Did You Receive the Gift Well, Scarlet?
Did You Receive the Gift Well, Scarlet?
...I stayed up all night, absorbed in producing the self-study guides.
The result was sixty-four volumes truly worthy of being called 'self-study guides.' I had meticulously inscribed onto paper the content I deemed necessary.
[ Title: Arrogance and Patheticness ]
*Let me out. Master.
Meanwhile, in one corner of the wall, Maeve remained trapped, hanging inside a frame.
She had laced the tea with a deadly poison. Naturally, she was caught, and this could be called a very light punishment, all things considered.
I remained engrossed in the representatives.
"Whether to trust these fools. Or not."
I want to trust them and teach the deepest content possible, but they are at the level of just learning to walk. They should at least be able to run.
"As I thought, I don't trust them."
I lifted the first book again.
It was utterly tedious, but I decided to draw out every single stroke order for them after all. The sixty-four volumes would likely swell to around one hundred ninety-two.
"No."
...Come to think of it, I had to point out not just the stroke order but the thickness of each line as well, one by one.
"At least three hundred volumes, then."
『 Harmony of Ice Attribute Magic 』
『 Harmony of Fire Attribute Magic 』
『 Harmony of Light Attribute Magic 』
I unfurled new tomes in midair. From now on, the work required a level of kindness and delicacy beyond what I had imagined.
I emphasize repeatedly: this time, the theme is 'Harmonization'.
More than individual excellence, supporting one another to produce a level of skill that could never be achieved alone is the core key to winning the Subjugation Festival.
Well, it doesn't matter if they fail to grasp this theme. Their bodies will be made to understand it, by force.
Knock, knock—
Perhaps because the sun had risen, I already had a visitor.
Still keeping my eyes on the books, I opened the guest room door with telekinesis.
"What is it."
"Um.... It's Becky. You told us to gather here today...."
It was Becky.
This wasn't a bad thing. Perhaps I could entrust Becky with summarizing a portion of this massive pile.
"Wait."
I began to pick out the relatively easy parts. Parts simple enough that even Becky's intelligence could summarize them.
But Becky was already carrying a stack of something. It wasn't study material, but newspapers.
"...What is all that."
"Ah, this. It's nothing, just.... Hey, Plan. Did you happen to read the news articles? I read them a bit yesterday...."
There were dark circles under Becky's eyes as she rambled. She looked like she'd clearly been up all night, and I unconsciously narrowed my brow.
"You shouldn't have had time for that."
"Ah.... But, it's written here with completely bizarre things. Like, you're the perpetrator? And I'm the victim? That's how it's written.... So a statement of position would...."
"What statement of position."
"Er, hm. That it wasn't coercive. That there was mutual agreement. Something like that...?"
I let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
That kind of statement of position is worthless. It would essentially be an admission that something secret took place.
Snap—!
I snapped my fingers and set Becky down quietly in her seat.
"Eek."
"Shut your mouth and summarize this, why don't you."
I handed Becky a few sheets of material. A pile of papers stacked up in front of her.
"Huh? No. This is definitely coercion...."
"Then make your statement exactly like that. I don't care."
"...."
The key point was 'summarize the material,' but Becky, distracted by something strange, turned bright red.
"Get started."
"...O-okay."
Becky nodded, looking bashful.
◈
Six hours later.
In the silent guest room where only the clock's second hand ticked, Becky and I were still preparing material.
"Hey, Plan. Is this enough for this part?"
I glanced sidelong at the material she held out. Even with just that, a dozen flaws jumped out at me.
"...Use your own scissors on it. Cut it down some."
"Hmm, will do. Is the difficulty level okay like this?"
Judging the difficulty of material isn't hard.
"Becky."
"Yeah?"
"Can you understand that material without difficulty."
"Yeah. If I concentrate and read it, it's doable?"
Becky nodded, and I nodded too.
"Then it will be fine."
"Wait, what does that mean."
Ignoring Becky's words, I checked the clock. I had to attend the luncheon at Yudit Mansion today.
I feel not a shred of affection toward the house called Yudit.... Firstly, I intended to grasp what resources I could utilize, and secondly, the time had come to put Scarlet's pride in check.
"Theory is sufficient at this level."
I handed all of the drafts over to Becky.
Theory is one thing, but cultivating a sense for real combat through the devices of the Fire World is also crucial.
The Subjugation Festival takes place in 'Berkel,' a location in the southern part of the continent.
Berkel is reminiscent of a dark back alley, a place where demon beasts emerge regardless of time or place, making cooperation and harmonization all the more vital.
─Knock, knock.
"It's me."
Sweeping back her blue hair, Trixie appeared.
She had visited the Fritz mansion immediately after the preliminary match. She probably went to brag to her heart's content. After all, she was among those with the most to celebrate.
"Look at this."
Trixie also held a newspaper in her hand. But it did not contain the same content as Becky's.
[ The Four Siblings, Not Even Satisfied with Dishonor? ]
*Committing even accidental murder
First, news about the Four Siblings caught my eye.
Apparently, the shame they suffered in the preliminaries was so great that they later committed murder, and were ultimately executed.
"...Pathetic fools."
[ Cheonchuk Squad Leader Janet, 'In Peak Physical Condition' ]
[ Honor Execution carried out by 'Cheonchuk'. ]
[ Amidst public criticism.... Theodore silently takes '4th place' ]
Theodore had put up a decent fight too, but it seemed Trixie wanted to talk about 'Cheonchuk.'
Her full lips parted slightly.
"Cheonchuk, that's the 2nd-place squad."
"Is that so."
"We need to watch out. All four of them are knights scheduled to join the Mystic Gorge, and their inherent abilities are considerable."
"I see."
"They executed the Four Siblings without a single scratch, you know."
"Is that a fact."
"...."
Trixie narrowed her eyes and glared at me. A blue flame appeared to flicker in her gaze.
"I'll confirm it later."
"Do it now."
I ignored Trixie and packed my belongings.
It wasn't that I harbored ill feelings toward her. I simply had far too much to do right now.
Trixie thrust the newspaper right before my eyes.
"Why won't you do it now."
"It doesn't matter who the enemy is."
I lightly brushed the proffered newspaper aside with telekinesis. And I added one more remark.
"Nevertheless, Trixie, I shall praise you for one thing. For not bringing a baseless, absurdly false article like someone else."
"Urk."
Becky, who had been organizing materials, flinched. She was currently buried under a pile of papers, looking rather like a snowman.
But it seemed Becky had her own protests to make.
"T-, Trixie! That article didn't bother you at all?"
"Nope."
"What? How on earth?"
"I have a man I'm interested in. A different one."
A brief silence flowed. Becky blinked roughly twice. Then she drew a few underlines on the material before suddenly shouting.
"What? You? You have a man you're interested in?"
"Why."
"No.... And if there is someone like that, shouldn't you be even more compelled to step up and clear things up?"
"It's fine. That person, he's wise."
Their pointless exchange continued, and I finished preparing to depart for the Yudit Mansion.
I arranged for the taxidermy in the frame to be released after a set amount of time. By the time the material sorting is finished, Maeve, having regained her freedom, will guide these two adequately.
But at that moment.
"You."
Trixie abruptly held something out to me.
It was a rather elegant handkerchief, with black jasmine drawn over a light brown background.
"Explain its meaning along with it."
"Pass it on. To Mister Teachings."
Perhaps it was a matter of some importance, as Trixie emphasized it once.
"Make sure you pass it on. At least this much, you can do."
"As a special favor, I shall."
It was no ordinary handkerchief; a magical aura was imbued within it. I accepted it without further comment.
◈
A grassy field. Upon it rests a single, neatly cut stone.
It is merely such a place, yet Scarlet knelt there demurely. She felt a deep emotion that no one else would ever know.
For this place is the grave where her mother is buried.
Today was the anniversary of her mother's death. The passing breeze felt heavier than ever, and the sentiment Scarlet felt here was solitude.
...Solitude, and nothing but.
"I have come."
Scarlet placed a bouquet beside the gravestone. It was a bouquet singed by embers, by no means beautiful.
She had controlled the access of others in advance, so now no one but Scarlet could visit this place.
"...."
After kneeling demurely, Scarlet gazed at the name engraved on the headstone for a long while.
Ten minutes, thirty minutes, an hour.
She simply gazed.
"Just why...."
Distrust toward herself, questions toward her mother, and resentment toward her younger brother....
A mere single line.
The single line engraved on the headstone made Scarlet's heart unbearably heavy, every single time.
"Why.... did you leave me Ember."
[ Hero ]
[ Blazing Knight ]
[ Evelyn Yudit ]
Blazing.
The most brilliant moment in a flame's lifetime. What blazes alongside it is conviction and will.
Her ladyship left Scarlet with 'Ember.'
Scarlet was curious.
She still could not accept it, was angry, resentful. But before all that, she was simply curious.
Blazing Knight, why on earth did you.
For that untrustworthy boy,
sacrifice yourself.
And also, why.
Did you leave Scarlet with only embers.
"...That bastard put down his sword