Chapter 176: Mage (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176: Mage (6)
So, my junior is a princess.
Hiding it? I can understand that.
It wasn’t just me; most of the students at the Academy were in the dark.
I didn’t quite get why a princess of the Empire was acting like that, but I figured she had her reasons.
Of course, thinking about it coldly, it made no sense why the princess of the Empire would need to hide her identity at the Imperial Academy.
But then again, how many things in a RoFan world actually make sense?
Whatever, she probably has a backstory, I thought, deciding to let it slide.
However, there were two people I couldn't let off the hook.
One was Boradori, who obviously knew and sent me anyway, and the other was Uncle Aeryun, who also knew but didn't say a word.
Of course, unlike Boradori, Uncle Aeryun probably had a legitimate excuse.
He never could have predicted that I’d end up crossing paths with the princess.
Honestly, if he’d told me back when I didn't know her, I probably would’ve asked why he was bothering me with useless information.
But what can you do? We’ve already crossed paths.
In fact, I’ve even stumbled upon a secret history the Imperial Family was trying to keep hidden!
“How could you just tell me that, Altear?!”
“Huh? Didn’t you already know? I wrote right there that you need Imperial blood to enter this place…”
“I didn’t see anything like that!”
“Maybe it weathered away over time…?”
I’d known since I heard the hero of the Empire became a Lich because he lost a game of rock-paper-scissors.
The man considered one of the Empire’s greatest, the one they called a Great Emperor, and his companions… they seemed to have more than a few screws loose.
“My apologies. You two were having a secret romance, and I went and spoiled it…”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
“What? You’re not lovers? Has the Empire fallen? Well, I suppose enough time has passed for 'New Magic' that makes swords catch fire to appear… Actually, looking at how things were in our day, with a revolutionary army or a liberation front popping up every month, it wouldn't be surprising if it did fall.”
“It hasn't fallen!”
“Really? Well, I guess those liberation and revolutionary types would stop appearing after a hundred years or so…”
“Ah, that’s not true. Just in the last two years, the liberation armies of Eres, Max, Heltera, and Baruros have shown up.”
“I don’t know where Eres and Heltera are. I recall Max was annexed back when we were a Kingdom. And Baruros was a kingdom annexed during my generation. Wait, has it really not been that long?”
“A hell of a lot of time has passed.”
“…Is my memory failing me? Was the kingdom we annexed actually an Elven kingdom?”
As Altear uttered words I felt like I’d said before, I shook my head with a pitying look.
“Unfortunately, they were humans.”
“No, if that much time has passed, shouldn't the descendants of that kingdom just be Imperial citizens by now? What happened? Did the Empire commit some Derman-level atrocity during the annexation that they can't forget?”
“Not even that. In fact, that Derman place has changed its name to Dale, laundered its past, and is now known as the Kingdom of Magic.”
“Goddess preserve us. Are the other races just standing by and watching?”
“Their national power is just too damn strong.”
“On behalf of humanity, I am sorry.”
“For someone saying that, didn't you forcibly evict a Black Dragon, Altear?”
“And because I feel so damn sorry, I’m lingering here pathetically as a Lich, aren't I? The moment the Dragon returns, I plan to vacate the premises immediately.”
He probably wasn't planning to "vacate" so much as dump his responsibilities on someone else and pass on to the afterlife.
Still, he had taken on the dishonor of being a Lich to keep the demons sealed and clean up the mess.
In the heartless world of RoFan, that was a level of conscience worth acknowledging.
“Dammit, if only I hadn't believed that bastard Luke when he said 'Men play rock'…”
…It was the result of losing rock-paper-scissors, but at least he was keeping his promise.
“You’re saying Lord Luke even cheated?”
“Yeah. He said 'Men play rock,' so I naturally thought he’d play paper to beat my rock, so I played scissors, but then…”
“You just destroyed yourself!”
…Maybe he was just an idiot.
After being forced into an "Imperial-out," my junior became quite brazen.
Well, come to think of it, it wasn't like she was particularly modest before.
“Yes. That’s right. I came here to find the legacy of Lord Luke, as told in the legends of the Imperial Family!”
A lot of things were said, but it could be summarized in one sentence:
Hand it over.
My ancestor’s stuff is here!
“Truly, she has Luke’s blood. Shameless as hell.”
“The other guy I know is the same way.”
“Please do not lump me in with my brother!”
Regardless, as Nea—no, Princess Nea—boldly demanded the Great Emperor’s legacy, Altear tilted his head as if troubled.
“Are you saying you can't give it to me?”
“No, it’s not that… Hmm…”
Altear stood up with a clatter and disappeared somewhere, only to return with a large travel bag. He began to dump its contents out.
“……”
For some reason, I felt a sense of déjà vu. I glanced at Princess Nea, and she seemed to feel it too, letting out a small cough and intentionally avoiding my gaze.
Items continued to tumble out for quite a while.
Finally, after emptying everything from the subspace bag, Altear spoke.
“That bastard gave away so much stuff as apologies that I don't know which one you're talking about.”
“……”
“For the record, there’s about twenty times more than this. But some of it is material I need for experiments, so I can't give it all away. If you know exactly what you need, I’ll find it for you.”
“…I just came down after hearing the legends.”
Seeing Princess Nea look dejected, Altear stroked his skeletal chin with a bony hand.
“So. To find some legacy of that bastard Luke mentioned in Imperial legends… you followed a man you barely know—no, a man you just met—down into a dangerous dungeon? And you’ve already spent the night together?”
“……”
“Even in my day, people complained that the youth were too promiscuous. Is this the generational gap? Are kids these days this open-minded?”
“No, kids these days aren't usually like this.”
“Senior?!”
“As expected… it’s the Luke bloodline. Honestly, that guy was a bit of a womanizer too. He even knew I liked her, yet he went after the girl I’d set my sights on…”
“Altear?!”
After hearing several more embarrassing stories from the Empire’s past, the junior princess looked either completely demoralized or simply out of her mind from the verbal onslaught. I left her be.
“So, is there nothing for me? This was a Dragon’s lair, after all.”
“Ahem. My conscience won't let me give away the Black Dragon’s belongings. If she comes home and finds her property gone, she’ll be furious.”
“You’re quite conscientious for a robber who usurped her home.”
“I didn't know! I only heard stories about a wicked Black Dragon; I didn't know she was sealing away a Great Demon!”
And so, he refused to give away the Black Dragon’s items.
However, in exchange.
“If you can take it, there is something you can have.”
Altear wore a smile that felt devious, even on a featureless skull.
“Something that has kept me from being bored while staying here.”
As if daring us to try and take it.
“The item of the Great Demon sealed right here!”
He showed us an item that looked strangely familiar.
In the past, Boradori had said:
“The Demon King’s Magic Sword that Daisy uses is part of a set.”
Boradori had scribbled away, doing her best to draw an illustration for her explanation.
“…You’re a terrible artist.”
“I’m not that bad.”
“…Your lack of talent is creative.”
“……”
Perhaps because she was a mage who dealt with magic circles, her lines and shapes were precise, but when put together, the drawing triggered a massive uncanny valley effect. Boradori pouted for a moment but ignored me and continued.
“First, the Demon King’s Magic Sword. Its effect is to absorb the mana of whatever it cuts.”
It sounded broken just hearing about it, but seeing it in action was even more terrifying.
“And the Demon King’s Armor. It can't be damaged by ordinary attacks. In fact, it absorbs the impact.”
Another broken item on par with the sword.
It essentially meant that unless you were a Sword Master or a Grand Mage, you couldn't land a proper hit.
“And the shield that completes the set with the armor. Its defensive power is even higher than the armor’s. This one can release the absorbed mana.”
Whether it was absorbed by the sword or the armor, that mana could be used to create a mana shield or simply crush the opponent with sheer magical force.
“And next is…”
The Demon King’s boots, necklace, pendant, earrings, two bracelets, two anklets…
“Why are there so many?”
“I told you, it’s a set.”
“Look, I get the bracelets and anklets because we have two arms and legs. But why are the necklace and pendant separate…?”
“Who knows? The author probably forgot the setting, wrote 'necklace,' then wrote 'pendant,' and when they realized later, they just went 'whatever.'”
“Don't you have a bit too little faith in the author?”
“He’s exactly the kind of guy who’d do that.”
Wait, if you have that little faith in him, why did you keep reading?
When I asked that, Boradori turned red and said, looking truly frustrated:
“Because it was fun!”
He huffed in anger, then began to erase his drawings…
“Oh, and there’s one more.”
“Another one? What, wrist guards? Knee pads?”
“Ah, those aren't really at the level of Divine Artifacts…”
“…So they do exist?”
It was absurd, but the final Divine Artifact was…
“The helmet.”
He circled a crudely drawn helmet with two horns. The only notable feature was a red gem embedded in the center.
“The Mage’s Helmet. It’s an Ego Artifact that supposedly taught the first Dark Mage.”
The moment I first heard Boradori’s explanation, I thought:
I won't need that one, at least.
I wasn't a Magic Spammer; I was a swordsman.
But things were different now.
“As a mage, I will take the challenge.”
I was a mage recognized by the Leon Tower Master, a High Elf, a Dragonkin, and a legendary Imperial Court Mage.
In other words, I was a human who could handle that thing!
“You should be careful, though. That helmet has a will of its own. Depending on the opponent’s magical knowledge…”
Altear gave his explanation, but I went ahead with the challenge anyway.
The original work said it was a Divine Artifact used by the Demon King, so it might be dangerous.
But my mind had already been tested by numerous magic swords.
I wasn't about to lose in a battle of willpower!
With that thought, I placed the helmet on my head…
—GYAAAAAAAH! W-What the hell is this guy?!
“……?”
I blinked at the sudden scream.
“What? It’s not me.”
—Take it off! Take it off right now! There’s no way a guy like this is a mage!
“……?”
No, that couldn't be right. I was recognized by the Leon Tower Master, a High Elf, a Dragonkin, and a legend of the Empire…
—Aaargh! I’m sorry! I was wrong! Altear! Altear! I’ll accept your old proposal! I’ll research magic with you, just please get me out of this hell!
“……?”
As the Demon King’s Helmet shrieked, I tilted my head and looked at Altear.
“……?”
“……?”
The expressions on the faces of the one human and one skeleton were both asking the same thing: What on earth did you do?
—KRAAAAAAAAGH!
“This is so unfair…”
I could only voice my sense of injustice.