Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Bad News Always Comes With Bad Weather 

It was now the day after Suimei and Reiji’s groups had arrived in Filas Philia. Suimei was outside with Felmenia in front of the house. The weather in the imperial capital today was quite clear, so they’d decided to get some air. Looking up, the sky was cut off by the surrounding buildings, creating a bright blue square overhead. The sunlight pouring down from it into the white plastered alleyway was dazzling. 

As for what the two of them were up to on such a lovely day, it was nothing other than a magicka lecture. It was simply a magician’s nature to devote time to studying the mysteries of the world whenever they could. 

“I know we’re doing another one today, but we’ve sure had a lot of these lectures now, huh?” 

“Yes. We’ve been over modern magicka, mystical entropy, liturgical reduction, the manifestation of magicka circles, and of course how to use all sorts of magicka.” 

“And with all that, I do believe you now have a firm understanding of just what a magician truly is, Menia.” 

Just as he said, Suimei recognized how much Felmenia had grown, but she didn’t necessarily see that progress for herself. She flashed a self-deprecating smile. 

“I would like to think that was the case, but regrettably, I’m afraid I have no standard for comparison...” 

“I think you’re doing just fine. Remember yesterday? You urged Reiji and the others to reconsider the way they regard the attributes. And as long as you keep that kind of open mind, you should be good. The important part is that there isn’t only one way of thinking. There is no single absolute law that establishes the phenomena of the world. So if you properly understand that there are multiple approaches, you’re already on the right path.” 

“What do you mean by ‘multiple approaches’?” 

“In the world I come from, science is advanced and widespread. People use it as a universal measure for everything. However, in truth, science isn’t the only explanation for the phenomena of the world. There are also mystical theories, right? In short, the point is just not to get caught up in a single paradigm.” 

“Ummm...” 

“Okay, when I first told you about magicka, you never thought you could manifest mysteries without the mediation of the Elements, right?” 

“Yes, that much is certainly true.” 

No matter what it was, only once a theory was understood would there be progress. Results required recognition and revelation—the so-called “eureka moment.” 

“In our world, everything is thought of from a physical perspective. It’s a world dominated by the doctrine of the material. All of existence is measured by objects and the way they interact, either with other objects or the forces of the physical world. And no matter the interaction, they believe heat is produced.” 

That was precisely why, even if fire was created magically, a modern person would see it and immediately assume there was a physical, chemical change occurring where the phenomenon took place. But that was only natural; their understanding had stagnated. 

“I see... So the average person from your world, Suimei-dono, would think that the heat emitted as a result of spells and other mystical forces was equivalent to regular heat. And in assuming so, they inherently deny the mystical from the start.” 

To learn magicka, it was important to un-learn that there must be heat in order to create anything. 

“Yup. Just like you said, Menia, because those who are governed by ‘reason’ are unable to recognize the mystical, they only believe what they can see with their own eyes. And because they’re unable to get past that, they’re unable to follow through on true understanding. Magicka is only accessible to someone once they get over that hurdle.” 

And there was an important difference between understanding and true understanding. Fumbling forward with a half-baked understanding would never lead to results. That applied to any field of study. 

“The preamble was a little long, but it’s about time we got down to business. Today’s topic will be...” 

Felmenia leaned forward intently, and, perhaps because Suimei was drawing things out, a strange amount of anticipation was building up. A silent drumroll resounded in his head as he watched Felmenia bite her lip anxiously. And at long last... 

“How to produce a mana furnace.” 

“How to produce a mana furnace?! You said mana furnace, did you not?!” 

Hearing the topic of the day’s lecture, Felmenia grew even more worked up. She was practically trembling with eager excitement. If Suimei was finally willing to explain the inner workings of a mana furnace to her, this was a proud day for her as his student. 

“So, how does one achieve a mana furnace? Putting together what I’ve heard you say before, I believe it entails one’s internal organs somehow. But it’s rather hard to imagine the addition of a new one...” 

Felmenia had already been postulating about how a mana furnace worked. She’d witnessed Suimei’s in action on multiple occasions and had seen its power with her own eyes. As a blossoming, curious magician, she’d spent plenty of time contemplating it. And as she began excitedly rattling off her theories, Suimei urged her to calm down before proceeding. 

“A mana furnace is indeed like an internal organ, but it’s more nuanced than that. It’s not exactly corporeal, so saying that you’d be adding a new organ is a bit literal.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Rather than physically, it’s added spiritually.” 

“Spiritually?” 

“That’s right. It makes use of the ethereal body.” 

Hearing that phrase for the first time, Felmenia knit her brow. 

“The ethereal body? You said before that aetheric was an intangible power in the atmosphere. Is this somehow different?” 

“Yeah. It’s a bit convoluted, but it’s something different from that.” 

With that answer, the wrinkle in Felmenia’s brow grew more pronounced. Suimei saying this was convoluted was a bit of an understatement, so her reaction was only natural. Even if he wasn’t referring to the aetheric as identified by mysticology, there were a great number of other things known as ether or ethereal. There was no way not to be confused at the beginning of such an explanation. 

“Then, from context, am I right in assuming it’s something related to the physical body and the astral body?” 

But despite the complexity of the topic at hand, it seemed Felmenia was already starting to get her head around it. As she slowly connected the dots in her mind, Suimei nodded in response to her question. 

“Exactly right, Menia. The ethereal body is indeed related to those. The ethereal body, physical body, and astral body are considered the three pillars that comprise all living beings. In short, what we know as the human body is actually all three taken together. When one part of that—one of the three bodies—is damaged, the human in question loses its equilibrium and suffers for it.” 

“Then the physical body is of course the material manifestation that is a human, the astral body is connected to the consciousness and the soul, and the ethereal body is...” 

“You could say the ethereal body is the spiritual portion, but phrasing it like that, it’s easily confused with the astral body which holds the soul. So instead, let’s see... Roughly speaking, the ethereal body is like a blueprint for the physical body.” 

“A blueprint for the physical body?” 

“Yup. It’s different from DNA, but mystically speaking, it’s functionally similar. Every organ and feature of the human body is created based on the blueprint of the ethereal body. It’s the origin of the physical form, which is always influenced by it. It’s not something you can capture an image of or see with magicka, but just like the physical body, there exists an ethereal heart, an ethereal brain, ethereal arms, legs, et cetera.” 

“It... exists? If it is a blueprint, then after the physical body is made, isn’t it no longer necessary?” 

“Certainly the nuance of the world ‘blueprint’ would imply that, but... In truth, it’s like an operational manual for the human body, as well as a map. The ethereal body is such that the human body always seeks to mirror it...” 

“Wh-What...?” 

“Sorry, that’s not the point here. What I’m trying to say is that while the ethereal body is a blueprint for the physical body, once that job is complete, it additionally functions like a set of instructions for operating the physical body.” 

“I see. That much I can understand.” 

With Felmenia up to speed, Suimei moved on to the heart of the matter. 

“Then the rest should follow logically. If the ethereal body is a blueprint, then...” 

“We just need to rewrite that blueprint!” 

“Exactly.” 

The point of this lecture was just as Felmenia guessed. Each of the three pillars had special characteristics and influenced the others. When the physical body felt fatigue, naturally, the consciousness and the soul would weaken. When the astral body was damaged, the physical body was also weakened. And just the same way, when there were alterations to the ethereal body, it produced changes in the physical and even astral body. This was all ultimately an arguable weakness of the human body and posed several disadvantages. But at the same time, there were benefits to be reaped from it as well. The mana furnace was one of them. And after leading Felmenia to that realization, Suimei continued his explanation. 

“To use the ethereal body to alter the physical body, one must alter the subject’s consciousness using a staged approach. By consciously reforming oneself as a magician, the astral body is first urged to transform based on that self-conception. The next step is to alter one’s own ethereal body using magicka, which in turn alters the physical body. The change will be gradual, but once it happens, that will also have an effect on the astral body. In the end, one eventually arrives again at a state where all three pillars are aligned.” 

After concluding a detailed explanation, Suimei moved on to summarizing his point. 

“So in short, by altering the blueprint for the body, we’re not actually increasing the number of internal organs. We’re just adding a new functionality to the physical body. It’s commonly referred to as a ‘dream organ,’ and when it was first discovered, achieving it was also thought of as increasing the number of spiritual internal organs.” 

“Ooh, a theory that gives a glimpse into the depths of the mysteries!” 

Felmenia rose from her chair with a clenched fist in the air. It was a demonstration of curious and eager excitement, the kind only kindled in a magician upon reaching a revelation regarding a new mystery. In stark contrast to her excitement, however, Suimei’s expression became severe. And what left his mouth next was a warning. 

“However, once you tamper with your ethereal body, you will no longer strictly be human. You’ll be tampering with the blueprint that makes you human in the first place, after all. Not only your physical body, but your astral body will change as a result. Change in inhuman ways.” 

She would lose her humanity. Feeling the full weight of those words left Felmenia speechless. Sacrificing one’s humanity was not a decision to be made lightly. Short of being raised like Suimei had since early childhood, any normal person would hesitate, if not outright turn back at this juncture. 

“This is one of the reasons I call the most outrageous of magicians in the world I’m from monsters. They’re extremely powerful and, as such, have tampered with their ethereal bodies to their heart’s content. They make their lifespans inexhaustible and their mana preposterous. There are even those who have gained a stock of souls or have transcended death. 

“T-T-Transcended death?! You mean to say they’re immortal?!” 

“Technically, no. It would be more accurate to say it’s just really difficult for them to die. They’re no longer subject to the standard confines of mortality. For example, they cannot be killed by conventional weapons and they’re impervious to disease. They can’t even die of old age, as they’ve been released from the natural limitations of a normal lifespan. We call such beings liches.” 

“To live beyond the burdens of mortality must be a dark, incredible power...” 

“Yeah, but... those weirdos are really limited to only a tiny fraction of the guys with the talent to pull it off. It’s not something everyone can or wants to become.” 

Suimei tacked that on, but it didn’t fully assuage Felmenia’s fear and surprise. Immortality was one of humanity’s perpetual dreams. Even if Felmenia could never grasp it with her own hands, she was beyond astounded to learn that there were others who had already seized it for themselves. 

“There is a saying that we magicians know not the limits of expansion. Really, you could say it’s only after a normal human tampers with their ethereal body that they truly become a magician.” 

Magicians were different from regular humans. This applied not just in their way of life, but their very existence. They were living beings of heightened mysticism. They could elevate their spirits to the next level and fire off the intense psychic chill brought about by magicka. They could manifest golden eyes, and they had a general disinterest in machines. They were so far removed from humanity that perhaps it was indeed fair to say they were no longer human at all. 

“...Then as I am now, even though I can use magicka, I am still not fully a magician, correct?” 

“That’s about the size of it. It would be more proper to say you’re just a magicka user. But that’s all circumstantial.” 

“But this also means I can become a magician, no?!” 

Felmenia pumped both of her clenched fists into the air. To her, this was a clear step towards a goal. Discovering it had likely motivated her. 

“Speaking of, about your assignment from here on, Menia...” 

“I have also given that consideration. I have a large task ahead of me.” 

“So you’ve already realized what you need now?” 

“The answer is firepower, no?” 

“Hmm?” 

Felmenia was making a serious expression, just like the one Reiji had when talking about the demon general. But because what had come out of her mouth was such a large leap from what Suimei was thinking, he couldn’t hide his astonishment. Felmenia seemed to be looking for confirmation, however, so she proceeded to explain herself. 

“I have been thinking about it for some time now. My magicka simply does not have enough firepower... What is the matter, Suimei-dono?” 

Felmenia grew doubtful when Suimei offered no response whatsoever. His eyes had turned to blank dots like he was completely flummoxed. 

“Er, yeah... By all means, please continue...” 

“Back in the fight with Jillbert-dono, even with Lily’s support, I was forced on the defensive. I have been contemplating it ever since—how I could have done things differently, how I could have improved the situation. I’ve also carefully been assessing the way I’ve fought up until now and comparing it with other means I know...” 

“And so, why firepower?” 

“You see, after looking back at the fight with you, Suimei-dono, I think that firepower is what I was missing.” 

“Huh?! Me?!” 

“Additionally, when it comes to strong mages in this world, Graziella-dono’s attacks also have a great deal of firepower. Even watching Lefille fight with a sword, I have seen her cut into her opponents’ attacks with sheer strength. Thusly, I have come to the conclusion that I too need an increase in firepower.” 

Felmenia grew more and more passionate as she talked. But for all her enthusiasm, it seemed Suimei had nothing to say. Or rather, he didn’t know what to say. Felmenia had taken this and run—quite ardently—in a different direction. 

It was true that both Lefille and Suimei had a number of powerful single-strike attacks meant to put direct pressure on their opponents. But in Suimei’s opinion, he thought Felmenia’s role was more delicate than that. She was always the one who’d taken care of the housework and clerical work for the group, jobs that required attention to detail. The way she worked was modest and meticulous, and that showed in her magicka. The fact that she’d come to such an astute conclusion in regards to her own skills was proof of that. 

But... if she’s so delicate by nature, then shouldn’t it be alright for her to focus on upping her firepower? 

In this world, there was certainly no harm in possessing powerful magic. And with Felmenia being so modest and meticulous, there was no need to worry about how she would use it. 

“Is something the matter, Suimei-dono?” 

“...No, you’re right. Let’s increase your firepower, Menia. Shall we concentrate on controlling bigger spells and giving them your own flavor?” 

“Yes, please!” 

“Well, before that, about the medical treatment regarding the ethereal body and the manufacture of an altar...” 

But just as Suimei started to explain what creating a mana furnace would actually entail... 

“Hmm?” 

He suddenly heard someone coming from down the alleyway. Because the alleyway they were standing in only led to the house, it likely meant that either Lefille and the others had returned or that some other visitor had arrived. Because the alleys of the imperial capital were so complicated, however, it could also just be someone who’d gotten lost. 

When Suimei and Felmenia looked down the alleyway, what they spotted was a girl dressed in the robes of the Church of Salvation. She was out of breath and holding herself up with one hand on the wall, so it was plain to see she was both exhausted and in a hurry. But this girl was no stranger. There was no mistaking the attendant priestess of the hero of El Meide, Christa. 

“What are...” 

Before Suimei could even finish his question, Christa began explaining between ragged breaths. 

“I... I apologize for being so abrupt, but the matter is urgent... I need to speak with the hero of Astel...” 

“To Reiji?” 

“Y-Yes...” 

“Just what in the world happened?” 

“Elliot-sama... Elliot-sama went to Duke Hadorious’s mansion...” 

And he hadn’t come back. Hearing the story, Suimei and Felmenia immediately moved into action. 

It was already afternoon by the time Christa made it to Suimei’s residence. And with her came dark clouds rolling in like ominous heralds of the news she brought. The heavens that had been clear and blue earlier now looked like they might open at any minute. Because of that, Lefille and the others quickly returned from their outing as well. So, in an unexpectedly short amount of time, everyone had gathered in the living room of the Yakagi residence. Seeing this, Io Kuzami was the first to open her mouth. 

“So, just what has happened that you’d suddenly gather everyone like this? I do believe we sufficiently discussed everything yesterday.” 

Christa beheld Io Kuzami, who was sitting there with both her arms and legs crossed, with a quizzical gaze. She looked like Mizuki, after all, but was speaking like Graziella. During the incident in the imperial capital, Christa had been Mizuki’s opponent and had learned a good deal about her personality that way, leaving her completely baffled to see her like this now. Although, to be fair, that applied to almost everyone present. 

“Don’t worry about Mizuki. Some stuff happened and her personality changed; that’s all.” 

“R-Reiji-sama, what exactly does that mean...?” 

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to leave it at that...” 

Reiji shook his head as if to say, “Just don’t ask.” Seeing this, Christa questioned him no further on the matter. After that, Felmenia looked around the room curiously. 

“Her Imperial Highness Graziella does not seem to be present...” 

“She had some business to take care of... and said that she would be late,” replied Liliana. 

“Is that so?” 

“It’s fine if she doesn’t come,” spat Lefille. 

As a princess, Graziella was likely quite busy now that she was back in her own country, but that wasn’t at all why Lefille was so quick to write off her absence. It seemed she was still harboring some lingering bitterness of the incident the previous day. Any mention of Graziella’s name provoked a strong response from her. 

Putting the matter of Graziella aside, however, Reiji already seemed to have an inkling as to what was going on. 

“Hey, if Christa-san is here and Elliot isn’t, then...” 

“Yeah, she already told us, but you should hear it from her.” 

Urged on by Suimei, Christa began explaining with a gloomy expression. 

“It was about one week ago... Elliot-sama and I were on our way to Astel as part of our mission. When we reached the westernmost town of Kurant City, he received an invitation from Duke Hadorious through the Church of Salvation.” 

The first to react to hearing Hadorious’s name was Titania. 

“The duke, you say?” 

“Yes. To show his hospitality, he insisted that Elliot-sama visit his mansion.” 

Hearing that, the color drained from both Titania and Reiji’s faces. They’d also been summoned by Hadorious while in Kurant City, so they had some idea as to what that invitation really meant. 

“On that day, I was terribly worn out. Elliot-sama was kindly considerate of my condition and left me at the church to rest while he went to visit the duke on his own. But... Elliot-sama never returned.” 

“So you think something happened?” 

“Yes. I asked the church what had become of him. They claimed that while Elliot-sama went to the duke’s mansion, the duke was resting, so Elliot-sama was never received.” 

“Did you contact the Holy State about this?” asked Felmenia. 

“I did contact them, but... Their reply was not favorable.” 

“Not favorable? Even though he’s their hero?” asked Reiji. 

“Duke Hadorious sends a fairly large donation to the Holy State every year,” answered Titania. “There’s a possibility they may have been complicit in whatever happened.” 

“So he had a carte blanche? But why...” 

Reiji groaned with a severe expression, which Christa mirrored sympathetically. 

“I do not understand what reason His Grace would have to restrain Elliot-sama, and I am left without recourse...” 

Christa wasn’t in a position to confront Hadorious directly. That was probably the main issue. And as long as there was no evidence that any harm had come to the hero, she couldn’t even accuse him of anything. There was also the big question of what exactly Hadorious’s motives were. As everyone else scratched their heads over the emerging mystery, Lefille seemed to have an idea. She quietly raised her hand from where she was sitting. 

“May I say something?” 

“Sure.” 

“Very recently, we also had a strange encounter regarding the heroes. Isn’t this probably related?” 

“Regarding the heroes? Aah, you mean Universal Apostles?” 

“Then Duke Hadorious is in league with the lot who attacked the hero in the Alliance?” 

“The possibility exists, but that’s about all we can say for now.” 

Lefille, Suimei, and Reiji practically started having a conversation of their own while Christa stared at them blankly. She couldn’t piece together what they were talking about based on the fragments of information she heard, so Liliana began explaining it to her. 

“A little while ago... as I believe you might know, Christa-san... we went to the Alliance. When we did... the hero of the Alliance... was attacked by... a certain group. They call themselves... the Universal Apostles. We don’t know the reason yet... but they tried to kidnap... the hero of the Alliance.” 

“So that’s why you suspect Duke Hadorious may be a part of this group?” 

“At present, there’s no other group we know of trying to pick a fight with the heroes besides the demons, after all,” replied Suimei. “The only other thing that I can think of is that the entire nation of Astel is attempting to do something, but that doesn’t seem quite right.” 

Suimei offered his conjecture with a bitter expression, like he was remembering something unpleasant. Hadorious had some personal motive in mind, and there was that group that was trying to use the heroes for some scheme. The possibilities were endless, but the probability that they were related seemed high, given the timing. But surprisingly, the one to offer a counterargument to this was Titania. 

“It is just my personal opinion, but I find it hard to believe that Duke Hadorious is in league with the Universal Apostles.” 

Hearing her say that, Suimei knit his brow. 

“How unexpected. I thought you didn’t like him, Tia?” 

“C-Certainly not. But while he is someone I find personally detestable, he is still a noble of Astel. Duke Hadorious is my father’s most loyal subject. That man serving two masters is more unlikely than heaven and earth reversing.” 

Hearing Titania’s declaration, a wave of surprise washed over everyone else in the room. They all knew that she hated him, so hearing her come to his defense was rather startling. Felmenia too spoke up as his fellow countryman. 

“I have heard that Duke Hadorious has been by His Majesty King Almadious’s side since a young age. That the two of them ran through both battlefields and the political stage together. His Majesty’s trust in him is deep, and the duke’s loyalty is the same. That is also why all affairs concerning Astel’s hero were entrusted to him... However, taking into account the current situation, is there not sufficient cause to suspect Duke Hadorious?” 

“Yes. Even if he is not involved with Universal Apostles, I cannot deny that he’s clearly plotting something in regards to the heroes. I believe he is acting with Astel in mind. However...” 

There, Titania groaned. It seemed she was having difficulty reconciling the disparity between her personal assessment of Hadorious and his current actions. But either way, there was no obvious explanation as to what he’d done with Elliot. She couldn’t say with confidence that things would be alright. As the room filled with a strange tension at her silence, Reiji spoke up. 

“Sounds like we’re going back to Kurant City.” 

“Yes, that does seem to be the case.” 

“That is quite a hurried decision, but if it is what my fiancé wishes, then so be it. I will follow along and grace you with my presence.” 

And just as Reiji, Titania and Io Kuzami came to an agreement... 

“No, I’ll have you wait before you do that.” 

The door to the living room suddenly burst open. It was Graziella, her open military coat and her golden hair fluttering majestically over her shoulders. After a brief moment of surprise at her appearance, Suimei narrowed his eyes at her reproachfully. 

“You, just entering as you please again...” 

“This is my country. I may enter where I please, no?” 

“Barging into my fucking house without permission is an invasion of privacy!” 

“I’ve told you not to speak in such strange terms. If you wish to communicate, then use concepts from this world, you fool.” 

Seeing Suimei start to growl after being insulted, Reiji cut in to the conversation. 

“So, what do you mean about having us wait?” 

“A demon invasion has been confirmed to the north. At this rate, the Empire will become a battlefield.” 

Following Graziella’s frank explanation, Lefille and Titania stood up with great vigor, sending their chairs backward. Still gripped with surprise, Titania cut straight to the point. 

“Your Imperial Highness, what is the scale of their forces?” 

“I don’t have a precise count, but I hear there is a great deal of them. Enough that we will probably have to summon the entirety of the Imperial Army to make a stand.” 

“So suddenly...?” Reiji remarked with a furrowed brow. 

It was a good point to be concerned on. The invasion was certainly abrupt. However, Suimei had an idea as to why that might be. 

“I see. Since they lost a few generals, they’re trying to rally here.” 

So far, Suimei and the others defeated three demon generals: Rajas, Mauhario, and Vuishta. And for all the losses on the demon side, not a single hero had fallen. The demons were probably panicking. And so, to rally their forces, they’d set their eyes on the Nelferian Empire, which bordered both the Kingdom of Astel and the Saadias Alliance, including the self-governed state. It was a key stop on almost any major trade route. Cutting it off would be devastating. And if it fell entirely... the effect would be unfathomable. 

“I’ll go ahead and say it—there won’t be any reinforcements from our neighboring countries.” 

“What do you mean, Your Imperial Highness?” 

The one to question Graziella was none other than Titania. Nelferia and Astel were allies precisely because they shared such an important border. To her, it was obvious that they should be cooperating in such a situation. It would be completely baffling for them not to. So, as a princess of Astel, she wanted to know why Graziella thought her people wouldn’t come to Nelferia’s aid. 

“First, there’s the self-governed state. They’ve already sent their troops to the Alliance and cannot afford to spare any more. As for Astel, because they are in the middle of cleaning up from the previous demon invasion, taking countermeasures against future invasions, and assisting refugees from other nations, we were informed that they would not be able to offer assistance.” 

Hearing Graziella’s explanation, Lefille wrinkled her brow and groaned. 

“I understand the situation, but... How can I say it? I don’t exactly admire that position.” 

“But there’s a reason for it. Have you not heard the rumors going around Astel, the Alliance, and the self-governed state?” 

“Aah, that the Empire has been expanding its military and keeping its neighboring countries in check? I heard from Liliana that it was deceptive maneuvering... Is that related?” 

“It is. Even though the Empire is prepared to fight against the demons, no one is making a move. Seriously, just what kind of nerves do they have? They have no sense of danger.” 

Even though the demons were invading, no one was cooperating. It was a source of contention and disappointment for Graziella. 

“Tia, is that really possible?” 

“Yes. To turn a blind eye to the crisis of an allied country is not a particularly strange occurrence. As long as the Empire’s allies know the Empire is being invaded by demons, there will be a fight regardless of what happens. Anyone who participates will suffer military and financial losses. Even if there’s fallout afterward, with a weakened military and economy, the Empire won’t be able to do much about it...” 

“The Empire’s neighboring countries are probably looking forward to such a decline.” 

Graziella let out a derisive snort, but not at Titania. She knew it wasn’t her personal intention to hold back assistance. Suimei leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. 

“But I’m pretty sure if the Empire falls, everyone’s gonna suffer for it.” 

“That’s just the thing, Suimei-kun. If the Empire does fall, what will its neighboring countries do then? Taking up the just cause of saving humanity from the demons, they could send their armies into the Empire freely. And the Empire is a tough country. If it does fall, it won’t be without a long, hard fight with the demons, who would then be exhausted by the time the other countries showed up... I don’t really have to say it, but the things that they want to do would be accomplished easily at that point.” 

“Jeez, talk about a rock and a hard place...” 

“I don’t know if that’s the actual reason, but it’s a distinct possibility.” 

Hearing Lefille say that, Titania objected. 

“I find it hard to believe my father would play such a hand.” 

“I agree. His Majesty Almadious would much rather do something to earn the Empire’s gratitude in this situation. I cannot imagine that the court would overrule him on that.” 

“Then it’s a question of whether my father is being prevented from moving as he pleases, or if the appropriate information is not being relayed to him. And I agree the former is impossible.” 

“While that may be true,” Graziella cut in, “it is still dangerous for the Empire to fight alone. Thus, henceforth, I would like to formally appeal to Your Royal Highness, Felmenia-dono, and Hero Reiji to take part in the battle and intercept the demons on behalf of the Empire.” 

“I see, so that’s why you want them to wait. If they’re dragged into something else, then you’d lose your only shot at support.” 

“That’s the size of it.” 

Sitting down in a chair with a thump, Graziella affirmed Suimei’s statement. However... 

“But in that case, Elliot-sama will...!” 

“I am more than aware that Hero Elliot’s case is important, but we will all be in trouble if the Empire falls. Besides, those guys likely don’t intend to move the hero right away.” 

“That’s true, but...” 

Unable to get any cooperation, Christa was left completely despondent. Taking pity, Reiji spoke up on her behalf. 

“Wouldn’t it be possible for the Empire to do something, even if it’s in secret?” 

“Even if we do, it will all be in vain. If a priestess from the Holy State is coming to us for help, that means the Holy State won’t be providing any assistance. Right now, the Empire’s relation with the Holy State is of serious importance, so even if we tried to intervene secretly, nothing good would come out of it. Rather than clinging on to the Empire...” 

Graziella then turned her gaze on Titania. 

“It is only proper that I do something or other from my end, right? Understood. I shall send a letter to father to call attention to this... Though it may already be too late now that Duke Hadorious has already made such a bold move.” 

It was a very reasonable concern. If he’d already gone this far, things were likely going according to his plan. Even if they got the aid of the king, it might be too little too late. 

“Then as I feared, Elliot-sama will...” 

Have to be postponed. It was easy to guess what Christa was thinking. Strangely enough, Io Kuzami was the one to speak up next. 

“Ultimately, whether or not we head off to the battlefield is all up to my fiancé, is it not? None of you lot will be able to ignore his will if he wishes to go, or if he wishes to refrain.” 

With that, she looked to Reiji as if to ask what he would ultimately decide. Elliot needed to be saved. But if Reiji went to go and save Elliot, he would be forsaking Graziella—the entire Empire. It was tough, but the time had come for him to make his decision. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering. 

“Christa-san, I’m sorry... I think I have to prioritize the demon threat.” 

“No, Hero-sama. Vanquishing the demons is the hero’s true purpose. I wouldn’t stand in the way of that.” 

“Mm. But take heart. Even if Elliot has been captured, that doesn’t mean any harm will befall him. After dealing with the demons at hand, let’s go save him.” 

That was Reiji’s decision. And once he made it clear, he turned to Suimei. 

“Suimei, what will you guys do?” 

“Us? Well...” 

It was between taking part in the battle against the demons and going to save Elliot. Making that call was difficult for Suimei. He didn’t feel strongly either way. Personally, because Reiji and Mizuki (in body) were headed into danger, he wanted to go with and support them. But because he also owed Elliot for Reiji’s case a while back, he wasn’t opposed to going to save him, either. 

“Are you deadlocked, Suimei-kun?” 

“Sorry, Lefi. I need your recommendation.” 

Sensing that Suimei was hesitating to make a choice, Lefille called out to him, to which he responded by raising his hands and asking for her opinion. At times like this, he was very grateful to have someone with a reputation as a capable leader around. Lefille had a certain persuasive power, and he was sure she could find a working solution. 

The redhead who was only about as tall as an elementary school student leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. She looked like a small child thinking very hard over something, but the words that came out of her mouth were unmistakably adult. 

“In this case, broadly speaking, we should prioritize the fight against the demons. But because what else is at play involves the heroes, it is also something we cannot ignore. Looking at the bigger picture, the heroes are an integral part of the fight against the demons. Losing them would be a tremendous blow. That being said, in the end, I still think it’s a shoddy plan to divide our forces before the major threat that lies in front of us.” 

“Lefille-san and Sensei are a big part of our war potential, after all.” 

As Reiji gave his thoughts, Lefille added on an apology. 

“Forgive us, Lady Christa, but the matter with the Holy State’s hero will have to wait. Naturally, if the Empire’s neighboring countries were to offer assistance and slow the demons’ advance, things would be a different story.” 

“I understand.” 

“So we’re going to fight the demons, huh? I feel like we just did that...” 

While saying that, Suimei cocked his head to the side. Just how did those around him perceive this behavior? Was he under some kind of misunderstanding, or was he just making a foolish display and pretending to forget? Those who had been travelling with Suimei looked at him like it was the latter. 

“Goodness, how to put it...? Things just do not seem to be going Suimei-dono’s way.” 

Her moderate tone didn’t have any sarcasm in it, but since Felmenia was smiling, she probably found this comical. She was likely intimating that Suimei didn’t really want to fight the demons, and this would be the third time he’d been forced to. Catching on, it was Reiji who followed up on her remark. 

“You’ve been saying that you didn’t want to fight ever since we were at the castle. But considering your personality, things were bound to end up like this. You should’ve just come with us from the start.” 

“Shut up! That would throw my plans out of order!” 

“Then why didn’t you refuse now? Isn’t that your norm?” 

“Ugh...” 

He couldn’t say anything back to that. Looking around, the girls were astonished. Some were even giggling. Even Reiji, who had cornered him so, was pleasantly laughing. But it didn’t last long. When his laughter quieted down, he looked at Suimei earnestly. 

“But seriously, Suimei, will you be alright?” 

“Hmm? What do you mean?” 

“I mean fighting. You’ll be up against demons. And a ton of them, at that.” 

“It’ll work out. There’s plenty of strong people around. I can just discretely hide behind Lefi or Menia.” 

“Casually hiding behind girls is a little... you know...” 

“I’ve only got one life.” 

Naturally, Suimei was only saying he’d do that because he didn’t want to reveal his abilities to Reiji. Reiji simply took his friend at face value, but Suimei’s travelling companions seemed none too happy about the way he was talking. 

“My...” 

“Ha... haha...” 

“Suimei, should be sued... at least once.” 

“What’s with you guys?” 

A stern gaze, a bitter smile, and harsh words were all turned on him. Suimei tried to calm the three girls down, but to no avail. 

“Then I will—” 

As Christa began to speak, Graziella cut her off before she could finish her sentence. 

“It should be fine for you to just stand by at the Church of Salvation. I understand that you are worried about your hero, but until we have finished our preparations, absolutely do not act on your own.” 

“...Understood.” 

“And don’t worry so much. It will be sufficient if Reiji and the others lend a hand in the first battle. Once the prospect of victory is clear, they can go rescue El Meide’s hero.” 

Graziella tried to cheer up the downcast Christa, but her words were perhaps overly optimistic. 

“That’s only if we’re able to muster enough forces to proceed to the next stage...” 

“Things with Astel should work out one way or the other. The problem is the Alliance and the self-governed state...” 

The ones to express skepticism were Reiji and Titania, and they both had very real concerns. Since Titania was present, it was possible that Astel would make a move, but they had no such in with the Saadias Alliance. 

“Hey, I just thought of something interesting.” 

Suimei flashed a turbulent, mischievous smile. Seeing that, Reiji pulled back a little. 

“Uh oh.... That’s the face you make whenever you think of something evil.” 

“That ‘evil’ part was unnecessary, damn it.” 

“So? Just what trouble did you think of this time?” 

“Oh, just something that you and Christa need to collaborate on...” 

Suimei then began explaining the sinister trick he’d concocted. 

Since Reiji and Titania had declared their intent to aid the Empire, Astel’s response came quickly. With their hero and princess fighting against the demons, they no longer had the option of remaining spectators in the conflict and immediately announced that they would be sending reinforcements. With Titania making herself known, however, they had lost any advantage that was to be had from moving behind the scenes. But upon receiving their reply from the castle, it seemed not all of the information had reached the royal capital, which was something of a relief to Titania. 

“Thank goodness, right?” 

“It’s still too early to relax. Despite promising reinforcements, it’s not out of the question that it will take too long for them to organize and send troops.” 

Such was the exchange between Reiji and Graziella. Things were going well, but as Graziella suggested, whether it would all really work out had yet to be determined. They weren’t exactly sure where the breakdown in communication had occurred, so it was possible they’d received faulty information and Astel’s army wasn’t actually marching at all. Or even that they might end up withdrawing if things got too bad in the Empire before they made it. Even if Astel had offered assistance in the Empire’s time of need, they would still do what they had to in order to protect themselves. 

Suimei and the others were presently in the mountainous northern region of the Empire where the Imperial Army was preparing to advance on the demons. They were set up in the gently sloping foothills, but if they proceeded any further, the terrain quickly became much more precipitous. So much so that it made it difficult to gather men and impossible to set up a base. That’s why they’d chosen the hillside for their base camp. 

With a cliff to its back, the encampment was a wide line of tents. There were impromptu defensive walls setup, groups of large wooden stakes positioned like pikes ready to receive charging horses, mages and archers waiting in trenches, and a large number of other soldiers amassing. It had only been a few days since the army first began to move, and the wilderness in the northern region of the country was constantly ravaged by the fury of strong winds. That they’d been able to build any encampment here at all under such conditions—especially so quickly—was in no small part thanks to the power of magic. 

Anything that required moving earth or stone was handled by specialists of the earth attribute, work that required lumber was taken care of by specialists of the wood attribute, and so on. It seemed that a great number of such field magic users had gathered here, making for an impressively large encampment. Its abundance of mages was certainly a strong point of the Imperial Army. 

And in a corner of the rather remarkable encampment, Suimei sat looking up at the clear sky overhead. 

“As expected of such a high place, it’s getting chilly...” 

He wasn’t talking to anyone in particular. He was simply remarking at the cold the harsh wind brought with it. It wasn’t to the point he could see his breath, but it was a marked and unpleasant change from the weather in Filas Philia. 

After getting an eyeful of the seemingly endless sky so typical of mountain regions, Suimei lowered his gaze down to the gravel path. Standing there in front of him was a still-tiny Lefille, her red ponytail blowing in the wind. 

“Lefi, how’s your body? Think you’ll make it in time?” 

“There’s some feedback. A little more... Within a few days, I’ll probably be able to return to my original form.” 

“Sounds like it’ll be fine.” 

If Lefille herself was feeling feedback, then things were probably on schedule. Suimei had created a magicka circle to help her regain her body and had been performing the ritual to return her powers. So if she was beginning to feel the effects of it, then all was going smoothly. 

Lefille actually didn’t seem to suffer any for being in her reduced form. It was unknown whether or not that was because of the power of spirits, but her condition was almost enviable right now. The cute, frilly clothes she was wearing looked completely out of place on the battlefield. 

But the far-off look on her face as she gazed nostalgically into the sky was a different story. She seemed perfectly at peace in the cold, likely because she was from much farther north. She and Suimei stood there for a while admiring the heavens in a corner of the encampment before someone called out to them. 

“Suimei-dono, Lefille.” 

As Suimei turned to the familiar voice, he saw Felmenia approaching with some soldiers. 

“What’s up, Menia?” 

“It seems that a strategy meeting is being conducted in one of the large tents soon. Reiji-dono and Her Royal Highness are already headed there. If you’re not particularly busy, they have requested your attendance as well.” 

Suimei gave a nod, and both he and Lefille followed Felmenia. After passing by a jumbled mess of stockpiled goods, several watchtowers, countless tents stuffed with soldiers, and two mess halls, they finally arrived at the large tent. Inside were several of the the generals and staff officers they’d met earlier, all silently seated around a table. Following Felmenia’s guidance, Suimei and Lefille took their seats near Reiji’s group. The general in charge of the meeting was Graziella’s older brother, the first imperial prince of the Empire, Reanat Filas Rieseld. 

He had majestic ornaments in his long, blond hair, and his slender figure was beautifully robed in exquisite clothes. Graziella sat next to him as he grandly took his place at the head of the table. As was the case during the incident in the Empire, it seemed he was the type to take matters into his own hands. He was likely working to amass achievements as the next in line for the throne, but that was neither here nor there right now. 

“First, I would like to greet our guests here today,” Reanat began. “Your Royal Highness Titania, it was good of you to come. If not for you, then Astel would likely not have taken action. You have my thanks.” 

“I also have my doubts about the attitude of my country. It is an honor to be of assistance.” 

Titania elegantly bowed her head in response to Reanat’s gratitude. It was somewhat exaggerated for a simple greeting, and she didn’t seem to relish it any, but as royals, they both had their positions and customs to mind. After their somewhat questionable exchange, Reanat greeted Reiji and Felmenia as well. And eventually, his gaze fell on Liliana, who was sitting at the far end of the table. 

“It is quite strange to greet someone who I’ve lost as a subordinate under such circumstances, is it not, Liliana Zandyke?” 

His voice completely devoid of sarcasm, Reanat offered a slight smile. Indeed, he had no reason to be critical. Liliana’s release from the Elite Twelve had been negotiated with him directly, after all. 

“I’m here at the encampment... because Suimei is here.” 

“Our other guest from another world?” 

“Yes. It has been a while since we last met.” 

Suimei turned to Reanat and gave him a modest greeting. He meant to be fairly formal, but both Graziella and Reanat looked somewhat confused. 

“Oh? Your manner of speaking is quite different today, is it not?” 

“That’s because the circumstances are quite different from our previous encounter.” 

“I see. I am quite obliged for your consideration.” 

Last time they met, during the incident in the capital, Suimei and the prince were at tense odds with one another. But this time, Suimei had come to cooperate. The prince wasn’t an enemy—moreover, he was royalty and older than Suimei—so he was polite accordingly. And because Suimei was a guest from another world, Reanat treated him with equal respectability. 

“Allow me to first express my gratitude to you as well. You have my thanks for sharing your plan to spur the Alliance and the self-governed state into action.” 

After Reanat expressed his thanks, Graziella turned a delighted smile on Suimei. 

“To think that Reiji would make that kind of declaration...” 

“Aah...” 

Upon receiving such unexpected praise for what happened, Suimei thought back to when he’d first brought up his plan. It was a few days ago when they were all sitting in his living room contemplating what they might do about the other nations. 

“Try saying that if they aren’t going to send reinforcements or support, you won’t save them.” 

That was what Suimei had proposed to Reiji with an impish smile on his lips. It must have sounded like the devil on his shoulder was talking. But nevertheless, Reiji had accepted and followed through. After passing along that declaration through the Church of Salvation, as one would expect, the bubble the Alliance and the self-governed state were maintaining around themselves burst and they immediately declared their intent to send reinforcements and support. Whether it was just the threat that a hero wouldn’t come to help them when the demons attacked or whether they took such a threat as a sign of losing the Goddess’s favor was uncertain. But one thing it did make quite clear was the influence the heroes had. 

“It was quite the clever plan, and something we never would have thought of. At first, we were satisfied that refugees from the north were being accepted, but we have unexpectedly gained quite a bit of leeway. It was a very satisfactory hand to play.” 

“It really wasn’t all that much... I’m a little doubtful that nobody else could have thought of it.” 

“That... To the people of this world, they are shirking their obligation to the heroes. If a hero is wronged, there is a history of that debt being definitively paid back. So for a hero to say they will not save a country, that would force their hand in the extreme. Defying them would be like defying the Goddess herself—truly unthinkable.” 

“I see...” 

Hearing this, Suimei was convinced. Just as Reanat said, a hero was a divine messenger to the countries. In other words, they were in a near absolute position of authority. Neither Astel nor the Alliance would have ever dreamed of manipulating Reiji or Hatsumi. Hadorious was an obvious exception, but so much as coercing the hero into doing something—even if there was no ill will—was bad enough. But if a country incurred the hero’s displeasure, they never knew what kind of calamity would befall them. Moreover, since the heroes were champions of the Goddess, blatantly defying them could be considered sacrilege. 

It was then that Suimei realized that though all the eyes on him were severe, there was a great sense of relief in them. The people at the strategy meeting had beheld him as a dubious stranger at first, but upon learning he was a good friend of the hero who’d come to help, there was no longer a harshness in the way they looked at him. If anything, they beheld him with admiration now. It seemed both soldiers and nobles alike treated matters related to the heroes as something sacred. 

“Now, without ado, I would like to discuss our plans. There are those here who already know, but the vanguard has already moved out to slow the demons’ advance. Until the reinforcements and support arrive from the other nations, I would like all sides to disperse and contribute to stalling the demons as well.” 

Reanat had both his hands on the table and was giving a brief summary of what was to come. In short, they were buying time until their preparations were complete. Lefille, who seemed to have doubts about this plan, politely raised her hand. 

“Your Imperial Highness Reanat, dividing soldiers on this scale for the sake of buying time seems far too haphazard. Though it is only my humble opinion, would it not be a better idea to gather the forces and intercept the demons together?” 

She saw Reanat’s plan to sequentially throw his forces in small groups at the demons as a poor move. Certainly, however, in terms of resources, it also seemed like a waste of war potential to throw the entire army at the demons at once. Lefille was moreso thinking that it would be better to use the encampment and the terrain to their advantage to engage the enemy in a serious strategic battle. 

“...?” 

However, Lefille received no reply to her unreserved opinion. Instead, Reanat simply seemed to be staring at her in curious wonderment. He even cocked his head to the side. 

“Your Imperial Highness, is something the matter?” 

“Ah, no. My apologies, but are you truly the Shrine Maiden of Noshias?” 

“Y-Yes, I am.” 

“Is that so...? I-I see.” 

Reanat sighed a bit upon confirming Lefille’s identity. That and the slight grimace on his face indicated the disconnect he was experiencing between what was seeing and what he was being told. Her brother still clearly confused, Graziella spoke up in a deliberately insulting tone. 

“Elder brother, it seems that because of the spirits’ power, Shrine Maiden-dono ends up stumpy like that sometimes.” 

“Stumpy?! What do you mean, stumpy?!” 

After scowling at Graziella for a while, Lefille cleared her throat in a manner quite unbecoming of her current appearance and addressed the still-confounded prince. 

“Due to certain circumstances, I am currently in this form. But there’s no need to worry. I will regain my original form within a few days.” 

“A-Ah. It is quite difficult to have a body entrusted with the power of the spirits, I see...” 

And with that, the conversation about Lefille’s current condition came to an end. Reanat had nothing more to ask her. It was often said that when people experienced things that were difficult to comprehend or talk about, they simply didn’t address them at all. That wasn’t too far from what was happening here. Lefille was like the tiny elephant in the room. 

Yet despite the mystery surrounding her, no one regarded Lefille with suspicion. She was a companion of the hero, after all. Suimei believed this was yet another example of Reiji’s influence at work. But in any event, as the conversation about her came to an end, Reanat quickly changed gears and tightened his expression. 

“Well then, about your earlier question, the reason we are focusing on stalling for the time being is because we anticipate that our reinforcements will likely arrive later than planned.” 

“Meaning?” 

“Just as you said, Shrine Maiden-dono, rather than dispersing our forces, we have the option of uniting and clashing with the demons as one. If we can hold them back for now, we would likely be able to drive them back once joined by reinforcements. It would be a steady battle. I also thought of this at first, but the situation has changed. I no longer believe we’ll be able to gather all our forces in this encampment. Therefore, we will disperse for now and slow down the demons’ advance while we plan for the real battle further back. I judged that this would be more reliable.” 

As Reanat explained his plan in a somewhat self-deprecating tone, it was Titania who raised her hand this time. 

“Your Imperial Highness, in that case, it sounds to me like you plan on abandoning this encampment...” 

“That is correct. Does Your Royal Highness believe this to be a waste?” 

“Though it may be imprudent of me.” 

“No, forgive me. I said something obstinate like my younger sister would. As our army is abundant with mages, it is not a terrible blow to us to lose one encampment. In other words, we shall lure the demons in. And until our preparations are complete, we shall only go as far as stalling them. Then we will abandon the encampment and quickly fall back. After that, we will carry out the decisive battle at a much larger encampment prepared further to the rear. That is what we ultimately mean to do.” 

It was a befitting plan for the current situation. Rather than rushing into things for the sake of glory, Reanat had properly considered the circumstances at hand. 

As he was suggesting, if they abandoned the encampment and retreated, the demons would think they were fleeing and likely chase them down like animals. And if they were lying in wait for the demons as they came, it very well might be possible to crush them all. The earthbound demons and the demons that flew naturally travelled at different speeds, so their forces were divided while on the move—including in pursuit. On top of that, the mountain terrain was rugged and severe. It made it difficult to keep any kind of formation, so the probability of the demons falling into such a trap was even higher. 

But if the demons turned things around like they had in the Alliance with Hatsumi and began moving and working in ways that defied all expectations, things could get ugly at any time. But there was no point making such a statement this far into things, so Suimei kept quiet and simply stroked his chin as he nursed such thoughts. Meanwhile, Reanat got to where Suimei’s group came into his plans. 

“As for our guests and the hero, I would like to entrust our headquarters to you, and have you ready to take action more flexibly.” 

“Understood.” 

Reiji nodded back at Reanat’s instructions without a single shred of doubt. On the other hand, Titania and Lefille were quietly grumbling as if they were resigning themselves. Reiji then leaned over and whispered to Suimei. 

“Hey, Suimei. The two of them are acting like they get what the prince is saying, but they’re acting weird. What’s up with that?” 

“Think about it. It’s probably bad to let foreigners bag all the credit in a big battle. The Empire needs to do a lot of the legwork to keep troop morale up. So since we have Tia and Lefille, who are both experienced in war... We’re a bit of a difficult group to handle.” 

“Aah...” 

“If the Imperial Army can snag the first victory of the battle, depending on how things go, they’ll either have us jump in or just reserve us for the decisive battle to come.” 

In the battlefields all throughout history, the first strike and the first victory were of utmost importance. If a foreign commander like Titania were the one to take them here, all recognition for the battle would go to her. And that would be no small slight to the militant Empire. For the same reasons, they wanted to avoid relying too heavily on either Reiji or Lefille. It made more sense to keep them at the base and only deploy them when necessary. 

“Wow, politics in war is a real pain, huh?” 

“Seriously.” 

“And we’ve kind of served our purpose already just by getting the other countries involved, haven’t we?” 

“For the most part. Well, since you’re a hero, they’re probably also expecting great things from you in the decisive battle.” 

That said, Reiji was indeed correct in that most of their role had already been fulfilled. If the battle went well enough from here, they might not even see combat at all. That was both the advantage and disadvantage of having a reputation. Just by being there, the Empire could advertise their presence for morale or blame things on them if the battle went poorly. 

As the talks about plans for Suimei and Reiji’s group came to an end, the council went on to discuss the detailed roles allotted to each of the Empire’s officers. Up until now, they had been all listening quietly, but now that potential glory and achievements were on the line, they were quarrelling over who got to take on the more dangerous duties. So-and-so’s men were the most resolute. So-and-so would never look back in the face of adversity. So-and-so was the most loyal to the country. Many such claims were being shouted across the table. 

As that dispute began to wane towards its end, the entrance to the tent suddenly flipped open and a large robed man stepped inside. After saluting, he removed his hood to reveal the face of an elderly man. His white hair, drooping cheeks, many wrinkles, and tired expression betrayed his years, but he had a piercing glint in his eyes. His spirit more than made up for his age; he gave off a strong, if not somewhat curious, impression. He took a knee and bowed before the prince, who then called out to him. 

“Gorgan. Is something the matter?” 

“First, allow me to apologize to both of Your Highnesses for interrupting you in the middle of the war council. I beg for forgiveness from each of the gathered generals as well.” 

With that, the old man once more bowed down deeply. Though he replied to Reanat’s question with an apology, there was no humility in his tone. He sounded as though he believed himself equal to all those he addressed, including the prince. From his speech and behavior, Suimei could tell that this old man was crafty. He was likely one of the officers of the Empire—a mage of high social status. As Suimei scrutinized him, Liliana whispered in his ear in a quiet voice. 

“That man... is Gorgan Bartwood Goalt, one of the Empire’s... Elite Twelve.” 

“Which means...” 

He was probably Liliana’s former superior. Since this was a battle that potentially carried the Empire’s future on its shoulders, it was inevitable that the Elite Twelve would show up. After Gorgan finished apologizing, Reanat questioned him once more. 

“So?” 

“I have come here on this occasion to make a humble request of Your Highness.” 

“Oh? Have you? That is quite the unusual event.” 

Reanat raised his eyelids like he was indeed surprised at this proclamation, and then Gorgan’s gaze shifted to Suimei’s group. 

“Is something the matter? Does this concern Hero-dono and his companions?” 

“I have heard that they will be taking part in the upcoming battle.” 

“That is so, but what of it?” 

“If I may speak plainly, I am dissatisfied.” 

“Dissatisfied? You’re dissatisfied that a hero would fight among us?” 

As Reanat turned a critical eye on him, Gorgan continued with an expression like he was feigning ignorance. 

“If it is something that has already been decided, then we have no intention of objecting. However, there are those in his party who are lacking, and as such, there are those in the Elite Twelve who cannot consent to their participation.” 

“It is not like they all will have the authority to give commands, and they will not be giving any of you direct orders either. Despite all that, do you still not consent?” 

“It is not an issue of leadership potential, Your Highness.” 

Gorgan promptly shot down Reanat’s assumption. Unable to clearly see what the older man was getting at, Reanat narrowed his eyes. Figuring it out first, Graziella snorted. 

“Hmph. In short, it comes down to whether they are worthy enough to stand alongside you lot.” 

When she cut right to the heart of the matter, Gorgan nodded in reply. The first to react to this was Titania. 

“Old man, are you saying that you are dissatisfied with either myself or the Hero of Salvation, Reiji-sama?” 

That was beyond the limits of what Titania would stand for. In a complete change from her usual elegant tone, she spoke severely with all the privilege and authority of her high standing. The atmosphere in the tent quickly tensed. But that was nothing compared to her fiery gaze that implied she was ready to cut Gorgan down at any moment. 

Things were getting heated enough that the staff officers and generals in the tent were beginning to sweat a little. Titania was an expert swordswoman known as the Twilight Beheading Princess. And it certainly seemed like a befitting title with the way she looked right now. But even under such intense pressure, Gorgan still appeared completely composed and replied with an unchanging attitude. 

“No, I do not doubt the abilities of the hero or Your Royal Highness Titania, who is extolled as the Twilight Beheading Princess. I have no complaints about either of you. However, regarding your companions... just how many among them could be said to be adequate?” 

Gorgan didn’t point out anybody specifically, but his comments were likely directed at Suimei, Io Kuzami, and Liliana. He’d indirectly said so by only mentioning Reiji and Titania in his list of exceptions. But such obliqueness only disgusted Titania more. Despite this, it was Graziella who spoke up next. 

“Gorgan, I’ll have you know that the companions of the Hero of Salvation and Her Royal Highness Titania are all people I personally brought along. Knowing that, would you still say you’re dissatisfied?” 

“With all due respect.” 

“You damned geezer.” 

After Graziella glared at the stubborn Gorgan for a while, she spat out an insult. This time it was Graziella’s attendants and several of the generals who were brimming with rage as the atmosphere in the tent grew tense. 

Even if someone had a problem with what the royals were doing, it was common courtesy and decorum to keep it to oneself. But the problem here was a matter of influence. With someone of Gorgan’s status bringing a problem before the war council—even if it was in regards to the hero’s companions—it couldn’t simply be overlooked. A considerable amount of displeasure would be born, and that would affect morale. It was an unpleasant situation all around for those in charge. As long as the concern was even remotely valid, it would need to be addressed or it might cast a shadow over the entire battle. 

As with Gorgan sticking to his guns, he was practically taking the morale of the army hostage. Because he himself was an important figure in the army as well, he couldn’t be punished outright without consequences on morale either. Graziella may have done so anyway, but the current supreme commander was Reanat. 

In the building icy atmosphere, Gorgan once more spoke up. 

“I have no concerns regarding Hero Reiji, Her Royal Highness Titania, or the esteemed White Flame.” 

“Then you mean you doubt the quality of everyone else?” 

“Yes, Your Highness. The Elite Twelve is concerned about Liliana Zandyke and the guests from another world.” 

Lefille was not among those mentioned by Gorgan. Perhaps, just like Reanat, he had not even recognized her in her current form. But hearing all this, Io Kuzami narrowed her eyes like she’d just heard a very distasteful, unfunny joke. 

“Oh? Are you saying that you doubt my true strength? You’ve got quite some nerve. It’s impressive prattle coming from a mere gathering of withered branches pretending to be a tree.” 

Hearing Io Kuzami’s arrogant manner of speaking, Gorgan’s eyebrows arched furiously. 

“Watch your mouth, little girl.” 

“That’s my line. Are you not the one who should be watching your mouth, bastard? Or have you grown so old and senile that you’ve forgotten the importance of minding your words?” 

Gorgan silently glared back at Io Kuzami’s harsh words. He likely judged that any further argument would be fruitless. But, eventually brushing her off, he turned to Liliana. 

“I do believe that you already know of Liliana’s capabilities, don’t you, bastard?” 

“There are her previous achievements as part of the Elite Twelve and her role in resolving the incident in the capital to consider, but in the end, she is still lacking. The Elite Twelve would also call her nature into question.” 

“So you cannot put your trust into one who is lacking?” 

“It is not just us of the Elite Twelve; I believe each of the generals and soldiers must also think so. I do believe her reputation was influenced quite favorably by the incident in the capitol, but there are also those of us who have lingering questions.” 

So he said, but Liliana didn’t seem to have any intention of making a careless remark. She simply kept quiet and listened. And as Gorgan’s complaints about Liliana came to an end, his sunken eyes then shifted over to Suimei. 

“And then there’s me.” 

Gorgan didn’t seem to have much in particular to say. He simply gave a grave nod. 

“And so, Gorgan, what is it that you wish to do?” asked Reanat. 

“I would like you to let us test these three people.” 

“By test... you mean...?” 

Gorgan looked up at the prince shamelessly. 

“Let’s see... How about we have matches between them and three members of the Elite Twelve?” 

“I understand your request, however, I do not understand what all of you have to gain from this. Surely you must know that even if you refuse to recognize their capabilities, I will not be withdrawing them from the battle. Our enemies are demons. Each and every single human ally present is a boon to our cause.” 

“Of course we will accept Your Highness’s will to include them in the battle. However, we still believe it necessary to test them.” 

“In other words, you wish to demonstrate the Elite Twelve’s dignity. Is that it?” 

Reanat at last came to an understanding of Gorgan’s intentions. It wasn’t something as honorable as having the outsiders demonstrate their abilities to dispel any doubt about them on the battlefield. No, that could have been the case, but based on the implication of the conversation, Gorgan intended to use these matches to demonstrate the authority of the Elite Twelve. It would be bad to try and make an example out of the hero, but his companions were a different story. Defeating any one of them would be another notch in the belt of the Elite Twelve. 

It was perfectly transparent that they were expecting to use the brightness of the star known as the hero to make their own shine brighter. But as the conversation moved towards whether this was actually going to happen or not, and Suimei let out a perturbed sigh. 

“What a pain in the ass.” 

He spat out his honest opinion without any attempt to hide his annoyance at this gross inconvenience. But this was all old news to Suimei. There were people like this even in the world he was from. And it wasn’t even limited to magicians. People with great powers often became arrogant and high on themselves. They challenged anyone who would tread on their glory, and forced fights to firmly establish their self-perceived hierarchy. It was so uncivilized that the Thousand Nights Association served as a mediator in such conflicts, but there was no authority like that here. 

Gorgan seemed to take Suimei’s idle complaint as arrogance and turned his glare on him accordingly. However, after having competed with so many magicians before, Suimei was already accustomed to handling such tension and bided his time without further rocking the boat. Fully intent on making his stance perfectly clear, Gorgan snorted derisively and looked away. 

When he did, Suimei casually got a good look at the guy. Just based on looks, he was an old man with a large build. He wore a moss green robe and appeared to be an experienced mage. And not just with Elemental magic. He’d stuck his hands recklessly in all sorts of mysteries. The evidence showed all over his body, which couldn’t bear the burden of his rash experimenting. 

His eyes were clouded, and the tips of his fingers looked withered and yellowed like dying plants. It was easy to guess his insides hadn’t faired much better. In contrast to his robust appearance, his body was tattered from overuse. But the glimpse of uncommon ferociousness Suimei caught within all that was a sign of his tenaciousness as a man who pursued the mysteries. The greedy light he could see in the old man’s eyes was an insatiable hunger for them. 

It wasn’t like Suimei couldn’t sympathize with that, but seeing the state his body was in, he thought Io Kuzami’s assessment was quite right. He did indeed give the impression of a bundle of withered branches pretending to be a tree. 

As for Io Kuzami, she was the first to grant Gorgan’s wish for a match. 

“I do not mind. I shall destroy and scatter those who would make light of me. Isn’t it a wonderful idea? The Japanese adore such showdowns.” 

“I also... do not mind.” 

Liliana agreed as well. She was not timid in the least about it, either. Perhaps this newfound confidence came from the mysteries she herself had touched upon. And the last to reply in a rather languid manner, of course, was Suimei. 

“Whatever. I’ll do it.” 

With the other two agreeing, he’d lost his chance to back out. While lamenting the fact that he kept getting caught in the flow of things recently, Suimei let out a resigned sigh. 

Right after Reanat acknowledged Gorgan’s request, the war council in the large tent came to an end. As for the matches that had been decided on, things were scheduled to get started immediately after the preparations were complete. Said preparations were mostly limited to having the earth attribute specialists around camp create a makeshift arena out of stone, so it wouldn’t be long before things got underway. As Suimei walked around and gazed up at the endless sky, Reiji—who was walking next to him—smiled bitterly. 

“This sure got weird, huh?” 

“Seriously. They want to test us? They’re just arbitrarily pissy. Normally that kinda thing makes them hard to handle and leads to a demotion. Don’t they know what it means to be a member of an organization?” 

Suimei vented his frustrations rather furiously. Because he himself was a member of an organization, he was especially critical of Gorgan’s behavior. Unable to shake his irritation entirely, Suimei just groaned quietly to himself. Seeing the whole thing as silly, Reiji explained his opinion on the matter. 

“He must be so strong that he just can’t do that... Or, really, I guess all of them probably are.” 

“Ugh, it’s a perfect example of an abuse of power. Being so hung up on your authority that you feel the need to demonstrate it this way is seriously idiotic. And crappy.” 

“Ah, so you also noticed that he’s using us?” 

“Well, yeah. No matter how you put it, his selfishness was completely obvious.” 

“Thought so.” 

“There’s safety in silence. In the end, the fact that they basically told us that they want us to be human sacrifices on the altar of their glory is just shitty.” 

As Suimei looked over as he ranted, he caught a glimpse of a serious face he’d been seeing on Reiji more and more as of late. 

“Hey, Suimei, do you think it’ll be okay?” 

“Hmm? The match? I should be fine. I’ll show you how tough I am.” 

“I’m not particularly worried about you, Suimei. I know you’re not the type to say you can do something when it’s really out of your league. So I’m sure you’re plenty tough for this.” 

“Then what is it?” 

“The one I’m worried about is Mizuki... Or Io Kuzami.” 

“Ah, her,” Suimei said without thinking when he heard that name. 

Reiji then made a sour expression like he’d just eaten something extremely bitter. 

“That’s... probably not okay, huh? She was pretty motivated, wasn’t she? I can only imagine what she’s gonna do...” 

“Yeah...” 

Reiji’s gloomy sigh spread and dissipated into the ether. He was likely imagining what havoc Io Kuzami was going to wreak during the match. If Io Kuzami was the revival of Mizuki’s old self like Reiji suspected, he wouldn’t be able to stop the train wreck that she would cause. And there would undoubtedly be a train wreck. Suimei cleared his throat and did a few vocal exercises like he was preparing for an impression. And then, he thrust out his finger and covered his left eye with his left hand. 

“FUHAHAHAHAHA! Hear me, oh tiny existences who have run rampant across this world, you homo sapiens known as humans! What will unfold before you is my brilliant banquet! You bastards who are my invitees shall all catch a glimpse of my ultimate power—True Darkness! Or something like that.” 

“You’re unsurprisingly good at that. But I can totally see that happening, yeah...” 

“I’m not taking that as a compliment.” 

“In any case, we should also be careful.” 

“And what good is that gonna do?” 

“At the very least, I think we can avoid being dragged in.” 

Though he said that, Reiji didn’t seem particularly confident about it. That was just how much he saw Io Kuzami as a walking disaster. As he lingered on those heavy feelings, Reiji suddenly shifted his gaze towards something else. 

“Anyways, what is that?” 

“Hmm?” 

Following Reiji’s gaze, Suimei spotted none other than Io Kuzami. But she wasn’t alone. She seemed to be talking to someone. Worried that she had already gotten herself into something, they stealthily approached and realized it was Lefille that was with her. 

Interested in this odd combination, they drew even closer with silent footsteps. Looking closely, they could see something like pompoms in Lefille’s hands. And when they listened in, it sounded like Lefille was just as confused as they were. 

“So, why am I holding these things?” 

“Hmph. Because only you are denied the opportunity to stand on the stage of battle—denied the opportunity to unleash your own pathos! As such, it has been decided that you will take on cheering activities for myself and those who are standing by for their own duels. I have just decided upon it. And any proper cheering uses such tools.” 

Hearing what Io Kuzami said, Suimei and Reiji both looked like they couldn’t believe what was unfolding right in front of them. They both placed a hand on their brows, closed their eyes, and shook their heads. Though they had just decided they’d be careful, the god of this world truly had no such mercy on them. 

“So, you’re saying I should cheer you on?” 

“That’s right.” 

“Just me?” 

“That’s how it is. This is also befitting of my disciple, but this time she has been chosen to be a participant.” 

“If it’s about not participating, then what about Her Highness Titania?” 

“No, that one will not do.” 

“Why?” 

Io Kuzami then gazed off into the distance like she was recalling a longtime rival and then fed Lefille a lie. 

“Titania Root Astel. She is the owner of a glacial heart colder than one looking for employment during the ice age of the 1994 recession. A wolf wearing the wooly hide of tenderness that she shows to everyone. I have no ears to listen to her.” 

“I don’t really understand your expression... but you mean to say that Her Highness is unsuitable for the task.” 

“Indeed.” 

As Suimei was wondering just what had gotten into Io Kuzami’s head this time—and how she could be so casual about it—Lefille stuck out the pompoms. 

“So, what are these?” 

“Those are the sacred treasures used for cheering, pompoms. The one who is cheering raises them to the sky and must shout ‘rah, rah, rah’ followed by a name.” 

“Oh? R-Rah, rah, rah, Suimei-kun! Is that about right?” 

Despite being completely bewildered, Lefille played along and began moving the pompoms. However, Io Kuzami seemed unable to stomach the way she was swinging them around. 

“Be more cheerful! And move your hands more vigorously! If you don’t, then the mysteries behind the sacred treasures will never work!” 

“L-Like this, then? Rah, rah, rah!” 

“Wrong! More like this! Give it passion and soul! Shout out with your ultrasoul!” 

Matching Io Kuzami, Lefille began to absurdly swing around the pompoms and shout. 

“What... is that?” 

“Lefi-san, you don’t have to amuse her, you know? You could just knock her senseless.” 

Suimei was speaking in such a quiet voice that there was no way Lefille would ever hear him. But as this was unfolding, Titania—who incidentally happened to be nearby—walked up behind Suimei and Reiji. She was also mesmerized by what was happening. 

“Rather, is it not about time that we must do something about that child?” 

“I know, right?” 

“You’re telling me...” 

Both boys replied with a heavy sigh, one atop the other. It wasn’t long after that that they were informed the arena was ready. 

Currently, Aerith Melfein of the Empire’s Elite Twelve was encircled by a crowd of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder without any hint of a gap between them. She was completely surrounded. But it wasn’t just her, you see. For standing with her inside that encirclement was another—at least former—member of the Elite Twelve. 

Saying that they were encircled made the situation sound dire. But rather than being surrounded by enemies, they were surrounded by an audience. The soldiers that had gathered around the roughly-hewn impromptu stone arena had come to witness the match they were about to have. 

This had all been orchestrated by the head of the Elite Twelve, Gorgan, as a way of demonstrating the Empire’s strength over the foreign interlopers that had been brought in to assist with the battle at hand—the hero of Astel, Astel’s Twilight Beheading Princess, and their companions. He claimed it was to prove their worth, or lack thereof, in the upcoming fight with the demons, but that was pure pretense. Each of the companions in question would be fighting in a match against one of the Elite Twelve, and Aerith had been chosen as first up for the Empire. 

Though Aerith held a prestigious position as part of the Elite Twelve, she’d begun life as a humble farmer’s daughter from a small village in the south of the Empire. The village was always in need of labor, so her older brother and sister, as well as her younger brother and sister, all made a living working right there in their hometown. Aerith herself had assisted her mother and father alongside her siblings until she was an adult. She’d always thought that, just like all the other young girls in town, she would marry a local man and continue to support her family and the village until she died. That was the expected life of farmer’s daughter, after all. 

But that expected life took a turn for the unexpected when mages from the Magic Institute appeared in town. At the time, the emperor was pressed to strengthen the military and had sent scouts far and wide throughout the Empire to recruit anyone with a talent for magic. What they were looking for was extremely simple—it was purely a matter of whether or not one had grounding and potential. The Magic Institute gathered all of the men and women in the center of town and began taking their measurements. When they did, they learned that Aerith had a strong disposition for magic. 

And the rest was history. In exchange for a hefty salary, Aerith was invited to the imperial capital, became one of its mages, and was eventually inducted into the Elite Twelve. She’d advanced in great strides, but each step of her journey was hard fought and well earned. To become an imperial mage, she first had to attend the Magic Institute. But because she was a bumpkin from the country and her skin was swarthy like wheat, she’d spent her days there under the constant, unceasing ridicule of her peers. Despite their harassment, however, Aerith continued to study magic without giving up and eventually rose above them all. When it was determined that she was fit to take part in actual combat, she then went on to distinguish herself on the battlefield. 

As a result, she was singled out by royalty and was eventually selected to join the Elite Twelve—the youngest ever at the time. To Aerith, there was no higher honor that she could think of. She’d far outclassed her tormentors at the Magic Institute, those selfish fools who were so proud of their birth and inborn talent. She’d surpassed them all with hard work and steady effort. She took great pride in that, and it was the basis of her self-confidence. After all, she was the quick-witted, hard-working girl who was the youngest member ever to be inducted into the Elite Twelve. That was Aerith’s reputation. Or at least it had been several years ago. 

Since then, she’d been eclipsed by Liliana Zandyke, the adopted daughter of another member of the Elite Twelve, Rogue Zandyke. She wielded a rare Elemental power that defied and defiled the light—the attribute of darkness. She’d broken Aerith’s record before the age of five. If Aerith had taken great strides to reach her place as part of the Elite Twelve, then Liliana had done it all in one immense leap. After several examinations under the sponsorship of Rogue Zandyke, Liliana was inducted into the Elite Twelve without ever setting foot on the battlefield, let alone enrolling in the Magic Institute. 

There was no way Aerith wouldn’t be discontent about this development. Liliana was also from a village in the sticks, but just because she’d been discovered by a member of the Elite Twelve, she’d been awarded a position that Aerith had had to work and fight for. On top of that, she’d stolen Aerith’s title as the youngest ever to join the Elite Twelve. Though she never let it show, that resentment was still eating away at the depths of her heart. 

And as Liliana accomplished her missions and amassed achievements one after another, Aerith’s hostility for her only grew stronger. They would cross paths every now and then on missions, but just the sight of Liliana was enough to irritate Aerith. Needless to say, she was especially displeased that Liliana would be taking part in the upcoming fight. 

She’d entered the arena with that displeasure boiling over in her heart. This would be the grand stage where she herself would author Liliana Zandyke’s defeat. She wanted this to be the end of the dark feelings plaguing her. And she wanted to prove once and for all who was really superior. 

From the arena, she turned and looked at two people standing in the crowd. They were the two other contenders chosen to take part in the matches just like Aerith had. 

“Now, now, Senpai. If you get too worked up, it’ll affect the fight, won’t it? You really okay out there?” 

The one calling out to her—his voice like cold water on her boiling determination—was another member of the Elite Twelve, Slane Zolnuf. He was a young man who had only been inducted into the Elite Twelve fairly recently. Though he was older than Aerith, he was still her junior. He was sharp but boastful, and always conducted in himself in a way that belittled and made light of others. Because of that, Aerith didn’t care much for him. The Elite Twelve were supposed to be noble emissaries of the Empire’s power, after all. 

“Aerith, put the utmost of your power on display so that you do not bring shame upon the Elite Twelve—not that a plebeian like you would ever bring us any real honor.” 

Following Slane, a man in his prime called out to her. With his pompous tone, every single word that came out of his mouth betrayed him as a typical disgusting noble. His name was Baaldan Dostolf Zegent. He’d joined the ranks of the Elite Twelve by using his influence to seize an opening while they were short a member—and he was only disputably fit for the position. His power as a mage was certain, but his power was not accompanied by good technique or other notable abilities. However, because he displayed a matchless talent for trickery, he’d managed to keep his place. In an entirely different way from Slane, he was also a nasty man. 

In any day, age, and world, it was quite common for powerful mages to be eccentrics, but the current Elite Twelve were worse than that. They’d gone beyond eccentric; they were just plain despicable. To Aerith, the only upright members of the lot were probably Graziella and Gorgan. But in her eyes, worse than even Slane and Baaldan was Liliana. She had never deserved to call herself part of the Elite Twelve. She was but a lowly mage who’d capitalized on her father’s fame. 

The Elite Twelve are not so naive... 

Aerith could no longer stand for those who relied on their parents’ influence or those who had no real talent to swagger around in a charade of importance. She would stake her pride as someone who’d worked for her place in life to knock them down a peg. 

Just before she’d entered the arena, the member of the current Elite Twelve that she respected most aside from Graziella had pulled her aside for a word. It was Gorgan Bartwood Goalt, the head of the group. 

“Aerith, you do understand the situation at hand, correct? Just because she is a former associate and younger than you does not mean that you can hold back. The honor of the Elite Twelve is what you are fighting for here.” 

“Yes, commander. I understand fully. I will use my water magic to demonstrate to that foolish little girl just what it means to walk away from the Elite Twelve.” 

Aerith had looked Gorgan dead in the eye as she made that declaration before bowing her head, and Gorgan had nodded back to her in satisfaction. After that, she’d entered the arena where Liliana was already waiting. 

“To think that someone who ran away would shamelessly return like this... Does this mean you’ve changed your mind and want to rejoin the Elite Twelve?” 

“I did not come back here... because I wanted to come back... to the Elite Twelve. And besides, the only reason... I joined the Elite Twelve in the first place... was to support the colonel. I have no attachment... to the Elite Twelve... without him.” 

“How impudent. You’re probably using this fight to force Reanat-sama and Graziella-sama to acknowledge you. Despite being a child, you’re quite shrewd.” 

“...” 

Though Aerith was showering her with abuse, Liliana’s expression never wavered. But that was just the kind of girl she was. Despite being a child, she was hardly childish. Even when insulted, she didn’t get mad—she didn’t even get sad. It was like she was saying that such provocation rolled completely off her shoulders. And that was what got on Aerith’s nerves. No, everything about her got on Aerith’s nerves. 

“I will show you the kind of power a real member of the Elite Twelve possesses.” 

“Please... by all means.” 

At that, both girls took fighting stances. There was no referee to call the beginning of the match. This was a fight to demonstrate the authority of the Elite Twelve. They fully intended on delivering such a definitive defeat to these outsiders that there would be no disputing it. As such, Aerith was planning on settling things in an instant. If she won the fight right out of the gate, that would be the most overwhelming victory possible—a victory worthy of the Elite Twelve. 

“Oh Water. Thou shalt gather and burst forth as a mighty geyser. Surpass the strongest gale and pierce mine enemy.” 

Aerith began incanting her spell. Her talent for magic—as the mages who’d come to her village had discovered—was an extreme affinity for the water attribute. Indeed, Aerith could not use any attribute except for water. She was the only member of the Elite Twelve restricted to a single attribute, but her gift for that attribute made her far more powerful and precise with it than anyone else. That was what had earned her her place as part of the Elite Twelve. 

“Go, Rapid Aqua Bullet!” 

Holding out her hand and pointing at Liliana, she activated her keywords. The moment she did, a large current of water formed at her fingertip and began to swirl like a whirlpool before it shot forward. It was so fast that it could hardly be followed with the naked eye. Moreover, Liliana was working with only one eye, meaning she naturally had a rather large blind spot. All in all, it was an extremely practical attack to use against her. However, Liliana evaded the blindingly fast water bullet as if she’d seen it coming miles away. 

“Wha—?!” 

All Liliana had done was hop once like a wild rabbit. That was all she’d had to do to dodge the bullet that then proceeded to fly into the outer boundary of the arena and disperse. 

It was an attack that should have been inescapable. Yet Liliana had sidestepped it as if it were a mere nuisance. Perhaps that would have been possible if she knew the spell, but Aerith had never once used it in front of her. Nevertheless, there was no denying what she’d just seen with her own eyes. Liliana had successfully dodged it. 

It was startling, but Aerith quickly collected herself. If Liliana could evade her attacks, that meant she at least had a modicum of skill. It wasn’t what Aerith had expected, but that just meant there was a small discrepancy between her predictions and reality. If she adjusted for that miscalculation, then Liliana had absolutely no chance of winning. 

“Oh Water! Thou shalt gather and burst forth as a mighty mass of geysers! Surpass the strongest gale and pierce mine enemy! Rapid Aqua Bullets!” 

Aerith settled on trying the same spell again, except this time she summoned multiple bullets at her fingertips instead of one. She aimed all five at Liliana and fired them one after the other. She wagered that, with Liliana taking evasive action, she wouldn’t be able to keep up and the last bullet would successfully take her out. However... 

“Is that... all?” 

All five of the water bullets flew right past Liliana. Even though there was no way she could have seen their trajectories, she simply sidestepped them as if she were dodging harmless pebbles thrown by a small child. 

“Tch, don’t look down on me!” Aerith shouted, roiling over Liliana’s provocative question and attitude. 

And just as she was preparing to use her next spell, Liliana’s mana became highly excited. It seeped out from her, soaking the atmosphere and prickling at Aerith’s skin like a volatile acid in the air. This was Liliana’s signature manifestation of mana. 

“Then... it’s about time... that I start... Oh Hermit. Hidden in the threshold to the realm of the dead, oh servant of shadows. From the abyss, raise your innocent voice that causes all creation to quiver and tremble.” 

Liliana began incanting a strange spell. As she wove her chant that hailed something—but not an Element—a black magic circle appeared at her feet. Following that, a multitude of black holes began appearing around her like invisible worms were eating away at the air itself. Aerith guessed that this was Liliana’s specialty, magic of the darkness attribute. Raw darkness was bubbling up to the surface, vanishing, and bubbling up once more. Every time this cycle repeated, the number of bubbles appearing increased. 

Magic of the darkness attribute did not directly attack a target. Instead, it was magic that affected a target’s mind. It could render someone panicked or comatose, and it was even possible to use such magic for defense. There were many techniques of the darkness attribute that were altogether eerie or disturbing. 

While the dark bubbles around Liliana continued increasing, Aerith found herself starkly reluctant to do anything. Faced with the impending danger of dark magic, alarm bells were ringing in the back of her head. As she stood there trying to decide whether to go on the offensive or defensive, the air right before her eyes began to fester as the darkness encroached on it. As if the air itself was slowly being wrenched, it coiled into a vortex. She started to see an asymmetrical transparent pattern in front of her like she was observing the world through warped glass. 

Eventually, a pallid light appeared at the center of the pattern. The transparent and warped space around it then gradually took on a pale blue hue. Aerith had no idea what was happening, and she had no idea what would happen next. She’d never seen such magic before—not at the Magic Institute, and not in all her days on the battlefield. 

As Aerith finally made up her mind and began boldly chanting a defensive spell, something appeared beyond the pallid light, bubbling darkness, and twisted space—a beast. Judging by its silhouette, it was a dog. But its body was aglow with the ghostly pallid light, it had pitch black eye sockets that looked like they could suck in souls, and its entire body was easily Liliana’s height. After the beast manifested fully, Liliana walked up beside it and affectionately patted its head. 

“From now on... your name is... Howler.” 

The moment Liliana bestowed a name upon the beast born of darkness and will-o’-the-wisps, a bright red light filled its murky eye sockets. The next instant, the beast named Howler raised a magnificent howling cry that shook heaven and earth. The sound of it—which felt like an electric shock in the air—rang through the entire arena. No, the entire encampment. But for all its power and volume, it seemed to carry with it no sense of menace. 

“I don’t know what kind of magic that is, but magic that creates a mere beast couldn’t possibly...” 

Aerith then quietly chanted a spell of her own and prepared to fire a water bullet at the dog. It was sitting perfectly still, as if waiting for orders from its master. In other words, it was a sitting duck. Without wasting a moment, Aerith let her bullet fly as soon as it was ready. It sailed through the air faster than the mana light of the spell could be reflected in the audience’s eyes and, kicking up dust and a surging spray in its wake, it pierced right into Howler. 

“Did you see that— Huh?” 

Or so Aerith thought it would. Preemptively raising a triumphant boast, her tone quickly changed when she realized what had happened. Howler hadn’t made a single noise, and he was still standing right where he had been before. He hadn’t moved a muscle; he hadn’t had to. Right before the bullet was about to strike him, it had completely vanished like it was negated by some unseen force. 

Magic, however, was not something that could simply be negated by other magic. When conflicting attributes clashed against each other, it was no quiet affair. Especially not when spells were colliding directly. The water bullet should have had some sort of effect on the dog. But that wasn’t the case; it had simply vanished into nothingness. This also seemed to surprise Liliana somewhat, as she squinted her eye and looked at Howler pensively. 

“So this... is rank disparity extinction.” 

Aerith didn’t understand this phenomenon, but she didn’t currently have the leisure to contemplate it. 

“If my water bullets won’t work, then...” 

“No, it’s still... my turn. Go, Howler!” 

At Liliana’s order, the dog sprang to life. It jumped high into the air over the arena and then dove at Aerith. Its lightning speed and predatory movements were just like that of a wild beast. No, they were that of a wild beast. But even if she was no longer up against a human opponent, Aerith wouldn’t lose her composure so easily. This was not her first fight by any stretch of the imagination. If that was all it took to shake her, she never would have made it as part of the Elite Twelve. She stood firm even as Howler came charging at her, moving erratically to the left and right. 

“Oh Water. In accordance with my thoughts, become lithe and tough. Extend from my fingertips as a blade to cut apart all matter. Liquid Blade!” 

Aerith fired off another spell—naturally, one of the water attribute. A flowing blade of water extended from her hand, lashing about like a whip as it snaked its way through the air towards Howler. Unlike the water bullet before, Howler took decisive evasive action this time. While dodging the blade of water that cut down all else in its path, Howler retreated enough to gain some distance from Aerith. He moved back behind Liliana, positioning her between them. 

“Tch, squirming around like that... Try this on for size!” With a shout, Aerith poured all her might into her next chant. “Oh Water. Grow great and swirl around me in a gyre. Swallow everything inside your calamity. Bestow pain upon all you touch and smother my enemies within your embrace! Hydro Abyss Sphere!” 

The moment she activated her keywords, water surged forth from the ground at her feet at an alarming rate. She could hear the surprised voices of the soldiers and the worried voices of the mages maintaining the barricade as continued to pour out. It flooded the entire arena and began to swirl with Aerith at its center. She was unaffected by the spell, but the hastening whirlpool submerged any and all foes that stood before her. 

It was a merciless attack. But since she was told to show no mercy, she didn’t care whether her opponent lived or died. No, that was a lie. The most satisfactory result of all would be victory by fatality. A dark smile rose up on her lips as she concentrated on her spell. But then she heard something. 

It was Howler’s voice. And it was growing louder. 

The sound that rose up towards the heavens was like a roar, but there was no single word to properly describe it. Had it been from a dog or wolf, it would have been a howl. But this was different. It was as if the pallid beast was ejecting raw thunder from its maw. If someone had told her this was the fabled beast she’d heard of as a child that caused all earthquakes, she would have believed them without a doubt. The power of its thunderous roaring howl was just that tremendous. It shook the very air, blowing away the whirlpool and even the barricades of the arena around it. 

“I-Impossible!” 

Aerith couldn’t help but exclaim upon witnessing this unbelievable spectacle. The soldiers and mages in the crowd gasped as well. Even the other members of the Elite Twelve raised voices of surprise in unison. 

The beast born of darkness should have only been able to attack with darkness. Yet it had used some unknown power to counter Aerith’s magic. Spells were supposed to behave in predictable, predetermined ways. There was no way a summoned beast should suddenly be able to gain a new power in the middle of combat. But Aerith had just seen it happen. Letting out a low growl, Howler now locked eyes with her. It was indeed truly a dark beast. 

While she was focused on Howler, Aerith suddenly heard light footsteps behind her. Liliana Zandyke was closing in. 

Crap... 

That was all Aerith could think. Liliana was the daughter of a swordsman extolled throughout the Empire: the Sword Master of the Lonely Shadow, Rogue Zandyke. Aerith had heard that she was not only a capable mage, but that she knew her way around a blade. It was dangerous to let her get too close, even if she was empty-handed. Aerith clicked her tongue at the thought, but Liliana was closing in surprisingly quickly. And she was muttering. 

“My hand is the fetter entrusted with dark desire. Engrave my sinister touch upon the hearts of those who stand before me and chill them with despair... Negative Touch.” 

The moment Liliana finished her chant, a pallid blue light identical to Howler’s began pouring forth from her gloved right hand. It looked just like the otherworldly luminescence spotted in graveyards at night sometimes—the light of lingering spirits. 

Liliana’s glowing hand swept towards Aerith. She’d been slow to take evasive maneuvers, and Liliana’s hand grazed her arm. But the next thing that caught her attention was the growling of a dog coming from behind her. The moment she heard it, she abandoned all appearances and dove for the ground. All she cared about in that moment was avoiding Howler. As she rolled along the arena floor, Howler’s jaws snapped the air where she’d just been standing. 

If she hadn’t listened to her instincts, she would’ve been dog food. Cold sweat trickled down her spine as she got back to her feet, but it seemed she wasn’t out of the woods just yet. 

“U-Urgh... Wh-What is this?” 

Aerith suddenly discovered she was no longer able to raise her arm. She immediately looked down at it. There wasn’t any sign of injury, yet for some reason, it just wouldn’t move the way she wanted it to. It was sapped by a sluggish feeling like she’d just woken up, but the sensation was limited to just her arm. 

It was, of course, the arm that Liliana had grazed. It must have been the effect of her ghostly glowing magic. Aerith ground her teeth as she came to that conclusion, but Liliana spoke up before she could do anything about it. 

“What’s... the matter? Despite being so eager... aren’t you a little too... unprepared? Weren’t you going to show me... the power of a real member... of the Elite Twelve?” 

“Urgh! You bitch!” 

Hearing Liliana taunt her just as she’d put two and two together—almost like she’d timed the whole thing—Aerith couldn’t take it anymore. Hearing her own words turned against her only made it worse. She was incensed, and Liliana looked at her like she knew exactly what she was doing. 

“To be so easily riled up... As a member of the Elite Twelve, what... do you have to say for yourself? The mere provocation of a child... Shouldn’t you just be able to ignore it? Or is this because... it was me saying it? That’s just how much... you can’t stand me. That’s it... isn’t it? You’re just... that kind of person after all.” 

“Silence! Shut that mouth of yours immediately!” 

“You care for yourself... too much. That’s why... you aren’t suited to fight... opponents that close in on you. They pose a threat... to your own precious self... Am I wrong?” 

“Don’t act like you know everything! I... I hate that part of you!” 

“I also... know that. You don’t have to go shouting it... after all this time, do you?” 

“SHUT UUUUUUUUP!” 

Aerith let her boiling hatred for Liliana explode. A mage should never lose their composure. If they did, how would they ever be able to control their magic? Learning to keep calm at all times was a basic part of any mage’s training. That included Aerith’s. But in that moment, she just couldn’t contain her rage. Not only was she personally being insulted, but Liliana dared to mock the Elite Twelve. It was a gross offense beyond the limits of what Aerith could stand. 

However, just howling in rage would do nothing to change the situation. She had to do something. Yet if she relied on pure emotion to put together a spell right now, such an unfocused attempt at magic would never have any effect on Howler—let alone Liliana. And even if she started on a longer chant to collect herself, Howler would never let her finish it. 

In front of her was Liliana Zandyke. And behind her was the pallid beast. It was unfair. Utterly unfair. Those words gradually rose up in Aerith’s throat. Despite this being a one-on-one match, she was fighting two opponents. It was a cowardly tactic. There was no other way of describing it—it was outright cowardly. She wanted to call Liliana out for it, but her pride as a member of the Elite Twelve kept her lips sealed. Yet though she’d said nothing, Liliana seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. 

“I don’t really mind... if Howler steps back... you know? I’ll gladly dismiss him... if you say out loud... that you think... this is an unfair fight.” 

Without a modicum of consideration for Aerith’s feelings, Liliana issued her that ultimatum. All she had to do to even the playing field was admit that she was at a disadvantage. All she had to do was whine and complain. All she had to do was drag the dignity of the Elite Twelve through the mud. 

If the only issue was being outnumbered, Aerith wouldn’t have been irritated. Her senses were sharp—so sharp that she’d even heard the shocked audience drop the fruits and other foods they were snacking on in surprise as the fight unfolded. She could have been surrounded by ten professional assassins, and she would have heard each and every one of them sneaking up on her. She’d never even feel threatened. But right now, her brain wasn’t reacting properly to the little girl and pallid beast. She couldn’t come up with a single defensive plan on the spot that held any water. 

As she spun through ideas in her head, Liliana once more began murmuring a chant. Each and every word out of her mouth sounded like another insult to Aerith. Even when Liliana was casting a spell, it was like she was making fun of her. Aerith had to shut her up somehow. 

Yes, all she had to do was seal that wretched little mouth. It was the root of everything that threatened her, both those terrible spells and those terrible taunting words. To put an end to it all, she’d stake everything on her next move. Fanning the flames of hatred in her heart, Aerith unleashed all of her mana. 

But that mass of burning mana was quickly drowned out by a wave of something far more powerful that overcame it. 

“He who is in our surroundings, the one that our eyes cannot see—” 

Not long before Liliana dealt the decisive blow against Aerith... 

Suimei, who was also scheduled to fight that day, was watching the current match with Felmenia. They were intentionally standing a bit apart from Reiji and the others so they could talk about Liliana’s performance without being overheard. 

Liliana had just summoned Howler. Felmenia watched with rapt attention, and then turned to Suimei with a puzzled expression. 

“Is that... a familiar?” 

“Yup. There’re a lot of familiars that take the form of animals, and that’s what you’re looking at—a familiar made out of a charm given form.” 

Felmenia was unsure of this “charm” business, and the furrow in her brow deepened accordingly. 

“Out of a charm, you say? She didn’t make it out of magicka?” 

“Yeah, a charm. Saying she made it out of magicka... It’s not wrong, but it’s not exactly specific. That thing wasn’t formed by a spell, per se, but by the peculiar power of the words she used.” 

“And that’s what you call a charm?” 

While watching Aerith brandish her blade of water, Suimei nodded in response to Felmenia’s question. He then turned a challenging look on her. 

“If it was you in there, how would you break through that?” 

“How I would deal with Liliana’s familiar? Hmm, hrmm...” 

An answer didn’t immediately surface in Felmenia’s mind, and she began groaning with a grim, pensive expression on her face. In the middle of this, someone called out to them from behind. 

“Oh? White Flame-dono doesn’t know?” 

When they turned towards the owner of the deep, charming voice, they saw a woman with golden hair dressed in a military uniform—Graziella Filas Rieseld. Having overheard Suimei’s question, she cut in with a faint smile on her lips like she knew the answer. Felmenia then replied in a somewhat surprised tone at her arrival. 

“Does Your Imperial Highness know?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“If it is alright with you, then might I ask you to explain?” 

“I don’t particularly mind, but there’s not much meaning if you don’t offer Mr. Grumpypants here your own answer. I don’t think he’d be pleased if I spoil the fun, either.” 

As for the one Graziella had called “Mr. Grumpypants”... 

“I’m not some strict killjoy professor.” 

“No? You weren’t keeping the answer on purpose? Isn’t this what you’d call... a dangling carrot?” 

“It’s not a big deal if someone else explains the trick.” 

“Isn’t it standard practice to dangle the carrot as long as possible?” 

“If you think that’s my only carrot, you’re dead wrong. In my opinion, you should have as many as possible. In fact, calling them carrots is a bit stupid... But you get what I’m saying, right?” 

“It’s an extravagant way of thinking, but for now I shall simply say that you’re not wrong.” 

Graziella answered in a somewhat noncommittal manner. She likely didn’t want to agree with her rival too readily. But putting Suimei aside, Felmenia was looking up at her with eager eyes. Taking the hint, Graziella began explaining. 

“If you’re unable to come up with the answer, White Flame-dono, that means you’re thinking about it too hard. That thing you’re calling a familiar was created by Liliana Zandyke’s words. In essence, it’s a cluster of words. That is to say, in a manner of speaking, it works and fights based on the words she used to create it. Words are concepts we give voice to, and without them—let’s say, if they were stolen from her—that thing would no longer be able to take shape. Stealing concepts themselves is probably quite difficult, but in this case, it would suffice to steal away the foundation of those words—sound. How about that?” 

Graziella looked expectantly at Suimei, who gave her answer a passing grade without any hesitation. 

“Yeah, exactly. Strictly speaking, the answer is just to nullify sound in the area, but you could say that stealing sound is just a fancy way of doing that.” 

Hearing Graziella’s explanation and Suimei’s summary, something finally clicked for Felmenia. When it did, she enthusiastically raised her hand. 

“I also thought of something!” 

“You mean... something other than what we just said?” 

“Yes! If Liliana’s familiar is made of words, then using words with meanings that run contrary to hers—antonyms, if you will—might negate its existence! Right?” 

After giving her answer, Felmenia waited for Suimei’s reply with bated breath. Graziella seemed to find Felmenia’s idea rather novel, and she smiled with an engaged look on her face. 

“Oh? Antonyms, huh... In other words, using another chant to directly oppose the first, no?” 

Felmenia nodded in response to Graziella’s interpretation. Suimei then did the same. 

“That’s also an option. Using magicka with the opposite effect is a perfectly viable strategy.” 

Upon hearing that, Felmenia struck a triumphant pose. She was delighted that she hadn’t fallen behind Graziella. 

“Now you, Suimei Yakagi. If it were you, how would you handle it?” 

“Me? I would’ve obstructed that magicka before it could be fully knit together, disassembled it, and used rebound air to make the caster eat their own words. Well, but that’s only if it took time to construct the spell like Liliana’s did.” 

“Hmph. What is this ‘rebound air’?” 

“It’s the fatal flaw of high-ranking magicka, or rather, the final phase of magicka that takes multiple steps. Right before the spell manifests, if the primary factor of the spell’s mysticism is obstructed, it will recoil back towards the caster.” 

“I have had my magic obstructed many times, but that has never happened. Do you really know what you’re talking about?” 

“Yeah, I do. It’s not something that happens just because a chant gets interrupted. Unless there’s an effect on the spell itself while it’s being constructed, then no dice. How should I put it...? Liliana used phenomenon mixer before... It’s a little different, but she practiced a similar magicka once, right?” 

“Is that so? Liliana Zandyke’s magic is largely unique to her. The only one who knew all of her abilities was Rogue. Regardless, what kind of damage does this ‘rebound air’ do?” 

“It first has an effect on the ethereal body and the astral body. The damage is largely to the internal organs. Let’s see... Do you have a taste for alcohol?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“It’s like the kickback from taking a real stiff shot... It’s kind of like getting punched in the mouth, right? I don’t drink myself, so I can’t swear that’s the best comparison, but...” 

Hearing Suimei’s explanation, Graziella seemed to know exactly what kind of sensation he was talking about and grimaced accordingly. 

“I’d rather not experience that. Especially not during a fight. It would be quite an unpleasant annoyance,” she said. Then, with a grin creeping across her lips, she continued, “I’ve had a most amusing conversation with you, but...” 

“...What?” 

“You have a tendency for pedantry, don’t you?” 

It wasn’t like Suimei didn’t know that—he heard himself talk all the time. So instead of arguing, he smirked. 

“Hah, doesn’t everyone? It’s just a question of how much. Part of thirst for knowledge is a desire for recognition. Trust me—you’re not ever gonna find a saint who doesn’t wanna tell you how to live your life.” 

“Hmm? Never mind that. More importantly, hasn’t the flow of the match changed quite a bit?” 

“It certainly has. That girl from the Elite Twelve seems to be up against a wall.” 

“Hey, you guys were the one asking questions...” 

In the end, Suimei was willing to let it go at that. Like the other two girls, he returned his attention to the match. An extremely agitated Aerith was currently being provoked by Liliana. The fact that Aerith was oddly focused on Liliana was something Suimei had picked up on before the fight had even started. But it was really coming to the forefront now that it was affecting their match. 

“She’s a pretty tractable opponent, huh? She flipped her lid over just a little taunting... No, she completely blew her top, huh?” 

“That is a bad type of passion—the kind the Elements dislike.” 

“Aerith is young, after all. Well, I suppose that sounds strange coming from me since I’m even younger. But she went through more than most because of her pedigree, so she’s quite proud of herself and how far she’s made it... However, I still can’t accept that she’d be so easily taken for a ride. This needs rectifying... Though, judging from how things are looking, I suppose she’ll understand that by the end of the fight.” 

Though this concerned an issue with one of her subordinates, Graziella didn’t seem particularly worried. Just as she suggested, if Liliana won here, Aerith would learn her lesson. Granted, that would only be true if Aerith was capable of realizing why she’d lost, but Graziella spoke as if that were a foregone conclusion. 

“Wait, ain’t she your underling? You’re not gonna cheer for her?” 

“It’s not in my nature to shout encouraging things. Besides, she doesn’t need me to. In any event, it looks like things are wrapping up here, no?” 

In the arena, Liliana was beginning a chant that would bring about an end to the match. 

“He who is in our surroundings, the one that our eyes cannot see. He who hides from all prying eyes, the voice that no one can hear. Now, in this very moment, reveal thine ambiguous existence to the world and lay bare everything far and wide. Thou art born of me, thou art named by me, thou art enslaved by me, thou art none other than mine own blood. Thus—” 

As Liliana chanted, powerful mana gathered swiftly around her. Aerith was also gathering mana, but hers was completely overwhelmed by Liliana’s. As if taking it as some sort of signal, Howler returned to Liliana’s side and began growling. His deep, reverberating voice rippled through the air, doubling back on itself and increasing in intensity. It only further enhanced the unfolding mysteries as darkness bubbled up and formed subtle black lightning around Howler. As his growling grew and grew, it shook even the earth below, dislodging debris that began floating up towards the sky. It was like a dark, supernatural omen before some kind of catastrophe. 

As Suimei watched this, he raised a curious eyebrow. Then, as if pointing the way to Howler, Liliana thrust out her finger. 

“Hear me! Let out the calamitous howl that brings ruin to all! Intrinsic Curse, Astral Dive, Howl of Absolute Destruction!” 

With her keywords activated, Howler let out a tremendous roar. It was so strong that all who heard it instinctively cowered as they clapped their hands over their ears. And as it tore through the area, the arena and everything else nearby began to crumble. In response, Aerith formed a gigantic wall of water that dwarfed anything she’d used previously. But even that was a mere a drop in the bucket before Howler, who charged blindly where Liliana pointed, continuing to howl all the while. The moment the pallid beast came into contact with Aerith’s water wall, it burst into a sheet of white, foamy spray like a massive wave that had crashed on the shore. 

A portion of the arena between the two girls collapsed from the shockwave. And when it was all said and done, Aerith too collapsed on the spot. Seeing this, Liliana spoke quietly with an unconcerned expression. 

“Victory... is mine.” 

Indeed, the first match went to Liliana Zandyke. 

The match continued to hold the attention of the audience long after it ended. The soldiers, mages, and even the other members of the Elite Twelve were dumbfounded upon witnessing Liliana’s magicka. They all just stared at her blankly as she exited the arena. But they had every right to be so confounded and stupefied after beholding mysteries that were unthinkable with this world’s magic. Disbelief was thick in the air. 

“Aerith lost...” 

“To think the most talented woman among the Elite Twelve would...” 

“I’ve never seen magic like that before...” 

“Is that the true power of dark magic?” 

The crowd would continue to talk for some time. 

After exiting the arena, Liliana met up with Reiji and the others, including Suimei, who’d rejoined the group. The first to greet her was the haughty Io Kuzami. 

“As expected of my disciple. It is no exaggeration to say that everything you did was the pure embodiment of darkness. Even that final attack bore a close resemblance to force lightning,” she said in a satisfied tone with her arms folded. 

“Please don’t say... such incomprehensible things. And we are not... student and teacher. If you insist on parading such lies... I shall sue you for slander.” 

“FUHAHAHA! There is none in this world that can judge me!” 

Liliana did her best to shut Io Kuzami down, but her protest never even seemed to reach her ears. Io Kuzami was laughing all the while with a contented look on her face 

After that, Reiji, Titania, and Lefille congratulated Liliana on her victory. Once they were done celebrating, Suimei beckoned Liliana over to where he and Felmenia were standing so that they could talk in secret. 

“Liliana, the model of that familiar...” 

“Yes, it was indeed... a dog. But what I used as reference... were those creatures from before.” 

“The apparitions, huh?” 

Liliana nodded. Suimei had suspected as much from its eerie appearance, and it turned out he was right on the money. 

“You said before, Suimei... that not just your opponent’s... but also the sway of your own emotions... is important. So I thought that if I used... something I myself found frightening... it would be... particularly effective.” 

“Yes, quite so! As I thought, it’s better when the magicka you show off is flashy!” 

In response to Liliana’s explanation, Felmenia was nodding repeatedly with a satisfied look on her face. She was likely thinking back on her conversation with Suimei about firepower. An overwhelming amount of power with an overwhelming appearance to match. It would have a tremendous mental effect on both its target and its caster. But as Felmenia fantasized about all this, Liliana hung her head apologetically. 

“The magicka I used this time... has changed quite a bit... from what you taught me.” 

She’d stepped away from the spell as Suimei had taught it to her by putting her own spin on it. She felt that was a flaw to be corrected. However, Suimei was of a rather different opinion. 

“I think it’s fine. Originality is proof that you have a strong handle on the material. It’s true that if you rely too heavily on your own senses, then you can get caught in a trap of your own design, but if you’re careful, then I have no complaints. There’re still some kinks to work out, but overall, I think you did a pretty good job.” 

Hearing Suimei’s praise, Liliana smiled delightedly. From this match, he understood well that Liliana was fundamentally a different type of magician than Felmenia. If Felmenia was a hard worker, then Liliana was a prodigy. Rather than Suimei’s own style, hers was more akin to that of Suimei’s assistant, Hydemary. As for her aptitude, she had an affinity for witchcraft. As long as she didn’t limit herself to specializing in a single type of magicka, she had the potential to become quite a magician. 

As their secret talk came to an end, Reiji hailed the three of them and waved them back over to the group. 

“I really am surprised, Liliana-chan. I had no idea you were so strong.” 

“I-Indeed... I am a former member... of the Elite Twelve.” 

“So you were one of the stronger members then, huh?” 

“No, that’s not quite...” 

Liliana couldn’t exactly tell Reiji that her current abilities were because Suimei had been teaching her magicka. Not knowing what else to say, she ended up trailing off mid-conversation. But then, by a stroke of either good or bad luck, Io Kuzami cut in and interrupted things completely. 

“Now that my disciple has given such a good show, I myself cannot just stand idly by.” 

“As I’ve been saying... I am not your—” 

“But of course my disciple would have such a flashy taste for battle. Heh heh heh... For the next match, then, shall I personally show you all the quiet simplicity and subdued refinement of a plain fight?” 

Paying Liliana no mind whatsoever, Io Kuzami continued to talk up her match. Hearing this, Reiji made a complicated expression as he leaned over towards Suimei with a hand cupped to his mouth. 

“You hearing what she’s saying, Suimei?” 

“Yeah, there’s no way in hell it’s going to be plain. What does she even know about quiet simplicity and subdued refinement?” 

“Whatever she’s thinking when she says that, it’s probably not what we’re thinking when we hear it, huh?” 

“The same as ever...” 

“Mm, the same as ever...” 

Both boys let out a sigh in the same breath as Io Kuzami entered the arena. 

After the destruction wrought on the arena during the first match had been repaired, the second match was just about to start: the problem child with her chuuni powers at full throttle, Io Kuzami, versus Slane Zolnuf of the Elite Twelve. 

Zolnuf was a young man who appeared to be about the same age as or slightly older than Aerith. His rusty red hair was smoothed down and he had somewhat elegant features, but the perpetual smirk on his face detracted from his charm. If anything, he looked superficial. He also appeared to be a mage just like Aerith, and carried a short staff in one hand. 

Both he and Io Kuzami rose to the arena without any sort of ceremony. And the one to take the initiative in the war of words before the match was the latter. She wore her own smirk as if to say she wouldn’t lose out to Slane in any way, shape, or form. 

“Now then, are you supposed to be my opponent?” she asked. “Aren’t you quite the seedy-looking bastard? For them to send the likes of you against me... This is an insult.” 

“I hear you’re the hero’s companion, but aren’t you getting a bit too cocky? If you say too much, won’t it just be all the more embarrassing when you lose?” 

Slane replied with a sneer to Io Kuzami talking down to him. As one would expect of a member of the Elite Twelve, he had the discretion not to get riled up over someone joking around. But Io Kuzami didn’t particularly seem to care about having her taunting turned back around on her, either. 

“Me? Lose? Not so. The one who shall be getting a full-course tasting of the dirt of defeat in this arena will be none other than yourself.” 

“That’s some confidence you have...” 

“This is not confidence. It’s simply knowledge of the predetermined—that which you know as fate.” 

“You have a lot of nerve to say something so conceited. Who the hell do you think I am? I am Slane-sama of the Elite Twelve, you hear?” 

With Io Kuzami’s increasingly impudent claims, Slane gradually became more irritated. Though he was speaking glibly, his tone grew somewhat sharper. He even resorted to proudly bragging about his position, but... 

“As if I care. To me, you shall simply be the bastard with the receding hairline.” 

“You fucking bitch! You’ve got that weird cloth wrapped around your neck, and you’re gonna fucking make fun of my glorious hairstyle?!” 

“Stop there, peon. Did you just insult the heroic muffler of love, bastard? Very well. I shall take extra care in personally showing you the very depths of hell.” 

The flames of rage were ignited in both of them upon having their styles insulted. It sounded like an extremely petty squabble, but the audience was getting into it. It was easy to take sides in a simple dispute like this, and the crowd grew noisy as they started shouting rather inappropriate encouragement. As she was rather blatantly disrespecting the Elite Twelve, the booing for Io Kuzami was fairly expected. But, despite this being a military encampment, there were also shouts of “Die!” and “Kick the bucket already!” coming Slane’s way, giving a glimpse into what people really thought about him. 

“I’ll fucking kill you.” 

“Your sins are your ignorance and your contempt for this favorite accessory of mine. You shall atone for them with your death.” 

As their childish and vicious exchange came to an end, the match began... It began, but unlike Slane who immediately took his distance, Io Kuzami simply stood there with her arms folded and a fearless grin on her face. She wasn’t moving. She wasn’t chanting. She wasn’t doing anything, leaving Slane to take the initiative. 

“Oh Earth! Stretch out and rise! Threaten my enemy’s foothold! Ground Lance!” 

As he activated his keywords, the ground around him protruded upward. Wrecking the arena as it moved, it shot forward towards Io Kuzami. And rather than taking any evasive action, she stood perfectly still like she was just waiting for the collision. But then, just as she was about to be swamped... 

“Hmph. There is nothing more foolish than using the earth against me.” 

Murmuring to herself as though she were bored, Io Kuzami stamped her foot on the gray arena floor. The brisk sound of splashing liquid struck the audience’s ears, and the protruding earth settled down with an explosion. Slane looked surprised upon seeing his spell so trumped, but immediately tightened up his face. 

“So you’re at least not all talk, huh?” 

“Of course not. I am Io Kuzami, the absolute existence who has hold over everything in the world.” 

As expected, she couldn’t help throwing in a bit of extra flair. And as she loudly declared herself to Slane and the audience, Suimei and Reiji were at their wits’ end. There was no saving her now. Even in a fantasy world like this, she was babbling completely beyond the realm of common sense. All they could do was look away. 

“Oh yeah? Then tell me: is it the job of an absolute existence or whatever you claim to be to just stand there with your arms folded like an idiot?” 

“Now you’ve done it. Very well. I shall showcase a rare technique just for a bastard like you.” 

After being mocked for remaining still, Io Kuzami seemed to grow excited and ominously began laughing. But despite what she said, she continued to stand stock still with her arms folded. She still wasn’t doing anything, not even building up her mana. And just as everyone began to suspect an anticlimactic end to her taunting, the surface of the stone area snapped without any warning. It was as if some invisible power had violently struck it. Seeing this, Slane looked disappointed. 

“Oh, is that all you’ve got? All you did was just make some damn noise. That’s not a technique; that’s a bluff.” 

“A bluff, you say? Hmph. If that’s what you think, then you should try it out for yourself. Here.” 

“Ah—?” 

Another loud sound rang out without Io Kuzami doing anything, this time something like a dry slap. It was Slane’s face, apparently smacked violently to the side by some invisible force. 

“Guaah!” 

Perhaps because he hadn’t seen it coming, Slane fell over to the side upon being struck. He quickly scrambled back to his feet and shook his head, as if to clear away the shock and confusion. 

“Y-You bitch, what did you...” 

“That just now? That was just the thrashing from servants of mine that cannot be seen by your mortal eyes.” 

“Servants that... cannot be seen?” 

“That’s right. Right now—in this very arena—my ever loyal and unseen servants stand ready to heed my command. In accordance with my will, at any time and place, they are ready to fight for my life. Look, this isn’t going to end with just a single strike, you know?” 

“Gu—!” 

As Io Kuzami finished speaking, the invisible thrashing continued to assault Slane. This time, a powerful blow struck him in the back of the head. Unable to sense what was coming at him, it was a completely one-sided fight. In an attempt to protect his head, he put his hands up in front of him and crouched down. 

Slane’s bewilderment was obvious, but the same went for those in the audience. This phenomenon wasn’t magicka—there was no mana stirring in the area. Yet nevertheless, mystical things were happening. It was perfectly understandable that the crowd was flummoxed, and this included Felmenia. 

“Unseen servants? But there isn’t...” 

There wasn’t anything there. Even if she looked for incorporeal presences, there was no trace of anything. Unable to explain this herself, she turned to Suimei standing next to her. 

“Um, Suimei-dono? Just what is that technique Io Kuzami-dono is using...?” 

Felmenia saw Suimei looking at Io Kuzami through narrowed eyes like he was trying to ascertain what exactly she was. He continued to stare at her for a moment before answering. 

“Spontaneous psychokinetic control.” 

“Spontaneous psychokinetic control... you say?” 

“That’s right. It’s a spiritualism technique. Beneath the layer of consciousness—I mean, it’s a technique that unconsciously creates phenomena in a person’s surroundings.” 

“U-Ummm...” 

“Think of a poltergeist. Even in this world, there are stories of strange creaking noises in houses or objects just flying off of shelves for no reason, right?” 

“In old mansions, perhaps... You mean those stories from haunted houses and ancient castles, no? If so, then yes, I have heard of such things before.” 

Even in this world, they had poltergeists. But because communication was relatively slow and limited, unlike in the modern world, it seemed information on them had yet to really spread. Lefille, pom-poms still in hand, had begun walking over to Suimei and Felmenia upon realizing they were talking about something. But as soon as she heard the words “haunted houses,” she shuddered, promptly did an about-face, and retraced her steps. 

“Recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis, commonly referred to as RSPK, is just one facet of the phenomena associated with poltergeists. It often applies in cases where the real culprit isn’t just a spirit directly interfering with the world. In short, it occurs when people with strong sensitivity to the spiritual have an effect on their surroundings via residual emotions and ether. The trigger is assumed to be the caster’s spiritual power running wild. And what that damn Io Kuzami has done here is take a normally unconscious phenomenon and make it conscious so she can manipulate it.” 

In other words, she’d brought a very unruly power under her control. And unlike regular magic, RSPK was controlled by residual emotions and ether. It manifested and behaved differently. It also took no chant or gestures to conjure and was invisible to the naked eye. Not even spiritual sight was enough to discern it. That was likely why Io Kuzami referred to the power as her unseen servants. 

What she was really talking about was her “subliminal self,” an idea proposed by Frederic Myers that was largely regarded as unfounded by modern occultists. But that was turning a blind eye to the fact that the leader of theosophy, Helena Blavatsky, had mastered the technique over a hundred years ago. It was said that she would freely manipulate it to scare people, and so became known as a master of ghosts—a medium—and an icon of spiritualism. Though in reality, it wasn’t at all ghosts that she was manipulating. 

After hearing Suimei’s explanation, Felmenia made a puzzled expression. 

“I do not at all doubt its effectiveness, but it seems like a very roundabout technique. Would it not be more polished simply to perform a spell by just the power of one’s mind?” 

“It’s true that magicka could accomplish the same thing. But this is different in that it’s based off of the perception of the person wielding it, so the quality of the technique is— Aha, that’s it! That’s what she meant about quiet simplicity and subdued refinement!” 

In the middle of explaining things to Felmenia, Suimei interrupted himself, shouting out as if he’d stumbled upon a realization of some kind. 

“Suimei-dono?” 

“Remember what that damn Io Kuzami said after Liliana’s fight? She claimed she’d show us ‘the quiet simplicity and subdued refinement of a plain fight.’ Unlike regular magicka, this technique has no form or shape. It moves completely independently of the caster. The point is that she’s using something that’s the polar opposite of a familiar.” 

“Ah...” 

Suimei had assumed that Io Kuzami was just talking out of her ass as usual, but quite unexpectedly, she’d been up to something clever all along. And then, almost as if in acknowledgement of his realization, Io Kuzami tossed a sly smile his way. It irritated him to no end, but he could no longer deny what she’d said. She’d gotten him on this one. And seeing all this, Felmenia began adorably grumbling. 

“Hmmm... It seems like a technique that is difficult to counter. If there’s no movement of mana, it must be hard to take countermeasures against something that cannot be seen.” 

“Not really. The basis of the technique—the power of poltergeists—is a naturally occurring phenomenon, so it isn’t actually particularly strong or high-level. As long as your defenses are tight, there’s nothing to be scared of.” 

“Then its aggressiveness is not a great threat?” 

“Poltergeists are mostly just noisy, after all.” 

In a way, when Slane had said Io Kuzami was just making noise, he was right. The technique was highly unpredictable because it was invisible, but it was possible to defend against it with just one’s arms. It made for an excellent surprise attack, but it wasn’t remarkably powerful. 

“Slane! What are you doing?!” 

After seeing Aerith defeated in the first match, Gorgan couldn’t help the panic that fell over him upon seeing Slane getting slapped around. His face was bright red as he shouted angrily into the arena. And it seemed an effective stimulus. Slane immediately stiffened and began chanting. 

“Oh Wind! Thou shalt become my barrier and protect me! Air Wall!” 

Immediately following his keyword, the wind in the area formed a defensive wall around him. Io Kuzami’s psychokinesis was unable to penetrate it, and so the invisible beating came to an end. Seeing that Slane had come up with a way to defend against her technique, Io Kuzami scattered her thoughts to dismiss it. 

“Hmph. So you can at least defend against an attack of this level, can you?” 

“You’ve really done it now, you fucking bitch...” 

“Well, it would be a disappointment if I could defeat you without ever moving from this spot. Were you as brittle as the third bridge of a ship, the fight would be too boring. The audience would have nothing to get excited over.” 

“You damn... You’ve been talking nothing but nonsense for way too long now! Are you fucked in the head or something?” 

After taking such a beating without getting a single hit in edgewise, Slane was quite irritated. He raved at Io Kuzami, but she didn’t seem to care at all. 

“For you not to understand my refined words... It seems not just your hairline, but also the contents of your head have waned.” 

At Io Kuzami’s keen riposte, the crowd erupted into raucous laughter. Reiji, who was watching over all of this intently, leaned over to Suimei. 

“Io Kuzami-san... It seems she’s doing alright for now.” 

“Yeah, for now.” 

Suimei seemed to be implying that was all subject to change, and Reiji nodded with a troubled expression. He knew there was a possibility things could go south. The match was far from over, and they had no idea what would happen next. They had to stay on their toes. If things took a turn for the strange, they would be the ones who had to stop Io Kuzami. Meanwhile, across the arena from them, Gorgan was still shouting. 

“You hear me, Slane?! You cannot lose! Another defeat will tarnish our reputation!” 

“I know!” 

Gorgan himself had clashed with Io Kuzami back in the tent, so he must have been particularly wary of her. After shouting at Slane, he just glared fixedly at her. But again, Gorgan’s words had an immediate effect on Slane. He’d been on the verge of panic, but collected himself somewhat after being reprimanded by the head of the Elite Twelve. The insults he’d endured were still eating away at him, but he calmly surveyed Io Kuzami. It was then that she finally decided to use a spell of her own and began chanting. 

“Oh Fire and Wind. Brave the skies with your merciless sweltering heat and consume all the air within. Strangle the one before me with gasping agony. Respiring Burn!” 

Not a moment after she activated her keywords, the sky above the arena coiled into a fiery vortex. It looked like a spell intended to heat the atmosphere to the point that just breathing in the air was dangerous. 

“Oh Wind! Thou shalt act in accordance with my will and blow fiercely! Send the sweltering heat and chilling air that threatens me beyond the horizon! Continuum Wind!” 

Slane countered Io Kuzami’s magic with a wind spell of his own. It seemed he was trying to defend himself by redirecting the danger away from him. But when his gust met the superheated stream of air coming down from Io Kuzami’s fire coil, they collided in a duel of swirling currents overhead. 

The two mages then began fighting to see who could pour more mana into their spell and overcome the other. Really, it was a contest of endurance. And there was no way a human stood a chance against the mana reserves of a spirit. Giving in first, Slane’s breath was completely ragged. 

“Ridiculous...! Just... how much mana...” 

“This is nothing. Hardly even worth mentioning. But for you to give up here... Hmph. It seems the children of man in this age have grown weak.” 

Io Kuzami muttered to herself in discouragement for some unintelligible reason before dismissing her coil of wind and fire. 

“You bitch...” 

Slane’s gaze turned exceptionally sinister. He seemed to be under the impression that Io Kuzami was taking pity on him by releasing her spell. Little did he know it was no act of kindness. 

“Now then, it is about time that we settle this. It seems you have already spent too much of your mana and can no longer move, after all.” 

“Ugh...” 

Io Kuzami’s eccentric laughter rang through the arena as she pronounced Slane’s defeat. 

“Let me see... The technique that I shall use to bring you and your fate to their knees this day shall be... the kick which kills billions.” 

“Th-The kick which kills billions...?” 

“That’s right. I am the Holy King of the Heavens, Io Kuzami. In the mere span of the blink of an eye, killing billions is child’s play for me.” 

Standing on her side of the arena, Io Kuzami made what was perhaps her most unbelievable claim yet. Hearing it, both Reiji and Suimei looked at each other. 

“There she goes, Reiji...” 

“Hmm... But what does she mean, I wonder? It’s not like she’s suddenly going to grow a billion feet... right?” 

Reiji began trying to guess what Io Kuzami was up to. Surely it was impossible that her feet would magically multiply exponentially. But the scariest thing about Io Kuzami was that she did occasionally do the impossible. 

“Hear me, my unseen servants! The time has come to hold a magnificent banquet right here and now!” 

Io Kuzami used her psychokinetic powers to liven up the arena. She then approached Slane, who was completely spent and immobile from using up all his mana. 

“Man with the receding hairline and brains, behold! Take a glimpse of the surface of Schwarzchild with this kick of mine! Take this! THE KICK WHICH KILLS BILLIOOOOONS!” 

Io Kuzami lifted her leg behind her and swung, feinting here and there. Slane tried his best to dodge, but it made no difference. He was at the complete mercy of her kick. Rather, his family jewels were. 

“NOT THEEEEEEEEEEERE!” 

Slane’s piteous shriek filled the air as Io Kuzami’s boot connected squarely with his manhood, causing him to faint in agony. Frothing at the mouth, he collapsed on the spot. 

It was a blow that never should have been used in a duel, but it certainly got the audience fired up. Plenty of the men in the crowd looked blue in the face as they reflexively covered their own crotches, but there were also energetic cheers of “You deserved that!” and “Well done!” coming from all directions. There was even a small, odd demographic in the audience whispering things like, “I’m jealous...” and “I want to get kicked like that too...” 

Yet in the midst of the celebrating, there was Reiji, who had his head cocked curiously to the side. 

“But... where does the billions part come in?” 

“Come on, Reiji. The number of sperm.” 

“Aah, right... What a stupid technique...” 

Upon having the significance of the technique’s name explained to him, Reiji let out a complicated sigh. But Suimei, after doing the explaining, suddenly furrowed his brow. 

“Actually, there shouldn’t even be billions in someone’s testicles... Realistically speaking, it should be lower than that.” 

“Yeah, but... this is Io Kuzami we’re talking about. When has she ever spoken realistically? It’s just her wild imagination running rampant and coming out of her mouth.” 

“Aaah, yeah. Good point. Of course you’d understand her.” 

“Don’t say it like that. You’re making it sound like I’m in league with her.” 

“I’m afraid it’s already too late for us, man.” 

“You don’t have to say it. I know.” 

And so Reiji planted his face in his hands as the second match came to an end with Io Kuzami’s victory and loud laughter. 

A little later, during the third match... 

“Bastard, bastard, bastard, BASTAAAAAAAARD!” 

There was a stout yell coming from the arena. 

“I am one of the Elite Twelve, a glorious noble of the Empire! Just why should I be subject to a grueling fight with a commoner like you?!” 

Despite his angry bellowing, the shouting man’s resolve was starting to waver as he fell into a swivet. 

“Impossible! This is just impossible!” 

Of course, the person he was shouting at was his opponent for the match. 

“Man, you’ve really got one easy to read personality, don’t you...?” Suimei assessed his opponent in an exasperated voice. 

Noble Baaldan Dostolf Zegent was currently in the arena of the imperial military encampment. He was fighting against a commoner from the hero’s world, and he found himself in something of a predicament he’d never experienced before. 

That predicament wasn’t that he was falling behind in the fight, but rather that he was panicking and at a complete loss as to how to proceed. The fight wasn’t over yet. Winner and loser had yet to be decided, but it was plain to see Baaldan was being driven up against the wall. Mentally, if nothing else. 

It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Baaldan had bought his position in the Elite Twelve. But even so, he had the conceit and magic talent to stand up to most of the other members. He wasn’t totally unworthy of the title. He’d been born of a noble house, graduated from the Magic Institute, and even proven himself on the battlefield in a war against a southern nation. He had a considerable résumé, and his upbringing was nothing to sneeze at. 

Moreover, Baaldan had a magic technique that only he could use. It inflated his ego considerably, but he hardly considered that an issue. Not with his power. 

The power of chained magic. Using peculiar patterns and intonation, he could chant spells incessantly without even a pause for breath between them. It was a unique technique that allowed him to use powerful spells in quick succession. It was the crowning jewel of his power. His trump card. With it, he’d won numerous battles. Be it against soldiers, monsters, or stray demons, he was always victorious. But today, here in the encampment arena, he was unmistakably being led by the nose. 

Ridiculous! Ridiculous! Ridiculous! How can this be?! 

And the one doing the leading was a commoner who’d been summoned alongside the hero of Astel. His face was plain and there was nothing particularly remarkable about him. By all appearances, he was a completely average, commonplace boy. If someone had to pick out an example of riffraff off the streets, they would undoubtedly point to him. He was the very embodiment of mediocrity. 

“I shall show my cohorts who put on such unsightly displays how a man of noble blood fights!” Baaldan had declared to Gorgan before the fight. 

And then, upon seeing his opponent... 

“My opponent is clearly a mere country bumpkin! How unsavory! It is unacceptable that I should have to fight such a scruffy-looking fellow! Can you even use magic? Do you even understand what magic is in the first place?” 

And to that, his opponent had replied... 

“Just because you have magic doesn’t mean you understand it. Only when you are endowed with knowledge are you truly able to use magic. Then comes understanding, no?” 

From what Baaldan had heard, the world the hero came from was completely devoid of magic. That meant the hero and his companions had only learned of it after coming here, and it had scant been half a year since they were summoned. Such green youngsters couldn’t possibly put up a fight against someone who’d studied magic for decades. Or at least, that’s what he’d thought. 

But when he opened the cover and got a closer look, it was a different story. This commoner was using completely bizarre magics to fend off Baaldan’s attacks. It wouldn’t have been all that intimidating coming from a desperate opponent fighting on his last legs. Baaldan wouldn’t have felt up against a wall if that were the case here. But this boy wasn’t fighting. No, he was acting like he was merely playing with a child. He even had the audacity to hum between incantations. And no matter how serious Baaldan got, he couldn’t make any headway. The boy just kept humming. 

Of course, the audience was having their own reaction to this. Shock and awe wormed their way through the noisy crowd. Not because a member of the Elite Twelve was being dominated, but because the commoner was fighting with magic in ways they’d never seen before. It was like he’d found a magical blind spot and was comfortably sitting there as he casually poked and prodded his opponent. Everyone watched the one-sided fight unfold in wonderment and surprise, including Gorgan Bartwood Goalt. 

For example, if Baaldan used fire magic, the boy would use wind magic—which should have fanned the flames, but instead blew them out. If Baaldan used water magic, rather than using the tried and true tactic of conjuring earth magic to make a well and divert it, he summoned plants with wood magic to absorb it. Even when Baaldan used multiple spells chained together with his signature technique, the boy would counteract each and every one. Baaldan hadn’t even come close to laying a finger on him. 

This increasingly irritated him, and he quickly moved to fire yet another spell at the boy. But the moment he thought for sure it would connect, it lost its power and vanished. 

“Wha—?!” 

It was just like when Aerith Melfein had fired magic at the ghostly dog Liliana Zandyke had summoned. And the commoner was just laughing at this development. Baaldan couldn’t tell if it was out of scorn, mockery, or simply delight. He had no idea what the boy was thinking, but perhaps that wasn’t important. The remarkable thing here was that he even had the composure and leisure to be laughing in the middle of a fight in the first place. 

“Making fun of me...!” 

That laughter fanned the indignant flames of Baaldan’s anger to an apoplectic extreme. He looked like he might just die of a stroke on the spot. And his little fit didn’t help him any, considering the circumstances. Even when he fired off two or three more spells in rapid succession, every single one of them was deflected just like all his others had been. 

It was something that happened quite frequently in gambling. When a gambler was constantly one-upped by the house or an opposing player, they often grew desperate. That desperation would cost them their ability to make clear decisions, and ultimately the game. And the more one lost, the greater the sense of desperation became. It was a vicious cycle. One that was very difficult to get out of once you slipped into it. And that was exactly how this fight was going for Baaldan. 

“Now then, it’s about time that I make my move, huh? Here we go... Oh Wind. Heed my will and butcher my enemy. Strike Wind.” 

As the commoner threw down the gauntlet, he incanted a wind spell. The gust of wind he fired from his hands was simple and low level, but had considerable destructive force to it. For a member of the Elite Twelve like Baaldan, dealing with it would be nothing... but it was annoying. It had enough power behind it that he actually needed to defend against it, which only irritated him more. 

“Oh Earth! Surround me and become a firm bulwark! Absolutely none shall pass and threaten this life! Earth Wall Rising!” 

The ground rose up around Baaldan and hardened, forming a sturdy earthen wall that the boy’s wind magic crashed into and dispersed across. 

“Did you think that kind of petty magic would work? You damnable fool!” 

“No, one probably won’t— Oh Wind. Heed my will and butcher my enemy × 7. Strike Wind Sevenfold.” 

“Wha—?!” 

After the commoner’s complete joke of a chant, seven instances of his Strike Wind magic manifested. With seven times the mana now assaulting Baaldan’s earthen barrier, it shook before crumbling completely. 

“No way... For such a low level wind spell to break my bulwark...” 

It was impossible. After being led around by the nose all this time, he now had to put up with this kind of magic. It was no wonder Baaldan was furious. 

“Th-Then how about this?! Oh Fire! Blossom, burn, and billow even more majestically! Become the very avatar of conflagration! Grand Flame!” 

“As for me... Oh Scarlet. With your mix of jet and vermillion, plunder the color of red from all eyes. A flame with no color has no right to call itself a flame. Little Red Thief.” 

Baaldan unleashed a spell that created an enormous fireball, and the boy incanted a fire spell of his own in response. But as far as Baaldan could tell, all he’d done was conjure a red marble. No, several of them. They were appearing all over the arena. It looked like he was planning on trumping quality with quantity. Yet Baaldan’s fireball was only growing bigger. 

When it came into contact with the marbles, it consumed them. A chain of magic explosions was set off, and all of it was swallowed by Baaldan’s fireball. It swelled so large and so red that Baaldan thought he was seeing things. It looked like his fireball was disappearing. 

And that was exactly what happened. When the red light faded, both Baaldan’s fireball and all the red marbles were gone. It seemed that with so much magic fire in one place, it burned so intensely that it smothered itself. 

“You and your underhanded techniques!” 

“Isn’t it amusing? Red is the essence of fire. Its color is unaffected by temperature. So the redder mystical fire is, the higher quality—and thus more powerful—it is. Conversely, when it loses color, it also loses power.” 

“Losing its power because it loses color?! Stop spouting nonsense! Magic does not lose the divine power granted to it by the Elements for such a stupid reason!” 

“Wow, so that’s right over your head, huh? You really don’t understand anything.” 

“Tch, if fire magic won’t work, then I’ll just use a different magic to—” 

“Nope. Unfortunately it’s about time you run out of steam.” 

“What?” 

“Let’s take a time out here.” 

The commoner then exaggeratedly shrugged and stood there defenselessly as he started repeating nonsensical words. Rolling his shoulders and craning his neck, he looked like he was stretching to relax. All in the middle of battle, no less. 

“Are you stupid? Doing that during a match...” 

Despite Baaldan’s warning, the boy didn’t looked like he cared or was even listening. His blatant disrespect relit Baaldan’s anger anew, and he set straight to using a spell to show his dissatisfaction. 

“Oh Lightning! Light— L-Lightning...” 

Yet for some reason, the chant just wouldn’t leave his mouth. 

“Ligh.... Li...” 

With that last syllable, his throat dried and tightened. He broke out into a cold sweat all over, and his heart began palpitating furiously. He couldn’t chant anymore, much less speak. He couldn’t talk at all. It was like his body was telling him no. 

“Hahh, hahh...” 

Completely out of breath, Baaldan looked over at the commoner. He looked bored and disappointed, like he’d known this was going to happen. Like he was looking down on Baaldan for not knowing better. He then looked at Baaldan like a scholar observing a research subject. 

“My goodness, I’ve heard the theory, but this is honestly the first time I’ve seen it happen for myself.” 

“What... are you...? 

“Listen, it’d be best for you to stop unreasonably using magic chained together like that. It seems you can do that because you have a larger capacity than most people, but it’s not like you have a radiator or a water pump or anything. The only end result is overheating like that.” 

“L-Like I said, stop spouting nonsense!” 

“Seriously... If you’re a mage, get a freaking clue.” 

With that, the commoner completely shut Baaldan down. This was impossible. For him to be so disgracefully humiliated by a commoner... It was impossible. 

“I am a noble! I’m special! There’s no way something like that can happen... Bastard, you must have used another underhanded technique to...” 

As Baaldan rebuked the boy for foul play, he let out a grand sigh. But then, as if he’d just thought of something amusing, he cracked a smile and began laughing. It was a dark, ominous smile and a deep, sinister laugh. 

“Heh heh heh, what are you talking about? No, if I’ve been caught, then there’s no denying it now, is there?” 

“Bastard, as I thought... Come clean!” 

Just what had he done? Baaldan beheld him with a judgmental stare. And as he awaited his answer, the commoner smugly rubbed his chin. 

“See over there?” 

The boy thrust his arm out as he snapped his fingers. Baaldan followed it with his eyes, but beyond where the boy was pointing... 

“What’s over—” 

The imperial noble Baaldan Dostolf Zegent’s voice hung in the otherwise quiet air. Suimei had pointed to something with a snap of his fingers and Baaldan had instinctively looked. But, naturally, it was just the two of them in the arena. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“There’s nothing th— Ah! No, it can’t be!” 

“You fell for it, you idiot!” 

By the time Baaldan realized what he’d just walked into, it was too late. He’d been made a fool of. And in the instant he looked away, Suimei had closed the distance. As for Reiji and Felmenia who were watching... 

“Come on, Suimei... You can’t just...” 

“Suimei-dono...” 

They both sounded defeated. What Suimei had just done was no better than sneaking in a sucker punch after shouting, “It’s a UFO!” or “Look, a flying pig!” It was like a gag straight out of a manga. The success rate on such a stupid trick of a tactic was frightfully low, but Suimei had had the perfect act and setup. He’d actually managed to pull it off. 

While Baaldan was distracted, Suimei unleashed a flurry of blows on him. He intentionally drove his fists into several vital spots in Baaldan’s core, but his last punch was squarely focused on the underside of his chin. And he didn’t hesitate to raise his fist in victory. Though Baaldan saw exactly where this was going, he had no way of stopping it. That last blow spelled his inevitable defeat. 

“Guh, ah... T-To use such a classic move...” 

“It’s your fault for falling for it. Rather, for not properly paying attention to your surroundings. You really gotta start all over back from the basics, dude. That’s what you get for underestimating people. Freaking idiot.” 

Under the hail of Suimei’s verbal abuse, Baaldan fell to the ground. In the end, it was something of an anticlimactic fight. 

“Well, with that much blood rushing to his head, he couldn’t think properly anyways.” 

Naturally, Baaldan couldn’t hear Suimei making fun of him anymore. After surpassing his limits from continuous usage of magic, he’d gotten short of breath and deliriously feverish due to his lack of mana. Hardly anyone could defend themselves in that condition. Baaldan had treated Suimei like a lesser opponent the entire fight, and this outcome was just proof that people with massive egos were easy to manipulate. He was so blinded by his disdain for his opponent that he hadn’t been able to see the actual difference in their abilities. And that ultimately spelled his defeat. It was no different from when Graziella fell into the trap of magicka melt. It should have been easily avoidable. 

The continuous use of serial magic, in itself, wasn’t all that uncommon. It was a valuable technique in Suimei’s world. Any decent magician could do it. But they had knowledge of entropy and, more importantly, mana furnaces—something the people of this world were sorely lacking. Without mana furnaces, they had no way of converting the wasted heat and mana into steam to get rid of it. It would just build and build until they overheated like Baaldan had. But he was lucky he’d stopped when he did. More extreme cases of overheating could result in compromised vision or even blindness. 

As Suimei was thinking through all this, he exited the arena and approached his friends, who had plenty to say. 

“Say, Tia, Suimei’s fight and the one before it were basically on the same level, weren’t they...?” 

“I lost to a man who does stuff like that... Unforgivable.” 

“Suimei-kun, this is grounds for a sermon.” 

Reiji was exasperated, Titania was burning with an aura of anger directed at Suimei, and Lefille was itching to lecture him. 

“Uhhh...” 

In the end, the third match would go down as victory by surprise attack. 

Immediately following the conclusion of the matches... 

“There is no way that such a thing could...” 

He genuinely hadn’t thought that the Elite Twelve could be defeated. But he’d observed all of the matches for himself, leaving him in a dumbfounded state repeating the same words of disbelief over and over. 

All three members of the Elite Twelve he’d chosen were supposed to win against their opponents. He acknowledged that there was a chance—however unlikely—that Aerith might lose to Liliana, but Slane and Baaldan... Their victories should have been certain. 

But reality was harshly different from expectation. Both up-and-comers and veterans of the Elite Twelve alike had been defeated. Worse yet, the last two matches had ended in humiliation. As the head of the Elite Twelve, Gorgan couldn’t possibly stand for this. Yet the shock of the landslide defeat was so great that he couldn’t even think of anything to say. He simply stared on in awe, his thoughts in complete disarray. And while he was in this daze, Reanat appeared, accompanied by his attendant. 

“Gorgan.” 

“Y-Your Imperial Highness...” 

Even staggered by defeat, Gorgan at least had the wherewithal to remember his manners in front of the prince and took a knee in a fluster. Reanat then asked for confirmation in a tone like he was admonishing his subordinate. 

“The matches have all concluded. You no longer have any complaints, correct?” 

“Your Highness, I cannot apologize enough for the unsightly display the members of the Elite Twelve put on for you.” 

“There was no helping it. Their opponents today were poor matches for them.” 

“But for the Elite Twelve to be so humiliated in such underhanded fights, Aerith aside... This will have an effect on the glorious reputation of the imperial army. I feel that we must take some sort of responsibility.” 

“Responsibility, you say?” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and taking responsibility was Gorgan’s desperate plan. In essence, if the Elite Twelve went down, the entire army would suffer for it. And he was planning on preying on that fact. Surely the prince wouldn’t stand for such a national embarrassment. With his permission, rather than accepting defeat, Gorgan would contest the matches and lodge complaints against the opponents that had defeated Slane and Baaldan. That way it wouldn’t be a complete defeat, and he could mitigate the damage done to the Elite Twelve’s name. If the public took their side in an outcry of sympathy, then they even stood to gain something out of this. 

But this plan all hinged on the prince. And so Gorgan bowed his head, waiting to hear Reanat’s reply. Whether or not he realized exactly what Gorgan was up to, he shook his head. 

“Gorgan, these matches were the result of you obsessing over your opponents, their attitudes, and their skills from the very beginning. It had nothing to do with responsibility. Thus, there is no need for you to take responsibility now.” 

“But...” 

Not getting the answer he was hoping for, Gorgan tried to cling to the conversation. But rather than the prince’s soft voice, a haughty scoff came in reply. 

“As such, from here on, you shall refrain from such impertinent interference.” 

It was Graziella, approaching from behind. 

“Your Imperial Highness Graziella...” 

“What’s with that nasty face? Do you disapprove?” 

“With all due respect, this is a matter that concerns more than just those who fought today. This concerns all of the Elite Twelve, including you as one of its members, Your Highness.” 

“Are you in any sort of position to be plotting so? You intend to challenge the fights to have the results questioned, don’t you? I’ve already seen through your ulterior motive.” 

As Graziella laughed scornfully, Gorgan was unable to argue and simply stayed silent. Graziella then suddenly went from laughing to looking rather serious. 

“Well, regardless of your scheming, I understand your discontent with regards to the Empire’s current situation. It’s now the status quo that our allied nations are less than enthusiastic. Yet if the Elite Twelve were to make an impression now, it would demonstrate the Empire’s strength both at home and abroad.” 

“If Your Highness understands such things, then...” 

“Gorgan, did my elder brother not say so just now? They were bad matchups. Accept the results.” 

Even with Graziella rebuking him, Gorgan didn’t seem ready to back down. It was likely the stubbornness of the conceit he’d built up as an important mage over the years. His sour expression and the light in his dull eyes said loud and clear that he hadn’t accepted anything. Reading such subtleties, Graziella let out a sigh. 

“You must have seen it for yourself. Liliana has already been released from the malevolent bonds of dark magic and become a powerful master in her own right. And the one who calls herself Io Kuzami played a key role in repelling a demon general. Against those kinds of opponents, it would be childish to claim that their victories were hollow.” 

“But that man who fought in the last match... He was simply joking around.” 

“Did you see that as joking around?” 

“That kind of fighting... All I saw was him teasing his opponent.” 

“Hmph. Did it also look that way to you, elder brother?” 

As Graziella deferred to her brother, Reanat made a slightly bitter expression. 

“Let me see... Regardless of what the truth may be, from the standpoint of a mere observer, it could honestly be said that it was an unsatisfying fight. Do you not think so, Lyla?” 

“As I suspected. Without a proper perspective, things can appear very skewed. Having fought against that man once myself, I know the skill he possesses for tactics and magic is boundless. That last trick was out of bounds, however.” 

Yet despite how the fight had ended, from Graziella’s point of view, Suimei’s performance was remarkable because it meant that he’d completely seen through his opponent. It may not have looked that way to anyone else, but having fought Suimei before, Graziella knew just what it meant to fall into one of his traps. 

“With all due respect, Your Highness, in what way is that man’s skill boundless? I can hardly see that he has any at all.” 

“My god, you still don’t see it for yourself? You’ve grown senile. Out of all of them, that man is the most dangerous.” 

“That man is?” 

“That’s right. Besides, you yourself said that he was just joking around. Just think about that for a moment. What that really means is that he’s so powerful that such a fight was merely a joke to him. But Baaldan was taunting him from the outset. He was asking for it, so he simply retaliated in kind, even if he did go too far... Or do you have something to say about Baaldan’s carelessness?” 

“...No, Your Highness.” 

There, Reanat turned to Graziella as though he’d just remembered something. 

“Lyla, back when you fought against our guest from the other world, I heard that you overwhelmed him?” 

“Quite so. But I came to learn afterward that he was gravely injured at the time I fought him. And I resent the implication.” 

There was clear discontent and other unresolved emotion in Graziella’s voice. 

“But to think he would so frivolously defeat one of the Elite Twelve...” 

Reanat hadn’t evaluated Suimei all that highly. At best, he thought he was around or below the level of the Elite Twelve. But Reanat didn’t know about that. 

“Elder brother, I do believe you’ve heard reports of the recent demon invasion in Astel.” 

“Aah, you mean where ten thousand demons and monsters were defeated? Yes, what about it?” 

“The one who did that... seems to have been that man on his own.” 

Hearing Graziella grow timid at such a declaration, Reanat’s expression became severe. 

“...Ridiculous. Ten thousand demons? On his own? No matter how strong he is, that’s...” 

“I do not think Her Royal Highness Titania would lie on the matter. Besides, isn’t the fact that Liliana Zandyke has amassed so much power in such a short amount of time also sufficient proof of his strength?” 

“It was reported to me that our guest from another world was not a hero, though...” 

“Yes, that is correct. However, in their world, there are apparently masters scattered about who surpass even him.” 

“Is that true?” 

As Reanat questioned her with a hint of fright in his voice, Graziella meekly nodded. Seeing that, Reanat was at a loss for words. Graziella then tossed Gorgan a sidelong glance. 

“Gorgan, do not even think of attacking that man under the cover of darkness. Understood? Should you try, you won’t like the results. They will be dire.” 

Gorgan could only nod back at Graziella’s warning. 

But he wasn’t the only one getting a lecture right now. Suimei was still getting an earful from Titania and the tiny Lefille.