it could be used to process something. Let’s keep it”

I felt disappointed.

I thought there would be better treasures.

“I’ve heard that a magic stone is so expensive that even one of it is enough to build a house, you know?”

“It’s Kurt, after all. Somehow I can understand it even without changing the color of my eyes to look at the magic stone”

For some reason, they seemed to be dumbfounded seeing my slumped down shoulders.

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Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The World After 200 Years

I walked down the snowy mountain with Lilith.

A little way down said snowy mountain, a small village came into view at the foot of the mountain.

Hmm. There was no village in this place 200 years ago, but it seems like things are different from what they used to be.

It’s a remote area that has no geographical advantages, but it appears to be thriving.

Perhaps this is the result of the nobleman who governs this land demonstrating his excellent ability for governance.

While I was thinking about this, we arrived at our destination.

“Here we are. The building you see over there is the hideout I’ve prepared for Abel-sama”

“Oh…?”

I couldn’t help but give voice to my astonishment.

There’s a large mansion in front of me.

In my time, it wouldn’t be surprising if they said it was a house inhabited by royalty.

It’s a symmetrical two-story building, or rather a three-story building. Just how many rooms does this mansion have?

I can’t wait to get inside and look around.

“Abel-sama. I’m afraid that’s not the building I’ve prepared for you. It’s the detached building next to it”

“Hmmm…?”

I shift my gaze with Lilith’s words in mind.

There’s a house. A wooden house.

In a good way, it’s simple, but it’s plain in a bad way, too.

No, it was only after I saw the mansion that I thought so. It’s actually a splendid structure in its own right. There’s a chimney and if you look closely, you can see the attic, too. Ah, it’s quite a nice house with charm, isn’t it?

Yeah.

“It’s normal, I suppose”

“Normal is the best, you know? Considering Abel-sama’s position, I felt it wasn’t a good idea to stand out too much”

I see.

Now that she mentioned it, she has a point.

In my previous life, I was feared as the strongest magician by some people. But with the body of a child that I have now, I can’t show even 30% of my true abilities.

It may be a wise choice to wait quietly for now until my body grows.

～～～～～～～～～～～～

The house Lilith showed me was vaguely resembling the interior of an ordinary house from 200 years ago.

A light-colored wooden desk on a well-polished wooden floor, and the fireplace.

On the sofa, there’s a delicately prepared rug. Sofas already existed in the past, but the attention to detail and care in how the rug was embroidered is astonishing.

But what I’ve never seen before is that mysterious orb hanging from the ceiling.

*Flash!*

It is dazzling. The next thing I knew, the sphere glowed.

What is this all about?

Since it was just me and Lilith in the house, there were no signs of anyone having constructed magic.

“I’m sorry to have startled you. What’s shining over there is a light fixture called ‘Light Bulb’. It’s an excellent item that can illuminate the surroundings with the flick of a switch”

Lilith then showed me the lights flickering by repeatedly turning the switch on and off.

I see. This is convenient.

Perhaps a small magic stone is inlaid inside the light bulb, so that magic is constructed automatically in response to the switch.

The evidence of this is that the flow of magic power is slightly stagnant only around the light bulb.

“You’re not too surprised, are you?”

“Yeah. Certainly, I think it’s a great invention, but I just couldn’t help but think it would be more convenient to construct my own magic”

Originally, magic that illuminates the surroundings is the specialty of the <<Burning Eyes>> which rules over fire attribute magic, but at this level of magic, anyone can easily use it, regardless of the color of the eyes.

In the world I lived 200 years ago, children would frantically learn the magic syntax of <<Luminescence>> because they loathe the dark night.

“Fufufu. That way of thinking is very like you, Abel-sama”

My way of thinking?

<<Luminescence>> is the basis of magic.

Even if it’s not me, I think it’s a natural dubiousness that every person who has studied magic would have….

“I’m going to prepare a meal now, so please feel at home”

With that said, Lilith walks into the kitchen.

Incidentally, since it’s a small house, I can peer into the kitchen even when I’m in the living room.

“If you are feeling tired, please feel free to lie down on the sofa over there. I’ll let you know when it’s ready”

In that case, I won’t hesitate.

Maybe it’s because I woke up after a long time, but I’m more tired than I expected.

After lying there for a while, I ended up falling into a comfortable slumber on the sofa.

～～～～～～～～～～～～

“…Abel-sama. Your meal is ready”

It was an hour later when Lilith woke me up, as promised.

The food was already set on the table and the house was filled with a delicious aroma that could stir my appetite.

“You were sleeping soundly”

“Yeah. I can’t help but notice how often the drowsiness comes in this child’s body”

“…Can I ask you a question? Why the childlike body, when you knew that it would be inconvenient?”

“Well, it’s true that it has risks, but there are also merits to it”

It is said that there are three peaks in this world.

That is ── the peak of learning ability is in your teenage years, the peak of physical strength is in your twenties, and the peak of magic power is in your thirties.

The reason I chose the body of a child before entering its teenage years was that I believe there would be a lot of new things to learn in a world 200 years later.

Well, apart from that, I also had personal reasons for wanting to start over in a child’s body.

“Ooh…. You’ve cooked up some surprisingly elaborate food”

Today’s dinner is cream pasta with clams and tomatoes.

The menu itself is simple, but it looks fancy probably because of the tasteful tableware and the side dishes.

“By all means, please enjoy your meal”

“Thanks for the food”

Good grief.

Apparently, my body has been craving for a meal in my 200 years of sleep.

I ate up the food in front of me in the blink of an eye.

Before I had time to comment on the taste.

“What do you think? How does it taste?”

“Yeah. I think it’s pretty good. Did you learn it somewhere?”

“No. It’s not that big of a deal, but I’ve only learned a little from reading cookbooks”

“I see…. There are even books about cooking in this day and age…”

In the world 200 years ago, books were a superbly expensive commodity.

This was partly because the paper itself was expensive, to begin with, but it was also because each book was written by hand, leading to tremendously high labor costs.

To make matters worse, even if the book has the same title, after several copies are made, the quality of the book deteriorates as the contents are rewritten over and over again by hand.

In earlier times, 90% of books were about magic, and the only other books were a few history books.

At the very least, the idea of making a book about cooking was unthinkable in my time.

“In the past, you could buy a small house with a single book…”

“Yeah. I was spending all the money I earned too, so I was living in constant poverty”

In my case, I was obsessed with the original first written book, not the poor quality copies, so I honestly didn’t have a lot of money to spare.

Fufufu.

But this is just the beginning of the fun that I’m going to have in the future.

The evolution of humanity has been remarkable, and the level of civilization in this world has evolved more dramatically than I had expected.

Probably in this day and age, it is now possible to read books quite cheaply.

“If you don’t mind, after dinner, I can show you the library I’ve prepared upstairs?”

“Ooh…! You’ve even prepared something like that…!”

“Yes. I knew that Abel-sama was an avid reader and I figure the quickest way to learn about the present times would be to read books”

Lured by Lilith’s words, I lightly step over and head upstairs where the library is.

If I can read the books that I love, without a doubt, I’ll be able to spend my boring childhood in a meaningful way.

At the time, I was thinking about this heedlessly, oblivious to the ‘Decline’ that was secretly taking place in this world.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – The Presence Of A Demon

I woke up.

Thinking that my body hurts a little from sleeping too much, I open the lid of the coffin.

*Thud*

Suddenly, a dull sound echoes.

Perhaps the lid of the coffin was broken because it hadn’t been moved in a long time.

It’s not unreasonable to make that assumption.

If my <<Reincarnation Magic>> is successful, then currently, it is 200 years into the future.

This coffin is probably deteriorating in many places. 

“Ooh…!”

As I went out into the distance light, I saw my smaller limbs, and unconsciously gasped in astonishment.

It’s a success.

My soul is safely inside the vessel I had prepared.

Incidentally, the model for this body that was prepared for reincarnation was created based on images of my childhood during my lifetime.

In fact, I could have adjusted my appearance a bit more, but I couldn’t completely discard the old appearance that I was fondly attached to.

In any case, there shouldn’t be a single acquaintance left 200 years into the future, so it wouldn’t matter if I retain a semblance to my old appearance.

“Let’s see. As I recall, there should be a mirror around here…”

I looked around, but there was nothing of the sort.

The full-length mirror that should have been propped up in the chamber seemed to be buried underneath the rubble. It appears to have been knocked over by an earthquake or something.

That is when my thoughts were interrupted.

“It’s the presence of a demon”

Listening carefully. I can hear footsteps reverberate through the cave.

Judging by the footsteps, the gender is female.

The demon seems to be mimicking a human being.

The demon is good.

If it were anyone other than me, it would be difficult to see through her disguise.

Now.

This is bad.

There were supposed to be multiple layers of barriers placed around the cave to prevent anyone from entering.

How did she get in? I didn’t think that after 200 years, not only the coffin but also the barriers have deteriorated.

If it was me from my previous life, I would be able to defeat her without any problems, but I don’t know how much I can do with this current child’s body.

I only have one chance to launch a preemptive attack.

As soon as this woman opens the door, I’ll use the most powerful magic I can construct right now.

If I can make the first move successfully, even with my child’s body, surely I will have the advantage here.

At that moment, the heavy door slowly opens.

“Abel-sama…?”

Beautiful.

When I saw her, I almost unconsciously undid the magic I was in the process of constructing.

That’s just how beautiful she is.

The color of her eyes is blue.

It’s the <<Blue Eyes>> that specializes in water attribute magic.

She has silver hair as glossy as silk and skin as white as a cloud.

Suddenly, the slender woman dropped the wooden basket she was holding in her hand.

“I’ve waited so long for this day. So long…”

Oi-oi. Oi-oi-oi.

I was at my wits’ end.

Why?

That’s because the demon woman in front of me sat there with tears spilling out of her eyes.

“My apologies, Abel-sama. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time”

She’s been waiting for me?

No, wait. I don’t remember seeing such a beautiful woman before.

I’m not proud of it, but in my previous life, I was so absorbed in my research of magic that my life was completely devoid of any intimate relationships with the opposite sex.

But if those tears are real, then she’s putting up a great performance.

If what she said was true, that she was waiting for me. Then who is she? Do I know any demons?

“Ahh…. I see…. So that’s it…”

Suddenly I was hit with a sense of deja vu.

I’ve seen her before. That face looking up at me while sobbing.

‘Abel! Are you out of your mind!? She’s still a demon, even if she’s a child!’

‘Unbelievable! That child is an enemy of humanity!’

I can still vividly remember that day.

The day after we had defeated the Demon King, I had saved the life of a demon’s daughter on a whim.

She had the misfortune of failing to escape the castle and was about to be killed simply because she was the daughter of the Demon King.

That’s right. I know her name.

“── It’s been a long time. Lilith”

“Yes. I’m glad to see that Abel-sama hasn’t changed”

I see.

After 200 years, the little girl of the demon race who was previously in her adolescence has grown up to be about 20 years old in appearance.

“Ever since you saved my life 200 years ago, I was determined to repay you for your kindness! I heard that you left the Hero party and disappeared somewhere…. After over a hundred years of searching the world, I finally found this place”

So that was the case.

To have let a demon find my hideout, guess I should have been more careful.

As I suspected, the barriers that I have placed in the cave have weakened over time.

I miscalculated.

If I have another chance to reincarnate, I’ll have to make some adjustments to that problem. 

“By the way, Lilith. Your eyes were supposed to be the same <<Amber>> color as mine, but…did I remember it wrong?”

I’ve been wondering about that since a while ago.

Mainly because Lilith’s eyes had changed from <<Amber Eyes>> to <<Blue Eyes>> in the time we have not seen each other in a long while.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the color of the eyes constitutes the ‘Color of the Soul’ that makes up the individual.

How did she easily discard the <<Amber Eyes>> that even I couldn’t after my reincarnation?

“Yes. It’s still the <<Amber Eyes>>. But I’m using colored contact lenses now”

“…Colored contact lenses?”

“That’s right. I think it’s quicker to show you these things in person than it is to explain them to you”

“Wha ──!?”

Lilith’s next action was one that took my breath away.

As I was wondering what she meant, Lilith stuck her hand onto her own eye and started peeling something off. 

“This item is called colored contact lenses. Once you get used to it, it is surprisingly painless and you can put it on without feeling any discomfort at all”

“………”

I see.

So this translucent sheet can change the color of the eyes.

In my time. It seems like an item that anyone could have come up with, but no one was able to make that a reality. 

“Fufu…. Fufufufu…”

A dry laugh naturally leaked out.

As I thought, it was right that I took risks and reincarnate 200 years into the future.

Human evolution is amazing.

When we take a look at this world, what we see is a history of discrimination and persecution based on the color of the eyes. We, humans, have sacrificed a great number of lives by squabbling and sometimes starting wars based on the color of our eyes.

It’s ironic.

The reason for our conflicts can be solved by this single translucent sheet.

“Abel-sama. We have a lot to catch up on, but if you don’t mind, can we change the location? There’s a house that I’ve prepared nearby”

“Hmm. Sure”

I’m curious about Lilith’s story, but I still want to see and experience ‘New Discoveries’ in the outside world with my own eyes.

Lilith picked up the basket she had dropped and pulled something out of it.

It was a long, narrow piece of cloth, and was woven with fluffy thread that makes one feel warm just by looking at it.

As I was wondering what it is, Lilith suddenly starts wrapping it around my neck.

“What’s this? Is it some kind of scarf?”

When I asked, Lilith smiled at me.

“This is for protection against the cold, called a muffler. It’s a little different than what it was called 200 years ago”

said Lilith as she took my hand.

She starts walking slowly to match my little strides.

We went out of the cave.

My breath is white, but more importantly, the world was white.

No one’s footprints are yet to be seen on the freshly fallen snow, too.

“All right. Shall we go? Abel-sama”

I nodded and took a step onto the snow of this new world.

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Prologue

Prologue – Cheat Magician Reincarnates

“I’m sorry, Abel. Could you leave our party?”

One day.

I, Abel, was expelled by the leader of this party, the Hero Roy. 

It was so sudden that I was at a loss for words.

“The world is mostly at peace now. We can defeat the remnants of the demons without you. I don’t think a magician as great as you is needed on the front lines anymore”

That’s right, we saved the world.

The <<Demon King of Dusk>>, a Demon of Calamity that brought about the Dark Age to this world, was subjugated by a party of us heroes led by Roy.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m in this party because I like it”

“Abel”

Roy interrupted me with a firm tone.

“I’m sure that you also have realized it, don’t you? Your <<Amber Eyes>> are not needed in this peaceful world anymore”

This time I was speechless.

I could feel Roy’s words slowly seeping into my mind.

In this world, the <<Eyes>> say as much as one can talk about one’s <<Ability>>.

One’s aptitude in a specific magic system shows itself in the color of their eyes

If you have the aptitude for Fire Magic, you could have fiery red <<Burning Eyes>>, if it’s Water Magic, then it’s the <<Blue Eyes>>, and if it’s Wind Magic, then it’s the <<Green Eyes>>.

However, there was another color as well.

It’s an eye color that has the aptitude for all attributes and has the highest power when trained.

That was the golden <<Amber Eyes>> that I have.

The amber eyes are the symbol of <<The Strongest>> and <<The Worst>> in this world.

The reason for this is that more than 90% of the demons that oppose humans have the same <<Amber Eyes>> as me.

“This isn’t a bad thing for you either. Once the world is at peace which would definitely come after this, humanity will start to confront each other. When that happens, you will surely be persecuted as a symbol of misfortune”

Yeah.

Roy’s claim is not wrong.

In this world, a person with the <<Amber Eyes>> is called the ‘Reincarnation of The Demon Race’ and will be stoned by the villagers ever since they can remember.

Also, I’m not just a magician.

I am called the strongest magician in the Hero party and even defeated the Demon King.

A Hero who can defeat the Demon King who rules the world is indistinguishable from a monster to humans.

“Of course, it’s not just about leaving the party. There’s an island west of here, right? It’s that desert island where we all used to go and slay the Kraken. We’ve prepared a villa for you on that desert island, where even monsters no longer approach. You’ll be happy there ──”

“That’s enough”

It’s funny.

Is this Hero planning to confine me, his longtime comrade, on a small, desert island?

He doesn’t want to see my face anymore. He wants me gone.

“I will leave as you wish”

“I see. I’m sorry. The procedure for the villa is in this document ──”

“However, I’m not going to take your suggestion”

Roy opened his eyes wide.

I click my tongue, remembering the vex in his jade green eyes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll never show myself in front of you guys again”

“Abel!”

I turned around and walked away from Roy.

Roy is shouting something in a hurry. Saying that he didn’t say it the right way, or that he doesn’t have any other intentions.

I think he’s right. I really do.

It’s not Roy’s fault. I know that much.

The truth is, I’ve already known it for a long time.

That in a peaceful world, magicians like me with the <<Amber Eyes>> would certainly be the object of persecution.

It’s not Roy who’s at fault.

It’s not the king or his people. Nor the party members, much less me.

What’s to blame is this ignorant and immature world.

That’s why I completed it.

A <<Reincarnation Magic>> that would probably be impossible to create by anyone in this world but me ──.

This place I came to with Transfer Magic is my hideout.

I slipped through a stone wall deep inside the cave, ran through a stone-paved passageway, and opened a steel door.

Here is my research laboratory.

A special hideout with multiple layers of barriers.

But I don’t know how many years it has been since I last visited this place. The research laboratory was covered with dust, like snow.

── Assuming that the civilization of a peaceful world had matured, and become more knowledgeable and cultured. For example, 200 years from now. If the world is capable of doing the previously impossible with the magic of this age, then the world should have what it takes in accepting these amber eyes.

With a glimmer of hope in the distant future, I took out a dusty book, medicine, and some gems.

I’ve already prepared the body for my reincarnation in advance.

Once you break it down, the structure of the human body is quite simple.

There are a total of 29 kinds of elements that make up the human body.

Approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water, and there are only a few overlapping components such as carbon, ammonia, and phosphorus.

I used magic to analyze and copy the substances that make up the human body and repeated multiple experiments over and over again to create my ideal body.

── All right, now that it’s all done.

I lie down in the coffin and stare at the ceiling.

The effect of this Reincarnation Magic is that I rapidly feel drowsy as the soul is gradually ripped away from the body.

My eyelids feel heavy.

The next time I wake up, the world should be far into the future.

Thus, I fell asleep.

Well.

Truth to be told, I had made a mistake at the time.

That is, I didn’t tell my companions during my lifetime about the <<Reincarnation Magic>> at all.

This mistake would lead to a great deal of trouble for the inhabitants of the future world….

Well, let’s talk about that matter more as we go along.

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Chapter 4 Part 3

Dawn.

I sneaked out of the mansion and headed for the mountains.

This is to experiment ‘Ancient Magic’.

I overslept.

I slept like a log after dinner because I ate too much.

The pancakes Martha made for me were delicious, so it can’t be helped. This body is still just 13 years old, so it requires lots of sleep.

“The mountains behind the mansion will only be off-limits in the afternoon, wasn’t it?”

The sun hadn’t even risen yet. There aren’t even any guards on duty this early.

If I use the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ and ‘Flight’ magic, it will only take me 10 minutes to reach the mountains.

“Dick. Are you awake?”

‘…Yes! Master!’

This is at the mountaintop on one of the mountains.

I called out in a low voice, and the bat, Dick, flew over.

“You heard me well just now”

‘Dick knows all on this mountain. Everyone was waiting for Master’s arrival!’

*BAZABAZABAZABAZA ──!!*

The sky at dawn turned black.

Countless bats were flying in the sky.

“Thank you. I understand the greeting. But let’s have them disperse before someone notices them” 

‘Certainly! Everyone, disperse!!’

The bats scattered.

Dick and three other bats stayed behind. They’re there to keep a lookout for people.

“‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’, activate”

I drew the crest of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic on my left hand.

It’s been experimented up to this point.

This time I’m going to try drawing the crest on my right hand as well.

I activated the two ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic drawn on both of my hands, and started running.

The scenery flew by.

Fast! What the hell is this? I’m scared!!

I can’t keep up with my senses. It’s too fast. When I kicked the ground with my own momentum ──

My body flew through the air.

It’s like the ‘Flight’ magic I used in my previous life. Back then, I used my magic power to fly like a bird.

“The operating time is about 10 minutes, huh?”

The experiment was successful.

Drawing two crests will double the effects of ‘Ancient Magic’.

Xellos nii-sama was chanting an incantation while drawing the crest in the air.

Because there’s only one mouth, so only one instance of the magic can be used at a time.

In my case, however, that limitation doesn’t exist.

I can invoke the magic just by simply drawing the crest with my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’.

“…Not good, this has become fun somehow”

In this era, I’ve decided to be an ordinary human.

I’m going to make magic just a hobby, but….

“I wonder what would happen if I draw and invoke 3 crests at the same time”

………….

…….

I tried.

── *CREAK*, I felt my body creak.

“ARRRGGGHHH!?”

This is dangerous. It’s one hell of muscle pain.

When I try to move my limbs, I can feel the cramp going on in my leg with a sense of numbness too.

No good. My body is not keeping up with the magic. This is too reckless for my 13 years old body.

………….urgh.

…….uuhn.

After 10 minutes of intense muscle pain…the effects of the magic finally wore off.

As I thought, ‘Ancient Magic’ is dangerous.

Let’s not be reckless. After all, I’m just an ordinary human in this era.

‘Master. What’s wrong?’

The bat, Dick, perched on my shoulder and looked at me with concern.

As I look at those wings….

“…I wonder what would happen if I draw the crest on Dick’s body”

‘Is it magic? Please give it a try!’

“Are you sure?”

‘It seems fun!’

“I’ll give it a try then”

I’m 13 years old now, a child in the throes of curiosity.

So I inadvertently drew the crest of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic on Dick’s wings. It ended up looking like graffiti.

“…Okay, I drew it. How do you feel, Dick? Feeling anything?”

‘I’m feeling weird’

“All right. I will erase it immediately”

‘There’s no need to erase it. It’s amazing, Master! I’m full of energy now’

Dick had disappeared ── and when I realized that, he had already flown up to a greater height.

“Whoaaa!”

‘Ohhhhhhhhh!!’

We both raised our voices at the same time.

Dick’s speed as he flew over the sky was several times faster than usual.

I need to focus to see Dick’s movement.

“Hey! Don’t come swooping down like that. You’re going to fly into a tree”

‘It’s okay. My sound waves related abilities have been strengthened, too!’

Dick slips through the trees.

The leaves on the branches fell after Dick passed by.

Bats avoid obstacles with sounds that we can’t hear ── according to his own testimony, but seems like it has been strengthened.

‘This is amazing! To think that Master has such great power’

‘Kyuii. Kyuii’

Before I knew it, the other three bats were flying towards me.

“You guys want to be strengthened, too?”

Nod, nod.

“…Just this once though”

‘Kyui! Kyuii!’

I drew the crest on them.

It can’t be helped.

After all, I need to make sure that this ‘Ancient Magic’ can also be used by anyone, not just my servants.

And the outcome is ──

‘Kyuiiii ──!!’   ‘Kyuuuuiiiiii!’   ‘Kyu kyu, kyu ──!!’

‘This is amazing, Master!’

All 4 bats are now in the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ state.

“‘Ancient Magic’ is a real force to be reckoned with…”

The mages of the ‘Magic Guild’ can manipulate such power at will?

As I thought…it will be better to not get involved with them.

I’ll go to a public school and live my life as an ordinary human.

Magic is a hobby. I won’t go into it any further. It’s too dangerous. That’s that. 

“Shall I head back now? Martha will get angry if I’m late for breakfast”

There should be some leftover syrup from yesterday for breakfast. It tastes good on bread.

Even the Baron household rarely serves it, so I can’t miss it.

‘Master. I found someone’

Dick returned.

‘While searching for the others, I saw humans are being chased by monsters’

“Is that so? That is going to be a problem”

‘I know right’

“What kind of monster was it?”

‘It’s a Dark Bear’

“They’re in big trouble. But then, to have entered the mountains without any preparation. It can’t be helped”

‘Is that so?’

“They must be reckless travelers. Anyway, it’s none of my business”

‘Then why is Master running at the same speed as Dick, who has been strengthened and you’re still getting faster! You’re really amazing, Master!’ 

It can’t be helped.

This mountain behind the mansion is Xellos nii-sama’s examination site. There will be trouble if there’s a corpse.

Either the exam will be postponed, or it will be rescheduled. If that happens, the tutor, Kachel, will definitely be enraged more than ever.

Ahh, it’s troublesome just thinking about it.

“Who is it? Who is the one that entered this mountain unprepared!”

I’ll have a look at you.

And I will decide whether to help or not after.

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Chapter 4 Part 2

“Are you still concerned about Yuuki-dono?”

“…Yes. Sensei”

“Again, it’s impossible for Yuuki-dono to use ‘Ancient Magic’. That’s because it’s a magic that can only be used by chosen ones”

“Y-Yes. I’m well aware of that, but…”

“I understand that Xellos-sama is wary of Yuuki-dono. Did you see how Baron-sama behaved earlier? He cared for Yuuki-sama so much. As expected, it seems that he is being ensnared. This proves that Yuuki-dono wants to overthrow you and take over as the heir”

“…Sensei, I’m…”

“Don’t let your guard down. Xellos-sama”

Tutor Kachel grabbed Xellos Grossalia by the shoulder.

“Yuuki-dono is steadily implementing a plan to get the servants on his side. The other day, he tried to treat the servants to prey that he had hunted. This is an obvious attempt to curry favor with the servants. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped him”

“Is Yuuki…really trying to overthrow me?”

“It’s a common occurrence in noble families”

Kachel muttered bloodily.

“Things like an illegitimate child joining a noble family and eventually taking over the family. It’s unforgivable to neglect someone who is the legitimate son just because he is a little better. You must show them that this is not the true extent of your power”

“…Sensei?”

“Listen, Xellos-sama. The only one who is on your side is this Kachel Mieghem. Do you hear me, I’m your only ally”

Kachel repeated.

An illegitimate child invades the Baron family. 

The Baron even accepted Yuuki, everything is just a ploy to take over the Grossalia family. 

“I have faith in you. Xellos-sama”

“…Sensei”

“Xellos-sama is the one whom Kachel Mieghem should serve. If this body did not possess a great amount of magic power, then I might not be able to gain the trust of Xellos-sama ──”

“N-No. I trust Kachel-sensei”

“Then please repeat these words after me. Clutch this amulet tightly ── Yuuki Grossalia is our enemy ──. We have a common enemy, and we must fight against him” 

“W ── We have ── a common enemy”

“No matter what Yuuki-dono does, he can’t win against Xellos-sama. After all, I’ve already taken steps to make sure that my magic and Xellos-sama’s magic are one. So please be at ease on the day you’re taking the exam. Xellos-sama”

After returning to my own room in the detached building, I decided to look into the phenomenon earlier.

Xellos nii-sama’s ‘Ancient Magic’ was activated by drawing a crest in the air and chanting an incantation.

The crest could be read from the movement of his fingers.

I didn’t understand the incantation. As far as I know, that wasn’t the language of any country.

It’s probably a language used exclusively for ‘Ancient Magic’.

The only way to know is to learn it from the tutor, Kachel, or the ‘Magic Guild’.

That’s why I only drew the crest and didn’t chant the incantation. 

But the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic was activated and I don’t know why it did. 

── Let’s think about it from the beginning.

In this world, there’s the commonly used magic, and the ‘Ancient Magic’ discovered by the ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’.

The differences between the two are power, duration, and magic power consumption.

Compared to common magic, ‘Ancient Magic’ has these 3 areas that put it in a different league.

Nii-sama with his ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic, fought evenly with Father who is a veteran soldier.

After the fight ended, I drew the same crest that nii-sama had shown me, then my body got stronger, too.

The question is, why did the magic activate?

“Let’s try out an experiment”

I took out a piece of parchment.

With pen and ink, I tried to draw the same crest again.

“…Nothing is happening”

Next, let’s use my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’.

At the time, things started to change when I drew the crest on the palm of my hand with blood from the wound I made on my fingertip.

Let’s do the same thing here then.

I cut my fingertip with a knife and drew on my palm with the pen using my blood as the ink.

The magic activated.

My body feels light. When I bend and stretch…I feel unpleasantly fast.

Let’s not jump as I might crash into the ceiling.

I then silently count the number of seconds. 100…200…about 600 seconds. So, it can only last for 10 minutes, huh?

The crest I drew on my palm faded and disappeared as soon as the effect of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic wore off. It seems that the magic power contained in my blood was exhausted. Looking at the crest, I can tell how long it’s been in effect, too.

Next, I’ll repeat what I did previously, but draw the crest on the parchment this time.

I tossed the parchment ── and it just fell normally.

It’s not possible to use the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic on a parchment, huh?

“…That means my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ is the cause?”

I displayed my status again.

‘Yuuki Nosferatu’

Age: 13 years old  Race: Unknown

Stamina: B   Strength: B   Agility: A   Magic: S   Dexterity: B

Skill: Flight. Magical Blood. Stealth. Ice Magic. Servant Creation. Multi-Species Linguistics. Erosion. Purification. Ancient Magic Aptitude.

My skills have increased.

What’s going on? Up until now, there was no such skill as ‘Ancient Magic Aptitude’.

In the first place, I never used ‘Ancient Magic’ in my previous life.

However, I was stabbed with the ‘Ancient Artifact’, Holy Sword, at the end….

“Could it be…that time!?”

When I died in my previous life, the Holy Sword was stained red with my blood.

And my blood is an extension of me like my limbs.

When I died, I was connected to the ‘Ancient Artifact’, Holy Sword.

In other words, I reincarnated being connected to the ‘Ancient Artifact’.

It seems that it had some sort of effect on my soul, and as a result, I’ve acquired the skill, Ancient Magic Aptitude.

So, ‘Ancient Magic’ could be activated just by using my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ as the medium to draw the crest?

“…Interesting”

When I reincarnated, I thought that the humans of this era might have analyzed ‘Ancient Artifacts’ and developed their own culture with what they discovered.

However, that didn’t happen.

Because of the war, ‘Ancient Artifacts’ have disappeared, and ‘Ancient Magic’ is being managed by ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’.

But…what if I were to master ‘Ancient Magic’…?

“Maybe I can develop the culture and make this world a more comfortable place”

Okay. End of delusion.

No way. It’s impossible.

I was called a frontier Demon King in my previous life, and I’m now an illegitimate child of a Baron family. Let’s not get my hopes high.

My desire is to study humans and be able to pretend to be human. That’s all.

Let’s leave the affairs of the human world to humans.

“Let’s hope Xellos nii-sama joins the ‘Magic Guild’ and rise to greatness”

I lay down on the bed.

From outside, I could hear my little sister, Rumia, and Martha’s voice.

“Yuuki nii-sama caught a rabbit! The lunch menu is going to be nii-sama’s meat!” 

“Yuuki-sama is amazing. I’m sure it will be delicious”

Rumia…that sounds like you’re going to eat my flesh.

Martha, you should lower down your voice a little, too.

Everyone in the mansion knows they’re good friends, but it would be troublesome if Kachel heard about it.

“…I’m fine with this”

Reincarnated as a human and have a normal family, too.

From now on, I can go to school and learn more about this era.

I was treated well enough as an illegitimate child of a noble family.

I’m no longer the ‘Local Demon King’ nor the ‘Vampire King, Vampire Lord’.

The ‘Sanctuary Church, Elysium Temple’ that cornered me is gone, too.

‘O Immortal Mage! As a Demon King, you’re plotting to conquer the human race, aren’t you!?’

I don’t think I’ll be accused of that anymore.

…Seriously. Nobody was plotting to conquer the human race.

All I wanted to do was improve my magic, make it easier for the people in the village to draw water…and reduce the rate of livestock contracting diseases so that they could have meat once a week ──

“…This is depressing. My previous life”

I decided to sleep until lunch, so I closed my eyes.

That night, the butler, Neil, told me about the coming day of Her Royal Highness, the Princess’s arrival.

He also told me that starting from tomorrow afternoon, the mountains behind the mansion would be off-limits as it could be one of the potential exam sites.

And so, I decided to sneak out of the mansion again.

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Chapter 4 Part 1

Chapter 4 – The Former Demon King, Awakening To Ancient Magic

“Somebody bring me a wooden sword! A mock battle between me and Xellos will now take place”

“Yes. Then allow me”

“Yuuki, you will stay there to watch the battle between me and Xellos”

“……Yes”

“I’ll have the servants prevent anyone from coming here. So that no one in the mansion sees the ‘Ancient Magic’. Would that suffice, Kachel-dono?”

“This Kachel can’t help but admire Baron-sama’s thoughtfulness”

Thus, Father and nii-sama are to hold a mock battle in front of me.

Preparations were finished, Father and nii-sama are now facing each other with their weapons in hand.

Father is holding a thick wooden sword with both hands.

Xellos nii-sama, on the other hand, is holding his wooden sword one-handed.

“I’ll be the one to judge who is the winner!”

Standing between them, the tutor, Kachel, exclaimed.

“If either one of you admits defeat or drops your sword, you lose. Is that all right?”

“Mmm…Yes, that’s fine”   “I have no objection here, Sensei”

“Well then, let’s begin!!”

“Here I come, Father!!”

It was Xellos nii-sama who had made the first move.

As he drew something like a figure in the air with his finger, he also started muttering some sort of incantation.

“‘Achieve! I am ────────────’”

“Wonderful, Xellos-sama!”

Xellos nii-sama’s chanting is inaudible to me. It’s unlike any other words I’ve ever heard.

“Activate ── ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’!!”

Xellos nii-sama kicked the ground and started running.

“── He’s fast!”

I couldn’t help but blurt out.

Nii-sama’s physical ability has improved dramatically.

He immediately closed the gap between him and Father in a split second and swung down his sword with his one hand.

*CLANK*

Father managed to receive nii-sama’s sword with his two-handed sword.

…No, he can’t stop the blow and is being pushed back.

Father, who is two heads taller and about twice as big as Xellos nii-sama, is being overpowered.

I’ve never seen magic with this much power, even in my previous life.

With ordinary magic, the best you can do is have your strength increased by a couple of notches. And yet, currently, nii-sama’s strength and instantaneous power are probably many times greater than before.

…It’s terrifying. So this is the power of ‘Ancient Magic’.

“Xellos. So this is the result of what you have learned, huh?”

“Yes. With ‘Ancient Magic’, I can fight Father on equal footing!”

“This truly is quite a feat!”

Father grits his teeth and pushes back Xellos nii-sama’s sword.

For a moment, nii-sama stepped back then jumped back in just as father was regaining his posture. 

Again, Xellos nii-sama closed the gap and swung his wooden sword.

In terms of speed and strength, Xellos nii-sama is the superior one. But, Father was able to fight back, probably due to his years of combat experience.

Now I understand why ‘Lindbel Magic Guild’ is managing ‘Ancient Magic’.

It’s too powerful and scary to spread to the public.

The spell nii-sama chanted was peculiarly pronounced, with systematic breathing in between each word. It’s probably a language that is exclusive to ‘Ancient Magic’.

Unless you could decipher that, ‘Ancient Magic’ cannot be used.

There’s no way such a strange spell can be chanted without being taught. Even I can’t do it.

So that’s why the ‘Magic Guild’ can control who gets to pass it on.

“How was it, Yuuki! This is what I can do! Do you realize it even just a little bit!?” 

Xellos-nii sama shouted.

“It’s a power you can’t even understand. I’ll use this power to become a high-ranking mage in the magic guild. And then I will raise the Grossalia family to the same status as high-ranking nobles!!”

“This is the power of ‘Ancient Magic’. It’s a power beyond your imagination!”

Next thing I knew, the tutor, Kachel, was looking at me.

“The power to fight on equal footing with a veteran such as Baron-sama. With this in hand, Xellos-sama will rise to the top of nobility! Sooner or later, you won’t even be able to speak to me or Xellos-sama! You can see the differences in our status, can’t you!?”

“Yeah”

I paid no attention to his words.

…This is the first time I’ve seen ‘Ancient Magic’ up close…and I must say, it’s terrifying.

I don’t understand the theory behind the magic at all, to begin with. Just a moment ago, I did my best to memorize the movements of nii-sama’s finger.

Nii-sama used his finger to draw such a crest.

Like this and that…then with the chanting, too….

*BA-DUMP*

My heart pounded.

My limbs became hot. It felt like strength was starting to well up from deep within my body.

── What’s this?

It is as if I had returned to be the ‘Immortal Mage, Lord of Nosferatu’, Dean Nosferatu…from my previous life.

Power and energy seem to be overflowing in my body ──?

What is this? What is this power!?

“I’m sorry, Father, Xellos-nii sama! I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to have to excuse myself now!!”

“…Eh?”   “Are you okay? Yuuki!?”

Both Xellos nii-sama and Father called out.

But I don’t have time to answer them.

I started to move my legs with all my might to get away from the three of them. To somewhere out of people’s sight.

“Wait a second, Yuuki! You have to see my abilities!!”

“Why are you coming after me…Xellos nii-sama”

Moreover, he was still in the state of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic.

I can’t get caught…not right now ──

I increased my running speed.

“── Eh? I can’t keep up!? Why!?”

Nii-sama’s voice faded away.

I turned at the corner of the mansion and entered the backyard.

I then kicked the ground with all my might.

“Hey!? Yuuki!?”

Xellos chased after his younger brother around the corner of the building.

Without pause, he entered the backyard of the detached building. But ──

“…He’s not here”

His younger brother, Yuuki was nowhere to be seen.

“This must be a lie. Why can’t I catch up to him even with my ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’. I can’t believe Yuuki is that much stronger than me…”

“What’s the matter, Xellos-sama?”

As Xellos turned around, he saw his private tutor, Kachel.

“Yuuki is not here. I couldn’t catch up to him…. Could it be that Yuuki was using ‘Ancient Magic’ as well?”

“That’s impossible”

The tutor, Kachel, shook his head.

“To use ‘Ancient Magic’, it requires a specific set of steps as well as the use of internal magic power. It cannot be used by those who have not been taught of it”

“But!!”

“Xellos-sama has only just been able to use the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’, and was probably not able to control it well. Under normal circumstances, you would have overwhelmed Baron-sama in a bout”

“…Sensei”

“Come on, let’s go back to Baron-sama. The goal of showing off your abilities to Yuuki-dono has been achieved. This is enough for today”

“Yes”

Xellos walked off towards the front yard of the mansion.

“But…sometimes…I feel like I’m no match for Yuuki…I just do”

“Let’s have a chat later. That illegitimate child and other matters won’t be a problem. Like I’ve always said, you have the ability”

With that, Xellos left the backyard with Kachel.

“…That was a close call”

I was looking over the backyard from a room.

After running to the backyard, I flew straight up to the second floor, opened the window, and hid inside the room.

My ‘Flight’ skill is still incomplete. Normally, I shouldn’t be able to fly up to the second floor.

The reason I was able to fly that high up to the second floor is because of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ magic.

Power surged from deep within my body, and it was as if I had returned to the heyday of my previous life.

Thinking that it’s bad, I decided to run away.

“I never thought that ‘Ancient Magic’ could be activated by simply drawing a crest with blood…”

I looked at the palm of my hand.

There was the crest I had drawn with my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’.

I subconsciously drew it when I saw the mock battle between Father and Xellos nii-sama earlier.

It was a habit I had when I was the ‘Lone Demon King’ in my previous life. Back then, whenever I had something that I wanted to write down right away, I’d cut my fingertips and write it in blood on the palm of my hand or on parchment.

Lyle once said, ‘That’s why they call you a vampire’, while laughing.

“I need to do some more research on ‘Ancient Magic’”

After saying that, I looked at the occupant in the room.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I must have scared you, Martha”

“You jumped in while I was changing and that’s all you have to say?”

Inside the room, the maid was staring at me.

In her underwear. She hugged her halfway undressed maid uniform.

Perhaps it was because she was changing, her usually tied up chestnut-color hair was fluttering and swaying.

“Do you know how surprised I was when the window suddenly opened?”

“…I’m really sorry”

“But I was relieved when I found out that it was Yuuki-sama”

“Wait what? Why do you feel relieved that it was me?”

She puffed out her cheeks after I said that.

Her name is Martha. She’s 15 years old and is 2 years older than me. She’s my personal maid

Her mother had worked for the Baron household, so Martha used to always tag along with her mother to the mansion. To me and Lumia, she is our childhood friend. Martha’s mother is now unwell and works at home doing handicrafts. So to replace her, Martha now works for the Baron household as a maid in training.

“I feel relieved. After all, I, Martha, have pledged her allegiance to Yuuki-sama”

Martha stared at me as she covered her body with the maid uniform which she held in her hands.

“Yuuki-sama told Baron-sama to employ me in the place of my mother when she had to resign from household services at the Baron household. If Yuuki-sama hadn’t said that, mother and I might have been wondering on the streets now”

“…Well, that was before Kachel came”

The Baron household was not as strict as it is now.

“The only person who would take care of me was your mother. Besides that, Martha, you had to take care of me in the detached building, so I thought I was the one who was causing trouble to you”

“That’s not true. Yuuki-sama has visited my mother many times”

“That’s because I feel uncomfortable staying in this mansion all the time, and I don’t know anyone else”

“But every time Yuuki-sama does so, my mother’s health has gotten better”

“That’s just a coincidence”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah”

“Even so…my loyalty belongs to Yuuki-sama”

You sure are stubborn, Martha.

Humans are like that, aren’t they?

“For the umpteenth time, I don’t think of you as a servant”

“You always say that, don’t you? That I’m your partner living together in this mansion”

“Yes, that’s what I had said before”

With me being constantly stared at by nii-sama and the private tutor.

And Martha, who lives alone with her sick mother.

It’s not that easy to live in this Baron household.

“Okay…if you say so, Yuuki-sama”

“In the first place, Martha”

“What is it? Yuuki-sama”

“Aren’t you surprised that I came in through the window on the second floor?”

“Martha is well aware of how amazing Yuuki-sama truly is”

“Is that so?”

“I used to be a crybaby but you protected me well. You would use magic to ward off bugs or cool my burnt hands. And every time you would say, ‘Oh no! Please keep this a secret’, so I keep getting more and more secrets. At this point, there’s nothing to be surprised at anymore”

“I’m sorry about that”

“This time it’s going to be the same, ‘Oh no! Please keep this a secret’. Is that correct?”

“Yeah. By all means”

“Noted”

“I’m sorry”

“By the way, Yuuki-sama. It’s a bit late to say this now, but what are your thoughts after seeing me changing clothes?”

“I know very well that Martha is pretty”

“Thank you very much. In return, I will wash your hair as a token of my gratitude”

“I just washed it the other day, so it’s okay”

“No ー it ー is ー not ー okay”

“…All right”

“Good”

“Well then, I’m going back to my room now. Bring me some tea later”

“Yes. I’ll come over after I finish changing my clothes”

With that, Martha bowed.

I decided to head back to my room.

Some time later.

As I was sipping the tea that Martha had brewed for me, Father came into the room.

“Yuuki, you’ll be staying at an inn in town while Her Royal Highness is here. Martha and a few others will accompany you. However, you are not allowed to return to the mansion until Her Royal Highness has left”

said Father, avoiding my gaze.

“The truth is you don’t have to do that. You also don’t need to seclude yourself in your room. But…when it comes to the instructions of the private tutor dispatched from the ‘Magic Guild’…it’s inevitable”

“I don’t mind. Father”

I was the one who said I could leave the mansion. Besides, it’s not bad to relax at an inn once in a while.

I won’t need to look at the tutor, Kachel’s face.

“Martha is coming with me, right? In that case, I don’t mind”

“…I’m sorry. Yuuki”

Without warning.

Father stretched out his arms and hugged me.

“I’m just an upstart after all, and probably not cut out to be a nobleman. I’m useless. I never thought I’d have to put my own son through such a shameful experience…”

“Father. Martha is watching”

“I’m not”

said Martha, as she turned her back to us.

“Please continue. Baron-sama, Yuuki-sama”

“…She got me”

It’s so embarrassing to be hugged by Father in front of Martha.

I originally thought it was my job to comfort children. 

In my previous life, I used to comfort the crybabies Lyle and Alice like this.

But now it doesn’t feel bad to be comforted by someone else either.

In my previous life, I didn’t know who my parents were.

But now I have Father, my little sister, Lumia, Xellos nii-sama, and Martha.

For that reason alone, it was probably a good thing to be a human.

“Thank you very much, Father”

“I will not inconvenience you any further. Martha, please take good care of Yuuki for me”

“Those words alone are enough. Father”

“Please leave Yuuki-sama to me. Baron-sama”

I slipped out of Father’s arms and bowed. Behind me, Martha followed suit and bowed, too.

I stayed that way until Father left the room.

Why? That’s because I didn’t know what kind of face that a human child would make at such a moment like this. 

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Chapter 2 Part 2

☆★☆★☆★

After the entrance ceremony ended, I got into trouble.

I was having lunch with Anastasia in the cafeteria, and all I can say is right now, I’m definitely in big trouble.

All the academic staff and students in the cafeteria are looking straight at us.

── Well, it’s not surprising that this happened, considering that Merlin, who is the headmaster of the Demon Academy, started eating her lunch right next to us.

Merlin glanced at me, and each time she did, she clearly sighed and a light shade of red can also be seen on her cheeks….

And then, with determination, she began striking up a conversation with me, or rather, I should say she’s busy trying to work up the courage to do so.

She has been trying to talk to me for about ten times now, but she just stops herself whenever she opens her mouth…. Such actions have been repeated over and over again.

Well, she’s always shy to talk to strangers, hasn’t she?

Yeah, this is troublesome. Very troublesome indeed. 

── So, what do I do now?

While I was pondering over a solution, an upperclassman who sat diagonal to me took one look at Merlin, grinned, and then said ──

“Really now…this is deplorable for a middle-aged woman to be a shotacon”

Merlin froze for a moment at those words………she then cocked her head slightly to one side.

“A middle-aged shotacon…did you mean me?”

“Yeah, if I were to talk about an older shotacon here, it would be you…O・BĀ・SA・N” |TL Note: Obāsan = Old Lady|

Those words froze Merlin again………for a moment.

“I felt your disgusting, passionate gaze on the new student representative, you know? A woman over twenty years old ogling a 15-year-old boy…. What can that mean I wonder?”

“……”

“Also, it feels like you’re looking for the right time to talk to him, almost as if you’re trying to seduce him or something, you know?” 

“……Seducing?”

“You don’t have to hide it, okay? That disgusting, passionate gaze of yours…it’s nothing more than a filthy sexual desire”

“By the way, who are you?”

“If he’s the main representative of Honour Students, then he is an elite with a promising future. In short, I, the Count’s daughter ── Victoria, am a suitable partner for him” 

Hearing that, Merlin chuckled.

“So you’re telling me that you’re trying to get this boy as a woman?”

Ehh!?

I mean, the power of the main representative is wonderful, isn’t it? It’s quite the development going on here!?

“Yes, as expected, the other vixens will be quick to take the lead. Well, it seems like I can’t underestimate the allure of a woman, even if she is an Obāsan (Old Lady). If someone calls out to him, he might just easily be deceived. Therefore ── I, as his future partner, will be the watchdog and keep people like you in check”

Just as Victoria finished talking, Merlin thought for a moment, then began to speak in a low, calm voice with a big smile on her face ──

“── Shut your mouth, you cur”

Now it was Victoria’s turn to freeze.

“C-C-Cur!?”

“If a naive stupid brat calls herself a dog…we have no other opinion of her than that she’s a cur”

“Y-Y-Y-You ── To call someone a cur…who do you think you are!? Identify yourself!” 

“I’m not just somebody…but I’m Merlin, the headmaster of another magic academy”

At that moment, the Count’s daughter immediately knelt down and said in a loud voice ──

“I-I-I’m, I’m so sorry!! I didn’t know you were the hero of the demon race, Merlin-sama…!!”

Whoa, she changed her attitude so quickly!?

This girl…what a simple personality she has…!!

I guess, being the headmaster of the demon race, Merlin is really a target of respect and awe, isn’t she? 

Also, Merlin…seems to have a harsher personality than she used to.

Well, I think it’s because of all the things that have happened since then, but I don’t recall raising a child who would call someone a cur?

Merlin then cleared her throat and said to me.

“…You”

“What is it?”

“Ephthal-kun…right?”

“Yes, I guess…”

“Hey, Ephthal-kun?”

With a smile, Merlin asked ──

“…Do you know the word…‘Reincarnation’?”

She’s always quick on the uptake, but she suddenly got straight to the point.

“Reincarnation? I wonder what you are talking about?”

“You resemble him…. My special someone…”

“Resemble, you say? I don’t quite understand, but…well, it’s not uncommon for someone else to bear resemblance to another person”

“You’re right…. I guess you just look like him…”

Merlin nodded slowly as if she was convinced ──

“Do you really think that could convince me!? Why did you run away from me in the first place!?”

When she pointed that out……well, she’s absolutely right. 

I sighed as I took the tea on the table in my hand.

“Ephthal-kun. I had a look at your exam results”

“……”

“You really blew it. The scores looked as if the legendary Four Emperors had taken the entrance exam for fun”

This is bad.

I can’t believe I’m going to pay for not restraining myself in the exam right here and now.

“And you know what, Ephthal-kun? Looking at your answers to the Academic Entrance Exam…I think you should learn how to adapt to the times better”

“What do you mean?”

“Most of the academic staff couldn’t understand a good portion of your answer sheet, which isn’t that surprising ── since the answers are based on magic theories from 400 years ago, so there’s no way today’s mages can understand it” 

Uhh….

I didn’t know that was going to happen.

I hadn’t even paid attention to it because they were all easy questions, but if I answer them with the magic theories that I know, it’s inevitable that there will be a 400-year time gap.

“So…what is Headmaster Merlin trying to say?”

“Even if reincarnation is just a shot in the dark, you have a special connection to the legendary Four Emperors, Ephthal-sama. I’m adamant about that. And the fact that you ran away from me…there was something in relation to what I said earlier that you didn’t want to face, wasn’t there?”

She is right about the reincarnation!

That’s what I want to say, but if I can do that, then I won’t be having a hard time right now.

“Now, Ephthal-kun? Who are you? I’m still a direct apprentice of the Emperor of the Thunder God, you know? If it’s something to do with my Master, I’ll be as persistent as a snake, okay? I’m not leaving until you give me a satisfactory answer”

Well, what should I do now? I wonder if there’s a good excuse that I can use to possibly talk my way out of this situation…. 

Ah, yes! Let’s just go with this.

“The legendary Four Emperors, Ephthal ── if you’re personally involved with him, then you know that he died in a mansion deep in the mountains, right?”

“Yes, of course. I laid flowers upon my Master’s coffin with my own hands after all”

“And…he was a hero and was awarded the title of Duke after the subjugation of the Demon King. Furthermore, his lineage still continues to this day…you know this too, right?”

“Of course”

“Actually. The Four Emperors, Ephthal, had a mistress you see. Are you aware of this?”

“Mistress…you say? That’s news to me”

Well, that’s because there was no such thing.

So of course she never heard of it.

“He had no magic aptitude and died of a broken heart from the despair he got. You know this ──”

Merlin quickly covered my mouth with a changed look on her face.

“That’s a matter that is not generally known…no, I should say it’s a matter that is kept under wraps. It is top-secret information as it concerns the authority of the Four Emperors themselves. Although my Master’s ability was certain…it was still too bad in the eyes of society. I have my personal thoughts on the matter…but that’s how it goes”

“I see”

“But to know such a thing…Ephthal-kun really does have a strong connection with my Master, don’t you?”

You’re the only one with the strongest connection here.

“He had a child with his mistress. And that child had an outstanding aptitude for magic, so he had been teaching the child all he knew about magic, unbeknownst to others”

The words filled Merlin’s face with astonishment.

“What…did…you…say?”

“His dream was to reach the summit of magic. He entrusted his own child and their children with his name and dream. The child settled deep in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, and his family polished their magic like a hermit, cut off from the rest of the world. No…they continued to refine it”

“Ephthal-kun? By any chance, you’re…”

“The thirteenth generation: Ephthal Alcott. That’s me. People don’t seem to know of our existence in general…but that’s the situation. And our existence is a bit of a shock to our ancestor’s direct apprentice…isn’t it?”

“I see…so that’s what it was. Well, certainly…if you’re talking about my Master having an illegitimate child and not informing us about it…then we have no reason to think well of it. Oh, for the record, I don’t mean to offend your family, nor do I mean to offend my Master…I’m just sad that I didn’t know about it…at least that’s how I feel right now”

Oh? It was quite an absurd explanation, but it seems to have convinced her.

Well, she’s always been honest and gullible.

I laughed when she seriously believed my false and foolish stories that anyone could understand for what they truly are. As I recall, she believed that a stork would bring a child to her when she was already over ten years old. Also, I’m pretty sure she believed that kissing could make a child.

It’s like the really stupid and gullible kids were the cuter ones.

“By the way, Ephthal-kun?”

“Yes?”

“I’m also taught magic by Ephthal-sama. So, in a way, you could call me your sister in apprenticeship” 

“Well, I suppose you’re right”

“And I, too…am one who aspires for the summit of magic in Ephthal-sama’s lineage of magic”

“……?”

“It’s not just your family that will follow the path Ephthal-sama has shown us and become the strongest. And they’re not the only ones that have continued to refine their magic too, you know?”

And that’s where Merlin gave me a defiant look.

“The entrance ceremony has ended. In the afternoon, there’s supposed to be a magic battle demonstration between the new student representative and the academic staff representative, right?” 

“Yes, that’s what I’ve been told”

It’s a mock battle to let people know that even the strongest new student is still no match for their academic staff.

Incidentally, in my case, I’ve been ordered to, “If your exam results are true, you will probably win against the academic staff, so I want you to lose on purpose”.

“Hey, Ephthal-kun? Would you like to compare our magic in the magic battle demonstration?”

Now, this is troubling.

The reason is…I’d definitely stand out.

If Merlin and I clash with each other, it’s unlikely that the school building where the demonstration is supposed to be held would be safe.

Well, there’s a very simple solution to the problem and that’s to just say ‘no’. But it’s because I can’t say ‘no’ that I’m in a real bind now.

Anyway ──

── I do want to see how much did my apprentice improve.

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