Chapter 14
“Listen well, Alicia. You must never come out. I’ve blocked everything that can cover your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do you understand what I’m saying, Sister?”
When the girl asked in a strong tone, the child nodded helplessly. Tears welled up in her big eyes, rolling down her cheeks like little marbles.
Seeing the child’s tears, the older girl, despite being older, gently patted her head. The tremor in her body was not calming down. The girl could feel it. But she wasn’t the only one feeling the tremor.
The child opened her mouth. She knew she shouldn’t speak since the girl told her to keep it closed, but the lips that were stubbornly stuck together parted anyway.
“Sister… come back?”
“……”
The older girl clenched her teeth and lowered her head. The more her lips trembled, the harder she pressed down on them. She controlled the expression of her emotions with fine muscles.
“Yes, I’ll be back soon.”
The girl hugged the child. Normally, it would be right to move without such a process. Ever since she decided to put the child into this narrow, filthy warehouse, she had made that determination and acted upon it.
But the girl couldn’t do that. She couldn’t just close the door like this. This moment, which might be the last with her precious family, was so valuable that it broke all her resolutions, pulling her little sister into an embrace.
The child understood. She tried to hide it, but her emotions were too easily revealed. The girl’s irregular heartbeat resonated with the child.
It wasn’t just “Sister, come back?” It was “Sister, come back.” The child wanted to say that. She wanted her sister to come back and take her away. Or at least to stay close to her. She wanted to say that. But she couldn’t throw around such irresponsible words.
Even though she was young, she wasn’t so naive as to lack discernment. Given the situation, throwing a tantrum was not an option. She had been doing well so far. She could handle this. She mustn’t be a burden to her sister.
However, the tears continued to flow without exhaustion. Can blood really be hidden? The more she tried to suppress it, the stronger the backlash revealed her emotions.
The girl pulled the child off her body. She ripped away the yearning that wanted to stay like this, and closed the door to the warehouse where the child was. Up until the moment it closed, she could see the distorted face of her beloved little sister disappearing into the dark space.
The girl mirrored the child’s expression.
The expression was like that of a child.
The only difference was that she was holding back without shedding a tear. That was all.
And then.
Creeeak⎯.
The door fully closed.
*
⎯Thud.
He flicks his fingers.
Then, something magical happened. The monsters, which had been poised to devour them with their mouths agape, suddenly shut their jaws as if entranced and pushed their way back past other monsters. It seemed they had completely lost interest in themselves.
The feeling when he spread his mana was somewhat similar to the release of mana she used while fighting the monsters, but there was something crucially different.
After landing on the ground, Alicia looked at Vargan. As always, he wore a relaxed expression. Even in the desperate situation with the village in ruins, he maintained his composure.
“This isn’t magic; it’s magic itself, Alicia.”
He spoke.
A slight smile lingered on his lips.
“Open your eyes wide and watch closely. And from now on, remember everything that happens and recite it as many times as necessary.”
Forget about the nightmares that won’t help at all; just embed this in your mind. If you’re going to suffer over such trivial things in the future, I won’t let you off easily. With that thought, he continued his movements.
He pulled out a blue sword that had been haphazardly draped on him. It was a sword she had never seen while being with him before. Could it be the relic he mentioned he would obtain this time?
“It’s a rare sight to see me wielding a sword, you know. You might not get to witness it until the day you die.”
The blade he drew radiated a strange aura. Soon, that aura took shape and emitted a deep light. That’s an aura. But its density was incomparably thicker than what she used.
“Two years from now.”
He said.
“This is the time you will have to replicate the spectacle that will unfold from now on.”
“Young Master… what do you mean…?”
“Stuttering. Have you become so dumbfounded that you’ve forgotten how to speak in shock? And now that I see you, your expression and condition seem quite different for having not seen you for just a few hours.”
However, it’s not bad.
【Krrraaaaaaaaa⎯⎯⎯!】
Monsters that had been obstructing the way were trampled as angry ones rushed in from behind, their bulging muscles threatening to burst.
“Seeing them in person makes them look even uglier. If I get that filth on my clothes, I won’t bother washing it; I’ll just throw it away.”
Vargan’s mouth curled up, his scowl turning into a smirk. He seemed quite excited, as if anticipating something.
Swish, swish. After swirling the blazing aura sword in the air a few times, he nodded and looked at Alicia. Then, lightly, almost casually, he conveyed one final remark.
“Surpass the current me, Alicia.”
Flash⎯!
In an instant, the world was plunged into darkness, everything turning black. It returned almost immediately, but it was strange that it happened while it wasn’t even dusk yet.
Once she regained her composure, his figure was nowhere to be seen. No matter how many times she blinked, he was gone. Where could he be…
【Keeeeeeeeeeek!】
Pain began in a spot that was quite a distance away, spreading rapidly like ink on a canvas. In the swirling pool of dark blood, she could catch a glimpse of his silhouette.
In the swirling space of dark blood, his figure could be seen.
With a single swing of his sword, more than ten monsters were chopped down. High-density mana, saturated with moisture, spread like lightning, piercing holes through their bodies.
The distant monsters, beginning to recognize the situation, started to gather with horrid sounds.
Having been endlessly tormented by those creatures, she was worried that the seemingly favorable situation would soon turn dire.
Alicia was familiar with her current predicament. She had experienced it herself. It was still okay for now. But she couldn’t be alone. Soon, he would be surrounded by monsters, beginning a war of attrition that he couldn’t win.
“I… I need to help….”
The monsters surrounding her had already become corpses, their forms no longer intact. It took her a moment to realize that he had taken care of them.
Alicia propped her body up with the tip of her sword. Even as she stumbled, her legs firmly pushed against the ground to lift her up.
At that moment, a familiar voice belonged to a woman who grasped Alicia’s shoulder and pulled her into an embrace. The large hat she often wore was gone, and her tousled hair brushed against Alicia’s face.
“You’ve worked hard, Alicia!”
Paula faced Alicia and inspected her condition, checking every nook and cranny to see if she was injured and how her mind was faring.
“Oh dear, not a single good spot left! This is why I was against this! Alicia, are you mentally alright? Do you know who I am? Or, could it be you don’t know who I am?!”
“Pa, Paula! I’m fine, but we need to get to the Young Master…!”
“Who’s worrying about whom, truly! That cold-blooded guy over there has nothing to fear. Worrying about others when he’s so battered himself—what a side effect of being a good person! …Wait? Are you really okay?!”
Paula blocked Alicia, who tried to move forward, with her whole body. Alicia’s will was stronger than Paula had imagined, and it was only by channeling mana that she managed to stop her.
“Please don’t stop me! If you won’t help me, then I have to go…!”
“I’m really fine! You don’t have to worry at all! Ugh… Wait, when did you get this strong? Just a few months ago you were so flimsy. Alicia! Alicia! Calm down and take a look at the situation. Do you really think that one over there needs help?”
“Yes…?”
Alicia lifted her gaze and searched for Vargan. She knew he was holding his ground, but eventually, a limit would come. So she had to help… but…
“Haah, do you understand now?”
Stopping the strength in her legs, Alicia stood still, drawn into the scene before her. The expression of someone witnessing the unbelievable was just like this, Paula thought.
“Alicia, listen to me. Despite my appearance, I’m a professor at Academia. Just think about how many geniuses I’ve seen, right?”
Paula believed the girl staring blankly ahead was listening and continued to babble.
“Among them, there are three geniuses I recognize. One of them is the Chancellor of Academia. That person is the pinnacle. It’s not an exaggeration to say no one can surpass him in the field of magic. I really didn’t like being put on probation, though.”
“I don’t like that I’ve been put on probation.”
Paula immediately frowned and pointed her finger at her.
“The other one is Miss Alicia. She’s the most recently recognized genius. The fact that she activated her mana for a continuous six hours… If this gets out, it might end up in textbooks later. She’s only just started, but she’s showing amazing achievements. And lastly…”
The top noble family of the Troa Empire.
The third son of the Schugenhartz Estate.
“Young Master Vargan. He’s undoubtedly a gem. Until I met Miss Alicia, he was the most promising person in terms of potential. Moreover, his family has been supporting him all along. It was a bit disappointing how lazy he seemed, but recently, I don’t know what changed, he’s really transformed. He’s going to grow immensely. His skills are already at the level of most new heroes.”
Alicia listened to her words with her eyes fixed on Vargan. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. If you know even a little about magic and swordsmanship, how could you look away from this scene?
The monsters charged like crazy, not just a few, but the entire horde. Every group charged in as if enchanted. And this wasn’t just a momentary focus.
It was a constant, ongoing onslaught.
The current sight resembled an army of ants diving into an antlion’s pit.
In that kind of hell, he moved smoothly without a drop of sweat. He flowed like a dazzling yet noble swan. In stark contrast, the state of the opponent monsters was horrific.
The beasts that charged from all directions were being sliced, burned, turned to ash, or pierced through. It’s as if the natural disaster in human form passed right through them.
He said he would grow even more. Is that really possible? Seriously? He’s already strong enough to make one doubt their own eyes…?
Watching his battlefield made the hair on her body stand on end, and awe surged through her.
If she were back in the days when she knew nothing about magic, she might have been filled only with fear. Humans tend to shy away from the unknown out of fear.
However, she was learning magic now. Thus, she could feel how truly extraordinary this moment was.
Chit.
What is this?
This is fraud, outright fraud!
She heard a ticking voice. Her sister Charlotte wore a frown, watching the miracle one person was creating.
Alicia, you’re so lucky.
You’ve escaped death. I thought Young Master was just a bit proud, but I had no idea he was this capable. Impressive.
This time, I missed my opportunity.
But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving. I will stay by your side. I will be with you forever until the moment of your demise. You know that, right?
You can’t forget me.
Her sister’s voice, which had once been sharply resonant, faded away.
Alicia stood still, watching Vargan sweep away the monsters. The expression she wore was something she had never shown before.
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