EP.36
Sigh, is this really okay?
I pondered over this repeatedly.
The cause of my concern was obvious. The Princess, Maria, who was smiling so cheerfully beside me, was the very threat to my sanity.
“Maria, wouldn’t it be better to go back now?”
“I’ve told you countless times, I have no intention of doing that.”
Yeah, that’s the problem.
I pinched the bridge of my nose in response to Maria’s reply.
“Then at least we could have the Escort Troops—”
“Do you really want that?”
“…No.”
Well, I didn’t particularly like the idea of increasing our party size. It’s not that I disliked people, but more folks meant more things to keep track of. So, if it was just a couple of people who could handle themselves, I didn’t mind too much.
However, that was only when it came to assembling a temporary party for a mission or purpose.
Moving alongside high-ranking officials and their Escort Troops was something I honestly wasn’t fond of. Just following the orders of whom to escort from point A to B was tough enough, and being involved beyond that came with a lot of unnecessary strings attached.
Let alone being with Maria’s escort knights and handmaidens – that was a nightmarish scenario for me.
“I know. That’s why I’ve sent them to manage the residence that His Majesty granted this time.”
“Well, that’s a relief….”
But that didn’t mean all our problems were resolved.
In fact, the most pressing issue still loomed large.
It was the question of Maria’s safety.
“But, Maria, it’s kind of odd for someone who goes around alone all the time to say this, but it’s incredibly dangerous.”
“I know. I remember how the nobles’ faces would go wide-eyed every time a report came in about me exterminating strange trolls and basilisks.”
…That even reached the Emperor’s ears?
No, the nobles definitely expressed their gratitude and suspicions by offering hefty rewards.
Thinking back, it did make sense. It would be incredibly generous to resolve issues that even the Knight Order found hard to tackle for a fraction of the cost.
Assuming it was funded out of money set aside for expeditions or hunts, it wouldn’t be that strange.
“Ahem, anyway, what I want to discuss is your safety.”
I elaborated on why it was hard for me to stick with her, as she gazed at me intently.
“No matter how strong I might be, I can’t guarantee your safety while looking out for you. If we had the Knight Order with us, that’d be a different story…”
If the Knight Order accompanied us, I might even be willing to risk being blamed by Maria and dash into danger.
Of course, there was no denying that Maria was a wizard exceptionally close to becoming a Grand Mage. In a confined space, she could easily overpower me using her magic.
But fundamentally, she didn’t have a knack for combat.
That had nothing to do with her talent for magic. Magic itself wasn’t like the skills you’d use in a game where you just click a button and it shoots out like magic—pun intended. The higher-grade spells required plenty of preparation for various factors.
Things like offering sacrifices, forming magic circles, and even channeling mana.
It was already complicated enough just to use magic; when it had to serve a combat purpose, you would enter a realm that required specialized training.
The problem was, in that regard—
“So, you’re saying all that matters is securing my safety?”
“Um…?”
Maria interrupted my thoughts with an attitude that was suspiciously assertive. This reminded me of a time from the past when she would use every trick in the book to keep me around, even thinking up a ludicrous plan for a midnight escape.
“Do you think I just thought this up yesterday or today?”
With her eyes closed and hands extended forward, Maria initiated something. At the same time, her lips moved at an unseen speed.
“―――――-,―――――――――.”
Then, opening her eyes, she whispered.
“Barrier!”
With a bang, a gust of wind rushed forth, forming a pale curtain around Maria.
Wiping the stunned look off my face, I gaped at her as she beamed back at me, gently tapping on the curtain with her hand.
From the point of her touch, ripples spread outward.
“It’s a Level 5 defensive spell, Barrier. I’ve been practicing hard!”
Level 5.
At that revelation, my eyes went wide.
A Level 5 spell in a system of nine tiers was no small feat. Unlike Level 3 spells, which anyone could reach if they had the mana, Level 4 and above was territory only accessible to wizards, and the power here escalated exponentially.
To summarize, using a Level 3 fire spell to burn a house would require preparations like stacking flammable materials and dousing them in oil, but a Level 4 fire spell could obliterate a noble’s mansion without any groundwork.
Of course, with the increase in power came the need for more substantial sacrifices starting from Level 4.
Yet, Maria had cast a Level 5 spell without any preparations at all.
The implication was clear: she had substituted all that preparation with sheer mana.
“…Just how much mana does she have?”
“Well, I’ve managed to cast up to Level 6 spells with just my mana. I was completely worn out afterward, though.”
Is she out of her mind?
She’s claiming that she can cast spells right before reaching the realm of Grand Mages purely with her own mana. Wizards usually require various materials and preparations to compensate for their mana deficiency.
Yet, Maria asserted that she could handle it all with her own mana. It seemed too outrageous to dismiss. She was currently casting a Level 5 spell effortlessly without even batting an eye.
Even combat-oriented wizards couldn’t manage such feats. Occasionally, there might be those capable of doing so, but typically they relied on one of their Level 4 spells as a signature move, using multiple spells like a hybrid of magical knight to adapt to the situation.
If what she said was true, she was nothing less than a blessing.
And verifying whether that barrier was genuinely a Level 5 spell was straightforward.
“May I swing my sword once?”
All I needed to confirm was whether that barrier could withstand my blade, as the Sword Expert.
Sword Experts, after all, usually played the role of wizards among knights.
Of course, the two concepts weren’t entirely interchangeable. If I had to draw a parallel, you could say a Sword Expert was at about Level 4—maybe even at the beginning of Level 5 if rated highly. It made sense, given that knights developed their combat skills using mana since they couldn’t use magic themselves.
However, once you reached the rank of Sword Master, you’d possess a strength that could make even a Grand Mage reconsider their approach.
Though the troubling secret was that the ratio of Sword Masters to those who could reach a Grand Mage level was overwhelmingly smaller.
“Of course.”
Maria knew this well.
“However, I’ll set one condition.”
“Condition?”
Thinking that simply being able to protect herself wouldn’t satisfy me, Maria added a stipulation.
“I will prepare an offensive spell. If Wilhelm can break the barrier before the spell is cast, I’ll obediently return to the Palatinate.”
What do you think?
With confidence in her stance, Maria posed the question to me.
I hesitated briefly. If Maria could protect herself and even assist in combat, there would be no need for me to push her away.
In fact, my brain’s alarm system was blaring about how my life could indeed be put on the line if I kept going down this path, but if Maria genuinely had the power to withstand me, fleeing would only be more dangerous.
I thought my heart would stop with just my father chasing me; adding Maria to the mix?
‘…No matter how I think about it, Maria doesn’t seem like the type who would let me off lightly like my father would.’
Getting caught after running away again would truly be a nightmare. I hadn’t been able to keep Maria away until now because I feared that she would go straight to my father and inform him I fled after being engaged to him, rousing his wrath in the process.
But now Maria was going to chase me while casting spells from a distance?
I couldn’t handle such a future.
So, I decided to give it a try here.
“Alright.”
I accepted Maria’s challenge.
I pulled out the sword that I had slung over my back since leaving the capital.
At that moment, Maria’s complexion turned slightly pale.
“W- wait, are you really going to use that?”
“Yeah.”
After all, they say a lion puts forth its full effort even when hunting a rabbit. I never understood why a lion would bother hunting something like a rabbit, but if it’s on the internet, it must be true. Lincoln said everything on the internet is factual.
As I assumed my resolute stance, it seemed Maria realized how serious I was. She bit her lip, then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
“Alright. Let’s go all out.”
We both set our stances; I readied myself to slice through the wind, while Maria collected her hands and prepared to channel her mana.
There was no special signal prepared. But without even saying a word, we both knew what the signal would be. At the right moment, a leaf fell from a tree.
As soon as that leaf hit the ground, both Maria and I moved simultaneously.
“Whoosh!”
Unlike magic, swinging a sword requires no elaborate preparations. No, just setting my mana in motion would suffice. The instant I confirmed that mana was flowing through both my body and the sword, I swung it without hesitation.
With no doubts, I unleashed a powerful strike.
“Krrrrrsh!”
“Ugh!”
“Tsk.”
And the outcome was… a failure.
Was that really a Level 5 spell? The barrier didn’t tear apart under my wind-slicing strike. Even after the unsettling sound had faded, the barrier stood strong.
However, it wasn’t completely unscathed.
‘There’s definitely some damage…!’
The area the slash had grazed was noticeably lighter in color. Lighter, in fact; that section appeared somewhat transparent. This clearly indicated that it had indeed suffered from my strike.
I swung my sword again without delay.
Meanwhile, Maria was sweating bullets, her mouth working diligently. She was likely reciting an incantation. Of course, I hadn’t aimed my strike at her, so there was no need to panic, but it seemed she was more afraid of the barrier breaking.
…At this point, people might think I’m the bad guy.
Anyway, I continued to deliver a couple more slashes. With each strike, the barrier visibly weakened.
“This time, I will surely break through!”
As the barrier turned truly transparent, I summoned every last bit of strength I had to swing my sword. Honestly, I couldn’t remember the last time I swung it so earnestly.
Planting my feet firmly into the ground, I squeezed out every ounce of energy and yelled, “Haaah!”
Kwah-boom!
“Explo—”
Maria’s incantation concluded almost simultaneously.
Unfortunately, I was quicker.
Clang—
“Ah…”
Maria gazed at the now-shattered barrier, unable to utilize her spell, and looked crestfallen. She hung her head despondently.
Am I really playing the villain here?
I had rightfully won, yet guilt was seeping in.
Of course, a promise is a promise, so I had to send Maria back, but delivering her all the way to the Palatinate felt like a bad idea.
“Um, Maria?”
“…Yes.”
Chills ran down my spine at her eerie response, and I cautiously suggested, “Could you possibly show me the spell you were going to use?”
“…No way. It’s all water under the bridge now.”
This little brat. What a bad egg. I swear I’ll get back at her someday.
Did I just hear something creepy?
Hmm, must be my imagination.
Pushing aside my unease, I proposed, “Still, how about you show me just this once? It might change my mind—”
“Explosion!”
Before I could finish my sentence, Maria’s spell was activated.
Kaboom!
A beam shot from Maria’s fingertip, striking a nearby tree and triggering a tremendous explosion. The aftershock swept through the area, causing a flock of birds to take flight in a panic.
Though its power paled in comparison to that of a certain middle-schooler-style mage, it held ample strength to demolish a wall without magical protection.
I could sense it.
If I let her go back, I was definitely screwed.
There was no need to ponder “how.”
Maria wouldn’t be able to use magic against a person due to trauma. However, for some reason, I had the gut feeling that she might just unleash it on me without hesitation.
And my instincts often pointed me toward the truth.
“I really think it’s better if I stick with Maria from now on.”
“Are you serious…?”
With a longing look in her eyes, as if she couldn’t believe my words, Maria stared at me. I earnestly nodded in response, thinking: I must, under no circumstances, allow Maria to learn a Level 6 offensive spell.
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