Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Friend-4
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[Father-in-law!! Please give me your daughter!!]
<Shut your trap. Aria isn't an object, so don't use expressions like that.>
My head was already spinning like it might split open, and this old ghost was spewing nonsense with every breath. If he weren't a ghost, I would've bashed his face with a bat until it swelled shut.
"...That question is too broad. What exactly do you mean?"
I asked calmly and rationally first. This was probably another test to gauge me, so I had to unravel it coolly and collectedly.
"Well, what do you think it means? Leonardo."
As expected, a tough opponent. He wouldn't even let me probe for intent.
In that case,
"I cannot express Lady Ariasfil in a single sentence."
I had no choice but to go straight at it.
"Oh ho, is that so?"
Gladio cracked a slight smile at the flexible yet steadfast answer.
"Then care to summarize?"
"It might be impertinent, but Lady Ariasfil is..."
Answering with pure sincerity—that was the only way.
"My goal."
At that response, everyone at the table froze mid-meal. It wasn't just pausing their words; they stopped eating, even blinking.
It was understandable. Depending on how you heard it, it could mean my goal was to surpass your daughter.
"...What does that mean?"
This reaction sparked a bit of playfulness in me.
"Well, what do you think it means, Family Head?"
"...Hah, hahaha, hahahahaha!!"
Provoked by my retort, the Family Head burst into hearty laughter. Now, every time I saw someone laugh, chills ran down my spine.
[You somehow turn everyone you talk to manic.]
<Tell me about it. What kind of fate is this...>
Leo gazed at Gladio, who was laughing as he reflected on his joke-twisted, tragic life.
He fixed his gaze because if breathing issues hit mid-laugh, he might need to administer emergency aid himself.
"Ha... That was an entertaining dinner. Seems everyone's finished, so I'll take my leave first."
Suppressing his laughter, Gladio rose from his seat. As the Family Head stood, the other family members also left the table.
[Looked delicious... How was it?]
The meal had certainly looked appetizing enough to make one's mouth water to dehydration. Calling it tasteless would be as good as having no taste buds.
I hope this meal isn't my last supper.
When those words came out, just like Leo, Ariasfil's thoughts ground to a halt.
Whose daughter? Did her father have another daughter here? No, that couldn't be...
It was a question about her.
Her pupils trembled, and the food felt like it would choke her. She barely swallowed, but she had no appetite to continue eating.
More worrying was Leonardo's answer.
For no reason, she resented her father. Why ask such a cruel and bizarre question?
Yet, in another corner of her heart...
'...What will he say?'
She was desperately curious about Leonardo's response. She kept her head down, pretending disinterest while spectating the conversation. Her slightly reddened ears were wide open, of course.
And the answer that came was,
That response successfully turned the heat from her ears to a full blush across her face.
'Goal...!?'
What did "goal" mean? A simple rival? A worthy opponent? Or...
The deeper she thought, the hotter her cheeks and beyond burned.
Like her father's initial question, it could be interpreted in so many ways,
Her face grew increasingly flushed.
Unable to contain her excitement, Ariasfil perked her ears for more specifics, but,
Regrettably, she couldn't pinpoint the exact meaning.
But for some reason,
'Ugh...'
Her heated face showed no signs of cooling. Rather, the ambiguity seemed to pour oil on the girl's emotions.
Her night wouldn't be peaceful... no, it definitely wouldn't.
After that dinner,
Leo sat facing the Sage in a chair. The Sage before him continued his lesson with fervent expression.
"Yawn..."
[So that's how it...]
"Yaaaawn..."
[The basics of magic are...]
"Kya-haaaaaawn..!"
[Shut up already!]
As the yawns grew longer and more frequent, even the Sage lost his temper.
"Yaaaawn..."
<Sorry.>
Leo responded with a drowsy yawn via Aura.
[Yawning while apologizing is a talent in itself.]
"Yaaaawn...!"
<You're too kind.>
The Sage's facial muscles twitched on the verge of distortion at that mystical technique.
[That was sarcasm, punk. And you're still yawning.]
<Can't help it. It's 3 AM.>
The current time was exactly 3:02 AM. Holding a sudden conversation in the dead of night made it impossible to stifle the yawns.
[Still, anyone receiving this teaching would have eyes wide and ears perked. You don't know how valuable this is for a mage.]
Indeed, to Leo now, it was hard to gauge the supreme value of the Sage's teachings.
He'd had little interest in magic from the start, regardless of understanding the lessons.
[You punk, you just yawned with Aura.]
Ah, caught.
[Ha... Why make a guy like this the successor...]
<You're the one who chose this successor. Grit your teeth and bear it.>
[Bear it with grit and evil?]
<Don't wanna.>
Since he was a ghost anyway, attacking each other was impossible, but no meant no.
[Then shut up and listen to the lesson.]
The Sage cleared his throat fictitiously and resumed the interrupted lesson.
[So, remember what the basics of magic are?]
<...>
[Answer this, punk.]
<Magic circles, you said.>
For such a lackluster disciple, it was a refreshingly direct answer, so the Sage nodded with a softened tone.
[Right, the basics of magic are magic circles. Chanting and hand signs are just later auxiliary techniques.]
<Then with just a magic circle, no need for chanting or signs?>
[If you have the technique, but if lacking, fill it with that first.]
In martial arts terms, it was like a preparatory process or stance. Thinking of it that way made it easier to grasp.
[In that sense, you have decent aptitude. Mastering a 1-circle spell in a week isn't easy.]
<How many tries did it take you, Sage?>
[Me? First try.]
Truly astonishing, but the world was full of freakish geniuses.
[No need to feel down. That's decent.]
<Ouch, that consolation hurts.>
[Anyway, you've learned 1-circle. What next?]
<Well, get better at 1-circle?>
[...Oh...]
The Sage let out a short exclamation at Leo's answer.
<...Why? Wrong answer?>
[Your looks aside, your aptitude is really decent.]
That technique of mixing praise and insult simultaneously was still awe-inspiring.
[Honestly, I thought you'd chase 2-circle like other idiots. Truly unexpected.]
<Nothing unexpected. What's more important than foundations in learning?>
[...That's what's unexpected.]
With insults and praise fusing into one, no stranger emotions could churn.
Far from unpleasant, it was even wondrous now.
[Anyway, you're right. Better to focus on 1-circle than clumsily chase 2-circle. No need to rush advanced stages.]
<Then practice 1-circle spells?>
[That's one way, but I have a specific training method in mind.]
Mana began gathering around the Sage again. It resembled the form when he first taught the mana training method.
[Hah!]
With a shout, the gathered mana began weaving into lines. The vine-like lines curved and soon formed a circle.
[...Now, here...]
Another circle was drawn inside it, spaced thinly. Repeating this filled the hollow circle completely, like coloring it in.
[Like this, keep drawing circles inside circles with mana.]
<That densely?>
[That's how you improve. Back in my day, when my teacher told me, I obeyed dutifully...]
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn."
It was far too sleepy a day to keep eyes wide and ears perked for moralizing.
Drawing the circles themselves wasn't hard. If even that were impossible, the flame magic wouldn't have activated against the Balrog.
The problem was...
"Urgh...!"
[Why groan like that? Tense your head! Grip your optic nerve tight!]
"Ah, shut up. Can't concentrate."
The line distorted the moment he spoke. Leo infused mana again, fixing the line's center.
[What, punk? I did it bodiless on the first try! You kids these days... No effort...]
"It's 'cause you shoved the Sage's Stone in my heart, like a parasite."
[W-what? Parasite?]
"Aren't you? Strictly speaking, you're wandering as a ghost thanks to my magic power."
Whether from regression or later revelation, the Sage's Stone in Leo's current heart had not a scrap of the Sage's stored mana left.
Of course, stored spells and thoughts via formulas remained, allowing this conversation, but if Leo's mana depleted, the Sage's Stone would stop functioning.
[Hey...! I did it to save your life, you know!?]
<Yeah, saved me and then 'parasitized'.>
[Then rip it out of your heart!]
<Goodness, how could I do something so horrifying? Too scary to even consider.>
[Ha... fuck... why this guy...]
Midway through filling the fifth circle,
Knock knock
Someone knocked on the door. Though time had passed, it was still deep night.
[Who's that? At this hour?]
<No idea.>
Leo stopped drawing the circle and walked to the door.
"Who is it?"
Before opening, Leo cautiously peered through the peephole.
"Sorry for the late hour, but I have something to discuss about my juniors. Can we talk now?"
Through the hole, he saw something white and wall-like. After several checks, he realized it was a person's body.
The voice was a familiar tone he'd heard before, so Leo opened the door without suspicion.
"Thanks."
The entrant was a hulking man. His massive muscles suggested full knight, not apprentice, as he entered the room.
"Sorry for coming so late at night."
"Must be important then."
"Yes."
With short replies, he sat in a chair.
[What's with him?]
The Sage squinted at the bizarre apprentice knight and asked.
<My senior.>
"Sorry for the late introduction."
Following Leo's words, his senior began his self-introduction.
"My name is Alphonse Armstrong, an apprentice knight and, in terms of seniority, your senior."
"Nice to meet you, Senior."
Alphonse Armstrong—a man Leo had ties with even in his previous life, as reliable as his muscles, both as a senior and comrade.
[Why's a guy like that come at this hour? And just guys here.]
<Good guy, don't worry. Even in my past life...>
"I'll get straight to the point. You should quit being a squire."
...
.....
........
[Good guy my ass.]
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