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Chapter 10

“SO HOW HAVE YOU BEEN spending your days?” Mira asked Eizenfald mid-flight.

The game never explained such things. Danblf’s summons just appeared when summoned and disappeared when dismissed. But now things clearly weren’t that simple. NPCs had their own lives to live, and she was interested in how her dear companions spent theirs.

“Oh, well, I’ve been with my friends in the dragon capital. That’s where I learned the Humanization technique. It consumes less power than our dragon forms. Being human is energy-neutral.”

“Oho, I see! You learned that in the dragon capital, eh?”

There were two new and important pieces of information. First, there was now apparently a dragon capital, which hadn’t existed back in the game world. She’d have to ask more, but for the moment it seemed pretty self-explanatory. Obviously, it was a capital…full of dragons. 

But the second tidbit—the Humanization technique—was far more interesting to Mira. The result was apparent, but the 

technique itself was completely unfamiliar. Had she known of it, she wouldn’t have been nearly as surprised when Eizenfald changed into his human avatar.

Metamorphosis was a known technique in demonology, but there was still the issue of aptitude and the fact that the caster was a dragon. Only humanoid races could use the nine schools of magic—humans, miao, elves, and so on. If someone had a spirit for a parent, such as the half light spirit Cleos, then the aptitude would pass down on the humanoid side. By contrast, the monster races—such as spirits, dragons, and demons—all had their own systems and variations of magic. Perhaps the technique in question could be specific to dragon magic, but dragons turning into people was unheard of.

At least, it was thirty years ago.

“Who taught you the Humanization technique?”

“That would have been… Hmm, it was a while back. There was a human woman who popped up in the dragon capital. I don’t remember her name, but she wasn’t afraid of us at all. She spent quite some time among us, and we started talking with her more and more.”

The dragons complained to the woman that they had hunted all the prey in the region and were running out of food. After listening to the issue, she said that being energy-neutral was the key to survival. Furthermore, she knew a way for them all to survive on less food than they had before. By taking human form, they would require far less intake to maintain their bodies.

They didn’t know what energy-neutral meant, but Eizenfald and his fellow dragons were desperate and agreed to the proposal. While their power was drastically reduced in human form, so too was their hunger. Thus, the food shortage was solved.

“I see…”

The woman from the dragon’s story intrigued Mira. “Energy-neutral” sounded like a term a former player would use. And if she was a human, then this mysterious woman was using standard magic. The dragons still shouldn’t have been able to use human magic, yet they apparently did. Then again, maybe the skill was unique to dragons—but then how did a human develop the technique? Did the woman create a skill that even dragons could use, or did she somehow know a spell only usable by dragons? Perhaps it was something else entirely. Whatever the answer, the only certainty was that this mage knew a spell completely unknown to Mira.

Well, isn’t this a fine mystery.

Just how far had this world progressed? Mira’s heart leapt at the prospect of even more new unseen spells and techniques.

“After that, I traveled from human city to human city in search of you, Mother.”

Mira groaned in apology. “Sorry.” It seemed she’d caused Eizenfald more heartache than she’d imagined.

“That’s all right. I’ve found you now. But where were you all this time?” he asked anxiously.

It was a question Mira had no good way of answering. It was during times like this that she really felt the decades that had passed since she fiddled around with the spare Vanity Case.

“Honestly, I don’t really know. Before I knew it, thirty years had passed me by.”

What else could she say? 

The dragon tilted his head in response. “Some things are unexplainable,” he rumbled. All that mattered to him was that they had been reunited.

Mira stared at the horizon and listened to the whistling wind as she considered the importance of meeting the rest of her summons again for the first time.

***

It took two days to travel from Lunatic Lake to the Sacred City of Silverhorn in a fast carriage, but for the Imperial Dragon Eizenfald, it took only two hours at a leisurely speed. Near Silverhorn, the dragon’s expanding shadow marked their slow descent to an open clearing within the forest. The trees bent and swayed against the waves of wind, sending countless birds scrambling to flight as they tweeted and squawked in panic. Eizenfald’s silver scales gleamed in the sunlight as he touched down with ease. Then the dragon gently squatted and reached out with his left foreleg.

“We’ve arrived, Mother.”

“Hrmm, well done. What a good boy you are.” Mira set foot on the ground for the first time in two hours and then moved to pet the dragon’s snout. He closed his eyes and rumbled happily.

Looks like my transportation problems are solved. All I need is a nice fur coat and I’m set.

“Will you call on me again?”

“Of course! I’ll be relying on you regularly, I imagine. If that’s agreeable.”

“Wonderful!” The pale glow of dismissal enveloped him. His silhouette blurred before he vanished like a shadow in the fog, released back to the dragon capital.

“Should be about a thirty-minute stroll from here,” Mira muttered to herself, recalling a path she’d seen from above. Then she set off for her tower through the thick trees.

***

A short time later, Mira found herself straying from her original destination as she peeked into the different shops that lined the main street of Silverhorn.

How are they selling these enriched mana potions for so cheap? Hrmm, these stardust fruits are just sitting here in a regular shop. So much has changed… I wish I’d been here to see it.

She looked over everything that was on display. Many items were half the price they used to be—even rare items that used to only be traded between players. Wandering from shop to shop, she realized she would have to reevaluate her whole sense of value.

Two hours slipped past unnoticed as she browsed and made note of the economic changes.

Just past noon, the hungry Mira made her way to a nearby café to enjoy a sandwich and a hot chocolate as she watched people through the window. Relaxing with her drink, she noticed how many different species were passing by. Of course there was the usual crowd of mages the city was famous for, but the streets were now alive with tourists of all sorts. Closing her eyes in satisfaction, she took a mental snapshot of the sight.

When she exited the café, she glanced over at the nine towers that loomed large overhead despite their considerable distance.

Well, I’d better get going.

She set off, determined to ignore the temptation of window shopping as she headed straight for the Linked Silver Towers.

Leaving the commercial sector, she made her way to the tower district, arriving at the public square beneath the towers that afternoon to find it packed. All races, all genders, and even a few mages equipped with high-rank gear.

Children ran about excitedly, wielding wooden staffs, pretending to be mages. And as one of them waved their staff and shouted chants they didn’t understand, a man—presumably their father—exaggeratedly fell to the ground. The child held up their staff in victory, and Mira noticed that they were wearing…a Wise Man’s replica robe. She immediately pictured herself just a few days prior, walking around proudly in her own facsimile.

Wait…those are just children’s costumes?!

Mira cringed in agony as the truth set in. It should have been so obvious! She turned empty eyes toward the heavens as she prayed that she hadn’t looked like a child at play.

Dashing off from the brutal reminder of her shame, Mira came to a halt before the gate leading to the inner tower grounds. Tourists were there as well, looking up with expressions of wonder and admiration. She would have to be the center of attention, but it would only be for a moment. After a quick glance around, she pulled her Master Key from her Item Box and presented it to the gate. It slowly opened for her, and the crowd began whispering at the sight. But, well, that was to be expected. 

The only people who could open this gate were those associated with the towers: researchers, attendants, acting Elders, or perhaps even one of the Nine Wise Men themselves. The humble researchers were top-class mages who had respect and influence on par with nobility in their home countries. The acting Elders even more so. The Nine Wise Men were royalty in their own right. Knowing that, one might expect any one of them to be grand company… But truthfully, the vast majority of the tower mages were oddballs and eccentrics.

In order to gain access to this den of madness, a visitor had to jump through so many hoops that even the backing of influential nobles or powerful foreign kings wasn’t enough to secure entry. While some of the techniques and spells developed within the Linked Silver Towers were disseminated to benefit the world, this was still an Alcaitian institution and the home of countless state secrets.


Mira was unaware of the current public image of the towers and the instant celebrity status of anyone with a key to gain entry. The sudden change in the crowd’s temperament sent a shiver down her spine. All eyes were upon her.

Oh, no… What did I do this time? she wondered, head spinning as she dashed through the gate with cold sweat trickling down her face. The gate closed silently behind her.

Then the tourists remaining outside went crazy over their good fortune to see it open with their own eyes and catch a glimpse of the inside world. Some would go home to brag that they’d made eye contact with a passing researcher during the brief event. The wave of excitement spread to every corner of the plaza, leaving those who witnessed it firsthand overjoyed and those who missed it in great mourning.

Once an important military stronghold, the nine towers formed the center of the city of Silverhorn. With their tops obscured by the passing clouds, the towers were the icons of the city and drew tens of thousands of sightseers each month. The number of foreign tourists to the towers had greatly increased following the signing of the Limited Non-Aggression Pact.

Mira shot sidelong glances at the researchers absorbed in their work as she made a beeline for the Tower of Evocation. When she entered, she received a number of curious glances of her own. Was she the young girl with silver hair who claimed to be Danblf’s pupil? Normally, the mages only cared about their own projects, but memories of Danblf and the Nine Wise Men stirred up excitement within the plaza. Even if they excelled in a different school of magic than the researchers, the Elders were still the preeminent mages. This also meant that most everyone here respected the summoning arts. The towers were founded on the ideals of mutual encouragement and friendly rivalry among mages. Those ideals still held strong, even thirty years later.

“Was that Master Danblf’s pupil? It’s high time the Tower of Evocation was headed for sunnier weather,” one researcher murmured. He had worked with Cleos to develop a new method to establish summoning contracts, albeit unsuccessfully. Perhaps she would be the one to return the Tower of Evocation to its former glory.

Mira passed through the hushed first floor of the tower and took the central elevator to the top. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves as she ascended. Instead of going to her private chambers, she instead stopped in front of the attendant’s office. It was time for Mariana to know everything.

The loyal fairy had spent thirty years watching over the tower and everything in it, trusting that someday Danblf would return. Even if Mira claimed to be Danblf’s pupil, she doubted that Mariana would cheerfully part with any of her master’s hard-won treasure. Besides, she couldn’t bring herself to lie to Mariana any more than she already had. Mira wanted to console and reassure her.

Just as she raised her fist to knock, the door to the neighboring office flew open, and Cleos leaned out with his blond hair aflutter.

“Oh, my, if it isn’t Miss Mira! Are you here to see Miss Mariana?” he asked with a smile as he came out to greet her.

“Hrmm, yes.”

“I see, I see. Well, when you’re done, may I speak with you again? It’s about what we discussed at the academy. I was hoping to ask you some questions regarding Master Danblf as well.”

“That’s fine. Perhaps later.” She paused and looked at Cleos. Maybe his presence here was a good opportunity. In dealing with the academy and the problems facing modern summoners, the best help she could offer was Danblf, in the flesh.

Just then, the door opened once more.

Sporting a maid outfit and sapphire pigtails, Mariana peered out to see who was talking outside her door. “Um, can I help you with—oh! It’s you, Mistress Mira.”

The uppermost floor of the Tower of Evocation was only accessible by a limited few. As acting Elder, Cleos could come and go as he pleased…but when Mariana heard him speaking to someone else, her curiosity was piqued. Although satisfied that a stranger hadn’t wandered in, she was still a little surprised to find Mira at her doorstep.

“It’s been a while, Mariana. I have something important to discuss with you. Are you free?”

“Yes, I’m available. What is this regarding?”

“It’s a bit complicated. Let’s go to my—er, Master Danblf’s—chambers. And Cleos as well, I think,” Mira said, taking out Danblf’s—or rather, her Master Key.

Mariana gazed with yearning at the key before nodding. “All right.” She stepped through the door and joined them.

“You’d like me there too?” Cleos asked. “Very well. Oh, but I just brewed some amazing tea. Perhaps my office here would be the better venue?”

“Hrmm, why not.”

Cleos proudly opened the door to his office. Stowing her Master Key back in her Item Box, Mira followed Mariana inside.

A few minutes later, Mira found herself sitting across from Mariana and Cleos, sipping at a delicious cup of tea. Holding the warm cup, she sighed at the lovely taste of the full-bodied brew and the delightful aroma. Cleos happily watched her, and as he took a sip of his own, he relaxed in satisfaction. Likewise, Mariana reached for her own cup and nodded in approval.

“Now then, er, about what I wanted to tell you… I’m not very good at spinning tales, so I’m going to give it to you straight.” Mira steeled herself, placing her teacup on the table before her. “I don’t know how you two will take this. Especially with me looking, well…like this.”

Shaking off the sudden rush of doubts and worst-case scenarios, she took a breath and tried again. Her eyes filled with determination as she stared directly at the opposing pair.

“I’m not Danblf’s pupil. I’m Danblf.” 

The other two slowly chewed over the information.

“So…you’re saying that you’re not Mira, but actually Master Danblf, is that right?” Cleos appeared to be dumbfounded by the outlandishness of it all.

“Just so. I created the name Mira as a cover to match this appearance. I know this is difficult to believe.”

Cleos looked over at her as though inspecting a specimen beneath a magnifying glass. His face twisted with bewilderment as he muttered to himself.

Mariana had been stunned into silence, but she finally organized her thoughts and moved to speak. “Do you…do you have any proof?”

A valid question. No amount of assertion could prove such a thing, but if Mira could show them something that only the Danblf could, that would hopefully be the end of it.

“Hrmm, let’s see…” Mira put a finger to her chin and she considered her options. Naturally, the strongest proof was Danblf himself.

She couldn’t use the Master Key. No one but the Nine Wise Men should have one—but she’d already claimed to have received it from Danblf. That probably ruled out all transferable items, for that matter. When thinking of nontransferable items, she considered something from the cash shop, but that would just prove she was a former player. Any former player might have them. She could show off the powers that Danblf had, but as his pupil, she was expected to wield them as well. No matter how powerful a summon she displayed, it would only prove that she was a prodigy.

No, she needed to show something unique to Danblf. Mira searched her items and status screen for anything that might serve as proof.

What if I summon Alfina and have her vouch for me? No, they could say I coerced her into it. Just words won’t be enough.

Closing out the menus, she looked up to find the other two looking at her with unreadable expressions. Even if she were to share stories about the pair they could just be dismissed as having been handed down from her teacher. She anguished over the trouble she was having in proving who she was.

As she wrestled with her thoughts, she glanced at Mariana, who seemed to have a small glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Mariana. Fairies. Mariana is a fairy… The answer came to her like a bolt from the blue. “That’s it! I’ve got it!”

“Er, Mistress Mira…?”

Mira stood and walked over to Mariana, then respectfully held out her right palm.

“A Fairy’s Blessing. A fairy can only bestow a single blessing in their lifetime. If we can restore that blessing right here and now, that will definitively prove that I am Danblf.”

Mariana’s expression changed with a start as she realized just what Mira was saying. A Fairy’s Blessing was a special arrangement, almost like a betrothal, in which a fairy recognized and devoted themself to someone else for their entire life. The blessing’s effects depended on the fairy who granted it, but it could never be broken, revoked, or transferred. It also had a time limit—three days from the blessing’s bestowal. After that, the blessing could be renewed, but only for the person who had received it in the first place.

Mariana had given her blessing to Danblf, so if it could be renewed with Mira, it would serve as absolute proof that the two were one and the same.

“I see,” said Cleos. “Indeed, Miss Mariana did give Master Danblf her blessing. And if Mira has the same one, that would certainly—” It would certainly mean she was Danblf. Suddenly, his face twitched as he remembered complaining bitterly to Mira about Danblf just a few weeks earlier. Picking up his teacup with a trembling hand, he drained the contents and told himself to remain calm.

“All right.” With a quivering voice, Mariana placed her left hand to Mira’s right and closed her eyes. A few seconds after their hands met, a glow spilled forth.

“Hrmm.”

They’d seen this reaction countless times before, whenever the blessing was renewed. Realizing this meant that he was in danger, Cleos scanned the room to confirm his escape route. The light slowly retreated and converged on the backs of their hands, creating a small floating feather mark.

“It’s been…renewed.” Mariana’s eyes widened and she stared at the back of her hand, cradling it to her chest with the utmost care. Mariana’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Mira traced the mark on her hand with satisfaction. “See, I told you…” She trailed off as she choked up with emotion, thinking back to her reunion with Mariana upon coming to this world. Back then, her guilt had prevented her from brushing away the fairy’s tears.

“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching out to gently swipe a tear as it trailed down Mariana’s cheek.

Mariana beamed with joy, and then bashfully grasped Mira’s hand in her own. “We finally meet again.”

Mira caught her happy tears over and over again.



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