Wizard Kingdom Castle – King’s Chamber
The atmosphere was tense. First, there was the King and the Prime Minister, followed by the soldiers standing guard around them. We were sandwiched between the soldiers lined up in the corridor. The King wore his usual stern expression, and beside him was the Queen, whom I was seeing for the first time. The room was filled with a considerable number of people, including the captains of the fire and lightning squads.
Among them was a man named Tekka, the captain of the lightning squad, who had witnessed my battle firsthand. He was the first to express his gratitude the morning after, despite having hardly slept since then. It seemed that they had barely managed to recover the remnants of the Golem, and he had been busy assessing the number of injured and deceased. The remaining soldiers numbered around fourteen hundred, with more than half of the lightning squad reported dead. Only a few B-Rank Adventurers had survived, while the rest had perished.
Nevertheless, the majority of the injured were saved thanks to Roel and the remaining healers and priests. Roel, in particular, had alleviated the pain of those missing limbs and even saved lives, earning her a great deal of respect. It was said that she possessed A-Rank level abilities, and when she claimed to still be B-Rank, the expressions around her turned pale, reflecting a mix of surprise and concern.
“Ahem… First, I would like to express my gratitude for saving the nation from crisis.”
I had feared that I would be scolded for escaping or, worse, thrown back into a cell. But to my relief, that was not the case. I still needed to apologize for the damage I caused when I blew the door off its hinges, scattering debris everywhere. However, I hadn’t attacked the guards. When I charged forward, ignoring their warnings, they had cast magic at me, but it hadn’t been a problem at all. In fact, it seemed they had let us pass, realizing that we were not a threat.
After that, I had carried Roel on my back as we went around the kingdom’s gates to deal with the Golem. Lord Hast had mentioned he would head to the eastern gate first and then disappeared, which had me worried. I never expected things would turn out like this.
“However, that is separate from this matter. I cannot overlook your escape from prison.”
“You still bring that up…?”
“Lord Hast, please remain silent. Shouldn’t you be focusing on your recovery instead?”
The King was not willing to overlook my actions. He was being harsh even towards Lord Hast, who had just managed to recover. What kind of King was this? Roel, standing next to me, clearly looked displeased. She had hardly slept, dedicating herself to healing the injured.
We hadn’t done what we did for any personal gain. But that didn’t mean we deserved to be repaid with hostility. I couldn’t ignore the plight of Truppo and Rash’s homeland, where so many people were in danger.
“Your Majesty, I, Tekka, have witnessed the deeds of these individuals firsthand. Please, I ask you to overlook this matter.”
“I was the one who commanded Fire Rain, and I alone assisted in their illegal entry.”
The captains of the fire and lightning squads spoke up in support. Perhaps it was because I had saved their squads when they were being overwhelmed by the Golem. Despite standing before the King, they did not falter, bowing their heads. The Queen, seated beside the King, observed the scene without a flicker of emotion, but unlike the King, she had a kind expression.
“Zajeel, no, Your Majesty. Do you truly believe you can punish this girl seriously?”
“Why are you suddenly speaking so formally…?”
“She is someone who could sweep away a horde of Golems with a single swing of her sword. What punishment could you possibly impose on such a person?”
“W-well, that may be true… but are you suggesting she would resist?”
The King suddenly showed a look of anxiety as he turned to me. It was clear what my answer would be.
“I have things I must do.”
The moment I said that, everyone froze, not even blinking.
“I can’t keep playing along any longer.”
“Y-you! How dare you!”
What I intended as a mere hint of hostility seemed to shake the very foundation of the room. The neatly lined-up soldiers suddenly stepped back, scattering. The captains stumbled, and the guards protecting the King leaped forward, readying their stances. Yet, their hands trembled slightly. Even the guards who were glaring at me were visibly shaken. The Prime Minister had fallen back against the wall, trying to retreat further despite there being no space left.
I slowly began to walk toward the King. Roel grabbed my finger, trying to pull me back.
“D-don’t come any closer!”
“Your Majesty, I don’t want any rewards or anything like that. But please, spare me from punishment.”
Two guards attempted to restrain me, but I didn’t care. If they wanted to use magic, let them try. I was furious.
“Your Majesty, isn’t it enough? Can we not call this meeting to a close? Or do you intend to stubbornly wage a futile war against this girl?”
“Y-you insolent fools! What has happened to Lord Hast?”
“Nothing at all. I merely stated the facts as they are.”
“However, if I let this go, it would set a poor example…”
“Then, shall we go to war?”
“Ugh! I-I’m done with this!”
With that, the King stood up from his throne with a flourish, pushing aside the two guards and walking away. I heard the door slam shut behind him. He was gone, but what did this mean?
“It’s over then.”
The Queen finally spoke for the first time. She looked to be around the same age as the King, but she appeared much younger and more beautiful. I wondered if she could use magic as well.
“I apologize. When he faces difficulties, he tends to shut himself away in his room. It’s likely due to ascending to the throne at such a young age after the previous king’s death. He still has a childish side that he can’t shake off.”
“Indeed. Lua and Roel, I apologize. His behavior was partly my fault. I was strict with that boy when he ascended to the throne as a child. He possessed magical power far beyond that of his predecessor, and I thought it best not to coddle him. As a result, he grew physically while his sense of responsibility outpaced his mental growth…”
“Well, that’s a story that doesn’t concern you. Now, let’s take our leave.”
It was a bit disheartening to hear that the King had lost his parents, just as I had. While most children grow up with their parents, there are those like the King and me who do not. If we had grown up normally, perhaps both the King and I would have turned out differently.
“Lua-chan, shall we go?”
I realized Roel was tugging at my finger, urging me to leave. That’s right. I had Roel with me now. I needed to remind myself that just having her was enough to make me happy.
Wizard Kingdom – Hast’s Home
“Zajeel… no, I thank you on behalf of the King. You are the saviors. Lua, and of course, Roel. It is truly remarkable that you managed to heal so many injured.”
“Th-thank you very much.”
“Indeed. I mentioned I would assist with the matter, but it seems that is not enough. Are you planning to leave soon?”
“Yes, we have the A-Rank Promotion Exam coming up…”
“Oh, then there’s no need to worry. If it’s like previous years, you still have about three months before it takes place. But first, come outside and take a look.”
Prompted by Lord Hast, we stepped outside to find a large crowd gathered below the fence. People filled the streets, looking up at our home. As we peeked out, a cheer erupted from the crowd, and a strangely cheerful melody resonated from an unfamiliar instrument, echoing deep in our ears.
“The saviors are here!”
“Thank you for saving our country!”
“Please come to the welcome festival!”
This was quite the spectacle. I couldn’t tell if there were thousands or tens of thousands of people, but they were all praising us. I understood that they were grateful for defeating the Golem, but how did they know it was me who did it? I had taken down all the Golems outside the gates, except for the one at the eastern gate, so there shouldn’t have been any damage to the town.
The applause and cheers filled the air, countless voices calling me a savior, a hero—words that made me feel a bit uneasy.
“Though I apologize for the unpleasantness regarding Zajeel, there are still those who are watching.”
Lord Hast, who had slowly emerged from the house, gazed at the crowd below.
“Hey! We’re about to start the welcome festival for the ladies! Come on down!”
Lash waved from below. Were they really going to hold a festival, something like the Avangarde Festival? It was the first time I had received such gratitude from so many people. I didn’t know how to react, and for a while, I could only gaze at the thousands of faces before me. Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my cheeks.
“Lua-chan, why are you crying?”
“Huh? Th-that’s strange. What’s wrong with me?”
Could it be happy tears, or was it because of the King? I had certainly been thanked for guild requests before, but this was on an entirely different scale. Perhaps I wasn’t fully aware of it myself. These tears were because there were so many people who needed me. I decided to think that way.
“Look over there! There’s so much food! Come on, let’s go!”
With incredible strength, Roel took my hand and started running. Lord Hast chuckled as he saw me nearly stumble.
◆ Wizard Kingdom, Castle Town, Plaza ◆
Dishes were laid out on large tables, and even though it was still before noon, people were already dancing drunkenly. This was nothing like the Avangarde Festival, and I felt bewildered. It reminded me of the atmosphere in Pablo’s shop. The cooking demonstration using fire magic was something I had never seen before, unique to this country.
Among the highlights was the battle between Lash and several adult wizards and fighters. The audience was so confused that they couldn’t tell which Lash was the real one, getting lost among the numerous fakes. When a wizard attempted to finish the fight with a wide-area spell, he was startled by the real Lash, who was right behind him.
The crowd buzzed with excitement, but I could see Lash skillfully weaving illusions while mixing in real magic, stealthily approaching. If it were just normal magic, he would only rank around C among adventurers. But combined with his expertise in illusion magic, he possessed strength many times greater than an average wizard. That was my impression. I understood the feelings of that boy who had teared up against the golem; it wouldn’t work against such a foe.
He might even be stronger than Baste, the one I fought in the Combat Tournament. I could see why attending school would be boring for him.
“Baste? No way! I really respect that guy! I tend to rely on attack magic a lot, but he never uses it at all. If I had the strength to fight solely with illusion magic like him…”
I was surprised to learn that he was an acquaintance. It wasn’t just him; it seemed that many wizards hailed from this country. Some, like Truppo, went on journeys to train and ended up raising their adventurer ranks.
“Jumping from roof to roof was so cool!”
“Hey, how did you take down that golem over there? One moment you were swinging your sword, and the next, they all started collapsing. What happened?”
“It’s called the Sonic Ripper. When I swing it like this, the slash hits just right.”
People of all ages, including soldiers who survived that battle and were granted leave, gathered around me. The others seemed busy with recovery efforts. Roel and I had offered to help, but we were swept away by the crowd and had no choice but to stay at the festival.
“Lua-chan, come over here!”
“Whoa! Ro-Roel! You smell like alcohol?!”
I was completely embraced. More importantly, were we even allowed to drink at our age? I remembered trying to reach for the alcohol my father drank when I was a child, only to be stopped. I had vaguely thought that children shouldn’t drink, but I wondered how old one had to be to drink legally.
“Lua…”
“Truppo, what’s wrong?”
“Um…”
“Yeah?”
“I want to become stronger… and then someday… with you…”
Truppo had been so lively in front of Lord Hast, so why was he like this now? I wanted to ask Lord Hast, who was dancing half-naked over there, but I didn’t want to get close to that. He was surrounded by girls, having a great time, and right now, he didn’t even have the demeanor of a sage.
“Come on, come closer! Come on, come on!”
“Come on, Lord Hast! Your granddaughter and Lua-chan are watching!”
“What? I’m not interested in anyone under twenty! Well, the material isn’t bad, so maybe in about five years?”
The conversation didn’t even make sense, and honestly, it was off-putting. What did he mean by ‘material’ and ‘under twenty’? I had been vaguely aware since coming to this world, but why did men always think about such things? Compared to that, Roel’s innocence was refreshing; she wouldn’t leave my side. She seemed satisfied after devouring all the food on the table and now looked sleepy. But she wouldn’t let go.
“Lua-chan!”
Thus, the festival continued, not just through the day but all night long. When I woke up at dawn, I found people sprawled everywhere. It was soaked with who knows what, and I thought it would take another day to clean up. That was all I could think.
◆ Wizard Kingdom, Castle Town, Plaza ◆
The townsfolk and wizards all gathered and began drawing something like a magic circle in the plaza. Lord Hast was directing them, and they linked hands with us, surrounding Roel and me, ready to teleport us to Lord Hast’s home.
“Lua-neechan, are you really leaving?”
“Yeah, take care, Lash and Truppo.”
“I’ll miss you…”
Lash and Truppo came to see us off, looking reluctant. Lord Hast proposed to teleport us all the way to the Kingdom of Avangarde. According to Lash, this magic couldn’t go too far, but depending on the number of people and how it was done, it could reach the Kingdom of Avangarde.
I was confident I could fall asleep in less than a minute, so I didn’t bother asking about the mechanics. It seemed preparations were complete, and it was time to activate the spell.
“I’ve given you as much reward as I could, but it might still not be enough. The only other thing I can do is this. It saves both time and travel expenses, so please accept it.”
“Th-that’s too much! We should be the ones thanking you!”
“Hmm, Roel is a good girl, which helps. Now, let’s begin.”
What they handed us was 150,000 gold, a sum that would take us months to earn through guild requests. It was a combination of what the guild had given us as a reward and contributions from the townsfolk and adventurers. It was such an exorbitant amount that I desperately tried to refuse, but I eventually caved and accepted it.
Lash and Truppo were there to see us off. Everyone murmured what sounded like incantations, and the entire magic circle began to glow.
“Remember what I taught you last time? Don’t be surprised if my voice suddenly echoes in your head. I won’t disturb you while you’re sleeping.”
Yes, that was the Word Soul magic Lord Hast had taught me. It was an incredibly high-level spell that could transmit one’s voice to a specific person. However, it seemed it only affected those with whom one had a contract, so it wasn’t all-powerful. Lord Hast had casually boasted that only a handful of people in the world could use it, including himself. He warned that contracts should be made carefully; if one carelessly contracted with the wrong person, they would be bombarded with voices all day long, which would be quite bothersome.
He joked that it might be useful against the leader of the Neo Demon Lord Army, but he might not be wrong. After all, the boss of those monsters would likely possess such power.
Of course, the reason for the contract was so that Lord Hast could relay information about the One-Winged Demon to us. I still didn’t understand how Lord Hast, who was elderly and couldn’t move much, had acquired so much knowledge, but I didn’t dwell on it.
“Take care! Good luck with your A-Rank Promotion Exam!”
With those final words, we were enveloped in light. It was just a moment, not even a second or two. When I opened my eyes, I found myself back in the familiar Avangarde Castle Town.
“Hehe, now that I’ve become a Priestess, our combat power has doubled!”
Before the festival, Roel had been recommended for the Priest Promotion Exam and had passed with flying colors. Now she was a Priestess, capable of using more spells than a Healer, and her magical power had increased significantly.
【Lua Level: 999 Class: Fighter B-Rank】
【Roel Level: 63 Class: Priestess B-Rank】
“Hehe, hehe!”
Roel was in such high spirits that it was a little scary.
◆ Shin’s Report ◆
Shin Report
The giant was defeated.
The giant who could crush mountains was defeated.
The girl sliced the giant with her sword.
The giant was brought down by a small opponent.
Shin thought,
In battle, logic is unnecessary.
Only the strong prevail.
It was just that.
While Zeech was being overwhelmed, Shin quickly concealed his presence after being spotted by the girl.
With my motivation waning, I decided to report my findings. Honestly, there was nothing else to say.
Monster Compendium
[Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea – HP 31,000]
One of the Twelve Demon Generals of the Neo Demon Lord Army.
With a dolphin-like lower body and tentacle-like fingers, he boasts the strength to sink large ships in a single blow. He possesses the ability to manipulate ocean currents at will. While he specializes in water attributes, his monstrous strength rivals that of Chiruchiru.
[Bolan – HP 3,700]
One of the Twelve Demon Generals of the Neo Demon Lord Army, and the trusted aide of the Golem Master.
Though he appears small to be called a Golem, his power is incomparable. He has high resistance to both magic and physical attacks, rendering even the blades of seasoned warriors ineffective against him. His extendable arms can pierce through even Zircon, and in terms of raw power, he is on par with the combined might of an entire nation.
[Zeech the Sky-Piercing Giant – HP 42,150]
One of the Twelve Demon Generals of the Neo Demon Lord Army.
He may lack any specific techniques, but he boasts one of the largest sizes among all monsters. If he were to unleash his full fury, the entire continent could face destruction. However, to assume this form, he must gather a considerable amount of material using his rock-like arms that can absorb magic. Since the rock arms cannot absorb living beings before reaching the End, it is necessary to prepare Golems in advance for absorption.