Chapter 154: Joint Practical Evaluation — Interlude (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154: Joint Practical Evaluation — Interlude (2)
Under the dim evening sky, Luce and I sat side by side in the yard, watching fireflies drift through the garden under the cover of night.
It was a sentimental atmosphere…
“That ring… are you planning to give it to someone? Who?”
…Or it would have been, if not for Luce’s icy gaze and subdued voice.
I understood her cynical reaction. Luce wasn’t entirely sure of her own feelings yet. She often acted like a lover while insisting we were just friends.
However, it seemed too simplistic to dismiss it as Luce merely ‘not knowing how to gauge personal boundaries,’ especially considering how far we had already come.
She had most likely grown to like me as ‘Isaac.’ And, in secret, she likely suspected I was the Nameless Hero.
‘She’s just too cautious to be certain.’
Because there had been no definitive confirmation.
“…Is it for that senior?” Luce asked, turning her head back toward the swarm of fireflies.
The ‘senior’ she was referring to could only be Dorothy.
“Dorothy doesn’t need this.”
“She doesn’t?”
“It doesn’t match her element. This is a magic weapon.”
I showed Luce the Ring of the Abyssal Queen. Once the misunderstanding was cleared, the ominous aura around her faded, and her expression softened.
“Ah,” she nodded. “It was a magic weapon…”
“What did you imagine? An engagement ring?”
“…”
Luce pressed her lips to her knees, which she was hugging tightly, and fell silent. I narrowed my eyes, glaring at her suspiciously.
“Luce…”
“No…! It’s just because we’re friends! I was just concerned as a friend. For me… I only have you.”
Embarrassed by her own outburst, Luce’s face flushed. As usual, her melodious voice echoed sweetly.
‘I only have you.’
It went without saying. Luce suffered from social phobia, and I was the sole exception to the discomfort she felt around others. I was the only person she could truly open her heart to.
Luce’s braided rose-gold hair cascaded over her uniform, shimmering in the light. It reminded me of a few weeks ago when we had playfully messed with each other’s hair and laughed together.
Beyond that, a memory flickered in my mind like a reflection in a mirror.
The scene of Luce, drenched in blood and collapsed on the ground, as we shared a final embrace before the army of the Evil God. In that reality, she had met a solitary, lonely end.
Recalling this, I felt a sudden sense of incongruity. My mouth opened slightly as a new possibility dawned on me.
‘Perhaps.’
I might not have realized how simple it could be to avoid the fate I feared.
After hearing what Luce said during the Sandstone Trial, I realized why I no longer had to worry about the Extra Bad Ending, 「Bird Cage」, in the battle against the Evil God.
Luce dreamed of building a normal life with me by her side. She had envisioned the specifics of our future together like a vivid painting—living in the same house, achieving our goals, eventually getting married and having children.
She wanted a future with me as her beloved partner.
That desire was the restraint that held back Luce’s darker impulses. To make the future she imagined possible, she couldn’t afford to jeopardize it through something like confinement.
Then, what was the catalyst that made Luce dream of such a future?
‘How should I know?’
Of course, I didn’t. But regardless, my path was now clear.
I couldn’t be certain of everything, but I knew I had to give this ring to Luce, whom I adored beyond measure.
I guess I’ll just have to face it.
The shrill chirping of insects filled the air. Eventually, I broke the heavy silence.
“Luce.”
“Hmm?”
“This is a bit out of the blue, but you dream of becoming an Exalted Tower Master, right? You’ll be incredibly busy then… Will you still stay by my side?”
Luce looked at me with a suspicious expression, as if wondering why I’d even ask.
“…Of course. Even if you don’t want me to, I’ll be there.”
“Then lend me your left hand.”
“Huh?”
When I reached out, Luce looked bewildered. She stared at my face, puzzled, before eventually placing her slender, delicate hand in mine.
I gently took hold of her fingers and slipped the Ring of the Abyssal Queen onto her left ring finger.
As if the ring had been forged specifically for her, it fit perfectly.
It suits her well.
“Isaac…?”
Luce’s eyes widened in shock. Her mind seemed to go blank as she looked back and forth between her hand and my face, unable to process what was happening.
I gave her a broad, toothy grin.
“It’s a magic weapon that enhances water and lightning spells. Just what you need, right? They say it’s only effective when worn on this finger.”
“…?”
Luce remained dazed for a long moment before she finally managed to find her voice.
“Did you prepare this… for me?”
Her voice trembled. For someone who usually maintained a poker face to be this shaken, it must have been a massive surprise.
“I went out during the last vacation, remember? I found this treasure in an antique shop by chance. I got it cheap, so don’t worry about the cost.”
“…”
Normally, Luce would have sharply pointed out, ‘Who would fail to recognize a treasure like this and sell it in an antique shop?’
Fortunately, she was so stunned that her logical faculties had short-circuited. She just stared blankly at me. Of course, it wouldn’t have mattered if she had argued; I was ready to talk her in circles with my specialized ‘Anti-Luce’ nonsense.
“It’s not just a gift. When you become an Exalted Tower Master and I become a great wizard, and we both reach our goals… think of it as a symbol of our commitment to keep helping each other.”
“…Okay.”
“So, it’s a bit cheesy, but…” I smiled and extended my hand for a handshake. “Thanks for being my friend, Luce.”
“…!”
It was as if she had heard something completely impossible. Luce’s eyes widened once more.
She stared at my extended hand for an almost embarrassing amount of time. I didn’t need to read her mind to know that, in that brief moment, she was drifting through a flood of memories.
Her face was a whirlwind of complex emotions, but the expression she finally settled on was…
“…Heh.”
…A smile.
“Me too. Thank you, Isaac.”
Luce grasped my hand, her jewel-like eyes meeting mine. She smiled more brightly than I had ever seen, a shy radiance in her gaze.
She blinked gently, the soft green glow of the moonlight and fireflies reflecting in her eyes. Eventually, she raised her left arm toward the sky, gazing at her open hand.
The ring on her finger caught the moonlight, shimmering like a radiant black pearl.
I watched her subtly flushed cheeks and the profound expression on her face. Luce’s smile, filled with pure joy, shone endlessly in the moonlight.
‘She’s lovely.’
I wished for Luce’s happiness. I loved her happiness. Seeing her this joyful naturally filled me with a sense of pride.
We looked at each other and smiled, continuing our usual trivial chatter in soft voices.
It was a tranquil night.
*
[The valiant killer whale, Bello, did not dare interfere today…! Well done, Isaac…!]
[…]
In a corner of the Butterfly Garden, the small killer whale familiar, Bello, and the Thunderbird Galia—summoned in a miniature form—were secretly watching the pair from behind a tree.
Isaac had slipped a ring onto Luce’s left ring finger. As her familiars, they could feel that their master’s heart was overflowing with more joy than ever before.
The Thunderbird watched Luce with a distant gaze, his beak firmly shut.
Luce had lived in shackles ever since she lost the Candy House Witch. To make matters worse, Galia himself had succumbed to madness due to the curse of the Evil Dragon. Because of this, the Thunderbird often felt a deep, gnawing guilt.
He had stood by Luce when she crumbled, yet he had been unable to provide the support she truly needed. Galia resented his past, powerless self for causing her so much sadness.
But now, Luce was smiling so brightly that the pain of the past seemed insignificant. She was happy, without a trace of shadow.
[Hey, Galia. What’s with the tears?]
[…It’s nothing.]
Galia was content with that fact alone. Grateful to Isaac, Galia wiped his eyes with his black wings and allowed a faint smile to form.
*
Title: Magic Knight of Märchen Hell Difficulty] VideoGameGuy Gameplay Episode 21 - Developers, is this okay? Isn’t this way too unfair?
Views: 77,329
Channel Name: VideoGameGuy’s Game World
Subscribers: 450,000
Comments: 77
「Half the video is just him screaming lmao」
「25:40 that demon got absolutely obliterated kek」
「Alice-chan is so kawaii and cute~… uuuoooggghhh」
「The difficulty level is insane lol」
「Boss fight at 12:13 is super dope」
「Him losing his mind and just blankly staring at 19:13 is pure gold rofl」
「Guys, this might be out of the blue, but don’t you think the developers are weird? I just watched the interview and couldn’t comment there so I’m writing it here… they seem… abnormal. They say weird stuff.」
└「My grandma is a shamaness who can embody divine spirits, and she can tell whether someone is human or a ghost. I just asked her and she said these guys aren’t human but also aren’t ghosts… Are they aliens???」
└「What kind of joke is this?」
└「Shaman family talking about aliens is crazy」
└「LOL but to be honest the developer interview was weird. They were talking about their own game and saying that the story of Ian is a lie… who doesn't know that? Immersion is important in a game, I doubted their sanity after watching that video.」
└「Games that are ahead of their time always have unique interviews rofl」
└「No, I’m serious, if my grandma is saying this much, then it’s real. The developers are weird. There’s something about them for sure… I guarantee it.」
*
Title: Fairytale of Brutality, Academy RPG Magic Knight of Märchen] Developer Special Interview
Views: 62,124,270
Channel Name: Higgs
Subscribers: 1.33 Million
「Comments have been disabled.」
「Hello, we sincerely welcome ■■■ to Märchen Academy.」
「I am ■■■■■■, the lead developer at Higgs, the team behind the creation of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.」
「They say ■■■■■■■■ is merely another form of ■■■■■■■■■.」
「❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, which we created, is no different.」
「❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ is a ■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■, and the adventure of Ian Fairytail is a lie.」
「He is simply a character ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■, which is why he’s nothing more than the ■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■■■.」
「❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ is a ■■■■■■■.」
「A ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■ by ■■■■■■■■■■ another ■■■■■ ■■■■■■ by the ■■■■■■■, in order to defeat the ■■■■■■■■■■ Evil God.」
「If the Evil God cannot be stopped, ■■■■■■■■ will have no ■■■■■■.」
「Please defeat the Evil God.」
「And…」
「We sincerely hope you graduate safely from Märchen Academy.」
*