“‘The Traitor Sage’—you dare?!” Dorothea’s eyes blazed with hatred. “Don’t mock me! To even speak the name of that vile traitor is disgusting! During the ‘War of the Eight Kings’ two hundred years ago, the Sanctuary Church was supposed to gain dominion over all kings. But that Sage…”

“What was this Sage’s name?”

“…Lyle Carmine. So the legend says,” she spat, glaring at me.

I knew it. When I’d heard that story from Rhodelia about the ‘Let’s Wreck the Sanctuary Church’ organization, I had a feeling. I figured Lyle must have infiltrated the Church and done something. Both he and his wife, Remilia, were just ridiculously competent. Crushing the entire Church from the inside was exactly the kind of thing they’d do.

“So what did this ‘Traitor Sage’ do, exactly?”

“…I don’t know the details. Only that he’s the one who rendered the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ useless.”

“But the one right here… the Lord of Phantoms… it’s working. What’s that about?”

“…As if I would tell you…”

“If you don’t want to talk, fine.” I cut my finger and dripped my ‘Mistel Blood’ onto the Lord of Phantoms itself. I activated Hacking—and it was nullified. Just as I thought, all magic was repelled. I couldn’t get in. The surface of the armor was treated to block magic.

In that case, I’d just apply my blood directly to the opening on the severed arm.

“Activate: Hacking.”

First firewall… confirmed. Yes, the hack was connecting. But wow, this thing had its own anti-hacking defenses. It was designed to detect any mana trying to infiltrate its internal systems and immediately eject it. Could my magic break through?

Hacking first firewall… breached.

Second firewall… breached.

A third… seriously? …Breached.

Entering internal mana region.

Beginning analysis of internal magic… reached armor’s locking mechanism.

Open armor. Release occupant. Execute.

Pssht.

“…Ugh… ah…” The front plating of the Lord of Phantoms opened, and a woman tumbled out.

“Impossible! The Lord of Phantoms… moving on its own?!”

“She’s… from the Magic Guild, isn’t she? You captured one of the investigators and used her as a battery?”

Dorothea spat on the ground. That was a yes.

I continued to analyze the Lord of Phantoms’ mana structure. This armor had been sealed. But the seal was weakening. Probably degrading over time. But to forcibly move a machine with a lingering seal, it required a massive amount of life force. That’s why… the person inside ended up so drained. I see.

“Impossible! How could the pride of the Sanctuary Church, the tactical-class armor Lord, obey someone like you?! Who in the world are you?!”

“Me? I am… the ‘Immortal Mage, Lord of Nosferatu.’”

I decided to use my old name. My face was covered, anyway. I’d just play it off as some mysterious, unknown figure.

“Don’t mock me!!”

“…What?”

“‘Lord of Nosferatu’ is the name of the Lord that the ‘Traitor Sage’ stole!”

…Huh? What is this woman talking about?

“The Sanctuary Church discovered eight Lords. The final one was meant to be named after our great founder! But that Traitor Sage and his wife stole it and fled! And they gave it that… that disgusting name… Lord of Nosferatu!”

“HUH?!”

“Wait, wait, wait. ‘The Traitor Sage and his wife’? That means Lyle and Remilia. They stole one of these giant moving suits of armor and ran off with it? And to top it all off, they named it after me… Lord of Nosferatu? Lyle, Remilia… what in the world were you two doing?”

“They… were apparently spouting nonsense about how ‘a king worthy of this Lord will one day appear.’ If it weren’t for them, the Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple would never have fallen, and we would have remained the dominant power in the world! If only that insane Sage had never existed!”

“No, I’m pretty sure they were completely sane,” I countered.

What were you doing, Lyle? And you too, Remilia. Stealing a toy from the Sanctuary Church, that much I get. But why did you have to name the Lord after me? Don’t tell me you were so traumatized by stabbing me with the Holy Sword that you went and prepared a suit of armor that no sword could ever pierce. What were you two really thinking?

“…You reckless idiots.”

What was I supposed to do if the Sanctuary Church tried to hold me responsible? I’d be in real trouble if they demanded I take responsibility for unleashing those lunatics from the village.

“Well, whatever. This Lord of Phantoms thing is neutralized, so it’s fine for now.”

The hack was complete. I’d shut down its internal systems and locked it so it wouldn’t move for at least twenty-four hours. I’d just hand this thing over to the Magic Guild.

“So, where is this ‘Lord of Nosferatu’?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Is that right.”

A place where Lyle and Remilia would hide a treasure… I had a feeling I knew where that might be.

“Right, I forgot to ask. What was your goal here?”

“…You just said it yourself.”

“Oh, right. The plan to use a specter as the pilot. Because a normal person gets drained and weakens, you have to keep swapping them out, meaning the pilot is always a rookie. So, you’d use a host possessed by a specter, who could then be trained as the user.”

Dorothea looked away. So I was right? Impressive.

“But what then? All you’d have is the specter’s knowledge and this one ‘Lord’ machine. Even with that…”

“You’ll understand soon enough, boy!” Dorothea shrieked. “The Sanctuary Church is not destroyed! Look at this world, which hasn’t evolved in over a hundred years since the war! Look at this stagnation! That is the very proof that the Sanctuary Church was justice! Those who inherit my will are already close at hand! Cower in fear! And know this: the Magic Guild is not the only one capable of creating ‘Ancient Artifact’ replicas!”

“…Give me a break.”

“Silence, boy!!”

“That should be my line! You people treated me like a monster, and now, two hundred years later, you show up saying, ‘We’re going to use ghosts to power our artifacts, we are justice!’ Are you children?!”

“—Gnnnh!”

“In the first place, it’s your fault my children went rogue! You destroyed people’s homes, and you have the nerve to call them traitors?! They didn’t betray anyone! Your damned Sanctuary Church just screwed up its recruitment!!”

“…Then you will die!!”

Dorothea’s shoulders twitched. “With my very life, I shall unleash the ancient magic that burns all enemies! Receive—”

Twitch.

Twitch, twitch.

“…Ah, aaaah? M-My arms?!”

“I’ve had more than my fill of the Sanctuary Church’s dirty tricks. You think I’d let my guard down?” My specialty was ‘Ice Magic.’ It wasn’t very powerful, but it was much easier to control. I had already spread threads of my ‘Freezing Net’ spell and locked Dorothea’s arms in place.

“I’m not letting you draw any sigils.”

“Y-You bas—mmph—mooo! Mph!!”

The threads of ice from my ‘Freezing Net’ had extended from my feet, snaring her arms and legs. While I was at it, I stuck her lips together with ice. And I plugged her ears with ice, too, so she couldn’t overhear what came next.

“Boss~.”

“You’re here, Niil.”

My bat familiar, Niil, landed on my shoulder. She was the one I’d assigned to guard Iris. She must have gotten worried and come to check on me.

“Iris-sama and Odette-sama will be here soon~.”

“…I told them to wait.”

“They got worried~.”

“Alright, take this message back. Dorothea is captured. There are three other Guild members outside the forest and one more here. Also…” I glanced down at the Holy Sword Rinkal in my hand. Summoning it was, honestly, going too far. I couldn’t just show up and say, “Hi, I summoned the Holy Sword and defeated Dorothea.” The follow-up would be a nightmare.

“I’m going to regroup with Iris and Odette. But I’m not ‘officially’ here. Get them to spread the story that some mysterious person defeated Dorothea, and then they arrived on the scene. Got it?”

“You’re not going to keep the armor~?”

“It’s fine. Apparently, there’s one out there that’s already mine.”

I looked at the inert Lord of Phantoms. A suit of armor twice the size of a man that moves just as fast. The Sanctuary Church had planned to use eight of these in the ‘War of the Eight Kings.’ I’d heard that war was a terrible quagmire, but now it seemed the world had gotten off easy. If these things had actually been deployed, I can’t imagine how many people would have died. Impervious to magic, resistant to physical attacks, only vulnerable to another ‘Ancient Artifact,’ and it shoots a mystery beam? It’s too overpowered. If they’d actually fought a war with these… the entire continent might have been destroyed.

“I’ll let the Magic Guild handle the cleanup for this toy.”

I cut strips from Dorothea’s robe with my dagger and used them to tie her hands and feet. I gagged her, too, and sealed it with a bit of ice. She could still breathe through her nose, so it was fine. The Magic Guild’s mage who had come out of the Lord of Phantoms was exhausted but unharmed. She was still unconscious. I sat her up against a tree for now. Help would be here soon.

Right. Time to regroup with Iris and Odette and come back here with an innocent look on my face. The official investigation could start then.

The ‘Black Forest’ was surrounded by towering trees. Their branches were thick and long, their leaves enormous. They grew so densely that the forest was dark even in broad daylight.

“Bat squadron, infiltrate the forest from all four directions. But do it slowly.”

“Roger~!”

Dick took off to relay my orders. My bat familiars could see with light during the day and with echolocation at night. Even in a pitch-black forest like this, they could clearly detect the movements of people or monsters.

A short while later, Dick returned.

“Master~. There are people at the carriage~! They’re collapsed~!”

“Is it Dorothea?”

“There are three of them, so I doubt it~. They look like they can’t move, near the carriage~.”

“Got it. I’m going in.”

I activated my ‘Flight’ skill, entering the forest from the air and letting Dick guide me to the carriage. Just as he’d said, there were three people collapsed among the trees—one man and two women, all wearing Magic Guild robes.

“Relay this to the squadron: Do not enter the forest. Stand by at the perimeter. Dorothea may already be in a combat-ready state. Regroup with me later. After I enhance you, we’ll enter the forest again.”

“Roger~!”

Dick flew off again. I moved toward the fallen mages, pulling a cloth over my face just in case.

“Are you alright? You’re from the Magic Guild, right?”

“…Ugh… ahh…” One of the women looked up at me.

“Y-You are…”

“I came after receiving a report. You’re from the Guild, same as me, correct?” I wasn’t lying. I did get a report from Dick, and I am a member of the Guild.

“…Dorothea Samuels… is… here. She… is dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“She… was trying to get the ‘specter’… to put inside… an Ancient Artifact…”

With that, the woman lost consciousness. She wasn’t dead, but her pulse was weak. It felt as if her life force had been drained.

“I’ll get them out of the forest. Activate: Boosted Enhancement: Double.”

I carried the mages out of the woods, gathered the bat squadron, and assigned two to stand guard. On the wings of the remaining ten, I drew sigils for Boosted Enhancement and a few attack spells. Preparations complete.

“Don’t push your luck. If you think it’s an enemy you can’t beat, get out of the forest immediately. Got it?”

“““Roger~!”””

With Dick and the others in tow, I entered the forest once more.

The Guild’s senior mages must have been searching for Dorothea in teams. They probably got a tip, came here to capture her, and were attacked and incapacitated. …Was Dorothea still in the forest? If so, why hadn’t she fled?

“…Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

I flew through the air, pushing deeper into the woods. The bats reported no abnormalities. Their stamina wasn’t draining, and no stray magic was hitting their Anti-Magic Shells.

I drew the staff from my belt. It was a new one Rhodelia had remade for me, since the last one broke in the magic duel with Alex. She had rushed to get this one prepared.

“Deploy: Anti-Magic Shell. Go.”

The staff shot off into the depths of the forest, flying high and reflecting the moonlight that pierced the canopy. Using its light as a beacon, the bat squadron and I followed. We advanced for twenty minutes without incident. I was just thinking I’d turn back after ten more minutes when—

Fwon.

“Master!”

“I see it! Everyone, dive!”

An instant later, a gray beam of light shot through the space we had just occupied. My staff, flying ahead, was enveloped by it. Its Anti-Magic Shell automatically deployed, blocking the light for a split second before the staff clattered to the ground.

“—What was that light?”

I picked it up. The sigil I’d drawn was gone. What’s more, it was completely drained of mana. Was the mana sucked out…? No, that’s not right. Considering the condition of those mages, it seems it drained life force itself.

“…Like a vampire beam.”

That’s why those mages were collapsed.

“…This is bad. I’ve never seen magic like that.”

“What’s the plan, Master~?”

“For now, you and the others stay back. And…” I relayed my new plan to Dick. Honestly, I could just go home. I could spin a story: I went out for a walk, heard a scream, and stumbled into the ‘Black Forest.’ I found some collapsed people and helped them. They said they saw Dorothea! That would probably work. The senior mages would come, but it would be a pain if she escaped in the meantime. And besides…

“…I really hate the idea of someone this dangerous existing in the same world as Iris and Martha.”

“Come out, intruder.”

A voice called from the darkness. A woman’s voice.

“You dog of the Magic Guild. This is a good opportunity. You can be a test subject for the ‘Ancient Artifact’ I have inherited.”

“Stop lying.”

“…Lying?”

“‘Ancient Artifacts’ are supposed to be useless,” I said. “I’ve heard about it. They were all sealed, which is why the ‘War of the Eight Kings’ turned into such a quagmire. What good is a piece of junk like that?”

“…Ah, yes. That’s right.” The woman seemed to laugh in the darkness.

“Because of the Traitor Sage, the ‘Ancient Artifacts’ were sealed. But not all of them. The strongest of them all… its seal was incomplete. And that… is this.”

Fweeeen.

I heard something moving.

Fweeen. Fweeen. Clank. Clank.

What emerged from the shadows was a woman accompanied by some thing. How could I even describe it? Armor? No… I’d never seen armor like that. It was twice the height of a full-grown man, and easily twice as wide. Its entire body was made of some metallic substance, but it was shaped like a person. Two additional arms sprouted from its back, glowing a dull gray and writhing. The color was identical to the ‘vampire beam’ I’d seen earlier.

It looked like someone was inside the armor, but I could only see part of their face. They were completely limp, not moving a muscle. I couldn’t even tell if they were alive or dead.

“This is the strongest ‘Ancient Artifact’—the Lord of Phantoms,” the woman declared.

“We, the survivors of the Sanctuary Church, have passed this down for generations. By adding the spirit of a priest to this, we will create the ultimate, eternally-moving weapon—”

“Activate: Ifrit Blow.”

ZUDODODODODODO!!

I aimed for its arm, but the fireballs I unleashed simply hit the ‘Ancient Artifact Armor’—the Lord of Phantoms—and vanished. They weren’t even deflected. They just disappeared, as if they’d been absorbed.

“It’s useless.”

“Interesting. Is its surface coated with some kind of mana-draining mechanism? Is that why ‘Ancient Magic’ has no effect, and why those senior mages were taken out so easily?”

“…Who are you?”

“Likewise, who are you?”

“I am Dorothea.”

The woman stepped out from behind the Lord of Phantoms. She had long green hair and wore a black robe. Her eyes were sharp and narrow, her lips curved in a faint sneer. …I knew people just like her in my past life. She looked exactly like the Holy Knights who had shown up behind a weeping Lyle.

“So you’re Dorothea Samuels.”

So this was one of the Church’s remnants. One of the people who had thrown the world into chaos—no, one of the people who had made my child, Lyle, cry, and who had caused Alice’s Rinkalation.

“You’re a real piece of work.”

“…Troublesome?”

“It’s been nearly 200 years since that war, and you’re still going on about the Sanctuary Church. Of course it’s troublesome. Stop getting your kicks by waving a dangerous weapon around near my kid! It’s annoying, so go do it somewhere else. Or better yet, just disappear.”

“Hah! The dull-witted mages of this era could never understand the intent of the Sanctuary Church!” Dorothea laughed, tilting her head back. “Our lofty plan is—”

“That Lord of Phantoms runs on the mana of the person inside it,” I cut in. “You planned to use the specter as its new body. That’s why you tricked Gael Wolfgang into summoning it. You were going to use him as the spirit’s host and stick him inside that armor.”

“—Wha?!” Dorothea recoiled. Bullseye.

“Wh-What are you? How could you know that—”

“I can tell when someone’s unwell just by looking.” The person visible through the gap in the armor was limp, their face a deathly pale. I’d seen it countless times in my past life. It was the face of someone weakened, drained of both mana and life force.

“I’m assuming the armor runs on the user’s mana and life force. If so, the person inside eventually dies. No one would willingly use something like that. So, I figure they have to be controlled by magic or drugs.”

“…Who the hell are you!?”

“But finding a new puppet every time would be a hassle. A person possessed by a specter, however, is a different story. The spirit wouldn’t care if the host body dies; it could just find a new one. By doing that, you could operate that ‘Ancient Artifact’ indefinitely—”

“Kill him! Lord of Phantoms!”

“Activate magic! Bat squadron!”

The instant the Lord of Phantoms moved, my bats unleashed their spells.

“Here we go~! Force of Earth!!”

ZRUM!

The ground trembled. In response to the bats’ cries, countless rock spears erupted from the earth. I had drawn the sigil for Force of Earth on the wings of every bat in the squadron—the same spell Odette had used. It wouldn’t do anything to the Lord of Phantoms, but it would be effective against Dorothea. Plus, casting it all at once would shake the ground, which should be enough to stall them.

“A mere distraction!”

FWOOOSH!

The Lord of Phantoms swung its arm, and the innumerable rock spears were obliterated. But it had bought me time. I used the opening to hide behind a tree.

“It’s pointless to buy time, mage boy.”

CRACK! The Lord of Phantoms swung its arm, and the tree I was behind splintered and flew apart. I rolled away, moving deeper into the woods.

“Give up. This Lord of Phantoms is the natural enemy of mages. Swords are ineffective, spears cannot pierce it. It is an invincible knight.”

She was right. It was my natural enemy. A mystery beam that drains life force, plus an anti-magic coating. Even if I doused it in my ‘Mistel Blood’ and tried to Hack it, it would probably be repelled. To get a hack to stick, I’d need to damage the surface first and pour my blood directly into the wound.

…No choice. I’ll just have to summon a weapon that can do the job.

I cut my finger, letting my ‘Mistel Blood’ drip onto the ground.

“With my blood as the catalyst, I summon my vassal!”

I drew the summoning sigil on both hands. But I wasn’t calling Iris. I had other vassals. If I could summon Iris, who had drunk my blood, then I could definitely summon it. The one that had been steeped in my ‘Mistel Blood’ for two hundred years. The one that had absorbed my mana so thoroughly that it, too, called me ‘My Lord.’

“Answer my summons and come to my side! My vassal, the Holy Sword Rinkal!”

“—What?!”

Dorothea and the Lord of Phantoms started to move, but they were too slow. I had already drawn the silver Holy Sword.

Using Boosted Enhancement: Double, I dove into its range and unleashed a single slash. The blade of the Holy Sword Rinkal bit deep into the Lord of Phantoms’ arm, tearing through the armor. I saw the arm of the person inside and diverted the blade just enough to avoid it, continuing to rip the armor plate vertically.

And then—

“—GUUUUOOOOOOH?!”

The Lord of Phantoms’ arm was severed, crashing to the ground.

So, it’s an ‘Ancient Artifact,’ which means normal magic and swords are useless. But it seems the blade of an equivalent ‘Ancient Artifact’ can get through. Good to know.

“What are you?! How?! How can you cut the Lord of Phantoms? How?!”

“Who knows? Probably just old age.”

I used the Holy Sword to lop off the two extra arms on its back as well. Now it couldn’t fire that ‘vampire beam’ anymore.

Fweeeeeen…

Having lost its three arms, the Lord of Phantoms fell to its knees with a thud and went still. It had been running on fumes, forcibly controlled by a drugged pilot. With its armor breached and arms severed, it seemed to have shut down completely. I felt I might have overdone it, but our mission was just to find Dorothea. No one said I had to bring back the Lord of Phantoms undamaged. So, no problem.

“Now then, it’s time for you to talk, Dorothea Samuels.”

I leveled the Holy Sword at her. “Tell me about this ‘Traitor Sage’ you mentioned. I have a feeling I know who you’re talking about. So, you’re going to tell me everything.”

Chapter 7 – The Former Demon King Encounters the Strongest Ancient Artifact

“It seems the orientation has been postponed.”

Odette informed me when she visited my lodging a few days after I had met with Iris.

“Until the culprit behind the ‘Specter Summoning Incident’ is captured, or until the interior’s safety can be confirmed, Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization, is now off-limits.”

“Can’t be helped, considering the safety risks.”

“The mastermind of the incident is Dorothea Samuels. A rogue mage.”

“A user of ‘Ancient Magic’ that the Guild doesn’t even know about?”

“That is troublesome. Indeed.”

“Yep.”

It was no wonder the Magic Guild was on high alert. Dorothea’s objective was unknown, but it was certain she was a worshiper of the Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple.

…Good grief. I never thought the Sanctuary Church would be chasing me even after I reincarnated. If it weren’t for them, I never would have made Lyle cry. Alice would never have had to go through all that pain to be reincarnated. I was so relieved they were long gone, but now there are remnants? Reviving even after being destroyed… they’re no better than undead. And that’s rich, coming from the people who called me a monster over and over in my past life.

“They’re such a damned nuisance, the Sanctuary Church.”

“Completely,” Odette agreed. “I need to become a C-rank mage as soon as possible, but with Elysium sealed…”

“You want to be a C-rank mage?”

“Y-Yes. I have my reasons. I want to enter the dungeon—Elysium—and achieve results quickly.”

“Results, huh. But no one can get into Elysium right now.”

“That’s true.”

“Speaking of results, didn’t they say you’d get a noble title for capturing this Dorothea person?”

“That is a job for high-ranking mages. It has nothing to do with us.”

“But if she’s one of the Church’s survivors, she might have information no one else does…”

“…That is conceivable.”

““For example…””

Yuuki and Odette met each other’s gaze.

“Like the whereabouts of a villager from a certain village who infiltrated the Sanctuary Church?”

“Or information on ‘Ancient Magic’ and ‘Ancient Artifacts’ that no one else knows?”

Their voices overlapped.

“…Yuuki. What are you thinking?”

“Nothing?”

“I will say this again: the search for Dorothea is being handled by the Guild’s high-ranking mages. There is no place for trainees like us.”

“I know, I know.”

“In particular, the four-person team known as the ‘Quartet,’ which includes the B-rank mage Cain-sama, is said to be the Guild’s best. They will be making a move this time, so it will likely be resolved quickly.”

“Do they have any idea where she is?”

“No.”

Odette spread a piece of parchment on the table. One sheet was a sketch of Dorothea Samuels. The other was a map of the area around the capital, a simple one showing the roads, forests, and mountains.

“Odette… you even got a sketch.”

“I merely acquired this by chance. It is not as if I am thinking of capturing her, you understand.”

“Right. Got it.”

Odette was too earnest. She’d never openly say, “Let’s pull a fast one on the high-ranking mages.” But I wanted to catch Dorothea myself if possible. If she was one of the Church’s remnants, I had a mountain of questions to ask and complaints to lodge.

“The high-ranking mages are investigating the area around the capital, right?” I pointed at the map.

“Yes. They are currently visiting the villages near the capital, conducting interviews and searching for any sign of her. After that, they plan to sweep the outskirts of the forest.”

“And we trainees are supposed to be subjugating monsters in the area under an instructor’s guidance, right?”

“Yes. To make it easier for the senior mages to conduct their investigation.” Odette pointed to a road near the capital. “The location is around here. Will you be participating, Yuuki?”

“I’m scheduled to accompany Iris as her ‘Guardian Knight.’”

“So Princess Iris will be working as a Guild trainee this time as well.”

“Yeah, though our job is just to clear the path for the senior mages.”

The senior mages needed to conserve their strength to capture Dorothea, so they were having the trainees handle the monsters on the roads and around the villages. The Guild mages really were “wise” in more ways than one.

“Yuuki. Choose your words carefully.”

I realized Odette was glaring at me, even though her lips were smiling.

“I’m not complaining. And of course, I’m planning to participate.”

In fact, I thought it would be a good experience. I was fundamentally immortal, so in 10 or 20 years, I wouldn’t be able to live in the human world anymore. Until then, I figured I should rack up as much “human experience” as possible.

“It’s a good opportunity to gain some experience, after all.”

“As expected of you. I must learn from that drive to improve,” Odette said, puffing her chest out. “Now that we cannot enter Elysium, we must raise our experience however we can.”

“My main job is protecting Iris, so I’ll be in a support role for you when it comes to monster hunting, Odette.”

“That would be a great help.”

Odette and I continued to plan our strategy for the subjugation.

And so, we were to receive our first official job from the Magic Guild. While the senior mages hunted for the mastermind of the ‘Specter Summoning Incident,’ Iris, Odette, and I would be hunting monsters on the road under an instructor’s supervision.

A few days later, we departed for the monster subjugation near the capital as planned. The party consisted of me, Iris, Odette, and our instructor, the C-rank mage Demeter.

We all wore robes over our Magic Guild uniforms. Since there were no regulations on robes, I wore the custom-made one I’d used in the magic duel against Alex. I’d grown fond of it; it was durable and easy to move in. Demeter wore a similar outfit, the only difference being the C-rank insignia on her collar.

“I have no concerns with you, Your Highness, Lord Yuuki, and Lady Odette,” Demeter said, shaking her green hair with a satisfied nod. “Our objective is to patrol the road. I will handle any powerful monsters, so please be careful not to overexert yourselves.”

“““Yes, ma’am!”””

We three replied in unison. We wouldn’t overexert ourselves. Or rather, there was no need to. I had already finished all my real preparations yesterday.

“Master~. A report from a comrade~. There’s a pack of Large Rabbits to the west~.”

“Thanks, Dick. And the others?”

“Heading to their designated search points~.”

Dick replied from his perch on my shoulder. Before we’d set out, I had given a large dose of my ‘Mistel Blood’ to a contingent of bats. There were twelve in all, including Dick, Niil, and Gail. I had them split up to investigate all the suspicious locations.

“Demeter-sensei.”

“Yes, Yuuki Grossalia?”

“The senior mages are currently conducting interviews in the surrounding villages, correct?” I asked, spreading my map. “I’ve heard that the most likely places for a criminal to hide are the rocky mountains near the capital, the caves, and the ‘Black Forest.’ Are they not searching those areas?”

This was information I’d gotten from Odette yesterday when I asked about potential hideouts.

“Those areas are scheduled to be searched last. You need not worry,” Demeter replied.

“So, just to confirm, none of the senior mages are in those locations right now?”

“That is correct. The ‘Black Forest,’ in particular, is dark even in broad daylight. It requires thorough preparation. It is too dangerous to enter without confirmation that Dorothea Samuels is actually there.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

I backed down obediently. I had the information I needed. This was the one thing I had to get from Demeter herself.

I was planning to use the Bat Network to find Dorothea, but I needed to confirm the senior mages’ locations first. I didn’t want to send Dick and the others into an area where mages, already on edge about the Sanctuary Church, were operating. It would be a huge pain if they got caught. I really didn’t want to be suspected of being ‘Dorothea’s accomplice’ or ‘making contact.’

Since the senior mages weren’t there, I could safely send in the bats. I’d have them check the rocky mountains, the caves, and the ‘Black Forest.’

“…If I find a lead, I’m splitting off,” I whispered to Iris. “If that happens, I need you to distract Demeter-sensei.”

“…Can’t I go with you?”

“…It’ll cause a huge panic if a princess suddenly vanishes.”

“…Ugh.”

Iris, her face hidden by her hood, looked at me with worry. “But I can be useful to you, my Lord. Please summon me if you’re in trouble.”

“I’ll send the signal to Niil if it comes to that.”

“Promise me.”

A short time later—

“There! Monsters! To the west! Large Rabbits!”

“““Acknowledged!”””

At Demeter’s signal, we entered combat.

In the end, only small-fry monsters appeared on the road. We spent the first night in a nearby village and spent the second day hunting monsters along the road again. After defeating a few, we returned to the village as evening approached. Dick and the others returned right after that.

“—Master~. Report from the Bat Network~! It’s the ‘Black Forest’~!”

“What’d you find?”

“At the entrance to the forest, hidden between the trees—there was a small carriage parked~! And on the ground, there was a robe! It had a ‘Crouching Wolf’ crest on it~!”

“A crouching wolf?”

I glanced at Demeter-sensei, who was busy talking with the villagers, likely gathering more information.

“Iris, Odette, listen up. A ‘Crouching Wolf’ crest—that’s…”

“…The House of Wolfgang,” Iris said, understanding immediately.

“…What about it?” Odette asked, looking at me curiously.

I explained what the bats had found.

“Dorothea Samuels was an acquaintance of the Wolfgang family. It wouldn’t be strange for her to have received a carriage or a robe from them.”

“…That is certainly true.”

Or, she stole it. Either way, there was a good chance she was there.

“The ‘Black Forest’ is close to here,” Odette noted. “About two hours on foot, or less than an hour by horse.”

“Right. I’ll head over once it gets dark.”

Odette looked at me, exasperated. “Yuuki. You don’t seriously intend to capture her by yourself, do you?”

“I’m just going to gather information.”

“If anything happens, you will call for me, my Lord,” Iris insisted.

“I don’t plan on fighting if I don’t have to. Besides, I have an ace up my sleeve.” I nodded to them both. I would make my move at night. Time to see with my own eyes what this sympathizer of the Sanctuary Church was plotting.

Chapter 6 – Interlude: The Magic Guild’s Council of Sages

An emergency meeting was underway in the grand conference hall of the Magic Guild Headquarters. In attendance were the A-rank and B-rank mages who held the title of “Sage.” The C-rank mage Demeter was also present, acting as an observer.

The council had been in session for several days, yet no conclusion had been reached. They could only sigh as they reviewed the compiled reports.

There were 3 items on the agenda:

• How to respond to the emergence of Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple worshipers.
• Sharing information regarding the existence of a spell capable of summoning a priest of the Sanctuary Church as a specter.
• The future handling of Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.

A single misstep would determine the very future of the Magic Guild. It was for this very reason that they could not come to a simple decision.

“…How could this have happened?” One of the mages groaned.

“Why now, of all times, would a specter from the Sanctuary Church appear? Who devised such a summoning spell? And how did they acquire the catalyst for it!?”

The Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple was a magical organization that had once dragged the world into a bloody, protracted war. Even as a specter, if one of its priests were to return, there was no telling what might happen. In the worst-case scenario, forms of ‘Ancient Magic’ unknown to the Guild could fall into enemy hands.

And worse, the summoning had been performed within Elysium itself. For the Magic Guild, which had been founded for the very purpose of managing that site, it was an unforgivable failure.

“You were present at the time, were you not, Demeter?”

“Yes, sir!” His name called, Demeter stood up.

“It is just as I reported. The trainee, Gael Wolfgang, was deceived into performing the ‘Ancient Magic’ to summon a specter. As a result, he was possessed by a priest of the Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple. His mind sustained significant damage, and his memories are now in disarray. He claims… to remember nothing of the incantation or the sigil.”

“Are you certain his memories are gone?!”

“We confirmed it with magic. There is no mistake.”

“…Unbelievable.” The mage who had questioned Demeter buried his face in his hands.

“And just when the trainee orientation is scheduled to begin…”

“Shouldn’t we postpone it?”

“For safety’s sake, yes. But for how long…?”

The mages fell into a heavy silence. Silence reigned in the conference hall for a long moment, until—

“I propose that we seal off Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.”

At last, an elderly mage raised his hand. His name was Zamel. He was one of the Magic Guild’s top-ranking A-rank mages, an elder who championed the cause of ‘Mage Supremacy.’

“Access to Elysium is granted to any Guild member who follows proper procedure. This was to ensure the dissemination of knowledge and techniques, and to prevent the monopolization of our ancient heritage. However, if worshipers of the Sanctuary Church have truly emerged, that changes things. Furthermore, Elysium is the very place where the members of the Sanctuary Church slaughtered one another. If a specter was summoned there, the summoner’s mind would undoubtedly be usurped. We must act before such a thing can happen!”

“But one cannot summon a priest without both the ‘Ancient Magic’ and the catalyst, correct?”

“But it can be summoned if one has the knowledge and the catalyst, can it not!?”

The other mages fell silent at the thunder in old Zamel’s voice.

“Imagine a specter of the Sanctuary Church obtaining a physical body and wielding ‘Ancient Magic’ known only to them! The potential for disaster is unknowable! To prevent that, Elysium must be sealed!”

“And in doing so, allow the Guild’s high-ranking mages to monopolize our ancient heritage?”

A mocking voice suddenly cut through the tension. It came from a young man seated opposite the elderly Zamel.

“The very purpose of the Magic Guild is to prevent the monopolization of ‘Ancient Magic.’ That is why a noble title is granted to those who discover a new ‘Ancient Artifact’—because to receive that title, one must surrender the artifact to the Royal Family and the Guild for registration. If you close that path, the acquisition of ancient knowledge will cease. Would that not simply create an advantage for… experienced, elderly mages such as yourselves?”

“How arrogant! And from someone who has only just achieved the B-rank!” Old Zamel slammed his hand on the table and roared. “If you believe I will hold my tongue simply because you are royalty, you are sorely mistaken, Second Prince Cain!”

“I am here in my capacity as a B-rank mage. I have no intention of leveraging my royal position,” Prince Cain replied with a shrug. “Besides, I am an involved party. The specter was summoned during the ‘Guardian Knight Selection Trial’ for my own sister, Iris. Is that not correct, Demeter?”

“Y-Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then I, too, bear some responsibility for this situation. Demeter, I ask you again: we have identified the mastermind of this incident, have we not?”

At Prince Cain’s words, Demeter nodded. “According to the testimony from the House of Wolfgang, it was a rogue mage named Dorothea Samuels.”

“Then capturing this person should be our first priority, should it not?”

Prince Cain scanned the room. No one objected. Nodding, satisfied that he now commanded the floor, Cain continued.

“We have distributed sketches of Dorothea to all villages surrounding the capital, yet there have been no reports of her discovery. This suggests she is likely still lurking somewhere near the city.”

“I see…”

“Which brings me to my proposal.” The second prince unfurled a map. “Why don’t we gather volunteers from within the Magic Guild, post a bounty, and hunt for Dorothea Samuels? Think of it as an adventurer’s quest. To the one who captures her, we will grant a reward equivalent to the discovery of an ‘Ancient Artifact’—a noble title.”

A stir went through the conference hall.

“Equivalent to finding an ‘Ancient Artifact’!?”

“The royal family is willing to go that far?!”

“Please, explain your reasoning!”

“It simply means she is that dangerous. I have already secured His Majesty the King’s permission.” Prince Cain said, looking around at the mages. “—So, what says the Magic Guild?”

For a moment, no one spoke. This incident was the Magic Guild’s failure. By all rights, the Guild should be responsible for cleaning up its own mess. But if the royal family was willing to share that burden, it was an ideal outcome. The mages, coming to this realization, slowly began to voice their assent.

“May I ask a question?” Demeter suddenly raised his hand.

“Forgive my impertinence, but I get the sense that Your Highness—that is, Prince Cain—has a… personal interest in this matter.”

“Oh, I am quite interested,” Prince Cain admitted easily. “What the remnants of a fallen organization are plotting… it’s fascinating, don’t you think? I would hate to be left out. Opportunities to participate in such an… event… are rare.”

Prince Cain returned a placid smile. “I also propose that we seal Elysium until Dorothea Samuels is captured—at least until we can confirm she is no longer near the capital.”

“…So the trainee orientation is postponed.”

“Safety must come first. We shall find other work for the trainees, my sister included.”

At the prince’s silver-tongued diplomacy, the mages let out sighs of admiration. Old Zamel, his own proposal completely neutralized, could do nothing but glare.

“…Let us put it to a vote.” The elderly mage declared, and the others nodded.

And so, the Sages of the Magic Guild unanimously agreed to Prince Cain’s proposal.

“The incantations for ‘Ancient Magic’ exist to compress the mana within your body,” Iris explained from my lap, her small head resting against my chest. “Humans can only hold a small amount of mana, so you adjust where you gather it depending on the spell you want to use. For fire magic, you gather it in your stomach; for earth magic, in your lower abdomen. After that, you draw the sigil with your fingertip to activate the spell.”

“What about when people draw two sigils at once?”

“Those are people with excellent mana control. They can gather mana in two different parts of their body to attack and defend simultaneously, or to stagger the timing of their attacks. Also, some higher-tier ‘Ancient Magic’ requires two sigils for activation. Only high-ranking mages can do that, though.”

I see. So Alex Kielce, the man I fought, was a fairly powerful mage.

“However, it is said that the most important factor in ‘Ancient Magic’ is the strength of one’s mana.”

“So the stronger your mana, the higher the success rate and power of the spell.”

“Correct. The incantations are a means to compress and strengthen your mana, after all.”

“Does that mean someone with naturally strong mana doesn’t need incantations or mana manipulation?”

“That would be correct.”

“Like with my ‘Mistel Blood,’ for example?”

Iris nodded. Now I understood why my ‘Ancient Magic’ activated just by drawing a sigil. My ‘Mistel Blood’ was a concentrated mass of powerful mana. That’s why I didn’t need incantations or mana manipulation.

“By the way, my Lord, how many ‘Ancient Magic’ spells can you use?”

“Hold on, let me check.” I called up my status.

Yuuki Nosferatu

Age: 13 | Race: Unknown

VIT: B+ | STR: B+ | AGI: AA | MANA: S+ | DEX: B++

Skills: Flight, Mistel Blood, Presence Concealment, Ice Magic, Follower Creation, Interspecies Communication, Hacking, Purification, Ancient Magic Aptitude.

Acquired Ancient Magic: Boosted Enhancement, Ifrit Blow, Anti-Magic Shell, Force of Earth, Burning Meteor, Familiar Summoning.

My stats had increased slightly thanks to my recent combat experience. My ‘Levitate’ skill had evolved into ‘Flight,’ probably because I’d been flying around so much lately. As for the ‘Ancient Magic’ I’d learned…

“—Looks like I can use six ‘Ancient Magic’ spells right now.”

“You’ve already surpassed a C-rank mage.”

“But it’s all just by imitation. The only ones I can use reliably are Boosted Enhancement and Ifrit Blow.”

“Can I try to see if I can do the same thing as you, my Lord?” Iris picked up the staff that had been resting on her lap. “I was reincarnated with your blood. I might be able to use magic just by drawing a sigil, like you.”

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

“Then…” Iris got off my lap and stood by the door. She pricked her fingertip with a small knife and drew the sigil for Ifrit Blow on the staff’s grip. I stood opposite her and drew the sigil for Anti-Magic Shell on my palm.

“Keep the power to a minimum. And be quiet.”

“Understood. Activate: Ifrit Blow—”

Poof.

A puff of smoke came out of the tip of the staff. That was it.

“How disappointing. It seems my blood doesn’t hold as much power as yours, my Lord.” With a sigh, Iris held out her bleeding fingertip to me. When I didn’t react, she unceremoniously shoved it into my mouth. “I think it will heal faster if you lick it, my Lord.”

“Mgh, mgh (Hey…),” I mumbled.

“Please, my Lord.”

…I guess I have no choice. I used ‘Purification’ on the blood from her wound. Then, I offered Iris my own finger, from which my ‘Mistel Blood’ was seeping.

“You want some?”

“…Eh?”

“If you drink this, you’ll become my familiar—or rather, my vassal. You’ll be able to use ‘Ancient Magic’ just by drawing a sigil with my blood, and your physical abilities will increase. It should raise your chances of survival in a pinch.” The royal palace wasn’t necessarily safe. With Princess Salvia around, I wanted to power Iris up, even if only a little.

“Yes… I accept.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Iris took my finger into her mouth. She sucked the ‘Mistel Blood’ that flowed out before releasing it. I had just confirmed that her blood was similar to my own. By giving her my blood, I could make her my vassal. Just like with Dick and the others, if I drew a sigil on her body, she should be able to activate ‘Ancient Magic.’

“Display Iris Liestia’s status.”

As I spoke, her status appeared before my eyes.

Iris Liestia

Age: 13 | Race: Human

VIT: C+ | STR: D+ | AGI: C+ | MANA: A | DEX: B+

Skills: Quasi-Mistel Blood, High Mana, Ageless, Water Magic.

Acquired Ancient Magic: Boosted Enhancement, Ifrit Blow.

“…‘Quasi-Mistel Blood’ and ‘Ageless.’”

“I have such skills?” Iris looked puzzled. I was viewing her status as my vassal, which meant I could see a deeper level of information. It seemed I could perceive skills that were hidden even from the person themselves. Just in case, I taught Iris how to conceal her status. It would allow her to hide her stats and skills from others.

“Well, at any rate, this confirms that you’re ageless.”

“But not immortal, right?”

“It’s ‘Quasi-Mistel Blood.’ Your lifespan should be much longer, but I don’t know if you’re truly immortal…”

“…I see.”

“Can I try one more experiment, Iris?” I asked. “I want to see if I can use ‘Summoning Magic’ to call you to me, now that you’re my vassal.”

“Summoning magic?”

“When I fought Alex Kielce the other day, I saw him use it and learned it.”

“Come to think of it, he did summon that Flare Garuda.”

“The tutor Kachel also summoned a griffin. The sigil he and Alex drew was the same. Seeing it twice is enough for me to remember the shape. As long as I have a catalyst, I should be able to summon you to my side.” I pulled a silver hair clip from my pocket—the one she had given me when I saved her in the barony. “This belonged to you, right? If I use this as a catalyst for the summoning spell, I should be able to call you to my side, no matter where you are.”

“You’re going to… summon me, my Lord?”

“That way, I can always come to your rescue, right?”

“…As your vassal?”

“I can remove the vassal setting if you don’t like it.”

“Why would I not like it?” Iris squeezed my hand. “For 200 years, I’ve been one of Dean Nosferatu’s people, his family, and his fiancée. Why would I ever refuse to be by your side now?”

“Alright. Then let’s do it.” There was no danger. I had already tested it on Dick the bat yesterday, and a subsequent physical check had cleared him of any issues.

“First, get as far away from me as you can.”

“Okay.”

Iris and I moved to opposite ends of the room, she by the window and I by the door.

“Ready?”

“Ready~!” Iris’s voice came from behind me.

I placed the silver hair clip on the floor in front of me. Then, using my ‘Mistel Blood,’ I drew the sigil for the summoning spell on both my right and left hands.

“Activating summoning magic. Come forth, my vassal, Iris Liestia!”

“—Ngh!”

A magic circle appeared on the floor before me. The hair clip I was using as a catalyst began to glow. Slowly, Iris’s form materialized from within the circle—

Rustle.

Huh? Did I just hear a noise behind me?

“Your servant, Iris, answers the summons—”

“Wait.”

Iris’s bare white back was right in front of me. I turned around to see her dress lying in a heap where she had been standing just moments before.

I see. So anything not clinging tightly to the body isn’t recognized as part of the person. That’s why Iris was summoned in her underwear.

“Summoning magic is a deep and mysterious art.”

“H-Hey! W-W-W-W… My Looooooooord!”

“Sorry. A slight miscalculation.”

“It’s not a ‘slight miscalculation’! Geez… just close your eyes!”

I did as I was told and heard the pitter-patter of Iris’s footsteps. A few minutes later, I was given permission to open my eyes. Iris was now wearing loungewear. Her dress was hanging on the wall; apparently, it was too difficult to put on quickly.

“My Lord!”

“Yes?”

“Your thoughts?”

“Summoning magic only recognizes objects that are in direct, tight contact with the body as part of the person. So, if you were to press your clothes firmly against your body with both hands, I think you’d be summoned with your clothes on.”

“That’s not what I meant! You saw, didn’t you?”

“Your underwear?”

“Yes! Your thoughts?!”

“Well, I saw it plenty of times when I was treating your ‘Death Mark Disease’ in your past life.”

“…You’re a tough one to fluster.”

“But you have matured a bit.”

“Huh?”

“The Iris of today is more developed than the Alice I knew in my past life. To be honest, I never thought I’d get to see a grown-up Alice, so I’m quite moved.”

“…………If that’s how you feel… then it’s fine.” Iris pressed a hand to her chest and sighed. “But next time you use summoning magic, give me a proper heads-up, okay? So I can prepare.”

“Alright. I promise.”

“However, it’s a different story when it’s time to wash your hair, my Lord. You’ll get wet anyway, so it’s fine if I don’t have clothes on. Feel free to call me without hesitation.”

“…And how do I send you back?”

“I’m sure there’s a ‘Return’ spell somewhere, don’t you think?”

“Got it. I’ll look for it while I’m exploring the dungeon.” I patted her head. She narrowed her eyes as if tickled, and with that, our meeting for the day came to an end.

The summoning magic was a success. Now, if the need arose, I could summon Iris at any time. I had secured an escape route for her, just in case.

“My Lord… no, Lord Yuuki.”

Finally, Iris’s expression returned to that of a princess, and she stopped me. “In a few days, there will be an orientation for the Magic Guild. Please be prepared.”

“An orientation? What’s it about?”

“An exploration of the great dungeon, ‘Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.’ Trainees will only be exploring the upper levels, though.”

“Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll be ready.”

With that, I left Iris’s room. She didn’t see me off, since she was no longer in her dress. It would certainly look suspicious if a princess saw off the illegitimate son of a baron in her loungewear.

“—A Magic Guild orientation, huh?”

If it involved exploring Elysium, I might be able to look for ‘Ancient Artifacts’ on the side. I should ask Rhodelia to help me prepare some equipment.

With that thought in mind, I left the western villa.

Chapter 5 – The Former Demon King Visits the Princess’s Chambers

A few days later, a carriage arrived at my lodging to pick me up.

“We have come at the behest of the eighth princess, Her Highness Iris Liestia.”

“Lord Yuuki, a messenger from Princess Iris has arrived.”

“He’s here~,” Martha and Remy announced, coming to fetch me.

Iris had already told me to expect them, so I was ready. My Magic Guild uniform was wrinkle-free, thanks to Martha’s ironing, and both she and Remy had worked together to style my hair. All set.

“Alright, let’s go, Martha.”

“Lord Yuuki?”

“What is it?”

“Why are you taking my hand as if it’s the most natural thing in the world?”

“I thought we’d go together.”

“How did we arrive at that conclusion?”

“Well, you’ve never seen the royal palace, have you, Martha?”

“Of course not. I am but a maid from the countryside.”

“So, I thought I’d show you.”

“Please don’t say such things so casually.”

“Is it a no-go?”

“I believe you would need the princess’s permission for that.”

“And if I get Princess Iris’s permission?”

“…In that case, I suppose I must prepare myself.”

“Alright. It’s a plan, then.”

“Sometimes, Lord Yuuki, you say things that make my heart stop.”

“I just wanted to introduce my partner to the princess.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but perhaps another time.”

“Alright. Another time it is.”

After a quick high-five with Martha, I climbed into the carriage.

The royal carriage passed through the Nobles’ Gate, making its way toward the palace. The only other person with me was the male driver.

“Master~.”

Dick the bat was flying outside the window. With a few quick flaps of his wings, he flew off—the signal for all is clear. Here in the capital, we had established a ‘Bat Network’ with Dick at its center. During the day, my familiars Dick, Niil, and Gail took shifts, and at night, regular bats would join in, creating a system for gathering information from the sky.

So far, no one had made a move against Iris or me. Princess Salvia, too, seemed to have been quiet since the magic duel.

“—We will be arriving at the western villa shortly. Please prepare yourself,” the driver announced as we crossed a bridge.

In the distance, the massive royal palace came into view. Straight ahead was the main palace, where the king and his consorts resided. A right turn led to the eastern villa for the legitimate heirs, and a left turn led to the western villa, where the children of the concubines—including Iris—lived.

I gazed at the main palace from the carriage window. It was hard to see in the bright daylight, but the magical security alarms were set. At night, you could see a net-like structure covering the sky above the palace, but it seemed to be weakened during the day.

…I kind of want to hack it.

Seeing a powerful security system like that just made me want to mess with it. The magical net seemed to originate from somewhere in the palace gardens, which meant the magical tool for the security system was likely located there. I’d have Dick and the others check it out later.

Lost in thought, the carriage entered the grounds of the western villa. After alighting, I was escorted to Princess Iris’s room.

“Welcome, Lord Yuuki!” Iris greeted me with a curtsy, holding the hem of her dress. “Allow me to congratulate you once again on your appointment as my guardian knight. I look forward to working with you.”

“I pledge to protect you with my life, Your Highness.” I knelt before her, took the hand she offered, and touched it to my forehead. This was, apparently, the traditional salute of a knight in this country.

“Mary, Lindy, you may leave us,” Iris announced to her personal maids.

“B-But, Your Highness…”

“To be alone with a gentleman in your chambers…”

“Lord Yuuki is my guardian knight. In times of crisis, he is the shield to whom I will entrust my life. At such a time, do you believe the reasoning that one must not be alone with a gentleman will hold true?”

“Indeed!”

“Your Highness, you’ve thought that far ahead?!”

“In times of peace, one must not forget the possibility of chaos,” Iris said with a smile. “For the sake of an emergency, I must become accustomed to being alone with Lord Yuuki. As my clever Mary and Lindy, surely you understand?”

“Y-Yes.”

“We understand!”

“Then please wait outside the door. I will call if I need anything.”

““As you wish.””

The young maids bowed to Iris and me before exiting the room. After watching them leave and confirming they weren’t coming back, Iris’s demeanor completely changed.

“…My Lord is here! Yay! My Lord is in Iris’s room! Ehehe.”

“Don’t change your character so suddenly, Iris.”

“Call me Alice when we’re alone.”

“You know…”

“I know, I know.” Iris plopped down primly on a chair in the room. “Right now, I’m Iris Liestia. I’ll act like a proper princess when other people are around. But when it’s just me and my Lord, can’t I go back to being Alice Carmine?”

“Well, I suppose.”

“Then, here.” Iris stood up and patted the chair she had just vacated. “Here. Please.”

“Alright.” I sat down in the chair. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Iris then sat on my lap.

“Hey now. You’re 13 years old.”

“Too bad! I only regained Alice’s memories about ten days ago, so I’m technically only ten days old.”

“…Fine, whatever. So, did the package I sent to commemorate you getting your memories back arrive?”

“Yep. It’s here.” Iris pulled a silver staff from her desk drawer. It was the same model as the one I had used against Alex Kielce, only a little shorter. I had asked Niil the bat to deliver it.

“I’ll have to thank Rhodelia-san from the Grail Trading Company. She made it to match yours.” Alice looked up at me over her shoulder and grinned, showing her teeth. “Does this mean I can use it the same way you do, my Lord?”

“That depends on your research. To be honest, I don’t even know how ‘Ancient Magic’ is activated myself.”

“You don’t?”

“My older brother used to draw something that looked like a sigil in the air, so I just copied him by drawing one on my hand with my ‘Mistel Blood,’ and the magic just… worked.”

“…My Lord, you really are amazing.”

“That’s fine for actual combat, but now that I’m in the Magic Guild, I want to get the fundamentals down. That’s part of the reason I came here today—to have you teach me.”

“Okay. Then pet my head.”

“Alright, alright.” I touched Iris’s silver hair. Just as I had 200 years ago, I began to comb through it with my fingers, just the way Alice liked.

“Your hair smells like soap, my Lord.”

“I washed it this morning.”

“You washed your hair?! You, who only washed it about once every two weeks because your metabolism is slower than a human’s? Does that mean you’re finally okay with getting soap in your eyes?”

“I have a maid do it for me.”

“You must introduce me.”

“I tried to bring her, but she refused.”

“Please bring her next time.”

“Is it that important?”

“It is. I must learn from her the secret to making you wash your hair, and I shall call her Master.”

Come to think of it, Martha had said, “I will go if I have the princess’s permission.” Maybe it was okay, then.

“Alright. I’ll bring her next time.”

“You promise.”

“More importantly, tell me about ‘Ancient Magic.’”

“Very well.” Iris hopped off my lap and gave an elegant bow. “I, Iris Liestia, shall teach you everything I know.”

“Right. I already know that ‘Ancient Magic’ relies on mana manipulation, that the incantations are just to assist with that, and that the sigils are the key to activation. So, anything other than that.”

“That leaves almost nothing to talk about!” Iris laughed, a troubled look on her face. “Honestly, my Lord, you’re extraordinary, even in this new life.”

“I’ve just been alive for a long time.”

“Well then, allow me, Iris Liestia, with my 13 years of knowledge, to tell you what I know about ‘Ancient Magic.’”

With that, Iris settled back onto my lap and slowly began her explanation.

Alex Kielce and I faced each other from a distance. We were in a magic proving ground owned by the Magic Guild, a Colosseum prepared for our magic duel. The entire floor of the arena was covered in packed earth. A short distance away stood two referees, ready to intervene the moment things got dangerous. This wasn’t a fight to the death; it was a magic exchange with safety measures in place.

Both Alex and I were wearing ‘floral headbands.’ They looked like simple headbands with flowers attached, but they were apparently replicas of an ‘Ancient Artifact.’ If an attack was about to hit the wearer, they would automatically deploy a powerful shield. However, they could only do this three times. With each use, one of the decorative flowers would fall away. Once all three were gone, you lost. You also lost if your opponent managed to snatch the headband from your head.

Apparently, the floral headband represented the princess the guardian knight was sworn to protect. The goal was to defeat your opponent while protecting your princess. It seemed knights had been conducting mock battles like this for ages. I didn’t remember anything like it from my time, but… well, maybe that was just because I was a country bumpkin.

There were also rules about which spells were permitted. Attempting to use magic so powerful that even the shields couldn’t block it would result in an immediate disqualification by the referees. Contact with anyone outside the arena during the match was also forbidden. I’d been hoping to strategize with Iris and Odette as I fought, but I guess that was not an option.

“Heh. You seem tense,” Alex Kielce said with a smirk.

Of course I am. This guy was a C-rank mage, a rank far above my own. The Magic Guild started trainees at the bottom, then ranked them up from E-rank to D-rank, and so on. Demeter, the proctor from our selection trial, was a C-rank, a being who seemed to exist in the clouds from a trainee’s perspective.

So, what’s the plan?

“Before we begin, allow me to give you a warning,” Alex said, his eyes fixed on me. “I have been tasked by Her Highness Princess Salvia to demonstrate the overwhelming difference in our abilities.”

“I see.”

“Therefore, I must achieve a perfect victory. I suggest you prepare yourself for a few injuries.”

So that’s how it is. I had entered this magic duel to find out just how much of an enemy Princess Salvia was to Iris. I had hoped she would be satisfied with a C-rank mage scoring an easy, predictable victory, but it seemed I was wrong. What does she have against my Alice? Why?

“Besides,” Alex’s jaw tightened, “you caused my younger brother quite a bit of trouble.”

Click. I heard his teeth grind together. “If it weren’t for you, my brother would never have committed such a foolish act, and the House of Kielce would not have been shamed!”

“You’re talking about the ‘Guardian Knight Selection Trial,’ I assume.”

“I am.”

“If it’s about that, Jilvan Kielce admitted his wrongdoing and apologized to us.” All he had done was try to block our path with some undead. He’d already been punished for it. Neither Odette nor I held any grudge against him.

“You don’t understand. The fact that my brother lost to you, the fact that a marquis house was forced to admit fault to a mere barony—that is the shame that the House of Kielce now bears.” With that, Alex pointed the tip of his staff at me. “Her Highness Princess Salvia has granted me the opportunity to wipe that shame away.”

“And defeating me will do that?”

“Right now, we are not a C-rank mage and a trainee. We are guardian knights of equal standing. If I defeat you in a battle between equals, it will prove that I am superior.”

“And you became a guardian knight just for that?”

“The House of Kielce cannot allow itself to be looked down upon by the illegitimate son of a barony.”

“I don’t intend to look down on anyone, though.”

“That is irrelevant.”

“It is?”

“Your very existence as Princess Iris’s guardian knight, your living a normal life here in the capital, serves as a constant reminder of my family’s shame. That is why I must crush you. I must demonstrate the overwhelming gap in our power and remind everyone of the difference in our status.”

“Is that how it works?”

Okay. I now understood that high-ranking nobles were incredibly tedious. And Iris had lived in this environment for 13 years? It must have been awful. Maybe I really should get her out of noble society as soon as possible. But only after she had no regrets left. As the guardian deity of Fira Village, it was my duty to ensure that she could live her life without any lingering attachments.

“Well then, senpai,” I said.

“Hm?”

“I’ll be coming at you with everything I’ve got.”

“Hah. By all means.” C-rank mage Alex Kielce’s lips twisted into a grin. “I’ll grant you the first strike. Show me what you’re made of!”

The moment he spoke, a whistle blew. It was the signal to begin.

I activated the ‘Ancient Magic’ I had already drawn on both my hands.

“Here goes. Activate: Ifrit Blow!”

“Hmph. I know that spell!” Alex scoffed. “A low-level ‘Ancient Magic’? A C-rank mage’s barrier can easily—wh-wh-wh-whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!”

A massive fireball shot from my left hand, raining down on Alex. A direct hit should have been enough to use up all three of his headband’s shields, but—

“A-A-Anti… Anti-Magic Shell—!!”

Just before the headband’s shield could activate, Alex deployed his own magic barrier. The fireball slammed into it—and wow, it was shaking. His barrier was wavering violently. But it didn’t break. As expected of a C-rank mage. Alex was pushed back to the edge of the arena by the impact, but he managed to block the attack completely. Impressive. I had altered the way I poured my mana into the spell, so my Ifrit Blow should have been significantly more powerful than normal. I’d picked up a few tricks for infusing mana into ‘Ancient Magic’ while teaching Odette, but I guess it wasn’t quite enough.

“…Hah… hah… hah…”

“Alex Kielce-senpai.”

“What?!”

“Mind if I send another one your way?”

“…Don’t mock me,” Alex spat. So he wasn’t going to let me get a second shot in. “Know your place, you mongrel from a barony! Do not underestimate a C-rank mage!”

Alex swung his staff. His fingers and the tip of the staff began to trace two different sigils at once. I see. So that’s another way to use a staff. By drawing sigils simultaneously with both hand and staff, you could cast ‘Ancient Magic’ much faster. I supposed that’s the kind of thing they taught you once you joined the Magic Guild.

“Still, I have no desire to serve under someone who looks down on others…”

“Activate! Burning Meteor!!”

Alex unleashed his ‘Ancient Magic.’ Two flaming orbs, each the size of a carriage, appeared on either side of him.

“If you wish to surrender, throw down your floral headband. That will end this match,” Alex declared, glaring at me. “This ‘Ancient Magic’ is powerful enough to trigger your headband’s shield even with a near miss. If you try to block it with your own barrier, you will lose!”

“I see.”

I gripped the staff in my right hand. With my free left hand, I drew the second staff that was tucked into my belt.

“In that case, before you do that, allow me to test out my own staff.”

The weight—just right. The balance—no problem. When I swung it, I heard a faint slosh from within. It seemed the Grail Trading Company had followed my instructions perfectly.

“And for the record, I have no intention of giving up. I can’t very well tarnish the name of Her Highness Princess Iris.”

“Then this is where it ends for you! Referees, prepare your healing magic!” Alex swung both his arms. The massive fireballs rocketed toward me from both sides. “Strip away Yuuki Grossalia’s shields! Burning Meteor!”

“Defend me, my staff!”

I hurled the staff in my hands toward the incoming fireballs. “Activate: Anti-Magic Shell!”

Vwoom.

A translucent barrier materialized around the two staff I had thrown.

“—Impossible! A remotely operated magic barrier?!” Alex screamed. His fireballs collided with my staff.

“…Hey. What was that? The staff’s barriers are holding back the fireballs.”

“…Isn’t Burning Meteor a mid-tier ‘Ancient Magic’?”

“…What the hell?! How can a trainee do something like that?!”

Someone shouted from the stands. I remotely controlled the staff, maintaining the magic barriers. They trembled but held firm against Alex’s Burning Meteor. The barriers absorbed the full force of his attack, completely neutralizing it.

“Return, my staff.”

Fwoosh.

The staff that had been hovering in front of me spun through the air and returned to my hands. Good. The experiment was a success.

“Wh-What are those staff?! Are they replicas of an ‘Ancient Artifact’?!”

“They’re just staff. They were checked by the referees before the match.”

The referees in the arena nodded in confirmation. I hadn’t broken any rules. These were simple metal staff, hollowed out and filled with my ‘Mistel Blood.’

They had two special features. First, the grips were designed so I could draw sigils on them with my own blood. There were surfaces on both the front and back, allowing me to inscribe two sigils per staff. For this fight, I had drawn the sigil for Anti-Magic Shell, a spell I’d learned by watching Odette.

Second, the hollow interior was designed to hold my ‘Mistel Blood.’ The Mistel Blood was like an extension of my own body. By filling the staff with my blood, they had essentially become a part of me. Just as I could fly, my staff—as a part of me—had gained a limited ability of flight as well.

“…Hey. What just happened?” a voice came from the stands.

“…Did those staff just fly and cast a barrier?”

“…Incredible. Have you ever seen magic like that?”

“…I don’t know. But it’s clearly powerful magic.”

The murmuring grew louder. It was about time for them to make their entrance.

“That is the mid-tier ‘Ancient Magic,’ Animate Object!!”

“Is that what it is, Odette?!”

Odette and Iris’s shouts echoed across the arena. Perfect timing.

“Yes, Your Highness. Animate Object is an ‘Ancient Magic’ that allows the user to channel mana into an object, using it as an extension of their own limbs. That is why he can activate a barrier remotely!”

“So such an ‘Ancient Magic’ exists!”

“Indeed! There is nothing strange about it at all!”

“Come to think of it, I recall reading a passage about mages from the east using such ‘Ancient Magic.’ There was a similar record among the books in the Magic Guild’s archives! Yes, I’m certain of it!”

Iris picked up where Odette’s explanation left off. Thanks for the backup, you two.

“You know, I think I remember a spell like that.”

“I’ve seen a C-rank mage move his staff around like it was a part of his body.”

“Does that mean he’s on equal footing with Alex?”

The crowd began to settle down. It seemed they had managed to fool them. The ‘Ancient Magic’ I used was heavily modified with my own personal style, making it look strange. That’s why I had Odette check my techniques beforehand and researched ways to fight that would look more like a normal mage. The plan was for Iris and Odette to provide cover like this if anything seemed off. Everything was going according to plan.

“I can handle two staff. One more should be fine.” I drew the third staff from my belt. With a light toss, it joined the other two, circling around me.

“Damn you! What are those staff?!” Alex roared, unleashing a barrage of fire spells. From the right, from the left, a feint from the front.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

My staff zipped through the air, deflecting the volley of fireballs. Good. I was getting the hang of controlling them.

“What are you?! Why can’t my magic reach you?! I was finally given a chance to defeat you!”

“I am a guardian knight, sworn to protect my princess.” I redrew the sigils on my hands, switching from Ifrit Blow to Boosted Enhancement. “I will do whatever it takes to improve her living conditions. Activate! Boosted Enhancement: Double!!”

I kicked off the ground and sprinted toward Alex, my eyes fixed on his floral headband. Right now, I was Iris’s knight. For the sake of her honor, I would take that headband and win this cleanly.

“—Activate ‘Ancient Magic’—Fire Spirit Summon—Flock to me, my servants!!”

Alex cast another spell. A magic circle appeared on the ground, and from it emerged lizards wreathed in flame. It was the same summoning spell Brother Zelos had used, but the numbers were different.

GIGIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!

The cries of 20 fire lizards filled the arena as they charged me in unison.

“Return! My staff!!”

Whoosh! The three staff flew toward me, forming a triangle and deploying a triple-layered Anti-Magic Shell.

GIIIGAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

The fire spirits shrieked as they slammed into the barrier. One, two, then five more were sent flying back. They were no match for my Boosted Enhancement: Double speed. Alex himself was slowly backing away, his face pale and trembling as he prepared his next spell. He still has more? This C-rank mage has a deep bag of tricks.

Just then, a sharp whistle blew. Peeeeeeeeeeeeet!

“Stop! Alex Kielce! A spell of that level far exceeds the defensive capabilities of the floral headband! You are not permitted to use it here!” the referee shouted. “This magic duel is a competition of skill and wit, to fight while protecting your princess! To resort to crushing a lower-ranked opponent with brute force—do you still call yourself a C-rank mage?!”

“Stay out of this, referee! I… for the honor of my house, I must defeat him!”

A massive magic circle, just like the one the tutor Kachel had used to summon the griffin, materialized at Alex’s feet. Was he summoning a familiar?

“Go! My familiar, Flare Garuda!!”

KIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

The creature Alex summoned was a bird of flame, far larger than a man. As it appeared, Alex fell to one knee, completely out of mana.

“…It was an accident. Two mages, overly excited by the magic duel, simply took things too far,” Alex panted. “Her Highness Princess Salvia will take care of the rest.”

“Why would you go this far…?” I truly didn’t understand. The match would be over in about three minutes. If Alex had just focused on defense, he could have forced a draw. “If you don’t want to lose, a draw would have been fine. Why push it this far?”

“What would a countryside noble know of the pride of the upper class?! To be acknowledged by Princess Salvia, to finally become a guardian knight… and then to end in a draw with a lesser opponent… I could never allow such a thing!”

In the next moment, the staff I had deployed in front of me were swallowed by the Flare Garuda. The intense heat from the bird began to warp the metal.

“…Rest assured. I won’t kill you,” Alex’s voice came from behind the bird. “I will lose my C-rank mage license. You will sustain considerable injuries. It seems fair, does it not?”

“I refuse. I’m done making her worry.” The staff, their Anti-Magic Shells dispelled, clattered to the ground. They were warped and melted through with holes, completely useless now. The heat from the bird caused my floral headband to flash, its shield automatically deploying. When this shield faded, I had two more before I lost.

“But my own preparations are already complete.” With the staff destroyed, the evidence was gone. Just as Alex couldn’t afford to lose, neither could I. I had no intention of losing this magic duel, nor could I afford to get injured. “I made her cry once, a long, long time ago. I’m not making the same mistake twice.”

The staff had one more hidden function: to act as a syringe, injecting my ‘Mistel Blood’ into a target. That task was already complete. When the staff were pierced, the Flare Garuda had absorbed my ‘Mistel Blood’ into its body.

And with that, it was checkmate.

“—Activate: Hacking!”

Internal magic… analysis begin.

Familiar’s central circuit… infiltration complete.

Seize command authority… success.

Familiar Flare Garuda command override… complete.

My ‘Mistel Blood’ was, quite literally, a mass of pure mana. By using Hacking before the blood could completely evaporate, I could seize control of a familiar. Just like this.

Twitch.

The Flare Garuda froze.

“What’s wrong?! My familiar?! Destroy Yuuki Grossalia! Why aren’t you moving?!”

KIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

The Flare Garuda began to move again.

“Ooh! That’s right! You will destroy Yuuki Grossalia—wh-wh-whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!”

Alex’s face went slack with disbelief. The Flare Garuda he had summoned had ignored its master’s command and shot straight up into the air. After a vertical ascent, the bird flipped over and—

—it crashed into the ground just in front of the spectator seats where the fourth princess, Salvia Liestia, was sitting, and exploded.

Flames erupted, slamming into the transparent barrier that separated the arena from the stands.

“Ah, ah, ahhhhhhhhhhhh?! Your Highness! Your Highness—how?!” Alex screamed in horror. In that instant, I plucked the floral headband from his head.

“……Huh?”

“I’ll be taking this. I believe that’s my win.”

A moment later, the referee’s whistle blew. The match was over.

“—Why, whyyyyyyyy?!”

Wait, was that a voice coming from the headband? Looking closer, I saw a small magical tool hidden on the underside of the band. What was this?

“Alex Kielce, what are you doing?! Don’t you understand that I told you to crush Iris’s guardian knight?! Why did you send your familiar at me?!”

Matching the voice, Princess Salvia was causing a commotion in the western stands. I see. So this device was connected to her. No wonder Alex kept going on about ‘noble pride.’ He had no choice but to act hostile toward me in front of her.

“Destroy him! Attack my sister’s guardian knight! The outcome of the match doesn’t matter! That impertinent—that disgusting sister of mine with her immortal blood—that upstart girl’s companion who joined the Magic Guild before me—the child of a concubine—there’s no way she could be more capable than a legitimate heir!!”

“—Princess Salvia,” I muttered under my breath. “Giving instructions to your guardian knight during a match is against the rules.”

“—Wha?!”

“And so is laying a hand on my princess. My job is to protect her. So—stay away from my family. If you have a complaint, take it up with me. That’s all.”

I simultaneously activated Hacking, flooding the magical tool’s communication circuit with an overflow of mana.

Pop.

The device blew apart. At the same time, I saw Princess Salvia tumble from her chair in the western stands. A princess giving her knight orders during a match was a violation of the rules. They wouldn’t be able to make a public issue of this, so this was a fitting end.

“…What… did you do?”

I realized Alex was staring at me, his face ashen. “My… Flare Garuda… why did it go after Princess Salvia…?”

“That’s what happens when you use an ‘Ancient Magic’ that drains all your mana. Your concentration lapsed, and you lost control, didn’t you?”

“…I… suppose… you’re right. This is my… limit…” Alex sighed, exhausted. “What a disgrace… I’m even more pathetic than my brother. To go this far… and still lose… I can no longer remain… in the Magic Guild…”

With that, Alex Kielce lost consciousness. He had truly pushed his mana to its absolute limit.

I looked up and saw Princess Salvia leaving her seat. She was taking out her anger on her maids as she retreated into the back. She glanced my way one last time—our eyes met—and she flinched, collapsing to the ground. Her maids helped her up, and she departed without another look at me, Iris, or Alex.

“…A trainee beat a C-rank mage?!”

“…No, that was Alex Kielce’s own fault, wasn’t it?! He broke the rules and exhausted his mana.”

“…But it was Yuuki Grossalia who pushed him that far.”

“…Where did Princess Iris find someone so talented…?”

The crowd began to buzz again. The two referees carried the unconscious Alex away. The match was over. It was time for me to go, too. I turned and walked out of the arena through the entrance gate.

“…Lord Yuuki!”

At the end of the corridor stood Iris. Her face was flushed, and she was panting for breath. She must have run here at full speed. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, and because she was holding up the hem of her dress, her legs were exposed all the way to her knees.

“That’s no way for a princess to behave, Your Highness.”

“Lord… Yuuki.”

“As your guardian knight, I have fulfilled my duty.”

“…I told you not to be reckless.”

“Is that the first thing you have to say, my liege?” I replied.

A sharp clap echoed in the hall. Behind Iris stood Odette, also in her dress. She whispered, “The area has been cleared.” She was always so prepared.

“Is that the first thing you have to say, Iris?” I corrected myself.

With tears welling in her eyes, Iris said, “You have to consider how I feel watching you! My Lord!”

“And you should have told me you were being bullied!”

“If I told you, you would have done something reckless!”

“I only operate within my limits.”

“You operate outside the limits of my mental endurance!”

“What am I supposed to say to that?”

“Hmph.”

Still teary-eyed, Iris glared at me for a moment before clearing her throat with a small cough. “I congratulate you on your victory, Lord Yuuki Grossalia.”

“Don’t suddenly switch into princess mode.”

“To praise your achievement, I shall invite you to my villa.”

“To your villa? You mean, to your room?”

“Yes.” Iris placed a hand on her chest and gave a slight bow. “After demonstrating such power, you will be the center of attention for some time. Therefore, by inviting you to my villa, I believe I should demonstrate to those around us how much I trust you. No one would dare to lay a hand on someone who has received a direct invitation from the royal family.”

“And the real reason?”

“…I thought it would be nice if we could talk, just the two of us, for a little while.”

“Understood.”

“Yes! My Lord!” Iris beamed. “Also, according to the people at the Magic Guild, it seems you’ll be granted the right to explore the great dungeon, ‘Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.’”

“The right to explore?”

“It seems so. Because you were recognized as having strength equal to that of a C-rank mage.”

“How far can I explore?”

“Up to the third level of Elysium.”

“That is the level where the members of the ‘Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple,’ who were driven from the surface long ago, are said to have barricaded themselves,” Odette added, picking up the thread of the conversation. She stood beside Iris, her golden hair swaying as she spoke. “Those who conquer that level are recognized as C-rank mages. And because the members of the Sanctuary Church were holed up there, there are rumors that lost ‘Ancient Artifacts’ are hidden within.”

“We might be able to find out something about Father Lyle and Mother Remilia, too,” Iris said, her expression shifting to that of Alice.

The third level of Elysium. If there were ‘Ancient Artifacts’ there, I wanted to go.

“You’ll probably have to complete the paperwork at the Magic Guild first. It’s a pain, but it can’t be helped,” Iris said.

“That’s fine. We’re living as people of this era now, after all.” I gently patted Iris’s head. She closed her eyes, looking almost ticklish. Seeing her reaction, it hit me all over again that she really was Alice’s reincarnation.

Well then. The magic duel was over. I should probably lay low for a while. I was sure Martha and Remy would be eager to hear all about it. And with that, I left the arena with Iris and Odette.

Chapter 4 – The Former Demon King Fights in a Magic Duel

“To think a C-rank mage would show up… This was completely outside of my predictions…!”

Odette’s carriage sped toward the site of the magic duel. She was late because she had been investigating until the very last minute. Only just before the investiture ceremony had she finally discovered that Princess Salvia’s guardian knight was Alex Kielce. In the end, she hadn’t been able to relay that information to Yuuki.

Normally… a C-rank mage would never become a guardian knight…

Alex Kielce was 21 years old. He had a proven track record at the Magic Guild and was even involved in the exploration of the massive dungeon known as ‘Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.’ By all rights, he shouldn’t have had the time to take on the duties of a guardian knight.

But the House of Kielce had made a blunder in the recent incident. The second son, Jilvan, had tried to interfere with the ‘Guardian Knight Selection Trial’ and failed spectacularly—using the worst possible method of summoning a specter and attacking the trial proctor. While Gael was the one who used the summoning magic, the order had come from Jilvan. The Kielce family was held responsible, weakening their position.

And that was when Princess Salvia had made her move. She proposed to become the Marquisate’s patron in exchange for Alex becoming her guardian knight. All so she could use the power of C-rank mage Alex Kielce to crush Iris’s guardian knight.

“Honestly, how despicable!”

The carriage came to a halt. They had arrived at the arena. Odette leaped from the carriage and ran toward the entrance.

“Hold it! Only authorized personnel are allowed beyond this point!”

“I am Odette Sley, second daughter of the House of Sley!” Odette shouted at the guard standing watch at the gate of the Magic Proving Grounds—also known as the Colosseum. “It has been arranged for me to watch today’s duel alongside Princess Iris. Escort me to Her Highness Iris Liestia at once!”

Guided by the guard, Odette walked down a long corridor. This was one of the facilities owned by the Magic Guild, used for magical training and competitions between mages.

In the center of the building was a vast, open space. While the guild members sometimes called it the Colosseum, it was, in reality, just a proving ground. It was sometimes planted with medicinal herbs for magical experiments, and at other times, animals were released into it.

Today’s duel wasn’t a fight to the death or even to injury. It was meant to be a battle to determine a winner under a fixed set of rules. With that thought, Odette quickened her pace. Her frilly dress was incredibly annoying. She was only wearing such an outfit because she had been invited as the daughter of a duke. In order to stand beside Iris, who was watching over her guardian knight’s battle as a princess, formal noble attire was required. But it was a complete mistake. It was so restrictive she could barely move.

“…It seems it hasn’t started yet.”

Odette finally reached the spectator stands of the arena, out of breath. The audience was sparse, consisting mostly of Magic Guild officials. There were some nobles as well. The ones occupying the most prominent seats were members of the House of Kielce, though Jilvan, who was under house arrest, was not among them. Guild trainees were also present—those who would soon become their partners.

Within the spectator stands encircling the arena, special seats for the two princesses had been set up on the west and east sides, each positioned closest to the action. To the west was Princess Salvia. And to the east was Iris’s seat.

“My apologies for my lateness, Your Highness.” Odette bowed at Iris’s side.

“I have been waiting for you, Odette,” Iris replied, clad in a blue dress. “Thank you for attending my guardian knight’s magic duel today. Please, I ask that you cheer for my knight, Yuuki Grossalia, alongside me.”

“It would be my honor, Your Highness.”

The two girls glanced around. There was no one in the nearby spectator seats. Instead, several guards stood in attendance nearby. Iris and Odette exchanged a nod, and Iris gave a small wave—a signal for them to be dismissed. The guards followed the princess’s order and left the area. The two girls saw them off with smiles, and then—

“…Odette. What do I do?” A pale-faced Iris looked at Odette. “I told Lord Yuuki. I told him he didn’t need to go along with this, that he should just forfeit. And yet… why…”

“It’s because he’s angry, I imagine.”

“…What?”

“Iris, did you tell Yuuki about what’s been happening with you and Princess Salvia?”

At Odette’s question, Iris shook her head.

“Well, I did,” Odette said. “I told him about how your tenth birthday present was destroyed, and how she revealed Grandmother Rachel’s immortal constitution in front of the other princes and princesses. And also about how the letters I sent you were sometimes opened by someone else.”

“Why would you do that?!”

“Because Yuuki asked me. He asked what kind of life his girl was living.”

“Lord Yuuki did?”

“He asked if you were still a picky eater, if you’d learned to eat your beans, or if you’d grown out of the habit of sleeping with your stomach uncovered in the summer. Just like a father worrying about his child.”

“You told him all that, Odette?”

“As a lady, I only shared the parts that were appropriate.”

“But… you didn’t have to tell him about Sister Salvia…”

“That’s because no matter what anyone asks you, all you ever say is ‘I’m fine.’” Odette jabbed a finger at her. “When Yuuki asked what kind of person Princess Salvia was, you said, ‘It’s fine. She’s a normal person.’ When he asked if you were sure he didn’t have to participate in the duel, you said, ‘It’s fine. I’ll handle it.’ With so many ‘it’s fines,’ anyone would be worried, not just Yuuki.”

“…But…” Iris clutched the hem of her dress tightly. “But my Lord is so reckless! He’s the kind of person who would do anything for his family. If I told him someone was being cruel to me, he would absolutely go too far!”

“…Honestly, you two understand each other so well, it’s just infuriating.”

“…You don’t think… my Lord knew what I was thinking?”

“Of course he did.” Odette nodded. “He knows you’re worried. And knowing that, he decided to fight for your sake this time.”

“…………Yeah. I know.”

“You have a long road ahead of you. Are you prepared?”

“Prepared?”

“Because to Yuuki, you’re still that small, helpless child.”

“—Huh?”

“The way I see it, Yuuki is like a much older brother who’s known you since the day you were born. It’s going to be tough making him see you in a romantic light~. You’re in for a real struggle~.”

“O-Odette… that’s so mean…”

“On the other hand, you don’t need to worry about Yuuki being reckless.”

“I don’t?”

“No. We discussed it and came up with a countermeasure.”

Odette looked toward the arena. From the southern gate, Yuuki was just making his appearance. He wore a jet-black robe prepared by the Grail Trading Company—something he had requested himself, made of a durable material and complete with a hood to hide his face. Beneath it, he wore his Magic Guild uniform. In his hand, he held a staff. It was a metal rod, about half the length of his arm.

“That’s one of the countermeasures. A custom staff that Yuuki designed for himself.”

“A custom staff for Lord Yuuki, so quickly…? Was it the Grail Trading Company?”

“Yes. Since it was for Yuuki, they rushed to make it for him.”

Next, from the northern gate, Alex Kielce appeared. He was dressed in a pure white robe and also carried a staff. A surprising number of ‘Ancient Magic’ users preferred to use them. To activate an Ancient Spell, one needed to draw a sigil in the air with their finger in addition to the incantation. While it was generally done with just a finger, some found it easier to draw with a staff. Conversely, others found that the weight of a staff slowed them down. Alex Kielce was likely the former.

“C-rank mages are strong, aren’t they…?”

“They are. To qualify for C-rank, one must be able to navigate the third level of ‘Elysium, the Capital of Ancient Magical Civilization.’ It means they have the strength to fight the monsters on that level and return alive.”

“Will Lord Yuuki be alright?”

“Are you worried?”

“Yes. That Lord Yuuki will… overdo it.”

“You needn’t worry about that,” Odette said, leaning close to Iris’s ear. “That is precisely why Yuuki and I have been training these past few days.”

“Odette… that’s not fair. Training with my Lord…”

“You’ll just have to endure it. Now then—about our strategy…” Odette whispered the plan she and Yuuki had decided on to Iris.

“…I understand. I’ll do it.”

“It’s starting, Iris.”

The two mages, one in black and one in white, faced each other in the center of the arena. Both wore a sort of ornament on their heads. The winner would likely be the one who snatched the other’s.

From her seat in the west, Princess Salvia was watching them. She was too far away to see her expression clearly, but she was probably smiling. Of course she was. There was no way a mere Magic Guild trainee could defeat a C-rank mage.

“…………My Lord… No. Lord Yuuki will win.”

“…Probably.”

“But if he gets hurt, I will not forgive Sister Salvia.” Iris’s hands clenched into fists.

Squeezing her hand in return, Odette stared at the arena as the referee, a fellow mage, blew a whistle.

Magic Guild Trainee, Yuuki Grossalia.

Magic Guild C-Rank Mage, Alex Kielce.

The magic duel between the two guardian knights had begun.

“Yuuki Grossalia, second son of the House of Grossalia. Approach!”

As the sharp, dignified voice rang out, the doors before me swung open. Beyond them, a red carpet stretched all the way to the throne. It looked plush and expensive—a far cry from the one I used to have in my old castle. Then again, the children back then would have stained a pricey one in an instant, so it couldn’t be helped.

“…Oh.”

“For a member of a barony, what a magnificent appearance…”

“Weren’t the Grossalias just countryside nobles? How did they acquire such armor?”

“And my, what a gallant figure he cuts…”

The surrounding nobles began to murmur amongst themselves.

I was clad in a suit of black, metallic armor, a gift from Rhodelia of the Grail Trading Company. A relief of bat wings was carved into the chest plate, and the cloak on my back was adorned with patterns of gold thread. To top it all off, the red lining made the cloak incredibly conspicuous every time it swayed. Rhodelia had said she “tried to create a design befitting of the ‘Lord’ from the legends,” but by any measure, this was overkill.

“Yuuki Grossalia, second son of the House of Grossalia, has answered the call. I am most grateful for the unsurpassed honor of being appointed as the guardian knight to Her Highness, Princess Iris Liestia.”

“…Mm.”

The king seated on the throne—Iris’s father—nodded. Iris herself stood to the left of the throne, a tiara adorning her pinned-up silver hair. The white dress suited her perfectly. The red-haired girl on the throne’s right must be Princess Salvia. She had a strong-willed look about her. Like Iris, her hair was tied up, but she was wearing far too many tiaras and hair ornaments. Isn’t her head heavy?

“Yuuki Grossalia, you may remain there.”

“Yes, sire.”

At the chamberlain’s words, I knelt on the floor.

Since Princess Salvia was here, it meant her guardian knight would be entering next. When I glanced at her a moment ago, she wore a triumphant expression. I wondered who on earth she had chosen…

“Alex Kielce, firstborn son of the House of Kielce! Approach!”

As the voice echoed, a stir went through the audience hall.

Alex Kielce—of the Marquis House of Kielce. That meant he was family to Jilvan, the one who took the ‘Guardian Knight Selection Trial’ with me.

The sound of footsteps grew closer. Still kneeling, I couldn’t see his face. Before the throne, Iris had gone pale.

Just who was this Alex Kielce?

“Alex Kielce, firstborn son of the House of Kielce, has come forth. I am grateful for the honor of being appointed as the guardian knight to Her Highness, Princess Salvia Liestia.”

He stopped next to me, took a breath, and declared, “As a C-rank mage of the great and powerful Magic Guild, I pledge to serve in a manner that will not bring shame to Her Highness!”

…A C-rank mage? That was the same rank as Demeter, our examiner.

At a signal from the king, Alex Kielce knelt beside me.

“…It seems my younger brother has caused you some trouble,” a faint whisper reached my ears. “As a token of my apology, allow me to show you what a true mage is capable of. I must erase the stain my brother has brought upon the name of Kielce, after all…”

And with that, C-rank mage Alex Kielce gave a quiet, chilling laugh.

“Here is your tea.”

Martha, dressed in her maid uniform, placed a teacup in front of Odette. Behind her, Remy stood in attendance in her human form.

I had told them they could go to sleep first, but Martha insisted, “I couldn’t possibly be discourteous to a friend of Lord Yuuki’s.” As for Remy, her reason was, “Because I want to learn my duties quickly~.” So diligent.

“Thank you. I do apologize for the late hour… hmm?” Odette paused, tilting her head as she picked up the teacup. “You’re using quite fine tea leaves, I must say. And it has a wonderfully calming aroma.”

“It’s just some stuff we bought at the market,” I said.

“It’s more delicious than the tea at my estate. Which shop did you purchase it from?”

“I leave that sort of thing to Martha.”

“Would you be so kind as to tell me the name of the shop?” Odette asked, turning to Martha.

Martha looked slightly troubled. “It’s from a stall at the westernmost edge of the market. It’s a blend of cheap tea leaves and ‘Rudria leaves,’ a herb Lord Yuuki recommended, in an eight-to-two ratio. Since it is nighttime, I chose one with a sedative effect.”

“Thank you. I shall have to try that at my own home.” Odette nodded as if satisfied.

Incidentally, this was a blend I had developed in my past life for children who had trouble sleeping. Whenever Martha noticed I had snuck out of the house at night, she would brew this for me. It was her way of sending a message: Now that your work is done, please calm down and get some sleep. Even now, she was looking at me with unusually gentle eyes.

“Now then, if you’ll excuse us. Lord Yuuki, Lady Odette, please take your time.”

“Please… take your time,” Remy echoed.

With a bow, Martha and Remy moved to another room. It seemed they decided to excuse themselves, as the conversation was about to turn to matters concerning the Magic Guild.

“Have you read the letters, Yuuki?”

“Yeah. I read them while I was changing.”

The letters from the Magic Guild had been delivered to my quarters as well. I had skimmed through them while Martha helped me change clothes.

“The long and short of it is that Gael Wolfgang never intended to summon the specter, right?”

“Correct. He intended to interfere with the ‘Guardian Knight Selection Trial.’ To that end, he planned to control some undead and have them block our path.”

“But that’s not what happened.”

“Indeed. Someone tricked Gael Wolfgang and had him use an ‘Ancient Magic’ spell to summon the specter instead. The spell he was taught was one that connected his spirit to the undead.”

Apparently, some necromancers use that kind of magic. By linking their minds, the caster can control the undead like puppets.

“If he had been dealing with weak undead, he probably could have controlled them with that spell,” I mused.

“Which is likely why he didn’t notice the hidden trap.”

“So, the incantation and gestures for the ‘Ancient Magic’ included the components to summon the specter. That’s why Gael Wolfgang ended up summoning it and had his mind taken over.”

Someone had gone to a lot of trouble.

“What was the goal of the person who set the trap?”

“We do not know.” Odette shrugged. “The whereabouts of the person who taught Gael the ‘Ancient Magic’ are unknown. By the time the guards raided their home, the person had vanished. All they found was a name.”

“And that name is?”

“Dorothea Samuels. Apparently, she was a rogue mage, unaffiliated with the Magic Guild. They also found a letter in her home from Kachel Miegen, the baron’s former tutor.”

“So that person was involved in the incident with the tutor Kachel, too…”

“The royal family is currently preparing a warrant for her arrest. She will be caught eventually.”

“…I hope so.”

To be reincarnated only to get tangled up with the ‘Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple’ in this era, too, was the last thing I wanted. I had decided to live this life quietly, pretending to be a normal human.

“How are Jilvan and Gael doing?”

“The House of Wolfgang has closed its gates and is under voluntary confinement. As for the House of Kielce, it seems they intend to gloss over their crime by increasing their donations to the Magic Guild.”

Nobles really have it rough in their own way.

“The real problem is the other letter.” I pulled out the second parchment. “This says I’m to have a magic duel with Princess Salvia’s guardian knight.”

“That it does.”

“You mentioned it earlier, Odette. That Princess Salvia looks down on Iris—or to put it bluntly, sees her as an enemy. Is she trying to pick a fight?”

“I would rather not speak ill of the royal family, but… you are correct, Yuuki.” Odette heaved a long sigh. Then, as if to calm herself, she slowly sipped her tea. “Princess Salvia is a legitimate heir and the same age as Princess Iris. She has red hair and a somewhat mature air about her. She is also skilled in magic and is popular with the men. She often makes appearances in high society.”

“Sounds like a fine princess.”

“The problem is that her areas of expertise overlap with Iris’s.”

“Let me guess, Iris is more talented?”

Odette nodded at my words. I thought so. That was Alice for you. Her parents had been the greatest geniuses in Fira Village’s history. Alice, their child, had excelled at both magic and her studies from a young age. Princess Iris was the reincarnation of that Alice. If someone like that received a first-rate education from the royal family, an ordinary prince or princess wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Princess Salvia must have her pride as a legitimate heir,” Odette sighed again. “She cannot best Iris in either studies or magic. What’s more, Iris is so talented she has been entrusted with work from the Magic Guild. As a legitimate heir, she must not want to lose to the child of a concubine.”

“But as royalty, they can’t openly fight. So instead, she looks down on her and harasses her?”

“…As the daughter of a ducal house, I have no comment.”

“And as Iris’s best friend?”

“I don’t even want to speak of it.”

“Don’t tell me that because she can’t beat Iris in terms of ability, she’s trying to make their guardian knights fight instead…”

Odette didn’t answer. She just wore an awkward expression. So my guess was right.

“The royal palace really is a troublesome place.” I didn’t want to leave my Alice in a place like that. “Maybe it would be better if I spirited her away somewhere now.”

“If you did that, the Grossalia Barony would be in terrible trouble.”

“I’m kidding.”

“…You are joking, aren’t you?”

“…Of course.” It was obvious. I’d only do something like that after making sure it wouldn’t cause any trouble for the barony.

“Master~.”

As we were talking, Dick the bat flew to the window. “Niil just came from the princess’s villa~.”

“Niil did?”

“I have a message for you. I will relay it now~.”

Dick flew into the room and began to relay the message from Iris.

“…I’m so sorry, my Lord. Unbeknownst to me, plans were moving forward for a magic duel between you and my sister Salvia’s guardian knight. It has already reached His Majesty the King’s ears, and it seems I am powerless to stop it. Please, make up some reason and be absent from the duel. I will handle the rest. I’m used to this sort of thing.”

“—That is all~,” Dick finished.

“Alright, I get it. Let’s do this magic duel.”

“What in the world did that bat just say?!” Odette’s eyes went wide.

I relayed Dick’s words to her exactly as I’d heard them.

“May I confirm one thing?” Odette asked after hearing the message. “Does Iris think you will win? Or does she think you will lose?”

“I don’t think she’s worried about winning or losing.”

“Then why would she tell you to be absent?”

“Probably to keep me from doing anything reckless.” In my past life, I died protecting the villagers. Iris might still have some trauma from that. “She worries too much.”

“In your past lives, you were a guardian deity and a villager, correct? Just what kind of guardian deity makes his villagers worry about him…?”

“You want to hear about it?”

“No, I shall save that pleasure for after I can truly feel the reality of your past lives for myself.”

“It’s not a very interesting story, anyway.”

“More importantly, what will you do about the duel? What would you have me do?” Odette tapped her chest. “Please, tell me anything I can do to help. I will lend you my strength, for I am your friend!”

“…If only all nobles were like you, Odette.”

“What are you saying all of a sudden?!” Odette’s face turned bright red.

I was being completely serious, though. If every noble in this world were like Odette, the ‘Sanctuary Church Elysium Temple’ wouldn’t be scheming in the shadows, and the bloody ‘War of the Eight Kings’ would never have happened.

“Iris has found a good friend in this era. Please continue to look after her, Odette.”

“Why are you suddenly acting like her father?!”

“Well, in my past life, I was a father figure to all the villagers, and their guardian deity.”

“…Suddenly, your past lives are feeling much more real.”

“In that case, could I ask you to deliver a message to Iris?” I said to the surprised Odette. “I want you to tell her, ‘I’m getting help from Odette, so there’s no need to worry about the magic duel.’ Coming from you, it’ll be more convincing than if I said it.”

“Just how much trust do you two place in me…?”

“Speaking of trust, I’d like you to help me practice my ‘Ancient Magic.’ In exchange, I’ll teach you how to use your magic more efficiently.”

“…Eh?”

“During the trial, you used ‘Force of Earth,’ didn’t you? But you didn’t cast it repeatedly. Was that because you didn’t have enough mana left?”

“Y-Yes. That is correct. I used my strongest spell against the specter. Because of that, my mana…”

“So, I’ll teach you a more efficient way to use it. I’m used to coaching people on mana usage. If it goes well, you might be able to fire that spell off three times.”

“Three times?! That would be wonderful, but…” Odette hesitated for a moment. “Very well. It sounds enjoyable, so I shall accompany you.”

“Thanks. In return, I’ll lend you my strength whenever you need it.”

“…Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“I understand. I shall believe those words.”

With a bashful look, Odette drained her teacup. I then walked her to her lodging next door, and we parted with a wave.

Several days passed without incident.

Odette and I continued to practice ‘Ancient Magic’ in a forest near the capital. Iris sent a message through Niil, informing us that she had been forbidden from going outside for a while. It was apparently a measure to prevent her from passing any unnecessary information to me before the investiture ceremony.

In the end, we never found out the name of Princess Salvia’s guardian knight. I tried contacting Rhodelia at the Grail Trading Company, but she reported that she couldn’t get any information either. The day after she relayed her apologies for being unhelpful via bat, she sent over a complete set of formal attire for the ceremony. She said she had it newly tailored for my big day. What was she, my mother?

Meanwhile, Dick continued to fly through the capital at night, building a ‘Bat Network’ and strengthening the security around our lodging and Iris’s western villa.

As we were doing all this, time flew by—

And in the blink of an eye, the day I was to be appointed as Iris’s guardian knight had arrived.