RHXS Vol. 1 Chapter 2 Part 2
Chapter 2 Part 2
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Guided by a completely frightened staff member, Reid and Elria were ushered into the headmaster’s office.
“―― Please hold back your power in the academy.”
said the headmaster while burying herself in a luxurious chair.
“First, Elria Caldwen.”
“Yes.”
“I have heard from the king of Vegalta that you have an extraordinary talent in the field of magic, and I have seen your abilities all the way here in my office.”
“Thank you very much.”
“But it’s too strong that someone might die, so could you please make sure that you only use up to fifth tier magic while you are in the academy? If you don’t comply, you will be expelled.”
“……Yes.”
After receiving the scolding, Elria lowers her head.
The headmaster then turned her gaze to Reid.
“Next, Reid Frieden.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t really know about you. So, what are you?”
“Headmaster, I don’t understand your question.”
“I’m having trouble comprehending your very existence.”
The headmaster’s expression is distorted as she says this. She then sighed deeply before speaking.
“I’ve been the headmaster of Vegalta Royal Magic Academy for nearly one hundred years now. Even so, I’ve never seen someone like you before.”
The headmaster ―― Elise Rummel, announced while wagging her characteristic long ears.
“Haaaa… I knew there might be something about Elria-kun, but I didn’t expect the other one to be nonstandard as well…”
“Well, I’m sorry.”
“I’m not going to let you get away with just that!”
Elise pointed, her ears twitching with anger. However, it was not scary looking at all.
At any rate ―― Elise is an elf who is said to be immortal. She looks to be about twelve years old, and due to her petite figure, she seems to be completely buried in the chair rather than sitting on it.
Seeing that, Reid whispers to Elria next to him.
“……Hey, Elria.”
“Mm, what’s the matter?”
“I knew that elves are immortal… but isn’t that headmaster younger than you?”
“Elves basically stop aging at around fifteen to twenty years of age, so they can look quite different. It is not surprising that there are those who look smaller than me.”
“In other words… the headmaster stopped growing before she stopped aging…?”
“Sadly, that is the fate of the elves.”
“Hey, did you guys just call me small!?”
Elise was banging on her desk, perhaps in response to the particular word.
The sight of her banging on the desk and her bouncing golden hair in two knots looked every bit like a child throwing a tantrum.
Satisfied after a round of desk banging, Elise sighs and buries herself in the chair.
“So, Reid-kun… The thing you did, that wasn’t magic, right?”
“Yes, since I can’t use magic.”
“Then what was that?”
“It was just a punch.”
“You don’t make any sense…!!”
Elise said in a sad voice as she held her head.
For a little girl, she worries a lot.
“Anyway, can you go easy on that thing of yours…?”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
“Then can you also hold back your power in the academy…?”
“Would that be a problem?”
“Of course, it would be a problem!!”
“I have been ordered by the Caldwen family to produce reasonable results due to the fact that I can’t use magic. I can cut corners, but I must avoid a situation where my engagement to Elria is called off.”
Among the conditions he has exchanged with Alicia is to show others that he is overwhelmingly capable of making them recognize him. It would be undesirable to lose the opportunity due to that.
That is why Elise also had a troubled look on her face.
“Alicia told me about the situation. So, since I was informed of the situation beforehand, I am certain that the responsibility lies with me for underestimating you.”
After saying this, Elise nodded her head in a composed manner.
“Then… how about we lift the restrictions only during the examination?”
“…So you don’t mind if I use it as long as it affects my evaluation?”
“That’s right. I usually don’t mind if it’s a little, but please don’t go overboard like what you did earlier. If you destroy the venerable magic academy, I’ll be so mad.”
“You are very honest with yourself.”
“Because it’s mentally tough to be angry at someone when you’re over a hundred years old…”
Elise stared into the void with distant eyes as she honestly expressed her thoughts.
What a little girl with sad eyes.
“Even so… I never thought I would hear the names ‘Elria’ and ‘Reid’ at the same time.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Oh, you probably don’t know about it, because it’s only passed down among us elves, and I only heard a little bit about it from my grandfather.”
When Elise answered with a smile, Elria raised her hand quickly in panic.
“H-Headmaster!”
“What? What’s the matter, Elria?”
“T-Today… is a beautiful day, isn’t it…?”
“…Yeah, it was dyed bright red just now, though?”
But her conversational skills were too poor to do anything.
While Elria flustered and panicked, Reid asked for details again.
“…Why is my name being passed down among the elves?”
“Well, not you exactly, but a man who was called ‘Hero’ a thousand years ago. His actions at the time of the death of the ‘Sage’ have been passed down among us elves.”
Elria had said something similar before.
The story of the ‘Hero’ is also passed down, but after a thousand years, it has been embellished to the point that it has become something else.
“What exactly was the story about?”
“W-What? You don’t have to look at me with such a serious expression on your face…”
“No, I was just curious when I heard there was a guy with the same name as me.”
No matter how unscrupulous things are being conveyed, the little information that is left after the death also counts. In that case, there is no harm in knowing.
“Hmm… It’s not going to be interesting for a boy like you, though?”
“Well, but I would still like to hear about it.”
“Since you insist, I will tell you ――”
Then, with a troublesome expression on her face, Elise continued ――
“―― It was a story about the ‘Hero’ who was in love with the ‘Sage’.”
“……In love?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Who was in love with who?”
“The person who was called the ‘Hero’ was in love with the elf who was called the ‘Sage’. I heard this story from my grandfather when I was a child, and it’s the kind of story that every girl dreams of!”
Elise began to speak excitedly.
“The ‘Hero’ was an enemy of the ‘Sage’, but they wished for peace. The two of them had been fighting each other for more than fifty years to prevent any serious damage to their forces.”
“Oh… Is that so…”
“But during the battle, the ‘Sage’ got sick and died first. Upon receiving the news, the ‘Hero’ invaded the royal capital all by himself!!”
“Hahaha, that’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“Moreover! Even though he was mortally wounded, the reason he went to the royal capital was to bid farewell to the ‘Sage’!! He was so cool!!”
Elise was speaking enthusiastically, her eyes already shining like a young maiden.
Hearing that, Reid could not help but look at Elria.
He saw the figure of Elria, who was looking away. And even her ears were bright red.
“At the time, elves were kept at a distance from humans, but the ‘Hero’ seemed to treat the ‘Sage’ as an equal, even though she was an elf! That’s why we elves are living together with humans now!”
“That was… something good, wasn’t it?”
“Well, as a fellow elf, I envy the ‘Sage’ as well! Even though they were enemies, they actually cared about each other that much!! In the end, the ‘Sage’ could not hear out the thoughts of the ‘Hero’, but I’m sure she would be happy to hear them!!”
Reid looked at the ‘Sage’ who was listening to the story.
She was trembling, looking at the floor in an attempt to hide her red face, and looked like she was seconds away from exploding with shame.
“There are many stories among the elves that are based on this legend ――”
“Headmaster, thank you very much for sharing them with us. I’m sorry, but Elria doesn’t seem to be feeling well, so may we take our leave?”
“Hmm? She is indeed bright red in the face… Is she alright?”
“She is fine, it’s just that she has a tendency to blush.”
“I see. That’s all I’m going to say now, so please ask the staff nearby to join the other students. Also, please be sure to strictly adhere to the ability restrictions, okay?”
“I understand. We will excuse ourselves now.”
After bowing to Elise, Reid and Elria hurried out of the headmaster’s office.
Shortly after closing the door, Reid sighs deeply.
“…I see. That certainly didn’t sound so bad.”
“Yeah… I don’t know why, but the story about the ‘Hero’ became so popular that it was passed down among the elves… t-that… w-we were in love.”
As she speaks, Elria slaps her own cheeks.
“I thought maybe it was a mistake or someone else’s creation… so I didn’t tell you because I thought it might make Reid feel unpleasant.”
Indeed, at the time, Elria had already passed away.
As she did not know the sequence of events, it cannot be helped that she did not understand why the ‘Hero’ had become so popular among the elves and would think that it was an embellished or a manufactured love story between the ‘Hero’ and the ‘Sage’.
However, only Reid knows about the actual events that happened.
Reid rushed there upon hearing the news of Elria’s death. He invaded enemy territory alone and went on a rampage, then lost his life after reaching Elria with wounds all over his body. But who would have thought it would be passed down as a love story?
“It was a mistake, wasn’t it?”
With an apologetic look, Elria gets teary-eyed.
Seeing Elria like that… Reid scratched his head roughly.
“It wasn’t a mistake.”
“……Eh?”
“The story that has been passed down among the elves is something that actually happened.”
“T-That means… you came to see me when I died?”
“Yeah.”
“You came alone and got yourself all battered?”
“No matter what, I had to get to the royal capital, I couldn’t just kill the disciples you raised. So I had a hard time getting beaten up one-sidedly.”
“T-Then…!”
Elria looks straight at Reid, blushing even more than before.
“What was Reid trying to tell me at the time?”
asked Elria, clutching his sleeve so as not to let Reid escape.
“I’m really curious to know what Reid said at the end, because the story I read ended with the ‘Hero’ trying to say something…!”
Perhaps his last words did not reach anyone’s ears as Reid had used up all his strength then.
And so ――
“…I didn’t say anything.”
“B-But! I’ve read in other books that you were going to say something!!”
“I just felt like flapping my mouth like a fish gasping for air.”
“Please don’t get in that kind of mood right before you die…!”
“I couldn’t believe it myself as well.”
“S-So, what were you going to say!? What did Reid wanted to say to me!?”
“Look, more importantly, we should find the staff and join the others.”
Dragging Elria, who clung to his arm, Reid searched for the staff member to evade her questions.
He said those last words because he thought he would never see her again.
However, they were able to meet each other again.
In that case ―― there will be an opportunity to tell her eventually.
With that in mind, Reid smiled as he walked down the corridor.
