First, after buying everything I needed, I headed to the orphanage. It was a holiday morning, so it was very quiet, as if everyone was still asleep. As I looked at the snowmen in the yard and the half-destroyed snow wall that had clearly been used for a snowball fight, I saw the Director sweeping the path.
"Oh, Jern! It's been a while...?"
The orphanage Director saw me, the boxes floating around me, and my fine robe, then let out a sigh.
"... Hmm, you're casually performing magic that even most nobles I've seen couldn't manage."
"Well, it's closer to a curse than magic. Is it alright if we talk inside?"
"Of course. These boxes are~" "I brought some snacks and a few other things."
"Ooh, really? May I take a look?"
"Of course."
I set the boxes down in the yard. At first, the Director opened a box with a wide smile, but his face soon turned pale.
"Snacks, clothes, notebooks, shoes, a heater...? No, wait a second... this is from Tri'ta! This, this is so expensive...!"
"I knew you wouldn't accept money, so I bought these things instead. I hope you like them."
"Oh, no, of course I like them, and they're all things we need, but I can't even begin to guess how many thousands of silver this all must cost... Where on earth did you earn this money?"
Instead of answering, I held out my key. I wondered if the Director, being an ordinary person, would recognize it, but perhaps thanks to his time as a scribe, he covered his mouth and stared at the key with disbelief.
"Jern, did you become an apprentice of the Black Magic Tower? Goodness..."
"Yes. Is it a famous magic tower?"
"It is the most historic and prestigious magic tower for the elite."
"So much so that people would give up a management position at another magic tower just to become an apprentice there..."
"To be accepted into the Black Magic Tower at the age of ten, I've never seen such a thing in my entire life."
So it was a really good place. Dersia had told me to think of the key as something like a bank that would pay for things on my behalf if I showed it, but it seemed its reputation alone was worth much more than that. The Director, as if snapping back to his senses, put his broom down nearby.
"My, we should go inside. We'll catch a cold out here."
"Ah, is it a bit cold right now?"
"?"
"Yes, it is. What are you talking about?"
"It's nothing."
I was always cold, but it didn't feel any colder just because it was winter. It felt like I was maintaining a constant, appropriate level of coldness maintained by the burden. It seemed I couldn't just ignore this forever.
It would be no laughing matter to endure the water pressure only to die of hypothermia. In the Director's office, the Director brewed tea with water he had boiled earlier.
"So, what have you been up to and where have you been this time?"
"Well, you see~" Sipping the warm tea the Director made for me, I had a conversation without a specific purpose for the first time in a while.
Even excluding the part about fighting ancient terrorists who torture and kill people for no reason, there was plenty to talk about. After some time had passed, the conversation shifted to me listening to the Director's stories.
"So Dolph declared he was going to become a knight too, filled a pit with a bunch of rats, and jumped in."
"... That's a unique training method."
"It seems he did it after hearing that Linmel trained by catching animals in the back hills, but I mean, where on earth did he get so many rats..."
"Ah."
Right.
I'd forgotten what I meant to ask. I narrowed my eyes and slightly changed the subject.
"By the way, that girl, Linmel... has she been back?"
"Hmm."
The Director's expression turned a little complicated.
"I see you saw her too. Well, the girl herself hasn't changed."
Sighing, the Director picked up his cooled teacup and explained the situation.
"Have you ever heard of a Divine Punishment Knight?"
"No. What is that?"
"Hmm, then do you know much about knights?"
"Yes."
Just because Red Lotus cut them down so easily, there was no way I wouldn't know what kind of monsters knights truly were. They learned body-reinforcement techniques, making them resistant to magic, and a single swing of their sword could cut down more than ten people. On Earth, they would be called walking tanks, or even strategic weapons.
A Knight Commander would be like a fighter jet. It's just that what Red Lotus used wasn't magic, but the world itself, so from a compatibility standpoint, they were bound to be slaughtered.
"They say a proper knight can even slay a dragon alone. Though I don't know if dragons really exist."
"Then what do you think would happen if a knight like that went astray?"
"Hmm..."
Indeed.
Sending a mage against someone who had learned body-reinforcement techniques was too dangerous. But sending an army would result in too great a loss.
"You would send another, stronger knight, I suppose?"
"Exactly. The knights who take on that role of pursuit are called Divine Punishment Knights."
"What? No, they're making Linmel do something like that?"
"Don't worry too much. In the last several decades, no knights have committed treason or been branded as a major enemy."
"Divine Punishment Knights are always appointed from among the most talented knights."
"It's not a lifelong position, and having been a Divine Punishment Knight is a great help when they later establish their own knight order."
So it was a fast track for the elite, where they rarely had to do their actual job. The Director continued, his expression showing he had much to say but found it difficult to voice.
"The training for Divine Punishment Knights is, of course, different from that of other knights, and the other squires practically worship them."
"In that kind of environment... Linmel, well, seems to have gone astray in a slightly cute way."
"Dark Night's Black Thunder Punishment Knight."
"Isn't it... cute?"
"It's cute. Still, I think I need to see her."
The fact that such an innocent kid had been tainted like this meant she might be undergoing torture disguised as training. I needed to check how she was living. I handed him a piece of paper and a pen.
"Could you write down where Sir Gwalan lives?"
I'll just take a little peek.
The Director gave me the location of the academy where Linmel usually trained.
"She's probably running hard right about now," he said.
As soon as I arrived at the training ground, I knew there wasn't a shred of falsehood in his words.
"Run faster! The chant!"
"Left, left foot, left foot, left foot!"
"?"
However, she wasn't running alone. Linmel was running around the training ground in full armor, pushing a group of other kids who were running with swords. Her face was a cold, expressionless mask, nothing like the Linmel I knew.
Her charisma was no joke. The cadets who were running, despite carrying only a single sword, were much slower than Linmel in her full armor. Linmel turned around midway and scolded them in a disappointed tone.
"What's the point if you can't even run forty laps with just a sword? At this rate, you won't even be able to defeat a wild boar, let alone become a knight!"
"S-sorry!"
"I'm sure I told you to build up your stamina—huh?"
Mid-sentence, Linmel's sharp gaze landed on me. I raised my hand and gave a little wave.
"... Take a break!"
"Yes..."
The cadets collapsed, seemingly without the energy to even reply. And then, Linmel, who had run over in an instant— —hugged me.
"Jern!! Where have you been all this time!!"
"Cough, cough... It's good to see you."
Her strength was incredible. She was so fast I couldn't even evade it. I patted her back, tapping out, but Linmel just hugged me tighter.
I wasn't kidding; it was enough pressure to sprain something if I hadn't been training.
"Th-this, please..."
"Ah, right!"
Linmel finally let me go and looked at me with a slightly wronged expression as she poured out her words.
"Where were you when I visited the orphanage last time?"
"The Director said he didn't know, only that you'd be safe. I went to see you... you could have at least told me!"
"Sorry, sorry. I was busy learning something from my Master. What about you... have you been okay?"
"Yeah!"
I held Linmel's shoulders and looked her over. Other than her hair being dyed black and her wearing a suit of armor and a sword that looked bizarre no matter how you looked at it— —her bright smile was just as I remembered. She wasn't being abused, and her puberty hadn't led her to create a whole new persona yet.
I let out a sigh of relief and led Linmel out of the training ground.
"I heard you won something called the Golden Seed Tournament. Congratulations."
"Ehehe, it was nothing. They were all below my level."
"No being with a physical body can defeat me, the knight of darkness who delivers divine punishment."
"What?"
"What have you been doing, Jern?"
"Me—" I saved some kids, won a tournament, and became an apprentice at the Black Magic Tower.
The rumors about that unknown commoner mage had probably spread faintly outside of noble society, but it didn't seem to be at a level Linmel would know yet. I shrugged my shoulders and replied.
"I've just been studying magic diligently. I haven't done anything special."
"Really? Well, you're smart, Jern! If you study a little more, you'll become the greatest mage in the world!"
"Thanks for thinking so highly of me. By the way, your... way of speaking and your appearance have changed?"
When I carefully asked about that, Linmel suddenly became serious and looked up at the sky.
"That's right. I've changed."
"How so?"
"I had a mission."
Linmel fiddled with her sword, which had something engraved in runes on the blade, and murmured with a melancholic gaze.
"There are too many bad people in the world. I have to stop them. My talent was bestowed upon me for that purpose."
"What? What kind of people?"
"People who bully mages."
"?"
As I was wondering what she was talking about— Linmel didn't take a single step, but a single step.
"Huh."
The distance of several steps between us was literally erased. The gap was so small that my nose was almost touching Linmel's. Linmel met my eyes without a tremor. Even though I didn't need to breathe, I held my breath.
As if it were nothing, Linmel turned her head again and stared wistfully at the blue sky.
"Jern, do you know what they call people like you?"
"A mage?"
"A natural body. A mage who occurs naturally."
That's old news. Besides, I could hardly be considered an ordinary natural body. As I watched Linmel's movements, she sheathed her sword.
I only saw the result. I did not see the act of her sheathing it. I frowned as I realized.
So this is how it is. The process of some of Linmel's movements occurred in a way that was close to literally disappearing.
"They say natural bodies live really pitiful lives. They don't even know they're mages, so they get kidnapped and treated like expensive slaves, sold here and there... They live like pets."
My Tide Sense in a state of Deep Fusion might be able to catch it, but it wouldn't be easy with my normal Tide Sense. With the naked eye?
Impossible.
I was slowly starting to understand why knights were the ultimate nemesis of mages. They close the distance like this and carry out the process of slitting your throat at a speed that's close to erasure, and magic doesn't even work on them?
Unless you anticipate a fight and prepare for it, from the moment you step onto the battlefield, from the moment the knight decides the death of their opponent is the objective of the battle, everything is already over.
"But Jern, don't worry!" —Crack.
"Cough, cough..."
Linmel, having approached with that movement-erasing technique, hugged me again with teary eyes.
"I'll definitely protect you!"
"Th-thanks."
Even with my trained body, I could feel the pressure. Looking at the brightly smiling Linmel, I felt a sense that maybe things were better than I thought. Except for one thing.
"... By the way, Linmel. That Dark Night's Black Thunder whatever knight—" "Ah!!"
Linmel's eyes sparkled as she stepped back and cleared her throat.
"That's cool, isn't it! I came up with it myself!"
"Y-yeah...?"
"Yup!" ...
Well, I can let this much slide as a cute quirk. I smiled wryly and patted Linmel on the shoulder.
"Still, it's good to see you after so long. I came in a hurry today so I couldn't bring a gift, but next time—" "I don't need a gift, let's go to my house!"
"... Huh?"
Now that I knew there weren't any serious problems, I was about to go say hello to Elysia, but Linmel shook her head and grabbed my hand tightly.
"I'll make you dinner. You should see Dad before you go!"
"Sir Gwalan? No, do I really have to...?"
"You have to see him!"
As Linmel thrust her face forward, I felt something burning in her eyes. ... This girl uses that gap-erasing technique way too casually. I knew she had no ill intent, but from a mage's perspective, it was terrifying.
"Alright, I'll eat before I go. But your class."
"Just a second!" —Ping!
Linmel disappeared so fast it made a sound, and returned exactly 30 seconds later.
"Class is over for today. I told them all to disperse! They all listen to me well, so it'll be fine! Let's go now!"
"..."
I had no way out. As soon as we arrived at Gwalan's surprisingly modest house. Linmel went up to her room and came down with a pile of books.
"Jern! Here, these are the magic books I was going to give you!"
"Oh, wow, thanks."
In reality, they were mostly useless to me, but I accepted them with a word of thanks for now. Linmel counted the books, then clapped her hands as if she'd realized something.
"... Ah! Right, there was one more magic book at that bookstore I didn't buy!"
"No, the price of magic books is no joke, are you sure—" "I still have a lot of my prize money left! A loooot left, so don't worry. Eat with Dad, I'll be right back!"
Linmel swept out of the room like a storm and disappeared. I and Gwalan, Linmel's father, were left alone awkwardly. It was truly awkward.
I wasn't very sociable, so I was trying to figure out what to say when he cleared his throat first.
"... Ahem, your name was Jern, was it? This is the first time I've seen that child listen to someone else so well."
"Ah, yes. Does she not listen to you well, Sir Gwalan?"
"She listens... to me. But there's not much for me to say."
Gwalan, with his hands as large as pot lids, brought over a pot and ladled stew into my bowl.
"She never misses training, has excellent leadership, doesn't cause trouble, and her talent is overwhelming even by historical standards."
"What more could I ask for? I couldn't be happier."
Yet, Gwalan, who said this, had a slightly ambivalent expression.
"It's too good, everything is too good... and because of that, no matter what I say, haah. I have no grounds to argue."
"For instance, have you seen Linmel training the other children?"
"Yes. She was like a demon instructor."
"That's the thing... some of them are children of nobles, so I tried to advise her that it would be better to hold back, but she insisted her way was right, so I couldn't stop her."
"For now, the trainees seem satisfied, so it's fine, but I don't know what kind of problems this might cause later..."
Once the floodgates opened, it seemed he had quite a lot to say. Gwalan drank the stew like it was water and sighed.
"She'll soon be called to various places because of her outstanding talent, and I worry that if she acts like she does now, something might happen."
It was, for all intents and purposes, a rich man's problem. I tossed out a casual remark.
"If it's really difficult, I can help."
"You?"
"Yes. Linmel listens to me quite well."
"Hmm, that would be appreciated, but... if you're saying that because you hope I'll adopt you, then I must refuse."
That stung my pride a bit. I took out the key from my pocket and showed it to him.
"... No, I'm a mage. I have a Master and I've entered a magic tower."
"What?"
Didn't Gwalan know? If so, it seems Linmel kept the secret very well. I used my currents to levitate the bowl in front of me.
Gwalan looked back and forth between me and the stew with a startled expression.
"A natural body...! Ah, so that's why Linmel had such a fit when the topic of natural bodies came up..."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"During ethics training, there was a lecture about how the main source of income for fallen knights is hunting mages, especially selling captured natural bodies."
"Thinking back, it seems she changed after that day."
So I was partly responsible, then. Gwalan nodded his head with a look of relief.
"Yes, to have a mage and a knight come from the same orphanage. This is truly remarkable. If I ever need someone to get Linmel to be a little more... calm, I will call on you."
"Thank you."
With this, I had at least created a pretext to meet Linmel again later. There was no need to be hasty. As I took a spoonful of stew, Gwalan asked with a somewhat hopeful expression.
"Ah, and. I'm just asking this on the off chance—" "Yes, please speak freely."
"That... knight name. Is there any way you could persuade her about it? When she turns thirteen, she'll have to decide on a knight name she'll use for the rest of her life..."
"... I'll do my best."
It wouldn't be an easy task. But Gwalan's expression was so desperate that I couldn't give any other answer.
"Are you sure you're not staying the night?"
"It's fine. We can definitely see each other again next time. Can you let go of this robe? If it rips, I'll be in really big trouble..."
"... Alright. But if you ever need my help, just let me know!"
"Okay."
As evening fell. Staying the night at Gwalan's house seemed like too much of an imposition, so after a short conversation, I left as they saw me off. My bag was filled with magic books.
They weren't too heavy thanks to my currents, but I didn't really have a use for them. Where should I put them?
"I wonder if the library is open..."
I had decided to sleep at my hometown orphanage tonight, but the library was close, so it would be fine to drop them off there. It was safe, too. I should probably sell them for a high price later and give the money back to Linmel.
The guards who used to protect the library were long gone. It was because Dersia had turned it into her private property.
"Master, are you here?"
I called for Dersia as I opened the door, but there was no answer. It seemed she was still in her room doing research. I turned on the lights in the dark library and placed the magic books on an empty shelf. —Thud!
"!"
The door slammed shut. But it was a bit too loud to have been closed by the wind. I immediately spread my Tide Sense throughout the library.
I scanned meticulously, combing through every space between the bookshelves, but I couldn't find any sign of a living creature. Instead, I discovered a strange object on the library's return counter.
"What the..."
It was a box. A treasure chest, clearly filled to the brim with the finest pearls.
"What in the world is this."
I turned around with a bewildered tone. A man in a mask was standing there. His presence was so faint that it was hard to tell if he was really standing there, even as I was looking right at him. —Crack...
I almost instinctively looked for an escape route, but stopped. The back door, the windows, they were all frozen shut. No matter how much I pushed, they wouldn't budge.
As I grit my teeth, he slowly opened his mouth.
"Do not be alarmed, Jern Aspandil."
"You can drop the last name."
"How far have you fallen?"
The man's voice was heavy, as if sinking, and at the same time, chillingly cold. I can't hide it. I fumbled inside my coat and calmly retorted.
"Well, I'm not sure who you are, but even if you do this, you won't be able to control my Master."
The opponent was Red Lotus. The target was Dersia. The situation was the worst possible.
His shallow motive of trying to shake Dersia by kidnapping me was plain to see. As I fumbled with the key Dersia gave me and calculated my next move, the man said something strange.
"No, if that were my intention, I would have done the opposite. I would have shown your head to Dersia."
"I see. Then what is the purpose of this little game?"
"Did I not say so from the beginning? We are on your side." —Clang!
The man walked over and threw something at my feet. It was a necklace made of red metal. Is it a bomb?
No, if that were the case, he would have shot me dead long ago. As I was deep in thought, the man who had approached within the range of the lantern light extended his hand.
"Young fallen one, put it on."
"What—" "Join us."
"... Pardon?"
I glanced back and saw the chest full of pearls. This was—probably the most terrifying recruitment offer in the world.