In the dead of night, an unexpected improvement ceremony began.
The residents, who were only gazing at Pelaine and the knights, had their expressions suddenly shift.
Thinking they were welcoming yet another ruler to plunder the 4th Castle, they soon started filling the streets with cheers, as if welcoming a liberation army.
“Whoa…”
Watching from a high place, I couldn’t help but be amazed.
Along the main road, lanterns and candles lit up, brightly illuminating Pelaine’s bewildered face.
It seemed she hadn’t expected such a warm welcome.
Although they had gained the support of the 4th Castle, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
Declaring a 0% tax and then reaping the benefits would get them cursed instead.
Most supplies would more than likely have to come from the hired merchants.
And if that didn’t suffice, they’d need to buy the goods on-site rather than requisitioning them.
Of course, since the money wouldn’t be coming from my wallet but from the imperial treasury, there wasn’t much to worry about.
The emperor wouldn’t hold back on spending after reviving the suppression army on the brink of annihilation, right?
“Hehe. The reaction is good, isn’t it?”
“That’s because we laid down conditions that couldn’t be refused.”
At some point, Iris had come to stand next to me.
On the broad balcony prepared for Erica, Aintz, and Iris.
Trie and I could set up a tent and sleep on the ground just fine, but those guys weren’t so accustomed.
To maximize their potential, it seemed best to ensure they maintained good conditions.
Despite appearances, these guys weren’t just hapless; when it came time to fight, they could stay focused even for days on end in extreme situations.
Of course, that was also due to a complex mix of reasons like security and protection, which was why we decided on this accommodation.
“Ugh…! A comfy bed! It feels like it’s been forever!”
“…”
Iris turned around, brushing against the collar of her clothes, and flopped down on the bed.
She must have been really worn out over the past few days.
After being deployed to the 4th Castle to gather information, she had been busy sneaking messages to us and treating patients.
Maybe as a backlash, Iris was now nuzzling into the pillow, relishing its softness.
But isn’t it a bit too disheveled for a saintess…?
“Great job, Iris. It would have been tough without you.”
“You’re quite the player, aren’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you going to say that to the other kids who worked hard too? But saying it in a one-on-one situation like this? Your intent is painfully obvious, you know?”
“…”
I realized I had misunderstood.
Feeling responsible for dragging mere college students into brutal battlefields, I thought I should express my gratitude with the utmost sincerity…
I didn’t expect this to be taken this way.
“That wasn’t my intent.”
“Oh? What intent would that be?”
“…”
If rumors spread that I was attempting to seduce a saintess, I might end up buried alive by tomorrow, so I had to clarify.
“I’m saying I wasn’t trying to curry your favor.”
“Well, that makes sense. I actually knew that. There’s no way Schlus would be trying to win my favor…”
“…”
I expected her to keep teasing, but surprisingly, it quieted down quickly.
She turned her head away to lie down, and I thought she had fallen asleep.
Just when I was about to go over to cover her with a blanket, she suddenly said,
“What’s this? Approaching a sleeping lady?”
“I was just going to cover you with a blanket.”
“Really? I’ll take your word for it—for now.”
Her giggling expression was annoying, yet strangely unfamiliar.
I wondered if she had always been this innocent and carefree.
Just as I had decided to leave, curiosity arose as I looked into Iris’s eyes.
“Iris, are you still seeing the future?”
“Of course.”
“Have you seen a future where… I die or get hurt during this civil war?”
“…”
“If you have, please tell me everything. I need to know so I can prepare—”
“Schlus, you don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of everything, so it’s better if you don’t know the future. Knowing might just get in the way.”
There was some logic to that statement.
She was trying to reduce the variables by eliminating those who knew the future.
In the past, I would have trembled in anxiety hearing such ominous words.
But now, I truly believed in Iris.
She would risk her own life to save at least one more person.
“Honestly, you don’t need to worry at all. I’ll return you safely to the arms of your beloved.”
“I don’t have a family, Iris.”
“I know that.”
“…?”
I didn’t expect to hear such blunt words.
Just as I was flustered over how I should take it, the sound of *thud thud*, footsteps on the stairs grew closer.
*Bang!*
“Wow! You booked this hotel? Schlus, you surprisingly have a delicate side… Oh…?”
“Erica. You’ve arrived.”
The door burst open violently, revealing Erica.
Her face beamed with excitement, likely thrilled by the residents’ welcome, but soon her expression stiffened.
“What are you two doing…?”
“Ah.”
Only then did I realize that I had been leaning over Iris, who was lying on the bed.
*
“I wandered a bit, but I finally made it!”
The hot sunlight beat down on the desert.
Standing there was Alexia, puffing up her chest with pride.
In the distance, she could see a city surrounding an oasis.
Having been fooled by mirages and wandering in the desert for days… this time it was real.
“Wow! When did the city get this big?!”
Entering the city, Alexia couldn’t help but exclaim.
Just a few hundred years ago, it had been a small village with only a dozen households, but it had grown to a size that could certainly be called a metropolis.
The reason for such rapid development wasn’t the enormous oasis.
Even with all that water, the land here was too barren for farming.
The secret lay with the Freya Empire.
This land had been taken by the Freya-Trude Human Alliance decades ago under the pretext of reclaiming the holy land.
This area, known as the desert development area, was a key commercial hub connecting the empire and the desert.
The fact that so many people could thrive in such barren land was entirely thanks to the food flowing in from the empire.
Thus, this desert development area thrived on the empire’s agricultural prowess, becoming a paradoxical city where the Elf Race lived in the largest numbers despite not being their land.
“I feel like I can find it quickly!”
Passing through the noisy market, Alexia darted around, barely avoiding being hit by wandering camels.
Majins were beings that lived through eons.
Their ‘essence’, hardened by such long lives, didn’t change easily.
Surely, it hadn’t changed much since a few hundred years ago.
Continuing her search with that conviction—
“I found it!”
Near the residential area, she spotted the person she had been looking for.
With fire in her eyes, Alexia dashed toward them.
“Hey, kids! Do you see this coin?”
“Yes!”
A man in a poncho with squinty eyes.
The kids surrounding him answered energetically.
The man showed the coin to the children before closing his fist.
“To perform magic, I need your help. Can you give some power to this coin?”
“Power?”
“Right. If you each blow into this fist, it will be magical.”
“Ah!”
The man held his fist out, and one by one, the kids puffed out their cheeks, blowing air into it.
Though some drool ended up on his hands, the man didn’t mind at all, simply smiling.
“Whoo!”
“Well done. Next.”
“Whoo!”
“Exactly. Is this the last one?”
“Pwoooooow!!!”
“…”
A girl, no, an adult woman, puffing into his fist until her face turned bright red.
The man’s expression froze as he looked at her.
Someone who shouldn’t be there was actually present.
“What are you doing here, Alexia?”
“Ah! Why? Keep going! You’re doing magic, right?!”
“Alright, kids, I’m sorry. Let’s call it a day for now.”
“Aw…”
As the man clapped his hands and stood, the children murmured in disappointment and dispersed.
But among them, the most disappointed was the foolish girl… no, the Majin.
“Magic! I wanted to see it!”
“But Alexia, you can do it too.”
“I can only use magic! You just have to rub your hands together, and voila, the coin disappears! Isn’t that impressive?!”
“Haha…”
With a single thought, she could destroy this city, and yet she thought rubbing her hands together was impressive.
Seeing Alexia stomp her feet, the man smiled.
You haven’t changed a bit.
Alexia had remained exactly the same.
“You haven’t changed, right? You still love the kids!”
“It seems like you haven’t changed either, Alexia.”
“Hehe! So does that mean you like me?!”
“I like kids, but I don’t like childish adults.”
“That’s just cruel!”
The magician, a Majin, was unusually devoted to caring for children after coming to the human world, establishing orphanages all over the continent.
He had apparently been performing magic for the kids even here.
“So what brings you here?”
“Actually! I wanted to take a look at your heart!”
“…?”
The magician flinched in surprise but quickly regained his composure.
Skipping the introductions and going straight to the point was Alexia’s specialty.
Thank goodness he didn’t try to overpower her under the pretext of looking at her heart.
“Alright. Feel free to look.”
“Thanks for your cooperation!”
The magician willingly spread his arms.
Grinning, Alexia approached and placed her hand on the left side of the magician’s chest, carefully observing the flow inside.
It was clear how the heart thumped, infusing the chaotic circuits of its body with mana.
The Majin’s authority was located deep inside.
Seeing the state of that authority, which could be considered transcendent in human standards, Alexia exclaimed—
“Eh?!”
Startled, she took a step back.
Looking at the magician, who maintained a calm expression, Alexia’s hands trembled.
Her lips quivered in fear.
She was afraid to ask what she should be asking him.
“You…! Did you actually sever your powers?!”
“Haha. Caught me.”
“Why?! Why would you do that?! You’d become a mortal!”
The act of shedding one’s power meant giving up on immortality.
Alexia felt chills run down her spine, completely baffled by the reason behind choosing death.
There had been another Majin similar to this.
One who scattered powers everywhere with the intent of making humans far superior beings.
“How much lifespan do you have left?”
“About 10 years, I think.”
“10 years! Just how many powers have you ripped away to end up like that?!”
“Haha. I gave quite a bit. But you don’t need to worry too much. I’ve never taken away enough from one person to disrupt the human realm. I just gave a little bit to those children who were on the brink of death, just enough for them to live out their natural lifespans.”
“Whoa…!”
Alexia was flabbergasted.
She had known of his love for children, but never did she think he had been sacrificing his own lifespan to help them…
His unwavering smile appeared pitiful today.
“Darn it! At least you should tell me! There are so few Majins left, and if you reduce that number, how sad would that be!”
“Sorry. I intended to hold a meeting just before I died to announce it…”
“You’re terrible! What are you, a child?! Letting everyone know you’re dying only after it’s too late, so they all feel sad and regret it?”
“Haha. That stings. I’ve probably turned into a child myself, loving the kids so much.”
“Announce it ahead of time! Everyone deserves to have prep time!”
“Understood…”
Seeing Alexia starting to tear up, the magician let his head droop.
In chasing his singular objective, he had failed to consider the feelings of other Majins.
Having shared such a long time together, he couldn’t fathom the shock they’d feel upon losing him.
“That aside! Have you ever accidentally given away too much power while distributing it?!”
“Well… probably not.”
In response to Alexia’s question, who had wiped her tears and regained some energy, the magician stroked his chin.
He made sure to distribute equally.
He swore he hadn’t given any one person a special abundance.
“By the way, do you know a boy named Schlus Hainkel?!”
“I do.”
“Do you know what that boy looks like?! Could he be one of the children you distributed power to—”
“No. If I had given power to a child, I’d remember each one perfectly. Schlus Hainkel is a boy I’ve never met before.”
“I see!”
Another dead end.
Alexia felt the incident increasingly sink into a quagmire.
If it wasn’t the magician, then who was the Majin behind Schlus?
The magician was somewhat known across the continent, but she had no idea how to discover remaining Majins.
“Are you seriously trying to find each and every Majin one by one?”
“Yes! That’s right! But now it’s just a headache! I might as well just call a meeting!”
“Eh…?”
A Majin meeting.
A meeting called only in times of crisis, so all information is relayed to every Majin through their powers.
If they received a notification from their power, all Majins would gather at ‘the highest place’.
To discuss matters concerning their survival.
“Are you crazy?! Why would you call a meeting that can be done once in a lifetime?!”
“Because I want to announce your death! You don’t seem like you’d call a meeting, so I’ll do it in your place! What? Are you unhappy?!”
“N-no… I’m not…”
The magician took a step back, wearing a sullen smile.
Indeed, Alexia hadn’t changed.
She still had a gentle yet strong heart, crying more than anyone over a Majin’s death.
For her to reach the point of calling a Majin meeting… it must have been for more than just a trivial reason.
There had to be deeper motives hidden behind it.
Feeling the winds of change blowing to the continent, the magician could sense it already.
