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Bonus Story

Bonus Story – The Sage Who Also Moonlights as a Dog

“――So, what should we do now?”

Having bought the tea leaves Millis requested and leaving the shop, Reid glanced over at Elria to check in.

“Maybe we should get a snack? I’m starting to feel a bit hungry.”

“Yeah. Shehri’s saying she wants food, too.”

Elria rubbed her stomach, and Shehri, sitting nearby, gave a soft bark, “Woof”. Since Shehri had been waiting outside the shop during their errand, she seemed to be asking for a reward for her patience.

“If Shehri’s eating too, maybe we should get some meat. I think there’s a skewer stall at the market.”

“We don’t need to go all the way to the market for meat. There’s a place nearby.”

Elria pointed in a direction.

“There’s a meat stall over there.”

“Wow, it’s rare for you to know where the shops are.”

Elria was something of a recluse, rarely venturing out into the royal capital, so Reid hadn’t expected her to know the location of any stalls.

Elria shook her head at his surprise.

“I don’t know the shop. I can smell it.”

“…You can smell it?”

“Yeah. I can smell the nice aroma of delicious meat cooking.”

“Woof woof!” Shehri barked in agreement with Elria, excitedly facing the direction she had pointed.

However, Reid couldn’t smell anything at all.

Shehri’s reaction seemed to confirm there really was a stall nearby, but it wasn’t visible in their immediate surroundings, so it had to be further away.

“This reminds me of the time you found me by scent…”

“Yeah. I’m pretty confident in my sense of smell.”

“Confident, you say… You’re practically like a dog.”

“That’s not true.”

Elria puffed up her cheeks in protest.

“I’m definitely not as good at smelling things as a dog.”

“Do you have any stories related to your sense of smell?”

“A few times when I got lost in the royal capital, I followed familiar scents to find my way back home.”

“That’s totally something a dog would do…”

“W-Well, anyone would follow familiar scents if they got lost…!”

Elria flapped her arms, arguing desperately, but even her actions were starting to look suspiciously dog-like.

As she sulked, Elria suddenly turned her face away.

“…If you insist, I’ll admit I behaved almost like a dog.”

“Should you really be admitting that, Sage?”

“But if that’s the case, I deserve a proper reward.”

With that, Elria extended her head toward him.

“Mm!”

“…Hm?”

“I found the stall, which means I saved us the time it would’ve taken to go all the way to the market.”

“Well… I guess that’s true.”

“That means I did a good job.”

Elria nodded confidently, making her case. Then she presented her head again to Reid.

“So, I expect an appropriate reward.”

“…You want me to pet you as a reward?”

“I thought it was a fitting reward.”

“There’s no way a dog would come up with something like that.”

Reid chuckled, but he gave her head a light pat anyway.

Immediately, Elria narrowed her eyes in pleasure.

“…Mm, the reward has been paid.”

“Alright, now lead the way to the stall.”

“I should receive a separate reward for that.”

“I’ll pay as much as you like for that.”

“Then leave it to me.”

Grinning, Reid gave her head another light pat, and Elria began walking with a spring in her step.

Thus, the Sage, cheerfully leading the way, was indeed very much like a dog.

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Epilogue

The incident during the conditional exam was ultimately dismissed as the rampage of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ summoned by Rufus.

In a way, that was true.

The ‘Guardian Dragons’ Rufus had summoned had indeed lost control, and it was simply viewed as a case of a student failing to manage their magic. If anything, the incident re-established the threat of Serios’s ‘Guardian Dragons’ in the modern era, inadvertently bolstering the reputation of the Serios Federation.

Despite the chaos, Rufus Rylus’s success in fulfilling her contract with such powerful ‘Guardian Dragons,’ and the potential utility of summoning magic capable of controlling these beings, highlighted the strength of the Seven Islands of the Serios Federation. Though the outcome wasn’t what the involved parties might have expected, it was still a significant demonstration of Serios’s prestige.

Meanwhile, Alma was on the receiving end of a stern lecture from Elise, the headmistress.

The reason? Despite being a special rank mage, she had allowed Reid, a student, to take the lead when the ‘Guardian Dragons’ went berserk.

In her defense, Alma, unusually earnest and thorough, justified her decision: “Reid knew how to subdue the ‘Guardian Dragons,’ and I, as a special rank mage, also determined it was a viable approach. I prioritized Reid to go ahead and ensure the safety of both Elria and Rufus.”

Incidentally, Elria was scolded as well.

Her offense was invoking large-scale magic despite the restrictions in place.

To this, Elria responded in her usual matter-of-fact manner, “I anticipated the possibility of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ going berserk. I thought it necessary to act before there were any signs of trouble. Besides, what I used wasn’t magic—it was sorcery.” This, of course, led to a resounding, “Sorcery isn’t allowed either!” and a new restriction was added.

Reid didn’t escape without a scolding, either. No matter how confident he was in his abilities to handle the ‘Guardian Dragons’ or his skills, he was reminded to remember his position as a student.

In response, Reid retorted, “Is prioritizing my position over saving lives really the philosophy of a mage as taught by the academy?” Hearing that, Elise broke down crying.

She cried loudly, pounding the floor in frustration, “Why am I always the one getting scolded? Whenever something happens, everyone blames me! I’m trying my best too, you know! A little praise would be nice for a change!!”

Seeing her so genuinely upset, the trio who had just been scolded comforted her by patting her head and praising her excessively.

The morning of the holiday following the exam――

“――Wow… this has really turned into quite the scene,” Reid remarked as he entered the bedroom.

Elria lay curled up on the bed, sleeping peacefully. Surrounding her were eleven dogs. The bed was entirely covered in fluff.

These were the <<Mana-Eater Wolves>> that had been overworked during the battle with the ‘Guardian Dragons’. As an apology, Elria had suggested sleeping with Shehri’s family.

Upon hearing this, Shehri’s family ecstatically ran around Elria, jumping on her for hugs and licking her face and limbs, abandoning all their wolfish pride to bask in her affection.

Eventually, exhausted from playing, they had collapsed into a mound of fur on the bed.

“Mmmm…”

Buried beneath all that fluff, Elria let out a drowsy murmur. But there were errands to run today, and it was Reid’s job to wake her up.

Even so――

“If I wake her now, Shehri and the others will wake up, too…”

It wasn’t just about feeling guilty for waking them from their sleep.

They were all curled up so neatly, some lying flat on their sides, others with their backs stretched out, some with their bellies facing upward, others sprawled out limply――

Watching the fluff balls in their various adorable poses, Reid hesitated. After all, animals usually ran away from him, no matter how much he wished otherwise.

For Reid, such a scene might never come again.

“Well… there’s still some time left, right?” he muttered, making excuses to himself as he smiled softly while watching them.

Just then, Elria suddenly sat up.

“……It’s hot.”

Still groggy, Elria patted the <<Mana-Eater Wolves>>, and as if by magic, they turned into particles of light and vanished.

“My doggy heaven… has disappeared…!?”

“…What are you talking about so early in the morning, Reid?”

Yawning widely, Elria tilted her head in confusion.

Seeing her reaction, Reid mirrored her with a puzzled look of his own.

“…Aren’t you usually more lethargic?”

“Not today.”

Elria nodded firmly, her tone clear. Despite having used a lot of magic power, which usually left her in a dazed, lethargic state, today she seemed alert and steady right upon waking.

“I’ll get ready quickly.”

Impatient, Elria waved her hands hurriedly and――

“――Today, we’re going to visit Rufus,” she said, beaming with joy.

◆

After the ‘Guardian Dragons’ rampage, Rufus had been rushed to a hospital in the royal capital.

Although she regained consciousness, her magic power had been severely depleted, and she exhibited signs of rejection due to the temporary influx of foreign magic power. As a result, she was kept under observation.

“――Ah! Elria-chan!”

Lying in bed, Rufus sat up excitedly as Elria entered the hospital room.

“Rufus, how are you feeling?”

“Great! The doctor says I still need to rest, but after a huge breakfast, I feel much better!”

“That’s good. You look really energetic.”

Elria smiled softly as she watched Rufus beam happily.

“And look, look――see!”

Rufus gently pulled back the sheet at her knees――

There, a small black dragon lay curled up, fast asleep.

“……Rafika?”

“Yeah! Little Rafika!”

“She’s so small and cute.”

As Elria extended a finger towards the little dragon, Rafika opened her eyes and purred softly.

“When you told me Rafika was gone, I was so worried… but she came back!” Rufus said, her eyes misting up slightly.

Elria had informed Rufus of what had happened to her and Rafika as soon as she regained consciousness.

Upon hearing it, Rufus had repeatedly asked tearfully about Rafika’s condition, putting aside her own well-being. This was because Elria had initially said she ‘failed’.

《Rafika, how are you feeling?》 Elria asked in the magical beast language, and Rafika lifted her head slightly.

《I can’t move like I used to. It’s probably the same for my medium.》

《……I see.》

When Rufus had Wiesel check on Rafika with his magic equipment, they found that although her ‘soul’ hadn’t vanished, it had lost more than half of its essence due to their deep bond.

While Rafika’s magic power might recover in time, allowing her to grow large enough to carry Rufus again, her main body, located in Serios, would likely face hardships.

And the destination of such a lost ‘soul’ was――

“It’s okay! I’ll take care of Rafika for the rest of my life!”

Rufus declared confidently, placing a hand on her chest.

The spell that had generated purplish-black magic power had also affected her ‘soul’. As a result, the lifespan she had lost was compensated by the influx of Rafika’s ‘soul’.

“…Are there any changes in your body?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure yet. Maybe I’ll grow wings or a tail?”

Though there was no visible change, the merging of human and magical beast ‘souls’ meant that some sort of transformation wouldn’t be surprising.

“But… I’m happy.”

Stroking Rafika on her lap, Rufus smiled softly.

“It means that no matter what happens, Rafika will always be with me.”

Breaking their contract, where their ‘souls’ were intertwined, could have unpredictable effects on Rufus’s body. It might even lead to a premature death due to further loss of lifespan. And if Rufus were to die, it could negatively affect Rafika’s original form as well. The two were now bound by a fate of mutual dependency. However――

“At any rate――thank you, Elria-chan!”

With a broad smile, Rufus expressed her gratitude.

“And if I grow wings or a tail, I’ll match with Rafika!”

《…I do not wish to see such a Rufus.》

“Ah! Then I’ll put a ribbon on Rafika! I couldn’t before because she was too big, but now, with her small size, she can be fashionable like a little girl!”

《…………………》

As Rufus happily pranced around, Rafika curled up into a ball, seemingly exasperated.

While Elria smiled at the sight of them――

A cough interrupted from behind. “Ahem”.

There stood Reid and Alma, leaning against the wall.

“Now that we’ve checked on Rufus’s condition, we’d like to ask a few questions under the pretense of an inquiry. Would that be alright?”

Alma initiated the conversation, and Rufus, looking slightly tense, nodded.

“So, who taught you the magic formula?”

“Um… my teacher did.”

“That person wasn’t your regular instructor, correct?”

“Yes. I met the teacher in Serios. They were researching ‘Guardian Dragons’ and asked to speak with me. They taught me magic, told me about various magical beasts, and even accompanied me when I made the contract with the ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

As Rufus continued speaking, her words softened. She had trusted this teacher deeply, only to be betrayed. It was a pain that would not be easily forgiven.

“Could you tell us the name of this teacher?”.

“Um, yes, their name was――”

Rufus started to respond, but――

“……Huh?”

Her expression quickly turned puzzled.

“Huh… what?”

“…What’s the matter?”

“…I’m sure… I once had the teacher write down their name… but…”

As Rufus struggled to recall, looking down in confusion, Elria and the others exchanged glances.

It was clear that Rufus wasn’t lying; she genuinely couldn’t remember.

Reid then asked,

“Didn’t you ever call your teacher by name?”

“No… the teacher had an unusual name and was embarrassed about it, so they wrote it down and showed it to me secretly. I just called them ‘Teacher’…”

Despite the detailed description, the name itself remained elusive.

“But you remember what they looked like, right?”

“Yes! The teacher was an elf, so I remember that much!”

“…That’s helpful. Do you recall any other distinguishing features?”

“Hmm… about as tall as Reid-san, with silver hair like Elria-chan… and, well, they looked weak and unreliable!”

“…That’s blunt.”

Despite the sharp description, this was progress. They now had not only a physical description but also the vital clue that the teacher was an ‘Elf’. Yet, there were still lingering questions――like the cryptic words Rufus had spoken while under the influence of the purplish-black magic power.

“When you said the ‘Guardian Dragons’ were angry, what did they tell you?” Elria asked, and Rufus’s expression turned solemn.

“Um… that is…”

“It’s alright,” Elria reassured her. “I won’t be upset, no matter what you say. Your story could help us learn something important.”

Gathering her resolve, Rufus began recounting what she had heard from the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

“Um… it wasn’t exactly words, but something communicated through magic power… It felt like different entities had entered, and they were furious.”

“…Was their anger directed at me?”

“Yes… they kept calling your name, Elria-chan, over and over. They were shouting that they had to kill you.”

Rufus paused before continuing softly――

“That was the mission given to them by――the ‘Hero’.”

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Chapter 4 Part 3

◆

After defeating the first two teams, Elria and the others were smoothly racking up victories.

“Woo-hoo! We are the strongest!!”

“Ha-ha-ha! This time, even I must agree with this country bumpkin!!”

And so, Faregh and Millis were getting carried away, arm in arm in high spirits. Contrary to them, Wiesel sighed with a weary expression.

“Haa… You two seem to have energy to spare.”

“It’s understandable for Wiesel to be tired. Timing the use of magic takes a lot of nerves, and managing multiple magic tools for scouting and understanding the battle situation must have exhausted your mind,” Elria said while patting Wiesel’s shoulder in comfort.

Their high level of teamwork was the fruit of their efforts, but among them, Wiesel bore the biggest physical and mental burden.

Even though it was his choice, the tension of continuously avoiding close-quarters combat attacks, the concentration needed to neutralize enemy magic reliably, and the scouting done with magic tools before engaging in battles were all roles he fulfilled, naturally leading to exhaustion.

The same could be said for Faregh and Millis.

Faregh, always leading the charge by deciding when to attack and then continuously drawing enemy attention, could not afford a moment of carelessness until the battle was completely over.

While physically less burdened, Millis had to time her support just like Wiesel and always bore the mental load of not losing the precious gold bracelet.

They seemed energetic, but likely they were masking their fatigue with the euphoria of victory.

“But we’ve done well so far. We’ve taken down a total of six teams, and in the latter half, we encountered many teams weakened by missing members who were supposed to protect their gold bracelets.”

“Speaking of which, wasn’t the team we let go earlier also a four-person team?”

“Yes. The remaining teams now probably understand the meaning of the exam and won’t recklessly seek scores but rather ensure their safety until the time limit. We should avoid unnecessary battles given our fatigue.”

“That’s right. Some teams have seen us in action and fled, reducing our encounters. Only those who’ve lost their gold bracelets and are trying to make up for their loss would roam around now,” Faregh agreed with a deep sigh, finally allowing his tension to ease.

But the battle was not over yet.

“The three of you should retreat to a safe place and hide until the time limit.”

“…Wait, Lady Caldwen, what are you planning to do?”

“I have a promise to keep, so I’ll stay behind alone,” Elria replied, sitting down on the spot.

“I’m waiting for Rufus.”

“W-Wait! Rufus Rylus, as in the <<Dragon Princess>> of Serios!?”

“Yes. I promised to battle her during the exam.”

“That’s not something to agree to so lightly!! Even if you are hailed as a reincarnation of the Sage, you can’t possibly win against someone who commands the ‘Guardian Dragons’ with restricted magic!!”

The Welminan family has a long history of slaying magical beasts, accumulating honors not just within the kingdom of Vegalta but also known to magical beasts in other lands. They also participated in the battle to subdue the ‘Guardian Dragons’ two hundred years ago, recording the dreadful encounter to warn future generations of their threat.

“Those dragons absorb the magic power born from the land and environment! The force of their magic, fueled by such immense magic power, is comparable to the tenth tier, you know!?”

“That’s impressive, Faregh knows a lot.”

“Don’t applaud me nonchalantly while I’m desperately explaining!!”

As she clapped her hands, Faregh scolded her with a fierce glare. It seemed unreasonable to be scolded when she was simply offering praise.

“Moreover, the bracelets for the exam weren’t designed to withstand magic from the ‘Guardian Dragons’! At worst, you could be obliterated before you even have a chance to teleport away――”

“But still, I promised to give it my all.”

Interrupting Faregh, Elria spoke softly.

“I’m not… good at talking like Reid, so I don’t know what words to offer to a troubled Rufus.”

Choosing sides is easy for others. And many people would answer, “You should choose your friend.”

Even if it means betraying the expectations of her mother or her country, it is not like they will disappear. Therefore, people might advise her to stay with her friend and eventually, as time passes, she could reconcile with her mother and reach an ideal conclusion. But in the end, those were merely just words from others.

The people offering advice have not spent time with Rafika, nor do they know all the feelings and love Rufus’s mother has harbored for her daughter.

The troubles that Rufus has carried were not something others can understand.

If it were something that could be chosen based on what others say, Rufus would not have been troubled from the start.

“That’s why I chose to fight.”

In the midst of battle, no extra words were needed. Just clashing with pure feelings and pride was enough. In that extreme situation, she might be able to find what was truly important.

“I fought a lot and was able to find many important things.”

Creating the technology of magic, meeting Reid on the battlefield, inventing new magic and technology, making them accessible to others, thinking of ways to use magic so the people of the country can lead prosperous lives, spending fifty years accumulating time until falling in love――

Elria was able to find countless things that were important to her while fighting.

“So, Rufus decided to fight with all her might to find what’s important, too.”

Saying so once again, Faregh sighed in exasperation.

“…Then do as you like. We’ll evacuate to a safe place so as not to get in the way.”

“Okay. Please go back first and prepare for the victory celebration.”

“Haa… Your confidence in your victory and your laughter, you and Reid are similar as a married couple without a doubt.”

“We’re not a married couple yet.”

“Who cares? Just get married already, you battle maniacs, and fight to your heart’s content.”

Making a face as if annoyed, Faregh turned his back and left.

“Then, Elria-sama! I cherish my life, so I will excuse myself first!!”

“I should also escape before getting dragged into this.”

“You two are honest, that’s good.”

Waving goodbye to them, Elria sat in the middle of the open wilderness and continued to look up at the sky.

At that moment, it was a time so calm and quiet. Most would find it hard to believe that a team battle exam was underway.

How much time had passed, she did not know.

However――

Just like the first time they exchanged words, a black shadow loomed overhead.

The figure of a black dragon descending with the sun at its back. And then, the bright red hair flutters in the wind.

“――Elria-chan!!”

Calling Elria’s name and waving her hand, Rufus landed on the ground.

“Sorry, I’m late! I was escorting the kids from my team to a safe place!”

“It’s kind of you to escort them.”

Responding with a bright smile, Elria replied in her usual manner.

A moment passed――

“I’ve come to fulfill our promise.”

The moment Rufus’s expression turned serious, the atmosphere around her changed.

“You know… I couldn’t choose after all. Rafika is a very important friend, and I don’t want to betray the expectations of my mother or the people of my country, nor do I want to disappoint the ‘Guardian Dragons’ who chose me.”

Yet, despite her words, the previous anxiety was not visible on Rufus’s face.

Without looking down, she faced Elria squarely with her pale crimson eyes directly.

“That’s why――I decided to choose everything.”

Rufus clasped her hands together, activating the orb-adorned glove-type magic equipment――

A brilliant pillar then rose in the distant horizon. Circling the earth, turning everything in its path to scorched earth with streams of scorching lava. As if to tear through the infernal flames――a giant jaw emerged.

Walking leisurely through the lava flow, a giant dragon illuminated its surroundings with its red-hot outer shell.

The <<Fire Dragon>>.

One of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ that Serios boasts, sitting at the apex of the volcanic region’s magical beasts.

However――it did not end there.

Within the thunderclouds that formed as if to paint over the clear sky, a silver <<Sky Dragon>> shone, enveloped in lightning.

The ground collapsed as if being sucked in, and what emerged from the flood of water pouring in, the azure <<Sea Dragon>> showed itself.

Lifting the surrounding earth, the mud-colored <<Mountain Dragon>> boasted its majestic, mountainous body.

They all exuded an intimidating amount of magic power and presence, piercing through Elria, who stood afar.

Yet, despite all of that――

“――――Amazing.”

While gazing at those ‘Guardian Dragons’, Elria let out a word of admiration.

The sight of Serios’s four symbolic ‘Guardian Dragons’ gathered together.

It was a phantom sight that could not be seen anywhere else in the world, only here.

“This is… my full power, Elria-chan…!!”

The expression on Rufus’s face was greatly distorted, with sweat beading on her forehead like pearls. It was a power that far exceeded her own limits. Indeed――a genuine full effort that could even shave off her own life.

Therefore, Elria had to respond.

“Yes――Rufus’s full power, I’ve witnessed it.”

She maneuvered her magic equipment, thrusting it into the ground as if piercing it.

“So, I won’t lose either.”

The moment she pulled out the staff, ‘chains’ were lifted from the stone tip.

However, they were smaller and thinner than before.

One, two, three――chains were successively pulled up from the abyss, accompanied by the heavy sound of metal.

Giant wolves wearing golden masks appeared, each holding golden weapons in their jaws.

“Mosha, Mibiri, Tattun, Nonne, Tanon, Ciita, Sabia, Nanne, Tisan, Kumil――They might be a bit scary, but let’s all do our best for your mother, Shehri’s sake too.”

Calling out the names of the ten giant wolves standing in a row, Elria faced the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

And then――as if to declare the start of the battle, the giant wolves let out a loud howl.

Rufus, though exhausted, smiled as she watched the giant wolves charge.

“No matter the <<Mana-Eater Wolves>>… they can’t eat those kids’ magic…!!”

Responding to Rufus’s words, as if on cue――the <<Fire Dragon’s>> jaw opened wide.

A gleam of light lit within its ferocious jaw.

The immense magic power generated by the dragon species’ massive bodies, the unique organs possessed by magical beasts, and the magic learned through intelligence equivalent to humans. The moment those were fused and unleashed――a brilliant heat ray melted the earth.

Instinctively covering her face, Elria cast a protective magic spell to shield herself from the heatwave.

Yet, even in the aftermath, although not a direct hit, the heat ray broke through the protective magic, and the scorched, heated air assaulted Elria’s skin.

“Ugh――Mosha!!”

Elria called out, and a giant wolf howled in response.

It was a signal that none of their companions had been hit by that attack.

However… the heat ray had gouged and melted the earth, turning the ground into a scorched wasteland, scattering flames. This meant that the giant wolves’ sole advantage, their mobility, had been diminished. 

And that was not all.

“It’s not just the <<Fire Dragon>> that can use magic.”

Surrounding the <<Sky Dragon>> that controlled the thunderclouds were countless lightning spears.

Inside the erupting water source, the <<Sea Dragon>> roared, generating giant ice bullets.

While enveloping the surrounding ground and rocks, the <<Mountain Dragon’s>> tail constructed a sturdy rock sword.

They all possessed power equal to or greater than the blow unleashed by the <<Fire Dragon>> earlier.

The giant wolves, inferior in size, would suffer fatal wounds from merely being grazed, not to mention the substantial toll on their stamina from merely enduring the aftermath of such attacks.

Even attempting to consume magic power as they had done when they defeated Rafika before was futile; the immense magic power of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ was too vast to be depleted, and the terrain and environment surrounding the ‘Guardian Dragons’ prevented the giant wolves from even getting close.

The same was true for Elria’s magic.

Even without limitations, simple protective magic would not suffice to block the attacks, and any attempt to create walls or footholds for approach would be effortlessly swept aside by the individual spells of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

The only chance of victory was to hope for Rufus to run out of magic power as time ran out, but if the giant wolves failed to evade in the meantime, their very ‘souls’ would suffer fatal injuries.

There was no opportunity for attack or counterattack. Continuing to defend or evade was not an option, either.

The attacks of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ were relentless, powered by a seemingly infinite source of magic power.

In such a desperate situation where no clear chance of victory could be seen――

“――All of you are brave, just like Shehri.”

The giant wolves faced the ‘Guardian Dragons’ without showing any fear or hesitation. They bared their sharp fangs, believing in their own victory. They also believed in the victory of their master, with whom their mother Shehri had formed a pact with and who commanded them.

That is precisely why――

“――Bet your pride on it, and fulfill the role given to you.”

Hearing these solemn words, the giant wolves charged at the ‘Guardian Dragons’ once again.

Biting down on the golden weapons bestowed upon them, they ran to fulfill their given roles.

Directed at them――lightning spears were launched by the <<Sky Dragon>>.

The giant wolves dispersed in unison, but one among them confronted the lightning spear head-on.

As they passed each other, the giant wolf threw the weapon it had been biting down on. It was a wide golden sword that shone brilliantly.

However, the great sword could not withstand the lightning spear unleashed by the <<Sky Dragon>> and fell to the ground, emitting black smoke.

Just before the lightning spear could pierce the giant wolf, Elria voluntarily released the medium, which it possessed.

The giant wolf, transformed into particles of light, was pierced by the lightning spear and vanished in an instant.

“――The offering should be the golden weapons, symbols of valor and victory in battle.”

Another giant wolf dodged through the ice bullets that were flying towards it.

Even as the shards of ice threatened to pierce its body, the giant wolf did not stop.

It thrust the great spear it was carrying into the ground, tearing through the earth as it continued to run.

“Their paths are stairs ascending to the heavens.”

The other giant wolves circled around their surroundings with their own weapons.

They avoided the solid rock sword swung by the <<Mountain Dragon>> through leaps. But the force from the impact caused stones to go flying and mercilessly struck the body of the giant wolves.

Yet, the giant wolves did not stop.

They did not mind their bodies being injured.

They did not mind their blood flowing.

And when a comrade fell, another giant wolf took over its role.

One by one, the mediums of the injured giant wolves were released and disappeared.

“Our offering to the heavens is our noble pride and indomitable soul.”

Elria spoke these words while witnessing the bravery of the giant wolves.

Hearing Elria’s words, Rufus understood the meaning behind them.

“――――Chanting?”

The method of chanting, replaced by magic circuits and lost to the modern age, had existed since ancient times and had produced countless miracles.

However, that art was lost to the newly created ‘magic’.

The technique known as ‘magic’, created by the Sage, replaced and phased out the previous methods. This was because inheritance was difficult, influenced by individual skills, and required countless conditions and tools as numerous as the stars.

“《O myriad stars across the celestial sphere. Hearken to our wish, in exchange for the price we have offered.》”

Elria chants, wielding her magic equipment akin to performing a ritual as it was once used.

“《Welcome the brave comrades to the heavens above, and grant their wishes.》”

With grand gestures, she sings towards the twinkling stars above, as if offering a dance to the beings beyond human wisdom that once governed miracles.

“《Show thy splendor with thy fangs against the great foe who stands against us――》”

Seeking salvation, Elria raises her hands high towards the sky.

It was the first technique learned by those called sages.

The ancient people prayed for miracles, dedicating their prayers through various methods, the original magic.

This technique not only utilized one’s own magic power but also gathered the overflowing magic energy from nature, borrowing the power of the distant shining stars to perform miracles.

This was what once was called ‘Sorcery’.

“――――《Judgment of the Celestial Wolf》”

With whispered words and a clenched fist, the moment it swung down forcefully――‘Stars’ descended from the heavens towards the ‘Guardian Dragons’ that stood before.

Soon, the ‘stars’ shattered in mid-air, transforming into fragments of various shapes and sizes. These fragments of stars pierced through, gouged out, drilled, and crushed the bodies of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

With a thunderous roar, the fragments swept the surroundings, taking everything with them. Just as wolves tear their prey apart with fangs and claws.

And as the dust settled, showing the fruits of the battle――

“――――ah”

Seeing the scene before her, Rufus weakly fell to her knees.

There was no sign of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

The scorched earth, the water that sprung from the ground, the thunderclouds that once loomed over, the ground that had swelled like mountains――all of it had returned to ‘nothingness’.

“I’ve won――”

Facing Rufus, Elria said softly with a smile, then collapsed to the ground.

“Still… it’s much less efficient than magic…”

Magic consumes less mana through the use of magic power circuits and magic tools, but of course, such technologies are not used in sorcery, which consumes a vast amount of mana.

Moreover, such large-scale sorcery would deplete Elria’s mana entirely.

A once-in-a-lifetime, all-out attack. Truly, it was an effort of ‘all her strength’.

“How was my all-out effort, Rufus?”

As she asked Rufus――

“Yeah――I lost, even with all my might.”

Descending from Rafika’s back, Rufus muttered while staring at everything that had vanished before her.

“I gave it my all, but still lost…”

She began to sob, tears streaming down as she crumpled her face.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…!!”

Apologizing through her tears, it was unclear to whom she was apologizing.

To her mother, who had believed and raised her? To the country that had hopes for her? To the ‘Guardian Dragons’ she had failed? To the friend with whom she could not fight? Or to herself who, despite giving it her all, still fell short――

Only Rufus could know.

Only the girl named Rufus Rylus could understand.

But perhaps that was alright.

Her emotions now belong solely to Rufus Rylus, and others should not lightly intervene.

Thus, the only words Elria could offer were――

“――Rufus, you were very strong.”

Smiling, she offered these words to her opponent, who went all out.

Hearing that, Rufus, through her tears, wiped her eyes.

“…Yeah! Because I made Elria-chan give her all!!”

“Yes. Rufus can be proud as the person who made me give my all.”

“That’s such an arrogant attitude!”

“Of course. That’s the privilege of the victor.”

“But winning and still being all wobbly doesn’t look cool, you know?”

Rufus laughed amusingly at Elria, who was trying to look cool despite being battered.

And so, the two shared a gentle smile together――But in that moment, Rufus’s body tilted sideways. Weakly, her small body fell towards the ground.

“Eh… huh…?”

As if realizing for the first time that she was falling, Rufus let out a dazed voice.

“……Rufus?”

“Ahaha… sorry, I feel hot, and I can’t move――”

At that moment, a roar that shook the air came from a distant place.

“――――What?”

The moment Elria caught sight of that, she involuntarily exclaimed.

In her vision… the figures of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ she had supposedly defeated were there.

Their avatars, their bodies, were enveloped in the light of mana, reforming once again.

“―――Kugh!!”

Immediately after, Rufus coughed up a clot of blood.

“Why… I haven’t done anything, though…!?”

“Rufus! Stop the summoning magic now!! Otherwise, your magic power will be depleted――”

At that point, Elria felt something was off.

Rufus was summoning not only the ‘Guardian Dragons’ from earlier but also Rafika at the moment.

Given that Rafika is also a dragon-type magical beast, though not to the extent of the ‘Guardian Dragons’, creating its vessel should still consume a vast amount of magic power.

But that was not all.

Elria had been under the impression that Rufus had used up her magic power to the limit to create ‘imperfect vessels’ for summoning the four ‘Guardian Dragons’. Otherwise, it would not be possible to create such powerful vessels for four ‘Guardian Dragons’.

However, during the battle just now, Rufus could command the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

If the vessels were imperfect, it would not be strange for the ‘Guardian Dragons’ to go berserk, fighting among themselves or even attacking their master, Rufus. Yet, the ‘Guardian Dragons’ did not fight each other. They recognized the wolves summoned by Elria as enemies and attacked them.

“Rufus… what did you do?”

As Elria asked the collapsed Rufus, she weakly responded amidst coughs.

“Teacher said… if I’m running out of magic power, I should borrow it from my future self…”

“That means――”

Upon hearing those words, Elria focused her consciousness to observe Rufus’s magic power. There――a toxic color of magic power was flowing.

Enveloping Rufus’s entire body, a purplish-black magic power circulated throughout.

“What is this…”

It was a magic power color that even Elria had never seen before.

The magic power was deeply rooted in the heart, continuously supplying Rufus’s body with magic power. And when the flow of magic power increased significantly――

“――Kugh!”

With an expression of agony, she coughed up a clot of blood.

There was no doubt that the magic power was corrupting Rufus’s body. Moreover, it was producing magic power that was as if it was squeezing out her life, regardless of Rufus’s will.

“Could it be… generating magic power by sacrificing lifespan?”

From Rufus’s earlier words, that was what Elria inferred.

Just to be sure, she probed inside the body with magic power, but found no abnormalities in the organs or elsewhere.

The bleeding seemed to be from within the oral cavity, and the blood spat out so far was probably because the body refused to swallow it.

Magic power is generated through the circulation of blood. Hence――by producing volumes of blood beyond the body’s limits and disposing of the now-unnecessary blood through bleeding, new blood is generated. By doing so… lifespan was sacrificed to produce magic power, creating vessels for the ‘Guardian Dragons’. And the anomaly was not just with Rufus.

Once again, taking the form of their vessels, the four ‘Guardian Dragons’ roared. Their angry eyes――were directed at Elria.

“Why……? Why are you so angry…?”

Asked Rufus with vacant eyes directed towards the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

“――Why do you have to kill Elria-chan…?”

Such words were spoken. But there was no time to ponder those words.

Soon, the creation of the vessels would be completed, and the ‘Guardian Dragons’ would start to move.

If attacked by the ‘Guardian Dragons’ in this state, Elria would have no means to defend. Her magic power was already running low, and standing was her limit. Even when ignoring magic restrictions, it was impossible to defeat four ‘Guardian Dragons’ in her current state. And even if she could defeat them, the vessels would be regenerated by further sacrificing Rufus’s lifespan.

Elria alone could no longer do anything. She could neither confront the ‘Guardian Dragons’ nor save Rufus, who was suffering before her eyes.

However――Elria was not alone now.

In this world, there exists a single being whom she trusted as much as herself――or perhaps even more.

“I will leave the rest to you――Reid.”

The moment his name was spoken, a gigantic iron pillar was thrust into the ground before Elria.

Amidst the raging winds, a jet-black flag fluttered. And standing beside it, a figure with a back larger than anyone else’s.

“Yeah, leave everything to me.”

Those were the reliable words of a person who would never let her down. No matter the situation, he would always face it with an unending smile.

After striking down with the iron pillar held tight in his grip――

“――As long as I’m here, I won’t let anyone cross this ‘Black Flag’.”

With those familiar words, Reid showed a fearless smile.

Seeing Reid suddenly appear, the ‘Guardian Dragons’ began to shift their attention towards him.

Taking advantage of this, Reid tossed a communication magic device and a magic power recovery potion to Elria.

“Sorry, I can’t use these, so connect with Alma on your end.”

“Mm, understood.”

With a small nod, she activated the communication device――

‘――Right!! A special rank mage’s aim should be precise!!’

Alma’s cheerful voice could be heard.

“…Reid, how did you get here?”

“Ah, you know that huge guy in <<Undead Brigade>> that Alma commands? It threw the iron pillar with all its might, and I grabbed onto it to come here.”

Reid casually pointed at the black flag as he explained. Truly an absurd person.

“I’ve been watching your battle, but I don’t know the details, so just give me the brief instructions.”

“Don’t kill the ‘Guardian Dragons’. Rufus is somehow generating magic power by shortening her lifespan. If we kill them, Rufus’s lifespan will be reduced even more.”

“I see. So, I just need to keep the ‘Guardian Dragons’ entertained, huh?”

“Yes. I’ll handle Rufus.”

“Then I’ll leave that to you!!”

With that reply, Reid leaped forward in a single bound.

The moment the ‘Guardian Dragons’ saw Reid making his move, they all roared in unison.

The roars probably contained ‘mockery’ in them. To them, the addition of a far inferior human meant nothing. In the eyes of the magical beasts that reigned supreme, humans were powerless.

Such was the confidence in their roar.

And then――the <<Sky Dragon>> deployed lightning spears around.

The compressed lightning, shining with a white light, launched towards Reid as he approached.

Normally, it would be an attack impossible for a human to dodge.

The lightning spears, carrying enough heat to distort their surroundings and moving at the speed of light, would pierce through a human before they could even perceive it, burning everything inside and out in an instant.

However――the ‘Guardian Dragons’ did not know that there once existed a human who was called a Hero, and how the Hero had contended with the Sage.

And Reid, indeed, saw the lightning spears aimed at him――He dodged them by turning his body and forcefully ‘grabbed’ one of them with his extended right hand.

“Not bad――this is some nice magic there!!”

He then maneuvered the captured lightning spear, knocking down subsequent ones that came flying at him.

The sound of lightning spears colliding and exploding echoed loudly.

Once the first caught lightning spear disappeared, he would grab another, and after that one became unusable, he grabbed yet another, deflecting every spear that rained down without missing a single one.

Seeing this, the ‘Guardian Dragons’ realized the human approaching them was an extraordinary being.

As Reid, who had stopped moving to deal with the lightning spears, faced them, the <<Fire Dragon’s>> throat began to glow.

It was a heat ray that would not allow anything to survive, turning everything to ash.

The moment the heat ray was released, Reid glanced sideways at it and then――

“That’s not something to play with just yet!!”

He clenched his left hand――and ‘punched’ the heat ray with a powerful blow.

The trajectory of the heat ray forcibly changed, scorching the air as it split the thunderclouds in the sky in two.

This was the way of fighting of the Hero who had once contended with the Sage.

Reid could ‘touch’ the essence released by magic.

Whether it was due to a robust physical body or the neutralization by magic, it was unclear… but being able to come into contact with magic in such a way made it difficult to strike effectively using inferior methods.

Moreover, the stronger the magic, the longer it took to dissipate, and he used this to his advantage, treating it as his weapon.

By utilizing the opponent’s magic in this manner, he limited the opponent’s magic options, a strategy so effective that even Elria could not overcome it a thousand years ago.

For those who wielded magic, Reid could very well be called their ‘natural enemy’.

After dealing with the lightning spears, he turned to face the roaring <<Mountain Dragon>>.

The surrounding rocks and ground form into a massive cannon of rock.

Even witnessing this, Reid did not falter in the slightest.

“Playing in the mud, are we? That’s not really something to do at my age――”

Before Reid’s words were finished, the <<Mountain Dragon>> fired the rock cannon at him.

Yet, Reid did not flinch, instead, he smiled――

“――I’ll leave that to your companion.”

He easily caught the massive rock cannon and kicked it towards the <<Sea Dragon>>.

Unable to dodge the cannon, now moving even faster than when it was shot, the <<Sea Dragon>> was partially crushed by it, emitting a scream similar to a high-pitched cry.

It was a scene of utter absurdity.

However, it could also be said to be a fight befitting of the ‘Hero’ in its boldness.

Confirming that the ‘Guardian Dragons’ attention was fully on Reid, Elria used the communication device to reach out to Alma.

“Alma-sensei, can you hear me?”

‘Ah, Elria-chan? I’m currently watching His Excellency wreak havoc――’

“If you’re watching through a magic device, I need you to also check on Rufus.”

Upon hearing this, Alma responded after a brief silence.

‘What is this…? Is that really magic power?’

“I’ve touched Rufus’s body to check, so there’s no mistake. My theory is that it’s a magic formula that generates magic power using one’s lifespan, but it’s a type of magic I’m also unfamiliar with, so we can’t act recklessly.”

Even if they were to dissipate the magic power consuming Rufus’s body, the magic formula would still deplete Rufus’s lifespan to supply magic power. And dispelling the magic formula seemed hopeless. Because the magic formula incorporated unknown magic techniques, there was not enough time to decipher it, and Rufus might lose her life before her lifespan ran out.

Therefore, Elria’s chosen course of action was――

“――I need to flush out that magic technique by infusing Rufus’s body with a different type of magic power.”

‘A different type of magic power… You mean using your magic power, Elria-chan?’

“That won’t work. With Rufus in her current state, she won’t be able to withstand the rejection reaction from a different type of magic power.”

Using a different type of magic power would cause a rejection reaction the moment it entered Rufus’s body, and it was uncertain whether Rufus’s weakened body could withstand it. 

There was no time to find someone with a magic power type that matched Rufus’s.

However――there was someone here and now who possessed the same type of magic power as Rufus.

“――――Rafika.”

Turning towards the black dragon who was anxiously staying close to its master, Elria called out.

《Your vessel flows with the magic power that originally belonged to Rufus. Using it, we might be able to save her from this situation.》

Speaking in the language of magical beasts, Rafika slowly lifted its head.

《But――this might destroy your ‘soul’.》

What they were about to do was nearly a gamble for Elria.

Extracting the magic power forming Rafika’s vessel and directly infusing it into Rufus’s body to cleanse the formula forcefully.

Having considered the theory after Reid’s incident, the idea might work between humans, but they had not planned for the unique conditions of a contract with a magical beast.

Given the contract with Rufus, the connection between that magic power and the ‘soul’ is deeper than usual… drawing it out could affect Rafika’s ‘soul’.

In the worst case, the ‘soul’ could be destroyed, leaving Rafika’s true body an empty shell.

Just then, Rafika slowly raised its head――

《――――It doesn’t matter.》

With those brief words, it responded.

《…You can speak the language of magical beasts?》

The language of magical beasts, simply put, is conversation using magic.

Although they could not vocalize like humans due to their different physical structures, magical beasts could communicate through magic power if they possessed it. However, while most magical beasts can listen and understand the meaning, there were only a few reports of them being able to speak. Such an occurrence can only be achieved if there was a deep relationship where the magical beast itself truly desired to exchange words with the contractor.

《Please, save her,》 Rafika pleaded, looking down at the fallen Rufus.

《Rufus has always been by my side,》 its words, imbued with magic power, resonated within Elria’s mind.

《Always caring for me,》 it said, speaking as one who has watched over Rufus.

《She has continuously called me her ‘dearest friend’.》 

It was a phrase from ancient times, passed down among the people of Serios to signify a bond with magical beasts. Rufus never once faltered in using that term.

Even as she fulfilled her contract with the mighty ‘Guardian Dragons’ and faced scorn from her own mother, she remained steadfast by the side of her ‘dearest friend’.

《Please――save my ‘dearest friend’,》 Rafika implored, bowing its head as if kneeling to Elria.

“…Yes. I promise I will save her,” Elria said, gently stroking its head before deploying her magic equipment.

She weaved magic power to connect them, considering it a testament to life itself. Elria believed magic was akin to the ‘soul’, coursing through the body along with the blood, embodying life’s journey and transforming into a unique existence symbolizing the ‘soul’.

What Elria was about to do was akin to forcibly extracting the ‘soul’, not knowing the outcome. This could lead to the ‘soul’ losing its place, leaving the body to decay.

Therefore, Elria named the magic with a hopeful wish: even if the body decays, may the ‘soul’ transition to a new life——

“――――<<Soul Transference>>.”

Following her soft murmur, Rafika let out a pained roar as her ‘soul’ was torn away, an unbearable sensation. The extracted ‘soul’ flowed into Rufus along the connecting thread, purging and purifying the malady with its immense volume of life experiences.

As the purplish-black magic power was cleansed from Rufus, the distant ‘Guardian Dragons’ roared in unison. Their forms, maintained by that magic power, began to disintegrate, their roars filled with anguish and resentment as they faded into particles of light.

“――――Rafika?” Rufus murmured, barely opening her eyes, calling out to her friend.

Beside Rufus, the black dragon lies, its body beginning to transform into particles of light, just like the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

“Rafika… please respond…” 

Despite her friend’s words, the black dragon’s voice was faint.

Hearing it, Rufus smiled slightly.

“I’m glad… We promised always to be together.”

As she desperately tried to reach out to the fading black dragon, 

“If you dare leave my side… I’ll never forgive you.”

However, her hand could not reach the black dragon, whose physical form was already fading from this world.

Yet, Rufus continued to stroke the disappearing outline of the black dragon’s head, even though its voice no longer reached her.

“Because――you’re my ‘dearest friend’,” she said, offering the same smile she always did to her friend.

After seeing Rufus’s smile, the black dragon turned into particles of light, disappearing into the starry sky.

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Chapter 4 Part 2

◇

A holiday was designated for preparation before the exam. Millis didn’t suggest going out this time, and it was decided that everyone would rest in their own way to be fully prepared for the exam.

Thus came the day of the conditional exam.

Reid and the others had gone to a valley they had visited for training.

“…It feels bad to be sent off without doing anything.”

“It’s okay. This doesn’t even count as using magic,” Elria said, shaking her head while hugging Reid tightly.

Seeing the two of them like this, Millis looked relieved.

“Ahh… watching these two, I feel relaxed, like it’s a normal day.”

“Exactly. This should help us keep our cool during the exam, too.”

“What are you guys talking about after seeing them being so lovey-dovey…?”

Contrasting the cheerful laughter of the two, Faregh looked puzzled. It wasn’t a spectacle, so he wished they would understand.

“Well, good luck. I’ll be watching how you all fight.”

“Yeah, we’ll do our best.”

Elria waved her hand lightly as she saw him off, and Reid hurried to the tent set up as a waiting area, blending with the busy teachers and staff.

As he opened the flap of the tent assigned to Alma――

“――Oh, good morning, Your Excellency.”

Alma, who was sloppily lying on a makeshift sofa, greeted him.

“…Seriously, you’re too relaxed.”

“Eh? It’s fine if no one is watching.”

While saying that, Alma swung her feet on the sofa, fully relaxed and even with her shoes off.

“I’ve delegated the active duty as the supervising teacher to Philia, and if nothing happens, I don’t need to do anything. I have to watch my cute students fight properly.”

“I don’t think you need tea and snacks just to watch the students.”

“Come on, it’s fine. Do you want some cookies, Your Excellency?”

“Just get the footage ready.”

“Alright, alright, don’t rush me.”

Alma pouted and slowly began operating the magic device before her. At that moment――countless scenes appeared in the air.

Seeing this, Reid gasped.

“Wow, is this all from the perspective of the students participating?”

“Yes. It’s a remote projection magic device that operates within Headmistress Elise Rummel’s barrier. It captures the coordinates of the students wearing the bracelets and projects their figures.”

“So, this mechanism was created by the headmistress?”

“Yes. Elise might have no talent in combat, but she’s a true genius when it comes to creating magic and magic devices. Before becoming headmistress, she advanced the level of magic device technology by decades.”

“…And yet she cried and begged us on her knees?”

“That child is just as mentally a child as she looks. That’s also why she took the position of headmistress, as she’s not suited for combat.”

Surprised by this unexpected side of the headmistress, Alma operated the magic device with practiced ease.

“Alright then… let’s check out the team of troublemakers.”

From the multitude of footage, the team’s familiar faces stood out prominently.

“――Ahhh… I’m wearing a golden bracelet. I feel like my insides are going to spill out from nervousness!!”

At the same time, Millis’s voice, sounding a bit silly, came through with the footage.

Elria nodded in response to Millis.

“But Millis is the best suited among us for this.”

“However, if we consider strength, wouldn’t Elria-sama or Faregh-san be better…?”

“Millis, what do you think is the worst-case scenario for this exam?”

“That would… of course, be everyone getting annihilated, triggering the golden bracelet, right?”

“Right. Faregh and I are involved in a lot of combat, so the probability of the bracelet activating is higher. Wiesel might also join the fight depending on the situation, so Millis, who is in a support role, has the lowest probability of activating it. Ideally, the person holding the golden bracelet should be withdrawn and hidden from the front lines.”

“That makes sense. It would reduce our combat strength, but this method would prevent a total wipeout. Likely, other teams will adopt a similar strategy to ensure they preserve their scores.”

“Yes. Unlike the last time, Alma-sensei didn’t mention any specific end conditions for this exam. However, given the nature of ‘gaining points by defeating opponents’, total incapacitation of everyone won’t be an end condition. So, it’s logical to assume that surviving until the time limit is the end condition.”

While Elria was explaining, Alma’s face briefly showed a clear expression of “Uh oh, I’ve been found out”. Watching this reaction up close was quite interesting for Reid.

“Um, so basically, it’s better not to attack the opponents rashly, right?”

“No, if there’s a chance to attack, make sure to wipe them out completely.”

“Today’s Elria-sama has a high level of murderous intent!!”

“…I didn’t mean it in that way,” Elria said, puffing her cheeks in indignation.

Continuing the conversation, Wiesel nodded and added his explanation.

“What she means is that it’s not necessary to engage in combat with just one team. It’s possible that multiple teams could form alliances or remaining teams might form new teams, so Lady Elria is suggesting we should reduce their numbers when possible.”

“Wiesel is right.”

With a small circle made by her hand, Elria turned to face Faregh.

“After Wiesel scouts, the decision to attack will be up to Faregh.”

“…Are you sure about leaving the decision to me?”

“Yes. You’re the leader this time, so we’ll follow your lead.”

Then, Elria deployed her magic equipment.

“After the attack, you can make decisions based on the information you have. Can you handle that?”

“I’ve stood up to commoners before. There’s no way I’d say I can’t.”

“Good response. Then――”

Wiesel interrupted her with a hand gesture.

“…I’ve detected multiple magic power reactions in the distance. There are ten individuals, and their movements are synchronized, likely a team working together.”

He adjusted his glasses as he surveyed the surroundings intently.

“Lord Welminan, your call on the attack.”

“Ha…! Of course, we’ll annihilate them all here and now.”

Saying this, Faregh drew his magic short sword.

“――――《Unsheathe》.”

With a faint murmur, the moment he gripped the short sword with both hands――the blade was enveloped in blazing flames.

The flames grew longer and wider, forming a sword, eventually transforming into a flame sword much larger than Faregh’s stature. It resembled the ‘Magic Sword’ that Elria had created.

Gripping the flame sword with both hands, Faregh sunk his body deeper.

“Then, as planned――!!”

With those words, Faregh powerfully kicked off the ground and propelled forward, making an explosive sound as he sped in the direction of the detected magic power reactions. Hearing this blast, the progressing students all turned their heads at once.

“W-What’s that? A fight!?”

“No――it’s an attack!! Enemy sighted at seven o’clock! Everyone, prepare to intercept!!”

The moment the student who seemed to be the leader shouted, all the students aimed their magic towards the incoming Faregh.

Seeing this, Faregh smirked and then―― 

“You think the likes of you can take me down!?” 

Before the opponents could deploy their magic, Faregh twisted his body and swung the flame sword. And with that swing, a curtain of flames spread widely. 

The curtain of crimson flames spread, concealing Faregh as he approached. This caused the opponent to lose sight of Faregh temporarily.

“Shoot anyway! Even if he’s hidden, he can’t dodge in the air!!”

Following that command, the students cast their prepared spells at the curtain of flames. 

Rock Spears, Wind Clusters, Water Blades… numerous spells were cast at the flames, attempting to strike down Faregh, who they assumed was hiding behind it. However, Faregh was nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps that’s why the students felt a brief sense of relief. They must have thought he had teleported due to their magic activating his bracelet. That’s why――they were slow to notice Faregh, who had risen higher with the sun at his back. 

“First, I’ll take one of you down!!”

Using the blast generated under his feet and the speed of his fall, Faregh rapidly descended. And the moment he landed, he swung his flame sword, blasting everyone nearby with a wave of flames.

The student leader at the center of the blast was enveloped in particles of light and disappeared.

“Damn it… Santos got taken out!! Create some distance with protective magic now!!”

“Wait a second! It’s impossible to cast protective magic in this situation!!”

Amidst the flames that spread around, cries almost like screams could be heard.

The flames severely impaired their visibility, making it impossible for them to discern Faregh’s location accurately or even the positions of their own allies.

But that wasn’t all.

“Just do it! We’ll be wiped out if we don’t!!”

“We need to put out the flames first!! Hurry, someone extinguishes them!!”

“With the enemy right under our noses, do we have time for that!?”

The early defeat of their student leader caused confusion in their command and decision-making. That delay allowed Faregh to strike again――.

“――This makes two!!”

Faregh leaped out from the flickering flames, his flame sword sweeping in a reverse diagonal motion. He caught the second person, who then teleported away, activated by the bracelet.

Watching Faregh’s battle, Alma narrowed her eyes and spoke.

“Heehh… This has turned out to be quite interesting.”

“Yeah. Seeing his magic, I thought this style suits him better,” Reid said with a pleased smile.

The brilliant flames. It is not only used for attacks but also to dazzle opponents and conceal his own figure. It was also a means to bring a fight to close-quarters combat from a distance and, once in close range, to use the flames to confuse and swiftly strike the opponents.

Explosions and burning flames allowed for quick engagement in close-quarters combat, facilitating various movements like aerial maneuvers and rapid descents.

“Faregh makes good judgment, too. He minimized the sound of his movements with the blast. Since he understands the sun’s position from the opponents’ perspective, he can hide in the backlight and unilaterally target their leader.”

Thus, Faregh could decisively disrupt the opponent’s chain of command. And by disrupting their coordination as intended, he chose to take them down one by one, taking advantage of the flames.

“Such a flashy way to fight, though…”

“It’s perfectly fitting for that show-off.”

“More like the influence of the person who taught him,” Alma said, glancing sharply at Reid. 

Indeed, Reid’s fighting style was forceful and aggressive, so adding flames to it naturally resulted in a flamboyant and spectacular style.

“But… moving too flamboyantly and the order in which he took down his opponents might have been a mistake, don’t you think?”

Faregh had managed to take down three opponents. Still, with their numbers reduced, the remaining two became more mobile, using protective magic to fortify themselves while looking for a chance to counterattack.

And then――another team was moving to flank Faregh from behind.

They were probably a team that had allied with the students Faregh had initially ambushed. Attracted by the flashy attacks and the noise, they quickly moved towards Faregh’s position.

“Though he successfully brought the battle into close-quarters combat using high-speed movement through the blast, he’s completely isolated, having separated from Elria-chan and the others. And since he didn’t take down the support who could use protective magic, they’re likely buying time to set up a pincer attack――”

Alma paused and turned her gaze to another footage.

There was Wiesel, moving while observing through his glasses-like magic tools. When another team made their move, he nodded slightly and reported.

“Lord Welminan, as planned, another team has started moving. We’re also beginning our move.”

‘Ah! I’m holding back because I don’t want to waste magic power, so hurry up!!’

“Understood. Lady Millis, prepare ‘The Wall’. Position it at four o’clock from Lord Welminan; a size of three hundred should be enough to capture everyone.”

“Aye, aye!!”

With a spirited reply, Millis stopped and deployed her magic equipment. It was a simple, unadorned staff with a curved end. When she drove the staff into the ground, the bell attached to its tip chimed lightly.

“Then, if I may intrude!!”

The moment Millis punched the staff driven into the ground――a rock wall rose from the ground, blocking the path of the students. Seeing the wall forming to obstruct their path, the students rushing towards Faregh abruptly stopped.

“Tch… Are they allies of the team we attacked!?”

“Seems like it. And there’s also one coming towards us.”

“So, they are holding us off with the wall while waiting to regroup?”

“If so, ignore the one coming and prioritize destroying the wall. Don’t let them regroup; cut through and isolate them, then pick them off one by one.”

Despite initially halting, the other team continued unabated towards the wall.

Wiesel watched every move of these students closely, not missing a single beat.

And then――one student showed movement.

“I’ll handle breaking the wall. The rest of you cut straight through.”

A student holding a spear-like magic equipment stopped and took a stance facing the wall.

The moment Wiesel saw this, he ran with his arms widely spread. His arms were covered with gauntlet-like magic equipment.

While keeping his stance, Wiesel targeted the student who was aiming――

“――――《Insulation》.”

With great force, he struck his fists together. A high-pitched, metallic sound echoed around, but no apparent change occurred.

However――

“………!? What?”

The student who had been holding the spear froze in place, eyes wide open.

“Hey, what are you standing there dazed for!?”

“Wait! My magic equipment isn’t working!!”

“What!? It’s malfunctioning now of all times!?”

Another student took over, holding a staff-like magic equipment.

“If that’s the case, I’ll break it――”

As that student began to swing the staff, Wiesel struck again with his fists.

Immediately after, the previously bold expression vanished from the student’s face as it turned pale.

“W-Why…? It was working just fine a moment ago, wasn’t it!?”

With their magic equipment rendered useless, the students were stuck in front of the wall.

By stalling for time, Wiesel had already closed the distance. He measured the distance precisely and faced the student with the spear, fist ready.

“I’ve spent my days getting knocked around by a younger girl,” he muttered, then forcefully stomped down with his leg-bound magic tool――

“――I think it’s about time I let off some steam with a good punch.”

He accelerated suddenly and, using his gathered momentum, delivered a palm strike to the student’s body. The impact activated the bracelet, and the student was teleported away in a flash of light.

Seeing one of their comrades taken down, the other students aimed their magic equipment at Wiesel.

“We’ll take him down together if it’s the last thing we do! There are still four of us left. We can surely take down one――”

As they turned their gaze back to Wiesel――he was already running away with his back to them.

“W-What!? Hey, you think you can just hit and run!?”

“Yeah. I just came to test the durability of my magic equipment.”

As he spoke those words over his shoulder, Wiesel slightly raised his gaze.

“After all――my job is to hold you guys up.”

Distracted by Wiesel’s attack, the students didn’t notice the anomaly unfolding right in front of them. They realized it only when a shadow fell over them.

“Hey… if the goal was to delay us, then what’s this ‘wall’ about?”

The rock wall continued to rise, making noise as it ascended as if blocking their path, but its top started to curve over, enveloping the students.

Then, a loud crack echoed as a large fissure appeared in the wall.

“Hey, wait, wait!! Someone, anyone, blow up that wall――”

His words were cut off.

As the wall began to collapse under its own weight, thunderous noise and dust clouds billowed up towards the students. Amid the dust, four faint lights flickered and then faded out.

Seeing that, Wiesel nodded in satisfaction.

“Hmm, that went better than expected, Lady Millis.”

‘Yay!! That totally crushed them!!’

“Lady Millis, I understand your excitement, but your voice is dripping with villainy.”

‘…It was over before I even got involved.’

While watching their reactions, Alma pulled Reid excitedly.

“Wow! Hey, hey, what was that thing Wiesel just did, Your Excellency!?”

“I don’t know the detailed mechanics, but it seems that when he strikes with those gauntlet-type magic equipment, he can emit a weak wave of magic power. That seems to disable magic equipment temporarily.”

“Whoa, that’s wicked…”

Alma shook Reid vigorously, her expression turning to dismay.

Even if it was temporary, magic could not be used when magic equipment was rendered useless. That was why the students trying to break the wall could not use their magic.

“Well, it’s a technique unique to a magic equipment engineer who knows magic equipment inside out.”

“But seriously, to be able to neutralize magic like that seems not just powerful but downright unfair. If such magic equipment becomes common, all mages might as well retire.”

“It’s not like it can neutralize just anything, though. You have to target the moment magic power flows into the magic equipment and hit it with the magic wave. It doesn’t affect magic that’s already been activated. The neutralization lasts only about five seconds, the magic wave is directional, so it targets only one person at a time, and there’s also a risk of the gauntlets breaking if used too frequently.”

“Heehh… so that’s why he had Millis set up the ‘wall’.”

A visible rock wall wasn’t necessary if it was just about delaying them.

Millis, proficient in protective and barrier magic, could have stopped them with an invisible wall. However, by making it visible, it drew the opponents’ attention. And since the opponents were sure to use magic to destroy the wall, by watching closely, Wiesel could easily stop the activation of their magic.

Then, using his magic tool’s acceleration, Wiesel could get close to the opponents, reducing their use of magic while buying time for the wall to collapse and then escape.

Originally, Elria was supposed to finish off any remaining students, but the inability to use magic caused more chaos than expected, leading to the opponents being incapacitated by the wall’s collapse.

“Earlier, Faregh said he was ‘holding back’, probably intentionally leaving the support to last, using the ‘holding them up’ situation to bait the other teams…”

“Exactly. That’s why the teams that came later prioritized destroying the wall.”

“Wow… even from my perspective, that’s highly commendable. Faregh’s flashy first move was a feint, Millis’s wall serving as another diversion, Wiesel locking down opponents as yet another diversion, and then Elria stepping in after the wall fell. This isn’t a typical student-level strategy at all.”

“…Well, that happens when Elria and I teach them.”

Reid had once led the army of a whole country as one of its generals, and Elria also had experience commanding her own unit in strategic operations.

That was why Reid focused on teaching them overarching strategy and principles while Elria taught them the nuances of combat tactics and thought processes.

Given that these two experienced war veterans were teaching, it was natural that their students would exhibit a higher level of skill and completeness compared to others.

“Well, the hardest workers were themselves.”

Despite repeatedly complaining, Faregh never shied away from the practice sessions with Reid and was working to acquire the swordsmanship and close-quarters combat skills that were the complete opposite of his usual fighting style.

Wiesel was trained to precisely neutralize magic and dodge during close-quarters combat by observing the opponent’s movements, enduring being thrown around numerous times by Elria.

Millis also worked on timing her support accurately, learning not just intellectually but instinctively the required time for her magic, and, like Wiesel, receiving close-quarters combat training from Elria.

Their ability to put all this into practice was due to their own efforts.

“Hmm… even with the restrictions on Elria-chan, to have polished their coordination and tactics to this extent would normally mean a complete victory, but――”

At that point, Alma stopped speaking.

“It might be impossible if Serios’s <<Dragon Princess>> brings out her ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

“…Are the ‘Guardian Dragons’ really that powerful?”

“Mm… I’ve never actually fought one, and ‘Guardian Dragons’ are mild-mannered magical beasts unless provoked or their territory was trespassed, so there aren’t many combat records.”

However, Alma continued with a distorted expression.

“Two hundred years ago, there’s a record of the special rank mage being dispatched to subdue Serios’s ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

“The special rank mage was dispatched?”

“Yes. A visiting tourist jokingly entered its territory, provoked the ‘Guardian Dragon’s’ wrath, and was killed. What’s worse, this tourist turned out to be a noble from Vegalta, and despite opposition from Serios’s side, they pushed ahead with the subjugation of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

“What was the outcome?”

“Complete annihilation, of course.”

“…I see. So, we’re talking about a magical beast with the power equivalent to a special rank mage.”

Just as Reid seemed to understand, Alma shook her head.

“There were five of them.”

“……Five?”

“It was the number of special rank mages dispatched at that time. In addition, thirty first-class mages and nearly a hundred second-class mages were mobilized for a large-scale subjugation operation. However, the outcome was that the mage corps from Vegalta dispatched to Serios was annihilated by just one ‘Guardian Dragon’,” Alma explained, then let out a light sigh.

“Of course, compared to two hundred years ago, both magic technology and magic equipment have advanced, and I’m not saying that we absolutely can’t win.”

“But still… the opponent is a magical beast, right? No matter how sturdy their physique, isn’t it strange that the special rank mages, the highest fighting force at the time, were wiped out?”

Even if they possessed the strong physique and robust vitality typical of dragon species, they were still within the realm of ‘beasts’. It seemed unlikely that humans, equipped with the technology of magic, would be utterly devastated without any means to fight back.

In response to Reid’s question, Alma nodded slightly before answering.

“Do you know the difference between the magical beasts of Serios and those of Vegalta, Your Excellency?”

“If you mean differences… I’ve heard that the land of Serios has a greater amount of magic power, which means that their stature and physical abilities are significantly enhanced compared to those of Vegalta.”

“In addition to that, the magical beasts from Serios are also known for having higher ‘intelligence’.”

“……Intelligence?”

“Yes. In Serios, there is a unique linguistic culture called ‘magical beast language’, and the magical beasts there acquire a certain level of thinking and understanding ability by listening to the magical beast language spoken by humans. As for the dragon-type magical beasts, they can even understand the nuances of human speech and emotions.”

“But even with high intelligence, it would just mean they can dodge or interpret intentions to a certain extent――”

At that point, Reid finally understood.

The magical beasts of Serios acquire knowledge and intelligence from the magical beast language spoken by humans. If that were the case, a magical beast with intelligence equal to or greater than humans could also learn ‘techniques’ if they understood the mechanism.

And then, quietly nodding, Alma added――

“――The ‘Guardian Dragon’ is a species that, while being magical beasts, also wield ‘magic’.”

She then stated the reasons why the mages who had challenged the ‘Guardian Dragons’ in the past were defeated.

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Chapter 4 Part 1

After that, Reid and Elria never met Rufus again. This was partly due to the teachers arranging the training schedules to prevent any contact between classes, especially after the mock battle between Elria and Rufus.

However… Rufus was nowhere to be seen, even in the dining hall.

According to what Alma had heard from the teacher in charge, “Rufus has been applying for permission to use the training grounds after school and has been training alone”.

Details beyond that were confidential due to inter-class policy, but it seemed that the teacher was in high spirits, so the training was likely going well.

However… not only did they have to keep their promise to Rufus, but Reid and Elria also had to face the looming exam.

“――So, let me explain the terms for this conditional exam,” Alma said, standing at the lectern with chalk streaking across the blackboard.

“Well, compared to last time, it’s pretty straightforward. Teams previously formed in each class will work together, and points will be added to your score based on the number of opponents you incapacitate by the end of the exam.”

“A question. How is incapacitation determined?” a student asked, raising a hand.

Alma nodded gracefully and pulled out two bracelet-type magic devices from her pocket.

“Incapacitation is determined by these bracelets. When they detect a lethal spell of the third tier or higher, they activate and forcibly teleport the person wearing them. In other words, a person teleported by this bracelet is considered incapacitated.”

With that said, Alma fitted the bracelet on her arm and stood in front of the students.

“Although there’s no visible change, a thin layer of magic power forms over the skin of the person wearing it. It detects magic power other than its own wearer’s and activates upon a certain level of impact, causing an immediate teleportation of the wearer. It’s fine over clothes and shoes, but beware, it will activate even if you touch an ally’s magic with your own bare hands.”

After finishing the explanation, she held up the other bracelet.

This one was a gold-painted bracelet, far more conspicuous than the first.

“This golden bracelet will be distributed to one member of each team. The mechanism is the same, but… if the owner of this bracelet is incapacitated, more points will be added to your score.”

“Um… a question. Is it okay for the team to decide freely who wears the golden bracelet?”

“What a good question. Yes, the team can decide freely who owns it. The strongest person, someone specialized in defense, or someone skilled in emergency escapes… When you decide who will own it, you should also decide your team’s overall strategy.”

After answering, she smiled.

“If the person holding the golden bracelet is incapacitated――that team will suffer a significant deduction in points. If the score ends up negative, it will carry over to subsequent exams.”

This meant that if a team was defeated without accomplishing anything, even an excellent score in the next exam would, at best, only offset the deficit or, at worst, leave the team with a negative score.

The fate of those who could not recover was all too clear.

“If you end the final exam with negative points, those individuals will be excluded from next year’s secondary placement and will have to leave the academy.”

Being a mage was not solely about having a vast amount of magic power or superior combat skills. A mage had to possess the skills to make good judgments and decisions in all situations.

Magic was merely a means to achieve an objective under various conditions. Only those who could accurately assess their circumstances and take the best course of action were allowed to wield the powerful weapon known as magic.

“Mages cannot afford to fail. So――act as if your own or someone else’s life depends on it and think until your brain burns out.”

The students, moved by Alma’s words, unanimously responded with a loud “Yes!”.

Pleased with their reaction, Alma then tapped Philia, who was standing next to her, on the shoulder.

“Well, that’s it for my part! I have to give further explanations to the problem children, so please consult Philia about the conditional exam.”

“Y-Yes! If you have any doubts or concerns about the exam, or any minor issues, please feel free to ask me!”

As the students turned towards Philia, Alma approached Reid and the others with a deep sigh.

“That being said, here’s a notice for you, the ‘problem children’ team.”

“She is saying something about you, Kid Faregh.”

“Why are you throwing shade at me!?”

“Ah, it seems we’re all being labeled as problem children…”

“Let’s at least try to be the last bastion of conscience.”

“Yes, thanks for the spirited response. Now, there’s something I want to ask――” Alma began, but then she glanced at the one person who had not reacted.

There lay Elria――using Reid’s lap as a pillow, sleeping soundly.

“…Without listening to my explanation, why is she asleep?”

“If I had to explain it simply, it’s due to lack of sleep.”

“Is it because the exam is right around the corner and she was cramming in preparation?”

“No, not exactly. With the exam nearing, I was doing some last-minute fine-tuning, so to speak, and had been sparring with Kid Faregh. I hadn’t left any note, so it seems that she had waited in our room until I returned.”

“Can you not suddenly start gushing about it?”

“That’s why, struggling to stay awake, she was fidgeting in front of our room’s door. That’s the cause.”

“She’s like a cat that gets anxious when its owner doesn’t come home.”

As Alma poked Elria’s cheek with a look of exasperation, Elria’s eyes opened slightly.

“……Nngh.”

Then, with a strange noise, she sluggishly approached Alma and hugged her. She pressed her head firmly against Alma’s chest.

“……Fluffy,” she muttered with sleepy eyes, and then returned to Reid and promptly fell asleep again.

“…….Eh, what was that all about?”

“Don’t look for meaning in a lethargic Elria.”

“So, basically, she did that without any reason?”

“If I had to take a guess, maybe she smelled something different and decided to mark it with her scent by snuggling up, something like that.”

“Even I think it’s a bit much to treat your fiancée like a cat.”

“No, you see, Alma-sensei… Elria-sama does check for scents with females, but when it comes to males, she shows no interest in anyone but Reid-san. Ultimately, her instinct is to always return to Reid-san. It’s advanced flaunting on an instinctual level.”

“Must be nice, being all cheerful before the exam…”

Listening to Millis’s additional explanation, Alma sighed with a look of incredulity. She then decided it was time to get back to the main topic.

“So, the reason I came was to inform you that the contents of His Excellency’s exam have been changed.”

“Is there another change?”

“Well, you know His Excellency can’t use the magic bracelet, right? That means safety can’t be guaranteed, so it’s been decided to switch to evaluating another person just like Elria-chan.”

“Ahh, I thought it might be something like that,” Reid replied in a light tone, though it was clear that there was an intention to interfere with him.

After all, it had already been discussed that magic tools and magic equipment would be unusable, and the overview of the exam content had been created before training started. It was unthinkable that such a change would be announced just before the exam.

Moreover, it was impossible for Reid, who could not use magic, to teach magic to a substitute student just before the exam.

However――there was already someone suitable to be Reid’s proxy.

“With that said, you need to do your best as my proxy, Kid Faregh,” Reid said with a laugh as he lightly patted Faregh’s back.

But, the person in question wore a dubious expression.

“…Are you really planning to make me the proxy for evaluation?”

“Yes. Since I unusually took the time to teach someone and even trained you to handle a sword, it’s only right that you serve as my proxy.”

“That’s not what I mean. Besides… if I end up not being able to do anything like before, you will go through the exam without receiving any evaluation,” Faregh said with a slight tension in his voice.

If Faregh, serving as Reid’s proxy, fell short in the evaluation, all the criticism would be directed at Reid.

And, since Reid was unable to use magic, depending on the evaluation, expulsion from the academy could have been a possibility.

However, Reid replied without concern.

“Then let me ask you this, do you plan to receive a low evaluation in the exam?”

“O-Of course not!! As the eldest son of the proud Welminan family, it would be a lifelong shame to produce a pitiful performance and tarnish the family name!!”

“Exactly. That’s why you’re the one,” Reid continued, his words laced with amusement.

“Those who cherish their vanity and self-esteem are mostly good for nothing. But… if they’re not just all talk and can actually prove their worth with genuine effort, they’re the real deal.”

For this reason, he had chosen Faregh as his proxy. Faregh, honoring his family name and pride, refused to abandon his comrades and strove to save them.

“Well, think of me as just an extra. At least I’ve trained you enough to be useful in actual combat, and if you fail, it just means I misjudged your ability and that’s that.”

“Haa… Don’t be ridiculous. I refuse to go through such a disgrace ever again.”

With that, Faregh let out a dry laugh, and then――

“――In the name of Welminan, I shall firmly seize victory,” he declared with a resolute smile.

Nodding back at Faregh, Reid then made a declaration.

“So, tell them that my proxy is Faregh Welminan.”

“Alright, alright. This is going to be interesting… When those complainers hear that the notorious young master of the Welminan household is the proxy, they’ll probably flip.”

“…Please wait a moment, Kanos-sensei. What kind of reputation do I have?”

“Oh, you know, they say things like ‘He’s only good with magic and attitude’ or ‘If complaining were a sport, he’d be in the tenth tier,’ all while laughing, those nobles.”

“Hahahaha… Well, if that’s the case, I’ll have to show them my true power and shut them up…!!” Faregh said, his anger fueling a menacing grin as he flickered flames. It was mostly his own doing, but it was good that he had been motivated.

“By the way… why does Kanos-sensei refer to you, a commoner, as ‘His Excellency’?”

“Don’t call me a commoner. Well, it’s sort of a nickname. I was somewhat of a chess buddy with Alma-sensei’s grandfather, and I was decently strong, so they started calling me ‘His Excellency’.”

“That’s right. I’ve heard a lot from my grandfather, and for me, you’re like a capable junior, so I call you ‘His excellency’ out of respect.”

“Oh, is that so! I know a thing or two about chess, and my father loves it and plays in his free time, so I should introduce you to him sometime!”

Listening to their conversation, Faregh’s eyes sparkled without a hint of doubt. Such naivety was befitting of someone from a good family, but it was concerning that he might be easily deceived someday.

“Anyway, I have something to tell both of you. May we step outside for a bit?”

“Sure thing. Elria, we’re going outside, so wake up.”

“Mmm…”

Rubbing her eyes, Reid helped Elria to stand up and guided her towards the hallway.

After walking for a while, once Alma confirmed there was no one around, she began to speak.

“So, it’s about the investigation concerning the last incident, right?”

“Yeah. Elria couldn’t sleep because she was worried about it.”

Elria had been waiting for Reid because she thought he was receiving the report from Alma and had forced herself to stay awake to hear the results.

“I see. It’s partly my fault for being delayed with the exam preparations, but I should have reported back sooner.”

“Mm… It’s okay, thank you for looking into it…”

“You’re welcome.”

As Elria, slightly more awake, made a sleepy bow of thanks, Alma gave her a gentle pat on the head with a wry smile.

Then, with a serious expression, Alma began her report.

“As for the last incident… the method was immediately suspected to be summoning magic, and any mage who has ever used summoning magic was questioned. People from Serios are still being interrogated under the guise of cooperation.”

“Well, it’s fair since the scale of it is still unknown.”

The appearance of multiple ‘Armament Dragons’ suggested that it was unlikely the act of a lone individual.

Creating a vessel for magical beasts requires an immense amount of magic power, which increases with the size and number of magical beasts.

To summon several large magical beasts like ‘Armament Dragons’ alone would be nearly impossible. If it had been possible, it would likely have been by highly recognized individuals, such as special rank or first-class mages. Therefore, an organized crime by multiple individuals seemed more likely.

“Well, because of that, mages from Serios are under suspicion… but since parts of the remains have been found, the suspicion should be cleared soon.”

Summoned vessels vanished once their magic power was depleted, so the remains at the scene suggested that it might not have been summoning magic after all, hence the ongoing ‘continuous questioning’.

“As for the mage known as ‘Teacher’, it’s a common nickname, so there were no leads… but it’s probably not Rufus Rylus herself involved, I guess.”

“Mm… Got it. That’s a bit reassuring.”

With her concerns somewhat eased, Elria nodded affirmatively. She seemed to be fully awake now, as her speech and expressions appeared brisk.

“So, that is all for the report. Do you have anything else to ask?”

“Oh, I’ll be on standby during the exam, right? What should I do in the meantime?”

“Why not watch and enjoy some tea?”

“Is that really okay…?”

“Of course. I count on His Excellency and Elria-chan as potential combatants if something were to happen. And it’s easier for His Excellency to move around freely, right?”

“Yes. I also feel more at ease knowing Reid is fully prepared and on standby.”

Nodding in agreement, Elria concurred with Alma’s words.

“Besides, it makes me happy to know that Reid is watching.”

“……Happy?”

“Yes. Because I said before, ‘I’ll show you something even more amazing’.”

Saying that, Elria turned around and――

“――I’ll show you my true strength for the first time in a while.”

She smiled confidently at Reid.

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Chapter 3 Part 6

■

After their conversation in the dining hall, Rufus quickly made her way back to her room. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she reached for the drawer in her desk. Inside was a small magic communication device.

She took it in hand and drew a deep breath――

“――Teacher! I’ve got something I need to ask!!”

The moment she raised her voice, a rattling sound, like something crumbling, emanated from the device. Silence ensued for a while before a voice responded.

‘Ouch, ouch, ouch… This voice… it’s Rufus-kun, right?’

“Yes! That’s right!!”

‘You sound very lively… Did something good happen?’

“Err, I lost in a mock battle, and my mother scolded and hit me!”

‘That’s a bit too heavy a topic for me, just waking up…’

But then, the teacher’s tone changed slightly.

‘If you’re using this magic device, it must be an urgent matter, right?’

“Yes. You told me I could only use it once, so I shouldn’t use it unless I’m really in trouble… but I just really, really need to ask you something.”

With that preface, Rufus posed her question to her mentor through the magic device.

“I want to learn how to handle the ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

‘…Do you mean you want to be able to command it in its complete state?’

“Yes. If I can’t do that, I’ll never be able to defeat Elria-chan.”

Rufus was acutely aware of the difference in their strengths, having actually fought her. Not just in simple magic, but in the coordination with summoned magical beasts, and the tactics and judgment that utilized them… In all aspects, Rufus was overwhelmingly inferior.

In that case――what was needed was an overwhelming power that could surpass everything.

In the harsh natural environment of Serios, the power of the magical beasts stood at the pinnacle of the natural order.

Without the ability to wield that power, one couldn’t even stand alongside it.

“That’s why I at least want to be able to fully command one of them.”

‘Well… even if you manage to command one, I doubt that will be enough.’

“But! If it’s with the ‘Guardian Dragon’――”

“Ah, sorry about that. In that case, I guess I’ll change it to “There’s absolutely no way to win”.”

The Teacher spoke in their usual manner.

‘The opponent you’re trying to fight is not just someone you can defeat by summoning a ‘Guardian Dragon’――she is an ‘absolute’ being. If the ‘Guardian Dragons’ you contracted with are at the pinnacle of magical beasts, then she is at the pinnacle of everything.’

After saying so much, the Teacher murmured “Oops” quietly.

‘Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to dampen your spirits, but it’s better to be aware that she’s that kind of opponent.’

“But then… does that mean I can’t win?”

‘Ah! Sorry, sorry, please don’t cry!! I’m weak against that sort of thing!!’

In a flustered voice coming from the magic device, the Teacher cleared their throat.

‘It’s okay, I think there’s definitely a possibility that you can win.’

“…A possibility of winning?”

‘That’s right. All you have to do is command all four ‘Guardian Dragons’.’

“A-All four…!? But that’s impossible!! Even when I tried controlling one, it got angry and started rampaging――”

‘Because that’s the ‘current’ Rufus. As I said before, in the future, you will be able to fully command the ‘Guardian Dragons’. They know this too, which is why they’ve agreed to contract with you, even though your current magic power is insufficient.’

Pausing for a moment――

‘――Therefore, you just need to borrow power from your ‘future’ self.’

And with that, the Teacher told Rufus.

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Chapter 3 Part 5

◇

After Rufus left, Reid and Elria joined the others who remained at the workshop.

As it was already evening, they quickly returned to the academy――

“――Wow! The food is delicious!!” Millis exclaimed in high spirits, laughing loudly in the academy’s dining hall.

In contrast to Millis’s cheerful demeanor, Faregh let out a deep sigh.

“I wonder if I’ve done something irreversible…?”

“What are you talking about!? When one of us is in trouble, we help each other out!!” Millis responded, patting Faregh on the back with a thwack.

Observing the two, Reid whispered to Wiesel.

“…Hey, what’s up with those two?”

“Oh… Millis wanted to know how much of a ‘favor’ she was owed for when she asks for one, so I converted our work’s market rate compensation for this time…”

“…How much was it?”

“Roughly this much.”

Wiesel held up five fingers with a grim face.

“……Five hundred thousand?”

“No, five million.”

“……Seriously?”

“I should mention, for the sake of honor, that this amount considers the type of magic power system involved when requesting a magic craftsman, the range of the engraving, the complexity of the magic circuits, and it’s based on the appropriate market rates. Moreover, the price has been reduced because she is not formally a magic craftsman.”

“Shouldn’t she just become a magic craftsman?”

“I fervently suggested it as well, but she said, ‘If I’m going to stand out when I return home, it’s best to be a mage!’ So, for now, she’s considering it after she becomes a mage.”

“She’s burying her talents for the sake of appearances back home…”

“However, it’s not entirely a bad thing. Like me aiming to be a mage for the development and research of magic equipment, being in a magic-heavy environment will lead to improved precision and speed in engraving. In fact, it’s common for those who were originally mages to retire and become magic craftsmen.”

“And Faregh the Kid owes her, so she won’t be left wandering the streets, huh?”

Since a sizable ‘favor’ was made with Faregh, a scion of a distinguished family, it makes sense why Millis would be frolicking around so happily.

“Thanks to Lady Millis, I could achieve the performance I had envisioned. So, as a magic equipment engineer, I’m left with no regrets about the perfect job.”

“…The request fee skyrocketed because you got carried away, didn’t it?”

“The best work deserves the greatest reward. Besides, the Welminan family has connections everywhere, not just money, so this ‘favor’ can be said to be very powerful.”

Wiesel adjusted his glasses and smiled as he spoke. His reasoning was sound, but it wasn’t just Millis who had quite the character; Wiesel did, too.

Perhaps sensing a bright future ahead, Millis playfully engaged Elria with a cheerful smile on her face.

“So, Elria-sama, how was your date with Reid-san?”

“……………”

“Huh, Elria-sama?”

“Mm… What is it, Millis?”

“No, um… I was just wondering how your date with Reid-san went.”

“Yes, it was a lot of fun. We visited various shops, ate delicious skewers at a stall, and even Shehri seemed to enjoy the walk,” Elria replied, though she seemed somewhat distracted.

Noticing Elria’s demeanor, Millis leaned in and whispered to Reid.

“…Reid-san, did something happen?”

“Something messy happened towards the end. It’s not like I did something, or that something happened to us, so don’t worry about it.”

“Well, despite everything, I believe that Reid-san is someone who is considerate of others, so I’m not worried about that…”

Millis looked at Elria with concern.

It was likely that Elria was troubled by the situation involving Rufus. However, this was not something Reid and Elria should have meddled in. It was a matter related to another family’s affairs, and by extension, to national matters. Given Rufus’s situation, it was not a topic to be discussed carelessly with others.

“………!!”

Just as she was contemplating this, Elria suddenly perked up. Standing up with vigor while holding her tray, she declared, “I’m going to get seconds.”

“Seconds…? Didn’t you have a light portion because you just had skewers?”

“I didn’t have enough, so I’m going to get some more,” Elria replied in a somewhat restless manner.

Following her gaze, Reid understood her intentions.

“Got it. Maybe I’ll go get seconds, too.”

“Eh, you too, Reid-san?”

“Yeah. It’s crowded, and it looks like it will take time, so we’ll be back a bit later.”

“Understood. In that case, Lord Welminan, until they return, let’s discuss new magic equipment.”

“No, wait, what’s this about new magic equipment!?”

“Come on, Faregh-san, let’s at least hear them out. If it’s new magic equipment developed by Blanche’s workshop, it means we’re dealing with information not available anywhere else, you know?”

“I-Is that so? In that case, I might as well listen…”

“Then, let’s start with the new combat technique that’s suitable for Lord Welminan――”

Carried along by Millis’s words, Faregh listened to Wiesel obediently. He would have to be careful not to get conned into buying strange things one of these days.

Ignoring the three of them, Reid followed Elria through the dining hall――

“――――May I sit next to you?”

She called out to Rufus, who was sitting at a table.

“……Eh?”

Rufus, taken aback by the sudden approach, looked up in surprise.

Reid also smiled wryly and raised his hand slightly towards the surprised Rufus.

“Uhh, you’re Elria-chan’s――”

“I’m Reid Frieden. It seems Elria has been quite concerned and was looking for a chance to talk with you, so she approached you.”

“I-I was just asking because there was a free seat, and it just happened to be Rufus there…”

“That’s impossible timing-wise, isn’t it?”

Reid lightly patted Elria on the head, and Rufus smiled slightly.

“So, can we talk while we eat?”

“…Yes! Let’s eat together!” Rufus responded with a smile.

With that, Rufus crafted a broad smile, and they sat down to carry on a casual conversation.

“You were alone? Don’t you eat with your classmates?”

“Um… I don’t really eat with them much. I’m the youngest in the class, and since I can only use summoning magic, I can’t really join in on magic conversations either.”

Rufus laughed as if troubled, but surely there were other reasons for her isolation. After all, she had made a pact with the ‘Guardian Dragons’ and also handled a flying steel dragon during the entrance exams to gain admission. This showed her inherent talent as a mage.

Rufus’s mother had mentioned that flying steel dragons were considered inferior, but making a pact with a dragon species magical beast in the first place puts one at a very high level among summoning magic users. It wouldn’t be surprising if some students envied Rufus for her exceptional abilities at such a young age.

“Um… I’m sorry, Elria-chan.”

Rufus muttered an apology, slightly bowing her head.

“During the mock battle… I thought I absolutely had to win and couldn’t afford to lose… I’m sorry for causing Elria-chan’s <<Mana-Eater Wolf>> pain.”

With her pale crimson eyes slightly moistened, Rufus bowed her head to Elria, who shook her head in response.

“It’s okay, Shehri wasn’t angry.”

“……Really?”

“Yeah. Besides, as I said in the park, it was my fault for stopping the battle midway.”

“N-No, that’s not it! It’s true that Rafika was barely able to move, and since it was a mock battle, not an actual one, it should have been stopped…!!”

“Since mock battles are meant to simulate actual combat, it was my fault for not considering every situation.”

“But if I had admitted defeat, Rafika wouldn’t have acted recklessly!”

“Rafika tried hard to fulfill Rufus’s wishes. It’s such a good child.”

“Elria-chan’s Shehri also obeyed orders precisely. It was amazing!!”

And so, they waved their hands at each other, each denying and praising the other. However, amidst this exchange, Elria calmly declared, “That’s why――next time, I definitely won’t lose.”

Hearing this, Rufus tensed up slightly.

“In the next conditional exam, I will be restricted by the academy to only use magic up to the third tier. But even so, I’m confident I can win and will put forth all my effort to ensure I don’t lose.”

Rufus knew this was not mere arrogance. She understood from actual combat experience.

The flying steel dragon Rufus summoned and commanded was estimated to be at least of the eighth tier, and considering the vessel’s movements, it would not be surprising if it matched the ninth tier. However, Elria had overwhelmed it using a <<Mana-Eater Wolf>>, which was of the lower fifth tier and even below the dragon species in rank.

Elria not only could use the exceptional technique of ‘Weighted Multiplication Deployment’ but also had overwhelming magic combat experience.

Even with the restriction of only using third tier magic, if Elria declared she would “give her all”, she would surely be able to seize victory.

That was why Elria had also told Rufus’s mother that her intention was “not out of pity”.

Elria admitted that the incident in the mock battle was due to her own complacency. She declared that this time, she would shed all that and fight with all her might to win.

“I also have an unwavering purpose. It may seem trivial compared to your circumstances――but for me, it’s a promise that absolutely must be fulfilled.”

To settle a millennium-old conflict.

It was a pretext but also a necessary ritual to significantly change their relationship, a ceremony for two who were once enemies to come together anew.

“That’s why, I will absolutely not lose.”

With a firm attitude, Elria declared again.

Rufus then, with a twisted expression――

“――Elria-chan, you are truly strong.”

Rufus murmured, her face almost tearful.

“I… I just managed to make a contract with the children of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.”

Saying this, Rufus began to talk about herself.

“I originally didn’t intend to make a contract with the ‘Guardian Dragons’. All I wanted was to become a mage with Rafika, who has been with me since I was born.”

But Rufus paused her words.

“My teacher said, ‘You can make a contract with the Guardian Dragons’, and believing those words, I approached the children of the ‘Guardian Dragons’, and they accepted me, forming a contract.”

“……Teacher?”

“Yes. The teacher is someone who studies ‘Guardian Dragons’. They taught me things I didn’t know, which weren’t even in the literature.”

That was how Rufus established a contract with the ‘Guardian Dragons’ that symbolized Serios. However, with that came an overwhelmingly heavy responsibility.

“At first, my mother was happy. Since our family was not from the legal wife’s line but from a concubine’s, the harder I worked, the more my grandfather praised us.”

This status and blessing were ones they would not have originally received. Such privileges were granted to those who had fulfilled their contracts with the ‘Guardian Dragons’. However, that meant one had to be a ‘Contractor of the Guardian Dragons’, similar to someone who was once required to take on the role of a――‘Hero’.

“Every time I summoned Rafika… my mother started to get mad at me. Even though I finally managed to subdue the ‘Guardian Dragons’, she wondered why I wouldn’t use it.”

“…Is it because you couldn’t fully control the ‘Guardian Dragons’?”

“Yes… The children of the ‘Guardian Dragons’ are proud creatures, and if they find their medium lacking in magic power, they get angry and start rampaging, obeying or disobeying orders depending on their mood.”

Summoning magic was different from other kinds of magic in that the relationship with the summoned magical beasts was a significant factor. If the summoner sent back a magical beast that did not obey, it could worsen their relationship with the beast and could even lead to the annulment of the contract. But if they ignored a rampaging magical beast, it could harm those around them.

“I explained it to my mother, but… since I’m the contractor, they wouldn’t hurt me, and it would prove the strength of the ‘Guardian Dragons’, so she said it was fine,” Rufus laughed weakly.

Yet, Rufus refused to use the ‘Guardian Dragons’. It was not just because they could cause harm; there was also a desire not to have others despise the magical beasts that had contracted with her.

“And so, when I kept summoning only Rafika, my mother began to dislike it. Eventually, she said she’d forcefully annul my contract with Rafika… That’s when I begged to stay with her if I could be the top student at the academy.”

That was why Rufus was so fixated on winning above all else.

Defeat meant losing relationships and parting ways with friends.

For Rufus, who had always been with Rafika, it was akin to losing a friend in death.

“But… my mother is also right. What’s expected of me is to use the ‘Guardian Dragons’. I understand how hard she struggled before I could make a contract, and I know she worked hard so I could aim to be a mage.”

Then, Rufus quietly looked down and said,

“That’s why… I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

Caught between a dear friend and a mother’s expectations, she was uncertain about what to prioritize.

It was a natural conflict for a young girl.

Yet even this conflict was not allowed for Rufus.

Her upbringing, environment, the people around her, and even the country demanded that Rufus make a choice.

Seeing Rufus like this, Elria nodded slightly――

“――Then let’s fight with all our might.”

The moment she spoke, Rufus quietly lifted her face.

“……Eh?”

“Fighting with all your strength clears your mind. So, let’s battle it out.”

As if to endorse the idea, Elria nodded vigorously several times.

Rufus, taken aback by Elria’s words, listened as Reid explained them further.

“Well, what Elria is trying to say is that the process is more important than the result.”

“Uh… it’s not about winning or losing?”

“Something like that. If you give it your all and win, that’s the best outcome. If you lose despite that, there’s nothing you can do.”

“But… if I do that, my mother will…”

“If you’ve used all your strength and even the ‘Guardian Dragons’ and still lost, then it means no one else could have won either. If someone complains, just say ‘then ask someone else’ and walk away.”

“That’s… that’s irresponsible!!”

“It’s fine to be irresponsible sometimes. Others impose their expectations just because you have the power or talent, and if you fail, they demand you take responsibility――that’s the real irresponsibility.”

Reid said this with a smile.

“So what you need to do is either silence everyone around by winning with all your might or lose terribly after giving it your all. It’s simple and straightforward.”

“But… but――”

As Rufus began to tear up, Reid lightly patted her head.

“You’ve always been thinking about others until now. So, at least when you’re fighting, stop worrying about the surroundings and just focus on yourself.”

After ruffling her hair, Reid flashed a toothy smile.

“Besides, if anything happens, I’ll take care of it.”

“……Reid-san will?”

“Yeah. After all, I was the one who blew away the magic of Elria you saw during the exam.”

“Blew away… you mean you used magic from the same tenth tier?”

“No, I just kind of punched it away.”

“Punched… the magic away?”

Rufus’s head was filled with question marks; it seemed as if she couldn’t quite grasp the concept. However, Reid was already accustomed to this kind of reaction.

“Anyway, no matter what happens, Elria and I will take care of it, so you just need to go all out.”

“…………Eh?”

“Eh?”

“I want to fight with Rufus with all my strength, so I’ll leave the handling to Reid.”

To Reid’s surprise, Elria didn’t just agree, but vigorously shook her head.

“So, I’ll leave everything to Reid when something happens.”

“Well, that’s fine, but… just how hard are you planning to try?”

“Really hard.”

“You seem like you’re going to try incredibly hard…”

“Last time, I let Reid go all out, so this time it’s my turn.”

With an air of determination, Elria clenched her fists tightly.

It seemed that regardless of Rufus’s circumstances, she simply wanted to fight.

“After all, if I don’t give it my all once in a while, my skills will dull.”

“But your power is limited to the third tier in the next exam, remember?”

“Showing more power than expected under limited circumstances is also a form of going all out.”

“Ooh, that’s quite a statement.”

As the two of them engaged in this banter, Rufus let out a small laugh. A bright smile then started to spread across her face.

“Got it! I’ll fight with Elria-chan with all my might!”

“Mm. I am looking forward to it.”

“You better not lose to anyone else before that!”

“Of course. And Rufus, you must not lose until you fight with me.”

“Then, it’s a promise to fight with all our might!”

Saying that, Rufus held out her pinky finger. Seeing this, Elria also smiled and intertwined her pinky finger with Rufus’s.

After nodding to each other in satisfaction, Rufus energetically stood up from her seat.

“Alright! Then I’ve got to do my best starting today! Thanks to both of you for listening to me!”

While smiling, Rufus waved her hands again and again until she left the dining hall.

“Reid.”

At that moment, Elria unexpectedly called out to Reid.

“What’s the matter, Elria?”

“I’m going to clash with Rufus with all my strength. Because I think that’s what’s best for her.”

And so, Elria continued,

“This time, I’ll leave everything to Reid.”

“That’s what I’m here for. It’s not like something’s bound to happen――”

“No, something will definitely happen.”

Elria said with a stern face.

“What puzzled me was, ‘Why doesn’t Rufus use the ‘Guardian Dragons’?’ If she’s obsessed with winning, there should be no better choice.”

However, Rufus stubbornly refused to use the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

Rufus had mentioned the reasons, but――

“In the first place, when you think about it, the very fact that Rufus didn’t use it implies that there’s something off with the contract itself.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Rufus said, ‘Creating a vessel that lacks magic power would anger the Guardian Dragons’. That means the ‘Guardian Dragons’ are aware of the lack of magic power, yet they still continue the contract with Rufus.”

“Is that enough of a problem to break the contract?”

“Put yourself in their shoes, Reid. How would you feel if someone ordered you not to use your current strong body, but to go into battle with a far inferior one?”

“Well… if it’s an order, I’ll manage, but I guess there would be some discontent.”

“Magical beasts feel the same. Naturally, they’d get angry if they were forced to fight with a weaker body than what they truly possess――especially a proud and superior magical beast like the ‘Guardian Dragons’ who would feel even more indignant about it.”

As she spoke, Elria narrowed her eyes.

“If a trust relationship has been established since childhood, it’s possible to form a contract regardless of the amount of magic power. So, there is a chance… However, I find it unnatural that all four types of ‘Guardian Dragons’ would continue a contract knowing there is clearly something wrong with the contractor.”

Elria’s sense of discomfort and the unnatural situation she remembered.

For now, there was not enough information to reach a conclusion, so it remained merely one of the ominous signs. However, there was one thing that was common to the recent troubling incidents.

“――Again, it involves magical beasts?”

Previously, Reid and the others had encountered the ‘Armament Dragon’, a magical beast thought to be extinct, in modern times.

And now… Elria felt something off about the existence of the ‘Guardian Dragons’.

“If Serios was involved in the previous incident as well, it makes sense that a magical beast like the ‘Armament Dragon’ would appear…”

“We can’t deny the possibility, but I think the academy has also suspected the use of summoning magic for the incident and investigated it. We can’t really say anything until we hear about the details of the investigation from Alma-sensei.”

More importantly, Elria brought up someone.

“I’m curious about this ‘Teacher’ Rufus mentioned.”

“The one who suggested to her that she could make a contract with the ‘Guardian Dragons’?”

“Yes. Unlike magical beasts like Rafika who are used to humans from the start, ‘Guardian Dragons’ only inhabit the wild. So, it wasn’t just about making a contract. There was also a real risk of being devoured.”

Yet, this person told Rufus, “You can make a contract”.

As if――this person already knew the ‘future’.

“So, when something happens, I want to trust and leave it to Reid,” Elria said, looking straight at Reid.

If Rufus had been unwittingly used by someone involved in Reid and Elria’s affairs, then Elria had expressed her intent to protect her with all her might.

And she trusted that Reid could handle whatever happened.

In that case――

“――Alright, I’ll take care of everything.”

Reid said with a strong smile, thumping his chest.

Seeing that smile, Elria also let out her own slight smile.

“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“Sure, go ahead. Say anything at this point――”

Before Reid could finish, Elria collapsed onto the table with a thud.

Moreover, her face was pale, and she trembled.

“I want you to… carry me to our room…”

“……You overate, didn’t you?”

“Yes… my stomach hurts so much, I can’t move a step…”

While conversing with Rufus, Elria also progressed with her meal.

Elria was not a light eater, but apparently, her stomach had reached its limit after a light meal before dinner, followed by a second helping.

“Seriously… you could have stopped eating halfway through.”

“An old habit of not leaving leftovers has backfired…”

“I’ll commend you for finishing your meal, but let’s get back and take some stomach medicine.”

As he said this and bent down to offer his back, Elria slowly climbed on with sluggish movements.

“Reid’s back is comfortable to ride.”

“Well, I’ve carried you often enough to get used to it…”

“I’d also appreciate it if you could avoid shaking too much.”

“Yeah, yeah. Leave that to me, too.”

“Okay. I’ll leave everything to Reid.”

Elria cheerfully patted his shoulder as she said so.

“It’s late to ask, but why are you okay with being carried but embarrassed to hold hands?”

“In my mind, piggybacking is like carrying an injured soldier, so it’s fine.”

“Your sensibilities are unique…”

With Elria on his back, Reid left the dining hall and headed to their room.

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Chapter 3 Part 4

◇

At first, Elria seemed tense, but as time passed, her nervousness gradually eased. By the latter part of the ‘mission’, she seemed relaxed as usual.

She still clutched the leash tightly and showed no signs of straying from Reid’s side, but perhaps it was also the presence of Shehri that provided some sense of security.

“――Haa, time really flies, doesn’t it?”

Sitting on a park bench, Reid looked up at the sky.

The once-clear blue was now tinged with a soft crimson, a clear indicator that much time had passed.

“Yeah. It felt quicker than I thought.”

Sipping on the milk tea that she had bought from a street vendor, Elria nodded in agreement.

They had gone out to buy some tea and snacks as per Millis’s request, browsed various products in the shopping district, and eaten at the marketplace stalls. Time had flown by before they knew it.

“It was refreshing to stroll through the royal capital so leisurely today.”

“Yeah, revisiting places gives you a new perspective. It was interesting.”

Reid had memorized the locations of key stores during their walks, but he hadn’t particularly noticed the other shops. However, today he found it enjoyable to discover various shops and novelty stores that Elria showed interest in.

It was a fun experience he probably wouldn’t have had on his own.

And there was one more thing that made Reid happy.

“It seems Shehri has also started to get used to me.”

“Yeah, that’s really good.”

In response to their words, Shehri, who was at their feet, let out a cheerful bark.

Initially, Shehri had been cautious and stayed close to Elria, but after the long walk, it even started barking occasionally to call Reid over.

“It would have been perfect if it let me touch it though…!”

“…That might take a little more time.”

When Reid looked down at Shehri, it barked once as if to say, “We can get to that after we get along a little better,” then leaped onto Elria’s lap.

There were times when Reid reached out to touch Shehri, but each time, it scampered back to Elria. It seemed that they still had a way to go to deepen their relationship.

“If you’re up for it, I’d like you to accompany Shehri on its walks again, Reid.”

“I’d be happy to walk it anytime. Morning or night, whenever you like.”

“…I can see you’re really committed.”

“I never really had a chance to interact with animals before… So, considering that, this situation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to befriend one…!!”

As Reid passionately elaborated, Elria wore a wry smile.

“……Hmm?”

Suddenly, Elria looked up, focusing her gaze on one point.

“What’s the matter? Spot something?”

“Yes… Rufus is standing over there.”

Following her gaze, Reid saw a red-haired girl standing on the other side of the fountain.

Sitting on the bench, she seemed slightly restless as she looked around, likely waiting for someone.

And then… perhaps finding the person she was waiting for, Rufus’s face brightened as she shouted.

“――Mother!”

A distinguished noblewoman, donned in Serios’s traditional ethnic attire, stood in the distance, flanked by what appeared to be two guards.

Upon seeing her mother, Rufus eagerly ran towards her.

“Thank you for coming all this way! Are you okay? Are you not tired?”

Rufus greeted her mother, who had come from far away, with a smile and words of concern. However, her mother’s expression remained unchanged.

Without uttering a word, Rufus silently stared at her mother.

“So, why did you suddenly decide to visit? Oh, don’t worry about me at the academy. I’m doing fine! Sure, it has less nature compared to Serios, but in exchange, there are tons of magic tools I’ve never seen before! Plus, the food is different but just as delicious!”

With an innocent smile, Rufus enthusiastically talked about her life at the academy to her mother.

“And also, you know――”

Just as Rufus was about to reflect on her recent experiences at the academy――

SLAP! Her cheek was sharply struck.

“――――eh?”

Holding her slapped cheek, Rufus timidly turned her gaze towards her mother. Her mother looked down at Rufus with a completely expressionless face.

“Rufus, I’ve heard that you haven’t been using your Guardian Dragons at the academy,” she said in a flat and cold tone.

At her words, Rufus visibly flinched.

“T-That’s because… well…”

“So, you thought just your Flying Steel Dragon was enough when facing students?”

“Y-Yes! Because Rafika is strong――”

“Because of that, you lost to Vegalta’s ‘Reincarnation of the Sage’.”

Hearing her mother’s words, Rufus’s eyes widened.

“How…?”

“I’ve been fully informed about your activities and performance at the academy. This includes your recent defeat in the mock battle against Elria Caldwen.”

“T-That’s not true! I didn’t lose! It was a draw――”

“She was only authorized to use up to fifth tier magic by the headmistress. Yet, you could not even get the upper hand against her. After the fight was over, all you could do was a pathetic sneak attack. Are you saying that was a ‘draw’ in terms of abilities?”

“Because… Because, if I didn’t do that…”

Each time her mother’s cold words hit her, Rufus’s responses became increasingly feeble.

Unmoved by her daughter’s expression, Rufus’s mother remained stone-faced.

Then――

“――I should have disposed of the Flying Steel Dragon before you entered the academy.”

Upon hearing those words, Rufus violently lifted her face.

“W-Why!? You said if I went to Vegalta’s magic academy, Rafika could be with me――”

“That was to maintain your emotional stability. Despite that, you’re not using your Guardian Dragons, clinging instead to your clearly inferior Flying Steel Dragon. On top of that, you failed to properly gauge your opponent’s capabilities and were defeated.”

“But… Rafika is also strong, as strong as any offspring of the Guardian Dragons, and understands what I want to do because we’re always together――”

“However, she’s powerless in front of a Guardian Dragon’s overwhelming strength.”

With an unyielding demeanor, her mother spoke plainly.

“I understand you’re not yet fully capable of controlling a Guardian Dragon, even though you’ve made a pact. But only summoning your Flying Steel Dragon because you can control it easily is nothing but indulgence. Perhaps it’s time to cut off such indulgence.”

“But that’s not what we agreed! You said if I keep winning at the academy and become a mage, I could stay with Rafika!!”

“Yes, but――you lost, didn’t you?”

There was no emotion in her eyes. However, her words seemed to suggest that she would not hesitate to dispose of a dragon if it threatened to tarnish the reputation of their nation, Serios.

“Your role is to uphold the honor of Serios, not to prove how strong your beloved dragon is. And――those who are defeated have no value.”

Her words were remorseless.

From her demeanor, Rufus probably realized the gravity of it all.

“I-I swear, I won’t lose next time! I’ll definitely win in the exams――”

Rufus pleaded desperately to her mother, shedding tears as she begged for her understanding in order to protect her dear friend.

Witnessing this――

“――What you’re saying is wrong,” Elria interjected calmly.

For the first time, Rufus’s mother changed her expression.

“You are――”

“Elria Caldwen. I sparred with her before,” Elria declared, a tinge of anger in her tone.

“She and Rafika were strong enough. Summoning a magical beast that couldn’t be properly controlled in a mock battle could lead to an accident. Therefore, Rufus’s decision to bring out the Flying Steel Dragon was correct.”

Turning her gaze towards Rufus, Elria continued,

“Besides, the mock battle wasn’t a draw. Rufus won.”

“…So, you’re saying you let her win out of pity?”

“Not at all. The teacher in charge declared it a draw, but I can affirm that Rufus was clearly winning.”

Without hesitation, Elria continued with conviction,

“During that mock battle, I stopped attacking, assuming I had won. However, Rufus pressed the attack. Clearly, I was the one who was arrogant. In a real battle, Rufus would have been the victor.”

“That may be true in a real battle, but regarding this――”

“It doesn’t change the fact. A mock battle should simulate actual combat, and it was my mistake for not doing so. In a life-and-death situation, Rufus took the best action to survive. There was nothing careless about her decisions.”

Staring directly at Rufus’s mother, Elria stated her words emphatically.

At that moment of silent tension between them――

“――Excuse me, may I interject?” Reid stepped in, bowing courteously.

“……And you are?”

“Forgive my late introduction. I am Reid Frieden, Elria’s fiancé. First, allow me to apologize for her intrusion into your conversation.”

Reid bowed again and surveyed the surroundings.

“I advise changing the venue for your discussion. This is a public space, and your conversation is attracting attention. It would be better to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.”

Indeed, as Reid had pointed out, the people in the park were turning their attention towards them.

Rufus’s mother, clearly aware of those gazes, quietly looked down.

“…Very well. Thank you for the advice, Frieden-sama.”

She lowered her head slightly to Reid, then turned to her downcast daughter.

“That’s all I have to say. Your future will be determined after we consider the results of the upcoming conditional exam.”

“………Yes.”

To her daughter, who replied with a voice barely audible, Rufus’s mother and her guards left without another word.

As they walked away, Reid gently patted Elria on the head.

“Don’t just jump in like that. Rufus’s mother is a dignitary from another country. If you cause trouble, it’ll create a headache for Alicia.”

“………I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I was planning to step in anyway. I’m more accustomed to handling these situations.”

Smiling wryly, Reid patted Elria’s head again.

At that moment, Rufus began to walk away listlessly.

“Rufus――”

“Sorry for causing you trouble.”

She offered an awkward smile to Elria, who tried to call out to her.

“But this is our problem! Don’t worry about it, Elria-chan. I won’t lose to you in the conditional exam, that’s for sure!”

Putting on a brave face, she turned and ran off.

On her small back, she carried a burden far too heavy, filled with responsibility and purpose.

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Chapter 3 Part 3

◆

With that, Elria and Reid were kicked out of the workshop.

And so――they were standing absentmindedly in the tourist area.

“Reid.”

“What is it, Elria?”

“I think we should sort out our current situation to resolve it.”

“That makes sense. Constructive thinking is important.”

“First of all, we were asked to go buy tea from Millis.”

Elria showed a note that Millis handed over to her. There were several well-known brands of tea listed on it.

“We both know the brands of tea, so there’s no problem in purchasing them.”

“Right. I also know where the store is because I’ve seen it while walking around the royal capital.”

“But clearly, we’ll have extra time even if we purchase them.”

Even if they visited the store Reid mentioned and factored in uncertainties, it would not take more than 30 minutes to purchase the tea leaves and return to the workshop.

“The current time is 1300 hours, but Millis said we shouldn’t return until the evening, specifically not before 1700 hours.”

“Why are you using the old military time reading from a thousand years ago?”

“I just felt like it.”

Because Millis was very forceful, it reminded Elria of receiving a mission from a superior officer in her previous life. It was that intense. However, there were some unclear points about this mission.

“Millis gave us the instruction to ‘spend the time doing something date-like’. So, I decided that we should clarify the conditions first.”

“That’s true. We have to clearly define what ‘date-like’ actions are.”

“Yes. Have you ever been on a date, Reid?”

“I have no experience at all.”

“Me neither.”

………

……………

…………………

“What should we do?”

“What should we do indeed.”

Both ended up staring up at the sky, not knowing what to do. Of course, they had some knowledge about ‘going on a date’.

It was something that a couple in love would go out and spend time doing. But that was about all they knew.

“Ahh… I do remember my subordinates talking about various things, but since I had nothing to do with it, I just ignored it…”

“I felt the same way…”

After all, they were famous as the ‘Hero’ and ‘Sage’ a thousand years ago.

They were busy every day because of that, often going to battlefields. On their days off, Elria’s memories mostly involved researching magic alone.

As for Elria, back then, she had feelings for Reid, which meant she absolutely had no thoughts of falling in love with other Elves or humans.

“Also, Millis called it a ‘shopping date’. The fact that she specified it probably means it’s different from a regular date.”

“Well, if we think about it, it likely just means going shopping while on a date… Is there anything in particular you want to buy?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Same here, I’ve already prepared everything I need, so I don’t need to buy anything.”

………

……………

“We… can’t complete this mission…!!”

“It’s not even a ‘mission’ to begin with.”

As Reid was grinning wryly, he seemed to remember something.

“By the way, when I was in the village and went to the town’s market district, my little sister would say, ‘It’s fun just to look even if we don’t buy anything’, and she would gaze at various things and beg for food from the stalls.”

“…You have a little sister, Reid?”

“Yeah. She’s three years younger than me, about the same age as Elria. I also have an older brother who’s three years older. Both of them had a higher aptitude for magic power than me, so they left the village to attend a different magic academy.”

“Mm… In that case, we might meet them during the comprehensive exam.”

“Oh, that’s true. They have been too busy to return to the village according to their letters, so they probably don’t know that I have entered the magic academy. It would be a surprise if we ran into each other during the exam.”

Imagining the surprised faces of his siblings, Reid broke into a happy smile.

Seeing Reid’s reaction, Elria couldn’t help but smile as well. Reid nodded, looking seemingly satisfied.

“Well, anyway, how about we just walk around and look at things? We could treat it as a late lunch, grab some food to eat while walking, and maybe pick up some snacks for Wiesel and the others.”

“Mm… I’ve never walked around while eating, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“Then it’s settled. I don’t know if it will feel like a date, but we can just walk around and observe other happy couples for reference.”

“Okay, that fulfills Millis’s instructions――”

Just as Elria was about to nod, she noticed a man and a woman walking by.

From the way they were talking, they seemed to be in a romantic relationship.

And――while walking side by side, their hands were affectionately intertwined.

Seeing this, Elria looked at her own hand, which was lightly grasping Reid’s sleeve.

After hesitating for a moment, Elria nodded greatly and――

“――――Mm.”

――closed her eyes tightly, and held out her hand to Reid.

“……What’s the matter?”

“H-Hand, hand, I want to h-hold――hold hands!!”

“Calm down, you’re breaking your language function.”

Seeing Elria’s red ears, Reid lightly patted her on the head to calm her down.

“Holding hands at this point isn’t a big deal. I’ve hugged you while you were lethargic, dressed you, and even bathed you while I was blindfolded.”

“T-That’s a separate issue…!”

Indeed, for Elria, it was a separate issue. She did not remember doing those things with Reid because she was in a lethargic state at those times.

And although Reid had led her by the hand before, it was safe to say that this was the first time she had held his hand of her own accord.

“T-That’s why… please!”

“…Well, if you’re okay with it, then I don’t mind.”

As soon as Reid took the offered hand――

Something seemed to ‘pop’ inside Elria.

“――――T-Timeout!”

“Y-Yeah, I thought you were gonna faint.”

Releasing Reid’s hand, Elria took deep breaths to calm herself down. Not only was her face hot, her heart was also pounding like a drum.

“That was a high-level battle…!”

“Holding my hand was a battle?”

“I felt something close to that…!”

She was even more drained than she would have been after a battle.

Being aware of holding hands made her so embarrassed that she could not even think about walking hand-in-hand.

Seeing Elria’s condition, Reid pondered while stroking his chin.

“But you’re okay with grabbing my sleeve, huh?”

“Y-Yes… because it’s not direct contact…”

“Then, can you bring out that magical beast from before?”

“……Shehri?”

“Yeah. Let’s give it a walk while we’re at it.”

“O-Okay…”

Urged by Reid, Elria focused a little and cast her spell.

Then――at her feet, a miniaturized Shehri appeared and let out a small bark.

It was equipped with a collar and leash, ready for a walk.

“Err… I’ve summoned Shehri, but…?”

“Alright, then how about this?”

Reid stretched out his hand to grip the leash that Elria was holding.

Seeing this, Elria somewhat understood Reid’s intention.

Both of them were holding onto one leash. Though their hands were not directly touching, it seemed as if they were connected.

“This is almost the same as holding hands, isn’t it?” Reid said, smiling at Elria.

“There’s no need for us to do the same thing as others. If you’re nervous, you won’t be able to enjoy yourself. In that case, it’s best to adjust to what makes you comfortable,” Reid said calmly, still smiling.

Reid had always taken care of her. He respected Elria’s wish to ‘hold hands’ and came up with this method so that she wouldn’t feel nervous. He had always been attuned to Elria’s pace, never forcing her to face people she was shy around, and allowing her to hide behind him or hold onto his sleeve if that made her comfortable.

That was precisely why Elria also felt that she could try harder.

“If it seems too much, just let me know. It’s also fine if you feel more at ease acting as you usually do.”

“Mm… for now, I think it’s fine.”

Feeling slightly nervous, Elria clenched her fists lightly to encourage herself and then took a step forward.

Reid had given her this opportunity. So, from that point on, to be able to walk beside the person she loved, she resolved to try a little harder.

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Chapter 3 Part 2

◇

The structure of the royal capital can be summed up in one word: hierarchical.

Centered around the royal castle towering on a small mountain peak, the houses of distinguished families that had supported the country for generations line a significantly lower tier. Public institutions such as guard posts, government offices, banks, and hospitals were arranged in a  circle, separating them from the lower world.

And the area at the foot of the mountain was commonly called the ‘royal capital’.

Originally, Vegalta focused on trade with neighboring countries, and remnants of that still remain in the current royal capital, where various shop signs can be seen on the main street.

That was because many people visited the ‘royal capital’ itself.

With its artistic and historic streets, modern magic technology not seen in the countryside, and the latest popularized magic tools, Vegalta, being at the center of the continent and a transit point, gathered items from various places. Regular markets featuring these items were held, attracting tourists from the countryside and making the royal capital an important place for those engaged in commerce.

And so――

“――This is it! The promised metropolis, the royal capital of Vegalta!!”

In the heart of the royal capital, there was an excited country bumpkin.

Reid and the others were watching the country bumpkin from a distance.

“Millis, are you satisfied now?”

“…Eh, why is everyone else’s excitement level so different from mine?”

“Well, everyone but you has lived in the royal capital. It’s not like we’ll get excited seeing it again.”

Agreeing with Reid’s words, the other three nodded.

Elria and Faregh, from distinguished families, had always looked down on the royal capital from above. Wiesel, having lived in the royal capital with its magic equipment workshop, found nothing novel there.

“B-But, Reid-san! You’re from the countryside like me, right? When you see this magnificent royal capital, you get a little excited, right!?”

“Well, I thought it was amazing at first, but when I lived in the Caldwen mansion, I got used to seeing it all.”

“Oh… so, you betrayed your countryside roots too, huh…”

Millis, disheartened, gave Reid a strangely dishonorable nickname. Her sulking figure was pitiable.

Watching Millis, Faregh snorted in boredom.

“In the first place, where we’re going is the industrial area with workshops. It’s not a place for country bumpkins looking to sightsee.”

The royal capital essentially had its outer perimeter designated as a tourist area, and moving further inward from there would be the industrial park where magic equipment workshops and factories were located.

The industrial park was not intended for tourists, but primarily for merchants and craftsmen to visit for business discussions and procurement. It was not a place or thing to be viewed as a tourist attraction.

“If you want to sightsee like a country bumpkin, you can go to the tourist attractions by yourself.”

“No, the industrial park is also a city to me. Because in the countryside, we don’t have magic equipment workshops and factories.”

“So, you’re just happy with anything…?”

“Faregh-san wouldn’t understand it… All I could see were grasslands and mountains, and the only things to look at were sheep and cows. For me, who came from a place where the biggest events in the village were the birth of livestock or an elderly person going missing and being found a few hours later, everything here is new and fascinating for me…!!”

“Yeah… okay, enjoy the royal capital as much as you want, you country bumpkin.”

Pressed by Millis’s enthusiasm, Faregh looked at her with a pitiful gaze. He probably decided it was risky to say anything more.

“Seriously… even though today is a day off, it’s so noisy. And because there are a lot of  conspicuous people around, I feel bothered by the stares of passersby.”

“I agree with Faregh. I don’t like being stared at.”

“…Don’t say that when you’re the one causing it, Caldwen.”

As Faregh said, most people were looking at Elria.

Today, she was not in uniform but in casual clothes. However, due to her good looks, everyone turned around at least once. Those who noticed that she was Elria due to her silver hair, which was rare even in Vegalta, couldn’t help but let out a gasp of admiration.

But, of course, it was the hiding behind Reid’s back that made it more conspicuous.

Today as well, she firmly grasped Reid’s sleeve and peeked out from behind him. However, Elria tilted her head in wonder.

“This is how it always is, so there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Well, within the academy it’s one thing, but if I let Elria walk alone outside, she might get lost. I’d feel more at ease if she clung to my sleeve.”

“Yes. A lifeline is important.”

“…Is she supposed to be the person who is from the same distinguished family as me, and is also seen as my superior?”

“Well, Faregh-san’s character and actions are also flawed, so it’s somewhat similar.”

“You should show a bit more respect to me, you country bumpkin!!”

“……Am I as bad as Faregh?”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re just flawed in a slightly different way.”

Seeing Elria shivering in shock, Reid comforted her by lightly patting her head. He felt guilty for not denying it.

Thus, the group of five made their way through the bustling royal capital, entering the industrial park.

As the crowd thinned out, the street’s atmosphere changed from flamboyant to rugged and chaotic. More people dressed in work clothes and merchants appeared.

And so, their destination was――

“――This is the Blanche Workshop, my family’s home.”

Compared to others, it was a smaller, aged building.

“Isn’t it quite small for the workshop of a famous magic equipment engineer…?”

“You can frankly call it run-down, Lady Millis.”

“So, it’s a run-down workshop.”

“The inside isn’t like that. Though not necessarily a tradition of the Blanche family, we invest most of our profits in developing new magic equipment and procuring materials, hence the exterior looks like this.”

With a wry smile, Wiesel took out a key from his pocket, and entered the workshop.

Moving past the customer waiting room and opening the workshop door――

“――This is the workshop of the Blanche family, involved in magic equipment for generations.”

Seeing the sight, Reid and the others could not help but let out a gasp of admiration.

A mountain of weaponry filled their view. It was not just typical weapons like swords and spears, but also armor like gauntlets and gaiters, and even musical instruments, farming tools, and fishing equipment.

“Amazing… Are these all magic equipment?”

“No, these are like molds used to create magic equipment.”

Saying that, Wiesel casually lifted a large hammer nearby.

“We refer to these molds to calculate the necessary magic circuits based on the client’s magic power system and their strengths in magic. We then select the shape and materials of the magic equipment that suit those magic. After deciding on the overall design, we determine the placement of the magic circuits and request a magic craftsman to engrave them.”

“Heehh… I always thought magic equipment was more like wands or weapons, but seeing it now, there are so many shapes.”

“If you’re interested, feel free to look around. I’ve closed the workshop for the day, so we have it all to ourselves.”

“Really!?”

“Yes. Lord Welminan and I have work to do.”

Saying that, Wiesel rolled up his sleeves and headed to his workbench.

“Please hand me the magic equipment, Lord Welminan.”

“Yeah… If you fail, I’ll cry…!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll show you the skills of someone who bears the Blanche name.”

Taking the magic equipment from Faregh, he narrowed his eyes and then――

“――――<<Output Composition>>.”

The moment he waved his right hand, the magic equipment was enveloped in a faint light. Various symbols then began to appear on a crystal in his left hand.

“As I suspected. Frequently used magic formulas are fixed in place, and it’s arranged to repel other types of magic. Are these the five most recently used spells?”

“Y-Yeah… Those are the recent magic formulas I have used.”

“I see… Indeed, it has greatly changed from the spells you used before. While we might not need to change its shape, we might need to tweak the converter and stabilizer a bit.”

While looking at the various symbols, Wiesel diagnosed.

The converter built into the magic equipment could transform the channeled magic power into another color system. While the output decreased, it could add versatility to the magic that was executed.

And in the case of magic that required stable outcomes such as support magic and healing magic, they had a role of keeping the output of the magic being exercised constantly by passing it through a stabilizer.

And… these were technologies that Reid was very familiar with.

“…They have adapted it quite well to magic, haven’t they?”

“Yeah, they have done a great job.”

“Isn’t this technology looted from Altein?”

“It was found on the battlefield, so I restored the broken parts, analyzed them, and then applied them to magic.”

Elria proudly showed off her accomplishment.

The mechanisms like converters and stabilizers were used in Altein’s ‘machinery’ technology.

In Altein, they were incorporated into tools that used ‘electricity’, but perhaps during wartime, they dismantled the looted weapons, and Elria adapted and replaced them with magic power.

Even Reid, who actually dealt with them, could not fully understand the mechanism. However, with the actual item in question, she correctly understood the structure and its role and further refined it into her magic technology, truly deserving of being called ‘Sage’.

While immersed in such nostalgic feelings, Wiesel’s expression slightly darkened.

“This might be… a bit difficult.”

“I-It’s difficult?”

“I can tamper with the converters and stabilizers, but considering the operational time of magic, it’s ideal to increase the magic power efficiency. However, in that case, we have to change the layout of the magic circuits.”

“……So, why not just change it?”

“Changing the layout requires the removal of the existing magic circuit and drawing a new one. What we magic equipment engineers do is overall design and efficient creation of magic circuits. The engraving of magic circuits falls under the domain of magic craftsmen.”

“So, you’re saying you can’t engrave the magic circuit?”

“I have some knowledge of the engraving itself. But the problem is that the magic power system of Lord Welminan and mine don’t match.”

After explaining, Wiesel took a breath and looked at Elria.

“If I remember correctly, Lady Elria can handle six types of magic power, right?”

“Mm, I can use them, but… I’ve never done magic circuit engraving, so it’s difficult.”

“…I see. The work area is narrow, but intricate work is required, so it’s tough without experience.”

“In that case, why not ask a magic craftsman you know?”

“I can make a request, but… the magic craftsman that Blanche requests often interacts with the upper class, and the fact that they engraved on Welminan’s magic equipment is significant for a magic craftsman. So, there’s a possibility they might accidentally spill the beans to the Welminan household.”

“We absolutely need to avoid that!!”

“…Understood. As a magic equipment engineer, I don’t want to hand over an incomplete item to the user, but considering your situation, I’ll keep the modifications within the possible range――”

Just as the compromising Wiesel was about to get back to work, his shoulder was lightly tapped.

There stood――a smiling Millis.

“I’ve done magic circuit engraving before, you know?”

“………What did you say?”

“Back in the countryside, it takes time to call someone, so when a magic tool broke, I fixed it myself. And in the village, I had the nickname of ‘Magic Tool Doctor’.”

While speaking proudly with her thumb up, Wiesel paused for a moment to think and then nodded in agreement.

“Then, I’ll prepare something suitable. As a test, please try copying and engraving the magic circuit that is engraved into the magic equipment. Feel free to use any tools for the engraving.”

“Yes, yes. It’s not much different from a magic tool, right?”

“It’s not much different, but the magic circuit is more complex than a magic tool, and precise work is required. Even a small deviation will reduce magic power efficiency.”

“Hmm, I see.”

With that light tone, Millis moved her pen-like tool smoothly――

“Here, is this how it’s done?”

“………What?”

“I copied it according to the original size since there was no specification, but this is okay, right?”

With that, Millis showed a metal plate to Wiesel.

A delicate pattern emerged due to the glow of magic power.

Taking it into his hands, Wiesel looked closely, adjusting his glasses multiple times.

“No way… there’s not even a single error…!?”

“HA HA HA!! Welcome to my era!!”

With triumphant enthusiasm, Millis raised her arms high in the air, looking more joyous than ever before.

And with a smile, Millis turned her head to face Faregh.

“Hehe… Faregh-san, do you want me to do the magic circuit engraving?”

“Kugh… What do you want in return…!?”

“That sounds pretty rude, doesn’t it? I don’t really have anything I want right now, but how about keeping it as a ‘favor’ for the future?”

“That’s even scarier since I don’t know what you’ll ask for!!”

“HA HA HA! I hope you live in fear of me from now on!!”

With that, Millis, full of vitality, stood on a chair, looking down at Faregh. She seemed to be having a blast.

As Faregh looked frustrated, Wiesel adjusted his glasses and put his hand on his shoulder.

“…Lord Welminan, I think you should owe Millis a favor.”

“You want me to owe this unpredictable country bumpkin a favor? Are you out of your mind!?”

“However, the ability to engrave a magic circuit so accurately is rare, even among magic craftsmen. From my perspective as a magic equipment engineer, such skill is practical. I’d even go so far as to say I don’t understand why Millis didn’t pursue a career as a magic craftsman instead of becoming a mage.”

“Well, I thought being a mage seemed more urban and cool!!”

“You’re leaving this to someone who says such stupid things!?”

“I’ll handle the instructions and drafting, so there shouldn’t be any issues with the work itself. And with such skills, we should be able to incorporate even the ideas I had given up on and deliver the best work…!!”

Perhaps overwhelmed by the joy of being able to do his best work as a magic equipment engineer, Wiesel, with a maniacal smile, firmly grabbed both of Faregh’s shoulders.

“I will definitely craft the best magic equipment…! So, close your eyes to any future worries and let Lady Millis handle the work…!!”

“Eeek!? I-I get it!! Just do whatever you need to do!!”

Pressed by Wiesel’s intensity, Faregh turned pale and nodded repeatedly.

The moment they got Faregh’s word, Wiesel and Millis silently exchanged a high-five. The two seemed oddly in sync.

“Now, I will draw up the blueprint for the new magic circuit. Lady Millis will engrave on it just like before, without a single discrepancy.”

“Please leave it to me! By the way, I’m getting thirsty!!”

“Lord Welminan, go buy a drink for Lady Millis.”

“Am I being forcefully made to owe her a favor, and on top of that, being turned into her errand boy!?”

“The words of a magic craftsman are absolute. Things will get busy afterward.”

The three chatted and bustled about.

Watching the trio, Reid and Elria looked on calmly.

“They all seem to be having so much fun.”

“That kind of thing feels like a privilege of young people.”

“You’re young too, Reid.”

“I may look young, but inside, I’m an old man.”

“To me, Reid will always be young.”

“If you say that, then you’re the one who remains a child, both inside and out.”

As they exchanged casual remarks, Millis approached them.

“Hey, what’s the matter, Millis?”

“Well… I felt a warm gaze, like the one elders from the village give.”

“Stop beating around the bush and calling me old.”

“By the way, I think it’s okay for the two of you to just walk around outside. It looks like Wiesel-san is very enthusiastic, and the work might take a while.”

Looking at Wiesel, they saw him consulting with Faregh and sketching a magic equipment diagram on his desk.

“Since we have come all the way to the royal capital, why don’t you two go on a date together?”

” “………Date?” “

“Could you two not react like you’ve never heard the word before…!?”

“No, of course, I’ve heard of it.”

“I’ve heard of it, too.”

“That’s strange… I’m sure I used a very common word…!”

Seeing their reactions, Millis let out a tired sigh.

“Alright… I’ll have to ask you two for a favor.”

With that, Millis opened her eyes wide and――

“I’d like the two of you to go on a shopping date right now!”

So, with a pointed finger, she declared.

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