Chapter 117 - Damn Reincarnation

Akasha

Akron had many familiars. Those familiars could not even hold a proper conversation. All they could do was maintain their halls according to their instructions and carry out simple orders from visiting mages.

But Mer was different. Though created through magic, she was a familiar so sophisticated that she could pass for a real human.

Mer herself took tremendous pride in that fact. That was why she hated living just like the other familiars.

Her body had no need for food or drink. Even so, she wanted to eat and drink like a real human. She wanted to exchange idle chatter, to feel emotions and express them.

To Mer, the royal library of Akron was nothing more than a tedious prison. She could never leave it. For hundreds upon hundreds of years, she had existed here aimlessly...

When even that became unbearable, she switched off her link to Witch Craft and suspended her consciousness, as if turning off a machine. As a familiar, Mer could neither fall asleep nor needed to, but suspending her consciousness was somewhat like sleep.

Only somewhat. It was not sleep. She could not dream. In the end, it offered no relief from her boredom.

'I'm bored.'

Slumped over her desk, Mer pouted. She had known this place was boring for over a century, but these past few months had been especially tedious and painful.

'It's all Sir Eugene's fault.'

Eugene Lionheart. He had frequented the Hall of Senya for only about two years. Compared to the span of Mer's existence, it was an absurdly short time.

Yet it had been so enjoyable that it reminded her of the days long ago when she had lived alone with Senya, her creator. Plenty of mages had visited the Hall of Senya before Eugene, but she had never once enjoyed talking to those stuffy old mages with their utterly dead senses of humor.

Most of the mages who came here were fools who had spent most of their lives being called geniuses and had fallen under the 'delusion' that they actually were. In other words, they were steeped in petty conceit and self-love.

Such mages showed Mer no respect because she was a familiar. It was inevitable, really. Most mages considered familiars slaves that did their tiresome chores for them. Continental law prohibited enslaving humans or demihumans, but there was nothing wrong with a mage treating a familiar as a slave.

Eugene had been different.

He had not found talking to Mer a nuisance, nor had he looked down on her for being a familiar. And all the while, he had devoured knowledge.

Most of those pompous mages failed to understand Witch Craft and left the Hall of Senya in despair, almost as if fleeing. But for two years, Eugene had come every day, striving to understand Witch Craft and make it his own in his own way.

"I'm dying of boredom."

Mer drummed on the desk, her lips jutting out.

"And not a single mage comes to visit."

Only a few months had passed since Eugene left. Mer could scarcely believe it. It felt as if well over a year had gone by, at the very least, but it had only been a few months?

'... No. A few months is quite a long time for a human, isn't it? After that long, he could at least come visit once, even if only because he was bored...'

A tingle ran through her.

Her drowsy consciousness snapped awake. Mer raised her head and blinked for a moment.

Then a radiant smile spread across her lips. She picked up the large hat beside her and rose.

She roughly smoothed down her tousled hair with one hand and pulled on her hat. She did not like her reflection in the window at all. Taking the hat off again, she quickly ruffled her hair with both hands.

She did not want to look neat and tidy. Nor did she want to greet him looking as if she had been waiting. Just normally. As she always did. Keeping that in mind, Mer hurried over to the elevator.

'What should I say?'

Why have you come back? Have you finally realized it? Your magic thesis was quite impressive, Sir Eugene, but it wasn't perfect. Yes, of course it wasn't. You've only been studying magic for two years, haven't you?

That's why I told you not to rush off! You need peace of mind to practice magic. Well, the storybook did mention dozens of times that you don't give a damn about anyone else's advice! But if that was how you lived your previous life, you ought to live differently now that you've reincarnated.

'Too long!'

The elevator was moving. Only a few seconds remained. Mer straightened her back, puffed out her chest, and planted both hands on her hips.

"Welcome to the Hall of Senya!"

Just as she had when they first met, Mer greeted him with a beaming smile.

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake. Her voice had come out higher than intended. And not just her voice; her smile had probably been too much as well. Mer immediately composed her expression and stepped back a few paces.

"Oh? It's you, Sir Eugene. You left Aroth a few months ago. What brings you back?"

Again, she realized her mistake only after speaking. Mer was linked to Akron's management system. She knew in real time which mages had presented their passes and entered Akron.

... And Eugene would know that, too. He looked down at her and was just about to say something when she spoke.

"Akron's management system has been undergoing maintenance since this morning. As you know, Sir Eugene, magic is extremely delicate and needs regular inspections. Especially here in Akron, where there are so many treasures that not only mages but even other countries would be desperate to get their hands on!"

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes! Lady Senya's magic is so perfect that it needs no inspections even after hundreds of years! But she wasn't the one who created Akron's management system! It's such a nuisance, you know? Thank goodness we don't get many visiting mages..."

A perfect recovery. Mer smiled to herself at the thought.

"So, Sir Eugene. What brings you here? Have you realized that you still have more to learn?"

"Hmm."

Eugene gazed down at Mer's face. Senya's childhood appearance. Unlike the portrait, her smile brimmed with mischief. With a chuckle, he placed his hand on her head.

"... Wow... Crossing boundaries so casually the moment we meet."

She ought to shake him off. That was what she thought, but she did not do it right away. Mer smiled brightly up at him.

"Have you been well?"

"Hmph. What's there for me to be well or unwell about? Everything's been the same as always."

"That sounds like you haven't been well."

"No, it doesn't. I never said that. I told you, it's been the same as usual. In quiet peace, with hardly anyone ever visiting... Um... Contemplating things, doing a little cleaning, rearranging the spellbooks on the shelves..."

Mer tried not to make a fuss. Continuing in a flat voice, she took hold of Eugene's wrist while his hand was still resting on her head.

"Ahem. First of all, don't just stand there. Come inside. You're familiar with this place, aren't you? It goes without saying, but your usual seat is still there. And of course, so is your personal cushion."

"I don't think I'll need to sit down."

"... What?"

Eugene was smiling, but Mer could not. She stared at him with wide eyes.

"... Why?"

Her face crumpled.

"Don't tell me you came all this way just to say a quick hello? You didn't come to study more magic?"

"Well, I can practice magic somewhere else."

"How arrogant!"

Mer's voice rose sharply as she pinched his wrist.

"I cannot tolerate that remark, Sir Eugene! You can practice somewhere else? Do you know how many mages dream their whole lives of entering Akron?"

"Honestly, that's none of my concern."

"That's... That's! True, but! Anyway! No matter how brilliant you are, Sir Eugene, studying in Akron is overwhelmingly better than studying alone."

"Well, maybe."

"You're so... so infuriating."

Her shoulders trembling, Mer twisted the skin she was pinching.

"Yes, you're very impressive, Sir Eugene. So what is it? Why did you come here? To say hello? Well, I'm not accepting your greeting. There's no reason. If you insist on one, then just because. Just because! What? Huh? What are you doing? Why are you going inside?"

Eugene started walking without shaking off the hand still pinching his wrist. Mer followed, her words tumbling out in a rush.

"You said you didn't need to sit down! So why are you coming in? See? You're going to sit down after all. Why pretend otherwise? It's like you're trying to tease me."

"I'm not sitting down."

"Then what are you..."

Mer stopped speaking. Her eyebrows drew sharply together, and she let go of Eugene's hand.

"... Trempel Wizardor is here."

"What?"

"Have you forgotten him already? The commander of Aroth's court mage corps. You know, the man with that curly beard that doesn't suit him."

"No, I know who he is. How do you know he's here?"

"How do I know...? What on earth are you talking abou... Oh."

Mer hastily composed her expression.

"It seems the management system's maintenance is finished."

"That's some damn good timing."

"... Things do happen that way sometimes. Um... What? Trempel Wizardor is coming up to this hall. Is it because of you, Sir Eugene?"

"Probably."

Eugene chuckled. He had arrived sooner than expected. Well, Eugene had been flying around a no-fly zone... The guards were the first line of responsibility for the capital's security, but ultimately, the court mage corps stood at the top of their chain of command.

"Sir Eugene!"

The elevator doors opened. Trempel stepped out with his arms spread wide.

"You should have sent word ahead if you were coming to Aroth!"

Frankly, he was rather annoyed. Annoyed that Eugene had broken the law by flying through the capital's skies, and annoyed that he, the commander of the court mage corps, had to come out over something so trivial. But it could not be helped. Had the offender been some ordinary mage, he could simply have dealt with it according to the law.

But Eugene was no ordinary mage. Trempel had great ambitions for him and wanted to coax him into joining the court mage corps by any means possible. Unauthorized flight? He could easily turn a blind eye to something like that. If Eugene really wanted it, he was even willing to guarantee him the right to fly freely from then on.

"Didn't you come to reprimand me?"

"Hmm? Oh... Haha! Is that all? Flying over the capital is, well, something we'd have to take issue with for an ordinary mage... But you're fine, Sir Eugene."

"That's a relief, then."

"Haha! Don't worry about it. You're still young, aren't you? At your age, haha! A little flighty behavior is perfectly understandable. So that makes you a flighty youth, eh?"

Laughing heartily, Trempel delivered what he considered a masterful joke.

Mer could not stop her face from twisting in disgust.

Eugene flinched and turned to look at Trempel's face. That ill-suited curly beard... He must have been far older than he looked, but his face was that of a middle-aged man, with a suitable scattering of wrinkles.

["Are you out of your mind?"]

Ciel's words echoed in his head, along with the way her face had twisted when he called her a flighty girl. So this was how it felt. Only now did Eugene regret what he had said back then.

"... Yes, I suppose so."

Eugene offered a perfunctory reply and turned away again.

Trempel did not like that dry response either. Commander of the court mage corps. It was the highest office a combat mage could attain in Aroth. In some respects, it carried even more authority than that of a tower master. And here he was, coming in person and even making a friendly joke...

'The court mages laugh their heads off every time I open my mouth.'

"... Ahem... Anyway, Sir Eugene. What brings you to Akron?"

"I have some business here."

"What sort of business? Ah, of course. Your fascination with Witch Craft during your stay in Aroth is well known... Haha! You truly are a mage at heart. You couldn't bear having that magnificent magic dancing before your eyes any longer, could you?"

Trempel smiled knowingly and approached Eugene.

"If that's the case, why not settle in Aroth? Ah, yes. I've heard the news about you, too. You brought over a hundred elves back from Samar, didn't you? I've heard the Lionheart main family's forest is vast and beautiful, but strictly speaking, it isn't your domain."

"Well, yes."

"You're an adult now, too... Staying with the main family forever must leave you conscious of what others think. If you wish, I can personally find you a luxurious mansion in the capital. As for the elves you've taken in, we could arrange for them to live in a forest on the royal palace's private lands... Uh... What are you doing?"

Trempel stared at Eugene with wide eyes.

Eugene stood before Akasha, which hung on the wall behind Witch Craft, floating at the center of the hall.

"... Hahaha! Of course! You don't have a staff yet, do you? This reminds me of my first visit to Lady Senya's hall in Akron. When I first saw that... magnificent, beautiful staff, I was just as captivated as you are... The staff I'd been using no longer satisfied me, and I went through so much trouble trying to find one made of fairy wood..."

He did have an endearing side befitting his age. Smiling fondly, Trempel walked over to Eugene.

"It's difficult to obtain, and I can't guarantee I'll find one. But if you join the court mage corps..."

Without answering, Eugene reached for Akasha. Trempel made no attempt to stop him. Holding Akasha was not forbidden in this hall. There was no point in doing so anyway. Akasha recognized no master other than Senya the Wise.

"... Sir Eugene?"

Unlike Trempel, Mer was right beside Eugene. She sensed something in the smile spreading over his face.

"... What are you about to do?"

"What does it look like?"

Chuckling, Eugene reached for Akasha.

"I'm just holding it, like last time."

"... Wait."

Mer's face went pale.

Mana was moving. Simply channeling mana into it would have been one thing, but this mana was moving according to a formula. Its meaning was clear. He was about to cast magic. Trempel's smile vanished. Using magic in Akron was forbidden. That taboo was far more serious than merely flying through the skies above the capital.

The great works of magic kept in Akron could rightly be called the history of Aroth—no, the history of magic itself. They had to be protected with the utmost care.

No one was allowed to use magic in Akron. Not the commander of the court mage corps, not a tower master, not even Aroth's royalty.

"Sir Eugene!"

Trempel roared. A taboo was being violated right before his eyes. Mer hurriedly reached out and seized Eugene's collar.

"Wh-what are you doing?! You know perfectly well! Using magic in Akron is..."

"I know."

Eugene nodded and drew Akasha closer.

"But what can I do? I can't take it without using magic."

Mer could find no answer to that.

Light burst forth.

The dragon heart adorning the tip of Akasha blazed.