Chapter 56 Exams (2)
The Exam (2)
"By the way, that's quite a unique spirit."
From a distance, it appeared as a small boy-shaped spirit. But up close, the boy's face reminded me of someone familiar.
Ashen hair, silver eyes, and even the scar near the eye—
At this point, the resemblance was unmistakable.
"This looks exactly like me—"
"W-wahk! Gah!"
Adel made a strange noise and hastily covered the spirit with both hands. Of course, that didn't erase what I had just seen.
Watching this, Arin giggled and explained to me:
"Spirits usually take a form their contractor is most familiar with— Eep!"
I hurriedly covered her mouth, but it was already too late. The original work hadn't elaborated on spirit lore, so I hadn't known—was that how it worked?
Indeed, was I truly the existence Adel was most familiar with?
That realization gave me an oddly complex feeling. It also meant she trusted me that much, which made me... somewhat happy.
Not that I was immature enough to let that show on my face.
'Have I grown somewhat attached to Adel too?'
In the past, I wouldn't have cared at all about how she viewed me. But lately, I'd developed at least a slight interest in what Adel thought of me.
"A-Abel? Don't listen to what Miss Arin said! I mean—"
"It seems Adel likes me more than I thought."
"N-no, that's not it!"
"Don't worry. I've also grown quite fond of you."
"...What?"
Adel stared back at me with a dazed expression. Her cheeks, which had only been slightly flushed earlier, were now red as a ripe persimmon.
Who knew teasing her could be this fun? I struggled to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out.
If I laughed now, she'd realize I was messing with her.
When I took a step toward her, Adel instinctively took a step back. I advanced again—and again, she retreated.
I couldn't help but let out a quiet chuckle at the sight.
"U-um..."
Her face now beet red, Adel covered it with both hands, unable to form words. Maybe I'd gone too far, so I spoke first.
"Well, let's stop the teasing here."
"Tch, you...!"
Adel bit her lip slightly as she glared at me. Seeing such an expression on her strikingly beautiful face was... oddly endearing.
Is this why they say beauty gets a free pass?
Not that I was only now noticing her looks, of course.
"Arin, you're aware of the subjugation expedition happening next month, right?"
"Yes."
The subjugation expedition.
The Riman Mountain Range in the northwestern territory of the Hardenberg Duchy. Bordering the lands of the Holy Nation Numen, that place was always teeming with monsters.
The biggest reason, of course, was the periodically appearing Rifts of Another World in those mountains.
At the boundary between dimensions, these rifts allowed not just this world's monsters but creatures from other worlds to invade as well.
The Holy Nation Numen, sharing a border with the Riman Mountains, didn't remain idle either. They too dispatched their Holy Knight Order to seal these rifts.
Cooperating with their dispatched knights to eliminate the inter-dimensional monsters and close the rifts—that was the essence of the subjugation expedition.
Many creatures emerging from the rifts were troublesome to deal with without holy power. Thus, cooperation with the Holy Knight Order was practically mandatory.
This was also why the Emperor maintained a surface-level alliance with the Holy Nation.
[The Holy Nation Numen...]
"It sounds dangerous. A subjugation expedition."
"Indeed. It's different from the Hunting Festival."
The monster hunt during the festival was essentially just for show. Though touted as a time-honored event, that's all it was.
If anything, it was more of a demonstration of the Arieh Empire's military might to neighboring nations.
The monsters of the Eternal Snow Mountain couldn't possibly be fully exterminated to begin with.
The First Emperor might have done it, but the snow mountains back then weren't as vast as they are now.
But the inter-dimensional rifts in the Riman Mountains were different. Left unchecked, the monster population would explode instantly, leading to swift massacres.
"Will you be going too, Abel?"
"Yes. This time, I plan to participate directly."
Until last year, I'd attended but avoided direct combat—to conceal my magical abilities. But now was different.
After spectacularly revealing my skills at the Hunting Festival, displaying that same power during the subjugation would be politically advantageous.
'Cooperation with the Holy Nation is practically essential.'
To completely eliminate the Emperor, we'd need the power of the Goddess Church. Even in the original work, the Holy Nation Numen was what the Emperor feared most.
If this expedition could establish cooperation with them, that would be ideal—but it wouldn't be easy.
They wouldn't readily ally with a duke serving under the Emperor either.
"That's precisely why this subjugation expedition is so important."
"And what would you like to do?"
"Huh? Me? Wasn't I supposed to go with you?"
When she asked as if it were obvious, I shook my head.
A subjugation expedition was exactly what it sounded like—a battle to exterminate monsters from another world and close the rifts between dimensions.
There was no particular reason for my fiancée to accompany me to such a dangerous place.
"Let me reiterate—it's far more perilous than the hunting festival."
The monsters crossing over from another world were formidable. The mere fact that they could survive traversing the dimensional rifts was proof of their strength.
It meant calamity-level monsters like the one we faced during the hunting festival would be swarming the place.
Not that the knight order was so weak they couldn't protect Adel, of course. But it was undeniable just how dangerous the expedition would be.
"I see..."
Adel crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and sank into thought. Before long, she reopened them with resolve.
"I... I want to go with you."
"...Are you certain?"
When I pressed the question, she nodded firmly.
"Yes. Because I want to grow stronger."
It seemed the resolution she'd declared in my office hadn't been empty words after all.
This might be even more dangerous than the hunting festival. Yet if she could still say that, it meant she was already prepared to endure whatever it took to become stronger.
"Very well. Then I'll set one condition."
"Huh?"
Adel looked at me with questioning eyes.
Just because she wanted to grow stronger didn't mean I could recklessly take her along. As I'd said repeatedly, calamity-level monsters frequently appeared during subjugation expeditions.
If she wanted to grow stronger in such a place, she needed at least enough skill to survive.
"If you can defeat me in a duel one month from now, I'll take you."
"...Isn't that just a roundabout way of saying no?"
I chuckled at the sight of Adel tilting her head skeptically.
"Naturally, there will be handicaps."
First: I won't use magic.
Second: I won't use aura.
With those two restrictions, it should be a fair enough condition. Unsurprisingly, Adel seemed to think the same, judging by her faint smile.
"Sounds good."
Well, "fair" didn't necessarily mean "easy." A chess master could still easily defeat a novice even without their rooks or bishops.
"Arin."
"Yes, Your Grace?"
"If you can make Adel defeat me this time, I'll grant you one request."
"Really?!"
Arin's voice shot up in excitement.
Personally, it was a promise made in hopes that Adel would indeed be able to participate in this expedition.
After all, I too wanted to see her grow stronger.
§
"Miss Arin... do you really think I can beat Abel?"
"Right now? ...It's impossible."
Arin stated the obvious with unsettling calmness.
Of course, I'd expected as much. Even without magic or aura, Abel was an archmage who had reached the pinnacle of magical mastery.
It would be deceitful to claim I could win as I was now. The real question was whether I could defeat him after a month of training.
"What if I grow stronger in that month?"
[That seems... unlikely.]
Silpi sighed and muttered from the side. Seeing this, Arin nodded in agreement.
"I think so too."
"Really?"
...Well, perhaps it was only natural.
Before being an archmage, Abel was already a knight of considerable martial prowess. Even without magic or aura, his physical abilities alone would be formidable.
"There is... one way, though."
"What is it?"
[There's a way?]
When Silpi and I asked in unison, Arin averted her gaze slightly. She hesitated, fidgeting for a moment before exhaling deeply.
"It'll be... quite painful. Are you sure you're prepared?"
"Yes. I'm ready."
At my answer, Arin met my eyes resolutely before walking toward the weapon rack at the edge of the training hall. It held various wooden training weapons.
She picked up a wooden sword and pointed it at me. Both Silpi and I were taken aback by her sudden action.
[Wh-what the—?]
"Starting now, I'll mimic His Grace's combat style."
"You mean..."
"Yes. You'll learn by taking hits."
It sounded brutally simplistic.
But if this was the only way to pass that test in a month, so be it. Silpi looked horrified beside me, but I didn't care.
"I'll do it."
[What? What about the injuries?]
"We have plenty of potions. Rest will be provided as needed too."
[But the pain—]
"It's fine."
When I cut him off, Silpi exhaled sharply.
Though clearly displeased, he eventually gave a reluctant nod.
[...Tch, fine. If that's what you want, do whatever.]
I appreciated his concern, but now wasn't the time for hesitation. A little pain was the least of my worries right now.