Chapter 30: The Marquise Was a Gorilla
“This is… outrageous!”
Rest instinctively crossed his arms to absorb Airish’s strike. Despite layering two enhancement spells, Body Enhancement and Fortitude, he was still overwhelmed by an incredible shock. Unable to withstand it, Rest was sent flying backward, landing heavily.
“Well… your reaction isn’t bad. Your output and activation speed are impressive. I’m quite impressed that you can manage a Duo at such a young age.”
“T-thank you…”
Airish wasn’t pursuing him; instead, she was casually swinging her arms. If he were an ordinary warrior or magician, that first blow would have ended the fight.
(I can’t feel my arms… They aren’t torn off, are they?)
Though his arms used for defense weren’t broken, they were numb to the point he couldn’t move them at will. Without dispelling the enhancement magic, he used Healing to mend the damage.
“Oh, you can manage a Trio too. Truly remarkable.”
“Then how is it that you can exert such strength with just Body Enhancement?”
It was a genuine question. While Rest was casting multiple spells simultaneously, Airish was relying solely on Body Enhancement. Although Rest could use the same spell, the disparity in their abilities was glaring.
“I was born with high magical output. That’s just talent.”
“…Talent, huh?”
“However… I’m not good with long-range attack magic. It seems you can’t have it all, can you?”
“…………”
Rest possessed boundless magical power, but the amount of magical power he could channel into a single spell—his magic output—wasn’t particularly high. It wasn’t low either, but compared to his unique talent of infinite magical power and the ability to copy spells with just a glance, his output seemed rather mundane.
(I see… It really is true that you can’t have it all.)
“Then… how about this?”
Rest conjured a dozen Fireballs around him and launched them all at Airish.
“Hah!”
“Hehe… Nice attack. I like it.”
The Fireballs were aimed and timed to be unavoidable, yet Airish evaded them with graceful steps and incredible agility. Without slowing down, she dove into Rest’s personal space.
“Smoke Screen!”
Rest unleashed a cloud of white smoke around him. Both he and Airish vanished into the mist, literally enveloped in smoke.
“Impressive…!”
Airish’s fist sliced through the air where Rest had been. Thanks to the enhancement spell, Perception Enhancement, Rest could still see her movements within the smoke. He pressed his palm against her abdomen.
(If I can just land this blow…!)
“Shock!”
“Ugh…!”
Airish’s body twitched slightly. The spell he cast was designed to incapacitate without causing lethal harm, one of the techniques Professor Dible had taught him for interpersonal combat.
“That hurts, you know. But… you underestimate non-lethal magic.”
“…………!?”
Airish seized Rest’s arm that had struck her abdomen. Despite landing a solid hit, she managed to restrain him in an instant.
“With Viola and Primula around, how dare you lay your hands on another woman’s belly… that’s bad behavior. Time for your punishment!”
“Whoa!”
Still gripping his arm, she swung Rest’s body around and hurled him away. He bounced several times against the ground, rolling to the edge of the Training Ground.
“Rest-kun!”
“Rest-sama!”
“Don’t hide! Our fight isn’t over yet!”
Airish barked at the girls who rushed toward him in a panic. Just as she said, the battle was far from finished. Rest stood up from the ground, healing himself with magic.
“This is insane… truly…”
The ability to stand again was thanks to Dible’s training. Having become somewhat accustomed to fighting against humans, he managed to minimize the damage by taking the fall properly.
(If she can dodge all those Fireballs, then firing long-range magic is pointless… I don’t want to accidentally set the mansion ablaze with stray shots…)
In that case, he should stack enhancement spells and engage in close combat. Rest grimaced at the thought. If he could use advanced area-of-effect magic, it would be a different story, but unfortunately, he hadn’t learned that from Dible. The fighting style he had learned was more about creatively using weaker spells rather than focusing on sheer firepower like a typical magician.
“That diverse fighting style… you’re studying under Dible, aren’t you?”
Airish inquired. Rest nodded, focusing on his healing.
“Yes, Professor Dible has taught me a lot.”
“It seems he had apprentices in the past, but none lasted long. He must be quite strict, huh?”
“He’s not exactly gentle. But if you want to grow stronger, that’s only natural.”
“Yes, yes, good mindset.”
Airish flashed a gentle smile that seemed out of place in the midst of battle.
“He’s exceptionally skilled at using magic, but he lacked the magical power to master advanced spells. I’d love to see how your absurd magical power would complete his fighting style.”
“…Thank you for the compliment.”
He clenched and opened his fist. During their conversation, he had completely healed from the damage. His magical power remained unchanged from the start.
(So now we’re back to square one… In fact, it feels like Airish’s magical power has decreased somewhat. I could even say I’m at an advantage…)
Yet… why did it feel like he was at a disadvantage? A sense of being cornered crept over him, causing beads of sweat to form along his spine.
Having engaged in mock battles with Dible almost daily, he had become capable of fighting at an advantage in unrestricted battles, even if he couldn’t win outright. Yet, he felt an insurmountable distance from Airish. This was the power that stood at the pinnacle of the nation, and it shook him to his core.
(So strong… stronger than Professor Dible, certainly stronger than me…!)
“Rest-kun!”
“Rest-sama!”
(Still… I can’t give up. The girls are cheering for me.)
Viola and Primula shouted, rallying behind him. He couldn’t show them a disgraceful side. Though he had intended to borrow their strength… he had to give it his all.
(I’ll go all out… with the intent to truly defeat her…!)
“Oh… it seems you’ve made up your mind. Good eyes. Just like my husband in his youth, I adore those eyes.”
Airish’s lips curled into a crescent-shaped smile, filled with amusement.
“Come now, I’ll embrace you.”
“I’m coming…!”
Body Enhancement
Fortitude
Acceleration
Earth Wear
He activated the Quartet of spells. Coating his entire body in armor made of earth, he crouched in a starting position.
“Quartet… impressive!”
“Fire!”
As Airish praised him, he kicked off the ground and charged forward. The speed was astonishing, as if a massive motorcycle were barreling down at over a hundred kilometers per hour. He aimed straight for her, intending to deliver a powerful punch to her torso clad in riding attire.
“…………!”
“Yes, good. Quite good.”
However… that attack was easily caught. Airish had enhanced her body with both Body Enhancement and Fortitude. Even without the former, Rest’s strike, powered by the Quartet, was ineffective against her reinforced physique.
“This is your reward. Just as I promised, I’ll embrace you.”
“Kah…!”
Airish’s arms wrapped around Rest. The earth armor shattered with a crack, and she squeezed him in a way that bent him backward.
(My waist… it’s breaking…!)
His consciousness faded, and Rest lost consciousness once more.
In the second duel held at the Training Ground, Rest had once again been defeated, collapsing into unconsciousness just like the last time.