Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Magic You Chose (7)
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Kal followed the librarian into a small room used for borrowing books.
Erzebet, who was chatting with Piy on Kal's shoulder, steeled herself mentally for the truth she would soon face.
The most comprehensive original historical record of the Great War. They would find mentions of Louis within it.
Drururuk!
Before long, a single book emerged from the wall.
The thick, worn tome was densely filled with handwritten accounts of the Great War by the royal scribes.
As Kal flipped through it, he frowned and spoke.
"Princess. This seems way too damaged."
"Piy—."
As he said, the original book looked practically butchered, a chaotic mess.
Black lines were slashed across it haphazardly, and some pages were entirely torn out.
But Erzebet did not give up.
She checked the records from fifteen years ago, when she was six years old.
'Found it.'
A twinge of shame swirled within her at confirming the chairman's words were true.
No matter the reason, her engagement to Louis had indeed been real.
But the problem came next.
No matter how much she flipped through the massive tome that was half a torso thick, there was no mention of Louis anywhere.
Only smeared ink and mangled letters filled the pages.
And after that, lists of war outcomes, demon raids, merits, and casualties continued endlessly.
As Erzebet read through the history written in blood, she eventually reached the final page.
After the Great War, Margrave Whitelett received the Grand Croix 1st Class medal, and the Holy Kingdom officially announced the death of Eris Frashuhra.
When the kingdom denied it, a small war broke out, and eventually, with no body found, both sides declared a truce after several agreements.
There was no mention of Louis anywhere.
Was it all for nothing in the end?
As Erzebet let out a small sigh and moved to close the book, a tattered sheet of paper slipped out and fell to the floor.
—Huh?
Upon checking the paper, she was startled.
It was because she had seen the geometric diagram tucked into the very last page before.
It wouldn't be strange for such an important national project to have been designed years in advance.
But there was one difference from the diagram Erzebet had seen before—
A roughly scrawled signature was written at the bottom of the blueprint.
Adella had a dream.
She was dining with her family in the Roshiar lord's castle.
A memory from her childhood.
Her parents had passed away during the Great War, and her older sister Estelle had inherited Roshiar's intrinsic magic path.
The family honored with the Four-Leaf Medal, praised across the kingdom.
But that didn't mean happiness.
Sreuk, sreuk.
Rattle, rattle.
Only the small sounds of utensils moving echoed in the silent space.
Adella watched her child self smiling beautifully and chattering away in front of the family.
"……."
"……."
"……."
The other three just stared blankly at her, offering no response.
No change in their expressions whatsoever.
"……Hah!"
Not the cold North Sea wind, but the cool spring night air enveloped her body, waking her from the dream.
Adella whipped her head around upon opening her eyes. Her blue hair tangled wildly.
This wasn't the dormitory—it was the academy's infirmary.
White fabric draped around the bed like curtains.
Ah, right. She had passed out after using magic.
And Teacher Louis had rushed over.
"Eut……!"
As memories returned, the throbbing pain settled back into place.
Her chest stung. Definitely bruised.
She lay there in just her nightgown atop the blanket.
As she undid her front to check the wound, a rustling sound from beside the bed made her look over—and she jumped in surprise.
"Te, Tea……cher?"
Louis was dozing off in the chair next to the bed.
Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated his black hair.
Almost saw everything if he'd been awake.
Feeling oddly embarrassed, she quickly refastened her collar.
Then she stole a glance at the sleeping Louis.
With one hand propping his forehead and legs crossed, he looked like a weary veteran soldier lost in slumber after a long war.
His broad shoulders and the small scars on his forearms sharpened his rugged impression.
A figure suited to a sword more than a staff.
Come to think of it, Adella had never seen Louis use a magic wand.
He'd cast enormous magic with just a spare small wand, so his true skill must be incredible.
Someone like this deserved a small territory at least, yet he ran a tiny canteen.
'If only Teacher had a title…….'
Adella hadn't forgotten her purpose at the academy.
She needed marriage to a noble with at least a barony.
She didn't know the results of the great debate, but salons would soon open, and she planned to debut in high society through one.
Gulp.
Adella swallowed.
She didn't know who she'd dance with, but it wouldn't be Louis.
Still, she wanted to hold that hand just once.
The pale moonlight cast the shadow of her cautiously extended fingers onto his body.
Adella slowly approached the sleeping Louis.
Now she knew the source of the pain in her chest.
The moment her trembling hand touched him, electricity coursed through her body like during their first kiss.
And—
Kwak!
"Huek?"
All her mana vanished.
At the same time, the now-awake Louis's hand grabbed a fistful of her hair.
"It hurts! It huuuurts!!!"
What? I reflexively opened my eyes and quickly scanned the surroundings.
Night. Infirmary. And Adella.
Pharenchia Academy.
"Let gooo! My hair's gonna get yanked out!!"
Ah, never mind.
Guess my habit of light sleep from back then hasn't fully gone away.
The battlefield was suitable for graves but not for beds, always needing vigilance against enemy ambushes day or night.
Especially one of the Four Worst called the Demon King's closest aide, Yoak (??)—Antiope. She was a monster who evaded any detection magic and pierced any defense for flawless assassinations.
From the first encounter, she tormented us for years until comrades started suffering massive injuries one by one.
What I created back then to counter Antiope's attacks was precisely [Magic End].
I still keep it active now because I can't forget those hellish days.
Wondering if that thing, which I burned soul and all with fire offerings, is still alive somewhere on the continent.
Crack!!
"Ah."
Lost in thought for a moment, I heard an ominous sound from Adella's hair.
Only then did I notice her neck craned back to the limit and immediately loosened my grip.
"You okay?"
"It huuuurts……. Feels like my head's on fire……."
But why was she grabbing me in the first place?
I decided to brush it off vaguely first.
"It's to make your head smarter."
"R-Really?"
"Of course. Want me to do it again?"
Adella teared up, pondered a bit, then slyly pressed her head against my palm.
Her tightly shut eyes made me chuckle involuntarily.
"Alright, I'm heading out now. Rest well and come to class tomorrow."
"Huh?"
Feeling bad about teasing her more, I stood up.
Having confirmed she was safe, there was no need to spend the night in this uncomfortable guardian chair.
"C-Can't you stay just a bit longer?"
But Adella's white hand caught mine.
Even though a mage would instinctively feel anxious without mana in their body, she didn't let go.
"Why?"
"Just…… No one's here, so until I fall asleep."
Can't sleep alone?
She's not a kid—what nonsense from a grown adult.
I prefer my own bed at home too.
"No."
"Auk! My heart—it suddenly hurts……."
"……."
Seems like she remembers…….
With no choice, I sat back in the chair.
If I left now, a bored sleepless Adella might run off to report me to the guards.
Under the moonlight on the white blanket glowing faintly, just before drifting off, she tossed a few questions my way.
"Teacher, do you have any titles?"
"No."
"Then, any plans to go to the North Sea, beat up some demons, and claim one?"
"Wouldn't get it anyway."
If they were giving them out, they'd have handed one over when I took the Demon King's head.
Speaking of which, that head's still on the third floor. Gotta head back quick once she sleeps.
"Teacher."
As I pondered if a physical sleeping pill was needed, Adella asked another question.
"Have you ever taught magic to anyone else besides me?"
I'd heard this once before.
With her gearing up to ask repeatedly if I didn't answer, I thought for a moment.
If asked whether I'd transmitted karma the same way as with Adella…… strictly speaking, no.
Even with advanced wireless charging on Earth, wired is still king, right?
Eris said it too. Originally, a hero's fine with about three. Whitelett excluded, of course.
"No."
After much deliberation, my answer got no reply.
Turning my head, Adella was already buried under the blanket up to her head, fast asleep.
Finally free.
As I really moved to return to the canteen, a light sheet of paper fell from my pocket.
It was the Litvice Test Paper I'd meant to toss before the match started.
"……."
I grew a tiny bit curious about the past of this airheaded bread thief.
Maybe she bumped her head going to the Demon King War as a kid?
Peeking into others' memories is rude, but since it's just one page, a fragmentary glimpse should be fine.
"What the fuck."
But the cold dining table that surfaced in my mind was utterly unlike my expectations.
"……."
In the end, I changed my mind and stayed by the bed until dawn.
Muttering inwardly that I shouldn't have looked.