Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: Epilogue: Winds Blowing Toward the North
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I, Yuna, and Bennett gathered around his sister for a preliminary examination. But without proper facilities or equipment, scanning her was complicated—and there might even be an issue with her soul.
"Let's head to the academy. We can run a detailed check there."
"......"
"No need to worry too much. From what I could tell at a glance, her soul seems intact."
I comforted Bennett, whose face had darkened, and declared our return.
Selbia would tag along without needing to be asked, and for the elves, we'd just pick up their fallen holy artifact from the floor and hand it back—that would settle things. Which left one person whose stance was still undecided.
"...Sis."
"Ah, uh, yeah. Siselle."
It was her sister-in-law.
Siselle Yurensuto seemed unsure how to face her long-lost sister after all these years and opened awkwardly.
"It's been fifteen years. Have you been well?"
"O-overall, yeah, I think so. You, Siselle?"
"Me too... yeah. Overall."
"Good to hear. Yeah..."
Even Yuna looked just as awkward. We'd seen each other in the holy city, so why the tension?
Right—Siselle hadn't recognized her as the "mysterious beautiful mage X in disguise." To her, this really was a reunion after over a decade.
"...How's Jewel?"
"Last letter I got said she's looking for a match."
"Mm, I see..."
"Mm..."
I couldn't stand by any longer watching this stifling mix of silence and halting words. I slipped in between them.
Not that I planned to barge into their family chat cluelessly. I just wanted to set up a comfortable spot for them to catch up properly.
"Let's move for now? We can share stories back at our safe, cozy home."
"Ah, yeah. Should we...?"
"Yes. Let's do that."
The rest of the journey was straightforward. We went to the nearest major city, hopped on a teleport magic circle to near the academy, then hijacked a passing wyvern with illusion magic to use as our ride.
A few hours of flight later, we arrived at the academy.
And just like that, Mima's runaway adventure came to an end.
Back.
Back at the academy.
After being torn into dozens of pieces and scattered across the continent, forcing Selbia to metamorphose, crushing a named dark mage's scheme, and half-rescuing Bennett's sister—I'd finally returned to my beloved home.
I left Bennett, Siselle, and his sister in the parlor for now.
Heart pounding with excitement, I opened the lab door. There stood Yuri in a suit and apron, greeting me with her usual deadpan expression.
"You're back? Dinner first, or bath? Or..."
"Yuri! Missed you!"
I hugged her tight.
The feel was different from petite Yuna. Holding Yuri let me sense that heartwarming pushback from her chest. She chuckled softly and patted my back.
"Missed me that much?"
"Yeah."
"Words alone lack conviction. Especially coming back with another woman. Got proof, Mima?"
"......"
Her words stabbed right through me, leaving me speechless.
She was my childhood friend, the girl who liked me. But considering my bonds with both Yuna and Yuri, maybe I should've drawn a firm line.
Yuri stood on tiptoe, resting her chin on my shoulder.
"It's fine. Even if you're that kind of guy. As a woman myself, it stings a bit knowing where you've been adding to your collection... but..."
She smiled languidly.
"If hyenas circle around, I just need to approach and devour first."
"...?!"
She tripped me, straddled my waist, pinned my collar, and pressed her lips to my nape. Hot breath tickled, goosebumps rising.
Mwah.
I felt the soft press of her lips above my carotid.
And then... it escalated.
It started as a light peck, but soon an indescribable, sticky onslaught poured down. It felt like she was devouring my neck. She was devouring it!
What followed was a barrage of kisses in every form and sound imaginable. I'd never dreamed such lewd noises could come from between a person's neck and mouth.
"Yu-Yu-Yuri, what're you doing?!"
"Th-that... mmph... mmm."
I was stunned, of course—but so were Yuna and Selbia behind me.
What just happened to me? If that had been on my lips instead... could I have kept my sanity and survived?
As I stared blankly at the ceiling in a daze,
"You're mine, Mima. Answer."
"Y-yes..."
Yuri wrung the response from my weakened state.
Like she was daring anyone to interrupt. Like, what can you do about it? She flashed a grin at Selbia.
"J-just you wait! You'll see!"
Selbia's face beet-red, nearly exploding, fled with a third-rate villain line. Surrender declared.
The succubus's eyes turned to Yuna next.
"Want some too, Tower Master? I could oblige."
"N-no, nope! I'm good!"
"But you watched so eagerly. Yuna, nothing teaches faster than hands-on experience. Someday you'll—"
"I-I gotta set up the magic circle! Need to check Bennett's sister! Busy!"
Yuna fluttered away like a startled butterfly.
The ruthless frontliner of love, Yuri Lanster, who'd conquered the field in one strike. She patted my thigh and declared her victory.
"I worried when I heard you'd shattered into dozens of pieces, but you look healthy. Relieved."
"...I messed up, so get off."
"Try adding another woman. See what happens."
"......"
She wouldn't mind more women—as long as she could use it as an excuse to devour me. That's how it sounded.
The fact that a flock of elves had taken a liking to me thanks to that mad crow? I decided to take that secret to the grave.
"Yuna, tweak that magic circle for me."
"Ah, sure. Bump up the sensitivity a bit?"
"Perfect. Selbia, handle circle 32. Channel mana into each point and rotate clockwise to calibrate. Manual's there—you can do it."
"Wh-what even is this circle? Never seen anything like it in the Crimson Tower... No, no, Selbia. You got this."
I laid Bennett's sister on the bed while the mages adjusted and checked the health exam magic circles. Yuna and I took it easy, but Selbia wore a look like this vast knowledge wouldn't fit in her head.
Her struggling with a simple circle was kinda cute. That's why they take grad students, huh.
Bennett fidgeted anxiously in his chair, watching. Siselle tilted her head this way and that, sensing something familiar.
Makes sense—this was the setup we'd used to scan her soul.
"Alright, let's scan. Why Bennett's sister is still asleep."
Vrrr—!
Dozens of circles spun, emitting mana lights of varying properties. Colored beams swept over the sister's body, data flooding the hologram monitors.
Her body had been in a vile dark mage's clutches. I'd braced for soul-shattering damage, but it was better than expected.
"Soul response is solid... a bit suppressed, but intact, right?"
"Yeah. Siselle's soul took worse damage."
"Then it's the body. Let's see. Selbia? Circle 57."
"57... 57? This one? What's this...??"
Thirty minutes later, the exam wrapped up.
To ease Bennett's nerves, I led with the good news.
"No big issues. Just... her lifespan's almost up."
"How's 'almost dead from old age' no big issue, you mad mage-!!"
"Ow, what fantasy fix is easier than lifespan extension? Soul not shattered is a win!"
I calmed the more furious-than-usual Bennett, who shook my collar, and continued.
"Hey, Bennett. Ever wonder why the Corpse Flower chose your sister's body? Or why it kept her alive and using it even after you escaped?"
"...Heard it meshed well with the Corpse Flower."
"Not just 'well.' Seems your sister had your talent, but channeled differently. Her soul has a self-repair function."
A body pampered by a dark mage who'd lurked three centuries building power. If useless, it'd have been diced up to break Bennett mentally. No surprise if talented.
But odd: why leave the soul in a hijacked body?
Enter the self-repair.
"Traces of the Corpse Flower grinding her soul for dark magic. Yet it's mostly fine. Curious why? Measurements show the body sacrifices lifespan to heal soul wounds."
In short, she had a passive draining max HP to restore MP. Innate or from the Corpse Flower? Unknown.
Fun trait. Refill lifespan, spam dark magic endlessly?
If Bennett were the little brother and she the big sis... might've birthed a monster dark mage.
"So why won't Verda wake?"
"Yeah. Healing soul wounds ate up her body's lifespan. Physically, she's near-elderly."
"I'm going to the holy city. Ask Tara to fix Verda."
"Bad idea. Goddess power maintains status quo—restores vigor, but extending lost lifespan takes tons of effort."
HP recovers, but max HP? Tough.
So how to wake Sleeping Beauty? Options came to mind.
First: training.
Lifespan scales with strength, so if Verda awoke as a metamorphosis master... But comatose? No training.
"So sessions here would..."
"You wanna throw my sister into that hell?! Mad mage!"
Bennett recalled Cthulhu trauma and shook my collar again. If he hated that, other paths.
Soul fine, body sick? Ditch the body.
I'd converted souls to info-lifeforms before. Full-armored golem or whatever—I could transplant. Cyborg with rocket punches? Romantic.
"Change bodies. I can shift her soul to a machine—"
As I started explaining soul transplants,
"Hmph!"
"Ow!"
Yuna whacked my head with her staff for a physical silence spell. As I crumpled from the clear crack, she proposed option three.
"Know the Alchemist Guild? Their leader Arte makes lifespan potions. It's only about a year, but..."
"......"
"Get the potion, wake Verda first. Boost her condition, then holy magic works better. Train slowly after. Sound good?"
"...Fine. I'll go find the guild leader."
Yuna's "extend lifespans together, spend centuries as a trio" plan shining here. She'd researched extensions thoroughly.
I staggered up.
"No, Bennett. Come with. The leader's the Northern Grand Duke's lady now—and one of my shards landed there."
He might gripe about leaving home so soon.
But consider the trip's origin: Bennett got tangled not to save sis, just to smash the dark mage.
Pure goodwill, no agenda.
That led to saving her—why not cap it with a clean happy end?
I layered protective spells on Verda's body.
"Think of it as a light vacation. No need to thank me."
"...Thanks."
"Told you not to. And me? Friends with the Northern Grand Duke. Potion'll be easy."
Next stop: Northern passes. Day trip, quick in-out.
I prepped Heart's illusion overlay.
Northern Grand Duke's estate.
Second wife Neriel peeked out.
"Heart, guests from Violet Tower..."
"...Haha. Thanks for telling me, Neriel. That's them, yeah. Hm, thought I'd have more time. Guess it's time to—"
"But... one guest is Heart...?"
"Pardon?"
Heart shot up, drew the curtain, and peered at the mansion entrance. Impressive lineup.
Violet Magic Tower Master, Yuri Lanster, Bennett, Verda lookalike asleep, and... the illusory beauty Heart (true form).
"......"
Overlapping...!!