Saikyou Mahoushi no Inton Keikaku (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 38

Thirty-Eighth Chapter 

Dazzling Battlefield 

Going back in time to just after the Friendship Magical Tournament ended... 

On the same day Alus and the others arrived in Balmes, at a hotel near the tournament venue, a closing party that was also meant to serve as a social gathering was being held. It was traditional for the winning institute’s hotel to be the location for this party. 

Students wearing their uniforms or suitable party clothes were in attendance in the hotel ballroom. Unfortunately, this wasn’t simply a place to recognize the participants’ efforts and for the novice Magicmasters to make connections. It was also a recruitment site for various nations to try and scout the high achievers and bring them over to their nations after graduation. 

There was plenty of food on the tables, but the participants from the top three institutes, especially the best performers, never got a chance to touch it with all the people flooding around them. 

Equally troubling were the weakest institutes, whose participants didn’t so much as receive a glance from anyone. This was pretty much a tournament custom, and not something that had just started this time around. 

“I never thought it’d get this busy...” In the ballroom, Tesfia, who’d managed to free herself from the crowds, grumbled wearily. She’d done her best to maintain the appearance of a noble lady, but that was all gone now, as she squeezed the bridge of her nose to ease her mental exhaustion. 

All the girls at the party were wearing dresses they’d brought themselves, or ones provided to them by the hotel. Tesfia and Alice were no exception, having been dressed to stand out. “Closing party” might be what it was called, but it looked more like a fashion show than anything. 

Coming to a sudden realization, Tesfia looked around the ballroom. Eventually she spotted a pressured-looking Alice surrounded by a large crowd. 

Both of them had earned a lot of attention for their performances in the tournament. They’d agreed to stay together as much as possible in order for them to get through the anticipated chaos, but... 

Reality didn’t go as planned, and they were torn apart as they were forced to go through standard greetings and receive praise from the crowds of people. 

Alice seemed to be in distress, but she was doing her best to deal with the crowd and stave them off. 

Suddenly, Tesfia locked eyes with Alice. They’d promised to help each other out, but as soon as she took a step towards her— 

“Excuse me, may I have a moment of your time?” A soft-spoken man stood in her way. From the air around him and his appearance, she judged him to be in his thirties and likely a Magicmaster. 

As she looked him over, Tesfia put her hand to her mouth. “Ah! Could you be one of the Magicmasters from the demonstration?!” 

The man in front of her smiled bitterly. “Yes, Clevideet’s representative. Though Alpha’s Ulhava stole the spotlight.” 

“Aha ha ha...” 

Ulhava was a mysterious, masked Magicmaster. Tesfia had been told it was actually Alus behind the mask, and she struggled to answer, trying to awkwardly laugh it off. She couldn’t say that it was only natural seeing as how he was the current ranked No. 1. He’d disguised himself and participated in the demonstration, ultimately stealing the attention from Clevideet’s representative. 

She hadn’t seen much from the spectator seats, but now she saw he had the characteristic appearance of a veteran Magicmaster. His formal attire couldn’t fully hide his well-toned muscles, and his perfectly economical movements spoke volumes of his experience. 

However, this party was mainly for the student participants, so he was the only magic demonstration participant she’d seen here so far. 

Regardless, he was Clevideet’s representative, and she couldn’t treat him carelessly. Wearing a sociable smile, Tesfia interacted with him in a friendly manner. 

Frankly, it was a little overwhelming, but she didn’t let it show. She also wondered what someone representing a nation would want with her. She was aware that she’d shown quite a big presence in the tournament. The expectation that maybe this man highly valued her strength filled her chest. 

It was hard to imagine him being a scout from another nation, with Tesfia being from the Fable family, which had deep ties to Alpha... especially in a public place like this. Because of that, she had expected that recruitment was unlikely... but this marked the seventeenth person she’d spoken to tonight. 

Tesfia dealt with him as normal, making casual talk, but something unexpected happened. Unlike before, it appeared this man had come to her knowing that she was from the Fable family. When she brought up the Fable name, he didn’t so much as flinch, merely saying to her, “We’ll need to consult with your mother first.” 

Maybe he was just taking a wild shot, hoping for the best, or perhaps he’d decided to do what he could because of how highly he valued her. Either way, Tesfia decided that this was going to take some time, so she looked over to Alice, bringing her hands together in front of her face in apology. 

Gazing around the venue, she could see Ciel, who’d made it through the fourth round, being stopped a couple of times as well. She shrank back in fear even more than Alice, and was constantly bowing her head. 

Then what about them, Tesfia thought, scanning the crowd. 

While she’d technically won, those who’d seen the other match would know that Tesfia wasn’t the true champion; she’d simply had the honor handed to her as there was no opponent to fight. 

Alpha’s Second Magical Institute was set up in the center of the ballroom, with runner-up Rusalca’s First Magical Institute set up next to them. 

In the middle of the biggest crowd there was Fillic, who hadn’t shown himself since his match with Loki, entertaining the adults. 

Tesfia could tell that he was handling them with ease, well-versed in this kind of thing. He thoroughly puts on a mask for others... 

A glass in his hand, he had a cheerful expression, with seemingly no ulterior motive, acting the model image of a noble. And that kind of ticked her off. 

“Excuse me... Ms. Fable?” 

“Huh, ah, yes!” Remembering that she was in the middle of a conversation with Clevideet’s Magicmaster, Tesfia realized her blunder. 

“So, I’d like to put your talents to use in my squad. I’m a Double Digit, you see,” he said, pulling his license from his chest pocket, along with a small piece of paper that he touched. As he did, a holographic profile popped up, the equivalent of a business card. 

The first thing to enter Tesfia’s sight was his name, Rowan Welts. Like he said, he was a Double Digit. 

“My! It is an honor to speak with you. But I think someone as weak as myself would only hold everyone back...” Tesfia put her hand in front of her mouth and feigned surprise, before turning her face down, speaking with modesty. 

He was so enthusiastic that turning him down without engaging with him at all would bring her dignity into question, though she did feel bad for stringing him along... 

When she first enrolled at the Institute, meeting a Double Digit would’ve had a major impact on her, but thanks to a certain someone, she had started to react less to these things. 

From what he told her, Rowan was well known in Clevideet, and in charge of a newly formed squad. So he wanted to get promising members, even if it meant being a little unreasonable. “Oh, that’s not true. I saw your match in the semi-finals, and it seems you are quite accustomed to battle. Of course, you wouldn’t join the squad until after you graduate, but I’d prepare times for you to train during some of your vacations. And if possible, I would love to welcome your friend, Ms. Alice Tilake, in as well.” 

He did give off the atmosphere of someone who could become a competent captain, but it didn’t feel like he was used to it yet. He had a good way with words for someone on the frontlines of the Outer World, and he carried his rank with dignity. Overall, he left a good impression. 

But having seen Alus in action, Tesfia thought he felt a little unreliable. She had no intentions of joining in the first place, but she was secretly surprised to learn that Rowan had investigated her circle of friends. “I am nothing but grateful to hear you say that. It is truly a welcome offer. I can’t make any decisions on my own without consulting my family first... not to mention I am still just a first-year, so I think it’s a little too early to decide just yet. It hurts to say it, but I am still just an immature and shallow student. I would like to take my time to consider my future.” 

The man hadn’t flinched at the Fable family name, but having said this much, he finally backed down. “I-I see... then I suppose it can’t be helped. It appears I got a little ahead of myself. Instead, I will see if I can find an opportunity to speak with you again next year.” 

“Thank you very much. I am truly sorry to have taken up your time.” 

Tesfia bowed with a forced smile, but Rowan held up his hands in a grateful gesture. “Oh no, it’s nothing to apologize for. I look forward to the next time we meet, Ms. Tesfia Fable. Once again, my name is Rowan Welts, and it would be an honor if you could remember it until next year.” 

“Yes, I will.” 

With a joyful look upon seeing Tesfia’s smile, Rowan excused himself and headed straight for Alice. 

Tesfia was a little exasperated as she saw him swiftly move away. Alice had only just parted ways with a person who was hoping to scout her. When she turned to look at Tesfia, she let out a yelp of surprise upon finding that Rowan was waiting for her. 

Having seen that, Tesfia shrugged, and gently turned around. As she did, she found that a line had formed for her. They all had licenses and holographic business cards in hand, clearly being after the same thing as Rowan. 

Tesfia’s cheeks twitched for a moment, and then she pulled herself together to keep the mask of a noble lady on for a while longer.

It was a series of battles without a break. 

Once things finally settled down, Tesfia looked around the ballroom before her eyes suddenly stopped at a certain point. She’d found Loki standing in the rest area. 

Unfortunately, there was no one with the person who’d gathered the most attention. She’d been exhausted after her battle with Fillic, but had recovered astoundingly fast, and now she didn’t even need a wheelchair to get around. 

In reality, people had swarmed around Loki at the beginning of the party. But Loki rebuffed the solicitors by saying, “I am already someone’s partner, and I have no intention of accepting any invites.” 

With no openings they could use, the scouts simply gave their greetings and scattered. After that, nobody paid her any visits. 

Actually, a couple of participants from various institutes had stopped by to greet her, but Loki maintained a sour look. 

After two hours had passed, an announcement went out, and military personnel who were there to recruit left, and other important individuals from the various nations came in. 

It was the beginning of the second party. There was an unspoken agreement that this social gathering was also used by noble society as a place to find a spouse for their children or blood relatives. 

Military personnel from good families, as in those from the nobility or something equal to it, were permitted to stay as well. That said, blatant scouting was not allowed. 

Before long, a lot of ladies in beautiful dresses began to appear. But the tournament participants were still the stars of the show, so their outfits weren’t too flashy—though they still spoke of their familial and social standings. 

In the midst of this, Tesfia, trying to catch her breath, walked over to a table to get a drink. While she was there, she thought of getting one for Alice as well, and glanced over at her best friend. 

She saw that Alice looked dismayed, with her forced smile about to break down. A man appeared to be persistently hounding her. Pure military personnel like Rowan had left, so something like this was quite unusual. The voice of the man speaking to Alice was loud and overbearing. And it seemed like he was attempting to recruit her, despite the ban. 

The man was probably a noble in a military position, but the party had changed hands with the other military personnel having cleared out to let the nobility enter. This was clearly ill-mannered, and Alice looked defeated, as she was curling up like she was being scolded. 

Tesfia exclaimed, “What’s up with him? Can’t he at least show a bare minimum amount of courtesy...” 

And it wasn’t just Tesfia either. The people around began making a stir as the attention of the ballroom fell on Alice and the man. 

“Do you not understand the manners expected of you here? What nation are you from? What is your rank and affiliation?” 

Suddenly a woman’s calm voice interrupted. It was a quiet, clear voice, but there was a smattering of anger tinged with ridicule, as if calling the man’s character into question. 

But even then, the man didn’t leave Alice’s side. “Excuse me, but we haven’t finished speaking yet. Please hold on a moment... That’s why, Alice...” The man, wearing round glasses and with a head of hair starting to turn gray, didn’t so much as turn around as he continued, “I would love nothing more than to examine your AWR, and if you could tell me who made it...” 

The woman in a red dress standing behind the prattling man let out a grand sigh. “You’re not from Alpha, I hope. I wouldn’t want to think we have trash like this around... Selva.” 

“Understood.” The elderly man dressed as a butler behind her stepped forward, standing between Alice and the man in glasses. “Pardon me, but I believe you should save this talk for later. If you push this any further we may have to confirm your identity in front of everyone.” 

Faced with the elderly butler—Selva—and his sharp glance, the man shrank back. Selva had retired from battle, but putting enough killing intent in his glare to make an amateur flinch was child’s play for him. Nowadays, he’d stopped pushing his body beyond its limits, but his experience in dealing with all kinds of people in underground society wasn’t just for show. 

“N-No, I just...!! I-I understand... Excuse me, Alice.” Overwhelmed by Selva, the man apologized to Alice, and then looked over at the woman who’d interrupted and stumbled for words once more. “Y-You’re...!” 

“M-Mother—!!” Tesfia let out a yelp of surprise at the same time. 

Indeed, standing in front of the man in glasses, and wearing a chilling, angry expression, was the head of the Fable family, one of the major nobles of Alpha... Frose Fable herself. 

Not only was she a major noble, but she’d had great achievements in the military as well, and her name was still well known, even after retiring. 

The man in glasses opened his eyes wide, then gave her a deep bow and rushed out of the ballroom. 

Frose turned her back on the man she’d been glaring at and let out an exasperated sigh. “How truly hopeless.” 

“Indeed, Master Frose.” 

“It’s unfortunate that you had to deal with someone like that, Alice.” In the blink of an eye, Frose’s expression softened into a smile directed at Alice. 

“Lady Frose!! T-Thank you very much.” 

“It’s fine. Actually, it pains me to hear my daughter’s best friend add a ‘Lady’ onto my name... I know, why not just call me Mother? You are kind of like a daughter to me, after all.” 

Frose might have been saying it jokingly, but even the carefree Alice found that a little too high of a hurdle. While she was acquainted with Frose, it wasn’t like she was at the Fable family home all the time. 

“U-Uhm... would Ms. Frose be good enough?” she asked timidly, recalling a certain time at the Fable mansion. Before they’d enrolled at the Institute, Alice had been invited to the Fable mansion for the first time. And for some reason, she’d been roped into Frose’s strict training alongside Tesfia. 

“I understand. I suppose that will do for now.” Frose showed a somewhat sad expression. That made it even more difficult to tell if she’d been serious or not. Either way, to her it was probably just a simple greeting. 

“That aside, why are you here, Mother?” Tesfia asked. But she hadn’t stopped to consider her question, as she realized the answer before she even finished speaking. 

Frose was here, as promised by Alus, to see if her daughter had grown enough under Alus’ teachings to be permitted to stay at the Institute. She was here to judge her daughter’s possibilities. 

Tesfia broke out in a cold sweat, but Frose just smiled at her. “Why, I was here to cheer you on, of course. Congratulations on winning, Fia. And Alice, it was a wonderful match.” 

“T-Thank you very much, Mother.” 

“It’s an honor, Ms. Frose.” 

Even as she hurriedly thanked her mother, Tesfia couldn’t help but find it unexpected. While her mother had a reputation to uphold, she was surprised to hear her praise her in public. Though at the same time it also made her happy. It was hard to imagine that attitude from Frose in the past, as she’d maintained her military dignity even after finishing her service. 

Standing in front of Tesfia now was a mother rejoicing in her daughter’s victory. Moreover, Frose was exceedingly satisfied. The effects of Alus’ teachings were more pronounced than expected, and her daughter had grown even more since she’d told Frose how she really felt about training with Alus. She could even take pride in her. 

At first, Frose wasn’t sure if she could honestly be happy, but Selva had given her the push she needed by saying, “I’m sure the young miss worked very hard,” prompting her to leave any unnecessary thoughts aside and give her daughter honest compliments. Though her real objective was something else. 

Tesfia looked at her mother with a complicated expression, and Frose understood that her daughter wanted an answer. 

Frose’s desire was for Tesfia to find a fiancé and settle down, to focus on studying to become the next head of the family. Those were her true feelings. Without exceptional talent, she wasn’t going to get far as a Magicmaster. So Frose believed that putting down a path for her daughter to follow was for her own good. There was no value in pointless effort. 

... Or at least that was the original plan. But it seems that he is full of surprises. 

By he, Frose of course meant that young man. She had no intention of ignoring Tesfia’s victory in the first-year division. And she would naturally acknowledge all of the efforts that she had put into it. 

At the same time, her growth had far exceeded Frose’s expectations, making her question if it would be a mistake to pull her daughter out of the Institute. 

Most of all, there was the move that Tesfia had used at the end of her battle with Alice. She had indeed shown her Zepel once in the past. But that was when she was much younger and hadn’t even begun learning magic. 

That said, Zepel was just another step on the way to the Fable family’s secret technique. It was simply the next step after Icicle Sword. However, it had taken Frose three years to acquire that spell, and she’d ultimately given up hope of evolving it to the final form. Even with all her talent, sense, and effort, it lay in a realm beyond her abilities. 

In reality, it was said that no head of the Fable family had been able to perfect its final form. Learning Icicle Sword was demanded of all heads in the family, but there was no one who had yet mastered the true hidden technique. 

Perhaps it was only theoretically possible—only a pipe dream. In that sense, Frose hadn’t become the true head of the Fable family. 

I haven’t been able to see it. But perhaps Fia will... but he will be necessary for it. 

Frose found herself smiling at the vision that popped into her head. A realistic path to fulfill both her daughter’s wish and the continuation of the Fable family had appeared before her. 

As anticipation filled her chest, imagining her ideal future, Frose suddenly realized that she’d kept her daughter waiting. “Fia, regarding your resignation from the Institute...” 

“Yes?” Tesfia anxiously waited for her mother’s following words. Her voice trembled, and Alice noticed this as she worriedly fell silent. 

“I won’t pull you out of the Institute for the time being. Continue your training, and don’t slack on studying either.” 

“—!! Mother, are you serious?!” The moment she heard that, Tesfia’s face filled with joy, as she was released from her worry. But she suddenly realized something and decided to ask. “... You’re not going to take it back later, are you?” 

“No, I will wait until you graduate at least. We can talk about your future after that.” 

“Yes! Thank you very much, Mother!” Tesfia’s side tail flew up and down as she bowed. 

“Isn’t that great, Fia?” 

“Yeah, thanks for helping with the training and stuff, Alice!” 

There was more joy in their expressions now than during the tournament. In the midst of their celebration, Frose continued, “However, I have a condition. Until your graduation, you are to receive proper guidance from Mr. Alus.” 

“I-I understand.” Tesfia stumbled slightly over her words, as she busily nodded her head. 

From what she’d heard from the principal, Alus would likely continue to teach them until graduation: in other words, for as long as they remained classmates. It was a bit of a selfish hope, but the thought of it made her happy—yet embarrassed. Seeing as how he was teaching them now, though, she had no reason to refuse. 

“You make sure to have him teach you too,” Frose said to Alice. 

“A-Alright.” Alice nodded with a tense expression. 

Seeing that, Frose started thinking again. As he’d promised in Sisty’s office, Alus had shown off Tesfia’s possibilities. So he probably wasn’t going to wash his hands of Tesfia later, but... “Fia, I’d like to give Mr. Alus my greetings too. Where is he? It seems he stepped down from the finals... is he not feeling well?” 

“—!! Ah, well, uhm, no... Al had some business to attend to...” Tesfia was clearly shaken. But all she really knew was that Alus’ business was a mission, so there was nothing more to say. 

“I see. That’s a shame. I was wondering why he didn’t appear in the finals.” Frose maintained a calm appearance, but she was secretly disappointed. While she didn’t say it out loud, she’d come to this party to see Alus again. This would’ve been the perfect chance to estimate his hidden abilities. 

Actually—considering Selva’s appraisal and Lettie’s tone when they’d talked, it was easy to imagine his abilities far exceeding those of a student. Frose just wanted to see it for herself up close. 

Alus had advanced up to the point of facing Rusalca’s Fillic. And from what she could tell, Fillic would have provided the ideal opportunity to judge Alus’ true strength. His matches up until then had ended in the blink of an eye, making it impossible to get a good grasp on his power. 

But it wasn’t a complete waste. Loki had ended up coming out victorious against Fillic. And Frose had already found out that Loki was Alus’ partner, her abilities far surpassing Frose’s expectations. 

Being partners, she should be below him. And Loki had defeated Rusalca’s ace, stirring up Frose’s interest in Alus even more. But ultimately, she hadn’t found out anything. “Then please let him know that I will contact him some other day.” 

“I understand. I’ll let Al know,” Tesfia told her. 

This wasn’t the kind of talk for a celebratory party, so Frose shelved it for later. “By the way, Alice, that man from before... it didn’t sound like he was trying to recruit you.” 

“Ah, yes! He said he was from Rusalca’s military technical department. He wanted to examine my AWR...” 

“How unusual. Is it really that much of a gem? After leaving the military, I’m afraid I’m not very up to date on the latest AWRs. It was a spear type, wasn’t it? Where did you get your hands on that?” 

“...! A-Ah, uhm... a-actually, Al made that... he said it was for my birthday, so I couldn’t refuse...” It seemed Alice was incapable of lying to Frose and she ended up speaking the truth. She felt guilty that whenever she opened her mouth, it seemed she would let even more of Alus’ secrets slip. 

“—!! I see. And you didn’t want to bring up his name. But still, it seems that engineers from all nations stop noticing their surroundings once their curiosity is sparked.” 

“A-Actually, let me take that back! It’s not fair of me to bring up his name...” Alice suddenly tried to smooth things over after it was already too late. 

“Mother, I’d like to ask you the same thing. He doesn’t really like it when you pry into his personal life...” Tesfia imagined an unhappy Alus, and asked this of her mother alongside Alice. 

Frose nodded, as if agreeing that she’d keep it to herself. But still... she felt like the information she’d gathered before had received some proper support. Not only was his Magicmaster career unusual, but it appeared that his name was behind the latest magic technologies. 

Likewise, in the field of new magic. When newly developed spells were listed in the spell encyclopedia, the creator’s name would always be listed next to it. But that wasn’t actually a rule that was set in stone. As proof of that, in the past few years, there were several new spells where the creator’s name had been left blank. 

That blank space seemed to indicate that the person was well known in researcher circles. And the name that filled that blank was Alus Reigin. 

Frose had come here to see Tesfia, but also because she’d looked into Alus. Still, to think a student would be able to create an AWR that would capture the interest of an engineer from Rusalca when they were at the top of the AWR market... 

She thought back to the golden spear that Alice had used in the tournament. “That AWR of yours was pretty interesting, and that spell you used wasn’t an existing light element spell, was it?” 

“Y-Yes. Actually... he made that... too.” 

“Is that so...” Frose narrowed her eyes, and her lips curled up into a smile. The creation of new spells required putting together a research team and launching a large-scale project. Most of them were funded by the military. So a single person doing the same was questionable at best. Even Frose found that to be unrealistic. 

Yet the tone of her daughter’s friend had easily confirmed it. It didn’t sound like she was lying. It sounded like she was simply stating the truth. 

Regardless, it was clear that Alus had an abnormal number of achievements. And Frose couldn’t even imagine how difficult that would be. 

“I don’t know much about AWRs, but Alice, I’m sure somebody will approach you about putting that spell you used into the encyclopedia. That will of course include revealing the magic formula. While keeping an ace up your sleeve is important for any Magicmaster, I don’t recommend rejecting them. The revelation of new spells will lead to strengthening Magicmasters overall, which will add to the power needed to protect humanity,” Frose said. But her tone wasn’t overbearing. It was more like a gentle warning. 

Alice understood that she was being considerate as well, and her expression seemed to say not to worry. She took Frose’s advice to heart, and nodded. 

She finally realized the kind of creativity, skill, and knowledge that it took to create a brand-new kind of AWR, as well as a new spell. The knowledge required for them probably far surpassed what Alice could imagine. And the more she thought about that, the more she realized how blessed she was. 

The three of them had spent quite a long time talking, but it felt like it took place in an instant. There was now a new crowd of people hoping to speak with Tesfia and Alice. 

The stars of this party were the students. Not wanting to monopolize the two girls, Frose made a last request. “By the way, I’d also like to speak with your friend, Ms. Loki. Could you perhaps introduce me?” she asked, with a perfect mannered smile. 

Loki was the only one at the Institute who Frose hadn’t gotten in touch with. She’d actually been thinking about investigating her too, but now she just wanted to greet her as Alus’ partner. 

Meanwhile, Tesfia and Alice didn’t pick up anything strange in the flow of discussion and simply nodded their heads. Nor did they think of the risk that things might get complicated once Frose and Loki met. 

By the time they realized—it was too late. Tesfia recalled the talk they’d had back at home, and got a bad feeling about it. She looked away awkwardly, but of all places, her eyes fell on Loki. 

If possible, Tesfia and Alice wanted Frose to hold off until later. After all, Loki was a bit restless and unstable now that Alus was absent. 

Not showing any concern for their circumstances, Frose followed Tesfia’s stare and spotted Loki. 

Sitting in the corner of the ballroom was a silver-haired girl. This was without a doubt the girl she’d seen in the semi-finals. 

Nobles were watching her from afar. Anyone who’d seen that match would be able to tell just how strong she was. From what Frose knew, there had been very few matches at that high of a level in this student-focused tournament. It might even compare to the epic match between the now-Singles Jean Rumbulls and Lettie Kultunca. 

Frankly put, Loki had a bright future ahead of her. Moreover, though small, she had an almost fairy-tale-like beauty. 

Questions of her bloodline and family were secondary. The nobles gathered here were all hoping to take her as a wife for their sons. Even lower-standing nobles would likely be willing to pay a very generous bride price several times the usual one to compete with their rivals, and it would still be worth it. 

However, Frose had a different view from them. She already knew that Loki had a partner, and that it was Alus. Which meant that her existence could become an obstacle for Frose’s ideal future for the Fable family. 

She wanted nothing more than for her daughter to pull in the big fish of unknown potential that was Alus for herself. 

Tesfia was incredibly beautiful, after all. Especially tonight as she wore a gorgeous dress, making her look like she’d stepped right out of a picture book. 

In her younger days, Frose had experienced being flocked by men as well. She was cool-headed but had alluring good looks, earning her the envy of the other girls. 

Tesfia hadn’t inherited her mother’s alluring kind of beauty, but at times Frose felt like she was watching her young self, and it was something Selva would bring up from time to time as well. Her daughter was still an extraordinary beauty by the world’s standards, and that silver-haired girl was a wall that she would need to overcome. 

Frose didn’t know how Tesfia felt, but when she was in her teens, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to be hostile, let alone jealous, if she’d had a classmate like Loki. 

In short, Frose acknowledged Loki as a worthy rival for her daughter. That’s why seeing Loki get roped into a foreign family or even a noble family from Alpha would be boring—especially since she was her daughter’s friend, and Frose hadn’t even gotten the chance to introduce herself. 

Her instinctive desire to monopolize talented individuals was also coming into play, even after stepping down from her position as a capable commander. 

That said, I suppose there’s no need to rush yet. In case she couldn’t get a hold on Alus, Tesfia would have to marry a promising man as planned, though her performance in the tournament had been more than enough to give her high expectations for her Magicmaster future. So Frose was willing to overlook her age when she married to some degree. 

As her mother, Frose wanted to fulfill her daughter’s wishes as much as she could. And if she were to achieve great accomplishments as a Magicmaster, she would have more options to choose from. 

Magicmasters took risks when standing on the frontlines, but at the same time that was the duty of the nobility. Overcoming those risks and displaying a degree of prowess could do wonders when entering the world of politics. 

At any rate, Frose had already made up her mind. She would wait until Tesfia’s graduation as she’d said. 

As these thoughts ran through her head, Frose gazed at Loki again. The nobles after her talents were hoping to arrange a marriage, or at least a marriage interview, with her. They were, in a word, unscrupulous. 

One after another they shamelessly approached her. Frose wasn’t really one to talk, but it was like the ugly side of noble society was manifesting before her eyes. 

Loki’s opponent in the tournament, Fillic, was more than strong enough to become Tesfia’s fiancé, and he had a promising future ahead of him as well. He wore a friendly smile even now, behaving like a proper noble, and was handling people with ease. Perhaps Jean Rumbulls had a hand in that too. 

But from Frose’s point of view he didn’t leave a favorable impression. He might know how to slip around the other party’s intentions, but he gave off a shady feel. 

She could find his rank acceptable, but she sensed he was too used to the ways of the world, and she didn’t think too highly of him. 

If anything, she found a decisive, unapologetic and insolent attitude like Alus’ more preferable. Though that was probably only a thought she’d had after setting her eyes on Alus. If it wasn’t for him, Frose would no doubt have walked over to Fillic. 

To an outsider, the world of nobility was surely a mystery. 

However, the nobility greatly aided humanity in their ability to survive. That was why nobles had protected their names for generations. 

Not only did they enjoy the benefits of the upper class, but they also had the right to reside near the Tower of Babel—the farthest spot from the wall separating humanity from Fiends—as well as the ability to use their wealth to hire Magicmasters as guards. Depending on their resourcefulness and capital strength, they could even be permitted to hold land. 

And most of all, they were promoted quickly in the military, and it wasn’t unusual for those from the older families to have a private army from their ancestors’ generations. 

Their positions were protected by the rulers and by national policy, and their bloodlines produced talented Magicmasters who contributed to society. However, they also had a tendency to degenerate into a privileged class that indulged in their luxurious lifestyles. 

Throughout history, the nobility took pride in fighting Fiends for humanity’s sake. Thinking of what the nobility was like now, Frose could feel something akin to embarrassment rise inside her. 

In recent years, the Magicmaster profession had opened up to the general public more and more. That trend had only been further spurred on by the introduction of assigning ranks by merit and achievements. 

In other words, the powerful grasp on the world of Magicmasters that the nobility once had was turning into a thing of the past. 

That said... few could shed the sense of privilege that came with noble birth. And Frose thought it was inevitable that they would desperately search for the best value on the market. But even then... 

Some bitter looks were being directed at Frose. Because of her presence, the nobility were unable to speak with Tesfia and Alice. I’m not sure I’d call it greedy or what... Sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere, Frose simply shrugged it off. Of course she understood that they were that way for their children’s sake, and in a sense, she was like them. 

And because of that, she decided to part from the two girls. “Now that I’ve spotted Ms. Loki, I will go and greet her. So why don’t the two of you stay here and speak with everyone? This party would never end if I kept you to myself.” 

“But Mother...” Tesfia was somewhat flustered. But she must have understood her position. 

“Fia, take a look around you. It’ll be a good opportunity for you to study up on noble society. You as well, Alice.” 

“M-Me too?!” Alice was surprised as the discussion suddenly turned to her. Her friend with full noble blood was one thing, but as a simple commoner, and one without parents, she’d just assumed she’d be left out. In reality, she was as popular as Tesfia, but the fact that she hadn’t realized it was just like her. 

“Of course. If you’re planning on becoming a Magicmaster, it’s not something you can look away from. Just think of it as preparing for life in the future and take it easy. But... if you don’t like it, you’ll have to say so. It’s easy to get caught up in their web, so be careful.” 

Alice was easily pressured, so that last bit really hit home. “Y-Yes, I’ll be careful.” 

“Don’t worry Alice, I’ll try to stay close to you,” Tesfia said to cheer her up. But Alice’s expression remained clouded. 

Incidentally, Tesfia wasn’t confident that she’d be able to calmly brush off all of the nobles coming to speak with her. But if she treated them badly, it would reflect poorly on her family. She didn’t think that this kind of place—where marriage offers flew about wildly—was a good match for her. If anything, she was starting to get something akin to an allergic reaction to the words engagement and marriage. Despite her slight headache, Tesfia put on the mask of a noble daughter. 

“If you do find a good man, make sure to establish a claim. The ideal would be a field officer or higher. If that’s not possible, then make sure they’re at least from a family of a Double Digit. And watch out for families that only have a long history. Well, I will be off to greet Ms. Loki now. I’ll be back when things have settled down.” 

After glancing over at Selva to ensure he was watching over the two girls about to descend onto a battlefield, Frose stepped out of the crowd and headed for Loki with two glasses in her hands. 

Seeing her graceful gestures and alluring eyes, the nobles and their followers stepped out of her way. Around ten years had passed since she’d left the military, but Frose’s fame was fresh in their memories even now, and her beauty showed no sign of fading either. The more lustful male nobles wanted to get a chance to know her better after a single glance. 

But Frose simply wore a gentle smile as she elegantly walked through the packed venue. 

*** 

“Why am I even in a place like this...?” The muttered words left her lips and disappeared without reaching anyone’s ears. The conversations around her were turning into annoying noises, as if they were stabbing into her eardrums. 

Loki had been alone since the second party... no, since the first one. After she had sent recruiters away, nobody approached her, and she simply waited for time to pass. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she was like a lost child who had wandered into an unknown world, and wasn’t sure what to do. 

But most of all, she was lonely because the person who was supposed to be here wasn’t. She was alone in a place without Alus. 

She felt like she’d been cut off from the rest of the world. Loki only knew about life in the military and the Outer World, so being in such a showy place in a gorgeous dress was like being in a different world. Just what was she supposed to do? She’d never had any interest in this party to begin with. Nor did she feel any urge to amuse herself with friendly chatter. 

Every time this kind of event took place, Loki was made to realize that this ordinary life was only possible with Alus by her side. And when she was alone like this, it all fell apart... she couldn’t even bring herself to smile. 

It was because Alus was by her side that she could enjoy an ordinary life. Once he was gone, Loki’s heart was like the surface of a frozen lake in winter, with not even a ripple of emotion showing. 

She was relieved to have accomplished the goal of winning that Alus had left up to her, but the problems began there. It started with the vulgar recruiters, and even after firmly rejecting them, a couple of nobles who wore their ulterior motives on their sleeves approached her during the second party too. The words they spoke were all politely dressed up, but full of filth that put Loki in a bad mood. 

On the surface it all appeared very nice, but Loki interpreted it in another way. She was already showing a displeased look to keep people from coming over, but it didn’t help to fully clear her surroundings. 

If Alus were here, she wouldn’t have to bother looking at this kind of riff-raff, and she’d be able to enjoy herself even if their surroundings got a little noisy. Alus would surely overlook her grumbling. And while he’d show a wry smile as if to chide Loki for her biting words, he’d probably add in a few frank, but to Loki, pleasant, words of his own. 

When she thought about that, she really started to miss their usual back and forth. In the opening made when she thought this, a lady took a step towards her, and Loki directed a sharp stare her way. She wore heavy makeup and awfully strong perfume, and plenty of rings adorned with non-magic gems. 

Loki would struggle to smile with even one of those aspects being present. Her glance had a clear sense of hostility to it, as if to say not to get any closer. She especially couldn’t stand that smell. 

Yet a couple of people approached her despite her warning. They must have been reckless, not know their place, or possibly even be strong and confident in their strength... at the very least, if they were fledgling Magicmasters, they should get the point. 

But looking at their manner of walking from the corner of her eye, Loki determined that they were simply idiots. They were far from being masters of mana control, as they were full of openings. As a result, Loki was the most displeased she’d been so far this evening. 

As she wearily sat down in a nearby chair, someone stepped into her personal space with great enthusiasm. 

It was a well-dressed man wearing a comfortable-looking tailcoat adorned with luxurious accessories here and there. It was hard to believe he was a Magicmaster or had ever set foot in the Outer World. Of course, a Magicmaster’s ability wasn’t all that determined someone’s position in the military or in noble circles. 

The man was in his late forties, and was accompanied by another man who was in the prime of his life, either a butler or bodyguard. From Loki’s assessment, he would at least be a little more useful in a fight. 

“You are Loki Leevahl, are you not? My name is Buhon, the head of the noble Moretruo family. I have come all the way from Halcapdia to bring you an offer I’m sure you will find favorable.” 

He chose to stand at the end of the table, forcing the small Loki to have to look up at him from her seat, but he wasn’t all that tall himself. So the hand he held out to Loki didn’t reach higher than her chest. 

The sound of metal rubbing against metal rang out from his hand. Looking down at it, she saw a gaudy display of rings on each of his fat fingers. 

Loki expressionlessly gazed up at the man. As she did, his rude glance fell on her face and went down to her neck, then her chest, and finally down to her legs. She found it hard to endure his vulgar stare and unconsciously clutched the pendant hanging from her neck. It was fitted with a dark gem, and it had been given to her by Alus in the past. 

Without a shred of care for her feelings, the man crudely spoke her name again. As his mouth twisted into an ugly smile, it was enough to tell what he was thinking. Eventually he interpreted Loki’s lack of reaction as her not wanting to shake his hand. He composedly shrugged his shoulders, and looked back to the butler behind him. 

Loki felt like everything the man did was exaggerated, and with him having approached her, her surroundings sounded like they’d gotten even noisier. He’d called himself Buhon, but it wasn’t a name she could remember. That said, she only knew a handful of noble names. It didn’t really matter, as to her they were all the same. 

In fact, Alus being worked so hard was largely because of them. A young Magicmaster of unknown origin achieving one thing after another was bound to attract some attention, and also some harassment. And with him being something of a right-hand man to the Governor-General, who rarely appeared in public, Alus was bound to attract even more people who didn’t think well of him. Especially with people who’d climbed to the top for reasons outside of their ability, such as using their privilege as nobility. 

While the Governor-General had the final say in military matters, he wasn’t able to ignore all selfish demands made by nobles. If the military tore itself apart because of that, they wouldn’t be able to focus on fighting Fiends. Not to mention there was a degree of reason behind their demands. Letting a powerful Magicmaster play around as he pleased would not be in the national interest, whereas putting that power to work to reclaim as much territory as possible would be. 

Moreover, even if he wanted more allies aside from the Governor-General, very few people knew Alus. That was partly because of the need to keep his powers confidential, and partly because he himself wanted it that way. At any rate, with that as her reasoning, Loki wasn’t fond of nobility. 

She felt like that ‘favorable offer’ of Buhon’s wasn’t even worth listening to, but he seemed to take her silence as confirmation that she wanted to hear it. 

“I’ve taken the liberty of looking into you. You are still young, yet with so much power, so I feel you have enough qualities to marry into my family. My son is twenty-three, but the age difference is nothing to be concerned about. We would take you in as his first wife. If you give birth to an heir within a few years, our future will be secure. I have connections within the military as well, so if you want rapid promotions, that can be arranged. It’s a good deal for you, don’t you think?” 

His vulgar mouth hung open as he looked her up and down, his eyes finally landing on her face. “And I’m sure my son will take a liking to your beauty...” 

It was almost as if he was saying he’d take her as a wife himself if he were ten years younger. He gazed at her like she was a doll for sale in a store, running his lecherous stare down from her face to her collarbone to her breasts, and stopping on her thighs. 

Loki let out a heavy sigh, wishing that the man before her was a Fiend instead. At the same time, she figured someone like this would be useful in shaking off the eyes of the curious onlookers once and for all. “I have no interest in you, but do you not know that I have a partner?” 

“Hmph! It doesn’t matter whose partner you are. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to release you from that foolish restraint immediately. It would be a trifling matter for the Moretruo family.” 

Loki’s expression changed at those words. Her face, which had been expressionless, now twisted into a look of indignation and disdain. He didn’t know anything about how long she’d worked to fulfill her dream. And he’d even dismissed it as a ‘foolish restraint.’ Even going so far as saying he’d release her from him! 

“—Ahh!!” Taking Loki’s killing intent head on, Buhon flinched. The butler behind him gazed in wonderment, not moving an inch. However, almost nobody aside from Buhon and his butler noticed the change in Loki. And who could blame them? It was hard to imagine that kind of intent coming from the small girl. 

Buhon was in a cold sweat, and his lips trembled. Loki stared at him and quietly said, “That’s not something you could do. And if you insist—are you prepared to stake your life on it? You want me to marry a pig that can only indulge itself? You have to be joking... I’m sure there’s cattle somewhere suitable for marrying the son of a pig.” 

“Y-Y-You little—!! Don’t you run your mouth off to me, you little brat! You won’t get off easy hurling such insults at me!!” 

“It seems you understand human language, so let me ask you again... Are you prepared to stake your life?” Loki was only stating the truth. To her, canceling her partnership with Alus would be the same as losing her life. 

“Ridiculous! A mere novice Magicmaster’s life would never be as valuable as mine. Who the hell do you think you are? Here I was generously offering to take you in... but my mind’s changed now. It seems I’ll have to show you who the real cattle is.” 

She might be acting mature, but in the end she’s just an ignorant kid, Buhon thought, as he signaled the butler from behind his back. Understanding his intentions, the butler stepped closer. 

“You can do whatever you want... just capture that girl. You know the rest. I’ve already investigated you,” Buhon continued, turning to Loki. “You are all alone, and there’s nobody to save you... and even if there was...” 

“Understood. I will make preparations right away.” The butler bowed to his master, and just as he straightened up— 

“My, that’s an awfully violent-sounding discussion.” 

“...!!” 

“If I were to borrow your own words, you are being very childish towards a mere student, Lord Moretruo. This party is to celebrate the victors of the tournament. And just what exactly were you planning to do in a place like this? It seems you’re planning to be quite outrageous in this party hosted by the rulers. You’ve fallen from Alpha to Halcapdia, and now it seems you have your back to the wall.” The smiling woman—Frose—showed no signs of flinching at Loki’s still-present killing intent, as she came forward. 

When he saw her, Buhon clicked his tongue with a bitter expression. “... The Fable vixen.” 

Loki was convinced once she heard the name. No wonder she looked familiar. This was the mother of the redhead under Alus’ care. At the same time, she felt she looked a little too young to be her mother. 

“Oh my, so you still remember me. But if you’re here, that means you haven’t completely fallen to ruin yet.” 

“How impudent!” 

“But you have become decrepit... and you’re putting your incompetence on full display.” 

It appeared to be a potentially explosive situation, but both parties knew they were just talking. They weren’t foolish enough to actually duke it out here, and their exchange of sharp words was more like engaging in a card game. 

The Moretruo family only had a pedigree going for it, as its history ran comparably deep for nobility. Because of that, they had a strong fixation on lineage that was typical for traditional noble families. 

They were behind the times, but there was a reason for it. The family originated in Alpha, and had been quite influential in the past, but their power had waned after decades of not producing any excellent Magicmasters. Without being able to keep up appearances as nobles, they’d had a fire lit under them. Moreover, Buhon’s rank as a Magicmaster had fallen from those days, but back then he had led a couple of squads, and eventually a company. 

At that time he was competing with Frose for the position of commander. Eventually, though, Buhon stopped being entrusted with important positions after failing to produce the kinds of results Frose did. 

That was a couple of decades ago... meaning it was none other than Frose who had accelerated the Moretruo family’s fall. 

In the end, the family’s minor accomplishments attracted the attention of Halcapdia, and they had moved there, as if running away. That was why they obsessed over bringing strong Magicmaster blood into their lineage. 

“Tsk... I don’t have the time to deal with you. Anyway, take care of that girl...” 

“Oh? But I can’t let that slide, you see. Ms. Loki is my daughter’s friend... not to mention she will be important for Alpha’s future.” 

“What are you getting at?” 

Frose casually brushed off Moretruo’s stare. “Oh, dear. Did you grow senile over the years? Do you not understand that the Moretruo family’s authority is a thing of the past... in other words, I can crush you under my thumb.” 

“... Urk!” Buhon cast his eyes downward, clenching his fist as his body trembled, holding back his anger. But that did nothing to change reality. The Fable family was one of the three most influential families in Alpha, and it wouldn’t be impossible for them to crush his family. 

However—“B-But she is just a mere girl, why would the Fable family go so far to back her up? What’s in it for you? If you hand her over, I’d...” 

“Why don’t you try it?” 

“Excuse me?” 

“I said—just try it. Though you’ll have to be prepared for your family to never rise again, including your son or his descendants.” 

“...” Buhon gritted his teeth over the repeated humiliations. But it was only for a few seconds. “We’re leaving!!” As he stormed off with a snort, the butler hurriedly followed after him. 

The nobles who had been looking on were still staring at Frose. Her clear voice rang out in the ballroom. “Sorry for the fuss, everybody,” she said with an apologetic smile. “I’m sure you would all like to pass on your congratulations to Ms. Loki, but she still hasn’t fully recovered from her match, so I believe it would be best to restrain yourselves,” she added, making sure that everyone would have no choice but to accept it. 

There were some who suspected that Frose might be pushing ahead of the other families to take Loki for herself, but everyone knew she didn’t have a son. So even if they couldn’t accept it, there was nobody who directly complained... of course that was also in part because they realized how reckless an act that would be. 

Loki still had an angry expression, making it clear that she wasn’t going to go along with that kind of topic in the slightest. So before long, the nobles around Loki disappeared, making their way elsewhere. 

After confirming they were alone, Frose turned back to Loki. “Once again, it’s a pleasure to meet you... Ms. Loki.” 

“No, the pleasure’s all mine. Thank you for your help, Your Excellency.” Recalling the position Frose had held in the past, Loki made sure to address her with respect. 

However, Frose was a little taken aback by her manner. She’d been called that by her students when she was an instructor, but she’d returned her title when she’d left the military. Now she was only the head of the Fable family. “That’s how I was addressed in the past. You can feel free to address me however you like.” 

“I understand, Ms. Frose.” 

Frose had a different opinion of this silver-haired girl than she had of Alus. She had a civil attitude, which was more a result of her keeping a high guard around herself. The thick wall she put up kept anyone who wanted to get close to her out. “Still, you should hold back a little more. There are many nobles that are cunning and ill-natured... besides, depending on the circumstances, it might even cause trouble for Mr. Alus.” 

“...!! I was careless. It seems I didn’t handle things calmly. Thank you for the advice.” Loki hesitated upon realizing that Frose knew of her relationship with Alus, but then she was former military, so it wouldn’t be strange for her to have learned that bit of information. 

She thanked Frose once more with a bow, carefully observing her as she returned the bow. But she couldn’t sense any plotting or scheming. She’d been on guard at first since it was Tesfia’s mother, but it appeared Frose was a trustworthy individual. 

“There’s no need for thanks,” Frose told her, handing a glass to Loki. Inside was what looked like carbonated water blended with fruit juice. It was chilled as well. 

Loki went on to drink it all at once, as if regretting foolishly letting her emotions get the better of her before. It was the perfect thing to cool her hot head. If it wasn’t for Frose, she would have rampaged and caused trouble for Alus. 

She clearly understood the underlying causes of her blunder. It wasn’t rage, but there was an uncontainable frustration at its root. Even now, the man she wanted to serve was far away on a mission in the Outer World. That mission was likely much more difficult than usual. And yet, she was in a place like this. 

An unbearable feeling welled up in her chest. She gulped down the contents of the glass as if to push it back down. When she heaved a sigh, she hurriedly snapped out of it and covered her mouth. She saw that Frose looked like she might break into a smile at any moment, so she quickly corrected her posture. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Loki Leevahl,” Loki said, introducing herself, and they shook hands. Holding Frose’s hand, Loki realized it wasn’t as graceful and dainty as she’d expected. Instead, she felt clear traces of her rigid training, recognizing that Frose was someone who knew what true battle was like. 

Ironically enough, that sensation made Loki bring her lowered guard back up. Even though Frose didn’t give off a bad impression, she was still an influential noble, which was why Loki reconsidered so easily trusting her. Not to mention this was only their first meeting. It was too early to judge her character from just the one incident so far. 

She’d heard the details of Tesfia’s circumstances from Alus, but in the past few months, Loki felt like he was being a little too soft on others. He was coming up with reasons to look after Tesfia and Alice, but she found it lamentable. So, if Tesfia’s mother was going to try to bring him into their circumstances even more, it would be Loki’s job to shake her off. From here on, she needed to handle Frose calmly, see through her true intentions, and carefully choose her words. 

But it seemed Frose picked up on Loki’s caution, as she shrugged her shoulders and opened her mouth to speak. “You don’t have to be so vigilant. I only came here to watch the matches and give praise to my daughter’s friend who worked so hard.” 

“... I’m just Al’s replacement,” Loki said carefully. 

“... So you were. But your match was really worthy of praise. You put on quite the show, and if you hadn’t been hurt I’m sure you would have taken the victory.” 

“That was the result of my own inexperience.” 

“I see that you’re modest. At any rate, if it wasn’t for that win, the Second Magical Institute’s victory would have been in question. It was truly a wonderful match.” 

“Thank you very much.” Though suspicious of Frose’s praise, Loki honestly accepted it. 

“Not to mention... you’re always taking care of my daughter.” 

“Not at all. It’s something Si... Al decided.” 

Frose watched Loki correct herself with a warm smile. “It seems she’s getting a lot of help from Mr. Alus, and from you. That girl was blessed with talent, but that’s not enough by itself. Fia’s gotten so much stronger in just a few months since enrolling there. She’s worked hard, but it’s also thanks to Alice, as well as to you and Mr. Alus, so thank you.” 

“Talent, is it...?” Loki repeated. 

“Yes, that’s right. There’s a lot of hard work involved, but talent is important. And it’s because you have it that you have the ranks that you do, no?” 

“I don’t think that’s accurate. Ranking is only one facet of it. It won’t do you any good in the Outer World. Neither Al nor I really put that much focus on our ranks. You need to rely on your experience to survive. Just because you have talent, there’s no guarantee that you’ll survive for long. That’s why what Al teaches them isn’t the trick to raising their ranks, but how to defeat Fiends.” 

Her answer was an eloquent testament to her past. They were powerful words that were spoken—not by a mere student or novice—but from the personal experience of someone who’d lived through many battles. 

Frose urged her on, as if testing her. “Isn’t that just the same as being strong?” 

“It isn’t. Being strong will certainly help keep you alive. But it won’t work forever... I’m sure you might be aware of this, but...” Observing Frose’s expression as she answered, Loki realized that Frose was questioning her despite probably already knowing Loki’s past, and maybe even Alus’ past. If that was the case, there wasn’t much point in keeping up the façade about her and Alus’ relationship. 

Furthermore, it was clear from Frose’s expression that she was already well aware of what Loki was about to say. Anyone in the military would have said as much themselves. But even so, she must have wanted to hear Loki say it anyway. 

So Loki continued to speak. “It’s more important to understand Fiends so you can more efficiently and rationally eliminate them. Reaching that level means being able to handle yourself in any situation. Knowing and correctly assessing your limits also helps you to not get overconfident.” 

Loki recalled Alus’ words, and carefully spoke as if pondering them anew. “After all, only those who can survive can reach the top of all Magicmasters.” 

Frose’s eyes opened in surprise for a moment, before narrowing, and she smiled as if impressed. Frankly, she was startled to see someone so young having come this far. It was true that the more skilled the Magicmaster, the less fixated they were on rank. That was because they understood the true strength that Loki spoke of. 

The conclusion she’d reached was probably true in a pragmatic sense. But the state of the world that pointed to was lopsided. The truth alone wasn’t enough to survive on. You wouldn’t be able to balance life in the Inner and Outer Worlds like that. Loki’s claim was sharp and powerful, but at the same time, it wasn’t the whole truth. 

“... That’s true.” Though Loki was young and immature, her words rippled through Frose. Her slight hesitation was due to that. At the same time, Frose had the sense that she was getting old. 

Meanwhile, Loki felt something unexpected as she gazed at Frose. Despite what she’d said, she also understood the current hierarchical system and ranking of Magicmasters, and couldn’t deny that the standard evaluation was a fundamental part of that world. While she and Alus didn’t adhere to it, there were those who did. That stance of hers was of course influenced by Alus, but by now she’d accepted it for herself, and considered it correct. 

Yet for some reason, Frose had an expression of clarity—as if she’d just realized something. 

Silence filled the space between them for a few moments, until Frose started the conversation again, but in a completely different direction. “So, do you happen to know anything about Mr. Alus’ disappearance in the middle of the tournament? I heard he had some business to attend to.” 

Loki was taken aback by the sudden change, but figured Frose had decided their previous topic of discussion was finished. But here was the question she’d been expecting. 

Thinking of how to answer, Loki came up with several different possibilities in her head. It was likely that the information had been leaked by Tesfia or Alice. However, she’d only told them that it was a mission. So saying it was a leak might be a bit of an exaggeration. But considering the circumstances, maybe it would have been better to keep everything secret from those two. 

I’ll need to reconsider how much I tell Ms. Tesfia and Ms. Alice about important matters... Or maybe she’d need to teach them what the word ‘confidential’ really meant. I guess it was my fault for being careless. 

At any rate, it was safe to assume that Frose already had some information, though whether she knew that Lettie was taking part in it too was unclear. “Yes, he got an urgent mission and had to leave...” Ultimately, Loki decided to affirm what Frose already knew. If she were to say that she didn’t have a clue it would sound unnatural, seeing as how she was his partner. And considering their interactions so far, she didn’t think Frose would back down from an off-the-cuff response. 

“My, that’s a shame. I would have loved to speak with him again.” 

“I am sorry.” 

“It’s fine. It’s something that happens. In the military you practically don’t have any private time, after all. But if it’s a mission, why wouldn’t his partner go with him? That is the point of a partner, isn’t it?” 

Frose said this in a nonchalant tone, but the words pierced Loki’s heart. She’d stayed behind on his orders, but it did go against the point of a partner. Which was why she also felt lonely. 

Loki’s discomfort aside, Frose’s behavior was casual, as if simply asking the question that came to mind. 

“Having two participants leave the tournament would have really hurt the Second Magical Institute. And I stayed behind at Al’s own instructions.” 

“... That’s just wrong.” 

“... What is?” Frose’s sudden words made Loki stare at the smiling woman. 

“If you’re fine with that, then that’s that. But a partner’s more than a simple pawn. And you’re not just a doll that obeys orders, are you?” 

“I would be fine with that! Not to mention I’m a student too.” 

“I see... but you’re still a human, so you won’t be able to fully become a doll.” Frose’s gaze seemed to see through everything, and her words threw Loki’s mental restraint for a loop. 

“... Ms. Frose, you can only say that because you don’t know anything!” Frose didn’t know anything about why Loki decided to become Alus’ partner, or her path to get there. That alone meant the world to Loki... so someone who knew nothing had no right to say anything! Even though she knew it was foolish, she found herself getting worked up. 

And she knew the reason why. Even if Frose didn’t know the whole story, she had mercilessly pointed out the essence of Loki’s discontent. Which was why she found herself lashing back, instinctively shouting out words of anger. 

But Frose’s expression remained unchanged. She simply shrugged and sighed, as if to say that Loki was a handful. “That’s true, it might not be any of my business. But I can see the disconnect because of that. If you’re satisfied, then it’s fine. A partnership is just one type of role division. Obeying the orders of the other is correct in a sense. But you’re dissatisfied with that, aren’t you?” 

“...!!” 

“It’s all over your face.” Before Loki could ask how she knew, Frose had answered her. 

It really was like she could see right through her. Loki had her hands full just objecting. And each and every one of Frose’s words was a powerful thrust that struck her heart. As a result, the guard she kept up to shield her true intentions was stripped away, leaving her defenseless before Frose. 

“I might have retired, but I was in the military for a long time. So here’s some advice. Magicmasters are only human. They have feelings that they can’t hold back either. And in the end, it’s up to you if you want to keep killing your emotions or try to satisfy them. But let me just say this. Endurance is necessary at times, but haven’t you been enduring all this time?” 

“T-That’s... But...” 

“Don’t you think it would be good to not give up on some things? In your own way... that you yourself can accept. That would make you more attractive as a woman.” 

Her gentle smile and on-target words made Loki’s heart skip a beat. At the same time, the feelings she’d sealed down at the bottom of her heart began to stir. 

“But I... B-Besides, he promised that next time...” Loki muttered fragmented, broken pieces of a sentence. Her eyes darted around as she searched for excuses. 

She could strongly feel the hesitation inside of her. It was like her heart rejected what her head already knew. It was like two people were clashing inside of her. 

Frose could easily guess the emotion the small girl in front of her was holding down. Calling out to a passing waiter, she put her empty glass on the silver tray. “You’re his what? And what is this ‘next time?’” 

“...!!” Loki had a shocked expression. She felt something bursting in her chest. I’m his what? I’m just his partner... no, that’s not right. That’s just an excuse. It’s a convenient role, like in a drama. When is the next time? What will the next time even be... but can I really ask for more? 

Shaking her head at her thoughts, Loki murmured softly as if tracing a difficult problem that had no solution, “Next time...” 

It was something she already knew. Something she’d realized long ago. But putting it into words felt strangely off. It was like two spinning gears that instead of meshing with each other, spun separately and apart from one another. Like her words were nothing but fruitless logic... like her feelings were running in circles. 

The next time will...!! But... Even then, there was hesitation in Loki’s eyes. Her instincts were telling her to be honest with her desires, while her reasoning side told her that it was selfishness. The two sides of her were competing to gain the upper hand. As a result, she was frozen in place. 

Frose couldn’t bear to watch, and, sighing, decided not to mince words. “You really are a handful. You’re still young, so move first and think later!” At the same time, Frose’s white hand swiftly moved to Loki’s chest, her slender fingers nearly touching the pendant with black light that she’d received from Alus. 

In the next moment, Frose’s hand moved to Loki’s shoulder, spinning her small body around, and giving her a gentle shove on the back. 

Taking a few steps forward, Loki looked back in surprise. Her faltering showed her indecision, as if asking if it was okay to do what she wanted. If she was being honest, Loki never wanted to leave Alus’ side for even a second. But having been in the Outer World, she already knew. Those who were indecisive were only a hindrance on the battlefield. It was clear what kind of result would happen if you took someone like that to the Outer World. 

“... Thank you very much. I’ll think about it on my own.” 

“Think, is it? I just hope you realize it. But still, the title of Magicmaster can sure get in the way at times like these.” 

Loki deeply bowed to Frose and turned to leave the ballroom. 

That’s when Frose called out to her back, “Don’t worry about the party, I’ll smooth things out here. But...” She saw Loki was only staring at the exit. “You’re forgetting about your injuries...” Frose continued, but her words never reached Loki, who had rushed towards the door with a troubled look on her face. 

Frose had planned to push the nobles away using Loki’s injuries as an excuse, so at least she wanted to help her save face. As these thoughts ran through her mind, the small back had already disappeared from the ballroom. 

Loki had seen too much of the Outer World to be able to live in a glamorous, gentle world more appropriate for a girl her age. Indeed, far too much. She’d mixed in with adults since her youth, spending each day fighting as a Magicmaster and building up achievements. And even now she might not be able to fully become a child again. 

As Loki exited the venue, she left behind nobles staring after her, looking stunned. It was an awkward moment, and Frose put her hand over her mouth and let out a forced laugh to smooth it over. For now, she would tell them that Loki still wasn’t feeling well from her match, and was returning to her room. 

Shortly thereafter, the slightly hoarse voice of a man called out to Frose from behind her. “Master Frose, why would you help the enemy... you know that she’s...” 

“That’s true. I was just going to greet her... Maybe I’m getting old, Selva.” 

“No, perhaps you’ve returned to your youth. Back when you were at a more troublesome age... returning to a childlike innocence.” 

Frose glanced at the elderly butler with a twitching cheek, before sighing as if giving up on something. Having Loki tell her that rank was worthless made her recall that she had more or less understood the same thing when she stood on the battlefield. 

But after leaving the military and the fighting behind, she found herself being poisoned by the prevailing focus on ranking so common among the nobility. It was pathetic. 

It was true that ranking was one established indicator of a Magicmaster’s standing. It was an unavoidable truth. Only those who proved their strength and reached a certain level had it. Only those with the rank to back them up were convincing. 

However, a rank could never become a person’s raison d’être. And it was a young girl who’d reminded Frose of this. That was why she’d given her daughter’s rival in love advice that she didn’t have to. 

At least, that’s what Frose thought, but Selva’s comment about childlike innocence made her realize another motive within her. 

She thought of her past as she said, “Well, I couldn’t help myself after seeing someone with such earnest feelings. Someone so used to the world who’s still able to hold such passionate feelings. It’s a wonderful thing.” 

“So it is.” 

Seeing Selva’s meaningful smile, Frose suddenly fell silent. She had understood something. The words she’d said to Loki weren’t meant just for her. In fact, she was the one who had regretted enduring for too long, because in the end she’d lost her husband. That weighed heavily on her even now. 

Keeping personal feelings out of missions was common sense in the military. But back then... nobody knew what would happen, so she should have moved even if it was only based on her emotions. 

As if to shake off the sentimentality of those long-ago events, Frose put on a small smile and muttered, “Still... even for someone who grew up in the military, that girl is too awkward.” The same could be said for Alus, but she’d more or less understood that the circumstances were different for him. “I just hope Fia’s fighting spirit is as strong.” 

“Sometimes one needs to be patient. I’m sure the young miss will do it.” 

Glancing at Selva, Frose chose to drop an explosive statement. “Selva, if the Fable family ever stops being part of the nobility...” 

“I would serve you until I could no longer move. The young miss is like my own granddaughter, I would never give up this job,” Selva said, laughing, his beard shaking. 

Seeing his expression, it seemed Frose’s bomb had been a dud. She silently thanked him. 

As she began walking, she saw her daughter in the distance. “In the end, it would be a mistake for anyone aside from the person it concerns to decide their future. It might only end up planting seeds of regret. And if I did that—Fia really would resent me.” 

Frose could be calculating, but she thought again about the matter of her daughter’s future and fiancé. Would Tesfia see success as a Magicmaster, or uphold her appearance as a noble...? Maybe she could do both. 

Perhaps the decision should be left up to the daughter instead of the mother. But if she were allowed, she’d at least like to lend a helping hand. She wouldn’t give up her role as a mother until Tesfia took over as the family head. Until her still-growing daughter could take over everything, Frose would protect the family. Though it seemed she still had a long time to go. 

Her time as the head of the family had been almost as dizzyingly busy as her time in the military. But right now, Frose’s steps were light, as if she were a child innocently running around in a meadow. 

“Selva... I’m glad we came.” 

“Yes.” 

*** 

Leaving the ballroom behind, Loki made her way straight to her hotel room as if driven by something. 

She worried for a moment if she really should’ve left like that. But even if she’d stayed, she would only have been flooded by annoying people. 

She had run away from a worthless world. But it was so she could dive into a more meaningful one. 

Loki wasn’t really interested in marriage, and never had been. More importantly... 

She pushed the keycard against the reader in a hurry, pulling the door open as soon as she heard the unlocking sound and rushing inside as if chased by something. Words ran in circles inside her head, all of them Frose’s words of wisdom. 

Loki sat down on the bed, putting her head in her hands and staring down at her legs, deep in thought. The sensation of the mattress pushing back against her weight seemed to softly envelop her thoughts. 

This was something she understood even without Frose’s words. Her feelings for Alus were just one-sided gratitude. But now she’d been made to reconsider how to use her life. 

What Frose said was probably correct. Loki didn’t want to cause trouble for Alus while claiming it was for his sake. With her lacking strength as a Magicmaster, she’d only get in his way. Indeed, he’d clearly said as much. 

The room’s dim light cast a deep shadow on Loki’s face. She had thought she’d be able to ease her mind if she was alone, but it only brought her deeper into her thoughts. 

The question she’d unconsciously shied away from surfaced in her mind. For what purpose had she become his partner? 

Loki fell onto the bed and pushed her face into the pillow. After a few seconds, she shot back up from it. “Ah, that’s right. I got the wrong idea after spending time at the Institute together with Sir Alus...” she muttered to no one in particular. “I was under the mistaken impression that this life, which is supposed to end when my role does, would still go on. This life right now is a simple time-limited thing. All of my time is meant for Sir Alus, yet...” 

In her monologue she was blaming herself for her misunderstanding. She would never become a hindrance. Thinking back to Alus’ atmosphere when he left, she understood that the mission he had must have been very difficult. If there was an enemy on that mission, they must be pretty formidable. 

But no matter the enemy, she could surely be of use. Using her own body as a shield, she should at least be able to buy a few seconds of time. And if her trivial life could be of use to him... 

Life was fleeting and fragile, easily coming to an end at a moment’s notice. She’d seen it countless times. In that case, one’s life should be used in the moment when it could shine the brightest. 

And for Loki—that moment was for Alus’ sake. It didn’t really matter how it was used, be it as a shield from a Fiend’s attack or as a sacrificial pawn. She simply wanted to use this life he’d saved for his sake. 

She hadn’t worried over it until now. “I’ve survived and lived so far for Sir Alus’ sake.” She wasn’t at the Institute to live out the youth she never got to experience, nor was it to have a normal life outside of the military. Loki only had a reason to exist at Alus’ side, and the only way to repay the great debt she owed was to give her own life. 

Yes, if I can be of use to him, I... Alus would surely tell her that she’d done a good job. He would pat her head in the last moments of her life... with that kind of end, she could truly be at peace. 

However... “Haha.” A somewhat self-ridiculing laugh leaked out from her lips. There was no way that would happen. It was just a selfish fantasy. The Alus she’d been reunited with at the Institute was different from back then. She could easily tell. He wasn’t going to praise her if she came to an end like that. 

Right now, he would... “He scolded me for using a taboo... so there’s no way he would praise me.” Instead, he would probably get angry at her for pointlessly wasting her life. 

So what was she supposed to do? Not being of any use was painful. She just wanted to be of use to him. Even if that meant throwing her life away like some piece of trash... 

However... 

As Loki brooded over that, her eyes rested on the table. On top of it was a rugged military bag with not a trace of cuteness to it. Its focus lay squarely in function. 

Sticking out from it were the edges of some folded clothes. This was the answer to everything. She’d had no need for it in the tournament, but had brought it anyways. Inside was her familiar military uniform and plenty of AWR knives she’d brought with her all the way from Alpha. 

That was what Loki understood best. She stood up, and stopped trying to hold back the feelings that overflowed from within her. She’d fulfilled her promise. Alus couldn’t complain about the results. 

Besides... Loki took a long, deep breath. As she did, she unconsciously reached for her chest, rubbing the surface of the pendant filled with dark mana. 

After a few moments, her gloomy mood was gone without a trace. She would no longer hesitate so that she wouldn’t have to lie to herself, so that she wouldn’t have any regrets. What scared her the most would be losing the opportunity to use her life... to lose the person she wanted to use it for.