038 – Responsibility
“It will take at least two weeks to recover. Do not remove the splint under any circumstances during that time.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed slightly and opened the medical room door.
“Ah…!”
I found the girl waiting for me, pacing anxiously in front of the door.
“What are you doing here, Miss Lillian Isole?”
“Well, that’s…”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“..Perfectly fine, yet that thing on your arm…”
Despite the worried expression on the girl’s face, I was truly alright.
After all…
“Speaking of which, wasn’t I nimble?”
“Huh? You were…?”
“Kyah~ I dodged the magic of the so-called genius, Lillian Isole, all over the place, didn’t I?”
It was because I had succeeded in dodging Lillian Isole’s magic, something no other player had accomplished.
Of course, she had only used 10% of her full power, and…
I had some knowledge of Lillian Isole’s attack patterns, and…
Thanks to the Mana Circlet, my senses were much sharper than those of ordinary people; all three of these factors had aligned perfectly.
Still, I *did* dodge it, didn’t I?
For reference, Lillian Isole’s magic boasted fearsome precision and speed, so much so that even the Tower Master would struggle to block it.
“..Why aren’t you upset at all?”
Lillian Isole asked, because I was so cheerfully happy about this, why I wasn’t upset.
‘Why would I be?’
From the start, I had intended to lose on purpose in the mock duel with Lillian Isole.
That’s why I hadn’t put her to sleep as soon as the duel began.
If I had used a sleep skill and won, it would only add fuel to the fire of the young girl’s competitive spirit.
I was able to finish without dying, show off my skills moderately, and end with a non-serious injury.
“So you wanted me to be seriously injured?”
“That’s… That’s not it…”
“Then it’s all good, isn’t it?”
To be completely honest, moreover…
The truth was, the reason my arm broke was because I saw Lillian Isole’s magic flying toward me and reached out to block it with my arm.
Isn’t throwing yourself in front of a speeding car and then saying, “Aiyo! It’s the car’s fault!” a bit much?
“..I’m sorry…”
Nevertheless, the young girl seemed to feel guilty that she had hurt someone.
“Seeing you apologize so much, do you perhaps have something on your conscience?”
“…”
I decided to defuse the situation with a slightly playful tone.
“If you’re really that sorry, then…”
“…Huh?”
“Say, next time… if I ever ask for your help, could you lend a hand, without any questions asked, just once?”
“…You’d be okay with just that?”
“I might ask for something unbelievably difficult, you know?”
“As long as it’s something… reasonable.”
He casually raised a fist, acting like it was no big deal.
But right now, I had scored a seriously massive win.
‘Yes!’
Even with the Magic Tower Lord, a magical genius, residing in the Magic Kingdom…
Lillian Isolde would later earn the title of the Magic Kingdom’s greatest magical prodigy.
Like this, by placing her in my debt.
“Then, let’s consider this even.”
‘Lillian Coin, let’s get this bread!!’
When her growth potential neared its maximum,
I planned to make very good use of this favor.
*
“…”
I had been a bit insistent, but the only reason I’d specifically requested a sparring match with that man, Mihan, was…
‘What do I do, Papa…’
It was because of Papa.
Papa had taken a document filled with doppelganger information to the Imperial Palace.
That information was something all of humanity yearned for, so normally, rushing to the Imperial Palace would have been the right choice, but…
‘I… I can’t trust that information…’
Having just confirmed Mihan’s skill firsthand,
I couldn’t possibly be certain that the information was true.
‘Doppelgangers, 800 of them, using location-shifting magic…’
I was worried.
About the damage Papa might suffer for conveying false information to the Imperial Palace.
That’s why, just as I was finishing assessing his abilities… I unconsciously poured a little sincerity into my magic.
And that resulted in the man’s arm bone bending the wrong way.
“…”
Of course…
Being human, I was scared and sorry about the situation.
My stubbornness had caused harm to the other party.
Luckily, the man didn’t seem to care at all about such an injury.
“…I have a sparring match next week.”
He certainly would have heard it during the afternoon lecture on the day of the entrance ceremony.
A mock sparring match was scheduled for the following week to assess the freshmen’s practical skills.
With his arm in that condition, what on earth could he do…
“…If only he were a mage.”
If my opponent had been a mage like myself.
If it had been that way, my heart would be a little less uneasy…
But the person I accidentally harmed just happened to be a student of close-quarters combat, meaning I’d ruined the academy’s first official sparring test, a most crucial event.
“Haa… Really… I don’t know.”
…Now, I really don’t know anything.
At first, I was angry with him… for allegedly giving my father false information.
But now, I’d significantly impacted his overall academic performance.
I only meant to check his abilities, that was all…
I almost wish the information he gave my father was truly, utterly false, so I could at least have some justification for my actions.
‘Speaking of which…’
It’s not like I’m admitting he’s strong in brute force.
But I had to honestly acknowledge that this Mihean had seen right through my magic.
‘So, it’s possible to see and avoid magic.’
It was astonishing.
How he moved, seemingly knowing what magic was coming just from the initial gestures of my casting.
“Seeing as you keep apologizing, I’m guessing you have something to feel guilty about?”
It was astonishing.
I had subtly increased the intensity of the Aether, so the opponent would never notice…
Yet his insightful mind had caught even that.
“This means…”
Even if today was truly the first time he’d seen my magic…
“The contents of that notebook are likely… real.”
For someone who can’t use magic to have such a refined understanding of it.
Either he was hiding his skills during the mock duel with me,
Or he possessed a monstrous intellect, capable of ‘deciphering’ anything upon first sight, even magic he’d never seen before.
And I didn’t get the feeling that Mihean was holding back during our sparring.
“…So that’s why the Tower Lord is interested.”
Eventually, I understood.
What I did today… was incredibly rude to a man who had always acted sincerely towards my father.
And by breaking his arm, I’d blocked his path forward at the academy.
“…”
*
‘Wow… she’s really beautiful.’
I gazed at Miss Ella from afar, her face struggling to hide her nervousness.
The pure white color beautifully harmonized with the overall red attire.
When I thought how beautiful Miss Ella looks when she puts so much effort in dressing,
“The Master has arrived.”
The butler’s voice echoed through the quiet mansion, and at the same time, the grand front gate opened…
“It is good to have you back, Master.”
“Thank you for keeping the place safe, William.”
The head of the Eloise family.
The current master of the Eloise estate.
Ela’s father… Lord Alexander Eloise, could be seen entering.
“…”
An atmosphere of sheer dominance.
One felt as though he could crush a person merely by walking.
“It gladdens me to see you hale, Father.”
“Our Ela, have you been well?”
“Yes, Father.”
Reverting back to roughly three days prior.
Thankfully, because Lillian Isolde had twisted his arm in the opposite direction…
There wouldn’t be some silly incident like, ‘Let’s see the skills of this one who stole my daughter’s heart, shall we?’
“You are Mihen, then?”
“It is an honor to meet you, Lord Alexander Eloise. I am the insignificant commoner, Mihen.”
“There’s no need for lengthy pleasantries. Surely, as men, we should speak with swords?”
Ah.
Our Lord Alexander Eloise… truly unbiased, is he?
I mean… Disability Anti-Discrimination Act or what? Save me…!
My arm is currently sealed shut…! I wouldn’t win even if I were perfectly sound, come on…!!
“..Pardon?”
The Margrave tears through monsters!
And now kidnappers too…!
“..Father?”
Ela-ssi wasn’t the only one bewildered by this exchange; she too seemed about to question the Margrave, but.
Lord Alexander Eloise continued.
“If, in this duel, Mihen pleases me even in the slightest.”
“…”
“Ela, I promise to fulfill unconditionally any request you might have.”
Ela-ssi could be seen nodding furiously.
Nod nod nod nod!
“..?”
*
I was worried about how to get Father to approve the prenuptial agreement I secretly wrote for Mihen…
“If, in this duel, Mihen pleases me even in the slightest.”
“…”
“Ela, I promise to fulfill unconditionally any request you might have.”
Nod nod nod nod!
Suddenly, a way presented itself.