3rd Year Mission Activities (5)
They say fate is something you never know when, where, or how it might reconnect. But I never imagined reuniting with my mentor like this.
It was unexpected, to say the least—sudden, even. Her appearance left my mind a bit foggy.
"Why the silence?"
Whether she was annoyed by my dazed look or just impatient for a reply, she couldn't hold back and yanked my cheek.
"Ow!"
"Haha, what's with that out-of-character tone? Oh, right—you've always switched it up every time we met."
I brushed off her nonsense and pried her hand away. "...Shut up."
Noah Celestia. Meeting my magic teacher stirred some nostalgia, but it wasn't all warm fuzzies. She knew everything about my past—and my black history. Like it or not, she was an awkward person to deal with.
"Aww, my little cutie. What naughty thoughts are you having now?"
"You stop with the weird ideas and quit treating me like a kid. You're the only one who does this to me."
"A master can tease their disciple, can't they?"
"……."
She was impossible to reason with. I cut the small talk and got to my question.
"Anyway, how'd you get here?"
"I wasn't planning to come. But then traces of me I'd thought were wiped clean turned up. In a dimension that had nothing to do with me. So I came looking."
"Even so, breaking through the barrier should've been tough…."
This world was still an unfinished realm. Its laws wouldn't permit an outsider's intrusion.
"Do I look like a mage those laws apply to?"
"Fair point."
My mentor, Noah Celestia, was a human who'd reached the transcendent realm through magic. She ignored most laws without breaking a sweat.
"I didn't dodge them entirely. Check this out."
She held out her hand. Parts of it flickered—transparent, then semi-transparent, over and over. The world was rejecting her presence.
"Even if I manage it, I can only stay a day. It's just a temporary manifestation."
"For most, even that day would be impossible."
She talked about a feat worthy of legends like it was a casual outing. But that nonchalant attitude was so her.
Just then, Ariel returned, having sensed the library anomaly. Spotting the stranger, she looked flustered.
"Wh-who are you…?"
How was I supposed to explain this? Tricky. My hasty excuse might not fly, and if it became a problem, it'd be a big one.
Then my mentor spotted Ariel and grabbed my hand, shouting,
"My little cutie! You've finally made your dream come true?"
What nonsense was this? Mages' minds were quirky, spouting incomprehensible things at times. My mentor was the pinnacle of that. Even I'd struggled to follow her lessons.
But this? I couldn't even guess her intent. I stared at her blankly.
She was the surprised one.
"Why that look? Don't tell me… you don't know?"
"……."
"No way, for real? Or are you playing dumb?"
"Cut the crap."
Her forehead creased, her face shifting to mild panic.
"Uh…."
"What? Spill it already."
Reuniting after so long, and this was how she acted? I was the one losing my mind from frustration.
"Nah, it's nothing."
"Don't hide it. Tell me."
"Later. I'll tell you later."
She clammed up after that. Once she got like this, she wouldn't budge until she felt like talking, so I let it drop.
"So… who is she…?"
Ariel had sidled up, glaring warily at my mentor. Despite sensing plenty, she was probably holding back for my sake.
"Well, she's…."
"Hold that thought—let's get out of here first? Hey, aren't you hungry? I am. Wonder if there's a restaurant around~."
Interrupting, my mentor grabbed our hands and dragged us outside. Even with her powers limited by the world's laws, her strength was overwhelming—we had no choice but to follow.
"Haa…."
"……."
"Mmm~ Even frozen, this is pretty decent?"
She tore into a thawed chicken leg. Noah Celestia was devouring her food with gusto. The castle restaurant's frozen dishes had stayed intact, preserving their flavor. We just watched her stuff her face.
Then she said,
"You two not eating? It's not spoiled. Dig in."
"You eat plenty."
"……."
Of course, we were hungry too, so we didn't skip entirely—just picked at it.
"Haa, so full. Been ages since I binged like that. Good food's always good~."
Only after dessert did she set her hands down. She gazed warmly at me and Ariel, sitting side by side.
I finally spoke up.
"Quit staring. You're gonna make us choke."
Ariel looked uncomfortable too, avoiding eye contact and poking at her food.
"I can look at faces, can't I? Still picky about the weirdest things. That's what makes you cuter, though. Come on, enough of that."
"Please, just be quie—mmph!"
My mentor shoved food into my mouth. What was with her today? She was acting totally out of character.
Ariel glanced our way, then startled when our eyes met my mentor's, quickly turning away. That made her the new target.
"Here, miss—want a bite?"
"Y-yes…?"
"Don't like it?"
"N-no… thank you…."
Who could refuse under that intense stare? I piped up again.
"Stop bullying her."
"Bullying? I'm just doting on you like my little cutie."
"……."
She always had a comeback. We finished eating like that.
"Shall we head out? The magic here's pretty intriguing."
She jumped up and eyed us expectantly—a silent order to follow. Acting like the boss. But it was magic on the line. She was always dead serious about that.
I sent Ariel a telepathic message.
'Play along, please.'
'O-okay….'
Grateful for her compliance.
"Alright, let's go?"
Squeezing between us, my mentor grabbed our hands again. Naturally, we were dragged along.
But… being pulled around by her wasn't so bad. Nostalgic, even.
Anyway, the three of us soon reached the castle gates.
"Cutie, you can break this, right?"
"Not hard."
I had the medium, and I knew the core incantation of the ancient kingdom's magic. The key was basically in my hands. Shattering the barrier was child's play.
I poured power into the magic circle in my hand.
Krunch!
The three books warped and shattered like ore. The gate's barrier vanished.
Finally, we could move between the palace and capital. Crossing the bridge into the royal capital, my mentor's eyes sparkled.
"Ooh… Felt it from the castle, but this magic's high-level. Look at this."
She borrowed mana from me—needed it to maintain her body. Using it, she shattered the ice at her feet and pressed down.
The embedded magic activated.
"The stairs are moving!"
Like an escalator, the steps descended. She grinned like a kid.
"Not that impressive. You've seen worse."
"It's the idea that's amazing. Jeez, my little cutie—no sense of wonder."
"Wonder's for people with time on their hands."
My life hadn't allowed for romance. That was for the leisurely.
"What about you, miss? Cool, right?"
"Yes, I've never seen magic like this."
"See? She thinks so too."
"……."
Should've kept quiet….
We wandered the streets, sightseeing. Was this okay? Probably fine. She'd already mapped the kingdom's magic in her head. She was one of the few true masters of the art.
"Alright, sightseeing's done…."
Time to leave? But….
"Sleepy. Nighty-night."
"…You're serious?"
"Yup. Don't you get it, cutie? Maintaining this body ain't easy. Ate a ton for energy. Now I need sleep to cut consumption. Plus."
She pointed at the ceiling. I followed her finger.
"It's evening. You two should rest too, no?"
Streetlights had hid it, but the sky was darkening.
"…Say so earlier if that's why."
"Aww, cutie. Was it that embarrassing?"
"Let go."
She pinched my cheek affectionately. Past or present, I never got why she loved that.
Anyway, we found an inn— a triple room, the best available—and crashed there.
"See you in six hours."
She conked out immediately. Ariel and I took our beds. Fatigue hit hard. Trekking the gorge, exploring the ancient kingdom—it added up. Ariel looked wiped too.
I closed my eyes. With one of my few trusted people nearby, I drifted off peacefully for the first time in ages.
That dawn, in the inn room with all three of us.
"……."
Ariel lay awake, mind racing.
Then, movement from the next bed. Beds were Kyle, mystery woman, Ariel. She knew who woke.
Pretending to sleep, Ariel sensed the mystery woman vanish.
Startled, she opened her eyes. But the woman reappeared right in front of her.
"Kyaa—! Mmph!"
"Shh. Yell and you'll wake our cutie."
Noah Celestia clamped Ariel's mouth. Confirming Kyle still slept, she cast a sleep spell, then returned.
"Wh-what are you doing…."
Ariel eyed her warily, identity still unknown.
"Just…."
Noah sat on the bed, smiling.
"Wanted a quick chat with you?"
Ariel tensed even more.