<h4>Vol. 1 - Chapter 5.3: Awakening (3)</h4>
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<em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Smiling at the goblin soldiers who were also part of his group, Suzuki slowly walked over to Nephira. </em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Nephira." </em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"> In front of the gathered demons, Nephira forced away her happy expression and put on a scowl. </em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I''m sorry I ran away so abruptly and didn''t call you until now." </em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"> <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Hm. Nephira snorted, but inwardly she was relieved. It seemed that Suzuki was no longer angry with her. </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Ah--- I''m so d!) </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Let''s leave it at that. Anyway, the military duel was splendid. From today onwards, you are a Bronze-rank soldier, two ranks above a Stone-rank soldier. Once again, you will be granted permission to have ves. I will also give you a small territory of your own." </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Thank you," Suzuki answered and smiled happily. </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> . </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> While Nephira was staring at him, thinking how cute he was and how she wanted to kiss him, Exce walked up to them. She bent her hips in front of Suzuki and bowed her head politely. </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I''m Exce. From today, I will serve you, Lord Hero, as your ve." </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Y--You don''t have to be so formal! Or rather, instead of master-ve, let''s be friends, you and me!" </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> And then they bothughed together. While watching that scene, Nephira was suddenly enveloped in a feeling of loneliness. </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Ugh, Suzuki...! Are you going to leave me just like this...?) </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> However, Suzuki told Nephira with a smile on his face. </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I''m going out for a bit now! I''ll be back at the castle for dinner." </em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Huun? Are you,ing back to the castle?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I''m Nephira''s familiar, right? I''m supposed to be around as much as possible." </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I--I see! That''s RIGHT! You are, my familiar!" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Ufufu! That''s right, that''s how it is---! Suzuki is my familiar---! We don''t have to separate just because he received territory, right?! <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Ufufufu!) </em></em></em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> While Nephira''s head was a field of flowers from joy, Suzuki and Exce had left the training ground together. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> ◇◇◇◇◇ </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Um... Lord Hero. Where are we going?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "There is someone I want you to meet, Exce!" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi held Exce''s hand as he walked happily through the town. His destination was Leelou''s cabin on the outskirts of town. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Pritis, impressive! Actually, Master Leelou is even more amazing for thinking of such techniques!) </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> During his training, Leelou was very strict with Takashi. He could hardly remember her praising him. However, Takashi became a Bronze-rank soldier and gained territory. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Imagining his master''s smiling face while saying, "Well done!", Takashi arrived at the mountain cabin. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Master!! I, did it!! Thanks to Pritis, I won a duel!!" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> He opened the door and shouted, but the cabin was empty, like a haunted ce. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Master...?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> He thought she might be out shopping, but he soon realized something was wrong. The bookshelves were empty. The nkets and other things were missing. It didn''t have a lived-in feeling; it was as if she had moved out of the house. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi soon noticed that a letter and the scroll of Pritis had been ced on the table, the same table where Leelou used to read her books. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi took the letter in his hands. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>"Hey, Suzuki! It seemed that Serphiano, the Demon Lord''s Army Chief Advisor, had noticed my presence with her third eye. I will leave this country before Serphianoes back to Leirune again. I bid you farewell."</strong> </em></em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "N--No way! Master...!" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi''s hand trembled as he held the letter. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>"I''m going to tell you the truth. There are other reasons for our parting. I thought it would not be good for either of us if we stayed together. I am human. Your ability does not work on me. Yet it is strange. As I stood by your side, I grew to love you more and more as I watched you work so hard. It is not proper for a master to be charmed by her pupil.</strong> </em></em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>"If you have charmed even me, a human, then surely you can save the world with your cuteness. Polish up your techniques even more. Let us work together under the same sky to create a new world. We may be far apart, but our feelings are the same."</strong> </em></em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The letter ended there. Next to Exce, who was looking at him with concern, Takashi clutched the letter in his hand. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Master <em ss="chakra-text css-0">whaaaaaaaaaaaaa--!!" </em></em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Then, Takashi hugged the letter and wept inconsbly. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (I... never thanked my master even once! I made fun of the Pritis she created for my sake! And yet... I can''t believe we''re parting ways like this!) </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> ...After letting him cry for a while, Exce spoke to Takashi in a gentle voice. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Lord Hero. You achieved your earlier victory thanks to this person, correct...?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Ya. That''s right. It was all thanks to Master Leelou." </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> At that moment, Exce put her hand over her mouth as if she had just realized something. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "If I may ask, is that master a peach-haired person?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Do you know her!?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "With peach-colored hair, named Leelou. If so, it must be her. I heard that she was killed in battle at the hands of the Demon Lord''s army during the Great War but... she is still alive, isn''t she...!" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Exce was so moved that she burst into tears. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Exce. Who in the world is Master...?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Lord Hero''s mentor is the greatest mind among humans------ Former Grand Tactician of the Imperial Army, Lady Leelou Dimension. No doubt." </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Former Grand Tactician of the Imperial Army...?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "During the Great War, we used to say things like *''Demon Lord''s Army has Serphiano, but the Imperial Army has Leelou'' *to lift our spirits. The Demon Lord''s Army had an overwhelming disparity in military strength over the Imperial Army, not to mention the difference in individual abilities. But even so, we were able to hold out for several years because of the presence of that one person." </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Exce wiped her tears with her finger and smiled. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "It seems that Lady Grand Tactician is also working to save the world. If you continue aspiring to save the world, Lord Hero, I''m sure you''ll meet her again at some point." </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I see...?" </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi recalled what was written in the letter. That''s right. He is not alone. His master is fighting for world peace in a different ce, using all her wisdom. </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Then, someday! Just like Exce said, I''ll meet you, Master!) </em></em></em>
<em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> By then, He''ll have be a splendid Hero worthy of the title---Takashi was determined to do so.</em></em></em><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> </em></em></em>