Chapter 119 - Damn Reincarnation

Akasha

The Red Tower.

Lovellian had no idea how to make sense of this situation, how he ought to react, or how on earth he was supposed to deal with what came next.

He had already sighed far too many times. Yet getting angry did not seem appropriate either. Should he be annoyed, then? Given how awkward the situation was, annoyance would be reasonable enough.

"... First..."

Even so, he did not show any annoyance. With a complicated expression, Lovellian looked ahead.

Eugene Lionheart.

The first disciple Lovellian, the Red Tower Master, had ever taken. He was also the adopted son of Lovellian's longtime friend, Gilead Lionheart. Being his friend's son was no justification for unconditional favoritism. Lovellian had taken Eugene as his disciple because he was captivated by the boy's talent, quite apart from his connection to Gilead.

That was why he found it so difficult to get angry with Eugene.

"... Please explain how, exactly, this came to pass."

Lovellian looked down at the staff lying on his desk. Akasha... the staff of Senya the Wise. He considered himself a disciple carrying on her magical lineage, and took pride in that fact.

That pride had been instilled in him since childhood. His teacher's teacher had been Senya's disciple. Ever since his first introduction to magic, both his teacher and his teacher's teacher had told him almost daily to honor Senya the Wise as his grandmaster and show her due reverence.

'... What a strange feeling...'

Senya's staff. A staff that neither Lovellian nor his teacher nor his teacher's teacher had ever managed to claim.

'... To think my own disciple would win Akasha's recognition.'

When he thought of it that way, anger or annoyance became impossible. He felt no jealousy, either. He was simply proud of Eugene, and delighted that the young man was his disciple.

Waiting for Eugene's answer, Lovellian lifted the teacup before him to his lips. Yes. What did the reason matter? All that truly mattered was that his one and only disciple had become Akasha's master—and that Aroth's royal family might go so far as to hold a hearing and persecute him for it.

If that happened... Lovellian would bring his position as Red Tower Master and everything he had achieved as an archmage to bear in protecting Eugene...

"Excuse me."

"Pff!"

Just as he took a mouthful of hot tea, firming his resolve, Lovellian spat it out. Even then, he lived up to his standing as an archmage. Before the tea could reach Eugene, he evaporated it with magic, then clutched his stinging throat and coughed.

"Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine. Fine."

Lovellian waved his hands as he answered, then stared at Eugene with bewildered, wide-open eyes.

More precisely, he stared at Mer, whose face alone was peeking out from inside Eugene's cloak.

"Why are you coming out without permission?"

"How long am I supposed to hide in here? I haven't done anything wrong."

"You startled him by popping out like that. That's why I wanted to finish explaining first, and then ease him into..."

"I don't think it makes much difference whether he's startled now or later. You brought me out promising me freedom, Eugene, so why did you shove me into your cloak the moment we left Akron?"

Mer puffed out her cheeks and grumbled. She twisted this way and that inside the cloak, struggling to get out. No matter how hard she tried, however, she could not escape completely.

"... Could you please let me out? You'd never understand, Eugene, but it's terribly lonely and dreary in here."

"I'm sure it is."

Grumbling back, Eugene glanced at Lovellian to gauge his reaction. Lovellian was staring at Mer with his mouth half open.

"... Ahem."

Eugene cleared his throat and opened his cloak. Mer promptly stepped out and greeted Lovellian with her own imitation of elegant etiquette.

"Hello, Master Lovellian. I haven't seen you since last month."

"... Uh... ah... uh..."

Lovellian hesitantly nodded.

"... How... how did you get out of Akron? No, this makes no sense. Weren't you Witch Craft's familiar, Lady Mer?"

"Lady Senya asked me to do it."

Lovellian's expression changed again at those words. He closed his mouth and tried to compose himself.

"... Then you really did meet Lady Senya?"

"Yes."

"I heard you visited the Great Forest of Samar and returned to the Lionheart main family with more than a hundred elves. Did you bring those elves from the elves' domain, where the World Tree is said to stand?"

"No. I only brought back elves who couldn't enter the domain and had been living on their own."

"... I can hardly believe it."

Lovellian set his teacup down with a trembling hand.

"The elves' domain, where Lady Senya went into seclusion... Two hundred years ago, when she first withdrew, her disciples—including my teacher's teacher—went to Samar to trace her whereabouts. Countless mages from Aroth went with them, even the royal court mage corps."

But they had failed to find even the elves' domain, let alone Senya.

"... Well... when I went to Nahama..."

Eugene began explaining to convince Lovellian. He had already decided what he would say.

He had happened upon Hamel's tomb in Nahama. His account was the same as the one he had given at Black Lion Castle: the death knight's attack, his encounter with Amelia Merwin, and the leaf of the World Tree inside Hamel's coffin.

He had gone to Samar and followed the leaf's guidance. That had led him into the elves' domain, where he met Senya, sealed away...

'Telling him I'm Hamel is a bit... '

It was not that he distrusted Lovellian. Still, there was always the possibility that something might go wrong. Eugene had never told even Gerhard or Gilead that he was Hamel. Apart from the Demon King of Incarceration, Mer was the only one who knew.

The reason was simple. Mer was a familiar Senya had created. She would never betray him, could not betray him, and no one could interrogate her into revealing the truth.

"... Lady Senya... sealed..."

Lovellian bit down hard on his trembling lip. A great hole had been torn through her chest, and the World Tree's power was barely keeping her alive. As a disciple carrying on Senya's lineage, and a mage who revered her, he felt the most natural anger in the world at that revelation.

"... Lady Senya transferred ownership of Akasha to me and asked me to look after Mer."

"..."

"She also told me how to break the seal. If I kill Raizakia, who should be wandering somewhere in the dimensional rift, her curse will disappear—"

"Eugene."

Lovellian spoke with a grave expression.

"I think it would be best not to mention that at the hearing."

"Yes, that's my intention."

Senya the Wise had been mortally wounded. That fact alone would send countless mages into a frenzy. If it became public, how many would go to Samar in search of her? How many would declare their hostility toward Helmuth, claiming they would avenge her?

Besides, Balzac Ludbeth, the Black Tower Master, would also attend the hearing. Raizakia had no contract with the Demon King of Incarceration, but that was no reason to assume the Demon King had nothing to do with Senya's sealing.

'Two hundred years have passed. Neither the Demon King of Incarceration nor the demons contracted to him have searched for Senya.'

But if they learned that Senya was mortally wounded and sealed away... they might act differently.

"... I do not trust Balzac Ludbeth," Lovellian continued.

"However, my distrust aside, he is a remarkably reasonable and gentlemanly man compared with the 'real' demons in Helmuth or the other black mages there. That is why, while I distrust him, I do not hate him."

"... Well, that's..."

"Even you cannot deny that, Eugene."

Eugene smacked his lips. Three black mages were contracted to the Demon King of Incarceration. He could not speak for Count Edmond Codret of Helmuth, whom he had never met, but compared with Amelia Merwin, Balzac was certainly far more reasonable and gentlemanly.

"Even if Balzac does nothing, if you mention Lady Senya's condition at the hearing... the story will eventually spread far and wide. Eugene, a great many demons in Helmuth crave fame. The Three Dukes are currently the closest to becoming the next Demon King, but countless demons beneath them covet high titles and the throne of a Demon King as well."

Iris, the Rakshasa Princess. The many other demons. Any demon seeking glory would inevitably covet the head of Senya the Wise.

"I won't mention Lady Senya's sealing at the hearing. I intend only to say that she went into seclusion for peace and to pursue her studies."

"Yes. I agree that would be best. ... As for her transferring Akasha and Lady Mer to you... given who you are, everyone at the hearing will have to accept it."

A descendant of Vermouth Lionheart the Great.

A distant disciple carrying on the lineage of Senya the Wise. There were few on the continent who could claim as legitimate a place in her line of succession, or as strong a connection to her, as Eugene.

'The Green Tower Master will have a fit.'

Generic Osman. He was the master of the Green Tower where Senya had once lived, and his teacher's teacher had also been her disciple.

"... But Master Lovellian, I'm worried they might force me to swear an oath at the hearing."

A mage could not cheat a mana oath. If they swore to tell the truth and then lied, their mana would cease to obey them.

"That will not happen."

Lovellian's answer was stern.

"Eugene, precisely because a mana oath is absolute for a mage, no one may arbitrarily force one upon them. Even criminals have the right to remain silent. How could they force you to swear an oath when you have committed no crime?"

"Well, considering what's at stake..."

"Yes. Matters concerning Lady Senya can never be taken lightly. But you have committed no crime, and Lady Senya did not ask you to reveal the truth about her, did she?"

As he spoke, Lovellian took both of Eugene's hands firmly in his own.

"If those at the hearing persecute you and try to force an oath upon you, I will protect you as Lady Senya's disciple, as your teacher, and as a friend of Lionheart. Of course, you should use everything at your disposal to protect yourself as well. Even Aroth's royal family cannot casually persecute Lionheart, the heroes of Kiel."

That was indeed true. Had they truly intended to persecute Eugene, Trempel would have arrested him in Akron at once. He had refrained because, as a mage himself, he revered Senya—and because Lionheart was not a family anyone could lightly challenge.

"And... regarding Raizakia, the Black Dragon, I will use my connections and information network to make inquiries."

"Please look into Barang as well."

Eugene promptly added the request. He had considered it several times, and there was no doubt that the information Lovellian could gather would be far better than anything Eugene could obtain by running around himself.

"Yes, of course. Nothing good would come of exposing you, Eugene."

Having said that, Lovellian fell into thought for a moment.

Listening to their conversation, Mer slowly crept her fingers across the table. Cookies, chocolates, candies, and other refreshments sat in the center. It had been centuries since she had encountered such treats.

Could she eat them? Surely they had been set out to be eaten? She had not been given any tea, but the sweets should still be fair game, shouldn't they?

"What are you agonizing over?"

With a chuckle, Eugene pulled the basket of refreshments over and set it before Mer. Lovellian, still deep in thought, also used magic to slide a teacup toward her.

"... B-black tea... I haven't had any in two hundred years. I like tea leaves from the Yukar region."

Mer lifted the cup to her lips as she spoke. It was hot. The warmth brought a radiant smile to her face. She blew on the tea, took a sip, then squeezed her eyes shut and shivered. ... She preferred sweet milk tea to black tea, but after two hundred years without it, she felt she could savor even bitter black coffee as though it were sweet.

"... You could have chosen not to tell me the truth, Eugene."

Lovellian's silence ended.

"But you did. Was that... because I am your teacher?"

"That's part of it, but it's also because I know you're a good person, Master Lovellian."

Eugene answered with a chuckle.

"And I haven't actually told you everything. There are things I simply cannot reveal."

"Of course there are. But I will not question you about them. By mentioning secrets you need not have mentioned at all, you are, in the end, asking for my understanding."

Lovellian smiled warmly.

"So I will happily await the day you tell me your secrets."

"... Well... perhaps I'll tell you someday."

Eugene answered with an awkward smile.

When he glanced over at Mer, she was eating a flat cookie with chocolate piled on top. The way she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched both fists with every bite reminded him of Senya. Senya had loved alcohol, but she had loved sweet desserts just as much.

'... Would it be all right to give Mer whiskey bonbons?'

Senya had been absolutely crazy about those liquor-filled chocolates.

Mer looked about ten years old. But she had existed for centuries, and wasn't it ridiculous to judge a familiar by human age anyway?

"... Would you join us for dinner?"

"No. You two go and enjoy yourselves."

Lovellian declined with a smile. At the word "dinner," Mer's eyes lit up. She wiped the chocolate from around her mouth with a finger and turned to Eugene.

"I like cake."

"Cake isn't a meal."

"What do you mean? If eating it fills you up, it's a meal."

"... Then it's even less of a meal for you. You can't get full."

Mer pouted. Although she looked exactly like a human, her insides were nothing of the sort. The food she ate was completely broken down and consumed by the mana within her body. In other words, no matter how much she ate, she never felt full.

"... If it's delicious, it's a meal."

Mer refused to budge. Eugene stood with her and bowed to Lovellian.

"Aren't you going to tell the Red Tower Master about your past life?"

"Not yet."

"Then Lady Senya and I are the only ones who know you're Hamel?"

"The Demon King of Incarceration probably knows too."

"The Demon King doesn't count. Lady Senya and I are still the only special people you've told yourself, aren't we?"

Mer followed beside Eugene, beaming.

"Thinking of it that way makes me a little happy."

"Flattery won't get you cake."

"... You're trash, Eugene."

"By the way, can you drink? Senya was crazy about alcohol."

"... Crazy? Would you please not insult Lady Senya? She elegantly 'enjoyed' wine. She wasn't crazy about it."

"Don't make me laugh. Do you know Senya better than I do?"

"... Ugh... I... might not. But I know an awful lot about her too."

"So, can you drink or not?"

"... I did ask her for a glass once when she was drinking. But she said I was too young and shouldn't drink."

"Then that's out."

"Why should it be? I'd only just been created back then. Two hundred years have passed now, so I'm older than you. I can drink too."

"Still no. Your mom told you not to."

"... Mom...?"

Mer's eyes trembled.

"Don't say that in front of other people. They might get the wrong idea about Lady Senya."

"It's true, though. Senya made you, so she's your mom."

"But I'm a familiar, not a human. Who considers a familiar their child? Familiars don't consider their creators their parents either. If anything, we think of them as our masters."

"What does being human or a familiar matter? You're not an ordinary familiar to begin with."

"... That's... true. But rather than her child, I'm Lady Senya's familiar and... hmm... more like an extension of her. I was created in the image of her childhood self..."

"So you don't want to be Senya's daughter?"

Eugene asked with a grin. Mer's eyes darted about.

"... What I want doesn't matter. What matters is how Lady Senya sees me. She probably doesn't think of me as her daughter."

"Then ask her later."

Smiling, Eugene straightened her tilted hat.

"Senya was worried about you. She felt sorry for leaving you alone. That's why she entrusted you to me. At the very least, the Senya Merdein I know isn't someone who would see you as just a familiar. If that was all you were to her, she wouldn't have made you look like her."

Senya's wish had been to marry like anyone else, have children, and live an ordinary life until she became an old grandmother.

But in Aroth, she had neither married nor dated anyone. She had never had children.

Instead, she had created a familiar who looked exactly like her childhood self.

"Senya will think of you as her daughter."

Unable to say anything, Mer merely pushed out her lips. She pulled her hat down with both hands to hide her expression. But she could not hide her sniffles.

"Are you crying again?"

"... Ooh..."

"I'll get you cake, so don't cry. We won't go straight there. I'll have dinner first, and then cake—"

"... Eugene... you like Lady Senya, don't you?"

"Have you lost your mind? Where's this bullshit coming from?"

"You must like her. I-it's love, isn't it? I know about it too. The storybook said Hamel loved Lady Senya..."

"I fucking told you that was a lie! I'd have to be insane to like that tomboy... li... love? Blegh...!"

Eugene covered his mouth with a look of disgust. At his violent reaction, Mer peeked up from beneath her hat.

"... They say the younger a boy is, the less honest he is with the girl he likes, and the more he teases her."

"... So what? I'm not young."

"That's about mental age, not physical age."

"Then I'm even less young. Do you know how old I was in my past life?"