| Author: Akashari | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
“Ugh, I hope little Laika is okay…”
“Miss Hoshikawa, don’t you have work to do?”
“It’s fine. Right now, my job is to think about little Laika.”
Having quickly finished the task of securing accommodation as requested by Master, I had some free time and returned to the guild. There, I found Miss Hoshikawa slacking off, resting her chin on her hand at a table. The people around were ignoring her with expressions that said, “Again?” suggesting that this was a common occurrence.
“But if it’s Master, there shouldn’t be any problem. If she’s displeased, she’ll come back right away.”
“Wow, that’s cold. But you know, the Umravolf family rose to prominence as wizards, so they’re quite powerful. I bet right now they’re testing your master’s skills, maybe even stripping her down at the entrance… Hmm, actually, that’s kind of exciting…”
“Don’t worry. In a magecraft duel, Master will never lose.”
I sat down across from Miss Hoshikawa and opened the menu that was on the table. After all that had happened today, I was feeling a bit peckish. I’ll have a light snack while waiting for Master to return and prepare for dinner.
“You’ve only been here a short time, right? That’s quite a lot of trust you have in her. I’m a bit jealous.”
“Yes, Master is really, incredibly strong! How should I put it… she’s unbelievably strong!”
“Your vocabulary needs some work. From Elnato’s report, I understand she’s an exceptional beauty, but… who exactly is she?”
“I don’t know!”
“You don’t know, huh.”
Master didn’t like to talk much about herself. What I knew was that she had spent the past 1,000 years in a prison and had only recently been released. Still, I knew she was kind, loved sweets, was terrible at sports, incredibly strong, and undeniably cool. And really, that was enough for me.
“Anyway, I’ll take everything from here to here on the menu! I need to research the delicious food for when Master returns!”
“Momo, were you a competitive eater in Japan or something?”
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“—First, let me offer my gratitude. I deeply appreciate that you judged me not by my appearance and gave me the opportunity to undergo this trial.”
If asked whether I had been overconfident, I couldn’t honestly say no. However, I had my pride and dignity as a wizard, and I hadn’t intended to hold back in the slightest. Initially, I thought, “Let’s test her,” but I now swear by the name of the Umravolf family that I gave it my all in the end.
“And I apologize for not considering the garden’s appearance. It’s my fault for the damage.”
Despite the devastation that looked as if a storm had swept through, the silver-haired girl stood there, completely unscathed, not even a speck of dust on her. The ground around her was untouched, as if all threats had been repelled. My full-powered magecraft had not reached her at all.
Moreover, she hadn’t moved a single step from where she stood, still wearing a composed expression, her body brimming with surplus magic power.
“…Y-You pass… Don’t worry about the garden…”
“Ah, that’s a relief. I was worried about what to do if I had to pay for the damages.”
This wasn’t just a matter of talent; there was a depth to her as a wizard that was unmatched. This girl stood at the pinnacle reached only after years of relentless training by a once-in-a-generation genius. No matter how much I tried, I didn’t feel I could match her. But if I could touch just a fragment of the wisdom she had mastered…
“However, it seems the sun is about to set. Perhaps it would be best to meet the young lady tomorrow…”
“No, there is no need to worry. You can meet her right away, even join us for dinner if you like. We’ll pay double the agreed fee in writing, so please, hurry, let’s go!”
“Um, no… I have someone waiting for me, so perhaps another time,”
“Then bring your companion along! We’ll prepare rooms and meals for you both!”
“I-I mean…”
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“Well then, my daughter… Stell is in this room. She can be difficult, but please, take care of her.”
“Sigh…”
In the end, I had been swept along by the lady’s momentum and ended up here.
As expected of nobility, even the door to the room was adorned with luxurious carvings. Moreover, it was equipped with a security mechanism, making it impossible to guess how much it had cost.
“Is it okay for me to open this door?”
“Yes, since I am here today to oversee.”
Presumably, if anyone other than the authorized person touched it, some dangerous mechanism would spring into action. While disarming it wouldn’t be an issue with some time, restoring it to its original state might be challenging due to the delicate magic running through it. It was likely crafted by a highly skilled artisan.
“Well then, time to meet her…”
Fortunately, the door wasn’t as heavy as it looked, and I was able to push it open with my own strength. Although it was already late in the day, the room was quite dark. The windows were shut tight, and there was no light inside.
The air was dusty, and the floor was covered with piles of scattered books. I felt like screaming at the sight of paper books carelessly thrown around.
“…Who?”
Amidst the dim room, a shadow stirred on a canopy bed. It was a young, sleepy voice. Perhaps she had just woken up.
“Stell, greet her. This is your tuto–”
“Hey, you’re Stell, right? May I come closer?”
“…Please do.”
“Excuse me.”
I conjured a small light in the air and carefully stepped through the gaps to avoid trampling the books scattered on the floor. Approaching the bed, I finally got a clear view of the girl. She appeared to be about the same age as me.
Her skin was unnaturally pale from lack of sunlight, and her hair was a beautiful, blue-violet color, like a bellflower. Her eyes, with drooping corners, looked lethargic and did not resemble her mother’s at all.
“…Wow… you’re… pretty…”
“You are too. It’s a shame to keep someone like you cooped up in such a dark room. At your age, it wouldn’t hurt to play outside.”
“But… I…”
“You get drowsy easily, right?”
I took her pale hand gently in mine and covered it with both of my hands. Her skin was slightly cool, indicating poor circulation. Moreover, there was no resistance to the faint amount of magic power I transferred.
Normally, if a stranger’s magic power entered another person’s body, there would be at least some discomfort.
“…As I thought, you have severe Magic Crystallization Syndrome.”
“Magic… Crystallization… Syndrome…?”
It was a nightmarish disease for wizards, one where the body’s magic stopped circulating entirely, akin to a death sentence for those who practiced magecraft.
