Secret. (1)
……She envisions the purpose of the spell in her mind. Selects the appropriate series for that purpose and constructs the circuit.
A process expressed in two sentences. No need for complexity.
Trusting in her own talent, she focuses solely on the condensation and intensification of magic itself, eschewing flashy personal techniques or high-difficulty formulas.
The theory of the Iron Man taught by Professor Deculein.
Engraving that theory into body and soul, Ifrin slowly extends her hand.
Whooooosh……
Her artifact—a bracelet—glows green first. Mana surges from her dantian, diffusing into the atmosphere before coalescing along her arm in vivid streams.
“Hah!”
With a sharp kiai, she thrusts her hand forward. The spell manifesting is wind-series, destruction attribute: Howl of Convection.
Whiiiiiirrr──!
A gale erupts from her palm, splintering into multiple streams that shatter the distant rock in an instant.
From edge to core, utter pulverization. The massive boulder crumbles into fine debris.
“Heh.”
Perfect results. Spell construction, power, efficiency—nothing lacking.
Ifrin grins triumphantly, then whoosh!—blows away the lingering smoke from her hand with a gust. With the smug look of someone who owns the world, she turns to the professor evaluating her from afar.
“Ifrin, demonstration complete?”
Deculein was checking something off on a document.
This was the so-called capability assessment. Before starting the mission, evaluating knights and mages to form balanced teams.
Deculein said only one thing.
“Return.”
“……Yes.”
No praise, as expected. A bit dissatisfying, but Ifrin retreated to sit against a tree stump. She watched the next evaluation comfortably.
Now it was probably Drent's turn—
“Huh?”
At that moment, Ifrin's eyes widened.
At the path ahead—the passage leading to Recor Dak—she spotted a somewhat familiar figure.
“Professor Ruina?!”
At Ifrin's shout, the other looked her way too. Ruina gave her a mature smile.
……
Ifrin and Ruina met at the cafeteria. They had matters to share with each other.
“……Really, less than five years left? You sure?”
“Yes. Can't explain the details, but it's certain. I stake my name on it.”
The two had agreed to drop formalities. Ifrin's persistence had broken Ruina's stubbornness.
“I figured…… But hearing it confirmed feels kinda empty.”
She stared at her tray with a hollow expression. Ifrin fully understood her feelings.
“But…… No one's sitting over there?”
Yet Ruina seemed uncomfortable dwelling on it and changed the subject. Ifrin looked too.
There sat Deculein's fiancée Julie and her adjutant Reyli. Just the two of them. No one else dared sit nearby.
“Yeah? Place is packed, but that spot's empty.”
The cafeteria was full, yet their surroundings were deserted. Ruina muttered softly.
“Well, makes sense. After splitting from Deculein like that.”
“Huh? Oh~ But isn't that not official yet?”
“……Heh. Probably looks that way 'cause it's between great houses. Yukline and Phairden. They're adjusting faces right now, I bet.”
“Ah……”
Ifrin nodded at Ruina's answer.
Then someone sat right next to her.
“What the—who.”
“Who else? It's me, Ipari.”
It was Ihelm. He narrowed his eyes at Ruina.
“You here too.”
“Yeah. Hi?”
“Hi my ass. Since when do we say hi? Anyway, Ipari. Things going well? Heard you leaked Deculein's paper all willy-nilly.”
“……N-no. We just read it together for a bit……”
“Hey! Ihelm! Ruina!”
A clear, refreshing shout from somewhere. Ifrin and the others turned.
A blond knight approached with a bright smile.
Ruina's eyes widened.
“Syrio?”
“Yeah, it's me. Cee-rio.”
Ifrin flinched in surprise. Vice-captain of the Ilayde Knights, the Swift Swordsman Syrio.
He was quite famous. And soon Rafel, Gwen, and other knights took seats nearby too.
“What the hell? Why are these idiots sitting here stinking up the place.”
Ihelm grumbled discontentedly. Syrio replied with his usual smile.
“What's wrong with it? Great seeing old classmates all together~ Been ages since we gathered like this.”
“Classmates?”
Ifrin asked in shock. Syrio nodded.
“Yeah. We're all Deculein's classmates. Just need that lone Julie over there to join—?”
Syrio said it loud enough for Julie to hear.
And she did; her chopsticks paused briefly. But soon she stood and left the cafeteria entirely.
“……Damn it. You ruined it.”
Gwen lightly smacked Syrio's shoulder. He rubbed it with a wry smile.
“Sorry. But hey, since classmates are all here, why not clear the air properly?”
“Clear what? You know Julie's personality? She won't even come to the cafeteria anymore—eats in the office now.”
“Hmm…… Yeah, probably.”
“'Probably' my foot.”
Ifrin watched the exchange between these media-famous figures with curious eyes.
* * *
The north's dark, endless night. Against the blizzard raging outside the window, I compile the mission participant list.
[1. Julie 2. Gwen 3. Devrin 4. Drent.]
[1. Syrio 2. Rilad 3. Diment 4. Ifrin.]
[1. Rafel 2. Ihelm…….]
Assignments considering synergies. Balanced against any beast we might face.
Compiling this list cost 3,000 mana via Understanding; the results will be solid.
Knock knock—
The list finished just as a knock sounded. I opened the door with psychokinesis.
“Knight Dayah reporting.”
It was Julie. Virtually in charge of Recor Dak, she handled operations too.
“Status report on Recor Dak prisoners.”
Julie set down the report. I eyed her with Naked Eye.
Her lifespan, once tormented by an incurable curse, had extended to years.
I nodded in satisfaction.
“Mission roster. Distribute as you see fit.”
“Yes.”
“You have night duties too.”
“Yes.”
I handed her full-length mirrors.
Three mirrors her size cradled in her arms, Julie stared blankly—eyes demanding explanation.
“This is the map.”
I offered the map simultaneously. An artifact enhanced with Midas' Hand from the Time Sanctuary.
“Key points marked. Install mirrors there. Carefully—no breakage.”
My new origin: Mirror.
It encompasses all mirror attributes—reflection, refraction, and even connection and passage.
In other words.
With these full-length mirrors installed, I can reach anywhere in the north.
Of course, spell quality limits it somewhat, but mobility expands exponentially.
“Yes.”
Julie asked nothing. Just slung the mirrors on her back and left.
A woman perfectly suited to the north.
“……She won't get lost now.”
I murmured softly.
Julie's trait includes Directionally Challenged, but that map should cover it.
“Well then……”
I moved to my sole northern hobby: painting or writing.
But.
Thok— Thok—
Something hit the window.
Thok— Thok—
“What.”
Frowning, I stood and opened the window. Below stood a mail carrier.
“Ah! Professor! Delivery!”
An adventurer delivering mail.
“Here you go!”
He pulled a letter from his bag and flung it whoosh!— I caught the sharply arcing envelope with psychokinesis.
“I'm off then!”
Vrooom─! He flew off ridiculously fast, vanishing beyond the horizon. Surely a named adventurer.
The world is vast, full of experts.
“……”
I tore open the envelope.
Snowstorm rippling across the sky. Watching its beautiful fragments, I read the lines inside.
Deculein.. The north must be night there.. Perhaps thou art flustered by this private missive from Us~~ Yet We send it not for any special reason,,
We simply did not wish to use crystal orbs or transmission paper.. Sometimes such strange whims arise.. A desire for non-magical means.. Keh keh~~
We hone Go to surpass thee.. We also spare moments for magic and swordplay.. But these damned X-like vassals,, what do they demand so much for.. Aish~~ The more I think, the more irked I grow..!!
We heard thou art immersed in writing up north.. Thus We pondered..!! Write a book on Go there.. We entrust its dissemination to thee~~ Perchance some Go talent surpassing Us sleeps within thee somewhere..
We end here.. 'Tis the first We write by Our own hand in nigh a century,, or so—uncertain~~ In any case, clumsy it be.. No need for reply..!! Deculein, thou arrogant presumptuous cur.. Labor well in the north~~..
Unfriendly—no sender named—but from the first paragraph, I knew who.
“……”
These phrases feel familiar. A style read somewhere, sometime.
I let out a hollow chuckle.
Universal, perhaps. In this, Sophien's centuries peek through.
She's lived over a century as an elder. Though deaths alone stunted her mental age……
“Go, huh.”
Spreading Go would please Sophien. Finding joys for Her Majesty is a vassal's duty.
I consider myself her vassal.
Partly Deculein's emotions and personality, of course.
Deculein reveres the chosen elite and hierarchy's pinnacle: the emperor, Sophien.
I pulled paper from the drawer.
For Her Majesty, enhanced with Midas' Hand. On it, one line:
[Yes. I shall endeavor as Your Majesty wills.]
* * *
Meanwhile, Julie proceeds on night duty with Reyli. Subzero temps and mad blizzard, yet not a complaint.
“Deliberately screwing us over, right? Right?!”
Reyli's the one freaking out. Fuming, nagging Julie nonstop.
Julie plugged her ears and shook her head.
“Got it. I know. Once is enough.”
“Jeez! Using elite talent like us for night duty! And mirrors? Mirrrrors—?!”
“……Place it there. Key point.”
Julie pointed. A basin midway up the mountain.
“Hmph!”
Reyli stomped over and thunk!—jammed the mirror where Deculein marked.
“It'll break, Reyli.”
“Let it!”
“……Good grief.”
That instant.
Whiiiiiirrr───!
The blizzard intensified. Reyli startled. Not just stronger.
Chilling gale laced with mana. Freezing convection.
A magical phenomenon.
“Ah, again! Magic blizzard! Of all times!”
“Worry not. Relay station nearby.”
Julie unfolded the map. Incredibly handy thing.
Shows current position, of course.
“Guide us to the relay station.”
Speak thus, and it guides to the nearest one. Most useful, grateful map.
“Where?!”
“This way. Follow.”
“Y-yes. Hurry hurry. Freeze to death out here. Whoa!”
She hoisted noisy Reyli on her back. Then dashed per the map.
“Hm?”
“Huh? People down there?!”
Then, spotted a group downhill. Distant dark silhouettes, but clearer as they neared.
Reyli's eyes bulged.
“Lia!”
She hopped down from Julie's back and ran. Julie followed.
“Whoa! Reyli!”
Three kids. They beamed and hugged Reyli.
“Leo and Karos too? Great to see you kids~”
“Long time~”
“Long time!”
The four greeted warmly. Julie, watching blankly, asked.
“……Reyli. You know them?”
“Of course! Oh, kids. This is Knight Julie.”
“Hello.”
The girl smiled first, bashfully. Probably Lia……
Seeing her face stirred something odd in Julie. She couldn't pinpoint why.
“Anyway, relay station nearby. Cold? Follow. Knight?”
“……Ah. Right. Yeah. Let's go. Follow me. I'll guide to the station.”
Julie led the three kids.
The station appeared soon. Pointing to the warm cabin, Lia said.
“Can't count how many times this saved our lives.”
“Really~? How'd you get so sweet-talking, Lia.”
Julie swore the oath first and opened the door.
“Come in……?”
Glancing back as she spoke, then looking ahead.
Her whole body jolted.
“……”
Someone already inside. Three huddled, sipping tea.
“……Hm.”
One a golden-haired beauty, another a navy-haired bureaucrat.
Julie knew both: Sylvia and Premien.
But now, more than them.
More than both combined: a massive figure.
To Julie, utterly familiar—yet sometimes stranger, more fearsome than any: a knight.
“……You. Here, Julie.”
Zeit von Brugan Phairden. He scratched his nape with bear-like paws.
“What…… Happened to end up here too? Heh heh. Ahem.”
“……”
Julie blankly alternated gazes among the three.
Sylvia glanced, hmph—and turned away peevishly.
Premien next. She stared steadily, nodding.
Finally Zeit. No clue why he's here, but chuckling, averting eyes.
An utterly unforeseen trio.
Zeit spoke.
“What're you doing? Come in, sit. Got company too.”
“……Yes.”
Julie let the kids in first. Too cold outside—no choice.
“Alright~ Everyone inside…… Gah! What!”
Reyli spotted Zeit and toppled in shock, worse than Julie. Leo, Karos, Lia reacted similarly.
Kids recoiled anxiously. They'd felt Zeit's absolute might bodily.
Zeit's flesh, face, majestic pressure—ample reason. A commoner would've collapsed on sight.
Zeit frowned, displeased.
“Hey. Seen a monster or what, you brats. Get in……”