Sylvia
The Red Garnet adventurer team was touring the Hadekan estate together.
From the main gate to the entrance, from the entrance through the hallway inside the house, out into the splendid central garden that sprawled out, then through another door to yet another corridor...
"...Man, Hadekan really seems even bigger every time we come~ It's prospering more and more."
Ganesha was impressed by the sheer scale, like a university campus. Lia, Leo, and Karos felt the same.
"It's Hadekan, after all."
—Hey. Leo. I told you not to keep touching me.
A tiny complaint rose with the squeaks of a mouse. Lia glanced that way and barely held back a laugh.
"Huh? What's up, Ross?"
—Lia, don't sneakily touch me either. I said don't touch.
For reference, Karos was currently in hamster form. Disguised as a tiny hamster riding on Leo's palm—this was his innate stealth and camouflage technique.
"Oh, sorry. Ross is just so squishy, I couldn't help it."
—Keep touching and I'll bite.
"Yeah, sorry sorry."
Anyway, the Red Garnet adventurer team was walking through the lord's castle in Hadekan to take the exam.
"Aargh— damn it!"
A curse rang out loud and clear. No need to look; everyone knew who it was.
"How long are we supposed to keep walking? Is Deculein even coming?!"
Jakal. As he vented his frustration by thumping the hallway floor with his longsword, the old butler silently pointed around without a word.
"...What?"
Jakal scowled fiercely. The old butler calmly met his ugly mug and spoke.
"Look at the numbers."
"...Numbers?"
Then not just Jakal, but Lia and Ganesha also scanned the surroundings.
Sure enough, the number of adventurers had dwindled. There had been around a thousand when they arrived.
"...337."
Jakal nailed the exact count right away.
"The exam is already underway. The adventurers lacking ability are probably wandering lost in this mansion."
"...Is Deculein here? Is the exam in progress?"
The old butler shook his head at Jakal's question.
"The family head is watching."
"From where—"
—Here.
Deculein's voice rang out. Every adventurer flinched. They turned toward it.
The hallway windows.
Deculein sat beyond every single one of them.
—To me, mirrors are used thus. No need to go far; I can observe you all.
Leo hurriedly hid the hamster. Lia and Ganesha blocked Deculein's line of sight.
Deculein swept his gaze over them and nodded.
—The exam should suffice now. Let us begin.
"Yes, family head."
The old butler pressed some switch on the wall.
Rumble... Right in the middle of the hallway, stairs appeared.
"Please go down."
The adventurers descended the stairs without a word to each other.
The basement was first a long corridor, with private rooms lining both sides.
"The rule is one person per room. Inside each room is a helmet, a chair, and a biometric signal transmitter. Put them on and begin the exam."
Leo whispered softly into Lia's ear.
—This means the hamster can't join.
Lia shot her hand up.
"Hey! What about pets?"
All eyes focused on her instantly. Many sneered. Only the old butler pondered seriously before shaking his head.
"I don't know what a pet is, but the helmet won't fit."
"Yeah, it's fine. Can't be helped."
Lia gave up easily. Leo blinked and whispered again.
—It's okay like this?
—Yeah. Ross already took off.
—...Huh?
Leo looked at his palm. The hamster Karos was gone.
Ganesha smiled brightly.
—He slipped into that room just now. Won't get caught? Jakal helped.
—...Jakal?
Leo asked back. Ganesha replied softly.
—Yeah. The guy himself probably doesn't know. Jakal distinguishes by mana signature, not headcount. Unconsciously counted Karos too. So he heard and went into the 337th room.
—...Ah.
Then the old butler spoke.
"Now, let us begin. Please enter your rooms."
"Yeees~"
Lia answered energetically and picked room 1. Next to her in order: Ganesha, Leo, Jakal.
Meanwhile, after finishing the 'adventurer selection' via mirrors.
"'Voice'... There must be a way. There has to be."
I met Rohakan in the vineyard.
"'God'? You mean that Altar bastard who wants to become one? Ah~ If I'd lived ten more years, I'd have helped. But don't you be scared. If it were a real god, it'd have fought me properly. But it slinks in now that I'm dead? Pathetic. It was scared of me."
Rohakan told me all sorts of things.
"Ifrin's regression? It ain't over yet. Don't let your guard down."
But nothing actually helpful.
"Enough talk. Pour some grapes, kid."
"..."
"What's a guy like you so curious about?"
I lifted two ripe grapes in my hands. Dusted off the dirt and put them in the basket.
"...If it's true precognition, can't you tell me everything properly?"
I shot back curtly. My whole body was soaked in sweat from the blazing sun.
Today's lesson from Rohakan: 'grape picking.'
No magic allowed, including Telekinesis—just bare hands and body.
"Kehhehe. That's impossible due to interference too. You know that. Telling the future depends not just on the speaker's mana, but the listener's too. You're not qualified yet."
"..."
"Besides, I'm already dead. Maintaining this magical space is my limit. Can't give you answers. And most of all, where's the fun in a life following a script?"
I stood. Brushed the dust off my clothes.
Harvesting 30,000 eye-grape vines. Wasted the Iron Man body on it.
"Thanks to you, I look like a beggar."
"The true taste of labor. Not a beggar—a noble worker. Keep that look till you leave. Also, no magic in my vineyard from now on."
"Fine."
Today's harvest ends at 30,000 eye-grapes, I guess.
I shook my head and walked off.
Rohakan grinned behind me.
"Kehhehe. Oh yeah, kid. You don't go to the Voice looking like that usual stiff self, do you? This you seems way more human."
"..."
But right then.
A thought flashed in my mind. A chill flame scorched my spine. My legs froze stiff.
"...I thought of a way."
"Hm? What way?"
In the middle of the vineyard.
I stood there and murmured.
"A way to the Voice."
"..."
The 'Island of the Voice' right now was ravaged by magical disaster. No ship could enter—just wander futilely.
No ship could.
In other words, ships couldn't.
"What is it?"
Rohakan's question.
I looked at my dirty hands. Felt my sweat-soaked body. Turned to Rohakan.
"Swim."
Finally, I smelled the grapes vibrating in this space.
Fragrant, harmonious. The 10,000 eye-grapes I'd picked myself suddenly felt dear.
"Hahaha. Swim, huh. Good idea."
Rohakan smiled faintly. Looked at me proudly and said,
"Also, you wouldn't know, but long ago in the desert I lived... there was this saying..."
"If the body's weak, the mind suffers."
"...What?"
On Roserio's ship. I relayed Rohakan's words on the deck, gazing at the 'Island of the Voice.'
———!
Still, a storm of mana raged in that deathtrap. Nature's howl was twice as fierce as before.
"What does that mean?"
Ifrin asked with a frown. I silently removed my watch. Took off my coat. Tossed it to her.
"Ugh!"
Ifrin staggered under the heavy coat. She asked incredulously,
"No way—you're gonna swim?"
I nodded.
"No, impossible. Another island maybe, but that's the Voice. A devil of waves itself."
"What does that matter."
Ifrin furrowed her brow.
"You said it yourself, Professor. Waves spread infinitely. Swim in waves? The island'll keep receding, and you'll lose all sense of time."
Late night. Roserio's ship held many mages, but all asleep. I'd timed it for this.
Knew she'd whine like this.
"Doesn't matter."
I stepped to the railing. Ifrin gasped in horror.
"No, Professor, still—"
Ifrin lunged to grab me. I silently peered at the water.
Churning waves.
Depths thousands of meters at least, and who knew what sea beasts lurked below.
But I didn't care.
"Come down. Hurry."
Ifrin tugged my arm.
I gazed at the distant moon in the sky. It resembled Ifrin's face.
"Hurry down—ack!"
I shoved Ifrin below deck. She fell on her butt. Rubbed her back and wailed.
"Jeez, really!"
"Ifrin. Once, an ancestor of Yukline pondered this."
Yukline's distant family head's autobiography. I still remembered that passage.
Oddly stuck in my head.
"...Humans fear devils. Humans are designed that way. But then, what must 'Yukline as reflected in devils' eyes' be?"
A question piercing the 'bloodline' of Yukline.
"Simple question to me. Since humans fear devils, to devils, Yukline must not be human."
The clan's purpose to exterminate devils—a powerful worldbuilding element compelling Deculein.
"Human means can't eradicate devils."
Thus, Yukline can never be human. Must not be.
Perhaps the root of Deculein's messed-up personality ties to that.
"Thus, devils fear Yukline. If not, I'll make them."
"Tha—"
"Or don't ask. Do you have another way to save Sylvia?"
"..."
Ifrin shut her mouth.
For some reason, she seemed to see Sylvia as a friend.
"Stay with Premien. She'll be needed for aftermath and records."
"...Yes."
She didn't argue further. Nodded composedly. I didn't hesitate.
I dove into the sea.
Splash——!
A huge splash. Seawater hit my eyes. My body chilled through. The ocean's mana pierced my heart.
From within, I gazed at the distant 'Island of the Voice.'
A week, a month, half a year, a year...
No knowing the time it'd take, but the Voice's future was set. Obvious, inevitable.
Devils perish.
I'll make it so.
...Sylvia spent time with her mother. Counting stars under the night sky, feeling the wind's gentle touch.
All so happy it felt unreal.
"Mom."
Today too, Sylvia called her mom with a bright smile. Cielia smiled back the same.
"Yes~?"
"I want it to stay like this forever."
"...Hm. Forever?"
Cielia's face turned a bit strange. Like she was troubled, fiddling her chin.
"Why? No good?"
Sylvia suddenly felt scared. But Cielia smiled radiantly.
"Yeah. Forever won't work~ Our lifespans differ. I want you to live long long after me."
"...Not that."
Sylvia puffed her cheeks. Cielia's finger poked them.
"Then?"
"...Stay with me till I can bear it."
No sudden goodbye. Normal love and parting.
Me married, kids born, happy life together, till the day I can endure your death.
A 'natural farewell' we all accept then.
"That's my forever. Okay?"
Still, Cielia shook her head. Stern face, hand on Sylvia's head.
"No."
"...Why."
Sylvia felt wronged. Why always no. Does Mom hate me? I love Mom so much.
"Till that person comes."
That person. Cielia always meant him.
Though she'd long forgotten who.
"Till that person comes, Mom will protect you."
Urgent tone like scolding. Sylvia looked up, face about to burst into tears.
"When that person comes..."
Goodbye.
Hating that voice, she whipped her head away. Gazed at the distant horizon of this port city.
Lighthouse beam on the sea. Glaring at the rippling waves, she sneakily checked Mom's face.
Repeated her words: 'till that person comes.'
And...
Sylvia erased part of the sea.