Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Vespa (3)
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Gray Chasefield Principle Number One.
Never, ever underestimate her.
This woman's way of perceiving the world is that everyone except herself is beneath her feet anyway.
Among them, unless there's something particularly unique by her standards, she just straight-up forgets about them with that mind-boggling brain structure of hers.
‘...No, wait a second.’
By that logic, Vespa, who had risen to Archmage, shouldn't have been ignored.
She was someone who could blow away a mountain with magic, after all.
[...Back then, I was even stronger.]
‘...’
[Even as an Archmage, she couldn't last more than ten seconds against me. No real reason to take interest.]
‘Ah.’
It might not be right, but Carlyle couldn't deny the truth of it.
But, flipping the perspective.
This could actually be called the perfect opportunity. Right now was when Gray hadn't fully grown yet.
It was the ideal timing to put Carlyle's ‘plan’ into action.
“Um, so, Carlyle...”
Vespa hesitantly opened her mouth.
Even though Carlyle had explained in as much detail as possible, her eyes suggested she wasn't sure if she understood it properly.
“I have to, to the Lady, um, prove that my abilities are impressive?”
“Yes.”
“...And fighting her once would be the best way?”
“Yes.”
“...”
...Well, honestly, it would be weirder if she grasped it immediately after hearing that.
Vespa blankly gauged his reaction.
She seemed to be trying to figure out what kind of joke this was.
But Carlyle's eyes were utterly serious. Beyond serious, he looked at her with clear eyes and smiled.
‘...Is he insane?’
Even Vespa, who never swore, thought that much. His eyes were filled with such conviction.
No, this wasn't even a joke.
How was someone who had spent her life as a maid doing housework supposed to spar with the Hero?
“I get that it sounds crazy. Honestly, it's absurd. Vespa, you're a complete novice when it comes to fighting.”
Ah, good. She still had that much common sense.
“But even so, you could duel the Lady and survive.”
...Maybe not?
“Wh-what kind of nonsense is thaaat-!”
“Well, shall we go find out right now?”
She just didn't know her own potential yet.
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“-Magic lesson? With her?”
Elena, who was leading the way, glanced at Carlyle and Vespa as she said that.
It wasn't on the schedule at all, so she looked surprised that Carlyle had suddenly brought her along.
“Even non-students can audit, right?”
“...Uh, but the professor might find it troublesome...”
“Please, Senior Elena. You're the only one I can ask. Isn't there any way?”
“-Hmm, w-well, alright?”
The corners of Elena's mouth twitched upward.
“W-well, in that case, no helping it—I’ll try convincing the professor!”
“...”
Carlyle nodded.
‘...That was easy.’
[...Disgustingly easy.]
She always seemed starved for recognition, so he scratched that itch a little, and she went along with it more readily than expected.
On top of that, she got the job done.
From occasionally assigning her tasks when he needed something or had a favor to ask, she always delivered, even if she seemed burdened and awkward.
He'd relied on her a lot mainly to cater to Gray's finicky temperament.
Procuring items, finding people, gathering info...
Anything involving social networks, except physical labor—she was really good at it all.
To a reasonable degree of suspicion.
‘Isn't it possible that being a "respected senior" just means she's treated like a convenient errand girl by others?’
[...Can't say the possibility is zero.]
Someone who complies so eagerly just from a little flattery would be popular anywhere.
...Though she seemed satisfied with it, so he didn't feel like pointing it out.
More importantly, her personality was genuinely helpful right now.
Just look at how Elena had procured a large glass orb and shoved it into Vespa's arms.
“Here, use this!”
Vespa tilted her head as she took it.
“This is...?”
“It's for the basics class, to gauge your capacity first. Just place your hand on top and focus your mind!”
Ah, this thing.
The orb that top freshmen always overloaded and shattered the moment they placed their hand on it due to their immense mana.
And the ritual where others, seeing it, deny reality and say stuff like, ‘Is it broken...?’
‘...Wonder if Vespa will pull off a similar scene.’
[Probably. Even if it's far in the past, she's Archmage material. Can't say she lacks talent.]
‘Then shall I lend a hand?’
With that thought, Carlyle stealthily moved behind Vespa, who was tilting her head at the glass orb.
Then, she closed her eyes and focused.
One fact Carlyle knew for sure.
The Hero's innate talents weren't limited to one field. The way she always bragged about being all-rounded didn't feel like empty words at all.
[Skill Info]
◆ Mana Sensing
◆ Mana Absorption
◆ Mana Compression
◆ Mana Transfer
All skills for handling mana, the essential element of magic.
They let you sense mana, absorb it into your body, condense it for efficient use.
And the last one was the key. Mana Transfer.
What Carlyle planned to do was simply infuse Vespa's body with the mana he'd gathered using Gray's skills.
“...-”
As he closed his eyes and focused, a strange sensation bloomed, like a new organ had formed in his body, and he could feel the ‘flow of power’ around him.
Mana Sensing, the foundation of magic.
‘...I heard it takes years just to sense this normally.’
And here he was, sensing it—and controlling it freely—just by copying four skills on the spot.
Rumor had it this was the result of Gray learning magic as a ‘hobby’ for a few months.
Watching it now, it was impressive all over again.
‘Hero.’
[Yeah.]
‘How do you have this kind of talent and never once think to help others?’
[...Stop digging. I know I messed up.]
Well, as long as she reflected on it.
Carlyle smirked and infused mana into Vespa's body.
He absorbed it from around him, condensed it in his own body, and pushed it into hers.
Considering her talent, that alone would likely trigger something.
Vespa was currently overflowing with unrecognized potential. She’d never had the chance to discover it, so it was natural.
Even in the pre-regression world, when she somehow encountered magic, it was pure coincidence, she said. Something about passing by mages and picking it up.
This time, Carlyle would be that coincidence.
‘Alright, let's see what happens...’
At the very least, it'd crack the orb easily. With that thought, Carlyle let out a chuckle.
But.
What followed was anything but a simple end.
“Huh?”
With that word.
-...
A crack appeared in the glass orb Vespa held—zzzt.
“Uh, C-Carlyle, this thing, something’s—”
And then.
-...!!!!!!!!!
A vortex swirled around the orb in Vespa's grip.
As if a black hole had suddenly appeared in midair.
“Wh-what the?!”
“Kyaaah-!”
And on top of that.
Chaos erupted everywhere.
Through the glass orb Vespa held, the other students' orbs—ones they were infusing with mana—flew over like magnets sticking to metal.
Orbs sliced through the air and thudded onto Vespa's orb one after another, clustering like they were forming a hive.
“Uh, C-Carlyle?! What the heck is this?!”
“Wait, hold on, just calm down for a sec—”
But before Carlyle could finish.
The sound of a building crumbling echoed from somewhere.
“-What?! Are we under attack?”
“The warehouse, the warehouse—!”
Then, in the distance, several more orbs lifted into the air.
...And they all flew over and stuck to Vespa's orb.
“...”
What the hell.
[...Talent.]
‘...Pardon?’
[That orb is probably made of mana stones that react to the user's mana. No will of their own, but how ‘affectionately’ they bond depends on the user's capacity.]
If the mana quality is unpleasant, they zap with electricity; if the capacity is high, they feel cozy like living creatures.
Something like that.
In that sense.
This phenomenon happened because every mana stone nearby reacted instantly to the mana Vespa was unconsciously emitting.
Because the nature of her mana was, above all... ‘friendly.’
[Mana is said to be the will of nature that forms the world. In that regard...]
Gray paused for a moment.
As if even she found what she was about to say ridiculous.
[This isn't just simple genius level.]
It was ‘beloved by the world’ level.
...In other words.
The moment someone who had just barely taken in a bit of mana into her body let a little leak out.
Every mana stone nearby reacted.
As if reuniting with long-lost family.
“C-Carlyleee...”
Vespa's muffled voice came from beneath the pile of glass orbs that had completely buried her.
“D-did I, do something wrong...? Sh-should I apologize to someone—?”
“...”
Apologize to yourself.
You had this kind of talent and were doing maid work?
‘Hero.’
[Yeah.]
‘Isn't this stronger than pre-regression?’
A silence that couldn't deny it wafted from the holy sword.
[Probably because she awakened her talent too late back then. Her body being younger now makes it more efficient, it seems.]
One newly discovered fact.
The earlier you encounter a new discipline, the better.
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[System Message]
▶ Vespa Luciana's talent has awakened!
▶ ‘Vespa Luciana’ has been added to the ‘Taming’ list.
▶ Change the future of the target!
▶ Trait: Archmage's First Love has been unlocked!
▶ Related quest has been generated!
▶ Develop the trait to earn rewards!
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