Chapter 8 Part 7
◆ ◆
“Well done.”
Lara and Marise had grown up compared to when they first joined the party.
I never thought the two could communicate with their hearts and magic power to create such powerful magic together.
Seeing them grow up, I was filled with emotions.
“What’s wrong? Are you worried about your friends?”
“Nah, I was thinking that the fight with you will be a little boring. So I decided to take a quick look around.”
“Hahaha! What nonsense!”
Arnold laughed and readied his right hand.
“Don’t get carried away just because you were able to stop the magic earlier. I will show you true magic.”
As Arnold said this, his body began to be enveloped in light.
Eventually, the light was shaped into armor.
“Oh…? Gigant Deformation, huh…?”
It is of low quality, but it is a spell I thought I would never see in this era.
“Good. To have finally met a mage with some talent. Let’s have some fun then.”
I will have to get the truth out of him.
“W-W-Whoa! What’s that!? Kurt’s in trouble!?”
“What are you talking about, Lara? Kurt will be fine.”
Lara and Marise, who had finished their fight, also came to watch my fight
“Stay close to me.”
They nodded at my instruction.
Arnold used the spell to create thick armor with his magic power. It is a spell that prevents all kinds of attacks and also greatly increases one’s physical abilities.
“Hahaha! With this, I could even fight against dragons!”
With his face hidden by the armor, Arnold smiles pleasantly.
“Dragons?”
What is he talking about?
“You can’t even defeat a dragon like that.”
In such a case, Arnold would have been blown away and killed with a single swipe of a dragon’s tail.
“What’s going on!? We heard what sounded like an ongoing battle, and… T-This is…!”
“Kurt? And… are those the representatives of the imperial capital lying over there? What’s going on here!?”
Meanwhile, Erika-sensei and Desmond also appeared.
They probably rushed over here after hearing the sound of us fighting and sensed an emergency.
“Sensei… We’ll talk later. Please step back a little.”
The opponent is a bit too strong, even for Desmond.
“Kukuku… Are you the teachers of the Royal Capital? In that case, for the sake of the Empire’s victory, let’s take care of all of you together!”
Arnold slowly moved his arms. He grabbed a nearby tree and pulled it straight out of the ground.
“Hmph!”
A large tree was then thrown at us.
I immediately used body strengthening magic to catch the tree that was thrown at us with one hand.
“This transformation is really good. Maybe I can even throw a dragon with this.”
After the throwing of the steel balls, now it is the throwing of a big tree…
“Desmond-sensei.”
“Hm?”
“I am going to try what you taught in the class.”
As it is, I threw the tree at Arnold.
“Tsk…!”
Arnold clicked his tongue and dodged in the nick of time. The large tree was impaled into the ground nearby.
“You are good. But thou shalt not defeat me! Even if you were to hit me just now, you would not be able to break my armor!”
I was not even thinking of destroying his armor just now.
He threw it at me, so I just threw it back.
“Hey, you!”
I drew my sword from its sheath and intercepted Arnold.
“You’ve been using chantless magic for a while now, haven’t you? What do you know about it?”
Considering this era’s average level, his power is clearly the only one out of the norm.
“I’ll teach thee a lesson for your journey to the underworld, that all the magic we know today is rubbish.”
“Rubbish?”
As he spoke, Arnold threw his right fist at me.
I parried it with my sword and continued listening to Arnold’s story.
“I don’t know the entire truth, but it is said that various dreadful magic were used about a thousand years ago.”
One thousand years ago… That was exactly the time I lived in.
“It is said that it was due to one man who was called a heretic and later called the ‘Demon King’. Our ancestors had sealed the abominable magic created by the Demon King. And we called it the <<Demon King’s Magic>>.”
“Heretic… <<Demon King’s Magic>>…”
People called me a heretic for bringing about the magic revolution, but I do not remember being called the Demon King.
After my reincarnation, the name gradually became more and more exaggerated, and I finally became the Demon King.
“All of the magic created by the Demon King is powerful enough to destroy the world. And so, the Empire secretly evoked the sealed magic and continued researching it. The magic and theories were then taught to us, the <<Four Great Sages>>, who were originally just normal mages, to experiment on it. And this is the result.”
Arnold slowly turns his palm toward me.
Suddenly, an explosion occurred.
It was the Ifrit Flare which is considered lost magic in this world.
““Kurt!””
I heard Lara and Marise’s voices.
Are they worried about me?
But to me, such a thing…
“Can’t hurt me, you know?”
Before the explosion of the Ifrit Flare occurred, I modified my body to be able to withstand high temperatures. Even magma would not affect me now.
Because of that, I did not get a single burn, even though I was at the epicenter of the explosion just now.
“In that case, does that mean the magic civilization has declined because the magic of the Demon King has been sealed?”
“That’s right. According to our Empire’s research, it seems that the Demon King has suddenly disappeared from this world.”
If that Demon King is ‘me’, then it is because I have been reincarnated ── a thousand years later in this world.
“I see.”
I understand the reasons for the decline of this world.
However… There are still mysteries to be solved.
Why did they seal the magic and theories that I created?
Was it because it’s dangerous?
No-no, it was supposed to bring convenience to everyone.
In fact, everyone enjoyed the convenience of the magic civilization in the world a thousand years ago.
In that case, the Empire probably contributed to the decline of this world as well.
“Is that all the truth you know of?”
“As I thought, it seems that thou knew as well based on thy reaction.”
Arnold’s face was covered with armor, but the corners of his mouth must have turned up like a half-moon.
It seems like I would not get anything more out of this guy.
“Take this! Ifrit Flare!”
Arnold tried to cast Ifrit Flare again.
However,
“What’s going on!? Why isn’t my magic working!?”
Arnold is startled, and his voice grows louder.
I have seen through all of his magic.
“It’s the dispel magic. It can negate the opponent’s magic. Don’t you know?”
“I-Impossible! A magic that negates other magic? That couldn’t have been done without a considerable skill gap…! What else do thou know…!”
It was a good way to pass the time.
I have learned some of the reasons for the decline of this world, and I finally get to see some better magic being used.
And so, it’s time to end this.
“Let me show you what true magic is.”
I raised my hand to the sky and deployed a magic formula… I also adjusted its power so that it would not break Lara and Marise’s barrier.
“W-What the hell is going on!”
Arnold looks horrified.
“This is what you call the true <<Demon King’s Magic>> that was sealed a thousand years ago.”
── Gate of Judgment.
It is the name of the magic that opens the gate of judgment and destroys the opponent with holy light.
“Ahh… so that holy thing is the power of a Demon King, huh…?”
Arnold’s armor gradually melted, and soon his figure was obscured by the light.
The divine light gradually engulfed everything and made a pure white world.
I learned a lot from this fight.
The reasons, though not all, for the decline of this world.
And… It seems that there is still no one stronger than me.
“You are a thousand years too early to challenge me.”
By the time the gate of judgment was closed, nothing was left of Arnold, not even his body.
Chapter 1 Part 1
That is what he remembers as the ‘Hero’, Reid Frieden.
And so ――
“―― Reid! Hey, Reiddd!?”
Hearing his mother’s voice coming from downstairs, Reid descends with a yawn.
“Oh, hey, Mom.”
“What did you do!?”
His mother had a pale complexion.
“No, I don’t remember doing anything in particular…?”
“The village chief told me this morning that a noble from the royal capital came to this village looking for you.”
“A noble, you say… Are you talking about the ‘Mage’?”
Those who specialize in combat using magic are called ‘Mage’ in this modern age.
“I don’t think I have anything to do with that.”
“I thought there was a mistake too, but that noble is referring to you by name.”
Reid’s mother sighs as she sits in her chair, perhaps a little calmed by the conversation.
“Haa… How did this happen…”
“It’s not a big deal anyway.”
“You’re really unfazed by anything… You’ve always been a child who doesn’t cry and is always calm compared to other children your age…”
“I mean, it’s not that surprising.”
As he said this, Reid scratched his cheek.
That was not to say there were not any surprises. Rather, it was just that there was so much going on that he was unfazed by most things.
After all ―― he woke up in a world that was a thousand years in the future.
Moreover, the memory of ‘Reid Frieden’ remains clear.
His appearance remains the same as when he was young. A life in which he was called a ‘Hero’ and had countless battles.
He rushed to the funeral of the ‘Sage’ with wounds all over his body and lost his life. And yet, when he woke up, he was a baby, which was a very confusing moment.
Moreover, it was a world where a thousand years had passed since his previous life.
The Kingdom of Altein, which was Reid’s hometown, had been destroyed and disappeared without a trace. The neighboring country that had once been his enemy had now changed its name to ‘Vegalta Magic Kingdom’, and the ‘Magic’, which had only been prevalent in some of the neighboring countries in his previous life, had spread throughout the world.
After seeing such a world where everything has changed, he is no longer surprised by most things.
Moreover, it has already been eighteen years since he was born into this new world.
He has gotten used to the new world, and unlike before, there is no great war but peace, and if Reid includes the experience of his previous life, he would be close to ninety mentally. There are not many things that would surprise him now.
As Reid was thinking about this, his mother put her hand on her forehead and blurted out.
“I guess it has something to do with your inability to use magic…”
In this world, ‘Magic’ is something that anyone can handle.
The magic technology created by the ‘Sage’ of the past has been studied and honed by those who have followed in her footsteps and is now widely used as a technology that even ordinary people can handle simple magic.
However, Reid could not use any magic.
“Maybe because my brother and sister were so good at it, so I have to balance it out?”
“How does that make sense…!?”
“I have no choice but to live thinking like that. Besides, I don’t have to use magic to help the people in the village by plowing the fields and carrying the load.”
“If you’re happy with that, I’m not going to say more either…”
To which Reid gave no response.
The ‘Mage’ in this world is a symbol of admiration. They are an entity with magic power and skills superior to others who fight against menacing monsters.
That is why they are the envy of many people and receive a lot of fame.
However ―― conversely, those who cannot use magic are worthless.
The magic you can handle determines the job you can get, and only mages with guaranteed combat skills are allowed to work in combat. Such is the world of magic supremacy.
Even if he was called a ‘Hero’ in his previous life, Reid is considered worthless if he cannot use any magic. Regardless of his abilities, only a mage is allowed to fight.
That said, Reid isn’t dissatisfied with his current life. Compared to his previous life, when neighboring countries fought each other, this world is peaceful.
Thinking back to the time when people fought for their lives on the battlefield, living in the peaceful countryside while plowing the fields is refreshing and not a bad way to live one’s life.
However ―― the smoldering embers in his heart will never go away.
The person he used to be when he was called a ‘Hero’ is looking for a battle. A battle in which Reid can give his all and enjoy it from the bottom of his heart.
If he had any complaints, then that was about it.
In this life, Reid will only be able to cultivate the fields and love the crops that he has carefully nurtured.
“Anyway, I’m going to the village chief’s place. It might have been something urgent, and it’s not a good thing to keep people waiting too long.”
“If you caused a problem or something, could you just pretend that mother didn’t know anything about it!?”
“I don’t care.”
“That’s sad. Then let us atone for our sins together!!”
“First of all, I’ll deny the premise that I did something wrong…”
After returning a wry smile to his mother, Reid left the house and headed for the village chief’s house.
As he walked along, admiring the tranquil landscape, he could feel the eyes of the people around him.
The villagers are looking at him from afar as if words have been spread that he was summoned by a noble. This will be a topic of conversation for a while.
Then, as he walked along the path thinking about it ―― he saw something unfamiliar.
It was a magic vehicle. An iron carrier powered by magic, without the use of horses.
A thousand years ago, this would have been unthinkable, but magic technology is much more developed than it used to be.
The ‘Sage’ created not only magic but also a ‘Magic Circuit’ that enables magic to be activated simply by channeling magic power, and these have been developed over time and have become widely used in people’s lives.
However, magic vehicles are only widely used in certain parts of the country. The privately owned ones would belong to a noble household that has produced mages or distinguished families with a long history.
It was only natural for his mother to be surprised and flustered when such a person called out to Reid by name. And it was the same for the village chief.
The village chief, who was restlessly pacing from right to left, looked up when he saw Reid.
“Reid, what have you done!?”
“Village chief, this is the second time I have had this conversation.”
“I don’t care about that! I thought my life was about to be cut short!”
“…Is a big shot here?”
“Just come quick! If something happens, then I don’t know anything!!”
“That’s fine with me.”
“Kaa! Do you think I would abandon a member of my village?”
“Again, this is the second time I have had this conversation, but I appreciate your feelings.”
And so, he followed the village chief into the residence.
“So, who’s here? I heard that some noble has asked for me.”
“…It’s not just any noble.”
The village chief then talks about this person with a tense expression on his face.
“The person who summoned you is a collateral descendant of the royal family in the Vegalta Magic Kingdom that everyone knows.”
“…Why did such a person ask for me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t call on me when you don’t know either.”
“That person only said, ‘He’ll know when we meet’.”
“…But I’ve hardly ever been outside the village, though?”
“That’s why I said I don’t know.”
With wrinkles furrowing his eyebrows, the village chief nodded his head triumphantly.
“Just meet the person and find out. Maybe you’ll know something.”
“Alright. I’m off then.”
He arrived at the front of the reception room and slowly opened the door.
As soon as the door opened ―― he was at a loss for words.
The person has neat silvery white hair. Her eyes have the color of the deep sea. And she has a face that is exquisitely well-defined with an indifferent expression.
A figure that looked exactly the same as he remembered it from before.
But at the same time, he understood that it was impossible.
This world is a thousand years after his previous life.
Even if not ―― the person in question was already dead.
And Reid himself, of all people, had seen the corpse.
And yet ――
“―――― Long time no see, Reid.”
A familiar, clear voice calls out Reid’s name.
The very same ―― Elria Caldwen, stood quietly behind the door.
Chapter 8 Part 6
◆ ◆
Thanks to the telepathy magic, the battle between Lara and Maris looms over my mind.
“Lara! Look out!”
From the Imperial Capital party, a fire spear was launched toward Lara.
Just before a direct hit, Marise pushed Lara aside.
“Ugh…!”
This allowed Lara to escape the fire spear, but instead, Marise was grazed by it.
“Marise-chan, are you okay!?”
Lara immediately rushed to Marise.
“When we first went to the third floor of the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>… Lara saved me, too…”
“Eh?”
“I just repaid that debt… I’m alright. This is no big deal.”
Despite saying so, Marise was clenching her teeth in pain.
It seems that Lara and Marise were being pressured by the Imperial Capital party.
Both of them have exhausted their magic power. It must be hard for them to even speak.
“Don’t worry about me. More importantly… Here come the attacks.”
“Gaaarrrrggghhhh!”
The Imperial Capital party screams against Lara and Marise.
The two had hardly inflicted any damage on their opponents, and they seemed to still be in good shape. But due to the outburst of magic power, their insides are already in tatters. It would not be surprising if they collapsed any moment now.
“Ugh, they are so strong… And their barrier is blocking all of our attacks.”
“It seems that the magic tool that Kurt mentioned also has the effect of deploying barrier magic at the same time.”
As expected, it’s a hard task for them to take on the Imperial Capital party, whose magic power has been raised to a higher level by the magic tool.
As soon as Lara and Marise were done talking, another fire spear was launched from the other side. It is far more powerful than the magic they used earlier, as if they were casting magic at the cost of their lives. There is not a single sane person left among them.
Lara and Marise ran and exchanged words as they dodged the onslaught of spells being hurled.
“Lara, do you remember?”
“What is it?”
“When Kurt taught us how to control our magic power, he said that if we combined our magic power, we could release even stronger magic.”
“Yes, of course. I remember everything Kurt taught me.”
One of the representatives from the Imperial Capital raised his right hand.
It is Meteor Burn.
Through the intervention of the magic tool, magic that normally cannot be used is forcibly conjured with their increased magic power.
There was no way for the two to dodge it. And a direct hit would probably result in death at worst.
Are they at their limit?
No, not yet…
“Let’s give it a try now.”
“But it’s our first try, I wonder if we can do it…”
Even with the massive meteor that is slowly being completed, the two showed no sign of flinching.
“We can do it. Kurt said he would let us cover for him, remember?”
“Yes.”
“And I believe it’s because he thinks we can win…”
“Yes, yes.”
Lara nodded.
Before long, the Meteor Burn, which has been completed, is about to be dropped against Lara and Marise.
However, they did not run away but faced each other and held each other’s hands tightly as they looked at the meteor.
“When I first entered the Magic Academy, I… intended to be second to none. I wanted to be the best, and become someone who can be relied on .”
“Is that still the case?”
“Haa.”
Marise lets out a small sigh.
“That’s not possible ── anymore. After spending time with Lara and Kurt, I realized something. I was lucky to have met you two.”
“Me too. I am glad that I met Marise.”
“I can become stronger when I have reliable friends to work hard with…”
The Meteor Burn that was unleashed on the two, rapidly approaches.
Despite this, the two showed no signs of urgency and started to form a magic formula by sharing their magic power.
Their strong will and voices are flowing back to me and echoing in my head.
‘I was worried about what would happen when I came out from the countryside.
I wondered if I could make friends.
I wondered if I would be bullied again if they found out I was the child of a spirit.
I was afraid of being alone.
The day before I left for the royal capital, I could not sleep at all because I was so anxious.’
~Lara
‘Nobody recognized me.
My family did not even look at me because I was called an unwanted child.
Maybe that was why, before long, I avoided everyone around me and preferred to be alone.
I am not afraid of being alone.
But eventually, loneliness did settle in, and I could not sleep at night due to anxiety.’
~Marise
‘‘But…’’
The two voices overlap completely.
‘‘I (I) met a friend here whom I can cherish.’’
‘‘I (I) am weak compared to that person. But ──’’
And soon, the Meteor Burn was about to hit them ──
However ── an invisible barrier had formed around them.
That is a barrier magic spell called Gospel Sanctuary.
The Meteor Burn’s impact was absorbed by the barrier and disappeared without a trace.
‘‘My (My) courage can protect that person!‘‘
““HOLY SWORD!!””
The two shouted the name of the spell.
Immediately… a huge holy sword appeared above them.
It is comparable in size to the holy sword I made during the entrance examination, and there was nothing that the people from the Empire could do.
““Take this!!!””
While facing each other, Lara and Marise thrust out their right and left hands, respectively.
The Holy Sword pierced the ground where the representatives of the Imperial Capital were at, causing an explosion of holy magic power before the spell dissipated.
“Did we do it!?”
“Did we!?”
As the white smoke cleared ── the entire Imperial Capital party was down on the ground, unconscious.
All of the magic tools were crushed too, as the holy magic power of the Holy Sword had dispelled the evil magic power.
Although the Imperial Capital party was slightly injured… this much would not be life-threatening.
““We did it!!””
Seeing this, the two jumped for joy, clasping their hands together.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 – Lost Path
Two years have passed since I awoke from my sleep caused by the <<Reincarnation Magic>>.
During these two years, I looked around at different areas of magic.
However, I was not surprised to find that there was not much that I could truly admire within the scope of this territory.
Of course, the quality of magic had also deteriorated catastrophically.
At first, I thought that the decline of magic in this world was due to ‘magic tools’, but now I don’t think that was the only reason.
The decline in the level of this world’s magicians is, to put it bluntly, at a level that one would call ‘abnormal’.
Maybe Lilith would know something about it, but I would like to discover by myself the things that have happened in the past two hundred years that caused the decline in magic. My recent interest has been solely that.
“Abel-sama. Tea is ready.”
“Mm. Thank you.”
The decline of magic is saddening, but in this world, several revolutionary items have become popular instead.
The item called the heating pot that Lilith has is particularly useful. Its special characteristic is that it is good at regularly producing heat energy.
“How was the homemade herbal tea?”
“Mm. It tastes good.”
Maybe all the talented people are gathering in the field of magic tool development.
Perhaps what is needed in this peaceful era is not ‘magic’ that requires rigorous training, but ‘magic tools’ that anyone can easily use.
As a person who was reincarnated from two hundred years ago, I have slightly mixed feelings.
“Master! It’s done! I finally learned that magic!”
With a thud, Ted opens the door and walks in. He is a little shorter than me, with burnt amber blond hair.
For the past two years, Ted had begun to call me his master and begged me to teach him magic.
His speech, which had been rough when we first met, has now completely improved.
“Then show it to me here.”
“Eh? But…?”
“Do you think that I can’t stop your magic? There’s no need to hesitate.”
The technique of analyzing the opponent’s magic and instantly neutralizing it is called <<Dispel Magic>>.
As a matter of fact, <<Dispel Magic>> can only be used if there is a significant skill gap, but it would not be a problem against Ted.
“Okay. Then here I go!”
With both eyes closed, Ted drew a magic syntax in his head.
“Flame Barrage, Burning Bullet!”
The next moment, the air vibrates.
A fiery bullet with a diameter of about ten centimeters was formed at Ted’s right hand.
While drinking the herbal tea that Lilith had brewed, I was evaluating Ted’s magic.
I see. Well, that was about it. It may be a low-quality magic, but it is pretty good for a magician of this era. Above all, he does not rely on toys like magic tools. Those tools will only stop him from thinking, and not understanding the magic itself.
“Eh!? Eeehhhhhh!? Why is my magic disappearing!?”
Ted let out a bewildered voice as his magic was suddenly neutralized.
Good grief.
I wonder if the magicians of this era do not know about <<Dispel Magic>>?
Although <<Dispel Magic>> is surprisingly useful depending on how it is used, the drawback is that it requires a significant skill gap between the caster and the target to use it.
It reads the opponent’s magic formula and creates a syntax that is exactly the opposite of that magic. That sequence needs to be carried out no later than immediately after the opponent’s magic is activated.
After all, it is flawed.
It is effective against a simple-minded magician like Ted, but it is of no use against a competent opponent.
“You’ve improved, Ted.”
From my perspective, Ted’s talent for attribute magic was hopelessly low.
To make it worse, Ted is not smart and has a bad memory, so I had a hard time teaching him.
“Really!? That’s great!”
Was he that happy that I praised him?
Ted, in a good mood, hops around the room like a puppy.
“I’m really glad, Master! I will do my best for the magic academy’s entrance examination tomorrow!”
“Oh, there was such an important event. Go for it.”
The academy, huh?
Ted has reached that age, after all. Children grow up so fast, don’t they?
When I first met Ted, he was just a childish little brat, but now he has grown up to be a very fine young man.
“What are you talking about? I heard from Lilith that Master is going to take the examination, too.”
“Hmm?”
Hearing that, I tilted my head.
I am going to take the magic academy’s entrance examination?
I who was called an ‘Unrivaled genius’ and was considered to be unmatched by anyone else two hundred years ago, but now I have to go to the academy?
Good grief. She has bad taste for a joke.
“Hey, Lilith. What’s going on? I’m taking the entrance examination for the magic academy?”
Maybe Lilith was acting on her own without telling me?
Hearing that, while washing the dishes in the kitchen, Lilith put on a neutral expression.
“On the contrary, I would like to ask Abel-sama… What do you plan to do in the future if you don’t enroll in the academy?”
“Well… Just like before, I will be traveling around as an adventurer…”
“With all due respect, Abel-sama… The adventurer profession was completely abolished ten years ago.”
“―――― !?”
A shocking fact that is now revealed.
I see.
All the books in the library had been published a long time ago, so I did not know about the recent situation.
I guess that is how it is.
In my time, an adventurer was to kill monsters and sell some of the materials to the Adventurer’s Guild.
However, in this era, with the monsters’ populations plummeting, it has become an ‘Unnecessary’ profession.
“Abel-sama is planning to work on magic in the future, right? If so, in this peaceful time, you need to graduate from the academy before you can do that. Do you understand?”
I understand the logic, but I don’t feel happy about it.
To think that I have to go to the academy after all these years.
There was no one who could teach me magic even two hundred years ago. It was a harsh world.
“Or is Abel-sama going to just depend on me financially?”
Well, I don’t mind at all, but…
“I understand. I guess I should take the examination.”
It cannot be helped.
It is true that I am just living off of Lilith like a leech right now. I do not wish to be fostered by a woman forever.
So let’s just think of it as something necessary to expand my views of the world.
TL Note: This novel will be dropped due to getting licensed. The translation on Volume 1 is now completed and is pending editing. The remaining chapters will be posted as soon as they have been edited.
Chapter 8 Part 5
“Hey. Drop the boring act and show yourself!”
I called out to the seemingly empty patch of grass.
“Kurt… What’s the matter? There’s nothing over there, though?”
Lara tilted her head.
At first, the guy did not want to speak, but then, as if he had given up…
“Seems like it doesn’t work on thee. So do thou also know the truth?”
The spell was removed, and an old man appeared.
“Wow! Where did he appear from?”
“Could it be… magic? So Kurt was the only one who could see through it?”
Lara and Marise could not hide their surprise at the old man who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“Haaa… you should do better with your cloaking magic.”
It was so poorly done that it makes me sigh.
He was hiding himself using a cloaking spell and made it look as if the representatives of the Imperial Capital were the ones who cast the Meteor Burn spell and the barrier magic.
They were so close to each other probably because they would not have been able to imitate the magic formula if they were too far apart.
If it were me, I could have made my magic reach the royal capital all the way from here. He is just a weakling.
“Who are you?”
“I am Arnold of the <<Four Great Sages>>. I came to talk with thee.”
The old man… Arnold, said in a pompous manner.
This guy is ── Oh. The old man was the only one who showed a calm demeanor in the Empire’s secret room.
He must have used some kind of teleportation magic to get here.
But still… Did he come all the way here just to talk to me?
“T-The <<Four Great Sages>> are said to be the most powerful mages in the Empire!”
“It is said that they have the power to see through everything in this world and take control of it…!”
The word, <<Four Great Sages>>, made Lara and Marise brace themselves.
“Now then… Do you admit that the Empire is intervening in the exhibition game?”
“What makes thee think so?”
Arnold smiled wickedly.
”First of all, it’s that surveillance magic device. I was able to reverse the magic power flowing in it, and by doing that, I saw everything. It seems that the Empire was trying to keep track of us from a distance.”
“Correct.”
“And then there’s the barrier magic that was placed on the students from the Imperial Capital. Judging by their abilities, they are not capable of doing that. You were the one who deployed the barrier magic on them.”
According to Lara and Marise, barrier magic is rather difficult to use in this era.
“There’s also the Meteor Burn. You hid yourself and cast it behind the scenes. And you were so used to it, weren’t you? This is not your first time. I guess you’ve done it many times before, haven’t you?”
“Correct.”
responded Arnold, still with his wicked smile on his face.
He confessed so readily. Probably he was thinking, “I’m going to kill him anyway, so let him talk as much as he wants now.”.
Erika-sensei said they had been unlucky and had not been able to win. It was made to look like bad luck, but the Empire was pulling some strings behind the scenes. Just like today.
“Thou art wise. As expected, my eyes have not deceived me.”
“Oh?”
“Now that I have heard thy story, let me get to my point… Will thou join forces with the Empire?”
Huh?
“Thy power is being wasted on the foolish royal capital.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I can tell from your magic. Thou knows a part of the truth as well as we do. This I know.”
“About the ‘Truth’ you spoke of… Do you happen to know anything about the decline of this world?”
I asked.
Lara and Marise do not understand what I am talking about.
“Kukuku…,” laughed Arnold,
“Just as I thought. Come to the Empire. I’ll tell thee the truth.”
Arnold puts out his hand.
“Kurt… don’t go!”
“Y-You can’t go!”
Lara and Marise grabbed my arms.
…Good grief.
The two seem to be worried, but there was no need to think about it.
“I refuse. I’ve always hated the Empire. So why should I join forces with you guys?”
I spat out.
The <<Four Great Sages>> certainly bothers me.
It is possible that there is someone who is stronger than me, but… looking at Arnold, it just did not seem that way.
More importantly, it was the nobles of the Empire who harassed me for being the heretic who brought about the magic revolution a thousand years ago.
Even if there is someone who is stronger than me in the Empire, there is no way I would join forces with them.
After all — I do not want to befriend the strong ones, I want to fight them.
It would be easier if we were enemies.
“Don’t you want to know the truth?”
“All I have to do is fight you now and find out.”
“Oh?”, said Arnold with a more sinister grin on his face.
”…Very well. This answer was somewhat predictable. Then as originally planned…”
Arnold unleashes his magic.
“I will have to kill you.”
“GUUUAAAAAHHHHH!”
As it is, the representatives of the Imperial Capital, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly roared.
“Hey, you trash! You can at least be my shield!”
The representatives of the Imperial Capital got up and turned toward us.
They were out of focus.
What’s more, the magic power inside their body is out of control. They were probably in unbearable pain.
This is…
“Oh? Did you boost their magic power with the magic tool? But if this continues, I’m afraid that after their magic power is exhausted, they’ll be burned to a crisp, and you won’t be able to get away with it.”
“Well, trash will die as trash.”
He is quite a nasty person. But if we take care of it quickly, everything should work out.
“All right, let’s get it done.”
As I was about to begin my assault with the representatives from the Imperial Capital ──
“Kurt! Leave them to us!”
“I can’t burden Kurt all the time.”
said Lara and Marise, who stepped in front of me.
“What’s the matter, you two? If you are worried about me, don’t be. This is as easy as setting fire to a ladybird with a magnifying glass.”
“Even so… I don’t want to rely on Kurt all the time!”
“That’s right. And we are in the same party, aren’t we? Please depend on us sometimes.”
“So Kurt, leave the representatives of the Imperial Capital to us. Let’s work together and win this!”
They look determined.
“Ha… Hahaha.”
I could not help but laugh.
I did not think the words, ‘We are in the same party’ or ‘Work together’… would be directed at me.
A thousand years ago, I always took care of things myself.
But it doesn’t feel bad at all ── to have friends, which is truly reassuring.
“All right. I will leave my back to you two.”
“Yes!”
“Take care of the <<Four Great Sages>>, Kurt!”
One of the <<Four Great Sages>> is a bit too much for them to handle, but they can deal with the representatives of the Imperial Capital.
Just in case, I will use magic to share consciousness with them. This way, I can see how they are doing, and if something unforeseen happens, I can come to their aid.
“We will be your opponent!”
“Come here!”
Lara and Marise led the representatives of the Imperial Capital away as they cast their magic.
And now I am left to confront Arnold.
“Now then… my friends will take care of your human shields. I wonder what will you do?”
“I have not planned to rely on them from the beginning. Rather, repent that thy life is shortened. Die in the hands of my magic!!”
Arnold tried to cast his magic.
Judging from the magic formula, it was probably the Thunderbolt spell.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA! DIE, DIEEE!!”
Thunderbolts flew toward me.
Arnold, who was pleased with himself, laughed loudly.
As for me ──
“This is boring.”
I raised my right hand high. A circular barrier then appeared in front of me and completely blocked all the lightning strikes from all directions.
“Wha ── !”
Arnold looks surprised.
After making sure that all the lightning strikes had stopped, I removed the barrier.
“Now…. you’re going to let me get serious, won’t you?”
Chapter 8 Part 4
This is getting boring.
Now that I know their location, let’s just use Teleportation Magic to get there.
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Imperial Capital is cheating? What makes you think so, Kurt?”
asked Lara and Marise.
“There they are! The royal capital’s mages with their defective magic power!”
“Let’s get them!”
The representatives of the Imperial Capital came running toward us and tried to cast their magic.
“These cunning fellows.”
Lara and Marise were caught off guard and failed to react to the sudden attack.
“Gather yourselves together in these hands, O flame. Be a spear, pierce the enemy, and burn them!”
The representative of the Empire began to chant.
But ── they are too slow.
I raised my hand and cast a Dispel.
“Huh…? Why isn’t it activated?”
The representatives of the Imperial Capital looked puzzled when their magic did not activate.
”Eh… why would the people from the Empire attack us? Is this the kind of cheating that Kurt was talking about…?”
“Y-You guys! This is against the rules!”
Finally understanding the situation, Lara and Marise retorted.
In response, they began to show a wicked grin on their face.
“Shut up! The only thing you need to do is to keep your mouth shut!”
Or so they say.
I see.
I do not see any teachers around.
“So they knew what we were doing with their surveillance magic devices… and even directly interfered with us, which is forbidden in the exhibition game.”
Perhaps this is not the first time. They probably did this in every exhibition game until now.
So this was the reason for the royal capital’s unnatural record of nine consecutive defeats.
“I’ve been crushing a lot of surveillance magic devices. So as soon as they saw that the situation was getting worse, they either came to get rid of us. Or maybe they came to steal the items we collected…”
As expected of the Empire. What a vulgar act.
Even after a thousand years, nothing has changed at all.
Perhaps the teachers of the royal capital are being held back from this place.
“Stop spacing out! It might have failed just now, but not this time!”
“I’ll show you… our true power!”
Oh?
Magic formulas began to revolve around them.
Someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes directly.
“Red Lotus Fire, descends from the heaven and strikes down these foolish ones ──”
At first glance, they seem to be casting a spell called Meteor Burn.
But to my eyes, it was obvious that someone else is deploying the magic formula instead.
“Meteor Burn!”
A large flaming meteor appeared above our heads and was about to fall on us.
However ──.
“It’s still too slow.”
I raised my palm up and intervened with the magic formula.
…It is just as expected. Although it is a little more powerful, it was so easy to reconfigure the magic formula.
The meteorite that was about to fall on us suddenly reversed direction and fell towards the other party.
“Aaaaahhhh!”
“W-Why is the spell we cast heading toward us…!”
As they were screaming, the meteor struck the Imperial Capital party. They were then lifted into the air by the impact and came falling back towards the ground.
“Hmm. It seems that the barrier was also deployed by someone else.”
It was originally powerful enough to kill anyone, but because of the barrier magic, most of the meteor’s killing power was absorbed.
That being said, the representatives of the Imperial Capital are not likely to recover any time soon due to the impact of the hard fall.
“Is this… over?”
“Lara. Don’t let your guard down! They may still come up with something!”
Marise had not released her tension yet and was in a position where she could deploy a magic formula at any time.
“You’re right, Marise. It’s not over yet.”
Well… then.
It is time to take out the real culprit.
Chapter 8 Part 3
◆ ◆
“I’ve been thinking of it as child’s play… but now I’m running out of patience.”
“Eh?”
I had just crushed the twelfth insect today, and I am really starting to get angry for good.
“What’s the matter, Kurt?”
Marise looked at me dubiously.
I guess she did not notice it. Well, it cannot be helped. As for me, I can clearly see the surveillance magic devices that were flying around us.
At first glance, these magic devices look like any normal insect.
However, footage can be transmitted to a distant place through the magic device.
That means someone is using it to keep an eye on us.
But for what purpose?
Are the teachers using it so that students do not fall into danger during the exhibition game?
No. If that were the case, there would be an explanation before the exhibition game even began, but no such explanation was given, and considering the level of civilization of this world, it’s just unthinkable.
”The surveillance magic device is beyond the current civilization’s capabilities…”
In that case.
“Everyone listen up.”
“What’s the matter, Kurt?”
“Even though we’ve been collecting the items at a very good pace…”
Upon hearing that, everyone stopped.
Incidentally… we had stepped into the second floor after obtaining the supreme treasure on the first floor.
Unfortunately, the supreme treasure was a disappointing item for me. It was <<The Fool’s Staff>>. But Marise seemed excited and said, “A-Amazing!! It’s an SSS-rank item!”.
“We’ve got to pull ourselves together here. Stay alert.”
Hearing this, they looked surprised.
“…Kurt. We’ve got <<The Fool’s Staff>> now. It’s already an easy victory.”
“That’s right. I know I shouldn’t let my guard down either, but this is indeed already……”
said Lara and Marise, but I continued in a serious tone of voice.
“Listen to me. Someone has been watching us since a while ago.”
““What?””
The two responded together.
“Kurt, that means…”
“I mean it as it is. Those surveillance magic devices had been flying around us for a while now. It should be all right now because I destroy it every time I discover one… but probably this was set up by the people from the Imperial Capital.”
“T-That’s… against the rules, isn’t it!?”
Marise is right.
Originally, it was against the rules to intervene from the outside during the exhibition game. For example, receiving help from the teachers. If a teacher intervened, they would lose by disqualification.
If we show them one of the broken surveillance magic devices and point out the rule violation, we might be able to win.
But that would be boring.
That being said… It seems that even in this era, the Imperial Capital is a cowardly one.
And with only one piece of evidence, you never know what kind of excuses they might come up with.
Therefore,
“We are going to take control of the people who are watching us now.”
As I declared this, a surveillance device that looked like an insect flew in at just the right moment.
Lara and Marise didn’t seem to notice it.
“Volt Bird!”
I cast a spell at the flying surveillance tool.
In an instant, the magic formula of the spell that made the electric shock took the form of a bird and headed toward the surveillance tool.
A direct hit would only destroy them.
So… I’m going to get creative this time.
Originally, the surveillance magic device and the relay point are connected by magic power.
The principle is that the magic power becomes a cable that transmits the footage.
In that case.
Through that magic power, it is also possible to send spells to the relay point.
“Kurt. You used magic again… Could it be that there‘s another surveillance magic device again?”
Marise is questioning me, but I will have to explain later.
Because even I have to concentrate a bit more from here on out.
My plan succeeds, and the Volt Bird travels to the relay point through the surveillance magic device.
Doing so, I was also able to observe what is happening on the other side in my mind.
‘What just happened! T-The monitor suddenly…!’
‘What’s going on? Is it malfunctioning!?’
The other side is flustered by the rampaging Volt Bird in the room.
This magic spell called Volt Bird has a certain degree of autonomy and keeps going toward the target.
Some of them are… hmm? There were also teachers from the Imperial Capital. Including the faces that I saw before entering the <<Treasure labyrinth>>… There’s no doubt about that now.
But still… They were quite careless.
It would have been common sense a thousand years ago to reflect spells or magic back to the other side through surveillance magic devices.
That was why one or two jamming spells would be used to prevent that from happening.
‘Hahahahaha! What a surprise! I thought it was only theoretically possible to cast magic through the device but to think that someone could actually make it happen! And that such a monster would appear not from the Empire, but from the Royal Capital!’
Among them.
There was an old man in a robe.
“Hm?”
“What’s the matter, Kurt? You seem to have been deep in thought since a while ago.”
I heard Lara’s voice, but rather, I was surprised to see the man in the footage.
Oh..? He seems to be deploying barrier magic.
Hence, only one of them is able to survive the Volt Bird’s attack.
“Seems like there’s someone who’s a little better than the rest in this world, too.”
“Kurt. What are you mumbling about? Please explain it to us, too!”
At any rate, the situation has been confirmed.
“The people from the Imperial Capital are cheating.”
Chapter 8 Part 2
◆ ◆
“Now! This year’s exhibition game has finally begun! What a surprise, Rosanlila Magic Academy has chosen first-year students to represent the school! Will they be the center of attention in this year’s tournament!? Let’s all cheer on the respective schools!”
The voice of a woman echoed throughout the school over the loudspeaker magic.
It is the start of the exhibition game.
At that moment, an explosive cheer erupted from all over the school.
“We’re first!”
Immediately after the game started, the representatives of the Imperial Capital pushed past us and entered the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>.
“Kurt! We have to hurry!”
“If they get ahead of us, they’ll loot all the remaining items inside…!”
Lara and Marise, both looked flustered
“What, you don’t have to panic so much. For now, let’s collect them in order, starting with the first floor.”
We have the home advantage, after all.
“In fact, I’ve already done an analysis on the first floor for the past two months.”
“Eh?”
Marise raised her voice.
I didn’t need two months for that, to be exact.
“I know everything, including the hidden passageways. If we can use that to our advantage, we can outfox the guys from the Imperial Capital.”
“You’re saying there are several passageways just like the first one we went through?”
Marise is referring to the passageway where we first found the magic stone.
I nodded at her question.
“There is a wall at the end of this path. Let’s just get there for now. We’ll talk about the details when we get there.”
We quickly reached the wall at the end of the path.
“Is this… an ancient script?”
Marise was staring at the writing on the wall.
I nodded my head.
“I can read and decipher them.”
““R-Really?””
“Yeah.”
It says,
“‘A fork in the road from here. Choose the one on your right. Then you will find the supreme treasure. If you lose your way, use dispel magic on anything in front of you that stands in your way.’”
“How are you able to read the ancient script? Even famous archaeologists have not been able to decipher them…”
I did not know how to answer Marise’s question, so I kept silent.
But the answer is simple. Because this ancient script was written in a language that is a thousand years old.
To begin with, the language of a thousand years ago is completely different from the language of this era.
When I was reincarnated, I had simultaneously cast the Comprehend Languages spell, so I had no difficulty in reading and writing.
That said, I never thought I would see the language from my previous life in a place like this.
“Continuing on… ‘Take a right at the fork in the road. When you reach the dead end, activate the lock release spell on the wall’…”
Lock release is a spell that unlocks a treasure chest or a door that would not open.
But to use it on a wall that looks completely normal… Had it not for the hints, I might not have realized it.
“Kurt is really amazing!”
“It’s true. Not only magic, but you can also decipher ancient script…”
They seemed amazed, but for me, it was just reading letters.
“Well, let’s get on with retrieving the treasure.”
…That said, before we do that.
“…Humph.”
I look back and cast a Fire Spear.
“What’s the matter!? Using magic in a place like this, all of a sudden.”
“It’s dangerous to use magic carelessly like that!”
In the eyes of Lara and Marise, it would have seemed as if I had cast a spell out of the blue.
But there was no way I would have wasted my magic power.
“Well, there was an irritating bug.”
“……?”
Seriously… Is this also the work of the people from the Imperial Capital?
I did not hear anything about this before the exhibition game, so it’s probably fine to destroy it.
Turning my back to the two girls who seemed to be in doubt, I started walking towards the supreme treasure.
◆ ◆
“What the hell! This is the twelfth surveillance magic device that was destroyed!”
Not far from the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>. There was an uproar over what the boy had done in a room.
“The surveillance magic device has been destroyed!?”
“It can’t be! It should look like nothing more than an insect! The only people who could see through this are the… <<Four Great Sages>>!”
A mirror is propped up in the room.
The state of the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> is reflected there through a surveillance device that, at first glance, appears to be nothing more than an insect.
The boy has been destroying every surveillance magic device that was sent to him.
Because of this, only fragmentary footage of the royal capital’s side could be displayed.
“── It seems that there’s someone who is stronger than what we had expected.”
In the noisy room, there’s a man who appears to be calm.
“B-But… Isn’t that a coincidence?”
“Even after twelve of them have been destroyed?”
“Ugh…”
“Thou art too shallow.”
“A-As expected of one of the <<Four Great Sages>>… Arnold-sama. You can still remain calm in a situation such as this.”
The man in the robe stands up.
The man’s name is Arnold.
There are wrinkles deeply etched on his snapping fingers.
(That boy is undoubtedly strong. However, in front of me, who had enjoyed the power of true magic, he’s no better than a bug)
The man takes a step forward.
“W-Wait a minute! Where are you going!?”
“It’s a given. To the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>, of course.”
“What are you talking about? Even if it’s Arnold-sama, to set foot into the labyrinth is… ugh!”
Arnold grabbed the man in front of him by his neck.
The magic was activated, and his body was gradually drained of all of its liquids.
And at last, the man stopped breathing.
“Whoever stands in my way will suffer the same fate. This will be a good warm-up exercise.”
Hearing that, no one dared to say a thing.
“Then let’s get on with it… Hm?”
When Arnold was about to leave the room.
He turned to look back and felt intense hostility in the mirror.
“What in the world is this…?”
At that moment.
*Crack!*
The mirror shattered. Arnold and the others in the room were then struck by an electric shock.
Chapter 8 Part 1
It has been two months since we conquered the labyrinth, and taught magic to Lara and Marise.
At last ── the exhibition game with the Magic Academy of the Imperial Capital was approaching, and the three representatives were to be announced.
All the students were gathered on the school grounds, and the headmaster made the announcement.
“The representatives are… freshman, Lara! Marise! And… Kurt!”
There were cheers and murmurs.
Well, that was to be expected.
“The representatives are three freshmen… Well, it can’t be helped.”
“I was taught chantless magic from the first-year student, Kurt.”
“Me too!”
“He is… amazing. The other two, Lara and Marise, are also amazing. They are good at using chantless magic.”
“Maybe they can win this year’s exhibition game!”
I thought there might be complaints from the second and third-year students, but apparently not.
They are now fully aware of our capabilities from the past two months, and probably know that we are the best team to compete in the exhibition game.
“I’m honored to be chosen as a representative, but I wonder if it will be alright…”
Lara looks happy, but at the same time, anxious.
“There is no need to be afraid, Lara.”
“Eh?”
“I’ve been watching Lara for the past two months, and I’m sure you are as good as any other mage out there. I can assure you of that. It’s the same with Marise.”
“Y-Yes! Thank you for always encouraging me! I’ll do my best not to drag Kurt down!”
Lara held my hand, and she was all smiles.
“H-Hey! You guys are too close! Keep your distance, please!”
Marise cut in between us.
As they jostled me, I started to reminisce about the past two months.
I knew that both of them are talented. In just two months, their magic power had grown remarkably. With that, they were even able to perfect their own chantless magic.
I’m looking forward to the exhibition game.
── And here comes the day of the exhibition game.
The whole school was in a festive mood, and there were even specially set up stalls.
Before long, it was time for the exhibition game, so we made our way to the entrance of the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>.
“Are you kidding me!? The representatives of the royal capital are all first-year students!?”
“They’ve already given up the game!”
“And I heard that one of them has the defective magic power. Do they really think that someone like that can compete against us?”
They began their verbal abuse upon arrival.
The teachers from the Imperial Capital’s Disaria Magic Academy only smirked and did not even try to stop it.
“Nn! Don’t make fun of Kurt!”
“That’s right. And if you underestimate us just because we are first-year students, you are going to get hurt.”
Lara and Marise were not intimidated.
“Hmph!”
One of the representatives from the Imperial Capital side stepped forward and lifted my chin.
“As I recall, you must be the guy with the defective magic power, right?”
“Me? Yes, I would certainly have the defective magic power.”
“Ha! So it wasn’t a lie! First-year students and the defective magic power… this exhibition game would be a breeze!”
The man smiles broadly.
Behind me, Lara and Marise are feeling pissed. But for me, I do not think anything of it. Because the weaker the dog, the more it barks.
“Even so…”
“Hm? What’s the matter? Are you scared?”
The man repeatedly provokes us.
No, that’s not it. I was surprised because the man is full of openings.
Is it alright to approach us nonchalantly?
Moreover, he does not seem to have deployed any barrier magic.
This doesn’t make any sense.
No matter how confident I am in my abilities, I’m still simultaneously deploying seven magic formulas.
If I activate even one of them, their bodies would be blown to smithereens.
And yet, they look so calm and composed…
“Kurt! Are you okay?”
Marise quickly pulls me away from the man.
“They’re so rude!”
“Seriously! Let’s show them what we’re made of in the exhibition game.”
Lara and Marise looked pissed.
I hope they do not lose their cool.
“Lara, Marise. Don’t let your guard down.”
““Eh?””
“If I’m not mistaken, direct attacks on opponents are prohibited in the exhibition game, right?”
This exhibition game is a contest on how many items and materials the participants can collect in the <<Treasure Labyrinth>>. Therefore, it is prohibited to attack opponents directly with magic. The participants would be immediately disqualified if they do that.
However…
“The opponent was trying to provoke us into attacking them. That’s a very clever move.”
If I had been short-tempered, I would have been baited by the provocation and gotten disqualified.
“Ehh…? I don’t think that’s the case.”
“Me neither. They are just idiots, right?”
No-no, there is no way that a representative of the Imperial Capital is that empty-headed and does not think about stuff like that.
…Right?
“Do your best!”
“Kurt. You can defeat the Empire this year.”
Erika-sensei and Desmond came up to us and encouraged us.
Apparently, the teachers are waiting at several points in the <<Treasure Labyrinth>> to keep the students safe from unforeseen situations. But there’s nothing to worry about. Because that is unlikely to happen.
Chapter 7 Part 6
“You know that I am the daughter of a famous magic family… the Sizenosna family, right?”
“Yes.”
As I recall, one of the candidates said so during the entrance examination.
“Isn’t it amazing? One’s birth doesn’t determine everything, but one’s origins may become a hindrance.”
“A hindrance, you say? I don’t think so.”
Marise continued on.
“I was born with inferior magic power. It is considered inferior to the perfect magic power and is frowned upon by the Sizenosna family. On top of that, I was always compared to my brother and sister, who were both better than me. Thus, I was treated as an ‘unwanted child’.”
What a foolish magic house.
Inferior magic power… In other words, the purple magic power. It is not even inferior. And magic color alone does not determine the future of a mage. How you train and live your life after that is more important.
“But weren’t you the center of attention at the entrance examination? You don’t seem to be hated. Some even called you a genius mage.”
“That’s because they don’t know about the Sizenosna family. People look at me with rose-tinted glasses just because I am from the Sizenosna family.”
Marise smiled.
“That’s why I want to graduate at the top of this magic academy and prove it to my family. The family that hated me just because I had the inferior magic power. If I’m able to do that, surely they will recognize me.”
Marise puts her hand on her chest and brings her face even closer to mine.
“Um… Do I look like an idiot to you? Kurt seems to have a sense of self. You don’t seem to care what others think of you. So how do I look… from Kurt’s perspective?”
Marise looks straight at me with moist eyes.
Her voice was trembling.
Is she afraid of my response?
But still, it was such a stupid question.
“Whatever the reason. In my eyes, Marise looks so beautiful trying her best.”
“Eh…?”
Marise looked surprised.
“You want to prove it to your family? Isn’t that a good thing? Prove it to the people who look down on you just because you had the inferior magic power. For that, I will help Marise.”
I do not know how Marise sees me.
But I was just like her.
In my previous life, people called me a heretic and hated me.
But I ignored them and continued to seek strength.
Unlike Marise, I did not have to prove it to anyone, but that seemed to be a minor difference.
“Kurt… Thank you very much. That’s a relief.”
Marise patted her chest in relief.
She was probably worried that I would come to dislike her for this.
“Well then, I should take Lara with me and go back to my room now. I’m sorry to have disturbed you ── Kyaa!”
A short scream from Marise.
As she stood up, Marise’s foot slipped, just like the time in the bath, and her body fell towards me.
I immediately tried to support Marise, but ── it was a little too late.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1″ exclusions=”1,2,3,4,37,38,9,10,31,32,33,34,35″ display=”basic_thumbnail” override_thumbnail_settings=”1″ thumbnail_width=”800″ thumbnail_height=”800″ thumbnail_crop=”0″]With the extra forward momentum, our lips touched.
The feeling of soft lips.
Even though our lips were only touching, I began to feel dizzy, and I could not react immediately.
And so, we stayed that way for a while.
“……!”
After that, Marise quickly pulled away from me.
She puts her hands over her mouth. Her hands were shaking, and she blushed a bright red more than ever.
“I-I’m sorry… Marise. I know it was uncomfortable. I should have avoided it right away, but I was slow to react.”
“N-No, it was my fault that I fell. I-I’m sorry!”
Marise bowed her head in a panic.
However… I never thought I would go blank for a second.
It will be a fatal wound if I get hit like this in the middle of a fight. I will be more careful next time.
“Hm~ What is it? It’s kind of noisy.”
Lara sat up, rubbing her eyelids.
“Lara! W-When did you wake up?”
“Ehh? Just a moment ago…”
“Then… you didn’t see what happened earlier…?”
“What is it? What just happened?”
Lara tilted her head.
Good. It seems that she really did not see it.
“L-Lara. Let’s go back to our room. It’s late now.”
“Hm~ I don’t want to. I want to sleep here a little longer. Let’s all sleep together.”
“Lara, you’re being selfish! Let’s… Wait, wha-!?”
Lara got up from the sofa and dived right into us.
“Let’s all sleep together here~”
Lara’s skirt was rolled up, and her white thighs were exposed. With her soft and warm body, she hugged us and began to sleep again.
“She must have been half asleep.”
“That seems to be the case.”
“What do we do? Should we force her to wake up?”
“No ──”
Marise stroked Lara’s head with compassionate eyes.
“Let her be. I think I will sleep here today, too. If you don’t mind, of course.”
“Is that so? I’m fine with that.”
I also feel sorry to wake Lara up.
“Alright.”
I took Lara in my arms and put her on the bed.
“Marise can sleep next to Lara, too. I’ll sleep on the sofa…”
“But that’s not right ──”
Without waiting for her response, I lay down on the sofa and closed my eyes.