The Treasure of Arhen (6)
I had worried that we wouldn't be able to hang out together properly, but to my relief, everyone was having a wonderful time.
Well, to be fair, entertainment wasn't exactly abundant in an era like this, so most of our time was spent simply strolling around. Even so, thanks to our Imperial Princess, who had unexpectedly stepped up as the party's mood maker and worked tirelessly to keep spirits high, the four of us managed to mingle and enjoy each other's company without any awkwardness. I had wondered what this party was missing, and as it turned out, it was someone capable of breaking the ice.
"[There are so many fascinating things at the Academy.]"
Not that I could actually see any of them, of course.
All the dazzling, multicolored spectacles meant to delight the eyes were utterly useless to me. How could I behold them when I was completely blind? Even with the people around me, I could only perceive their general silhouettes through my senses; fine details like color remained entirely beyond my reach, no matter how curious I might be. Still, there was no reason to dampen the cheerful mood of everyone with me over something like that.
"Whoa…! Look over here, everyone!"
"Oh… That looks like fun, doesn't it?"
It was a shooting game where you used magic to fire projectiles and knock down as many targets as possible. For students attending the Academy, conjuring a simple stone and flinging it was child's play, so it was an easy game for anyone to pick up. Fitting for an institution of magic, even the carnival games were designed to hone one's spellcasting prowess.
While I wore a wry, inward smile at the realization, Stella stepped forward with a confident grin.
"Stand back. I'm going to smash this."
Wait… Is that a good idea?
Aiming was a completely different matter from raw magical power. Could Stella really pull it off? Granted, precision aiming was technically part of a mage's overall competence, but hitting small targets at a distance was never an easy feat.
"You may begin whenever you're ready."
Contrary to my mild skepticism, the stall owner had already pocketed the challenge fee and declared that she was free to fire away. One shot at a time, with just enough force to knock the prizes off the shelves. On top of that, there was a strict condition: challengers were required to use Stone Bullet, a low-rank earth spell. The rest of us, lacking an intricate understanding of spell theory, simply nodded along, but a surprised look flickered across Stella's face.
"What happens if we use a different spell?" Evan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as he stood by watching.
"Need you even ask? Immediate disqualification, of course," the stall owner replied flatly. It was the only answer that made sense.
Perhaps anticipating that the owner might accuse her of cheating or using something other than Stone Bullet, Stella conjured her magic circle and displayed it clearly for him to see.
"If you're running a stall like this, you should at least recognize the formula for Stone Bullet, right?"
"I've no intention of swindling anyone even without you showing me that… but a customer's peace of mind is what matters. Do as you like." The owner looked mildly put out at being doubted, but he quickly waved his hand in concession.
With the magic circle verified and every excuse stripped away, Stella stood proud and unleashed her spell.
The rules allowed a maximum of five shots, and that was all she needed. Rather than firing five single shots one by one, Stella gathered five Stone Bullets at once and hurled them in a concentrated salvo. The combined impact struck the largest, most expensive-looking stuffed doll on the shelves, knocking it clean off its perch and sending it tumbling to the floor.
The stall owner's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief.
"I-Impossible…"
"Peace." Stella flashed a smug V-sign.
To think she would exploit a loophole like that… She hadn't relied on any extravagant high-tier magic, but taking advantage of the fact that the rules never specified firing the bullets one at a time to guarantee a grand prize was downright brilliant. The owner stared in genuine shock, as if no challenger had ever blindsided him this way before.
"Well… You certainly got the better of me, young lady." With a dry chuckle, he retrieved the fallen doll and handed it over to Stella.
"Isn't this quite expensive?" Evan remarked.
"Indeed it is. It's crafted from the high-grade silk sold exclusively by the Artina Merchant Guild, after all."
"That really is impressive."
For an item of such quality, the owner might have thrown a petty fit, yet he simply laughed it off, admitting defeat with good grace as he parted with the prize. Stella looked down at the plush doll in her arms for a brief moment before turning her gaze toward me.
Huh?
Before I could register what was happening, Stella walked up to me and silently thrust the massive plush doll into my hands.
This is…?
"A present."
"[A present… for me?]"
"Yeah."
Stella nodded firmly, nudging it toward me as if urging me to take it without delay. Unable to refuse her earnest gesture, I had no choice but to wrap my arms around the plush toy.
"[I-It's quite large…]"
In fact, it was far bigger than I had anticipated. When Stella held it, it had seemed reasonably sized, but in my arms, it was massive enough that it would have completely blocked my line of sight under normal circumstances. Not that my sight mattered, considering I was blind anyway.
While I stood there wondering how on earth I was supposed to carry this thing around, Stella looked at me with an expression overflowing with eager anticipation. Well… she had stepped up to the challenge specifically to win the finest prize for me, so I couldn't help but feel deeply grateful. Since I could only perceive it through divine power, I couldn't tell whether it was cute or pretty, but knowing Stella had won it for me genuinely warmed my heart.
"[It's so soft… Thank you, Sister Stella.]"
It was remarkably plush and squishy, and above all, it carried a lovely, gentle fragrance that made me want to keep hugging it forever.
I never used to care for things like this…
Holding a giant plush doll in my current persona felt slightly unbecoming of a Saint, which nagged at me just a little. Still, neither Uriel nor Evan seemed to mind in the slightest, so I decided to keep holding onto it.
After that, we continued wandering through the Academy grounds, sampling various street snacks along the way. Ever since enrolling, my days had been spent either tending to patients or resting inside the infirmary; this was the very first time I had ever enjoyed a carefree outing like this. It truly made me feel like an actual Academy student, and more than that, it made me realize that I had made precious friends.
Friends…
Are they truly my friends?
In the not-so-distant future, we would all have to stand together to subjugate the Demon King. Whenever I thought of that looming battle, I wondered whether it was truly right for us to be lounging around so leisurely. Watching them revel in everyday happiness, entirely unaware of the grueling trials and tribulations that lay ahead, stirred complex emotions within my chest.
Everyone is growing so well.
While I had yet to gauge the full extent of Uriel's progress, Evan had secured his awakened necklace, and Stella was steadily forging her own unique magic. After all, establishing one's own signature spellcraft was the finest foundation for becoming an Archmage. In most cases, mastering a specific domain of magic earned a mage an epithet alongside the title of Archmage. While one could certainly attain that rank through conventional elemental magic, I hoped she would become a truly unique sorceress who commanded an original school of thought.
Even when I tried to look into what kind of magic she was developing, Stella kept her secrets behind an ironclad wall of discretion, so I couldn't be entirely certain. Still, judging by what I could sense, it appeared to be spatial magic, so there was no need for concern.
In the beginning… I thought I didn't care what happened to this world.
I still believed I had done something terrible to Danas. Even if it was to awaken as a Saint, even if it had cured his disability… I had wronged not just Danas, but his entire party. I had lured that ogre toward them, nearly costing everyone their lives. Even though my death had allowed me to revive Danas when he was on the brink of demise, it had been a reckless, perilous gamble.
Back then, I had treated this reality half like a game. Deep down, I knew this world was real, but had I not viewed it through that detached lens, maintaining my sanity would have been impossible. That was why I had never hesitated to throw my life away.
Because I wouldn't truly die. Unlike others who suffered through agony, my body and mind experienced pain as supreme pleasure, which might have made this world feel even less real to me. That was why I flung myself into danger time and again, believing that whether the world ended after my death or not, it was none of my concern. I had even harbored foolish hopes that dying might send me back to my original world.
Yet after everything in the Demonic Realm, and after living through all these days… I found myself gradually wishing that this world would not be destroyed. For now, it was merely a quiet sentiment in my heart, but it was there nonetheless.
Compared to the past, when I chose to become a Saint purely to chase after pain and roleplay my character concept, the number of people dear to me had grown. The number of people I had to take responsibility for had multiplied. Those whom I had once viewed merely as instruments for the subjugation of the Demon King were slowly, steadily carving a place inside my heart.
Ah… Really, now…
That was why I reflected upon the profound weight of my title and resolved to bear it upon my shoulders. The goal within me was subtly shifting.
My original goal of simply reaching the ending, not caring whether everyone died as long as I enjoyed my roleplay and experienced fleeting bliss before leaving… had quietly transformed into a resolve to ensure that, no matter what it took, we would slay the Demon King and secure a true happy ending.
And well, that included helping Evan build his harem, too. They were the beloved characters of my absolute favorite game, after all; I wanted nothing more than to see them happy. Yes, that was all there was to it.